A Billionaire visits the Biennale

By Shevlin Sebastian

Photo: Bose Krishnamachari (left) with MA Yusuff Ali. Taken by PK Jeevan Jose 

Only a billionaire can travel like this. First he gets onto a helicopter from his home at Kadavanthra. This lands at the Parade Ground at Fort Kochi. From there he gets into a white BMW, which takes him to the Aspinwall House, the main venue of the Kochi Muziris Biennale. The driver is wearing a gleaming white uniform with the letter Y above the shirt pocket.

The passenger is none other than MA Yusuff Ali, the managing director of the EMKE Lulu Group. He is accompanied by his wife, Shabira. Not surprisingly, Biennale founders Bose Krishnamachari and Riyas Komu and curator Jitish Kallat also accompany him.

Yusuff Ali walks briskly, and watches the sites keenly. Then he says, “Sometime ago, a member of the Royal Family called me from the United Arab Emirates. He asked me whether Kochi is my home. I said it is. Then he told me that his family members are coming to see the Bienalle. That's when I knew that the Bienalle had made a mark.”

Then he pauses and says, “The Bienalle is a place where you can learn a lot of things.” And he gives an example of the video by Adrian Paci called 'The Column', where a marble block is taken from China to France on a ship. On the long journey, Chinese carvers transform the stone into a 'Made in China' classical Greek column which is to be delivered to a buyer at the destination.

“This is a practical solution,” says Yusuff Ali. “It saves time. For a businessmen like me, timely delivery is also a very important concept.”

Yusuff Ali says that he wants to extend all help to the Biennale. And when the international convention centre, which his company is building, near Bolgatty Palace, comes up, he promises that he will set aside one section to exhibit Biennale works. “This will attract tourists,” he says. “To offer my support, I am also giving Rs 50 lakh for this year's edition. And next year....”

He turns to Bose and says, with a smile, “Can you announce it.”

Bose says, “Next year, Yusuff Ali Sir will be giving Rs 1 crore. We are grateful for this. He is a role model for other businessmen. I am also happy that he has shown his love and affection to the artistes of Kerala as well as the world.” 

Away from the media scrum, Shabira gazes calmly at her husband. 

(The New Indian Express, Kochi) 

A Humanistic Look at Life

KN Pillai’s book of poems, ‘Nodes and Codes’, focuses on the ravages of war, the cruelty meted out to animals, the history of Travancore and the sufferings in the Punjab in the 1980s

By Shevlin Sebastian

Photo by Mithun Vinod 

KN Pillai's poem, 'Susy's Last Day', set in Kochi, has an intriguing beginning:

‘On Tuesday dawn, I felt a trance,

While passing through North station

After tea and peeping through its entrance

where I saw a sight bewildering that stopped my motion.

There I saw Susy lying on the floor

ten to fifteen men half-dressed, half-bare, all snoring,

around her and in the same hour.

She was lean and smart, all in grace,

her body naked dazzled bright, up in height,

she was no teenage but had a blushing face...’

It takes a while to figure out that Susy is a dog and not a young woman. Later, in the poem, the dog is administered arsenic while a crowd gathers around and enjoys the spectacle of the dog dying. “Cruelty to animals takes place all the time and we don’t feel a twinge of conscience about it,” says Pillai.

This is one among 33 poems that comprise the collection, ‘Codes and Nodes’. Many of the poems are about animals. Pillai says that from a young age he liked animals. “I used to have pet cats and dogs,” he says.

The senior poet has been inspired by chance encounters, too. Once while travelling on a train from Kochi to Alleppey, he befriended two English women, Kate Cornish and Barbara Natchinson, as well as Patel, a man of Indian origin, who lived in England. “They came to our house and we spoke about poetry for hours together,” says Pillai.

In ‘That White Lady and an Invalid’, Pillai writes:

'That white lady philosopher. Enchanting.

During our train journey and in this house.

Along with her two companions, we spent only a few hours

Inside the temple too. Chitchatting.

What all, not! Literature, of course.

Poetry of Yeats, Maud Gonne.'

Pillai endeared himself to the Britishers with his knowledge of English poetry and his admiration for WB Yeats.

Asked who Maud Gonne was, Pillai says, “She was a 23-year-old English heiress and Irish Nationalist.” Yeats met her in 1889 and became infatuated with Maud's beauty and outspoken manner. She had a significant impact on his poetry and life.

Pillai is also a man who is keenly interested in history. In his 790-line long poem, ‘Venad and The West’, he writes about the history of Travancore, from ancient times to the present. Says Prof. P.N. Prakash, the former Principal of the Government College at Koyilandy: “I do not think that anybody in Kerala has ever attempted to interpret this story in poetry – this requires an encyclopaedic knowledge.”

