Tag: salil jayakar

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Places

The hunt for an elusive big cat

Corbett Park will draw the restless Mumbaikar – not least because he or she’s always wanted to see a tiger.
by Salil Jayakar | @Salilicious on Twitter

Over the Christmas-New Year (2013-14) holiday season, my travel plans to North India – specifically to the Jim Corbett National park – finally took shape. While I have been fortunate enough to have travelled across the world, I have seen little of India.

The only time I’d ever been to North India was nearly eight years ago – a week-long solo trip to Delhi. So, naturally, I was excited. Even as a child, I remember reading much about the beauty of Corbett and its most famous resident – the Bengal Tiger. Situated in the Nainital district of Uttarakhand, the Jim Corbett National Park is the oldest such nature and wildlife reserve in India. It was established in the mid-1930s to protect the natural habitat of the endangered Bengal Tiger.          

But to cut a long story short, two days after Christmas Day, I found myself at the Nadiya Parao Resort just outside the main Corbett reserve. My friend and I, and my friends’ friends (from Canada and Pakistan, no less) had done the nearly six-hour drive down from Delhi across the killer highways of Uttar Pradesh. While the small towns we passed were non-descript, the miles and miles of farm belts were hard to miss. There were sugarcane and mustard fields as far as the eye could see – I was almost tempted to get off and run through one of them like Simran in DDLJ. Another time, perhaps! As always, the beauty of rural India fascinated. 

We were put up in a beautiful villa with spacious rooms and a large terrace area where, when nightfall came, we’d indulge in idle chatter over our preferred tipple and endless games of Poker. During the day, elephants lumbered along the resort’s paved paths carrying yet another backload of tourists on an elephant safari. The river Kosi flowed behind the property, its waters almost down to a trickle in some parts. This is the path the elephants took – across the river and into the forest beyond. I was happy to go along with whatever the rest wanted to do – just sit by the river and watch it flow, cross its cold waters without trying to slip on its mossy bed, or ruminate on the beauty of nature and what could be an idyllic life in a land by the hills.

 

Tiger trails

But I digress. The highlight of Corbett was its tiger safari and we were going for one, too! At the crack of dawn we woke, showered, brushed and got ready as we shivered in the winter cold of Uttarakhand. By 7 am we were at one of the main entry gates from where tourist-laden jeeps made their way to tiger territory. As first light hits the reserve, you can’t but be taken in by the beauty of Corbett. Thick vegetation in parts, open fields in others and an undulating landscape are the perfect spoils for a seasoned hunter. At the wildlife reserve post, a blackboard listed the names of the guide and the tourists (see pic on right) who had spotted a tiger! I was excited – would we be lucky enough to spot one, too? Over the next two-three odd hours, we drove around jungle trails supposedly close to areas where tigers had been spotted previously. But the magnificent beast remained elusive and we returned, dejected.

Solitary treks

A day later, I decided to go solo. I trekked to the temple of Garjia Devi, a local goddess whose temple is upriver, right in the middle of the Khasi, on a hillock. It was a mere two km away, but as I trudged along it seemed further and further away. Walking up a winding road made it difficult. Locals smiled with amusement and suggested I take a rickshaw. Ah, the contempt for the city born and bred me. But I made it. Along the river banks, locals and tourists played and swam. The path over a Bailey’s Bridge cut through the forest towards the temple and ran overlooking the river – two smaller temples, one each for Shiva and Ganesh, were carved into the hillside. Devotees lined all the way down to the beach for a darshan.

On my way back, I decided to take the longer route back. Not a good idea, the climb was uphill for the most part and it was a bit of a challenge to keep out of the way of speeding trucks and tourist buses. In the cold of the winter chill, I was actually quite warm. The forest stretched for miles on each side, langurs lined the edges and fox and deer made an occasional appearance as I crossed yet another Bailey’s Bridge. Finally, I made it to the main road that led back to the resort. Under the branches of a giant banyan tree, a young boy and his grandfather offered tourists adrakwalichai and 2-minutes Maggi. An old man sitting close by offered me a drag from his pipe; I smiled and shook my head. There, somewhere in Corbett, with a cutting cup of chai and a packet of Parle G, I had never felt more alone, and more happy.

