This year’s 28-day racing season is packed with sponsored races, high prize money and much more

Pune race course is galloping into big league

Pune’s 28-day racing season began on the right track in many ways on Thursday. The Royal Western India Turf Club (RWITC) has spent Rs 3 crore for re-laying the track that has been re-laid and multi-layered to convert it into a monsoon track. “We have taken care of the minute details,” said RWITC chairman Vivek Jain. The work of laying the six-layered track with proper cambering began in November 2013 and was completed a couple of months back. Fresh irrigation pipelines have been installed at the course. The other renovations include refurbishing the spanking new VIP lounge, improved signages and electronic display boards, besides carving out 6,000 sq ft for the first enclosure for audience. The judge’s box will also be moved higher, closer to the private boxes, giving ample viewing space for members near the winning post. A large LED screen will also be placed across the track. “The prize money payout is expected at about Rs 11.5 crore, and probably the highest for a monsoon racing centre in India. The performance incentive payable to owners at 30 per cent is now also payable to fourth placed horses. The payout will be over Rs 2 crore on the enhanced stakes sanctioned last year. The RWITC remains most appreciative of its contributors and partners who add a special dimension to the sport,” said Jain. Among the other races, the ‘Nanoli Stud Pune Derby’ and the ‘Signature Premier Indian St Leger’ will continue as Pune’s Grade 1 races. The Pune Derby has become synonymous with Nanoli Stud who would be sponsoring Western India’s first classic for the new crop for the record 18 years in a row. The Dhunjibhoy family will, as, always, sponsor the Sprint Million on the same day, as an added bonus. The Derby weekend will also feature the popular Oktoberfest for the fifth year. The Indian St. Leger will give an added dimension and is sponsored by RWITC’s biggest contributor, the UB Group, with 2.1 million in added money. The race would be the run on the last Sunday of September. The prize money is highest in India of all monsoon races which take place at Mysore, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Mumbai. Over 20 races, including the Pune Derby and Indian St. Leger will carry a minimum prize of Rs 1 million. The minimum prize money for Grade 3 races has shot up to Rs 1.5 million and Rs 2 million in Grade 2.

Pune’s special bond with the North-east

A lot can be done to strengthen the special bond that Pune has with the North-east, says Barnalee Handique While touring in Kohima and the remote district of Wokha in Nagaland a few years ago, a Pune journalist was wonderstruck when so many Nagas spoke warmly about Pune. For many a local Naga, not just in Kohima but in the villages of Wokha and Mokokchung districts, memories of Pune came flooding back with references to the colleges of Pune, the prominent roads, localities and eateries such as Vaishali and Roopali. Pune holds a special place for them and pune city in return, has lots of scope to strengthen its bonds with the far-off North-east. Education is the single biggest reason why people from the north-eastern states come to Pune. Having taken a liking for the city, many stay back after securing a job. This was what brought Vaswati Hazarika, an undergrad student from the Symbiosis School of Economics to Pune. “Although there are reputed institutes in Assam, the atmosphere there has not been too congenial. Plus, exposure is better here.” Richard Barooah, VP, business operations, RIMC- the international hospitality chain, says, “The confluence of education, culture, history and sports was one of the main reasons that made me move from Mumbai to Pune. Moreover, the air about the city is very infectious that allows me to work and chill at the same time.” NGOs like the Asomi Organisation, Northeast Community Organisation, Pune and Sarhad are working for the Northeast communities in the city. Rajib Borkataki, who heads the Asomi Organisation with the help of his colleagues, organises many cultural activities like ‘Bihu’ (Spring festival), Northeast festival (in collaboration with Heinrich Boell Foundation, Khublei and Zuban books) Republic Day function and other such programmes. On the other hand, Rock Lungleng, the moving force behind the NOEP, regularly organises presentations, cultural events and football matches for the Northeast students in the city. The NGO Sarhad, which is focusing on students from Kashmir and the Northeast, has 15 students from the northeast at its school at Katraj. Sanjay Nahar, the founder of Sarhad, says, “This school and college were established with the purpose of providing education to these students. The girl students of the institute can avail of the ‘Sharmila Irom scholarship’. The NGO also organises numerous cultural and social activities. Every month, under the special programme ‘Call of Brahmaputra’, talks, presentations and seminars are held. One factor influencing migration is the disturbance in the region. Says educationist Dr Triveni G Mathur, “This region is still developing. The erupting ethnic struggle hasn’t been brought under control. The education sector is suffering. Due to the ethnic strife, the people have suffered the consequences. The Northeastern states have been lagging behind economically and in all other spheres.” She feels that there should be a vision, a blueprint for development and economic growth in states. barnalee.handique@goldensparrow.com “The girl students of our institute can avail of the Sharmila Irom Scholarship.” —Sanjay Nahar, founder of SARHAD NGO

