Why are celebrities vulnerable

Why is it that every time Bollywood celebrities, mostly the three Khans, comment on any serious issue, it’s always blown out of proportion and they are hounded like crazy by the media and the cyber citizens as if they had done blasphemy?

In a star crazy nation like India where people are interested in knowing everything about their favourite stars, the media seizes the opportunity to raise their ratings and circulation. On the other hand, the general people go hammer and tongs against them on the social media, some questioning their integrity and patriotism and others simply posting distasteful comments.

While everybody has a right to make a comment or feeling publicly as guaranteed by our constitution, why is it that actors are targeted? Nobody has any issue when they talk about their affairs or rivalry with other actors. Is it simply because they are vulnerable and cannot strike back hard as they cannot afford to lose their fan following or antagonise the media on which they are heavily dependent for publicity?

The latest on the target list is Aamir Khan after his comment on the intolerance issue, “As an individual, as a citizen I have also been alarmed, I can’t deny it, by a number of incidents…for the first time Kiran said should we move out of India. That’s a disastrous and big statement for her to make.”

It became a front page headline and there were comments all over social media. Some defended him, arguing that he never said that he would leave India. Others slammed him, saying how could he make such comments for India which made him a star. There were heavy security outside his house and the media was after him for a reaction. Shiv Sena announced a reward for slapping him.

Anupam Kher was critical in his tweet, Dear @aamir_khan. Did you ask Kiran which country would she like to move out to? Did you tell her that this country has made you… But Ram Gopal Verma tweeted positively, “If Aamir, Sharuk and Salman the three biggest stars of the Hindu country “India” are Muslims, I don’t understand where the intolerance is.”  

This is not the first time Aamir came under the media’s scanner. He came under the spotlight when he commented after the Vadodara riots, “I want the people of India to see that here is a political party that does not believe in democracy…”

He also came into focus when he joined the Narmada dam issue with Medha Patkar who was on a hunger strike in Delhi. Though he had not made any political comment and just met her at the venue, the media and many people had dismissed it as a publicity stunt. He also came under attack from doctors after he highlighted malpractice in the medical profession in his programme Satyameva Jayate.

Aamir Khan is not alone to be targeted. Earlier also on several occasions, celebrities had to apologise or take back their comments. Before Aamir, Shah Rukh Khan added his voice to the protest against the 'climate of intolerance' and said that there was "extreme intolerance" in the country, hitting the headline. Then followed the same cycle -- media hounding, social media leaving everything aside to target him and protests by political elements.

BJP leader Kailash Vijayvargiya had painted the actor as "anti-nationalist" and said his "soul" is in Pakistan though he lives in India. He, however, withdrew his controversial remarks but he refused to apologise. Several others follow suit. But this time the otherwise vociferous Shiv Sena, came out in full support of the Bollywood actor and said the superstar should not be targeted only because he is a Muslim and that the minority community in India is "tolerant".

Shah Rukh Khan had earlier entered into a controversy when he said, “I sometimes become the inadvertent object of political leaders who choose to make me a symbol of all that they think is wrong and unpatriotic about Muslims in India. … Rallies have been held where leaders have exhorted me to leave my home and return to what they refer to as my ‘original homeland.”

In another instance, Shahrukh Khan's mention of the Prophet in a quote led to a huge backlash from the Muslim clergy. When he was asked by a magazine, “According to you who is the most impressive figure in history?” he replied, “There are lots of them, some negative ones like Hitler, Napoleon, Winston Churchill and if I can call it history, then Prophet Mohammed and from recent time Nelson Mandela.” “And there are nice ones like Gandhiji and Mother Teresa.”

Later he said, “Obviously, I think there is no figure in history more important than Prophet Mohammed. Also, being a Muslim and standing up for the tenets of Islam is my most important agenda… and if they have seen my interviews, etc on TV about Islam, then the people who are objecting, should realise that what has appeared is a writing error not a thought or view that I believe in. Prophet Mohammed is the most important positive figure in Islam… and anyone who questions my view on that, is doing it just to create a controversy.”

Salman Khan is the media’s favourite because of his court cases. He is also infamous for his controversial comments. On the 26/11 attack in Mumbai, he had commented, “Everybody knows that the Pakistan government was not behind 26/11 attack and it was a terrorist attack.” Later when hell broke loose on his comment all over the media, he said, “Next time main apne sab interview khud bhi record karunga… taki yeh sab controversies na ho…”

Salman Khan also got into trouble when he commented after Yakub Menon’s conviction, “Get tiger (Tiger Memon), hang him. Parade him not his brother. Later he apologised, “I would like to unconditionally apologise for any misunderstanding.” Even his father Salim Khan spoke against him, fearing the ‘anti-national’ backlash. “Whatever Salman has written is ridiculous and meaningless. Salman is ignorant of the issue and people should not take him seriously.”

