Womens Era Second) 09

JUNE (SECOND) 2009

WOMAN’S ERA

WHAT’S THE JOY OF PARENTHOOD? YOU AND YOU ALONE CAN PUT AN END TO

EVE-TEASING WISE TIPS FOR YOUR FINANCE

THERE IS A REMEDY

FOR HAIR LOSS WHAT IS PPD DEPRESSION? JUNE (SECOND) 2009

UNDERSTANDING ART THROUGH FEMININE FORM YOU CAN’T DO WITHOUT THE TREADMILL TURNING OF A LAKE INTO WEED-CLOGGED SWAMP

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Rs 30

Woman’s Era ◆ May (First) 1996 ◆ 1

JUNE (SECOND) 2009 Vol 36, Issue No. 853

BUILDS HAPPY HOMES

CONTENTS Founder: Vishwa Nath

womansera.com

(1917-2002)

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14

PARENTING PLEASURE, NOT A PAIN

EVE-TEASING Shailja Mehta

Indira Aiyer

LET US TAKE A LOOK AT DRUG LABELS Leena Thomas

110

ARTICLES “I WAS AFRAID I WOULD HARM MY NEWBORN BABY!” Kasturi Rangachari

18 HAIR LOSS: HERBS

60

120

GIFTS IN TRANSIT

78

A. C. Tuli

BOMBAY FILMDOM

CAN TAKE CARE OF YOUR HAIR Shivendra Kumar

CARDIO EXERCISES ON THE TREADMILL

70 THE METRO-CENTRIC ARTIST

Dr Navin Kumar Gupta

Subhra Mazumdar

74 LIVING ART Our Correspondent

102 SPENDING WITHOUT REGRET CAAK Shyamala Shenoy

STDS SPOILERS IN SEX LIVES Vikas Kumar Jain

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22 MY WORLD, MY FAMILY Kiran D. Kumar

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36 TIMES HAVE CHANGED Doris Minezes

Kasturi Rangachari

42 SUMPTUOUS DELIGHTS

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FICTION 106 “IS THIS SHANTA’S DAUGHTER”

COOKERY

EATING DISORDERS ARE HARD ON BONES!

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Dr Kiran Bala ●

Chaat Platter with Spinach and Lotus Stems Chicken with Green Mango Paste Mutton with Baby Onions and Butter Milk Coffee and Hung Curd Cake Stuffed Papaya with Jelly Summer Butter Milk Salad Leaf Batter Fried Mango Sweet and Sour Leafy Jamboree Summer Chicken with Lentils and Green Mango Chilled Orange Soup

dana powder 1/ tsp of annar 2 of red chilli cut into small 1/ tsp or more 2 powder powder 1 tsp of haldi – peeled baby onions the 200 gm of – do not slice METHOD paste – the mango but kept whole To prepare centre onions peel and the or paste remove the mango and 4 tbsp of tomato puree the green portion of Then grind salt to taste cake pieces. hung curd Coffee and a few cut into small marinade: on paste adding the rest For the to a fine dish will depend milk of water. Mix mutton of the mutton the 200 ml of butter teaspoons Serve the nts for your choice. rotis. bowl. 3 tsp of garlic chilli paste – or of the ingredie or in a mixing with appam 3 tsp of green marinade on the chicken the less as per taste Sprinkle salt marinate then salt to taste pieces and the prepared pieces with keep aside for 1 METHOD of the and ingredients marinade the Mix all the and marinate keep med hour. in a thick-botto fry marinade in this and Heat the oil mutton pieces 5-6 hours. Heat cooker and pan or a pressuretill transluce nt. aside for at least the cook paste the a pressure cooker and and half INGREDIENTS: the onion pieces with powder Add the chicken on medium heat mutton with the marinade is half 11/ 2 tbsp of coffee fry heat cup of water till the mutton aside. 1 tsp of baking powder marinade and Lower the keep salt to cooked. Remove and lower the 1/ 2 tsp of baking soda for 3-4 minutes. spices and frying Heat the oil in a kadhai, till these 250 gm of maida and add the stirring and 2-3 heat and fry the onions of sugar taste. Keep for a further colour– this 220 gm thick curd of over low heat cup of water and begin to change 1-2 minutes. 180 ml 1 cherries cut minutes. Add are using should only take and mix in the 40-50 gm of tinned salt. If you pieces check for the cook the Now lower the heat Add the into small : cooker then of a pressure cooked mutton. a lid and curd layering the hung till 1 or 2 whistlesare half cover with d hung curd is For chicken only you spices and cooker. If till the mutton cups of sweetene or 2 fire lid pressure a low the with mix 1/ cook on of coffee essence this stage then cover 2 tsp tender. At till the using a pan, stir well. vanilla essence the chicken adjust almost puree and and cook can in the tomato a lid and cook tender. You as per again with pieces are has METHOD the maida, of the gravy rotis Cover Sift together soda and the marinade the thickness plain till most of the gravy Serve with Here again coffee, baking and keep meal. your taste. evaporated. powder for a summer baking In a or paranthas mixing bowl. baby onions aside in a first Mutton with the sugar milk and butter mixer grind in the oil and mix then and blend and curd the wet Now add the thoroughly. dry into the mixture time, a little at a no ingredients time so that mixing all the Mix in the cherrya lumps form. should have pieces. You Grease a smooth batter. dish and pour INGREDIENTS: circular baking mutton 45 750 gm of 1/ cup of oil 2 2009 powder (Second) 3 tsp of jeera Era ● June

2 green chilli pieces salt to taste

SUMPTTUOUS spinach and

lotus stems

DELIGHTS

with a a time to enjoyout monsoons is Try Summer and and leafy vegetables. variety of fruitsl recipes with seasonal these unusua By Roma Ghosh ingredients.

Chaat platter

METHOD spinach Wash the allow the leaves and Scrape the leaves to dry. and cut into lotus stem ash paste green mango very thin pieces.W Chicken with then sprinkle well and the salt and salt and rub and rub in stem chilli powder INGREDIENTS: pakoras: in the lotus the garlic paste aside. For the spinachleaves with a keep the pieces and 8-10 big spinach of water to stem Add 2 cups flour the annar part of the the salt and besan – gram blend besan, add 11/ 2 cups of Mix well and dana powder dana powder. a dough INGREDIENTS: cut into small 1 tsp of annar get to frying Heat gm of chicken with your fingers oil for deep and smooth. the 700 Dip : which is fluffy pieces salt to taste deep frying. stem pakoras in 3-4 tbsp of oil the oil for For the lotus stem – bhey one at a time powder lotus spinach leaves and deep-fry on 1/ 2 tsp of haldi 250 gm of powder batter powder the besan 1/ tsp of red chilli brown. Dip 1 tbsp of coriander 2 till golden paste both sides into the 2 tsp of jeera powder 1 tsp of garlic paste stem pieces pieces the lotus 3 tbsp of onion salt to taste and fry a few so salt to taste besan dough once or twice To serve: onions and e: at a time turningof the lotus stem 1/ cup of chopped For the marinad 2 curd that both sides fried till golden tomatoes cup of beaten rlic paste spices of chaat serving 1 pakoras are 2-3 tsp of mixed these on a and red 3 tsp of ginger-ga leaves paste Place powder brown. chopped masala, jeera 3 tbsp of coriander paste sprinkle the leaves plate and spices and chilli powder tomatoes, 1 tbsp of mint paste d whipped onions and curd and serve 3 tbsp of green mango 2 cups of sweetene whipped sweet the curd or green immediately. sour chutney as a chaat sweet and (Second) 2009 Era ● June chutney - optional

ER CHAAT PLATT ACH WITH SPIN S AND LOTU STEMS

WITH CHICKEN GREEN E MANGO PAST

COFFEE AND HUNG CURD CAKE

MUTTON WITH BABY ONIONS ER AND BUTT MILK

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Sandwiches with Summer Spread Musk Melon Ice Cream Summer Refresher Manto and Peach Salad Spicy Mocktail Vegetable with Green Mango and Coconut

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FASHION

NEWS IN PICTURES

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DISTRESSING DETERIORATION OF THE DAL LAKE

16 NEIGHBOURS ALL 108 MUSINGS MEMORIES

Maharaaj K. Koul

116 CROSSWORD 123 BABY CLUB 130 AS YOU SAY

100

DRINK SAFELY

FEATURES 20 BEAUTY QUERIES 40 CHILD CHALLENGES 59 NEW LAUNCHES 67 TEENACHE 77 YOUR BODY

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THE ELEGANCE OF THE DAZZLING WHITE CHANGING HAIRSTYLES Editor, Publisher & Printer PARESH NATH Printed at Delhi Press Samachar Patra Pte Ltd., A-36, Sahibabad, Ghaziabad and Delhi Press, E-3, Jhandewala Estate, New Delhi-110 055 and published on behalf of Delhi Press Patra Prakashan Pte Ltd. from E-3, Jhandewala Estate, New Delhi-110 055. E-mail: [email protected] EDITORIAL, ADVERTISEMENT & PUBLICATION OFFICE Delhi Press Building, E-3, Jhandewala Estate, Rani Jhansi Marg, New Delhi-110 055. Phone: 41398821, 41398888. Fax: 91-11-23625020 The names of characters used in all fiction and semi-fiction articles are fictitious. COPYRIGHT NOTICE © Delhi Press Patra Prakashan Pte Ltd. New Delhi-110 055. India.

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Page 116

EDITORIAL HIGHER EDUCATION STILL AT CROSSROADS

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nce again, admission process has begun in the universities. Each year, millions of students appear in school-leaving examination and millions of them pass out with flying colours obtaining more than 80 to 90 per cent marks. Over the years, number of students securing more than 90 per cent marks is growing. This has created a problem of shortage of seats in well-reputed colleges. In Delhi University, for example, more than 50 thousand admission forms were sold in just two days. Obviously, all these meritorious students seek admission in reputed colleges. But the seats are limited. A big question mark, therefore, hangs on the future of students aspiring for the higher education. New HRD Minister Kapil Sibal has very timely taken over the charge of Human Resource Development Ministry. Immediately after assuming office, he outlined his priorities and declared that skill development would be the main thrust area. Secondly, he sought to review the foreign university Bill, which was introduced in the last Lok Sabha but could not be passed, due to vigorous opposition by the Left Parties. This time, the entire Left has dwindled in strength. It seems almost certain that the foreign university Bill will come to fruition. Kapil Sibal seems to be in a hurry, for he wants to do what his predecessor Arjun Singh could not do in his entire five-year term. Leftist bent of Arjun Singh is well known and Kapil Sibal is a strong proponent of liberalising education sector. Kapil Sibal’s eagerness is understood. There is certainly a dearth of seats in Indian universities. Then, all the meritorious students could not get admission due to various reasons like reservation and all that. Entry of foreign universities is likely to ease the situation in favour of Indian students. But who will ensure that these foreign universities don’t get indulged in pick-pocketing only? Proper regulatory mechanism, therefore, must be in place before any foreign university is allowed to plant its feet on Indian soil. Their credibility should also be checked beforehand. One more thing, for a large number of people, higher education still means conventional courses like BA, B.Com, and B.Sc., etc. No doubt, these courses produce experts in their fields. But their USP is constantly declining. Otherwise, why is it so that a doctor, an engineer, an MBA or a CA commands more respect, and money, in our society? In fact, the entire education system requires complete overhauling. Hopefully, the new HRD Minister will be able to complete this mission during his tenure.

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FIRST WOMAN SPEAKER

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LOK SABHA

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he unanimous election of Meira Kumar as the first woman Speaker of the Lok Sabha is a memorable event in the Indian Parliamentary history. Daughter of former Deputy Prime Minister and prominent Dalit leader, Babu Jagjivan Ram, Meira Kumar will hopefully set new ideals for the post and present a good role model for the Indian girls. A non-partisan Speaker is something of a theoretical construct in party-based parliamentary politics, whether it may or may not hold in practice. In this regard, addressing a press conference soon after her election to Speaker, soft-spoken Meira Kumar promised to be “entirely impartial” and give opportunities to every Member of Parliament to have his or her say. She also asked political parties to rise above party line while taking part in discussion on issues of national importance. Although, mostly the Speaker has to ensure smooth conduct of the House, the office acquires special significance when issues of defection and disqualification crop up. Such decision could even turn the fate of a government also. Ms Kumar will bring to the dignified office her years of experience as a member of the Lok Sabha and as a minister. She seems to have the desired qualities of amiability, patience, and a commitment to fair play. The election of the nation’s first woman President two years ago and now the first woman Speaker indicate a genuine desire towards women empowerment. In this context, Women’s Reservation Bill becomes crucial, which has been in cold store for long. Let’s pray it may see the light of day with Ms Kumar in the Chair. Only then, we can proudly say that India is a land where women are truly respected and held in high esteem. At the same time, other women-related issues cannot be ignored. They are still being treated as a commodity and often become target of violent crimes. They should be educated, self-reliant and mentally strong so that they can participate in nation-building in a big way. No doubt, the country has seen many women excelling in their professional fields, but their number is few and far between. Therefore, women empowerment at mass scale is the need of the hour, which will be a positive indication.

Woman’s Era ● June (Second) 2009

write to: [email protected] We

PARENTING

PLEASURE, NOT A PAIN A level-headed approach to bringing up kids without spoiling them. By Indira Aiyer a, “I could hear the panic in my” daughter’s voice, though she was miles away, “please tell me how to deal with Tara. She had asked me to get chocolate doughnuts from Kolkata and thanks to the bandh the shop was closed. Now I am on my way home. It’s late and I dread facing her as she will throw a tantrum and make life hell for me when I tell her that I could not get her the doughnuts, though I tried at many shops!” Tara is my 6-year-old granddaughter and to the world (which includes me) and her teachers at school, she is a wonderful child. To her parents, however, she proves to be stubborn and difficult to handle, crying at regular intervals, throwing temper tantrums and disobeying instructions. Attention, young mothers! Does this scene sound familiar? Do you

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Stop in your tracks and pause to ask yourself a few questions: Are you a demanding mother – demanding perfect behaviour, perfect results, perfect cleanliness, all the time? Are you a bargaining mother – do this and I will give you this, do that or I will take this away? Are you a critical/strict mother – You are a disobedient girl, naughty and ill-tempered, you are always unhappy, greedy and selfish? Are you an indulgent mother – doesn’t matter, she is a child, give her the doll or she will cry loudly in the shop. Are you an impatient mother – always counting the time spent with the children? Are you a boring mother – sit quietly and read…no games, no stories, no adventure? Are you inconsistent in your discipline – once, sugar-coated at other times a raging threat? Woman’s Era ● June (Second) 2009

dread the fights at home because of the little ones? Does the thought of dealing with your angry child make you uncertain and upset? Do you feel helpless and guilty thinking why your kid is behaving the way she or he is, in spite of your best efforts?

The problem, my dear parents, lies with our child-rearing practices and not with the child. A restless, impatient mother trains her children to be attention-seeking adults. A critical mother turns her children into adults with a low self-esteem. A mother who makes child-rearing a bargain gets demanding selfish children. An angry, resentful mother transfers her angst to her young one. Newton’s law states that every action has an equal and opposite reaction. So every action of ours rebounds in some way. Our children are mirror reflections of us! 7

I do not hold the panacea for all ills, or the magic wand to make child rearing ‘child’s play’, but I do have some golden guidelines to help us in bringing up our children and making the journey a delight – not a dread.

Think of rearing a child as a delightful journey, not a painful exercise. In the attempt to get things done, bathing, cleaning, feeding, school – bags packed, lunches made, pencils sharpened – we forget that this is a time that many people long for and are not lucky enough to have. If each duty is assigned a time and made into a regular ritual, with the child playing as much a role as

STOP IN YOUR TRACKS AND PAUSE TO ASK YOURSELF A FEW QUESTIONS: ARE YOU A DEMANDING MOTHER – DEMANDING PERFECT BEHAVIOUR, PERFECT RESULTS, PERFECT CLEANLINESS, ALL THE TIME?

the parent, the work becomes fun and not a burden. Getting 4-year-old Ati up for school on time, was a painful exercise. She would keep falling asleep again and, if forced, get up crying. I gave her mother a simple solution, “Get her an alarm clock with her favourite tune. Let her set it and when she hears it put it off herself.” The suggestion worked like magic. Ati was so excited about her musical alarm and she got up without her usual tears! Making sure that she went to bed on time was also another important point to keep in mind. A sleep-deprived child is an angry child! Playing with children has become a thing of the past. Parents want to see movies and watch TV and the children do the same. Playing in the park, swings, merry-go-rounds, walking or playing hide-and-seek and catch-catch – where have all these activities gone? A family that plays together stays together. While you play, please leave behind the parent image and be a child – no lectures, no lessons no advice please! Dear parents, please enjoy these activities with your children and use your imagination as much as you can. They will outgrow you faster than you can fathom. Enjoy each moment and treasure it.

Make simple rules and stick by them. Children are very intelligent

and they find the loopholes in discipline easily. They can also sense the weaker/softer parent and exploit them. Have only a few rules – no bad language, no shouting, tidying up after play, fixed times for school work, TV, computer games and outdoor activities. Now comes the caveat. Parents must also follow the same rules. Karan wants to eat his dinner in front of the TV (after all, he is tired after the long day and needs to relax!), wants the servant to pick up his shoes and strewn clothes, abuses his boss at regular intervals and shouts at the kids. Then he asks innocently, “We work so hard to give them whatever they want, why are they so disobedient?” Dear parents, please practise what you preach.

Comparisons are odious. We know this and yet we react strongly when little Anuj behaves like a gentleman at the party and our little princess behaves like a badly brought up child! We wonder why she refuses to recite a nursery rhyme when asked, why she drops cake down the front of her party dress, why she behaves as if she had never tasted cake. She is an individual not a puppet. She may recite the rhyme 20 times at home till you scream at her to stop, but refuse to do so in public. She is not a doll to wind up and set down. Respect her right to say no. Children get excited and spill food. Forgive her and gently tell her to be careful. Do not scold her in front of her friends. She is as sensitive as you are. Teach your children frustration tolerance. The source of all anger is a poor tolerance of frustration, the inability to take no for an answer and high expectations from the environment and people around you. Your child may not know this but you do. Learn to say no – a gentle no. Do not make the no sound like a punishment or threat. Explain that we cannot have what we want all the time every time. Be ready to face resistance but stick to your decision. Keep your calm. Do not shout to be

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Woman’s Era ● June (Second) 2009

heard. This is a difficult lesson to impart but well learnt and one which will stand us in good stead in times of stress and conflict.

Spare the rod and rear the child. Punishment or negative reinforce ment means the withdrawal of some privilege or some action which shows displeasure. The parent who needs to resort to physical punishment, slapping or abusing is only displaying their own inadequacy. It is not easy to always maintain calm and children often drive us up the wall with their behaviour. More often than not, we have to make a conscious effort to mete out the correct punishment and explain to the child why this punishment is necessary. Unless the child knows where he has gone wrong and why he is being punished, it is impossible for him to correct it. Criticise the mistake, not the child. Leave out words like, “You always do this, you never obey me, you are disobedient, cheeky.” Being around is important. Nowadays the word we constantly hear is ‘quality time’. While I appreciate the need of a woman to be economically independent and satisfy her ambitions, I want to bring out the true meaning of quality time, spent with the children. Kiran sweeps into the room. “Hurry Tia,” she says. “let’s rush for your swimming class.” On Mondays, she drives Tia to her swimming class and on the way grills her about what she did in school. On Wednesdays she takes Tia to the dance class while she gyms herself. On Fridays it is the art teacher who instructs Tia. Saturday is holiday time so it is a movie or the video parlour, dinner out – quality time indeed! Please, parents, do not think rushing a child around and continuously grilling him is ideal parenthood. We are trying to produce super-brats and in the process losing out on making them human beings! A 10

time with the children, but do not believe that the missing moments can be made up for, with numerous Barbie dolls and teddy bears! Yes, it is a treat to buy our child a toy he or she really wants, but do not overcompensate for your absence.

quiet evening at home, spent playing carom or ludo, or just sitting together, each doing their own thing is very important. We do not have to ‘do something’ all the time. Just being there for them is as essential and vital for their self-esteem as proficiency in music, dance and art!

Do not attempt to buy them off. I have heard that money can buy any and everything. I wish it were true. We cannot assuage our guilt by buying our children gifts. Our presence cannot be substituted with expensive presents. Children need us to be present not present them with presents. We may not be able to spend the whole day with them, due to our jobs or professional commitments. We need not, however, compensate for our absence by plying them with expensive gifts, clothes and whatever they demand. Try to spend as much

A CHILD REMEMBERS THE MOMENTS OF MISCHIEF, THE JOY OF AN EVENING SPENT IN DEFEATING YOU AT CAROM, THE HUG YOU GAVE HIM WHEN HE FAILED TO WIN THE RACE AND COUNTLESS OTHER MOMENTS – SMALL BUT PRECIOUS. Woman’s Era ● June (Second) 2009

You are not doing them a favour by bringing them up. Please stop that martyr’s image and face facts. You had children because you wanted them. Now, why is there a perpetual look of I have sacrificed so much for them! Before you have children, decide what you can and cannot do. Enjoy the journey of parenting with both its joys and travails. A child who does not prove to be a challenge is no fun? Learn the lessons as you go along. Come to terms with the reality that parenting is a lifelong process and one that ends only with our end. If we realise this and keep the expectancy low, it will help us in the long run. In the final analysis, a child remembers the moments of mischief, the joy of an evening spent in defeating you at carom, the hug you gave him when he failed to win the race and countless other moments – small but precious. I do not think any of us remembers the number of dolls we possessed or the dinners at a five-star hotel that we had. Count your time in the simple but invaluable moments, as these are the only gifts you can give your child. To come back to where I began…I rang up little Tara and told her that her mother was late because of road blocks and could not get her the doughnuts. Before she could start her bawling, I distracted her and asked her to get a pencil and paper and take down the recipe of doughnuts, which she and mom would make the next day. Thankfully, the ploy worked and the next day, a very happy and proud little girl rang up to tell me how tasty the doughnuts she made were. Needless to say the mother was grateful too! As they say all’s well that ends We well.

Don’t follow me A campaign against smoking “Smoking is Damaging” in Panama City. There is a poster of late US actress Marilyn Monroe with a lit cigarette to her lips warning smokers against smoking.

Techno marvel Chinese visitors admire a multi-purpose remote control scout vehicle on display at a science and technology exhibition in Beijing on 20 May. China is rapidly increasing its spending on research and development.

A close-up Close-up of the eye with a contact lens with a spider’s net painting of a participant in an annual WaveGothic Festival on 30 May in Leipzig, Eastern Germany where more than 20,000 Gothic romanticists are expected to attend.

Men power Members of the Nejapa power team try to pull an Airbus 320 during a competition at the international airport in Compala 40 km south of San Salvador on 24 May. Twenty teams are participating in the competition aimed at pulling the airplane up to 25 metres in 5 minutes.

March of science Visitors gather to admire a robotic woman (C left) on display at a science and technology exhibition in Beijing on 20 May.

German Cup Trophy A model brings the German Cup Trophy into the stadium prior to the men’s DFB German Cup Final Werder Bremen vs Bayer Lever on 30 May at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin.

Exploring the superstructure Divers explore the superstructure of the Gen. Hoyt S. Vandenberg artificial reef in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary off Keys West, Florida during a preview dive for journalists on 29 May.

Women not reacting emboldens the eve-teaser. Time to give up dodging your fright and unleash the inner strength. By Shailja Mehta

he media made a hue and cry about the molestation that happened in Delhi on last New Year’s Eve. It is easily forgotten that molestation happens daily, all around the world. It never becomes a focal point since it is never able to gather so much attention. It is not news if someone passes a comment on you or if someone brushes against your body in an empty train or bus. Eve-teasing is a rampant social evil. It is all pervasive — beaches, roads, cinema halls, buses and sadly even in educational institutions. When eve-teasing persists even inside educational institutions, one

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EVE-TEASING

can obviously infer that even the educated youth don’t necessarily desist from indulging in this uncouth behaviour. The issue always surfaces when something prominent happens, like, for instance, when a Chennai college girl was killed some years ago. Public memory happens to be short and soon things return to the usual anarchy and we accept the fact that ‘nothing much can be done.’ Where does eve-teasing have its roots? Is this seen in every country? An interesting fact needs to be mentioned here. If one types ‘eveteasing’ in any Internet search engine, you would be surprised that page after page of results are almost entirely Indian web pages. Eveteasing in its form of hooting, oglingloud commenting, whistling, etc, does tend to be more prevalent in India. Not something to be proud of. Eveteasing is not a victimless crime as it appears on paper. It has resulted in deaths and when it goes unchecked could lead to public humiliation of women even in broad daylight. The rape of a medical student in Delhi in the recent past shocked the whole nation. Eve-teasing also portrays a bad image of the country among tourists. The immeasurable damage to a woman’s self-esteem and the subsequent avoidance of public places by single women could hardly take us on the way to achieving gender equality. Eve-teasing is a typical social crime, where the perpetrators and victims are ordinary people. There is no easy way of rounding up everyone concerned and settling the issue. Schools and colleges could easily discipline students for such activities on campus, but this only induces them to indulge in such acts outside campus. Police prosecution can also never be severe because of the reluctance of victims to depose in court. A behavioural change is the only lasting solution to this problem. This requires an extensive public education aimed at every section of society at large. Every action is performed with an intention. The intention behind eveteasing is to catch a girl’s eye and to

arouse attention in some way; and more importantly this harassment is an early manifestation of patriarchal masculinity. Gender segregation and a ‘boys will be boys’ attitude furthers this behaviour. Innumerable movies show that eve-teasing eventually ‘wins’ a girl’s attention. Changing this behaviour is easier said than done. However, if things are left alone, they could hardly get better.

UNLEASH INNER STRENGTH Active solutions should be sought. Students in colleges must specifically be counselled. Debates on this issue must be organised in colleges, TV shows, etc., with responsible moderators — who would listen and reason an argument instead of sounding outright biased. Every parent should talk to his son about this. Cinema is a powerful medium to showcase this issue. The majority of the eve-teasing crowds are undoubtedly movie junkies. Maybe when a movie addresses the fear, hurt and humiliation a girl experiences people will think about this ‘other side’ of eve-teasing. Eve-teasing is not just a college

ERADICATING EVE-TEASING WILL HELP WOMEN ACCESS PUBLIC PLACES FEARLESSLY AND WILL FURTHER GENDER EQUALITY IN INDIA — PROBABLY, MUCH MORE THAN CAN BE ACHIEVED BY RESERVATION OF SEATS FOR WOMEN IN PARLIAMENT. girl’s problem. It leads to insecurity for parents or to even anyone whose loved one undergoes this. This unwelcome masculine attention on women subjects them to an unimaginable sexual pressure. Sweeping this issue under the carpet is not a solution. A civilised society cannot afford to ignore such an issue. Eve-teasing deserves to be tackled actively. Eradicating eve-teasing will help women access public places fearlessly and will further gender equality in India — probably, much more than can be achieved by reservation of seats for women in Parliament. While we walk on the road there is a serious planned attempt to avoid blows and preventing bumping into men. Avoiding the common accidental nudge and brushing past shoulders or hands is a daily exercise, just like brushing teeth in the mornings.

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It is so much a part of our system that the most we do is, get abusive and get on with life. Though many might be ready to put up a fight there may be some who do not like attention. The silence gives the miscreants an ego-boost and the problem grows bigger. We have slowly come to believe that there is no solution to such behaviour and an agile trick is the best to prevent trouble. But the average woman of the 21st century is much more empowered to face these troubles head-on.

Good Samaritan I have a very good neighbour Mrs Sayyed. We share all our joys and sorrows with each other and even help each other in times of need. She was like a saviour to me when last year I got a deep cut on my hand in the morning and the bleeding wouldn’t stop. My husband became panicky and didn’t know what to do. He tried all possible means to stop the bleeding, then he called Mrs Sayyed and she helped in stopping the bleeding. While I became unconscious, her son carried me down from the 2nd floor and putting me in his car, took me to a nearly hospital. After the doctors attended to me, I came to my senses. I had lost 16

HOW TO DEAL WITH EVE-TEASING Most females encountered at least mild harassment from local men; silly comments by young boys, or an attempt of groping in a crowd. One strange version of eve-teasing is young Indian men’s habit of breaking into a song whenever they walk by a woman. Despite laws against eve-teasing, it affects all women. If being stared at, it is best just to ignore the starer. If being followed, seek help from passers-by or the police if there is one around; this usually gets rid of any unwanted “admirers.” Another option is to confront the follower in front of a large crowd — public humiliation works wonders. When it comes to groping, women are not afraid to confront a groper either verbally or physically. Alertness is the key to reach home or office without banging into someone. A little offbalance and low on the alertness level and you may not know what is coming next. So if you are a daydreamer you need to be careful and walk with your head high.

Appear confident and bold. Keep your eyebrows in an angry frown.While much of eve-teasing is more annoying than dangerous, there have been attacks against female tourists in India, and it only makes sense to be careful. It is best to avoid arriving in a new destination alone after dark. Lonely walks along unlit streets and quiet beaches are not recommended either. The same applies to cheap local cinemas that show Bollywood films, because the audience usually consists of a crowd of overexcited young boys. While you may not get a trophy to be upfront and brave, you definitely get the prize of pride and security. It is time we gave up dodging our fears and unleashed our inner strength. It is not about wasting time and energy. It is about safe guarding your self-esteem. Remember, every time that you do not react you double the strength of an eve-teaser. Every time you react, you send a message that you We will not tolerate nonsense.

a lot of blood but, if not for my neighbour, I think something worse would have happened. – Lurdin Fernandes, Mumbai.

lunch was on or not? My sister was surprised and irritated, but let it pass. Next she came in again at 11.30 a.m. and instructed us to keep the rotis hot and lunch ready by 12.30 p.m., as she had to go out. My sister was amazed at her audacity to give instructions in our home, as if we did not know how to entertain and provide for guests. Furthermore, she had the gall to come in at 12.30, sit down hurriedly with her mother-in-law and kid at the kitchen table and start serving herself. At this, my sister lost her fuse and just made faces and slunk out of the room. I completed the balance hot rotis, served it to them despondently and was cursing myself for issuing the invitation to such rude and greedy neighbours in the first place. Manners be dammed. – Dimple Shah, Mumbai.

