ETAWAH: The Land of Talents

Etawah, my native place, is a city in the state Uttar Pradesh near Yamuna River. It is a part of a Kanpur Division. Also Etawah is a place of sangam between Yamuna River and Chambal River.  If we go in the history of the city, it was an important center for the Revolt of 1857.

Etawah – Constituency map Uttar Pradesh

Chambal ki Gattis are close to Etawah city, hence it is a notorious city even today. But today I, Anusha Pathak, want all of you to know that my native in not that bad as everyone thinks. Etawah is a land of talents too and here I am presenting few amazing talents of Etawah people.

Ustad Imdad Khan

1.      Ustad Imdad Khan (1848–1920), Instrumental Classical Musician: Even though his father Ustad Sahabdab Khan was the founder of Etawah Gharana, which comes from the most ancient school of music, the Gwalior Gharana, Ustad Imdad Khan was the one who developed the instruments, and created an innovative instrumental style that became characteristic of the Etawah gharana. The gharana is also called as Imdadkhani Gharana.

 Ustad Imdad Khan was born in Agra, but later shifted to Etawah. He was taught by his father Ustad Sahabdab Khan and the legendary beenkar Bande Ali Khan. He had served to kings of Mysore and Indore. He also played for Queen Victoria in Delhi.

In the 19^th century, Senia style was dominating in the instrumental classical music of Northern India. But, Ustad Imdad Khan introduced the element of Khayal gayaki into the alap of the first time. All gayaki ornamentations were implemented and systematically developed into the techniques for this newly developed style for playing sitar.

Ustad Imdad Khan was the first Sitar player to come out with a recording.

Devesh Chauhan

2.      Devesh Singh Chauhan (1980), Hockey Player of India: Devesh Chauhan has born on November 12, 1980 in Etawah. He is a Hockey goalkeeper from India. In early 2000, Devesh Chauhan made his international debut for the Men’s National Team. He represented India twice at the Olympics in 2000 (Sydney Australia) and in 2004 (Athens, Greece) where India finished in seventh place on both the occasions.

 In the year 2001, Champions Challenge for Men was the inaugural tournament of Champions Challenge which held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Devesh Chauhan was the goal keeper of Indian Hockey team at that time. India defeated South Africa by 2-1 in the final to win the competition.

 

Gopaldas Saxena ‘Neeraj’

3.      Gopaldas Saxena ‘Neeraj’ (1924), Poet and Song Writer: E bhai zara dekh ke chalo song from Mera Naam Joker, would always remind you of Raj Kapoor and Manna Day. But Gopaldas Saxena ‘Neeraj’ (or popularly known as Neeraj as it is his pen name) was the one who wrote the song. Not only this but many songs like O meri Sharmili from Sharmili, Phulon ke rang se, dil ki kalam se from Prem Pujari, both sung by Shri Kishore Kumar. Rangeela re from Prem Pujari sung by Lata Mangeshkarji, Mera man tera pyasaa from Gambler sung by Mohammed Rafi and many more.

 ‘Neeraj’ji is among the best known poets and authors in Hindi literature. He is also famous poet of Hindi Kavi Sammelan. He has many collections i.e., “Neeraj ki Paati”, “Baadlon se Salaaam Leta Hoon”, “Geet jo Gaye Nahi” etc.

He was born on January 4, 1924 in the small village Ekdil of Etawah. His style is easy to understand but is compared with high quality Hindi literature. Besides writing he was the Professor of Hindi Literature in Aligarh.

In the year 2007, he was awarded Padma Bhushan. Recently in the March of this year 2012, he recited some of his works at Annual Inter-College Cultural festival, Spoculit of Dr. Ram Manohar Lohiya National Law University, Lucknow. Nowadays he works as the Chancellor of Mangalayatan University, Aligarh.

Mulayam Singh Yadav

4.      Mulayam Singh Yadav (1939), Ex-Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh: Mulayan Singh Yadav is an Indian politician, head of Samajwadi Party (SP) from Uttar Pradesh. He was born on November 22, 1939 in the village Saifai of Etawah. He did his education from different colleges of Uttar Pradesh like K. K College, Etawah, A. K. College, Shikohabad and B. R. College, Agra University.

 He was the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh thrice from 1989-1991, 1993-1995 and 2003-2007. He also served as Minister of Defence (1996-1998) in the United Front government.  His supporters call him Netajee and Dhartiputra. Mulayam Singh is a dedicated follower of Indian socialist leaders like Raj Narain and Ram Manohar Lohia.