Salman Khan even faced flak for flying kite with Narendra Modi when he was still campaigning for the Lok Sabha polls and for his association with Sri Lanka’s Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Even Saif Ali Khan had miffed quite a few in Pakistan with his statement, “I have lost faith in Pakistan”. This he said after his film ‘Phantom’ had been banned in the Islamic Republic, following its controversial trailer depicting Pakistan as a hub for terrorists had been released. Some years ago, actress Khushboo came under attack from religious groups and activists over her comments on pre-martial sex, forcing her to issue a clarification. 

While there can be a healthy debate on what they said is right or wrong, what they said cannot surely become news of the day or take half of front pages and prime time slots on TV just because they are celebrities. And nobody for that matter should be shocked when they comment on a serious matter. They are all flesh and blood like us and have every right to make their feelings public. After all the beauty of Indian democracy is that it allows us all to speak aloud. But personal and press liberty shouldn’t become go to the extent that it becomes a vilifying or smear campaign. 

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#Peepli Live redux --- Published in #The Hoot

http://www.thehoot.org/media-watch/media-practice/peepli-live-redux-8973

The media blame politicians for exploiting social issues for political mileage but are the media any different with their feeding frenzies around tragedies, as the Dadri coverage showed?

KAKOLI THAKUR reports.

Remember Peepli Live, the acclaimed film about a poor farmer in a drought-hit area who unwittingly became the centre of controversy and how he was caught in a battle between media houses for TRPs and politicians for political mileage?
That was a movie but don’t we have Peepli Lives playing out almost every day, whether it’s over a minor topic or a major issue? In the form of 24/7 running commentary in print, online and television media? In netas cashing in on any controversy? In the reckless and uncontrolled social media where radicalised minds spread poison and tend to trivialise the most important news?
The Dadri tragedy shows once again how the media are feeding off tragedies and from dubious motives. Is it because they really believe the news to be important or is it because a mob lynching lends itself to hysterical reporting and shrill debates which is what they need for their ratings? The same applies to politicians: is that they really care about Akhlaq and the issues the lynching threw up or are they exploiting the murder for their votebanks?
In Peepli Live, politicians and journalists competed for TRPs. They were there again at Dadri. This time we had the social media to give them company. The media were quick to accuse politicians of being vultures but were they any different?
Controversial BJP politicians and leaders from other parties lined up at the village to make provocative statements in their attempts to polarise ordinary people and politicise the issue in a bid to grab the headlines.
These politicians and journalists hung around for so long after the incident that the villagers stopped anyone else from entering because they were so angry at being exploited. The media failed to learn a lesson.
Is it possible that the media and the political class are making a bad situation even worse with their behaviour, that they are exacerbating social tensions because of their insanely aggressive conduct at such times?  If the villagers had been left alone after the gruesome murder and after the initial reporting, it’s possible that the social fabric of the village might have been only slightly, or temporarily, damaged and Hindus and Muslims might have been able to resume living together as they had earlier. Instead, as the days passed, differences hardened.
For Akhlaq’s family, the continuous glare of cameras was certainly not something they wanted at this moment of grief when Danish was still in hospital. Surely the media can show more sensitivity and judgement on such occasions and balance the insatiable need of the beast for news and updates with some  consideration for the family’s need? Instead, the headlines kept coming:
Mohammad Akhlaq's Son Shifted to Delhi Army Hospital -  NDTV
Mohammad Akhlaq's family moves to New Delhi - India Today
Akhlaq’s brother says family will not leave the village — firstpost.com
Kin return to village one last time – Times of India
‘Danish doesn’t want to remember that night’ - Hindustan Times
The cameras continued to chase the family for a byte or two even when Sartaj, the victim’s elder son, visited the village for the first time after the incident.
Negative, positive, analytical, sensational, the issue hogged the headlines for a good two weeks:
Right-wing groups behind Akhlaq killing: Cong - Times of India.
Dadri lynching: Akhlaq's last call was to his Hindu childhood friend for help -  Times of India
'I'll become Hindu, but don't hurt my family': Dadri Muslim - catchnews.com
 ‘Bisada has become a dangerous word’ - Indian Express’
Dadri: Not just another issue, Bhainsko danda? - edit page, Times of India
Was the Dadri lynching really about eating beef - Reddif.com
Dadri incident a well-planned conspiracy - The Hindu
The Dadri effect: Killing beef-eaters will not win elections - Times of India
'Grand Alliance' Trying to Divert Attention by Raising Dadri Incident: Venkaiah Naidu - NDTV
Dadri incident being used for gains in Bihar polls: Sanjay Raut - CNN -IBN
Adding to the pandemonium was the social media, which has become a loose cannon of sorts. It behaved very irresponsibly with people posting hate comments and inflammatory pictures. A photo of raw flesh was circulated with the claim that it was the beef found in Akhlaq’s house. The police haven’t been able to trace the people who started these chain messages. However, the  ‘once-bitten, twice-shy’ UP police quickly managed to zero in on a Facebook user for posting videos of a Dalit couple who stripped at a police station in nearby Dankaur.
After the Dadri incident, there was a string of rumours over ‘cow carcasses being found all over UP’. In Mainpuri, two butchers were beaten up over rumours of cow slaughter. Even in Bisada, the carcass of an animal led to fresh tension days after the lynching. Hate messages spread on the social media and messaging apps were largely responsible for such incidents.
And now politics has started over the decision of many writers to return their Sahitya Akademi awards to protest against the growing intolerance in the country. The government has termed it a ‘manufactured’ protest and the opposition has taken the government head-on. Here we go again..yet another controversy, yet another high-decibel ruckus. Where will it end? The mind boggles.  

