Cook, bake, eat with love...

After the heavy duty, serious and also frustrating kinda of the last few days, I decided to lighten up a little bit.

I guess a post on a major stress buster- cooking is a good idea. What say you?

Talking of art, cooking is an art too.

A spiritual organization I'm partly a part of also says, how the mindset of the cook ultimately affects the food. That's why in India people usually say Mummy's food tastes the best.

I've had discussions with people about the varying tastes coming out of different people's dishes. Why do some people's foods taste better than the rest? In a way a happy and willing mind, with an interest in cooking brings out the best results.


I grew up eating the North east Indian foods- mostly rice, vegetables, milk and drinking tea was a must( I come from a place which cultivates and exports tea). We did try out North and South Indian dishes from time to time but that's about it.

In Mumbai, it was more of North, South and Bombay style foods with a few international dishes thrown in here and there at parties and so on.

Since I traveled and started living of India, I have discovered many more international dishes- in Thailand, USA, London and the Caribbean.Thanks to the company I keep and the new found family. God is very kind indeed.

And yes, I've started cooking much more now. Not that I never cooked before. In Mumbai and before that in my small Indian town I have cooked the normal Indian stuff- rice, dal, vegetables, rajma, chole, chappaties etc from time to time. But I took it more like a duty.

It's going to be two years in a couple of months and I've enjoyed the art since then. And I must say I'm getting better and better at trying out new dishes.

Well as I said, when you enjoy the process the results are far better!

Baking was never my thing. I only baked 2/3 plain cakes in my whole life and that too as a very young adolescent.

In the last one year I've baked oatmeal cookies, oatmeal scones, salty scones, honey-bran muffins,home cooked breads, corn breads, and Caribbean corn meal special "coo coo" & followed an Italian recipe to make sessame seed cookies.

In fact I never thought I could bake. I just followed the recipe and taught myself the stuff.I like to let people I like taste my food and they have mostly loved them(Sadly I didn't keep all the pics but I shall add when I bake again). Using less sugar when one makes cookies is a good idea.













Toasted bread with olive oil is a great favorite of mine. I was taught that one by my someone special who spotted it on a wonderful channel last year. For me, nothing can beat olive oil and toasted bread( for me bread tastes better when it's toasted).

The Italian way would be to add some tomatoes, pineapple, onions, olives and cheese( being lactose intolerant I have to use my enzyme tablets). Yes, in fact if one can't digest dairy products, one misses out on many western dishes. But the tablets are life savers and the rest is self restraint. Too much of anything is not good and the same goes for cheese.




( There are a few burned edges coz I like it that way, but they can be toasted for a few seconds less to make them look just perfectly brown).

And how can I forget my favorite pancakes? Learning to make those as well, but have the right shape is an art & nothing short of a challenge. It's an art which I'm trying to better...



But that doesn't mean I forgot all about the good old Indian vegetarian dishes( I can't cook non veg). Dal Makhani and jeera rice has been a particular favorite for years though while cooking at home, I try to cut down on the butter. I've been good with biryani, rajma( red beans) , chole( chick peas), black chana(smaller chick peas), but again while cooking at home I try to make them less spicy and oily( except for a little indulgence sometimes). Daal, rice and veggies can make a healthy day time meal.




Indian dishes with dahi( yogurt) such as dahi curry, dahi vada( pictured below) and curd rice are soothing on the stomach as well.

Eating well is such an important aspect of life, I realize it so much now.I'm talking of healthy, nutritious foods here. Deficiency was always my problem since I was a complete vegetarian. It wasn't so in my childhood when I was to drink so much milk and eat fruits et al but during my work days in Mumbai.I had hardly much time to take complete care of the diet.

I never missed the meat though.

The nutritionist at my Mumbai gym introduced me to oats and muesli and I tried different kinds of grains but I still ended up having too much oily and spicy stuff thanks to the fact that I had to eat outside most of the time. When I tried to trim my tummy and make it a sexy 24 inches back in 2007, I stayed off rice, sweets, carbs in the night totally for a while.I ended up losing quite a bit of weight from everywhere and not just the tummy.

Well, dieting too much isn't a good thing. Food is to be enjoyed and dieting kind of takes away that joy from life.

Eating well is a much better choice. Many people really didn't know the right things and yes, you meet that kind everywhere.

Thank God, I met some wise folks who taught me the right things. Someone wise rightly said,"You are what you eat" and someone humorous had quipped"You start looking like your favorite dish."

Since I've travelled , and read more, I realize the importance much more. Being more of a vegetarian who has eggs and fish( started sea fish a few months back) only on chosen days( for religious reasons)I have become careful about my protein intake.

Beans, peas, green vegetables,oats, fruits, olive oil, nuts, dry fruits, yogurt, and some carbs & protein should be integral part of any ideal diet.I have started sipping a little red wine( another new thing again) and have continued my fascination with dark chocolate.All that's healthy again. I like the brewed coffee of Central and South America and my cup of tea every day and that's not bad either as long as it's not overdone.

What I need to do next is have my dinner early and eat very little in the night as one's metabolic rate slows down.
Trying hard to perfect that art now...

