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Page 1: Ritz august 2013

AUGUST 2013

SOUTH INDIA'S PREMIER UBER LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

`40

VOL 10 ISSUE 1

9 YEARSOF STYLE & SUCCESS

THE BEST OF BRIDAL FASHION

ON OUR RADAR:CATTLE TRAFFICKINGTHE INTOLERABLE CRUELTY OF IT ALL

WORK HARD PLAY

HARDER!REAL ESTATE

TYCOON VARUN MANIAN ON SUCCEEDING

IN BUSINESS AND LEADING A JET-SETTING

UBER LIFESTYLE

ANNIVERSARYSPECIAL EDITION

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FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK

ANNIVERSARYSPECIAL EDITION

9 YEARSOF STYLE & SUCCESS

Nine years and it still is a heady feeling to be on top! In an industry that goes through magazines like sand castles on the beach,

I am very proud that RITZ is standing tall and growing stronger. Over the last decade RITZ has become the go-to magazine for

fashion, lifestyle and substance. RITZ has been instrumental in shaping attitudes, perspectives and lifestyle ever since the first

edition and we cannot wait to share the success with South India. A lot of significant events have happened to us over the course

of these years – we acquired a stake in Southscope, India’s leading south film magazine, that gave us the opportunity to delight

readers and advertisers with an even wider spectrum of content. The RITZ Icon Awards instituted by us has become an extremely

relevant and meaningful initiative and the only effort of its kind to honour South Indian icons from all aspects of society on a

national platform. Now, with our lifestyle website gaining voice and influence, we have truly cemented our position at the top.

As we enter the 10th year, I thank each and every one of our readers, advertisers, advisors, friends, consultants, well wishers and

industry observers and of course, our competition for helping us become what we are today.

4 AUGUST 2013

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INSIDE

BUZZIN’It’s high fashion that has us excited this month

10

GLAM BRIGADEPeople and parties...

16

SNAPPEDWe came, we saw, we captured…

20

PORTFOLIOCheck out the best of haute bridal fashion from Tarun

Tahiliani, Falguni and Shane Peacock, JJ Valaya,

Raghavendra Rathore and Rohit Bal

26

HAUTE STUFFA touch of military discipline in fashion; Neeta Lulla’s

reinvention of the Kanjeevaram and the Kalamkari and

plenty more that’s haute

32

PORT

FOLI

O

PERSONALITYVarun Manian on working hard and living the uber lifestyle

48

HAWK EYESadistic, intolerable and illegal – cattle trafficking is all

this and worse. Find out more

68

54UBER LIVING

Setting sail into the blue ocean is the ultimate luxury –

we tell you why

9 luxe buys we absolutely adore

64

6 AUGUST 2013

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INSIDE...

EDITOR & PUBLISHER ARUNA R KRISHNAN EDITORIAL CO-ORDINATORS KIRTHI JAYAKUMAR & SHRUTHI SUDHAKARANCONTRIBUTING WRITERS KIRTHI JAYAKUMAR, MARCUS A. CLAY, MINAL KHONA, RICHA TILOKANI,

SUJAYA CHANDRAN, URMILLA PULLAT, VIDYA SINGH, VINITA NAYAR, VIRA SHAH, SRIGOPIKA RADHAKRISHNANGUEST COLUMNISTS SUJAYA CHANDRAN, VIDYA SINGH DESIGN PURPLE MANGO CREATIVE SOLUTIONS

MARKETING MANAGER PRAVEEN KUMAR M MANAGER- CLIENT SERVICE ANJANA B NAIR SENIOR MEDIA EXECUTIVE – FILM PROMOTIONS SANJAY.G FEATURES PHOTOGRAPHER ARUL RAJ

EVENT PHOTOGRAPHER, CHENNAI M.GURUNATH PRABHU

All correspondence should be addressed to:

RITZ, 7th Floor, Sigma Wing, Raheja Towers, 177, Anna Salai, Chennai 600002. Contact: 42113871 / 2

Email: [email protected] or [email protected]

Edited and Published by Aruna R Krishnan from 7th Floor, Sigma Wing, Raheja Towers, 177 Anna Salai, Chennai 600002.All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is strictly prohibited. RITZ is not responsible for unsolicited material. RITZ assumes no responsibility for the veracity and authenticity of the advertisements published herein. Readers are requested to make appropriate enquiries before incurring any expenses or acting on medical recommendations or otherwise in

relation to any advertisement or article published herein. Also views in articles published herein are those of the respective authors only. RITZ does not necessarily subscribe to these views.

To advertise in RITZ, call Praveen Kumar on 9841973090 / 044 42113871

INDULGEWe review Khalid Hosseini’s new book and 2 great

world movies

82

MAINCOURSEVidya Singh and her chic friends give the Pan Asian

a big thumbs up

86

76TAKE OFFWe say pack up your bags and head to any of these

nine great destinations around the world

VIEWPOINTSujaya Chandran’s idea to detox the mind is funny and

spot-on

90

8 AUGUST 2013

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Visit us @ www.sadayush.co.inwww.facebook.com/sadayushayurvediccureandcare

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1

2

This month we love...

We’re all eyes for Roksanda Ilincic’s

creations, especially her arresting

line-up for Fall 2013. We especially

love the blue wool crepe dress with

a flash of ivory at the back and

hot pink on the sleeves. Channel

your love of colour blocking with

Roksanda Ilincic’s masterful

command of the trend. Available

online at netaporter.com and other

leading websites.

Mary Katrantzou comes

with arguably the most

fascinating prints we

have seen on clothes in

recent times, alongside

of course, Dolce and

Gabbana’s Sicily

printed silk dresses

from last season. The

queen of print paints

with pixels and her

range of colourful,

digitally printed fantasia

has been taking the

world of fashion by

storm. Her design

aesthetic is bold,

edgy and very fashion

forward. Eclectic? We

love! Available online

at netaporter.com and

other leading websites.

10 AUGUST 2013

BUZZIN’

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3

This month we love...

Ralph Lauren’s Fall 2013 Runway Show combines the boyish charm of naval-inspired pieces,

velvet outfits with a smattering of Russian charm and embroideries that are reminiscent of

tapestries. Even as one will be quick to say that there is a huge military reference, the typical

style of Ralph Lauren bleeds through as his signature element is everywhere: right from the leggy

flairs to the tailcoats, from the cream wool toggle jackets to silk froggings and gold ribbon trims.

The show stealer, though, was the fitted fisherman sweater that was so beautifully teamed with a

black skirt crafted out of taffeta ruffles and organza. Available at Ralph Lauren stores worldwide

12 AUGUST 2013

BUZZIN’

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Aristotle Onassis’ iconic yacht up for sale

The only yacht to enjoy a superstar

legendary status, Christina O, complete

with a mosaic swimming pool and state-

of-the-art facilities for lavish parties like

Onassis once had, is priced at USD

21 million. The luxe yacht has played

host to the most illustrious guests

such as Sir Winston Churchill, John F

Kennedy, King Farouk of Egypt, King

Fahd of Saudi Arabia, Greta Garbo,

Marilyn Monroe as also famous couples

including Richard Burton and Elizabeth

Taylor, Prince Rainier and Grace Kelly,

and of course, Onassis’s wife who was

formerly Jacqueline Kennedy. With that

kind of a history, we cannot wait to see

who the new owners of the Christina O

will be!

Dior’s new statement jewellery collection - Cher Dior

The new Cher Dior jewellery

collection has a bright theme

and bold unexpected colours

put together to create statement

jewels. In contrast to the frenzy

of colour, the metal openwork

on display on the back of each

piece echoes patterns from

Dior’s archive of lace designs and

a homage to the firm’s couture

atelier. There are twenty-one

pieces in the collection, focusing

on rich colour combinations, with

rubies, diamonds, emeralds,

garnets and sapphires creating

a meticulous and creative colour

palette on rings, bracelets and

pendants. Available at select

Dior stores worldwide

Vira Shah takes us through the newest stuff on the block.

Ringing in the new

14 AUGUST 2013

BUZZIN’

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A successful Attitude

Attitude 2013 by Vimmi Deepak and

Manisha Budhia brought to Chennai

a haute shopping experience for the

fashionistas of the city. On display

were the collections of a range of

clothes, fashion accessories and

home accessories from around the

country, carefully handpicked for

their superlative style. Ladies who

dropped in at the Hyatt Regency

for a dose of retail therapy, went

back satisfied and happy.

Swati

Jyothika

Anita

Rachna and Sulakshna

Ritika

Runjhun

Sujata

Manisha and Vimmi

16 AUGUST 2013

GLAM BRIGADE

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Kokila Hariram & Jaya Rohini Sachin, Heena & Riti

Rebeca Sanchez

Saraswati & Anuradha Bisani

Neerja & MonaRajkumar & Priya

Mona & Preeti

Kunal, Rebecca and DJ Bunty Arora

Elevate your evenings

The nightlife scene in Chennai

gets another edgy upgrade

thanks to the newest entrant,

Elevate. The launch saw

celebrity DJ Bunty Arora on the

mix from Tryst, Mumbai, and

the who’s who of the Chennai

social scene.

18 AUGUST 2013

GLAM BRIGADE

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48-year old wholesale jewellery brand

goes retail

A brand new jewellery store has arrived on Chennai’s

arterial Cathedral Road. 48 years since they first started

wholesaling fine, handcrafted jewellery, RM Jewellers,

now headed by the third generation has opened their

first retail outlet in the city. The store houses an array

of diamond, gold, platinum and silver jewellery, with a

special emphasis on antique jewellery. The bridal section

on the mezzanine floor is quite impressive, we hear. We

wish them the very best.

The ethical side of hacking

Ankit Fadia, renowned computer security expert, has come

out with a book, called “Faster: 100 Ways to Improve Your

Digital Life” containing all kinds of tips and tricks for you

to stretch the limits of emails, computers, social networks,

video sites and everything else digital. Some snapshots

from the launch.

We

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20 AUGUST 2013

SNAPPED

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A Lady’s companion

Omega, the internationally renowned watchmaker launched the latest line of

Ladymatic watches in Chennai. The event was jointly hosted by Omega and

industrialist and publisher Aruna R Krishnan. We especially love the Diamonds

and Pearls Ladymatic worn by Nicole Kidman at the Cannes 2013, soon to

make its India debut.

22 AUGUST 2013

SNAPPED

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24 AUGUST 2013

SNAPPED

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PACK A PUNCH IN FIVE

Tarun Tahiliani’s fantastic bridal couture

collection borrows from India’s rich cultural

roots, original sense of style, drama and

intricacy and imbues it with lightness.

Glimpses of shimmering gold, hues of

soft pastels and a whimsical frothiness

are reminiscent of an era of charm and

elegance. Creating couture which keeps

distinctive Indian crafts alive, while

exploring visions in sparkling crystal and

carat, reflects emotions that give shape to

sensuous, elegant and bespoke luxury for

brides, grooms and their families as well as

for other occasions.

TARUN TAHILIANI

The fourth edition of the Aamby Valley India Bridal Fashion Week saw the best of ethnic fashion parading on the ramp. We compile some stuning pieces of couture from the collections of 5 designers who showcased at the event.

26 AUGUST 2013

PORTFOLIO

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The Garden of Eden by internationally

acclaimed designer duo Falguni and

Shane Peacock takes you through their

fashion paradise with bridal and evening

gowns, full ghagras, anarkalis, farshi

pyjamas and kalidaar saris teamed with

bustiers, halters and shrugs. Using myriad

hues such as pistachio, pink, ivory and

gold and combining them with intricate

silhouettes, the collection celebrates nature.

Floral motifs, vintage laces and delicate

feathers amalgamated with net, chiffon

and georgettes play the perfect back story

for the collection. With each piece crafted

by hand, the collection seeks to replicate

the beauty and movement of nature in a

contemporary form. To derive inspiration

for the Garden of Eden collection, the

duo recently travelled to Europe, tracing

links to Monaco, Nice and the gardens of

Lake Como, all of which played their part

in inspiring them to represent on haute

fashion, the natural beauty of the world’s

best loved gardens.