Living on the edge

Living on the edge

  Today when I went to the pathological lab for a simple blood test, I saw a small boy, a dengue patient, waiting for his turn. The small boy, I heard, was coming twice a day to check his platelet count. The tired and worried parents were eagerly waiting for the report. I could relate to their tension as I also have a son of the same age.

The kid was suffering from dengue, a disease that has wreaked havoc in Delhi-NCR this year. This year, a vast majority of those affected, including the victims, are children. Experts say the outbreak is only likely to intensify in by mid-October.

I wonder, aren’t we living on the edge year after year. Are we paying the price of living in a big city? With the onset of monsoon every year, dengue raises its ugly head and people live in fear with each passing day. We start taking precautions by not opening doors and windows even in day hours as the dengue mosquito bites in the morning and during day time. This year, a circular was sent from my son’s school, asking them to wear full sleeves shirt and long trousers in summer time; most of big schools are air-conditioned and so sending them fully covered wouldn’t be a problem for those studying there. But what about kids in government schools where there is no guarantee that the rickety fan would work. Wouldn’t they sweat just because the government is trying to cover up its own failure to check mosquito-breeding than the kids?

In the evening again, I cannot stop him from going to the park so cover him in this humid September to protect him from that nasty bite.

Recently, the swimming pool of our society was closed after two children had dengue fever. Only then, reality struck our management members that dengue mosquito breeds in clean water. Every year dengue is at its peak in October, the festival season. And there is no respite till Diwali night when smoke from crackers stops these tiny killers. But is this a healthy solution?

But are these protections enough? Come winter and again another fear will start worrying us -- swine flu. In peak summer when people from other places dread to come to the national capital, we feel safe as the hot sun protects us at least from these diseases.

Then there is the constant fear of air pollution; it is said after 10 years Delhi will be counted among the most polluted cities in the world. I think it is already there. If these killer diseases are taking toll year after year why doesn’t the government take precautions beforehand? Simple steps like cleaning drains, cutting unnecessary hedges and bushes, stopping dumping of garbage here and there, conducting fumigation drives across all places not only in the posh areas, covering areas where stagnant water accumulates. These are enough to restrict disease from spreading.

The common people must also take responsibility to keep their surroundings clean along with their houses. Instead, our political parties are busy in a blame game. When in power, their term gets over before taking any sincere step and when in opposition their only task is to blame the ruling party. This year, the unofficial death toll is already nearing 50. Delhi had witnessed a large number of dengue cases in 2010, with over 6,200 cases.

This year, the death of a seven-year- old dengue patient followed by his parents’ suicide was shocking. Every year we read, we feel bad and then we forget until a similar story hits the headlines next year. We think this can happen to others and not us.

In such emergency situations, why can’t private hospitals open their doors for the poor at nominal rates so that they don’t have to run from pillar to post? Sometimes they are shown the door saying no beds are available, sometimes they are told treatment not possible there. Initiatives to improve the conditions of the government hospitals will help in controlling such diseases in the long run. Till then, living on the edge will become a routine affair and part of our daily lives.

