Shevlin Sebastian's Blog, page 49

When Gandhi Said Do Or Die (Karo Ya Maro)

The Quit India Movement
Photos: Jawaharlal Nehru with Mahatma Gandhi in Mumbai; the poster of the movement
The crowds began to gather at Gowalia Maidan in Mumbai on August 8, 1942. In a panoramic view, it was a sea of white: the uniform of the Congress Party in those times. In a YouTube video, you can see the leaders making their way to the podium. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was seen chatting to a colleague. The future Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, who was clad in a white kurta and holding files in his arm walked through the crowds, followed by Dr Zakir Husain as they made their way to the podium.

Nehru waved to the crowd. The people shouted their appreciation. This was the start of the Bombay session of the All India Congress Committee.

Gandhi was sitting on a low charpoy, bare-bodied, his legs turned to one side, while noted leaders of the time spoke softly in his ears. Gandhi listened attentively. Nehru sat on the floor, in front of Gandhi and had a far-away look in his eyes.

Time passed. Many people spoke. Soon, it was Gandhi's turn.

He stood in front of the microphone. The crowd fell silent. Then Gandhi started speaking:

Here are excerpts:

'Ours is not a drive for power, but purely a non-violent fight for India’s independence. In a violent struggle, a successful general has been often known to effect a military coup and to set up a dictatorship. But under the Congress scheme of things, essentially non-violent as it is, there can be no room for dictatorship.

'A non-violent soldier of freedom will covet nothing for himself, he fights only for the freedom of his country. The Congress is unconcerned as to who will rule when freedom is attained. The power, when it comes, will belong to the people of India, and it will be for them to decide to whom it placed in the entrusted.

'We shall either free India or die in the attempt; we shall not live to see the perpetuation of our slavery. Every true Congressman or woman will join the struggle with an inflexible determination not to remain alive to see the country in bondage and slavery. Let that be your pledge.

'Let every man and woman live every moment of his or her life hereafter in the consciousness that he or she eats or lives for achieving freedom and will die, if need be, to attain that goal. Take a pledge, with God and your own conscience as witness, that you will no longer rest till freedom is achieved and will be prepared to lay down your lives in the attempt to achieve it. He who loses his life will gain it; he who will seek to save it shall lose it. Freedom is not for the coward or the faint-hearted.'

Gandhi exhorted the people to 'Do or Die' (Karo Ya Maro). This, along with the words, 'Quit India', provided the galvanising force that swept through the land. The speech was frequently interrupted by cries of 'Mahatma Gandhi Ki Jai'.
It was also at the Maidan that freedom fighter Aruna Asaf Ali proudly raised the Indian tricolour for the first time in the country. (Today, the Maidan has been renamed as August Kranti Maidan).

However, all these actions had its repercussions. The next day, August 9, Gandhi and many Congress leaders and members of the party were arrested. This led to mass demonstrations throughout India. In Mumbai, people demonstrated on the streets holding banners which said, 'Boycott British goods'. The British responded by using their batons along with the indiscriminate use of tear gas. Thousands were arrested.

Part of the reason for the Quit India movement was the failure of the Cripps Mission in March, 1942. Sir Stafford Cripps, the leader of the House of Commons had been asked by Prime Minister Winston Churchill to get the understanding and cooperation of Indian leaders as World War 11 raged on. 
But when Cripps arrived he said the British were unwilling to allow the formation of a national government. And according to the preamble of the Draft Declaration, the aim was the creation of a new Indian Union. It would be associated with the United Kingdom but equal in every respect, and in no way subordinate in any aspects of its domestic and external affairs. But regarding the subject of defence, it would remain under the control of the British.

Cripps also said that if any province was not willing to accept this they would be given the same status as the Indian Union. All this was unacceptable to the Congress. Without much ado, the Congress Working Committee rejected the Declaration on April 7, 1942.

Four months later, the 'Quit India' movement was born. 
(This was published in the Gandhi special supplement, The New Indian Express, Kerala editions)

“Thampi Had A Clarity Of Vision” – actor Jagadish

By Shevlin Sebastian

Photos: Thampi Kannanthanam; Jagadish
When actor Jagadish came to hear of Mollywood director Thampi Kannanthanam's death, at age 64, at a hospital in Kochi, on October 2, his mind went back to the past
Along with Mohanlal, Jagadish had acted in Thampi's film, 'Bhoomiyile Rajakkanmar' (1987). In the film, there were some adverse remarks about democracy and one of the characters said that a rule by a king was a far better option.

“This created some problems with the Censor Board,” he says. “And the release got delayed. But Thampi was not discouraged at all. Instead, he appeared before the Board and was able to argue persuasively about the merits of the film. In the end, Thampi got the release certificate.”

For Jagadish, Thampi was a director who had a clear vision of what his film should be. In 'Maanthrikam' (1995) Mohanlal played a military officer who does some implausible actions, along with Jagadish, who plays a subedar.

“When Mohanlal expressed some doubts about whether it would work or not, Thampi argued that even [action hero] James Bond did some difficult-to-believe heroics,” says Jagadish. “To be honest, even I had some doubts. But Thampi had no worries. In the end, he turned out to be right because the movie became a big hit. Even today, this is a film that people can watch without getting bored.”

