By Kaajal Pradhan Lamba

Ingredients:

For the filling

• Lamb/ Beef Mince - 500 gms.

• Onion                 - 1 medium chopped

• Carrot                 – 1 medium chopped

• Celery                 – 2 stalk chopped

• Garlic            – 1 tbs. finely chopped

• Cognac               - 2 table spoons

• Worcestershire

• Sauce        - 1 table spoon

• Tomato Paste       – 1 table spoon

• Olive Oil`             – 2 table spoons

• All purpose Flour   - 2 table spoons

• Bay Leaf                - 1 no.

• Cinnamon Powder  – 1/8 table spoon

• Clove Powder         – 1/8 tablespoon

• Sage                     – ¼ table spoon

• Thyme                  – ¼ table spoon

• Nutmeg                - grated a pinch

• Mutton/Beef /Chicken Stock       – 300 -400 ml

• Salt & Pepper        – to taste

For the Pastry

• All purpose flour – 350 grams

• Butter unsalted - 200 grams (chilled)

• Iced water - 60 ml + more if required

• Salt                     - 1 tablespoon

• Fine Sugar                   - 1 table spoon

METHOD:

Filling

1. Heat olive oil in a heavy bottomed pan/pot.

2. Add the garlic, fry till fragrant, now add the onion and fry for sometime. Now add the carrot and celery and fry for another 3-4 minutes.

3. Add the minced meat and fry stirring continuously till the meat changes color and enough water has dried out.

4. To this add the flour and fry well till all the ingredients are mixed well.

5. Now add the stock, bay leaf & cognac and bring to a boil. Cover and cook in medium – low heat till the meat is cooked thoroughly and the consistency is quite thick.

6. To this add the Worcestershire sauce, sage, thyme, clove powder, cinnamon powder, grated nutmeg and salt & pepper to taste.

7. Stir and mix well and simmer for another 4-5 mins. 

8. Turn off the heat and let it rest for sometime.

Making the Pie

1. Put the flour and salt and sugar in a bowl and mix well with a fork or whisk.

2. To this add the cubed chilled butter.

3. Using your fingers to crush the butter and mix well the butter & flour till it resembles a crumbly texture. If you are using a Food Processor then pulse the mixture to a crumbly texture for about 15 seconds.

4. Now slowly add the chilled water and using a blunt butter knife. Keep stirring the mixture till it starts to clump together.( 60 ml should be fine use extra only if required).If using food processor then add the water through the feeding tube and pulse for not more than 30 seconds.

5. Now gather the dough on a work surface and bring it together and make a big ball. Divide in two and cover with cling film and put in freezer for at least half an hour or more.

6. In a lightly floured surface roll out the pastry 8 or 9 inch (20 to 23 cm) pie pan. 

7. To prevent the pastry from sticking to the counter and to ensure uniform thickness, keep lifting up and turning the pastry a quarter turn as you roll (always roll from the center of the pastry outwards to get uniform thickness).

8. To make sure it is of right size, take your pie pan, flip it over, and place it on the rolled out pastry. The pastry should be about 2 inches (5 cm) larger than your pan.

9. When the pastry is rolled to the desired size, lightly roll pastry around your rolling pin, dusting off any excess flour as you roll. Unroll onto the top of your pie pan.

10. Gently lay in pan and with your fingertips, lightly press the pastry onto the bottom and up the sides of the pan.

11. Chill the pie crust & remaining dough for 10- 15 minutes.

12. Prick the bottom of the pie with a fork and line with butter paper and place some dried kidney beans for weight and bake in a pre heated oven at 180 C for about 15 minutes and then remove the weight and bake till golden brown.

13. Remove and let the pie crust cool down

14. In the mean time roll out the remaining dough to make the top cover for the pie.

15. Now fill the pie crust with the meat filling and roll the top crust and crimp the edges making sure the top crust is touching the lower crust.

