Indian Newslink Digital Edition Mar 15, 2016

24
ARTLINK-with Ratna Venkat
March 15, 2016
Men need beauty
therapy.
Have I made
you laugh or made
you think about the above
statement?
I admire all the beautiful
wives and female partners who
hold their man’s hand and visit
beauty clinics to have their skin
treated.
Many beauty therapists do
men’s eyebrows, facials and
waxing.
I have been doing so for many
years now.
I have provided beauty
therapy on male television
presenters, doctors, students
and other professionals. they
always go happy. All of them
have left my clinic with a smile
on their faces and after a while,
returned for a repeat treatment.
Same skin
Let’s face it: men frown at female therapists
Men and women have the
same skin; the main difference
is that women care about their
skin more than men do.
We do not do feminine
eyebrow shape but just tidy up
and perfect for each face shape.
Tiding up your eyebrows
professionally opens up your
eye area and you feel lighter and
younger.
I am sure that everyone wants
to experience that feeling and
look.
Male apathy
Sometimes men ask themselves,
“Why do I need beauty
treatment? Can I trust a woman
to look after my skin?”
If in doubt, ask your
colleagues or friends, they will
vouch for us!
Men need proper facials done
from time to time since they also
collect a lot of dirt and debris
from the environment.
A qualified therapist will
properly steam your face, clean,
exfoliate, give you a pamper
massage and give your skin type
mask pack.
This process will clean your
skin from deeper levels. This
is a very important anti aging
treatment.
Men should look after their
skin, body and health as women
do.
Skin is the largest organ of the
body and hence requires proper
care and treatments.
When we are young, we do
not care much about our skin
but as we age, reach 40 years
and beyond, we start worrying
about the condition of our skin.
Treatment Programme
A qualified therapist will have
proper programme of treatment
to not only have a healthy skin
but also keep it glowing.
It is never late and hence
please seek the services of a
professional beauty therapist
and discuss any problems that
you may have with your skin.
A good therapist will not only
provide you good solutions
but also maintain complete
confidentiality of your visits
and treatment.
Some men may have reservations
in seeking treatment from
female beauty therapists.
Cream and scream
I know that all men want
to have younger-looking skin
but may feel shy. They would
therefore visit a supermarket or
a pharmacy and buy a cream,
which they believe would do the
magic.
It is not that easy. Every skin
type is different and hence
needs personal attention.
Unfortunately, even the most
effective and expensive face
cream cannot turn back years
but regular facials improve
blood circulation of your skin
and activate all cells, regenerating
them.
There are numerous factors
that determine how quickly skin
ages, including genetic factors,
skin type, environmental
factors and other habits such as
smoking, drinking and what and
how we eat food.
Some Tips for Healthy Skin
Avoid direct exposure to Sun, especially your face
Drink plenty of water to keep your skin hydrated
Avoid direct smoke on your face as it would dry your skin
Avoid driest air conditioning
Eat plenty of green, leafy vegetables and fruits
Always visit a qualified and professional beauty therapist
Disclaimers: Ronita Sharma, Forever Shine & Beauty and Indian Newslink absolve
themselves of any responsibility relating to the ingredients, methods and other matters
relating to ‘Shine Forever with Ronita’ column. Some products may not be available at
all places at all times and some products may cause allergies or other-side effects in
some people. Caution must therefore be exercised before using all products, therapies
or other methods suggested in the above column. Please consult Ronita Sharma, your
General Practitioner, Nutritionist or any other qualified and authorised consultant. Ronita
Sharma can be contacted on (09) 3580830; Email: forevershine_beauty@yahoo.co.nz
Youngsters foster the power of Carnatic Music
Ratna Venkat
ratna@indiannewslink.co.nz
Carnatic Music came alive
with all its nuances at a
concert held on March 5,
2016 at Dorothy Winstone
Centre, Auckland Girls’ Grammar
School.
Dr Padma Govardhan after being honoured
The occasion was a tribute
to Sangeetha Bharati School of
Music Director & Principal Dr
Padma Govardhan who received
her Doctorate (PhD) for her thesis
on ‘Shankarabharanam’ from the
Kodaikanal based Mother Teresa
University at the Convocation
held in Madurai on February
13 (Indian Newslink, March 1,
2016) and for the Silver Jubilee of
her married life to her husband
Govardhan Mallela, a qualified
and practising Chartered
Accountant.
