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Delhi
Thursday, May 7, 2015

BOOKMARK

CAPITAL CHECK

TABLE FOR TWO

INSIDE THE UDIPI

KITCHEN
"P2

DIFFERENT SHADES OF
FULL-MOON NIGHT IN
THE CITY P3

WITH THE INSPIRATIONAL

PRAVIN AMRE
P4

Admit two

Killing it softly?
Venu Vasudevans abrupt transfer from the post of National Museums Director-General raises
questions about the governments approach towards culture
SHAILAJA TRIPATHI

Exhibition
An exhibition of recent
works of Anjolie Ela Menon
with the strong use of
iconography, layered
surfaces and the
metaphorical use of motif.
On May 7 at Vadehra Art
Gallery, D-40 Defence
Colony, New Delhi, 11 a.m.
to 7 p.m.

Daughters
Unplucked
Exhibition of paintings
acrylic on canvas by L.
Meena Devi from Manipur.
Date: On till May 13
Time: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Venue: Annexe Art Gallery,
IIC, Max Mueller Marg,
New Delhi

Species
Science fiction horror
directed by Roger
Donaldson starring
Natasha Henstridge, Ben
Kingsley and Michael
Madsen on Sony Pix.
Date: May 7
Time: 9 p.m.

Survivor
Todays episode My
Brothers Keeper on
AXN is double the drama as
castaways sustain two
tribal councils in one
episode.
Date: May 7
Time: 9 p.m.

Documentary
Screening of Clay Images
of Kumartuli winner of
National Film Award for its
extensive study of the craft
and community of the clay
makers. It focuses on the
makers of divine images
settled in Kumartuli. On
May 8, IGNCA Auditorium,
Dr. R.P. Road, ND, 6 p.m.

hese are, for sure,

not so achhe din for
the world of culture
in India. Sample
this: In its first budget after
coming to power in 2014, the
BJP government announced
the setting up of Hastkala Academy in the premises of
Crafts Museum. Even as the
Ministry of Textiles proclaims on its website that the
Academy would be set up at
the Crafts Museum premises,
without dismantling any of
the Museum galleries and
without disturbing Museum
activities, Crafts Museums
future seems bleak. The museum was under much-needed renovation which has been
stopped and it is headless
once again. Its last director
Ruchira Ghoshs tenure ended in April 2015.
* While a lot of people
would have appreciated Dipali Khannas tenure as Member-Secretary, Indira Gandhi
National Centre of Arts (IGNCA), continuing for second
term to carry on with her mission to revitalise the institution, all she got was an
extension of six months. She
finished her term on March
31, 2015. IGNCA is also headless, once again.
* Kalyan Kumar Chakravarty was to head the apex
body of visual arts in the
country, Lalit Kala Akademi
(LKA), till 2017, as its Chairperson but he was removed
all of a sudden, last month,
shocking every well-wisher of
the Akademi. It is believed he
was in the process of cleaning
up the institution and freeing
it of corruption and inertia.
And now another performers fate has been decided
which is the biggest shocker

ART OF THE MATTER Visitors at the National Museum; Venu Vasudevan PHOTO: S.SUBRAMANIUM

of them all. Venu Vasudevan,

the man who successfully accomplished the task of turning around National Museum
Delhis biggest but dullest
museum is being transferred to Sports Ministry. He
was to head the institution till
December 2016. Poornima
Sardana, a former volunteer
In protest
Lalit Kala Akademis
cause has also been espoused on different fronts.
While on the one hand artists have moved the High
Court questioning the removal of its Chairperson
Kalyan Chakravarty and its
take over by the Government, on another, former
bureaucrat, poet and author Ashok Vajpeyi has filed an online petition
protesting the random
move.

with the Yuva Saathi Programme of National Museum,

has started an online petition
PRIME MINISTER INDIA:
Kindly stop the transfer of Dr.
Venu Vasudevan, Director
General, National Museum
Delhi.
For a cultural bodys head
to receive this kind of attention is unusual but Venu Vasudevans tireless effort at
National Museum is too hard
to ignore. But for Government of India which seems
apathetic towards cultural institutions, their progression
or regression isnt really a
matter of concern.
When you experience
change, and radical change,
within a year, right from programming and outreach, to
visitor experience and signage, when you see packed
halls for exciting exhibitions,
people from different sections of society, some of

whom might have never felt

so drawn to the museum before, you know the place is
being led by a person who has
truly understood its purpose, responds Sardana over
email. She is currently studying arts and culture management at New York University
Ruchira Ghosh, former director of Crafts Museum, who
led the space to recovery, is
equally disappointed with the
decision. Even just considering that Dr. Venu was given
a written order that he was
being appointed to the National Museum for three
years, until December 2016,
this decision to transfer him
to the Ministry of Sports is
totally arbitrary. But if his
performance during the short
period he has been at the
helm is reviewed, then the decision to move him out is not
just random it is extremely
callous and short-sighted,

and a tragedy for the National

Museum and the country. Dr
Venu has managed, in less
than 18 months, to totally revitalise the museum, opening
up galleries closed for years,
organizing many exhibitions
of excellent quality and, perhaps most significantly,
bringing in a new work culture, enthusiasm and excitement, in what was for all
purposes a dead institution,
Ghosh, whose five year tenure
saw a snazzy caf, a refurbished store, refurbishment
of dormitories of the visiting
craftsmen, revamp of galleries, and an increased number
of visitors.
I do feel that government
generally, and as a body, does
not always understand the
value of culture and heritage.
And often when it tries to, it
does so in such a ham-handed
fashion that it does more
harm than good! This is per-

haps even more true of crafts

where we are constantly battling against the general perception in government that
craft is a sunset industry! As
regards cultural institutions,
the essential problem is that
there is no care of institutions
in government. If the government was concerned about
the National Museum, if they
had done their homework
and taken the trouble to understand the huge transformation that has taken place,
could they have ever suggested that Dr. Venu be moved
out? adds Ghosh revealing
that the recruitment rules for
the post of Senior Director
were recently severely downgraded from a technocratic
post requiring a Ph.D and
many years of experience in
the crafts sector, to a completely bureaucratic one,
where all that is now required
is 12 years experience in government administration!
Like Crafts Museum, there
is a lot of unfinished work at
National Museum which will
get impacted by his transfer.
What happens to the eight exhibitions planned for 2015 including
a
large
scale
exhibition on the Parsi minorities heritage, publications and academic research
on collections, will depend on
the timely appointment of his
successor and many more
things.
Continued on Page 3

