Word'sWorth

The Last Nizam- Part 2

2012-01-09T02:09:00.000-08:00

In 1972 Mukkaram Jah saw some disquieting writing on the wall- the abolition of privy purses to princes and maharajas – he decided to look to other countries and lifestyles for his future.
Researching into some journals of 1980s and rare interviews to Hugh Schmitt. One can get into the mind of the last Nizam of Hyderabad on why he selected Australia as his next destination.
Why the down under - “I wanted to retain my individuality, and knowing and respecting Australians as a nation of individuals, I decided to come here. But I chose Perth quite by accident, “ Mukkaram Jah told an australian newspaper 12 years after he landed in Perth.
After he was told about Government of India's stand on the rulers – Mukkaram sitting around with a personal assistant at his Chiraan palace in Hyderabad was discussing his next move. Suddenly he remembered he had two friends in Perth. Both doctors whom he met at Cambridge. Next week he was on a flight to Perth.
Jet landed at Perth at 2 am – and Nizam suddenly wanted to go ahead to Sydney rather than visiting Perth. His assistant made him stay in Perth. He was booked into the Transit Inn about 3 am on Sunday morning and at 12:30 pm he walked into Pier Street.
Easy going life with clean and uncrowded city – was the punch to Nizam to stay here. That's how his long association with Western Australia began.
People in the region respected him and he made it sure that they addressed him Jah rather than Prince Jah.
Mukkaram loved the sea – not the sea between Fremantle and Rottest, but the open sea.” “I once sailed my yatch Kalbarrie from Fremantle to Port Moresby, which is more than a trans-Atlantic crossing,”he said.
He was dismayed when the Federal customs department ordered his 300 tonne converted US minesweeper Kalbarrie to leave Success Harbour in 1982 because it did not conform with Department of Transport Regulations.
In Western Australia he is known as a sheep farmer who liked to tinker with heavy machinery and ride motor cycles cross-country on his 200,000 ha station called Murchison House, which is near Kalbarri.
He always was in offence whenever someone spoke about his grandfather reputation as a mean man who smoked discarded cigarette butts, despite an annual income of more than $500 million. He responded strongly - “Seventh Nizam was not mean. He might have been frugal in his own way but what is frugality,” he would question.
Mukkaram never directly spoke to his grandfather. “ I never spoke to him directly,” he recalled – I was in his presence, but spoke to him through a chamberlain. “My grandfather would ask to the assistant: Ask my grandson how he is doing at school,' and he would ask me the question.
“I would respond with something like: 'My honoured grandfather. I did well in my term exams.”
Born in France of a Turkish mother, he made it clear that he is more Turkish than Indian – and he looks to it.
He avoids media. Because he doesn't want any publicity. He knows that he is the nizam of Hyderabad and that's all matter.
“I am enjoying my second marriage to Ayesha much more than the first.”
NEXT: On his wives and controversies.

The Last Nizam – Part 1

2011-09-26T05:39:00.001-07:00

I always wanted to write on Nizams of Hyderabad. The inside story. Not the ones - told and heard many a times. In next following days – I will write stories on the last nizam – Mukarram Jah which many didn't know. The first part is an introduction and a start up to my series.

I always wondered by the last Nizam of Hyderabad, Mukarram Jah abandoned the opulence and intrigues of his Hyderabad palace to drive bulldozers on a dusty sheep station in the Western Australian outback.
Mukarram was an offspring of the union of the two greatest Muslim dynasties of their time. Through his Indian grandmother, he was a descendant of Prophet Mohammed; through his Turkish mother, a descendant of the last Caliph of Turkey.
The first Nizam Mir Qamar Ud Udin Khan was a preacher who wanted to serve under Shahjahan. However, by the time he came back from Haj – Aurangazeb took over the rule and sent himto represent Mughals and fight against the Qutub Sahi rulers.
The Asif Jahi dynasty had been founded in bloodshed and intrigue in the 17th century under the Mughal emperors and in 1724 became an independent state. Since then the city and the state of Hyderabad had been synonymous with culture, opulence and intrigue.
At 35, Mukarram inherited the title from his grandfather, after he disinherited his son for being a "moral pervert" with "sadistic" tastes. Azam Jah.
Though by the time Mukarram was made the Nizam – India was independent and princely rule was over. But Osman Ali Khan had a deal with the Government of India to recognise his grandson as the last official Nizam.
His official title, as it was proclaimed by the president of India in 1967, was "His Exalted Highness, the Rustam of the Age, the Aristotle of the Times, Wal Mamuluk, Asaf Jah VIII, the Conqueror of Dominions, the Regulator of the Realm, Nawab Mir Barakat Ali Khan Bahadur, the Victor in Battles, the Leader of Armies, the Nizam of Hyderabad and Berar." It may have been meaningless, as the princely states had ceased to exist, but the Maharajahs were allowed to retain their titles until 1971.
I was told by close associates of Mukarram and those who knew the Nizam closely that was more of a foreigner in Hyderabad as most of his time was spent aboard including his studies.
At the urging of his beautiful, cultivated mother, and against his grandfather's wishes, Mukarram was sent to Doon School, then to Harrow, Cambridge and Sandhurst in England. His mother despaired of his obsession with machinery.
Mukarram Jah, the new Nizam, brought in his own guards to safeguard his inheritance, but the looting began almost immediately and continued for decades. On April 6, 1967, a Mughal-style durbar was held to install him. At the end of the ceremony, the Olds-mobile that was to carry the royal couple broke down. Amid the solemn ritual, the exotic splendour and a crowd of tens of thousands all Mukarram could think of was how he would fix the imported V8.
Five years later, the seventh Nizam's teeming beneficiaries were still contesting the 54 trusts he left behind. In 1971, Indira Gandhi had stripped the 279 remaining princes of their privy purses and titles. Overwhelmed by his lot, Mukarram flew to Western Australia and bought Murchison House Station, 160km from Geraldton and Havelock House (a Federation mansion) in Perth.
A 2,00,000-hectare outback station in Western Australia was purchased in 1972. He immediately fell in love with his purchase, with its openness and space as it was as far removed from the incestuous atmosphere of Hyderabad, where his own father was taking him to court. "Abu Bakar (the first Caliph of Turkey who was his ancestor) was a shepherd, so I see no reason why I shouldn't be one," he once told a reporter. He would wear an Akubra hat, a dusty blue boiler suit and R.M. Williams work boots. His Turkish wife, Esra, appalled by the informality and isolation, returned to London in nine days. The locals treated and greeted him not with deep bows and salutations of "Your Exalted Highness" but with How yer doin', Mukarram or Jah? Some even called him Charlie. Mukarram claimed to have personally graded 300km of roads and fence lines at Murchison House Station.
While he lived in Australia, the plunder of his properties and possessions in India was reaching epidemic proportions. Most of the valuables he left behind in India were sold off by the mid-1970s by his managers, cronies and family members. Projects on his Australian property were abandoned midstream, managers were regularly replaced. Mukarram would drive across Australia and then charter a Lear jet to get home. Murchison was strewn with abandoned graders, tractors and cars. On April 1, 1996, a liquidator was appointed for the property. Mukarram felt cursed and left Murchison that year to flee to his mother's homeland and a modest two-bedroom flat on the coast of Turkey.  His second marriage ended in tragedy. His Australian wife developed a relationship with a bisexual, divorced Mukarram and then died of AIDS in 1989. His younger son from this relationship died of a drug overdose in 2004. Mukarram got married 5 times and has now separated from his current Turkish wife.
In 1967, Mukarram inherited the largest fortune in the world, but now lives a life of simplicity and anonymity in Turkey.

NEXT: Exclusive Interview of Mukarram given to an Autralian newspaper days after he landed in Australia. An insight on why Australia. And also an answer to my question why he left opulence and intrigues of his Hyderabad palace to drive bulldozers on a dusty sheep station in the Western Australian outback.

GADDAFI, OR QADDAFI, OR KADHAFI, OR KHADAFY ...?

2011-08-25T03:46:00.000-07:00

Take a look at any news source today and you’ll see the name of Libya’s de facto leader, Muammar al-Gaddafi. Look a little closer and you’ll see a multitude of spellings for the notorious politician’s surname such as Gaddafi, Kadafi and Qaddafi. Why does a name that has been making headlines for decades have so many varied spellings?
Transliteration is the reason – the transcription of a word, or in this case a name, into corresponding letters of another alphabet. The Arabic script is oftentimes unvocalized – in other words the vowels are rarely written out and must be furnished by a reader familiar with the language. As with Chinese and Hindi, the Arabic script contains a copious amount of diacritics – dots and accents added to a letter to change the sound. In addition, there seems to be an absence of any sort of authority for transliterating Arabic names.
The Arabic language is one of the most widely spoken Semitic languages in the world and the pronunciation of words varies with different across regions. Even among Arabic speakers, Arabic of North Africa is often incomprehensible to an Arabic speaker from the Gulf Region.
A famous roadblock for any Arabic to English translator is the Arabic “q”.” Depending on the region, pronunciation varies so much that the first letter of “Gaddafi” can be replaced with a “q”, “k” or “gh” sound. This helps to explain the numerous interpretations for “Gaddafi.”
The variation of spelling may depend on what news source you choose to gather your information from. The Times of India, Hindustan Times and other news papers in India along with the Associated Press and CNN favor “Gadhafi”, The New York Times spells it “el-Qaddafi” and the Los Angeles Times uses “Kadafi.” Interestingly, Al Jazeera, which uses “Gaddafi”, does not use the “el” article in the name while the New York Times does.
It is the original Arabic spelling that causes problems for those of us who use the Latin alphabet. The first letter of Gaddafi's name is Qaf in Arabic, which is, phonetically speaking, a voiceless, uvular plosive. It's like a K, but instead of the tongue making contact with the soft palate it is further back and touches the uvula. This explains why several Arabic words are spelt different ways - either Q or K - in English, eg Koran/Q'uran, burka/burqa. There are different dialects of Arabic, and in the Libyan dialect this letter often sounds like a G, hence the English spelling. The next letter is ḏāl or dhal, which is a voiced dental fricative, like the 'th' sound in the word 'these'. In Libya, this letter is often pronounced more like a D or Z.
According to the Associated Press Gaddafi pronounces his name Gath-thafi. As for the way he spells his name, back in the 1980s when he would print his name in English at the end of letters to the West he wrote El-Gadhafi. The Associated Press still uses the spelling Gadhafi, but without the El.

A day at LBSNAA

2011-01-10T03:35:00.000-08:00

COMPLETELY awestruck and mesmerised by the serene beauty of Mussoorie. Last November I was invited to deliver a lecture on ground realities faced by bureaucrats when they come across media in rural areas of the country.
An hour long session at Lal Bahadur Shashtri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA) taught me many things – especially how important it is for media to get into introspection to give a clear image of its non bias and non corrupt professionalism.
More than 270 odd probationers from IAS, IPS, foreign and forest services were armed with questions which were dipped and darkened in the inkpot of negative reports. The probationers of 81st foundation course looked more promising and ready to take the challenge – attitude. It looks the new batch of bureaucrats the country is going to have is promising.
In past I have had extensively worked covering bureaucracy – but very few people left impression. One of the them was Gaurav Dwivedi who happens to be senior Deputy Director at LBSNAA. It was his idea of including a media session for the probationers in the foundation course. That is how I happened to be a part of the session.
Mr Dwivedi is basically a Chhattisgarh cadre IAS officer – who had worked as Collector in three districts of Chhattisgarh before opting for central job.
Probationers might think that it is just a regular part of session with media – but the reason behind Mr Dwivedi including it in the foundation course has its own significance. Many a times due to lack of knowing the scenario and mishandling of media – the bureaucrats end up biting the dust.
Usually the young bureaucrats mess up things quite often when it comes to media handling during early days of postings.
Most of the time wherever I was invited to deliver lecture the audience were mostly media persons or students. But talking to 'would be' bureaucrats was a different ball game.
I was told most of them would sleep in the class or read books – and I would be left talking to myself or the walls or some probationers who would be kind enough to pay attention.
First few minutes was boring and I could sense it myself. I remembered Mark Twain's quote for the journey -
Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do.
So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbour. Catch the trade winds in your sails.
Explore. Dream.

That's what I told them to give a patient hearing and you will not regret on listening to me. I believe they heard me well.
After the session was over – I was happy that I was walking away not only with the souvenirs from LBSNAA but also lesson on public speaking and how to keep the audience exceeding in hundreds. There are different facets of expression. Public speaking in an art of expressing a point, suggestion or also a medium of gentle persuasion. The motive is to give something to the discerning audience so that they can imbibe the skills in the speech.
At the end my respect towards politicians grew more – coz of their ability to keep audience at bay with their mesmerising speeches.

LIVE, EXCLUSIVE and ALIVE!

2010-08-27T05:21:00.000-07:00

LAUGHED AND had fun over a movie which made mockery of my fraternity. For a change I did not mind. PEEPLI LIVE's visuals were afresh in my mind when one of my news coordinators called up last night to tell me that a woman had a dream that she would be dying at midnight.
I thought wow a TRP story! Lot of things were wrestling in my mind. Should we send an OB van to monitor her movements live till she kicks her bucket. And run a scroll saying few more hours before this lady bid adieu to life. Will she die or not! Why she had this dream! Then good senses prevailed – we didn't give it a damn attention and as expected it turned out to be a bluff.
For people who watched Peeli Live and had riots of laughter over the manner media functioned. Let me tell them it is based on a true story which was reported in October, 2005 in a village in Madhya Pradesh. The only difference is in the real story it was not a farmer but an astrologer.

Indian Express carried an interesting story about the entire episode. I still remember it. Let me tell you guys what happened on October 20, 2005.

Let's begin at the very end: Pandit Kunjilal, self-styled astrologer, is alive and well and living in Betul, Madhya Pradesh. At precisely 4 pm, Kunjilal (according to Star News’ correspondent) coughed. He drank some water and as Sahara’s correspondent reported in offended tones, ‘‘suddenly rose one hour early’’ from his certain death. Asked to explain the postponement of his date with darkness, the smiling media star of the day replied that it was all due to good wishes, prayers. ‘‘And how long do you propose to live, now?’’ demanded a disappointed TV journalist. Kunjilal grinned broadly: ‘‘God knows how long I will live.’’ Coming from a man who had predicted that he would die today between 3pm and 5pm that’s really funny.
3 pm onward: TV news channels Star News, Aaj Tak and Sahara who took Kunjilal at his word and devoted hours of live transmission time to his close encounter with death, were, like Queen Elizabeth II, not amused. He had spoilt their headlines. ‘‘Aaj Meri Mauth Hai (Star News), ‘‘Aaj Maroonga’’ (Aaj Tak), sound infinitely more filmi than ‘‘Mauth ka drama khatam’’ (Star) or Aaj Tak’s tame, ‘‘Mauth Talli ’’ (death postponed).
What went through Kunjilal’s mind during what he believed were his last few hours (did he do it to come on to the ‘‘video’’ asked one reporter, nastily) we will never know. All we saw was a man looking half asleep. However, these TV news channels knew death is a serious matter. So they took Kunjilal’s prediction very seriously. Fearing that he might pop it while they popped off for ‘‘ek chhota sa break,’’ Sahara simply stayed put outside his hut in Betul, and listened to people celebrating the event with dholaks and songs and posted regular updates on his health: ‘‘Doctors say he is fit.’’
As the leading news channels in the country, Aaj Tak and Star News (or is it the other way around?) felt it was their duty to treat the occasion greater solemnity. So they held studio discussions. Aaj Tak asked its resident astrologer for the day, K.N. Rao if people could accurately predict their own death. ‘‘Of course it can happen,’’ replied he gravely, adding that his analysis of Kunjilal’s kundali, indicated the strong possibility of his imminent departure. This outraged the General Secretary of the Rationalist Society in Kolkata, Probir Ghosh who went ‘‘pooh-pooh’’ or more polite words to that effect. His disparaging comments offended another astrologer, Acharya K. Arora who said he had no business criticising astrology. It was time for Dr. Vohra to referee. He took KBC’s 50:50 route: ‘‘Astrology is a very deep science but there is a lot of superstition in this country.’’
Meanwhile, where was poor Kunjilal? Left to die in Betul while they slugged it out in the studio. Star News and Sahara also staged it like a WWF wrestling bout between The Rationalist and The Astrologer. However, Star’s sympathies lay with the latter and, in particular, Prem Kumar Sharma from Chandigarh. As 4 pm neared and Kunjilal was obstinately still breathing, the anchor quizzed Sharma:‘‘But what if the time (of birth?) was 8? Or 8.30? Or 9?—is death a possibility then?’’ insisted the earnest anchor knowing this was a matter of life and death. Sharmaji was most unhelpful: No, 8 is not possible, 8.30 is not possible and nor is 9.
3.51 pm: Sahara’s reporter in Betul was losing his enthusiasm: ‘‘The clock is ticking on but it doesn’t look like he will die.’’ Indeed, Kunjilal was nonchalantly fanning himself. We saw doctors going into check him out—2 minutes to go, said the correspondent in a space-shuttle countdown voice but Kunjilal was not for, er, lifting off. Star News turned for help to the public outside Kunjilal’s home who dismissed the entire thing: ‘‘Nothing will happen—this place is just very superstitious. I only came because all your TV channels were carrying the news.’’
3.58: Just before the appointed hour, Aaj Tak and Star News went for a commercial break, no doubt unable to bear the tension. When they returned, it was to announce Kunjilal calling off his death vigil because the worst (time) was over. But the channels were not giving up so easily. Feeling almost cheated by his living, they flogged the story to death. On Aaj Tak, it was a triumphant smiling rationalist Ghosh versus Rao until a weary Rao could be heard asking ‘‘How long will this go on?’’, while on Star News, astrologer Sharma felt that Kunjilal probably staged the entire drama for media attention.
4.20: In the absence of Kunjilal, his son and daughter took over on Aaj Tak to say how happy they were daddy was alive and how poor mummy-ji had fallen asleep. The channels were getting very tetchy now—having exploited and been exploited by Kunjilal, the channels now turned on him: Sahara Breaking News: ‘‘Khatam hua natak’’, Astrologer Rao on Aaj Tak: It’s not right for an astrologer to predict such a thing.
And finally, Star News offered this by way of explanation for its behaviour: ‘‘It is always our aim to bring you the truth, so we stayed with the story. This was a drama, nothing more.’’ Never had a truer word been spoken.

