The Man Who Saw Too Much

Agni Sreedhar, a former underworld don in Bangalore, has written a gripping account of his career in crime

Photo by M. Jithindra

By Shevlin Sebastian

“I hit Kotwal [Ramachandra] on the head with a machete,” said underworld thug Seetharam Shetty in a statement to the police. “Bachchan landed blows to the neck and head. [Author] Sreedhar struck with his nunchaku. Kowtal died without offering resistance.”

It was a famous murder because the man who was eliminated was Bangalore's numero uno don, Kotwal Ramachandra. And this event, which took place on March 22, 1986, has been recounted in detail by Agni Sreedhar in his gripping memoir, 'My Days in the Underworld – Rise of the Bangalore Mafia'.

In the underworld, people commit murder so that it will bring fame which can then be translated into money. “When we killed him, Kotwal was notorious, more than the smuggler Veerapan was in his prime,” says Sreedhar.

Definitely, it established Sreedhar's credentials in the underworld. This book is the story of his life in crime: the fights, the extortions, money-making rackets, the big egos of rival gangsters, the constant anxiety and fear of being attacked and the need to counter-attack, and the topsy-turvy relationship with the police. This link is adversarial, for the most part, and friendly during mutually beneficial times.

Sreedhar also confirms what most people already know: the close tie-up between the underworld and politicians. In fact, there is a disturbing photo of current Karnataka chief minister, Siddaramiah, along with the late Chief Minister Ramakrishna Hegde sitting around a table with a notorious hoodlum, 'Dadi' Puttaswamy.

“It is a strange network,” says Sreedhar. “The politicians pamper the underworld because they are of use during elections. The police play up to politicians because they can be used during transfers. The underworld controls the police through politicians and the politicians control the underworld through the police!”

In fact, this memoir is studded with insights: “Prison is a strange place,” says Sreedhar. “Nowhere else do clashes, plotting and gossip take on the proportions that they do here. The fearsome stone walls, the barracks, the faces and the names that count the hours behind the iron bars -- all these things kill a convict's sensitivity. A man who spends six months in jail will come away a hardened criminal even if he was innocent when he entered.”

Everybody suffers, including jailors. “In a way, even jailors are imprisoned,” says Sreedhar. “Their houses are close to the jail and even when an inmate is freed, the jailors are not. Their work continues. Their sole responsibility is to cope with notorious criminals and thugs. But when you meet these people every day they cease to become fearsome offenders; instead, they become nothing more than weathered men caged like animals behind bars.”

All these conclusions reveal that Sreedhar is sharp, intelligent, and a shrewd judge of people. So it was no surprise that he ended up becoming a don. But he had luck too. When a murder attempt was made, with several shots fired at the car that he usually travelled in, he was not in the vehicle. In the end, fed up with his life in crime, Sreedhar decided to quit. And he became the rare and lucky criminal who was able to walk away. Interestingly, throughout his career in crime, Sreedhar retained an interest in writing and literature.

'My Days' originally appeared in Kannada under the title of 'Dadagiriya Dindagalu'. It became a best-seller and won the Karnataka State Sahitya Akademi Award.

Today, Sreedhar runs a successful Kannada tabloid, 'Agni'. He has also written on his favourite subject of quantum philosophy, penned scripts and directed award-winning films. He is at the forefront in the agitation against mining in Karnataka. All in all, Sreedhar is a remarkable human being who could have easily been a success without having to venture into the world of crime.

Title: My Days In The Underworld – Rise of Bangalore Mafia

Author: Agni Sreedhar

Publisher: Tranquebar Press

Pages: 465.

Price: Rs 395 

(Sunday Magazine, The New Indian Express, South India and Delhi)  

Lighting up the Stage

Akhila Sasidharan is the only actress from Mollywood who can perform Kerala’s ancient martial art form of Kalaripayattu

Photo by TP Sooraj

By Shevlin Sebastian

When Akhila Sasidharan enters the kalari (training hall), she goes to the south-west corner called the poothara and stands still, with folded hands, in front of an idol of the Goddess Bhagawati. Then she begins making stretching movements with her arms and legs. This comprises the Kalarai Vandanam (prayer).

Thereafter, the training begins with the Surya Namaskar (Salutation to the Sun), followed by leg movements: circling of the leg, and moving it to the right or the left. Then Akhila does the vadivukal or poses in the form of an elephant, lion, boar, cat, cock, snake, horse and fish. Then it is on to the meipayattu (a combination of leg and animal poses) and, finally, there is the weapons training, using swords, daggers, sticks and shields.

“The emphasis is mainly on body movements, rather than using weapons,” says Akhila. “Like all other classical art forms, the ultimate goal is self-realisation. When you perform, you go deeper into yourself. It is a misconception that Kalaripayattu is only a method to attack the opponent. In fact, it is a means to defend oneself if one is attacked.”