Pillai also writes about international events. His ‘War or Peace’ focuses on the Japanese occupation of Southeast Asia during the Second World War. An attack on a bus in Singapore resulted in this description:

'The necks of many

Had been chopped off.

Some were hanging down mangled.

But their limbs were glued

To the seats.

A few had started rotting,

And were pecked at

By crows and vultures

That barged in and out

At their will'

Pillai’s pre-occupation with war was not surprising since his own father fought in the British army against the Japanese and was captured. In an appendix, Pillai has published some letters that his father wrote. In one handwritten note, his father writes, ‘My Dear Wife, I am a prisoner of war in Java. I am in good health and am happy. I am quite all right in every respect. I shall return as soon as the war is over. Please take care of the children’s education.” However, his father returned a changed man. He spoke little and became very strict with the children.

By doing extensive research, Pillai also wrote about the insurgency in the Punjab in the 1980s too. “The detailed media reports about the sufferings in Punjab shocked me,” he says. “It spurred me to write the poem.”

Here are a few lines:

‘In a decade, the terrorists slaughtered civilians

Ten thousand and more.

Police personnel and relatives two thousand over

Widows, widowers, orphans and weeping parents and refugees

In exodus …

A ‘Dark Age’ indeed in this land of saints and sages.  

In person, Pillai is a man who readily recounts anecdotes of the many people he knew in the literary world, including the great Madhavikutty. He shows photos of him with her, at her home in Kochi, and at his home in Ambalapuzha. And there is a priceless photo of him with Thakazhi Sivasankara Pillai, Madhavikutty, and her mother, Balamani Amma, during a literary meet at Allapuzha in September, 1994. He was also friends with freedom fighter Captain Lakshmi Sehgal and visited her Kanpur home in 2006. 

The 135 page book, published by Authentic Books, was released at a function by former ambassador TP Sreenivasan. 

(The New Indian Express, Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram) 

Love At First Sight

COLUMN: Spouse's Turn

Sharath talks about life with the actor Asha Sharath

 

By Shevlin Sebastian

Photo of Sharath by Ravi Choudhury

 

In the early 1990s, TV Sharath was working in a company at Muscat, Oman. He felt lonely. So he was happy to befriend another Malayali, Venugopal Krishnankutty Nair. They became friends. One day, Venugopal told Sharath that his sister Asha had bagged the first prize in Kuchipudi at an all-India dance festival in Benares in 1992.

 

Thereafter, there was a telecast of the event on Doordarshan. Venugopal and Sharath saw the programme in Muscat. “Asha was wearing a half-saree and looked beautiful,” says Sharath. “I was instantly attracted to her.”

Later, Sharath began watching the television serials in which Asha acted, like 'Indulekha', ‘Jadagakathakal’, and ‘Mikhaelilnede Sandathikal’.

 

Soon, Venugopal informed Sharath that his family was looking for a groom for Asha. Sharath immediately expressed an interest, although they are from different castes: while Asha is a Nair, Sharath is from the Varier community. Venugopal professed his doubts about the feasibility of such a marriage.

Sharath then rang his Nasik-based mother Sunanda, and told her he had selected a girl. “Where did you see her?” said Sunanda. “On TV,” he replied. His mother laughed out aloud.

Nevertheless, Sharath’s father, Muthukrishna Varier, and Sunanda, travelled by train to Kerala, and met Asha at her home in Perumbavoor. They liked her. Soon, the couple began a courtship through letters.

Since Sharath grew up in Nasik, he did not know to write in Malayalam. So he used English. Asha, on the other hand, was not fluent in English. So, when she got Sharath's letter, she would write a reply in Malayalam. Then her friends, Rekha and Seena, would translate it into English. And it was only then that it was sent off to Sharath.

He also made a lot of telephone calls. Invariably, he would use up his salary within a week, because he spoke for hours with Asha. In those days, the rate was Rs 150 per minute. 

In November, 1994, Sharath went to his mother's hometown in Manathavady for the cremation of his grandmother. Following that, on the day he was supposed to leave for Perumbavoor to see Asha for the first time, there was a state-wide hartal. But that did not prove to be a deterrent. Sharath, along with his cousin, Brijesh Surendran, managed to hitch a ride in a newspaper van.

At Perumbavoor, when Sharath saw Asha, he noticed that she was tense. “Later, she told me that she was worried about whether I would like her or not,” says Sharath. But Sharath was entranced by Asha.

However, his relatives were apprehensive. “Asha was a famous actress at that time,” says Sharath. “Would she be able to settle down, they asked. But I did not care, because I was in love.” Eventually, the marriage took place on September 11, 1995 at Perumbavoor.

When asked about his wife's plus points, Sharath says, “Asha is mature, responsible, loving and supportive.”

