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Transcript
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Suniel Shetty to champion Autism cause p43
An autistic child, like any child, possesses the potential for great achievements. Like any child, all it takes is love, respect – and a little extra understanding and support when they need it.
While we are on the subject of autism, let us not forget the simple fact adults
with autism often fare worse when it comes to work and educational experience
than people with other disabilities, including those who are mentally disabled.
Many studies have proven that young adults with autism do not have paid job
experience, college or technical schooling even after many years of high school
education. That is a very sad and scary situation and it is also a point that needs
to be driven across to the authorities concerned in Oman.
Salim Abbas, Wadi Kabir
Having a young child itself can keep you awake at night. So imagine the
plight of those parents who have children that are autistic. Such parents may
not be sleeping at all. Most of the autistic children have trouble reading and
speaking; besides this, they have difficulty in understanding social cues and
body language. All of this can make other people uncomfortable. Parents of
such children may also wonder about what happens when these kids grow up.
Great amount of work is yet to be done in this arena. We need to do more about
bringing awareness and also fight for a society that accepts autistic people and
give them a chance to integrate. Let us start now before it is too late!
Yasmin Mohammed, Ruwi
The yawning gap
Before it is too late…
9Black & White
10 May 21-June 6, 2012
Men r
ead
In a world where we are forced to live with nerve-wrecking
competitions and challenges each and every single day;
in a world where we are confronted by an explosion of
problems and difficulties, where stress is the byword and
pain is a necessary evil and confusion is the anthem,
life for even the tougher one among the lot, can crack.
There are people out there fighting mental problems and
suicide is on the rife and there is a real danger of even
youngsters catching the mental bug because the times
we live in is fraught with tension and some of us are living
on the borderline… So, don’t even ask the question why
meditate? Or don’t shake it off by saying that men need
not meditate? Men have to meditate – meditation is not
about gender. Meditation is a way of life; we need to
tap the vast reservoir of energy in us, lying unused and
untapped.
MEDITATE RIGHT
All you need to keep in mind is that, meditation is not just
closing your eyes and sitting in one place. It is improving
your concentration in a way that suits you. So, meditate
right in order to get a healthy mind, body and soul.
NO EXCUSES
Now, the biggest excuse you could come up with is that
you find it difficult to meditate and you had tried it so
many times and have given up on it. Enough with such
excuses... Just focus. First, close your eyes. Allow some
moments to pass and then slowly try to realise how you
are breathing. Focus on that only. Then after some time,
try to concentrate on each body part, yes, from your toes
slowly edge up. Don’t bother about your mistakes and the
problems you are having in your life. Forget about it for
the moment. You are not going to be bothered about your
doubts, confusions and the problems in life. Just focus
on now and your body. Breathe. You will find that your
feeling completely at peace.
RAY OF LIGHT
Now, without touching on spirituality and the like, just try
this form of meditating too.
Close your eyes and try to imagine an image of
something peaceful, very peaceful. Like flowing water. Or
better still imagine a ray of light falling on you. This will
help you develop a positive mind and will also let you stay
focussed.
FOCUS BETWEEN YOUR EYEBROWS
Yet another method is to close your eyes and try to
concentrate between your eyebrows. Keep your eyes
closed and stay focussed at this point. You can also keep
your eyeballs in a 25 degree angle. If it seems difficult
initially, place your index finger between the eyebrows
and try concentrating at a point on your finger. This will
also reduce the fluttering of the eyelashes and improve
your concentration.
CHAOTIC MINDS
The easiest thing in the world is to get distracted. Now,
add a chaotic mind to that and you will only be doubly
confused. Now distraction is not all that good for you.
So, you need to select a serene spot in your home when
you embark on a meditation spree. Chose a quiet corner
which has a blank wall. You can either close your eyes or
stare at a point on the wall. The only thing that should be
there on your mind is that you need to concentrate at the
given point and there is nothing around you that is more
important.
DE-STRESS AND ATTAIN PERFECTION
Also, give some time every day – after finishing all the
work that is – to go back into the activities that you
have done for the day. Or, if you are keen to do it in the
morning, then make a preview of your day and what you
should be doing. This was you can de-stress and attain
perfection.
MUSIC TO MEDITATE
Now turn to music. What you need to do is to get yourself
introduced to soft music. You can use music to meditate.
Meditate men,
MEDITATEDecrease in blood pressure, decrease in stress symptoms, boosting of concentration, brain power…in short, a healthy body, mind and soul is what you get if you meditate right. So, let us get rid of the misconception that meditation is not for men. Meditation
I am a person who believes that technology can make
lives easier and communication better. The world has
become a better place to live in today because of that,
but, there are still pockets of disconnection around, in
various sections of the society. With all sorts of media
around, the world indeed has become a smaller place.
As a media, we are responsible to all sections of
society, not just in matters of communication, but also
in bringing them together for a cause, by creating
common platforms of thoughts and events. Our
promise is to continue doing so in a progressive and
positive manner.
PUPPETRY AN AID TO EDUCATION AND
COMMUNICATION
Even when technology is leaping ahead, there are
many out there left behind, cut out from the world. A
recent workshop on puppetry held in Oman opened
our eyes to a new world of alternative communication.
Our salutations to those organisations behind the
scenes, trying to use puppetry as an aid to education
and communication, bringing all members of different
communities and talents under one common platform.
Research says the involvement of edutainment and puppetry performances help to raise consciousness, and to achieve more probably a change of behaviour
Mohamed Issa Al ZadjaliEditor-in-chief
In Black...
& White
In B
lack &
Whit
e
Puppetry is not new. It has been existing for thousands
of years and is a traditional form of entertainment, which
has existed from time immemorial conveying meaningful
messages. Puppets are characters and not people, hence
can be used to spread social messages on sensitive
issues through the youth. Puppetry incorporates elements
of all art forms such as literature, painting, sculpture,
music, dance, drama and enables students to develop
their creative abilities.
