HAULE HAULE HARMONY
When Yashraj Films released the music of their most awaited film this year, the janta were in for a surprise. In this age where hip hop ,techno and trance rule the roost of foot tapping music scores, the first music video aired was the song ,’haule haule’ which has a Harmonium playing its most important notes ,while Tablas and Dholaks hark beats in the background ,bringing in the sound of music from an era bygone! Needless to say, the simple song has turned into a huge hit.
In Tapi town, if one needs to buy a harmonium, or tablas, dholaks, nagaras for that matter, there is only one destination.Dhabgarwaad - situated between Limda Chowk and Bhagal ,is the street that has it all. The Surtis of this Sheri are called ‘Dhabgariyas’. They live above their shops.
As one enters Dhabgarwaad,on the right falls ‘Seep’ one of Surat’s first juice centres that Surtis regularly visit to enjoy a ‘ganga jamuna’,kaju anjir’.Seep is also popular with homemakers because it offers free and expert advice on how and where to repair a juicer, mixer, grinder in town.
The kiosks that lead on the bend in the road from then onwards, are owned by old, talented Surtis who carry forward family business of manufacturing and selling various musical instruments.
One of the ‘juna ane jaanita’ shop is that of Thakorbhai Chimanlal Tablawala.In the olden days, the hide of goats and buffaloes that go into the making of tablas, bongos and dholaks ,were skinned off the dead animals in Dhabgarwaad, itself. As generations changed hands in business, the younger ones now call in ready hides from Godhra, Sholapur, and Kolhapur; as is the case with wild wood which forms the frame of these instruments and comes in from various parts of Gujarat.
Tablas,Nals,Kongo etc. are only fitted, repaired and sold from here now.Bethaks’udhanis’ that form the stands on which tablas are settled in as well as tiny hatodis that are used to tune the same are also available. The hammers used to be made of ‘pittal’ once but are now available in iron versions.
Further on, shops on either side flaunt the flavour of the month’s festivals, kites, manja thread, fire crackers, Holi and rangoli colours, umbrellas, walking sticks, horse whips are sold here through the year.
At the other end of this colourful street are a few shops that manufacture and sell Harmoniums. With the demand for the same having gone down, these too have trickled down to a smaller number. ’Venilal ‘carries on the baton since it upgraded itself with selling fancy guitars, keyboards, drums etc. One could easily call it the ‘Furtados and sons’ of Surat.
There is a team of young music enthusiasts that carry on the tradition of selling these simple instruments that produce soulful music. Although they do not teach the same, they do recommend old teachers that run classes around town and visit homes to teach shastriya sangeet to Surtis.
Our city has changed its suburban shades to the beat of the 21st century, yet,Dhabgarwaad in the heart of Surat still renders out sounds of its age old splendour; and who knows, with changing trends of music these days, maybe someday, more Surtis would like to play old tunes too. Till then, Dhabgarwaad hums along in a haule haule harmony.
TAPI TOWN TATTLE-What will Nano prove to be for the common man? Auto rescue!