In the initial years, the couple had to struggle a bit. So Asha took a job as a radio jockey at Radio Asia in Dubai. It was a part-time job, but she did it for 15 years and ended up becoming popular. When Sharath wanted to start a business, by putting in all his savings, Asha gave him all her support.

It was a gamble that worked fine. Today, Sharath is the Managing Director- cum-partner of a Swedish company called Consilium, which operates in 26 countries. It deals in oil and gas, offshore drilling, and makes radars and black boxes for ships.

In 2003, Asha also embarked on a venture of her own. She started her first arts school called Kairali Kalakendram in Dubai and, later, in Sharjah. Today, there are 80 staff members and 3,500 students from different countries.

Despite her professional success, for Asha, the family, which includes Uthara, 17, and Keerthana, 15, is a priority. “As a mother, she is strict,” says Sharath. “Asha gives the girls freedom, but if they don't do something right, she will tell them. Asha will not give in to all their demands.”

Meanwhile, Asha's turning point in her life came through a moment of heart-break. In 2004, Asha became pregnant for the third time. However, in the seventh month, she miscarried.

“Asha became deeply upset and sad,” says Sharath. “To enable her to get her out of this depression, I suggested that she start acting again.”

Asha got a chance in a telefilm called, 'Nizhalum Nilavum Parayunnathu', which later won her a Kerala State Television Award for best second actress. “It was an unforgettable moment for me when [current Chief Minister] Oommen Chandy Sir presented the award to Asha,” says Sharath. Then she acted in 'Kumkumapoovu'. This serial did very well and ran for four years. Later, she got into movies. Her recent films include ‘Friday’, ‘Buddy’, 'Drishyam', 'Varsham' and ‘Angels’.

When asked for tips for a successful marriage, Sharath says, “In a marriage, a wife should be able to breathe. To do that, she needs freedom. I am busy and happy in my business career. But I don't want my wife to just sit at home. If she has talent, she should develop it. I want Asha to be positive and happy. Then the family will be happy. In any marriage, if both spouses are considerate and caring towards each other, they will experience heaven on earth.” 

(The New Indian Express, Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram) 

Yama, God of Death, is busy

By Shevlin Sebastian

Every day, at 6 a.m., when I sit and read the newspapers, there is one moment when time stands still. This is the period when I look at a page, full of obituary notices, in a vernacular newspaper. When I stare at the faces, looking unblinkingly back at me, I feel uneasy and nervous.

All kinds of people – young, middle-aged, and old – are dying every day. At times, when I look at the age, I get a shock. If I had the same destiny, I would be dead within two, five or ten years. I feel hopeful when a 90-year-old has passed away. That means there could be a long life ahead of me.

There are also moments when I feel bereft. This happens when I see the faces of children. Why, I ask God. As always, He keeps an enigmatic silence. Sometimes, I wonder: Does He exist? The truly shocking moment arrives when I see a photo of a stunning young woman. What a loss for mankind that they can no longer enjoy the sight of this beauty? Now, she is either a few grams of ash, or six feet under the ground. Either prospect is heart-breaking.

This daily morning ritual is a reminder to me that time is running out. Sometimes, a panic arises in me. There are so many things to do. Can I do them, before destiny forces me to hit the exit button?

Who knows? You need a lot of luck, pluck, and good health to get the life you want. However, luck cannot hold your hand forever. It has to cater to so many people – more than seven billion and increasing daily. So, luck leaves you. Then darkness and despair appears on the horizon. You pine for good fortune to return. Sometimes it does, but most of the time it does not.

When I have a chat with my parents, I get confirmation that luck is sleeping a lot these days. Every now and then, they will inform me of a death of a member of their generation. 

“Thomas was a nice person, but a man of few words,” my dad told me one evening. My mom said, “Where did he stay?” And both of them racked their brains to recall the address.

A recent death of my father's friend was poignant. The wife had gone to America to spend time with her son and his family. Her 80-year-old husband did not go, because he was not keeping good health. On the day, she returned, to Chennai, she was so glad to see him, from a distance, sitting patiently, on an armchair, in a ground-floor verandah. But when she came close, she got a shock. The eyes were lifeless. Her husband had died, moments before, of a massive heart attack.

Another day, my mother tells me that I should take her to meet her friend, Shanti. She is a childless widow, who lives in an old people’s home. “Shanti is feeling depressed, because two of her closest friends at the home have died,” my mother says. 

I am middle-aged now and can only watch, apprehensively, as Yama, The God of Death, whistles past me, busy in his work. 

(Published as a middle in The New Indian Express, South Indian editions) 

Amazing Stories

Thanks to Fr. CM Paul for this review of my book

“God, God’s and Goddesses” is the third e-book published this year by popular author of children’s books, Shevlin Sebastian, a columnist and journalist who worked in Kolkata, Mumbai and Kochi for more than 30 years. In the present tome, Shevlin makes a bold venture to handle an off beat topic – spirituality beyond rituals and religious affiliation. 

