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The Hindu : SUDHINDR.A.B.

The summer holidays can be a time not just to relax but also to learn many a valuable skill.

FUN WITH COLOUR AND ART: Many ways of exploring creativity

Children, their parents and teachers are keeping themselves busy during the summer holidays. After the examination results were out, children are on their way to visit their grandparents or other relatives, while teachers are busy preparing for the next academic year.Activities

Many children have enrolled in summer camps and are busy honing their skills in art, craft, painting and public speaking.

Some children are thoroughly enjoying their holidays attending music, swimming and abacus classes.

Those few who will appear for board examinations this academic year, are busy searching for tuition teachers. For everyone including parents, it is a tight schedule and hardly any one is spending a leisurely time at home.

Trips to interesting places are also part of the plan. Amit, a Std. VI student, says his parents have planned a trip to Hyderabad. “I have collected information about the city. We will spend five days and I will also visit the film city,” he says. Darshan, a Std. VII student, says he will be with his grandparents, who are in Ahmedabad. The trip was planned about three months ago and the train tickets have already been booked. “I will play with my cousins and also visit some interesting places nearby,” he says.Other avenues

To those who wish but are unable to go outside Bangalore because of their parents’ work commitments, the cricket carnival in South Africa has come as a boon. “I will watch television cheering my favourite team,” says Abhiram, a Std. IX student.

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The Hindu :

Aditya Sudarshan, who made an assured debut with the taut mystery, A Nice Quiet Holiday, talks of his special fondness for the whodunit

Similar strain Aditya feels the whodunit is as universal as a love story

All of 24, Aditya Sudarshan has made a confident debut as a novelist with “A Nice Quiet Holiday” (Westland, Rs. 250). The taut, literary whodunit tells the story of a murder in a remote hill station. Aditya, who studied law at the National Law School in Bangalore, says the novel was conceived in early 2007.

“I was doing an internship in the trial courts in Delhi. I had been reading plenty of detective stories just prior to that, and I wanted to write a strong and thoughtful one myself. I knew the ideas that I wanted to discuss — the clash of sensibilities, liberal and conservative, urban and small-town — the main characters of the judge and his law clerk, and the mountain setting. So the novel began in my head with these elements coalescing and then I started to write it.”

Aditya chose the mystery novel for his debut because “it has the power to be quite uniquely gripping and stimulating. The things that I wanted to say in this novel came to me in sharp, pithy forms. Those are forms that suit a mystery, because they can be sprung upon the reader like lightning bolts.

Aditya, who practiced criminal law for nine months after graduation, feels his legal training helped in writing the book. “Studying law trains the mind to look at individual crises and emotional drama in an objective way, which is a big part of a fiction writer’s mentality too.”

While “A Nice Quiet Holiday” almost seems like a textbook whodunit with its closed circle of suspects, a Holmes and Watson in the Judge and his clerk, Anant, and the final exposition, Aditya insists it is…More

The Hindu :

Say no to aerated drinks. Make your own mocktails with fresh fruits

Photo: S. MahinshaRefreshing drinks Enjoy them chilled

Cucumber tomato frost

Ingredients:

Fresh tomato juice: 600 ml

Grated cucumber: 100 gm

Lime juice: 1 tbsp

Sugar: 1 tsp

Black salt: quarter tsp

Roasted jeera powder: A

pinch

Black pepper: A pinch

Salt to taste

Method:

Blend all the ingredients in a mixer. Strain and serve chilled.Mixed fruit drink

Ingredients:

Grapes (black): 10-12

Sweet lime : 1

Pineapple: quarter

Orange: 1

Sugar: 1 cup

Water: 1 cup

Crushed ice

Method:

Mix the sugar with water to form a thick syrup. Keep it aside. Extract the juice from all the fruits. Add it to the sugar syrup. Add lots of ice.

Mix well and serve chilled.Summer delight

Ingredients

Pineapple juice: three-fourth cup

Mango juice: quarter cup

Lime juice: 2 tsp

Fresh cream: 3 tbsp

Raspberry syrup: 1 tbsp

Method:

Chill the juices. Add lime juice, raspberry syrup, fresh cream and ice. Blend and serve chilled.Watermelon cordial

Ingredients:

Medium size watermelon: 1

Cardamom powder: 1 tsp

Juice of 2-3 lemons

Powdered sugar to taste

Method:

Cut the watermelons into big pieces. Remove seeds and extract the juice. Take the juice from the lemons. Add it to the watermelon juice. Add sugar to taste. Mix well. Chill it. At the time of serving, add the cardamom powder. Mix well. Serve chilled.

