Top Indian Sports Persons of 2017

CoverStory
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VOLUME 3 | ISSUE 6
.COM
WISHESHJANUARY 2018
Year 2017
top Indian Sports persons
# W O R L D N E W S A N D E N T E R T A I N M E N T M A G A Z I N E

Greetings for a Happy and Prosperous New year 2018. As the new dawn rises
upon us, it is time to bring on our revitalized and rejuvenated selves again. Here,
our December issue of Wishesh Magazine brings you the most gripping stories
from 2017, how we began the journey to this mesmerizing year and how has the
current trend affected us.
Welcome to our December 2017 edition with hopes and promises of bringing
informative, entertaining and exhilarating pieces from the past few weeks. Our
efforts and motivation come from all our readers who have been inspiring us
to bring engrossing, enthralling, riveting, fascinating, intriguing and enchanting
details from all around us. I am gratified by the feedbacks and support you have
shown, over the years. Wishesh Magazine is not just a news update on events
from India but it is a way of life for Indians and everyone else. Everything you
may have missed or have wanted to follow with captivating and gripping details,
are compiled and presented hence forth.
The festivity and fun of the year end, progresses with us as we jot down some
moments of Euphoria and magic. Some celebrated details from Indian diaspora
culture, tradition and art along with details of our very own Nightingale of India
from Hyderabad. This month is a time to reflect on the days and months which
brought us all here.
Fall in love with Indian culture, tradition and delicacies as we bring you some
spectacular details on things which are close to our hearts and our souls.
Enjoy reading through and don’t forget to share your views.
Best!
Kiran..
Read, Relax, Rejuvenate
and Enjoy!!!
-KIRAN E, EDITOR IN
CHIEF
Contact me at
kiran@wishesh.net
Editors Page
Namaste !

Special thanks to
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Contact me at
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CONTENTS
Indian Diaspora
14-35
Kalamkari Hand Block
Prints from Andhra
Bharatnatyam Dance
Story for Kids
46-51
Pavanputra Hanuman
Healthy Living
Indian Food
52-55
56-63
Benefits Of Yoga In
Daily Life
Momo varieties
NRI Profile
Desi News
64-68
80-85
Indira Nooyi
Gujarati NRI’s reach
India to boost BJP in
home state elections
Cover Story
36-45
Year 2017 Top Indian
Sports Persons
Bitcoin 2017

In Business
86-91
Highlights of the 3rd Day
Global Entrepreneurship
Summit 2017
In Focus
92-95
Gujarat Assembly
Elections 2017
Freedom Fighter
96-99
Sarojini Naidu
Indian Yoga
100-104
Yoga Poses To
Avoid During Pregnancy
LifeStyle
Relationship
105-111
112-117
Top 15 Books to Read
Before You Die
Signs of a Healthy
Relationship
Romance
118-123
Guy Obsessed
With You-

CONTENTSIndian History
Indian Spiritual
Automobiles
Indian vasthu
Technology
130-133
154-157
134-139
140-145
146-153
Gripping details
from India’s
Independence
and Partition
Awakening Signs
You Must Know
About
Most expensive cars in the
world in 2017
Vastu Dosha and
Feng Shui Remedies
to counter
Vastu defects
Fake News From Viral
Posts In
Social Media
Travelogue
124-129
Goa

Indian Events
158-163
Discover India 2017 by India
Association of Phoenix on
Nov 11
Special Movie
Star Gazing
Movie Review
Hollywood Tea News
Fashion
170-177
190-191
178-185
186-187
164-169
Robot-2.0
Padman
Queen
Tiger Zinda Hai
Fukrey Returns
Hello
La-La-Anthonys
Vanessa-Hudgens
Selena Gomez
Pushbutton Spring -2018

CURRENT AFFAIRS
Lok Sabha Passes Insolvency and Bankruptcy code
amendment bill 2017:
Lok Sabha Passes Insolvency and Bankruptcy code amendment bill 2017 to curb the loopholes
of existing code. This would make the resolution process more effective. Loan defaulters can
participate in bidding under the insolvency proceedings after paying due interest and making their
bad loan accounts operational, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said.
The government cannot allow loan defaulters to “merrily walk back” by paying a fraction of the due
amount, he said while replying to a debate in the Lok Sabha on the Insolvency and Bankruptcy
Code Amendment Bill, 2017, which was later passed by a voice vote.
The bill seeks to replace an ordinance which was promulgated in November to prevent
unscrupulous persons from misusing or vitiating the provisions of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy
Code (IBC).
The ineligible persons or entities will include undischarged insolvent, wilful defaulter and those
whose accounts have been classified as non-performing asset.
These persons, however, can become “eligible to submit a resolution plan” if they clear all the
overdue amounts with interest and other charges relating to their NPA accounts.
Those defaulters who had participated in the insolvency proceedings before November 23 can
also bid for stressed assets provided they clear their dues in a month.
Taking a dig at Congress member Gaurav Gogoi, the minister said that NPA was a “legacy
problem” and was mainly on account of the reckless lending undertaken by the banks during the
erstwhile UPA regime.

More changes in H1B visa hinted by Trump Administration:
Under the new H-1B visa rule, which could go into effect in February, US firms will be required
to first electronically register for visas that are subject to an annual cap of 85,000. The Trump
administration plans to revive a rule proposed in 2011 to introduce pre-registration for employers
planning to hire foreigners under the H-1B visa programme, and change the definition of the high
speciality occupation it applied to.
Under the new rule, which could go into effect in February, US firms will be required to first
electronically register for visas that are subject to an annual cap of 85,000 — 65,000 for foreigners
coming in from abroad and 20,000 for foreigners with advanced degrees from US colleges and
universities.
The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), which runs the H-1B visa
programme, will randomly select — possibly through an electronic lottery — beneficiary employers
from among those registered.
It wasn’t immediately clear if this could make it easier or difficult for US employers — which also
include American subsidiaries of Indian IT giants Infosys, TCS and Wipro — to hire H-1B workers.
An estimated 70% of H-1B workers come from India, who also include those employed by US
companies such as Microsoft, Google and Facebook.
The pre-registration rule was proposed by the department of homeland security (DHS) — the
parent ministry of the USCIS — in its regulatory plan for 2018 filed earlier this month. No
operational details would be available till the rule is published in the federal register, which is
expected in February.
The same regulatory plan also indicated that the administration was planning to withdraw an
Obama-era rule that allows work-permits to spouses of H-1B visa-holders who are awaiting
permanent residency, popularly known as green card.
This was in line with the Trump administration’s focus on preserving American jobs for Americans
under the overarching Buy American, Hire American objective. Driven by the same objective,
the DHS also plans “a proposed rule that would revise the definition of specialty occupation to
increase focus on truly obtaining the best and brightest foreign nationals via the H-1B program
and would revise the definition of employment and employer-employee relationship to help better
protect US workers and wages”.

CURRENT AFFAIRS
Lok Sabha Passes Triple Talaq Bill:
In a historic but politically contentious move, the Modi government used its big majority in the Lok
Sabha to pass a bill criminalizing triple talaq among Muslims even as sections of the opposition
demanded changes in the proposed law and a small minority rejected the legislation. Though no
opposition party demanded a vote in the Lok Sabha due to NDA numbers as well as reluctance to
openly oppose the proposed law, the government is bracing for a tougher numbers game in the
Rajya Sabha where it lacks a majority and the opposition could insist on vetting by a parliamentary
panel.
The Lok Sabha passed the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill amid a demand
from the opposition that the “criminalisation” clause be scrutinized by a parliamentary panel and
law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad’s vociferous defence that the House needed to choose between
procedures and the cries of justice from Muslim women.
Rejecting the opposition’s objections on grounds such as criminal procedure being uncalled for in
a civil contract like marriage, Prasad said the Dowry Prohibition Act, child marriage laws and the
adultery law were all linked to marriage but invited criminal action. The same should be the case
with triple talaq in the light of the Supreme Court ruling it unconstitutional and judges on the bench
calling for legislative action, he added.
“As far as maintenance is concerned, it will be at the discretion of the magistrate. An accused will
not get bail from the police station but can seek bail in a magistrate’s court,” Prasad clarified.
Though Congress functionaries have expressed reservations over criminalisation of triple talaq
with the law providing for three-year imprisonment, the party’s leader in the Lok Sabha, Mallikarjun
Kharge, said the party supported the proposed law. The party’s stance in the Rajya Sabha will be
crucial to whether the bill becomes law or is referred to a parliamentary panel, a process that can
consume several months.

Mary Kom strikes gold at Asian Championships
VIETNAM, 8 November 2017: M C Mary Kom (48kg), an Indian boxing stalwart clinched
an exceptional fifth gold medal however Sonia Lather (57kg) settled for silver at the Asian
Championships.
However, Sonia, the world championship silver-medallist, had to be content with a runners-
up finish for the second time at this event after she went down in a split verdict to China’s
Yin Jonhua in the final. India thus signed off with a gold, a silver and five bronze medals at
the continental showpiece.

WWW.WISHESH.COM | JANUARY 2018
14
Kalamkari is an ancient Indian art that originated
about 3000 years ago. It derives its name from Kalam
meaning Pen, and Kari meaning work, literally Pen-work
or pen craft. The Kalamkari artist uses a bamboo or date
palm stick pointed at one end with a bundle of fine hair
attached to this pointed end to serve as the brush or
pen. These paintings were earlier drawn on cotton fabric
only, but now we can see these paintings on silk and
other materials as well.
Prints from Andhra
Kalamkari Hand Block
INDIAN DIASPORA FINE ART

JANUARY 2018 | WWW.WISHESH.COM
There are numerous forms
and styles of this type of
painting throughout the Indian
subcontinent.
The term kalamkari literally
means ‘work done with a pen.’
The term is now inseparably
attached to the painted and
block-printed cotton and silk
The Kalamkari art includes
both, printing and painting. The
colors used in making these
paintings are organic. Most of
the colors are prepared using
parts of plants – roots, leaves
along with mineral salts of
iron, tin, copper, alum, etc.,
which are used as mordants.
textiles, produced in the
Coromandel Coast (parts of
Andhra Pradesh and Tamil
Nadu) of India. Today, two of
the most prominent centres
of kalamkari production
are Srikalahasti (Chittoor
District) and Machilipatnam
(Krishna District) in
Andhra Pradesh. While in