And yes, I might become a total veggie once again in life after a couple of years. It's supposed to be the healthiest way as it supposedly increases spiritual awareness. I've involved myself with various causes including animal welfare.Let's see how it goes...

Being Artistic...

I loved a successful photographer's status message on a famous social networking site. He said he wanted to come up with something that would outlive him and in the process discovered photography. A cool comment for sure.

Art has always inspired me.

And yes, if one is artistic and one wants to get rich as well as famous and glamorous , one needs to choose a career in an artistic field.

Modelling, popular music, movies, TV are the most popular fields chosen by people in order to become, rich, famous and glamorous . The ones who like to strike a chord with a vast section of the audience and also earn a lot of money, opt for pop music, commercial movies, TV etc.

In the western world, the classier and sophisticated crowd like to choose opera, ballet, sculpturing, chic fashion et al.

Struggle to survive, to shine and the cut throat competition is a sure part of every field and these fields are no different. Hollywood movies such as 'The Devil wears Prada', the recent well made movie, 'Black Swan', and Indian films such as 'Page 3' and 'Fashion' have realistically chronicled the struggle and the hard road to success in artistic and glamorous careers.

If one has the wish for fame, I think the person should try to become famous by getting good, constructive kind of work in their kitty. Rather than opting to become infamous...

I have seen many rich folks from non glamorous professions craving for fame and glamor. Even the ones who aren't all that rich and might be doing some common job somewhere, want fame & glamor and observe people from glamorous professions most of the time.

I've seen that it's difficult for some to accept the fact that they didn't have the background, support, will or sense of discipline to get it. Perhaps they were not born in the right place or the right family. Or maybe they didn't do what they wanted when they were younger, when the time was right to try out a profession like that. Or maybe they don't look enough for a glamorous career.

After that they spend the rest of their lives comparing themselves to people who have the fame- movie stars, musicians. models et al or appeasing themselves by saying that they are better than them. Or comparing people of their kind with the big names.

I have heard some say, "I am better than this particular movie star, I should be right up there", "My girl is hundred times hotter than this pop star". Gosh. Too much comparison more so with the people not within one's reach can only increase misery.

My next question directed to such a person would be- 'So you/ she/ he should have been up there, right and not down here? Or is it because you/ she/ he had zero talent? After all it's the complete package- beauty, brains, sex appeal, sweetness, innocence, attitude, hard work- depending on what the audience want to see. There's always a story behind the birth of a star.

Guys, go get a life...

Well, I'm not the mean/ cruel type like many others and wouldn't want anyone to sulk or cry after a reality check. So I prefer to be quiet at times. But sadly many don't get the hint.

But honestly it's such a futile exercise. Either you are a star or you didn't make it.

Hidden beauty, hotness, talent or anything else has no value. It's a sad truth of this world.I've said in my posts(almost apologetically) how I can't talk about who aren't famous or who don't have a name.

It's true that as journos we aren't allowed to talk about people who are not known or are not relevant to our stories. And it's not just true for glamorous professions.The journalists who cover other beats, have to talk about the Bill Gates, the Google founders, the face book founders, award winning writers, Presidents, Prime ministers and other big names from all over the globe.That's their job. When I was working for TV shows, websites,a news agency that's what I ended up doing. Talk about the people who have it all, over and over again. It didn't matter whether I liked it or not.

Sometimes some real people, some commoners get some coverage but it's kind of 15 minutes of fame( as coined by the futuristic thinker Andy Warhol in the 60s) for them.

Not everyone can have fame. The sooner one accepts the facts the better it is.

The winner takes it all, the loser has to fall...- the famous song by Abba can explain that quite well too. Why the reality is so, is another great mystery which remains to be deciphered. Different people have had different opinions about the same.

And even though a certain celeb might not be good enough for you, the person is still in the limelight and has made it somehow. By doing all that it takes. Sometimes even by getting undue privileges.

One also needs to understand the fact that to each his own, choices are different for everyone. What might be beautiful, hot and pretty for some mightn't be the same for the other.

Wise men like Shakespeare too had defined it all well by saying-"Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder."

But comparison should happen between equals. Period.

It can happen between people from similar fields of work, similar social strata. Some people just do it all the time with anybody to make themselves feel better, to appease themselves. I think it's totally unhealthy.

Moreover handling fame, riches, glamor isn't all that easy. It's not everyone's cup of tea.

It's not as rosy as it looks. Except perhaps a lucky few who have mastered the art.

Facing the camera without any inhibitions is tough. Many actors even after acting for many years still look artificial or uncomfortable in front of the camera. Running around trees in Indian might be easier but there are a lot of sacrifices involved.

Sometimes the screen adds age and make people look a few pounds heavier than they actually are. The big screen is a really something else. A director I was assisting for a little while had told me how nothing can be hidden on the big screen. Sometimes cakes of makeup save a bit but when one is doing realistic cinema, the actor is supposed to wear less makeup. In short it's a lot of pressure.

Some big names have badly failed at handling fame. Hollywood has had many examples of people, big stars being actually lonely at home in their twilight years and have chronicled the same in movies such as ' Sunset Boulevard', "Whatever happened to Baby Jane?' and 'Norma Jeane & Marilyn'.