The punch has paid off

In Delhi for the National Film Awards, director Omung Kumar says Mary Kom helped change
perception about Indian women
ANUJ KUMAR

Mary Kom has won the coveted National Award for the
Best Popular Film of 2014
and director Omung Kumar is
elated. The film is a salute to
Indian women. Mary is a
fighter. She excelled both as a
professional and as a mother.
Her life is a lesson for those
who believe that a professional woman is not capable of
running her house properly.
At the Stockholm Film Festival, where the film won the
best prize, people were surprised that such women exist
in India. Mary hasnt lost
touch with her feminine side
to excel in a sport known for
its masculine character.
A noted production and set
designer before Mary Kom,
Omung was known for his
larger-than-life set designs
for films like Black and Saawariya. He agrees Mary Kom
was the most unlikely subject
for him.
I was expected to try
something more like Moulin
Rouge. But then I also come
from a family of actors and
have done my own bit as a
host. So I wanted something
performance-oriented.
I

DESERVING ACCOLADES Omung Kumar Bhandula receiving the National award

PHOTO: SANDEEP SAXENA

asked my friend and cowriter Saiwyn Qadras to

search for an inspirational
personality, whom the world
doesnt know much about

Mary is a fighter. She excelled both as a

professional and as a mother. Her life is a
lesson for those who believe that a
professional woman is not capable of
running her house properly
CM
YK

and he came up with the know about her exploits in

idea of making a biopic on the ring and out of it in
MC Mary Kom, a five-time detail.
world champion. I didnt
However, his skills as a
set designer came to the
fore in Mary Kom as well.
People didnt notice it
much because this time it
was not over the top. We
could not shoot in Manipur.
So we had to create her
home and locality in Manali.
Even Mary was surprised by
the similarity. Similarly, her
training was shot in a shed
that my wife Vanita and I

discovered in a discarded
shed on Mira Road in Mumbai. Nobody complained that
it doesnt look like a training
camp for boxing and perhaps that is the biggest
victory for us.
As for the criticism of
picking Priyanka Chopra for
the lead role, Omung says, I
have said this in the past
that I didnt want to make a
film that will be watched by
a few.
I thought the story has
the potential to reach out to
a mass audience and for this
we needed a big name. And
Priyanka did everything to
get into the shape of the
boxer. Nobody can complain
about her dedication. And
most of the criticism came
before the release. Once the
film unravelled, people forgot about the cheek bone,
the eye brow and the accent.
He admits that he introduced a bit of melodrama
in the second half but insists
it all emanated from what
happened in Marys life.
We took a bit of creative
liberty to generate a patriotic feel, to intercut her personal pain with the national
duty, he admits.
Omung has now three
scripts in his hands. There
is one on the role of Indian
soldiers in World War II.
But I am not sure whether it
will be my next film. It
might be my third film considering the kind of scale it
requires. I will come up with
an announcement soon.
ND-ND

p2

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THE HINDU Thursday, May 7, 2015

The Udipi food culture

Through The Udipi Kitchen, Malati Srinivasan and Geetha Rao bring to readers the food culture of Madhwa Brahmins
of that popular temple town of Karnataka
SANGEETA BAROOAH
PISHAROTY

Transcending
barriers
An interactive session for
lifelong learners titled
Challenging Challenges was
organised in the Capital
recently by Shift Series. An
eclectic mix of speakers
stressed the need to break
boundaries with innovative
ideas. Ameen Haque,
founder of Storywallahs,
narrated a story about
challenging challenges in
the traditional dastangoi
style, while Sindhu Vee, a
stand-up comedian, shared
her challenges during her
growing up years. RJ Naved
sent home the message of
breaking down stereotypes
that divide communities.
Ritu Dalmia spoke about
what it took to break out
from being a conservative
Marwari girl to becoming a
celebrity chef.

Russian film
festival
To mark 70th anniversary of
victory over fascism in the
Great Patriotic War (19411945), a five-day film
festival was held at the
Russian Centre of Science
and Culture recently. The
Brest Fortress was the
inaugural film.
Speaking at the festival,
Sergey Karmalito, Senior
Counsellor, Embassy of the
Russian Federation in India,
said the function
commemorated a historical
landmark which changed
the destiny of mankind. He
pointed out that the
occasion was celebrated in
a grand way throughout his
country.

Group show
Art Life Gallery is hosting
Summer Harmony, a
15-day group show of seven
upcoming artists, at its
Noida premises.
The artists have
emphasised that harmony
was badly needed in todays
environment.
People living in a conflict
zone, want to be away from
bloodshed. Persons living in
abusive relationships, look
for harmonious
relationships, said Pratibha
Agarwal, co-promoter of
the gallery, while
commenting on H.
Rehmans work, which
depicts a girl with bird
denoting mans harmonious
relationship with the
animals and birds.
The exhibition concludes on
May 20.

dipi evokes a memory. The memory

of having breakfast
and lunch day in
and day out at a joint by that
name on Delhis Bahadur
Shah Zafar Marg many summers ago. Working as a trainee in a newspaper on that
road, and living away from
home in a new city, my find
was a cause of relief as much
for its simple, tasty food as it
was for its trainee-friendly
rates.
Mother-daughter duo Malati Srinivasan and Geetha
Raos recently published
The Udipi Kitchen (Westland), however, takes me
much further into the region
than just refreshing that fond
food memory of mine. Packed
with hundred vegetarian recipes from the kitchens of their
community, the Madhawa
Brahmins, residing in that famous temple town of Karnataka, the book is as much an
opportunity for the interested one to widen his repertoire
of Indian regional cooking as
it is to understand a food culture that can broadly be categorised as bygone.
The book begins with Malati opening a window to her
childhood, of watching the
women of her family prepare
food, particularly her aunt
Athi, the one she says is responsible for developing in
her a serious interest in cooking. To enter the kitchen, ev-