SUJATA MALANI

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The Hindu : y>If you have attacked your computer after losing a meticulously-put together presentation, you are not alone, writes NEETI SARKAR

Photo: Abhijit Dev KumarTechno troubles You might even give up out of frustration

You’ve been slogging every evening for the past two weeks after office hours on a PowerPoint presentation for the next meeting. This presentation even holds that possibility of a potential promotion. And now that you are almost done, you feel exhilarated. But then, there is a technical glitch and your system crashes. Enraged at losing all your data and at the fact that you don’t have time to start from scratch, have you gotten so frustrated that you actually physically attacked the computer? If your answer is yes, then you probably suffer from what has been termed ‘computer rage.’

A recent study shows that more than half of Britons are suffering from this condition wherein they become so annoyed with their computer equipment that they tend to verbally or physically attack the machines to vent their anger. The cause for the anger against computers has been discovered to be linked to unsatisfactory work progress and time pressure.

Here too, people say they are equally susceptible to computer rage. Dhivij, a software engineer says, “There has always been a good amount of stress involved in jobs where people have to work with computers.The economic slowdown has added to our woes. With colleagues getting laid off and higher expectations of competency set by the bosses, when things don’t work how they must, we get aggravated and attack our systems.”

Some say it is normal to get mad at something when it doesn’t function properly. According to Melita, a college student, “There are times we even bang our T.V. sets when we are watching our favourite program and there is a problem with the cable connection.”

Suraj Gopal, another engineer points out, “The violence exhibited varies depending on…More

The Hindu : y>Archana Suresh feels that programmes like MTV Splitsvilla destroy the psyche of youngsters

I am appalled that a channel like MTV will go to any extent to keep its TRP high. One of the programmes, “Splitsvilla”, is an example of this disturbing trend.

It is disturbing to see how girls from regular Indian homes morph into people they are not, just to ensure that they get their 10 seconds of fame and the chance of winning a cash reward.

I agree that relationships and dating have come to occupy a significant place in the life of a youngster, but fail to understand the message behind this programme. Does it try to convey that it is cool for girls to indulge in character assassination in a bid to look hot and get a guy in the end?

To add fuel to fire, two guys are given the onerous task of judging which girl does this best — a process that does nothing but inflate the male ego.

Every episode features a dumping round, where a girl is asked to leave the show and each guy justifies why she was not good enough for him.After going through the entire ordeal, it is not difficult to guess that the self-confidence of these girls will be shattered for a long time to come.

The present generation is already a confused lot. Why push them further?

Does the channel realise that it is spawning an entire generation of young girls who will only aim at looking pretty and getting ahead of the competition, no matter what the means and cost?

I have been a regular viewer of MTV since my teens. Yes, the channel has captured the pulse of the young generation in the past.

However, with programmes like these, they are not only diluting the emotion of the contestants involved, but also sending out wrong signals to the youth.

My request to MTV…More

The Hindu :

The terrible twos brings with it one more mountain to climb — eating and accepting adult food

Beyond the bottle The child takes time to get used to new food

The second year of life heralds a series of dietary upheavals in a toddler’s life (and a series of anxious moments in a parent’s life): the milk bottle is offered less frequently, and is gradually substituted by a cup, plate and spoon.

By the age of two, a child is expected to be completely weaned off the milk bottle and lording it at the dinner table like a mini-adult.

Unfortunately, toddlers don’t read textbooks of paediatrics, and every parent eventually comes up against a petulant child and a food-strewn drawing room.

First things first: What worries the parent may actually be normal feeding behaviour for a toddler — smelling food, spitting it out, and playing with food help the child come to terms with food.

Children at this age eat four to six small meals per day, and their dietary interests range from very curious to stubbornly sticking to favourite foods.

Studies show that it may take eight to 10 tries per feeding session before a child even deigns to taste a particular food, so be patient and restrain your infanticidal urges.

Having the child sit at the dinner table (even when the child is not eating) helps inculcate acceptance of “adult” foods. Do not bribe or pressure the child into a meal. Keep mealtimes free of distractions like television.

Dietary Recommendations: Do not restrict fat or cholesterol intake for a child less than two years. Give whole milk, but restrict it to 480 to 720 ml /day to preserve appetite for solid food. Restrict intake of fruit juice to 120 ml/day. Encourage intake of fresh fruit, vegetables, whole grains, cheese, curd and lean meat. Prepare foods with little added sugar or salt.

Do not feed a child undercooked eggs…More

The Hindu : y>Flight 666, the Iron Maiden concert film is being released on May 8

Here is a chance to get up close and personal with Iron Maiden with PVR Pictures’ release of the concert film “Flight 666” on May 8.

Twenty-three concerts in five continents across 50,000 miles is encapsulated in “Flight 666”, a documentary based on the iconic British rock band, Iron Maiden. “Flight 666” is a Banger Films, Phantom Music Management and EMI Music production in association with Arts Alliance Media.

The filmfeatures the Mumbai concert as the opening shot. A revealing portrait of one of the world’s most successful rock bands “Flight 666” is an inspirational and often humorous account of the chaotic world of a band on tour around the stadiums of the world.

