Just Walking Around

SWAG Se Kar Lo Naye Saal Ka Swagat…..

We are in the last week of the year 2017 and yet again curtains will be drawn on this year. Looking back its been a tumultuous year with severe ups and downs. The Year started off with a surprise electoral win for Donald Trump ..the Maverick , Billionaire Businessman and presidential candidate of the Grand old Party (GOP) of USA The Republican’s . A surprise win even for the old hands and political analysts in the USA. An election which was dominated with caustic Tweets of “Fake News” and mail leaks for the Hillary Camp which proved to be her nemesis and blew her chances of being the First Women President of the worlds largest democracy. That too for the second time since she had to withdraw from the race due to Barrack Obama’s charisma 4 years back. But 1 year down the line the mood is somber in USA what with economy not doing to well and doubts in the minds of Heads of Businesses who supported him during the run up to the election. The US President appears to be all sound and fury much like our own benevolent leader of India “All sound and No Action”. Anyways lets hope thing will change for the better in the New Year 2018. On the other side of the world saw the rise of autocratic dictator Kim Jong Un in North Korea who nearly took the world on the brink of a Nuclear escalation with his latest Inter Continental Ballistic Missile (ICBM ) with nuclear war head and a boast that he can now hit USA anytime. But on a brighter side the world political map is changing with most of the Heads of States in the average age range of 45 , with Leo Varadkar 38 (Person of Indian Origin – PIO) becoming Prime Minister of Ireland , Emmanuel Macaron 39  President of France , Justin Treudue 41 President of Canada , Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, 36 the Emir of Qatar , Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, 37 the fifth king of Bhutan , Jacinda Arden 37 President of New Zealand and the youngest being Sebastian Kurz 31 the newly elected President of Austria.  Hope these young leaders take the world economy to new frontiers in the New Year giving rise to an era of peace and prosperity.

It was also a year of catastrophic events some man made some due to Climate change. A series of major storms, including Harvey, Maria, and Irma,  caused unprecedented amounts of damage. Two major hurricanes—Harvey and Irma—blasted the U.S. coast with winds exceeding 130 miles per hour (mph), and savage Hurricane Maria rocked Puerto Rico with winds exceeding 155 mph. Totals are still being calculated, but early tabulations indicate that the U.S. suffered more than $200 billion worth of damage from 17 named storms during the season, which began June 1 and ends Thursday, November 30

Closer home floods fueled by climate change and unplanned urbanization have wreaked havoc in India, but authorities are failing to take notice. This year has seen the highest recorded rainfall in quite some time. Rainfall records have broken in different regions of the country, and all over the world. The year has seen a spate of extreme climate events, and their toll on life and property has been devastating. India, particularly, has witnessed floods in nine states. Monsoons this year have been heavy, and the damage caused by flooding unprecedented.

India has seen massive flooding in Bihar, West Bengal, Gujarat, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Odisha, and Jharkhand. The city of Mumbai is still under the grip of  torrential rain till the end of November, and the city floods here has claimed 14 lives. 

The man made tragedies alos made headlines , one being the massacre at Las Vegas due to a  shootout by a Lunatics spraying bullets from the hotel premises on the common people and visitors at a music show nearby. And in Mumbai there was the stampede at Elphinston Railway Station bridge , a chaos and confusion created by rain , mis-understanding and over crowding . a tragedy in which 23 lives were lost.

On the brighter side some news came in with a little surprise and brought a smile on ones lips , take the case of Kulbhushan Jadhav the alleged RAW agent and branded a spy imprisoned in Pakistan being allowed by the Pakistan government for a family meeting with his wife and mother in the jail. A long overdue gesture after India’s leading Legal representative firmly arguing his case in the International Court of Justice (ICJ) against the forcing the Pakistan Government to put off his death sentence. And the silver lining being Justice Dalbeer Singh being elected in a closely fought election in  UNGA and becoming the Chief Judge of ICJ.

On the sports front Indian Athletes shone on the International scene . India showed its best performance ever in the Asian Athletic Championships clinching a total of 29 medals including 12 Golds. India finished on top of the medals tally ahead of China and Khazakstan. The championship was dominated G Lakshmanan winning mens 5000mts and 10000mts run and protégé’s of PT Usha namely P U Chitra winning Gold in women’s 1500mts and Dutee Chand winning bronze in 100 mts. A big come back by India’s best known Womens pugilist MC Mary Kom winning a Gold at the Asian Womens Boxing. A feat unmatched by any , Having been away from the boxing ring for a long period, the 34-year-old mother of three has returned to her favored 48kg category after five years. The gutsy lady from Manipur won her 5th Asian Championships gold.