When music and visual art meet

Pune based classical vocalist Priyadarshini Kulkarni revolutionises the presentation of an ancient art form Priyadarshini Kulkarni is an innovative Hindustani classical vocalist from the city who fuses two art forms simultaneously — music and miniature paintings. Talking about her unique performances, Priyadarshini says, “Art forms borrow from each other; there is interdependence between them. They are attached to human life. The miniature paintings are illustrations of puthis or scriptures. In the same way, paintings have been inspired by classical ragas which are a medium of expression.” Priyadarshini has performed at the Bharat Bhavan in Bhopal, ICCR (Indian Council for Cultural Relations) in Delhi, at the Shri Shankarlal Music Festival in Gwalior, the Tansen Samaroh (is held right in front of Tansen’s tomb at Gwalior MP) and the Malharotsav (Malharotsav is the special event on Raga Malhar to celebrate the monsoon, held at Chandigarh) to name a few. Recently, she conceptualised and presented a series of episodes based on Indian classical music for the Doordarshan national channel. Priyadarshini who belongs to the Jaipur Atrauli gharana of Hindustani classical music lives in Large Nagar area of Pune with her family. In her early years, she was trained by her mother who was an amateur singer. Pt Nathrao Neralkar of Aurangabad initiated Priyadarshini in performance oriented training. For specialised gharana music she received training from Pt Rajshekhar Mansur, the son of Pt Mallikarjun Mansur of Dharwad. In her concerts, the 47-year-old classical vocalist presents a theme and juxtaposes her recital with audio-visual images. For instance, if she is presenting Raga Malhar, it is accompanied by paintings, photographs and short film clips of the season. “Different art forms such as paintings, music, sculpture, are interactive. There is so much that can be taken from various art forms. It is like adding a dimension to a concept,” she says. Traditionally in a concert, ragas are presented considering their samay chakra or time cycle. She says, “Tradition will continue to flow only when musicians think a little bit out of the box. Shift in a society’s lifestyle demands a few modifications in presentation. A concert can be made compact. To make it more interesting, experiments such as fusion of art forms are being explored.” But Priyadarshini feels one must experiment without diluting the art form. It is imperative to understand the history of music and then think out of the box. And this is where she wishes younger musicians would channel their energy, instead of lifting tunes. Priyadarshini wants new age musicians to explore different art forms, fuse them together and compose something new. In her opinion, it is very difficult to retain the focus of the audience. “To make it interesting, the presentation should be changed and new elements should be incorporated. Artistes such as Zakir Hussain and Trilok Gurtu are doing great work, but the pioneer of this fusion effort of Pan dit Ravi Shankar.” Her first concert on the simultaneous presentation of two arts — ‘Abhivyakti an expression’ was staged in 2009 and had an audience of 5,000 at a youth festival at Powai. Later a number of concerts were held under the aegis of the ICCR and other prestigious platforms of art and cultural centers. Priyadarshini is also a founder and trustee of a cultural trust which works for the cause of music and traditional arts.

