Arriving in Bangalore (arrghh, I mean Bengaluru) for an office shoot, I met up with a colleague of mine post the shoot. It was a free evening for both of us and we got together to have a boys night out. Although Ashwin was working with me in our Mumbai office, he’s originally from Bangalore (ok, I give up) and was back home on a 2 week leave. Considering he sees enough of the office folk in Mumbai on a daily basis it was kind of him to don the guide’s hat and show me the sights of Bangalore.
The benefit of having a night out on a Monday in Bangalore is that the streets, pubs and restaurants are devoid of crowds and relatively empty compared to Fridays, Saturdays and Wednesdays (Wednesday is a major ‘getting rid of midweek blues’ day in Bangalore). As Ashwin explained, it’s a matter of simple logic. Wednesday is generally a slow day for pubs, so ‘ladies night’ was introduced, where the women get in for free, get a free drink, or other incentives for women are on offer. Now if the ladies come, the men will follow. Bangalorean pub owners are laughing all the way to the bank on the basis of this simple logic.
We began the evening with a light dinner at Truffles, a small eatery off St. Marks road. My chicken burger was a tad rubbery and I spent the better part of the meal eyeing Ashwin’s pasta arrabiata, wishing I’d ordered the same. We then sped off on Ashwin’s Yamaha bike to an old style café. The orange neon signing proudly proclaimed this british era café to be Parade café, but my guide tells me that this “irani café with a colonial hangover” is more famously known as Koshy’s. Started in 1940, the café shifted to its current location in 1952-53. Besides a mix of bangaloreans who frequent it, Koshy’s has also played host to dignitaries like Former PMs Nehru, Indira Gandhi and even Queen Elizabeth II of England.
The haunt of bangalore’s creative junta, the tables have a mix of youngsters and graying men eating, chatting and indulging in fervent discussions. 2 tables from us was the celebrated cartoonist Ponnappa, digging into his biryani. We order 2 cups of the famous lemon tea. Ashwin insists on serving it in ‘the correct way’, which involves him putting 2 scoops of sugar in the tea strainer and squeezing half a lemon on it. He then proceeds to pour the hot tea over it. Watching the sugar melt, I can’t help but think that this is actually a better way to pour tea rather than adding sugar after pouring the tea and then stirring.
Here’s where we decided to let Ashwin’s trusted speedy demon rest, while we transversed the neighbourhood on foot.
A tip for non-indians, any road that bears the name of the father of the nation (Mahatma Gandhi) is definitely in the centre of the commercial district of that particular city/town. So that gives you some idea of the location of Koshy’s and the other restaurants, given that M. G. Road is 100 feet away. Besides numerous pubs and restaurants, the neighbourhood also houses the offices of Times of India, Deccan Herald (leading English dailies) and Times now, a news channel.
Depending on your music preference you can choose your watering hole, whether its old classic rock, Jazz or Blues.
But a must visit is Peco’s (Brigade road), allegedly the oldest pub in Bangalore. Don’t let the peeling wallpaint and filthy exterior fool you. Peco’s is the place to hang out at. Posters of groups from the yesteryears adorn the walls and a metallic spiral staircase serves as a connector between the 2 levels and terrace that Peco’s is spread over. But the crown jewel is the wall behind the DJ console, which has shelves filled with music cassettes. In an age of CDs and mp3 Pecos still offers you music from cassettes. A heady mix of the past and the present.
Saturday, October 8, 2011
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Mumbai Brings Art to Everyone at the Kala Ghoda Arts Festival
Here the link to an article on the Kala Ghoda Arts Festival written by me.
http://matadornetwork.com/nights/mumbai-brings-art-to-everyone-at-the-kala-ghoda-arts-festival/
Would love your comments :)
http://matadornetwork.com/nights/mumbai-brings-art-to-everyone-at-the-kala-ghoda-arts-festival/
Would love your comments :)
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Using an 18th century watch to tell time in Jaipur
I use my hand to shield my eyes from the sun, as I look up at the 90 feet (27 m) long tower. I am at the Jantar Mantar in Jaipur, which was inscribed into the UNESCO’s World Heritage List on 31st July 2010.
