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Thailand Tourism.qxd 2/13/1950 7:25 PM Page 2
NOWthat my second term as Member of Parliament
in the Rajya Sabha has come to an end, it is
time to focus on some meaningful writing,
which I have not been able to pursue for some time. As I have never quite
fancied myself as a fiction writer, unlike some of my close friends from
college — Amitav Ghosh being foremost among them — my genre will be
confined to non-fiction works such as biographies, an autobiography,
travelogue, Hindi film music and so on.
Shortly, Exotica readers will be offered a two-part travelogue,
chronicling my car journey across the bulk of India: Delhi to
Kochi via Kolkata and return from Kochi via Mumbai and
Rajasthan. This approximately 10,000 km journey was
undertaken between February and April this year, with a
three-week break to attend the first part of the Budget Session
in Delhi.
This journey completed my circumambulation of the
Motherland; it was a journey of faith to pay tribute to Bharat
Mata in her totality. Over the years, I have driven across snows
in Ladakh, jungles in UP, steep hills in Sikkim, deserts in parts
of Rajasthan and of course the vast Indo-Gangetic Plains from
Wagah to Kolkata. Predictably, my one indulgence in life is a
sturdy but comfortable SUV — I used to drive a Maruti Gypsy for many
years followed by a Hyundai Terracan for over a decade and now I cruise
in a Land Rover Discovery 4. Although you rarely need to employ the four
wheel gear unless stuck in slush, the fact that you are driving a powerful
vehicle gives you a sense of security.
Covering India’s massive coastline along the Bay of Bengal and
the Arabian Sea has been a long cherished ambition, which I was
determined to undertake this time. Despite having traversed so many
kilometres within the country, I feel I ain’t seen nothin’ yet! Well, at least
I have now completed driving across Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s dream project,
the Golden Quadrilateral connecting the four metros in the four corners
of the country.
But his other ambitious plan, the East-West, North-South Highway
chain remains to be done. Arguably, most of these two roads are still under
construction but I hope to travel across them in the foreseeable future, as
soon as they are in jeepable condition.
Although talk of constructing the Trans-Asian Highway from
Singapore to Istanbul has gained ground recently, I don’t foresee my being
able to see it materialise in my lifetime. Similarly, the fabled Stilwell Road
built by the British during WW II from erstwhile NEFA (now Arunachal
Pradesh) to Kunming in Yunnan, China may not become travel worthy
before another 20 years or so.
But I still entertain the dream of driving across the interiors of this
vast country while my reflexes permit. I have driven in Europe and the US
too, but there is nothing as thrilling as driving in India. The sight and
sounds are incredible and Indian roads are to be relished for their sheer
unpredictability. So, I don’t intend to lift my leg off the accelerator for as
many more years as I can.
[CHANDAN MITRA]
Editor-in-Chief
Editor-in-Chief
CHANDAN MITRA
EDITORIAL BOARD
Vice-Chairman &
Joint Managing Director
Amit Goel
Group President
Aparna Sengupta 09958000128
Chief Executive Officer
Abhishek Saxena
EDITORIAL
Editor-in-Charge Rinku Ghosh
Assistant Editor Vaishali Dar
Feature Writers Priyanka Joshi
& Devi Singh
Chief Designer
Anand Singh Rawat
Senior Designer
Santosh Kumar Yadav
Pre-press Manager
Syed Nawab Raza
Staff Photographer Pankaj Kumar
SALES & MARKETING
General Manager
Kumar Gurudutta Jha
Deputy General Manager
Ravi Khatri
Manager Bharat Singh Sajwan,
Prabhakar Pathak
GOVERNMENT & PSU
General Manager Tapan Ghosh
Assistant Manager Neeta Rai
Media Coordinator
Neelu Sharma
MUMBAI OFFICE
General Manager
Devendra Adhikari 09867575933
KOLKATA OFFICE
Vice President
Suzanna Roy 09830197332
General Manager (Circulation)
Rajeev Gautam
Printed and published by
Chandan Mitra for and on behalf of
CMYK Printech Ltd, printed at
Lustra Print Process Pvt Ltd, Killa No.
51/21, Village: Rohad, District: Jhajjar,
Bahadurgarh, Haryana and published at
2nd floor, Patriot House, 3, Bahadur Shah
Zafar Marg, New Delhi 110002.
Editor: Chandan Mitra. Entire Contents
Copyright (C) 2006 CMYK Printech Ltd.
All rights reserved. Reproduction or
translation in any language in whole or
in part without permission is prohibited.
Requests for permission should be
directed to CMYK Printech Ltd. Opinions
carried in Exotica are the writers’ and
not necessarily endorsed by
CMYK Printech Ltd. The publisher
assumes no responsibility for the return
of unsolicited material or for material lost
or damaged in transit. All
correspondence should be addressed to
CMYK Printech Ltd;
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Shah Zafar Marg, New Delhi-110002
Phone: 23718296/40754136
Fax: 23755275
Email: [email protected]
BHARAT PARIKRAMA
FROM THE EDITOR
004_CM message(4).qxd 2/13/1950 7:25 PM Page 4
MARUTI CIAZ.qxd 2/13/1950 7:25 PM Page 2
Little Black Book [p8]
Gaelyn Mendonca:
A quick peek into her
style file
Q&A [26]
The fire within:
Ritu Beri
Abbey
Archives [p38]
Echo from the roof
of the world:
Songtsen Library
Trek Trail [p42]
Lace up your
boots: Amazing
trekking
destinations
East Bound: [46]
Arunachal Pradesh
Offtrack Secrets [p56]
Sanctum of solace: Naranag
Market Mantra [p64]
The superplex is changing
the movie-watching scene
in the country
Chef ’s Treat [p72]
The Italian Job:
La Piazza on its
food legacy
Oriental
Nectar [p82]
The elusive
spirit: Japanese
whisky as
exotic liquor
First Hand [p88]
The royal hair cut:
Truefitt & Hill
Swimwear
collection [p92]
Summer sizzlers:
The heat is on
MAY 2016 VOLUME 10 NO 7
COVER PHOTO: BHUMESH BHARTI/SONGTSEN LIBRARY
DEHRADUN
Kushan Mitra [p62]
Hotwheels: The Mile-Muncher
Magandeep Singh [p98]
Blithe spirit: Homegrown high
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar [p100]
Guruspeak: The Unending duet
Bharat Thakur [p102]
Fitness: Yoga for varicose veins
Sanjay Jumaani [p104]
Numbergame: Count your fate
I N S I D E
C O N T R I B U T O R S
O U R P A R T N E R H O T E L S
[p38]
Send us your feedback at [email protected]; Facebook: www.facebook.com/Exotica-394686670715776
[p26]
[p92]
[p8]
[p82]
[p88]
TOTAL NUMBER OF PAGES 108 INCLUDING COVER
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GAELYN MENDONCA
is a VJ, model and anactress in the Hindi filmindustry. She is curentlyhosting MTV Roadies X4
and is an avid dancer
FAVOURITE HAUNTS OF STYLISH PEOPLE
I love music as I love to dance. I
have eclectic tastes and I listen to
everything from Bollywood to
Beyonce. Currently Jason Derulo
and Arijit Singh are on my iPod.
I have a huge wanderlust in me.
Spain is my favourite place to holiday at. I last had a vaction in Bangkok
with my girl gang and I plan to go to Cambodia next.
I’ll always go for a nice pair of
sunnies from Ray Bans.
I’m a tall girl so you would mostly
find me in ballerinas or boho-
styled flats. Currently I love
wearing Adidas originals
collection when it comes to casual
footwear. Apart from that I also
own a lot of Aldo and Steve
Madden shoes.
I think my favourite fragrance has
to be Eternity by Calvin Klein. I’ve
been wearing it since college.
When it comes to watches I love
wearing Michael Kors and Tissot.
EXOTICA [8]MAY 2016
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NEWDelhi has
won the best
destination to holiday in the world
with Cambodia being chosen as the best
destination in Asia. TripAdvisor announced the
winners of its Travellers’ Choice awards with India
grabbing the second spot in Asia for the best destination
chosen by travellers. The survey also identified top-rated hotels as
well as popular attractions for travellers offering more insights about
great things to discover in the award-winning destinations. The top five
travellers’ choice destinations in India came about to be New Delhi, Jaipur, Goa,
Mumbai and Udaipur.
FLIGHT
TO PARADISE
T R A V E L N EWS
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EXOTICA [12]MAY 2016
INa land of snow peaks and sherpas, yaks and
yetis, monasteries and mantras, where
ancient temples, shrines, palaces and monuments
offer a glimpse into the past, Chitwan National Park
is a real jewel. From its prime position nestled on
the banks of the Raptiriver, Meghauli Serai offers
spectacular views of the park across the river from
its 30 rooms and suites. Taj Safaris, the creators of
India’s first luxury wildlife travel circuit in Madhya
Pradesh, have opened their first lodge outside India
— Meghauli Serai at the UNESCO World Heritage-
listed Chitwan National Park, Nepal.
THE WILD SIDE
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SUN AND SAND
IFyou are thinking of where to
spend your summers next, then
look no further as Jamaica is the
place to be to soak under the lovely
sun. The island country is perfect to
ditch the heat as the weather in
Jamaica is always vacation-friendly.
The country is home to some breath-
taking beaches, stunning resorts and
scintillating waters. It’s home to
many waterfront treasures waiting to
be discovered by beach lovers. The
azure waters of the Caribbean also
offer a number of activities like
scuba diving, snorkelling among
others. Jamaican shores are known
for their live reggae music, delicious
jerk cuisine and beach bars. Some
of the beach gems include Doctor’s
Cave Beach, Seven Mile Beach,
Silver Sands Beach to name a few.
Taking a horseback ride and swim is
one of the most popular adventurous
activities of Jamaica along with river
tubing safari and white water rafting.
A SUMPTUOUS HONOUR
ADAA,the Hyderabadi fine-dining restaurant at
Taj Falaknuma Palace, has been
included in the list of 100 best restaurants in the world by
Elite Traveller for second time in a row, improving its
ranking by nine stops to finish on the 91st position. The
restaurant has been featured for two consecutive years as
the only Indian restaurant to be named in the world's top
100 list comprising mainly American restaurants. Adaa is
the only inclusion from South Asia. As part of the
celebration, Executive Chef Sajesh Nair curated a
gastronomical extravaganza of royal recipes from the
kitchens of the Nizams. Taj Falaknuma Palace is renowned
for its legendary hospitality and inspired dining
destinations, continuing the tradition of fine living with
custom tailored dining experiences.
010_018_TRAVEL_NEWS(5).qxd 2/13/1950 7:25 PM Page 14
KENYArecently received
five destination
awards at the 23rd annual World Travel
Awards (WTA) in Africa. The awards
included various coveted categories
such as best National Park, Beach,
African Cruise Port and Tourism Board.
Principal Secretary Fatuma Hirsi
applauded the industry players who
have consistently showcased the
country amid challenging times.
Speaking at the event, she singled out
Nairobi as indeed having become a
city of choice for international
conferencing and stating their
happiness with the role that the
Kenyatta International Convention
Centre (KICC) has been playing. Kenya
will be hosting UNCTAD and TICAD in
July and August 2016 respectively.
KENYA CALLING
LUXE AFFAIR
ITCis setting up a new hotel under their brand, “My Fortune”, in
Guntur, Andhra Pradesh. The hotel will offer 144 rooms, an all-day
dining restaurant, speciality restaurant, bar and deli, plus a “wellness zone”
equipped with a gym and spa. And for the MICE market, the hotel will
feature a pillar-less ballroom that can accommodate around 500 guests.
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EXOTICA [18]MAY 2016
TOWARDS A
GREENER FUTURE
THETaj recently became
the first hotel group
in the world to have its 50 hotels
achieve gold certification in the
same year, having completed a
minimum of five years of
continuous benchmarking
through EarthCheck certification.
Various hotels from the Taj Group
portfolio, ranging from Rambagh
Palace to Taj 51 Buckingham
Gate Suites and Residences were
awarded with data revealing an
average 28.6 per cent reduction
in energy, water and waste and
$6,107,585 in savings for the
group. With this Taj Hotels Resorts
and Palaces has confirmed its
position as a true world leader in
responsible tourism and a
genuine source of inspiration to
the international tourism
community. The Taj EARTH
sustainability programme is an
initiative which reiterates the
company’s conscious efforts
towards sustainability and is
aligned with Tata ethos of
keeping communities at the heart
of doing business.
THE MAKEOVER
CHENNAI’Siconic Vivanta by Taj — Connemara
will undergo a complete renovation.
Built in 1854, the legendary hotel
after refurbishment will ensure that
the discerning traveller finds all
modern amenities and conveniences
discreetly placed beneath the hotel’s
old world charm, colonial legacy and
heritage for which it has been
admired for over a century.
010_018_TRAVEL_NEWS(5).qxd 2/13/1950 7:25 PM Page 18
E V E N T CA L E N DAR
1ST MAY
[NEW HOME
OWNERS’ DAY]
If you’ve recently taken the
plunge and purchased a house,
New Home Owners’ Day is the
perfect time to celebrate with
your friends.
4TH MAY
[PIN PETITE AND
PROUD DAY]
It’s all about celebrating our
lack of height and the
advantages it brings. Besides
short people live longer than
their lankier counterparts.
5TH MAY
[CARTOONISTS’ DAY]
The anniversary of the
publishing of the first ever
colour cartoon, The Yellow Kid,
in 1895. Now cartoons are a
core component of many
newspapers and publications.
9TH MAY
[LOST SOCK MEMORIAL DAY]
It’s inevitable — for every load
of laundry you sort through,
there are odd socks. Over time,
you may even find that you end
up with entire drawers and
storage boxes filled with odd
socks. But worry not.
14TH MAY
[CHICKEN DANCE DAY]
The Chicken Dance is a
tradition at weddings, childrens’
discos and family events. In
order to get some practice in,
take some time on Chicken
Dance Day to learn to dance
like a chicken.
15TH MAY
[DRAWING DAY]
Drop everything, pick up a
pencil and draw — and then
share your art. Drawing Day
(sometimes referred to as Pencil
Day) encourages to spread the
joy of drawing by sharing your
creations with the community.
17TH MAY
[PACK RAT DAY]
We’re all a little bit materialistic
and tend to buy, own and hoard
more stuff. The Day encourages
us to embrace the fact that we
really want to value and keep
things we buy and shouldn’t
throw our old belongings.
MAYFAREYour bizzare guide to cruise through wacky days this month
EXOTICA [20]MAY 2016
13TH MAY
[FROG JUMPING DAY]
It’s a great day to jump like a
frog. Or is today intended to
jump over a frog? The roots of
the day go back to Mark
Twain’s first short story. It was
first published in 1865 as Jim
Smiley and His Jumping Frog.
6TH MAY
[NO PANTS DAY]
Feeling constrained by
your clothing and taking it off to
relax in the privacy of your
home. Well no more as this day
is the perfect opportunity to
brandish your toned or even
untoned legs.
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T H I N K S K I N
EXOTICA [23]MAY 2016
PLAY OF HAND
Hermès Toolbox: Perfect for
everyday, the Hermès Toolbox
embodies the Hermès aesthetic
of streamlined style married to
functionality. This jewel-toned
Toolbox in matte alligator
amethyst is sure to grab
everyone’s attention with the
matte crocodile skin.
Chanel Lego: First introduced by Chanel in the
Fall/Winter 2014 grocery-themed runway
collection, the Lego clutch is as much an object of
desire for art connoisseurs as it is for handbag
collectors. Crafted from Plexiglas and lined in
lambskin, the Lego clutch can be held in hand or
worn over-the-shoulder with a removable
shoulder strap.
Horseshoe Birkin: Extraordinarily
rare and desirable, there is no
greater status symbol than the
Horseshoe Birkin. The jewel-toned
amethyst crocodile exterior, crafted
from the finest of the exotic skins,
contrasts beautifully with the bright
blue chevre interior. The porosus
crocodile — known for its symmetric
scales is buffed with an agate stone
to reach its lustrous finish.