Akhila, who grew up in Saudi Arabia, Oman and Bahrain, saw a  Kalaripayattu programme during a visit to Dubai and became fascinated.  A trained classical dancer, Akhila realised that a lot of the movements in the classical arts originated from Kalaripayattu. “The basic moves of Kathakali come from Kalaripayattu,” she says. “Through the ages, people have taken from Kalaripayat for different reasons. It is the source of all body movements.”

So, about five years ago, Akhila decided to become a student. What helped was that she was staying in Kozhikode which is where the Hindustan Kalari Sangam is located.

The more she practised the more she felt she was changing. “I became aware of each body part,” says Akhila “I knew what my body was capable of. I also felt a connection to Mother Earth, especially when I performed on a mud surface.”

Akhila's most thrilling moment occurred when she did a Kalaripayat performance during the 100-year celebrations of Indian cinema in Chennai a few weeks ago. “A Kalaripayattu dance is not a choreographed show,” she says. “In fact, it is not set according to music.”

But, as a novelty, Akhila choreographed the art form according to music done by composer Rahul Raj. She used authentic Kalaripayattu movements and weapons sequences. “I avoided conventional dance steps,” she says. “It was exciting.” 

After the show, she was complimented by Malayalam film notables like actor Jayaram, and directors Joshy, Kamal and Sibi Malayil. Local newspapers described her performance as 'mesmerising'.

What is unusual about Akhila is that she is the only actress in Mollywood who knows how to do the Kalaripayattu. As adept as she is in the art form she is also a successful actress. She acted with superstar Dileep in the hit film, 'Karyasthan', and with Prithviraj in 'Theja Bhai and Family'. Earlier, she made her mark in a dance reality show on TV called 'Vodafone Thakkadhimi', and was the anchor in the hit show, 'Munch Star Singer Junior'.

“I started receiving film offers once 'Thakkadhimi' was aired,” she says. Unlike most actresses, she is also well-educated. She has a masters in English literature from Calicut University and is doing one in political science from the Indira Gandhi National Open University.

The future looks bright for this young performer. 

(Sunday Magazine, The New Indian Express, South India and Delhi)

Scaling The Heights

The Kochi-based Sasi Warier has done an 18 feet high painting of Lord Shiva. It is the tallest work done on a single theme-based canvas in Kerala mural art

Photo by Mithun Vinod

By Shevlin Sebastian

A few months ago, Sasi K Warier got a call. It was from a man called Hari Raveendranath. They had been batch mates in college at Kochi. Thereafter, for the next 30 years, they had gone out of touch. But a mutual friend, Rajasree Varma, enabled Hari to contact Sasi.

Hari, a Bangalore-based businessman, wanted to see the works of Sasi, who is Kerala's leading mural painter. So he came to Sasi's studio at Kochi and observed the paintings. He liked what he saw. Then he told Sasi that he had a 20 ft. high wall inside his house in Bangalore. He wanted to place a painting on it. “Hari has a lot of foreigners and VIPs who come to his house,” says Sasi. “So he wanted them to have a look at traditional Kerala art.”

As for the subject, Hari had seen a painting of Lord Shiva and wanted something along those lines. Not surprisingly, Sasi did a lot of research. In fact, when a relative, Ajith, heard about what Sasi was working on, he presented him with the best-selling novels on Shiva written by Amish Tripathi.

Sasi then set to work. During this time, he was helped by the students of the Indian School of Arts, of which he is the principal. They included Divya Gopi, Gilda Edward Rozario, Pappini Dinesh, Manoj Mathaserry, Meera Menon, and Sasi's wife Usha.

They would work on one section, of a long roll of canvas, finish it, and fold it, before they began work on the second section. It took 50 days to complete the work. The end result is a stunning mural of Lord Shiva, 18 feet high and 7 feet in width.

When the painting, titled ‘Shivam’, was displayed at the Durbar Hall gallery, visitors were enthralled. Two old ladies prayed in front of the work, as if they were at a temple. Many sat on the floor and kept staring at the work. The painting is also going to be on display at the Alliance Francaise in Bangalore from March 7-9.

The work, indeed, is a sumptuous sight. There are 48 elaborately drawn figures, spread across five panels which flow one into the other. At the topmost panel, Shiva is portrayed as Dakshinamurthy who is surrounded by the sages of the Vedas. In the next section Shiva is sitting on a sofa with his wife Parvati, and children Ganapati and Subramaniam. Beside them is Nandi the bull and Narada Maharishi.

In the central section Shiva is surrounded by gods and goddesses, including Vishnu, Devendra, Saraswati, Kali, and Brahma. Just below that, in another panel, there is another avatar called Mritunjay. The final panel shows a group of priests who are doing puja in honour of Lord Shiva.

So, in the end, Sasi had a good idea of Lord Shiva's character. “Shiva destroys only when there is a need to do so,” says Sasi. “He has a lot of energy and is far more vibrant than all the other gods. Shiva has rapid changes of mood -- he gets angry and suddenly becomes happy. Shiva also makes decisions quickly. That is why He is my favourite God.”

