I have been in love with motorcycles and automobiles ever since I can remember. War era Jeeps, vintage British motorcycles and pre war huge American cars that looked like two roomed apartments, were parked at the garages of our ancestral home at Silchar, Assam. There was a shell of some classic car, fished out from our pond and rotting at our backyard, among the beetle nut trees, and it became “my” car for a few years. I had to share it with a mongrel that sometimes made it his home and there was a family of mongoose in the booth! But it was still my car.

As I grew, my obsession with automobiles increased and there were many misadventures. Our Ford V8 was misfiring once and I promptly opened all the 8 spark plugs at one go to clean them and could never fit the plug wires in the right order. It took almost a day for the mechanic to set the firing order right.

When I was 16, I conned my father into buying me an old 1941 Norton 16H motorcycle. It was not in too bad a condition and I got it running rather well except for a minor problem with the fuse box. “Why not fix that too” I thought, when I didn’t know a thing about bike electricals. I managed to short circuit the wiring and burn down the bike completely! I had the carcass until about 5 years back when my mother had enough of it and threw it away when I was at Delhi.

As the years rolled by, I bought some more old motorcycles and travelled a lot through the interiors of Assam. But the tours were expensive affairs even though petrol was all of Rs 5 a litre! My father asked me to earn my keep and I had to join an English daily newspaper that just started at Guwahati, Assam as a sports sub-editor. The pay was peanuts but it did oil the wheels of my motorcycles….a bit.

To supplement my income, I started a garage dedicated at restoring classic and vintage cars and bikes at Guwahati. Classics are my passion and the garage helped me work on some rare vehicles. It also helped me write articles for magazines on these old “beauties”!!

My clients were kind enough to let me drive their pride and joy to some distant places. I travelled on a lovely 1966 Beetle, drove through the hills of Meghalaya on a 1942 Citroen 11CV and on a Morris 8 which looked and behaved like a locomotive engine. Whenever I stopped after a long climb, the tiny car hissed smoke and vapour all over the bonnet. I drove through Kaziranga National Park on a 1942 1.5 Jaguar and sat on its long bonnet to watch the rhinos and elephants right next to the highway. There were fewer automobiles on the highway two decades back and it allowed me to press the throttle wide open on a Morgan +4 as I skimmed the surface. I owned a jalopy, a topless Standard Herald with a huge bison skull on the bonnet (just so that I would look different!!) which was the subject of a few articles in some local newspapers..

I also rode through the interiors of Assam, Nagaland, Meghalaya, parts of Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram and I wrote a lot of travel articles. Motorcycle travellers were a microscopic minority in North East India those days (they still are) and I got special treatment wherever I went. I rode mostly through remote areas where I could see life in all its rustic glory, no coats of varnish to glaze them.

The hobby of maintaining classic cars sure is an expensive one and I found my client’s base becoming static. Restoring a vintage also is a time consuming affair mainly because of the paucity of spare parts and in Guwahati, it was almost impossible to find even basic engine parts.

Since it was not really helping my cause, I decided to shut shop and move to New Delhi to look for new avenues. I joined an Automotive magazine and jumped at the opportunity to write travel stories and almost all the stories were from travels through parts of Northern India.

Over the years I changed jobs but maintained my travel writing to some extent and still confined to North India.

I found that very few magazines published travel stories from the North Eastern region. So for some exclusivity, I travelled through Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland and Mizoram on a motorcycle and wrote a series of travel stories.

There were good feedbacks on the stories but there were also the usual questions-Is it safe to travel in North east? Are their airports? Brahmaputra is a small river, right? Do they hunt humans in Nagaland and do they eat dogs? Aren’t there bomb blasts and abductions?

These questions irritated me no end and so I took a long leave from India Times and led a group of 5 friends from Delhi for a 15 day trip through North East India. Three of the friends were very skeptical about the trip but at the end of the tour they wanted more. 

They were absolutely smitten by the warmth of the people, the varied culture and tradition, the topography, nature and wildlife. In Nagaland, I took them to Mon to meet the headhunting warriors and they were floored by their warmth. When one of the bikes broke down late at night in the middle of nowhere in Wokha district in Nagaland, 6 of us slept in a farmer’s house, ate simple food served with a very liberal and genuine dose of love and warmth. They fell in love with Majuli Island and with the rhinos just as they loved the snowy heights of Sela Pass and the soft spoken monks of the Tawang Monastery. They wanted to ride forever on the lovely road towards Cherrapunjee and shivered and shouted themselves hoarse with glee when we got caught in an unseasonal downpour at the world’s wettest place.

Back in Delhi, they couldn’t stop talking about their trip and I started getting requests from friends of friends to lead them on such tours.

It sure had me thinking. No one conducts motorcycle tours through North East India although if you search the internet, you will find tour companies advertising their NE tours. But for most of them, NE begins and ends at Sikkim-no further. So why not start a motorcycle tour outfit?

Touring is my passion and I get to see newer places and meet interesting people every time I travel. 

So I put in my papers at India Times, the internet division of Times Of India four years ago and started my own company and I named it Chain Reaction.

I named it thus because I felt that everything we do, sets off a chain reaction…for good or bad…mostly good!! I also decided to concentrate my operations in North East India to try and rectify the misconceptions that people from the rest of India harbour about this region.

Since I write a lot about the people, places, custom, tradition, culture, festivals etc, on in-flight, lifestyle, travel and automotive magazines, I now get a whole lot of inquires from Indian clients which I never got before. The rest of India wants to see more of North East now. 

Whoever said “make a hobby your profession and you will never have to work a day in your life” stuck the nail on the head!!…..But I will bet my life he was not a biker not by a long shot because the back sure hurts from all those thousands of kilometres spent on the saddle. Hard work but I am not complaining.

You can visit Chain Reaction at www.chainreactionindia.com for trade and tour inquiries or leave a query below.

With Shangreiwon Multhou

Shangreiwon Multhou, a professional chef, began her career with ITC in Delhi and the Taj in Mumbai after graduating from IHM in Guwahati. She set forth to California but as we say home is where hearth is, she returned to India to work with Guwahati Airline Catering. She has recently started her own school in culinary, ‘Exotic School of Cooking’ at Dimapur. Her art of decoration with local raw vegetables have been cherished and is a treasured captures in weddings and menus.

Shangreiwon Multhou

Q: How did you start your career after coming back home?

Wedding is a lavish practice here, where decoration of food and cuisines are important and integral part. Initially I ventured into arrangements and decorations of food items in wedding and then there was the demand to learn cooking from those I came in contact. Cooking makes me learn more.

Q: What is close to your heart while displaying your culinary skills?

I love to make something out of raw ingredients.

Q: You could have started the same business in California too taking the ethnic cooking abroad. What makes you start your business back home?

I always wanted to come home and share my knowledge, promote cuisines and connect with the grassroots here with my people and traditions.