Rude neighbour This is of a nasty experience regarding my next-door neighbour some time back. My parents were out of station for three to four days and my sister and I were alone at home. The next-door neighbour, Mrs Shah, dropped in out of concern and our parents’ instructions on the second night, to inquire if we needed anything. We said no in unison and got chatting over trivialities for some 15 minutes, after which my younger sister spontaneously invited them for lunch the next day. She readily agreed and we went to sleep. The next morning her daughter-inlaw rang the bell to enquire whether the Woman’s Era

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HAIR LOSS:

HERBS CAN TAKE CARE OF YOUR HAIR An effective remedy for hair loss. By Shivendra Kumar ith an average of 100,000 strands of hair on each person's head, hair can both be fascinating and quirky. If you suffer from split ends, simply shampooing and conditioning is not going to correct damaged ends. Split ends need to be trimmed in order to keep long hair looking lustrous and healthy. Hair grows faster in warmer weather. However, cutting hair doesn't make it grow faster. Another myth about hair is that frequent washing causes hair loss.

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By the age of 50, over half of men have male-pattern baldness and 40 per cent of menopausal women suffer from female-pattern hair loss. A person loses an average of 100 hairs from his/her scalp each day. In order to maintain healthy locks, one should eat a balanced diet. Food such as eggs, liver, kidney, herring, salmon, carrot and green vegetables are good choices for healthy hair. Any food rich in vitamin C and Vitamin D is also good for hair. Natural hair masks made from avocado, mayonnaise, bananas or jojoba oil provide rich conditioning which hydrates hair. Sun can also damage the scalp

and hair, so remember to wear a hat or rub a sunscreen into your scalp. It is advisable to use hair products that protect hair from UVA/UVB rays. Whether short or long, hair is the fastest growing tissue on our body and you need to protect and care for it while you still have it on your head. The following herbs can help you protect your hair.

Fenugreek: This is one of the nature's gifts for humankind. It is a cure for a large number of human diseases. For hair loss, dip a handful of fenugreek seeds in water and let them soak for some three to four hours. Now grind them and use this liquid as a shampoo. Repeat twice a weak. This is a fast-acting natural cure for hair loss. Sesame leaves: Besides, sesame oil, sesame leaves and roots are also an effective natural cure for hair loss. Simmer some herbs in water for 15 minutes and let it cool. Now strain and use for hair massage and hair rinse to treat hair loss and grey hair. Almond oil and honey: Honey: 1 tablespoon Almond oil: 1 tablespoon Egg yolk: 1 (whole egg can also be used) Blend the above ingredients well to make a paste and apply to your hair for an hour or so. For better results wrap your hair with a towel or any other cotton cloth. Shampoo as usual. This can be repeated once a weak to prevent hair loss and promote healthy hair. Tobacco and olive oil: This is usually used to treat hair loss for men. Fresh flowers from tobacco plant are ground to make a thick paste. Now some olive oil is added to it and this paste is massaged over the bald areas. A regular massage will stop baldness and help to regrow hair. Olive oil massage: Regular massage with olive oil will strengthen your locks, stop hair loss and prevent greying of hair. It is also a natural cure for dandruff. Some people also

prefer to add equal quantities of almond or rosemary oils as these oils also have a good repute in hair care. A good combination when employed for hot oil treatments, is among most popular hair-loss solutions.

Fresh cow milk: This is an old remedy. Massage freshly boiled cow milk on scalp and hair and let it work for an hour. Now shampoo as usual. Regular use will stop hair loss. This is a very old Indian home remedy for hair loss. Sometimes, raw milk is preferred to the boiled milk. Similarly, fresh cream or butter is also employed for this purpose. Buffalo milk can also be used to treat baldness in this way. Garlic: Garlic is also used as a herbal medicine. It has multiple uses in skin diseases including nail fungus, warts, skin tags, eczema and many more. As a natural remedy for hair loss garlic can be used in multiple forms. You can use: ● Garlic oil ● Garlic extract ● Raw crushed garlic ● Rub over the hairless surface. Let it work for some time before shampooing. Crushed garlic can be used only on bald head while extract or garlic oil can be used on hairy surfaces to promote thick hair growth. Garlic, when taken orally, is also beneficial to hair growth. Black cumin and olive oil: Among the Arabian naturalists an effective herbal treatment for hair loss is to burn black cumin on a low flame to get black, burnt dust. Now mix it with olive oil and store in a bottle. Massage on the scalp after shaking vigorously and let it stay there for some time. This is a welldocumented treatment for baldness. Its long-term application is believed to stimulate regrowth of hair. Coconut milk: Coconut milk can be massaged directly on the scalp to promote hair growth. This can be obtained by grinding fresh coconut and then squeezing it. Mix it with the water that you get from raw coconut. Woman’s Era

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Now slightly warm it and apply to the hair and leave it on for an hour or two. This can be repeated daily and should be continued till the required results are obtained. This is believed We to help regrow hair. 19

QA &

I thought thinner eyebrows would suit me but they do not. Now, how to make them thick again? You have not written your age but until the late thirties eyebrow growth is not too bad, so you will have to give it time. Whenever you go for a eyebrow clean, draw a line with a soft eye pencil in the area you do not want ‘cleaned’ and have the rest threaded. There is no other way except to have patience. You can just apply olive oil or some castor oil at night to nourish the hair.

ordinary tissue as that removes make-up as well, whereas the oilblotting face paper will only remove the oil and shine and leave the rest in place. Your regular products like foundation etc. should be light formulations for summer and you need to moisturise with a lotionconsistency material not cream and that should be before doing the make-up. The final hydrating trick is to water spray which is light and does not remove make-up but provides a fresh feel.

How to make the make-up last longer in summer without a shine? The trick is to hold the foundation in place. Use a fixer and then apply a moisturiser. Use oil control lotion if you have oily skin. The right use of loose powder as a base is the real trick to keeping skin non-shiny. It should be done lightly and dusting needs to be done on the neck area as well. Use soft pastel shades in summer. For lipstick, line the lips with lip liner and fill it in the lips as well, as this is what will give your lips colour even if the lipstick fades.

I want to know what is the right amount and style of exfoliation. What is peel treatment? How often should it be done and is it right for me? I am 24 and can afford the treatment but don’t want to waste money. As our cells are renewed, the dead skin needs to be sloughed off so the new skin can glow better. Home-style exfoliation can be done once a week but professional removal is not needed more than once a month. When you opt for any professional treatment, your dermatologist/cosmetologist will tell you to use protection against the sun because your skin is very soft and vulnerable. Acid peels might be suggested if you have pigmentation marks or if your skin needs to be ‘refreshed’ with a bit stronger treatment.

Q& A How much oiling is good for hair and how to do it best? I am 24 and my mom used to oil my hair very often and I have long hair but I find it difficult to be regular about oiling etc. What should I do? Oiling the hair is often more a matter of habit than necessity. Ideally, if you are used to it, once a fort night is a good option. The oil should be slightly warm and needs to be applied to the scalp and patted in or with gentle circular motions without breaking too much hair is advisable. Harsh maalish does you no good. If you have long hair do apply some to the end of the hair as well. Wrapping the head and hair in a hot towel is recommended for deeper penetration of the oil. I want to know how to use baby oil. When my daughter was born last year a lot was given as gifts. There are other baby products as well which I do not want to throw away but feel like not using for my baby. Products for infants should not be used beyond their expiry dates because a baby’s skin is extremely delicate. However, these products are great for adults because of their formulations. Shampoos for babies are great for their mommies too, especially if you are washing your hair frequently. As for the oil, you can use it for after-shower moisturising or for a massage. In smaller quantities you can add a drop or two to your face packs as well. I personally find baby oil very good for removing make-up! 20

My younger sister lost over 30 kg because her health was failing. Now she is a lot fitter but her loose skin that hangs on her makes her feel low. How to decide if surgery is the right option? It depends on her age and her willpower to maintain this weight. Depending on areas that need attention she might have to undergo more than one surgery and it will not be cheap either. Let her decide as per her lifestyle and what she normally wears. Camouflage is possible in certain areas but not in others. A good surgeon will be able to assist her in making an informed decision. We keep reading about hydrating the skin in summer. How to do it without the shine all over the face within minutes of applying any cream? For oily skin the product should be water based. Using oil-blotting paper to take off the shine from the face is the best recourse. Do not use Woman’s Era ● June (Second) 2009

I have been an airhostess for almost eight years now. Earlier it never bothered me but now I find that on long flights I have dry and dull skin, my hair is lifeless. I end up using more make-up and that clogs my pores further and I break out in a pimple attack. What should I do? As an airhostess doing long-haul flights you have access to the best products the market has to offer. You just have to select wisely. Drink lots of water while flying, use minimal make-up and keep eye gel for around the eyes to reduce puffiness. Use a leave-in conditioner for hair to keep it moisturised. However tired you are at the end of the flight, always give yourself a good massage and cleanse, tone and moisturise before retiring.

My World, My Family True love means sharing equally joys, sorrows and responsibility in life. By Kiran D. Kumar

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t was already 7.30 pm. I was an hour late for “Oh, Rahul! Don’t compare me with your mother. my date with Nimmi. She might be very furious I belong to a different generation. I won’t spare you by now. I started my car and rushed to Lal if you neglect me even for a second.” Bagh. Luck had smiled on me six months ago Okay, babe. I’ll keep it in mind. I will never give since the day Nimmi accepted my proposal. I you any chance for complaints. I have got something was more lucky than many boys who were for you. Now close your eyes and show me your dreaming of becoming Nimmi’s lovers. hands.” She closed her eyes. I placed a pair of gold I was in the first year of engineering. She was a earrings on her palm. When she opened her eyes, I commerce student. I saw her for the first time on the was delighted to see the sparkle in her eyes on Annual Day on the campus with her seeing the gift. friends. She was so strikingly beautiful – “Rahul! How nice of you! Why did you She was so tall, slim with sharp features, and as fair as buy such an expensive gift for me? Last strikingly a rose. She was the cream of the crop. We month, you gave me a designer watch. beautiful – were introduced to each other by mutual My closets are filled with the designer tall, slim with dresses bought by you.” She was so elated friends. sharp features, that she flung herself into my arms and It was love at first sight from my side. But the college grapevine had it that Nimmi and as fair as a kissed me passionately. This was the was as changeable as the weather. I was boldness that I liked about her most. Unlike rose. She was cautioned by my close friends,”Rahul! other middle-class girls, she was very the cream of Don’t get involved with Nimmi. She’s not unconventional in her attitude to life. After the crop. your type of girl.” But all their pleas fell on a few minutes we separated. We were deaf ears. I proposed and she accepted. As it was already dark, I dropped her introduced to Now I was heading for my usual near her colony. It was my idea to drop each other by rendezvous. She was wearing a peach suit her outside her colony. I didn’t want mutual and sat on the corner bench. Seeing me as people to talk behind our back about our friends. expected, she burst out,” Rahul, don’t you love affair. After all, we had to wait for have any sense of time? Am I a fool to wait about 2-3 years to get married. I had to for you for an hour?” finish my education, settle in a decent job and then “Calm down, darling! Our professor came late only could we marry. for lecture. Exams being near, I could not miss it. Next time, I will be on time – punctual. I swear!” was the only son of my parents. I had three Now she was calm. “By the way, Nimmi, what sisters, all of whom were younger than I. My would you do if I come home late after our father worked as a manager in a renowned marriage? Will you fight with me even then? Ma is multinational firm. We lived in a palatial bungalow so cool even when papa comes home late every built by my father’s hard-earned money. Papa evening,” I teased her. provided ma with all the luxuries of an elite

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reached home. Ma was giving instructions to the maid about the night's menu for dinner. She had a rule that we had to have at least dinner together. So we were waiting for papa to come home. That night, it was getting late. When contacted on his cell, he told us not to wait as he had to dine with his friends. After dinner, my sisters retired. Papa came home after midnight. He was unusually calm. He asked us to retire and went to the study. Sometimes, it was his habit to spend some time reading. In the morning, ma shook me, “Rahul! Wake up. Papa has locked himself up inside the study and he’s not responding to my calls.” “What’s there to worry, ma? He came home so late, he may have fallen asleep in the study. Let him sleep for some time,” I mumbled half-asleep. “No, just get up and wake him. It’s not usual for him to sleep in such noise. I have rammed

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the door so many times and why has he locked the door?” I got up and went outside the study and shouted, “Papa! Papa! Open the door. What’s the matter? Are you still sleeping?” I slammed my fists on the door. There was no reply. Now I could sense that something had gone terribly wrong. I continued calling him frantically. Hearing the noise, the servant and watchman came in and helped me to break the door open. Upon opening the door, all of us were shellshocked to see papa’s lifeless body hanging from the ceiling fan. Ma fainted and there was total chaos in the house. Someone phoned the police while, my sisters were crying. Our house was full of known and unknown persons. Papa’s face had turned blue and his tongue had come out of his mouth. His body was taken for post-mortem by the police. On the table lay a suicide note. It read: No one is responsible for my suicide. I am deeply repenting the blunders made by me in my life and this is the only way to opt out. “Ramesh Thakur”

STORY

household. Ma was down-to-earth, and a simple woman. My sisters, Ruchi and Meghna, looked like her. Sweetie, the youngest, was the mischievous one. It was because of her that ma had come to know of my relationship with Nimmi. Sweetie had shown ma a love letter written by Nimmi. When ma confronted me, I confessed. Ma had no objection to my choice of a life partner. She was a very liberal woman. Nimmi was from an average middle-class family. Her father had died when she was very young. She was the only daughter of her parents. Her mother too knew about our relationship. She was very happy for Nimmi, for her daughter had found a nice boy from a well-off family on her own. Both the families knew that eventually we would get married.

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es, it was his handwriting all right. The postmortem report stated that it was a case of suicide. With a broken heart, I performed the last rites. Within 4-5 days, the mystery surrounding papa’s death started to unfold, when ma was approached by various people to whom papa owed huge amounts of money. What we came to know was very shocking. Indeed, truth is always stranger than fiction. Papa had lost all his earnings and assets in gambling! For the first time in our lives, we were shocked to know that papa was into serious gambling. He owed around 90 lakh to different people. To pay off the interests he had already mortgaged the house. Those people to whom he owed money were chasing him. He could not bear the pressure built up by the people to pay his debts. Finding that he had put at stake the lives of his near and dear ones, he had committed suicide. Ma was totally devastated. To pay off the debts she had to sell our house and all her ornaments. Overnight, our lives had transformed from riches to rags. It is correctly said that the bigger they are the harder they fall. With our limited belongings, we came out of Nimmi accepted his proposal and was delighted to receive the precious gift.

Nimmi was as cold as ice. “Say something, Nimmi. What is going on in your mind?” “Rahul, now you have heard what my mother told you. I can’t defy her. I don’t want to do anything she disapproves. After all, she’s the only one that I have. Please don’t ever try to meet me. I don’t want to have anything to do with you. Please leave at once,” she said and left the room followed by her mother. I was heartbroken. When I gathered enough strength to get up, I left her house. I walked aimlessly down the street throughout the day. It was past midnight when I reached home. Ma was awake and very worried for me. “Rahul, where had you been the whole day? We were so worried if anything untoward happened to you,” she said. “Ma, she has left me,” I sobbed. “Who has left you? What’s the matter?” “Nimmi has left me.” Now I was crying uncontrollably. Words poured out of my was amazed to see her inner strength. mouth and I told her the whole thing. Ma All her life, I had known her as a meek “But how will woman who would follow in her you finish your was also pained to hear about the husband’s footsteps unquestioningly. Now, education when betrayal. But when she spoke up she was very composed. in our hour of crisis, she had emerged as a you can’t even “So this is the matter! Why are you stronger person than I had imagined. It afford your daily upset over this? It’s true that you loved her was not until then that I realised that bread? Even if wholeheartedly, but she didn’t love you! Nimmi had not visited me after papa’s you finish your funeral. I went to her home. She did not studies and get a That’s the bitter fact. She was obsessed by your status, your money. Now, as you seem pleased to see me. I went inside and job, all your don’t have any of them, she has left you. sat for a while. Her mother inquired after earnings and This is a big, bad world and it takes all my family and I informed her about my savings will be sorts of people to make it! When poverty misfortunes. She came directly to the point. spent on comes in, love flies out of the window. You “Rahul, I don’t think that I want you to marrying off have learnt your lesson so early. Don’t marry my daughter. I have gone through your sisters. waste your emotions on such moneymany hardships after my husband’s death. minded people who don’t value your I have dreamt of a luxurious life for my sentiments.” daughter. I don’t want her to undergo the same financial upheavals that I went through in my life. a’s words were soothing. But it took me quite So, it is better for you to cut off the relations with some time to come to terms with what had Nimmi.” happened. Meanwhile, ma took up tailoring I was stunned to hear her views. Somehow, words in earnest. I started taking tuitions for the came out of my mouth, “But my present woes are only temporary. Once I finish my education, I will get neighborhood kids. They weren’t very rich, but they paid me enough to manage my expenses. I got a a decent job good enough to fulfil your daughter’s part-time job as an instructor in a computer institute. wishes. She will lack nothing. I promise you.” Ma’s sewing practice was going on in full swing. “But how will you finish your education when you Now she had also started training women of all can’t even afford your daily bread? Even if you ages in sewing. Financial troubles forced Ruchi and finish your studies and get a job, all your earnings Meghna to take up studies privately. The whole day, and savings will be spent on marrying off your they would assist ma in her tailoring work. sisters. By the time you finish your responsibilities, Sometimes, they would go to some marriage Nimmi will have spent all her youth in adjustments function on a contract for bridal make-up and and I am not going to let it happen to my darling mehendi to earn some quick bucks. Indeed, it was daughter. Do you understand?” “Nimmi, don’t you trust me? I’ll never deprive you very difficult to keep the body and soul together in those days in spite of all the hardships. On Rakshaof anything. You will always be the first one in my bandhan, I somehow managed to buy them decent list of priorities.” the bungalow. Ma got a rented small flat in a lofty chawl. I wanted to discontinue my education, in order to earn my daily bread. But ma and my sisters were adamant that I would continue my studies. “Rahul, if you complete it, you will have better prospects for your future. You need not worry about running the house. I’ll manage the house by pursuing the only thing that I know, sewing.” “But, ma, you have pursued it as your hobby. You’ve never done it professionally. Besides, what will people say if I let you work?” “Rahul! Any respectable work that gives you your daily bread is always a good one. Your papa could not face life and left us before the onset of the storm. But we have to make our ship sail through this storm. I don’t care about people any more. All I know is that I have to complete those duties which your father left unaccomplished.”

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dresses with my own money. Ruchi and Meghna were hesitant to accept the gifts. “Bhaiyya, why did you waste your hard-earned money on dresses? You could have used this money for your own good. Your love means so much to us.” “Don’t think so. I confident that we will sail through these difficulties. Once I am established, you can always count on your bhaiyya,” I said. Ma’s eyes filled with tears. Sweetie teased, “Bhaiyya, once you are settled in your job, I will have the costliest gift.” “Okay, Sweetie, you have my word.” At last came the day when I was selected for a job in a well-known company in a campus interview. Ma’s happiness knew no bounds when she heard the good news. She distributed sweets to the whole neighbourhood. I passed engineering with flying colours. After some time, we moved to a better residential area. I asked ma to stop taking tailoring classes. But, she would not listen. Within a period of two years, I saved enough money to marry off Ruchi. With her contacts ma came across a decent family where the groom was employed in a good firm. Suresh was the only son of very noble parents who

were against taking dowry. Ruchi was married to Suresh at a very simple ceremony attended by close friends.

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ime moved on. Meghna had joined a regular college. Ma’s amicable nature attracted a lot of people of all ages to her. Her students of the sewing classes had become her friends. One among them was Sheetal. She pursued sewing as a hobby. Even after the classes were over, she would spend time chatting with ma and Meghna. Occasionally, she would throw curious and friendly glances at me. One fine day, Sheetal’s father came home with her marriage proposal. Sheetal was his only daughter and he had a son. Sheetal’s father told ma, “Behenji, Sheetal’s my only daughter, younger than her brother. The day she was born, I lost my wife due to post-delivery complications. People advised me to remarry for bringing her up. I brought up Sheetal singlehandedly as I did not trust any other woman could give her a mother’s love. Since the day we have known your family, Sheetal’s been obsessed with you. I think that Rahul’s the most suitable match for

Sheetal. Please let me know about your decision to have a second glance at her. Seeing her, I after thinking over this proposal. Sheetal will be thought it would be very difficult to say ‘No’ to her. lucky to be a part of your family.” But I wanted to say that as politely as I could. Before Very hesitantly, she brought up the point, “Bhai I could break the ice, Sheetal burst out laughing sahab, financially, we are facing one of the worst uncontrollably. I was puzzled. times in our lives. No doubt, Sheetal’s a lovely girl. “What happened?” I asked. But she’s used to the comforts of an elite household. She wanted to say something, but again she I’m afraid that Rahul still has a long way to go. He started to laugh pointing to my feet and it explained may not be able to provide Sheetal with suitably a lot! I was wearing socks of two different colours. luxurious life.” Now I also joined her in laughter. There was so “Behenji, I agree that money is very important in much innocence in her laughter. After a while, she getting the luxuries of a comfortable life. But it is not stopped laughing. the only thing in life. As far as I’m concerned, I’ve “Do you go to work like that?” she asked smiling. always wanted a house having good moral values “It was dark in the room and I was too for Sheetal where she can have all the love and pre-occupied to notice,” I said. affection that she was deprived of by destiny “What were you so preoccupied with?” because of her mother’s untimely death. So what if “That’s what I intend to tell you, Sheetal. The one the present isn’t very promising? I foresee a very to whom you get married will be a very lucky man. bright future for Rahul. He’s an intelligent and hardBut right now, I have Meghna’s and Sweetie’s working boy. Sheetal’s also an MBA. Together they responsibilities on my shoulders after papa’s death. can have a bright future.” Ma has undergone great pain after his demise. She Ma asked for some time. has strived hard to educate me. Now it is When she finally brought up the topic, I my turn to perform my duties to my family. One who is so refused at once. Any woman who wishes to spend her life dedicated to his “I can never even think of my marriage with me will have to wait long before I duties as a son until my responsibilities towards Meghna think of any future with her. I don’t want can never fail as and Sweetie are over. Even after Meghna that to happen to you.” a husband. and Sweetie’s marriage, I don’t think that I After a while, she spoke up. “Is that the Through the would like to involve myself with any other thick and thin of only reason that you want to postpone woman.” The old pain that caused by life, I will follow your marriage plans? Or are you involved Nimmi’s betrayal had returned. Ma was with... I mean?” in your footsteps, quick to understand. “No, I am not involved with anyone Rahul,” she said else. Presently, my only priorities lie with “Rahul, I thought that you had buried the and looked into past. There’s no meaning in craving for a my family. I don’t intend to insult you for my eyes. girl who was never in love with you. anything in this world.” Instantly, I Though I don’t want to impose my wishes “In that case, I wish to assure you that I knew that she on you, I still want to tell you that you can will happily share your responsibilities. didn’t lie. never get a wife who could be better than One who is so dedicated to his duties as a Sheetal. Besides, Meghna is just 19 and son can never fail as a husband. Through want to make a career for herself. Sweetie is too the thick and thin of life, I will follow in your young. You need not wait until their marriages.” footsteps, Rahul,” she said and looked into my eyes. “Yes, bhaiyya, ma is correct. Also, we don’t want Instantly, I knew that she didn’t lie. you to sacrifice your happiness for our sake. Please give us a bhabhi,” Meghna and Sweetie pleaded. verything became so clear after that. Both of us I was adamant. But ma and my sisters did not went home and told ma about our decision. Ma give up. They used to coax me every now and then. kissed Sheetal on her forehead. Both the Then I thought it was better to tell Sheetal directly families were overjoyed. We didn’t want Sheetal’s about my feelings. Now knowing my plans, Sweetie father to give us any dowry. But, as Sheetal was his happily agreed to arrange for the secret only daughter, we could not stop him from loading rendezvous. She brought Sheetal to a nearby park Sheetal with jewellery and clothes. Within two and left us alone. months, we got married with everyone’s blessings. In For the first time, I looked at her. She was the beginning itself, we decided not to have kids for wearing a sky blue dress, her curly hair was parted 4-5 years. After such a long time, life was becoming in the middle and falling over her face. Her features a pleasant journey along with Sheetal. were plain, but the sparkle in her eyes, her dimpled All the ladies in the house bonded so well with cheeks and the glow on her face prompted any man one another. I would get a good scolding from ma if

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I forgot Sheetal’s birthday or our marriage anniversary. Ma welcomed Sheetal with an open heart in her life. She cared more for Sheetal than she cared for Ruchi, Meghna and Sweetie. She never imposed any rules or regulations on Sheetal as a mother-in-law. Instead, ma gave total freedom to her to do whatever she liked. I still remember, ma was so aghast when Sheetal once fell off the steps and fractured her right arm. Ma took care of Sheetal the whole month, when her hand was in plaster. Sheetal became dependent on ma, just as a small kid depends on the mother. Ma heaved a sigh of relief, when Sheetal’s plaster was taken off and her arm was declared okay by the doctor.

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ow Meghna had finished her studies and took up a job in a good firm. One evening, she brought home her colleagues. Among them was a smart, young man named Mohit. He lived in a nearby locality. Usually he would drop Meghna on his way back home on his scooter. One day, Meghna confided to Sheetal that she had fallen in love with Mohit. Sheetal was very happy as she personally felt that Mohit was a good match for Meghna. One fine day, we invited Mohit’s parents to our house. They readily agreed to the proposal as we belonged to the same community. After the date of marriage was fixed, Mohit’s parents said to ma in a sweet voice, “Behenji, we don’t believe in the dowry system. But it will be in your own interest to provide your daughter with at least 2 kg of gold. We have got some prestige that has to be maintained in society, so the wedding should be lavish as per our standards. Mohit is our

only son, so the wedding should be solemnised in grandeur.” We were a bit shocked by their demand and asked for some time to think it over. I could either buy the gold or spend the money on the function extravaganza. But they wanted both! I was in a fix. Mohit was unaware of his parents’ tactics and he was enraged when he came to know of it. He burst out, “I couldn’t believe my parents to be so greedy. Bhaiyya, you need not worry. Meghna and I can have a registered marriage. Mummy and daddy may come for the marriage or not, it does not matter now.” “Beta, cool down. It is easy to marry in haste and repent at leisure. I do not want to displease your parents. Meghna is the girl of your choice for marriage, not theirs. I don’t want my daughter to start her life in an unpleasant and hostile atmosphere at your home. It is always good to take elders’ blessings. We will think of some way to tackle the situation.” “Yes, Mohit. What ma says is correct. Your parents will never welcome Meghna with open arms if they are sidelined in your decision of marrying her,” I agreed with ma. Somehow, I convinced Mohit to wait for some time and not to confront his parents. Meghna was heartbroken. At night, after dinner, when I was discussing the issue with ma Sheetal walked in. She had her jewellery boxes in her hands. She gave them to ma. “What’s this, Sheetal?” ma was puzzled. “Ma, these are the pieces of jewellery given by my parents. These are more than two kg. You can give them to Meghna. I just want my mangalsutra only. Please take them.” “No, Sheetal. It’s so kind of you to think about Meghna. But, for my daughter’s happiness you need not give your father’s precious gifts to her. We haven’t given you anything, beti. But we don’t have any right over your personal belongings,” ma’s voice was filled with affection over Sheetal’s selfless love. I, too, was touched by her gesture. “Ma, I never knew what a mother’s love is for her daughter until I got married,” Sheetal said. “You have showered me with so much love and affection from the very beginning of our relationship that I never miss my family. You have sowed the seeds of love in my heart, now it has blossomed into a tree. Now it’s my turn to reciprocate your feelings. Your love means so much to me. Am I not an important part of the family? I have every right to share your joys and worries equally. If you think of me as your daughter, please do not refuse to take these Sheetal’s devotion towards the family won everyone’s heart. Her sharp business acumenship helped her husband’s business to flourish too.

after such a long time. jewels. At the moment, what’s more for me than “Oh, Rahul? How are you? How’s life?” she Meghna’s happiness. I have promised Rahul to asked cheerfully. share his responsibilities. Please let me do my duties “Hello, Nimmi! I’m fine. How are you?” as a wife.” “Let’s have some coffee for old time’s sake, At last, upon her persistent request, we had to Rahul.” give in. Sheetal had made a special place in I was about to make some excuse for my refusal, everyone’s heart. Mohit and Meghna got married as but the pleading look in her eyes stopped me. We per his parents’ wishes. took a nearby table. We sat silent for a while. She I was thinking of doing something to earn some extra bucks besides my job. But there were no funds. broke the ice, “Ultimately, you made it so big in life. I feel so happy for you.” I applied for loan in a bank. Soon, I started my own “What do you know about me?” I was surprised business of computer sales and services. As Sheetal that she knew everything about me. was from commerce background and knew a lot “I’ve followed your success stories through about marketing and business administration friends. How’s your personal life? I mean ... your through her experiences with her father’s own family.” business, she would look after the business during After what she had done to me she wanted to my office hours. I had hired some part-time help to assist me in the technical work. I would join the work know about my family! “I’m a happily-married man having two kids. My in the evening and relieve Sheetal. From the very wife is a very noble lady. Come rain or shine she’s beginning the business venture was a huge success. always there for me. What about you, Money started to pour in from all Nimmi? Did you find a man of your directions. After six months, I was able to He may provide dreams, a multimillionaire and one who is resign from the job to look after the you with capable of providing you with all the business full time. financial luxuries that you dreamt of?” There was a With our combined efforts, and security. But bitter undertone in my voice and she Sheetal’s sharp business acumen, business that’s not the instantly detected it. flourished. Soon I opened 3-4 branches in only thing in “You’ve the right to tell me all those different localities and hired many people. this world. He things. I’ve been cursing myself for my I jumped into the field of computer can never give decision for quite some time. I am assembly also for companies, international you a happy constantly repenting the decision I made!” concerns, cyber cafes and domestic family since “Oh, really? I’m surprised. What makes consumers. he’s already you repent? Are you short of money with having one. He your multi-millionaire life partner? You may n spite of all the success, I was not will never have be wanting much more,” my voice was satisfied and wanted much more. I kids with you. sarcastic. bought a big house in a posh suburb. In “No, Rahul. Experiences have taught me course of time, Sweetie got married to the the worth of true love.” heir of a business tycoon. It was a very lavish Then she told me her story. wedding. Meanwhile, I became the proud father of “After completing studies, I took up a job in a little a cute little girl. We named her Kavya. Sheetal had known concern. Within a short period of time, I to take a break temporarily from work to look after realised that my dreams could never come true with Kavya and ma who had become weak with age. small-time jobs. I kept looking for greener pastures Our world was filled with happiness. Ma would and the opportunity came after about a year. My bless us from the bottom of her heart. work experience and good looks helped me grab a As days went by Sheetal always complained good job in an international concern. I was that I don’t give enough time to eight-year-old appointed the personal secretary to the president of Kavya and four-year-old Aditya. So I took a break the company, Mr Gupta. from work and flew off to Singapore with Sheetal “He was in his early 60s. He was a generous and the kids. The kids were very happy to spend man having a great sense of humour. Within 2-3 quality time with me and so was Sheetal. After months, I came to know that he had the bad coming back, I got back to work with renewed reputation of having a roving eye for beautiful enthusiasm. One afternoon, on my way back from a business meeting, in a hotel lobby, I came across females. But the knowledge did little to change my avaricious nature. Instead, I started taking a familiar face and was surprised to find Nimmi in advantage of his nature. I wanted to climb the front of me. She looked quite old and had also put ladder of success so soon. To me, success meant on some weight. She seemed delighted to meet me

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living in the fantasy world of hi-tech gadgets, beautiful, designer dresses, expensive jewellery and limousines. Mr Gupta would present me with all these things which I would accept very happily. “But everything comes with a price in this world. Mr Gupta was no exception to this unwritten rule. I happily paid the price. Mr Gupta would take me overseas on the pretext of business meetings and tours. Mother turned a blind eye, although it wasn’t difficult for her to know about my relationship with Mr Gupta. Soon, our affair became the talk of the town. “Tongues had started wagging behind my back. Among the office staff, I was friendly with only Vrinda as other girls avoided me. Once, Vrinda came to my cabin. ‘Nimmi, I want to say something to you. It is nothing of my concern. But, I’ve always known you as a dear friend and as your well-wisher, I think of this as my duty to you.’ “‘What’s it, Vrinda? Just tell me what’s going on in your mind.’ “‘Nimmi, you are such a beautiful, young woman. Why do you want to be involved with a married man who is old enough to be your father? He has two married daughters, a young son and a couple of grandchildren. You can easily find someone of your age. Why are you ruining your life by getting romantically involved with him? You’ve earned a bad name for yourself. Do you know that you are causing a lot of tension in his family life?’ Vrinda directly came to the point. “‘So, this was what you wanted to talk to me? Vrinda, I am not the first woman in Mr Gupta’s life outside his marriage, am I? It’s not as if he’s spoiled by me for the first time. It’s the duty of a wife to keep her marriage intact. Mrs Gupta has failed to work out her relationship with Mr Gupta long ago and it’s not my fault. Do you understand? If I’m not involved with him, then someone else can be involved.’“ “That’s what I’m telling you, dear.’

