"You need eyes to see what others can’t"

 His chiseled vocabulary has earned him the distinction of being a gentleman playwright, who hates inhibitions. In a conversation with suchayan mandal, playwright Mahesh Dattani talks on homosexuality in plays and society, and other allied issues

His plays have been a confluence of cultures. For the minds that refuse to allow contrary thoughts, playwright Mahesh Dattani’s plays are a caveat. He talks about sex, same sex relationship and same sex marriages as normally one describes sunrise. He is the first playwright in English to be awarded the Sahitya Akademi Award (1998), the highest award for a literary work in India for his book Final Solutions And Other Plays. His work has been recreated for the stage by eminent Indian directors such as Arvind Gaur, Alyque Padamsee, Lillete Dubey and many more. 

It is of high significance  to discuss the question of marital affair between the same genders in a taboo-oriented society. Relationships have always been a subject of major concern in India. In A Muggy Night in Mumbai, Dattani shows how Kamalesh, the hero of the play, convenes a meeting of his friends, who stand for the affair between man and man, and woman and woman. Dattani has always been vocal about issues that people ponder over but avoid explaining. His chiseled vocabulary has earned him the distinction of being a gentleman playwright, who hates inhibitions. 

An excerpt from the interview: 

From A Muggy Night in Mumbai  to The Big Fat City, how is city important in your plays? 

I think in A Muggy Night in Mumbai, although the location is a flat, similar to that of The Big Fat City, the events in the flat are of very much significant ~ the outside world that we face here. Whereas in The Big Fat City, it's the world that comes to the flat. There are three different stories and all are coming to the flat and collide with the incident that happens there. 

As a dramatist you have focused on various issues. How do you move effortlessly throughout? 

(Laughs) I don’t know if it’s effortlessly! I guess, again like I said, you need eyes to see what others can’t. And I think that can be very useful as a writer to see what others can’t. So that others see it through the writer. 

 What is your reaction to the Supreme Court’s judgment on homosexuality ? 

Well, my reaction is, even if the law is repealed, it is not going to change very much for the situation, until society changes it’s attitude towards itself. Basically, I feel, the struggle should continue to repeal that censorship. Any kind of battle, we always win some and lose some, so maybe this is the temporary loss. The battle will continue... 

 In rural India, homosexuality is prevalent and so is it in urban places. Do you believe that rural people don't know what it is, so they practice it without being bothered about legalities? 

They know it but they don’t want to talk about it! Because they are very intelligent people. They think that there are some issues that’s better not to be talked about! 

Do you think people with homosexual inclinations aren’t ready to come out of their closets? 

Because of the society. You see, society is hard on anyone who is different. It’s not just sexuality but it is anyone who doesn’t fit into the paradigm of marriage and procreation. So if you are single you are stigmatised! If you don’t have children you are stigmatised! You dont have a son, you are stigmatised! 

 Have you planned anything to write on gay themes to encourage people to come out of the closets? 

Maybe. Why not! I don’t know. At this stage I haven’t decided. But at present situation, the subject is not just a sexuality but the story. If I’ve a good story it’s possible. 

 What are your projects in the pipeline? 

As of now, I am working on two plays. I am also planning to direct one play. The plays I’m writing are yet to be titled. And even the theme is under wraps. So I won't be able to shed much light on them! 

 Dattani’s latest published work is a collection of plays, Me and My Plays (Penguin Books), which includes two of his well known plays, Where did I Leave my Purdah? and The Big Fat City. The book also has a wonderful essay Me and My Plays, where the writer introduces his philosophy and life experience to readers.  

Published in The Statesman , 21August 2014, Delhi Edition

http://www.thestatesman.net/news/72535-you-need-eyes-to-see-what-others-can-t.html

Saturday Interview:‘Vendetta is what they have against me’

It took Kunwar Natwar Singh two years and a month to complete his controversial autobiography One Life is Not Enough (Rupa Publications) after he began writing it in December 2011. A career diplomat, Natwar Singh was close to Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi. In 1984 he resigned from service to contest elections on a Congress ticket.He won and served as a Union minister of state until 1989.

