Thursday 31 October 2013

India - Incredible India Ads 01.11.2013

Watch the Incredible Ad About a Woman's Second Marriage That Has India Transfixed Jewelry brand's bravery By Rebecca Cullers

Weddings are powerful in advertising because they imply more than just the joining of two people—they signal the belief that we can attain, and deserve to attain, the happy ending. Of course, life doesn't end after a wedding, but for most people, the rest of the story can be summed up with "and they lived happily ever after." Conversely, when people don't see their story told in advertising, one of modern culture's most pervasive means of storytelling, they begin to feel as if they can't attain—or worse, aren't deserving of—that happiness.

That's why India is currently mesmerized by the ad below, which may seem to outsiders like yet another commercial about yet another happy wedding. The spot, in and of itself, is cute. A bride is seen getting ready on her wedding day. Boy, is she stunning with her incredible new Tanishq necklace! She and her adorable daughter walk to meet the groom and then perform the wedding rites. The daughter wants to go around the circle with them, but Mom tells her to be quiet. It's the stepdad who invites his new daughter to join the ceremony. Afterward, the girl asks her stepdad if she can call him Daddy. The feels—oh, the feels!

But in a nation where widowed and divorced women have historically been treated as outcasts, the theme of the spot—a woman's second marriage, to a man who treats both her and her daughter with love and respect—is not only revolutionary. It is crazy bold.

Adding more fuel to the fire, agency Lowe Lintas chose a lovely model whose skin tone is apparently "duskier" than that of most advertising brides. So, not only can you find happiness in your second marriage, you can find happiness regardless of your skin tone (the makeup people aren't going to like that!). Arun Iyer, national creative director at Lowe Lintas, explained to Livemint that that the casting was everything in this ad, saying "it had to look like a marriage of equals, not something that was done out of pity." From that, I learned that the social status of a widow is such that people seeing the ad might automatically think someone was marrying her out of pity.

Incredible work from Lowe, but it might take a few more jewelry ads to make a real change.

India - Maleshwar - the land of thousand waterfalls 31.10.2013

Marleshwar, the land of thousand waterfalls

If peacock is a bird with thousand eyes, Marleshwar is a land of thousand waterfalls.

The craze for travel takes you to strange places. The more the number of places you travel to, the stronger becomes the thirst to go see the next one, seek the next story and live the next dream. But at times, there are a few places which draw you back to relive your experiences: to go back down the memory lane. I went to one such, last week.

They say the most beautiful things are hidden in plain sight, and so is a place of a thousand waterfalls – Marleshwar in Maharashtra

They say the most beautiful things are hidden in plain sight, and so is a place of a thousand waterfalls – Marleshwar in the Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra. Hidden in the Sahyadri, Marleshwar is just 75km away from one of the most famous beach temples, Ganapatiphule. A place deep in the forest with no mobile network, and hardly touched by the symbols of modern civilization, Ganapatiphule is home to the beautiful Dhareshwar waterfall.

Only a poet can do justice in describing the overflowing streams, the flooded little bridges, misty cover, thick forests and the curvy roads leading to Sahyadri. The landscape which I saw from Devrukh to Maraleshwar was like a song of nature. Mist filled air hits you giving you that fresh smell you crave for in the cities, some drizzle from outside the window that just doesn’t allow you to close the window, chitter chatter of kids, laughing and fighting, living in their own world, and lots of happy faces around. It was such a pleasure to run away from the agenda driven, self obsessed world of the city to nothingness of Marleshwar.

After floating in a dreamy landscape for close to an hour, I finally reached Marleshwar. When I got down, I blanked out for a minute or so. I just stood there, staring up at the mountains, lush green forest with multiple step waterfalls all around, and a big stream by the side. It was the sound of the bus restarting which brought me back to my senses, and memories of the last trip flooded. Last time I was here, I had slept in the tapri next to the stream. It was pretty cold in the night. There were just 3 of us in the forest- the hotel guy Kishore, a Sadhu, and me. Kishore had told me that he’d been sleeping alone in the forest for 14 years and this time I remembered it was his 15th. I wasn’t sure if he’d recognize me, but he did, the moment he saw me approaching his hotel. He welcomed me with a broad smile and a loud, “kaisa ho?” I knew I’d had a friend in him.