CM
YK

peek into the ritual of cooking

followed in those days in Udipi, their traditional kitchen
setup and the processes involved in dishing out a traditional meal, also coffee,
before the advent of machines in kitchens. How in-

with daily cooking are still

followed by women in orthodox Madhwa Brahmin families. Concepts of ritual
purity or madi are adhered
to where food is not cooked,
until the cook has bathed and
is attired in freshly washed
clothes, she says.
The Madhwa Brahmin cuisine uses a lot of masale pudi,
spice powders that many
families, including hers still
make at home. Hand pounders have been replaced by
electric grinders, making the
whole process quicker and
more efficient. Some branded
spice powders are good substitutes, she adds.
As far as running the coffee
decoction through a cloth is
concerned, Malatis daughter,
Bangalore-based Geetha Rao
says, Thankfully, it is no
more made that way in homes
these days though cooks follow the method when cater-

MADHUR TANKHA

Rohit Bal is fastidious not only when it comes to his attire

but also his accessories. This
was in evidence when the ace
couturier, intensely concerned with design as an art
form, was shown a couple of
watches before he finally
okayed one.
I went through all the
watches carefully before finally selecting this one, says
Rohit, who has an eye for detailing, while flaunting his
newly acquired watch.
The reason for rejecting
the other watches was that I
do not like too much of gold
and steel in my watch, says
Rohit, who was honoured
with a watch for his contribution to fashion by Raymond
Weil, a Swiss watch brand, at
its boutique in Connaught
Place recently.
At home, Rohit owns dozens of watches of Tag Heur
and Omega and he wears
them off and on when he feels
they are appropriate with his
outfit or are apt for party wear
or fashion-do.
I have a large collection of
watches which have been gifted to me. I do wear them but

generally I am a lazy guy who

has no time to change his
watch, he says.
Noting that watch is an important component in a designers
armour,
Rohit
reveals that he had given his
own personal touch to watches while he had partnered
with Titan. It was a big collection and I had designed
watches in 25 styles. Those
watches named RB for Nebula are still selling. In future, I
might re-launch a collection
of elegant watches.
Interestingly, Rohit, who
likes dressing up in a grand,
regal way, is nostalgic not only about his outfits but also
accessories which are either
his creation or caught his
fancy during his numerous
overseas trips.
Shedding light on his alltime favourite watch, Rohit
says he bought a sparkling
Breitling, with stylish geometrical patterns, way back
in 1980s, at Brussels and it
continues to be dear to him.
He wears this particular
watch often.
I acquired it while I was
on a trip to Brussels. My sister lived there and I was only
a student then. To my good

Pup raised
Bring up your puppy just like the way
you raised your kids
NIRMITI & PRASANNA

THREE CHEERS
Olivier Bernheim
and Rohit Bal

fortune, I emerged a winner

in a competition and the host
gifted me a big motorbike
which I sold off and used that
money to buy Breitling.
Instead of wasting money
on stupid things, I invested
money on a wise wonderful
watch.
Even those days the watch
was priced at an astronomical
rate and it cost me something
in the the region of Rs.85,000

to 90,000. But every penny

was spent wisely, discloses
Rohit,
During the felicitation, Olivier Bernheim, President of
Raymond Weil, said, We
would like to present Rohit
with sober yet elegant novelty from Raymond Weil as a
mark of appreciation to his
contribution in the field of
fashion in India and
globally.

The journey of raising a puppy is filled with fun and laughter as well as hard work. A lot
of experienced pet parents
will tell you that raising a pup
is similar to bringing up a human child. Just like their
non-tailed counterparts, the
furry ones need love, patience, time and discipline.
Here are some of the dos and
donts that may be helpful:
Patience: Unlike human
babies, puppies cannot be put
into diapers. Which means
you will have to patiently
clean up while they are still
being toilet trained.
Good Manners: Just like
children, teach your pup good
manners. Learning to stop
when told to and not jumping
on people would be some of
them.
Set ground rules: This
goes for puppies and dogs of
all ages and rules have to be
set right from the first day. Do
not allow a certain behaviour
now if you wouldnt want it
repeated for the next 14 years.
So if your couch or bed isnt

ADORABLE DARLING
Treat your pet with care

going to be available for a

large dog to share with, do
not let your pup on there
now.
Its not fair to suddenly
stop him from sleeping on
his bed (read your bed) just
because he isnt tiny
anymore.
Communication:
Be
clear while communicating
with your dog. Do not con-

Wellness

n todays life, we have

technology for almost
everything. When everyones
life revolves around work,
health complications crop up.
They have, in fact, now
become common.
A problem, which is rising
alarmingly, is of infertility. It
has been found that the
fertility rate is gradually going
down and a large number of
population isnt able to
conceive. This leads to huge
emotional distress among the
affected couples. In Vitro
Fertilisation certainly offers a
hope when nothing else
works.
There are several reasons
causing infertility which can
either be related to male or
female, or both. One factor is
age. Today, due to various
reasons, couples postpone
having babies in their initial
years of marriage but by the
time they try to conceive, it

mental stress. Also, there are

certain genetic factors too
that can affect a persons
ability to reproduce.
Unable to conceive
naturally doesnt mean that
a couple cannot have
children. By the
intervention of medical
science, many new options
are now available. Among
them, the most promising
and popular one is IVF.
IVF is a process in which,
sperms and eggs are
fertilised outside the body,
in a laboratory. Once the
fertilisation is successful,
embryos are kept in
laboratory for a few initial
days under supervision.
Once they are fit to be
transferred, the best one is
implanted in the womens
uterus for further growth.
This process of fertilisation
is useful for people with
unexplained causes of
infertility, women having
blocked fallopian tube or

fuse the little chap by giving

multiple commands. Remember, puppies do not understand our language. They
are only trying to connect the
sound of words to actions.
Reward: Reward all good
behaviour immediately. It
could be a treat, a scratch
behind the ear or just a nice
praise of good boy or girl.
No violence: Do not
scream, hit or use any physically reprimanding techniques. This only causes fear
which in turn can fester and
turn into serious behavioural
problems later. Be firm if
needed to get the attention
but no shouting!
Quality time: Spend
quality time with your pup.
Teach your dog things he can
do around the house. Getting
your post or newspaper is
one of them.
Reading: Read more on
the breed specific traits of
your pup and do not let him
get bored.
Give him enough mental
and physical stimulation as
required by the breed. It will
help him to channel all that
pent up energy effectively!
And most importantly, be
the person your dog wants
you to be. Watch him and he
will tell you all you need to
know about him.
(The authors are canine
training and behaviour consultants and can be reached
at
cheekypawscc@gmail.com)

downside is that is a very

expensive procedure which
many people are not able to
afford. The cost of using this
technology starts Rs.50,000
onwards. There are also
chances of twin births, which
increase the risk of
premature baby.
Apart from that, certain
fertility drugs and hormones
are used which carry some
mild side effects.Having a
baby to complete the family
is a blessing which every
couple looks forward to.
Having it naturally is the
best way, but when thats not
possible, IVF can help.

