Astonishing Splashes is a debut novel and was short listed for Man Booker Prize in 2003. One of the high points of this compelling novel is its strong narrative. The narrator Kitty Wellington is very perceptive , she draws the reader into her world , her own realm , her own emotional sphere. Morall with her simple style apparently presents a disturbing work of fiction. But the narrative tends to be least depressing and far from melodramatic with its matter-of-fact voice.
But the narrative tends to be least depressing and far from melodramatic with its matter-of-fact voice. The plot starts off with Kitty feeling empty within craving for a child and in need of a mother. She tries to build a family around herself , the elusive comfort zone. The motif of the novel throughout its length is - loss. She is brought up in a motherless family of a painter father and four brothers - Adrian , Paul , Jake and Martin. These characters are refreshingly built with each one of them having his own eccentricities. This male dominated family leads to Kitty searching for herself and her lost mother. It is apt when she describes herself as a pet in the house , some one non functional. As in , some one who exists and has to be taken care of. period . Her attempts to voyage into the family’s past are thwarted. What she ends up with are bits and pieces of the past. But the bombshell is thrown at her when truth arrives right before her in all its force. The day comes along when she is left to cope with not just the loss of her mother but with not knowing what the true identity of her mother is. Truth skims along in vivid splashes of colour. Synaesthesia chases her a wee bit more ardently then , a condition in which emotions are seen. Clare Morall’s writing even at this stage remains simple , the reader must think a second thought to notice Kitty’s internal turmoil.
The story comes a circle , it ends where it all began. It regains its initial momentum. So, one might just wonder what the whole point of the novel is. But through the length of the story , Morall does a good job in showing the dynamics of Kitty’s mind and her daily life. The way Kitty starts off with her journey afresh is quietly shaking. The contrast between Kitty’s and James’ personality is stark. Her cluttered colourful world as compared to his spacious black and white world deserves a good dekko. On the whole, a moving piece of fiction.
By
Lakshmi Vishwanathan
Saturday, September 8, 2007
Gail Jones is the proud winner of the 1991 TAG Hungerford Award for Fiction, the 1992 Barbara Ramsden Prize, the 1993 Steele Rudd Short Story Award and the 1993 Western Australian Premier's Book Award for Fiction for her short stories collection Breathing House. Her debut novel is The Black Mirror.
This story is basically about an eight year old Lucy and a ten year old Thomas who are orphaned when mother Honoria Strange dies giving birth to her third child. The story starts off in Melbourne. The children go off to live with uncle Neville in London. Jones has a very lucid narrative. She is often effortless with complex emotions, often poetic. Has a keen eye for visual images much like her protagonist Lucy. Lucy's flair for photography is well justified as a result.
There is a very credible shift in the Point of View (POV) of Lucy as she grows into an adult. But at certain points the depth rendered seems deliberate and hyperbolic. Like , when little Lucy looks at her mother Honoria Strange's photograph as a seven year old (with a lovely flowing dress and a big white hat ) and reads state of mind of Honoria to herself in her aloneness. I wonder if anyone can do that so much at depth and an eight year old at that.
The novel does have happy scenes of Lucy's brother little Thomas whispering fantasies about going to Brazil and getting bucketsful of gold. But the reader is still left feeling a little melancholic because these fantasies hide the insecurity of the situation in their lovely blanket of glee - Jones makes this apparent in her tone. Each character adds to the mood of the story, so that way there are no frills. Though the story is set in the Victorian age , it has contemporary shades may be because it is recently written , this could be sub conscious on the part of the author.
The story flows and has a good pace. A part of the story is also set in Mumbai -India. The writing about the way Lucy sees the people and the way she finds the people and the places visually appealing makes a good read. I like the way the relationship between Harriet White and Honoria is woven , the shades of lesbianism are so polished. Jones' poetic style may be mistaken for a verbose piece of prose. Interesting similes.... - '' transient as a sundial shadow''. The prose piece has a sad ending on the surface but happy at a spiritual level. Methinks Gail Jones specializes in that effect.
I read the book because at first glance it came across as an intense work of fiction. It is set in the Victorian Age much the way Jane Eyre is set. But this one has a protagonist, Lucy Strange who is more lively than Jane Eyre. Lucy is an appealing person with visible flaws in her personality and she desires freely, she is not quite a Jane Eyre whose desires had been suppressed. In short, Lucy can never be a chaste governess like Jane. Lucy has impulses and is visibly beautiful. So, basically I found Lucy more believable , not as archetypical as Jane. The novel is at some points melancholic but has more shades to it than Jane Eyre which makes it colorful and not monotonous unlike Jane Eyre. Lucy is also more evolving than Jane. Lucy evolves into a woman ahead of her day and age , a woman of the future. Of course, Jane Eyre has its merits but this is only one person's analysis.
The novel has shades of Great Expectations too in the way protagonist feels and reacts but is mushier than Great Expectations but Great Expectations is a wee bit more pragmatic that way. Basically, Sixty Lights makes a good read and better read in three sittings.
By
Lakshmi Vishwanathan
This story is basically about an eight year old Lucy and a ten year old Thomas who are orphaned when mother Honoria Strange dies giving birth to her third child. The story starts off in Melbourne. The children go off to live with uncle Neville in London. Jones has a very lucid narrative. She is often effortless with complex emotions, often poetic. Has a keen eye for visual images much like her protagonist Lucy. Lucy's flair for photography is well justified as a result.
