Colour play

Bounce Style Lounge takes the way you wear your hair to a whole new level with well-trained stylists who can work magic with a snip of their scissors and high-end hair products that keep your hair looking its best.

There is something about being on the threshold of a new year that calls out to you to try a new look and it can be as effortless as getting a brand new hairstyle. And as one of the leading salons in Bangalore that swears by its mantra, ‘what you wear starts with your hair’, Bounce was the way to go. Everyone else seemed to agree; the salon was a whirlwind of activity to the steady beat of music.

Started in 2005 on Lavelle Road by a brother and sister team – Vikram Mohan and Prarthana Mohan – Bounce specialises in hair and offers other beauty treatments too.

Bounce

Vikram says, “Hairstyling is not just about cutting hair. It is also about knowing the client’s lifestyle, personality, hair texture and face structure. The hairstylist has to study all aspects and then decide on the exact requirement of the individual. Here, experience and expertise come together.”

That is exactly where I started – with a 15-minute consultation with Anjali, the Art Director. The stylists are categorised according to their experience and the Art Director is way up there in the ladder. The consultation does not necessarily give you what you want but leads you to a style that works best for you.

Anjali came with seven years’ experience and has studied the art (and science) of hair styling in India and overseas. She began by asking me about the length I wanted, how open I was to experiment with colour, and how much time I had to spend on my hair. I have fine hair, and the length was not doing much for me, and as I hardly have any time to spend styling my hair, she decided to give me a bob with layers.

After a wash, she chopped away my hair to chin length and with it the copper highlights I had earlier and which had grown out. The haircut was simple, flattering and low maintenance. The shorter length made my hair look fuller. 

Bounce

Next came the colour, which when done right, adds to the wow factor of any hairstyle. The co-founder, Prarthana says, “It is not just a flat cut but also other factors like colouring, which gives a lot of movement and texture, and adds shine to the hair.”

Anjali decided to opt for placement colouring instead of highlights because she felt placement colouring, which is done on only one portion of the hair, would be more fun and unconventional. We agreed on red which works well on warm skin tones. She used Schwarzkopf Igora’s 100-88 (a red shade) and a smaller proportion of 100-99 (a violet shade). She said that Schwarzkopf was a great choice as they had a wide range of colours, the consistency was excellent, mixing and application was easy, and the results were accurate.

After 30 minutes, she washed off the product with Schwarzkopf’s BC Bonacure Colour Save Shampoo and Moisture-Kick Moisture Spray, a leave-in conditioner, which she recommended as it is light and water-based and does not weigh down my hair.

It was the time of revelation, off came the towel and voila! the colour looked fantastic! The colour and the bob came together beautifully – it made a statement albeit a subtle one. 

Bounce

Anjali suggested I use Schwarzkopf’s Deep Cleansing Shampoo and Colour Spray Conditioner to keep my hair in top form. She said that hair colouring was safe as long as you get your basics right. It starts with choosing the right salon, and the right shampoo and conditioner for your hair. How you apply the hair products can also make a big difference to how healthy your hair is.

Other services you could splurge on at Bounce are perming, straightening or you could try one of their fabulous manicures and pedicures.

Price (for the cut and colour): `3,500 approx.

Products used: Schwarzkopf Igora’s 100-88 and 100-99; Schwarzkopf’s BC Bonacure Colour Saver Shampoo and Moisture-Kick Moisture Spray Conditioner

Written for Hairsay magazine

By Anuradha Prasad/ Raintree Media Features/ www.raintreemedia.com

Team GVP in Mumbai

There was a wonderful synergy when prominent members of Team GVP came together in Mumbai – Sven, Chairman of GVP global, the man who pioneered the BEST Of series among several novel publishing concepts and Thapelo who is spearheading GVP’s rapid growth in Africa met with Sandhya Mendonca, CEO of GVP India. With BEST OF INDIA on its way to the printers, new regions are on their radar.

Thapelo Letsholo, GVP Botswana, Sandhya Mendonca, GVP India & Sven Boermeester, Chairman, GVP from South Africa.

