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The Hindu :

Check out the rich ambience of Bristol and Bath

Photo: by authorRecognising a reformer The statue of Raja Ram Mohan Roy

“You look bright eyed for this early in the morning!” the lady at Border Control observed, “So what is your purpose for visiting the U.K.?” It was 6.45 a.m. and I had arrived at London Heathrow’s Terminal 5 looking as fresh as one of the daffodils that had compelled Wordsworth to rhyme because I had been treated to a full night of fitful sleep thanks to British Airways’ Club World seat.

The indulgence had been worth it because I had a full day of meetings in London, followed by catching up with friends after work. I just couldn’t afford to give jetlag and fatigue an appointment.

After a few days in London, I drove to Reading where I have family and we decided to drive down to Bristol and Bath for the weekend.Time to shop

It was such a beautiful day that we pulled off the M4 motorway and on to the A420 towards Bristol.

As soon as we left the straight and fast Motorway, we hit country roads that, albeit narrow, were big in character and ambience. Little villages and stone houses with immaculate gardens affront fully completed the picture of an English driving holiday. Bristol was brimming with activity the Friday afternoon we got there.

Locals were making the most of the cloudless sky and our hotel, the Thistle Grand, Bristol, was right at the head of Corn Street that led to the city centre. This street is also the venue for the St Nicholas Market, a very colourful street market where you can buy an array of stuff from ‘colon cleaning’ hot sauces to traditionally-made country cheeses and artefacts. You could also sit at the many little pubs and sip on a real ale or snack on some authentic Bristol sausages and…More

The Hindu :

Netas get tech savvy and youth friendly, tapping first-time voters through SMS campaigns and social network forums

Photo: Mohammed YousufCampus connect Politicos reach out to campuses to tap first-time voters

Look who is getting tech-savvy and pro-youth now. Reaching out to people will never be the same again after elections 2009. Younger netas are out to woo young voters with their home pages and interactive forums on social network forums. Those who are not on social networks are busy fine-tuning SMS campaign strategies and learning campus connect initiatives.

A mass sms sent out from the Congress reads thus: “U have urge to study medicine, engineering, MBA, MCA, etc., but no money? Don’t worry, continue ur studies. With ur support we will continue to reimburse ur fees…. Mee YSR”. ‘Young’ and ‘dynamic’ leaders are the norm than exception. Another SMS reads thus, “Young dynamic leader KSR launched a website to become more close to public by ksryouthcongress.com —Kolan Srinivas Reddy.” Meanwhile, the original tech-savvy neta, Chandrababu Naidu has been asking for “valuable suggestions and support” through SMSes aiming to “restore Telugu pride and re-build our State”. SMS campaigns started well before the elections were announced. The target audience has mixed responses to the ‘youth-friendly’ strategies. Ishita Singh, a former NIFTian and an entrepreneur in her twenties, says, “Getting people-friendly for votes won’t take us away from the larger picture. Mass SMS campaigns usually sell products or events and politicians have joined the group. It has almost become like spamming.”

BJP’s prime ministerial candidate L.K. Advani’s website announced the Advani@Campus programme designed to mobilise first-time voters from campuses. According to the website, ‘several hundred young campaigners — drawn from the same educational and professional background as students in the various campuses — would fan out to over 5,000 colleges and talk to the student community on vital issues.

They would also communicate Advani’s vision for Young India’….More

The Hindu :

Bali is a quaint mix of culture, art and craft and a glorious sunset

Photo: By AuthorPicturesque (Clockwise from top left) A temple in Bali, the Tanoh Lot temple, rice terraces and the Bali museum

It’s a surreal experience. I am in a state of induced bliss. Warm and reassuring hands knead away the knots of tension in my back. A turmeric pack is smoothed on to me as I observe the emerald green rice fields outside the white -curtained windows. As I emerge from a flower strewn bath, and sip on a Balinese coffee, I am levitating! Sculpted rice terraces like amphitheatres, extravagant sunsets, ornate temples and velvety beaches — Bali is truly special!

