Subaltern voices

With issues playing a vital role through motifs, the recently concluded Wills India Fashion Week was a silhouette of the marginalized people.  suchayan mandal pushes through the glitter and glamour of the ramp

When an untimely rain last Friday evening drenched the city, one of the designers at the Wills India Fashion Week Autumn Winter '14 was heard discussing how this rain in early summer was harmful. Farmers growing mustard suffer a lot as the hailstorm destroys the buds and wheat harvest gets delayed. And what this rain, accompanied by hail, contributes to the fashion industry, is a hike in the price of textiles. Cotton bolls get destroyed due to torrential rain. Silk cotton is another crop hit by the rain. Farmers are unable to harvest the crop as the rain causes delay in the bursting of dry pods. Growers believe this delay owing to dampness will affect processing. With farmer-designer-buyer forming a candid nexus, Wills India Fashion Week AW '14 that ended last Sunday at Pragati Maidan provided a platform for the designers to support this cause. Right from standing against crony capitalism to empowering the women and giving power to the tribals in Orissa, the mega fashion trade event ahead of the elections could have been a well-knit manifesto. 

Her power 
Kolkata-based designer, Paromita Banerjee's latest collection Tana Bana was a tale of hand made clothing woven by women. While hand made might seem clichéd, the edge on the collection was contributed by shades of midnight blue, bright olives and all natural hues of rust, cherry and maroon. The fabric used by Paromita in her collection was hand-woven by women weavers from the charitable trust Women Weave from Madhya Pradesh. This trust has been sustaining employment of women in handloom weaving. Banerjee said, "We are probably the only brand that is consistently working on handlooms. While many have made a shift to handloom only recently we are doing this from the beginning." 
Regarding the women weavers, Banerjee has been using fabrics from Women Weave for a couple of years now. Two different woven fabrics have been joined together in the weaving stage to create the textured surfaces that tends to have a denim sort of texture. Woven by Narmada Ben and Shahnaaz Ben from Madhya Pradesh, Tana Bana not only set the trend of autumn-winter but also how fashion can go miles in empowering. 
Using mulberry silk, hand spun cotton and Azo-free vat dyes, Banerjee's range uses two-coloured ply and twisted thread to add texture to the woven surface. Each colour is woven into 7-8 inch blocks making checkered fabric blankets, creating a wonderful colour interaction. Anisha Ben, Anju Ben were the weavers in this range. Setting the ramp ablaze with kurtas, jama, short capes, draped silhouettes and men's style kurtas along with checkered palazzo pants, 
the collection is apt for evening. 

Going wild 
Designer duo David Abraham and Rakesh Thakore selected wild silk from northeast India for the collection. "Our collection is inspired by empowered women and wild silk of northeast," Abraham said after the show. Muga, Tussar and Eri are fabrics woven from wild silk, which was used to create the line. The collection with a palette based on the golden hues of wild silk, evoked various shades of khaki. Tussar with animal print took the front seat. There was less skin show and winter outfits like trench coat over a sari, military inspired blouson jacket with kurta and even shawl and scarves were displayed. 

Against crony capitalism 
Christened V, Gaurav Jai Gupta collection was a visual fight for the rights of the Dongria Kondh tribe of South West Orissa, which has resisted the corporate takeover of Niyamgiri Hills for bauxite mining by Vedanta Resources. Hand-woven with natural yarns, the collection consists of separates and draped pieces referring to industrial work wear and the local's way of dressing. Outwears in wools along with Pashmina-like cottons in earthly browns creates conflict with warm pop colours like purples and bright yellows. Coal blue has been used to make the base of the warp, referring to mining. Kondhs used music in local Oriya and Kui tribal languages as an act of protest. V spreads the idea of development at the cost of crony capitalism and celebrates India's first environmental referendum, wherein the judiciary decided in favour of the Kondhs. Engineered hand-woven fabrics have been developed in monofilament silks along with cotton, stainless steel and wool. 
"We have made the cotton fibre with wool to make it look like Pashmina and the silk threads were treated to look like organza," said Gaurav. "The collection is for a woman with brains, who gives a damn about fashion, and is comfortable donning her own style. It's all about standing up for your rights and fighting for it." 
Off the ramp, boxer Vijender Singh visited the venue on Day-3 to spread word about Peta's save the circus animals cause. "Animals cherish their freedom every bit as much as we do, but circuses deny them their freedom and every other form of natural expression," Singh said. 
"Fashion is an effective tool to create awareness about issues, which we tend to overlook," ", said Sunil Sethi, president of FDCI (Fashion Design Council of India). "We are teaming up with Peta to protect and respect animals and giving them the right to live unreservedly." Inspired by a very colourful tribe ~ the Maoris of New Zealand ~ Nachiket Barve presented a collection focusing on tattoos and predominant motifs like silver ferns, which are an important part of Maoris iconography. From flowing gowns to dresses and saris to trousers, Barve gave a new rendition of the natives. The Maori originated with settlers from eastern Polynesia, who arrived in New Zealand in several waves of canoe voyages some time between 1250 and 1300. Over several centuries in isolation, the Polynesian settlers developed a unique culture that became known as the "Maori", with their own language, a rich mythology, distinctive crafts and performing arts. Early Maori formed tribal groups, based on eastern Polynesian social customs and organisation.

Revival  on  runway

Parmoita Banerjee's Tana Bana also had block prints using the natural dyed technique of Ajrakh on Gajji silk. This ancient print technique, dating back to at least 4000 years in the Sindh area, uses geometric forms along the lines of the Islamic grid structure to create print surfaces in hand-block printing. Traditional Ajrakh designs have been modified to create silk surfaces in placement block prints. Colour palettes of Indigo, Harda, Alizarin, Kat /black have been used as part of this range. Paromita has also explored with wool for the first time in the form of merino wool stoles inspired by Kinnaur motifs from Kangra valley. The footwear have a base of Canabis grass that is only found in the Kangra valley. Other footwear like jutis have multi-coloured wool on top. 
Arjun Saluja's Between Time had print motif taking a bow to the geometry of Pakistan's Khais, a dying tradition of weaves from Sindh. Arjun has used wool, georgette, cotton, silks, Jacquard silk and self-plaids to create simplistic and clean silhouettes. 
Charu Parashar revived the age-old Indian embroidery techniques and presented them in a westernised way. The various embroidery techniques which she used were: Resham work, Kasab embroidery and patterns with intricate applique work. "I do embroidery but in different forms every time. This time it is concentrated on the Resham work. I just wanted to do something which has Indian roots but you can wear it on a Hollywood red carpet," Parashar said after the show. Her untitled collection comprised kaftans, sarees worn over fitted jackets, tops and dresses in the hues of cobalt blue, black and red.