Afghan woman symbolizes war stakes

2010-08-04T23:38:00.000-07:00

Till date the famous Steve McCurry photograph of a young Afghan girl that adorned the cover of National Geographic magazine was the most memorable photo of green-eyed Afghan Girl which he clicked at some refugee camp in Pakistan.
But now there is another Afghan Girl photograph which has not only set to become memorable from my point of view but also raise questions on the fate of women in the war torn country. The two photographs taken by different individuals make your cerebrum work hard to look into the pain the individuals gone through in their own respective lives. It is not a mere photo to appreciate but life story to feel.
The face on the cover of Time magazine is graceful, composed and unthinkably maimed. The heart-shaped hole where 18-year-old Aisha's nose should be is a mark of Taliban justice _ a visceral illustration, the headline suggests, of "what happens if we leave Afghanistan."
The portrait has quickly becoming a symbol of the stakes of a nearly decade-old war. For me the photo is disturbing on so many levels but I think that it was completely necesaary, unfortunately. Interestingly, while I was reading comments on websites about the photo I found many people terming the cover page as avoidable and out-cried that the photo might affect children.
If the response proves it's still possible for pictures to provoke a visually saturated culture, it also shows how much viewers have come to accept graphic images.
Under orders from a Taliban commander acting as a judge, Aisha's nose and ears were sliced off last year as punishment for fleeing her husband's home, according to Time's story and other accounts. She said she fled to escape her in-laws' beatings and abuse.
Now in a women's shelter, she is set to get reconstructive surgery in the U.S., with the help of Time, humanitarian organizations and others.
Aisha posed for the Time cover photo because she wanted readers to see the potential consequences of a Taliban resurgence, the magazine said. Prominent Afghan women have expressed concerns that a potential government reconciliation with the insurgents could cost them freedoms they have gained since the 2001 U.S.-led invasion toppled the former Taliban regime.

A Village Of Twins

2010-04-15T03:58:00.000-07:00

Hello are you Krishnan? No I am Ramesh, Krishnan's brother. Hi Gopanna how are you. Sorry I am Shaju, Gopanna's younger brother. Everytime I try to greet a person in this small but green village in Kerala – it turns out to be other person.
Turn a corner in Kodinhi village, and if you have seen one child you will probably run into its double soon after. In this community of 2,000 families there are 250 sets of twins. In 2008 alone, of the 300 families who had children, 15 pairs were born, a rate at least six times higher than the average for the country. India has one of the lowest twinning rates in the world, but Kodinhi is close to the top of the global twinning league.
Krishnan Sribiju, a doctor at the Tirurangadi Taluk hospital, just outside the village, said the number of twins born was increasing year by year. In the past five years, up to 60 pairs had been born, and the 250 pairs who had been registered understated the true total.
The high number of children with indistinguishable features makes life difficult for teachers. Abhi, 16, standing beside his brother, said: "I comb my hair to the right and he combs his hair to the left. I also have a mark on my neck. Apart from these differences there is nothing else."
"It's an amazing phenomenon to see a medical marvel occurring in such a localised place where the people are not exposed to any kinds of harmful drugs or harmful chemicals," said lKrishnan Sribiju who is studying the twin phenomenon.
Pathummakutty and Kunhipathutty, 65, are the oldest surviving twins in the village, with both only having a single name like many people in the village.
The youngest are Rifa Ayesha and Ritha Ayesha, born June 10.
Pathummakutty said being a twin was not always easy. She recalls how her family struggled financially when she was a child but laughs about the many times people would get mixed up between her and her twin sister.
At the local school, 15-year-old Salmabi said teachers often confused her for her twin sister and she was once reprimanded for something that her twin did.
"It happens all the time," the students pipe in chorus.
Sribiju said scientists were still trying to unravel the mystery of the high number of twin births, believing there must be something in the environment that is causing this such as something in the water.
Some locals also believe it is to do with the water as Kodinji is surrounded by water in the fields and during the monsoon season it becomes inaccessible due to heavy rains.
Most of the twins are non-identical, which means that the mothers are producing extra eggs that are fertilised at the same time. Identical twins develop from a single embryo that splits after fertilisation.
The National Geographic is planning an hour-long documentary with a working title ‘Twin Town.’ Paul Nelson, producer-director of the documentary, says it will be a genuine attempt to get to the bottom of the matter.

TV9 Sweeps NT awards in Delhi

2010-04-05T07:54:00.001-07:00

I was one of the panelist for Indiantelevision.com seminar on Telugu News Industry. After the discussion - indiantelevision NT awards were held where TV9 swept 12 awards.
Below is an article published in www.indiantelevision.com about the panel discussion I participated.

Telugu TV news market needs to consolidate amid clutter
Indiantelevision.com Team
(30 March 2009 1:20 pm)

NEW DELHI: Consolidation is the only way forward to beat the clutter in the Telugu news channel space, senior industry experts said.

With 12 Telugu channels crowding the marketplace and jostling for a share of the Rs 1 billion ad market, there can be space for only the top three players in the long run. Distribution costs are also wreaking havoc as politicians and real estate owners are busy launching news channels.

“The news consumption in Andhra Pradesh is much higher as the state witnessed many events in 2009. A lot of infrastructure and political players are pumping money which can create ripples in the market. TV9, however, sits pretty with an almost 50 per cent share in revenues,” said TV9 Editor - Input Dinesh Akula, while speaking at the NT Awards summit.

The session, "The Telugu News Titans," was moderated by Indiantelevision.com founder and Editor-in-Chief Anil Wanvari.

Having invested Rs 1 billion in setting up the infrastructur (including HD), Saakshi TV will take longer to break even. Saakshi TV marketing director Rani Reddy, however, said there is no political affiliation and the news operations is run like an independent business. Incidentally, Saakshi TV comes from the house of Saakshi Telugu daily owned by YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, son of former chief minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy.

“We launched during recession and we came with our eyes open. We invested on HD because we wanted to be ready for the future. The newspaper business is run as a profitable venture. We have the same approach in the TV news segment,” said Rani Reddy.

Talking about the slowdown and non-serious players in the market, HMTV’s Editor-in-Chief K Ramchandran Murthy accepted that they had not anticipated the market would get so cluttered. "We are in the serious news business and staying away from any type of sensationalism. We believe that will lead to our success," he said.

On the content front, Zee 24 Ghantalu channel head Shailesh Reddy said that as the Telugu industry is mainly cinema and entertainment driven, the viewer wants to watch news in a movie style format. “When there are so many players, you have to do more value addition. Let the viewer decide if it is news in entertaining format or sensationalism,” he said.

Akula raised the concern that there are copycats in the market and there is no innovation. “Some players just copy the graphics and tickers even. What can you do? We need training centres to teach journalism. Lots of people with no understanding have become journalists overnight and are getting obscene salaries,” he pointed out.

Distribution is a big hindrance. Said Murthy, "Some MSOs are even dictating content. They threaten to block the channel if you show any news against their political connections."

THE LINK: http://www.indiantelevision.com/headlines/y2k10/mar/mar220.php

An actress is here to stay!

2010-03-31T05:30:00.000-07:00

All my communications with one of the upcominng and talented actresses of south is through FaceBook. We invited her for live interviews in our news studio couple of times but never had an opportunity to sit and have a face to face interaction. The only similarity between me the actress is the book which we both like – A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mishtry.
Ladies and gentlemen – let me introduce – PRIYA ANAND. A promising face in tollywood who is armed with passion towards acting despite not having a formal training in acting. Dipped in the essense of Tamilian, Andhrite and Maharashtrian blood – this damsel shows confidence to leave strong impression in the canvas of acting. Her mother is from Chennai – father is from Hyderabad with Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtrian links – Priya is brought up in USA and now stays with grand parents in Chennai.
Opps – suddenly I realised that I have another similarity with Priya – she majored in communications and later did business journalism.
I completely agree with her when she says that she is the girl next door. She is carefree yet vibrant. She is cool yet confident. She is simple yet attractive. She is extrovert yet candid.
She flew from USA to India – aim was to be an assistant director but eventually star shinned and she became a star. An actress with spice and twinkle in her eyes. From Tamil movies to Telugu. Short time – long jump. Performance in Leader was liked and appreciated. She dubbed for herself. Simple – because she wants people to know her visuals with her voice. A complete package. Soulful performance. I am told she will not let anyone dub for her.
For those who want to woo Priya. Some secrets – She doesn't like big things. Small things can move her. Flowers! Of course she loves.
For those who want to make her fall in love – some more secrets- She likes compatibility and a person with integrity. She has a special liking for those who are passionate towards work.
Talking about her hobbies – social networking – facebook and twitting. Travelling but more into rural areas. Audio books so that she can hear while makeup and other activities. Books keep her positive.
Foody – prawn biryani and of course the Hyderabadi biryani too....so she is not a vegetarian. And so no PETA calender shoot for her.
During shoots she takes down notes for her diary and also pens fun experiences but doesn't share. STRANGE.
She is active in movies since 2009. Vaamanan and Pugaippadam are Tamil movies she did and of course Leader with Daggupati Rana. Her new movie – Rama Rama Krishna Krishna is being shot while another telugu-tamil movie Putham Pudhu Kaalai is in pre-production and is likely to hit screen in 2011.

According to a fanclub website: FAN RATINGS

Looks: Drop-Dead Gorgeous
Ratings: 5.00/5

Talent: Exceptional
Ratings: 4.50/5

Sex Appeal: Hot
Ratings: 4.50/5

Star Power: Mega Star
Ratings: 4.50/5

"India has a role to play as a strong US ally"

2009-12-17T06:04:00.000-08:00

United States believes India has a role to play as a strong U.S. ally and partner across a range of global challenges, from economic dislocation to energy security, climate change, the spread of deadly weapons and terrorism. The blocks on the road of the civilian nuclear deal between states and India is also nearing to clearance.
In an exclusive interview Hyderabad – Assistant Secretary of State Robert Blake said the both countries feel that they have a significant opportunity now to take the strategic partnership to the next level. Blake said the US and India are working very closely, especially after the 26/11, in confronting the common enemy.
On nuclear deal, Blake said that both countries are making good progress though still certain things are to be done. Some negotiations are going on and things are moving in right direction.
On why US is insisting on third party mediation on Kashmir issue, Blake categorically denied it and added that the matter has to be bilaterally solved between the two countries.
Interestingly, United States does not want India to involve in security issues of Afghanistan as it may lead to complications in the South Asian region. However, the civilian help extended by India is well appreciated by the states. Blake who is in-charge of South and Central Asian Affairs in the State Department maintained that 1.2 billion dollar assitance from India in civilian sector in Afghanistan is appreciated as India is working closely in Afghanistan’s development.
To a question on US softening its stand on Taliban, he said in his judgment many Taliban fighters were opportunistic and not fighting out of any conviction. They are fighting because Taliban are paying them better remuneration than they could get from agriculture or other occupations. Therefore, if the livelihood opportunities with higher returns could be developed, they would give up fighting.
"The threat to American troops and the Indian contractors and workers in Afghanistan is coming from Tahreek-e-Taliban, Pakistan (TTP) that is based in Swat, South Waziristan and Queta. Pakistan has to make concerted efforts to tackle this danger", he said.The US is helping Pakistan, the same way it is doing with Afghanistan, in improving the security situation, educational and health facilities and build up economic opportunities so as to lure away people from falling into the hands of militants. For this reason, it is giving that country a heavy annual dose of $1.5 billion in civil aid, he explained.
Blake was in Hyderabad over the weekend. He had arrived in the city via Chennai after a visit to Sri Lanka. A senior career diplomat, he has served in India and Sri Lanka before being appointed as Assistant Secretary of State.

NO TOILET! NO BRIDE!

2009-10-16T01:10:00.000-07:00

The mothers of Haryana have a simple message for men who call on their daughters: “No toilet, no bride.”

The slogan - often lengthened in Hindi to “If you don't have a proper lavatory in your house, don't even think about marrying my daughter” - has been plastered across villages in the region as part of a drive to boost the number of pukka facilities. In a country where more households have TV sets than lavatories, it is one of the most successful efforts to combat the chronic shortage of proper plumbing.

In India it is estimated that more than 660 million people still defaecate in the open - a big cause of a host of diseases, from diarrhoea to polio. It is women, activists say, who suffer the most. “Women who must go outside have to do so before sunrise or after nightfall so they can't be seen,” said Bindeshwar Pathak, founder of Sulabh, which has built toilets for ten million Indians, and the recipient of this year's Stockholm Water Prize for developing ecofriendly and cheap lavatories to help to improve public health.

Suresh Devi, 52, a resident of Shahar Malpur village near Panipat, about 100 km from New Delhi, had been forced to defecate in the open till not so long ago, as there was no toilet in her home. But when her daughter got married, she made sure the bride had a toilet in her new home.

"My in-laws did not have a toilet at home and nor did my parents. Everybody at home used to go to the fields for defecation. We never had a toilet at home until the village panchayat (council) got one made last year.

"When I got my youngest daughter Sonia married off I made sure that there was a toilet in the household. After all one has to look after hygiene," Suresh, a member of a family that is below the poverty line, said.

"Our daughter will be married only to a family that has a toilet at home. This slogan dramatically decreased the percentage of people holding out against the construction of new toilets," chuckled 70-year-old Satwant Kaur of Khanpur Koliyan, a village in the neighbouring Kurukshetra district, about 150 km from the national capital.

It has been nearly four years since the Haryana government embarked on a campaign to create awareness about sanitation among the masses through radio jingles, television advertisements, posters and banners.

Walls in many villages have been painted with slogans in Hindi reading - "Na byahun beti us ghar mein jismein na ho shauchalaya (Won't get my daughter married into a household which does not have a toilet)."

Women's rights activists call the program a revolution as it spreads across India's vast and largely impoverished rural areas.

Meanwhile, bachelor guys are having a tough time here.

"I will have to work hard to afford a toilet. We won't get any bride if we don't have one now," said Rajesh Singh, 24, who is hoping to marry soon. Neem tree branches hung in the doorway of his parents' home, a sign of pride for a family with sons. "I won't be offended when the woman I like asks for a toilet."

Emotional fans of YSR giving up lives

2009-09-05T02:20:00.000-07:00

ATTACHMENT AND emotions towards politicians are common in the country like India. But giving up life for their beloved leader is something unprecedented. But South India is known for it. Earlier it was MG Ramchandran, the chief minister of Tamil Nadu – popularly known as MGR and now Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh Y S Rajasekhar Reddy also called YSR broke all the records.

In an exceptional show of love for any politician in the history on India – at least 141 people have (including suicides) because they were unable to bear the trauma of the loss of their leader and Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, Dr Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy. While on December 27, 1987 – 30 people committed suicide and lakhs tonsured their heads across Tamil Nadu following the demise of MGR

Similarly, many people tried to self immolate and commit suicide when AIADMK leader Jayalalitha was arrested and also during the arrest of DMK supreme M Karunanidhi such reports came to fore.

But the aftermath of YSR’s death is something unheard of in any part of the world.
One hundred and fifteen people died of cardiac failure and another 26 committed suicide after the chief minister died in a tragic helicopter crash deep in the Nallamala jungle.

While 42 people died on the first day (Thursday) soon after news of YSR’s death reached them, the toll went up to 141 on Friday as many could not bear the shock of their leader’s demise. All TV news channels beamed live the funeral procession and last rites, throwing people into a state of what psychologists described as "mass hysteria".

Psychiatrists explain the unprecedented number of deaths to the slow build-up of mental trauma and suppression of emotions over a period of 24 to 48 hours. The news of YSR’s helicopter disappearing was flashed on Wednesday afternoon and this caused mental agony and tension to his admirers. This state continued for a full day, heightening the trauma.

"People are attracted to leaders not only by their policies and programmes, but also by their personalities, the way they speak, dress and talk to them. This gradually creates a sort of hero worship and, when something tragic happens, they cannot bear the loss. This leads to mass hysteria," said renowned psychiatrist Dr Ella Rao. Se said there would have been mass violence had the news broken suddenly. "Now people are killing themselves.

In case the news of death emerged the same day, people would have resorted to violence, killing others. They would have made someone their target of attack and would have taken to the streets."

Despite appeals to the people by chief minister K. Rosaiah and YSR’s son, Kadapa MP Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, to not resort to suicide, the death roll kept increasing on Friday.

Twenty-three people died due to shock in Warangal district, while in East Godavari 14 people succumbed to shock and two committed suicide. Six people died in Krishna and three in Adilabad. In Narsapuram in West Godavari district, an MRPS activist climbed up a cell tower and threatened to end his life if Mr Jagan Mohan Reddy was not made chief minister.

The toll, district-wise, is Nalgonda 11, Medak 11, Mahbubnagar six, Karimnagar eight, West Godavari three, Prakasam six, Nellore and Chittoor seven each, Visakhapatnam five, Vizianagaram and Srikakulam five each, Hyderabad three and Nizamabad seven.