16. Make small incisions on the top crust to allow the steam to escape.

17. Pop it in a pre heated oven at 200 C for 15 – 20 minutes or till the top crust is well browned.

18. Remove and let it sit for sometime and serve with ketchup.

                                                              ‘Mummy you are the best chef- says Ananya as she digs in the meat pie

Picture Courtesy-Petr Kratochvil

“I am a relationship dropout. A divorcee,” she had said with a smile, a sort of sad smile. I wanted to giggle at her witticism but held out my tongue  just in time as I was unsure if it would be appropriate or not. What followed was a bizarre half smile half grimace. A diplomatic expression.

What it is about divorce, that people curl and coil back and shrink with disgust at its slightest mention? Why the scorn? The accusing stares? And the ‘hmms’ and ‘hawwws’?

Is it because deep in our minds we do take it as a relationship dropout thing and look down upon it as we would at a school dropout? Is divorce a kind of failure? No doubt it is taken as a last step or resort to a failed marriage, but why do we take it as a personal failure.

Marriage isn’t a performance nor is it a game. Many feel it to be an investment or an institution as they say, but I feel it to be a sort of unwritten or maybe written agreement between two individuals to lead their lives together as an unit, if you go by technical terms.

If you like the more flowery emotional language then it is an union of two beings, two soul,s committed to stay together till eternity as they imagine it.

But sometimes, agreements have to be terminated, commitments have to be abandoned if the relationship isn’t working out even for either or both of the parties. It happens in business. We don’t frown upon it, but when it comes to marriage or relationship, we become scared- of everything in sight and off sight. Future, kids, society, emotions , loneliness, change -every possible excuses are made to delay the break. The result is that we endure more of it, that which could have been comfortably avoided.

  Sometimes there are legitimate grounds, sometimes the grounds are purely abstract, but it is evident that things are not working out whatever be the reason. You feel restless, trapped, frustrated, claustrophobic in it. What do we do when we feel breathless and claustrophobic ? We move out, isn’t it? We step out in the open air. So should the case be in relationships. But it is seen that we drag on out of hope for a respite or because we have been told to do so. We try to rekindle dead romances and relationships. Can the dead come alive? You will say marriage like any other joint venture in the world needs efforts , sacrifice, understanding to be successful. Of course it does. But there is a big difference between ‘successful’ and ‘compromise’. Marriage like any other joint venture also needs to be abandoned if it is showing loss- Loss of peace of mind, loss of happiness, loss of life and a hopeless sense of loss in totality

Divorce isn’t a punishment, nor is it a revenge. I wouldn’t call it a solution either. Its just a phase one should slip into amicably if deep in your heart you have the feeling that you can’t linger on anymore and that you need to move on.

Of course the future is uncertain. True it is, that a known enemy is better than an unknown friend, but marriage and your life isn’t about friends and foe, its all about moving on to someplace else, if the ground you are on is shaky. Life is a journey, a rather short journey, so move on and live it.

What our eminent author Khushwant Singh has tried portraying through this blunt and stereotypic sexual comedy is the picture of an Indian male, and the relationship with his counterpart women which is basically sexual here. The protagonist is Mohan who being a gifted academic, completes his graduation abroad (U. S) and after rejecting many lucrative offers comes back to India, where his aged father awaited him. Mr. Singh, in a very humorous tone, has depicted the auctioning in an Indian marriage. Even through humour, he is adept in connecting us with the ongoing issues of the Indian society. Mohan does settle down with a handsome dowry and on a sad note, a cranky, jealous and mediocre wife. His marital bliss had its short comings which eventually ended up with a divorce, his loyalty being the best plausible cause.

The story proceeds as Mohan, in an attempt to overcome loneliness, starts having contractual trysts with women, which included an English professor Sarojini Bharadwaj, Molly Gomez,a masseur and Susanthika, a Sri Lankan Diplomat. He being a very young millionaire gives in to lust and then to love, exotically and unnervingly.

The projection of Mohan might seem excessively obscene at times but on a serious note, through some light fencing, the role which he played of a loving son was noteworthy. After the demise of his father, throughout his life till the end he kept going back to Haridwar as a part of his promise to his father and stayed at his father’s room.