RED RIBBON DAY...............
During the Mughal empire rule, just beyond the Mughal Sarai-the resting place for caravan travellers[which now houses the SMC offices], there came up an area known as the variyavi bazaar. This area was inhabited by women who ran one of the oldest professions in history, that of courtesans. One of them was a beautiful mistress of the nagarseth, called Suraj; many historians believe that Surat was initially named Suraj after her.
Down the ages, this place thrived on local customers. Over the years, women from different parts of the country and Nepal were brought in here. This area was actually the only officially known red light area of Gujarat. In 1967, a social worker named Leelaben Parekh surveyed this godforsaken place only to find that the maximum idols and photographs of God that she had ever seen in town were actually here! Incense sticks regularly spread aroma within the claustrophobic corridors where no beggar went by hungry and children were educated in the best schooling options available in the area. Leelaben sent her reports to Ahmedabad after which the state government and NGOs regularly set up awareness programmes for this section of women to help them with their health problems.
In the year 2003, the commercial sex workers were driven out of this area by the landlords of variyavi bazaar and an era of the chakla bazaar came to an end. Since rehabilitation for these women was not arranged for, the only aspect of their profession that changed was the geography .To top that, now their section was no more an 'organised 'one nor an official one, so, educating them about health awareness was out of the question.
Our city thrives on the migrant population who work as hired help for Surti Lalas be it in the trade of Textile at Pandesara, Diamonds at Varaccha, Labourers at Hazira.A large scale of this segment is involved in proliferation of premarital promiscuity, multiple sexual partnership with commercial sex workers and high homosexuality .Needless to say it more often than not makes them vulnerable to getting infected with STD.These migrants unknowingly spread the infection to their families as well.
While most countries and cities have film stars, models or religious leaders helping in the cause of health awareness, there are still a few words in Tapi town that often are either taboo or carry a sort of social stigma. One of them is AIDS, acquired immuno deficiency syndrome. Like science teachers in our school days, who would ask us to self study the chapters on the human reproductive system since they were too embarrassed to teach or talk about the same, many Surtis often refrain from discussing about this life threatening fact of life that our generation and the future ones need to be aware of . Surtis often feel that this issue does not concern them.
Health education for our labour clan is as equally important as educating our children. Various NGOs and government programmes run education on AIDS awareness for school children and a certain segment of the migrants, but, most of the workers resort to treatment of illness from various quacks around town which often puts their lives at risk.
While we practice utmost caution for our lives, often the ones who toil for us, fall easy prey due to lack of knowledge. It is one thing to be aware; another to show that you care, because as we all know, in the case of AIDS, prevention is the only option since there is no cure.
TAPI TOWN TATTLE-What will the U.S. visa granted to our called-Modi-fied visa!

ODE TO UNDHIYU..............
As winter sets in, spreading its blanket of chill across the western belt of our country, it brings with it different meaning to different cities. Ahmedabad, 275 kms North of Surat is celebrating with cultural programmes in open air under starlit skies .Its people, are enriching themselves in the wealth of poetry, dance,drama and musical recitals. Mumbai, 275 kms South of Surat is celebrating winter fashion in style, whilst by lanes within Bandra are warming up with pre Christmas marketing. Surtis on the other hand, are celebrating winter with what they do the best-preparing Gujarati gourmet delights. Surtis are foodies and every season brings in with it a special menu for the trimester.
All roads leading in to Surat from Vapi onwards will see smoke billowing from roadside stalls .The farm labourers from the Tapi to Vapi belt prepare a little known dish called the umbadiyu in winter. The umbadiyu is a darker,smoky cousin of undhiyu.Made with wild black papdi from village Bhata, along with yam, sweetpotato, brinjal, it is marinated with ginger and chilli paste then baked in a clay pot which is sealed with aromatic leaves of Kaler and Camboi.
This pot is buried in a hole in the ground, covered with hay and cow dung cakes and burnt for about 40 minutes small portion of this delicacy is put in an earthen kullad at the mouth of the matka to check when its done. This sampler is fondly called a 'daakan[witch]'Umbadiyu is served with green chutney and buttermilk,often relished by the roadside.
The Parsis from Udavada add on eggs and pieces of chicken to the same and call it adadiyu [not to be confused with adadhiyu of Daman which would mean 375 mls of alcohol].
Winter's batch of Sugarcane crop will be put to good use ,grown in the numerous tiny villages that surround our town,carried out proudly in a jingling procession of decorated bullock carts to various sugar factories. Salempak, Methipak, Khajoorpak, Gunderpak are sweets prepared to fight the winter chill. A special khadiya-mundi mutton is prepared in most Khatri homes.Fresh garlic will be chopped for' lasan nu kachu' as well as be sprinkled over vegetables and various egg preparations. Of course our king green millet-Ponk will be much awaited. But over and above all these preparations,the meal that is considered as the ultimate meal in Surati communities is 'Malai,puri and undhiyu'.Many homes in Surat traditionally invite family and friends in winter for the same,the preparation is often marinated overnight for all the swad to sink in.
And this dearies is my salute to the unbeatable,irresistible exclusive Surti preparation that does not taste as good anywhere else ,the world over
–The undhiyu –
'O sweet creatures of Katargaam's creeper vine.You, the green papdi tender as one would ever find,with fragrance that lingers on the fingers that string you,
Surrounded in the richness of yam from Puna Kubharia,plantains ,potatoes,sakariyas,stuffed wild brinjals and what have you ,
Enriched in flavour by seaseme oil and green garlic,prepared on the sim, marinated in a chilli ginger paste; with supple fenugreek dumplings that enhance your taste.
While asafetida and ajwain are tempered to tease,as taste buds tuck in coconut and corriander,thoughroughly pleased.
The epitome of Tapti cooking ,a gourmet's delight ,an art to achieve,an exotic treat,a taste impossible to beat..............here is to you,'O Surti Undhiyu!'