Now his son Akhilesh Yadav (1973), who was also born in Saifai village, is Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh. He took his primary education from Saint Mary School, Etawah.

 

K. Asif

5.      K. Asif (1922-1971), Film Director: Asif Karim was born on June 14, 1922 in Etawah. He was a film director, film producer and screenwriter. He is most famous for his work for the epic Hindi movie Mughal-e-Azam (1960).

Asif Karim went to Bombay to his brother-in-law Nazir Ahmed Khan and later took the name K. Asif. His directorial debut was Phool (1945), with a star cast of Prithviraj Kapoor, Durga Khote and Suraiya, which did well on box-office. Later he came up with the Mughal-e-Azam in 1960 with Dilip Kumar and Madhubala, which bagged him the status of legend despite his very few work.

The other film he made was Hulchul in 1951. While shooting on another film Love and God, K. Asif died on March 9, 1971 at the age of 48.

Along with all these eminent personalities and specialties of Etawah, former Indian President, late Dr. Zakir Hussain (February 8, 1897) pursued his school education in H.M.S Islamia Inter College, Etawah which is an epitome of unity and good relations between Hindus and Muslims.

So from all this we can see that Etawah, my native place, a small city of Uttar Pradesh, India, has so much of talent within itself. Etawah has given many prominent personalities to India in different fields like Music, Sports, Literature, Politics, and Films etc.

Hence, I can say even if it is notorious place, thanks to Chambal ke Daakus, it has given me many more reasons to say that I am proud of my native place. I am proud of Etawah.

Anusha Pathak,

TYBMM Journalism,

Sophia College.

The Untitled One

It gets extremely confusing and exhausting when I try to decide what I think of this city, much like my opinion about ‘cutting chai’. Do I like it? Do I dislike it?

When I decided to study here I was one of the ‘Delhites’. It may seem like a non-issue if you aren’t aware of the stereotype it comes with – rapist, rude. Similarly the Biharis are milkmen, Bengalis are snooty, Rajasthanis are stingy, East Indians are Chinese and Madrasis (which, of course includes people from Andhra, Kerela and Karnataka) are here to steal jobs. Somewhere between getting used to the unassuming filth on the roads and the contrasting straight disciplined queues at bus stops, I discovered that the Mumbaikar stereotypes himself too, all in good humour. A Townie has a western upbringing and is a connoisseur of everything under the sun. A person from Goregaon is a Bollywood struggler, someone from Ghatkopar is an oil-oozing-from-head engineer, someone from Juhu is Amitabh Bachchan’s neighbour, someone from Bandra is a rich catholic spoilt brat and anyone from Dharavi is a chivda-making slum dog. I guess the fun helps in dealing with the highly stressful life the city comes with (but the awesome weekend getaways around Mumbai are a treat no other Indian city offers).

However, there’s no getting away from how fast this ‘cosmopolitan’ city is progressing towards regression. While it boasts of being a multicultural hub, it bans the works and the entry of its own home-grown geniuses – Hussain and Rushdie. While more art and literature and galleries and festivals flourish, Bollywood takes over the media and the minds of the people. A model trying to act or a six-packed ‘hero’ and the details of their cosmetic implants are more celebrated than years of riyaaz of a classical musician or the slowly dying theatre artist.
While hyped melodramatic plagiarized films are sent for the oscars, a humble, strong biopic remains humbled.

Its hard to find that famous charm of Mumbai’s nightlife when smoking is banned, drinking for under-21s is banned, hukkas are banned, dance bars are banned, roadside night joints are banned and what isn’t yet banned Dhoble will ban soon. However spitting, peeing and oversized Ganesh murtis are not banned. While all this happens, Valentines day is also banned. Living in is approved by the law, but remains banned nevertheless.

While the Mantralaya breeds and burns scams, the politicos go more and more right-wing. While Muslims go on a protest for something not affecting their lives, Hindus go on a protest for Muslims going on the protest. Muslims don’t get flats to stay. Hindus do, provided they’re married. The Saffrons and the Greens paint the town a bloody red.

In all the pointlessness, survives what is known as the Mumbai spirit.  A whole city, picks itself up from tragedy and diversity and moves on. Like cutting chai, the city at all times is divided – between the sane and the inhuman. Looking at the world-class dabbawalas or the highly-efficient locals brings one in touch with what probably reflects some civil, progressive behaviour.

 

Avani Rai

7 Trends for the Week

Fashion keeps on changing and so do trends. Trends in fashion means when somehow, large number of people sport the same style of lowers or wear the same accessory or carry the same bag. Be it Zara or Causeway, Mango or Linking Road, Accessorize or Hill Road. Girls will search the market in and out for that top that is in trend.