There is a very credible shift in the Point of View (POV) of Lucy as she grows into an adult. But at certain points the depth rendered seems deliberate and hyperbolic. Like , when little Lucy looks at her mother Honoria Strange's photograph as a seven year old (with a lovely flowing dress and a big white hat ) and reads state of mind of Honoria to herself in her aloneness. I wonder if anyone can do that so much at depth and an eight year old at that.
The novel does have happy scenes of Lucy's brother little Thomas whispering fantasies about going to Brazil and getting bucketsful of gold. But the reader is still left feeling a little melancholic because these fantasies hide the insecurity of the situation in their lovely blanket of glee - Jones makes this apparent in her tone. Each character adds to the mood of the story, so that way there are no frills. Though the story is set in the Victorian age , it has contemporary shades may be because it is recently written , this could be sub conscious on the part of the author.
The story flows and has a good pace. A part of the story is also set in Mumbai -India. The writing about the way Lucy sees the people and the way she finds the people and the places visually appealing makes a good read. I like the way the relationship between Harriet White and Honoria is woven , the shades of lesbianism are so polished. Jones' poetic style may be mistaken for a verbose piece of prose. Interesting similes.... - '' transient as a sundial shadow''. The prose piece has a sad ending on the surface but happy at a spiritual level. Methinks Gail Jones specializes in that effect.
I read the book because at first glance it came across as an intense work of fiction. It is set in the Victorian Age much the way Jane Eyre is set. But this one has a protagonist, Lucy Strange who is more lively than Jane Eyre. Lucy is an appealing person with visible flaws in her personality and she desires freely, she is not quite a Jane Eyre whose desires had been suppressed. In short, Lucy can never be a chaste governess like Jane. Lucy has impulses and is visibly beautiful. So, basically I found Lucy more believable , not as archetypical as Jane. The novel is at some points melancholic but has more shades to it than Jane Eyre which makes it colorful and not monotonous unlike Jane Eyre. Lucy is also more evolving than Jane. Lucy evolves into a woman ahead of her day and age , a woman of the future. Of course, Jane Eyre has its merits but this is only one person's analysis.
The novel has shades of Great Expectations too in the way protagonist feels and reacts but is mushier than Great Expectations but Great Expectations is a wee bit more pragmatic that way. Basically, Sixty Lights makes a good read and better read in three sittings.
By
Lakshmi Vishwanathan
Survival of the wildest
It was a typical summer in Sansura forest with the lakes cracked up.Sansura forest was all dry and it hadn’t received rains for three years now. A wild soul or two in the forest would just occasionally stroll around the bank of Aromba Lake and return to find the lake all dried up. Aromba was the biggest lake in the habitat. Gone are the days when wild herds of deer or zebra would come flocking to the lake to quench their thirst, round the year. The lake was a cool hang out of sorts for all those happy-go-lucky rhinos. The lake could easily pass off as a ‘pub’ for the wild beings, they would have a gala time socialising within their herd and flexing their muscles after a hard day of work. But today, all the animals in the forest across species lay in their own homes in despair. Hunting goes on, alright, but how can they possibly go without water?
The Supremo Mr.Rajaka soon sent a notice to all the habitants about the meeting that weekend. He was a majestic lion with his mane held high. Of late , everybody in the forest was wondering about the absence of his famous charm. Now , the gentleman has dark circles around his ever-fierce eyes and his roars lacked lustre.The state of his citizens worried him to no end.Yes, the forest was in a gross situation and they were fast running out of patience. So, everybody was pinning their hopes on this week’s meeting.
So,the long awaited moment came along and they assembled near Aromba Lake for the meet.The worried bunch of animals gathered there with His Majesty at the podium.He said solemnly,“I am sure we all know the reason for this gathering,today”, after a pause he continued,“No summer in our forest was ever so dry.The cracks on the lake bed are here for all of us to see. Now, I would like to make a proposal to all the citizens of the habitat. How would you like the idea of moving to the near-by forest. There isn't a great source of water there either but I guess we can manage there till the end of this summer and think about a long term solution after the season.”
There was pensive silence in the scorching heat,no nobody spoke a word for a minute or two.Miniki,the tigress,stood up and spoke out,“Sir,the water in the forest near-by will not suffice Jumbo’s thirst for a day.Where will poor Jumbo go the next day? We must all carry him around if he faints.Half-fulfilled thirst is more dangerous.We are all already in trouble , so,do we need such a plight?” With this, everybody burst out laughing including Jumbo the elephant himself. Mr.Mic(as he was lovingly called)replied warily,“Then , what do we do? Yes,any other useful suggestions?”
There was silence again. Then Chinki,the white dove ,spoke in a clear tone , after careful thought,"See, the scene is so bad only in the forest areas not everywhere. There are good cities in the‘outskirts’of our forest where there may be enough water for all of us and more.It is they,the human beings who brought us to such a state.If there are such bad ones in the group there will be good ones too. We might find enough people who might share their resources with us".Miniki agreed , " Oh yes, he has a point. I guess we must try it out." Then Charu,the fox,said,"If you try that out,there won’t be any folks in the cities . They will all flee or you will be killed and poached. Or you will be caught and put in some place they call 'circus’where they ill treat us". Miniki roared getting worked up,"The police won’t let that happen,Iam respected as one of the most important species in India." Some neighbours chattered about the tiff and then Mr. Mic quitened the folks,"We are in trouble people , it’s not a time to offend each other"."I am sorry ,I really am.Didn’t mean to anger you",said Charu quietly to Miniki.