I just stood there, staring up at the mountains, lush green forest with multiple step waterfalls all around, and a big stream by the side.

It’s a remote place and as far as I know the nearest basic accommodation is an hour and a half away in Devrukh. The society is mainly an agrarian one – their world is small and very simple. A weekly market in Devrukh is a sought after getaway for kids for ‘shopping’. This part of the world is rich not only in nature but also in the way people live. With a few good words about the place, you get to know their family history. Everyone has a story to share or a hero to admire. For some, its Shivaji Maharaj, and for some, its Salman.

This time I was travelling light. All I was carrying was my camera, cell phone and wallet – all in my camera bag. I left my camera bag with him and headed to the forest. There’s a waterfall in the middle of the hill where no one enters – it’s secluded but safe. Kishore had told me about this place last time I was there.

I climbed a few slippery rocks and almost fell twice, as water was gushing down, but finally reached the middle of the waterfall and sat under it. When cold water hits you with such force, it makes you forget every damn thing you had on your mind. I sat under it for I don’t know how much time. I was just staring at the waterfall on the opposite hill. I might have sang a few old songs and of course, threw a lot of stones down. All acts of a sane person!

In the summer, cobras come out of the cave temple and move around although they say that till date, they have not harmed a devotee.

Post the shower, I came down towards the main temple complex. People found me amusing as I was walking all wet while the rest had colorful raincoats on and an umbrella. Probably, ‘I love walking in the rain’ is only a page to be liked on Facebook!

The sight of Dhareshwar waterfall beats everything I’ve seen in the Sahyadri’s. At least 30 small waterfalls coming together, merging into one and plunging down as one huge fall. When it rains heavily, it’s a treat as more number of smaller ones become visible.

If peacock is a bird with thousand eyes, Marleshwar is a land of thousand waterfalls.

To call this sight mesmerizing is a huge understatement. One has to be there, stand there and experience it themselves. In the summer, cobras come out of the cave temple and move around although they say that till date, they have not harmed a devotee. They call Marleshwar the ‘Jaagrut Dev’. There’s a huge following of Marleshwar, especially around Shivaratri. The water was seeping from the cave roof and floor was wet, but so was I. With a few oil lamps lit and dhoop, it was ideal for meditation.

I returned to Kishore’s hotel and had smoking hot bhajia, vada, missal, sabudana khichdi and chai; all this sitting on a bench under a tree, attached to a huge stream. I wish I could do this every morning!

Few places around

Ratnagiri, a small town, is home to Bal Gangadhar Tilak, one of the greatest freedom fighters.

Bal Gangadhar Tilak’s memorial home in Ratnagiri district, Maharashtra.

Ganpatiphule is 2 hours from Ratnagiri and is worth a visit with its 400 year old beach side temple. The route to Ratnagiri has misty mountains of mango trees that makes it all the more a destination that one should not miss.

How to get there

I took the Mumbai- Mangalore Express from Panvel at 11.40 in the night. It reached Ratnagiri at 4.50 in the morning, giving me ideal time to freshen up and get on to the first bus from Ratnagiri at 6.30 to Devrukh. One has to go to Devrukh from Ratnagiri, which takes 100 minutes, and then catch another bus to Maraleshwar, which takes another cool 75 minutes. So expect to reach Maraleshwar close to 10, if you catch all the first buses.

Only MSRTC buses ply in this route and are in decent shape to give you a comfortable ride. Now, if you’re imagining VOLVO comfort, this doesn’t really come close to that! Expect few broken window glasses and rusty window sides.

India - Changing landscape of the Gauri Ganga 31.10.2013

The changing landscape of the Gori Ganga valley

In his trek of the Gori Ganga valley in Uttarakhand, Thejaswi writes about the developments he notices in the valley with ghats being blown up to build roads and former crew members now working for hydropower projects.

