Newsletter Sept 2011

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NEWSLETTER SEPTEMBER 2011 Editor: Geet Shroff

Elections pave way for a new future for Denmark

The much awaited results are out and Denmark has just made history by voting Helle Thorning Schmidt, of Social Democratic Party, the first woman Prime Minister of Denmark, into power. For a detailed report, click

here

Bollywood now a regular feature in Aarhus Thanks to your participation at Bodyguard, the distributor has tied up with Bio-City, Aarhus for release of new movies in the months to come. These movies will include Ra.One and Don 2. So, here is something to look forward to during the long winters!

Give and take – Hindi for Danish!

Students of Hindi from CISCA (Contemporary India Study Centre Aarhus), part of Aarhus University, are looking for help in improving their Hindi Skills. Hindi need not be your first language since the students’ knowledge of the

language is limited. In return, the students can help you practice your Danish language skills. The project is voluntary and if you are interested in developing your social network while brushing up on your language skills, please email Katrine Bay Madsen by clicking here.

The most awaited event of the year is here!

We at IIA are getting started on the Diwali arrangement for the year 2011. The date will be announced soon. As in the last three years, the event promises to be an

opportunity to socialize, have a good time, desi style and it has only been possible with the participation of volunteers. We welcome volunteers to be a part of the process and will be announcing the first meeting soon. If you are interested in volunteering, please send us an email by clicking here.

Also Inside this issue

September Special – Indian Medical

Specialists in Denmark (Page 2)

Denmark and I – Dr. Ajay Mehta (Page 2)

Relocation means a change in everything

– Monisha Gambhir (Page 3)

India and I – Dr. Henning Glerup (Page 3)

My Town Guwahati! - Dr. Khalifuzzaman

Ahmed (Page 5)

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NEWSLETTER SEPTEMBER 2011 Editor: Geet Shroff

September special - Indian Medical Specialists in Denmark

In this issue of the IIA newsletter, we bring to you voices from the project that brought Indian medical specialists to Denmark, a few years ago. The qualified fraternity was recruited to fill the shortage the

Danish system was facing. A big thank you to all the participants for taking time off and sharing their thoughts for our readers… Read on, as Dr. Mehta, Dr. Glerup & Mrs. Monisha Gambhir take you through their experiences and Dr. Zaman walks you through the unexplored North East of India. Happy Reading!

Denmark & I – Dr. Ajay Mehta narrates his experience Having stayed in Denmark for almost 4 years I can go

down the memory lane and visualize the journey that has been from December 2007 till now.

A warm welcome by the hordes of a curious media on a dark (at 2pm!) and a rainy winter day, staying at the resort in Grenaa close to the water front, listening to the

roar of the waves with ears straining to hear some ”human” sound – having come from a near 13 million and growing(!) city of Delhi to a country, more than 3600 miles away, with a population of a “measly” 5.5 million!

The contrast cannot be better defined but in order to assimilate, it is best to understand the differences, cultural and otherwise.

The professional experience –

Quite satisfying especially the environment at work and no visible hierarchy. Being used to long working hours (even on weekends), the concept of a 37 hour week still continues to wonder me. But on the positive side it is relaxing to have a weekend away from work. The work environment is quite cordial and systematized, a point which can be used to good effect back in India, if incorporated. A flat system has diluted, to a large extent, the class system and has actually created a healthy society which is though not without flaws, but there is nothing in this world which is perfect! The free weekends and shorter working hours do give more free time with the family as compared to India but there is a lot to attend to with an absent concept of house help, which if available, is quite expensive so it is “do it on your own” concept.

Social network or “integration” is important to understand the ethos of the Danes and it also helps to understand the mundane things.

Danish medical practices that India can

take inspiration from –

Protocol defined practices and standardisation of procedures. Patient information and awareness. Research and statistics

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NEWSLETTER SEPTEMBER 2011 Editor: Geet Shroff

Areas where the Indian system can inspire

Denmark

Definitely the IT sector. Educational sector Danes & Denmark –

Happy, content and realistic in their expectations of life. I agree with someone who said – a land of modesty and moderation; rugbrød; Carlsberg; green winter – white winter; monotonous; hygge; care of the aged.

