The Mahatma’s teacher

 

A new Hindi play highlights the relationship between Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi and one of his early mentors, Shrimad Rajchandra 

 

Diverse aspects of Mahatma Gandhi’s life have been featured in popular media. But little is known about his initial mentor. Who was his inspiration for propagating the values of ahimsa (non violence) and satyagraha (nonviolent or civil resistance)? Yugpurush Mahatma Ke Mahatma, a Hindi play, explores the relationship between Gandhi and his spiritual guru Shrimad Rajchandra, who taught him these tenets.

Gandhi met Rajchandra, a prominent Jain poet and philosopher, for the first time in Mumbai, when he returned from England as a barrister in 1891. His knowledge of the scriptures and moral earnestness left a deep-rooted impression on young Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi and their relationship blossomed over a span of two years.

After Gandhi moved to South Africa, the duo corresponded with each other through letters. Rajchandra’s adherence to the principles of satya, ahimsa and dharma later became the fundamental tenets of Gandhism. Yugpurush - Mahatma Ke Mahatma focuses on the special relationship between both the individuals and traces Mohandas’ journey from a barrister to the Father of the Nation.

Directed by Rajesh Joshi and written by Uttam Gada, it features Parthsarthi Vaidya, Pulkit Solanki and Babul Bhavsar in pivotal roles. The play, which premiered on November 14 this year in Gujarati on Rajchandra’s 15oth birth anniversary, is now being staged in Hindi. Plans are afoot to present it in English and regional languages soon.

Joshi says, “The story starts when, on the day of his assassination, Gandhi speaks to his associates about Shrimadji. We thought that if the Father of the Nation is the sutradhar and talks about the person who influenced him the most, the [play] would have maximum impact. We also devised elements like having an older Gandhi on stage who is reminiscing about his past and taking the audience through his journey as a 21-year-old barrister, who was keen to follow his legal practice – to fighting for the nation’s independence [and] becoming the country’s revered leader.”

The director admits that the biggest challenge for him was to ensure that the production shouldn’t come across as preachy or a hagiography, but entertain the audience. So, the story is laced with humour and also highlights vignettes of Gandhi’s life such as when he lost his mother and how he took a vow of brahmacharya (celibacy) with ample support from his wife, Kasturba.

The play also throws lights on the lesser-known aspects of Rajchandra’s life. For instance, Rajchandra performed Shatavdhan, which means doing 100 activities at one time. This event was held at the Framjee Cowasjee Institute near Dhobi Talao in 1887. A group of 100 people asked him different questions like framing sentences using words from diverse languages or using the first letter of various people’s names, reciting poems impromptu and challenged him in a game of chess and cards simultaneously. Rajchandra is said to have performed all the tasks within a stipulated time frame. Likewise, if he was given a list of 50 words and then asked to repeat those from 25-35 in the correct chronological order, Rajchandra would do so without committing any error.

For Gada, the major task was to encapsulate the highlights of Gandhi and Shrimadji’s meetings that took place over a span of two years within a time frame of 120 minutes. He says, “We had a lot of research material. So, I had to use my discretion to retain the most significant parts. Also, Shrimadji was a brilliant scholar but he wrote in Gujarati [in a style] that was prevalent in the 19th century. So I had to simplify the language yet retain the flavour and essence of his writings to ensure that it could be understood by the present generation.”

Published on: December 29, 2016 in The Hindu 

Plan your CHRISTMAS party in 4 hours

A quick guide to planning the perfect celebration that should leave you with enough time to grab a glass of mulled wine and relax until your guests arrive.

Christmas is all about spending some quality time with your loved ones, indulging in scrumptious dishes and enjoying the festivities. But if you have been too busy to plan well in advance for that grand gettogether, fret not. Here’s all you need to plan a swinging party in hours.

9AM TO 10AM
Get started on your checklists

Before you can start planning your party, draw up your checklists. Your guest list is the first one you need to get started on. Grab a pencil, and start ticking off names once each person you call confirms his or her presence. Do not waste time by sending out Whatsapp messages; you need an instant ‘yes’ or ‘no’ so start dialling. In an hour, you should have a number to work with.

Next, make a list of what décor you can arrange: what you have at home, what you can borrow from a friend and what you need to order etc.