16

Srikalahasti, the textiles are
literally painted with pens
made out of bamboo and
cotton, in Machilipatnam,
the line drawing done with
a pen is transferred onto
wooden blocks which are
carved and then used to print
fabric. In Machilipatnam,
the production is carried out
in karkhanas (commercial
workshops), where the block
makers, washers and printers
work under the same roof.
In Srikalahasti, the textiles
are produced by small family
units where the members
work together. This essay
discusses the history, stylistic
development, materials and
techniques of kalamkari
at both Srikalahasti and
Machalipatnam.
History and
Development of
Kalamkari Art
In ancient India, the art of
painting using organic colors
and dyes was very popular,
but this style of painting
originated at Kalahasti (80
miles north of Chennai) and
at Masulipatnam (200 miles
east of Hyderabad). The
paintings then used to depict
Hindu Deities and the scenes
from Hindu mythology.
Masulipatnam being a muslim
region, the weavers were
involved in the block printing
art whereas the artists from
Kalahasti practiced painting
Hindu mythological scenes.
Fragments of Indian block-
printed cloth dating to the
late Roman period have
been discovered from
archaeological sites in Egypt.
However, the oldest samples
from the Coromandel Coast
itself are from 13th- 14th
century A.D
Srikalahasti is one of the most
important pilgrimage sites for
Hindus because of presence
of the Srikalahastisvara
temple, which is dedicated
to Lord Shiva. Historically,
textiles from Srikalahasti were
essentially used as canopies
and hangings that acted as
backdrops to the images of
the deities at the temple. The
themes of these paintings are
derived from Hindu religion
and also from nature— bird and
tree of life motifs abound. The
temple at Srikalahasti gained
prominence under the Pallava
kings (6th- 9th century AD),
and was further developed
during the Chola (9th- 13th
century AD) and Vijayanagara
(14th- 17th century AD)
Empires.
The textiles produced in
Machilipatnam were meant
for clothes, prayer mats,
bedspreads, tapestries
and hangings. The printing
techniques used to produce
these textiles helped in mass
production. The motifs from
Machilipatnam are often
cross-cultural and combine
local motifs with those derived
from Persia and Europe.
Machilipatnam, was a busy
port during the late medieval
period. The port was especially
bustling from the 15th-17th
century A.D. As the textiles
produced in Machilipatnam
were free from any kinds of
cultural or religious restraints,
they displayed varied imagery
starting from stylized plants,
creepers, geometric designs
to animals and human figures.
These representations are
important sources for the study
of the contemporary social
scenario.
The styles of
Kalamkari Paintings:
1- Masulipatnam Kalamkari:

18
Owing to Muslim rule in
Golconda, the Masulipatnam
Kalamkari was influenced
by Persian motifs & designs,
widely adapted to suit their
taste. The outlines and
main features are done
using hand carved blocks.
The finer details are later
done using the pen. The
Machilipatnam style of
kalamkari is different from
the kalahasti style because
it is not exactly ‘pen craft’.
While creating kalamkari
art using the Machilipatnam
style, the craftsman creates
his sketch and its key design
features with the help
ofhand-carved blocks. These
blocks continued to be used
repeatedly for many years and
by different craftsmen.
Kalamkari art is known for
its beautiful colour patterns
that flow through a variety
of different themes. You can
often spot figures of women in
yellow, demons in green and
red and Gods in shades of
blue. Lotus motifs tend to be
the most common background
for these prints.
In the kalamkari printing
technique, the craftsman
first decides on the fabric
and colours. The chosen
cloth is then bleached using
either cow or goat dung. It
is further treated with a milk
and myrobalan solution that
helps prevent the colour from
spreading.
2-Sri Kalahasti Style:
The Kalahasti tradition which
developed in the temple
region mostly concentrated
on themes form Hindu
mythology, epics (Ramayana,
Mahabharatha), images of
Gods and heroes.
Craftsmen practicing the
Srikalahasti style of kalamkari
art continue to make use
of the traditional dyeing
technique, inherited from their
ancestors. Srikalahasti is a
small temple town found in the
Chittoor district in Andhra. The
main design inspiration for
the Srikalahasti style is ‘hindu
mythology’.
The Srikalahasti style is
characterized by one very
important feature: free hand
drawing. The procedure
begins with the craftsman
treating the cotton cloth using
mordant and sketching the
design outline with black
colour or ‘kasami’. The only
other colours used for filling
the outlined sketch are those
obtained from natural plants:
indigo, green, red and vibrant
yellow. Therefore, every piece
of the kalahasti kalamkari art
is quite unique and absolutely
authentic!
3- Karrupur Style:
Karrupur is a style of
Kalamkari that developed
in the Thanjavur region
Fragments
of Indian
block-printed
cloth dating
to the late
Roman period
have been
discovered from
archaeological
sites in Egypt

during the Maratha rule. The
Kalamkari work was a further
embellishment to the gold
brocade work in the woven
fabric, which was used as
sarees & dhotis by the royal
family during the period of
Raja Sarfoji and later Raja
Shivaji.
Materials and
Techniques
The materials and techniques
for making the two types of
kalamkaris are similar. In
Srikalahasti, the cotton cloth
is first washed with water
thoroughly to remove starch
and other oily substances.
After drying, the cloth is
dipped into buffalo milk mixed
with myrobalan fruit dust,
and then, after squeezing
out the excess solution, it
is dried again. Next, the
initial drawing is done with
charcoal pencil made from
burnt twigs of the tamarind
tree. For colouring, a pen
made of bamboo is used.
One side of the bamboo stick
is carved to get a sharp tip.
Near this tip, a piece of cotton
cloth is wrapped and then
tied with thread. The solution
for drawing the outline is
locally called “kasim” and is
made by adding 500 grams
of sugarcane jaggery, 100
grams of palm jaggery and 1
kilogram of rusted iron into 10
litres of water. The solution
is kept for around twenty one
days before it is used. The
bamboo pen is dipped into
kasim, gently squeezed to
release the liquid and then
used for drawing. A piece of
cotton is kept at hand to blot
the excessive ink from the
surface. In the area that has
to be painted red, initially
a solution of alum water is
applied with a blunt pen.
Generally, the background of
these textiles is painted red.
To get maroon, instead of
red, a small amount of kasim
is added to this solution.
Separately, alizarin solution
is prepared using 50 grams
of alizarin diluted into water
(for around 6 metres of cloth)
and then added to around
15 litres of boiling water.
The cloth, drawn with kasim
and alum solution is dipped
into the hot water and kept
for around 45 minutes. The
textiles are then washed in
the river Swarnamukhi which
is nearby. The river is shallow
which makes it suitable for
washing. After the process,
the cloth is dried and again
dipped into buffalo milk.
For yellow, the dust of ripe
myrobalan fruit, mixed with
alum solution is used. For
orange, chvalkodi and alizarin
is mixed with the myrobalan-
alum mixture. For blue, indigo
is used. After this, the cloth is
washed again in water before
it is finally ready for use.
In Machilipatnam, the
washing of the cotton fabrics
is done at the Kalia Canal.
Then a process similar to
the one described above is
used. In Machilipatnam, for
the block printed textiles, line
drawings are not necessary.
The textiles produced here
can be monochromatic or
polychromatic and for each
colour, separate blocks
are used. The manufacture
of these textiles is a
collaborative process. The
whole unit is divided into
several sub-units. The
first sub-unit is the block
maker’s workshop where
the artisans are mostly from
the carpenter’s community.
For making the blocks, a
cross section of teakwood
is generally used. Blocks
are carved using the relief
process, where the positive
area, which has the design
that will be transferred onto

20
the cloth, rises above the
sunken negative area. In the
printing sub-unit, the colouring
process usually starts with the
outlines and moves towards
filling-in of the inner portions of
the design. For polychromatic
printing, the black and red
portions of the design are
printed first and then the cloth
is washed and boiled.
Unlike the process at
Srikalahasti, alum solution
is not used here for the red
colour. All the colours are
stored in flat rectangular
wooden vessels and covered
with several layers of cotton
cloth or jute. After printing, the
fabrics are dried and taken
to the washing sub-unit. This
unit is usually open from all
four sides and consists of
one or more open ovens.
These ovens are, till today,
fuelled with rice husk and
wood powder. Big semi-
circular vessels made of
iron are placed over these
ovens for boiling the fabrics.
While boiling, leaves from the
local forest, known as gaja,
are added to the water to
fix the colours. After boiling,
they are dried and sent for
further printing with yellow
and blue colours. After this,
the fabrics are washed again
in boiling water. Finally the
finishing touches are given,
which sometimes includes
embellishment by hand.
Conclusion:
The study of the history
and evolution of kalamkari
Machilipatnam reveals an
amalgamation of a diverse
set of influences. The two
regions developed their
designs not only in response
to the visual traditions of the
region but also to the needs
of the market. A review of the
two kalamkari traditions also
reveals the similarities in their
techniques. Today, many
kalamkari artists continue to
produce items of furnishings
and fabrics for the modern
market. While these industries
cater to new markets with
ever-changing innovations,
Machalipatnam the traditional
modes of production have
survived and are gaining
wider appreciation due to their
vibrant designs, use of natural
colours and as symbols of the
region’s heritage.
In
Machilipatnam,
the washing
of the cotton
fabrics is done
at the Kalia
Canal. Then
a process
similar to the
one described
above is used.

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22
Bharatnatyam Dance form
From Tamil Nadu
INDIAN DIASPORA TRADITION
Bharatanatyam, a pre-eminent Indian classical dance form
presumably the oldest classical dance heritage of India is
regarded as mother of many other Indian classical dance
forms. Conventionally a solo dance performed only by women,
it initiated in the Hindu temples of Tamil Nadu and eventually
flourished in South India.

Theoretical base of this form
traces back to ‘Natya Shastra’,
the ancient Sanskrit Hindu
text on the performing arts. A
form of illustrative anecdote
of Hindu religious themes
and spiritual ideas emoted
by dancer with excellent
footwork and impressive
gestures its performance
repertoire includes he stages
as Nritham, Nrithyam and
Natyam. Bharatanatyam
is based on the theories of
the books ‘Natyasaasthram’
and ‘Abhinaya Darpanam’.
The dance form is based
on ‘Adavu’ (steps) and
‘Hasthamudra’ (hand
gestures). There are 64
basic ‘Adavu’ and they are
divided into 9 parts, on which
‘Thattadavu’, ‘Naatadavu’,
‘Kuthithumettadavu’,
‘Mandiadavu’, ‘Sarikkal’
and ‘Thattumettu’ are very
important. Communication is
done through ‘bhavabhinaya’
(facial expression) and
‘hasthamudra’ (hand
gestures). The performance
starts with the prayers to God
Ganapathi and worship of
Nataraja Moorthi.
The sequence of the dance
performance is ‘Alarippu’,
‘Jathiswaram’, ‘Sabdam’,
‘Varnam’, ‘Padam’ and
‘Thillana’. After ‘Thillana’, with
a ‘Mangala Slokam’ the dance
program ends. Normally the
performance lasts for two to
two and half hours.
Accompanists include a
singer, music and particularly
the guru who directs and
conducts the performance.
It also continues to inspire
several art forms including
paintings and sculptures
starting from the spectacular
6th to 9th century CE temple
sculptures.
History & Evolution
According to the Hindu
tradition the name of the
dance form was derived by
joining two words, ‘Bharata’
and Natyam’ where ‘Natyam
in Sanskrit means dance
and ‘Bharata’ is a mnemonic
comprising ‘bha’, ‘ra’ and ‘ta’
which respectively means
‘bhava’ that is emotion and
feelings; ‘raga’ that is melody;
and ‘tala’ that is rhythm. Thus,
traditionally the word refers to
a dance form where bhava,
raga and tala are expressed.
The theoretical base of this
dance form, which is also
referred as Sadir, trace back
to ancient Indian theatrologist
and musicologist, Bharata
Muni’s Sanskrit Hindu text
on the performing arts called
‘Natya Shastra’. The text’s
first complete version was
presumably completed
between 200 BCE to 200
CE, however such timeframe
also varies between 500
BCE and 500 CE. According
to legends Lord Brahma
revealed Bharatanatyam to
the sage Bharata who then
encoded this holy dance form
in Natya Shastra. The text
that consists of thousands of
verses structured in different
chapters divides dance in two
specific forms, namely ‘nrita’
that is pure dance comprising
of finesse of hand movements
and gestures, and ‘nritya’ that
is solo expressive dance that
comprises of expressions.
According to Russian scholar
Natalia Lidova, ‘Natya
Shastra’ elucidates several
theories of Indian classical
dances including that of
Tandava dance, standing
postures, basic steps, bhava,
rasa, methods of acting and
gestures.
One of the five great