And finally 2 events that made the headlines and which were a surprise , 1 was the much talked about and trended wedding of the year of Virat and Anushka being branded as #VIRUSHKA in a fairy tale type ceremony in Tuscany , Italy. The other being icing on the cake of Manushi Chhilllar winning the Miss World crown after 17 years last being won by the Bollywood icon Priyanka Chopra.

Manushi Chhillar a medical student, was crowned Miss World at a glitzy event in a Chinese resort on Saturday, making India country the joint-most successful in the beauty pageant’s history. Chhillar is the 6^th  Indian winner of the long-running contest, following in the footsteps of Bollywood actresses Priyanka Chopra and Aishwarya Rai. Aishwarya had bagged the title in 1994, followed by Diana Haydon in 1997, Yukta Mookhey in 1999 and Priyanka in 2000, the last for India. Chillar’s win brings India level with Venezuela as the countries with most victories in the history of the pageant, now in its 67th edition.

So going into the new year 2018 lets hope and pray the coming year is as eventful and surprises but more positive than negative. As they say Hope and Love is what makes the World go Round. So here’s wishing more hope and more love be filled in all our hearts and let the New Year bring Happiness and Joy to all the families of my readers….

A spin on the latest Salman Khan Bollywood trending song from Tiger Zinda Hai - “ SWAG se Karenge Sabka Swagat”  , I would say SWAG se Karenge New Year ka Swagat……

 

Just Walking Around

Mahim Cha Urs…

I have been staying in Matunga for now almost 40 years . Growing up soaking its traditions , cultures and all its vibrant atmosphere. Knowing most of its nuances like the back of by hand and some I am still discovering. Like wise the missus has grown up in the neighbouring and equally famous locality of Mahim . With its cross cultural ethos and  cauldron  of people’s mixture right from traditional Maharashtrians  , to Goan Christians to Saraswat Brahmins to native Kolis and Muslims . Each with their own unique life style contributing to the vibrant and effervescent environment.

One highlight that truly defines Mahim and sets it apart from the rest of Mumbai is the local patron saint Makdoom Ali Mahimi and his Dargah . A place of faith and reverence among all religions . A pillar of strength to the downtrodden , the poor and the real Aam Aadmi . The ones who believe in truth and hard work and go about their routine with a sense of responsibility and duty towards their families. Believing in the spiritual saying "Karmanye Vadhikaraste, Ma phaleshou kada chana, Ma Karma Phala Hetur Bhurmatey Sangostva Akarmani" ….., where Arjuna was not willing to fight the Epic war of Mahabhaarat and Krishna explains to him to perform his duties. , You have a right to perform your prescribed duty, but you are not entitled to the fruits of action. Never consider yourself to be the cause of the results of your activities, and never be attached to not doing your duty

Going back into History of Makdoom Ali Mahimi , was Sufi Saint, who is said to have lived between 1372 to 1431 AD, had followers from all faiths. He is one of the first saints to have written a commentary on Quran. Mahimi was the first Indian scholar to write an exegesis on the  Quran, which gained critical acclimation from numerous Islamic scholars including Shah Waliullah Dehlavi. Authoring more than 100 books but we only know name of 21 books from which only 10 books are available in different libraries in India, he was given the moniker Qutub-e -Kokan (Kokan's Pole Star). He was the first commentator of the Holy Quran in India . His commentary is known throughout the World and is called "Tafsirur Rahman." It is Unique among all the commentary of QURAN known to Scholars. Mahimi is revered by both the Muslims and Hindus, all Muslim sects hold him in high esteem. After his death in 1431, he was buried in Mahim. The site later became a Dargah (shrine) for devotees.

Every year there is the annual ten-day Urs festival celebrated on the 13th day of Shawwal as per the Muslim calendar, millions of devotees visit his dargah. Changing times haven’t affected the enthusiasm with which the ten day-long Mahim fair is being held every year. Held in the honour of the Sufi saint, Makhdoom Ali Mahimi (1372-1431) the Mahim fair at the dusty Mahim beach is full of people on giant wheels, toy trains and enjoying gravity-defying stunts in the ‘Maut Ka Kuan’.

The qawwali tradition is being celebrated by the locals, too. “Hindi songs are not sung because they can get boisterous. Each singer comes and gives their nazariayana (respect) to the God and Baba. They all speak about how different religion say the same thing.Listening to them is like paying your respects to Baba. You remember him and his teachings..