Go Goan in Koregaon Park

By Barnalee Handique @barnalee There’s a new place in Koregaon park that will induce a sussegad state in you instantly. Radio Shacks makes you feel like you are in a shack in Goa. It punches all the right buttons to draw up the ambience of a seafront holiday. At the entrance is a bottle-shaped hoarding with the names of all the Goa beaches. There is a sand lounge with psychedelic lights, a waterfall, palm trees and a low seating arrangement ideal for whiling an evening away. To work around space constraints, strategically placed mirrors on the walls and in corner expand the interiors. The soft rock and Bollywood music is soothing and turned low enough to not interrupt conversations. The menu is a mix of Goan, Chinese, Italian, Portuguese and Indian cuisines. They also avail tandoori food. There’s also murg kali mirch which is boneless chicken marinated in spices procured from Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh, Sopa Grossa, thick soup made from cauliflower, carrot, peas and croquette batata queijo made of potato and cheese. Goa is known for the seafood and if that is your fancy, try the Soup de ceullos clear soup, stuffed crabs, baked and garnished with cheese or try the surmai, pomfret, bangda and prawns in a variety of preparations such as salcette prawns curry, wadi mackerel curry and barbequed pomfret. For the main course, we ordered Gosht ki Karari Roti (lamb stuffed paratha), the Candolim fish curry basa fish cooked in a non-spicy coconut gravy and the Sunset prawn and fish curry, cooked in coconut milk. The Candolim curry is coconut based and spicy, while the Sunset prawn was in spicy coconut gravy. The fish was fresh and the meat tender and spicy. All of these can be had with either roti or rice. Radio Shacks’s signature dish, the Peixe Reacheado is a whole pomfret stuffed with prawns, fried and baked and garnished with cheese. The fish is marinated in a Goan masala mix of onion, garlic, ginger, tomato, tamarind, cumin, turmeric and coconut. Vegetarians can go for the delicately seasond Paneer Gulgule kebab, Sunca ani bhende sukha lady fingers stir fried with red chillies, jalapeno, malt vinegar, coriander, tamarind concentrate and coconut flakes, and the mixed vegetable platter. The portions are generous enough for you and your friends.For drinks, the Blue Frog curacaos is mixed with fruit juice, Cosmopolitan and Froutismootui, is mixed fruit juice topped with a slice of apple. For dessert, there’s gulab jamun and brownies served with hot chocolate sauce and ice-cream. We recommend you visit Radio Shacks every time you wish you were in Goa.

Yerawada Central Prison sets an example

Yerawada Central Prison sets an example Prison inmates are being taught life-changing skills with the help of NGOs to enable them to earn a livelihood BY BARNALEE HANDIQUE @barnalee Behind the impregnable high-rise walls of Yerawada Central Prison, an industry is silently changing the lives of inmates. This one of the largest prisons in South Asia has a rich history. A number of freedom fighters such as Mahatma Gandhi, Sarojini Naidu, Jawaharlal Nehru, Lokmanya Tilak and Motilal Nehru were imprisoned here during the freedom struggle. Prison superintendent Yogesh Desai invited me to his chamber in the jail, that was built in 1871. I saw some slice of the inmates’ craftsmanship in artistic paintings adorning the walls of the chamber and a shining brass plaque engraved with a Mahahashtra Police symbol. Desai said that the decorative items have been made by the inmates. The freshly baked cookies that were offered with tea were straight from the prison bakery. The jail official said that the inmates, 3,500 convicts including 250 women, manage the various enterprises like bakery, looms, carpentry and agricultural farms in a synchronised manner, under the supervision of Desai’s team of 150 staff. First