After a brief discussion,His Majesty pronounced the decision,"tommorrow morning at seven o’clock,let us all move on to the city.Please start early so that we’ll have enough time to find our way through the city.I hope we’ll all have enough time to pack up.I hope to see you all assembled at the same place tommorrow.I am signing off here".The sun rised in Sansura and the citizens dutifully assembled near the dried up lake. Mr. Mic came on the platform and announced,"As we start this journey with high spirits..." he added ruefully,"well.…..whatever is left of us,I want all of us to swear to stand by each other in the hurdles that await us.Do I have your word?" Then the shore rose in cheer,"You do!", they affairmed.
They started their journey walking on the cracked lake bed towards the northern suburb of Mumbai. They walked a few miles and halted at a bus stop , there , they found a board , close-by, that read," Mumbai consumes about 3000 million cubic litres of water everyday. So, please save water!" The whole of the town, by now, gathered around the‘guests’.The guests were more surprised at the board than the people were to see them.A man,still in his night clothes,shouted out,"Somebody call the zoo authorities.Look whats happening!" Jumbo,spoke up,"Please friends,help us out.Don’t call the zoo , we from the forests.Our place is literally dry , there is not a drop of water to drink.We would all like to share your habitat." By the time he finished speaking, smitten children were already climbing onto his tail and frolicing. The other animals too joined in with their pleas.
Another man, with leather jacket himself, from the crowd spoke up,"Sure,these animals need protection.It is a great chance for all of us to do our bit to care for the wild life and see to the ecological balance." Reeno, the monkey couldn’t follow a word of what he spoke but nodded anyway.Another lady from the crowd spoke,"Bhai saab,are you okay? How can we shelter these things, here ? We have no resources ourselves." A man in a cotton coat and cap,whispered winking to the‘animal-lover’,"Come on,Mr.Pai,what can these things do to bring us back to power? Why do you want to waste your time fighting for a non-issue?" The ‘animal–lover’quipped,getting agitated,"Your true colours are showing , finally.People like you derserve to be behind bars.Sir, please go through your record once again!" Then ,an old lady from the crowd shouted trembling,unaware of whom this man shouted at,"Get these animals into the Zoo and then go behind bars or where ever you like." A person in a white coat and thick glasses yelled out,"Oh no,please,let the monkeys be. We need them for the tests,our labs need more of them.Don’t you know,Med-plus Ltd. is researching for a wonder-drug?"
This verbal firing, on the road ,slowly grew into a chaos and people were throwing brick-bats all around .Charu the fox got his share of mud thrown at him.Ginie the cobra , got her share of beatings–both her body and...ego. She thought she was the most poisonous being on earth,till the-day-before.
The animals fled! Fled as fast as lightening! When they reached the edge of the forest,His majesty spoke,"Let us all rest in peace. Looks like the human beings have finally acquired our qualities. The world does not need us any more. We are jumping into the Arabian sea tommorrow. Let us enjoy our last night in Sansura.” The animals dispersed. The next day,all of them jumped into the sea. Too tired to swim , they gave in to death.
Lakshmi Vishwanathan
The Supremo Mr.Rajaka soon sent a notice to all the habitants about the meeting that weekend. He was a majestic lion with his mane held high. Of late , everybody in the forest was wondering about the absence of his famous charm. Now , the gentleman has dark circles around his ever-fierce eyes and his roars lacked lustre.The state of his citizens worried him to no end.Yes, the forest was in a gross situation and they were fast running out of patience. So, everybody was pinning their hopes on this week’s meeting.
So,the long awaited moment came along and they assembled near Aromba Lake for the meet.The worried bunch of animals gathered there with His Majesty at the podium.He said solemnly,“I am sure we all know the reason for this gathering,today”, after a pause he continued,“No summer in our forest was ever so dry.The cracks on the lake bed are here for all of us to see. Now, I would like to make a proposal to all the citizens of the habitat. How would you like the idea of moving to the near-by forest. There isn't a great source of water there either but I guess we can manage there till the end of this summer and think about a long term solution after the season.”
There was pensive silence in the scorching heat,no nobody spoke a word for a minute or two.Miniki,the tigress,stood up and spoke out,“Sir,the water in the forest near-by will not suffice Jumbo’s thirst for a day.Where will poor Jumbo go the next day? We must all carry him around if he faints.Half-fulfilled thirst is more dangerous.We are all already in trouble , so,do we need such a plight?” With this, everybody burst out laughing including Jumbo the elephant himself. Mr.Mic(as he was lovingly called)replied warily,“Then , what do we do? Yes,any other useful suggestions?”
There was silence again. Then Chinki,the white dove ,spoke in a clear tone , after careful thought,"See, the scene is so bad only in the forest areas not everywhere. There are good cities in the‘outskirts’of our forest where there may be enough water for all of us and more.It is they,the human beings who brought us to such a state.If there are such bad ones in the group there will be good ones too. We might find enough people who might share their resources with us".Miniki agreed , " Oh yes, he has a point. I guess we must try it out." Then Charu,the fox,said,"If you try that out,there won’t be any folks in the cities . They will all flee or you will be killed and poached. Or you will be caught and put in some place they call 'circus’where they ill treat us". Miniki roared getting worked up,"The police won’t let that happen,Iam respected as one of the most important species in India." Some neighbours chattered about the tiff and then Mr. Mic quitened the folks,"We are in trouble people , it’s not a time to offend each other"."I am sorry ,I really am.Didn’t mean to anger you",said Charu quietly to Miniki.