Q: How do you familiarize the ethnic taste for those who are not familiar with cuisines from North-east India?

I improvise on the cuisines and try keeping the traditional flavour intact.

Q: How do you see yourself five years from now?

More people should appreciate the ethnic exotic cuisines of Nagaland.

Q: How do you take chef as a career?

Well, nothing is impossible if we put our heart and work hard to live to our dreams.

It is good, I get to travel different places, get to familiarize different flavours, different cultures. It opens up avenues. Cooking is a lifestyle and people are adopting it.

Q: What is your message to our readers?

Chef as career can make you survive in any part of the world. It is a need and lifestyle!

With boom in hospitality industry, a lot of good opportunities are available for trained and experienced chefs. Once a person is trained in kitchen, they can work in Hotel, Airline Catering, and Cruise Liner or start their own business.

CARVING IN RADISH

CARVING IN WATERMELON

CARVING IN GOURD

Thankyou Shang!

Sunita Khaund Bhuyan, – an accomplished Violinist, a talented award winning musician, an MBA,a career woman, propagator of music and holistic development and the ideal daughter and a dedicated pupil. A multi faceted and multitalented personality who has come up with a beautiful gift for the people of Assam and also to the world through her latest release, Bihu Strings where she has experimented with Irish folk and Jazz. Bihu Strings is an attempt by Sunita Khaund Bhuyan in collaboration with Times music to promote Bihu songs from Assam in the world folk music category.  We had the opportunity to chat with her where she spoke about her latest release Bihu Strings and her life as a musician and a musician daughter.

1)   First up, you just released a Bihu Strings album, which is pretty much first of its kind. How did you strike on this idea of fusing Bihu, Irish Folk and Jazz?

The objective behind this album is to promote Bihu in the world folk music category by Times music..So one of the numbers is a fusion with Irish folk and another with Jazz.The violin is played a lot in Irish folk and when I heard the melody of “luitor baalite” I immediately remembered a number I had been hearing for a long time from Ireland and hence the idea. However the Bihu melodies have not been changed as far as their lyrics, pattern, tone and rhythm. My exploration has been with the violin which is anyway performed across the world in folk, jazz, rock genres…This way I thought the album could be accepted by both Assamese as well as world music audiences

2)   How difficult was it to maintain the traditional sound of Bihu while doing this?

Like I mentioned we haven’t changed anything in the Bihu songs. Even the violin plays the melodies the same way .. Only when we start the fusion sections we explore Raagas, Jazz and other elements.. Yes however I had to play the violin in a folksy way which is very different from the traditional classical feel, but ultimately it’s the seven notes  Their quality, accuracy and emotion is all that is needed to make it appealing and reach out to the right chords

3)   How much time did this take considering you have a full time job too.

One full year .. I had to take breaks, give all my weekends to it, give up on a lot of social luxuries to get this done considering I work in Mumbai and the entire album was recorded in Assam with musicians from here…Thanks to Syntel my company for supporting me and family and friends giving me the space and Assam valley school for taking care of my son, I managed.

4)   Why is it that you did not prefer to choose singing as a full time career?

I had never learnt singing  and my mother would not let me pursue anything else but the violin.However I used to learn  all the musical compositions by singing first and then playing them. Again my brother used to be an avid singer and I grew up singing along all kinds of songs with him.When I was recording the bihu, I suddenly realized that the essence of Bihu cannot be produced by an artist without feeling and singing the emotion and passion behind the lyrics..so I took a chance

5)   Talking about your performances, you often start with Ganesh bandana. Is music more of spirituality to you?

That’s an invocation to Lord Ganesha , seeking blessing for good luck  and peace for any new and auspicious beginning .Spirituality has to be the core of a musician as music is about discipline, pure sounds and self awareness of what appeals to self and audience which is again the tenets of spirituality.

6)   Apart from the genres that you dabbled in the album, what other genres of music do you enjoy?

I have trained in classical . Mother and I play a lot of devotional music, bhajans etc raaga based tunes in them.. I have been presenting a program called Raagas to Bollywood exploring the presence of raagas elements in all kinds of Bollywood songs from romantic to item numbers , as they are all the same seven notes packaged and performed in different styles – a message to the young generation to train in classical music to master any form, rock, jazz, folk , bollywood, etc, .but yes, the training is essential.

7)   We believe you are a staunch supporter of music therapy. How do you bring it to practice and how does it help?

Music can scientifically heal the body . Sound waves from the musician reach the target and the brain sends signals to different parts of the body. This relaxes the body and a chemical reaction happens which produces the feel good hormones called endorphins. This helps in destressing  and redesign fatigue.. Also for recuperative patients,I work actively with cancer patients, street children and physically challenged . Group therapy does wonders than just individual..

In the corporate world wellness has become a very big initiative today as organisations have realized that employee well being and health is the key to business success.

8)   Finally, You learnt music from your mother Minoti Khound, an accomplished violinist herself. Which was the toughest to play – daughter, student or co-performer?

Of course the daughter.. no mother can be different with their daughters however progressive or accomplished and my mother is both. She still tries to discipline me and my ways even from long distance. As a Guru, she was a bit tough in the early days,  but as a co- performer, it is like I was born to be playing with her. Sometimes we have had to go on stage without a rehearsal but its like we had never left. The umbilical chord is that strong I feel… It’s a blessing  and most ethereal part of being a musician!

You can listen to the album Bihu Strings by following this link

Multi talented musician Akashdeep Gogoi and his band Dhairya was the second runnersup in the MTV Rock on contest cum reality talent show, but Akashdeep Gogoi and his band could have been the winner if the NE media coverage of the band would have been active- That is what a section of the audience felt when they ran short of votes in the finale of the contest. But a true talent can never be pulled down or overshadowed and Akashdeep Gogoi shone through to perform in many other important platforms. We bring before you a brief conversation that we had with the upcoming musician where he has speaks about his dreams, trials and tribulations and his latest release, a ballad Xurr

@What is idea behind ‘Xuur”?

‘Xurr’ means melody ….My first aquaintence with xurr happened when I was a kid of about 3 or 4 years. I clearly remember sitting on my mother’s lap during the evening hours watching the setting sun and the red sky,back then we used to stay in the hills of Krishna Nagar near Holy child school Guwahati.Therefore everything was visible to me from that hill.Sittting on the front verandah on my mom’s lap she would sing songs to me like AMARE MOINA …..BARIRE BOGORI BUTOLI KHABO,
MAA AAMI SADIYA LE JAAM E,DEUTA BEGOTE AAHIBI,EI MATITITE MOROMOTE..and various others. This is how I came to know about songs,melody and music.Thats why I have written ……

Neela akash jetiya senduriya  hoi,

Monole ahe Loralir hei kotha.

Tumi Guwa hei geet abeli porote,

Gun gunabo khuje mone Janaa…..

And Nostalgia follows……….Thanks Mom !