Thereafter, he had a sketchy political career until he became India's foreign minister in 2004.
However, 18 months later, he had to resign under a cloud after the UN's Volcker committee named him as a beneficiary of illegal payoffs in the Iraqi 'oil for food' scam.
In his autobiography, which was published this month, Natwar Singh has revealed that it was not Congress president Sonia Gandhi's “inner voice” but her son Rahul's fierce opposition that forced her to decline the Prime Ministership in 2004.Rahul feared that like his grandmother and father, his mother,too, would be killed. These and other revelations in Natwar Singh's book have embarrassed
the Congress, prompting party leaders to accuse Mr Singh of betrayal and sensationalism.
Having maintained a regular diary for 60 years Natwar Singh says he writes everything “from political happenings to who I met”. In a conversation with SUCHAYAN MANDAL,he discussed a range of issues.

Are you working on a sequel to your current book, One Life is Not Enough? What is the idea behind the second volume of your autobiography?

No, I am not. It's a mistake that came out in the media. It's not a sequel of this. You can't have a sequel to this. It's another book. It will take another one-and-a half years. It will be on my daily affairs, like what I do in my dayto- day life. It may be on the journalists I am meeting these days,
or also may be on political discussions here and there.

Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has dismissed your revelations about the Nehru-Gandhi family as a bid to market your product. What would you say?

First of all, why should I comment on anything that someone like Manmohan Singh says? Has he read the book? He can say whatever he wants, but that doesn't do him any credit. Do I tell my publisher not to sell books because Manmohan Singh has said so! It has sold 50,000 copies already.

Many Congress leaders have accused you of betraying the  Gandhis and misusing decades of your close proximity  to the family. Is this a fair criticism?

The Congress has betrayed Sonia Gandhi. I haven't responded to most of the Congress people. I think I have replied to two of them. I mean I have commented on them. One is Digvijay Singh, who has said something like the book wasn't worth reading. I have replied, Digvijay Singh is a very great political leader. I wish him good luck. I hope he becomes the PM of the country. And there was Anand
Sharma who criticised the book. I have said that I have no significance in front of Anand Sharma. He is a great leader. Let him become the chief minister of his state.What do you do? You dismiss the allegations.
I don't think the people who have criticised me have read my book. I can't think of anybody who reads in the Congress party.

The Congress has trashed your book and claims it is “sensationalism” arising out of “vendetta” since you were fired from the Union Cabinet and the party over your alleged involvement in the UN oil-for-food scam. Your comments?

It is eight-and-a-half years ago. How has the Congress treated me and my family? And then why did Sonia Gandhi and her daughter come to see me? Why? In the last eight-and-a-half years they didn't come to meet me a single time. Vendetta is what they have against me.Without giving me a chance to express
my views, they had betrayed me at that time. Sonia came and told me, “You're my closest friend. I don't even tell Priyanka and Rahul things we talk. In spite of this you're writing all these.”

Do you think Sonia Gandhi, despite her Italian origin, would have done a better job than Dr Singh as India's PM?

I don't think so. Manmohan began quite well during UPA-I The whole thing went to pieces in UPA-2. He wasn't an elected PM. Being a Rajya Sabha member he became PM twice, the only PM to have achieved such a distinction. Talking of Sonia heading the country in UPA-2, Rahul wouldn't have let her.

Do you think Priyanka Gandhi could be a better leader than Rahul in steering the Congress?

The decision has to be taken by the family. But Priyanka is a very attractive personality. She reminds me of her grandmother. She is a very good  communicator. She relates to people both in urban and rural places. She is down to earth and will eat meals with farmers. She is a very nice person. But then the question comes, what would happen to Rahul? I think Rahul is a very fine young man but the real test came in the 2014 elections and he couldn't meet the challenge.
The Congress tally drastically came down from 206 to 44. He and his mother were star campaigners. Nothing helped.