After a brief discussion,His Majesty pronounced the decision,"tommorrow morning at seven o’clock,let us all move on to the city.Please start early so that we’ll have enough time to find our way through the city.I hope we’ll all have enough time to pack up.I hope to see you all assembled at the same place tommorrow.I am signing off here".The sun rised in Sansura and the citizens dutifully assembled near the dried up lake. Mr. Mic came on the platform and announced,"As we start this journey with high spirits..." he added ruefully,"well.…..whatever is left of us,I want all of us to swear to stand by each other in the hurdles that await us.Do I have your word?" Then the shore rose in cheer,"You do!", they affairmed.
They started their journey walking on the cracked lake bed towards the northern suburb of Mumbai. They walked a few miles and halted at a bus stop , there , they found a board , close-by, that read," Mumbai consumes about 3000 million cubic litres of water everyday. So, please save water!" The whole of the town, by now, gathered around the‘guests’.The guests were more surprised at the board than the people were to see them.A man,still in his night clothes,shouted out,"Somebody call the zoo authorities.Look whats happening!" Jumbo,spoke up,"Please friends,help us out.Don’t call the zoo , we from the forests.Our place is literally dry , there is not a drop of water to drink.We would all like to share your habitat." By the time he finished speaking, smitten children were already climbing onto his tail and frolicing. The other animals too joined in with their pleas.
Another man, with leather jacket himself, from the crowd spoke up,"Sure,these animals need protection.It is a great chance for all of us to do our bit to care for the wild life and see to the ecological balance." Reeno, the monkey couldn’t follow a word of what he spoke but nodded anyway.Another lady from the crowd spoke,"Bhai saab,are you okay? How can we shelter these things, here ? We have no resources ourselves." A man in a cotton coat and cap,whispered winking to the‘animal-lover’,"Come on,Mr.Pai,what can these things do to bring us back to power? Why do you want to waste your time fighting for a non-issue?" The ‘animal–lover’quipped,getting agitated,"Your true colours are showing , finally.People like you derserve to be behind bars.Sir, please go through your record once again!" Then ,an old lady from the crowd shouted trembling,unaware of whom this man shouted at,"Get these animals into the Zoo and then go behind bars or where ever you like." A person in a white coat and thick glasses yelled out,"Oh no,please,let the monkeys be. We need them for the tests,our labs need more of them.Don’t you know,Med-plus Ltd. is researching for a wonder-drug?"
This verbal firing, on the road ,slowly grew into a chaos and people were throwing brick-bats all around .Charu the fox got his share of mud thrown at him.Ginie the cobra , got her share of beatings–both her body and...ego. She thought she was the most poisonous being on earth,till the-day-before.
The animals fled! Fled as fast as lightening! When they reached the edge of the forest,His majesty spoke,"Let us all rest in peace. Looks like the human beings have finally acquired our qualities. The world does not need us any more. We are jumping into the Arabian sea tommorrow. Let us enjoy our last night in Sansura.” The animals dispersed. The next day,all of them jumped into the sea. Too tired to swim , they gave in to death.
Lakshmi Vishwanathan
She is a post graduate in Social work from Tata Institute of Social Sciences. She could have lived like any other post graduate would live. She could have well lived a sanguine life doing some good work and coming back to a cozy home but that was not her system of working. She played a very different ball game. She was called a publicity seeker but she went on with her work just the way monsoons would arrive, where you like it or not. She became synonymous with a major fight for human rights that India saw in this decade. She cared less about her personal life, she married but later divorced amicably. She became synonymous with her NGO Narmada Bachao Andolan. She is Medha Patkar.
To tell you about Narmada Bachao Andolan I must start from the beginning, the Narmada Dam Project is one involving the construction of a series of large hydroelectric dams on the Narmada river which runs through central India, emptying into the Gulf of Khambat in Gujarat. For many years, engineers and the government have seen this gracious river as a bounty of liquid that can be brought to drought driven Kutch and Saurashtra districts. That, of course, meant a series of dams. There were 30 dams planned on Narmada and of these Sardar Sarovar is the largest. Initially its proposed height was 136.5 meters and would irrigate more than 18,000 sq. kms, most of the land, of course, in the drought prone areas of Kutch and Saurashtra.
But there was darkness behind that idyllic vision. The people displaced by all those dams had, without exception, been treated in a manner that brought shame to the dreams and ideals of independent India. They had been summarily shoved off land they had called their own for generations, left to fend for themselves as best they could. And to watch as that land disappeared under the long lakes that ballooned out behind the new dams.
That was when Medha started out onto the field and she did not really know what was coming when she did start out. She started out as a young doctoral student wanting to study the social inequalities. This was in the early 80’s, she decided to go out on the field and study the northeastern Gujarat tribals. Medha was keen to know what changes the proposed dams on the Narmada would bring to the lives of thousands of people it was uprooting. Soon she realized what would bring was of course, devastation. It was then that she formed her NGO Narmada Bachao Andolan which mobilized the tribals and the poor who were displaced due to the construction to get full rehabilitation facilities from the government. It also initially focused on the environmental issues related to trees that would be submerged under the dam water. The spokespeople for the NGO were, initially, Baba Amte and herself.