Fame like other things isn't everlasting( more so for people from showbiz) and it's difficult for the stars to accept the fact that when they are old, the adulation fades and there is not much demand. They hate the competition from the younger lot.

In the Indian movie industry an actress's ( women have to face the age bias much more)career ends fast. They have a very short shelf life. Now it has increased but many 30 plus actresses have faced a lot of criticism even in the 21st century. A very beautiful one like Aishwarya Rai Bachchan hasn't been spared from terrible age related criticism mainly from narrow minded audiences and the majority are like that.

In Hollywood some have looked very good till their forties. Monica Belluci, Salma Hayek, Halle Berry,Sandra Bullock, Nicole Kidman and so on still rock. Some I mentioned here are Oscar winners( Halle, Nicole, Sandra are winners and Salma is a nominee) and they look really stunning even now(It's a treat to watch such women as there aren't many around). They don't seem to care about the competition from the younger lot either. They are happy in their own space and maintain everything well.

But it wouldn't have been so if they were in India. The criticism for older actresses( surprisingly not so for the actors) is way too much. The Indian fans get almost abusive. Some of the comments they make about celebs and especially the older ones are plain horrendous and offensive. The criticize the rest too if they don't find them beautiful or appealing enough. Guess living life in the public eye comes with a price.

In Hollywood after 50 many leading actresses have complained about the drying up of substantial roles ( when compared to the leading men).

One famous dialogue from the classic 'Sunset Boulevard' which tells the story of a 50 something retired silent movie actress who simply can' accept the realities of life( made way back in 1950) goes like this-"You were big". "I'm big, the pictures got small."

Leading life in the limelight is about facing lots of pressures from the paparazzi, press, audiences, critics and so on.

Some have just let it all go to their heads( it's an art to handle fame, money and success with grace) and have fallen terribly.

I have done a lot of research and reading and have seen that some others haven't been able to handle it all well because of various mental and behavioral issues too. It's a sad side of the glamor world.

Winona Ryder is a good actress, she had the best of roles in the 90s and an Oscar nomination too. But everything changed after the shoplifting incident in 2001. This woman really goofed up badly and things rapidly went downhill. She did very few decent movies thereafter and now is trying to make a worthwhile comeback with a small but effective part in the much talked about 'Black Swan.'

The wiser ones do so better with their knowledge, experience, help from family etc.

A sane mind, wise, constructive thinking & work and a good family are such wonderful blessings of life. Whatever career one chooses, that's a blessing.Period.

If one is not running after fame , know what one wants in life and is of the spiritual type, acceptance becomes easy. Goals become clearer. One is focused and knows what to achieve in life.

One can also start believing in sayings like, 'Beauty without virtue is like rose without scent. One can become happier in his/ her own skin.

Then one can understand a quote like this better as well- If they call you hot ,they are talking about your body, if they call you pretty, they are talking about your face and if they call you beautiful, they are actually talking about your inner purity". Food for thought...

Thank you dear God for making me understand these important things better in life and for being able to propagate a bit of the same...

The magic of the movies have always enthralled me. But I wan never fame hungry and always preferred a quiet, peaceful life.

I was into more into writing, reading et al and hence never thought about taking up acting, direction, editing or camera etc. I wanted to spread messages and be kind of an activist, stand up for just causes through my writing. Thankfully it's happening by and by.

And yes, thanks to all the research and the fruitful discussions, from my early days I could differentiate between good cinema and the terrible stuff that people make in the country of my birth, India and even some other film industries and try to pass off as art. I did some movie reviews apart from interviewing, writing features, news stories, TV scripts, etc. The work kind of increased my experience and knowledge.

I had stage fright from my school days and couldn't really came over it. And as I said, I never craved for the limelight.

Singing on stage during my school days was easier though. I had played some violin in my childhood. But I was never a trained singer so there was no question about trying out singing professionally. Having a good Indian classical base is quite a challenge.

Well, on and off people did tell me to think about acting. Well, if my circumstances were different and if I was from the western world, I would have preferred Broadway, ballet, western classical music or something in chic and high fashion. But that wasn't the case.

Jokes apart, as far as acting was concerned, I am more of an unconventional looker and knew someone like me is not made for Indian movies. When they compared me to a couple of actresses and that I look better, I would say thanks but would never take that kind of talk seriously.

It meant 'no thanks' because our worlds are different.

A bit of modelling seemed alright for me.

I was not too keen to go deep into that world either because one needs either big contacts through family or do some kind of corruption, groupism etc. Most people from the Indian industry like to deny it, thanks to their hypocritical natures( maybe living in denial makes them feel better) but it's a fact and has been documented in Indian movies, magazines as well and off the record by many industry veterans as well.

Also I couldn't get along with many of them because most of them have very little intelligence and wisdom. There are only a few wise and good ones around but they are hard to find.

So after a few years in Bombay city, I found an acquaintance who decided to do an outdoor shoot with me. We started first thing in the morning, around the time of sun rise, because it's the time one gets the golden light. The makeup woman was able to give a few tips to a newcomer. The evening pictures around sunset( another time to catch the golden light) were decent too.