A Royal share of Goa

Everybody wants a vacation in Goa. John Spence knows that well enough. After all he has made a fortune out of selling timeshare vacations in the sunny state with the Royal Goan Beach Club to well-heeled Indians.

Guess who else has fun in the sun at the Royal Palm Resort? One hundred children from the slums of Bangalore, that’s who. For two days at Camp Royal, the kids splash about in the sea, build castles in the sand, collect shells and have the time of their lives in an all-paid for holiday sponsored by Spence.

Goa

I first met this Englishman several years ago when he was setting up Haathi Mahal in Cavelossim and had the chance to catch up when he was visiting Bangalore earlier this week. In the interim between our meetings, he has made a huge success of his business setting up the Karma Royal Resorts in Bali, Phuket, Shanghai and in other locations in Australia, Philippines and the Chakra resorts in Europe.

John Spence with the school children

I quiz him about his fascination for Indian names and he says, “The names resonate with me.” Laughing, he adds that Westerners like Asian and Indian mysticism and that the resorts in Europe will have Indian designs, Indian food and spas managed by Indians. “India is the instigator of our business; it gets under your skin - it frustrates you and inspires you.”

Having started off by selling his house to invest in his business, Spence’s company today is worth $55 million and employs 2000 people. In 2010, he was named the Ernst & Young Australian Entrepreneur of the Year.

“India was the beginning of my success story and I am a firm believer in giving back,” he said to me after visiting The Christel House Learning Centre where he has sponsored 4.8 million meals – breakfasts and lunches - over the last decade. The school, founded by his old friend Christel De Haan, educates children from slums in a modern building with state-of-the-art infrastructure donated by well-wishers. 

John Spence with the school children

Spence had brought his children along to the school before continuing a family holiday in Goa. “I am blown away by the school and I think supporting the children is the proudest thing I have done.” He celebrated his 50th birthday last year by stocking the school’s library with books and setting up a special learning centre.

“It’s all about karma,” he philosophises. “I am conscious of being lucky and successful, and I think it is my duty to help others. I know this is a simplistic understanding of karma, but I believe that the Universe tends to give you positive things if you are positive yourself.”

I am positive that the novel and delightful departure from the usual charity hand-outs by sponsoring a Goan holiday for under-privileged kids is sure to earn him good karma.

By Sandhya Mendonca (Sandhya Mendonca writes a weekly column for the Herald Goa)

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Soup and more for the soul

Jack Canfield, American motivational speaker and author, who is best known for the ‘Chicken Soup for the Soul’ series of books is going to be in India in mid-April.

He is scheduled to conduct workshops and promises to bring to life his book ‘The Success Principles: How to Get From Where You Are to Where You Want to Be’.

He has certainly become successful and if his ideas worked for him, perhaps there is merit in them. Anyway, this column is not a plug for his workshops; I am more interested in his books. 

He is a Guinness Record holder for having the most number of books on the New York Times best seller list. I am not one for numbers either but I liked the first ‘Chicken Soup’ book that I read and went on to read a few more. There are a whole lot of them – for couple’s souls, single souls and a thoughtful teacher gave my son ‘Chicken Soup for the Entrepreneurial Soul’ when he finished high school.

Almost two years ago, at a poetry session I ran into an old acquaintance, Rajyashree Dutt who asked me to contribute an article for ‘Chicken Soup for the Indian Couple’s Soul’. That was the first I knew of country-specific books in the series. Soon, Shalini Saran asked me to write for the ‘Chicken Soup for the Indian Single’s Soul’. A compilation of articles from several people, these tell stories of love and relationships. 

When Raj asked me to write for the book, I was a little apprehensive. She was asking me to bare my soul, so to speak. After some thought and some exchanges with her, I was persuaded that it would be a cathartic experience for me. And as the series is about inspiring others, perhaps my story would strike a chord with someone somewhere. 

I plunged into it and accepted Shalini’s invitation happily and at her request tried to get more people to write or share their stories with me. While single female friends were at ease with letting me tell their stories, single male friends were aghast and I had to let them be.