Communication through puppets can help to facilitate
feedbacks, to encourage follow-up community actions and
to break the rigidity posed by societal stigmas. Research
says the involvement of edutainment and puppetry
performances help to raise consciousness, and to achieve
more probably a change of behaviour.
SUDOKU FOR AUTISM
We invite all our readers to participate and attend the
upcoming third edition of Sudoku for Autism, which will
be held on June 1. The event will see George Widener in
Oman, a brilliant autistic savant, who in his own way has
ventured out to create awareness for those affected with
Autism.
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23Black & White
The spotlight is on a small muddled figure in coloured clothing.
He seems to be trying to sleep. Swirling all around him is pitch
darkness. Then, as we watch this figure twitch in his sleep, slowly
from out of the darkness some misshapen figures emerged and
trundled towards the sleeping form. They let off a low sinister wail
that seemed to rise in tempo and the sleeping figure awakes with
a start. Seeing the ghostly figures, he also lets off a wail in sheer
fright. They all howl in unison and with rising inflection.
23Black & White
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25Black & White
Mahmoud Al Hourani, founder/director of the Arab
Puppet Theatre Foundation (APTF) moves along with
his newfound students in Oman with an ease that seems
to belie the fact that he has met them only a week or so
before. He is lean, wiry, and focussed on only one thing –
his students have to get their puppet act right. For that he
will go to great lengths, even shoo off nosy scribes trying
to get an angle of what puppetry was all about. And that
is what he did, shooed us off right from the stage and told
us to stay clear and not to distract his protégés.
PUPPETS TELL STORIES
By the way, what is puppetry? Don’t pore into books
and the net for an answer – it is very simple. Puppetry
is an act by talented people who tell a story with their
hands. They act with furry objects (men, women,
children, animals) held over their heads and coordinate
movements to create a living being. Well, actually a
story. These furry hands create magical stories peopled
with furry living beings that can even penetrate the soul;
such is their power that they can move you to do better,
become better human beings; give you an awakening
to the fact that you are a being with a soul and not just
mindless flesh and bones; that you have a mission on
earth to fulfill, not just eat, drink, make money and forget
that it is a world where others exist.
POWER TO EDUCATE
Even if it may not push you to move mountains, puppets
still have the power to educate and this is the reason why
so many have turned to harness puppet power. In Oman,
the UNFPA (United Nations Population Fund) organised
the first ‘Puppetry Theatre Training of Trainers – Oman
2012’ (May 8 to 12) at the auditorium of the ministry of
education. “This is the first of its kind in the AGCC with
an emphasis on bringing together various sectors with
a focus on civic engagement, peer education, youth
empowerment, women’s empowerment and reproductive
health – as per the UNFPA mandate. The training hosted
members of the theatre group of the Oman Association
for the Disabled, teachers of the Association of Early
Intervention for Children with Disability, and primary
education and sports teachers from the Department of
Private Schools of the Ministry of Education, as well as
members of the Youth Peer Education Network (Y-Peer)
Oman,” an UNFPA spokesperson told Black & White.
The aim of the workshop was to train the participants to
become trainers in the art of puppetry theatre to maximise
their outreach to others, particularly young people and
those with special needs, and provide them the skills of a
new method of expression, interaction and teaching, the
spokesperson said.
THE PUPPET MASTER
“Ok, that is fine, but you have to raise the figures –“ cuts in a wiry agile figure who spoke as he leapt on to the stage -- where the figures were
being paraded from behind a black screen -- with relative ease. He goes behind the black screen and then demonstrates how the scary
figures should come and scare the sleeping figure. There is a marked difference between his presentation and the one we viewed just minutes ago: The difference between a first and a seasoned attempt; between a
student and a real master.
The puppet can say whatever needs to be said without implicating the puppeteer in the eyes of the audience. The potential of youth can be tapped only if you know which button to press. Involvement is the button that should be pressed.
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INTEGRATING COMMUNITIES AND COMMUNICATION
The ministry of education (MoE) has partnered with the
UNFPA to organise the ‘Puppetry Theatre Training of
Trainers – Oman 2012’ hosting 30 participants. “The MoE
has organised similar puppetry and interactive media
seminars and workshops to enhance the quality and
reach of education in the community.
The workshop brought together 30 participants from
different communities and cultures and associations and
trained them to be effective communicators and trainers
in their own field of expertise. The interaction has created
a rapport between them, taught them to face challenges
and communicate in a better and positive way. The
workshop will be a catalyst to reaching out to the children
with special needs and training,” noted Siham Al Riyami,
deputy director for international programmes and private
schools, MoE.
“The language of puppetry has always been a good
one for teachers and trainers the world over. A teacher
is a person who works to facilitate the acquisition of
knowledge. She/he is an important influence in the
lives of the students. If the student does not feel safe
expressing his feelings, his experiences or his questions,
his curiosity may be suppressed and learning cannot
happen.
“The puppet can say whatever needs to be said without
implicating the puppeteer in the eyes of the audience.
The potential of a youth can be tapped only if you know
which button to press. Involvement is the button that
should be pressed. When you involve the youth, they
take up responsibility and spearhead projects, involving
communities. These workshops are very interactive,
bring out the inner strength and talents of the youth, and
involve them socially in the nation building process. They
come out as better human beings.
“The workshop has touched many topics from bullying in
school, to various social causes, traffic safety, involving
students and trainers. The trainers will become better and
interesting communicators to their students, who will be
enriched in the process. We hope to keep this process
of enhancing teaching aids further every year,” Siham
noted.
NOT AS EASY AS IT SOUNDS
But learning and performing puppetry is not an easy task,
although Mahmoud Hourani feels otherwise. Puppet
performing it is not easy and it requires thorough and
consistent practice before one can become an expert.
A puppeteer needs to study different techniques such
as the basic positioning, diction, arm rods and body
movements.