Soap opera of the absurd

Soap opera of the absurd

  I was surfing the television channels the other day, searching for something to ‘pass time’, as they say. While I could not find a single serial worthwhile to even stand for a few minutes, I was dumbstruck with the quality of what is shown on the idiot box in the name of entertainment.

Regressive, I thought, are today’s serials. But then, regressive would be a tame word I guess. These are atrocious, lousy and diabolical – a throwback to the loud and bad Hindi movies of the ’80s – and do justify the tag ‘idiot box’ given to television.

In this 21^st century when we are all standing up against superstition, here was a TV serial showing the protagonist challenging a daiin (witch) and taking on a nagin before that. Absolutely ridiculous! My seven-year-old son who was watching innocently asked. “Mamma, does this happen in real life also?” Even he understood that this can’t be real. I replied, “No they are just doing theatre just like you do in your theatre class.”

Then there was another serial in which a young widow is made to follow all the rules of a rigid conservative Hindu society. And we all thought widow remarriage is no big deal these days and the focus is on economic self-reliance of women.

In another serial, the lead character married so many times that even viewers lost count. Once while my mother-in-law was watching that serial and a marriage sequence was going on, my husband asked who was getting married. She replied the lead character, to which he said “Oh no, Not again!” and there were bouts of laughter.

One soap is about a girl who is the subject of ridicule day in and day out. The reason -- believe it or not – is her stammering. The whole world right from her neighbours to her office colleagues to her in-laws is after her to make her life hell. They insult her again and again, calling her ruk ruk ke bolne wali. I wonder if anybody behaves like that today.

In many serials, the mom-in law is shown plotting against the daughter-in-law and the later doesn’t utter a word. I don’t think today’s girls are so dumb and so tolerant. Why can’t they focus on not tolerating such behaviour and lodging complaints against domestic violence? In our self-defence classes with Delhi Police, we were told even emotional torture is a crime and action would be taken if complaint is lodged. Or will they wait for the daughter-in-law to die and take rebirth for revenge? Going by our present day stories, even that is possible.

In yet another story, the father-in-law is the hell breaker in the household and makes the lives of all the women in the house like jail inmates. They are not allowed to go out and even wear a saree of their choice. My, my, isn’t that a bit too much?

All this reminds of our childhood days when DD was the only channel and cable network was yet to enter our lives. The serials came once a week and we used to wait for a whole week to know what would happen next. The storylines were simple and real and we would instantly connect with them. The characters were so like us and we would laugh and cry with them and understand their feelings. The stories had a logical ending. Serials like Humlog, Buniyaad, Katha Sagar, Ye jo hai zindegi, Rajni, etc., that we can never forget. Serials that were so popular and even today people talk about them. May be that is why when Zindagi channel entered our homes, it instantly struck a chord with the viewers as they found its storylines similar with the old DD days.

Even today some serials start with a good theme but under the daily pressure, they lose track. Writers are forced to stretch the storyline to such an extent that it becomes boring and people lose interest. They bring twists and turns every now and then by entry of a vamp or rebirth angle or double role and even plastic surgery. Even actors start quitting the shows and serial makers have to replace them with new faces, confusing the viewers all the more.

Serial makers often reason that they add masala to the soaps to attract housewives. Please give me a break. Today’s homemakers are educated so why feed them with such stories? If people stop watching such shows, TRPs will automatically go down and the channels will be bound to pull the plug on these serials.

But I also feel there must be are a lot of viewers who regularly watch such serials. Even I failed to convince my mom-in-law not to watch such serials. Her logic is “what else do I watch?”

Isn’t it time for serial makers to give us something worthwhile and tell the world that TV is more than just an idiot box?

#Assam floods: Who cares? Published in #The Hoot

Assam floods: Who cares?

The Hoot link
http://www.thehoot.org/media-watch/media-practice/assam-floods-who-cares-8910


BBC link

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-34242066

BBC report on Assam floods mentioned my article

Writing in the media site The Hoot, analyst Kakoli Thakur says while the murder mystery in Mumbai "involving a woman from Assam was hogging the limelight but the state itself, where thousands of people were hit by the worst spate of floods in decades, was reduced to fillers in the newspapers and small news capsules on TV channels".

Ms Thakur argued that if a similar situation happened in any other state, the government and the media would have lost no time in declaring it a national calamity.

Assam is possibly India's most flood-prone state: since 1950, the state has seen at least 12 major floods.