http://www.thestatesman.net/news/47556-subaltern-voices.html 

‘Tryst with Tagore was fascinating’

Allah-Rakha Rahman better known as AR Rahman is among the world's leading musicians. He has two Oscars, two Grammy Awards, a BAFTA, a Golden Globe, four National Film Awards and 15 Filmfare Awards to his credit, among many other honours. Having worked in India's various film industries, international cinema and theatre, Rahman is one of the world's all-time top selling recording artists.In a career span of two decades, Rahman has been acclaimed for redefining contemporary Indian film music and contributing to the success of several films. Born in Chennai, Rahman began his career in the 1990s with Tamil film Roja. A road at Markham in Canada has now been named after Rahman. The 'Mozart of Madras' spoke to SUCHAYAN MANDAL about his inspiration, creation of music and his opinion of current trends in Indian music.

You have been widely dubbed as a "music maestro" and even a "genius". How would you assess your work?
In my opinion, everybody has the same soul from God and that unites us. Externally, our bodies and faces are different, but inside we are all the same, we share the same feelings of sadness, love, pain… My music comes out of these feelings.
Whether it is Japanese music, African music or a Qawwali, if it touches your heart, it becomes important for me.

How would you rate music standards in Indian films as compared to those in the world cinema?
Music and sound production are growing by leaps and bounds. Every kid is aware of international sound.  Unfortunately there are very few extraordinary musicians out here. For the kind of demand that we have here we don't even have 10 per cent of the supply. If we want to do orchestral music, we have to go abroad but there is a change that is evident and many things are beginning to happen here.

What are your current projects and what is your agenda for the future?
Besides my film projects which include Kochadiyan, Imtiaz Ali's Highway, Shankar’s I and a few projects in Hollywood, I'm presently focused on my K M College of Music and Technology. We have some of the best faculty, from England, USA, from Europe, Russia and India, of course. I'm so jealous. I wish I had something like this those days.

What is the process of your work? How do you create music, how do you start and finish?
It is a continuous process. Sometimes an inspiration for a composition can help create a song in a few hours while sometimes it may take a few days or even weeks. I mostly  don't write to specifically defined cues. I watch the film a couple of times, stop watching it then write something that comes to my mind from the film. This way when I try to sync the music, the results are that much more wholesome. The music is much more organic this way, not jumping cue to cue.

Bollywood is now indulging in the trend of copying music from other songs whether Arabian or the Beatles. What is your take on this trend?
I think Bollywood has some amazing talent. I hear Amit Trivedi, Pritam, Sachin-Jigar, Salim-Suleiman, Vishal Shekhar, etc., and each one is doing amazing work with their own distinct style and sound.

Would you like to give credit to some people for encouraging, guiding and inspiring you, and for nurturing your talent in music?
My mother played a very key and decisive role in me taking up music when I was a kid. My family, including my wife and kids, have always supported me and encouraged me in everything that I have done and the guidance of all my spiritual teachers has been the force behind the music.

You recently worked on Tagore's "Where the mind is without fear". Earlier, it was "Jana Gana Mana". How was your tryst with Tagore?
I loved the whole vision behind the poem. And to think that he wrote this almost a hundred years before which means he foresaw what our nation needed and still needs. That to me is amazing foresight and inspiration enough and the reason why I wanted to embrace it. It will be exciting also for listeners who have not yet discovered Tagore.

How is the working environment in Hollywood different from that in India?
In India we love melodies in the background of scenes. In the West there is a sense that soundtracks should not distract, and hence there is a greater preference for ambient sounds and plain chords. When I work in the West, I get excited. When I work here, I get excited.
After a while you learn to compartmentalise and use all the inputs to create a new kind of product. As long as I create music anywhere, I'm in great spirits.

Can you list some Indian movies whose music you found to be first-rate and world-class?
There are quite a few of them and like I said before, some of the guys are doing some great work.

http://www.thestatesman.net/news/28612-the-saturday-interview.html

God of all things

A symbol of male masculinity, Shiva is macho and compassionate. If Krishna is the perfect lover, King of Kailash is definite marriage material. On Maha Shivaratri, suchayan mandal rediscovers an Elvis Presley in religion, who is also an epitome of eroticism and smokes pot

If official record is to be believed, in 2012, 5,48,166 devotees had visited Kedarnath Temple and the same year Amarnath Cave saw a footfall of 6,22,223. The total count amounts to 11,70,389. While in 2002, a total 2,15,270 pilgrims visited Kedarnath, the number of Shiva devotees increased by almost 154 per cent in just 10 years! The roads and other tourism infrastructure haven't changed much, though. Since there is no possibility of a rise of 250 per cent in sudden religiousness, one can only assume desire, uncertainty and crisis have contributed to this surge. As the wheel of destiny chooses to turn, society's process of becoming subaltern has commenced. And as more Innovas and Boleros make their way to the Devbhoomi, He has become a consumable for all.  
Shiva has  mass appeal. The monsoon devotees at Sultanganj in Bihar, who queue up after walking 100 kms barefooted to pour water on the Shivling at Baidyanathdham near Deoghar certainly do not belong to the same social strata as the techies in Gurgaon, who plan to get a tattoo of Shiva tomorrow to celebrate Shivratri. Both segments of people have a devotion and dedication that is unquestionable, but yes, the means of reaching is different. Someone had said reaching god should be the sole motive, whatever the route maybe. 
What we look at are two things: The rise of Shiva and the god of cool things. One clearly remembers, during Doordarshan days, family elders were a huge fan of a TV show ~ Om Namah Shiva. The channels used to be limited and, like or dislike it, ane hardly had an option. The Shiva then was a god to be held in awe! But now, he is someone who sells. If Krishna is a strategist, Shiva is cool and saleable, taking in account the urban mentality. At a time when people are finding it difficult to make relationships work, he is a devout family man. A symbol of male masculinity, Shiva is macho and compassionate. In contrast to the urban youth, who rush every morning, driving crazy just to swipe the office access card on time, Shiva isn't bothered about punctuality. 
Even with matted hair and animal skin (read animal print), he is good looking and attractive. An epitome of eroticism, he smokes pot giving the "iPhone age dudes" a cut-throat competition. 
 