Its the story of his “commendable” life where he literally “ate, laughed and made merry”. Mohan was never faithful as a married man. His promiscuity could be derived from his varied relationships with his house maid and his baby’s nurse. His never ending endeavors with a fair set of women, pre and post his marriage stand as vivid examples to this tale. All his life he had a lustful relationship with various women but Susanthika was his last one, she dumping him for the States. His character showed signs of nursing a broken until his infliction with the disease. The story is gripping with funny narrations in uncertain situations. Its erotic as well as engrossing. The author has done full justice depicting the playfulness of Mohan. Also the end do sends a moral to men who portray such promiscuity, Mohan ending up as an AIDS victim. Somewhere it’s an image of what we see around. From lusting after one’s maid to paying for it, this is harsh. And hence, a justice to the title, Mohan’s life in “The company of women”.

A word about the author – he is a brilliant storyteller. Mr. Khushwant Singh has done a wonderful job through this story, he is best in his humor. We don’t usually find writers of his genre in Indian literature.

I practically soaked up all the humor filled emotions throughout the book. The characters are very real and relevant. Its modern day India indeed, no place else would a man go for his maid (jokes apart!). Mohan, was looking for love, let it be physical to his best concern. Also the social message will be an eye opener to people.

To all the people who want to have a good laugh and are ADULTS, you can try this book.

P. S. – girls might want to flinch once after reading it.

Happy reading.

Review by Bhabana Pathak, Guwahati

As a special effort , we have roped in Miss Cellany to answer your queries on relationship or other related matters. Is she experienced? Is she knowledgeable?  Well a twenty something female can be hardly called experienced, but call it irony , though she is visually  impaired, she has both the fore sight and hind sight to see through matters of the heart and mind.

We have three questions from our readers …and now let’s see what Miss C has to say about them

Q-I am an above average Engineering student (a girl), with below average fashion sense. Fashion and I gel like oil with water. My friends say I need to improve on that department , while I feel that, that is a complete waste of time and money. What do you say?

-D

Miss C replies- dear D. Do you like flowers? Which colour adorns the walls of your room? I am sure the cushions and curtains of your house must have been chosen with care? Do you love books? I am sure you keep them neat and covered?  Now tell me do you think they were a waste of time and money. The strength and character of a house isn’t determined by the color of its walls or the garden outside, I know, but still we do like adorning it, beautifying it. Why?  Because it is pleasing to the eye. So, I hope you get my point.

Q- I am a twenty three year old girl, who is in a relationship with a boy. He says he loves me very much. I don’t doubt that. What bothers me is that I don’t feel for him with the same intensity that he does for me. Which I believe is like deceiving him. And so sometimes I feel that I should back out of the relationship. What should I do?

-Rosy

Dear Rosy. How do you measure intensity? By actions? Words? What is making you uncomfortable? His passion and dedication ? Or is it lack of yours? Who are you deceiving? Him or yourself? Do you at all feel for him? There are never any doubts when you really love someone. I would have perfectly understood if you had asked me how to tell him to tone down his affections for it embarrasses you. But here I don’t exactly get why are you asking me what you should do as I know you have already made up your mind to end the relationship. Is it because you wanted a confirmation?

Q-Dear Miss C, how do I propose a girl who is nine years younger to me?- BN

Dear BN there are hundreds of reactions that you might get when you propose a girl. There are dozens of replies she might give , but there is only one way to propose a girl and that is by Letting her know. If you meant how to let her know , then statistically- you may tell it yourself, send a message through a messenger, sms her, mail her, send her a telegram and etc etc. But something tells me the matter isn’t that simple. Did you by chance mean – How to propose a girl nine years younger to me so that she says yes? Frankly speaking if I could answer that I would have been sitting in RAW and solving world issues. I could have said laugh with her, share her interests, impress her and blah blah blah, but I am sure you already knew that. When you love a girl and want her to know, just close your eyes take a deep breath and go completely by your instincts. Miss C can only pray for you. And yes hope for the best but be prepared for a NO. If it is a No , take a deep breath again, look into her eyes, control the anger and just try to remember how much you love her.

If you have more questions for Miss C, then please send them in to editor@friedeye.com with the subject Miss C and it will be featured in our next issues. You do not need to reveal your real identity.

A sentence that is commonly uttered by bosses is “think out of box’ . We are coverng almost every aspect of any kind of relationship in our current edition, so we in FE decided, why not something about a Boss- Subordinate relationship? And as you know the key to a successful Boss- and under-boss relationship is by impressing the boss..

