Dil Se

Madhya Pradesh boasts of a rich cultural heritage, biological diversity and architectural splendour. However, it's potential as a premier tourist destination had not been tapped until recently. The turnaround happened as a result of the “focussed, growth-oriented strategy” of the Madhya Pradesh State Tourism Development Corporation Ltd (MPSTDC) headed by Ashwani Lohani (check his blog). When he took over as Managing Director in June 2006, the MPSTDC was on the verge of being dissolved. Since then it has bounced back as the “heart of Incredible India”. It's good to see state governments in India promoting tourism. The oldest cave paintings in the world, the oldest Buddhist stupa in the world and the largest wildlife sanctuary in Asia are all trying to invite travellers to come and visit Madhya Pradesh for sightseeing.

Bioscope



In 2006, Madhya Pradesh Tourism had released an ad called 'Bioscope’, which presented shots of the attractions of the state, apparently viewed through a bioscope. It invited travellers to come and visit the state, the shots strung together by a narrative. Now, after three years, another ad makes use of ‘eyes’ as the creative route to express the awe travellers experience in Madhya Pradesh. The eyes narrate the journey of the traveller and are complimented by a poetic song in the background. When the narration in the background is about sights one would see from a train, the model’s pupils become the wheel of the train, or if the narrative speaks of an antelope, the model’s eyebrows take the shape of its horns. Similarly, in the pool of her eyes, the viewer gets to see the intricacies of the Sanchi stupa. Both ‘Bioscope’ and ‘Eyes’ have been conceptualised by Ogilvy India.

Eyes



Keeping the focus on just a pair of eyes, the creative challenge was to have the eyes move to music and lyrics, reacting and mimicking to the myriad varied and rich travel experiences through Madhya Pradesh. The list include the ever elusive tiger, the rare swamp deer Barasingha, the white marble hills at Bedaghat, the prehistoric cave paintings at Bhimbetka, the erotic sculptures in the land of Khajuraho, the melting pot of Buddhism, Hinduism, mosques, minarets, majestic forts, palaces and so forth. The attempt was to keep the eye movements as natural as possible and keep the transition between the real and CG movements seamless. The spot requires a definite combination of live shoot and CG interception but keeping to the same innate and finesse of the subject matter.

When MFX first got the verbal brief, the execution began quickly on tests to identify possible visual directions. Ideas bounced between both teams. Among those deliberated upon were digital face projections, CG objects with stills and CG replacement over live shots. Eye actions were carefully plotted to the script and a quick eye animation was done for study and reference purpose. With various execution methods in line, the team puts together results and issues and studied the production pipeline to allow us to achieve client requirements.

The eyes remain the strongest visual backbone; it was inevitable that the search for the pair of “eyes” was most arduous. The team filtered through databases of talents as well as various groups of Indian classical dancers, targeting on the skill and flexibility of the talent moving their eyes. That was how MFX finally zeroed down to Shree Jeilachmee Appadorai, a Malaysia based South Indian model who has learnt Bharatnatyam and other Indian classical dances. Her natural brown eyes together with her ability to express through eye movements made her the perfect choice for the spot and also allowed us to revisit our execution. With her selected, we were able to remove all concerns with regards to not having the right talent in such a short period of time.

Pre production took up two weeks while the shoot was completed in one day. The technical aspects of the spot entail a large scope of detailed compositing work. It begins with stabilizing the shots, keeping the objects central in the frame and then matching shots from one to the other. Subtle morphing techniques were implemented to smoothen out the transitions, and computer generated camera movements were added to the otherwise still base plates. The ‘Barasingha’ eyebrows were created with matte painting and warping effects were injected on it for the transformation act. At certain portions of the film, the irises and pupils were replaced with 2D animated ones (for example when the song speaks about the journey in a train, the pupil of the model become the wheel of the train) which were carefully blended back into the base plate to ensure a seamless tapestry. As the camera travels into the iris, multi layering in 3D space takes action concocting the intricacies of the Sanchi Stupa. Coming towards the final Buddha piece, the face make-up made the base for the glistening Buddha face, however, much of the final look, shine, and shades were finished digitally.

Though it is largely a technical piece, MFX adhered to keeping aesthetics a priority. The concept of keeping the film piece minimal and emphasizing much on the eyes was a constant reminder to the team – thus steering the digital solutions within this scope. The team indeed tried to give the eyes greater animated movements; however, there was always a concern of how much and how little, also how unreal it may eventually become. MFX resolute to not cross the “excessive CG” border and opted for a simplistic seamless blend with live shots, which is also the core of what the creatives wanted at O&M.

