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July 24, 2000

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The Great Call of China

Feng Shui, Tai Chi and all things Chinese catch the fancy of the metros

-Farah Baria

Its symbol combines the Buddha's Dharma-Chakra with the Taoist Yin-Yang, proof that spirituality transcends politics. Now Falun Gong, the meditative ballet from China, has come to Delhi. Five of the most respected gurus of the Chinese cult recently took Indian devotees through the 2,000-year-old paces, aimed at harmonising body, mind and spirit. "I've always practised yoga, so the concept is not new," says Lavita Singh who registered for the workshop. "But these Chinese systems are something else."

She's not alone. As diplomats from both sides warily meet at global conferences, the boundaries between India and China are crumbling faster than they could ever imagine. From Tai Chi to Feng Shui and Chinese herbalism, the hip and the happening in the metros are in the grip of a Chinese Revolution. It's invading our drawing rooms -- quite literally -- with Feng Shui.

A not-so-distant cousin of the Indian Vastu Shastra, this science of harmonising "energy flows" in living spaces is displacing its native relative, claims Shirish Shah, a Mumbai stockbroker who opted for it after a Vastu practitioner advised him to pull down an entire wall in his house. "While Vastu calls for structural changes to make your house more propitious, Feng Shui merely advises a few adjustments," he explains. Three days after he complied, the BSE which was hovering miserably around 3900 shot up to 4700. All credit, or so he is convinced, to Feng Shui.

"People are turning to Chinese therapies because their approach to modern life is more practical," says Feng Shui expert Bilkis Whelan who can barely cope with the growing demand. Those who can't afford consultations make do with the pop version: Chinese "soul aids". At the trendy Bombay Store, Chinese wind chimes at Rs 550 a piece are selling faster than steaming dim-sums on a cold day in Beijing. Wooden acupressure rollers and stress-reducing Chinese hand balls are also getting immensely popular says Gita Chandra who sells them at Moonbeam, her "spiritual boutique" in Delhi.

Meanwhile diehard yoga addicts are being lured to Tai Chi Chuan, the mother of all martial arts. "Unlike yoga, Tai Chi has a more universally applicable technique and does not require radical lifestyle changes," explains Sandeep Desai, a Tai Chi teacher in Mumbai who charges Rs 1,300 a month for two weekly sessions and has over 100 students. There is also a growing number of Chinese herbalists and acupressurists like Dr Sunil Mehta. Patients come to him window shopping for an esoteric cure to common chronic ailments. "Chinese herbalism is immensely popular all over the world," says Mumbai society lady Devika Bhojwani, who swears by Manchurian tea, a turgid brew made from a kind of fungus called the Manchurian mushroom. In the world of dhaba chowmein, it might be unheard of. But on Mumbai's cocktail circuit, it's quite the rage.

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