The best place to find a helping hand

just does not happen as with
age, fertility of a person also
decreases. Generally after the
age of 35, risk of miscarriages
and inability to conceive
increase manifold.
Another major cause of
rising rate of infertility is our
sedentary lifestyle. Lack of
sufficient physical exercises
accompanied with poor eating
habits results in obesity,
which is also the leading cause
of infertility. But, being too
underweight can also make
one vulnerable to developing
infertility.
Another reason behind a
large number of infertility
cases is addiction to alcohol or
drugs; or heavy smoking,
which directly affects a
persons reproductive health.
Sometimes, sexually
transmitted diseases, if left
untreated, can also result in
infertility. Other causes can be
persistent exposure to
harmful chemicals, lack of
sufficient nutrition and

fruits. They are served in between courses as palate

cleansers, similar to sorbets
in a French meal. Some of the
signature gojjus are hagalkay
gojju made from sliced bitter
gourds; pineapple gojju;
drakshi gojju made from raisins and the unique kittlehannu sippe gojju made from the
diced peel of loose-jacketed
oranges that gives a unique,
mild, bitter, after taste.
Though
times
have
changed and traditional practices like wood fire cooking
have nearly vanished from
most middle-class households, Malati feels it has not
affected the taste of the traditional food significantly. I
feel that today heightened
awareness of food gives you
deeper insight into food practices and often taste is enhanced, for example, adding
onions to the potato palya in
the masal dose or kharabhat.
The changing lifestyle also
doesnt mean traditional food
cant fit into it, that they are
weight enhancing as often alleged. Geetha mentions,
Many of the recipes are
wholesome and cater to vegetarians, vegans and those requiring gluten-free diets. The
palyas are simple and quick to
make, nutritious because
they are stir fried or steamed.
So are the yoghurt-based dishes and the tiffin varieties
like dosas idlis and upmas.
For someone who survived
on Udipi fare for nearly a
year, it is time to nod a yes to
her! Nnnn

Petpals

Rohit Bal has sentimental attachment to accessories

On completing 72 years of
singing, noted playback
singer Asha Bhosle was
given a musical tribute by
Anuja Sinha at Kamani
Auditorium recently.
The musical programme
featured evergreen film
songs sung by Asha Bhosle.
Ambassador Deepak Vohra,
(Special Adviser to the
Prime Minister- Lesotho
and Guineau-Bissau)
conferred Sakha Awards on
personalities, including
Anuja Sinha and Muktesh
Chander, flautist.

ery morning, after her bath,

aunt Athi wore a fresh sari
and a blouse that had been
washed and dried on a horizontal pole hung below the
dining room ceiling, adjoining the kitchen.
Malati gives an interesting

Watch his wardrobe

ALKA JAIN

Musical
tribute

KITCHEN AND LORE Malati Srinivasan and Geetha Rao

teresting it is to read, and

think of the times that were
when she writes, In our
home, dawn was signalled by
the sound of tinkling cowbells; the milkmans arrival
with his milch cow in tow,
sometimes accompanied by a
newly-birthed calf. The tethered cow was milked in front
of our home; straight into the
milk vessel.
And the making of degree
coffee, that speciality of a
South Indian household?
Making the coffee decoction
was a process, where coffee
powder was put into a piece of
long cloth, placed on the
mouth of a vessel, over which
boiling water was poured,
she writes.
Talking about it in an email
interview from Toronto,
where she is now based, Malati states what remains of
that culture and what has
moved. Rituals associated

ing to large functions like

weddings.
Traditional utensils made
of bell metal, bronze, copper,
brass, iron and wood were a
norm in a Udipi household
when Malati was growing up.
Bell metal or kanchu, a hard
alloy made from copper and
tin, in the ratio 4:1 was the
most preferred metal for
utensils. It was a good conductor of heat and retained
heat well as well as it did not
tarnish. Utensils, like the narrow mouthed Annada patre (a
vessel for cooking rice) Halina patre (a vessel for boiling
milk) and Yenne gindi, (a vessel to store oil) were common.
Urali, a wide-mouthed vessel
with beautifully carved handles, was used for ceremonial
occasions, when payasam was
made, as it needed slow cooking without burning the
dish, she recalls.
Geetha adds, Wooden
spoons and spatulas were
used to stir the cooking food
and serve pickles. I bought
several in the quaint stores
that surround the Krishna
Temple in Udupi and use
them every day.
Though to an outsider,
most South Indian food
seems the same, particularly
for its medium of cooking, its
seasoning, this is not the case
as far as Udipi menu is concerned.
Geetha highlights, A distinguishing feature of an
Udupi menu are the gojjus,
sweet, sour and spicy gravies
cooked with vegetables and

INNOVATION IS THE KEY An embryologist at work PHOTO: REUTERS

having ovulation problems,

men having abnormal or
low sperm production.
The probability of
conceiving using IVF
largely depends of the
quality of eggs and sperms
retrieved. Also, age plays a
major role. Especially for
women, using non-donor
eggs, chances of conceiving
decrease with age. Along
with these, overall health of
a person plays a major role
in deciding the probability

of conceiving.
So, in order to get it
done successfully,
maintain a healthy weight
and Body Mass Index.
Strictly refrain from
alcohol consumption or
smoking. Also, limit your
caffeine intake to ensure
desired results of IVF.
There are many
advantages of IVF. First
and foremost it helps
couples have babies.
Apart from that, it is a

great boon for people having

genetic disorders. Through
IVF, such couples can get
embryos screened for
diseases and save a healthy
embryo. Not just that, if a
person is about to start
cancer treatment, which
involves chemotherapy that
can harm egg or sperm
production, retrieving eggs
or sperms is a good option.
Though, a very effective
alternative, IVF too has
certain drawbacks. One big

