Dehradun celebrates Durgotsav-08

Diksha Grover

Dehradoon, October 8, 2008:

After Karanpur, Raipur, Dharampur and now on the Mall Road in the Cantt area, the ‘Durgotsav’ organized by the Durgabari Committee is in full swing. While Tuesday was the day when the main puja took place; early Thursday morning, the idol would be immersed into the holy water of Ganga in Haridwar.

Being the 53rd Durgostav since it was first started by ONGC in 1956, this year’s festival was better organized for approximately 4,500 people. With various cultural happenings by evening, there was enough accommodation for all to sit and eat. Listing the much awaited happenings of Wednesday, Sumit Chakrabarti, the Secretary of the Durgapuja Committee said, “Today the married women, would play with sindoor and put tika on the idol. This ceremony would be followed by a Bengali play. Later, there would be dance on drumbeats with burnt mud containers, which would hold essence sticks and coconut fibers.”

With most women who let their hair down, the morning of maha saptami (the seventh day) was taken up with the worship of the deity, followed by devotees offering prayers and flowers on an empty stomach, amidst the chanting of mantras to the Goddess. Bhog at lunchtime was a welcome break for those who gathered in the pandals. But by evening, the pandal became dazzling with array of new clothes, shiny faces of children and a spectacular display of lights. The rhythmic drumbeats added to the mood of Bengal’s most popular festival. Beside the actual Puja,the pandal organised different kinds of competition to regale the local people

Releasing ‘Durgotsav-2008’, a magazine with various advertisements, articles, editorial pages, festival schedules, Balance sheet-2007, cultural program details etc, the festival this time has no doubt taken up a very celebrated shape. While Mr. Sandeep Kalara sponsored the Saptami food, the Asthami food was sponsored by DIT. People were coming in numbers of ten members per family every ten minutes. The place was not just flooded but also over flowing by mid afternoon.

The beautifully decorated pandal was covered with charkas and intricately cut images of Ma Durga in white. This Ashwin (the season of Durga puja in the month of September–October) the Khilone-wale had a huge sale of bright and new toys for the younger. According to Makhan Singh, a khilone wala, who sat through all the four days of puja, this year witnessed one of the most celebrated Durga Puja in Dehradun.

Despite the Durga puja greetings for the Durgabari Committee, by the President of India and the Uttarakhand Chief Minister’s office; what made the festival more deep and close-knit was the interaction between all the people present there greeting one another. While it may not have been possible for Dehradun to become Kolkata, the festivity and the involvement in all the people surely made Dehradun a part of Kolkata.

Published in Hindustan Times, Dehradun

Rush-Era on Dusshera

Diksha Grover

Dehradun, October 9, 2008:Expecting traffic on Dusshera, is much definite and obvious for any Doonite. Also, expecting major injuries and major road fights is also not a big deal on the so-called occasion. With the parade ground coagulating as many people as it could, angry road fights and loud dramas added to the Ravan’s role on Dusshera in Deharadun.

According to Manoj Kumar, a police officer in the Kotwali Police Station, in the past six months there have been 5 cases of tragic deaths and almost 20 major injury cases that have been reported in the Dallanwala area only.

What added to the chaos in many areas of Dehradun, was the sudden shift of all traffic personnel and police officers, to the parade ground. In places like Survey Chowk, Ghantaghar and Cannaught Place the influx of traffic created a bottleneck, heating the volatile drivers.

When the common bikers and car racers were surveyed, maximum number of people said that fines and challans help drivers obey traffic rules. Analyzing from the survey, when asked about following the current traffic rules, all of them had a clear mark on ‘yes’. However, when asked to define traffic some common words like- chaotic, unpredictable and irresponsible were mostly used.

Though, the survey proved beneficial to understand the rash and speedy business of travelling, what added to its meaning were the suggestions that people had. A lot of them believe that one way traffic in the narrow and bottleneck areas will help in the movement of traffic in Dun. While, congestion and hap-hazard networks of roads add to bumping and collision of vehicles.

According to some, smooth traffic is possible by strictly obeying traffic rules and having a strict challan system (something similar as followed in Delhi) for the traffic rule breakers.While enough promotion of the "Yatayat Mitra Yojna" (or the friend of traffic scheme) has been done, it seems to have had a lesser impact due to public involvement. However though the Uttarakhand Police are taking the help of general public to streamline the growing traffic woes and to spread awareness about basic traffic rules and the need to abide by them, citizens in general, refuse to move the gear.The ugly face of traffic in Dehardun is still quite dominant. There are enough reasons to poke the police and in return get poked back. But, while the pedestrians have condemned and criticized the fast and furious, the survey also proves that traffic has become better off from before.

Published in Hindustan Times, Dehradun

From Boom to Bloom: Air Hostess Academies in Dun

Diksha Grover

DEHRADUN, October 10, 2008:

In the past few years, Dehardun’s students have had several opportunities in the field of the Aviation sector. With AHA-Air Hostess Academy, Frankfinn Institute of Air Hostess Training, Flying Cats Air Hostess Training School and All India Institute of Aeronautics creating some successful cabin crew, Kingfisher Training Academy also plans a landing here.

Some common reasons why most organizations feel that this sector is booming immensely is because of the Commonwealth Games in 2010. Ritika Anand, Public Relations Manager of AHA feels, “This is a very promising career option with the vision of a smart, efficient lady in mind. One gets to travel some of the best destination in the country and abroad. Also, Liberalizations of air policies have increased the private operation of air services and this has created immense job opportunities in this field.”

With a per annum fees of Rs. 65,000 extending up to Rs. 1.25 lakh (approximately), there are not just pay-in-installment helps but also financial assistances provided through certain banks. When asked about the sudden hype in fees of such organizations; surprisingly, the two common replies were “some standards have to be maintained” and “the escalation in prices and the overall inflation”.

These organizations also provide complete job placements after finishing the course. Be it ground job or hotelier services, the high priced money makes sure, everyone gets to earn from a ‘respectable job’. According to Mr. Jitinder Chauhan,Public Relation Officer of the All India Institute of Aeronautics, “Job placement is not just about where the institute wishes to place the student, but also about how well the student is prepared for the interview. Though we have a lot of opportunities for our students, various consultancy services and sites like naukri dot com also help our students getting placed.”

With the course structure like Code of Conduct, English Language, Announcement Delivery, Cabin Familiarization, Galley Management, Airline Food and Beverage, Customer Care Fundamental, Aviation Safety Attitude Impacting Behavior, Team Building Emotions and Change Management- one needs to devote 2 hours on 5 days.

Most of these academies are affiliated with various Southern or Eastern Universities. To exemplify- AHA-Air Hostess Academy is validated by the Cambridge University's CIE (Cambridge Internal Examinations). Edexcel, UK awards the degree by Frankfinn Institute of Air Hostess Training. Flying Cats Air Hostess Training School is affiliated with Annamalai University. All India Institute of Aeronautics is affiliated with Karnataka Open University and Kingfisher Training Academy is obviously recognized by Kingfisher airlines. Though there is enough work for everyone, respectable work continues to attract the economy.

Published in Hindustan Times, Dehradun

More Sunny, Less Money

Diksha Grover

DEHRADUN, October 11, 2008

Saving the environment is not just about saving the flora and fauna; it is also about saving money and electricity. Ravi Mathur is one man who has not just designed and planned his house himself, but has also blended the benefits of environment into his lifestyle.

Living right opposite to a lush green hillock on the Rajpur Road, he not only has the advantage to listen to countless birds chirping in his luxuriously green balcony, but he also takes advantage from nature to save his living costs.

The decorated Brigadier from the 1962’s war with China, R.K. Mathur and his wife, a founder teacher of the Welham Girls’ School and a founder principal of Hopetwon Girls’ School, Madhuri Mathur, use water as a resource most effectively. The kitchen and bathroom water is flown into septic tanks which disinfect water, then is carried by perforated pipes buried in their garden, to save time in watering lemon tress, grape fruit, sweet limes and various other species of flowers and fruits. Using rainwater harvesting as an effective tool for their kitchen garden, they have been able to grow rare herbs, turmeric, ginger, lettuce, radish, Colocacia, Cilantro, mint etc.

There is no need for the Mathurs to buy manure, for they can produce it at home. The waste disposal system is very natural, systematic and definitely very useful. They have dug two pits for waste decomposition- one for disposing waste, and the other which is waiting to be re-used once the manure is prepared.

They use LPG geysers to save electricity, which also makes them least dependent on electricity. The Mathurs also have eight hens and cocks in their backyard----enough to be-come eggitarians and save the bother of going to the market.

There is a cost-effective heating and cooling system in the house. Solar panels are connected with pipes that are networked all through the house. These pipes contain heavy electric transmission oil. In winters during daytime, these pipes blow hot air and by the night, the oil that is heated during the day warms the air that the pipes blow. For summers, tin roofs that have been used in the balcony are kept cool by the shade, and on the inside, cement and high ceiling keep the mansion ventilated and cool.

One would wonder how much it would cost a Doonite to build a house similar to that of the Mathurs. At a time when price of steel, cement, other construction material and labour charges are shooting through the roof---Rs 20-25 lakh would suffice to own an eco-friendly ‘retreat’.

Mathur says that saving space is also a very important element in an eco-friendly house. He believes by having a joint bathroom and by adding connectors to rooms, the usage of many products decreases. Talking about saving, though the initial cost about any eco-friendly device may only be meager, it was surprising to find out that there really is no maintenance cost at all!

Pointing out how Vastu is absolutely eco-friendly, he said, “Vastu says that the entrance and the water source should face North-East. Now, when the sun rises, it naturally kills all the bacteria present in the water. Also, kitchen is supposed to face South-East because the sunrays kill all the harmful germs all day long in this direction. If one believes in Vastu environment comes all by itself.”

For Ravi Mathur, the USP of the location was the thick and dense forest, and to ruin it, all kinds of polluting machines were available. But for him, “As far as the idea of eco-friendly goes, there is more a need to come closer to nature than go closer to anything man-made. That way, there is no environmental pressure nor any pressure on the pocket!”

Published in Hindustan Times, Dehradun

Pouring Wealth into Health

Diksha Grover

DEHRADUN, October 12, 2008

Wealth and Health have always been synonymous and also complementary. Let’s just say, that fitness industry has picked up speed in Dehradun because of its wealth. Be it schools, hotels, beauty clinics or even real-estates, physical equipments for slimming and trimming are all a by product of the money that people are ready to pay.

