NEW DELHI (TIP): The Congress- BJP fight over Nehru intensified on Thursday when Sonia Gandhi chose the birthday of the first prime minister to accuse BJP of seeking to destroy his “secular” legacy while son Rahul dismissed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Clean India’ campaign as a mask of respectability for the party’s divisive actions of spreading communal poison. “Houses are being painted and roads are being cleaned but poison is being spread and the very foundations (of the house) are being weakened,” Rahul said.
While he did not name the PM or the BJP and refrained from mentioning the word “communalism”, the implication of his remarks at a function to commemorate Nehru’s 125th birth anniversary, where the attendees took an oath to protect secularism, was obvious. Speaking at the same function, Sonia said, “There are concerted attempts to destroy the vision of Nehru, the way he used to view India. The forces, which are doing this, are targeting not only his persona but also his ideology, his vision, his life-long contributions and struggle.” The double-barreled attack on Modi government came amid a widening confrontation between the government and the BJP over Nehru. Congress has charged Modi with seeking to belittle the contribution of the first prime minister as well as assaulting his ideals of secularism and planned development along socialist lines.
Month: November 2014
-
SONIA GANDHI USES ‘SECULAR NEHRU’ TO SLAM BJP
-
AAP releases first list of candidates, top guns missing
NEW DELHI (TIP): The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has repeated the line-up for the December 2013 Assembly polls while declaring nominees for 22 seats on November 13. Four former cabinet ministers, Somnath Bharti (Malviya Nagar), Girish Soni (Madipur), Satyendra Jain (Shakur Basti) and Saurabh Bhardwaj (Greater Kailash) feature in the AAP’s first list for the impending Assembly elections. But suspense still looms large over the party’s other popular faces. AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal, who has shown his inclination to retain his New Delhi constituency, doesn’t feature in the party’s first list.
He had defeated former chief minister Sheila Dikshit in her home turf by a huge margin of over 25,000 votes. The first list also does not feature former cabinet minister Manish Sisodia (Patparganj) and Rakhi Birla (Mangolpuri). Political affairs committee (PAC) members Gopal Rai, Sanjay Singh, Kumar Vishwas and Yogendra Yadav and party candidates for Lok Sabha polls in Delhi, including state unit convenor Ashutosh, are also missing from the list of nominees. Sources in the party said that most of the PAC members and Lok Sabha nominees will not test the electoral waters.
Ashutosh who lost to the then chief minister nominee of BJP and the new Union Science and Technology Minister Harsh Vardhan in Chandni Chowk is also planning to give the upcoming Assembly polls a miss. The party has fielded 12 former MLAs – including the four former ministers – from the same constituencies they had won last time. Without throwing up new names, AAP went for the same candidates while declaring candidates for the remaining 10 seats.
Among the ex-legislators, who have again been given tickets are Bharti (Malviya Nagar), Bhardwaj (Greater Kailash), Satyendra Jain (Shakur Basti), Girish Soni (Madipur), Manoj Kumar (Kondli), Jagdeep (Harinagar), Jarnail Singh (Tilak Nagar), Vishesh Ravi (Karol Bagh), Sanjeev Jha (Burari), Bandana Kumari (Shalimar Bagh), Som Dutt (Sadar Bazar) and Commando Surender (Delhi Cantt). The 11 candidates, who had unsuccessfully contested the Assembly elections in 2013 but given ticket again are Sandeep (Sultanpuri Majra), Anil Bajpai (Gandhi Nagar), Atul Gupta (Vishwas Nagar), Rajesh Rishi (Janakpuri), Gulab Singh (Matiala), Vijendra Garg (Rajendra Nagar), Kapil Mishra (Karawal Nagar), Jitendra Tomar (Tri Nagar), N D Sharma (Bada-rp-ur) and Bhavna Gaur (Palam).The party said the candidates had lost by close margin or came second in the last Assembly polls. -
LIFE TERM FOR COLONEL, CAPTAIN, 5 OTHERS IN J&K FAKE ENCOUNTER
SRINAGAR (TIP): Seven Army personnel, including a colonel and a captain, have been sentenced to life for killing three civilians in a fake encounter on the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir more than four years ago. The verdict came less than a year after the Army ordered court martial of the accused soldiers involved in killing Shahzad Ahmad Khan, Riyaz Ahmad Lone and Muhammad Shafi Lone of Nadihal, Baramulla on April 30, 2010, in the fake encounter.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah broke the news on Thursday after he tweeted: “The Army has handed out life sentences to seven inc(luding) the commanding officer in the Machil fake encounter case of 2010. This is indeed a very welcome step. “This is a watershed moment. No one in Kashmir ever believed that justice would be done in such cases. Faith in institutions disappeared. I hope that we will never see such #Machil fake encounter type of incidents ever again and let this serve as a warning to those tempted to try.”
Those convicted by court martial include the then commanding officer of the 4 Rajput regiment (the unit which was involved in the encounter) Colonel D K Pathania, Captain Upendra Singh, Subedar Satbir Singh, Havildar Bir Singh, Sepoy Chandraban, Sepoy Nagendra Singh and Sepoy Narinder Singh. Abbas Hussain Shah of the Territorial Army was exonerated by the court martial. The court martial was ordered in December last year after the Army’s court of inquiry submitted its final report.
It was completed in September this year. Sources said besides life imprisonment all service benefits of the guilty soldiers have been suspended by the court martial. The three civilians were killed in the fake encounter by the soldiers and were passed off as infiltrating Pakistani militants to get promotions and awards. -
SUSPENDED TRINAMOOL MP KUNAL GHOSH ATTEMPTS SUICIDE IN JAIL
KOLKATA (TIP): Suspended Trinamool Congress MP Kunal Ghosh, former CEO of Saradha Media Group, attempted suicide by consuming sleeping pills in his prison cell. Kunal Ghosh, in his suicide note, claimed consuming 58 pills. He was rushed to SSKM hospital where doctors washed his stomach to clear it of the sedatives. It might be mentioned that Kunal Ghosh had threatened in the court on Monday that he would commit suicide within three days if he was not granted bail and those powerful people involved in the Saradha scam were not arrested. Kunal Ghosh is the only leading politician arrested in the case and has been suspended by Trinamool Congress.Kunal Ghosh has named top Trinamool leaders for their involvement in the Saradha scam, but CBI is yet to interrogate or arrest them. Jail officials said that they had given only a strip of sedatives to Ghosh, as he had sleep disorder.
-
India successfully test-fires n-capable Prithvi-II missile
BHUBANESWAR (TIP): India on November 14 successfully test-fired its nuclear-capable surface-tosurface Prithvi-II missile from a military base in Odisha, a senior defence official said. The indigenously-developed ballistic missile with a maximum range of 350 km was fired from the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur-on-sea in Balasore district, about 230 km from Bhubaneswar. The test was a part of the regular training exercise by the Indian armed forces. “The test was successful. It was a text book launch,” test range director M.V.K.V. Prasad said.
