jayesh patel

CityMasala
Free Copy
www.citymasala.com
May 2006
A Lifestyle and Entertainment Magazine for Today’s South Asian
Beauty
The Quest for
Painless Hair Removal
Achievers’ Club
Presidents and Politicians
In the Making
Bollywood
The Bollywood
World in 8 days
Of Vice and Men
Just How Irritable Are We?
Short Story
The Sanctuary
Cricket
Sarasota Cricket Club
CityMasala
JAYESH PATEL
The Oil Baron of Florida
May 2006
CityMasala
May 2006
CityMasala
May 2006
CityMasala
May 2006
CityMasala
IN THIS ISSUE
May 2006
A Lifestyle and Entertainment Magazine for Today’s South Asian
From Our Desk to Yours
CityMasala has etched another milestone in the month of April. We have doubled
our print circulation and quadrupled our online readership. We would like to thank
our readers and advertisers for their continued support in helping CityMasala grow,
blossom and flourish.
South Asians rule when it comes to owning and running gas stations and convenience stores. In this issue, we introduce Jayesh Patel to you, the oil baron of
Florida. Read about how he acquired this title from simply owning several gas
stations. He generously shares not only his experiences with us, but is also most
willing to extend his help and expertise.
South Asians are the most sought after community when companies plan their
ethnic marketing plans. The community abounds with people who are well educated, are wealthy and exhibit excellent taste. Networking is the best way to get
your business into the limelight. In this month’s Achievers’ Club column, we have
featured presidents of some community based associations in the Tampa Bay as
well as Orlando areas. They talk about what their association does, how it attempts
to bring south Asians to the main stream arena and how you can be a part of it.
On the Cover
Cover Feature:
18
Jayesh Patel: The Oil Baron of
Florida
7
12
14
17
22
24
Achievers’ Club: The Leaders in our
Community
Cricket: Sarasota Cricket Club
Of Vice and Men: Zed’s feature
Bollywood: Around the Bollywood
World in 8 Days
Beauty: Hairless and Smooth – Every
Woman’s Desire
Short Story: The Sanctuary
Also In this issue:
6
10
16
20
23
26
27
From Your Desk to Ours and Events
Tech Talk: Talk Gets Cheaper
Reel Talk: Movie Reviews
Auntyji Ko Pucho
Wining and Dining
Exposed!
Star Lite Star Brite: This Month’s
Horoscopes
In this issue we have also introduced a column on beauty. Now that summer is
around the corner, it is time to stop hiding behind salwars, pants or full sleeved
shirts. Shaphali Jain has always been on the quest for the most efficient and painless hair removal method and she shares her experiences.
The new cricket season is in full swing. Mike Marcus introduces Sarasota Cricket
Club to you, the first cricket club to have purchased the grounds they play on. Exposed is back in this issue! We had to take it out in the last issue due to space constraints and we apologize to those of you who wrote to say they missed it. Auntyji
is rapidly becoming very popular in our market. Please take her advice with a pinch
(or a sackful!) of salt - it is meant in a very light vein. She has a mind of her own
and makes no bones about it.
Please continue to write to us with your feedback at [email protected] or
[email protected].
As always a friendly reminder to talk about CityMasala, rave about CityMasala,
make your friends read CityMasala and ask for your copy of CityMasala by its
name!
Chhaya Sanghavi and Shaphali Jain
MEET OUR TEAM
Editor and Publisher:
Chhaya Sanghavi
Shaphali Jain
Graphic Designer
Dawn Sallas
Content Contributors:
Javid Lateef
Kavita Trivedi
Nandini Chakraborty
Sandeep Sidhu
Vanya Shah
Vish Viswanathan
Zed Rehman
Administative Assistant
Bijy Abraham
Published By:
CityMasala LLC
Telephone
813-642-3313
Email:
[email protected]
On the Web:
www.citymasala.com
CityMasala is published by CityMasala LLC. The opinions and viewpoints of our contributors and advertisers do not necessarily reflect those of CityMasala’s.
CityMasala disclaims any liability with respect to the use of or reliance on any such information and further disclaims any liability to any party for loss or damage
caused by errors or omissions, negligence, accident or any other cause. CityMasala reserves the right to reject any advertisement they deem unacceptable or inappropriate for publication in CityMasala. Every effort has been made to ensure accuracy and originality of content. Copyright © 2005 CityMasala LLC. All rights
reserved. Reprinting of any material without prior permission from CityMasala is prohibited.
CityMasala
5
May 2006
From Your Desk to Ours:
I had a chance to go over CityMasala
magazine recently and was pretty impressed.
Excellent quality and good material. Keep
it up.
Dr. Kalpana Patel, Orlando
This is one great magazine! Congratulations
and keep it up! May you and your team go
from strength to strength. The articles are
really good and so are the interviews.
Neville R Ginwala – Ahmedabad, India
Dear Editor,
I was impressed by CityMasala for its overall presentation, especially the March 2006
edition. I was also impressed by Mr. Javid
Lateef, your cricket columnist. However, I
think that he expresses a somewhat onesided criticism of the Indian press.
After 2 good shows in test matches, India
did lose very badly in the 3rd. Naturally
there was some criticism but unfortunately
your analyst has missed the positive comments of the Indian press for the Pakistani
team. However he further missed to follow
his own advice for journalists and the fact
that the Pakistani media treated their captain
Inzmam-ul-Haq with utter disdain and
horrible criticism when they lost the one
day series equally badly against India. So
much so that this great man who has served
Pakistan cricket so commendably, was asked
to step-down for good. I agree that sometimes frustrations take control of judgments
but some balance should be maintained.
S.Pravinbhai, Riverview, FL
Javid Lateef’s response: Hi Pravin,
Thank you very much for your feedback. I
am critical of the Indian press as I feel we
should set an example in the sub-continent.
The Pakistani press has always been brutal
in crucifying its cricketers, so I do not wish
to compare the two and by omitting to write
about the Pakistani press, I do not mean to
condone their attitude. I feel that the Indian
press should be more objective and less
sensational. This might enforce a change in
the way the sub-continent press treats cricket
and cricketers.
Javid Lateef, FL
Shaphali / Chhaya, I wanted to write you
a note for two reasons. Firstly, I want to
compliment you on an excellent edition of
CityMasala and also for your excellent write
up on Ravi, myself and the Demystifying
India project. The articles in the magazine
were very well written and extremely informative. I’m definitely looking forward to
my monthly issue in the mail.
Furthermore, I want to thank you again for
your continued support for the Demystifying
India project. The project is nothing unless
the whole Indian community comes together
to form a united front and the media plays a
critical role in communicating that message.
Both Ravi and I are extremely grateful for
your hard work - please keep up the good
work.
This town desperately needs a regular publication like City Masala.
Kind regards,
Prash Pavagadhi, Tampa, FL
Readers are welcome to write in with their views, feedback and opinions. These can be submitted in the form of email or regular mail
and must be original and unpublished. All contributions will be edited.
Email: [email protected]. Mail: CityMasala, 4211 Elba Place, Valrico, FL
MAY: Upcoming Attractions in Florida
13th May: Fundraising dinner
Soundz, Dj Chris Rock, Shotta.
hosted by the Indo-US Chamber of
Commerce: A fund raising event for
the Demystifying India Initiative, this
is a semi-formal champagne dinner at
MOSI. After
a dinner
reception,
participants
will enjoy a
private viewing of the
IMAX movie, Mystic India followed
by an open air reception at MOSI’s
observatory. For more information on
this event call Ravi Seepersad (813)
505-8152 or Prash Pavagadhi (727)
786-6070
May, 2006- Pre Memorial
Bashment Jam. Island Crew Rest.
Himes/Columbus. Presented by Caribbean Vibes Ent, UniqueSoundz, and
Dj Rudeboy from NYC. Reggae,
Hindi, Remix, Bollywood, Chutney,
Soca, Reggaeton, Calypso. Admission:
$8, $10
21st May: Chai Time: 2:00 – 4:00
PM. Chai party with boutique clothes,
jewelry, make up tips, tea and snacks.
20th
Call 813-662-7023 for directions and
more information. FREE EVENT
6th
May 6: Powerline and
UniqueSoundz Soca Party: Playing
Reggae, Reggaeton, Hindi, Remix,
Bollywood, Soca, and Chutney. Island
Crew Restaurant/ Himes and Columbus. Admission: $10.00
12th
May: West Indian Yacht
Party on the exclusive Starship Yacht,
Channelside. Reggae, Soca, Reggaeton, Chutney, Indian, Hindi, Bollywood Remix. Three Levels Unique-
26th
May: Natural Mystic 10th
Anniversary, Citrus Bowl in Orlando.
With UniqueSoundz, DJ Ryan, plus
other DJs from Toronto and New York.
Reggae, Soca, Hindi, Reggaeton,
Chutney.
For more information on
Unique Soundz Events, call Dj
Dean, 813-857-6574 or email
[email protected]
To submit information about your events, write in with dates, timings and contact information to [email protected]. Events must be
submitted by the 15th of the preceding month.
CityMasala
6
May 2006
The Leaders in our Community
Achievers’ Club
George Korath: President – FOKANA: Federation of Kerala
Associations in North America
George Korath is definitely a politician in the making and a viable candidate at that – one whom all south
Asians can take great pride in being represented by! He hails from the state of Kerala, acquired most of his
education from Punjab University and came to the US in 1979. He has been a statistician at USPS for over
18 years and also dabbles as a real estate investor. His most marked achievement and contribution though,
would have to be his dedicated involvement with FOKANA. After having been the President of the Malayalee Association of Central Florida and seeing the good of the community that can be promoted in a position
of leadership, George set out to campaign for the Presidency of FOKANA. Of having acquired this position,
he says, “this is a tough election and a tougher campaign. I traveled extensively to seek votes all over the
US and Canada and participated in debates in front of numerous delegates representing over 50 Malayalee Associations across
North America.” FOKANA is the umbrella association of these Malayalee Associations and according to its estimation, there are
approximately 700,000 Keralites in North America. They are also the second largest Indian community in the US. As the President of
FOKANA, George Korath’s goal is to get the Malayalee community to register to vote so that they can be established as a presence
to be heard. FOKANA was in Kerala days after the Tsunami tragedy and donated over $26,000 to help rebuild ravaged areas. One
of the highlights of FOKANA is a convention that is held once in two years to get as many Keralites as possible, under one
roof, to celebrate their rich heritage and culture. This year, it is being held in Orlando from June 30 – July 4 at the GayLord
Palms Resort and Convention Center and FOKANA expects about 4,000 – 5,000 people to attend. The Chief Minister of Kerala,
Mr. Oommen Chandy and the NRI’s minister, Mr. Vayalar Ravi, are confirmed guests at this convention. On a more personal note,
George has received great honor as the President of FOKANA. He has been invited by the Indian Ambassador to evaluate George
Bush’s recent trip to India and was also invited by the White House during Indian Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh’s visit there. For
more information and contact information, visit www.fokana.org
Naseem J. Hafeez: President – PAAOTB: Pakistani American
Association of Tampa Bay
Naseem Hafeez is described as a tireless, dedicated and true leader by members of the Pakistani Association. It is being said that she is doing more and then some for the Pakistani population in the
Tampa Bay area and is instrumental in building bridges between the various south Asian communities. PAAOTB is a registered non-profit organization that was established in 1990 and Ms. Hafeez is
the President elect for the year 2006. Naseem is a graduate from the Allama Iqbal Medical College
of Pakistan although she chose not to practice medicine after having moved to the US in 1987. She
has brought up four brilliant boys all doing extremely well in school and college. Zeeshan, the oldest,
is in the first year of studying Law at Georgetown University; Naush, her second, is in the second year of Liberal Arts at the New
College of Florida in Sarasota and Naumann and Irfaan, her third and fourth, attend William Middle School (a Magnet School). She
says that she is very proud of her sons who understand the value of education and recognize the importance of retaining the culture
and heritage of their home land. Her goal as President of PAAOTB, “I want to build bridges between different communities so that
others get to know about our good values. I want to learn from others too so that we can pass on these values to our children and
create a better understanding.” PAAOTB was instrumental in providing help to the victims of the earthquake in Pakistan last year.
She says that the association tries to provide as much help as it can but that it needs more members so that more can be done. There
are currently 100 registered members who belong to this association. PAAOTB will be celebrating Pakistan’s Independence Day
on August 19th at Armwood High School, Seffner, FL. Tahseen Javed will be performing and their will be a cultural show along
with a movie on the earthquake. Vendors with all kinds of wares from clothes, food and jewelry will also be in attendance. For more
information on renting a stall or attending, Naseem Hafeez may be reached at 813-641-0613.
Parimal Bhutala: President – Gujarati Samaj of Tampa Bay.
Mr. Butala does not take no for an answer. He is a fighter and a survivor. He hails from Modasa, Guajarat, in
India and moved to the Tampa Bay area in 1991 from NJ. He lives in Gibsonton, FL with his wife Harsha,
son, Alok (17) who knows he wants to be an endoscope surgeon and daughter Niralee (14) who also wants
to become a doctor. Mr. Butala has been elected president for Gujarati Samaj of Tampa Bay for the second
time this year after his presidency in 2000. He has been actively involved with the Gujarati Samaj since
1994. As the president of the Samaj, Mr. Butala brings the community together and comes up with innovative ways to entertain people and make them feel at home. They are organizing events for Mother’s Day
on May 14th, Naya Din in mid-May and this year, Navratri will be celebrated for three consecutive
weekends at the Florida State Fairgrounds. The Samaj will also host Diwali celebrations at the Fairgrounds. We all look forcont’d to page 8......
ward to the India Festival in November and this year, it will be as good as the previous years.
CityMasala
7
May 2006
Achievers’ Club
The Leaders in our Community
Annual membership for Gujarati Samaj costs between $25 and $50, depending upon age and the time you join. This due gives access
to free programs that the Gujarati Samaj organizes. Membership also offers a great way to network with the people in the community,
to meet like minded people and to involve children in cultural activities. Mr. Butala is also a businessman who owns property, hotels
and real estate. He became involved with the Samaj as a volunteer and then upon the insistence of Nankit Oza, he became a committee member. Mr. Butala says that Dr. Kiran Patel has been a major influence in his desire to give back to the community. He believes
that all successful people are deeply involved in their community. His message to our readers is that wherever you go, always be
involved in your community, it will help you and you will never be lonely. You may contact Mr. Butala at 813-892-8197 or check
out www.gujaratisamaj.org for more information on Gujarati Samaj of Tampa Bay.
V. M. Patel: President: Gujarati Samaj of Central Florida
Mr. Patel is the president of Gujarati Society of Greater Orlando. He was born in India, moved to Tanzania
at the age of 11 and then back to India. After getting married in 1966 he moved to London, England, with
his wife. His career started with selling insurance after which he got into the world of finance. His company
called Unique Insurance Agents belonged to the Top of the Table in England, a very prestigious accolade. His
involvement with BAPS started in 1969 and since then, he has been very active with this organization. Having been a committee member of the Gujarati Samaj of London, it was only logical for him to join the society
here in Orlando after his move to the USA in 1991.
The Gujarati Society of Greater Orlando was founded in April of 2005. It was previously known as Gujarati Samaj of Greater Orlando.
As president of the Society, Mr. Patel ensures that they have quality programs for their members and that all members feel welcome.
The New Year’s party organized by the Samaj last year, was a great hit, as was the kite flying festival in January. Mr. Patel is now in
the midst of organizing a talent show, a Gujarati play, medical camps and a Navaratri function. He says that as President of the Samaj
this year, his goal is to increase the membership for the society from 300 to 500. He plans on organizing several religious, social and
entertainment functions. Members attend these functions at no cost. The aim is to network and mingle with people of similar tastes and
backgrounds. He says the society is a non profit organization and the committee is made up of volunteers. His personal goal for the
society is to have a hall built which can be used for regular activities as well as for renting out. The dues for membership are $75 per
family annually; senior citizens may become members for free.
As a message to our readers, Mr. Patel said “We, (Gujarati Society of Greater Orlando) urge you to join us wholeheartedly. The
society and the committee members are for you and to help you. You will receive the maximum benefit and you will enjoy it.”
CityMasala
8
May 2006
CityMasala
May 2006
Talk gets Cheaper
Tech Talk
Internet Phone Services – Are They for Real?
By Vish Viswanathan
Your next telephone may not be a landline. It will connect to the Internet, not a telephone line, and it will cost
considerably less than conventional landlines. You will also have better features and ease of use. Over the next few
years, more products using Voice over Internet Protocol, or VoIP, will be coming aboard. But there’s no need to wait!
Today’s batch of Internet phone products have useful features and can save you money, starting now.
Most Net phone services work just like regular phone services do. You get a local number (in many cases, your old
one). Sound quality and reliability are equal. The only difference is that you plug your telephone into an adapter that
connects to a cable or DSL modem.
Price is the major factor. Internet companies offer unlimited calls throughout the U.S. and Canada for $25 or less a month (including voice
mail and caller ID). Unlimited international calling is also often available.
Pacekt 8: www.Packet8.net
Packet8 charges $10 a month for unlimited
domestic calls for the first three months,
and then the fee goes up to $20 ($30 activation fee). Best deal: Unlimited calling
to more than 40 countries for $50 a month.
India is not on the list of 40 countries and
it costs 15 cents a minute to call anywhere
in India.
Packet8 ships you a free adapter for your
old phone. You can get Uniden’s compatible cordless phone for $80 (after a $110
rebate), which doesn’t require an adapter
and is expandable without the need for
extra phone jacks or Internet connections.
Skype: www.Skype.com
Skype is the hottest net phone in the market today. Can 42 million users go wrong?
That’s how many people worldwide have
installed Skype, a free PC-to-PC phone
service that, for a fee, will also make and
receive calls to and from conventional
telephones. If you want to call an actual
phone number, you need to pay. Calls
cost 2 cents a minute and you need to buy
minutes in 10-hour blocks. To receive
a call, you will need a “SkypeIn” phone
number, which runs about $36 a year or
about $12 for three months. “SkypeOut”
rates to India range from 17 cents to 19
cents a minute depending on the location
and whether you’re calling a landline or
mobile.
For the free service, you need a PC, a
microphone and speakers, or you can buy
a cordless handset from Skype. Skype
doesn’t support 911 at all, so it’s not for
everyone. However, if you keep a barebones landline as a backup, it’s a great
way to save a bundle.
Vonage: www.vonage.com
The country’s largest Internet phone serCityMasala
vice provider has a $25-a-month unlimited
domestic plan, as well as a $15-a-month
plan that gives you 500 minutes of talk
time. Calling India cost about 17 cents a
minute.
In addition to the Vonage phone adapter,
there are many new ways to connect to the
service, including a Uniden cordless home
phone and an upcoming Panasonic cordless system. The UTStarcom F1000 Wi-Fi
phone lets you make and receive Vonage
calls anywhere you can access Wi-Fi network, at home or on the road.
SunRocket: www.sunrocket.com
A one-year subscription for unlimited
domestic calling costs
$199, which works
out to about $17 a
month. Month-tomonth service costs
$25. There is also
a limited month-tomonth service that
costs $9.95 for 200
minutes including
3 cents a minute to
about 30 countries.
Again, India is not in
that list and it costs
about 12 cents to 15
cents a minute to call
India.
especially since there are no surprise extra
monthly taxes or fees, unlike those on
other Internet phone bills. There is no activation fee either. SunRocket is not available nationwide, but if you live in an area
in which it is offered, it’s a good choice.
Internet telephony still has reliability
issues. For one thing, if your broadband
connection fails, so does your phone
service. Your phone connection is lost
during power outages. However, one thing
is certain:The Internet is unmistakably the
future of telephony.
Contact [email protected] with
comments and feedback.
When you sign up,
SunRocket ships
you its Gizmo phone
adapter, which connects to your modem.
You just plug your
phone into the Gizmo
and start gabbing.
The annual $199
service is a real value,
10
May 2006
CityMasala
May 2006
SARASOTA CRICKET CLUB BUYS GROUND
Cricket
By: Mike Marcus
In what must be considered
a landmark for modern USA
cricket, on February 27, 2006,
the directors of Sarasota International Cricket Club announced
the purchase of the 5.5-acre
ground on University Parkway,
Lakewood Ranch, where the club
has been playing cricket for the
past 4 years. The cash purchase
was made possible by the generous support of 14 Equity members
and the “sweat equity” of all the
membership.
For further information, or to
schedule a fixture, please contact
Laurence Parry at 941-232-9956 or
[email protected].
If you would like to submit
information about your local team, please contact us at
[email protected]
The Sarasota International Cricket
Club was founded in 1983 and is
honored to have Richie Benaud
as its Patron. The Club plays approximately 35 matches per year
CityMasala
from September through May,
the highlight of the season being
the Annual Six a Side tournament
over Thanksgiving weekend,
now in its 12th year, that attracts
teams from all over the USA, as
well as England, Canada, Australia, South Africa, Bermuda and
the Cayman Islands.
12
May 2006
CityMasala
May 2006
Of Vice and Men
By Zed Rahman
* I don’t like being nice. That is a fact!
It’s not who I am, it’s not a huge part of my
nature and I certainly don’t like endorsing
it as my philosophy of life. My dear mother
however thinks otherwise. She desperately
hopes that I will someday change because
she’s always been a Good Samaritan.
A few days ago, a friend of mine spoke
of my recent behavior to my mother and
suggested that she should sit me down for a
talk. So we talked. It was clear that she was
upset with me. According to her, my selfish
attitude towards life was a seduction to
the ‘dark side’. I told her not to worry and
that I wouldn’t become the next Anakin
Skywalker.
My personal opinion? In this world, you
really do need to be above the game. Being
nice gets you no where. I talk from personal experience and would also like to add
that while being good is right, moral and
appropriate – it’s also very boring. Your life
becomes interesting only if you decide to
take a walk on the wild side and dare I say
the rude side? To me, it makes you even
more human than normal.
‘So, who was this friend who suggested that
you speak to me?’ I asked. ‘Before I tell
CityMasala
you who it was’, she replied, ‘I want you
to tell me if you feel you’ve done anything
terrible to anyone recently’. I thought hard
and gave her four possible names: Aashique, Maria, Mez and Danny. She was
shocked by the number of names I rattled
off. She demanded to know what I had
done to them and threatened an arranged
marriage with the next door neighbor’s
daughter if I didn’t begin to talk. Talk about
refined torture techniques! ‘Okay, okay,
okay I’ll tell you’ I said and so began my
story.
Aashique is a good friend whom I have
known forever. He recently decided he
wanted to visit his family back in Pakistan
and asked if I would go to the travel agent
with him to book the tickets. I was intrigued about airplane toilets and asked him
a question - how do really fat people manage to squeeze themselves into those tiny
water closets? A normal person struggles to
turn around in such places and I was curious about how he managed because he’s
a frequent flyer. My mother was appalled
but claimed Aashique wasn’t the one who
called.
Maria is also a good friend of mine but
her sole ambition in
life is to ask questions. She questions
everything. She even
questions questions!
We occasionally meet
for dinner to catch
up with one another.
During one of our
recent dinner dates,
she asked, ‘why do
people compare their
skin color to different
types of chocolates?
Do people from Sri
Lanka consider themselves dark chocolate?
Do Egyptians consider themselves white
chocolate? And if I
don’t like milk chocolate, does that make
me a racist against
Indians?’ I couldn’t
take it anymore. I
picked Maria up from
her chair and onto
my shoulders, walked
14
outside to the street and dumped her into
a large trashcan. Head first! Maria wasn’t
the one who had called either. She hasn’t
spoken to me since that incident.
Mez is a fashion model for a large fashion
company. This makes her the most image
conscious woman in the world. She would
sometimes invite me over for her best
catwalk shows and would ask my opinion on make up and hair before the stylist
took over. On one such recent occasion,
she mentioned that she had found the best
foundation on the market which made her
look five years younger, (Mez is nudging
thirty). I told her that I didn’t understand
why some women used make-up because
no matter what they used, they still ended
up looking like dogs. Both of them, Mez
and the stylist, looked at me with sheer
shock and complete outrage. ‘Good luck
for tonight’ I said as I left to join the audience. Mez never showed up on the catwalk
that evening and wasn’t the one who called
either.
I was getting a little frustrated now. Who
could it be? ‘Tell me what you did to poor
Danny? What did he do that made you so
violent?’ ‘Ahhh so it was Danny’ I replied.
Danny is a professional nerd. He knows
over 789 pointless facts and that is an accurate figure because he wrote them all down
once and counted them. Did you know that
a frog’s favorite color is blue? A few days
ago, Danny had come over to my house
and claimed that the English language had
more words that were derived from American English than the other way around.
This I could not stand and I argued with
him for a whole hour. In the end, I grabbed
my huge Oxford English Dictionary from
my bedroom and proceeded to bang his
head with it a number of times until I felt
he acknowledged his mistake.
My mother’s expression was of such acute
disappointment that without saying one
word, she made me experience guilt like
I had never experienced it before. I found
myself weakening and I caved. ‘Okay’ I
said, ‘if it makes you feel better, I’ll apologize to Danny and the others’.
I still felt that I would be apologizing for
the wrong reasons. So secretly, I decided
I would only say sorry to three of them
– the fourth should receive a beating with a
special gift instead - the Oxford American
Dictionary.
May 2006
CityMasala
May 2006
RE E L
T AL K
Bollywood Movie Reviews
By Kavita Trivedi
Being Cyrus Dir: Homi Adajania; Cast: Saif Ali Khan, Dimple Kapadia, Naseeruddin Shah, Boman Irani
and Simone Singh
Dinshaw Setna (Naseeruddin Shah) and his wife Katy (Dimple Kapadia) offer Cyrus
(Saif,) a stranger, a place to stay in their home. Cyrus, in turn, offers to become Dinshaw’s assistant for a year. He befriends Dinshaw and eventually forms a blossoming
relationship with his wife as well. The story focuses on the rather dysfunctional Setna
family- including Dinshaw’s brother Farooq (Boman Irani) and his wife Tina (Simone
Singh). When Cyrus enters their home as an outsider, the dark sides of the seemingly
ordinary characters gradually start to come out.
Debutant director Homi Adajania’s first release is definitely an impressive one. He does
justice to each character, concentrates heavily on the film’s theme and balances out the
script with an equal dose of comedy and drama.
After gaining critical acclaim overseas with Salaam Namaste and Parineeta, Saif Ali
Khan breaks away from the traditional boy meets girl movie in this groundbreaking black comedy. Being Cyrus marks Saif’s first
venture into English cinema and successfully shows his versatility as a mature actor. Both Naseeruddin Shah and Dimple Kapadia give
outstanding performances and Boman Irani provides the comedy in the film.
Being Cyrus has no songs but its strong background score blends in well with the movie and captures the mood of each scene in the
film. An intriguing film that showcases a simple and yet complex theme- Highly Recommended.
Saawan –The Love Season Dir: Saawan Kumar Tak; Cast: Salman Khan, Bobby Darling, Kapil Javeri,
Saloni Asvani, Prem Chopra and Johnny Lever
Renowned director Saawan Kumar Tak returns after the 2003 hit Dil Pardesi Ho Gaya with
Saawan – a romantic thriller that focuses on coincidence and destiny.
The story revolves around two characters that fall in love after meeting in Cape Town. Tragedy soon strikes when the boy loses the girl. The desperate lovesick hero yearns to get her
back and reaches out to the powers above who endow him with an incredible gift. His unique
intuitive ability then enables him to rescue his lost love, under mysterious circumstances,
from an accident he has been able to foresee.
Salman Khan gives another intense performance after Tere Naam and we see him explore
and take on a refreshing and challenging role. He is fantastically convincing as the tormented
lover who is bestowed with supernatural powers of premonition.
Director Saawan Kumar Tak also reunites newcomers Kapil Javeri and Saloni Asvani after
Dil Pardesi Ho Gaya. The movie also stars Johnny Lever and Prem Chopra in supporting roles.
The main highlight of the film is a seven minute qawali and dance number performed by Salman Khan, which has been composed by
Aadesh Srivastava and also features a comedy track performed by Johnny Lever and Bobby Darling. A powerful love story tipped to
be one of the biggest releases this spring.
Malamaal Weekly Dir: Priyadarshan; Cast: Paresh Rawal, Riteish Deshmukh,
Om Puri, Reema and Yashpal Yadav
Thakurani (Sudha Chandran) and her brother Baje (Yashpal Yadav) are governors of Laholi- a small
town village. They bully local villagers by giving them only a small share of their earnings. Fellow
villager Lilaram (Paresh Rawal) sells lottery tickets called Malamaal Weekly on a regular basis and
happens to sell a ticket to local man Anthony Fernandes. The big twist in the film is when Anthony
wins the 1 million rupee jackpot and then suddenly dies. The whole village comes to know of his
winnings and tries to claim a share of the prize money- including a milkman and local village hero
Kanhaiya (Ritesh Deshmukh). The villagers face a challenge when the lottery man comes to present
the winnings and they try to keep quiet about what really happened to Anthony.
After the huge success of Garam Masala, Priyadarshan releases another comedy caper that is
packed with thrills and laughter. Paresh Rawal brings the simple plot to life with his effortless performance and proves that he is still the master of comedy after Hungama and Hulchul.
Ritesh Deshmukh, Yashpal Yadav and Om Puri also give good, humorous performances and are
enjoyable to watch.
Overall, a fun packed family entertainer- worth watching.
CityMasala
16
May 2006
B O L L YWO O D
Around the Bollywood World in Eight days
By Steven Baker
The use of foreign locations is an increasingly popular trend in the Hindi film
industry. It seems that each new release
boasts at least one scene, if not the whole
movie, where the action takes place
outside India. Working as a foreign actor
in Bollywood, I discover that my job provides the ideal opportunity for travel; as I
begin a journey that will take me around
the world in eight days... without once
leaving Bombay.
My first destination is the Middle East,
shooting for Mahesh Bhatt’s Killer. This
Emraan Hashmi and Irrfan Khan starrer takes place over one night in ‘Dubai’,
with a shopping mall in the Bombay
suburb Mulund, substituting for Dubai
International Airport. Signs proclaiming
‘Welcome to Dubai’ and ‘Duty Free Shop’
cover tell-tale Hindi script and I have been
supplied with a passport and flight tickets
to add a further touch of authenticity. On
closer inspection though, I doubt such
travel documents would get me into the
Gulf. The passport is a photocopy, and the
tickets are a cut up script from a previously shot scene.
The next stop is the ‘UK’, shooting on the
film Raakh. The locale of choice is the
East Midlands town of Leicester. Not only
does Leicester have a large NRI population, the producers also wanted to show
moviegoers something other than the
London proper tourist sites. Filming in a
rocking Juhu night-spot, the shoot today
is a club scene. Sohail Khan and Amrita
Arora steal flirtatious glances at each other
across the crowded floor, as a troupe of
funky foreign and Indian dancers shake
their thing to fusion pop beats.
Early and bright the next day, it is time to
leave Europe. Crossing the North Atlantic
to New York is as simple as catching a taxi
from Andheri to Goregoan. I am shooting on a song for Jaaneman at Filmistan
Studios. My fellow passengers are Preity
Zinta and Akshay Kumar, and our tour
leader is choreographer Farah Khan.
We spend a long day filming an elaborate
dance sequence, shooting the same scene
from different angles. In the middle of
CityMasala
show.
the dance floor; Akshay, on bended knee,
proposes to a coy Preity. There is a moment of suspense before she consents, and
we are directed to respond by dancing and
looking happy.
Choreographer Khan is deliciously
demonic in her direction, and with sound
bites straight out of Indian Idol, we are
beginning to feel like contestants in the
competition. In her Idol judge avatar, she
booms at a unitwala who is accidentally
still on set whilst the cameras roll “Who
is that man? I will give him two tight
slaps”,, adding ominously “He’ll die by
my hands”. Gulp. It’s murder on the dance
floor.
Salman Khan joins us in the Big Apple.
The superstar is virtually unrecognizable
in a blue turban, and if I had not seen
him arrive at the studio in his cycling
gear, I would have refused to believe it
was him. The on-set gossip is none other
than Salman’s court case. A junior artist
questions whether or not bad boy Salman
would be allowed to leave India if we
actually were shooting in New York, New
York. The speculators do not agree on an
answer, but it makes for interesting timepass banter.
Leaving the city that never sleeps, I venture to a Bombay office block for a shoot
in the adjacent state of ‘New Jersey’. The
production - a US/Indian crossover film
titled The Contest about a singing talent
17
I hop over the 49th parallel to ‘Canada’.
My next motion picture Humko Deewana
Kar Gaye is set in ‘Calgary’, and Bombay’s plush Renaissance Hotel is deployed
as a suitable stand-in. Anil Kapoor, very
much the ‘actor’s actor’, is giving background information about the scene to the
assembled cast, before we go for a take.
The hotel is on fire, and we are filmed
fleeing down the corridors to escape the
flames. As we gather safely outside, we
see the heroine of the film trapped high
up inside the burning building. But wait;
take a closer look at the figure in the peach
sari, glittering jewelry and mehndi painted
hands. Beneath the make-up I spy a rough
and tough looking stunt boy all set to jump
out of the building into the swimming
pool many stories below. The five o’clock
shadow makes it difficult to ascertain
which of the leading ladies the stunt boy is
playing; Bipasha Basu or Katrina Kaif. All
will be revealed at a multiplex near you.
Continuing my round-the-world trip, I arrive in ‘Singapore’, the location of Rakesh
Roshan’ s mega-budget blockbuster
Krrish. From the comfort of the Yash Raj
recording studio, my work as a dubbing
artist provides a private tour of the city,
with Hrithik Roshan and Priyanka Chopra
as guides. At the airport I bid a reluctant goodbye to the super hero and Miss
World, and head back to India.
The next morning I step out into Bombay’s bustling streets. My agent calls with
details of another job at Yash Raj studios.
I wonder where in the world I would go
to next. The movie is Kajol’s big banner
comeback Fanaah. Viewing the film from
the studio, I find Aamir Khan and Kajol in
a distinctly desi looking dhaba, which can
mean just one thing- we are in India. Over
black coffee in the Yash Raj canteen, I see
two of the country’s finest directors Sanjay
Leela Bhansali and Karan Johar; welcome confirmation that I am very much in
Bombay. After a journey around the world
in eight days, I’m happy to remain right
here.
May 2006
SUCCESS FEATURE: Jayesh Patel – The Oil Baron
By: Shaphali Jain
Jayesh Patel is a business leader, a mover and shaker in the Gujarati community of Orlando - he is the
Chairman of the Gujarati Society of Central Florida and a person who has worked extremely hard to
get to where he is today. He still works endless hours and has very little time for play. Whatever time he
does have left for play, he devotes to helping others. His open and giving nature are partly responsible
for his success. Read on to find out our scoop - his formula for success and happiness.
CM: Jayesh, where are you from and
when did you come to the US?
JP: I was born in Anand, Gujarat, India.
I came to the US in 1978, with my father,
and attended the University of Houston,
majoring in Business Management.
CM: Did you get into business immediately?
JP: I realized I would have to learn the
ropes before I started my own business. I
started working for Seven Eleven which is
owned by Southland Corporation. I got the
chance to build a foundation for evaluating risks in the business arena. After all,
how could I manage something that I did
not understand?
CM: How did the move to Florida happen?
JP: My brother, Yogesh Patel, lived
in Melbourne and I moved to Central
Florida in 1986 and started a business in
Polk County. I turned an empty building
with four walls into a convenience store.
Eventually I bought more stores and gas
stations – thirteen in- all and sold them
before moving to Orlando in
1989. These stores are still
successful and managed by
the people I sold them to.
There was a market shift in
the industry and I was able to
jump on early enough to focus
on convenience stores that
offered petroleum products.
This opened up opportunities
that were beyond my expectations.
CM: Can you explain what
exactly it is that you do now?
JP: Sure. I am a “jobber”.
In the Petroleum industry, a
“jobber” is one who supplies
oil or gas to retail gas stations.
I have owned many gas stations in the
past, but the oil always came from another source. When I was approached by
another jobber, Mr. Rushmore, who was
CityMasala
ready to retire, to look into the possibility
of becoming a jobber, I realized that this
was something right up my alley. I started
Diamond Oil in 2005, along with my
partner and friend of 17 years. Diamond
Oil now supplies gas to stores that I own
in Florida. I recently acquired 32 stores in
Nashville, TN. I own the real estate and
supply the fuel to all of these stores which
are all within a 15 mile radius.
CM: How does one become a “jobber”?
JP: Oh! It’s quite a challenging and
difficult task. You have to go through a
thorough background check conducted by
Homeland Security and you have to be
licensed in each state that you do business
in. The reason for such intense scrutiny
is to ensure that the wrong entities do not
acquire access to petroleum.
CM: What would you say is your ongoing
goal in life?
JP: I want to help people in my community as well as new business owners who are
also new to the petroleum industry. While
gas stations can be excellent investments,
Law will
require that
all gas stations replace their underground tanks. This
involves a cost of $150,000 - $180,000. I
intend to find a way to support business
owners in financing this expenditure. Simply put, it is my goal to assist them to be
as profitable as possible in their business.
CM: In your quest to fulfill your goals,
can you quantify your contributions?
JP: Wow! The operative phrase here is
“responsible for”. I estimate that I am
responsible for approximately $20 Million
dollar in generated revenue. Of course
this is distributed among those who were
willing to invest in their future within the
convenience store industry. I have never
been one to sit on the sidelines; I enjoy
being in the game.
CM: So, amidst all of this, how many
hours do you work in a week?
JP: (Laughing) I work ALL the time. I
break only for sleep which is for about 6
hours. I’m always on the ‘phone figuring
out where a delivery needs to be
made or why it wasn’t made!
CM: Any complaints from your
wife? Tell us about her.
JP: My wife’s name is Mulka.
She (almost) never complains.
We’ve been married for (pauses) 19 years. She is my biggest
strength and has devoted herself
to our home and to raising our
son, Sunny.
financial and operating issues can be quite
overwhelming. In addition, there are other
concerns such as environmental compliances. For example, by 2009, Florida State
18
CM: How old is Sunny and
what plans do you have for
him?
JP: (Eyes lighting up!) Sunny
is 18 and has been accepted by
several colleges. He has narrowed them down to two, UCF and Stetson. I am so proud of him and take pride
in letting him make his own decisions
(with some parental input!). I would like..
...cont’d. on page 25
May 2006
CityMasala
May 2006
Auntyji Ko Pucho
By: Auntyji
Auntyji wants all CityMasala readers to know that she is very happy with having started this column in CityMasala magazine. She is amazed at how many people are in need of her help and special kind of wisdom. Just when Auntyji had decided
to retire and hang up her hat for good, she has found a new way of connecting with people. Her only grievance is that people
don’t seem to have much common sense these days. She wonders if this happens to them because of the food they eat or
the company they keep. In any case, Auntyji is glad that she speaks her mind in the good old desi way and is around to give
people a monthly dose of her reality check!
Q: Auntyji, I am not from India. I read
your advice to a non-Indian guy who was
looking for an Indian girl. I am looking
for an Indian man. I think they are very
handsome and are so aggressive. But,
I am very shy, and my whiteness stands
out any time I go to an Indian festival or
shop, embarrassing me even more. I was
excited when I saw your column, hoping
that you may be able to offer me some
advice on how to meet Indian men in the
Miami area.
Pat Smith Miami, FL
A: Auntyji agrees with you – there is
certainly something about Indian men
– which might also explain why there are
more than a billion people in India! One
thing Auntyji cannot figure out from your
name (and you failed to mention it as
well), is whether you are a man or a woman! Nevertheless, since Auntyji is not here
to preach on sexuality, you seem to be on
the right track by going to places where
Indians hang out. You can also try the
Internet to find sites that might be helpful,
such as www.shaadi.com. Being in a big
city with a diverse population (if you were
in New York City – your problem might
be already solved) should make it easier
for you – especially if you are a man. Be a
little aggressive and let an Indian guy you
like know that you like him. Believe me,
if you are half way attractive, he will be
all over you in no time at all! Remember,
being shy will get you nowhere.
Q: Auntyji, I am a 17 year old girl. I
really like this particular man, but he is
not someone my parents will approve of
– they have already picked someone for
me and I am supposed to get married to
him next year. I don’t like the guy my
parents have chosen for me AT ALL.
How do I tell my parents about whom I
really want to marry? They will be very
upset with me and I am scared of telling
them of my true love.
Poonam, Melbourne
A: Poonam, where
do you live? Mormon
Country, UTAH? You
are 17 years old, thinking of marriage, and
your parents have already picked a groom?
What about studying,
finding a job, having
some fun? You have
your whole life ahead
of you and you need to
get your head, as well
as your parents, out
of the dark ages. As
for liking the guy you
like, you need to get to
know him better to see
if he truly makes you
happy and wants what
is best for you. You
are too young to be
thinking about getting
married.
Q: Auntyji, I thought
I could ask YOU
this question, since
you always seem to
CityMasala
20
have an answer to
everyone’s problems and have been
around so much. I
like this girl a lot and my friends think I
should ask her out. I’m going to become
a doctor, and my grandmother thinks that
her family doesn’t have much money and
is not of the same status as ours. Should
I bother with this one, or wait to find another girl more fitting to my social status?
Shankar- Ocala, FL
A: Shankar, what do you want to be
known as, “the guy who is a nice, successful doctor” or “the guy who got married
for a huge dowry”? Is the choice not
obvious? Do you like this girl or are you
just thinking of asking her out because of
your friends? Even if you do begin to date
her, you don’t know if it will lead to marriage. If you wait to find the girl who fits
your status (which century are we living
in, anyway?), she might be bad tempered,
ugly and lazy.
Q: Auntyji, my sister is 3 years younger
than I am. She is expecting her first baby
in three months, and she knows that it
will be a boy. She wants to give him the
name that I had picked out for my first
son, which is our grandfather’s name.
Do you think it is proper for her to use
this name, since I am the oldest son?
Shouldn’t that right be reserved for me?
Rajveer, Plant City, FL
A: Raja bhai, what happens if you do not
have a son ? Are you married? What if you
never have a son? In that case what happens to your grandfather’s name? Your sister is having the boy first, and she should
have the right to name him what ever she
wants. It you do have a son later; you
could still name him the same, or add an
additional name. You should be grateful to
your sister that her son will be carrying the
memory of your family name which might
get lost if it were left to your capabilities.
Auntyji wishes all her readers happy reading and looks forward to helping more lost
souls find their way to happiness and common
sense. Write to Auntyji at Auntyji@citymasala.
com
May 2006
CityMasala
21
May 2006
City Chic: Beauty
By: Shaphali Jain
Hairless and Smooth
Every Woman’s Desire
I
remember overcrowded desi salons – women getting threaded, bleached and plucked
– all working towards a common goal – to be hairless and smooth. I grew up with the
very same feelings and so did a lot of the girls I knew. Unwanted facial and body hair had
to be removed and we would be hairless no matter what. Of course, the hair on our heads
was, and is, a completely different matter. We want it to be thicker, longer and lusher,
MORE being the operative word here.
Over the years, a lot of us have gone through almost every means of hair removal in the
quest to become hairless and smooth. I, for one, have a myriad of long forgotten gadgets
in my closet that were meant to remove unwanted hair painlessly and easily. Incase you
haven’t realized this truth the hard way, all advertisers lie shamelessly and I am ashamed to
admit that I am as gullible today as I was when I was a teenager. So, when it was brought
to my attention, fairly recently, that my ten year old daughter has also inherited this intense
dislike for unwanted facial and body hair, I set out to unearth, once again, the various options that we should employ for this purpose. I will not get into the details of how I battled
with the age old “how old should she be before she is allowed to shave, wax, bleach” syndrome. Suffice it to say that I did some
battling and came up with the “let me educate myself with the best possible method” approach. I wanted to find something as noninvasive as possible for her tender skin and there are quite a lot of options out there depending on how far you want to go. Do not
get fooled into thinking that any of these is a permanent method and do remember that it takes pain to gain anything in this world.
Bleaching: The least invasive method of
all and also the least painful, this is a way
to make the hair less noticeable. This is
especially useful for areas that have thin
but dark and therefore noticeable hair like
the arms, face, especially the upper lip, or
neck. Pain level: a mild burning sensation.
Shaving: This temporary method to
remove body hair merely cuts the hair off
at the skin surface. Shaving does not make
the hair shaft thicker, darker, or grow
faster or slower. Pain level: None unless
you’re really clumsy and end up cutting
yourself!
Plucking: This is the safest and often
the handiest method of removing
unwanted facial hair (almost every
woman I know carries tweezers in her
handbag or makeup kit for that errant
hair that peeks out at the most inopportune moments!). Pain level: more
irritating than painful. Can be tedious
and time consuming depending on
how much foliage has to be removed!
Threading: The proven age-old
and ever popular form of facial hair
removal practiced back home and now
available in some salons across the
US. It is considered one of the best
ways to remove unwanted hair from the
face. There are some gadgets available
in the market, which claim to employ the
same technique as threading, but in dire
fear of adding to my already overflowing
stock of hair removal gadgets, I have not
tried them and cannot add my expert comments for this gadget. Pain level: diminishes with time!
CityMasala
CityMasala
Waxing: This is a good method to remove
large quantities of hair from the body.
However, facial waxing is a very invasive
and harsh alternative, although unavoidable when you are unable to avail of any
of the other options. Pain level: OUCH!!
Depilatories or Hair removal Creams:
The major side effect of this method is
skin irritation because the chemical can
melt away skin cells. Pain level: a mild
22
burning sensation.
Electrolysis: Electrolysis is probably
the only semi -permanent form of hair
removal but it has several drawbacks. This
method requires repeated treatments for up
to 12 to 18 months and side effects include
pain and visible soreness on the treated
area for about a week after treatment.
Pain level: Intense unless you have a
high threshold for pain!
Laser: Laser treatment is not permanent and not for everyone. It has been
surmised that laser hair removal works
best for light-skinned people with
dark hair. As with electrolysis, laser
treatments for hair removal must be
repeated. At this time it appears that
laser treatment, while not causing permanent destruction of all hair follicles,
does retard the re-growth of new hair.
Pain level: Unknown if any.
Hair Removal with Vaniqa
Vaniqa is a prescription-only topical cream that has been FDA-approved
for reducing and inhibiting the growth of
unwanted facial hair. Noticeable results
Let’s face it. Most desi women are bestowed with a fair amount of facial and
body hair. For those of you who like to
have options, I hope this article is useful
and comes in handy. Please feel free to
write in with any questions or feedback to
[email protected].
May2006
2006
May
Wining
& Dining
Compiled by CityMasala
Staff Correspondent
FACT OR FICTION!
W
hile putting together
this column, it came as
quite a surprise to find how
little we may actually know
about alcohol, its consumption and its side effects. Here
are some common myths
dispelled!
Myth: Alcohol destroys brain
cells.
Fact: Moderate consumption
of alcohol does not destroy
brain cells. In fact, it may be
associated with improved cognitive (mental) functioning.
Myth: White wine is a good
choice for a person who
wants a light drink with less
alcohol.
Fact: A glass of white or red
wine, a bottle of beer, a shot
of whiskey or other distilled
spirits, all contain equivalent
amounts of alcohol and are
the same to a Breathalyzer. A
standard drink is:
•A 12-ounce bottle or can of
regular beer.
• A 5-ounce glass of wine.
• A 1and 1/2 ounce of 80 proof
distilled spirits (either straight
or in a mixed drink).
Myth: Drinking beer causes a
“beer belly”.
Fact: Eating too much food
causes a “beer belly”. No beer
or other alcoholic beverage is
necessary.
Myth: Switching between different types of alcohol will get
you intoxicated more quickly
than sticking to one type of
alcoholic beverage.
Fact: The level of blood
alcohol content (BAC) is what
determines sobriety or intoxication. A standard drink of
beer, wine, or spirits contains
equivalent amounts of alcohol.
Alcohol is alcohol and a drink
is a drink.
Myth: Drinking coffee will
help a drunken person sober
up sooner.
Fact: Only time can sober up
a person. Black coffee, cold
showers, exercise, or any other
common “cures” do not work!
Alcohol leaves the body over
a period of time depending on
how much alcohol was consumed and this is true regardless of sex, age and weight!
Myth: Drinking long enough
will cause a person to become
alcoholic.
Fact: There is simply no
scientific basis for this statement, which seems to be a
commonly used one to deter
people from drinking lest they
become alcoholics!
Some more Alcohol Trivia:
• Adding a miniature onion
to a martini turns it into a
Gibson.
• A tequini is a martini made
with tequila instead of dry gin.
• Alcohol is considered the
only proper payment for
teachers among the Lepcha
people of Tibet. (Now how
many of you would like to
apply for teaching positions in
Tibet?)
• The shallow champagne
glass originated with Marie
Antoinette. It was first formed
from wax molds made of her
breasts.
•A raisin dropped into a glass
of champagne will repeatedly
bounce up and down between
the top and the bottom of the
glass.
Dining Out: Restaurant Review
Taj Indian Cuisine
R
“Adding a miniature onion to a
martini turns it into a Gibson”
CityMasala
umor has it that Taj
Indian Cuisine is the
first Indian restaurant to have
opened its doors on Fowler
Avenue in the Tampa Bay area
in 1991. The owner, Mr. Ramesh Mehta, confirmed this.
He is from Punjab, where he
always dabbled in cooking, his
hobby. He became a chef in
India and then migrated to the
US to feed the likes of us – the
poor unfortunates whose taste
buds crave authentic Indian
cuisine! So, does Taj offer
the authentic fare? Well, you
are obviously the best judge,
depending on how good you
may be in the kitchen or how
well you are able to unfreeze
the frozen entrées that you
keep in your freezer! As far as
we were concerned, we were
not disappointed. Taj offers a
good dose of Punjab with just
the right touch of spice and
flavor.
The Mulligatawny soup is
one of the signature dishes
that Taj boasts of – desis
and non-desis alike seem to
gravitate towards this mouth
watering soup. The mixed
Tandoori grill offered a good
assortment of the appetizers that are served. Amongst
the vegetarian offerings, the
Malai Kofta, Paneer Karahi,
Vegetable Makhanvalla and
Mushroom Karahi are a must
try. The non-vegetarian dishes
that stood out amongst the
rest were the Butter Chicken,
Tandoori Chicken and the
23
Chicken Korma. The Garlic
Naan was our all time favorite
and another big seller at the
restaurant. The desserts – simply delicious. Kheer, Gulab
Jamun, Ras Malai and the
Pistachio Kulfi – these were
tasted and thoroughly enjoyed
in small spoonfuls!
Taj Indian Cuisine is located
on 2734-B East Fowler Avenue in Tampa and the contact
number is 813-971-8483.
Don’t forget to tell them that
you read about them in CityMasala magazine! We hope
you enjoy your meal as much
as we did. Taj also offers
catering facilities and has a
Banquet Hall that can accommodate up to 135 people. Bon
appetite!
May 2006
Short Story: The Sanctuary
S
he came from the village and had a
starved and somewhat crazed expression on her face. She did not look like a good
choice and yet there was something in her eyes
that made Malini look at her. The girl looked
steadily down at her bare feet and at her toes
which curled in as if hiding from the world.
The floor was dirty, and when Malini looked
around at the surroundings, she could barely
make herself stay. Malini’s eyes drifted back
to the girl. She had the most unkempt look
a young girl could possibly have. Her hair
looked like it had not been washed or combed
in days, or maybe even weeks. Her clothes
looked like she had lived in them for months
and yet her eyes were what drew Malini to
her. She had unusual eyes to say the very least.
They looked haunted and vacant and yet, Malini was sure that this girl was full of character
and yes, even life. Why was she so intrigued
by this girl?
When she pointed out the girl to her sister-inlaw, Rajni, she got an immediate and harsh
dressing down in a hushed undertone. If
anyone could scream while whispering, Rajni
could! Even the girl recoiled as if she knew
that she was being rejected. Rajni wanted
Malini to look at the other girls and Malini was
thinking that if she were able to take this girl
home, she would be able to feed her, clothe
her, protect her and make her believe in this
world again. And then Malini remembered
why she was here in the first place.
She had come here with Rajni to find a maid.
It was an agency that promised young girls
from a village in Bihar, honest, but completely
untrained in household chores. After trying
for months to cope with a full time job, two
children, a completely indifferent husband and
extremely demanding parents-in-law who had
recently moved in with her, she had finally given in to Rajni’s relentless, albeit considerate,
suggestions to find a maid. Rajni had found her
own maid through the same agency, which was
in the heart of one of the busiest and oldest
shopping centers in the city. Malini had no idea
how many lanes connected to one another in
the maze that finally led to the agency. She was
completely in awe of Rajni for not only having
remembered how to get there, but for actually
venturing back to this godforsaken place with
Malini.
The agency owner, or manager, (it was unclear
what the gentleman’s exact position was)
patiently waited for the two memsahibs to
decide which girl they wanted to take home
with them. He shook the leg that was bent over
the other one quite rapidly, making his chappal
dangle precariously at the tip of his foot and
picked at his teeth with the corner of an opened
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out paper clip. His look was one of complacence knowing that the two memsahibs must
be quite desperate to have trudged all the way
to his shop. He looked at his girls contentedly
as if debating which one he would pick that
night. Malini looked at the young girls she
was supposed to pick from and shuddered at
the thought of leaving even one behind at the
mercy of this man. All the instincts within her
screamed to run out of here and then she was
drawn to that first girl again. The man picked
up on this and said, “Arre memsahib, don’t
pick Kamala. She is very stubborn. Her mother
begged me to take her away from the village.
She doesn’t listen to anyone. She does not even
listen to me. She does not talk to anyone and
does not even wash herself. I don’t know what
I am going to do with her.” He started to shake
his head while the girl, Kamala, continued to
look down at her feet.
“
She had unusual eyes to say the
very least. They looked haunted
and vacant and yet, Malini was sure
that this girl was full of character and
yes, even life. Why was she so intrigued
by this girl?”
Malini was now even more certain that she
wanted to pick this girl. She pulled herself to
her full 5 feet, 2 and a half inches, and told
the man, while valiantly ignoring Rajni,
that she would like to
talk to the girl before
she made up her mind.
Rajni was having a mild
heart attack, but Malini
studiously avoided her
and took Kamala out to
the tiny over-crowded
terrace. She asked her,
“Would you like to come
with me to my house?”
No answer. She asked,
“Would you like to wear
some pretty clothes and
get some nice slippers?”
No answer. She tried
again, “Would you like
to get away from here?”
and this time, a glimmer.
Kamala looked up and
said, “Yes.”
By: Shaphali Jain
hib’s terrible choice. His parting comment to
Kamala was, “Make sure you work hard. If I
hear one word of complaint from this memsahib, I will come and beat you to a pulp.” When
he saw the furious expression on Malini’s face,
he took a step back and said, “Memsahib, you
have to talk to them like this. Otherwise they
won’t listen.”
When Malini walked into her house with
Kamala, she hurried in to the kitchen to make a
pot of tea to relax Rajni’s frayed nerves. Rajni
could not believe Malini had chosen the most
slovenly one of the lot. She really thought that
Malini had lost her mind but was relieved that
the ordeal was over. She went in to see her
mother who would have a list of grievances
against Malini and whom she would have to
calm down. Malini smiled to herself as she put
the pot on the stove and showed Kamala the
outside bathroom. She then went and rummaged in her closet and brought out an old
salwar kurta and an even older pair of slippers
for Kamala. Kamala’s eyes started to shine and
a small smile lit up her face. Malini felt her
heart soar. She knew she had made the right
decision. She wasn’t quite sure as to what she
had saved Kamala from, but she was sure she
had saved her from something that could now
belong in Kamala’s past. Malini was Kamala’s
savior and this house would be Kamala’s sanctuary. Malini would see to that.
Malini felt elated and
completely at peace at
having made the right
decision. She paid the
fees to the man who
looked quite depressed at
the thought of memsa24
May 2006
SUCCESS FEATURE:
Jayesh Patel – The Oil Baron
cont’d. from pg 16.....
him to take business courses so he can take care of this
enterprise (so I can then get more than 6 hours of sleep!)
More importantly, I pray that he appreciates that I will
always be there for him until my next life’s journey.
CM: Jayesh, tell us what motivates and inspires you?
JP: Prayer. I believe in the simplest and most basic way
of praying. Every opportunity I get, whether it is while
I am traveling or working or eating or trying to sleep, I
recite Om Namoh Shivaye. It gives me a lot of strength
and peace.
CM: What would you have done had you not become a
“jobber”?
JP: (Smiling) This may surprise you, but until 12th grade,
I wanted to enlist in the Air Force and serve my country.
Now I try to serve others in the business world.
CM: Who has been the single most important driving
force in your life?
JP: My dad. (Jayesh’s smile vanished and his expression changed) He was my guru, my mentor and my role
model. He lived a full life and was a legend in our home
town in Ajarpura-Boriavi, Gujarat. He was a doctor, an
author, and a strong follower of Gandhiji. When he died
(less than a year ago), the whole town closed down. Even
the lorry men, who make less than $1 a day, stopped their
lorries as a mark of respect for him. Everyone came to
his funeral. I could talk for hours about his life and what
he meant to me but feel that I can summarize by relating
an incident to you that took place during a recent visit to
India while my father, Dr. A. S. Patel, was in the hospital:
It was very hot outside and an old lady came by asking
for my father. Her glasses were broken, her sari was torn
and she had no slippers on. I told her that my father was
in the hospital. I asked her to come in so that she could
get out of the heat but she wouldn’t come in. When I
finally convinced her to come in, she started to cry and
told me about all that my dad had done for her even
though she was a harijan. I was moved beyond belief at
my father’s reach and kindness. He will always inspire
me to do more.
CM: Did your father get to see what you had achieved?
JP: Yes, and he was very proud of me. I visited him a
few weeks before he passed on and I asked him to tell
me how to live like him. His advice was, Be honest to
yourself and always do the right thing today. I try to live
by these words everyday.
CM: In conclusion, what would you like your legacy to
be?
JP: (Broad smile with an affirmative nod of the head)
That is relatively easy...... ONE WHO CARES!
Jayesh Patel may be contacted at 407-468-0719 or 352629-0361
CityMasala
CityMasala
25
May 2006
2006
May
May 2006
Contributions from our Website www.citymasala.com
I told my best friend about this guy I
liked. She would make me talk about him
every time we met and I would pour my
heart out to her. One day, a note fell out of
her bag as she was making her way to the
ladies room while we were out at a restaurant. I picked it up meaning to give it back
to her when I noticed that it was a letter
she had written to the guy I liked! I was so
hurt that I left the restaurant without telling her anything. She kept calling me but
I never spoke to her again.
BETRAYED
I love my girlfriend very much but fear
that she is not the sort I can take home
to “mother”. She is an Indian girl who is
born and brought up here while I am very
much an Indian boy. She is very forward
in her way of thinking and dressing. I
have tried to tell her a few times that she
should tone down the way she dresses and
talks, especially in front of other desis but
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she has no idea what I am talking about! I
am really scared of introducing her to my
parents and am thinking of telling them to
find a nice desi girl in India whom I may
end up marrying!
TIED TO MOM’S APRON STRINGS
I really like a customer who comes to
the store I work at. He asked me out and I
discovered that he is a few years younger
than I am. I’ve been out with him a couple
of times since then but feel conscious
about disclosing my real age to him, so,
I lie shamelessly. I don’t know what I’m
going to do if we get more serious, or if
he finds out the truth!
SIXTEEN FOREVER
I have been married for about 20 years
now and have a fairly good relationship
with my wife. Recently, I tried to introduce something new to our life in the
bedroom and was met with more than
26
an enthusiastic response from my wife.
I am now wondering if I have created a
monster and am scared about how far she
might actually be willing to go!
SCARED SILLY
I am a single father who has recently
started dating after being divorced for
about two years. I am trying to be very
careful and selective in whom I date but
it’s a tough world out there, especially for
a 43 year old single dad, who hasn’t been
in the dating world for over 20 years and
can’t go out on the weekends! Recently,
one of my co-workers approached me expressing great sympathy for my situation
since she happens to be in a very similar
one. I have a feeling that I may be in for
some special lunch dates. Now, here’s a
world I didn’t think of exploring!
A LUNCH TO REMEMBER
May 2006
Star Lite Star Brite
By Astrologer Sandeep Sidhu
HOROSCOPE
Zodiac of the Month
Taurus Apr 20 – May 20 Ruled by Venus; Gemstone: Diamond; Lucky Day: Friday
Practical, down to earth and deeply sensual, your driven personality fulfills your responsibilities and obligations with
ease and pride. A love of luxury is bestowed upon you by your Chart ruler, Venus. You want and get the best and you
love to surround yourself with a beautiful and artistic environment. You are not one to take affairs of the heart lightly and
expect plenty of romance. Preferring a stable and orderly life, you are renowned for being too possessive and stubborn.
Your Horoscope: Arguments with friends are more likely to arise under current transits. Watch any harsh words and swallow your pride
if you are at fault. Spend some time alone to work out your priorities and what you aim to achieve. Expect your hopes and wishes to
undergo some radical changes as old and useless ones may be discarded.
Aries: Mar 20 – Apr 19
Ruled by Mars; Gemstone: Red Coral
Lucky Day: Tuesday
You may discover talents
and abilities within yourself that had lain dormant
so far. Be creative and
unleash you inner talents and you may be
surprised by what you can achieve. The
transit of Saturn may make it difficult to
enjoy yourself so try to find time to relax.
certainly get your fair share of admirers.
can be gains made from investments in real
estate and it’s an excellent time to refurnish
Virgo: Aug 23- Sep 22
Ruled by Mercury; Gemstone: Emerald; your home.
Lucky Day: Wednesday
Capricorn: Dec 22 – Jan 19
Siblings or relatives can pop
Ruled by Saturn; Gemstone: Blue Saptheir head through the door
phire; Lucky Day: Saturday
now and problems that need
This is a good time to get rid of
help can crop up. Try not to
stagnant plans and people who
take on more than you can handle. You
may have a negative influence on
are more prone to gaining weight under
your
life. Luck bestows a smile
this period due to the expansive nature of
on
you
during this period. You
Jupiter. Watch your diet and get plenty of
Gemini: May 21- Jun 20
may
make
some gains in investments and
Ruled by Mercury; Gemstone: Emerald; exercise.
buying shares.
Lucky Day: Wednesday
Libra: Sep 23- Oct 22
New enterprises and careers do
Aquarius: Jan 20- Feb 18
Ruled by Venus; Gemstone: Diamond
very well now and any projects
Ruled by Saturn and Uranus; GemLucky Day: Friday
initiated will make a significant
stone: Blue Sapphire; Lucky Day:
It’s a wonderful time to
impression upon your life. At
decorate and make your sur- Saturday
times you may feel restless and
Those that are single may find
roundings in the home look
impatient. Curb any rebellious tendencies
themselves to be the centre of atmore pleasing. A visit to
and concentrate your energy on the goals
tention with an admirer. This is a
an antique shop may bring you a valuable
you wish to achieve.
wonderful time to start a new diet
investment for the future. You may find
or fitness program. You will also
yourself reminiscing about memories from
Cancer: Jun 21- Jul 22
do
well
with
personal development and
your childhood and people from the past.
Ruled by the Moon; Gemstone: Pearl
self-improvement programs.
Lucky Day: Monday
Scorpio: Oct 23- Nov 21
Jupiter’s transit gives you
Pisces: Feb 19- Mar 19
Ruled by Mars and Pluto; Gemstone:
a strong need to fulfill your
Ruled by Jupiter and Neptune
Red Coral; Lucky Day: Tuesday
true ambitions and dreams
Gemstone: Yellow Sapphire; Lucky Day:
Creative and artistic abiliwhich you are able to acThursday
ties are particular strong
complish easily. People who
This is a great time to take care
right now. Take some time
are of a different background or culture
of matters in your professional
can make a great impact on you and it is a to explore your latent talents
life as it is a very favorable time
very good time to join groups or organiza- as they can easily turn into a career or a
for changing jobs or enhanctions where you are exposed to new social second income. Take up a new hobby or
interest which will bring you in touch with ing prospects in an existing one. There are
circles.
new people and broaden your social circle. enhanced business prospects and it is also a
highly favorable time for forming business
Leo: Jul 23- Aug 22
partnerships.
Sagittarius: Nov 22- Dec 21
Ruled by the Sun; Gemstone: Ruby
Ruled by Jupiter; Gemstone: Yellow
Lucky Day: Sunday
Sandeep Sidhu is a certified Astrologer
Sapphire; Lucky Day: Thursday
Under the transit of Pluto, you
with the New Age Foundation. He is a
There may be scope for a rohave a deep need for security.
multi-disciplined practitioner qualified in
mance with someone at work.
You may be very sensitive about
Natural Health and Holistic Therapies and
Jupiter’s transit is highly
your self worth. Pamper and
is a Counselor and Therapist accredited in
favorable for buying a house
indulge yourself and make yourself beautiemotional and psychological health. Visit
or improving an existing property. There
ful. Enhance your wardrobe, as you will
Sandeep at www.inspired-artisan.com
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27
May 2006
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