Hermès Birkin: There is nothing more chic
than the classic Hermès Birkin in the brand's
signature orange hue. This bright and cheerful
tangerine ostrich skin stands out as an
exquisite piece.
Hermès Nilo Crocodile:
This electric blue bag is
a showstopping, modern
interpretation of the
timeless Hermès Drag
Bag. Streamlined in
design for the 21st
century, the Drag Bag —
both beautiful and
practical showcases the
brand’s high standards
for functionality and
attention to detail.
Handbag specialist CAITLIN DONOVAN selects five standout pieces from
Christie’s sale to update your wardrobe
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Q &A
EXOTICA [26]MAY 2016
Her covetable designs and personal style sensibilities speak of her
inimitable and invincible attitude. Like a phoenix, she has reinvented
herself time and again. From bringing back the romanticism of Victorian
era in her collections to rooting for khadi as the ‘fabric of the moment’,
RITU BERI has donned enough hats in her illustrious lifespan.
Celebrating 25 years in the industry, she has penned down the story of her
life, narrating the journey of her first love, fashion, and how it has shaped
her in two books. In the middle of her autobiographical moments, she
talks her heart out to RINKU GHOSH
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What prompted you to come up with two books at this benchmark moment
in your life?
After 25 years in the fashion industry, this is certainly one of life’s
full circle moments for me. It is a time to look back before going
ahead. These books are an exciting portrayal of the various
experiences I encountered through my fashion journeys. People
know my name but not my story. They know what I have done but
not what I have gone through, my struggles and how I got around
them without following any formula. I have learnt a lot and evolved
tremendously as a designer and even more as a person. I’m very glad
and proud to make my life the way it is at present. It took me about
two years to complete the books. I hope it works as an inspiration.
Maybe somebody can learn from my experiences.
How are the two books different from each other?
Of the two books, one is an autobiography, which documents my life
from childhood to how I ventured into fashion. The second is a
coffee table book which revolves around everything that has inspired
and shaped me, including the karmic connect I’ve had with Paris. It
captures my life graphically with several quotes on fashion.
I think once you have done everything in life, books are the only
means to tell your story for the world to know and understand you.
Besides, they hold value for any young designer who wants to break
EXOTICA [28]MAY 2016
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OUT OF THE TWO BOOKS, ONE IS AN
AUTOBIOGRAPHY WHICH DOCUMENTS
MY LIFE FROM CHILDHOOD TO HOW I
VENTURED INTO FASHION. THE SECOND
IS A COFFEE TABLE BOOK WHICH
REVOLVES AROUND EVERYTHING THAT
HAS INSPIRED AND SHAPED ME
INCLUDING THE KARMIC CONNECT I’VE
HAD WITH PARIS. IT’S BASICALLY
CAPTURING OF LIFE WITH SEVERAL
QUOTES ON FASHION
026_037_RITU_BERI(12).qxd 2/13/1950 7:25 PM Page 29
into the European market and grasp its nuances. When my generation
started out, there was no media coverage of fashion as an emerging
industry. Today, fashion is an integral part of any media platform. Also as
a nation, we don’t value the importance of documenting our current
history. I have been very lucky in that respect because my team has done
an excellent job in archiving our many milestones. Did you know that I
did the country’s first bridal show in 1997? The same year I introduced the
concept of a fashion week, called India Fashion Week, and launched 25
young designers. I also launched the first kids’ fashion week with several
editions of the Baby Beri shows. Each of these categories has now
spawned multiple editions backed by industry consortiums. I hope the
books genuinely help people to chase their dreams and fork their own way
ahead even when there is no template to fall back upon. Finally, I did the
books for my daughter Gia, so that she understands where her mother
comes from.
Of course, I was encouraged by the fact that my earlier books did very
well. The title, 101 Ways to Look Your Best, sold out in hours and we went
into reprint the very next day! Firefly did very well too. Though not strictly
an autobiography, I would prefer to call it a fairy tale.
Your hands are quite full these days with the Luxury League. What’s it about?
Does it have an alliance with the government’s “Make in India” initiative?
I have been working on the Luxury League for quite sometime now
though my experience in initialising it got me a chance to speak at the
EXOTICA [30]MAY 2016
026_037_RITU_BERI(12).qxd 2/13/1950 7:25 PM Page 30
I DID THE COUNTRY’S FIRST
BRIDAL SHOW IN 1997. THE
SAME YEAR I INTRODUCED
THE CONCEPT OF A FASHION
WEEK, CALLED INDIA FASHION
WEEK, AND LAUNCHED 25
YOUNG DESIGNERS. I ALSO
LAUNCHED THE FIRST KIDS’
FASHION WEEK WITH SEVERAL
EDITIONS OF THE BABY BERI
SHOWS. EACH OF THESE
CATEGORIES HAS NOW
SPAWNED MULTIPLE EDITIONS
BACKED BY INDUSTRY
CONSORTIUMS
026_037_RITU_BERI(12).qxd 2/13/1950 7:25 PM Page 31
“Make in India” conference in Mumbai. It is sad
that there is no Indian brand that’s recognised
globally despite the fact that historically we have
been connoisseurs of luxury. Our royals were
the reason brands like Cartier became popular.
Our maharajas had at one time picked up
everything that you associate with grand living
today and given them cult status.
Yet, we could not develop a global brand
considering we have the widest range of
artisanal strength and craft to create products
of great hand-made value and uniqueness. We
have a huge talent pool. What is needed is the
right perspective, packaging and marketing.
There are several bottlenecks in promoting the
026_037_RITU_BERI(12).qxd 2/13/1950 7:25 PM Page 32
Indian fashion industry, which is just 25 years
old, a novice compared to fashion houses in the
West which are hundreds of years old. Some of
our own talented designers have been picked up
by them. But no home-grown brand has managed
an alliance.
If you look at it, it has taken a Westerner, John
Bissell, to promote Fabindia, as a recognisable,
wearable Indian brand. We do not yet know how
to put things together the right way; it is either too
much or too little, an extra button there or a
threaded patch too less. We need an eye with a
global perspective to package our art, to identify
what works in the world market and help weavers
and craftsmen create a contemporary vocabulary.
We always look at our fashion from a tribal and
ethnic perspective.
It is for this reason that I have put together the
Luxury League, a think tank which has experts,
consultants, analysts, industry and government
representatives from home and abroad, to brand
India. We have already had round tables with
luxury consultants. We are also promoting young
designers who work with home-grown fabrics and
marketing their collections as well.
I strongly believe that for Indian fashion to
go really global, we have to get to Europe and
America and follow the Zara model of doing
business. Year after year, that brand reports strong
earnings only because it is a highly integrated
retail business, swiftly responsive to new trends,
does accurate forecasting of categorywise sales
and maximises margins.
Does this mean you are not into Paris at the moment?
I give Paris my time and I have not moved away
from it. Just as I have not stopped designing my
lines and have been able to hold on to my clientele.
But life is short and I do not want to do anything
only because it is supposed to be done. This phase
of my life is about passion and giving back
something to society. And passion should not
become business. For me my two foundations,
Baby Beri and Luxury League, are fun and
innovative. I now want to make khadi global and
IT HAS TAKEN A WESTERNER, JOHN BISSELL,
TO PROMOTE FABINDIA, AS A
RECOGNISABLE, WEARABLE INDIAN BRAND.
WE DO NOT KNOW HOW TO PUT THINGS
TOGETHER THE RIGHT WAY; IT’S EITHER TOO
MUCH OR TOO LITTLE, AN EXTRA BUTTON
THERE OR A THREADED PATCH TOO LESS.
WE NEED AN EYE WITH A GLOBAL
PERSPECTIVE TO PACKAGE OUR ART
EXOTICA [33]MAY 2016
026_037_RITU_BERI(12).qxd 2/13/1950 7:25 PM Page 33
give it the stature of linen. It is luxury because it is hand-made and
an international fabric to reckon with.
You have been appointed advisor for Khadi and Village Industries
Commission (KVIC). What changes do you propose?
I feel really fortunate to get an opportunity to serve on a board to
revive khadi. It’s our national fabric and there’s so much that can
be done with it. We intend to do effective promotions and
exhibitions to enhance its image. Our endeavour is to encourage
national and international fashion designers to create their
collections using khadi. Since it’s a powerful pre-independence
fabric of India, we need to make it the fabric of the moment.
Khadi is a true weaver’s delight. It is the most organic,
breathable, comfortable and dyeable fabric that can be styled in
many ways. In the hot summers, khadi is the fabric of the hour.
The Indian Navy recently incorporated khadi for one of its batches,
Uttarakhand’s postal department ordered khadi for employees and
Air India also decided to use khadi products for amenity kits on its
international flights. Do you think the fabric is finally getting a
wider acceptance?
From designer collections to uniforms for hotels and corporates,
khadi can be used across a wide spectrum. It would even be
interesting to declare a “Khadi Day” to motivate people towards
wearing a home-grown fabric. Prime Minister Narendra Modi
recently said his government wants to create a network of Khadi
Gramodyogs across villages to provide more job opportunities. The
sector employs 12.5 lakh individuals with 82 per cent of women.
The Khadi and Village Industries Commission boards have been
imparting skill development training programmes to women at
various levels.
You have said that giving khadi a global silhouette and a
modish treatment will help millennials have a better
connect with it. How do you plan to go about it?
The only way to popularise the weaves of India is
market them well at a domestic level and then
venture out of India. And I do realise the
importance of the youth being involved in this
process. Khadi has always been associated with
politicians and the youth of the country has
always found it boring and unfashionable. I plan
to take khadi to colleges. The idea is to design
clothes which are trendy with cutting edge
FROM DESIGNER
COLLECTIONS TO
UNIFORMS FOR HOTELS
AND CORPORATES,
KHADI CAN BE USED
ACROSS A WIDE
SPECTRUM. IT WOULD
EVEN BE INTERESTING TO
DECLARE A ‘KHADI DAY’
TO MOTIVATE PEOPLE
TOWARDS WEARING A
HOME-GROWN FABRIC
026_037_RITU_BERI(12).qxd 2/13/1950 7:25 PM Page 34
designs and are at par
with global designs
and brands.
In what capacity do you think
social media can be employed
to promote the khadi story?
Internet is the best tool to
reach out to the masses.
Khadi is an amazing fabric
but its qualities have not
been recognised. What we
need is awareness, strong
advertising and promotion
at every level. It’s
absolutely crucial that
mainstream designers add
handcraft and handloom
to their vocabulary for
weavers and artisans to be
nurtured. What has been
happening until now is
that designers show
interest at the initial
stages only, after which
they go back to their
imported or modern
fabrics, easily abandoning
the craftsmen. We need to
change that mindset.
With the government’s
initiative to popularise Indian
fabrics, many designers are
hopping on to the “Make in
India” or “Made in Banaras”
bandwagon. Do you think
Banaras is being overdone to
the detriment of our varied
textile heritage?
I think the Banaras
story is commendable
as that’s where it all
started from. And though
there is a big noise which
has been created around
it, I think every state in the
country has its own skill
set and is promoting its
art and craft in much the
same manner. But I agree
that some of the textile
heritage needs immediate
attention. Like my
personal favourite, the
Kanjeevaram sari. It is so
regal and elegant, yet it
has lost its appeal today
because of its bulkiness.
We have to adapt it for the
younger generation or the
sari-making tradition will
be under stress and
confined to a very localised
market. I have done
Kanjeevaram jackets and
other innovations for
young people.
The problem is
weavers’ children don’t
want to stick to the
profession anymore and
are looking at corporate
jobs. Finding somebody
who knows the native
weave is a luxury. But if we
could incentivise artisans
with policies and convince
that his city education
would also rescue his
exclusive family trade, we
would have gennext
weavers who are in sync
with the times. We need
to set up textile museums
to document the journey
of our thread. People like
Laila Tayyabji (craft
revivalist and founder of
Dastkar) have been
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sourcing and saving rare craftsmanship like the
Lambani and Rabari embroidery simply on their
own steam. We need to immediately modernise
design sensibilities with the help of experts or risk
losing our folk and native traditions. Worldwide
fashion houses have died because of this.
Some of the strengths of the Indian textile
industry are the large pool of skilled and
experienced labour at unbelievably inexpensive
prices. There is a huge demand of Indian
textiles even in international markets because
of their versatility and this is expected to
grow at a rapid rate in the future thus
contributing towards the economic development
of the country.
What is the role of NIFT (National Institute of Fashion
Technology) in taking fashion to the next frontier? Isn’t
it just a factory churning out an assembly line?
To me, NIFT is still the mother institute of
fashion though right now it is in a mess. I was
fortunate to have had the best faculty in my time.
However, the biggest mistake we’ve made is
opening up too many NIFT centres, 16 at last
count, to cater to growing demand. In the process
the faculty is not professional and students, who are
not so successful in the design trade, return as
teachers. So quantity has meant a decline of
expertise and experience. The institute must be
run by a person who understands that institute,
textiles and fashion. Otherwise things cannot work
on the ground.
I think this is true of other sectors as well. In
India, the school education is good but at the
institutional level, we do not even figure among
the top 100 global institutions. We should
probably sit down together and do something
about it.
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What is your take on the blitz of fashion weeks?
Do they serve their intended purpose, namely
improve bottomlines?
I agree that there is just too much going on and
the dust has to settle down. For India to succeed,
everything has to be India-specific. We cannot
follow seasons in the domestic market like it is in
the West. You have spring for two days and then
there is blazing summer... we need to celebrate our
events and festive seasons. Only then will the
business of fashion make sense.
Designing is not an easy business to be in
because you are constantly under performance
pressure...it is still easier in India because you can
show the same collection in Mumbai and Delhi. It
is way too competitive in the West, enough to wear
you out. Which is why we need to figure out we are
not churning out stuff for its own sake. We must
follow practical logic.
What hampers the Indian fashion industry from making
a mark on the global fashion map?
Our fashion industry is only 25 years old which is
very young and it’s absolutely unfair to compare
ourselves with the global industries in
international circuits which have been in existence
for centuries. There is a need to have an
international perspective to make it go global.
People now believe in India, they want to wear
what’s being produced here. Initially we were not
so great with the Western silhouettes and cuts but
now we are improving on that aspect as well.
Besides, there is some dynamic entrepreneurship
in India with conglomerates like Reliance getting
into the fray. We need to go to US and Europe to
get economies of scale. But foremost we need to be
proud of our own identity. Even my eight-year-old
daughter complains about all things “Made in
China” but I think it’s our time now.
EXOTICA [37]MAY 2016
FOR INDIA TO
SUCCEED,
EVERYTHING HAS TO
BE INDIA-SPECIFIC.
WE CANNOT FOLLOW
SEASONS IN THE
DOMESTIC MARKET
LIKE IT IS IN THE
WEST. YOU HAVE
SPRING FOR TWO
DAYS AND THEN
THERE IS BLAZING
SUMMER. WE NEED
TO CELEBRATE OUR
EVENTS AND FESTIVE
SEASONS. ONLY THEN
WILL THE BUSINESS
OF FASHION
MAKE SENSE
026_037_RITU_BERI(12).qxd 2/13/1950 7:25 PM Page 37
A B B E Y AR C H I V E S
ECHO
ROOF
WORLD
FROM THE
OF THE
ON
the tree-lined
Sahastradhara Road, a
quiet lane meanders in an
unassuming way flanked by trees and
modest houses as it leads to this majestic,
awe-inspiring centre. Named after King
Songtsen Gampo, hailed as the father of
Tibetan Culture, Songtsen Library is a
spectacular replica of Tibet’s first castle built
in 2nd century BC — the Yumbhu Lakhar.
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PHOTOS: BHUMESH BHARTI
If you like to seek spiritual and intellectual meaning in your travels,
Songtsen Library girdled by the Himalayas, with gorgeous views of the
valley of Dehradun in North India, promises a blissful retreat for self-regeneration.