Shiva's regal style 
With a trident in the right arm and wearing a crescent moon (read Bandana) on his head, Shiva is said to be fair like ice-clad mountain. With a third eye, often attributed to him, Shiva has burnt desire (Kama) to ashes. It has been mentioned that when Shiva loses his temper, his third eye opens, which can destroy most things to ashes. Wearing the moon is for his self-control and anger management. Talking about style statement, Shiva redefines style ~ signature fashion. He is the ultimate. Growing up with BR Chopra's Mahabharata and Ramanand Sagar's Ramayana, one knows god meant someone who smiles sweetly and wears jewellery like a male actor enacting a woman. 
Believing they can never become "hero" they would stand with pinkish cheeks and Kajal laden eyes. With the book Meluha and TV serial Devon Ke Dev Mahadev gaining popularity, one discovers the thrilling Godfather and Mills and Boons hero well cocktailed in Shiva. Shiva's matted hair is his distinctive style. Tiger represents lust. His sitting on the tiger's skin indicates that he has conquered lust. If Mumbai-based designer Debby is to be believed, "No matter how much animal print is in, the trend is set by the Mahadev. At least for my collections to promote PETA, my choice was Shiva because he is the one who has started wearing animal print. I have a 'Shiva saree' with white base and yellowish animal print on the torso area with Trishul or Damru on the choli." 
Unlike Krishna's flute, which can be interpreted as aphrodisiac or a tempting rhythm to woo a woman, Shiva's damru makes a noise that is not only manly but helps to establish Shiva as Bohemian. Rudraksh that he wears is a super style statement and is hippie in that sense. 
 
Marriage material 
If frivolity gets a kick-start, the heart throb of Vrindavan has always been the prefect choice to be a Valentine. But unlike the love and mushiness, Shiva stands out as complete marriage material. And for that reason, on the eve of Shivratri, from Shiva idol in temples to the flower-bedecked black stone under a Peepul tree, none gets relief from "operation flood" (offering of milk). The only wish the women devotees make that day is to get a groom like Shiva. Whatever tornado that evolution or revolution has tried on Indian mentality, Shiva is still the "role model" for "Bharatiya nari". Going by the societal norms and tradition, women in India skip a heartbeat and burp a little before uttering about their sexual choices, but pouring milk on the Shiva linga ~ it's more like celebrating desire in a camouflage called Shivratri. 
The desired sex symbol of Indian women, Shiva is actually the versatile man. He wears the "rudrarup" (angry avatar) in Vedas. When rage sparks off, it's difficult for anyone to withstand his anger. And the next second he is as calm as the lowest point in deep sea, just like a piece of stone. This "mood swing" and "contrast" make him enigmatic to the fairer sex. 
 
Henpecked husband 
If the above was an inference from Vedas, folk tales about Shiva is something different. The folk Shiva (as mentioned by the medieval poets) is not at all a family guy. He roams around with ghosts and spirits. Rebuked by Parvati, he would try his hand at agriculture and creates a complete fuss out of it, all credited to his inexperience and ineligibility. Common mass should have been influenced by these stories. But the charisma of this Kailash resident has made women fall for him since time immemorial. No matter how much perfection is lacking, the intellectual hunk's "simple living, high thinking" is no less a charm to women. And women always have a preference for indifferent casual men than a perfect conscious one, say psychologists. In one word, being henpecked is what women would like Shiva to be. Again, drawing a comparison to Krishna, who is a perfect lover, Shiva is the complete package to get betrothed to. 
 
Woman sutra 
Shiva's respect for women and commitment to wife is admirable. While Krishna left Radha to head to Dwarka for better prospects, Shiva created a ruckus with the body of his wife when Daksha Raja's mockery makes Parvati leave her soul. He is the "angry young man" of the '70s. With a tiger hide and serpents, he has shown a thumbs-down to established facts with his "care for none" attitude. He isn't the goody boy type or a chocolaty lover like the beau of Mathura, rather a bohemian addicted to ganja. He will show that he isn't bothered even if the earth stops rotating. But for some others' benefit he will drink poison and become Neelkanth (blue throated, an avatar of Shiva). 
 
Rise to fame 
It's almost 1,900 years before the birth of the Christ, the place which bears a connection to Indus Valley Civilisation ~ it was originally called Meluha. Centuries back an indomitable statesman, Ramachandra established his  empire there. River Saraswati that flows through Meluha is getting dried up. This river resembles the life of the SuryaVanshi. Besides drying up of the river, the anxiety lied in Suryavanshi's dangerous enemy, Chandravanshi teaming up with the 'Nagas'. Though Nagas are cursed and have a deformed physical structure ~ they are great warriors and everyone is scared of them. Nobody till date could have defeated the Nagas. At this difficult time, the only relief is the assurance of a saviour. But the day when defeat is evident, the saviour will make his presence then only and not before. But who is that Hercules who will save Meluha! Is he the matted hair, casual Shiva? But that man has no ambition. If he doesn't want who will make him play the Atlas to the Meluha! The daughter of Daksha, Sati is married to Shiva. May be Shiva's love for Sati will make him reach an undecided future. And the day will arrive when Neelkanth Shiva will be the rescuer of Meluha! "Just like designation ~ Dalai Lama or Shankar Acharya, Mahadev is a position or title," Amish Tripathi has opined in his book, Immortals of Meluha. 
Interpreting the Puranas is nothing new! But most of them were limited to Puranas conscious or Puranas loving people. But Amish's Shiva Trilogy has successfully pulled in new readers, changed the mode of entertainment. Old, crazy, forgetful Bholanath has become cool, sexy and happening! 
Amish's first book Immortals of Meluha became a bestseller the instant it hit the stands in 2010. In just six months, from February, the book had sold 45,000 copies. In the age of social network and morning shows, a success of a book, that too not a slim one, is an exception indeed! With an MBA from IIM-C and a lucrative job of investment banker, Amish said, "A TV show was once showing Asura and Devta in Hinduism is completely different from Zoroastrianism. For the latter, Daiva or Devta is evil and Ahura or Ashura is god." An eye opener for Amish, he understood there must have been some war between the two civilizations, which has made one villain another's hero! He decided to write a book on Asura. But his family suggested to write something good! 
Amish, whose grandfather was a Pundit in Varanasi, combined his favourite subject, history, and "repackaged" the Puranas. But his language or style was nowhere near to the conventional Purana tales and he was refused by almost 30 publishers. Finally, using his managements skills, making an audio visual trailer and a web version of a part of his manuscript helped in getting popularity. And publishers roped him in. 
First reading of Meluha is striking. As amusing as a Sci-Fi, one finds an aimless youth, drug addict, a citizen of a lost country being taken to another nation! Devdutt Pattanaik, Ashok Banker and Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni have tried their pens on Puranas. But this new kid in the block, Amish not only changed the packaging but also the flow of his narrative. This book is neither for Puranas lovers nor for the Sci-Fi lovers. Meluha is a thrilling romance bottled in a Puaranas can ~ where Puuranas becomes a playback and Shiva a "cool dude"! 
Life OK's flagship show Devon ke Dev Mahadev went on air on 18 December, 2011. Its first promo didn't show the face of Mahadev. A tiger skin, six packs and trident made up for the purpose. Former Mr India Mohit Raina was "desirable" in the role. " In the wrapper of religion, who won't wish to see a six-pack sexy hunk?" said a Delhi University professor as she gulped down her excitement. 
Over the years, Shiva hasn't changed but evolved as youth icon. The cool dude smokes pot and gets high! Last year on a trekking expedition at Dharamkot in Himachal Pradesh, one found on the tough terrain plenty of cafes openly selling marijuana. And each café bore a larger than life poster of Shiva! Screenplay writer and professor at a college in Delhi University, Rupleena Bose beleives," Shiva is not infallible.He is odd, in his expression of anger, intoxication and sexuality. But young people do tattoos just for the pot. They are trying to find Shiva and relate to the God which itself is very interesting because then a symbol takes a dimension which is more secular than religious."


