Queer Azaadi March 2011!

 January 29^th, Bombay saw the third annual Queer Azaadi March (QAM) in history, an event which has only gotten bigger and better over the last three years. It was a perfect union of political activism and social mingling.

Pride Week:
The march was preceded by a whole week of festivities and this week (January 23^rd-29^th) was rightly declared as the Pride Week through the city of Mumbai. The events included queer themed music concerts, open mic nights, paint your own T-shirt for the march workshops, panel discussions, book readings, folk dance & graffiti wall, documentary and film screenings, play nights, fund-raisers and several parties. This allowed people to be a part of QAM through the week even if they couldn’t make it to the final march.

A Walk For Azaadi:

The march commenced from Gowalia Tank at 04:00 PM and thousands of people marched in vigour up to Chowpatty beach. Filmstar and Gay Rights activist Celina Jaitley was present to flag off the march and also in order to show her immense support and interest in the cause.

The march showed the coming together of members of the LGBT community and supporters of Gay Rights, thus representing the harmonious union of all colours in the rainbow flag. This beautiful display of unity in diversity was endearing to watch. Another thing to be noted was the creative outburst that was seen in the banners, posters, painted t-shirts that people carried in order to make a statement. The attire of a lot of people was incredibly unique and it would be correct to say that these were definitely some of the most fashionably dressed people of the city (see pictures below).

The most striking part about this year’s Queer Azaadi March was that only a handful of people wore masks. This is a sign of great things to come and only good ones for the queer folk and libertarians of the country.

History:

Gay pride marches have been an annual affair in the city since 2005. But it began to be called the Queer Azaadi March only from 2008. This year, the parade attracted record participation. One of the groups that stationed volunteers at the gate of Gowalia Tank Maidan, the starting point of the march, counted over 3,000 participants, the biggest number so far.

The QAM After Party:

The Queer Azaadi March was followed by even more celebration owing to the success of the week’s events and another reason to celebrate was the massive show that the Queer Azaadi March saw this year. It can safely be said that it was the biggest turn out yet and organisers are positive that the supporters and activists would only grow in number every year. “I have not seen these many out and proud women before!” exclaimed Shivani Rao  (26,  copywriter) who has been to all the Queer Azaadi Marches in Mumbai.

Cafe Ideal and Liquid Lounge near Chowpatty played hosts to the parties that lasted till the wee hours of the morning.

Photography by Karishma Rajani
Other Links:
Photography from Queer Azaadi March 2011
Video from Queer Azaadi March 2011

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Esha Rihal, 59, TY Journalism

Is Facebook shutting down on 15th March 2011??

 

Credit: google images

With several news sites and blogs free flowing on the recent disposal about the closure of Facebook, many  people have been bogged down with the panic statement on what will happen next to their social life inside the four walls making it much more difficult to continue the ties they share at the online world.

 Frenzy makes to haste...

                                                             Credit : Google images

There have been many messages one is receiving in their Facebook inbox itself asking people to delete their necessary details like pictures and information or to delete their profiles itself on the so called news that Mark Zuckerberg the owner of this site has announced to shutdown this site on the D day 15^th March 2011.

This has flared up people to an extent of absurd reactions to people to have already actually deleted their information and accounts. 

Bafflement and rumours

The confusion aggravated as this was termed as hoax and spam but many people started relying on the positive confirming reports stated at weeklyworldnews.com a site which is known for its false statements. 

This site carried a personal comment from Mark himself stating that his life has been affected by the load growing on this site and that he doesn’t care about the money involved in it so it is better that they shutdown.

Fear and Apprehension

                                            Credit : Google images

However, as this news spread like fire among the mass of the social networking world, Mark himself came up rubbishing this comment and saying he never made such comment and this is all a rumour and that they have just begun on their journey and couldn’t think of closing down. Now it has created big flurry as many are not aware of the entire situation themselves. 

People are half informed about the issue thinking that the site will be really closed down on 15^th March and have started acting on it already. They are believing the spam message circulated on Facebook or just trusting the blogs and opinion rather than looking up for the news sites or researching on the topic to know the whole truth. 

Priya Dwivedi a 19 year old  girl says “ I have deleted some albums from my account as I have heard Facebook is getting closed down on 15^th of March.”