-
HONG KONG PROTESTERS PLAN TO OCCUPY BRITISH CONSULATE
HONG KONG (TIP): Hong Kong students plan to occupy roads surrounding the city’s British consulate in anger at a lack of support from London for their pro-democracy movement, as authorities ramp up pressure on protesters to go home. The new plan emerged as President Barack Obama said the United States had played no role in Hong Kong’s mass demonstrations, despite Chinese accusations that foreign forces are involved.
The city’s government has urged protesters to leave the main rally sites that have brought parts of Hong Kong to a standstill for more than six weeks, with police authorised Monday to back up bailiffs charged with clearing barricades. Activists say they want to show their anger at Britain for not standing up to China over “breaches” of the agreement the two countries made before Hong Kong was handed back to China by Britain in 1997, designed to protect Hong Kong’s social systems and way of life. “We are angry at the way that the British government has for many years denied that China has actually breached the declaration by interfering with Hong Kong politics,” Anna-Kate Choi, the coordinator for the Occupy British Consulate group told AFP.
“They have the responsibility to make sure that the joint declaration has been implemented properly and that democracy and the high degree of autonomy of Hong Kong has been protected,” Choi said. She said she hopes for a turnout of hundreds and “maybe even thousands”. The group is a new offshoot of the protest movement, Choi added, with around 10 organizers from all walks of life including a secondary school student. Protesters in Hong Kong are demanding fully free leadership elections for the semi-autonomous city in 2017. But Beijing has refused to back down on its insistence that candidates must be vetted by a loyalist committee.
Bailiffs are expected to start a clearout operation in the next few days, with thousands of officers put on standby over the weekend, according to local media. But seemingly undaunted, activists have put up large posters around the protest areas announcing the consulate occupation on November 21 and a Facebook page for the event has more than 700 likes. The British consulate said they had no comment. President Obama met Chinese President Xi Jinping for talks in Beijing on Wednesday. “I was unequivocal in saying that the US had no involvement in fostering the protests that took place in Hong Kong,” Obama told reporters at a joint press conference. Xi said that the Occupy Central movement is illegal and that Beijing “firmly supports” the Hong Kong authorities in their efforts to control the situation. “Law and order must be maintained in any case, not only in Hong Kong but everywhere in the world,” he said.
Hong Kong residents enjoy rights not seen on the mainland, including freedom of expression and assembly. However there are signs some of those rights are being curtailed, including physical and cyber-attacks on Hong Kong-based journalists critical of Beijing. Activists say a policy “white paper”, published by China in June, backtracked on the joint declaration by warning the city not to overstep the boundaries of its autonomy. Britain and China are signatories of the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration, an agreement that enshrines the “one country, two systems” principle and states that until 2047 “the current social and economic systems in Hong Kong will remain unchanged.” British Prime Minister David Cameron said he was “deeply concerned” about escalating protests in the former British colony after police used tear gas on protesters at the end of September. But activists feel that Britain is turning a blind eye and that China is eroding Hong Kong’s freedoms. Posters for the British consulate occupation bear the slogan: “China breaches the joint declaration, UK government respond now” with the prodemocracy movement’s umbrella symbol emblazoned with the British flag. -
Iraq needs 80,000 good troops to retake lost territory: US general
WASHINGTON (TIP): Iraq will need about 80,000 effective military troops to retake the terrain it lost to Islamic State militants and restore its border with Syria, the top US general said on November 13. “We’re going to need about 80,000 competent Iraqi security forces to recapture territory lost, and eventually the city of Mosul, to restore the border,” Army General Martin Dempsey, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of staff, told a congressional hearing. Dempsey said the request for more US forces in Iraq would create centers to help train the additional troops needed.
-
UK woman jailed for sending cash to jihadist husband in Syria
LONDON (TIP): A British woman who tried to send 20,000 euros ($25,000) to her husband fighting with Islamic State (IS) group in Syria was on November 13 jailed for 28 months and seven days. Amal El-Wahabi, 28, became the first person in Britain to be convicted of funding the jihadists following a trial in August, which heard how she persuaded a friend to smuggle the cash in her underwear. The friend, Nawal Msaad, was found not guilty. She had been stopped in January at London’s Heathrow Airport, where she was trying to board a flight to Istanbul, with the bank notes concealed in a condom.
Sentencing El-Wahabi at England’s Old Bailey central criminal court in London, judge Nicholas Hilliard said her drug dealer husband Aine Davis had clearly gone to Syria to fight with IS. “I am also satisfied that you knew he was engaged in violence with guns for extremist religious and ideological reasons and knew the money you were sending was destined for that purpose,” he said. He said Davis had posted a profile picture on his WhatsApp social media account showing him brandishing an automatic weapon, and also sent El-Wahabi other similar photos.
The judge accepted that the jihadist had the idea to transfer the cash and El-Wahabi had agreed because she was “infatuated” with her husband, with whom she has two children under five. But he rejected calls to give her a suspended sentence. “You even contemplated taking your children to Turkey to be nearer their father, when it should have been obvious to you it was in their interests they should be as far away from him as possible,” the judge said. “He had no true regard for you. Any interest he had in you was only engaged when there was some advantage to him.” -
Sapphire from Kashmir sells for world record $ 6 million
GENEVA (TIP): A rare step-cut Kashmir sapphire in rich velvety blue has sold for a world record at a Sotheby’s auction in Geneva, where it fetched $ 6 million. “A rare 27.54 carat step-cut Kashmir sapphire which exhibited a rich, saturated velvety blue colour achieved $ 5,984,474, a world auction record for a Kashmir sapphire,” Sotheby’s said in a statement.
The gem was purchased by a buyer from Asia, auctioneers said. Previous record was set by a Kashmir sapphire weighing 28.18 carats when it sold for $ 5,093,000 at Sotheby’s New York in April 2014. Kashmir sapphires sport a rich lustrous blue colour often compared to that of a cornflower. In the 1880s a landslide in Kashmir, caused the legendary sapphires to be discovered. With a limited production, Kashmir sapphires make up a tiny percentage of the world’s total sapphire supply. The American Gemological Laboratories labels this stone a “Classic Kashmir,” denoting that it not only exhibits the classic gemological features of the Kashmir region, but also represents the top quality of stones from the region.
Meanwhile, the sale of “Magnificent and Noble jewels” on November 12 was led by a ‘Graff Ruby’ from the collection of Dimitri Mavrommatis. The 8.62 carat cushion-shaped gemstone soared above estimate and set a world auction record for a ruby at $ 8,600,410, as well as a record price per carat for a ruby at $ 997,727 when it sold to Laurence Graff, auctioneers said. Another highlight of the sale was a natural pearl and diamond necklace formerly in the collection of Josephine de Beauharnais, Queen of Sweden and Norway and likely once the property of Josephine de Beauharnais the first wife of Napoleon Bonaparte and Empress of the French. Comprising 111 pearls, the necklace achieved $ 3,426,669.