Sometimes trends come back. Once an apparel which was worn by a particular section at a particular time repeats itself at another time with a different set of people.

This article will take you through 7 such trends which have a unique history and discovering their possible inspirations. These fashion articles have come back with large audiences wearing them.

1)Polka  dotted  shirts-

Where did Polka dots come into fashion?

The Polka Dot fever started with the dance form called ‘The Polka’ in Europe.  It is believed that dresses of polka dots were generally worn during dancing.

Polka dots hit a new peak in popularity with the introduction of ‘Minnie Mouse’ by Walt Disney. In the 1920’s Polka dotted swimsuits were on the rise. The design can also be copied from the disease ‘Chicken Pox’.

        

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chicken Pox and Marilyn Monroe in a Polka dotted Swimsuit

Polka dotted pants, tops and other accessories can be found in Zara, Mango, Westside. A tour in Phoenix Mills and Palladium and one can buy a Polka dotted apparel with ease. And then after owning one she will eventually polka dance with delight.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Polka dotted shirt and Polka dotted coloured pants

2)Applique  shirts-

An appliqué is a smaller ornament applied to another surface. In the context of ceramics, for example, an appliqué is a separate piece of clay added to the primary work, generally for the purpose of decoration.

The term is borrowed from French and, in this context, means “applied” or “thing that has been applied.”

Appliqué was first discovered when clothes which were ripped and needed fixing. To make the cloth wearable it was sewn with different patches on top of the torn part.

In the context of sewing, an appliqué refers to a needlework technique in which pieces of fabric, embroidery, or other materials are sewn onto another piece of fabric to create designs, patterns or pictures.A famous example of appliqué is the Hastings Embroidery, it shows 81 great events in British history during the 900 years from 1066 to 1966. It took 22 embroiderers over 10 months to finish.

The design can also be inspired from the Ralli quilts of Indian and Pakistan textiles.

  

       

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Hatings embroidery and the Ralli Quits of Indian and Pakistani textiles.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Applique on top collars.

3)Harem Pants-

Harem Pants are believed to be originated in India. Salwaar kammez and chudidaar have been traditional Indian attire since a long time in history. Though the Zouaves who hailed from North Africa and who were recruited in the French army also wore pants very similar to that of the Harem.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Patiala pants and a Zouaves from North Africa

The Harem pants is considered to be comfortable and loose. Every girl owns atleast one of these pants. From expensive ones in Zara and Promod, the best ones one can get are form Hill Road or Causeway.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Colourful Harem Pants and Leather printed Harem Pants.

4)Peplum  tops-

The peplum was a design worn by women in Ancient Greece. It was also worn by Spartan women.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Spartan women wearing a peplum top and an ancient Greek statue showing a woman wearing a peplum top on a skirt.

The trend is back with a bang! Peplum skirts, tops and dresses have decorated mannequins all over the big stores. Though one needs a little bit of grace to carry of the style few good ones can be found in Palledium.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Peplum tops can be worn with jeans, skirts or shorts.

5)Owl necklace-

The Owl necklace entered market like a storm. Everyone seemed enchanted with the idea of wearing an Owl around her neck.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The necklace is very common and nearly goes with any color or material. The design of the necklace can be inspired by, and I am extremely sure of this piece of information, the Nighty Owl.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Different coloured Owl Necklaces

6)Gladiator Shoes-

This type of footwear was inspired by the Roman Gladiatiors. Galdiators are armed, skilled and professional fighters. They usually fight for the entertainment of the Roman elite. The footwear that they used to wear were supposed to be made in a way which was durable and comfortable.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Roman soldiers wearing their shoes which is part of their fighting attire.

The trend for gladiator shoes surfaced in 2008 when everyone was sporting a sandal like that.Hill Road is the best option for buying these kind of shoes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gladiator shoes worn till the ankle.

7)Sling bags-

Sling bags have been in fashion for a very  long time now. The trend emerging in 2009. The design can be inspired by a messenger bag which is also worn the same way.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

They are comfortable and stylish.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sling bags with chains.

Not watching Barfi would be a crime!

Barfi is worth watching!