step The objective behind setting up shops was to provide a platform for inmates to change, reform and rehabilitate. “We wanted to engage them in a particular skill that will facilitate them to earn a livelihood after their release. Additional director general of police (prisons) Meeran Chadha Borwankar has revived many units that were shutdown,” Desai said. Cells and industrial units are spread over the 64-acre jail area. The sounds that are heard inside the jail come from the furniture workshop, bakery, looms and smithy. Farming is done on the agricultural tract adjacent to the prison. Building blocks Equipped with the latest machines and looms, the bedsheets, teak-wood furniture, handmade files and gift wrappers and hand-woven carpets made in the jail are famous. Stitching uniforms for a school in Shirur and making barracks for a college are the latest orders that the jail has bagged. The prison has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Science and Technology Park (STP) to study and determine the areas for providing technological skills to supplement the ongoing process of inmate rehabilitation by making them employable. “We are tyingup with authorities like the industries department of Mahratta Chamber of Commerce Industries & Agriculture (MCCIA), department of technical and vocational skills. Food expert Karen Anand and designer Falguni Gokhale are helping us with marketing and designing our logo,” Borwanker said. Training The state government provides teachers to train inmates in a trade that interest them. The Rotary Club of Pune Central has assigned a teacher to help Sanjay Dutt to make paper bags that are later sold to various boutiques in Mumbai and Thane. A professional artist from Nagpur had taught Rahul More, who is serving a life term. City artist Ravi Paranjape had recently inaugurated the exhibition of More’s works organised at Balgandharva. NGOs, Crossword, Prison Ministry, Vedanta Foundation and Yuva Parivartan are providing computer training to prisoners. Godrej and Art of Living Foundation will soon train inmates to repair ACs and refrigerators. Incentive and duration Cash incentives are given to inmates for their work. The daily wage of an unskilled, semi-skilled and skilled worker is Rs 25, Rs 35 and Rs 40 respectively. The money can be used by the inmate to buy fruits or other requirements or send it home. The working hours are between 7.30 am and 10.30 am, followed by one-hour lunch break and then from noon till 4 pm. The inmates work in groups of 10 to 14 under the guidance of an instructor, except on Sundays and government holidays. According to the jail superintendent, women inmates are taught how to make dusters, coasters, candles, incense sticks, sarees, embroidery and purses. Special classes are also run to train them to become beauticians and nurses. “Our skilled inmates can easily fill manpower in various industries,” Desai said. The sale and business It is mandatory for government offices, institutes and colleges to fulfill their requirement from the products made at the jail. The prison also supplies bread and other bakery products to the nearby Yerawada mental asylum. The central prison also maintains a store displaying finished products on sale for civilians. Exhibitions are also organised during festivals. The prison store also participated at the Farmers’ Markets and the Yellow Ribbon Festival organised by Ishanya Mall. The jail has three of the 11 correctional units across the state and these small centres are said to be the biggest contributors to Maharashtra’s Rs 8 crore prison industries. The Yerawada prison had contributed Rs 18 lakh in the last financial year. The smiles on the faces of inmates who have learnt skills that will secure them a future life of dignity, tells the success of a plan to change the lives of these prisoners. barnalee.handique@goldensparrow.com

