SUNDAY, MARCH 02, 2014 (PAGE-4)

BOLLYWOOD BUZZ NATURE 'I love being single' Mock meat in market Maneka Sanjay Gandhi Kangana Ranaut is going on her honey- Thousands of years ago, Chinese moon alone … don't panic as that's the plot Buddhist monks started experimenting of her upcoming film Queen. Sreya Basu to create food that tasted like meat but was not. Then the Rajput women of chats up with the actress in Mumbai on her Rajasthan started doing the same to love for travel, how she enjoys her single- keep their husbands satisfied and yet hood and more vegetarian. The Beatle Paul McCart- ney’s wife became vegetarian and real- In Queen you are out on your honey- ized that she could not convert the moon all alone. Is that a message you want world by simply talking or even setting an example. She had to give an alter- to convey to all girls out there? native. Call it a coincidence, even before Queen, Meat is a drug. To wean people off I used to travel alone. When I got this script, I it, they had to have something that was chewy and tasted like it. The taste was was so shocked that I so love travelling and the easy part – after all, all the taste of was offered a travel film. But I would like to tell meat comes from the spices and oils it is cooked in. The chewy part needed a people that it is not literally 'honeymoon' hon- similar sort of plant or grain. She came eymoon. It is a travel film where the girl goes up with a range of dishes, mock meats out on a voyage all alone and it is her inner that tasted like steak, sausages, chick- en, beef … everything that you could journey as well. The girl has certain major want. It started off a trend and many oth- minced meat. The simple production probably because there is so much vari- issues like she lacks confidence and cannot er mock meat factories came up all over method gives rise to a consistency ety in our vegetables and cereals. But UK and Europe. Today the sales run which is remarkably similar to the stringy I think the time has come for this form stand up for herself. The film shows how she into billions – and the main buyers are fibres that make up the consistency of of meat to be everywhere, because explores the world as well as her own self. not vegetarian but meat eaters. meat. Tofu is made by adding a coagu- vegetarians in India are turning meat Are you in a relationship? Mock meats have finally come to lant to soya milk and compressing the eaters alarmingly fast. The amount of Of my friends, the single ones desperately want to India. My sister serves it to meat eaters resulting protein solids until the required meat eaten yearly by the world has get married and the married ones desperately wants to at parties. Not one person has been consistency is achieved. Tofu is easily jumped by 10% since 2008 and inter- get single. So I still can't make out if it's good to be in a able to tell the difference and when they digested and contains all essential national agencies are saying that this is relationship or is it bad. turn to her and ask her, why, as a veg- amino acids. It is one of the healthiest due to India’s sudden passion for flesh. What do you have to tell all single girls out there etarian she is serving meat, she glee- foods in the world. Soya meat is Vegetarianism brings a lot of magic who are ready to mingle? fully tells them it is mock meat. extremely rich in protein- over 50%. with it. Because till recently most of I believe only if you respect and love yourself, can I recently met Marianne Thieme, a Tempeh is made by the controlled fer- India was vegetarian, there is a huge someone from the outside world love you. I have seen lovely young lady who is the Member of mentation of cooked soya beans with a flow of magic – gurus, gods, miracles – many people, who are single, get depressed that they Parliament in Holland of the Party for Rhizopus mould to become a compact whatever the source, the point is that don't get balloons and flowers from their partners. As if, eral thought in a relationship. But when you are single, Animals. Her husband has a factory cake which has many B vitamins, high India seemed closer to the heavens the only goal in life is to get a boyfriend or a girlfriend. I you never know who you will end up with. I love being which makes mock meats. He has sev- protein content. Quorn is an innovation than other countries. But, as people find it a very clichéd thinking. It is not that if someone single. eral times secretly entered his products from the English company Marlow start eating meat we will become as else does not give you gifts, you can't get it yourself. Is it true that you are trying your hand at writing, into competitions for best meat dishes Foods. It is made from a fermented fun- ordinary as any other country. Perhaps When you want to feel loved, buy a beautiful gift and given that you have penned a couple of dialogues – from hamburgers to steaks. In every gus which is processed and textured to we could get our newly misguided non present it to yourself. for Queen as well? competition he has been placed in the produce a food which can be easily mis- vegetarians to switch to mock meat. Have you ever gifted you something when you