Mural painting is also his favourite art form, thanks to his father, the renowned mural painter, KK Warrier. “I have been painting from my childhood,” says Sasi. “My father has been my mentor all along.”

And both follow the ancient method, when it comes to painting on walls. Initially, the wall is plastered. Following that, lime and tender coconut water are applied. In fact, there are 28 coats. It becomes thicker than paper. It is on this base that the painting has done.

Sasi's most recent restoration work – a 'Dance of Siva' painting – was done at the Paalnaari temple at Palakkad. Earlier, with the help of his father, they salvaged a major work from the Karivellur Puthoor Siva temple at Kannur, before the building was demolished. “The painting was 400 years old,” says Sasi. “I was so happy that we could save it.”

He is also happy that the government is showing keen interest to preserve this ancient art form. “The only problem is the dearth of mural restoration experts,” says Sasi. “But many youngsters are getting trained. So the future looks bright.”

In fact, as a result of regular exhibitions, and exposure in the media, the mural art form is gaining in popularity. Sasi has held exhibitions on scenes from the Ramayana and Mahabharata, the life of Jesus Christ, and vignettes of life. Many Malayalis, in America, Europe and Singapore, have got in touch with Sasi. “I have done a lot of commissioned work for them,” he says.

The artist says that he gets his inspiration from the murals at the Ajanta Caves as well as the Lepakshi paintings in Anantpur, Andhra Pradesh. “The Veerabhadra temple [at Anantpur] has some of the best mural paintings in India,” he says.

Meanwhile, Sasi's Shiva painting has set tongues wagging in the art community at Kochi. Most feel that Sasi has been paid about Rs 25 lakh. Sasi laughs it off and says, “Hari is a friend. I did it for far less money than what has been mentioned. In fact, I was more excited that I got a chance to do such a large mural.” 

(The New Indian Express, Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram)

A Fine Balance

COLUMN: Spouse's Turn 

Vineetha talks about life with MK Muneer, the Minister for Panchayats and Social Justice

Photo by BP Deepu

By Shevlin Sebastian 

Vineetha Muneer has received a lot of gifts from her husband MK Muneer, the Minister for Panchayats and Social Justice in the current UDF government. But the one she cherishes the most is a gold ring, with the name, 'Muneer', inscribed on it. “Muneer gave this ring to me on the day of our marriage,” says Vineetha. “It was the first gift that I received from him and is close to my heart. I wear it all the time.”

The arranged marriage took place on May 10, 1991 at Kozhikode. It was held in the midst of a hectic election campaign for the Kerala State assembly elections, which was to be held on May 23. However, on May 21, Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated at Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu. So, the elections were postponed to June 18.

Muneer stood, for the first time, representing the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), and won from the Kozhikode South constituency. (Incidentally, politics runs in the family. Muneer is the son of the late CH Mohammed Koya, a former chief minister of Kerala and IUML stalwart. )

Later, Vineetha accompanied Muneer when he went to attend the Assembly sessions at Thiruvananthapuram. “In the evenings, we would go out and enjoy ourselves,” she says. “That was our honeymoon.”

As a politician's wife, Vineetha sees both sides of Muneer's personality: the public and the private. “In public, he is a person who smiles all the time and is willing to help anybody,” says Vineetha. “But at home, Muneer is a quiet person. Whatever tension he is going through in his career he will not show it to the family. He unwinds by listening to old songs. Muneer is also a voracious reader.”

This is not surprising since the family runs a publishing house: Olive Publications. Last year, husband and wife went to attend the Frankfurt Book Fair at Germany. “Muneer was very happy as he spent a few days browsing through the books of so many countries,” says Vineetha. “It was a rare occasion when we were together for long hours.”

In fact, one of the drawbacks of being a politician is that you don't get much time to spend with the family. Once when a family friend asked the youngest child, six-year-old Maleeha, what her father did, she said, “Bapa comes home suddenly and goes away quickly.”

But Muneer is close to Maleeha. Both father and daughter have a fondness for cats. 

Recently, the actor Appa Haja gave a black Persian cat to Muneer, who gifted it to Maleeha.

The couple have two other children. Mohammed Muflih, 22, is doing his third-year MBBS at the MES Medical College at Perinthalmanna, while Mohammed Minnah, 18, is doing his Plus Two. “Muneer keeps track of his children's studies,” says Vineetha. “When exams are taking place, he will call to inquire about how they have done.”

But on the rare occasion they are free, the family goes out: to visit relatives, see movies or eat outside. “There are many occasions when Muneer is unable to attend family programmes,” says Vineetha. “But if he is in a particular area where there are relatives, whose functions he has missed, he will go and see them. He even visits the houses of his employees.”

For Vineetha, perhaps the major drawback of being a politician's wife is the lack of privacy. On the weekends, when the Thiruvananthapuram-based couple go to Kozhikode, there are visitors in all the rooms of the house including the kitchen. They include colleagues and party workers, those who want admission to schools and colleges, a few who need medical and financial help, and some who want assistance to get their daughters married off.