FALGUNI AND

SHANE PEACOCK

AUGUST 2013 27

PO

RTFO

LIO

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Titled “The Maharaja of Madrid”, JJ

Valaya’s line for the Aamby Valley India

Bridal Fashion Week was a visual spectacle

involving over 50 models and 30 artistes.

The ivory collection inspired by the laces

found in Spanish fans and headgears,

and combined with the elegant grandeur

of Indian jewels, was very impressive. We

loved the huge fringed shawls, known as

Mantón de Manila which are a charming

Spanish tradition. The battle-inspired

range in velvets, tulles and georgettes

held court in lush burgundies and

distressed greys. And who could forget the

designer’s flamboyant creations inspired

by the costumes of the matadors (Spanish

bullfighters) and accessorised by unique

forms of Thewa jewelrley and digitally

printed Matka silks.

JJ VALAYA

28 AUGUST 2013

PORTFOLIO

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Celebrating the magnificence of Indian

royalty and heritage at its opulent best,

Raghavendra Rathore’s collection was

resplendent at the Aamby Valley India Bridal

Fashion Week. The collection harks back

to the days of the Raj nad the Maharajas,

and is reflective of absolute refinement and

stylish dressing. A plethora of exquisite

embellishments in the regal shades of

fuchsia, midnight blue, wine, saffron, gold

and silver are thrown in to exude richness.

RAGHAVENDRA

RATHORE

AUGUST 2013 29

PO

RTFO

LIO

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ROHIT BAL

Rohit Bal’s delightful new collection, The

Mulmul Masquerade is a journey through

centuries of Indian and Elizabethan

eras of sublime elegance and luxurious

opulence. Handcrafted with traditional

and timeless art forms of embroidery and

surface ornamentation, Mulmul reflects

the glorious indulgence of the privileged

aristocracy from The Golden Age of

India. From antique gold Kasab Kashmiri

embroidery on muslin to Shibori on fabrics

like chanderi and voiles, the look and feel

is understated and ethereal. The rich jewel

tone of velvet combined with the starkness

of ivory muslin offers the ultimate in bridal

luxury. The collection also offers glimpses

of the Elizabethan era of corsets, costumes

and coquetry; a time of secret, seductive

indulgence and revelry.

30 AUGUST 2013

PORTFOLIO

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Military-inspired fashion takes a step up from

camouflage prints. The clothing gets more

feminine with strong accents of insignia, buttons,

studs and pockets. The range varies in colours

and texture - olive, black, navy and mustard

colours in velvet, leather and knits. Enlist in the

army and rule the world!

Pretty Military

3-dial watch

by Diesel

Calvin Klein Fall

Winter 2013 Runway

Emilio Pucci

Resort 2013 Runway

Formula 1 olive watch

by TAG Heuer

Givenchy Fall

Winter 2013 Runway

Khaki and black

watch by Nautica

Marc by Marc Jacobs Fall

Winter 2013 Runway

Neha Dhupia in

Sabyasachi Couture

Olive stones necklace

by Zara

Prabal Gurung Fall

Winter 2013 Runway

Ralph Lauren Fall

Winter 2013 Runway

32 AUGUST 2013

HAUTE STUFF

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Abstract camouflage dress

by MCQ available at Kitsch

Appliqued hat

by Emilio Pucci

Beige pocketed shoulder

bag by Hidesign

Camouflage print

jacket by Superdry

Embellished shoulder

dress by Fendi

Emblematic handbags

from Roberto Cavalli

Gold buttoned jacket

by Zara

Gradient black military

pumps by Jimmy Choo

Leather panelled camouflage

by Michael Kors

MIlitary green handbag

from Balenciaga

Multi-coloured bead

shorts by Pepe Jeans

Panelled booties by MCQ

available at Kitsch

Pocket tank top

by Forever New

Rockstud camo slingback

pumps by Valentino

Studded peplum top

by 109o F

Studded stiletto shoes

from Versace

Velvet clutch by

Emporio Armani

Zippered doctor bag

by Versace

AUGUST 2013 33

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Ever thought you would pair an earthy

Kalamkari top with a floor-length skirt and

still be the cynosure of all eyes at a party?

Well, we ourselves never did. That is, until

we saw Neeta Lulla’s contemporary, chic

take on the Kalamkari. The celebrated

designer has deftly adapted even the mighty

Kanjeevaram and used it in a lehenga with

outstanding results! Full marks to her for the

clever usage of various textures and fabrics.

Available at: Neeta Lulla – The Flagship

Store, Santacruz West, Mumbai

Price: On request

Ace fashion designer Neeta Lulla reinvents the Kanjeevaram and Kalamkari with a contemporary spin

REINVENTING

ROCKS

34 AUGUST 2013

HAUTE STUFF

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Karmic Kabira by Vandana Dewan is a

collection of exquisite statement jewellery

that is as rare and unusual as its name.

A lot of us must have had experiences

of buying a great dress only to realise it

looks a bit dull for the occasion. Well, we

suggest you pick up one of these pieces

to instantly lift any dull, boring outfit.

The Karmic Kabira collection is made

using semi-precious coloured stones in

a three-dimensional format with modern

materials like crystals, velvet beads,

ceramic etc.

Selling at Evoluzione and Samsaara

stores.

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AUGUST 2013 35

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Circles, squares, bold angles and

more comprise what Renovation

Factory has to offer this season. The

store’s geometry-inspired range sure

is catchy. Featuring a vast array of

living and dining enhancements that

feature French country and colonial

inspirations, Renovation Factory offers

a selection of beautiful, yet affordable

home décor products.

Price Range: Available on request

Shop at: Renovation Factory, 44-A,

Khan Market, New Delhi.

Spruce up your holiday home or

even your city home with the range

of fabulous outdoor furniture from

houseproud.in. The rains no longer

need to cause havoc on your plans to

spend time outdoors, in the balcony,

verandah or garden, thanks to their

waterproof, all-weather proof and

stylish designs. Durable, all-weather

wicker furniture from reputed German

brands Gebe, and Svelte Outdoor are

now available with a few taps on your

keyboard. We are impressed by the

waterproof cushions made of Sunbrella

fabric from France, which are easy to

clean and perfect for the outdoors. Find

a whole range of chairs, tables, sofas,

dining sets to swings, day beds and

more, on www.houseproud.in.

Geometrically speaking

Outdoorsy style

36 AUGUST 2013

HAUTE STUFF

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Earthy Extravaganza

Think stylish, earthy ethnic wear and the foremost name that comes to mind is Shilpi. Three decades and counting, the store has been consistently playing a role in keeping handlooms alive, kicking and evolving.

38 AUGUST 2013

ADVERTORIAL

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When you enter the store, the earthy feel

that throbs through the terracotta flooring

and the brick walls tell you a story: a story

that handloom is no ephemeral trinket with

a relic-like quality to it. Drapes hang down

from the ceiling, soft lights illuminate the

store with a beautiful shimmer. Inside Shilpi,

the fabric is the star. Inside Shilpi, each

saree tells you a story, a story of intricate

and beautiful craftsmanship, a story of

handmade elegance that is unparalleled.

Helmed by Nalini Sriram and Simrat

Chadha after the ownership changed

two years ago, Shilpi is still the handloom

place it has always been, but now with a

suffusion of new energy. A partnership of

friendship more than anything else, the duo

finds itselfwith a common vision towards

the work they do. Nalini has an interesting

and illustrious career, havingworked in films

and styling artistes in Tamil and Telugu. She

has done some interesting makeovers for

many starssuch as Trisha in Vinaithaandi

Varuvaaya – where she brought the saree

alive on-screen. The looks are talked

about even today. “I am a corporate and

a cross-vertical person. I havedabbled in

the world of films, radio,back-office work

and even my own business.Somewhere,

though,I knew that I came from a handloom

background in terms of my interests. My

heart is in handloom, I relate to it and am

very passionate about it,” Simrat explains.

Having taken over Shilpi after an interesting

quirk of fate, the two of them came to

realise that they had a good synergy, and

had brought forth a good symbiosis of the

creative and the operative. “We are grateful

that it came to be the way it did. Of course,

it needed a lot of investment, thought

and waiting. We were very clear about

taking it up, and once it came through,

wethought about it and decided to add

more value. We have immense gratitude

to the previous owners, of course, but we

wanted to add some new energy to the

AUGUST 2013 39

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best of cotton twill and cotton tussar,

replete with embroidery and hand-block

prints; and the other Leela, which is their

signature saree collection trending the new

executive spirit – bold, edgy and definitive,

comprising exclusive sarees in tussar, silk,

georgette, crepes and chiffons, that are

block-printed and painted by hand. Shilpi

has also expanded to open a new outlet at

Besant Nagar.

confidence that the handloom is not going

to disappear from under the nose of anyone

who appreciates it.” Simrat explains.Today,

Shilpi’s range offers something for everyone

from a 16-year old to a 75-year old. “When

we get 16-year-olds to appreciate their

grandmother’s sarees, we think we’ve

achieved the goal. We want women to feel

comfortable about wearing a saree – it is

just like wearing a skirt or a dress, a saree

is not a relic! If you can watch Angelina Jolie

come sashaying down in a gown and think

she carries it off well – a saree is no different

– it is the same fabric wrapped around you

in a more sensuous way!” Simrat says.Shilpi

is currently launching two new collections,

Mandara, which remaps the urban terrain

of the working woman, coordinating the

store that has been in business for 30-odd

years. The thought, process and spirit

of Shilpi are beautiful – so we wanted to

augment it further and widen the spectrum.

We’re leveraging the equity to create face

time with the database of the people

that were associated with Shilpi – both,

customers and suppliers alike.” Following

the transition, Shilpi has now widened

the handloom spectrum.The beauty of

Shilpi’s work is that they don’t deal with

middlemen, but with the creators of the

fabric itself.“At one time, we dealt with

a particular line of handloom exclusively.

Now, though, we’ve opened the palette up

and really helped reach out to more and

more people. The value is not about the

commercial part at all, but about creating

Shilpi has a new store at

15/4, 4th Main road,

Behind Rajaji Bhavan,

Besant nagar, Chennai.

Ph: +91 44 24455303.

40 AUGUST 2013

ADVERTORIAL

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Ever since its establishment in 2001 as

the Guru Nanak Education Society, the

institution has scaled great heights in both

imparting knowledge as well as moulding its

students into high-calibre citizens. In a short

span of about twelve years, the institution

has scaled great heights, transforming

individuals into professionals, thinkers and

leaders. And, since proof of the pudding is

in the eating, look no further than the alumni

of the college who are spread across the

world and have brought laurels to the

institution with their achievements and rich

contributions to society.

The institution, barely 28 km from

Hyderabad and spread over 55 acres,

was a dream of visionary industrialist and

philanthropist Sri Tavinder Singh Kohli.

The college was established with the

vision of not just providing quality value-

based education but also developing

the personality and imparting life skills to

individuals to lead wholesome lives. The

aesthetic campus was created with the

intention of igniting the imagination of

the students and enriching their learning

experience. Apart from academic blocks

and buildings, there are plenty of open

spaces, sports grounds, lawns and greens

that help students relax while they take time

from their busy study schedule.

The institution offers undergraduate

and postgraduate courses across the

streams covering engineering, pharmacy,

management sciences, information

technology and dental sciences. Labs are

modern and well equipped so that students

can conduct research just like companies in

the real world do. Science and engineering

labs have the latest tools, machineries

and equipment, while computer labs are

equipped with updated software and

hardware.

While the academic year started off on a

brisk note and the college saw the usual

rush for seats, Mr. Natarajan, Head of

Corporate Affairs who also looks after

admissions reveals that electronic and

mechanical engineering courses had

the most takers this year. The quest

for excellence led the institution to

collaborate with several foreign universities.

