Review: Kyani Bakery, Mumbai

Kyani & Co. located on J.S.S Road, Mumbai is one of the well-known bakeries in the city. There are always expectations from a place which has been serving delicious baked items for the last 107 years!

The place has a very silent atmosphere. It feels that you are in different era altogether. The ambience will impress people. You can spot people writing along with sipping Kyani’s famous Irani tea. The tea is refreshing and offers a completely different taste from the home-made tea. The customer feels at ease but not at home because of the waiters who keep an eye on them and wants them leave as soon as possible. Sometimes, they even behave rudely to the customers by not responding properly. Probably, they have inherited this habit from the owner who would be caught staring at you if you sit for 5 minutes and don’t order anything.

But, all the waiters do their jobs well. They clean the tables and replace water after 15 minutes. Some enthusiastic waiters even try to strike a conversation with you.

Despite being a bakery, it offers a wide variety of snacks and baked items.

The USP of the place is fresh cream cakes, Plum cakes and Cream puffs. You can visit the bakery any time of the day; you won’t be disappointed as the freshness of these two items is guaranteed. Bread pudding which is offered by all the bakeries in the city is also served here but, the taste might not impress your taste buds. Kyani offers a great range of eggs and non-veg snacks in the form of boiled eggs, scrambled eggs, omelettes and bhurjees. The Mutton Keema bhurjee is a hit with the crowd. Sometimes due to popular demand the supply of Mutton gets finished. Try avoiding Chocolate Mousse during summers as it tastes sour and weird. It could be as they don’t have a proper place to store it.

People might feel that since it is a bakery, snacks won’t be as delicious as the baked items. This myth will be broken when you order Kebabs and Nuggets. The spices are in right proportion and it leaves you craving for more.

Whenever you enter a bakery you can smell the aroma of the bread and that amazing smell makes your mouth water. Kyani, in this scenario disappoints big time.

The prices are relatively low when compared to eating hubs in the malls. A snack break for two people should not exceed more than Rs. 150.

If you are foodie, this is a must-visit for you. The food and atmosphere won’t disappoint you but the behaviour could. If you are interested in writing, try visiting the place during monsoons the amazing weather and ambience would bring out a poet in you.

Ratings- 3/5

Column: Merwan Bakery

Mawa cakes if baked properly can taste even better than creamy birthday cakes. In Mumbai, for the last three years I have been searching for the perfect Mawa cake despite eating many renowned bakeries in the city I didn’t find one.

Then on a friend’s recommendation I visited B Merwan bakery. By the looks of the bakery I thought eating here would be a huge mistake. I reluctantly ordered a plate of Mawa cake. When took my first bite I realized that I have found the perfect Mawa cake which is lighter than air.

It came to my mind that despite serving such amazing food this bakery is the least talked about. What could be the reason that Merwan is not a ‘happening’ bakery? I decided that I’ll find it out.

After finishing my feast, I looked around and I realized that I was the only woman sitting among twenty men. There was absolutely no one from my age group. There was no sign of any college student. Mostly people working as labourers or clerks were seated in the bakery.

There is no cleanliness in the bakery. There was only one waiter who was serving everyone he didn’t even wipe the table when a customer left or arrived. By looking at the floors one could feel that the floors haven’t been wiped or washed for years. The place didn’t look hygienic and was dark & dingy even when the sun was shining brightly outside.

The location could be another reason. Merwan is situated near Grant Road station. And according to women, it is not a safe area to be in.Being a college student myself, I would prefer visiting a safe place and where my friends and I can have fun without being stared by twenty different men.

It is a shame that Merwan isn’t counted as a place where friends can hang out. The waiters serve you with a smile and the baked items are delicious. It is time that the city gives credit to one of the oldest bakeries of Mumbai because it truly deserves it!

‘There is job security in this illegal work'

 (Profile)

Gopal Sunar, 23 has been living in Navi Mumbai for the last 12 years now. For an eighth class pass he has tried his hand in various occupations including selling cutlery on the roadside and driving an auto rickshaw. Circumstances didn’t allow him to get a permanent job. But, now Gopal is working for over a year for a small pirated CD/DVD company in Vashi. The owner of the company, Pappu has given him a stall in a market near Sector-29, Vashi.

His work starts at five o’clock in the evening and he gets free by midnight. The company for which he works for doesn’t face any competition especially in Vashi as they have captured the entire area. The one aspect of his work that he likes the most is even if he is unable to make any sales for the day he takes away a fixed salary of Rs. 4000.

He feels that it is an easy work for him since he doesn’t face any difficult challenges in his work life. ‘I don’t have to be scared. If someone from higher authority comes and questions me that why I am selling pirated CDs. I don’t have to explain myself. I just have to call my boss and he takes care of everything’

Customers have never been rude to him. Instead, they come and give him a list of movies they want and Gopal is happy to help them. He remembers once a rude customer tried to take the DVDs without paying for it.  According to Gopal, the customer did that because he was a Maharashtrian and Gopal wasn’t. His argument was if they are allowing him to stay in their city then he should give away free CDs to the residents.