“The only place where one can have a bit of privacy is in the bathroom,” says Vineetha. “I have got used to it. But the people remain only till Muneer is at home. Once he leaves, everybody follows him out of the house.”

Because of Muneer's busyness, Vineetha handles all the responsibilities of running the household on her own. So she will attend parent-teacher meetings in school, take the children to hospital when they are unwell and keep track of their studies. And she also offers emotional support to her husband when he is stressed out.

“There is always a tension when one is in the spotlight,” says Vineetha. “You have to be careful of what you say and how you behave. Sometimes, when Muneer comes home, he looks stressed. So I quickly switch on the TV, so that he can listen to songs. It calms him down.”

Asked for tips to have a calm marriage, Vineetha says, “There should not be any secrets or lies between the spouses. Then the husband and wife will feel free with each other. We must accept the positive and negative qualities of the spouse. If your husband has said something which has upset you, keep quiet about it. Much later, when he is in a relaxed mood, you can tell him in a friendly manner. Then there is a good chance he will accept what you are saying.” 

(The New Indian Express, Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram) 

Food that is Fit to Eat

Jews all over the world eat food that has passed through certain processes, as laid down by the Torah. Dr. Avrom Pollak, President of the US-based Star K certification company, talks about it

Photo by Suresh Nampoothiry

By Shevlin Sebastian

A few years ago, Dr. Avrom Pollak, the President of the US-based Star-K, one of the foremost kosher food certification agencies in the world, went to inspect a company in China which made caffeine. He was accompanied by an interpreter. At the factory, Pollak inspected the set-up. “I saw how everything was made,” he says. “The employees were respectful and well-mannered.”

Pollak was getting ready to leave, but he could see that the workers were waiting for something to happen. They finally asked the interpreter, “Where is the rabbit?”

They had received a message that a rabbi was coming. So, the staff looked up the English-Chinese dictionary and the closest word to a rabbi was a rabbit. “So they were expecting a rabbit,” says Pollak with a smile. The American rabbi had come to Kochi to take part in the World Spice Congress and to inspect the newly-opened Star K office in the city.

“The Spice Congress is a wonderful opportunity to interact with the companies that we certify,” says Pollak. “We were also interested in getting in touch with manufacturers who want to make kosher food.”

The word, 'kosher' is the Hebrew word for 'fit'. It is a set of rules for the Jewish people, as represented in the Torah, the Holy teachings of God, about the kinds of food that they can eat and the methods to prepare them.

So Jews can eat the meat of any animal that chews its cud, and has split hooves. This means that cows and sheep are fine. “The horse and camel are not kosher, because it does not have split hooves,” says Pollak.

Natural foods like bananas, apples, and legumes are regarded as kosher. Any fish that has scales is kosher. “A catfish or an eel is not kosher,” says Pollak. “Most of the fish I have seen in Kochi are kosher.”

One important rule is to not mix dairy and meat products. As a result, many Jewish homes in the USA have two sections in the kitchen. In fact, there is a separate sink, oven, and dishwasher for dairy items and a different one for meat.

During the Holy Festival of Passover, the rules are stricter. “Anything made from five varieties of grain – wheat, barley, oats, rye and spelt – cannot be eaten, because if mixed with water, they will become leaven,” says Pollak

Many rules in the Torah have no explanation, but the Jews follow them blindly. One example is that they don't eat the meat of a pig. “The Torah does not tell us the reason,” says Pollak. “But today many people say that the pig has parasites, like tape worms, which are harmful for us.”

Interestingly, in India, there are more than 300 companies which make kosher food. All the items like pickles, spices, and chemicals that are used in the food industry, are exported to USA, Europe and Israel, where the kosher food industry is huge.

“If you go into any supermarket in these countries, around half the items on the shelves will have kosher certification,” says Pollak. “Most of the buyers are non-Jews because when they see the certification they are confident that the product is genuine.”

Star K is operating in countries like India, China, and Israel, in Europe, South America and Africa. “It can take as little as a week for certification to be done,” says Polak. “Some companies take more time. We do inspections once or twice a year. For some companies in India, we go in once a month, especially if the manufacturing processes are complicated.”

So, what are the processes that they inspect? “If a company wants to make a kosher item in a pot that is used for non-kosher food, they are not allowed to do so, unless the utensil is purified by boiling water,” says Pollak. “In factories, we will ensure that there are two production lines: one for kosher and the other for non-kosher. We will train people in the factory and will ensure that all the ingredients are kosher.”

Meanwhile, so ubiquitous is kosher food in the West that the word has entered the language. “If a person does something wrong, people will say, 'That is not kosher,'” says Pollak.

However, not all Jews eat kosher food. “The liberal Jews might observe the rules only during the Passover season,” says Polak, who is an Orthodox Jew. “There are no fights. We just agree to disagree with them.” 

