flying low cost- 2

with low cost carriers a dime a dozen,the traveller has truly become the king.referred to as udipi restaurants of the aviation industry by captain gopinath of air deccan,there is going to be a lot of dogfight up in the air.

civil avaition minster,praful patel, has recently said that domestic air passenger traffic will grow at 50% per annum and international travel at 25% per annum.indigo,a low cost carrier, had placed orders for 100 airbuses(A 320),during last year's aviation show in paris.these are phenomenal growth rates and massive investments will have to be made in the infrastructure to cope up with the increased air traffic.the good news is that more of our airports are getting upgraded,and private capital is being brought in to quickly and efficiently cater to this boom.the bad news is that with a scorching growth rate like this, it may just not be enough.number of tourists visiting india has also shown an increasing trend and it augurs well for the low cost airline industry.

besides the major trunk routes,the low cost airlines are having services between smaller towns e.g. coiambatore/madurai/trichy etc. air travel has become affordable which was hitherto unthinkable.

the low cost airlines are airlines which cut out the frills and ply their aeroplanes on a bare-bones basis with the objective of safely and economically carrying passengers from one destination to another.there are different business models for these carriers being practised.single passenger class(no business class),same type of aircraft(reduction of inventory of spares and maintenance costs),simple fare scheme(fare goes up as the aircraft fills up and nearer the day of travel),unreserved seating (encouraging air travellers to board the flight early),early morning and evening flights and quicker turnaround times(reduced airport landing and other charges),sale of tickets over the internet to reduce agency commission costs,employees performing multiroles as i saw on air deccan,paid for in-flight(food and drinks add to the revenue) and bold fuel-hedging programmes. most of our domestic low cost carriers build in in their business models most of the above cost reduction steps to keep a healthy bottomline.

inspite of many of these cost reduction measures, air deccan has racked up losses and lost about rs 6oo crores so far.and for sure other lc airlines are also bleeding.but then,if they have the right model and are able to gather critical mass interms of passenger load factor they have a pretty good chance of reducing the high cash-burn and lower yields.they then have a good chance of getting into the black and remaining there for long and reap the benefits. but then with new players jumping into the fray, the airline that will win will be one that has a reliable on-time performance,good and competent people at all levels,and one that uses modern technology across the board.

by making flying affordable for the common man,these airlines are developing the market.also with rising expendable income,lifestyle changes are taking place.travelling by train is time consuming.therefore there is a preference for air travel.it is no more a luxury but a necessity.more children,senior citizens and tourists are taking to the air.

some of the these airlines have started charter services,helicopter on demand and their own cargo arm.to tap the air cargo business.jet airways,kingfisher and goair have all announced their plans of starting their own cargo extensions.

surprisingly, there is a lowcost aircarrier which has turned the conventional business model upsidedown on its head.our low cost carriers can learn a few lessons from shaheed k abbasi of pakistan's airblue.in what way is it different from other low cost airliners? it serves piping hot meals on all its flights,has dual class seating arrangements,sells tickets at 40% discount to full service carriers(fsc) and as the date of travel comes closer, the fare may have gone up 30% over the price charged by the fscs.airblue has zero debt on its books and all initial fleet expansion will be funded by internal accruals.it has one third of the marketshare in pakistan in three years after commencement.abassi believes that "you need a happy customer and not just a price conscious one.people associate travelling with hot meals and we realised that serving food was necessary".abbassi has applied to fly to india. if the visa and other issues are sorted out,he sees scope for 20 flights a day between india and pakistan.

the fscs are not just sitting and sucking their thumbs.low cost carriers are a serious threat to their profitability and future viability.most of them have launched frequent flyer programmes,and other loyalty programmes to keep their customers in their flock.discounted fares are also available on these airlines as well.on some days on certain routes you might find them even cheaper than the low cost carriers.there is going to be a free for all among the lccs and the fscs.ultimately it is the customer who will be the king.

flying low cost-1

gone are the days when indian airlines ruled the roost.and dominated the indian skies.there are a plethora of low-cost airlines operating in the country today.air deccan,spice jet,go air,paramount and many others.this has resulted in a drop in air-fares across the board.a bonanza for many who had never dreamt of travelling by air due to its prohibitive cost.the credit for this unique and pioneering effort must go to captain gopinath of air deccan.he is committed to bring the indian skies within the reach of the common man.