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

A few days back, a cartoon was doing the rounds in the social media. It showed a marooned couple sitting on the roof of their dilapidated house amid floods with the husband screaming, “Even I had an affair with Indrani”. And in a hushed tone, the husband was trying to explain to his wife that he was trying to get the attention of the media – obsessed with the Sheena Bora murder case -- to their plight. 

The cartoon reflected a sad irony – a woman from Assam was hogging the limelight but the state itself, where thousands of people were hit by the worst spate of floods in decades, was reduced to fillers in the newspapers and small news capsules on TV channels. Barring one or two, national newspapers and TV channels mostly chose to ignore the fury nature had unleashed on the state, rendering thousands homeless and many dead.

It’s been months since floods are wreaking havoc in Assam. And this is not the first time, year after year Assam faces the same crisis – sometimes mild in nature and most of the times very grave.

To give an idea, this year itself over 60 people have died till now and the number is still counting. According to the daily flood report issued by the Assam State Disaster Management Authority on Sept 7, 14.42 lakh people in 19 districts of the state were then reeling under the floods. If a similar situation happened in any other state, the government and the media took no time in declaring it a national calamity.

Compare it with the coverage Mumbai or Delhi’s waterlogging gets in prime time news. Even a puddle of water in Mumbai is enough to make to the front pages or prime time. Every time Kashmir goes under water or Uttarakhand is ravaged by rain, a battery of reporters is lined up for special coverage from ground zero, prompting people from Assam to ask a pertinent question: “Are we lesser mortals?” It is not that people from the state are craving for media attention or wanting to hog the headlines. But it is also true that there should be a fair balance in reportage and that adequate media coverage also forces the government to sit up and take note.

Nearly 1.5 million people were affected in this year’s floods but our media was busy focusing on the Sheena Bora case as if Assam had nothing to offer for news except that it is the native state of the accused Indrani Mukerjea. Camerapersons and reporters lined up at the Guwahati residence of Indrani when the floods were ravaging the state but hardly any for the flood-hit people. Even the social media – which didn’t spare a moment sharing comments and opinions on the Sheena case -- was not moved enough to spread a message about the seriousness of the situation even after seeing distressing pictures, few of which became public.

People are rendered homeless, they live in relief camps for months in unhygienic conditions, sometimes they go without food for days and the farmers are the worst affected. This year, Dibrugarh in upper Assam -- considered the tea capital of Assam and a medical hub -- went under water for days but no one took notice. Forget about the hundreds of villages where people spend months on dykes and boats and even trees. Last year, 80% of Guwahati, the gateway of the northeast that houses Assam’s capital Dispur, was submerged for days but did anybody even notice?

Sample this. Between August 25, when Indrani Mukerji was arrested, and the first week of September, when the Assam floods reached a critical phase and the Sheena case coverage peaked, the print media largely chose to ignore the grim situation in the state. The floods never made to the front pages and remained restricted to standalone photos or small isolated reports buried inside. This was true for Hindustan Times, Times of India, Indian Express and Hindu.

The electronic and digital media were slightly better off, though the flood coverage hardly made it to the landing page of the websites. Barring India Today TV and Zee TV, which ran special reports from ground zero, other channels restricted the coverage to small news capsules that were overshadowed by the enormity of the Sheena Bora murder case and other news stories. It is quite paradoxical that the media, which calls panel discussions even for the most trivial of subjects, had hardly bothered to call in experts to suggest a solution to the problem that has ravaged the state for decades and crippled its economy.

According to data released by the Assam State Disaster Management Authority on Sept 7 – when the flood was at its peak -- some 1,635 villages had been affected. About 105,716 hectares of crop area had been hit. In all, 308 relief camps and centres had been set up, with over 120,000 people taking refuge. Dibrugarh and Dhemaji districts were among the worst affected. All rivers including the Brahmaputra, Jia Bharali, Dhansiri, Puthimari, Beki, Katakhal and the Kushiyara were flowing above the danger mark. Though the situation has considerably improved, the misery of the people will continue as water-borne diseases rear their ugly head after flood waters recede.

Making the situation worse is the blame game between the state and central governments over flood relief. While the Centre says adequate money has been sent, the state claims even last year’s funds have not been fully disbursed.

As always, sandwiched in the middle are the people of Assam who have to bear the brunt of the floods year after year after year. And the media and the governments merrily choosing to ignore their plight year after year after year.  