PRESS
THE RIGHT
BUTTON“Puppetry has been used as a
demonstrative teaching tool, as an approach to help develop language and communication skills, as a therapeutic
tool, and as a form of theater and school arts for many years now. It is not a new form of communication; it is just reviving an old form to a
new generation. The youth are very vulnerable today and it becomes a
responsibility that they are guided and communicated in the right way."
Siham Al Riyami, deputy director for international programmes and
private schools, ministry of education
27Black & White
The most common type of hand puppets is the simple
hand puppet (like the ones Hourani’s students were
using) and the larger hand puppet. Each of the puppets
has their distinct usage in puppet shows. The simple
hand puppets have few or no moving parts at all. They
are usually made up of flexible materials and have distinct
facial features such as eyes and nose. The mouth is often
included on the simple hand puppets but it is usually
there just for design purposes. It does not even open or
close unless a thumb enters a pocket allowing it to move.
What may look like child’s play is lot of action and lot of
practice and dogged dedication, and there is no room for
mistakes on stage, because there are no retakes. For a
professional puppeteer, it is not an easy task, because he
or she has to be consistent and more importantly need to
do it before the most demanding audience: children.
RENDEZVOUS WITH PUPPETS
Hourani managed to find some time to speak to us
during the puppet practice break. He apologises for
shooing us off the stage, but explains how and why the
students need to have full focus on their work. Puppets
and cartoons have fascinated him from a very young
age, he says whilst still throwing furtive glances at his
students on the stage of the auditorium of the ministry
of education. “I remember it was in 1992 that I started
my life with puppets. I was a refugee from Palestine and
lived in camps and saw people come in with puppets to
amuse us, communicate and take forward messages. “I
fell in love with puppets at the first sight and I knew where
I wanted to be. My brother was an artist and sparked
my creative venture by drawing and painting images
for the backdrops of my puppetry stages. In 1992, I
hosted my first puppetry show at a UN camp. They say
writing is reading… in a similar ways watching different
puppetry shows opened my mind as well many doors of
opportunity for me in the world of puppets.
“From there I started my life in theatres, learned to be
an actor and started experimenting with puppetry. The
art form left a huge impact on me and I realised that with
proper learning and training I could take this art forward in
an effective manner.
The following years saw me learn the theatre art; acquire
experience and knowledge in formal and informal
education sectors in London and other parts of the UK.
I have been an experienced youth worker and a puppet
theatre teacher.”
A TRADITIONAL ART FORM
The main hurdle in the field of puppetry is that it has a
traditional way of propagation: father to son… “But, not
much could be learned from the family tradition alone.
You have to experiment many trades and techniques to
create better modes of communication,” Hourani says.
Let's underst
Presenter:
Major Sponsors:
Preliminary on May 30, 2012
7pm at Indian School Al Ghubra
George Widener
Autistic Savant & Artist
Celebrity Guest
tand Autism
Grand Finale on June 1, 2012
7.30pm at Oman Auditorium, Al Bustan Palace Hotel
Co Sponsors:
Celebrity Guest
Suniel Shetty
Bollywood star
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30 May 21-June 6, 2012
“Puppetry involves acting out fantasy in behaviour to deal
with real life situations! It is not a new form; it has been
existent for many centuries. It takes away inhibitions
and brings out the inner side of the person performing
the puppet. It helps in knowing the person. Even a shy
person could open up and communicate. For a child or
a student, the puppet could be their best pal. And when
professional training techniques and expertise is added
on, you can sharpen the minds of the youth and integrate
them in to social responsibility,” Hourani noted.
PUPPETS TAKE YOU EVERYWHERE
“The puppet theatre has taken me places. As a young boy
it changed my life and I have done my bit in taking the art
forward, adding on better techniques and experiences to
reach out to the younger generation in a better manner.
People have really identified with the scenarios we act
out through the puppets; I think it quite often touches a
nerve. Through the puppets, audiences learn about the
importance of having empathy, being patient, remaining
calm, and about the power of reminiscence.
Using different scenarios, the skits mirrored real life
situations that family members deal with on a daily basis.
“Planning, designing, and performing a puppet show
require a community effort. It requires group cooperation
and the building of a sense of ‘we’. This coming together
for a common cause is another example of experiential
learning. Hopefully, it can provide a good basis for the
understanding of belonging,” Hourani says.
PUPPETS MAKE YOU RESPONSIBLE
“Puppetry requires experiencing many art forms, which in
turn can enhance the learning experience. The process
of finding out material from your own surroundings, giving
it life, a character, a visual representation can enhance
confidence and pride.
The script, dialogues, behind the scene delivery, adding
on music can burrow a path to the soul. It is a very
creative and involving process and I can vouch with my
experience that every person coming out of a puppetry
workshop will be a live and responsible person, ready to
take the art forward with pride and ease,” Hourani said.
31Black & White
“The teachers from the association of early intervention participated
with an aim to go back and train others in the team, communicate
and train the special children in novel and exciting ways. Every
workshop brings different communities and cultures together, making
us more tolerant and capable in many different ways.
“When we were asked to make our own puppets, create characters,
all of us were a little shy, hoping to be right in some way. At the end
of the workshop, we learnt one good lesson: there are no wrong
answers in creativity and communication. Every solution is right,
every creation is right in its own way, since there are no hard and fast
rules to limit the learning process.”
ALL SORTS OF PUPPETRY
In a short span of an exhaustive workshop, the participants learned
all sorts of puppet making, from hand puppets to shadow puppets.
It was a learning experience of all sorts. “We learnt to create
characters, scripts, themes, dramas, with simple ideas, but strong
messages. The special kids need understanding and a means of
special communication process. This workshop taught us better ways
to communicate. We chose many simple themes from road safety to
etiquette.
MADE AN ICE CREAM TALK!