The unbounded sense of awe and wonder that envelopes me as the Panchachuli pentatops present themselves spectacularly in fading light, is in contrast with non-existent boundaries carved on maps – the latter demand salutation and conformity, which I deeply question. Pic: Thejaswi Shivanand

Since my last visit to Munsiari in 2009, a colour photo printer had arrived in town. This time, we print some passport photographs, but discover that innovation does not extend to the Sub-Magistrate’s office where they issue inner line permits to trek in the Milam and Ralam valleys; eternal delays continue to plague the system. I recall the journey to Munsiari – usually an outpost even to the intrepid tourist – eleven hours from the hot plains through the Siwaliks, past driving rain and minor landslides, and finally, the Greater Himalaya. The unbounded sense of awe and wonder that envelopes me as the Panchachuli pentatops present themselves spectacularly in fading light, is in contrast with non-existent boundaries carved on maps – the latter demand salutation and conformity, which I deeply question.

Ramnarayan and Malika, of Himal Prakriti, the organization that put together our earlier Milam trek, help us this time as well. During our meeting before we leave for the trek, we hear of various other changes that have happened, are happening or are due to happen in the Gori Valley – the planned hydroelectric power projects, a road linking Milam and Munsiari, the state of schools, politics of jungle ownership, the role of women in the local village society, the flow of rivers in Himalayan geological history.

The blast site to build a mountain road to link Munsiari and Milam. Pic: Thejaswi Shivanand

I begin the trek with disappointment as I see Jhimi Ghat, where we camped on our Milam trek in 2009, in a state of being blasted for a mountain road to link Munsiari and Milam. Piles of rubble extend right up to the stream banks along the steep valley, clogging the channel in parts. Dynamite and JCBs alternate in carving up the mountainside where we saw over thirty or more vultures roosting two years back. The hitherto peaceful village is decamped and dusty. The road is planned to continue to the army and ITBP border outposts close to the border with China.

We end the day by climbing to camp at Paton village, the winter home of the Ralam villagers. There are only a few people there, as most have migrated for the short summer in Ralam, which at 3500m is one of the higher seasonal villages. These villagers are migrants from the neighbouring Darma valley, and are ethnically and linguistically distinct from their neighbours in the Bhui village. Apparently, they secured the land ownership rights to Ralam village and its van panchayat from the residents of Bhui in 1964. However, they have been moving between Ralam and Paton for atleast seven or eight generations, as recalled by living memory. Near Paton, we encounter our only amphibian of the trip: a spectacular mottled green frog.

Villagers migrate for the short summer in Ralam, which at 3500m is one of the higher seasonal villages. Pic: Brishti Bagchi

We pass dense forest the next morning beyond Paton, dominated by atleast two if not three species of Maple and Oak, an understory of Rhododendron and a sprinkling of conifers in the upper reaches. The trees grow in thickness and girth as we move, and the understory is a stranglehold of aroids, ferns, lycopods, and an astonishing array of fungi. The last of the rhododendrons are in flower. The dead trees rot in the forest and are part of this landscape. This forest and others in the valley beyond belong to the Ralam van panchayat. The van panchayats are a system in Uttarakhand where the local forests are communally owned by the village and administered by an elected body. The Ralam van panchayat is one of the largest in the state, and controls sizable areas of deciduous and coniferous woodland, and alpine grassland across a steep elevation gradient.

Ralam is the only settlement in the Ralam valley. The Ralam river cuts deep in the valley, braiding on the riverbed before the monsoon excess changes the shade and turbulence of the waters. Theo, also part of Himal Prakriti, joins us and tells us the story of yaks in Ralam that he helped get from Ladakh, via Tibet, several years back. Potentilla atrosanguniea carpeted the floor of the gently rolling slopes with bloody blooms. The glacial landscape is desolate; the brown terminus of the ice flow, the river gushing out, the glistening snow and ice on the mountains above, all remind me of my own insignificance.

The glacial landscape is desolate; the brown terminus of the ice flow, the river gushing out, the glistening snow and ice on the mountains above, all remind me of my own insignificance. Pic: Maria George

Chander, a resident of Ralam, accompanies us as we cross the 4650m Burjikanj pass the next day, with good weather and almost no snow on the climb. The large Milam glacier is at a distance and the two peaks of Nanda Devi and Nanda Devi East are on a ridge across the valley. After an exerting climb, and a quick lunch, we begin the descent to Martoli through deep snow. Chander has to return to Ralam to plant out potatoes and other vegetables. In the short Ralam summer, every day in the field counts and it is Chander’s third day with us. We need his knowledge of the lay of the land, and his wife needs his hand in the potato field.