I had never ever  thought that I could write songs in Assamese not even in my dreams. I always asked help from my friends who were more into writing but somehow I never felt ok with their kind of writing not ignoring the fact that some of them were too good but they were just not right for my kind of music. I love simplicity…and therefore my lyrics are simple, as a matter of fact it is simple because I don’t know enough of the poetic  language in Assamese,Though my Late father was a poet and a writer I did not inherit any of his writing talents.

Through this song I have tried to relate my entire journry as a musician…my memories ,my present, my past ,my love and my passion all lies in ‘XURR’
@You have been part of a reality show. Has that helped you as a catalyst in your career so far?

To some extent ,I would say yes….because I made a lot of friends and I am working toghether with atleast some of them,But I expected a lot more.

People have a laid back attitude towards musicians(instrumentalists) in comparison to singers. During the final stages of the contest I approached a lot of media people in Assam to give me some kind of publicity or coverage but I could get none.

It was really embarassing for me when I remembered about Zee Sa re ga ma pa winner 2005 and Sutasi runner up(during that same year) They were everywhere and ME was not there even in a corner of a brief news column.Pathetic….

@At a time when music industry is going through a rough patch, how do ensure commercial viability of an album?
I m not thinking of making money by releasing an album,I just want my music to reach the right kind of people who are interested in something new.Internet has been very helpful…….

@Like movies, the music distribution industry has undergone a sea change. People are releasing albums without the backing of the well known labels. Your comments on this.

These well known Music Labels will not release your album unless you put down your own money into it and therefore only the rich non talented artists can enjoy this facility..

@Do you foresee a change in the way non-film music is beheld in India?

Bollywood rules in India…..but the style of music has kept changing and will keep on changing..

The Janata crowd will enjoy Munni,Sheela,Chammak Challo and Jalebi Bai which is going to continue anyways,non film music has a very slim chance of survival in such a situation.

@Apart from this album, what has kept you busy since “Rock On”?
Oh ! Nothing much, I joined a band called Zedde and played a lot in the pub and club circuit till last year. 2011 has been the turning point of my life,I was called to play for Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Lil Champs in one of the three bands. Thank God ! And I thank the Creative team for introducing the new three band concept last year. It was here that lot of people from the other two bands spotted me and called me to play with artists like Salim Suleiman and Sunidhi Chauhan….Now I am happy  most of the time…

Thank you !

India Sixties and beyond music.

The sixties was an eventful time. The decade was marked with the success of the first man on space – Yuri Gagarin. It was the period of emergence of Che Guevara, John F Kennedy, Martin Luther King Jr and their tragic deaths. Of the most severe and deadliest earthquake recorded in the recent times- The great Chilean earthquake ; Of cultural revolutions and social upheavals;of the rise of feminism and gay rights. Yes, the period was aptly called the Swinging sixties. It was in the sixties when a cultural revolution of sorts was noted in India when Beatles sang Norwegian wood,  a raga rock, inspired by Ravi Shankar and rise of some talented beat groups in the mid sixties like the Mystiks, Flintstones etc. What started back then with small baby steps is now an altogether snazzy scene in itself. But in the razzle dazzle of todays music scenario many youngsters have lost the connecting threads of history to our glorious times of the sixties and seventies. India sixties and beyond music is one such initiative that deserves applause in large measure for its attempts to preserve and promote those moments from history when the rock music industry was trying to carve a place for itself  and its future musicians  . And the promising scenario that it now boasts of is in fact due to the strong foundation that founders such as late Amit Saigal, editor of Rock Street Journal and magazines like Junior Statesman had built up back then.

India Sixties and beyond music is a facebook fan page started by Joseph Pereira, a journalist, music enthusiast, musician, music historian and author of books like Legends of Golden Venus. Indian by origin and now based in Singapore, Pereira had always been fascinated with Indian rock scene, an interest fueled by stories narrated to him by his cousin brother about the Indian music scene back in the sixties and probably that was when the germ of an idea for the fan page was formed. The memorabilia and information that the fan page boasts of in its archive is truly a treasure house. Fried Eye had the opportunity of interacting with the innovative Mr Pereira which we are sharing with you today as a part of our theme Music – A broader perspective.

FE- India sixties and beyond music- how would you describe it? A hobby? A passion ? a commitment? A project? Or everything ?

JP- It is to give Indians a sense of pride in their music scene. To let them know it is coming close to half century now. The bands and singers that started out in the early sixties and onwards into the seventies, eighties, nineties, and the first twelve years of this decade. Each generation gets inspired by those who came before them. Even the present generation take their cues from the Western scene. But surely they must have been aware of Indian musicians who have come before them and performed and recorded. They have added to the scene.

FE-You have mentioned in interviews of being fascinated by the music scene of India in the sixties. What exactly was the clinching point or the deciding factor that made you go ahead and form the fan page ?

JP- I knew there were blogs and other pages on the Net. I have seen them and I just decided to start one and add to it.

FE-What can a fan expect from the page?

JP- Initially we started with the page with visuals and links to songs that are on the Net. Then I set about building up data on the bands and singers. That will take a lot of work as I try to make contacts with musicians and get their stories down. Then we also mention current happenings when we hear about it especially if it is mentioned on the Net. I cannot compete with Rock Street Journal and the mainstream dailies. We just add another channel. Hopefully it builds.

George Harrison recording Wonder Wall in Bombay in 1969

FE-The normal course of action is a website leading to a fan page but here, you have started out on facebook first. You plan to chronicle a book on those lines too. Do you have any future plans of a website catering to a greater audience on this theme?

JP- Books will be done by other scholars and researchers. I am just trying to create excitement and awareness. Think of the Western scene where even stalwarts of eons ago like Beatles and Rolling Stones are dissected. We try to do similar for the Indian scene.

FE-As a suggestion you had mentioned , about selection criteria. I am genuinely intrigued. Is there a selection criteria for inclusions into the archives? If so, may we know what they are?

JP-No selection criteria. Initially I started the page titled India Sixties Music. Then Radha Thomas who sang with Human Bondage in the sixties suggested opening it up to include music that came later all the way to the present. I agreed to that and we changed the title to India Sixties And Beyond Music.

FE-Is India sixties and beyond music a one man show ? (other than the fans of course)

JP- Yes it is. It is one man now. But I have many mentors and friends who encourage and give help. I am grateful to them. I have also made many friends in India because of this site and I think that is wonderful.

FE-What I meant to ask was is there any other person officially on the team other than yourself? And If somebody wanted to volunteer to be on the team…

- I would welcome additions to the team because one single person could not possibly cover the entire Indian music scene.

FE-What were the challenges that you had faced on the project? Information? Manpower? Finances? Response from the people in general? Cynicism?