Jagadish also heard from the seniors in the industry that Thampi was one of the few associate directors who travelled in a car – a black Fiat – at the very beginning of his career. “Normally, in those days, associate directors would travel by bus or train,” says Jagadish. “But Thampi never experienced any poverty at all. He started working with director Sasikumar and in the second film itself, got a promotion and became an associate director.”

It was during those times that Thampi developed a clarity of vision. “It was his biggest strength,” says Jagadish. “And since he always made a film from the audience's point of view, he had many hits.” 
(The New Indian Express, Kerala editions)

Memories Of Yore

It took the violinist Balabhaskar a few attempts before he was able to meet his idol, composer A R Rahman. He recounted his feelings in an earlier interview even as his wife Lakshmi remembered their love story
Photos by Manu R Mavelil 
Shevlin Sebastian
“Whenever I went to Chennai for work, I would make sure I would go past [music composer] A.R. Rahman’s house,” said Balabhaskar at a meeting on Marine Drive, Kochi, a few years ago. “It was like visiting a temple. I would see the house and feel good inside.”
Bhaskar heard the soundtrack of ‘Roja’ when he was in Class nine and became a fan. His next attempt to see Rahman was when singer Chitra Iyer [who sang the Rahman hit, ‘Alle, Alle’ in the Tamil film, ‘Boys’] took him inside. But Rahman was sleeping. “I was heart-broken,” he said.
But fate finally smiled at him. For the audio release of director T.K. Rajeev Kumar’s film, ‘Seethakalyanam’, Rehman was invited to Thiruvananthapuram. Kumar asked Balabhaskar to play a tribute on the violin. “It was a great opportunity,” said Balabhaskar. “I was playing Rahman’s songs, like 'Tu He Re' from ‘Bombay’, and doing some improvisations. And I was thinking, ‘My God is sitting so close’. It was the greatest experience of my life.”
After the programme, Rahman invited the violinist to his hotel room. “One of the first things he said was, ‘Hey man, you seem to be popular,” said Balabhaskar. “What are you doing?’”
Balabhaskar told him about his band and Rahman responded by inviting him to visit his studio in Chennai. “He was so simple and humble,” said Balabhaskar, as he closed his eyes and a look of bliss appeared on his face. “When I left, I was shouting on the road. I was so thrilled.”
Wife Lakshmi remembers
The first time Lakshmi met Balabhaskar was at University College, Thiruvananthapuram in 2000. Soon, they began to meet regularly. After a while, Balabhaskar proposed marriage. “I felt he was joking,” said Lakshmi. “So I told him to get lost.” But Balabhaskar was not upset. He said, “Your answer does not change my feelings for you.” So, he kept on proposing. And Lakshmi kept on rejecting him. “But one day, I finally realised he was serious about me,” said Lakshmi.
Balabhaskar went and met Lakshmi's parents. “Like most parents, they were against the idea,” said Lakshmi. “They told me that both of us were so young. And Balabhaskar had no job.”
So, without informing their parents, they had a registered marriage, on December 20, 2001, at Thiruvananthapuram, in the presence of a few friends. Eventually, both sets of parents accepted their marriage.
Asked to list Bala's plus points, Lakshmi said, “He was committed to his music. Bala put in 100 per cent in whatever he was doing, whether it was a jingle or a song. And even though he was always busy, travelling from city to city, he would never say, 'I cannot do this for you because I am travelling or busy'. He was always there for me.”
And Lakshmi had got used to the fact that music was his greatest passion. “I did not have a problem with that,” she says. “Because music made my husband so happy. I could see it in his eyes when he was performing. He became a different person on stage. Bala loved to do shows, and got encouraged by the vibes of the audience. A performance was a kind of meditation for him.”
Tragically, Balabhaskar died on October 2, aged 40, following a car accident. His two-year-old daughter, who was in the car, passed away earlier. Lakshmi remains in hospital. 
(The New Indian Express, Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram)