the men and women behind the horse

The gloss of the racing season is the betting, the gambling and the flamboyant fashion, but behind it is a well-oiled machinery that looks after the horses that are the focus of the whole activity. Barnalee Handique meets some of the individuals who have been working round-the-clock to prep the horses for this season Faisal Abbas, Stable owner Faisal Abbas has been in the business of training horses for 14 years. Presently in his stable he has 67 horses belonging to various stud farms such as Poonwalla’s, Ruia, Shapoor and others. Reveals Faisal,“ Taking responsibility of so many horses at the same time is not a joke. As a stable owner, it is important to understand the equine psychology. Horses are proud, noble and emotional creatures. In order to get the best out of your horse, you need to communicate with it apart from giving it the best home and food you can. We observe the horses keenly during their resting, training and eating periods and often identify a problem, if any, as soon as it develops. It’s like looking after a child.” There have been many occasions when Abbas has been able to spot a winner from the group of horses. He reveals, “When you watch the horses working out, you have a gut instinct that one horse will be special or that he is in a really good form. A trained eye can spot by the way he moves, his attitude… some horses have the will to win and you can sense that he will have a good chance.” Every trainer has got a different set-up but the fundamentals are the same. “The horses come to our stables when they are two years old. They are trained to be able to race by October. Horses are moody and they need a lot of time to settle down and acclimatize to a new environment. Govind Rai, Massaeur & Vilas Sathe, Farrier We met Govind Rai, the groom, masseur and Man Friday where horses are concerned. He feeds, grooms, exercises and massages the horses. “Massages help maintain muscle tone. Kneading relieves them of tensions and knots, increases strength, endurance and agility,” he reveals. Rai has been in this profession for 17 years. He is in charge of two horses. Usually, when the horses come in, they take time to adjust to a new groom and stables. Rai says,“They are like humans with their own likes and dislikes, and acceptance is very important. With the each passing day, the horse understands my voice and touch, and the bond strengthens between us.” Vilas Sathe, the farrier, was trimming the hooves of a horse. Using rasps and nippers he cuts away the hoof material. This procedure is an important part of hoof care because it helps maintain balance by helping even weight distribution. It also helps maintain hygiene as the animals are confined and walk over their faeces and urine. Shoeing a horse improves its gait and to helps it gain traction. DR Leila Fernandez, Physiotherapist & Acupuncturist Like athletes, horses need constant attention and have to be monitored. Like humans, horses too have regular issues such as neck and back pain, modular issues, limpness and so on. If the pain persists and the muscle gets stressed, it may spasm. Leila checks the various pressure points in the horses to see if they are fine. If a horse is suffering from back pain or limps, tests are conducted to diagnose the problem. If it is a crude line problem, she tries to resolve it. If it is not a bone but a muscular issue than physiotherapy with ultrasound is suggested. “Otherwise, adjunct to physiotherapy, acupuncture is also needed. It helps relax the muscles and reduce pain. It is a supplementary method of treatment which can be used along with medicine, diet and rest,” says Leila, who has trained in the US and has been working since 1995. Acupuncture helps relax muscles. The needles used are longer and though meridians are the same, pressure points are different. “Since I have been working with the horses for some time, they are very familiar with my touch and voice. For horses which are high strung, I calm them and spend some time with them till they are ready to accept my presence. During the procedure the horses are usually calm as the process is painless and last only for 45 mins,” she says. DR Akruti Choksi, Equine Dentist Animal dentistry is a specialisation. An equine dentist has an equally important role to play in this industry. Akruti Choksi is a specialist in this particular field and is also the first Indian member of the International Association of Equine Dentistry. Horses usually have delicate teeth and the most recurrent problem they have is dental fractures. It is because the bit, the part that goes into the horse’s mouth cause problems if the teeth are overgrown. This irritates the horse and makes it uneasy. Another issue is that horse’s teeth keeps growing and need to be filed to be kept in check. While filing the dental balance and the natural shape of the horse’s teeth should be kept in mind, so that they wouldn’t have problem chewing. The instruments used in equine dentistry is similar to humans, but larger in size. In nature, grazing for 16-20 hours keeps the horse’s teeth levelled. DR Anil Kumar, Veterinarian Anil Kumar, the veterinarian, has been busy since the horses from nearby states started coming in. That was two month’s ago! The most common problems that horses face are difficulties in adapting to the environment, underfoot conditions, fever and sores. Presently, he has 1400 horses under his care. The race course has one of the best hospitals in the country. It is equipped with the latest instruments, has an operation room and recovery room, ultra sound and scanning unit. Number of surgeries like knee, throat, arthroscopic, trachea are performed here. There is also provision of collecting stem cells for future regeneration of that particular breed. barnalee.handique@goldensparrow.com