JP- Initially information. Because I am quite remote being in Singapore. But the net is a great help and there is much information on the Net and music on You Tube. I have made contact with a German who has an amazing blog titled www.hindustanivinyl.com

He made contact and made available some rare recordings on the blog. He sells Indian records but has been generous enough to share songs by artistes like Cavaliers, Raja Andrews And The Nawabs, Savages, Usha Iyer etc

Manpower is not a problem unless it grows really big. It is doable for now. The challenge is to keep it going. The response has been encouraging. I have had comments like “About time” and “More please”. Discussion about bands and music would be great to keep dialogue going. Then there have been people asking for information on a particular act and that gets me going finding information. I don’t really detect cynicism yet. It will come though.

FE-Any legacy if not passed down to the next generation becomes lost in history. And the gen next is a restless , inquisitive lot. How do you plan to involve them and hold their interest? What newer things can we expect from the page?

JP-Your first statement holds true. Once it gets too remote it loses touch. That is when it diminishes and vanishes in the mists of time. Capture it, documents it and then pass it on. More discussion, more suggestions and perhaps give the young generation a desire to be a journeyman musician. Musicians are called I think. Like people of the cloth, medicine, law, journalism. You cannot explain why.

FE-Fascination seems the primary response you had for India sixties music scene. Now that you have reached out, collected memorabilia, extracted data, observed and discussed about it, add to it you have done a similar project on the Singapore music scene of the sixties, a musician yourself-could we have a detailed dissection about the India sixties and seventies music scene? How different is the present scenario from the times back then?

JP- In the present days resources abound. In the old days meaning the sixties people learned to make do. For example, India had an import ban on music equipment and instruments. This resulted in people in bands resorting to home made amplification or amps made locally. But it created an opportunity for home grown luthiers to practise their craft. Meaning made in India instruments. Before the electric bass made their appearance, six string guitars were used in which the designated bass players played bass riffs. Of course they sounded tinny. Because they did not have the requisite bottom. In spite of handicaps like the above mentioned the bands persisted. Records were hard to come by and there was much sharing. In those desperate circumstances creation was all the more precious and remembered in that back drop becomes more poignant.

Hearts were big then and desire desperate. I needed to be in a band, I will sell my soul to learn an instrument. These are just touchpoints. I will need many hours and many lines in order to dissect the scene in a question. That is what the site is for. To do that. Dissect the scene ad nauseam. Out of that comes understanding and lessons for the present.

FE -Can we expect a bigger picture in the future? Like the general all encompassing Music scenario of the world? A kind of database, archives of the evolution of western music since the early twentieth century?( I ask this because in one of your comment thread in facebook, I read someone, a student of music I think expressing the need for one as there was hardly any organised content regarding this)

- That would be nearly impossible. At best one could do countries. Even a sub continent like India with over a billion people would theoretically have a huge scene. Look at the different states in India all having their own scene. Geographically it is wide. To cover it in depth requires work and resources and time. Best to start with a smaller area defined by time. Like India Sixties and focus on that. Another expert on India Seventies, another on India Eighties, another on India Nineties and so forth. Then cover it thoroughly. The resources are there and it is easier to reach out. But a World Database is a nearly impossible scenario. Lofty but impossible.

Well Mr Pereira certainly have overcome two humongous tasks that he had set out to do. (He has done similar research on the Singapore Music scene too) and though he humbly states that it is near impossible to create a world database, seeing his determination and dedication, it will not be surprising to see him exactly do that. At least our best wishes are certainly with him.

You can follow India sixties and beyond music fan page by visiting it through this link

http://www.facebook.com/pages/India-Sixties-and-Beyond-Music/147952891964475?ref=ts

[When we are talking about graphics and animations and comics and cartoons, it would be inapt to forget the world-renowned cartoonists of India. If not all, Mario Miranda, who breathed his last in his ancestral home at Loutolim, Goa, in the early hours of Sunday, 11^th December, definitely needs to be mentioned. Here’s a tribute to the maestro,by Hrishikesh Bharali ]

Among the myriad faces in the Indian cartoonists scene, there features a Goan named Mario Miranda whose vignettes of Goan life on canvas in his trademark style captured the imaginations of the people for over two decades and put India on the world map. His lack of formal training in the nuances of cartoon never proved to be a constraint in his way up the ladder. Although, comparisons with his more illustrious contemporary R.K. Laxman were rife, Mario Miranda was successful in carving his own niche in the world of cartoon. As his long-time friend Khushwant Singh puts it in his inimitable style, “Comparisons with RK Laxman were inevitable. Everyone agreed that there was no cartoonist in the world to match Laxman. He agreed with the assessment and exuded an aura of self-esteem. Mario, on the other hand, had very little self-esteem and exuded an aura of modesty.”

Khushwant Singh further delineates the structural shift in their bailiwick that reflected in their doodles.”Laxman’s cartoons made political social statements. Mario simply depicted Bombay’s upper class or the common folk of his native Goa. His cartoons depicted farmers clad in nothing more than langotis (loin cloth) and their women folk in bars sipping local Feni. He also made cartoons of fisher folk, fish markets, cathedrals and the Goan country-side. Both contributed handsomely to the spectacular increase in the circulation of The Illustrated Weekly of India.”

Ironically, he went on to work with R.K. Laxman during his stint with Times of India.

Miranda was born on May 2, 1926 in Daman and did his schooling at St Joseph’s high school, Bangalore and did his BA in history at St Xavier’s college, Mumbai. Mario displayed a keen interest in sketching and caricaturing from an early age. He used the walls of his own house in Loutolim as a canvas for his creations, to the utter dismay of his mother, who finally brought him a blank book. He even started getting into trouble at school, for sketching Catholic priests!

He started his career as a cartoonist for the Times of India Group in 1953 and later moved into illustration and fine art. He rose to fame for his creations such as Miss Nimbupani and Miss Fonseca which appeared on a regular basis in Femina, Economic Times, and The Illustrated Weekly of India..

Miranda was offered the Fundacao Calouste Gulbenkian Scholarship, which enabled him to travel to and stay a year in Portugal and this time in Portugal, according to Miranda, helped him to broaden his horizons. After a year in Portugal, Miranda travelled to London, England and was to spend five years there, learning as well as doing jobs for newspapers and even worked in television animation, at Independent Television.

Miranda’s cartoons were featured in the magazines Lilliput, Mad (once), and Punch (twice). This supplemented his finances, and enabled him to travel around Europe, interacting with other cartoonists, gaining considerable knowledge and exposure. This led to his meeting of Sir Ronald Searle, whom Miranda considered his mentor.

Besides cartooning, Mario’s murals continue to adorn the walls of south Mumbai’s famous Mondegar Café. His calendars, year-planners for various publications, private and governmentorganisations, illustrated diaries and books continue to be treasured possessions.

He has illustrated numerous books including Inside Goa by Manohar Malgonkar, A family in Goa and The Open Eyes by Dom Moraes, children’s books authored by Uma Anand like Dul-Dul, The Magic Clay Horse,The Long-tailed Langoor and The Adventures of Pilla the Pup, in Mumbai.