(The New Indian Express, Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram)

An Interview with the Blog Author

http://mattersindia.com/author-credits-priest-editor-for-writing-talent/

Notes of love

COLUMN: Spouse's Turn 

Zaira talks about life with the music composer Shaan Rahman

Photo by TP Sooraj

By Shevlin Sebastian 

The first meeting between Zaira and music composer Shaan Rahman took place on Marine Drive at Kochi in May, 2009. When Zaira saw Shaan, she was taken aback. He was wearing a black shirt and blue jeans, while Zaira was wearing a black salwar kameez. “We think alike,” she said, pointing at the colour of their clothes. Shaan smiled.

“I was worried about whether he would be shorter than me,” says Zaira, who is 5' 5”. “But, thankfully, he is of my height. Then I noticed how handsome he is. However, once we started talking, looks and height did not matter.”

Zaira was aware that even though Shaan came from a well-to-do family -- his father has a thriving logistics business -- he had embarked on a career as a music composer. “I was not apprehensive at all, even though I was told it was a competitive profession,” she says.

Following that first meeting, which came through an official proposal, both realised that they liked each other. The wedding took place on October 11, 2009, at Kozhikode. “I cannot remember much of the day, because I was in a daze,” says Zaira. “But the first thing I did was to go to a beauty parlour to get my make-up done.”

However, the one moment that remained etched in her heart was stepping into her husband's house, for the first time, with her right foot. “I realised that this is also my home,” says Zaira. “The place where I will spend a lot of my time.”

And now, having spent a few years with Shaan, she has a good idea of his character. “All human beings have a selfish gene, but not Shaan,” she says. “He does not know what being selfish is. I keep thinking, 'How can he be so selfless?' For example, if I want to go out, and even if he is busy, he will immediately say yes, and come with me.”

One reason is because Shaan is a family-oriented person. “There is nothing beyond that,” says Zaira. That is why, despite his friends in Mollywood urging him to move to Kochi or Chennai, he has remained in Kozhikode. “They tell him that he should meet people and strike up a rapport, so that he can get good projects,” says Zaira. “However, Shaan finds that hard to do.”

But he finds it easy to read a woman's moods. “If I am feeling low, he will realise that just by looking at my face,” she says. “Shaan will ensure that I get the space I need. Or he will ask whether I would like to go to my parents' home at Kochi.”

When he has a project, Shaan works from midnight till dawn, at his studio on the ground floor of their house. “His creativity is at his best then,” says Zaira. And he ensures that there is no disturbance for his family by using headphones.

Zaira is amazed at Shaan's composing ability. “He has not studied music at all,” she says. “There is nobody in his family who has a music background. Yet Shaan is a good composer, thanks to his God-given talent.”

Shaan's turning point occurred when Vineeth Sreenivasan's film, 'Thattathin Marayathu', became a hit, and the songs, which Shaan composed, became popular. And now he is back in the spotlight thanks to his work in the latest hit, 'Om Shanti Oshana'. Zaira's favourite song in the film is 'Sneham Cherum Neram', which is sung by Rinu Rezak and Hisham. “It is melodious and soothing to the ears,” she says. “It transports me to a different time and makes me feel happy and romantic.”

Shaan keeps things romantic with Zaira by going for long drives in his Skoda Superb. “He loves driving and never gets tired,” she says. “Even after six hours in the car Shaan feels fresh.” His one unusual habit is to keep changing cars. “He must be the only person I know who upgrades every year,” she says, with a laugh. “Shaan is also crazy about the latest mobile phones.”

But the one person whom Shaan is most crazy about is their son Rayaan (Islamic meaning: 'Gateway to heaven'), who was born three years ago. “Shaan has all this love in his eyes when he smiles at Rayaan,” says Zaira. “Because he is so busy, whatever little time he gets, Shaan spends it with our son.”

Meanwhile, when asked for tips for a successful marriage, Zaira says, “You must be ready to forgive. When you identify the negative traits of your husband, the wife should be tolerant about it. In most marriages, one spouse will repeat, 'You made the mistake, you made the mistake.' If you keep these thoughts in your mind, it will never work. Secondly, we need to take life in an easy manner. Don't let the troubles get to you. Then when you come home, you will feel relaxed, and the family will be happy.”

(The New Indian Express, Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram)

There's Something about Hair

French photographer Oriane Zerah focuses on the long tresses of Indian women

Photo by Suresh Nampoothiry

By Shevlin Sebastian

Just a few minutes before the inauguration of the 'Something About Hair' exhibition at the David Hall, Fort Kochi, by Kabul-based French photographer Oriane Zerah, she has a number of visitors. They are Ahmedabad-based art collectors who tell Oriane that they want to buy two photographs. Oriane quotes a price, and in typical Indian fashion, the buyers offer something less. A flustered Oriane slowly gets the hang of the thrust and feint of bargaining between buyer and seller. Finally, the deal is sealed, and Oriane promises to send the mounted photographs once the exhibition concluded on February 25.