Professing to be a liberal and libertarian to a point, Shevlin dabbles in all sorts of faith experiences of believers and nonbelievers alike, of both mainstream and esoteric religions.

Neither does Shevlin hesitate to say that he is a born Christian.

In this 142-page book Shevlin also propounds his own version of religious boon theory: “You get special blessings if you pray to Gods of religions other than the one you are born in.”

While reminiscing about the origins of his popular column in the south Indian daily, ‘The New Indian Express’, called ‘Spiritual Matters’, Shevlin reveals his attempt to show readers Sri Ramakrishna Paramhamsa’s thought that “the paths are different, but the aim of all people is to get in touch with the Universal Energy.”

For the current work, Shevlin scripts candid conversations with Muslims, Hindus, Christians, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis, Sikhs, and atheists on a wide variety of views and recounting interesting spiritual anecdotes from their lives.

Among celebrities sharing their belief systems, they include Kolkata’s singing sensation Usha Uthup and Oscar Award winner Resul Pookutty, writers like UR Anantha Murthy and Jaisree Mishra, Mollywood filmstars such as Jagadish and the late Thilakan, Bhama and Lakshmi Gopalaswamy, religious leaders, senior police offers, tourists, best-selling authors, municipal officials, beauty queens, High Court Judges, teachers, dancers, college students, and business magnates.

Apart from that, there are first-person accounts of a visit to Sabarimala, the Maramon Convention of the Mar Thoma church, one of the oldest annual meetings, a write-up on the experiences of grave diggers of three faiths. There is also a profile of a painter who has done a 18ft high mural of Lord Shiva.

Scripted in brief chapters and brisk narration, the book is unputdownably inspiring!

(Published in Mattersindia.com)

Two Becomes One

COLUMN: Spouse's Turn 

Chintoo talks about life with the musician Rex Vijayan 

By Shevlin Sebastian 

Photo of Chintoo by Manu R Mavelil 

One morning, in 1999, Thankachi Miss told the students of the Sree Narayana Women’s College in Kollam that if they wanted to do well in the Western music (group and solo) competitions of the University Youth Festival they needed a guide. So the students, led by Chintoo Remesh, looked around. Somebody suggested the name of Rex Vijayan, but said, “He is a serious person, has a bit of ego and, most probably, will say no.”

Nevertheless, Chintoo, along with her friends, met Rex at his home at Kollam. And, to their surprise, he agreed easily. 

When he came to the rehearsals, he did not talk much. “We were singing two Spice Girls songs called, 'Viva Forever', and ‘2 become 1’,” says Chintoo. “Rex arranged the music.” 

After the practice sessions were concluded, since there were no funds, Chintoo painted a card, with an eye on the cover, and wrote, 'You are a Special Person'. When everybody was present, she gave him the card. 

Meanwhile, at the youth festival, they did not win anything in the western group section, but, in the solo category, Chintoo got the second prize for singing 'Save The Best For Last' by Vanessa Williams. 

Around this time, two girls developed a crush on Rex. So they told Chintoo whether she could convey to Rex that they wanted a friendship with him. But when Chintoo called up Rex and told him, he said, “These are silly matters. I prefer not to talk about it.” 

Chintoo felt embarrassed. Nevertheless, they remained in touch, and had numerous conversations on the phone. Soon, Chintoo realised that they had a similar wavelength. 

A few months later, in 2000, Rex decided to shift to Kochi. “He asked me whether I wanted to say anything,” says Chintoo. “I asked whether it is about the friendship. Rex said, ‘Yes’. So, we started talking and realised that we were in love.” 

In Kochi, Rex joined the Motherjane band and got busy. For many months there was no contact. Chintoo sent letters and cards. She was puzzled by the silence. Then she began to feel depressed. Suddenly, Rex called from Kochi and gave her a contact number. And Chintoo got excited once again. But after a while, there was another long silence. Through friends she came to know that Rex had gone to Munich to join an amateur German hip-hop band, ‘Intensive Erfrischung’ (Intensive Refreshment). But, thankfully, for Chintoo, Rex returned after six months. 

By this time Chintoo had joined the Fatima Matha College at Kollam to do her MA. Once again, the youth festival came up. And once again Chintoo was participating in the Western solo song segment. 

While she was standing at the venue, in Kollam, in the distance she saw the judges arriving. But when they came close, Chintoo got the shock of her life. One of the judges was Rex. He had long hair and looked different. “He just smiled at me and walked past,” says Chintoo. “I was dazed. Was this actually Rex? He had not told me he would be coming.” 

And when Chintoo went on stage, she felt so nervous that she forgot the lyrics. “I made a mess of it,” says Chintoo. “Later, Rex told me that he did not want to acknowledge me since he was a judge.” 