ANUPMA KHANNA settles in
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The place is very rich in character and its stone
walls and landscape make an instant impression.
Nestled between the holy cities of Haridwar
and Rishikesh, it is skirted in the West by lush
shrubland in front of a hill on which long lines of
Buddhist prayer flags dance in the wind. With its
cultural richness, serene setting and mystical
architecture, Songtsen attracts discerning
travellers, spiritual seekers and scholars from
across the world while being untouched by mad,
modern tourism.
Constructed between 1999 to 2001, Songtsen
Library was established by the head of the Drikung
Kagyu order of Tibetan Buddhism, His Holiness,
the Drikung Kyabgon Chettsang Rinpoche, and
was inaugurated by the XIV Dalai Lama in 2003.
The retreat draws its name from the 33rd
Dharma King of Tibet, Songtsen Gampo (617-650
AD) credited with bringing Buddhism to Tibet. The
great Dharma King brought the teachings to
flourish in Tibet — his memorial stands as a
monument and an image of hope. Legend has it
that the king sent sons of ministers to India to
study the Bhotiya script of the Himalayan regions
of Ladakh and Kinnaur before the Tibetan script
was born. And as one takes in the splendid vista,
the eyes are rivetted on a beige-coloured vintage
Mercedes Benz exhibited in a glass house — the
one used by Dalai Lama from 1964 to 1982.
THEintricate art painted on the doorway
of the sanctuary is based on the
door of the Potala in Tibet. The thangkas adorning
the ceiling are a stately confluence of ancient
cultures — the Persian, Tibetan and Chinese. The
most unusual of the paintings is that of Nyatri
Tsenpo. There are a few rare thangkas depicting
Tibet's first king (c. 127 BC) and old traditions.
Artist Rinzin Chodrak created an original
composition based on the council of artists at
Kumbung Labrang in Amdo, Tibet. During this
council, they collected the existing biographies and
myths of his life forming a source for the narrative
in the painting.
And paralleling its architectural marvel are the
rare manuscripts and literary collections it houses.
A collection of particular significance is the one on
the Dun Huang documents, the earliest written
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sources on Tibetan society and history. One of the
earliest sources on diverse subjects on Central
Asian culture like astrology, religion, philosophy
and geography, the original manuscripts date from
around the 6th to the 12th century and were
discovered at various caves on and near the
famous Silk Route of Central Asia.
Then there are the Buddhist Kagyur (Buddha’s
voice) and Tengyur, the commentaries, the
personal collection and journals of the erudite
pioneer of Buddhism, Lama Anagarika Govinda.
Born in a German family, he became a Buddhist
and dwelt in Almora in the mid-eighties. He is
believed to have introduced Buddhism to the West.
The library also houses over 6,000 digitised format
Buddhist texts procured from the Tibetan
Buddhist Resource Centre in New York.
The spiritual haven has a peaceful, undisturbed
meditation room perched above the terrace of the
edifice with an exhilirating view of the encircling
mountains. Adding spiritual charm to this pious
place is a huge statue of Avalokitesvara, a
Bodhisattva who embodies the compassion of all
Buddhas, made in pure sandalwood. This tower-
like construction at the back that houses a shrine
to Avalokitesvara was added after the building
plans were approved. It was constructed at night
because according to Indian law of the time, once
the roof was tiled, a building could not be brought
down. Nevertheless the planning department was
very pleased with the results and granted approval,
according to records.
“It was to be no ordinary building as its
outward appearance was intended to reflect its
function of preserving and transmitting Tibetan
tradition,” describes Elmar Gruber in From The
Heart Of Tibet. “After the library was completed, an
area beside it was cleared for construction and a
major new school of higher Buddhist studies, the
Kagyu College, was soon built with an impressive
temple at its centre. Inside the Lhakhang an
enormous statue of Shakyamuni Buddha is flanked
by Nagarjuna and Asanga.”
PEOPLEfrom around the
world come for a
retreat here for a few days to even six months.
There are high quality and modern guest lodgings
for visitors, scholars and researchers in the idyllic
environs that can be booked for a nominal rent by
sending an email request to the director of the
library. There are also good hotels in the vicinity.
Sahastradhara, one of the most popular tourist
destinations of Uttarakhand, is very close to the
retreat and a must visit for travellers. Meaning
“thousand fold spring”, Sahastradhara is an
invigorating excursion spot with remarkable
natural beauty marked by waterfalls, caves
where water drips from limestone stalactites,
making the water sulphur abundant. If
architecture be music in space, Songtsen Library is
a song for the soul.
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T R E K T R A I L
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LACE UP YOHere are some lesser known but
amazing trekking destinations
— best kept secrets of North
India — with their
magnanimous mountains and
plunging valleys
ROOPKUND LAKE: It lies in the lap of Mt
Trishul and has overwhelmed many travellers
with its innumerable eerie stories. The lake is
actually a mountainous graveyard where
thousands of skeletons can be found. Legends
range from it being a mass grave of soldiers to
being a burial ground of the Mongolian army.
The only way to find out is to get there.
GETTING THERE: Train to Kathgodam — private
taxi or public transport to Lohajung.
MARKHA VALLEY TREK: It takes the
trekkers to Ganda La and Kongmaru La
passes which are among the highest in
the world. The place is laced with green
fields, willow trees and a palace
providing insight into Ladakhi history
and culture.
GETTING THERE: Leh to Spituk is 7 km
and can be reached by bus or cab.
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OUR BOOTSPARANG LA TREK:
It originates from
Kibber, a high
altitude hamlet in
the Himalayas,
which is also the
home to the rare
snow leopard.
Trailing closely with
the Tibet border, the
trek falls between
the ancient route of
Ladakh and Spiti
Valley.
GETTING THERE:
Kibber is a remote
village in Himachal
Pradesh and the
safest way to reach
is by hiring a cab
from Kaza or
Manali.
SINGALILA
PASS TREK:
With fascinating
glimpses of Mt
Kanchenjunga and
its surrounding
peaks you will be
ascending through
the rhododendron,
giant magnolias,
spruce and other
forests of
Maneybhanjan.
GETTING THERE:
The trek base Hilley
is 150 km from New
Jalpaiguri railway
station in Kolkata.
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PATALSU PEAK
TREK: This trek
takes you through
some exhilarating
terrains to provide
the most amazing
views and is located
near the Solang
Nulla district of
Himachal Pradesh.
An easy day hike
around Manali, it
enables you to
explore some of the
magnificent villages
like Shanag, Solang
and Burwa.
GETTING THERE:
Himachal Pradesh
Tourism operates
buses.
SUDARSHAN PARBAT TREK: A prominent
peak on the trail from Gangotri to Gaumukh,
Sudarshan Parbat trek is often approached
through the Raktavarn Glacier route. The trek
trail itself is a vibrant combination of level-
walks, gradual climbs and steep ascent
going through glacial paths, birch forest
and rocky inclines.
GETTING THERE: The nearest railhead is
Haridwar. You can also take a cab or bus
from Delhi to Gangotri.
BORASU PASS TREK: A
connecting passage between the
Himalayan Range of Himachal
and Uttarakhand, the Borasu Pass
trek is a unique experience. The
trails of this amazing trek pass
through the Har Ki Dun Valley and
also through the Marinda Lake
leading to lush meadows.
GETTING THERE: Dehradun is the
nearest rail head to Sankri, which
is the starting point of the trek.
From there Sankri is at an
approximate distance of 186 km.
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SNOW LEOPARD TREK: Sprawling over 600 sqkm, the Hemis National Park in Ladakh is
home to the elusive snow leopards. A trek to this park through stunning locales comprises
unknown views of the Himalayan range and pictorial landscapes.
GETTING THERE: You can easily get to the Hemis National Park by hiring a car or by
accessing public transport as it is barely 5 km away from Leh Airport.
MILAM GLACIER TREK: Yet another
engrossing trek in the Kumaon region,
this takes you to some of the remote
settlements of Uttarakhand. Around 28
km in length, it can be strenuous in
nature, depending on the weather and
climb.
GETTING THERE: The nearest rail heads
to Munsiyari, the starting point of the
trail, is Kathgodam. You can hire a car to
take you from Chaukori to Munsiyari.
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E A S T B O UND
EXOTICA [46]MAY 2016
!goValley ahead,
THE UPPER DIBANG VALLEY IS A SIGHT FOR SORE EYES WITHITS SNOW-CAPPED MOUNTAINS MAKING EVERY OTHER
POSTCARD LOOK LIKE A POOR COPY. AS SNOW FLAKES ROLL INTHROUGH OPEN WINDOWS, THERE IS STILL SO MUCH
WARMTH AROUND, THANKS TO THE FRIENDLY IDU MISHMIS
snow
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AS
I lie back in the car, my eyes shut, my body jangling to the
swerve of the tyres, I can sense that there is something
different in the air. I half-open my eyes and look out the
window. The colour. It seems a lot brighter than usual. I sit
upright and am amazed at what I see. It’s a whiteout. And the sun is bouncing off
every frozen pore. It’s the first time I am seeing snow and as cheesy as it sounds,
it feels quite magical watching the little flakes drunkenly float about, directionless
till gravity pulls them to earth. I roll down the window and the flakes filter in and
stick to my skin. It is tingling, it is exhilarating, the cold creeping up on me with a
furry softness.
We are at Mayudia, a hill station at Lower Dibang Valley. It is situated at a
height of 2,653 m amid majestic hills, lush green forests and breathtaking
landscapes. And of course, snow, as far as the eyes can see. But let me first start
with the beginning of the journey at Roing.
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A DRIVEfrom Tinsukia, Assam, brings us
to Roing, a small town in Lower
Dibang district, the land of the Idu Mishmis. The place is
officially described as “beauty at the foothills” but at an
emotional level, it means much more to me. It is like
travelling back in time. With scarce population, it gives
conveniences a miss and yet shows how conveniently simple
life can be.
I remember a magazine article describing Idu Mishmi as
one of the least spoken languages in the world which is on the
verge of extinction. I meet a young tribal man called Jibin at
an eatery in the evening. He has been born and brought up
here but now studies in Delhi.
He likes to explore the truth on bicycle, he tells me, but I
find it hard to believe that a bicycle can traverse the rugged
terrain. Between mouthfuls of rice and dried fish, he tells me
that his friends in Delhi are always very inquisitive about this
place and the first joke almost usually is, “Are you rowing all
the way to Roing?”
“My friends always ask me about the place I live in because
it is unknown to the world,” he says. It is through his and
many references that I get to meet a community leader. When
he learns that I have some interest in nature and wildlife, he
takes me to one of his agricultural fields. He carries his gun
with him, and I think this may be for safety from elephants
and other wild animals, as his land is next to the Mehao
Wildlife Sanctuary, one of the largest and least explored
Roing: Beauty in the foothills
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areas. Crossing Deopani and Etapani rivers, we
reach the gate of his property, and before I can
understand anything, he aims his gun at the tree
canopy. His driver runs and brings two local birds,
still warm. The proud leader exclaims, “You may
have the forest produce for dinner today.” And he’s
made sure he hasn’t touched anything that is
endangered or forbidden.
I spend the next few days meeting Idu Mishmi
men with colourful, interesting dresses and
identical haircuts, carrying guns with them and a
dao, all of which I later understand are a part of
their identity. With my binoculars, I show some
colourful pheasants and mammals to the
community leader and explain to him how people
from across the world will be happy to see these
animals in their wild habitat.
Dibang Valley can be divided into two parts.
The uptown has all the picnic spots like Deopani
river, Mayudia, a hill resort, Mehao and Sally lakes,
Iphipani river, a park and a zoo. The downtown
has a mix of commercial outlets, churches and
temples. Some good Chinese and northeastern
food joints are also found here for the
conservative. An evening downtown is a heavenly
treat for your taste buds as you can treat yourself
to a variety of momos and steaming thukpas.
The centre of the town is where you will find
residents living inside homes built on thick
concrete pillars. It is done to minimise the effects
of earthquakes that frequently rattle the town. All
homes look similar with slanted rooftops for the
rainwater to drain away. The soil is very fertile and
every home has its own garden with flowers and
vegetables. Looks like all of life’s needs can be met
under a roof.
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FROMRoing, our destination is
only 60 km but the roads
delay us quite a bit. We haven’t even gone 10 km
when cold winds begin to surge in. Fearing rain,
we strive hard to move ahead. After packing
myself with three sweaters and a cap, the rhythmic
sound of the engine makes me drowsy and I
go off to sleep only to wake up to the white
mountains, bewitching in their beauty and
almost frightening in their rugged severity.
Friend or foe, I wonder but nevertheless, we
stop our car, step out and start making ice men
before moving on.
We reach Mayudia at nearly 4 pm when the sun
is going down, its rays colouring the whiteness of
the surrounding with a tinge of orange. We go
around town looking for a place to put up but all
guest houses are full at this time. One of the
keepers, however, recommends a hotel nearby and
we reach there hoping to find a warm place to rest
our wearied bones. It is only the next morning that
we discover we indeed have a room with a
stunning view. The whole valley is awash with the
sun that brightens the cottages built precariously
on the slanting hills, the snow blobbing out the
harsh edges like a smooth bridal trail. Such is the
beauty that it makes me wonder why filmmakers
rush to Europe for shoots when they can get the
best right here in India.
We go to the town square where tourists gather
to play with snowballs. I am surprised to see a
group of Buddhist monks in the crowd, chasing
and throwing snowballs at each other like school
children. On participating in a little play with
them, they tell me that they have come from
Namsai in the Lohit district. “We are just here to
see the snow,” one of them tells me.
Like Mechuka in the West Siang district,
Mayudia in Upper Dibang Valley district is
close to the China border. The place derives its
name from Maya, a Nepali girl who disappeared
in the snow years ago. Trackers failed to locate
her but came back with stories of an out-of-this-
world place.
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Mayudia: A walk in the snow
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Anini: Waiting to exhale
THEsnow, the source of so much
happiness, can also be the
biggest obstacle in driving. We soon find out
that the road from Mayudia to Anini is
painstakingly slow due to the mud and slush
on the tracks. We strive on, hoping to reach
Anini before nightfall. For my fellow
travellers and I, Anini will be a tryst with the
unknown since we hadn’t even heard its
name before entering Arunachal.
We reach the small town almost as the
sun disappears from between the mountains
and it appears frozen in time, guarded
preciously by mountains which rise as high
as 5,000 m.
Anini in Upper Dibang district is one of
India’s remotest places, with just four
persons living per sq km. This is primarily
due to the area’s closeness to international
borders. But as they say, our best discoveries
are still under wraps.
Here, houses are sparse and locals mostly
sustain themselves through rice farms.
Vegetables are cultivated in the backyards
and animals reared in the forests that range
from tropical to coniferous and alpine
in the higher reaches. The biodiversity of
the area, though very rich, has not been
studied properly and possibilities exist
of discovering new species of both flora
and fauna.
The Idu Mishmis appear friendly and
jovial, their evenings a series of chats
accompanied by local rice beer and home-
grown meat. But to experience the best of
Idu Mishmi hospitality, one must visit the
place in February when the valley comes
alive with music, dance and community
feasting. The Reh Festival is the height of
any cultural celebration. Anini is the last Idu
Mishmi point in India, but like every land
locked bordering syndrome, same
communities share cross-border areas.
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During one of my walks I meet Deng, a farmer
who also runs a small grocery shop. After telling
him that I am visiting as a tourist, he invites me to
his house that has been built just behind the shop.
Seated in the wooden house with just one window
(to avoid chilly winds), he tells me that this place is
not very frequented by tourists. “People usually
come till Mayudia to see the snow and then head
back,” he says.
The culture of this region is as distant and
mysterious as the mountains. The Idu Mishmis as
an indigenous tribe have thrived in the valleys for
thousands of years. These highlanders follow an
animist religion and a lifestyle which is unique,
sustainable and fascinating. Believers of a supreme
being known as Nanyi Intaya, they have faith in
their shamans who look after many aspects of
society like festival, birth, death, treatment of
illness, hunting and issuing verdicts. The Idu
Mishmis are superbly skilled craftsmen who use
bamboo and cane extensively to live a sustainable
life independent of modern influences. Though
expert hunters, their culture is primarily
agricultural and gives importance to fellow
creatures - the hunting of many wild animals is
considered a taboo and the guilty are often cast
away for days.
