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The Hindu : Equal measures of excitement and trepidation ripple the air around the Chinnaswamy Stadium. The historical venue is all set to host the DLF Indian Premier League’s inaugural match between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Kolkata’s Knight Riders here on Friday.The stadium is agog with last-minute preparations for a twenty-20 tournament that is expected to change the face of cricket. The stands and the pillars are glistening with a fresh coat of red and yellow – the colours of Royal Challengers, while out on the far corner, DNA Networks is busy fine-tuning the stage and the related acoustics for the 45-minute inaugural bash.No song and dance“We didn’t want a usual Bollywood song-and-dance routine. We thought we will take a visual route with lots of lights, stilt walkers and other acrobatics,” says DNA Networks managing director T. Venkat Vardhan.And KSCA secretary Brijesh Patel adds, “the public response has been good and there has been demand for season tickets.”Royal Challengers’ skipper Rahul Dravid had earlier spoken about the need for good crowd support but it remains to be seen whether the Bangalorean, who usually shuns domestic matches while packing the stadium for international matches, will find the time and enthusiasm for the IPL matches, which actually are domestic in status.X-factorHowever the x-factor, presence of the game’s leading International stars ranging from Jacques Kallis in the Royal Challengers line-up to Ricky Ponting in the Knight Riders’ squad, is expected to lure more footfalls in the stadium and more eyeballs on television.“We have the best of International players here and I see no reason why the crowds won’t turn up. This tournament will be a success and for youngsters like Virat Kohli in the Challengers team, it would be a good thing to see and learn from seniors like Dravid, Kallis and Boucher,” says wicket-keeping legend Syed Kirmani.The Royal Challengers’ players in a slew of press conferences underlined their collective belief…More

The Hindu : Jab they met – onlineBoy-meets-girl has a new twist with more couples meeting on social networking sitesSo you’re one of the many Orkut addicts. And your day isn’t complete without a thorough reading of your favourite blogs. Well, here’s something to think about: your next scrap on Orkut or your next comment on a stranger’s blog may lead you to all the way down the altar.Take Anjana Arunachalam and Krishna Sundaresan, who married last August. In 2006, their common buddy Hari told Anjana that Krishna had an interesting blog she should check out, and warned Krishna to “not be nasty” if she left a comment. And so it began. A common love for “Lord of the Rings” (though she prefers the book and he the movies) got them started off, but pretty soon, their comment-conversations had nothing to do with the contents of his blog at all.“I couldn’t send emails from work, so comments on his blog were the only way for us to chat during the day,” recalls Anjana, a software engineer. In about three months, the chats moved to the telephone. And in another three, they met for the first time in Hyderabad, where Anjana was staying.“He arrived from Chennai at one a.m. and was quite insulted that I was fast asleep,” says Anjana laughing. But after that, things happened so fast, “It was scary”. Within a month, they’d decided they wanted to be married, and another month later, were officially engaged.Strangely, since then, the two have found that they have several common relatives and acquaintances. “Looks like we would have met at some point anyway,” says Krishna, who’s in equity research. “It just happened to be through Hari and my blog.” Well, Hari got a free ‘thank you’ dinner out of it, but the blog didn’t fare as well. “I’ve taken it down—it got too much publicity among parents and relatives after…More

The Hindu : AdventureWishbone Interactive is organising two-day nature exploration camps for children aged between nine and 16 years on Gerry Martin’s farm on May 26 and 27 on the outskirts of the city and one at Hunsur near Nagarahole National Park on May 24 and 25.The focus is on developing skills that will “help children safely explore their natural environs”. They will also learn how to identify birds from their plumage, flight and shape, get trained in a bit of angling, build some animal tracking skills and maybe even see a tiger whilst on safari, add the organisers.“Your child will have a wild time and also be watched over and safe. There will always be an adult to child ratio of 1:5. They also have a completely stocked medical kit and atleast one wilderness medic with us at all times,” assure the organisers.The last date for registration is April 19. Call Kaushik on 9886169698 for details and registration….More

