Say Hello to Another
Scam
The raging corporate war over the introduction of limited mobility telephone services has turned political, with the Prime Minister's Office being charged with subverting the regulatory system and favouring a few business houses. An INDIA TODAY investigation looks at the conflict between the sanctimonious claims and the grim reality.

Ballot Boxwallahs
The approaching assembly elections have brought to life five states which are set to witness a stiff fight and whose results can have a big impact on all major parties. A profile of the prime contenders who could tilt the balance either way.

Fall From Grace
Despite a triple-digit growth in net profits of Infosys Technologies and Satyam Computers, the stock prices of the two companies have plunged. Is it the gloomy forecast for software companies that's hammering down the prices?

Unnatural Alliance
The CNG controversy has taken a new turn, with doubts being raised about the propriety of the Delhi Government's selection of Nugas as the sole supplier of the conversion kit.

The Doon Boom
The city that houses Doon School is now playing host to a whole array of new education barons--with big money and even bigger ambitions.

MUSIC: MUSINGS

REVERBERATIONS
Captured Moments

Many a time, while attending a music concert, one feels an urge to capture some moments forever-a well rendered alap, a complex taan, a delicate murki. The sounds that keep ringing in one's ear, evoking the memory of the concert. So, if you are looking to recapture the magic of live concerts, check out the limited-edition series called Jhankar. Shriram Bharatiya Kala Kendra has released the set of 10 cassettes from its recordings of the Shriram Shankar Lal Music Festival. The festival, an annual event since 1947, then named Jhankar, remains Delhi's oldest and most prestigious classical music festival. The idea of a
limited edition of music from the Kendra's archival collection
was conceived by its director, Shobha Deepak Singh. "When
we were documenting the recordings in our archives, it occurred to us to share some of these treasures with the rasikas and release the collection at the festival." Care has been taken not to include ragas that are already available in the market. The
albums also feature some rare ragas like Jaitashree by
Mallikarjun Mansur, Ramkali and Jogia Kalingra by Gwalior maestro Balasaheb Poochwale.

The array of artistes is impressive and includes doyens, masters of the day and young blood. So from Mansur to Pandit Jasraj and Sulochana Brihaspati to Shubhendra Rao all the best names of Hindustani classical music are represented here.

What is missing from the cassette jackets are the year of the recordings and the names of the accompanists. A limited number of cassettes are available only at the Kendra. So those who have missed buying them at the festival better rush and get their sets before it's too late.

-S. Sahaya Ranjit

SCREEN N SURF
Site And Sound

Log on to www.santoor.com to know all and more about the scintillating 100 stringed instrument from Kashmir. The site has been developed by none other than santoor maestro Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma and his son Rahul. The website relates the history of santoor, its origins to the present, besides listing the recordings of Sharma with audio snatches of his compositions. It also rather ambitiously offers online santoor lessons by Sharma's senior disciple Nandkishore Muley. Who said classical musicians were orthodox?

-S. Sahaya Ranjit

HOT TRACK
AATMA, Colonial cousins
(Sony Music; Cassettes: Rs 75; CD: Rs 360).

Come on guys, you could do better than this. Aatma, the third album by Colonial Cousins-Hariharan and Leslie "Lezz" Lewis-simply doesn't match up to the talent residing in these two names or to the promise of their first album. If it weren't for Hariharan's impeccable voice and style that raise even the most mundane number to a higher level, Aatma would be an unremarkable collection where Lezz is less and fusion is at times reduced to one English line being met by some in Hindi. Sure, redemption comes with the uptempo Dheem dheem dhirena and Kai zhala, and the soulful Mata pita. But must we have to suffer immature lyrics like "Dil mein tu/Tu hi tu/Can it be me and you?" Or be subjected to the I love you girl track, suspiciously similar in places to the old Hindi film song "Dhal gaya din/ho gayee shyam ..."? Listen Lezz and Hari, it's bad enough to have to tolerate this in an Anu Malik or a Nadeem-Shravan, but not in you. You owe us more than this. Not just us, yourselves too.

-Anna M.M. Vetticad

ARRIVALS
Kamal Ho Gaya	Madhukauns	DCS	Party On Forever
(Archies Music; Rs 60) A total "time pass" album by Anamika with songs in Hindi, Punjabi and English.	(BMG Crescendo; Rs 75) Rendition of Madhukauns and thumri by Prabha Atre of the Kirana Gharana.	(Tips; Rs 55) An Indi-pop collection sung by Shin. Honge na juda hum is the only redeeming number.	(BMG; Rs 150) Dance away your blues with Lou Bega's Tricky, tricky and La Bouche's Be my lover.

MetroScape

Wealth Of Art
April 8 saw an unabashed get together of Mumbai's Who's Who when the annual Harmony Show, well known as "Tina Ambani's baby", celebrated its sixth showing at the Nehru Centre.
more...

Looking Glass

Bangalore Hotel:
Park.hotel

Mumbai Store:
Regent Watch and Jewellery Boutique

A war of words is on at the Jammu border where India is trying to build a fence to stop infiltration, much to Pakistan's dislike, reports
INDIA TODAY's Special Correspondent Ramesh Vinayak in Despatches.