One of the stories that I was able to tell was about an American whom I met in Goa. Iona Leriou shared my table one evening at Cavala and it was the beginning of a beautiful friendship. She was sixty plus but looked 40; she had four children, the eldest was older than me and she worked at the American School in New Delhi. She was quite happy to share her experience of being single in India. Sadly, she succumbed to lung cancer before the book was published.

Knowing her, albeit briefly, enriched my life – she made me open up to people again and to make new friends. Life constantly throws us challenges and our relationships are what sustain us - this is perhaps what is served up in a book of chicken soup.

By Sandhya Mendonca (Sandhya Mendonca writes a weekly column for the Herald Goa)

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Ale tales

It is summertime and the choice of tipple is obviously beer.

For Bangaloreans of course, beer has been a perennial favourite, with United Breweries located here. We could inhale the aromas as we walked past the brewery on Grant Road; it shifted to the outskirts quite sometime ago and in its place stands the plush mall UB City on the rechristened Vittal Mallya road.

But coming back to beer, the beverage came to India through the East India Company to quench the thirst of the hordes of Englishmen who were here to colonise the land. But when the ships unloaded their cargo, it was found that the ale from home could not survive the choppy sea voyage with its flavour intact.

An enterprising brewmaster concocted a beer with a higher ratio of ‘hops’ (the plants whose cones give beer its bitter taste and aroma) to suppress bacterial infection and to retain the distinct taste. The new brew was christened ‘India Pale Ale’ or IPA.

IPA went down the gullets of the colonials so well that they demanded it even when they went back home. Indian beer brands are available in several countries including UK, where some of our brands are firm favourites.

The British tradition of stand-alone pubs with character is fading; recession led to the pub-owners selling out to chains that recreate a standard look and feel. Ah well, that is the principle of survival of the fittest at play, as Britishers Herbert Spencer and Charles Darwin have said.

Along with being a mainstay for locals and travellers, the British pub contributed to English grammar, too. The phrase, ‘mind your Ps and Qs’ was used by publicans in England when telling their customers to mind their own Pints and Quarts and not pick up a fight with other customers.

Those guys knew how to run their pubs; their customers did not have to struggle vainly to get a waiter’s attention for a refill. All they had to do when their ceramic mugs ran dry was to blow on the whistle on the handle; that’s where the phrase ‘wet your whistle’ took hold. 

Retronome (L-R) Chris, Richa, Saggy

This city was once famous as the pub capital and the place where people flocked from across the country to guzzle the brew and hop or crawl from one nightspot to another. Our nightlife has lost its sheen in recent years with early closures, ban on live music and dancing, and oh, so many other restrictions but occasionally we have a delightful treat.

Last night was one of those happy moments at the old haunt Tavern at the Inn. My friends ‘Saggy’(Santosh Gnanakan) and Chris Avinash with their band Retronome played evergreen pub favourites – Deep Purple, Floyd, U2, Bon Jovi, Doors, GNR and more. That was one good night and the draft beer must have been drained to the last drop.

By Sandhya Mendonca (Sandhya Mendonca writes a weekly column for the Herald Goa)

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Setting the course on fire!

Bangalore girl Sharmila Nicollet is making waves on the international golf circuit

I caught up with India's best female golfer Sharmila Nicollet, currently the youngest Indian at 20 to play on the Ladies European Tour.

You started your career at a very early age. Tell me about your journey so far.

I started playing at the age of 11 and it has been 9 years now. I have always been a very sporty person. I was a state level athlete and a state level swimmer. I have also played basketball for school, done horse riding and played tennis. I think I have played all the sports. I won my first tournament at the age of 14 and it was then that I decided to take up golf as my career. I have sacrificed a lot for sports.

How does it feel earning a full card on the Ladies European Tour?

I think it will be fair to start by accepting that it is a pleasure to be the youngest Indian and only the second after Smriti Mehra to earn a full card on the Ladies European Tour. I must admit, clinching the 30th and final spot on the Ladies European Tour Qualifiers Final stage with a seven-foot birdie was a special moment. Though I was the Co-leader after the first round and second after the second, I had to birdie from six feet on the third play-off hole at the South Course to seal the 30th and final card for the 2012 Ladies European Tour. It was easily the most testing time of my career as I ended up playing 165 holes, nine rounds and three holes in the play-off, in 12 days. 