“It’s a good idea to choose a colour theme that’s easy to put together using what you already own,” says Mariya Zaveri, a Byculla-based event planner. “A red and white theme is ideal for a house party as most people have accessories in those colours: you may own red table mats and white napkins. But, if not, you can always pull out dupattas and scarves in those colours to adorn coffee tables or to use as a runner on your dining table. Candles are a must for a Christmas event, but if you don’t have candelabras, don’t worry. Place basic red or white candles on a couple of plain quarter plates and surround these with white or red petals (if you don’t grow plants in your balcony, you may be able to find these in the compound of your building, so don’t dash to the florist right away).”

Make a few calls to neighbours and family members to see if you can borrow any Christmas trimmings: a small tree you can use as a centerpiece perhaps, wreaths and stars-shaped kandeels. Marketing professional Rebecca Fernandes suggests, “If you don’t own candles or anything to decorate your table with, tie a ribbon around sprigs of herbs like rosemary, sage and basil and position these small bouquets like confetti on the table.”

10AM TO 11AM
Plan your menu

The next step is to draw up a simple menu comprising dishes and drinks that can be rustled up quickly. Content manager Vanessa Rodrigues says, “Fruit-infused water in flavours like lavender and lemon or strawberry and mint are great for Christmas. To make this, simply fill a jug with drinking water and soak one kind of fresh fruit (sliced) in this for over 30 minutes. I also make hot chocolate in large quantities, pour it in a huge utensil and place it on the dining table along with marshmallows. This is a hit with kids and it adds to the holiday spirit as well.”

Rakhee Vaswani of Palate Culinary Studio says, “A beetroot dip is easy to whip up and would go with a red and white colour scheme, or order crackers and a basil hummus or an avocado dip (readily available online) for a touch of Christmasy green.”

11AM TO 12 NOON
Order in

If you’re ordering your meals from an online food delivery service, get s tarted even earlier, as there may be a holiday rush that delays deliveries. Littlefooddaily.com has an excellent, well-priced Christmas menu that includes pork and chicken roasts and, for vegetarians, root vegetable crepes with truffle cream sauce.

If you prefer North Indian fare, try IndiKitchen’s menu. The Mahalakshmi-based operation (call: 7045313491; 9820974812) will deliver, even today. Their lipsmacking rolls are worth every penny: chicken tikka rolls (Rs 179/350 g), lamb rolls (Rs 179/350 g), paneer rolls (Rs 169/350 g) and mutton rolls (Rs 249/350 g). Anuj Bagri, co-founder, highlights, “During Christmas, we will be delivering till 3am. There will also be a special discount on chocolate samosa, one of our hot-selling items. Three portions will be available at Rs 120.” For Christmas cookies, call Santacruz-based Delite Almeida at 26049305 or Worli's Ellipsis Bakery (call: 66164653).

Believe it or not, it's not too late to get a Christmas Cake. Iconic Parsi eatery, Jimmy Boy at Fort (call: 22700880) charges Rs 300 for ½ kg fruit cakes prepared by soaking fruits over two months beforehand. It's an incredible bargain and the restaurant will deliver (at a charge). Alternately, order coconut baath (a traditional East Indian cake made from coconut and semolina; Rs 200/400 g) from Bonnie D’Silva (call: 7506596514/9323226260). The resident of Mulund (W) has also introduced a wide variety of chocolates on her menu this year.

12 NOON TO 12.30 PM
Be your own DJ

You don’t need an expert to tell you that any party is incomplete without music. Make a playlist comprising Christmas carols, Frank Sinatra and Elvis Presley’s greatest hits. You could also download the Charlie Brown Christmas album, and intersperse these songs with some of the latest Billboard hits. If one of your friends can play the guitar, do give her or him a buzz and have her or him bring the instrument along for an impromptu acoustic performance.

You could also organise party games like charades or Pictionary, which don’t really require a kit. You can draw up your own chits to get this going. But, do try and think of activities/games that the whole group can enjoy together irrespective of everyone’s age group.

12.30 PM TO 1 PM
Final touches

Set the mood by burning scented candles – cinnamon and vanilla work well, but if you don’t have these, we have a solution. Pour some water into a saucepan and add cinnamon sticks (and a sliced apple, if you have one at home); heat this, and leave your kitchen door open to allow the aroma to fill the space. Once this happens, switch off the flame. Now, pour yourself a glass of wine, sit back and wait for your guests to arrive.