We can see the comments of people on Facebook itself .

There are many more people like Priya who have unnecessarily taken such actions on the fear of losing their data or the melancholy of it getting misused unduly.

Shrugging off the belief...

Whereas there are many who didn’t even bother to look up on this issue and just ignored the rumour. Arnab Gupta a Manager by profession, 25 says “ Facebook being one of the wealthiest sites cannot get shutdown by just the reason of overload. The management will surely deal with such issue if it ever bothers them so this outcry about Facebook being shutdown is utter rubbish.”

But some are still confused on that to believe and what not to believe. Aanandita an 18 year old student says “ I just don’t know whom to believe. Some friends say this is all but a rumour and some say this is true. I will probably wait for more opinions and news and see what happens to decide what to do next.”

Parental views vs  youngsters

While youngsters are disturbed by this outbreak, parents and elders seem to be quite happy by this as they think their children will now be able to have a real life outside rather than sticking on to computers day in and out and chatting away to glory. 

Mrs. Rupali Mishra a 45 year old parent to her 16 year old girl says “ I would be more than glad if Facebook shuts down, atleast my daughter will have time to talk to family and play outside and do more useful things like watch news and study with concentration rather than wasting her time on Facebook by chatting and what not.” 

But youngsters are not at all happy with such discretion, Damayanti Sengupta a 21 year old working girl says “Parents think we use Facebook just for pass time with no value. We have friends to be in touch with and this acts like stress buster. I have found so many friends of mine whom I couldn’t contact for years. I don’t know what I will do if Facebook really shuts down.”

 Boiling down to....




All in all we can say is that with such rumours atleast we could come across different reactions of people and to see how it might affect people and financers differently. One thing is clear that the popularity of this site will always continue among parents, students, youngsters etc in their own way even if the site lives or perishes in the future.

By

Arjita Gupta

Roll no 22

The First Foreign Bahu of the Nehru Family

Fori is the first foreign bahu of the Nehru family and the oldest Jewish woman alive

She is the one who upholds the respect of women community. Society respects her as a goddess for her great work and all the sacrifices she made. Even when there was a trend of considering women as a tool for sexual enjoyment and to get the works done by her, the qualities of a woman like her, to uphold her dignity is really praiseworthy. The slogan- Yathra naariyanthu ramanthe thathra devatha-Where the women are being respected, there only the Almighty hails- Indian epics have many names of great women like her who is still a living example for generations. Even in the era of man dominations, she has served as the indispensable part and parcel of Nehru family. This remarkable lady happens to be Mrs Fori Nehru. Though Hungarian by birth, she happens to be the wife of a very distinguished Indian, the late BK Nehru, who, in his lifetime, served his motherland with great integrity and distinction as a civil servant, diplomat and finally as Governor of Assam, J&K and Gujarat. BK Nehru, a man of great integrity and conviction, always stood his ground and refused to be dictated by the Centre on his constitutional prerogatives.

Somewhere I do believe that a wife gives strength to do what one perceives as proper and principled, and I am sure that even the redoubtable Nehru derived much of his inspiration from his beloved life companion. Exceptionally well informed and mentally agile for her age, Fori is fascinating, to say the least. But it is the world that continues to fascinate her and keeps her going. An information buff, she is glued to news whether it is about the trapped miners in Chile or the stock movements on Wall Street. Her studious nature is well reflected in her love for the environment. Only last month, this grand old lady attended the annual general body meeting in the Kasauli cantonment of SPOKE (Society for Preservation of Kasauli and its Environs)—an organisation whose founder was none else than her beloved husband, and both of them have been much respected environmentalists.

Fori’s story is the least told in the Nehru clan. In her 102 years, she has seen both the World Wars, the Holocaust, the Independence, the Partition, the Nehru-Gandhi’s and everything that shaped modern India. In 1958, about two and a half decades after becoming the first foreign-born bahu of the Nehru clan, her story found a narrator. Sir Martin Gilbert, biographer of Sir Winston Churchill, stopped at Mount Ararat in Turkey as he travelled the Asia Minor. Two Germans in a car stopped to ask about the road to India. The duo roused interest in Gilbert about India. Soon after this he befriended a young Indian, Ashok Nehru, in Oxford. Ashok inspired Gilbert to travel to India.