Sharmila Nicollet

How was the experience of playing with golfers from across the world?
There were more than 200 players competing in the qualifiers, including those from the LPGA and Asia. The experience proved quite nerve-wracking, especially with the entire country backing me and everyone back home expecting me to do well under pressure. I had 12 rounds to play over 18 holes everyday and got a taste of the lead after making the cut. I shot an obedient five-under and one-under to emerge as the leader.

How did you manage to get your goal together and what is your next plan?

My goal was to get on the tour and as this was my first time in Spain for the qualifiers, it was a big achievement for me. I proved the critics wrong, which is an awful habit of mine and did not let their opinions become my reality. It is one of the best feelings to have. My next goal is to win a tournament in Europe and I am just so overjoyed and proud to be the only Indian on the tour now so much so that I cannot wait to start my escapades all over Europe. It is a beautiful scenic place with an intriguing culture waiting for me to explore. It has been a long wait and my fingers are crossed for the season.

Describe the overall experience. It must have been gut-wrenching.

After shooting a final round score of two-over 75 on the par-73 South Course, I clearly had a heart-wrenching time. I started on the 10th and was one-under for the first nine and in tied 16th position at that stage. Bogeys on second, fourth, fifth and seventh almost derailed my campaign, but I then summoned all my composure and birdied the par-4 8th hole, my 89th hole in the competition. The birdie on the eighth brought me back to seven-over and a par on ninth saw me end the 90 holes on the bubble. I then had to wait for more than two hours biting my nails before I would know my fate. Six players were fighting for two spots after tying for 28th place at the end of five grueling rounds at the Qualifiers. The LET rules called for a play-off for the final four places from 28th to 30th . It was literally a cat fight and I came through on the third play-off hole and clinched a full card. 

Sharmila Nicollet

The Spanish weather, it must have been something else?
The chilly weather in Spain did not help make matters any easier for me. It was very difficult for me to cope with the weather, playing with four-five layers of clothing on me which adversely affected my 3rd round.

I fought hard during the last 2 rounds and got myself into a 6 way tie for the last 2 spots on the tour. The three holes in the playoff were the toughest ever in my golf career that I had to overcome. I pulled my drives on the first 2 holes of the playoff and made some amazing recovery shots to stay in contention. I was very aggressive and was in my element by putting myself in a higher state mentally and completely engulfed myself in a zone. It was a revelation for me in terms of what I am capable of and that enhanced my game under pressure. Since one of the girls managed a card on the first hole itself, the rest of us were all fighting for that one remaining card. Just being in that environment was hard with all the live scoring personnel and the spectators around. On the 3rd playoff hole, there were three of us fighting for one spot. I had an advantage because it was a par-5 that I could reach. I managed to hit one of the longest drives that I had hit in the past few weeks. I hit a four-iron onto the green and left myself a 65 footer for eagle. I two putted from there to secure my card inspite of leaving myself a testy 7 footer for the birdie.

Despite a lot of pressure and what was going through my mind at that very moment, I managed to seal the deal. It was really the best feeling ever and now has got me closer to my dreams.

How does it feel playing at the International level?

I am still learning and I feel I have some ways to go before I can match up to the best players in the world. What I realized playing on the LET over the past few months is that I need to regulate my under par rounds and cannot comeback with a win from a big number like I sometimes do on the Indian tour. In my experience on tour you have to grind it out and minimise your errors even when things are not going your way. Clearly, I need to play better in varied weather conditions and the lessons I have learnt in Spain will help me tremendously. I have been working on my game, my swing in particular. My confidence is amplified after this tournament, my swing is shaping up well and my short game has improved tremendously in the past two years. I think I will be able to get myself into a winning position in the latter half of the season. I am hoping to play around 21 tournaments on the Ladies European Tour this year and I want to finish in the top 80 on the money list and retain my card for the next season.