“Collaborations include working on joint

research in various areas of study, reviewing

academic papers, faculty and students

exchange programmes and organising

conferences,” adds Mr. Natarajan.

Apart from the courses, the institution as

also has collaborations with universities

of USA, UK and Australia. Among the

successful tie-ups is the one with the

University of Huddersfield. Similar such

collaborations are in place with Northern

Arizona University, Newcastle University and

Pittsburgh State University in the USA.

GNI’s engineering college has been

accredited by the NBA (National Board

of Accreditation) and the NAAC (National

Assessment and Accreditation Council).

GNI also has industry-institute partnership

programmes with leading companies

including Oracle, Microsoft and Wipro.

As Microsoft’s gold partner Guru Nanak

Institutions gets guaranteed internships and

placements with them and other top MNCs.

Mr. Natarajan says, “Guru Nanak Institutions

is known for its highly experienced

placement team.” The placement cell

helps link potential candidates and top

companies. Industry visits bridge the gap

between the technical and practical sides

so that the overall personality is groomed

and the student is easily employable.

The institution has a successful tie-up

with companies including Radiant Solar,

Genpact, Pramati Technologies, Leapstone

Technologies, ROCSYS, and UTL for

projects and placements. The placement

cell also provides placement and soft-skill

training, career counselling and acts as an

interface between students and potential

recruiters. Over 500 students were placed

in top companies IBM, Infotech, Dell,

Amazon, Aster, Oracle, AMW, Mphasis,

Data 64, Intergraph and the like.

Quality education was made available to

students across the country when the

institution expanded and opened colleges

in other cities. The group has opened 8

colleges in Hyderabad, including the Guru

Nanak Institute of Technology, Guru Nanak

Business School and the Guru Nanak

Institute of Engineering & Technology

that have been at the forefront of quality

education in the state of Andhra Pradesh.

In Nagpur, the Guru Nanak Institute of

Engineering & Technology and Guru Nanak

Institute of Engineering & Management are

landmarks in the city. Similarly, in Roorkee,

the Hermes College of Engineering &

Management and the Hermes Business

School have made a mark for themselves.

Thousands of students who are fortunate

to have Guru Nanak institutions as their

Alma Mater are grateful to the founder

and his exemplary vision, which has

contributed immensely to the field of

professional education. The passion and

vision of Chairman Sri Tavinder Singh Kohli,

Vice-chairman Mr. Gangadeep Singh Kohli,

and Managing Director Dr. H S Saini and

their untiring work has brought glory and

success to the group and the possibility of

being a truly global destination.

The institutions attract students from Nepal,

Middle East and Central and Western

African nations. Another success story

of GNI is the recent integration of five of

the colleges in the GNI main campus to

a technical campus in the name of Guru

Nanak Institutions Technical Campus, which

is one step towards gaining University

Status in the coming years. With such

landmark achievements already in place,

GNI is poised to go farther and higher in

its endeavors to take quality education to

every nook and corner of the country.

Marcus A Clay takes you through the journey of being a student at the Guru Nanak group of institutions.

Get a head start in life

42 AUGUST 2013

ADVERTORIAL

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BRUNCH AND BEYOND

Page 44: Ritz august 2013

The science of life or ‘Ayurveda’ has a holistic approach to

healthcare and helps people live long, healthy and well-balanced

lives. In its own way, Sadayush has helped many, many people benefit

from this ancient Indian wisdom.

Sadayush, a unique Ayurvedic ‘care and

cure’ treatment centre was started in July

2011. Situated in Chennai, the sprawling

facility sports a blend of contemporary

and traditional décor that soothes the

senses. Sadayush stands for ‘eternal

good health’ in Sanskrit. The

Hasta or the palm, which

falls at the centre of

its logo, is a symbol

of a blessing. The

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With treatments offered to address issues

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among others, the

facility also has in its kitty

rejuvenation therapies for the

mind, body and soul, stress management,

emotional healing, facial treatments, bridal

makeover and detoxification programmes.

Sadayush functions under the medical

direction of Chief Doctor Ayurveda

Bhishak Ratna Dr. K. K Shanmuga

Dasan (Assistant Director (Retired)

CCRAS, Government of India, New

Delhi). He is one of the senior-most

Ayurveda researchers and practitioners in

the country with 38 years of experience

to his credit.

As more and more people are waking up

to the benefits of Ayurveda and holistic

wellness owing to the exponential growth

of lifestyle related diseases, guests visiting

Sadayush can expect outstanding

treatment and exceptional service.

Unlike other doctrines, the treatments at

Sadayush aren’t symptomatic. Based

on the tenets of Ayurveda, their qualified

physicians and expert therapists

believe in tackling your illness

from its root. Internal and

external medications are

provided from the centre’s

full-fledged medical

dispensary. There is a

strict vigil over hygiene in

the facility.

Sadayush comes under

the ambit of the reputed

Cholayil group, which was

established more than four

decades ago, with a global vision of

empowering and enriching people’s lives

with world class personal and healthcare

products and services. This has today

unfolded through business

interests in toiletries, personal

care and healthcare

products. Cholayil creates

products of the purest

form, binding native

elements into the most

contemporary forms, to

deliver products that are

essentially pure, naturally

inclusive, traditionally rich and

ideal for the times. The company

manufactures quality products using

indigenously developed processes,

engineering designs, tools and

machinery. The product-mix of Cholayil

comprises of soaps, talcum powder

and deodorants amongst others, like

the highly successful Medimix, Cuticura,

Krishna Thulasi and Sadev brands.

Sadayush is at

Old No. 65 New No. 129, above Raymond, Royapettah High Road, Royapettah, Chennai.

Ph: +91 44 65491700-08 +91 44 24980262

Mobile: +91 9380431296, 9952061441

Email: [email protected]

Always in good health

44 AUGUST 2013

ADVERTORIAL

Page 45: Ritz august 2013

Suits

Sherwanis

Bandhgala

Party WearCustom Tailored Weddings

Kakani Towers, Khader Nawaz Khan Road Gatsby Village, East Coast RoadCoast Road

9094544777 24495010

Page 46: Ritz august 2013

After a particularly hectic month of

professional and personal commitments,

I decided to treat myself to an exclusive

spa session. I wanted a natural therapeutic

experience, devoid of harsh, chemical

products. An experience based on the

10,000-year old Siddha system seemed like

the perfect choice.

Siddha means “perfect” and the ancient

system is designed to help an individual

attain physical, spiritual and mental

wellbeing. It uses a holistic approach

combining the various tenets of medicine,

exercise and massage. So on a crisp

Tuesday morning, I head to the Siddh Spa

and Fitness Centre, at the Hyatt Regency

to try out their signature Siddha Herbal

Poultice Pottanam massage therapy. The

treatment promises to improve blood

circulation, detoxify the body by increasing

lymphatic circulation, and remove muscle

tension. I can hardly wait.

USP of the Herbal Poultice Pottanam

The Siddha Herbal Poultice Pottanam

signature massage therapy is done using

plants or herbs, which offer therapeutic

benefits. A poultice, which is a herbal

mixture wrapped in cloth, is applied to the

body during the massage. In the pottanam

signature therapy, hot herbal poultices (also

known as thavara pottanam), are bundled

with herbs and plants best suited to the

individual’s body type.

Before the pottanam is applied, I am given

a deep tissue massage with fragrant oils

to increase my body’s receptivity to the

poultices. I feel the tension slipping away

from my body and the muscles relaxing as

the massage progresses. The poultices are

then tapped and rubbed over my body with

gentle pressure, providing deep relief to the

muscles and the connective tissues.

I start to feel very light as the poultice starts

working its magic on the various pressure

points. I imagine my lymphatic system

rebooting and all the toxins draining out of

my body. My therapist takes particular care

to massage my stiff shoulders and neck. A

feeling of wellness descends on me as the

massage comes to a close.

Tradition meets modernity

I am glad that I chose the Herbal Poultice

Pottanam massage from the traditional

Siddh system. The best part of the therapy

was that it used natural products created

under the guidance of Siddha practitioners,

along with personalised preparations of

thavara – extracts of roots, herbs, flowers,

precious metals and mineral salts.

Another great aspect is that one can

choose the components of the poultice

depending on the nature of the body.

Ayurveda classifies body types into vatha,

pittha and kapha energies. So for someone

with Vatha energy, rose quartz and wheat

bran pottanam are combined with nidra oil

to alleviate anxiety and restore tranquility.

For pitha, sandalwood, vetiver and

ashwagandha herb pottanam is applied

to nourish, cool and fortify the body. For

kapha, tamarind leaves, eucalyptus and

camphor pottanam is used to detoxify, heal

and to increase vitality and radiance. The

Siddha massage rebalances the ideal ratio

of these three energies to achieve harmony

within the body. So if you are looking to

relax and rejuvenate, head to the Siddh Spa

and Fitness Centre for some TLC and a

whole lot of fun.

Duration of the massage: One hour

Price: ` 3000.

Richa Tilokani visits the Siddh Spa and Fitness Centre at the Hyatt Regency hotel at Anna Salai Chennai to try out the signature Siddha Herbal Poultice Pottanam massage.

Become a member of the Siddh Spa and Fitness Centre for

12 months at attractive rates:

Annual Membership fees:

Membership type Nett (Inclusive of taxes)

Individual ` 252810

Couple ` 421350

Corporate ` 842700

(max. 5 members)

Once you become a member of the Siddh Spa and Fitness

Centre, you can avail of a complimentary daily massage,

monthly facial and body treatment. The membership will

also give you access to the fitness centre, swimming

pool and the locker facilities inclusive of steam, sauna

and the hot tub. It also entitles you to 15% discount on

all massages and facial treatments, 20 % discount on the

retail products at the spa and 10% discount on all body

treatments. You will also receive a complimentary stay for

4 nights on double occupancy over weekends with up to

50% discount on food and beverage services at the hotel

and 20% discount on laundry and dry cleaning services at

the hotel.

A spa-cial experience

46 AUGUST 2013

ADVERTORIAL

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Work hard, play

harder!

Photography: Kunal Daswani

Hair and Make up: Page 3 Salon

Styling: Sruthi Sai

Blazers and Shirts: Gatsby

Trousers, shoes and accessories: Varun’s own

48 AUGUST 2013

PERSONALITY

Page 49: Ritz august 2013

On the very special occasion of our 9th anniversary, we chronicle the fabulous life of a charming business tycoon. He may have been born with the proverbial silver spoon but the handsome Varun Manian has charted his own course. Having forayed into real estate, and most recently, movie production, Varun believes in working real hard and playing even harder. Vinita Nayar recounts their conversation.

AUGUST 2013 49

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As we enter real estate magnate

Varun Manian’s sprawling and

gracious home, one can’t help

but notice his five luxe cars lined up and

gleaming on one side of the driveway. The

young mogul has been in the news recently,

grabbing headlines thanks to his foray

into Kollywood. The first film that Varun

is funding is a Siddharth-Prithiviraj starrer

produced by YNOT Studios and directed by

Vasanthabalan. Through his entertainment

company, Radiance Media, Varun is

finalising plans to select good scripts and

create quality cinema under his own banner.

The company will be producing their first

film with director Balaji Mohan.

This third generation entrepreneur who

heads Radiance Realty Developers

India Ltd, a real estate venture that is

his brainchild, is passionate about his

business. His gracious home on a leafy

avenue in a posh locality in Chennai

reflects the elegance and charm of the

man. Dressed casually in jeans and a tee

that accentuate his boyish, clean-cut,

handsome looks, Varun greets us warmly

as we enter. While ace lensman Kunal

Daswani gets ready for the exclusive cover

photo shoot, we sit in the spacious living

room, attractively furnished, with French

windows looking out onto a pretty lawn

fringed with plants.