“Relocation means a 360° change in everything” – The Spouse perspective Monisha Gambhir came to Denmark 2 years ago to join her husband, Dr. Rajiv Gambhir, who was a part of the special project that brought Indian medical specialists to Denmark to work with the government health-care. “I came to Denmark to join my husband with my son after we had stayed apart for 2 years. When I arrived, my only expectation was to have the family together. Eventually, I did hope to find a job based on my qualifications and work experience. I didn’t expect for things to fall into my lap but the challenges to integrate into the Danish society came as a shock” Monisha has an education as a Nutritionist with 12

years of work experience. In her last assignment, she

managed 2 VLCC institutes in Hyderabad. Monisha has

been looking for a job in the related field since she

arrived in Denmark. She is now well-trained in Danish.

“Being here without a job meant I was dependent on

my husband, and lacked a mentor or support and

wasn’t sure how to find one. Integration was surely a

different challenge for me than compared to my

husband”

Today, Monisha has managed a large network, is an

active participant at the International Community,

Aarhus and also conducted Indian Cookery Classes at

FO, Aarhus. And with her knowledge of the language

now, she is surely, on her way to success.

“When seen on a broad perspective, the project that

brought Indian Medical Specialists such as my husband,

to Denmark, has been a great success. The support the

team has received from the government ensured that

they were well integrated into the Danish system.”

India & I – Dr. Henning

Glerup narrates his Indian

Experience

Dr. Henning Glerup is a Consultant at the Region

Hospital in Silkeborg. His has traveled to India on three

occasions, first in 1983, the next in 2006 and thereafter

in 2010. From the Ganges Valley to the Golden Temple,

the backwaters of Kerala to the desert of Rajasthan –

The Gambhir Family

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NEWSLETTER SEPTEMBER 2011 Editor: Geet Shroff

Dr. Glerup tells us that his experience of India has been

overwhelming.

Dr. Henning Glerup on his India travels

It is often said that westerners either hate or love India.

I ended up being quite fascinated, a place I would have

to return to some day. During my first visit in 1983, I

realized India was everything – on one hand, fantastic

hospitality, on the other hand – poor people on the

street, magnificent nature on one side and noise & dirt

on the other. During my next trip, after 20 years, much

had changed – lots more cars on the streets…but the

spirit, remained the same. In 2010, during my third visit,

mainly to the south, I realized how vast the culture was.

Education level in the Southern part of the country

impressed us.

What can India & Denmark learn from

each other?

Denmark has a very long history of social welfare. This

includes equal rights for the poor & rich with free access

to hospitals and healthcare service, free education to

everybody who has the skills and economical help if you

lose your job. Of course, Denmark is not Paradise as we

pay probably the world’s highest taxes on our income.

In India I believe that a doctor having a relative high

income often will have a staff of service people in his

household taking care of the house, garden, making

food etc. In contrast to this a doctor in Denmark often

will prefer to do this kind of services “The Danish Way”.

This means, that it is quite common that a Danish

doctor will paint his own house and even do smaller or

bigger house renovation by himself, as it will be quite

costly to hire professional service workers.

We were quite impressed by the basic education of the

children especially in Kerala, but still I do believe that it

will be very difficult if not impossible for a talented

young son or daughter from a poor family to take a

higher education. I have never visited an Indian

hospital, but believe that India has lots of private

hospitals of a very high international standard. I

suppose that the costumers of the private hospitals are

rich Indians and foreigners, whereas the poorer Indian

citizens either have no access to a doctor or only have

the possibility to go to the public hospitals of lower

standard. Is it possible with inspiration from Denmark to

offer equal access to hospitals and health services to all

citizens in India? And what about equal and free access

to education?

India is a growing economic power in the world, and

consequently big changes are coming to India. I believe

that the stronger economy of India should be used to

ensure that all talented youngsters of India should have

the possibility to take an education. Higher level of

education will make the Indian economy even stronger.