Calling Sponsors!!

I am also hoping to get some financial backing which will enable me to play the entire season without having to worry about my travelling, boarding and lodging expenses. I have been the top professional woman golfer in the country for the past two years and continue to be without a financial sponsor. While the men’s tour (PGTI) has managed a host of sponsors, I only have Nike supporting my apparel and equipment as of now. 

Sharmila Nicollet

What does the Indian women's golf scene mean to you ? What is your take on it ?

The prize money is not very lucrative in the country at the moment in women’s golf and a lot of players I know are struggling in terms of sponsorship and funding. I think something needs to be done so that deserving players are given the opportunity to achieve their goals and make a mark on the globe. What we need is at least one international win to change the perspective of the corporate sector towards women’s golf. I hope that I will be able to achieve that one defining moment for Indian women’s professional golf and give the sport a facelift.

Your professional team that backs you, coach and caddy, what is your take on them?

My coach Tarun Sardesai has been working hard to help me get my game in shape. He is also the core member of a team that we have built to help me with various aspects of my professional life. I now know the importance of having people around you that are positive about your goals and dreams. Also with the expertise of my caddy Tom Foster on tour I believe I can score a win soon. It would be great if I can do well at the Evian Masters, even win it. My team is working extremely hard to make my dream possible

Family motivation?

I have family in Paris and my dad stays there so perhaps I can get some help if needed. I made few good mates on tour, listened to many and spoke to a few. I would like to emulate someone like Yani Tseng or Caroline Hedwall who were rookies when they won four tournaments or so in the first year.

Sharmila Nicollet

You are the most determined athlete I know. What is your fire-power?

I feel my country is supporting me. I will try my best to fulfill the expectations of my supporters back home and make them proud. I am going to use a strong resolve with a massive amount of determination to not only achieve, but to conquer my goals, and to get closer to my dreams.

Any long-term goals?

Olympics 2016—I want to win a medal there. In two-three years, I want to move to the LPGA tour, which is my ultimate goal. I have been No. 1 in India for a long time. It is time I accomplished more. But I guess I will stick to playing on a single tour instead of shuttling between different tours.

Any advice for the next generation ?

I hope that my achievement will prove to be an eye-opener for kids, their parents and will encourage more youngsters to take up the game.

"Look good and play good; look smart and play smart. That's what I believe in," is her chirpy motto.

By Aditya Mendonca/ Raintree Media Features/ www.raintreemedia.com

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Grill me pink!

When it comes to cooking, a simple stove will no longer do. While on the higher end of technology, convection cooking is making inroads into home kitchens; a chef at a five star hotel has gone back to the stone ages.

Chef Arzooman Irani has managed to get a humungous hunk of Pink Himalayan salt all the way from the Potwar plateau of the Punjab region of northern Pakistan to Whitefield in Bangalore. This enterprising young chef at Vivanta By Taj was intrigued by a reference to this stone in his culinary research and determinedly pursued ways to get a section of a boulder of Himalayan salt that now lies snug in the industrial-sized cold storage deep in the innards of this trendy hotel in the campus of a technology park.

About 600 million years ago, in the Pre-Cambrian era, a great inland sea apparently evaporated leading to the formation of the Pink Himalayan salt. Some of the salt boulders weigh over 225 kilos and are hand cut by local masons into a variety of shapes. While the stone slabs are used to cook, they are also made into bowls and plates.

Salad Caprice at Latitude, Vivanta By Taj

In the luxurious outdoor section of the stylish restaurant Latitude, the pink salt grill sits sweating slightly and self-consciously under the attention being bestowed upon its glistening self.

Our experiential dining started off with sashimi of watermelon and arugula, with feta ginger sheet and balsamic pearls served on tablet of pink salt. Next came Oriental Vegetable skewers with wasabi froth and Thai chicken skewers with coconut and cilantro relish. There was also cherrywood-smoked tuna Carpaccio with radish, fennel and gremolata foam. The dishes were so beautiful that we sat in delighted contemplation for a while before tucking into them.