When he reached New Delhi, Gilbert fell ill. It was Fori who nursed him back to health. Gilbert considers himself Fori’s “adopted nephew”, and she calls him her “adopted son”. Gilbert, currently a member of the Iraq Inquiry of the British government, wrote the book Letters to Auntie Fori: The 5,000-year History of the Jewish People and Their Faith out of the 141 letters that he wrote to her.

Fori’s real name is not known even to some of her close friends. She was born Magdolna Friedmann on December 5, 1908, in Budapest. Her parents, Regina and Armin Friedmann, called her ‘Dundi’, meaning fat girl in Hungarian-Yiddish. The ill-treatment of the Jewish population in Europe prompted her father to change the family name to Forbath. Magdolna Forbath got the nickname Fori in school and it stuck. Fori’s parents had a family business of toys and furniture. In 1928, when she was 20, the notorious ‘numerus clausus’ of Hungary did not allow her to continue her education in Budapest. This meant the university would not admit any more Jewish students on that particular year once the quota for them was over. Her parents sent her to France and then to England for further education.

In England, in 1930, Fori took note of B.K. Nehru, a fellow student. A romance began and it scared her family. They believed Indian men have hundreds of wives. B.K. Nehru himself did not make things any better. He also painted such a bleak picture of India, as part of her mental preparation that poor Fori thought it would be her good fortune if she ever got to drink a glass of clean water in India. In 1935, Fori married B.K. Nehru and became Shobha Nehru, though she continued to be called Fori. The wedding was the talk of Allahabad then, as Hindus of Prayag were known for their orthodoxy. But she managed to win hearts by her expertise in Hindi. According to Fori, India, however, was full of culture shocks. Though she was accepted by the members of the Nehru family, surprise lurked in every corner. Considering herself lucky by meeting Mahatma Gandhi, who inspired her to learn more about India’s rich handicrafts sector. She looked for a larger opportunity to practise the Mahatma’s principles that did not come to her as a prominent ICS officer’s wife. Fori’s collection of Gandhi memorabilia is spectacular.

Fori’s relationship with Indira Gandhi has been a subject of interest for Indira’s biographers. The deep friendship was more evident, when Fori stood by Indira as she dealt with the death of her son Sanjay in an air crash. Both bonded well over global affairs too. As a diplomat’s wife, Fori excelled in providing back-room support to Indira. B.K. Nehru’s stint as the Indian ambassador to the US (1958-68) was eventful. The couple charmed the American elite and coaxed the charismatic Jackie Kennedy into visiting India in 1962.

Though a non-practising Jew in a Hindu household, Fori always took note of the Indian Jewish population and kept close contact with them. According to   Israel embassy in New Delhi, Fori Nehru is indeed the oldest Jewish woman in the world. The oldest Jewish man is a Russian. Fori has still not forgiven the Germans. “I am not much of a Jewish [person] but even today I cannot shake hands with a German,” she once told Gilbert. She never shook hands with the German ambassador in Washington, DC, during B.K. Nehru’s stint there. Inspite of all this, the patience of greatness of Fori Nehru to serve the family and the society is incomparable. That’s why she deserves the designation of Devatha –of-Goddess-worth to be worshipped for all her patience, services and sacrifices. 

Note:

I got this story idea while I was chatting with my fellow journalist friend, Gautam.Mengle on facebook. After  he helping me with the topic, I also got few more inputs on Fori Nehru’s life through “The Week” magazine (January 2^nd issue, 2011).

Many stories to tell :Fori on her 101st birthday

13 lucky for some !!!

Number 13 lucky for some!!

                                                                                                                                                                                                                      

The Zodiac Wheel

Everyone across the globe who views astrological predictions on the basis of western astrology and sun sign, were in for a rude shock when Parke Kunkle, one of the astronomers from Minnesota Planetarium Society announced the discovery of a new sun sign "Ophichus"     

                 

             

          

The Truth Behind the Folklore

Parke Kunkle found out that because of the moon’s gravitational pull on earth, the alignment of stars was pushed by a month. Hence the sign “Ophiuchus” came into existence. Those born between November 29 and December 17 will fall under this zodiac.