It is not difficult to understand the interest of the collectors. Oriane's exhibition is an unusual one: it focuses on the hair of Indian women. And the idea occurred to Oriane as she travelled to conservative countries like Iran and Pakistan. She had to always cover her head with a scarf. “In Islam, all women have to use a scarf,” she says. “That is the case in Christianity when a woman has to go to church. The legend says that the angels feel shy in front of women's hair. In Judaism, women also use scarves. In every civilisation and society, the need for women's hair to be covered is paramount.”

At the same time, in striking contrast, Hindu gods and goddesses were proud to show off their flowing tresses. “Both Lord Shiva and Kali have long hair,” she says. “This had an impact on my imagination.”

But the tipping point occurred when she went to the Venkateswara temple at Tirumala. “I saw women getting their head shaved. Later, this hair was presented to God,” she says. “It was one way of giving up the ego. From Tirumala I came to Kochi. It was then that I decided to focus on the hair of Indian women.”

She asked a friend who was working in a hotel at Fort Kochi, whether he knew of any women who had long hair. He located Sindhi, a pretty 17-year-old girl, who is the daughter of a fisherman. Oriane took Sindhi to the terrace of the hotel. “I did not know what I was going to do,” says Oriane. “I asked her to turn this way and that. Sindhi was shy, but she had wonderful hair that went below the waist.”

And that was the start. Thereafter, Oriane went to Jaisalmer and shot a 50-year- old woman. But now she used a different technique. Oriane placed the model on a white sheet and overexposed, so that only the hair could be seen. Thereafter, she did a bit of editing on Photoshop.

Oriane also took a photo of a woman lying on a patch of grass, her hair spread out above her and rose petals were placed on it. “Indian hair is long, beautiful, clean and soft,” says Oriane, who has shoulder-length hair. “I feel envious at times.”

However, the effect of seeing these photographs can be disconcerting. Sometimes, the hair looks like an undulating black slope on a mountain. At the bottom, it breaks up into so many tendrils that it resembles the roots of trees. In another photograph, the hair looks brown. “I took it at sunset and allowed the light to play with the hair,” says Oriane. In yet another image, a woman has allowed the hair to fall in front. “She did not want to reveal her face,” says Oriane. “So I took a shot like that.”

Of course, long hair is becoming rare. Indian women, like those in the West, prefer to keep their hair short. “When I would ask around, some will say, 'Oh my late grandmother had such long hair,'” say Oriane.

The French photographer, who has travelled to many countries, lives in Kabul.
“The security of the people is getting worse day after day,” she says. “But it is my choice to live in Afghanistan. The women are in the worst condition, when you compare with other nations. For women artists it is very difficult. They have to fight to exist as a person. Many girls study, but they know that when they get married, they will not be allowed to go for a job.”

In Kabul, Oriane earns her living by taking photographs for non-governmental organisations, the local press as well as a mobile company. “I am not afraid even though recently, there was a bomb blast in which a few foreigners were killed,” she says. “But unlike the Afghan people, thanks to my French passport, I can leave at any time I wish.” 

(The New Indian Express, Kochi) 

“He has a Heart of Gold”

COLUMN: Spouse's Turn 

Snehalatha talks about life with the noted art designer Sabu Cyril

By Shevlin Sebastian 

Snehalatha Sebastian was feeling nervous. She had to take part in a science exhibition at her school in Chennai. She knew the only person who could help her was her relative Sabu Cyril. And he obliged. He took the cover of a biscuit tin and converted it into the face of a clock. The working mechanism could be seen at the back. Sabu also made a water heater by using pieces of metal and a wire. “I won prizes for this, thanks to Sabu, who was a brilliant student,” says Snehalatha.”

When Snehalatha was in Class 12 and Sabu was in his second-year in the government arts college, she was convinced that Sabu liked her. One day she said, “Sabu, I hope you are serious. I don't want to be taken for a ride.” Snehalatha expected Sabu to propose. Since he did not, Snehalatha decided to take the initiative. One day, while they were walking down a road, near her home, Snehalatha held Sabu's hand and said, “I know that you are serious about me. I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”

But it was not going to be easy. They are first cousins: Snehalatha's father's sister is Sabu's mother. When Snehalatha told her father, he said no. But despite his opposition, Snehalatha and Sabu went ahead and had a church wedding on June 9, 1986. Thankfully, sometime later, her parents reconciled with her.

Asked about the qualities of her husband, who is one of India's leading art designer in films, Snehalatha says, “Sabu is a genius. His set designs are unmatched. His work on the sets of the films, 'Enthiran The Robot', 'Om Shanti Om' and 'Kalapani' are superb. He also has a heart of gold. Those who come across him have only good things to say about him. I have learnt so much about life from Sabu.”

Not surprisingly, for a creative and talented person like Sabu, work is everything. “It is his topmost priority,” says Snehalatha. “Family comes later. In the early years I would get upset about it, but when people praised his work, all my anger and frustration took a backseat. It is not easy to have a balance between career and family.”

