Inside the Palace of Magic

IT WAS easier getting into and out of Robben Island while it was a maximum security prison in 1969, then it was to walk the “hallowed ground” that is Film City – the creative heart of Bollywood.

This vast area of Mumbai was once jungle which man eating tigers roamed for centuries and now it is where about 1 000 movies a year are churned out – some of them massive box office hits.

It was Asha Tapase, a philanthropist, social welfare and gender activist, who brought my 10-year battle to an end, and I was able to take in the sights, sounds and sensations of Bollywood.

Whistling Woods International – one of the world’s top 10 film schools – is nestled among greenery, tall trees and shrubs.

This all white, concrete, glass and steel seat of learning, started by the legendary Subash Ghai, has supercharged Indian movie-makers to rank among those from across the Indian and Atlantic oceans.

Reliant Studios sits in a valley stocked with hi-tech equipment, generators which could light up an entire neighbourhood, cameras which look like giant robots and then of course, the human element.

Big names like Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, Aamir Khan, Aishwarya Rai, Deepika Padukone, Katrina Kaif and Kareena Kapoor are regulars of this stunning Palace of Magic.

It covers hundreds of acres, some with lush woodlands, others with built-up sets of temples, houses, restaurants and giant warehouses where some of the indoor scenes are shot which entertain people around the world, including South Africa.

While Bollywood is a front runner in the pursuit for excellence, there are other avenues which are contributing to making India a world-beater.

The technology industry is booming. Tapase showed off a new invention no bigger than a A5 notebook which when plugged into any television set, virtually transforms it into a smart computer. One can use Skype, send e-mails, write and store information, even use it to give educational and other lifeskills instructions, or surf the internet.

In Bangalore, she introduced us to Ajay Sharoff, who with his colleagues is developing a kit which could save many lives. It is no bigger than a clutch bag and contains little instruments which enable you to check blood pressure, sugar levels and cholesterol and even do an ECG to diagnose heart problems.

“Imagine what this can do for people living in rural areas,” said Sharoff. “There would be no need to travel long distances, wait in queues or wait for results.”

This city is the IT capital of India, but Hyderabad might contest that title. It is here where many of the brightest young minds are converging armed with little kit bags with their precious laptops. They are here to invent just about everything from life saving equipment to fun gadgets.

Silicon Valley and San Jose in the US does not come near to Bangalore, hailed as the most developed city in the Motherland. Young women outnumber men in their pursuit of careers in the technological field, so many of them have double doctorates in just about any chosen field.

While at one time women took a back seat in India, an ever-growing number now hold top jobs. It’s no longer about a pretty face, but a highly qualified person holding her own in every field from engineering and construction to running five-star hotels.

Yet, there are people in India who still only want boy babies. Take Haryana State, where at one time married women would abort their pregnancies when, after a scan, they found out that they were going to have girls. The scarcity of women there now has forced parents to import brides from Kerala.

“There are language, cultural and other differences, but that is the way for those in this state that believed that sons were better than daughters,” said Tapase.

“Now they go to Kerala for daughter-in-laws because the women in that state have a reputation for being very adventurous. For generations, they were the first to become nurses; they served as teachers in schools and even joined and performed in the circus.”

I took leave of my friend and went to Hyderabad. This is where the first diamond was discovered 400 BC. It is also known as the City of Pearls, and even as the City of Romance. It is the residents of this metropolis who gave the world breyani – the royalty of Indian cuisine. Anyone who goes to this city has to try “Hyderabadi Breyani”.

There is a wide variety of meat, fish, vegetables and sea food, but I settled for the “Pattar ke Gosh” (Meat of Stone) variety. It turned out to be leg of mutton cooked in saffron water and a variety of spices, herbs and rice. The method of cooking and the intricate blending of the ingredients are secret. Our host was not parting with such information.

Apart from its food, Hyderabad has a long and ancient history. Stories abound about passionate romances between heads of states and talented dancers, singers and artists.

These ancient rulers are buried in mausoleums which are on scale with the Taj Mahal – exquisite buildings with domes, arches, intricate sculptures and multi-coloured tiles.

The buildings are of marble, granite, sandstone, ceramics, porcelain and so much more.

It’s not only the rulers who are buried, but their lovers, on acres of land studded with water ways, fig, mango, and pomegranate trees. When the wind blows, the air is engulfed with the perfume of lavender from the gardens.

Further south is Goa. This is the state where Vasco da Gama landed and today there is a modern city. But many locals are leaving their homes and going to Britain armed with Portuguese passports. For some reason, all people who were born in Goa and Gujrat before 1960 are entitled to travel documents from Lisbon.

Not just them, but their children and grandchildren are eligible for Portguese passports.

The result is a brain drain, and people from other states are now moving into the holiday capital of India to fill in many jobs.

Yes, India is the home of excellence. It has the longest surviving and successful civilisation, going back thousands of years. In these modern times, there have been some casualties, like the iconic chilli chutney. For millennia, it has graced a multitude of tables. Now in top flight restaurants of hotels when you ask for the chutney, they plunk a bottle of Tabasco sauce in front of you.

Today too, sex has come into the open, onto giant billboards lining some highways in the Maximum City – Mumbai.

“Man Force – ChocolateCoated Condoms.”

Now that’s taking the Kama Sutra to a new level!