having heard a lot about these low-cost aircarriers,i decided last month to travel to chennai and back by air deccan.some of my friends advised me not to indulge in such bravado.i had indeed heard reports of the regular delay in air deccan flights and their sloppy groundlevel handling.yet,to get a feel of a lowcost airline, i decided to go against the common wisdom. of course i was getting a huge kick, as i was travelling on a cheap ticket.

as expected,the flight to chennai was delayed by 2 hours.and it was a latenight flight.and the whole situation was badly managed by the air deccan staff.no announcements.and with hardly any air deccan staff on the ground it was chaos.and when they did announce the boarding, all hell broke loose.in air deccan flights there are no reserved seats.you get them on first come first serve basis.there was a mad stampede when the gate was opened and when the bus arrived to take the passengers to the aircraft.thankfully,after the passengers settled down,there was some peace.

the onboard announcement by the steward was clear and informative.the aircraft was a new leased aircraft but more seats than a normal airbus.hence very little legroom.as the passenger load factor was less you invariably had an empty seat next to you.what you don't get longitudinally you get laterally.less legroom and more elbowroom.also there is no food service on air deccan flights.though you could buy sandwiches and drinks as in low cost american carriers.like in international flights you can shop on board.the onboard staff conduct an auction of some imported items like watches,sunglasses,cufflinks,belts&purse et etc.there is a fixed minimum price and the target price is also mentioned.you can bid for your selected article at a price starting from the minimum price.i bid for the minimum price for the shades and belt purse set.and got them.

on the whole,it was not an unpleasant experience.though the delay did upset me as it was a late-night flight.would i recommend air deccan to my friends? yes,if you want to save some money and are prepared to put up with delays and the pushing and jostling.but if your family is accompanying you, you would do well to keep away from air deccan till they improve their groundlevel passenger handling and servicing.

like someone said when the yelling and pushing was going on before we boarded the flight,"after all you get what you pay".

painting on the peshwas

shravan gopal gurav of pune exhibited his paintings at the leela during the end of last month.the paintings depicted the lives of the peshwas who ruled in the western region after the death of shivaji's son shambaji. the peshwas were well educated and deeply religious. they managed the maratha empire(1674-1818) which extended from the north of india right upto the karnataka and tamil regions extremely well and thwarted many attempts of the mughals to make inroads into southern india..

after shambaji's murder in the hands of the mughals,the peshwas who were playing an advisory role to the king started playing a dominant role.bajirao(1721-1740) was one of the first peshwas to rule over the empire.he was responsible for many social reforms during his reign.in 1818 the peshwas surrendered to the british and the curtain came down on the rule of the peshwas. in 1828 there was an inexplicable fire in the palace fort in shanivar wada which was built by bajirao peshwa in 1730.

four generations of peshwas resided in the luxurious stately mansions in shanivar wada that was built by bajirao.it was also the place where romance,intrigue, plotting and politics played a big part in causing the downfall of the peshwas.however,the peshwa rule was a glorious chapter in the annals of indian history.

peshwas belonged to the brahmin community and genetically unequipped to take over the reigns of power.by a combination of circumstances they were literally left with no choice. how was their rule? were they benevolent rulers? were they fair in their dealings.did they do a good job of consolidation and expansion of their kingdom or did they like many other kings fritter away their territories to the capricious enemies by forgetting their main task and indulging in sports,games, music and sex? all this should make interesting reading for those who are fond of history.

can you bank on them?

our bank staff are a privileged lot.they earn fat salaries.and numerous perks. we don't grudge it.but when it comes to work they shirk.they are absolutely unconcerned of the difficulties that their customers would have to face when they strike work or take too many continuous holidays; official and personal.the personal preceding the official holidays and the strike following the official holidays.it is a long continnum.nobody cares that they have not participated in the rally.neither they nor their unions who give such irrresponsible calls.in october the public sector banking staff enjoyed 13 holidays in all,the maximum being the continuous holidays during diwali.

oct1 mahanavami,oct2 gandhi jayanti as well as dussera,oct6 lakshmi puja,oct7 valmiki jayanti,oct8 sunday,oct15 sunday,oct20 naraka chathurthi,oct21 deepavali,oct22 sunday,oct24 bhai bij,oct25 ramzan,oct27 all india strike,oct29 sunday.

the unions are against mergers,privatisation,manpower rationalisation and introduction of modern technology which will reduce costs and make the banks more efficient.they are not customer or service oriented.they want more salaries and perks.last year the government was pressurised by these same tactics to agree for pension for a large number of state bank of india employees.thus putting the extra financial burden on the exchequer.where will all this money come from? obviously you and me.