In addition to Beauharnais’s necklace, the sale featured the ‘English Rose’ a diamond pendant, dating 1876, once the property of Queen Victoria of Great Britain, which made $ 71,367. Commenting on the results, David Bennett, Chairman, Sotheby’s Switzerland said,”The Graff Ruby mesmerises all who view it. It is truly a gem among gems, and quite simply the greatest ruby of its size I have ever seen.” -
Obama plans to shield up to 5 million immigrants from deportation
WASHINGTON (TIP): President Obama will ignore angry protests from Republicans and announce as soon as next week a broad overhaul of the nation’s immigration enforcement system that will protect up to five million undocumented immigrants from the threat of deportation and provide many of them with work permits, according to administration officials who have direct knowledge of the plan.
Asserting his authority as president to enforce the nation’s laws with discretion, Mr Obama intends to order changes that will significantly refocus the activities of the government’s 12,000 immigration agents. One key piece of the order, officials said, will allow many parents of children who are American citizens or legal residents to obtain legal work documents and no longer worry about being discovered, separated from their families and sent away.
That part of Mr Obama’s plan alone could affect as many as 3.3 million people who have been living in the United States illegally for at least five years, according to an analysis by the Migration Policy Institute, an immigration research organization in Washington. But the White House is also considering a stricter policy that would limit the benefits to people who have lived in the country for at least 10 years, or about 2.5 million people. Extending protections to more undocumented immigrants who came to the United States as children, and to their parents, could affect an additional one million or more if they are included in the final plan that the president announces.
Mr Obama’s actions will also expand opportunities for immigrants who have high-tech skills, shift extra security resources to the nation’s southern border, revamp a controversial immigration enforcement program called Secure Communities, and provide clearer guidance to the agencies that enforce immigration laws about who should be a low priority for deportation, especially those with strong family ties and no serious criminal history. A new enforcement memorandum, which will direct the actions of Border Patrol agents and judges at the Department of Homeland Security, the Justice Department and other federal law enforcement and judicial agencies, will make clear that deportations should still proceed for convicted criminals, foreigners who pose national security risks and recent border crossers, officials said.
White House officials declined to comment publicly before a formal announcement by Mr Obama, who will return from an eight-day trip to Asia on Sunday. Administration officials said details about the package of executive actions were still being finished and could change. An announcement could be pushed off until next month but will not be delayed into next year, officials said. “Before the end of the year, we’re going to take whatever lawful actions that I can take that I believe will improve the functioning of our immigration system,” Mr Obama said during a news conference a day after last week’s midterm elections.
“What I’m not going to do is just wait.” The decision to move forward sets in motion a political confrontation between Mr Obama and his Republican adversaries that is likely to affect budget negotiations and debate about Loretta E. Lynch, the president’s nominee to be attorney general, during the lame-duck session of Congress that began this week. It is certain to further enrage Republicans as they take control of both chambers of Congress early next year. -
Indian donor pledges sixfigure sum for Gandhi statue in UK
LONDON (TIP): An Indian donor has reportedly stepped in to offer a major chunk of the funds required for the construction of Mahatma Gandhi’s statue at Parliament Square in London. NRI economist Lord Meghnad Desai, founder-trustee of the Gandhi Statue Memorial Trust, said the name of the donor will be known in due course. “I had a call yesterday from someone in India and he promised me a six-figure sum in donation.
He is a good friend and I am looking forward to that,” Desai said at a briefing in House of Lords here this morning. “The word is spreading around.We are getting very good support from donors and we have lots of pledges and money is also coming in through our website. I have also written to my colleagues in the House of Lords and they are doing their bit to help too.We are pretty sure we will achieve what we have set out to achieve,” he said.
While Desai has refused to give out the exact amount required, according to estimates the budget for the project is around 1 million pounds and initial donations and pledges have already raised nearly half that amount. “I am not worried. The statue will be unveiled some time in 2015. I would like it to be on January 30 (Martyr’s Day) but I don’t want to set an exact date to leave some scope for any random acts that may take place,” said Desai. Desai is also planning to set up an archive called ‘Gandhi House’ here that will store books and memorabilia of Mahatma Gandhi.
The statue, which will be the last one to be placed on Parliament Square, itself is being created on the lost wax process, which dates back to the Graeco-Roman times and follows the same procedure as that of the famous Renaissance sculpture of David created by Donatello. “I feel this came as a very fortuitous development in my life as exactly a year before I was at the Gandhi memorial in Delhi with my wife. It was almost like a tap on the shoulder from God,” said award-winning sculptor Philip Jackson who has based the sculpture on Gandhi’s last visit to London in 1931.
“I needed a hook to hang this on and felt the image of him draped in a thick shawl was most appropriate for Parliament Square. After that it involved a lot of research and the high commissioner (Ranjan Mathai) arranged a meeting with his grandson Gopal Gandhi which provided a great reference point. He has the same eyes as Gandhi and was also able to give me an insight into his character,” he said. The mould process of the sculpture is now complete which will be broken to be sent to the foundry to be cast in bronze. -
Tiger on loose spotted near Disneyland Paris
PARIS (TIP): French authorities say a young tiger is on the loose near Disneyland Paris, one of Europe’s top tourist destinations, and have urged residents in three towns to stay indoors. The town of Montevrain sent out a news alert on its Facebook page Thursday saying a young tiger was spotted in the brush behind some tennis courts and a soccer field. The field is about 9 kilometers (5 1/2 miles) from Disneyland Paris.
Around 60 police, fire and other security forces were trying to track the tiger, said Cedric Tartaud, chief of staff for the Montevrain mayor. The tiger is estimated to weigh around 70 kilograms (154 pounds), Tartaud said. Police were using a helicopter to help search for the animal, and a wolf-catcher was also drafted in to aid in the search, Seine-et- Marne authorities said. Police and rescue squads at the scene have roped off a security perimeter, authorities added and urged people living in Montevrain, Chessy and Chalifert to remain indoors. If they had to travel, police advised them to stay in their cars.
The Parc des Felins, a wild cat animal park about 18 miles from Montevrain, said in a statement on its web site that all of its animals were accounted for and the escaped tiger didn’t come from there. EuroDisney, the operator of Disneyland Paris, said it has no tigers in the theme park, so the errant cat could not have come from them either. It wasn’t immediately clear if any extra precautions had been taken inside the park. Disneyland Paris calls itself Europe’s No. 1 tourist destination with 14.9 million visits in 2013.
Police hunt for tiger on the loose near Paris Police and firefighters were desperately hunting for a tiger on the loose near Paris Thursday after a local resident spotted the fearsome animal in a car park and sounded the alert, authorities said. Backed up by a helicopter overhead, firefighters armed with tranquilising guns were mobilised for the search in the Seine-et- Marne district near the French capital. “We have been running after it since this morning, police officers are trying to intercept it,” a police source said. -
Rang Rasiya
Cast: Randeep Hooda, Nandana Sen, Paresh Rawal
Direction: Ketan Mehta
Genre: Drama
Duration: 2 hours 5 minutes
Story: Raja Ravi Varma pioneered modern Indian art, giving faces – and sensuality – to the divine. Facing obscenity charges, what was his defence?