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rinda replied, For him, love means nothing. If it’s not you then someone else may fill the void. But I don’t want you to do that. He may provide you with financial security. But that’s not the only thing in this world. He can never give you a happy family since he’s already having one. He will never have kids with you. “‘No matter that amount of his wealth he spends on you, you can never become his wife. You will always be called his mistress and a mistress is never respected as a wife. She’s always known as a homebreaker. During the sunset years of life, love and security of a marriage means so much. You will never ever have any of these as Mr Gupta’s mistress. Think about it, Nimmi. Anyway, it’s your life and you are free to do as you like,” Vrinda walked out of

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my cabin. “But I was too fascinated by Mr Gupta’s wealth to pay attention to Vrinda. Had I pondered over Vrinda’s words, I would have ended my affair with Mr Gupta. But that was not to be. Meanwhile, one fine morning, mother quietly passed away in her sleep. I was left alone in this world. Mr Gupta now bought me a palatial flat near his office so that he could spend more time with me after his work. “One day, I came to know that Mr Gupta ‘s only son, Raj, had come back to India after finishing his higher studies in the US Raj was younger than me by only 4-5 years. Mr Gupta was now thrilled that his son would join his business. The whole staff was introduced to Raj, on his first day at work. When my turn came, I found that Mr Gupta was very uncomfortable to introduce me. In contrast to his father’s nature Raj was a man of few words. He threw one curious glance at me and turned away. I couldn’t guess what he thought about me. “Now I could see much less of Mr Gupta in the office. He would be too busy discussing business strategies with his son. Maybe he did not want to be seen with me by his son. In the evening, he would come home tired. He would spend some time with me, but now he would never stay until night. When I would insist, he’d say, ‘Nimmi, I have a family waiting for me at home. My wife has never dared to interfere in my relationships. But, with a grown-up son, it’s different. My daughters are married into decent families and I don’t want their lives to be affected by my affairs. Just try to understand.’ “Loneliness started creeping into my life. Whenever I would see other women of my age living a full life with their husbands who would come back to them every night after a whole day’s work, I would feel a twinge of regret. I couldn’t conceal my envy of women who enjoyed motherhood and were surrounded by their kids, for I knew that I could never bear kids to Mr Gupta. No amount of wealth could fulfil the void in my life. Day by day, I got bored with my life and longed for the pleasures of a simple family life comprising kids and a loving husband. “One night, around midnight, I got a phone call from Vrinda saying that Mr Gupta had been admitted to a hospital because of a massive heart attack. He was struggling for life in the ICU. I was restless the whole night. In the morning, I called up Vrinda and asked her to accompany me to the hospital. But she refused straightaway. “‘How can you go to visit Mr Gupta when his whole family and relatives are waiting outside the ICU? You will make things difficult for both yourself and his family,’ said Vrinda. She was so correct. I had no rights of a wife! June (Second) 2009

“In the evening, Vrinda called up to inform me about Mr Gupta’s demise. Though I was not a bit emotionally attached to Mr Gupta, I still missed him. How correct Vrinda was! Now, I had no one to look after me. “After few days, when things became quite normal, Raj took over the company. The first thing that he did after taking over was to kick me out of the job. I was given salary of a couple of months and sent out. As the flat was bought by Mr Gupta in my name, Raj was unable to snatch it from me. “Now I have realised the value of true love but it’s too late for me,” she burst into tears. I was sorry for Nimmi. But, there was nothing that I could do for her. “Thought, I’ve got a place to live in, but I need to support myself,” she said.” So, I am looking for a job. Can you help me find one? If you know of any openings, in your company or in any other, just let me know. You may drop in at any time at my place. You know, I stay there alone,” saying this, she looked seductively into my eyes and smiled. She jotted down the address on a piece of paper and gave it to me.

“You may come now with me if you please. It’s been so long since we spent time together,” she smiled. There was an open invitation in her eyes. Suddenly, I started feeling suffocated and wanted to leave the place quickly. “Can’t come now, Nimmi. I’ve a lot of work now. Maybe some other time,” I got up and hurried towards the exit of the hotel. After coming out, I tore up the paper and threw it on a stack of garbage. My heart was filled with disgust for this woman who had played with my sentiments in the name of love and deserted me in my crisis, who now again wanted me in her life – not for love or longing for they never had any meaning in her life, but for the success that I had gained through the penances and sacrifices of ma and, of course, my wife Sheetal. Sheetal, true to her name, had brought a breath of fresh air into my life. True to her promise, she had followed in my footsteps in all phases of my life. I headed back home. Sheetal and ma were waiting for me. The moment I entered the house, kids surrounded me and were joined by ma and Sheetal. This was my family. This was my world. Nothing else mattered. We

DISTRESSING DETERIORATION OF THE

DAL LAKE

Scenic beauty takes a beating by human callousness. By Maharaaj K. Koul

“A lake is the landscape’s most beautiful and expressive feature. It is earth’s eye; looking into which the beholder measures the depth of his own nature...” – Henry David Thoreau he Jammu Kashmir high court has directed the state government to stop operations of around 1,200 houseboats moored along the shores of the picturesque Dal Lake till their owners make arrangement for proper solid and liquid waste disposal. The court issued the directive on 25 February last after taking cognisance of a recent Pollution Control Board report, which said open houseboat lavatories are a major source of pollution. A bench comprising Justice Nisar Ahmad Kakro and Justice Hakeem Imtiyaz Hussain asked the State Lakes and Waterways Development Authority (LAWDA) and Srinagar Municipal Corporation to implement the court’s directives and apprise it daily on the progress made. The court also directed the state administration to inquire into the lapses of the officers in permitting constructions violating the court’s directions. Acting on the court’s directive, LAWDA, the nodal agency responsible for controlling pollution in the Dal Lake, immediately ordered all houseboat owners to stop operations from 27 February. Conservationists have been warning that the pollutants are turning Dal Lake, famed for its ornately-carved cedar houseboats, into a weed-clogged swamp. The centerpiece of Srinagar’s tourist trade has shrunk considerably over the years, losing both its area as well as depth. Making matters worse is sewage and waste from hotels and homes on shore that empty into the lake. Considered one of the finest scenic spots in the world, the Dal Lake is in a really bad shape today. In fact, this ‘Jewel of Kashmir’ is slowly and systematically being driven to extinction. Ever-increasing pollution, indiscriminate deforestation

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and the development of agricultural holdings in its catchment area, along with the construction of hotels and houses, non-specific de-weeding and heavy silting have sounded the death-knell of the lake. The tragic tale of what was once a vast body of clear, sparkling water demonstrates how disastrous the callous and ruthless exploitation of a natural asset can turn out to be! Dal Lake – a liquid jewel ringed by Himalayan peaks and Kashmir’s most famous stretch of water – which attracts visitors from far and wide, has shrunk enormously over the years. And if the entry of pollutants

CONSERVATIONISTS HAVE BEEN WARNING THAT THE POLLUTANTS ARE TURNING DAL LAKE, FAMED FOR ITS ORNATELY-CARVED CEDAR HOUSEBOATS, INTO A WEED-CLOGGED SWAMP.

and silt into its waters, described once as ‘clear and soft as silk’, and systematic intrusions are not checked forthwith, it will decay to unrecognisable proportions in the next some decades, warn ecologists.

Dalgate to Shankaracharya, the Zabarwan range to Habak down to Ashaibagh and further to Nawpora continues. The depth of the problem can be imagined after a visit to Babadembh, where, due to the obnoxious odour and gases, it is extremely difficult to stay for as little as 15 minutes. The weeds grow extensively on the nutrients dumped into the lake as untreated waste. This fabled lake, where Mughal emperors relaxed after escaping the Delhi sun and Raj officials retired, is undoubtedly dying. The watery expanse is a hapless victim of war and neglect, reducing an ecological jewel to a foul-smelling marsh. And, as the Dal Lake dies, so does something of the soul of the Kashmir

CHOKED LAKE The lake is getting choked with water weeds and is increasingly becoming unsuitable for boating and fishing. Not only is the lake shrinking but large tracts of the once emerald waters have become so polluted that few swimmers dare take a dive into it now. Siltation of the lake and deposition of human waste from different corners right from Daachigam,

DAL DIMENSIONS A Survey of India map of Srinagar, prepared by a British army officer, Capt Montogomery in 185960 shows the extension of the lake far beyond its present boundaries with an approximate area of 25km. Credit goes to a reputed geologist and one-time commissioner of Ladakh, Fredrick Drew, for being the first person to mention the size of the Dal Lake. He wrote in 1875 that the Dal measured five miles from north to south, and two miles from east to west. And that it was in part shallow and inclining to be marshy. In 1895, Sir Walter Lawrence, settlement commissioner of Kashmir, estimated the length of the lake as four miles and width as less than three miles. The lake, he observed was becoming more shallow than it is now.

Valley, whose culture has been built on and around the lake as a source of food, employment and myths, the inspiration for poetry over hundreds of years and the reason why Kashmir drew many invaders escaping the broiling plains of the sub-continent. Death of the Dal Lake means a life sentence for the 40,000 Kashmiris who reside there and eke out their livelihood from it. The lake is also getting polluted with an estimated 30,000-45,000 34

litres of urine and 30 tonnes of human waste dumped into it every month. Add to it the run-off of chemical fertilisers from the vast drainage basin around it, and you have a lake where internal life processes are under severe stress. Pesticides used by farmers to increase crop productivity find their way into the lake, causing damage to its fauna and flora. Since 1978, when the state government first initiated a study on the ecology of the Dal Lake, 25 reports have been prepared at an expense of about Rs 300 crore, with nothing to show for all the effort. A ‘Save Dal Lake Project’ was launched with much fanfare when Dr Farooq Abdullah assumed office as the State chief minister in 1997. That is when LAWDA was set up to implement the project. The problems of the lake are multi-faceted. Roads like the northern foreshore and

western foreshore have undoubtedly stopped further encroachments of the Dal but they have damaged the lake’s ecosystem. But tones of soil have been dumped in the lake to construct them roads, thus cutting it in its perimeter. It has also stopped the natural springs that feed the lake. Many such springs have got sealed or blinded, aggravating the ecosystem. A victim of human greed, there has been many undesirable changes in its water quality, bioWoman’s Era ● June (Second) 2009

diversity and, worst of all, its size. The lake is getting shallow with every passing day. Besides, various living organisms in it have either vanished or are at the verge of doing so. Wildlife on the Dal lake has become precariously scarce. Surveys into the health of various species of fish that live in the lake suggest that chemical poisons have crept into the biological systems of the fish. Cases of skin rash and other forms of allergies in bathers and swimmers together with vomiting by those who consume the lake fish are indications that the end of the Dal Lake is not very far now.

LAKE’S FEATURES The lake’s hydro-chemical features reveal the ecological changes that have taken place. It is estimated that about 80,000 tonnes of silt, 31,000 kg of nitrates, 4,000 kg of phosphates enter the Dal waters annually. Biological oxygen demand has considerably increased whereas the dissolved oxygen level has fallen below permissible levels. Various parameters exceed the permissible World Health Organisation limits. A post-glacial lake with a shallow depth, Dal is mainly used as a tourist recreation. Situated at an altitude of 1,583 metres above sea level to the north-east of Srinagar city, the Dal is surrounded on all sides, except the south, by the magnificent slopes of high mountains. On the edge of this lake spread various villages, orchards and the famous Mughal Gardens, providing a splendid view. This ‘aquatic plaza’ has been the centre of Kashmiri civilisation since time immemorial. The Dal Lake comprises five basins – Hazratbal, Bod-Dal, Gagribal, Nigeen and Bari Nambal – besides myriad inter connecting channels. The most chronic attack on the existence of the Dal Lake comes from the swelling population within and on its peripheries. The lake nestles nearly 60 hamlets with a population of over 50,000 souls (about 6,000 families). They have property rights over 6,000 kanaals

(20 kanaal equals one hectare) of agricultural land and 1,34,000 kanaals of water area as per the socioeconomic survey of 1986, conducted by the state Urban Environ ment Engineering Department. Throughout history, the Dal Lake has been an important source for the Kashmiri support system and its uses have been diverse: recreational tourism, as a source of drinking water supply, commercial and recreational fishery and irrigation. In addition, a number of aquatic plants are harvested both for food and fodder. These include water chestnut, blue water lily, rush and lotus. It also harbours a dense population of weeds. Some weeds like duckweed, water fern, spirodella and hydrilla have assumed noxious proportions. The flat-bottomed (‘eutopic’) nature of the lake helps weeds take root firmly. Eutrophication due to weeds in the Dal Lake is perhaps higher than anywhere else in the world. The main source of water to the

lake are the two high-altitude Maarsar and Taarsar lakes. The Dal receives 80 per cent of its water from these two lakes through the Tailbal inflow channel cascading down the nearby Daachigam National Park. The Dal is also fed by its own innumerable springs. The inflow of water from the Tailbal stream is 263 CUM per year and in other 33 per cent of it comes from lake bed springs and underground seepage, the remaining two per cent is contributed by precipitation. Its outflow is 213 million CUM; 92 per cent is from the Dalgate sluice gate, five per cent (27CUM) from the Nallah Amir Khan and rest three per cent (seven million CUM) is due to evaporation. The annual outflowinflow balance is 291 million CUM. The Tailbal stream, besides supplying the bulk of the water ironically also deposits an estimated 80,000 tonnes of silt annually into the lake. It was only in the 18th century that

HOW WATER FLOWED IN THE LAKE

them to rise and fall with the water level. These floating gardens can be towed from place to place. No wonder, ‘land theft’ is a documented but rare mischief. When the raadh s sufficiently strong to bear the weight of a person, heaps of weed and mud are extracted from the lake bed, formed into cones and placed on the ‘ raadh ’. Known as pokher , each cone accommodates seedlings of melon, tomatoes, watermelon, eggplant, cucumber, gourd, pumpkin and local staples muanjhe (knoll-kholl) and haakh ( saag ). The rich soil, plenty of moisture and the open summer sun help to produce fruits and vegetables in abundance. Between raadhs of well-watered vegetables are cultivated expanses of the lotus, famous for its stems, locally called nadroo, which is a Kashmiri delicacy. Dal Lake’s floating gardens make it one of Kashmir’s biggest vegetable-producing areas.

In earlier times, the lake used to be flushed with the help of small waterways like Nallah Amir Khan, Chhoonth Khul, Khushaal Sar, Aanchaar Sar and Nallah Maar. But with the conversion of some of these waterways into roads and also a lack of periodic dredging in others including the adjoining river Jhelum, the Dal waters have become almost stagnant. The Dal Lake has been Srinagar’s lungs. The rise of separatism in the early 1990s effectively ended the rule of law in the Valley for more than a decade, leaving this expanse of water to go towards its death. It is a straight fact that unless the habitations within the natural areas of the lake are vacated, human interference will continue to play havoc with the water body as is evident for the last 100 years. Given its present turbidity factor, growth of underwater vegetation shallowing its bed, etc, the limnologists are grieved to note that this has been allowed to reach levels from where recovery is extremely difficult. Add to this the problem of backwaters into the lake from the Jhelum river which once formed an outlet and has now become its depository – and you have a colossal ecological problem We staring menacingly at you!

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FLOATING GARDENS ! Called raadh locally, the floating gardens of the tourist guide-book fame are distinguishable from the distances as little as 15m from the low-lying lake vegetation. For building raadhs, weeds are cut off at the stem about one metre below the surface. Then large fields of weeds are put into plots about two metres wide and about 10m long. These are dense enough to support the weight of alternate layers of reed, willow and soil. Long stakes driven into the resultant rafts at each end anchor them to the lake bottom, yet allow

Srinagar city began to grow towards the Dal Lake. Well into the 20th century, some checks on urbanisation around the lake were maintained by the feudal Dogra monarchy, with the Boulevard area remaining out of bounds for habitation. But roads were built, notably along the south-west fringe, cutting off areas of the lake around the Shankaracharya Hill and the Zabarwan mountain range. The marshes that were thus formed were reclaimed for the construction of shops and houses. In 1947, a pipeline was laid over a bund to channelise drinking water from the Haarwan reservoir, cutting the Dal Lake into two parts and thus reducing the water circulation.

Times have Changed They dreamed of children – without realising the consequences. By Doris Minezes

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her mind that all resistance crumbled and, before ewly-weds they were, and dreaming of a she knew it, the die was cast. family when Dan started speaking The first bundle of joy, not long in coming, nostalgically of his childhood. “We were brought with it boundless delight and ecstacy to the 11,” he told Daisy, “and what a time we parents. The second following it soon after doubled had! My brother and I were masterthe joy and, before long, there were two lusty voices pranksters, superheroes to our younger enlivening the place with gurgling laughter or siblings who followed us night and day like rending the air with wild cries while two pairs of a ragtag batallion. We grew up on their hands revelled in mischief all day long and two heroworship and never had a dull moment.” pairs of legs went romping about creating bedlam “Nor had we,” Daisy was quick to add. “Down wherever they went. the street we were known as the Naughty There was fun in children and here it Nine and could be seen and heard “You’re right was super-style. If together with it there everywhere, dancing on hillocks, chasing there. Fun were hours of drudgery and sleepless butterflies and even climbing trees to peep nights they were soon forgotten in the into birds’ nests. What thrilling days those requires excitement of the day. All that mattered were! But now where’s all the fun gone?” numbers. was that the parents were enjoying “Gone with the wind. Driven out of themselves vicariously. children’s lives by our nuclear families.” How can While life thus went on with reality “You’re right there. Fun requires single shrouded in the mesmeric joy of their numbers. How can single children or just children’s frolic a friend spoke one day of two have fun?” children or how he had to spend a few thousands on “Darling, don’t you think our children admitting his son into nursery school. deserve a childhood like ours? Full of fun?” just two Suddenly, reality struck Dan so sharply “Of course, but how?” have fun?” in the face that he did some quick mental “By having a whole lot of them. Things arithmetic and realising how skimpy his come cheaper by the dozen you know?” savings were, cried out in near despair, “Oh, Daisy, “Dan, are you crazy?” Daisy! What are we in for? In just a couple of years “I’m not! Just think of it. Large families use handwe too will have to shell out some thousands to send me-downs and it can be such a saving on clothes, our little ones to nursery schools.” shoes, books and even so many items. That gives us “And it won’t stop there. Come another few years enough to spend on other things.” and you’ll need some lakhs, a few lakhs, mind you,” “But will it be so easy in real life?” his friend reminded him, “to see them through some “We can give it a try, can’t we? And can cry professional courses.” ‘Halt!’ any moment if the going’s tough. It’s for our “Isn’t that so? Oh, damnation! Since when have children’s sakeremember.” Daisy did not reply, for babies become so costly?” memories of her happy childhood flashed through 36

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nd so came the abrupt end of a long-cherished dream. Now, with no more gurgling babies to cuddle or lullabies to sing, with no more baby chatter to send them into raptures and no pitterpatter of baby feet to listen to, life became one long grind for the couple. True, with a rupee saved here and another pinched there, the bank balance started growing steadily. But money can’t kick its feet up in the air as a baby does nor can it crow with delight when it sees you, and watching it grow is never the same as watching a baby grow. Life continued in this lacklustre fashion for the couple until one day Dan bounded home his voice ringing with excitement. “Daisy,” he shouted, “great news! Wonderful news! An unexpected windfall! My grandaunt Agatha who was childless and who passed away some months ago has left her whole landed property to my brother and me. I heard this from her lawyer today. It’s in such a prime locality that it will fetch us a princely sum. We can sell it and invest the amount in shares. With the stock market booming as it is now, within a year, I’ll have a fortune in my hands. That’ll give us enough funds and that too without tears for our children’s education. Our babies are no longer a bane to us, Daisy, but a boon! Isn’t that great?” “Maybe it is,” responded Daisy desperately.

SHORT STORY

“You should have thought of all this before, Dan,“ his friend went on. “Be reasonable, man! How can you think of money with a baby in your arms?” “What shall we do now?” asked Daisy, her brow puckered in thought. “Why! Call a halt to this baby craze of yours and direct all your energies towards making some money,” the friend advised them matter-of-factly. “Oh, Daisy, he has said it,” repeated Dan mournfully. “No more babies. No more bundles of joy!” “I’ll go along with you, Dan, and help you in every way I can. I’ll take up a home-based job and...” “You’ll have to do more. Cut down on expenses and save every rupee you can.”

“Why, darling! You look so downcast. Aren’t you happy with the news?” “I’ve some news too. I don’t know whether it’s something to ring joy bells for us or not.” He looked at her questioningly and she went on, “I’m going to have a baby.” “You’re what?” “I’m going to have a baby,” she repeated. “You’re not!” “I am. I am. I AM. Can’t you understand that?” “I can and I think it’s great. Simply Great! So why are you so despondent?” “But, Dan, can’t you see? The children may not like the idea.” “What have they to do with it? It’s our baby.” “Oh, Dan, why can’t you understand? The children are grown up now and the eldest is in college, you know.” “I do but what difference does that make?” “Their friends will start poking fun at them and go on sniggering and passing snide remarks. They’ll be the laughing stock of their college-mates and it will be very embarrassing for them. Melissa openly spoke of this to me last year when it had happened to one of her friends. She said the girl was so shattered by it all that she wanted to give up studies.”

love which left them both greatly touched. To top it all, there was a high tea at the end of which the bill was presented to the anniversary couple amidst loud protests from them. When at last the bedlam had subsided a little, there came a curt announcement, “And now comes the baby shower.” “The what?” gasped mum not believing her ears. “The baby shower, mum! For the new baby!” “But...what...who... who...how do you know about it?” “Oh, mum! D’you think we are muffs? We’ve known all along!” “We could make out looking at you, auntie.” o the next baby became a top secret between “There were signs too. You were vomiting some the parents and that robbed them of the many months ago, weren’t you, auntie? D’you think those thrills that would otherwise have been theirs. With no guessing about the baby’s sex or betting on who saw you didn’t know what you were trying to hide?” it, with no wondering like whom the baby would Daisy looked confused and at a loss for words, look like or heated discussions on what to name it, for she couldn’t believe what she was hearing when the days of waiting became drab and cheerless. But her daughter went on, “Oh, mum, you needn’t look it was all to save the children from embarrassment so shocked and flustered. We learn all and the parents gamely took it in their about it in our sex education classes.” stride. “How terrible it is to think that you When the holidays came there was a “Just you knew nothing of all this in your days and lot of excitement as the children with some wait and had to learn all about it only after getting of their cousins who were spending their married!” holidays with them, busied themselves with see! “Did you really, mum?” various activities, all behind closed doors. Tomorrow “We are well informed now and can There was whispering and singing in tell very well when a baby is coming,” corners, talking and planning in hush-hush isn’t far chorussed the younger ones gleefully. tones, composing and writing, stitching away,” was “Did you hear that, Daisy?” whispered and ironing, but most of it was lost on Dan. “We really believed it when we mum who was nursing her own thoughts the laughing were told that the stork brought the babies and fears. That’s why she and Dan were and dropped them in the garden. But utterly surprised when one night the whole answer. now... “ he shook his head in disbelief. lot came to say, “Tomorrow, is your “Times have changed, Dan. They really wedding anniversary and we’re going to have,” his wife said. celebrate it!” “Are you really – and how?” they both asked he baby gifts came in profusion – baby flushed with a happy feeling. dresses and baby quilts, baby blankets and “Just you wait and see! Tomorrow isn’t far away,” feeding bottles, toys, baby kits and many other was the laughing answer. goodies – most of them retrieved from the loft, In the tastefully decorated living room the next washed, ironed and kept ready for use. It was a evening with a few guests sitting around, the thoughtful gesture that left mum and dad bustling brood entertained their parents with music, overwhelmed with joy. And, when all the gifts were song and dance. There were skits written for the laid out, one of the little ones yelled, “Now starts the occasion where, with imagination running riot, they guessing game. Boy or girl? Come on! Guess, enacted how mum and dad met, how he proposed everyone! to her and how then they were married.The star of Amidst shouting and gaiety the kids went on with the evening was the daughter dressed in mum’s their game while Daisy whispered to Dan, “My mind wedding attire and looking like mum on her is at rest now, for I can be sure that the new baby wedding day. will find a home in the children’s hearts,” and Dan It brought back fond memories to mum and dad smiled back saying, “Times may have changed, of those memorable days, and all those who were Daisy, but for us old times are back again. They present on that summer evening were delighted. surely are!” Then came the hugging, kissing and expressions of We “Did she really? We never felt embarrassed in our days.” “Times have changed, Dan. Times have changed!” “What shall we do about it now?” “Keep it a secret. For the present at least. Until I start showing.” “How will that help?” “Right now it will save them from embarrassment and us from feeling guilty. In another two months it will be holiday time and they won’t be meeting the school and college crowd. With the children in their teens their feelings have to be our prime concern.”

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QA &

Q& A I have a five-year-old son. The only problem is that he wets his bed at night. All measures we have attempted to rid him of this habit have been in vain. Please help us cure him of this habit for it is quite embarrassing especially when visiting cousins have to share his bed or when we have to stay elsewhere for some nights and have to carry his mackintosh with us. Bedwetting usually runs in families. The problem is commoner in boys than girls. The incidence decreases as the child grows older, so the chances are that your son may stop bed wetting without treatment in the next year or so. In the meantime, you could restrict his fluid intake for at least two hours before bedtime. Ensure that he passes urine before going to bed. Praise him for the ‘dry’ nights but do not scold or beat him after a wet night for he does not do it on purpose. Take him to the toilet at least once during the night. In the daytime teach him to hold his urine for longer and longer periods so that the bladder is stretched and can hold larger amounts of urine for a longer time.

My son is three-and-a-half-year old. He is a very active, intelligent child. The problem is that he hasn’t started speaking as yet. We have got him examined by our GP who says that there is nothing wrong with him. He tells us to have patience but I can’t 40

bear to sit and do nothing about it. Please tell us what to do. You and your husband could consult your respective parents to find out if either or you, your siblings or anyone in the family, started speaking late. If there is such a history in the family this could be the reason for the delay in your child. In My son is in the habit of scratching walls and eating plaster! Please tell me how to make him stop this habit. I am afraid that it may cause harm. Your son has a disorder called pica which means a desire to eat non-edible things. Though the cause is not known, it could be associated with neglect, deprivation, insecurity or even child abuse. Please be on the look-out especially if you are a working woman who has to leave him alone for prolonged periods. Also find out if there is a family history of pica. As for manage ment of the situation, try distracting him whenever he starts scratching the wall, instead of getting angry with him. Give him attention, love and security. Try substituting the plaster with chewable calcium tablets. Get his haemoglobin tested as pica can be associated with iron deficiency anaemia. Intake of dirt can lead to worm infestation which has to be looked into.

Woman’s Era ● June (Second) 2009

that case, as your doctor advised, all you need is patience. If he is the only child at home and you are a working couple who remain away from home for long periods of time, it could be that he hasn’t started speaking for the simple reason that he hasn’t been talked to enough. If this is the case, make him interact with other children in the colony or play school. Both of you should also talk to him as much as possible. Also get him examined by a specialist for, sometimes, hearing impairment can also lead to delay in speech.

My son is three years old. He has very dry skin especially in winter. Could you advise what cream should be used. What kind of food should be given? First of all get him examined by a dermatologist to confirm or rule out any skin disease. If it is due to a skin affliction the necessary medication and lotion will be prescribed. He will tell you whether the dryness is natural or a part of some disease process. In the case of the latter, appropriate medicines and lotions will be prescribed. For dryness massage his skin with oils like coconut or olive oil. Avoid using strong soaps on his skin. Use mild glycerine-based soaps. Protect his skin as much as possible from direct exposure to the elements.

My daughter is 10 months old and has not yet developed a single tooth. Her gums however are hard. Is this normal or do I need to consult a doctor? What is the right age for the first tooth to erupt? The first tooth usually erupts around the 6th month but there is a wide variation. If all her other milestones are normal, sooner or later her teeth will erupt especially now that her gums have become hard. On the other hand if her other milestones – like neck holding, sitting up etc – too are delayed she needs a thorough check-up. – Dr Amrinder Bajaj, MD.