Later in the coming months, I had indoor shoots for two sets of professional pictures and some garment & magazine editorial shoots.

Well, I never intended to become a big name in modelling but these pictures ended up helping me to do better things with my life. I got spotted through a few pictures online( I kinda surprised myself with that one:) and increased my work and travelling options. I got to meet a few good people who have become like family to me now. In short they did help to better my life. Thank God again for that.

I always thought I could carry make up well and the pics kind of proved it. Getting myself photographed was a good decision indeed.

Most pictures from all the photo shoots had come out good if not all. Well, my opinions are different from the rest and hence sometimes others have liked what I haven't liked.

Most importantly these experiences also taught me a few basic things about photography and makeup- two very beautiful art forms.

Now I can even think of pursuing photography professionally sometime. That's so cool.

Over the years, I also found out what base( foundation) and what kind of colors would look good on me. I like to have heavy eye color but prefer lighter to medium shade of lip color. And yes, if I have some kind of heavy makeup on, I need to use colored lenses- gray, dark brown, and honey colored to look my best and also to bring variety. I can't carry the blue and violet colored lenses though. They don't suit me at all.

Heavy makeup without lenses makes me look too oriental. I have some oriental blood in me from North east India. Some people from my state were descendants of the Mongols, the Siamese and some other tribes. There were a few Aryans there too. Though I can't exactly tell my bloodline, I say that the same makes people think that I have a mixed look.

I said in one of last posts how people in New Jersey, London and Trinidad thought I am either half Asian, Mexican( a Mexican himself thought so), Venezuelan, Brazilian, even Polynesian and Egyptian. The word chameleon which someone special came up with defines it pretty well.

I really look different in every picture. Many unanimously agree on that. I see that myself as well.

Thank God, I know myself and understand what they are taking about well. As a whole it's a blessing to know oneself.

My natural eyes are brown in color too but they look better with the no make up look. Just a little kohl and light lip color. I could make that out from my normal home snaps. One needs to understand a face well before applying makeup. I understand my face well and can effortlessly put on makeup for normal shoots, special occasions and the few parties I attend.

I am not good at styling my hair on my own as they are really unmanageable.

A hairstylist I met in this Caribbean island is quite good at his job. He and I discussed a bridal look I had seen in a fashion show. He gave my hair an auburn/brownish kind of shade, put hair extensions and did a curled hair look for me with some packing in between( so that it look slightly high to put on the veil).

I handled the makeup with the experience I had. The results were fantastic.

Lightening in a photograph is the most basic thing. In one of my meetings, a photographer told me that and I realized it while clicking home pictures too.

People who paint and sketch and have an artistic side about them tend to make better photographers. A fashion photographer who was quite a artist gave me some really good pictures around two years ago. He wasn't a very good human being and maybe that's why he hasn't gone on to do very well either. He's still a struggler. His work was good and perhaps with the right moral values he would have shone better.

I love black and white photography. Perhaps because I've been a huge classic movie fan.

A little more than two years ago,in Mumbai I tried to do a classic kind of shoot imitating the looks of the great actresses-Audrey Hepburn, Ava Gardner, Grace Kelly and Kim Novak.

But unfortunately the make up person and the photographer were very amateur and not artistic enough. The photographer had an eyesight problem and every time he needed to peep into the camera, he needed his glasses.

He didn't even know what kind of model would look good on camera, what kind of lighting and makeup he needed to use for her.His choices of other models from his other shoots were pretty bad too. The kind of girls I felt he likes to shoot could make it no where. Some looked okay in real life but were not made for the modelling world. Others were too common, plain looking, skanky and not knowledgeable enough to shine in that word.

Not surprisingly he gave me disastrous results. He just didn't have it in him and is too narrow minded and close minded or say ignorant about the international fashion world to make it big.

I am still so sorry that I kind of ended up insulting a classic fashionista like Audrey Hepburn, beautiful and graceful Grace Kelly and ladies with ever green oomp factor- Ava Gardner, Kim Novak by making such bad choices- a forever wannabe photographer and amateur make up/ costumes woman from Mumbai. I really regret this one.

It's really sad that this kind of amateur people advertise themselves as professional photographers and lead people astray. I am not a very mean person and though he's on my friends list on a social networking site, I never really told him about it. I did send him some hints but wonder if he ever picked them up.

Sadly for some people ignorance is bliss and they love to live in a fool's paradise.

Hope he realizes soon why he's out of work for most days of the year and has to struggle to support his family, why he has to wait for people to take him or call him home for lunch, dinner et al. Maybe he likes to exploit people a bit for survival( a common human nature) but it's really unjust and unfair for the ones who fall into such traps.

Thankfully I somehow got two good pictures(one of them is my profile pic here) and they looked better because they were converted to black and white. The makeup woman tried a bit and did at least two good hairdos.

I'm in a Caribbean island right now and I would have loved to explore the beauty of the beaches and done some nice beach wear( not bikinis but with sarongs etc) shoots with a good photographer.

But I'm yet to meet the right person. Hope I do that soon, oh Lordy Lord.