Jantar (also called Yantar/Yantra) means instrument and Mantar means formula or calculation. The Jantar Mantar is located opposite the City Palace in Jaipur. It is home to 14 devices which were commissioned by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II (the founder of Jaipur) in 1728. These devices were used to study astronomy by the scholars and the King, who was an avid astronomer himself. All the instruments were made specifically for Jaipur’s location of Latitude 27° north, so even if they are exactly replicated at any other location, they would not work correctly. The Jantar Mantar in Jaipur is one of five built by the Maharaja in India (the others are in Mathura, New Delhi, Ujjain and Varanasi), but it is the only one that is still in working condition.
“The level of perfection that Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II wanted in these instruments can be seen in the fact that each instrument was first made in the form of a rough model, then a miniature scaled model and finally the actual instrument was constructed” points out Jeetendra Singh, our guide. He adds that all three models of each instrument are still present at the Jantar Mantar.
The 90 feet Sun Dial (World’s largest) (also called Samrat Yantra) tells you the time with an accuracy of 2 seconds. The Samrat Yantra is cordoned off, so we head to its miniature scaled model to test its accuracy. Jeetendra points out an important fact, “The Sun Dial can tell you the exact time at Jaipur. But since Indian Standard Time is derived from Allahabad, the time in Jaipur is 11 minutes behind IST.”
The shadow of the median shows that it is 4:20 pm in Jaipur. The digital display of my Casio says 16:31.
I move on to view the other instruments, like the Jaiprakash Yantra (tells you what Sun Sign the Sun currently is in) and the Narivalaya Yantra (lets you know whether the Sun is in the Northern or Southern Hemisphere) which give readings on the basis of which part of the instrument the Sun’s rays falls on.
Further ahead, are 13 constructions of stones (in the form of stairs, triangles, etc.) facing particular directions and set at specific angles. When a person looks along the plane of the top end of the construction, he/she can see the North Star or the star of the particular Sun Sign that the construction corresponds to. These contraptions can be only tested after sunset, but unfortunately the Jantar Mantar shuts its doors at 5 pm.
Getting there: Jaipur is well connected by air, having the only international airport in Rajasthan.
The Jantar Mantar is in the Old City and easily accessible by Bus, Rickshaw and Taxi.
Entry Fee: INR 10 per person, INR 200 for a guided tour (max. 10 people)
Timings: 9 am to 5 pm, but go between 11 am to 3 pm, so you can see the working of all the instruments.
Jantar (also called Yantar/Yantra) means instrument and Mantar means formula or calculation. The Jantar Mantar is located opposite the City Palace in Jaipur. It is home to 14 devices which were commissioned by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II (the founder of Jaipur) in 1728. These devices were used to study astronomy by the scholars and the King, who was an avid astronomer himself. All the instruments were made specifically for Jaipur’s location of Latitude 27° north, so even if they are exactly replicated at any other location, they would not work correctly. The Jantar Mantar in Jaipur is one of five built by the Maharaja in India (the others are in Mathura, New Delhi, Ujjain and Varanasi), but it is the only one that is still in working condition.
“The level of perfection that Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II wanted in these instruments can be seen in the fact that each instrument was first made in the form of a rough model, then a miniature scaled model and finally the actual instrument was constructed” points out Jeetendra Singh, our guide. He adds that all three models of each instrument are still present at the Jantar Mantar.
The 90 feet Sun Dial (World’s largest) (also called Samrat Yantra) tells you the time with an accuracy of 2 seconds. The Samrat Yantra is cordoned off, so we head to its miniature scaled model to test its accuracy. Jeetendra points out an important fact, “The Sun Dial can tell you the exact time at Jaipur. But since Indian Standard Time is derived from Allahabad, the time in Jaipur is 11 minutes behind IST.”