Related by choice

Urban chaos nurtures the most surprising relationships. These Punekars let us into theirs On one hand we complain that modern life does not value human relationships; but on the other, people form deep bonds across the barriers of age, gender and religion. The people of Pune speak of such relationships forged by love, mutual interests and mental wavelength. Three Punekars tell us about their special bonds. “There are things I can share only with her and not even with my mother.” Garima Singh and Chitralekha Das 23-year-old Garima Singh was in the seventh standard when she first met Chitralekha Das. Her army family moved to Pune in 2003 and shifted to the Controllerate of Quality Assurance (Special Vehicles) [CQA (SV)] Colony quarters at Dehu Road. It was there that Garima met Chitralekha Das, who is now 60 years old. “My father was in the army so we were always on the move,” says Garima, an MBA student. “Pune was alien to us, but we found family in Das uncle and aunty. The day I met aunty, I knew this bond was going to last forever.” Chitralekha, who used to be a dance and music teacher, often required someone to record songs for her; young Garima stepped in. “That’s how our bond started to develop,” says Garima. “Also, I loved going to her place and eat macher jhol bhaat. As a Punjabi, I was tired of eating rajma-chawal and chole-chawal. I grew up on aunty’s fish. Even today, whenever I come to meet aunty, I don’t leave without eating my favourite dish.” Over the years, their relationship has grown to simulate a mother-daughter one. So much so that Garima chose to pursue her studies in Pune even after her parents moved to Dehradun. “Just knowing that aunty would be nearby reassured my parents of my safety. Even after so many years, our relationship hasn’t changed,” she says. For Chitralekha, Garima is the daughter she never had. “I have two sons and always missed having a daughter with whom I could have girly talks,” says the boutique owner. “With Garima around, I have no complaints. Whenever I’m stuck while designing saris, Garima helps me out. Whenever she faces a dilemma about what to wear, she comes to me and I love dressing her up.” Their relationship is fluid. “I don’t call her very often or visit her frequently,” says Garima, “but when we meet, we take off from where we left. There are things I can share only with her and not even with my mother because I know she will not judge me.” "Gitanjali’s presence lifts me up whenever I am in the dumps" Gitanjali Rai and Indrajeet Handique “I met Indrajeet when he was just nine years old,” says Gitanjali Rai, devotional singer and life coach. “He and his friends used to come over to my place during satsangs at Wanawdi. It was mostly to eat the prasadam. Naughty as he was, he would wait for the programme to get over. Then he would tiptoe to where the musical instruments were kept and start plucking at the tanpura or thump the tabla. Seeing his interest in music, I asked his mother to get in touch with a music teacher.” That was many moons ago, in 2003, when Indrajeet had first landed with his family in the city from Assam. At Gitanjali’s advice, he started studying music. “The day he learnt his first chord,” says Gitanjali, who is in her 40s, “he ran up to my place and asked me to play the same chord on the harmonium.” That was how they connected. Indrajeet is now 20 years old and Gitanjali has his guide through every stage. “When Indrajeet reached his teens, he became restless and his thoughts and expressions were clouded,” says Gitanjali. “I tried to pin down the cause of his extreme feelings and initiated him into spirituality.” He would accompany Gitanjali to workshops and was intrigued by these sessions. Gitanjali smiles as she recollects, “Indrajeet has an insatiable appetite for knowledge. He had strong views about the absolute power, religion, and spirituality.” Since she was already into the Art of Living, she could relate to him. Indrajeet trusts her completely. “Gitanjali’s presence lifts me up whenever I am in the dumps. She was with me through my testing times, nurtured and guided me,” says the BSL III student. However Gitanjali doesn’t encourage dependence. She wants him to think for himself and take his own decisions. In Gitanjali, Indrajeet has found a patient listener and a musical partner. “Gitanjali and I both understand each other,” he says. “She has become an integral part of my life. Whenever I face a problem in college, with my friends or at home, I call her up. She guides and helps me understand different issues. She is also an expert in classical music. When I have trouble composing a song, we put our heads together and work on it.” While she is travelling, Indrajeet stays in touch through calls and emails. Otherwise they meet up every evening, during prayer time when Gitanjali sings her bhajans and Indrajeet accompanies her on the guitar. “Our relationship has been a learning experience.” Kavita Sagar and Niharika Batra One evening three years ago, while taking a walk in the Raheja Gardens’ soceity garden at Wanawadi, Kavita met Niharika. Niharika was lost in her thoughts. Kavita noticed the wistful look on her face and sat down beside her. The 36-year-old home-maker had seen Niharika and her friends chatting, laughing and discussing life animatedly around the colony. Niharika was apprehensive as her medical entrance exams were just round the corner. It was important for her to secure good rank and get admission in a reputed Government Medical College. She wanted to follow in her father’s footstep, who is a doctor in AFMC (Armed Forces Medical College). Kavita listened to her woes and stood by her. They kept meeting each other and the bond grew. Three years later, not a day has passed without them updating each other about their lives. When Niharika got through the medical entrance exams, Kavita was the first person she shared the news with. Niharika is just as important to Kavita. “From the first moment I met her,” says Kavita, “I knew she was important, special, different and very very rare. Though only 20 years old, she is very mature. She has stood by me in moments of despair. She has touched my life. Our relationship has been a learning experience.” Kavita is an anchor who has helped her evolve. They usually call each other a couple of times a day and go out shopping or for dinner on weekends. “I am a shopaholic,” Niharika discloses. “Kavita has a good fashion sense and her opinion matters to me. I remember the time she helped me choose the right accessories for my yellow and blue kurta.” When Niharika visits, Kavita doesn’t forget to get her favourite ice-cream, paani-puri and bhel. “In the last couple of years, we have found something few people experience,” says Kavita. Inputs by Ishani Bose