Chaat platter with spinach and lotus stems

SUMPT SUMPTUOUS DELIGHTS

Summer and monsoons is a time to enjoy a variety of fruits and leafy vegetables. Try out these unusual recipes with seasonal ingredients. By Roma Ghosh

CHAAT PLATTER WITH SPINACH AND LOTUS STEMS

INGREDIENTS: For the spinach pakoras: 8-10 big spinach leaves with a part of the stem 11/2 cups of besan – gram flour 1 tsp of annar dana powder oil for deep frying salt to taste For the lotus stem pakoras: 250 gm of lotus stem – bhey 1/ tsp of red chilli powder 2 1 tsp of garlic paste salt to taste To serve: 1/ cup of chopped onions and 2 tomatoes 2-3 tsp of mixed spices of chaat masala, jeera powder and red chilli powder 2 cups of sweetened whipped curd sweet and sour chutney or green chutney - optional 44

METHOD Wash the spinach leaves and allow the leaves to dry. Scrape the lotus stem and cut into very thin pieces.Wash well and then sprinkle salt and rub the salt and chilli powder and rub in the garlic paste in the lotus stem pieces and keep aside. Add 2 cups of water to the besan, add the salt and the annar dana powder. Mix well and blend with your fingers to get a dough which is fluffy and smooth. Heat the oil for deep frying. Dip the spinach leaves one at a time in the besan batter and deep-fry on both sides till golden brown. Dip the lotus stem pieces into the besan dough and fry a few pieces at a time turning once or twice so that both sides of the lotus stem pakoras are fried till golden brown. Place these on a serving plate and sprinkle the chopped onions and tomatoes, spices and the sweet whipped curd and serve as a chaat immediately. Woman’s Era

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Chicken with green mango paste

CHICKEN WITH GREEN MANGO PASTE INGREDIENTS: 700 gm of chicken cut into small pieces 3-4 tbsp of oil 1/ tsp of haldi powder 2 1 tbsp of coriander powder 2 tsp of jeera powder 3 tbsp of onion paste salt to taste For the marinade: 1 cup of beaten curd 3 tsp of ginger-garlic paste 3 tbsp of coriander leaves paste 1 tbsp of mint leaves paste 3 tbsp of green mango paste

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2 green chilli cut into small pieces salt to taste METHOD To prepare the mango paste – remove the peel and the centre portion of the green mango and cut into small pieces. Then grind to a fine paste adding a few teaspoons of water. Mix the rest of the ingredients for the marinade in a mixing bowl. Sprinkle salt on the chicken pieces and then marinate the pieces with the prepared marinade and keep aside for 1 hour. Heat the oil in a thick-bottomed pan or a pressure cooker and fry the onion paste till translucent. Add the chicken pieces with the marinade and fry on medium heat for 3-4 minutes. Lower the heat and add the spices and salt to taste. Keep stirring and frying over low heat for a further 2-3 minutes. Add 1 cup of water and check for the salt. If you are using a pressure cooker then cook the chicken only till 1 or 2 whistles of the pressure cooker. If you are using a pan, then cover with a lid and cook the chicken till the pieces are tender. You can adjust the thickness of the gravy as per your taste. Serve with plain rotis or paranthas for a summer meal.

MUTTON WITH BABY ONIONS AND BUTTER MILK

tsp of annar dana powder 2 tsp or more of red chilli powder 1 tsp of haldi powder 200 gm of baby onions – peeled but kept whole – do not slice the onions 4 tbsp of tomato puree or paste salt to taste 2

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For the marinade: 200 ml of butter milk 3 tsp of garlic 3 tsp of green chilli paste – or less as per taste salt to taste METHOD Mix all the ingredients of the marinade and marinate the mutton pieces in this and keep aside for at least 5-6 hours. Heat a pressure cooker and cook the mutton with the marinade and half cup of water till the mutton is half cooked. Remove and keep aside. Heat the oil in a kadhai, lower the heat and fry the onions till these begin to change colour– this should only take 1-2 minutes. Now lower the heat and mix in the half cooked mutton. Add the spices and cover with a lid and cook on low fire till the mutton is almost tender. At this stage mix in the tomato puree and stir well. Cover again with a lid and cook till most of the marinade has evaporated. Here again the gravy

Mutton with baby onions and butter milk

INGREDIENTS: 750 gm of mutton 1/ cup of oil 2 3 tsp of jeera powder Woman’s Era

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Coffee and hung curd cake

of the mutton dish will depend on your choice. Serve the mutton with appam or rotis.

COFFEE AND HUNG CURD CAKE INGREDIENTS: 11/2 tbsp of coffee powder 1 tsp of baking powder 1/ tsp of baking soda 2 250 gm of maida 220 gm of sugar 180 ml of thick curd 40-50 gm of tinned cherries cut into small pieces For the hung curd layering: 2 cups of sweetened hung curd 1/ tsp of coffee essence or 2 vanilla essence METHOD Sift together the maida, coffee, baking soda and baking powder and keep aside in a mixing bowl. In a mixer grind the sugar first and then mix in the oil and the curd and blend thoroughly. Now add the wet mixture into the dry ingredients a little at a time, mixing all the time so that no lumps form. Mix in the cherry pieces. You should have a smooth batter. Grease a circular baking dish and pour 45

the contents into the baking dish and bake in a preheated oven at 180 degree C for 35-40 minutes or until the top of the cake looks brown and a skewer when inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool in the oven for 10 minutes. Remove and allow the cake to cool completely. Once the cake has cooled cut the cake horizontally into three circular pieces. For the layering of the cake: Whip the hung curd and mix in the essence to obtain a smooth paste of spreading consistency. Spread this on one of the layers of cake and cover it with another circle. Spread the remaining hung curd as an icing and cut into slices and serve chilled.

the seeds from inside the papaya so that you have a hollow in which you can fill the prepared jelly. Prepare the jelly crystals as per instructions on the packet. Cool to room temperature and then pour this jelly solution before it begins to set into the papaya hollow. Place the papaya standing upright in a container so that the papaya with the jelly solution does not move. Place the container in a fridge for the jelly to set inside the papaya. This could take around 3-4 hours. Once the jelly sets take a sharp knife and cut circles so that you have papaya pieces with jelly in the centre. Serve chilled.

STUFFED PAPAYA WITH JELLY

INGREDIENTS: 200 ml of curd 2 tsp of ginger cut into very fine pieces or strips 3/ tsp of oil 4 1/ tsp of mustard seeds 2 8-10 curry leaves

INGREDIENTS: 1 small papaya weighing around 300-350 gm 1 packet of jelly crystals

SUMMER BUTTER MILK

METHOD Keep the papaya whole but remove the peel and cut a thin circular strip on top and remove

1 very finely chopped green chilli – optional 2 tbsp of pomegranate seeds salt to taste METHOD Beat the curd and add 150 ml of cold water and blend well in a mixer and keep aside in the fridge. Prepare the tempering by heating the oil and adding the mustard seeds and curry leaves and allow these to splutter. Once the seeds begin to splutter, put off the heat and add the ginger pieces. Add this tempering and the pomegranate seeds into the chaas just when you are about to serve it. Pour into four individual glasses and serve chilled.

SALAD LEAF BATTER FRIED

(Salad leaf pakoras with mango flavour) INGREDIENTS: 1 bunch of green or red salad leaves 1 cup besan 1/ tsp of ajwain – carom 2 seeds oil for deep frying salt to taste For the spread: 300 gm of green mango 2 green chillies 1/ cup hung curd 2

Stuffed papaya with jelly

Summer butter milk

METHOD Peel the mangoes, remove the kernel and cut into very small pieces. With the green chillies grind to a fine paste. Mix this mango paste with the hung curd and keep aside. Separate the bunch of salad leaves and choose 7-8 whole leaves without any cracks in them. Wash the leaves well and

Salad leaf batter fried

pat-dry with a kitchen towel, taking care not to break them. On each of the leaves spread the prepared mixture gently with your finger. Wrap or fold each of the leaves once you have spread the mixture and prepare ‘parcels’ or wraps in this way. Make the batter by mixing the besan, one and a half cups of water, salt and ajwain and blend with your fingers to get a smooth batter. Heat enough oil for deep frying. Dip each of the salad wraps into the besan and deepfry only for a few seconds on each side. Serve hot with mango sweet and sour chutney.

MANGO SWEET AND SOUR (Mango chutney)

METHOD Peel both the mangoes and remove the centre portion. Cut each of the mangoes into long strips. Keep aside. Heat only in a kadhai and add the whole spices and allow these to splutter. Lower the heat and add the Leafy jamboree green mangoes and fry till these begin to change colour – this should only take 1-2 minutes. pakoras or even with plain Now, add 150 ml of water and steamed rice. allow the mango pieces to simmer in this water, covering with a lid for about 3 minutes. Mix in the sweet mango pieces and stir gently. Covering again with a lid cook on low fire till the sweet mango begins to become tender INGREDIENTS: and mushy. At this stage you 4 cups of any of the following could add a few tbsp of water if leafy vegetables: spinach, kalmi you want the chutney to be more saag, lal saag or sour palak or watery. Once the sweet mango any other saag available during pieces look tender, add the sugar this season – you could use any and stir. Let the sugar melt . Mix combination in any proportion the red chilli powder with 2 tsp of 4 pods garlic lukewarm water and add to the 2 green chillies chutney. Bring the chutney to boil 2 chopped tomatoes 1/ cup of chana dal soaked in 2 over low heat. Put off and allow water for 1 hour to cool to room temperature. 1/ tsp turmeric 2 Serve at room temperature or cold. This chutney stays good in 1 tbsp coriander powder the fridge for 2-3 days. Serve with 2 tsp of jeera powder 1/ tsp of amchur powder 2 Mango sweet and sour 1 tsp of oil salt to taste

LEAFY JAMBOREE

INGREDIENTS: 1 sweet mango weighing around 150 gm 1 green mango weighing around 150 gm 2 tsp of mustard oil 1 bay leaf 2 cardamoms 1 inch piece of cinnamon 1 tsp of red chilli powder 1 tbsp of sugar – or more as per taste salt to taste

METHOD Wash the saag. Place the dal, saag, spices and oil in a pressure cooker and add half cup of water and pressure cook till the vegetables are completely tender and so is the dal. Allow to cool. Use a wooden masher and mash the preparation to obtain a smooth leafy jamboree. Serve with steamed rice. Woman’s Era

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SUMMER CHICKEN WITH LENTILS AND GREEN MANGO INGREDIENTS: 400 gm of boneless chicken cut into medium pieces 1 cup of mixed dal – masor, mung and chana dal 1 medium onion cut into small pieces 1 tsp of red chilli powder 1/ tsp of haldi powder 2 1 tsp curry powder 3 pods of garlic 4 tsp of green mango paste 4-5 tbsp of oil 1 tsp of garam masala powder METHOD Soak the dals in water for 2 hours and then cook in a pressure cooker with 2 and a half cup of water and salt to taste. Cook till the dals are soft. Make a paste by mixing the haldi powder, chilli powder, curry powder and keep this mixed curry paste aside. Heat the oil in a thick-bottomed pan and fry the chicken pieces till light golden brown. While frying the chicken, add salt to taste and turn Summer chicken with lentils and green mango

over so that both the sides of the chicken are golden brown. Remove from the pan and now fry in the same pan till the onions and garlic are translucent. Add the mixed curry paste, mango paste and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Lower the heat and mix in the cooked dal. Stir and cook for a further 2 minutes. Now, mix in the chicken pieces and 2 cups of water. Cover with a lid and cook the chicken pieces till they become tender and the dal gravy is thick in consistency. Serve with paranthas.

CHILLED ORANGE SOUP INGREDIENTS: 150 ml of orange juice 80 ml of pineapple juice 3 tbsp sugar 1 cup water 1 inch stick cinnamon 2 tsp of chopped cucumber pieces 2 tsp of chopped tomato pieces 1 chopped green chilli - optional METHOD Cook the sugar, water and stick cinnamon to a syrup. Cool this syrup to room temperature and pass through a strainer and place in a large mixing bowl. Add the orange and pineapple juice, Chilled orange soup

blending well. Mix in the chopped cucumber, tomato pieces and chopped chillies if you are using. Chill and serve as a cold soup on a hot summer afternoon with sandwiches with summer spread.

Sandwiches with summer spread

SANDWICHES WITH SUMMER SPREAD INGREDIENTS: For the spread: 3-4 peaches cut into quarters and seed removed 1 sweet mango peeled and cut into small pieces 2 tbsp of sugar or less depending on how sweet the fruits are 1/ tsp of cinnamon powder 2 1/ tsp of chilli powder 2 1 apple cored but not peeled and grated finely 200 ml of apple juice bread slices for the sandwiches METHOD Bring 70-80 ml of water to boil and in it add the all the cut fruit pieces. Lower the heat and allow the fruit pieces to cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring from time to time. Mix in the apple juice and the spices.

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Continue to simmer for another 3 minutes. Mix in the sugar and keep stirring on low fire till the sugar melts. Cook the spread till it begins to thicken keeping in mind that it will thicken further when left to cool at room temperature. Cool the spread and spread between bread slices and serve chilled or without chilling.

MUSK MELON ICE CREAM INGREDIENTS: 1 musk melon 1/ litre or more of ice cream 2 depending on how much fits into the melon METHOD Cut the melon into two halves vertically and remove the seeds but do not peel the melon. You will now have two halves of melon and you will have to scoop out some of the flesh from each melon to get depressions or hollows in the melon. Do not scoop out all the pulp. You should scoop only half way through the melon to remove only a portion of the melon. Blend the ice cream in a mixer to get a liquid form. Pour the ice-cream liquid into the scooped-out depressions and place in the freezer for the ice

Mango and peach salad

cream to re-set. When serving scoop out the ice cream in such a way that a portion of the musk melon also scoops out with the ice cream. This sweet dish looks good to serve. It’s simple to prepare but looks good to serve. You could cut the melon with the ice cream and serve it in medium pieces.

SUMMER REFRESHER INGREDIENTS: For two servings: 1 cup of prepared jelly 1 cup of aam pana slush

8-10 pieces of black jamun or mango pieces For the aam pana slush: 1 cup of aam pana METHOD To prepare the aam pana slush you will need to freeze the aam pana in ice trays so that you have ice cubes of aam pana. Just before serving blend the aam pana ice cubes in a mixer for a few seconds only to get a crushed form of aam pana. To serve: Place a portion of jelly in a glass. On this place a portion of the aam pana crush and top with pieces of black jamun or sweet mango pieces.

MANGO AND PEACH SALAD INGREDIENTS: 2 sweet mangoes – any variety 3-4 sweet peaches 4 tomatoes 2 chopped green chillies 1-2 spring onion 2 tbsp mint leaves - chopped 1 tbsp coriander - chopped Juice of 1 lime 3 tbsp olive oil pinch of sugar salt, pepper to taste

Musk melon ice cream

Summer refresher

METHOD Peel the mangoes and remove the kernel and cut the flesh into long thin strips. Cut the peaches

into quarters and remove the seed. Dice the tomatoes and chilli, chop the mint, coriander. Combine the tomatoes with the chilli, mint, coriander, lime juice and olive oil. Place in a salad bowl and then add the mangoes and peaches. Season with the sugar, salt, pepper to taste. Chill and serve.

Vegetable with green mango and coconut

SPICY MOCKTAIL

300 ml vegetable juice - any combination We have used beetroot and carrot juice 3 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce 1 tbsp grated horseradish mooli 2 tbsp sugar

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8 teaspoon hot pepper sauce dash of freshly ground black pepper olives and lemon and lime wedges, optional salt to taste

METHOD Combine tomato juice, lemon juice, Worcestershire, horseradish, salt, sugar, hot pepper sauce and black pepper, stirring well. Refrigerate for 1 hour. Place 2 or 3 tablespoons of salt in a saucer. Rub rims of serving glasses with a lime wedge. Spin rims of each glass in salt to coat; set aside. Fill each prepared glass with ice; pour tomato juice and add a few olives and a piece of lime in each glass and serve chillied

VEGETABLE WITH GREEN MANGO AND COCONUT INGREDIENTS: 250 gm of kundrie - green vegetable – gherkin like vegetable Spicy Mocktail

1 medium potato cut into thick pieces the size of kundrie 3-4 tsp of oil small bunch of curry leaves 1/ tsp of mustard seeds 2 1/ tsp of haldi powder 4 salt to taste For the paste: green mango weighing around 200 gm fresh coconut one piece weighing 150 gm 3 pods garlic 2 green chillies METHOD Trim both the ends of the kundrie and make a slit in the centre. Wash well, sprinkle salt and keep aside. Grind all the ingredients for the paste. Heat the oil in a kadhai and add the kundrie pieces and fry on low heat for 2-3 minutes. If you are using potatoes add at this stage and fry on low heat for another 2 minutes. Mix in the spices and add 2 tbsp of water and cover with a lid and cook on low fire till the kundries and potatoes are tender. Mix in the wet paste and stir-fry for another 2-3 minutes. Serve with rotis. We

Fashionista Inaugurates Second Centre at Paschim Vihar Fashionista, the biggest ever Fashion School of the industry housing the top Fashion houses, has added another feather in its cap with the launch of Paschim Vihar Centre under the care of Ms Alpna and Ms Bhawna. The distinguished fashion designer, Abdul Halder and Managing Director of Fashionista Ms Neetu P Manikatalia inaugurated the Centre on Saturday, 16 May, 2009 at M2K mall, Pitampura. The evening witnessed a scintillating fashion preview of fashion designer Abdul Halder and Canadian Apparel brand Groggy, modelled by Krishna Somani, Jayshree Tahiliani, Ruchi Malhotra, Divya Bakshi and many ‘International Models’. Also the occasion was graced by Mr Pradeep Arora – CEO of Groggy, Mr Sandeep-Ostermann, Mr Sanjay Bhat- VP, Marketing, M2K and Mr Sanjay Kaul-VP, Operations, M2K. Ms Alpna and Ms Bhawna, Center Directors of Fashionista says, “After making a mark in Interior designing we have now diversified in the fashion industry with fashionista to nurture unrefined talents and also encouraging them to get to know the dynamics of the fashion world and aspire for proficient career. Fashionista will garner in students the technical skills to sway and respond to social change by setting style in visual culture and global fashion.” Fashionista is led by Ms Reynu Tandon (Renowned Designer) in the advisory panel and a team of leading professionals like Mr Abdul Halder (well-known Designer), Rahul Dutta (Fashion photographer), Hemant

Kaushik (Famous Designer), Rahul Popli (Jewellery designer), Rahul Dutta (Portfolio Guru), Mr Anil Kapur (Textile Designer), Mr Vijay Roy (Fashion Stylist).

Nuby launches Bisphenol A-free range of baby products Nuby, world’s No. 1 infant care feeding and teething company comprehends the harmful effects of Bisphenol A (BPA) in children and the environment and thus launched the all new range of BPA-free baby products, creating an awareness of the same amongst the people. On the occasion, Mr Kartik Raina, Director, Radiohms Agencies Limited, licensee distributors of Nuby in Asia said, “Nuby is sensitive to the harmful effects of BPA in baby products. BPA is a chemical known to mimic the hormone estrogen in the body, which can cause changes in developing foetuses and infants, and induce early puberty in girls. In India, the people are largely unaware of how destructive this chemical can be for infants, although the chemical is banned in some states of the US and Canada. Nuby’s vision is to create a BPA-free world for infants for their healthy growth.” Speaking at the launch of Nuby BPA-free products, Ms Nidhi Khaitan Modi, Executive Director of Radiohms Agencies Limited, said, “We already have presence in 2,200 outlets across the country and plan to reach 5,000 stores by 2010, thereby increasing our revenue by more than double in this segment. We hope to reach to our customers through the extensive distribution of network and our trusted partners across the country.” The price of the products ranges from Rs 160 to Rs 700. The range is available in pharma stores and leading retail outlets across the country.

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MANJU MALHI TAKING UK BY STORM Specialisation in any field means success. By Ameeta Sharma

he world of successful chefs is highly competitive. More so, if you are of Indian origin, settled in London, yet taking full pride in the Indian cuisine – and that seems the perfect introduction to Manju Malhi. I first met Manju when she was invited to Delhi by the British High Commission to do a show just before the IFE in Delhi. Then I met her a couple of months later at the Jaipur Literary Festival where once again she was showcasing some English dishes tweaked for the Indian palate. Manju was raised in north-west London, is heavy on Indian culture, traditions and lifestyle but just as easily displays her quirkiness with a streak of red in her hair – yes, it’s real and, yes, she had it styled and dyed in the UK. Her accent is typical of the area she has lived in but she also speaks Punjabi and Hindi and the accent just about vanishes. Today, her unique personality extends to her food style – the BritIndi style – which mixed Indian and Western influences to create

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something as individualistic as herself. At the turn of the last millennium, 1999, Manju won a competition to be a guest chef for the BBC’s programme, Food and Drink and later invited for a second appearance. Another TV series were aired in early 2001 and followed by books with easy to follow innovative recipes. Today, she is successful on TV, radio, and the shelves of bookstores, and agrees to respond to some questions as well.

What was it like being born and growing up in UK for you and your brother? We never get a clear picture of 'Indian-origin' kids as some seem to have an extreme environment? It was an interesting upbringing just like any childhood which wasn’t totally idyllic. It all started to get tough when my father died at an early age of heart disease in the late seventies. My mother became a young widow and had to look after me and my younger brother. I was faced with all sorts of challenges. Our family had decided to start a new life in Mumbai, Woman’s Era ● June (Second) 2009

and my mother, brother and I packed our bags and flew to India. My father stayed behind to sell the house. But he died of a heart attack in London while we were settling in school and Indian life thousands of miles away. At the time, I was extremely upset being 10 years old. But it must have been devastating for my mother who was still so much in love with him. They had eloped to Britain against family wishes back in the late sixties. We had to return to London. Luckily, the house never got sold and we were now back in a harsh Britain where iron lady Mrs Thatcher and her ‘uptight’ policies made it difficult for anyone of Asian origin to feel accepted in British society regardless of whether one was born British or not. Enduring bullying and racism at school, I carried on with some kind of life, lacking the confidence needed to get ahead. My mother made sure we had food and clothing and worked round the clock as a nurse at the local hospital. But, for all that happened, I never gave up and Britain made me what I am today.

You said you were in India for a couple of years as your parents toyed with the idea of shifting back. How did that displacement feel, and was going back a good experience? My experiences for a couple of years in India were full of pleasant surprises. Just like in Britain, I felt like an outsider but in a nice kind of way. The people in Mumbai were very friendly. I learnt how to read and write Hindi and I gradually started coming out of my shell. My dad’s unmarried younger brother took on the guardian role and things got easier for all of us. I loved my uncle to bits. I remember how, after a hard day at work as an engineer at a steel plant, he would spend each evening helping me with my studies. I am so glad that I had that opportunity to experience the Indian education system and life in India. In India so much emphasis is on 'graduation' whereas you have a successful career despite no university - were you happy with education in UK and why did you give it up? After my father passed away, my mother, brother and I returned to the UK. When I went back to school in London, I began to do well academically. However, I loved the media and my mother tells me that, when I was a child, I didn’t much care for dolls but loved microphones and improvised with a skipping rope interviewing my father. So I suppose my heart was in radio and television. Plus, I didn’t get the grades for the courses I wanted to do which were veered towards the sciences leading to some kind of career in medicine. So I thought I should pursue another avenue and see where it takes me. I volunteered at a local radio station covering stories and then got a fulltime job as a DJ and presenter. Today, your career as a cookbook writer and chef is on the rise but how did it all start for you? I suppose I was always interested in what my mother used to make in the kitchen. After school, I would

bring my friends home where my poor mum would rustle up spicy snacks. Sometimes I would help her and watch her cooking techniques. Then I began to write the recipes down and created a kind of database. I loved watching cooking shows too. My career started when I entered a competition. It was a sort of ‘cookery idol’ style competition where entrants had to send a tape of them cooking a dish in an interesting way. I didn’t have a kitchen, so I prepared coriander chutney in the garden in the middle of winter with all the ingredients flying around! Despite the technical hitches, I won the competition to cook on British television with a leading celebrity chef Antony Worrall Thompson. Then came requests to cook ‘curry’ on other TV shows and my book called Brit Spice.

You were recently invited to the literary festival – what was your brief there and did you enjoy it? I was asked to create a menu using British ingredients and the Indian spices which would be served at a luncheon for 300 authors and press. Plus I conducted a small cooking demonstration where I made a tadka bread snack and some chilli paneer using tomato ketchup while James Asher and Mahesh Vinayakram played Indo British music from their album Bravado Masala. So it was a session of fusion, funk and Woman’s Era ● June (Second) 2009

food. The menu included masala shepherd’s pie, cauliflower cheese with cumin and fruit crumble made from seasonal fruits with a cardamom custard. I loved working with the chefs at Clarks Amer in Jaipur who were eager to learn and I was keen to broaden my knowledge of operating in a professional hotel kitchen. I also loved that whole experience of schmoozing with the International Literateri. It was a real eye opener and writers are so laid back and open to new ideas.

Would you consider getting married and staying behind in India? India is a complex yet beautiful place where tradition sits next to modernity in all aspects of life including food, love and marriage. It is open to ideas from outside and is prepared to experiment and be more adventurous in its approach to different ideals from the West. (And she shrugs her shoulders, not rising to the bait of married life in India!) What makes you happy as a person? Something simple or something complex – what makes you tick? What really make me happy are the simple things in life – rice daal and looking at the sky where you’re never far from reaching for the stars and all your hopes and dreams. We 57

It could be crippling not only for the woman but also for her family when she is down. So urgent medical attention is essential. By Dr Sonal Agarwal

CHRONIC

PELVIC PAIN IN WOMEN

any of my relatives’ and friends’ wives complain of pain in the lower abdomen and pelvic region. This problem is very common in adult women. Long-term (chronic) pelvic pain can affect their lifestyles and work efficiency. Many women have to take leave from their work and some are unable to perform household work due to pelvic pain. The whole of the family depends on the lady of the house, so when the lady is unwell, the whole family life is affected. Most women try to ignore their problems and do not take medical advice and suffer. Although most women think that pelvic pain is due to problems in the genital organs it can occur because of many causes. Some of them may be serious, so women should consult a doctor and undertake appropriate investigations to know the underlying cause of the pelvic pain, then take proper, adequate treatment so that they become healthy.

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MAIN CAUSES OF PELVIC PAIN As the uterus, Fallopian tubes, ovaries and other reproductive organs are situated in the pelvic region, any condition which affects them can cause pain. An infection in the uterus and/or Fallopian tubes, is called Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID), and the most common cause of pain in the lower abdomen in women. It can occur to any woman but it is common after abortion or delivery. If it is not treated properly initially, it may become chronic PID, which is quite troublesome and difficult to treat. PID causes fever, abnormal vaginal discharge, tenderness in the lower abdomen and pelvic region besides pain. Chronic PID can make women weak and irritable. Sometimes, they are unable to conceive and bear children. PID should be treated promptly and adequately by antibiotics. Sometimes, if it is serious, and their Woman’s Era

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family is complete then, the uterus and Fallopian tubes have to be removed by operation to give permanent relief from problems due to PID. Sometimes, a tumour in the uterus (fibroid) or ovaries (ovarian cyst) can also cause lower abdominal pain. Besides these, many other genital

organ diseases can also cause pelvic pain. Women suffering from pelvic pain should consult the gynaecologist without hesitation. They will find out the cause of the pain after exami nation and necessary investigations and will be treated accordingly. Pain in the lower abdomen during pregnancy should never be ignored as it may have serious conse quences. It may be indicative of abortion if associated with bleeding. If pregnant ladies experience abdominal pain, they should immediately consult the doctor,

Advanced Endometriosis Fallopian Tube Uterus

Enlarged Ovary

Cervix

Fibroid tumours may occur in various regions of the uterus

preferably an obstetrician and gynaecologist, who will examine and do the necessary tests to know the status of pregnancy and foetus, and will treat accordingly. In early pregnancy, severe lower abdominal pain, pelvic pain, bleeding and fainting may be due to ectopic pregnancy — i.e., when, instead of the uterus, the foetus has been implanted in the wrong place like the Fallopian tube. Ectopic pregnancy is very serious and life-threatening if not treated promptly and energetically by a gynaecologist by operation and lifesupportive treatments. Lower abdominal pain in later pregnancy may be due to early labour pains and should be immediately reported to a specialist doctor, especially when

associated with vaginal discharge and/or bleeding. In all pregnant women abdominal pain is not because of obstetrical reasons. It can also be due to the enteritis which also causes loose motions, constipation, amoebiasis, and worm infestations which are very common problems in our country. They can also cause abdominal pain in women. These diseases can be easily confirmed by stool examination and other necessary tests. They must be treated properly and adequately. The urinary bladder, ureter and urethra lie in the pelvic, while the kidney is situated slightly higher up. Infections, stones and other diseases of the urinary tract can cause lower abdomen and pelvic pain. These conditions also cause frequency of urination, burning and/or pain during urination and sometimes fever with chills. Urinary tract infection (UTI) is very common in women, especially during pregnancy and after delivery. After confirming

Vagina

UTI by urine examination and urine culture, it should be properly and adequately treated. If women ignore UTI, or take inadequate treatment, it can recur again and again, and may become resistant to antibiotics.

STONE IN KIDNEY Stone in kidney, or ureter or urinary bladder usually causes attacks of very severe pain, usually starting from the back and radiating to the pelvis and groin along with burning, frequent urination and sometimes blood in the urine. Urinary bladder stones can cause severe pain in the pelvic region. The stones in the urinary tract can be confirmed by an X-ray, ultrasound and other tests of the abdomen. Treatment depends upon the symptoms and finding of investigations. Besides the above common causes of pelvic pain, many other conditions such as bone diseases like spondylitis, prolapsed discs, osteoporosis, osteopornia and many other diseases can sometimes cause lower backache which may radiate to the pelvic region. After excluding the above causes these diseases should be We considered.