Review: So, Rang Rasiya is a colourful triumph, director Ketan Mehta meriting applause for his portrait of painter Raja Ravi Varma, skillfully blending a biopic, a period film, a love story and a social critique, within a tight frame. Arching across the 19th-20th centuries, Rang Rasiya traces Raja Ravi Varma’s growth from a callow youth to a citizen of profound impact.
Young Raja (Randeep) has several sensual encounters, by waterfalls, atop giggling swings, wrenching jewels off lovers’ bare skin with satisfactory elan, painting portraits for pleased royals – until he meets the ethereal Sugandha (Nandana) in Bombay. Sugandha first dismisses Varma’s art as ‘ladkiyon ko ghoorna’ but eventually agrees to be his muse – and lover. As Varma’s growing passion – for Sugandha and for a nation he re-discovers through ancient fables and new consumer energy – deepens his work, self-appointed custodians of culture drag him to court, blaming his art for plague devastating Bombay.
What is Varma’s defence? Rang Rasiya questions and answers with beauty. Its cinematography lovingly glides across Raja Ravi Varma’s now-iconic art – fabrics that shimmer with glossy light, jewels gleaming on paper, goddesses who pout in plaintive love upon carpets of green grass – while portraying his sensual life sensitively. Randeep Hooda’s performance is superb, maturing from a swarthy, ‘swarthee kalakaar’ to the first determined defender of the freedom of expression in modern India.
In a hilarious scene, as Lokmanya Tilak delivers a speech, Varma breezily flirts with pretty journalist Frenny (Ferena Wazeir), later an ageing, wheezing man dismissing critics arrogantly, guilt-struck when Sugandha’s socially mocked. Alongside, Nandana’s portrayal poignantly brings alive the lustrous power of a woman – divinely – in love. Paresh Rawal etches a characteristically sharp cameo as canny merchant Govardhan Das while Vikram Gokhale and Darshan Jariwala drip spite at Varma’s art which, via mass-printing, brings the divine home to all – including those called Untouchable, barred from temples.
A fun sequence displays India’s first cinema show leaving Varma so impressed, he backs a movie by his protegee – Dadasaheb Phalke. Rang Rasiya portrays Varma as India’s first cultural rock-star, adored, attacked, commercial, inspired, excited and challenged by a new consciousness he sees – and shapes. Vitally, Rang Rasiya emphasizes Raja Ravi Varma’s commitment to the freedom of ideas which creates philosophy, science and liberated love, ephemeral, yet lasting – like the pages of his calendars. -
GAURI KHAN HOSTS A GLAMOROUS EVENING
Gauri Khan, The Design Cell and Raj Anand of Maison & Objet co- hosted a champagne evening with Kaykasshan Patel for a sneak peek into the attractions of the forthcoming Maison & Objet (an international decor show destination). In attendance for this special evening were Namitta Saraf, Shahid Dattawala, Lubna Allana, Lekha Washington, Pinky Reddy, Renu and Rita Chainani , Lata Patel, Maheep Kapoor, Renu Bhandarkar, Wardha Nadiadwala, Prashita Chaudhary, Madhoo Shah, Sharmilla Khanna, Penny Patel, Nayantara Thacker, Nidhi Ghia, Monisha Jaising, Shibani Bhojwani, Laila Mallya Singh, Queenie Singh , Rishi Sethia, Kalyani Chawla, Tanaaz Doshi, Celina Wadia, Bhavana Pandey, Schauna Chauhan and sister Alisha Chauhan, Kadambari Lakhani, Nandita Mahtani, Divya Khosla Kumar, Arpana Swaroop and many more. Shah Rukh Khan lent support to wife Gauri as did Arif Patel to wife Kaykasshan. Raj Anand was seen playing the gracious host as the guests exclaimed about the collectibles. As one of the world’s leading trade shows, Maison & Objet is synonymous with home decoration and design. Says Gauri, who is a regular visitor at the show, “What interests me is the unique offer and experience of the show, which is a great source of inspiration not only for decor but also to expand one’s mind set and lifestyle. The creativity there is simply exciting for any person whether in design or in general habitat.”
-
WHAT’S JACQUELINE FERNANDEZ AFRAID OF?
Jacqueline Fernandez is in Ontario shooting her first international film, James Simpson’s Definition Of Fear. She plays a psychology student–a role similar to the one she essayed in the Salman Khan-starrer Kick earlier. Speaking to Mirror from Canada, she admits that their style of filmmaking is “very different”. “Back in India we are pretty laidback, while these guys work with surgical precision. Right from the reporting time to the duration of breaks, everything is stopwatch perfect,” she points out.While she hasn’t screened Kick for her foreign unit yet, she has shown them two songs from the film, Jumme Ki Raat and Hangover.
“Now my costars want me to teach them Bollywood-style dancing!” she laughs. Her co-stars include “girlfriends” Katherine Barrell, Mercedes Papalia and Blythe Hubbard. In the film, the four go to a secluded cabin in the woods to finish a thesis Jacqueline’s character is working on. “It’s about understanding what makes us afraid. Initially, we are in a controlled environment with noises created to evoke fear, but slowly we realise that we aren’t the only ones there,” says the actress. Usually international film debuts are no more than a blink-andmiss appearances but Jacqueline says hers is a lead role. “Even if it was a cameo, I wouldn’t mind because as an actor, I constantly feel the need to work in new environments,” she says. -
GWYNETH PALTROW CHANNELS MARILYN MONROE IN CAMPAIGN
Actress Gwyneth Paltrow has transformed into late star Marilyn Monroe for the latest installment of her Max Factor campaign. As part of the campaign, she had earlier channelled icons Audrey Hepburn, Brigitte Bardot, Farrah Fawcett and Madonna, reports eonline.com. The campaign offers a modern take on beauty throughout the decades. The photographs show Paltrow with tousled platinum waves, a sultry red lip and eye-widening mascara. She sports a peach cardigan and skintight, polka dotted pedal pushers.
-
DOING NUDE SCENE WAS SCARY, CHALLENGING: REESE WITHERSPOON
Actress Reese Witherspoon says that she wanted to be completely honest to her role and that’s why she did the nude scenes in her forthcoming movie “Wild”. The 38-year-old who portrays the role of novelist Cheryl Strayed in the movie, admits that she wanted to be as real and truthful as possible, reports eonline.com. “I had to make a choice when I decided to do the film on how much I wanted to bear, I have a real story to tell here because Cheryl was completely honest when she wrote her book,” she said. With that mindset, the Academy Award winner agreed to do some naked scenes for the big-screen adaptation of the novel with the same name. When asked how she felt doing the nude scenes in the film, she said: “It was scary and challenging. It’s not just a movie about somebody walking. It’s really about someone who feels profoundly hurt and lost.” In the film, Witherspoon will be playing a former heroin addict who decided to tackle a 1,100-mile hike after experiencing several tragic events, mainly a devastating divorce caused by drug use and infidelity.