Martoli, at 3400 meters, is a quiet village in the Milam Valley that comes alive once a year in October for a Nanda Devi festival. Milam and the surrounding mountains have been open to mountaineers and trekkers only since 1993 when permits were first issued to travel in the Milam valley. After the hostilities with China in 1962, the ancient trading route on which it is located closed and trading ceased. The supporting farmer families found the short summers and harsh landscape less inviting. The villages slowly swept into decrepitude.

Milam and the surrounding mountains have been open to mountaineers and trekkers only since 1993 when permits were first issued to travel in the Milam valley. Pic: Thejaswi Shivanand

On our descent from Martoli to Bugdiyar, we encounter Munna, a part of our crew from the 2009 Milam Trek. He now works for one of the companies involved in surveying the Bugdiyar site for a run-of-the-river power project. This involves a series of small dams on the river to divert the water into tunnels running through the mountainside and running turbines. This is a seismically active area, and the river carries enormous amounts of silt that will choke the turbines sooner than later. The riverbed will dry up. The lifeline of the people in the valley will no longer exist.

We reach Munsiari tired and wet. Binaji, who hosted my colleague and I in Shankdura village, makes us feel at home with our first baths in ten days. The next day, we meet the women of the Maati collective at Sarmoli village. They also speak of their work as a collective, the experiences and politics of working with the van panchayat, male domination in the society, the impact of liquor on their lives, experiences of running homestays, to include visitors like us as part of their otherwise busy lives.

Women from Ralam village. Pic: Maria George

I leave Munsiari with an unanswered, perhaps futile question – the meaning of human existence. I haven’t understood it any better since I started at Katgodam, but perhaps I can put it in perspective – the Himalayas, its resilient people, the turbulent rivers, the captivating flora, the fine group of children from Centre for Learning that I went with, all contribute to the question – in the very personal, present and future statements and meanings
.

India - Augmbe - Monsoon dances 31.10.2013

The monsoon dances in Agumbe

Over the years, my relationship with the monsoons had soured as we drifted apart owing to the hurried city life. But I was determined to have a heart-to-heart with the monsoons, so I headed to the place where it rules unhindered in all its glory.

The King Cobra’s rainforest – Agumbe. Pic: Karunakar Rayker

One uneventful July evening, you are stuck in the blaring traffic hoping for the light to turn green, when the dark clouds announce their intentions with a deafening roar and tiny droplets of rain come falling from the sky. This harmless drizzle ripens into a downpour in minutes; harried motorists scurry for cover and the hopelessly immobile traffic grinds to a halt. Cursing the rain gods for inflicting this misery, you navigate the inundated potholed roads and dream of the hot cup of tea that awaits at the end of this ordeal.

But were the monsoons always so inconvenient, so without charm? Where are the monsoons which swept the dreariness of the sultry summer and when colourful umbrellas and rain coats dotted the roads? Where is the wind which lent wings to kites which soared along with the clouds and danced in the sky? Where is the excitement of getting drenched and enjoying a game of football with friends? Somehow, over the years, my relationship with the monsoons had soured as we drifted apart owing to the hurried city life. But this season, I was determined to have a heart-to-heart with the monsoons, so I headed to the place where it rules unhindered in all its glory and pomp-Agumbe.

Agumbe is aptly bestowed with the moniker “Cherrapunji of the South”; for three months the rains rein supreme permeating the life of its inhabitants and influencing the very character of Agumbe. Tucked in the Ghat section between coastal Karnataka and inland districts of Chikmagalur and Shimoga, Agumbe is accessible by serpentine roads sandwiched between gentle creeks and menacing bluffs. Along the roads, neatly laid out paddy fields carpet the landscape; farmers toil in the pouring rain egging on their uninterested bullocks.

