Niketa's Paintings

Niketa Fazal is a Nairobi based artist whose paintings evoke a sense of calm and deep introspection towards life and environment. An artist whose commitment towards environment seems as deep as her cultural roots, Niketa’s canvases have a soothing and therapeutic effect on the onlooker.

Having studied Graphic Design in Birmingham, Niketa has been an Art Director for ten years.  She has her BFA from Kenyatta University and is now involved full time in art and painting.

 Niketa’s paintings are mostly representational covering divergent themes spanning Nature, People and Urban development.  Her work has been showcased at several exhibitions including at UN Recreation Centre, Nairobi, ISK Nairobi besides innumerable pop-up shows at private residences.

According to Niketa:

I enjoy portraying moments in time, that have been part of my life experience in my art. 

The ‘endangered animals’ series features animals found in the Nairobi National Park and my aim was to raise awareness about their shrinking environment due to increased urbanisation and development.

The medium is acrylics, candy coloured abstract backgrounds are created from complementary and contrasting colors which also form the bodies of the animal that appear to be camaflouged within the painting.

My paintings reflect my ongoing obsession with layers and what lies beneath. Rich tactile layers of paint and texture overlap and interact building a complex terrain with the aim of encouraging observation of our thoughts and actions.

They are metaphors for the unconscious mind as it processes an infinite stream of information, ideas, experiences and feelings when faced with a topic.

My take:

Niketa is an extremely talented artist whose emotional connect to her work transcends beyond the borders of physical existence. Her paintings are like gasps of breath that gives life to her canvases.  

A collection of paintings depicting wild life, her canvases represented to me a careful effort to display an innate peace of nature that get reflected her choice of colours.  Earthly shades of brown, white, cream with sprinkle of red in between carefully merge into backgrounds on her canvases that are representative of serenity and peace.

I was provided an opportunity to see her paintings at the residence of Ms.Sapna (her close friend), an excellent host who treated me with a handpicked collection of gourmet ‘petha’ filled with caramelized milk concoction of sugar. My sincere thanks to Kalpa my lovely friend from Nairobi who recommended me to the pop-up painting exhibition of Niketa held in New Delhi.

Economic Survey 2018 Highlights and concerns

Economic Survey 2018
(Highlights and concerns)

1. Large increase in registered indirect and direct taxpayers.

 Dilly dallying rate of taxes according to whims and fancies of respective industries has in actuality lead to much less collections than anticipated.

2. Formal non-agricultural payroll much greater than believed.

Indian agriculture reeling under reduction in net land area under staple crop cultivation, farmer suicides and adverse weather conditions leading to huge losses has majority of farm labour which is casual and unregistered. Instead of focusing on agricultural payroll the term has been twisted to non-agricultural payroll!

3. States' prosperity positively correlated with their international and inter-state trade.

Focus has always been capital investments on larger states. Obviously the dividends reaped by such states on account of central investment is bound to reap returns. We should be talking of equitable distribution of wealth among smaller states too!

4. India's firm export structure substantially more egalitarian than in large countries.

In continuation to the earlier point focus has always been richer and larger states. Export structure in India including storage (warehousing), transport and duties need a big overhaul which will dilute the egalitarian regime.

5. Clothing incentive package boosts exports of readymade garments.

On the contrary readymade garment sector has been crying hoarse for the past few quarters of assessment.

6. Parents continue to have children until they get desired number of sons.

This may be true of cow belt states (UP, Bihar, MP, UKD) not south India, north east etc.

7. Substantial avoidable litigation in tax arena.

Litigation shall be the next focus area in the tax sector.

8. To reignite growth, raising investment more important than raising saving.

How does investment be raised in the absence of savings? NPAs in banks has forced financial stimulus, individuals and families are put into debt trap owing to heavy interest rates. Small and medium businesses are reeling under continuous financial stress over the last several quarters then where would the investments come from?

9. Direct tax collections by state/local governments is significantly lower compared with those of their counterparts in other federal countries, according to the Economic Survey.

There are only two direct tax components collected by states as of now i.e taxes on land and stamp duties. In this segment our system is stymed with manipulations in land conversion from agricultural to commercial via various routes. In no way can we compare ourselves to other federal countries. 