http://www.thestatesman.net/news/41475-god-of-all-things.html

Suitable girl’ will have current backdrop

One of India's best known writers in English, Vikram Seth has received laurels abroad and at home. A recipient of the Padma Shri, Pravasi Bharatiya Samman, WH Smith Literary Award and Crossword Book Award, his world of writing strikes a fine balance between fiction and poetry. While 'A Suitable Boy' (1993) contributed to Vikram's success as a writer, his oeuvre includes 'The Golden Gate' (1986), 'An Equal Music' (1999) and poetry collections, 'Mappings' (1980) and 'All You Who Sleep Tonight' (1990) among others. 

Vikram, who is also known for his travelogues 'From Heaven Lake: Travels Through Sinkiang and Tibet (1983)' and 'The Rivered Earth', identifies himself as a bisexual and has been very vocal about the Supreme Court's recent order recriminalising gay sex. In an interview with SUCHAYAN MANDAL, Vikram Seth talks about this, politics  and his writing.

The Supreme Court recently recriminalised gay sex  between consenting adults. You have rejected this judgment. What can be done in your view to negate this verdict?
It needs to be remembered that judges are human too. It's difficult for them to admit that they are wrong. They won't say that, yes, they have done something unjust, unprincipled, and unconstitutional. I wasn't utterly surprised. But it was a residual hope that the people will do a decent thing.
The law cannot come between love of two people. But what it can do is make people's life miserable, self-hating and suicidal. Love should be a course of happiness and fulfillment. It's not something that you would sneer at. You cannot do anything about that. These are very deep-seated attitudes. The gays who can be bullied by their peers and religious fanatics shouldn't lose faith in themselves and the power of love. Life is hard ahead. This behaviour is perfectly natural. And they shouldn't lose faith in the possibility of justice.
Bal Gangadhar Tilak believed Swaraj is the right to choose the Indian way of behaving. You see, Ayappa was born out of the sexual congress of Shiv and Vishnu. Everything from the 3000 year tradition of Hijras to Kamasutra to Khajuraho to Baburnama to poems of Mir is Indian, and not this 1861 law that came from the British and which is now not only being applied by the judges in the name of Bharatiya Sanskriti but also the so-called patriotic decent party, BJP. Homosexuality is very natural across the world. No one who is straight will turn gay or vice versa but to take something that is foreign and abase you before it and to impose cruelty on 60 million Indians is unconscionable.

You studied economics. What made you start writing fiction?
(laughs) Well, do you choose your profession or does your profession choose you? It's like love! All my training was in economics but I just wanted to write. The fact is, I feel blessed! I am not a very decisive or determined person, but I'm obsessed. If poetry comes to me, it's very difficult not to write. I have spent 11 years in not getting a PhD in economics. I don't think economics has influenced my writing style but it has certainly influenced the content of what I write. An emotional quotient of a character is as important as how an economic condition of the character can be changed. If you look at the way the world changes, both in macrocosm and in microcosm, economics is vital.
Take for example, in 'A Suitable Boy', the Zamindari abolition had a huge effect on many people. Like the patronages, the musicians and everything related to this suddenly disappeared. The land holders when they went to claim their lands were put off from the Patwaris' records. So economics in a way has helped to shape my ideas.

You were born in Kolkata. How much do you think the city has changed or evolved?
I went there recently. My name is Amit in my birth certificate as 'Shesher Kobita' had an effect on my mother. I shouldn't have felt happy going to Calcutta but I feel happy. Since I was conceived there and born there, there must be some umbilical nexus with Calcutta. When I go there, people fondly greet me but I don't deserve it! And it hasn't changed much.

You are working on the sequel to The Suitable Boy. Is your new book titled The Suitable Girl, and would you mind telling us a little about it?
I won't like to talk much on that. But yes unlike 'A Suitable Boy', which starts in 1952, 'Suitable Girl' won't start in 1953 but will be based in present day. It might be 2010 or 11 and end when I put my pen down, who knows may be after the general election! (laughs)
Talking about sequel, there will be characters from 'A Suitable Boy', like if someone was 10 then is 40 now and someone who was 30 might have died. Lata, who got married at 20-21, is now 80, but that doesn't mean she will go backward. There are characters who are dead but are discussed like, 'Babuji kaha karte the' (Babuji used to say). Life expectancy has increased, so a 70-year-old is taking care of his 90-year-old parents. So there's a kind of continuity.
It took many years to come into 'A Suitable Girl' because I don't want to be bored. Publishers had asked me to write A Suitable Girl, then an Unsuitable Boy and an Unsuitable Girl ~ but it would have surely bored the reader. I wanted to think what would Lata think if she was in present now.