A typical house in Agumbe

Green is the mood of nature, though I doubt that envy is the emotion she intends to convey. Agumbe consists of neat compact houses with sloping roofs, humble courtyards and crude picket fences with tarpaulin sheets slung across the entrance – an insurance against the incessant rain I presume. Moss and lichen cling to the roof and the outer walls spilling a greenish hue which mixes with the thick fog, lending the impression of an aura surrounding the village. Rain is a constant companion in Agumbe – sliding down the roof, bouncing off the stone steps, hugging the trees, rushing through the drains, kissing the skin – it stalks you like an obsessed lover. Here it seems one should keep their friends close but the umbrellas closer.

Venugopal Temple of the Hoysala Era

Time slows down to an excruciating crawl, burdened by the weight of the unmerciful rain. One can take a stroll in the narrow streets and experience the rain wash away all the pretense of civilization. The Venugopal Temple, near the village centre, is an impressive structure of the Hoysala era though several additional features in Tulunadu style set it apart from the traditional Hoysala temples. Facing the temple is a shrine to the King Cobra, the fearsome reptile which calls Agumbe home. Then there are waterfalls set against the backdrop of dense forests, though in the rainy season they are squirming with the dreaded leeches. One can take a walk to the ARRS- Agumbe Rainforest Research Station- and get an idea of the conservation efforts being undertaken or watch the valleys shrouded in milky fog from the sunset point. There is much to do in Agumbe and yet you can choose to sit idly in an archaic house and sip on a hot cup of tea while relishing a book.

An inner view of Dodda Mane

Kasturi Ajji’s Dodda Mane is located close to the intersection where the road coming from Sringeri meets the highway connecting Shimoga to Udupi. A rather imposing structure, it is an admirable representative of the architectural traditions of Agumbe. The entrance to the house opens into a narrow elevated platform which runs around the perimeter of the house, bordering an open verandah; stone staircases branch from this platform climbing to the cozy rooms on the first floor. Intricately carved wooden pillars and doorways grace the house, a well sits in the backyard with a unique water-heating apparatus completely made of stone, and equally impressive is the attention given to harnessing the natural ligh,t as even during these dark rainy days the house is alight without electricity. It is highly recommended to plan an overnight stay here and soak in the laid-back experience intrinsic to Agumbe.

You will be treated to the lip-smacking local cuisine with a homely hospitality complete with the delightful table conversations that spawn from such a milieu. Interestingly, the famous television serial Malgudi Days, based on the works of R.K.Narayan, was shot in this house and it was heartening to be regaled with anecdotes from the days gone by – to be so close to Swaminathan, the adorable character of Malgudi. And in the night you can listen to the pitter patter of rain on the roof and slip into your own dream world far from the maddening rush of the city.

An abandoned building covered with moss

My tryst with the monsoons rekindled a long lost friendship buried in the debris of time. The rain was not a nuisance anymore. Rather, it was the cradle of freedom and joy I longed for. Here in Agumbe, I could be the child who loved to dress up in a grey raincoat and gum boots and take a walk in the rain with a bright umbrella tucked under my arm. I could splash in the puddles, make paper boats which sailed effortlessly and sleep to the sound of the rain battering the roof. I could watch the fog turn day into night, giggle sheepishly at the smoke coming from my mouth, and watch the mist settle on my eyebrows. But most importantly I could sit alongside a friend and hope that the grey clouds would never fly away!

India - Lakshadweep - Far from terrorism 31.10.2013

Low volume, high value tourism best for Lakshadweep

As tourism swells back in the islands of Lakshadweep, caution must be taken to preserve its fragile ecology and avoid the mistakes made by it’s coastal tourist counterparts like Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Bangaram island in Lakshadweep. Pic: Binu KS

Lakshadweep, which literally means “a hundred thousand islands”, is an archipelago tucked away some 250-500 kilometers off the coast of Kerala. Lakshadweep comprises of 36 islands which are scattered over 78,000 square kilometers across the Arabian Sea. Only 11 of these islands, namely, Kavarati, Minicoy, Agatti, Amini, Kadmat, Bangaram, Kalpeni, Bitra, Andrott, Chetlat and Kiltan are inhabited.

