MatriVandan

http://www.matrivandana.org/

 

This is a link to regional monthly Hindi Magazine which has a large mass circulation in North India.

My dad is the Chief Editor of this Magazine.

A week in South Africa

I was amazed to see this interested picture in Indian High Commission in Johannesburg- Young times of two great gentlemen from History!  

Week in Maputo

In July 2011 I was in Mozambique for few days. The rich Portuguese heritage of Maputo, Mozambique, flows through the décor, detail and hospitality of Pulano in Maputo. Located on the Maputo beachfront this is a good experience to live in.

 

Cabbage

Cabbage Production at peak. My son in the fields!
Sent from BlackBerry® on Airtel

Bandung

I was in city of Bandung for a day for meeting. Bandung, City of Flowers, is the provincial capital of West Java and Indonesia' s third largest city. Known in colonial times as the Paris of Java because of its European ambiance and sophistication, Bandung shares with Miami a fine legacy of Tropical Deco architecture dating from the 1920's.

Situated on a plateau in the beautiful Parahayangan mountains, Bandung's pleasant climate and lush surroundings have offered an escape from the heat of the lowlands since the mid 19th century when it was the heart of the region's most prosperous plantation area. Host to the historic Asia Africa conference in 1955, Bandung is now a center of higher education ,commerce and aircraft industry which despite its modern amenities still retains much of its colonial era charm.

Bandung is also renowned for its shopping, particularly for shoes, textiles, clothing and denims which are found in the colourful Jeans street .Bandung, with its cool mountain air is a popular second stop for those visiting people to Jakarta.

This is view from Hotel Hyatt!

Visit to Kalimantan

I went to see one large coal mine with my team which we are acquiring in this area. A major producer of oil and timber, East Kalimantan is at present the most industrially advanced province of the island. Its population numbers less than two million, and the density figure of seven people per kilometer is among the lowest of Indonesia, although relatively high for Kalimantan. More than 80 percent of the area, or over 17 million hectares is covered by forest. This is where the "Black Orchid" and many other orchid varieties grow within the sheltered confines of nature reserves.

 

The Banjarese and Kutainese are mostly the coastal population, living in towns and cities. The Dayak peoples form the overwhelming majority of the population of the hinterland, who live in long-houses called umaq daru. It is customary for one whole extended family or even one clan to occupy one long- house. Each family is given a separate compartment with the chief of the clan occupying the central chamber. Guardian statues are normally placed in front of the long house to protect it against evil spirits who bring disease and bad fortune. Such long-houses, however, are gradually disappearing and many have been converted into meeting halls or stages for dance and music performances. The Dayaks are also known for their artistry, making beautiful cloths and ornaments for their traditional houses. The Tunjung Dayaks still make a kind of cloth called doyo, which is woven from certain plant fibers, used in the past in rituals. But now they are offered for sale to visitors. Oil and natural gas are found along the entire east coast, with refineries centered at Balikpapan and Bontang.

 

It was truly as Jungle Experience!

 

 

Fashion in Kinnaur- Tribal Affair!

Dress is the most important part for people in Kinnaur. Infact it would be a good idea for Indian fashion designers to visit this place and take some inspiration from here. Indeed in 2004 one of my friends who was in fashion designing took few ideas for her first show and it worked very well. The people of district dress mostly woolen clothes. There clothing is well suited to the climate and is artistic too in its own distinctive way.

 

Head dress of men and women is a round woolen cap called thepang in the local dialect. It is generally of light grey or of white colour with a colour velvet band on the outer fold. Band of green colour is most liked. Crimson blue, yellow etc. may also be worn. Men wear woolen shirts called chamn Kurti made of woolen cloth and tailored in the village. Another type of dress which the men wear is Chhuba. It is long woolen coat somewhat resembling an Achkan. A sleeveless woolen jacket worn outside the Chhuba. Men wear woolen churidhar pajama.

 

Women wrap up a woolen shawl like garment called dohru. The first wrap of dohru is on the back with embroidered border displayed throughout its length up to the heels. Darker shades of colours are preferred for dohru. Besides beautiful coloured shawls are also worn by them over their shoulders. Choli a sort of full sleeves blouse is worn by the women. Some of them have decorative lining also. However, now a days wearing of cotton/synthetic salwar, kameez, pants and shirts have become popular among the young Kinnauras.  In the traditional footwear worn by the Kinnauras were made of wool and goat hair with sole of goat hide. However, with the passage of the time the indigenous shoes have almost disappeared and wearing of readymade shoes is in vogue.

 

Interesting!