Born into one of the well-known, old

Chennai families, Varun has had a

privileged childhood. Nevertheless, he is

determined to strive and succeed on his

own terms. He recollects, “I grew up with

two working parents. My mother worked

for a travel agency and my father inherited

his construction business from his father.”

Varun grew up in a joint family with his

parents and grandparents; he lost his

grandfather when he was very young. His

father and his uncle – his father’s younger

brother who is no more – worked in the

family business. Says Varun, “I grew up in

a work-charged atmosphere. So it would

have been illogical of me to think I would be

doing anything else except this.”

The family is tightly knit and the four of them

– his parents, Varun and his sister – share

bonds that are very strong. He says, “My

father is very, very particular about family

values. We’ve grown up that way and till

today, the four of us largely dine together.”

He recollects cherished childhood

memories in the warm embrace of his

family and the fun holidays they would

embark on. “My father would insist on

taking us abroad every year on a holiday

to see the world and get exposure. Those

trips were very memorable. Once he

took us to Spain and insisted we watch

their famous bull fight and observe their

culture; that experience is still fresh in

my mind.” So did he have a pampered

childhood? “Not really, I don’t think it was

a pampered childhood…comfortable, yes.

I think my sister was pampered, not me…

she’s had it easy, being the younger one,”

Varun chuckles and continues, “I would

go to school in a car pool and we would

make sure the car was shared by at least

three other people so our car would go

to school only twice a week. These were

small, but important values taught to us.

We used to travel by train as much as

possible when I grew up…so we were not

completely spoiled, I would say.” But this

hard-headed, practical upbringing has

borne fruit. He reflects, “I totally believe that

one of the motivations for me to do well

in business and succeed has been that

my parents never gave me all the luxuries

when I was growing up. I think I always

had that hunger in me to do more, to do

well... I believed that I needed to do well for

myself to live the life I wanted to. That was

definitely a big motivator.”

Before joining the family business, Varun

studied in New York, an experience that

he enjoyed and which also taught him a

lot. Talking about his studies abroad, he

says, “It was the trend at that time for

everybody to go abroad and study. We did

our SATs. I was at home one day after my

SATs, putting in applications for various

universities, and those days you got a

cover. If it was a thick cover, you knew you

had got into college and if it was a thin

cover, you knew it was a rejection letter.

So I got a few thick covers and I got a call

from New York University saying this is

what we want you to do and even offering

a study abroad programme comprising six

months in Italy. It was great. I was partial to

NYU because of the city, that’s the truth.”

Studying abroad was a sea of change.

“New York taught me a lot of things…

I learnt to be completely independent…

to do things like cleaning your apartment,

washing your clothes, cleaning your toilet

even…stuff you wouldn’t dream of doing

over here! That kind of basic discipline set

in,” he says with a smile. “And the best

part is that the city was a major catalyst.

NYU itself was a historic building. It was an

amazing learning experience.”

Varun was in New York for four years and

even did a short stint working for UBS.

Nevertheless, Chennai beckoned. He says,

“I was absolutely clear that I wanted to

come back. I didn’t want to reinvent the

wheel and I knew I had a golden goose

here that I could nurture, so it didn’t make

sense for me to stay there.” He briefly refers

to his work experience in UBS saying,

“I realised that the work they make you do

is so basic.”

Back in the city after four years of living

alone, Varun joined the family business.

Talking about the sale of NAPC in 2012 to

the Vinci Group, a global conglomerate,

Varun says, “We felt that in today’s

competitive environment, the best way for

us to support the growth of the company

was by giving it to somebody much bigger

than us, who would take the company to

another level, so the decision to sell was

definitely in the interest of the company

doing even better.” Nevertheless, his father

is still involved in NAPC. Varun explains, “It’s

important for my father to be a part of the

business to ease the transition.”

So how did this sale happen? He replies,

“Vinci is the world’s largest construction

50 AUGUST 2013

PERSONALITY

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I believe

we are well

known.

Buyers

have

confidence

in us as a

family. They

know that

we will do

it; that’s

one victory

for us.

52 AUGUST 2013

PERSONALITY

Page 53: Ritz august 2013

company. Their turnover equals the GDP

of a small country, and is ten times that

of say, L&T (Larsen and Toubro). So when

they chose us, it was a very prestigious

thing. They had looked at various

companies in India and I think they found

comfort in our family – in the promoters,

my father and myself and the way NAPC

has always been run.”

Radiance Realty is Varun’s brainchild. He

proudly says, “The real estate business

is completely my baby. I am passionate

about it and believe being a local player

is a massive advantage. Look at a huge

company like DLF – they still make most of

their profits out of Gurgaon but when they

come to Chennai, the going gets very tough

for them, because they don’t have the local

knowledge that is so vital in this business.

Also the fact that we are an old, well-

respected family has proved to be a huge

advantage for us to be in this space. And

you know the other big advantage we have

in real estate - that made us dive into it - is

that we’ve been a construction company

our whole life; building is in our DNA – it is a

great skill that we have.”

They might be new players in the realty

business – a small fish in an ocean of

whales, but Varun is confident. “I believe

we are well known. Buyers have confidence

in us as a family. They know that we will

do it; that’s one victory for us,” he beams.

Nevertheless, he is realistic about the

challenges of the market. “The brand

‘Radiance’ is new and for us to compete

with brands that have been around for 30-

40 years is quite a task. They have a lot of

repeat customers, and huge databases so

we are probably a little bit behind on that

front but we are aware of it and are very

confident of catching up too.”

Varun’s keen business acumen is evident

when he outlines the objectives of his

business and what he hopes to achieve;

there is no room for ambiguity. “Our mission

is very clear. We aim to provide global luxury

to the Indian youth, so we are focussing on

the people who earn considerable salaries,

in fields like IT or automotives. Our target is

the mid-segment market. If you see, most

of our properties are priced between

` 3,000 and ` 7,000 per square feet. Since

we are not in the ultra luxury space, we

believe in educating consumers about the

choices they have and providing excellent

spaces for them at reasonable prices. Our

other USP is that we are able to finish our

buildings on time because of our inherent

construction skills.” Additionally, Radiance

has the funds and the professionalism to

continue projects even when the market is

down, facts that have bolstered consumer

confidence.

There is palpable enthusiasm in his voice

as Varun continues about Radiance. “You

know I started this company as NAPC

Properties. We rechristened it ‘Radiance’

after we sold NAPC. Real estate is a very

interesting business to be in. From day one,

I have been a hands-on promoter, striking

deals, buying properties, negotiating and

getting into joint development agreements.

That’s what I call the honeymoon period.

From there, until you get the sanctions,

build your building and hand it over, it is an

absorbing journey.”

Varun takes comfort in the fact that his

parents have been a huge support. “I am

where I am because of my dad. He means

the world to me. My dad is supportive,

broad-minded and encouraging of new

ideas. He is the first guy to say yes to all

the new plans I have! Among her many

talents, my mother has a good eye for

design. She gives me a lot of inputs on our

advertisement creatives and brochures.”

His father has been instrumental in

inculcating ethics that have honed Varun’s

business acumen and his own personal

value system. Varun says, “He insists that

cash is king and is very, very particular

about cash flows being in order. He does

caution me when I’m trying to grow too

big, too fast. Sometimes, I call him my

speed-breaker (laughs). He’ll make sure we

don’t do anything even one percent deviant

from what is legal…he’s very, very strict

when it comes to that. And having been a

hard-core construction guy all his life, he’s

fastidious about safety and quality.”

So what are the problems he faces

in the business? “There are different

challenges,” Varun replies. “One lies in

getting government approval. Although

this can take a little bit of time, I think our

state government is doing a wonderful

job here; it’s absolutely fantastic. Getting

good labour for us to complete projects

– especially the finishing part, is quite

challenging from the technical aspect. We

do run into rough weather there, but we

always overcome it.

When he is not acquiring properties,

building homes and producing movies,

Varun does like to live life king-size. He has

recently acquired a private jet along with a

friend. However, he hastens to tell us that

this is a business investment which he uses

for work purposes. His luxury cars are his

hobby. Varun loves spending time in the

company of his family, close friends and his

mentors, the well-known Maran brothers –

Dayanidhi and Kalanithi Maran – whom he

holds in high esteem.

How do you interview a handsome,

successful bachelor and pass up the

opportunity to quiz him on his love life?

Considering he is also one of the most

eligible bachelors in town, what about

marriage plans? And is there a special

someone? Varun grins and replies, “No

one. If I were to get married, then

I wouldn’t be the most eligible bachelor,

would I?” We rest our case!

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1

THE OBJECT OF OUR AFFECTIONS

As RITZ turns nine, we ponder on the nine absolute must haves for anyone who loves their material goodies. Unabashedly, we choose clothes, watches, jewellery,

yachts, shoes, bags, chairs and cars that are aspirational and are synonymous with uber luxury. Srigopika Radhakrishnan tells you more about our favourite picks!

Who’d have thought carrying around a

crystallized zoo animal can be so posh. On

its own without context, you’d be mistaken

for a sad cat/bag lady but throw Judith

Leiber into the mix, suddenly you have an

oh so covetable minaudière! Leiber makes

no pretense of following anyone’s fashion

sense but her own and her non-conformity

has gained her the huge cult following that

she has. Eccentric, idiosyncratic but utterly

stylish, Judith Leiber is a fashion statement

on its own.

JUDITH LEIBER

ACCESSORIES

54 AUGUST 2013

UBER LIVING

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Patek Philippe has broken record after record for the

most expensive timepiece ever sold. With watches

that are coveted by royalty around the globe, this

brand is for the ultra elite. It takes on average 1035

employees to make one watch and Patek Philippe

has the distinction of making Calibre 89, the world’s

most complicated watch. At $6 million a piece,

it definitely is an investment. After all, “You never

actually own a Patek Philippe, you merely look after it

for the next generation”.

“I don’t do fashion, I AM fashion”,

so said the inventor of ‘The little

black dress’ that is now step one

of a fashionista’s fashion ladder.

Hugely influential, Coco Chanel

created fashion as we know it

today. And years after her passing

her brand is still one of the world’s

most exclusive fashion houses.

In our books, Chanel is the brand

for luxury and exclusivity. We

covet everything that Chanel has

on offer!

2

3

PATEK PHILIPPE

WATCHES

EVERYTHING

CHANEL

56 AUGUST 2013

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The most abundant hue in

nature packed in a brilliantly cut stone.

Emeralds from Gemsfield are some of the highest

quality stones you can get and their ethical sourcing

warms our hearts. With Angelina Jolie, Naomi Watts,

Mila Kunis, Victoria Beckham all sporting emeralds

this season, we can’t help but follow suit. Individuality

is what makes emeralds unique. There is no “flawless

emerald”. Each stone has its own garden of inclusions

and flaws that can be used to trace back its origins.

Who can forget emerald’s most famous wearer,

Elizabeth Taylor whose emerald suite sold at Christie’s

for £15.9 million!

credits: www.graffdiamonds.comcredits: www.gemsfield.com

It’s all good to drive two-seater super cars that go at 200 miles per hour, but in India

we know that if you can afford a supercar, you must not be seen driving it! Enter: the

fastest non-driver’s car ever! The Flying Spur. The Chinese love their Flying spurs, their

flagship store in Beijing sold more of these cars than any other store in the world.

Inside it is posh, plush and ritzy as you can imagine. And when stuck in traffic, you can

just sit back, relax and let your chauffeur do the work!

4

5

GEMSFIELD’S

EMERALDS

Graff makes some of the most fabulous jewelry in the world but their yellow diamonds deserve special

mention. Historically among the most coveted and rarest diamonds, Graff makes yellow diamonds an art

form. Favoured by royalty and celebrities alike, Graff set their diamonds in creative and unconventional

designs. We’d love to say yes to a 35-carat intense, radiant cut yellow diamond! Take note suitors.