I'm still hunting for a good photographer who could at least give me a good celtic look. I love the floral head gear and garland look. But sadly this ain't New York but a small island. I still hope to get lucky being quite the optimist.

When I go to Hawaii someday, I would love to dress up as a Hawaiian girl. Even if it's a simple camera it's fine because the beauty and colors of nature will make the pics lovely.

Now let me talk about what I came to discuss in this post in the first place. I wanted to help a good acquaintance a bit. But gosh, I ended up talking more about other artistic things, some similar stuff.

I met this British gentleman in Mumbai a little more than three years ago. He's been media person and he met me so that I could help him coordinate with some old time actors, current film/ TV people from the industry.

He's a great photographer who got interested in photography a few years back while working as a reporter for the BBC, AP and AFP. His photographs have appeared in many BBC publications and in newspapers and magazines in several countries such as The Guardian, Metro, Men's Journal USA, Cycling Weekly and Salisbury Life.

He has gotten better with time and does lovely wedding pics and portraits. He was very helpful when I visited London last year. Sadly I couldn't stay long and hence couldn't shoot with him.

Here's a link to the wonderful Jonny Donovan's site.

http://www.jonnydonovan.com


After taking a look at the site, I decided he should be the one I should shoot with next. I would love to do a few black and white pics with him either in London or in the Caribbean. It depends on who travels first. I told him if I have a child of my own by the time I travel, I would like him to do a mom- child kind of homely shoot:)

Babetude is looking forward to this constructive & artistic new plan...

The lives of common men...

Justice delayed is justice denied-William Gladstone

Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly. -Martin Luther King, Jr.

Wild animals never kill for sport. Man is the only one to whom the torture and end of his fellow creatures is amusing in itself. -James Anthony Froude, 19th century author and editor

I remember once while editing a story about something unjust and immoral, I had told the writer how the world has become a bad place. He had said, "When was the world a great place anyway?"

What has this world come to? But a few conscious citizens can make it a bit better, can't they?


http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/26/11-heros-uncle-sets-self-on-fire-near-Parliament/articleshow/7421873.cms

http://www.mid-day.com/news/2011/feb/040211-News-Delhi-Sandeep-Unnikrishnan-uncle-Rashtrapati-Bhavan.htm

This news kind of shocked many. But it isn't such a surprise. It's really sad.

The uncle of Mumbai martyr Major Unnkrishnan, a youth icon for many true citizens and compassionate people of the world set himself ablaze in front of the parliament of India. He wanted to convey his message strongly to the authorities that he's upset about delayed justice, about their apathy, about them not doing much for the 26/11 victims and their families.

There's not much to say or do(anyway the common man can't do much) as the news is widely reported.

Yes, it will be reported widely till the media and the authorities don't go back to sleep again and become busy with other issues( sadly most of them frivolous and unjust).

Unfortunately this is what happens time and again. The media forgets fast, people forget fast. Only the families remember along with a few true well wishers. It's a battle of a few against too many. A little good against too much evil.

Most just don't care. I've said that in many of my posts.

For the 'aam janta'( common men) of any country in the word(guess the first world countries have better systems), life is hard. They are too busy taking care of their everyday needs to do something great and yes, justice for them most of the time is a distant dream. Yes, the quest for justice is a slow and hard process for the common man.

They are at the bottom of the pyramid if we define it according to Maslow's 'Hierarchy of needs'. It's standard everywhere.

Thankfully introduction of the theory by a well wisher recently has made me understand things a bit better. First one needs to better one's situation to do something for others, for the society, fight for justice and so on.


The world belongs to the power brokers but then power corrupts most, except for a virtuous few( very few to be precise).

The fed up kin of the martyr wanted to wake up the sleeping people with a bang. One shouldn't be judgmental about his action because only he can understand the pain he's going through and why he chose to react this way. His 14 page note had strong words and it has a loud and clear message in Malayalam& English. He seems like an aware senior citizen who is totally frustrated with the system.

"Anyone can come and do anything in India. Indian democracy is a curse for India and its enemies are taking full advantage of it. Why is the government delaying the introduction of a bill in Parliament against terrorism? Democracy should be for the well being of the nation, and it should not make way for terrorism. Sandu mon,( Major Sandeep's pet name ) you are being forgotten with each passing day. But I can't. My son's last lines were "Do not come up, I will handle them". But no one is going to handle this situation...."


He has inflicted tremendous physical pain on himself along with the psychological and emotional one.

But the question is, will it work? Will it move the ones in power?

Yes, there will be protest and good wishes from the genuine well wishers, family, loved ones, some conscious citizens and the very few compassionate media activists.

But will justice happen soon or will the authorities concerned go back to sleep again?

As of now, we can just pray and hope that he gets well soon and is alright again. Amen.

P.S- It was really sad to find out only the next day that Major's uncle didn't make it. The damage was too much to be fixed. It's said that he suffered almost 98% burns. It's really unfortunate that it had to happen this way. People shouldn't be judgmental about a sensitive issue of this sort.