“The process of creating live characters’ from dead materials
made our tired minds active and alive. Every time I look around,
NO WRONG ANSWERS!
“The six-day puppetry workshop has been a mind opener for all of us. It taught us to explore, communicate, coordinate, and participate without any limitations or restrictions. For
many of us, the exposure to various forms of puppetry was quite new and
complicated. “We were taught to create puppets from everything around us,
from pieces of torn paper to bottle caps and threads. It made us realise that everything around us is worthwhile and we could do wonders with what we have around us,” explained Aida
Suleiman Saihi, who participated in the workshop. Aida is a special education, diploma programme coordinator at the Association for Early Intervention for
Children with Disability.
I see all sorts of things talking to me,
communicating. My hands itch to create
new forms from everything I see around,
add a name, a voice… last night I was
with my family eating an ice cream cone
and I could not help myself from creating a
face (on the ice cream) and even do a talk
show with an ice cream character that I had
created!
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“Yes, scripted one of the shows for the closing ceremony
of the workshop – the theme was on marriage. It is about
the values of marriage and of healthy choices. I write
poems too. I feel confident that I can train the kids with
better skills and in an interesting manner. The workshop
inspired all of us and brought us together under one
platform of thoughts and ideas.”
Another participant that B&W spoke to was the Mazoon
Al Zadjali of the Y Peer group (**). Seven members from
the Y Peer group participated.
Mazoon, who is a young social worker and student,
explained her reasons for participating: “I am a
management student at the Modern College of Business
Studies and also a social worker, part of the Y Peer
Group. I am one of the participants of the puppetry
workshop. As part of the younger generation, I felt the
puppet’s way of communication is very creative and
local. It is like reading a story book, or listening to your
grandmother’s tales. It is an effective communication
tool and I am grateful that I could be a part of this exciting
workshop.”
Though in today’s world, technology has taken the fore
front of communication, these simple puppets capture the
imagination and make it easy to reach out to the masses,
Mazoon added. “I have learnt quite a lot during the last
six days and will take this forward with our group."
CREATIVE EXPERIENCE
LIKE READING A STORY BOOK
Masooma Al Zadjali, another participant, noted how the six
day workshop proved to be a real enriching experience. “Every one of
us felt useful and important. We were taught to look at every little thing
with an open mind; taught to create live puppets from recycled materials and made us realise that we could
actually learn from every little particle of this world,” Masooma, who is a
trainer at the Oman Association for the Disabled, said. A poetess, Masooma
also wrote the script of one of the shows.
33Black & White
Excerpts:
When did the United Nations Population Fund
(UNFPA) start its operations in Oman?
The AGCC area office was inaugurated in 2006.
However, the UNFPA* has been collaborating with the
government of Oman and offering its technical assistance
since over a decade.
Could you highlight the achievements of the UNFPA?
The UNFPA AGCC area office is a member of the
Family and Child Health Committee, UN theme group
and task force that is responsible for the implementation
of the national HIV/AIDS response strategy. One major
achievement was the two year (2008 to 2010) "Let's
Talk AIDS" social communication campaign, which
included in total four phases. Another achievement was
the establishment of the Oman Youth Peer Education
Network (Y-Peer Oman) in 2008 and its successful
operating until today. The Y-Peers tackle and inform
about important social issues and concerns through peer
education, using various methods such as edutainment.
Within its population mandate, UNFPA AGCC area
office offered its technical assistance in 2011 to 2012
to the ministry of social development to conduct a
nationwide assessment of all state income generating
activities (IGAs) for social welfare beneficiaries and train
the ministry's focal points from all the regions of the
Sultanate in IGA monitoring and evaluation; including
standardisation of the applicants sheets and data entry.
The UNFPA was also involved in the translation of the
Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against
Women (CEDAW) report of Oman.
Why has the UNFPA chosen puppetry as a tool for
training the trainers?
Puppetry, including shadow theatre, can be used to
entertain and communicate with all ages. The techniques
can be imparted quickly and in a very inexpensive
manner, making it perfect and easy to use at the field
work of a teacher and/or educator. You can outreach
to and inform numerous crowds through different plays,
from complicated to basic ones, in a very playful and
effective way; while utilising sophisticated or simple
puppets made for example out of recycled materials.
Hence, this form of theatre can suit the requirements of
various social engaged groups; those who have a specific
budget, and those who don't. Since in Oman puppetry
was used solely limited to some extent for theatre
purpose and speech therapy, we thought to introduce
this art form on a broader level; assuring its continuance
by involving members from various groups such as the
Ministry of Education, Oman Association for Disabled,
the Association of Early Intervention for Children with
Disability and Y-Peer Oman. The common factor of all
trainees is their civic engagement.
How successful was the puppetry experience and
would this continue on an annual basis?
The Puppetry Theatre TOT - Oman 2012 was very
successful. The feedback we have received from the
trainees and trainers themselves, representatives from
the involved organisations such as the Association of
Early Intervention for Children with Disability and Oman
Association for Disabled, and the Ministry of Education
was positive and encouraging. We are currently
discussion various ideas, including a "Training of Trainers
Camp" on an AGCC level.
PUPPETRY
THEATRE – A
GRAND SUCCESS
Salah Al Saleh, programme associate at the UNFPA AGCC area office spoke to the Black & White after the staging of the ‘Puppetry Theatre
TOT - Oman 2012’ at the auditorium of the ministry of education.
(*) For more information on the UNFPA, visit the global website on www.unfpa.org or the local website on gcc.unfpa.org
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Puppet master Mahmoud along with a few of the participants
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35Black & White 35Black & White
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(**)
Y-Peer Group, Oman
The Youth Peer Education Network (Y-Peer) is a comprehensive youth-to-youth initiative pioneered by UNFPA. The Y-Peer has been
established in 48 countries including Oman. The network is still in progress of expanding by launching in other countries.