-
Nightcrawler
Cast: Jake Gyllenhaal, Rene Russo, Riz Ahmed, Bill Paxton
Direction: Dan Gilroy
Genre: Crime
Duration: 1 hour 58 minutes
Story: If you find twisted human behaviour fascinating and have a penchant for psychological thrillers, Nightcrawler is your film this week.
Review: Made with a modest budget, the film highlights the devious tricks of contemporary crime journalism. It lets fear engulf your mind with its threatening silence, dangerous chase sequences, creepy nights and a creepier protagonist Lou Bloom (Jake Gyllenhaal). Desperate for a job, Lou, a sociopath, realizes that shooting and selling raw crime footage to local news channel is a good source of income. Equipping himself with a camera and a police scanner, he goes hunting in the night, seeking an untouched crime scene. Soon, the job that begins as his means of survival becomes his vicious obsession.
In order to stay at the top of his game, Lou resorts to staging and manipulating crime scenes. Can he get away with it? Other than being noirish, Nightcrawler also works as a social satire. It mocks the voyeurism and lack of ethics that the media often shamelessly exhibits. The cinematography is another asset. First-time director Dan Gilroy must be lauded for his edgy execution. However, by giving one of the best performances of his career, it is Gyllenhaal, who carries the entire film on his shoulders. As the lonely, soulless, egotistical, cold and calculative anti-hero, he is a revelation here.
The actor sends shivers down your spine with his prolonged piercing stare and ambiguous intentions. He will remind you of Robert De Niro’s terrific Travis Bickle in Taxi Driver. Jake’s noticeable weight loss, unpleasant look further add to the eeriness of his character and psyche. His indecent proposals to Rene Russo (head of a news channel) are cringeworthy. Riz Ahmed (The Reluctant Fundamentalist) as Lou’s hapless employee is perfectly cast as well. Nightcrawler is tense and appalling, yet strangely funny, intriguing and engaging at the same time. Watch it. -
THE RAMAYANA
contined from vol 8 issue 43
Tlironging men and wailing women wept for Rama good and kind: “Draw the reins,
benign Sumantra, slowly drive the royal car, We would once more see our Rama,
banished Iong and banished far, Iron-hearted is Kausalya from her Rama thus to part, Rends it not her mother’s bosom thus to see her son depart? True is righteous -hearted Sita cleaving to her husband still,
As the ever present sunlight cleaves to Meru’s golden hill,
Faithful and heroic Lakshman! thou hast by thy brother stood, And in duty still unchanging thou hast sought the pathless wood, Fixed in purpose, true in valour, mighty boon to thee is given,
And the narrow path thou choosest is the righteous path to heaven!”
Thus they spake in tears and anguish as they followed him apace, And their eyes were fixed on Rama, pride of Raghu’s royal race, Meanwhile ancient Dasa-ratha from his palace chamber came,
With each weeping queen and consort, with each woe-distracted dame! And around the aged monarch rose the piercing voice of pain, Like the wail of forest creatures when the forest-king is slain,
And the faint and feeble monarch was with age and anguish pale, Like the darkened moon at eclipse when his light and radiance fail! Rama saw his ancient father with a faltering footstep go,
Used to royal pomp and splendour, stricken now by age and woe,
Saw his mother faint and feeble to the speeding chariot hie, As the mother-cow returneth to her young that loiters by,
Still she hastened to the chariot, “Rama! Rama!” was her cry, And a throb was in her bosom and a tear was in her eye! “Speed, Sumantra,” uttered Rama, “from this torture let me part.
Speed, my friend, this sight of sadness breaks a much-enduring heart, Heed not Dasa-ratha’s mandate, stop not for the royal train, Parting slow is lengthened sorrow like the sinner’s lengthened pain!”
Sad Sumantra urged the coursers and the rapid chariot flew, And the royal chiefs and courtiers round their fainting monarch drew, And they spake to Dasa-ratha: “Follow not thy banished son,
He whom thou wouldst keep beside thee comes not till his task is done!” Dasa-ratha, faint and feeble, listened to these words of pain, Stood and saw his son departing,–saw him not on earth again!
THE CITIZENS’ RETURN
Evening’s thickening shades descended on Tamasa’s distant shore, Rama rested by the river, day of toilsome journey o’er, And Ayodhya’s loving people by the limpid river lay, Sad and sorrowing they had followed Rama’s chariot through the day, “Soft-eyed Sita, faithful Lakshman,”
thus the gentle Rama said, “Hail the first night of our exile mantling us in welcome shade, Weeps the lone and voiceless forest, and in darksome lair and nest, Feathered bird and forest creature seek their midnight’s wonted rest, Weeps methinks our fair Ayodhya to her Rama ever dear,
And perchance her men and women shed for us a silent tear, Loyal men and faithful women, they have loved their ancient king, And his anguish and our exile will their gentle bosoms wring! Most I sorrow for my father and my mother loved and lost, Stricken by untimely anguish, by a cruel fortune crost,
But the good and righteous Bharat gently will my parents tend, And with fond and filial duty tender consolation lend, Well I know his stainless bosom and his virtues rare and high,
He will soothe our parents’ sorrow and their trickling tear will dry! Faithful Lakshman, thou hast nobly stood by us when sorrows fell, Guard my Sits, by thy valour, by thy virtues tend her well,
Wait on her while from this river Rama seeks his thirst to slake, On this first night of his exile food nor fruit shall Rama take, Thou Sumantra, tend the horses, darkness comes with close of day,
Weary was the endless journey, weary is our onward way!” Store of grass and welcome fodder to the steeds the driver gave, Gave them rest and gave them water from Tamasa’s limpid wave,
And performing night’s devotions, for the princes made their bed, By the softly rippling river ‘neath the tree’s umbrageous shade. On a bed of leaf and verdure Rama and his Sita slept, Faithful Lakshman with Sumantra nightly watch and vigils kept, And the stars their silent lustre on the weary exiles shed,
And on wood and rolling river night her darksome mantle spread. Early woke the righteous Rama and to watchful Lakshman spake: Mark the slumb’ring city people, still their nightly rest they take,
They have left their homes and children, followed us with loyal heart, They would take us to Ayodhya, from their princes loth to part! Speed, my brother, for the people wake not till the morning’s star,
Speed by night the silent chariot, we may travel fast and far, So my true and loving people see us not by dawn of day, Follow not through wood and jungle Rama in his onward way,
For a monarch meek in suffering should his burden bravely bear, And his true and faithful people may not ask his woe to share!” Lakshman heard the gentle mandate, and Sumantra yoked the steed, Fresh with rest and grateful fodder, matchless in their wondrous speed, Rama with his gentle consort and with Lakshman true and brave, Crossed beneath the silent starlight dark Tamasa’s limpid wave.
On the farther bank a pathway, fair to view and far and wide, Stretching onwards to the forests spanned the spacious country-side, “Leave the broad and open pathway,” so the gentle Rama said,
“Follow yet a track diverging, so the people be misled. Then returning to the pathway we shall march ere break of day, So our true and faithful people shall not know our southward way.”