He has also penned several books, including Goa with Love, A little World of Humor, Sketch book, Germany in Wintertime, Impression of Paris and Mario de Miranda.

In his long career span of six decades, Mario has held solo exhibitions in over 22 countries, including the United States, Japan, Brazil, Australia, Singapore, France, Yugoslavia, and Portugal. He was honoured with the Padma Shri in 1988 and the Padma Bhushan in 2002. The All India Cartoonists’ Association, Bangalore, honoured him with a lifetime achievement award. The King of Spain, Juan Carlos, conferred on Mario the highest civilian honour of ‘la Cruz de Isabel la Catolica’ which was presented to him on 11 Nov,2009 at his family home in Loutulim by Don Miguel Nieto Sandoval and on 29^th Dec,2009 Portugal. He was also decorated with the title of “Comendador da Ordem de InfanteD.Henrique”, a Portuguese National Order of Knighthood.

He will be best remembered for the ubiquitous man-in-the-bulb logo of Khushwant Singh in which he is shown scribbling on a sheet of paper with a pile of books on one side and a bottle of whisky on the other.” Ever since, whenever my articles appear, editors use the bulb logo designed by Mario Miranda over forty years ago. Believe it or not, on many occasions I have received letters simply addressed to: Man-in-the-bulb, New Delhi!”, adds Khushwant Singh.

An avid traveller and music, Mario married Habiba Hydari, an artist. The couple has two sons – Rahul, a hair stylist in New York, and Rishad, a cartoonist based in Goa.

In the wee hours of Sunday, 11^th of December, Mario Miranda left for his heavenly abode at the age of 85 leaving behind a rich contribution to the Indian Cartoon depository.

Oh Eco friendly nature ke rakhshak , the song blared out loud from my music system as I clicked on the link that Sanjeeta had sent to me and should I call it a providence, but it led to me an initiative ‘Oh My India-’ about eco friendly lifestyle. I was intrigued and clicked some more which led me on to Green Gangtok which said about itself as Eco fashion for the eco conscious. The common thread to both was the owner Omi Gurung. What was the triangle all about?

Omi Gurung from Sikkim, now based in Bangalore , an achiever throughout , is an activist, a writer and editor, an entrepreneur and also a successful fashion designer to boot. At the age of 22, he was the editor for Dateline Bangalore and later worked as a fashion editor for a youth magazine in Bangalore. He has also been featured in leading newspapers in India like The Hindu,DNA, Vijay Times, TOI,Bangalore Mirror, Talk Sikkim, The New Indian Express, Deccan Herald, Deccan Chronicle, Midday, Prajawani, Usha Kiran, Vijaya Next, Udayavani,Sikkim Mail and many more.At the age of 25 he has proved to the world his commitment to the environment and also has dared to be different with Oh My India and Green Gangtok -an eco boutique, a first of its kind in Sikkim. We had the opportunity to have him as our guest and enjoy a short chit chat with him, here in Fried Eye.

Q1/ Omi Gurung (Sandeep Gurung) ,fashion designer, writer, editor, entrepreneur, visionary: a topper in school and college, award winning designs, editor at the young age of 22, an activist and finally an entrepreneur. all at the young, very young age of 25 years. Who or what has shaped/inspired Omi Gurung to be what he is today ?

I draw my inspiration from the surrounding, it could be anything living or non-living entity. A keen observer and a fast learner I have learned it hard way from the university of life. It was my determination and aspiration to do and be something in life that gave an identity to my name. It would be unfair if I do not mention my parents and teachers, they have played a vital role during my growing years.

Q2/ Opting for a career as a Fashion Designer (which is still considered unconventional in Indian society), was it difficult for you to pursue it? Did you have to face any hardships or objections?

Oh yes, many; where do I begin my story with (lol). Fashion Designing was an alien culture 10 years back and for a bright student to pursue it as a career did raise eyebrows. No one in my family was happy of my decision but as time passed, achievements did help break the silence. Reading about “ME” on national dailies made them feel happy and proud too. However, I was focused and worked hard to accomplish my dreams.

Q3/At the age of 22 you turned into an Editor and writer? How did writing and magazines happen?

Well, designing and writing are two things close to my heart since childhood. When some one asked what do you want to be when you grow up? My answer was always Fashion designer cum writer. I still remember many laughed and said next to impossible for a little boy from hills to make it big. But I knew, if Bandana Tiwari (Fashion features director, Vogue India) could make it, why not me? She too was fom a small state Sikkim. So when I came to Bangalore, I also came along with my dreams. While I was in my fashion college, I made it a point to take out time for writing too and in a year I was writing for several online portals like Burrp and Desiblitz. By the year I graduated, my style tips was published by several publications in Bangalore. Later after few years I enrolled for PG Diploma in Jornalism from Sri Sri Centre for Media Studies and was chosen as editor for the inhouse lab journal. I never came second, first became my default rank in SSCMS. Bangalore had accepted me and so did I, it became my home. I was in love with the place and people there, met several people from all walks of life and explored the city as a localite. I could feel the pulse of the city and knew what was happening. As I graduated from SSCMS, I was offered a post of fashion editor. It was because of my networking skills and past writing experiences, I was the chosen one.

Q4/Which one do you consider yourself more? A writer or a fashion designer

I consider myself as an artist as I design, write and advocate.

Q5/ OMI and Green Gangtok, your pet projects, are both committed to a green lifestyle. Could you please share with us a little bit about them? Their objectives and aims, their functions,. How different are they from each other?

Oh My India (OMI) is not an NGO, it is an initiative that catalysis change in the lifestyle of people in India by creating awareness to Reduce, Reuse and Recycle domestic waste and helping them to get started. We believe that by following 3R concept and going green, we can do our bit to protect the environment and is a great way to reduce environmental footprint as well.

At OMI, we advocate about green living habits i.e. we CARE, we SHARE, we INSPIRE. We care for our mother earth, so we share ideas and information on green lifestyle via social networking sites and in the process, we inspire others to be the change. We also conduct workshop, where we tell you how you can use your household waste to make fashionable stuff and educate people on sustainable fashion and green lifestyle in India. OMI also make upcycled products.

Oh My India was started as a social group on Facebook on 10 May, 2010 . In a short span of time Oh My India has inspired many and evolved to be the change.

Green Gangtok is an eco friendly fashion boutique, first of its kind in Sikkim. The boutique houses an array of exciting fashionable green choices in apparels, accessories and aretefacts.The products are natural, upcycled and as well as sustainable and fair. Green Gangtok highlight designers who are pushing the envelope in eco-friendly design without compromising their vision and aesthetic. The boutique is also committed to the promotion of hand skills, self-expression and craftsmanship, combining a sense of social purpose and the spirit of collective creativity.

Q- How did you come upon or what made you take up environmental issues as your projects or causes?

