I miss Woodlands Drive-In restaurant. For over four decades it was both eating place and meeting place for just about everyone – boys and girls, young and old, office-goers and, most of all, for families for whom it was an opportunity for an outing. The ambience was casual, the fare served varied and sumptuous, and the waiters friendly and courteous.

In that vast tree- and plant-rich garden, there were various kinds of services. The traditionally-minded preferred the regular service, while those opting for a quick bite proceeded to the self-service section. Those having time on their hands chose to beat the heat and enjoy the fare in airconditioned comfort. And there was also lawn service. But best of all was the car service which gave Woodlands its name. You could drive in, park your car and order the food of your choice. And while you sat in the vehicle discussing the weather or the latest cricket match, the waiter would arrive with your food served piping hot on a tray, making a pretty good balancing act of it. This balancing act was even more pronounced in wet weather, for he also had to carry an umbrella to keep the rain from falling on the food.

The restaurant was open roughly from 6 am to 9 pm and the menu was nicely divided to meet the requirements of different parts of those 15 hours. So, in the morning, it was idlis, vadais, pongal and dosais, in the afternoon it was traditional rice items along with tandoori items and North Indian dishes, in the evening there were bondas, bajjis and chaat items, while at night it was time again for idlis and dosais together with the rice items. For those foodies wanting something to munch at odd hours, there were items like kichdi, special vadai, curd vadai and so on.

On Sundays and public holidays, the place wore a festive look. Parking space was at a premium and all sections were occupied. It was difficult to find a table, but the old faithful would wait patiently. I remember well that on Sunday mornings the regular and self-service sections would be full with families arriving for breakfast after morning service at nearby St George’s Cathedral.

I have spent many enjoyable hours at Woodlands Drive-In, or ‘Woodies’ as it was popularly called. I remember there was a tree near the inside entrance and many of us would sit under it after our meal to have a quiet smoke before jumping on our two-wheelers and being on our way. There was also a paan-beeda shop on the premises, an ice cream and cool drink stall and a playground for children, with benches for parents who wanted to keep an eye on them. I do remember also how friends who had grown up in the city and had gone abroad for studies or on professional duty would always say, “Let’s meet at Woodies” whenever they returned.

All good things have to come to an end (I don’t know why though!) and now, when I travel on Cathedral Road and look at what’s taken its place, my mind is flooded with memories.

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The man is a bundle ofenergy. He is unconventional, thinks on his feet, takes quick-fire decisions and is idea-driven. Some of his ideas are convention turned on its head. He is also computer-savvy, fun-loving, generous to a fault and, what is best, relates to people across generations. He is ‘Abaswaram’ Ramjhi, the man behind Issai Mazhalai, launched a decade ago.

'Abaswaram' Ramjhi.

Why did Ramjhi call his group Issai Mazhalai? Mazhalai is the Tamil word for ‘baby talk’ or ‘prattle’. ‘Issai’ is for the obvious isai (meaning ‘music’) spelt Ramjhi’s maverick way. Numerology? Perhaps, but the idea behind the name makes it clear it is a group of children engaged in performance of music. But the children are not always children. The youngest is around five, and the oldest is 21! You don’t associate a 21-year-old with mazhalai, but this is about the outer age limit as, around this time, they are retired from the troupe, their music having much improved.

Issai Mazhalai identifies a large number of talented youngsters rather than a Ravikiran here and a Shrinivas there. Ramjhi has the special ability of spotting a talented child and giving him or her repeated opportunities to perform, all the time interacting with the child’s guru and parents. Had there been such identification in an earlier generation, there would have been many more Malis and Ravikirans. This is not to suggest that all the children in the Issai Mazhalai group are prodigies – most are talented and a few exceedingly so. Even today, most gurus do feel that a student is not good or mature enough to perform on stage unless he or she has had at least eight to ten years of training, The argument cannot be brushed aside. However, if a specially talented child can be spotted and the guru be persuaded to impart intensive coaching, and concert opportunities follow as incentives, stars can be created very early in life. This is what Ramjhi does successfully.