The Babylonian symbol of Opuichus

                                                     
The Babylonian astrology believes in a different zodiac system. This system has a 13^th sign in which the sun spends only 19 days. Since 13 is considered to be unlucky, they ignored the 13^th sign –“Ophiuchus”, the snake charmer.

Breaking the Myth

Indian astrologers like Pandit Krishna Upadyay say that the Hindu system of nakshatra is based on the movement of the moon and not the sun. Hence their predictions would not be affected by this discovery. Moreover the Indian astrology is 15000 years old and holds no evidence of the existence of a new sun sign.

The Indian Soothsayer

                                                      

In a report by Times Of India famous Indian astrologer, Anupam V Kapil explains that astrology is based on astronomy. The panchang automatically factors such changes. The universe is divided into 12 divisions to have 30 degrees to each sign. This cannot change no matter how many times the polar axis shifts.

Bejan Daruwalla

He also adds that our Vedas are very clear on this aspect as the rishi’s are aware that there are actually many more planets, but the complete set of planets which influence the life and destiny on our earth are only 9.

In the same report world renowned astrologer Bejan Daruwalla  commented that the signs will remain the same. There may be small additions to the signs, but it will not affect the future of humanity and way we predict future.

           

          
Nay-Sayers

Existing believers of zodiac have taken this news with a pinch of salt. Some find consolation in the argument that it applies to people who are born after 2009/2010. Many people refuse to believe that their sun sign would change due to some astrological complication. Shika Johnson a PR consultant says “I have lived almost a quarter of my life being a Sagittarian, and I’ll die being one”

The reasons for not accepting these signs are novel.  This change is unacceptable to some because, in all likelihood ones zodiac sign in the new system could end up being similar to that of their foes. People above the age of 50 said that it was too late for them to change their zodiac.

The Believers???

Despite the chaos, there are many people (karma yogis)  who consider that this finding would not really make a difference to them because they believe a man’s future depends on his present Karmas and not on his stars.

Arti Mestry , a expert animator ,who incidentally falls under the new Zodiac says “ it’s a change and one should accept it, changes like these should not upset people, because one has no control over them”

To be or Not to be..

The research and the study is at a very nascent stage and there is no confirmation of the fact that this new sign really exists. Any which ways all of us are dealing with a number of hassles in daily life, a new problem due to this sign would surely not be too much for most of us to handle.

The New Zodiac Dates 

Capricorn: Jan 20 – Feb 16
Aquarius: Feb 16 – March 11
Pisces: March 11– April 18
Aries: April 18 – May 13
Taurus: May 13 – June 21
Gemini: June 21 – July 20
Cancer: July 20 – Aug 10
Leo: Aug 10 – Sep 16
Virgo: Sep 16 – Oct 30
Libra: Oct 30 – Nov 23
Scorpio: Nov 23 – Nov 29
Ophiuchus: Nov 29 – Dec 17
Sagittarius: Dec 17 – Jan 20

Pop music: Is it The End?

Those Pop Times

What comes to your mind when you think of the 1990s? The economic boom or the liberalization perhaps. And what about the music world? Especially, the pinnacle that the Indi pop music industry reached in those years.  There were Colonial Cousins, Suneeta Rao, Shaan, Alisha Chinoy, KK, Remo Fernandes, Falguni Pathak. The list of such artists and their videos is endless. But around ten years later, they completely disappeared from the scene. This trend like the others, faded into oblivion. But it had and still has a resounding influence on the kind of music that the youth of today’s times prefer.

To know more about Indi-pop, click here.                                                
      

Beginning of pop

This Indi pop culture actually started due to the need of the global music channels in those times- MTV and Channel V having been recently launched- to cater to a larger Indian audience as well as provide them with a wide variety of music. Indi pop emerged from an eclectic mix of genres, that is a hybrid of Indian and western musical traditions. 

Music producer Mr. Atul Churamani, Vice President of Saregama India Limited who has been a driving force in developing the popular music market in India says, “When I was with Magnasound India Pvt Ltd., we produced two videos. One was for India’s first rap act in Hindi with Baba Sehgal. The videos were hits and Baba’s album Thanda Thanda Pani, became a 7,50,000 seller because of the video. ”

Their album Made in India outsold the top-selling Bollywood film soundtrack of the time. This led to a string of Indian pop music hits and stars and the pop music industry grew to occupy a significant segment of the music marketplace.