Y-Peer is a network of more than 500 non-profit organisations and governmental institutions. Its membership includes thousands of
young people who work in many areas surrounding adolescent sexual and reproductive health. The Y-Peer network target audiences are
young people. It has been found that to put across the information for the targeted audience; the information should be presented in a fun,
interesting and interactive way.
Aside from providing amusement and fun, puppets
nowadays have taken a political turn and are also used
in thinly veiled political caricatures and satire. These
political puppets are often modeled on known political
personalities and are often depicted in the characters’
usual political setting.
Whatever the size or the design, puppets and puppet
shows today still provide wonderful entertainment to
many people of all ages.
Kids love to play with puppets as it allows them to set free
their creative imagination. Puppets can bring great joy not
only to kids, but also to adults, all over the world.
Puppets in politics
37Black & White
Puppets were first introduced to the
world of entertainment thousands of
years ago. It originated from Greece
as the Greeks then were known to
be fond of theatrical presentations.
Though they enjoyed theater, they
found supporting the actors financially
rather expensive, so that they turned
to the use of puppets in plays. They
soon discovered that puppets were
just as able as actors to elicit positive
response from the audience, so
they continued to patronise the use
of puppets in puppet shows and
presentations, and soon stage puppet
shows became many people’s favorite
past time.
Today, puppets and puppet shows
have come far from their humble
beginnings and still continue to be
popular. Many puppets are patterned
after animals such as frogs, elephants
and birds. Every puppet used on
stage has a distinct characteristic and
personality. The differing personality
is expressed not only by the puppet’s
design but also by its individual body
movements as expressed by the
puppeteer’s hand movement.
Puppets as good
as actors
Text: Adarsh Madhavan & Priya Arunkumar Photos: Ben
38 May 21-June 6, 2012
• June 21st is the first day of summer. And June was named either for Juniores, the lower branch of the Roman Senate, or Juno, the wife of Jupiter, a Roman god
• July was named by Marc Antony in honor of Julius Caesar.
• August was named for Julius Caesar’s adopted nephew, Gaius Julius Caesar
Octavinus, who received the title Augustus, meaning “reverend.” He named the month for himself.
• The last day of summer is September 20th. The first day of autumn begins on September 21st.
• September comes from the Latin word septem meaning ‘seven.’ Julius Caesar gave it this name, when it actually was the seventh month in the calendar!
• On September 13, 1922, the temperature in the shade in the Libyan Desert reached 136 degrees Fahrenheit. This is hot enough to fry an egg on a rock!
• On July 4th in the year 1956, a world record for the most rain falling in one minute was recorded in Unionville, Maryland. The record was 1.23 inches in that one minute!
• Hailstones weighing 1.67 pounds fell in Coffeyville, Kansas on September 3rd, 1970, which set a world record!
Fun Facts about the months of
When you think about summer, what comes to mind? The long, hot, sticky days during the summer make it some people’s favorite season. For others, thoughts of summer are associated with cold foods, like ice
cream. Here are a few fun facst on summer months:
SUMMER
Kid
stuff
38 May 21-June 6, 2012
39Black & White
Dare to Dream...Azim Premji
By Dr CK Anchan
Dr Anchan C.K.
managing director,
World Wide Business House
Azim Hashim Premji is an Indian business
tycoon and philanthropist who is the chairman
of Wipro Limited, guiding the company
through four decades of diversification and
growth to emerge as one of the Indian leader
in the software industry. According to Forbes,
he is currently the third wealthiest Indian, and
the 41st richest in the world, with a personal
wealth of $15.9 billion in 2012.
Under his able guidance Wipro has
metamorphosed from a Rs70 million
company in hydrogenated cooking fats to
a pioneer in providing integrated business,
technology and process solutions on a global
delivery platform. Wipro Technologies is the
largest independent R&D service provider
in the world and is ranked among the top
100 technology companies globally. The
company’s IT division became the world’s first
to win SEI CMM level 5 and PCMM Level 5
certification.
This is Azim Premji's success mantras:
DARE TO DREAM
All I had with me was a dream. A dream
of building a great organisation. It requires
courage to keep dreaming.
DEFINE WHAT YOU STAND FOR
Define what you stand for as early as possible
and do not compromise with it for any reason.
But remember that values are meaningful
only if you practice them. Values are a matter
of trust.
NEVER LOSE YOUR ZEST AND
CURIOSITY
The natural zest and curiosity for learning
is one of the greatest drivers for keeping
updated on knowledge. The same zest is
needed to keep learning new things.
ALWAYS STRIVE FOR EXCELLENCE
Being the best in the country is not enough;
one has to be the best in the world.
Excellence is a moving target. One has to
constantly raise the bar.
BUILD SELF-CONFIDENCE
Self-confidence comes from a positive
attitude even in adverse situations.
Remember, no one can make you feel inferior
without your consent.
LEARN TO WORK IN TEAMS
You cannot fire a missile from a canoe. Ability
to become an integral part of a cross- cultural
team will be a must for success.
TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF
You will need lots of energy to deal with
challenges. Unless you take care of yourself
there is no way you can take care of others.
PERSEVERE
Finally, no matter what you decide to do in
your life, you must persevere, persevere,
persevere. Keep at it and you will succeed, no
matter how hopeless it seems at times.
HAVE BROADER SOCIAL VISION
I personally believe that the greatest gift one
can give to others is the gift of education. We
who have been so fortunate to receive this gift
and know how valuable it is.
NEVER LET SUCCESS GO TO YOUR
HEAD
No matter what we achieve, it is important to
remember that we owe this success to many
factors and people outside us. This will not
only help us in keeping our sense of modesty
and humility intact but also help us retain
proportion and balance.
