Monday, March 15, 2010

The lost legacy

I want to be born again. Born not in future but many years behind to live what will never come again and what shall be remembered till eternity. Indian heritage and legacy is by far the most richest one that i know of. And I am really proud of it. But it gives me immense pain to see this heritage trapped only in books and fading from our memories (only if we have some left).

I would really want a re-run telecast of yester years to experience the richness of our culture and royalty. With the loss of RAJ we lost what we stood for and imbibed the new. The regal mansions, places, the royal sawaari are all nothing but fairy tales that we all visualize differently. The monochromatic images of royal India are just the worn out pages of our history books.

I have been fascinated by this fairy tale. A tale that I would like to live once, only to be able to see "The Maharaja of Patiala, Maharaja Yadwindra Singh adorning this exquisite piece on his neck. The Grand Necklace of the Maharaja of Patiala. This is one of the most precious possessions that India had. This opulent piece was made especially for the Maharaja in 1920s and is encrusted with 2930 diamonds in platinum chains. The centerpiece in this necklace is the famous De Beers diamond, a cushion-cut pale yellow diamond weighing 234.69 carats that is said to be the seventh largest polished diamond in the world and is nearly as big as a golf ball. The Maharaja was often seen wearing this neck piece for his photo shoots, paintings and his royal ceremonies. This beautiful piece can now be seen only in historic photographs. We Lost It.

It was last seen in 1948 during the lost of RAJ. It disappeared. The splendor of Maharaja was also dissolving. Nobody had an account of where the neck piece had gone.

Later in 1998, some one came up with the remnants of the piece in second hand market in London. All the sparkling stones were gone. Cartier acquired the remain of it and took 4 yrs restoring it and re-created it, replacing the stones with new ones. The estimated cost of this necklace, today is $25 Million.

So exquisite was the piece that it had to seek permission from Maharaja to exhibit it. India's legacy is now the re-created pride of some body else. The piece has been replicated but it's royalty could never be. Only if I could be re-born many years ago, to see it and feel pride to have it in our own country adorned by The Maharaja of Patiala

Fashionable whiffing !!

When it comes to fashion, no one can beat French. And I literally mean it. Lovers of art, with the finest taste definitely bring out fashion in everything. Their clothes, shoes, bags, accessories and attitude, all make a fine bold statement. But what surprised me was this chocolate inhaler for all the chocolate lovers who are worried about their calorie intake or feel extremely guilty after once sinful round of indulgence. Here is "Le Whif", A chocolate inhaler. A Chocolate without Calorie. And as the name suggests it's the chocolate whiff you inhale from a Lipstick looking packaging and the chocolate powder covers your entire mouth with the sinful flavor.

This brilliant concept is created by David A. Edwards, professor at Harvard University with help from art and science college students.With the mix of culinary art and aerosol science they together rediscovered the art of eating chocolate and called it "whiffing".

So keep one handy in your bag and kill the sweet craving with just a whiff, anytime and as many times a day, still flauting your thin, maintained waist. And the packaging is so stylish that you would always want to flash it out in a middle of a crowd with people turning around and wowing on this new concept.

I think it's a brilliant idea to make Joy of chocolate eating, guilt-free and more fashionable now. Isn't it?

So, Happy Whiffing!!