The cops go easy even if the qawwalis go on till late into the night. The Mahim Fair is the only time when the police participate in an official capacity apart from providing security cover. It is a policeman who has the honour of applying sandalwood paste on the saint’s grave, and offering it a chadar. There are three different versions of the story behind the involvement of the police. It is said a sepoy served water to the saint while he was dying. That is why the police have been putting the first sandal and the chadar on him.

According to another version, Baba was very close to the investigative arm of the police. He helped them crack a case and, out of respect, an assistant sub inspector offers the first sandalwood and chadar. Some others say in 1891-92, the city of Mumbai witnessed a brutal riot. So, the then police commissioner began offering the first sandal as a call for communal harmony.

It takes seven hours for the sandal to reach the police station from the Dargah in the midst of the police band and other bands. People also arrange for community eating. Mouth watering rice mutton curry free to whoever comes, to the Dargah nearly 600 people are fed daily.

During the Urs the street leading to the Dargah is full of festivity. There are street vendors selling toys for the kids accompanying their parent to this holy place of worship.

This year we too ventured out to soak in the festivity. While walking from the lane starting near Mahim’s famous Falooda maker Baba Falooda , you are awestruck with the beehive of activities and the sparkling lights which light  this lane. We picked up some toys for little Bhakti and then walked along the lane checking out the wares sold by the street sellers. You have the bagand purse wallah selling ladies clutches , hobos and shoulder bags in different sizes and colors tempting with their economical prices. Some stalls sell the anodized earrings and brightly coloured braclets . But the stalls that catch your eye are the numerous food stalls lined up on both sides of this lane. The cooks bent over the hot stove churning out delicacies of Tandoori Chicken , Murg Pahadi Kebabs , Sheekh Kebabs ,Mutton Korma to be devoured with the soft and fluffy Roomali rotis. Then there is the mouth watering and spicy Dum Biryani’s cooked to perfection in huge Handi’s and served with the deft scoop of the hand with the right mix of masala , rice and the succulent meat. The food from the stalls giving you a completely different gastronomical experience.

If you are the one with the sweet tooth head to the numerous sweetmeat stalls . Here you will see huge and deep kadhai’s boiling over with oil in which the biggest ever puri is deep fried to the perfect golden brown, and what is it served with the special Ghee laden orange colored Sheera sprinkled with badam , pista Cashew and rasins giving it an exceptional taste. The famous stalls for sweets are from Sulieman Usman selling sweet Jalebi’s , various halwa’s and their famous Aflatoon and calorie heavy brown colored halwa. Then there is the Son Halwa from Joshi Budda Kaka Mithawala with a legacy of nearly 100 years.

After having savoured the festivities we walked up to the brightly lit Dargah . As we entered the inner sanctum sanctorum of the Shah Baba Makdoom’s tomb we were engulfed in the serenity and peace . Crowds moved in orderly and disciplined manner offering a silent prayer to the Sufi Saint and asking for his blessings. Once we took the darshan and came out , we were struck by the ethereal beauty of the lighting and flower decked arched gate of the Dargah. Looking up I could see the moon in the dark sky shining so bright and spreading its light of assurance much like the light shining from the Shah Baba Makdoom’s Dargah standing tall and firm  amongst all the chaos in this city of dreams.

We bid farewell to one of the patron saint of this city with a qawwali which is so apt running through my mind…..

Tere darbaar mein dil thaam ke who aata hai …Jisko tu chaahe , hey Nabi tu bulata hai

Tere dar pe sar jhukaane main bhi aaya hoon .. Jiski bigdi haaye Nabi chaahe tu banata hai

Bhar do jholi meri ya Muhammad .. Laut kar main na jaunga khali

Band deedon mein bhar dale aansu.. Sil diye maine dard ko dil mein

Jab talak tu bana de na tu bigdi .. Dar se tere na jaaye sawaali.

Bhar do jholi meri ya Muhammad .. Laut kar main na jaunga khali… Khali

Just Walking Around

Mehndi ……. Indian Tatoo Culture..

Where ever I see the GenX of today believe in stamping their bodies with the green ink Tatoos in designs and sizes of varying sizes and on various body parts . Be it a gentle butterfly or a chain like design on the ankles to the massive Macho eagle or a Shiva tattoo on the biceps or delicate designs on the back of the neck. Some etching the names of their beloveds on their forearms in simple to Gothic fonts. Its supposed to be their expression of their inner voice. An act of rebellion against traditions , I guess.

