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The Twilight Saga: New Moon OST

Warner Music

Rs. 395

It’s moody, broody and melancholy, yet at times enticingly so. We are talking about the soundtrack of “New Moon”, the second film in the Twilight Saga. The title referring to the darkest phase of the lunar cycle, mirrors Bella’s life as she is going through the darkest period of her existence. The soundtrack complements the film’s theme of despair and abandonment. It features Radiohead’s Thom Yorke, Muse, The Killers, Alexandre Desplat, LykkeLi, Anya Marina as well as indie bands such as Death Cab For Cutie, Bon Iver and St. Vincent, Sea Wolf and Grizzly Bear with Victoria Legrand. The songs are characterised by simple melodies, depressingly beautiful acoustic arrangements and haunting lyrics. The first track by Death Cab For Cutie, “Meet Me At The Equinox”, grabs you immediately. The lyrics are about enjoying the time spent together because “everything ends”. “Hearing Damage” by Thom Yorke is one of those songs that grows on you. Yorke’s voice resonates with quiet angst as he intones “you can do no wrong in my eyes” leading one to speculate whether it is Bella or Edward being referred to. Lykke Li’s lilting voice sings of lost love and abandonment in “Possibility”. The Killers’ “A White Demon Love Song” is about Edward and Bella’s obsession with each other. Our favourite is “The Violet Hour” by Sea Wolf. The arrangement is simple and a little upbeat but the lyrics draw you right in. They speak of one person’s passion and the other’s contradictory behaviour, blowing hot one minute and cold the next. Sample this “Your lips are nettles/ your tongue is wine/your laughterliquid, but your body’s pine”. We’ll leave you to decide who is beingreferred to as the person with unfulfilled passion and who is thewalking contradiction when you watch the movie. The last track “New Moon (The Meadow)”, is a piano…More

The Hindu : LAKSHMI SHARATH

Sadras is where a clutch of foreign armies fought for power

Photo: By AuthorResonating with history Sadras

Adetour from the East Coast Road takes us to our destination — a cluster of shops, a sandy beach and an ancient monument.

We are in Sadras or Sadarangapatinam, peering through the fence at a 17 {+t} {+h} century Dutch fortress. The gates are locked and there is no sign of the watchman. The silence is rather eerie.

Just then a colourful self-styled guide accosts us. “There is another entrance,” he says, and without waiting for our answer, almost opens the door of our car . “I’ve been around the fort and there is no other gate,”I reply sharply in Tamil.

He pauses for a minute and tells us he is the watchman. As he removes his cell phone to take a call, I take a good look at him. There is glitter all over him, he wears blue-rimmed plastic sunglasses, has an orange whistle around his neck and sports pink nail polish. He looks straight out of a Kollywood set, speaks only in English and calls himself ‘a furniture doctor’ who doubles up as part-time guide.

A sensible decision would have been to walk away while he was on the phone, but we decide to take his picture. Pleased as punch, he introduces himself as Anand, and says he has just returned from his daughter’s birthday party. As we leave, a local policeman walks past us saying he is mentally imbalanced.

Leaving them to yell at each other, we stroll towards the beach. They say the power of imagination can recreate anything. As the sun touches the horizon, it is difficult to imagine that a war was once fought over these waters. The Dutch, Danes, Portuguese, French and the British were all here, fighting for power over present-day Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.

We finally manage to find the local…More

The Hindu : y>

As another World Disability Day passes by, we wonder whether public spaces such as transport facilities, access to schools, hospitals etc. is now easier for the section of the populace.

MetroPlus asked city residents whether they have noticed any change or improvement in accessibility and understanding of the issues that many physically disabled people across the country face.

Most felt that these people continue to be discriminated against, with ramps being a rarity in most public buildings and institutes. They felt that public transportation has miles to go before it is made disabled friendly. Buses and railway stations in many cases do not have ramps and in the rare cases where they do, the ramps are encroached upon or cannot be used.

Most people felt that the need of the hour was a GOI policy that guarantees all facilities to disabled people, without putting them to any inconvenience.

Some felt that the government instead of adopting a patronising attitude should take steps to make public places disabled friendly and end the virtual discrimination that many people are forced to face everyday. We sample some responses

Ramps, wheelchairs and other such facilities must be provided to the people who need them. Ramps must be constructed at hospitals, schools and other public places. The disabled people must be treated with respect and as equals.