Grilled to perfection on the pink salt stone, along came a choice of polenta with morels and asparagus and black garlic cream, lobster medallions with citrus basil, sesame crusted yellow fin tuna with teriyaki balsamic and tenderloin with a bloody mary glaze. In for a penny, in for several pounds, we thought and recklessly dipped into the grilled and flambéed chocolate brownie steak and frozen mascarpone.

Sake Soya Chicken Breast at Latitude, Vivanta by Taj 

The Chef has not tried to cook Indian cuisine on the salt stone, as these dishes need more oil and masalas that might affect the stone.

One of the unique features of the pink Himalayan salt is that it lacks porosity or moisture, thus enabling the salt plates to be safely heated or chilled to extreme temperatures. The salt slabs are frozen to 0° C to serve cold or chilled foods such as sashimi of watermelon or a Carpaccio. They are also slow heated to around 300°C to grill meats or fish.

The salt’s crystal lattice has a fairly high specific energy; once it is heated, it will hold onto the temperature for quite some time. Voila, it becomes an innovative stir-fry counter.

A dining experience of The Pink Salt Stone Grills will tickle your fancy with red roses and wine, and a personal butler and chef to get the sizzle going in a romantic lounge. Now who will fish out the expense account card?

By Sandhya Mendonca (Sandhya Mendonca writes a weekly column for the Herald Goa)

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Pat me, I'm Indian

Comedy Central is here on Indian television and proves my belief that sometimes the universe seems to grant our wishes. Finally we have laughter on tap for adults, 24x7. It is not exactly brimming with fresh content but we are lapping up re-runs of old favourites like Sienfeld, The Wonder Years and That `70s Show. Then we have the shows that spoof Indians –The Kumars at No.42, Goodness Gracious Me and others of that genre. Outsourced is showing on another channel, I think .

Such programmes show India and Indians in a bad light, some complain. Their gripe is that the shows exaggerate the cultural mannerisms and makes us look stupid. Well, that is precisely the point of comedy, to make one laugh and if it requires a little bit of exaggeration, it is deliberately done to tickle the funny bone.

If we shine the light upon the behaviour of most Indians, we will have to admit that it is quite often ridiculous and offensive. Men and women think nothing of making deeply personal observations to people they barely know. They take liberties that can take the recipient’s breath away. Eminently spoof-worthy behaviour, I would say.

One of the oft-repeated complaints is that some of the shows make it appear that Indians are desperate for acceptance by the West. “We are not like that any more, we can hold our own now” is a proud claim and one that I am happy to endorse. But many Indians still seem to want validation by Westerners and if the latter’s behaviour towards us is condescending, I believe that we bring it upon ourselves.

At the request of a couple of old acquaintances, I agreed to help a good cause and make a pitch for an increased PR budget. The meeting was in the middle of the week and I had to struggle to fit this into my schedule. I requested a change of date and was admonished that it would disrupt schedules of international visitors and bigwigs. One the appointed day, I had to wait for more than half an hour for my turn as the previous session had exceeded its time.

Sourced from pix.ninjaromeo.com

As soon as I walked in, the foreigners - all women - whom the local organisation was keen to impress, begin complimenting me on my clothes. Certainly not what we are used to at business meetings, but I said a polite thank you. Next, as I set up my MacAir, one of them pipes up, “Oh, you have a really neat computer there.” It looked like it was going to pour condescension. Suffice to say, it did not take them long to realise that I meant business; the pat on the head, if any, would come from me and only if they deserved it.

I stewed about their attitude before realising that the foreigners perhaps had picked up their cue from the attitude of their Indian colleagues. The hosts should have set a business-like tone to the event and moved it along crisply. They should have been friendly but not ingratiating. Professionals do not need to wag their tails and wait for their tummies to be scratched. The only way I could get myself out of the ill-humour that the interaction created was to go, “Ha, ha.”

By Sandhya Mendonca (Sandhya Mendonca writes a weekly column for the Herald Goa)

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http://119.82.71.95/herald//Details.aspxedorsup=Main&queryed=9&querypage=9&boxid=42044816&id=3779&eddate=03/08/2012

Head banging, squash, slam-moshing & circle pits

Sunday saw Bangaloreans through some serious head banging as Kingfisher presented the Summer Storm 2012 at Palace Grounds.