For Rajdeep Singh, a gym instructor at Body Care Gym, “Fitness is in. People are ready to control diet, loose calories and pick up weights to look slim.” When asked about the pain of paying for such therapies, Rajdeep had a very genuine reply, “In spite of the green Dehradun that has almost everything natural to offer, people take pride in paying for the treatment.”

Madhuban Hotel for instance, has a health care center inside the hotel that invites any localite to pay Rs. 250 plus tax for a single sitting in the gym. Moreover, they also offer body massage and spa treatments for Rs. One thousand plus tax. With almost a 40 per cent of the hotel guests also using the health center, no wonder there are other options like body scrubbing and health spas available inside the health center.

Apart from hotels, schools that have gyms are comparatively a better option from the ones that don’t, because they keep the child fit. According to Mamta Chaudhry, the mother of a ten year old, who is also looking out for a better schooling for her child, “ I am trying to find a better school that not just helps my child better his marks but also keeps him active in sports which keeps him healthy and fit. So I definitely would prefer sending my child into a school with gym.”

‘Beauty parlor’ is an old word now. Doonites have certainly moved onto Beauty shops and Beauty Clinics. With various slimming centers and skin toning centers, we sure are getting over-night healthy. Dr. Archana Gulati, from Perfect Look says, “People want to look good. For youngsters, fitness is more about becoming slim and therefore, they get into wrong eating practices. However, for the elder generation, fitness is about health. In order to motivate this working social class, I may perform liposuction.”

The aspects of fitness also charm the real estate industry. An advertisement on ninetynine acres dot com glorified a 3 bedroom apartment near Sahasradhara road with the luxury of 24 hour power supply, swimming pool and gym. The real estate associate in Delhi, Rajesh, had one observation from the market trends, “People come to Dehradun to enjoy their vacations. When they find the same facility available in the lap of nature, they love to purchase what we sell. Plus, fitness has occupied a large amount of the market forces.”

Health and fitness have had a taste into the economy. This field is sure to flourish in Dehradun, where the payers and payees have no problem with the payment.

Published in Hindustan Times, Dehradun

Capturing the market-Chinese cell phones

Diksha Grover

DEHRADUN, October13, 2008

Chakrata Road and Chinese cell phones are relative to each other in Dehradun. With almost a multitude of telecomm shops one after the other in this busy area, the Chinese mobiles are the most commonly sold items in this market.

According to Manish, a salesman at Hot-Spot, “ Though we sell only those mobiles with warranty, there are almost 2 buyers for such phones everyday.” While most of these shops sell mobile phones without any warranty, the customers are ready to take the chance on such inexpensive phones.

With a mere cost starting from Rs 1300 to Rs.7000; one can hold a high definition camera on one’s palm. Apart from camera, these phones have the features of mp3, FM and radio, high storage capacity, MMS facility and also a large variety of multimedia.

Vikas Verma, the proud owner of Jai Durga Telecom, says, “ Because of the growing need to possess cell phones, people are ready to buy cell phones that are cheap and have better facilities. Though I also sell branded phones, there are more buyers for Chinese handsets.”

The problem such phones have is more-or-less because of the software. Rajender Verma, from Virmani Communication says, “ The problem that customers face with such phones is that of the unreliable quality of the software. If the phone slips down too many times, the phone becomes almost worthless. There are other problems like that of its unavailable batteries and it’s low quality chargers.”

Yet, this is not a problem for those who also repair these phones. For them, parts of many branded phones that are sold in the black market also have assembled parts. They believe that the phones that are sold in the ‘grey market’ are even worse. Sanjeev Sharma, who repairs phones at Tip-Top cellular, are not all Chinese ones.

Sanjeev belives, that as far as the two sim card Chinese phones are concerned, they do not create any problems. For after one to one and a half months, the second sim, automatically stops working. He also informs--- that a 4 sim Chinese model would be out in the market soon. However, as far as the security is in question, these phones would continue to pose a threat, be it in any form.

While many shop owners refused to talk about possessing the Chinese phones that they rapidly sell, Arora traders was one such shop that refused to be questioned on their Chinese products.

Published in Hindustan Times, Dehradun

Hidden yet beautiful: the Oldest Shani temple in Doon

Diksha Grover

DEHRADUN, 14 October:

The oldest Shani Mandir of Dehradun remains hidden for many localites. The narrow entrance, the shaded lane, and the undetectable board are some reasons why devotees who come here are only a handful in number.

Come Saturday, we all want to rush to the Shani Mandir on the hustle bustle of the clocktower and pray to our lord of Saturn, the son of Sun. For all its natural peace and silence, this temple is almost 8 kms from Clocktower, on the Sahastradhara Road, after the Kalunga Memorial. And as compared to the entire population that visits the Shani temples, this shrine only gets visited by some 10-15 thousand devotees who know about the place.

The serene temple was built by Virendra Mohan Uniyal in the year 1998 and is looked after by Pandit Ramesh Uniyal, who also does the pooja here. Surrounded by deep green hills from all four sides, this land locked temple also sees the gorgeous moon sparkling at the deity on Saturdays.

One of the specialties of this temple is its 700 years old banyan tree. “People have prayed under this tree for more than three hundred years now. I would say this tree is the reason why the Shani Mandir was set-up here,” says Pandit Ramesh. To which he adds, “It is believed that almost 33 crore spirits reside on this tree, who answer prayers if one pleases lord Shani.”

The other reason what makes this temple unique is the pair of snakes that live close to the temple. Though the Pandit-ji has seen the snakes many-a-times, he says it is certain for them to come out on Saturday mornings and be the first ones to wrap themselves around the idol.

“Shani Bhandara,” the priest says, “happens every year in the month of May and June. Many people who get what they had asked for, sponsor the bhandaras here. This place has fulfilled many dreams.” What adds value to his words are the small paper chits tied on the banyan tree which get removed once the lord, fulfills the wish.

However, the only problem Kalpana Tewair seems to have with the pooja-ki-thali seller is everyday’s affair of the fluctuating price rates. She says, “From a bare minimum of Rs. 5 per thali, two years back, they have increased the price of oil, neel and til to Rs. 20. Sometimes due to their monopoly I adhere to the rates but mostly I get the requirements from home.”

For people like Sumit Chawla, Jitinder Rekhi, Ritu Sharma, Manisha, Kalpana Grover etc who come practically every Saturday to this gorgeous shrine--- it’s not just the believe in god that they strengthen, it’s their believe in the temple too.

Published in Hindustan Times, Dehradun

A short strong downpour on the city

Diksha Grover

DEHRADUN, October 15:

Early morning heavy shower on the city made the citizens come out in sweatshirts. The down pour began around four in the morning and extended its stay till quarter to nine. Jolts of lightening and rushing winds were other features of the rain.

Soon after the shower, there was a better deep blue vision, as the sky cleared. By mid day, there was enough sunshine for everyone.

Though the sudden yet compassionate outburst of the water from the skies has surely cooled the weather quite a bit, the point is--- is the pleasant weather, really here to stay?

Published in Hindustan Times, Dehradun

Report on Women’s health issues after researching from Public Health Centers.

Anemia in pregnancy is defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a hemoglobin concentration below 11 g/dL(1) It continues to be a major health problem in many developing countries and is associated with increased rates of maternal and parental mortality, premature delivery, low birth weight, and other adverse outcomes.(2)
All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) has almost 40 beds in the maternity ward that can adjust 40 patients. “It may accommodate 40 patients altogether, but it becomes thoroughly overbearing for a limited number of doctors” according to a source. Right outside the main building a couple of female patients were asked how often they visit AIIMS for maternity problems. Though most of them believe in coming to hospitals, the elder child was mostly born by a ‘dai’ or a midwife.
More than half of the pregnant women in the world have hemoglobin levels indicative of anemia Although only 15% of pregnant women are anemic in developed countries,(3) the prevalence of anemia in developing countries is relatively high (33% to 75%). The most common cause of anemia in pregnancy worldwide is iron deficiency.(4) The predisposing factors include grand multiparty, low socio-economic status, malaria infestation, late booking, HIV infection, and inadequate child spacing – among others.
“Eighty % of the health services in Delhi are being provided in the private sector because the Government has not been able to provide public health services to all the people of Delhi,” Harsh Vardhan, Delhi Bharatiya Janata Party president said to The Hindu on 14 sept 2006. But now, suddenly his attention seems to wander away to transportation, water supply and infrastructure for the current fiscal.(5) So the question is- is there anyone in the government to care about this vital situation for poor, pregnant, malnourished, anemic women?
Bhaukti Devi, who sat near an electricity board and continued to roast herself under the sun in the AIIMS, was under serious tension for her husband who was suffering from lung infection. As he lay flat under the shade, she spoke of how he is immediately rushed to the hospital when he feels unwell. But as far as her health is concerned, coming to the hospital was more a liability than a need. For her, a ‘jhulachap’ was more convenient and cheaper when in need of a cure.
Communities like UMANG (Uplifting Marriage Age, Nutrition, and Growth), found nine out of ten adolescent girls to be anemic and two out of three illiterate. These factors severely limit the life prospects of young women and also negatively influence the future of their children and families. An anemic or malnourished mother has a very high probability of giving birth to a low birth weight baby, the single biggest predictor of future malnutrition. And a mother’s level of education is correlated with all sorts of behaviors which can strongly influence whether her child will survive past his first five years. Adolescent anemia can be the start of a vicious cycle of poverty which is difficult to escape from.
However,UMANG is a project which provides iron supplementation to these girls, as well as a forum to discuss the issues they face in daily life related to health, education, and family in the absence of Public Health Centers in the rural districts.
The problem of anemia (due to malnutrition) in pregnant mothers is not just in rural districts. The problem of a hemoglobin deficiency is also prevalent in women who can afford any kind of treatment at any expense. However, they prefer the more expensive hospitals because of the quantity and quality of services provided. One only wishes to avail public health centers and public hospitals when it is not easy to pay a bigger price. According to Doc. Shah who works at the Max, “Most patients here prefer the quality and the expertise we provide. We do not just charge more because of being a brand, but because of the time, energy and patience each doctor puts into every patient, unlike government facilities.”
However much we may try to boast about the new technology and the greater set up of medical avenues in the health sector, there is always a rich and a poor demarcation. Most of India's billion-plus people struggle with a public health care system which is virtually nonexistent in villages(6). On the other hand, private health care is booming, and the country's state-of-the art hospitals and highly skilled doctors even attract patients from countries where health care costs are much higher. The challenge before India is to make such top quality care accessible for the majority of its people and to put such high quality services within reach of the poor.