I don't even live in India anymore. If someone like me writes too much, critics might feel that people like us don't do much and just write and talk. I and others like me can't say or do much. Other than saying rest in peace. As I said, the people in power can actually make the changes and the differences. I and a few others like me would just pray that all he asked for and sacrificed for gets done. And that Justice happens soon, somehow. Amen.

The day the music died

Feb 3, 1959 was the day when the world lost three super talented young and great musicians untimely.But the rock and roll music they made famous is still very much alive in the minds, hearts and lips of true blue fans. The legacy lives on.

Don Mclean dedicated his 'American Pie' to the memory of Buddy Holly, teenager Ritchie Valens and The Big Bopper( Paying a little homage to the pilot of the small aircraft as well who made a huge error that night. The weather was bad and it was perhaps a misjudgment but then to err is human. Sadly the world lost three great musicians early).

P.S- Check the previous posts on this blog- 'Babetude loves Rock 'n' Roll', 'Old time Rock 'n' Roll- The love affair continues' for more info.

Gandhi Rememberance Day

"When I despair, I remember that all through history the ways of truth and love have always won. There have been tyrants, and murderers, and for a time they can seem invincible, but in the end they always fall. Think of it--always."

Mahatma Gandhi

He left the world on Jan 30th, 1948 but his spirit lives on...
In school we used to show respect to the father of the Indian nation by observing two minutes silence.





His ideals seem too idealistic and inapplicable in today's world. The Hindu extremist who couldn't identify with his ideals gunned him down 63 years ago.

Even today, the problems with India arising out of the great religious divide haven't ended.

But it's good to see it's great influence on influence makers themselves- Rev. Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela and more recently US president Barack Obama.


He will always be regarded as one of the greats to walk this world.

Saluting India's Real Heroes!

26th January,1950 was the day India became a republic.

Well, much like other Indian children, Republic Day for me was all about participating in flag hoisting, singing of patriotic songs, national anthem, cultural programs and yes, watching the parade from Rajpath and around the Red Fort in New Delhi and the president's address to the nation on national TV.Those are the memories.

It was a ritual of sorts. I agree that in the past few years, the ritual kind of died out, thanks to way I like many others got caught up with the various struggles of my life. Republic Day became more like a national holiday, a day to rest after hectic schedules and weeks of work. Well, nothing to be happy about. That shouldn't have been the case.

As an educated and wise adult it's so much important to get serious now. Yes, even more than before. Thankfully I understand all that better now. Though I'm miles away from the country of my birth, I'm doing the needful in my small way now. Better late then never.

I must have said in my earlier posts that for a couple years, I got so caught up with the entertainment journalism work that I could hardly write or talk about anything more substantial.My professional life centered around all that. And as I said, there was more frivolousness than the serious, substantial stuff to do in that world.

But I'm grateful I've more time and energy to concentrate on things that matter.

As children in India most of us were taught to idolize Gandhi, Bose, Bhagat Singh, Chandra Shekhar Azad and the patriots who formed the nation. And we read about them in text books and during my History major days quite a bit.It's because of their sacrifices that the country became independent, that the citizens could be part of an Indian nation.They deserve all the respect of the world.


Today the ones I'm remembering are the heroes of modern history, and are from my time-the 90s onwards who are not fighting foreign rulers but the enemy within and around the country. They are fighting insurgency and threats from enemy nations.

An old Indian saying was used to give utmost respect to soldiers and farmers(Jai Kissan, Jai Jawan) all the time. It was believed that they contribute a lot towards the development and safety of a country and there's so much truth in it.

And like many conscious citizens, I never had high hopes or much faith on the politicians of the country or the system( sounds cliche though) as a whole! A country where nepotism, corruption and groupism is so rampant, a country where only a few selected people,a lucky few seem to flourish.

My simple prayer today is that these heroes will not be unsung heroes.They were simple men who accomplished extra ordinary tasks.

War is something which causes unnecessary loss of life and is detested by all the peaceful people of the world. Wars should be avoided as much as possible. But sometimes war become necessary to maintain peace which is so very difficult to maintain, thanks to the fact that so many people believe in violence and injustice.That's why one needs to spare a thought for the young soldiers who work for national pride and honor(of any country, why only India!)as well as safeguarding civilians.


Martyrs will be part of modern history books but it shouldn't end there...

"It is the cause, not the death that makes the martyr."
-Napoleon Bonaparte, the Emperor of France ,

"When You Go Home, Tell Them Of Us And Say,
For Their Tomorrow, We Gave Our Today"
- Maxwell Edmond

To every man upon this earth Death cometh soon or late. And how can man die better Than facing fearful odds, For the ashes of his fathers, And the temples of his God...
-Lord Macaulay in his poem Horatius.

They were Indian heroes who went down fighting like lions- Captain Vikram Batra(Param Vir Chakra),Captain Anuj Nayyar(Mahavir Chakra),Lieutenant Manoj Kumar Pandey(Param Vir Chakra), Captain Haneef Uddin (Vir Chakra), Captain Vijayant Thapar,(Vir Chakra), the martyr from my North East Indian state Captain Jintu Gogoi(Vir Chakra) whose fiancee I still remember was inconsolable for a long, long time as well as other Kargil and all war heroes.

http://ikashmir.net/kargilheroes/index.html

Heroes are Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan(Ashok Chakra),Havaldar Gajendra Singh(Ashok Chakra),Shahid ASI Tukaram Ombale (Ashok Chakra) who like a lion caught the lone surviving terrorist of the Mumbai attack at the cost of his life, and all other Mumbai terror attack martyrs.