The Hindu : Soluble lead- 90mg. Cadmium- 75 mg. Mercury- 60 mg — these are the permissible levels of chemicals in per kg of a toy. They should be smooth, come in bright colours (the colours should not bleed) and should be lightweight.Toys are fun, magical and the delight of children. But, are they toxic-free? “No,” says B. Krishna, business manager of Bubbly ( www.merabubbly.com), which markets imported toys from Italy. “There is a universal ban on Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) toys, but we still have them, mostly from China, flooding the market,” he says.Chemical contentsThe harmful chemical phthalate used to mould PVC toys, leach when the child puts them in its mouth. This can lead to long-term health problems.A recent study by Toxics Links ( www.toxicslink.org) in Delhi, an NGO that works for environment justice and freedom from toxins, found that in a total of 111 non-branded toy samples, purchased randomly from three metropolitan cities of Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai, there were disturbing quantities of PVC, lead and cadmium in them.“Chemical exposure to children from toys is an emerging concern. Metals in materials and paints are loosely bound to the surface and can leach easily. The Government should step in and regulate the toxic contents and label toys based on this,” says Dr. Abhay Kumar, senior programme officer of Toxics Link.Safety standardsToys may also inflict accidental injuries to children. Sharp edges of toys or their electrical, mechanical or flammable characteristics may cause accidents.And, that is the reason the European standard EN71 demands testing of toys in four categories.“An EN71 certified toy with a CE (European Conformity) mark and with address of manufacturer or importer, or a branded toy is considered safe, irrespective of their place of origin. The problem is a large number of Chinese toys come with the CE mark but without any address, so the safety is at stake,” Krishna explains.The first category, the mechanical and…More

The Hindu : From a cameo in Shyam Benegal’s debut film “Ankur” (1971) to a coach in Ajitpal Mangat’s forthcoming film “Victory”, Dalip Tahil has come a long way. If he became a household name after playing the elder son of Haveliram (Aloke Nath) in G.P. Sippy’s mega serial “Buniyaad”, this “papa” of the hit song “Papa Kehte Hain” from “Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak” is best remembered as a villain.A veteran of over 100 roles, including the comedy in “Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke”, Tahil now essays a down-to-earth character. In “Victory”, he plays the coach of the Indian cricket team who trains a small-town cricketer Vijay Shikhawat (Harman Baweja) to play in the national team. “As a coach I am instrumental in his rise to stardom and balance him when he is on the verge of squandering his career,” says Tahil.Love for actingRecalls Tahil, “I enrolled at Aligarh Muslim University but left it in a year because I didn’t find a conducive atmosphere for doing theatre. I continued my graduation in Mumbai to get a degree. I chose history because it didn’t need much attendance. I immersed myself in theatre. It was because of a play ‘Godspell’ by Pearl Padamsee that Shyam Babu (Benegal) noticed me. He came to the dressing room and said, ‘If you change your hair style, then I have a role for you in my film’ (‘Ankur’). Though my role (the protagonist’s vagabond friend) was cut short, he compensated it with a lead in ‘Trikaal’ later. My association with him was enough to make the film industry trust my acting skills.”When Tahil didn’t have films, he survived by doing jingles and giving voiceovers for Vanraj Bhatia and Benegal. “They used to give Rs.250 for a jingle. I also worked with Lintas for some time. I did quite a few run-of-the-mill roles to survive. But with ‘Qayamat Se…’my career graph saw a dramatic change.”…More

The Hindu : What keeps a marriage alive and stimulated? Romance? Passion? Commitment? Sacrifice? Not really. A deeper and intimate study into marriage has revealed friendship is the mantra for a long and lasting married life. Friendship is thus the key to a happy married life.It is said to rekindle and bring back romance and intimacy. But can a couple be friends and married partners at the same time?“Why not”, emphasises Mallika a homemaker, married for 30 years, “the romance, the passion wanes after a certain time. It is then that a couple realises that forging a deep friendship can make the marriage not just more fulfilling but can also revive deep feelings for each other.”Husband Jayanand agrees and says,“As in any relationship it isfriendship that nourishes a marriage and prevents it from getting dull.”Yet somehow from our perception spouses and friends stand at extreme ends of the pole.We refuse to see them in the same light. So how do we make our spouses our friends? Won’t the process be awkward and clumsy?Right attitude“Not at all,” feels Flowery who has been married for 15 years, “If you have the right attitude and if there is equality in your marriage then it can be quite easy and natural. Unlike friends we always take our spouses for granted.“We overlook and never appreciate the daily chores and acts of kindnessbut notice them only if they are not done.”Hubby David feels,“Marriage and friendship go hand in hand only if there is free and constant communication as in friendship. “We should share our deepest feelings, fears and apprehensions with our spouses as we would do withour friends. Fights are common in marriages. But they should make the couple understand each other better and not estrange them.”Every marriage has problems. But the more we focus on problems the more problems we see. With a strong bond of friendship problems seem of little consequence and…More

The Hindu : Water wars beginAvailability of water in cities has become a serious issue across the country. Disputes between States over water have even resulted in clashes among various groups. Most cities are facing water shortage, especially in the summer months.Over the years, with the population explosion and the IT boom transforming the city, parts of Bangalore are also facing water shortage during the summer months. Metroplus asks some city residents to share their views on this rather hot topic and provide their solutions to solve this problem. Residents suggested steps varying from water harvesting projects in apartment blocks to creation of a national water policy and the ambitious river-linking project to ensure easy availability of water resources to all . Students in hostels have put up signs over water taps reminding people not to waste water. Some citizens even feel that use of bottled water is expensive and causes plastic menace. Such small steps may go a long way in ensuring adequate water supply in the dry season. People with water round-the-clock do not seem to value water as much as those who are forced to stand in long queues at odd hours for their daily ‘quota’ of water.Bangalore is facing shortage of water. Our hostel also occasionally runs out of water. We are making attempts to generate awareness on the issue and ensure that steps are taken towards water conservation in the college and hostel premises.NrithyaEngineering studentWater shortage is a universal problem. Wars are going to be fought over water soon.The government should formulate a central policy and ration supply to ensure that conflicts do not take place among States over sharing of water.RaviSoftware engineerThough my area had faced major water shortage last year, the situation is better this time around. The only way to solve the water crisis is the implementation of the river-linking project floated by the previous government at the Centre.MahendraMedia professionalThough…More

The Hindu : Divya Dutta is probably the most remembered face among supporting actors in Hindi films. Though she got critical acclaim for “A Train to Pakistan” and “Sur”, it was “Veer Zara” that placed her among the most sought after support actors. Even Ajay Devgan banked on her for his “U, Me Aur Hum”, and Prabhakar Shukla has cast her in the title role in “Gudiya Ki Kahani”.She says, “I am no longer accepting supporting roles. Moreover, why pinpoint me for doing supporting roles Bipasha Basu and Konkona Sen are also doing it? The heroine is not only about dancing around the hero. She is one among many characters in one story.”In “U, Me Aur Hum” Divya plays an unhappily married girl. She fights with her husband (Sumit Raghavan). I am so happy that I got to play so many emotions in one role — from a chirpy girl to a spoilt brat, a dancer to an emotional fool.”Divya admits the role has helped her understand issues often ignored. “Half the marriages break up because the couples keep fighting on frivolous issues and sideline the vital ones.”As for “Gudiya Ki Kahani”, it is based on the tragic story that hit the headlines in recent times, of Gudiya, whose husband was a prisoner of war but presumed dead and returned after she had remarried and was pregnant. The gudiya in the film too is forced to choose between the two husbands. Dutta plays the title role. “This film was completed when Gudiya was pregnant. I couldn’t even meet her. The film got stuck because of differences between producer and distributors,” she shares.Disagreeing that the film capitalises on someone’s personal tragedy, she says she feels lucky to have played a real life character.“We have this habit of extracting negative shades out of a worthy issue. I feel proud to play Gudiya because it will help many people understand a…More

The Hindu : Summer hitsWelcome the summer season with a spectacular line up of blockbusters all this month on HBO. In support of Earth Day, “An Inconvenient Truth” starring Al Gore about global warming will be screened on April 22 at 9 p.m.HBO’s Blockbuster of the month will keep everyone in splits as Eddie Murphy enthrals all with a unique double role in “Norbit” on April 25, at 9 p.m.Attend a premiere every Saturday night at 9 p.m. on HBO See It First, with suspense thriller, “The Hitcher” on April 19 and “The Barnyard” on April 26.The animation trail on Sunday at 7 p.m. continues with the Academy Award winning “Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit” on April 20 and Martin Lawrence, Gary Sinise and Debra Messing starrer “Open Season” on April 27.Sunday Super Hits, every Sunday night at 9 p.m. will see “Look Who’s Talking Now” starring John Travolta, Kirstie Alley, Lysette Anthony, Danny Devito on April 20 and Jennifer Lopez, Jane Fonda, Michael Vartan, Wanda Sykes-Hall starrer “Monster-In-Law” on April 27.Friday Blockbusters at 9 p.m. will see the Jim Carrey and Cameron Diaz starrer, “The Mask” on April 18. For more information, log on towww.hbosouthasia.com….More