Though hard work is supposed to be the universal and politically correct means of impressing your boss, I am sure not even a single employee is going to agree with that while all the Bosses will unanimously agree with it, so what if in actuality it isn’t so always.

But this isn’t being politically correct.This is about ‘thinking out of box” and hence even the popular answers of praising him, laughing at his stale jokes, carrying out his errand, complimenting etc etc will also be exempted from our list of ‘how to’s .

Without much ado we present before you the list of Fried Eye’s ‘How to impress your boss’?

-The best way to impress your boss is by making him look good and impressive. Even bosses have their superbosses to whom they are answerable or they have wife, media or the general public. If you can make him look good in front of them or help him in enhancing his image, 25 % of your battle is won. The downside is that you have to initially let go of the credit, which he will hog by himself, but can true brilliance be overshadowed by a mere dark spot called Boss? So wait !your day will come too.

-The boss isn’t always right- Yes you don’t have to say ‘The Boss is aways right’ at all. If you feel – if you are confident that Boss is not right just that you don’t point it out to him. Let sleeping egos lie . You do not need to tickle it awake. So what do you do if you come to know your boss is wrong? One -you can silently correct his errors without making it known to him, if at all you are very concerned about the fate of your product.

Second- you can let him be and wait and watch. If nothing happens then fine. If he is proved wrong then he will need a scapegoat. And scapegoats mind you,are impressive. But our advice would be to go for the first option. That way , you protect your product, maintain a silent dignity instead of a mud slinging match and make your boss look good which brings us to point one.

-Ttry to be independent but do take his approval. Do not bring your ego here. It is an official procedure and ensures your protection too. Be sure to get your project endorsed by him, sharing credit with him. You might feel bad sharing the credit for your hard work, but be assured that in any kind of mishap you have your boss to share the blame with you too. No doubt he is impressed because he gets a part of fame, but you don’t need to crib either as you get your insurance .

-Cultivate a talent like singing or the salsa steps or the table tennis shots. When your time comes to shine through in a get together or an office meet, just let go of yourself and become the talk of the office for those moves. The next time your boss will surely remember your name.

-A pretty girlfriend or wife or a handsome famous boyfriend / husband is also a good way to impress your boss. It is the psychology you see. If you are good enough for such a hot successful personality, then obviously you are hot enough for him/her.

There is actually a thin line between impressing your boss and making him jealous and you need to toe the line delicately. It is in fact a tight rope walk where you have to maintain a delicate balance between them. If you manage to do that, then congratulations! You have mastered the art of managing your boss successfully.

So putting up a playlist of songs on relationship in an issue which is wrapped around relationships is passé. And we at Fried Eye don’t believe in doing the passé. But then again, you can’t deny the fact that music and relationship go hand in hand since time memorial, if Hollywood musicals and Bollywood romances are anything to go by. So I decided to take the middle route, and put up a playlist of my favorite sing-along songs. These are songs that you don’t have to be a great singer to be good at; easy to sing along to and sure to make you feel instantly better. And better still, I made sure to put in songs for everyone in here. So grab the microphone (a make-believe one with a comb would do as well), and go solo if there’s no one around. Or else, you know what we say here about singing and sharing right? About how people who sing together stay together? Well, here goes.

-
1. With a little help from my friends (The Beatles): We all love the classics. We all swear by the classics. And we know that one can never go wrong with the Beatles. With a song that says, “I get by with a little help from my friends”, the message really can’t be clearer.

2. Dancing with myself (Glee version by Kevin McHale): I know the Billy Idol original should have been a more natural choice, but I find the Glee version is easier to sing along to. As the title itself says, this is one to idle away those solo hours that you don’t know what to do with. Go ahead, do a little jig, dance with yourself, or rather, sing with yourself.

3. Anyone else but you (The Moldy Peaches): Cut from the lonely straight to the mushy. Made famous by the movie Juno, this is one song no one can go wrong with. Sure the monotone can get a little, well, monotonous, but nothing will give you the satisfaction of singing a song right like this one. Duet alert, though. The experience is best when sung with your boyfriend/girlfriend.

