No syringes, no permanent scars. It has adapted itself well in terms of contemporary designs and it gets off your body before you get bored with the design. Quite interestingly, intrinsic art form of using Mehendi has come a long way in its attractive quotient and it is not surprising to find women getting enticed to this ancient decorative art form.

Though one cannot pinpoint its origin, a peep into history reveals that this art is over 5000-years-old with traces found in Middle East, North Africa, Pakistan and India.

Its origin

Mehendi or Henna is a natural extract from a plant. When applied on skin, the extract’s dye component, does not pass through into the dermis, it only stains the dead cells in the epidermis resulting in reddish to orange or brownish hue. The colour is best known to result on one’s hands and feet due to their dry properties but henna can be applied anywhere on the body. How well one’s skin takes to henna depends on an individual’s skin properties.

With time, Mehendi designs have become more funky and fashionable. It is also fascinating to note that little girls and women of all age groups, cutting across caste and class find Mehendi a unique experience each time they try the design. So what’s this attraction all about?

“I get very excited each time my mom applies Mehendi on my hands. I love the colour and that it gives me a break from all my schoolbooks!” says twelve-year-old Harshita with a mischievous smile.

Naresh Gehlot, a Mehendi artist observes: “Whether one uses it for traditional purposes or to make a fashion statement Mehendi designs are in demand in all seasons. I think it has more to do with Mehendi as an art symbolising a woman being married. It is also an art that can be customised to each one’s taste and style. Personally I can give the customer the option of fifty designs including my own innovation, which is the ‘Jaal’, design. Apart from this I have found Butta’, ‘Zardosi’ and Arabic designs to be quite popular.”

According to Leela Gaur, a young executive at a financial firm, “ It amazes me to find so many women attracted to Mehendi. Probably the designs give that happy feeling to a person and brings some excitement whenever one tries them on.”

Talking about why she likes Mehendi says Roopa Naganath, another youngster who enjoys applying Mehendi on others and herself “I have found Mehendi to act as a catalyst for one’s conversation. Whenever I apply on myself, I have my colleagues, friends and even strangers asking me if there is a special occasion. The reason could be that Mehendi is traditionally associated with marriage, well being of husband and so on.” She further adds “What’s even cool is that it is good for our skin as it has cooling properties as well.”

What began as a North Indian or Moghul custom has extended its appeal across the country. Especially the season of weddings cannot be complete in India without Mehendi ceremony at the bride or the groom’s home. However it is not just weddings that give importance to Mehendi. One finds Mehendi as a symbol used to mark the well being of the husband or a birth of a child and other festivities in a North Indian family

For most Bangaloreans, summer may mean nothing more than taking care of one’s health, wearing light clothes and trying to beat heat when stuck in day-to-day traffic jams. However for children summer has a whole new meaning. With a lot of spare time in hand children are bound to coax parents to take them to city’s various malls that pose enough attraction in the forms of hi-tech entertainment mediums and eat outs. Obviously many would agree that spending time regularly at any of the city malls is not everyone’s cup of tea.

So are affordable means of entertainment a thing of the past? Probably not. Thanks to efforts of a few Bangaloreans one can find interesting, engrossing and yet affordable means of entertainment for children right in the heart of the city. Situated at Bal Bhavan, lies an interesting doll museum; an initiative by Rotary Bangalore Midtown Centennial. Says Kiran Boal Immediate Past President of Rotary Bangalore Midtown, “The museum was thought about as a novel concept and moreover as part of Rotary’s centenary celebrations we wanted to bring something interesting to the city. As on today; our target is to source dolls from over a hundred countries and right now on display one can find an interesting confluence of cultures through these dolls from over sixty one countries.”

Splashed with vibrant colours and accessories, the dolls stand in complete silence waiting to be admired. Reflecting each country’s culture and emotions of the region they belong to, these dolls represent the ethnic diversities found across the globe. One can find dolls right from the Wright brothers to Elvis Presley and even the limited edition of Anne Boleyn who was one of six wives of Henry VIII to many more like the wooden carvings from Vanuatu sent by the Rotary club of Port Vila where they have no native dolls.

A closer look at some of the costumes worn by these dolls look quite impressive like the Malaysian royal couple dressed in gold robes or the Japanese doll wearing a red kimono. More and more dolls are added to the collection regularly including some breathtaking dolls from Croatia and Pakistan.

Made from wood, velvet, cloth, and beads these dolls have been sent by various Rotary clubs across the globe including Philippines, United Kingdom, Turkey, Hawaii, Nashville, Germany, Chile, Brazil and more. Set up on the show windows of both sides of Sri Jayachamarajendra Wadiyar Victory hall in Bal Bhavan, the dolls catch the attention of any passerby.