In Kadapa, a head constable died of a heart attack after watching the funeral procession on TV. The constable was a fan of Rajasekhar Reddy. He had been upset for the last two days

Once More Removed

2009-08-01T05:43:00.001-07:00

Grit, determination and sheer focus helped 26-year-old Shundell Prasad to trace her family tree back to the 1800s. The process took her a tedious three years.
New York-based Indo-Guyanese film maker, Shundell Prasad, was at her final year in New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts when she decided to make a film on something she was always curious about— her identity.
She traveled three continents in search of her roots. “It is a great feeling to know about one’s roots,” she revealed.
Her journey to trace her roots in now in the form of a documentary film – Once more removed- a journey back to India.
When asked why she wanted to find her roots – prompt came the reply from her – “I started researching this film while I was still in university, simply because I wanted to know why I looked Indian, but did not have any connections or ties with India.
"I am a descendent of the people who were transported from India 150 years ago to inhabit what was then known as British Guyana, as indentured servants for the British Empire," she said.
Prasad's journey in the film begins from Queens, NY and then to the sweltering sugar cane fields of Guyana.
"I have managed to exhume my forefather's 19th Century ship records from the massive vaults of Guyana's record room. These records were a huge discovery, as they became my navigational map back to India."
She further says: "My expedition into mapping the pattern of migration backwards to India's remote villages is very exciting. Based on the information extracted from the ship records, we pursue India's northeastern belt. We travel to the two main areas in India that were part of Indian Sepoy Mutiny of 1857: Bihar and East Uttar Pradesh."
"In Bihar, I found my roots in Muzaffarpur. In Uttar Pradesh, I found relatives of my father in Azamgarh. It is here, in India, that I am graciously welcomed back to my ancestral homeland. It is stranger than fiction to come face to face with my relatives who live in dire poverty. It is here that I realize the spirit and dignity of these people," said Prasad.
Prasad was six when her parents immigrated from Guyana to the US, making her a second-generation Guyanese. However, given that her forefathers were migrant settlers in Guyana from India, makes Prasad an Indo- Guyanese. “Knowing I was a Guyanese of Indian origin created a lot of conflict about my identity,” says Prasad. “ I was also fascinated about India and where I came from in India.” She adds that neither her parents nor her grandparents had the answers to the questions she posed about her true identity.
"It was stranger than fiction to come face to face with my relatives who live in dire poverty. It was here that I realised how removed I had become", she says. The documentary has a 90-minute product for the world to see

Dad - I Miss you

2009-06-22T03:48:00.000-07:00

SUNDAY was Father’s Day and for the first time in my life I missed my father. I never knew how much important he was to me. What all I could achieve in my life was due to him. He never questioned he never asked he just showed path. My dad I miss you.
Two months have passed
I’ll never forget the day
Someone rang to tell me
That you’d gone away

The hurt is the same
Like an open wound
There are days
I don’t utter a sound

Some days the pain is stronger
It makes me sick and weak
I can’t stand this much longer
I just sit here and weep

I’ve shut my private door
And let no one in
Locking myself in a box
They try, but I won’t give in

You were like a rock
Strong, faithful and true
What worth has my life
Now I don’t have you

I always loved you
My dad, my star
Now my pain is
To worship you from afar

I love you now
As I did back then
I just hope... one day
I will see you again

I am so proud of you
Brave and strong to the end
Now when asked “how are you?”
There is no need to pretend

We all love and miss you so much, sleep well
and take care of all who went before you

Forever in my heart x

ATTACKS ON INDIANS in Australia

2009-06-09T04:25:00.000-07:00

ON WHAT’S going down under - INDIANS are divided in Australia on the issue and particularly on the word ‘RACISM’. Students are labeling it as racist attacks. Students want to label it as racism and so do the media but those permanent residents and citizens categorically deny it.
I was in Melbourne for around two weeks covering the story of attacks on Indian students in Australia. Baring couple of incidents – I would definitely raise my voice that it is not racism but a deliberate attempt to scare the Indian students. Who are those involved in the attack? That’s a question – police and even the Ozzie government has to answer to pacify the issue.

Here I am reproducing a story, which I penned for a local newspaper in India last week:

GURLEEN GULATI was flying high when she was selected for a master’s course in Swinburne University in Melbourne eight months back. She had plans to bring her younger brother to Australia for further education. But now everything has changed. “I will never allow my brother to come here, this place is no safer for Indian students a,” she stressed.
Over seven students all from India were attacked in Melbourne in last 10 days. And attacks are still on. Racism is the tag word being used while the Australian government refuses it stating that Indians are soft target.
There are 90,000 Indians studying in Australia. Education of foreign students has become big business in Australia, generating 15.5 billion Australian dollars (US$12.54 billion) in 2008. And Indians now make up 25% of students, up from just fewer than 10% in 1997. The tertiary-education sector is now the nation's third-largest export earner behind coal and iron ore. In Victoria state, education is the biggest export earner. The number of Indian students has doubled in the past three years, with two-thirds studying at private colleges.
Gautam Gupta, spokesman for the Federation of Indian Students of Australia said that violence against the foreign students has been escalating over the past four years. In Victoria state, police said 1,447 people of Indian origin were victims of crimes such as robberies and assaults in the year ending June 30, 2008, an increase from 1,082 in the previous year.
Now Indian students studying in Melbourne and Sydney are getting phone calls from families concerned for their safety in the wake of recent attacks against Indian student. “ I do not want to stay here. I came here last September and now I want to go back,” Anil Kumar, a student from Hyderabad informed. He said attacks on Indians are widespread and they are fearful to travel, especially at night.
Meanwhile, a sense of uneasiness is gripping Indian community, with suggestions and rumours flowing thick and fast. In absence of any common platform to share information or to give suggestions, SMS service has emerged as a major source of communication among Indian community in Victoria.
A SMS which was making round on the night of rally asked Indians to join the protest. “Guys show ur support and come to Fed Sqr, there’s been one more attack on an Indian student in Hoppers Crossing today and there this evening they entered in Gurudwara n beat one lady and her husband. Our 3 guys have been arrested, but the offenders are still free. It is time to raise our voice, plz forward this to all.” Another, which started circulating early Tuesday morning, asked Indians to sit in one carriage. “To travel safely all Indians are to travel in the first compartment known as Desi Dabba of the train. That way we can be in numbers and help each other at any time day or night. Plus introduce yourself to other Indians that travel with you everyday at same time and going to same place, Plz forward to all Indian community.”
It is difficult to ascertain source of these SMSes, and thus the validity of the claims they make. However, such messages are adding fuel to already panicked Indian population. In India, Australia is being labeled a racist nation in media reports, a claim made a number of times in recent years around Asia. "There is a definite risk that this violence will affect the flow of students," said Andrew Smith, national executive officer of the Australian Council for Private Education and Training, which represents private vocational colleges. He added that "the majority of students have a safe and enjoyable time" while studying in Australia and those one in five students seek to settle here after graduation. Still, he said, the reports of the attacks hurt the nation's reputation. Now not only the students’ community but also those who have got permanent residents are also worried. Srilakshmi is married to Chandrasekhar in Melbourne is also worried. “When I came here two years back things were normal but now suddenly these attacks have created an atmosphere of fear,” she said. Australia Government has asserted that hate crimes would be considered offensive and a task force would look into the cases of attacks on Indian students.

Girl in Oscar film turned prostitute

2009-03-01T22:23:00.000-08:00

A FRIEND of mine from UK called up the day after Slumdog Millionaire won 8 Oscars. He wanted to know whether the children living in Asia’s largest slums – Dharavi in Mumbai, would have a better future, now that the film has exposed the pathetic living conditions of the slum. Would the Oscars to the movie showing these children provoke some thoughts in the minds of the government to take some measures to better the things for the slum children? I simply said ‘NO’.

And the next moment I was on phone assigning a story to our news desk in Kolkata to track the whereabouts of a girl in a red light area who rose to limelight after a documentary – “Born in Brothels” got accolades from across the world and also an Oscar in 2005.
“Is she enjoying a new life? Did Oscars change her fate? Is she happy?” Cascades of such thoughts were wrestling in my head. But an hour later I was told that the story was lined up as they had tracked the girl in Asia’s largest red light area, Sonagachi.

Puja is her name and she is 18. She was one of the nine children who were part of the Oscar-winning documentary Born Into Brothels, directed by Ms Zana Briski. The film won 20 international awards. How is Puja? Has the Oscar recognition changed her life at all?

The story is disheartening to say the least. Fate hasn't spared Puja. She has slipped into the same formidable pit. She got sucked into the sex trade just a year after her brush with the Oscars. She was barely in her teens. 'It seems like a fairy tale now. I still see it in my dreams. I get goose bumps when I remember the heart-stopping moment when the award was announced,” she told my correspondent at her house in Kolkata.

"All of us kept screaming with joy. Zana aunty made sure we too went along to collect the statuette. My head was swimming, there were so many eyes on us, the deafening applause, so many cameras flashing...' Puja said.

While the children were in Los Angeles, Ms Briski and others tried their best to help them lead new lives. Puja was in High School then. The children took part in the documentary got an offer to stay back in the US and study. Some did. But Puja backed out.

'Aunty (Zana) gave a lot of money by cheque to my mother and asked her to release me, but she was unwilling. I am a girl and the only child; my mother wouldn't let go. Call it family pressure if you will. It's quite simple, really,' Puja said with a dismissive shrug followed by a short helpless laugh.

'So, you see me here.'

Dressed in jeans and a trendy shirt, Puja could pass for any other college student, until the whiff of smoke and alcohol in her breath hits you.
She is adamant about staying in the sex-trade.

'At this age, I have a flat, a laptop, costly phones and plenty of money. What do I lack?' she asked.

'Zana aunty and I are in touch by e-mail. She was upset that I, too, had joined the trade like my mother, something she wanted to save me from.

'But this trade has really paid off for me.'

A sign of her 'prosperity' - she has rented rooms in Prem Kamal, one of the most expensive Sonagachhi buildings. Mother Rakhi lives in the opposite building.

Puja pays for her living expenses. Her mother says she wanted a 'normal' life for Preeti. She still has a fading photo of Preeti with the Oscar statuette stuck on the wall.

'That is all I have left of her...' she said looking at it, as tears welled in her eyes.

Born into Brothels, by Ross Kauffman and Zana Briski, is the winner of the 77th annual Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature. A tribute to the resiliency of childhood and the restorative power of art, Born into Brothels is a portrait of several unforgettable children who live in the red light district of Calcutta, where their mothers work as prostitutes. Zana Briski, a New York-based photographer, gives each of the children a camera and teaches them to look at the world with new eyes.

GIR PICS

2009-02-27T00:09:00.001-08:00

The above photographs were clicked at Gir Lions Sanctuary.

THE KINGS of GIR

2009-02-19T01:49:00.000-08:00

READ somewhere that Greece saw its last lion shortly after the birth of Christ. Most of the countries in the world have no presence of lions. Apart from Africa the only place where Asiatic lions, a regal subspecies, can be spotted is in the Gir forest in Gujarat (India).

IT was not planned nor was it there on the itinerary of my visit to Gujarat last week. It just happened. My passion to witness the Asiatic lions made me maneuver my work time and sneak into the Sasan Gir Forest Reserve – the only place, outside Africa, where lions can be still seen in full flesh and ferocity. It was created in 1913 and accorded the sanctuary status in 1965.

Before taking the 8-hour-long drive to Gir – I was told that it was not easy to actually witness the royal animal due to the fact that they are in small number spread over a large area; a 300 of them spread over 1000 sq kms area.

As you stroll into their natural habitat, it takes no time at all to realize why lions have come to stand for royalty and greatness. A tiger will slink through the forest unseen, but a lion stands its ground, curious and unafraid—lionhearted.

It takes hours and sometimes days around the dry forest and bumpy roads to track lions. I was lucky as it took me only 2 hours to see two big Asiatic lions walking majestically on the muddy track leaving behind pugmarks denoting that they control the expanse.

One of the forest guards told me that the lions were least bothered about the presence of humans near them. They just live royally unmindful of whoever is in the vicinity. The lion trackers follow these epic animals wielding a wooden stick in their hands – their job is to ensure that they are physically fine.

It was a breathtaking moment when I finally got close to a pride of Asiatic lions. Fear didn't grip me even for a moment when the big cat straddled gracefully; just a couple of feet away from me. A thrilling moment, indeed!

I chided myself for not being equipped with a professional camera to capture that never to be relived moment of my life. I managed to click few photos with a small digital camera and was happy with one particular frame when the Asiatic lion was crossing the road.

I have got to thank my friend – Kalpak Kekre – channel head of TV9 Gujarat, for facilitating such a fulfilling experience. He took off time to accompany me to Gir. Kalpak informed me that the Gir lions would most likely have disappeared by now, were it not for the Nawab of Junagadh. At the turn of the 20th century the Nawab saved the lions by declaring that any one wanted to hunt the lion in Gir required the royal license. It was not an entirely selfless effort. In order for him to continue to kill a few lions for sport, he needed to save many. Thanks to his 'license raj' there are about 300 lions still alive today in and around the Gir Forest, treating the eyes of many a curious eye.

White Blanket Over London

2009-02-02T04:35:00.000-08:00

LONDON, 2007. I stayed at Bakers Street for sometime couple of years back. I heard ample of time about the bad weather in this part of the world. True! Come summer and it was raining.
I wondered does it ever snow in the capital of Britain. I was told most of Londoners have had never seen snow on the London streets since long, long and long time indeed. And if I had the fascination for snow then London was not the place to be. But I stayed. Completed my work. And left with a bit of disappointment of seeing all weathers except the white coloured flakes on the streets and on the rooftops and on the trees. And now when I am not there “SNOW” is smiling …...ooops it’s laughing all over the place. Londoners are witnessing heaviest snowfall in 20 years, which they never ever dreamt off. Tubes are jammed, buses are not plying and my friends called me to inform they are not going to office and having all the fun in this WHTE WEATHER. HO! SNOW you cheated me. I am missing you.

Falling Snow
See the pretty snowflakes Falling from the sky,
On the wall and housetops soft and thick they lie. On the window ledges,

On the branches bare,
Now how fast they gather, Filling all the air. Look into the garden,

Where the grass was green;
Covered by the snowflakes, Not a blade is seen.
Now the bare black bushes, All look soft and white,
Every twig is laden - What a pretty sight!

QUITE yet fascinating FLORENCE

2009-01-30T03:10:00.000-08:00

I WAS standing on Ponte Vecchio bridge in Florence (Italy). And doing what – singing a song in Chhattisgarhi dialect. It was a dream that I had last night.Vague! Absurd! Why did I see such a dream – I spoke to myself.

Later I realized an old friend of mine from my hometown - Raipur (Chhattisgarh) called me up the other day to inquire about visiting Florence. He wanted to record some visuals in Florence for his new Chhattisgarhi music album.
I spent quite a few days in Florence in October 2007. I wrote a lot about Florence and more I write more inquisitive I become.
There is poem by William Wordsworth which reminds of Florence:Earth has not anything to show more fair:

Dull would he be of soul who could pass byA sight so touching in its majesty:This City now doth, like a garment wearThe beauty of the morning; silent, bare,Ships, towers, domes, theaters, and temples lieOpen unto the fields, and to the sky;All bright and glittering in the smokeless air।Never did sun more beautifully steepIn his first splendor valley, rock, or hill;Ne'er saw I, never felt, a calm so deep!The river glideth at his own sweet will।Dear God! the very houses seem asleep;And all that mighty heart is lying still!

I am not writing much on visiting Florence but would love to upload some photos I clicked while walking through the streets of this city, which is not as exciting as Rome or Venice but this capital of Tuscany region has something to offer to those travelers who love the essence of old cities। And mind you the maestro – Leonardo Di Vinci spent lot of time here and eventually went on to paint his all time masterpieces MONA LISA।Micheal Angelo’s David is also in Florence.

Swami Ramdev Baba : SIZE ZERO

2009-01-28T01:27:00.000-08:00

GETTING UP at 4 am on a chilly day has never been my cup of tea. But instructions from my top boss to go and meet India's one of the top celebrity Yoga gurus and interview him for our group of channels – made me break my tradition of not waking up before the sunrise.

BABA RAMDEV - clad from head to foot in orange robes, his early morning television show pulls in 20 million viewers in India alone, and there are the usual video and summer camp spin-offs, as well as the more unusual ones, like yoga cruises.
He is in Hyderabad for a week-long session. And on Wednesday morning (January 28, 2009) - I made my way to his camp and waited for him to conclude his 3-hour session.
The moment he got down from the podium – I posed my first question – "Bollywood and Size Zero – what is your take on it,"- Unusual question at a very unusual time – but this gentleman is known to speak on any issue under the sun.
"Size zero is not healthy," pop came the response from the Swamiji. Giving up food to attain a sexy figure is not advisable, he said and added that such figure could be accomplished through yoga. There are various methods in yoga by which one can get the much-publicized 'SIZE ZERO', Baba Ramdev said. Pranayam, Kapal bhati, lom vilom can help one achieve the desired figure, the yoga guru specified.
Swamiji is also known to have many friends in Bollywood. His favourites are Amitabh Bachchan, Hema Malini and Akshay Kumar to name some. He revealed these names with his convention élan and also added that they all are his yoga lovers.
Baba Ramdev also spoke on politicians and their fitness and cricketers…THAT I will mention in another write up. Right now I want to keep this piece on SIZE ZERO only.
SO babes – if you want to try attaining size zero please do heed to BABA's advice….YOGA ....with loads of meditation and a glass full of LAUKI (bottle gourd ) juice every morning.
SIZE ZERO:
# Size zero, commonly used to refer to people with very low body mass index, refers to a clothing size in U.S. brands.
#A woman with waist size 23 inches, hip size 32 inches and bust around 31 inches would qualify to be called size zero.
#Crash diets to achieve size zero can have repercussions on your health -- from heart attacks to renal failures.
#Uruguay model Luisel Ramos sparked off the debate on size zero. Soon after stepping down from the ramp after a fashion show in 2006, she was found dead following a heart attack. International fashion shows then stayed away from models with BMIs less than 18, an unhealthy number as per the guidelines of World Health Organisation.
#In India, though a number of models fit into the slender category, many have been successful without having to be reed thin. Sisters Tapur and Tupur, modelturned- actors Koena Mitra and Katrina Kaif fit the bill.

The Thrill Ride

2009-01-24T03:38:00.000-08:00

If the thrill of riding in a metal cabin with no doors, no seat belts and no airbags on treacherous Indian roads doesn't scare you, then the auto-wallah's driving skills definitely will! Riding an auto rickshaw is a bit like riding a roller coaster except you stay firmly on the ground with no definite track

Last afternoon I took an auto rickshaw to office. It was completely a new experience for me as I don’t remember when the last time I had the experience to board an auto rickshaw.

I still remember my niece once described auto rickshaw as a notorious metal shell, on 3 wheels much like a scooter with three wheels with a motor that sounds like a western lawn mower! - The Auto Rickshaw.