Rise and Shine!

Thus, the music industry began to give a lot of encouragement to Indi pop music by producing, marketing and launching many albums. Soon a number of people struck out and a good percentage of them also met with success. Some of the second-wave singers who caught the attention of the public were Punjabi singer Daler Mehndi, classical vocalist Shubha Mudgal who tried her hand at popular music briefly, Sonu Nigaam who is today an established playback singer and Lucky Ali who had a distinctive style.   

So why did these videos suddenly decline? Music composer Anu Malik states, “A major reason is that the returns are not good. Talent is immense but audio companies suggest that artists should shoot their own songs. But to do this one requires money. And young and upcoming artists are not paid back well. So where do they get the money from?

Singer KK gives the cost of making a video,"It depends on what you want to do in the video you can spend a couple of lakhs as well as crores for the video. Technology now offers d flexibility of making videos pretty cheap.Earlier it wasn't the case and a video would cost 10-15 lakhs. Even my album Pal did cost more than 12 lakhs.

"Also it all boils down to demand and supply. If there is no demand from the public- the youth- then why would there be such videos?”, adds Anu Malik.

Interestingly, the youth has a different opinion. 

“I obviously loved those videos. They had soft music and didn’t have as many beats as there are now. So I would like that to come back,” responds Vaibhavi Tailor, student of Nirmala Niketan College of Social Work.

Deepika Sharma, a B.A. student of K.C. College agrees, “I liked those songs, especially those of Falguni Pathak. They were good to listen and had soothing music rather than the filmi songs of today.

Pop Coming Back?

Thus, it all comes to the kind of music that pop videos offered and that they had more value than the videos that came in later or Bollywood songs too. The young audiences do want some good, soulful music and not the ‘jhatak’ music that is currently going on. And there is a chance of the revival of this trend. “Yes, there can be a change in the music industry as people want music that can be hummed and enjoyed, one that has foot tapping.” concludes Anu Malik.

Hence, all is not bleak for the future of pop music videos in India and one can anticipate them coming into the music scene once more. As Albert Einstein once said – “Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow.”

Following are some links that would help you know more about pop artists
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krishnakumar_Kunnath
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alisha_Chinai
http://www.suneeta-rao.com/index1.htm

By Rehana Penwala

Roll No. - 58

Toy Story 3’s Oscar Success Story

The animated caper gets nominated for Best Picture. What next?

The beloved series couldn’t have asked for a grander exit. Not only did Toy Story 3 become the darling of critics worldwide, it also turned out to be the highest grossing film of 2010. Not satisfied with its laurels, Pixar set its eyes firmly on the gold. Of the statuette variety. Since November 2010, Pixar has been vigorously campaigning for the Best Picture Oscar. Its nomination in the category leads it one step closer to the prize.

Pixar’s toy box adventures gripped audiences right from 1995 and returned to enthrall in 1999. The latest offering not only scores points in the humour department but also strikes a cord with children and grown ups alike.

To the Oscars, and beyond!

“Not Since Slumdog Millionaire” The movie 

belonged to a different genre

Widely acknowledged as the creators of one of the best film trilogies, Pixar wanted to be recognized for making the best film with ‘TS3’. Thus began its elaborate Oscar campaign with tongue-in-cheek ads with the phrase “Not Since”. The point is to evoke the emotions of Academy voters into thinking, “not since Return of the King has a sequel won Best Picture. Maybe it’s that time again.” The comparisons meant to highlight the fact that previous winners have included sequels, films belonging to different genres as well as shocking surprises.

 The campaign has divided the world into Team Toy Story and Team Everybody Else. While some are aghast at ‘TS3’ being compared to movies like Inception and The Social Network, others have no trouble imagining ‘TS3’ going home with the gold. 

 “A cartoon can’t win!”