Published on: December 25, 2016 in Mumbai Mirror 

The importance of small talk

 

 

 

Be it a romance, a lifelong friendship or the signing of a multimillion-dollar contract, small talk is where it all begins. Make sure you don’t miss out.

When Rashmi Choudary, a software professional was invited for a New Year party three years ago, she quickly accepted the invitation. “I dreaded the thought of spending New Year’s Eve alone,” recalls the 27-year-old who had just moved to Mumbai back then. “However, the moment I reached the party, the sea of unknown faces made me nervous. So, I made an excuse and rushed home.” The thought of entering a roomful of strangers is enough to make many people anxious. But, on the other hand, going out of your comfort zone can have many benefits.

Why engage in small talk

Clinical psychologist and trauma expert, Seema Hingorany, says, “Striking up a conversation with someone you just met can be challenging, but in the long run, it can also be very rewarding as you’ll have made new connections. Besides, at social events, where your work colleagues are present, your interaction with strangers may demonstrate your social skills, and impress the boss.”

In her TED talk, Kio Stark, author of When Strangers Meet: How People You Don’t Know Can Transform You, offers another reason to be bold. “I know it sounds a little counterintuitive— intimacy and strangers— but these quick interactions can lead to a feeling that sociologists call ‘fleeting intimacy.’ So, it’s a brief experience that has emotional resonance and meaning…I feel like part of a community when I talk to somebody on my train on the way to work.”

Get past the jitters

Etiquette expert, Rukshana Eisa, says, “The easiest way to strike up a conversation is to walk up to someone who has the friendliest face in the room and is making eye contact with you. Talk about general topics like travel, music, art and cinema.”

The next step is to maintain the right body language. Rather than leaning forward and encroaching on someone’s personal space, maintain an arm’s distance or stand three feet away.

Thirty-year-old media professional Sujit Mokle says that one trick that he has learnt over the years is to ask open-ended questions. “Ask a person’s opinion on a certain topic rather than a question about whether she or he agrees with your opinion on the subject.”

What not to do

“Never ask anyone about their relationship status, age or salary because it may make them uncomfortable,” says image consultant and entrepreneur Chhaya Momaya.

Eisa adds that one should also steer away from controversial topics like religion and politics as people can have very strong views on those and the conversation could turn into an argument quickly. To this, Mokle adds “Don’t monopolise the person’s time; allow her or him to interact with others. If a person seems distracted, is checking the phone constantly and is not maintaining eye contact with you, it’s time to move on.”

Conquer your fears

“Even if it makes you nervous, it’s worthwhile to take the initiative and approach others for a conversation,” says Hingorrany. “If you are talking to someone but that person isn’t reciprocating, don’t take it personally. Sometimes, it’s not about you, but about what that person is going through. The individual might just not be in the right frame of mind for a conversation.”

 

Published on: Dec 21, 2016 in Mumbai Mirror 

A 20 year-old love letter

As iconic Hindi play Tumhari Amrita completes two decades, director Feroz Abbas Khan explains the method behind the madness

There is something appealing about love stories. They remind us of the first time our hearts skipped a beat when we trained our sights on that special someone, indulged in never-ending conversations and shed tears after bidding goodbye. And if we have renowned actors Shabana Azmi and Farooque Shaikh chronicling the lives of two lovers, only by reading letters, then that makes it all the more memorable.

In February 1992, when director Feroz Abbas Khan thought of helming Tumhari Amrita, a Hindi play that follows the trials and tribulations of Amrita (Azmi) and Zulfikar (Shaikh), he was confident that it would not run for more than three shows. After all, it didn't have a bound script or huge sets and the actors performed without any rehearsals. However, he was wrong. This Sunday, 2012, Tumhari Amrita turns 20.

Khan was attracted to the production after his US-based friend gave him a script of American playwright's AR Gurney's Love Letters. He says, "I loved the play but could not get myself to do it in English as it was so American. I believed Indian audiences would feel alienated by its cultural context."