even though there is now competition from foreign banks and independent domestic banks the public sector bank employees are just not bothered.

at the same time the private banks have also not shown the zeal to reduce service charges and be more customer focussed.they are constantly looking at their bottomlines.they are quite impersonal while dealing with their accountholders.

perhaps this is a manifestation of the culture all round the world.banks and insurance companies do not seem to have a friendly face.banks are fair weather friends.when you or your company is in trouble your bank will not come to your rescue. and when you have taken out a medical claims policy and need your medical expenses to be reimbursed by the insurance company you will find them giving you 100 reasons why the money cannot be paid.

as you grow older you need a friendly bank and a friendly insurance company.insurance companies try to remain away from the older people as they do not want to take a hit so soon.if you have not been wise to take insurance policies when you were young and started earning,you are likely to get no help at all in the form of insurance cover when you are 50+.the moral of the story is that you should choose your bank judiciously and take the right insurance policies at the right time.that is possibly the best that you could do.

chhat puja and cattle worship ("boolatrie")

on the sixth day after divali,'chhat puja' is performed mostly by the people of west bihar.it is worship of the sun god in the morning and in the evening.standing waist deep in the ganges river,the lifeline of bihar, or any big waterbody,arghya(water) is offered to the sungod thanking him for the good harvest and consequent prosperity that he has bestowed. 'chhathi maiya' is invoked and also worshipped along with surya bhagavan.the people of bihar do this puja with great devotion and fervour. the 'chhat puja' has spread to other states as well like up,assam,west bengal and orissa and even to nepal. and for the last few years it is being performed at mumbai as well on the juhu beach. with a large immigrant population of biharis,'bhayyas' as they are called, the popularity of the 'chatt puja' has been increasing every year.

sanjay nirupam,the congress leader,has been the primemover of the mumbai 'chhat puja'. the 'keep juhu beach clean' ngo had obtained a high court order restraining the public from erecting any permanent structure on the beach and to keep the noise level within certain decibels .and also to ensure that the garbage that gets accumulated is removed and not left behind.the court's order was complied with excepting that a huge platform was erected when the permission was for erecting only a 14 feet * 10 feet platform. this year an estimated 5 lakhs of people assembled at the juhu beach on 30th october for the puja.

worship of the sun has been prevalent in different cultures from time immmeorial .the sun was made the hub by our ancestors around which religion revolved. the sun was treated like a living person to whom the people could say prayers and make offerings and pray that their lives and destinies are well directed. the chhat puja has a pious and sombre character about it. the observance of the four day long fasts and the offering of 'arghya' at dawn and dusk and the chanting of mantras and folksongs make the ambience breathtaking amd awesome.strict purificatory procedures in the kitchen are followed by the 'parvaitin' (the lady who performs the puja) before preparing prasad for the puja. 'thekuwas' is the traditional wheatcake made on the occasion and the 'piece de resistance'.

on the final day the puja ends with a crescendo.the chanting of the gayathri mantra."om,bhur,bhuvah: suvah:, tat savitur varenyam, bhargo devasya dheemahi, dhiyo yo na: prachodayat". may we meditate upon that effulgent form of the supreme,who is the very essence of aumkara,who stimulates our intellect and who is the creator of all.

it is a bull run for the cattle in bihar in the following days.the farmers worship the animals which have contributed to the success of their harvest. the harvest festival 'sohrai' is the time when the cattle get their choicest food to eat and even a week's rest. they are first thoroughly washed and then their horns and bodies painted with different colours.they are garlanded,decorated and worshipped. the goats are fed and worshipped too.and then a bull fight is organised.it is only symbolic as actually no bulls are killed.it is a tradition being followed for hundreds of years.

for a change for the bulls it is no work and all play.

Divali in Nasdaq

the seven storeyed tower in new york's famed times square was swathed in triranga on the occasion of divali.unprecedented.yes? so was the sensex in mumbai that came close to the 13k mark.and in tandem the dow sailed passed 12000.for the first time in history.decline in oil prices and corporate earnings set both the bourses on fire.the latest news is that the sensex has crossed 13k and now it is set to achieve greater heights in 2007.maybe about 15k in another six months' time.if the economy does well,the half-yearly results are likely to be better,and if there are no external factors like oil prices,war etc., to dampen the sensex spirits.

it is a distinct possibility.