Bijaya Dasami - 2009

While most Hindus end their Dussehra celebrations by burning the effigy of Ravana to symbolise the victory of good over evil, the 10-headed demon king of Hindu mythology is worshipped in two Madhya Pradesh districts. When temples across the nation will resonate with prayers to lord Ram Monday, a small temple to Ravana in Vidisha district’s Ravangram village will echo with the prayer, “Ravana Baba Namah”. The temple has an ancient idol of Ravana in a reclining position believed to have been constructed between the ninth and 14th century. The villagers believe it would be a bad omen to have the 10-foot idol stand erect and say that whenever this was done, some unexpected incident had occurred in the district. In the village, the demon king has been worshipped as a symbol of prosperity for over 600 years by Kanyakubja Brahmins, a Brahmin sub-sect to which Ravana was believed to have belonged. He is regarded as a scholar and people worshipping him believe burning the learned king, who knew all the Vedas (ancient Hindu scriptures) and was a devotee of lord Shiva, is not justified. This is not restricted to Ravangram village. Ravana is also worshiped in Ravana Rundi in Mandsaur district and Shajapur district’s Bhadkhedi.

In Mandsaur town, members belonging to the Namdeo Vaishnav Samaj, a Hindu sect, who worship the demon king on Dussehra, believe Ravana’s wife Mandodari belonged to the town and they regard him as a son-in-law. A 35-foot high 10-headed Ravana statue was installed in 2005 at Ravana Rundi in the Khanpur area of Mandsaur. A 25-foot high lime and brick ancient idol of Ravana existed there till 1982. It developed cracks due to lightning and was ultimately destroyed. The idol is worshipped every year and women in the area remain behind the veil on Dussehra since they regard Ravana as their son-in-law, while men make offerings at his statue if their wishes came true. Ravana and his son Meghnad are similarly worshipped at Bhadkhedi village in Shajapur district of western Madhya Pradesh. Indore-based Rajesh Batham, who has been worshipping Ravana since his ancestors did so, believes that burning him is not right. He informed that the demon king’s idol is decorated in Shajapur every year on Dussehra and not burnt. He said this was also the case in Rajasthan’s Hadauti village, while Gond tribals of Chhattisgarh also have a tradition of worshipping ‘Lankapati (King of Lanka)’. According to mythology, Ravana was the grandson of the creator of the universe, Brahma, son of the sage Vishrava and younger brother of Kubera, the deity of wealth. He is also believed to have been a scholar, connoisseur of arts and a devout follower of Shiva. Ravana is credited by many for writing a commentary on the Vedas and verses on medicine.

This stotram praising Shiva clearly states 'Ravana kritam' which means 'written by Ravana'

Eid Mubarak

Bhopale.blogspot wishes
all its readers and visitors
Eid Mubarak

(Photograph Sewaiyan at Bhopal)

In Solidarity With All Holy Cows!

At 11.27 in the morning of September 14, veteran journalist Kanchan Gupta asked Minister of State for External Affairs Shashi Tharoor a question: 'Tell us Minister, next time you travel to Kerala , will it be cattle class?'Twenty minutes later the minister,responded: 'Absolutely, in cattle class out of solidarity with all our holy cows!'Twelve words -- or, in Twitter measure, 71 characters -- that have led to a veritable storm that, despite Tharoor's September 18 apology, continues to be 'Breaking News' on our television channels, fuel endless 'debates' on prime time.

Joining the band wagon, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan stated : "I believe that in a democracy, people are God. To refer to them as 'cattle' is an insult to them. And I believe that such a person has no no right to be a Union minister," he told reporters.

But, Cattle - as in 'Gau bansh'- is holy and Gau mata is God, no? The BJP has for long been the sole certified protector of the cattle class - that is the class of God, but this statement creates some confusion.

Shivrajji goes on to state "I believe that in a democracy, people are God. To refer to them as 'cattle' is an insult to them. And I believe that such a person has no no right to be a Union minister. And if he says that to sit in economy class is like being cattle, then Shashi Tharoorji, those people who travel economy class are very big people". The Times of India published this photograph of Mr Shashi Tharoor crumpled up in sleep in an economy class seat August 9, which you can see alongside.

So does this make Shashi Tharoor one of the Big people - Shivrajji, and how come he is insulting himself? Does this also mean that no one in the BJP after Jaswant Singh knows (or cannot find out) that cattle class is colloquialism for “economy class” and not a neologism invented by Tharoor?

Liked That

Pride Of Bhopal

Vice Admiral Nirmal Verma has become the first person from the city of Bhopal to be appointed as the Chief of Naval Staff. Orders to appoint Verma as the Chief of Naval Staff were issued recently by the Ministry of Defence.

Verma, previously posted as Commander-in-Chief of the Vizag-based Eastern Naval Fleet, has taken charge as Chief of Naval Staff on September one succeeding Admiral Suresh Mehta, who retired on August 31.Vice Admiral Nirmal Verma was commissioned into the Indian Navy on 01 Jul 1970. He is a specialist in Communications and Electronic Warfare. The Flag Officer has attended the Staff Course at the Royal Naval Staff College, UK and the Naval Command Course at the Naval War College, USA. The Flag Officer has done various staff tenures in the Integrated Headquarters of MoD (Navy). His Command tenures include INS Udaygiri (Leander Class Frigate), INS Ranvir (Destroyer) and the Aircraft Carrier INS Viraat. He has also commanded the Naval Academy and has done an instructional tenure at the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington. On promotion to Flag Rank, he has served as Senior Directing Staff (Navy) at the National Defence College, Chief of Staff, Eastern Naval Command, and the Flag Officer Commanding Maharashtra Naval Area. The Flag Officer later served as Assistant Chief of Naval Staff (Policy and Plans). Following his promotion to the rank of Vice Admiral, assumed charge as Chief of Personnel in Nov 2005. Admiral Verma took over as the the Vice Chief of the Naval Staff on 30 Nov 06. With his appointment as the Chief of Naval Staff, he has become the first person from Bhopal to head any defence service in the country — Navy, Airforce or Army, sources said.Verma, a student of St Josephs' Convent School at Idgah Hills in the city, joined the National Defence Academy's 35 course, they said.The Admiral-designate, whose father Harishankar Verma is a lawyer and presently living in Mumbai with his another son, Bimal Verma who is also in the Navy as a Rear Admiral, had also taken part in the Convent's Golden Jubilee Aniversary held here three years back, sources said.

On the other hand, two young neighbours from a Bhopal slum will represent India in the world fencing championship slated between September 30 and October 8 in Antalya, Turkey. Born and brought up in narrow lanes of Om Nagar slum, Amardeep Basediya and Himalaya Vishwakarma, both 20, were selected for the international event on September 7. Himalaya’s father Harka Vishwakarma sells chaat and Amardeep’s father Munshi Basediya is a peon in the state’s sports department. When he was 11, Himalaya pursued fencing, an unconventional sport and never looked back since. A student of Bachelor of Physical Education (BP .Ed), Himalaya won bronze in individual and silver in team events in the Senior National Games held in Manipur in 2008. “I used to help my father run the chaat thela during my childhood,” Himalaya told Hindustan Times. He is quite optimistic of winning medals in the upcoming event. Amardeep started fencing a year earlier than his friend. He has won four gold, six silver and seven bronze medals at the national level in his 10-year fencing career. Son of a class IV employee, Amardeep had tough time pursuing his passion. “ But grit and determination has got me a place in national team for the World Championship”, he says.

Kanyadan

If you aren’t a virgin, you can’t be mama’s girl. “Uncle” Shivraj’s kanya, that is.

The Madhya Pradesh administration has begun conducting virginity and pregnancy tests on would-be brides before solemnising a “kanyadan”, chief minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan’s pet mass-marriage scheme that helps girls from poor families tie the knot at government expense. 

The decision to conduct the tests before the weddings — whose popularity has earned Chauhan the nickname mama (maternal uncle) — came after an embarrassing moment in Shahdol district when a bride developed labour pains minutes before exchange of garlands.

More surprising was that the groom and the would-be in-laws didn’t throw a fit.

The organisers immediately stopped the mass wedding and ordered pregnancy tests on the 152 brides who had assembled for the June 30 kanyadan. The tests revealed 14 of them were “expecting”.

Sources in the chief minister’s office said it was an “aberration”, a “belated” bid by some married couples to get their hands on the Rs 5,000 in cash the newly-weds get as part of the scheme that also includes a free community meal and other marriage-related expenses.

But residents said some “middlemen”, in connivance with local authorities, were misusing the scheme, under which 90,000 marriages have already taken place. They said the middlemen were producing recently married couples and then taking a “commission” from them.

Faced with allegations of solemnising “fake marriages”, the local administration started conducting the virginity and pregnancy tests.

But mama’s move to weed out already-married nieces has kicked up a storm.

In tribal-dominated Shahdol, 350km from Bhopal, many Adivasis and rights activists are up in arms over the decision to conduct the tests.

“We are aghast,” said Umpa Rai, a member of the state women’s commission. “Surely, there are better and more discreet ways of checking the antecedents of those already married. These tests are an insult to womanhood.”

Rai’s colleague Amita Chapra, who toured Shahdol, said the local Bega tribals were furious. “Even if assuming that some are misusing the scheme, it does not mean that others can be subjected to humiliation.” She said the state women’s commission would take up the matter with Chauhan.

Shahdol collector Neeraj Debe feigned ignorance. He said he had asked his subordinates and district medical authorities to look into reported incidents of virginity and pregnancy tests.

RASHEED KIDWAI