Khan decided to approach Javed Siddiqui to pen Tumhari Amrita for Indian audiences. He explains, "I watched an episode of Shyam Benegal's Bharat Ek Khoj, penned by Siddiqui. The language enthralled me. It was Hindustani, it had the poetry and imagery of Urdu and yet it was accessible to the uninitiated. I met Siddiqui and thus began Tumhari Amrita's journey. Drawing inspiration from India's composite culture, he etched these memorable characters travelling in time and space against the tumultuous social and political transformation that India was experiencing."

Khan decided to cast Azmi and Shaikh as "they were the ideal couple in a picture frame and a love story, where they could not live with or without each other." However, the biggest challenge for him was to helm the production without using the conventional tools of drama. He explains, "I discovered that getting the actors to communicate the spontaneous without memorising was hard."

But the team managed to get their act together and staged it at Prithvi Theatre. The overwhelming response took it across India, Europe, US and Pakistan, and the play is being performed till date. Quiz Khan about the secret of its success and he says, "The writing, simplicity of presentation, truthful performances and deep connection with the audience have drawn them to it time and again."

At: February 27, Bandra Fort, 7 pm
Entry: Complimentary invites available at the TOI office at Dr DN Road By Rinky Kumar

The unlikely hero

Kunal Kapoor outside the Prithvi Theatre in Juhu, Mumbai


The fiercely private Kunal Kapoor, newly-appointed director of Prithvi Theatre, shares his plans of organising Indian classical music concerts at the intimate venue to survive in the long run

It's a balmy Wednesday afternoon as I head to meet Kunal Kapoor, the director of Prithvi Theatre at the Prithvi Cafe. Soon he comes down from his office and gestures me towards the Prithvi House, just across the road.

The foyer of the House is replete with comfortable lounge chairs and vibrant-coloured cushions in blue, burnt orange, red and yellow. He says chirpily while fishing out a Marlboro and lighting it up, 'Let's have the interview here. This is the new adda where the Mehfil@ Prithvi was held.'

For the uninitiated, the Mehfil @ Prithvi, whose first edition was held at Prithvi on February 14, is the brainchild of Kapoor. He says, "It was a natural progression, with Urdu having a reawakening amongst the youth. It is an unstructured, informal and inspirational gathering for people who know or want to learn more Urdu.

We hope to turn it into a space where people can appreciate the language and its literature." Led by laureates Javed Siddiqui and Salim Arif and passionate Urdu novices like Arwa Mamaji and Priya Nijhara who run a blog for beginners (www.urduwallahs.wordpress.com), the first edition comprised 'open house' discussions and readings and was aimed at familiarising everyone with the language.

Kapoor says, "This is the first of many programmes in the pipeline. We want to collaborate with like-minded people who want to spread knowledge like us."

However, right now, Kapoor is focussing at the 28th Prithvi Memorial Concert Salaam: A Tribute to Ustad Sultan Khan, which will be held on February 28. The concert started off in 1985 after the demise of Jennifer Kapoor, the force behind Prithvi Theatre.

She was an ardent admirer of Ustad Zakir Hussain and wanted him to perform at Prithvi. But he couldn't do so, due to his hectic schedule. Later, Kapoor approached Hussain in 1985 for the second Prithvi Festival and the latter agreed to perform on February 28, which was Jennifer's birthday.

Since then the concert has become an annual feature, with Hussain designing the musical evenings and offering the traditional 'baithak' experience to the audience. Over the years, established as well as young aspiring musicians from various genres like classical, fusion, jazz and folk music have performed here.

This year, the concert will be a tribute to renowned Sarangi player and Padma Bhushan Ustad Sultan Khan. Kapoor says, "One of my earliest experiences of Indian Classic experience was with Ustad Sultan Khan. This year, we pay a tribute to him and thank him for sharing with us his wonderful music and singing."

Kapoor also reveals his future plans that of organising more Indian classical music concerts at Prithvi. He says, "I feel we are perfect for it as we have the right acoustics.

After watching a concert at Prithvi, I can't enjoy or sit through one anywhere else because everything is amplified, which robs the freshness of the performance. One must remember that Indian classical music was never designed to be amplified." But press him for further details and he says, "I have plans that I can't discuss until they're concrete."