###
(1)World Health Organization (WHO). The prevalence of Anaemia in women: a tabulation of available information. Geneva, Switzerland: WHO; 1992. WHO/MCH/MSM/92.2.
(2)Mahomed K. Iron and folate supplementation in pregnancy. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2000;(2) CD001135: World Health Organization Reproductive Health Library CD-ROM. 2004;7.
(3)World Health Organization (WHO). Prevention and Management of Severe Anaemia in Pregnancy: Report of a Technical Working Group. Geneva, Switzerland: WHO; 1993. WHO/FNE/MSM/93.5.
(4)Nyuke RB, Letsky EA. Etiology of anaemia in pregnancy in South Malawi. Am J Clin Nutr. 2000;72:247–256.
(5) The Hindu, It will slow development: Harsh Vardhan, 26th March 2008
(6) Public Health Foundation of India, India Offers Both Best, Worst of Health Care ,Voice of America Press Releases and Documents , 3 May 2006, http://www.phfi.org/news/newsdetail.asp?id=74
Part of an assignment on Development Communication dIKSHA gROVER

THE NEWS FOIL: FROM YELLOW TO GOLDEN

(An Opinion on Media Propagation and Prejudice)
By- Diksha Grover

When the nature calls and what you have in your hand is a newspaper, you use it either for your education or for wiping. However, when Rakhi Sawant Showz on Zoom flash their way into supplements, you clearly know which paper will serve you with what. But if you are stung with an operation, you will have the blame game to play- “What can we do? This is what they write!” And ‘they’ on the other hand say “This is what sells!” Unfortunately this helps neither of the two. It is simply like a chocolate wrapped in the yellow foiled news and served to be eaten fresh and frozen!

Coming back to theories, when I see that the world is flat, I also see that it is not the same. And so, journalism too takes up various forms. To exemplify- The Indian media became ‘cultural’ when Richard Gere kissed Shilpa Shetty, the media became ‘judgmental’ when it came to Hemraj or The Talwars, the media became ‘developmental’ during Tsumani etc. Here, my point is not what the media does, but how is does and what does it inject.

The time when one of the worst communal riots was raging in the Old city of Hyderabad, there was footage of the present MIM MP Asaduddin Owaisi being taken to a secluded place by the Police and roughed up mercilessly with the MP screaming for help and writhing in excruciating pain. It was a deliberate decision not to telecast this footage. But hold on, maybe tehelka has a similar story for its latest issue- The story of Dr. Binayak Sen from Raipur, Chattisgarh. Sen, who has been languishing in jails since May 2007 after being repeatedly denied bail from courts all the way up to the Supreme Court on charges of aiding Maoist Terrorists. But here again, when both stories focus on denied democracy and fundamental rights, why does Price in the pit and the leopard who ate the man become bigger and broader issues? At this juncture should I favor commercialism or should I agree with the Arabs to curb satellite news television?

TOI,Ahmedabad was most enjoyable to read for the last couple of days. It was alleged to unnecessarily tune the connection between the newly appointed Police Commissioner and Dawood. And the paper’s SMS campaign took the so called action beyond the realm of straight, investigative journalism into unwarranted activism. Also, isn’t it surprising to see that Mayawati does not waste much time personally on the media. She does not give interviews, never attends too many press conferences. But her bureaucrats make sure that the media falls in line if they show signs of getting too critical of the state government or the chief minister. Though Lucknow has six major dailies coming out of there, with Amar Ujala also set to launch soon, the Hindustan Times too has almost bowed to government pressure. In both the cases what is media really doing? Though both the examples contradict the freedom of the Indian media, the role is still the same- to sell ads to the masses.

When Star Voice Of India becomes a part of “The breaking news” channel, there is only one thing to break- the television set. Apart from ‘covering’ competitions like these, there are soaps and comedy serials that are ‘covered’. Ethics of reality shows also take a front foot forward when a breaking news has to be broken. Bias toward infotainment? “No, well, still it’s selling!”

Diplomacy is a tradition in the Indian blood. In the last week, there has been speculation over an alleged ‘sting’ operation conducted by CNN-IBN to expose allegations of bribery in the run-up to the trust vote in Parliament. The Hoot had reported a conjecture that one reason the channel did not telecast the tapes is because Anil Ambani who held a stake in the parent company through one of his mutual funds had put pressure on the owners of Network 18. While Noam Chomsky again wins the argument here about the bewildered herd, the specialized class and the Agenda setters; my problem is if we are so capitalist, why behave like socialist in our approach? Ohhh…or maybe that is why we are the mixed economy, for it is a convenient lie and an inconvenient truth.

But it’s not like there are no solutions. And it’s not like these are problems. The problems are the perceptions. When words like ‘moral’ and ‘ethical’ exist in the dictionary, I do not doubt that there should be reasons to apply them as well. Maybe a journalist’s stamp is always subjective in a story and can never be objective, but it does not mean that both the sides cannot be expressed. We study and get educated to become humans from species and not the other way around. Media’s activism lies not just in the photograph and in the pen but also in the mind. When the fourth pillar of the constitution is media, then why to play a bigger and better role in elitism? Why not in development and upliftment? Why does every news need to be bad in nature to be ‘good news’? It’s not like I’m talking revolutions and evolutions, to quote some examples- radio stations are trying to combat AIDS through commercial ads and programmes, stings are used to revisit some truths in the Radhabhai Chawl case, spreading awareness through literacy programmes an initiative taken by TOI etc . With power comes a great responsibility, with responsibility comes unity and with unity a nation tied together.

“I took the road less travelled by,
And that made all the difference…”
-Robert Frost (The Road Not Taken )



###

Written for Communique 2008-2009

FLO’s top three agendas in the silver jubilee year

Plantation of trees, a project to save the girl child and adopting villages to empower women were the top three agendas of FICCI Ladies Organisation (FLO) celebrating their silver jubilee this year, on Friday in New Delhi.

Addressing the media persons here today, Ms. Anuradha Goel, president of FLO said, “The ‘Save the Girl Child’ project, to be launched on July 23 by Renuka Chaudhry, union minister for women& child development, has been designed to raise the awareness levels among women, children and the men folk in the villages and semi urban areas of the detrimental effext of the declining sex ratios in various parts of the country.”

Goel also stated that this year FLO would plant 2,500 trees throughout the country and make individuals become tree-custodians and impart training on how to nurture and care for tree saplings.

On how FLO intends to adopt villages, she added, “Our holistic approach would be to involve families into a community care, where women will be joined by children and men in the making of a model village.”

The 4th Working Managers’ Programme inaugurated at IIML’s Noida Campus

IIM Lucknow’s Noida Campus inaugurated its 4th batch of Working Managers’ Programme (WMP), which was launched in 2005 as a three-year part time program, in Noida on Tuesday. The dean of the Noida campus- Prof. Punam Sahgal, the chairman of the WPM-Prof. Amit Mukherjee, the chairman of MDP and CIC- Prof. Ajay Singh and other faculty members were also present here on the occasion.

While addressing the 68 students enrolled for the current session, Dr Singh said, “ Our focus is on imparting the management knowledge to an experienced professional that allows him to become a top-notch manager.” Later, Prof. Mukherjee explained, “The WMP will help its students to become management leaders and change agents to take leadership roles in the global arena. The program has proved to be very successful in providing practical and advance management education to the middle and senior level managers while on the job.”

Dr Singh also made a mention about introducing dual degree programs, with North American business schools and IIMs, in the field of finance and executive management. Talking of steep rise in application forms for this course, Dr Singh added, “We thought there is no other place better than Delhi and NCR for tailor-made programs to the business managers. So, whatever we do here has the IIM Lucknow’s brand.”

<<>>
<>
dIKSHA GROVER

All that glitters is surely Gold

Gold is a monetary metal that adds value to the neck when its value increases on the bullion and chokes the neck when it’s value falls. But because the lustrous metal continues to shine on in the market, the later has never really come into being. However, the price of gold is determined by inflation, by fluctuation in the dollar and the stocks, by currency related crises, by interest related crisis, by interest rate volatility and international tensions and by increase or decrease in the prices of the other commodities. The price of gold reacts to supply and demand changes and can be influenced by consumer spending and overall levels of affluence.

The value of gold has been rising adding to its value. To think on lines of the usefulness of gold, it is primarily produced for accumulation. Gold’s actual value does not arise from its usefulness in industrial or consumable applications. It arises from its use and worldwide acceptance as store of value. Moreover, gold is money. In contrast to other commodities, gold does not perish, tarnish or corrode, nor does gold have quality grades. The value of gold years ago is no different from its value today.

Gold has its own reasons to shine in the market. In fact it’s not just the last couple of days that have been seeing upward peaks on the bullion market but it also the next several years, which would be great and bid upside surprises to most of the investing public.

The dollar has lost 50% of its value versus the euro. Plus the EU possesses a 15 times greater amount of gold to back their currency. Large institutions and central banks are moving their dollar-based assets into non-dollar-based assets. This is coming at a time when the U.S. Economy is slowing to a crawl. Having realized that we are in inflation crisis where the dollar suffers one of the great meltdowns in monetary history, gold will reclaim its place at the center of the global financial system as a hedge against inflation.

Also, mine production is falling at the same time that demand is rising. Worldwide investment demand for gold will remains at historically high levels, significantly exceeding 40 million ounces. Experts say that jewellery demand alone is now outstripping new mine projects. Another reason for rise in the gold price is because investors are willing to move only into stable assets. Investors look at gold as an asset because it has maintained an intrinsic value. Gold will not get lost in an accounting scandal or a market collapse. Moreover, assets such as gold have provided portfolios with a much needed protection and at the same time increases the value of portfolios over the stock market during the past few years.

Gold acts as a safe haven in the times of geopolitical and financial market instability. It is then that gold transforms itself completely into a universal currency that circulates with its original value everywhere. Therefore, both India and China are in the process of liberalizing laws relating to the import and sale of the gold in ways that will facilitate gold purchases on a mammoth scale. The Gold Dinar is also being discussed openly in the Islamic world. Russia as a matter of fact has enjoyed foreign trade of gold with the flourishing middle classes.