Even though auto rickshaws are said have a top-speed of around 50 km/h (about 31 mph), it definitely doesn't seem like it and I doubt it's true especially when you’re zipping past cars and bikes at much higher speeds leaving them in a cloud of smoke. You can sometimes feel the G-forces pulling you as the auto-wallah makes a tight turn. They're driven the way you would a bumper car at a carnival.They zig-zag and weave through traffic unafraid of bigger vehicles or pedestrians and are notorious for playing chicken by driving on the wrong side of the road with oncoming traffic. And just when you think it couldn't get any worse, if the gap between two cars or buses in front of you is seemingly impossible to fit into...think again! The auto wallah will surprise you by daringly maneuvering their rickshaw into the tightest imaginable spaces in traffic. So much so that you can literally touch the vehicle beside you by sticking out a finger!For people in Hyderabad and other cities of India, these monsters on the road are more like anybody's daily affair. People from abroad see them as a cute, loving vehicle on the road. Foreigners don't forget to take a ride on them while visiting the rustic side of this country.

Anyways, after 30 minutes of scary ride I managed to reach destination in one piece. Don’t know when I would dare to board the auto for another thrill ride of my life…….

I Love Puchkas

2008-11-30T23:43:00.000-08:00

It was a trip down memory lane when I had a chance to visit my city of birth – Kolkata – last week.

I was born and brought up in the ‘City of joy’ but moved out in late 80s. Though, there are many places associated with my childhood but being a food junkie, I didn’t want to miss one thing – the Bong eateries.

Many things changed in Kolkata. The lanes, the buildings, and the traffic etc etc..the only thing which is intact since ages is its road side snacks.

Favourite snack of the Kolkatan is the puchka — pani puris and golgappas come a distant second. The crisp puchka, with its mashed potato filling and dipped in tangy tamarind water and eaten out of saal leaf rolled into cups, is an experience to be savoured.

Favourite hangouts are near Victoria Memorial and Vivekananda Park in South Kolkata. My own favourite is Panditji near Birla Academy. Another delicacy from the puchkawallah is the churmur — crushed puchka with potato and masala, which has not yet found its way to other cities.

Jhalmuri or masala muri is a favourite item of all. Its acceptance lies in the fact that it is easy to make, available everywhere, safe on the stomach and best of all, can be customised to suit every palate. An item, made even at home and the focal point of many an adda and party.

A recommendatory guide is incomplete without mention of the sweets of Bengal, found in every lane of Kolkata. There is a distinct north-south divide in this regard with old-time favourites spread throughout Kolkata. Favourites are Kacha Golla (Nakur), Mishti Dohi (Bhim Nag, Bowbazar and Jadab, R.B. Avenue), Sandesh (all types) from Balaram (Bhowanipur), Pantua from Bancharam, Indrani from Ganguram and the list could go on and on.

I am feeling hungry again!

Happy birthday Pablo!

2008-10-25T04:00:00.000-07:00

#Art is a lie that makes us realize truth.
#Bad artists copy. Good artists steal.
#Computers are useless. They can only give you answers.
#There are only two types of women - goddesses and doormats.
#We don't grow older, we grow riper.

THESE are some famous quotes of a man called Pablo Picasso. One of the few artists to become a household name, Pablo Picasso was nothing if not prolific. The hundreds of thousands of works he created in his lifetime are scattered in many public and private collections throughout the world. But Picasso holds the record for the number of museums devoted solely to his oeuvre. Three (in Paris, Barcelona, and Málaga) are devoted solely to Picasso, and others dabble.

October 25 was his birthday – and I wanted to pen down a piece dedicating to a master with a difference. I visited his museum last year in Paris. Pablo’s museum is a very nice and intimate museum in the middle of a fashionable and typically Parisian district.

I was putting up at Hotel Ibis in Bastille. Though I been to Paris several times but I always missed paying a visit to the museum. This time I wanted to be there not because of Pablo’s great works but to feel the ambience of the place and how the museum came to fore. It was not because Pablo donated his masterpieces to Paris but some tax problems forced him to do so.

I was told famous painters have tax problems, and Pablo Picasso was no exception. To settle the taxes on his estate, the French government “inherited” a large number of his works upon his death in 1973. These paintings and sculpture form the core of Paris’ Picasso Museum, located in a large 17th century mansion –the Hotel Sale – in the popular Marais neighborhood. The ornate townhouse makes an interesting contrast to Picasso’s, largely abstract, paintings.

The Picasso Museum features over 3000 works by the artist and the collection is organized chronologically and the visitors can walk through the different periods in Picasso’s artistic development. Particularly noteworthy in the collection are “The Kiss,” a painting inspired by the painter’s marriage to Jacqueline Roque in 1961, his early (1901) self-portrait, and “The Two Brothers,” painted in Spain during the summer of 1906. In addition to works by Picasso, the museum includes a large number of works from Picasso's private art collection, including works by Degas, Cezanne, Matisse, and Seurat. The museum is a fascinating immersion into the work of one man and, no matter how one feels about Picasso’s work, is fascinating in its intense concentration on all phases of his art.

Among the many Picasso's paintings, you will find a 1901 self portrait and self portrait, the 1917 portrait of Olga in an armchair, the 1925 kiss, the 1931 woman in a red armchair (left) and the 1937 portrait of Dora Moor.

Paintings didn’t fascinate me much has I had already spent two days in the famous Louvre museum trying to decipher the meaning of hundreds of masterpiece paintings. The sculptors – the man, the woman and a pregnant woman made by wrought iron absorbed my attention.

In case you happen to be in Paris anytime – I would suggest please do visit this muse of Pablo. You won’t regret spending time here.

Visiting the Picasso Museum
Paris' Picasso Museum is open Wednesday to Monday year-round, except for January 1 and December 25. (The museum is closed on Tuesdays.) Summer (April – September) hours are 930am to 6pm. Winter hours are 930am to 530pm. Admission is 6.50 Euros for adults, 4.50 for students 18-25 years, and free for those under 18. The Museum is free to all on the first Sunday of each month. The museum has a gift shop that features prints, cards, and gifts inspired by Picasso as well as a small café.
The Picasso Museum is easily accessible by the Paris Metro system, via the Saint-Paul, Saint-Sebastien Froissart, and Chemin Vert stops.

Contact Information
Picasso Museum, Hotel Sale; 5 rue de Thorigny; 75003 Paris, France; Telephone: 01 42 71 25 21

Official site: http://www.musee-picasso.fr/

Getting to the Picasso Museum in Paris is easy. If you’re using the Paris metro system, just get off at either Saint Paul Station or Chemin Vert Station. The Picasso Museum is within walking distance of both these stations, and the directions are signposted as soon as you get out of the station. If you’re taking a cab or riding a bus then the address of the Picasso Museum is 5 Rue de Thorigny. Buses that stop very close to the Picasso Museum are 29, 96, 69 and 75.

A summer soiree in Sydney

2008-10-06T04:15:00.000-07:00

-This was my second visit to Oz land in last one and half years. I am re-publishing an article written for Times of India last year in May.

--------------------------

Nestled amidst gorgeous beaches, Sydney is special in very many ways. Water sports for the adventurous at heart, world-class restaurants for foodies like me and a vibrant nightlife, well for everyone! But let me begin with Port Jackson. It truly is the heart of Sydney, symbolising the sun, water and the outdoor spirit of those who inhabit it.

Sydney occupies the largest natural harbour in the world offering divinely picturesque sunset views from almost all of the 70 harbour beaches in the metropolitan region. The best way to see the harbour is by taking a ferry from central Sydney to the Toronga Zoo, where I saw koalas, platypus and more than 3,000 other endangered or rare species enjoy prime ocean front property!

I was fortunate to witness the Harbour Bridge's 75th anniversary celebrations. The iconic Harbour Bridge , known as the coathanger among locals is an adventure in itself. Climb the southeast pylon for an unimaginable view of the harbour or pay a little more to spend adrenaline filled hours climbing the bridge through a certified company.

Facing the Harbour Bridge is the signature Opera House against the beautiful backdrop of Port Jackson; making it difficult to believe that Sydney is just about 200 years old. A visit to Sydney would not be complete without a trip to one of its several dozen sandy beaches lining its suburban coastline. The famous Bondi beach is about 15 minutes from the Bondi station by bus and is in the eastern suburbs. It is Sydney 's sandy seaside escape, complete with gelato vendors, funky pubs and an overall air of relaxation.

The beautiful Manly on the Northern side of the harbour is about 30 minutes from the city by ferry from the Circular Quay; one of the most relaxing, picturesque and enjoyable rides you will ever experience! If you are an animal lover and have come all the way to meet the famous koalas – an hour's train ride to Paramatta will take you to the Koala Park. You can explore the city's central and North sides where you can see the Queen Victoria statue and the Royal Botanical Garden, which is quite remarkable featuring the preserved site of the colony's first paltry vegetable patch.

The Museum of Contemporary Arts is also a point of interest mainly because of the terrific Art Deco building in which it resides and the Art Gallery houses an impressive collection of 18th and 19th century works. Following a long day of harbours, beaches, art and amusement, King's Cross is just the perfect blend of trendy class and underground subculture for a fine meal, chichi cocktail or gritty groove. And if you want to escape the hustle bustle of the city, simply take a two-hour train ride to reach the Blue Mountains.

Perhaps these beautiful mountains get their name from fumes created by the eucalyptus oil released into the air by the carpet of trees lining the surrounding hills. But well, you can never feel blue here!

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Cities/City_Supplements/Hyderabad_Times/A_summer_soiree_in_Sydney/articleshow/2076625.cms

Kiama - where the sea makes a noise

2008-10-04T03:14:00.000-07:00

After a wonderful time in Blue Mountains – it was now destination – Kiama -. The drive was breathtaking though mostly I slept.

Rain and cloudy weather tried its best to play spoilsport but the high spirits in me ensured the spoilers didn’t blemish my trip.

Kiama is a well-known and much-favoured coastal resort located 120 km south of Sydney via the Princes Highway. It is characterised by dramatic rocky coastline, sandy beaches and an attractive harbour. The hinterland behind the town is dominated by lush green dairy pastures, and rolling hills which were once clad in dense subtropical forests.

I went around looking for history of Kiama. I read that the area's original inhabitants, the Wodi Wodi Aborigines, are said to have called the place 'Kiarama-a' or 'Kiar-mai'. The meaning is usually given as 'where the sea makes a noise', although 'fertile area', 'mysterious spirit' and 'plenty food: good fishing ground' have also been suggested.

I had only a day with me to explore Kiama. After a scrumptious Thai red curry with rice to ease my hunger – went to find the most obvious place - the Blowhole. Still the town's greatest attraction this sea-cliff cavern will always offer some kind of display but the really spectacular 'blows' only occur when the wind and water are coming rather precisely from the south-east. On those occasions waves roar explosively through a hole in the cave-roof sending spray up as high as 60 metres and down over the carpark.

But on the day I visited it was playing hide and seek. Near the blowhole is the 15-metre lighthouse, opened in 1887 on George Bass Point after a considerable death toll had occurred on the rocky coastline. It was converted to electricity in 1969 and extends its beams to a distance of 27 km. Once attended by a lighthouse keeper it has long been automated.

Just down the hill from the lighthouse is the Kiama Pilot's Cottage and Heritage Centre, the residence of the local harbour pilots from 1881 to 1981. The building is typical of the country cottages designed in the office of the colonial architect to house public officials

On either side of the harbour are two attractive rock pools. The one on the northern side was built in 1888. Its location was determined by indecency laws which forbade bathing in public. The southern rock pool can be spectacular when the sea is rough. I wanted to have a swim but backed out after I realized that the water was cold and I didn’t know how to swim.

But two of my travel mates – a 12 year old handsome Saahil and a nine-year old naughtiest amateur magician – Eshaan had one of the best times in water.

There is a walking trail – the Kiama walking trail clearly marked with large blue-and-white posts. But I gave it a miss as it was time to return to Sydney.

Three Sisters

2008-10-03T00:13:00.001-07:00

Sorry for lazy postings…It’s been over a month since I last posted on this blog. I was in Australia for sometime. Now I am back with some interesting stories to publish on my blog. To begin with let me tell you the story of three sisters.

This was my second trip to Australia in last one and half years. This time I made it sure that I spent some time in the Blue Mountains. And especially click a photo of three sisters.

Three beautiful hills named as three sisters in the Blue Mountains was awesome scenic beauty. After spending sometime there I went on to search some history behind the three sisters.

I was told that the Three Sisters are 922, 918 & 906 metres tall, respectively. That's over 3000 feet above sea level!

The Aboriginal dream-time legend has it that three sisters, 'Meehni', 'Wimlah' and Gunnedoo' lived in the Jamison Valley as members of the Katoomba tribe.
These beautiful young ladies had fallen in love with three brothers from the Nepean tribe, yet tribal law forbade them to marry.

The brothers were not happy to accept this law and so decided to use force to capture the three sisters causing a major tribal battle.

As the lives of the three sisters were seriously in danger, a witchdoctor from the Katoomba tribe took it upon himself to turn the three sisters into stone to protect them from any harm. While he had intended to reverse the spell when the battle was over, the witchdoctor himself was killed. As only he could reverse the spell to return the ladies to their former beauty, the sisters remain in their magnificent rock formation as a reminder of this battle for generations to come.

Journey to Blue Mountains is around two hours drive from Sydney and the drive is breathtaking. Though I was there for only a day - I would recommend for people to stay there for few days and enjoy the scenic beauty of the place. I would say it is out of the world.

Memoirs Of Bomb Blast

2008-08-25T06:42:00.000-07:00

SAME DAY SAME time last year - I was sitting at an Indian restaurant in Brussels enjoying the delicacies of Indian cuisine made by Belgium chefs. For the firs time in years since I had my cell phone – I switched it off. Completely cut off from the world. It was me and my holiday mood – which didn't want any intruders to spoil the ambience, which was dipped and brightened in the ink pot of happiness.

Rajbir Singh, if I remember correctly was one of the waiters in the restaurant – who was trying to be friendly with me. Cracking some stupid Internet jokes on Indians and Europeans. I didn't blame him. Seeing a fellow countryman in alien place gives a feel of being among known people.

Why I am reminiscing about what I did last year? Same year same day and same time….. Hyderabad in Andhra Pradesh – where I stay suffered two bomb blasts killing many people. And I had no clue about it and no information of news. It was Rajbir who told me about it when he came to know that I was from Hyderabad.

The information shocked me. I rushed to the hotel to check news on internet. It was not the first time when blast shook Hyderabad. A blast in Mecca Masjid also claimed many lives the same year. I was sad. Many innocent people died in twin blasts- Lumbini Park where people went to watch the sound and light show and other one at famous Gokul chat Bandar – a shop which is usually crowded for its well-known gol gappas (gup chup) and chat.

Today its first anniversary – of the twin blasts. While on way to office I passed through Lumbini Park – it wore a deserted look. No one was there. For a while I stopped my car and closed my eyes to pay deference to those who lost their lives of no fault of them. Most of them were engineering students from Maharashtra who came to this city on a study tour.

I left the place wondering why in the name of terrorism – do people take live of innocent. Don't they feel even for a moment what the family members of the deceased would feel. Don't they have heart? When will all this end. Killing of innocent people in the name of jihad and whatever reasons the killers spell out.

This small write up is my tribute to those who were killed in Hyderabad – last year. I pray such incident do not happen again.

Proud to be an Indian

2008-08-15T00:41:00.000-07:00

I am so proud to be an Indian. The freedom we enjoy is unbeleiveable. Jai hind, Here is the translation of the national antheme.......i still wonder why we use the word Sindh when we do not have in our possession...anyways - one day we might re capture it. Hopeful and patience.......i am ......

O! Dispenser of India's destiny,
thou art the ruler of the minds of all people
Thy name rouses the hearts of Punjab, Sindh, Gujarat,
the Maratha country, in the Dravida country, Utkala and Bengal;
It echoes in the hills of the Vindhyas and Himalayas,
it mingles in the rhapsodies of the pure waters of Yamuna and the Ganges.
They chant only thy name.
They seek only thy auspicious blessings.
They sing only the glory of thy victory.
The salvation of all people waits in thy hands,
O! Dispenser of India's destiny,
thou art the ruler of the minds of all people
Victory to thee, Victory to thee, Victory to thee,
Victory, Victory, Victory, Victory to thee!.

More Than Meets the Eye

2008-07-14T01:11:00.000-07:00

Karachi: India V/s Sri Lanka - 6th July 2008 - Asia Cup Finals... India Lost। Was it due to the hectic schedule that Skipper Dhoni was talking about that left the Indian contingent too tired to try? Or was it something else...

Three Indian cricketers were caught on camera having fun with a group of girls at Clifton beach in Karachi on July 5 and the party went on till wee hours of July 6 ( the day of the final)

These cricketers returned to the hotel room after 5 am। Tired and drunk। Is this why they couldnt perform when most needed... Some exclusive photos of the three players in Pakistan- having fun before the final...

Media Scan - Interview

2008-07-02T00:32:00.000-07:00

The Big Rule!

2008-06-05T09:51:00.000-07:00

If you are working in an Indian Television company; particularly Hindi channels, this write-up will not be surprising for you at all. It’s all about breaking news. – Yeah I know I have earlier too posted a similar article but... When I look back at my days in the Hindi channel bracket and my being a silent spectator yet a participant to this raging stupidity – it not only makes me sad but I also experience disgust, which leaves behind a feeling of despair. And it hurts, knowing that the people who allow such nonsense are well reputed and distinguished journalists.

Let me tell you; the quality and importance of ‘Breaking News’ on Hindi channels is based on – A BIG RULE – i.e. - There Is No Rule. From untimely to timely rainfall, from the cat spilling the beans to some biggie sneezing his heart out – All these and more can be sold as breaking news, the only criteria being the ‘incident’ needs to have occurred in big cities – to be precise the all important TRP centers.

I don’t want to go on harping about the lameness of the ‘Breaking News’ concept, which is adopted in India – primarily coz I was also a part of it and I seem to be still an important part of it.

Some video grabs sent to me by a television journalist and a good friend – speaks volumes about the standard of broadcast journalism and the ‘Breaking News’ phenomenon in India and mind you these are just a handful of the examples and not the entire picture. My only prayer - Good sense should prevail and hopefully soon. Amen!

History's Mystery

2008-06-01T00:18:00.000-07:00

What's Stonehenge all about! Stonehenge - the mysterious circle of giant stones standing in the south west of England – have always fascinated me. Not because of their scenic beauty but because of the strange arrangement of the stones in a circle.