In 2003, Rex founded the Avial Band and was working with the Daksha Sheth dance-drama company. One day, there was a rehearsal at the University Students Centre at Thiruvananthapuram, in which Rex was providing the music. Chintoo was also in the city because she was learning Russian. 

They met at the students centre. Rex proposed. And Chintoo accepted. However, her parents were opposed to the marriage, because Chintoo is a Hindu while Rex is a Christian. And it took five long years, before Chintoo’s parents finally gave their consent. The registered marriage took place at Kollam on March 14, 2008. 

Asked to list her husband’s plus points, Chintoo says, “He is a down-to-earth person and has a good sense of humour. Rex has a sharp mind. When he meets anybody he can quickly gauge their true intentions. And he has a keen music sense.” 

Regarding his negatives, Chintoo says, “For Rex, it is music, music, and music. But honestly, I have no problems with that, because I just love it that music is his passion. But when I talk to him about things like running the house, he does not pay any attention. Since I am a practical person, it is okay.” 

A conscientious Chintoo ensures that she switches off all the fans and lights when it is not being used. “Rex teases me by saying that this is because both my parents had been employees of the KSEB (Kerala State Electricity Board),” she says, with a smile. 

Today, Rex is producing an album for Motherjane and has just scored the music for ‘Picket 43’, a Malayalam film, which stars Prithviraj and Javed Jaffrey. Chintoo, on the other hand, is working as a web designer in a software firm at Thiruvananthapuram. 

Asked for tips for a successful marriage, Chintoo says, “The most important thing is that spouses should love other. For that to happen there should be a magnetic attraction between them. You should also respect each other as individuals and be willing to make compromises.” 

(The New Indian Express, Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram) 

Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Stars

Mollywood child actors, like Esther Anil, Deni Emmanuel Jacklin and Baby Nayanthara, are thriving. They talk about how they got their breaks, their success stories and the reactions of friends and relatives

By Shevlin Sebastian

Photos: Esthel Anil; Deni Emmanuel Jacklin and Sanoop. 

Photo of Sanoop by Suresh Nampoothiri 

It was a tense scene in 'Drishyam'. Police constable Sahadevan hits Georgekutty (Mohanlal). And Georgekutty's daughter, Anu (Esther Anil), was supposed to shake in fear. After the first take, the director, Jeethu Joseph, told Esther she should shiver some more. That was when Mohanlal suggested that he would fall to the floor after being hit.

“You observe me and react accordingly,” Mohanlal told Esther. And when Esther saw Mohanlal falling to the floor, she really got scared. Esther's performance was widely praised, and 'Drishyam' became a blockbuster hit. And recently, Esther finished shooting for the Tamil version, 'Papanasham', with Kamal Hasan, and with Venkatesh for the Telugu adaptation, 'Drushyam'.

Like most child artistes, Esther came into films through sheer accident. When a TV channel crew came to Wayanad (254 kms from Kochi) to do a segment on her mother Molly for a cooking programme, cameraman Biju Pazavila saw the bubbly Esther and was impressed. He suggested to her parents that a portfolio of her photos be taken.

The album did the rounds. Soon Esther got her first role in 'Nallavan'. And now, 21 films later, she is well known all over Kerala.

Asked how life has changed for her, Esther says, “My classmates [in the De Paul Public school] have asked for my autograph. Even my friends want to pose for photographs with me. When I go to the railway station, a crowd forms just to see me.”

A crowd of teachers and students of the Leo XIII Higher Secondary School in Allapuzha rushed to see the 3D film, 'Little Superman'. The reason: Class 8 student Deni Emmanuel Jacklin was playing the hero Villi.

Like Esther, Deni also got the role by chance. One day, a friend told Deni's mother, the actress Rani Larius, that there was an advertisement in the newspaper: the director Vinayan was looking for a boy-hero. So she sent an application. Soon, she got a call from Vinayan asking her to bring Deni to Kochi. There, the youngster danced and acted in front of the director. He was one among a few thousand aspirants. After a photo shoot, Deni was selected to play 'Superman'. “Deni showed self-confidence and poise,” says Vinayan. “I was impressed.”

The shoot lasted for 40 days, but Deni received a lot of support from the school. “My friends took down notes and send it to me,” says Deni. “And when I could not sit for some exams, I was allowed to do it at a different date.”

In recent times, several child actors have done well in Mollywood. Sanoop Santhosh was the Best Child Artist at the 2014 Kerala State Film Awards, for his role in 'Philips and the Monkey Pen'. The brothers Benson, Shebin and Nebish, performed competently in the recent hit, 'Iyobinte Pushthakam', while Baby Nayanthara has acted in several films, even though she is only a Class 7 student.