(Director- Obstetrics,
Gynaecology and Infertility
Sehgal Neo Hospital)

ND-ND

p3

METROPLUS

Shelf life

SPECTRUM

NOIDA/DELHI

THE HINDU Thursday, May 7, 2015

Capital check

Swooning over
the moon
The Beckoning
Of Gyanganj
Gyanganj, a mystical abode
of immortal beings, located
in the remote Himalayas
influences a series of events
from two eras and results in
a cocktail of Himalayan
adventures, spiritualism,
love and romance, hatred
and politics, sufferings and
revolt. Chandan K. Pathak
through this book has tried
to weave his own story
centering on love, romance,
spiritualism and politics.
Brought out by Leadstart
Publishing it is priced at
Rs.175.

Full moon night charms both the philosopher and the

romantic. What draws you to the natural CFL?
ZIYA US SALAM

ull moon nights are

the stuff romance is
born for. Our own
Delhi may not have a
Taj Mahal and a horde of
love-birds on nights of the full
moon, but the city that embraces the ancient, the medieval and the modern by
turns, is not short of sights to
behold when the sky is lit up
by a lamp of its own, the one
that shines in reflected light.
At Humayuns tomb, said
to be the precursor of the Taj,
you may not, in this age and
time, find young birds crooning Chaudhvin ka chand ho
ya aftab ho, but hang around
a little longer.
Look around, see how the
moon kisses the top of the
dome, how its rays dissolve in
the niches of the tomb, how

even the grass basks in the

gentle light.
Over at Purana Quila, not
too far from the Abode of the
Lord, young men and women
face a quandary. The full
moon with its petals of temptations brings them to its
lawns, its walls, its stairs, not
too far from Sher Mandal
where Humayun fell to his
death. Yet it is the Moon and
its luminosity which prevents
them from taking the next
step, very much akin to the
dilemma of Nargis and Raj
Kapoor in the song Dum
bhar jo udhar muh phere in
Awara.
It has been more than 60
years since Awara graced Moti cinema in Chandni Chowk
but on the night of the full
moon, one does not mind be-

ing a wanderer, a wayfarer.

Talking of Moti, for many
years there has been a market
of music cassettes and CDs
next to it. Once it was not
unusual to hear the shops
play Aadha hai chandrama
aur raat aadhi. That was the
age when the name of V.
Shantaram helped sell a thousand box office tickets. V.
Shantaram though completed
his innings long ago. Now, the
speakers in the market have
gone on mute mode. It is only
the mind that plays the best of
songs. Like the inimitable
Hemant Kumar and his Na
Yeh Chand Hoga Na Taare
Rahenge or Noor Jahans
Chandni raatein, which recounts those heady days
when the world sleeps and
love birds stay awake. Jab

sab soye aur hum jaage.taaron se karein baatein.

Too much of Old Delhi with
its narrow lanes and damp
havelis on Chaudhvin Ka
Chand? Drive down to India
Gate and its vast spaciousness. Look, gape and wonder

how beautiful the monument

that has a brick with the name
of a soldier, looks in moonlight! For a moment forget
the families out on a picnic,
children running after a ball,
look at the stars and the
moon.

Too much history on a romantic night?

Drive up to a flyover and
stop by the railings at the
highest point. The philosophers might tell you that this
life is like a bridge, and advise
you to pass over it but do not

build upon it. But on this

night, be like the black cat in a
dark room that the philosophers can never find. Standing on the flyover, by the
Yamuna, watch the Moon
tease the ripples of the river.
Life is in a moment. Live it.

The MGR
Murder Trial
A powerful collection of
stories about the darkest
years in Sri Lankan history.
In these vivid and inventive
tales, Shobasakthi gives
shape to the unspeakable
violence, fear and trauma
unleashed during the years
of Sri Lankas civil war and
its aftermath. By turns
visceral, moving and
shocking, it ably conjures
the horrors suffered by a
silence people. Priced at
Rs.299 and published
Penguin Books.

FROM POETIC TO PROSAIC Different shades of the full-moon night in the city PHOTOS: SANDEEP SAXENA AND SUSHIL KUMAR VERMA

The Vanished
Path
A graphic travelogue by
Bharath Murthy who,
accompanied by his wife,
set out on a pilgrimage to
the historical sites in India
and Nepal associated with
the life of Buddha. The book
is an account of their
journey through the ruins
that mark the Buddha's life
the places where he lived
and taught, lands from
where all traces of that
past have almost
disappeared. Whether
interested in Buddhism or
travel, the journey is bound
to be interesting to the
reader. A Harper Collins
publication, it is priced at
Rs.399.

Nimble
Challenging traditional
notions of strategy in this
book, Baba Prasad draws
on his research at some of
the worlds best business
schools to show how
intelligence can help a
person and his business to
navigate the turbulence in
todays world. Bridging
strategy, leadership and
innovation and with vivid
illustrations it provides a
path-breaking assessment
methodology and a
systematic four-step
approach. Published by
Random House India, it is
priced at Rs.499.
CM
YK

Straight and simple

Red Handed
provides an
interesting
account of some
high profile cases
in India

Continued from Page 1

S. RAVI

Court cases have always fascinated the common man who

depends on the media, print
and electronic, to update and
explain the jargon. Red
Handed: 20 Criminal Cases
That Shook India, a Rupa
publication, co-authored by
Souvik Bhadra and Pingal
Khan attempts to bring the
true accounts behind several
high profile cases to the reader who need not have specialised knowledge of law. The
fact that both have a law degree from National University of Juridical Sciences,
Kolkata and are practising
lawyers lends weight to the
publication.
Mr. Kapish Mehra of Rupa
during a chat on a flight mentioned they had an idea to
publish a book dealing with
famous cases which should be
written by an advocate to ensure that it is authentic and
simultaneously be neither
boring nor sensational. The
focus he said had to be on
facts, investigation while
specifying if the allegations
levelled were substantiated in
the court or not, explains
Souvik as to how the book
came into being.
The mlange of cases presented in Red Handed
pertain to all kinds of criminal activity from terrorism
to crimes against women, and
white-collar crimes to political murders. So it has the
Dhananjoy Chatterjee, Ajmal
Kasab, Harshad Mehta, the
Best Bakery, Telgi stamp paper, Sanjay Dutt and Parliament attack cases among
others. According to Souvik,
the selection was restricted to