Coming in all the way from Sweden, metal giants Opeth were back in the country on their second visit and they set the city on fire.

Kingfisher Premium has been instrumental in introducing Indian audiences to some of the most prominent DJ's and artists from across the globe. With Lamb of God setting the benchmark at last year’s fest, it has only gotten bigger this time. Known for their versatility, with compositions ranging from death metal to blues and jazz-infused tunes, Opeth headlined the fest this year.

German death metal band Suidakra and Maldivian heavy metal band Nothnegal were the other international acts along with local bands Theorized and Eccentric Pendulum.

I caught up with Opeth drummer Martin Axenrot who told me all about their latest album and what he is looking forward to here.

Martin Axenrot, Opeth

Heritage (their 2011 album, which departs from their usual style of death metal) is less processed — why?
We wanted it to sound as it sounded in the room when we recorded it, and we wanted to try to get that in-the-moment sound that you get when you record live.

What do you think of the Indian metal scene?
I am actually not that familiar with it, but I have heard that there are a lot of things happening over here. It is a lot of fun to be in India again and explore a bit. We are in a different city this time than last time (they played in Chennai in 2009), and we have been told that Bangalore is the rock capital of India, so that is very cool and we are excited. We have been here a couple of days now.

Your expectations from India?
Not much actually, but we would like to meet all the fans we have here. The audience can expect us to give a 100 percent of what we do best.

Opeth at the press conference in Bangalore

Opeth performed in Bangalore on February 5 at Palace Grounds.

Opeth is a 5-member band: Lars Mikael Åkerfeldt (Voice, guitar, various), Martin Mendez (Bass guitar), Fredrik Åkesson (Guitar, Vocals), Martin Axenrot, and Joakim Svalberg (Keys, vocals)

The Opeth song list at the fest in Bangalore was: 

1. Through Pain to Heaven (Popol Vuh cover) 
2. The Devil's Orchard 
3. I Feel the Dark 
4. Face of Melinda 
5. Slither 
6. Credence 
7. To Rid the Disease 
8. Folklore
9. Heir Apparent 
10. The Baying of the Hounds 
11. The Drapery Falls 
12. Deliverance

By Aditya Mendonca/ Raintree Media Features/ www.raintreemedia.com

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Transforming lives

Each morning buses pick up children in Bangalore and take them to a beautiful modern school where they have breakfast and start their lessons. They break for lunch in between and after school, they get a glass of milk before they are dropped home.

The campus is vast, with playgrounds, laboratories, art, music alongside maths, science, languages and social sciences taught in airy and bright classrooms. The difference in this school is that the children come from slums, they bathe and wear clean uniforms in school and their parents do not have to pay a rupee for anything.

Christel House was started by Christel De Haan, who after selling one of the world’s largest vacation exchange providers in 1996, has since been working with children in India, Mexico, South Africa and the US.

The Christel House Learning Centre wants to transform lives by giving children of maids, plumbers, drivers and other low-income earners the opportunity to get an education that would level the difference between them and those from privileged families.

Children at Christel House

I had visited the school some years ago and later published an article about them in the Best of Bangalore, alongside other institutions like Iskcon and ACTS. Last week, I visited the school again and was bowled over by the advancements that have happened in just a few years.

The earlier batches might have suffered from low self-esteem. I don’t think that the current students would have any such problem. From five-year-olds to teenagers, they seem happy, fluent and confident. Some of the students have gone abroad on scholarships and a few have got jobs as management trainees. What a huge difference their learning and new earning capacities would make to their lives and that of their families.

Soon after my visit to the school, I attended an industry meeting that was deliberating the lack of skill sets. We were to consider commissioning a study of skills that different industries required and hopefully, there would be training initiatives based on the report. 