But long before the West adopted this body etching art , we Indians have been known to use the art of tattooing in our daily lives . In tribal culture a women getting married or newly married would go to the village tattoo artist and who would prick the skin on their forehead with small pin sized dots or write the name of her husband across her forearm. The process was called Godhana literally meaning etching.

But since this left a lifetime of green mark on the skin it was difficult to think it as a decorative or beatifying process. That was left to the all time favourite custom of the women “The Mehndi”. Even the western culture today acknowledges Mehndi as the best ever non-permanent tattooing process.

The art of henna (called mehndi in Hindi & Urdu) has been practiced for over  5000 years in Pakistan, India, Africa and the Middle East. There is some documentation that it is over 9000 years old.  Because henna has natural cooling properties, people of the desert, for centuries, have been using henna to cool down their bodies.  They make a paste of henna and soak their palms and soles of the feet in it to get an air conditioning affect.  They feel its cooling sensation throughout the body for as long as the henna stain remains on their skin.  Initially, as the stain faded away, it left patterns on the skin surface which led to ideas to make designs for decorative purposes.  

 

In the ancient Egyptian times mummies wore henna designs and it is documented that Cleopatra herself used henna for decorative purposes.

Henna was not only a popular adornment for the rich but the poor, who could not afford jewelry, used it to decorate their bodies as well.

Today people all over the world have adopted the ancient traditions of adorning their bodies with the beautiful natural artwork created from the henna plant.  It became a very popular form of temporary body decoration  in the 90's in the US and has become a growing trend ever since.  Celebrities like Madonna, Gwen Stefani, Yasmine Bleeth, Liv Tyler, Xena, and many others proudly adorn their bodies with henna and show them off in public, movies, videos, etc. People throughout the west have adopted the eastern tradition in their lives by having their hands and feet painted for weddings, bellies painted while in pregnancy, heads adorned with henna while going through chemotherapy, scars camouflaged to make them unnoticeable, etc.

Henna (Lawsonia inermis, also known as hina, henna tree, mignonette tree, Egyptian privet) is a flowering plant that grows 12-15 feet high and comes from the sole species of the Lawsonia genus. The English name "henna" comes from the Arabic (ḥinnā).  The name henna also refers to the dye prepared from the henna plant and the art of temporary tattooing based on those dyes. Henna has been used for centuries to dye skin, hair, and fingernails, as well as fabrics including silk, wool, and leather.

Henna henna was used for cosmetic purposes in the Roman Empire, Convivencia-period Iberia and Ancient Egypt, as well as other parts of North Africa, the Horn of Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, the Near East and South Asia.  It can be found in other hot climates like Pakistan, India and Australia.  The plant grows best in dry heat climatic regions and contains more dye at these temperatures.  It also grows better in dry soil than damp soil.  The leaves are small and in pairs .The flowers are fragrant, with four white petals. The fruit is a dry capsule, containing numerous seeds.

The henna plant contains lawsone which is a reddish-orange dye that binds to the keratin (a protein) in our skin and safely stains the skin.  The stain can be from pale orange to nearly black depending on the quality of the henna and how well ones skin takes it.  A good henna, fresh from hot & dry climates, will stain the darkest.

For body decorations, the leaves of the henna plant are dried, crushed into a fine powder, and made into a creamy paste using a variety of techniques.  This paste is then applied to the skin, staining the top layer of skin only.  In its natural state it will dye the skin an orange or brown color.  Although it looks dark green (or dark brown depending on the henna) when applied, this green paste will flake off revealing an orange stain.  The stain becomes a reddish-brown color after 1-3 days of application.  The palms and the soles of the feet stain the darkest because the skin is the thickest in these areas & contain the most keratin.  The farther away from hands and feet the henna is applied, the lesser the color.  The face area usually stains the lightest.   The designs generally last from 1-4 weeks on the skin surface depending on the henna, care and skin type.

Henna works on all skin types and colors.  It looks just as beautiful on dark skin as light skin but because some people skin may take the dye better than others, it can look more prominent on one and not as much on another (even lighter skin).  But nevertheless, henna is a symbol of beauty, art, and happiness and is meant for EVERYONE!

Because henna acts as a sunblock, there is an added benefit to having henna designs in the summer.  For those who love to get a tan It leaves tan lines!  In order to benefit from this, it is best to get a henna design, let its natural color stay on for 3-5 days and then go and get a tan.  This way you can enjoy the natural henna color on your body, the henna color with the tan, and then tan lines in the shapes of the design (once the henna fades away)!  The tan lines last as long as the actual tan!