Divali(contd)

after dhanteras on the first day of this festival,comes choti divali(small divali).or naraka chaturdashi as it is called in the south.this day is celebrated to commemorate the killing of king narakasura who ruled in the northeastern region of bharathavarsha and who oppressed thousands of inhabitants.lord krishna killed the asura(demon) in a battle and freed the people from the tyranny of naraka.fewer lights are lit and less of cracker bursting than the main divali day.pooja to goddess laksmi and also to lord rama is done on this day.tiny footprints mark the main rangolis made on this day.on this day in bihar,fireballs made of bamboo and other firewood and oils are burnt and carried around the house with the belief that it would chase away the evil spirits and make sure of a prosperous forthcoming year. in maharashtra lamps are lit and placed facing south.it is the mythological direction where yama resides.

the third day of the festival is the day when lakshmi pooja is performed in a big scale.also ganesa,sarswati,kali,durga and kubera are worshipped.though it is the night of amavasya and there is darkness around,the streets are full of lights.inumerable diyas are lit by the people to guide goddess laksmi to their homes.she is lord vishnu's consort.whenever lord vishnu takes an avatar on earth he is accompanied by an avatar of lakshmi. according to hindu mythology.afterall vishnu requires wealth(shri) to protect and maintain the universe! lakshmi means lakshya or goal or aim and she brings good luck.she is always depicted with four hands wearing red and gold clothes and seated on a lotus.often there are two or four elephants associated with the goddess spraying water out of golden vessels.it signifies that only with efforts can one attain riches.as the epitome of grace and beauty she is venerated and worshipped particularly during navarathri and deepavali.in north india,it is customary to gamble on deepavali night.mother parvati is supposed to have played dice with lord shiva on this day.also lord krishna gave up his mortal form on this day.and jains celebrate this day because bhagavan mahavira attained nirvana on this day. he was the last of the 24 tirthankaras of the jains.also,the sixth guru hargobind singh was released from captivity by emperor jehangir who had jailed him at gwalior for many years.the guru returned to amritsar on divali day. he was given a warm and colourful welcome at the golden temple by his followers.

on this day the farmers pray that wealth and prosperity may be showered on them.good harvest and prosperity go together.in villages,divali is also regarded as a harvest festival,marking the end of the kharif season and it is thanksgiving time for the farmers to goddess lakshmi for blessing them with a good crop.the sowing of winter crops(rabi) start around this time.

the fourth day is celebrated as bali padayami.on this day lord vishnu took the avatara of a dwarf(vamana),tricked mahabali who was giving a lot of grief to the other gods and crushed him under his feet.he was pushed to the nether world.mahabali's grandson prahalada,a devotee of lord vishnu, requested the lord for pardon.lord vishnu made mahabali the king of the nether world.mahabali was transformed and lived many years to rule the kingdom given by lord vishnu.

newly married daughters and their husbands are invited to the girl's home for a special feast.called 'thalai deepawali' in tamil nadu, it coincides with the main deepawali day.brothers call on their married sisters and bring them over to their home for this very important day.goddess lakshmi is seen as devi annapurna who blesses the food on deepavali day. a recuperative medicine called 'lehiyam' also called 'marundu' in tamil for simplcity is prepared on this day.using jaggery from sugarcane.and other ingredients are ajwain,jeera,black pepper,dry ginger and ghee.

on the last day of the divali festival, sisters perform pooja for the safety and welfare of their brothers.they make a paste of saffron and rice and place a tikka on their brother's forehead to ward off evil.in maharashtra, women prepare poha on this day and offer it to goddess lakshmi.according to legend,yamaraj's sister put an auspicious mark on his forehead when he called on her on this day. the brothers in return give their sisters gifts as their token of love.

all the five days are days and nights of great rejoicing and bonhomie.brothers forget their quarrels and makeup.and so do other family members and friends who develop some misunderstandings use this as an opportunity to patch up and reunite.depending on the region and ancestral practices there is an overlap of functions performed on these five days.the fact however remains that goddess lakshmi is the focus.she is worshipped so that she may bestow dhanam,dhanyam,bahuputralabham and deerghamayu:. riches,grains,progeny and long life.

it is not all over yet as chhat puja and puja for animals are performed though they are not part of the divali festival.i will cover this in my next posting.