What else…

While at Corbett, if you have an extra day, do make the effort to drive up to Nainital. It was a bright sunny day and just right for one of those day-long road trips. As the road curved, tall conifers lined our way and every now and then there was a break in the mountains to the valley below. Beautiful and scary! I think Nainital disappointed me, a tad. We were stuck in traffic as we made our way down to the large parking area. Lake Nainital, with its clear blue water and the houses that dotted its bank on one side looked as if it could have been anywhere in Europe. Almost. Save the crowd. The local market was filled with tourists, peddlers sold their wares and in the middle of it all a local politician sounded the poll bugle. But I can’t really complain. Thanks to my friend, I did get a chance to see Nainital.

For someone like me who has never been in the hills up North, Corbett will hopefully be the first of many such trips to come. And while the Bengal Tiger remained elusive till the very end, I dare say Rudolph the deer did make an appearance!

(Pictures courtesy Salil Jayakar and Dheeman Agarwala)

Are you a Mumbaikar who’s recently taken an interesting trip out of the city? Tell us about it at editor@themetrognome.in and we will feature your story.

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Places

My first overnight train journey

A Mumbaikar took a long distance train journey out of Mumbai this year – the first in his life, ever!
by Salil Jayakar | @Salilicious on Twitter

The thrill of arriving at DelhiI remember reading in my Geography books that that the Indian Railway was the largest employer in the world. That trains were the lifeline of India and millions of Indians undertook train journeys each year. Some of these journeys spanned well over two to three days and over 50 hours. Annual holidays were planned months in advance to make sure that the best berths were confirmed. During most school summer holidays, classmates went back to their ancestral homes and came back with tales of exciting train journeys.

I listened to their stories with a sense of awe and jealousy. For the Bombay born-and-brought-up me didn’t have a train story to tell! I didn’t have an ancestral home or village to go back to and we never really did family holidays. When I did start travelling on my own, with friends or for work, it was mostly road trips out of Bombay or long weekend trips to Delhi, Goa or Bangalore on a ‘cheap’ air ticket. Naturally, friends and acquaintances rubbed salt on my wounds. “You’ve never been on a long distance, overnight train journey?” “Dude, you don’t know what you’re missing!” “How can you have lived in India and never travelled on a train?” Needless to say, I hung my head in shame. 

But in the New Year of 2014, I can hold my head high and proudly say that I now have a long distance overnight train journey to call my own! On Christmas Day (2013) I was on a Delhi-bound Rajdhani from Mumbai 3 AC (no less), having managed tatkaal tickets a day before through an agent whose nonchalance throughout the dealings had me really worried. I had also booked tickets two months in advance through IRCTC but as expected, these were not confirmed till my journey date.          

Before my first long distance overnight train journey, I was as excited about it as a five-year-old who has new toys to play! At Mumbai Central station, well before time on the day of travel, I dare say I was visibly thrilled to see my name on that list stuck outside each compartment. The AC actually worked and I was completely taken in by the staff that came around offering pillows, bed-sheets and covers for the journey. I went camera crazy as I snapped just about everything on my smartphone – the coffee cup, breadsticks to go with the soup, the meal tray and even the ice-cream at the end. So much fun!

The journey in itself was quite ordinary. The cranky year-old cry baby slept through the evening and promptly woke up at night to keep us all up late in the night with his constant coffee on the trainhowling. Not to mention the uncle on the berth below who snored like there was no tomorrow. I realised that the top berth is not the best one to book if you want to sleep, difficult to climb up to and not enough head space if you want to sit for a bit when the other occupants are sleeping. But I suppose that’s better than having someone’s smelly feet dangling in front of your face. No?

In a couple of weeks, I’m off to Aurangabad to see the famous rock-carved temples of Ajanta and Ellora. My overnight train tickets are already booked and I’m excited to take off on another overnight train journey! 

Quite the pro now, ain’t I?

Salil Jayakar is a 30-something Bandra boy who loves Mumbai and London in equal measure. A journalist turned digital marketing consultant turned corporate communications professional, all by accident, he loves to cook and dreams of being on Masterchef – the Australian one – some day. 