Sabu's concentration on his work also made him absent-minded at times. “Throughout our marriage, Sabu must have remembered my birthday about five times,” she says, with a smile.

Once, Snehalatha was celebrating her birthday with family and friends at their home in Chennai. Sabu was out of town. The family was teasing her that Sabu had forgotten to wish her, when suddenly there was a telephone call. It was Sabu on the line. But when they spoke, Sabu asked his wife about work-related matters and did not mention the birthday at all. But after an hour he suddenly called, apologised and wished Snehalatha on her birthday.

A few days later Sabu told Snehalatha how it happened. “We had given our birthday dates to the Chola Sheraton hotel where we are patrons,” she says. “They only had Sabu's number and had called to wish me on my birthday. That was how Sabu realised it was my birthday.”

Just as Snehalata has accepted Sabu's absent-mindedness, she has got used to Sabu's short temper. “At work Sabu is cool and chilled-out,” says Snehalatha. “He never shouts at anybody. He handles the stress very well. But once he returns home, Sabu takes out the bottled-up pressure. I do get upset, because I am not an angel, but I understand why it happens.”

Undoubtedly, it has been tough to be the wife of a brilliant man. But in the past few years, Snehalatha has become relaxed. For one, she has a job as a part-time French teacher for Class 11 and 12 students at the KRMM Matriculation Higher Secondary school. “I enjoy my interaction with the students,” she says. “Thanks to the principal, I have found my calling.” Another reason is that her children, Shweta, 25, and Soumya, 21, have grown up and are busy with their lives.

“As a Dad, Sabu was too busy to spend time with the girls,” she says. “For many years, I had to be the father as well as mother. Sometimes, I had to be firm with them.”

Meanwhile, when asked for tips for a successful marriage, Snehalatha says, “Every marriage has its ups and downs. What is important is the respect and space that you give each other. There should be an understanding between the spouses. For God's sake, it should not only be the wife understanding the husband, but the other way around also.”

(The New Indian Express, Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram)

MY First E-Book

Dear Friends, 

I am embarking on the e-book road. 
My children's book, 'The Mystery Of The Midnight Murder', has been put up on Kindle. 

Price Rs 62. 

It is aimed for the 9-12 year age group. 

It can also be ready by adults. 

The story is set in Kolkata and is about the life of 11-year old Ayaz Hussein, a rag picker. 

It is also, as the title says, a mystery novel.

Here is the link:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ICLK22A

If you can download I would be grateful.

As for the writers among you, please do write a small review, if possible, on Amazon.

Shevlin

Clothes that Breathe

Handloom clothes are the best for the Indian climate

Photos: A model wearing a handloom dress; Owner Neelima Chandran 

By Shevlin Sebastian

Six months after her son was born, Neelima Chandran was feeling out of sorts. She was doing nothing except look after her child. Neelima is a chartered accountant who had worked in companies like the Trident hotel and Federal Bank at Kochi and McMillan publishers in Bangalore. “Since I wanted flexible timings, I decided to do something on my own,” she says.

Her initial plan was to do an online business. So she travelled to Balaramapuram in Thiruvananthapuram, which is the centre for handloom textiles. Thereafter, Neelima went to Pondicherry and saw some contemporary handloom styles.

That was when Neelima decided she would concentrate on handloom. “It is a fabric that breathes,” she says. “Once you wear handloom you will not wear anything else. It makes you feel so cool. For the Indian climate, handloom is the best. It is light on the body. It lasts longer than cotton clothes provided you take care of it.”

The best way is to wash the clothes by hand and dry it in the shade. “If you hang it to dry in the sunshine, the colours will fade fast,” says Neelima.

Apart from the online trade, Neelima opened a shop, 'Neelaambari', at Bangalore in 2010. But last year, Neelima relocated to Kochi and has opened an outlet at the DD Milestone in Kochi. She sells kurtas, short tops, skirts, trousers, kurthis and dupattas. “My clothes are a bit off-beat, and not the normal, jazzy, sequenced, button-wear kind,” she says. “We don't have party wear. We only have handloom clothes with a contemporary touch.” In fact, Neelima does the designing and has tailors to implement her ideas.

The most popular item is Ikkat, a handloom fabric from Andhra Pradesh. “It is a rage with everybody,” says Neelima. “These are contemporary designs and appeal to 80 per cent of the customers.”

Indeed, buyers are happy. “The selections are awesome, elegant and classy,” says Nashiya Salim. “And the prices are reasonable.” Yes, one of the attractive aspects are the affordable prices: from Rs 450 to Rs 1000.

Jeeva Jayadas is another satisfied customer. “I liked the clothes and would definitely recommend it to my friends,” she says. Buyer Reshma Rao says that Neelima has an awesome collection of kurthis.