Killing it softly

PERFECT MATCH Pingal Khan and Souvik Bhadra

the timeframe of last three

decades to enable the readers
to be able to recollect and
connect to them.
The book brings to fore the
role played by media and its
importance. In the Priyadarshini Mattoo and Jessica Lal
case, without the media involvement and the way they
highlighted the two cases, it
would have not reached the
stage it has, comments Souvik. Having said that, I would
like to specify that the trial by
media is not a good trend. It is
fine where judiciary is failing
but reaching at a judgment
even before the trial is not
appreciable in the civil society which has a specialized organ trained to make these
types of decisions.
The book provides easy
definition of certain legal
terms, e.g. direct and circumstantial evidence with the objective of enabling the reader
to understand them and their

usage in the judgment. This

helps in appreciating the rationale behind the judgment.
Every story ends with authors note summarising the
case and presenting their take
besides beginning with a quotation providing the reader
the basic idea of the narrative.
Commenting on a recent
trend among the advocates to
boycott representing an accused in a case, Souvik says,
Everyone has a right to proper representation. Boycott
defeats the entire process and
the idea of fair trial. In fact,
we are supposed to represent
everyone as long as it is within our capability.
Having been batch mates
and working together has created a mutual understanding
which helped the two lawyers
to pen this book. They are already working on an academic book on law. We
complement each other,
says Souvik.

The book brings to

fore the role played
by media and its
importance

National Museum was

headless for several years
which really affected the institution. After Dr. Venu
joined it, he made it alive not
just through some incredible
exhibitions but internally
too through archiving, documentation. He should be allowed to continue, says
Jyotindra Jain, a museologist who has headed National Crafts Museum and
IGNCA in the past. He has
signed Sardanas petition.
Hoping and praying for
National Museum to continue on its current path, Sardana cites a particular remark
by a signee, The National
Museum of India, the face of
Indias culture to the world
and its own people had just
begun to communicate with
people. Is it then prudent to
cause his transfer? He is doing incredible work and being untimely moved to
another Ministry, I wish
such erratic decisions were
unheard of and hope that
this petition is heard.

Museum on a roll under

Venu Vasudevan
* One of the highlights of
his tenure is Yuva Saathi Programme under which college
students were trained as
guides for visiting school
groups at the museum.
* For the public there is
Volunteer
Guide
Programme (VGP) or Path Pradarshak. Visitors interested
in visiting the museum with
the help of a guide can book
their requirement of a guide
on National Museums website in advance. On this 90
minutes tour, the trained
guides introduce highlights
from the displayed collection
which runs into lakhs of art
works.
* The Museum in 90 Minutes was another initiative
launched to make the whole
experience easy and quick
for those who are pressed for
time. A booklet titled The
Museum in 90 Minutes, given to visitors free of cost, introduces them to 25 most
unique pieces of the museum. With the help of the

book and the audio-guide,

navigating the museum is
like a breeze.
* Some major exhibitions
like Musical Landscapes &
The Goddesses of Music Recent Advances in Interactive
Art, A Passionate Eye Textiles, Paintings and sculptures from the Bharany
Donation, Unearthing Pattanam Histories, Cultures,
Crossings. Union Culture
Minister Dr. Mahesh Sharma
to Open Exhibition; Trench
Replica, Select Excavation
Findings, Nauras: The
Many Arts of the Deccan,
The Peranakan World:
Cross Cultural Art of Singapore and the Straits of Malacca and The Body in Indian
Art a stunning exhibition
of 300 art works from 44 institutions, studying representation of body over 4000
years across regions, religion
and culture.
* Before Venu Vasudevan
joined, six crucial galleries
were shut at the museum for
years. While four of these
galleries have been opened, a

new one launched, and the

remaining two Bronze and
Manuscripts are to open
later this year in 2015.
* In collaboration with
UNESCO, the museum organised a seminal workshop on
Making Museums Accessible for Persons with Disabilities in April this year. The
workshop coincided with the
exhibition Cadence and
Counterpoint: Documenting
Santal Musical Traditions
wherein a Braille booklet,
tactile graphics and an audio-guide are being used for
the first time for the benefit
for visually-impaired people.
* Nearly 10,000 objects
have been digitised and put
online making it accessible
to public.
* A number of publications, lectures, talks, public
programmes,
childrens
programmes.
* He also played an important role in organising the
Kochi Biennale 2014.
* A theatre practitioner, he
performs with his theatre
group Abhinaya.

I dont watch television

Actor Ram Kapoor, who
seems to have broken the image of a stereotypical hero on
small screen with many of his
characters, says he hardly
gets time to watch television.
When asked if he gets time
to watch his wife Gautamis
TV series Tere Sheher Mein,
he said: I havent had the
time to watch (the show). I
dont watch TV and I dont
watch my own shows either.
She knows I am not the audience for this.
Most of the time I am busy. Also I like to work and
move on as I dont like to sit
back and watch it. I have never been a big fan of watching

my own shows, he added.

