Mr. Venkaiah Naidu - Vice President Of India launches “Not Many, But One” Book

* Prof. Sasidharan’s translated work emphasises on the similarities between ancient Indian thought and modern sciences; receives support from Tata Trusts

Honourable Vice President of India, Mr. Venkaiah Naidu digitally launched “Not Many, But One - Volumes 1 & 2”, authored by Prof. G.K. Sasidharan, published by Penguin Random House, yesterday. The book, a tribute to Sree Narayana Guru’s sublime poems, has been translated in English from Sanskrit, Malayalam and Tamil by the renowned physicist and philosopher. Echoing the consonance between physics and philosophy, the books are an effort to deep dive into Sree Narayana Guru’s philosophical and literary works.

With his opening remarks at the digital launch, Mr. R. K. Krishna Kumar, Padma Shri recipient and Trustee, Tata Trusts, emphasized, “The book authored by Prof. Sasidharan consists not only of the Guru’s poems written in Sankskrit, Tamil and Malayalam and translated in  English but go beyond as comprehensive commentary on each poem and their philosophical meanings. Prof. Sasidharan plunges straight to the core of the mystical vision of the Guru, the ultimate nature of reality and the oneness of the universe in the book, weaving an extraordinary reason for the philosophical foundations of quantum physics and cosmology. It has been a privilege for Tata Trusts to be able to sponsor this book and we extend our heartiest congratulations to Prof. Sasidharan for his accomplishment.”

He then invited the Chief Guest, the Honourable Vice President to unveil the book. 

Speaking at the launch, Mr. Venkaiah Naidu, Vice-President of India said, “Sree Narayana Gurudev was a multifaceted genius, a great Maharshi, an eloquent proponent of Advaita philosophy, a talented poet and a great metaphysician. He was at the forefront of the temple entry movement and against the social discrimination of untouchables. Books like these can contribute to a deeper understanding of the roots of India’s civilizational values and provide a glimpse of the extraordinary universality and breadth of Indian vision. This book will help the present and future generations to appreciate the soul of India and become more aware of their inheritance. No country, no nation can move forward by forgetting their inheritance. That is why culture, nature together make for a better future.”

Prof. G.K. Sasidharan speaking about how his book highlights Sree Narayana Guru’s efforts towards bringing the spirit of Advaita at par with developments in modern cosmology and said, “His literary works showed significant co-relation between the results and discoveries of physics and modern cosmology. At present, the biggest question of “Who Am I?” remains unsolved by science. Most of the modern scientists share the courtesy to answer these questions by saying, “we are not going to get answers to these questions now or anytime in the future.” But, in spirituality, especially in Vedanta, these answers are found in a unique substratum where everything, the universes, all living beings in space originate from a single point known as “absolute consciousness”. This encourages modern scientists to think of it as a combined effort to spirituality, to arrive at the “Theory of Everything”.”

Prof. G.K. Sasidharan, with “Not Many, But One” brings to foreground, Sree Narayana Guru’s foresight of the universe’s singularity. 

About Tata Trusts

Since inception in 1892, Tata Trusts, India’s oldest philanthropic organization, has played a pioneering role in bringing about an enduring difference in the lives of the communities it serves. Guided by the principles and the vision of proactive philanthropy of the Founder, Jamsetji Tata, the Trusts’ purpose is to catalyse development in the areas of health, nutrition, education, water, sanitation and hygiene, livelihood, digital transformation, migration and urban habitat, social justice and inclusion, environment and energy, skill development, sports, and arts and culture. The Trusts’ programmes, achieved through direct implementation, partnerships and grant making, are marked by innovations, relevant to the country. 

ASLI Partners With SWII And CommonAge At 3rd ASLI Annual Senior Care Conclave To Roll Out Standards and Accreditation Matrix

* The collaboration brings together significant expertise to introduce senior living and care standards along with an accreditation matrix designed specifically for India

* The three-day conclave commences with a press conference with distinguished industry experts sharing their insights on the theme of ‘Reimagining the Senior Care Landscape’

The 3rd ASLI Annual Senior Care Conclave commenced today with a virtual press conference wherein the Association of Senior Living India (ASLI) announced its collaboration with Standards Wise International’s Indian subsidiary - Standards Wise International India (SWII) and CommonAge (CA) to roll out the first-ever standards and accreditation matrix for the private sector in the space of senior living and care communities in India. The press conference revolved around the theme of ‘Reimagining the Senior Care Landscape’ with distinguished industry experts - Mr. Ankur Gupta, Co-founder & Chairman, ASLI and JMD, Ashiana Housing Ltd; Mr. David Stevens, Founder, Standards Wise International; Mr. Adarsh Narahari, Founder & MD, Primus Lifespaces Pvt Ltd and Mr. Mohit Nirula, CEO, Columbia Pacific Communities assessing and deliberating on the challenges, solutions and future roadmap for senior care in India. The three-day conclave aims to facilitate a constructive dialogue on key areas that impact senior care through thoughtfully curated sessions and panel discussions.

Mr. Durga Shanker Mishra, Secretary, Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs and Mr. R Subrahmanyam, Secretary, Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment graced day 1 of the conclave with their special presence and shared their perspective on senior care. Among other eminent speakers and industry stalwarts present were Mr. Rajit Mehta, Mentor, CII Senior Care Taskforce and CEO & MD, Antara Senior Living; Mr. Vaibhav Tewari, Co-Founder & COO, Portea Medical; Ms. Pavithra Gangadharan, Founder, Kshetra Assisted Living and Dr. Renu Varughese, Chairperson, Travancore Foundation. The conclave will be a congregation of knowledge leaders and over 200 key stakeholders across Government, senior living operators, healthcare organizations, technology experts, academia and NGOs to address the needs of the industry. Following the inauguration of the conclave by ASLI in partnership with Unmukt – The Senior Hub, a 2-day Senior Utsav Online Expo will be held on Jan 23rd and Jan 24th, 2021 to provide seniors with a virtual platform to explore products and services suited to their unique requirements through interaction with a host of businesses working in the senior care space.

ASLI, SWI and CA bring together significant expertise to introduce and promote senior living and care standards along with an accreditation matrix designed specifically for India. The certificate, which will be issued after validation and assessing of various criteria and quality standards, will carry the endorsement of ASLI, SWII and The Commonwealth Association for Ageing. The standards edited and authored by Mr. Mansoor Dalal, Founder & Chairman Emeritus, ASLI, adapts the ASLI code of practice and enhances existing standards and accreditation templates taken from SWI. It populates them with indicators and evidence relevant and unique to the Indian context, introducing a preliminary code of operations for self-regulation along with global best practices. The standards have a four-level hierarchy comprising eight quality standards - Governance, Management & Personnel, Design & Construction, Facilities Management, Resident engagement & Experience, Technology & Information Management and Hygiene, Safety, Infection Prevention/Pandemic Control (HSIPC), and its intent, followed by multiple criteria to achieve the stated intent. 

Commenting on the collaboration and highlighting the importance of senior care in the post-pandemic era, Mr. Ankur Gupta, Co-founder & Chairman, ASLI and JMD, Ashiana Housing Ltd. said, “Introduction of standards and accreditation matrix for senior care in India is our attempt to introduce a preliminary code of operations for self-regulation and enhance an existing template for application in India. Enhanced focus on senior care could prove to be a key enabler of growth of the silver economy and in turn play a pivotal role in accelerating India’s journey on the ‘Road to Recovery’. We are committed to work closely with the Government, partners, industry experts and other key stakeholders to create a holistic ecosystem to shape senior care for a brighter future.”

Mr. David Stevens, Founder, Standards Wise International, shared, “A future in which communities embrace elders, where elders feel included and valued, empowered and independent, active, and part of a multi-generational community is an important goal for enriching our societies. Organisations like SWII and ASLI help create those better solutions and work together to ensure that the standards in these solutions are as high as possible. Standards help to educate customers and give them greater reassurance about the quality of the services. National and State Governments can help by reinforcing the importance that providers self-regulate and have quality standards which they adhere too.”

Talking about the significance of Government assistance, Mr. Adarsh Narahari, Founder & MD, Primus Lifespaces Pvt Ltd. added, “We require support from the Government in terms of policy reforms.  We need GST to be exempted for eldercare services at communities as well as an overhaul of reverse mortgage rules and feasible medical insurance for senior citizens. A cherry on the top is specific zones for development of retirement communities to be incorporated in all city level masterplans.”

Throwing light on how senior care facilities are shedding the social stigma around old age homes, Mr. Mohit Nirula, CEO, Columbia Pacific Communities, stated, “Nothing would give us at Columbia Pacific Communities greater pleasure than changing the wholly undeserved perception of senior living communities being a solution for people who have “no option” to being the “preferred solution” for seniors living alone in mixed-family communities or in their homes.”

A census conducted by Longitudinal Ageing Study of India (LASI), in 2011 revealed that by 2050, the population of senior citizens would cross the 319 million mark, growing at an annual pace of 3%. These older adults represent a dynamic consumer segment, opening up new investment opportunities along the continuum of senior citizens' wants and needs - a band of products and services called the ‘Silver Economy’. ASLI was instituted in December 2012 as a national organization with a vision to catalyze the growth and development of the entire senior care continuum (senior living, home care and lifestyle & technology providers) and aspires to create a model of self-regulation and work in tandem with the government on the guidelines of minimum standards for attaining operational excellence by its members in particular and industry at large.

Individuals or businesses interested in ASLI Expo can register themselves at https://bit.ly/3pQJt1N or visit http://www.asli.org.in/

About Association of Senior Living India

Association of Senior Living India (ASLI) is a non-profit organization formed exclusively to create guidelines to advance excellence in senior care in India and champion quality of life for the millions of Indian seniors who will benefit from professionally-managed senior care organisations.

About Unmukt – The Senior Hub

Unmukt – The Senior Hub is a one-stop solution that aims to create an ecosystem of support and empowerment for people in their senior years.

About Standards Wise International India

Standards Wise International India brings together brings together world class professionals experienced in a wide range of fields related to ageing to find creative and cost-effective solutions for their customers and senior care communities to develop leading thoughts and solutions to the Indian context.

Tata Motors Launches The Altroz i-Turbo With iRA In Indian Market

* Celebrates its 1st anniversary with an intelligent turbo charged variant at an attractive price increment of INR.60, 000 above the Altroz

Tata Motors, India’s leading automotive brand, today announced the launch of the i-Turbo variant along with iRA-connected car technology for its premium hatchback, Altroz. iRA comes with 27 connected car features along with natural voice tech, through which the car understands commands not only in English or Hindi, but also in Hinglish. Additionally, it is India’s first hatchback to introduce What3Words technology - a precise & unique tool that makes navigation easier than before. The Company has also added a new top of the line XZ+ variant in a petrol and diesel fuel option to the Altroz family. These introductions makes Altroz a wholesome package of sheer power and class leading features. The Altroz i-Turbo is launched at an attractive introductory ex-showroom price increment of INR.60, 000 above the Altroz Revotron petrol variants.

Tata Altroz is the first product on the ALFA architecture and has received a tremendous response since its launch in January 2020. Tata Motors has introduced the Altroz i-Turbo, a power and feature packed car to celebrate the brand’s success as it turns one. Despite the Covid challenge, the Company has sold more than 50,000 Altroz within its first year of launch, a testament to its popularity. India’s safest hatchback with a 5 star safety rating from Global NCAP, has indeed raised the bar and set #TheGoldStandard in safety, design and driving dynamics.

Commenting on the launch of the Altroz i-Turbo, Mr. Shailesh Chandra – President, Passenger Vehicles Business Unit, Tata Motors said, “We are thrilled to celebrate the 1st anniversary of our premium hatchback Altroz with a double bonanza comprising of the i-Turbo petrol and the new XZ+ variant with iRA-connected car technology in petrol and diesel option. Since the launch in January 2020, Altroz has been appreciated for its paramount safety, innovative design and thrilling performance and we are delighted to share that with its introduction, in FY 21, our market share in the hatchback category has increased by 5.4% compared to last fiscal and we have captured 17% market share in the premium hatch segment. We are confident that the new Altroz range will cater to the evolving needs of the Indian customer, all while creating benchmarks in the segment.”

Loaded with new tech and the 1.2L turbocharged BS6 petrol engine, the Altroz i-Turbo is launched in a new Harbour Blue colour, which is available on variants from XM+. With power of 110 PS @ 5500 rpm, Altroz i-Turbo provides a torque of 140 Nm @1500- 5500 rpm which ensures an enjoyable drive experience. Adding to that, the Sport/City Multi Drive Modes provide the Altroz a perfect combination of thrill and city driving. Altroz in its 2021 avatar will also sport the new Black and light Grey interiors accentuated with perforated leatherette seats to enhance its premium quotient. 

Furthermore, the Xpress cool feature, personalized screen wallpaper, one shot up power windows, all added to ensure utmost convenience along with the 8 speaker sound system by Harman for an enjoyable surround sound experience, adds to the entire package making it a car that all will desire.

Wave The First Full Privacy App Chooses India For Its Worldwide Launch

Wave, the first mobile app which delivers full privacy, launched its 2.0 version today.  Wave creates a private place on your phone which is accessed only by you and where no one can collect your data. The start-up intends to be a game changer in the privacy space. With over 1 M downloads already it continues to add more users by the day.

The platform was in beta phase for 5 months and, during this time, the team worked with more than 1 million users across India and fine-tuned the features. Till date it has raised USD 10 M from business angel investors based out of India and France.

Marc Miance, Founder, CEO: “Privacy is crucial and a burning issue today. A smartphone is a very personal device, people want to keep it private. Users should be able to decide when their usage has to remain private. Not only their chat, but their overall smartphone usage: the content they browse, the one they share. Wave is the first app ever to solve this problem, and not let Internet pry into your personal life. We are very proud of that”

Wave brings strong innovations and industry firsts into play with its new version. Innovations that allow you to browse in complete incognito mode and a communication layer that sits on top of your digital universe allowing one to browse and chat seamlessly, and, of course, a way to do that without sharing any data with any internet company. The global system is protected on everyone’s phone from other prying eyes who could physically use the smartphone for any reason.

The founders of the start-up based in France and in India are supported by experienced professionals, mentors that include Abhishek Bachchan and the French movie and internet tycoons Jérome Seydoux and Xavier Niel.

“India is known in the whole word as a tech nation. We have the maximum number of smartphone users in a country (including USA). We also create and consume more content than most countries. People use their smartphone for everything, and they deserve privacy. Privacy is not only a chat issue, but also about overall usage.  We thank Elon Musk for throwing a strong spotlight on the privacy issue.  Full Privacy is the real customer expectation and core need that WAVE addresses. We named the app WAVE, because it represents a new Wave in terms of mindset for the mobile consumer industry.” concludes Anish Mulani, co-founder, India CEO.

Unique features of the app are:

●  Secured access: prevent from others to access your app

●  Built-in Incognito browsing: no cookies stay on your phone

●  History Manager: decide when the browser records your navigation history

●  Tracker Shield: protect yourself from being tracked online

●  Ad Blocker: neutralize ads display

●  Search engine selector: escape from keywords collection

●  Webapp picker: stream apps over a library of 10.000 references, no storage needed.

●  Personalised News: get news based on your interests

●  Personal gallery: save valuable web content

●  Chat bar: share and chat while you browse, instantly and continuously, without friction of app switching, video pausing...

Cops Confirm The Reality Of Life In Front Line During A Pandemic Across India

 

* 47% police officers are concerned about health and wellbeing of their family, while they are on duty

* 65% believe that the public perception of the service has improved during the lockdown

Concerns for their families at home and long hours are a few of the stress points experienced by cops, resulting from the effects of the pandemic across India as per the research report ‘Godrej Locks ‘Har Ghar Surakshit Report 2020: Safety Insights from India’s Police Force’ The research was conducted with cops from across 12 major cities in India. One of the critical points revealed was that 47% of police officers are concerned about health and wellbeing of their family, while they are on duty.

Police officials believe that their families face increased risks from the pandemic as a direct consequence of their job. Nearly, a third (30%) believe that exposure to potentially infected members of the public to be a considerable risk.

According to the data, the ongoing pandemic has increased worries of cops concerning their family’s safety and protection. 59% cops cite long hours spent away from home during periods of lock down as a cause of worry. 57% cops also find long periods of confinement and 46% (cops) believe more work and responsibilities as major triggers of distress during the pandemic.

The research, however, revealed more positive sentiments when it came to public perception of the police service; in many instances, as a direct consequence of the virus. 65% cops believe that the ‘image’ of India’s police force has improved over the last few months; 82% believe that this is a result of their presence and visibility during the COVID-19 crisis, 63% police officials cite increased interaction with the public, and 62% refer to increased police patrols contributing to this improved perception. 

Commenting on the research report, Shyam Motwani, Executive Vice-President and Business Head, Godrej Locks, described the findings as a timely reminder of the professionals – husbands, wives, sons and daughters – diligently patrolling and protecting the public in these unprecedented times.

“Maintaining the health and security of the nation is always a combination of personal responsibility and authorities entrusted with safeguarding our wellbeing.  The research highlights – not just the inevitable stress that the pandemic has placed on our police force – but the public’s recognition of their extraordinary dedication in terms of improved perception levels,” he said. 

According to the data, 41% of police officers presently felt ‘very proud’ of their teams, and 27% felt ‘appreciated’ by the general public.

The findings were part of Godrej Locks’ “The Har Ghar Surakshit 2020 Report’ offering an eye-opening revelation concerning home safety, coming right from our trusted safety custodians – the police.  According to the same, 65% cops anticipate an increase in home robberies and break-ins post the complete lifting of lockdown and 85% recommend raising public awareness around home safety as a priority.

About Godrej Locks

Godrej Locks is a 123-year-old leading manufacturer of innovative locking devices. Since its inception in 1897 by Ardeshir Godrej, the name ‘Godrej’ has become synonymous with trust, protection and integrity. From the first Anchor branded lock in 1897 to the first ever spring less lock in 1907, to the iconic 'Nav-Tal' in 1954, and to the postmodern biometric locks, Godrej has set every benchmark in the locks industry. Over the years, Godrej Locks and Architectural Hardware & Fittings have changed in form, function and scope of application. But one thing still remains the same – the solid stamp of trust and reliability. Godrej Locks adhere to global quality norms and hold ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001 certifications.

With their locks reaching several countries around the world over a period of time, the brand has come a long way in delivering world-class smart locking solutions, therefore revolutionizing the very perception of a locking device from a mere functionality at an entry and exit point, to a proud pause at the doorstep, a moment to take in the significance of how far they have come. 

Trend Micro IPS Rules Integrate With AWS Network Firewall Globally

Trend Micro Incorporated (TYO: 4704; TSE: 4704), the leader in cloud security, announced it is a Launch Partner for AWS Network Firewall, a managed service that makes it easy to deploy essential network protections for all of your Amazon Virtual Private Clouds (Amazon VPCs) on Amazon Web Services (AWS). As a Launch Partner, Trend Micro has integrated managed threat intelligence feeds from its cloud security solution to enable superior protection in line with this new AWS managed firewall service. 

As digital transformation is accelerating globally, businesses consider how to strategically protect their cloud environments while maintaining scalability and minimizing friction. See how Trend Micro continuously works to provide easy to manage, scalable cloud security solutions to support AWS customers as an AWS Advanced Technology Partner: www.trendmicro.com/aws. 

According to Gartner, "In the past, organizations deployed more than one firewall brand at the perimeter or in front of the demilitarized zone with an aim to provide an overlap of capability in case a single product could not be relied on... While this argument has some merit — back doors and vulnerabilities occasionally happen – implementing multiple firewalls increases management complexity and the potential for human error, reduces scalability, and increases operational costs." 

Trend Micro's built-in IPS intelligence will inspect traffic for malicious intent so that the firewall can stop threats before they get a foothold in a virtual private cloud. Together, AWS and Trend Micro offer a simple, scalable service with reliable protection that does not require any infrastructure management. 

"Our customers asked for the ability to manage network security at scale, and we are thrilled to deliver just that," said Andrew Thomas, General Manager, Perimeter Protection, Amazon Web Services, Inc. "This low friction network firewall functionality is bolstered by AWS Partners like Trend Micro, who has stepped up to deliver additional layers of protection for customers through integration with AWS Network Firewall." 

"We are proud to help customers adopt more advanced security capabilities with less heavy lifting," said Steve Quane, chief product officer for Trend Micro. "The approach of traditional NGFW vendors to the cloud has not been scalable and has created unnecessary pains for customers. With AWS reducing customer friction at the infrastructure layer, we're excited to help raise the bar for baseline network level protections by delivering our leading threat intelligence enforced through integration with AWS Network Firewall." 

Trend Micro offers complete, industry-leading hybrid cloud security solutions to simplify protection of business data in AWS environments. This includes additional network security as well as protection for cloud native services, file object storage and cloud-based applications. Trend Micro's threat intelligence will be available free with easy deployment for AWS Network Firewall customers. 

About Trend Micro 

Trend Micro, a global leader in cybersecurity, helps make the world safe for exchanging digital information. Leveraging over 30 years of security expertise, global threat research, and continuous innovation, Trend Micro enables resilience for businesses, governments, and consumers with connected solutions across cloud workloads, endpoints, email, IIoT, and networks. Our XGen™ security strategy powers our solutions with a cross-generational blend of threat-defense techniques that are optimized for key environments and leverage shared threat intelligence for better, faster protection. With over 6,700 employees in 65 countries, and the world's most advanced global threat research and intelligence, Trend Micro enables organizations to secure their connected world. www.trendmicro.com. 

Jhula Fest Will Be At Madhurya Store, Art of Living Premises, Kanakapura Main Road From Jan 22-31

 * In a rare Jhula Fest happening in the city, apart from ceiling and stand Swings, there are myriad varieties with equally interesting stories and work on them

Be it the Scottish novelist and poet Robert Louis Stevenson’s age-old poem asking children How do you like to go up in the swing, Up in the air so blue’ or the renowned Indian dancer Pt. Birju Maharaj’s famed performance for ‘Jhoolat Radhe Naval Kishore” where his movements communicate the ‘soft tension’ of the ropes that hold the sway for Lord Krishna and his companion Radha…the swing (Uyyale in Kannada) has endured generations of thinking in the entire universe.

With many kinds that occupy our homes today, the swing is a metaphor linked with expectations, positivity and love. It is believed that a swing is symbolic of one’s souring desires touching the sky and alternately saluting the earth to stay balanced and rooted. A jhula or a swing is almost synonymous with relaxation and pleasant memories and they come in so many varieties – cradles, wooden planks, jhulas with back rests, decorated tiles or delicate carvings, swings with duco and distressed finishes, not to forget the newer versions of cane and wrought iron swings for outdoors.

To rightly take the history of the swings (or the jhula) across to people, Madhurya Creations on Kanakapura Main Road is presently holding a 10-day ‘Jhula Fest’ (from January 22 to 31) a rare showcase of nearly three dozen varieties where people can see, buy and take tips from creative interior designers, carpenters and polishers to have the exactitude in place. One can also order to get custom made jhulas, as they will be displayed online concurrently (Madhurya.com).

Madhurya is into restorative work in arts, crafts and weaving, with furniture being a one of the boutique’s forte. The in-house carpenters here either restore the sourced heritage furniture or replicate them in teak and rosewood. Speaking about the intention of having the Jhula Fest, Bharathy Harish, Co-ordinator, Madhurya Creations, says, “The Jhula has always been an integral part of our childhood memories and is synonymous with relaxation and family time. So we thought it would be interesting to start the New Year on an optimistic note celebrating the Swing.”

Just as the construction sector is seen waking up after the lull of the pandemic for almost a year, furniture and the allied products for interior designing too is getting a boost. Given the fact that we are also witnessing more contemporary built spaces, do swings still continue to have an allure for the modern minds? “Cities like Mumbai may not retain them in smaller spaces, but other metros and cities with larger designed interiors have swings in open verandahs, below their skylights, as part of their dining and drawing or even as an artistic divide in a space that needs to be demarcated,” says architect and interior designer Leena Kumar, National Secretary, Indian Institute of Architects & past Chairperson, Indian Institute of Interior Designers (IIID) - Bangalore Regional Centre.

Much in demand surprisingly, Leena says she sometimes finds most people building a house, queerly, asking for swings. “It’s in the people’s wish-list to have a swing. We do not push anyone into having one. Of course a swing reputably gels in all conditions of décor - ethnic or modern. One has to decide on the kind of swing – decorative or plain in wood or metal ones for outdoor,” she says.

But is it critical to decide on having a swing during the construction stage? “A jhula can be fixed in retrospect also, provided it is anchored into a beam. It is not recommended to be anchored into a slab directly as they may be substantially heavy. It is best, however, if its location is pre-determined and hooks already in place during construction,” says Leena.

Leena says people hardly think that having a fixed element in a décor is rather stale. “In fact we all know it takes up space as the movement of the swing is also to be considered. But give people options of a decorated or carved door, they still choose a swing for all the positives associated with wood and the jhula,” says Leena. “Perhaps this is the best way to patronize the native artisans to revive the fading traditional art forms and skill sets from ancient India, post the pandemic!”

P. Rajaiah, originally from Rudrapatna near Hassan district who has three swings installed at his home in Rajarajeshwari Nagar says “The huge wooden rectangle piece that hangs at the drawing with brass trimmings and a supporting cushion is often seen with my kids happily swinging. By the night the family is around it for late night gossips or just about a place for clustering together. This has been going on for generations.” 

Achyut Yagnik and Suchitra Seth, in their book Ahmedabad: From Royal City to Megacity, note how the jhula, also called the hinchka or hindol is “ubiquitous in Hindu, Muslim and Jain homes. The jhula was one thing most homes had in common, woven into the fabric of Gujarati life, apart from carved wooden cradles handed down generations.”

At Madhurya’s Jhula Fest, there will be several varieties, sizes, designs, accessories and subject experts to advise customers on their buy. “You can choose to accessorize with furnishings according to your requirements. There will be a parallel online offering. And the offline fest will follow all safety and social distancing norms,” says Bharathy.

(Jhula Fest, January 22 to 31, @ Madhurya store, Art of Living premises, Kanakapura Main Road. www.madhurya.com / 7019138680) 

Box points

* According to Vastu principles, swings can face East or North-East

* A chain set in brass or steel - comprising of a rod, S and W hooks and base plate will be provided with the swing at the Jhula Fest

* For installations on the ceiling, the height of the Jhula should be 18″ from the floor. The distance between the anchor bolts should be the total length of the plank minus 6 inches.

* A swing can carry a weight of 250 to 275 kgs; one can also have duco-painted and distressed finish on the swings

* Re-polish is necessary once in every 4 years depending on the wear and tear.