An abode of peace and tranquility

Barnalee Handique takes us on a tour of Vibha Bokey and her son Abhisekh’s home TGS News Service Away from the humdrum of city life, in a sleepy hamlet of Mandavi is Vibha Bokey and her son Abhisekh’s home. Surrounded by a meticulously landscaped garden, with tall fruit trees swaying amongst a profusion of greenery, dotted with cast iron and wooden furniture, the red tiled house of the Bokey’s definitely makes an assertive presence off the city’s rolling hillscape. With the imposing Khadakwasla Dam in the north-east corner, the sprawling 7 acre farm land well extended structural peripheral is as imposing as the scrupulously done up interiors, revealing the innate passion of the owners for beautiful spaces. The approach is marked by an outsize garden, along the drive way speckled with mango, chickoo, guavas and jasmine trees, with a cobbled path meandering to the homestead. Nestling in the greens, the bungalow juxtaposed against the cool blue skies give an instant effect of a postcard beauty. A half century old buggy stands at the porch which Vibha, an antique collector bought some time back. Moving within, one is introduced to the magnificence and sheer enormity of the curio collection flaunted from every nook and corner of the huge home. The porch leads to an L-shape living room which is divided into three sections. The extreme corner of the room morphs into a splendid dining area. The exquisite kota pillar in the middle of the room with niches, antiquities deceptively strewn over all over the area, compliment the hand woven cream and blue curtains. Further, a gleaming piano against a fireplace, stirs a strong nostalgia of British colonialism. Vibha, the indefatigable collector is especially enamoured by antique colonial teak furniture which she has lovingly assembled over the years from all over the world. Reveals Vibha, “The collection of knick knacks displayed around had been bought from the flea market. Some other odd pieces have been retrieved from old Parsi homes.” The massive dining table and its adjoining area have some French inputs. The tall French lantern and the French chandelier which reflects the streaming sunlight adds a regal exquisiteness to the room. Displayed on the wall are a couple of paintings done by the lady of the house and Milind Mullick. Even the light fixtures compliment the old world look. An interesting cornucopia of intricately carved furniture and artecrafts from all over the country and abroad fill every nook and corner of the house. Some are antiques, while others are reproductions, but all speak a common ethnic language — the brass statutes, gleaming copper pots, brass urns, delicately carved woodwork have all been procured from South India. Vibha says, “I have been scrounging the back lanes of popular markets in the city and rummaging the family attics for unearthing all these treasures. The ceiling stands at an imposing height of 28 feet with massive teak beams crisscrossing it. Two stained glass skylights stand adorn the hall, which Vibha had designed herself. Vibha is the architect and designer of her lovely home. Not only the skylight, but each skylight has a tale to tell. As do the sea men’s chest and two Turkish carpets in soft hues, the squat chairs and low tables. Another interesting feature is the wooden turret stairs, which leads from the dining room to the mezzanine floor which has been converted into a loft. The master bedroom is dominated by the royal French 4 poster bed and capacious wardrobes. Polished, aged, colonial furniture has been utilised for storage purpose too. The heavy veneer closets and the chest of drawers in rosewood add to the décor, with the old family photographs perfectly complimenting the old style setting. A deft use of everyday objects has been fashioned in such a way that it brings out the beauty of ordinary things. Innovation makes its mark even in the way the family pictures are displayed. If the house is charming, the garden is enchanting. Weaving away from the front porch, the pathway leads to stone idols of Buddha and Nandi (bull). Similarly brass urns, lanterns, sparkling candlebars, humming wind chimes make the bungalow and the garden a nature filled elegant cocoon set against verdant splendor.

City scientist wins prestigious award

Dr Vinaya Ghate has been conferred with the Dr Janaki Ammal International Award by the International society of Ethno-Botany By Barnalee Handique @barnalee Senior scientist and researcher Dr Vinaya Ghate has been conferred with the Dr Janaki Ammal International Award by the International society of Ethno-Botany. A pioneer in ethno-botanical studies in Maharashtra and the former head of Botany Department of Agharkar Research Institute (ARI), Dr Ghate has been associated with this field for 35 years. She has specialised in taxonomy, ethno-botany and bio-diversity conservation and has also worked in distribution, diversity and germ plasm studies in endemic and medicinal plants. A recipient of the Dr Ekbote Prize and Dr VD Vartak Vanamitra award among others, Dr. Ghate has many firsts to her credit and her research work has been lauded nationally and internationally. She has written over 70 research papers and authored a number of books in Marathi regarding popularisation of science. Among the research conducted by Ghate, the classification of flora into its genetic and chemical compositions, found in rural Maharashtra has been recognised. “My botany teachers in high school and college always encouraged and inspired me to take up this particular subject seriously. That’s how my interest for Botany developed. After completing my graduation from SP College, I got an opportunity to assist Dr. VD Vartak in various projects at the Agharkar Research Institute as a lab assistant in 1975,” she said. It was under Dr Vartak that Dr. Ghate began to explore the subject and began visiting places. Later, in 1980, the Ethno-Botany Society of India was founded, that carried out dedicated studies in understanding the relation between tribals and the surrounding flora in rural areas. While she was working there, she completed her MSC in Botany from Pune University. Over the years, she became totally immersed in her projects and Dr Ghate decided to pursue her post-doctoral degree in floristic. Her doctoral thesis was based on, ‘The flora of north-western ghats in relation to social forestry’. After retiring from Agharkar Research Institute in 2011, Dr Ghate joined Nisargsevak, an NGO that works for the conservation of nature. She and her team have been trying to protect the sacred groves in the state from destruction. “Our efforts at Nisargasevak are to create awareness among general public regarding the conservation of forests. We are also focusing on the Western Ghats and hold open workshops for students, teachers of Botany and others,” she said.