The Dandi March

“Let's go,” Gandhiji said, as he stepped out of the Sabarmati Ashram on the morning of March 12, 1930. The sun was high up in the sky. He had 78 followers who followed in his wake.
The bespectacled Gandhiji was bare-bodied but wore a white shawl across his chest and a folded dhoti. The others wore white caps or turbans, shirts and pyjamas.
Gandhiji held a long wooden walking stick, looked downwards and walked with a rhythm of a man who was used to walking long distances.
As he went along narrow, dusty roads, through many villages, many others joined in. These included people who played the drum, 'dhak dhak dhak' the sound went, and singers who sang songs of encouragement at the top of their voices.
As more and more people joined in, dust rose up in the air. Beads of perspiration began to appear on Gandhiji's forehead but he moved on, with a smile and a wave of his hand.
And Gandhiji was determined to travel as frugally as possible. At a village called Bhagtam, Gandhiji scolded the local people for getting milk from Surat in lorries for the marchers. At another time, he came across a man who was carrying a heavy Kitson burner so that the people could see when they were walking in the night. Gandhiji stopped using him because he felt it was a begar (forced labour).
Later, freedom fighter and poet Sarojini Naidu joined in, in a bright saree, and framed her head with the pallu, to get protection from the summer heat.
This was a walk of protest. The British government introduced a tax on salt, declared that the people’s salt reclamation activities illegal, and repeatedly used force to stop it. So Gandhiji was walking all the way to Dandi, a distance of 387 kms to break the salt laws and to make salt. He said, “I want world sympathy in this battle of Right against Might'.
Each day he walked 20 kms. “With no luggage, this is child’s play,” said the 61-year-old. In a YouTube video, he can be seen resting on the floor of a hut after the day's walk, looking relaxed and at home. In another scene, he is wiping his face with a towel.
Anyway, the walk continued. Finally, at 6.30 a.m. on April 6, Gandhiji had a bath in the sea at Dandi and picked up some salt. Gandhi took part in several public meetings before he was arrested on May 4.
Thereafter, the Congress Party planned to stage a satyagraha at the Dharasana Salt Works, 40 kms from  Dandi as well as the salt pans on May 21. It was near the Dharasana factory that the British troops attacked the participants.
Here is an excerpt from American journalist Webb Miller’s report, who was the only journalist present:
'Amazing scenes were witnessed yesterday when more than 2,500 Gandhi ‘volunteers’ advanced against the salt pans in defiance of police regulations. The official government version of the raid, issued today, stated that ‘from Congress sources, it is estimated 170 sustained injuries, but only three or four were seriously hurt.’
'About noon yesterday I visited the temporary hospital in the Congress camp and counted more than 200 injured lying in rows on the ground. I verified by personal observation that they were suffering injuries. Today even the British owned newspapers give the total number at 320 …
‘The scene at Dharasana during the raid was astonishing and baffling to the Western mind accustomed to seeing violence met by violence, to expect a blow to be returned and a fight result. During the morning I saw and heard hundreds of blows inflicted by the police, but saw not a single blow returned by the volunteers. 'So far as I could observe the volunteers implicitly obeyed Gandhi’s creed of non-violence. In no case did I see a volunteer even raise an arm to deflect the blows from lathis. There were no outcries from the beaten Swarajists, only groans after they had submitted to their beating.’
The British tried their best to prevent Miller's cables from going out but he managed to find a way through another channel. Despite attempts at professional neutrality, Miller’s story of brutality against unarmed and fearless demonstrators spoiled the image of the civilised Raj looking after poor, unsophisticated Indians.
The Dharasana story appeared in 1,350 newspapers served by the United Press throughout the world and make the concept of nonviolent resistance world famous.
Meanwhile, the protests against the salt tax lasted for a year. Over 60,000 Indians were jailed. It ended with Gandhiji's release from jail on January 26, 1931. In September, 1931, he held negotiations with Viceroy Lord Irwin at the Second Round Table Conference at London.
However, it failed to result in major concessions from the British, but it transformed international opinion towards India. Many countries felt that the desire for Independence was deep and widespread across the nation.
Another journalist who was able to turn international public opinion towards India was veteran correspondent J A Mills of the Associated Press. He wrote many in-depth features of Gandhiji, including the drama of the fight against the British which appeared in numerous newspapers in the US.
Mills also travelled with Gandhi by ship when the latter went to attend the Round Table Conference and developed a close working relationship with Gandhi. He was also the first to do an audiovisual interview with Gandhi.
In effect, the Dandi March let loose a chain of events which would culminate in India's freedom on August 15, 1947. 
(Published in The Gandhi Supplement, The New Indian Express, Kerala editions)

When Gandhi Was Thrown Out Of A Train

By Shevlin Sebastian 
It was a cold night on June 7, 1893. Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi wore a suit, along with a tie. At the railway station at Durban, he bought a first-class ticket to travel to Pretoria, 625 kms away. As a lawyer, he was going to the capital to argue a case for a client in the court.

As he stepped into the carriage, with a leather suitcase, Gandhi could not help but admire the gleaming wood-panelled interiors and the plush seats. He took a window seat. Soon, the train left. And briefly, Gandhi looked out of the window and enjoyed watching the city lights of Durban at night. 
The train then went deeper into the South African countryside. Gandhi felt tranquil and calm as the train clattered on the tracks. But half an hour later, all hell broke loose. A white man objected to his presence, because it was a 'whites-only' compartment. The conductor came up and told Gandhi to move to a third-class compartment. Gandhi showed him his first-class ticket. The conductor still insisted. But Gandhi refused to move and said, “I have a valid ticket.” 
In the meantime, the train glided to a stop at Pietermaritzburg station. The conductor grabbed Gandhi and took him to the door and pushed him out. Gandhi fell on his arms and knees on the platform. As the train moved away, the conductor threw his suitcase out also.