Asked the difference between the child actors of today and earlier, Vinayan says, “They have self-confidence, a positive attitude, and are exposed to a lot of children's films on TV, like the Harry Potter series. Deni had already seen the Superman films, so he knew what we wanted. So I am not surprised many directors are using children in their films.” 

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

A Political Allegory

Veteran artist Gulammohammed Sheikh uses the metaphor of acrobats in his sculptures and painting to reflect about colonialism

By Shevlin Sebastian 

Photos by Ratheesh Sundaram

The British artist Hew Locke is standing at Vasco Da Gama Square, at Fort Kochi, along with his wife, the Indian-origin artist, Indra Khanna. Both are dressed casually in Bermuda shorts and sandals. They are staring at inanimate acrobat figures balancing themselves on a tightrope. One acrobat has a woman balancing her head on his, while he is holding a tiger cub under his arm.

“It is attractive,” says Hew. “The people will enjoy this.”

The square is an open area, hemmed in by several rain trees, where children are playing, vendors are selling peanuts, and couples walk hand in hand. Suddenly, Indra says, “Oh my God, one of them looks like [US President Barack] Obama, and the other is definitely [Russian President Vladimir] Putin.”

Indra gives the happy smile of one who has solved a puzzle.

At a hotel in Fort Kochi, Gulammohammed Sheikh smiles and says, “Yes, the figures do resemble current political figures,” he says. “But I don't want to name anybody. The viewer should make that effort. However, the original painting, which inspired this work, 'Balancing Act', was also a political allegory.”

Sheikh saw this 18th century painting, of the Jaipur school, at the Baroda Museum and Picture Gallery. While observing it, he noticed a Farsi inscription in the painting. So, he took the help of his daughter, Samira, an Associate Professor of History, at Vanderbilt University, Nashville, USA, who got it read by an expert.

“Samira told me that this painting coincides with the takeover of the Jaipur state by the British,” says Sheikh. “It is a court scene. A Rajput king and his prime minister are standing on a balcony. The ruler is looking downcast. The diwan has his finger raised. So, perhaps, he is saying, 'This is what is happening to you'. On both sides there are several noblemen. Two men are pulling away a young princess. All this is shown in the top half. At the lower half, there is a ground, where acrobats are performing on a tightrope.”

It is a critical moment. The acrobats are performing, but nobody is looking at them. “In fact, the acrobats are doing impossible acts which, in a way, depicts the crisis,” says Sheikh. “One acrobat, with the hoofs of a bull, is balancing on the wire-rope, while another holds a stick, at the end of which children are dangling.”

Since he has not trained as a sculptor, Sheikh, 77, took the help of four young sculptors from the Faculty of Fine Arts, MS University, Baroda to make the 5’ high sculptures. The materials used included fibreglass, acrylic paint and varnish. “It took eight months from conception to completion,” says Sheikh.

This work is a comment on colonialism. And Sheikh continues this rumination in a triptych, called ‘Gandhi and Gama’, which is on display at the Darbar Hall. In this work, Vasco Da Gama, who represents Portuguese colonialism in the 15^th century, faces a young Mahatma Gandhi, who is contemplating the collapse of the British Raj in the 20^th century, across a mappa mundi (a medieval hand-drawn map of the world).

Incidentally, Sheikh is a 2014 Padma Bhushan winner for his contribution to the arts. But he bemoans the lack of support for art in India. “There is plenty of money in the country, but very little is put aside for contemporary art,” says Sheikh. “It may be because of a lack of an art education. People know about music and literature, but have no idea about art. The late Bhupen Khakhar had a retrospective at one of the best museums in the world, the Reina Sofia in Madrid. But very few newspapers reported this great achievement.”

But Sheikh brightens up and says he is an unabashed fan of the Kochi Muziris Biennale. “The uniqueness of this Bienalle is the sites,” says Sheikh. “That is what is attracting the foreigners and locals alike. [Founder-artists] Bose Krishnamachari and Riyas Komu have revived old warehouses and storage places and made them into beautiful places for art and creativity. What more do artistes want? We love it.” 

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

Come To Where The Action Is

Skywalking, bungee jumping, a touch of history, non-stop excitement at the casinos and endless shopping opportunities – Macau has it all

By Shevlin Sebastian

Photos: A young woman in front of the chapel of Our Lady of Penha. Photo by Sudipta Saha. Skywalking on the 61st floor of the Macau Tower; Shrekfast

When the Indian group steps out on the walkway, for the Skywalk, butterflies are dancing in the stomach. The location is the 61st floor of the Macau Tower. A stiff breeze is blowing and all around you can see the island of Macau – buildings, bridges and boats now reduced to matchbox size.