Our hotel is an hour away from the Ngurah rai Airport, near the spectacular Tanah Lot temple. It’s a huge, sprawling property (about 103 acres), where the only sounds are the rush of waves and the sound of the golf club against the ball. There are three swimming pools, a spa, a golf course and two restaurants. For that extra touch of romance, there are the seaside ‘Bales’ — small huts with a thatched roof, open on all sides, and with a mattress and pillows.

Bali is a unique cultural entity by itself — a Hindu-majority island in the world’s largest Muslim-majority nation. Our first stop is a Barong dance at a temple at Batubulan, a village famous for its stone carvings. The setting is the grassy courtyard of an ancient Balinese temple whose brick walls are covered by moss and ferns. The Barong dance depicts the eternal battle between good and evil. The dance is marked by colourful costumes and accompanied by an orchestra of gamelan musicians, including aninstrument that looks like a xylophone!

The Balinese culture is steeped in religion and ceremonies. Prayers and offerings are a way of life. There are thousands of temples around the island…More

The Hindu : y>When you drive into a petrol station, you don’t just drive out with a full tank. There is coffee, burgers, flowers, jewellery and more to be bought, finds RESHMA KRISHANMURTHY SHARMA

Photo: Murali Kumar K.DIL MAANGE MORE There’s no end to what you can buy in a petrol bunk

Bite into that juicy burger as your car gets its share of fuel. Yes you read it right. Apart from filling fuel, Bangaloreans have slowly started accessing other services at many city fuel bunks. What was unimaginable a decade ago in India has become reality with fuel stations offering food, grocery, and even jewellery stores on their sites.

Shop for essentials, access ATMs, catch up with pals at a coffee joint, or munch on a burger, buy flowers or even diamonds. Obviously much has changed in the concept of a traditional petrol station. Non-fuel services are in demand as convenience takes centrestage.Buy movie tickets too

Leveraging on existing space in fuel stations, companies are forging strategic alliances with various retailers; be it cafes or quick service restaurants.A.L Krishnan, Territory Manager, Retail, Bharat Petroleum, says: “We were the first to bring out the concept of allied retail businesses called ‘In & Out’ stores in our petrol stations. At select bunks, a customer can not only shop for daily needs but also use other services like booking railway or movie tickets. Now with outlets like Café Coffee Day or McDonalds, our customers will have more reasons to come over to our stations.”

“In addition, on highways, our Ghar Dhaba outlets at select petrol stations have offerings like restaurants, dormitory and grocery that are targeted at regular vehicle users and truckers” he added.

Talking about her experience on using non-fuel services at a city petrol station, interior designer, Vaishnavi P. says, “With time posing a major constraint, moving on to different locations to buy a few basic things for home…More

The Hindu :

Bill Evans: Loose BluesMilestone/ Universal; CD; Rs. 295

Probably best known to the lay public for his participation in the best-selling jazz album of all time, Miles Davis’s “Kind of Blue”, Bill Evans was greatly appreciated by jazz aficionados as a pianist and composer, marked by the profundity of his playing and the original beauty of his compositions. This album, taken from a 1962 recording session which did not see light till two years after his death in 1982, places him in a slightly bigger setting than the trio (with a bassist and a drummer) or solo sessions he was used to. Apart from Philly Joe Jones on drums (who like him had worked with Davis) and Ron Carter on bass, it has Zoot Sims on tenor saxophone, one of the greatest exponents of cool jazz, and Jim Hall on guitar, possibly the pick of his peers on that instrument.

Evans was not only addicted to heroin at the time of this recording but also in pressing need of money to feed his habit. Yet the music shows no trace of being affected either by his addiction or the resulting ulterior financial motive for his work. Evans and his colleagues sail through eight numbers lasting about 45 minutes seemingly with deceptive ease. Evans, who also had something of a reputation for cool jazz, and Sims, in particular, toss off beautiful improvisations on all the pieces, Hall also contributing equally in this department. Most of the themes are rendered either by the ensemble or by Sims, whose tone is marvellously light and airy. Carter and Jones pitch in with a duo intro on the two takes of the title track, whimsically respelt “Loose Bloose”, while Jones has a sizzling solo intro on “Funkallero”, perhaps the best-known of the compositions (all by Evans himself) here. We also get piano intros on a couple of pieces,…More

The Hindu :

The poetry readings at the Festival of Poland were evocative

PHOTO: MURALI KUMAR K.All out Verse about war and youth were read

Two mornings of Polish poetry readings marked the Festival of Poland organised by Alliance Francaise and the Bangalore School of Music at the Time and Space Art Gallery. Memories and feelings were evoked as Polish film director Krzysztof Zanussi, former Polish ambassador to India and historian K.M. Byrski with Akumal Ramachander, Anita Nair and others reading the English translations from works by Adam Mickiewicz, Tadeusz Rozewicz, Czeslaw Miloz, Zbigniew Herbert and Wislawa Szymborska.

WWII and its shadow of violence of burning ghettoes and seeking solace from poetry became nostalgic for some, as few lines and short passages were read from the Polish greats. A poem on exile, or one on the glories of youth or the ritual of hunting of noblemen were read out. “Pebble”, “Report from Paradise”, “A Russian Tale”, “Elegy of Portinibas”, “The Survivor”, “Homework”, “Upon a Tree” and “Golden Mountains” were some of the poems read. The spirit, rhythm and language were retained as the poems were first read in the gruff, but metrical language.

AYESHA MATTHAN

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The Hindu :

Just For Kids is where moms can head to pick up anything from a feeding bottle to a rocking horse

Photo: Murali Kumar K.DRESS UP YOUR TOTS A range of cool cotton clothing to beat the summer heat

Tucked away from the main road, you are warmly welcomed into a cozy old red oxide-floored house in Malleshwaram. It’s a boutique store called Just For Kids, that caters exclusively for children in the age group zero to five years.

Started over three months ago by Vishwanath N.R. and Sriram Mahalingam, the idea of a children’s store far from the bustle of the Malleshwaram market area was to promote a peaceful shopping experience for harried mothers. “Most moms go shopping with their children and huge malls are quite worrisome. We wanted to start a boutique store where the old house provides a homey feeling, and it is safe for children to crawl about too,” says Vishwanath. That it is located in north Bangalore, where there aren’t too many exclusive children’s stores, is another big plus.

Each of the rooms on either side of the long passage that cuts the length of the house caters to one section each — baby accessories, garments, books-toys-CDs, and an activity room.

Cute is something that hits you when you step into the garment room. Summery blues, baby pinks, warm browns teamed with whites, pretty frocks, large flowers and teddy bears in appliqué on t-shirts and dresses greet you on the racks. Starting with leggings and tops in newborn sizes, JFK has shorts, T-shirts, trousers, frocks, dungarees, rompers, cloth booties for children who seem to outgrow their clothes every month. “We stock only cotton garments, both Indian and imported, but we can also get custom-made woollens done as per the customer’s requirement,” offers Vishwanath. They range from Rs. 100 to Rs. 1,000.

You can get anything ranging from stuffed colourful balls, stacking rings,…More

The Hindu :

A discussion on Nalini Jameela’s book was lost in translation

PHOTO: BHAGYA PRAKASH K.Author Nalini Jameela

At the cosy Dewar’s, a promising reading and discussion on “Mangalapuram /Mangalore: Urban Spaces and Sexual Politics” by Art, Resources and Teaching (A.R.T.) was to begin. Nalini Jameela, who penned “Autobiography of a Sex Worker” in 2005, shared her experiences as a sex worker in “Mangalapuram” (the way Malayalis refer to Mangalore). Her book was also presented at the Jaipur Literature Festival in January.

Novelist C.K. Meena, poet and writer Baiju Natarajan and Resident Editor Penguin Malayalam, Dileep Raj formed the panel of speakers. The gathering was small but Dewar’s was packed, trying to get a sense of what the four Malayalam speaking panellists were trying to express.