The only paradox with gold is that high gold price leads to a higher demand and high price leads to lower supply. However, gold has surely earned itself the gold medal where it comes to investment. Becoming the easiest, safest and most profitable way to invest, it has left no other the reasons for its rise.

END

***Written for an editorial in FE while interning with them***
---got published, without a byline---

Reconstructing Srinagar

Srinagar, May 22
In the next couple of years, according to the Srinagar State Governement, development projects worth Rs. 210 crore will be in full swing.

Within the next 18 months Handicraft Complexes worth Rs. 42 crore would be constructed along with building a business development center at Urban Haat worth rs. 3.70 crore.The four lane Pantha Chowk Parimpora road, is also to be constructed at the cost of Rs. 60.67 crore by October.

After inspecting various projects in the city yesterday State Minister for
Roads and Buildings, Jugal Kishore, said “The government is determined to provide well-built
roads, bridges and buildings in Srinagar." He visited the site of collapsed Goripora-Bemina bridge and asked officials to reconstruct it soon. PTI

***Edited when interning with FE***
dIKSHA gROVER

Looking for additional jobs: Meghalya farmers

Shillong , May 22, 2008
Meghalaya’s Agriculture Minister B. Bamon, today asked the farmers to look into additional income generating activities, as the state cannot utilize a vast area for agriculture due to topographical problems. Bamon had previously said in a meeting that there was a tremendous scope for the farmers to earn
money from livestock rearing, pisiculture and eco-tourism on this land.

State Secretary Ranjan Chatterjee said “Meghalaya's basic life supporting systems like land, water and vegetation have been facing intense pressure due to natural and human induced factors. Due to undulating topography, maximum area of the land could not be utilized for agricultural purposes. The irrigated
area is only 15 per cent and the majority of the cultivable land is under rainfed condition", he said.

The Minister urged planners and scientists to find out ways and means so that the farmers could go for higher yield per unit area and double cropping, besides using improved seeds and fertilizers on the same piece of land again and again.

“The ecological system of the region has rendered fragile and precariously balanced because of unsustainable agricultural practices, faulty land use, removal of soil cover, extraction of underground depositors besides poverty and under development”, Chatterjee said. PTI

***Edited when interning with FE***
dIKSHA gROVER

HP’s 16% growth in Q2

New York, May 21
Global technology giant, Hewlett-Packard, the California based firm, saw 31% growth revenue from the sale of the notebook in the last quarter. In Anticipation to the acquisitions made by EDS, ‘the deal’ plans to double HP’s service revenue.

The 16% growth over the corresponding period last year, had reported net revenue of 25.53 billion dollars. Announcing the net profit of 2.06 billion dollars as of April 30, 2008, for the latest quarter, HP’s revenue shot up by 11% to 28.26 billion dollars. For the year of 2008, HP expects to tune the revenue of 114.2 billion to 114.4 billion dollars.

The revenue coming from Brazil, Russia, India and china (BRIC counties) has outgrown to 26%, accounting to almost 10% of the total revenue. Earlier this month, the firm had announced that it would acquire technology services company EDS for an estimated 13.9 billion dollars to expand its Indian presence. On Tuesday, HP chairman and chief executive officer Mark Hurd said, "HP turned in another strong quarter, supported by improvement across our businesses. With 70% of revenue now coming from outside the US, we benefited from robust demand in emerging economies”.

The combination of both the firms advance HP’s objectives and strengthen it’s services to provide a better competitive edge for it’s rival IBM Corporation. The combined entity would offer services such as IT outsourcing, business process outsourcing and HR outsourcing. According to Hurd, the company's financial outlook demonstrates its strength in the global marketplace. PTI

***Edited When I was interning with FE***
dIKSHA gROVER

ArcelorMittal wanting to lead with better leaders

New Delhi, May 21
Steel behemoth ArcelorMittal has proposed setting up integrated steel plants of 12 million tons annual capacity each in Orissa and Jharkhand. The investment in each of the two projects would be approximately Rs 40,000 crore, with a new set of leaders to take charge of these heavy money investments.

Where Vijay Bhatnagar will spearhead the company's operations and proposed steel projects in the country, Sanak Mishra will continue to be the CEO for the company's greenfield steel projects in Jharkhand and Orissa, and will report to the bigger boss-Bhatnagar. Arcellor Mittal said that Bhatnagar would take up the new position of India’s CEO and will have the ultimate responsibility for the company's operations and projects. Pierre Gugliermina, Christophe Cornier and Sudhir Maheshwari, will comprise of the senior leadership team to supervise on all operations along with the general management board of ArcelorMittal.
M P Singh, vice president for the company's mining initiatives globally, will continue to lead ArcelorMittal's mining projects in India as CEO Mining Projects (India).

Aditya Mittal, member of the Group Management Board and Chief Financial Officer, ArcelorMittal, said, "India is a very important country for ArcelorMittal. We are committed to investing large sums in the country over the next decade and it is important that we have the right team to lead these positions." He added, "This team has excellent knowledge and leadership and I am sure will prove a strong combination for enabling us to deliver on our commitments to the country." PTI

***Edited when I was interning with FE***
dIKSHA gROVER

'WIND'ING ENERGY

Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) figures show that 2007 recorded an increase of installed capacity of 20 gigawatts (GW) taking the total installed wind energy capacity to 94 GW up from 74 GW in 2006.When the cost of oil and natural gas gets inflated, wind turbines seem to become a very attractive option to the Indian business.

The earliest historical reference that describes windmills used to power an organ in the 1st century, where windmills were used to grind flour. Later on, with the development of “water pumping windmills” allowing farming and ranching in vast areas of North America, they also helped contributing to the development of steam locomotives. After steam locomotives were understood and researched on (using coal to create thermal energy), windmills somehow, lost their existence in the process. But when Suzlon laid it’s foundation stone to generate wind power in India, the company earned the equivalent of $41.6 million on sales of $202.6 million, leading the charge in the Indian markets and expansively spreading to abroad.

With a Population of more than 110 crore, and the annual consumption of almost 4,60,000 Million Units (MU) of quantum power received on the consumers’ end in 2007, the energy sector definitely has a-lot to offer. And, in context of growth, if there is any energy sector that has grown five times its initial production in just 7 years it truly is the Wind Energy Sector.

More than the average wind strength months (May and June) allow immediate implementation of energy for air conditioning in India. However, in places like California and Texas, peak wind speeds may not coincide with peak power demand. Therefore before the set up of the plant the concept of ‘weather’ or not should be properly checked. However, India being an agrarian economy, the profits involved in the Wind Energy Sector can become dual in nature. In an agricultural set-up where the soil may or may not be productive, the land can contribute to provide, both agricultural benefits along with heavy energy outputs. Thus generating energy locally, also keeping up to gaining profits. Kamal Nath, Minister of Commerce and Industry, said, “India is ideally suited for wind energy. The cost of it works well and we have the manufacturing capability”.

Following Germany, India, Spain, US and Denmark currently produce 80 percent of the 14,000 MW that makes up the entire capacity of worldwide wind energy. With the current prices of crude oil as $124 per barrel, wind energy remains more cost effective. Presumably why China seems to have imposed a requirement that power companies need to generate a 5th of their electricity from renewable sources by 2020. This target calls for expanding wind power almost as much as nuclear energy over the next 15 years. India already leads china in wind power and is quickly building more turbines.

Electricity board owned by the State Government charge industrial users more than twice as much for each kilowatt-hour even though the customers pay the same in the US- and they still suffer blackouts, which is a pretty common phenomenon in the Northern India. However, In spite of producing only 3% of wind energy from all the electricity produced, the wind-farms are capable of producing uninterrupted energy till a smaller distance of radius.

Coming down to the economic feasibility of Wind Energy set-ups, wind and hydropower have a negligible fuel costs and relatively low maintenance costs. In economic terms, wind power has a marginal cost and high proportion of capital cost. The estimates average cost per unit incorporates the cost of construction of the turbine and transmission facilities, borrowed funds, return to investors (including cost of risk), estimated annual production, and other components, averaged over the projected useful life of the equipment, which maybe in excess of twenty years. Energy cost estimates are highly dependent on these assumptions so published cost figures can differ substantially. Existing generation capacity represents sunk costs and the decision to continue production will depend upon marginal costs going forward, not estimated average costs at project inception. For example, the estimated cost of new wind power capacity may be lower than for “new coal” (estimated average costs for a new generation capacity) but higher than for “old coal” (marginal cost of production for existing capacity). Therefore, the choice to increase the wind capacity will depend on factors including the profile of existing generation capacity.

This negotiation often focuses on striking a balance between competing issues and concerns, such as social equity and the environment. Federal agencies and state and local governments have powerful roles to play in the process of the set-up. However, the various determinants to profit making in this business are- advanced site planning, expedited judicial review, coordinated siting process, clear decision criteria, reasonable time frames and significant public involvement. Also, some regulations that need to be much kept in mind are Wind turbine size (including maximum rotor size, minimum and maximum height, tower height and base), Installation and design (including tower, rotor and electrical safety, utility notification, warning signs and tower access), Siting, (including setbacks from plant boundaries and neighboring facilities, aesthetic design with tubular or lattice towers, clearances from electrical lines), Nuisance concerns (such as noise regulations and television or radio interference) and Other regulations (such as insurance, public access to wind facilities, and repair, maintenance and decommissioning requirements).

Coming down to compare the thermal energy with wind energy as of now, out of the total 15.4 quadrillion Btus of electricity produced in the year 2006, 53% came from coal and only 8% came from wind energy plants in India. Moreover, Coal maybe the most polluting fossil fuel but it grows the fastest. Not to mention, wind energy costs marginally more per unit than conventional energy (Rs. 4-4.5crore per MW compared with thermal Rs. 3.1 crore per MW). But the point is what happens after the coal industry exhausts out of the fossil fuel, is dependency and that to on the Wind Industry, along with the other replenish able sources. Hence, maybe thermal energy plants are more profitable today but in times to come, Wind Energy Plants will turn out to be a long term profitable investment.

As of September 2007, the installed capacity of wind power in India was 7,660.2 MW, mainly spreading across Tamil Nadu (3457.5 MW), Maharashtra (1484.9 MW), Karnataka (849.4 MW), Rajasthan (469.9 MW), Gujrat (667.1 MW), Andhra Pradesh (121.8 MW), Madhya Pradesh (57.8 MW), Kerela (2 MW), West Bengal (1.6 MW), and other states (1.6 MW). The point is- as most investors move towards owning the power sectors, what completes the infrastructure page is whether the infrastructure owned for today is more important that for tomorrow or vice versa.