Gandhi silently rubbed his hands and tapped his trousers to remove the dust. Then, cold and shivering, he picked up his suitcase and went to the deserted waiting room. The whole night he stayed awake, thinking about the injustice of it all, and of how racism had driven a stake through the heart of South African society.
He also felt deeply humiliated. After all, Gandhi came from an illustrious family. His grandfather, father, and uncle had served as prime ministers to the princes of Porbandar and other Indian states. In fact, Gandhi's father Karamchand later became the Diwan of Rajkot. 
Soon, the Pietermaritzburg incident galvanised him. Within a year, he set up the Indian Natal Congress which staged non-violent protests against the oppressive treatment by whites towards native Africans and Indians.
However, Gandhi proved that he had a generous heart. When the Boer War broke out in 1899, Gandhi organised the Indian Ambulance Corps, consisting of one thousand members, to work for the British. They included barristers, accountants, artisans and labourers. But the ethnic discrimination and torture against the Indians continued following the victory of the British.
In 1904, Gandhi set up the Phoenix Farm near Durban. At this farm, Gandhi spoke to his followers about non-violent Satyagraha. In September 1906, Gandhi organised the first satyagraha campaign to protest against the Transvaal Asiatic ordinance that was constituted against the Asians, which included the Indians and the Chinese. 
Under the Act, every male Asian had to register himself and produce on demand a thumb-printed certificate of identity. Those who were unregistered could be deported without a right of appeal or fined on the spot. Gandhi called it a 'black act'. Again in June 1907, Gandhi held a satyagraha against the act. 
He said, “I am, along with my countrymen, in a despised minority. If the Europeans of South Africa will forgive me, we are all coolies.” 
On November 6, 1913, he led a four-day march to Johannesburg. It included 2000 men, 127 women and 57 children. Gandhi was soon arrested. On December 11, South African Interior Minister Jan Smuts announced a Commission of Inquiry. Soon Gandhi was freed from jail and the bill was scrapped. Unfortunately, two years later, it was reinstated.  
In 1910, he set up the Tolstoy Farm, near Johannesburg, where Satyagraha was moulded into a weapon of protest. After a ceaseless fight for the rights of Indians, in which he won many battles, Gandhi left for India on July 18, 1914.
Gandhi's early life

At 7 a.m., on October 2, 1869, Putlibai was having stomach pains. The midwife was called. This was her fourth pregnancy. Earlier, she had given birth to two sons and a daughter. Putilibai rested on the bed in a windowless room at the family residence at Porbandar in Gujarat.

In the end, a son was born. He was named Mohandas. Little did Putlibai know as she held the crying baby in her hands that he would one day shake the foundations of the British Empire and force it to give up its crown jewel: India. But all that was decades into the future.

As a child, Gandhi burnt with energy. Or, as her sister Raliat said, “He was restless as mercury, either playing or roaming about.”

But Gandhi also liked to read books. And as a child, he was deeply influenced by the tales of Shravana and king Harishchandra. Later, Gandhi wrote in his autobiography, “I acted as King Harishchandra many times.”

Later historians said that Gandhi's adoption of truth as a supreme virtue stemmed from these stories that he read.

Gandhi is commemorated at Pietermaritzburg station 

Traveller Snottin from Singapore writes: 'The station building at Pietermaritzburg is stately, colonial, and was deserted when we visited it. There are no entrance fees. Spotlessly clean, we read the plaque commemorating Mahatma Gandhi and the station episode in the main foyer of the station. A lovely small museum on Satyagraha and the 20+ years that Gandhi spent in South Africa is in a room to the left.

'It is very informative and the panels/photos inside were a great read. This addition adds insights and perspective to the life of Gandhi and his actions. The station is an inspiring visit for those of Indian origin and for proponents of non-violence. About 10 minutes away from the station, in front of the courthouse, is a statue of Gandhi, in the centre of Pietermaritzburg town.'

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had visited the station in July, 2016. He was able to read the plaque at the station which reads: 'In the vicinity of this plaque MK Gandhi was evicted from a first-class compartment on the night of June 7, 1893. This incident changed the course of his life. He took up the fight against racial oppression. His active non-violence started from that date.'

Modi also inaugurated an exhibition titled 'The Birthplace of Satyagraha' at the waiting room where Gandhi had spent the night and also wrote in the visitor’s book.He also visited the spot at the station where Gandhi was offloaded.
Said Modi: “This visit is like a pilgrimage to me as I am getting the opportunity to visit places that are significant to Indian history and Mahatma Gandhi’s life. The Pietermaritzburg railway station is the place where the seed was laid for Mohandas (Karamchand Gandhi) to start the journey of the Mahatma.” 
(Published in the special Mahatma Gandhi supplement of The New Indian Express)