How would you compare Sonia Gandhi with Indira Gandhi?

There is strictly no comparison.Sonia had no challenge in Congress for that matter. For the last 15 years she has been president. Before she became president of the party, there was one Sangma or Sharad Pawar. But Indira
Gandhi had to fight the syndicate for three years. Tough people like Kamraj and Morarji Desai, and SK Patil, Atulya Ghosh and so many other people.

Are you planning to return to politics?

No, I don't have any desire. I'm 83 and I don't want to get involved in active politics anymore.

Published : The Statesman , Perspective , Page - 9 , 9th August , 2014

A food walk

On a food walk during Iftar, suchayan mandal was mesmerized by the aroma of the trinity ~ biryani, kebabs and phirni

Ramzan, which culminated last week, is recognised worldwide as the season of fast. Incidentally, it is also the season of good food. Evenings heady with the aroma of gulkand and the overpowering fragrance of kebabs set the tone in the lanes of Old Delhi. A number of delicacies are specially made for Ramzan and their aroma beckoned the faithful, who had been fasting the whole day. 
During the holy month just gone by, a food walk starting from Chawri Bazar Metro station till Jama Masjid made one realize the benefits of fasting throughout the day. From Old Matia Mahal road onwards, one could experience a food culture that is not only steeped in tradition but unique to this part of the city. Indeed, several closely guarded recipes are almost forgotten. 
Taking the spice route, Special Keema Samosa with chutney was available near the Jama Masjid. Rich flavours of garam masala and garlic well synchronised with the softness of the samosa. The 20-year-old Haji Mohammad Hussain outlet, situated on the left of Jama Masjid, is known for its fish and chicken fries.  
"To avoid the crowd I came before 7.30 pm as later on, it's too troublesome to order. What's best here are chicken and fish fries, which are dry and crisp," said Taufiq, a Delhi University student, who comes here thrice a week almost all the year round. "This is the time when you can relish these foods without much guilt ~ most of the year you think only about calories," he added.  
The chicken fries had the most takers. However, the cook refused to share the secret recipe. Following the crowds on the bylanes behind the masjid, one could zero-in on Dil Pasand Biryani, a favourite destination for foodies like Firdosh, a government employee by profession. "Chunks of fried meat are sauteed with long grain rice. This stall is also famous for beef biryani," he informed. 
Aslam Chicken Corner near Churi Walan gali serves the best butter chicken in Delhi, many of the outlet's customers contend. Roasted chicken is simmered in a butter-rich gravy though the humid weather may pose a serious challenge to the dish. But for foodies like Sandeep, who enjoys being here during Ramzan, this place was for him just a step away from heaven. "When you enter this gali you get the aroma of butter gravy," sighs Sandeep as he suggested that the best way to relish the butter chicken is to team it up with roomali roti.  
For the sweet tooth there was Khoya Samosa ~ samosa stuffed with khoya and dry fruits ~ a not-to-be-missed delicacy. Phirni was the other sweet dish quite popular in this area and almost all shops were equally good when it comes to tasting the best. 
Apart from the Walled City, there were plenty of places to take a gastronomic trip during Ramzan. Purani Dilli Restaurant at Zakir Nagar near Friends Colony was one such place to try Mutton Haleem. Mutton cooked in creamy gravy of lentils and flour was the best offering of the gastronomy pilgrimage during Ramzan. Haaji Noora at Bhaji Gali in Sadar Bazaar near Pulbangash was the best place to try Nihari, a rich stew of goat meat or beef that is cooked for 6-8 hours. "Mutton kebabs and mutton burra are best at Lazeez Darbar near Nizamuddin Railway station. The richness of the creamy gravy contributes to the tenderness of the burras," concluded Sandeep.