24
epics of Tamil Literature,
‘Silappatikaram’ (~2nd century
CE) has a direct reference to
this dance form. The Shiva
temple of Kanchipuram that is
decorated with carvings dating
back to a period between 6th
to 9th centuries CE manifests
the development of this
dance form by around the
mid first millennium CE. Many
ancient Hindu temples are
embellished with sculptures of
Lord Shiva in Bharatanatyam
dance poses. The eastern
gopuram of the 12th century
Thillai Natarajar Temple,
Chidambaram, of Tamil Nadu
dedicated to Lord Shiva
bears sculptures depicting
108 poses of Bharatanatyam,
referred as karanas in ‘Natya
Shastra’, that are intricately
carved in small rectangular
panels. Another notable
sculpture can be seen in the
Cave 1 of Karnataka’s Badami
cave temples dating back
to the 7th century where a
5 feet tall sculpture of Lord
Shiva is depicted as Nataraja
doing Tandava dance. The 18
arms of the Shiva sculpture
expresses mudras or hand
gestures that are part of
Bharatanatyam.
Association with
Devadasi Culture
Originating in Hindu temples
of Tamil Nadu and nearby
regions, Bharatanatyam soon
prospered in other South
Indian temples. According to
some sources the Devadasi
culture dating back to 300
BCE to 300 CE evolved
under the auspices of the
royals that saw the temple
dancers called Devadasis,
who were dedicated to serve
the Lord as dasis or servants,
performing the dance form.
Eventually the Devadasi
culture became an integral
part of rituals in South Indian
temples. Although ancient
texts and sculptures indicate
existence of such culture and
presence of dancing girls as
also exclusive quarters for
women in temple compound,
there is no concrete evidence
either archaeological or text-
based that can manifest the
Devadasis as prostitutes or
courtesans as accused by
some colonial Indologists.
After analysing evidences,
Davesh Soneji, a historian
on performance arts and an
expert on Bharatanatyam,
concluded that courtesan
dancing phenomenon
commenced during the
Nayaka period of Tamil Nadu
sometime around late 16th or
17th century.
Opposition & Ban
During Colonial Rule
The 18th century saw
emergence of rule of the East
India Company followed by

The dance form is based on ‘Adavu’ (steps) and ‘Hasthamudra’
(hand gestures). There are 64 basic ‘Adavu’ and they are
divided into 9 parts, on which ‘Thattadavu’, ‘Naatadavu’,
‘Kuthithumettadavu’, ‘Mandiadavu’, ‘Sarikkal’ and
‘Thattumettu’ are very important.

26
setting up of British colonial
rule in the 19th century.
Such developments saw
decline of various classical
dance forms which were
subjected to contemptuous
fun and discouragement
including Bharatanatyam
that through the 19th century
remained exclusive to Hindu
temples. Eventually social
and economic conditions
associated with Devadasi
culture added with contempt
and despicable attitude from
the Christian missionaries
and British officials, who held
the Devadasis of South India
and nautch girls of North
India as harlots, disgraced
such systems. Furthermore
the Christian missionaries
launched anti-dance
movement in 1892 to stop
such practice. The Madras
Presidency under the British
colonial government banned
the custom of dancing in
Hindu temples in 1910 and
with this the age-old tradition
of performing Bharatanatyam
in Hindu temples also came to
an end.
Revival
The Indian community
disapproved such ban. The
Tamilians were worried
that such a rich and ancient
custom of Hindu temple
dancing was getting
persecuted on the pretext of
social reform. Many classical
art revivalists like Indian
lawyer, freedom-fighter,
activist and classical artist
E. Krishna Iyer questioned
such discrimination. Iyer
who became involved with
the Bharatanatyam revival
movement was incarcerated
on charges of nationalism
and imprisoned. During his
prison term he convinced the
political prisoners to advocate
for this age-old classical
dance form. Iyer founded the
‘Madras Music Academy’ and
along with Indian theosophist,
dancer and Bharatanatyam
choreographer Rukmini Devi
Arundale, he strived to save
Bharatanatyam from dying
out. Despite the fact that
Hindu temple dances were
The
Bharatnatyam
dancer is
accompanied by
a nattuvanar
(or taladhari)
that is a vocalist
who generally
conducts
the whole
performance,
a part often
executed by the
guru.

being suppressed due to
laws enforced by the colonial
British government, many
artists like American dancer
Esther Sherman came from
the West to learn Indian
classical dance forms. She
came to India in 1930 and not
only learnt classical dances
but also adopted the name
Ragini Devi and became a
part of the ancient dance arts
revival movement. As the
Indian freedom movement
progressed steadily during
the early 20th century, an
effort to revive Indian culture
and tradition seethed with
excitement among Indians.
Eminent Bharatanatyam
dancers like Arundale and
Balasaraswati expanded
the dance form out of Hindu
temples and established
it as a mainstream dance
form. Later the Tamil Hindu
migrants revived this Hindu
temple dancing custom in
British Tamil temples during
the late 20th century. Today
this ancient classical dance
form also includes technical
performances as also non-
religious and fusion based
themes.
Repertoire
The repertoire of this
performance art are
categorized into three brackets
namely ‘Nritta’, ‘Nritya’ and
‘Natya’ mentioned in ‘Natya
Shastra’ and followed by
all major Indian classical
dance forms. ‘Nritta’ is a
technical performance where
the dancer presents pure
Bharata Natyam movements
emphasising on speed, form,
pattern, range and rhythmic
aspects without any form of
enactment or interpretive
aspect. In ‘Nritya’ the dancer
communicates a story,
spiritual themes, message or
feelings through expressive
gestures and slower body
movements harmonised with
musical notes. ‘Natyam’ is
usually performed by a group
or in some cases by a solo
dancer who maintains certain
body movements for certain
characters of the play which
is communicated through
dance-acting. The dance
form typically comprises of
certain sections performed in
sequence namely Alarippu,
Jatiswaram, Shabdam,
Varnam, Padam and Thillana.
Costumes
The style of dressing of a
Bharatanatyam dancer is
more or less similar to that
of a Tamil Hindu bride. She
wears a gorgeous tailor-made
sari that consists of a cloth
specially stitched in pleats that
falls in the front from the waist
and when the dancer performs
spectacular footwork that
include stretching or bending
her knees, the cloth widens up
like a hand fan. The sari worn
in a special manner is well
complimented with traditional
jewellery that include the ones
that adorn her head, nose,

28
ear and neck and vivid face
make-up specially highlighting
her eyes so that audience
can view her expressions
properly. Her hair neatly
plaited in conventional way is
often beautified with flowers.
A jewellery belt adorns her
waist while musical anklets
called ghunghru made of
leather straps with small
metallic bells attached to it
are wrapped in her ankles.
Her feet and fingers are often
brightened with henna colour
so as to highlight gestures of
her hands.
Instruments & Music
The Bharatnatyam dancer is
accompanied by a nattuvanar
(or taladhari) that is a vocalist
who generally conducts
the whole performance,
a part often executed by
the guru. The person can
also play the cymbals or
any other instrument. The
music associated with
Bharatanatyam is in South
India’s Carnatic style and
instruments played comprise
of cymbals, the flute, a long
pipe horn called nagaswaram,
a drum called mridangam and
veena. The verses recited
during performance are in
Sanskrit, Tamil, Kannada and
Telugu.
Famous Exponents
The four Nattuvanars
namely Ponaiyah, Vadivelu,
Sivanandam and Chinnaiya
who are renowned as Tanjaore
Bandhu and who thrived in
the Durbar of Maratha ruler,
Sarfoji-II from 1798 to 1832
shaped up the modern day
Bharatanatyam. Meenakshi
Sundaram Pillai, a dance
guru from the village of
Pandanallur was a noted
exponent of Bharatanatyam
who is predominantly known
for his style referred as
the Pandanallur school of
Bharatanatyam. One of
his students Rukmini Devi
championed and performed
the Pandanallur (Kalakshetra)
style and also remained one
of the leading proponents of
the classical dance revival
movement. Balasarswati who
was regarded as child prodigy
by Vidhwans and Pandits
also joined hands in reviving
the dance form. She was
a virtuoso of the Thanjavur
style of Bharatanatyam. Other
imminent Bharatanatyam
artists include Mrinalini
Sarabhai, her daughter
Mallika Sarabhai, Padma
Subramanyam, Alarmel Valli,
Yamini Krishnamurthy and
Anita Ratnam among others.
Famous Bharatnatyam
Dancers in India:
1- Rukmini Devi:
This great Bharatanatyam
dancer was born in Madurai
on 28th February, 1904. With
a strong background in Indian
culture, she started her career
by giving lectures on Indian
culture in Europe, where she
went with her husband Dr
George Arundale. Then she
learned Russina Ballet and her
teacher suggested her to learn
Indian Classical Dance. Then
she learnt it from Pandanallur
Meenakshi Sundaram Pillai,
Gauri Amma and Muthukumar.
She became a revolutionary
in the field of Bharatanatyam
Bharatanatyam
who is
predominantly
known for his
style referred as
the Pandanallur
school of
Bharatanatyam.

and established a training institute
called Kalashetra.
2- Meenakshi Sundaram
Pillai:
Another popular Bharatanatyam
dancer in India ever was
Meenakshi Sundaram Pillai,
who was born on 22nd
September, 1869. He received
his training in the dance form from
Kumaraswamy Nattuvanar and
later went on to train Rukmini Devi
in 1934. Some of his acclaimed
students were Jeevaratnam,
Pandanallur Jayalakshmi,
Kandappa and his son
Mutthaiah
3- Mrinalini Sarabhai:
This great dancer
learnt dance formally in
Switzerland and started
her Bharatanatyam training
under Muthukumar Pillau
when she came to India. Her
other gurus were Meenakshi
Sundaram Pillai, Ellapa Pillai
and Chokalingam Pillai. She
started a Bharatanatyam
training institute called
“Darpana” in 1948 and
also choreographed some
successful dance dramas.
4- Balasaraswati:
Balasaraswati, born in 1918,
was considered as one of the
best Bharatanatyam dancers
in the country. She started
showcasing her talent in
this art form at the young
age of seven years, when
she did her Arangetram at
kamakshi Amman Temple
in Kancheepuram. She was
also an acclaimed singer
and achieved great fame and
success on global platform
too, with her performance at
Edinburgh Festival.
5- Mallika Sarabhai:
Another noted
Bharatanatyam dancer in
India is Mallika Sarabhai,
who has additionally
excelled as an actor, writer
and publisher. Besides her
excellence in the field of
dance, she has participated
actively in social work
projects of the UN.