My trip to these mysterious rocks was quite a journey in itself. Even after hours of trying to analyse and dig out the unsolved and deeply buried legacy of this beautiful yet eerie destination.... I could not lay my hands, heart or head to what was it that brought so many people to this fascinating place; a monument in its own right? Was it the voices; of those who lay silent underground or was it that sense of solace that one feels once you step onto these greenlands. What is it that calls out to you?

There have been many theories put forth; about the pattern of these stones but, the biggest mystery was the fact that who brought these stones and placed them in this isolated place, and most importantly Why? ....where the clouds and the acres of green have a tête-à-tête of a kind – A sight to behold!

My happiness found a new degree when I read a report - claiming that scientists had finally concluded what Stonehenge stood for. They had always been tombstones. But, this latest news has picked up loads of coverage since its announcement by Mike Parker Pearson and National Geographic.

It was thought that the 5,000 year old stones had only served as a burial place for a brief spell between 2600 and 2700 BC. But Parker Pearson has new radiocarbon dating information for three sets of remains, and pinpoints three specific times when the bodies were cremated, spanning a period from 2930 to 2340 BC.These dead people were probably some sort of royalty - a fact that has been picked by some UK publications such as The Times, although perhaps predictably the royal angle seems to have garnered more interest in the United States (see, for example, the LA Times and the Star Tribune).

Still people debate the significance of those big stones in southwestern England (apparently dragged all the way over the mountains from the far reaches of Wales) and why they are arranged there in a circle of distinctive arches. One comment posted at the bottom of this New Scientist story claims that they are just left over bits of stone from people looking for coal. I'm slightly skeptical about that one, originating as I do from a coal-mining area of England and never having noticed huge stone circles there.

In case you still aren't convinced by the latest discoveries New Scientists also have a nice rundown of the most popular theories for the existence of the stones, including the best of all – Stonehenge being an UFO landing site. Please, please, please, for once let science be wrong. Let Stonehenge be a gateway for visiting aliens. It's what all of us want. Don’t We?

Pisa's leaning tower 'stabilized'

2008-05-29T01:27:00.000-07:00

And How!

While at Pisa in Italy, I did my own thing and tried my hand at stabilizing the Leaning Tower of Pisa… only for the sake of this Kodak moment that you see above. I am happy that it has finally stopped moving for the first time in its 800-year-history - and of course - not due to my efforts, but, because of those engineers who have worked on it for years.

Reports say, that the man in charge of the team monitoring the 26m euros (£20m; $40m) project has confirmed that the tower should remain stable for at least another 200 years. It took the team more than 10 years to stabilize the tower. The work involved extracting some 70 tonnes of earth from the northern side to encourage the tower to right itself. The tower continued to move towards a more upright position when the work finished. Now, though - seven years later and 48cm (19in) straighter - hi-tech monitors embedded in the soil beneath its foundations and in the tower itself show that it has stopped moving completely. Even while it was being built, in the late 12th Century, workers noticed that it was starting to tilt. Their attempts to compensate resulted in the completed tower, being very slightly bent. As if to underline the success of the project, the leaning tower recently lost its title as the world's wonkiest piece of architecture to the steeple of a small church in Germany.

Shooting under Fire

2008-05-26T03:57:00.001-07:00

2008-05-25T09:59:00.001-07:00

I am a hardcore news journalist who loves to report in 90 seconds – a documentary and the likes of news have never been my forte. But a day spent at the Reuter's headquarters in Canary Wharf, London sometime in August, last year – changed my perception on documentary making. My friend Pawan Bali loves documentaries and will eventually venture into it sometime in the future. Her stern interest in this subject always befuddled me but I was in for a revelation. A screening of a 72 minute documentary on Reuters's cameramen and photographers in the war torn Gaza strip made me sit upright and understand the nuances of what a good documentary is and what it can do, unlike those shown in the name of documentaries on the Indian news channels.

Would like to share some part of this very interesting and must watch documentary. From its story to its camera work and for its climax – Every single nuance is so beautiful; dipped in the essence of pain.

2008-05-25T09:57:00.001-07:00

2008-05-25T09:56:00.000-07:00

SHOOTING UNDER FIRE – is the story where Reinhard Krause, the German head of the Reuters Israeli photo bureau is up against a deadline and facing a moral dilemma. He's looking at a photo that shows the head of the female suicide bomber still perfectly in tact lying on the ground, severed cleanly from her body without a blemish on her face and with no blood to be seen. Does he decide to show this to the world or keep it hidden? "Every picture must tell a story" Reinhard says and it's clear what happened with this frame, but is the world ready for this kind of image? He needs to decide within minutes. Welcome to the everyday difficulties of depicting a story that keeps rolling on with new horrors. This film joins Reinhard during the last few weeks of his 4 year placement in Israel and unveils the people and the pressured process of a news agency producing the photos we see in papers around the world. Reinhard single-handedly revolutionized how photos are taken and reported upon in Israel and is now working with a well-oiled team made up of both Palestinians and Israelis, many of whom still have never met, as freedom of movement is restricted for everyone. Both sides of the war report to the same person. Reinhard's team reports on atrocities most days and each of them has found different ways to cope with the stress of what they are witnessing. Gil, an Israeli photographer breaks down on camera after covering an emotional funeral saying that sometimes he feels like an animal chasing after the shots. Ahmed, a Palestinian who was nearly killed when on the job knows that it's his duty to show the world what is really going on in Gaza and lives and breathes his job. Nir, a young talented photographer in Tel Aviv has learnt to separate the day job and his leisure time and blocks off what he doesn't want to think about. Abed, a resident in the anarchic West Bank town of Nablus has become a spokesman for local journalists even though he's had to endure 90 days of curfew before. All of them won't change their job for love nor money. This film gets behind the world's oldest news agency to show how the news is made and reported on, from the first ambulance text of an accident in Jerusalem to the front page of the papers the next morning. Few of us stop to think how our stories and pictures come to us. With unprecedented access Shooting under Fire shows us the full process, highlighting the staggeringly fast digital technology, the difficult morals that await even the toughest of snappers, and the extreme lives that people lead in a land in war.

Breaking News: Exclusive!

2008-05-23T23:34:00.000-07:00

“Media... - They have the power to make the innocent guilty and to make the guilty innocent...”

The question always seems to be - What is our jurisdiction and who is it that sets the limit for media to report a crime story? Broadcast Journalists from News Channel in India seem to have lost all restraint… as there are no set guidelines. The ‘Breaking News’ phenomenon has clutched the Indian media’s throat and doesn't look likes its going to let go soon enough. My short stint with BBC in Bristol showed me a different side of media… I had to go through 50 pages of offcom regulations and guidelines on what to do and what not to do while reporting crime stories. Once the police take over the crime scene – the media is set off limits and is not allowed to probe or investigate into the matter on its own. It could and would report only what police confirms.

Whereas in India; it’s been the other way around. News channels go ahead and report, investigate and cook up their own analysis behind the facade of social justice. The most ‘happening’ (pun intended) and recent story that’s been manhandled by the media is the Arushi murder case in Delhi... Media played a major role in exposing police in-competency but while doing so, it crossed all boundaries of investigation. Personal detectives were bought on to the scene – Courtesy News channels who conducted a probe into the murder mystery. Was it justified? I really appreciate what NDTV did. - It issued a statement saying it will report only what the police confirms and would not station reporters in front of the crime scene in respect of the privacy of the victim’s family. It’s been a high profile case no doubt, but is high time the Channels understand their role. Being a Broadcast Journalist myself, I understand the circumstances given to which reports are made, nevertheless the Big Bosses need to realize that reporters on field are not experts in reporting crime stories and floating out speculations don’t do good. They just hamper the investigation and unnecessarily pressurize the investigating team and the viewers, derailing and confusing them with the different versions of the same case on different channels.

If, the so called National News Channels claim that their strategy is correct; then who is it that should be held responsible for ‘wrong’ reporting? - For example; in the Jaipur serial blasts case; where one channel claimed that it had exclusive reports of RDX being used in the explosion, the reports that have emerged now say that no RDX was found. Funny? There’s more! Similarly while one channel was showing a video of the cycle being used in the case as genuine, at the same time… another top news channel was reporting as fake. Whom to believe? Its time to stop fooling and drilling people’s minds with ‘Exclusives” and “Breaking News” Its time to showcase News with sincerity and faith; keeping in mind… Our responsibility towards society...

God of Small Things

2008-01-27T03:18:00.000-08:00

“God is not a spectator, but a fellow-sufferer … to embrace the bitterness of the strange world he has made. - From Science and Providence.

Does the Sun differentiate between the rich and the poor or the upper caste or the lower, when it emits its life saving energy? Do the ocean waves shy away from touching the feet of Dalits (untouchables as they were once called in the pre independence era of India)?

Nature doesn’t differentiate between the extremes of the world, so doesn’t GOD; the Maker of the Universe. It’s us - Human beings who create these differences and rifts within. Its said that untouchability no longer exists in this part of the world, but is it really so? A deep probe in rural India - would leave the so called mentors of society with lots to think and ponder about. But, there is always a ray of hope, and it comes from non other than our maker himself.

Lord Balaji- the richest Hindu God (with a turn over of more than Rs. 800 crore annually) is going out with his priests to the Dalit colonies, to spend time with his set of underprivileged Dalit children and erase the caste discrimination that they face in this part of the world. Tirumala Tirupati Dewastham (the body which manages the Lord Balaji temple in Tirumala (Andhra Pradesh) – needs to be applauded for thinking of such a novel idea. Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) has decided to initiate the Dalita Govindam programme, in an effort to propagate the message of “Equality in the Eyes of God” in the Hindu religion.

As part of the programme, the idol of Lord Venkateswara will be taken to a Dalitwada (SC colony) by the temple priests and sacred rituals will be performed there after which, the temple priests will give out Veda Ashirvadam en masse to the residents of the colony and share the Srivari Prasadam with the devotees. To add to this, Lord Venkateswara along with its retinue of priests will spend a night in the Dalitwada among its residents. Until now, the Veda Ashirvadam was given only to the VVIPs who visited the temple for Lord Venkateswara’s darshan, as it’s said...

“When a man takes one step toward God, God takes more steps toward that man than there are sands in the worlds of time.” - The Work of the Chariot

Mona Lisa's Smile Re-veiled

2008-01-16T05:49:00.000-08:00

'The lady is smiling because she is hiding a secret from her lover.’

What’s the secret behind Monalisa's smile, everyone asks? Lisa del Giocondo, wife of Florentine businessman Francesco del Giocondo – uncovers a researcher, who apparently has evidence behind the identity of the woman behind Mona Lisa's iconic smile. So what’s the evidence everyone asks? Well, some book-margin notes written by a friend of Leonardo da Vinci while the artist worked on the masterpiece.

So, why am I so interested in this? I spent days...tracing the house of Mona Lisa in Florence, the place where she modeled for Leonardo Da Vinci and also where she was reportedly buried and it was no easy task.

October 2007, Florence, with just a list of places mentioned in history and some deeply buried records obtained from Google search, I set out to discover Sant'Orsola. With no Italian to help, I spent 2 days trying unsuccessfully, to trace the place.

Finally, a broken sign board, hidden behind a shop gave me some direction to where Mona Lisa was supposedly buried.

I couldn’t believe my luck whenI stood at the Convent of Sant'Orsola, where Mona Lisa spent her final years before she died in July 15, 1542. But to my discovery, I found there standing, nothing more than a mall.

After the first milestone, my curiosity grew – it was time to find her birthplace – which, according to many websites was a place just across the famous Ponte Vecchio Bridge. A walk over the bridge was awesome - A sheet of paper in my hand read out the documentary of Leonardo's scholar, Giuseppe Pallanti, which spoke of Mona Lisa being born in a house that once stood in Via Sguazza, a side street of Via Maggio, where Florence's antiques dealers do their trade.

Interestingly, I was in a different world while I walked through the thin lanes of old Florence where, I, at once, spotted the closed down and battered house, where the most talked about, most visited and the most analyzed beauty with the secretive smile was once born.

Was it only me who was experiencing this different feeling? Did it really matter to those, who live in these lanes? To my surprise, most of them were not even interested in Mona Lisa or the great maestro Leonardo, whereas for me, this trip to Florence was a walk through and back in history.

Diamonds are Forever!

2008-01-12T04:48:00.000-08:00

Somewhat almond-shaped, almost in its native condition … worth over 600 crores and missing! That’s the Nizam Diamond. One of the largest stones in the world, but little is known about it, except its size, estimated value, and its fortunate owner - the Nizam of Hyderabad, the most powerful ruler and lineal descendant of the former Mogul Viceroy of Golconda. It is believed that the famous diamond-fields popularly known as the Golconda mines were situated in his territory.

Not surprising, that the Nizam's jewellry collection - now in the possession of the government of India is said to be world's best. If one has to believe officials of Christie's - the 177 pieces of diamonds and other jewelery pieces in the collection are worth an amount of over Rs 20,000 crores which was bought out by the government of India for a mere Rs. 218 crores from the Nizam family.

The star attraction of the collection is the world’s fifth largest diamond – the Jacob Diamond... Interestingly, people rarely know about a diamond called the Nizam diamond, which weighs 277 carats and is the biggest of the Nizam’s treasure. But this diamond was not part of the collection that was sold to the Govt. of India. Major Websites dealing with diamonds have specific mention about this particular diamond but have no idea about its whereabouts.

Saifulla- the Cultural Advisor to the Nizam Trust believes that this piece of heritage treasure is still in possession with someone in the family – suggesting a possibility of a hunt to begun soon, but the success and discovery of where it is left, wide and deep to imagination.

A Prince's Ransom

2008-01-08T06:42:00.000-08:00

Sixty years ago the richest man in the world deposited £1m in a London account. It's been there ever since, and today it could be worth £80m. But no one can lay a finger on it.

The Nizam of Hyderabad, as he was known, cut a curious figure. A frail, tiny man, and a devout Muslim, known to be notorious for his meanness - he wore the same tattered fez for 35 years, dressed in rumpled cotton pyjamas, and ate all his meals off a tin plate, while sitting on a mat in his bedroom surrounded by overflowing wastepaper baskets. But he was, back then, the richest man on the planet. In 1948, he deposited £1m - in those days, a staggeringly large sum - with the Westminster Bank in London.

The Nazim's family had ruled Hyderabad since the early 18th century, and he was the only maharajah in British India who enjoyed the title Exalted Highness - a reward for his generous £25m contribution to the British exchequer during the first world war. When the Nizam deposited this £1m in London, he was in a tricky political situation. As the Muslim ruler of an Indian territory the size of England and Scotland, he was attracted by the idea of joining the new state of Pakistan. But he faced several obstacles. Most of his 20m subjects were Hindus and his huge landlocked kingdom was thousands of miles away from the new Muslim homeland in the Punjab.

Cultural Advisor to the Nizam Trust in Hyderabad - Saifulla said that while the Nizam dithered, the man to whom he had entrusted the £1m, his finance minister Moin Nawaz Jung, took matters into his own hands. He signed over the money to Pakistan's new high commissioner in London (who rejoiced in the name of Rahimatoola). Appalled, and under pressure from India, the Nizam cabled Westminster Bank and told officials to freeze the account. Soon afterwards, in September 1948, Indian troops marched into Hyderabad and brutally annexed his kingdom.

According to Saifulla - the story would be little more than one of the curious tales from the partition of India - were it not for the fact that, 53 years later, the money is still stuck in a NatWest account in Britain. And as of last week, depending on whom you talk to, the Nizam's missing fortune has grown to between £25m and £80m.Before his death in 1970, the dethroned seventh Nizam's son made attempts to get the money back. In 1957, after several rounds of litigation between the Nizam and the Pakistani government, the case reached the House of Lords. Lord Denning concluded that the account could only be unfrozen with the agreement of all the parties. The only way forward was "intergovernmental negotiations", he averred.

Few people then, however, would have imagined that the bitter adolescent rivalry that characterised the early years of India and Pakistan's relationship would continue well into the next century.The main beneficiary of this surreal dispute, of course, is NatWest, now part of the Royal Bank of Scotland group. The late Nizam's money was initially invested in war bonds, earning interest at 3%. In the 1960s the money was shifted into a fixed-rate deposit account.

Over time most of the partners who had dealt with the account retired.Until India and Pakistan and the Nizam agree, then, to cut a deal, it seems the money will remain lodged interminably inside NatWest's shiny London HQ at Bishopsgate EC2.

Theives Steal Holy Leg

2007-12-18T10:08:00.000-08:00

The police of the Chittur district of Andhra Pradesh are hunting for two men who attacked a holy man, cut off his right leg and then made off with it.

80-year-old holy man, Yanadi Kondaiah, claims to have healing powers in the leg, but right now is in a Tirupati City Government hospital trying to recover from his ordeal. The locals in the area believe that the Yanadi could heal any of their spiritual or physical problems with just a touch of his leg.

According to reports – Initially, Kondaiah and his wife earned their daily bread as labourers but some time ago Kondaiah went to Himalayas – he claimed to have got some magical powers in his right leg on his return. The localites also started believing in Mr Kondaiah's future predictions.

A few days ago, the self-proclaimed 'Godman' - who lives in Yagamareddy Kandriga in Ramachandrapuram mandal, 45 kilometres from Tirupati, was approached by two strangers who came to seek his advice over a medical problem. They told him that they had returned to thank him for the help he had rendered to them.

"As the old man had the weakness of drinking, he accepted their invitation to have drinks with them," said Venkatadhiri, a villager, who knew Kondaiah. "They took him to a deserted spot in the outskirts of the village.” And further added that, "After the old man had passed out under the influence of liquor, they cut off his right leg from the knee."

Police reports describe the amputation as something carried out in a very "brutal manner" and that they are still looking for the blessed leg and the men who so cruelly made off with it. It also mentions that the assailants used a sharp hunting knife, and left the old man alone, bleeding to death. The locals found him unconscious and alerted the police, who rushed him to a hospital in Tirupati.

On regaining consciousness, Mr Kondaiah claimed to have no idea as to why he was made a target in such a manner and also did not understand the motive of the miscreants in taking away his leg. Though, the police say that the reason for the attack could be Mr Kondaiah’s leg which he claims to have been bestowed by magical powers.