‘I was hurt because this is home for me’, said a visibly upset Gopal. But, the shopkeepers are very helpful and supportive. He never has had any problems with them. Sometimes, when he gets a call from his boss about the raids by the police he packs up the entire stall and keeps it safely in the nearby shops.

Nowadays he doesn’t have to worry about any raids. ‘My owners give money to the police officers every month. I have no reason to worry.’

He is aware of the fact that selling pirated CD/DVDs is a crime. He said, ‘Madam, there is job security in this illegal work. If one day, I get arrested and go to jail my owner will ensure my safety. I know, this is not the right job but if I have money I will want to start this business on my own.’

The very next moment, Gopal contradicts himself by saying, ‘The police will never support me. I am aware of this. Since, I don’t have any back up in the city I will be thrown in jail. I don’t even belong to Maharashtra. I can’t live in tension and fear.’

Though he is happy with his work, he is saddened by the thought of not being in a job which pays well despite being in the city for so many years. He knows that he is paid well for his small job but he is aware that this money will never fulfil his family’s desire which lives in Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh.

‘People in my village aren’t happy with my job. They say that I am a sunar and I should live a life of dignity rather than working on the street. But, they don’t understand my motive.’

His motive is to open a goldsmith shop in his village for his father and brothers. ‘My villagers won’t understand this but my family supports me in all my endeavours. They have faith in me,’ he said with a broad smile.

(Gopal Sunar with his stall and a potential customer)

He is optimistic that one day he will find the suitable job for himself. And when he has earned enough money he would go and live peacefully in his village. Till then, he is content with his present job.

Review: How I met your mother- Season 6

Season six of American sitcom, ‘How I met your mother’ garnered great reviews from critics and the audiences.

The season started with Robin (Cobie Smulders) nursing her break up with Don. This season the fiercely independent, always engrossed in her professional life Robin was sidelined by the producers. The viewers got to know her character better since the season focussed on her personal life. Yet, the strong-willed Robin was missed.

Ted Mosby (Josh Radnor), the protagonist of the show had an eventful year. He got the contract to design a new building for GNB and his love life was finally heading somewhere after he met the married charming lady Zoey (Jennifer Morrison).

Lily (Alyson Hannigan) and Marshall (Jason Segel) are trying to get pregnant. But, their world falls apart when Marshall’s father dies of a heart attack.

Barney Stinson (Neil Patrick Harris) finally meets his father. Barney meets Nora and ends up having a date on Valentine’s Day.

Every actor has given brilliant performance whether it is Cobie Smulders break down at the subway, Barney’s difficulty in accepting the identity of his father or Lily’s disappointment on unable to conceive despite trying so hard.

The show stealer of this season was Jason Segel. Jason gave a memorable performance as a son who couldn’t listen to his father’s last words. When he cries onscreen you end up feeling upset.

Although, the search for Ted’s true love for the last five seasons has been an interesting journey, it is annoying for the viewers to see every relationship of his ending bitterly.

The next season is highly awaited as it would be Barney’s wedding (the unexpected has happened on the show). The bride is not revealed and as Ted said that he met the mother of his children at a wedding it is possible that we might meet her in the next season.

Cast Thy Light On Mumbai

Amravati is a small town in the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra. Definitely not listed in the tourist spots of the state but the security system it provides is more than required for a tourist destination. Akola junction is closest station to Amravati. For a Mumbaikar, the station can be branded ‘deserted’ but what draws attention is a luggage scanner. A constant terror struck Mumbai does not have that! You can spot quite a number of khaki uniforms on the street, constantly patrolling, frisking and fulfilling their watchdog duty. 

On the contrary, Mumbai has thirteen year olds riding bikes and escaping most of the time without being caught, unless, it’s the beginning or the end of the month when our respected protectors of the society have case quotas to be handled.

In Amravati, you’re under constant surveillance. No matter what, someone’s watching you and your actions. We’re definitely not referring to departmental stores, malls or big bookstores here. We’re talking about small medical shops, ‘kirana’ stores, phew! The vigilance system developed in such a small town is commendable. Walking out on the streets at any hour of the night is safer because of the protection that the town assures you. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that theft has to be a mastermind’s craft in Amravati.

In Mumbai, we’re such a big metropolis, we’re the economic capital, we have huge numbers of people coming in everyday but how secure are we? How much do we protect our people? And for once, I think every citizen of this nation should ask himself, is there truly any value of life left in this land?

CWG winners guilty for using steroids

(News Report)

The doping controversy has shattered India’s confidence in their sports heroes. Ashwini Akkunji and Priyanka Pawar have been tested positive for the banned methandieone, an anabolic steroid. Their ‘B’ samples were tested at the National Dope Testing Laboratory and results confirm the presence of the banned steroid.

M.L Dogra, Director, Athletics Federation of India (AFI) confirmed the results. The athletes will now have to appear before a National Anti- Doping Agency (NADA) disciplinary panel.

Ashwini’s case is even more saddening. She has not only picked up a second gold in 400m hurdles in China but, she was part of the gold winning 4x400m team in the Commonwealth Games (CWG).

Ashwini has joined her gold medal-winning relay team-mates Mandeep Kaur and Sini Jose, whose 'B' samples have also tested positive for anabolic steroids. With this, the number of positive cases has gone up to eight.