Many believe the movie doesn’t stand a chance. Popular opinion states that while it’s an entertaining children’s film, it cannot be compared to the other ‘serious cinema’ contenders. “Honestly I don’t see what all the hype is about,” says Rahul Thakkar, budding producer.  “It’s a fun film to watch but it lacks the depth and cinematic brilliance of movies like Inception or even The Social Network which deserve to win.” Kashvi Gidwani believes the story’s theme will prevent the film from cinching gold. “The story was very emotional but the movie’s drawback was that it appealed more to a younger audience.” Aditya Nair puts his money on The Social Network. “There is certain finesse to that movie which Toy Story lacks,” he states. 

 For those who have grown up with Woody and Buzz, an Oscar for Best Picture would be the perfect way to say goodbye. However with such heavyweight non-animated nominees, they don’t see a win in the film’s not-so-distant future. “I'm all for it winning. I think ‘TS3’ is awesome,” says mass media student Pranav Tonseker. “It’s entertaining and has its funny and emotional moments. But it faces tough competition from Inception, The Social Network, Black Swan and 127 hours. These movies have different plots and are cinematographically unique. At the end of the day, ‘TS3’is your typical Disney Pixar fare. People taken hostage. People captive. One seemingly good but bad guy. One rescue mission. You'll see the very same plot unfold in the earlier films.”

“A good film is a good film.”

Team Toy Story is quick to retaliate. A good film speaks for itself, they believe. “’TS3’ is a very well made movie,” says mass media student Maitri Gandhi. “They paid attention to the smallest of details. The movie appeals to both kids and grownups because of the subtle messages of attachment, loyalty, love and care. Unless the Academy is biased against animated movies, I think it has a good chance of winning.” Some preferred other movies but didn’t consider Toy Story out of the running. “It was nominated which means it stands a chance,” says engineering student Raj Dasgupta. “Although I preferred The Social Network, I think ‘TS3’ might win. It’s a simple heart warming story that brings a smile to your face.” 

Mukta Patil thinks that the series’ much-loved legacy could influence the panel to vote for the film. “The original Toy Story was the first Pixar movie.  So many people have been emotionally attached to it since 1995. That might increase its chances of winning.” She dispels the notion of animated movies being considered glorified cartoons for children. “That perception is outdated. The movie made me cry! Since Pixar started making movies, even adults started enjoying them. My dad thought Pixar movies were for children, but when he saw one, he ended up watching all Pixar productions.” 

‘TS3’ is only the third animated film to be nominated for the highest honour (the first being Beauty and the Beast in 1991 followed by Up in 2009). Additionally, none of the Toy Story films have ever won an Oscar. Not for the lack of merit however as the Animated Feature Film category was only introduced in 2001. Pixar has a lot riding on the movie, as do the countless fans worldwide who think it’s high time Toy Story was honoured by the Academy. However the Oscars aren’t about bowing down to emotion but about awarding excellence in cinema. Thus may the best film win; be it one about a jumble of talking toys or one about betrayal and politics in the world of social networking. 

To see all the Oscar campaign ads, click here. 

Parinita Shetty

Roll No. 48

Australian Football in India

The Australian football - nicknamed - 'Footy'

The great game of Australian Rules Football, saw its official launch in India in early 2008, with the Australian cricket captain Ricky Ponting as its brand ambassador. 


The game which is a little similar to rugby and American football, unlike 'soccer' (which Indians wrongly term as football), has developed over 150 years in Australia.


Initially located in West Bengal, made rapid progress and a team representing India participated in the International Cup 2008, in Melbourne, competing with 15 other nations. India put up a good show in the second half of the tournament and raised hopes of rapid development till the next International Cup in 2011.

But things did not follow up as expected upon returning. The then existing board members ceased to promote the game any further. Then it was time for the few enthusiastic, existing players to take up the cause for themselves. They got permission from the governing league of the game, the Australian Football League (AFL) and registered a new board.

How is the new board functioning?


As quoted by the President of the new board – Australian Football League - India, Darren Ross, “We decided to take up the cause and spread the game across India. It was out of our love and passion for one of the greatest games ever, which the Indians need to know about. After returning from the last International Cup, there was no development, but now it is up to us to spread it round India. Till date we have also helped launch the game in Kerala and are trying to launch it in Maharashtra very soon. We have also started preparations for the upcoming International Cup 2011, in which India’s participation has been confirmed.”