As talk veers towards his new role as the director of Prithvi Theatre (earlier he was the trustee while younger sister Sanjna handled the reins), he says dismissively, "Let me tell you, I have always been around. As the wolves howled that theatre would die following the death of my mother Jennifer Kapoor, director Feroz Abbas Khan and I came together to work towards sustaining Prithvi Theatre."

"After I was active for around eight years, Sanjna started handling the nitty-gritty while the policies were handled by me. I didn't have to be around all the time. But the media likes to put a face to things. And come to think of it, don't you feel she made a prettier picture as the face of Prithvi Theatre than me?" he guffaws.

Though speculations have been rife that the brother-sister duo parted ways since they had different visions, Kapoor says that it was a conscious decision on the duo's part. "We decided that Sanjna would focus on building infrastructure across the country and taking theatre to interior parts of the country while I would handle Prithvi and work towards making it secure."

While theatre aficionados are worried that inflation will have a ripple effect on the Prithvi Theatre too, what with the National Centre for Performing Arts already hiking its rental rates, Kapoor explains matter-of-factly that it is a process waiting to happen.

"Given a choice, I wouldn't want to increase the rent or the rates of tickets. Just a few days ago, a report appeared in dailies that said that this year salaries are going to increase by 10- 12 per cent in India. Why does no one question that?

All of us are part of the same economy. The fact remains that costs are going up and we need to take measures to sustain. It's not going to burn a hole in anyone's pockets if we increase the ticket rates by Rs 10 or 20 on Tuesdays. All the theatre groups that I have spoken to are agreeable and their feedback has been supportive."

Apart from this, Kapoor is also looking at corporate funding. It might be recalled that earlier Prithvi Theatre had tied up with corporate giants like Tata Photon, Orange etc, which not only helped it to publicise the events but also provide financial assistance. Kapoor says, "Abroad, Broadway plays receive funding from corporate houses and city councils, which is not the case here.

In India, theatre is low on the list of priorities. Let's be honest. We are not self-sufficient. We want to pay salaries to the staff, we want theatre groups to make a profit and we want to cover the losses that we run annually."

However, despite all these hurdles, Kapoor sees a silver lining. He is happy that the audience flocking to Prithvi Theatre has increased over a period of time. "Last year, we had an average of 70 per cent audiences while this year it has increased to 83 per cent. Earlier the audience comprised people in the 35+ plus age group whereas now I see more 20-somethings coming in to watch plays," he explains.

He attributes it to a sudden spurt of young new actors, directors and playwrights. "Today, many actors are adopting theatre as a profession. They have accepted that they can't make a lot of money out of it but still want to pursue it because they are passionate.

They have no aspirations of becoming movie stars. In the early '80s, there were many talented actors who started off with theatre but never came back to it as they got lured by films and TV," he signs off.

Rent a text online

Sameer Tulpule, founder of Textbuk.in, now has over 900 odd students renting out books for each semester. Pic/Krunal Gosavi


Textbuk.in allows engineering students to rent books without burning a hole in their pockets and do their bit for the environment

Sameer Tulpule, founder of textbuk.in, still remembers how he had to shell out loads of money every semester to buy books while completing his graduation in electronic science.

After gaining a degree in business marketing and working in the BPO industry for seven years, he realised it was high time he did something for engineering students that would not only help them to rent books online but also save the environment. That was how he and his partner entrepreneur Vishal Sharma decided to set up textbuk.in.

The online service, launched in January last year in Pune, helps students to rent books for each semester at a nominal rent and save up to 60 per cent. All they have to do is log on to the site textbuk.in, fill up a form and place an order for the books that they need.

They have to make the payment and they receive their delivery within three days. Apart from this, there are also schemes for students of different years wherein they can make a one-time payment for a year and avail up to 50 to 80 per cent discount and rent the books for seven to eight semesters.

Moreover, whenever textbuk.in gets a new customer, Tulpule, who has tied up with Tree Public Foundation, an NGO that works for conservation of trees, plants a sapling at a plantation in Pune.

Explaining the idea behind this venture, Tulpule says, "Engineering books are expensive. Students have to buy different sets for every semester. At the same time, we wanted to promote re-usability of books so that we can fight against deforestation and save the environment."

Tulpule and Sharma worked on the idea for over four months and finally implemented it in January, 2011. They started off by dedicating the first six months to a feasibility test wherein they managed to attract 60-odd students and ensured that the books were returned on time.