Ram, however, says she is
very supportive as a wife.
Gautami is supportive.
She is an actor and she knows
how hard it is to survive here
and she is happy with my success. She has realised that this
is a good time for me and she
supports me, said the actor,
who is set for his next release
Kuch Kuch Locha Hai that also stars Sunny Leone.
Slated to release on May 8,
Kuch Kuch Locha Hai also
features Evelyn Sharma and
Navdeep Chhabra.
In the film, Ram plays a 45year-old married man, who
witnesses a turmoil in his life

SUNNY DAYS! Ram Kapoor with Riteish Deshmukh

after he gets a chance to meet

Directed by Devang DholaBollywood star Shanaya kia, the film is slated to re(Sunny), whom he always lease on Friday.
IANS
fantasised about.
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p4

METROPLUS

FOOD

NOIDA/DELHI

THE HINDU Thursday, May 7, 2015

Whats cooking

Table for two

Of sound and form

Pravin Amre, the man who hit a century on Test debut, on
food and games of destiny
VIJAY LOKAPALLY

Marwari cuisine
Indulge in the richness of the authentic Marwari cuisine at
Dilli 32, the Indian cuisine restaurant at Kempinski
Ambience Hotel. The restaurant is all set to take its
patrons on a culinary journey toMarwar region of
Jodhpur, Rajasthan with its traditional Marwar food
festival. The menu includes murgh chappe,murgh ka soola,
masala pasla, atta ro chakki ra saag,pittod ro saagto
raabori harapyaaz,paneer khaas Jodhpuri,
panchkutta,mirchi wada, mawe ki kachoriand many
more. All this can be paired with the nest selection of
spirits. Located at 1, CBD, near Yamuna Sports Complex,
Maharaja Surajmal Road, Delhi. On till May 10.

Mother's
Day
brunch
Kitchen of Awadh
has arranged an
amazing lunch-on
with authentic
Awadhi cuisines on
the Mothers Day.
It is claimed to be
made with the
choicest of
ingredients
enhanced by ne
spices. One can pick
from a variety of
vegetarian and non-vegetarian kabab platters like galawat
ke kabab, kakori kabab, asli shammi kabab, kathal ke
galouti and daal ke kabab along with biryani and ulta tawa
paratha. Besides there is the signature special drink
panchamitra and kesari phirni as dessert.
On till May 10, the meal for two is Rs.1000 approx at A
208, Supermart 1, DLF Phase 4, Gurgaon, between noon
and 11 p.m.

Dimsum
Eggspectation, the 24-hour resto-caf at Jaypee Greens
Golf & Spa Resort, Greater Noida invites food lovers to
indulge in the taste of authentic dimsums with its lunch.
One can enjoy the three course menu with a glass of house
beer which includes soup, unlimited dimsums and dessert.
Unlimited Dimsums that one can choose from steamed
version with chicken, prawn and veg lling. The three
course meal includes a diverse selection of vegetarian and
non-vegetarian offerings like mushroom and water
Chestnuts dimsum, prawn siu mai dimsum, clear soup with
vegetables and tofu, clear chicken soup etc.
On till May 10, between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. The price of
unlimited vegetarian is Rs.999 plus taxes and the
unlimited non vegetarian is Rs.1199 plus taxes.

e learnt his cricket

at the feet of Ramakant Achrekar,
the man who
shaped the cricket destiny of
Sachin Tendulkar, Vinod
Kambli, Ajit Agarkar. For
Pravin Amre, it was destiny
that brought him in contact
with Achrekar. Growing up in
Dadar, listening to cricket exploits of stars Vijay Manjrekar, Sunil Gavaskar, Sandeep
Patil, Ramakant Desai, Ajit
Wadekar, Subhash Gupte, it
was natural for Amre to take
to cricket. He would organise
neighbourhood matches involving small clubs and one
such match gave his dreams a
big boost.
My father always spared
me money for cricket. I used
it to book a ground to set up a
match against Achrekars
Cub. We were thrashed but I
batted long. To my fortune,
Achrekar Sir, as was his habit,
watched the match hiding behind a tree. He was known to
do that in order to avoid putting pressure on the players.
He liked my batting and immediately invited me to join
his nets at Shivaji Park. My
life changed that day, says
Amre when we meet at K3, a
fine dining restaurant at the
JW Marriott, near IGI
Airport.
I have known Amre since
his formative years when he
shifted from Bombay to Railways. It was Achrekar Sir
who advised me to take up the
job in Railways after I had
played my first season with
Mumbai. It turned out to be a
very sound move for me. The
ambience at K3 is cordial. JW
Marriott is the team hotel for
Delhi Daredevils and players
can be spotted at various tables in the spacious restaurant, which offers three live
kitchens with distinctive cuisine, North Indian, Canto-

nese and Tuscan.

Water melon juice, Amre
takes guard ahead of the
lunch. Remember the dhaba
near Karnail Singh Stadium,
Amre smiles, digging into his
past when he shared dormitory accommodation with fellow Railways players. We
would battle opponents in
day and mosquitoes at night.
Sleeping in Railway coaches
was part of the growing up
system, not to forget bathing
on the platforms.
It was tough grooming but
it steeled us. I was used to it. I
take pride in my middle class
background because it taught
me values which I respect till
today. My days with Railways
ensured I did not complain
because we accepted everything sportingly. The aim was
to give our best on the field,
achieve and then make request for improvement. I
must say the authorities were
kind and accommodating.
One more water melon
juice is followed by Greek Salad. We have all become
health conscious now. Earlier, our salad was limited to
tomatoes, cucumber, radish,
carrot, beet root. Now the
range is wide and exotic. I
love green salads because
they are not tough on the
stomach. But I must tell you
that I love home food best.
The fried or grilled pomfret
and king prawns. Bliss. I avoid
sea food on tours but gorge
when I am in Mumbai. I buy
stuff from Citylight, the best
fish market in Mumbai.
A century on Test debut at
Durban in 1992 heralded
Amres entry to international