THE GRAFF YELLOW

DIAMOND

BENTLEY

FLYING SPUR

58 AUGUST 2013

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All it takes is a flash of red when a woman turns around

to be recognised as wearing one of the world’s most

coveted pieces of shoe art. From his first customer

Princess Caroline of Monaco to Catherine Deneuve,

Louboutin has come a long way to include the likes of

Madonna, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jennifer Lopez, Britney

Spears, Victoria Beckham and Sarah Jessica Parker

among others as his regular patrons. It is said that

when he first designed his shoes, he found them

lacking something, so he took his assistant’s red nail

polish and painted the sole of the shoe. They have

given many a celebrity a bunion or two, shoe bites and

in some cases trips to the ER. His attitude however

is “take it or leave it”. Inspired by Parisian cabaret

dancers, his designs are all about sex, bondange and

pain. Louboutin has a cult following among celebrities,

Danielle Steel, the author is one. She owns over 6000

pairs of shoes designed by Christian Louboutin and

has been known to have bought 80 pairs at one go.

Now that is one loyal customer.

When a brand is the go-to favourite

of India’s filmi royalty you know they are

special. The designer duo of Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla

are well known to the cream of Bollywood and high society.

Their clothes are markedly different from competition due

to their opulent designs, intricate embroidery and exquisite

craftsmanship. Unapologetic about their passion for couture,

it is impossible to look casual in anything they have created.

Patronised largely by the Bachchan family, from the Big B and

Jaya to bahu Aishwarya, they are known as the Masters of

Revival and Reinvention! They recently had Australian cricketer

Brett Lee as their showstopper. Though personally, no one

carries off their creations better than senior Bachchan.

6

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CHRISTIAN

LOUBOUTIN SHOES

HAUTE COUTURE

BY ABU SANDEEP

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When you are a billionaire out on the sea, any normal

sea faring vessel will not do. You want grandeur,

splendour and exclusivity. Enter: Blohm + Voss. The

Palladium is a unique statement that will make any

moneybags take notice. Pools, built low into the

deck, keep the view from the lounges unobstructed;

wide staircases, multiple decks with teak flooring,

spacious dining areas and a gym are just some of the

advantages. The palladium has a sky deck whose

atrium windows are curved allowing for a lot of sky

light. Wide balconies and eight guest cabins that can

accommodate upto 16 guests; Palladium can reach

around 19 knots at top speed. So, how could we not

love this yacht?

Few designers have been as fêted, derided, and ultimately influential as Le

Corbusier. Primarily an architect, Le Corbusier believed that the correct application

of modern materials and building methods could deliver better living conditions,

and ultimately a better quality of life for the residents of crowded cities. He calls his

furniture as “extensions of our limbs and adapted to human functions” and regularly

uses proportional systems like Golden Ratio, and the Fibonacci Series to design his

furniture. However, even if you’re not convinced by Corb’s famous assertion that

your “house is a machine for living in”, we think you’ll agree that his furniture makes

it a beautiful house to come home to.

8

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BLOHM + VOSS –

PALLADIUM YACHT

LE CORBUSIER

CHAIRS

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Freedom, adventure and the high life can be found off Chennai’s shores. Marcus A Clay tests the tide...

Where to sail:Tamil Nadu Sailing Association: The club is a not-for-profit, non-

political and non-sectarian association, whose aim is to foster, encourage

and train people in the sport of sailing and allied water sports. Promoted

by a group of leading businessmen, professionals and sailors, the club

makes sailing affordable and full of fun.

Royal Madras Yacht Club: With the fantastic sailing conditions that

the coast off Chennai has to offer, the club provides some great facilities

for its members. Its sailors are also a part of the national squad.

Charter a luxury yacht and enjoy a sea excursion-charter onboard the

Moonbeam, Chennai’s first charter service.

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Ever dreamed of the Milky Way twinkling

just for you, being watched upon by

the moon and stars, and waking up to

breathtaking sunrises with nothing but

the sound of water around you? If this

describes what you’re looking for in life,

perhaps you should strap on your life

jacket, hop on to a boat and let the sails

catch the drift.

Studies have shown that the sound of

rushing water soothes and refreshes the

mind. But in a metropolitan city, where

a babbling brook is hard to come by,

the next best choice would definitely be

sailing. Take, for example, Lt. Commander

Abhilash Tomy who learnt to sail only after

he joined the Naval Academy as a young

man, and soon created maritime history a

few months ago, when he became the first

Indian to circumnavigate the Earth under

sails – solo, nonstop and unassisted – in

150 days. It was solitude that he was

looking for, and it was only the sea that

offered it to him.

Ask Tomy what it is about sailing that

he likes the most and he says, “It’s a

very natural and honest life out there. It’s

the simplicity of life at sea, the absence

of bureaucracy and the systems of

permissions.” Perhaps the feel of living life

on one’s own terms and captaining one’s

own destiny could have something to do

with it. Sailing around 23,100 nautical miles,

crossing the Indian, Southern, Pacific and

Atlantic Oceans, the mission – besides

being a physically arduous task – meant

having to deal with 150 days of solitude

and sustaining oneself on bare necessities.

His takeaway from the whole experience:

“less is more.” He says, “A simple and

uncomplicated life is much more fulfilling

than one with a lot of material content but

no meaning.”

The completion of his voyage was the

fulfilment of a 14-year dream and three

years of hard work. “When I look back

I realise that I had been preparing for

the voyage for almost three years. I

had joined the project as assistant to

Commander Donde when he did his solo

circumnavigation in 2009-10. I had started

learning the ropes under him. I also sailed

to Colombo and Mauritius with him, which

were part of his training process. After his

voyage was completed, I sailed with him

and a crew of 2 more to Rio de Janeiro

with a stop at Cape Town. I took over the

boat at Rio, crossed the Atlantic with one

crewmember, and sailed from Cape Town

to Goa all alone. Thereafter, I sailed a fully

crewed voyage from Goa to Malaysia and

Thailand.” As if that wasn’t enough to be

fully prepared to take on the ocean single-

handed, he also lived in the boat for 11

months before the voyage started. “That

helped a great deal. Besides, I believed in

maintaining all the equipment in the boat

myself, which really helped during the

voyage,” he says.

He undertook a voyage that no Indian had

attempted before and only a few had dreamt

of. So far, less than 80 people in the world

have successfully completed such a voyage.

To put his feat in perspective: only about 500

people have been to Space and over 5,000

have climbed Mt Everest. But, Tomy says

he sailed out to the ocean only to get away

from the humdrum of life. “I don’t see it as

an achievement because I had not set out

to create a record; I wanted solitude and the

sea offered it to me,” he says.

Tomy may be a class apart, but for sailing

enthusiast Shantha Ravikumar, when it

came to choosing between the devil and

the deep blue sea, she committed herself

to the latter. It’s been over six years since

the adventure lover gave up her textile

export business in favour of living life high

on adrenaline. Having undertaken several

sailing voyages, Shantha says when she

gazes into the clear blue sky and water,

she’s confident that she wants nothing

more from life, except, of course, more

thrills in her sailboat.

In 2009, she participated in an expedition

along with a group from the Indian Army

that took them 572 kilometres from Chennai

to the holy island of Rameswaram and

back in two 26-ft Swedish keelboats. Two

years later she was treated to a trip across

the Indian Ocean. In 2001, when she met

a family that sailed into Chennai harbour in

their catamaran, the Ocelot, and was invited

to join them on the next leg of their voyage,

she accepted without batting an eyelid. The

Ocelot set sail in a quest to reach Chagos,

an archipelago 310 nautical miles south

of Maldives. Unfortunately, weather and

unfavourable winds forced them to change

course and turn east to head to Thailand. A

month after leaving Chennai, they reached

Phuket. Ask Shantha what helped her

beat the disappointment of not visiting the

beautiful island of Chagos, and she says,

“I was initially disappointed, but it soon

melted away; an ocean remains exciting

whichever direction you sail.”

Shantha is all admiration for the oceans.

Ask her what she enjoys the most, and

she says it’s the best way to be close

to nature. For her, solitude was not the

primary concern; rather, it was boredom.

“When I started on this expedition, I was

worried that after the initial euphoria wore

off, boredom might set in. Another concern

was being in inescapably close contact

with others on the boat over extended

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periods of time. However, any fears I had

were allayed by the congeniality of the

crew,” she says. The bonus? “Watching the

mesmerising ocean,” she says, “Dolphins

would occasionally pass by or flying fish

would break the surface, skimming over

the water for a good distance. The sky and

sea met in a perfect blue circle around us.

It filled me with awe to think of the ancient

mariners who sailed without the help of

any of the modern navigation tools.” As for

nights on the high seas, she says, “It was

magical out in the ocean; cool, fragrant and

mysterious, but with an ever-present sense

of danger lurking around. A blanket of stars

would cover us and phosphorescent marine

organisms twinkled from under the water.

It is a very powerful experience and in my

case, it prompted introspection. In that

immense vastness, human affairs seemed

insignificant. I could feel negative emotions

sloughing off, replaced by a love for life and

a state of bliss.” She says at that moment

she knew for sure that all she wanted was

to do it again.

The ocean is much more than exciting and

mysterious for Sue and Jon Hacking, who

have made their home on a catamaran.

The Hacking family’s adventures have

been meticulously documented on their

blog, where they write: “The Ocelot has

practically been our home on the waters

since December 2001, and we have been

sailing from the Eastern Caribbean through

the Panama Canal, across the South Pacific

and the Indian Ocean to Africa, before

heading back to Asia.” Jon Hacking gave

up a high-flying career with Microsoft and

decided to criss-cross the globe instead.

The couple brought up their two children on

the boat and Sue, besides being a mom on

a sailboat, is also a published author and

photographer.

With sailing becoming more accessible,

people are able to take up the activity as a

hobby, luxury or with more serious goals. A

great place to start is to drop by at one of

the city’s sailing clubs like the Royal Madras

Yacht Club (RMYC), founded in 1911, and

the TNSA, have actively promoted sailing as

a sport and leisure activity. The shiny white

yachts, tiny sailboats and kayaks dotting

the scenery are enough to mesmerise you.

When the weather gods are kind, the clear

sky and sun beating down over the sea as

gusty winds lash against the water creating

gentle waves, is the perfect enticement.

And the sight of sailors, right from kids as

young as nine, getting ready for a day on

the open blue ocean is enough to lift

one’s spirits.

If you think that you need to own a sailboat

in order to pursue sailing, think again. Having

your own sailboat is an added advantage

but training schools and clubs have boats

that you can learn on. Boats of different

classes are also available for hire. Being a

member of a club would automatically make

you eligible to use the facilities.

For those who are afraid of drowning in

the deep ocean, well, your trainers already

understand your fears. Part of the training is

known as ‘capsize drill’ where one is taught

to get the boat back up when it capsizes

mid-sea. Lifejackets are a must and the

knowledge of swimming is an advantage.

And, if you’re in Chennai, consider yourself

blessed. The city not only has a long

association with sailing, but some say

Chennai’s shoreline enjoys the some of the

best sailing conditions in the world.

Sailing clubs run camps for children as well

as adults and not more than ten classes are

required before one can master the basic

techniques.

And, for those who want to own or jointly

own a yacht, the winds can’t be more

favourable. The city’s elite are pooling in

resources and going in for larger luxury

yachts to spend longer hours at sea. Last

year a group of friends bought a 44-foot

yacht that can accommodate 10 people.

With a baby like that, which comes

equipped with sophisticated navigation and

communication gear, amenities including a

seating area, bedrooms and restrooms, and

a functional kitchen, you can dump the idea

of a traditional land vacation and sail the

pristine waters.

Luxury yachts are becoming more

affordable. A 10.5 metre boat low on frills

may be available for about sixty lakhs, while

bigger, luxurious ones with more facilities

could cost several crores. And for those who

don’t want the trouble of owning a boat,

a charter service may be what you need.

Chennai recently got its first charter service,

which is just perfect for anything from parties

to a short romantic trip into the ocean where

you can propose to your girlfriend.