How did your relation with music grow?
You see, whether you listen to a raag for 4 hours or you read a book of 1500 pages, it doesn't feel like being heavily imposed. I am carried away by music. I was trained in Indian classical music. But I became more and more interested in Western classical singing. In the evening, when I wanted to be by myself, I found that the moment I started playing an Indian musical instrument or singing an Indian song, I was drawn back into the world of my novel. It wasn't a form of relaxation, but work by other means. That's when I began singing Schubert songs. I didn't know them well then, but I love them now.

What do you think of the current state of Indian writing in English, particularly the corporates turned writers like Chetan Bhagat who are ruling the fiction market in India?
I have read one of Chetan's books and liked his writing. But I have no clue how he can possibly like the great supremo leader of the BJP. I simply don't get it! But I personally like him! But that doesn't mean I subscribe to the politics of someone who is in support of a party which takes the most inhuman position on matters that are intrinsic to being an Indian.

http://www.thestatesman.co.in/news/45666-the-saturday-interview.html

e-way of life

Ecommerce in India is maturing fast. Accessibility and affordability of Internet and smartphones are the means to achieve this as cash-on delivery and coupons help build trust. suchayan mandal checks out how the market has changed

Shopping from home is the trend that has modified a major chunk of India’s urban consumers and made them comfortable in e-tailing. Ecommerce in India began almost 10-12 years ago through IRCTC railway
reservation. Yes, that worked as an inspiration for many e-commerce founders. None expected the “argumentative” and “choosy” Indians to be comfortable in buying something without using their tactile
sensibilities.


 Online shopping of goods in India is expected to grow to $8.5 billion in 2016, according to Accel, a survey body. It also said last year there was a significant jump in average order value as there was a penetration of new categories like jewellery and home décor. Users are becoming more comfortable buying higher priced items online. The number of online shoppers in India will be almost 40 million by 2016. Last year was the rise of fashion e-commerce as GMV (gross merchandise volume) doubled since 2012. The survey further stated, 35 per cent of online GMV in 2016 would be influenced by women. The key factor in this growth is increasing supply of women specific categories such as jewellery, lingerie and motherhood products.

Evolution
Like any other revolution in the market, e-commerce in India is not a success story that occurred overnight. The introduction of Internet in India in 1995 marked the beginning of the first wave of e-commerce in the country, according to an Ernst and Young report. To top that, economic liberalization, post 1991, attracted MNCs, who triggered the growth of the IT industry. The implementation of liberalization policies led to the demise of the licence regime, and high taxes and import restrictions, as well as facilitated the growth of SMEs. This
led to the emergence of B2B, job searches and matrimonial portals like Shaadi.com and Naukri.com. It was in 1996 that the first online matrimonial portal was launched in India. A new concept took India by
storm. People unaccustomed to such portals deemed it as something unique. Such portals have significantly catered to various segments ~ NRIs, widows or widowers, divorcees and other special groups. Another
significant success in initial e-commerce was in 1997, when job-searching portals were operative. The growth of the services sector, following the launch of economic reforms in 1991, resulted in the creation of additional jobs. In this background, Internet proved to be an efficient medium that allowed employers and job seekers to
connect one-on-one. Low Internet penetration, a small online shopping user base, slow Internet speed, low consumer acceptance of online shopping and inadequate logistics infrastructure, dial up connections
– all contributed to a stale growth of the industry in its first installment.

The entry of Low Cost Carriers (LCCs) in the Indian aviation sector in 2005 marked the beginning of the second wave of e-commerce in India. Travel emerged as the largest segment. People began relying on Internet to search for travel-related information and to book tickets. As a ripple effect, the success of the online travel segment made consumers comfortable with shopping through the medium, thus leading to the development of online retail.

Wings of travel
Even today, about 76 per cent of e-commerce market is occupied by travel segments. Low Cost Carriers (LCCs) entered the Indian aviation sector in 2005, thereby flagging off the beginning of the second wave
of e-commerce in India. The decision of LCCs to sell their tickets online and through third parties enabled the development of online travel agents (OTAs). Prior to the entry of LCCs, air travel was considered a luxury meant only for the rich and for corporate travel.
LCCs changed the scenario by making air travel affordable for a large number of people. They developed their own websites and partnered with OTAs to distribute their tickets online. The Indian Railway had already implemented the e-ticket booking initiative by the time LCCs  commenced their online ticket booking schemes.

E-tail
 The growth of online retail was partly driven by changing urban consumer lifestyle and the need for convenience of shopping at home. This segment developed in the second wave in 2007 with the launch of multiple online retail websites. Entrepreneurs, among whom many were first generation and looked to differentiate themselves by doing something new, drove new businesses.

Social networking
In this phase of e-tail boom, social networking started changing the Indian online space. It has gone on to become an integral part of people’s lives. Initially used for staying connected with friends,
social networking websites have now emerged as a tertiary root in any company’s digital strategy. Termed as social commerce, it is a key avenue for ecommerce players to reach out to target customers.
Companies have started establishing their presence in the social media space for branding activities, connecting with customers for feedback and advertising new product launches.

Modus operandi
While the initial blueprint sketched an inventory model for the e-commerce business, unable to gather much funding, the companies soon adopted marketplace model. In the inventory model, companies had to
maintain their own warehouse. Logistics with market place model rests with the merchants. In market place model, the e-commerce company works as a relationship builder between the seller and the buyer. The
e-commerce takes the responsibility of the product bought by the buyer and ensures its authenticity. The seller arranges for logistics to deliver the product. In western countries, Amazon and most other
e-retailers are into inventory. Shopclues.com, however has been sticking to market place model from the very beginning. “On merchant’s list you will find TRM badge (rating badge). So buyer get to know TRM. Merchants have already been certified. TRM merchant badge has been calculated based on how fast the merchant delivers, how  efficient he is replaces a prouduct and all these factors. This is calculated every month. Out of 50,000 merchants, 300  have that badge in website. If they have done well, we prioritise them and
promote them. You also have a mail option, where you can directly ask the merchant about the product,” said Radhika Aggarwal , CEO of Shopclues, who is pretty sure the merchants won’t shift to inventory
model even if more money is pumped in through FDI.