The talent search requires interaction with a large number of schools, parents, following up chance reports of a youngster at a family function, listening to prayer songs by children preceding a main event, and referrals by parents who feel their children are special in music. Parents easily believe their wards possess exceptional talent and this is where Ramjhi’s objectivity takes over. His is a one-man HR unit. It is entirely up to him to select or reject a child, but he does it in a way that does not ruffle anyone’s feathers. In allotting concerts too, he takes decisions himself and does it equitably as far as possible. So far, none has questioned his judgement or impartiality.

In a group like this (he has about 60 in the Carnatic music wing), all cannot be of the same quality. A small percentage does not measure up or show signs of improvement and, over the time, they drop out if they are not weeded out. The majority, however, falls in the ‘good’ to ‘excellent’ categories.

* * *

Ramjhi started in 1969 as a drummer in his Western pop music group which, in his characteristic style, he named ‘Frustrations Amalgamated’. For about six years, he conducted regular shows in Chennai and elsewhere in India. In the All India Beat contest in 1972 held in Bombay, the group won five prizes.

In a few years, the music scene changed and what was euphemistically called ‘light music’ (a misnomer, as it is very heavy on the ear-drums), an amalgam of popular Indian film songs, became the rage. As there were established names in this field, Ramjhi called his music troupe ‘Abaswaram’ and inaugurated it on All Fools’ Day – April 1 – 1976. Aspirin and ear-plugs were distributed among the audience, jokes and ‘one-liners’ accompanied the songs. The public and media immediately took notice! ‘Abaswaram’ had a dream run for 23 years with about 2500 shows in 11 countries.

Around the birth of the new Millennium, Ramjhi grew tired of the routine and endless travelling and dreamt of a new venture. He took up a contract as ‘Senior Consultant – Programming’ in Raj TV and, in this capacity, produced a number of music shows. It was then that he noticed the keen involvement of the children participating in shows. In the intervals between shootings, they went to a corner and rehearsed their parts and, when in doubt, sought the help of elders in improving their skills. All this while, the smug elders were either smoking, chewing betel leaves or gossiping. He decided then to form a music group made up exclusively of children.

A talent hunt started in city schools and about 60 children were shortlisted and put on regular training for a month. Ultimately, 14 made the grade and Issai Mazhalai was officially launched on May 14, 2000. The children were in the age group of four to twelve and sang mostly film songs. Devotional music was also included, but to a lesser extent. Till then, playback singers like M.S. Rajeswari and S. Janaki used to croon songs for children in films, but the advent of Issai Mazhalai changed all that. Apart from playback singing in films, this group has also performed about 400 concerts of film and devotional music.

* * *

Ever restless, Ramjhi turned his attention to Carnatic music in 2001. All the children in the film music troupe had a background in Carnatic music. New members also joined the group. Besides vocal music, Ramjhi also built up a database of children skilled in playing instruments such as the violin, veena, flute, keyboard, mridanga and ghata. Concert after concert followed in Chennai and elsewhere.

The day after the film music wing presented a programme at Rashtrapati Bhavan, the Carnatic wing followed suit and President Abdul Kalam was so pleased, especially after hearing the children sing the Tyagaraja Pancharatna kriti Endaro mahanubhavulu, that he spent time with each child talking about their aspirations and signed autographs for them.

* * *

Several children from Issai Mazhalai have already graduated into the regular concert circuit, including senior slots.

Will Issai Mazhalai’s Carnatic wing survive over the time? At least for the next five to ten years, there should be no cause for concern. But with the profliferation of sabhas and other formal and informal organisations, many youngsters, though not part of Issai Mazhalai, do get concert opportunities. If this tendency increases, Issai Mazhalai could lose its importance. Further, the infrastructural and organisa-tional skills are concentrated in one man – Ramjhi, who is not getting any younger. But Ramjhi, ever the opportunist and survivor, will surely come up with another winning idea at that point of time! (Courtesy: Sruti.)

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King Serfoji II was a remarkable king in many ways and deserves much more recognition than what he gets today. He was, after many years of exile (mostly in Madras), reinstated as the King of Thanjavur with British support. This, however, came at a price – the British took most of the kingdom away save what is today the town of Thanjavur and settlement of a pension to the king. Serfoji could have – as was fashionable in those days – easily frittered it away, but he chose to expand his energies into learning Western methods and adding substantially to the Saraswati Mahal that, in recognition, has his name incorporated in it.

Serfoji was a man of many talents. He was a practising eye surgeon, bibliophile, linguist and, like all his forefathers, a composer of music and dance. He was also a good shot and a keen hunter. He authored a work on capturing, training and looking after horses and elephants. It contains beautiful illustrations as well.

The king had a large, well-equipped and efficiently run hospital within the precincts of the palace. Medicine for humans was as important as medicine for animals. And animals included domestic animals, like cows and goats, army animals, like elephants and horses, as well as animals in his zoo, which included ostriches and camels.

Serfoji II had drawn pictures of many of these animals and those drawings still survive in the library. It could have been at that time that paintings like the Company School type became popular in Thanjavur. Many of these were painted by the ‘Moochy caste’ and can be found in collections abroad. One such pen drawing with colours is of a falcon.

The falcon, along with animals like leopards and rams, was a part of the Shikar Khana, or hunting department, of the palace. An old map of the palace still has this area marked out! Modi administrative records mention the king’s agent, Bhujanga Rao Hari Rao, going to Hyderabad to buy horses. Perhaps he was also instrumental in purchasing a falcon from the Nawab of Udayagiri for
Rs. 1233 (a fabulous sum in the 19th Century!).

The text of the Bajnamah, or Pakshi Shastra, is in Marathi – not very chaste but more conversational. This seems to be a translation of other rare works on this subject, like Baj Namah of Bajri Nizamshah Badsha, a text on falconry. The year this text was translated for Serfoji II was 1804. It was done by Patanga Rao. The greater part of the book comprises lists of medicines. The last part, ‘Yujanamah’, or treatment of hunting cheetahs, contains formulae for medicines.

The formulae mention weights that are not in use today. They are –

1 Tola = 2.9 grams

1 Navtonk = 9 tolas

1 Gunj = the weight of a Jequirity seed (Abrus precatorius)

1 Hon/Honbar = 32 gunj

1 Kavuli = one cowrie shell

Apart from medicines for falcons, medicines for fowls, pigeons, parrots, hawks, patridges, quails and sand grouses are also suggested. It would be interesting to check the actual efficacy of these medicines.

A substantial part of the book is about hawks. Female hawks are called ‘baj’ and male birds ‘jura’. The anatomy, colour, characteristics, habitats, etc. are all listed. The birds are reputed to live for twenty years. The chapter on training these birds is exhaustive. The text suggests sewing their eyes and reopening them as well as training them to wear a hood.

The original text with an English summary and an excellent introduction can be purchased from the Library. The book is priced at Rs.12.

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If you are from the Madurai region you would be familiar with jigarthanda.

It is a form of falooda.

Jigarthanda is served in a tall glass with layers of thickened milk, rose syrup, china grass and ice cream. Most people like to drink it but some street-corner shops offer you a steel spoon with which to relish the layered contents.

On a stuffy summer’s evening, this speciality of Madurai is a delight. If you are new to this city, all you need to do is to slow down at a busy junction and look for a nook that is crowded and you are sure to have located the popular jigarthanda joint.

I have sampled the stuff at different joints in Madurai and found that there were variations of it. The most recent experience was the cooler that was sold by Muslims. The ordinary jigarthanda which cost ten rupees was more like a juice while the special priced at thirty rupees had a generous layer of semiya and a big scoop of ice-cream.

Here in Chennai, there is a jigarthanda outlet outside Murugan Idli Shop in Besant Nagar. I am yet to check it out. I also have an invitation from a group of entrepreneurs to sample the jigarthanda at their restaurant in K.K. Nagar.

Perhaps, a foodie should start a jigarthanda listing web site that should help us navigate the best spots in Madurai. (A Facebook group records the recipe!)

I think Chennai needs a restaurant review web site that is no-nonsense in content and blunt in its reviews – in addition to the many web sites, blogs and burps that foodies refer to.

More so because restaurants are opening and closing like kariveppilai in boiling oil. Many are rich in décor and low on quality of food, high on branding and average on service.

Recently, dining at an Anjappar restaurant in T’Nagar, I witnessed a diner rattle the stewards and the manager. As soon as the chicken curry was served at the table, the young woman stirred it to find it contained just a few thin shreds of meat. She blew a fuse. The manager tried to defend the restuarant, but she would have none of it.

“Serve us well or we will walk out,” she said sternly.
The couple got an extra plate of chicken curry in minutes. – (Courtesy: Mylapore Times)

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About 125,000 people are killed and over 500,000 injured in road accidents every year, resulting in an economic loss of about Rs.75,000 crore annually (estimated figure for the year 2009). According to the estimate of WHO, the number of fatalities in India per 100,000 population, which was 10.10 in 2007 will increase to over 20 in 2020. In spite of the serious nature of the problem, road safety is the most neglected field in the country.

If we look at road infrastructure, safety is not built into the system through the application of traffic engineering and management techniques. Even the giant road development programmes taken up in the recent past in the country have not given adequate importance to safety. Many road stretches have inadequacies such as deep stormwater drains running along on the sides or in the middle, roads built on high embankments without adequate width of shoulders and protective guard rails, different levels for each direction of traffic without protective guard rails in the middle, inadequate geometrics, lack of access control, ribbon development, encroachments and no proper treatment of roadside hazards.

Road designs and safety principles have got to go a long way in the country. The present approach of designing roads for the needs of inanimate vehicles should be changed to considering human beings and their behaviour while designing roads. In view of the limitations in the behaviour of road-users in the country, road infrastructure should compensate for the inadequacies of the road-users and prevent errors in judgement. Moreover, the external appearance of the road and road environment should exert influence on the behaviour of road-users. Thus, the road traffic installations must cause appropriate behaviour in drivers and help them to move on the right track. Lane design, channelising islands, control devices and verges should control the speed of the vehicles.

In urban areas, there is a pressing demand to improve the functional aspect of the road system from the point of view of traffic operation and road safety by applying extensively traffic engineering and management measures. In these improvements, VRU (vulnerable road-users) and mass transport should be given priority treatment. Many road improvement and traffic management schemes undertaken in the cities lack such facilities.

The approach of “self-explaining and forgiving road” is a new way of planning and designing road infrastructure. Designs of roads must fulfil the basic requirements of safety, such as simplicity, compelling attention, easy to comprehend at a glance and commanding compliance. Self-explaining roads are designed and constructed to evoke correct expectations from road-users, eliciting proper driving behaviour. Forgiving roads are designed and constructed to avoid and/or mitigate negative consequences of inadvertent driving errors.

In countries like the U.K., instead of road crossings, roundabouts have been introduced. The fact that roundabouts are difficult to manoeuvre makes people more conscious, thus resulting in reduction in the number of accidents. Any such changes in design, which make the drivers take more effort, will result in reducing driving errors.

Pedestrian refuge islands indicate to pedestrians where they should cross. Moreover, if a child or an elderly person has crossed only half the carriageway during the pedestrian signal phase, he can safely wait at the refuge island and then cross the road during the next green signal.

In short, self-explaining roads help to create a system of minimising the errors caused by humans by proper design and communication, and the approach of forgiving roads enables the creation of a system which minimises the damage, if an error is caused. With the rapid motorisation taking place in the country, there is an urgent need to make our roads more safe, rather than building more roads without adequate safety.

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