Everything Tangy And Spicy

At the food festival in the Forte Kochi hotel, foreign and Indian patrons get a taste of the traditional cuisine which is served in the toddy shops of Kerala
By Shevlin Sebastian
Photos: Executive Sous Chef Gejo Joseph; a jackfruit dish. Pics by Albin Mathew 
When the waiter brought the fried pearl spot in front of the fifty-year-old Lisa Raymond, during the Kallu Shap (Toddy Shop) Festival at the Forte Kochi hotel, held recently she licked her lips in anticipation. With a fork and knife, she began eating it, and a look of bliss spread across her face.
After a while, she told Harikrishnan Kaniyarakkal, F&B Manager, “Very tasty. But there is nothing I can do about this.” And she pointed at her teary eyes and red nose with a big smile.Harikrishnan says, “Madam, we have put the minimum amount of spices.”
Lisa nodded and says, “We Americans have so little spices in our food, but I love this.”
Because the restaurant gets a wide variety of clientele – Europeans, Americans, Asians and North Indians – they decided to reduce the spices to suit everybody's palate.
Nevertheless, the uniqueness of the food is undeniable. It is mostly served in the toddy shops of Southern Kerala, especially in the areas around Kuttanad and Kottayam.
Interestingly, it was only around 2010 that the food began to get more attention, rather than the toddy, thanks to uploads on social media and articles in the mainstream media. Now, many families drop in to these shops to have a taste of the cuisine.
This consists of Pothu Curry (Beef Curry), Chemmeen Vattichathu (Dried Shrimp), Pork Varattiyathu (Pork Roast), Natholi Meen Peera (small fish fry), fried squid, beef fry, grilled seer fish, prawn roast, fried pork, scampi and crabs.
“These dishes are usually paired with Kerala-style parathas, boiled tapioca, rice and kallappan (hoppers),” says Gejo Joseph, Executive Sous Chef.
Undoubtedly, the tastiest items are the ones which are cooked inside a banana leaf pouch. “We put the prawn, beef or pork inside the banana leaf, then close it at both ends, and have it cooked,” says Gejo. “The flavour of the leaf, as well as the spices mix with each other and a unique taste is formed.”
Agrees visitor Charishma T: “The Chemmeen Vazhayila Pidi Kizhi [Prawn in banana leaf pouch] was an absolute favourite, coming delicately wrapped in banana leaves. It was semi-dry, nice and spicy, with the prawns cooked well. The spicy flavours provided an immense pleasure to the taste buds. As for the Meen Manga Curry [Fish and Mango Curry], it came in a traditional earthen pot. Then there was the Tender Seer Fish, which was dunked in a thick gravy of coconut and raw mango pieces. It was amazing.'
Adds another patron Elina Elsa M: “My favourite was the pork dish. It had the right balance of pork, coconut nut slivers and shallots in an amazing masala. The beef vazhayila kizhi is a signature dish and once you try it, you realise why. The moment you take off that tie on the banana leaf the aroma spreads in the air which results in instant drooling.”
As for the spices, which are added, these include the Kashmiri chilly, tamarind, ginger, garlic, cinnamon and cardamon.
One reason for the heightened spices in the traditional cuisine is because people consume the food after having a lot of toddy. “So, if they have to enjoy the food, while high, it needs a lot of spices,” says Gejo.
Asked how they got the idea to do this festival, hotel manager Sajeesh Nadakhakath says the restaurant used to get a lot of requests for local food. “So we decided to go for the most basic,” he says. 
But before that, they did a lot of research. They went to Kuttanad and sampled dishes made by several chefs. Then two of them were short-listed, and they came to the Forte Kochi kitchen and made the dishes.

A Balm To Ease The Pain

Social worker Sheeba Ameer runs 'Solace', an organisation which looks after children who suffer from life-threatening diseases like Nephrotic Syndrome, cancer, thalassemia and sickle cell anaemia 
Photo by Melton Antony
By Shevlin Sebastian
It was midnight. Sheeba Anwar was sleeping soundly. But soon, at the edge of her consciousness, she heard a rasping sound. When she awoke, she saw that Navneet, who was lying on the next bed, was gasping for breath. “Amma, I cannot breathe,” he managed to say. Immediately, Sheeba went out of the room, at the Pain and Palliative Care Centre, at Thrissur, and called for a nurse. The latter brought a nebuliser and placed the mask over Navneet's mouth. Slowly, Navneet's breathing settled down to an even rhythm. 
Sheeba held the hands of the 16-year-old, who lost his mother when he was a child. She could not help but feel sad. 
A couple of days ago, in mid-September, the doctor had told Sheeba that the bone cancer had metastasised. The prognosis was grim. Navneet had a few weeks to live. But he did not know that. 
“I was thinking, 'Things are going to deteriorate even further, just like the way it happened to my daughter',” says Sheeba. Her daughter Niloufa, who was 28, died on August 27, 2013, after a 16-year-battle with acute myeloid leukaemia. And Sheeba remembered that near the end, Niloufa said, 'Amma, will I survive or die? Please save me. I want to live'. 
It was a searing experience for her. When she initially took her daughter to the Tata Memorial Centre in Mumbai, to get a bone marrow transplant, she was stunned to see that the entire 11thfloor consisted of children who were suffering from cancer. “I saw children who had their legs amputated, and some who had cancer in the eye, and many who were in the terminal stages,” says Sheeba. “Nobody knew whether their children would live to see the next day.” 
There were so many poor parents. “I saw themrushing off to somehow find money for the treatment,” says Sheeba. “I could sense how alone they felt. Where to turn for help? Who would help?”
Sheeba resolved then and there that she would start an organisation to help poor parents. And although it took time, she did so, on November 8, 2007. “We look after the children suffering from cancer and other life-threatening diseases like kidney failure, thalassemia, sickle cell anaemia, cerebral palsy, juvenile arthritis, seizures and mental retardation,” says Sheeba. 
Meanwhile, thanks to 'Solace', she was able to give hands-on help for Navneet.'Solace' has provided a monthly kit of food rations for the family, paid for the costly drugs, and providing clothes. Around 1850 children are looked after every month. However, the fatality rate is 50 per cent. 
When a child gets a life-threatening disease, not surprisingly, many parents get angry with God. “They ask Him, 'What wrong have we done? Why are you punishing us?'” says Sheeba, who won the Abhijith Foundation Award for Best Social Worker in Kerala in July at Thiruvananthapuram. 
Sheeba tells the women that they have become the mothers of sick children because God felt that they have the large-heartedness, the endless patience and dedication that is needed to look after them. “Many accept what we say,” she says. 
But not all. Kavya (name changed), a 28-year-old mother found it so exhausting to look after her sick five-year-old child. One day, she jumped into a pond at Thrissur with the baby in order to commit suicide. But while the child drowned, Kavya was saved by a bystander. Recently, the district court has convicted her of murdering her child. “Kavya is feeling very guilty because she acted on the spur of the moment,” says Sheeba. “The case is now in the Kerala High Court. We have hired a lawyer to defend her.” 
Surprisingly, the number of fathers who abandon the family when they come to know that one of the children has this fatal disease, is as high as 40 per cent. So, the mothers have to battle it out alone. “Suddenly, there is no money in the house, because the mothers cannot leave the children alone,” says Sheeba. “So, 'Solace' pays the rent, so that the landlord does not harass them. The monthly medicines can cost anywhere from Rs 8000 to Rs 20,000.”
On top of all this, siblings don't take kindly to so much attention and money being showered on the afflicted child. “Many get violent, or throw tantrums,” says Sheeba. “They feel neglected, so they have to be taken to counselling.”
Today, 'Solace' has centres at Kochi, Kozhikode, Malappuram, Thrissur, and Palakkad. “We depend a lot on volunteers, many of whom are retired people,” says Sheeba.
As for the funding, Sheeba says, “We are helped by good-hearted people in India, the Gulf (West Asia), UK and the USA,” she says. This includes her husband Ameer Ali, a marine biologist with the National Museum in Qatar as well as her 30-year-old son Nikhil who also works in the same country. 
But the job has taken a toll on her family life. She spends five months in Kerala before she goes and spends one month with the family. “But they have accepted this as my life's work,” she says.
Asked whether she has got over the loss of Niloufa, Sheeba says, “I don't think I have been healed. But I have accepted what happened to my daughter as the will of God. I have realised that death is the only truth. I am a big fan of Rumi [13thcentury Persian poet], who said, 'You must learn to carry your sorrows the way you carry your happiness'.” 
(A shorter version was published in Sunday Magazine, The New Indian Express, South India and Delhi)