Barfi! Yes, Barfi! Every other person I met was going gaga over Barfi. All I heard was ‘Did you watch Barfi? If not, go watch it. Missing Barfi would be a crime.’ Finally, on Sunday,  My friends and I decided to go and watch Barfi. We visited three multiplexes i.e. Inox at Nariman Point, Metro at Churchgate and PVR in Phoneix (Lower Parel) to buy tickets but we failed to get tickets. But this didn’t stop us from trying other theatres. We didn’t give up. We decided to give a try to the single screen theatres. We visited Roxy- located at Charni Road. The first-two rows (Silver row) tickets were available. Yes, they were available. Without thinking twice, we purchased the tickets. Yes, U read it right! We bought tickets of the second row from the screen.  This is how desperate we were to watch the movie.

The writer-director Anurag Basu creates a master piece. It is a typical Indian –Bollywood style of film with mixtures of love, funny, a love triangle, fearing of loosing someone special; the movie has few dialogues and is episodic yet has managed to grab many eye balls. The story is based in Darjeeling, 1970, about a guy Murphy (Ranbir Kapoor) who is mistaken as Barfi, is dumb and deaf. He falls in love with Shruti (Ileana DaCruz) who belongs from a well-to-do family from Kolkata. Like typical Bollywood movie, Shruti, despite being engaged to a rich guy, falls in love with Barfi but finally decides to spend her entire life with the rich guy. Now enters, an autistic girl named Jilmil Chatterjee (Priyanka Chopra) who hardly has any dialogues in the entire movie because Barfi plays a character of a deaf and dumb guy. Anurag Basu nailed the characters of both the leads. As expected, Jilmil envy’s Shruti. She disappears from Barfi’s life to teach him a lesson. Since, Bollywood movies are known for happy endings, Barfi also ends with a happy note. Barfi and Jilmil get married in the end.

The high point of the movie is the opening sequence, where Anurag Basu introduces Barfi. When one watches the character of Barfi, without a doubt, one surely recalls Charlie Chaplin. Ranbir Kapoor does full justice to the role (Charlie Chaplin) he plays in the opening sequence. Secondly, when Barfi proposes Shruti and expresses his anger (with his actions and expressions) on Shruti for choosing the rich guy over Barfi is another high point of the movie. Ranbir Kapoor proves that ‘Actions speak louder than words.’

Acting:

Ranbir Kapoor as Barfi: It is a delight to watch Ranbir in the entire movie. He does full justice to his role. One just cannot stop praising him for his acting skills. He definitely is the next superstar of the Bollywood. I was so lost in watching Ranbir that I did not pay much attention to the storyline; that’s how good he is in the movie.

Priyanka Chopra as Jilmil: Often, people say that she is lucky enough to bag in good movies and roles but fails when it comes to acting. By essaying the role of Jilmil, Priyanka has definitely shut down everyone’s mouth. Though her role is too small with very few dialogues, still she has managed to win many hearts.

Ileana DaCruz as Shruti: It is pleasant to watch the newcomer in the industry. She definitely has worked hard to essay her role and has succeeded to a certain extent. She definitely has the potential to give tough competition to other new comers in the industry. She has fairly done a good job.

Verdict:

One must definitely not miss Barfi. Both, Ranbir and Priyanka have done full justice to their roles; they should definitely win the best actor and actress award. Not to forget Anurag Basu for making such a beautiful piece. I must say- Thank You Anurag Basu for giving us Barfi.

I give 4 stars to the movie.

Ruchi Nandu- TYBMM

Art: The new language of protest

World over, art is becoming the new language for protesters. In the form of graffiti, cartoons, advertising, morphed and edited photographs, more and more people are showing discontent against governments, superpowers and corporates. Basically, anyone in power. Apart from this, religious beliefs are also a favorite among these ‘protesters’. These ‘protesters’ include anyone and everyone who want to make a change. It is done mainly to make people aware of the reality around them. Art is a convenient yet effective way to raise a voice. It is accessible to one and all. Anyone with an imagination can use art to put forth a message. And if used effectively, it can be used to put forth a message better than any other means.

On a wall of a former Soviet prison in Estonia

Messages against the war written on Egyptian prison walls to protest against wars, graffiti against paid media in America, fashion brand advertisements against Hijabization in France, morphed pictures against politicians and governments across the world are making art revolution a world wide phenomenon. In India, for a long time now, cartoonists have been attacking political power through their cartoons.

 

Image against America’s paid media

Edited image against Bush making rounds on the internet

Graffiti against paid media in the USA

Graffiti on Egyptian prison walls

The recent case of Aseem Trivedi didn’t come as a surprise. Neither did the reactions to it. He was charged for with sedation for having ‘tampered’ with our national emblem. In my opinion, an entirely baseless accusation. The main aim of a cartoon is be critical about and express discontent over an issue, which is exactly what Aseem Trivedi did. And to be very honest, it is kind of true. Our country is in a messed up state at the moment.