Yo, Let’s go and visit yogoyo.com

For avid travel blogger Prakash Bang, writing about his travelogues has become the second favourite pastime for him, says Barnalee Handique I am passionate about travelling and exploring new places. Travel is important to me because it allows my family and myself to broaden our horizons – to experience different cultures, enjoy a variety of experiences and have a lot of fun in the process,” explains city businessman Prakash R Bang.Bang is the managing director of WebSource Technologies Limited which designs, develops, and deploys Internet and e-commerce solutions for the travel and tourism industry. An avid traveller since 1984, Bang launched his travel blog yogoyo.com in 2009. The title fashioned out of American slang (Yo! Let’s Go!), struck him after a conversation with his young sons Ruchir and Anuj. He is happy that around 700 people visit his site daily.Bang shares his experiences, stories and tips with fellow travellers. The Limca Book of Records awarded him with a national record certificate of having started a first-person blog/travelogue running for the longest duration. “As of June 30, 2013, he had covered 254 destinations within 34 countries, from Antartica to Slovakia. His blog on www.YoGoYo.com had 2,25,672 words and 7,932 images of the places he has visited,” the certificate states. The Bang’s first trip was to Thailand, Singapore, Philippines and Hong Kong in 1984. Thereafter, he has been travelling every year. There was so much to explore, see and experience in these destinations. Every place offered him something new. For instance, Hong Kong is a place for foodies, with a rich variety of street and gourmet cuisine.The ‘Symphony of Lights’ in Hong Kong was another lifetime experience for him. Every evening, at the stroke of 8, lights, music and commentary take over. Around 40 buildings are brightly lit up and some have lasers beaming out making various patterns and throwing light on the boats passing the bay. The show goes on for about 13 minutes. What he loved most about Bali was the rich colours of the sea, forests, black volcanic ash, red fertile soil, fiery Balinese cuisine and the warm hearted people. In Thailand, what left an indelible mark on his mind was Kanchabari, just 130km from Bangkok, a land of waterfalls and home to majestic tigers. Not to forget the bridge on the river Kwae Yai, that later became the theme of an English movie. There are seven waterfalls in the area and tigers abound in the reserve. These tigers are chained and visitors can click pictures of them from a distance. As Bang loves capturing every moment in camera, he decided to write about his travels and share it with other travellers. Asked whether he is a backpacker, Bang said, “Earlier I used to be a backpacker, but my trips are well-planned now. Even now when I am on business trips and realise that there is ample time on hand, I go backpacking. For instance, on my business trips to Europe and Australia, I went backpacking to Mont Blanc once and to the Blue Mountains when I was visiting Sydney.” Before embarking on a journey, Bang does not do much of background research, because then the element of surprise is lost. Each place he visited was unique in its own way in terms of culture, people, food and traditions.Bang plans to travel to the North Pole soon. He will be travelling in a Russian warship for 14 days. Next will be Galapagos near Ecuador in December. In July 2015, he has plans to undertake a cruise from St Petersburg to Volga. Don’t go with expectations...enjoy each moment as it comes is Bang’s advice to travelers. He is clear that his blog is not for commercial purposes. “If you check the travel sites and magazines, they always write in the third person. They always tend to paint a rosy picture, which is not the case. The various blogs on different destinations are my first impression as a genuine traveller and what I have experienced. The pictures which I have uploaded substantiate my account,” he said.