Indian tennis star Sania Mirza expressed her disappointment over this issue as out of eight positive cases, seven are women. She also added that if they are proven guilty strict action should be taken against them. ‘Being a sportsperson myself, I think any of these athletes should not be accused of doing anything wrong until proven. But if they are proven guilty, of course they should be punished,’ she said to Hindustan Times.

On the other hand, Ashwini Akkunji is pleading innocence. Speaking to Hindustan Times she said, ‘I am innocent and have never failed a dope test before this. We only took the food supplements recommended by our coach and only after consuming the supplements, we have been tested positive.’

In these surprising turn of events, the sports ministry sacked Ukrainian coach Yuri Ogrodnik who was the trainer to six of the eight athletes who failed the dope test. He was responsible of the women’s 400m, 400m hurdles and 4x400 m hurdles since 1999.

Yuri Ogrodnik told the media that he is not involved in this issue and is ready to face any enquiry that comes his way. He also feels that someone is deliberately involving him in this controversy to tarnish his reputation.

Photo credit: www.andhrabreakingnews.com

Movie Review: I AM

Cast: Juhi Chawla, Nandita Das, Manisha Koirala, Sanjay Suri, Rahul Bose, Purab Kohli, Radhika Apte, Shernaz Patel, Arjun Mathur, Anurag Kashyap, Abhimanyu Singh

Director: Onir

Onir’s I AM has four small stories and in each of these stories the protagonist is in search of its identity. Afia, played by Nandita Das is a divorced woman who feels that she doesn’t have to depend on a man to have a baby and instead decides to use services of a sperm donor (Purab Kohli). Megha, played by Juhi Chawla who was forced to leave her hometown due to communal violence, returns to Srinagar to sell her house only to realize that Muslims who were left behind are still suffering and are struggling to live a life of dignity. Abhimanyu, played by Sanjay Suri is a victim of child abuse by his stepfather (Anurag Kashyap) and is still recovering from this incident. Omar (Rahul Bose), who is exploited in his own country and the only reason being that he is a homosexual.

The performances in the film are absolutely brilliant and they leave an everlasting impression on the viewer’s mind and heart. The casting director has picked up a perfect cast. The awkward talk in the hospital waiting room between Nandita Das and Purab Kohli has come out beautifully. Just watching Manisha Koirala and Juhi Chawla act together after so long makes you realize that there is no one from the young generation who can match the grace and the brilliant acting of the two most elegant ladies of the Indian Cinema. Rahul Bose has proved again that with his acting skills he can perform any character with ease. Abhimanyu Singh as a cruel cop leaves a lasting impression on the audiences.

The four stories are sensibly written and the sensitive issues are handled with maturity. Onir’s direction is amazing. He has given the treatment the theme of the stories demand. Despite the four stories not being connected, the individuality of each of the story is maintained. Onir’s films have always been different. He always tried to show a different perception to a particular problem. I AM is one of those films.

I AM is now available on DVDs and VCDs.

Ratings- 3/5

Mumbai city: An outsider’s perspective (Column)

When I was moving to Mumbai two years back I was very excited. This city has been called the replica of Manhattan city, New York. The second reason that moving to a new place always excites me. It gives me an opportunity to see and imagine the unseen.

But, my experience of Mumbai was quite different from what I expected. My first expectation was shattered when I saw the dirty water at Marine Drive. I had expected crystal clear blue water. That is what I had inferred from the Hindi movies which were shot near Arabian Sea.

Local trains- the lifeline of Mumbai is indeed an interesting experience. In the start I had difficulty in finding which train goes to which destination. I was lost twice at C.S.T. In the ladies compartment there is something called ‘booking of seats’. If someone is getting down at a station before you, you can ‘book’ the seat which means no one can sit on that seat apart from you. And if someone sits on that seat even by mistake, they are in trouble. Umbrellas, fists, cold water everything will be used effectively- just for a seat!

Personally, I like rains. I come from a place where it barely rains for a week. But, the monsoon here stays for four months! It rains the entire day. I love to wear different footwear everyday but because of the rains I have to wear the same floaters every day.

The night life of the city is amazing and much safer than the place I come from. After mid-night you can find people partying or strolling near Marine Drive sipping a steaming cup of tea.

I hail from the capital of the country yet the experience I have had is pretty different. And I can never stop knowing the city. Every single day I discover something new about this city. This is a city where you’ll feel at home.

Profile: The Girl Next Door

The famous American sitcom ‘FRIENDS’ ended almost seven years ago but characters have continued to live with us. One character that one can never forget is Rachel Green portrayed to perfection by Jennifer Aniston.

(Jennifer Aniston and Brad Pitt in happier times)

Jennifer Aniston is fondly called as ‘the perfect girl next door’. She has gained critical success for her performances in movies like The Good Girl, Bruce Almighty, Marley & Me and Office Space. She has had her greatest commercial successes with films like The Break-Up, Just Go With It, Derailed, The Switch and Along Came Polly. Her latest movie, Horrible Bosses has opened to rave reviews and is going strong at the box-office. She is probably one of the few actors who have made a successful transition from television to the big screen.