Book A Puja From Far Away

The Bangalore-based Malayali Sajeev Manayangath runs the portal devaayanam.in, where online booking of pujas in temples of Kerala can be done easily 
Photos: Sajeev Manayangath by Sanesh Saka; the devaayanam logo
By Shevlin Sebastian 
Life was going well for Sajeev Manayangath. He had a flourishing career in the IT industry, a good family life and a vibrant social circle. And then, suddenly, he had a health alarm. A test showed that he had a rare cardio-vascular condition. “The situation was very bad,” he says. Doctors in India said that there were very few doctors worldwide who could do this surgery. With the help of friends and relatives, he was able to locate a team of doctors in Houston. They did a 10-hour surgery on him at the Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital
Post-surgery, Sajeev improved and then deteriorated suddenly. He had to be put on a ventilator. But thankfully, he was able to make a full recovery. But while he was recuperating in the hospital, he reflected on his life. “I concluded that there was a reason why God pulled me back from death and towards life,” he says. “I decided that I should spend the rest of my life doing something meaningful.” 
But he did not know what. But he was moved by the many people who sent him messages and went to temples to pray for his health. However, a few told him that they found it difficult to conduct pujas at particular temples. “The only way was to go there or ask the local people near the temple,” he says. “That is difficult for those who live outside Kerala or abroad.” 
That was when Sajeev came up with the idea of a software platform that will enable temples to have an online presence. And people could book pujas at these temple websites. He has teamed up with his cousin Santhosh Poothankurissi who is already providing IT help for major temples.
The website, www.devaayanam.in, is up and running. Incidentally, the word 'devaayanam' means a path to God. On the home page, the temples are placed under six sections: Bagavathy, Shiva, Hanuman, Vishnu, Sarpam and Ayyappa temples. 
If you click on the Bagavathy Temple icon, you go to a page, where there are the names of 12 districts beginning with Palakkad and ending with Idukki in a column on the left. So, if you click on Palakkad, the first temple that comes up is the Sree Chinakkathoor Bhagawathy Temple. The sub-headings give the names of the deities. And there is an online booking section, where you can book the puja you want. “The money is channelised to the temple bank account, through our website and we will inform the temple authorities by email,” says Sajeev. “On the day of the puja, a reminder is sent by SMS.” 
So far, 40 temples have put up their websites. There will be another 125 which will be put up soon. However, the total number of temples in Kerala, big and small is about 7000. “So, there is a long way to go,” says Sajeev, with a smile. 
Asked the advantages of using the website, Sajeev says, “The benefit for temples is that they are getting a lot more requests from all over the world. So, there is an income generation. The charges range from Rs 10 to Rs 5000 for an entire day's puja,” says Sajeev. 
And for those who want to be present physically, there are also advantages, especially if they are going to popular temples where there is always a long queue. “The devotee can pre-book through our website, and avoid the rush,” says Sajeev. “Many are doing this.” 
Asked about the temple which receives the most requests, Sajeev says that it is the Alathur Hanuman Temple, near Tirur in Malappuram. “The devotees have tremendous faith in Lord Hanuman,” says Sajeev. “Many wishes have been granted. [The late Tamil Nadu Chief Minister] J. Jayalalitha and former Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram have prayed there.”
When Chidambaram lost the Lok Sabha elections from the Sivaganga constituency in 2009, based on initial counts, the media reported that he prayed at this temple and won in the end. That brought the temple into the limelight. The other popular temples include the Panniyur Sri Varahamurthy temple at Palakkad and the Madayikavu temple at Kannur.
Meanwhile, among the many pujas done, the most recurring are the pushpanjali (daily placing of flowers and prayers), as well as the mritunjayhomam puja (to resolve your health issues).
Interestingly, there are Christians and Muslims who also book pujas. But Sajeev is not surprised. “Syncretism is in the DNA of the people,” he says. 
(The New Indian Express, Kochi, Thiruvannathapuram and Kozhikode)