10. Extreme weather adversely impacts agricultural yields.

Climate change angle is obviously a cause of huge concern that is not being addressed with sincerity it ought to be dealt with. We are already facing its onslaught.

Takeaway from Economic Survey

1. The bullish market is bound to soften soon.
2. Investments are of concern. With focus on consolidation of nationalised banks and increasing presence of private banks a credible interest rate factor is of immense significance.
3. Exports need to be addressed right earnestly.
4. Oil pool deficit (owing to rising intl prices) is likely to dampen the market enthusiasm further.
5. Unless budget spells out incentives to individuals, families, small businesses etc we shall be sliding into a muck from where a return would be painful.
6. We need an iron hand on economy at the same time the trend of rich and big businesses/corporates getting away with their loot need to be checked right earnestly....
There is so much to write but action is what is needed...
jpkallikkal/2018

Thinking of Him

About the film by jpkallikkal

[Thinking of Him has been chosen to be the closing film of IFFI 2017 and would have its World Premiere at the Festival]

Thinking of Him is a film that transcends boundaries of time and integrates stories of the present with that of the past.  The film cascading between two different chronological periods, one set in the 1920’s and the other, in the present, unveils an intimate yet platonic connection between Argentinian feminine writer and cultural activist Victoria Ocampo and Indian Poet, thinker and Nobel laureate Rabindra Nath Tagore.

The central theme of the film revolves round Argentinian feminist writer and cultural activist Victoria Ocampo hosting Rabindra Nath Tagore in Argentina in 1924.  A deep platonic bond develops between the two and thereafter Victoria becomes a distant muse of Tagore which finds reflection in a book that Felix, a Geography teacher stumbles upon at a detention centre.  The book fascinates Felix as he is drawn deeper into the story of Tagore. As Felix gains understanding of the intellectual, emotional and spiritual tenets of Tagore’s revolutionary school in India, he decides to pay a visit India to explore and experience the true meaning and teaching style dreamed for whole of mankind by Rabindra Nath Tagore.

 

"I began pre-production in 2008 following a suggestion made by India's ambassador to Argentina. But I could not wrap up the film in time for Tagore's 150th birth anniversary as the research and funding process took longer than expected," says Cesar.

"The idea is to emphasise the continuing relevance of Tagore”, sums up the essence of the film and relevance of the theme.

This 2017 Indo-Argentinian Film is Directed by Pablo César and produced by Pablo Ballester, Debendra Jagadala & Suraj Kumar.   Duration of this B&W/Colour film is 110 minutes and is dubbed in three languages: Bengali, Spanish and English.

Production & Cast

Director: Pablo César

Producer: Pablo Ballester, Debendra Jagadala, Suraj Kumar

Screenplay: Jernimo Toubes

Cinematographer: Carlos Essmann

Editor: Liliana Nadal

Sound Design: Francisco Bissone,

Gerardo Kalmar, Emiliano Monsegur

Production Designer: Emilio Basaldua, Vishnu Nishad

Cast: Victor Banerjee, Eleonora Wexler, Hector Bordoni, Raima Sen

Breathe Delhi

‘Delhi air quality to be better this Diwali’, screamed out the title of an article dwelling on the effect of SC ban on fireworks in Delhi this year.  Another title read, ‘Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) to help improve Delhi’s air quality in force from today’ and this day happens to be 17^th of October, 2017 and Diwali is two days away.

While I have been constrained and concerned about the quality of air throughout of the year, like many of my friends, the steps going to be taken as per the GRAP surprised me, the most surprising one being multi fold (three fold) increase in parking rates. Other steps being stoppage of use of diesel sets, enhanced bus and metro (with enhanced rates) services and daily media alerts advising citizens about health issues of pollution.

It is pertinent to note here that while Judiciary has finally stepped into the domain of citizen’s health and issued strictures that treads over religious sentiments (banning of firecrackers on Diwali) the issue is far deeper than it looks on the surface.

Steps like tripling of parking rates seem like a big joke. Delhi has more than 1 crore vehicles running on its roads and the city does not even have sufficient parking lots to park such a large number of vehicles. Higher parking charges would just be fleecing the denizens without having a system of parking in the first place!   If the issue was making aware the need to park designate vehicles properly then a system of upright awareness was the first step to be taken before inflating parking fees!