Penetrating cities
India, being a diverse country, the need of the people is quite varied. If the kitchens in Chicago, New Jersey and New York store the same spices and keep the same cooking pans throughout, India differs.
 The kitchens in Chennai will be different from Amritsar and so will it be in Kolkata. So, to cater to the local needs, sellers need to sell products that are relevant in tier-2 and 3 cities. “We have almost
50,000 merchants selling in tier-3 cities. We make sure they sell genuine products. Being nearer to the buyer, merchants can deliver faster,” added Radhika.
“You go to Nature Basket or Food Hall once in a month, but you will go to your society market or Safal every evening. This is what weconceived. You shall be ab le to find a Rs 200 t-shirt and also a Rs 45,000 TV. Both  at the best price. We have  50,000 sellers working with us. We are focused on tier-2 and  3 cities. We are also focused on regional brands apart from national and international brands,” she added.

Why so cheap?
Compared to many retail stores, e-commerce sites sell goods at reasonable and cheaper rates without compromising on quality. Though deemed by many to be the result of absence of middle-men, this isn’t
true in the market place model.  The overall pricing strategy works in a way where some products are
given at a higher discount in order to capture market share or consumer mindshare. Individual product pricing can be higher or lower while the overall picture is kept in mind, so that the company as a whole can sustain
itself on overall profits or deep enough pockets to work on losses for some time. Just to be competitive in market, price is kept lower for products available across all portals.
  Price is optimised  when the overall cost to the company per product is optimised.) Also, with the
companies having a pan India approach, it is easier for them to use less manpower needed to deliver the goods.
Funding and investment FDI in B2c e-commerce is a long waited proposition. While mergers and
acquisitions are happening in the Indian context with largest fashion portal Myntra.com being bought by Flipkart recently, it was found that Premji Invest and Russian Firm DST Global Solutions Ltd are among the primary investors. “Mergers and acquisitions are good signs. Some form of maturity is coming to the industry. It won’t mature in next 8-10 years, but with companies ready to be acquired, I’m happy as an entrepreneur. In the
Silicon Valley, I have seen 10 companies getting acquired in an hour ~ that is a robust ecosystem. We need something like that,” said
Aggarwal. On FDI, she opined that anything needed for the growth of the market was a welcome step. If FDI gets effective, experts feel, e-commerce can take a step ahead. Many e-commerce can retain the preplanned
inventory model and bring in more effectiveness.

Payment factor
Indians were quite doubtful about paying online.  The number of debit cards is on the rise due to the increasing access of people to banking services. King Charles I of England made postal services available to citizens
in 1635 for the first time. There were no stamps, and the cost of postage was to be paid by the recipient. Cash-on-delivery or COD is its modern avatar of that service and has taken Indian e-commerce to a new height. Apart from security concerns, black money is a reason for COD’s success, where buyers don’t want to be tracked by the bank for spending.
COD at times becomes expensive for the seller if the buyer returns a product, as the company pays two- way courier charges. The return rates in online shopping in COD transactions averages around 40 per cent, said an Ernst and Young report. While in the US, there is a third party tracking agency that tracks customers who return products more often and passes data to other e-commerce sites, it’s not feasible in India as of now. But again, COD is the pivot around which success of e-commerce has been built.

Discounts and sales
Coupons and mega sales are the buzzwords in e-commerce that pulls maximum customers. While Myntra and Flipkart offer coupon codes to avail discounts, Shopclues has its Sunday Flea Market and Jaw Dropping
Deals. “Suppose a merchant comes and says he has 200 card holders left and he is ready to sell it for minimum price ~ that is how it works. These are like Budh Bazaar or Mangal Bazaar! You don’t go to these
bazaars to buy an iphone but to see ‘kya hai’! If you have something that attracts you, you buy it. Sundays, we have a turnover of almost Rs. 6 crores,” said Radhika.

Discreet transaction
Buyers were often found to be shy about buying lingerie or products of sexual wellness in brick and mortar stores. Thatspersonal.com, a dedicated site for these products recently came up with delivering
products without even the courier guy knowing what is inside. So, women buying lingerie didn’t shy away from clicking.

“When we launched our website, a lot of customers informed us that they wanted to buy our products. However, they did not want the product to be delivered to their address,” said Samir Saraiya, CEO of Thatspersonal. “There were many different reasons but some of the common issues revolving around sexually active youth living with their parents (but did not want their parents to know they were sexually active), or people living in joint families or working couples that were not at home during the day and didn’t want the products to reach their home without them being around. The company innovated and worked out a solution where the customer can select a pick up location based on their PIN code. Once the product arrives at the pick-up location, the customer or the customer’s representative can pick up the parcel without anyone knowing what they have purchased. “We are the only website offering this service and we get 15 per cent of our orders from this unique delivery option,” he
added.

Even puja prasads can be bought online. With a price range between R 200 and Rs1.5 lakh, ArtisanGilt.com sells icons of spirituality, puja items, Vaastu or Feng Shui products and Zodiac signs. “We provide small sellers with a very large platform to reach out to customers globally, which not only helps them in their earnings but also in their branding,” said Rahul Garg, CEO of Artisangilt. From puja thali to puja stand, they sell all Godly needs.
 With funds being pumped in, social media’s presence and appeal to youth, e-commerce is still in its salad days and will take some time to attain adulthood. Many smartphones beings sold only on online portals and fashion accessories and apparels being bought without trials, ecommerce is the future of the marketplace.

“My family keeps me grounded”

In a conversation with Sabyasachi Mukherjee, the down to earth designer, suchayan mandal finds that he is  the guiding star for 13 Cinderellas, who want a makeover in their wedding couture

Marriage has always been heavenly and sacred, but with Sabyasachi Mukherjee, Ambica Anand, Juhi Pandey and Bharat Arora hosting the 4th season of Band Baajaa Bride, dream marriages ought to have a new definition. Thirteen episodes designed for 13 contestants (read "lucky" brides), the show is all about celebrating love. Be it teenage crush turning into a lifetime of bliss or its digital date translating into a love story, the new season is packed with blushing brides, dashing bridegrooms, radiant smiles and tear jerking tales to unfold. An excerpt of the tete-e-tete with the ace designer:  

What changes in bridal couture have you noticed in the last few years? 
Bridal couture is becoming more organic, and sophistication is finally creeping back into bridal wear. It's not just mindless bling anymore. The culture quotient is finally back. 
 