Diwali Is A Five-Day Affair

Deepavali or Diwali means a row of lights.It is considered to be one of the oldest of all Hindu festivals.When Rama returned to Ayodhya after 14 years of exile,with Sita and Lakshmana in tow,the populace went ecstatic. The people lit diyas all over the city.It was Amavasya or nomoon night,on the night of Rama's arrival.The lights were meant to guide them in the pitch darkness outside.On this day, Goddess Laksmi,the Goddess of wealth and prosperity is revered.For the business community,in the West of India, it has special significance because it also heralds in the New Year. Businessmen and traders worship their books of accounts in the evening and this function is called "chopdi(books) pooja".Some transactions must be made because the moment is auspicious.

One of our dealers is a Gujerati Jain.Jains and Sikhs also celebrate Diwali.He meets me every year and does a transaction.Buy some steel from me and sell some raw material to me.I quote the maximum price for my steel and drive a hard bargain for the purchase.Because I know he does not want to go back emptyhanded.It is a win-win situation for me.In the share market,on this day,there is one hour of trading called 'muhurat' trading.It is an auspicious time and people hope to make lots of money in the coming year in the bourse.Quite likely, if they wisely invest.The Sensex has crossed 13,000 already.It is likely to go up to 15,000 by next Diwali.

The first day of the Diwali festival is called "Dhanteras".Dhan means wealth and teras refers to the thirteenth day of the month of 'ashwini'.It is supposed to be an auspicious day for buying silver and gold(new dhan) as a mark of good fortune.Many ladies buy cooking utensils on this day.This year many of the banks have geared up to facilitate the sale of gold.Though I have never done this before,this year I too bought some gold.The prices were at a low.And the Swiss biscuits were indeed very tempting.

There are many legends associated with this day.Once upon a time there was a King Hima,17 years old, who was destined to die by snakebite on the fourth day of his marriage.His wife laid all her ornaments and lots of gold and silver coins in a heap in front of her home and lit diyas everywhere possible.She did not allow her husband to go to sleep and sang continuously.Lord Yama,who entered in the guise of a serpent was so dazzled by the gold that he could not enter the prince's room.Dhanteras is also referred to as "Yamadeepdaan".Throughout the night the lamps are kept burning.Lord Yama had promised that those who observed this day would be spared of an untimely death.

When a girl child is born on dhanteras day she is supposed to bring loads of luck from Goddess Lakshmi.When she gets married and leaves her parents' home,her footprints are taken on kumkum and preserved so that the luck which she brought remains and does not go away.

It is also believed that during the great 'samudramanthan',Dhanvantari(the physician of Gods),emerged on this day with a jar containing the elixir 'amrit'.

Then the next day is Choti Diwali,followed by Lakshmi Pooja on the main Diwali day and then Padwa and last but not the least Bhai Duj.I will cover the remaining four days in the next four postings.

jaan-e-mann

s is away visiting l and i wanted to see a movie the night before diwali. i had a tough choice.it was a toss-up between 'don' and 'jaan-e-mann'.i chose the latter.a wrong decision.i couldn't sit beyond intermission.first time probably in my life when i walked away before the movie was over.was it my intolerance of the traditional bollywood fare or what i am not sure.an army of qawwals walking out of a wooden cupboard.bizareness almost like a broadway musical.and it seemed that so much money was wasted in production design.ridiculous sets and a lot of rubbish from shirish kunder,husband of farah khan.it is shirish's debut film and an example of what happens when you allow your imagination to run wild without any control.when you try to imitate hollywood without any humour and emotions you end up looking stupid.

anupam kher plays a dwarf(baun in hindi) when he is the vertically challenged lawyer and appears as a normal person when he is a restaurateur in new york.a double whammy.akshay kumar as the geek turned dapper good guy is fantastic and endearing though he hardly says anything much in the first half when he keeps on mumbling.salman is the cool dude.longhaired rock singer,immature and a charming womaniser.preity has beauty,brains and wealth.

the picture starts with agastya rao(akshay) narrating his life's story to his blonde colleague on board a spaceship.agastya is a nasa astonaut and scientist.two guys suhan kapoor and agastya (salman and akshay) love the same girl,piya goyal(preity zinta).salman the ex-husband is trying hard to make his ex-wife fall in love with akshay.just to avoid paying a huge and hefty alimony(50 lakhs).and that is the brainwave of his lawyer chachu,anupam kher.suhan's friend,philosopher and guide.piya is in new york,so they take off alongwith akshay who is keen to meet his college love piya.little does he know that she is already married to suhan.

then a collage of new york images.a terrible assault of colour and sequences which compels you to squirm in your seat.the film's director,shirish kunder, takes the credit for the dialogue,story,screenplay and what have you. wish he had shared the work with others.perhaps he could have prevented the movie from becoming a disaster.it has been produced by sajid nadiadwala for rs 35 crores. and music which is by anu malik is average.and charges of plagiarism have been levelled which anu malik has denied.