With the Wedding Season just beginning the Mehndi ritual attains top priority . Indian marriages are known for their many rituals. In fact, the beauty of Indian weddings comes forth in the numerous traditions that are associated with the special celebration. Indian weddings are incomplete without dance, music and lots of laughter. Furthermore, Indian weddings are not a one day ceremony. Pre-wedding ceremonies begin before the wedding and can sometimes be a week long celebration.

Among the many traditions that are infused into Indian weddings, one of the most prominent is the mehndi ceremony. This is the day when mehndi is applied on the hands and feet of the bride and even the groom. While the bride has a very elaborate pattern done on her hands and feet, the groom usually has just a token design. Mehndi is a very important part of both Hindu and Muslim weddings in India. In fact, application of mehndi is a custom during any celebration in India, be it Karva Chaut, Teej, Diwali, Ramzan or any other festival.

It is a common belief that the darker the color the mehndi leaves on the hands on a bride, the more will she be loved by her husband and mother-in-law. However, the significance of applying mehndi during weddings is not restricted just to sentiments and beliefs. Although these beliefs make the application of mehndi a much anticipated and charming tradition, the actual reason is of much deeper significance, which is sometimes forgotten in the present day.

Besides lending color to the hands, mehndi is a very powerful medicinal herb. Weddings are stressful, and often, the stress causes headaches and fevers. As the wedding day approaches, the excitement mixed with nervous anticipation can take its toll on the bride and groom. Application of mehndi can prevent too much stress because it cools the body and keeps the nerves from becoming tense. This is the reason why mehndi is applied on the hands and feet, which house nerve endings in the body. Also, being a highly antiseptic agent, mehndi can protect the couple from viral diseases. Such diseases are totally undesirable just before the wedding and this medicinal herb can lend a strong shield. Any small cuts, burns or scratches that the couple might sustain during the course of so many rituals and customs can be healed easily with the application of mehndi. It improves blood circulation in the body and enhances general health. The initial practice of applying mehndi in ancient times began in order to protect the couple and keep them healthy.

Mehndi that is applied during Indian weddings is not just a plain paste of mehndi powder and water. Eucalyptus oil, a bit of clove oil and a few drops of lemon are added. These oils not only help in darkening the color of mehndi on the body, but also enhance the benefits of mehndi and make the paste highly medicinal. The best part is that the smell, the beautiful rich color and the health benefits that mehndi lends act as a powerful aphrodisiac. Also, since the color and smell remain for days, it boosts the romance in the initial days of wedding.

Over the centuries, mehndi has become so ingrained in Indian tradition that today the mehndi ceremony is one of the major celebrations before the wedding. A family member or mehndi expert applies mehndi on the palms and feet of the bride. Elaborate designs are applied on the hands with a cone filled with mehndi. While the mehndi is being applied, other members of the family play the traditional dhol and dance to its beats. Every female member of family gets mehndi done on her hands and feet. The entire mood of a mehndi ceremony is extremely festive.

The mehndi ceremony takes place at the bride’s place and usually, it is held a couple of days prior to the wedding. It is a night ceremony which is accompanied with relatives, music, laughter, food and a lot of fun.

The mehndi ceremony for the groom takes place separately at his home. The bride and groom do not usually get decked up very elaborately at the time of the mehndi application, and their ensembles are very simple. Once the mehndi for the bride is done, the female relatives of the bride, especially her sisters, visit the groom’s ceremony. It is great fun as the would-be sister-in-laws play pranks on their future brother-in-law and try to get some money from him as a tradition! It is a very happy occasion for both the families. Traditional songs and music characterize the ceremony from the beginning to the end.

Although times have changed and a lot of new inclusions have been made in Indian weddings, the significance of the mehndi ceremony has grown in stature. Many families bring in DJs to play songs and celebrations that go on until late in the night. If something has changed about the ceremony, it is the designs and patterns. While only intricate Indian designs were traditionally applied in the past, brides today are experimenting with Arabic designs and Indo-Arabic designs and mixing shimmer pastes along with the traditional mehndi paste. Semi precious stones are also embedded in the design. It is traditional to write the name of the groom on the bride’s palm. In some regions, this is also a small ritual after the wedding. The groom is made to search for his name, which is usually smartly written so as not be readily visible.

The mehndi ceremony is a reflection of the rich Indian culture, bringing together the knowledge of medicinal herbs with many lovely sentiments and beliefs. The result is a ceremony filled with fun and joy and the perfect precursor to the auspicious wedding day.

So this wedding season enjoy India’s greatest gift to cosmetics and indulge in some mesmerizing designs and feel free to express yourselves through this ancient and beautiful natural art of body decoration.