The cartoon drawn by Aseem Trivedi

But apart from political discontent, something that particularly grabbed my attention were the advertisements that commented on the ‘anti Hijabisation’ in France. Fashion brands like H&M used black paint to paint off the face of their models in a way so as to show that they were wearing Hijabs. This was a strong comment to show the discontent among people (non Muslims in this case, I am assuming) about the entire Hijab controversy that has been taking place in France for the past few years now. This was particularly striking because all this while there were individuals making these cartoons and images as a sign of protest, but in this case, advertising, what is considered to be a means to influence thousands, was being used to make a comment of an issue so communally sensitive.

H&M ad criticizing Hijabization, put up in a subway in Paris

Over all, I think art is a great means to show discontent because of its visual property. Also, with something like a cartoon or a graffiti, it is likely to stay in one’s mind for longer than an essay or a speech would. Also, something like an edited image or a cartoon adds the humor and sarcasm element to the message to be passed, making it more effective. In addition to that, as I mentioned earlier, art is available to one and all, giving almost anyone a platform to express discontent. Also, art doesn’t have a language, thus making it understandable for people across all cultures.

This kind of an accessibility and effectiveness is slowly making art the new language of protest.

 

Shruti Shenoy
TYBMM

The Sweetness of ‘Barfi’ is Magical

BARFI- FILM REVIEW

 

Cast:      Ranbir Kapoor- Barfi
Priyanka Chopra- Jhilmil Chatterjee
Illeana D’cruz- Shruti

Some thought of Barfi to be an average love story that will do an OKAY job at the box office, but this film happens to be a surprise package. Anurag Basu has the potential of amazing you with every movie he does. With this film his talent comes to the fore very evidently. Barfi is a beautifully woven love triangle in its ‘purest form’, an unusual one with a mixture of ingredients- Comedy, Romance, Grief, a little bit of Suspense and the garnish of a ‘Happy Ending’. The story jumps from one time period to another. Anurag Basu has managed to do it wonderfully, in a manner that was not like a halting story but one with a flow. Somehow, the parts of the story are interconnected and not in a way that would confuse the audience. Brownie Points for that!

The film revolves around a speech-and-hearing challenged boy Murphy, which he pronounces as Barfi, who falls in love with a pretty young girl, Shruti (Illeana). After spending time with her and showing her a part of life she did not expect to see, they do end up not being together as she is engaged. He then falls in love with Jhilmil, an Autistic. Despite their disabilities they manage to communicate and create a special bond. The story moves from being a love story to a mysterious middle and ‘Live and Die together’ ending.  The ending may seem to be a sad one from Shruti’s point of view but from Barfi’s view it’s a happy one.

In the film, one thing you may notice evidently is the flawless effort of Ranbir as a jovial lad- who tries to make and keep everyone happy. Be it at times, when he is hurt or heartbroken he still puts a smile on his face. When he does something that may be ethically wrong- like theft or entering a goods train to give the goods away to the poor, it does not seem wrong at all. His optimism despite the shortcomings make him unique and special.

Ranbir and Priyanka’s act leaves you speechless. Illeana D’cruz, who makes her debut with this film, has done a great job as an actress and also as a narrator. She successfully leads the story and not get overshadowed by her co-stars, who are established actors. The film manages to keep you spellbound in its world. What makes this film a rather different one is that this is a love story of two people, who cannot communicate in the way you and I would usually.

Highlights of the film:

The opening scene where Ranbir tries to run away from the cops reminds you of Charlie Chaplin. That’s how well he essayed his character.

The scene where Ranbir expresses how hurt he is through hand gestures to Illeana- is done so perfectly that one can understand each and every word he would say if he could.

Reasons to watch this movie:

If you are a Ranbir fan, then this is a must watch, as his ability of making you cry with what he is trying to say even without saying is applaud able. His eyes express grief, anger and happiness brilliantly.

Priyanka’s acting is completely different from the glam roles she did in the past. You get to see the potential of the actress here.

This film has a good chance of being the movie of the year. With the splendid performance by Ranbir and especially Priyanka, whose role was a much more difficult one than Ranbir’s, the actors have created a standard and set the bar high not only for others but also for themselves.

Alice Peter,

TYBMM Journalism,

Sophia College for Women

Gaming: How It Is Contagious!

Jignesh Panchal, Software testing engineer at http://www.games2win.com talks to Disha Deshpande about how games just go viral within hours of its release.