When you get an overflow of the same kind of gift, here’s what to do with the extras. By A. C. Tuli

GIFTS IN TRANSIT iddharth’s parents had decided to arrange a grand tea party on his 11th birthday. So they drew up a list of their son’s friends whom he wanted to invite on this occasion. Besides, they also decided to invite their close relatives to share their happiness. All arrangements for the tea party were made to the entire satisfaction of Siddharth’s parents. His mother, assisted by their domestic help Sheela, was bustling about to ensure that everything was okay before the party began. His father was ringing up the confectioner with whom the family had placed the order for Siddharth’s birthday cake. The first guest to turn up at their house was Vikrant, their son’s best friend. Vikrant came accompanied by his mother. Both of them wished Siddharth many, many happy returns of the day. They handed him his birthday gift, packed in a cardboard box that was wrapped in a yellow translucent paper. Shortly afterwards,

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more school friends of Siddharth walked in. The attractively packed gifts and bouquets that they had brought for Siddharth were deposited on a side-table. Siddharth’s uncles and aunts also dropped in to wish him a long life. They, too, had brought gifts for him. When the party was over and the guests had departed, Sheela set about washing and cleaning up in the kitchen. It was now quite late in the evening, and Siddharth’s parents were feeling rather tired and wanted to rest for a while. Suddenly, Siddharth heard his mother asking him if he would like to see his birthday gifts now or in the morning? “Mama,” replied Siddharth, “I think I had better see these gifts now, otherwise I’ll go to bed thinking of all these packs and wondering what each one of them contained.” While his mother set about removing the wraps from the cardboard boxes, his father sat down on the sofa to give his tired limbs some rest. The first pack that was opened contained a wristwatch. The Woman’s Era

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second, surprisingly, also carried a wristwatch. The third pack, slightly bigger than the other two, promised to break the monotony of wristwatches. And it did indeed – it was an alarm clock! When the fourth pack, larger than the previous three, was torn open, all of them were a little startled, for this time it was a quartz wall-clock. Siddharth had not yet taken his eyes off it when his mother, tearing open another oblong pack, said with a note of disappointment in her voice, “Oh, it’s a timepiece fixed in a pen-stand.” When all the packs had been opened, they took stock of the final tally - wristwatches three, alarm clocks three, and wall clocks four, apart from the timepiece embedded in the pen-stand. Siddharth’s father wondered what zany impulse it was that had inspired their guests to plump for watches, clocks and timepieces as gifts for their son. Was it some kind of joke on their part to jointly convey to Siddharth the age-old truth that time is a precious commodity and,

therefore, should not be wasted? But fountain pens or a dozen table-lamps on second thoughts, it seemed to him as gifts from your friends on your rather foolish and far-fetched to think birthday, will you be able to use all that there was any kind of considered of them? Of course you won’t be. So, plan behind it. Their guests had come what should one do with a superfluity from different parts of the city, and of gifts of one particular kind? most of them were unknown to each “The other day when we met at a other. kitty party, Mrs Kapoor said, ‘Giving “What shall we do with all these and taking of gifts has nowadays wristwatches, alarm clocks and wall become a dull, mechanical routine in clocks?” Siddharth’s father wondered our life. In fact, I call the gifts I after a while. “We have already receive from friends and relatives on enough of them in the house. my children’s birthdays and some Obviously, we’ll have to keep all other occasions as gifts-in-transit. these gifts dumped in some They come, stay with me for a while, cupboard.” and then find their way to other Siddharth’s mother, however, had homes.’ So, like Mrs Kapoor, we too already decided how these gifts were should regard these gifts as gifts-into be used. So she said, “Why, I think transit.” these gifts can be gifted away again.” However, in this matter “Gifts can be gifted away again? Siddharth’s father thought in a What do you mean by that?” asked different way. A gift, he said her husband sharply, for he had not emphatically, was a gift and, followed this riddle. therefore, ought to be cherished for “The sensible thing to do,” replied its sentimental associations. But Siddharth’s mother, “is to give these then, suddenly, a thought struck his gifts, of course under fresh mind. Why had they all this while not wrappings, to friends and relatives as asked Siddharth what he wanted to and when an occasion arises for do with all these wristwatches, alarm doing so,” she replied. clocks and wall-clocks? After all, “But shouldn’t a gift that these gifts were meant you receive on a particular for him. occasion be cherished as a SIDDHARTH’S When they put this gift? It’s after all a sort of question to Siddharth, FATHER memento,” protested her the boy thought over it LOOKED husband. for a while, and then VERY “No need to be sentimental said, “Well, dad, you about it,” she said, with an SURPRISED, have rightly said we impatient wave of her hand. “If don’t need all those SINCE HE you receive, say, a dozen alarm clocks and wallHAD TILL clocks, since we have

Siddharth accepting birthday gift.

NOW LITTLE INKLING THAT HIS SON NURSED IN HIS HEART SUCH GENEROUS FEELINGS FOR THE POOR.

already enough of them in our home. My study has one beautiful wall clock in it. There is also an alarm clock on my study-table. Besides, I have two wristwatches – one given by you and the other by grandpa on my last birthday. So I don’t need even wristwatches now.”

GENEROUS GESTURE “Yes, that’s why we’re asking you what you propose to do with these gifts,” said his mother. “Mama, I think we should give one wall-clock to Sheela, our jharoopochawali ,” he replied. “She is so poor that she can’t afford a wall clock for her house. Then, she has a school-going son almost my age. Why shouldn’t we give her one wristwatch for her son? He’ll be so happy to receive this gift from us. So, mama, please give Sheela these two things when she comes out of the kitchen after finishing her chores. “Besides, Ram Lal, the mali who looks after our plants, is also very poor. The other day I heard him say that his daughter was nowadays working hard for her matriculation examinations. We can give him one alarm clock and one wristwatch for his daughter. She really needs them. Similarly, the chowkidar of our locality has a school-going son. So, he also deserves to be given one of these wall-clocks for his house.” Siddharth’s father looked very surprised, since he had till now little inkling that his son nursed in his heart such generous feelings for the poor. But he also felt a little ashamed of himself, as he wondered why this thought had not struck his mind in the first instance – the thought that gifts acquire added value when these are given to the needy. To Siddharth’s mother, it was also something in the nature of a revelation – and also a lesson - that her son was so generous towards the poor. In fact, she was now no longer inclined to follow her kitty friend Mrs Kapoor’s clever advice about recycling gifts under fresh wrappings if one did not need them for oneself. We

Stylish: Her magnificent attire can match the most expensive apparel with its magical impact.

White is the colour of sobriety and beauty. It lends a graceful charm to the woman in white. It is truly said that white colour can outdo any other colour.

The elegance of the

Dazzling white

Enough is enough: This pose in the natural setting is enough to pull any man to her like a puppet on a string.

Stepping out: She is all set for the date with her prince charming.

Princess of romance: Who will not line up to get her hand?

On a pedestal: She seems to be saying that you have to rise to her heights to get her.

Designed by: Nazar Boutique New Delhi, Ph: 011-32988456, Mob: 09971027711

QA &

Q& A I am a 16-year-old high school girl who feels confused and is in need of help. I always walk home from school alone. Since a month a young man is following me, keeping a distance all the way. Sometimes, he smiles and waves, and seems to want to talk to me. Do you think he has fallen in love with me? My friends are encouraging me to pick up a conversation and find out what he wants. I am afraid though. He follows me only when I am alone, so I cannot have a friend with me if I decide to speak to him. This man is a stalker who is keeping tabs on your movements. Don’t ever stop to talk to him, or encourage him in any way. The fact that he follows you only when you are alone shows his dubious intent. You must tell your parents about this person so that you do not come to any harm. Also ensure that there is a companion with you when you walk home. The idea that he has fallen in love with you is silly. Don’t listen to your friends’ irresponsible advice.

We are two sisters, of ages 17 and 12. Our parents are always having violent quarrels. They are two different personalities and just cannot agree on any issue. Recently, our mother told me that she is thinking of divorce as the atmosphere at home is not healthy for us, the children. I agree with her as I am tired of my father’s drunken brawls. But my kid sister is simply devastated by the idea. She is my father’s pet and he pampers her a lot, although he is

A

TEEN TEEN ACHE CHE good to me too. I feel that for my mother’s sake, a divorce is best, but my sister weeps and throws tantrums every time we take up the topic. She wants father to stay with us. How can I get her to accept the idea? Children are usually the silent, neglected victims of their parents’ discord and the resultant lack of harmony in the house. If the divorce causes great trauma in your sister, your parents should do a rethink. Perhaps, a marriage counsellor can assist in crafting a patch-up between them. Discreet and loyal relatives can

My boyfriend is very fond of me and shows me off to his friends like a prize. We are both 18 years old and plan to get married. One thing keeps troubling me. He admires my good looks, figure, complexion and hair all the time, and says that I should always remain just as I am now. Does he care only for my external appearance? Will he love me when I grow older and become less attractive? You will have to find out yourself whether he cares for you as a person or just a trophy girlfriend whom he can display to his friends. If he is obsessed by your looks, his interest may wane if you begin to change...and change is inevitable. Since marriage plans are still far away, you have a lot of time to make up your mind about him. You should agree to marriage only if you feel certain that he will be with you all through your life, however much you change physically. Otherwise, you will be under constant pressure to look good. Woman’s Era ● June (Second) 2009

also advise and offer solutions for the problem. Further, if all this fails,instead of a final divorce, a separation can be tried out for a short time before making a decision. Sometimes, simply keeping away from each other helps to put the relationship in the right perspective and many issues can be resolved. Anyway, with a little stalling, the situation can improve, or your sister too can become more used to the idea of divorce between your parents. She can even stay with your father for long stretches of time. In the meanwhile, your parents should make her feel secure and loved, and assure her that their support for her will always be there.

Please advise me as early as possible. Last week, when bathing, I felt some lumps in my breasts,and am terrified that I have cancer. I have no mother and my father is bringing up my two younger brothers and me, single-handedly, after my mother’s sudden death due to heart failure. I cannot discuss my problem with him. Please tell me what the symptoms of breast cancer are. Will I die young? I am only a 15-year-old girl. Stop worrying. You can certainly rule out cancer because you are talking of multiple lumps in both breasts. It is most likely to be lumpiness which occurs harmlessly in adolescence, especially during periods, or simple cysts. To rule out all dire possibilities, just visit a friendly gynaecologist in your neighbourhood. Take a friend along, or a relative you feel close to. It is very rare for girls of your age to develop cancer. Nevertheless, it is best you seek medical advice to set your mind at rest. 67

A traditional western look

The same head is creating different scenes with this variety of hairdos.

Changing

hairstyles

An ethnic style

Out and out westernly modernistic

Long locks

Hair done in varied styles undoubtedly adds glamour and charm to any woman whose sex appeal gets augmented tenfold.

Incredibly overwhelming hairdo

Beautiful and curly

THE METRO-CENTRIC ARTIST

I must admit that my friends have played a great role in making me understand the true value of a happy existence,” says the artist. By Subhra Mazumdar

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ities, particularly the metros, become the canvas on which Maya Karanjikar likes to leave her artistic imprint. Having spent her student days in Mumbai, the scholar painter was guided by her tutors to study faces and figures, cityscapes and structures in the metro space during her daily travels. This practice, now a part of her artistic makeover, has made Maya one of the foremost painters of the capital’s aam janata. Thus, even when she is out shopping for her daily necessities, she can often be seen engrossed in her sketch pad or behind the camera lens, having spotted the right face in the milieu. No wonder Maya is greeted with pleasurable surprise and urged to complete the portrait of cityscape with great enthusiasm, by the subject she initially spotted by chance.

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Besides your tutors, who else from the world of art has played a major role in shaping your skill as a portrait painter and landscapist? I have been greatly influenced by the works of the late Raja Ravi Verma and I often visit the National Gallery of Modern Art in Delhi to take a close look at these masterpieces. Raja Ravi Verma is known for his mythological works and the portraits of royal families, particularly those of Travancore and Baroda, but you paint ordinary people in everyday life. How do you connect to his figures? True, that Ravi Verma painted princesses and queens and goddesses, but they were aspects of the feminine form. I like to paint female forms and that is the common link, the source of my study and my deeper understanding of Indian art, as a whole.

Waiting for her loved one.

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When you paint a female form what are the aspects that you keep in mind? Instead of painting a flat face, or a face in the midst of a crowded setting, I draw attention to my figure by bringing out the reality behind the obvious. In other words, I make a serious study of what emotions are visible in her face. I try to imagine what feelings she is experiencing in her mind and then paint the same in my female form. This makes the form expressive, as if she is trying to say something through my canvas.

As your art is like a map of human emotions, have you painted other forms of life that bring happiness to us? Of course. I very often I paint flowers and leaves. These flower studies are realistic in form, but their colourations and freshness convey people’s closest link with happiness– nature. I paint flowers as being viewed through a house window, or in the midst of a busy bazaar, or such settings where human beings are brought in close contact with fragrant blooms.

Besides portraiture and city life what other medium of the visual arts influences your work? I am very inspired by the film media. Recently the film Slumdog Millionaire has left me thinking. I am goaded into doing a set of paintings around the movie.

What techniques have you adopted in your art works? My concentration in art is to create a contrast. This contrast is achieved through punctuated spaces. If a painting has a single figure at the centre, I like to keep that form pristine. The back ground, then, is heavily worked on, in both colours and textures. Thus, the portrait seems to stand out against the heavily worked backdrop. On the other hand, where the figure is heavily adorned and attentiondrawing, I prefer to keep the background deliberately under played. Then my colour palate is muted and toned or follows as close to nature as possible.

What figures will the paintings portray? Slum children? Elders? On the contrary, it is not the figures but the music that is my source of inspiration. I have already started a series on musical instruments, based on the award-winning musical number. The musical instruments series has a

backdrop of the Oscar trophy on it in each of them, whereas the foreground of the works depicts the resonance of music through this theme.

Where have you exhibited this series? This series formed a part of my latest exhibition held at the capital’s Visual Arts Gallery. It consisted of 20 oil works on musical instruments, most of them of Indian origin. The forms were not mere copies of these instruments, but expressed the emotion of happiness and joy that the musician and the listener share when music is played. Invariably there was the Oscar trophy in the work, a reminder of the joy, pride and musicality that the entire nation enjoyed when the number Jai Ho reverberated across the screen. 72

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What is your schedule of work? As I have my studio in my home, it is the mornings and late evenings that are best suited to my individual work. During the day, I hold classes for students on art and keep time aside for social interaction with clients and viewers who drop by to give me encouragement. I must admit that my friends have played a great role in making me understand the true value of a happy existence and that is what reflects in my art. We

LIVING ART

An artist whose source of inspiration is nature. By Our Correspondent

ABOUT THE ARTIST Shyam Porwal Date of birth: 15 March 1960 Self-taught artist active in art field for the past 30 years. His greatest strength is the confidence in himself. Apart from painting, he also writes poems in Hindi. Contact: Mo. 9818334182 E-mail: [email protected]

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rtist Shyam Porwal has lived art since his childhood. Hailing from a small village in the Oraiya (formerly in Etawah) district of Uttar Pradesh, Shyam realised his artistic talent in his schooldays, when his classmates approached him to get their sketches and figures drawn. This was how Shyam Porwal refined his drawing skills. But he did not remain confined to sketches only. Soon, he discovered the village’s natural surroundings luring him. The influence of nature that he got then still continues to dominate his paintings. According to the artist, “Nature is the greatest source of inspiration for

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me. I can go on painting nature forever, yet will never feel bored or tired.” The phrase ‘life is the wisest but harshest teacher’ applies well to Shyam. In his childhood, his art helped his classmates and teachers, and hence he had been in great demand whatever be the occasion. But his activity did not remain limited to his school environs only. During his tenure as an artist in the village, Shyam widely traversed around his native village and came across a number of old monuments. He was shocked to see the abject condition of those buildings. They were all lying in ruins and nobody took care of him. Even the Archaeological Survey of India, seemed doing nothing about them. But the artist’s tender heart throbbed for them and his futuristic vision saw a lasting beauty in those structures. He painstakingly began to catalogue them through his paint and brush. His collection of drawings based on historical monuments may well be a treasure trove for any art lover as well as for history scholars. But rural life has its limitations and soon Shyam felt

Glimpses of greenery.

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that he was running out of subjects and his work was unable to fetch a good return. So Shyam migrated to the district headquarters town to work as a commercial artist. But soon, he realised that even the small town was proving inadequate to sustain his art. He, therefore, finally arrived in Delhi in the early 90s and started from a scratch. In Delhi, Shyam has carved a niche for himself and got a long list of clients. He is an all-round artist well versed in the realistic as well as abstract art styles. He says, “I can work in any medium and on any ground. I have made paintings on canvas and handmade paper sheets using water, oil and acrylic colours.” The range of subjects is also very vast in Shyam’s paintings. Among them, nature is the most dominant theme. His artistic vision sees innumerable hidden facets in nature. It seems to be his endeavour to 76

depict these hidden facets on canvas. He has beautifully portrayed manwoman relationships through his theme of nature. As such, his paintings appear enticing, and sometimes erotic too, but not at all vulgar. At the same time, his paintings look soothing to the eyes as the onlooker feels a bond being built between him and the painting as he drifts deeper into the nature. Shyam is planning a series on the Secret Play. The series will be based Woman’s Era

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on the intimate relations between man and woman ( purush and prakriti). Shyam is ready to tap his art commercially. He says, “I have done a lot of charity in the past. Now, it is the time to tap the commercial potential of art.” He is particularly critical of the indifferent attitude shown by the big and famous art galleries towards the young and budding artists. According to him, these galleries and malls are totally unsupportive and always run after the big names. But this is not going to be so forever. If these galleries have to avoid monotony, they will have to encourage and accommodate young and emerging artists also, he feels. The artist has closely seen village and urban life. Upon asking what difference he sees between them, he says, “In villages, your circle is quite small. All the people know each other; they share their joys and sorrows together. But in cities, the situation is totally different. People meet with one another like strangers. The pressure of commercialisation is very strong. And no one can escape this pressure.” How is this commercialisation affecting the artists? Answering this question, Shyam says, “Almost all the artists now feel they are working under pressure. Surely, there are big and established names in the art field and their works sell by their names. Art galleries are cashing in on this trend. But those artists who have no or little name yet, have to work hard to make an identity. “Those who are better off, often bypass art galleries and promoters and promote themselves on their own. But a struggler has no such facilities.” Nevertheless, the artist is hopeful that the situation will improve. He praises the role of the media and says that the media, especially the print media, is doing a great job to We promote artists like he is.

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Q& A I am a 60-years-old woman. My husband who is few years older often remains on tour. His liaison with other women is not ruled out. How can I protect myself? My husband is unable to use the condom. Can he take some drugs to enhance the sex act? Please advise. Your fears are well founded. Unprotected sex may lead to sexually transmitted diseases including AIDS. Best for you would be to use female type of condom which shall afford you protection. Regarding other problem your husband should consult the doctor who can prescribe the required medicine after examining him.

I am 30 years old, 5 feet 3 inches and weigh 70kg. My problem is that I have put lot of weight on my belly. Please advise. There is no doubt that you are overweight and your protuberance of belly is part of the overall picture. You shall have to put yourself on strict diet regimen and exercise programme and when your weight is controlled, your belly size shall also decrease. Only thing is that you must follow your schedule religiously to succeed.

I am 19-year-old girl. 5 ft tall and weigh 46 kg. My problem is that my abdomen is bulging. I have joined gym but am not able to control my diet. Please help. It is good that you are doing physical exercises but these have to be combined with diet control. Basically your diet should consist of less carbohydrates and fats. You should take lot of fresh fruits and green vegetables. Avoid junk food, cakes, chocolates, bananas, sweets, etc. Take foods containing high fibre. Persist in your efforts in diet control and you shall succeed.

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I am 28 years old and my height is 5ft 5 inches with weight of 51 kg. Two years ago after delivery my belly size increased. I tried a belt which did help me but still my abdomen is not flat. Please help. Size of the abdomen after delivery of a child increases in many women. As per your height your weight is not much. The problem is with your belly. Besides taking low fat, low carbohydrate diet, you should take lot of fresh fruits and green vegetables. Further, do exercises to tone up the abdominal muscles. To some extent the use of sauna belt shall benefit you.

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I am 35 years old, mother of two kids. My problem is that I suffer from excessive vaginal discharge. It is very distressing. Please help. Leucorrhea in adult women is quite common and there are number of causes. Sometimes, a neglected foreign body in the genitalia of infections (Gonococcal, Monilial, Candida) erosion in the cervix, cervical lacerations or a polyps or even an early cancer of the cervix may be responsible. You should be examined by your doctor who after examining you shall be able to reach any conclusion and treat you accordingly.

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I am 25 years old and married. I am 5’7” and weigh 63 kgs. My problem is that I have small breasts and feel quite uncomfortable. I want to increase their size by at least 2-3 inches. Is there any cream or pump which can increase the size. Please advise. Yours is a common problem with many young women. Size of the breasts in any woman depends on nutrition, genetic and hormonal influences. There is no short cut to increasing their size, creams and pumps are advertised to entice gullible women but in actual practice they are not of much use. Only way to increase their size is by exercises which strengthen the pectoral muscles on which the breasts rest. If you are very keen on increasing their size then there is no alternative except to go for augmentation.

I am 22 years old and have been diagnosed to be suffering from hypothyroidism (poor functioning of thyroid) and polycystic ovary on left side. I am on drugs. I am getting married soon. Will these problems affect my pregnancy. Please advise. You are already on treatment for your thyroid problem and luckily there is only one ovary involved due to polycystic disease. Under the circumstances it should not affect your chances of becoming pregnant. But you will have to continue taking the drugs, even during pregnancy lest your child is affected by the disease (Hypothryoidism).

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I am 35 years old, married for the last 81/2 years and still issueless. I was overweight but on doctors advice I have lost 15 kgs. Since last three months I was given IVF treatment twice but without any success. My doctor says it is hormonal imbalance. Please advise. Your doctor is right in saying that you have hormonal imbalance problem. You have tried IVF two times but without much success. Do not get disappointed. It is quite common in many women that IVF treatment does not succeed at first. You will have to undergo another try at this. Do not get disappointed. — Dr S. N. Khosla, MD.

BO O M B AY FILMDOM B O M B AY F I L M D O M

amir Khan had not only been hammering on the film fraternity to make sure to cast their vote in the recently held Lok Sabha polls, he himself was among the firsts to cast his vote. Others who cast their votes included Rishi Kapoor, Ranbir Kapoor and John Abraham.

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nant Narayan and Minissha Lamba in a film together? Bollywood's latest chocolate boy Anant Narayan is inundated with film offers. But producers put only one condition - they want Anant to be paired opposite “ girlfriend “ Minissha Lamba After being listed among the 10 hot new couples of tinsel town on Buzz 18's Bollywood Love Report Card 2009, Anant Narayan and Minissha Lamba are in demand and how! After a leading national daily broke the news of a love affair between Minissha and Anant, the dishy actor is inundated with film

hat beautiful women are not necessarily a weak lot has been amply proved by star-turned-politician Jaya Prada who was a Samajwadi Party candidate from Rampur (known for ‘Rampuri’ kniveses). Although her opponent, Azam Khan, did everything to malign Jaya, she took the challenge in her stride. You’ve our best wishes, Jaya.

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allika Sherawat has a yen for doing something different. If at one time she made an appearance at Cannes Festival as a co-star of Jackie Chan, now she has joined the likes of Victoria Beckham, her hubby David Beckham and French socialite and model, Paris Hilton in having a milk shake ( Mallika Shake ) named after her in Hollywood. wow!

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andana Sen was in news as she just turned down two Hollywood projects. Clearing the air sources close to Nandana say , “She rejected those movies as they had few nude sequences to be shot and she wasn’t comfortable.” She was offered the protagonist’s role in an Italian film

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Mallika Sherawat is named Mallika Shake in Hollywood. Wow.

offers, especially light-hearted college romances. What better way to cash in on real romance, huh? Minissha Lamba – tinsel town’s rising star.

Nandana Sen does not like to be seen in nude shots.

based on a story by Mahasweta Devi, 'Choli ke Peeche’ directed by Italo Spinelli.. Nandana rejected the movie as it again contained nudtiy scenes . “ I feel the subject matter is such that nudity cannot be avoided becoming unintentionally voyeuristic and eroticised even though that is definitely not the objective.” 78

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nother star-turned-politician Shatrughan Sinha seems to continue to nurse his dream of becoming the chief minister of Bihar one day. He was BJP’s candidate from Bakhtiyarpur (Panja Sahib). Shatru, undoubtedly, has a gift of the gab. Good luck, Shatru.

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elieve it or not Pinki Sonkar, a slip of a girl who rose to stardom through her Oscar-winning documentary Smile Pinki lent her star power to the National Dalit Front to impress on the masses that the Mayawati Government has hardly done anything for the Dalits. She was taken to several political meetings to enable her to say what she wanted to.

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Slumdog Millionaire didn’t fail to pay obeisance to sufi saint Hazrat Nizamuddin, close to New Delhi and attended the annual Urs along with his mother and sister. Laudable indeed. n addition to Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Abhishek Bachchan, Ashish Vidyarthi (who had worked in a couple of Bollywood films before going down South and making it big there) will also be seen in Mani

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the lives of children rather than sit in their ivory towers. In fact, they should do a lot more for the society than they are. Agreed. f Raveena Tandon (of Dulhe Raja fame) has decided to make a comeback to play suitable and mature roles, she is indeed welcome. Doesn’t the adage say? ‘The more, The merrier’.

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ombay filmdom has undoubtedly suffered an irreparable loss in the death of actor-turned-film-maker Feroz Khan who made lavishly mounted films like Dharmatma and Qurbani. May his soul rest in peace.

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mitabh Bachchan’s career may be on the down-slide, but every artiste’s career passes through that phase also. I remember having read in one of his interviews years ago, that he won’t mind being spotted working as on extra rather than putting off his working shoes. Am I right, Mr Bachchan.

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hilpa Shetty, the long-legged dusky beauty who has seen many highs and lows, was the new entrant to the team owner’s club in the IPL-2 matches in South Africa. And it was redeeming for her that her team Rajasthan Royals did better than SRK’s Kolkatta Knight Riders.

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o mark the 140th birth anniversary of the father of Indian cinema, Dada Saheb Phalke, a host of film celebrities such as Kapoor, Manoj Kumar, Shammi Kapoor, Shamshad Begum and director of Jodhaa Akbar, Asutosh Gowarikar, were presented with awards.

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great devotee of sufi saints, music director A.R. Rahman, the only winner of two Oscars for

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Amitabh Bachchan’s career graph may be down, but not out.

Ratnam’s Raavan . Abhishek plays title role. A case of real-life husband abducting his own wife. Interesting! t hardly needs any reiteration that Tamil superstar Kamal Haasan (of Ek Duje Ke Liye and Chachi 420 fame) must have liked A Wednesday very much that he decided to make the Tamil version of the film titled Uraipol Oruvan. He plays the role of Naseeruddin Shah played in A Wednesday. As an actor, Kamal is miles ahead of even Naseer.

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t’s heart-warming indeed that stars or stars-in-the-making lend a helping hand for a worthwhile social cause or bring a cheer in

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The longlegged dusky beauty Shilpa Shetty was the co-owner of Rajasthan Royals in IPL-2, in South Africa. In ranking the team was better than SRK’s Knight Riders.

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henever Hema Malini is not busy working in a film, she returns to her first love, dancing. Recently she, along with daughter Ahana, gave a performance in Surat. While Hema played Yashoda Maiyya, Ahana played Kanaiya.

Sujoy has created a special blog to give movie enthusiasts an insight into the magnanimous task of making an epic film like Alladin . The director plans to share every moment of making the film including some exclusive pictures taken on the sets. Produced by Eros International and Boundscript, Alladin stars Amitabh Bachchan, Sanjay Dutt, Riteish Deshmukh and introduces Jacqueline Fernandez.

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hanks to a new initiative taken by UTV New Media Ltd, the digital arm of UTV, owners of mobiles will have a welcome chance of selecting and listening not only to Bollywood music videos, but also videos from different languages in foreign countries. It’s branded UTV @ play.

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veryone knows how particular Kareena Kapoor is when it comes to her fitness. This diva will be seen in Sajid Nadiadwala’s “Kambakkht Ishq”. Being touted as the biggest movie of the year, it has the biggest Bollywood star, Akshay. The added attraction is Sylvester Stallone, who plays a pivotal role. Akshay and Kareena’s chemistry is the talk of the town. Kareena plays a super model in the movie.

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f on the one hand, Priyadarshan, one of filmdom’s high profile directors, had exhilarating time directing Billu , on the other he underwent mortification while dancing to Shah Rukh’s tunes — a price one has to pay for working with a superstar.

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ombay filmdom deserves kudos that actors like Akshay Kumar, Madhuri Dixit, Preity Zinta, Sanjay

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Irrfan Khan has been listed a bankable star, after his performance in Slum Millionaire.

Dutt, Shah Rukh Khan and Arjun Rampal helped contribute as much as Rs 2 crore as part of NDTV’s Greenathon to keep Mumbai green. Keep it up, folks. rrfan Khan may not have the face of a conventional film hero, but he is loaded as far as talent is concerned. After his performance in Slumdog Millionaire he, believe it or not, has been listed as the most bankable star from India in Hollywood. Wow, congrats, Irrfan.

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Javed Akhtar – A legendary lyricist.

Saif – a renowned actor has turned producer.

wo people sat in the coffee shop of Mariott and believed that they will make a film which has never been seen before on the Indian screen…” This one line by Sujoy Ghosh on his blog is enough to arouse the curiosity of cinema lovers. The talented film-maker, whose debut film Jhankaar Beats became a landmark film is now working on Alladin a film that takes a contemporary look at the classic fairy tale.And as a first-of-its kind initiative,

fter creating a niche for itself in the Indian Film Fraternity, UTV Motion Pictures now forays into Hollywood with its maiden independent production ExTerminators The film stars Heather Graham, Jennifer Coolidge and Amber Heard.

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veryone knows about the actor Saif, but few know about the staractor turned producer. When asked about his new role, crew members said they were happy to work for the chotte nawab….” There is no hassle and the environment is pretty relaxed when Saif is on the set” they say. Overall it seems like the whole cast and crew is having a party on the sets. Rock on chotte nawab!.

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fter Anil Kapoor going global with Slumdog Millionaire , now John Abraham is going to do the same with a gangster film titled American Empire . Who knows John may be lucky to achieve in international cinema what he has not yet been able to do in Mumbai.

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rooke Bond Taj Mahal, in association with Enlighten Film Society, recently conducted a

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Kareena Kapoor plays a glamorous role in a movie ‘Kambakkht Ishq’.

workshop on the art of scriptwriting with India ’s legendry lyricist and writer Javed Akhtar. Javed Saab needs no introduction as he has won the hearts of many connoisseurs of movies with his soul- stirring poetry, catchy lyrics and unforgettable screen plays. It’s his undeniable genius that made him a unanimous choice for the Taj Enlighten Tareef Award. hilpa is presently in SA cheering for her team ---Rajasthan Royals. Shilpa Shetty and Raj Kundra are co -owners of the team. The two recently met the Departed star Matt Damon over a charity dinner in SA. Matt and his wife are actively involved in charitable work including the one Campaign and H2O Africa Foundation. Last year Matt and Shilpa had their first public rendezvous at the third annual ONE

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Shilpa Shetty and Raj Kundra co-owners of Rajasthan Royals with Matt Damon and his wife at annual ONE X ONE benefit gala.