39Black & White
Managem
ent
talk
40 May 21-June 6, 2012
A supermarket manager commented on how his mart was robbed twice in the
space of nearly eight months and how after this period two new supermarkets
came in the vicinity taking away a chunk of his business away. What is the
connection, we asked and he gave us a sad, but mysterious smile. “Well,
just think about it…we had two major robberies at our mart, which inflicted
a major blow for us. While we were still reeling under this (blow), two big
supermarkets opened in the same vicinity. We lost some of our staff to this
supermarkets and a good chunk of our business too. Now, only the real
loyal customers still frequent us.
We are doing half the business
that we were doing while our
competitors are doing quite well,
compared to us.” That is how
things are, we consoled the man.
You will do well soon, not to worry.
“We are not going to do as well
as we did before. The robberies
were a major blow and then these
supermarkets came and took
away our business…don’t you see
the coincidence?”
D-uh, we said. What was he trying
to hint? We do not get the drift --
do you?
If you don’t like a movie, will you ask the movie theatre to refund the ticket
money? If you don’t like the food you ate at a restaurant, will you ask for
a refund (of course, if you discover a dead roach in it, which is a different
story…)? There are some things in life when and where you are not
able to ask for a refund. But, there is this person who seems bent
upon getting his refund for a paid celebrity dinner function he had
attended because, as he claims, the star did not stay the full part of
the evening. Whether this fact is true or not, the reality is that this man
was seen posing with the celebrity concerned in the pictures taken
during the event and was also seen to have a cold drink on his table.
But, his claim is that he never ate and he wants the money he paid
for the dinner refunded. Should the refund be made or not -- your call
folks?
Too much of a
coincidence?
To refund or
not to…
Nit
tern
att
er
We have been thinking of it since quite sometime now. Fi-nally, we have taken the plunge to bring home to you some offbeat stuff. Here goes, if you like it, give us the green signal for more; if not, just take it with a pinch of salt. For this fort-night, here is some nitter natter for the B&W Bitter Batter:
41Black & White
It would have been great if the authorities concerned actually implemented
the traffic rule, which said that anyone caught
speaking on the phone while driving would be put in
jail for 10 days, comments many observers. Though
they agree that it is harsh, they claim that it would
bring about a difference in the road accidents and
death statistics scene here. Will it? We still think it
is all about attitude, that don’t care attitude, which
is the real cause of accidents in Oman. Many who
drive don’t care if their bad and careless driving
can actually cause harm – forget the fact that it
can cause grave danger to themselves -- to other
motorists or pedestrians. It is attitude that causes
accidents; it is attitude that kills on the road. It is
attitude that has to change.
‘Killer’ attitude
Look before
you leap
(Note: Readers who have something bitter to chatter about can either email on [email protected] or call 99218461)
41Black & White
Sometimes, it is better that you don’t help people who claim to be in trouble,
says a disgruntled part-time humanitarian. This small businessman wanted
to help a man who was sent to him for some help, mainly legal. But, little
did he know what he was getting into. As usual, he went full throttle and
supported the worker in all ways. But, he did not
realise that the worker was only giving his side of the
story and that too, not fully. And, what was left out
was crucial because although the worker painted his
employer as a money pinching slave driver, the truth
was otherwise. Both had their share of the mistakes,
but since the businessman went full on and made his
lawyer take the employer to court (for the sake of the
employee), he got into a quandary when the case
came up. The poor man opened a Pandora’s Box and
soon he realised the worker had only given him half
the truth and had to bear the consequences of his
impulsive action
42 May 21-June 6, 2012
Announcing
On Friday June 1, 2012
On Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Grand Finale
Preliminary
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964532871
157846923
823179546
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785261439
3124986572011 C
onceptis Puzzles, D
ist. by King F
eatures Syndicate, Inc.
Difficulty Level8/12
Sudoku is a number-placing puzzle based on a 9x9 grid with several given numbers. The object is to place
the numbers 1 to 9 in the empty squares so that each row, each column and each 3x3 box contains the
WADI KABIRBait al Zubair Bait al BarandaMarina Bander Al Bustan Palace HotelOman Dive club Shangri-La- Barr Al JissahSri Lankan School NHIPencil Building (Stationery shop)Al Maha bunk –Wadi Kabir Ajay Enterprises (Khimji) – (Next to Jingles nursery) Hotel Golden OasisSana FashionsAl Maya markets – (Old Rawasco) Scientific pharmacy – Opp to al Maya market ( Arab Udipi Rest)