Gaming has gone from being an engaging form of entertainment to a mindless routine. Children would sit in front of their television sets to play cassette video games with joysticks, yelling at their team mates to move faster or dodge a bullet. Some of the oldest games that come to my mind would Street Fighter, a TV video game which needed players to choose characters and fight in dark alleyways, Mario, a short mexican plumber who jumped over obstacles and dodged anything that came to hurt him, and Dave. Then came the era of computers and with them came the super addictive computer games like Doom (with various software versions and updates) and  Road Rash which had a faceless biker racing others through difficult terrains while using police rods and chains and kicks to distract and hurt other riders. And then there was no end. Mothers had given up nagging their kids to study and fathers stopped telling them to go down and play with friends. And with the coming of multi player games, and then them becoming ‘multi player online games”, kids no longer had to lie about playing with their friends!

Gaming went to a whole new level with online gaming. But Android and iPhone apps took the cake! People would play games on their phones at work, even during board meetings! It no longer was something that children enjoy, grown adults are now seen playing Temple Run, Fruit Ninja, Ninja Jump, and even something as mundane as Paper Toss, which involves throwing a crushed paper ball into a waste bin!

 

 

 

 

 

Speaking to Jignesh Panchal, a rising  software tester at Games2win brings to light a lot of what the industry feeds on and thrives from.

“Games used to be fun,” says the Counter Strike addict, “they required the gamer to be strategic and apply his mind to work his way around obstacles to get to the final destination. They used to be extremely gripping and in some way or the other, utilized mental faculties, thus sharpening the mind. This was till they made a transition from recreational to addictive,”. His firm releases a minimum of 2-3 games every friday. Friday night, being release night, is an all-nighter, where the game goes back and forth between the developer and the tester till it is devoid of bugs in all possible circumstances. And once the tester is sure that the game will not crash, it gets released on the website and on all application providers such as Google Play.

Being new to the industry, he seems disappointed at some level with the kind of games people choose. “I have tested some amazing games with brilliant graphics, stimulating too. These are games which I play on my phone from time to time. Sadly, these are not the ones that become popular. The ones that hit 100,000+ downloads are mind numbing mechanical games. The one that got me recognition was Parking Frenzy. It crossed 5 Million downloads and Games2win had to come up with upgrades every fortnight, not to mention additional levels, paid versions, and better graphics. It is not an easy game, but its just parking the car in the spot that is highlighted!” says Jignesh.

Online games are of types. Flash Games, which are on free online gaming sites, and the Android or IOS games which are applications for the phones and tablets working on either of the two operating systems. There are games under the categories of girls, boys, “naughty” games, arcade, strategy, sports, virtue world etc. These can be played for hours and hours. The games on Facebook such as Texas HoldEm Poker, Farmville, Sorority House and others are equally addictive.

With the Naughty category becoming a rage, online gaming has taken kinky to another level altogether. They are probably animated porm, except here, the player gets a kick out of the girl revealing some part of her body because of something he does. The virtual world, Second Life, is a place where people have animated characters who, for some strange reason, are horny all the time. Some people meet others from different countries and interact, while others just ask each other “Wanna Fuck?” and get busy in a room.

As a result, people play games at work, which has compelled their employers to enable firewall. Students these days throw tantrums for devices such as androids and play stations. There kids in different parts of the world competing online while still sitting in school! While parents believe that computer games are making their children dimmer by the second, studies show that strategy based games are good for them, that is, if they play them.

Jignesh believes that technology, in a way, has helped increase the addiction. ” No. I am not only talking about the Play Stations, Nintendo Wii, X-Box etc. Even something as simple as a trackpad on a laptop, or a touch screen phone, makes the entire playing experience an easy and effortless one. That is probably another resin why the gaming industry is booming.”

Essentially, online games give the player a chance to escape into a virtual world where he or she lives the game. Sometimes it is a good break, but mostly, it just ends up detaching the person from reality.

When 500 girls decide to Rewrite the Future

This SoBo College fest attracts a crowd of more than 10000 students over six days. Shruti Parmar reports the making of Kaleidoscope 2012.

Sophia College is an institution of women self-assured, driving towards fulfilling high academic expectations and philosophising in what’d be South Mumbai’s best Campus. It’s a happy place, an inspiring space, a comforting second-home, an idealistically challenging maze to build who you’ll be.

And within this context come those days when the students of this institution are gradually united to spend at least four months every year ideating around a sacred theme, running around, making calls after every lecture, heading to the Den busily, fighting, explaining, laughing, just working… knowing well what the awesomeness they seek to create entails.