Anini is the only town in the entire Upper
Dibang Valley district. With a population of a few
thousand, the town has one basic government run
guesthouse where the caretaker is always happy to
take care of visitors who make the effort to come
this far. Only a few shops exist apart from
government offices, residential areas and a
military base. There is not much to do other than
submitting to the languid atmosphere, the
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humbling mountains and the rolling grasslands.
After leaving Deng’s house, that is what I do. I
climb one of the hills and laze around, watching the
cattle ignore me. The valleys here open up to
magnificent grass, bamboo and conifer expanses.
Damben, a lonely military outpost some 20 miles
from the border with China, is where the road ends.
We drive there in the afternoon. The road turns
out to be extremely scenic, alongside the Dri river
and crosses impressive countryside and bamboo
forests. Another road on the east of Anini ends in
Mipi, a small settlement of Tibetans whose ancestors
had arrived here centuries ago in search of the holy
land of Beyul Pemako, considered by them to be a
hidden realm on earth, the shape of a lotus.
For adventure enthusiasts, the region offers
numerous offbeat trails which cross extraordinary
forests and remote villages. For wildlife lovers, the
EXOTICA [53]MAY 2016
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Dibang Wildlife Sanctuary, a 4,000 sq km primary
Himalayan forest, is located amid virgin nature and
exotic biodiversity. Due to the lack of infrastructure,
the wildlife sanctuary can only be explored through
hiking and camping. Rare mammals can be found in
the region, such as Mishmi Takin, red goral, musk
deer, red panda, tiger and even the rare snow
leopard at higher elevations.
Call it hope or call it divine grace but just
because the locals give back so much to Nature,
it rewards them with abundance. The tiger and a
rare butterfly returned to the wild a couple of
years ago. The circle of life, complete as it were. So
for me, it is my forever land. And possibly my best
shot at nirvana.
EXOTICA [54]MAY 2016
ANINI
MAYUDIA
ROING
D I B A N G VA L L E Y
LOWER
DIBANG
VALLEY
046_054_ARUNACHAL_SHOW(9).qxd 2/13/1950 7:25 PM Page 54
EXOTICA [55]MAY 2016
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S A F E W AT E R
055_SUPP_KENT(1).qxd 2/13/1950 7:25 PM Page 55
O F F T R A C K S E C R E T S
056_061_NARANAG(6).qxd 2/13/1950 7:25 PM Page 56
The ruins of Naranag in
Kashmir Valley are
believed to have been built
by pilgrims as a
thanksgiving gesture for a
successful pilgrimage to
Harmukh. The temple
complex rustles to the
sound of the Sindhu.
KHURSHEED WANI
gets drawn in
PHOTOS: ISHAQ AHMAD
THE
morning broadcasts convey
the message that Kashmir is a
unique place for tourists. It
maybe a cliche but truth is Kashmir’s paradisiacal
variety does leave you at a loss for words. The
overnight rainfall in the Valley has lowered the
temperature by several notches to the extent that it is
difficult to move round without woollens. And, in the
immediate neighbourhood of the north Indian
plains, a heat wave has turned river flats into
furnaces. Scores of people have died and it is just the
beginning of a long spell of scorching heat. The
difference in climates is one of the major reasons for
arrival of planeloads of tourists to Kashmir every day
irrespective of how unpredictable the local situation
turns out to be. Beginning with the tulip bloom at
the end of March to the arrival of the “darling buds
of May”, spring is one of the most cherished and
distinctive features of Kashmir’s vacations. Of late,
travellers are more eager to fan out to unexplored
destinations away from the traditional circuit of
solace
ofSanctum
056_061_NARANAG(6).qxd 2/13/1950 7:25 PM Page 57
Gulmarg, Pahalgam and Sonamarg. This is partly
due to a pleasant change in the travellers’ taste to
look beyond sceneries and locales and explore
other extraordinary features of Kashmir.
Few places in the world have a recorded history
spanning several millennia and Kashmir is one of
them. The archaeological sites scattered in every
nook and cranny of the Valley, some partially
intact and others decaying with perpetual and
deliberate neglect, are a testimony to its rich past
and its glorious outreach beyond the Himalayas.
This has encouraged a new brand of Kashmir
explorers to go out in quest for history and
anthropology and blend it with testing their
adrenaline while hiking to hill stations and off-the-
mark destinations. Over the years, Naranag—a
historic place in the midst of dense forests in the
northwest of Srinagar, almost 60 km from the city
centre — has turned into one of the most-sought-
after destinations.
ON
a misty April morning, it is
natural to pick up woollens
before setting out for a day-long
trip to Naranag. You never know how the weather
turns out in Kashmir, especially when you are in
the hills. In a matter of minutes, the sun
showering warmth perpendicularly is enveloped by
clouds and a cool breeze begins to blow. Suddenly,
a drizzle starts and temperatures fall. In such a
situation, the travellers with no handy woollens are
destined to go through a harsh experience.
Nevertheless, it is a warm Friday morning
when we begin the trip from Srinagar to Naranag.
There are many road choices to hit but the charm
of boulevard road along the Dal Lake is irresistible.
A quick round over Dal’s curvature has a soothing
effect to tune you in. Few rowing boats or shikaras
are visible in the expansive lake, some ferrying
vegetables towards Hazratbal shrine that stands
majestically in the backdrop. Only a few of
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swallows flutter wings over the lake’s
shimmering waters to signal that summer
has enough time to arrive.
It takes an hour and a half to reach
Kangan village on the Srinagar-Leh highway,
which is blocked beyond Zoji La pass for the
past four months due to accumulation of
heavy snow. At Kangan, we take a left turn
towards Wangath—a cluster of villages,
mostly inhabited by tribal Gujjars—perched
on plateaus and mountains. Every frame
that appears after negotiating a curve
increases curiosity until the road ends.
Interestingly, the road culminates at the
gates of the first temple of Naranag. The
cool breeze blowing from the Harmukh
mountain range and an eternal music played
by the tributary of Sindh rivulet that passes
by, as if touching the feet of the temple
enclave, still and humble you in an instant.
056_061_NARANAG(6).qxd 2/13/1950 7:25 PM Page 59
The temples, originally built between the first
to eighth centuries of the Common Era, are a
treasure trove for archaeologists and history
enthusiasts. Some of the temple portions seem to
be intact but most of them have been damaged due
to perpetual neglect, official apathy and vagaries of
weather and times. Huge slabs of greyish granite
are scattered in the premises with local Gujjar
children playing something like cricket in a
pathway. A decrepit signboard tells us it is a
monument protected by the Archaeological Survey
of India (ASI).
BUTthis doesn’t stop the curious
investigators. A small group of
students has travelled from a far-off Degree
College, Sopore, to study the architecture and
historic importance of the site. “This is of
tremendous significance to Kashmir’s cultural
links to Central Asia and Europe,” says Prof Rafiq
Ahmad, who leads the group of students. He adds
that apart from being a important archaeological
site, Naranag is contesting for an identity between
a trekking base to Gangabal and a religious teertha
for Kashmiri Hindus who find their own Ganges in
the western Himalayas.
One temple has been tin-roofed to prevent
further deterioration. Ahmad tells you that several
rulers have contributed to building an assortment
of temples and sites dedicated to various deities.
There is a mammoth pedestal that was used for
bathing deities. A bathtub carved out of a single
rock is an eye-catcher and tell-tale sign of the craft
and grit of the ancient Kashmiri craftsmen. One of
the oldest historical references on Kashmir,
Rajtarangni written by Kalhana, has detailed the
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misfortunes which befell the twin temple
complexes, thanks to palace intrigues and
enemy attacks.
Adjacent to the western temple enclave is the
Naranag, the main spring that gives the place its
name. The water oozes out from the base of a
plateau, which is now home to a cluster of local
families. They say the water comes from Gangabal
Lake, perched miles away in stunning grasslands,
15,000 feet above sea level. The Gangabal lakes are
actually two in number, almost identical, which are
fed by the glacial melt of the Harmukh mountain
ranges. Those who do not have the gumption to go
for a day-long trek followed by a overnight stay,
return by having a look or taking a glass of water
at Naranag.
WEdecide to trek up to Domail, a
confluence of two Sindh tributaries. It
takes us 40 minutes on a pebbled path. Gul
Muhammad, a local woodcutter, informs that
Gangabal trekking is not possible till May-end as
the passes are insurmountable due to presence of
snow. At every shady place, we can see small
glaciers oozing out a trickle of milky water.
Muhammad says that Gangabal is the latest
obsession for bold sight-seers who want to
surmount the captivating green or barren brown
hills even at the expanse of taking risks.
Another villager Wali Khan says that Gangabal
is fast turning into a trekker’s paradise as
hundreds of foreigners and young Indian
enthusiasts begin to flock the area between June
and September. “It is like the old days have
returned. My father says that the route was in
huge currency before the Partition. It was
frequented by cattle traders who would travel to
Gilgit and Baltistan (now in Pakistan) through the
Gurez Valley,” he says.
Hotelier Maqsood Ahmad says that a few years
ago, Gangabal was introduced by a global travel
publication as a promising trekking route. “Ever
since, the route is becoming a favourite
destination among foreigners”, he says. The
expansive pastures, earlier dotted by shepherds
and their flock, have been replaced by summer
tourists.
“Naranag has an incredible historic importance
and Gangabal offers the best opportunities for
adventurous people, including trekkers,
mountaineers and anglers”, says Prof Rafiq. From
Dumail, we hasten to beat a retreat as the sun
begins to hide behind clouds. On our way back, the
refreshing scent of pine forests and the music of
the stream gurgling under round boulders remind
us why the mystic sages retreated here.
EXOTICA [61]MAY 2016
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IT
is one thing to drive a car on the smooth lovely Alpine roads of
southern Switzerland but another to take that same car down an
Indian highway. When I drove the new Audi Q7 in Europe, it was
utterly brilliant.
The new car, which definitely looks far less aggressive and muscular than
the car it replaces, feels far more planted on the road, far steadier and could
handle the lovely switchbacks on the climb up to Verbier. Not something you
would expect a big bruiser such as the Audi Q7 to do. But as we mentioned
about the looks, this car is like a heavyweight boxer in a slim-fit tuxedo. It
has even reduced a bit of its dimensions.
As it is the second-generation Q7, it has lost a lot of weight, thanks to
more aluminium being used in the body and feels far more refined than the
previous generation car. Yet, it also seems to have lost some of that brutish
charm that it once had. And that is apparent on the highway, where despite
HO
TWH
EELS
Kushan MitraAuto &
tech expert
THEMILE-MUNCHER
The Audi Q7 is a
great highway car
and on India’s
brand new
tarmacs, it eats
miles for breakfast,
lunch and dinner
EXOTICA [62]MAY 2016
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its size, it lacks the imposing nature of the previous
generation car. Not that people do not move out of
the way of this Q7 when they see it approaching at a
massive rate of knots.
The Q7 will mainly be bought by people with an
oversized sense of importance and driven to places
where they should not be driven — Delhi’s Khan
Market for example. However, it is on the highway
that the Q7 actually shines. The brilliant new
highways that Nitin Gadkari promised us are
actually being delivered and the Q7 is a treat to
drive on these fabulous loads. For one, like the old
car it has a lot of space. Unfortunately, the spare
tyre takes up almost a third of the luggage space.
Unlike BMW India, Audi has not decided to
trust “run-flat” tyres as customer experience with
them has been really poor. In Europe and America,
all these cars now have modern tyres that remove
the need for an underfloor spare but in India,
buyers burned by the first generation of run-flats
are demanding a spare and Audi India is giving
them one.
Yet, given that the boot is the size of a small
house, there is still more than enough space for a
few large suitcases and more. The spare will have to
be removed, which requires a few minutes of
manual labour, if one wants to access the two seats
of the third row though. So despite the weight and
size loss, the car is still huge inside. And quite
comfortable too, both in the first and second row.
One could easily fall asleep in the back and not feel
a thing. The brilliant sound system makes the car
sound like being inside a concert hall. And the air-
conditioning? Well, in 40 degree heat, it chills the
car in no time.
AS
for the driving experience, this
refined beast is wonderful. It can
build up speed fairly quickly and
change direction rapidly when instructed. Few Q7s
will ever go off the road in India but the air
suspension is soft and the car will raise itself in
difficult terrain. In fact, the hill climbing and
descent qualities of the Q7 are surprisingly good if
you ever find a need for them.
However, with the Supreme Court’s current ban
on diesel cars with engines greater than 2000cc
being registered in Delhi, the sad fact is that you
can’t have one if you live in the capital right now.
Which is a pity really, because this new car is a class
leading vehicle and at ` 72-77.5 lakh ex-showroom
extremely good value for its size as well.
062_063_KUSHAN(2).qxd 2/13/1950 7:25 PM Page 63
EXOTICA [64]MAY 2016
M A R K E T MANTRA
FOR
a nation that loves and celebrates its
cinema, thriving and feeding on multi-
crore blockbusters, laughing and crying
as the reel rolls out in the theatre, it’s not a surprise that we are
the biggest movie-making machine in the world. Our films
continue to be, unchangingly, the only source of mass
inspiration and entertainment, something so significant and
ritualistic that the entire process of venturing out to watch a
movie is still no less than a big day of sort.
One that has transformed the dynamics and business of
watching a movie, from single screens to multiplexes and now
superplexes, which are offering allied and interactive experiences
and enhanced indoor comforts. If the seats have gotten plusher
and already give you the lie-flat slider, popcorn in the couch
experience, wait till you have had a 4DX, a three-dimesional
visual experience with augmented reality. It is nothing short of a
theme park experience, rolling, moving, spinning, swooshing,
bathing, splashing and splattering in a moveable seat with three-
dimensional special effects raising your hair. Whoa, they even let
you smell dinosaur piss from secret vents and jets!
From multiplex to
megaplex to superplex, the
cinema-watching experience
has slowly but steadily been
changing. How is it going to
evolve further and can it
lure the millennials living
in the parallel universe
of their digital lives to
come out of their cocoon?
DEVI SINGH attempts
some answers
064_070_MULTIIPLEX(7).qxd 2/13/1950 7:25 PM Page 64
Gourmet meals get delivered to your seats
while even the popcorn now has an amazing array
spanning buttery, mushroomy and the
caramelicious. Kids can have an extended day out,
watching their favourite characters come alive on
the big screen as they sit back in bean bags with
specially designed popcorn tubs. And should they
feel bored, there’s a mini play area where minders
watch over them. Adults get love seats to cuddle
up. But if you are a serious movie aficionado, then
maybe you can sift through a library or movie
memorabilia and participate in a director’s
workshop on premiere night.
With almost two decades since the first movie
theatre with multiple screens made its way to the
hearts of people, there are now 2,000-odd
multiplex screens in the country. But this is one
business which can never go sluggish as movie-
watching has become a combined gaming, dining,
mall-trawling and a lounge package. According to
figures, the multiplex industry in India has the
potential to go up to 10,000 screens.
With an occupancy rate of 37 per cent and a
reported footfall of `66 million, PVR’s online sales
contribute around 36 per cent of the total ticket
earnings. The company’s consolidated revenue
for last year stood at `1,486 crore. It recently
launched the PVR Icon brand, which is an
ultra-premium category.
In June, PVR acquired DT Cinemas for `500
crore. The multiplex operator currently operates
477 screens across 44 cities in the country with four
brands across different price points namely PVR
Talkies, PVR Cinemas, PVR Premium and the
newly-launched PVR Icon. It’s targeting to touch
1,000 screens by 2018 through organic growth.
Inox Leisure Ltd, India’s second-largest
multiplex operator, acquired Satyam Cineplexes
expanding Inox’s presence to 50 cities, with 91
multiplexes and 358 screens.