Anecdotes from #Delhi Police #self-defence camp

Fighting back

 

One day while turning the pages of a newspaper, I came across an ad on self-defence. It was about a women’s summer camp conducted by the Special Police Unit for Women and Children (SPUWAC), Delhi Police. When I saw that the starting age was 13, I was little indecisive. Still I went ahead and registered myself as there was an online option. One month was left for the camp and with each passing day, I was in two minds -- to go for it, or not to go. Two days before the camp, I even went shopping and bought myself track suits and T-shirts.

Finally the D-day arrived and with lots of doubts in mind, I reached the venue on time. There was a long queue for the registration number and I was relieved to see quite a lot of women of different ages along with young girls. The numbers were definitely encouraging and the camp started at 9 am sharp. A few women officers were present to train us and the introduction was very encouraging -- ‘women can do anything’, ‘we all have strength, we just have to utilise it when in need and for that we have to know the right technique’, ‘there is no age to learn anything’.

Then began the vigorous warm-up sessions that loosened every muscle and bone in my body. I was already tired but I was happy that at the end of 15 days, along with learning some self-defence techniques, I would shed a few kilos. While some women had enrolled for the training along with their daughters, there were a few who just accompanied their wards and remained mere spectators. The instructors repeatedly requested them to enrol but they didn’t budge; I really pity those women. There was a woman who was above 60 years, and I salute her for her enthusiasm. A senior woman officer came and gave us a very encouraging speech and we were all charged up. After two hours on Day-1, we already knew a few moves and I was smiling ear to ear when my husband came to pick me up.

Our instructors had warned us not to try our moves on our family members but yes of course, we had to practise to master it. But there was this irresistible urge to do so and after reaching home each day, I would practise my moves on my husband. Not literally, of course! I would say ‘grip my neck, hand or hair’ and he would say ‘NO’ every time, but gave up finally.

In one of the classes, we were being taught what to do if someone grabs our hair; the fourth move was to pull down the attacker. A few girls got so excited that they started pulling down each other and there was laughter all round. Our instructors sternly warned us that we can only do so when we practise on mattresses, so that nobody gets hurt. And that we would waste our energy if we laugh, instead there should be aggression and anger on our face.  

The next day, we finally got the chance to show our prowess on mattresses with our partners. We practised how to defend ourselves if someone attacks us from the back, and pulled our partners down. They pulled us down in the next round. Each and every one got the opportunity and the practise was indeed exciting. 

In another class, a girl got hurt in her hand because she got too close to a stand fan. Since an ambulance was present at the venue, she was given first-aid immediately. So, there was relief that all precautions had been taken.

Though we learnt many tricks, we were not told which self- defence technique we were being taught. My journalistic mind started asking questions and to calm my inquisitiveness, I searched on net with all the key words that I heard at the camp. I looked for all forms of martial arts but the terms were not matching ours. So the next day, when we got our 5-minute break, I approached the senior officer. I was little apprehensive as he was almost 6-feet tall. He told us that those were moves specially created by Delhi Police to make Delhi women self-reliant and strong.  

When the first Saturday came, our two-hour class got over half-an-hour early and we were told it was masti time and anybody can show their talent on stage. Some shared jokes, some sang songs, some even danced and I got nostalgic and went back to my favourite school days.

Our 15^th day was the closing ceremony at Siri Fort auditorium. We were taken to the venue in buses and we made a queue for everything like school girls. Commissioner of Delhi Police Bhim Sain Bassi was the chief guest. A movie on self-defence was screened where the actors were all Delhi Police personnel. The surprise was that most of our women instructors were seen onscreen and there were cheers from all the students seeing our gurus in a different avatar. Mr Bassi took direct questions from students and most of his solutions focussed on essential self-defence training for girls. When questions poured in non-stop, Mr Bassi said, “I know you all got bored from me and now say with me BORE.” And there was an echo of loud ‘NOooo’ from the students.”

We received our certificates the same day and I got another designation in the certificate. Instead of journalist and counsellor, I was mentioned as a teacher; not bad!

Hope more people enrol in such camps and women in Delhi are no more scared to venture out even at odd hours.  When I enrolled at the camp, many laughed at me and were sarcastic, but I didn’t give a damn. And today after completing the course, I am a new person with renewed energy with loads of confidence.

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Life without #Maggi

Life without Maggi

When the news first broke a couple of weeks back that it’s not safe to have Maggi as the masala contains lead -- and some news even said it contains monosodium glutamate -- we had just one packet of our favourite snack left. We immediately had that before getting any further news. My seven-year-old is a Maggi fan and it’s a custom for him to have Maggi every Sunday as we had told him it is not advisable to have it every day as it is junk food. But of course, we gave him the healthy wheat noodles instead of the maida one. He is very conscious as they are taught in school only to have healthy food. He even says ‘No’ to pizza and burger but when it comes to Maggi, he loves to argue that it’s not junk.