The initial response motivated them and after creating awareness about their service by setting up kiosks in college campuses and distributing pamphlets at eateries and cyber cafes, today textbuk.in has around 900 odd users.

Tulpule has built an inventory of books by tying up with distributors and buying new copies of local and international publications.

Though right now, textbuk.in is catering to students of Pune University and Nasik and Ahmednagar districts, Tulpule hopes to expand the services to the western coast of Maharashtra including places like Thane, Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg, Satara and Sangli.

Art for health's sake

One of the photographs clicked by 22 year-old Rupesh Sable, an aspiring photographer and actor, which will be on display at the exhibition


Know innovative minds on campus? Learn how they could win big prizes

Ghar Pe, a ceramic wares, photographs, and embroidery designs exhibition organised by NGO Sneha, aims to create awareness about health issues while empowering artisans from Dharavi

Parvati Harjichitroda is a lady of resolve. She lived in Diu before she married and came to Kumbharwada, Dharavi. She turned to pottery as a means of livelihood when her husband was paralysed. As the mother of five children, she is famed as one of the first women in the slums who took to the wheel to make fashion pots.

She makes garbis, diyas and pots and also specialises in clay plates meant for pujas that have a little pot, a coconut and five diyas placed on them. Thanks to an exhibition organised by SNEHA (Society for Nutrition Education and Health Action), a non-government organisation, which aims to spread awareness about individual and public health, we will now get a chance to see Harjichitroda's work.

Titled Ghar Pe, this first-of-a-kind exhibition, which will be held from February 25 to March 9 at Dharavi, will feature photographs, embroidery designs and ceramic ware created by 20 participants from Dharavi and Shastri Nagar, Santacruz. The event is an outcome of the initiative Dekha Undekha that blends discussions on health awareness with a development of artistic talent. It targets locals and artisans and aims to not only empower them but also spread the message that art can be used as an important tool for health advocacy.

The exhibition is conceptualised in the form of a domestic space and none of the items on display are on sale. Each of the artefacts, while drawn from household items, is the consequence of the participants using their talent to symbolise a specific physiological or psychological health concern. For instance: One of the artefacts is a cupboard with lots of emoticon balls that symbolises how women have diverse emotions but are unable to express all of them as they are not socially acceptable.

Likewise, there is a good and bad window that is used as a metaphor to juxtapose dreams and reality. So while the good window has butterflies hovering around flowers, the bad window shows flies and mosquitoes that are the breeding ground of various diseases. One of the photos on display, which shows a woman holding a child over smoked ginger and garlic pieces after a maalish (oil massage) to ward off cold and flu, depicts the importance of homegrown remedies.

Explaining the purpose behind the exhibition, Priya Aggarwal, project manager, says, "Ghar Pe has three main objectives. Firstly, we wanted to bring together established artistes with upcoming artisans from lower income classes and ensure that the former impart skills to the latter. Secondly, we wanted to facilitate discussions on public health and ensure that the voice of women is heard. Thirdly, we wanted Mumbaikars to start discussing about public health. We decided to conduct the exhibition at Dharavi itself so that the locals could identify with the concerns of the participants as well as ensure that urbanites recognise Asia's largest slum as a space that is commercial and artistic."

Each of the participants was trained for over a year. While six of them were trained in photography by photojournalist Sudharak Olwe, eight were groomed by international costume designer Susie Vickery, while the remaining six were mentored by leading ceramic artiste Anjani Khanna.

Each of these mentors facilitated skill acquirement in their respective areas and initiated dialogues on sanitation, personal hygiene, garbage disposal, domestic violence, maternal care and superstitions among other topics.

Aggarwal elaborates that the initiative has instilled confidence in the participants. She says, "Initially, they were passive learners of various skills. As the sessions progressed, they took ownership of the artefacts and began conceptualising in terms of material and design. The photography group has developed a consciousness to spread the need for proper sanitation in Dharavi. Some of the participants who are housewives have released that they can use their skills to earn a steady income." Aggarwal is hoping to turn it into an annual event.

From: 11 am to 7 pm, February 25 to March 9
At: Shree Ganesh Vidya Mandir Primary School, Dharavi, Mumbai - 17.
Call: 9821013907