CBD AREA TO DARSAITAl Amana Building materials – Opposite Jawad SultanAl Omaniya Financial Services office Oman oil bunk Khimji mart shopping mall – (Old shopping & saving)Khimjis Bait al Ahlam- CBD areaPizza Muscat (Opposite ministry of manpower)Pizza Hut/TFC – CBD areaCentre point-SplashMuscat Securities market Times of OmanShell petrol Bunk (Next to Sheraton)OCCI Library – Oman Chamber of commerce (OPP MSM)KFC – Ruwi Oman International Bank – RuwiPalayok Restaurant – Filipino restaurant Ever ready supermarket New India Assurance OfficeAl Fair – Ruwi high street Lakhoos Money Exchange, Ruwi High streetDamas Jewellery/office – Ruwi Oman UAE Exchange – OCC CentreAir Arabia Office- Shanfari TravelsRuwi HotelGulf air building – Gulf air officeSaravanabhavan Restaurant Sarco – Samsung showroom Khimji Megastore – Swarovski showroomOTEMoosa Abdul Showroom – next to al JadeedToshiba Showroom Al Jadeed shoppingBadr Al Samaa Samara video (next to Talentz, old bait al ahlam) after 5pmMinistry of Education – Opp Wearhouse – Ruwi Future management consultants -(opp Toshiba showroom)Haffa House HotelAl Falaj Hotel Muscat Bakery- Near church Pakistan School (after temple & church Darsait)Naranjee Hirjee office (before Hotel Golden Oryx)Hotel Golden Oryx Bank Muscat corporate office (Opposite Hotel Golden Oryx)Kamat Restaurant Uptown Restaurant Turtles Book shopAl Rima Clinic Lama Polyclinic
Oman Air – CBD NBO- CBD areaBank MuscatBank SoharHSBCStandard CharteredOman Arab BankHarmony Music Centre – Next to OAB Bahwan Travel Agencies – CBD banks areaOTTB – Oman Travels BureauAir India office – CBD next to Costas CostasPapa John Supa Save – CBDWoodlandsBank DhofarHorizon Restaurant – (Next to Moon travels)Oman post office Lulu DarsaitKhimji Ramdas Head office, Muttrah (Kanaksi Khimji & pankaj Khimji) Majan College – Darsait junction (canteen)Indian Social ClubMelody Music Centre – Next to ISMGerman Embassy – Hamriya roundaboutApollo Medical CentreComputer Xpress – Hamriya Roundabout Atlas Travels (Wadi Adai Roundabout (next to polyglot)Hatat HousePassage to IndiaBest carsHyundai/Subaru/GM showroomAl Asfoor FurnishingAhli BankShell marketing officeSEAT car showroom- Wattayah DHL office- Wattayah Honda ShowroomSabco Head office wattayahNTT travels WattayahToyota Bahwan Advertising – Ist floor – Toyota showroomLexusFord showroomShanfari AutomotiveWattayah Motors- VW showroomKhoula HospitalInstitute of Health sciences – opposite KhoulaKia showroom- wattayah
QURUM AREA TOWARDS AL KHUWAIRAl Harthy Complex- Pizza Muscat – next to Sultan Center in al Harthy complexSultan Center Nissan showroomBMW showroom Muscat Private School Qurum city centrePizza Hut – Qurum Capital StoreAl Asfoor PlazaKFCHardeesFono showroom next to Sabco centreShah NagardasSabco Centre- Barista coffee shop onlyAl AraimiPanasonic ShowroomNBO QurumAl Khamis PlazaAl Wadi commercial centre – Coffee shopMercedes showroom
CCC- StandCCC Al FairBollywood chatPizza Hut – Qurum Second CupNandos McDonaldsSalman StoresJawahir OmanHamptonsBusiness Services & Travel Amex office Ernst & Young buildg (OUA Travels) StarbucksHawthorne institute- ELS Fahud Street, opp Qurum parkMumtaz Mahal Left bankOman Association for the disabled Ministry of education (20 +20=20)Muscat Intercon Jawaharat Al Shatti complex- standOasis by the sea - crepe café standLNG OfficeAl Qurum resortBareek Al Shatti ComplexAl Qandeel head office -, Entrance of Bareek al Shatti Al Shatti Cinema - Dunkin DonutsAl Sahwa Schools– principal’s office next to Ramada hotelHotel RamadaAl Muriya Offices- next to Al sahwa schoolsGrand Hyatt MuscatAl Masa MallRadio ShackAl Sarooj ComplexShell Petrol Bunk- Al Sarooj Al FairRamee GuestlineRock BottomClassic Institute of Arts- next to Asas OmanAsas Oman ApartmentsCrowne PlazaCoral hotelQurum Pvt schoolPDORas Al Hamraa ClubOmanoil head office
AL KHUWAIR/MSQ TOWARDS AZAIBAELS – Al khuwair service roadBritish School Muscat – MSQBritish Council Oman oil- Madinat Qaboos Pizza HutKhimjis mart – MSQ Kargeen Café Al fairFamily Book shop- MSQ Tavola – Al Noor Hall buildgStarbucks Hana slimming centre – Ist FloorFotomagicAl Noor Hall Al JadeedEqarat office Above Welcare Clinic – al KhuwairDomino Pizza Oman mobileSafeer Hypermarket Mustafa SultanSouk TechniaOmantelOman international Bank – Al khuwair main officeIbis Hotel
Park inn HotelFriendi OfficeMuscat Bakery Tropical Ice creams SubwayPizza Hut service road Ice Skating RinkNational Training InstituteGolden spoon RestaurantShell Select- Al KhuwairMcdonaldsMct holiday Inn HotelOman Bowling Center HalliburtonCafé VergnanoKhimji Mart – Next to Verganano Safeer suitesAxa insurance (opp assarain Al khuwair)Zakher shopping MallPAN Furnishing Harley DavidsonThriftyAl Amal Medical Centre – Dr BashirHotel RadissonPizza Hut Al KhuwairOzone Video Shop(Next to Pizza Hut)American British School Omar Khayyam Restaurant, next to V kool Grill House (next door)V KoolTAISM Centre for British Teachers – CFBT Baushar Complex CaféAviation Club Restaurant
AZAIBA TOWARDS SEEBLulu Hyper market – BausharOman Medical collegeCollege for Business & financial Studies opp Oman medical, bausharAzzan Bin Qais school - BausharMuscat private HospitalDolphin Village – BausherRoyal hospital Ghala industrial area – NTINational mineral water – Tanuf ( next to Al Madina Holiday Inn)Oman oil AzaibaSpicy Village – Rusayl Pizza Hut – GhalaOman oil – GhalaTowell head office – Enhance & Ist floorMazda showroom Mcdonalds – Azaiba Select shell AzaibaOman Tribune – Al Watan officeNew India assurance Azaiba office Safeer HypermartNawras head office Zubair showroom and Yamaha corporate office(two places)- Yamaha Showroom – close to Zubair showroom – 1st floor Polyglot InstituteGU Tech – Beach road AzaibaChedi Muscat The wave Muscat corporate officeNACA – national cancer Awareness AssnMCC – Crepe CaféAl Bahja– Mood Café & food CourtAl Maya Super market Oman air Seeb office (Below Flyover, before Golden Tulip)Oman Tourisn College Golden Tulip HotelAir portSelect Shell – SeebPizza Hut airportKFC