Well, I am trying to write something. I don't speak first three – even though his product has taken for meat. Quorn products include Many of them are doing it because they wanted to "feel loved" as you said? much, but think a lot. I am good with writing and express- nothing to do with meat! steaks, burgers, chicken breasts as well think it is fashionable. It is even more as sliced meats. The seeds of sweet Absolutely, this Valentine's Day, I got myself a box of ing my thoughts. Mock meats are healthy and protein fashionable to eat mock meat because lupines is used by companies, like Meat- cupcakes. I made myself a good coffee and binged on Much has been said and printed about your spon- based. They contain very little choles- you get the best of both worlds without terol and fat. But new vegetarians miss less, for vegetarian meat. Remis Algen 10-12 cupcakes. As an actor, getting a chance to have taneous nature. causing any pain and partaking in any cupcakes and fries is like being in heaven. So I made the chewiness of meat the most. So that uses algae and, Fresh’shrooms used I started at a very young age of 17 and have grown cruelty. After all, food that doesn’t take my own heaven with cupcakes and fries on a tray and is what mock meats strive to get. The mushrooms. Pro Viand uses rice pro- an arm and a leg is good for you. up in this industry. So the industry has seen many phas- pleased myself. neutral taste of the ingredients makes it tein or pea protein. Beyond Meat, a There are several retailers of mock What is the best thing about being single? es of my life. There were times when I used to dance like easier for cooks to give it the taste of company based in California, has devel- meats. One is Big 5 Health Food which The best thing about being single is the opportunity crazy in a party where you should not be dancing and real meat. Vegetarian meats are based oped a process for soy and pea. The distributes Fry’s mock meats. They are of finding someone who is much beyond your expecta- invited unnecessary attention. But I did not know at that on centuries-old recipes for seitan, rice, resulting product bears a close resem- doing very well. Godrej Nature’s Bas- tion. Because when you are in a relationship, whether it time. I came from the mountains (Dehradun). I have done mushrooms, legumes, tempeh, soya, or blance to chicken meat and people like ket, that stocks ready-to-make mock lasted six days, six years or 60 years, there is a time many things and shocked many people. It's not that I pressed-tofu, defatted peanut flour, with Bill Gates have invested in it. meat products, says that mock meats when you feel that you have come to a point in your life don't like to be spontaneous any more, but I am trying to flavouring added to make the finished What is wrong is that mock meat is are more popular with meat eaters. Yas- and this is a person you will end up with. This is the gen- tone down. (TWF) product taste like chicken, beef, lamb, not available. Because it is not easily min and Harish Jadwani of Ahimsa ham, sausage, seafood, etc. Wheat available, it is difficult to spread aware- Foods set up a mock meat plant in Del- gluten or Seitan is the most cost effec- ness about the product. Abroad, you hi in 2009. Chicken sausages, ham and HERITAGE tive and most simple raw material for can buy mock meat in all food stores. salami are the best sellers. producing vegetarian sausages, burg- Not so in India. We are the last country ( To join the animal welfare movement contactgand- in the world to have introduced them – ers, nuggets, schnitzel as well as [email protected],www.peopleforanimalsindia.org) 100 Years of India’s First Cantilever Bridge HEALTHLINES G V Joshi On Tuesday, January 29, 2014, a long-time resident of Rameswaram and former President Dr A.P.J. Abdul Mustard oil recommended for Diabetics Kalam (aka Missile Man of India) inau- gurated the centenary celebrations of In general and more so for Diabetics, mustard oil and not the socalled “refined” oil is the the Pamban railway bridge-India's first cantilever bridge, connecting the pil- right choice for maintaining an optimum ratio of different fats in the diet. Unfortunately, grim-island of Rameswaram with the however, inspite of its Indian ethnic connection, mustard oil is not so widely used for cook- mainland. As a two-coach special train took ing in India and much less so in South India. him from Mandapam across the bridge. He remembered his younger days. In Dr Jitendra Singh his words,"Pamban Bridge is part of my Over a decade and half ago, a handful of Diabetologists life." As a young boy, he had travelled including this columnist launched a countrywide determined hundreds of times on the bridge to take campaign against widespread use of “refined” oils which newspapers to the island for distribu- tion. were being misguidedly promoted across the length and and 200, (number of ticketless trav- level structure like the road bridge. Mr Kalam unveiled a plaque and breadth of the Indian peninsula by self-seeking trio of prof- ellers unknown). Dr. Kalam has played a vital role in released a book "Marvels of South Indi- it-mongering manufacturers, mutually vying media chan- The Dhanushkodi track and station preserving the bridge. The rail bridge an Railway", marking the inauguration nels and gullible medical practitioners. There was, then, were also washed away, putting an end threatened to become defunct, when of the nearly month-long celebrations. quite a formidable opposition from protagonists advocating to the service to this terminus. The the Indian Railways announced the In the words of Rakesh Misra, South- use of these socalled “refined” oils. Scherzer Bridge was also badly dam- "unigauge" policy in 2006. ern Railway General Manager, "The aged, with 126 of its 145 girders col- The Railways considered a propos- Bridge was an engineering marvel that Nevertheless, the clock has turned a full circle. And, today, lapsing. Most of them were salvaged al to construct a new bridge, but gave had withstood corrosion and a violent the vindication comes from some of the world’s highest med- from the sea but the Scherzer lift span up the idea as it would cost a whopping sea for over a century." ical authorities which outrightly endorse the concept favouring escaped. Rs.700 crore. Stepping in, the then The 65.23-metre-Iong rolling cen- the use of Indian ethnic edible oils, notably the mustard oil. The bridge was subsequently President Dr Kalam, who hailed from tral lift span (the bridge is 2.06 km restored to working conditions under Rameswaram island, suggested that In general and more so for Diabetics, mustard oil and not long), named after Scherzer, German the supervision of the then Assistant the existing bridge could be strength- the socalled “refined” oil is the right choice for maintaining engineer who designed and built it, has Engineer, E. Sreedharan, (well- known ened for gauge conversion. an optimum ratio of different fats in the diet. Unfortunately, been given a fresh coat of paint and Indian engineer for his work in estab- After obtaining expert opinions from however, inspite of its Indian ethnic connection, mustard oil decorated with lights. It opens up like lishing Konkan Railway and Delhi IIT- Chennai and structural engineers, is not so widely used for cooking in India and much less so tion the relative ratio of different fat ingredients in the edi- a pair of scissors to allow vessels to Metro Railway) in just 46 days (some the bridge was strengthened to broad in South India. ble oil or the cooking medium. pass through under the bridge. The sources say 120 to 150 days.). gauge standard and train services OPTIMUM RATIO OF DIFFERENT FAT CONTENTS bridge was built by a Scottish compa- FAT TOXICITY After 'the 1964 cyclone, an resumed in 2007. The concept of Omega6 or N-6 and Omega3 or N3 fats ny, M/S Head, Wrightson & Co. Ltd. In the realms of “Modern Malnutrition”, the term “Fat Tox- anemometer was installed to send an The bridge was further strength- has virtually revolutionised the entire thinking on the subject. The Pamban Bridge is a basically a icity” has been coined to describe faulty dietary intake of automatic warning signal to approach- ened in 2009 for running of goods traf- N3 fats are required for normal action of Insulin in human cantilever bridge on the Palk straits fats and the consequent hazards. It is to be noted that no ing trains to the bridge, if the wind speed fic. body. In addition, N-3 fats offer protection to heart and pre- which connects the holy, pilgrim town drug therapy or medication can fully correct the ill-effects of exceeds 55km per hour. Some time back, it suffered a jolt, when of Rameswaram to mainland India. It high fat and refined cereal diets. This has inspired vent cancer. Therefore, an optimum ratio of N-6 and N-3 The terminus was shifted to a barge, being taken through the chan- spans a 2 km-strait between mainland fats in diet is essential for healthy well-being of an individ- Rameswaram. Earlier the then nel, crashed into the bridge, damaging it, researchers in the fields of Nutrition and Diabetology to and island and is the surface transport ual but the commonly used “refined” oils have a highly dis- famous train-boat train (Boat Mail) after anchor failure. However, there was reevaluate concepts relating to dietary fats. link between the two. turbed ratio of these ingredients which enhances vulnera- ran from Madras Egmore up to no serious damage and train services The earlier concepts were based mostly on the information A cantilever bridge is a bridge built bility to Diabetes, heart attacks and even cancer. Dhanushkodi via Rameshwaram. were resumed on the bridge very soon. available way back in the 1960s when a lot many things were using centilevers-i.e. structures that Contrary to general belief, even the Ghee or coconut oil From there passengers were taken A walk on the bridge is an exhilarat- not fully understood. For example, at that time, there was hard- project horizontally into space, support- has a low N-6: N-3 ratio and therefore has no major disad- to Talaimannar in Ceylon, now Sri ing experience. At times the breeze ed only on one end. The steel truss cen- ly any information available regarding qualitative aspects of fats. vantages when consumed in limited quantity. Lanka, by a ferry. could be strong. The view of the dis- tilever bridge was a major engineering “Refined” oils which were popularised since 1968 and The rail-boat-rail service continued tant sea and the string of islands on All said and done, however, the easiest option as an opti- breakthrough when first put into prac- during the decades that followed ended up causing more from 1914 to 64 and was stopped after the left of Pamban Island are simply mally balanced healthy edible oil is mustard oil. Indeed, tice, as it can span distances of about harm than good because they did not take into considera- the cyclone of 1964. breathtaking. Though the bridge is a mustard oil is the right choice. 450 m, and can be more easily con- The metre-gauge branch line from stunning structure, the entrance to the structed at difficult crossings. grievances they face. The apex court in Pamban to Dhanushkodi was aban- bridge from both the Mandapam and The bridge is 2,065 m long and was its verdict on 20 February 1987 doned after it was destroyed in the Pamban sides do not do justice to this Woes of West Pakistani Refugees... opened for traffic in 1914. It has a double expressed helplessness in providing any cyclone. impressive landmark and need leaf section midway, which can be raised Most of the West Pakistani youth are plain could land them in trouble. relief; however, it observed that it was up improvement. to let ships and barges pass through. As long as it lasted, the steamers unemployed, idling at home,inflicting a A west Pakistani refugee woman, who to the state assembly to take action to The railway bridge historically car- carried passengers, goods, cattle and The authorities are trying to get the deleterious effect on their psychological managed to become a graduate, amend certain legislations like Jammu ried metre gauge trains on it, but it was cars, so one could effectively drive a UNESCO world heritage status for the well being and triggering a feeling of concedes,pleading anonymity, that after going and Kashmir Representation of Peoples upgraded to carry broad-gauge trains car all the way from Colombo to then Pamban Bridge on the lines of three alienation amongst them. through a cumbersome process she man- Act, the Land Alienation Act, and the Vil- in August, 2007. Madras now Chennai. Many cricket Mountain Railways of India; Darjeel- Dr.Sapna K .Sangra, Assistant Pro- aged to obtain a PRC with the hope of getting lage Panchayat Act, among others. Until recently, the two leaves of the enthusiasts did it in the 1950s to watch ing Himalayan Railway, the Nilgiri fessor, Department of Sociology, Jammu a government job in future; else the years of "From the legal point of view, amend- bridge were opened manually using a cricket Test match at Colombo in Shri Mountain Railway and the Kalka- University says, "It has been seen that toil spent on her studies will go waste. ments in the existing legislations are levers by workers. About 10 ships - car- Lanka. Shimla Railway, which have been the problem of unemployment among In 2007, Ghulam Nabi Azad, the then quite possible but only if our legislators go carriers, coast guard ships, fishing The Railways have requested IIT', granted the UNESCO World Heritage displaced persons is affecting their psy- Chief Minister of the state, constituted a think beyond their party lines" says vessels and oil tankers - pass through Madras to assess the strength of the Site status. chological health. Alcoholism is common committee under G D Wadhwa to look AdvBachanLalKalgotra. Atall order, that. the bridge every month. century old Pamban Bridge and There are rumours floating around among them and,since they know they into the problems concerning refugees. Whatever said and done - Acts, legal- On December 22, 1964, the six- analyse options. It has been asked to regarding a worker letting his son die can't get employment in state govern- The committee made several recom- ities, amendments, boundaries nothing bogie Pamban- Dhanushkodi Passen- consider whether it was necessary to while operating the moving sections on ment, they have lost interest in educa- mendations in their favor but were, pre- is above humanity. Time is high when we ger was crossing the bridge in a build a new one, adjacent to the pres- the bridge so that a train passes tion." dictably, barely implemented. should look at refugees as humans first cyclonic storm when a 6 metres high ent structure. The options included through safely. But these are probably A few refugee families, offering kick- A writ petition vide no 7698 of 1982 and take care of their development tidal wave smashed into it and washed building a new bridge with a split span false as the bridge required twelve peo- backs to revenue officials, have man- was filed by Advocate BachanLalinthe issues. Everything else will follow. for navigation, further strengthening it into the sea. The death toll was esti- ple, six on each side, to manually oper- aged to get PRCs but they too are Supreme Court on behalf of West Pak- (The author is Media Fellow) the existing one, or building a higher mated to be anywhere between 115 ate its moving sections. dogged by constant fear as a mere com- istani Refugeesseeking redressal of the Charkha Features