In Laws' hands

2007-11-25T11:06:00.000-08:00

ALUR (ANDHRA PRADESH): Pain, agony and distress – these words sound heavy even for a mature person – but for 13-year-old Janaki amma – it was a nighmare. Not able to withstand the torture by her 45-year-old husband anymore, she drank kerosene one night, in a bid to commit suicide. After her recovery, she refused to stay with her husband any longer and left the house. It's been six months now, and Janaki is doing a bridge course for enrolling into Class VI in a government school next year.

The journey from the house of her 45-year-old husband, who used to force her to work in the cotton fields and also beat her up every night, to the residential camp in Alur run by a NGO where she is studying in Class VII now, was not easy for the 16-year-old Revati of Bandeliki Chealra village. Married to a husband, who already had two wives, this minor was tortured by her in-laws too, until one day she gathered courage to file a complaint against them in the police station, and refused to go back. Now, all she dreams about is her first day in court as a practising lawyer.

"I want to study law to help lakhs of hapless girls like me," says Revati. If the story of these child-wives of various villages in Ranga Reddy district is anything to go by, more and more minor girls married off by their parents against their will have been courageously walking out their marital homes, choosing to study instead, with the dream for a better future ahead.

"After working for 15 hours in the cotton and chilli fields, I had work at my in-law's house and then got beaten up by my drunkard-husband at night. Life was hell for me," recalls Janaki, who wants to be a nurse. Even as child-marriages are rampant, of late, the trend to walk out of the marriage is also being seen in various villages of the district. There are over two dozen such young girls who have walked out of marriages.

A recent survey conducted across all 17 blocks of the district by M V Foundation, a NGO working to curb child labour in the state, stated that eight out of 10 girls here are married off before they attain the age of 18. The study also reveals that 36% of women, who were married off early but are now single, are below 25 years.

"This is a positive trend, with these girls willing to study to make a future of their own. Despite getting no co-operation from their parents, these girls prefer to walk out of a bad marriage," said Md Rahim, co-ordinator of M V Foundation.

Bollywood Love Affair

2007-11-05T10:57:00.000-08:00

If you thought Bollywood was only about Shilpa Shetty in the UK then you’ve got it wrong. Long before Shilpa Shetty the small town of Southampton (UK) was bedazzled by all things Bollywood. With Europeans having acquired a seemingly insatiable appetite for Indian culture in all its forms be it art culture or the films, it seems that it cannot get enough of the vibrant colours, passion, glamour and energy of India. One would think it would be our very own Indian Janta spreading the spice and flavors, but surprisingly that is not the case. Mr Afghan (no names and I Kinda like the sound of Mr Afghan) Afghan has a different story to tell.

5 years ago, Mr Afghan came to the UK, leaving behind him memories of a war torn country. Not the one to give up, He has been having a 5 year long love affair with Bollywood. Today, he boasts of the best collection of Bollywood films and music in Southampton.” His quaint little shop is a definitive anthology of all Bollywood music right from the evergreen classics to the current foot tapping fusion and you might just find locals dancing along with Shah Rukh Khan or Aishwarya Rai doing their Bollywood routine!

The local Indians and all Bollywood lovers alike swear by Mr Afghan’s collection and come from all across Southampton to get their dose of Bollywood Films and music! –As they say Cinema has no language…and no barriers. It merely blurs the shadow lines that separate countries through the arts of expression be it music or films.

So, if you are ever in this part of the world make sure (take me along!) you visit Mr Afghan because his love for Bollywood and the music in its own special way will make you feel at home far-away from home.

24 hours in Venice

2007-10-22T12:18:00.000-07:00

Paris may be the city of love but for a quick romantic fix nothing beats the passion of Venice.

Morning: A sunrise trip to St Mark's Square (Piazza San Marco). Avoid the dive-bombing pigeons and throngs of snap-happy tourists as you soak up the serene atmosphere in one of Europe's most popular squares. The earlier you do it, the quieter it is. Alternatively, enjoy an early-morning breakfast at the vibrant food markets, found just off the famous Rialto Bridge. The local traders turn the mundane process of grocery shopping into a dramatic performance. Arrive by 8am if you want to see the Pescheria (fish market) and Erberia (vegetable market) in full flow. Grab some succulent fresh fruit and find a quiet corner on the Grand Canal to feed grapes to each other.

Midday: Even if a trip down the aisle is a bit premature for you, a visit to the Madonna dell'Orto (waterbus 41, 51 and 52) is guaranteed to impress and seduce in equal measure. Local experts explain that this church offers one of the finest examples of gothic architecture in the whole of Italy. The church also has its own artist in residence—renowned renaissance painter Tintoretto has his tomb here alongside a truly stunning collection of fine historical art.

Afternoon: The Palazzo Grassi is a stunning white-marble palace on the Grand Canal, which houses a fine-art collection and is always worth a visit. But if art is not your thing, then get out of the hustle and bustle and take a waterbus trip to The Venetian Lagoon—a heart-shaped body of water between the Adriatic sea and the Italian mainland that plays host to a multitude of small islands. Enjoy a hand-in-hand stroll along the long beach at the Venice Lido and stop off for coffee at one of the many beachside cafés and bars to soak up the chilled atmosphere.

Evening: It's more expensive to take a gondola ride at night, but it's the best way to see the city. Ditch the Cornetto and go for champagne, and to really blow the budget get your gondolier to sing you a song. The Tronchetto and the Doge's Palace are two favoured haunts to hitch a ride from. But if gondolier rides are too touristy for you, head to Bacaro Jazz to drink, eat and dance the night away to an endless soundtrack of beautiful music . This place is a real haunt for night owls where the kitchen doesn't close until 3am—a great spot for a late-night snack. And if you want to have the gondola ride and also some average amount then it is advised to catch one near the Rialto bridge and share it five others.

STAY: If you want to stay inside Venice to enjoy it better - it would cost you some mullahs. It is suggested that you take a hotel in Mestre which is 15 minutes bus ride to the Venice island... Getting aroundVenice is ideal for the pedestrian but when water gets in the way, it's time to hop aboard one of several options.

WATER BUS: Known as vaporetto these are the cheapest way to get around on the water. The No 1 line is very popular with visitors as it travels a scenic 4km stretch of the Grand Canal. WATER TAXI: If you need to get somewhere that isn't covered by a waterbus route then hiring a water taxi will be the best way to arrive in style. But they are very expensive, so see if anyone else is going your way and split the cost.

VENICE VENUES

1. St Marks Square

2. Railto Bridge

3. Madonna dell'Orto

4.Campo Santa Margherita

5. Palazzo Grassi

6. The Tornchetto

7. Doge's Palace

8. Bacaro Jazz

My film - Sky Sports News

2007-09-27T11:49:00.001-07:00

This film is about Sky SPorts News - special project team, made by me during Chevening scholarship at London in 2007

English is Phunny language

2007-09-21T09:04:00.000-07:00

There is no egg in eggplant, nor ham in hamburger; neither apple nor pine in pineapple... English muffins were not invented in England nor French fries in France. Sweetmeats are candies, while sweetbreads, which aren't sweet, are meat.

We take English for granted. But if we explore its paradoxes, we find that quicksand can work slowly, boxing rings are square, and a guinea pig is neither from Guinea nor is it a pig. And there is no explanation as to why there is a 'P' in pneumonia when it has to be silent and 'L' in walk when its not spelt.

During my three months stint in UK - traveling to different places and visiting as well as working with Sky News in London and BBC in Bristol (for work experience under Chevening scholarship) - one particular phrase from not one but all the journalists I came across caught me unaware. The way they greet. The moment I walked into the Sky Sports news office in London - Simon Carpenter - the producer of the special projects -asked - 'Are you alright?' - For a moment he made me think if something had happened to me ...Was I sick? Was I looking pale – Was I Ok?. I said 'OK'......but the whole day – that particular phrase was playing around in my mind. To add to my self pity - whosoever met me on that particular or the weeks that followed - 'Are you alright?' was the way everyone greeted me.

When things settled down and I shifted to BBC in Bristol - Jemma Cooper and others to follow - had a new way of greeting me – “Are you ok?” Nothing wrong in the greeting as it was so friendly - but technically and grammatically speaking - such statements seem to be dipped and darkened in the ink pot of negativity...

But when I actually sat down to write this post It struck me that - the English language actually funny. As why is it that writers write, but fingers don't fing, grocers don't groce, and hammers don't ham? If the plural of tooth is teeth, why isn't the plural of booth beeth? One goose, 2 geese. So, one moose should have been 2 meese? Is cheese the plural of choose? If teachers taught, why didn't preachers praught? If a vegetarian eats vegetables, what does a humanitarian eat? When a house burns up, it burns down. You fill in a form by filling it out, and an alarm clock goes off by going on. When the stars are out, they are visible, but when the lights are out, they are invisible.

And why, when I wind up my watch, I start it, but when I wind up this essay, I end it? Why? Answers Anyone?

I'm Brown, not Black

2007-09-17T12:03:00.000-07:00

Who in this unruly world has not heard of 'Mandrake the magician'…? Well I have been an all time fan of this comic magician and his friend Prince Lothar - the strong man. I do not remember when….. but many years back, when I used to subscribe to the Indrajal comics at my Kolkata house - I had come across an edition of the comic in which Lothar ( who is a heavily built man) was bullied by some white men on him being black - and he had reacted saying - 'I am not black -I am brown'. Lothar was always left wondering as to why people called him black when he was actually brown skinned.

Who would have thought a day would come when I would be my turn to say “I am brown not black”. It took me several hours and lots of debate with myself to make up my mind whether to pen down this incident or not. I was fighting between being embarrassed and the fear of looking like a fool. Eventually- the journalistic instinct prevailed and here I am penning this piece for my blog.

Working in BBC at Bristol was an exciting experience but the time after work hours was always dim and low. For a person who doesn’t smoke and is a teetotaler - going around the city was the only option which is sometimes not enough to kill the loneliness. When the weekend arrived - my adrenaline accelerated - it was time to hop onto a bus to London - spend time with friends and above all kill the loneliness.

The National Express Bus to London from the Bristol bus station was at 8 pm so I called for a taxi at the Hotel Ibis; where I was putting up. The driver of the taxi was a black man; his license told me that his name was Samuel. It took me a few minutes to reach the bus station and Samuel politely asked me to pay 6 pounds. On searching I found only 5 pounds and 25 cents and I was in no mood to break my 20 pound notes. Samuel must have realized it and asked me to give him whatever change I had - but I insisted on paying him the exact amount so as to not have him incur any loss. He took me by surprise saying.....'com on brother - we are black people in the land of whites, we have to be united. These people call us black. You are black and I am black, we are be-rathers (read brothers) - I have to help you.”

I saw myself in the taxi mirror and thought I am not black I am dark...in fact I am brown. How the hell did the cabbie call me black - I am an Indian - an Asian and not BLACK. I told him - "I am brown", and walked off into the bus station with a huff…left wondering why he called me black when my colour was brown. I could immediately relate my self to what Lothar (of mandrake comic) would have felt in this very situation…

Mistress of Spices

2007-09-17T10:48:00.000-07:00

Sixty years of Independence, exchange of ideas and trade but seems like food is probably the greatest of all India’s influences over Europe; be it Belgium, France or the U.K.. Interestingly, an observation during my 2 month stint here is that most of the restaurants I visited for my love of Indian food are run by either Bangladeshis or Pakistanis trying to make a quick buck with Europe’s love for Indian Food.

From day one since we, a group of ten journalists arrived in the U.K. for the Chevening scholarship - made it a point to keep a tab on nearby Indian restaurants. Staying in an apartment at Baker Street in London - I managed to find ‘Bombay Masala’. Being away from India a need for a conversation with someone ‘apna’ was due… But to my surprise on approaching the waiter I was politely told of him being a Bangladesh. I was faced with a similar reaction at Brussels - at ‘Maharani’ - the Bangladeshi owner enlightened me that the Hindi name had been kept precisely to woo customers.

Well After 2 such ironies my search for Indian restaurants wherever I went across UK doubled…. During my placement with BBC in Bristol – I found the Indian Tarka just across the Hotel Ibis where I was put up and surprise! Surprise this time it was the Pakistanis who owned the do rather than the usual Bangladeshis.

You can set your hands on every indian dish right from Masala Dosas, Rotis, chicken tikka masala to Aloo Gobi in these restaurants and as per a report, 80% of the Indian restaurants in the U.K. are run and managed by either Pakistanis or Bangladeshis. Well, this shows the importance of apna desi khanna in the angrez land and be sure I am proud of it.

Bumper to Bumper

2007-09-05T09:01:00.000-07:00

Bumper to bumper traffic, hoards of people walking, long queues of people trying to get into buses – a typical Indian Traffic Jam… Well for once it was not India but London – one of the world’s best capitals, which saw this sorry scene. Employees of the famous London Underground went on a 72 hour strike causing the cancellation of most Tube services - literarily paralyzing the entire transport system. The Public Transport came to the rescue, but with 2 million Londoners swarming the streets it was a nightmare.

It usually takes me about 3/4th of an hour to travel from Baker Street to Osterley with 2 Tube changes. But today, a day when I had to reach the Sky Sports News Office by 8 in the morning for a special project saw me stranded at the station with no trains to take. Believe it or not but it took me over 2 hours to reach Osterley.

There was complete disarray, seeing Crowded Buses and long Queues for cabs with trying to get just that one step closer to wherever they were headed.I was informed that this was the most extensive strike ever since June 30, 2004, when metro train drivers walked off their jobs and had shut down the entire railway. The Tube Union wants a guarantee that members won't lose jobs and pensions following Metronet's financial collapse in July.

Once onboard a bus, I overheard a couple of Indians chitchatting about London being worse than Mumbai. Yes Mumbai faces the same chaos day in and day out but, what needs to be acknowledged about London is that in there is organized chaos - despite the strike, people at the Underground were well prepared to give commuters details about alternative routes and transport measures. It was Tim (a metro staff) - if I remember correctly who informed me about the Piccadilly Line being shut and the only way I could reach office was to take bus number 27 from Baker street to Hammersmith and the H91 bus to the Sky office.

The strike is on till Friday...so have to face the brunt for a of couple days more... But the worst is yet to come as I just heard that the strikes goes into phase II from the 20 of Sept. Well Thank god for me as I will be in Bristol from the 10 of Sept and would be back to London only by the 28th to take off for my Europe trip.

I am definitely feeling better after scribbling down all this as I try not to think of how many hours its going to take me to get back home. Nonetheless Hope things look up this time or as always there’s No respite!

Strange World Laws

2007-09-05T08:58:00.000-07:00

Did you know it's illegal in France to name a pig Napoleon? Or that in Ohio you're not allowed to get a fish drunk?

Alex Wade celebrates the spirit of the silly season with a list of the world's most ridiculous laws. and i thought a place for them on my blog would be worth a read. So here goes...

25. It is illegal for a cab in the City of London to carry rabid dogs or corpses.

24. It is illegal to die in the Houses of Parliament.

23. It is an act of treason to place a postage stamp bearing the British monarch upside down.

22. In France, it is forbidden to call a pig Napoleon.

21. Under the UK's Tax Avoidance Schemes Regulations 2006, it is illegal not to tell the taxman anything you don't want him to know, though you don't have to tell him anything you don't mind him knowing.

20. In Alabama, it is illegal for a driver to be blindfolded while driving a vehicle.

19. In Ohio, it is against state law to get a fish drunk.

18. Royal Navy ships that enter the Port of London must provide a barrel of rum to the Constable of the Tower of London.

17. In the UK, a pregnant woman can legally relieve herself anywhere she wants – even, if she so requests, in a policeman's helmet.

16. In Lancashire, no person is permitted after being asked to stop by a constable on the seashore to incite a dog to bark.

15. In Miami, Florida, it is illegal to skateboard in a police station.

14. In Indonesia, the penalty for masturbation is decapitation.

13. In England, all men over the age of 14 must carry out two hours of longbow practice a day.

12. In London, Freemen are allowed to take a flock of sheep across London Bridge without being charged a toll; they are also allowed to drive geese down Cheapside.

11. In San Salvador, drunk drivers can be punished by death before a firing squad.

10. In the UK, a man who feels compelled to urinate in public can do so only if he aims for his rear wheel and keeps his right hand on his vehicle.

9. In Florida, unmarried women who parachute on Sundays can be jailed.

8. In Kentucky, it is illegal to carry a concealed weapon more than six-feet long.

7. In Chester, Welshmen are banned from entering the city before sunrise and from staying after sunset.

6. In the city of York, it is legal to murder a Scotsman within the ancient city walls, but only if he is carrying a bow and arrow.

5. In Boulder, Colorado, it is illegal to kill a bird within the city limits and also to "own" a pet – the town's citizens, legally speaking, are merely "pet minders".

4. In Vermont, women must obtain written permission from their husbands to wear false teeth.
3. In London, it is illegal to flag down a taxi if you have the plague.

2. In Bahrain, a male doctor may legally examine a woman's genitals but is forbidden from looking directly at them during the examination; he may only see their reflection in a mirror.

1. The head of any dead whale found on the British coast is legally the property of the King; the tail, on the other hand, belongs to the Queen - in case she needs the bones for her corset.

Brussels and Back

2007-09-03T10:33:00.000-07:00

27th August – A Bank Holiday in the U.K. – Almost everyone had planned to go on a holiday and last minute plans saw me walking out of the Brussels railway station. Brussels for those who aren’t aware is the Capital of Belgium. It took me a 2 and a half highly boring journey by the Euro rail from London's Waterloo to Brussels’s Midi station. Tintin comics and the famous statue of Mannekin Piss is what comes to mind when one talks about Brussels. The Mannekin piss is a small fountain sculpture depicting a little boy peeing. – Do not ask me why it became so famous.

There is nothing great or overwhelming about Brussels despite it’s much talked about heritage architect. But, interestingly what catches one eye are the comic strips painted across the city walls of the main street which is now the capital of the European commission. From the Belgian ReporterTintin to Captain Haddock and Professor Calculus to many more unknown characters are flashed on the huge walls of the city welcoming tourists.