Adds Kiran Boal on the attraction level that these dolls pose towards children. “Children who come here cannot stop gazing at them and personally if you ask me these dolls reflect cultural diversities across the globe and thereby teach geography and history for anyone.”

With absolutely no cFor most Bangaloreans, summer may mean nothing more than taking care of one’s health, wearing light clothes and trying to beat heat when stuck in day-to-day traffic jams. However for children summer has a whole new meaning. With a lot of spare time in hand children are bound to coax parents to take them to city’s various malls that pose enough attraction in the forms of hi-tech entertainment mediums and eat outs. Obviously many would agree that spending time regularly at any of the city malls is not everyone’s cup of tea.

So are affordable means of entertainment a thing of the past? Probably not. Thanks to efforts of a few Bangaloreans one can find interesting, engrossing and yet affordable means of entertainment for children right in the heart of the city. Situated at Bal Bhavan, lies an interesting doll museum; an initiative by Rotary Bangalore Midtown Centennial. Says Kiran Boal Immediate Past President of Rotary Bangalore Midtown, “The museum was thought about as a novel concept and moreover as part of Rotary’s centenary celebrations we wanted to bring something interesting to the city. As on today; our target is to source dolls from over a hundred countries and right now on display one can find an interesting confluence of cultures through these dolls from over sixty one countries.”

Splashed with vibrant colours and accessories, the dolls stand in complete silence waiting to be admired. Reflecting each country’s culture and emotions of the region they belong to, these dolls represent the ethnic diversities found across the globe. One can find dolls right from the Wright brothers to Elvis Presley and even the limited edition of Anne Boleyn who was one of six wives of Henry VIII to many more like the wooden carvings from Vanuatu sent by the Rotary club of Port Vila where they have no native dolls.

A closer look at some of the costumes worn by these dolls look quite impressive like the Malaysian royal couple dressed in gold robes or the Japanese doll wearing a red kimono. More and more dolls are added to the collection regularly including some breathtaking dolls from Croatia and Pakistan.

Made from wood, velvet, cloth, and beads these dolls have been sent by various Rotary clubs across the globe including Philippines, United Kingdom, Turkey, Hawaii, Nashville, Germany, Chile, Brazil and more. Set up on the show windows of both sides of Sri Jayachamarajendra Wadiyar Victory hall in Bal Bhavan, the dolls catch the attention of any passerby.

Adds Kiran Boal on the attraction level that these dolls pose towards children. “Children who come here cannot stop gazing at them and personally if you ask me these dolls reflect cultural diversities across the globe and thereby teach geography and history for anyone.”

With absolutely no charges levied for visiting this interesting doll museum, most definitely parents make good use of the holidays that the kids have. So how about taking your child to an unusual outing rather than killing time at the regular bowling centre this Saturday?
harges levied for visiting this interesting doll museum, most definitely parents make good use of the holidays that the kids have. So how about taking your child to an unusual outing rather than killing time at the regular bowling centre this Saturday?

It was not until a few years ago where the fairer sex was competing for merely an equal position at work.

Be it at the sales counter where her conversational abilities come in handy or at managerial positions where her niche qualities like organisational abilities are considered an asset, today a company believes in bringing women as part of its front force.

What is it really that makes organisations hire and retain and value its women workforce?

Says Ravi Prasad, CEO, Himalaya Drug Company, “Women have various skills, thereby making them an asset to any organisation. One of their key strengths is their ability to manage different tasks efficiently. They also have the ability to analyse things from a multi-dimensional viewpoint.”

Says Nahida Sunil of Jumde Art Copy, an advertising agency: “In the 20 years of my experience in the advertising industry I have realised that as men have their innate strengths, so do women. For one, they job-hop less frequently than men, which is a quality that companies look out for. Also they have an innate understanding of situations. It is not wrong to say that many of the skills they bring to their work are a mere extension of the skills they use to keep their homes function smoothly.”

Even in careers like the police force, women have made their own place. There are about 10 per cent positions reserved for women. Says Commissioner of Bangalore, Ajay Kumar Singh: “Women are extremely sensitive and can empathise with the problems of other women and children. Our women police personnel have also extended great support in organising sensitisation programmes for the public.”

Says journalist Malini Misra: “One can find women being versatile in their writing, be it a civic story or a soft story about a charity organisation. Women understand the nitty-gritty of the situation and can do a better job. Also, they are more sensitive to women’s issues and can write better about them as probably they are facing similar situations.”