4. Hey Julie (Fountains of Wayne): Now this is one song that made me stop my last minute cramming for a management paper, then start furiously scribbling down the lyrics even as the song kept playing. The wonders of lyrics.com were had not yet been discovered by me, sadly. What I am trying to say here, I guess, is this song is a catchy one to sing along to, and makes for a real sweet dedication to your wife!

5. The show (Lenka): Strictly for the ladies, this one. Got me hooked at first listen some three years ago. Simple lyrics and an easy to follow beat makes this song the ideal sing along to, and is guaranteed to make you feel like an amazing singer!

6. You and I (Ingrid Michaelson): Duet alert again. This heart-warming song is just so adorable you can’t get enough of it. When a song talks about getting rich and getting everybody nice sweaters and teaching them how to dance you know it is no ordinary song. Very catchy lyrics and immensely simple notes.

7. 1234 (Feist): This one is a fairly new addition to my list, really. And I’m mentioning it here because it had me from the very first strike of the guitar (it is no secret acoustic songs are the easiest to sing along to) and the interesting notes ensured that I become a fan of this song. This song has a slight 80’s feel to it, and that’s what makes it even better.

8. Hey there Delilah (Plain White T’s): This one is for the long distance phone calls, guys. With simple lyrics that’s easy to relate to, this song talks about being away from the one you love and how love will one day change everything. The simple flowing notes help too!

9. Perfect Two (Auburn): Okay, I admit the first time I listened to this song I didn’t give it much of a thought. Reminds one of teenage, really. But then again this is a song that will unwittingly take space in that corner of your mind which churns out songs to hum. And surprisingly, this does make me feel really good when I sing it. Ah, simpler times! When it is all about rhyming jelly with belly and berry with marry.

10. The Lazy Song (Bruno Mars): Wrapping it up with the ultimate indulgence, laziness. And what could be a better gift to yourself than a day of doing absolutely nothing at all, and then actually sing about how you spent the day doing nothing at all? Go ahead then, indulge. Bring out the inner lazy you. And proudly sing the lazy anthem.

In continuation with our monthly feature of Global and foreign dishes, we bring before you this photograph of an exotic piece of art of presentation along with food

The last decade has been very eventful. The early 2000s saw the fall of the twin prides and the subsequent hatred for everything Asian. Then as the world was accepting and stabilizing, came the economic crash. The world was glaring at a whole new depression era once again. Economies collapsed, business dried up and the entire global trade nearly washed up. But this was at the macroeconomic level. So what about the bottom-line? The people who make the businesses run, who make the economies flourish, what was up with them? Yes right, the workers, what about them?

There was struggle, yes. But every debacle has an opportunity. If the big IT crashed, the mini IT gained ground. If Nokia went on to being scrap, Samsung set in to rule the mobile handset world. If local companies were being risk averse, Tata Motors brought over Jaguar. Small and medium sized, niche companies were cropping up, finding their place in a world, ravaged by bad economic policies, austerity measures and crumbling markets. IT was the beginning of a brand new world, a Brave New World.

Though the struggle still continues, the world is a much better place today. Companies are tending to show profits, expansion plans are being put into place and jobs are beginning to be listed. The job seeker today need not worry about whether she will be given an opportunity or not. What she has to worry about, is whether she will get the kind of opportunity she desires. Niche skills were, are and will always be in demand. But this time around, there was a change in the scenario. People were not just seeking jobs; they seemed to be seeking justice.

Brave people were ready to quit their cushy jobs to start up small enterprises. Unorthodox businesses were challenging the big rulers. Overall, it was the season of the brave. It was also a time when people desperate to get into jobs had managed to try out unorthodox opportunities. The economic crash had been a blessing in disguise. It gave the people an opportunity to explore other avenues.

The last couple of years have been historic. Factory workers in China have been given their dues, IT is no longer very much cherished, Apple and Samsung have defeated the Goliath Nokia and the world has finally been saved. As we glance around, it’s heartening to see, the jobs are definitely back. The “Professionals” are no longer just the Doctors and the Lawyers. Even a teacher is now a professional. Even a chef is a professional. It’s very interesting to see people venture out and try out things which they would never have dreamt about a decade ago. It’s very encouraging to see people struggle to achieve higher levels of success and not just a successful career. It’s very heartening to see the employees of the world reaching out to redefine and refine the boundaries that bound them. It’s very heartening to see the rise of a new Brave world. Welcome to the future! Welcome to the land of the Brave!