X ONE benefit gala. Matt Damon has starred in movies like Departed, Saving Private Ryan, The Ocean’s Series, etc. Shilpa’s Rajasthan Royals has proved once again that they are the champions. It needed brilliance with the bat from Graeme Smith and Yusuf Pathan for last years champions to come home. Yusuf’s magical bat was raining sixes when he top scored with 62 not out with Smith supporting him at the other end with an unbeaten 44 not out. Shilpa was short of words praising her team for the brilliant performance, shouting and cheering the loudest. eha Dhupia is working hard on her hatke role of a back-row dancer in Pappu Can't Dance Saala. A close source said, "Neha did thorough research on back dancers before embarking on the role. She met and interacted with them on a close level---wanted to know the kind of lifestyle they had. Neha even adopted the kind of look back dancers had. "Neha coloured her hair red because she noticed that all those back dancers had that colour. She also observed that most of them had a habit of chewing gum while waiting for the shot on the sets.” By the end of it all , costar Vinay Pathak failed to

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Arshad Warsi is a actor, chef and producer. wow. Happy Birthday.

Vidya’s favourite brew – ‘masala tea’.

recognise her on the sets. "Once Vinay did not recognise Neha at all and took her to be a back- row dancer. It was only Neha began talking to him did he realise her presence," said the source idya is not just *krazy* about her connections but her cutting chai! She needs her daily dose of masala tea at regular intervals specially when she is shooting. While shooting for R. Balki’s Pa in Kuala Lumpur recently, she missed her favourite brewage so much, she went restaurant – hopping to see if any restaurant would serve her favourite brew….but in vain and much to Balki’s amusement !!!

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rshad Warsi has not celebrated his birthday in India for the past two years. Last year, he was on a boat in Mauritius, shooting a song for Shortcut.So this year he just wanted to be at home ,relax and bring in his birthday with his family and few close friends. But the birthday boy was toiling in the kitchen, cooking for his friends because his friends love his food and he is quite a chef –. a working birthday again ! Arshad has 2 forthcoming movies Ishquiya, Shortcut and one of his home productions 'Koun Bola' , his debut film as a producer. Warsi plays the lead opposite Dia Mirza. – Deepak Puri & Sudha Hariharan.

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Neha Dhupia – a back-row dancer in Pappu Cann’t Dance Saala.

CAPITAL t a h C Chit JEWELLERY – GANJAM AND INTERNATIONAL Jewellery is an important aspect of any Indian woman’s life. Mostly, we end up dividing our jewellery in the inherited, valuable and the old pieces which we take out for important events in our lives or the lighter ‘everyday’ wear we end up buying and using. The name Ganjam is almost synonymous with the Carnatic-style heavy and traditional South Indian jewellery. When they recently opened their showroom in the upmarket, exclusive designer mall in Vasant Kunj, near the Grand Hyatt hotel, it had to be visited. On display were the Ganjam family heirloom pieces that the women of the family have worn for generations. It is a real privilege to be able to hold this style of jewellery and even try it on. The Ganjam family have not only worked hard at keeping the traditional style of jewellerymaking alive they have also acknowledged the real contribution of the artisans in doing that. A really intricate jewellery piece of theirs either for the hair or the neck can take a long, long time to execute and sometimes people who wish for that kind of craftsmanship and piece end up waiting for over a year. But, surely, it must be worth the wait for these pieces are not just jewellery, they are living art which you adorn and feel so traditionally Indian. I was tempted to ask and Mrs Ganjam was gracious enough for me to try one of their old pieces that the women of the last six generations have worn for their own wedding days. I had always wondered how comfortable such a piece at the base of the neck would really be. The reverse of the necklace is woven 84

together by an old-style silver chain – a practice they continue till date but now use gold instead. The necklace not only looked beautiful, it made a statement so definite that I know any woman who is lucky enough to own it, should feel that sense of pride. But then you never truly own that piece of jewellery, it is only in your safekeeping until the next generation claims it. A few weeks later, Ganjam presented something so unique and relevant to the contemporary world of design, Lucca Preziosa - An Exclusive Exhibition of Research Jewellery. Titled, Cutting the Mirror, it brought to India some amazing innovations in the field of contemporary jewellery. The design institute in Florence has Geo Ganjam – name in innovations in the field of jewellery designing.

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Carbone heading it. The exhibition in Delhi featured path-breaking works by 12 eminent international jewellery artists, in an attempt to approach the complex theme of beauty through contemporary research jewellery. Gio Luigi Carbone, who is the founder of Le Arti Orafe, talked to the people about the concept of art jewellery and its significance in the world of design and art. The people who attended ranged from designers to consumers and, of course, artists. Young designers really felt inspired by seeing the exhibits.

FASHIONABLE GLASS Glass and crystal might be items of utility but they can also make for pieces of beauty, to be displayed and admired. There is no limit to craftsmanship that may be showcased in these mediums. Internationally known names like Wedgewood, Lalique, Dawm, Baccarat and others , have all made enormous pieces and small trinkets and have been very popular as items of gift or even investment. However, not so long ago, it was not possible to imagine them as being available in India, for us to admire or even buy. For a brief period, not only was a limited lot available for the admiring but even purchase in an exhibition organised at the IHC. And the real pleasure was to see them all together. Although on one occasion it seemed like it has no visitor at all and the second time there was a lone admirer who seemed to feel ‘they are good pieces but expensive’ but she did seem to like viewing all that fragile beauty for the sake of its beauty. For an exhibition such as this one, it is good if they sell their items

Glass and crystal are pieces of beauty.

but they must be made mandatory for people to visit, just to know the options that are available in the international market.

KAILASH KHER AND ANTI-TERRORISM When IPPAI and Aviation organised a day-long conference on ‘Counter-terror and Security Solutions for India’ it promised to be an interesting event because right now everybody from the common man to those responsible for security arrangements are worried about to ensuring safety. There were various speakers through the day who brought about the importance of human and equipment involvement. Leo Gleser, president, International Security and Defense Systems Ltd., Israel, talked about India being prepared for the security aspect inevitably being important when the Commonwealth Games 2010 begin. It is a pertinent issue and Gleser should know what goes into organising such details for he was part of the security arrangements of the Olympic Games in Barcelona in 1992 and Sydney in 2000, even Athens in 2004 and Beijing in 2008. Other speakers too addressed the issue of security and there was Brett Lovegrove, retired Head of Counter Terrorism UK Police (Retd.) and V P Kapur, Former DG UP Police. With interactive sessions with the 86

audience it was a truly rewarding event for the day but in a way depressing as one realised how vulnerable we all are in the face of real threat. Even the entry for attendees was electronically monitored and security was tight. However, when evening came, the atmosphere relaxed. The evening event was by invitation only and not automatic for seminar delegates. Mercifully the keynote of Muzaffar Ali was soulful and poetic – to be expected from someone who is a true follower of Rumi and Sufism. The next step was even more rewarding when Kailash Kher took over the stage and performed with his usual zest and inimitable voice. His band is extremely talented and he played to the crowd also by asking them what to play next and sang all his filmi hits as also the ones which he has sung on his own CD. The man is a true maverick with a voice that reaches the souls of the listeners. He kept urging people to join him, and they did. Finally he got himself a standing ovation when he agreed to sing a couple of extra songs. Nobody minded the delay in getting the dinner started. Later, he was also available to his admirers and autographed as also posed for photographs with anybody who wanted his attention even before he was able to wipe the sweat from his brow. And he was happy to be in company of Meera and Muzaffar Ali – Kailash Kher a talented singer.

Woman’s Era ● June (Second) 2009

people who supported him when he was not known to anybody.

ART AND THE ARTIST Every artist has a dream that he transforms into work of his passion on the medium of his choice. Artists are also often very tortured beings who always feel that the world does not understand them. And then there is the other variety of artist – who wants to communicate, who wants to share his or her ideas and philosophy with the viewer. Jaideep Mehrotra is the artist of the second variety. Mumbai-based Jaideep recently had a five-day solo exhibition at Visual Arts Gallery in New Delhi titled ‘Growing Pains in Solitude’. An artist of great finesse and personal depth that reflects in his works, he is almost a veteran doing solo exhibitions since 1967. His canvases are like words, they speak of being solitary in the backdrop of community living that lack of space brings about in a city like Mumbai. Of different sizes, they have the effect and need solitary placement. However, what was as impressive and statement-making, if not even more so, were three video recordings he was playing on the loop. Such art is being purchased by industrial houses and big outfits to be displayed in public areas. These were three vistas of life in Mumbai shot in three different styles and totally diverse from each other in the message they carried. While one showed a brief mundane moment that is continuous with action; the other seemed more random but eventually it all came back to form one picture. They are truly mesmerizing and in the three runs that I watched of the second video I ended up noticing something totally different, something easily missed the first time around. Yes, the pieces of art were not just on display but on sale and, yes, he did make a sale on the very first day of the exhibition, but then a good artist often does his work and lets buyers decide what appeals to them. – Sona Sharma

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Win Jewellery

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Under what type of light will a ruby look reddest?

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Ruby is the gemstone for which month of the year?

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olour sense

Find out how perceptive you are, and your right judgement of rubies. e be published in th elected entries will oman’s era. Look out of W forthcoming issue July 2009 issue 31 e th for

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L ast date for sending entries: 15 July 2009 r ur friend for a bette yo of ph ra og ot ph ttach a g in Woman’s era chance of featurin

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2 Q 3

a. A fluorescent light b. A standard 100-watt light bulb c. Day light under a cloudy sky d. A daylight equivalent light

a. July b. September c. January

Which of the following can effect your perception of colour? a. Lighting b. Medications c. The colour of your clothes d. All of the above

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Answer the questions

win a grand prize...

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5 Q 6 Q 7 Q 8

It’s easier to grade the colour of diamonds than of rubies because a. Diamonds are colourless b. Diamond colour grades only indicate how light or dark the colour is c. Diamonds don’t have as many rainbow-like interference colours as rubies. d. Diamonds are controlled by a cartel which has standardised how they are graded.

Why is the ruby red? a. Due to chemical reactions b. Due to crystallisation c. Due to chrominium impurities

Ruby’s day is said to be? a. Sunday b. Tuesday c. Friday

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The heat treatment of rubies and sapphires can improve their colour and clarity or it can create a star effect. a. True b. False

Greyish red is a less valuable colour for a ruby than a pure slightly purplish red. a. True b. False

In some countries, pink and purple sapphires are called rubies. a. True b. False

Ruby’s season is said to be? a. Summer b. Winter c. Autumn

When you see ruby through a microscope, you see a tiny line in the centre and a small round form near the girdle. It means: a. Your ruby is defective. b. Your ruby will soon crack into pieces. c. Someone is giving you misleading information. d. You are true ruby expert.

Scoring Terms and Conditions: Don’t you hate those artificial quizzes that only have one obvious right answer? Jewellery and its lineage is fluid. So answer according to what you feel is best. Prove that you are aware of this trivia. Send us the coupon with your photo along with the correct answers. Name Age Address PIN

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The best way to judge the colour of a ruby is to look at it for a long time, so your eyes and mind can absorb as much of the colour as possible. a. True b. False

Currently the major source of rubies is: a. Thailand b. Myanmar c. India d. China

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Don’t forget to attach a photograph 1. Mark the answers and send us the cutting of this quiz along with this coupon. The last date is 15 July 2009. So hurry up and post it now. 2. The decision of the editor will be final. 3. Depict your true self only. 4. Send a photograph of your own. It may be printed in Woman’s Era, along with the results. Send to: Woman’s Era, Delhi Press, E-3, Jhandewala, New Delhi-110 055.

et’s face it. Sex is a fact of life. But today increasing sexual liberation and tolerance have resulted in unconventional practices and encouraged sexual orienta tions that were once considered taboo to be accepted by quite a number of people. Without passing judgement on those who prefer to experiment in their sexual affairs, this liberal attitude and behaviour could lead to serious consequences if parameters to pleasurable and safe sexual activities are not observed and met. The same is also true with the general public lacking proper understanding and appreciation of sexual health issues and standards which could lead to neglect of their partners’ sexual rights. Every sexual encounter should be coupled with a responsible attitude. The lack of it can result in unwanted pregnancy that may lead to emotional and psychological complications, not only for the parents but also the child. Unprotected sex also exposes sexual partners to a high risk of contracting chronic sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Do not be deceived. Even the seemingly healthy person beside you can be afflicted with a sexually transmitted disease without you or that person knowing it. Though some STDs may produce obvious symptoms, most STDs are asymptomatic infections that do not show noticeable signs and symptoms. Thus, they can be called the “silent” infections. These cases can only be diagnosed through

L STDs SPOILERS IN SEX

LIVES

Many forms of the disease make life difficult for couples. By Vikas Kumar Jain

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medical testing. However, there is no widespread programme that requires routine check-ups. Moreover, there seems to be a lack of public awareness aggravated by the social stigma regarding STDs that keeps people from discussing it with their chosen health-care professionals. STDs are diseases caused by viruses, bacteria and parasites and can easily be transmitted through body contact during sex. Sometimes, STD takes a long time to display any kind of symptoms. The following are some of the most common STDs that affect sexually active individuals. Chlamydia is a sexually transmitted disease caused by bacterial infection. It is the most common treatable bacterial STD but if not given proper attention may cause serious problems later in life. Chlamydia often infects the cervix in women while the urethra, rectum and eyes can be infected in both sexes. Symptoms of infection may show up at any time between 1-3 weeks after exposure, or it can also be delayed for indefinite period of time. Gonorrhoea is bacterial infection that is sexually transmitted and can infect the cervix, urethra, rectum, anus and throat. Symptoms may show up at anytime between one and 14 days after exposure and more noticeable in men than in women. However, it is possible to be infected with gonorrhoea and have no obvious symptoms. Crabs or pubic lice are small crabshaped blood-sucking parasites that live on pubic hair but can also be found wherever there is hair such as in the armpits, on the body and even in facial hair such as eyebrows. Crabs can also survive away from the

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body. They may be found in clothes, bedding and towels. You can have crabs and not know about it until after 2-3 weeks when you experience some itching. Crabs are mainly passed on through body contact during sex, but they can also be passed on through sharing clothes, towels or bedding with someone who has them. Genital herpes is caused by the virus called Herpes simplex and can affect the mouth, genital area, the skin around the anus, and the fingers. After the first outbreak of herpes is over, the virus hides away in the nerve fibres and remains totally undetected without causing any symptom. Symptoms usually appear one to 26 days after exposure and last for 2-3 weeks. Symptoms include an itching in the genital or anal area, small fluidfilled blisters that can burst and leave small sores which can be very painful, urine discomfort, and a flulike illness, backache, headache, swollen glands or fever. Genital warts are caused by the Human papilloma virus (HPV). These are small, fleshy growths found anywhere on a man’s or a woman’s genital area, or on different parts of the body, such as the hands and anus. After you have been infected with the genital wart virus it usually takes between one and three months for warts to appear on your genitals. They may occur singly or in groups. They may itch, but are usually painless. Often there are no other symptoms. If a woman has warts on her cervix, this may cause slight bleeding or, very rarely, an unusual coloured vaginal discharge. Gut infections are bacterial infections that can be passed on during sex. When they reach your gut they can cause diarrhoea and Woman’s Era

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stomach pains. Infection can be prevented by using condoms, dental dams or latex gloves. Sex toys should be thoroughly cleaned after use and hands washed after any contact with faeces. Anti-diarrhoea treatments and antibiotics can be used for treatment. Syphilis is a bacterial infection that is sexually transmitted and may also be passed from an infected mother to her unborn child. The signs and symptoms of syphilis are the same in both men and women. They can be difficult to recognise and may take up to three months to show after having sexual contact with an infected person. Syphilis has several stages. The primary and secondary stages are very infectious. It is very important that an STD is detected early and treated before it becomes serious and leads to longterm complications or permanent damage. Abstinence is the surest thing to avoid contracting an STD. If you are sexually active; the practice of safe sex can greatly help in minimising risk from STD. Always use condoms during sexual intercourse or dental dams for oral sex. Make sure to sanitise sex toys before and after use. Observe genital hygiene routines, as well as keeping your hands clean at all times. Consult your professional healthcare provider for advice on We getting tested for STD.

Eating disorders can be lifethreatening, but even before that, they can weaken bones drastically. By Dr Kiran Bala

EATING DISORDERS ARE HARD ON BONES!

ating disorders like bulimia and anorexia nervosa are devastating behavioural maladies brought on by a complex interplay of factors which may include emotional and personality disorders, family pressures and a possible genetic or biological susceptibility. The incidence of anorexia and bulimia has increased over the last two decades. It is highly prevalent among US women. One in a hundred females in the 16-18 age group has

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anorexia nervosa. A bimodal distribution occurs, with one peak at 14.5 and the other at 18 years. 25 per cent may be younger than the age of 13. The increased incidence has been documented in all Western countries with sporadic reports from other nations. Affected females outnumber males by 10 to one. Initially reported only in middle and

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upper socio economic groups. Anorexia nervosa is now occurring at lower socio economic groups. There is an increased incidence of

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eating disorders among primary relatives of those with anorexia nervosa and bulimia suggesting a familial basis. The occurrence of eating disorders and related deficiencies in bone mineral density is well established in women. Almost 90 per cent of women with anorexia nervosa experience osteopenia (loss of bone minerals) and 40 per cent have osteoporosis (more advanced loss of bone density). Up to two-thirds of children and adolescent girls with anorexia fail to develop strong bones during their critical growing period. Persons with anorexia also suffer from stunted growth. The less the patient weighs, the more severe is the bone loss. Women with anorexia who also binge face an even higher risk for bone loss. The longer the eating disorder persists the more likely it is that bone loss will be permanent. Bone loss is a potentially debilitating condition in women with eating disorders. Complications may include failure to achieve peak bone mass, increased risk of premature fractures and inability to reach height potential. In a study from Australia, Stephen

particularly of the binge eating/purging type are at high risk for osteoporosis and may need additional therapy to prevent this problem. Bone density may be abnormally low, but this osteopenia appears to improve with weight gain. Bone loss in women with the disorder is multi-factorial. It is related to low levels of oestrogen and calcium and elevated cortisol levels. A study recently published in the Annals of Internal Medicine measured bone mineral density (BMD) at several skeletal sites to determine the prevalence rate and predictive factors of osteopenia and osteoporosis in a large community-based sample of women with anorexia nervosa. 130 women with anorexia nervosa underwent a three hour out-patient visit at general et al investigated the course of bone clinical research centre in mineral density in patients with Massachusetts General Hospital in anorexia nervosa and bulimia Boston. Height, weight age at nervosa over a 3.6 year follow-up menarche, previous oestrogen use, period. Osteopenia and osteoporosis fracture history, frame size and at lumber spine were 54.2 per cent dietary intake were determined. BMD and 20.8 per cent respectively. was determined using X-ray This study suggest that patients absorptiometry. with chronic anorexia nervosa, At each skeletal site, measured patients were categorised as having normal BHD, osteopenia or osteoporosis according to WHO criteria. Osteopenia and osteoporosis respectively were Ultimate Undectecable Solution Hair fall, Dandruff seen in the anterior-posterior Oily Scalp & Alopecia spine in 50 per cent and 13 per cent of patients, in the Moles, Warts & Tags lateral spine in 57 per cent and Special OfferAcne & Pigmentation 24 per cent of patients and at Full Face 16900/total hip in 47 per cent and 16 Skin Imperfections per cent of patients. Unwanted Under Eye Problems Osteopenia caused by Weaving Bonding Hair Removal eating disorders can be partly Breast Firming & Lifting (American Made) taken care of by prescribing Hair Transplant Nd:YAG Laser, US FDA approved calcium 1000 to 1500/day, Photo Facial Hair Extention Safest Fastest Painless vitamin D 400 units and Supervised by Professionals Botox & Filler routine bone density Condition Apply examination. The benefits of Connaught Place :12, Central Lane, Bengali Market, New Delhi-1 oestrogen replacement for this HAIR & SKIN CLINIC Ph. : 23711571, 23711572 Greater Kailash : J-1, Kailash Colony, condition in individuals with New Delhi • Mumbai • Bangalore New Delhi-48 Ph. : 29244630, 29244631 Noida : C-1/2, Main For More Information anorexia have not been Road, Sec. 31, Noida Ph. : 0120-4218888, 9999666688 Dial or SMS "Y" 9999666699 & 9999222299 E-mail : [email protected] Visit us at: www.berkowits.in We established.

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LET US TAKE A LOOK AT

DRUG LABELS Crucial information about medicine administration for the lay person. By Leena Thomas edicines are an integral part of life. So an awareness should be created in the public to observe the drug label for safe and effective use of medicine. For that, it is important to understand what is displayed in the label of a drug that has certain identifying information.

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Are there any rules framed for labelling of drugs? The rules of drug labelling are framed under the “Drugs and Cosmetic Act 1940.” The International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) has developed international guidelines for the labelling of medicines which are published on their website.

How is the name of a drug displayed on the label? A drug or the main active pharmaceutical ingredient can be represented by 3 names: Generic name: It is the official medical name for the basic active substance or active pharmaceutical ingredient, which is chosen by the nomenclature committee of the British Pharmacopoeia Commission. Brand name or trade name: It is chosen by the manufacturer usually on the basis that it can be easily pronounced, recognised, or remembered. For example, paracetamol is the generic name. Calpol, Acetaminophen, Crocin, Dolo, etc. are the brand names or the trade names of the paracetamol which is given by different manufactures. Chemical name: It is a technical description of the drug. For example, Paracetaminophenol is the chemical name of paracetamol. What is the meaning of the letters IP, BP, USP, BNF which follows the strength of the medicine? These are short forms for the official books for standards of particular countries according to which the drugs are manufactured and known as pharmacopoeia. The abbreviations are as follows: Indian pharmacopoeia IP British pharmacopoeia BP United States pharmacopoeia USP British National Formulary BNF What is meant by expiry date? The expiry date displayed on the container of a pharmaceutical starting raw material is the date up to and including which the pharmaceutical starting material is expected to remain within specification if stored correctly. The drug can be used by the last date of that particular month displayed as expiry date (if exact date is not specified). What is Schedule H drug and Schedule G drug? To ensure the availability of proper

and standard drugs to the public, there are effective laws in various countries. The law in our country is the “Drugs and Cosmetic Act 1940.” Generally, drugs are divided into two — prescription only drugs and overthe-counter drugs. Schedule H : The list of substances that should be sold by retail only on prescriptions of registered medical practitioners. Over-the-counter drugs (OTC medicines): These are drugs that can be sold from licensed dealers without professional supervision and without prescription. These drugs are suitable for self-medication for minor diseases and symptoms. The consumer should know the safe use of OTC medicines if they are administered without medical advice. Long-term use is not advisable. It is proved that even paracetamol, which is well known as the safest pain killer,

tract if it is administered through the oral route. ● i.v/i.m: only for injections. ● Oral: for the drugs which can be administered through mouth. ● Sublingual: for drugs which should be placed under tongue.

can cause liver damage in high doses and prolonged use. Schedule G : The list of substances that are required to be used only under medical supervision and which are required to be labelled accordingly.

Keep out of reach of children Sugar-coated and beautifullycoloured tablets/capsules are available — for example iron tablets. Children may mistake them for candy, so they must be stored out of reach of children. (If they are ingested in large numbers, that may lead to drug toxicity.)

What about the other warnings and directions on the label? Sometimes, special directions for use are displayed on the label. Route of administration: Some drugs produce the required therapeutic action only when they are administered through the particular route. For example, insulin, the antidiabetic drug, should be administered subcutaneously, as it is degraded by the enzymes in the gastro-intestinal

For external use only For drugs meant for external use (should not be taken internally) for example, creams, gels, etc. For nasal use only — for drugs to instil in the nose. Shake well before use For suspensions like antacids (Gelucil) Suspensions are having a tendency to settle at the bottom of the container. So, if it is not mixed properly, the body will not be getting proper amount of active ingredients for the therapeutic action.

For eyedrops, use within one month It is displayed on the label that “use the solution within one month after opening the container.” This means, if anything is remaining in the container after one month that should not be used. (Similarly, the dry syrup for children should be reconstituted

according to the direction on the label with boiled and cooled water. But the reconstituted liquid syrup will expire after 2 weeks. So it should not be given to children after 2 weeks.)

Excessive heat — above 40°c Valium (Diazepam) — do not store above 30°c Ointments should be kept below 30°c. Do not freeze.

Storage conditions Storage conditions should be recommended on the label (example “Keep in a cool, dry place”) to maintain drug stability — i.e, to prevent contamination and as far as possible deterioration. It may be necessary to control elements such as temperature, moisture and light. If not stored properly, the medicine may expire well before the expiry date. Cold — 2-8°c Cool — 8-25°c Room temp. — Temperature prevailing in a working area Warm — 30-40°c

Protection from freezing It is indicated where there is a risk of breaking the container or where freezing leads to loss of strength or potency. Not to be refrigerated For example, soft gelatin capsules should not be refrigerated. Protection from light Store in a dark cupboard or use a light-resistant container. Physicians sample — not to be sold The label of sample drugs should display this. Sample drugs are not meant for sale. Dosage as directed by the physician The dose of a drug or the time interval between the doses is never increased or decreased unless directed by the physician. In most situations, drugs are administered in such a way as to maintain a

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steady state of drug in the body. The extent to which patients follow the instructions of doctor on medicine is called adherence or compliance. It is often found that the patients do not follow or fail the dosage schedule prescribed for them. Nonadherence can worsen the quality of life. For example, missed doses of medicines of heart problems may lead to more complications. In the case of antibiotic therapy, missed doses of medicines is not only the problem of individual patients but is a global threat, as it leads to sub-therapeutic exposure of these medicines. The drug becomes ineffective at the moment and also ineffective permanently due to the development of new strains of bacteria which is capable of drug resistance. The result is new powerful drugs have to be developed and introduced to get the germ-killing effect. Thus, try to develop a habit to observe the label of each and every drug. That will help you in proper usage and storage of drugs. If any doubt arises, ask your pharmacist for help. We

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Do you think about him/her everyday?

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Do you notice when he/she enters the room?

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This space-saving jug is a must-have for all this summer!! Available in a soothing pastel colour, its ergonomically designed mouth prevents spillage of water while pouring. It is convenient to hold with a strong grip handle. Also, it comes with a hinged cap for easy opening and closing. Its virtually airtight and spillproof cap keeps water clean and safe to drink.

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SPENDING ndia is shining. But some of the shine is also due to the conspicuous spending of its people. Let’s face it today, earning money is not difficult but keeping it, is. Corporate India seems to be celebrating all Indian festivals for us in the form of promotional sales. You want to buy a watch and it seems as if there is a new brand opening shop in town every minute. We now seem to have the time and money to indulge in exotica, rejuvenation and beauty therapy. Yoga no longer belongs to ancient India; it is reinvented and imported from the West. If you celebrate only birthdays and anniversaries, you are bracketed as old-fashioned. But all does not end well that begins well. At the end of the spending spree, one discovers that the resources are finite, but the choices are infinite.

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The bottom line is – it is unwise not to spend; rather unwise to spend. Is there a via-media? Definitely, yes. Let’s all learn it, spending without regret. Here’s how:

Have an annual recurring deposit for spending: Put aside a

Always live within your means. Provide basic needs to your dependents, besides putting aside a fixed sum in a recurring deposit with a bank to safeguard your future. By C A A K Shyamala Shenoy

WITHOUT REGRETsale

twice:

Visit a

fixed sum, roughly, 10-25 per cent of your gross earnings in a recurring deposit with a bank for a year. The maturity of the deposit should coincide with a festival or an occasion you wish to celebrate. The advantages are many. You are able to time your purchases when most promotional sales are on offer. You are able to curb impulsive buying. You have a budget for spending. All the members of your family get adequate allocation and most of the wish list gets trimmed down to must-buys only. My cousin, Chandan, 20something and working in a BPO used to find himself broke after every two months. Not any more. He is putting aside Rs 15,000 per month on a yearly

deposit to coincide with Diwali. All through the year, he makes a list of things he wants to buy. Surprisingly, at Diwali, his list was trimmed to the most essentials and Rs 1,80,000 available on hand helps him buy the expensive watch and luxury holiday which he thought he could never buy on his salary.

Cut your loans to the present: Loans have their uses but, most often, people factor in a future value when they make decisions on capital investments like home, vehicle, insurance, etc, which result in repayment obligations which are heavy on your earnings leaving no funds for simple luxuries. The suggestion is to invest in capital to suit your requirements for the

Sales are advertised almost every day. The offers are more or less the same all through the year but the attraction remains. The suggestion is, not to make purchases on the first visit. Purchase only on your second visit. It is worth the trip, the reason being most visit the sales counter out of curiosity or as an evening outing. But we end up making unplanned purchases based on momentary attraction. Only if something is worth a purchase, we feel motivated to make a second visit. Gowri attended a new jeweller’s shop inauguration just as an outing with her sister. She ended up buying a diamond pendant worth half a lakh of rupees and felt guilty about the impulsive purchase for weeks thereafter. Not that she cannot afford it. But the question remains: “was it worth the buy?”

present. You can top up on the asset as you progress in life. The funds released will help you to be comfortably well off in the present. Rahul and Sneha purchased a one-bedroom apartment in their 20s. By their mid-30s, they were earning 10 times more. They sold their apartment to purchase a more spacious one. Another decade later, their income sustained the purchase of an independent bungalow. All through, they enjoyed comfortable living with money to buy not only their basic needs but also some luxuries required to make life worth living.

RELAXATION, STRESS, REJUVENATION REQUIRE AN ATTITUDINAL CHANGE WHICH COMES WITH EFFORT OVER A LONG PERIOD OF TIME AND CANNOT BE BOUGHT OVER THE COUNTER AS WE WISH TO.

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Go easy on stress-relievers: True, there are umpteen stressbuster therapies available today. But the stress doesn’t get bust in a threeday retreat at some luxury Ayurveda centre or spa. Similarly, beauty miracles don’t happen by applying expensive beauty potions alone. It is better to get a product which is good and not what caters to your fantasies and desires. Relaxation, stress, rejuvenation require an attitudinal change which comes with effort over a long period of time and cannot be bought over the counter as we wish to. An expensive moisturiser called ‘happiness’ cannot make the skin look happy as promised at the end

Woman’s Era ● June (Second) 2009

of a tiring day. If your idea of relaxation is lazing around, then why travel 1,000 km to a luxury resort? It is better to check in at a far more luxurious hotel in your own city/town and enjoy three days of luxuriating in the room!