Wise Sumantra hastened northward, then returning to the road, By his master and his consort and the valiant Lakshman stood, Raghu’s sons and gentle Sita mounted on the stately car, And Sumantra drove the coursers travelling fast and travelling far. Morning dawned, the waking people by Tamasa’s limpid wave,
TO BE CONTINUED -
SRI GURU GRANTH SAHIB
CONTD FROM Vol 8 ISSUE 43
If he comes to realize the Command of the Lord’s Will, O Beloved, then he is blessed with Truth and Honor. || 6 || It is so difficult to speak it, O Beloved; how can we speak, and hear, the True Name? I am a sacrifice to those who praise the Lord, O Beloved. I have obtained the Name, and I am satisfied, O Beloved; by His Grace, I am united in His Union.
|| 7 || If my body were to become the paper, O Beloved, and my mind the inkpot; and if my tongue became the pen, O Beloved, I would write, and contemplate, the Glorious Praises of the True Lord. Blessed is that scribe, O Nanak, who writes the True Name, and enshrines it within his heart.
|| 8 || 3 || SORAT’H, FIRST MEHL, DU-TUKAS: You are the Giver of virtue, O Immaculate Lord, but my mind is not immaculate, O Siblings of Destiny. I am a worthless sinner, O Siblings of Destiny; virtue is obtained from You alone, Lord. || 1 || O my Beloved Creator Lord, You create, and You behold. I am a hypocritical sinner, O Siblings of Destiny. Bless my mind and body with Your Name, O Lord. || Pause || The poisonous Maya has enticed the consciousness, O Siblings of Destiny; through clever tricks, one loses his honor. The True Lord and Master abides in the consciousness, O Siblings of Destiny, if the Guru’s spiritual wisdom permeates it.
|| 2 || Beautiful, beautiful, the Lord is called, O Siblings of Destiny; beautiful, like the deep crimson color of the poppy. If man loves the Lord with detachment, O Siblings of Destiny, he is judged to be true and infallible in the Lord’s court and home. || 3 || You are pervading the realms of the underworld and the heavenly skies; Your wisdom and glories are in each and every heart. Meeting with the Guru, one finds peace, O Siblings of Destiny, and pride is dispelled from the mind.
|| 4 || Scrubbing with water, the body can be cleaned, O Siblings of Destiny, but the body becomes dirty again. Bathing in the supreme essence of spiritual wisdom, O Siblings of Destiny, the mind and body become pure. || 5 || Why worship gods and goddesses, O Siblings of Destiny? What can we ask of them? What can they give us? The stone gods are washed with water, O Siblings of Destiny, but they just sink in the water.
|| 6 || Without the Guru, the unseen Lord cannot be seen, O Siblings of Destiny; the world is drowning, having lost its honor. Greatness is in the hands of my Lord and Master, O Siblings of Destiny; as He is pleased, He gives. || 7 || That soulbride, who talks sweetly and speaks the Truth, O Siblings of Destiny, becomes pleasing to her Husband Lord. Pierced by His Love, she abides in Truth, O Siblings of Destiny, deeply imbued with the Lord’s Name. || 8 || Everyone calls God his own, O Siblings of Destiny, but the all-knowing Lord is known only through the Guru. Those who are pierced by His Love are saved, O Siblings of Destiny; they bear the Insignia of the True Word of the Shabad.
|| 9 || A large pile of firewood, O Siblings of Destiny, will burn if a small fire is applied. In the same way, if the Naam, the Name of the Lord, dwells in the heart for a moment, even for an instant, O Siblings of Destiny, then one meets the Lord with ease, O Nanak. || 10 || 4 || SORAT’H, THIRD MEHL, FIRST HOUSE, TI-TUKAS: ONE UNIVERSAL CREATOR GOD. BY THE GRACE OF THE TRUE GURU: You always preserve the honor of Your devotees, O Dear Lord; You have protected them from the very beginning of time. You protected Your servant Prahlaad, O Dear Lord, and annihilated Harnaakhash. The Gurmukhs place their faith in the Dear Lord, but the self-willed manmukhs are deluded by doubt.
|| 1 || O Dear Lord, this is Your Glory. You preserve the honor of Your devotees, O Lord Master; Your devotees seek Your Sanctuary. || Pause || The Messenger of Death cannot touch Your devotees; death cannot even approach them. The Name of the Lord alone abides in their minds; through the Naam, the Name of the Lord, they find liberation.Wealth and all the spiritual powers of the Siddhis fall at the feet of the Lord’s devotees; they obtain peace and poise from the Guru.
|| 2 || The self-willed manmukhs have no faith; they are filled with greed and self-interest. They are not Gurmukh – they do not understand the Word of the Shabad in their hearts; they do not love the Naam, the Name of the Lord. Their masks of falsehood and hypocrisy shall fall off; the self-willed manmukhs speak with insipid words. || 3 || You are pervading through Your devotees, O Dear God; through Your devotees, You are known. All the people are enticed by Maya; they are Yours, Lord – You alone are the Architect of Destiny. Overcoming my egotism and quieting the desires within my mind, I have come to realize the Word of the Guru’s Shabad.
|| 4 || God automatically does the work of those who love the Name of the Lord. By Guru’s Grace, he ever dwells in their minds, and He resolves all their affairs.Whoever challenges them is destroyed; they have the Lord God as their Savior. || 5 || Without serving the True Guru, no one finds the Lord; the self-willed manmukhs die crying out in pain. They come and go, and find no place of rest; in pain and suffering, they perish. But one who becomes Gurmukh drinks in the Ambrosial Nectar, and is easily absorbed in the True Name.
|| 6 || Without serving the True Guru, one cannot escape reincarnation, even by performing numerous rituals. Those who read the Vedas, and argue and debate without the Lord, lose their honor. True is the True Guru, and True is the Word of His Bani; in the Guru’s Sanctuary, one is saved. || 7 || Those whose minds are filled with the Lord are judged as true in the Court of the Lord; they are hailed as true in the True Court. Their praises echo throughout the ages, and no one can erase them. Nanak is forever a sacrifice to those who enshrine the Lord within their hearts.
|| 8 || 1 || SORAT’H, THIRD MEHL, DU-TUKAS: He Himself forgives the worthless, O Siblings of Destiny; He commits them to the service of the True Guru. Service to the True Guru is sublime, O Siblings of Destiny; through it, one’s consciousness is attached to the Lord’s Name.
|| 1 || The Dear Lord forgives, and unites with Himself. I am a sinner, totally without virtue, O Siblings of Destiny; the Perfect True Guru has blended me. || Pause || So many, so many sinners have been forgiven, O beloved one, by contemplating the True Word of the Shabad. They got on board the boat of the True Guru, who carried them across the terrifying world-ocean, O Siblings of Destiny.
|| 2 || I have been transformed from rusty iron into gold, O Siblings of Destiny, united in Union with the Guru, the Philosopher’s Stone. Eliminating my selfconceit, the Name has come to dwell within my mind, O Siblings of Destiny; my light has merged in the Light.