Dolphins would occasionally pass by or flying fish would break the surface, skimming over the water for a good distance. The sky and sea met in a perfect blue circle around us

“ “

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s From holding up traffic to being mercilessly trafficked, cattle have increasingly fallen into abusive hands and are

being killed in deplorable ways. Richa Tilokani and Kirthi Jayakumar track the story.

Photographs used for illustrative purposes only

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“Bow down Mister, Hare Rama Hare

Krishna!” sang Boy George. “If you do

not take the vow, You can eat the sacred

cow, You’ll get karma anyhow, Hare, hare,

hare!” Singing about the Hindu ethos and

the symbol of Hinduism, the sacred cow,

Boy George couldn’t have been closer to

the truth. Worshipped and revered in Hindu

tradtion, the cow has been considered a

sacred animal, since ancient times. But

today’s reality spells a very different story for

the animal – one of intolerable abuse and

sadistic slaughter.

India is a major exporter of beef in the

world. Nationally also, the demand for

bovine meat is booming, leading to illegal

trafficking of cattle to slaughter houses

and processing units. A majority of these

animals are transported under brutal

conditions with no shade or water. The

animals are trussed together in crowded

trucks without any ramp for loading and

unloading. Many of them die along the

way, while others suffer injuries. There

is no mercy shown to even pregnant

cows. The unborn calf is considered

a delicacy in many countries and after

the animal is killed, the calf is stitched

inside to preserve the taste. Most of the

animals are killed in full view of each

other at most slaughterhouses, creating

a traumatic situation.

What is cattle trafficking?

Trafficking refers to the illegal trade of any

item – in that it flouts the legal provisions

that bind the expected code of conduct.

Technically ‘cattle trafficking’ is not

‘defined’ in so many legal terms as one

would expect. By inference, it refers to

the purchase and sale, transportation,

transfer, harbouring or receipt of cattle

through means that are not permitted

by law. The cattle so trafficked is then

exploited, subjected to slaughter

and extraction of its hide, and used

surreptitiously in the meat industry.

Every week, trucks are loaded with

cattle, making their way out of cities to

slaughterhouses. They soundlessly remain

packed like sardines in the vehicle, as it

trundles out of sight, taking them into the

jaws of death. There are national activist

groups, such as the People for Cattle in

India (PFCI), which intercept some of these

vehicles and rescue the cattle. The cattle

is then taken to institutes of Animal Welfare

and such other avenues of accommodation

where they are not inconvenienced or put

to death. Our research shows that there

is a constant route through which the

trafficked animals are taken: beginning

from Tada in Andhra Pradesh, going via

Kavarapettai, Chennai, Ottanchathiram,

Pollachi and then entering Palakkad in

Kerala where many slaughter houses exist.

Funnily, many instances have passed where

such cattle trafficking occurred without any

interception, despite the number of check-

posts and tollgates on the path.

In the process of “trafficking cattle”, cows

are forced to walk for miles on end without

food, water or rest. Often, they are beaten

mercilessly to be made to move. They

walk on, braving the heat and the lack of

food – but when they collapse, their tails

are broken, tobacco and chilli powder are

rubbed into their eyes and electric prods are

thrust into their anuses. The pain caused

by these sadistic measures forces them to

stand up. With all the walking, invariably,

the poor creatures have bleeding hooves

that are often worn down. After a long walk,

they are loaded onto trucks where they are

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packed to the gills. Overcrowded, the cattle

are piled one on top of the other – invariably

trampling upon, gouging out or blinding

each other in the process. They are twisted

out in odd angles, their heads bent and

limbs flailed. At the unloading centre, the

cows are pulled out by force, sometimes

being made to jump out from a height that

breaks their bones. The cows are dragged

out from the trucks, left lying on the ground

with other cows being piled over them.

At the slaughter house, where they are

taken next, no mercy is shown even to the

marginally living cows. They are skinned

alive after their legs are hacked off.

The law

Cows have a special place under the law.

Save for two states in the country, the

slaughter of cows is completely forbidden,

while bulls, female buffaloes and bullocks

are protected from slaughter until they are

15. Historic judgments have been passed

in the Supreme Court of India, to the effect

of outlawing cattle slaughter and cattle

trafficking. However, much of the trafficking

and illegal slaughter happens in the black

market, where the transportation and trade

in cattle happens illegally.

The brutal way we treat our animals

speaks volumes about the character of

our society. So when the recent judgment

by Justice B Rajendran at the Madras

High Court bench in Madurai on March

14, 2013 came out, it was a day of great

celebration. The judgment stated that the

“Rule 97 of Transport of Animal Rules of

1978 stipulates cancellation of permit or

authorisation of permit of vehicles and

drivers involved in cases of non-compliance

with the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals

Act 1960”. The judgment also stated that

the rescued cattle would not be given

back to the offenders. The judge further

added that the involved truck should be

impounded and the license of such truck

drivers be revoked. He also ordered for a

circular to all other magistrates and courts

of law. This landmark judgment certainly

gives activism for bovine rights a huge

boost, but will it be able to stop cattle

trafficking once and for all?

In addition to this, the Prevention of

Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, specifically

addresses the issue of cruelty to animals.

Outlawing everything from beating, kicking,

overdriving, torturing, employing animals

for labour or purposes it cannot serve by

way of its age or diseases, injuring wilfully

and unreasonably, or conveying or carrying

upon vehicles in a manner that subjects

the animals to pain, keeping or confining

animals, or keeping an animal chained

or tethered unreasonably, the Act is a

comprehensive piece of legislation seeking

to take up cudgels for the rights of animals

in distress. In addition, there is also the

Transport of Animals Rules, 1978, which

gives force to the fact that animals cannot

be transported in jeopardy to their health

and safety.

Activists ask for more

Organisations like People for Cattle

in India (PFCI) who are active against

cattle trafficking say that the illegal trade

will continue to thrive because the big

players can evade the lax laws one way

or the other. Most vehicles and drivers

involved in this trade are caught again and

again for the same offence. They usually

transport cattle without key documents

like veterinarian’s certificate and a bill of

sale. But even then, their vehicles are

not impounded or released after paying

a fine. Naturally, animal rights activists

are demanding permanent confiscation

of these vehicles to stop trafficking. This

is happening in spite of three different

judgments stating that the Motor Vehicles

Act should also be invoked against the

truck owners and drivers, and the vehicles

should be impounded. The court should

also impose a heavy fine on the vehicle and

return it under the condition that it should

not be used for illegal transport of cattle in

the future.

At the same time, strict steps need to be

taken against those officials at the various

checkpoints and toll gates, who are in

cahoots with the illegal traffickers. There

is no other way 70-80 large animals can

be transported regularly in broad daylight,

without anybody’s knowledge.

Many activists are also looking at suggesting

new laws to tackle cattle trafficking. But

enacting more stringent laws is not the

solution. What we need is strict implementation

of the existing laws. At the same time, we

also need the police and the courts to take

strong steps against those involved in cattle

trafficking. That will be the humane way to end

this menace once and for all.

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Studio Tara is more than just a jewellery store: it is a store that edifies passion in its every creation. We present to you breath-taking pieces of jewellery from the store’s Medley of Jewels collection.

A star in the sky

About Bharathi Raviprakash

Studio Tara is a celebrated jewellery design and production house. It is the brainchild

of acclaimed designer Bharathi Raviprakash, whose passion for precious stones and

design prompted her to take it up as a career. Bharathi graduated in 2002 from GIA

London, and later that year was accredited as a Jewellery Professional by the institute.

“My designs are customised and exclusive. I am all for details, and go through each part

of the process myself,” she says. From sourcing the stones, to laying down the design

and executing each creation with her people, Bharathi Raviprakash is absolutely hands-

on and ensures that every piece is unique.

About the collection:

The Medley of Jewels

The Medley of Jewels can impress

anyone – from hard-nosed power

women, to social sophisticates and

even the most fastidious jewellery

aficionado. The wide range that

forms this collection from Studio

Tara fuses classic sophistication with

contemporary glamour. Whether

you’re looking to buy as part of a

timeless investment or to wear and

enjoy a fashion forward statement-

making design, any of the pieces from

The Medley of Jewels collection will

definitely top your list of must-haves.

All prices on request.

Drop in at: Studio Tara, 10/50, Kasturi

Rangan Road, Alwarpet, Chennai.

72 AUGUST 2013

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A traditional necklace with rubies, uncut

diamonds and pearls, set in gold.

Brilliantly crafted Burmese rubies, cat’s-

eye, and opal beads are bunched

to form the chain. Suitable for any

traditional occasion

Pear-cut diamond and

heart-shaped Burmese

ruby come together to

create a magical spark

on the wearer, which

makes this ring a mind-

blowing piece

Simple and chic, these three coloured

bangles are made in gold, silver and copper

Inspired by the elements of

nature, this stunning and

interesting pendant is set

in gold with onyx, lava, red

corals, and tanzanites

These exquisitely crafted bangles are made

with purple and red onyx as the base and

amethyst and Chrysophase embedded on

them with 18k gold

Inspired from

geometric motifs, this

ring is set with a coral

tube bead in gold

AUGUST 2013 73

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A chunky piece set

in 18k yellow gold

with silver and natural

amber beads. Suitable

for any occasion

Asymmetrical ring set in

yellow gold with agate,

citrine, beryl and diamond.

A funky and bold style

With Mexican

opal in

the centre

surrounded by

rose cut and

champagne

diamonds, this

pendant sure is

a beauty

Dew Drops: The sparkle

of the diamonds and the

shimmer of the briolette

make this earring very

charming and attractive.

Set in 18k white gold

Magnificent Ethiopian opal ring

with black diamonds set in gold

– a statement piece indeed!

Connoisseurs choice: Unheated,

untreated rough ruby set in the centre with

Burmese rubies all around, along with tiny

diamonds on the band set in gold, make

this ring very alluring and extraordinary

Simple yet bold, a royal

neckpiece in gold strung

with South Sea pearls and a

magnificent aquamarine stone

with a gorgeous emerald drop

Lovely South Sea pearls

bunched up and set in an

18k yellow gold ringMarvelous pear-shaped cabochon

emeralds, set in gold with rose cut

diamonds

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Set in 22k gold with a dull polish,

this piece of art is exquisitely

crafted with rose motifs, making

it enthralling and glamorous.

An exclusive piece crafted with

different elements, with silver and

gold discs along with doublet

opal, smoky quartz, white

opal beads, and

diamonds. Unique

and interesting!

This earring is inspired from

the Egyptian style of jewellery.

Set in gold featuring beautiful

turquoise stones

A lovely pair of

earrings set in

18k yellow gold

with tanzanites,

diamonds and

South Sea pearls

Desire of a lady: These

earrings are set in gold with

gorgeous brown pearls, onyx

and brown diamonds

Inspired by the ancient structure of a

brick wall, this bracelet is set in gold

and silver with aquamarines and

imperial topaz

An exclusive ring

with stunning brown

diamonds set in

18k yellow gold

– perfect for any

occasion

A stunning pendant set

in white gold with big

and bold aquamarine,

diamonds and blue

sapphire. Inspired by

Chinese letters.

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We’re celebrating all things nine, and Sri gopika Radhakrishnan is excited to take you to her 9 favourite destinations in the world.

There’s nothing quite like travel: experiencing everything first hand, brushes with various cultures,

rubbing shoulders with literature, imbibing different cuisine and the wide-eyed wonder of history and

art. Some places have it all together in generous doses, but some places have one stimulating lure

that keeps you wanting to go back for more. Here are nine destinations that have tugged the heart

strings of travelers worldwide

Nine destinations

for the nicest vacations

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Barcelona,

SpainBarcelona is Europe’s most exuberant and

youthful Mediterranean port. It is a city

saturated with style, beautiful architecture,

good eating and round the clock partying.