Think of people back home: Next time you find it difficult to make do without the latest mobile, think of your parents, your home town and life 15 years ago. Most of us come from humble middle-class backgrounds, not so far back in time. My father got married at 24 and his salary of Rs 4,000 was used to make a home for two and later four persons. There was no alternative and never once did he think how he could have enjoyed life if he were alone. The present generation is lucky in as much as it has the freedom to indulge. Still, be grateful and remember your roots. You may still buy the mobile but you will start having a clear perspective about what it is – sheer indulgence and not a basic necessity. Provide for children, old people: Vikram Seth was a big spender. He wanted to enjoy a good life and didn’t hesitate to spend to acquire one. Playing recklessly, in the stock market was his passion. Needless to say, he was broke in a few years. With three schoolkids, his family had to scale down their luxurious lifestyle overnight. However, one good thing Vikram did was to put aside Rs 200 per month in a post office account in the name of each of his children. Little did they know that it was this money which helped his children complete their education at least. It is advisable to provide the basic needs of the dependents like children and old people and never postpone it to the future, no matter what your current financial standing is. Follow the rule: fulfil their needs and not greed. Put aside emotions and desires, impartially assess what are the basic requirements of your dependents. Once your obligations take care of them, you feel free and, yes, enjoy spending on yourself. We

“Is this Shanta’s Daughter” Free yourself from colour prejudice. Be proud of whatever complexion you have, as the beauty creams do not really affect your personality. By Kasturi Rangachari

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instinctive disappointed reaction. he first time I remember the words being I was a very loved and pampered child and my spoken was when I was about four and family was educated, enlightened and broadhad come to my grandmother’s for a minded. The talk in my home was mostly about holiday. I was the much-loved only books, literature, politics and the world and no one granddaughter of the house and, one day, one of my aunts who was a doctor decided ever mentioned colour as an important part of looks to take me with her when she went to make or personality. In fact, I grew up knowing that my a house call on a patient who lived nearby. family thought that I was lovable and attractive. My aunt was a well-known and popular ut though this should have made me a selffigure in the area and as we walked along, confident individual, at some level deep inside she told me that she’d introduce me to people she me, the words I had heard repeatedly as a knew. “Say namaste politely,” she said with mock child had wounded me and left me self-conscious sternness. I nodded and she smiled and held my and lacking in confidence. By the time I got to hand proudly and lovingly as we walked along. college, I hated to dress up, could never believe that She stopped when she saw a woman standing in any compliments I got were genuine, had made a the verandah of her home. “Hello, Padma,” she habit of cracking jokes against myself and had a called out. “Remember my sister, Shanta? This is her disproportionate admiration for good looks in daughter!” others. And this, when I was a good The woman looked at me and I raised student, had a large circle of friends and my folded hands in a namaste. They all got was on the university debating and “Is this Shantha’s daughter?” the an unpleasant athletics teams. woman said disbelievingly. surprise when In other words, I had become a victim I didn’t understand her words then they saw me of Indian colour prejudices and had though I did understand that my aunt was because I was grown up to be the kind of woman the furious with her and so I instinctively knew the dark fairness cream ads targeted! And this, in that the words were disparaging. But, over daughter of a spite of my educated background and the the years, as I heard the words repeated very fair attempts of my family to ensure that I grew by neighbours, friends and not-so-close mother and up with a strong sense of self-worth! relatives whom I met for the first time when the words The ads for fairness creams for women we came to Chennai on one of our annual were their provoked a lot of indignation when they holidays, I got the message. They all got instinctive first appeared. In the ads, young girls an unpleasant surprise when they saw me disappointed were shown as total losers when they were because I was the dark daughter of a very reaction. dark. They couldn’t get jobs, weren’t fair mother and the words were their 106

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omen’s organisations tried to get the ads banned and when that failed, they tried to get women to spurn the creams. But, though activists vociferously denounced both the ads and the unshakable conviction of Indian men that only a woman with a fair skin was beautiful in talk shows and articles, that did not prevent Fair and Lovely from becoming the largest-selling face cream in the world, even though it is sold only in the subcontinent. Some of the wind was taken out of the sails of these critics when fairness creams for men appeared on the market and it was suggested with a goodhumoured titter that men had been closet users of women’s fairness creams all this time. In the ads, icons like South Indian actor Surya and Bollywood’s Sharukh Khan told men that it was okay for them to openly buy and use a fairness cream but stressed that it should be one specially formulated for them. But the appearance of a man’s fairness cream

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completely changes the scenario relating to colour. This proves that the demand for fairness is not a gender issue that works against women and devalues them. It goes much deeper than that and reveals the fact that, somehow, for some reason, Indians have this disgust for skins that are the “Indian” colour of brown, and a great admiration for and obsession with white ones. Where does it come from, this hunger for a light-coloured skin? It is not a phenomenon that is worldwide because people in the West dislike looking pale and spend fortunes to get a tan. There the words “dark” and “fair” are used to denote hair colour. So a “fair” woman is one with blonde hair and a “dark” one is one with dark brown or black hair. Perhaps the answer lies in our history. The original inhabitants of India were the Dravidians who were dark-skinned. But the successive waves of invaders who pushed the Dravidians further and further south were all fair-skinned. There were the Aryans from the area around the Caspian Sea – also Timur the Lame and his hordes from Central Asia, Chengiz Khan and his army from Mongolia and Alexander from Macedonia. Since the vanquished always like to associate themselves with the conquerors, the visible sign of their “superiority”, their fair skins, became something that was envied.

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supposed to have dreams, were rejected by men and totally lacked self-confidence – but just a few weeks with a fairness cream changed all that. They became beautiful, self-confident winners. What was even more unacceptable for activists for women’s rights was that when the man who had rejected the girl, now “accepted” her, she didn’t tell him to take a hike, but smiled coyly and melted into his arms.

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nother theory revolves around the concept of social status. The rich did not have to toil in the sun and so were fairer than the people of lower status who could not hide from the sun and were therefore dark. So, in hot countries, people with fair skins were more respected than those with dark skins. But rich people in the cold West could lie around without working, sunning themselves like lizards and they got tans. So people with dark skins were respected there and this is perhaps why tans are still considered desirable among whites. And in China, it did not have anything to do with skin colour. Rich mandarins who did not have to work grew their nails enormously long and thus exhibited their social and financial status to the world. So too did families that bound up the feet of their women. These women needed to be carried by slaves or in palanquins, thus proving their high position in society through the fact that they did not have to work and could afford people to carry them. Poor people did not bind the feet of their girls; they

Even having dark skin, she looks attractive with sharp features.

about her features?” I asked cautiously. “What do features matter?” was the bewildered response. On the other hand, about dark women whose allure cannot be denied, people say regretfully, “If only she were fair she’d be really beautiful!” or condescendingly, “She’s dark but quite goodn our own culture, our much-loved gods, Ram and looking.” But fair is going to continue to be synonymous Krishna, are both dark and so is the powerful with attraction for many for a long time to come, just goddess, Kali. But in spite of this, white is as slim and shapely are. There is nothing we can do associated in our culture with purity while black is about people having these stereotypes in their associated with evil and sin. This is true of many minds. And in a way we must be other cultures too and so angels, nuns appreciative about fairness creams and ads and brides traditionally wear white, Am I for them as they have brought these deepwhile money earned through criminal Shanta’s rooted desires out into the open and activities, the market which deals in legitimised them. illegal goods, the mark that goes against daughter? But parents must guard against their sons you in your record when you do not Yes, I am and daughters getting complexes about perform satisfactorily and the prison to and I’m being dark. They may not be able to which criminals were sent in British times proud of it completely stop the outer world from getting were black money, the black market, a in and affecting them, but at least they, and black mark and across the kala pani. just as my in fact all adults, can educate themselves to Whatever the reason, the desire to be mother was avoid making insensitive comments that hurt fair is deeply rooted in our psyches and proud of me and cause lifelong regrets and complexes. is unlikely to disappear any time soon. I till the day Am I Shanta’s daughter? Yes, I am and remember my colleagues in a school in I’m proud of it just as my mother was proud Kolkata extolling the beauty of one of the she died! of me till the day she died! students who was very fair. “But what We were needed to work in their fields and homes. And then of course, there is the matter of our having been conquered and colonised by the British. Our colonial masters were white and English was the language in which they conducted their business. So we learnt English and craved white skins.

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Wedding suspense It is 45 years since I got married. After moving heaven and earth, my parents had found an alliance for me. The boy came to ‘see’ me and I passed the ‘interview’. Surprisingly, there was absolutely no demand from their side and everything was left to our discretion. My parents were in cloud nine. On the eve of the great day the boy and his party were supposed to arrive at our house. But there was no sign of them till 8 p.m. They lived 70 miles away and there was no way to contact them as phone services were not popular then. Imagine the mental state of my parents! My mother made a hue and cry 108

thinking that the seemingly decent people had cheated us. Her doubt was doubled as no betrothal ceremony was done prior to the marriage. Finally, my brother-in-law hired a taxi to the boy’s house and see what had gone wrong. When he had travelled some distance, he found to his relief a van carrying the boy and his people coming from the opposite direction. Now he retraced his steps and returned to our house closely followed by the van. By this time, it was 9 p.m. The reason for the delay – the boy’s eldest brother was a busy doctor, but still he started early for the function. At the last minute a patient came and, not willing to send him back being a devoted doctor, he attended on him. Soon after, another followed and then two more patients. By the time he disposed of them, it was late. They too were unable to inform us about the Woman’s Era ● June (Second) 2009

delay. Now the suspense was over and the exciting drama came to an end. – Savithri Viswanthan, Chennai.

Has something happened in your life that has left an indelible impression on your mind? And you still remember it after many years! Why not cherish those moments again? All published memorable incidents will be paid Rs 200. Please type or write neatly on white foolscap paper and send it to: MUSINGS/MEMORIES E-3 Jhandewala Estate, New Delhi-110055. Womansera.com Name: Mobile: E-mail:

“I WAS AFRAID I WOULD HARM

MY NEWBORN BABY!" Acute postpartum depression (PPD) in a mother could result in a baby being badly neglected or even ill-treated. But, first, what is this condition that makes women feel emotionally untouched by their own babies as they drown in a sea of black depression?

By Kasturi Rangachari e are fond of saying sentimentally that a woman feels really fulfilled only after she has a baby. That only when she holds her bundle of joy in her arms does she understand what it really means to be a woman. But, emotion aside, pregnancy and childbirth result in a complex mix of physical, hormonal, emotional and behavioural changes taking place in a woman and this whole package can affect her in various ways at different times. During pregnancy, for example, she could sometimes feel excited, full of energy and deliriously happy, but at other times, she could also have headaches and feel overwhelmed, tired and flustered. Going through labour and

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successfully giving birth to a child invariably makes a woman feel that she has done something marvellous and she cannot stop smiling. Later, the world intrudes and so does worry at the responsibilities that have now fallen on her shoulders. This worry makes 90 per cent of mothers depressed and fearful but, as they begin to cope with baby-care, this depression disappears. Yet, for about a quarter of the new mothers, the depression persists for some weeks and they need help in both, caring for their babies and in coming to terms with their feelings. This help is usually provided by their families.

NEGATIVE FEELINGS And, occasionally (in about 0.2 per cent of the cases), the mother's negative feelings are so strong that she feels as if the world around her is all black and that she is drowning in a sea of depression. She feels unable to move and is unwilling to care for her baby because she feels no emotional bond with it. In some cases, she does not even want to feed or touch the baby. Since this depression occurs after birth (or postpartum), it is called postpartum depression (PPD) or peripartum depression. Very occasionally, usually in very severe cases, the physical and emotional symptoms of acute depression manifest themselves even before the delivery. PPD may appear within a few days of giving birth or may manifest itself more slowly, reaching its acute stage months after the woman has given birth. It may last from a few weeks to more than a year. The mild version is often called "having the baby blues”. The new mother has mood swings — she goes from feeling on top of the world to suddenly beginning to cry. She often feels depressed, is unable to concentrate on anything, loses her appetite and is unable to sleep soundly. These symptoms start a few days after delivery and last about a week. Many of us women have gone through this without thinking that this

is a symptom of some disorder. We just think that we are overwhelmed by the responsibility that is suddenly on us. In fact, having the blues is considered a normal part of early motherhood and the negative feelings that it entails usually go away within a fortnight of delivery. But women suffering not from "baby blues" but real PPD, have more symptoms – or symptoms that last longer. For them, the mild sensation of feeling low that “being blue” entails, turns into actual depression. But few people recognise and understand this depression. The woman is told — in a bracing tone — that she should stop pampering herself. She should be grateful that she has such a beautiful baby and she should snap out of her bad mood. In other words, she is made to feel that she is being self-indulgent and selfish and hardly anyone palpitations. I also constantly felt understands that her feelings are out depressed, but I thought that the depression was because of my of her control. What causes PPD? Doctors aren't physical problems. After all, both my sure, but they think that it is probably husband and I were thrilled to be due to fluctuating hormonal levels. having a baby. We had waited six Again, why hormonal fluctuations long years after marriage for this take place more in some women and wonderful event! less or not at all in others is a question that doctors cannot answer. But they have seen that, once "My doctor gave me medicines for hormonal levels settle down at normal, pre-pregnancy levels, the my nausea and sleeplessness. Nothing really worked, but I didn't depression goes away. This means that PPD can be really mind. After all, I would soon be treated — with antidepressants and holding my baby in my arms, so all hormones. But the treatment doesn't the strain and discomfort I was experiencing were worth always work well and the it! real cure is when the body "My doctor advised a suddenly decides to snap PPD may appear out of it and come back to within a few days Caesarean because I was normal. of giving birth or weak and so I didn't go through the labour pains And now, a woman may manifest of a normal delivery. I was who does not wish to be itself more sorry that I would not be named, tells us about her slowly, reaching having that experience, experience with severe its acute stage but I was also slightly PPD. Let's call her months after the relieved. I knew that I was Revathy and hear what woman has weak and I didn't want to she has to say. given birth. endanger my baby in any "It was my first baby way. And Nikhil was born and I had a difficult It may last from at 9 am on a bright and pregnancy. I had morning a few weeks beautiful Monday morning. sickness for nearly seven to more than a "When I regained months, could not sleep year. consciousness after the soundly at night and had

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Caesarean-section and held my baby in my arms, I felt filled with so much love that I myself was stunned. All around me were people — my husband, my parents, my brother and sister-in-law and my in-laws — who were as happy as I was. But, after all my visitors had left and the baby had been taken away to the nursery, I found myself unable to sleep. I was just too excited, I told myself. But I was also slightly worried. I needed my sleep now that I had a baby to look after! "I went home to my parents' home after a week from the nursing home. By then I was tense and worried because I had hardly been sleeping at night all that week. 'Don't worry,' my mother said consolingly. ‘I and your bhabhi will look after the baby. You just take rest and get your health back.' "But I could neither help in taking care of the baby nor take rest. This was because I began to suffer from tremors, chest pain, dizziness and headaches. The worst part of it was that my insomnia worsened and I hardly slept. I would toss and turn the whole night, but when my baby cried, I would not be able to drag myself out of bed and go to tend to him. I would just lie and wait till either my mother or sister-in-law got up and brought him to me to feed.

conversation and of vehicles passing on the road outside. I shut the door to my room, drew the curtains and asked that no one come in. I didn't feel hungry at all. My mother repeatedly told me that I needed to eat to be able to feed Nikhil, but the sight of food sickened me. In my heart of hearts I wished that I would become so weak that I wouldn't be expected to feed my baby! "My depression worsened too. And my attitude to Nikhil became worse. I just didn't want to hold him, feed him, rock him to sleep or have anything to do with him! If I was forced to — when my mother and sister-in-law were both busy with housework, for instance — I would feel like throwing him down. I began to be frightened. Would I harm my baby one day? "I began to dread the times when Nikhil would be brought to me to be fed. At the same time, I began to find my own behaviour bizarre and unnatural. My depression worsened and I also began to ask myself if I was abnormal. If I wasn't, why did I not want to feed or hold the child I had so eagerly awaited? Was I going mad? "I went for my routine check-ups. I told the doctor about my physical problems — the headaches, the dizziness, the loss of appetite, the constant tiredness and the

NEED TO FEED THE BABY "I knew that I had to feed my baby, but I had to force myself to do so. My nipples were tender and it was painful when Nikhil suckled. But worse than that was the fact that I felt nauseous as soon as he began to feed. It was as if I didn't want to feed him! I felt so terrible about this that I didn't tell even my mother about how I felt. I just grit my teeth and fed the baby. My mother called my doctor and told her that I was not able to sleep and the doctor prescribed sleeping pills for me. I took them but they hardly helped. "A week passed and then another. My condition deteriorated and I felt worse and worse. Noise began to upset me, even the normal sounds of 112

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occasional chest pains — but she did not take them seriously. She just said that I was taking longer than most new mothers to recover from the birth of the baby. She then prescribed some tonics and supplements and told me to force myself to eat. I came home from these visits feeling desperate and guilty. “I wondered why I hadn't told the doctor about my emotional disturbances. But I knew the answer. It was because I felt ashamed about my negative feelings for my baby! They proved that I wasn't a normal woman!

CONDITION WORSENS "Over the next month, my condition worsened. My parents began to get more and more worried. By this time, they had realised that I was not just suffering from weakness. They thought that I was having some sort of nervous breakdown, but they could not understand why. "My husband had gone abroad soon after Nikhil's birth. He returned and was shocked to see me looking so weak and behaving so abnormally. My parents hadn't told him anything when he phoned us because they didn't want to worry him. I myself had told him that I was not able to sleep and that, because of that, I got headaches and felt weak. But I would always end by saying that Nikhil was fine and that he should not worry. "My husband insisted on taking me to see another doctor. That doctor too said the same thing – that I was just recovering from the birth of my child more slowly than women usually did. She prescribed more medicines — tonics, sleeping pills and the like — but, again, nothing helped. "Then my husband suggested that I go to stay with my in-laws (they stay in a nearby town while my husband works in the town in which my parents live) for some time. 'A change of scene could help,' he said. My parents agreed and a day or two later, my husband and I left with Nikhil for my in-laws' home. "It was the same story there. I

could not eat or sleep, my hands trembled and I had attacks of dizziness. Severe headaches prostrated me frequently. And I continued to be indifferent to Nikhil and feel restless and have tremors if I had to hold him for long. My in-laws live in a big and close joint family and so there were plenty of people to help me with Nikhil. But my husband soon noticed my reluctance to hold Nikhil and, one day, he suggested that we consult a psychiatrist. "I remember looking at him when he said this and then looking down in shame. 'There's nothing to be ashamed of in going to a psychiatrist,' he said soothingly. "My mother-in-law came with us when we went. She too felt that something was seriously wrong with me and was worried. "It was that day that I heard the term 'postpartum depression' for the first time. The psychiatrist had to explain what the term meant to us and all were stunned. Even my mother-in-law with half a century's experience with pregnancy and childbirth had never heard of anything like it. 'Yes, some women become panicky, aren't able to sleep and are down in the dumps and worried for some time, but they snap out of it in a few weeks,' she told the doctor. 'But it comes as a shock that this is some sort of disorder and that my daughter-in-law is suffering from a severe form of PPD!'

THE RELIEF "I can't express in words the relief I felt when the psychiatrist gave my problem a name and told me that I was in no way abnormal, that I certainly didn't hate my baby and that I would definitely get better. 'Actually, there is no treatment as such for postpartum depression,' she told us. 'We prescribe antidepressants, sleeping pills and, occasionally, hormones, but these are just to help you cope with the symptoms. PPD just disappears by itself. Till then, the patient needs to be helped with baby care.' "I began taking antidepressants

the same day and it was decided that began to do all the housework and I would stay on with my in-laws till I look after Nikhil as well. I was still on felt better. My husband would go anti-depressants and still felt home to our little flat in the town in exhausted by the end of the day, but which my parents lived, but he would I was almost completely back to come to see me every weekend. being my pre-pregnancy self. "The antidepressants helped, but my symptoms continued, though in a less severe form. I had stopped feeding Nikhil by now and my in-laws "I would not have gone through so looked after him almost completely. Perhaps, they thought that I might do much trauma if I and the people him some harm, but I felt only relief around me had been aware of what that I didn't have to hold the baby or PPD was. Somehow, the disorder do anything for him. The months just hasn't been received much passed. Nikhil stood up and then attention from doctors or the media. began to walk and his first birthday Even in the West, people were shocked when celebrity Brooke was just around the corner. "And then, I slowly began to see Shields went public with her own signs of improvement. I felt less tired struggle with postpartum depression and began to sleep soundly for a few because most of them hadn't heard hours every night. And then, one day, of it. Many accused her of just being I woke up in the morning and realised a spoilt attention-seeker! In India, too, that I had slept through the night! I the public needs to be educated on felt so light-hearted and full of this disorder." Revathy went through energy! As I lay in bed a traumatic experience, smiling to myself, I heard It is important but she was lucky in that a bumping noise and that women she had people who Nikhil began to cry in the suffering from stood by her and helped next room. Perhaps he her through her ordeal. had fallen down, I PPD realise that it is an illness Imagine what would have thought. happened if she had been "I lay there waiting for like any other. by herself or if her someone to come and They are not husband, in-laws and pick the baby up. But no responsible for one came and Nikhil their condition in others had been less supportive! continued to cry. I any way. So they suddenly sat up, swung should not feel my legs off the bed and got up. Then I walked into guilty about their emotions and the next room and picked actions. my son up and rocked him in my arms. 'Ssshhh, baby,' I whispered to him. 'It's okay! Mummy is here to look after you!' "I heard a noise at the door and turned. My mother-in-law stood there, smiling at me. There were tears in her eyes — and in mine! "From that day, I began to improve rapidly. A month later, I went back to my own home and

KNOW POSTPARTUM DEPRESSION

FACTS ABOUT PPD ● An illness: It is important that women suffering from PPD realise that it is an illness like any other. They are not responsible for their condition in any way. So they should not feel guilty about their emotions and actions. ● Symptoms: If women suffering from a PPD suffer from loss of appetite, either insomnia or sleeping more than usual, loss of interest in life, lowered energy levels, lack of motivation to work, crying bouts, lowered levels of self-confidence, an overwhelming sense of hopelessness, guilt, disinterest in the baby and worry about hurting it, panic attacks, constantly feeling worried, quick and unexplained weight loss or gain and they sometimes feel suicidal. ● Can start at any time: Though for most victims of PPD, the symptoms begin soon after childbirth, for some others they start some weeks or even months later. Occasionally, they start even before the baby is born. ● Who is at risk of getting PPD? Though any woman can get it, some are more at risk than others. These include those who do not have happy marriages or family members to whom they are close to and to whom they can talk freely. Women who suffer from severe premenstrual syndrome (PMS) are also at higher risk because they already have hormonal problems. Women who have suffered from PPD after the birth of earlier children or who have suffered from depression earlier in life are also at higher risk. Stressful events like a divorce, the death of a close relative or friend, etc, also increase risk. More first-time mothers get it than women who have already gone through the ordeal of childbirth. ● Causes: The exact causes aren't yet known. But it is thought that the hormonal changes that take place during pregnancy and childbirth produce chemical changes in the brain and that these cause the basic depression that causes all the other symptoms of PPD. ● Duration: PPD can continue

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from the period of a week or so to some months and to even more than a year. ● Treatment: PPD can be treated with therapy or medicines. Just talking to a person who has herself suffered from the condition can also help. If you are breastfeeding, you should tell the doctor this if she prescribes antidepressants for you. If you find yourself suffering from PPD: If tell yourself that you are not the first and will not be the last to suffer in this fashion. You do not hate your baby and you are not going mad. So do not keep quiet because you feel guilty. Talk to someone you trust about your feelings and symptoms. If yours is a severe case, you need to see a doctor or psychiatrist immediately. If yours is not a severe case, you still mustn't take it too lightly. Explain the situation to your husband and ask him to help you with the housework and baby till you regain your energy. Get yourself domestic help/nanny or ask a relative to come and help you for a while. Take your mind off your problems by reading, exercising, going for walks, meditating, etc. Above all, tell

yourself repeatedly that you are going through something that is quite normal for a woman. You're, after all, trying to come to terms with something overwhelming — being totally responsible for another human being. And, if your body doesn't cooperate with you, things can become a little too much to cope with for a while. An interesting titbit of information: Recent research has shown that after becoming fathers men too have a tendency to suffer from depression and symptoms similar to those which a woman with PPD suffers from. This is usually caused by the pressures of increased responsibility, increased expectations, decreased sleep, worry, confusion about what being a father means, the upheaval that a baby brings about in a home and an increased burden of work if the mother suffers from PPD. There are no hormonal and chemical changes involved here, but the depression and other symptoms bear witness to the fact that men too are vulnerable at this time. So, perhaps, it makes sense that a man too should be given "paternity leave" after his wife gives birth to a child! We

HOW THE STOCK MARKET WORKS nce upon a time in a place overrun with monkeys, a man appeared and annou n ced to the villagers that he would buy monkeys for $10 each. The villagers, seeing that there were many monkeys around, went out to the forest and started catching them. The man bought thousands at $10 each and as supply started to diminish, they became harder to catch, so the villagers stopped their effort. The man then announced that he would now pay $20 for each one. This renewed the efforts of the villagers and they started catching monkeys again. But soon the supply diminished even further and they were even harder to catch, so people started going back to their farms and forgot about monkey catching. The man raised his price to $25 each and the supply of

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monkeys became so sparse that it was an effort to even see a monkey. The man now announced that he would buy monkeys for $50! However, since he had to go to the city on some business, his assistant would now buy on his behalf. While the man was away the assistant told the villagers, “Look at all these monkeys in the big cage that the man has bought. I will sell them to you at $35 each and when the man returns from the city, you can sell them to him for $50 each.” The villagers rounded up all their savings and bought all the monkeys. They never saw the man or his assistant again and once again there were monkeys everywhere. Now you have a better under standing of how the stock market works! – Janakiraman Kuppuswamy

APPETISING PREPARATIONS These dishes are easy to make and very tasteful.

By Sree Nidhi

BREAD ROLLS INGREDIENTS: 4 bread slices 1 cup channa dal 1/ cup paneer grated 2 2 tbsp coriander leaves 3 green chillies oil for frying salt to taste METHOD Wash and soak the channa dal for 2 hours. Grind the gram dal into a paste. Soak the bread slices in water. Add soaked bread slices, paneer, coriander leaves, chopped green chillies and salt. Mix well. Make rolls out of the mixture. Deep-fry the rolls in heated oil.

PAPAYA SALAD

salt to taste chat masala to taste

INGREDIENTS: 1/ cup diced papaya 2 1/ cup diced mango 2 1/ cup diced kiwi 2 1/ cup strawberries, chopped 4 1/ tsp sugar 2 1/ tsp salt 2 2 tbsp lemon juice 1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves

METHOD Roast all the grains without oil. Add salt and chat masala. Store in airtight container. Take one handful everyday at snack time.

METHOD Mix all the ingredients and serve chilled.

HEALTHY SNACK INGREDIENTS: 1 cup red aval 1 cup Bengal gram dal 1 cup baby popcorn

Suggested Breakfast Options South Indian: 1. Idly - 3 nos + veg sambar or veg chutney 2. Ragi adai - 2 nos with veg chutney 3. Vegetable dosa - 3 nos with sambar North Indian: 1. Paratas - 2 nos with veg subji 2. Pohh - 2 cups with vegetables Continental: 1. Wheat flakes - 1/2 cups with 1 cup milk + 1 fruit 2. Oats - 2 glasses + 1 slice wheat bread + 2 egg white

LOUISIANA & SOUTHERN COOKING! American food conjures up memories of burgers and hot dogs. Here are some yummy bites – especially when made at home! By Dueep Jyot Singh hen I was in New Orleans, I was fortunate to live with a hostess who did not bother much if I poked around in the kitchen when she was cooking. So, naturally, any dish I liked had to be tried out my own way when I came back to India. Here are some of my favourites.

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SOUTHERN FRIED CHICKEN

1 tsp paprika 1 cup flour 1/ litre cooking oil 2 1/ cup lemon juice 4 2 tsp salt

INGREDIENTS: 1 kilo chicken cut into pieces 1/ cup creamy milk 2 1/ cup water 2 1/ tsp pepper 2

METHOD

(sometimes masquerading Kentucky fried chicken in India)

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Mix water and milk. Cut chicken and dip in the liquid. Put dry ingredients in a paper bag. Heat the oil in a heavy frying pan. It should be nearly smoking. (If by chance it happens to catch fire, you can extinguish it with salt!) Take the chicken from the liquid and put one piece at a time in the paper bag. Shake and fry. Brown both sides and then lower the flame, add the liquid and cook it for 40 minutes with the lid on tight. Remove the lid and increase the heat before serving to crisp the chicken. The chicken has to be turned once during cooking. Don't use a fork because it might break the crisp layer. Use tongs. The mayonnaise used was also traditional. Beat eggs up well. Add half a cup of sugar and half a teaspoon of mustard, 1 cup cream, half cup of vinegar to the eggs. Add vinegar very slowly, beating all the while. Cook this into a double boiler. Now, many people have double boilers, so just fill

one huge utensil with water, put the other smaller completely covered utensil in it, and then cover the whole with a lid. Simmer the mayonnaise; make sure that it does not boil. Cook it for about 25 minutes, or until the mayonnaise reaches a creamy consistency. Add half a teaspoon of salt when the mixture cools down.

LOUISIANA CHEESE FONDUE

This is a very simple dish for anyone who likes cheese.

INGREDIENTS: 1 cup milk 3 slices of bread 250 gm cheese 1 tbsp butter 3 eggs 1/ tbsp salt 2 (I also added diced ham/chicken slivers because I enjoy adding a little bit of non-vegetarian but these are optional) METHOD Heat the milk and pour it over the crumbled bread. Add diced cheese, meat (optional), melted butter, salt, and egg yolks. Beat the egg whites up until they are stiff and then fold them in. Pour this into a greased casserole and bake it, uncovered for 25-30 minutes in an oven at 350o. Melissa, my hostess, took me and my cousin, Milan, to a hotel, where we wanted to show off a little, and ordered something which I thought was very stylish, lobster thermidor. The bill was very stylish too – it made me whistle in amazement! But anybody can make it easily and better than what we had in a stylish restaurant!