The Indians team in action against the Japanese at  the
International Cup 2008, Melbourne - file pic

What's in store in the near future?


The good news for India is that the newly appointed AFL International Ambassador, the retired Sydney Swans captain, Brett Kirk will be visiting India next month, as a part of his world tour for the promotion of this game. He will travel to more than 15 nations that will participate in the 2011 International Cup in August. His first stop is Sri Lanka. He will then continue to India, South Africa, Europe and North America.

“I look forward to working with and visiting nations which have embraced our game and are preparing for the International Cup,” Brett said at the official launch of the International Cup 2011.

The 150 year old game, which has developed over the years, is slowly spreading to more and more nations of the world, with recent programs in Peru and Argentina. But unfortunately in India, where only cricket attracts the majority of sponsors, funds seem to be a major problem.

What's the approach to spread the game in India?


The board members mentioned that they are trying to approach Australian companies here in India first, followed by the Indian companies functioning down under.  The Australian Trade Commissioner in India, Mr. Peter Linford said, “I am all up for helping our game develop in India with all my possible resources. I have already spoken to the AFL authorities and the clubs which will be hosting India during the next tournament. I am absolutely positive about India’s participation in it, and also hope that India can put up a better show this time”.

The Indian Tigers at the International Cup 2008 - file pic

With an enthusiastic team of young board members putting all their efforts to help an international game make it big in India, we can only hope that all their efforts are directed in the correct direction which can make this game well know pretty soon.

Sudip Chakraborty - 13

The Fountainhead : A Review

The Fountainhead is a classic, written by Ayn Rand in 1943 and it is by and large a philosophical novel. The book's title is a reference to Rand's statement that "man's ego is the fountainhead of human progress".

The purpose of the book is to exemplify Ayn Rand’s philosophy of Objectivism. Ayn Rand classifies herself as a romantic realist. She explains romantic realism as a portrayal of things and people as they ought to be (this implies the romantic approach) placed in real life situations (this implies the realistic approach). It is therefore, that her writing expounds the heroic in man; man as man should be – the ideal, the prime mover, man as an end in himself - and not as a means to a further end.

The Fountainhead is the story of Howard Roark – an architectural genius and egoist. He is a man who solemnly believes that his work is worship and therefore, refuses to compromise on his artistic vision and integrity despite pressures from all ends. As any person of principles does, Howard Roark faces several hurdles and deterrents during the course of his life and career but he stands his ground and doesn’t give in. Howard Roark is not your conventional hero. He is not charitable, benevolent or average. He is ambitious, rational and genius.

Dominique Francon is his mirror ego. She sees Roark as he ought to be seen and recognises the best in him. However, she is cynical and believes that the world does not deserve a genius like Roark; she wants to protect him. As their love story progresses Dominique comes to a valuable realisation which is one of the many important lessons in the book.

The Fountainhead is divided into four parts, each part named after the four pivotal characters of the story – Peter Keating, Ellsworth Toohey, Gail Wynand and Howard Roark. The reason for this divide (as I understand) is that each part tells the story of the man, his motivations and methods and how long these help him last.

Peter Keating, who is the anti-hero but not necessarily the antagonist, is the weakest of them all and therefore doesn’t last for every long. He originally wanted to be a painter but never got to pursue his dream because he wanted a career that would promise more money. He has no real talent for architecture but a boyish charm and a willingness to build whatever is already been built. His willingness to conform to the collective brings him temporary success. However, even during instances of this ‘success’, he finds himself feeling lonely and miserable which he does not realise (until it’s too late) is because he did not pursue what he loved. He is therefore a man who could never be, but doesn’t know it.

Ellsworth Toohey is a humanitarian, altruist and socialist; he is also the antagonist. He is a man who is nothing on his own and anything only on the account of the masses which blindly follow him. He sets out to destroy Howard Roark whose individual spirit is the biggest threat to his communal methods. He is therefore a man who could never be and knows it.

Gail Wynand is a newspaper tycoon. His newspapers are ‘what sells’ – yellow journalism. He has many traits which are similar to Howard Roark, however he chases after power and manipulating the public behaviour instead of doing what he loves and enjoying it. He lets another person/s affect his goals and pursuits instead of going after what he wants. He is therefore a man who could have been.