Barcelona invented Tapas (small portions

of food) to accompany the city’s late night

drinking and partying habits. Why else do you

think Spaniards take siestas in the afternoon?

It is the best of Spain with beautiful weather,

great beaches and nocturnal bars everywhere

(did you think the first three letters were a

fluke?). So much so, that the city recently beat

arch-rival Paris to take the coveted “Best City

Destination” award.

Cape Town, South AfricaThe Table Mountains in Cape Town was

recently declared one the Top 7 New Wonders

of the world. But Cape Town is so relentlessly

cool, it could get a dirt mound declared as

a New wonder. It is one of the top visited

destinations in Africa and is regularly on

every traveler’s bucket list. It is also one of

the top beach destinations to visit with Shark

Cage diving one of the most popular

activities. One of the few places in

the world where you can safely come

face to face with the Great white in its

natural habitat.

A sweet harbour, nice weather, good

wine country, beaches with penguins

and wonder of wonders, Table

Mountain! What more does a city need

to have to make this list?

New York City, USAParis has more tourists per year and London

beat New York to host the 2012 Olympics. Do

you think New York cares? Not a bit. It may

be the third most visited city in the world but

New York is so oblivious, there is no other city

in the world. Have you noticed in movies when

the world is heading towards absolute doom;

New York is the epicenter of all the action,

not London and definitely not Paris? Doing

mundane things like riding the subway, walking

down Wall Street or window shopping on 5th

Avenue gives a visitor a richer experience than

anything most other cities can offer.

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Paris,

FranceThis city, believe it or not has consistently made most

Top 10 Best Cities and the Top 10 Worst cities to visit

lists. If you have only been once you know exactly what

I am talking about. No city can live up to the unrealistic

magical hype that is associated with Paris. The much

touted Parisian breakfast consists only of croissants and

jam, you wait in 4 hour queues to squint at the Mona

Lisa and the breathtaking catacombs are, let’s face it,

just a bunch of bones.

Paris is a city that grows on you. Once you have done

the ‘checklist’ that every newcomer runs around with,

you start to see the real city. Seasoned travelers leave

more enchanted each time they visit. The one tip they

all give is to walk. Walk and do nothing else and you will

see the city. It is impossible to escape the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe and

Notre-Dame Cathedral. But the beauty of Paris is what is in between (of course, assuming you like French people!)

Petra,

JordanThere is a reason why Petra is on the list.

Of course, the Rose-red ‘lost’ city of the

ancient world is nothing short of magnificent

especially on the approach after winding

through a narrow gorge in a remote corner

of the Arabian world. But Petra is also the

only city in the Middle East that can be

placed on a “must travel” list without war

breaking over it. The ancient wonders of

Syria are forever lost in the mindless war,

but if you can travel, Petra is a must see.

And it has the Indiana Jones cool factor to it

(if you weren’t convinced already).

Istanbul,

TurkeyThe only non-abstract usage of “Confluence of East and West”

applies to Istanbul. It is the only city in the world straddling

two continents, Europe and Asia. It also gives a very unique

cultural identity to the city. You see European style roads

with Asian style driving skills. In the world’s oldest covered

marketplace, the Grand Bazaar, it is sacrilege to buy

anything without haggling over the price. You can see the

old world wealth of Constantinople in the beautiful buildings

and architecture and it is the only Muslim democracy in

the world. Recent unrest notwithstanding, the Turks have

found an admirable way to maintain their culture while

accepting secularism. It is as much a treat to see the beautiful

monuments as it is to experience Turkish hospitality first hand.

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Shanghai,

ChinaIn the 30’s Shanghai was the “Paris of the

Orient” before succumbing to Communism

and World War. Today, China’s richest city

has regained its ‘it’ status as China’s capitalist

showpiece. From the 420kph Maglev train to

the world’s highest observation deck on the

100th floor of the Shanghai World Financial

Center, Shanghai screams success. But that’s

not all. Cross the Huangpu river and experience

a slice of china that is not all capitalist. Walk the

Bund, stroll the former French concessions,

drink tea in the alleyways of the original walled

settlement of the city. And do it all again!

London,

UKIf Paris boasts wide promenades and beautiful identical 19th century

buildings built as part of Haussman’s sweeping urban reform, London

is the antithesis of that look. 1960’s monstrously ugly buildings coexist

with 18th century elegance in a curious organic development. Banksy’s

unique street art coexist with busy office buildings. Laidback bohemian

Shoreditch artists mix with the frenetic bankers of the city. And the

world’s oldest underground Tube system relentlessly ferries passengers

all over. London is most compared with Paris by travelers and at first

look London seems to be a chaotic juxtapose of cultures as opposed

to Paris’s man made outward perfection. But when you immerse

yourself into the city you can see the flow that makes it unique.

London’s about the numerous World Heritage sites and culture yes,

but it is more about the confluence of 8 million people speaking

over 300 languages maintaining their identities in a city that can

accommodate all of it. Now, if only the weather behaved!

Tokyo,

JapanTravelers coming to this capital city are

subjected to the world’s strongest dose of

sensory overload. From the neon-infested ad

pumping jumbotrons at Shibuya Crossing that

puts Times Square to shame to the beautiful

canopy of cherry blossoms in the Shinjuku

Gyoen National Garden. From an arena packed

with raucous sumo fans to the bellowing of

tuna auctioneers at the Tsukiji Central Fish

Market. You can wander reverently around

ancient temples during the day and rock it all

night at a karoke bar. The city boasts the most

number of Michelin starred restaurants in the

world. Tall, wide and imposing, no matter how

many times you visit Tokyo, you feel like you

have just scratched the surface. Even if your

wallet screams in disagreement.

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Richa Tilokani visits the Sanskrriti store in Egmore and comes back impressed by its exquisite handcrafted products in a variety of colours and designs.

Celebrate life with

Sanskrriti

At a time when most designers are churning

out machine-made products in bulk, designer

Mital Surendira comes across as a breath

of fresh air. All the products at her store

Sanskrriti are handmade and reflect her

elegant design sensibilities.

Mital started Sanskrriti in March 2013,

offering everything from gift boxes, colourful

thamboolam bags, wedding gifts, baby

shower gifts, wine bottle hampers, spice

boxes and ethnic rangolis. She also

designs garlands, clutches, corporate

gifts, wallets, trousseau packing, and

potli bags in a variety of colours in silk,

brocade and jute.

Mital recounts how she got started,

“I am a BBA graduate with a diploma

in interior design. Right from my

childhood, I have been very creative.

I started designing gifts more than

10 years ago, as a hobby, a while

after I got married.” Appreciation poured in and the

strong, positive word-of-mouth boosted Mital’s profile

and credibility. “Very soon orders started pouring in

and I needed to handle things in a more professional

manner. That’s how I opened Sanskrriti.”

Celebrating in style

Today Mital offers more than 1200 unique designs

across product categories and gifts at Sanskrriti.

The store is a sight for sore eyes, bursting with

creativity, colour and design. The products are

reasonably priced too. Plus, everything is eco-

friendly and made from natural fibers like palm leaf,

recycled paper and wood, so you can feel doubly

good while gifting your friends and family.

Says Mital of her design philosophy, “My products

help you celebrate every occasion in style. When

customers come to me, they know they will get

a unique concept every time. I always design

something special for each customer. I recently

did a Barbie themed party, making everything from

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society like ours where every occasion is

a cause for celebration and distribution

of gifts, Sanskrriti has a vital role to play,”

shares Mital.

The occasion can be one of several – a

wedding in the family, a close friend’s baby

shower, or a birthday party. If the idea is to

gift your guests something exquisite and

handmade, Sanskrriti is the place for you to

go. Keep in mind, though, that you might

end up buying something for yourself too!

So go ahead and indulge in some retail

therapy at Sanskrriti this festive season.

Drop in at:

Old No.14, New No.15,

Sulaiman Zackaria Avenue,

Casa Major Road, 3rd Lane,

Egmore, Chennai.

Ph: +91 44 6499 2496

Mital’s dedication has garnered a steady

and loyal clientele who keep coming back

to her for their special occasions. And if

you want the best, why would you head

anywhere else, but to one of the finest

designers in the city? No wonder then,

prestigious clients like TAFE, the Apollo

Group, and Nuts and Spices amongst

others keep coming back for more. She

adds smilingly, “Our gifts show that the

giver has put in a lot of thought and care in

each item. Naturally, people remember our

thoughtful gifts for years to come. After all,

isn’t that the very purpose of gifting?”

Blend of innovation and creativity

The concept of giving gifts is always in

vogue, so the demand for innovation and

creative designs will always thrive. Naturally,

Mital is very excited about the future. She

has many innovative products, fun designs

and exciting events in the pipeline. “In a

pink popcorn holders, to cups to charming

labels. It was a huge success. I also ensure

that the finishing and the packaging are

perfect for each piece. At the same time,

we use eco-friendly materials so we do our

bit for the environment.”

Hand-made is well made

Sanskrriti delivers bouquets of fresh and

dry floral arrangements, customised tray

arrangements and festive gifts. Mital also

handles bulk orders for weddings, festivals

and corporates. Says the charming designer,

“Once the wedding season starts, it gets

very hectic because all my products are

handmade. I am lucky that I have a great

team of craftsmen who help me make my

designs come to life. It is very important for

me to do a good job but I also ensure that

I meet my deadline. It’s a lot of pressure, no

doubt, but it is all worth it when I see the

smile on the face of my customer.”

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with the rendition of a bedtime story by

a father to his two children, the book

begins with a tale that pretty much sets

the stage for the events that will unfold

in the coming pages. Starting out in an

Afghan village in the 1950s, the story

begins with a young boy, Abdullah, and

his sister Pari. The two of them are soul

siblings in the truest sense of the term;

the bond between them is so deep,

poignant and palpably strong. Just when

you think that the bond surpasses the

supremacy of the filial tie, and that it will

remain unshakeable, something happens

that shakes up their lives and throws the

familiar out of the window. As Hosseini

puts it, sometimes a finger must be cut to

save the hand. Travelling across the world

– from Afghanistan to San Francisco, from

Tinos in Greece to Paris, you get vague

glimpses of life in India and a touch-and-

go with a refugee-camp in Pakistan.

While at it, reading some parts of the

book might feel like being in the centre

of an anthology of short stories. Hang in

there though, because they tie into the

main narrative in a very neat rendition.

What sets Hosseini apart is that every

little character – whether obscure or

prominent – is given a complete story.

You don’t find yourself wondering what a

character wound up doing in the book –

each person is a thread in an intricately

woven fabric. Hosseini shows you the

larger reality through smaller realities. He

tells you that life goes on everywhere,

you simply have to dust yourself and

move on. One thing that is certain with

Khaled Hosseini’s writing is that you

are sure to reach for the box of tissues:

whether in absolute inexplicable grief

along with the characters, or the feeling

of helplessness at the larger ethos that is

reality in Afghanistan.

A Khaled Hosseini novel takes you on

a journey that cuts across time, space

and borders. Whether it was through the

eyes of two little boys in Kite Runner,

or through the eyes of two fierce and

strong women in A Thousand Splendid

Suns, Hosseini has a craftsmanship in

his writing that can evoke a lump in the

throat with as much ease as he can leave

a wistful smile on your face.

His recent magnum, And the Mountains

Echoed, is no different from his previous

works in that sense. The same ominous

sense of foreboding is present right

through this novel too as it takes you

to a different Afghanistan, one that

has contours of a time even before the

disastrous hand of war destroyed the

fabric of its existence. He takes you along

all the way from Afghanistan to France,

Greece and San Francisco. Opening

Echoes of poignancyKirthi Jayakumar reviews Khaled Hosseini’s

latest piece, And the Mountains Echoed.

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The Bothersome Man is a cryptic

Norwegian film. It gives you a sense of

being in someone’s dream (or nightmare

depending on how you look at it).