Pradeep NSG commando

More ramps, wheelchairs must be made available especially at railway stations and bus stands, since that is an area where many people face the biggest issues. We must develop a new policy that will end this unofficial discrimination that many face.

RaviBanker

The disabled people must be treated on par and must not be discriminated against. Facilities such as ramps, wheelchairs facilities must be available at all public areas. Public transport must also be equipped to help disabled people

SatishReal estate developer

It is a shame that in most buildings and public spaces in…More

The Hindu : y>Anjum Hasan tells MINI ANTHIKAD-CHHIBBER she couldn’t have written about Bangalore unless she was looking at it through the eyes of a narrator who both loves and hates the city

Photo: K. GopinathanCounterculture Through Dylan and Hamlet, Anjum tries to deconstruct fictional charters

“Titles are tricky things,” admits writer Anjum Hasan as we settle for a chat at Bangalore’s favourite sitting room — Koshy’s. “The title of a book needs to capture and evoke the book without being too obvious.” Anjum is talking about the title of her second book, “Neti, Neti” (Roli Books, Rs. 295), which translates to “not this, not this” in Sanskrit.

“It was a eureka moment two years into the writing the book. It is from the Upanishads. I plucked it out of the spiritual into the everyday. The title is apt because Sophie is a seeker, she rejects things — but not in the absolute sense.”

Sophie Das, who we last saw as an eight-year old in Anjum’s first novel, “Lunatic in My Head” in Shillong, is now a 25-year-old in Bangalore. “Sophie had potential. I wished to see what would happen if I were to put a dreamy person from the hills in a hard-nosed practical world.”

“Neti, Neti” is described as the first Bangalore book. “I am very excited with that. There have been other books written about Bangalore but I guess this is the first where Bangalore is a character.”

Anjum feels the book could not have been set in any other city, as “then it would not be this book. You could not possibly have a character like Ringo Saar in any other city.”

Talking about Sophie’s love-hate relationship with Bangalore, Anjum says: “It’s just not possible to come from a smaller place and slip into Bangalore casually. Sophie is liberated by Bangalore and yet struggles with it. The good thing about this is that she becomes an observer….More

The Hindu :

Bishwanath Ghosh’s travelogue, Chai Chai, makes an attempt to look beyond the buzz of the platform

Photo: Bhagya Prakash k.CHUG CHUGBishwanath: ‘I used to always wonder about life behind the façade of the railway platform’

“The Indian Railways is one of the greatest glue that holds this country tighter. The very fact that such a massive system exists and carries man and material across the nation is indeed amazing,” quips the journalist, who is now an author, Bishwanath Ghosh. His first book “Chai Chai…” was launched recently at Crossword in the city.

“The book is a travelogue that comprises many stories about life in major railway junctions across the country. In the course of my frequent trips, I used to always wonder about life behind the façade of the railway platform. Thus, the idea for this book was born,” he explains.

Bishwanath, currently working in Chennai contends that the book makes an attempt to tell the story of small towns in India, whose identity revolves around railway junctions. “Even as much of urban India gallops towards growth, many of the towns are caught up in a time warp. The story of the inhabitants of these towns is seldom told. I aim at capturing the stories that go on in these towns, which seldom have a separate identity other than the major railway stations.”The book took more than three years to be completed, mainly on account of the travel that it involved. “This book has the stories of people, many of whom, the platform played a major role in their lives. Many towns owe their identity in the national conscience to these junctions alone. That was the inspiration for this book.”

The book should be an entertaining read for anyone who enjoys travelling and listening to good travel experiences, says Ghosh. “The book has stories that bring out many facets that govern life in small towns…More

The Hindu : y>A star studded concert will be held tomorrow

Genius on display Catch these performers in full flow at the concert

Five musical geniuses from across the country; Zakir Hussain, Shankar Mahadevan, U. Shrinivas, Sivamani and Selvaganesh, are staging “Heartbeats -The Music Within” a magical musical extravaganza on December 8 at the Chowdiah Memorial Hall from 7 p.m. onwards. “Heartbeats” will feature artistes of international repute and include performances by Zakir Hussain, the veteran tabla maestro, Shankar Mahadevan, the versatile vocalist, U. Shrinivas, a child prodigy whose music excites emotions, Sivamani, an ace percussionist and Selvaganesh, a percussionist par excellence. Spreading the message of peace and harmony, “Heartbeats” will be presented in four other cities across the country. Passes for Rs. 3000, 2000, 1000, 500 will be available at the venue. For more details, contact N.S. Narayan on 9845896152.