The tribute was rendered
with conviction by her daughter
Vishnu Priya, who has emerged
as one of the finest singers of
today’s younger generation
Phil Goff with (from left) Hema Gopalan Iyengar, Gopalan Iyengar, Dr Padma Govardhan
and Dr Ragini Rathnasabapathy at the felicitation ceremony
Vishnu Priya in concert accompanied by (from left) Balu Mallela, Nithya Narayanan,
Ashwini Vishwanath and Bhairavi Raman
and son Balu Mallela whose
increasing proficiency on the
Mridangam was a treat to hear
and watch.
Their performance was
embellished by Bhairavi Raman
(Violin), Ashwini Vishwanath
(Flute) and Nithya Narayanan
(Tambura). For almost three
hours, they resonated the
theatre with rhythm, melody and
synergy, extolling Classical Music
to its level of excellence.
Felicitating Padma
The event was organised by
Sangeetha Bharathi School of
Music and Rasikas NZ with Dr
Yogini Rathnasabapathy, an
ardent Carnatic Music enthusiast
as the Chief Guest and Mount
Roskill Labour MP and former
Foreign and Trade Minister
(Auckland Mayoral candidate)
Phil Goff as the Guest of Honour.
Both of them praised the
multiple roles that Dr Padma
executes to perfection with
honour, honesty, discipline and
devotion- as a wife, mother,
singer, teacher and learner.
Indian Newslink carried a
detailed account of her academic
and professional qualifications in
its March 1, 2016 issue.
Priya Srinivasan of Rasikas
NZ was Master of Ceremonies
of the event at which Dr Padma
Govardhan was blessed by
Gopalan Iyengar and his wife
Hema, a respected elderly couple
of the community.
Dr Pratyusha Vikrant Kashibhatla,
a student of Sangeetha
Bharathi School of Music spoke
on behalf of all students while
honouring Dr Padma. Her mimicry
of the Guru was an interesting
addition to the tribute.
Energising Varnam
Beginning the Concert with
obeisance to Lord Ganesha, the
Remover of all obstacles, Vishnu
Priya set the pace for high notes
of Carnatic Music which she
learnt from her mother and other
Gurus.
‘Ninu Nera Mammithi,’ a
Varnam in Kharaharapriya
Ragam and Adi Talam was an
appropriate beginning to the
Concert.
Vishnu Priya rendered this
song composed by Dr Balamuralikrishna
with such devotion and
expertise that the maestro would
have stood up in ovation had he
been present at the venue.
Muthuswami Dikshitar, one of
the trinity of Carnatic Music, was
a composer known not only to
evoke human emotions but also
for their depth and soulfulness.
No Carnatic Music concert can be
considered complete without at
least one of his compositions.
Vishnu Priya chose ‘Thyagaraja
Palayasumam’ set in Goula
Ragam and Adi Talam and
rendered it with the poise and
confidence of a master musician.
The way Bhairavi coped with the
intricacies of this number was
commendable.
Female challengers
Papanasam Sivan, known
as the ‘Tamil Thayagajayya,’
composed more than 500 songs
that have been immortalised by
many stalwarts including M S
Subbulakshmi. ‘Nambi Kettavar
Yevaraiyya, Umai Nayaganai,
Tirumalaiyin Iravani’ is a song
that seldom fails to throw
listeners into a trance. That
was the experience as Vishnu
Priya presented this number in
Hindolam Ragam and Adi Talam.
Great Number
Mysore Vasudevachar’s
‘Pranamamyagam’ was rendered
(in Ragam Ranjani and Talam
Misra Triputa) with fineness and
poise with Bhairavi reaching
high standards to the tone set
by Vishnu Priya. This number is
heard mostly at concerts that test
the ability of the vocalist to reach
higher scales. There was no let
down.
The Centre Piece
Earlier, ‘Nee Valla Gunadoshamemi,’
a Thyagaraja composition
also received dignified
rendition, doing justice to one
of the greatest composers of the
18th and 19th Centuries.
Vishnu Priya not only excelled
her own performance while
rendering ‘Mohana Rama’ but
also challenged her co-artistes to
rise to their peak performance.
This 40-minute centre piece,
set to Mohana Ragam and Adi
Talam brought out the prowess
of the singer with an elongated
Alaapanai, engaging Pallavi and
Anu Pallavi and scintillating
Charanam.
As she sang the words, ‘Dhara
Manuj Avatara, Mahima Vini
Sura Kinnara,’ the temptation
to stand up and give the singer
a standing ovation was hard to
resist. But we did not, for fear
of disturbing the remarkable
recital.
There were 13 numbers in all
excluding Mangalam with which
Vishnu Priya concluded her
Concert. It was no coincidence
that the final number was a
composition of Dr Balamuralikrishna.
His ‘Thillana,’ set to Ahir
Bhairavi Ragam and Adi Talam
elevated the event to a new high
level.