my comments and review may not be complete because i did not see the second half.a reviewer said that if you can sit through the first half you will enjoy the second half.after all those initial hiccups,i couldn't wait for the film to settle down.the cashregister hasn't rung for sajid,i understand.though his initial investment of rs35 crores might have been realised,the movie is almost a flop.i am not at all surprised.

i make no 'bauns' about it.it is jaan-e-moan.

the inheritance of genes

she is the youngest author and woman(35) to win the man booker prize.her mother anita desai came very close to the coveted prize three times and missed it.1980,1984 and 1999.it took her seven torturous years to complete the book,"the inheritance of loss".this is her second book,the first one was "hullabaloo in the lit orchard" written in 1999.the man booker prize winning book originally had 1800 pages which was cut to a sixth i.e. to 300 pages.her mother was the first person to see the manuscript.the old guard sniffed a winner.hermione lee,chairperson of the man booker judges said "the winner was chosen after a long,passionate and generous debate.it is a magnificent novel of humane breadth and wisdom,comic tenderness and powerful political acuteness".

anita desai,living in a remote tibetan settlement, advised her daughter to wear a sari for the award dinner.kiran was stressed and felt that not being used to wearing a sari,it would take a long time to wear one and even if held with safety pins it might fall.also it was completely transparent.and she couldn't risk a wardrobe malfunction.

at the award dinner,she thanked her parents.because she said she is indian.her father had reminded her to do so.she is very close to both her parents.they are separated and live their own lives.they provided a strong support system to her and goaded her to finish the book.she stayed a lot with her mother in the last stages of the book.both wrote in separate rooms and met only for coffee and meal breaks.her mother hadn't read her book until it was finished.while she was writing the prize winning book she also received support from suketu mehta and amitav ghosh."writing doesn't come from contentment and champagne.that's not where a novel comes from.writers lock themselves in their rooms ,they travel,they vanish and sometimes their lives fall apart".she lived frugally."everything i own can be fitted into two suitcases".of course, she is now richer by 93,000 us dollars.

i read excerpts of the book and i was bowled over.i hope to get hold of a paperback soon and read what has been described as some exquisite writing.she has been influenced and inspired by her mother's writings, she said.but her style is different."writing is in my blood". no doubt,kiran has inherited a lot of her genes from her mother.

Real Life into Reel Life

Woh Lamhe is supposed to be the the real life story of Mahesh Bhatt's relationship with the late actress Parveen Babi who sizzled the silver screen in the 70s.Too much of grief and tragedy leaves you feeling whether it was all really so bad for Parveen Babi.Schizophrenia and paranoia is a deadly combination no doubt.And if Parveen Babi suffered often from the twin attacks she must really have gone through hell and also caused lot of pain to herself and those around her particularly her companion Mahesh Bhatt.Did Mahesh Bhatt find it difficult to handle her,when she perhaps needed him most? Would you abandon your wife because she becomes a paranoid schizophrenic. Is it a tough question? Why did Mahesh Bhatt selectively release in the media letters that Parveen Babi had recorded on audio tapes and which she sent to him when they were in the thick of their affair in mid 70s.Isn't there a fine line between private and public life? He has turned out to be the master of washing dirty linen in public.And all this preceded the release of the movie.Was he cashing in on the dead and gone Parveen Babi.She is no more to give the public her response.

The film starts with actress Sana Azim (Kangana Raut) attempting suicide by slashing her wrists.Aditya Garewal,her saviour (Shiney Ahuja), is devastated.He has been looking out for her from the time she suddenly disappeared when they were in Goa.There are many who selfishly benefit from Sana's plight.A loutish boyfriend,an insensitive mother,greedy producers all of them hell bent on exploiting her for their narrow interests.She falls in love with a young unemployed director(Shiney Ahuja) who wants to pillion ride on her fame by casting her in his first film.In the process,he falls in love with her.He helps her during her attacks of hallucination and paronia and even takes her away to Goa to help her convalesce when the odds for recovery are heavily stacked against her. Masumi Majhika acts as Rani who haunts her and encourages her to go round the bend.And then Sana disappears.