Chai Chai

As Indian Railways is promising a major revamp in all segments of its behemoth service, food appears to be where the buck stops. Suchayan Mandal travels the length and breadth of the country, gastronomically on wheels, discovering the fragrance of kulhars, the packed meals now served and much nostalgia for the hot food from the various base kitchens

Sanchayan Mandal, on his way back from Kolkata in Sealdah Rajdhani Express, had, what he described, a nightmarish experience. Not only did he find stains on the bedsheet, rats under his side of the lower berth but the food he was served was stale. The samosas in the evening had to be accompanied by Gelusil. The evening meal was even worse. 

Another passenger, Ramanathan, traveling from Coimbatore to Delhi, was happy with the vada served soon after the train departed. As the long journey proceeded, the quality and taste of the snack changed till he discovered that maida had later been added to the vada dough. Time was when railway food had that unique taste and could be relied upon for quality and quantity. Base kitchens at major junctions would keep trays of hot food ready for the hungry passengers on board. In fact, most travelers preferred to order this food rather than open their food hampers. 

Now, with the base kitchens having been dismantled and food supply contracted to commercially-run caterers, that charm of eating on trains has vanished. “Chai” supplied in mini-flasks for the higher classes and brought around in a drum and served in plastic cups has been replaced by tea-bags and hot water. The only constant is the call “Chai, chai”, accompanied by a variety of cooking smells wafting around at almost all stations across the country. 

Change in taste 

Till 1990s, when there were not many direct trains, people from, say, Bangalore going to Bombay, would wait at Guntakul in Maharashtra for hours, passengers from Kolkata to Coochbehar would take a ferry and then wait for three hours at Maldah in West Bengal. Similarly, those traveling to Madras (now Chennai) from Lucknow would spend some quality time at Jhansi. With direct superfast trains coming in, things have eased but the slow train, which allowed one to finish a novel, could be called a great teacher as well. 

"To learn a thousand dialects, eat a thousand cuisines and meet a million people, you need just one berth", is an age-old Railway proverb. And if you get a chance to travel in a train for 35 hours that connects Himalayas to the Indian Ocean, not only would you feel the inertia of motion even after deboarding, but would also end up wiser and less judgemental than 35 hours ago. And the food, whether bought on the train, off the platform or packed from home, would be a taste of mini-India. 

Itarsi is the virtual turn-around as far as food is concerned. As the Himsagar Express enters Madhya Pradesh, crossing the Vindhyas, one can relish North Indian alu bondas for one last time. A few hours later, the bondas  will become tangy with tamarind and samosas with tamarind chutney will be replaced by idlis served with coconut chutney. All South-bound trains, no matter wher they come from ~ East, West or North ~ have to pass through this otherwise irrelevant town. Same is the case with Mughal Sarai, Jhansi, Guntakal where trains stops but none get off. Only the food changes. 

On board food 

Vivek Express, the longest running train linking Seven Sister Hills to the Indian Ocean (Assam to Kannya Kumari) takes three days 10 hours 40 minutes to cover 4,278 km. Unfortunately, erstwhile Railway minister Mamata Banerjee’s dream project had no food being cooked in the pantry car when this reporter took a trip in early 2013. So food had to be ordered and was outsourced from various kitchens pan India. This turned out to be a great way to relish regional cuisine. So, it was lunch from Guwahati, dinner at Alipur Duar, breakfast at Durgapur and so on. At Alipur Duar, the first station in Mamata country, the silence of the coach was broken by a chaiwalla selling a cup of tea for Rs 10. 

Ramal who sells Misti Doi in Durgapur station in West Bengal revealed that misti dois were often sold for two days but that he used no adulterated stuff to prevent it from going bad. 