Andreas (Aurvag) is a young man who is

driven through a vast expanse of land to

somewhere that looks like the middle of a

desert. A huge welcome sign is put up on

the solitary house in the middle. From there

he is taken to an apartment complex where

he has been assigned accommodation. He

is told that he will work as an accountant

for a company.

He then joins the company where he is

greeted warmly by everyone, especially

his boss. He is given a cabin to work out

of. Throughout we feel a pall of gloom

descending on the movie. There is a

palpable sense of despair and sadness

that seems to emanate from Andreas. He

seems as if from a different world. I felt

like he was constantly thinking of how

to escape the mundane normalcy of his

existence. Slowly things start becoming

absurd. Andreas sees a man dead, stuck

on the pointed grills of a wall, his innards

tailing out onto the street. He begins a

relationship with a woman, who then

moves in with him. Everything seems

robotic, everyone else seems incapable

of feeling much, his girlfriend included.

He tries to escape this by dating another

woman, only to find that she is just as

unfeeling. He tries various ways to get

away from his existence – cutting his

This month, Urmila Pullat reviews a movie from Norway and one from Finland.

Bothersome Man

(Den Brysomme Mannen)

Year: 2006

Language: Norwegian

Director: Jens Lien

Cast: Trond Fausa Aurvag

finger in a cutter, trying to jump in front

of a train and so on. Where is this movie

going? I don’t have much else to say. If

you are genuinely interested in the art

of moviemaking and the exploration of

unlikely themes – well, this movie is for

you. For everyone else, it could test your

patience…and how far you are willing to

stretch your mind!

Verdict: Slightly depressing and extremely

provocative movie.

Rating: 3.5/5

Hot: Leaves a lot of room for thought.

Not: Not everyone will have the patience

for this.

Time for some Scandinavian drama!

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The first Finnish movie I have ever seen,

I enjoyed this one tremendously. It

does not drag and keeps you occupied

throughout, even worried about what might

happen next. Saraa (Maenpaa) is a young

gynaecologist who finds out on her birthday

that her husband, Leo (Suosalo) is cheating

on her. Leo is a professor of architecture.

Determined to find out who his mistress is,

she snoops around in his office and finds

out that it is Tuuli (Kataja), her husband’s

student. She prints out a picture of her

and follows her out of the office only to

realise that Tuuli is also a karate teacher.

She begins to take karate classes and

pretends to be a psychologist, in the hope

of knowing her better. They develop a

thick friendship, and we are at the edge of

our mind’s seat, always wondering if Tuuli

would find out that Crista is actually her

boyfriend’s wife.

Saraa begins to spend more and more

time with Tuuli, even visiting her house. By

this time, she and Leo have separated and

she realises that he is still seeing Tuuli. Her

trauma continues when she finds a naked

picture of Leo’s that Tuuli has sketched.

She is even more determined to know

everything there is and somehow take

revenge on the mistress. She dredges out

every last detail of their relationship and

a few sordid secrets – Leo has always

cheated on her, even when they were

engaged. As a viewer, you might think that

she is getting more and more disgusted

by Leo. But, instead a little while later

she moves back into the house and they

reconcile. It is a complicated emotion where

Saraa is obsessed with the relationship

between Tuuli and Leo

All this while, she and Tuuli maintain a

steady friendship, getting closer and closer.

Neither Leo nor Tuuli have any idea about

what Saraa is up to. And what is she up to?

Does she want to hurt Tuuli the way she

was hurting when she found out about the

affair? Or is she just playing an elaborate

game out of an insatiable curiosity about

Black Ice

(Musta Jaa)

Year: 2007

Language: Finnish

Director: Petri Kotwica

Cast: Outi Maenpaa, Marti Suosalo, Ria Kataja

the affair? Is it so that she can know the

difference between her and Tuuli, and why

her husband cheated? I am not sure. By

the end of the movie, you realise she is

playing unnecessary mind games, ones that

can end up terribly for her.

Leo breaks up with Tuuli when Saraa moves

back to the house. When she realises that

Tuuli might be pregnant, Saraa is consumed

by the need to find out whether it is actually

so. How does this movie end? Do Leo and

Tuuli find out the truth?

Verdict: A great watch. Do watch it as I am

sure that people who have watched Finnish

movies are in a minority!

Rating: 4/5

Hot: Extremely enjoyable….and makes one

ponder the psyche of a person who has

been cheated on.

Not: The character of Saraa seems a little

crazy by the end of the movie! But maybe

that is intentional.

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Photography by Abhay Kumar.A.V.

From left to right : Andy Crighton, Vidya Singh, Dominique Rastoin, Shalini and Biswajit.

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Vidya Singh takes us through haute cuisine, conversation, and camaraderie at the Pan Asian, ITC Grand Chola.

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“Vidya, What an amazing experience!”

Biswajit and Shalini, of the Forum Art

Gallery, exclaim.

“I don’t think I have seen such innovative

cooking in an Asian-themed restaurant

before. It is refined and interesting with

great presentation and a well-researched

combination of ingredients and flavours!”

Dominique and Andy chime in.

Our journey through the Orient at The

Pan Asian in the ITC Grand Chola was an

incredible experience. My fellow travellers

were Shalini and her husband Biswajit,

and Andy and Dominique. Biswajit is a

caboodler creating endearing characters,

layered with a sense of humour to give

life to a happy congregation of people

that populate his art. He portrays socially

inspired situations with graphic detail. A

professional cartoonist who has had solo

shows in India, London and Malaysia,

he has published in various magazines,

newspapers and books. Shalini is a

painter, sculptor and the Director of Forum

Art Gallery, who delivers a holistic art

experience – exhibitions, consultations,

education and therapy, in art. She has

exhibited her works across India, New

York, Singapore and Malaysia.

Andy Crighton is the CIO of BNP Paribas

in Chennai. Originally from Scotland,

he has travelled extensively and lived

in Europe and South America before

settling in Paris. Dominique Rastoin,

quintessentially French, beautiful and

elegant, grew up on her family’s vineyard in

Provence and honed her taste for food and

fine wine in her travels with Andy around

the world. Both complete Indophiles, they

have spent years in India travelling to see

as much as they can of our country.

All four of my guests are self-confessed

foodies, who travel the world and can

name their favourite restaurant in

any country.

Banish all thoughts of ‘Fried rice and Gobi

Manchurian’ forever and enjoy a diverse

and complete gastronomic experience

at the Pan Asian. The uber cool Chef

Vikramjit Roy has crafted a menu that

maintains a delicate balance between

authenticity and “progression of food.”

Chef Vikram has worked at various hotels

all over the world and has even headed

the Wasabi in Delhi. This super fit biker is

a fitness addict and runs an easy twenty

kilometres every morning. We almost

immediately become a part of his fan club,

and that was even before we had begun

to taste the incredible array of food that he

sent out to us!

Knowing that we were in good hands,

the four of us just sat back enjoying the

champagne and conversation while the

journey took us through China, Japan,

Korea, Vietnam and Thailand.

While we were waiting, we sipped

martinis of Gin and Yozu, which were

spicy, tangy and very refreshing, with

the rim of the glass dipped in soy salt

served with freeze fried tomatoes. The

Green Apple Carpaccio, with red plum

and Ponzu sauce was spicy and tangy

with the sweetness of the apple coming

through. It was flavoured with salted kelp

and ginger. The Thai Banana Blossom

Salad that came next had basil-flavoured

slivers of potato, with banana blossom.

The Tofu Steak blended with avocado

was chill dried on ice, a wonderful mix of

edible chrysanthemums, and the flavour

of oranges – totally yummy. The Grilled

Hockhaidu Scallop and the Corn patty

were served with a mango relish and

Korean Kimchi. This was presented with a

ring of crunchy zucchini and looked almost

too pretty to eat! But I can assure you that

when the plates were removed we had

eaten the last sliver of zucchini.

The Stir Fried Water Chestnuts served with

crispy lime slices and organic yam chips

with sour cream offered an amazing blend

of flavours, constituting a masterpiece.

The House Smoked Salmon was from the

North Atlantic, smoky tasting, balanced

with soft melon and salmon roe. Both

Dominique and Andy gave an A Plus for

these. For us vegetarians, there was the

sesame sauce with spinach blended in,

which so creamy and delicious I could

have eaten the sauce on its own!

Then came the soup served on a bed of

crunchy green apple slices. Yuba and the

soup were blended with a paste of Soya,

Apple and Fennel – a delicious blend of

flavours. Chef Vikramjit sent out a Wasabi

Sorbet, chilled to perfection, allowing us to

cleanse our palette. The offering of Sushis

came next, presented beautifully – a spicy

Shitake Mushroom Roll, wrapped in a

sheet of Tofu, a Yellowtail Mango Roll and

a Tuna Avocado Mango Roll. Each had

its own very individual flavor and proved

totally satisfying.

The Baked Chicken Puff was excellent and

light and crisply barbequed. The Spinach

and Mushroom Tart was superlative. The

Prawn Har Gao was a spicy Sichuan

style, rather crispy and tender, while the

Fish Cake too met with the approval

of both Dominique and Andy, our two

meat tasters! Then came the ‘Piece

de Resistance’ and Chef Vikramjit’s

masterpiece – the dessert. It was a

Ghanian bitter chocolate, served with a

coulis of mango and passion fruit, served

with Spearmint ice cream, there was fruit

compote and Japanese baby orange with

buck wheat crumbles! An unbelievably

delicious mouthful! We were happy that

we chose to share one between us or we

may have had to join Chef on his morning

20-kilometre run the next day! Our journey

has been a wholly satisfying gastronomic

experience and we took back with us

memories of our dinner that will bring us

back to be with Chef Vikramjit at the Pan

Asian very soon.

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Ah, bliss! How refreshing it feels to be on a

detoxification phase! My mind feels clean,

I have a bounce in my step everyday and

everything looks sunny and positive. I’m

sure you are wondering what it is that I

have given up that is making me feel this

way. Well, you may be puzzled to hear that

I have given up reading the news. Yes, you

did read that correctly. I no longer read the

paper or watch the news. It does sound

like a funny lifestyle change, but I read in an

article recently that reading the news can

have a negative effect on your life and I am

inclined to agree.

Every morning when you read the front

page of the paper, be it anywhere in

the world, the news is always dire and

depressing, unless of course it’s a very rare

joyful moment such as the birth of Prince

William and Kate Middleton’s baby! Now

the issue is not so much that the news is

negative, but reading the news first thing

in the morning does set your tone for the

day. After reading something negative, you

tend to share, discuss, debate and dissect

that topic with people you meet throughout

the day. Then you start thinking about what

horrible people we are surrounded by, and

the day continues on a downward spiral.

When you think about it, the news that

you read doesn’t make your day better

in any way, nor does it add value to your

life. All you can do is sympathise for the

victims, feel bad for a while and ruin your

own day. This is not to say that we should

all be selfish and self-centred and not pay

attention to daily occurrences. I think that

when you’re in a happy mood, you’re in a

better position to share that happiness and

positivity with others. Maybe you can’t solve

every problem in the world, but you can

sure as heck make someone’s day.

Come to think of it, why is it that the

majority of news stories we read are in fact

negative? Why can’t we read the papers

and read about all the wonderful and

amazing things that happen in the world?

Surely they deserve some print space too?

I always knew that there was a reason

why I have always preferred reading the

supplements rather than the main paper!

They are more fun, interesting and generally

don’t infiltrate your mind like the evil

negative story monsters.

When your mind isn’t occupied with sad

news stories, you’re able to concentrate

better. I’ve found that I’m more focused on

work, family, and friends....in general being

a better person (not that there was much

wrong with me to begin with!)

Of course, the reality of it is that, old

habits die hard and I will revert to reading

the paper again, but it was nice to have a

brief hiatus!

If you have a topic you’d like to see discussed, please email it to

[email protected]

Our guest columnist Sujaya uses her incisive wit to discuss a new way to detoxify

Wipe the slate clean

aaaa

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