Delhi has had a dramatically transformed into a city of chaos.  From being a city of shaded trees and manicured gardens, post 80s Delhi has changed it into a messy, polluted capital of a country coming in terms with urbanization.   While early independent years saw influx of white collared employees of government a.k.a babus and private companies located in Delhi, post 80s witnessed unchecked migration constituting a large chuck of unregulated population that settled down in shanties called Jhuggi Jhopri s(JJ) clusters without basic amenities like water, sanitation and electricity. 

Successive governments interested in vote politics let the proliferation rise leading to choking of priced locations, stressed up public utility services including transportation, housing and health.  There was no specific plan for future and the city continued to add numbers to its fore and Delhi Master Plan swelled across borders and the city finds itself as National Capital Territory Region that is choked with traffic, pollution and urban mess.

I am reminded of a Delhi that used to sleep on terraces during summers, winters were bon-fires and Moongfalis (Heated groundnuts).  One could walk or cycle miles around under shaded trees or laze around in open boulevards. Air was pure and winter fog melted away in crisp warm sunshine.  Yet with time influx of migrants for work kept rising.  Roads that were deserted and looked wide in early 70s started getting dug up.  Each civic agency had an agenda that did not match up with others.  While MCD dug up roads for laying pavements, MTNL dug it up once the entire work was complete. Thereafter civic agency will plaster it again for completion.  Immediately afterwards the legislator will feel the need to widen the road and the entire stretch would be dug up again. 

Contractors bank rolled projects, administration changed hands, bus owners changed certificates and Delhi would remain ‘under construction’ for years. Today we are stuck up at a point of no return. More than ten million private and personal vehicles clog its arteries. Metro Rail is available but it does not connect entire Delhi and perennially remains over-crowded and viable connectivity to localities are not available.

It has come upon the Apex Court to restrict movement of vehicles and ensure breathable air in the capital.  This Diwali there may be far less firecrackers burst but quality of air is going far from healthy.  Let us hope some more drastic steps like reduction of vehicles from Delhi roads, reduced emissions from polluting vehicles and an alternative lifestyle mode including a pollution free transportation system would be put in place in the city.  A city that used to be called ‘dil waalon ki dilli’ (city of hearty) and has now changed to a heartless dead zone of pollution, crime and chaos.

Can GRAP grapple with Pollution? Can Delhi breathe?

Like freedom, happiness is a reality that entwines with the breath we take in and love we receive and spread out all around us" jpkallikkal©2017

Like freedom, happiness is a reality that entwines with the breath we take in and love we receive and spread out all around us" jpkallikkal©2017

Thirty years ago, fresh out of college, three friends that included me thought of options to move on in life. We were advised that Down Under, Australia, was the country we should migrate to in order to give shape to our dreams and aspirations.  Visa rules provided by Australian High Commission revealed that all three of us totalled up exactly the same points that made us eligible to opt for migration to Australia.  However permanent migration was the exact term used for such a move. While my friends immediately chose to migrate, I opted against it.  I chose to remain in the arms of my motherland, India, as I could not think of changing my economic or social status at the cost of changing my Nationality.

I am happy, I did. I am free in a country that holds capacity to change the way the world thinks. My heart is free to touch the soil where I took birth. It has not just my Karma bhoomi but a dharma bhoomi that lets me steer my people to a destiny that shall purely be ours despite all the challenges and struggles we encounter each day.

70 years of Independence has brought about huge change in mindset, standards and levels of understanding within and outside of us. Yet with each passing day, I witness the spirit of my Matru bhoomi (Motheland) needs to take on challenges facing us with higher levels of passion, dedication and introspection. I feel freedom is a notion that has capacity to transform into reality, if our minds as prisoners of desires chaining us to narrow territories of comfort, greed and possessions can be set free.

We shall be truly free if we can breathe in air of affection and breathe out love that encompasses and kisses each of our fellow nationals and others across the world. We shall be truly independent, if we can steer the course of history in the present and transform ourselves into a nation that is trusted, respected and loved for its spirit, character and energy. We are a vibrant nation and we are living in times that offer opportunities that need to be lapped up with perseverance, dedication and sincerity.

The air we breathe, the path we tread and destiny that we seek are indicators of an Independent nation that holds capacity to change life in and around us. Each step taken by us, as individual citizens of this great country shall impact the world in ways more than we can imagine.

I took a vow thirty years back, as our country did, 70 years ago, to be part of a great culture that shall shine  Independent and free. A nation that spreads love, compassion and brotherhood amongst fellow citizens and all across the globe.

Indian to the core, I once again promise and vouch to spread love, respect and compassion each day I live and breathe.  I believe, Peace is the mantra for success. Harmony is the key word for growth and Joy is to be able to watch smiles on faces of others.   As dew drops drip down free from leaves deep in a forest, we, with our free flowing ideas, hold power to be part of history that shall witness this country touch greater heights of pride, power and prestige.

I received a Watsapp message and a call from a friend who migrated many years ago to wish me a Happy Independence Day.  All he said was, I follow your feeds and fb posts, you seem happy. I replied, Like freedom, happiness is a reality that entwines with the breath we take and love we receive and spread all around us.   

Long live India

Jai Hind

jpkallikkal/15 August 2017©2017

Do you believe in destiny

Do you know your destiny?

By J. P. kallikkal

India is a land of mystery.  If mysticism and religion developed here over a period of many centuries, pseudo-sciences too developed in various rural pockets independently.   The practice of Palmistry, Numerology, Astrology also developed and branched out with the passage of time.  However, Astrology, which dwells into the realms of human life through a peep into the planetary and heavenly dispositions flourished through intricate following and studies.

The predictions of astrologers have been viewed with awe.  Businessmen, politicians and people from every walk of life are influenced by predictions.   To find out what future holds for us is of course an issue, which could delight anyhow, especially if a gains are expected.  Therefore newspapers, magazines, TV channels all keep a section or time for this in their schedules and publications. However major thrust is given to horoscope and birth chart when advises are given.  To make matters simple this is simplified into a set of Zodiac or birth-signs, which seek to predict the future through the position of Planets and stars.  Horoscope is thus a chart which displays the birth or natal chart of a person. prepared keeping in mind the effect of heavenly bodies in his life during the time of his birth.

Astrologers basing their logic that sun passes through the twelve constellations of the zodiac during the course of a year have divided up a calendar year into twelve sections, which have come to be accepted as the zodiac signs.  Whereas each House represent and reflect a constellation, some planets rule more than one constellation and are believed to have strong or a weak influence on a person's life. The signs of the zodiac are also supposed to bear a relation to the human body parts and also the elements viz. Earth, Air, Fire and Water.  The zodiac, are also named on the names of animals.  Some people are said to be born on a ‘cusp’ or a ‘point’, signifying that he has been born at a time when the sun sign was changing from one to the next.  Thus he bears the characters to two adjacent zodiac signs.

Atheists and non-believers regard Astrology as a non-science and superstition.  However a significant section of population in each country are big believers of astrology and related forms of pseudo-sciences.

Though spirits, occult, magic and astrology has been part of every civilization the anxiety of knowing the future made many persons dwell deeper into this field of study and practice.  Though all major religions including the Hinduism have in some way give a nod to astrology because it rationalizes the logic that irrespective of what is foretold ‘what will be will be’.  However, Hinduism also places its logic of life on one’s ‘Karma’ or deeds of the previous birth and relies on astrology to also alter the course of events through series of vedic rituals.

Astrology has been traced back to many civilizations including Greek, Indian, Egyptian and Chinese.  However, Horoscopes and charts have today embedded themselves into the psyche of individuals all around the globe.  Computerization and use of electronic aids have added up to the scope of practice and use of this practice not only to predict the future but also for many social ceremonies including naming, match making etc.

A horoscope basically consists of three sections i.e. The Zodiac, The House and The Planet.  Astrologers include Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto, Sun and the Moon amongst the Planets.  Each planet interestingly also depicts and represents unique characteristics and traits.  Though many forms of fortune telling and future prophecies are relied upon depending upon the geographic and knowledge bases, the mainstay of Astrology across the globe is the Horoscope.  In India Horoscope is relied heavily upon for many matters of life.  These very behavior patterns are used by astrologers and fortune-tellers to co-relate with the personality of individuals and thus predict their lives.  A typically prepared horoscope enables an astrologer to decipher various patterns of character predictions.  These include the nature, health, wealth, luck and other factors or significantly the twelve House in the Horoscope are also believed to reflect twelve important factors in a human being life which include:- Health, Personality, Ideals, Family, Parents, Career, Travel, Possessions, Marriage, Children, Diseases and Death. 

So, if you wish to have a road map of the future, a horoscope might just come handy and perhaps show you a glimpse of that path, to your destiny!

Do you Pine for...

DO YOU PINE FOR….

Do you pine for …..
A place, a person, a moment
A tangible object, an intangible feeling!
A long walk could be as exhilarating and liberating as a session of serene serenade on the beach of the sea or a session of yoga on a mat. No I am not going to talk of exercise or a work out. I write this after my toe stepped on an innocuous looking object while on a morning walk yesterday.
New Delhi is chilly and hazy in winters and seeps into a tormenting pattern of summers soon afterwards. However a few weeks of bliss engulfs the city spliced between these two extremes, the Spring!
Long walk across expansive grass turf is bliss in such a season. If the esplanade is dotted with pine trees still better. Shade giving and aromatic, these trees with their distinct foliage provides the much needed succor to a mentally depressed city dweller during times of stress.
Belonging to genus Pinus, Pines are conifer trees that has more than 126 species found across the globe. In temperate regions, deserts, nearly every place except the tropics. I tread on this subject because a tree such as a Pine can evoke a diverse thought process if we tread deeper. There are actually three parts of a pine tree that are edible! The seeds or the pine nuts can be used in cooking especially in salads. If you wander into a forest and get lost perhaps you can considering using the inner bark of a pine tree which is edible and can be sliced and fried to be eaten in emergencies. The young make cones can actually be boiled to be eaten. Some needles are used to prepare tea. Even the twigs are supposed to be edible! It is understood that the pollen from pine cones (pollen is produced by only male cones) can be used as a substitute for flour or corn starch. Pines are actually very useful trees and they encapsulate many stories.
The Coulter Pine cone is perhaps the heaviest among cones of pine trees that can Weigh upto 10 pounds. The Sugar Pine cone is perhaps the longest of the cones that can grow upto 24”, it has a sweet sap which can be chewed like a gum, its nuts are edible too. This tree grows tall and can go upto 280 feet in height. The Knob cone pine is supposed to be the hardest pine with a closed cone. It relies on heat from wildfires to open up the cones. The Pinyon pine cone has large edible brown nuts and are also used for medicinal purposes. The Logepole pine is a small cone around 2 inches long. It is basically used for decorations. The Jeffrey Pine is another variety that has prickles on the end of its scales which bend inwards and can be handled safely.
As food, medicine, decorative items, basketry these aesthetically appealing trees have many unique features hidden behind their bark and branches. This tree is considered as ‘Great Pine of Peace’. However the health benefits of Pine trees are immense. The bark peels of the trees can be dried up and consumed. It can be brewed up as tea with the help of pine needles. These have high amounts of vitamin C and are extremely helpful as boosters of immune system. They also help improve vision and eye health. The edible parts of the pine are capable of eliminating pathogens from body and help lifting up skin health besides preventing hair loss. Respiratory ailments too can be cured with the help of pine cones.
A well known method of preparing and preserving a home remedy goes like this. Fresh pine needles can be soaked in apple cider vinegar for six weeks. A wide mouthed vessel can be used up for this purpose. The pine needles just need to be completely submerged in the vinegar and after six weeks an edible and medicinal potion is ready for consumption.
Though pine cone saps leave stains on clothes, they are preserved to prepare tincture and honey and are proven to have medicinal qualities. Pine resins form a component of propolis and bark of pine saplings are used to place cast for stabilizing broken bones.
If walking in a park laden with pine trees makes you heady, there is a little known reason behind this. Besides the aromatic fragrance that is brought in by the breeze hitting the Pine trees, pine pollen has very high levels of testosterone. Ingestion of the pollen or tincture of the pollen is proven to increase libido.
No wonder the innocuous looking object that came in contact with me while on a morning walk yesterday was a Pine cone that led my heart to feel high and my spirit to be invigorated. A peep into the reason for my exhilaration brought to light little known facts about pine trees and their qualities. There could be thousand reasons for us to set off for picnics or morning walks but we are blessed by unseen factors such as the flowers, rivers, breeze besides the pine trees and their cones that lend magic to our existence and outings.