Before FRIENDS, Aniston starred in unsuccessful sitcoms. FRIENDS changed her career graph. Her convincing portrayal earned her multiple nominations and awards. She has won prestigious awards including an Emmy, a Golden Globe and a Screen Actors Guild Award. She has won the People Choice Award thrice. The sitcom was so popular that for the last two seasons of Friends, she and her co-stars received a salary of whopping one million dollars per episode making them the highest TV actors of all time according to Guinness World Book of Records (2005).

Her characters are real-life inspired. You can always find a little bit of Jennifer in each of her character. When she was going through her own divorce she was filming The Break-Up with Vince Vaughn. The genre Aniston is more comfortable with is comedy and is known for her amazing comic timing. Recently, she went out of her comfort zone and played a sexual predator in black comedy, ‘Horrible Bosses’.

Her personal life has been the topic of discussion in the media for years. America’s sweetheart got married to Brad Pitt in 2005. Finally when Hollywood had started thinking that perfect marriage exists, the couple got divorced in 2005. After her divorce, her love life has been paparazzi’s favourite topic.

Post her divorce; she has been a role model for single women who are going through separation or heart break. She once said, ‘ I never liked Sex and the city, the kind of thing where women feel empowered once they find the man, it’s  just not up my alley. I don’t believe it.’

According to Jennifer, the media has got her love life all wrong. She says, ‘This whole poor-lonely-Jen thing, this idea that I’m unlucky in love. I actually feel I have been unbelievably lucky in love. I am right where I’m supposed to be.’

The actor is rumoured to be dating actor Justin Theroux whom she met while filming her upcoming movie, Wanderlust.

She looked happy and radiant when she visited the show ‘Good Morning America’. Speaking about her personal life she said with her trademark smile, ‘I am extremely lucky and extremely happy.’


Photo credit- www.hirado.hu

Tete-a-tete with a Fashion Designer

Giselle, a designer, has her own fashion store in Malad, Mumbai. She is also a cosmologist from Christine Valmy School of Esthetics.

Q1- How did your career begin?

I did my course in fashion designing at Clare secretarial school, Bandra. Then I had the opportunity of working at photographer Ashok Salian’s office. It was a good experience for me to understand about the work culture of fashion industry. I got to see the glamour as well as the hard work the models put in their work. I also had an interaction with people in advertising. Later, I studied cosmetology which helped my career too.

Q2- When and with what motive did you launch your fashion store?

I opened my store, ‘Beverly Hills’ on 16 September 2009. People have a notion that designer wear will be out of their budget. With the idea to cater customers with affordable designer wear, I launched this store. We are doing well since then.

Q3- What makes ur dresses stand apart from the usual?

The materials are imported from China, Dubai and Singapore. The fabric quality is taken care of. We not only have western outfits but also indo-western outfits. We take care of overweight women as well unlike other designer stores. We provide them the best possible fitting of the gown.

Q4- Currently, who include your clientele

I can’t take names but customer types vary greatly there are a few celebrities like a film producer’s wife, TV actors and Indipop singer, Jimmy Gill are regular at the store. Then this happens that there are a few who pick up an outfit once and crib about a certain money they shelled out on it.

(Giselle at her store with her Exclusive designs)

Q5- What is the price range of your products?

The designer tops start from Rs. 1200. Designer dresses start from Rs. 1500. The Designer Kurtis are big hit at my store. Soon we will be launching our very own jewellery for youth ranging from Rs. 99 to Rs 199. The pieces will be exclusive here.

Its Carnival time!

The college fest time has arrived in Mumbai. The Wilson College BMM fest ‘Polaris’ started today and the theme they have chosen is Carnival.

For the promotion of their fest a Carnival Parade was held on 10^th of this month. Wilson BMM students and faculty came out in full support. Ex-students also joined in. The students walked from Wilson College to Wilson Gymkhana. It served as a great PR exercise since many contingents participated in the Parade. They were dressed up as clowns or fairies or were in a completely different ‘colourful avatar’. Tricycles, Cycles and Victoria could be spotted in the crowd. Polaris mascot 'Polly' was leading the Parade. The success of this event raised everyone’s expectations from the fest.

Today, the crowd came out in huge numbers and many colleges participated. But, according to senior & ex-students the crowd has decreased when compared to last year.

The fest had a rocky start as one of the workshops got cancelled. The crowd became a little restless as no other event was taking place at that moment. Soon, the volunteers were able to pacify the crowd. The Radio event was a grand success. Participation was in large numbers and many supporters came in to support their contingents.

Since last few years, the ‘talent show type’ event in Polaris called ‘Showtime’ garnered a lot of praise and success. But, this year Showtime was scrapped. Instead of that, the dance event took place which was the last event of the day. The college hall was a little ill-equipped to accommodate all the contingents but, the crowd cheered for every performance making the dance event, the most memorable event of Day 1.

(The Polaris Parade)

Day 2 also promises a lot of action including the new event of Polaris ‘Fashion Show’ and workshops by eminent media personalities. Let’s see how the rest of the fest shapes up.

Business in the capital

From being a retail and trading hub, Delhi is now an important centre of modern business. In its 100^th year, a look at the business growth in the Capital.

