The beauteous Ayesha Thapar's grandmother, her mother Jyoti Thapar's mother, was a friend of our mum's from their Srinagar days
The beauteous Ayesha Thapar's grandmother, her mother Jyoti Thapar's mother, was a friend of our mum's from their Srinagar days. So we have always known of the family's Kashmir connection and when we were told that Thapar had restored and refurbished her home in Srinagar, we assumed it was her grandmother's childhood one.
Ayesha Thapar and (right) Rohit Bal
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Thapar, the wife of tech tycoon Nikesh Arora, is said to have taken a gaggle of friends with her a few months ago to this home and amongst them, it is said, was one of India's most celebrated designers, Rohit Bal, who also hails from a colourful Srinagar clan.
As anyone will tell you, the Kashmir connection has the poignant aroma of heady kahva. Those who have it are given to bouts of intense sadness and poignancy, and thus we're told that the trip was laden with longing and nostalgia and Bal's cup of nostalgia often brimmed over. “Of course he was very emotional about it all and often broke down — but to see Kashmir through the eyes of Rohit Bal”, says one of the guests — a lady of exquisite taste, “was sublime.”
Another storm in a C-cup
“ I actually wrote it at the stroke of midnight,” laughed JJ Vallaya, the leading Delhi-based designer, about a rambling diatribe that he had posted a week ago on a social media platform, which has created the proverbial storm in a C Cup within the fashion frat.
JJ Vallaya
Vallaya whose always been known to call a spade a spade, and who says his posts often deal with things esoteric and philosophical, had waxed eloquent about the biggest bugbear of his trade: plagiarism, crass commercialism and galloping mediocrity. “The 'REAL' press release of some Indian 'Couture' designers nowadays,” began Vallaya and went on to assume the voice of a wannabe designer:
“This year I celebrate 10 years in Indian fashion (where 8 were spent as an assistant to 15 designers and the last 2 in 'getting inspired' by elements from some of them into a single cohesive original look i.e. mine). My collection this year celebrates haute couture (really... Pronounce it please?) and is inspired by our rich heritage and interpreted in a modern manner using hand embroideries (machines operated by hand = Hand) and luxurious fabrics (sourced from Nehru Place). Since I am a strong supporter of animals, I therefore use only 'fox' fur (errr... That would be faux) and no body parts,” ending the para with the clincher , “Did they not teach you that at the prestigious Rampur Institute of Fashion Technology a.k.a. RIFT?). “
“Yes its stirred up a real hornet's nest,” says the designer. “But I want to make it clear that I'm not supporting only the top designers and knocking the youngsters. There's a LOT of talent amongst them too,” he says. “Like Rahul Misra,” said Vallaya, and then cautioned. “Look, I don't want to mention names because then it becomes controversial,” he said, alluding to the legendary thin skin and inflammatory nature of his industry colleagues. “People are so sensitive.” Oh yes we said, don't we know that.
An Emmy award for Gaggan?
It's always nice to hear from Gaggan Anand, the pony-tailed rockstar chef of the eponymous Gaggan, the Indian progressive cuisine restaurant in Bangkok. Anand still holds the title of Asia's best restaurant according to the prestigious San Pellegrino list, a title that he has held for two consecutive years.
Gaggan Anand
But on this occasion his message was only partly food related. “We got an Emmy Nomination!” It read. Slightly confused, we asked for more information and it turns out, that a documentary film on the chef's life and his rise in the food world order, called 'Chef's Table,' which was produced and released by Netflix earlier this year, has indeed been nominated for an Emmy.
Regular readers of this page will remember that we first broke the news of Gaggan's scrapping of his India plans (he was in long talks with a mid-city five-star hotel to open in Mumbai), so we had to ask the chef what he's been upto lately. Gaggan, who now runs three successful restaurants (Gaggan, Meatlicious and Suhring) in Bangkok, all serving different cuisines has another interesting project on the way. He says, “Our new lab is getting ready. But more on that one later.” Rest assured we would be the first to know and keep our readers informed.
Her dad's daughter
“My father, Bhagwat Devidayal used to run his factory from this space for 50 years, until 6 years ago when he moved to a larger space,” says Gauri Devidayal, partner The Table, about Magazine Street Kitchen, her recently launched 2,500 square feet culinary playground for chef's tables, cooking workshops, intimate dinners and other food preparation related activities, housed in a state-of-the-art restored heritage structure.
Magazine Street Kitchen
“It had been lying vacant for some years and just when he was about to sell it off, I requested him for an early inheritance, and the venture was two years in the making,” says one half of the team that's invigorated SoBo's restaurant scene. “We finally opened for business last month,” she says.
Gauri Devidayal with her father
“Last weekend was the first time my father came there for a meal and it was as emotional for me, as it seemed to be for him. I still remember when we came to see the space with him the first time, and it was a complete dump. So for him to see it in this new avatar was incredible,” she says with deserved pride. As for what was eaten on the historic day, Devidayal is tightlipped. “Don't mention that please,” she requests. “Just say needless to say, he enjoyed the food too!”
Not for art's sake alone
We kid thee not, this really happened. A fearsomely affected cultural diva, who has assiduously and over the years constructed all the trappings of a faux Bohemian/Bloomsbury/airy fairy writerly life for himself, and almost gets away with it, 'cept for his staggering lack of talent, actually said this.
While interviewing a hapless young foal, eager to get a job on the said cultural diva's pet hobby: an artsy foundation, the fey middle aged gent is reported to have pointed to himself and his benefactors, and proclaimed, “You're looking at some of the most famous and glamorous faces in the country — we want someone who understands glamour.
We need to be featured in international glossy fashion magazines, not drab art and culture journals. Do you get that?” Needless to say, the young foal with idealistic stars in his eyes is contemplating taking sanyas.
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