I have been brought up in hills in a lush green environment with panoramic view of breath taking Kanchendzonga and I have always been used to a green lifestyle since childhood. So green living was always a part of my life. When I came to Bangalore, ten years back it was green (literally) but over past few years it has turned grey, so I felt it is high time we must do something before it turns black. And OMI was a way out , a green initiative to create awareness. Today OMI has traveled beyond Bangalore, changing lives for betterment and inspiring many.

Q6/ What has been the response to OMI and Green Gangtok from the people in general?

It has been a very rewarding experience. It is nice to receive emails and phone calls from people world wide and sometimes celebrities too expressing their love and interest for OMI.

Q7/ Did you face any setbacks while starting up Green Gangtok? What has been the experience like till date?

Green Gangtok is a new venture and hardly six months old. It is too early to comment on it but yes so far it has been a wonderful experience. I get to learn a lot from the customers feedback. It is a new concept to them. Many do not know what is eco-friendly boutique? So, a venture like Green Gangtok also educates and create awareness about green lifestyle.

Q8/ At present Green Gangtok is in Sikkim while you are based in Bangalore. So how do you manage it? Any plans of expanding the chain of boutiques?

Yes, it is tough but not impossible. I travel often to and fro too. Dad takes care of Green Gangtok sometimes or else my small brother is always there to look after. Thanks to facebook, makes my life easier, 90% of communication and transaction happens online, so I take care of it.

Q9/ Any more future projects from OMI and Green Gangtok?

Yes, we do have several interesting plans for OMI. We want more youth to be a part of the green initiative from different parts of India. So, we have plans to travel and conduct sustainable workshops in different places. We will also be frequently updating our weblog www.ohmyindia.co.nr with news and information on green lifestyle. It will also be a great learning source of DIY ideas where people can learn the craft of making fashionable stuffs out of household waste.

As far as Green Gangtok is concerned we are planning to open up e-store, so that people from North East can buy green products staying at home with just a click.

Q10,/ Coming back to writing, you have done a brilliant job for Midday ( from a sting operation to articles on serious issues). please tell us a little about your experience as a writer. Any incident, personality or story that you covered that left quite an impression on your mind?

Yes, I was suppose to do an interview with Laxmi Narayan Tripathi (Hijra Guru). We had a few telephonic conversation but unfortunately I could not do the interview as I left the publication. However, it was so nice to discover how humble and polite she was. Sometimes, it just takes few minutes to make you understand many things in life and my short conversations with her was one. In future I would love to do an interview with her and ask many unanswered questions.

Q12/ Multitasking has been very much a part of your life as you play multiple roles through out the day- Designer, writer , entrepreneur, activist? How do you slip on and off from each so easily ?

If you do things you love and passionate about, it comes naturally to you. It has become a part of my life. I take care of my work, cook , do all the household chores, meet up with friends, coffee and conversation, call my parents and do many other things. It just flows, I think you can’t plan it, you just do it when you feel like and this is one of the perk when you work for yourself.

Q13/please share with us your secret of effective time management.

Shh…come closer, secret is there is no secret to effective time management. Each individual has different lifestyle, so there is no formula to it. You have to build your own way out . All I can say is do things you want and don’t waste your time doing things you don’t want to.

Q14/Any message to our readers?

Life is beautiful! If you do not agree , look in the mirror and ask why? Listen to what the person in the mirror has to say. Now close your eyes and ask thyself why did that person in the mirror said life is not beautiful and try to listen to your heart. There will be an answer to your question.

Q15 / And finally , we would like to thank you for your precious time, but before taking leave could you please share a few fashion/lifestyle tips with us keeping the christmas season and winters in mind.

This festive season, try to make handmade gifts for your loved ones but take extra care to make it special. If time is the problem there are many online stores where you can get up-cycled gifts. Use ecofriendly products to decorate your house and do not go OTT when it comes to decor. For example you can use bees wax candle for a change instead of regular parrafin wax.

Layering is in when it comes to fashion for both sexes. Accessories like beret, muffler and scarves are back in use. Try to go for checks and plaids they have made a come back.

Joshish, Betukay,Maujood, Manaazil, Ird Gird… Do they sound familiar to you or do they seem like words lifted straight from a beautiful verse? If they sound familiar, then obviously you have heard of Joshish , the experimental/progressive rock band from Bhopal, now based in Mumbai who shot into the limelight of the Indian Rock Music scenario with MTV Rock on, where they were featured as one of the top ten Indi rock bands . Those who haven’t heard of them till date , I strongly recommend checking them out in My Space and You tube starting with their first official release of 2007- Ho Subah till the current Betukay which has already begun to create waves globally for its  uniqueness

What  appears to be their USP as observed from a mini survey that we had conducted among a section of our readers were the strong vocals and guitar solos , supported aptly by the riffs and meaningful lyrics combined with a raw energy.

Fried Eye had the opportunity to chat up with their frontman  cum guitarist cum lyricist Sameer Rahat who spoke at length about their struggle, their aspirations and their music. He was never short of words or for that matter of humour and enthusiasm either. No wonder they never ran short of words for their songs and not just Betukay words but rather deep and meaningful ones with an underlying message for the people.  Sameer does seem to have an ear for the right words as can be seen from the choice of titles (He being responsible for the lyrics- “Yes, lyrics are totally my zone.” Though a regular creative session is usually an unplanned one and a team work, but lyrics is something that is exclusively for Sameer) . From Joshish to Betukay, Moujood, Manazil  and their next on the pipeline Ird Gird every title had been chosen with care. Hence the first question that was thrown at them was precisely about the name of the Band- Joshish.  Sameer patiently explained how much thought had gone into the naming of the band as they wanted an unique name that could convey the essence of their music and ‘something which would be exclusively found in google’ and he had come up with Joshish, a Arabian Persian word meaning passion, a crusade. Just like he had come up with Ird Gird, their upcoming album, which he said would be about the everyday perception of life -Things that just happened around you and how they affect you in different ways

Betukay, a song about self empowerment, is a different experimentation and a total deviation from what they had been playing till date. This is their third official release and they had released earlier Ho Subah and Still not too late. Ho Subah was an impressive debut, a mellow track focusing on Terrorism and Hope and was well received by their fans.

“ We have come a long way since Ho Subah , but for us it will always remain a special one “ said Sameer fondly remembering their first taste of success. Ho Subah though well received was comparatively underpromoted and hence it stayed confined to only a section of listeners. Fresh and new in the circuit back then , they were “more into making meaningful music rather than commercializing it” and were just happy to play good music and thrill their fans. After Still not too late, they decided to take a break from the recording studios and instead “decided to concentrate on self discovery and discovering what their music was”. They however  continued playing in the local college and festival circuit. But wherever they went they strictly stuck to their own compositions and so songs like Maujood and Manaazil became a rage over a period. The only time when they had to belt out Bollywood tracks instead of their own  was in MTV Rock On where their reluctance to do so always gave them  a different  aspect then the other bands  and their disinclination towards not playing their own songs was the top story throughout the season, but they still managed to stay among the top four despite their discomfiture.