The shadow of the median shows that it is 4:20 pm in Jaipur. The digital display of my Casio says 16:31.
I move on to view the other instruments, like the Jaiprakash Yantra (tells you what Sun Sign the Sun currently is in) and the Narivalaya Yantra (lets you know whether the Sun is in the Northern or Southern Hemisphere) which give readings on the basis of which part of the instrument the Sun’s rays falls on.
Further ahead, are 13 constructions of stones (in the form of stairs, triangles, etc.) facing particular directions and set at specific angles. When a person looks along the plane of the top end of the construction, he/she can see the North Star or the star of the particular Sun Sign that the construction corresponds to. These contraptions can be only tested after sunset, but unfortunately the Jantar Mantar shuts its doors at 5 pm.
Getting there: Jaipur is well connected by air, having the only international airport in Rajasthan.
The Jantar Mantar is in the Old City and easily accessible by Bus, Rickshaw and Taxi.
Entry Fee: INR 10 per person, INR 200 for a guided tour (max. 10 people)
Timings: 9 am to 5 pm, but go between 11 am to 3 pm, so you can see the working of all the instruments.
Being RadioActive
“Sumiit! Wake up! You’ll be late for your show!” I jump up with a start on hearing my mother. The digital display of my alarm reads 7:49. I curse, and jump out of bed. I must have slept through the alarm ringing at 7. I crane my head out of the window to see if the sky is overcast. Although it is mid-November and the monsoon has officially retreated, we have been troubled by sudden downpours during the last 2 days. But luckily, the clouds are sparse and the sun shines brightly.
I race to the University of Mumbai’s Community Radio Station, Radio M.U.S.T. (Mumbai University Student’s Transmission). I am a part time radio jockey with them, hosting a weekly radio show on Thursdays from 9 am to 1 pm.
Luckily, there’s an empty spot just in front of the Radio Station building and I proclaim my thanks to all known gods and goddesses as I park my Renault Logan. I race up the 3 floors to the studio, taking the steps 2 at a time. I burst into the studio as the hour hand on the wall clock comes to rests on 9. Clumsily placing the headphones on my ears, I switch the microphone on, and start my show.
“Namaste, Sat sri akaal, As salamu alaykum, kem chho, kassa kai, Hello Hi. My name is Sumiit and you’re listening to 107.8 FM Radio M.U.S.T., Mumbai University’s very own community radio. There’s no need to carry your umbrella today as the sun is shining brightly, and the weather department is forecasting a bright and sunny day with a maximum temperature of 33 degrees and a minimum of 26 degrees Celsius. I’ll be back with some stock updates, but till then you guys enjoy this song”
I flick the microphone switch to ‘off’, and let out a loud breath, as the first notes of the song start to play. As my heartbeats return to their normal pace, I wipe the beads of perspiration off my brow. Ironically, my first time in a recording studio had a similar kind of effect on me. A chuckle escapes from my mouth as my mind begins to wander.
“Are you ready?”, she asked. I looked up and nodded while trying to muster up a smile. This was RJ Malini, one of the city’s finest RJs, and she was going to take my audition. I had met Malini at a common friend’s party a week ago, and had expressed my interest in becoming a RJ. An opening had come up at her radio station for the 12 am to 2am slot, and so there I was, getting ready to audition.
I had never been in a studio before, and my only knowledge about radio jockeying was from what I heard on the 6 radio stations in Mumbai. Malini led me to the studio and introduced me to the sound engineer, Vijay, who was sitting in front of a machine, which at that point I could only identify as “the one with too many volume control sliders”.