On March 28,2006 , she started a hunger-strike to protest against the decision of the authorities to raise the height of the Narmada Dam. She ended her 20 day fast on April 17, 2006 , after the Supreme Court of India refused the Narmada Bachao Andolan's appeal to stop the construction of the dam. Later, in December 2, 2006 , she was arrested by the police in Singur where she reached out to protest against the acquisition of farmland for industrial purposes. The police present there told her that her presence might incite people and create a law and order problem. But this lady of steel nerves cared a damn. Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya reacted saying that Naxalites were also involved in the incidents and the police were forced to retaliate after they were attacked with bombs and stones.
Medha Patkar is one of the recipients of Right Livelihood Award which was shared with Baba Amte for the year 1991. Later she received Deenanath Mangeshkar Award, Goldman Environment Prize and Human Rights Defender’s Award from Amnesty International. Amnesty International is a pressure group that promotes human rights. Founded in the UK in 1961, it draws attention to human rights abuses and campaigns for compliance with international standards. It works to mobilize public opinion in the belief that it is this which has the power to exert pressure on those who perpetrate abuses.When she was once asked if she thought the privileged middle classes were really aware of the conditions of people who are displaced, she said, “Well, urban society is so complex. There are categories and categories of people. That section of urban people which is intellectual, the intelligentsia, the literate population -- are aware of what is happening around to an extent, but not aware of how they themselves are party to the injustice, the cause of it. But that it should influence them, convince them to change their own lifestyles or attitudes to life -- that is not happening easily. That is because this is a section that looks to those very symbols of development which are rooted in their individual and neighbourhood life, and not beyond that. They don't face issues of survival, like the tribals and other natural-resource-based communities.” So, will the awareness ever influence them to change their lifestyle? Will social inequality ever be eradicated or is it merely utopian to think so? She quipped, “Well, without that hope, our fights will be meaningless! I think one does not see it happening at one go, overnight. You keep it as an ideal, a goal. And ideals are ideals, you know. One cannot say they will never be attained. They need not be utopian, but ideals will always differ from reality and still will guide reality and change it.” And her effort to bring equality continues…….
To tell you about Narmada Bachao Andolan I must start from the beginning, the Narmada Dam Project is one involving the construction of a series of large hydroelectric dams on the Narmada river which runs through central India, emptying into the Gulf of Khambat in Gujarat. For many years, engineers and the government have seen this gracious river as a bounty of liquid that can be brought to drought driven Kutch and Saurashtra districts. That, of course, meant a series of dams. There were 30 dams planned on Narmada and of these Sardar Sarovar is the largest. Initially its proposed height was 136.5 meters and would irrigate more than 18,000 sq. kms, most of the land, of course, in the drought prone areas of Kutch and Saurashtra.
But there was darkness behind that idyllic vision. The people displaced by all those dams had, without exception, been treated in a manner that brought shame to the dreams and ideals of independent India. They had been summarily shoved off land they had called their own for generations, left to fend for themselves as best they could. And to watch as that land disappeared under the long lakes that ballooned out behind the new dams.
That was when Medha started out onto the field and she did not really know what was coming when she did start out. She started out as a young doctoral student wanting to study the social inequalities. This was in the early 80’s, she decided to go out on the field and study the northeastern Gujarat tribals. Medha was keen to know what changes the proposed dams on the Narmada would bring to the lives of thousands of people it was uprooting. Soon she realized what would bring was of course, devastation. It was then that she formed her NGO Narmada Bachao Andolan which mobilized the tribals and the poor who were displaced due to the construction to get full rehabilitation facilities from the government. It also initially focused on the environmental issues related to trees that would be submerged under the dam water. The spokespeople for the NGO were, initially, Baba Amte and herself.
On March 28,2006 , she started a hunger-strike to protest against the decision of the authorities to raise the height of the Narmada Dam. She ended her 20 day fast on April 17, 2006 , after the Supreme Court of India refused the Narmada Bachao Andolan's appeal to stop the construction of the dam. Later, in December 2, 2006 , she was arrested by the police in Singur where she reached out to protest against the acquisition of farmland for industrial purposes. The police present there told her that her presence might incite people and create a law and order problem. But this lady of steel nerves cared a damn. Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya reacted saying that Naxalites were also involved in the incidents and the police were forced to retaliate after they were attacked with bombs and stones.