Delhi completes its centenary as the capital of modern India in December 2011. However, Delhi has always served as the financial capital for most empires including the Mughal Empire.

Earlier, the core of the city lay in the northern parts: Chandini Chowk, Kashmere Gate and Civil Lines flourishing with trade and commerce. The small villages and hamlets in the southern part of the city had a motley group of communities living in them: Jats, Brahmins, Christians, Muslims and Gujjars. They reared animals, engaged in agriculture and worked as labourers in Shahjahanabad, the city established by Shah Jahan. Chandini Chowk, was also established by Shah Jahan. Today it is Asia’s largest wholesale market but during Shah Jahan’s reign it was a market planned especially for his daughter.

Food has always been a focal point for the city, and many believe the modern day Indian food industry originated in Delhi with eateries like Karim’s , which serves authentic Mughalai food. Haji Zahiruddin, founder of Karim’s belonged to a family whose bloodline extends back to the chefs who prepared feasts in the courts of Mughal emperors. Haji Karimuddin, the grandfather of the present owner established his shop in the same place where his descendants now prepare their family recipes. The recipes are still a secret.


Another famous food joint is Parantha Wali Gali.  This Gali got its name in 1911. Of the 20 parantha shops in the late 1960s (all belonging to the same family), only three remain.

In the late 1980s many of them closed shop and moved out, though today this place is experiencing a revival and some shops are being run by the sixth generation of the same family. This food joint is the essence of the capital. The parantha served here can give competition to any major food chain throughout the country.

Khan Chacha is also one of the famous eateries of New Delhi. Located in Khan Market this is one of the food outlets that attracts tourists and residents.

Mumbai vs. Delhi

K.L Kaul, 84, retired as a scientist from Indian agricultural research, has been living in the city for more than 60 years. He describes Delhi as the ‘city of Babus and bicycles’, He also added that people usually migrated from other states and their only motive was to earn money and send to their families. They didn’t have any business perspectives.

Mrs Kavita Singh, who is a government school teacher specializing in History feels that no industry can be situated in the capital city – she cites Washington D.C as an example and says this applies to New Delhi too.

Although, it was not that Delhi hadn’t tried to establish itself as a commercial hub. The Escorts group, an engineering company which is one of the leading manufacturers of India tried to establish itself in Faridabad. But again, the main problem was the power shortage and industries cannot run without power. Eventually, the Escorts group had to shift.

Mrs Singh says that the one thing that doesn’t work for Delhi is that it doesn’t have sea ports. Sea is the cheapest way to transport. And if the transportation cost rises, it is difficult to compete in the world market. There are a lot of corporate offices in New Delhi but no big industry can be erected in the capital. This works in the favour of Mumbai, Kolkata and Gujarat.

GROWING REAL ESTATE HUB

One of the important businesses now in the city is real estate. A classic example would be DLF, where in last two decades farmland has given way to urban development. K.P Singh, the head of Delhi’s DLF group has transformed fragmented holdings of agricultural land into a modern metropolis. Raghuvendra Singh, who is K.P Singh’s father-in-law, started DLF in 1946 before partition. Now it is a thriving business in many other parts of the country as well.

Real estate is unofficially also known as the business of ‘Jats’ in Delhi.

Occupationally, since most refugees in Delhi came from the urban areas of West Pakistan, they moved towards trade and commerce. In many parts of Delhi, shops and businesses were taken over by such refugees.  About 90 per cent of the shops in  Chandni Chowk's Cloth Market, for example, originally  belonged to the old residents of Delhi but over time Punjabi refugees took over the bulk of the business, with a mere 10 per cent  eventually remaining in the control of the old merchants. In fact, this is the primary reason why Delhi, post-independence, became a big retail market city.

K.L Kaul also adds that the refugees who entered Delhi after the partition have only opened shops in places like Khan Market and Chandini Chowk. Those shops are still present in those areas but they have been unable to evolve into something huge.

Rise of modern business

If we talk about modern business environment which includes the IT, healthcare and service sector, Delhi has scored big time. All the upcoming IT companies are establishing their offices in Gurgaon.

The call centre culture was first started in Gurgaon and then it spread to other parts of the country. This also gave an opportunity to the less educated to work and gain experience.

Coaching centres have changed the face of this city. They started from one room in the owner’s home and now they are converted into a franchise. The most important example being Akash Institute and P.T. Sachdeva, they are famous throughout the country.

Though Mumbai has the benefit of Stock Exchange and Sea Ports, Delhi on the other hand is giving rise to new modern businesses which is changing the country and is putting India on the world map.

Sadhana Amte passes away

Sadhana Amte, social worker and widow of Gandhian Baba Amte died from a prolonged illness on Saturday around 5 pm at Anandwan, their home for the leprosy-affected at Warora in Chandrapur district. She was 86 years old.

Family sources said that she was not keeping well since Baba’s death but her health deteriorated in the last month. She is survived by two sons, Vikas and Prakash and two adopted daughters, Renuka and Bijlee.

She was born on May 5, 1926. She got married to Baba Amte on December 18, 1946. In 1949, Baba set up Anandwan, a home for leprosy patients and other disabled people. Fondly called Sadhanatai, she actively worked with her husband and dedicated her life in the service of leprosy affected people. She even joined her husband on the banks of Narmada in the support of Medha Patkar’s Narmada Bachao Andolan.