Other firms such as AyurShop.com have found that most customers across the sales counter prefer to get details about the products in the store from a lady. Says CEO Vikas Sharma: “We have generally found that women are more sincere in their work.”

Those who have worked with women have no qualms in accepting that women are special to any organisation

Family ties, they say, are too strong to be broken off completely. This could very well explain why couples across urban India are making a return to the joint family. Once again it is time to be with parents and grandparents. But the reasons are not just sentimental. The desire to be free without any stings attached may seem tempting for young urban couples but soon they realise that living with elders at home adds much more meaning and convenience to life.

Meet the young generation couples who want to be with their elders unlike a few years ago where young married couples wanted to explore the world in their way without any bindings.

Gagandeep Josan, an executive working in Siemens Communications Software, says with much delight, “Getting married and staying alone with Ritu, my wife, in the US was something different and nice initially, but soon we realised we needed my parents around and I couldn’t expect them to stay with us there. Hence we moved back to Bangalore and today we are in a much more comfortable level.”

Living with parents or in-laws has also given a lot of couples freedom to pursue their ambitions.

Today, thanks to her in-laws, Ritu Josan is the super woman managing her career at an advertising agency, her home because she has the assurance that apart from herself even her mom-in-law is there to take care of her one-year-old son.

For another couple Sameer Guglani and his wife Nandini, the initial months of marriage were spent as a couple only to find life taking a new turn when they had a choice of setting up their own venture, in any of the select cities in India.

Soon they finalised on Chandigarh as that was the place where Sameer’s parents lived and having never lived with her in-laws Nandini thought this was the perfect opportunity to be with Sameer’s parents and start their business in his hometown.

Recounting her experience of being in a joint family system, Nandini Hirianniah, Chief Operating Officer, Madhouse Media Private Limited, says: “Besides the fact that it is a huge emotional support to be with in-laws or other members of the family, one doesn’t have to worry too much about matters like grocery, laundry, cooking etc.”

She also adds that in a close knit joint family ideas are shared and generally it is good for everybody. “By nature, Sameer and I have always discussed things with our parents, so that continues. The advantage now is that we can sound things off or share them on an immediate basis and get their reaction. Even though, each time my mom-in-law says ‘what do I know about your business’ she almost always has a few critical points that will improve the service we run.”

Others feel being in a joint family system does not give their homes the feel of living in a guesthouse. And for a few others joint family means having a bank of experiences of elders be it in the field of education, finance, looking after kids and most importantly dealing with life.

Says Poornima Prakash, a civil engineer at a private firm, “In the 10 years of my married life I have had the opportunity of living with my in-laws and there were a couple of years when it was just I and my hubby in the Gulf but given the choice today I would most definitely choose staying with my in-laws.”

So are couples beginning to stay with their parents or in-laws for their own selfish reasons? Answers Poornima, “It is not that I am desperate to go to work to escape from household chores. When I am at home I give myself completely to the house.”

Urban couples have apparently realised it’s not only do parents need their children in old age but children also need parents just as badly. If Ritu and Gagandeep Josan try and revolve most of their weekend activities with Gagan’s parents involved, Poornima Prakash makes it a point to have a eat out session with her mom-in-law as both enjoy that the most. Younger people seem keen on reversing the age-old trend of nuclear families.
Have you tried it?

Valentine’s day is no longer just about red hearts, flowers and greeting cards. Many jewellery brands want all those young at heart to think of more options. Thinking about gifting jewellery for Valentine’s Day is the mantra that is catching on since the last few years and brands like Tanishq, Gili, Kiah, Carbon, Oyzterbay are in full swing to promote their collections in the market. Before you brush the idea that jewellery is expensive think again, you might get your dream diamond starting Rs 1,000.

Branded jewellery has definitely reached out to a lot of Indian homes and today contemporary jewellery for daily and office wear is in vogue. Over the years, fashion jewellery has turned out to be one of the most thought about gift options. Since Valentine represents love, a lot of jewellery brands have in stock heart shaped pendants in gold and a combination of white gold and diamonds. However, if you feel that the regular heart shaped accessories are boring, then do check out more stuff in gemstones and unusual shapes like hoop shaped rings set in plain yellow and white gold as part of a locket, butterfly shaped pendants, accessories using pink enamel and white gold.

Gearing up for the occasion Tanishq is alluring customers to get into diamond purchases this season. Comments Pallavi Foley, a leading designer from Tanishq, “We are offering up to 25 per cent discount on all diamond jewellery.” The enthusiastic crowd at the store surely seems to be making a statement that it is the season for jewellery.