Which way is the trend heading? 
Red and gold are colours all brides vie for, but there will be a definite movement towards pastels and shimmer and this contrast will eventually give rise to a new palette of monotone. 
 
What should be an ideal "Sabyasachi bride"? 
An ideal bride is someone who holds a job, is intelligent and has a mind of her own, is respectful towards her family, traditions and those people around her. 
 
Lehenga or saree has always been a matter of debate for brides. In your opinion why has the trend changed and also whether saree can appeal more to suburban young minds, who shifted to lehenga thinking it was more trendy? 
I think each to his own. North Indians prefer their lehengas and the East sarees, even though the trend is shifting towards North India, I think it's very very important to keep regional cultures alive because it defines who we are. 
 
What makes this season of Band Baajaa Bride more special? 
This season we're dressing up both the bride and the groom, and not just mentoring the bride on physical beauty but on inner beauty and evolving their mind as well. Also we're looking at taboo subjects like second marriages and so on. It's all very interesting. 
 
What kind of make over options have you planned for the women this season, who lead a corporate lifestyle but want a traditional look in a wedding? 
One should remember that weddings should be an extension of the individual, but just a little bit more ramped up. So, if you're not someone who wears traditional clothing, it's completely fine not to wear traditional clothing, look uncomfortable about it as if you're wearing a costume. There is no harm in blending modernity with tradition, a lot of people don't understand that a makeover that does not transition well with the individual is not a good make over. 
 
We have found Sabyaschi believing more in artisans than the machinery. Why and how? 
I believe something that a human hand can create cannot be fully recreated by a machine, and a hand creates its own beautiful imperfections, which make it unique. And a machine will only replicate its model, I'd rather create clothes that look unique than celebrate homogeneity. 
 
From a choreographer of Miss Bengal to becoming an established brand by oneself, what keeps Sabyasachi so grounded and down to earth? 
My family! 
 
How much do you love fashion in Kolkata and what keeps this city unique in its fashion trends? 
The good thing about Kolkata is that it does not have any fashion trends, it's a city that's very innocent and virgin about its version of fashion and we should anthropologically save it! 
 

http://www.thestatesman.net/news/36712--my-family-keeps-me-grounded.html

Resorts: A Changing Trend

Despite the economic downturn, tourism is doing well. However, with budget resorts as an option, the resort culture in India is getting redefined. suchayan mandal checks it out

Resorts, a term used to define a luxury holiday and leisure getaways, also has a sting in its tail ~ a hole in the pocket. But then, with changing times, this resort culture has transformed. With budget resorts at not-so-known destinations, middle class travel enthusiasts are feeling a fresh breath of air.
Aditi Balbir, co-founder of V Resorts, which offers budget packages at offbeat places in north India points out, "With the state of the economy being what it is, continuous inflation and the falling rupee, we see an increase in domestic travel as people prefer to take Indian holidays instead of travelling abroad. In fact, Diwali weekend was a high demand period for us."
Holiday trends are changing and simultaneously shaping vacations. Value vacations are preferred these days. So, there is a need to provide the customer with more choice of locations and standard but required services rather than expensive frills such as mini bars and multi-cuisine restaurants.
"As short breaks get more popular, one requires proximity and choice around various metros," adds Balbir, who has resorts at Sattal, Corbett National Park, Ramgarh, Pauri, Almora and Narkanda. 
New destinations are being developed as people, tired of Goa, Mussoorie and Rishikesh, are opting for offbeat areas that offer more choices. Therefore, from a few 5-Star resorts located in well-explored destinations such as Shimla and Mussoorie, one sees changing preference of domestic customers to smaller resorts, located at offbeat and unexplored destinations and with limited but standardised services.  
With too many options in hand, promoting  proper budget resorts among tourists is undoubtedly difficult. Internet plays the best role, feel many resort owners. "To provide creditability and full information about such places, we give guarantee of cash back if customers find our places different from what is given on our website," said Balbir.
 For instance, a quaint cottage with breathtaking view of Churadhar range (inner Himalayas), a lush green rolling valley and the sun rising from behind the hills is a paradise that gets unplugged at Narkanda, 44 km from Shimla. A fantastic apple and cherry orchard will bring back the salad days of curling up in an armchair on the balcony, listening to the sound of the birds and savouring freshly picked fruits. The wooden floors of the room exude an old world charm and give the feeling of a typical local “Himachali cottage”. There are six cottages, which make it very private and the number is just perfect in the evening when you sit around the bonfire strumming your "first real six strings". Summer of '69 might be a far fetched dream, but romance with country hens will definitely arouse a unique sensation in the taste buds during dinner. It’s also a skier’s paradise during winters. With loads of adventure sports like rappelling, rock climbing and Flying Fox, the budget resorts offer something different from boutique hotels and stars.
A competitive room tariff is something that makes the budget resorts a "dream come true" for the people who want a break from work but have a budget fixed for everything. 

http://thestatesman.net/news/28219-Resorts-a-changing-trend.html

Zooming on Super highway

They have saved the civilisation from demons and evils. Their vehicles aren't meant for long drives yet they travel across the globe, cosmos and the solar system. As Superman turns on the ignition, Suchayan Mandal details from backseat the superheroes' car fantasies

Superheroes are superior in every aspect. From saving the human race to putting a threat to conventional thinking, they haven't stopped short of anything. And when it comes to conveyance, superheroes choose their own vehicles. From Batman to Spiderman and Wonder Woman to Wolverine, they have their signature cars, specially designed and built. Though superheroes are omnipresent and are blessed with powers to carry them anywhere across the universe, at times they love driving cars because driving is fun. 
The fascinating fact is that most of the cars and bikes are actually designed by car manufacturers ~ Porsche and Kia were built just for Detective Comics (DC). Comic freaks aren't letting them go easy. Kia, which has collaborated with DC Entertainment, customises cars for superheroes and regularly gets requests from buyers. Last year, Kia motors developed a car for Superman. 
 