In her autobiography ‘Samittu’, she described how she and Baba carried out their mission fighting the difficulties they faced. ‘I had to become a mountain of ice to balance out the volcano called Baba Amte,’ Sadhanatai wrote in her book.

She has also mentioned in the book about her marriage and how Baba fought with the thieves and was covered with bandages on their wedding day.

Her autobiography has been translated in English and several Indian languages as it received tremendous response from readers all over the world.

Following their parents footsteps, Sons Vikas and Prakash are engaged in social service. Like his father, Prakash Amte and his wife Madakini Amte have received Magsaysay Award.

Honouring Sadhanatai’s wish, she would be buried in the same grave of her husband, who passed away in February, 2008. She had even selected the sari to be put on her for the last rites.

(Baba Amte with Sadhana Amte in an undated photo)

Her last rites will be performed at Anandwan on Sunday morning.

                         

Rising tattoo culture

If your grandmother or great grandmother spent her childhood in a village or a small town, there is a possibility that they might have seen their friends or relatives getting inked. Or they might be having a tattoo themselves.

But, this culture made its way back in India when Bollywood star Saif Ali Khan got his girlfriend’s (Kareena Kapoor) name inked on his arm. Interestingly, the tattoo was in Devnagari- not in English. Soon, many actors followed the suit.

In India, not only metros are witnessing the rise of tattoo culture but the small towns are also following this fashion. Around the world tattoo culture is at its peak. No one is shy from getting a tattoo as it is ‘cool’ and is also gaining acceptable in the society. That is the reason why tattoo business is expanding day by day in our country.

People get themselves inked for various reasons one being that it is a form of self-expression. Sometimes, they want to dedicate their tattoo either to god or to someone they love. Sometimes, it is just for an adventure or an experience.

According to American Association of Dermatologists, 50% of people who at some point of life decide to get a tattoo, later regret their decision and turn up for treatments. A famous example would be when Hollywood star Johnny Depp dedicated a tattoo ‘Winona forever’ to then-girlfriend Winona Ryder, after their break-up he had to get it changed to ‘Wino forever’

Though, this culture is slowly gaining acceptance, in some professions a tattoo is a big no-no especially if you are a part of corporate culture. The companies feel that this culture can be accepted by movie industry or advertising or media firms as their dealings are not that official.

‘If you say that tattoo culture is something which our ancestors used to follow then our parents and the society should be happy that atleast we are following some tradition’ adds Neha Singh, a class 12 passout.

Hollywood diva Angelina Jolie, who has fourteen tattoos, feels that all her tattoos came at good times. ‘A tattoo is something permanent when you've made a self-discovery or something you've come to a conclusion about’, she said.

A saying by an unknown author goes like this- Your body is a temple, but how long can you live in the same house before you redecorate? 

We have to wait and see if this is what the entire youth around the world thinks.

Image source- www.dailymail.co.uk

Time for Swayamvar!

Ratan ka Rishta (Swayamvar) concluded last week but, this time it garnered less TRPs than Rahul Mahajan and Rakhi Sawant’s Swayamvar. Despite that, media extensively covered someone else’s wedding for the last three months.

Apparently, Ratan Rajput was paid four crores or eight crores by NDTV Imagine. But, is it possible to find a soulmate in just three months?  When the same scenario is portrayed in films it looks believable but, real life is not even close to Bollywood films.

No one here is judging the authenticity of the show. But, this fact cannot be neglected that many ‘dulhas’ are part time actors. The trend of actors/actress participating in the show can be seen from the last two seasons of the show as well.

One candidate went on to say that he has to get married this year. So, even if it was someone else’s Swayamvar he would have participated in it. Problem is why to get married on reality show? This person ultimately got rejected and even got insulted by Ratan on a national television.

The problem is in the beginning of the show both Rakhi Sawant and Ratan Rajpoot claimed that they are getting married on the show. Both ended up just getting engaged. In fact, months after Rakhi’s Swayamvar she broke her engagement with Elesh Parujanwala. The separation took place way before the second season started.

After the Swayamvar and post her break up, Rakhi rose to fame. She got signed on for new ‘item’ songs, reality shows and even a movie.

The only person who got married was Rahul Mahajan (37) to Dimpy Ganguly (23) on the show. Though he was named a ‘wife beater’ and a ‘regular druggist’ by the media yet, thousands of girls came for the auditions. People started believing that there is a happy ending possible but, after a year or so there were reports that Rahul had beaten Dimpy brutally. Now, everything is going great in their paradise but for how long?

Stories of the Swayamvar will always be a part of Indian culture and tradition. But, this fact is also true that in today’s time couples are breaking up after 48 years of marriage (Mumbai Mirror, July 06, 2011). So, Swayamvar sounds a little impractical.

In her defence, Ratan said, ‘Actually, I had said that I cannot assure you that I would marry. Swayamvar means selecting your man and it is not like you have to marry the person on the same day. Even in the Ramayan, Sita did not get married on the same day that she selected Ram.’

