During the physically gruelling Dangal shoot, Aamir Khan was, well, Aamir Khan. As fastidious as ever. For him, the quest for professional precision has always bordered on near-manic obsession. The pursuit of perfection turned even weightier in Dangal. Literally.
The star put on 30 kg to play a flabby, retired, forty-something wrestler. Once that part of the film was out of the way, he spent all of six months to reduce his body fat from 38 per cent to 9.67 per cent in order to get into the skin of a muscular 25year-old grappler. This he did without an extreme diet or steroids.
Aamir’s amazing double makeover – first from ‘fit to fat’, and then back to fighting fit – was an effort no less remarkable than the one that Matthew McConaughey made to shed nearly 50 pounds for his Oscar-winning role in Dallas Buyers Club.
“When a superstar invests so much passion and commitment in a film, half the battle is won,” Nitesh Tiwari, director of Dangal, has said. Indeed, Dangal wouldn’t have happened without the persnickety actor’s famed, but often poohpoohed single-mindedness.
By the time Dangal came off the film editor’s studio, it was primed for emotional and dramatic impact. It had ‘megahit’ written all over it. With so much time and effort going into its making, could the story have been any different?
Among Bollywood fans, anticipation was high, as was the fear of being let down. But Dangal hit the ground running and did not slow down until all box-office records had been smashed.
Amid all the commercial success that it has enjoyed, the film has been criticised, and not entirely unfairly, by some for promoting patriarchy in the guise of pushing the women’s empowerment envelope. Dangal is after all the story of a Haryanvi wrestler who slave-drives his daughters into taking up the sport with the aim to make amends for his own unfulfilled dreams.
Dangal has also been accused of taking liberties with fact to inject overt drama into the real-life tale of Mahavir Singh Phogat, who was forced by circumstances to cut his sporting career short. This misgiving, too, is understandable, but, to their credit, the makers of Dangal made no bones about what they are seeking to achieve. They inserted an upfront rider admitting that they had altered the ‘true’ story for the purpose of heightened drama.
But whatever else it might lack, Dangal isn’t wanting one bit on the empathygeneration front. Without taking recourse to conventional Bollywood tropes, it draws the audience into the riveting battle that Mahavir Singh Phogat and his daughters wage against entrenched gender prejudice. All through their trials and tribulations, the audience cares for them, roots for them, and eggs them on.
Bollywood sports films are usually an embarrassment. They are given to indiscriminate formulaic excesses that undermine realism and do no justice to the sport they seek to celebrate.
Dangal stands head and shoulders above the field owing primarily to the unwavering authenticity of its wrestling scenes. It is, of course, no fluke that they don’t look amateurish and fake. It is the result of months of blood, sweat and pain that the cast endured to get the nuances of the tough contact sport right.
National women’s wrestling coach Kripa Shankar Bishnoi, an Arjuna awardee, was roped in to help actresses Fatima Sana Sheikh and Sanya Malhotra to ease themselves into the intricacies of wrestling. Even Zaira Wasim, who plays the younger Geeta Phogat in the film, overcame the limitations of her slight frame and pulled off the most difficult of moves on the screen.
Dangal was two years in the making and it took a lot out of not only Aamir but also the four young actresses who were part of the principal cast of the film.
The girls, especially Fatima, who plays the older Geeta Phogat, were put through a punishing training schedule so that they would look and move like real Olympiclevel wrestlers. They trained for eight to nine months, hitting the wrestling arena six days of the week without let.
Sanya Malhotra, a ballerina who plays the older Babita, has spoken of how she hid injuries sustained during training for fear that she might lose the role to somebody else.
The sacrifices the girl made paid off big time. Within a week of the release of Dangal, Fatima, Zaira and Sanya had burnt themselves into the collective consciousness of the nation much in the manner that the actresses who made up the women’s hockey team in Chak De India did some years ago.
The defining quality of an Aamir Khan film is the space that he willingly allows his co-actors to hog. While he provides the star power that propels a cinematic project, he has the acumen to let the screenplay dictate his overall strategy. He draws himself away from the spotlight as and when required and permits his co-actors to make their presence felt.
From Lagaan to Rang De Basanti, from Taare Zameen Par to 3 Idiots, that is how Aamir has played the game. So Dangal is as much Mahavir’s story as it is Geeta’s tale.
Producers and directors who have worked with Aamir never tire of narrating stories about how acutely aware he is of the needs of a film and its target audience. He often brings to the table ideas and approaches of his own and they only add value to the final product.
His commitment to a project tends to border on the preternatural, as both Rajkumar Hirani, director of PK, and Tiwari will happily vouch. That Dangal and PK today sit atop the most successful Bollywood blockbusters of all time has made his intuition so sought-after.
Tiwari had suggested that the star should film the younger, fitter portions of the Mahavir Singh Phogat story first, but Aamir talked him into beginning the shoot with scenes featuring the former wrestler’s ageing, potbellied persona, which constitutes 80 per cent of Dangal.
Aamir’s logic stemmed from a practical, personal motive. “Had I put on weight for the second part of the shoot, I would have had no reason to get back into shape after the completion of the film,” he says.
He drove himself and his physical trainer Rahul Bhatt (Mahesh Bhatt’s son who was a child hanging around the sets when the director made Dil Hai Ki Manta Nahi with Aamir in the early 1990s) round the bend as he worked to get the body type of a young wrestler.
Dangal was just the kind of creative and physical challenge that a Bollywood star who does not shy away from pushing himself beyond endurance would have relished. The thrill of achievement shows on the screen.
What the director and the lead actor, aided by an able cast, crew and support staff, eventually put into distribution has quickly turned into stuff that legends are made of, a dangal in which the winner takes all, and then some.
The sudden change in weather may have been a setback for those with elaborate plans over the weekend but it did not deter visitors from thronging in large numbers to the World Book Fair that was held in New Delhi from January 7 to the 14th. The nine-day-long literary extravaganza was inaugurated by Minister of State for Human Resources Development Mahendra Nath Pandey. Despite the weather, thousands of young and old turned up at this annual event for book lovers.
A student of Delhi University sounded enthusiastic when she said: “All my friends were looking forward to the book fair for the last couple of days and damn! You have the weather gods playing spoilsport. Thankfully, it did not rain much in the morning and so we did not miss the opportunity.”
This year’s Book Fair theme was ‘Manushi’ -- a focus on writings on and by women; exhibiting the rich tradition of women writings from ancient times till present.” The National Book trust (NBT) and the organiser of the fair celebrated 60 years of its foundation by showcasing its journey in promoting books and reading at a special exhibit “This is no looking back!” The exhibit displays the varied activities that NBT has undertaken in promoting books including fairs organised across India, participation in international book fairs and its publishing programme, among others. On the other side the MBD Group, one of the leading education companies in India with over 60 years of experience, marked its presence in the book fair by launching a new line of Virtual Reality based content and device.
