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Achieve

Mumbai artist appointed Ethics Advisor by international artists initiative

Mumbai artist Prakash Bal Joshi will officiate as an Ethics Advisor and Ambassador for World Citizen Artists, an artists’s initiative.
by The Editors | editor@themetrognome.in

Prakash Bal JoshiMumbai based artist Prakash Bal Joshi has been assigned responsibility as an Ethics Advisor and Ambassador by the World Citizen Artists – an artists’ initiative by a Paris-based artist community to raise awareness about global issues through art.

The global community of artists was launched in Paris by highlighting the plight of refugees around the world coinciding on June 20, World Refugee Day. Joshi who has exhibited his art in Europe, USA, Turkey, Bhutan and other international art hubs, says, “The launch of the WCA is a call for creative artists to join and support the aim of raising global awareness about contemporary issues through art.”

Joshi’s work as Ethics Advisor and Ambassador will be to keep the focus of the WCA in mind and ensure that that focus is not compromised on. He says, “The WCA have artists from all over the world. I will be interacting with the core committee and discuss and decide the issues to be undertaken by the organisation and how artists’s works are used to make people aware of issues. I will also consider and decide on issues of disputes or any complaints against any member of the organisation and advise the WCA about how to deal with it, as also consider any complaint against any art visual displayed by the organisation.”

In addition to highlighting global issues, WCA intends to democratise art through social media by providing a platform for emerging artists to get their message across to art lovers, alongside established artists who wish to use their reputation to bring about positive change in the world.

Paris based artist Valerie Won Lee is the founder member of the group along with other artists Lesa Weller, USA, Pablo Solari, Argentina, Ger Costelo, Ireland.

(Picture courtesy worldcitizenartists.org)

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Wellness

5 ways to protect your child this monsoon

There are many ways you can keep your child safe and protected this monsoon season. We’re listing five easy tips.

The rainy season heralds the arrival of freshness and along with it a number of common infections. It is a season when children love to spend most of their time outside playing in the rain. However, don’t forget the rains also create a conducive habitat for infectious bacteria and germs. This is the reason why visits to the pediatrician goes up during the rainy season. By taking simple preventive measures, you can safeguard your child’s health and save time, efforts and money.

Five tips for your child’s healthy monsoon:

1. Rain gear

Rain gear for childBuy a proper rain coat and boots for your kids to wear during the rainy season. Make sure your kids carry the rain gear whenever stepping out of the house. The rain boots will do a better job of protecting children’s feet from bacteria.

2. No water containers

The cases of malaria rise during the rainy season. The reason for this is that water containers make perfect breeding ground for mosquitoes. Hence, if you have empty buckets or tires lying around, get rid of them as soon as possible. If you are into rain water harvesting, you should make sure that the water holders are regularly cleaned and not stale. You can ward off dengue and malaria by taking these simple yet effective precautions.

3. Sleep well

During the rains, some children will find it difficult to sleep due to the constant thunder. Help them relax with some organic diffuser oils that help them ease into a comfortable sleep. You can take the help of relaxing eye pillows to cover their eyes from lightning. There are many retailers who specialise in quality materials at reasonable prices.

4. Clean water

The chances of water pollution increase tremendously during the rainy season. Hence, you should undertake measures that ensure that the water consumed for drinking is pure at all times. Methods like boiling, chlorine treatment and filtration are all effective ways to treat water. Ensure that your child does not consume water through external sources. By taking simple steps, you can prevent diarrhea, dysentery and other water borne diseases.

5. Proper washing

Proper and thorough body wash is necessary during the rainy season. Use a scrubber to clean your child’s body and remove all the mud, dirt and grime. You can also use an organic foot scrubber to clean their feet and prevent spread of bacteria, germs and dirt.

The listed tips can help keep the rain borne diseases at bay and protect your child’s health.

(Pictures courtesy engage.babyoye.com, www.babycenter.in)

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Deal with it

This artist is taking art to the public

Artist and painter Manoj Maurya recently introduced visually challenged students to art and taught them to create their own paintings.
by The Editors | editor@themetrognome.in

This is the sort of sunshine initiative each of us must undertake in our own small way: imagine introducing a visually challenged person to paint and canvas.

In a first of its kind initiative towards making art accessible for masses, artist and painter Manoj Maurya recently invited visually challenged students from the city’s blind schools and made them ‘see’ paintings. Manoj described and discussed paintings with the students and also took an interactive workshop where he taught them how to create paintings. The initiative to connect art with the masses is titled ‘ReBORN series’.

Manoj_Mauryaa_ReBORN-_Blind_Students-5He even made a painting with the students which he later gifted them with. Manoj explained, “I want to make even the visually challenged capable for expressing their thoughts through the medium of visual arts and paintings. The reactions and questions that these students asked me on my paintings were as insightful as those asked by art connoisseurs. After understanding the ReBORN series, one student asked me what I thought was the colour of the soul. Another asked me the colour of birth and death. They grasped my paintings and the thought behind them.”

The ReBORN Exhibition by Manoj seeks to establish a missing connect between art and the general masses. Manoj says, “Paintings as a form of art should increase their reach and be more relevant and productive for the society. In my own way, I am trying to achieve this [objective], so I have already invited underprivileged children and taught them the finer nuances of paintings. Before this, I have also  invited autorickshaw drivers to explore and understand the importance of art. While helping them acknowledge their creative potential, I think that educating autorickshaw drivers about art would go a long way in keeping our clean and beautiful.”

The ReBORN exhibition concluded recently at the Nehru Centre Art Gallery.

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Beauty

Maintain your beauty this rainy season

Follow simple steps to ensure the health and vitality of your skin as the season changes and the rain pours.

It is the dream of any individual to have their beauty preserved forever. However, pollution and seasonal changes play havoc with those dreams. To prevent seasons like the monsoos from ruining your beauty, follow a few simple beauty tips that you can implement easily without any major fuss.

The secret is to not overdo make up. The rains have the potential to dry your skin and ruin your makeup, which is bad for you in the long run. So what steps can you take to protect and enhance your beauty?

Beauty care during the monsoons:

Cotton is king. Wearing the right clothes is very important during the monsoons. It is recommended that you wear cotton clothes to keep your skin fresh and cool. Avoid sticky clothes that make you uncomfortable.

Use skin toner. Skin toner does the vital job of making the skin texture robust, and thus it is able to withstand grime and dirt. Using the right toner is very important to avoid any side effects. Take care to use organic toner that is made of green leaves, honey and olive oil. For the right skin toner mix, consult your dermatologist.

hot bath during monsoonMinimum soap. Use as less soap as possible to avoid the action of artificial irritants on the skin. Instead, opt for natural cleansers that clean and clear your skin. You can get rid of all the impurities in the skin, if you regularly use organic face cleansers.

Hair protection. It is preferable not to keep your hair open during the monsoons to protect your hair from getting drenched. Too much wetness can drain the moisture content in the hair, thus leading to dry hair. You can tie your hair up in a bun. You can also tie your hair up in braids for added style. For more hair protection, you can consult your dermatology doctor who will give you expert tips and suggestions.

Hot bath. Studies have shown that you will get a good night’s sleep if you take a hot bath before going to bed. During rainy season, the weather becomes cooler, which may not be suitable for everyone. Taking a hot bath helps to keep you safe from the flu. It is also beneficial for the skin, in that it keeps the texture, clear, and retains the water content in the skin.

Dry fruits. Eat lots of dry fruits for maintaining your level of beauty. Dry fruits, though small, pack in a lot of nutrients in them. These nutrients help in enhancing the skin texture and providing vital vitamins to the skin cells. To know which dry fruits you should eat more, you should get in touch with an expert dermatologist.

The above steps will help you protect, maintain and enhance your beauty during this rainy season.

(Pictures courtesy www.perfectskincareforyou.com, archives.deccanchronicle.com)

Categories
Deal with it

A dream football space in Borivli’s backyard

‘Feet For Foot’ initiative seeks citizens’ help in setting up artificial grass for young footballing talent to train on, at Borivli.
by The Editors | editor@themetrognome.in

It sees several budding footballers train on its premises regularly, and is a popular sporting hangout for children and adults alike. But now, the Vintage Football Club ground at IC colony Link Road, is embarking on a very special mission – to install artificial grass on about 4,000 sq feet of the ground’s surface for young footballers to train on. This, believe its patrons, will go a long way in training young talent to play on an international stage.

The initiative, titled ‘Feet for Foot’, is asking for donations of Rs 999 per square foot of the proposed area to be developed, and is slated to be fully operational by December this year. Once operational, this will be Borivli’s only international-level football training space.

Says Conrad Pinto (50), one of the coaches at the ground and part of the initiative (in pic on left), “The ground currently has natural grass, which is not very good for playing on. What’s more, the grass dries up and withers away in the summer months, so the surface becomes very hard, especially with the gravel lying exposed. It is essential to train young talent on artificial grass, which will help prepare serious footballers for the international stage.”

What’s at stake

Children from the neighbouring Ganpat Patil Nagar slum play at the ground, as do others from adjoining areas. “The Club runs free training camps for children in the 6 to 9 years age group, with one coach catering to about 25 children per camp,” Conrad explains. “We are especially tuned in to children from underprivileged backgrounds – if the child is willing to play, we ensure we put a ball to his foot.”

The ground was initially in a shambles – it doubled up as a debris dumping ground and parking space for buses. “We got it cleared up in phases and then covered it with mud. We needed about 290 trucks of mud to layer the 8,155 sq metres of total area,” Conrad explains. “We formed the Vintage Football Club about 10 years ago. There are four trustees and currently 200-odd members, but over 1,000 parents are also active supporters. We impart training for free, and only charge corporates or professional teams wanting to train at the ground,” he adds.

Once ready, the ground will cater to the suburb’s urgent need for a world-class training space. “The costs of preparing such a facility are enormous,” says Wilfred Fernandes (44), also associated with the Club. “India needs training at the grassroots for football. See the current condition of football training in the country – it’s pathetic. Our children should be trained to represent India. Football instills confidence and team spirit, and we are always working towards reaching more and more children. Our activities here are driven by passion, not commerce – we never let the ground out for events or weddings or rallies. We are proud to say that since we have been associated with the ground, it has been used only for sporting activities,” he beams.

The costs involved

The cost of installing artificial grass is enormous, and they’ve worked out the total cost to about Rs 40 lakh for about 4,000 sq feet of area. “We cannot possibly cover the entire ground, because that would be too expensive,” Wilfred says. “Besides, we plan to develop the other portions of the ground for separate activities – a tennis court at the back, a walking track, a senior citizens’ space, a small play park for children. The football area will be at the centre, and will be cordoned off with nets,” he explains.

But why launch the initiative now? “We started the project on June 1,” he says. “Currently, there is a lot of hype around the upcoming football World Cup in Brazil, and interest in the sport is at an all-time peak. We will wind up the collection (of funds) process by July 15, when the World Cup will end,” he adds.

Already, donations have started coming in. “We’ve got donations from all over Mumbai, as well as from Delhi and even Muscat. Till date, we’ve managed over Rs 3.2 lakh from June 1, when we launched the initiative,” Conrad says. “Several more people have committed funds for the cause. One gentleman works in a company that manufactures lighting equipment, and he has pledged that the lighting for the ground would be done by his company. Even our trustees are donating money. Help is coming from everywhere,” he says.

The Club will shortlist a vendor by a tendering process in August this year, and the actual work of preparing the ground and laying the grass should be finished by November. “We hope to be fully operational by December 2014,” Wilfred signs off.

Do you want to donate for ‘Feet for Foot’? Log on to vintagefeet4foot.com or check out their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/VintageFootballClubMumbai for details. Call 9022420053 for more information.

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Wellness

Heal yourself with mudras

Your hands have the capacity to heal most disorders – each finger connects to a specific organ in the body.
by Humra Quraishi

Last month, I attended a workshop on mudras, also known as ‘yoga for the fingers’.

I confess I was going through an extremely low emotional phase at the time, and what prompted me to try the therapy out at Zorba The Buddha, the MG Road-situated retreat, was Mudrasthe simplicity of it all – I was very intrigued by the thought of one’s fingers being equipped with the power to heal the entire system.

During the day-long interaction with the Santa Barbara, California based yoga guru Siddhi Ellinghoven, who travels to India twice a year, she explained the significance of nerves embedded in each finger and how each finger reaches out to particular organs of the body.

“Relate to your fingers as your best friends. There is the highest concentration of nerves in your hands. And each finger has a special and a very significant connect with a particular organ – like the thumb with the lungs, the index finger with the large intestine, the middle finger with the heart membrane, the ring finger with the colon and spleen, the little finger with the small intestine and heart,” Siddhi explained.

There are some astonishing facts about the instant connect of the fingers with the brain – such as, you eat 30 per cent less if you eat using your fingers, than with a spoon and fork

How the mudras work

Mudras “The human body is built and is dependent on the five elements: fire, air, ether, earth and water. If there is an imbalance in one of these elements, it will create a disturbance in the physical body. All imbalances can be balanced through the use of our five fingers,” Siddhi explains.

“Healing through mudras is a science that changes the elements within us. Every area of your hand is associated with a reflex zone for a specific part of the body and brain. With mudras we can access our entire nervous system, engage certain areas of the brain and exercise a corresponding influence on them. Scientific research shows that we can effectively engage and influence our body and mind by bending, crossing, extending, or touching the fingers with other fingers. In these mudras, intuition and inspiration form a close unity,” she adds.

Through the various mudras – which finger to place atop which finger and the evolving combinations of the fingers and the thumb – one could sense the energy flowing into one’s palm. Meanwhile, Siddhi related some astonishing facts about the instant connect of the fingers with the brain – such as, you eat 30 per cent less if you eat using your fingers, than with a spoon and fork. Or that you feel less hungry if you have served food or cooked it through the day.

“The fingers instantly relay information to the brain, pass impulses to the brain, such as how much you have eaten and you can still eat or not at all,” she explains. So powerful are these mudras, she says, that she does not let pregnant women perform mudras that remove blockages from the body, for fear of them suffering a miscarriage.

Self-experience helps

Siddhi says she was cured after a back injury left her bedridden for six months. “Almost 20 years ago I suffered a back injury after an accident. I was advised surgery but I refused it. Only mudras cured me totally. Through these 20 years, I have not been to a doctor or taken allopathic medicine. I start each day with yoga and pop some turmeric and neem leaves that I carry back from India,” she says.

(Pictures courtesy Siddhi Ellinghoven)

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