There are reports already being circulated in the media that Abhinav Sharma (Ratan’s fiancé) is a manglik, which can be harmful for the marriage. She has told the media that she a firm believer in astrology.

Now, we just wait and watch whether Ratan gets her small, intimate wedding with Abhinav or not?

Photo credit- www.santabanta.com

Virtual Support through Social Networking

If you ‘get a Facebook’ for yourself to connect to other people then probably, you have made a good choice (depending, of course, on whether your contacts are on Facebook). Facebook is a social networking site that has an upward of 600 million users making it more populous than Singapore or Finland and ‘get a Facebook’ is a term used by youngsters that actually means creating a user account on Facebook.

Apart from general uses like catching up with acquaintances or a more unusual one like stalking, Facebook can also be used to fund your presidential campaign. Ask President of the United States of America, Barack Obama. In February 2008, John McCain raised $11 million for his presidential while that month Barack Obama attended no campaign fundraiser. Instead, Obama made use of online social networks to raise $55 million in those 29 days. Obama raised $639 million in entirety of which 87% was through social networking.

The point is if you have a cause, then you’ll get support from like-minded people by putting to use your social networking skills, online. You could list your cause on Causes, an application on Facebook enabling other users to view and back your cause. Camfed is an international NGO aimed towards fighting poverty and HIV/AIDS in Africa by educating girls. When Camfed started their cause, they had a small email list and a relatively unknown brand name. To jumpstart membership, two anonymous donors stepped up and offered to donate $1 for each person who joined their cause. They then offered to bring whoever recruited the most people to their cause on their next trip to Africa. Within a couple of months, their cause membership shot up to over 50,000 people. Now there are over 700,000 people in the cause and they have shifted their focus to emphasize fundraising. Camfed’s Ryan Quiel said, “It took Camfed 13 years to grow our list to 10,000 known supporters. With this campaign, our cause just gained 10,000 new known supporters in 2 days!”

Since its founding in 2007, Causes has enabled 25,000 non-profit organisations to raise $30 million with over 500,000 user-created causes.

With social networking one might be surprised through the medium through which they raise support. For instance, a fundraiser for a hospital for children received 163,078 donations from people playing Farmville, a popular game on Facebook where players farm virtually!

Mass participation and awareness weighs more than money and that is exactly what Anna Hazare needed. Today, Anna Hazare is the face of India's fight against corruption persuading the government to enact the Jan Lokpal Bill, a strong anti-corruption law. Anna began a fast unto death from 5 April 2011 at Jantar Mantar in Delhi to press for the demand to draft a new bill with stronger penal actions and more independence to the Lokpal and Lokayuktas (Ombudsmen in the states). Facebook recorded 40,000 supporters for Anna Hazare on the first day itself. Celebrities poured in their support online. Anna’s movement resonated with the youth and the educated class making it a different and impactful movement altogether. Currently he is at loggerheads with the government regarding the drafting of the Lokpal Bill. Hope this turns into another success story ringing in a whole new dimension to what can aptly be termed as Virtual Support.

Ever heard of Lip Scrubs?

(Product review)

Glitterbug, Shimmy Shimmy, Snow Fairy and Maple Fairy could very well qualify as names for a 5 year child’s imaginary pets but they are also names of Lush’s wide variety of products. Lush is a premium brand from UK that offers fresh handmade cosmetics. These cosmetics are made out of fresh fruits and vegetables, essential oils and safe synthetics.

Lush has a wide array of products ranging for hair and body care. However, one thing in its collection which will definitely catch your attention is the Lip Scrub. The concept of Lip Scrub is unheard in India. Also, lip care is usually ignored so, having an efficient product like Lip Scrub would be an added bonus in the cosmetic world. It is quite different from the regular lip balms available in the Indian cosmetic market. This Lip Scrub will basically scrub away your rough and dry skin and moisturize your lips. It is made up of caster sugar, organic jojoba oil and essential oils. This product caters to all the people who want their lips to be smooth, soft, delicious and healthy. The fragrance is simply amazing. Beauty experts are of the opinion that it is one of the best products that Lush has come out with recently.

There are three interesting flavours available in the market. Sweet Lips has the fragrance of cocoa and vanilla and tastes like chocolate chip cookies. Next is Bubble Gum which is inspired from its bestselling shower gel: Snow Fairy, which smells and tastes delicious. Then there is Mint Julips which emanates the flavour of after mint leaving behind a refreshingly tingly feeling.

Being priced at Rs. 600 for 25 grams it is on the expensive side but the product experience is unforgettable. This product is suited for both children and adults.

For locating a Lush store near your city you can visit the website www.lushindia.com  

College time for parents!

It is that time of the year when more than the students, their parents are nervous. It is admission time. Parents can be spotted with their children running from one college to another.

The competition is getting tougher year after year. Each year the cut-offs are rising. Getting into reputed colleges like SRCC (Shriram College of Arts & Commerce) the student has to secure a perfect score! With all this hype surrounded around admissions even parents feel that their child should go to a reputed college and study an esteemed course. In a world where every profession is treated with respect, in our country, engineering and MBBS are considered far more superior. As a result, parents sometimes force their children to study a particular subject or course because they feel that studying this course would bring stability in their professional lives.