EXOTICA [65]MAY 2016
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Known for its inorganic growth, Carnival
Cinemas, owned by Shrikant Bhasi, started with
three screens in Kochi. Today the company has a
strong foothold across south India and plans to
have 300 screens in the country by entering
smaller towns and cities. They aim for 1,000
screens by 2017. The group also owns a cafe chain
and lounges.
THE GAME-CHANGERS
THEpioneers of the multiplex revolution
in India, the Bijli brothers of the
PVR group, seem to be on a roll with their next
offering — the superplex. Having changed the
dynamics of the exhibition business in the country,
they are now focussing on the world’s best
technology to take the movie-watching experience
to the next level. And though PVR may not have the
scale of chains in the US or China, the brothers,
Ajay and Sanjeev, being buffs themselves from an
early age, are offering the best in the world to the
Indian audience in terms of sound, projection or
immersive technology like 4DX and IMAX.
“The whole idea of a superplex has been on our
minds for sometime now. But it came about only
after we got a large space where we could house
the entire brand under one roof. We wanted to
create a space where people could watch all
formats that are currently available in the world.
Naturally, if you have 15 screens, you can play more
movies, be it English, Hindi or regional. We have
done a dipstick and found out that certain regional
films will draw in viable numbers. The mix of
bigger and smaller auditoria helps us play around
a bit. The multiplex exposure has indeed boosted
the appeal of regional cinema. As a first, we are
also playing movies which are slightly old, have
had their run but are still popular enough for
viewers who have missed them in their three
weeks on the screen. I myself missed watching
WE WANTED TO
CREATE A SPACE
WHERE PEOPLE
COULD WATCH ALL
FORMATS THAT
ARE CURRENTLY
AVAILABLE IN
THE WORLD.
NATURALLY, IF YOU
HAVE 15 SCREENS,
YOU CAN PLAY
MORE MOVIES, BE
IT ENGLISH, HINDI
OR REGIONAL
— AJAY BIJLI
064_070_MULTIIPLEX(7).qxd 2/13/1950 7:25 PM Page 66
Neerja and wished it was playing somewhere. That
way we could generate some business out of
residual interest,” says Ajay Bijli.
Seconds his brother Sanjeev Bijli, who believes
the superplex really helps in sustaining the
programming as that gives more space for multiple
films in India with six releases a week on an average.
A superplex, besides providing multiple
formats under one roof, is mutually beneficial for
the production and distribution houses. This is
because movies, which were earlier being released
in selected formats or centres or were not showing
in India at all, are getting screened, resulting in
better revenue generation.
“Superplexes are a way forward and should
be a good module wherein people will prefer to be
at a cinema for watching sports and private
screenings as well all under one roof,” says Kunal
Sawhney, Associate VP, Operations and F&B,
Carnival Cinemas.
THE IMAX MANIA
IMAXbrings the experience of a huge
screen and better picture
quality in a grand way which has a better recall
value among its patrons. With 4DX, one can feel,
smell and move along with the films. The level of
viewer participation is such that he is almost in the
frame, if not in the director’s chair. This trend is
expected to drive the exhibition business further
despite a sluggish film market.
According to data published in a CII report,
with a higher proportion of multiplexes since 2010,
Indian customers are more aware, discerning and
willing to experiment with new genres.
Technologies like 3D, IMAX and animation and
VFX have gained traction leading to a higher
Average Revenue per User (ARPU). For instance
3D movies command 40 per cent higher ticket
prices than 2D films. “I think with technology
evolving at such pace, it’s helping in pulling people
back to the theatres, a trend which was fading
away,” says Sawhney.
Multiplex owners like INOX are keeping pace
with this demand of the techno-savvy audience.
“The IMAX technology is a breakthrough in the
movie-viewing experience. By associating
ourselves with IMAX, we are shaping the future of
cinema,” says Rajender Singh, VP, Programming
and Distribution, INOX Leisure Ltd.
THE WHOLE IDEA IS
TO TAKE AWAY THE
INCONVENIENCE
OF WATCHING A
MOVIE ON A MICRO
SCREEN AND TO
ENHANCE THE
EXPERIENCE EVEN
MORE. YOU CAN’T
BEAT THE GIANT
SCREEN, THE
SERVICE AND THE
FACT THAT IT IS
AN OUTING
— SANJEEV BIJLI
EXOTICA [67]MAY 2016
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THE INTERNATIONAL STORY
THEimpetus for rising film
consumption has come from
an increasing number of screens, although
screen density in India is pretty low with 9 per
million compared to 25 in China and 125 in
the US. So where do the Indian multiplex
giants stand compared to the big daddies? “In
terms of the number of screens, we found
ourselves very small but qualitatively we are
as good as any international format,” adds
Sanjeev Bijli.
The US has almost 40,000 multiplex screens
whereas China has 20,000 and India has a little
over 2,000 multiplex screens. Long way to cover
for sure. The growth trajectory has not been pacy
enough. “We are a country selling maximum
tickets but when it comes to movie screens, we are
grossly under- screened. In India, we have just
over 2,000 multiplex screens and around 10,000
screens altogether. But we do believe that this is
the perfect time for the multiplex industry to
expand all across the country,” Singh points out.
PVR has broken through by targetting Tier II and
III cities which can consume enough content,
given their healthy local and aspirant upper
class character.
THE YOUNG INDIAN CHALLENGE
HOWare multiplexes luring
the young Indian to the
cinemas as the newer breed seems to be more
comfortable with the idea of downloading and
watching in the comfort of their own space and
zone? Ajay Bijli disagrees. “My children are a
good litmus test for me; I can gauge and perceive
a lot through them. I think even after many
technologies available at home, kids still want to go
out. Movie-watching is now a component of the
entire night-out experience.”
How can multiplexes or even superplexes bring
something new for the consumer at a time of
digital streaming and downloads on personal
devices? Explains Sanjeev Bijli, “The whole idea is
to take away the inconvenience factor of watching
a movie on a micro screen and to enhance the
experience even more. You can’t beat the giant
screen, the service and the fact that it is an outing
of sort. We don’t want to be the reclusive bunch of
people who depend on their downloads for
entertainment. There has to be some sort of
romance, an activity, hanging around with friends
and family. So we try to keep on improving the
concept of watching a film.”
PVR also plans on having a loyalty group
064_070_MULTIIPLEX(7).qxd 2/13/1950 7:25 PM Page 68
EXOTICA [69]MAY 2016
at their Superplex which is an extension of
their good CRM build-up for tailor-made events
like meeting a director, filmmaker and private
screenings where people can book a theatre for
a small group.
Agrees Sawhney, “I think a multiplex offers
you a lot more options to get you out of your
den. It has got food, best in-class seats, state-of-
the-art technology and finest services calling for
a wholesome experience.” According to
Singh, Indian cinema exhibition business is
shifting towards two polar points, convenience
and technology.
A PUSH TO REGIONAL CINEMA
EVENthough multiplexes have always
encouraged regional cinema in
big cities, there were still not many takers for it.
“In Delhi, we found Tamil movies work well. So
that’s one of the advantages of having a large
screen format as we will be able to provide more
regional films depending upon the catchment,”
says Sanjeev Bijli.
“Indian cinema, of course, is about more
than just Bollywood. Over the years, films in
other Indian languages have been upping their
game with good content. With an increase in
the release of these films every year, I definitely
believe multiplexes have contributed a lot,”
says Singh.
Seconds Sawhney: “We couldn’t have imagined
a regional movie like Bahubali could be released in
so many languages and cross a milestone of `500
crore. With urban migration, there’s a demand
for regional content which is not limited to a
certain state. We have seen Bengali movies doing
well in MP and Telugu in Punjab, which is like
apples and oranges.”
THE IMAX TECHNOLOGY IS A BREAKTHROUGH IN THE
MOVIE-VIEWING EXPERIENCE. BY ASSOCIATING OURSELVES
WITH IMAX, WE ARE SHAPING THE FUTURE OF CINEMA
— RAJENDER SINGH
064_070_MULTIIPLEX(7).qxd 2/13/1950 7:25 PM Page 69
WHAT LIES AHEAD?
Arecent trend of acquisition and buyouts has resulted in
maximising profits for joint operations but many say it’s not a
healthy alternative for expansion. Growth needs to be organic. For
instance in the last two years, Carnival Cinemas has been competing
with big chains of the industry edging its way to the top. By 2014 there
were four major players in the multiple-screen theatre business
namely PVR, Inox, Big Cinemas and Cinepolis. By the end of the year,
Carnival Cinemas, after having acquired Big Cinemas, came to the
third spot. Likewise Cinepolis too bought out Fun Cinemas.
Clearly the focus lies in moving on to small cities and towns which
are still untapped areas for multiplexes. “We have a lot to do in India
with tier II and III cities. We open about 60 screens a year, which is a
large number, and it’s difficult to venture out of the country. If you
take your eyes off the ball then you lose the focus. The only place we
are looking outside India is Sri Lanka for its huge film consumption.
We would be signing a project there which will come about in three
years,” informs Sanjeev Bijli.
If the stakeholders work collaboratively to improve the screen
density, increase multiplex penetration, the industry can scale new
heights especially in virgin towns and cities. These chains also need to
find models for creating new screens outside malls if mall development
stagnates. As long as we fantasise, the film-watching experience will
become our personal escapist pod. Nothing else would matter.
WITH URBAN
MIGRATION,
THERE’S A DEMAND
FOR REGIONAL
CONTENT WHICH
IS NOT LIMITED TO
A CERTAIN STATE.
WE HAVE SEEN
BENGALI MOVIES
DOING WELL IN
MP AND TELUGU
IN PUNJAB
— KUNAL SAWHNEY
064_070_MULTIIPLEX(7).qxd 2/13/1950 7:25 PM Page 70
S T Y L I S H A F FA I R
EXOTICA [71]MAY 2016
THE
most talked about fashion and accessories lifestyle
exhibition by Sonal Jindal drew a large number of
city’s fashionistas. It was an extravagant affair as
over a 100 fashion designers showcased their latest collections. The
exhibition had everything from the hottest accessories, to trendy
footwear and apparel which kept the patrons busy.
Talking about the high points of the exhibition, Sonal Jindal
said, “Medusa exhibition brings together the best of designers and
clientele looking only for exclusive and classy designs. We bring
some of the most innovative and elegant, trendy fashion which befits
the status and taste. We aim to showcase only the finest collection to
the visitors.”
She further added, “We have been getting an overwhelming
response for Medusa, as we saw many buyers coming in to shop at our
last exhibition. We are now gearing up for more seasons, where in lots
of designers are coming up with new trends and creativity.”
Medusa has emerged as a platform for latest trends in the fashion
industry. It is widely regarded as the industry’s existing and next big
thing, attracting a number of buyers. It promises the clientele will be
dazzled by its portfolio which is an intriguing array of traditional and
innovative materials and techniques.
SONAL JINDAL organised MEDUSA, an
exclusive fashion and accessories exhibition
luring the fashionistas in the capital
ALL THE WAY
GLITTER
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THERE
was never an iota of
déjà vu for him even
after donning the
familiar-looking apron and stirring up a meal in the same
environs. For the affable chef Alessandro Sandrolini, coming
back to the place he had been associated with before was as
exciting as when he started out. “It always feels new even if
you come back to the same place again. You always create new
experiences and memories for yourself,” says the super chef.
That thrill he owes to his parents. As a child, he would see
them gather ingredients, set up the table, cook and lay the
food with much love, surprise and joy, which inspired him to
pursue cooking as a career. Having been associated with
various Hyatt properties throughout his 28 years of
EXOTICA [72]MAY 2016
It was almost seven years ago when he
joined La Piazza as chef de cuisine after
a brief stint in Tuscany. It comes full
circle for him as he returns to his fave
kitchen where he loves to roll his sleeves
up and show his culinary skills off.
Hyatt Regency Delhi introduces Chef
ALESSANDRO SANDROLINI as
Executive Sous Chef. By DEVI SINGH
C H E F ’ S T R E AT
072_075_HYATT_SANDROLINI(4).qxd 2/13/1950 7:25 PM Page 72
professional life, he says, “It’s never a change of place but my
passion for food, which remains the same. It does take time to
adapt to new places but I feel if you know your job well, you
can get accustomed to any place in the world.”
La Piazza, with its “trattoria” appeal, plays with your
senses in the right way. Being one of the legendary places to
relish Italian food, it has stood the test of time since its
inception. Elaborating on what sets it apart from the rest
of the Italian restaurants in Delhi, he says authenticity is
the only key. “La Piazza is a historical place which dates
back almost 20 years. There are not many places where
you get an Italian cooking up traditional authentic food for
you,” he shares.
Speaking on the inspiration behind the new menu, the
chef tells us each dish has been thought of keeping the
modern casual essence of the restaurant in mind. “The
concept of La Piazza is more of a casual dining experience. So
we wanted something which is a bit more modern than fancy.
We want to make our guests feel at ease by serving them
dishes which are not too tough to understand and at the same
time delectable too,” says he.
EXOTICA [73]MAY 2016
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INDIAN INFATUATION
WITH ITALIAN FOOD
INDIANShave
always
been besotted with Italian food. Circa 90s,
they were initiated to the piquancy of tomatoes in
a never tasted before avatar with herbs unknown
and far off. Though an entirely different set and
mix of spices were doing the job of tantalising
their palates, there was a certain familiarity
hitting their taste buds. Since then, Italian cuisine
has spread its wings in every nook and corner of
the country. The essence of this can be found
today in our kitchens filled with aromas of Italian
herbs. So much so, our amateur cooks try their
hands at getting the traditional recipes right
watching YouTube.
So what is it about Italian food that ticks the
Indian palate? Is it the similarity between Italian
and Indian cuisine and the shared love for food
which both countries have? “I feel the sameness
comes from the fact that both cuisines are based
on carbohydrates. Both countries use rice or flour.
Both are rich in fats. We use
cheese and Indians use clarified
butter. Both use the same kind of
ingredients. Be it the flavourful
tomatoes, which Italians use as sauce and
Indians use in the form of rich curries, or spices
such as thyme which is prevalent in both the
cuisines,” says the chef.
Much has to do with the way food is celebrated
in both countries. The close-knit familial bonds
and the common love for hearty family meals are
just the same.
TOO CLOSE YET TOO FAR
SOcan Indian food be reinterpreted in an
Italian way or vice versa? Asked to
name one Indian dish that he would want to alter
according to the Italian palate, the chef replies,
“Well as similar the two cuisines might seem to be,
I won’t like to change anything. I think Indian
food is extremely flavoursome on its own with its
unique spices and taste. It can’t be replaced by any
other cuisine and the same goes for Italian food.”
EXOTICA [74]MAY 2016
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Admitting that he is not good at cooking Indian,
the chef does have his favourites — butter chicken,
chicken tikka and authentic Indian chicken curry.
Living in Delhi for long has also turned him into a
street food fanatic. “It inspires a strong sense of
belonging. My weekly indulgence in chaats makes me
feel a part of this country.”
WHAT COMES NEXT?
MANYwould think Italian food has
reached its peak in terms of
global exposure. It’s not just about getting the basics
right anymore. People know it, love it, have tried
making it, some of them have got it right, some are still
at it. From a small pizzeria to high-end restaurants
serving gourmet meals for two, making it one of the
most romantic cuisines in the world, Italian food is
one business option which is bound to turn lucrative.
You can make it easily at home with its gooeyness
spreading certain warmth and comfort. Can
experimentation or reinterpretation help build a
renewed excitement around it? Or is it going to stay
the way we know it? “The traditional recipes will
acquire a modern twist. Of course with time
people will come up with new things on the table.
That’s on my agenda too and you will see that in the
new La Piazza menu that we have introduced recently
which is full of traditional recipes like ravioli with a
twist, for instance,” he concludes.