(Written when I was interning for Financial Express, Was to come on the infrastructure page)
dIKSHA gROVER

THE GAIN IN THE GAME

It should not be much of a surprise if zappak, virtualteenager, mybratz, marapets, etc have become the most used websites because of the number of users they cater to. The users constituting the huge population (of 90 million and above in the US alone) outnumber their elders in China (with 14 million users) and add into 2.8 million subscribed gamers in India. Today, children demand more and more luxuries, they have various choices and options, they deal and learn life-skills through easy cum virtual realities. The generation in focus here will not only outlast their elders biologically but is reshaping business- completely.

Global sales in the gaming sector in 2003, reached almost a $28 million profit. As compared to the 2008 sales, $30 billion is a figure that creates reasons to invest. According to ‘Got Game’ released by the Harvard Business School Press, ‘The planet of the rotting mind’ is a chapter that brings out some crucial details. With 145 million consumers and employees playing video games one way or the other, EU experienced reduced traditional games and toys by one third of the normal in just four years.

To name a few money-minting organizations, ESPN charges $29.95 per season of fantasy football or baseball. Sony’s ‘Ever Quest’ has 6,50,000 registered users who stay on line on an average of twenty-two hours a week. The number of hours put in as good as doing a part time job, just that, instead of getting paid, one has to pay a $13 a month. For the ‘creators’ that revenue incurred is $101 million annually. Similarly, sportsline dot com projects about $12 million in annual revenue from fantasy sports league alone.

In Angelina Jolie’s Tomb Raider, the concept of a supra-being (such as Lara Croft) proves to be one of the most loved games for the teens. For the fantasy loving and living teens, the power of being able to become a superhero is more psychological than practical. This field of business that caters to psychological be-coming from a ‘little’ Hank to a ‘world destroyer’ Hunk is not just booming but also profiting. Though the virtual realities are letting the unmarried get married to 3D Animated beings, but the point is- in the world of 24 million game boys selling at a rate of fire-flaming dragon ballz; do we invest or do we protest?

***Written as a report in FE (though it wasnt published)
dIKSHA gROVER

THE BUSINESS- 'STANDARD'

Question asked-
A break in the business cycle offers many young people the opportunity to take time out for education without forfeiting big bonuses and lucrative stock opinions. Do you agree with this assesment?

According to me-
As education itself becomes an ‘industry’ that imparts knowledge, a quick money maker prefers attaining the power of ‘in depth knowledge’ which in return becomes the generator of success. Something similar is happening with people who belong to the breaking business cycles, as these ‘breaks’ allow them to break into education. Moreover, big bonuses and lucrative stock opinions become much assured after the level three of their education. This concept further leads me to distill information from the statistics that say that there is a 33 percent increase of student applications in the B schools annually. After which came the concept of virtual teaching at NIIT Imperials, backed by the IIMs which gives various six months diplomas that help increase intersecting career opportunities in skew lined careers. With expanding market forces demanding more and more of education, the greed for more has become practically a need to excel today.

***written for Business Standard opinion while interning with FE, came on 14th May 2008 second last page, student opinions***
dIKSHA gROVER

HARYANA POTENTIAL FOR INVESTORS

After the MNCs were given the passport to be able to reap the utilitarian gains from the Indian market (through The New Industrial Policy of 2005), the proposal to set up 92 SEZs and investing almost 2 lakh crore into Haryana, is on the cards.

The location advantages, plus a good infrastructure, valued with an investor friendly climate, a pollution free environment and good living conditions (including clean law and order situations) have been the reasons to make Haryana become a sugary-syrup to attract ‘sweet gain’ companies. Perhaps being the reason for Reliance Industries and Limited to invest Rs. 40,000 crore all over Haryana & Unitech to invest Rs. 22,000 crore in Kundli. DLF on the other hand invests Rs. 26,000 crore in Gurgaon and Rs. 1950 crore in Ambala. But most of all, Reliance in collaboration with HSIIDC plans to establish a mega special economic zone using 25,000 acres of land in Gurgaon and Jhajjar districts giving employment to more than 20 lakh people.

Haryana being a home to some of the biggest company names among multinational companies like- Mitsubishi, Suzuki, Honda, GM, Skoda etc, no wonder Haryana has more than 50 per cent share in manufacturing passenger cars and two wheelers. These MNCs also manufacture almost 25 per cent of the overall three wheelers, tractors and trucks produced in India. Though companies such as ABB, Siemens, Nestle, Smithkline, JCB, Coca-Cola, Pepsi etc have been able to inflect the consumption pattern by literally foeticiding local brands- the LPG policy still helps in accumulating foreign exchange.

Mr. Birender Singh, the finance minister of Haryana, informed FE, that up till the end of the fiscal year of 2007-2008, 27 SEZ proposals were received with an investment of Rs. 33,762 crores. He added that inspite of all this HSIIDC has been designated as the nodal agency for development and infrastructure. However, it is in news to know that the corporation has acquired about 20,000 acres of land for the development of industrial estates, parks, new economic hubs, mega petrochemical hubs etc. Economic hubs on the Kundli-Maneswar-Palwal expressway are under implementation. Inspite of the Congress as the ruling Govt ‘the Hooda vs. the Bhajan Lal’ faction and the power shortage continue to create instabilities. Yet, according to the investors- Haryana is still the most ideal place to invest into.

***Written as a report in Financial Express (though it wasnt published)
dIKSHA gROVER

INTERNET YOUR T.V.

The Tata Sky and Dish Satellite Connections have most profoundly fluxed in spaces for mediated culture and TRP psyche, by captivating the Indian TV consumers through satellites. But, IPTV technology is one that re-adjusts the Tele-watching trend suiting to the consumers, the advertisers and the broadcasters through Internet Protocol (IP).

When asked what IPTV is to the Indian audience, Mr. K S Choudhary, MD of Aksh Optifibre Ltd said, “IPTV to India is what the PC is to the US. Around 70% of the functions that can be performed on the PC can be carried out on IPTV”.

The consumers can use the service in the most ‘interactive’ manner and that to with a click. The TV becomes a two way process, where the viewers can give their immediate advice to the dying drama queen on the Television. Rewinding and fast forwarding the ad is the added package into the consumers’ remote of powers. Plus, the Set top box allows immediate query clarification through the kbps service on the TV.

The advertisers boom is the “pull method” on the IPTV is to advertise where the revenue gets highly generated because ads can be stored in an unlimited space and time. Also, an advertiser for lack of funds or the absence of a pan India existence can choose a localized platform like the IPTV, serving the dual purpose of creating awareness and enhanced detailing supplying temptations into the hungry market.Hence, Broadcasters attract more advertisers as the potential for the average revenue per user (ARPU) on an IPTV. Broadcasters use a
particular airtime for audience specific advertising, thereby
generating more revenue.

Talking about internetting the television, it is certain that the ‘globalized world’ concept hits the market much stronger and harder but also spotlights the ‘world webbed’ philosophy. Huntington’s prediction ‘the clash of civilizations’ is surely out of bounds if only talked about civilizations in today’s world, because more than anything the “luxury” latest TV technology vs. the “in need” cabled-in TVs is sure enough to clash.

***Written when as a report when I was interning with F.E. (though it wasnt published)
dIKSHA gROVER

COMMON WEALTH DEVELOPMENTS

With the shinning network protesting against ‘snatching’ the farmer lands on the East bank of the river Yamuna, The Delhi Development Association is set on the task of building a new state-of-the-art Games Village with a focus on maximizing athlete comfort for the Common Wealth Games 2010.

The Prime Minister’s Office took stock of the progress made and advised all concerned to expedite matters. Some institutional arrangements made for infrastructure development for the common wealth games are- The Core Group of Ministers (GoM) headed by the minister of Youth Affairs and the Home Minister, Organizing Committee (OC) headed by the President, Indian Olympic Association, Community of Secretaries along with the sub community headed by the Chief Minister of Delhi. Where the Ministry of Tourism is addressing tourist accommodation (expecting a large influx of foreign visitors), the Organizing Committee is developing ‘sports event venue’ infrastructure on the whole.

In order to upgrade or create sports venue infrastructure a total sum of Rs.1000crore (± 10%) has been approved. Also, Rs.767crore (±15%) is seen as the input into the ‘conduct of games’. Moreover, the Rs.767crore is the Expenditure Finance Committee’s proposal to built DDA Game Village will be spread over an area of 63.5 hectare (158.4 acre). Plus the committee has set a proposal of Rs.257.41crore in order to upgrade and create training venues. The up gradation of the Tennis Venue by the All India Tennis Association has drawn Rs.80crore (±15%). However, distilling all these facts and figures, the ultimate aim is ‘to create a soothing and relaxing environment for all the tourists and residents to be able to enjoy the Common Wealth’.

Developing the IGI Airport, building the new 8 lane expressway from Delhi to Gurgaon, digging in the New Tunnel Project on the Yamuna bridge, constructing 10 new flyover, construction of various stadiums and complexes, taking Heritage preservations campaigns seriously are some reasons why the Common Wealth is looked up at as the reason- to be able to develop. However, looking up at the ‘commonness’ of wealth in this game, India for sure has some deadlines to keep up to, if those plus –minus figures are right.

***Written as a report for FE (though it wasnt published)
dIKSHA gROVER

Zara Khake,Thoda Pachake... Yeh Hai Dilli meri jaan!

The food in Delhi…
DOES IT ROCK? OR IS IT ROCK?
As I investigate (with HT-CITY food guide) into some of the most ‘yummiest’ joints around…


FLAMING MUSTARD, Vasant Kunj Market
‘Flaming Mustard’ is named so, because of its bright orange-yellowed atmosphere that makes you a tangy taster from a docile and sophisticated eater. The tables are light orange & saffron colored, which somehow, do not miss the absence of linen. The architecture is done in a very snow-style, where the entrances are divided into two. The windows zoom the outside view, bringing the busy-life alive inside. Proudly calling itself, ‘Family Gourmet Restaurant’; this restaurant specializes in all Italian cuisines. However, it serves moderate Chinese and Indian food as well. Much impressed with the sizes of the helpings, the Italian food proved to be tempting and also, delicious. Though, the smell had no role to play throughout the meal, my taste buds didn’t seem to deny the ‘Lasagna’ look. They say, best friends gift mustard sauces to each other; I’d gift a noon full of Italian delights to my friend.