Can Denmark take inspiration from India?

The hospitality practiced by Indian people is fantastic.

On our travels to India we met people we had never

seen before, who walked along with us for hours just to

help us. A similar situation with an Indian person visiting

Denmark would be very unlikely. Danes are often shy

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NEWSLETTER SEPTEMBER 2011 Editor: Geet Shroff

and not so easy to become friends with. I should wish

that Danes could learn from the example of Indian

hospitality.

About india:

India is a fantastic country with potential to become a

leading power of the world. If it shall succeed, it is

important that all Indian citizens, independent of their

race, cast and social status, benefit from the economic

development.

Given the leading position in the world it is very

important that India will take part in the green

development as 1 billion richer Indians otherwise would

add another burden to global warming.

A Word for Indians:

All Indian people should be proud of their country, its

beauty, its culture and its history. If all Indians stand

together, India will have a promising future. And, if the

Indian people stand together with the people of the rest

of the world we can ensure a safe future of our planet.

I look forward to see the development of India and look

forward to my next travel to India.

Welcome to My Town! -

Guwahati

Dr. Khalifuzzaman Ahmed takes you on a trip to his town, located in the untouched, unexplored, North East. If you are looking for an India united in a

cauldron of cultures and faiths, yet distinctively unique through its various tribes, hospitable smiling people in colourful weaves, or simply adventure and wildlife,

lush green tea gardens, or even music or golf, visit my city Guwahati, the capital of Assam. Tucked away in the north eastern part of India, closer by air to Dhaka, Rangoon and Bangkok than to Delhi, Guwahati is a virtual potpourri of the past and the future.

So just sit back and relax as I take you to my city, not as a typical monotonous tourist guide, but as one that makes you steep into its history and magic. A visit to Guwahati will validate the Government of India’s official tourism slogan: “India’s North East, Paradise Unexplored “. For those familiar with Hindu mythology, Guwahati was earlier known as Pragjyotishpur or the City of Eastern Light. To add more spice, the demon king Narkasura is believed to have constructed this ancient city. It is also considered to be the ancient ‘Kamrup’, the birthplace of Kamdeva, the God of Love. However, the modern name comes from “Guwa” meaning an areca (betel) nut and “Haat” meaning market. Unlike other cities, where a visit may confine you to that metro alone, a visit to my city opens up a plethora of options that no other city in India offers. The reason I say so is that Guwahati is the Gateway to the North East. For any travel to any of the other states, it has to be through Guwahati, and thus a visit here generally

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NEWSLETTER SEPTEMBER 2011 Editor: Geet Shroff

includes tours to the neighbouring states. Guwahati is the hub of the North East that attracts all for its services in higher education, advanced medical services, art and culture, media and entertainment, or simply business opportunities. Let me elaborate a bit on the cauldron and the potpourri I had mentioned earlier. Guwahati has a population of about 1.5 million, inhabited mostly by the local Assamese, with their women in their traditional two-piece ‘mekla-chadar’, that looks like a sari but is not, or the Khasi lady with the ‘Jainsem’ and ‘tap-moh-khlieh’ , the Garo lass with a ‘Dakmanda’. The pretty Bodo girl can be identified in her traditional bright yellow ‘Dokhona’, the Nagas easily identifiable with their unique tribal shawls, while in the midst of that fashion glitz of jeans and spaghetti straps, you will still bump into the Mizo with her ‘Puan’, the Tripuri in her ‘Rinai’ or the Manipuri in her ‘Innapi’ and ‘Phanuk’ . As they say, Incredible India! Well, one of the first questions I face when I promote Guwahati, is “How do I get there?” Guwahati’s Lokapriya Gpinath Bordoloi International airport receives on an average day about a dozen flights from Delhi alone, starting as early as 0530 till 1530, and if you come through Kolkata, the last flight will be 1630 hrs. Trains? The premier Rajdhani train from New Delhi takes about 28 hours to reach, while you have about 4 other trains that take a bit longer. My city is well connected by train to any place in India. Danes reading this article must realize that India is so expansive, that a flight from New Delhi to Guwahati takes 2½ hours, that’s non-stop! Incidentally, there is a daily overnight bus service from Siliguri, in West Bengal, which is near Nepal. Or one can also experience the helicopter trips that operate from Guwahati airport to neighbouring Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya. Another important point to remember is that we are the first Indians to see the sun rise; it’s at 0600 hrs in January and 0430hrs in June, while it sets at 1600hrs and 1800hrs respectively. Of course, one must remember that the worst time to visit, unless you are

