The 'kool' & 'yuk' lingo of new gals
By Saurabh Malik
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Dec 20 — "Oh-me-gosh," cries the stunning beauty in distress as desperate hands anxiously search for the car keys in the leather jacket's straight pockets. A sculpture with an accent — American? British? Before you guess, she testifies, "Chabian la-ked in", in true-to-type Punjabi.

"The insertion in speech is effective," asserts Captain Rajnish Talwar, owner of a card and gift shop in Panjab University here. "A fad word here, a cuckoo word there and her brand of Hinglish or Punjlish is no more offensive to ears. You can never tell English wasn't studiously regarded by her till class IV".

The testimony is there for all to hear. "Hauley sheeit, seen ya earlier," breathes li'l beauty Nidhi, placing her fair hand in your's, her mascara-lined fluttering eyes playfully rolling upwards. "Swear upon by Gawd.... seen ya earlier". Before you reply, the plus two "kiddo" yaps, "Yeah, nau I remember.... Hieeeee!"

In days that are no more, the townees, dazzled by city "chicks" in "killing" trunk tops over "chic" torn-at-knee hiphuggers, did struggle for the glamorous new look. The oily dark hair were dyed into silky brown tresses in the first year of college. Next, she ceased muttering "haw" every time friends cuddled their "guys" on the zooming 100 CCs. The identity also changed from Meenakshi to Minks, Pretinder to Pretty. In just three years, she was nothing less than the "Yanken on the geri route."

For vocabulary, she thumbed over the dog-eared dictionary pages looking for the sense of mysterious words in the newspaper editorials.

No more. Today, Word Power Made Easy gathers dust on a wooden shelf in college goer Ruchita's hostel "den" as the damsel of the new world adds "kool man" and "yuk" to her stock of words. Bumping off Queen's English is "purely incidental."

"God damn it! What's wrong with it ?" says ramp model Natasha, shrugging her dusky shoulders. "If you can have guys buzzing around you by gabbing cool, brilliant words then why the hell bust a gut to mug up the fit-for-dust-hole word book. What's the good?"

No wonder now-a-days gulab jamuns are "GJs", rum bottle the "bi' brown thing", rickshawallah "ricky bhaiya". In all hostels for girls, "hai Ram" is replaced by gaping mouth "wow" as "mast" grey rings are exhaled in the smoke saturated room.

"Ouch", shrieks the hosteler, springing off from the bed as ash accidentally falls on the pink sheet. "Guys! Gonna be chucked out one of these days by these crazy ol' buggers if discovered".

Falling in with the "jazzy" new "phonies" are the discotheques. The overhead high wattage speakers boom with old, forgotten Hindi movie melodies as exhilarated "once-towners-now-yipees" in silky short skirts with slits twist and shout on the polished dance floor under the "intelligent" colourful blinking lights.

"Once they were seeking an 'in' into the charmed circle," feels fashion choreographer Jeet Brar. "As English is alien to 'em, Hindi and Punjabi music gives the beat for 'em to let loose their blues".

Explaining the trend, young sociologist Dimple Kapoor says, "It's a reflection of a hollow society. A set-up where unreal projection, not reality, is all that matters. The effort naturally is not on learning and improving but on flaunting what you possess."

"Agree," says psychologist Tulika Singh. "Deliberately picking up slang and using it in overstressed accent is an imitation of the Westerners. The speaker, mostly, is aiming to impress; an act originating, maybe, to cover up low self-esteem or a desperate attempt to compete and fit in the urban peer status. Excessive artificial use of such words may, inadvertently, lead to opposite results. One must watch out such slips of the tongue and psyche".

Better take care next time. Gotta go. See ya. Adieu!

Martial sports academy near completion
Tribune News Service

SAS NAGAR, Dec 20 — The historical town of Anandpur Sahib, which was in the limelight during the tercentenary celebrations of the Khalsa, is all set to figure on the international circuit of martial sports with the Dasmesh Academy of Martial Sports nearing completion. The Punjab Urban Planning and Development Authority (PUDA), the nodal agency developing the academy, is hopeful of dedicating it to the nation by next Baisakhi.

The ambitious Rs 15.50-crore project sponsored by the Central Government was started in September, 1998. Its uniqueness lies in its planning and objectives conceived by PUDA in coordination with the Sports Department, Punjab. Officials behind the project say that the facilities at the academy would be the best in the country. Special impetus would be given to train players from rural areas.

To contribute its bit to the project, the defence authorities have donated two phased-out Vijayanta tanks — once the backbone of the Army. The tanks would stand guard at the entrance of a multi-purpose gymnasium, which is nearly completed. Instead of using bricks, the building of the gymnasium has been made of stone, giving it a different touch.

The Chief Administrator of PUDA, Mr K.B.S. Sidhu, said the large gymnasium with a floor area of 70,000 sq ft consists of a large seating capacity, two lecture halls, four rooms for media briefing, coach rooms and toilets. A plan for airconditioning the gymnasium is also being implemented.

The other features at the academy include a shooting range, a horse-riding ground, two hostels, a mess block, residences for the principal and the registrar, a guest house and staff quarters. To provide a better motorable road to the upcoming academy, located at Thapal village, about 4 km from Anandpur Sahib, the existing road would be widened.

Another project being undertaken by PUDA is widening the existing path between Gurdwara Keshgarh Sahib and Sisganj Sahib. Mr Sidhu said the widening of the pathway, which envisaged constructing a raised platform-like bridge, had been necessitated as during the celebrations of Hola Mohalla and Baisakhi, managing the flow of devotees became a problem and it could lead to a stampede. At least 30 shops would be relocated to widen the pathway.

He said the cost of widening the project and relocating evacuees would come to Rs 3.60 crore, of which Rs 1.88 crore had already been spent. Besides, relocation of 192 shops to widen the Ropar-Anandpur sahib road is also on the anvil. The affected shopkeepers would be relocated at Kiratpur Sahib, Mr Sidhu added.

Nikhil makes skating art
By Arvind Katyal

CHANDIGARH, Dec 20 — ''My goal is to win gold medal for India in the World Championships for which I am working hard,'' said Nikhil Parekh who won the praise of all at the 37th National Skating Championship with a good show in the artistic skating events.

This fourteen-year-old skater of Maharashtra halted the winning spree of Gujarat skaters. ''Nikhil will surely win the Arjuna Award one day,'' said Mr Mangat Dhani, founder member of the Roller Skating Federation of India (RSFI).

Nikhil gives the credit of his achievements to his parents, both of whom are dentists in Mumbai. Nikhil took to skating at the age of seven. In the first year of skating, he won the Mumbai District Skating Championship. His first coach was Raju Lokhandvala. Nikhil said his parents accompanied him at every major championship.

Nikhil won a bronze medal in the Asian Skating Championship at Shanghai (China) in October.

Nikhil's father said May this year, a french coach, Stella had come to train Indians in artistic skating, and Nikhil quickly learnt whatever she taught. In October, Nikhil also took part in the World Junior Artistic Skating Meet held in Australia.

Nikhil's father praised the efforts of Mr Pradeepak Malwai, Chairman of the artistic skating events, in making the skaters reach this level.

A Class IX student of Jamna Bai Narsee School in Mumbai, Nikhil, won an artistic skating gold medal in the age group of 12 to 14, besides a bronze medal in the speed skating event, at the national championships.

Nikhil said next year, he aimed to win a gold medal for India at the World Artistic Skating Meet in the USA in September. He said, "I wish to see skating included in the Olympics and Indians doing well there."