1 tbsp butter 1/ cup milk 4 1 cane frozen condensed cream of lobster soup 1 cane lobster 1/ dry mustard 4 1 tbsp pimientos (finely chopped) 1 pinch of a paprika, pinch of a black pepper grated parmesan cheese METHOD I am using canned lobster, because I have not found fresh lobster or even packaged lobster meat in India yet! Heat the mushrooms in the butter

until they are pale yellow. Mix with the soup which should not be diluted. Add the rest of the ingredients. Pour them all into a baking dish, spread the cheese on the top and bake for 15 minutes at 400°F. This is normally a side dish which is eaten with rice or toast. And to think, people spend oodles of dollars or its equivalent in Indian rupees to have something which is supposed to be a part of jet-setting lifestyles, washed down with champagne… hey, I can make it in my kitchen! One of my favourite dishes it was!

SOUTHERN COMBO

I could not believe that okra, which we call lady’s finger, is an integral part of this. I thought bhindi was best eaten fried in masala! Cut up two small chickens into bite-size pieces and fry in a frying pan. When they are brown, add 250 gm finely chopped okra, four large tomatoes, two chopped onions, salt and pepper. Cover this with boiling water and simmer on low flame for three hours. After three hours, the consistency will be just like a thick gummy stew, We which is best eaten with rice.

LOBSTER THERMIDOR INGREDIENTS: 250 gm fresh mushrooms Woman’s Era

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R. S. Prakash AANAIVAARI A. Sridhar has assumed the responsibility for story, screenplay, dialogue and direction of PRK Movies Vedappan which features newcomer Hemanth Kumar in the lead. The two heroines – Apsara and Nikita are also fresher Venniradai Moorti, Mahanadhi Shankar, Muthukalai Balanand,

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Sabitha Anand, Alwa Vasu crane Monohar, Nellai Siva and Dada Muthukumar are also in the cast. D. Mahibalan has cranked the camera. Nesan is the scorer. The film sketches the plight of an ordinary youth who is an ardent fan of a famous screen star.

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Sundar. C. Babu, while S. R. Kathir is the cinematographer. MUTHIRAI has been produced by the well-known Bollywood film-maker Vikram Bhat that features Nitin Satya, Daniel Balaji, Lakshmi Rao, Manjari Phadnis Kishore, Pon Vannan and others. Srinath, a former deputy of the late cinematographer-turnedfilmmaker Jeeva has directed this fast and racy flick which talks about a sophisticated, tech-savvy criminal who befriends a smart con guy. The screenplay is about their jointventure. The film has been shot in locations at Mauritius. Rakhi Sawant from Bollywood has rendered an item number. VENTAK Prabhu, actor-turned filmmaker is one of the most sought after director of this decade, having dished out two big hits-Chennai 600028 and Saroja. Goa is an ongoing venture being shot in location at Goa, seems to be going in full swing. Produced by Ocher Pictures Productions it is owned by Soundarya Rajnikanth and features Jai, Premji, Vaibav, Aravind Akash, Sampath and many others. Joining the cast of Goa is the American actress Julie Fine, a U.S. model by profession. Yuvan Shankar Raja is scoring music for the flick.

RAPTAR Media Films ‘ Maddiya Chennai’ two new faces-Jaivanth and Ramya Barna in the lead roles. Maestro Ilayaraja has scored the music for this flick. Mahadevan, Shanmugharajan Charlie and many others are in the cast. Karthik Raja is the cameraman. Vivekanand and Veerasingam have assumed the responsibility for the screenplay, dialogue and direction. As the title suggests, the main plot of the flick has been woven around the happenings in the central part of Chennai. SREE Gokulam Movies film Pazhassi Raja is being made in five languages. The story of Pazhassi Raja dates back to the 18th century, a period script penned by M. Vasudevan Nair the flick has been directed by Hariharan, the national award-winning filmmaker. The flick has Mammooty in the lead while Sarath plays this general, Edachena Kungan, Nedumudi Venu, Thilagan, Monoj K. Jayan and Suman are also in the cast. Ilayaraja has scored the music. SAMUDIRAKANI who made his debut as a director proved his calibre 84

as an actor in Subramaniyapuram. He is back again as a film-maker through Nadodigal which supposedly showcases only realism but not heroism. With a busload of new faces, Samudirakani had dealt with the subject of how human beings react and respond to problems in life. It is an emotional movie that is set around the lives of four couples. The film’s music has been scored by Woman’s Era

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THE sex-siren Sona has now taken up a new avtar! She has now turned a producer with Oodu Machi Oodu. The flick is expected to be a commercial potboiler, being written and directed Jailani. She roped in a New York based model-cum-singer named Claudia for the project. Swetha, a model from Mumbai is also part of the venture. Michael, a former Mr Chennai is also a vital part of the flick. There is yet another big name associated with the production. Frederik Wiedmann from Hollywood is scoring the music for the film. ALKA Film Corporation and Media Zen have jointly made Varnam, the major portions of which has been shot in hill zones as Kadaikanal and

few others, the theme is meant for a global audience. ‘I am glad the film is being screened at one of the top festivals in Asia wherein Danny Boyle is going to be the head of the International Festival Jury. The film features Prasanna and Sneha in the lead roles besides Emmy and award-winner John Shea. WELL-KNOWN lyricist Pa-Vijay who has established his credentials as a seasoned lyricist is now playing the lead role in Gnabagangal which is said to be memorable tale of love. The heroine of the film is Sreedevika. The flick is being directed by Jeevan. Nizhalgal Ravi and Chandru are also in the main cast. One more main aspect of the film is the musical score of debutant music director James Vick, who is a former Keyboard player under the baton of twin-Oscar We winner, A. R. Rahman.

Moonar. So far no film has been shot within the confines of Dingukal hill-fortress. S.M. Raju, the director of Varnam has managed to shoot some portions there. The story is set around the life of a teenager who learns about the nuances of life the hard way. Monica, Sampath, Giri, Ashwatha, Gautham, Vijay, Muthukumar and Karate Raja are in the main cast. Isaac Thomas scores the music. THE 12th Shanghai International Film Festival, scheduled to be held between 13 June and 21 has selected Achamundu Achamundu to be screened under the International Panorama category. According to Arun, director of the film who has also produced it along with a Woman’s Era

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TAMIL STARS S P E A K ! R. Prakash

SCALING NEW HEIGHTS IN TAMIL POP! arty songs and hip hop albums aren’t that common in the Tamil music scenario (non-filmic). But times have really changed, thanks to parties and party-goes. Tamil rap songs and hip hop albums are no more uncommon. Such music is slowly but steadily becoming popular as proportionately the patronage too is increasing manifold. Emcee Jesz, the renowned rapper from Malaysia who was associated with Yogi B’s Vallavan album which proved hugely popular, has not hit the bull’s eye with his own album in Tamil, and titled Kavithai Gundar. The event of launch was punctuated with glitz and glamour with celebrities like Shruti Hassan (the chief guest of the event) and singer Neha Bhasin, etc. adding pep to the proceedings. Unlike in other countries, non-film music isn’t that popular in our country as our desi films are dominated by the songs and dance routine. Kavithai Gundar (Lyrical Gangster) is in fact the opening venture of studio eight production an organic organisation that is dedicated to music production and presentation. ‘Non-film music in India is still in its infant stages’, says Neha Bhasin

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who feels that innovations like Emcee have to be given a red-carpet welcome as they are responsible for revolutionising the non-film music scenario. Adds Shruti: Such albums go a long way in promoting non-film music and Emcee has been instrumental for creating space for such music. Bad Boys and Thaniya were two videos from the album that were screened. N. Manik, a protege of filmmaker Suresh Krishnan was the brain behind both the videos. The response and reception meted out to such independent non-filmic projects would encourage film institute

students to venture into video commercials that too as a career option, remarked Manik. In the year 1990, wanting to become a hip-hop album artiste set panic bells ringing in his parents, a police officer father wanted Jezz to follow in his foot steps and a school teacher mother was not sure about his future. After getting a degree in computer science, he told his father he had a degree to fall back on and he pursed his dream. Emcee Jesz who embarked upon his music journey as a rapper in his teens, soon gained popularity for his voice, style of rapping and for creating quick beats. His emphasis has always been on originality and creativity and that’s what possibly prompted him to set off on a solo this time with Kavithai Gundar which can be hailed as the first international Tamil hip-hop solo album that has hit the mainstream market, following his earlier album, Vallavan which was marketed in Chicago, Toronto, India, Singapore, Sri Lanka, selling over 10,000 copies. This hip-hop album encases 13 tracks featuring 12 artistes and is a mix of urban hip hop, R&B Hip Hop, crank, reggae ton, old school flavour, sentimental, patriotic and community songs, which add alluring energy to the album.

KANTHASWAMY – THE MEGA – BLOCKBUSTER! roducer S. Thanu, whose association with Kollywood touches the milestone of a silver jubilee this year, has always been well-known for his big budget productions which generate unprecedented hype and hoopla, every time a project is announced, made and released, Kanthaswamy

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Thanu’s latest film, in which the versatile Vikram plays the title role is obviously the biggest of all blockbusters which has been in the making for quite a long time now. Vikram depicts a super-hero kind of character in this, the film being canned at several lovely foreign locales, including Mexico. Shreya Woman’s Era

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Sharan plays Vikarm's love interest in the film. Vedivelu who has replaced Vivek in this handles the comedy track. The music release function of the flick was nothing short of a grand spectacle. One of the sensible film-maker of our times, Susi Ganesan, the writer, director has spared no effort at all. It

is meant to ensure that Kanthaswamy emerges as the mother of all block busters, both in terms of content and presentation, besides showcasing breathtaking visuals. Susi has been one film-maker who always thinks beyond entertainment. The Kanthaswamy Foundation hopes to bring in positive changes in the lives of people living in some under developed villages. ‘In addition to offering entertainment to the masses, I also want my films to serve social causes’ says Susi. The MIT engineer-turned film-maker sporting a sweet smile. The young and energetic Susi who is just four-films old, is not only a thinking film-maker having apprenticed under Manirathnam but also a brilliant academician who bagged the best outgoing student award in his final year at MIT. According to Susi, Kanthaswamy will have the right mix of entertainment and message. Also, there is a plenty of glamour, fabulous

he assures that the film isn’t preachy and doesn’t tend to sermonise. The Kanthaswamy Foundation is basically Susi’s brainchild – a simple idea of serving villages that can eventually create a tremendous impact on the underdeveloped villages.

action sequences, songs that have been canned with style and splendour hilarious comedy and of course, strong social message. But

AS BIG AS IT GETS! ne of the much hyped and much talked about Kollywood project of the times is Peraanmai which does not showcase the usual kind of actions but a different one, that too, daringly! The film which has been in the making for more than a year is supposedly to belong to a completely different class. Jayam Ravi, one of the rising stars of the times plays Dhuruvan, a forest guard belonging to a particular tribe. In order to look fit, Ravi has lost about 13 kgs and had to remain on diet, avoiding carbohydrates. He has also worked hard to get that specific look for the character he portrays in the film. Moreover, according to Ravi, the hero did not have any references for that particular character and had to define the attributes himself which

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was nothing short of a big challenge for him. Roland Kickinger the bodybuilder from Vienna, who plays the role of the Terminator in Terminator-4 Salvation: The Future Begins, plays the villain of this flick which has been shot at locations in Vagamon, a beautiful forest in Kerala. Director S. P. Jhananathan who Woman’s Era

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How did Susi get the idea? The economic disparity in our country is extreme. On the one side, we see people stashing away money into the Swiss banks while on the other side, we come across poverty-stricken people lacking even basic amenities. The well-todo people should willingly come forward to share at least a paltry part of their possessions with the poor. This is the crux of my film and I have done my best for the cause,’ elaborates the director who has dared to make a difference! With the help of NGO’s and philanthropists, nearly 30 villages have been adopted so far and the cause is being continuously championed. Kudos to Susi and his team.

made the award-winning Iyarkkai and the commercial potboiler ‘E’ is the writer-director. Kickinger plays an international terrorist in the film who infiltrates into the country through forest. He runs into a tribal leader and forest guard Dhruvan and five NCC women cadets. According to sources close to the unit, one of the highlights of the film is the superbly choreographed action sequences between Jayam Ravi and Roland Kickinger. Ravi had kept his body as taut as the string of the bow that he holds in hand, had to keep his mind as sharp as the arrow that he had to shoot. Ravi has performed some deathdefying stunts for this film and had suffered from real blows, just to maintain that real look in the action scenes. Peranmai could possibly take him to the next level! We 87

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1. The act of hiding and waiting for somebody and then making a surprise attack on them (6) 2. A black leopard or a large wild animal of the cat family (7) 3. Material made with rubber, than can stretch and then return to its original size (7) 4. Perfect; most suitable (5) 5. The activity of working well together as a team (8) 6. A small thin nail with a small head and a flat tip (4) 12. To produce or show something (7) 13. A high steep rough mass of rock (4) 14. A small oval object with a thin hard shell produced by a female bird and containing a young bird; a similar object produced by a female fish, insect, etc. (3) 15. To send out something such as light, heat, sound, gas, etc. (4) 17. A person or an animal that eats a particular thing or in a particular way (5) 18. The second letter of the Greek alphabet (4) 19. Death or destruction; any terrible event that you cannot avoid (4) 20. Great enthusiasm and energy, style and confidence (4) 23. European Union (2) 24. Used in the Muslim calendar to show a particular number of years since the year when Muhammad left Mecca in AD 622 (2)

Down

1. To be grateful for something that somebody has done (10) 7. Chemical symbol for Chromium (2) 8. A strip of cloth used for tying around a part of the boy that has been hurt in order to protect or support it (7) 9. The flat pale sweet nut of a tree used in cooking and a make oil (6) 10. A building where people stay, usually for a short time, paying for their rooms and meals (5) 11. To make a hole or cut in something with a sharp object in a rough or violent way (5) 13. A place where babies and small children are taken care of while their parents are working, studying, shopping, etc. (6) 16. Microphone (4) 18. A small piece of metal or plastic, with a design or words on it, that a person wears to show that they belong to an organisation, support something, have achieved something, have a particular rank, etc. (5) 21. Your sense of your own value and importance (3) 22. Existing, but not yet very noticeable, active or well developed (6) 25. A book that is published every year giving information for that year about a particular subject or activity (2) 26. The mass of eggs inside a female fish or the sperm of a male fish used as food (7)

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Woman’s Era ● June (Second) 2009

Please accept my entry for the crossword competition. I subscribe to all the rules and regulations of the competition. Name Address City

Tear along the dotted line and mail to Crossword No 156 Woman’s Era Delhi Press New Delhi-110 055

F

Pin

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156

Crossword

WIN UP TO

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Winners of Crossword - 153

Lata Melwani, Jaipur.

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IN CASH PRIZES

Akshit, Jalandhar.

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Delhi.

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Nisha Kheterpal, New Delhi.

Satna. Vinita Singh,

Ajay Sharma, Faridabad.

ngalore. Lavanya K., Ba

Chennai. Mary Cherian,

Umesh Sharma, Aligarh.

andrum. i Gireesh, Triv Dhanalakshm

. hena, Vellore B. Cherryl Tryp

Veena Vedagarbha, Bangalore.

p, Bangalore. Kimneo Haoki

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U. Afila Fabin,

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Coimbatore.

Woman’s Era ● June (Second) 2009

WIN UP TO

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Rajpal Singh, Bahadurgarh.

Rules and Regulations

A prize of Rs 15,000 will be given to the person sending an all-correct solution. In case there are more than one sender of an all-correct solution, the prize amount will be divided among the first 30 competitors chosen by lot. The decision of the management will be final and binding. Entries must be on the crossword printed here. Photocopies will not be accepted. Entries must be sent so as to reach Woman’s Era by 31 July 2009, by ordinary post. No corres pondence in this matter will be entertained. The contest is not open to the employees of Delhi Press. Every entry should be accompanied by the sender’s family photo. If you are declared a winner, your family picture may be printed in the oncoming issue. Please send a signed declaration that you have no objection to printing your family picture.

Brenda Rodrigues, Mumbai.

Answers to Crossword-153 Across: 1. Compensation, 7. Responsible, 9. Reed, 12. Navel, 14. Ra, 16. Stag, 17. UV, 18. Data, 19. AG, 20. Ash, 22. Tandem, 23. Onset

eer, 2. Miser, Down: 1. Car n, 5. Ill, 6. Na, ig Al 4. 3. Elope, . Emigrate, 8. Elevate, 10 , id, 15. Antigen Ar . 13 , ht 11. Draug 21. Odd

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Woman’s Era ● June (Second) 2009

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A great way to better health right at home. By Dr Navin Kumar Gupta

ur sedentary life-style has brought us to a state where to keep fit and trim (fit-fat as we say in Hindi), we must make exercise an inseparable part of our daily lives. The simplest and most convenient exercises are walking and jogging (these two have the additional advantage of requiring no equipment) and swimming. But, in the cities, there are few open and safe places left for such activities. Many of us perforce join gymnasiums or clubs or purchase simple exercise machines – like the bicycle or treadmill. In this article, my emphasis is on the treadmill, for the simple reason that of the two, the treadmill is my favourite.

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The treadmill: The treadmill (also termed the tread wheel) was invented by Sir William Cubitt (1785-1861), a

British civil engineer, in 1817, as a form of punishment in British prisons. Dr Robert Bruce and Wayne Quinton invented the first medical treadmill at the University of Washington in 1952. This machine was not designed for any fitness programme but for the diagnosis of heart and lung diseases. The public became more health conscious during the 1960s and the fitness equipment industry began churning out fitness equipment. One of the first fitness machines to be developed and marketed were home treadmills. Some of the earliest US manufacturers were Tunturi, Aerobics Inc., Woodway, Track Master and Star Trac. NASA (the US National Aeronautics and Space Admini stration) contributed a great deal to the development of treadmills because they saw treadmills as an excellent way for astronauts to keep fit while in space for extended periods of time. NASA developed several versions that were used in the orbiting Skylab station in the 1970s. Dr Kenneth Cooper’s research on the benefits of aerobic exercises, published in 1968, provided a medical justification for the commercial exploitation of the home treadmill and exercise bike. Today, these two are the most favourite exercise machines in the world.

Basic facts about cardio vascular exercises (cardio): Cardiovascular exercise (cardio in short) is any activity that raises the heart rate to a much higher level. It is very important for the following reasons: ● It burns calories and helps you lose weight. ● It makes your heart strong. ● It increases your lung capacity. ● It reduces the risk of heart attack, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and diabetes. ● It helps keep the inner lining of blood

vessels “clean” (lowers the fatty and atherogenic plaques lining the endothelium which keeps on accumulating with age). ● It helps growth of anastomosis among capillaries (In general, most organs, including heart will have increased and alternate blood supply of fine capillaries, which helps in better functioning and in case of diseased state, quicker recovery.) ● It reduces stress. ● It helps you sleep better. You need cardio if you want to: ● reduce your weight. ● keep your weight under control, and ● reduce your stress.

But you must select some activity which you like and enjoy. If you like the outdoors, some of the good choices are walking, jogging, running, cycling, hiking, swimming or rowing. If you like the gym environment where you can interact with a lot of other people, you will have access to stationary bikes, elliptical trainers, treadmills, rowing machines, stair masters and more. For the home exercises, the choices extend to Tai Chi and kickboxing. But the most popular

Choosing your cardio: You have a number of cardio activities to choose from.

favourites are the treadmill and exercise bike. Any activity is acceptable so long as it involves a movement that raises your heart rate into your target heart rate zone (see below). Remember: ● There is nothing like the ‘best’ cardio exercise. ● Anything that raises your heart rate is all right. ● What is important is not which activity you do, but how hard and sincerely you do it.

DO ALL THOSE LITTLE THINGS YOU KNOW YOU SHOULD BE DOING - CLIMB THE STAIRS, WALK A LITTLE BIT MORE, STOP DRIVING AROUND LOOKING FOR A PRIME PARKING SPACE, ETC. ● Any activity can be challenging, if you plan it that way. ● Do any activity you enjoy. ● For instance, if you hate gym workouts, don’t go to the gym. Choose something else. ● Select something you can do at least three days a week, 30 minutes a session. ● Doing the same thing all the time continuously can become boring and will lead to weight loss plateaus as well. ● Be flexible and innovative, if necessary. ● In brief, do anything….and do it regularly.

How long? The most important element of any workout is time - how long you do it. If you are a beginner, be cautious and start slowly. Build up gradually and systematically. Start with five or 10 minutes (or even less) - whatever you are comfortable with. Increase the time gradually every week or fortnight up to 30 minutes. 20 minutes is the minimum time to get any benefit. And you can easily and safely work up to an hour. Take a weekly day off. Your body needs a weekly holiday to rest and recuperate.

using the lift and do some brisk walking. ● Do all those little things you know you should be doing - climb the stairs, walk a little bit more, stop driving around looking for a prime parking space, etc. ● You may be terribly busy and find it difficult to spare some time. But I know several very busy business magnates. They spend quite some time daily on exercise - regularly and religiously. They know it makes life better. ● If you can afford a good personal trainer, by all means engage one. But you can do your regular exercises without one. ● Do something...anything. Once you start, you will develop a liking, a habit. And if you miss your exercise any day, you will feel as if you have left out something. ● A little bit of caution: you can overdo cardio. You don’t have to kill yourself with hours of cardio. Unless you are training for marathons and competitions, it can become counter productive. Be practical. How often? The frequency of your workouts depends on your fitness level and your schedule. Beginners should start with about three non-consecutive days of cardio and work their way up to more frequent sessions. The general guidelines are:

How hard? Once you have started doing exercises regularly, instead of increasing the time, you should increase the intensity. For instance, you should walk or run faster on the treadmill, or raise its elevation. ● The number of calories you burn is directly related to the time and intensity. ● Raising intensity is the best way to burn more calories in a shorter time. How hard should you work? You should work at an intensity you can maintain during the duration of your workout. ● In an hour-long workout, you will have to keep the intensity low so you don’t wear yourself out. ● In shorter workouts, you can raise the intensity since you are working out for a shorter period of time. ● You can vary the intensity of some workouts with interval training to burn more calories. How much is enough? How will you know whether you are over-exerting yourself? The answer is the talk test. You should be able to carry on a conversation during your workout. If you are breathless, or can’t talk, you are working too hard! Slow down. Dizziness and light-headedness are bad signs. If you experience this, you are over-exerting yourself and should stop. If you feel any difficulty, stop your exercise and consult a trainer.

Schedule: Make out a plan, a schedule of your exercise, define your goals and stick to it.

If you find it difficult to find one hour at a stretch: ● Do small mini-workouts throughout the day. ● Climb the stairs instead of 122

● To maintain current fitness level - you must exercise two-four days a week (at least 20 minutes per session). ● To lose weight - you must exercise four or more days a week (at least 30 minutes per session).

Calculating target heart rates: During your exercise, you should try to enter your target heart rate zone. We Woman’s Era ● June (Second) 2009

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Woman’s Era ● June (Second) 2009

129

RAPE THE STIGMA

STILL

PREVAILS

WHEN CARE TAKERS BECOME CULPRITS

the victim Why does feel dous crime of this horren by society? victimised Keswani

Bhawana Keswani's article Rape – The Stigma Still Prevails (April II) raises grave concern about the appalling tolerance of rape and rapists in our world. This article in the wake of the recent gang-rape of an American female student, of TISS, by her fellow male friends comes as a sad reminder that in 85 per cent cases the rapist is someone known to the victim. When caretakers become culprits, where does one go and appeal for help? In the light of the recent issue I would like to request Woman’s Era to include the contact numbers or websites of relevant help groups and Women’s Rights Acts (wherever possible), to further educate the Indian woman of her rights and thus truly empower her. It’s time we break the confining chains of silence and help out to put an end to this heinous crime. Thank you WE for becoming the voice of today’s woman. – Sunanda Satwah, Mumbai. By Bhavna

CON

OF A FESSIONS

READOMANI the world Welcome to r! lsive reade of a compu

AC

you do hat do house inside your day the whole you long? Don’t You feel bored? more out must go know, often, you people,” and meet say, s neighbour me in a looking at I smile in n. kindly fashion. but explanatio curious offering an of course, reply without question, They It is a rhetorical call for a reply. an not that I am which does to know me only want t. That tell them? old misogynis a what do I That I am Anyway, time reading?I may have I spend my c?” but it does kind of “readoholi a word . Me invented me completely like describe others are and so many suppose, to me, I addicted irrevocably word. the written there’s If to something it. I read, I read of feel a sort

“W

READING HUMOROUSLY

I was amused when I went through the Confessions of a Readomaniac (April II) as I also am a Readaholic like M.S. Romola Shanbhag. While growing up in Kerala my neighbour and closest friend’s bachelor uncle had a huge library at home and a major chunk of By Romola

Shanbhag

130

my reading was done there. I used to devour books, comics, classics, suspense et al. For me sublime bliss was to curl up on a rainy day with a Perry Mason, a Sherlock Holmes or a Wodehouse. After marriage I used to enjoy my hubby’s collection of Harold Robins, Arthur Hailey, Hadley Chase and other authors. I still treasure my collection of Romantic novels also. Later I grew up with my son enjoying Tin Tin Comics Hardy boys, etc. and then graduated to Sidney Sheldon, John Grisham, Stephen King and others. For me any time is reading time and any place also – whether it is the dining room, bedroom or even the loo, while travelling or even waiting at the hospital for a check-up. I don’t take the newspaper to the toilet unlike a friend’s son who in his busy IIT coaching days used to hang his copy of the paper on the towel rack while taking a bath. His grandpa naturally had another copy for himself. To see my doctor son taking books to the toilet and my daughterin-law (also a doctor) reading at the dining table is routine sight to us. I am eagerly awaiting the day when my grandchildren will make their appearance in this world, to see whether they also continue their grandma’s obsession (Magnificent?) – MS. P. Sakuntala, Kerala.

The list is long and inexhaustible. You have rightly chosen the learned well-informed former IRS officer who is adept at answering all kinds of queries with superb ease. Her advice in simple language is down-to-earth and sensible. Had she used the professional jargon the common readers would not have grasped and benefited from her advice. It has enlightened me on various monetary issues that used to plague my mind groping in vain for right answers. Interacting with people who were as ignorant as I am often worsened the situation. It is high time that the people learnt the tricks to prevent wastage that is surely a drain on their economy. Depositing cash in the bank accumulates interest on it while piling up unused, unusable things clutter the house and accumulate dust. I have picked up the ropes how to save money without wasting time and energy. She has rightly impressed upon us the importance of following the old adage that money saved is money earned’. Kudos to you! Thanks WE. – Nalini Sharma, Bhilai.

The prize is awarded to:

Sunanda Satwah, Mumbai. TTERS MONEY MA

A USEFUL COLUMN

want to use the mobiles but I have two present. How can fine order? one for the be kept in in a dry unused mobile unused mobile keep it Store the that, place. Beforeat 40 per cent. and cool fully, but ? preserved should keep the original charged, not Do printouts. First, you gas stoves? and take es green label photocopi how much? papers safely What are and, if so, have three to your stove is save LPG Secondly, one copy . and they green label gas companies A made. Give your parents leading oil another to from a new husband, available are taking for yourself. when you retain one Ask for it to buy another cash plan, connectio n or wish label stove’s by daily hospital green cent, What is the stove. The is 68 per in a been launched has efficiency which ? thermal cent present of companies a higher to 64 per cash plan, insurance A Bureau have to pay daily hospital premium compared is gas appliance. Does a woman taking a life insurance Under a while each normal Standards certificate pay an insurance premium The green cover for you can to a man? Indian get to firms. and oil of required month home. For handed out by policy compared a warranty is always than every in a nursing with Rs stove carries to one year of A woman premium day spent buy a plan to stay label gas insurance compared green pay a lower applies to all insuring example, if you and have three years, gas stove. The LPG limit per day you get Rs 2,000 a man. This more ordinary 2,000 an cent . hospital, five per stay’s companies 10 days in stove saves one. , for the entire to my sister. = Rs.20,000 than a normal to give a loan Income Tax x 10 s I may have advantage under the If expenses. jewellery allowed? water is bestow? Is cash allowed Are there only cheques credit cards find out whether on women’s Act? Or, are given, how much money How can we of which to milk? be get discounts a cash can There’s being added test is to put a drop If You can locker fees. which a cash loan. can be extended? The simple rate at slanting surface. a jewellery can give d Rs to you polished gold. Yes, restricted milk on a it would leave special discounte for buying amount is This is be given milk is impure, But, the pure, it won’t loans would in one year. 269T the trail behind. But, if s 20,000 only Sections 269S, deodorant white colour behind. whether to know stated under the Income Tax Act. genuine. leave a white want I are of that at a discount and 269TT , I find costing Rs my on offered deodorant loan. But several occasions were paid for Rs 85, Where the take a car t for On card bills me given away is I intend to buy hi-fi equipmen though credit 150 is being genuine deodorant bank charged to A car financier the last day, the can be done? price. desire is buy. the cheap don’t Would What such a the car also. for the whole amount Rs 100 extra. bill, when paid on the never offered at loan system? provide a A credit card charges because new electronic the vehicle, to be may invite including s may have days is given for not extend last day, queries to: transaction A car loan your four full pay E-mail omansera.com financier would equipmen t the You should online alone. The money@w checked. new make an for m cheque or money Subramania early by all . of Meenakshi answering installation charges payment. IRS officer, from income in penal former a is be opened Thus, be avoided. queries, right time can fixed deposit or must I go in t shopping. your money Should a Rs 100 every tax to supermarke child’s name some queries to: Fund scheme? my minor taxed? If Mail your Provident ERA, for a Public transfer allowanceunspent, what 'S Is woman. a but WOMAN Rani Jhansi Marg, remains I am a working be surprised, money Estate, is not You would more profitable. If you happens? E-3, Jhandewala Delhi-110055. allowance is New the child’s PPF account No, transfer unspent amount a fixed deposit, to your But mention invest in be added in taxed. money wouldyear and taxed. But, in your return. (First) 2009 income every there is no tax. Era ● June Woman’s a PPF option, financial important n, How shouldlike house registratiobe s, deals, document and bank car purchase

I am deeply impressed with your regular feature Money & Matters published in your esteemed fort nightly Woman’s Era providing professional guidance free of cost. Nowhere one will get access to such precious knowledge on how to conserve precious water, cooking gas in the kitchen, electricity, maintenance of household gadgets, getting extra car mileage, wise shopping, property deals and income tax, etc., relating all the core issues.

Q A

Woman’s Era ● June (Second) 2009

WOMAN'S ERA invites readers’ opinions and reactions on articles, short stories and features published in Woman’s Era. The best letter will be given a prize of Rs 500. Address your letters by E-mail to: [email protected] or by post to: AS YOU SAY E-3 Jhandewala Estate, New Delhi-110055. Womansera.com Name: Mobile: E-mail:

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