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Art themes
It's De Time Again
'Shobha De' is back. This time with 'Selective Memory Stories From My
Life', a 531 page book priced at 250/-. The book is dedicated to Lord Ganesh
from whom there can be no secrets and to her beloved family from whom she
has still kept a few. It has 14 chapters and in the book De glances back,
walks tall, cuts loose, blazes trails, shines through, sits pretty, flies
solo, names Names, writes on, gets ahead, moves images, gets personal,
feels great and takes stock. The book contains 30 lovely photographic memories
from De's life. From childhood photographs with her father, mother, sisters
Kunda, Mandakini and brother Ashok.
I have read only the first chapter so far, where she has written about
Delhi. She had lived in Delhi from the age of two to ten near the posh
Khan Market. Shobha says that she still remembers the small studio her
pictures were taken at and laments that most of the stores from her childhood
days have disappeared but still finds few stores like Empire Stores and
Fakir Chands doing good business at the Khan Market.
Why did she move out of Delhi? Because her father who was a magistrate
got a promotion to Bombay. But even at that time when she was ten years
De found Delhi too small and slow. Anyway De is a Maharastrian. A true
Bombayite who continues to say Bombay Mere Hai.
Sound & Light Spectacle
To make a night in Delhi much more interesting I visited the sound and
lights show. They are held every night in Delhi's Red Fort and Purana Quila.
Two shows daily from 7.00 to 8.00 p.m. in Hindi and 8.30 to 9.30 p.m. in
English. Tickets priced very reasonably at Rs. 10/- and 20/-. One hour
show at the Red Fort traces the history of the city from the Mughal era
to August 15th 1947, India's independence day. The story revolves around
the Red Fort, how the fort was built and to the events dating back to Shahjahan.
You get a feel of time as horses race past you and hear the tinkling of
anklets. Screams and shouts of a group of Britishers during the 1857 Revolt
send shivers down you. The show also tells you the story of India's struggle
for independence and ends with India's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal
Nehru unfurling the Indian flag from the ramparts of the Red Fort - heralding
a new era for independent India.
However, if you want to hear the tale of Delhi one must visit Purana
Quila - The fort which for centuries stood in silence as the city of Delhi
was constructed and destroyed seven times. Delhi has gone through many
changes unlike most capital cities and it's still changing. The story starts
about 5000 years ago in a place called Indraprastha, a barren piece of
land which was converted to a lovely place by the Pandavas. (World Health
Organisation - WHO - is now housed at a place called Indraprastha Estate).
The show presents tales about Delhi's glorious days, period of anarchy,
the rise and fall of the city. People like Jaya Bahaduri (now Bachchan),
Ompuri and other respected actresses and actors of India have lent their
voices to this lovely show. It is true that a tale of a city cannot be
related within an hour. But the presenters do a good job. I have got to
know better, the roots of the city I roam now.
A New Spirit
Kusum Sawhney is an ex-journalist, poetess, Santoor player, wife and
a mother, with good looks. She is the author of 'Kindred Spirits' and 'Wych
Stories'. She is gaining popularity among the Indian readers as a Shobha
De Clone who prefers to be likened to Arundhati Roy. Sawhney can be only
one, herself. Her subjects are contemporary and revolve around urbane women,
their sexuality, Aids, prostitution and the usual. She describes orgies
and caricatures men. She thinks that men aren't a great species as they
cut a sorry spectacle in front of women. She sounds to me like a WCP. (Women
Chauvinist Pig). Her women are supposed to be new women. Liberated, disenchanted
with the system and a part of the jet-set but pining to go beyond it to
a rocket or to a key club. Sawhney says that she brings sex only when her
characters demand it and 'Kindred Spirits' has explicit or sexplicit passages
on social orgies and bedroom antics. So are the newspapers these days courtesy
Bill, Starr and Monica dearest. Some try to write off Sawhney as a nobody.
I wouldn't do that. She will reach the skies when her readers reach out.
Watch out for Kusum Sawhney.
Stop Over: Met Anna Weiss (Ranmali Mirchandani) at a Theatre
in New Delhi, where Delhi's Scene Stealers staged 'A Duet For Three'. She
noted that the Sri Lankan theatre is of a much higher standard. Having
seen many plays here I couldn't agree with her more. No wonder the British
High Commissioner in Sri Lankan David Tatham has written to her saying
"do take it to India. I am sure it will be equally meaningful".
And now High Commissioner Mangala Moonesinghe and wife Gana have promised
to extend their support to show Sri Lankans playing a different role with
Anna Weiss - in New Delhi.
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