Batman 

Batman, who operates in the fictional Gotham City, drives his own car, Batmobile. The Batmobile made its first appearance in DC No 27 (May, 1939). A red sedan initially, it was simply referred to as "his car". Soon a bat motif got attached to it, typically including distinctive wing-shaped tailfins. Armored in the early stages of Batman's career, it has been customised over time into a sleek street machine. The vehicle that became the Batmobile was introduced in DC No 27, the first Batman story. During its inception, the vehicle was a simple red convertible with nothing special in its functions. Although the Batplane was introduced in DC No 31, the name "Batmobile" was not applied to Batman and Robin's automobile until DC No 48 (February 1941). Other bat-vehicles soon followed, including the Batcycle, Batboat and Robin's Redbird. 
The car's design evolved gradually. It became a "specially built high-powered auto" by DC No 30, and in Batman No 5, it began featuring an ever-larger bat hood ornament and a dark hue. Eventually, the predominant designs included a large, dark-colored body and bat-like accessories, including large tailfins scalloped to resemble a bat's wings. 
Batman No 5 (spring 1941) introduced as a long, powerful, streamlined Batmobile with a tall scalloped fin and an intimidating bat head on the front. Three pages after it was  introduced, it was forced off a cliff by the Joker to crash in the ravine below. However, an identical Batmobile appeared in the next story in the same issue. In Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, the Batmobile has been modified into a tank-like armoured riot control vehicle, complete with machine guns shooting rubber bullets, a large cannon mounted on the front, and large tank treads in place of tyres. According to Batman's narration, the only thing that can penetrate its armour "isn't from this planet". Batman also mentions that it was Dick Grayson, another DC flying character, 
who came up with the name. The tank-like vehicle appears to take up two lanes of traffic on a normal road, evidenced when returning from Batman's initial fight with the leader of the Mutants, and thus is too big for normal land travel around Gotham. In the scenes prior to Batman's last stand-off with the Joker, Batman uses a motorcycle to traverse the city, using the tank again after the attempted nuclear strike and fires in Gotham. This Batmobile reappeared in All Star Batman and Robin the Boy Wonder No 4, which shows its construction by robots in the Batcave. 
 

Spiderman 

Spiderman's signature car, Spidermobile appeared for the first time in Amazing Spider-Man No 130 in 1974. Not only that, Spidermobile has a non-polluting engine, options like Spider-Signal, Web-Shooting, and Seat Ejector Switches to make this vehicle special. It has the ability to camouflage itself by use of a special switch. 
 Spider-Man had once visited another fictional character Johnny Storm,better known as the Human Torch in the Fantastic Four's building. Johnny has always been a car aficionado and agreed to help Spider-Man out in delivering a buggy to publicise a company's new non-polluting engine made by Corona Motors. That company was represented by the Carter and Lombardo Agency as they sought out Spider-Man to publicise the new engine in a newly built car as told in Amazing Spider-Man No 126. Spider-Man was surprised, to say the least, when he saw the finished product but grew to like it very much after taking his initial ride in it. As we will see though, things really didn't work 
out with the car too well! 
The car was very fast and had web-shooters near the pop-up headlights and a spider-signal atop the roll bar. Spider-Man used the Spidermobile in battling some crooks and then Hammerhead. In Amazing Spider-Man No 157, Spider Man jumps back into the river to try and retrieve the Spidermobile as Corona Motors threatened to sue him unless he turned up in the agreed upon vehicle. Underwater, Spider-Man finds only the side-view mirror of the Spidermobile and realises that the rest of the vehicle has disappeared. The Spidermobile doesn't turn up until a couple of issues later in Amazing Spider-Man No 159, where we learn that a mysterious figure is working on it and claims, "Spider-Man will never bother anyone again!"  At an unknown date the Spider-Mobile is donated to the Smithsonian Museum. However, it is later seen in the 18th precinct's "superhuman evidence locker", which suggests the exhibit featuring the vehicle was discontinued. In the alternative universe story Old Man Logan, a blind Hawkeye, owns the Spider-Mobile and has customised it with the aid of one of his ex-wives. Hawkeye uses it to transport himself and Logan across the country to make a delivery. 
 

The X-Men 

X-Men's aircraft Blackbird have several incarnations of this craft over the years, with Cyclops and Storm as the main pilots. When the X-Men were first introduced, they were portrayed as travelling in Professor Xavier's private jet and helicopter, advanced but fairly conventional aircraft with remote autopilots (the Professor flew them from home). When the series resumed in 1975, the X-Men were shown using a new strato-Jet that was visually based on a modified, scaled-up version of the Lockheed SR-71 "Blackbird" spy plane (hence the name), but was modified to carry several passengers. The original 
X-Men Blackbird has been destroyed and rebuilt numerous times in the course of the team's many adventures. The later versions incorporated technology created by the mutant inventor Forge, as well as alien (Shi'ar) technology, including weapon systems, holographic active camouflage, and engines capable of hypersonic speeds. 
 

Captain America 

Captain America might be one of the most mobility-challenged of all the major superheroes. Sure, he's at the peak of human physical prowess, but that doesn't get you to New Jersey in a hurry. Thankfully, the all-American avenger was outfitted with a seriously sweet motorbike during his 80s adventures. With a customised Harley-Davidson, of course, he hit the road in style. 
 

Superman 

Kia Motors in Chicago had conceptualised Superman-inspired Optima Hybrid last year. Kia had released a sneak peak of the Cross GT concept, which appeared to be a seven-seat crossover. Superman's Optima is a gasoline-electric hybrid, offering in its European version, a two-litre four-cylinder of 150hp backed by a 40 hp (30kW) electric motor. Both motors power the front wheels via a six-speed automatic transmission. Kia describes the Cross GT concept as "inspired by nature, driven by technology" and stated that it "hints at the future of Kia's design language in the form of a premium 
Crossover Utility Vehicle". Although the Man of Steel's abilities to go faster than a speeding bullet and leap tall buildings in a single bound means he won't need a ride to the auto show, that hasn't stopped Kia and DC Entertainment from joining forces to create a suped-up vehicle in Superman's honour. 
With the addition of the Superman Optima Hybrid, the parking lot at the Justice League's Hall of Justice is filling up fast. The car is the sixth in a series of Kia vehicles, customised for each member of DC's superhero coalition, the Justice League. The others, which appeared together in 2012 Specialty Equipment Market Association Show in Las Vegas, include a Batman-inspired Optima, a Forte Koup for The Flash, an Aquaman Rio hatchback, a Green Lantern Soul and a Forte hatch for Cyborg. According to Kia and DC, the Justice League line will include seven character cars ~ that likely leaves Wonder Woman as the remaining member to be represented ~ with an eighth and final car incorporating the entire team.

http://www.thestatesman.net/news/54623-Zooming--on-Super--highway.html