The width of the walkway is 5.8 feet. And as you saunter on it, you have this 288 feet drop on one side. But a Chinese helper, a youngster by the name of David, suggests a run followed by a leap into space. There are anxious cries of “No, No” from the women. The helper laughs and says, “Try it.” And it is indeed exhilarating, to say the least. To leap off the walkway, the legs going skywards, and then to be held back by the safety harness.

Right next to this is the bungee jump, the world's highest commercial leap, at 788 feet. And when you look down from the edge, have no doubt that your stomach will churn in fear and excitement. An 18-year-old Chinese girl, slim and fragile-looking, takes the jump with an insouciant smile. Here are some statistics: you reach a speed of 180 km/hour. However, the jump lasts only six seconds. But the adrenalin flow does not come cheap, at Rs 23,000 a jump.

All this excitement is taking place on an island, which is only 33 sq. kms in size and has a population of 5 lakh. Of course, Macau is world-famous for its casinos, with their 24 hour non-stop action on the tables: slot machines, baccarat, blackjack, roulette and poker, among many other games. Last year's annual gambling revenues were a mind-boggling $45 billion. Not surprisingly, education is free till Class 10, but their new university is only the size of a high school in India.

It is a place where the hotels, like the Venetian Macau, the Conrad, the Holiday Inn, and the Four Seasons will take your breath away by their sheer size and polish. And there is the Sheraton Macao Hotel, which is the largest, with 3896 rooms. 

Near the lobby, there is a natural forest, with palm trees, reaching up to the second-floor, a free-flowing stream with pebbles, flower pots and green grass. Many guests stop to stare at the sight.

The Managing Director of the Sheraton Macao Josef Dolp has a smile on his face when he says, “Most of our visitors are from China, Hongkong, Taiwan, Korea, Japan and India. There are 500 million people in the new middle class in India, China and Indonesia. We expect tourist arrivals to carry on increasing for the next several years.”

Old Charm

Much as the new Macau is dazzling, there is a charm to the old city. The streets are narrow and paved with coloured tiles. At the Senado Square, there is a striking wave-like pattern on the mosaic stones. You get clothes and knick-knacks at an affordable rate (1 Hongkong dollar = Rs 8].

And in the food shops, they have one unusual custom. Men will stand with trays, the straps around their necks, outside the shops. All visitors are allowed to have a taste of the Portuguese egg tarts, almond cookies, pork chop buns or egg rolls. In case you like it you can enter the shop and buy them.

At Macau, there is also a lot of history. Step into the Lou Kau Mansion, located at 7 Travessa de Sé, and immediately you are transported into the past. The house was built in 1889 and belonged to Lou Kau, who was a prominent businessman of his time. The two-storied house has gray brick walls, stained glass windows and wooden furniture. Thanks to the high ceilings, it is cool inside. This is natural air-conditioning, at its best.  

Another historical place is the Chapel of our Lady of Penha. It was built in 1622 by the crew and passengers of a Portuguese ship which had escaped capture by the Dutch.

However, on a sunny November morning, there is a different scene outside the chapel. On the steps, at the entrance, sits Petty Tam, 25, in a white wedding gown, the helm lifted to her knees, to show off her legs. Photographers buzz around taking snaps.

Standing next to her is AO Allan, 28, in a blue suit. Allan met Petty three years and fell in love. Now he is working in Sydney as an engineer. And they are planning to get married, but this will take place only in March, 2015. “We are taking things slowly,” says Allan. “This is a photo shoot for our album.”

Other places of interest include the Formula 3 Grand Prix Museum, Wine Museum (where you get to sample three types of wine at the end of the visit), the A-Ma temple, the Ruins of St Paul's, and the bronze Kun Iam Statue, of the Buddhists, which reaches a height of 60 feet, and has a dome-shaped lotus base, with sixteen petals.

In Macau, the past and present are intertwined in a nice way. 

Boxes:

Shrekfast

This is held at the Urumqi Ballroom of the Sands Cotai Central. Inside, against the walls, there are turrets of castles, and giant water colour paintings of scenes from animation films like 'Shrek', 'Kung Fu Panda', 'How To Train Your Dragon', and 'Madagascar'.
During the breakfast, you can eat 'Kung Fu Panda' red bean buns, Shrek-shaped pancakes and waffles, and Princess Fiona cupcakes and muffins. Later, giant-size models from these films dance on a stage. And after that, you get a chance to take photographs with Hiccup and Toothless from 'How to Train Your Dragon', the penguins and King Julien from 'Madagascar', Shrek, Puss in Boots and Fiona from 'Shrek' and Po from 'Kung Fu Panda'.