It is believed that Lakshadweep was discovered by shipwrecked sailors around 435 AD. Over the years, several shipwrecks have been spotted in Lakshadweep. In 1991, a shipwreck, believed to be that of a British ship that had sunk in a fierce battle between the British and the French in the 1790’s, was located off Bangaram. The site of this shipwreck has been recognized as the deepest submarine archaeological site in India. Four cannons weighing more than a ton, a bronze bell inscribed with the name and date of the ship, Chinese porcelain, and jars of different shapes and sizes were some of the objects that were retrieved from the shipwreck.

A unique feature of Lakshadweep is its coral reef. According to Charles Darwin, below these coral reefs there were volcanic formations, but over time, a lot of corals had settled over them and turned into atolls. Incidentally, a rare phenomenon known as coral spawning was noticed by marine biologists for the first time ever in Lakshadweep, earlier this year.

Scuba diving is an incredibly popular activity in Lakshadweep. Bangaram, Agatti and Kadmat happen to have some of the finest sites in the world for scuba diving.

There is a long history of famous people from around the globe who have been to Lakshadweep. They include the likes of Marco Polo, Vasco da Gama and in more recent times, Richard Gere. In 1988, Rajiv Gandhi, then Prime Minister of India, rang in the New Year along with his family in Bangaram. While there, Rajiv Gandhi spotted a bleeding whale which was stranded in the shallow lagoon that surrounds Bangaram. He jumped into the sea to rescue it. His gun-totting bodyguards followed suit. Rajiv Gandhi tied the whale with a rope and gently pushed it back into the Arabian Sea.

In order to preserve the fragile ecology of Lakshadweep, the thrust has, very rightly, been on high value low volume tourism. This is in sharp contrast to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands which happen to be a backpacker’s paradise. Incidentally, the number of tourist arrivals in Lakshadweep was about 25,000 in 2006-07, whereas, in Andaman and Nicobar Islands it was about 2, 00,000 in 2010-11.

Due to an ongoing dispute (the issue is currently pending in the Supreme Court), two popular resorts in Lakshadweep, namely the Bangaram Island Resort and the Agatti Island Beach Resort have been shut down since 2011. Tourism has been badly hit by this.

A hotel chain based in Cochin has been operating the Bangaram Island Resort since 1988 through lease agreements with the Society for Promotion of Nature Tourism and Sports (SPORTS). These were renewed, once, every five-years. In 2010, a decision was taken by the latter not to renew the existing lease. SPORTS floated a global tender for operating the resort. The hotel chain based in Cochin approached the courts pointing out that the new global bid process was biased against them. The issue is currently pending before the Supreme Court.

As the carrying capacity of the 36 islands in Lakshadweep is low, it is necessary to look at different models of tourism development. Pic: Thejas

Last year, the Supreme Court had appointed an expert committee under the chairmanship of a retired judge of the Supreme Court to study the functioning of the resorts in Lakshadweep and the alleged violation of the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) norms by some of the resorts. Incidentally, all the islands in Lakshadweep come under the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) categories CRZ I and CRZ IV, with the ‘No Development Zone’ falling between 20-50 meters of High Tide Line (HTL). The Trivandrum-based Centre for Earth Science Studies (CESS) has, recently, submitted an Integrated Island Management Plan (IIMPs) for all the 36 islands of Lakshadweep.

All visitors to Lakshadweep require an entry permit to visit. At present, only 6 islands are open to tourists. There are plans to open 5 more islands to tourists. Incidentally, a few years back, an uninhabited island called Thinnnakkara was said to have been leased out to a liquor baron from Bangalore.

As the carrying capacity of the 36 islands in Lakshadweep is low, it is necessary to look at different models of tourism development. One such model is cruise tourism wherein tourists come in luxury cruise ships to Lakshadweep. During the day they would visit the various islands in Lakshadweep, and at night, they could spend time on these ships. Star Cruises, the world’s third largest cruise liner, used to operate a cruise ship (the passenger capacity of it was about 1500) from Mumbai to Lakshadweep, a few years back. The tourist arrivals in Lakshadweep shot up from about 15000 in 2005-06 to about 25,000 in 2006-07 mainly due to this. Concerted efforts should be made by the administration in Lakshadweep to promote cruise tourism, in the coming years.

India - a Tourists paradise