EXOTICA [75]MAY 2016
R A V I O L I R E C I P E
THE DOUGH
Mix 700 gm of semolina with 300 gm of fine
flour and make a small mountain with a well
in the centre. Add 10 whole eggs with extra
virgin olive oil and a pinch of salt. Knead it
for 15 minutes. Let the dough rest.
THE STUFFING
Mix 500 gm of ricotta cheese, 100 gm of
grated parmigiano or grana padano cheese,
500 gm finely chopped blanched spinach,
pinch of grated nutmeg, salt, pepper, one
soup spoon of extra virgin olive oil with one
soup spoon of regular flour together and
keep the mixture in the fridge.
MAKING RAVIOLI
Make a thin layer of pasta around 18 cm by
pressing it through pasta machine. Brush the
dough a little with egg wash to make sure
the ravioli doesn’t open while cooking. Place
some ricotta cheese and spinach mixture in
the middle of the pasta layer with a distance
of 5 cm in between. Fold the dough to cover
the mixture and with a round cutter of 8 cm
diameter cut the pasta at half moon. Take
each corner of the half moon ravioli and stick
it together. Place the ravioli with some
semolina flour to rest for at least an hour to
keep the shape intact. Place it in boiling
water until al dente.
THE SAUCE
Pan fry onion and garlic in extra virgin olive
oil, add tomatoes, salt, pepper and fresh
basil leaves. Keep cooking for not more than
2 minutes. Add butter and a little water for
that creamy consistency. Place the ravioli in
sauce and let it cook for another 2 minutes.
Serve it hot with parmigiano or grana
padano cheese.
072_075_HYATT_SANDROLINI(4).qxd 2/13/1950 7:25 PM Page 75
EXOTICA [76]MAY 2016
What are your expectations from growth in the
tourism industry? What forms of tourism do you see
as potential growth areas in the coming years?
The tourist footfall has definitely increased in the
last year. We’ve seen a lot of improvement. Earlier
in 2014, we only had 60,000 foreign tourists visiting
Telangana whereas this year, it has already
crossed 1.5 lakh. Hyderabad was their first port of
entry. But if you account for all the people who
come in after disembarking at Mumbai, Delhi
or Bengaluru, then the number will go up to
five lakh.
In terms of domestic tourism, we are doing very
well but we need to further strengthen it. Since the
growth rate of foreign tourists is phenomenal, we
would like to continue the same trend.
We are working with tourism boards of other
states, making a cooperative and a complementary
effort rather than a competing one. If people come
to Hyderabad and want to explore the seaside, we
will recommend them to visit places like Goa and
vice versa.
We want to promote Hyderabad as a leisure
and a cultural destination. It’s a cosmopolitan city
with various festivals like the kite-flying festival which
we have revived. Then we also have the
Bathukamma festival where women celebrate the
well-being of the girl child. More than a crore
women celebrate this festival in every nook and
corner of the state. Medical tourism is another area
which we would want to work on in a big way. The
next would be archaeological and historical tourism.
Telangana is the oldest inhabited place in India.
We have megalithic burials which run for 250 km
dating back to thousands of years.
Besides it’s also a foodie’s paradise where one
can relish delicious biryanis, haleem, Irani chai and
other delicacies. For women, it’s the pearl capital of
India; they can purchase exotic sarees and there is
much more to do. Film tourism is an emerging
revenue earner. We will offer a single window
clearance for shooting. More Bollywood films are
now being made in Hyderabad than in Mumbai.
What are the measures that the state is taking to
assure safety and security of tourists, especially for
those coming in from different countries?
Especially after the formation of the new state
Telangana Tourism Secretary
B VENKATESHAM shares
initiatives to attract travellers and
introduce new experiences
A
GOLDEN
YEAR
I N F O C U S
076_077_SUPP_TELSECY(2).qxd 2/13/1950 7:25 PM Page 76
and government, there has been a steady
emphasis on providing security to visitors from
home and abroad. The Hyderabad police now has
more than 1,500 vehicles. We have a mobile
application called Hawk Eye where you can send
in emergency information and the police will
respond immediately.
We’ve created ‘She’ teams which are especially
pressed into service at places frequented by
women. Plus, we have adopted e-challans to
tackle corruption.
The tourism department recently launched two
new catamaran yachts for the Hussain Sagar
Lake and helicopter rides as well. Are there
more innovations?
Our only endeavour is to introduce different varieties
of experiences available worldwide. One can opt
for hot air balloons rides and by next month, we’ll
be out with sea plane services. There will be
amphibian buses in the next three-four months
and other adventure sports like parasailing and
paragliding. The plan is to introduce it all within
six months.
The state also held an Amsterdam-based youth
festival “Sensation India 2016”. Are you working on
more such concepts?
Yes. There is a platform called “Happening
Hyderabad” and our IT Minister KT Rama Rao has
been its architect. Under this platform, we are
trying to bring all major events to the city. Sensation
was organised for the first time in Asia. We got
Sunburn too. There are a number of events lined
up. One is called Campus Out where 10,000
students from various universities around the
world will get together and exchange views on
various topics.
Anything else in the piepline other than
experiential tourism?
There will be international events and conferences.
We have also tied up with NRIs of Telangana who
have been a major source of strength for us,
especially during state formation. We are talking to
hotels, airlines, local tourist operators to come up
with special packages for this segment. We are
expecting four-five lakh foreign tourists by the end of
this year. By 2020, it should touch 10 lakh.
EXOTICA [77]MAY 2016
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T O Y T R A I N
THE
quaint and once quiet town in
West Bengal, Darjeeling
perches at an altitude of 6,700 ft
and has provided relief from the steaming hot
plains of Bengal to all those looking for cooler
climes for centuries.
The toy train (or the Darjeeling Heritage
Railway as it is called after being granted World
Heritage status by UNESCO) is probably the best
way to explore Darjeeling. This blue locomotive
has been chugging through these hills as long as
one remembers and is an intrinsic part of the
Darjeeling experience.
From New Jalpaiguri, the toy train gets to
Siliguri, crosses the bridge of the mighty Mahanadi
river and then at Sukna starts the climb into the
Himalayas. At Rangtang, famous tea gardens can
be seen and at Kurseong, you will be greeted by
the mighty Himalayan forests of maple, cherry
and chestnut.
When the train curls around some of the
villages en-route, it passes so close to the houses
that you can actually pick up clothes from the lines
in the yards without leaving your seat. Keep
looking at the views and peaks till you spot the
mighty Kanchenjunga or as it’s known in
Darjeeling, Kanchandzonga.
School children frequently jump off the moving
train, pop across the road to a sweet shop and hop
on the train a few minutes later. You can get off
during one of the frequent halts, stretch your legs,
take photographs or go and chat with the engine
driver, guard or a local shopkeeper.
In the olden times though it was one of the most
functional modes of transport, winding its way up
the hills. It carried soldiers, planters, holiday
makers, escaping the heat and dust of the plains of
Bengal and collieries of the Chhota Nagpur
plateau and European parents visiting their
children at boarding schools.
Darjeeling Himalayan Railway is
known as one of India’s most
celebrated lines. The steam locomotive
offers its passengers mesmerising
panoramas as it chugs its way up on
its two-foot gaugeDarjeeling
Discover
BY AIR: Bagdogra Airport is
96 km away from Darjeeling.
BY BUS: The bus service
from Siliguri is 70 km from
Darjeeling.
BY TRAIN: New Jalpaiguri
railway station is 62 km from
the main town.
BEST TIME TO VISIT:
Round the year except
monsoons. (July-August)
GETTINGTHERE
081_SUPP_DARJEELING(1).qxd 2/13/1950 7:25 PM Page 81
O R I E N TA L N E C TA R
elusivespiritspirit
TheThe
EXOTICA [82]MAY 2016
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When a certain Jim Murraypicks Sherry cask single malt
from the unheralded Yamazakidistillery and declares it as the
best in the world, it was obvioushis words would be taken in
spirit. Coming across as asermon from his whisky bible,
the proclamation caused ripplesacross the world, bringing
Japanese whisky intocognisance of popular culture.
After American, Irish, andScotch, it is now the turn
of Japanese whisky to rule the roost.
By DEVI SINGH
WITHonly a century-old
existence and a
limited number
of distilleries, the Japanese have managed to build
their own brand of whisky by cashing in on its
exotic appeal especially in the West. A recent
phenomenon, which is yet making inroads in
India, is already riding high on the popularity
quotient among private collectors with its blends
and malts.
EXOTICA [83]MAY 2016
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HOW IT ALL BEGAN
JAPAN’Stryst with whisky apparently
began in 1870 when
Commodore Matthew Perry gifted Emperor Meiji
Mutsuhito 100 gallons of American whiskey. Thus a
bond between Japanese and the drink was
established by two liquor legends Shinjiro Torii and
Masataka Taketsuru.
In 1923, Shinjiro Torii, the founder of Suntory,
built Japan’s first whisky distillery in the valley of
Yamazaki, on the outskirts of Kyoto.
In 1923 Masataka Taketsuru travelled to
Scotland to learn the art of malts from the Scotch.
He later found Nikka Whisky which operates out of
two distilleries, namely Yoichi and Miyagikyo.
JAPANESE WHISKY: WHAT’S SO SPECIAL
“THEweather in Japan is warm compared to
Scotland which ages the whisky faster
giving it a distinct taste,” says Kumar Saswat,
Corporate Director of Food & Beverage at Radisson
Blu Mbd. The summer in Japan contributes a lot to
distillation. The whisky industry thrives majorly on
dynamics of weather which is conducive to
maturation and creating the final product.
Yamazaki produces an eclectic range of peated or
unpeated barley, different yeast strains and
fermentations with a number of casks.
The pot stills in Yoichi are heated using
powdered coal, a traditional technique which is
not even found in Scotland. Nikka is hailed for
its blended malts which are re-casked and
bottled directly.
REFINED TASTE
THEYare lighter, elegant and far more
refined, closer to complex wines than
hard-nosed whiskies, making them more relatable
to the palate. “I think it’s the novelty factor which is
making people go crazy. Also, these whiskies are
easy to drink; they are not heavy-bodied like
Scotch,” says Saswat.
Another great contributor to the success of
Japanese whisky is the complementary Japanese
food which has been a huge success all over the
EXOTICA [84]MAY 2016
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world. “They couldn’t market their
traditional drink, Sake, because of its
ritualistic sacrosanct appeal. Their whisky
reached the global market like sushi,
which actually worked for the Japanese,”
says Sandeep Arora, whisky connoisseur.
JAPANESE WHISKY AS
A BOUTIQUE PLEASURE
THEREare a few people in the
country who are collecting
it for their private use or jazzing up their home
bar collection. “I have a private collection of almost
all Japanese whisky labels but it’s not available
commercially on the bar menu of Dramz. People
who travel a lot and want to try something
novel are the ones who are on a lookout for
Japanese whisky. It’s for people who are willing
to buy a bottle worth `15,000 or more simply to
satiate their curiosity,” says Sunil Aggarwal,
owner, Dramz.
“I personally don't think there is any sort
of an investment in these rare Japanese whiskies.
They are more of a statement right now than
an investment. I collect them as well personally
but don’t see a point investing in them as
a private collector. You can only feel good
about it by showing it off to your guests,”
adds Arora.
THE JAPANESE STRATEGY
ASastute investors and marketers, the Japanese
have built equity for their whisky globally.
They learnt a lot from the Scots by embracing their
whisky practices.
“The Japanese have been showcasing their
whiskies at the global whisky sampling event,
Whisky Live, since 2008. Jim Murray, by selecting
Yamazaki in 2013, only leveraged the Japanese
brand of whiskies in the industry, taking it to
another level,” shares Arora.
Moreover, the availability of Japanese whisky is
very limited, which makes its presence more
significant. As he puts it, “Japanese whiskies get a
higher off take from Russia, Taiwan and the US.
India's turn comes after these markets and by the
Japanese have been
showcasing their whiskies at
the global whisky sampling
event, Whisky Live, since
2008. Jim Murray by selecting
Yamazaki in 2013, only
leveraged the Japanese brand
of whiskies in the industry,
taking it to another level
EXOTICA [85]MAY 2016
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time they think of India, there’s no liquid left.
Besides, Nikka and Suntory have a direct presence
in these countries which makes them import the
liquid and invest in the brand.”
Scotch has had a presence for almost 400 years
whereas the Japanese started marketing only a
decade back. There are almost 104 distilleries in
Scotland whereas in Japan there are only two
primary players, Nikka and Suntory, with a few
smaller ones at play. The huge comparison is
obvious; even then Japanese have been successful
in popularising their product.
Arora further adds, “Japanese themselves
didn't accept their whiskies until ten years back.
They had to be introduced at highballs which
turned out to be a rage across Japan. They loved
the idea of a highball, which was nothing but
whisky, soda and ice so much so that it became a
turning point for Japanese whisky.” This was the
time when Japanese started marketing their
whiskies at global tasting affairs where they got a
lot of acceptance. Their patience, consistent
marketing and the genuine product have caught
the fancy of the connoisseurs and consumers
across the world.
THE INDIAN JET SETTERS
THEonly consistent Japanese whisky coming
to India is through global travellers.
Elaborating on the duty free culture, Arora says,
“Indians flying outside the country are the ones
who are bringing in Japanese whisky for home bar
consumption which is very defined and limited in
our country. The awareness for Japanese whisky is
definitely on the rise in India. It is still bordering
on finesse, mystique and curiosity. People will
have to consume different Japanese whiskies to
understand and have an opinion on it which I feel
is still 18 months away. It’s more of a fad right
now. Indians are just finding it fashionable or luxe
to talk about Japanese whisky.”
EXOTICA [86]MAY 2016
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THE INDIAN STORY
INDIANSare still embracing
Scotch and other
international whiskies. Across the world,
Scotch continues to lead in a big way.
The other categories which are being
looked upon are Bourbon, Japanese
and Irish.
“Beam Suntory, the world’s third
largest spirit company, is still
looking to sell Canadian, Bourbon
or Scotch whiskies to India. The
Suntory range of whisky will not come
here until another two years because of
shortage of volume,” Arora adds.
“If Beam Suntory can’t cope with the quantity
for North Americans, how would they manage to
bring the liquor to India,” asks Saswat.
In India, people are still in the process of
getting a hand on these exquisite bottles. As of
now, these rare whiskies are only available at duty
free and they do not carry an age statement which
is a letdown.
“One in every 20 whisky bottles sold in America
is Japanese and because the demand is so high,
they have stopped producing age statement labels.
For instance, Hibiki Suntory 12 YO doesn’t mention
the age anymore on the bottle. They are selling non-
age statement labels to meet the demand,” shares
Saswat. This strategy might hit the Japanese whisky
market eventually
as the Orient likes its brew aged.
With Japanese creating newer styles of whisky,
the aged variant has been put on a pedestal. If a
normal 18 YO whisky costs $100 then a Japanese
label will come around at $160. “The Japanese have
very smartly succeeded in coming up with special
editions of non-age statement whisky and people
have accepted this tactic as well. People across the
world are only too happy to simply grab a Japanese
label right now, irrespective of its pedigree or age,”
concludes Arora.
The Japanese have very
smartly succeeded in
coming up with special
editions of non-age
statement whisky and
people have accepted this
tactic as well. People across
the world are only too
happy to simply grab a
bottle of any Japanese label
EXOTICA [87]MAY 2016
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F I R S T HAND
Although it has just been over a month, Truefitt
& Hill already commands a certain aura of
extreme comfort which makes it stand out in the
crowd. A high end establishment at a swanky
address in the capital, catering exclusively to
men, convinces you to splurge. Boasting of
notable patrons like Charles Dickens, this one
will demand a second visit from the dapper in
you. CHRISTY VARGHESE checks in
088_091_TRUEFITT&HILL(4).qxd 2/13/1950 7:25 PM Page 88
WITHthe intention of appeasing my
parents’ incessant badgering
about looking shabby all the time
and ever-reducing chances for prospective brides, I finally
decided to pamper myself a bit. The mission brings me to Truefitt
& Hill salon, sipping on some first rate in-house coffee.