 While Rajdhanis and Shatabdis, the premiere trains connecting the country’s never ending geography through tunnels, bridges, tracks and fishplates, have their own all inclusive food service, the menu is fixed by the Railway Board. Unlike before, when food was served by Railways-run kitchens, now they are outsourced on contract basis. There is always announcement inside these trains that menus are available with attendants and that passengers could order as per choice.  But class disparity still exists in the trains. If one were traveling in 3-tier AC or Chair Car one won’t have access to these menus and would have to survive on what was being served. 

In Kolkata Rajdhani, Bhubaneswar Rajdhani, Dibrugarh Rajdhani, Kalka Shatabdi and a few more premiere trains, the evening begins with Samosa, Soan Cake, Sandwich with tea. If one wants coffee instead, the attendant would have to be coaxed and cajoled for a sachet of Necsafe. The dinner will be rice, roti, dal and chicken/ paneer depending on your preference with dahi and ice cream. Now, if one has paid more to travel in first class, brands of curd and ice cream will be better and the dal will be thicker. 

 Now a small tip for amateur travelers: Make sure to demand the bread to be toasted and egg poached when they ask preferences for breakfast in 3 AC. 

In some trains south Indian breakfast is also available, but as said, money is directly proportional to food served, you won’t be offered much. In the Executive chair car and first class the breakfast includes cornflakes with milk, bread basket, marmalade or Chana Kulcha, or stuffed paratha, or Besan chilla with chutney. 

For dinner there is an option of Rasgulla or Gulab Jamun but that’s all on paper  but not in reality. Railways lists a varied menu from cream soup to hakka noodles but one would have to reach to ministry level to be served so. 

A colleague joked, “Railways official menu on Internet is like the syllabus of a 3rd grade B school! The students are enthusiastic in the beginning about the prospect but soon faces trouble once it gets applied.” 

Good old days 

When the express trains were still brick red in colour, and mineral water bottles were yet to decide their market capturing strategies, green, red Milton water jar were the signature holiday symptoms. Each station the train made a stop, elders would rush forthe nearest tap to refill. Food would be loaded in Aluminium or steel plates with depressions to hold dal, sabji and chutneys. The waiters would balance 8-9 plates of hot food and distribute them. Flared tempers were common as food often fell short. Things changed when thermocol and plastic plates replaced them on the plea of hygiene but ended up ruining the environment with white plates flying across the tracks. “The flavour and fragrance, both were better and hygiene not taken into account whenever train food had to be consumed. No matter what you cook and carry, the train food had some amazing tastes,” believes food enthusiast Sayantani.  

Also, the journeys are not about traveling for journey’sake but also about getting acquainted with each other’s cultures. Marwaris, when they travel as a  large family, would carry a stock of food that would last  the entire journey. Piles of pooris will be in proportion to number of traveling members and number of meals required. Just when you await the pantry boy, the boxes would be opened and the entire compartment filled with a distinct aroma. Tamil families usually carry their stock as well. Bundles of idlis and chutney powder besides lime and curd rise makes up their packed meals. Bengalis, on the other hand, rarely carry food during travel. It is another reason for them 

to have “bahar ka khana”. After eating they would burp a little and wonder if the chicken served was as good as Rajdhani served six months ago ~ in most of the cases it isn’t. 

Trend is in 

Good old days have been overtaken by blindfolded consumerism. Several portals, including TravelKhana and Comesum, are delivering restaurant food on train. One just needs to download the app and fill in the details of  train, coach  and seat number and desired delicacy. At the next station, Pizza or Biriyani or Pasta would be awaiting you  in an otherwise unknown station.

The chai story

Chai is one word that is synonymous withIndian Railways. Chai may vary in taste and aroma but the beverage won’t  disappoint!  “Chai Chai”, the  call is the most sought after when traveling by train. As the painted stations whistle by and you start from North India, cardamom tea will be constantly served. Soon, the kettle is replaced by urns, thanks to large business ventures. South Indian mornings on the train are welcomed by the strong aroma of filter coffee.

Published in The Statesman