I think Kangana has stepped into Parveen Babi's shoes with courage and conviction.Though a bit weak on diction,nonetheless she plays her role superbly.Shiney Ahuja as the charmimg filmmaker who is willing to sacrifice his career for his love plays his role very convincingly.Purab Kohli,in a supporting role, as Shiney's friend does a good job.Mohit Suri's direction is above average and the film is quite fast-paced.

Woh Lamhe(those moments)is the pathos-ridden story of a beautiful actress- charmimg and mesmerising.But when her life takes a nasty turn, she has no one with her.Heartbreaking,cruel,tragic;call it what you like,that is her fate.I wonder whether this was really her life.Thankfully, Mahesh Bhatt's trilogy-Arth,Phir Teri Kahani Yaad Aayee and Woh Lamhe has been completed.He has explained his side of the story.We will never know Parveen Babi's.

Mumbai Shining

I was returning from Bangalore on 16th Monday night.My flight was delayed by an hour.I landed at 11 pm and when I was on D'silva Road,Dadar,on my way home,I was amazed to see hundreds of brightly lit lanterns hanging from so many shops.

I learnt that a kandeel(lanterns) mahotsav was on at Dadar where kandeels were being sold in a price range of Rs 20- Rs 600.To suit all pockets,say those cheeky advertisements. The kandeel mahotsav offers a variety of lanterns made of paper,handmade paper,cardboard,cloth,bamboo sticks,icecream sticks etc.It is a one hundred percent eco-friendly exhibition.It was about 11.30pm.I stopped my car and had a close look at the kandeels which were hanging.It was a brilliant sight in the darkness outside.These kandeels fluttering in the breeze made a beautiful picture.A pity that I didn't have my camera with me.I would have gone on clicking.

When I got some free time five days later,it looked as if all those thousands of kandeels had all been sold.I was very disappointed.There were a few shopkeepers left with about a dozen kandeels.With great difficulty I managed to take a few pictures.

Kandeel is a desi lantern.This Divali it seems to be the rage.The handcrafted cloth kandeels in bright colours.These are embellished with mirrorwork for which Gujerat and Rajasthan are famous.And embroidery.These are mainly manufactured in Maharashtra,Gujerat,Rajasthan and Orissa.Not only do they last long,after Divali they can be used as lampshades.The Gujerat and Rajasthan ones are more stylish to look at than the traditional Maharashtrian ones.I understand that the main idea of the exhibition was to reintroduce the traditional Maharashtrian type of 'aakash kandeel' that has bamboo as its basic framework with long paper strips attached to it.There are the folding and star shaped paper lanterns too.The papers are usually red,orange,yellow and blue.The lantern prices range from Rs 60-Rs 600.Besides Dadar,these are also available at Mahim,Parel,Lalbaug and Colaba Causeway.There are regular star and diamond shaped lanterns made out of plastic,gelatin paper and thermocole.Not eco friendly at all.Cartoon shaped lanterns priced at Rs 50 sold like hot cakes.

There were lanterns made from ice-cream sticks and costing about Rs 125. They were decorated with beads,colourful laces,cloth,gold paper wrapped plastic bells and hexagonal,pentagonal or octagonal balls.There is the 'lamandiva' whicch comes with electric bulbs.The smallest lantern is called car lantern.It is priced at rs 150 and there is big demand for these kandeels from corporate houses.The frame is made out of wooden matchsticks and has handmade paper.The lantern stand is also given alongwith the lantern.The largest size of the lantern is about 6 feet and it is made using cardboard and coloured paper.This mahotsav saw celebrities from the tv and cine industries.A UK based Maharashtrian client was so impressed with the eco-friendly Aakaash Kandeels that he ordered 30 lanterns to be taken back to UK.

Aamod Shetye,the organiser of this Mahotsav has big ideas.He also plans a 'kandeel at doorstep' where people could select kandeels from catalogues and have them delivered at their doorstep.Surely,the cotton lanterns and paper lamps have lit up the market this Divali.And Mumbai is shining.