interested in experiencing the Indian monsoon, is from May to August, when it rains for a monthly average of 15 days. Guwahati’s temperature is about 7 degrees at its lowest and a maximum of 33 in peak summer. Of course, it’s a humid place, so you tend to sweat a lot. My recommendation: visit only between April and October. Best way to start is hire a taxi and start with a visit to the 10th century Kamakhya Temple located on the Neelachal Hills. One of the most revered shrines of the Hindu faith, the reigning deity is Goddess Parvati (Sati), and hosts the annual Ambubachi Puja. Important tip: Its least crowded early morning. A visit there also offers a grandstand view of the Brahmaputra river and the city of Guwahati.

10th century Kamakhya Temple

Then drive down and take the By-pass that skirts the city, and in 30 minutes you should be at Khanapara, which is the entrance to the city. On the way, you could pay a visit at the Balaji Mandir of the Trade Centre, which hosts all the major industrial and business exhibitions. You should now visit the Shankardeva Kalakshetra, and give yourself at least 3 hours here. The Kalakshetra is a complex that displays the art and culture of the state and also has the theater that hosts several cultural

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NEWSLETTER SEPTEMBER 2011 Editor: Geet Shroff

functions. The museum derives its name from the saint Srimanta Shankardeva, who was a follower of the Vaishnava religion, and is respected for integrating the people of the region. There are various eateries, museums, art galleries and gardens and in the evening there is a 40-minute light-and-show presentation in English and Assamese. Time now for some souvenir shopping. As you drive out, you will now be driving along the main G.S.Road, home to the malls, designer houses, Pizza Hut, Cinemax, hotels, in short, the main happening place. I would recommend visiting this part only in the evenings and should be combined with dinner at one of the various restaurants, that offer Indian, Chinese and Continental cuisine. Some of these places offer a variety of good wines.

A boat in Brahmaputra river

You will be crossing the seat of the Government, at Dispur, which is officially the capital of Assam. Adjoining it is the world’s largest Guwahati Tea Auction centre. You need to have a prior appointment to visit it and see its functioning during an auction that brings in buyers from around the world. The best places for souvenir shopping are the three Assam Government showrooms at Ambari: Pragjyotika, ARTFED and NEIDFI Haat. Here you can pick up some of Assam’s finest bamboo handicraft, wooden replicas of the one-horned rhino, silk shawls, brass metal works and the unique ‘mekhala-chadaar’. If you are a T-shirt buff, visit this new small store on Zoo Road that offers only Anglo-Assamese scripted ones.

Craftings at Umanada island

Of course, you should not miss the river cruise on the Brahmaputra. There are a few of these floating restaurants, with live bands, though there is one available with living cabins which you can hire; ideal if you are a large group. Some tourists pay a fortune to spot rare golden langurs in Bhutan’s national parks. Yet at Umananda Mandir these loveable monkeys often loiter at the gates, politely soliciting snacks from devotees. This Shiva temple complex sits on a prettily forested river-island, accessed by a 36-seater Umanada Mandir cruise boats. The boats depart when full (roughly half-hourly) from Kachari Ghat which itself offers cheap attractive afternoon river views, and it takes just 15 minutes to be there. Price: An incredible Rs 10.00! But if you need to discover the northeast by river, there is the more detailed Brahmaputra cruises for four to 10 nights at US$320 per person per night, and also runs the Bansbari Lodge in Manas National Park. They all depart from Guwahati, and need to be reserved months earlier. This I would strongly recommend to our Danish friends. So does Lonely Planet. I never miss to take my friends on an early morning jog at the Jogger’s Lane near my house, alongside the Brahmaputra, then replenish their fluid loss with some fresh green coconut water. That should also get you