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The Hindu : y>Travelocity India comes up with offers for Bali

Located on the Nusa Dua peninsula in Indonesia, the Laguna Resort & Spa, Nusa Dua, Bali, features lush, tropical landscaping, and is approximately six miles from the Ngurah Rai International Airport.

Travelocity India has come up with an offer for a five-day, four-night stay in this five-star spa.

The cost for two people (inclusive of airfare and hotel) works out to Rs. 117,125. Local attractions include the Bali Golf and Country Club, and the Nusa Dua Galleria Shopping Center, both less than a mile from the property, and Waterbom Park, approximately nine miles away.

Hotel amenities include beach access, luxurious spa, massages, beauty salon, sauna, 24-hour room service, children’s pool for the little ones, live entertainment, watersports, scuba diving lessons, business center and beach volleyball. You could also visit the Bali Orchid Garden, Gunung Kawi, Museum Le Mayeur, Pura Ulun Danu Bratan and the Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary.

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The Hindu : y>

The last date for submitting entries to the MetroPlus Playwright Award 2010 is December 15, 2009. Here are the rules and regulations governing the award, which carries a cash prize of Rs. 1 lakh for the best new English script.

l The entry must be a full-length play on any subject of your choice — not less than 60 minutes, and not exceeding 120 minutes of performance time.

l The play must be an original, unpublished and unperformed work in English. It must not have been staged in any public space.

l It must be written by an Indian citizen or by a person resident in India over the last five years.

l Submissions made for the 2008 and 2009 awards will not be considered. Only one submission will be entertained from a person.

l The submission must not contain any quotation or copyright material without proper permission having been obtained.

l Translations are not eligible. Adaptations of novels and texts are eligible.

l Submissions must be typed in double space on single sides of A4 sheets and sent to: The MetroPlus, (Playwright Award 2010), The Hindu, Kasturi Buildings, 859/860, Anna Salai, Chennai 600002 and ALSO emailed to: metroplaywright@gmail.com

l Your play must reach us (in BOTH print and e-mail form) on or before December 15, 2009.

l A short curriculum vitae of the playwright must be attached to the play, with the writer’s name, telephone / mobile number, email address, and postal address.

l The entry must contain a declaration stating that the play is original and has not been either been published or performed.

l Manuscripts will not be returned.

l Employees of Kasturi & Sons and their close relatives are not eligible to enter the contest.

l The decision of the judges is final. It will be made public before March 31, 2010.

For further clarifications, e-mail metroplaywright@gmail.com

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The Hindu :

Three artists from Germany offer their view of Bangalore

Photo: Murali Kumar K.An eyeful German artists (L-R) Thomas Rindfleisch, Martina Rapedius and Matthias Einhoff

“My art will come out of my interaction with people in Bangalore,” says Matthias Einhoff, Co-Director Skulpturenpark, Berlin, and Lecturer at the Universität der Künste, Berlin.

He has come to Bangalore to spend six weeks at Jaaga, under the auspices of the artist-in-residence programmes supported by the Goethe-Institut/Max Mueller Bhavan.

For the time he is in Bangalore, he is expected to explore the city and its people and at the end of his stay develop a conceptual art installation.

In just four days, Matthias has bought himself a motor bike. “What else can I buy?” he says with a grin and has already begun to explore Bangalore. “On foot one is more exposed to difficulties, but on the bike one can see and experience much more,” he says sensibly.

“To me as a visitor, your city seems to have grown organically, with no planning. It is very interesting, like a maze and very unlike our planned western cities. But I already feel very welcome here,” he says.

Martina Rapedius and Thomas Rindfleisch are the other artists in the programme and have been in Bangalore for slightly longer. “We find everything different from Berlin,” they chorus.

“The traffic is the most powerful difference, it is loud, disorganised and frightening. We have never seen such terrible traffic chaos anywhere else in the world. But we do enjoy the greenery of the city and calling Bangalore the garden city is apt. We thoroughly enjoy the vegetarian food as we are vegetarians, even though it is a bit spicy for our palates. You do get Indian food in Europe, but it’s mainly North Indian. So this is a new experience.”

What has struck the pair are the tall concrete and glass buildings coming up across the city.

“They are built…More