Medha Patkar is one of the recipients of Right Livelihood Award which was shared with Baba Amte for the year 1991. Later she received Deenanath Mangeshkar Award, Goldman Environment Prize and Human Rights Defender’s Award from Amnesty International. Amnesty International is a pressure group that promotes human rights. Founded in the UK in 1961, it draws attention to human rights abuses and campaigns for compliance with international standards. It works to mobilize public opinion in the belief that it is this which has the power to exert pressure on those who perpetrate abuses.When she was once asked if she thought the privileged middle classes were really aware of the conditions of people who are displaced, she said, “Well, urban society is so complex. There are categories and categories of people. That section of urban people which is intellectual, the intelligentsia, the literate population -- are aware of what is happening around to an extent, but not aware of how they themselves are party to the injustice, the cause of it. But that it should influence them, convince them to change their own lifestyles or attitudes to life -- that is not happening easily. That is because this is a section that looks to those very symbols of development which are rooted in their individual and neighbourhood life, and not beyond that. They don't face issues of survival, like the tribals and other natural-resource-based communities.” So, will the awareness ever influence them to change their lifestyle? Will social inequality ever be eradicated or is it merely utopian to think so? She quipped, “Well, without that hope, our fights will be meaningless! I think one does not see it happening at one go, overnight. You keep it as an ideal, a goal. And ideals are ideals, you know. One cannot say they will never be attained. They need not be utopian, but ideals will always differ from reality and still will guide reality and change it.” And her effort to bring equality continues…….
Ethnic grace !
Bangles have since long adored the Indian woman. A very important accessory, be it for a wedding, festival or a social-do. Adoring her slender elegant wrist the bangle had been a part of a woman’s dress statement since ages. Indian Hindu culture sees bangles as a symbol of a woman’s marital status, her ‘suhaag’. The Idealist ‘pati–vrita’ is said to conceive her husband’s well being in her pair of bangles.
Bangles with Bidri work is a very well-known form of handicraft, in Andhra Pradesh, especially. Black metal inlaid with silver is the local specialty. Andhra brides sport red and green bangles that symbolize ‘suhaag’ and prosperity. The glorious art of bangle-making has been related to Indian culture, aesthetic sense, rituals and social way of life. Superb workmanship could be seen in different media and silver in this piece of jewelry. Of late, as fashion, women folk wear bangles made of made even unconventional materials like terracotta, wood and stone. The demand for such items is indeed enormous. Besides, mention on various kinds of silver ornaments is found in 'Rig Veda’. Glass and studded bangles of bidri are a favorite with women our home state. This type of art form is believed to have originated in Iran seven centuries ago, the black art reflects the Sufi influence even today. If I may share another nugget, Moghul royals decorated their weapons on bidri style.
Capital city, Hyderabad is known for its bangles made of glass & lacquer and studded with colorful stones. In recent times, manufacturers have started giving bangle-varieties fancy names akin to those of popular Hindi movies. The Hyderabadi bangle seller’s palette is as colorful as any that of any painter’s. Some of the local favorites are glass bangles with kundan work; bangles with mental beads, golden wires, golden zaris and metal bangles with danglers. Though plush gold jewel show rooms in the city have classy designer bangles, the traditional varieties have not lost their fan-following, not a bit. The place to shop for bangles of the largest variety and at reasonable prices is the Laad Bazaar adjacent to the historic Charminar. These markets around the Charminar are as old as the city itself, 400 years and more. The women of the local Muslim community in charminar adore ‘sonabai ka chudi’, a favorite variety among them .So, bangle making is a unique art from in itself.
The jewelers of Rajasthan specialized in the setting of precious stories into gold and the enameling of gold. The Rajasthani bangle makers are a class at their own right. Jaipur, and to some extent Alwar, emerged as the enameling centers par excellence in the eighteenth and nineteenth century. Enameling was introduced by Maharaja Man Singh who had cordial relations with Akbar. The enameled gold staff of the Maharaja is unsurpassed even today for its brilliant colors. For enameling, the piece to be worked on is fixed on a stick of lac and delicate designs of flowers, birds and fishes etched on it.
Now, I am going to carry on because I am in a mood for some history, so let us go back in time. The bangle has a history just as rich as its beauty. During the Harrappan and Mohenja Daro civilization bangles were made from a round hammered rod bent in a full circle. The space between the ends of the bangle would be pried apart to slip it over the wrist. Many of the terra cotta bangles were originally painted with black or red designs. Women of Indus valley wore shell and clay bracelets and metallic bangles.
The first culture in Asia to start jewelry making was China around 5,000 years ago. History has it that the Chinese women valued jade bracelet bangles and felt very elegant wearing them. These jade bangles are actually made of a variety called jadeite jade. By the way, 95 % of jade jadeite is mined in Myanmar. Jadeite jade is mined in the Kachin state in northern Myanmar. The Chinese made bangles mainly of silver rather than gold and used a lot of blue in their bangles and they contained many Buddhist symbols. Blue kingfisher feathers were tied onto early Chinese jewellery and later, blue gems and glass were incorporated into designs. However, Chinese preferred jade over any other stone. They fashioned it using diamonds, as indicated in finds from areas in the country. The Chinese revered jade because of the human-like qualities they assigned to it, such as its hardness, durability and beauty. The first jade pieces were very simple, but as time progressed, more complex design evolved. Jade rings from between the 4th and 7th centuries BCE show evidence of having been worked with a compound milling machine; hundreds of years before the first mention of such equipment in the west.
So, the next time you walk into a crowded bangle-bazaar remember you walking down the lane of History and that our neighbors, the Chinese relish those lovely pieces of jewelry just as much. One of the other reasons jade was so popular with the Chinese is that for them green (not purple) is the color of royalty. So, the fascination among them picked up with their royals taking to jade.