Kaleidoscope, Sophia College’s annual inter-collegiate fest brings together some of the best creative, technical, organisational and visionary ideas like every College fest does and yet, it is something more. It’s obsessively merit- based for one. “We fight over who works harder. K’Scope truly is a test of one’s commitment and sense of duty. The Kaleidoscope Workforce therefore, commands respect.”, says Unnati Maharudra one of KScope’s 500-girls-strong Workforce. It is also, ultimately however for enjoyment. The enjoyment of coming together, of making our own decisions, of friendship, of achievement and of creating memories of College years that will remain forever.

Kaleidoscope is well, also truly a kaleidoscope. Nowhere else will you experience such a variety of young personalities and talents, pushing their individual capabilities to represent an institution, an idea and an attitude of equal confidence.

P. Irani, a student of HR College is among the many students who participate in this fest year after year. He says, “K’Scope is a vibrant design, beautiful and full of possibilities. And that’s what drives all of us here- the infinite opportunity. The chance to run a world of our own within the realm of reality, to challenge ourselves and to excel. We fall, we fail and we learn, all right. But we also create, discover and become wise.” Shruti Parmar, member of the Executive Committee this year says, “In this mythically doomed year of 2012, nothing captures the essence of Kaleidoscope better than our theme- Rewrite the Future. With all that we do, you should know, this is our dream. Live it with us, YOU are invited.”

Between Gandhi and Hazare: A Stark Contrast

Between Gandhi and Hazare: A stark contrast

“We must become the change we want to see in this world” –Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi

“Jo apne liye jite hai vo mar jaate hai,jo samaj ke liye marte hai vo zinda rehte hai” -Anna Hazare

Is Anna Hazare the next Gandhi? Was the anti-corruption movement led by him in 2011 the second Independence movement of India? What were the similarities and differences between Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi and Kisan Babu Rao Hazare.

 Anna Hazare standing against the portrait of Mahatma Gandhi.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mahatma Gandhi and Anna Hazare in their youth.

To begin with Mahatma Gandhi graduated to   become a lawyer from The Inner Temple ,London and then went on to work in South Africa. Anna Hazare came to Mumbai for his education. He studied till the seventh grade and then started selling flowers at Dadar station. He was then recruited into the Indian army. He fought the Indo-Pakistan war in 1965.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mahatma Gandhi and Anna Hazare

Mahatma Gandhi took a vow and became a Brahmachari meaning to practice celibacy. Controlling his will over carnel desires. Hazare on the other hand did not marry and proclaims himself to be celibate.

As far as clothing is concerned Gandhiji wore a white dhoti with a white cloth around his chest. Anna Hazare keeps his clothes limited to a white kurta-pyjama and also wears a Gandhian cap.

Mahatma Gandhi undertook 17 fasts in total of which 3 were major fasts unto death. His objective to undertake such fasts was to reform the mass and to unite them. Gandhiji never threatened the British government saying that he would end his life if a specific law wasn’t passed or a particular request was not fulfilled.

Though on the contrary Anna Hazare’s objective was also to unite people but to extract specific consessions from the government.His fasts unto death were more like ‘if we die in protest, our followers will turn violent and attack the government”. It is inherently violence, at the end of the day.

Gandhiji’s principles of Non-Violence and Satyagragh inspired eminent personalities like Martin Luther King , Nelson Mandela, Al Gore, John Lennon and Barack Obama including Hazare. Though Anna also calls his anti-corruption movement in 2011 as non-violent, his means to attain certain objectives is questionable.

When Anna Hazare shifted to Ralegaon-Siddhi he found the village in acute poverty with poor ecological balance, scant infrastructure and practically no order. He is credited with the progress and success of the village.His contributions to the town in terms of better irrigation facilities, employment rate, abolition of alcohol , encouraging the role of gram sabha and addressing caste related issues are noteworthy.  He transformed the village entirely. It was then that he was given the title Anna meaning an ‘elder brother’.

The abolition of alcohol in Ralegaon-Siddhi saw some revolt from the residents of the village. After the ban was put if a person was found drinking or found in a drunk state , after giving the person repetitive warnings if he still indulges in the same act he will be tied to a pole in the temple and flogged, sometimes by Hazare himself.When questioned as to why he thinks that this was the right way to bring change he says that, “Rural India is a harsh society,if you want change, it’s sometimes necessary to be tough”.

Though on the other hand Gandhiji withdrew the non-cooperation movement after a single incident of the violence at Chauri-Chaura.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mahatma Gandhi and Anna Hazare delivering respective speeches.