Howard Roark, on the contrary, stands by his ethical principles and values faces numerous impediments but makes it because his work speaks for itself.

Rand’s lucid and in-depth description of everything architectural is proof of her extensive research on the subject before writing the book. The passages which describe the buildings built by Roark cannot possibly be written by a person with a passing knowledge of architecture. She describes architecture as a reflection of the architect who built it. For example, Roark’s buildings embody everything he stands for – rationality, human sprit, logic, independent and individual thinking, and ego.

Any Rand is extremely witty and intelligent; it is this combination that keeps one glued to the book despite the small script and 694 pages. She leaves no doubt about her philosophy in the minds of the readers because she beautifully integrates every part of the Objectivist individuality with fiction; since her philosophy is based on Objective reality – the book is not open to interpretation (it is not subjective) – there is only but one interpretation.

The Fountainhead provides a lot of food for thought, which is why it is not a book that should be read all at once or in a matter of few days. It is a book that should be enjoyed and savoured over a period of time, soaking in every word and imbibing every bit of information and intellect it proffers.

In conclusion, The Fountainhead is an ode to the heroic in man; it is an awe-inspiring story of a man who stands by his principles and his work irrespective of the consequences.

Mumbai's best kept secret: Chor Bazaar

While the world is rapidly progressing towards shopping malls and online
stores, there are some of us still stuck in rewind mode. For fellow
lovers of dusty thrift stores that gleam in myriad shades of bronze and
gold, a visit to a flea market is long overdue.

Mumbai, in spite of its urbanisation is home to a number of flea markets like
Crawford Market and Mangaldas Market. However, the famous Thieves
Market, otherwise known as the Chor Bazaar, continues to be the most
intriguing. Located in the interiors of Bhendi Bazaar, it is one of the
best kept secrets of Mumbai. It houses antiques and vintage goods stolen
from various parts of the city. The fact that it has existed for over
150 years adds to the overall mystery of the place.

At first, it seems no different from an everyday market. It has more
people than it can contain, who make enough noise to permanently impair
your hearing. However, once you start looking through the stuff it has
to offer, you are transported to another era altogether. Shops sell
antiques right from gramophones and vintage telephones to brass statues
and ancient vases. If home décor is the reason for your visit here, the
chandeliers on display are absolutely enchanting.

For those looking to update their closet with some vintage, Chor Bazaar
provides a fascinating range of beads, brooches and grandfather glasses.
If you’re lucky, you may even stumble upon a classy pair of shoes and
trench coat that look straight out of a high street boutique. In
addition, the market has a range of hardware and automobile parts that
men will find absolutely fascinating. Here’s a closer look at some of
the interesting finds.

Ancient Coins:
These cost around Rs 50 for one and Rs 1500 if you buy all of them
along with the tray. The shopkeeper claims it belongs to the Mughal Era.
The inscription on the coin resembles Arabic.

Brass statues:

This one among the many carvings in the store. It looked like it was in excellent condition and cost Rs 650. 

 Chandeliers: 

The absolutely stunning range of chandeliers that is available here would cost you anywhere between Rs 600 to Rs 1200.

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Mini bicycles: 

For those of you how love collecting random artefacts, this one would
look perfect in your living room and costs around Rs 500.

Coca-Cola Tray: 

They costs Rs 150 each and are guaranteed to up the kitsch quotient of your house. 

  

Gramophones and telephones: 

While I’m not sure they’re actually vintage, they sure as hell look fabulous and will set you back by around Rs 1000.

Vintage glasses: 

Because normal frames are too boring, right? You’ll find the strangest shapes and colours. All of them at Rs 100 flat.

Jumpsuit: 

So who’s headed for a costume party this New Year? This mechanic jumpsuit costs as little as Rs 200.

While walking down Chor Bazaar there is unwritten rule you must never forget. No matter how cheap the goods are, it is almost offensive to purchase them without haggling at first. Also, try not to draw too much attentiont to yourself. You don’t want all of your goods stolen now, do you? But that doesn’t mean you leave your adventurous side at home. Take a trip to Chor Bazaar and prepare yourself to feel like a tourist.

(Name: Karishma Rajani

Roll No: 42)