cricket. It was a sensational

debut on a fiery pitch with
Allan Donald making the batsmen hop around. Amre
walked in with Ajay Jadeja,
Sanjay Manjrekar, Sachin
Tendulkar and Ravi Shastri
back in the pavilion. He made
103 and stood out for his skilful display that earned him
the Man of the match honours. Ten more Tests within
the span of one year boosted
his career which ended
abruptly in 1994 with an ODI
against
Sri
Lanka
at
Jalandhar.
I had no godfather. But I
have no regrets. I gave my
best always, says Amre who
turned to coaching, again on
the advice of Achrekar.
Coaching was tougher because I had to think at the
students pace. As a coach,
you have to play for them,
show more patience. As a
player I was short tempered.
As a coach I am calm.
It is time for the main
course now. I will go for Chinese, Amre, who played 11
Tests and 37 ODIs, declares.
The chef smiles because
Amre is a regular. Garlic rice
and Fried Tofu with Chilli
Bean and a helping of Chicken Black Bean. This is my favourite, says Amre and bites
into his food.
What, according to him, are
the essential qualities of a
good coach? Communication, listening to the players,
proper analysis, motivating
the players, planning and
strategizing, follow up with SUCH A DELIGHT Pravin Amre at K3 in New Delhis JW Marriott hotel
remedies and above all, hon- PHOTO: VIJAY LOKAPALLY
esty. At times you have to be
blunt to give a strong message because it is important to encing hard times on the I look to be one step ahead
shake off your students from field.
and keep my pupil also one
their comfort zone. Names
Amre, who signs off with step ahead. At 47, he is best
At times you have to be blunt to give a
would vouch for Amres Fruit Caramel and Tuffed suited for an assignment with
strong message because it is important to who
excellent guidance are Ajin- Cake, has a simple philosophy the senior team. Amre loves
shake off your students from their
kya Rahane, Suresh Raina, of knowing when his pupil is challenges and proving his
Robin Uthappa, Dinesh Kar- in good form. The sound of coaching credentials at the
comfort zone
thik, Pragyan Ojha and the bat tells me how good he top is the motivating force for
Shreyas Iyer. He is the inspi- is going to fare. I tell myself this genial Mumbaikar.
ration they seek when experi- how I can improve this sound.

,,

Cooking with flowers

With their special scent and colour, flowers lend a touch
of the exotic to food. A couple of recipes...

Aperitivo
Caffee Tonino, which
serves Italian cuisine,
including antipasti,
wood-re pizzas,
pastas and desserts,
adds Aperitivo to its
menu which basically is
socialising over drinks
and nger food at the
end of the day. The
caffe offers a wide
range of aperitivo
cocktails which includes negroni, bellini, cosmo-secco,
negroni sbagliato, kir royal, Manhattan, the Bond martini
and the classic spritz, garnished with a half slice of orange
besides different offering everyday from the kitchen like
marinated olives, peanuts, cashew nuts, platter of crostini,
sandwiches, nachos, boiled egg with anchovies, cheese
straws, chicken mortadella and more. Located on 1st Floor,
PVR Plaza Building, H-Block, Connaught Place (23320081/
41528042) between 8.30 a.m. and 11.30 p.m.

Celebrating Mothers Day

Rodeo brings an array of food, fun-lled ambience and
excellent services to host a special lunch/dinner for
mothers. It is offering a lavish main-course meal on the
house. The guests can savour a wide variety of vegetarian
and non-vegetarian soups, starters and appetizers along
with summer chillers and lip-smacking desserts to
compliment the meal. So there is complimentary meal for
all mothers if accompanied by their children. The price is
Rs.650 onwards plus taxes per person plus mothers
treated to a complimentary meal by their child. On May 10
from noon onwards at A-12 Inner Circle, Connaught Place
(23713780/81/8588815454).
CM
YK

Summer menu
The chef at Pind Balluchi has
designed a new summer menu to beat the scorching heat
of the season. To quench the
thirst there are beverages like
lassi manpasand, chaach, aam
ka panna, annanas ka panna,
special jal jeera, blue Hawain,
orange blossom, tropical
bruit blossom while the starters includes maki de kabab,
dahi ke kabab, hara kabab, papri dahi kabab, tandoor angan
salad, tandoori cheesy mushroom, murg mirza hasanu,
chicken fry, fish Amritsari,
fish tikka ajwaini. The main desserts one can enjoy apple 12 noon to 11 p.m. For bookcourse consists of saag da pa- cinnamon tarts and apple ings call: 011-40817733/633.
Meal for two is priced at
neer, pindi chhole, mutton souffle.
Available at all outlets from Rs.1600.
saagwala and murg rahra. For

FLOWERY FLAVOUR Hibiscus tea

MOUSHMI KISHORE

flower. Clean the flower

thoroughly. Ensure it is free
of pesticides.
Alternatively, you can buy
dried hibiscus tea in a health
food store.
Place one hibiscus flower in
a cup, and then steep it in
boiling water.
Stir (the water will turn a
blackish purple as the colour
comes out of the flower).
Remove the flower.
Add sugar to taste, and then
stir to dissolve. Squeeze
lemon juice into the cup. The
colour will turn bright pink.
Set aside to cool. Add ice
cubes and serve.

While you may be no stranger

to cooking with flowers
cauliflower, drumstick flower, banana flower and pumpkin flower, have you ever tried
recipes using lavender, hibiscus or calendula? Flowers
such as marigold, nasturtium,
lavender, zucchini and roses
look attractive as garnishes,
but what do they taste like?
Nasturtium has a delicious
peppery flavour, while violets, roses and lavender lend a
sweet flavour to salads and
desserts. As calendula is similar to saffron in flavour, it is
used as an alternative. All
flowers are not edible; some Rose petal
are poisonous and could custard
cause
serious
stomach
Ingredients:
problems.
1 litre whole milk
If you are prone to allergies, introduce flowers in
4 cups rose petals
small quantities, so you can
Quarter cup sugar (adjust
judge their effect.
to taste)
A couple of recipes
1 tsp vanilla extract

Hibiscus tea
Ingredients:
1 cup boiling water
1 hibiscus flower
Sugar to taste
A few drops of lemon juice
A few ice cubes
Method:
Remove stamen from the

As calendula is
similar to saffron in
flavour, it is used as
an alternative

Half cup corn starch

1 tsp rose water
1 cup chopped fresh fruits
of your choice
2 tbsp coarsely ground nuts
(almonds,
cashew
and
unsalted pistachio)
Method:
In a large, heavy-bottomed
saucepan, bring the milk to
boil, and then remove from
the heat.
Remove half cup of milk
and set aside. Gently mix rose
petals in the warmed milk in
the pan and let them soak for
15 to 20 minutes.
Strain the milk, discarding
the petals.
Pour the infused milk back
into the saucepan; add sugar
and vanilla and bring to a
simmer over medium heat.
Whisk corn starch into the
half cup of milk that has been
set aside, until there are no
lumps.
Add the corn starch
mixture to the pan and
simmer over low heat,
stirring gently for 8-10
minutes or until it is
thickened and coats the
spoon.
Remove from heat and let
in cool.
Refrigerate for some time.
Gently fold in fruits. Serve
garnished with chopped nuts.
ND-ND