30
INDIAN DIASPORA CULTURE
Gujarat stretches out into the
Arabian Sea, with a hint of the
desert and with a coastline
of 1035 miles long is Gujarat
– the home state of Mahatma
Gandhi, the Father of Nation.
It is renowned for its beaches,
temple towns and historic
capitals. Wildlife sanctuaries,
hill resorts and natural
grandeur are gifts of Gujarat.
Sculpture, handicrafts, arts,
festivals also make the state
rich. Gujarat is also among
the most technologically
advanced, housing the largest
petrochemical complex in the
country.
Gujarat has always been
a major centre for the
Jains and some of its most
interesting locations are
the Jain Temple centers at
Palitana and Girnar Hills.
Besides the Jain temples,
the state’s major attractions
include the only habitat of
the Asiatic Lions in India (Gir
Forests), a desert ride at
the Wild Ass Sanctuary and
the beautiful Indo-Saracenic
Architecture of Ahmedabad.
The colourful tribal villages
of Kutch make a visit
unforgettable.
The diverse and vibrant
state of Gujarat has a
significant contribution in
the cultural aspect of India.
The sheer simplicity and
amiability of Gujaratis have
made them a flourishing
community. The state of
Gujarat boasts a vibrant
art, architecture, culture,
and heritage; all of which is
quite evident in the day-to-
day lives of the locals. The
diversity exhibited by Gujarat
is a result of the various ethnic
groups constituting Gujarat’s
population; including Indic and
Dravidian groups.
Gujarat is influenced with
enculturation; a culture
shared with members of the
society and passed on from
one generation to the next.
Enculturation has unified
Vibrant Gujarat
Its True Cultural
Heritage and Diversity
“Aavo Padharo”, words of welcome in Gujarati speaks
literally of the people of Gujarat. In their words
the guest is the God and the people of Gujarat are
gregariously friendly, inviting and will entice you to
come again and again.

32
people with common sense
experience and influence
that lead to knowledge and
appreciation of cultural
traditions and lifestyles. The
aspect of joining hands to
greet or bow down comes
through age influences as
offering reverence.
Social systems of learning,
religious practices and forms
of artistic expressions have
led way to more balanced
lifestyles in Gujarat. People
of Gujarat are found to be
sharing cultural traits and
patterns with other regions
and also extend beyond
national boundaries towards
International culture.
As Gujarat stands as ‘Heart
of India’, Multiculturalism is
traced in Gujarat. Shared
cultural background making
people feel to home ground
and more comfortable with
other people from their own
culture. Culture shock unlike
other countries is therefore,
a missing point which makes
people more confident and
energetic as they stand for a
challenge in global scenario.
Originally known as Gurjars,
Gujaratis are influenced by
the waves from the past that
inherit values of arts, culture
and traditions. Gujarat has
a strong cultural influence
of socio-economic-political
history. It has a special
significance in Indian Political
History as it is a birthplace
of Mahatma Gandhi and the
main influence to the people
of Gujarat with his system of
non violence movement.
Festivals and fairs, arts and
crafts, folk dances, music,
cuisine and lifestyles form a
major cultural background
of the people who belong to
Gujarat. The customs and
beliefs make the culture
more homely and truly
blended with values and
moral characteristics.
Language
Though the local language
spoken is ‘Gujarati’ – it
remains a mother tongue
for people of Gujarat and is
widely spoken all over the
world wherever a Gujarati
exist. Surti, charotari,
kathiawai and kutchi
languages are among the
many others languages like
Marathi, Sindhi, Punjabi
etc. are spoken in Gujarat
regions. A small section of its
population speaks the native
languages of the neighboring
states, namely Marwari,
Marathi, Hindi along with
Urdu and Sindhi. The natives
of Kutch-a semi-arid region
in Gujarat-speaks Kachchi
language, which is quite an
important language of the
area
Gujarati businessmen are

truly the most successful
entrepreneurs around the
world.
Costumes
For costumes, several
outfits are worn by the
people of Gujarat as per
the living in rural or urban
areas. Generally, men wear
trousers and shirts or t-shirts
and younger women wear
normal western outfits like
skirts, dresses, jeans, etc.
Older women usually wear
saris or salwar kamiz. In
rural parts, people are found
to wear dhotis and kurtas
or bandis. Even traditional
outfits like chania choli by
women and kedia dress is
worn by men in rural areas or
during cultural festivals
Food
Majority of the Gujaratis are
Vegetarian. A traditional
‘Gujarati Thali’ consisting
of dal (lentils), roti, rice
and vegetables apart from
salads, farsan and sweet
dish followed by chaas,
forms the morning meal.
Evening food consist of
‘bhakri-shak’ or khichdi
kadhi. Mainly, the diet
of the people of Gujarat
consists of cereals, pulses,
green vegetables, fruits,
milk, ghee, butter-milk,
etc. A variety of Cuisine
sub-ordinates like pickles,
chutney, papad, yoghurt,
etc serve as fillings on main
menu. A variety of dishes
are prepared by Gujarati
women who also add spice
to kitchen with eateries from
other regions like the South
Indian food, Continental,
Chinese cuisines. Some
of the famous Gujarati
delicacies include dhokla,
fafda, khandvi, dhal dhokli,
undhiyu, handvo, ganthia, dal
wada, khakhra, and thepla.
In Gujarati dishes, the flavors
are a blend of sweet, spicy
and sour tastes. Each region
of the state has a distinctive
flavor associated with its local
food. A typical Gujarati dinner
includes bhakri-shak or khichdi-
kadhi. The Gujaratis are noted
for their sweet tongue, and
hence every meal is followed by
a sweet dish or sometimes even
jaggery
Fairs and Festivals
The fairs and festivals of
Gujarat showcase the real
vibrancy and colors of its
diverse culture. Thousands
of people flock to Gujarat to
witness the extravaganza during
festivals like Navratri Mahotsav,
Deepawali, Rathyatra and Kite
festival. There are some fairs
as well that are organized in
the state every year, namely-
Shamlaji Melo, Bhadra Purnima
Fair, and Mahadev Fair. These
occasions lure visitors from all
across the globe and increase
the tourist footfall. The Rann
Utsav is a major festival and
witnesses an exquisite carnival
of music, dance and natural
beauty.
Homes
Gujarati urban living offer
sophisticated living lifestyles.
Well ventilated, furnished,
glazed tiled or marbled homes
and flats are found in Gujarat.
Modern living with landscape
gardening and fountains is the
new flavor home stay in big
cities of the state. Rural living
is flourishing with development.
However, the traditional hut
dwellings and wooden houses
Gujarat has
always been a
major centre
for the Jains
and some of its
most interesting
locations are
the Jain Temple
centers at
Palitana and
Girnar Hills.

34
still exist with a rich heritage
feel and ethnic living. Wood
carved houses with the
‘Chabutras’ for bird feeding
are the beauty of many
traditional homes in Gujarat
Work Culture
Majority of the Gujarati
thrive as Business persons.
However, Gujarat is a leading
Industrial State that ranks
its commercial capital and
textile city Ahmedabad as
7th in India. It possesses
highest number of operating
airports, the Gujarat cities are
connected worldwide. Many
business opportunities see
way to development with the
Vibrant Gujarat in various
sectors
Faith and Beliefs
Gujarat has major
multicultural religious faith
system with the inception of
all-embracing religious faith
ranging from caste to caste.
The major religions followed
are Hinduism, Jainism and
Buddhism. Groups like Bohras
and Moresalaam garasias,
Kutchis who had been
converted to Islam still have
eqaunimous way of life of a
typical Gujarati. Sunni Muslims
are second largest group
,followed By Jains,Parsis
of Iranian descent of south
Gujarat and Christians. People
of Gujarat are god fearing,
friendly and good natured.
They live in harmony and
respect each other’s faith and
beliefs. Gujaratis are often
found to mingle and enjoy all
religious festivals with no caste
or creed differences
Customs and
Traditions
Due to many religions
coexisting in the state,
Gujaratis believe in various
Gods and Goddesses.
Embracing different religious
faiths, Gujaratis demonstrate
a vibrant mix of Hinduism,
Islam, Jainism, and Buddhism.
This amalgamation of
cultures is quite evident
in their beliefs, customs,
traditions, institutions, and
practices. The natives display
a balanced lifestyle due to the
perfect system of learning,
blend of religious practices
and development of artistic
traits. The cow is considered
the mother God and hence
worshipped devotedly by
them. The majorly celebrated
ceremonies of Gujaratis
include birth, thread ceremony,
marriage and death. All the
rituals are performed by the
highly ranked Brahmans
Art and Craft
The vast array of handcrafted
products displaying intricate
Gujarati art forms are not
only popular in our country,
but are a well-known entity
all across the globe. These
products include furniture,
jewelry, embroidered garments,
leatherwork, metalwork, baked
clay articles and mirror work.
Gujarat serves as the producer
of some of the most creative
and elegant furnishings that
include bedcovers, quilts,
cushion covers and table
mats. Preserving the glorious
legacy of its past, the garment
industry of Gujarat provides
a broad range of items to the
buyers, namely salwar, kurtas,
cholis, ghaghras, odhnis,
skirts, and jackets. Intricate
Gujarat has major
multicultural
religious faith system
with the inception
of all-embracing
religious faith
ranging from caste
to caste.

dainty patterns are woven on
the patola sarees with high
precision. The traditional
art forms of the state play a
significant role in preserving
its rich heritage. Some other
aspects of art include music,
dance, and literature
Music and dance
The folk music of Gujarat is
known as Sugam Sangeet
and has acclaimed world-
wide fame. The range of
musical instruments utilized
in Gujarati folk music includes
turi, manjira, ektaro, jantar,
zanz pot drum, prabhati, dhol
and ravan hattho. Bhajans
are also incorporated in their
folk songs. Baardic tradition
is another major type of folk
Gujarati music. Since Gujarati
people are quiet enthusiastic
and amiable, they have many
traditional forms of dance. The
four major forms of dance are
Dandiya Raas, Garba, Padhar,
and Garbi. Dandiya Raas is
performed by both men and
women and utilizes movement
of bamboo sticks, known as
Dandiyas. It has ancient roots
and was believed to be played
by the beloved Gopis of Lord
Krishna. Garba is usually
performed by the females
in a circular formation. It is
performed with reverence
of the feminine form of the
divinity. Garbi is traditionally
performed by only the men
and incorporates the use of
instruments like dhol and
manjiras. Padhar is mainly
performed by the rural
communities near Nal Lake.
Conclusion:
The Gujarati community
has well preserved their rich
traditions and customs that
have deep roots in their past.
The mingling of the diverse
ethnic folks has resulted in a
well-balanced community that
displays significant qualities
like friendliness, liveliness,
unity and immense love for
their various ancient art forms.
The plethora of traditions along
with a tinge of modernization
sums up the culture of Gujarat
billionaire-of-gujarat