|| 3 || I am a sacrifice, I am a sacrifice, O Siblings of Destiny, I am forever a sacrifice to my True Guru. He has given me the treasure of the Naam; O Siblings of Destiny, through the Guru’s Teachings, I am absorbed in celestial bliss. || 4 || Without the Guru, celestial peace is not produced, O Siblings of Destiny; go and ask the spiritual teachers about this. Serve the True Guru forever, O Siblings of Destiny, and eradicate selfconceit from within.
|| 5 || Under Guru’s Instruction, the Fear of God is produced, O Siblings of Destiny; true and excellent are the deeds done in the Fear of God. Then, one is blessed with the treasure of the Lord’s Love, O Siblings of Destiny, and the Support of the True Name.
|| 6 || I fall at the feet of those who serve their True Guru, O Siblings of Destiny. I have fulfilled my life, O Siblings of Destiny, and my family has been saved as well. || 7 || The True Word of the Guru’s Bani, and the True Word of the Shabad, O Siblings of Destiny, are obtained only by Guru’s Grace. O Nanak, with the Name of the Lord abiding in one’s mind, no obstacles stand in one’s way, O Siblings of Destiny.
|| 8 || 2 || SORAT’H, THIRD MEHL: The Dear Lord is realized through the Word of His Shabad, O Siblings of Destiny, which is found only by perfect destiny. The happy soul-brides are forever in peace, O Siblings of Destiny; night and day, they are attuned to the Lord’s Love. || 1 || O Dear Lord, You Yourself color us in Your Love. Sing, continually sing His Praises, imbued with His Love, O Siblings of Destiny; be in love with the Lord. || Pause || Work to serve the Guru, O Siblings of Destiny; abandon selfconceit, and and focus your consciousness. You shall be in peace forever, and you shall not suffer in pain any longer, O Siblings of Destiny; the Lord Himself shall come and abide in your mind.
|| 2 || She who does not know the Will of her Husband Lord, O Siblings of Destiny, is an ill-mannered and bitter bride. She does things with a stubborn mind, O Siblings of Destiny; without the Name, she is false. || 3 || They alone sing the Lord’s Praises, who have such pre-ordained destiny written upon their foreheads, O Siblings of Destiny; through the Love of the True Lord, they find detachment. Night and day, they are imbued with His Love; they utter His Glorious Praises, O Siblings of Destiny, and they lovingly focus their consciousness on the Fearless Guru.
|| 4 || He kills and revives all, O Siblings of Destiny; serve Him, day and night. How can we forget Him from our minds, O Siblings of Destiny? His gifts are glorious and great. || 5 || The self-willed manmukh is filthy and doubleminded, O Siblings of Destiny; the finds no place of rest in the Court of the Lord. But if she becomes Gurmukh, then she chants the Glorious Praises of the Lord, O Siblings of Destiny; the meets her True Beloved, and merges in Him. || 6 || In this life, she has not focused her consciousness on the Lord, O Siblings of Destiny; how can she show her face when she leaves? In spite of the warning calls which were sounded, she has been plundered, O Siblings of Destiny; she yearned only for corruption.
|| 7 || Those who dwell upon the Naam, O Siblings of Destiny, their bodies are ever peaceful and tranquil. O Nanak, dwell upon the Naam; the Lord is infinite, virtuous and unfathomable, O Siblings of Destiny. || 8 || 3 || SORAT’H, FIFTH MEHL, FIRST HOUSE, ASHTAPADEES: ONE UNIVERSAL CREATOR GOD. BY THE GRACE OF THE TRUE GURU: The One who created the whole world, O Siblings of Destiny, is the Almighty Lord, the Cause of causes. He fashioned the soul and the body, O Siblings of Destiny, by His own power. How can He be described? How can He be seen, O Siblings of Destiny? The Creator is One; He is indescribable. Praise the Guru, the Lord of the Universe, O Siblings of Destiny; through Him, the essence is known.
|| 1 || O my mind, meditate on the Lord, the Lord God. He blesses His servant with the gift of the Naam; He is the Destroyer of pain and suffering. || Pause || Everything is in His home, O Siblings of Destiny; His warehouse is overflowing with the nine treasures. His worth cannot be estimated, O Siblings of Destiny; He is lofty, inaccessible and infinite. He cherishes all beings and creatures, O Siblings of Destiny; he continually takes care of them. -
THINGS THAT RUIN A RELATIONSHIP
From obsessing over your career to being the self-appointed changemaker in his life, you might be driving him to call it quits There are dos and don’ts in a relationship. If you are finding the latter list of conventions more common in your behaviour, then you are most likely to meet a dead-end with your happilyeverafter dream soon. Don’t ruin your perfectly fine relationship with these repugnant ways.
Stop nitpicking
This is the first relationship red flag. If you pick holes about everything from what he wears to how he speaks, bear in mind nobody wants to be around a nag, and not if she is a girlfriend, for sure. You will give him the impression that he winds you up more than soothes your nerves. You may argue that he is nice, but doesn’t meet the criterion of the perfect guy you always dreamt of being with. That surely doesn’t give you the licence to be the change maker in his life.
Preventing him from hanging out with his crazy friends, or stopping his videogame sessions in an attempt to stabilise him will one day get the better of your relationship.We suggest, give him some space and enjoy yours. Get a life So, your job is important to you. Good for you. However, don’t let your business become the centre of all the conversation that you have with your man, unless you’re facing a crisis at work and you want him to hear you out. Calling off dinner dates, being on a work call and attending to your mails while you are with your partner is extremely disrespectful. It shows that you probably are having a relationship with your job than with your guy. Relax, once you are through with the day’s work, switch off. Enjoy your time with your man and maintain the sanity of your relationship.
Hold your horses
It has been a while since the two of you are dating, and you have been waiting for him to propose marriage since the day you met him. Then, you would probably be waiting for the rest of your life. Hold your horses. Learn to go with the flow. Don’t go about introducing him to your parents after the second date, and invite him for family dinners after the third. That said, don’t be ambiguous too. If you are serious then let him know, or else let him go. Men can gauge the difference easily when the woman is playing hard to get, or when she is playing mean games.
Don’t be silly
It is okay to speak to yourself, or tell yourself that you are pretty in front of the mirror every day. But don’t expose your eccentricities in front of the potential ‘to-be’ when you are only just six months into the relationship. You may scare him off for good. Give him the awkward gaze, but save those crazy eyes when you know him a lot better.
Learn to trust
The basis of any healthy relationship, besides love, is trust. Don’t be insecure. If you are constantly wondering whom he is with or speaking to, then you, perhaps, need a reality check. Walking on thin ice is unhealthy, and not when there are feelings involved. At that rate, you will reach the shrink before you make it to the marriage registrar’s office. -
Ways to make your hair grow faster
If you’ve been experiencing hair fall and want your hair to grow faster, here’s what you need to do Trim your hair every month: The ideal way to ensure that your hair grows faster is by trimming your hair every four to eight weeks. Since your hair grows from the roots, by the time it grows out, the end of your gets split ends because of which your hair gets damaged and rough. Trimming your hair will ensure that your hair breathes oxygen and is healthy and grows long. Hot oil massage: A hot oil massage if done every alternate week works wonders for your hair.