Bangles with Bidri work is a very well-known form of handicraft, in Andhra Pradesh, especially. Black metal inlaid with silver is the local specialty. Andhra brides sport red and green bangles that symbolize ‘suhaag’ and prosperity. The glorious art of bangle-making has been related to Indian culture, aesthetic sense, rituals and social way of life. Superb workmanship could be seen in different media and silver in this piece of jewelry. Of late, as fashion, women folk wear bangles made of made even unconventional materials like terracotta, wood and stone. The demand for such items is indeed enormous. Besides, mention on various kinds of silver ornaments is found in 'Rig Veda’. Glass and studded bangles of bidri are a favorite with women our home state. This type of art form is believed to have originated in Iran seven centuries ago, the black art reflects the Sufi influence even today. If I may share another nugget, Moghul royals decorated their weapons on bidri style.
Capital city, Hyderabad is known for its bangles made of glass & lacquer and studded with colorful stones. In recent times, manufacturers have started giving bangle-varieties fancy names akin to those of popular Hindi movies. The Hyderabadi bangle seller’s palette is as colorful as any that of any painter’s. Some of the local favorites are glass bangles with kundan work; bangles with mental beads, golden wires, golden zaris and metal bangles with danglers. Though plush gold jewel show rooms in the city have classy designer bangles, the traditional varieties have not lost their fan-following, not a bit. The place to shop for bangles of the largest variety and at reasonable prices is the Laad Bazaar adjacent to the historic Charminar. These markets around the Charminar are as old as the city itself, 400 years and more. The women of the local Muslim community in charminar adore ‘sonabai ka chudi’, a favorite variety among them .So, bangle making is a unique art from in itself.
The jewelers of Rajasthan specialized in the setting of precious stories into gold and the enameling of gold. The Rajasthani bangle makers are a class at their own right. Jaipur, and to some extent Alwar, emerged as the enameling centers par excellence in the eighteenth and nineteenth century. Enameling was introduced by Maharaja Man Singh who had cordial relations with Akbar. The enameled gold staff of the Maharaja is unsurpassed even today for its brilliant colors. For enameling, the piece to be worked on is fixed on a stick of lac and delicate designs of flowers, birds and fishes etched on it.
Now, I am going to carry on because I am in a mood for some history, so let us go back in time. The bangle has a history just as rich as its beauty. During the Harrappan and Mohenja Daro civilization bangles were made from a round hammered rod bent in a full circle. The space between the ends of the bangle would be pried apart to slip it over the wrist. Many of the terra cotta bangles were originally painted with black or red designs. Women of Indus valley wore shell and clay bracelets and metallic bangles.
The first culture in Asia to start jewelry making was China around 5,000 years ago. History has it that the Chinese women valued jade bracelet bangles and felt very elegant wearing them. These jade bangles are actually made of a variety called jadeite jade. By the way, 95 % of jade jadeite is mined in Myanmar. Jadeite jade is mined in the Kachin state in northern Myanmar. The Chinese made bangles mainly of silver rather than gold and used a lot of blue in their bangles and they contained many Buddhist symbols. Blue kingfisher feathers were tied onto early Chinese jewellery and later, blue gems and glass were incorporated into designs. However, Chinese preferred jade over any other stone. They fashioned it using diamonds, as indicated in finds from areas in the country. The Chinese revered jade because of the human-like qualities they assigned to it, such as its hardness, durability and beauty. The first jade pieces were very simple, but as time progressed, more complex design evolved. Jade rings from between the 4th and 7th centuries BCE show evidence of having been worked with a compound milling machine; hundreds of years before the first mention of such equipment in the west.
So, the next time you walk into a crowded bangle-bazaar remember you walking down the lane of History and that our neighbors, the Chinese relish those lovely pieces of jewelry just as much. One of the other reasons jade was so popular with the Chinese is that for them green (not purple) is the color of royalty. So, the fascination among them picked up with their royals taking to jade.
Gone are the days when art and art galleries were the domain of the metropolitan cities of India. With the the BPO sector being the ‘in’ occupation in Hyderabad more people are willing to buy a painting than they were, say, five years ago. In the 1990’s, copy art works and replicas saw the light of the day but today a serene landscape hung on the wall must carry with it a name and signature style. Let alone the affluent, even a soul next door would want to know who is the artist when encountered with a painting. This is largely being seen as a good sign by the artistic fraternity.
Some time back teaching in fine art colleges and working as copy designers were the only two options for the young fine art graduates but today they can take heart and make it their livelihood, at least the more enterprising ones can. Says a city-based artist V.C.Harish, “Hyderabad is picking up with more people looking at art as an asset. Though people still focus on the craft of painting more than the art of it, I am happy they are beginning to appreciate good painters and their works.” He avers, “those who are not ardent art-lovers too are willing to understand art.” But he quips,“No one in this universe paints just to potray an idealogy be it communism or any ‘ism’. But yes, ‘pop art’ has set in , things have become more commercial.”
With people looking for alternative options for investment , the art scenario in Hyderabad is looking up. Says Athika Ahmed, director of Diara Center for Art and Culture ,“One can have something enhancing the look of a home and at the same time project himself as an intellectual. It is today , an unconventional form of investment. With the coming of IT sector in a big way, youngsters today have a higher income. And of course , the MNCs are looking to decorate their plush offices.” But with the middle class still busy with its staple form of investments, one wonders what art offers them. “ Paintings today have better resale value than gold. So, they are as liquid as any other asset. Paintings are almost akin to stocks today”, she opines. This is also why the stress is on the tag on the painting, today. “Name sells but not at the expense of a distinctive style”,asserts artist V.C. Harish, “Today, if I invest paintings of a premium artist, people must recognise his signature style ten years down the line or else what’s the point of it ?”
