When melody sets the mood
By Poonam Batth
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Aug 5 — From the times of Omar Khayyam, the heady mix of music, food and wine prevails and so do the innovations in this direction. The city hotels and restaurants have kept the Punjabi spirits high with delicacies accompanied by various forms of music. Old timers still fondly remember the first band in the city at Hotel Aroma, Sector 22. It was the Goanese Master D'souza who not only got the jing bang of orchestra here but also brought a crooner with him. Unbelievable? But this had old timers revel on the wooden floor under splendid chandeliers right here in 50s. Come sixties and Calypso, a happening eating joint in Sector 17 had OSIBISA and latest Boney-M numbers playing live for the youth, including the NRIs (Indo-British settled in Africa then).

Much water has passed under the bridge of time. Today Chandigarh boasts of half a dozen hotels and restaurants playing live music much to the delight of both the young and the old who frequent these places. They can eat, talk and enjoy music, all at the same time.

Naresh Jacob was among the firsts in the city to introduce the concept of live band in late 80s by performing in the restaurant of the Sector 10 Hotel Mountview. He said that even at that time, when people would hesitate to socialise till late evenings due to the effects of terrorism, his troupe was able to attract crowds. "But in 90s, there has been a major attitude shift. The awareness that it has brought about is taking Chandigarh on a new high with people all set to break the monotony of dull evenings with live bands,'' he says.

Atul Khanna, a frequent restaurantgoer feels that good live music breaks the regimentation and enlivens the spirits through happy moments. It sure is a good form of entertainment for many others. "Eating out for me has to be a happy blend of good food and music,'' says Atul who believes, "If music be the spice of life, then play on."

A young college lecturer, Keerat, is of the belief that good live music definitely adds to the ambience. "I love to visit such lively places, even if it means paying a little extra for eating which becomes more enjoyable in a better ambience with the group playing one of your favourite numbers,'' she says.

Her friend Suparna also feels that listening to singers in real with actual instruments adds to the beauty of a good evening. However, she only wishes that these groups move away from stereotype agendas and concentrate on singing numbers which suit their style.

On the other hand, elders visiting some of these joints prefer to listen to old melodies which make them remember their youthful days. Jacob's troupe is one such group which entertains maximum requests for old-time popular hits. His music is preferred because of the variety of singers, including Kanchan Kulkarni who also sings duets with him. He also claims that his hi-tech equipment which include a sampler to help mix various instruments on floppies, provides a soothing effect. It has made many swaying upto the dance floor.

Of late, live bands have become brand names. The rush at these joints depend on the fan-following a group enjoys. The Rodrigues brothers, Erol and Edwin, with Ashok Kalhan on the guitar are crowdpullers for Chop-sticks-2, Sector 7, where families turn up to listen to popular English and Hindi numbers, especially evergreen love songs. Erol Rodrigues, lead singer of the group, says, "Every singer can present a number in his own style. But, how best he can reproduce the same before an audience, who have heard the same on the audio cassette is what matters.''

Some families who are regulars here are of the view that the group is simply great when it comes to singing some of the super oldies like 'Que Sera Sera', 'Strangers in the Night', 'Summer Whine' and many other Frank Sinatra's numbers which are not available in the market. The group is also a favourite with youngsters who visit the place to celebrate birthdays. They know that the group will sing for them all their latest requests and of course the birthday jingle.

"It is sheer fun to eat out at a few joints with live bands for they are more interactive than piped music,'' says Ashish Abrol, a banker who enjoys the feeling of being involved in the whole affair through requests. However, he goes for groups which are not the run of the mill who sing same old numbers day in and day out.

A favourite band is a pivot of sale at many units, a little shift of the programme here and there brings the cash register to a collapse. A restaurant can swear by its food but not by its band. Hotel Regency in Sector 35, every year, brings the troupe of Anuradha and Mani from Delhi twice to cash on in the tourist season. This professional couple tries to capture the mood of the audience through their ghazals and old Hindi songs, besides obliging them with foot tapping pop Punjabi numbers.

Mr J.S Likhari, Manager Operations of Hotel Regency, says, "price tag of such bands, including boarding and meals, is very high. But then, they are an added source of attraction for tourists visiting the city. This year, due to a poor tourist season, we have not benefitted much. Hotel Shivalikview, another CITCO-run hotel in the city which has been without a band in its Chinese restuarant, Yangtse, for few months is now on the lookout for one. It will go in for two or more groups so that they can provide visitors the much needed variety by rotating them after 15 days. Other hotels which cash on these bands are Maya Palace and Heritage in Sector 35, Piccadily and Sunbeam in Sector 22, President in Sector 26 and North Park at Panchkula. Hot Millions-Salad Bar, Sector 17, is the latest entrant in the arena.