Tapi Town Tattle-The two words that are taboo in friendship henceforth?----Dost,Aana!

STONE AGE TO SPACE AGE..................
For all us wishful Moonrakers out here, Chandrayaan 1 seems to be making dreams come true. Exploring boldly into the final frontier where few men have gone before, to the land of lovers -the Moon .While mere mortals rejoice with the celestial pictures it sends back, very soon, we Surtis will be able to observe the Moon, Space and various Planets through our own Hubble adaptation..................
If you’ve noticed, there is a majestic piece of architecture coming up at the corner of Citylight .With its lofty Cuddapah stone exterior and an interior that will boast of one of the country’s most modern Planetarium and Art mueseum.At present the project is called the Science Centre.
By midsummer next year, the SMC is hopeful to shift and inaugurate the Sardar Vallabh Patel museum and planetarium from Chowk to Citylight. This area originally was part of the Panas cotton farm project that was once a walker’s paradise .Panas agriculture farm still exists albeit now has lost its quaint old charm to more modern roads and crazy traffic flowing within the fields of cotton crop.
Many famous ancient observatories around our country were made in the early eighteenth century by Sawai Jai Singh the second. Known as Jantar Mantar, they still exist in Jaipur, Delhi, Varanasi and Ujjain. A clever politician and keen astronomer, Jai Singh owned all the land between Delhi and Southern shores of Gujarat including Surat, from where he sent out a fact finding scientific mission to Europe.
The museum at Surat was put up in the premises of the Leiy Weaving Shed at the East end of the Mecca Bridge, just across Victoria Garden [Gandhi Baugh].The then collector of Surat-Mr.Winchester,organized setting it up and it was named after him. Locals would call it ‘ajayabghar’or’jadughar’.Housing stones that depicted various phases of the Moon, ancient text, sandalwood carvings,porcelain,stuffed animal,bird species, exotic marine fossils ,exclusive jari and lace work, it used to generate a lot of curious visitors then.
Post Independence, it was revived and renamed Sardar Vallabh Patel museum; inaugurated by Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri on 6-5-1956.Unfortunately, along with the city, it has faced a number of floods in 1959,1968,1970,1998 and of course the most recent and worst-2006.The museum has lost unretreivable valuables in these floods. The department of Museology of M.S.University of Baroda and the National Museum of Delhi have been most helpful in reviving what was left.
Since its inception, the most valuable artefacts on display have been donated by the philanthropic gentry of our large hearted town. As the SMC prepares with state of the art equipment for the new planetarium, the museum in its new avatar will display more than 8000 specimens and is open to donations by us citizens.
Once upon a time SMC had decided to shift it to the fort but now, the museum and planetarium will hold a coveted place in Tapi town.Soon, the Sun, Moon and stars won’t be out of reach for us Surtis.
Tapi Town Tattle-In these days of recession, President Obama has changed the three golden words from ‘I love you’ to ‘Yes, we can’!

NATYASHASTRA NOT OUR SHASTRA?
Around the year 200 B.C, Bharat muni, the venerable sage, penned what is considered the Sutra, the Bible of classical Indian dance, rhythm and drama-Natyashastra. Written in Sanskrit, it is the fifth Veda-a compilation of recitation from Rigveda, melody from Samveda, the concept of acting from Yajurveda and sentiments from Athervaveda.