Christel House

A senior industry member put forth the most sensible idea – why should we worry about the lack of turners or fitters? If a factory needs a technician, it can hire trainees. With automation replacing humans, jobs in the manufacturing sector are going to decrease. What is required is training in the service sector – hotels, restaurants, shops, spas – these are the sectors that need huge numbers of people.

Just think of it – from cafes to theatres to plush stores in malls, we get service that ranges from bad to indifferent. Yes, we can blame the managements to a certain extent. But when the talent pool is so limited and the demand for bodies to man the stations, so to speak, is so high, employers have no choice but to choose the best among the worst.

Here is where I think schools like Christel House can make a huge difference. Of course, their students have the opportunity to become scientists, engineers, doctors, writers or whatever it is they want to – but for the bulk of children from underprivileged backgrounds, the service sector would be a quick step up the ladder. It is time for industry to work with schools and colleges to train students for the service sector.

By Sandhya Mendonca (Sandhya Mendonca writes a weekly column for the Herald Goa)

Read the column on Goa Herald on the link below:

http://119.82.71.95/herald//Details.aspx?edorsup=Main&queryed=9&querypage=9&boxid=155854531&id=3527&eddate=02/04/2012 

Over a cup of chai

On a lazy Sunday morning, onlookers did a double take when Soul Chai, a brand new women’s group in Bangalore kicked off their first event, a treasure hunt, to the loud whoops of a group of 50 women gathered at the Barton Centre.

Girls like to have fun, and how! The next two hours saw five teams dashing around MG Road, deciphering clues which were integrated with life philosophies. It had them solving puzzles, taking the metro and sipping chai at Adigas.

Soul Chai was born over the delicate aroma and comfort of pudina chai, as four women put their heads together to figure out how to just be.

“We are a bunch of friends from varied backgrounds - author, photographer, interior designer, IT professional - who want to meet to do something unique each month over chai. We have become so busy in the rat race of our lives, with augmenting responsibilities of home and professions that time for ourselves started becoming scarce. One snatched cup of tea, a sigh…led to an entire kettle, ideating conversations and here we are,” says Kuntal, an IT professional and the lady behind Soul Chai. Her buddies, Roopa, Arati and Gayatri joined in to get it off the ground.

Participants at the Barton Centre

She says, “Soul Chai is for women who want to live this year to the fullest, to make 2012 count. Our theme for 2012 is Be Alive.” The debut theme was ‘Begin – Live a Fuller Life’. The treasure hunt was a no brainer; Arati and Roopa pointed out that there was no better way to get bonding.

Back in Matteo Coffea café, it was no holds barred fun as repartees flew around, with the exuberant Team Orange winning the race. Stealing their thunder was dentist Priti whose rendition of Kolaveri Di had the women in splits.

Ritika and Divya, a mother-daughter duo, agreed that the event was a blast, while Roshni said this was a great way to step out of her comfort zone. Kez, who has been a part of similar communities in Germany, was excited about Soul Chai’s forthcoming events. 

Former RJ and journalist Vasanthi Hariprakash

It was chai and conversation time with former RJ and journalist Vasanthi Hariprakash, Soul Chai’s first speaker. She spoke about her career and being a mom, reminiscing about her student days when she popped in for a plate of rava idly at Chalukya and her first chat with her idol, Chitra Subramaniam. She talked about how it takes courage to take a pause to say you want to do something else to the wise nods of what was just moments earlier a riotous crowd.

And the treasure, you ask? The sweet rush from sharing banter and laughter over what else but a cup of Assam tea. There were takeaways too, a packet of organic fennel green tea by Dancing Leaf and a mug branded Soul Chai. Basking in its afterglow Gayatri said, “I feel invigorated. The run up to the event was fulfilling and it was great way to make new friends.”

Next in line is ‘Be-loved’ to celebrate love that begins with you, with more events and chai planned for each month. To be a part of it, you can check their page, Soul Chai on Facebook.

By Anuradha Prasad/ Raintree Media Features/ www.raintreemedia.com

Read the story on the Goa Herald on the link below:

http://119.82.71.95/herald//Details.aspx?edorsup=Main&queryed=9&querypage=9&boxid=14114406&id=3483&eddate=02/01/2012