(Pictures courtesy Salil Jayakar)

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Hum log

Comic capers with Abhijeet Kini

This Santacruz resident and self-taught cartoonist feels that the city and the country provide great, constant material for all cartoonists.
by Salil Jayakar

I’ve known Abhijeet Kini (30) for well over a decade now, which makes it surprising that I’ve never ever interviewed him in all these years. More so since, as a journalist I have done stories on offbeat careers and his career choice would have been a perfect fit – ‘full-time freelancer cartoonist.’ But as they say, better late than never…

Angry MavshiAbhijeet’s love affair with the world of cartoons and comic books started as a four-year-old, browsing through newspaper comics every day, even if he could not make much sense of them back then. “I always loved the visual medium, drawn, panel by panel,” the Santacruz resident says. It helped that his parents encouraged him from an early age, never saying ‘no’ to his demands for comics and not Nancy Drew or Hardy Boys. Aged seven, he was gifted Tintin’s Blue Lotus issue (which he still has in mint condition) and there was no looking back. He started collecting comics – from Tintin and Asterix to Tinkle, DC and Marvel. That in itself was a huge inspiration for him to take up the pencil and start sketching.

Completely self taught, with no art training, Abhijeet says he always wanted to be a cartoonist. The decision wasn’t difficult because of his supportive parents who never pressurised him into taking up engineering or medicine. When he was 12 (or 13), Abhijeet’s mom took him to meet Ram Mohan and Bhimsen, the pioneers of Indian animation. He carried his artworks to show them and remembers them saying nice things about his work. Naturally, it instilled confidence in his young impressionable mind. “Then in 1997, when I was 15, mom took me to meet the great Anant Pai, editor of Tinkle comics. I always wanted to meet him and eventually draw for the comic, and I am fortunate that I am doing that since 2004.”

Working as a cartoonist

At Abhijeet’s insistence, I shamelessly take some credit for his ‘big break’ with Mid Day Multimedia in 1999. I was freelancing with Mid Day (which was launching chalomumbai.com) and they were looking out for freelance illustrators. I recommended Abhijeet, and the rest is history.

Remembers Abhijeet, “I gave it a shot and my work was liked. Before Mid Day, I freelanced for a few youth magazines and did some comic 2commission based art for a book. This was when I was fresh out of high school and in junior college. But Mid Day added a lot of weight to my portfolio and other magazines followed based on that.”

Abhijeet idolises certain national and international artists and believes some of their styles and techniques have heavily influenced him as a youngster. Sanjeev Waeerkar’s work in Tinkle in the early 90s and Sergio Aragones of Mad magazine being the most prominent ones. “Mad has had a huge influence on me and my sense of humour but Sergio’s work was something else,” he reveals. Other favourites include Ram Waeerkar, Don Martin, Mario Miranda and Jim Lee. In his current work, Abhijeet uses different styles from comic to comic. So while his merchandise line is more slapstick, his Tinkle style is more children friendly, there is a cartoon-violence/young adult style for ‘Angry Maushi’ and a serious style showcased in ‘Milk & Quickies’.

Delhi BilliAccording to Abhijeet, comics such as Tinkle and Amar Chitra Katha are going very strong today, too. To him, these are the comics which represent India, just like Manga is for Japan. Other comic book titles range from mythology to superhero storylines. In that sense, yes, the evolution is evident when it comes to the new genres coming up. But he believes there should be more of a social angle in all these. “I do not mean a ‘preachy’ or ‘socially correct/social cause’ kind of theme. Take Mumbai city as an example. If one was to make a comic on Mumbai, imagine the range of topics one has to pick and choose from… and I’m talking humour as a genre,” he explains. Which is why Abhijeet’s ‘Angry Maushi’ series is heavily Mumbai-based. It is about an angry Mumbai lady waging war against corrupt politicians, robots and zombies in the funniest violent way possible.