ANGAN RESTAURANT (Delhi Tourism), Dilli Haat
The Delhi State Civil Supply Cooperation, (also called Aangan Restaurant) has most of the tempting chat-pat menu anywhere in Dilli Haat. With gol gappe and aloo ki tikkis and chats, this stall was supposed to be buzzing with people. However, this little food court has all sorts of ‘Dilli’ ki choices, yet it fails to grab the masale-dar taste buds of any eater. With food served in paper plates, the aloo tastes un-cooked and bland, the chatney has nothing spicy & the gol gappa water is tasteless and smelly. This ‘Aangan’ stands in the right-most corner of all the food stall entrance. It’s the stall, where old flowers are still hanging and lighting is done in a horizontal ‘z’ fashion. Though the linked Kulfi wale bhaiya can be seen from far away, the point is- Is it worth ‘the’ try?

ANANTHA RESTAURANT ( Kerela Tourism), Dilli Haat
There is nothing special about Anantha, except the food. The paper masala dosa is not just crispy but is also thin and easy to melt in the mouth. No other South Indian restaurant can match up to it’s masala. The payasam here is thin and more milky, unlike the Punjabi style of kheers. The light green banner of Anantha is not just visible from a distance but also speaks for it’s specialty in Keral food. Also, Kerela’s known fish food made in Rasam syrup, is worth dying for. If you’re out in Dilli Haat and missing out the doubly crisped vadas and the mouth-watering sambher, you’ve missed out ‘Anantha’ (pun intended)…

ALFRESCO (Nagaland Tourism), Dilli Haat
Delhi, rather Dilli, has never been so Naga-land before, with Alfresco offering the most ‘different’ platters from the very-many restaurant in Dilli Haat. One wants to experiment the food here repeatedly, not just for a single quick-bite but practically for the entire menu. The visible layers of the pork made me want to try it again and again to compliment or comment. Though, I’m not going to praise the food much, because Naga-food is also about setting one’s taste buds for it’s like. Interestingly, the concept of the wet and dry vegetables is based more on the smell(s) and taste(s), than by the looks. I do not recommend this place to all. But, I do recommend this place to all the food-adventurers, who could come and form a personal opinion(s) on the food. The décor however, is sleek.

DARBAR-E-AWADH (UP tourism), Dilli Haat
Darabar-E-Awadh, takes you into time, when meals were once called ‘royal feasts’. With Galawati Kababs crushed and layered on the plate, each bite of the fried keema, made me feel one step closer to heaven. Simply, the specialty of the kababs and biryanis elevate your senses. The UP and Lucknow-y food is a delight in Dilli’s Haat. At times, the smell may even drive you to walk opposite – in order to taste the irresistible. The food presentation, on the other hand, is highly a visual. With services of playing ‘Frisbee of plates’ with customers, it may become one of the reason to avoid the eatery.

GOLDEN DRAGON, Vasant Vihar Market
Golden Dragon has forever been known for its Chinese. It’s about time we realize that Golden Dragon literally rocks with sea food. Crab with ginger garlic sauces can compel you to eat even the shell! Cooked and garnished with the chef’s special salts, the coated crabs are not just magical, but they are magnetizing. The sweet corn soup is available with either chicken, veggies or crab meat; allowing a freedom of choice(s) to the eaters. The Date pancake, is however, one of the best desserts I’ve ever tasted. Served with Ice-cream, it makes the delicacy even more unavoidable! My experience in The Golden Dragon forces me to go and support the common cliché, of calling it “simply the best!”.

BIJOLLI GRILL ( West Bengal Tourism), Dilli Haat
And again, stall number 17, wants to be re-titled by HT city’s Eating Out as ‘one amongst the top three restaurants in Dilli Haat’. With fish-curry as the Bengali specialty, I happened to be one of the luckiest person, to get the last few pieces of fish. Not being too regionalist, this place was actually full of Bengalis. Moreover, the only waiter in the restaurant took orders in Bengali. Therefore, after listening & observing people around me, calling him ‘dada’ actually helped! However, the food was classic. Cooked in the most royal sauces, the fish melted in the mouth. Plus, the supremacy of the quality of fish is commendable. The quantity of rice was also pretty generous for an appetite. The food presentation however, was nominal. But most of all, the only advice I could give is, it being a Bengali restaurant, if you’re eager for sweets, you better be there on time!

ASSAM FOOD STALL,(Assam Tourism), Dilli Haat
I wonder why momos and fruit beers are just ‘special’ in the Assam Food Stall, Dilli Haat. After one bite into that yum chicken momo, the word is not ‘special’; it’s ‘greed’. No one can eat just one. Your mouth can go on watering and you keep ordering. Even the waiter kind of cooperates with your sudden ‘bad eating habits’ because you can openly watch, how normal eaters become gourmets, here. With the aromatic captivation of most of your senses, the Assam tea is worth a try. The purplish design of the kitchen, is pretty much exclusive. The dark green banner of ‘Assam Food Stall’ is visible from far away. If you haven’t tried this stall, I don’t blame you completely. Maybe you’re a vegetarian, or maybe… you’re just missing away all the fun.

HASH, PVR Priya Complex, Vasant Vihar
The restro-bar, Hash, is a cool hangout place for teenagers mostly to disco & drink and does not much however, serve as an eating joint. During the day time, in spite of people hardly being there, the retro music plays to full blast. With an absolutely normal style in the preparation of food, there wasn’t much difference in the Malai Kofta I have at home and here. As a matter of fact, even the fried vegetables were more salad-like than fried. I don’t seem to appreciate the food at all. Perhaps it is the free entries for girls in the disc, the subsidized couple entries and the better offers at drinks that brings to Hash, the reason why it shouldn’t close down now.

ARABIAN NITES, PVR Priya Complex, Vasant Vihar
Lebanese food in Priya Complex is a washout of vision. The laziz tandoori items that can be smelled quite some distance, are a great way to catch the attention of hungry movie-watchers. Arabian Nites is a place with nominal price tags on bland yet marinated chicken that becomes luscious with every bite. However, the showrmas are better off. Considerably much more handy and much more spiced, the showrmas are more in business than grilled chicken. Grilled Chicken on the other hand is served with Khubuz (Lebanese bread) and Humus (Chicken and peas dip). Paneer tikkas are also available on request for vegetarians. With free home delivery this place runs till half an hour to midnight. Sufficing the need for two people in a go, hundred and forty for half a plate of grilled chicken isn’t a bad deal at all…What say?

CHOKO- LA, PVR Priya Complex Vasant Vihar
For the Mayars ‘choko-la’ meant- the food of goods. Offering juices, smoothies, hot & cold drinks, Italian breakfast, sweets, dessert collections, tea platters, soups, salad & sandwiches, bigger bites and finally chocolate lexicons on its menu; it is much more than a task (in itself) to decide what you want to eat/drink. With such a lot of choices in a ‘confusing’ menu, the choices thin down to perhaps- the specialty. Chocolates here are unavoidable, irresistible, unimaginable and also undeniable. The choice of music in this five star is pretty much Italian. Just like the style of furniture, uniform of the waiters, the bathroom fittings, and so much so, that most people in here are mostly-Italians. From the customers to the producers it’s Italiano-Indiano. Maybe that’s what helps India to get even more diverse!

ALPHA SPICE, Pussa Road
Alpha Spice follows a different style of serving their Indian and Chinese cuisines available, which becomes one of the most interesting things about this restaurant. They offer heavy Indian delicacies for breakfast and dinner, and the Chinese preparations make your lunch. It’s a combination of good food at an affordable price .A big portion of the heavenly crisp potato sticks deliciously coated with honey and chilly make a good head start to an enjoyable meal. While the various other main course meals are served satisfactorily. The main attraction of the restaurant appears to be its décor with its bright and attractive interiors. Also, a special mention needs to be made of its unique multi-square sectioned tables displaying an assortment of real spices, done up quite creatively. It is a rather amusing way of symbolically coordinating it to the name of the restaurant…Alpha SPICE!
-by Nupur Lamba

KADAI TADKA, Rajinder Nagar
Kadhai – Tadka, the restaurant, as the name suggests serves a variety of Indian dishes .Accompanying it would be a few common Chinese dishes for someone who does not want to indulge into a heavy Indian meal. It offers dishes like Hariyali Murg Tikka and Kadhai Tadka Murg, cooked in a number of Indian herbs and tasting average. The service, slows down the tempo of the restaurant even more. In my experience, the facilities and the food had nothing to be reviewed about. As it reflected, that it was made for the heck of the money. The ambience is monotonous and customary which makes the entire experience far from exceptional. It could just be called a place for the ones who eat to live and not for the ones who live to eat!
-by Nupur Lamba

BAITHAK,East Patel Nagar
The Baithak is a Mughlai food eatery. The place is congested and cramped. However, the Baithak’s Chicken Shiraz is ideal as a Chicken curry. The Perfect blend of salts and spices bring out it’s royal aroma. Also, the seekh kababs are uneven and slender, made from the handmade tandoor. The taste is extravagant. It makes finger-liking good mughlai food. There are many mughlai restaurants in Delhi, but only few can match upto the real Mughlai style of cooking. One thing is for sure, The shah rule did leave back a great history in the field of diverse Indian foods; practiced by all preached by a few.

CHASKAH, Rajouri Garden
Chaskah, as the name suggests is a convenient bar. It serves food most popular with liquor. In Rajouri Garden, Chaskah’s immediate attraction is the big-long mustached guard on duty outside (who does the evening duty most of the time). This bar is different in design and better lighted than most other bars. The food presentation is absolutely amazing here. With salad roses cut next to your crispy honey chicken very delicately, the food here is worth the wait. Though, the deserts here are pretty nominal, the experience altogether was also a was a lot more better. For all those Snack freaks out there-this is your place to be with the rocks!

DHABA-THE PUNJABI THEME, Rajouri Garden
Initially I thought it was a real truck till I could see it half embedded into the wall. The Dhaba’s USP is something which really takes care of their eaters’ memory shades. With the waiters dressed in the jat-punjabi- manner, Speaking to them was also about doing it in the Punjabi accent. Much impressed, I waited for the reshami kababs to present themselves, but before that the lassi came up. Pretty small a portion- for its priced value, the lassi was simply like sweet milk. However, the Specialty of Dhaba ‘the makhan panner’, did not disappoint me at all. Inspite of being a Punjabi myself, it was one of the best and most delicious Punjabi Makhan Panner that I’ve ever eaten. The Dhaba-the Punjab Theme, in Rajouri garden is a must for anyone who believes in eating it, in the Punjabi way.