Whether it is Tanishq or other brands like Gili each have their own collections to boast about. Popular brand Gili is planning to promote its recently launched ‘I Promise’ collection. The collection has a set of finger rings that are made of 18 karat gold, white gold and diamonds. Says Venkatesh S, regional manager, Gili World, “Keeping with the mood of the Valentine occasion, this collection is ideal for anyone to gift their love and the best part is that pieces are affordably priced at Rs 3,450 each”

With gold prices anyway reaching sky high, it is not unusual to find jewellery stores promoting diamond, platinum, white gold and coloured gems. In addition there has been a gradual shift for customers to check out the svelte branded stores rather than constantly picking their jewellery at the familiar traditional outlets.

Says Gautam Gulati, brand director, Kiah Diamond Jewellery, “The overall trend in the jewellery preferences of consumers has undergone a noticeable change. With more and more women moving towards white gold from yellow gold there has also been a remarkable shift from heavy, chunky and dressy jewellery towards lighter pieces.”

For those who would like to believe a brand makes all the difference and style rules over price, they can definitely have a look at the Constellation collection from Carbon accessories. Inspired by the myriad constellations, it has each diamond set in a multiple shared prong setting that makes a number of small diamonds appear larger. The collection is priced Rs 5,950 onwards for pendants and Rs 11,950 onwards for ear tops.

Valentine’s day may be just an excuse to indulge in jewellery; yet this day is gaining a lot of prominence, as it is no longer just college kids celebrating the day of love. According to Pallavi, “Various age groups have started celebrating this particular occasion; after all Valentine is all about expressing yourself. Moreover, with the trend shifting towards wearing subtle jewellery, an occasion like Valentine’s just gives the perfect excuse to indulge.”

Lightweight jewellery is chic and happening. Says Gautam, “It’s not always about the number of diamonds or the size of diamond in your jewellery. The ethereal and pure feel that one gets after wearing a stone that is millions of years old is indescribable. Whether it’s low budget jewellery or a piece that is worth lakhs of rupees; the joy of owning and wearing diamonds remains the same.”

She is aware of that critical decision that will take her into the next phase in her life. However she isn’t ready to compromise on her priorities and thinks this decision can wait for a while until she fulfills the rest of her dreams. Meet the new Indian urban married woman. The lady who’s not guilty to admit that she would like to step into motherhood much later than the set notions of the society. Increasingly many women in their twenties are postponing their pregnancy into their early thirties, a trend which is in complete contrast to the earlier times.

Blame it on several options or opportunities available. Be it career, education, or the passion to lead lives themselves without any strings attached; more and more women are taking the stand that postponing pregnancy is not bad for them.

Take, for instance, the case of Manjula Amarnath a professional in her late twenties, “I work in a public sector bank and it has been just a year and half since I have got married and definitely would like to spend more time with my hubby right now before I can decide on a baby.”

Whether it is spending more quality time with their partners or getting settled financially there are enough reasons cited by couples as the reason for opting late pregnancy. “ Societal pressures make women think of having a baby immediately after marriage. But these days one is able to decide for oneself in consultation with their partner and have a baby once they know their partner well enough”, comments Rekha Shetty, a 28-year-old homemaker.

On one hand there are women like Nisha Prasanna who say, “I am 26 years old right now and can think of getting pregnant only after 3-4 years. My hubby is studying for his post-graduation and the need of the hour is that we need to concentrate on making our lives better, only post that can we think of extending our family.”

But what do doctors have to say on the right age to become pregnant? While making a strong point, Srimani Rajagopalan, gynaecologist at the Bangalore Hospital says, “Yes, we are coming across a lot of women who are willing to postpone their first pregnancy. However to avoid age-related complications in pregnancy one should ideally go in for a child between the age group of 25-30years.”

But for young optimistic women like Smitha Roy, any suggestion on early pregnancy does not seem to affect her decision. “If you are living a fairly healthy lifestyle and are having regular check-ups with your doctor, I feel you can wait until you are 31 or 32 years old. Also, I am not ready to get the feeling later on that I should have achieved or done a particular thing long before my pregnancy. I do want to achieve quite a bit and settle down emotionally before having a baby. Once the baby arrives, obviously he or she will be my complete focus.”

The point to be noted is that more women like Smitha feel that one should go in for pregnancy only when they are emotionally and financially sound. Her final statement brings out the conviction of urban women opting for pregnancy only when they want to. “ I don’t want to get pregnant out of societal pressure, it should be my own choice.”