Money matters

So much money does a “full-time freelance cartoonist” like Abhijeet make? He laughs. “In my field, there’s always a disclaimer (in not so fine print) saying ‘Money may or may not come’. People like me are suckers for creative satisfaction or doing what we love to do, loving what we do to live. Sure, money does come, but maybe in bursts, or trickles. I am thankful that India today has Comic Cons going. My wife Diksha and I participate in Comic Cons all over the country and our merchandise products are quite a hit. Many of my characters today, like ‘Angry Maushi’ and ‘Delhi Billi’, were created for the merchandise first, and comics later.”

For those who want to make a career as a cartoonist, Abhijeet says, “I have learnt that it doesn’t matter what people think about what you do. If you are confident of your work and comic 4have a strong art portfolio, even if you are self-taught like me, you have a strong chance to make it. The industry is very young in India but it’s a great place to be, especially if you are able to convert your ideas to reality. Oh, and if you have big dollar dreams, please leave the room quietly right now!”

 

(Pictures courtesy Abhijeet Kini)

 

Categories
Achieve

Navin Kundra sings for British Royalty, Bollywood next?

As Prince Charles and Duchess Camilla tour South Asia, singer Navin Kundra shares the excitement of singing for British Royalty.
by Salil Jayakar

British singer and songwriter Navin Kundra is a huge name in the UK – his remarkable career thus far includes performing with (and in front of) the Who’s Who of the Indian and international music scene, setting a Guinness Book Record by raising £10,000 for the British Asian Trust, and most recently, performing for Charles, Prince of Wales and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall at the St James Palace on October 24, 2013.

It was about this latest performance for the British Royals that Salil Jayakar spoke to Navin about. Excerpts from the interview:

Salil Jayakar (SJ): Performing for the Royals… what was the experience like?

Navin Kundra with Royals 3Navin Kundra (NK): It was a dream come true! Being invited by the President of the British Asian Trust to perform for Royalty is just one of those things that you never expect to happen to you, and it happened to me. Definitely the biggest highlight of my career so far! It was a stunning experience and one which I will treasure for the rest of my life. Yes, I was extremely nervous.  I think anyone would be, and perhaps more so because I knew I was going to be singing in Hindi and Punjabi which are languages they aren’t most familiar with.

SJ: How did the opportunity come about?

NK: In 2011, I was invited to become a celebrity ambassador for the British Asian Trust (BAT), a charitable Trust founded by HRH The Prince Of Wales. That year I helped the Trust raise £10,000 by breaking a Guinness World Record for the biggest Bollywood dance to my song ‘Mehbooba’. Ahead of their tour of South Asia, the Royals held a reception party at St James’s Palace and the President of the Trust asked if I would perform for them.  My first reaction was, ‘Is this for real?’

Then the President casually added, “Navin, I don’t mean to add any pressure but last year the Royals did a tour of Australia and we got Kylie Minogue to perform at their pre-tour reception party…” Yes… I felt the pressure at that point, but I also knew that an opportunity like this only ever comes round once in a lifetime so I said yes as I jumped up and down with excitement!

SJ: You asked Prince Charles to call the Duchess of Cornwall ‘Mehbooba’. Were you worried at all about how they’d react?

NK: (Laughs) This was not at all planned so I had no time to think about how they would react. It was completely spontaneous and happened because I saw that they were enjoying my Navin Kundra with Royals 1performance and responding positively to the music, particularly during my rendition of the Kishore Kumar classic, ‘O Mere Dil Ke Chain’.  I chose that song because it is a Bollywood classic, and as the first British Asian artist to sing in St James’s Palace, I was representing both my South Asian and British roots so I wanted my performance to capture the versatility and riches of our culture and music, too.

After that song I offered to add to Prince Charles’ Hindi vocabulary saying it would help him whilst on tour. Indeed, everyone at The Palace burst into laughter when I said the word ‘Mehbooba’, and when Prince Charles said the word back with perfect pronunciation, everyone cheered (see pic on right).

SJ: What did the Royals say to you post the performance?

NK: They were very complimentary and told me that I have a stunning voice and enjoyed my music. They then asked me what ‘Mehbooba’ meant to which I replied ‘beloved’. I could see the relief on the Royal couple’s faces after I told them the English translation and I joked, “See… it’s not as bad as it sounds!”  They were very charming, thanked me for entertaining them and their guests, said they hoped to see me perform again and wished me good luck for my career. A few days ago I received a ‘thank you’ letter from them, which is now my prized possession!