With a gay art scene like this one , it’s all quite hunky-dory for the galleries as they can now attract meaty business. Athika points out, “ There was a time when the city had just two art galleries and artists needed to go to Delhi and Mumbai - the art hubs, to exhibit their works. Well, when our gallery was launched there were six more galleries around and we would have just three shows per month.”Art finds buyers from various walks of life today. Speaking to indiatimes.com, avers painter Théodore Mesquita ,“ It is the money that always fuels the tangible aspects of art , but not the ideas or creative instincts behind.”But amidst such voracious commercial activity , the art-field has its share of fakes making hay while the sub shines. Opines freelance artist Rajinikanth, “ There are those wanting to ‘innovate’ before they even know the nuances of art and the lay people fall for it. There are those wanting to depict volcano but ask them to paint their coffee mugs on canvas , they won’t dare attempt it because then their colours would come out. In my opinion, that’s art today, unfortunately.”
As they say life imitates art and vice versa. So, may today art is just a reflection of the life today and vice versa. Art is faking it because society is faking it and vice versa. While a few fragments of the society keeps to its true life so does true art survive.
Some time back teaching in fine art colleges and working as copy designers were the only two options for the young fine art graduates but today they can take heart and make it their livelihood, at least the more enterprising ones can. Says a city-based artist V.C.Harish, “Hyderabad is picking up with more people looking at art as an asset. Though people still focus on the craft of painting more than the art of it, I am happy they are beginning to appreciate good painters and their works.” He avers, “those who are not ardent art-lovers too are willing to understand art.” But he quips,“No one in this universe paints just to potray an idealogy be it communism or any ‘ism’. But yes, ‘pop art’ has set in , things have become more commercial.”
With people looking for alternative options for investment , the art scenario in Hyderabad is looking up. Says Athika Ahmed, director of Diara Center for Art and Culture ,“One can have something enhancing the look of a home and at the same time project himself as an intellectual. It is today , an unconventional form of investment. With the coming of IT sector in a big way, youngsters today have a higher income. And of course , the MNCs are looking to decorate their plush offices.” But with the middle class still busy with its staple form of investments, one wonders what art offers them. “ Paintings today have better resale value than gold. So, they are as liquid as any other asset. Paintings are almost akin to stocks today”, she opines. This is also why the stress is on the tag on the painting, today. “Name sells but not at the expense of a distinctive style”,asserts artist V.C. Harish, “Today, if I invest paintings of a premium artist, people must recognise his signature style ten years down the line or else what’s the point of it ?”
With a gay art scene like this one , it’s all quite hunky-dory for the galleries as they can now attract meaty business. Athika points out, “ There was a time when the city had just two art galleries and artists needed to go to Delhi and Mumbai - the art hubs, to exhibit their works. Well, when our gallery was launched there were six more galleries around and we would have just three shows per month.”Art finds buyers from various walks of life today. Speaking to indiatimes.com, avers painter Théodore Mesquita ,“ It is the money that always fuels the tangible aspects of art , but not the ideas or creative instincts behind.”But amidst such voracious commercial activity , the art-field has its share of fakes making hay while the sub shines. Opines freelance artist Rajinikanth, “ There are those wanting to ‘innovate’ before they even know the nuances of art and the lay people fall for it. There are those wanting to depict volcano but ask them to paint their coffee mugs on canvas , they won’t dare attempt it because then their colours would come out. In my opinion, that’s art today, unfortunately.”
As they say life imitates art and vice versa. So, may today art is just a reflection of the life today and vice versa. Art is faking it because society is faking it and vice versa. While a few fragments of the society keeps to its true life so does true art survive.
Vintage look in focus
As we look back at the yesteryears, vintage fashion is making a come back with a bang. Speaking of traditional fabrics, they too are making a comeback. We are today looking at the yesteryears’ fashion because fashion has reached a saturation point”, says city based designer Sagar, who also owns XLNC boutique, a fashion hub for men. Fabrics like Kalamkari, Guntur cottons and Srikalahasti cottons are in vogue.
Khadi with western cuts are much preferred today. With more women going out to work, they look for practicality in dressing. Pieces of the past give creations a vintage look keeping the basic cut and silhouette modern. Today, if you’re looking to recreate the Victorian look in you designs you can’t have long overflowing skirts with bunches of frills.
On classy side, peaceful colors like white, pink , sea colors and pastels are in. Zardosi is has made its way out this year, embroidery in colored threads have replaced zari. The fashion at any point of time reflects the state of mind of the people. For instance, with the end of World War- 2 cossets were out because women had to go to work and so the pant-silhouette crept in.
Khadi with western cuts are much preferred today. With more women going out to work, they look for practicality in dressing. Pieces of the past give creations a vintage look keeping the basic cut and silhouette modern. Today, if you’re looking to recreate the Victorian look in you designs you can’t have long overflowing skirts with bunches of frills.
On classy side, peaceful colors like white, pink , sea colors and pastels are in. Zardosi is has made its way out this year, embroidery in colored threads have replaced zari. The fashion at any point of time reflects the state of mind of the people. For instance, with the end of World War- 2 cossets were out because women had to go to work and so the pant-silhouette crept in.
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