While Nalini Jameela started in Kannada with how, as a Muslim convert, she first moved to Mangalore, the experience flowed into Malayalam, with the three speakers attempting to translate to English.

C.K. Meena read from Nalini’s “Mangalapuram”. From the ubiquitous brothel which was given the ‘safe’ title of a “company house”, Nalini Jameela and her fellow sex workers continued their occupation, uninterrupted. She moved to Mangalore in the ’70s, where, the coastal city proved to be an interesting urban space. There were different areas and localities demarcated for accommodation of women of different categories — single, married and sex workers. What proved to be an insightful beginning to understanding the contexts and politics of the coastal city more than 30 years ago, got somehow lost in the layered translations.

While Nalini Jameela’s account of drinking in public opened doors on middle class moralities, the larger details and subtleties were lost.

The humour fell flat, and the contexts of convoluted translations were muddled and not articulated well for the non-Malayalam speaking audience. While Nalini had a lot to say from her experiences as a sex worker in Mangalore, going to the core…More

The Hindu :

Kaidala resonates with the moving tale of a sculptor and his son

PHOTO: LAKSHMI SARATHRich folklore The temple at Kaidala

It was in Belur where I first heard of Amarashilpi Jakkanacharya, the master sculptor who had carved the beautiful Chennakesava idol there, among others. And to know more about him, I went to Kaidala, the birthplace of the artist, a nondescript village near Tumkur.

Originally known as Kreedanagari or Kreedapura, Kaidala was under the Hoysala reign, probably under Nripa Haya and ruled by a chieftain called Baachideva. A Chennakesava temple, along with a Gangadareshwara shrine built in the 12th Century, is completely cut off from the tourist circuit. The walls enclose the temple complex like a fort, and you can see a few mandapams.

The temple lacks the magnificence of the Belur Chennakesava temple, but the six-foot idol dedicated to the deity is almost exactly the same. Crafted by Jakkanacharya in black stone, the deity is flanked by Sridevi and Bhoodevi. Another tall sculpture with folded hands holding a dagger is possibly the master sculptor himself or the local chieftain. The outer wall has a small image of a couple, who, the priest says, could be Jakkanacharya’s parents.

This is where we heard the story of Jakkanacharya. The master craftsman left Kaidala and travelled far and wide and became a sculptor. Meanwhile, his son Dankachari grew up without seeing his father, and became a sculptor as well. The son soon followed his father’s footsteps and landed in Belur when the Chennakesava temple was built.

Although he was not aware that his father was the sculptor, he pointed out a flaw in the idol of Chennakesava deity. Jakkanacharya refused to accept that there could be a blemish, and proclaimed that he would cut off his hand if a defect was found.

The priest tells us that a test was conducted and the statue, covered with sandal paste, was…More

The Hindu : SUBHA J RAO

You are heading to a new place or country. Read on to know how to blend with the local milieu

Be on your best behaviour

A holiday, that too far away home, seems the best place to let your hair down and be everything you’ve wanted to be, without the constraints of familiar surroundings. But, you could end up rubbing people the wrong way.Exposed!

Contrary to what many of us think, public display of affection is not taken to too kindly in quite a few countries, especially the Arab nations. It could even land you in prison. India has a policy against displaying an overdose of affection in public places too.

And, if you are in a country where it is all right for people to dress the way they want to, don’t ogle and show yourself in poor light.

Culture woes

If heading to a conservative country, check with the travel agency or tour guide as to what is appropriate and what is not.

In some countries, it is a must that women cover their head. So, carry scarves or any cloth. In India, some places of worship demand that men and women cover their heads.

Avoid wearing shoes/sandals to people’s homes or crossing your feet in front of elders.

Get popular

Be polite to your hosts and co-travellers. Don’t make them uncomfortable with your behaviour

The tipping culture in each country is different. You can’t always get away with a Rs. 10 tip for a Rs. 500 bill like you do back home.

Learn a bit of the local language, and with the correct pronunciation. You will win a lot of brownie points for making the effort.

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