The Joys Of Weightlifting

Relin Raj talks about his experiences 
Photo by Albin Mathew 

By Shevlin Sebastian

Weightlifter Relinraj, 27, has a fixed daily routine. At 6 a.m., he has four glasses of water. Then at 7 a.m., he has some pomegranates, which helps in digestion. At 8 a.m., it is a breakfast of ten egg whites including two yolks. “The yolks have amino acids which are good for the body's recovery after exercise,” he says. Thereafter, he has a glass of oats.

Then at 9.15 a.m., he has a bit of seed potato, to generate carbohydrates. And finally, at 10 a.m., he is ready to do his 90-minute workout. That's because, from early morning onwards, he is working as a trainer in Gold's Gym, one of Kochi's leading fitness centres. And most of the clients leave by 9.30 a.m.

Relin starts with the Foam Rumble Roller. “This helps the muscles to become relaxed,” he says. “Then when we do weight training, our mobility and flexibility are far better.”

In weight training, he does the bench press, the lift and the squat. At other times, he exercises his leg muscles to make them stronger. Or he does chest exercises. When it is over, he feels light-hearted. “The best part about weightlifting is that my stress levels go down a lot,” says Relin. “I feel a sense of relaxation. Then you get a lot of renewed energy. Weightlifting helps remove back pain because it strengthens the back muscles. It also reduces a lot of fat, so, your lean muscles become more pronounced and it increases your metabolism.”

Very soon after the completion of the workout. Relin has a scoop of protein supplement powder, called Optimum Nutrition. Each scoop is about 24 grams. “It is necessary to have supplements because we burn a lot of calories during weight training,” he says. “You can get it naturally through egg whites and sprouts but I need more. That's why I use it.”

Fitness trainer Shibin PV agrees. “Suppose you need 100 grams of protein, you will only get 2 or 3 grams from an egg white,” he says. “So, you need to eat at least 50 eggs. The calculation is 1 gram of protein for every kilo of body weight but for sports people, especially powerlifters, it is 2 grams per kilo. An ordinary person needs at least 50 grams. But for a sportsman, it is 100 grams. If you are doing strenuous sports, like weightlifting, then you have to take food supplements.”

In weightlifting, he says, you need the right amount of protein, carbohydrates and vitamins. “That will reduce the chance of an injury,” says Shibin. “Otherwise, your muscles will tear, and so will your ligaments.”.

Some of the well-known companies which supply protein supplements include Optimum Nutrition, Muscle Tech, and Dymatize Nutrition.

But Shibin is frank enough to say that if you don't use supplements in the prescribed manner, the lifter could suffer from side-effects. “The liver gets damaged most of the time,” he says. “There is also a rise in uric acid and kidney stones. But only about 30 per cent of the weightlifters have any problems.”

As for injuries that weightlifters suffer from, Dr Anoob RC, Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon at Sangeeth Hospital at Mattancherry, says, “They usually have muscle tears in the rotator cuff of the shoulders and ligament injury in their legs. There is a lot of pressure put on the shoulders and leg muscles. That is why these injuries happen. They have to undergo key-hole surgery and rest for a few weeks.”

But another method which damages their bodies is the use of anabolic steroid injections. “They take this to speed up their muscle build-up. “But it can have side-effects,” he says. “There is a chance to get tendinitis. Then you can develop female characteristics, like males can get breasts – gynaecomastia.”

As for Renil, his passion for weightlifting began when he saw photos of former Mr Universe and Hollywood star Arnold Schwarzenegger in a magazine. “I wanted to have a body like Arnold,” he says. So, in his hometown of Thiruvananthapuram, the 18-year-old joined a local gym.

“Very soon I noticed changes in my body,” he says. “When I began, I weighed 46 kgs, but in one year I reached 55 kgs. I felt so much stronger and enjoyed every moment of training.”

Meanwhile, when asked the difference between people who do weight-lifting and those who do not, Renil says, “Those who don't exercise become a bit lazy. They have low energy. Their posture is rarely ramrod straight. They are mostly negative-minded and lack confidence in facing challenges.”
(An input for a cover story in Sunday Magazine, The New Indian Express, South India and Delhi) 
http://epaper.newindianexpress.com/18...