These joints have to come out with innovative ideas to attract people when these bands have their off day. KC Mezbaan in Sector 17 offers its customers special candlelight dinner on Tuesdays, off day of its band. Most of these bands have Tuesday as their off day. For most bands, it is a part-time occupation, for the going rates which vary between Rs 10,000 and Rs 15,000 are not very lucrative. While a few are music teachers in various schools, others assist in local recording studios and freelance at private parties in their spare time.

"The fortune we spend on our equipment for a better effect will fetch us more money if we start renting out the same to private parties, than what we get from such contracts," says the owner of one such group. Gagan, a private orchestra owner also does not like the idea of being bound to one place, as freelancing gives them wider exposure and more money. From "Those Were the Days My Friend We Thought They Never End'' to "Chaiyan Chaiyan'', live bands have become a norm at social evenings in the city.

‘Remove double standards’
By Sanjeev Singh Bariana
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Aug 5 — There exists near unanimity among intelligentsia of the city in condemning the refusal of the film censor board to clear the latest Shekhar Kapoor movie on queen Elizabeth without wiping out three scenes.

The issue has raked up a controversy as even the director has refused to screen the film in case scenes were “unnecessarily” deleted. A cross section of intellectuals were interviewed by The Tribune on the issue.

Neelam Mann Singh, a theatre personality, dubs the censor board action as unnecessary. She says board has double standards while clearing bulk of films with “unnecessary” and dehumanising violence. “Films with worst scenes have been cleared”, she adds

Neelam says there exists big “artistic difference” for masses and others. It was surprising that even movies like Fire and Godmother had raked up controversy during recent times.

The constitution of boards needed to be studied closely. Otherwise why many useless serials were cleared for the television.

Channi, another artist, criticises the board action. He says he had not seen the movie but had very strong views on double standards in censorship.

Asked to comment on why Shekhar did not pick a national subject for his movie, Channi says subject is the freedom of the director. The movie is not about nations but about basic human life. Prof M.M. Sharma says the cuts in the scenes were absolutely irrelevant. When even movies like Bandit Queen, which had strong expressions of abuses, was cleared this movie had only minor scenes which do not look as additives but as an integral part of the story.

“I feel proud of Shekhar Kapoor for his attempt”, Prof Sharma says and adds that this brings the whole country international recognition.

Prof B.S. Ghumman feels the cuts should have been made in consistency if necessary. The deletions should be justified .

Dr Pushpinder Sayal says she is totally against censorship. The movie is an expression of views on history and also happens to be a film where masses would hardly go.

Even movies like Fire receive similar treatment. When there are no clear guidelines on what could not be shown and “worst screenings” continue, the tampering with an acclaimed project is useless, Professor Sayal feels.

When does eclipse occur
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Aug 5 — The eclipses of the sun and moon occur at new moon and full moon, respectively, so that the one basic time period involved in the occurrence of eclipses is the synodic month— the time of one revolution of the moon around the earth with respect to the sun.

A solar eclipse does not occur at every new moon, because the moon's orbit plane is inclined to the ecliptic - the plane of the orbit of the earth around the sun. The angle of the planes is about five degrees . Thus the Moon can pass well above or below the sun. The line of the intersection of the planes is called the line of the nodes.

The nodes are the two points where the moon's orbit intersects the ecliptic plane. The ascending node (Rahu) is the point where the moon crosses the ecliptic from the south to north, and the descending node (ketu) is where it goes from north to south. The nodes along the orbit from west to east, going completely round the ecliptic in about 19 years. The moon's revolution from one node to the same node again (called the draconic month) takes somewhat less time than a revolution from full moon to full moon (the synodic month).

The next total solar eclipse visible from India will be on July 22,2009.

No shelter for commuters
From Our Correspondent

MUBARIKPUR, Aug 5 — Bus travellers are exposed to the vagaries of the weather in the absence of a proper bus queue shelter at the intersection of the Bhankharpur-Ramgarh and Dera Bassi-Ramgarh roads. Commuters to Panchkula, Ramgarh, Zirakpur and Dera Bassi have to stand on the roadside, under trees or in shops as they wait for buses.

A rain shelter was built by the local panchayat and the shopkeepers some time ago but it did not receive the attention of the Public Works Department (B and R).

The residents of the area complain that the authorities concerned have turned a deaf ear to their complaints about the condition of the rain shelter.

Ms Venita Devi, a commuter, laments that in rough weather, women have to take shelter in shops, stalls and kiosks. They often have to hear dirty comments from the men there.

Mr Madan Lal, a commuter from Ambala, says sometimes the shopkeepers allow them to take shelter in their shops and sometimes they do not extend the courtesy.

A cold drinks stall owner says his business has increased in the last one year as the commuters waiting for buses in front of his stall buy cold drinks and snacks from there.

Tea stall and sweet shop owners say business is better in bad weather when passengers are forced to take shelter in their shops.

Mr Ramesh Kumar Gupta, a former sarpanch of the village, also complains about the poor condition of roads.