I still remember when we heard about the name for the first time in school in the ’80s and Maggi packets were distributed free for promotion. At that time my mother was not at home, so my father served us boiled Maggi. I didn’t like the taste then.

But after marriage, Maggi became a good option as an evening snack and after much experimentation with onion, egg and even chicken, I got the perfect taste and I joined the bandwagon of Maggi fans.

When I conceived, I used to have Maggi almost daily as a ritual; maybe my son developed the taste from the womb. Whoever heard about it scolded me, but my son was born fit and fine.

My office colleagues liked the way I made Maggi, and I often got requests to bring Maggi for lunch. So Saturday I generally took Maggi, as I was dead tired after five days of office and didn’t have the energy to make anything else. So Maggi was such a relief and saving grace.

One of my friends even made a future plan with me to open a Maggi stall at Delhi University campus and she would say it would definitely sell like hot cakes. And she would join me as a cashier. What a plan!

Last year when we visited Goa, my husband made a plan that when we would grow old and our son would fly from our nest, we would open a shack in Goa and a Maggi stall, in case our restaurant idea didn’t work.

But today morning when I read the news ‘Delhi bans Maggi’, all our plans remained a dream forever. Leave aside the ‘grand plans’, now we can’t even have Maggi at the comfort of our homes.

And how can we forget the Maggie ad “Mummy bhuk lagi hai….do minute”.

Sad the 2-minute wonder is past now and another chapter of our life has been closed with nostalgic Maggi moments.

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Shaky weekend

Shaky weekend!

 

Well this was the first time we experienced a major shake on the eighth floor and my first reaction was, ‘something is wrong with my health, my head is spinning’. A few seconds later, my husband also felt the same, and then we noticed the fans and lights in our drawing room moving and there was no hint of wind outside. And we echoed together EARTHQUAKE! My son was watching his favourite cartoon and it was difficult to explain him why the hell the earth was moving. My husband quickly took his purse, ATMs and house keys. The first thought that came to my mind was, I cannot go out in my nightwear in case I have to stay in a camp, as flashes of such severe occurrences that I watched on Discovery and news channels came to my eyes. In such a scenario, my jeans and T-shirt were the most handy and comfy.

Well, it turned out to be a serious issue as the quake was 7.9 on Richter scale and that too the epicentre was in our neighbouring Nepal, the biggest one to hit that country in eight decades. But as we went outside, a few observations around made me smile even in such a serious scenario. One of my neighbours shared with me the same thought, ‘even she changed her dress’. Someone said even UP has been hit, I felt like saying ‘We are also in UP though we call it Delhi-NCR and Delhi and UP are neighbouring states’ but controlled my tongue. By then almost everyone from our 12-floor apartment was downstairs and discussions were on whether our building was earthquake-resistant. No matter what the discussion was, deep inside everybody knew there is no way of escaping in case a major one hit us, as Delhi is located in seismic zone 4. Meanwhile rumours were doing rounds on social media; the irony is that educated people do not stop themselves from forwarding such messages even knowing nobody can predict earthquakes.

As we returned to our daily chores, the first aftershock came and again we had to run outside. This time nobody was in their night wears and some women even managed some touch-up. Well, women will be women after all! 

Once I was in office and the moment someone said ‘earthquake’, the whole office was outside. But I was on my seat trying to feel the earthquake, whether it was a real one. As I belong to Assam and earthquakes are quite a common occurrence there, we are too lazy to move out before a major shake.

This time one of my journalist friends messaged sarcastically, ‘hope our boss does not ask us to do a campaign -- Stop earthquake’. Well, journalists will be journalists always.  On a serious note, seismological experts are saying there will be a more aftershocks, especially near the epicentre and after that the magnitude will recede gradually, as this is how the earth reacts after a major shake. Till then hope we all are safe from such tremors and realtors build earthquake-resistant buildings only as it is said earthquakes do not kill people buildings do. And hope there is more awareness about what to do in case of tremors in the future.    

NE Today article on street fashion in Guwahati

Shop till you drop but be street smart

Street fashion in Guwahati

  

health article on cycling ---maxposure group magazine --- DLF Promenade magazine

C for Cycling

Want to stay fit but hate going to the gym or dislike doing those heavy aerobics? Just pick up the cycle, stay fit and do your bit for the planet.