Five years since they decided to create music together , they have managed to stay together through thick and thin, carrying forward their dream and passion – A journey which had seen many hardships , struggle, balancing acts and changes in line up of their band, finally settling down to the original line up of Sameer the lead vocalist and on bass guitars, Shwetang Shankar on the drums and Shatarchi Hundet  on the lead guitars and effects. – A journey which had made them shift base from  to Mumbai and one which had turned out to be a right move providing them with wider scope and opportunity .

“WE are still in a struggling phase” Sameer maintained.

Their humble origins from Bhopal was often met with skepticism, but in spite of all their odds, their focus and hard work paid off and Betukay was released. I could sense their focus when Sameer replied in the negative to my query of their highest point of their musical career.

“ We are still struggling and Our highest point is yet to come, which we hope to attain with Ird Gird if everything turns out well.”

Betukay which is an experimentation, is a door, a key to more promising things to come. Speaking of Betukay, I could sense the excitement at the other end of the line as Sameer spoke of global acceptance of Betukay. They have been featured in Big M and they also have been approached by a UK based magazine for an interview and promotion of Betukay.   What strikes you most in Betukay is the singularity of its sound and is quite different from what the listeners are accustomed to when they conjure up images of Indi Rock. “We want our music to be global in sound yet one which anyone can relate to.” I agreed with him when he said that Rock music catered to only a niche audience in India, and he wished with all his heart for it to be far reaching.

“I want that our music should reach every man. Even the autowallahs” And that is the reason they had stuck to hindi as their medium while experimenting with the genre. He confessed of facing some cynicism from some quarters for  Betukay for its atypical  feel  but finally what mattered was that they had taken the long planned first step towards their vision of mass acceptance which they are hoping from Ird Gird next year. I made a mental note to myself to follow it up when it released next year. Ho Subah had certainly made a mark on my mind and I certainly was going to watch out for more.

On a lighter note I asked him which song or songs would he recommend to a first time listener . He paused only for a few seconds before replying Maujood and Betukay-Betukay for the ”technical stuff” he added. So now you know which one to head for if you are a first time listener of Joshish. Maujood though still unreleased, has been played many times onstage and is one of the popular numbers of the band.  The words stage show suddenly reminded me how their fans had applauded their live acts as an audio visual treat and I decided to worm out the secret of their on stage success.

“Humour ! Plenty of Stupid Humour!’ and I couldn’t refrain myself from chuckling out aloud. Not everyday did you get a man who could laugh at himself. “ We chat and interact a lot with our fans between performances, crack jokes…  “ and also keep the atmosphere charged probably.

Ironically I decided to ask him about a somewhat serious matter just when we were warming up to the conversation. On inquiring what positive change he would like to see at present if one compared the Indian rock music scenario progressively from 1960s, he replied  “Media has been one positive change ” Media’s evolution as a music friendly entity promoting upcoming talents through magazines, television and online magazines has been like a breath of fresh air  to the Indian music scenario .

The one positive change that he would like to see now is the involvement of Bollywood in propagating Rock music among the masses which he said is sadly lacking and is one area with immense potential for mass propagation. But Bollywood has so far managed to stay away from the Indian Rock musicians.

Black Friday was an exception, but again that was Indian Ocean, an already established band. More over what they would really like to see about Rock music in movies is not as a situational music or something with a filmy touch, but rather rock music just for its entire sake which is not based on demands of the Director of the movie.  And by that same logic, for real rock music, it would have to be composed by real rock musicians.

“And so they should in that manner give a chance to the upcoming bands. In fact they should try us too.”  he added cheekily.  If confidence, hard work and focus is a path to success, then they surely are on the right track.  Finally it was time to wind up the interview and I asked him if there was any message for the readers and fans from them. And yes , he did have a message! He had one special requests for his fans, over and above the promise to give the best ,and that was to download legally the songs which were available at a minimal cost instead of downloading them illegally and encouraging piracy . After all one needs money to sustain and create good music too. Agreed Sameer! Creativity does need money to sustain.

The name is Dipayan Bhattacharjee. Yes, it’s obvious that each one of you reading this by now must be going “seriously! what’s in a name?”. Yes, agreed what’s really in a name, because what is important is productivity in terms of bombarding even the smallest  things that  matter and creates an impact.

Dipayan Bhattacharjee

In reference to this young lad the same applies, so  though his name may not really count, but his works speaks a thousand words for him. Everything that he capture still unfolds stories relevant to the different wonders of life in all forms and means possible. Down to earth he is, but on the contrary his still frames are not confined to the same nature of his being, so hence cannot be attributed to his characteristics.

Nonetheless, this newly emerged photographer has cemented himself as a rising artist in the field of photography here in the hills of Shillong, and a talent to reckoned with. Having done shoots with renowned Bands in the likes of Soulmate, Afflatus & Street Stories et all, Dipayan Bhattacharjee is all geared up to get established as an inspirational photographer set in stone and also to be among one of the top notch geniuses in this particular field of art and come forth to sweep the country with the force of his brilliant and innovative pictures.

AFFLATUS - Photographed by Dipayan Bhattacharjee

RM-You first started out as an animator; what’s with the transformation or the evolution to a photographer now? How did it happen?

DB-I believe this world is an amazing place, where every creation of God is beautiful. And I believe that every person, animal, place or thing can be photogenic .I only try to bring that to the eyes of everyone. Animation was more about creating my own world. And I still enjoy doing that. But then again, there is nothing like a “Beautiful Fact” rather an “Amazing Fiction”.

RM-Do you intent to make this your full time career?

DB-Yes, definitely. I’m working hard to do that. I hope my friends and fans continue their support and I’m always able to deliver quality work.

RM-Musicians, nature, normal people or street photography?

DB-Anything, that has to do with people. Be it Fashion, Street, Portraiture or Events. I just love       people.

RM-Any favorite picture that you’ve clicked could you please describe it a little bit.

DB-That’s a tough one. Every photographer loves each work of his. There is a story associated with it. And when the shutter is released, it takes an instant out of time, giving a life-time achievement for the artist. But yet, with the amount of hard work and output that I received, my favorite picture is not exactly a single frame but an entire theme that I had shot with my sister. The name was “A SOUL IN THE WOODS”. It was conceptualized as “the soul of a girl that lives in the woods, alone and never bothers anyone. She lives in a world of her own, amongst the ashes of her own existence.”

A soul in the woods

RM-Capture at the moment or plan simultaneously before getting into the subject or object front?

DB-Good one.Well, no matter how much a person says that he/she takes a shot at the moment, there is always some planning involved. Even if its only as long as you raise your camera from the bag to your eye. Planning is inevitable. But well, street shots involve lesser planning, while portraiture has more of it.

RM-Inspirations…?

DB-Plenty of them. In fact every great picture I see, inspires me. For me, inspiration comes lesser from the photographer and more from the photograph itself. But yet, to be honest, my inspiration for Street Photography came from seeing the works of Paul Swee, a Chinese street photographer.