Natyashastra the oldest existent script on Indian art and culture is the base on which popular Indian classical dances such as Bharat Natyam, Kathak, Odissi etc.are based. It is the path that leads to the divine process of creation of dramatic art and its relation to the Vedas.

If a Surti would want to look up classes offering training for the same, chances are the results would show more dodhiya, salsa, filmy dance classes than those of traditional dance shailees.

While Surtis are eager zealots when it comes to dance any day, they prefer it to be freestyle and trendy.

Traditional dance has but few takers in our town, even when stalwarts like Hema Malini come in to perform a ballet occasionally; it’s more about her star appeal rather than the performance.

For people who deem this culture old fashioned, lets not forget that it has been kept alive through the spirit of people like the Late Protima Bedi, one of the most modern women of her times.

Dance diva Mallika Sarabhai once said,’ people are looking for tarat natyam in Bharat natyam these days’.

’Arangetram’ has turned into a major money spending event, once performed with rented gear and as a tribute to Guru and graduation, it is now a gala social status event .

Since Navratri is now over, Surtis are already gearing up for New Years Eve in December, enrolling and spending enormous amounts for western dance classes around Tapi town. The ‘dancing sirs’ will not only get them from fat to fit with fun, but will also get them geared for celebrating various disco parties held during Christmas season.

Sadly, over the years, the traditional Indian dance classes in town for Kathak, Odissi,
Bharat Natyam, for which we do have qualified Gurus, have stagnated. If you have happened to have learnt it as a child in Surat, you may very well be assured; your kids will be taught by the same guru.

We are yet to have an institute of state level caliber. With few takers and ever rising inflation, it has become difficult for most institutions to break even and progress providing the culture its ethos.

Inspite of which the ‘juna and jaanita ’teachers have held up the banners through come what may circumstances. At a very nominal tuition fee, they distribute ancient knowledge that would be considered invaluable in another city or state.

I recently received an e-mail that depicts the various health benefits of finger‘mudras’ when performed on a regular basis. Health and trend conscious Surtis lapped it up.

I have a bad feeling that just as food, fashion and western dance are accepted and popular in Surat only after they are altered to the Surti version, most people in Laladom would want some fusion in ethnic Indian dance culture, to be inspired enough to follow it.

Knowing only too well, how disastrous the result could be! I mean, can you imagine a Surti version of even the simple Mudras-‘Patak’,’Tri –Patak,’’Ardh-Patak’, to begin with? Now that would certainly be blasphemous!!!!!!

HALL OF HOLLYWOOD FAME………
Cinema has always been a favourite fantasy for Surtis. Way back in the 1960’s, some would actually travel to Mumbai every weekend to watch the latest flick; a ‘propah’ theatre experience!

As times changed, Surtis watched versions of Bond series and Dino movies dubbed into Hindi at upgraded theatres. Present day, in the age of multiplexes, we now have the opportunity to watch an original English movie which is released through the country.

I have noticed that the first 4 days of the release runs houseful shows so we may be rest assured that this trend will survive, provided Hollywood lives up to the average Surti’s expectations.

This is not the first time our generation is experiencing Hollywood in town though. In the 1970’s, just on the other side of Hope Pul, there came up a theatre called Sheetal cinema. It was the only movie hall on the other side of the bridge. A fair ground beside it, held the Ponk festival, seasonally. Till date, our king green millet is roasted in this vicinity.

Sheetal was amongst the first few in its league that provided air conditioning, not to mention the only one that showed English cinema. Every fortnight, would be much awaited by Surtis to visit this dream box for a new movie. Blue Lagoon, Alien, Star Wars, 36 chambers of Shaolin were all experienced by Surtis within the city limits.

The trip to Sheetal cinema was an experience in itself. One would travel by the famous amphitheatre-Rangupvan, inaugurated by Jawaharlal Nehru, pass Gandhi Baugh that was the exotic Rani Baugh during the Mughal rule, to reach the Chowk, a place that simultaneously provides vision of Mughal [killa-fort], English [Navinchand library] and Persian [j.j. training school;] architecture; cross Hope pool, over the then perennial Tapti and there it was, facing Bapunagar slums.