What parents don’t realize that sometimes their actions make their children pressurized and for the sake of their parent’s happiness they end up pursuing a course which they were earlier not interested in. This leads to disinterest in the course, bad results or ultimately dropping out from the course.

Parents should be relaxed. They should keep in mind that ultimately their children have to study the course they are being admitted to. It is really important for the parents to guide the children what they feel about a certain college or a course but, forcing your choices on your children can lead to disastrous results. So, parents should try encouraging their children to take up courses they are genuinely interested in.

Students who haven’t performed well in their board exams should be motivated and if they aren’t getting admissions in any university in the city, they should try looking at other different universities and cities. Parents should seek counselling for their kids if they are unable to motivate them. Students can even enrol themselves in specific professional courses like photography or environment studies. Parents should remember that if your child works hard there is scope in every field.

Do not be disappointed if your child is unable to fulfil your expectations. Success won’t come instantly. The most important thing is that your child should know that you have confidence in them and that you still love them.

Some parents might feel that children do not care about their future which is not true. They are always pressurized by the society to always perform well in academics. If you interact with your child in a different way you might be able to understand their choices better. Just have faith in your children, one day they will make you proud!

The Great Indian Sale

Mumbai is the fashion capital of the country and has great places to shop. But, the capital of the country has a different taste and style. Delhi doesn’t have Bollywood to inspire it yet; most of the trends start from here. Delhi wale would agree with this statement.

So, here are Top 5 places where you can shop in New Delhi. The prices are quite reasonable and make sure that you bargain at all the places mentioned below.

1.     Dilli Haat

Dilli Haat is basically an open-air craft bazaar located near INA Market. Here craftsmen from all over the country come together and put up stalls. You can find everything and anything in here. For example- furniture, Bihar’s Madhubani paintings, Kolhapuri chappals, Punjabi jutiya (shoes), Bags, Purses, Indian clothes, Kashmiri Carpets, Handicrafts, Hyderbadi Pearls or Silver jewellery... the list is endless.

In every two weeks the stalls are changed and new artists are given opportunity to showcase and sell their work. Also, there are various festivals are organized here the most famous being, The Mango Festival.

There is also an open-air food plaza which serves food from all over the country. Interestingly, the North-Eastern food plazas are a hit with the shoppers.

You need to pay 20 bucks as an entry fee but, after an amazing experience this money won’t pitch you.

2.     Janpath

Janpath is located near Connaught Place. This place is a hit with foreigners and Indian travellers, who are in love with Indian jewellery, Indian clothes and handicrafts. But, the shopkeepers here are very smart. From a 10 second conversation they can figure out whether you belong to this city or not. So, make sure that you don’t end up in loss.

An advice: - If the shopkeeper is not lowering the rates just walk out of the shop. In the end, they would follow you and ask you to take the item on your own rate!

There is a cottage emporium which is run by the government just around the corner. It is an interesting place to shop. Do check it out.

3.     Sarojini Nagar

I have a special place in my heart for Sarojini Nagar as I have been born here and lived 18 years of my life in this area. So, I find this place very homely for shopping.

Sarojini Nagar Market is one the popular markets of South Delhi. This is the only place in South Delhi which will give you good value for money. I can bet that this market is the most reasonable place in entire Delhi.

Though there are various branded shops but, people chose to visit ‘Export Line’ (Similar to Fashion Street in Mumbai but only with better clothing items and reasonable prices) 

There are shoe showrooms in the market which offer a vast variety of different kinds of shoes. The variety and quality found in these shoes can be a tedious task to find in high profile shoe showrooms.

The vegetable market is also popular amongst the locals. People living in a different area also come in to buy popular fruits and vegetables.

4.     Chandini Chowk

Located in the heart of Old Delhi, Chandini Chowk is the oldest market in the city. The market is divided into lanes. Again the USP for the place is that it provides quality item in a cheap rate. Katra Neel is a cloth bazaar where you can find different type of clothing material like Silk and Satin.

Many brides buy their wedding dress from Chandini Chowk. The most famous in this business is Kinari Bazaar and Meena Bazaar. Usually in these two places bargaining is minimum.

Dariba Kalan has jewellers which produce Silver jewellery and Silver household items. A jewellery lover would be confused while making choices here.

Another reason why foreigners visit this place is that there are lots of places here which offer electronic goods like old cameras, tripods and other accessories which are not easily available.

Don’t forget to visit the famous Paranthewali Gali for lip-smacking delicious Parathas.

5.     Khan Market

Khan Market is on the expensive side. It was rated as the most expensive place in the city (and probably in the country). It is a well-planned market. Leading national and international brands have opened their outlets in this market. Street shopping doesn’t exist here but this a good place for window shopping. And, if you have saved a little money by shopping at the places mentioned above then, go ahead pamper yourself.

A visit to Khan Chacha is a must. It serves the most delicious kebabs in the whole city. Many celebrities have been spotted eating at this joint.

And even after this you want to shop more you can also visit Lajpat Nagar Market and Karol Bagh Market.

(Above stills are of Dilli Haat, photographs taken from www.panoramio.com & delhidosa.wordpress.com)