EPICUREAN DELIGHT: Chowdhry and John

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Boston: With the success of fusion restaurants with an Indian touch in New York, the Boston Brahmins were hungry for one of their own. With the arrival of Mantra, Boston has one of its classiest restaurants. But don't call it an Indian restaurant. As you dine on grilled lamb rack with dried ginger jus, cumin potatoes and wilted beet greens, executive chef Thomas John and managing partners Amrik Pabla and Hemant Chowdhry want you know that you are eating in a French restaurant. With a touch of India. John, an import from Mumbai's Le Meridien, has been winning praise since the restaurant opened about three months ago. He himself characterises his style of cooking "as a harmonious blend of the familiar with the unfamiliar; the delicate with the robust". Mantra can seat 200 people and has an enchanting 40-ft bar with a sommelier. Situated in a turn-of-the century former bank building, it has been featured in many major publications, including the Wall Street Journal. Along with the food and the ambience, people-even those allergic to smoking-marvel at the cosy hookah den.

-Mabel Pais

IN IT TOGETHER: Sanger with the SAAN team

A Mixed Milieu

Minneapolis: ITs role is lofty: helping South Asians assimilate in the American milieu, and the South Asian American Network (SAAN) seems to be coping fine. For four years it has helped increase General Mills' understanding of the South Asian consumer and marketplace and provided a support structure for its employees from the subcontinent. Steve Sanger, its chairman and CEO, says the work of SAAN is important. "It's important for us to achieve a diverse mix of backgrounds across all employees for it leads to innovation-the force that drives our business."

-Mabel Pais

Winding Up in Noughts

RAVE REVIEWS: Sheetal Sheth in ABCD

New York: When ABCD won plaudits at a number of film festivals, including the one in Austin-Houston, Texas, its makers must have gloated with glee. And when, despite being on the shelf for close to a year, most of the mainstream publications heralded it as a "sensational" film, they must have been certain about its imminent unmitigated success. Alas for Krutin Patel, ABCD's 34-year-old debut director, co-producer and co-writer, when the film finally released, it was only to a disappointing opening: ABCD grossed a meagre $83,372 on 38 screens in North America, for a dull average of $2,194 per screen. Some in the audience complained that its makers were misogynist, others thought it was a little too melodramatic, many rued about the badly-etched characters. However, the one saving grace for Patel was the unanimous verdict that he had made a good beginning. Patel, however, hopes that the box-office will pick up in the second week, defying the usual trend of desi movies losing about 50 per cent of the audience in the second week. The movie, which cost about $300,000, has to earn about $500,000 to recoup the investment. If the box-office follows the usual path, ABCD-starring Madhur Jaffrey, Aasif Mandvi and Sheetal Sheth-may end with about $200,000. If its video version isn't pirated, it might earn a decent coin there.

-Mabel Pais

America Pays Tribute

HEARTSTRINGS: A guitarist with a sitar at a LA service for Harrison

New York: When news of his death trickled in, fans gathered in New York before dawn to pay their respects at Strawberry Fields, a section of Manhattan's Central Park dedicated to the memory of fellow band member John Lennon. It is not his vast legacy of music alone that George Harrison has left behind for people to remember him by. It's not even fond memories to invoke a spontaneous smile. Instead, what many denizens of the West will most remember the "grumpy" Beatle for was his unequivocal commitment to his spiritual quest-one that he sought to quench with Indian mysticism. For, unlike other celebrities, his commitment to Hinduism was not superficial. Harrison was the impetus for the group's spiritual quest in the 1960s which took the quartet to India. In his quest for spiritual knowledge, Harrison met Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and became a devotee of Lord Krishna. He donated large sums of money and a 23-acre site outside London-the Bhaktivedanta Manor-to ISKCON, now a facility used by over 15,000 students from across Britain who come to learn the teachings of Hinduism. Harrison also incorporated the trademark "Hare Krishna" chants in his music. It was revealed a week after his death that he has left about £20 million to the Hare Krishna movement. A British publication revealed that Harrison was secretly recording a last album in the months before he died and added that he played tracks from the album to his family at a Los Angeles hospital on Sunday, four days before his death from cancer at the age of 58.

True, all things must pass and with his death, the youngest Beatle has overcome his pain and suffering. But it has increased that of the legions of his fans.

REASSURED: Singh

Healing Touch

New York: President George W. Bush's "warm greetings" to Sikhs in the US on Guru Nanak's 532nd birth anniversary came as a balm for the community which was a target of senseless violence in the wake of the September 11 terrorist attacks. The President said, "America's religious diversity has always been the strength of our country. American Sikhs serve in every walk of life, including our armed forces." Bush commended the Sikhs for the "dedicated role" they play in their community. Rajwant Singh, president of the Sikh Council on Religion and Education, thanked Bush for the gesture. "His message is assuring and healing particularly at this time when many Sikhs have felt insecure in the aftermath of September 11 tragedy."

-C.K. Arora