GYAN’S, East Patel Nagar
The Gyan is a dhaba-converted-restaurant, in the lay man language. The most amusing aspect about the Gyan is that it brings its customers through a ‘black’ door entry. However, the mock tails here which are different from any other mock tails present anywhere else in Delhi, working on the concept of- all that glitters is not gold. For eg, when I ordered “pink” lady (a pomegranate and an orange citrus juice) the color was no where pink, orange or even yellow. It was a surprising light green! However, the food here is ‘moderate’ in all respects. As mentioned previously, the food here isquite the dhaba type, confined to only day to day eating. The Gyan in the East Patel Nagar, is a joint that can replace mom’s absence to one day of so called ‘eating out’.

THE KRISHNA RESTAURANT, Sarojini Nagar
The Krishna restaurant in Sarojini Nagar, is another sarojini shop that apart from selling common sarojini items, sells food. Though, bargaining on food here is strictly prohibited. With momos, Chinese, Indian(South and North) and sandwiches being offered here, vegetarian food is the genre .Also becasue most of Sarojini eating joints offer primarily only vegetarian foods. It is street food that has gained maximum popularity and therefore places like Krishna run on the fuel of ‘chattar-pattar’ food items. Krishna serves some yum sandwiches and alright south Indian foods. But, food perceptions may differ with differently set taste buds!

LAKSHWADEEP FOOD STALL, Dilli Haat
Lakshwadeep Food Stall in Dilli Haat, offers some of the most well-marinated, well-cooked and the most supreme quality of fish. With a vey sea-effect (through its banner) and with a very apt colour to the umbrellas, an eater remains confused to whether he/she is in lakshwadeep (by any chance), eyeing into other’s fish. However, the quantity of fish served is very limited and delicious. One of the reason why the eater gets restless in the middle of the meal, is because he/she has to order more; due to the less portion served. Though the portion of Appam Fish curry is too little (even for a single person); the fish curry is most deliciously cooked. While my only complaints are with quantity, quality is un-objectionable.

MAHAK RESTAURANT, Sarojini Nagar
Mahak Restaurant, By the Jarkhand Tourism, in Dilli Haat stands as stall no. 8. It offers various Jharkhand specialties. The Chicken Afghani Tikka was satisfactory but, the lassi was a refreshing drink. The gol-gappe ka pani was not hygienic at all. One of the customers stood their complaining about a mosquito in it. The service is seemingly alright, but the matching of the price to food is done up quite wrong. It was sad to see the un-interested people in the Jharkhand stall, maybe because, there was nothing too special in the food. Nothing from there could be called a ‘specialty’. To conclude, it just stands there as stall no. 8 waiting for people to come.

MAHARASHTRA FOOD STALL, Dilli Haat
Maharashtra Food stall in Dilli Haat is all about feeling ‘Mumbai-kar’. The real fun behind eating here is the meal-cum-snack dishes. The small servings of food are the kinds that make you further more hungry after every ‘meal’ you order. The problem is not the quantity and definitely not the quality, the problem here is the things on menu. A Pav Bhaji or a Bhel Puri is definitely not the end of a gourmet’s meal- so, you go on ordering more and more. The Shrikhand here is served with puris but can be eaten as a sweet-dish as well (on request). On the whole, the food eaten here is quite satisfactory yet not enough.

MANIPUR RESTAURANT, Dilli Haat
The Manipur Restaurant is one of the most clean food stalls in Dilli Haat. It has a greenish aura that creates a very ‘light’ environment for the eaters. The Veg Thupka is a delicacy here. Somehow, the Manipuri taste buds are highly susceptive to perfect blend of spice and salt. The thick viscous thupka soup is not just yummm but also irresistible. Also, the Yen Angonba (the dry fried chicken) is a complete package of a delicious starter. The most amazing thing about the Manipur food stall is the prompt service. This food stall in Dilli Haat aims at Manipur’s delights served on one plate.

MOHAN SWEETS AND FAMILY RESTAURANT, Sarojini Nagar
Sarojini Nagar is a sight, if ever observed. And what better a sight would you expect if you’re in the middle of the market eating chowmein from the Mohans? As much as entangled are the eatable spiced up ‘chinese’ noodles, the view outside is something much alike. It’s a place where one can stop by to count the number of notes left, to re-check on the shopping bags and also to re-energize one self. Somehow, quite unfortunately, Mohan’s delights are nothing out of the blue. It’s lay and highly common. Also, there is nothing special about the food. All that makes this place special is the way it is located between shops and ‘the’ things.

RAJASTHANI FOOD STALL, Dilli Haat
Rajasthani food had never been so original before. For me, the Rajasthani food stall earns it’s repute for its well supervised and prompt services and also for its excellence of food. Though the sequence of the order was wrong and opposite, I enjoyed the re-winded meal. Starting with, Matka Kulfi, and then Dal-Bati & chorma, finally followed by Moong Cheela, I was amazed with the variety of good-food. The dal bati chorma came along with three other veggies, which literally gave the meaning of existence to the bati. The Moong Cheela was far away from what I expected it to be, though it looked much like what I had expected it to look like. To conclude, if you’ve unable to try the matka–kulfi at this joint apart from other things of your choice, as a reviewer’s suggestion- Please do try it!

SHILLONG FOOD STALL, Dilli Haat
Shillong View, the Meghalaya Tourism food-stall, in Dilli Haat is basically a Tibetan joint. It caters more to a Tibetan food appreciator than to a Chinese food lover. The momos here are pretty juicy, though the red- spicy sauce is not worth the mention. The thukpas and the other Tibetan cuisines smell strong and tempting. Though, the Spicy Chicken with Onion rings is also worth the chew on. However, the chicken quality is more appreciated than the way it is cooked. Also because, it is cooked in a very ordinary fashion and therefore it has nothing extra-ordinarily exciting that could stimulate the taste buds. I would just call it a meal at a food stall.

SIKKIM FOOD STALL, Dilli Haat
The Sikkim Food stall, is one of my favorites. In Dilli Haat, the Sikkim food stall, prepares mostly sikkimese food, but the food is cooked very well. The Mixed Sikkimese Noodles are the best, out of all the Sikkimese joints I’ve tried. Though the fried mutton here, is only alright. However, the entire meal was very filling and in good proportions. Another set of stand-outs were- the Sikkimese idols that stood outside the food stall. Made with crane and black-polymer, these definitely became another attraction for the stall, apart from the food.

TANDORI NITES, Sarojini Nagar
Tandoori Nites in the Ring Road Market in Sarojini Nagar, gets added into my lists of favorites. With butter chicken that can tempt you to change the order of half plat to full, with shahi panner that can lure you to go over-budget, and with hot and juicy chicken tikkas to come into your dreams- This place is irresistible. The services here are prompt and are very efficient. The tandoor wale bhaiya is an absolute professional at his work. He makes rotis, serves tikkas to people and at the same time does the other work of this dhaba. Most amazingly, the food is also delicious. It’s been a great experience to be here, while I’m just going to hang on and wait for you to share yours with me.

BABOO SHAHI BAWARCHIWALA, Pragati Maidan
Baboo Shahi Bawarchiwala, near Matka Pir, in the Pragati Maidan, served me with different kinds of rolls. First was a single roll with kababs. The second was a double roll with egg and kababs & the third was a ‘special’ roll with special chutneys and kababs. Somehow, I don’t think that I got the chance to open my eyes, and understand the taste. They were, well in one word- addictive. I usually thought that the best food is priced the highest till I tried the Rs. 16 kabab rolls at Pragati Maidian. This place however is not very safe for girls, or as a matter of fact any individual alone. In groups and in bigger circles, the taste of kababs and rumali rotis is not just enjoyed quietly, but shared amongst jokes and laughs.

THE BANGLA FOODS PVT LTD, Bangla Sahib Marg
The Bangla Sweets on the Bangla Sahib Marg, is a restaurant trying to match up the food items of Haldiram, Bikanerwala and Aggarwals. Most of these food chains offer the real Indian food and are primarily vegetarian. Therefore, this food joint is able to grab a lot many vegetarian food eaters that buy only ‘their taste’. However, the thali here is very delicious and is cooked in the absolute Indian tadka. Moreover, the portion is big enough for a single person’s meal. The naans are very well cooked in the tandoor and make an enjoyable meal. To conclude, Bangla Food has a stand-up quality and affords many customers. With food being ready to cooked in the style you want it as- Hot-Spicy and Indian.

THE BHARATIYAM, Pragati Maidan
The Bharatiyam is the only restaurant in Pragati Maidan food city that is ready to offer the eaters whatever they wish to eat. With a fixed menu and with fixed stalls for each type of food, this was the only restaurant I wish to come back to, ever. The red USP is the clearest indication to its being. Bhartiyam works on the principle of self service yet the people, most smilingly are ready to offer any kind of help. Also, the banner is much visible from miles apart. The food however, is not to die for. It is not exceptional and definitely not special. It works the best with day to day of eating. It offers the kind of food that would really run had I come during the time of auto-expo, because then, this place would have been the only place for a ‘good and satisfying food’ vegetarian.

THE DHABA XPRESS, Gole Market
The Dhaba Xpress, on the Gole Market, has absolutely no characteristics of a restaurant. A clammed up area maintaining a moderate amount of hygiene, it has a prompt service with friendly faces to look forward to. The main dishes, be it butter chicken or kadhai paneer, seem to have the same base curry with no particular difference. More oily per say but passable with its nominal pricing it caters to once in a while eating. The butter chicken was bad in quality along with a very stiff and chewy chicken, pretty much uncooked. The part most looked forward to was the when the bill was served with a plateful of colorful saunf.
-By Naam Chakroborty

EMPEROR’S LOUNGE, The Taj Mahal Hotel
Emperor’s Lounge, as the name suggests is a little café near the waiting hall inside the Taj Mahal Hotel. Offering large and crispy looking chocolate chip cookies in the typical cookie jars, is a brilliant way of tempting the hungry. Also, the cheese pastry called ‘the marble cheese cake’ is heavy and quite filling. Transparent windows and cabinets blushing with truffles and mouse, the increasing hunger rate doubles immediately. Taj has forever known to be a stand out in terms of food and quality, being a five star. For me, they’re smart little money makers who now how to get it right from the pockets of the over-loaded.

