Kusum Choppra

The music channels are full of the  “Deewani Mastani” song. It takes one back Madhuri Dixit’s so many kg ghagra kothawali dance in Devdas.  Pet obsession? Chitpavan women would never be caught in public watching such a performance, as Priyanka Chopra is seen, with perhaps the most authentic expressions crossing her face as she looks on at the interplay between Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone. Deepika, in   her pale gold avatar in a net outfit reminiscent of flamenco dancers, with many   co-dancers, seems to inhabit the same Madhuri  space.   She dances in a huge ornate space, more European than Peshwai in design.    Peshwai architecture was noted for its long, perhaps narrow halls and tall distinctively fluted and carved wooden columns based on stone to prevent damp and   insect damage --- all topped with intricately carved wood ceilings and all polished black in color.   Noted examples are the Mastani resurrected palace at ...

One morning, after innumerable years, I watched the entire gamut of a sun rise over the hills… That awesome sight of a a still, chilled night Sprinkled with the glitterati of the night stars Never visible in polluted Ahmedabad. The rising of a slow glimmer of light Accompanied by the plaintive cry of a loudspeaker fed azaan. Atop the sky sparkled two stars One atop the other Way above the dark horizon. Then a glimmer of a pale copper, or was it saffron or orange Varying shades rose in strings and strips. At times eerily resembling the Rings of Saturn Straddling the guardian peaks of Abu. It was a long way to sunrise Abu’s Rings of Saturn changed color and shape Now ring formations;   now climbing Sirius ones and others As the morning mist enveloped the entire city down below. We waited.   My daughter and I Taking deep breaths of the clear cold mountain air Looking around   as dark shapes around came alive Into rocks surr...