OBSTACLE-REMOVER BECOMES THE OBSTACLE

it was an order that the trustees did not bargain for. they were cocksure that the pil filed by the affected residents did not merit high court intervention. after all, after akshardam,ayodhya and varanasi,siddhivinayak(lord ganesa) temple, is in the hitlist of terrorists. and security measures had to be taken to prevent a repeat of what happened in those temples.yes,by all means security must be reinforced for the safety of the temple and its piligrims.but does that give the license to the trustees to grab public land ostensibly for security of the temple? the high court didn't think so.

in a recent order given by the division bench of the mumbai high court,the trustees have been asked to demolish the wall by october 30. in the arguments the sv temple advocate pleaded that his clients had sought police help due to the 'threat perception' and that the bmc had given permission to the construction of the wall. the police advocate said that since bmc permission was given, the trustees went ahead with the construction for safety of the temple and the pilgrims. it transpires that the permission was only temporary and the temple authorities were expected to bring the wall down as soon as the permission expired on october 31 2006. however,bmc advocate claimed that the trustees had spent rs 6 crores on the construction of the 40 metre long wall and that they should be allowed to maintain it in the oveerall interests of security.the division bench was unrelenting.they ordered the demolition to be completed by 30th october and that due compliance be reported to the court.

this whole episode raises a few pertinent issues.if security was the prime concern,there were so many other methods available than to grab a large portion of land and build a huge wall.and how does that prevent a terrorist to get into one of the neighbouring buildings and perform his mission.and should the trustees be spending rs 6 crores for a temporary structure? the crash barrier includes a four foot high concrete wall and a three foot high metal barricade.

it is evident that the trustees placed themselves above law. they put into inconvenience hundreds of residents in the vicinity by blocking access to three important roads and to busstops and did not bother to consult them if at all they wanted some road space. they were confident that as they had the backing of the police and the bmc, no body could touch them. alas it was not so. the residents upset by this highhandedness of the trustees decided to file a pil(public interest litigation) in the mumbai high court pointing to the land grabbing and inconvenience caused to the public in the name of temple security.members of cooperarive societies living nearby are not allowed to leave or enter the premises after 10 pm.it had become dangerous for pedestrians especially senior citizens and children who had to dodge motorists.also the wall caused massive traffic disruptions on the busy veer savarkar marg."the wall is a direct encroachment on our fundamental right to movement" said the president of the prabhadevi residents' association.the advocate who represented the petitioners is neither a senior advocate or even a wellknown lawyer. but he did the job and received accolades from his clients and the public at large.

yet another instance of state government failure and judicial intervention for meting out justice.

to hang or not to hang?

goi is in a dillemma.afzal guru had been charged with attempting to murder parliamentarians when the terrorists attacked parliament on december 13 2001.on august 4 2005 the supreme court delivered its final judgement in the case.it endorsed the view that the attack on parliament should be viewed as an act of war against the government of india.it went on to say that the collective conscience of the society will only be satisfied if capital punishment is meted out to the offender.though there was no direct evidencce linking afzal guru to the attack,enough circumstantial evidence pointed to afzal's collaboration with fidayeen terrorists.he has been found guilty and he faces death by hanging for the dastardly act alleged to have been committed by the terrorist group.he was set to be hanged on october 20.

the government is dithering. it has received numerous representations for reducing his sentence to life imprisonment.the jand k government has recommended that he may be pardoned.public opinion is overwhelming in kashmir.they see it as a miscarriage of justice. bjp and many others on the other hand want the government to go ahead and hang him.they feel that perpetrators of such a dastardly crime must face the death penalty.they are outraged that the government is even considering the requests from various political and non-political groups.afzal guru's family has met the president of india and has asked for clemency.the supreme court has intervened to say that the president does not have the powers to pardon such an offense on political or religious grounds

many of those who are recommending that he should not be hanged are of the view that he will become a martyr and it will in no way help the process of peace and reconciliation in the kashmir valley.he should rather be given life imprisonement.
in any case they say that civilised countries should do away with death penalty as it is a barbarious act to hang or shoot a person for his crime.

there are too many unanswered questions says arundhati roy of 'god of small things' fame.in a recent coverpage article of the latest issue of 'outlook' titled 'don't hang afzal',she says that if afzal is hanged we will never know the real people behind the crime.lashkar-e-toiba or jaish-e mohammed or someone else.she is of the view that afzal did not get a fair trial.he did not get a lawyer of choice at the sessions court where the evidence is presented and witnesses are cross examined.the trial she claims was unfair.she suggests that hanging may itself be a misdeed which will not be easily forgotten.or even forgiven.

meanwhile preparations are afoot to keep the rope and the hangman ready.buxor central jail 100 miles from patna will spin the special manila rope in the jail premises.the rope costs rs 180/kg.it has a lot of handwork that goes into its making.first a thick thread is spun from the yarn from j-34 variety of cotton and then the thread is smoothened by soft wax. tihar jail appears to be feverishly looking out for a hangman.what happened to its own hangman is not clear.there are many who have volunteered to do the job.

so what will goi do?

it is a million dollar question.