 

Kakoli Thakur

When you choose cycling as your fitness mantra, you not only become fit but you also have a satisfaction that you are doing your bit to protect the environment and save fuel. Cycling has multiple health benefits and keeps your doctor away. It’s not that it’s too hard to learn cycling. There are many who know cycling but with time, they get out of touch. Taking the first step is very important.

Manas Arvind, a nutritionist from Gurgaon, has been cycling for the last five years. As a kid, he used to cycle regularly with friends but with age, he lost touch. When he crossed 30, health issues started cropping up due to weight and his sedentary lifestyle. That’s when he noticed his cycle lying idle in a corner. He never enjoyed the gym but cycling was always his passion and he loved going outdoors.

Initially he started for half an hour and then he met some like-minded people. And then there was no stopping. He now participates in long-distance trips regularly, he became fit and life became more interesting.

Manas says cycling gives new freedom, new dimensions. When you go on a long-distance trip, you push yourselves to finish the challenge and once you have started you cannot look back, you have to finish, he says. “Once we were on a trip from Corbett to Kumaon, it was very challenging, the route had lot of ups and downs. After every step we felt we would give up but ultimately when we succeeded it gave us a new high to accept more challenging trips. There were also two women riders with us.”

Cycling, besides keeping you fit, is also a recreational activity. Unlike the gym, running or rigorous aerobic activities, it’s a low-impact type of exercise and easier on your joints but it still helps you get into shape. That is why it appeals across ages.

The best way to build your cardiovascular fitness on the bike is to ride for at least 150 minutes every week. For example, you could cycle to work a few days a week or do a couple of shorter rides during the week with a longer ride at the weekend or simply ride to work. You'll soon feel the benefits.

In Delhi, cycling is anyway a major mode of transport for lakhs of people from the economically weaker sections as it requires zero fuel cost and almost no maintenance. A Delhi government survey says there are around 30 lakh bicycles in the capital. “Not just low income group, well-off people also use cycles. I know a scientist who travels 25 km one way to his workplace daily.”

Manas shared an experience: “We went on a 1,200-km ride and as it was time-bound (in 90 hours), we could not relax. There was one 55-year-old lady and we were very doubtful whether she would be able to complete it. But finally only two people succeeded and she was one of them.”

It’s not too difficult to find time for cycling. Just give 2 per cent time from your 24 hours. Give priority to cycling over dinner with friends and social networking. Don’t go for fancy bikes, go for a normal bike with which you are comfortable with and right size is very important. Ride in groups and look forward to encouraging new people every day. This is his advice for amateurs.

Besides health benefits, cycling also helps in reducing pollution and saving fuel and ultimately saving our planet.

Nalin Sinha, traffic and transport expert, has been cycling since 2006. He has been into transport policy planning and was working on a sustainable mode of transport but somehow he could not tell people to cycle because he himself was not cycling. Once he was invited at the launch of a new bicycle at a hotel. It was there he bought a new bicycle and rode 10 km and realised the charm and got familiar with the hassles of cyclists on Delhi roads. Once when he was even hit by a dumper, he realised how safety is very important.

Nalin is associated with Delhi Cycling Club that has members varying from 9 years to 80 years. “Once we were cycling in Chanakyapuri, and we saw Rahul Gandhi and Robert Vadra cycling. Our group got excited and started cycling with them and their security had a hard time and went on alert mode,” he recalls.

Starters, he says, if out of touch should take basic training, or attend some workshop and then start regular cycling. Knowing traffic rules and how to be safe is very important.

Nalin Sinha feels that to encourage cycling there should be a connected network, proper infrastructure like a separate lane for bicycles.

 

Why cycling?

·        Sleep more deeply

·        Look younger

·        Boost your bowels

·        Increase your brain power

·        Beat illness

·        Live longer

·        Save the planet

·        Improve your sex life

·        Heal your heart

·        Avoid pollution

·        It means guilt-free snacks

·        You’re developing a positive addiction

·        Get (a legal) high

·        Make friends and stay healthy

·        Feeling tired? Go for a ride

·        Spend quality time with your partner

·        Be happy

·        You can get fit without trying too hard

·        Boost your bellows

·        Burn more fat

 

Benefits

·        One of the easiest ways to exercise

·        Builds strength and muscle tone

·        Increases muscle tone

·        Builds stamina

·        Improves cardio-vascular fitness

·        Eats up calories

·        Improves heart health

·        Improves coordination

·        Reduces stress

What to keep in mind

·        Start slowly and then increase your cycling

·        Increase speed gradually

·        Right equipment is very important. Head gear, kneepads, elbow pads should all be in place when cycling