The Comic Strips play an important role in the cultural history of this city and simultaneously Brussels as a city plays a relevant part in many of these strip cartoons. I was told by the information centre that based on an idea of Michel Van Roye Alderman; responsible for public areas and the environment of the City of Brussels in 1991, the 'strip cartoon’ route was devised by the Belgian Strip Cartoon Centre and the ‘Art Mural’ Association which is responsible for producing and positioning frescoes based on an original drawing by the authors.

There are currently 24 frescoes around the region, as well as a number of statues relating to the world of the strip cartoon. If we add to this the museums, birthplaces of the leading authors and places that have inspired settings, I had the most fascinating walk through the city in quest of ‘bubble’ emotions.

If you are a die hard fan of Tintin then the comic strip museum is worth a visit - which I eventually missed as the museum is closed for the public on Monday. However to my good fortune, the gate keeper was kind enough to let me in and have a quick glance and I took the opportunity to capture some moments of this famous comic within my camera.

Oh and I did not miss the opportunity of getting myself photographed infront of the Mannekin piss. So Alls wells that ends well! Quite a trip it was to the fantasy world and back!

Wonderland and more!

2007-08-21T11:14:00.000-07:00

Pinch me… will u, for I was in the midst of a place where all literate people across the world, dream to be. THE OXFORD UNIVERSITY… Spellbound and Awestruck I was…by not only its beauty, but also due to the fact that I was finally there. Pawan and Neha were in the same mode – while they told me some of the interesting facts.

Speaking about facts; it was right here in Oxfordshire that the Adventures of Alice in Wonderland originated. The journey began one afternoon in July 1862 at Folly Bridge, Oxford, one of the most famous alumni of Christ Church college – the mathematician Charles Dodgson, known to most people as Lewis Carroll, took a girl called Alice Liddell and her two sisters (daughters of the then Dean) on a rowing picnic, up the River Thames to the village of Godtsow.
During that journey, he told them the tale of a girl called Alice who goes looking for an adventure. 10 year-old Alice, loved the story so much so, that she him to write it down. This resulted in the epic tales of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland; first published in 1865 under the pen name Lewis Carroll and have gone on to be a favourite with generations throughout the globe.

Coming back to reality, Christ Church is the largest of the Oxford University colleges. Its grandeur owes much to the pride of one man, its founder, Cardinal Thomas Woolsey. Christ Church College boasts of a cathedral inside – a unique thing. The architecture is remarkable…People from all over the world come to see the essence of this much talked about institution, but one wonders what captures the interest of the teenagers and younger children in the college premises. In ‘Harry Potter’ lies the answer. Wondering what Harry Potter has to do with Oxford…? Well… While watching Harry Potter movies, ever been awestruck with the Hogwart’s dining room which roomed more than a hundred students, staff and of course not to forget the Ghosts… of legends, while Prof Dumbledor gave most of his speeches. Well Oxford it was… where its been shot.

That’s not all – Oxford University comprises of 39 colleges in all and every college has its own USP – Right from top politicians to businessmen all have had their roots here. Oxford boasts of having taught Bill Clinton, Oscar Wilde (Magdalen College), Albert Eiensten (Christ Church College) and the list goes on including over 14 former Prime Ministers of UK. Our very own Indira Gandhi studied here at the Somerville College.

The Turf Tavern age old Pub– is a must see, It is located down a narrow winding alley between Holywell Street and New College Lane, close to the old city wall, which can still be seen here where the likes of Elizabeth Taylor, Bill Clinton and the now Crown Prince of Japan have spent leisure time.Just behind the pub – is the house of Edmund Halley – a geometry professor who spotted the Halley’s Comet.

Phew! After a 3 hour literate tour – it was time for some punting - the best thing to do in Oxford apart from spending time at the university. A 20 pound boat ride was in order - A 30 minute guided tour with some complimentary Pepsi or some English wine for the more intoxicatingly inclined on board was the best way to end this trip.

Kosminsky's Human Touch

2007-08-07T11:06:00.000-07:00

'I enjoy making mischief' - Peter Kosminsky personified; 51 and a veteran documentary film maker with two Hollywood movies and an umpteen number of controversial dramas to his name.

If I have to quote The Guardian – ‘Every time you see the name Peter Kosminsky attached to a TV billing, you know that you're going to see the best thing on that month, or even year. This is the man who made Warriors; the unforgettable Bosnian peacekeepers drama, and 2002's vilification of New Labour, The Project. But, what stands out is The Government Inspector (Channel 4) which surpassed even the weighty expectations on the Kosminsky brand. This television drama hit all the right buttons - action, comedy, pathos, satire - as well as shedding loads of righteous political anger.’

We saw The Government Inspector written and directed by Peter Kosminsky a week back at a screening in the Media School of the University and this week we were face to face with the man himself. The Government Inspector is the story of the events which led to the suicide of UN weapon’s inspector Dr David Kelly in July 2003. Dr. Kelly was publicly named as the source for a BBC report and that the dossier into Iraqi weapons had been "sexed-up" and was thrown into the public spotlight which led him to commit suicide after which the Hutton Inquiry was set up to investigate the whole matter.

What inspired Kosminsky to script and make such a controversial film? His father, he answered. David Kelly reminded him of his father who died few weeks after Peter was offered to make the film - July 23, 2003- the day of his parent's 50th wedding anniversary. Now, almost four years later, He can't be sure whether his decision to accept was influenced by memories of his dead father or by something totally different. 'It seems likely that it was. In purely practical terms,' he adds.

Peter Kosminsky patiently answered all the queries we volleyed to him. He gave us a detailed account on how his research team worked for over a year which finally led him to a close scrutiny of the Hutton Report, in his own hours in the gallery during the inquiry and the 120 interviews he conducted with the players in that tragic story. 'I had to read around 10,000 pages of the public inquiry’, he told us. Some of the people he spoke to had only bit- parts whereas others had starring roles. From Iraq to Russia all have had their anonymity protected by one filmmaker with a track record for making controversial dramas based on real events.

The movie left a lot of questions in our minds. Kosminsky was prompt in responding to one such question- Was David Kelly carrying a bundle of guilt? He might have in some way realised that he might be a part of people who made way for the Iraq invasion by continuously believing that the weapon of mass destruction was there somewhere in Saddam's country.
Kosminsky, himself is still hunting for some unsolved questions after 2 years of making the documentary - Questions which only Dr David Kelly could have answered. What did David Kelly do during the two hours after his arrival in London and before his appearance at the Ministry of Defence? The film maker knows he probably will never be able to solve the mystery.

Another revelation Kosminsky makes, probably for the first time, is regarding the BBC reporter Andrew Gilligan, over the much controversial doggy dossier due to which Kelly had reportedly committed suicide – 'During my research on Gilligan's style of work – I came across a work where Gilligan specifically mentions the word 'sexed-up', which he used for the government dossier. This indicates that probably it was not David Kelly but Gilligan's word which was attributed to Dr Kelly in the report.' As there was no other back up support – Kosminsky did not use this finding in the movie. Making the film was not easy task, recalls the director. Kosminsky didn't assume the government would cooperate, but neither had he expected it to stop him speaking to any army personnel, bar him from all military bases and even prevent him from filming at museums. What, he wonders, could it be so afraid of?

Before bidding us goodbye, Kosminsky recalled a meeting he had had with BBC editors after the screening of Warriors, a film on conflict. It was a procedural session called Programme Review; always held after an important or controversial broadcast. Kosminsky was struck by the attitude of Mark Damazer; then head of BBC News and now controller of Radio 4. Damazer couldn't understand why one single drama had had a far greater public impact than years of straight reporting of the Bosnian conflict.

"My comment was that they are not mutually exclusive,” says Kosminsky. "The drama would not exist without the reporting because a lot of the reporting was our source material. But people need both. They need the immediate, dispassionate report but they also need the dramatist's take. They need the human story." It's tempting to say that what they really need is the truth, but as historians, journalists and dramatists know only too well, that quality is slippery indeed. Only by doubting do we come at it - and it was Cicero, by the way, who said that.

Kya 'Bath' hai!

2007-07-31T12:19:00.000-07:00

Friends, Romans and My Countrymen! Lend me your eyes… for this time I am going to take you around one of England's most beautiful places. A testimony proclaiming the grand lifestlye of a roman heritage. It was in 2002 when I was in London when a friend recommended visiting a city called Bath renowned for its beauty. But, my tight schedule did not permit me a visit to the city; dipped and brightened in the essence of Roman architecture.

But as Lady Luck would have it Five years later, Bath was on my agenda for July the 28th. - If there ever be an award instated called the “Drop-Dead Beautiful Town Award”, the English town of Bath in perpetuity would surely win hands down. Bath has it all - a gorgeous location, the best Georgian architecture in the whole of England, the beautiful River Avon and Pulteney Weir, a glorious Abbey with stunning Gothic architecture and centuries-old Roman heritage. It reeks of Jane Austen’s style of gentility indeed; the legendary English author lived in the city, which now boasts of a museum in her honour which is stunningly photogenic. Put simply, Bath is a must-visit for any tourist in England.

The most popular attraction of the city is the Romans Bath Museum which still stands in great glory and delves deep into the history of the hot springs. You can wander and explore far below the street level through the elaborate spa built nearly 2,000 years ago. The Great Bath is a large, green, scummy rectangular pool surrounded by the Roman paving. Imagine… I was wandering on the same pavement that the Romans must have walked on some centuries ago…There remains today, even some of the original Roman lead plumbing.

Artifacts displayed folded strips of lead with curses written out by irked Romans who tossed them into the spring to ask Goddess Minerva for some cosmic payback against their enemies. I was intrigued by the Roman central heating system for the hot rooms. Much of Bath's look dates to a housing boom in the 1700s as the wealthy escaped dreary London to take the waters, socialize and enjoy their wealth. I remember reading somewhere that Bath was founded in 1AD by the Romans who chose to settle beside the only hot springs in the country. Hence the name. No first-time visit to Bath would be complete without a visit to the Roman Bath Museum and the Pump House. If you're really brave, you can "take the waters" at the Pump Room - as the Romans and genteel Englishmen did over a millennium-and-a-half later - for their allegedly therapeutic qualities. Be warned, however, "the waters" taste bloody horrible and you might just end up running to a nearby pub soon after.

By 400 AD and the end of the Roman influence in England, Bath had been abandoned. It remained a relative ghost town for hundreds of years until its rejuvenation began with the wool trade in the 15th Century and by the 18th Century; Bath was at the height of fashion. Architects queued up to design and build the many fine Georgian buildings that survive today. After London itself, Bath became the ultimate society address.

Which is where Jane Austen comes in! Interest in the premier English high society satirist has never been higher since Hollywood re-discovered the period costume drama. If you're in Bath and you have a penchant for all things Austen, check out ‘The Jane Austen Centre’. This is a newly installed permanent exhibition, which tells the story of Austen's experiences in Bath and the effect that living in the city had on her writing.

Other must-sees include Bath Abbey and Royal Crescent. The Abbey stands grandly alongside the Roman Baths Museum. A Roman statue stands over the Abbey, which was built in 1499 by Bishop Oliver King. The Royal Crescent reminds you of all those picture postcards you find in every brochure that touches upon Bath. The Royal Crescent is a shining example of the balanced, elegant Georgian architecture. Built in the warm, creamy limestone of the region, the semicircular structure is essentially a big condo. John Wood the Younger built it from 1767-1774 to house the rich, famous and distinguished people of his day. Nearly 250 years later, it's still prime real estate. But even the middle class can gain entrance today. There's a luxury hotel, The Royal Crescent Hotel and Bath House Spa, and (for those with a less stratospheric budget) a museum at one end of the crescent.

Being a small city, Bath is a wonderfully compact place and most of its attractions are within walking distance of each other. With an interesting selection of museums, galleries, musical events, restaurants and gracious parks, visitors to Bath can choose from all the very best of past and present.

'Et tu Brute?' Do not miss it!

For those looking for some Tourist Info on Bath, England

Visit http://visitbath.co.uk/ or Call (011) 44-870-444-6442.

90 minutes By train from London Paddington, and 15 miles from Bristol International Airport; http://visitbath.co.uk/site/travel-and-maps .

National Express bus from London Victoria or Heathrow is cheaper than the train and nearly as fast; http://www.nationalexpress.com/ .

Thermae Bath Spa: Hot Bath Street, Bath; http://www.thermaebathspa.com/ or (011) 44-1225-33-1234. Weekday packages $130-340.

Other attractions - Roman Baths Museum, No. 1 Royal Crescent, Bath Abbey and Jane Austen Centre. The Mayor's Corps of Honorary Guides offers free two-hour tours, various times daily; http://visitbath.co.uk/site/tours/tours-round-up .

Accommodations - Three Abbey Green, restored 17th century townhouse with excellent breakfast, $170-350 a night; http://www.threeabbeygreen.com/ or (011) 44-1225-428558. The Henry guest house, 6 Henry St., $70-170 a night; http://www.thehenry.com/ or (011) 44-1225-424052. Both require minimum two nights for Friday or Saturday.

Stonehenge

2007-07-24T11:35:00.000-07:00

Our childhood dreams are mere pictures of what we want to capture in front of our eyes…. Well I’ve had my chance… I have always been intrigued by the Stonehenge in England. In the last six years I have visited the UK a couple of times but could never make it to the Stonehenge. This time around I made it. 22nd July 2007 and I was standing right in front of them - during my stay at Bournemouth I managed to plan a visit to the place. Hired a taxi and zoomed towards it.
The intensity and curiosity to see Stonehenge was growing with the acceleration of the car moving towards my dream place. I have always wondered about the mystery and strangeness surrounding Stonehenge. What is it? Why was it built? Why is so famous? Does it really matter so much? What was it that made it what it is?

After driving for miles through the rolling hills and planes of the English countryside the sight of this unusual structure makes people gasp. It’s some sort of looming being that seems to revel in its own importance and is aware that people can feel its power too… It taunts us with its mystery. For over 5000 years it has stood silent vigil over the earth. It has been excavated, x-rayed, measured, and surveyed, its age and construction has been thoroughly researched, yet its purpose remains one great mystery to the world.

We had to pay £4 .70 for a concession ticket - and we spent around 2 hours going around the structure with a free audio tour. - Constructed four millennia ago, Stonehenge is amongst one of the world's greatest historic monuments; a creation that still provokes awe and wonder. It is angled on the equinoxes and the solstices in such a way that the sun rising over the horizon appears to be perfectly placed between the gaps in the megaliths. This is undoubtedly not an accident, and probably has contributed to the stories of its mysterious origins.

This monument evoked a certain level of frustration in me as It was totally out of context and I really didn’t seem to understand the relevance and the audio tour only gives references about the stones and does not spell out or solve the mysterious existence of the Stonehenge. The surviving pillar of the great trilithon weighs nearly forty tons and stands twenty-two feet tall. It originally had a twin, while a third stone bridged their summits to make an arch. Nothing so tall or complex had been built in northern Europe ever before. It is a technological marvel which is over four thousand years old, but even if that is comprehended, it still leaves the question as to why was it built.

37 frames captured in my digital camera - as the site was great amidst a huge plane which ran for miles with an artistic hue of blue and white brushed across the horizon. My childhood dream came true and on my way back I gathered that it was a construction of a great temple of the sun on a bare green hillside. Almost certainly, Stonehenge is that; a sun temple and a monument of a religion that failed, nevertheless a stunning and wondrous achievement.

P.S. For those who want to visit this world heritage site - Stonehenge is situated around 90 miles west from Central London and is well within a comfortable day trip, either by an organized tour or by independent means. The nearest town with good public transport and facilities is Salisbury, a medieval cathedral city that I already wrote about and is worth a visit in its own right. About 24 miles north of Stonehenge is Avebury, another World Heritage Site with even larger stone rings to Stonehenge and unlike Stonehenge with free access to the stones themselves.

Weekend & Beyond

2007-07-24T09:15:00.000-07:00

This weekend has been one trip to the yesteryears and back… and has been quite a memorable weekend at that. Have walked down corridors lined up with looming pillars, have come face to face with life before and after; all echoing voices, emotions and hopes of the times bygone. The inspiration behind my joining my friends for this trip to Salisbury about 30 miles from Bournemouth and 90 miles south west of London was famous Salibury Cathedral.

Long before you even enter Salisbury, the spire of the Salisbury Cathedral looms into view just as John Constable painted it. The 404-foot pinnacle of the early English and Gothic cathedral is the tallest in England. The extra 6500 tons of tower and spire have caused the support columns in the church to visibly buckle under the weight. Salisbury, or New Sarum, lies on the banks of the River Avon, is best known for its proximity to Stonehenge and for its glorious cathedral.

Salisbury Cathedral is generally considered to be England's finest medieval cathedral, and is unusual because it was all built at the same time with none of the subsequent additions of most other cathedrals. This gives it a very pleasing unity of appearance. Construction commenced in 1220, with most of the work complete by 1258. The building of the cathedral also marked the founding of the 'modern' town of Salisbury; prior to that time most people lived a couple of miles north at Old Sarum, a settlement dating back to Iron Age times. Nowadays there is little remaining at Old Sarum, but some of the stone has been taken to Salisbury and used for building the walls of the Cathedral Close. Filled with Tudor inns and tearooms, it's known to readers of Thomas Hardy as Melchester and to fans of Anthony Trollope as Barchester.

Our group toured the cathedral, noticing the floor stones which are witness to the numerous people who lie buried within the cathedral. A sign of the heart wrenching stories unheard and untold that haunt the place. While in the cathedral, I saw a crypt with what looked like potholes by the sides that went beyond the hole. I overheard a guide that the crypt was a sign of hope and healing for the physically disabled who could slip their arms into the crypt and get as close as possible to the saint who is said to have magical powers. Some of the crypts had graffiti which interestingly is a major attraction at the cathedral.

At the charter house, we saw the very historic Magna Carta. Just to enlighten you souls about the famous Magna Carta. Magna Carta is Latin for "The Great Charter"; the famous agreement made between King John and his barons at Runneymede in 1215 and is very significant for the foundation for the U.S. constitution. It is beautifully written in Latin on vellum (animal skin) and contains some 3,500 words, many of which have been abbreviated. It is believed that there have originally been many copies of the Magna Carta of which only 4 have been preserved and the best is on display at the Chapter House, which, according to the docent we had the privilege to lay our eyes on. Amazingly even after nearly 800 years the writing was as crisp as if it was just yesterday that it was fleshed out. The docent believes that it was the iron used in the ink. Time waits for no man or woman in this matter signified magnificently by the oldest working clock of all Europe built in 1386 which still ticks away at the cathedral.