I am saluting them all on the occasion of Indian Republic day. They got their gallantry awards, many posthumously on a 26th January and on 15th August(Indian Independence day) but the memory should be there forever, and not only on one 26th January or 15th August of a certain year. It's sad to see how a few just like their families feel that these real heroes of the country are not given enough credit.

The majority of the Indian population is too caught up with their own lives. Some try to occupy themselves with the lives of the celebs from the fields of movies, sports business, glamor et al. Perhaps because getting caught up in a world of dreams is like opium, an intoxication for many, a way to escape the harsh realities of life. I see it so much around me.

Most of my simple little efforts to arouse a little consciousness about martyrs and issues of this sort in the educated class, even some from media have been ignored. Some don't wish to remember 26/11 properly even though it happened just some time ago, right there in the city they were living. They have no time for other social issues too. The uneducated ones don't pay attention either. They are too caught up with survival and yes, so maybe opt for the opium happily.

By the grace of God, I've met only a few, that too after a lot of search and research who involve themselves in noble efforts and try to better the same.

But so many people simply don't care that it looks like a case of a few against many.

I remember as a school girl back in 1999, I wanted to donate everything from my piggy bank kinda savings, little money I had made by writing articles in a local newspaper to one of the soldiers' funds.

Well, I always had a heart even as a very young girl,it was just that I couldn't do enough for a while being so much involved with the various issues in my life. I still feel a sense of guilt over the same.

I agree what a small entity does is nothing more than a drop in the vast ocean. But it's a start. And it's good even when one person stands for a cause.

India is a developing country and many have contributed towards its growth.We are all entitled and have the right to enjoy life, take care of ourselves and entertain ourselves.

But let not only a handful remember the real heroes and the ideals they stood for when many more should have done the same...

Let not only the families bear the brunt of the loss throughout their lives which is sadly usually the case.

The media is called the fourth estate because it has the power of influence. It's nice if some true journos can make at least a few of the citizens of the world conscious.It's not easy to do as the majority don't or can't care. But then, one can at least give it a shot.

The Indian movie industry has made a few movies on patriotism and one of them was 'Rang De Basanti'(Color it Saffron- the color that signifies sacrifice) based on the lives of patriots from the Indian independence struggle- Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev, Chandra Shekhar Azad, Ashfaqullah Khan, Ramprasad Bismil and the connection with the lives of modern youngsters living in a contemporary post independence India full of dirty politics and corruption.

It's another story that a majority of the audience like to see mindless song, dance and commercial masala in movies. Some make patriotic movies only to get good box office results.

Thankfully there are a few intelligent viewers and film makers who rise above all that.It's nice to see a few of the actors(like the ones in the song) display intelligence and compassion in reel and real life. This song's like a conversation between a martyr's mother and her lost son.





We get to know a lot about soldiers and patriots through international cinema as well. Movies such as 'All quiet on the western front', 'From Here to Eternity', 'Platoon', 'Born on the 4th of July', 'The Deer Hunter','Saving Private Ryan', The Thin Red Line' and many more celebrate the soldier's valor.
This song from LOC Kargil( the movie talked about a serious topic but couldn't do much justice though) is something dedicated to the lost/ other comrade.






Here's a video tribute to young Kargil Hero Vikram Batra. He was only 24 years old in 1999. Sometimes I wonder how these youngsters( from any country, not just India) gather the courage, the will to do what they do with so much happiness, how they put the country,the country men ahead of their precious lives and their families.They are beautiful souls indeed...



Let's salute the 26/11 heroes yet again.They are the ones who saved a city of 19-20 million people that fateful day. No amount of remembrance for them is enough.

Let's not forget them just because they are/were simple people, men next door, and don't have glamor to transport people to a world of dreams. Just because they don't thrive on publicity and are real people from the real world.


Here are some videos from a lovely TV show that the channel CNN IBN made a while back called 'Does India really remember its martyrs'? There are interviews of the parents of Anuj Nayyar(only 23 in 1999). His father is still grieving, appalled and disgruntled over the apathy, unkindness and lack of concern displayed by politicians and government officials.
Also the families of Vikram Batra,Captain Haneef Uddin, Captain Vijayant Thapar(22 only in 1999)have shared their memories. What better day to have a recap than on Indian Republic day?












The families of Mumbai heroes are still grieving. It was not just another day in their lives. Good and compassionate citizens need to take out a little time and hope that some more people will grieve with them...

That's the least we can do...





I quite agree with Major's father that "the world changed only for them, the family and India went back to normal in a few days." I so wish people of the country would value the sacrifice of the precious life of a young son much more and not make it look like a personal loss of a family which is unfortunately the case.