MBD’s new high quality, interactive 3D virtual reality simulations will be made available for students from Kindergarten to Grade 12 to make their concepts clear. Apart from the Group’s own VR device, MBD’s VR content is compatible with all other leading VR devices like Samsung Gear, Oculus Rift etc., for wider accessibility. As part of its virtual reality initiative, MBD will also be developing interactive walk-through such as the solar system, the zoo and other educational objects/environments. Also, the Group will be unveiling pocket-friendly MBD branded VR devices which will help students to enjoy learning through the virtual world.
At the fair, the MBD Group also showcased its English language lab, Augmented Reality Application - NYTRA, MBD E’cademy (ICT Classroom Solution), Octopus K-12 (SD Card Solution for K-12), MBD Kit (Mathematics and Science Kit), E-Books, Interactive E-Books and Educational Apps. The group’s stall had General Reading books, Text Books, Work Books, Refreshers, and Reference Books on display.
Apart from the VR content& device, MBD also introduced its e-book store/portal. Initially, the e-book portal will have books for the K-12 segment, covering all states, all subjects and all major boards. Moving forward, students can also access vocational and skill development books from the portal.
Among some of the highlights of the book fair, Union HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar launched Reflections of The Supreme, a book authored by Prof Prasanna Kumar Patasani and published by MBD at the MBD Group’s stall in Hall No 11. Others present on the occasion were Mrs Satish Bala Malhotra, Chairperson of MBD Group; Ms Monica Malhotra Kandhari, Managing Director of MBD Group; Ms Sonica Malhotra; Joint Managing Director of MBD Group; Harinarayan Rajbhar, Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha, and Prof Prasanna Kumar Patasani, Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha.
Dr Prasanna Kumar Patasani is a lawyer, philosopher and poet. He represents Odisha’s Bhubaneswar constituency in Parliament and is the Vice President and Founder Member of Biju Janata Dal (BJD). Patasani’s book narrates his spiritual journey and experience during his training in meditation at the Maharishi Institute of Creative Intelligence in Rishikesh.
Felicitating Ms Sanjana Sarin, winner of MBD Group’s Young Authors Contest ‘Unleash Your Creativity’, Javadekar appreciated MBD’s efforts to encourage young writers and provide them with a platform to showcase their work. He also advised young writers to keep writing their stories and ideas regularly as it will enhance their thinking process and bring out their creativity. The contest was launched in August 2016 to find, promote and nurture young talent by the MBD Group. Sanjana Sarin is a student of Somervila School; her story titled ‘Clouds and Orange Juice’ won after being judged by a panel comprising three eminent authors.
“We at MBD group have always stood for seeking and nurturing talent with an eye on delivering the best in terms of reader satisfaction. The ‘Unleash Your Creativity’ contest was an initiative to encourage creativity and cheer young talent. The response we got from the kids was overwhelming. We came across such beautiful stories that choosing a winner became really difficult,” Mrs Satish Bala Malhotra, Chairperson MBD Group, observed.
The HRD Minister also experienced MBD Group’s VRbased educational device and content.
MBD Group, a leading education company under the futuristic vision of the Founder of the Group, Shri Ashok Kumar Malhotra, has diversified into various industries including E-Learning, Capacity Building, Stationery, MLearning, Skill Development, Eco-Friendly Notebooks, Paper Manufacturing, ICT Infrastructure, Hospitality, Real Estate, Mall Development and Management. MBD Group has been continuously working for the cause of providing education to all with its mission to create an “MBD Product for every literate person”. The group has a presence in various countries including international offices in South Africa and Sri Lanka and the Middle East. For more information, please visit http://mbdgroup.com
She was everywhere. Festivity with its lovely face. Lit up with a thousand fairy lights in homes, packed in colourful gift wraps for family and friends, wafting magically from the kitchen to the warmth of a cosy home.
For most people December and January are favourite months. For not only do they mean parties and celebrations, they also mean the end of a year and the beginning of another. It means putting behind all the victories and losses — personal or professional and looking ahead at another one. Hoping for a year better than it was.
And I guess that’s what I like best about it too. The fact that it brings forth hope. Hope for a better tomorrow, hope for outdoing oneself. Something that we, at MBD, always strive for.
In fact, if you notice our magazine has been looking different too. Don’t they say, change is the only constant? And then when we have intelligent readers like you, we’ve always got to engage them, to cater to their intellect. So we introduced a new flavor, one we’d love to get your feedback on.
This issue in fact is remarkably different from our earlier editions too. There is a distinct global flavor that you are sure to savor. So besides the cover story that looks at the year that was, the events that shaped it, you also have a photo essay on Chengdu in western China, the new favourite destination for tourists or for that matter our Corporate section that looks at how Donald Trump’s presidential win will affect Indian BPO sector and its job opportunities in the USA. How the companies have started looking at other locations as options.
That is not to say we’ve not got your Indian palette in mind. There is an engaging interaction with the bright young star that Alia Bhatt is, her latest feather of Dear Zindagi firmly in her cap.
There is a look at the winter fashion trends. Not to forget our interesting take on how most cricketers seem to be have settled into matrimony in the past one year.
So go on, sample our year wrap special and have a delectable experience.
Happy New Year! Start Afresh!
DEATH// Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa passed away at a hospital in Chennai on December 5, 2016 a night after a heart attack. 68 year old Jayalalithaa had been unwell and in hospital since September last year. She had won the state elections in Tamil Nadu in the month of May to become Chief Minister for a fourth time. Following her death, one of her senior ministers O Panneerselvam has been made the Chief Minister. Her funeral was held on Tuesday, December 6 and she was buried near the memorial of MG Ramachandran, a former Chief Minister of the state and Jayalalithaa’s mentor, in Chennai. The AIDMK Chief suffered the cardiac arrest soon after her party informed the media that she had fully recovered and is due to return home soon.
Born in 1948, Jayalalithaa came into prominence as an actress in Tamil movies and soon became famous as a popular heroine. Given the fame and power that film heroes and heroines have in the state, it was no surprise that she too made her way from the movie world to politics. She served five terms as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu for over 14 years from 1991 and 2016.
After Ramachandran’s death, Jayalalithaa led the AIADMK to victory in the 1991 elections and was appointed the youngest Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. Soon after she started many programmes for the wellbeing of poor people and brought in rules to reserve seats in colleges for communities that needed help, she lost popularity as people felt that she had become corrupt and had taken huge amounts of money in order to favour certain people. However she returned as Chief Minister thrice more-in 2001, 2011 and 2016.
In 2011, Jayalalithaa started canteens where food was available to the poor at a very low cost. She also launched schemes for low cost drinking water, free laptops for government students and low cost medicines. These were called the ‘Amma’ schemes-named after Jayalalithaa herself who was called ‘Amma’ or ‘mother’ by her supporters who felt that, like a mother, she always put their needs first.