Top Indian Sports
Persons
Year 2017
India’s sports fans cherished a year where
Indian athletes left their mark on the world
stage. Kidambi Srikanth took Indian badminton
to rare heights, winning four Super Series
titles this year. He is the first Indian to achieve
the feat.
P V Sindhu continued her good run,
winning three titles and emerging
runner-up thrice. In cricket, it was
business as usual for Virat Kohli who
dominated Tests, ODIs and T20s,
scoring runs aplenty. The bowlers only
got some relief in December when
the run machine took time off to get
married. There was no stopping for
Pankaj Advani who added another
couple of world titles to his kitty. He
has an awesome 18 world titles in all.
Young golf prodigy Shubhankar Sharma
stamped his mark among seasoned
campaigners, winning three titles. Shub
won his maiden European Tour title at
the Joburg Open in December to qualify
for the Open Championship next July
where he will play alongside his idol
Tiger Woods
Some of the sports stars
who brought laurels
to our country in 2017
include:
1- Kidambi Srikanth:
It was a dream year for Srikanth who
became the first Indian and only the
fourth shuttler in the world to win four
Super Series tournaments in a calendar
season.
36
COVER STORY

The 24 year old won the
French Open, the Denmark
Open, the Australian Open
and the Indonesia Cup.
Before Srikanth, only
badminton legend Lin Dan,
his Chinese compatriot Chen
Long and Malaysian star Lee
Chong Wei had won four
Super Series men’s singles
titles in a single season.
The world No 4 finished
runner-up at the Singapore
Open where he lost to
compatriot B Sai Praneeth.
2- PV Sindhu:
After her silver in the 2016
Rio Olympics, the world No
3 continued her glorious run,
winning the India Open Super
Series, the Korea Open
Super Series and the Syed
Modi Grand Prix Gold.
She narrowly missed out at
three other events, ending up
second best in the Glasgow
World Championship, the
Dubai Super Series final and
the Hong Kong Open.
She produced a superlative
performance to defeat
reigning Olympic champion
Carolina Marin and win her
maiden India Open Super
Series title in April.
In August, her gallant effort
to become India’s first World
champion ended in a heart-
wrenching 19-21, 22-20, 20-
22 defeat to Nozomi Okuhara
after an epic final that lasted
109 minutes.
Sindhu extracted revenge
soon after, beating Okuhara
in the summit clash at the
Korea Open Super Series in
September.
3- Pankaj Advani:
Pankaj enjoyed another
stellar year on the green
baize.
He won a couple of world
titles, taking his world title
count to a massive 18.
Pankaj also became the
only Indian cueist to win the
national billiards and snooker
titles.
In November, he won two
titles at the IBSF World
Billiards and Snooker
Championships in Doha.
He clinched his 17th World
title after thrashing arch-rival
Mike Russell in the IBSF
World Billiards final. In the
process, Pankaj defended the
150-up format title he won in
Bengaluru last year.
With only a day’s gap to
switch from billiards to
snooker, Pankaj outclassed
Amir Sarkhosh for yet
another world title.
4- Virat Kohli:
India’s cricket captain scored
2,818 runs across all three
formats in international
cricket in 2017, the third
highest ever in a calendar
year, behind Kumar
Sangakkara (2,868 runs in
2014) and Ricky Ponting
(2,833 runs in 2005).
Kidambi Srikanth
Pankaj Advani
38
COVER STORY

During the year he passed
51 hundreds in international
cricket and equalled Sunil
Gavaskar’s record for most
centuries by an Indian
captain with 11 hundreds as
skipper.
Kohli scored 10 international
centuries in the year,
inclusive of four Test tons
and six in one-day format.
He hit three successive
centuries in the three Test
series against Sri Lanka last
month, including two double
hundreds in a row, to finish
the series with 610 runs, the
most scored by an Indian in
a three match series and the
fourth highest overall.
In one-dayers, he scored two
centuries each against New
Zealand, Sri Lanka and one
each against Bangladesh and
the West Indies, for a tally of
1,460 runs in 26 games at an
average of 76.
He also hit two half-centuries
in 10 T20 Internationals this
year.
PV Sindhu
Virat Kohli

Under his captaincy, India
remained unbeaten in Tests in
2017, winning four successive
series against Bangladesh (a
one-off Test), Australia (2-1),
and the away and home series
wins against Sri Lanka -- 3-0
and 1-0 respectively.
In ODIs, India enjoyed a
flawless run, registering five
successive series wins --
England 2-1; the West Indies
3-1; Sri Lanka 5-0; Australia
4-1; New Zealand 2-1.
5- Mithali Raj and
Women’s cricket team:
The India women’s cricket team
had long been denied the
coverage and following that
their male counterparts get,
a situation not very different
from the case in other parts of
the world, and indeed sports
in general. The World Cup
that took place earlier this
year, however, changed all
that in a span of a month.
India, led by the dynamic
Mithali and packed with
established names such
as Jhulan Goswami,
Harmanpreet Kaur, Veda
Krishnamurthy among
others, were fancied as a
side that could make it to the
last four at the outset of the
tournament. From beating
hosts England on the back
of a top-order run-fest, the
Indians embarked on a
journey in which they won
hearts along the way with
their performances.
Perhaps the defining moment
of the tournament was when
Harmanpreet launched an
all-out assault in the semi-
final against Australia,
decimating the defending
champions’ bowling attack
to remain unbeaten on 171
from 115 balls, registering
one of the finest knocks in the
tournament’s history.
40
COVER STORY

Suddenly all Economic and Financial trends are
showing up Bitcoin and its splurge. As a layman
it may be difficult to grasp each and every bit of
trending bitcoin details. So everything you wished
to know about bitcoin is right here.
Bitcoin 2017
The Latest Digital Trend
in Currency
Bitcoin is a cryptocurrency
and a decentralized digital
currency with no single
administrator or central
bank to monitor it. Bitcoin
is thus, a new currency that
was created in 2009 by an
unknown person using the
alias Satoshi Nakamoto.
Transactions are made with
no middle men or no banks.
But much of the recent
hype is about getting rich
by trading it. The price of
bitcoin skyrocketed into the
thousands in 2017.
Bitcoins can be used to buy
merchandise anonymously.
In addition, international
payments are easy and
cheap because bitcoins
are not tied to any country
or subject to regulation.
Small businesses may like
them because there are
no credit card fees. Some
people just buy bitcoins as
an investment, hoping that

they’ll go up in value. Bitcoins
are created as a reward for
a process known as mining.
They can be exchanged for
other currencies, products,
and services. As of February
2015, over 100,000
merchants and vendors
accepted bitcoin as payment
Bitcoin is an open-source,
peer-to-peer, digital
decentralized cryptocurrency.
Powered by the Blockchain
technology, its defining
characteristic is its
decentralization, i.e. the lack
of central governing authority,
such as a central bank or a
ministry of finance. Bitcoin’s
issuance and circulation are
ensured by regular users via
a process known as “Bitcoin
mining”. Bitcoin can be sent
anywhere, anytime, (almost)
for free, and with little regard
for national borders or
government/bank-imposed
restrictions.
How to acquire
bitcoins:
Buy on an Exchange
Many marketplaces called
“bitcoin exchanges” allow
people to buy or sell bitcoins
using different currencies.
Coinbase is a leading
exchange, along with
Bitstamp and Bitfinex. But
security can be a concern:
bitcoins worth tens of millions
of dollars were stolen from
Bitfinex when it was hacked in
2016.
Transfers
People can send bitcoins to
each other using mobile apps
or their computers. It’s similar to
sending cash digitally.
Mining
People compete to “mine”
bitcoins using computers to
solve complex math puzzles.
This is how bitcoins are created.
Currently, a winner is rewarded
with 12.5 bitcoins roughly every
10 minutes.
How to own
bitcoins:
Bitcoins are stored in a “digital
wallet,” which exists either in the
cloud or on a user’s computer.
The wallet is a kind of virtual
bank account that allows users
to send or receive bitcoins, pay
for goods or save their money.
Unlike bank accounts, bitcoin
wallets are not insured by the
FDIC.
Wallet in cloud: Servers have
been hacked. Companies have
fled with clients’ Bitcoins.
Wallet on computer: You can
accidentally delete them.
Viruses could destroy them.
Bitcoin ensures
anonymity:
Though each bitcoin
transaction is recorded
in a public log, names of
buyers and sellers are
never revealed – only their
wallet IDs. While that keeps
bitcoin users’ transactions
private, it also lets them
buy or sell anything without
easily tracing it back to them.
That’s why it has become the
currency of choice for people
online buying drugs or other
illicit activities
Bitcoin in year
2017:
It goes without saying that
2017 was the year of bitcoin.
Here, the Investing News
COVER STORY
42

Network looks back to the
year’s biggest trends as it
relates to the cryptocurrency
mammoth.
At the end of 2016–on
December 31–the digital
currency mammoth closed
the year at $968.23 per
token and, since then, has
continuously broke new
records throughout the year.
Of course, one of the biggest
bitcoin trends of 2017–if not
the biggest–is attributed to the
fact that it continually broke
record prices and crossed
thresholds that almost no one
believed possible this year.
The digital currency entered
2017 at less than $1,000
a token, although it had
climbed above that landmark
in the past. To provide a little
bit of perspective, bitcoin
first reached over $1,000
in late 2013 and stabilizing
somewhere between $450-
$750 throughout 2016.
This year, however, has
been a completely different
story. While it dipped under
$1,000 in early January,
bitcoin has otherwise been
on a rampage this year and
slamming industry analyst
and expert predictions. Case
in point, the digital currency
reached $10,000 for the first
time in late November and–if
that wasn’t enough–soared
even higher just a few short
weeks later to $17,379.94 on
December 12.
With bitcoin’s rising price also
comes its increasing market
cap: at the start of 2017,
bitcoin’s market cap totaled
$16.5 billion. As of December
12 it is approaching the $300
billion mar at $293 billion
Bitcoin trends
2017: regulations
on the forefront
While bitcoin’s booming price
certainly dominated headlines
this year, there are–of course–
other contributing factors to
its rising popularity.
Kelly said the biggest thing
that stood out to him in
2017 was the amount of
institutional interest in the
space.
2017 was the year that
institutions really took this
COVER STORY
44

serious as an asset class and
started to do some serious
work on how they can begin
investing in [bitcoin]
Additional interest in
the space also comes
thanks to blockchain and
cryptocurrency regulations
making news stories this
year. Japan, for instance, is
the leader in this category
with 11 regulated bitcoin
exchanges that control over
60 percent of the market.
China, on the other hand, has
otherwise called for a ban of
the sale of cryptocurrencies
and tokens altogether,
which was announced in
September and officially
in effect by November.
According to Forbes, despite
the cryptocurrency token and
sale ban, Chinese regulators
would continue using
blockchain technologies.
In the US, the Securities
Exchange Commission
(SEC) released a statement
in July indicating that ICOs
and digital currencies would
officially become subject to
federal law.
Bitcoin trends 2017: the
bitcoin cash and the bitcoin
gold split
David Mondrus, CEO of
Trive, told that the rise of
bitcoin’s success in 2017 is
so much more than its price.
“The price is nice, and it’s a
reflection of our success, but
really the focus is on change
in the world,” he said.
With bitcoin forking into
bitcoin cash in August and
then the bitcoin gold fork
in November, the digital
currency has evolved in
ways to include additional
investment opportunities
or ways of making online
purchases or money transfers
without having to go through
a bank.
“If you’re interested in
transacting with crypto–
ending crypto back and forth,
paying people with it, using a
debit card attached to it–then
bitcoin cash is a better way to
go,” Mondrus explained
Bitcoin trends
2017: investor
takeaway
In short, it’s clear to see that
2017 was a transformative
year for the digital currency,
and that it’s become so
much more than just a virtual
token. 2018 will prove to
be an interesting year for
the cryptocurrecy as more
regulations come into play
and as bitcoin futures and
potential ETFs make their
mark in the coming year.

