Author Archives: vpdot

An American from India..!

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By R. Arun Kumar

I became an American last year. I got my citizenship after going through a moving ceremony held at the magnificent rotunda of the Masonic Center in San Francisco. I pledged allegiance to the United States constitution and the country and sang the national anthem with my right hand folded across my chest and covering my heart. In the same ceremony, 1200-odd citizens of 157 nationalities around the world went through the ‘lump in the throat’ moment to voluntarily give up their past identities and embrace the rights, respect and, for some, envy or enmity that comes along with the US passport.

 

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Safari Kid

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By Vidya Pradhan

There may be considerable debate about the wisdom of high level academics for children under 5, but for Indian Americans used to the system back home, it is inconceivable that their children will learn their ABC’s only in kindergarten. Like most Indian parents, if you are wondering if you are doing enough to educate your young child, look no further. In a humble strip mall in Newark is Safari Kid, a place that will satisfy the most rigorous desi requirements. Continue reading →

Yusuf Arakkal – The Street

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By Pavani Kaushik

The Aicon Gallery (formerly Arts India) Palo Alto, in collaboration with the Art Alive Gallery, New Delhi – is showcasing yet another of India’s versatile talents – Yusuf Arakkal. The Bangalore based artist, also known for his sculpture and poetry, speaks from his heart with this latest series of paintings. Titled “The Street”, the work powerfully portrays slices of life on the streets experienced by various segments of the human diaspora.

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The Dharavi Development Project

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By Vidya Pradhan

Given its location in the heart of Mumbai, it is rather surprising that these 530 acres took so long to register on the radar of land developers. Salivating at the thought of prime commercial and residential potential, companies like Mitsubishi, Godrej and Reliance have begun applying serious pressure on the Mumbai Slum Rehabilitation Authority to get a move on the Dharavi Development Project(DDP).

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The Taj and the shameful state of Indian Tourism

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By Rohini Mohan
A pervasive email campaign has been making the rounds to nominate the Taj Mahal as one of the new Seven Wonders of the World.
 
Over 3 million people visit the Taj Mahal every year- that’s about 8000 people a day.  Most of them get on a filthy train or stinky tourist bus from a distant location, fight a barrage of people, drink in automobile fumes, among other odors, and arrive dusty and derelict and consumed with frustration and fatigue at the first vista point. When they finally set their eyes on the “Miracle in Marble”…..it takes their breath away. The Taj is a flawless creation, probably the most wonderful manmade structure I have ever seen. However, if it were not for the one more obligatory trip I must make to see it with my son, I would be loath to brave another visit.
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The Great Ocean Road

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By R. Arun Kumar

Imagine if you were asked, “When did you feel the happiest?” or its derivative, “What makes you feel full of life?” I might fumble with my reply if the question came out-of-the-blue, but when I am sitting behind the steering wheel of my car, peering ahead at an empty stretch of road that seems to go on forever, an azure blue sky beckoning me on, places crossed out in a folded piece of map waiting to be explored, the answer has always seemed so clear to me. I love the open road and all its possibilities…. Continue reading →

Parenting Today – Analysis Paralysis

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By Rohini Mohan

Yes, yes, labor is excruciatingly painful, but wait till you’re hit with what follows – raising the bundle of joy! And I don’t mean the next few months of sleep deprivation; I am talking about the next two decades of insomnia. The drooling baby morphs into the monstrous rug rat who metamorphosises into the precocious pre-schooler. As you walk him to his first day of Montessori, do I hear an involuntary sigh of relief escaping your lips? What? Freedom for a few hours, you say? Quick – bite your tongue; you have no idea what you’ve let yourself in for.

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Jhoom Barabar Jhoom

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By Vidya Pradhan

jbj.jpgYou may pooh-pooh directors like Karan Johar and Vidhu Vinod Chopra for pandering to mass appeal but, let me tell you, making an ‘entertainer’ is not easy as it seems. The alchemy that happens when the right story, dialogues and cast come together is elusive to most Bollywood directors, and sometimes even the most seasoned players are left with a product that, like a movie set, has no substance behind it. Continue reading →

Sholay – I call heads for no remake!

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By Rohini Mohan

If I were on a deserted island and all I had was a DVD player and a choice of one movie to watch for eternity….. what movie would it be? I don’t need to think on that one. I would pick Sholay every time. Just as I get my son to eat paneer butter masala and acquaint him with Gandhiji, I feel the need to have him watch Sholay – to me it’s an essential part of being an Indian. Continue reading →