The band flew in a specially customised Boeing 757 airliner, Christened Ed Force One piloted by lead singer Bruce Dickinson, with the entire tour crew and 12 tons of music and stage equipment on board, to 23 sold out stadium and arena shows in Asia, Australia and North, Central and South America. The movie gives an inside the scenes look at what happened on and off stage, when Maiden gave full access to a film crew for the first time ever, and contains some spectacular live footage.

The film is produced by celebrated award–winning film makers Scot McFadyen and Sam Dunn of Banger Productions, based in Toronto, Canada, who have received international critical acclaim for their previous movies, “Metal: A Headbangers Journery” and “Global Metal”.

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The Hindu : y>

Tidal wave The remake of Poseidon will be aired tomorrow

WB, the English entertainment channel is offering a movie package for the holidays. The package, titled “Passport to Summer”, is targeted at the Indian audience with a colossal appetite for Hollywood’s best movies including “National Lampoon’s European Vacation”, “Before Sunrise”, “Alaska” and “Poseidon”.

Can the Griswolds survive Europe? The first time the all-American Griswold family ventured forth, in “National Lampoon’s Vacation”, it was just a domestic outing. This time they take on the Continent — all in a catastrophe-filled fortnight — thanks to a TV quiz-show grand prize. “National Lampoon’s European Vacation” will be aired tonight at 8 p.m. It’s New Year’s Eve and a party is in full swing aboard a luxury cruise ship in the North Atlantic. Suddenly, a massive wave strikes the liner, pitching the ship to port and then rolling it completely upside down; starting a desperate fight to survive and escape the sinking Poseidon. Watch “Poseidon” as it showcases man’s will to survive against the forces of nature on Wednesday at 8 p.m.

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The Hindu :

Devdutt Pattanaik’s 7 Secrets from Hindu Calendar Art attempts to decode the secrets behind the fantastic imagery

MYSTIFIED BY MYTHOLOGY Devdutt Pattanaik

The first image is a family photo — a mother, father and two sons. The father is the image of a God, Shiva who has a river flowing out of his hair. His wife, goddess Parvati, and their two children Ganesha — who has the head of an elephant and four arms, and Karthikeya, who holds a spear.

This is just one of the images of Hindu faith transmitted over generations and found on the walls of puja rooms of almost every Hindu household across India. “These images have come from a lot of history of thought. It’s an expression of an ancient language,” says author Devdutt Pattanaik. His new book “7 Secrets From Hindu Calendar Art” (Westland, Rs. 295) gives a new paradigm to this Hindu art, a unique visual vocabulary created by ancestors.

“There is condescension while referring to calendar art as popular art. It is called kitschy art or fantasy art, used on t-shirts and as being not rational in its function. People look at the picture and not the meanings. Nobody comments on what is printed. The muse is not given importance,” the author rues.

And, the book is a beginning. He calls the symbols “secrets” (rahasya), which the author attempts to decode in seven chapters, each dedicated to Ganesha, Narayana, Ardhanari, Shiva, Devi, Vishnu and Brahma.

The author describes mythology as “fun”. And, he has been pursuing this passion for over 12 years. He has collected images from various artists, including those on the road side, as a part of his routine. “You cannot verify who has printed it or trace the origin of these images. And, the best thing is, with the technology revolution, the colour and quality of the images has improved, but the image remains original….More

The Hindu :

Raghavendra Rathore designs jewellery for the season

Photo: S. SubramaniumGrand designs Raghavendra Rathore

A strong advocate of the view that designing is not only about crafting clothes, Raghavendra Rathore has finally started practising what he preached. Long after he introduced us to designer chocolates,Rathore recently designed software to measure carbon footprints and now has tied up with Tanishq to create some classic collections for its new luxury line of jewellery, Zoya.

A master at sketching, who doodles as a hobby,Rathore says he was toying with the idea for quite some time. “My aim is to design jewellery according to the fashion seasons. Jewellery is one thing that hardly fades out. The demand for ritual jewellery has not allowed the template to change over years. And the kind of investment and business plan it needs was missing in the Indian market. When Tanishq approached me, I realised they had the right mix of aesthetics and reach to realise this dream. If we can’t change the aesthetics of the customer, we can at least take the bad design out of business.” At the same time, he says the company no longer needs to explain the cost of each ingredient. “They just have to say it is designed by Rathore!”

Rathore maintains his association is not just about selecting the stones. “I know people in the past have lent their name without lending the ‘mystery element’, which is crucial to any creation.” To begin with he has created a minimalist collection, Miasma,with onyx, citrine, black and white diamond. “During wedding season we will come up with more elaborate designs but not in a flashy way. We will use meenakari, but the way the Russians did it.” He thinks gold prices would no longer be a worry. “Once China sells its reserves, the prices are expected to come crashing down.”The inspiration

His royal lineage has provided him plenty…More