46
Pavanputra
Hanuman
STORY FOR KIDS
This is the story of Pawanputra Hanuman, the mighty
monkey-god. Do you know how he was born? The story of
his birth is as fascinating as his mighty deeds are.
But to know about Hanuman, we have to go back
sometime before his birth. Let us go to the palace of Lord
Brahma where it all started.

his penance and he opened
his eyes in great indignation.”
“As soon as he saw me,
he cursed me that I would
become a monkey when I fall
in love with anyone. I begged
him to forgive me.”
“The sage said that as he had
already uttered it, he couldn’t
change the curse. But he
assured me that the man I
fall in love with will love me in
spite of my monkey face.”
“Lord Brahma, I was born
and brought up here. How
can I live with a monkey face
among my beautiful sisters?
If you kindly grant me a boon
to become my usual self, I will
be very much obliged,” she
said anxiously.
Brahma felt sorry for the
unfortunate apsara. He
thought for a moment. Then
he lifted his eyes towards the
anxious Anjana.
“I see a way for removing your
curse, Anjana,” he said kindly.
“Go to earth and live there for
a while. You will meet your
husband on earth and your
curse will be removed if you
- give birth to an incarnation
of Lord Shiva,” said Lord
Brahma.
Anjana accepted Brahma’s
advice. She was born in the
earth shortly afterwards. She
lived in a forest as a young
huntress.
One day she saw a strong
man fighting with a lion. “What
a brave man!” she thought in
wonder. “How I wish he will
look at me!”
As Anjana looked at the
warrior in admiration, the man
turned and saw her. As soon
as his eyes fell on her, she
turned into a monkey!
With a pathetic cry, Anjana
sank to the ground and
covered her face with her
hands. Seeing her fall to
the ground, the man came
running towards her.
“Who are you fair maiden?
Why do you cry? Uncover
your face. Let me see you,”
he asked her.
“I cannot, brave man,” Anjana
answered gloomily. “I am
Anjana, an apsara cursed
to become a monkey when
I fall in love. I request you
to please leave me alone in
my sorrow,” she wailed and
peeked at the handsome man
through her fingers.
To her great astonishment
she found a big monkey-faced
man standing before her! If
she didn’t see his face at first,
it was because she couldn’t
and because till now she saw
him from a distance.
The monkey-faced man
understood her surprise.
He spoke. “I am not human,
though I can take the human
Do you know who Lord
Brahma is? He is the
Hindu god of creation.
He is believed to live in a
beautiful divine palace in his
heavenly abode. Such was
the beauty of the palace that
it was a constant source of
amazement for even the
deities.
There were a number of
attendants in the celestial
palace-courts of Lord
Brahma. Among them was
a beautiful attendant named
Anjana. Once, happy with her
service, Lord Brahma decided
to reward her. He called her
and asked what she wanted.
Anjana hesitated at first.
Then she replied “Lord, I
wish you could remove a
curse pronounced on me by a
sage,”
“Tell me about it. Maybe I can
help you” said Lord Brahma.
Hopeful that her curse may be
removed, Anjana continued
“When I was playing as a
child on earth, once I saw a
monkey meditating with its
legs folded in a lotus pose,
like a human sage. It was a
funny sight; so I threw some
fruits at it.”
“But here I made a mistake.
For it was no ordinary
monkey. A powerful sage had
taken the form of a monkey
to do his tapasya (spiritual
practice). My fruits disturbed

48
form if I want. I am Kesari, the
king of Monkeys, blessed by
Lord Shiva with magical powers.
If you become my wife, I will be
honoured. Would you honour
me by becoming my wife, dear
Anjana?”.
Anjana became very happy. She
accepted his proposal.
“Then the sage’s word was
indeed true,” thought Anjana,
“Kesari didn’t mind my
appearance because he himself
is a monkey!”
Anjana and Kesari were married
in the forests. Being a pious
devotee, Anjana performed
intense tapasya, worshipping
Lord Shiva.
Lord Shiva was pleased with her.
He appeared before her
and asked her what she
wanted.
“Lord Shiva, I wish you to
be born as my son, so that
I can be freed from the
sage’s curse,” requested
Anjana.
“So be it!”. Lord Shiva
gave his consent and
disappeared.
Soon after this, one day,
as Anjana was worshipping
Lord Shiva, in another
part of the country,
Dasaratha, the king of
Ayodhya, was performing
a yagna (religious rite) to
have children. It was the
Putrakama Yagna. As a
result, Agni, the Fire-God
gave him some sacred
payasa (pudding) and
asked him to share the
payasa among his wives so
that they may have divine
children.
Here, Lord Shiva’s boon
to Anjana started to
work. While Dasaratha
gave payasa to his elder
wife Kausalya, by divine
ordinance a kite snatched a
portion of that pudding.
Holding the pudding in its
tails, the kite-bird flew away
from Ayodhya towards the
forests Anjana lived. It flew
over the dense trees and
dropped the payasa where
Anjana was engaged in
tapasya.
Vayu, the ever-present
Wind-God, saw this event.
“Go, Vayu!” he heard a
silent command in his
mind from Lord Shiva.
Vayu immediately caught
that portion of pudding
and placed onto the
outstretched hands of
Anjana.
Anjana felt something drop
in her hand. She opened
her eyes and looked at
the payasa in her hand.
“Is this offering from Lord
Shiva?” she wondered and
swallowed it.
Vayu, the ever-present
Wind-God, saw this
event. “Go, Vayu!”
he heard a silent
command in his
mind from Lord Shiva.
Vayu immediately
caught that portion of
pudding and placed
onto the outstretched
hands of Anjana.
STORY FOR KIDS

As the divine pudding went
inside her throat, Anjana
immediately felt the blessings
of Lord Shiva. In due course,
she gave birth to a little
monkey-faced boy. Kesari was
very happy to see his son. The
child was called as Anjaneya
or the son of Anjana.
Having given birth to Lord
Shiva’s incarnation, Anjana
was released from the curse
of the sage. She began to
express her wish to return to
Heaven.
When Anjaneya came to know
about her mother’s wish, he
became sad. “Mother, without
you what will be my future?
How can I feed myself? How
will I live?” he asked.
“Don’t worry, Anjaneya,” said
Anjana. “Your father is the
brave Kesari. Your guardian
spirit is the life-giving Vayu.
They’ll always protect you.
When you feel hungry, fruits
as red and ripe as a rising sun
would be your nourishment.”
Saying so, Anjana kissed her
son and left her alone. She
went back to her heavenly
abode.
“Fruits as red and ripe as the
sun?” thought Anjaneya. “Is
sun such a ripe fruit? Let’s
see!”
Thinking that the sun was
actually some delicious fruit,
the baby Anjaneya wanted to
taste the sun. Now, Anjaneya
was a divine child. His mother
was an apsara and his father
was a Monkey-King, so it was
natural that little Anjaneya
should inherit some magical
powers. He was, after all, an
incarnation of Lord Shiva. So
reaching for the sun was not a
tough task for him. He made a
giant leap to catch the glowing
ball on the sky.
Suryadeva, the Sun-God
was glowing peacefully in the
sky when he suddenly saw a
monkey coming towards him.
The monkey grew bigger and
bigger as he neared the sun.
But the terribly hot rays which
made any mortal presence
impossible near the sun, had
no effect on the creature
Seeing that, Suryadeva got
scared and started calling out
for help. “Indra! Indra! Help
me!” he shouted.
Indra, king of the gods in
heaven, was resting nearby in
his heavenly abode. He was
surprised to hear the Sun-God
pleading for his help.
“Why is Suryadeva yelling for
my help?” Indra wondered.
“Is he not powerful enough to
burn everything that comes
near him? Or is it something
beyond his control? I have to
see what’s happening!”
Indradeva promptly climbed on
Airavatha the white elephant,
his mount, and left his abode to
find the cause of Suryadeva’s
fear. Soon he found that a
flying monster was trying to
catch hold of the sun. “Little
wonder then that Suryadeva
was so scared!” thought Indra,
who had never seen such a
creature.
Nearing the sun, Indra was
surprised to see that the
monster was actually a giant
monkey.
“Stop!” he ordered. “Who are
you? Why are you trying to
catch the sun?”
“I’m Anjaneya, son of Kesari
and Anjana.” replied the giant

50
STORY FOR KIDS
child. “My mother told me that
fruits as ripe as the red sun
will be my food so I’m going to
catch the sun and eat it.”
At first, Indra was amused by
the child’s innocence, so he
advised him to return to earth.
“This is not a fruit, Anjaneya,
this is the sun- the source of
all light and life.” said he and
commanded, “Return whence
you came”.
But naughty Anjaneya ignored
his commands and continued
on his journey to capture the
sun.
Now Indra became angry at
the child’s impertinence. He
warned him several times
not to go near the sun, but
Anjaneya did not listen to him.
Finally, the King of Devas
became so enraged that
he struck Anjaneya with his
thunderbolt “vajra”.
Kaaabuuuuuuum!!! The
thunderbolt hit the child,
wounding his chin and
causing him to fall down
to earth. The “vajra” hit
Anjaneya’s face. So his
cheeks were swollen twice its
size. As the boy fell, his body
became smaller and smaller.
Finally he became the child-
sized monkey he really was
and hit the ground.
Vayu, the Wind God, was
roaming here and there when
he heard a big “thud”. Curious,
he went towards the direction
of the noise to investigate.
What he saw shocked Vayu.
He couldn’t believe his
eyes. Anjaneya was lying
unconscious on the ground.
Who had dared to injure his
god-son?
“Who has done this?” he
roared but no one answered.
Indra had already left for his
abode and the sun was once
again peacefully glowing in the
sky.
The Wind God was terribly
angry. “Why should I bother
to do my duty when no one
answers my question?” he
thought.
With great affection, he lifted
his godson in his hands and
went to the Patalloka, the
world below the grounds of
the earth.
As Vayu left the earth, there
was no air in the world.
People, animals and trees
struggled to breathe and
started to die.
The Sun-God was shocked
at the turn of the events and
he ran to Brahma, telling Him
about the calamity on earth.
Brahma became worried
about the situation on Earth.
He called Indra and accused
him.
To please Vayu
further, Indra
said to the boy,
“You will be a
‘Chiranjeevi’
(immortal). I had
taken my aim in
your hanu (cheek).
So from now, you
will be called
as the valiant
Hanuman!”