PICK-UP POINTSPICK-UP POINTS
MUSCAT
Cir
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49Black & White 49Black && White
SHOPPING MALLSLulu shopping centerAl- Istaqarar shopping center (Salalah)Dhofar shopping centerBab Al- Salam marketAl- Mashoor (Salalah)Al- Mashoor (Saada)Al-KhareefK.M TradingAl-Isteqarar (Saada)Al-Hoq super marketHamdan commercial marketFresh super market (Al-Sarat)Union Salalah MarketFamily bookshop
HOTELSCrown PlazaHilton Salalah Hamdan plazaDhofar HotelSalalah hotelHaffa HouseRedan HotelAl- Hanaa HotelBAMSIR hotelAl- Jabel hotelAl- Nile suite (Saada)Salalah Mariott
MINISTRIESMinistry agriculture & fisheries Ministry of educationMinistry of defenseMinistry of housing & electricityMinistry of waterMinistry of tourism Diwan of Royal court (Salalah)Ministry of primary court and justiceMinistry of Commerce & industryDhofar municipality (Baladia)Ministry of man power
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OIB, NizwaOIB, FirqBankMuscat, NizwaBM main branch, NizwaBankMuscat, FirqNBO, NizwaNBO, FirqBank AbudhabiToyotaOTEOmantelNawrasKhimji, NizwaKhimji, IzkiMuscat Bakery, NizwaPizza HutDiscount centreFamily shoppingAl Diyar HotelSafari hotelAl-Nif shopping, IzkiHungery Bunny, NizwaCollege of ScienceCollege of TechnicNizwa Medical CollegeBusmath ClinicThalal ClinicOmanoil, IzkiOmanoil, FirqOmanoil, NizwaOmanoil, MarfaShell, IzkiShell, FirqShell, NizwaAl-Maha, FirqNizwa university -Dept of foreign langAl-Maha, Marfa
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MUSCAT continued...
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MINISTRIES AREA – AL KHUWAIRMinistry of tourism(Ghala, next to ISG)Ministry of social Development(next to Regional municipalities, Bank Mct)Ministry of foreign affairs
Spicy Village RestaurantLulu HypermarketJumeirah Shopping CentreKhimji’s MartAl Salem shoppingCentrepointMoosa Abdul Rahman – GMCToyotaNissanMitsubishiLG showroomSohar BakerySohar UniversityBank MuscatHabib BankBank SoharOman International BankAl Raffah HospitalBadr Al SamaaOman Arab BankBank DhofarHSBCTravel CityNational Travels and ToursUniversal Travels and TourismDHLDhofar InsuranceAl Ahlia InsuranceTaeeger Finance CoOmantelAl Jazeera GroupNarenjee Hirjee (International)
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49Black & White
50 May 21-June 6, 2012
Cookin
g
Green and vibrant
Go green with spinach salads… you could use tender baby spinach or a bunch of the mature large leaf, either way spinach is equally tasty,
raw or cooked. And spinach provides you important nutrients, such as folate, vitamin E and lutein, to keep your body strong… here
are a few recipes to try at home:
50 May 21-June 6, 2012
51Black & White
Ingredients
8 cup(s) baby spinach
1 tablespoon(s) extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup(s) thinly sliced red onion
2 plum tomatoes, chopped
2 tablespoon(s) sliced Kalamata olives
2 tablespoon(s) chopped fresh parsley
1 clove(s) garlic, minced
2 cup(s) steamed beet wedges or slices, 1/2-1 inch
thick (see Tip)
2 tablespoon(s) balsamic vinegar
1/4 teaspoon(s) salt
1/4 teaspoon(s) freshly ground pepper
Method:
Place spinach in a large bowl.
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat.
Add onion and cook, stirring, until starting to soften,
about 2 minutes. Add tomatoes, olives, parsley and
garlic and cook, stirring, until the tomatoes begin to
break down, about 3 minutes. Add beets, vinegar,
salt and pepper and cook, stirring, until the beets are
heated through, about 1 minute more. Add the beet
mixture to the spinach and toss to combine. Serve
warm.
Ingredients
1 (10 to 12-ounce) package baby spinach, washed
and dried
1/3 cup sliced almonds, toasted
1 pint strawberries, hulled and quartered
1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded, and finely
diced
Dressing:
1/2 lemon, juiced
2 tablespoons white vinegar
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon poppy seeds
Directions
In a large salad bowl, add the spinach, almonds,
strawberries, and cucumber and toss together.
For the dressing:
In a small glass bowl or jar with a tight-fitting lid,
combine the lemon juice, vinegar, sugar, oil, and
poppy seeds. Whisk together in the glass bowl or
shake if using a jar.
Dress the salad right before serving.
Ingredients
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 slices thick-cut bacon or 4 slices pancetta, chopped
3 shallots, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
3 tablespoons vinegar
2 pounds triple washed spinach, stems removed
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Freshly grated nutmeg, to taste
4 hard-boiled eggs, quartered lengthwise
Parmigiano-Reggiano, for topping
Directions
Heat the olive oil in large skillet over medium-high
heat. Once hot, add bacon to skillet and brown,
reserve the crispy bacon bits and add the shallots and
garlic to the pan. Cook 3 to 4 minutes then deglaze
the pan with vinegar, turn spinach into pan and wilt
down a bit but do not fully cook the spinach, just give
it a few turns with tongs. Season the greens with salt,
pepper and nutmeg. Place spinach on a serving dish
and top with quartered eggs, shavings of cheese and
reserved bacon bits.
SPINACH & BEET SALAD
SPINACH-STRAWBERRY SALAD
FRESH SPINACH SALAD
51Black & White
52 May 21-June 6, 2012
Pysc
he
Too busy women,
Why have we all become so busy? Especially women! Women are so busy that it seems like they are caught in some kind of national
epidemic. It is true that women need to juggle
between work and family responsibilities, but then if they are so caught up in it, where will they find