INDIA LIFTS HOCKEY JUNIOR WORLD CUP
HOCKEY// The boys in blue lifted the Hockey Junior World Cup last month after defeating Belgium 2-1 in the final played at Lucknow. Though this win came after a long gap of 15 years, India has now won the Hockey Junior World Cup for the second time. This is the first time that the host nation has won the trophy. Gurjant Singh and Simranjeet Singh scored for India. Belgium tried hard to equalize but could only manage one goal as the final whistle was blown. By then, it was too late. The bronze medal was won by Germany which defeated Australia in the third place play-off. India now joins Germany as the only teams to have won the Junior World Cup twice. This young team came together only in April 2014. The junior team also won the Junior Asia Cup last year and another tournament in Spain recently. The success of this team is a great boost for our national sport which is a lot less popular than cricket. India’s track record in the sport for the past 15 years has not been great either. But this victory by the junior team may be a sign that glorious days may be ahead for Indian hockey.
LT GEN BIPIN RAWAT IS OUR NEW ARMY CHIEF
APPOINTMENT// Lieutenant General Bipin Rawat has been selected as the next Chief of Army Staff. General Rawat will take charge on December 31, 2016 when the current head General Dalbir Singh retires. The appointment has raised a few eyebrows between the government and the Opposition parties because Lt General Rawat has been promoted ahead of two other officers. But the government has made it clear that Lt General Rawat is the best man for the job as he has tremendous hands-on experience of serving in combat areas and at various functional levels in the Indian Army. Being the best man for the job, the government has every right to choose him, officials have said. Along with him, Air Marshal BS Dhanoa will take charge as the head of the Indian Air Force.
ENGLAND BITES THE DUST IN INDIA
CRICKET// After losing three series between 2011 and 2014, India finally set up a series win over England. The first match was drawn but India won the next four. At the final test played in Chennai, India won the final test at Chennai by an innings and 75 runs. Put in to bat in the second innings, England was bowled out by India with Ravindra Jadeja bagging seven wickets. The Indian test team has been on a winning spree in 2016 and has not lost a single match this year. Of the 12 tests played, they have won 9 and drawn 3. This surpasses their previous record of most wins (8) in a calendar year in 2010. In the process, Virat Kohli has become the first Indian captain to win five test rubbers (a rubber refers to a series) in a row. Between 2015 and 2016, India has defeated Sri Lanka, South Africa, West Indies, New Zealand and now England. The last time, India won so many series in a row, it was under three different captains–Anil Kumble, MS Dhoni and Virender Sehwag.
INDIAN WINS NAT GEO PHOTO CONTEST
WINNER// Varun Aditya, a young photographer from Tamil Nadu, has won the top prize in the ‘Animal Potraits’ category of the 2016 National Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year awards. The Nat Geo awards are among the most sought after ones by photographers. Varun was inside a forest at Amboli in Maharashtra on a foggy monsoon morning when he spotted a green vine snake. His composition of that shot has now landed him with the most prestigious and sought after award.
THOUSANDS FLEE ALEPPO
WAR// Thousands of people are fleeing their homes in the city of Aleppo in the West Asian nation of Syria. Aleppo is being torn apart by war between those who support the Syrian government and the rebels who don’t. Innocent people have been killed while buildings and entire cities have been bombed in this conflict which has left many in Syria homeless. Families who have been stuck in Aleppo without food and water for days are now trying to leave the city. Children have been troubled by war, hunger and death.
CYCLONE VARDAH DISRUPTS CHENNAI
CALAMITY// On Monday, December 12th, Cyclone Vardah hit the southern city of Chennai with all its might and fury, leaving behind a trail of broken trees and a damaged city. Vardah was the most powerful cyclone to directly hit the city since 1994. After forming over the Bay of Bengal, Cyclone Vardah crossed the coast near Chennai, which is the reason why the city was badly affected by winds blowing at speeds between 110 and 120 kilometers per hour, accompanied by heavy rain. Uprooted trees blocked roads while others fell on top of vehicles, smashing them. Electricity, telephone and internet services were disturbed for several days. Schools and colleges also stayed shut. Chennai airport also stayed closed for a day haltin gall operations. Crops in farms along the coast also saw a lot of damage.
GOODBYE FIDEL!
DEATH// Cuban leader Fidel Castro passed away on November 25, 2016. Leader of a small island in the Caribbean, Castro went on to become a world famous figure, mainly because of his enmity with the United States. Castro came to power in 1959 as the leader of a revolt against the then leaders of Cuba. Castro ruled Cuba much like a king from 1959 until 2008, for almost 50 years. Few world leaders have controlled a country for that long. Due to ill health, Castro handed over his powers to his brother Raul Castro in 2008. Once he came to power in 1959, Fidel Castro set about making Cuba a model Socialist state. A socialist state is one in which the government provides for the needs of the people-food, homes, jobs-equally to all. It is a controlled situation where the government owns most of the companies operating within a country , and free public exchange of ideas is not allowed. This approach brought Cuba into a close friendship with Russia, which was run on similar ideas then.
But this path put it in direct opposition to the US which follows a free market system where individuals are encouraged to create their own businesses and the government has a smaller role in the lives of people. Plus, in those days, the US and Russia were bitter enemies. By siding with Russia against America, Castro almost brought the world to the brink of a third world war, which was avoided at the last minute. Socialism has not fully worked for Cuba. People don’t earn very much and many go hungry as food supplied by the government is not always enough. However, in recent years Cuba and the US have patched up some of their differences, and it looks like Cuba will loosen its controls and change the way it has been run for so many years.
The end is always a beginning. So with each year drawing its curtain upon us we look forward to that which opens up to a new day, a new year.
The end of the year is a time of reflection in many ways and as we prepare to cross the threshold into 2017; it is time we take stock of the year gone by and write up the inventory for the next – not only for our personal lives but also the world around us, for after all the personal and the political is part of the same tapestry we call life.
At the two corners of the world and in the world’s two largest democracies a sense of despair seemed to have gripped the two nations as the year drew to a close – one grappling with the sudden loss of currency, the other coming to terms with the election of a reality TV-billionaire business star ready to take seat behind the Oval desk. On the whole 2016 passed by in despair; let’s wish 2017 brings back the hope.
India’s capital Delhi rang in a muffled 2016 swamped under a dense cloud of smog with rising pollution levels risking people’s health. The Delhi government’s New Year gift to the city was an experiment to reduce vehicular emission by introducing the odd-even scheme from the morning of January 1. It turned out to be more odd than even with Delhiites reduced to driving odd and even numbered registered cars on alternate days. It surely tested the city’s endurance index and capacity to make the best of the worst situation. But the 15-day experiment died an unsung death and was not repeated again in the year even though the PM 2.5 (or the particulate matter in the air which is poisonous) levels shot through the sky, literally.
Meanwhile PM 2.0 (that is our Prime Minister with his new monetary policy) grounded the nation, literally, by giving its people 50 days up until the last day of the year to changeover to some pink and green coloured currency notes and taking away the legal tenders of one thousand and five hundred, two instruments the nation found itself struggling and limping without. People’s lives slowed down and market shut down with people desperate to get rid of their invalid notes and hoping to get some new ones. But alas! The new ones were in dire short supply and even as the government struggled to calibrate and recalibrate its policy and decree almost every day, the nation was getting used to standing long hours in queues outside banks and ATMs, a reminder of those snaking lines outside ration shops and kerosene outlets from an era almost fading from the national consciousness.
The day the national capital launched its half-hearted attack against pollution on the city’s roads, not far away in Pathankot, a city on the edge of Kashmir was witness to a daring attack on one of its biggest air bases in the state of Punjab. Such bold and brash attacks from across our western borders on our armed forces became a regular feature through the year. But matters came to a head in September after terrorists attacked an army brigade headquarters in Uri in Kashmir, the state which was engulfed in violent protests since the shooting of the young militant Burhan Wani by security forces. The daily battle between the youth and the forces took a huge toll.
The Narendra Modi government which had swept to power in 2014 with one of its promises being to stand up to Pakistan’s design to bleed India with a thousand cuts, decided it was time to stand up and make that point. So 10 days after the Uri attack, the Indian army carried out a ‘surgical’ strike in the dead of the night across the Line of Control, the de facto border between India and Pakistan. The strike was said to have taken out many terrorist camps that dot the line across the porous border. Pakistan stoutly denied any such strike and since then the number of attacks on security forces has only increased.
Politically the ruling NDA put behind its 2015 losses in Delhi and Bihar and swept to power for the first time in Assam. But the two feisty women of Bengal and Tamil Nadu reinforced their grip in the states. Jayalalithaa, sadly, died months after the victory after suffering for months in a hospital, leaving Tamil Nadu orphaned. On the economic front, the GST Act is slated to be one of the biggest tax reforms undertaken in independent India and seeks to replace indirect taxes with a far simpler system to create a unified national market.
Another major policy decision was the Seventh Pay Commission’s recommendations relating to approximately 4.7 million central government employees. The corporate sector was marked by the internecine wars within one of the largest and respected groups, the Tatas, with Ratan Tata once again taking the saddle by outing Cyrus Mistry.
The other big news from the corporate world was the massive launch of Mukesh Ambani’s Jio 4G that surely will disrupt the whole telecom business by its aggressive marketing. And with the government determined to move from a cashless to a less cash economy, Jio is surely going to live and try and not let live the other telecom players. It will be a battle worth watching in 2017.
In the second half of the year, the Rio Olympics in Brazil took centre-stage for the world but for India it was one more noserub for the country of a billion people. Rio will be remembered for the swimmer of all time Michael Phelps going on to win an alltime record of 28 individual medals, 23 of them Gold. The other great image that will remain embedded is the world’s fastest runner turning a cheeky smile toward the camera before bolting the 100m tape. Yes, it was Husain Bolt! Michael Phelps alone took away more medals at Rio than the whole Indian contingent. And it was the women who came to the rescue – Sindhu, Sakshi, Deepa and Aditi – to keep us away from a zero tally. The embarrassment was redeemed ever-so-partially by the four women — silver shuttler PV Sindhu, bronze wrestler Sakshi Malik, a refreshingly confident gymnast Dipa Karmakar and 18-year-old golfer Aditi Ashok, the last two missing the podium but giving a worthy account of themselves, treading into unchartered territory as Indian women athletes.
At the international political-economy level, three events have the potential to impact global growth, governance and how things change over the medium to long term.
The first: Brexit, the exit of Britain from the European Union, an event that hogged the headlines and has the potential with far-reaching consequences about the Idea of Europe. It could, in fact, be the trigger to an end to the Idea of Europe.
The other major event that shook the world and will have its impact on the world is the election of Donald Trump as the next President of the United States of America. Trump has little experience of politics and governance and his foreign policy and attitude to trade will have a significant bearing on global competitiveness and growth.
The third being the signing of the OPEC deal and, post this, the deal to curb production by non-OPEC oil-producing countries, including Russia, all of which could limit global production and cause increases in the price of oil. The ensuing price rise due to production cuts does have the potential to be seen as a major concern in emerging oil-consuming markets like India, which imports roughly 80 percent of its crude oil needs.
Other events which made headlines in 2016 were the impeachment of two women, Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff for tweaking government figures and President Park Geun-Hye of South Korea over her aide Choi Soon-sil using her position to seek funds from big business.
Turkish President Recep Ergodan faced a failed coup attempt with forces loyal to him defeating the forces trying to seize control. 2016 saw the Middle East caught in turmoil with Syria, in particular, suffering untold misery but largely ignored by world media. According to the UNHRC, at the start of 2016 more that 65 million people had been forcibly displaced from their homes leading to a huge immigrant problem across the world which reflected in the politics of exclusivity gaining ground and the rise of rightwing re-assertion.
As millions of refugees on the run from violence back home sought asylum and homes in countries around Europe, it was large-hearted Germany which opened its doors and young Justin Trudeau in Canada ready to give them a home. But then Islamic terror across the world was to make the cause of these refugees more vulnerable. From Berlin to Brussels to Bangladesh, there were horrifying attacks in Istanbul, Nice and in the Ivory Coast.
While Obama managed to push through the lifting of sanctions against Iran and reopen its counsellor doors to Cuba, it was the passing of an era in the death of the last remaining revolutionaries, Commandante Fidel Castro, who till the very end, thumbed his nose at the giant US bearing over his little island state.
Some of the other big losses were the death of The Greatest ever, the beautiful and fleet-footed Mohammed Ali who was not only the greatest boxer the world has ever seen but also an anti-war hero and the man who always fought against racism and for what was right. Harper Lee died too, leaving the world with her iconic and forever-book, To Kill a Mocking Bird, about racial injustice in a small Alabama town. The book sold more than 40 million copies and became one of the most beloved and most taught works of fiction written by an American.
The year also marked sad adieu to many other great authors like philosophernovelist Umberto Eco, British novelist Anita Brookner, Nobel winners Imre Kertesz, Dario Fo and Elie Wiesel, American journalist and writer Michael Herr, American futurist Alvin Toffler, India’s Mahasweta Devi, Russia’s Fazil Iskander, American playwright Edward Albee (Whose Afraid of Virginia Woolf), Urdu poet and critic Malikazada Manzoor Ahmed and American novelist EM Nathanson, whose The Dirty Dozen inspired the iconic war movie.
2016 also seemed like the year the music died. It couldn’t get darker than this with the world’s best know poet-singer-troubadour Leonard Cohen exiting the world, and joining him in the galactic band were singersongwriter innovator David Bowie, the prince of rock, Prince and on Christmas day it was George Michael who left the stage. Princess Leia the petite star from the Star Wars enacted by Carrie Fisher followed Michael. It seemed it was time for celebrity baby boomers to exit the world stage.
In the middle of such sadness, a mother was resurrected by the Vatican and given to the world as Saint Teresa, the frail woman who worked her life for the poor and destitute in the bylanes of Calcutta.
Thus, the world in 2016 saw some good and some not so good events. Policy happenings to look out for in the coming year include the rise in Fed interest rates which already have seen an increase once in 2016 and the ensuing FPI outflows from emerging markets as the American economy tightens its monetary policy.
Apart from this, prices of oil could be another important thing to look into for Indian policymakers. Internally, the banking sector and its stress, as well as growth forecasts, post demonetisation, and formal job creation are some of the other things to look out for the early part of the coming year.
Other things to look out for in the domestic arena include the assembly elections, particularly in UP, which could decide how the government moves from here on in the remaining part of its term that ends in May 2019. And then there are Punjab, Goa, Uttarakhand and Manipur also ready for elections. The year-end could possibly see elections in Modi’s home state Gujarat too. In fact, the 2017 elections will be the precursor for the crucial central elections in 2019.
And so the year 2016 comes to an end. The door has been slammed on it and the fresh air of 2017 is flowing freely. We need to feel excited for these next twelve months! What a gift we have in new beginnings!
2016 HAS INDEED been a tumultuous year for India’s Armed Forces and on the whole has been a promising year for the military. On the operational front, a more vigorous policy was put in place to deal with Pakistansponsored terrorism. India’s border with China remained stable and insurgency in the affected states of Northeast India further reduced in intensity. Great strides have taken place in pursuing the dream of selfsufficiency in defence production. We still import about 80 per cent of our defence needs but policy changes point to increasing levels of indigenisation in the years to come. The poor state of relations between the military and India’s bureaucracy, however, remains a cause of concern.
The situation in Jammu and Kashmir remains stable despite repeated attempts by separatists within the state and their Pakistani backers to up the ante and stoke violence. Civilian fatalities due to terrorist action dipped to eleven in 2016 - the lowest figure since the start of violence in early 1990. The number of armed terrorists in the state too showed a declining trend, despite Pakistani attempts to up the ante through infiltration of terrorists into India, which it continues to train in various training camps inside Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK). India’s response to such naked aggression was defensive but a change in policy saw India retaliating through a surgical strike on terrorist bases inside POK on 29 September 2016 and also responding firmly to Pakistani provocation on the Line of Control (LC). This changed the mindset in dealing with Pakistan is likely to bear fruit over a period of time.
It is no one’s case that Pakistan will be chastised through just one surgical strike. Each act of aggression by Pakistan would require being firmly dealt with, even though such a policy may lead to an escalation of the conflict. There is a need to increase the cost to the Pakistan Army exponentially for supporting terror groups, thereby forcing Pakistan to act in a more responsible manner. For long, Pakistan has played the nuclear card, with a view to deterring India from responding to its sponsorship of terrorism. What the surgical strikes did was to call the Pakistan bluff, after which Pakistan realised that it had no option other than to use terrorists to carry out sneak attacks on Indian Army posts. That explains the attack carried out on an army post in Nagrota on 29 November which claimed seven lives and on an army convoy on 17 December in which three soldiers died. More such attacks can be expected in the coming months.
The proactive response to Pakistani terror must now be renewed with greater force on the Line of Control (LoC), without pause. The possibility of escalation remains, but that is the price that the nation will have to pay if retribution to the Pakistan military is to be effective. The Army, for its part, must not get into a besieged mentality but must dominate its surroundings and ensure that armed attackers are eliminated before they are in a position to strike. This could lead to collateral damage at times. The military leadership must hold the hands of its units in such cases and simultaneously, sensitise the political leadership of the same. Post demonetisation, the terrorist groups are on the back foot and over time, will find sustenance difficult. This must be effectively exploited in 2017.
The Northeast remains comparatively peaceful, with civilian casualties down to double digits and the overall violence levels declining. Violence is largely confined to Manipur and some parts of Assam. With an increased focus on the development of the region as part of the Centre’s Act East policy, the situation is likely to stabilise further in 2017.
India’s excessive dependence on imports for its defence needs remains a cause for concern. India has 41 Ordnance Factories (OF) and nine Defence Public Sector Undertakings to cater to the requirement of the armed forces, yet we import about 80 percent of our defence needs. This underlines the need for co-opting the private sector into defence production and this process got a fillip in 2016. The new Defence Procurement procedure also took effect in 2016 which augurs well for the ‘Make in India’ campaign.
After a laborious journey of 33 years, India’s Light Combat Aircraft, Tejas saw fruition in 2016. The aircraft compares favourably with the best in the world and the Air Force is set to procure 200 of them. Currently, the Indian Navy is building 48 warships at domestic shipyards and by 2027, it plans to have 198 warships compared with its current fleet of 137 warships. For the Army, indigenous production of the Dhanush 155 mm towed howitzer entered into active production in 2016.
The year also saw an agreement being signed between India and the U.S. for the purchase of 145 M777A2 155mm Ultra Light howitzers. This will greatly augment the Army’s firepower. As India’s defence industrial base starts expanding, the forces too must look for indigenous solutions, to reduce dependence on imports. However, the onus also lies on the OFB and the DPSUs to deliver. The coming in of the private sector into defence also marks a significant and welcome shift in policy which occurred in 2016. It will go a long way in creating a vibrant defence industrial base and give a fillip to the indigenisation effort in 2017.
While the operational scenario and the acquisition process seem to be heading Northwards, the state of relations between the military and India’s bureaucracy remains abysmal. The Armed Forces remain deeply suspicious of the bureaucracy, largely because their experience till date of bureaucratic shenanigans has not been very flattering. Why the defence force is denied space in the decision-making process remains a mystery, with India being perhaps the only democracy in the world with such a practice. The bureaucrats in the MoD lack expertise to advise on defence matters, yet are vested with complete financial and decision-making powers without being held accountable for the same. That accountability continues to rest on the shoulders of the military’s leadership, sans the financial and decision-making powers.
Such a paradoxical situation will sooner rather than later invite disaster. It is the time that the entire MoD is revamped and staffed with at least 50 percent officers from the Armed Forces, with the post of defence secretary and secretary defence production being held by four star ranked officers from the Armed Forces. The CDS will probably come about in 2017 which is a welcome step but reforms are also required in the MoD, which appears doubtful as of now.