Apathy is rampant. Someone with a sarcastic sense of humor had quoted below a youtube video about how a video that has vulgar, improper or frivolous content gets much more views by people than the videos for patriots and martyrs!








Major Sandeep Unnikrishan, who I tend to remember most of the time would always be my Mumbai hero. He was a very humane person who donated much of his salary towards charity and various causes. When I look at his parents, I feel a lot of sadness. His father rightly said, "By being alive for some more years he could have done so much more for India and people." I was in Mumbai that terrible day as a silent, weak spectator and the pangs of guilt for not being able to anything substantial will be there for a long, long time.


Babetude would like to thank youtube and all the lovely people who contributed towards the making of these wonderful videos. It was a pleasure to put some together here. As an Indian,who stays away from her country but keep her values and traditions very much intact,it was an honor. Jai Hind.

As we sign off, here's a scene from the critically acclaimed 'Rang De Basanti'(it was released on 26th Jan, 5 years ago)which has an interesting debate and a message conveyed in a humorous and entertaining way to the youth of India...

The Unbeatable Trendsetters

The movies have always created front runners as far as fashion trends are concerned.

Yeah, some people have had their individual styles over the years and continue to do so.That's very, very nice. But Babetude like other media people has to keep reminding here(almost an apologetic tone for the ones who we don't know:) that we can only talk about the ones we know, the ones in the limelight.

Some movies and stars have always determined fashion trend. In fact more than the models themselves who become clotheshorses for various designers, it's the actors/ singers who end up setting trends. Not all, but there have been quite a few.

The interesting part is that some are still popular after so many years.

James Dean had slicked-back hair, well worn jeans and a tight white T-shirt that was capped off with a red windbreaker, and of course, a cigarette dangling from his mouth.In fact it's been said that he gave vests a popularity of its own with 'Giant'. It was called the classic greaser look, the cool look.


All youngsters who like to be rebels still adore him.

Well, only the cigarette part needs to be cut out from the look. The stars during that time had the best intentions in mind, but had no idea of the hazards caused by smoking and used it as style statement.It showed attitude but that's about it.




But Jimmy is said to have been quite influenced by Marlon Brando more so his famous pose with the leather jacket on the bike.




Elvis impersonators are still around. It was more hip than classy but those side burns and all that are imprinted in memory. It's likely to be so for a while.




For women the styling part has far more choices.

Well, dressing up is an art and some mastered the art very well indeed!

The classic style of Audrey Hepburn will never grow old. Her fringe and lovely gowns, dresses and gloves have been recreated by Jennifer Love Hewitt, Paris Hilton, Natalie Portman and even outside of USA, Europe and Hollywood.

Her style sense was very evident in movies such as Sabrina and Breakfast at Tiffany's.

I've seen people trying to recreate it in the Bombay film industry too.

She had collaborated fruitfully with the wonderful designer Givenchy and they created magic together. It's an art to recreate magic of that kind.







Grace Kelly's serene look and her bridal gown when she became Princess Grace hasn't gone out of style.People try hard to recreate it and even her very beautiful bouquet.









From outside of the cinema world, Princess Diana was the one who epitomized class, panache and sophistication. Her style grew over the years and became one of the best in the world.Kate Middleton has shown her stylish side a lot and is likely to be compared quite a bit with her late mother-in-law.



Then there was Jacqueline Kennedy and her style was inspired by the best in Europe and America. Millions of women followed her.

Watch her in the classic shift dress...

Katie Holmes is very stylish and well dressed herself. Guess she'll play Jackie on screen quite well! For what I've seen, she looks the part.


These women knew how to carry themselves with class and that's an important aspect of exhibiting classy style.

Now let's talk about some wild style queens...


Veronica Lake did quite a few noir films is known more for her waves and the famous peek-a- boo bangs than her acting. This was a lady who couldn't handle her life well but her style lives on.


She continues to inspire the likes of Jessica Alba, Megan Fox and many more.






Andy Warhol's muse Edie Sedgewick had a sense of style which was totally unlike anyone else in the 60s and she left behind a legacy for youngsters. Shoulder sweeping chandelier earrings, kohl lined eyes, fluttering fake eyelashes, black opaque tights, leotards, fur coats, leopard stripes, and short bleached/silver streaked blond hair made up that unique look.

We still most of it around and she has a strong fan base upto today.






British fashion model Twiggy was too thin but there was something about her that fascinated.Quite an icon, this one was...




Madonna never hid the fact that Marilyn Monroe influenced her widely.
So when Maddona is copied by people over the years, Marilyn is copied as well.






All style gurus unanimously agree that 'Sex and the city' will stay alive for it's chic style and will continue to inspire for a while.








The movie 'Clueless' was a happy teen comedy/romance loosely based on Jane Austen's 'Emma'. It entertained and it's been unanimously agreed that the styling influenced many youngsters of the 90s.The chic styling in the movie is still remembered fondly.








The 'devil wears Prada' is recent movie which showcased the chic style of New York apart from delving deep into some aspects and issues of fashion.



27 Dresses had some funny and outrageous bridesmaid costumes but they still can be liked by anyone with a sense of humor.




The readers are welcome to make additions and talk about other trendsetters.