Watch ‘Mehbooba’ here:

 

SJ: Many British Asians have made their mark in Bollywood over the years. Do you have any Bollywood aspirations?

NK: Bollywood is one of the biggest foundations of my music base and I would love to work in the industry and have my music featured in the movies. If I was to get the right opportunity, I would definitely take it up and am confident that I can bring a new fresh sound and voice to the scene. I plan to visit Mumbai in early December this year, so watch this space.

SJ: Famous last words…

NK: ‘Dare to begin’ because I am living proof [of the fact] that anything is possible. Five years ago, I never thought that I would have the opportunity to represent South Asians all over the world and sing for Royalty, I never thought that I would achieve six number one singles and break a Guinness World Record, or that I would be awarded the 2013 ‘Entertainer of the Year’ in the Houses of Parliament. All of this has happened because I took those first steps towards building on my dream and anyone can do it.

You don’t need to have a huge record label behind you, tonnes of financing or be related to the industry you want to break into, you just need laser focus – and that applies to any industry, not just music or entertainment.

Navin Kundra’s new single ‘PA NA NA’ releases on November 7, 2013 and is available to download on iTunes and other digital stores. For more on Navin, check out his digital presence at www.navin-online.com or visit his FB page at www.facebook.com/navinfanpage or tweet to him @NavinKundra.

(Pictures courtesy Navin Kundra)

Categories
Event

“Crisis of credibility in journalism”: Sir Mark Tully

Noted journalist and author Sir Mark Tully puts today’s journalism in perspective, and talks of the challenges of establishing credibility.
by Salil Jayakar

At 78, he’s far more energetic and enthusiastic than most people of any age are. His mind and memory are still as sharp as ever. No wonder then he continues to be an authority on India several years after he left the BBC. And unlike most of his ilk, he doesn’t hesitate to give credit where it’s due. “Let me clarify again, it is always erroneously mentioned that I first broke the news of Indira Gandhi’s assassination. I did not. In fact, it was my BBC colleague Satish Jacob,” he stated.

Meet Sir Mark Tully. Almost priest, journalist, author and Indophile, whose love affair with India continues…

In Mumbai over the weekend of October 17-18, Sir Mark spoke at Com Fest 2013 organised by the Association of Business Communicators of India (ABCI) at the Taj Mahal Palace & Hotel, Colaba. Like most British people, his self-depreciating humour was there for all to see. For me, as an ex-journalist and media professional, it was a bit of a fan boy moment as I had the opportunity to interact with him.

Sir Mark, without a doubt, has inspired young journalists in India and abroad with his no-nonsense style of reporting, which is why we need to sit up and take notice when he declares: “There is a crisis of credibility in journalism today” with reference to the UK phone hacking scandal and the kind of live news journalism we see in India. According to him, the dangers of instant communication to journalism are real – as seen during the Varanasi bomb blasts and the Mumbai terror attack.

“Journalists today speak instead of writing or telling a story. They are talking, instead of crafting a story. At a time when mobile and television can communicate a message in an instant, there is a real danger of miscommunication,” he said. How do journalists then maintain their presence? “Journalists need to be trusted. More so now in times of the Internet; they need to carry the torch of reliability and trustworthiness.”

Citing the BBC, Sir Mark had harsh words for his former employer and says the credibility of the BBC Trust has been severely undermined by the hacking scandal and the Jimmy Savile sexual abuse scandal. He stressed the importance of a media regulator that has both politicians and journalists on its Board. Dismissive of the Indian Broadcast Editor’s Association, he says they are not doing a good job. According to him, a public service broadcaster (PSB) is necessary and should be independent of the government to be able to do a good job.

Sir Mark lamented the fight between management and editorial, the realities of running a paper or TV channel and the need to make money or profit. He believes that management has to realise that journalists are creative people and need to have the last word on a story. “The editor needs to be in control at all times. Irrespective of commercialisation, news needs to be credible and trustworthy. There has to be a balance between credibility and commercialisation,” he stated.