“Look what your silly anger
has caused!” he thundered.
“You have hurt a divine child
and now the people on earth
are suffering because of your
mistake. This is all because of
you!”.
Indra hung his head in shame.
“I am sorry for my actions” he
murmured.
Brahma took him and the other
gods to Patalloka and begged
Vayu to return to earth.
“I beg pardon on behalf of all
men, all creatures and divine
beings. Please return to the
earth, o gentle Vayu.”
“I’ll not come anywhere
without my Anjaneya”, Vayu
said firmly. Then, using his
powers, Brahma magically
cured Anjaneya’s wounds. He
also gave him a boon saying,
“No weapon will be ever able
to have an effect on Anjaneya
again.”
To please Vayu further, Indra
said to the boy, “You will be a
‘Chiranjeevi’ (immortal). I had
taken my aim in your hanu
(cheek). So from now, you
will be called as the valiant
Hanuman!”
Thus Anjaneya came to be
known as Hanuman and
had many more adventures
during his childhood. With
the blessings of all the gods,
Hanuman became a great
warrior later and had helped
Lord Rama in his quest to
bring back the latter’s wife,
Sita. This incident is known
to everyone and is recorded
in the great epic called
Ramyana

52
HEALTHY LIVING
Health is wealth - do you relate to this
as well? Ask yourself, why do we even
earn? Most of us will answer it as “to
enjoy life”. Very true, but you cannot
enjoy life unless you are mentally and
physically healthy!
Benefits Of Yoga
In Daily Life

While there are many sports
or exercises which has
benefits, but YOGA has
benefits up and beyond any
exercise or sport. Wondering
why it is essential for each
one of us, irrespective of the
age, Let us find out.
Call it as a weight loss
method or strong and flexible
body exercises or even ways
to have peace of mind and
glowing skin -- Yoga has
more than just this to offer as
a whole. Whatever you may
be looking at to keep healthy,
yoga is the key. There are
many people who consider
yoga as just asanas (poses),
however, its benefits are only
perceived at the body level
and we miss the fact that yoga
offers to unite the body, mind
and breath as a whole for
living healthy. Having perfect
abs and being able to run a
marathon is not it. Your body
must be able to coordinate
with your mind and help you
through the journey of life in a
calmer, happier and fulfilling
way.
Benefits of Yoga:
1. All-around body and mental
fitness
2. Weight loss and feel good
factor
3. Stress reliever
4. Inner peace
5. Improved overall immunity
6. Greater awareness of life and
surroundings
7. Able to have better
relationships
8. Increased energy and
enthusiasm towards life
9. Better flexibility & posture
10. Better intuitions
Yes, having a perfect figure and
building muscles is not enough
to keep healthy overall. Being
healthy is also not just the
absence of diseases but also
being able to enjoy the life and
lead a joyful and loving life. This
is exactly where yoga helps,
the postures and breathing
techniques along with some
meditation keep you vibrant and
mentally healthy giving a holistic
fitness package. Some more
added benefits of yoga:
* Improves our health
* Gives us mental strength
* Improves our physical strength
* Protection us from injury
* Detoxifies our body
Yoga works like a charm! It gets
your mind in the right direction
and lets you stay alert the whole
day. Helps you focus on your
work, studies or sports. There is
a notion that people share
saying “Yoga is for elders”.
But no! Especially the
kids show more creativity
and concentration with
motivation to achieve more
in studies. The main reason
is it relieves you from all
the worldly stress and you
start picking up the interest
in living overall. Kids have
more respect towards life
and interest in doing their
own chores too.
Very importantly, it helps
you tame your mind! No
other exercise or sports will
have this one huge benefit
of Yoga does! A human
mind is the most curious one
and we all know it, thoughts
are never ending. The mind
never stops thinking and
it is highly challenging to
tame it or bring it into control
when we need! We do not
utilize time and thus tend to
get tired and irritated more
easily. We are vulnerable
to much such unwanted
negativity and do exactly
what we do not want to do
sometimes. Be it control in
eating what we shouldn’t
or buying something that
we might not need. This
is the reason why we face
a lot of problems at our
work too! Children lose
interest in studies, traveling
and wandering in their
own dream world, getting
distracted by petty things
and leading to unsatisfactory
performance academically.

54
Yoga enables you to
see through things and
concentrate. Helps you to
take strong decisions by
prioritizing the work and lead
a disciplined life which most
of us miss. Yoga keeps your
internal organs healthy and
contributes to increasing the
immunity of your body. It helps
you cure diseases and fight it
better,
Many yoga asanas are
dedicated to the health
problems such as viral fever,
cold, migraine, sinus problems
etc. And guess what the best
part about it is? You can do it
anywhere and at any time, all
you need to know is the right
way to do it. Inculcating this
amazingly healthy routine into
your lives will have immediate
positive effects and you will
see it making a difference in
your outlook on life!
Yoga Asanas For Weight
Loss
Surya Namaskar (Sun
Salutation)
One of the best exercise for
your whole body. Doing this
yoga asana helps you to
lose weight and maintains
your body in a perfect shape.
The Surya Namaskar or Sun
Salutation helps to detoxify
your body. This weight loss,
yoga is very effective in the
morning, after many hours
of lack of movement, during
sleep.
The benefits of doing Surya
Namaskar, helps in toning
up the internal abdominal
organs by alternative
stretching and compression
cycles, that helps in better
bowel movement and
digestion.
It also helps to avoid fat
build-up and aids in weight
loss. Try to do at least two
rounds of this yoga asana
and feel the difference.
Steps for Surya Namaskar
1. Pranamasana
Stand straight and erect in
such a way that your face is
in the direction of the sun.
Make sure both the feet are
touching each other. Next,
bring your hands close to
your chest by touching palm
to palm, generally called a
Namaskar or Salutation.
Take a deep breath and
raise your hand in upward
direction.
2.Padahastasana
Bend forward, by breathing
out slowly. The position of
your hands, should be in
line with your feet and head
touching your knees.
3.Ashwa Sanchalanasana
Inhale slowly and extend the
right leg back and drop the
knee to the ground. Bend
the left knee. Make sure the
hands should be firm with
the ground.
4.Parvatasana
Exhale and bring the right
leg back to join the left leg.
Lift your buttocks upwards
forming triangle.
5.Ashtanga Namaskar
Exhale until your knees,
chest, feet and forehead
touches the ground. Hold
your breath.
Raise your head in an
upward direction, on inhaling
and bend in backward
direction as much you can.
6.Parvatasana
Now exhale slowly and make
Call it as a weight
loss method
or strong and
flexible body
exercises or even
ways to have
peace of mind
and glowing
skin
HEALTHY LIVING

an upward arc.
7.Ashwa Sanchalanasana
Extend the right leg back and
drop the knee to the ground,
by inhaling slowly. Bend the
left knee and hands should
be firm with the ground.
8.Padahastasana
Now breathe out slowly and
bend forward. Hands should
be in line with your feet and
head touching your knees.
9.Kapalbhati Pranayama
Kapalbhati Pranayama is a
type of breathing exercise
that should be done on an
empty stomach. It helps you
rid of various ailments over
a period of time and is one
of the excellent yoga asanas
for weight loss and belly fat.
This yoga asana is very
effective in curing obesity,
digestive and many
problems related to stomach.
Those who are trying to
lose weight can practice
Kapalbhati regularly and look
out for 100% results.
Steps for Kapalbhati
Pranayama
1.Sit on the flat floor and fold
your legs. Close your eyes
and keep the spine straight.
2.Keep the right palm on
right knee and the left palm
on left knee.
3.Now take a deep breath
and exhale with all your
force, so your stomach will
go deep inside.
4.Make sure you do not
stress on inhaling. Inhaling
should be automatically done
after every exhaling.
5.Repeat these steps for
about five minutes and take
a break. Later, you can
increase the time for 15 – 30
minutes.
Do not practice this yoga
asana fast, and should
be done with a medium
speed!

56
Though Momos have originated from Tibet but Indian fast
food market is already going gaga over this dumpling and the
experiments with it. A typical foodie from any Northern or
North- Eastern part of India would swear by the relishing Momo
varieties found at roadside stalls.
INDIAN FOOD
Where to Eat best Momos
in India also the most
delicious Momo varieties

Momos are the most sought
after street food just after
chaat. The best momos in
India can be found where
Tibetan settlements are
located, particularly in and
around places such as the
North-East states, Darjeeling
and Kalimpong in West Bengal,
Dharamsala and McLeod Ganj
in Himachal Pradesh, and Leh,
even everywhere in Kolkata
and Delhi too. Some popular
places to find best Momos in
India are:
McLeod Ganj
Himachal Pradesh
Mc Leod Ganj is the largest Tibetan
hub in India with about 1,00,000
Tibetan refugees calling it home.
The place houses some of the best
restaurants for momos in India.
Hence it is called the “little Lhasa”,
which is the place where it all
began. The best momos are served
at Mama’s kitchen where the owner
Mrs Netta radiates warmth to her
customers apart from serving the
most delicious momos. If you are
lucky then you may also find peanut
butter and chocolate momos here.
McLlo Restaurant is also famous
for its killer vegetable and chicken
momos.
Darjeeling
One of Darjeeling’s most popular
restaurants, cozy Kunga’s specializes
in Tibetan cuisine. They serve all
kinds of momos — both steamed and
fried — but the chicken and cheese
momos are something special. It’s not
a conventional combination but it’s
surprisingly good. For a hearty meal,
order the steamed momos in hot noodle
soup.
Only vegetarian food is served at
the Hot Stimulating Cafe because,
according to the smiling owner, it’s
healthier and easier to digest. Hence,
you can expect to find some of the best
vegetable momos in India there. Be
careful of the chili sauce though, it’s
fiery! Devour the momos with some
tumba (millet and wheat beer) while
looking out over the valley and town.
The cafe, which is not much more than
a tin shack, is evocatively perched on
the side of a steep hill and surrounded
by greenery.