Indian food 

There is a touch of Bollywood glamour at the Aruna Indian Curry and Cafe House. On the walls, there are photos of numerous celebrities like Shah Rukh Khan posing with the owner Aruna, who has lived in Macau for over three decades. 
“Any Bollywood celebrity who arrives at Macau, comes to my restaurant, because they crave Indian food after a couple of days,” says Aruna. The food is typical: dal, chicken tikka, paneer and mutton dishes, along with nan and chappati, topped up by a dessert of gulab jamuns and ice-cream. 

(Published in The New Indian Express, Thiruvananthapuram and a slightly different version in Indulge, Kochi)  

A Cultural Immersion

Andie De Arment, the Cultural Affairs Officer, of the US Consulate General at Chennai, talks about her experiences in different countries

By Shevlin Sebastian

Photo by Ratheesh Sundaram

Andie De Arment sweeps into the Aspinwall Hall at Fort Kochi. And one of the first exhibits she sees, at the Kochi Muziris Biennale, is the 'Powers of Ten' video installation by the late American artists Charles and Ray Eames. After seeing a few other works, the Cultural Affairs Officer of the US Consulate General at Chennai is all smiles.

“I appreciate the international aspect of it,” she says. “You have artistes from the US, Europe, Japan, Holland, Australia and so many other countries. They are all here, offering something to the festival. And I am so glad I could be a part of it.”

On her recent visit to Kochi, Andie had a busy schedule. She went to the Sacred Heart College, and spoke with the students. She gave two students, called cultural exchange grantees, certificates for completing courses in Pittsburgh and New York respectively. Then Andie attended a conference called  'Energy security challenges in India’, which was organised by the US Consulate General at Chennai, in partnership with the Centre for Public Policy Research. Later, Andie spoke with 15-year-olds at Choice School about the options of studying in the US.

“There are one lakh Indian students in the US,” says Andie. “And we want to increase that number. We want to ensure that students have the information they need, about visas, courses and how to apply to universities.”

Having just arrived in India three months ago, following a two-year-stint in Karachi, Andie is coming to terms with the country. “India has such a rich cultural heritage,” she says. “The US, at 238 years, is a young country. When I first arrived in Chennai I felt that there is thousands of years of history in the place. I feel the history every day. The temples are literally on the street, and you can see people practising ancient rituals. One of my favourite visits was to the Meenakshi temple at Madurai.”

And she loves the contrast in different cities. “In Bangalore, there is a lot of hustle and bustle,” she says. “Chennai is a little laid-back, while Kerala is green and completely different.”

Andie pricks the curiosity of people, because she is married to a Pakistani writer, Khaver Siddiqi, and has two children, Eva, 9, and Grant, 2. “This makes for interesting situations,” says Andie.

Recently, she was on a panel at a Bangalore literary festival. The discussion was titled, 'The Outsider Inside – India Through Foreign Eyes'. The moderator, Sunil Sethi, said, “An American diplomat, married to a Pakistani, living in India: all the complexities and contradictions of that.”

Andie met a trade group in Chennai that was going to Islamabad to help increase business between Pakistan and India. One member went on a tirade about Pakistan. Then somebody elbowed him and said, “Her husband is from Pakistan.” Andie says, “The man was very embarrassed, but I appreciated these opportunities for candid conversations.”

But Andie’s marriage is no longer uncommon in the US. “There are so many inter-racial, inter-ethnic and inter-religious marriages,” she says. “And it is increasing every year. When I look at my family I feel that we are a typical American family, with our multi-culturalism.”

In fact, she says, her children are becoming global citizens. “They have a perspective which is so unique,” she says. “To them Chennai is home now, and they have embraced it, whether it is the food, traditions, or festivals like Pongal or Diwali. They love the life here in India.”

And they were in Karachi, too. “Karachi is a flourishing city,” says Andie. “It is a huge metropolis. Of course, there are security concerns, but I moved around a lot, including Balochistan and Sindh. The people were very welcoming, even though, at most of the places, I was the first American they were seeing.”

She was also one of the rare Americans in Havana, where she had been posted for two years. “The Cubans are warm, expressive and optimistic,” says Andie. “Most of the action takes place on the streets. People hang around and play football. The music tradition is unlike anywhere in the world.”

And there is also a connection to the US. “It is not just the geographical proximity,” says Andie. “About two million Cubans live in the US, while there are only 11 million in Cuba. Everyone in Cuba has relatives in the US. And things are gradually changing. But it will accelerate now that President Barack Obama and Cuban President Raul Castro have agreed to resume diplomatic ties.”

Asked whether diplomacy works in a world, which is ridden with strife, Andie says, “Diplomacy takes a lot of work. You have to take into account the personalities of leaders, language, culture and people. It is a lot more tougher than resorting to guns and violence. Despite that, diplomacy always needs to be the first option. I believe that American influence is strong all over the world. And we need to be active in events like the Kochi Biennale, so that people get a better idea about us, and our culture.” 

(A shorter version appeared in The New Indian Express, Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram)