Two days in New Delhi

Half your battle is won if you get the right material to complete a handicraft project. We made this “quiet book” from fabric and felt material.  (mostly hand stitched) 

Had been to Delhi recently and went scouting for some good fabric. We were advised to go to the Paharaganj market or the Connaught Place for fabrics. Finally we got some good stuff from Shanker market. 

It is one of the oldest local markets in Central Delhi and was set up a few years before Indian Independence.

While walking down the street, this sign caught my eye. A real good idea to attract customers. 

This guy sitting outside his shop was busy with his alteration work. 

Some shops had some good display along with their products. Proper lighting is the key factor here. 

At Connaught Place we went into this shop by the name of Wenger’s.  Later on I realised that it is the oldest Bakery in New Delhi (started  way back in 1933) 

Their displays were really tempting especially the pastries and the cakes. 

But what I liked best was their shemi kebab and the chicken patty. 

One thing that I observed at Wenger’s is the efficiency of the people behind the counter. By the time you pay your bill and get to the next counter, your stuff is packed and ready. 

Wenger’s is located right opposite Rajiv Chowk. The Chowk which has a huge flag in the middle. Don’t go by the picture below. You can see its actual size in the first video.

Rajiv chowk also has a huge metro station below the garden (by the same name) Talking of metro trains, I think the Delhi metro is the best thing that has happened to Delhi. The ticket rates are affordable and people use it extensively. Considering the lateral spread of Delhi, this is the best mode of transport. 
I heard that the rates of the second metro line (the Airport Metro) were further slashed by 50% 

This was a picture that I clicked at the starting point at Dwarka. After a few stations it was so jam packed that there was no way I could click again. 

  

While driving around New Delhi, I was impressed by the green on both sides.  I wonder if it is like this all over Delhi. (maybe Delhites can comment on this)

In the evening we had been to the newly opened Vivanta by Taj. (the one at Dwarka) The food was good (as expected from a five star hotel) but what I liked better was the music by Mario - the multi-lingual singer.  
It is always interesting to have live music (see second video) than piped music when you are eating out.

A special mention should be made about the ambiance especially the write up and the paintings of Kabir.

Kabir was a weaver, a simple and unlettered man, who earned his living at the loom. 

I remember learning a few of his “dohe” (verse) during my school days. Like the write up says, each doha is an aphorism in itself, a perspective that rings true, at times seemingly obscure yet profound. 

Ahead of his times, he moved about with his disciples, continuing in exile, the life of an apostle of love. . . . . . . . something very much required in the present strife torn world.

Reis Magos (Part-II)

I had seen Mario’s work in many magazines and books, but the ones displayed here is something a Mario fan should not miss. I went about practically clicking each and every caricature, sometimes laughing aloud at the humor depicted so wonderfully in the cartoons. These are from his dairies before he became famous as a cartoonist. His detailing of the finer points in the everyday life of a Goan is remarkable. He started getting into trouble at school for sketching catholic priests in his cartoons.

The sermon from the pulpit with generous showers. (the pulpit is no more functional but you can still see them in the old churches)

He was probably one of the first Indian cartoonists to use crow quill.

 In one of his interviews to Gauri Gharpure, he mentioned “What is life just sitting at the desk? You must travel a lot when you are young. That is very important.”

He is one guy who did not have any formal education in this field but his knowledge of anatomy was great and that was the reason why his cartoons always stood out.

His Miss Nimbupani and Miss Fonseca were a regular feature in some of the magazines of yesteryear. 

His drawings now adorn many places, one of them being the Goa railway station (Madgaon)

 I had clicked one of his creations in Hotel Mondegar (in Mumbai) about 7 years ago and uploaded on Flickr.

Coming back to the ones in the Fort, a detailed description of him at the entrance:

These are drawings of a typical bachelor’s room (both male and female)

If you just look at a part of it (any part) you will find all those little things that are bound to be there in a bachelor’s apartment.

Then we have the city types and the village types:

The emigrant is from Bombay and hence Bomboicar

If you look at the body stance of each of the characters in the picture below you will understand what I mean by “knowledge of anatomy” 

And the language of Mr Johnson and Mr Bandorkar.

Mr Johnson: “A trifle more elegance in the rhythmical motions of your lower limbs Bandorkar”

Mr Bandorkar: “Arey? Vat you saying man, why phor such much language?”

He is one of those Indians who got all the three national awards: Padmashree, Padma Bhushan and Padma Vibhushan.

A self portrait:  

What I have put up here is just about 10% of the pictures that I clicked. So ye Mario fans don’t miss this place.

A typical adieu by Amul

The first part of this can be seen here.
http://joezachs.blogspot.in/2013/02/reis-magos-part-i.html

Reis Magos (Part-I)

For a long time, I had been thinking of writing about Mario Miranda and his work, but some how I kept postponing it for some reason or the other.

Now I have the perfect reason to write and that is the historic Fort - Reis Magos in Goa.

Visited this place last month and I must say I am really impressed. It is a perfect example of how a place can be restored with out loosing its identity.  Thanks to Gerard da Cunha, who has done a wonderful job in bringing the place alive. In the first instance you may get the impression that he has done nothing, and that exactly is the highlight of the restoration – to maintain its original identity. In his own words “old monuments are just like corpse but unless you use a building you cannot maintain it. We can reclaim our heritage and earn from it”

The income from the entry tickets may not be substantial but think of the tourists that come from all over the world helping in the economy of the state.

Old materials and old methodology of restoration has been used to give the fort its air of authenticity.

I was also impressed by the staff present at every point, quietly doing their work. After you buy your entry ticket, there is a small vehicle which takes you up to the main gate (as its a steep climb)

Just before the main door of the fort there is this banyan tree. Its interesting to read the history of the tree.

It grew as a parasite on a coconut tree, eventually strangulating it. In 2008 the coconut tree caught fire. Without a core the banyan tree began to buckle and collapse. It was trimmed and held with steel ropes and a reinforced concrete column was cast in the hollow of the tree. The tree stabilized and the stays were removed in 2010.

Just as you enter you will notice a big hole in the roof. This was used to shoot (or throw hot oil) at the enemies who managed to reach that point

Inside the fort, time stands still and you are transported back by about three centuries.

I saw this canon which was mounted on carriages. These gun carriages were copied from the original that were found in Diu fort.

This was how it used to look before restoration.

There were originally 31 canons of which 7 are now left.

A close up of one of them shows some inscription, probably the date of manufacture and the insignia.

Reis Magos is the Portuguese name for the three wise men from the Bible.

The view from the top is magnificent with the Mandovi river in the forefront.

While we were going through the place there was this friendly parrot who was very interested in my friend’s camera.

I showed my camera to the parrot, but he did not even look at it. Nowadays even the birds know the difference between a DSLR and an ordinary camera.

 On the way out one has to go down a flight of steps (about 100+) and its real steep. Thankfully hand rails have been provided for safety.

Coming to the best part is an exhibition in the main hall and that brings us to one of my favourite cartoonist Mario Miranda.

More on this in part –II,  meanwhile a preview of the pictures that are coming in  part-II