A few days back while watching ; *correction* while attempting to watch the audition of a reality based TV show, I was amused to hear some views about Legalisation of Prostitution in India. No No , there was nothing new in what was being said. The girl who was aptly alluded as Rani of Jhansi by one of the moderators had gone fully ballistic against the legalisation attributing it to being immora,l illegal and against our Indian culture. Sigh! Not a surprise coming from a semi fire brand like her , but what surprised me with a tinge of disappointment was that the so called ‘modern thinkers like the moderators too agreed with her. ‘Indian cultur’e-magic words aren’t they? We do have a tendency to go overboard when we hear the two words, swearing to protect and retain it at the cost of overlooking certain practical issues.

As you might have realised by now , I am pro legalisation of prostitution but not without my reasons and heaven knows I am willing to put forth my points for anyone who is willing to listen to me.

A profession as old as prostitution , one of the oldest in the history of our civilisation, being considered illegal in the name of Indian culture is a bit of an irony. Please do not think that I am promoting it. By all means ban it, but ban it completely. Let every citizen of the country ban it . Impose a total ban, but if you cannot ensure that, then legalise it to minimise the harm. How? I will come to that later and yes, I ain’t evading it . I am ready with my arsenal. It’s just that first I want to know why exactly do you fear to legalise it? What is it that you fear?

If you are a woman, then is it the fear that some of them men will visit it fearlessly? Of course they will, undoubtedly but haven’t they been visiting them in the sly till now? What difference does it make? Once an unfaithful man, always an unfaithful! If the men in your life hadn’t even given a glance at them till now, it is not because they feared prosecution (in today’s world, that is a laugh- I mean someone fearing a prosecution. No body really does) It was so because they loved you and cared for you . Changing the legal status will not change how they feel about you.

Or is it the fear that you have to share your social space with someone who might want to flaunt that she is one of the best escorts available? Do you think that someone would actually like to flaunt it? What are you imagining? Scholarships for bedside manners? National institute of passion and desire? Then I must really salute your extent of imagination. We are still stuck at legalisation , while you have flown ahead in to recognition. One doesn’t need a sixth sense to realise that prostitution is undesirable and demeaning to the dignity of a woman , if I have to use a neutral statement that is. By legalising we are not trying to enhance it, rather we will be just be giving her those benefits that allows her to live in dignity and with some minimum rights rather than being treated like an animal; just here what I have in my mind as an animal is the bull who is taken to an fro for servicing the cows.

If you are a man, you might be apprehensive that it might entice the women in your life for its lucrativeness (if there is such a word) and easy money? Forgive me for being crass , but do you really believe that it might seem lucrative and enjoyable? I am a female and I can tell you that the idea or thought of going to bed, day and night with some random lecherous strangers is revolting to say the least and it must be some really compelling reason that leads a girl to this. Even the behaviour of chasing the easy money in such a manner must be having a deep rooted psycho social reason, if you would like to point things in that perspective . If you want to counteract my argument with the word nymphomania, then my reply- nymphomaniacs will never do it for money. That’s basically a disease. Period.

So we need to rectify the circumstances that leads to the trap of easy money and glamour. For that you have to change the entire system , which I presume will take many years and no, legalisation will not worsen the situation, rather will bring a sort of transparency in the dealings. Now this is where I come to my ‘hows’. How it will benefit them?

No cops demanding bribes.

No pimps to exploit them.

HIV positive rates declines if you lay down some rules

They will come under the blanket cover of state responsibility and live without fear and with some iota of dignity. They can claim medical AID, and maybe with better legislation , a day may come when they might be able to say NO , when they feel like saying NO. But all these will happen only when they are legally accepted. I am not even considering the social aspect because I admit . for such a major social upheaval, one needs time, plenty of time, but legally, as a fellow human being, we do owe it to them to let them exist in dignity.

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