58
INDIAN FOOD
Gangtok
Prepare to salivate, as Shuffle
Momos offers some of the most
mouthwatering momos you’ll ever
come across. It’s guaranteed you’ll
want to eat them over and over
again. These gourmet momos come
in 16 varieties — seven vegetarian
and nine with meat. Each is prepared
with fresh, organic ingredients from
Tumlong in North Sikkim. You can
also opt to have your momos made
out of rice flour. Shuffle Momos
opened in 2016 and was inspired by
the lack of quality vegetarian momos
in Gangtok. Their motto: make the
best momos possible and then make
continuous improvements. The
vegetarian fillings are undoubtedly
innovative and include mushroom,
potato and cheese, paneer (Indian
cottage cheese), and spinach.
While beef is shunned in most
parts of India, it’s not the case in
Sikkim. Simple beef momos are on
the menu, along with the Tibetan
delicacy known as shogo shabril
(sauteed beef encased in a layer of
crispy fried mashed potato)
Delhi
Nevermind, if you can not make it to
North Eastern States, our own capital
city flaunts the most delicious Momos
anywhere. The Food stalls at Dilli Haat
and other street side eating places
are already attracting many everyday
with their amazing and delectable
momos. Dilli Haat a fantastic place
to shop for handicrafts. It’s been set
up by the government to give the feel
of a traditional weekly village market.
You’ll find half a dozen food stalls
representing the Northeast there
but Nagaland’s Kitchen and Momo
Mia (from Arunachal Pradesh) stand
out. The pork momos are a foodie
favorite. Also check the Momo Nation
Franchises in Rajouri Garden for a
variety of Momos.
Don’t forget to eat at the OD’s as
Tandoori cuisine is particularly popular
in northern India, where it’s a specialty
of the region. Therefore, it shouldn’t
be surprising that even momos are
now being cooked in the tandoor! QD’s
Restaurant is frequently credited with
coming up with the idea. Chicken and
vegetable tandoori momos served with
garlic sauce are their signature dish —
and these smoky tasting dumplings are
a lot bigger than the usual size.

Leh
Tucked away just off Fort Road,
a short distance from the main
market, Summer Harvest is
frequented by locals and tourists
alike. The restaurant is renowned
for its deep fried mutton momos.
The minced mutton is wonderfully
spiced. Do note that mutton is goat
meat in India, not sheep, though.
Summer Havest describes itself as
a Tibetan restaurant but their Indian
dishes are decent too.
Momos are the little pockets of happiness
which came in at the time when we Indians
were looking for the gourmet delights which
are pocket sized, cute and truly worth every
experiment with the ingredients possible.
And the result always is a sumptuous snack
any time any where. Check out some Momos
which will sure get you to slurp even by
reading about them
FriedMomos
These delicious momos are filled
with sautéed vegetables and
pepper seasoning. These deep
fried, crispy hot momos taste best
with mayonnaise and hot chilli-
garlic sauce. They promise a
perfect crunch as soon as you take
a bite
SteamedMomos
Imagine eating a plate full of
hot steaming momos on a cold,
winter evening. These half-moon
shaped momos have a thick
wrapping with a juicy filling of soy
chunks, paneer and seasonal
vegetables. They taste delicious
with cool mintchutney or fiery
chilli sauce.
Some of the most lip
smacking Momo varieties
which will have you drooling.

60
INDIAN FOOD
TandooriMomos
How can you be in India & not get
a tandoori twist? Tandoori momos
are a perfect treat for your desi
taste buds. They have a sumptuous
flavour and a rich texture, and have
become a tasty temptation. This
fusion experiment is very famous
amongst momo lovers. You can
enjoy veg or non-veg tandoori
momos at various restaurants.
KotheMomos
Influenced with Indian and Tibetan
cuisine, Himalayan food is very tasty
and healthy. These Himalayan pan
fried momos are filled with appetizing
vegetables and fried ginger is one of
the key ingredients. With a charred
crispy covering, they also come in
varieties - chicken, pork and veggies
to make you go from super hungry to
superbly well fed!
ChillyMomos
Chilly momos or popularly known as
C-momos is a fiery plate of momos
prepared with hot, tangy sauce. It gives
the steamed texture of momos the
right amount of hotness. The momos
are prepared with spring onions, sliced
green chillies, fresh bell peppers and
scallions. The sauce is made with
soy sauce, chilli sauce and ketchup.
Between the acidity of soy sauce &
the hotness of the chilli sauce, the
sweetness of ketchup brings along the
right amount of balance.
CheeseMomos
Imagine the forces of creamy cheese &
soft, steamy momos coming together?
A food lover’s ultimate dream come
true! Cheese momos have a rich filling
of baby carrot, golden fried onions
and crispy potatoes with hot, melting
cheese. Thick texture of cheese along
with the filling is a roller-coaster ride of
interesting flavors coming together.

PaneerMomos
Food legend has it, no dish can
ever go wrong if it has the trusty
paneer in it. Paneer momos are
filled with fresh, crushed paneer
and can be easily found on the busy
streets of different Indian cities.
KeemaMomos
Keema has always been a non-
vegetarian’s delight and these
keema filled momos are the best
way to treat yourself. Prepared with
marinated minced meat, medium
fried peas and freshly grounded
pepper corn, this dish is must have.
ChickenMomos
These juicy and flavoursome
momos filled with tender chicken
and spices will leave you salivating
& wanting for more. The juicy
chicken is indeed the hero of the
dish. Enjoy them with fiery chilli
chutney which enhances the taste
of these juicy, steamed momos
VegMomos
Don’t fall for the vegetarian tag
for these momos are hit with
vegetarians & non-vegetarians
alike. The texture of the
vegetable filling is crunchy and
is cooked beautifully with freshly
grounded spices.

62
INDIAN FOOD
SweetMomos
We have been enjoying these momos
since our childhood, especially
on Ganesh Chaturthi . These
scrumptious momos or modaks are
prepared with full milk, sugar, crunchy
coconut and a hint of cardamom.
Nuts and dry fruits are added to give
these sweet treats a rich flavour.
Serve them with cold kheer or
condensed sweet milk to make this
dish a total knock-out
SoupMomos
Enjoying momos with a hot bowl
of soup is the best way to spend
your evenings. But, what can be
more amazing than these two
coming together! This genius recipe
is prepared with spicy and tangy
vegetable/chicken broth and piping
hot momos are added to increase
the flavour.
ChocolateMomos
If you’re doubting the very existence
of this dish, quash all doubts already!
Chocolate momos will definitely
surprise you with its sweet savoury
flavour. The salty flavour of the wrap
and bitter-sweet flavour of the chocolate
will make you an instant fan. Juicy and
succulent, these tempting momos are a
delight for every food enthusiast

64
INDIRA NOOYIThe Tamilian who became Forbes most
powerful Woman in the world
“ Leadership is hard to define and good leadership even
harder. But if you can get people to follow you to the ends of
the earth, you are a great leader.”
- Indra Krishnamurthy Nooyi
NRI PROFILE

Indra Nooyi is an Indian-
born American business
executive currently serving
as the Chairperson and Chief
Executive Officer of PepsiCo,
one of the largest food and
beverage businesses in
the world. Nooyi is one of
the top female executives
in the United States and is
consistently ranked among
the World’s 100 Most
Powerful Women. She has
been instrumental in the
diversification and expansion
of PepsiCo’s brands which
had primarily been more
focused on soft drinks.
Known to be a highly
innovative, energetic, and
hard working person, Nooyi
has risen to become one
of the top most female
executives in the world
from a modest beginning.
Born into a middle-class
family in Chennai, Nooyi
has always been someone
who refused to adhere to the
conservative norms of the
society. A brilliant student,
she completed her MBA
from the Indian Institute of
Management in Calcutta,
and worked with Johnson
& Johnson. Then she
proceeded to the Yale School
of Management to further her
education and worked with
Boston Consulting Group
(BCG), Motorola and Asea
Brown Boveri. She gained
much prominence as a
strategist and received job
offers from several prestigious
companies including General
Electric and PepsiCo. She
chose to join PepsiCo in 1994
and quickly rose up the ranks
to be named its CEO in 2006
Childhood and Early
Life
Indra Nooyi, was born on
28th October, 1955, into a
conservative Tamil family
in Chennai. Her father used
to work at the State Bank of
Hyderabad.
Since childhood she and her
sister were groomed by their
mother who would always
ask them what they would do
when they grew up and would
award the one with the best
answer. This compelled Indra
to think hard on what best she
could become when she grew
up.
To pursue higher studies,
she went to US with little
money. She got her masters
degree from Yale school of
management. To fund her
studies at Yale, she started
working as a receptionist from
midnight till sunrise.
With her hard earned money
from her toils, she purchased
her first suit that she would
wear to her very first Interview
after her Masters at Yale. She
got rejected at the interview
because she wore trousers
which reached her ankles.
Dejected, she turned to
her professor at Yale who
advised her to wear what she
felt comfortable in. At the next
interview, she wore a sari
and got the seat. She learned
early on in her life to be who
she really was and express
herself for how she really felt.
Education
She attended Holy Angels
Anglo Indian Higher
Secondary School in Madras
(Chennai now). She went
on to receive a Bachelor’s

66
NRI PROFILE
Degree in Physics, Chemistry
and Maths from Madras
Christian College.
Her determination and
perseverance helped
her to get into the very
prestigious Indian Institute
of Management in Calcutta
(capital of West Bengal
currently known as Kolkata)
from where she earned a
Post Graduate Diploma in
Management. After this, she
worked for two years with
Johnson & Johnson and a
firm named Mettur Beardsell
in India.
To pursue higher studies,
she went to US with little
money. She got her masters
degree from Yale school of
management
Career
Her first job was with Tootal,
a British textile company
which had extensive holdings
in India. Eventually she
moved on to work with
Johnson & Johnson as a
product manager.
Her job with Johnson
& Johnson was quite a
challenging one as she
was made responsible for
managing the introduction of
Stayfree sanitary napkins to
India. At that time advertising
for feminine hygiene products
was banned in the country
and Stayfree was struggling
to gain a foothold. Nooyi
managed to introduce the
products to young women by
directly marketing to female
students at schools and
colleges.
Her experience at Johnson
& Johnson made her realize
that she was still unprepared
for the business world, and
thus she decided to pursue
further education. She moved
to the United States to join
Yale School of Management
in 1978 and pursued a
master’s degree in Public
and Private Management.
She thoroughly enjoyed her
learning experience at Yale
and graduated in 1980.
After getting her degree, she
joined the Boston Consulting
Group as a director of
international corporate
strategy projects. In this
position, she worked on a
variety of strategy projects for
the next six years.
In 1986, she moved to
Motorola as a senior
executive in the automotive
division development team.
She quickly rose through the
ranks and was promoted to
vice president and director
of corporate strategy and
planning in 1988.
She changed her job yet
Indra Nooyi is an
Indian-born American
business executive
currently serving
as the Chairperson
and Chief Executive
Officer of PepsiCo,
one of the largest
food and beverage
businesses in the
world.

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