2016 has put Indian defence as indeed the whole country on the cusp of change. This is a welcome departure from the status quo mentality which was the Indian hallmark since Independence. It is important that the reform process which was begun in 2016 be continued with vigour in the new year. While conflict termination in the troubled areas of the country is unlikely in the immediate future, the initiatives taken in 2016 will most certainly see a reduction in levels of violence in 2017. That, along with progress in creating a vibrant defence industrial should be the goal of 2017.
The spring of 2017 can expect the launch of Samsung’s the Galaxy S8 aimed to recover from the Galaxy Note 7 fiasco. 2016 saw the unprecedented recall of the Galaxy Note 7. Samsung has announced that it will include a new digital assistant powered by Viv, the artificial intelligence startup. Current reports also suggest that Samsung has been working on foldable displays for years, but we might see the first one out in 2017. Dubbed the Galaxy X for now, the Korean giant has recently filed a patent for such a device, fueling speculation that it’s coming soon.
The year 2017 marks the iPhone’s tenth birthday and Apple will go all out to mark the occasion and make it a memorable one. If reports are to be believed, the next iphone is going to be a major refresh for the product. The so-called iPhone 8 is said to have an all-glass design, an organic LED display for better images, no home button, new screen sizes, and more. Apple is believed to be working on adding built-in augmented reality features that might not make it into the next phone.
Apple is also expected to refresh its iPad lineup, come spring of 2017, as reports suggest. The new iPad models will focus on the Pro line, with improvements to the Apple Pencil stylus and new screen sizes.
This year has a slew of middleweight motorcycle launches lined up. Some good news for the bikers in India as they would soon ride these machines. The Japanese bikemaker, Kawasaki Motorcycles has rocked the motorcycle world of late with one segmentshaking offering after another. They recently unveiled both the Ninja 650 and Z650 at the 2016 Intermot Show in Cologne, Germany. Both the models share not only the same engine but also a few other components such as the steel Trellis frame, suspension and brakes.
Engine: 650cc parallel twin cylinder engine
Power: 69 hp
Torque: 65.7 Nm
Expected Arrival: Mid-2017
Expected Price: INR 6-7 lakh
The Sony A7III mirrorless camera is expected to be released in the second quarter of 2017. Though not much is revealed by the company, if latest reports are to be believed, the A7III may come with new 24MP sensor and improved AF system and dual SD card slot and we are expecting to see a considerable leap in the other core specs like an advanced and updated AF system etc. Wait and watch!
Though the Hexa SUV, an all-new model that’s more of a crossover than an outright SUV, was unveiled by Tata Motors at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show, the launch will take place in January. Priced at Rs 12-18 lakh range, the Tata Hexa features a muscular design template with Tata’s signature honeycomb mesh front grille, a redesigned air dam, and projector head-lamps. The sporty element to its styling is further accentuated by its horizontal LED tail-lamp clusters, huge wheel arches with rubber wrapped 19-inch alloys and blacked out door pillars. The cabin features a host of intelligent driver aids, an intelligent media system, premium quality materials as well as 2 individual bucket seats in the middle row. The Hexa will come equipped with ESP, ambient lighting, 6 airbags, auto head-lamps, and rain-sensing wipers. Power is derived from a 2.2litre diesel unit tuned for 154bhp and 400Nm of torque and is paired with a 6-speed manual gearbox.
THE ROAD TO HELL, as Samuel Johnson once famously remarked, is paved with good intentions. So is the dream of making India a favourite destination for global manufacturing.
Despite the loud proclamations by the country’s leadership about changing the face of Indian manufacturing through the “Make in India” campaign coupled with measures to improve the ease of doing business and frequent foreign visits by the Prime Minister to lure foreign investment, the impact on the ground has not been spectacular.
Without the requisite infrastructure, skilled manpower, bureaucratic environment or assured market no potential investor is going to risk India. Not even Indians. That is the story fast emerging from the notably unsuccessful “Make in India” campaign.
If there is an assured and growing market and favourable policies, as is the case in a few sectors such as automobiles and cell phones, foreign investors will certainly make in India.
Otherwise China, Malaysia, Mexico and a number of other countries are still a much better bet. No small wonder then that a number of large Indian companies have been investing abroad rather than in India.
What Statistics Tell
According to the statistics, Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) equity inflows into India during the April-September 2016 period was about US $ 21 billion. Not bad but not great either. Especially when compared to US $ 40 billion in 2015-2016 and US $ 31 billion in 2014-2015.
The numbers suggest that FDI inflows during the second term of the UPA government led by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was patchy at best with just one year (2011-12) registering a decent increase in inflows.
FDI inflows picked up somewhat during the first two years of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s tenure to a respectable but not spectacular 27-29 per cent per annum.
However, the story in 2015-16 so far is not cheery. The first six months of the current financial year has just seen about US $ 21 billion in FDI equity inflows. This, despite the grand “Make in India” campaign, is definitely disappointing as FDI growth rate this year could be far lower than that of the previous two years.
Statistics also suggest that the bulk of FDI inflows during the past two years have gone into services, the construction industry, information technology and so on. Very little has gone into manufacturing, apart from the computer hardware, automobiles, telecommunications and pharmaceuticals sectors.
The bad news also is that despite a number of measures to prevent the return of hawala funds through countries like Mauritius and Singapore, the bulk (almost 50 per cent) of foreign equity inflows continues to pour in from these two sources.
The Story So Far
Foreign investors from China, United States and Europe show little sign of making a bee line for India.
Unlike in China where large US, Japanese and European corporations set up factories to manufacture goods for their domestic markets as well as for emerging countries’ exports, FDI equity inflows into India have remained modest and confined to a few sectors for which there is a domestic market.
The result has been a virtual stagnation in organised sector industrial growth with joblessness remaining extremely high. Despite talk about India being the bright spot in the slowing global economy, unemployment in India is growing while almost a million Indians are entering the job market every month.
The equity market as reflected in the stock exchange is still fuelled largely by speculation and here too foreign portfolio investors have played opportunist. The lack of long time conviction in the Indian equities market means foreign institutional investors buy and sell in a speculative cycle putting pressures on rupee management and adding to stock market volatility.
For instance, in November this year foreign portfolio investors sold equities worth Rs. 18,909 crore, which amounted to the biggest ever monthly outflow.The last time anything like this had happened was in October 2008 during the global financial crisis. This time, the stock market fell only marginally thanks to massive buys by domestic mutual funds and institutional investors.
Fact is foreign investors are not coming in with their money into India for the long term. They still need to be convinced that India is worth it.
The roadblocks
Despite the government claiming to have removed a number of roadblocks to doing business in India the overall environment is still negative.
India ranks low on the “ease of doing business index”, ranking at number 130 after improving 6 places. The main problem areas include those involved in starting a business, registration, paying taxes and enforcing contracts.
Indian Labour laws continue to be punitive and stacked against managements. This is cited as one of the main deterrents to “Make in India”.
According to Transparency International, India is still considered a very corrupt country in line with Thailand and Brazil. Out of a score of 100 indicating clean government, India scores a measly 38.
The Indian banking system has become unviable due to the colossal level of wilful default by large borrowers; the Indian corporate sector is technically bankrupt. The government’s valiant efforts to fix the problem arising out of huge nonperforming bank assets are not working.
State governments have a plethora of complex local laws and notoriously high levels of corrupt officials. These effectively negate all the positive measures being undertaken at the Central level.
Even as the Centre is trying hard to implement the Goods and Services Tax (GST) or one nation-wide tax on goods and services, states are working behind the scenes to enacts laws and put in place rules, such as entry tax and special permits, to undermine the “one country, one tax” endeavour.
The country is fractured and has been subject to carpet bagging during the last five years of UPA rule. Corrupt and inefficient state governments have vitiated the business environment in the country. Loud bragging by the Central government without fixing the basics has shorn the “Make in India” campaign of all credibility. The road ahead is grim indeed.
STANDING IN A QUEUE in front of the ATM in my office lobby, I felt a sense of liberation even though a little cashless. I thought to myself; when was it the last time that I felt so joyous taking my own money out of my ATM? Since the government’s November 8 DeMon move, there is new-found camaraderie at the ATM in our office lobby, a chance to hang out with colleagues outside the glass cubes.
Working in the IT industry in Mumbai, I have not been impacted much by demonetisation. However, what remains to be seen, is how it would impact the global outsourcing space and my job as a consequence.
While the impact on rural India and sectors like realty where cash transactions are a major component is clear in the near term, the IT industry remains mostly insulated from demonetisation due to its very nature. On the domestic front, the demand for e-wallets, apps, e-banking, plastic money etc will see a substantial increase in the IT workforce. E-commerce and m-commerce will get a boost. Internationally too, India’s outsourcing sector is not expected to be impacted much.
But then the other major event that rocked November 8, along with Modi’s demonetisation, was Donald Trump trumping all critics, pollsters and his wellestablished Establishment rival Hillary Clinton to be the next incumbent at the grand White House. Three words have largely articulated Trump’s unexpected showing – Bring jobs back! And of course, Build a Wall, too! The billionaire-president coined a new rhetoric – Buy American, Hire American.
In his 15-point poll agenda, one of the primary promises was to give jobs back to Americans. Trump has also criticised countries like India, China, Philippines, Mexico for stealing jobs from the US. This surely has caused some concern in the IT industry as a significant portion of the revenue it generates comes from the US. Together with Brexit and a general slowdown of Western economies which has resulted in lower IT budgets for companies, the US President-elect with his very vocal statement of intentions presents a possible gloomy picture for the Indian outsourcing space. At 10.5% growth, the US is the leader amongst all geographies for Indian outsourcing. So the risks are high. The following points might help clear the picture a little.
There can be multiple ways of controlling workers from other countries.
Given that a great number of Indians and other foreigners employed in the US are on H1B visa, it would mean a substantial cost escalation for all companies.This rise in cost would be incorporated into the product prices and the American public will eventually have to pay for the increase in the cost of visas and higher taxes.
There are other aspects to why an impact on Indian outsourcing seems unlikely.
Whatever the truth, the fact is companies like Google, Microsoft, Facebook have been lobbying for being able to employ more workers under the H1B visa. And this would take some time to change even if the new president decides otherwise.
Also, the cost of operations is a big factor. Unless there are major changes in the labour laws in the US and that labour cost becomes more competitive, it would be difficult to stop businesses from seeking out cheap labour in India, China and other countries. There would be political fallouts of such changes in the labour laws which very few administrations can ignore.
Also, there has always been a difference historically between campaign promises and what actually gets translated into policy. The outgoing Obama administration also made similar poll promises of curbing foreign labour, however, much of that remained only as campaign talk. Donald Trump is too good a businessman not to understand the economics here.
Finally, there is the controversy around Melania Trump’s statement that she too held an H1B visa as a model to get work in the US. The President might want to give the whole issue a rethink.
Lost in thought on the future of outsourcing, I was rudely nudged back to my DeMon reality; my colleagues in the queue behind urging me to move forward. My reverie around the November 8 developments has to stop. What happens in the world of outsourcing is in the future; my present urges me to take the cash out of the ATM for my auto-ride back home (not enough currency for the cab). I move one step closer to the ATM.
AIR CHINA, connects Mumbai and Bangalore to Chengdu, capital of Sichuan. The flight from Mumbai takes four-and-ahalf hours and lands you in time for a sumptuous Chinese meal to begin your day. For the adventurous traveller, Sichuan offers a cuisine very different from your idea of Chinese, except for the popular Kung Pao chicken. It is simply great food with an amazing variety – and a blend of the delicate and hot spices!
Once in Chengdu head straight for the majestic Emei Mountain after having parked yourself at a traveller’s lodge in a forested surrounding. On way to Emei, a detour will take you to Leshan where stands the tallest Buddha in the world carved out of a mountain, the only of its kind after the destruction of the Bamiyan Buddhas in Afghanistan. You could climb to the head of the Buddha or marvel at its giant toes where according to our young guide Alex you could host a party. The Giant Buddha of Leshan, carved out of a hillside in the 8th century looks down on the confluence of three rivers. A ferry ride down the river gives you breathtaking views of the Buddha, sitting in a rather pensive mood. At 71m high, the Leshan Buddha is just a metre short of the Qutb Minar in Delhi and can be seen for miles. In fact, legend has it that the confluence of the three rivers was a danger for early sailors but after the Buddha was built in the 8th century it has given safe passage to sailors.
After the Leshan Buddha reach Meishan and take a break before you ascend Mount Emei the next morning. At night take a stroll down and you will come across lively eating places and pubs well into the night, with young boys and girls crooning at tables, families having fun, young men playing cards or a father and daughter sharing a drink over a full steamed cod fish. It’s simply brilliant – the unending assortment of foods, some queer some audacious, a general air of fun and frolic.
I’ve never had so many people come up and pose with me for photographs. Mothers brought their little kids to pose with me – I’m sure I didn’t look like an alien. It was a warm feeling. And I never had so many women – both young and old – surrounding my table while I downed a bottle of beer. This minicarnival of lights, song and cheer is a regular night. I could go on all night and feast (already had dinner at the hotel before venturing) on some Ox tripe, frogs or maybe pig’s tongue. Ah! Next time.
Next morning was the drive up to Mount Emei through wooded forests and bending roads till you reached the cable car to take you to the summit. As you climb up the more than 3000 mhigh-mountain, the air gets nippy; but you can rent jackets at the cable car station if the weather gets nasty. Where the cable car drops you, you suddenly find yourself placed over a bed of clouds swirling the mountains from which rise the majestic and beautiful golden statue of the Bodhisattva or Samantabhadra also known as the Lord of the Truth. Known in Chinese as Puxian, he is the patron Bodhisattva of Mount Emei and represents the practice and meditation of all Buddhas. Samantabhadra forms the Shakyamuni trinity in Mahayana Buddhism together with Shakyamuni and fellow disciple Manjusri.
Mt Emei is one of four sacred Buddhist mountains in China and the highest. Cloaked in cloud, mist and chants of Buddhist shlokas, it is an unforgettable spiritual experience. Despite the hundreds of tourists, mainly Chinese, who go about offering prayers, burning incense, completing parikramas or simply gawking, one can lose oneself in some strange solitude.
Before heading back to Chengdu and taking off for gorgeous Guilin, don’t forget to head for the Panda Reserve. Especially if you’re with kids, it could be the time of their lives watching the cuddly soft animals feed on bamboo and play with one another.
The Giant Panda, or the panda bear, is a creature so mysterious that its reputation is beginning to take on a mythical status. One of the few large animals that do not fall anywhere in the normal food chain, the Giant Panda is neither a predator nor a prey. Surviving solely on the swift growing bamboo, a selfgenerating plant, the Giant Panda has no ecological influence on the habitat it thrives in, making its value to the world somewhat dubious. Complicating this is the fact that the Panda is one of the most endangered large animals out there, and the protection and upkeep of this unique creature is an expensive and exhausting process. On our visit to the Chengdu Panda Reserve, we were able to see a rare glimpse of the Giant Panda.
The Chengdu Panda Center is, quite literally, the world's largest giant and red panda reserve. The center’s main purpose is to educate visitors as well as breed, raise, and protect the endangered and huggable Giant Panda. If any place deserves the distinction as a national treasure, the breeding centre would be it. In fact, the entry ticket goes on to say that it is the "Charm of China, Cradle of Pandas." After a hike around the park, it is easy to see why.
Hunted historically for its pelt, and with its natural habitat of bamboo forests declining swiftly, there are only about a 1000 Pandas left in the wild. While there has been a great support for the preservation of the Panda, both in China and internationally, the valiant efforts are not seeing enough results in the increase in the Panda population. With support and more research, it is hoped that the steady decline in Pandas will slowly reverse itself, for it would be a terrible shame to lose these striking and gentle bears. There are some small shops in the reserve selling a whole host of Panda souvenirs. But then anywhere you go in Chengdu there is no dearth of Pandas (soft toys that is).
The flight to Guilin from Chengdu is less than two hours, much like DelhiMumbai. If you take an evening flight you can check into a hotel and prepare yourself for a hike up to the Longji terraced hills the next morning. A two-hour drive from Guilin takes you to the Longsheng region, home to some of China’s many ethnic minorities. The terraced hillsides offer an amazing sight because for centuries local communities have grown rice on these hillsides with a simple yet efficient terracing and watering system. Another attraction is the people who you keep bumping on your climb up and down. The area is home to a large number of minorities such as the Dong, Zhuang, Yao and Miao who still preserve their way of life. The climb can be steep but it’s worth it. Else you can avail “human’ taxis that will cart you up if you’re okay with the idea much like the service offered in most of our places of pilgrimage that sit on mountain tops. On the way down you can stop at the excellent Meiyou restaurant which actually means “This is no restaurant.” The food is excellent and don’t forget to try the chicken in a bamboo. Running for over 30 years the place proudly proclaims that it does not serve warm beer, rip-offs or offer bad service.
On the way down, one ran into an Indian couple with two kids from Pune – one 12, the girl 9: An unusual sight; goes to show that more and more Indians are venturing out to discover gems closer home. All along the climb are numerous stalls selling all kinds of curious, jewellery, ethnic wear. Be ready for some aggressive selling and heavy bargaining. You’ll be lucky if you can catch some glimpse of the tribe whose women don’t cut their hair some growing long enough to sweep the floor. Back to Guilin catch the Mirage Guilin show in the city which will transport you to an hour of lights, music and acrobatic delight – little wonder this country leads world gymnastics.
Get ready for the most unforgettable day of your life — beginning with the amazing cruise down the impressionable Li River, spending the day in charming Yangshuo and ending it with the greatest show choreographed by one of the greatest directors of our time – Zhang Yimou.
The day cruise flags off at 8 in the morning and takes about four hours to reach Yangshuo, twisting and turning through lush fields and a crazy array of mountains with crazy shapes. You can spend your hours in the comforts of the main AC cabin, drinking beer or sipping the exotic snake wine (on your expense) but you will prefer to enjoy the open-air viewing platform as the scenery takes your breath away. There is an interesting buffet lunch served which is cooked on the boat with local favourites and fresh catches from the Li River. This cruise along the Li River is a photographer's dream and you'll want to capture the dramatic landscapes that Chinese artists have been painting for centuries.
Your destination is the village of Yangshuo, where you'll disembark and stroll amid the colourful, bustling marketplace of local street vendors. Popularly known as the West Street, it offers all kinds of interesting stuff at a bargain. But keep off the men who persist on slipping you some fake Rolex watches which our effervescent tour guide Liu warned would stop before you reached the airport.
But later that night was reason enough to brave the drizzle and watch one of the most magnificent spectacles in light and sound unfold over the Li River with the magnificent mountains as a backdrop. Impression Lie Sanjie shows the mastery of Zhang Yimou on his medium and flashes of his cinematic brilliance as 600 performers glide in and out of the frame which is ON the river and propped by many karst mountains which are lit up. Thanks to the Chinese master of film arts Zhang Yimou skillfully combines Guangxi minority customs and the legends of Sanjie Liu with Guilin’s charming landscapes. Impression of Sanjie Liu (produced 2005) quickly swept the world and has become the most successful and influential tourism performance at home and abroad.
Hungover by Impression the day after, it took the fascinating Karst caves of Reed Flute Cave to shake it off. Karst caves are limestone caves formed over millions of years and a walk through the caves transports you to another world. No wonder Guilin is known as one of the most beautiful places under heaven for its dramatic Karst hills, fantastic caves and limpid waters. It inspired a famous Chinese writer to pen – “The river winds like a green silk ribbon, while the hills rise like jade hairpins.
It is time to say goodbye to gorgeous Guilin and head back to Chengdu for a final day of shopping and catching up on some street life. But before you take the flight back be adventurous and take a shot at Chengdu’s famous Hot Pot – a dish where you sit across a pot of boiling soup in the middle of your table and you pick your raw ingredients (meats, veggies etc) to throw into the boil and relish a great dish. Not to be missed even though the locals warn you that the spices will make your eyes water. But what the hell we’re Indians!
As you take the flight out of Chengdu, Guilin and Yangshou will tug at your heart strings for a long, long time. Till you return.
Sheeba smiled at Rajeev. The same sweet smile which she reserved for Mr Gustafson and seldom used with others.