Meanwhile, Neelima has an interesting observation to make about her customers. “Many of them, especially in the over-35 group, are conservative in their dressing,” says Neelima. “They are reluctant even to wear sleeveless blouses. Somehow, they lack the confidence. Maybe, it has got to do something with our patriarchal society.” However, the college-going generation is willing to try out anything, thanks to their exposure to the outside world, because of Facebook and the Internet.

Incidentally, Neelima started the business with a social aspect. She bought the fabrics from non-governmental organisations, self-help groups, tribal communities, and women associations. “In the beginning, I just wanted to help these people,” she says. “But then I realised that if I had to make my business a sustainable one, an income is necessary. Otherwise, the enterprise will die.”

So, with a mix of a social conscience and entrepreneurial spirit, Neelima is steaming ahead. 

(The New Indian Express, Kochi) 

"He is good-looking"

COLUMN: Spouse's Turn 

Sindhu talks about life with the actor Krishna Kumar

By Shevlin Sebastian

When Sindhu wanted to make an international call to her Muscat-based parents, she would go to a communications centre in Thiruvananthapuram. Now and then, she noticed a handsome young man who worked there. The face seemed familiar. Then Sindhu realised that he was Krishna Kumar, a newsreader on Doordarshan. "He was good-looking and seemed a nice person," she says. Sometimes, they smiled at each other.

One day, Sindhu set out from her hostel at the All Saints College with her sister, Simi, and friend, Lakshmi to go shopping. They entered a shoe shop. Once again, she saw Krishna, who was speaking to the owner, the actor Appa Haja.

Sindhu spotted a pair of heels which she liked. But, at Rs 700, it was expensive, and she did not have the money. So she told Appa she would return the next week to buy it. "But Appa insisted that I take it and pay the money later," says Sindhu. When she came the next week, Appa told her that Krishna liked her and would like to marry her.

"I did have a crush, but I never thought of marriage," says Sindhu. Then Krishna came and they went out for lunch. "And we spoke for a long time," says Sindhu.

Following lunch, they exchanged phone numbers, and remained in touch. Sindhu was doing her MA, while Krishna had just finished his first film, 'Kashmeeram'.

One particular day Sindhu was returning by train with Simi from her parents' home at Kadakkavoor. But when they arrived at Thiruvananthapuram station, people said it was a hartal. It was the time when there were no mobile phones, so they did not know about this. They were wondering what to do. But suddenly they saw Krishna. He had been waiting for them. "He said, 'Come to my house, which is nearby, and you can meet my parents'," says Sindhu. She did so and ended up liking Krishna's parents.

Soon, Sindhu informed her father and mother. They flew down from Muscat, met Krishna's parents, and the marriage was finalised, despite the fact that Sindhu belongs to the Ezhava community while Krishna is a Nair.

"My family did not have any problems, but my relatives were upset," says Sindhu. "They asked my father why he said yes."

Nevertheless, her parents held firm and the marriage took place on December 12, 1994 at the Trivandrum club. But they were unable to go for a honeymoon because within a short while Sindhu got pregnant. The months went past. Then one day Sindhu went to the hospital for a check-up. Suddenly, the doctor said that Sindhu had to be admitted, since she could give birth at any time.

"I was scared and confused," she says. "I was young and did not know what to expect." In the labour room she felt panicky. So, she called out for Krishna. He came in, hugged her and gave her strength. Their first child, Ahaana, 18, is now acting in a Rajeev Ravi film. Then there is Diya, 15, Ishaani, 13, and Hansika, 8.

Sindhu says that Krishna is a devoted father. "He is more like a friend to them," says Sindhu. "But Krishna is also particular that the children lead a disciplined life. He insists that they sleep early, and get up early, even though the next day might be a holiday and the children would like to sleep late."

Asked about his character traits, Sindhu says, "Krishna is my best friend. People say that we talk like newly-weds, giggling and laughing. We discuss everything, including family and financial matters. In fact, our property and bank accounts are held jointly."

Other traits include Krishna giving all the money to Sindhu. "Krishna is perhaps the only husband in Kerala to do so," she says. "He never spends anything for himself. That's why I buy all his clothes. When he is going out he will not check his purse. He is sure that I have kept enough money in it. He never questions my spending even though I am a bit of a spendthrift. Krishna just wants us to be happy."

Krishna's negative trait is that he is short-tempered. "You cannot predict what will irritate him," says Sindhu. "Sometimes, on big issues, he will remain cool, while on small matters, he will get angry. For example, he might get irritated if the TV set is switched on and nobody is watching. Whenever he scolds me or the children, there is no doubt that what he is saying is right. But sometimes, I do get irritated."


But that is momentary. When asked for tips for marriage, Sindhu says, "The number of times Krishna and I have fought, we could have divorced a long time ago. When you get married, and have children, you must make your marriage work. It is easy for a husband and a wife to break up, but what will happen to the kids? They can never have a comfortable life after that. I have seen friends having second marriages, and the pain the children of the first marriage go through is sad to see. Whatever be the flaws of your partner, just forgive and forget." 

(The New Indian Express, Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram)