B E N N E T T, C O L E M A N & C O. LT D. | E S TA B LI S H E D 183 8 | T I M E S O F I N D I A . C O M | N E W D E L H I

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➤Best laugh riots for afun weekend PLUS:Books to fight pandemicprocrastination

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➤All you need to know about the sport of cycling

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➤Do your bit for theenvironment by signing upfor Plastic Free July

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SATURDAY, JULY 3, 2021

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Supriya.Sharma2@timesgroup.com

SPICES: Spices need not always mean hotand spicy! Fennel, cumin, coriander seeds,cardamom, turmeric are all cooling spices.Coriander seeds are traditionally soakedovernight in cold/room temperature waterand the water is taken the firstthing in the morning to treatacidity or excess pitta (heat)in the body.MANGOES: Mangoes grow

and ripen duringsummer seasonbecause theantioxidants and

various other micro-nutrients in it help the

body to cope with the heatthe season brings along. Hence, itcannot be heat producing by itself.Just soak it in water for minimum halfan hour before consumption or mixwith milk and have. It is for the samereason that raw mango chutney is madewith cooling fennel and cumin seeds to

counter its heating effects.LYCHEE AND JACKFRUIT: Fruits and

veggies of a particular season helpsone to cope with the changesthat season brings along. Tomake sure you stayhydrated in hot summers,include summer fruitslike lychee and jackfruitin your diet.FERMENTED FOODS:There is a common

perception that fermentedfoods such as yoghurts, pickles,breads, fermented cheese are bestavoided in summer as sour foodsincrease heat in the body and can leadto indigestion and heartburn. Experts,however, beg to differ. In the Easternpart of our country (Bengal, Assam

and Orissa) people traditionally coolcooked rice in water and leave it overnight.This fermented rice (called Pakhala bhaat)is then consumed in the morning. It isknown to prevent heat strokes andstomach ulcer. Fermented foods restoreproper balance of gut microbiota, easesdigestion, and boosts immunity.

PEPPERMINT: and different mintsare naturally cooling and you can

feel and inhale their aromasfrom a distance. Summerherbs like cilantro, dill, minthave antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties,they ease digestion and give

relief from acidity andheadaches that are common

during the summer season. Someherbs change their properties in theirdifferent forms. Pudina (garden mint) iscooling when used fresh and heating whenused in dry powdered form, so it used driedand stored for later use in other seasons.

— Inputs by Arti Gaur, practitioner of Ayurveda, yoga, Wicca,Pranic Healing & Munmun Ganeriwal, Nutritionist & Fitness Consultant

Nupur.Amarnath@timesgroup.com

As we grapple with the very realeffects of climate change, one canlook in to the past for some inspira-tion. A time when things were hand-crafted, resources were used and

reused and nothing was inherently disposable.Our mothers found a way to repurpose even oldsocks and there were items passed down gener-ations because they lasted for that long thanksto quality craftsmanship. Re-enter the Japaneseconcept of mottainai that has been around sincethe Edo period in Japan. Even despite theexcesses during this time, many attribute that itwas this concept that helped moderate society.Mottainai, a simple but powerful phrase, con-veys the wasted opportunity of objects thathave yet to reach their full potential.Want to throw a bag because a seam hasripped? Mottainai! Thinking of ridding yourself of last year’sshurt? Mottainai! Soup bowl has a chip and needs to be thrownaway? Mottainai!

DOCTRINE OF APPRECIATIONDespite all the wonderful ancient wisdom, Japanis the second largest per-capita generator ofplastic waste in the world. Interestingly, theword was brought into everyday use and madefamous by Kenyan envi-ronmentalist WangariMaathai who introduced itas a slogan for environmentalprotection. The Japanese since2009 have reconnected with theconcept. In an interview to BBC,Tatsuo Nanai, chief of the official

MOTTAINAI campaign shares that the NGO waslaunched following the visit of Maathai in 2005,with the aim of revitalising the concept. “Sheknew about mottainai and she was veryimpressed with the concept, because it express-es much more than a single word.”

Mottainai’s potential power lies in its com-plex meaning, which draws on ancient Buddhistbeliefs. The concept teaches us appreciation ofall resources. It reminds of the transience ofbeing and the constant change and furtherdevelopment associated with it.

TO PRACTICE MOTTAINAIWhat marks the core of this philosophy is asense of respect for fellow beings and nature.Here are five easy ways to practice it:

1TREASURE YOUR THINGS: Mottainaitreasures clothes and objects as itbelieves they hold a story. The idea is to

treat everything you own well and with a lot of

care so that it lasts longer. If you respect whatyou won, you will make sure they last.

2KNOW THE BACK STORY: While modernmanufacturing makes it impossible for usto know who made our clothes and cre-

ated our things, as reason why mottainaiencourages you to shop directly fromthe artisans. Know whereeverything you own comesfrom to form a deeper con-nect with things.

3 ‘DO I NEED THIS?’: Yes, this question isthat the core of this

philosophy. Even ‘MottainaiGrandma’ encourages chil-dren to ponder over this ques-tion before they daecide on buy-ing something.

4PASS THINGS ON: Think of objects and clothes as alegacy you can pass on to

the next generation. At an exhibi-tion in Tokyo, a kimono passeddown through generations had aquote that read: “There is life dwellingin it; the endless will and wishes ofhumans are delicately woven intoeach fiber.”

5REUSE AND RECYCLE: This is what our grandmothers did.The modern-day disposable

culture has made this go the way ofthe dodo. Japanese believe in pos-sessing less to begin with, so thateach object can reach its end of lifegracefully. The have perfectedrepairing arts like kintsugi andsashiko to add beauty to brokenand torn objects.

A QUICK CHECKLISTDATES: Fresh dates are cooling, sweetand demulcent (relieves inflammation)

SAFFRON: It is both cooling, pungentand sweet. It is an essentialingredient in thandai, kulfi andChyawanprashCHYAWANPRASH: Its base is

amla, which is cooling. It also hasherbs like sandalwood, agarwood

which lend it cooling properties.Combine with cold or warm desi cow’smilk to drink itONIONS: The quercetin in them hasanti-allergen property and helps to dealwith summer rashesGHEE: On the contrary, ghee is coolingin nature, is anti-inflammatory andprevents heart burn and acidity.

Call your friends over for a hot cup ofcoffee: The best way to relax and enjoythe season is by calling over friends to

your home for a hot cup of tea/coffee. Apartfrom chatting, you can also play board-gamesor organise a moviemarathon. Youautomatically startbeing happy whenyou have peoplearound you.Go for a long walk:Clinical psychiatristMimrah Ansari says,“There’s somethingenergising about therains. The coolweather instantly liftsyour mood and youwon’t feel gloomy. It will also give you ampleamount of time to think about yourself.” Youdon’t have to go out on a brisk walk — anormal or slow-paced walk will work wonders.Make sure you have a pair of rain boots.Brighten yourself up: The grey weatheroutside can really take a toll on your mind. Toensure that you stay happy and lively, trywearing something bright during this season.Colours like pink, blue, yellow, green, brightorange etc, instantly lift your mood.Physical activity is a must: Says relationshipcounsellor Sauleha Shaikh, “The weathertends to make you lazy, and that, in turn, is amood spoiler. This is why, you must invest halfan hour of your time to exercising. You don’thave to visit a gym for this. Simple exercises athome are enough. If you do not wish to dothat, try dancing to peppy soundtracks, whichwill up your mood.”Pamperyourself:Indulge inyourfavouritecomfort foodor in a self-care routine.Light somescentedcandles anddrink ahotcuppachai tobeat theblues. TNN

Pallavi.Shankar@timesgroup.com

Change is not easy on anyoneincluding skin. With weathermoving into the humid zonefrom dry heat (even if mon-soon has not arrived in all of

India), skin takes its time to adjust to dif-ferent and fluctuating temperatures andincreased humidity in the air. It can be

tougher for teens who have transi-tioned into teenage fromtweenage, leading to hormonalchanges that sometimes results inacne and excessive oiliness of theskin. But like everything, there aresolutions for these issues too.

EAT WELLYour plate plays a crucial role in howyour skin looks and feels. “Monsoonand even pre-monsoon time aretricky for the skin with humid air and

the pollutants hanging low. But, somefoods like the probiotics (curd, kefir,etc.), green veggies, apples, cucumber,banana, lettuce, watermelon andcoloured capsicums helps in keepingthe skin cool and free from pimples andblemishes,” explains Delhi-based der-matologist Dr Rinky Kapoor. She adds

that “using spices such as garlic, pepper,ginger, turmeric, coriander and jeera inyour daily food, too, is especially good forthis season. Also, food with good fats likechia seeds, whole eggs and nuts can com-bat the moodiness experienced by skin(read sudden zits, itchiness, greasy look)

due to the on and off warmand cool weather.” CHANGE YOUR ROUTINE

High humidity levels can make the skinlook dull if it is already oily (which ishow it is with majority of teens andeven late tweens). “Excess humiditycan lead to frequent acne break-outs. Additionally, the sweaton your skin can catchpollutants and clog the

pores making yourskin susceptibleto open pores andso on,” saysMumbai-baseddermatologist DrMadhulikaMhatre. What’s the solu-tion to these skincarechallenges? “Change yourskincare routine to adapt itto the transition periodfrom heat to humidity,” shesuggests. So, here’s yourfirefighting plan to make

yourskinbehave well – followthe tips in boxabove and claimyour glow.

Sirimiri (n.) Origin: SpanishDefinition: A light rain; A fine drizzle;Stronger than mist but less than a shower

Rimjhim (n.) Origin: SanskritDefinition: The pitter-patter of a drizzle

Petrichor (n.) Origin: GreekDefinition: Pronounced PET-ri-kuhr, it meansmild and pleasant scent of earth associatedwith the first rain after a dry spell

Serein (n.) Origin: FrenchDefinition: Pronounced as suh-RAN, it’s the

fine, light rain that falls from a clear sky inthe twilight hours after sunset or in the

early hours of the night; Eveningserenity

Mizzle (n.) Origin: OldEnglish

Definition: Light rainor drizzle

Chrysalism (n.)Origin: MiddleEnglishAmniotic

tranquility of beingindoors during a

thunderstorm, listeningto waves of rain

pattering against the roof

Pluviophile (n.) Origin: LatinA lover of rain; someone who finds joyand peace during rainy days

Pics: IstockRETHINK

In the spirit of Plastic Free July, welook at the concept of mottainai –

loosely translated into Japanese as “what a waste”. This phrase conveys a sense of regret overwaste and encourages people to reduce, reuse and recycle. Here’s why its more relevant than ever

While many romance the rains,there are others who feel grumpy.

Here’s how to beat SeasonalAffective Disorder

Mottainai that loosely translates to “why waste” is aphilosophy that tells you to love and respect yourpossessions. It believes that only when you love andrespect what you own — be it clothes or everydayobjects — is when you will treat it well. And by takingcare of it, you will make sure it lasts for a longer time andreaches its proper end of life

In Japan, mottainai is a crucial part of anychild’s education. In fact, ‘MottainaiGrandma’ is a famous Japanese children’sbook series by Mariko Shinju, that teacheskids to not be wasteful. In fact, the MottainaiGrandma book was published in Hindi andintroduced to children in schools in NewDelhi as a part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan

WELLNESS

How to handleMONSOON MOODS

FOODS we think areHOT but are NOT

Use an exfoliating agent afterconsulting a dermatologistCleanse your face at least twice dailywith a hydrating non-comedogenic(that doesn’t clog pores) cleanserTea-tree toners help clean the poresMoisturisers should be gel-based If your face is getting too sticky thensplash some cool water over itWear sunscreen dailyUse mud masks to remove impurities,unclog pores, improve skin metabolismand reduce inflammation For teens suffering from serious acnethat worsens in monsoon, consult adermatologist at the earliest

BITTER IS BETTERFor those prone to acne and oilinesson face, trust the season’s bounty ofbitter veggies and fruits work towardshealing your skin. Dandelion greens,bitter gourd, bael fruit and jamun fightskin infections due to their highantioxidant power and purify blood

Include4 servings of

fresh fruits andveggies in yourdiet every day

It’s rainingWORDS!

HEALTH

WHAT ARE ‘MONSOONBLUES’?

A Seasonal Affective Disordercaused by the change inweather. There are many

people who feel gloomy andlazy when it’s raining. The

changes can vary fromfeeling irritable, sleepy,

snappy, frustrated, angry,dull, low self-esteem, lack ofappetite and oversleeping

HEARD OF MOTTAINAI?THE JAPANESE ECO-FRIENDLY PHILOSOPHY

Kintsugi or kintsukuroi is the Japanesetechnique of repairing broken pottery by

filling the broken areas with gold-dustedlacquer. It is part of the larger philosophy of

mottainai that tells you to not throw awaywithout repairing it

Hello! Monsoon SkinSkincare for transition from hot-to-humid weather

Monsoon and Mandu— the ancient fortcity situated in theMalwa plateau inMadhya Pradesh —

have a deep connect as the city ofruins sees water as an integralpart of design and theme. Themonsoon winds here tickle andplay hide-and-seek with theravines and abandoned palaces.

This medieval city, onceknown by the names

Mandavgarh andShadiabad, is an

architecturalstorehouse

that

encompasses ancient stonewalls, darwazas, tombs,mosques and acaravanserai. Theforgotten ruins ofRewa Kund still echothe love tales of RaniRoopmati and SultanBaz Bahadur. It is tilldate one of the finestnetwork of water supplythat uses a great network ofchannels and terracotta and ceramic

pipes. Jal Mahal

and Jahaz Mahal comes tolife with monsoon

showers filling theadjacent waterbodiesand the dusty lanes ofhistory smiling allover again. The magic

of water is unique tothis place as not many

historic cities have beenconceived with water as a

defining element of design. Mandualso sees the presence of Persianwheels that arrived here around 13th

century to draw water from thewells.

Situatedbetween two

artificial lakes, JahazMahal is a two-storied

architectural marvel is sonamed as it appears as aship floating in water. It

was built by SultanGhiyas-ud-din-

Khalji

Mandu in MonsoonPOSTCARDS

Rains bring joy and asense of relief but thisis also the seasonwhen our body goesinto Vata

imbalance. Thechangingtemperature,biometric pressureand dirtysurroundings breakdown the bodyleading to routinediseases like cold,cough, flu, Malariaand more.Panchkarmacleanses the body,cools down the bodytemperature and

brings a sense of purification.Panchakarma is a five-fold

therapy; it is highlyindividualised based on the

needs of theindividual dependingon the Ayurvedicconstitutional type,doshic imbalances,age, digestivestrength, immunestatus, and manyother factors. This isa process used toclean the body oftoxic materials leftby disease, poornutrition andenvironmentaltoxins.

These channels define thenervous system, digestivesystem, gut and overall workingof the body. They undergophysiological processes that aidin the removal of toxicity,absorption of nutrients, aidsdigestion and regulate properworking of the body organs andthe systems. Through thevarious techniques likeSwedana (Sweating todetoxify), Abhyanga (Infusion ofherbal oils for nourishing andrevitalizing), Pizhichil (Oil bathto reduce fatigue and stress),the Panchkarma Therapy worksin miraculous ways toharmonise the body, mind, andsoul. Accumulation of ama(toxin) is the primary reason foralmost every disease andPanchakarma helps us get ridof ama.

— Dr Manoj Kutteri, expertat a wellness centre

Why Panchkarma isa must in monsoon

According toAyurveda, monsoonis considered to be

one of the best timesto undergo

detoxification. Duringthis season, the

atmosphere tends tobe mild, which makesit the ideal season for

Panchakarmatherapies. The body’spores open up and it

becomes morereceptive to healing

HEALTH

SELF-CAREMonsoon Special

02 “Do something drastic – cut the plastic!”— Unknown

SATURDAY, JULY 3, 2021

ENVIRONMENT

Like all plastic, plastic bags toocome from the same source:crude oil and like everything elsemanufactured from this non-renewable resource, its

manufacturing emits considerableamounts of pollution, and the product is

not biodegradable. In other words, it isdifficult to produce, and nearly

impossible to get rid ofonce produced. On

land, plastic bagsare one of the

most commontypes of litterworldwide.Here’swhat’swrong:

1Build-ups ofplastic

bags arenotorious for

causing blockages oflocal drainage systems in

developing countries. The floods in

Bangladesh in 1988 and 1998, and frequentflooding in Manila can be attributed toblockages caused by this litter.

2Plastic bags also pose serious healthhazards as over time they leach toxicchemicals into water supplies.

3Plastic bags are difficult and costly torecycle and most end up on landfillsites where they take around 300 years

to photodegrade. They break down into tinytoxic particles that contaminate the soiland waterways and enter the food chainwhen animals accidentallyingest them.

4Plastic bags are now amongst the top 12items of debris most

often found along coastlinesranging from Spitzbergen inthe north to the Falklands inthe south. Animals and seacreatures are hurt and killedevery day by these discardedplastic bags.

5Add to that the enormous amounts of energy that’sused every year in order

to manufacture these bags. The totalamount of energy required to drive a carfor one kilometer or 0.5 miles is theequivalent energy required to producenine plastic bags.

6The plastic bags are filled with toxic,harmful chemicals that includeestrogen-like substances. Plastic has

hormone-mimicking qualities, and theplastic products released chemicals thatmimicked estrogen.

@rocket_scienceDr Anita Vandyke, MD isa rocket scientist andthe author of twobooks about transition-ing to a zero-wastelifestyle in ‘30 days: A ZeroWaste Family’ and ‘A Zero WasteLife’. On her Instagram page she docu-ments her zero-waste lifestyle habits.

@plasticfreejulyThis is where all the

action is at.Follow it and bepart oftheglobal

move-ment. Check

their blogon www.plasticfreejuly.org.

@pradeep_sangwan_An environmentalisttrekker who docu-ments his zero-waste adventuresat high altitudes.

@zerowastechef Anne-Marie Bonneau canhelp you sort theplastic in

yourkitchen,

one of themost wasteful

rooms in homes.From handling foodpackaging, foodscraps like peels andpits, and spoiled foodBonneau’s Instagram account and blogis full of creative tips and recipes for

reducing waste whilecooking and eating.

@ullisu.officialRun by Mrudula, the web-

site, Instagram page and alsoa store is a handy guide for

people wantingto make smallchanges. A

young fashiongraduate,

Mrudula breaksdown going zero-waste intobite-sized pieces.

@zerowasteaddaPankti is an

Ahmedabad based zero-waste practitioner and a

slow-fashion advocate. Heraccount is a treasuretrove of useful tips onhow you can make thegradual transition to

using plastic min-imally.

WHAT ISPLASTICFREE JULYPlastic-Free July isa global move-ment that is help-ing millions ofpeople be part ofthe solution to plasticpollution — so we canenjoy a world free ofplastic waste. It is a cam-paign to raise awareness of

our growing plastic-waste issue, and is run by thePlastic Free JulyFoundation, a registeredcharity. Their mission is tobuild a global movementthat drastically reducesplastic use and improvesrecycling. Their vision is aworld without plastic waste.Over 2 million people from 159countries are taking part in theannual Plastic Free July challenge byreducing their consumption of single-use plastics in July and beyond.

HOW IT STARTEDPlastic Free July founder, RebeccaPrince-Ruiz visited her local waste sort-ing facility. Rebecca saw the amount ofrubbish that was being sorted and

realised the heart of the plastic wasteand pollution problem was in the

quantity of the rubbish. So shechallenged her workmates;“I’m going to go plastic freenext month. Who wantsto join me?” And so

it started.

WHAT DOPEOPLE DOOn Plastic Free July’swebsite, people can takea pledge to participate in

a variety of ways. You can pledgeto observe the challenge for just

one day, one week, the entire-ty of July, or for July andbeyond. You can also pledgeto reduce your plastic in afew different ways: you can

avoid single-use packaging,you can avoid the “big four”

(see box), or you can aim to go

completely plastic-free. Additionally, youcan pledge to make these changes on apersonal level, at your work, at yourschool, at an upcoming event, in yourcommunity, or anywhere else you areinvolved.

1Set the timeframe of theaudit. While a

month is ideal, atwo-week frame maybe more doable foryour first time.

2Collect all plasticwaste (recyclableor not). Separate

it from other waste.Look out for hiddenplastic in paper cups,the top sheet innotebooks, wipes,teabags, toiletries etc.Save it all. 3Once your two weeks are done,

sort the plastic waste, categoriseit, note it all down and dispose of

it properly.

4Make it fun. Take a selfie withall the plastic you collectedto inspire others.

5This is now your list ofproblem areas. Based onthis list, identify how you

can change this.

HERE’S ACHECKLIST Reusable producebags, bringing yourown container fortakeaway food orusing shampoo andsoap bars are easystarting points forcutting down personalplastic

Replace cling wrapswith fabric ones. Therotis will be fine in a clothcover or even a beeswax wrap

Say no to plastic bags when out;request and insist on biodegradablefood packaging whenordering out. Thismonth, be vigi-lant as muchas possible

Choosegroceries inpaper or card-board packag-

ing over plastic

Plan ahead and avoidbuying pre-packed bread,

rolls or baked goods

Celebrating? Learn howto make plastic-free decora-

tions

Help people go plastic freeby sharing your ideas onsocial media, or duringmeet-ups with friends

Switch to biodegradablebin liners or better yet,learn about composting

The big step: DIY yourhouse cleaning and per-sonal products. Or shopfor eco-friendly products

Since 2011, July has been celebrated as‘Plastic Free July’ thanks to a globalmovement that has sought to inspire andchallenge people to find solutions toone of the biggest planet polluters –plastics. Here’s all your need to knowabout this month that started many ontheir zero-waste journey and createdawareness against the not-so-fantasticplastic. And how you too can be part ofthis initiative

PLASTIC-FREESign up for

July

BEYOND SINGLE USEAs you begin to masterreplacements for single-use items, take things a stepfurther and look at otheritems you regularly buy thattypically come packaged inplastic. For example:toothpaste, dish soap,ketchup, online shoppingorders, lotion, andsponges. There’s a plastic-free alternative out there foreverything.

TACKLE THE BIG 4According to blogger Kathryn Kelloggfrom ‘Going Zero Waste’, a greatplace to start is with the BigFour: plastic bags, waterbottles, straws, and coffeecups. These changes areall much easier than youthink — it’s just a matterof replacing your existinghabits with new habits. Makeit part of your daily routine topack a tote bag, a reusable waterbottle, a reusable straw, and a reusablecoffee cup on any day where there’s achance you’ll buy something or need acoffee.

“We don’t need ahandful of people doing

zero waste perfectly. Weneed millions of people doing it

imperfectly.”— ANNE MARIE BONNEAU,

aka The Zero WasteChef

In2020, amid a

global pandemic,Plastic Free July

participants avoided awhopping 940 million

kilograms of plastic waste. Ahuge amount of plastic that

didn’t end up in landfillor in our oceans!

To understand what changes you need tomake, start with surveying your home

and the amount of plastic that endsup being used or discarded. Whilethis exercise may seem shocking atfirst, it will help you take decisive

action and be a great motivation tocontinue doing so. Here’s how to

conduct a personal plastic audit

DO A

“Unlesssomeone like you

cares a whole awfullot, nothing is going to

get better. It’s not.”— DR. SEUSS, writer

in ‘The Lorax’

PLASTIC AUDIT

“Themost environmen-

tally friendly product isthe one you didn’t buy.”

— JOSHUA BECKER,founder of Becoming

Minimalist

“Ifwe want to move

towards a low-polluting,sustainable society, we

need to get consumers tothink about their purchases.”

— DAVID SUZUKI, envi-ronmental activist

TIP: Tomake a change,

choose any of thefollowing steps, but

not all. Focus onchanging one or two

things duringPlastic Free July

Worldwide, about2 million plastic bags

are used every minute.And the average timethat a plastic bag is

used for is...12minutes!

TIP:Don’t try to

change everything inone go. Make sure the

changes you arethinking of are easily

doable by allmembers of the

family

GET INSPIRED

“Theworld is changed

by your example, notby your opinion.”— PAULO COELHO,

writer

“Whetherit is plastic bags, pack-

aging or takeaway food andbeverage containers just decide

on one plastic to avoid – make thathappen and form a new habit and

then look at the next thing.” — REBECCA PRINCE-RUIZ,

founder, Plastic Free July

SHARE WITH USAre you taking the Plastic Free July Pledge? Are you planning toreduce your plastic consumption? Have you identified an area of yourlife where you can cut down on plastic? Share your inspiring stories,findings or even failed attempts with us at timesnie175@gmail.com.Come, be the inspiration.

Follow these accounts and websites to help you with ideas on how to go zero-waste

“Youcannot get through a

single day without having animpact on the world around you.What you do makes a difference,

and you have to decide what kind ofdifference you want to make”

— JANE GOODALL, primatologistand anthropologist

What is so wrongwith plastic bags?

By2050, it is

estimated therewill be moreplastic in the

ocean than fish

Nitya.Shukla@timesgroup.com andSupriya.Sharma2@timesgroup.com

Pics: Istock

“Comedy is simply a funny way of being serious.” — Peter UstinovFILMS.BOOKS.MUSIC

SATURDAY, JULY 3, 2021

CLICK HERE: PAGE 3 AND 4

03

MRS DOUBTFIRETroubled that he has little access to his children, divorced DanielHillard (Robin Williams), hatches an elaborate plan. With helpfrom his creative brother Frank (Harvey Fierstein), he dresses asan old British woman and convinces his ex-wife, Miranda (SallyField), to hire him as a nanny!

SCHOOL OF ROCKOverly enthusiastic guitaristDewey Finn (Jack Black) getsthrown out of his bar band andfinds himself in desperate needof work. Posing as a substitutemusic teacher at an elite privateelementary school, he exposeshis students to the hard rockgods he idolises and emulates –much to the displeasure of the uptight principal (Joan Cusack).As he gets his privileged and precocious charges in touch withtheir inner rock ‘n’ roll animals, he imagines redemption at alocal Battle of the Bands.

GROWN UPSA single man who drinks toomuch. A father with threedaughters who he rarely sees.A guy who is overweight andunemployed. A hen-peckedhousehusband. A successfulHollywood agent married to afashion designer. What dothese five men have incommon? They used to play

for the same basketball team at school. Nowtheir former coach has died, and they are reunited at his funeral.Will the group rediscover old bonds?

SHE’S THE MANViola Johnson (Amanda Bynes) isin a real jam. Complicationsthreaten her scheme to pose asher twin brother, Sebastian, andtake his place at a new boardingschool. She falls in love with herhandsome roommate, Duke, wholoves beautiful Olivia, who has fallenfor Sebastian! As if that were not enough,Viola’s twin returns from London ahead of schedule but has noidea that his sister has already replaced him on campus.

ADDAMS FAMILYVALUESThe members of the oddAddams Family are up to moremacabre antics in this sequel.This time around, GomezAddams (Raul Julia) and hiswife, Morticia (AnjelicaHuston), are celebrating thearrival of a baby boy. But

siblings Wednesday (Christina Ricci) and Pugsley (JimmyWorkman) are none too happy, and try their best to eliminate theinfant. When nanny Debbie Jelinsky (Joan Cusack) appears to

keep the kids in line, her presence leads to an unexpectedtreacherous twist.

A KNIGHT’S TALEPeasant-born William Thatcher(Heath Ledger) begins a questto change his stars, win theheart of a maiden (ShanynnSossamon) and rock hismedieval world. With the helpof friends (Mark Addy, PaulBettany, Alan Tudyk), he facesthe ultimate test of medievalgallantry — tournament jousting — and tries to discover if he hasthe mettle to become a legend.

DEATH BECOMES HERWhen a novelist loses her man toa movie star and former friend,she winds up in a psychiatrichospital. Years later, she returnshome to confront the now-married couple, looking radiant.Her ex-husband’s new wifewants to know her secret, anddiscovers that she has been

taking a mysterious drug which grants eternal life. The actressfollows suit, but discovers that immortality has a price.

HONEY, I SHRUNK THE KIDSWhen kids sneak into inventorWayne Szalinski’s (Rick Moranis)upstairs lab to retrieve an errantbaseball, his experimental shrinkray miniaturises them. WhenSzalinski returns home, hedestroys the device, which hethinks is a failure, and dumps it in the trash, throwing out thekids along with it. The four children, now 1/4-inch tall, mustsurvive the journey back to the house through a yard wheresprinklers bring treacherous storms and garden-variety antsstampede like elephants.

17 AGAINMike O’Donnell (Matthew Perry) was ahigh-school basketball star with a brightfuture, but he threw it all away to marryhis girlfriend and raise their child. Almost20 years later, Mike’s marriage has failed,his kids think he’s a loser, and his job isgoing nowhere. He gets a chance to correct themistakes of his past and change his life when heis miraculously transformed into a teenager (ZacEfron), but in trying to fix his past, Mike may bejeopardising his present and future.

THE MASKWhen timid bank clerk Stanley Ipkiss (Jim Carrey) discovers a

magical mask containing the spirit of the Norsegod, Loki, his entire life changes. While

wearing the mask, Ipkiss becomes asupernatural playboy exuding charm and

confidence which allows him to catch the eyeof local nightclub singer Tina Carlyle (Cameron

Diaz). Unfortunately, under themask’s influence, Ipkiss also

robs a bank, whichangers junior crimelord Dorian Tyrell(Peter Greene),whose goonsget blamedfor theheist.

The simplicity ofHindi movies madein the ‘70s to ‘90sstill can’t bematched. Here area few...

ANDAZAPNAAPNAAmar andPrem, whobelong to mid-dle-class fam-ilies, competeto win overRaveena, a

millionaire’s daughter. Alongthe way, they run into a local

gangster, Teja, who turns theirlives upside down.

GOL MAAL Ramprasadworks forBhavani, whodiscourages hisemployeesfrom pursuingany hobbies.Things take ahilarious turnwhen Bhavanicatches Ramprasad at a hock-ey match, and he lies abouthaving a twin.

JAANE BHI DOYAAROTwo photog-raphers,who areemployed bya newspaper

editor to expose the scan-dalous activities of the rich,

come across corruptionby a builder and acciden-tally photograph amurder.

CHUPKECHUPKEMischievousbotany pro-fessor ParimalTripathi

(Dharmendra) plays alittle trick on hisbrother-in-law Raghav(Om Prakash). Jealousof the high esteem inwhich his own wife,Sulekha (Sharmila

Tagore),holds theother man,Parimaldecides toimperson-

ate Raghav's new driver.Laying the groundwork for aseries of hilarious misunder-standings, the disguised pro-

fessor throws doubton his wife’s fidelityand gets his bestbuddy, Sukumar(AmitabhBachchan), tohelp out byimpersonat-ing Parimal.

ANGOORTwo pairs of identical twins

are separatedfollowing anunfortunate inci-dent. However,years later, theirlives intertwine,leading to confusion and misunder-standings.

5 CLASSIC INDIAN COMEDIES YOU CAN NEVER TIRE OF...

COMEDYWeekendLaugh till you cry with some of the best classic comedies from

Hollywood and Bollywood this weekend…

‘Chatter’ byEthan Kross Listen to your innervoice, engage withit, but don’t give into all its sugges-tions, advisesexperimental psy-chologist and neuro-scientist Ethan Krossin his book ‘Chatter:The Voice in OurHead, Why ItMatters, and How toHarness It’. His book is about our innervoice and its role in making and execut-ing decisions that can help you under-stand why you’d rather get lost in social

media or doomscroll againstyour better judgement; andhow to avoid it.

‘StillProcrastinating’ byJoseph R FerrariUnlike the gentle, almostcajoling language employedby Kross in ‘Chatter’, this onewill feel like you are beingread the riot act. Havingresearched procrastination

for over 30 years, Ferrari hasno patience for the decision-al procrastinators – the oneswho actively delay things for

the temporaryjoys of instantgratification. That

said, this book is full of practical tools, tips and strategiesto get the job done before thedeadline.

‘Solving theProcrastinationPuzzle’ byTimPychylAccordingto the psy-chology pro-fessor ofCarletonUniversity inOttawa,

Ontario, procrastina-tion is “not a time-management problembut an emotion-management problem”.Understand the science of procrastina-tion, and you’ll know when your brain isplaying tricks on you.

‘ThePower ofHabit’ byCharlesDuhigg Above all, thejourney tobecoming anon-procrasti-nator is aboutbreaking onepattern or a

habit and replacing it with another, whichwill set you free from the constant men-tal stress of keeping a project pending.This book is one of the best resources ifyou are keen to understand how toactively reprogram your brain by chang-ing the definition of what it perceives tobe a ‘reward.’

‘Steal Like An Artist’ byAustin Kleon At first take, this one probably doesn’tlook like it belongs in this list. However,this creative work-book is full of chal-lenges that willmotivate you tohandle problemshead on when youattempt them inunder 10 minutesor less. Attemptone each day tostart your journey.

Nitya.Shukla@timesgroup.com

In the pre-Covid era, procrastinationwas as pretty as Scarlett O’Hara, whosaid: “After all, tomorrow is anotherday” in ‘Gone With the Wind’. A little bitof delay was okay. Now we’re doggedly

staying up late at night in an act of ‘revengebedtime procrastination’, waking up moretired and haggard; or cleaning the bathroomfloor instead of answering work emails orstudying in an act of ‘productive procrastina-tion’. Anything that can be done later isassigned to an imaginary ‘tomorrow’.

It’s not you, it's the pandemic Welcome to the era of ‘pandemic procrasti-nation’, a term that has become so popularthan everyone’s writing about it. According toreports, Covid-19 has resulted in an escalat-ing mental health crisis. Writes psychologistDr Yaser Dorri on www.newsnetwork.may-oclinic.org, “When people are fearful,stressed or depressed, they are more likely toprocrastinate, and delay or postpone tasksand assignments.” Delhi-based psychiatristDr Sanjay Chugh offers another explanationof Covid-19’s impact on our tendency to putthings off. According to him, the homebound-lockdown life meant ‘the pres-sure to deliver fell away dras-tically’ which worked againstus. He says, “You becameused to doing things in amore laid-back fashion... Youstarted feeling that you havetime... so, let me watch ashow or chat or play somevideo games and do my taskafter some time. Except thatwhen you started doing thetask that you had procrasti-nated on, you realised thatyou have already run out oftime or ideas. And then youthink... let me do it tomorrowbecause tomorrow also I

don’t have to go to school and college.”

Just beat itDr Chugh swears by the ‘just do it’ mantra. Hesays, “If you have to submit something aweek from today then it is better to do it now,so that the next 6days are free.”However, if thatdoesn’t work foryou, try his 2-minute rule. “If Ihave to do some-thing I tell myself Ihave 2 minutes tostart doing it. Oncethat inertia hasbeen taken care of,one graduallymoves towardsthe completionof the task.”

Hail #bookpowerAs die-hard readers, we’ll always tell you topick up a book that offers science-basedtools and strategies to counter procrastina-tion. Here are some of them:

FIGHT PANDEMICPROCRASTINATION

Here’s how you can get work done, if the phrase ‘just do it’ doesn’t inspire you anymore

‘Revenge bedtimeprocrastination’ as

defined by writer DaphneK Lee is the phenomenon

in which people whodon’t have much controlover their daytime liferefuse to sleep early toregain some sense of

freedom during late nighthours. Productive

procrastination is definedas organising your

wardrobe instead ofwriting that report

Ditch thephoneWhere screens andtechnology dividepeople even whenthey are in the sameroom, sitting with abook in physicalproximity bringsbenefits. Additionally,when someone readsaloud and someoneelse listens, their brainssynchronise – the storyteller and the storyhearerare experiencing the same brain activity andrelease of neurochemicals. This process, knownas neural coupling, was shown by US scientistsusing fMRI scanners at Princeton, and the studyexplains why reading with others can create asense of unity and closeness.

Start small Begin where you are and do it today. You don’tneed to read aloud for an hour, or a year, orforever. Pick up a book or a magazine or even apacket of breakfast cereal, and start reading to

someone you love.

Have funJust read what’s on thepage and let the wordscast their spell. Don’tworry if you feel shyabout reading outloud, lots of people

do. Stick with it. Ifyour listeners want

to get up and movearound, letthem. Somepeople focusbetter whentheir hands arebusy. There’sno ‘correct’way to readaloud, there’sjust yourway.

THE POWER OFREADING ALOUDMeghan Cox Gurdon in herbook, ‘The Enchanted Hour’,reveals some of the benefits

of reading out loud:

Meghan Cox Gurdon

Pics: Istock

EDDY MERCKX (Belgium)

Famously known as ‘The Cannibal’for his merciless and aggressive approach on the tracks, EddyMerckx is described as thegreatest and most success-ful cyclist of all time. Hedominated professional cy-cling for 10 years, and dur-ing this time, won every sin-gle major race on the pro cal-endar. He holds the record for445 victories. We may neveragain see a cyclist who’s capableof breaking his records.

BERNARD HINAULT (France)

With a total of 250 profession-al victories, 52 time-trial wins,10 Grand Tour titles and fivevictories in cycling’s one-day classics, Hinault is theonly rider besides Merckxto win the green, polka dotand yellow jerseys (points,mountains and overall clas-sifications) in the Tour deFrance. He was also the WorldRoad Race Champion in 1980.

LANCE ARMSTRONG (US)

One cannot deny that despite being in-volved in doping scandals, what LanceArmstrong has achieved in ourday and age is nothing short ofremarkable. One may arguethat his results are rigged,but Armstrong beat the bestof the best, most of whomwere also using perform-ance-enhancing drugs. Hisseven consecutive Tour deFrance victories were themost by any cyclist. He alsohas a world championship to hisname (1993) and won a bronze medalat the 2000 Olympic Games.

MARIANNE VOS (The Netherlands)

Vos is known as the bestwomen’s cyclist in the world.She is the world championin every discipline, rangingfrom mountain biking tocyclocross. In cyclocrossalone, she has won sevenworld titles. She is a three-time world race championand also bagged the gold inthe 2012 Olympics. Vos is con-sidered the Eddy Merckx ofwomen’s cycling.

JANKIDAS MEHRA (India)

Born in the 1900s, Jankidas Mehratook up cycling as a hobby at ayoung age. He gradually suc-ceeded in the sport and wonmany accolades in India. Hebroke 8 records between1934-1942. He went on to be-come the sole Indian mem-ber of the panel that led theInternational Olympic Com-mittee during the 1936 Oly-mpic Games in Berlin. In 1946,he founded the Cycling Federa-tion of India that began trainingIndians for international tournaments.

An eco-friendly mode of transport, a solid workout routine, or just a fun pastime. cycling is all of this and more, with competitive cycling drawing some of the greatestof athletes the world over. It is a sport that requires stamina, physical strength and will power to be the best. Here is a look at competitive cycling...

“If you can’t outplay them, outwork them.”Ben Hogan, former golfer SIMPLY SPORTS04

Photo: GETTY IMAGES

Photo: REUTERS

The first-ever international competitivecycling race was held in the year 1968 inParc de Saint-Clud in Paris. Young 18-year-old James Moore, a British expat, won the1200 metre race. The very next year, thefirst city-to-city race was held betweenParis and Rouen. Having covered the 135km (84 miles) in 10 hours 25 minutes,Moore was declared the winner of thistournament as well.

India’s connection with competitive cyclingdates back to the mid-1930s, when Janki-das Mehra not only introduced cycling asa sport in India but also put India on theworld map when he took part in the BritishEmpire Games in Sydney,Australia, in 1938.His passion for the sport helped Indian Cy-cling to be affiliated to the National CyclingFederation and then to the National Cy-clists Union of England.

HISTORY

Road race: As the name suggests, the roadrace is held on open roads and highways,and is often a point-to-point or town-to-town race, or a combination of severalpoint-to-point stages. For most of the races,the winner is decided based on who reach-es the finish line first. Sometimes, it mayalso be held in a closed circuit which mayinvolve several laps of the arena. In thelonger tours, some stages involve a timetrial, with riders being sent off at inter-vals, racing against the clock. The winneris then decided on the basis of the lowestcumulative time for all the stages.

Cycle specs: Road race bikes are sleek,lightweight, high-performance machineswith a shorter stack height and longerreaches than other bikes.

Track cycling: Track cycling races takeplace on banked tracks or velodromes. AnOlympic velodrome is made of wood. Theparticular track consists of multiple lines,starting with a wide blue line near the bot-tom, which helps separate the track fromthe infield warm-up area. Followed by athin black line next to it indicating the short-est distance on the track. Above that is thered line which allows a person to pass therider in front of them by moving to theright. Lastly, the blue line above the red,the area above that is a rest area for riders.

Cycle specs: The bicycles used in thistype of race do not have brakes. Apply-ing sudden brakes could result in a col-lision. Instead, the bicycles have fixedgears, so the speed is gradually slowedby shifting these gears.

Cyclo-cross race: Cyclo-cross events con-sist of several short laps of 3-4 km, featur-

ing various terrain like pavements, grass,hills, muddy roads, etc. The race that typ-ically lasts a short time, is known for itslively atmosphere.

Cycle specs: Cyclo-cross bikes are light-weight with narrow tires and drop han-dlebars. They have basic gears, strongerframes and disc brakes.

Mountain bike race:Held on off-road ter-rain, a mountain bike race is usually cate-gorised under extreme sports as it is oftenheld over rough terrain, using specially de-signed mountain bikes.This sport requireshigh endurance skills, core strength, goodbalance, bike handling skills, and strongmental health. There are several differenttypes of mountain bike races, like the Cross-Country, Downhill, Downhill Slalom.

Cycle specs: Mountain bikes are similarto most bikes but incorporate features de-signed to enhance durability and per-formance in rough terrain.

BMX:Popularly known as the sprint race,BMX is held on single-lap tracks consist-ing of a starting gate for up to eight racers,a groomed, serpentine, dirt race coursemade of various jumps and rollers and afinish line. The course is usually flat andis about 15 feet (4.6 m) wide and has largebanked corners, which are angled inward,that help the riders maintain speed. Thesport is very family-oriented and largelyaudience-driven

Cycle specs: There are three types of BMXbikes: the true BMX bike, the freestyle bikeand the dirt jumper or just ‘jump’ bike. Thecommon feature for all of these is a sturdy,lightweight frame, and knobby tyres.

KINDS OF RACES

Tour de France:The Tour de Franceis the world’s most prestigious andmost difficult race of all.Also knownas La Grande Boucle,Le Tour or TheTour,the tournament attracts the bestof the best riders from around theworld.Staged for three weeks in July,the race has 21 stages. The Tour typ-ically comprises 20 professional teamsof 9 riders each.The race covers a dis-tance of 3,600 km (2,235 miles),main-ly in France. The racers navigatethrough the Pyrenees and the Alps,and finish on the Champs-Élysées inParis. What makes the race formida-ble is that it has a number of climbsand downhill rides.The climb of Alped’Huez has become one of the mostnoted mountain stages.

Giro d’Italia: Known to be the sec-ond-toughest race after Tour deFrance, Giro d’Italia is regarded asa highly prestigious European mul-ti-stage race. Like most Tours, eachtour is 3 weeks long, with 21 stagesand 2 days of break. It is predomi-nantly held in Italy, but the routechanges every year with the excep-tion of some editions choosing an-other host country. The first personto win the Giro D’Italia was LuigiGanna. Alfredo Binda, Fausto Cop-pi and Eddy Merckx have won theTour five times each.

Vuelta a España: This is an annu-al multi-stage race held in Spain,butmeanders into neighbouring coun-tries. The race is held over 23 days in21 stages. All the stages are timed.The rider with the lowest aggregatetime is the leader of the race and getsto don the red jersey. The timings ofeach stage are compounded andadded to the next stage. The pointsclassification for the sprinters, themountains classification for theclimbers, combination classificationfor the all-round riders, and the teamclassification for the competingteams are what make this tourna-ment most interesting. The routechanges every year but primarily

passes through the mountain chainof the Pyrenees, and finishes in theSpanish capital, Madrid.

Paris-Roubaix: The one-day pro-fessional men’s race starts fromnorthern Paris and ends at the bor-der of Belgium.Known as world clas-sics, it is one of the oldest cyclingevents in the European calendar. Fa-mous for rough terrain and cobble-stones, the tour has gained namessuch as ‘Hell of the north’, ‘Queen ofthe classics’, over the years. Amongthe 20 sections of cobble roads, themost famous are Trouee d’Arenbergand the Carrefour de l’Arbre. Bel-gian cyclists Tom Boonen and Rogerde Vlaeminck hold the record for themost wins of Paris Roubaix.PhilippeGilbert from Belgium won the racefor the most recent Tour help in 2019.

World Track Championships:Reg-ulated by the Union Cycliste Inter-nationale (UCI), the World TrackChampionships is an annual eventcomprising races from various dis-ciplines and distances in track cy-cling. The current events includetime trial, keirin, individual pursuit,team pursuit, points race, scratchrace, sprint, team sprint, omniumand, for men only, the madison.

World Road Championships:Sim-ilar to World Track Championships,the UCI Road World Championshipsconsists of events for road races andindividual time trials, and a newlyintroduced mixed team relay. Theone-day event for professional cy-clists takes place annually. The win-ner is declared the World CyclingChampion and earns the right towear the prestigious Rainbow Jer-sey for the entire year while takingpart in road races or stage events.

The Olympics: Known as a coreOlympic sport, cycling is one of thefive sports that has been contestedat every single Olympics game sinceits inception. Some of the categories

such as the 1,000m sprint and the4,000m team pursuit have had a longhistory at the Olympics.While eventssuch as Tandem have been droppedfrom the programme, others havebeen added recently: Omnium is amultiple race event in track cycling.There are currently four disciplinesin Olympic cycling: track cycling,road cycling, mountain-bike andBMX, which is the latest addition tothe Games. A total of 22 cyclingevents will be part of the TokyoOlympic 2020.

Commonwealth Games Cycling:A main competition at the Com-monwealth Games sports, cyclinghas been on the programme for everyCommonwealth Games since 1934.All disciplines except Road Cyclingis an optional sport. Cycling on theCommonwealth Games programmeincludes track and the mountain bikerace, the latest addition to the event.

The Tour Down Under:Tradition-ally the inaugural event of the UCI,the Tour Down Under is Australia’sgreatest cycling event, with a richhistory.Regarded as the most famoustournament of the southern hemi-sphere, the event comprises sixstages. The route passes throughbeautiful beaches to classic vine-yards, in the city of Adelaide andiconic South Australian regionaltowns. Usually held in the month ofJanuary, the event grabbed interna-tional headlines in 2009 when LanceArmstrong expressed his interest aspart of his comeback.

UCI Cycling World Champi-onships: Set to begin in the monthof August of 2023,UCI Cycling WorldChampionships is the newest majorcycling event that has been added tothe circuit. It is hoping to bring allthe cycling world championships toone location.It will be held once everyfour years in the summer, predomi-nantly the year before the OlympicGames.

INTERNATIONAL CYCLING EVENTS MOST SUCCESSFULCYCLING CHAMPS

Tour de France, Giro d’Italia, and the Vuelta a España, are consideredthe Grand Tours of cycling

A look at some of the most competitive tournaments

An eco-friendly mode of transport, a solid workout routine, or just a fun pastime, cycling is all of this and more, with competitive cycling drawing some of the greatestof athletes the world over. It is a sport that requires stamina, physical strength and will power to be the best. Here is a look at competitive cycling...

SATURDAY, JULY 3, 2021