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NEWSLETTER SEPTEMBER 2011 Editor: Geet Shroff

ready for the nearby wholesale fish market, where you could pick up some of the freshest freshwater fish at a bargain. Top that with the early morning vegetable shopping at Kachari Bazaar that is a quaint , traditional Assamese ‘haat’ or market, the only market that still retains its age-old tradition of offering items very unique to the Assamese dining table : bamboo shoots, exotic and fresh fruits, herbs, sticky rice , duck eggs and much more.

A glimpse of Manas National Park

Another place to visit is the Assam State Museum on GN Bordoloi (GNB) Road. It has a large sculpture collection, while the upper floors are devoted to informative tribal culture displays. You get to walk through reconstructed tribal homes. A day or two should be kept aside for visits nearby. Mahatma Gandhi mentioned that dreams are woven by the Assamese women on their looms. Located 35km away from Guwahati on the northern bank of the river Brahmaputra, is the renowned silk-weaving centre Sualkuchi. Often known as the Manchester of the East, it is one of world’s largest weaving villages. Sualkuchi is famed for its ‘Muga’ silk, i.e the natural golden silk (not dyed) of Assam which is not produced anywhere else in the world. Other varieties like ‘Endi’ or ‘Tassar’ and ‘Pat’ silks are also woven here. Assam is also famous for its wildlife conservation efforts, especially with the one-horned rhinocerous. Although Kaziranga National Park is the place to visit,

but a 35 km drive from Guwahati takes you to Pobitora National Park, and an elephant ride there should take you to these wonderful animals. To experience the unified India of different faiths, drive 32 km to the town of Hajo. It is the meeting point of the Muslim, Buddhist and Hindu faiths. The Hayagrib Madhab Temple here is said to contain a relic of Lord Buddha. Also there is the 12th century mosque established by an Iraqi prince, and is referred to as Poa Mecca. Got a day to spare? Take that breath-taking 100km drive uphill to Shillong, the ‘Scotland of the East’ at about 2000 metres. You are immediately trans-located to a cool environ of sweet-smelling pine trees, chapels and churches, as Shillong is the capital of the Christian-majority state of Meghalaya. It has one of the finest golf courses. This town, besides being a centre for education, is famous for the music scene. It is the only place in India where the Århus-based Michael Learns to Rock had a sell-out concert. Shillong is home to the now world-famous Shillong Choir and the annual Bob Dylan birthday concert. Drive another hour or so, and you reach Cherrapunji, the second-wettest place on earth. You should consider yourself lucky if there is sunshine!

Woman at village silk loom weaving Assam

Muga natural silk in Sualkuchi

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NEWSLETTER SEPTEMBER 2011 Editor: Geet Shroff

There are plenty of budget and star hotels, but my recommendation will be at the ITDC run Brahmaputra Ashok on the banks of the famous river, Nandan Hotel with a very traditional Indian restaurant next to the railway station. A budget option is the Assam Tourist Complex, adjoining the railway station. It has the added convenience of its organized tourist buses and taxis. Guwahati now boasts of a few clean B&Bs. Places to eat? Paradise is well known for its authentic Assamese cuisine Its thali is the best way to get a lot of small tasters. Assamese food is not a lip tingler like typical Indian food and for some this cuisine can seem rather bland, but it’s the subtleties you’re after rather than the heat, is how Lonely Planet describes it. Mainland China on G S Road, is my choice for authentic Chinese cuisine. JB’s is a complex offering fast food, traditional Indian meals and ice cream. Upbeat and cartoon-walled, Beatrix is just a peg above a student-style hangout. Its eclectic menu offers fish and chips, momos (Tibetan dumplings), and Hakka Chow. Should you require more information, you may log into the official Assam Tourism advertisements, or simply contact the author for more details.

Vi ses i Guwahati!!

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