At the foot of the short staircase that led to up to the hall’s entrance, would stand a blackboard. For the convenience of Surtis who studied vernacular language, the entire plot of the movie that was playing, would be hand written in Gujarati. This superb marketing strategy assured packed stalls even for serious movies like The Verdict. Locals would excitedly flock the same and loudly read out the story together. The movie would have a title in Ginglish as well. I remember 20,000 leagues under the sea being called ‘samundar ma adventure’!

The stairs led one to the first level for the stalls and to the second for balcony. All along the walls, aluminum framed glass show cases displayed the next change in form of posters .At first look we kids could gather whether we would be allowed to watch the same or not. Although Sheetal Cinema had no issues with U/A, our granddad certainly did. Unfortunately, inflation and video piracy devoured this hall of Hollywood.

The SMC is gearing up to relocate Bapunagar slums by the Tapti and make a river side promenade soon, to enhance the beauty of our city; as well as pull down the old Hope Pul. Sheetal cinema now resurrected, stands on prime property, will be facing one of the most modern structures in our city .Though it no more shows Hollywood movies, surviving with b-grade Hindi ones; it still is the only theatre that stands on the yonder side of the Sun God’s daughter in Surat that offers the common man a ticket to a dream world………after all that’s what cinema is all about, isn’t it?

BEEDI JALAYLE JI GHAR SE PIYA.............
Homemakers around the country better spruce up their singing skills to render sunidhi’s sultry number with a twist. With the ban on smoking in public places now implemented what better place for the guys to smoke, than at home? But then again, that’s one place most of them usually don’t so its catch 22.
A man and his beedi is private stuff that most men love to perform publicly. The vice it seems is generally developed at a young age when visual fascination by an elder blowing up smoke seems like magic. Then comes the stage of excitement when one has learnt to smoke and can show off. Later it turns into a habit as a stress buster and ultimately turns into a weapon to fight depression, or so one feels.
Smoking like most other vices has great visual appeal, therefore a lot of people think that what you don’t see, you cannot develop. Now that the opportunity is not available, the going is tough for the puff to get going. Many women are happy since the men now have to hide too!
Some brainy businessmen are thinking of putting up a proposal for a ‘sulabh suttachalay’ next to the pee booths by similar name because a man’s gotta go when he’s gotta go they say.
Some dread the thought of the fine ,more so because they now think they will have to pay up girlfriends, wives and moms,everytime they put the butt to mouth.
So called Eco-friendly waste management plants are planning to begin party plots at their sites for smokers where smokers can feel free to blow and put ashes to ashes and dust to dust.
Car companies are very excited about the fact that their product can now be advertised as a smoking zone, till now, people used cars for other fun things .A special smoke screen glass is rumoured to be designed for the fancy upgraded versions.
Smoking zones in hotels are causing space constraint to the same, previously it was just eyewash, all they had to do is put up tags stating ‘non smoking’ and ‘smoking ‘sections, never mind if it blew all around, now they need to make an effort put up a cabin for the purpose.
Doctors, Surgeons, Heart specialists, Mouth freshener manufacturers, chewing gum companies, and saunf supari dealers are all under pressure. They say if the present generation and ones to come after them voluntarily give up smoking and decide to abide by the health route, the crowd above will need to close shop and be out of business.
Government might add new taxes in wake of the loss that will be occurred by the revenue ciggie companies paid up.
Writers, sleuths and self made Sherlocks are coming up with bright new ideas as think tanks for cigarette manufacturers to lure the lost crowd.
Ramadossji might as well be appointed the next finance minister since in this age of pink slips; his one move has generated a whole load of new jobs.
Gujarat government is observing the prohibition week, not booze, silly, its smoke!
Last heard, plans to accuse Bush of spreading so much smoke around the world in the name of anti terrorism were being made. For all you know, we might give him a ‘tadipar’ from our smoke free state for sure.