Though all of Gandhiji’s protests were to gain Independence form the British Raj, he never considered them as enemies. The British openly accused him of being their enemy. But Gandhiji considered the Britishers as their friends and said that they should be respected.

Whereas Anna Hazare was protesting for a separate Jan Lokpal Bill because he was unhappy with the way the government was functioning. Scam after scam was being unravelled and the UPA-II was not able to hold its ground. Anna Hazare called the government deceitful and untrustworthy. He says, “Why are you (government) sending the wrong draft? We have faith in Parliament. But first send the right draft, our agitation is against government, not Parliament. The government has overlooked many points.

How will it fight corruption by excluding government employees, CBI and prime minister from the Lokpal’s purview? We were told that both the drafts would be sent to the Cabinet. But only the government’s draft was sent. This is a deceitful government. They are lying. How will they run the country? Now I have no trust in this government. If it is really serious about fighting corruption, why is it not bringing government employees and CBI under Lokpal?

These were some of the stark differences and similarities of the two personalities. Now it is upon us to decide whether one was as great as the other or one merely drew inspiration from the other.

Tasting Kashmir in the streets of Delhi

The word ‘Kashmir’ is highly evocative. Just think Kashmir and a series of images flash through the head. The floating market on an opalescent Dal Lake, the elaborate, intricately carved houseboats and the sun setting on a shining, white Gulmarg. And the food. Multi-hued and quasi-flavoured, each dish in the Valley has its own exotic fragrance. Meatballs too big to be true, fiery curries, the fragrant Kahva and the pale Noon Chai — that’s the magic of Wazwan.

According to some sources, Wazwan is the namesake of ancient chefs from Samarkand (the cultural capital of Central Asia in the 15th century), who accompanied the raiders to India and later settled down in Kashmir. It refers to the full 36-course meal of Kashmiri Muslims, cooked by Wazas (or chefs) who have been doing it for generations. Therefore, Wazwan food needs to be eaten in its traditional, authentic form so that it could be comprehended (and thus appreciated) even slightly. Unfortunately, south of the Valley, there aren’t too many places that offer authentic Wazwan.

But Srinagar-based Abdul Ahad Waza wasn’t content to confine Wazwan food to Kashmir. The descendant of a long line of Wazas, he was determined to spread the food and its culture as widely as he could. The fruit of his labour is the Wazwan behemoth, Ahad Sons. For more than 30 years, the family has been purveying authentic Wazwan fare to a legion of admirers, which is growing constantly. Now managed by Ahad’s three sons — Sharif, Shafi and Rafiq — the company cooks and packages the food in Kashmir before sending it down to their tiny branch office in Delhi’s Uday Park, for distribution. Kashmiri natives swear by it and lovingly carry tins with them whether travelling within India or abroad. But they’re not the only ones buying.

“Earlier, we used to cook fresh food and our clients would take it with them wherever they travelled. In order to make it easier for them, in 2000, we started packaging our food in tins. Now, the food has a shelf life of six months and our customers are able to enjoy Wazwan wherever they are,” says Shafi, who handles the Delhi office. Apart from tinning Wazwan food, the company does massive business in catering for events — ranging from intimate dinner parties to lavish five-star events and even government functions. “Since we provide the best Kashmiri fare, we have a huge demand throughout the year from politicians, film stars and everyone,” says the company’s manager SN Kohl.

But Ahad Sons is not the sole provider of Wazwan food in Delhi. There’s also Waza, whose story started in the ’80s. In 1983, Arvind Mehta started a catering service in his home town, Jammu, specialising in Wazwan fare. While the company flourished, Mehta was quite content in his place of birth. “It was only last year that a couple of friends, along with myself, decided that the time was ripe to expand Waza’s operations to other cities,” says Mehta.

Their first outlet came up in July 2011 in South Delhi’s Malviya Nagar. But the “mixed land policy” of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi made it tough for them to continue operating from there, and Mehta was compelled to shut shop last month. In the meantime, he started two more outlets in Chittaranjan Park and Gurgaon, and plans are ripe to open another one in the upmarket Defence Colony, besides expanding to Lucknow next month.

Given its enormous market in the Capital, one wonders why Ahad Sons hasn’t yet opened a restaurant here. But it’s not that they haven’t toyed with the idea. Kohl explains, “Wazwan is meant to be eaten seated on the floor, which would be a very hard concept to sell in a restaurant. Many people believe eating the Wazwan food on a table will give it an entirely different taste.