Not only do they ensure that your hair grows faster, but it also makes your hair healthy and reduces hair fall. Oils like jojoba oil, olive oil, coconut oil and lavender oil brings shine and volume to your hair. Vitamin and proteins for your hair: Just a massage of vitamin E or the application of egg yolk on your hair will bring volume and make your hair healthy. They are also known to heal damaged hair and makes your hair stronger from the roots. Brush your hair at least 50 times before bedtime: Make sure that you are combing your hair for at least 50 times before you retire for the night. Brushing the hair makes your roots stronger and also reduces hair fall manifold. -
VITAMIN-DEFICIENCY WARNING SIGNS
Vitamin symptoms may be subtle at first, but they increase as the deficiency worsens. A diet rich in processed food is one of the main culprits, aside of the consumption of lack of food. But the main concern remains that all the chips and biscuits that you so love strips you off all the essential nutri ents. Junk fare is mostly `dead food’ and seldom has any nutrients to contribute to your health and wellbeing. Besides, it doesn’t help absorb them properly as it messes with your digestive tissues.
So although you may not suffer from a disease, there’s a chance that you may end up with impaired functioning, because vitamins are co-factors for all the bio-chemical reactions in the body. That impaired functioning can sometimes manifest in strange ways. It’s your body trying to tell you something. So listen to it. While fatigue, shortness of breath, dizziness, pale skin, irregular heartbeats and weight lass are apparent, there are unusual vitamin-deficiency warning signs.
SIGNAL:
Red or white acne like bumps, on the cheeks, arms, thighs and butt
DEFICIENT IN
Essential fatty acids and vitamins A and D.
FIX IT
Tank up on the sunshine.Long hours in air-conditioned spaces and pollution make it hard. Even sunscreen lotion prevents absorption. Consuming fish, sardine, tuna, egg, and green leafy vegetables also helps. Increase healthy fats like dairy products in your meal. Add salmon and walnuts and almonds, and seeds like ground flax, and chia in your diet. For vitamin A, eat plenty of leafy greens, papaya and colourful veggies like carrots, sweet potatoes, and capsicum. This provides beta-carotene, a precursor to vitamin A, which your body will use to make the vital nutrient.
SIGNAL
Tingling, prickling, and numbness in hands, feet or elsewhere.
DEFICIENT IN
B vitamins like folate (B9), B6, and B12. It’s a problem directly related to the peripheral nerves and where they end in the skin. These symptoms can be combined with anxiety, depression, anaemia, fatigue, and hormone imbalances.
FIX IT
You can fix the vitamin B group largely with your diet. Opt for brown rice, millet, wheat germ, nuts, wheat bran sprouted grains. Egg, chicken, mutton, salmon, banana, broccoli, red kidney beans, asparagus, cauliflower, cabbage and all green leafy vegetables.
SIGNAL
Cracks at the corners of your mouth
DEFICIENT IN
Iron, zinc, and B vitamins like niacin (B3), riboflavin (B2), and B12. It’s common if you’re a vegetarian to not get enough iron, zinc, and B12. Likewise, if you’re skimping on essential immunitybuilding protein because of excess dieting.
FIX IT
Eat more poultry, salmon, tuna, eggs, chicken, tomatoes, peanuts, and lentils. Iron absorption is enhanced by vitamin C, which helps fight infection. Combine these foods with broccoli, and cauliflower. Ensure that you also eat dairy products like yoghurt, paneer and ghee.
SIGNAL
Muscle cramps in the form of throbbing pain in toes, calves, arches of feet, and backs of legs
DEFICIENT IN
Magnesium, calcium, and potassium. If it’s happening frequently, it’s a sign that you’re lacking in these. And if you’re training hard, you can lose more minerals (and water-soluble B vitamins) through heavy sweating.
FIX IT
To fix potassium, have oranges, bananas, peanuts, beans, coconut water. For magnesium, go for dark green leafy vegetable, nuts and soybean.Almonds, figs, carrots, raisins, brown rice, cashew are rich sources of calcium. -
INCLUDE YOGHURT IN YOUR DIET
Yoghurt is one of the most beneficial food items and must be made a part of everyone’s daily diet. It is not just rich in calcium -which is good for the bones -but protein as well, which helps build muscles. Yoghurt is also good for the skin and hair. Here are some other benefits…
It aids digestion. Eating yoghurt after a meal stimulates digestion, as it helps absorb nutrients from the other food that you have consumed.
It is an anti-oxidant that not only keeps the body cool, but also cleanses it.
The bacteria present in yoghurt boosts immunity by fighting different microorganisms in the body.
Yoghurt contains several vitamins that ensure your nervous system functions well.
Apply yoghurt on your scalp to keep dandruff at bay . The lactic acid and anti-fungal properties make it a good home remedy.
It is also good for the skin as it contains vitamin E, zinc and phosphorous. Add yoghurt to homemade facial packs for better results. -
HOME REMEDIES TO CURB COLD AND COUGH
With the change in weather, viral cough and cold are common ailments that kids suffer from. Try some of these remedies to treat the ailment and boost your kid’s immunity:
1. Steam: If your little one suffers from cold and has trouble breathing, get him/her to take steam. Make the kid stand in the bathroom with hot water running or simply heat water in a wide bowl and make the kid inhale the hot fumes for at least 10 to 15 minutes. Adding eucalyptus oil can also help soothe your child’s system.
2. Honey: Known for its soothing effect, dip your finger in honey and let your baby lick it two three times in a day. If your child is older than five years, mix a spoonful with cinnamon powder and ask him/her to have it.
3. Carom Seeds: Boiling water along with carom seeds (ajwain) and tulsi leaves can help to keep the cough in check. It also helps in relieving chest congestion.
4. Massage: Massages work best for children who are below two years of age. Mix mustard oil with garlic and massage your baby’s chest, back and neck area. Also cover the baby’s palm and feet with the oil for a quick relief.
5. Keep your kid hydrated: When your kid is going through a bout of sneezing and coughing, it is very important to keep him/her hydrated. Drinking water at regular intervals will help fight the common cold and reduce the inflammation in the throat along with washing out the infection. Other fluids in form of warm soup or a fresh juice are also beneficial for replenishing the body’s lost energy.
6. Salt gargling: A glass of hot water with a teaspoon of salt can be useful to ease a sore throat. Ask your kid to gargle with salt water twice a day. The saline water helps soothe the pain.
7. Turmeric milk: Due to its antiseptic properties, turmeric is known to treat viral infections such as cough and cold. Add turmeric powder to a glass of warm milk and make your kid have it every night. It provides instant relief for an aching throat and runny nose. Since it is a rich source of calcium, milk also provides energy to your kid.