I observe wall to wall wood panelling, tapping my feet to the
lilting rhythmic blues playing in the background. Their tagline,
“Grooming Men for Greatness”, seems very much appropriate
after I find out that apart from Dickens, Truefitt has catered to
glittering names such as Alfred Hitchcock, Frank Sinatra, Oscar
Wilde and Sir Winston Churchill. Established in 1805, Truefitt &
Hill is the world’s oldest barber shop, according to the Guinness
Book of records, and are barbers and Royal Warrant holders to
The Duke of Edinburgh. This officially gives them the right to
service the British Royal Family as and when they demand or
require it. I chide myself for making a big deal out of a “puny”
haircut even if it is from the royal barbers.
That is when an extremely courteous Anisur Rehman
interrupts my train of thoughts. While engaging in some
friendly small talk, he leads me to my chair. As the
soft-spoken barber sizes up my hair, I recall the
receptionist telling me that she will have the
best barber under Truefitt & Hill’s tutelage
tend to my dishevelled bush and give me a
shave as smooth as smooth can get. I
silently, and fervently, hope that the
receptionist doesn't call every
barber here, as “the best barber
that we have”. But my
apprehension disappears in a
short while though, probably due to
the polite demeanour of Rehman.
Though he seems really intent on
attending to my hair with extreme concentration, my attempt at
provoking him into a steady conversation proves successful as he
opens up about himself and, to a large extent, the esteemed
establishment that employs him. He had been practising his trade
in Mumbai for the past 17 years and came down to Delhi after
passing an interview and a month of training to work here. “A
quick and witty Englishman from Truefitt & Hill trained us in the
techniques and customs attached to their culture. He embedded
in us trainees the thought that whatever service we provide to a
customer, one thing should always be kept in mind, the comfort
of the client is priority number one. After having learnt that last
EXOTICA [89]MAY 2016
THE ROYAL TALE
o The story of the oldest
barber shop in the world
began in fashionable Mayfair
in 1805, the year of Nelson’s
victorious battle at Cape
Trafalgar, when King George III
sat on England’s throne and
William Pitt the younger served
as the Prime Minister.
o The Royal connection is
continued to this day by
Truefitt’s barbers, who visit
either Buckingham Palace or
Windsor Castle to attend H.R.H.
The Duke of Edinburgh, while
other members of the Royal
family and the Royal household
visit Truefitt & Hill’s premises at
St. James’s.
o Truefitt & Hill have also
attended to numerous Royals
of other European courts and
famous politicians such as
William Gladstone, the Duke
of Wellington, Sir Winston
Churchill and Field Marshal
the Viscount Montgomery
of Alamain.
o Many legendary figures from
the world of arts and
entertainment, have also
enjoyed the Truefitt touch
including Charles Dickens,
Oscar Wilde, Lord Byron, Alfred
Hitchcock and Frank Sinatra
among others.
088_091_TRUEFITT&HILL(4).qxd 2/13/1950 7:25 PM Page 89
lesson, I truly consider myself to be a
part of Truefitt’s vast heritage”, Anisur
tells me, while prancing around my
chair with a pair of shiny scissors.
After he’s done trimming stray
strands of hair to signal the conclusion
of The Royal Haircut, he expectantly asks
me for my opinion on his work. Well, I
have to hand it to him, he has pulled off a
miracle of some sorts. I never have liked
the slick after-haircut look but even after
trimming my hair to an extent which I
consider brutally short, Rehman’s
handiwork makes me look not so bad, on
the whole. And no, I wasn't deliberately
prodding myself on to be optimistic about
it just because I’m spending some
money on it.
When I mention this to him,
he laughs, giving the products of
Truefitt & Hill due credit for
this miracle. “The products
offered by the house of
Truefitt & Hill are the
cumulative results of over 209
years of research and intimate
customer relationships”, he tells
me. While there are several ranges
to choose from, with each range having
its own set of products under it, the colognes
are the signature products here. To humour
me, Rehman teases my olfactory senses with a
brief whiff of every bottle that he has. Amongst
them all, I find the essence of the West
Indian Limes and Freshman cologne
captivating enough to linger on.
Since its initiation, the franchisee
has released limited products and
makes sure that the essential
composition and the appearance of
the products aren’t tampered with.
Pointing to a bottle labeled C.A.R
Cream, amongst several that are lying
in front of me, Rehman recounts an
interesting story. He tells me about an
incident of somewhat epic
proportions wherein one of the
salvage operations, amongst
numerous others, to retrieve valuable
items from the wreckage of the RMS
Titanic recovered a Truefitt & Hill
product, C.A.R Cream. How much more
closely entwined with history can this
place get, I think to myself. Coaxed by my
seemingly undying curiosity, he tells me
more about Truefitt & Hill than the official
website possibly could.
WHILEhe wraps my face in
a hot towel to
cleanse my face of any leftover foam after
the careful, time consuming Royal Shave,
Rehman tells me that every object
touching my skin happens to be a
Truefitt & Hill product,
including the towels, razor and
the shaving brush. I can hear
my vibrating (due to the
machine-aided face massage)
mind squeal with delight when
he tells me that the bristles of
the brush consist of hand knotted
badger hair.
Once he’s done, Rehman
ceremoniously dusts me off before bidding
me adieu. While wishing me well for all future
endeavours, he recommends that I should
experience the relaxing Royal Manicure and
Pedicure as well. I had always assumed
that getting a manicure or pedicure is
an act more in sync with the opposite
sex. But since I am really pleased with
the dapper treatment that I have
received from the oldest barber shop
in the world, I decide to go with the
flow and enroll myself for a pamper
session as well.
While the pair of therapists
assigned to me, Ajay Kumar and
Rahab, tend to my hands and feet with
EXOTICA [90]MAY 2016
088_091_TRUEFITT&HILL(4).qxd 2/13/1950 7:25 PM Page 90
the lavender-scented scrub before dipping my feet
into a tub of warm water, I close my eyes. The
soothing mellow aroma of the lavender bath salts
complement the relaxation-inducing churning
motions of the adequately warm water and both
sensations combine to aid me in dropping into a
trance like state.
Next thing I know, Ajay is swivelling my toes,
one by one while Rahab is applying the fragrant
massage cream. I must have dozed off or something
as I can’t account for what happened in the past 15
minutes. When I express my panic at this
unexpected occurence, Ajay assures me that he's
used to clients dropping into a brief siesta while he’s
“oiling their squeaky hinges”, which is how he
described his massages. He tells me that during the
brusque duration while I was asleep, he vigorously
scrubbed my heels to get rid of the dead skin I had
amassed over a lot of time before applying a lather of
lavender-based moisturiser. Ajay laughs whole-
heartedly when I declare that this whole procedure
seems manageable enough to do it by myself, before
asking me that why wasn’t I then taking the
appropriate measures to care for my own skin,
considering that it’s the only one I have? Saving me
from an embarrassing silence, he calmly proceeds to
tell me how we humans are too engrossed in chasing
the things they want, while shying away from doing
the things they need, like taking proper care of
ourselves. A pretty philosophical justification as to
why we need to visit salons for a monthly manicure
and pedicure, I think to myself.
BUTthere’s no bad blood between us,
Ajay’s honest, genuine smile tells me
while he shakes my hand before I take my leave.
While I descend the steps, I’m humming to the
catchy tune I heard in the salon. I feel confident
enough to approach a random stranger and strike a
conversation and when she doesn’t shoo me away,
I’m certain that I couldn’t have spent my money in a
better way. And for that moment, after my “puny”
haircut, I feel invincible. I feel like I have been finally
“groomed for greatness”.
EXOTICA [91]MAY 2016
088_091_TRUEFITT&HILL(4).qxd 2/13/1950 7:25 PM Page 91
S W I M W E A R C O L L E C T I O N
It’s that time of the
year again. Whether
you hit the beach or
the pool, these pieces
are perfect for that big
splash
CALVIN KLEIN: This monochrome
turquoise halter tankini is sure to
get the temperature soaring. A
sleek one piece with shirring detail
and bar accent. V-neck with halter
style straps. Price `6,350
MISSONI: This
multicoloured
two piece
beauty comes
with a crop top.
Price on
request.
ARMANI WOMEN: This tomato red
two piece will brighten your day at
the beach. Price `12,998
ARMANI WOMEN: Fuschia-
coloured tankini with maximum
rear coverage and straps.
Price on request.
STELLA MCCARTNEY: This
breathtakingly beautiful spring summer
performance swimsuit in orange will
make you look like a thousand bucks.
Price on request.
AGENT PROVOCATEUR:
A flowery swimsuit with a riot of
colours and accented bustline.
Price on request.
092_093_FASHION_SWIMWEAR(2).qxd 2/13/1950 7:25 PM Page 92
CALVIN KLEIN: Blue swim
shorts with yellow logo
placement with drawstring.
Price `3,600
FENDI: Black printed
drawstring swim trunks.
Price on request.
VERSACE: Printed orange
swim shorts. Price on request.
ORLEBAR BROWN: A beachy
‘setter thatching a plan’ print swim
trunks. Price `22,300
MISSONI: Shorts in navy
and white made from nylon
and Ikat stripe design
finished with a drawstring
waist, held in place with
coated wooden stoppers.
Price on request.
ARMANI: Breathable
blue shorts from the
house of Emporio
Armani. Price on request.
EXOTICA [93]MAY 2016
092_093_FASHION_SWIMWEAR(2).qxd 2/13/1950 7:25 PM Page 93
F LY H I G H
THEAIRPORTS Authority of India
won the “India Pride Awards” 2015-16
for “Excellence in infrastructure development” in
the category of Public Sector Undertaking —
Central for which all leading PSUs of India
participated. As an organisation, it has been
working tirelessly towards India’s sustainable
growth and is renowned for providing state-of-the-
art infrastructure, passenger facilities and air
navigation services at all airports across
the nation. The award ceremony was held at The
Taj Mahal Hotel in the capital. The winners were
felicitated by M Venkaiah Naidu, Union Minister
for Urban Development, Housing and Urban
Poverty Alleviation and Parliamentary
Affairs, who was the Chief Guest for the evening,
Ravi Shankar Prasad, Union Minister for
Communications and Information Technology
and Radha Mohan Singh, Union Minister
for Agriculture.
triumph Beyond
Sudhir Raheja, Chairman, AAI (right) receiving the “India Pride Awards” from M Venkaiah Naidu, Union Minister for UrbanDevelopment, Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation and Parliamentary Affairs in the presence of Radha Mohan Singh, UnionMinister for Agriculture
EXOTICA [94]MAY 2016
094_097_SUPP_AAI(4).qxd 2/13/1950 7:25 PM Page 94
EXOTICA [95]MAY 2016
ANOTHERfeather was added
in the cap of AAI
recently as it was awarded the prestigious
“Golden Peacock Award” 2016 for innovative
services. This honour comes in the second
consecutive year for Aerodrome Safeguarding
application system also known as NOCAS (No
Objection Certificate Application System)
Version 2.0. The key benefits of this system are
effective planning and saving the environment.
In India, ASAS saves 500 trees (4,500,000
sheets) per year. It has reduced staff requirement,
saves cost, enables faster dissemination of height
determination certificate and faster rollout of
projects, ensures transparency.
The award was presented to AAI at ‘Golden
Peacock Awards Ceremony’ held in Dubai by
His Highness Sheikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al
Nahyan, Cabinet Minister of Culture and
Knowledge Development, Government of UAE in
the presence of a distinguished gathering of
business leaders, academics, boardroom
professionals and policy makers. The Golden
Peacock Awards were instituted by the Institute
of Directors, India in 1991, and are regarded as
a benchmark of corporate excellence
worldwide. The Golden Peacock Awards
Secretariat receives over 1,000 entries per year
for various categories from over 25 countries
across the world.
Awards galore
S Raheja (centre) with the Golden Peacock Award for “Innovative Service” by the Institute of Directors in Dubai. Also seen inthe picture are Anuj Aggarwal, Member (HR), A K Dutta, Member (ANS) and other senior officers of AAI
094_097_SUPP_AAI(4).qxd 2/13/1950 7:25 PM Page 95
EXOTICA [96]MAY 2016
THE AIRPORTS Authority of India
(AAI), Air Navigation
Service Provider (ANSP) and International Air
Transport Association (IATA) recently joined hands
for providing a comprehensive e-billing solution to
ANSPs for data gathering, e-invoicing and
collection of tariff from airlines.
An MoU was signed by Manfred Blondeel,
Director, Enhancement and Financing services,
IATA and Anil Gupta, General Manager, Business
Development, AAI in the presence of S Suresh,
Member Finance and Rajesh Bhandari, Executive
Director Finance, AAI during the strategic level
meeting of AAI and IATA on making a collaborative
effort. Speaking on the occasion, Suresh said, “AAI
and IATA have more than a decade-long
association of invoicing and collection, making it a
robust and unique system, as there’s no other
comprehensive e-billing system available for the
same at present.
Blondeel stated that considering AAI’s expertise
in data gathering and IATA’s in collection of
invoices through BSP and ICH, the collaboration
between IATA and AAI would be a milestone for the
global aviation fraternity which now has a tested
and effective comprehensive business solution.
Manfred Blondeel, Director IATA and Anil Gupta, GM (Business Development), AAI exchanging the MoU in presence of S Suresh(in centre). Also seen in the picture is Rajesh Bhandari, Executive Director (Finance), AAI (second from right)
Participants of workshop on Airport Information Management System (AIMS) with Member Finance, S Suresh
094_097_SUPP_AAI(4).qxd 2/13/1950 7:25 PM Page 96
EXOTICA [97]MAY 2016
S Suresh, Member(Finance) andother senior officersof AAI andrepresentativesfrom IATA, Genevaparticipated in acycle rallyorganised to createenvironmentalawareness after theAAI-IATA meetingin Goa, as aconcluding activitywhich was abrainchild ofMember Finance
TheAAI also came up with a workshop on Airports Information
Management System (AIMS) in Goa with participants from all major
AAI airports attending the two-day event addressed by prominent guest faculty
and the project lead of AIMS. AIMS is a comprehensive e-billing solution
through which AAI is raising invoices to the tune of Rs 10,000 crore per annum,
functional at 96 airports across India.
The workshop was inaugurated by S Suresh (Member Finance) in the
presence of Rajesh Bhandari, Executive Director, Finance, P K Mishra, Executive
Director, Air Traffic Management and S V Sathish, Executive Director
Information Technology.
Speaking on the occasion, S Suresh, Member Finance, reiterated the
importance of e-billing, transparency, accuracy and timely collection. He
emphasised AAI’s commitment in ease of doing business by implementation of
comprehensive e-invoicing AIMS system.
As a concluding activity, a cycle rally was organised to create
environmental awareness aiming for a clean and green Goa. More than 40
participants from all over the country and visiting IATA delegations from IATA
Corporate Headquarters, Geneva, Switzerland led by Suresh, Blondeel and B C
H Negi, Airport Director, Goa airport, participated in the rally.
Speaking on the occasion Suresh pointed out the importance of
environmental issues and taking a cue from PM Modi’s Swacch Bharat Abhiyan.
Blondeel lauded the efforts and initiative taken by AAI in organising the rally for
educating and creating awareness about environment in the society.
“We’ll ensure that Goa airport will be seen as an example in making the
state clean and green,” said BCH Negi, Airport Director, Goa.
094_097_SUPP_AAI(4).qxd 2/13/1950 7:25 PM Page 97
RECENTLYcannabis has
been much in
the news. People
across the nation have been debating whether it should be legalised. It was
always legal to begin with. In fact, it was more legal than alcohol. And then,
America came pushing and under all sorts of international duress, we wrote
it off. Now when they are readily embracing it, we are still struggling to come
to terms with our first love. What I fear now is that cannabis will come back
to India routed via America which is the most shameful passage for our
history to undertake.