I was directed to the recording studio. In the studio, I sat down in front of the microphone, having no idea what else to do – hoping that maybe the microphone would be kind enough to make sure that I sounded good during the audition. My prayer to the microphone God was interrupted by Vijay frantically waving at me through a window on my left. He gestured for me to put on the headphones lying on the table. I sheepishly obeyed. Over the headphones, he told me that the computer was recording and that I should start whenever I was ready.
The audition didn’t go well – I was too nervous and made too many mistakes. At the end of it, I walked out of the studio with my head down, mumbled a ‘thank you’ to Malini and Vijay and sought the quickest way out.
The dip in volume as the song fades out, stirs me out of my daydreaming. That dark cloud did have its silver lining. Shortly after the audition, I signed up for a Radio Jockey course which taught me all that I needed to know about the profession. It’s been 2 years hence and my patience, hard work and will to become a RJ have led me to where I currently am.
I recollect reading a saying by a famous personality; something on the lines of using your failures as stepping stones to success. My lips turn upwards in a slow grin as I switch the microphone on.
I race to the University of Mumbai’s Community Radio Station, Radio M.U.S.T. (Mumbai University Student’s Transmission). I am a part time radio jockey with them, hosting a weekly radio show on Thursdays from 9 am to 1 pm.
Luckily, there’s an empty spot just in front of the Radio Station building and I proclaim my thanks to all known gods and goddesses as I park my Renault Logan. I race up the 3 floors to the studio, taking the steps 2 at a time. I burst into the studio as the hour hand on the wall clock comes to rests on 9. Clumsily placing the headphones on my ears, I switch the microphone on, and start my show.
“Namaste, Sat sri akaal, As salamu alaykum, kem chho, kassa kai, Hello Hi. My name is Sumiit and you’re listening to 107.8 FM Radio M.U.S.T., Mumbai University’s very own community radio. There’s no need to carry your umbrella today as the sun is shining brightly, and the weather department is forecasting a bright and sunny day with a maximum temperature of 33 degrees and a minimum of 26 degrees Celsius. I’ll be back with some stock updates, but till then you guys enjoy this song”
I flick the microphone switch to ‘off’, and let out a loud breath, as the first notes of the song start to play. As my heartbeats return to their normal pace, I wipe the beads of perspiration off my brow. Ironically, my first time in a recording studio had a similar kind of effect on me. A chuckle escapes from my mouth as my mind begins to wander.
“Are you ready?”, she asked. I looked up and nodded while trying to muster up a smile. This was RJ Malini, one of the city’s finest RJs, and she was going to take my audition. I had met Malini at a common friend’s party a week ago, and had expressed my interest in becoming a RJ. An opening had come up at her radio station for the 12 am to 2am slot, and so there I was, getting ready to audition.
I had never been in a studio before, and my only knowledge about radio jockeying was from what I heard on the 6 radio stations in Mumbai. Malini led me to the studio and introduced me to the sound engineer, Vijay, who was sitting in front of a machine, which at that point I could only identify as “the one with too many volume control sliders”.
I was directed to the recording studio. In the studio, I sat down in front of the microphone, having no idea what else to do – hoping that maybe the microphone would be kind enough to make sure that I sounded good during the audition. My prayer to the microphone God was interrupted by Vijay frantically waving at me through a window on my left. He gestured for me to put on the headphones lying on the table. I sheepishly obeyed. Over the headphones, he told me that the computer was recording and that I should start whenever I was ready.
The audition didn’t go well – I was too nervous and made too many mistakes. At the end of it, I walked out of the studio with my head down, mumbled a ‘thank you’ to Malini and Vijay and sought the quickest way out.
The dip in volume as the song fades out, stirs me out of my daydreaming. That dark cloud did have its silver lining. Shortly after the audition, I signed up for a Radio Jockey course which taught me all that I needed to know about the profession. It’s been 2 years hence and my patience, hard work and will to become a RJ have led me to where I currently am.
I recollect reading a saying by a famous personality; something on the lines of using your failures as stepping stones to success. My lips turn upwards in a slow grin as I switch the microphone on.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)