RM-How is Shillong ?

DB-Shillong… to photograph or to learn photography..?? To photograph, I’m proud to be from Shillong. So much of nature, landscapes, tribes, colors, variations, and the list can go on and on forever. But to learn… well, it really needs to do a lot more in the field.

RM-You have attained fame with bands pictures in the likes of Soulmate, Afflatus, Street Stories and Dooser’s Urge. An insight on the following shooting experiences and post recognitions periods?

DB-I got my first break in the professional market shooting with the band Street Stories. Though I wouldn’t say it was one of my best shoot, yet, their pictures helped me get a lot of recognition. Then it was Dosser’s Urge. I saw the improvement myself. One of their pictures even came up in Eclectic Vibes magazine. Then I did the shoot with Afflatus, one of my best works till day. It also earned me the cover page of Eclectic Vibes- The best recognition I could have earned at such an early stage. Next was Soulmate, another marvelous experience and again the “center spread” of Eclectic. It’s been just 10 months that I’ve picked up a DSLR and what I’ve earned in such a short time span genuinely means a lot to me.

Soulmate - Photograph by Dipayan Bhattacharjee

RM-Favorite contemporary photographer.

DB- Paul Swee again… A man who truly lives up to the company he works for – AN INVISIBLE PHOTOGRAPHER, Asia.

RM-They say that photography is fun expressed  with utter delight…….

DB-”Utter delight” – that’s the best word you could use. Of course its THE BEST THING to do. And I absolutely love what I’m doing. I shoot the portrait of a girl, and fall in love with her on my editing table… I shoot a candid moment on the street, and feel myself so much closer to life… I shoot a beautiful landscape, and start to dream of being there forever. All my thoughts, all my emotions, all of my inner-self, comes out in my pictures. Isn’t it the best way to express?

Taking time off from his busy food promotion travel to respond to few questions that I had for him on his journey with food was a conversation to be savored of. In a very humble tone he vividly puts in, cooking as an ART! With Chef Yu Hing Tham, the Regional Executive Chef of Republic of Noodles, The Lemon Tree Hotel Company, cooking seems to be elegantly easy but speak on an ingredient; it seems all types of possible forms of recipes ran at the back of his mind with strings of details. His innovative cuisines have blends of traditional Assamese ingredients into Asian style and carry the reminiscence of techniques learnt at home since childhood.

  Born and brought up in the wilderness of Tezpur, a town with bountiful rich history and tradition, his food disclosure had the native flavor twisted in Asian cooking.  ‘Food satiates’ he says. To Yu, cooking has been hereditary. He inherited the skills from his grandmother, his parents and even his brother who used to prepare recipes from Femina magazine. His father has been the source of inspiration always. As a child he never missed the graffiti on The Telegraph and his childhood memories were engulfed by Sundays relishing the dish of pork-bitter gourd curry which his mother used to make lovingly for the whole family. It is his favourite dish ever and has introduced the recipe in the Republicof Noodlestoo. The cuisine is prepared with black bean sauce, mustard, finely chopped bitter gourds and pork meat shreds. ‘Rub salt to take away the bitterness of bitter gourd’ he said with fond suggestion.

Yu loves Asian cooking and experiment with food to create his own style of cooking. He blends the bold and intense flavor with fresh ingredients fusing the two cultures ofAssamand South- East Asian countries. On tenga (a sour food item in an Assamese household), he says inquisitively ‘there is no recipe for Rabab tenga?’(a popular citrous fruit that is sweet and sour) chili and the salt. Although he confides that the same fruit is used inThailandfor varieties of salad recipes. He opines that even the ‘tog’ (a mixture of sweet and sour type of chutney inAssam), recipes based on ‘ou tenga daali’ (elephant apply pulse) could be excellent cuisines.

Bamboo shoots are his favourite ingredients. On his experience with them he says, bamboo shoots come in varied texture, and give different feeling when eaten. Although used in many different types pickled way, fried way or even straight into pan,  ‘meat and bamboo shoot mix well or simply stir fry it. Its texture gives crunchiness. Bamboo shoot is one kind of ingredients which cannot be over powered’ he states.  His profound fondness for the fiery ‘bhoot jolokia’         ( King chili) found way to the menu. He takes up with pride the introduction of bhoot jolokia in sauce  to blend with Asian cuisines and is on way to introduce other aromatic chilies fromAssam especially the tiny ( kon koni jolokia)  chilies  and the ‘dhan jolokia’ in Asian cuisines. With training from National Council of Hotel Management and Catering Technology, Pusa and with his experiences in International The Grand and Marriot Resort, he continues to learn and fuse his cooking with love and respect. He dreams of opening his own chain of restaurant. Fried Eye team wishes him success in his endeavor.

Chef Yu Hing Tham

Recipes by  Chef Yu Hing Tham

 Popiah je – Spring Rolls with Orange Chilli Dip

Ingredients:

Stuffing:

 Garlic, finely chopped

Coriander root paste

Carrot, shredded

Cabbage, shredded

Shitake, shredded

Glass Noodles

Oyster Sauce

Light Soya

Sugar, a pinch

Black pepper, crushed

Spring Onion, shredded

Oil

For Wrapping:

TYJ spring roll sheets (215 mm x 215 mm)

Light corn flour and refined flour batter for sealing

Oil for frying

Preparation:

Filling:

 Heat oil in a wok. Sauté garlic and coriander root paste. Add carrot, cabbage and shitake and toss well. Season with oyster sauce, light soya sauce, sugar and black pepper. Finally add the glass noodles and spring onion. Remove from fire and allow cooling.

For Wrapping:

Take spoonful of the filling and stuff in spring roll sheets. Roll to make spring rolls of size 3 inches. Seal with the batter mixture.

Deep fry till golden brown. Serve with orange chilli dip.

 Stewed Peach With Sweetened Sticky Rice

Ingredients:

For the Stewed Peach:

120 gm Canned Peach

200 ml Orange Squash

50 gm Sugar

2 Cinnamon Sticks

For the Sweetened Sticky Rice:

100 gm Thai Sticky Rice

100 ml Coconut Milk

50 gm Sugar

Pinch of Salt

5 gm tapioca flour

For Garnish:

CaramelizedOrangeRind

Mint Leaves

Orange Segment

Rambutan

Preparation:

Stew the peach in a syrup made with orange squash, sugar and cinnamon sticks for 15 minutes. Remove from fire and let it cool.

Soak the sticky rice in water for 6 hours and steam for 30 minutes till done. Make a sauce out of coconut milk, sugar and pinch of salt. Thicken will tapioca flour mixed in water.

Mix the cooked rice with half of the sweetened coconut milk.

For the presentation mould the sticky rice in a plate and put a peach on top of the molded rice, Pour the sweetened coconut milk and garnish with mint leaves, orange segment and rambutan.