BLI
THES
PIR
IT
MagandeepSingh
Sommelier
HOMEGROWN
HIGHBe it the Chang rice-ferment from the North East to the
potent saffron spiced liquors from Rajasthan to Kesar
Kasturi, we have as many ways to get high as we have
languages or cuisines
098_099_MAGANDEEP(2).qxd 2/13/1950 7:25 PM Page 98
A similar fate awaits our local brews
and liquors if we don’t sit up and realise
just what in ignorance we risk losing.
Mahua, as a distillate, has been made in
India since longer than recorded
civilisation has existed in the region. Other
flowers (jasmine,rose), fruits (mangoes,
berries), barks, roots, cereals, grains and
even animal parts have somehow found a
way to be made into alcohol. And not all of
it was vile. Sure it was unpolished, edgy
even and didn't have much shelf life but it
was made for the purpose of drinking.
Evidence of alcohol being a part of our
society are to be found in every historic
text— from the Vedas (who mostly
condemned alcohol even as they spoke of
the Lords imbibing it), the Sutras (which
were more kind in their outlook towards
alcohol and its drinkers) to even popular
ones like the Ramayana and the
Mahabharata. In other words drinking or
rather drunkenness are no invention of the
modern man but a time jaded ritual almost
embedded in our DNA.
The Brahmins used to drink till, at one
point, they decided to give it up and stick
to fruit juices. The Kshatriyas could drink
but only wine. Distillates were off limits
for them as also for the Vaishyas. The
reason seems to be that for warriors as also
the business community, losing the power
of reasoning was never good. And finally
the Shudras who were the only ones
allowed to drink the potent stuff.
Nevertheless, there was clearly a lot of
alcohol and a variety of it around in our
society at all times.
Kesar Kasturi used to be so potent
that just a few drops added to a tank
of water was enough to intoxicate an
entire wedding procession. Another
distillate from the neighbouring Marwar
was so stiff that even a spoon would float
in it. Then there is the Eastern culture of
drinking rice-based ferments. And how
can one forget toddy? I remember in the
golden era before Kerala went dry, I
alighted from my house boat to visit a
state-run toddy shop, where we men sat on
a bench banging a table to a beat and
singing a local song about well,
drunkenness. And this is but
the tip of the gin-soaked
iceberg. It’s not up to us to
ensure its longevity. So let’s
raise a glass in the name
of preservation.
EXOTICA [99]MAY 2016
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WHEN
you love
someone you
see nothing
wrong in them. You even justify their faults in
some way or other. They are always on your mind.
Ordinary things become extraordinary. When you
love someone, you want to see them happy and you
want them to have the best.
The understanding I’m speaking about is not
merely intellectual. Usually when we love
something, we want to possess it. You have known
only one way of loving — love it, possess it and
forget it. When you try to possess love, you rob it
of its beauty, and then that same love gives you
pain. Whoever you love, you try to dictate terms to
them. In a very subtle way you try to rule them.
And whatever you try to control turns ugly.
It all begins in childhood. When the second
baby arrives, the first baby wants all the attention.
“Why did you bring this baby home? Give it away.”
Many children say, “You belong to me and me
alone.” It’s a deep samskara, a deep impression, the
fear of losing our place in the heart of someone
we love.
GU
RU
SP
EAK
Sri Sri RaviShankar
Spiritual Guru
If something is beautiful, you cannot but love it.
Love and beauty go hand in hand.
When you love a creation, you see it as beautiful.
When you are tired of it, you find it ugly.
That’s why to appreciate beauty you must understand love
DUET
THE
UNENDINGUNENDING
100_101_GURUSPEAK(2).qxd 2/13/1950 7:25 PM Page 100
When it becomes a little difficult to attain
whatever you are attracted to, you start loving it. If
you simply get whatever you are attracted to —
just like that— you don’t develop love for it. A
longing must arise which leads to love. And love
brings the fear of loss. Yet, a love which has the
fear of loss, does not blossom. It leads you to ugly
sensations and feelings like jealousy. You try all
sorts of gimmicks to deny what is happening
within you. You never love something that is big
because you haven’t yet become enormous
yourself. And as long as you stay small, there is no
joy, happiness or peace. Joy is expansion, it’s about
becoming big in your heart. This can only happen
in a situation where you are very much in love but
cannot possess what you love.
You can love someone for their qualities and
not have a sense of intimacy. This type of love gives
rise to competition and jealousy. If love is based on
the qualities of a person, that love is not stable.
After some time the qualities change and the love
becomes shaky. However, if you love someone
because they belong to you, then that love remains
for a lifetime. Loving someone because they belong
to you, great or otherwise, is unconditional love
which is pure bliss.
Spiritual practices, knowledge of the self, ser-
vice and satsang (coming together in celebration)
help to create a sense of belonging. When love
springs from a sense of belonging, then the action
or qualities don’t overshadow love. Neither
qualities nor actions can be perfect all the time.
Only love and a feeling of kinship can be perfect.
EXOTICA [101]MAY 2016
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GENERALLYconsidered as a
women’s health
issue, varicose veins is a condition that not only affects
women but men as well. Statistics say 3 out of 10 people suffer
from varicose veins and it can be very uncomfortable. So what
are varicose veins after all? When veins push the de-
oxygenated blood to the heart, their internal valves open and
close really fast, not allowing blood to fall back. With age,
obesity, standing or sitting for a long time, pregnancy and
menopause or due to hereditary factors, these valves weaken
and can leak, making blood flow backwards and balloon up
the veins.
The various symptoms include tired, aching legs,
swollen ankles and feet, swelling and discomfort that can
make daily routine uncomfortable and painful. Doctors
usually recommend self-care measures or, in extreme cases,
surgical intervention.
Regular practice of yoga is invaluable as
this science works on body both externally
and internally. Yoga asanas, done regularly,
can improve the overall vitality, strength,
fitness, muscle tone and flexibility of the
body. Along with yogic breathing exercises
(pranayama) and the bandhas (neuro-
muscular locks), they detox the body and
improve blood circulation.
Inverted postures like Sarvangasan
(shoulder stand) as they reverse the body’s
blood flow and allow stagnant, pooled blood
to flow back to the heart. Swollen and
damaged veins start to look more normal.
To really get long-term relief from
varicose veins, it’s important to try
these postures in which the legs
are elevated or the body
inverted. Any of these will give
you some immediate relief.
EXOTICA [102]MAY 2016
FITN
ESS
Bharat Thakuris a yoga guru and founder ofArtistic Yoga
YOGA
FOR
VARICOSE
VEINS
Mostly seen as a cosmetic problem, varicose
veins, also called spider veins, are dark and
enlarged veins which can get really painful
if left untreated. Here’s how yoga can bring
relief to sufferers
102_103_BHARAT THAKUR(2).qxd 2/13/1950 7:25 PM Page 102
VIPREETKARNI ASANA
o Lie flat on your back, arms by your side
and feet together.
o Inhaling, slowly raise both your legs,
keep them straight and together.
o Raise your back off the floor and lower
your legs towards your head.
o Support the hips with both your hands.
o Hold for a minute or as long as
comfortable.
o Slowly lower the hips, bringing arms by
your side and lower the legs.
BENEFITS:
o Redirects the flow of blood
upwards, relieving
varicose vein symptoms.
o Improves blood
circulation.
EXOTICA [103]MAY 2016
UTTHANPADASANA
o Lie on your back with legs together, arms by your side, palms on floor.
o Inhale as you raise the right leg to 90 degrees or as high as comfortable.
o Hold for 10-30 seconds, holding the breath.
o Exhale as you slowly bring the leg down. Repeat with left leg.
o Repeat, lifting both legs together.
BENEFITS:
o Facilitates blood circulation.
o Strengthens ab muscles, digestive system and lower back.
SARVANGASANA
o Lie flat on your back, arms by your side and feet together.
o Inhaling, slowly raise both your legs to 90 degrees, keeping them straight.
o Support your back with both hands, roll and raise your legs, hips and back
to a vertical position.
o Gently push the chest forward so it presses against the chin.
o Relax, breathe normally and hold for 30 seconds to a minute.
o Slowly lower the hips, place arms by your side and lower the legs.
BENEFITS:
o Redirects the flow of blood upwards, relieving varicose vein
symptoms.
o Strengthens the back and shoulders.
o Improves blood circulation.
Setp
(2)
Setp
(1)
102_103_BHARAT THAKUR(2).qxd 2/13/1950 7:25 PM Page 103
EXOTICA [104]MAY 2016
NU
MB
ERG
AM
E
Sanjay Jumaani
Numerologist
COUNT
YOUR
FATE
NUMBER 1
(Ruled by Sun, people born on
the 1st, 10th, 19th and 28th)
A confused mind may continue
to waver, making you feel
indecisive. You can multi-task
though if you feel you are
achieving success. Give enough
time to your projects; you will
taste success, sooner or later. A
slow balancing is in the offing
after which it’s over to your own
decisions and actions.
NUMBER 2
(Ruled by Moon, people born on
the 2nd, 11th, 20th and 29th)
It is likely that some unforeseen
expense may mount up but if it
is worthwhile, there is nothing
much to fear. Good things in life
do cost a little more so at times
being “penny wise” does not
always help. Keep a tab on your
health, especially blood
pressure. Try alternate therapies
such as yoga or meditation.
NUMBER 3
(Ruled by Jupiter, people born
on the 3rd, 12th, 21st and 30th)
We often fool ourselves that we
work for our family but if we
can’t give them time, then
there is simply no use of
money. You may not be after it
for the love of it but you might
be just under some obligation
to others, which at times
makes you feel insecure about
your status.
NUMBER 4
(Ruled by Uranus, people born
on the 4th, 13th, 22nd and 31st)
A creative mind and an
adventurous attitude put
together can make advanced
inventions possible. Your
revolutionary thinking is of good
use if you are ready to neglect
the detractors who may not
understand your conceptual
thinking. But don’t overthink too
much as you are after all skillful.
NUMBER 5
(Ruled by Mercury, people born
on the 5th, 14th and 23rd)
Those in long-term relationships
could work out mutually and
create better understanding.
Socially too, you might be
keeping busy on tenterhooks.
Work satisfaction could come
only if you have convinced
yourself that you have put in
your best. So think twice before
skipping decision to another.
NUMBER 6
(Ruled by Venus, people born on
the 6th, 15th and 24th)
Those on the lookout for work
may get a pleasant surprise,
romantic relationships could
take a little backseat at the
moment which could be a
blessing. If work is worship,
then there’s always time for
love. Keep your mind open
and be ready to welcome
change.
NUMBER 7
(Ruled by Neptune, people born
on the 7th, 16th and 25th)
You may need to keep a tab on
your diet. Physical fitness is the
need of the hour. Perhaps it’s the
key answer to any unusual
tiredness you would be facing.
Your zest for success is justified
and will be complete only if you
sustain your health levels. If you
intuitively mistrust someone,
keep away from that person.
NUMBER 8
(Ruled by Saturn, people born
on the 8th, 17th and 26th)
Those who are single may meet
someone interesting and should
make a move which will be
fruitful. Don’t just rush into the
scheme of things though. Your
positive karma may reward you
eventually and you must preach
and illustrate your example to
others, inspiring them to tread
on the path of righteousness.
NUMBER 9
(Ruled by Mars, people born on
the 9th, 18th and 27th)
Short trips or visits could
make work a pleasure, you
generally love adventures
anyway. Those who are self-
employed may expect an
interesting client. Finances are
settling down but avoid get-rich-
quick tricks. Otherwise being
impulsive could prove
hazardous for you.
104_NUMEROLOGY(1).qxd 2/13/1950 7:25 PM Page 104
AT L E I S U R E
THEfestival brings
together the beauty of
flowers and some decent
knowledge about plantations.
Many species of orchids, gladioli,
cacti, roses, creepers, climbers
are put on display at Governor’s
residence in Gangtok. For the
ones who love adventure, there is
river rafting. Another interesting
feature of the Flower festival in
Sikkim is the Yak Safari. Apart
from this, lectures and seminars
about indigenous plants are
conducted. To be held from
May 1 to 31.
BEINGan important
landmark of the
Indian Buddhist Circuit, Sarnath
hosts an elaborate fair and is
home to a public procession of
Buddhist relics. A huge number of
Buddhists is seen coming to
Sarnath for the occasion. Almost
every other Buddhist capital
celebrates Buddh Poornima with
much fervour. On May 22.
DURINGthe first
half of
May, people enjoy the grand
wedding of Lord Shiva and
Meenakshi in Madurai’s
Meenakshi Temple during the
Chithirai festival. Legend goes
that even Lord Vishnu himself
came on a golden horse to attend
this. The 3,500-year-old temple is
the heart of spiritual fervour
during this period. Chariot
processions, devotional songs
and numerous pujas continue
throughout the fortnight. From
May 1 to14.
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105_AT_LEISURE(1).qxd 2/13/1950 7:25 PM Page 105
EXOTICA [106]MAY 2016
he other day I came across a report that river
cruising has reached a saturation point in global
tourism. Some 23 new boats were launched in
2015, with more debuting the year before. “Not
only is there limited space on the great rivers of
the world (the Danube, the Rhine, the Seine, the
Mekong, the Yangtze), but it may be that, in 2016,
there will be more staterooms than would-be
passengers...prices could continue to stay flat or
bottom out,” said the Frommer’s study. I say good
time to grab a summer deal.
India sadly is far from that saturation. In fact, a
country blessed by natural rivers and waterways
has done precious little to make river cruising
popular, except in isolated pockets. That, too, as a
privately-driven rather than an institutionalised,
sectoral effort. Considering the effort we put into
developing artificial water-themed parks in our
cities, and swimming pools becoming aqua
wrestling matches due to overcrowding, one
wonders why our riverfronts and lakes cannot be
developed for a more expansive and serene
vacation experience.
River cruises have been fairly well-developed in
the well-publicised tourist hubs of Kerala, Goa and
Lakshadweep. While the boats on the Mandovi
river cater to every budget and experience, Kerala
tourism has developed plush houseboats for an
exclusive soak of the backwaters at a languid pace.
Lakshadweep, with its luxury boats, has set the
benchmark for island tourism. River cruises are a
luxury in time and space. While the boats come
with their modern conveniences, they allow you
to be a seeking soul, dropping anchor every day
at an unknown port and gathering unique
experiences of the locals on the bank. You touch
upon the vast swathes of the real India that are
outside tourist circuits.
Rivers are also a great lesson in history as we
pass ancient signposts, relics and old bridges to
understand how their courses have impacted our
civilisational flow. The Ganga river cruise, for
example, takes you past remnants of ancient,
native kingdoms, Mughal ruins of palaces and
forts, colonial era granaries, pavilions and
structures, Buddhist monasteries in Vikramshila,
sixth century rock carvings in Bateshwar and silk
markets in Bhagalpur. It is all threaded together in
a seamless experience, telling us where we come
from and where we are headed. Rivers are also a
great way to encounter the wild in an untamed
surrounding, just as they are meant to be, be it the
Gangetic dolphin, bobbing up and down in the
afternoon sun, or the giant monitors and
swimming tigers in the creeks of the Sundarbans
delta. The Brahmaputra cruise promises to open
up the deep confluence of ethnology and custom,
where you might chance upon the native arts of
mask-making and saree-weaving and have some
smoked chicken stuffed in bamboo stalks. The
Godavari cruise shows you that river beaches are
silky and pearl-white, tempting you to camp out at
Konaseema while at Chilika, you could go out with
the fishermen at sunrise and bring back a
gleaming haul.
Cradled by the boat and the rhythm of the
river, sometimes furious and aggressive and
sometimes tepid and steady, you seem to make a
mystical connection with the universe. This whole
range of journeys is just limited to boutique
operators. On a developed scale, there’s much
more of “the India unpeeled” experience that
awaits us.
T
S I G N O F FBy RINKU GHOSH
MYSTIC RIVER
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EXOTICA RNI NO. DELENG/2006/18084 POSTAL REGN. NO. DL (C)-01/1151/2016-2018 Posted at NDPSO on 10th, 11th & 12th of same month Published on 30th of Advance Month