Volunteer guides give free tours regularly every day. Entrance to the cathedral is free and the cathedral is open daily, but there are some interruptions during formal services every Sunday. A lovely glass-roofed restaurant offering a view up to the cathedral spire, and the inevitable gift shop are also onsite. Some parts of the cathedral complex do have admission charges – for example, if you wish to climb the 332 steps up to the base of spire.

One can spend many hours in the Cathedral and the surrounding grounds and not exhaust all it has to offer. It truly is a very enchanting and memorable place to visit as for us standing under the shade of the glorious cathedral building for once time stood at a stand still bringing the past and present together.

Flashback Detour

2007-07-18T06:57:00.001-07:00

Let’s take a detour today and go 10 steps back to where this whole thing started. It all started in 2000 when i was a print journalist. The Chevening scholarship (for young broadcast journalists sponsored by British Council ) was always on my mind but my office could not afford to grant a leave for more than 10 days and this scholarship sadly required 90 days. Seven years later lady luck smiled on me and July 6, 2007 - I was aboard an Emirates flight on my way to London to attend the course.

Heathrow airport was not new to me as I have been here on a couple of occasions but this time as a student I could feel chills run down my spine. Anyways, the fresh and cold air did me good and drained away all the tension that I had knotted during the flight from Hyderabad. Excess baggage made me shell out 11k and I had no time to argue for i would have missed my flight and to add to my misery a severe bout of acidity only worsened the situation. A 2 Hour halt at the Dubai airport came as a relief and things finally hit normalcy.

I stayed with a very close friend in Harrow in London for the night and the very next day took the National Express to Bournemouth University with Neha as the other four other girls had taken an earlier bus from London Central.

This year 10 broadcast journalists were selected for the Chevening Scholarship course - Afreen Kidwai (Anchor/ correspondent- Times Now), Chayan Kundu (Principal Correspondent - Zee News Kolkata ), Deepa Chaturvedi ( Senior Producer - Times Now), Deborshi Chaki ( Principal Correspondent - CNN IBN , Assam), Pawan Bali (Special Correspondent - CNN IBN Jammu), Maha Siddiqui )Anchor/Correspondent- Doordarshan), Neha Bhatnagar (anchor/correspondent - Aaj Tak), Jajati Karan (Special Correspondent - CNN IBN, Orissa), Veera Raghav (Bureau Chief- CNN IBN Chennai) and myself (Star News – Hyderabad).

Sharan Lewis - who manages administration and finance at the Media School in Bournemouth University was waiting for us at the bus stop and escorted us to the house. The girls were already settled in their accommodation. I was the first guy to arrive so had the privilege to select the bigger room out of the five in the House no. 29 which was just opposite to the girls house. It was only after 11 pm - Veera popularly known as Vicky arrived and for the first time we both had a conversation which lasted 20 minutes in spite of us having met earlier on 3 occasions briefly in India.

David Bradshaw; the project director of the Media School escorted by Sandy and Ed of the Media School took us on a tour of the Bournemouth city the next day and we followed it up with an English lunch which was changed to suit our Indian palate. A walk around the beautiful beach changed our concept of Bournemouth being a sleepy town.

The sad part of it all was that three guys who were supposed to fly from Kolkata were stranded as their Air India flight was cancelled and it took them over 2 days to reach Bournemouth. However, Veera Raghav’s cooking style eventually followed by Jajatis' made me breathe a sigh a relief as all my worries about missing home cooked food took a back seat.

That brings me to the 9th of July - The first day of the course which began at 9.30 am. Gail Foley - a former BBC journalist and the course instructor took off from where David Bradshaw left off and initiated us into the course with some interesting classes on media. The course seems to be really interesting as it is packed with loads of activities and Gail is really an interesting and articulate person who knows her stuff pretty well. Despite of me having a huge amount of experience - learning is a process and surprisingly I can pack in more knowledge and experience after this whole trip concludes, Be rest assured!

Be on TV - BBC

2007-07-17T00:58:00.000-07:00

4 long years of TV journalism and I have enjoyed every bit of reporting being right in the midst of action, Exploring the role of a TV presenter never took my slightest fancy,but as they say there’s always a first time for everything and our visit to the BBC Public Space in Birmingham triggered that fancy in me. Well, there isn’t any rocket science to it. I just had to stand near the dummy studio and click some buttons and everything was set to roll. The tele prompt started rolling and so did the camera and Lo! I was reading the News - a report for Midlands Today with the BBC studio as the backdrop - a dream come true.

It’s not only presenting news but there’s the weather forecast and much, much more. No one could stop themselves from trying their hand at “Be on TV” even Neha, Afreen or Maha Siddque - all known news presenters in India, but poor Chayan - just stood like a mute as Jajati Karan didn't give him a chance to read the news and only when he read "Goodbye" did he realize that the script for the news was over.

And yes! Please do not forget to see me anchoring. - Go to BBC Birmingham's Public Space - Be on TV where you’ll be asked to enter a code. My code is 071619946. Once you enter the code just hit PLAY and I’ll be on your screens. (and mind you this is available for only 7 days from now).

Andrea handles the Public Space at BBC. She took us around the public space and told us that BBC Birmingham's Public Space in The Mailbox has already attracted thousands of visitors since it opened its doors in June 2003. The BBC office at Birmingham makes way for people to explore more and more of BBC Birmingham. For e.g.; with the aid of special touch screens you can take interactive tours around the radio drama and TV studios. The space has a Café, BBC shop and hosts a variety of events. A special viewing glass allows you to look into the BBC WM and Asian Network studios and also gives you a chance to watch your favourite presenters on air.

It took us over 4 hours to reach the BBC office – Though we were tired from all the traveling the visit was worth all of it. Gail Foley was there to escort us and we met Mr Jas; a Sardarji who is one of the production heads, born and brought up in the UK.Mr Jas showed us around and gave us a detailed explanation, satisfying our queries we were volleying on him as if we would start our own channel after returning to India. Even though BBC had such a smooth way of functioning - we TV journalists from India felt it was really difficult to handle TV news in India with the umpteen number of "BREAKING NEWS" cropping up.

Our enthusiasm to click photographs in the BBC studio made us look like school going kids who had suddenly come across some kind of fantasy world. It was Adrian once again, who took us to Birmingham in a mini bus. The only thing he always complained about was our sense of punctuality which we never seemed to maintain. It would take us some time to keep up with the pace and time out here. We desperately wanted to visit Oxford on our way back but time constraints didn’t allow us the opportunity.

Deepa - a senior Producer from Times Now was back with us after a brief illness which didn’t allow her to make out station trips but her resolution for losing weight isn’t seem to working as the temptation to grab junk food is hitting her hard. Maha Siddiqui had a great time exchanging intellectual thoughts with Adrian on our way back - a strong believer in Islam and Allah - the most merciful and the most kind, peace and blessing be upon beloved Prophet- was dressed in western attire and looked damn cool. Neha with her backpack looks like a cute school girl and so did Veer Raghav - a bigger version of Neha. Pawan, Afreen, Jajati relaxed listening to their ipods while Neha, Deepa, Veera and I did some grocery shopping at Asda. It was quite a cool day. More yet to come so stay tuned! Oh! there goes the presenter in me :-)

Bournemouth - Day 5

2007-07-14T04:41:00.009-07:00

Traveling half the world across, 9.30 pm sunsets, flat mates from all over India, alien food and getting into learning mode, sure has taken a toll on me. After 4 days of this unusual routine we get our first day off. Thank God for that! Relaxation and Sleep the agenda! What pleasure it is to sleep and know that you don’t have anything else to do.

10 am and still sleeping only to be jostled awake by Deb, singing a Hindi patriotic song. Realizing it wasn’t 15th of August as yet; an investigation was in order since we were right in the middle of English Land. Anyways, the inspiration behind the song was unsurprisingly a young white female right in the middle of our bathroom. Before your mind takes off let me tell you she was just one of the cleaning ladies. I don’t blame Deb for reacting in the way he did – to quote him - 'Pehli baar dekha hun kissi angrez ko bathroom saaf karte hue aur woh bhi Indian logon ka, maaza aa gaya.”

A white female in House no. 29 raised many an eyebrow and who would want to miss such an opportunity? For eg, Jags; our so called Sarpanch used all his talent to woo her by posing personal questions eventually to find out that she was a Columbian and lived with her brother in Bournemouth. Deb wasn’t far behind and turned out to quite a strong competitor. He jumped off his bed as soon as he heard Columbia and shouted "Shakiraaaaaaaaa!" and went on to tell the white lady how popular shakira is in India – The invasion of Deb irritated Jags who tried his best to off track the slim and trim Deb. Seeing the guys and their wooing antics - a senior cleaning lady interrupted and politely sent the Columbian on her way and took up the reins of cleaning our house. Disappointed but not outdone - Deb and Jags volleyed questions for her to tackle - Where can we club, pub and some bars which we could visit despite the fact that none of these guys booze.

Our main chef tam brahm- Veer was busy in his drinks and the newspaper collecting details about how to drive to Southampton as most of the Chevening scholars had to go for a shoot which we couldn’t manage to do on Wednesday. One of our female journalist friends Deepa was down with cold but seemed to have got back in shape, Neha has caught a cold and Deb too has been feeling down and has decided to skip dinner. Today at the boy’s house, cabbage potato curry, chapattis and curd rice was on the menu.

Well, Most of today went in shopping and hopping. A dull day apart from the funny incident that took place with the cleaning lady in the morning. Hope the next few days we have a gala time. Until next time then!

Bournemouth - Day 4

2007-07-13T11:45:00.000-07:00

As promised here I am with another eventful day to talk about! Today, we took an hour's bus ride (driven by Adrin our camera instructor) for a special outstation shoot to Southampton - 37 miles from Bournemouth - UK 's busiest and most successful ports. Southampton is a natural deep-water harbour and its unique double tide allows unrestricted access for the world's largest vessel with facilities to handle virtually any type of cargo, making it the most preferred port for a wide range of customers and traders.

Our first stop was ' Unity 101 Community radio station '; a local, independent and voluntary organization which broadcasts Asian and ethnic community music and cultures to over 50,000 listeners. Ram Kalyan a.k.a. "Kelly" is the Station Manager of Unity 101 Community radio and the station reflects the needs and interests of local communities and aims to bring knowledge and understanding so listeners can participate more fully in a cohesive society. At the radio station Neha Bhatnagar and Deborshi Chaki turned into radio jockeys and gave us a glimpse of their completely new avatars. Being On Air for 10 minutes, they fell in love with the mouth piece and couldn't get enough of talking about apna Bollywood - the topic they were given by the show producer and anchor Srirupa Mukherjee. We had to literarily pull them out of the studio. Community radio is really an interesting medium which can make it big in India if implemented properly as Unity 101 does in the UK.

Our next stop was ' Oxford Street's Poppadom Express ' ; a famous restaurant where curry lovers across Hampshire enjoy a feast of spicy delights. This modern eatery is one of three branches across the south that offers tasty and unusual variations of authentic Indian dishes. As soon as you enter the Poppadom Express you are greeted by a cozy bar which tempts you with some appetizing pre-dinner drinks or you could simply put your feet up (not literally or the Brits would throw a fit) and relax after a satisfying meal. The dining area is spacious and inviting, and the staff is friendly and helpful.

After a few days of food cooked by us the Express turned out to be a blessing in disguise and in no time all of us were drooling to get a taste of the delicious, mouth watering Indian food. But, even before we could think of laying our hands on the food, Gail Foley; our course director had a long list of instructions about how to shoot a story in the restaurant. Being a kind soul, she understood our temptation for Indian food and let us explore. Well, let me begin! The best way to start your Popaddam journey is with a glass of house white wine, which costs £3.60 for a large glass, or a pint of lager for about £2.50 along with some fresh, crunchy poppadoms served with dips and sauces like mango chutney and chopped onions. But most of us except 'tam bram' Veer Raghav; (who tried hard to keep away) weren't interested in having a drink.

OK! so to start off we ventured at the starters section - an array of about 12 dishes to choose from, offering everything from mince samosas to onion bhajis. Diners can also opt for tandoori broccoli cauliflower - florets of the vegetables flavoured with garlic, yoghurt, black pepper and cardamom - or Jhinga Til Tinka, which includes sesame seed coated king prawns dipped in ginger, garlic and a lime and chilli marinade.

To move on, the main course offered traditional dishes such as Vindaloo, madras and korma meals, but the more adventurous can dabble in Venison Rogan Josh or chicken stuffed with olives and pimento. The Paneer Lababdar comes highly recommended, cooked in a rich, smooth gravy and is definitely worth a taste.For vegetarians, a delicious delight is Paneer Masala, a mixture of exotic paneer cooked in smooth, rich flavoured gravy. A suitable accompaniment is Tarka Daal, lentils cooked with garlic and garnished with a whole red chilli. Its soft texture and mild flavour complement other more spicy main dishes. To polish off this finger licking meal we opted for vegetarian pulao instead of the plain basmati rice which was tempered with cumin, fried onions and fresh coriander garnish.

Delicious! An afternoon nap would have taken us to heaven! But were denied.

Now that I have tickled your taste buds with quite a detailed description, it's time to get back to what we were actually there for. The shoot! Neha and I wanted to shoot a story - basically a profile of an Indian cook from Lucknow who has been working in UK for the last 6 years and has stayed away from his family. But to our chargin the chef sounded so bored about the whole idea that we decided to drop the story. Gail came to our rescue with an idea about doing a story on the florists right on the street occupied by restaurant. The lady looking after the shop was kind enough to talk to us about herself and gave us time to do the story. The story was colourful and deserved to be shot at length with a lot of other elements. So with a promise to be back on Saturday we left the lady to tend to her flowers.

On our way back we grabbed some really interesting Indian food like Chapattis. Tonight it would be chapattis with Alloo Gobi and the chef for the night at House no. 29 is Jajati Karan. Veer Raghav cooked some rice for himself and me as eventually we were South Indians and had to have our dose of Rice and how can Yogurt be far behind, waiting patiently for us in the fridge. Well quite a mouthwatering trip it was. It's time again for me to push off. That's it for now.

Indian Journalists & Correspondants at Bournemouth University

Bournemouth - Day 3

2007-07-13T11:16:00.000-07:00

After several days of the sun being a spoilsport the town of Bournemouth finally showed signs of a sunny day pulling people out of their houses. An alien land; for me it was just another new day and the first thing that's on my mind is to rush to the single bathroom in the 5-bedded-house at the Bournemouth University campus. Any delay would see me waiting until the others could clear the bathroom eventually pushing my schedule on the back foot not only for the media class but also, brace yourselves, for washing dishes - a nightmare which is coming true for me now, simply owing to the fact that I am no cook. – Alas! I cannot escape the anger of Veer Raghav (a colleague from CNN IBN- Chennai) - our main chef since he doesn't like an untidy kitchen and inviting his ire means missing home cooked food - which I have started missing like anything.

To take off for a bit and acquaint you about where I am, I put up at the student village, house no. 29; a mere stone's throw away from the Bournemouth Media School with five colleagues - Veer Raghav whom I introduced to you earlier, Jajati Karan (Special Correspondent; CNN IBN - Orissa), Deborshi Chaki (Principal Correspondent; CNN IBN – Guwahati) and Chayan Kundu (Special correspondent; Zee News - Kolkata.)

Getting back to where I left off, I rushed to the classroom, dressed in jeans, a cream t-shirt and a blazer, thinking that I was late for the day, but to my relief I saw my colleagues sitting on the second floor verandah - as the room was still locked. Being VERY much aware of my friends being capable of goof ups - I walked into the room to find our course director waiting for us. Jajati had mistaken the closed room as being locked.

Day 3 was for camera work and today all of us (5 boys and 5 girls) - were escorted to the city centre park for a new lesson – "How to shoot vox pops?" A lesson of the basics but when we handled the camera ourselves – My first resolution was to ever never shout at my cameraman back home. It is damn complicated to set the lights right with the aperture and the frame when the sun is hell bent on playing a game of hide and seek.

My project partner Neha Bhatnagar; an anchor in Aaj Tak and Headlines Today and a well known face in India is the youngest scholar in the course and would be turning 26 this September. I have a soft corner for her for reasons unknown and she never hesitates to ask questions however silly they may be. She makes me realize how important it is to come forward and clear your issues when in doubt.

Neha and I sat near the Bournemouth Eye; a huge air balloon, with Neha fiddling with the camera to get the adjustments right. She went all out and approached people and convinced them to talk to us for our brief project - on camera work. After and effortful hour we complete our project and Neha, as usual enthusiastically used the remaining time to familiarize herself with the camera by shooting a few more sequences. When we got back to where the others had been waiting, I learnt my first lesson - Brits hate running late. So be punctual! Nevertheless, Gail Foley- our course leader took the three of us back to the university in her convertible - this drive gave a lovely feeling which inspired me to take out my cell phone and click a few shots while on the move. Gail looked cool while Maha and Neha posed for some snaps for me.

Once back at the media school – the 'vox pop's shoots were reviewed. Andrew - the camera instructor- liked the various shoots to a certain extent and appreciated us for showing improvement.
We had to let go of a screening session as we were getting late for the day.

Jajati rushed to the room as it was his turn to cook and Pawan bali (CNN IBN Jammu) was kind enough to offer me hot tea. Pawan is kind of person one would like to spend time with and never be bored. An intelligent woman with a lot of affection and emotions bundled up but at the same time a strong configuration of humanity- in simple terms she knows her character as a human being.
Veer Raghav walked into the girl's room which falls just opposite our house and started humming some lovely Hindi songs making us feel that we are back home in India. To save the day Pawan was quick enough to put on some music on her laptop as Veer Raghav - a Tam Braham - as we call him was getting out sorts sipping at his peg of whiskey.

It has been a long Wednesday and I have to hit the bed as tomorrow sure is going to be another long one. But it promises to be an interesting one as we will be moving to Southampton for a visit to a radio station and shoot a story at a local restaurant as part of our programme. Well I have promises to keep before I sleep so see you tomorrow!