Memories Of A Golden Era

During a recent visit to Kochi, Bollywood music composer Shravan Rathod talks about his brilliant partnership with Nadeem Saifee, even as he analyses the music of today
Photos: Shravan Rathod; Nadeem Saifee (left) and Shravan Rathod 
Shevlin Sebastian  
Music composer Shravan Rathod appears in the lobby of the Taj Gateway at Kochi recently with a big smile on his face. “I had a good time,” says the judge of the Antakshri competition conducted recently by the North Indian Association, under the chairmanship of Pawan Tolasaria.
Not surprisingly, music is not far away from Shravan's mind as he says, “I have heard a few Malayalam songs and Yesudas is one of my favourite singers. He is a pearl of India. I have been a lifelong fan.”
As he leans back on the sofa, it does not take him long to make a journey into the past.
One day, in 1972, Shravan's friend, Harish Bopaiya invited him for a college function where he was singing. Shravan readily agreed. As Harish began singing, Shravan immediately noticed the congo player. “He played so well and had a magnetic personality,” says Shravan.
Thereafter, Shravan asked Harish about the congo player. “His name is Nadeem Saifee and he wants to be a composer like you,” says Harish. “Come, I will introduce you.”
When they were introduced in the green room, something clicked between the two.
Shravan asked Nadeem to sing something. “And he sang a beautiful bhajan of Lord Ram,” says Shravan. “I was surprised that as a Muslim he could sing a bhajan.”
When Nadeem asked Shravan to sing, he sang a Western cabaret song, which was popular in Bollywood at that time.
They parted with the promise that they would meet again.
After five days Harish came to Shravan’s house and said Nadeem wanted to meet. So Shravan went to Nadeem’s place. “It was a nice house,” says Shravan. “Nadeem belonged to a rich family. They gave me a big welcome. And I had a sumptuous lunch.”
Following lunch, Nadeem said, “Let's work together. And Shravan agreed.
They started composing music and met more than 100 producers. But nothing happened. 16 years went by.
In 1988, the duo composed the music for ‘Baap Numbri, Beta Dus Nambri’. Anuradha Paudwal and Mohammed Aziz sang the first song, ‘Pehli Baar Hua Hai’. Anuradha started crying when she heard the recording.
Later, she called up Gulshan Kumar, the founder of the music company T series, and spoke about the talents of Nadeem-Shravan.
Gulshan immediately flew down from Delhi, met the duo, listened to the songs and signed them up. A year later, they composed the songs for the Mahesh Bhatt film, ‘Aashiqui’. The film was released on August 12, 1989.
Nadeem and Shravan went for the matinee show at the Metro cinema.  The hall was house full. When the songs were played, the audience clapped.
“Usually, during a show, people step out for a cigarette during the songs,” says Shravan. “But in this film, the opposite happened.”
During the interval when the lights came on, the people recognized the duo. “They clapped, shouted, and took our autographs. Nadeem turned to me and said, ‘I think we have become stars’.”
Indeed, they had. Later, they did the music for 160 films in 15 years and had 150 hits.
Asked about the qualities a song needs, to be a hit Shravan says, “The most important part of a song is the lyrics. It should be excellent. Secondly, we need to know the entire story of the film before we do the orchestration. Thereafter, we have to get the best singers. Mohammed Rafi, Lata Mangeshkar, Kishore Kumar, Asha Bhonsle, Mukesh and Manna Dey were golden singers. Their pronunciation was good, and they sang with their hearts. That is why people still listen to their songs. During our era, there was Kumar Sanu, Alka Yagnik, Anuradha Paudwal and Udit Narayan who dominated the charts.” 
Not surprisingly, he is disappointed by the music of today. “There is a lot of technology,” says Shravan. “But electronic music is artificial. It cannot be compared to a live orchestra. Today, people 'watch' songs instead of 'listening' to them. Nevertheless, there are talented singers and music directors, but they should focus on the lyrics and the concept of Indianness. We are copying Western styles too much.”
He says composers should use Indian instruments. “Nadeem and I used the bansuri, sitar and shehnai in all our compositions,” he says. “The soul of India is contained within these three instruments. RD Burman always used the bansuri. That is why his songs have lasted. In Madan Mohan’s songs, the sitar was always used. The other instruments which can be played are the sarod, flute, tabla, harmonium and the violin.” 
Meanwhile, the duo’s career came to a juddering halt, when Gulshan Kumar was shot dead outside the Jeeteshwar Mahadev Mandir, Mumbai, on August 12, 1997. For some reason, Nadeem came under suspicion. He was in London at that time. Later, he settled in London and has been exonerated by the House of Lords in the United Kingdom but the case is still going on in the Indian courts. So, he has not returned to India. Today, Nadeem is a British citizen, who lives in Dubai and runs a perfumery business.
“I am in touch with Nadeem,” says Shravan. “We are planning a world tour. Let us hope it materialises.”

Kishore Kumar: The eccentric genius
The singing legend Kishore was known for his eccentricities. Music composer Shravan Rathod recounts an experience. “At the Famous Recording Studio in Tardeo, Kishore Kumar asked his secretary, ‘Did you have your coffee?’,” says Shravan. “That was code language for, ‘Did you get the money for this recording?’”
The secretary said, ‘No, I have not had coffee’.” Kishore said, ‘You did not have coffee? No problem’.”
When the music director said he was ready, Kishore went to the mike and began coughing. Kishore apologised and said he could not sing because his throat was bad. Then he left the studio and got into his car.
Immediately, the assistant producer followed in another car. At a traffic signal, both the cars came side by side.
The assistant producer said, “Sir, what happened?”
Kishore replied, “I asked my secretary whether he had coffee, he said no. That means he did not get the money. So without the money, there cannot be any recording.”
The assistant producer said, “Kishore Da, you are the producer of this film.”Kishore looked puzzled and said, “Am I?”
Then the singer told the driver, “Turn the car around.” 
(The New Indian Express, Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikode)