Editor

Letter from the
Editor
T
he intense summer that we have experienced in Bangalore
this year has brought climate change and the environment to
the fore as discussion points. Is this a taste of future summers?
Are the torrential rainstorms really the result of steam building
up from rubbish dumps?
At first glance, India would seem to be a terrible environmental
offender especially when it comes to litter, but actually the
country is one of the world’s best recyclers. When you think
of the turnover at the OWC’s Pink Elephant Sale, reported
by Dixie Stafford in this issue, this fact does not actually
seem surprising. It is also a country where groundbreaking
environmental initiatives are begun. The remarkable work of
SEDS, described by LeeAnn Deemer and Lisa Bohner, is an
awe-inspiring example.
And there are many things that we ourselves can do to improve
our environments, as Lata Goenka-Kedia, Birgit Dreizehnter
and Kate Doesburg outline in their articles and exemplified by
many OWC charities, as Sarah Burns reports.
Photo by Alice Ray
Aside from environmental articles, we feature write-ups of
recent OWC events, such as the AGM, road trips to OWC
charity Asha Niketan and the Bliss chocolate factory, the April
Speaker Event and the Cooking Club’s outing. Since health is
linked to the environment, Joan Walsh and Lisa Bohner recount
their health check-up adventure and the winning bidders of the
India Night charity auction share a
little of their prize with us: a trip to the
Himalayas.
Contents
Regulars
Letter from the editor
Letter from the president
Member benefits
Spotlight on charities
Recipe of the month
Advertising information
3
4
6
29
37
38
Features
Ecotips19
Change the world
20-21
Home detox
23
Cycling24-25
Himalayas26-27
Pink Elephant recycles
30
Master health check-up
31
Events
AGM8
Pink Elephant
10
Charity thank you
11
Charity road trip
12-13
Speaker event
16-17
Bliss chocolates road trip
32-33
Cooking club
35
Enjoy the summer, wherever it may
take you!
Penny
Cover:
Speak no evil
Photo by Harriet Pollard
The Rangoli
Please remember:
Monthly Members’ Magazine – Overseas Women’s Club of Bangalore
All text and photographs in this
magazine are subject to copyright.
No part may be reproduced in any
form without prior written consent
of the author or photographer.
Editor: Penny Vegter • Photo Editor: Harriet Pollard • Layout: James Leacock,
Elizabeth Peskin, Erika Craig-Reilly, Soraya Taher, Ena Werks • Advertising:
Mallika Ranjan • Production: Penny Vegter & Elizabeth Peskin
The Rangoli 06/20123
June.indd 1
5/23/12 9:42 AM
The purpose of the OWC – as outlined in the Constitution
1. To promote social welfare by aiding needy public charitable projects without restriction to caste or creed with both funds and
personal involvement.
2. To welcome foreign newcomers in Bangalore and to help them to establish themselves in the community.
3. To promote sociability among the members and families.
4. To help members and their families to gain a better understanding of India through cultural and social activities and programs.
Letter from the
President
I
like June. I always have. At home, it marks the end
of the school year and ushers in the balmy weather
and promise of summer’s freedom. It is the month when,
like my mother, I married my husband. It is about hope
and looking ahead to the magic of summertime. I love
the long days and the complete change of lifestyle that
happens without fail year after year after year. We sleep in,
chill out, and play. We see friends, visit family, barbecue
and go to baseball games. But, for me, the best part is
the beach. The beach is beautiful: fierce and calming.
The tides come and go like clockwork, ever advancing
forward. I find this utterly uncontrollable phenomenon
soothing and there is nothing on earth that comforts me
more than time spent seaside.
I am from Boston. I can walk, maybe not to the beach,
but to the harbour, where on good days I can see tummyspeckled harbour seals cavorting. From there I can catch a
commuter boat to the beach, take a whale watch, visit the
aquarium, or hop between the hundreds of uninhabited
islands that dot the bay.
Growing up, I spent weeks staying
with my grandmother at her house
on the shore. She was every bit the
beach girl I am. We caught horseshoe
crabs, dug clams, collected sea glass
and frolicked in the big waves and
pounding surf. As adults we cooked
our bounty together, talked, read at the table and took turns
doing the dishes. I am so lucky to have had a wonderful
relationship with such a remarkable woman. I hope to be
just like her when I grow up.
My grandmother passed away last June at the ripe age
of 103 ½. She always said there is nothing that sunshine
and salt water can’t cure and she certainly bore testament
to that! I will miss her funny flowerpot hats and sandy
shower. I am sad that the woman with whom I most
shared my love of the sea is gone.
I am thousands of miles away living farther from any
shore than I have my entire life. So, I am looking forward
to summer by the sea. Friends will arrive uninvited by the
dozen, they always do. They will bring lobsters and fresh
produce from the farmers’ market. Some will cook, others
will tidy, and some will entertain the children. We will
light all three grills in the back and settle in for wonderful
evenings surrounded by dear friends. This will repeat
every single weekend and often weeknights, reminding
me that life is good. We will surf and sail, explore tide
pools and stroll.
It is June. The beach is calling and I am heading home for
the summer. I will return bronzed, happy, and calmer than
you imagine I can be.
Beth
Happy summer, everyone. Enjoy!
The Overseas Women’s Club of Bangalore supports the following charities through its charitable trust, Overseas
Women’s Foundation Bangalore
ACCEPT Society w ASHA FOUNDATION w ASHA NIKETAN w ASHRAYA CHILDREN’S HOME w
ASHWINI CHARITABLE TRUST w BANGALORE EDUCATION TRUST w BANGALORE HOSPICE TRUST - KARUNASHRAYA
w BELAKU TRUST w DEENA SEVA CHARITABLE TRUST w DIVINE LIGHT TRUST FOR THE BLIND w DOMINICAN SISTERS
OF THE PRESENTATION w FREEDOM FOUNDATION w HELPLINE CHARITABLE TRUST - PROJECT VISHWAS w
JAGRUTHI w JEEVODAYA CHILDCARE INDIA w MARIA SEVA SANGHA w NAVACHETANA w NEW ARK MISSION - HOME
OF HOPE w PROVISION ASIA w SAI SHANKAR LOVING LIGHTS TRUST w SHEILA KOTHAVALA INSTITUTE FOR THE
DEAF w SHRISTI SPECIAL ACADEMY w SPASTICS SOCIETY OF KARNATAKA w SUKRUPA w VISION INDIA w
4
June.indd 4
The Rangoli 06/2012
5/22/12 9:28 AM
OWC Member Discounts
A number of our local business friends offer generous discounts with a valid OWC Membership Card. Some other establishments
will also provide a discount but don’t advertise, so show your card and ask! Conditions apply.
Hotels, Restaurants and Bars
Alila Bangalore – FRIDAYS thru 27 July
A la carte items, not combined w/other
offers
High5, 40% off incl. drinks & free canpes
;PMÄU9VVTVMMLU[PYLIPSS\W[V[HISL
of 6
;PMÄU)HYVMMLU[PYLIPSS\W[V[HISLVM
15% off restaurants & spa every other day
BayLeaf Koramangala - 10% off
Bliss Chocolate Lounges 15% off
<)*P[`-VY\T=HS\L4HSS4HU[YP4HSS
Forum Mall
Caperberry Dickenson Rd./Fava <)JP[`
12.5% off food/soft drinks
7% discount on alcoholic beverages
The French Quarter Bistro Indiranagar
15% off food from A la Carte Menu
Hotel Royal Orchid - 15% off food at
.LVMMYL`»Z)HY
Limelight Restaurant
Gateway Hotel - 15% off food
Northern Gate
Ista - 20% off at
Pink Poppadom
Lido
Liquid
ITC Windsor - 20% off including alcohol
Dublin, Dakshin, Dum Pukht Jolly
Nabobs, Royal Afghan, Raj Pavillion, The
Grill
40% off on Sundowners Fridays
The LaLiT - 15% off at
24/7 Coffee Shop
)HS\JOP
OKO
Leela Palace - 15% off food (not Sunday)
ALUVMM;O\YZKH`3\UJO)\MML[
Jamovar
Add’l 10% off Leisure Packages at Leela
Goa, Kovalam, and Udaipur thru Sept.
For more information call
Maya at 08030571172/3
The Oberoi - 15% off food/soft drinks
Polo Club
Szechuan Court,
9PT5HTUV[:\UKH`)Y\UJO
3L1HYKPUUV[:\UKH`)Y\UJO
Services + Shopping
Antel Exports Hosur Road
15% to 25% off at factory outlet
Asian Woman‘s Spa and
Asian Unisex Spa Koramangala
20% off on spa and salon services
Olive Beach - 15% off
Decathlon
exclusive membership
The Park Bangalore - 20% off food
Aqua
Monsoon
Italia
Dr. Pawan (Vet) Indianagar
20% off overall treatment fee
Advance reservation preferred, notify manager
that you will avail upon arrival. Discount may be
used at lunch or dinner up to a table of 10.
Park Plaza Bengaluru - 15% off food at
Melange
Shao
Zaffron
The Gadang Lounge
;OL7VVS)HY
Shiro<)*P[`VMMYLN\SHYTLU\
Summer Vine)YVVRÄLSKVMM
Taj West End - 2nd FRIDAYS
40% off your entire bill @ all restaurants/
bars
Taj West End - Other days
15% off (ex. alcohol) all other days
Mynt (lunch/dinner, not brunch)
Masala Klub (lunch/dinner)
)S\L.PUNLYS\UJOPUJS:\UKH`
)S\L)HY(33KYPURZPUJSHSJVOVS
Toscano>OP[LÄLSK
10% off dinner on weekdays
Via Milano Koramangala - 15% off
Vivanta>OP[LÄLSKVMMH[
Latitude
Terracotta
Tease
Caramel
EMA Spa & Anti Aging Center
25% off
Herald Tribune
Special subscription rate of Rs. 5580 pa
Himalayan Dowry Store MG Road
30% off carpets
10% off everything else
Jiva Spa=P]HU[H>OP[LÄLSK
15% off
Kenko
10% off at spa and services
Leela Palace
10% off spa services
MovenpickULHY),3JPYJSL
10% off at Sohum Spa
Rejuve Spa LaLit
25%off on all services
Scandal Unisex Salon Marathahalli
20% off on services over RS. 100
Svisti Leela Palace & Cunningham Road
5% off
Pallavi Foley Boutique Jewels Leela
Galleria
5% off silver jewellery
10% off silver jewellery over RS. 10,000
2% off gold and diamond jewellery
Park Plaza Bengaluru
15% off spa and salon treatments
B:Blunt Salon
:LY]PJLZIVVRLK^P[O)YLU[VY9LQVPJL
25% off initial visit
10% off thereafter
Vivanta MG Rd. - 10% off at
Graze
Café Mozaic
Memories of China
MovenpickULHY),3*PYJSL
MyPlace 15% off
Mezzalune 15% off
6IZPKPHU)HYVMM
6
member discounts.indd 2
The Rangoli 06/2012
5/15/12 8:32 PM
2012 Annual General Meeting of the OWC
photo by LeeAnn Deemer
By LeeAnn Deemer
O
n May 15th, the OWC held its Annual
General Meeting to report on the events
and achievements of the previous year, to
present the finances to the membership and to
vote on a new slate of officers. The Oakwood
Premier Prestige, UB City, graciously provided
a lovely room and light refreshments to the 42
members in attendance.
President Beth Chapman convened the meeting
at 9:30am, and kicked things off with a brief look
at some recent OWC statistics. Our membership
totalled 1,119 over the course of the last year, with
59 countries represented. After a look at each of the
25 charities that the OWC supports and what they
do, an impressive account followed of teacher and
specialist positions funded, and equipment, clothing
and resources donated. We were proud and moved to
learn that the OWC
paid out Rs 57 lakh last year, a
record amount and 27% more than the previous year.
Next we looked at the other side of the coin – OWC
revenues for 2011–12. We saw, month-by-month,
the sources of funds raised by the OWC totalling Rs
59 lakh for the year. We learned that while, as a nonprofit organisation, the OWC is required by law to
give out 85% of its revenues annually to charity, we
regularly give out 90 –95%, retaining minimal funds
only as a financial buffer.
Acting OWC Treasurer Helen Tower then gave
the Treasurer’s report, including the result of the
annual audit, which had concluded satisfactorily. All
receipts, checks and statements were reconciled and
accounted for, and our books were found to be in
excellent order.
The President now thanked the many volunteers,
whether in big roles or small, on the various working
8
committees who do so much to make the OWC a
source of community for expats in Bangalore, and
moreover make the OWC’s generous charitable
contributions possible in the first place.
OWC Secretary Debbie O’Neill next explained the
proposed Amendments to the Constitution, which
had been circulated to the membership previously
by email. Questions were answered and issues were
clarified, and the members in attendance voted for
the changes to the constitution requested by the EC.
Attention now turned to the OWC Executive
Committee. The President thanked the outgoing
members of the EC, with particular attention
to members stepping down, and then officially
presented the candidates for the 2012 –13 EC to
the assembled members. After a brief introduction
to each new candidate, the new slate was voted in
unanimously.
After a few heartfelt concluding words and thankyous from OWC Managing Trustee, Susheela
Thomas, the President adjourned the meeting at
11:50am.
Please check next month’s Rangoli for an
introduction to the incoming OWC EC members.
Sponsors
(Rs. 1 lakh and up):
Host Partners:
w
Apranje Jewellers
w
Vivanta, MG Rd
w
Bliss Chocolates
w
Olive Beach
w
Kosmoderma
w
Vivanta, Whitefield
w
Mantri Developers
w
Movenpick Hotel
w
Four Seasons Wine
w
Park Plaza Bengaluru
w
Judge Press
w
Oakwood Premier
Prestige
w
Leela Palace
Thank you to all our
advertisers
The charities the OWC supports and the grants
that we have funded through them will touch the
lives of 14,000 needy Bangaloreans.
The Rangoli 06/2012
Photo by Helen Towers
Pink elephant survives extinction!
A dangerous start to last year’s Pink Elephant Sale
meant its future was in jeopardy. Dixie Stafford
explains how it came back stronger than ever in 2012
W
ow - the Pink Elephant Sale held on Wednesday
9th May this year was a ‘mammoth’ success
and I don’t mind trumpeting about it! But the truth is
that, until the event was over, we were unsure if our
new formula for the 2012 event would work. As far
as the Executive Committee was concerned, the Pink
Elephant was on the verge of extinction as a money
raiser for our charities.
The sale had become hugely popular with local
Bangaloreans and each year more people would
gather in eager anticipation of the bargains on offer
inside the shamiyana in the grounds of St Mark’s
Cathedral. Whilst the crowds were certainly great for
clearing out our stock in record times, they were
NOT at all good from a health and safety perspective.
Our volunteers struggled to contain a huge, jostling
crowd that streamed in ahead of the advertised
opening time, and the risk of someone, especially a
small child, getting hurt or worse, was palpable and
frightening for those trying to manage the throng.
The EC agreed afterwards that the sale could not be
repeated in the same format. In Darwinian fashion,
the Pink Elephant had to adapt to survive.
plains of St Mark’s to the ‘easier to defend’
Badminton Hall of the Ladies Club. Last year we
had posters in churches and other public places
around the city advertising the sale. This year entry
was by ‘OWC membership card’ or ‘OWC invite
ticket’ only. Until the very last minute I was unsure
how many shoppers we would have. I was nervous!
As it turned out, I needn’t have been. The hall looked
magnificent with stock laid out beautifully and
volunteers wearing red T-shirts donated by Writer
Relocations and handy OWC aprons. At 11am, 350
happy shoppers streamed in. The household items
and kids’ toys flew off the tables and were virtually
sold out within 40 minutes. Accessories, menswear
and children’s wear were also in high demand. By
the end of the sale we had sold far more of the 100+
boxes of stock than I had hoped for and Rs1.8 lakh
had come into the coffers, 25% more profit than in
2011. The Pink Elephant was back on its feet! On top
of all that, the 70 volunteers looked to have enjoyed
their morning helping out.
I will finish with hearty thanks to the Ladies Club for
letting us hire their hall; to Writer Relocations, who
transported all our boxes of stock for the event; to
iLights, who provided a great service setting up our
sales tables; and, of course, to all our volunteers who
helped before, during and after the event.
The Pink Elephant 2012 was a different beast
altogether. The landscape changed from the open
10
PinkElephant.indd 1
The Rangoli 05/2012
5/22/12 4:36 PM
Thank you
to the
Charity Committee.
Road trip to Asha Niketan
photo by Kate de Montjoye
– a truly inspirational place
By Kate de Montjoye, with a little input from
Connie McCulloch
O
n 27 March, over 20 OWC members
enjoyed a road trip to OWC-supported
charity Asha Niketan. We came along to
discover this exceptional home for adults with
intellectual disabilities, situated in the heart
of Koramangala, and were given a wonderful
welcome. Built around an open central
courtyard, full of natural light and plants and
trees, this wonderful place has an ambience of
kindness and goodwill. The morning started
in the dining room where we all admired
the beautiful rangoli that had been prepared
especially for us. We were then invited to
take an active part in the puja to celebrate our
visit. Once we had lit all the candles (narrowly
avoiding our clothes bursting into flames), we
were told a little more about Asha Niketan:
how it all started, their daily routines and
12
their projects for the future. Our hosts were
Mr Shiva Shankar, long-standing Chairman of
the Asha Niketan Bangalore Board, along with
community leaders Paul, Soney and Rajeevan.
Founded in 1970 in Bangalore as a care home for the
mentally handicapped, Asha Niketan was the first of
five such homes (the others are in Kolkata, Chennai,
Asansol and Kozhikode) that together are called
FMR (Federation for Mentally Retarded). FMR is
also affiliated with the L’Arche Foundation that was
set up by Jean Vanier in France and now includes
over 140 communities in 36 countries. Chiku, one
of the residents at Asha Niketan and now in his late
50s, has been there right from the beginning and is a
veritable ambassador for Asha Niketan.
Today, this community provides a home for 12 men
and two women with severe intellectual and physical
disabilities. A further 16 come in daily to join the
programme that gives sheltered work, vocational
training and therapeutic activities. The workshops
The Rangoli 06/2012
photo by Kate de Montjoye
cover a range of
activities, including
candle
making,
embroidery,
loom
work, bamboo crafts,
paper bag making and
papier-mâché. There is
also a working garden.
The work brings the
core members of Asha
Niketan both creativity
and
productivity,
enabling them to
discover the discipline
and structure of work,
daily life skills, as well
as earn a small income
through the sale of
their products.
There are plans (and challenges) for the future too,
for example setting up an outreach programme to
help more mentally-handicapped people and their
families in the local neighbourhood and nearby
slums. Work has already started and nine such
families have been identified. There is also a longstanding dream to open a second home for women. At
the moment, a space has been made available on the
second floor of Asha Niketan, but they hope to have
a separate residence for ladies. We heard about the
challenges that age brings to those with disabilities,
in particular increased medical fees, which were not
written into their original budget, and now place a
heavy financial burden on the charity.
Yuka, an OWC member from Japan, told us of her
volunteering experience at Asha Niketan. She comes
in several times a week and prepares stunning flower
arrangements, using flowers from local markets, for
the home as well as the morning puja.
We also visited the workshops where we watched
everybody hard at work and chatted with them.
We were greeted everywhere by happy faces,
concentrating hard, as members made candles,
polished bamboo, wove scarves and mats, or
embroidered greeting cards. Each person was using
their new skills and it was a rare privilege to be
able to watch them working and then purchase the
resulting products.
The morning finished with what was probably the
The Rangoli 06/2012
pièce de résistance – although it is hard to pick just
one of the activities seen here – a wonderful dance
display by the residents. We watched transfixed and
with quite a few moist eyes as they danced, jumped,
jived and sang along to a couple of Bollywood hits.
They clearly loved every minute if their shouts
along to “Jai Ho!” were anything to go by. I think
a few OWC members would have happily joined
in as toes were definitely tapping on the bench
where I was sitting. The OWC has financed dance
classes over the past couple of years, as well as
the sound system. Everyone who came to this road
trip will remember it long after. Asha Niketan is a
truly unique place: humbling but with a genuinely
hospitable atmosphere that I have rarely experienced
elsewhere.
What can you do to help?
F Asha Niketan is seeking someone to help them
put together a fund-raising campaign. If you have
skills in marketing or communications, please
consider getting involved.
F Volunteer on a regular basis or for a special onetime event. Members love outings, whether to
the park, to Bannerghatta or other local places.
FMake a donation or help sponsor a resident
financially.
If interested, contact Paul directly at
[email protected], or Connie
McCulloch on the OWC Charity Committee.
13
Little things that make a
big difference
7. You may not realise that most candles are made
from paraffin wax which comes from crude oil.
When burnt, these candles emit carbon into your
very own home. Instead use environmentally
friendlier candles, such as those made from
beeswax or soy with wicks made of cotton or
paper.
L a t a G o e n k a - Ke d i a s h a re s t e n e a s y - t o - d o
household tips that are kind to our planet
1. Starting with your purchases at the grocery
store, look for items with minimal packaging
and things that are made of recycled material.
Organic produce, albeit more expensive, is a
much better choice for you, your family and our
planet because pesticides are not used in organic
farming.
2. Plastic bags can take up to 1,000 years to
biodegrade. Instead, re-use bags as much as you
can and bring your own bags to the store. Jute
and cotton canvas bags are perfect for this as
they are sturdy and 100% biodegradable.
8. Get creative at home. Fun projects include giving
tired-looking coasters and placemats a new look
by pasting magazine cuttings or postcards onto
them, finishing off with some non-toxic varnish
to keep them heat-resistant and spillproof. You
can make Christmas decorations from old CDs
that have been decorated with recycled ribbons
and paper.
3. On average, one person uses six tissues or napkins
in a day. Even if all of us just gave up one tissue
a day, we could make a huge difference – almost
a billion pounds of paper waste in a year.
9. The comic strips in newspapers make really cute
gift wrappers or book covers. And did you know
that newspapers are great for cleaning mirrors
too?
4. Look for organic, non-toxic household cleaning
products. Not only are they better for the
environment, they are safer for you as well.
Lots of conventional cleaning products contain
irritants that can trigger asthma and other
allergies. Instead, look for plant-based cleaners
which are just as effective.
10.One great way to reduce paper waste is to pay
bills online. These days, almost all bills can be
paid online or through a direct debit system set
up with your bank account.
6. Cut up old clothes to make cloths and dust rags
that can be used for cleaning around the house
instead of buying new cloths. It may sound too
simple, but imagine all the energy you would save
– the sourcing, manufacturing, transportation
and packaging of each new cloth is enough to
make you think twice.
The Rangoli 06/2012
photo by Lata Goenka-Kedia
5. An easy way to reduce water and chemical waste
is to allocate each member of the household a cup
or glass in the morning which they should use all
day for their beverages. That cup only needs to
be washed once at night, reducing detergent and
water usage.
19
How do you change the world?
Lisa Bohner and LeeAnn Deemer describe the work of an environmentally conscious rural
development NGO they recently visited.
The experiences of one couple, who have dedicated their lives
to rural development, have taught them that social and
economic development cannot be pursued without also
developing sustainable solutions to the environmental issues
that threaten economic and social stability.
More than 30 years ago, newlywed husband-and-wife team,
Rajen Joshua and Manil Jayasena, left Bangalore and moved to
south-western Andra Pradesh intending to help the ‘poorest of
the poor’ in the drought-prone area of Anantapur. Their
remarkable journey has lead to dramatic changes to the land
and the lives of the people who inhabit it. Their long-term
commitment to the villagers has allowed them to work with
multiple generations of families as respected elders. The Social
Education and Development Society (SEDS) is their grassroots
development project, born in 1980, and is also their home,
where they have lived for decades and raised a family.
When Rajen and Manil began seeking solutions to social and
educational deficiencies, it became clear early on that
environmental problems would have to be addressed first in
order to support peoples’ livelihoods. Anantapur is the
second-most drought-prone area in India, and over the past 50
years much of its natural resources have been depleted by
deforestation, lack of water, and unsustainable
agricultural practices. Drought, crop failures, and
livestock deaths impose high economic losses and undermine
food security, which in turn contributed to myriad social
problems. What started as community development and small
loans in 10 villages near the small town of Penukonda in
southern Anantapur District has grown into a broad network of
environmental, educational, health and social development
programs aimed to empower local communities and improve
the lives of over 300,000 people.
In 1984, SEDS launched an environmental programme with the
slogan “Towards a greener tomorrow”. Kitchen gardens and
small nurseries were started to support homestead plantations.
An intense micro-watershed program was introduced to direct
the natural flow of rainwater from mountain ridges to
catchments in the lower valleys. Check dams, percolation tanks
and traditional water bodies like farm ponds raised the natural
water table and, combined with reforestation efforts, have
lowered surface temperatures and increased the biodiversity of
the area. More than ten million trees have been planted over the
Photo by LeeAnn Demeer
Rajen in front of a mural map of the SEDS watershed
20
The Rangoli 06-07/2012
years, mainly tamarind, neem, eucalyptus, pongamia, mango
and other fruit trees and jatropha, which also have food and
medicinal value. The project includes providing technical
training and fostering environmental awareness among local
farmers and rural communities. As a result, SEDS has been
recognised in the District and was selected to be a watershed
project-implementing agency for 22 government watersheds, to
be completed this year.
Change did not come easily and at times trees were intentionally
cut or burned down as defiant villagers questioned the new
practices and the intentions of the NGO. Trees received
cost-free were not valued and often died. From 1990, SEDS
developed a more participatory approach, through the formation
of community based organisations. By requiring the target
community to give a small sum towards project expenses,
people could attach a value to the project and see themselves as
stakeholders in the regional development process.
Today, SEDS maintains an integrated rural development
approach with an emphasis on women’s empowerment,
watershed development, reforestation and natural resource
management.
Creating
environmentallyand
economically-sustainable agricultural and land management
practices has allowed Rajen and Manil to expand their purview
to include women’s self-help groups, nutrition centres, a
school, a vocational training centre, and a healthcare clinic.
SEDS currently supports 310 villages, including 22,000
women and their families. Through its sustained efforts SEDS
has made a significant impact on the lives of the people in the
area and the local environment.
Rajen and Manil
Photo by LeeAnn Demeer
The green area of SEDS reforestation along this watershed contrasts
with the surrounding brown and arid hills.
Another opportunity for mitigating climate change and
improving people’s lives has emerged through the production
and use of biogas. Wood-fuelled cooking fires are
time-consuming, polluting and encourage deforestation. SEDS
Clean Development Mechanism project uses farm animal
manure mixed with water and fermented in underground tanks
to produce methane gas for use in domestic cooking. Women
who use biogas get a sustainable, clean-burning source of fuel,
and earn saleable Certified Emission Reduction (CER) credits
under the Kyoto protocol, providing the added benefit of a
regular income from the sale of CERs.
The Rangoli 06-07/2012
21
Ever considered a home detox?
I
have often said that sitting in the back seat
of a car in Bangalore traffic is like being on
the Knight Bus in a Harry Potter book, as it
morphs into a vehicle narrow enough to make
it between a lamp post and a parked car. My
car seems able to magically weave between a
dump truck, an auto-rickshaw, a moped laden
with five people, and a slow-moving cow.
But when our gardener came to me with “medicine”
for the plants, I realised there was no magic there.
In fact, Macacid, the medicine in question, is pretty
toxic stuff – it is toxic to birds and bees and requires a
respirator for proper application. A simple, effective
and far healthier substitute is to combine five smashed
garlic cloves, a quarter cup of dishwashing liquid and
two cups of water in a reusable spray bottle. Apply in
the early morning or late evening to eliminate aphids
and fungus on plants.
There are many similarly simple substitutions that
can be made to improve the air quality in your home
and detoxify your garden. Neem is another important
part of an organic garden. A natural antibacterial,
anti-parasitic, antifungal and antiviral, neem can be
used as an insecticide and pesticide. Another option
is to avoid pesticides entirely and simply choose a
grass that is suited to the Indian environment. Karan
Manral at Green Essentials, an eco-store located in
Goa that provides ideas for environmentally-friendly
living, suggests crab grass or elephant grass, both
of which consume much less water and are very
hardy through all of India’s seasons. Organic lawn
fertiliser comes in the form of vermi-compost, which
is sprinkled over the lawn, or panchagavya, which is
a traditional Indian concoction of fermented herbs
and cow products (urine, dung, milk, curd and ghee). Inside your home, conventional household cleaners
tend to contribute significantly to indoor air pollution
that, in turn, can trigger the onset or worsening of
asthma. As an alternative, you can clean almost
anything with water mixed with one of the following
ingredients: distilled white vinegar, baking soda,
The Rangoli 06/2012
photo by Harriet Pollard
Kate Doesburg tells you how to go about it.
vegetable-based liquid soap and tea tree oil. Salt can
be used as a natural abrasive for cleaning cast iron
pans or soaking fresh carpet stains such as red wine,
coffee or ink. Pour salt on the stain, let it dry and
then vacuum.
Lemon can be used for freshening cutting boards.
Hard water deposits can be dissolved with undiluted
lemon juice or distilled vinegar. A natural cleaner can
be made by mixing two cups of hot water, a quarter
cup of white vinegar, half a teaspoon of baking
soda, 15 drops of tea tree oil (widely available here)
and 15 drops of lavender oil. Combine in a reusable
spray bottle and shake well. In the laundry room, hydrogen peroxide can be
used as a natural substitute for bleach. Modern
household bleach is actually chlorine bleach (and is
a component in chemical warfare) while hydrogen
peroxide was introduced in the First World War to
keep field hospitals sterile. You can imagine which
one you would prefer to have in your home! I found
my hydrogen peroxide in a local pharmacy. Just
add eight ounces of 3% hydrogen peroxide to the
right hand space of the detergent drawer (where you
might otherwise put bleach) after you have filled the
washer with hot water.
In addition, soap nuts or baking soda can be used
instead of chemical laundry detergents. In the
bathroom, baking soda can be substituted for
cleaning products that scour sinks and tubs without
scratching. To prevent drains from clogging,
combine equal parts vinegar and baking soda. As you can see, small changes can make a big
difference to the air quality in your home and on your
home’s and garden’s impacts on the environment.
23
The cycling ladies of Palm Meadows:
Birgit, Marion and Sylvie
By Birgit Dreizehnter
H
ow did we meet? Through the OWC! We
registered as new members at the same
coffee morning last October and, some weeks
later, we met for lunch. Sylvie said, “I have
bought a bicycle and it has changed my life!”.
Birgit said, “I can show you how to ride to
Hypercity from Palm Meadows without taking
Varthur Road.” That’s how we learned about
our mutual passion.
Our first ride together was short, just a glimpse of the
countryside. Then Birgit showed Sylvie the way to
Hypercity. Marion joined us after hearing about our
adventures.
Often the trails are so narrow they are only suitable
for bicycles. Starting early in the morning we leave
with the sun in front of us and, when we decide to
return, the sun shines on our backs. That way we
should not get lost, but if we do we can ask people
we meet for directions or use GPS to find where we
are.
It takes only ten minutes to escape from traffic,
dust, noise and crowds. Before we know it, all we
encounter on the roads are school buses, people
pedalling to work, bikes loaded with wares and
farmers washing their cows in the river.
Photos by Birgit Dreizehnter
Ever since, we have cycled together regularly.
Wednesday is our cycling day and we start before
8.00am. A short ride after leaving Palm Meadows we
are in the countryside. We need to cross only one
main road but we are always cautious when we do
so.
A trail near Whitefield skirts a poultry farm and takes
us past areas of brick and breezeblock manufacture.
The brick production leads on to clay excavations
that have left a hole that fills up with water. We enjoy
watching the villagers wash their cows, goats and
sheep there, pulling the sheep by their tails to the
water and energetically washing them.
We usually cycle an area bounded by Chassandra
in the North, the 648 road to the East, Sarjapur
in the South and Varthur road to the West. We
take secondary roads and trails that wind around
eucalyptus plantations, fields, villages and temples.
24
June.indd 24
Entering the villages, we observe village life.
Women doing laundry beat clothes on the pavement
or a stone in front of their houses, carry colourful
jars on their heads or clean and brush their long dark
The Rangoli 06/2012
5/22/12 9:44 AM
hair, little kids bathe in steel buckets alongside the
road, old women sit minding the children, boys and
girls roll tyres with sticks and tiny children walk to
school in pristine uniforms.
Animals form part of village life too, of course. A
cock scuttles away from our bikes, a hen and her
chicks pick among the rubbish, a turkey spreads its
tail. Often a villager is leading a couple of cows or
a bunch of goats. You can’t miss the dogs, the tired
teats of the quieter females testimony to the number
of litters they have borne. In contrast, the male dogs
may become exercised at our approach and the first
time we were chased by two or more dogs snapping
and barking near our calves was quite alarming. By
now, we have learned techniques to calm them, such
as stopping, reducing our speed and ignoring them.
leaves, bananas, mangoes and flowers. Near tanks or
rivers, piped water feeds the paddy fields dotted with
egrets startled by our arrival. Palm trees mark the
boundaries, lining the fields like sentries.
Sometimes we have had surprises. A snake, about
one and a half metres long, once crossed the road in
front of us. A colony of giant bats nested above us in
a bunch of trees. Beautiful lotus flowers floated on a
water tank in the shade of a banyan tree. Silk worms
wriggled on frames alongside a farm. A couple of
monkeys slept intertwined on a branch and huge
beehives hung from trees.
The houses around are small, colourful and open
to the outside. The best part of the villages has to
be the children. Spontaneous, smiling, greeting us
and constantly asking “What’s your name?” If we
stop in a village, 20 children will gather around us
with bright and curious eyes. The bigger ones wear
uniforms and all of them are barefoot.
In the countryside we see people working as they
did in the past: throwing corn in the air instead of
thrashing it, making pots without a motor to turn the
wheel, breaking the ground barefoot with their oxdriven ploughs, and washing and cooking in front of
their houses.
Village centres and temples have become our
milestones and we have learned the main directions
of the roads. We are now able to recognise where
our favourite trails start and know where to cross
the river. Yet still we use our intuition and love
discovering new trails.
We enjoy seeing what grows along our route –
zucchinis, tomatoes, potatoes, cabbages, mulberry
The Rangoli 06/201225
June.indd 25
5/22/12 9:44 AM
photo by Anna Edshage
Himalayan heaven
road feels a bit like someone has tried to construct a
motocross track on the top of these hills. Sometimes
there is tarmac, sometimes not. Never really straight,
up and down, very narrow, no fences or protection
against going over the edge. This road is not for the
fainthearted.
Anna and Anders Edshage were the winning bidders
for a weekend stay at the Itmenaan Estate at the
India Night Silent Auction, donated by Great Indian
Getaways.
“K
athgodam!” Ehh – what time is it? 5am ...
40 minutes early in India! Well, it is early to
get off the train that we boarded seven hours earlier
in Old Delhi train station. Obviously, no driver
is waiting for us as we are early, so we buy some
chai to keep off the very chilly morning here at the
Himalayan foothills. We reflect on the journey so
far – very straightforward, apart from a little anxiety
when we could not find our names on the long list
outside the train in Delhi.
Just before 10am we arrive at a sign saying “Itmenaan
Estate”. Not a house in sight, only pine forest and
hills. Two men greet us and hand over a walking
pole. They grab our stuff and off we go down the
mountain. The path is quite steep and stoneclad.
We meet local schoolchildren walking in the other
direction in their flip-flops. Big eyes and some shy
smiles. At last, we arrive at this small little house
perched on the mountainside with the most stunning
views. Staff greet us with fruit juice, hot towels and
the obvious question, “Some tea, sir?”
At 5.15am the owner (Mr Ashish) of our
accommodation calls, “Is your train already there?”
“Yes.”
The Itmenaan Estate has three double bedrooms,
each with an en suite bathroom and a terrace, that’s
it. All in perfect condition. The only sounds are
cowbells and children playing on the other side of
the valley.
“Ohh – where are you now?”
“OK – driver will come.”
Five minutes later the driver shows up. Leslie, the
driver, takes us – carefully – through the darkness
up the winding roads. We cannot see much. After a
while the first light comes and we can see pine trees
and small villages. Some minutes later, as we come
around the 484th bend, there they are! In the distance,
through the morning mist, we can see the snow clad
peaks of the Himalayas. Amazing. It is too cold to
stand outside for long and Leslie continues. The
26
Himalayan Heaven.indd 26
photo by Anna Edshage
“On the platform, drinking chai”
The Rangoli 06/2012
5/22/12 9:33 AM
photo by Anna Edshage
us. Children run around and from their laughter and
chatter it is easy to understand that Western tourists
are not common. Having wandered through most of
the village we stop by a woman grinding seeds with
a big pole. Lifting the camera I am greeted with a
big smile and the normal shyness. After a bit of sign
language she agrees to the photo.
On the way back we take another route, very steep
and very narrow. It is okay going down, but going up
we huff and puff – must be the high altitude. Now
we meet the children coming back from school.
They jump and run up and down these hills in flipflops without breaking a sweat. We are soaked! We
also meet a group of women carrying sacks on their
heads – how do they manage on these narrow paths.
We get our tea – and breakfast! Fruit, yogurt,
homemade cereal, home baked bread, omelettes,
jam and very hard butter. In the rising sunlight it
tastes wonderful. We start to settle in. Out come our
books and an hour of undisturbed reading starts. So
undisturbed that I fall asleep in the chair after 30
minutes. I am woken up by the question, “When do
you want lunch, sir?”
Back again, juice and towels await us. Snack and
wine is served at 5pm, fire is lit at 6pm and the threecourse dinner served at 7pm.
The rest of our stay is more or less the same. Eating
Naveen’s fantastic food, reading, watching the
views, drinking tea and going for hikes. Our stay was
so relaxing and energising. Itmenaan Estate may not
be the place for young children, and you need warm
clothes in the winter, but it is truly relaxing and has
exquisite service.
“Is it okay at two?”
“Of course – anytime you want.”
“And do you want to go for a hike after that?”
We can really recommend a visit despite the long
and sometimes slightly scary journey!
There is not much more to do at Itmenaan other than
eat, sleep, read, walk and of course chat with the
other guests – if there are any. We meet a lovely
couple from Delhi. He knows people in Palm
Meadows, so after a three-course Western lunch
with the most fantastic salad, we set off on our walk.
The guide starts off at a tempo that is perhaps local,
but not at all suited for us slightly overweight wine
drinkers. We have to stop after five minutes and
take the first break. It is steep!! Then it gets better.
The path winds along the hillside. Birds, pine trees,
rhododendrons, and small streams surround us, all
dressed in wonderful sunlight. Across the valley we
see houses and terraces. That is where we are going.
First to greet us are cows. Here they actually feed
on fresh grass and seem very happy. The houses are
in good condition and the people look curiously at
photo by Anna Edshage
“Sounds great.”
The Rangoli 06/201227
Himalayan Heaven.indd 27
5/22/12 9:34 AM
Spotlight on charities
By Sarah Burns
Here are some examples of the steps taken by OWC charities to go
Shristi Special Academy, Sukrupa, Spastics Society, Vision
India and Asha Niketan recycle paper and make bags out of it.
Belaku makes recycled paper products such as stationery.
They also make jewellery beads out of old magazines.
Photo by Heather Vanderpool
Jeevodaya and Asha Niketan both have small vegetable
gardens. Asha Niketan grows beans, greens, spinach, papayas,
coconuts, mangoes and bananas in its purely organic plot. They
do not use any chemicals or pesticides and fertilise the soil with
compost and cow dung.
Sai Shankar separates all its rubbish into different bins
around the campus: organic for the cows, plastic, paper and
glass.
Photo by Heather Vanderpool
Vision India had solar panels installed on its roof last year
thanks in part to its OWC grant.
Jagruthi has solar lights and solar heating.
With this year’s OWC grants, Accept will purchase three
sets of solar lighting and Bangalore Hospice
Trust-Karunashraya will install three solar water heaters.
The Rangoli 06-07/2012
29
Dixie Stafford explains why re-using is good
for our charities, good for our staff and good
for the environment too
P
reparations for the OWC’s annual Pink
Elephant Sale begin months before the event,
when we start asking members to donate their
unwanted items. If ever you need a reminder
that we simply need to reduce the resources our
families consume, then a good sort out of our
homes is definitely a place to start. Just how
many t-shirts and cuddly toys does one small
child need? How many pairs of shoes and
handbags does a modern woman really need to
have in her wardrobe? The environmentalists
tell us to find a good home for our existing
excesses and then NOT TO REPLACE THEM!
Bags and boxes start to stack up in unwitting
volunteers’ garages. When the collections reach
mountain-like proportions, the great girls of the
OWC gather and sort through the heaps and work
our own miracle of turning water into wine.
My philosophy is ‘if it looks like junk, then it is junk’.
Junk earns pennies or ends up in the bin, so the key is
to turn what we have into ‘good saleable stock’. This
is achieved by weeding out the very poorest quality
items to be sold for just pennies – or given away for
recycling.
Then the challenge is to get the best value out of
the better items. All the adult clothes are sorted into
categories: pants, skirts, shorts, dresses, coats and
jackets, kurtas, long-sleeved tops, short-sleeved
tops, strappy tops, nightwear, sportswear, swimwear,
knitwear and so on. The children’s wear is sorted
by age group. Two-piece sets are pinned together
and shoes are clipped together so they don’t get
separated in the frenzy of the sale. All soft toys went
through my washing machine to regain sparkle and
fluff, as did any good-quality clothes which looked
a little mucky. Huge batches of top-end men’s shirts
which arrived stuffed in a bag in a creased mess were
washed, dried, sent to the iron-man down the road
and came back looking nearly-new. Watches, toys,
30
photo by Dixie Stafford
Pink elephants recycle too
clocks etc, got new
batteries. Games and
jigsaws were checked
to make sure all the
pieces were there and
the boxes sealed so
they didn’t end up
in a pile of bits on
the Ladies Club’s floor. Zip-lock bags held sets of
smaller toys together. Everything was folded and
stacked neatly, put into bags and boxes and labelled.
We always had good, spirited teams working well
together who sorted huge quantities in every session.
All this up-front effort meant that setting up on the
morning of the Pink Elephant Sale was relatively
quick and easy for our volunteers. Nice-looking
piles of clothes, shoes, bags, and toys sell for much
better prices than a load of old jumble, but are still
great value for our staff.
Last year we experimented with mini-sales for
members only, hosted in members’ homes. These
provided great local venues for our members to try
on and buy the types of ladies clothes that are great
garments but, frankly, not exactly what most of our
maids want to buy or wear. In addition, Englishlanguage novels sell well to our members when they
have the time and space to browse and there is a
ready members’ market for barely used children’s
items. In 2012, more mini-sales were held in
different parts of Bangalore, together raising over
Rs1 lakh with minimal expenses.
Valuable, bigger or specialist items donated are
separated out and sold through the OWC’s yahoo
group. Members have snapped up children’s car
seats, baby carriers, dance mats, designer shoes,
ride-on tractors, travel cots, bottle sterilisers,
dog baskets, art easels and more, and raised over
Rs70,000 in the process.
I love to reflect on the ‘re-use’ of thousands of
donated items, plus our charities benefit by Rs4 lakh
too. Now that’s definitely worth trumpeting about!
Happy summer holidays, and don’t buy anything
unless you really need it…
The Rangoli 06/2012
Joan Walsh and Lisa Bohner signed up for a ...
Master health check-up
upp
Intrigued by those signs offering a “Master Health Check-up”?
Wonder what it’s all about? We were interested enough to put
it on our to-do list, then talked about it enough to finally make
the appointments.
For Rs 4,450 we received: a complete blood analysis, routine
urine and stool examinations, a hearing test, an eye exam, a
lung function test, an electrocardiogram, a treadmill “stress”
test, a digital chest x-ray, a pelvic ultrasound, a pap smear, a
mammogram with ultrasound, dental screening and follow-up
consultations with a general practitioner, a gynaecologist and a
nutritionist. The regimen is tailored according to your age
(over or under 40) and gender. All this, plus breakfast. We
could hardly wait.
We carbo-loaded the night before as we had to fast after 10 pm.
We packed snacks and a coffee thermos for the inevitable
caffeine headaches. We car-pooled to the clinic worrying that
the results would reveal a terrible disease or condition.
Ironically, we also worried we would catch a terrible disease or
condition while at the clinic.
I have a feeling...
They’ll discover
I’mB2D...
Ma’am ... now you
need to do your
other tests, ECG
PFT & TMT...
Was it worth it?
We both agreed it was worth having a snapshot of where you
and your body were at the moment. It also seemed that, if
something was out of whack, this would be a good way to
screen for it. Don’t expect to find a needle in the haystack,
more like the elephant in the room! If you suspect something is
wrong, seek out the help of a specialist. Personally, we will
repeat a few of these tests while checking in with our doctors
in the US, to crosscheck results.
If we do it again, we will choose a more modern clinic or
hospital, as we felt some (though not all) equipment seemed
older. In addition, though a physician reviews all results, there
were a few instances where we felt the person administering
the test did not have adequate knowledge of the test to answer
our questions or even provide results. This, as we know, really
helps. As an example, at the hearing test:
Test administrator: “Results of hearing test not too much good,
ma’am. Your hearing from 250 and 500 metres ok, but from
one, two and three kilometres is no good.”
JW: “Kilometres? What? I don’t understand, nobody hears
from that distance. Who hears from three kilometres away?”
TA: “I do, ma’am.”
We started at 7.30 am, moving quickly through the
examinations as the only customers for screening that day.
Sometime after the breakfast break, it started dragging on and
feeling too long. Joan got confused about which test was
which:
electrocardiogram,
mammogram,
audiogram,
candy-gram (still paying attention?). At one point, she saw she
was scheduled for an ECG, a PFT and a TMT. She just wanted
to finish up ASAP, chat with the MD on the QT, before she got
B2D* sitting and listening to her MP3. (*Bored to death)
We made it, a total of seven hours from start to finish. The
doctor recommended additional screenings for Vitamin B and
D levels for both of us, which seemed reasonable. This may be
where they get you: the two tests added an additional Rs 2,600
to the bill.
The Rangoli 06-07/2012
When Joan googled it later, the result values referred to the
range of frequencies tested, NOT to distance! This same
person gave us mixed signals during the treadmill test,
indicating after nine minutes that the test was over but, “if we
wanted”, we could continue. Of course Joan jumped right off,
only to later face the doctor who chided, “What happened?
You only made it to nine minutes?” Besides being winded,
wired and running in a bathrobe, it was a loud and shaky
treadmill which she was holding on to for dear life as it reached
a steep incline at that last stage (or what she thought was the
last stage)!
So, did we discover any health problems? Well, one of us
found a cholesterol reading high enough to warrant
medication, and we both had a good laugh over hearing the
shocking diagnosis of “obesity”. They suggested we cut down
on the amount of ghee in our diets and should consult the
nutritionist.
Nah….we’re good.
31
photos by Spohia Blackmore
Blissful
Sophia Blackmore writes up the OWC’s road trip to
the Bliss chocolate factory – a feast for the eyes and
for the tummy.
T
he Bliss chocolate factory is unassumingly
positioned just off the Old Airport Road. It
is smaller than I had expected, not least because
we’d been talking about Charlie and the Chocolate
Factory en route. However, the delights it contained
did not disappoint. We turned up to a feast of cakes,
pastries and coffee pots full of gloopy, thick hot
chocolate – literally, liquid chocolate in a cup, as if
scooped from Willy Wonka’s chocolate river itself –
sumptuous and deliciously naughty.
Tummies nicely lined for the treat ahead, we were
given an informative introduction to the company,
the chocolate, the cakes and their production. Led
by Vimal Sharma, a Fijian by birth and one of the
brains behind the company, Bliss was established
in Bangalore because the company’s founders are
devotees of Sai Baba, the late spiritual leader. Sai
Baba played a fundamental role in the establishment
of Bliss, choosing both the name and the logo that
uses a heart in place of the ‘ss’. Indeed, ‘bliss’ was
said to be his last word.
Chocolate manufacture is more complex than I’d
supposed. There are two types: composite and
compound. The former uses cocoa butter in the
32
Bliss Road Trip.indd 10
production process and the latter vegetable fats.
Composite chocolate is of a higher quality and
is used to make high-end chocolates with higher
cocoa percentages. The compound process results
in chocolates destined for the mass market, although
still scrumptious. Composite chocolates are healthier
for you, although how healthy the chocolates are
wasn’t on my mind at that point because we had
started the tour…
Donning hairnets which were a bit like turbans and
surprisingly fetching, we split into two groups. One
group studied cakes, the other chocolates, and then
we swapped.
The cake tour began with our generous host telling
us we could help ourselves to anything. Just open
the fridges. Really? Would that be a statement
he’d regret? Fridge one: temperature minus one,
excitement levels high. Velvet-red triangular cakes,
leopard-print fruit and cake creations, chocolate
splendours, lip-smacking candy-cane-striped glossy
cakes. Fridge two: temperature above freezing,
cream-based cakes. Delicate-looking lemon yellow
swirling plum patterns, black forest gâteaux ornately
adorned with dark chocolate leaves, magnificent
The Rangoli 06/2012
5/22/12 9:31 AM
mousses in multiple colours, plump truffles sitting
on chocolate sponge thrones, all destined for the four
Bangalore-based Bliss Chocolate Lounges or one of
Bliss’ many corporate partners.
There are three essential elements of professional
cake making: round tins, a turning table and the third
I forget because the cake appeared and was being
loaded with goodies. My hearing switched off as the
patisserie chef transformed a simple sponge into a
magnificent creation. To start, he doused the cake in
sugar syrup to keep it moist and then smothered it in
Belgian chocolate. Another layer of cake was soaked
in sugar syrup, slathered with more chocolate, butter
icing, magenta-mottled marzipan, then topped with
pink flowers and surrounded by a chocolate semicircle. A feast for the eyes and for the palate.
I had expected the cocoa beans to come from abroad
but was surprised to learn that even the butter, cream
and mango filling are carefully selected and imported.
In fact, the company is an international affair with
patissieres and chocolatiers from Australia, Fiji, Sri
Lanka, Britain and India, and influences from India
and abroad. The company is based in Bangalore and,
with a strong social conscience, has transformed its
60 or so employees from kitchen helpers and cleaners
into world-class culinary artists.
And they did. Sweet, sour, subtle chocolates.
Creamy and spicy. With and without wine. White,
milk and delectable dark. Passion fruit, refreshing.
Dark chocolate-covered hazelnuts (soon to launch).
Badam-flavoured chocolates inspired by the local
drink. There were too many treats to do justice to
here. After tasting we admired chocolates in the
shape of the Taj Mahal, champagne bottles and
an intertwined couple. In fact, the Bliss chocolate
factory seems able to produce any creation: one
hundred kilogram cakes, eleven-tier cakes, any
colour you like even down to your corporate colour
printed onto chocolates.
Hairnets removed, we regrouped before departing.
Any questions? Someone asked ‘Can I be an intern?’
The Bliss Chocolate Company would be a great
place to work, feast and be inspired. In awe of the
sheer talent of the chocolatiers and cake makers,
and high on cocoa, it was time for us to leave. The
morning was every bit as thrilling as a tour around
Wonka’s factory might have been. At home later my
children asked if I’d brought any home for them and
I’m afraid I lied. I kept them all for myself. It’s a
cliché and perhaps a too obvious one but the morning
was – well – Bliss.
photos by Spohia Blackmore
Because chocolate absorbs smells, strict conditions
are observed in the Chocolate Room at the factory.
Indeed, when you enter what strikes you first is
the smell: sweet, rich and inviting. A magnificent
machine that is used to temper the chocolate and
delicately coat the creations takes centre stage here.
Any inhibitions that I might have had about helping
myself seemed to dissolve.
The Rangoli 06/201233
Bliss Road Trip.indd 11
5/22/12 9:31 AM
Grillin’, chillin’ and swillin’
Lisa Bohner enjoyed an OWC Cooking Club outing
with a difference on Vittal Mallya Road
T
he Biere Club and Weber Grills teamed up in April
to offer a very special brewery tour and cooking
demonstration to 25 lucky OWC members. Our tour
started with a crash course in beer making. The brew
master explained the mashing and boiling process
where starches and sugars are broken down in beautiful
copper tanks imported from Germany. Bright green
hops, also from Germany, are added to the 500-litre
tanks during the boiling phase. Once separated, the
brew ferments for three to four days for ales or ten days
for lagers. The beer ages for three weeks before it is
ready to serve. The Biere Club serves between eight
and ten thousand litres of beer every month.
What we loved: the inventive vegan burger and the
simple Snickers-stuffed banana dessert, topped with
a few scoops of vanilla ice cream.
What we’ll go back for: authentic, flavourful beer
and a hearty weekend brunch.
Photo by Lisa Bohner
During lunch we sampled six different brews. We
headed to the top floor where a huge Weber grill was
ready for business. Celebrity Chef Shaun Kenworthy
was flown in for the event and prepared a variety of
dishes to tempt every palate. He started with Piadina,
a grilled and folded pizza stuffed with mozzarella,
boiled potato, artichokes and rocket leaves. Then he
moved on to a new recipe for a vegetarian burger
made with mushrooms and textured vegetable
protein (TVP) that really wowed. Next, he whipped
up a honey mustard chicken marinade and cautioned
us not to marinate longer than 20 minutes or the meat
releases too much moisture. For a speedy dessert, he
sliced open a banana, shoved in a whole Snickers
bar, then cradled it in a tinfoil boat for a few minutes
on the grill.
The Rangoli 05/201235
Bierre Club.indd 1
5/22/12 4:37 PM
Recipe of the month
Mushroom and TVP burgers
(Recipe makes 4 four-inch burgers)
• Olive oil
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
Photo by Lisa Bohner
Lisa Bohner managed to steal the recipe for the vegan burger sampled at the Cooking Club’s outing to
The Biere Club
1.
Soak the TVP in hot water to rehydrate, then
squeeze until relatively dry. Set aside.
2.
Heat olive oil in a frying pan over a medium heat,
add the garlic for 2-3 minutes until it sweats. Add chopped
mushrooms and prepared TVP and fry together for 8 minutes
until browned. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
• ½ small onion, finely chopped
• 100g button mushrooms, chopped
3. Add mayonnaise, mustard, rosemary or thyme, parsley and
salt and pepper and mix them all together with your hands.
• 200g Textured Vegetable Protein (TVP) known as ‘soya granules
in India
• 2 tablespoons of mayonnaise
• 2 teaspoons of mustard
• 1-2 teaspoons of fresh rosemary or thyme, chopped
• 1 tablespoon of fresh parsley, chopped
• 2 tablespoons of breadcrumbs
• Salt and pepper to taste
The Rangoli 06-07/2012
4.
Add enough breadcrumbs to bind the mixture, then form
into two equal-sized balls. Flatten each ball into a ¾ inch thick disc,
approximately 4 inches across.
5.
Add a few drops of oil to each side of the burger to prevent
it from sticking to the grill. Grill 3-4 minutes each side, or until a nice
grill pattern appears. Flip burger onto opposite side for another
3 minutes.
Serve on a fresh green salad with a side of grilled vegetables and top
with coriander pesto and a dash of tomato and olive oil sauce
for colour.
37
Corrigendum
In the March edition of The Rangoli, an article about the ASHA Foundation’s
sports day had a sub-head referring to “...an incredible day out for HIV
patients”. This should read “an incredible day out for children infected and
affected by HIV and their families....”. None of the pictures published were of
HIV-positive children.