The Supercrat
Brajesh Mishra, Vajpayee's principal secretary, has emerged as a strong power centre. But his critics say he has bitten off more than he can chew and has become the target of a proxy war against the prime minister.

Going Beyond Square One
India and Pakistan make subtle shifts in their positions on Kashmir, raising hopes of a renewed dialogue and restoration of peace. Much will depend on what happens during Ramzan.

Fifth Column
by Tavleen Singh
Multinational Myths

Prime Movers

Action Manifested

Change of Image

Such a long journey: Painted Cows

Praful C. Patel's pictographic journey started with a second hand Rollicord camera (without a flash in good ol' b/w) in the 1940s. Now after 55 years he's shifted his technical loyalties ... preferring the bromide-free ease of digitally transferred images. And at Mumbai's Piramal Gallery the 75-year-old shutterbug showed an exhaustive retro of his work in an exhibition descriptively titled A View Finder's Journey - 55 years: Glassplate to Digital, while also releasing a book by the same name. The images range from mawkish shots of newly independent India (like Prithviraj Kapoor leading a procession) to digitally manipulated collages like Painted Cows, taken in 1999. "I enjoy clicking for my own collection the most," he says. "When you are working for personal expression, you have the freedom to experiment." Patel promises a lot more of that.

-Natasha Israni

Play in the Park

There is something flowing about 65-year-old playwright-cum-music composer Mohan Narayanan. His favourite attire of kurta-dhoti, for one. And his creativity for another. That's why you believe him when he says, "My works are like humming in the bathroom ... for my own happiness." And that includes his latest play The Birds which has been selected for direction by US theatre personality Anita Khanzadian-Jones and also being considered by four major Hollywood studios. Set against the backdrop of the Vedanthangal bird sanctuary near Chennai and featuring only three characters, the play, to be staged in Chennai in early January, captures the angst of migratory humans. But Narayanan, who holds an engineering degree and a long career in marketing and management with leading companies, doesn't seem to be carried away by its success. "In fact, my first love is music," says the playwright who incidentally has also been composing music for the Madras Players for the last 30 years. Patel plans to play on.

-Arun Ram

Season's Dressing: Forget fashion fiestas in hired five-star ballrooms. When textile specialist and designer Madhu Jain (above, centre) decided to display her Fall collection (in December?!) she choose the double-decker Delhi store Ogaan. The clothes, mostly Assamese mekhla embroidery and Andhra uparas were displayed by mannequin models (and some live ones like the emcee of the event Jacqueline Lundquist). The evening also centered on a sarod recital by virtuoso Sharan Rani (above, with her husband). So will her winter collection be in March?

-Kavitha Muralitharan

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MetroScape
Celebrating India
Trikaya Grey of Delhi and Concept Communication of Mumbai, tied for the top at India Today's "My India My Pride" ad contest. So they were given an equitable deal of Rs 7.5 lakh each.
more...

Looking Glass

Mumbai: Restaurants

Bangalore: Concert

Delhi: Restaurant

Ayodhya is an issue that is pre-determined. And it matters little in the present fuss that the foremost casualty is the truth, writes INDIA TODAY Deputy Editor Swapan Dasgupta in
Day Dreams.

Orissa's Chilika, the largest brackish water lake in Asia, is dying. But there is a concerted effort to restore its health. INDIA TODAY Special Correspondent Ruben Banerjee takes a look at the diagnosis and treatment in Despatches.