THE FAMILY DELIGHT, Pragati Maidan
The family delight is a Mother Dairy restaurant. Initially, I wanted to order Cholle Kulche, unfortunately they were no more a part of the menu. Next I wanted to try the Pizza. Well, it was over. Next I wanted to try bhel puri and it was ‘supposed’ to be striked out of the menu. By the end, I sat down to eat what they could offer and what I could ‘possibly’ eat. With a cheese tomato sandwich, Mother Dairy lassi & the Mother Dairy chillz cone I went staright outside the stuffy and horribly heated restaurant, never to return again. Later on, when I was standing outside the restaurant did I understand the real meaning of monopoly inside the food city of Pragati Maidain. Maybe- that is why, Mother Dairy is much-much better in milk products than in restaurant business.

GALINA, Gole Market
Gole Market and Galina are inseparable. The fact that both the names start with ‘G’, is not just a co-incident. The Seekh Kabab rolls are highly simple and bland but somehow, allows the tongue to go ga-ga over the creations. Along with that the Panner tikka is soft and cut through. It nicely makes a place in your mouth and allows itself to melt like butter. Spices like garam masala and black pepper are sprinkled over the panner to allow even a better taste. However, the place is cramped and small. Spider webs are visible from a distance. More-over, the place being absolutely crowded at all times, it becomes hot and stuffy inside, with an attached kitchen. But as far as the co-incidence is concerned, it’s only because Gole Market is famous for Galina and vice versa.

GOURMET’S SHOPPE, The Oberoi
Oberoi is a five star that aims for perfection. The Interiors of Oberoi are not just absorbing but also stylish. The gourmet’s shoppe was under renovation when tried to be reviewed, however, the cooperative staff allowed food from the gourmet shoppe to be packed from the common kitchen. Specializing in pastries and continental sweets, the chocolate doughnut was chocolaty and very soft. The chocolate chip muffins was also the result of a very soft dough, later on baked in the chocolate sauces. However, not much was available. There was something absolutely different about the particulars of sweets offered here. Probably that most of the sweets were priced Rs. 55 and came from the “Oberoi’s”.

HOUSE OF MING, The Taj Mahal Hotel
‘The Taj Mahal Hotel’. The name itself speaks about ‘priced for quality’. The House of Ming in the Taj, is one amongst the top names in the field of creating an ultimate. Around five minutes of stay, compelled me to re-think if I was In India or somewhere in China, because this Chinese restaurant has the best ever ambience I have seen as far as of now. The food was extremely expensive but not THE best. However, the food was delightful and most ethically served. After the ambience it’s the service that is highly commendable. The pomfret sustained the greatest amount of the appreciation followed by the fried apple rings with Vanilla ice-cream. Though the shredded lamb was not too exclusive, it was delicious and simple like the Vegetable Noodles. The House of Ming is a place that can apprehend you to come again and again, but for a reviewer, it is not ‘the’ best for Chinese food.

OCCASIONS, Pragati Maidan
Occasions, as the name suggests is a place that works selectively during an occasion. This restaurant is an enterprise of a catering service. Also, they own a banquet hall where they do the catering in Pragati Maidan. This was the only food stall that offered non-veg anywhere else in Pragati Maidan food city. It was depressing to see no seating arrangement for the eaters, however, the nearby Mahatma Gandhi statue’s staircases do the honors to help the tired feet. With various persons to make either chicken rolls or chillas or even bread omelets in the outside, the hygiene is under supervision and therefore the quality is not looked at doubt. However, the food is very gingery and very subsidized in taste. Occasions, on the whole has nothing occasioned about it.

THE COCOA BY BELGIQUE, Select city Walk-Saket
The Cocoa By Blegique is one of the most sensational restaurants in terms of décor that I have seen as far as of now. Though in Select City Walk it is not a very big place, it is certainly done up most exquisitely. The bar looks attractive and appealing with various kinds of wines and champagnes kept in the most stylish manner. However, coming down to food, the chef’s special spicy chicken wings were nothing out of the blue. Tried and tested in many other places, it is not ‘exclusive’. Moreover, the Non-Veg Pasta here is also, pretty cliché in the world of Italian food. But, meat balls in barbeque sauce is something different in taste. According to the food served, I would call this place, over-priced. For all those people who fall just for the ‘looks’ and the ‘standard’ of select city mall, this might just be their kind of place, if they are ready- not to negotiate with the price.

With practically 38 restaurants covered...It's really upto the eaters to create standards, while reviewers give out their scores and ranks to the eateries....
out of all that i have reviewed, these would be my favourites,

Chinese-Golden Dragon, Vasant Vihar
Italian/ European-Flaming Mustard, Vasant Kunj
Tandoori food- Galina, Gole Market
Spicy Indian(Veg)- Bangla foods, Bangla Sahib Marg
Spicy Indian(Non-Veg)-Baboo Shahi Bawarchiwala, Pragati Maidan
Momos- Assam Food Stall, Dilli Haat
Street Chinese- Sikkim Food Stall, Dilli Haat
Chocolate specialties- Choko-la, Priya Complex

These are the places who recieve the food-oscars..but wait a minute, where are you off to? ...or did i just here you're going for luch?...and inviting me too...sure! let's go & review!!!

by dIKSHA gROVER

FILM REVIEWS

Some films grow up with us. They mature along with our understandings. This week I recommends three films, three great pieces of art, which will forever grow old with their viewers…


MAQBOOL
Vishal Bharadhwaj’s version of Shakespeare’s Macbeth; this film won a lot of critic appreciation. Macbeth meets Godfather in present-day Bombay. The Scottish tragedy is set in the contemporary underworld of India’s commercial capital. Two fortune telling policemen (Om Puri and Naseeruddin Shah) take the role of the weird sisters and ‘Duncan’ is played by Pankaj Kapoor. There are a number of sequences that are well executed to such an ‘action’ effect. The contemplation of the protagonist after killing Abbaji & the anguish of the guilt ridden woman (Tabu) who begins to see blood stains on the wall are some of the most intriguing scenes. Though the film failed to entice much of the Indian audience, it has undoubtedly won 5 prestigious awards. I recommend it as a MUST WATCH.


THE THIN BLUE LINE
Errol Morris's unique documentary dramatically re-enacts the crime scene and investigation of a police officer's murder in Dallas. Murdering Robert W. Wood during a traffic stop; a 16 year old, David Ray Harris proves his innocence by leading the police to the car driven from the scene of the crime, in order to recover a revolver he identified as the murder weapon and subsequently identified a 28-year-old Ohio resident, Randall Dale Adams as the murderer. However, Adams was charged with the crime despite the better evidence against Harris as only Adams could be sentenced to death under Texas law. The film was marketed as "nonfiction" rather than as a documentary. It has won 7 awards & 4 nominations. I recommend this documentary to any individual ready to make some changes.


THE FILM CLASS
Uri Rosenwaks came to Rahat, ( Israel’s Negev Dessert ) to teach film making to a group of Bedouin women. When the Director first started working with the group, he had no knowledge of the Bedouin kidnappings in Africa by Arab slave traders, and how they were auctioned-off in Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Zanzibar & thats how, 50 years ago, the Black Bedouins were enslaved by the White ones. But when he did, he along with his newly trained group worked up their nerves to make a film telling the history of Black Bedouins. In the course of making this film, a great taboo came into the open. The women still suffering discrimination to this day unveil a story in which only few, who dared, have spoken. I recommend this documentary to all who are proud of being born in the world of ‘equality’ yet are being ‘measured’ daily.


(The same article was written for DU beat, for the 19th February issue)

Dude...It's da FOOD!

When the classes are called off, or the shrill bell for the coffee break rings through the corridoors, the siren for chai time masti also called the 'break time' begins. That's where- our dear readers, we end up in the Cafe, Canteen, Dhaba and the Kolbas...(well, are there any kolbas in DU?). One goes there all pooped out, eager to gorge on good food, talk laugh and unwind. But have you ever wondered putting that yum samosa or that mouth watering (slurp!) butter-chicken piece in your mouth- that maybe somewhere, it is unhygienic? Well, actually the fact of the hour is that it is not just unhygienic but also unhealthy. With bird Flu presiding over Delhi’s multi cuisine atmosphere (which is mostly non veg!), we can no longer shrug it off, it is a serious problem.


The students, ofcourse, cannot do without eating at all, and so, seem to compromise with the quality of the food. The unhygenic conditions in which the way the food is cooked, the utensils and spoons rinsed with just plain water, use of stale vegetables,etc, seem to be one of the common grievences in most colleges. Rats, most shockingly , have been spotten, having a gala in the kitchens, rolling in the flour bags and feeling at "home". Amused students refer to their canteen as "the rat-teen" and others wince at the very thought of these unwanted guests. Lot of canteens do not have proper lighting system and are actually quite dirty. When it comes to food, some students suggest that healthy food should be provided. Some canteens like in Gargi do not have proper "thali" system, where one can have a full meal instead of eating junk . "Fruits , if possible , should be provided, so that we dont have to keep running off to nearby markets to buy them !" Proper seating arrangement is also important, and the canteen should, necessairly be, well ventilated. Good ambience and the inviting food tickles the taste buds of the one and sundry.


The primary reason why famished students still queue up in the canteen against their better judgements is because there aren't any better one's around. “Where else do we go when there are no canteens! We have an economical canteen that mints for being a monopoly! ” .With such exclamations coming from students all over Delhi, inspite of the eating area usually suffering either cleanliness or fresh food crisis, students end up having “no-other-option”. The consequeces result in food poisioning, vomitting, diarrohea, or even something as serious as typhoid. A no-win situation, eh?


It is sad that even though we are aware of the repercussions and that more than anyhting, it is our RIGHT to deserve good, healthy, clean food, we still turn a blind eye towards it.It’s time to rise and demand either cleanliness or infrastructure or demand a complete shut of a not properly functioning canteen. It’s hard but atleast it’s safe.Venkey college students complaint against the sad state of their canteen, which later got cleaned up on the Principles orders.


Regular inspection of the canteen staff should be done. It is, us, the students who need to be aware and active. We need to be able to speak up and speak out if we are denied something we deserve. Cliche's, one feels, is indespensible at times! "Prevention is better than cure", i say!

-dIKSHA gROVER & Aditi Sharma (written for DU Beat)