The reasons given are varied; better financial status, emotional strength, climbing the ladder of success in career or just wanting to spend more time with their partners, more and more women have made their decision and are convinced that it is the right one. Their situation a decade from now in their lives will surely confirm this decision.

At the end of the radio programme, it’s just a voice talking; yet undeniably there is something intriguing about it that connects us to the rest of the world. It could be a wacky comment, a wild laugh, a weird accent, a wicked sense of humour or the music played. As radio listeners, we all have more than one reason to reckon that a radio jockey has most definitely become an integral part of our life.

At times when all of us are busy in our own world, here is a faceless friend who is available at any moment of the day, strikes conversations with celebrities and with equal compassion speaks to any of us as though he or she is our long time buddy. We realise then just how attached we get to a voice!

While the profession has acquired a cool-funky image, those involved in it say there is a lot than what meets the eye. Right from conducting chat shows, to getting listeners live on air or even updating listeners with weather reports or sports highlights; a radio jockey has to get everything right.

Commenting on how prepared he needs to get before going on air Rohit Barker of Radio City 91FM says, “I dig around for interesting stuff to put on my show. I don’t believe in writing scripts because it makes a radio show sound like a news program and very read out. I put down bullet points and take it from there.”

Yet, putting up a good show on air is not easy as it is a live medium. Whether it is handling the fancy equipment at the studio or keeping people informed on the latest happenings or filling specific blocks with commercial spots; a radio studio reveals that the pressure is definitely a lot. “It gives you one chance to get it right. There isn’t space for goof ups which makes it a challenge. I thrive on it,” says Rohit.

Facing more than music

According to Anjaan, RJ with FM Rainbow, 101.3MHz, “Every day at the studio means facing a lot of hurdles. But more than anything a radio jockey must know the music he or she wants to play and should be able to make an in-depth analysis as to what people want to listen.”

So what does it take to be an RJ? Says Darius Sunawala, radio jockey at Radio City 91 FM, “With more interactive and live radio shows becoming popular; spontaneity and a quick-wit are the trump cards that every RJ must hold. Also, they need to be completely at home with the technology in the studio so that their mind is free to focus on the listener and the show.”

He also stresses the fact that the quality of voice is not as important as quality of content. Knowledge of the music and the city or target listener-base is very important, but the most important skill according to him lies in combining these elements into an entertaining and informative package.

Though largely private stations cater to the young urban audiences, government run stations like FM Rainbow, 101.3MHz have their own audience. Catering to both urban and rural audiences radio jockeys of this channel have to be bi-lingual in their  ommunication. Says Prithvi Vishwanath, another RJ with FM Rainbow who hosts ‘Sakkath Sunday’ a popular program aired every Sunday morning, “Knowing the local language definitely gives an edge as you can reach out to more people. Even the celebrity shows that we have on this program are presented in this format.”

Connecting with the young

As listeners choices are getting more diversified, radio stations too have understood this need and today more than one station offer different genres of music to suit the tastes. With youth attracting the attention of most radio stations, radio jockeys need to speak on topics that connect with these youngsters. Also as the listener is getting more aware he expects the RJ to speak on diverse fields and not just focus on facts relating to films and film stars.

At regular intervals, surveys are conducted to know which program needs to be highlighted, who is the target base and as Darius points out, “A good station will constantly re-define itself to adapt itself to the required changes. For example, in Radio City we understood the need to have a show that talks about careers like the ‘Career how’ or about the companies, about home-making is a program titled ‘Under Construction’, to know the bosses in the city we have ‘Brunch with the Boss’ and so on. The listeners today expect much more than music from their favorite radio stations and a clever station will keep raising these expectations.”

Reinvention is key

So what is the future of RJing? Responding to this question says Anjaan, “Though RJing like many other entertainment professions has a shelf life, yet radio jocks can remain in the industry as long as they re-invent themselves.” Elaborating further on this point comments Fiona, a radio jock who hosts ‘Simply Adjust Madi’ on 91 FM, “An RJ with enough experience & qualification could actually run a station someday. A voice can never get old in radio, with time you learn the tricks of the trade and that’s what makes you a better jock.”

Further with more people open to the idea of taking it as either full-time or part-time careers and with the likelihood of more FM stations getting launched soon, looks like radio jockeying is here to stay for a long time.

Finally like one radio presenter winds up mentioning that though it is fun, funky and even cool to be on air and speak to lakhs of people; yet the challenge to hold on the medium through one’s voice and co-ordinate it with right kind of music is quite a task. Keeping listeners entertained and simultaneously informed on various aspects, a radio jockey has a lot more to do than just possess the gift of the gab.