In his sartorial style, Sir Mark summed up the state of journalism and journalists today when he said, “Journalists need to keep in mind – this is not my story, it’s the story of the person.”

(Picture courtesy ABCI)

Categories
Cinema@100

An encounter with Dev sahab

Salil Jayakar recounts a meeting with the legendary filmmaker and actor, and remembers coming away humbled by the late star.

dev anandIn a career that spanned well over six decades – from 1946 till 2011 – Dharam Dev Pishorimal Anand wore many hats as actor, producer and director. Known by his screen name Dev Anand to millions of fans worldwide, the evergreen original chocolate-boy hero of the Hindi film industry lived a long and active life. While he continued to act and direct right up to his death, fans would best like to remember his earlier films well into the 1980s. Barring the Aamir Khan starrer Awwal Number in 1990, the rest were easily forgettable, to say the least.

In those early years as a journalist, I had met Dev Anand a couple of times at press conferences. Already into his 80s by then, he was still a bundle of enthusiasm and energy, always smiling and always happy to talk. I can’t honestly say I was a Dev Anand fan boy but there was something endearing about him…I have a vague memory of Dev Anand at the Gateway of India, celebrating his birthday and his new film surrounded by visibly enthusiastic fans (some middle-aged aunties too) and I sensed his love for them. And theirs for him.

But this is not a much delayed review of his life and films. As always, I digress.

In the second half of 2007, I was still a journalist, working with a leading English news channel. It was then that I had my most personal encounter with the legendary Dev Anand. His autobiography Romancing With Life was due to be released shortly and I was fortunate enough to get a one-on-one with him at his studio-office in Bandra, Mumbai.

Quite frankly, I didn’t know what to expect from this interview. His tell-all tome promised to ruffle feathers and was meant to shock and be scandalous. He wouldn’t have it any other Dev Anand - Romancing with lifeway. “I’ve lived my life in the public eye, I have nothing to hide!” he declared. And indeed, he had nothing to hide. Everyone knew of his romances but it was an another thing to read about them in detail. I had done my cursory research on his romances but I wasn’t quite sure I wanted to ask him about them…

As I made my way to the room in which I was to interview Dev sahab, I was immediately struck by the disrepair all around. Almost every corner and every inch of the room was piled with files, papers and knick knacks well past their due date. Here was a man who refused to let go. He lived as much in the past as he did in the present. No wonder then, that he was ‘evergreen’.

Dev Anand, still very much the star, walked in a few minutes later while my colleague and I were setting up the lights and camera in one corner of the room. “I’m sorry,” he said, “the calls don’t stop and I have to speak to all of them.” No, I did not think he looked youthful. His dyed jet-black hair and wrinkles told another story.

“Wahan pe karoge?”

Dev Anand“Yes,” I said and explained, “I like the shadow and light effect of that lamp and it’d be a great backdrop if you sit in front of it.” And then I kicked myself in my head. Here I was explaining lights and camera angles to one of India’s biggest stars and filmmakers. My colleague looked at me as he set the camera and rolled his eyes.

I expected him to say something; make us change our setup but he didn’t. “You people get younger by the day. The rest are too busy these days to meet me,” he said in obvious reference to senior journalists who perhaps had little or no time for an ageing star. But it didn’t seem like a grouse or complaint. “I like your hair, maybe I should try that look in my film.” I had a mini mo; he was making Chargesheet. I didn’t know what to say.

Over the next 30 minutes or so, he spoke excitedly about his autobiography; even had plans to write another one! The PM was going to launch it in Delhi and then there was a star-studded affair in Mumbai. “I’ve called everyone. Hema said she’ll come, so will Zeenat,” he proclaimed. Dev sahab was at his camera friendly, witty best as he indulged a young journalist. No starry tantrums, no nothing. I remember doing about two or three takes to get just my opening piece right. He sat patiently through it all. Hell, I was nervous!

Dev Anand taught me a life lesson that day. I’m still learning, though. Romancing with life, gaata raha tera dil…

 

(Pictures courtesy www.madaboutmoviez.com, www.siliconeer.com, www.metromasti.com)

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