Recently I bumped into an old colleague of mine and the first question she asked was, “Do you do Cocaine?”
I was stunned. Well, I asked why had she asked such a question. She answered, “You have such an in-depth knowledge of cocaine that you must be a cokehead yourself.”
I grimaced and could offer just a polite “No” as my answer. But she wasn’t finished yet. “Well, all dopers say they don’t do drugs.”
I could say nothing more. All of these are occupational hazards when you cover narcotics.On hindsight I must admit that I was one of the few guys in school who occasionally tried smoking a few joints of hash. But that was all there is to it. Nothing more!
I was a momma's boy then and never went in for crazy cocktails. For starters, cocktails, in our public school lexicon, wasn’t the usual alcoholic stuff served in hotels. It used to be a concoction of Phensydyle or Corex, Coke or Pepsi, mashed Brufen tablets, Proxivon, a quarter of whisky and a tinge of Iodex balm.
Ingredients differed according to the taste of the mixers. Whatever the mix was, it was enough to calm the nerves of 10-12 students for an entire evening. The ‘pharm’ kick would sometimes last till chapel service in the mornings.
But I have never tried the Pharms even as it has begun to gain in popularity in recent times. Pharm Parties have become a rage in Delhi. On days when Cocaine peddlers are in hiding, they are the next-best-thing. You get the right kick, nobody catches you and even Delhi Traffic Police’s alcohol metres fail to detect that you are on a high as you drive.
Coming back to the tree-crowned hills of Shimla, the place is famous for its babas — a terminology used to refer to those who partake of Shivji ka Prasad or hash. Babalog are a different breed altogether. They swear by their prasad and say ‘Jai Bholenath’ to greet friends. Alcoholic drinks are a strict no-no for them. I still meet people from the babalog breed in Delhi.
They work in swanky offices, drive luxury cars, do white-collar jobs but they don’t forget to drive to Manali once in a while to fetch their Malana Cream (best hash available in this part of the world). Old habits die hard.
One of the good things, if you can term it so, is the babalogs have lived up to their reputation by staying herbal and not venturing into chemicals. Observing the Delhi drug scene, they definitely are the good boys of high society.
Friday, June 29, 2007
I don’t lie, I don’t lie, I don’t lie; cocaine
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
Arki Heights
Arki FortArki is a quietgetaway hidden away in Western Himalayas boasting of a rich cultural heritage.
Arki. Does this name ring a bell in your head? Well for starters, it’s a quaint town tucked away on the midhills of the western Himalayas. Located about 40 kilometres from Shimla, Arki was once the headquarters of the princely state of Baghal and still boasts of India’s last living crowned king — Raja Rajendra Singh, who was crowned as the King of Baghal just before India’s independence.
Well, we are not going to talk about the Raja here. Instead we’ll talk about his heritage fort, which has now been converted into a hotel — The Palace Retreat, Arki. But if you are a great listener, then you can indulge in a story-telling session with the King. He has plenty of stories to tell you, including the times of India’s freedom struggle, about the lores of Arki and how in his kingdom, no one was hung to death.
The hotel is part of the 17th century heritage fort complex built by Rana Prithvi Singh, the ruler of the former Baghal State from 1695-1700 AD, in a Northern-Indian, Rajput Mughal style. The fort has a rich history behind it. The Arki fort was also the headquarters of the Nepalese General Amar Singh Thapa for eight years from 1806-1815, when he ruled Himachal.
The Arki kings also patronised art in a big way. The palace is famous for its frescoes executed in the Arki Kalam style, thanks to the art-loving Raja Kishan Chand (1840-1876). The roof bears a splendid floral design, while the wall murals depict battles scenes and episodes from the Puranas and other epics. Do check out the brilliant representation of Kalidasa’s poem Kumarasambhava.
It’s a pleasant country-side retreat for travellers on the way to Manali, Dharamshala and Shimla. Whichever way you are going from Delhi, if you take a slight detour, you are bound to get mesmerised by the palace and the small town of Arki, which means a sunny place. Baghal is the short form of Baghalaya, translated as the land of leopards. Well, Leopards are a rarity here now, but if you trek to the hills, you might have a brush with them. Arki is a place to unwind. Far from the maddening crowd, it’s a loner’s delight. One can relax in the fruit orchard and flower garden here. You can also go for long walks in the forest. Ancient cave temples are also located near Arki. One can go on a trek there too. Naldehra Golf Course and the hot sulphur springs at Tattapani are also not that far off from the place.
The view from the Cliffend-Bar-N-Cafe terrace is especially charming at night illuminated by the lights from nearby hillside towns and villages. The rooms are beautiful as they still retain a regal charm. The hotel serves a wide range of Mughlai, regional pahari, and select European, Latin, Chinese and Thai cuisine. It also has a well-stocked bar with a variety of snacks.For details log onto http://www.hotelpalaceretreat.com/ or call 01796-220621, 220021.
Thursday, June 07, 2007
Music, DJs and cocaine
DJ SAAZNot even a fortnight has passed since Delhi got a shocker in the form of cricketer Maninder Singh being arrested for allegedly possessing cocaine that India’s one of the top DJs Dj Aqueel is being arrested for possessing .4 grams of ecstacy at Dubai airport. Media is in frenzy and obviously these high profile arrests are just the right mix of cocktail for media to thrive upon.
However Delhi’s leading DJ - Saaz – feels that the frenzied approach of media and building such hype over these arrests only create more excitement for the youngsters to go and try it more. “Rather than tackling the drug menace, they just build the hype and kids get adventurous and go ahead with trying it for once and than ever.”
“Everything in Delhi is on a boom right now. Delhi is getting more nightclubs, a lot more TV channels and newspapers are being launched so there’s lot of awareness which only leads us to copy the western culture. And in doing so we are just falling ourselves apart,” he adds.
The Delhi-based DJ, who is a regular on the UK nightclubs as well as the Indian party circuit, feels, “There’s no harm in copying the western culture, but only problem is that we can’t copy the UK system here. I play regularly here and see teenagers binging and dancing here, whereas in London, they check your ID for age proof (only above 21 are allowed) and do a thorough search for drugs on people entering the nightclub. And if you are caught, no way you can escape. Whereas in Delhi, we have a law which says serving liquor to only 25 and above, but actually we end up serving to girls as young as 17.”
The DJ feels, this is the root cause of the drug menace in the Capital. Talking about DJ Aqueel’s arrest, he says, “I have met Aqueel several times and have spoken to him when he comes to Delhi. He is a sane person and wouldn’t do such a foolish thing of carrying Ecstacy tablets in the airport and that too in the Middle East. I can bet on it that he has been framed. Aqueel is in a different league altogether and he has the Bollywood tag too. Almost in all the Asian circuit he commands a respect and has carved a niche for himself. In this business there are too many competitors and anybody would have planted the two pills on his bag. I know him personally and he can’t do such a foolish act. Basically it’s not about him, it’s about anybody. Any person, until he is a peddler, won’t take such a great risk of landing in the cop’s net along with drugs at the airport.”
Talking about Londoners as the biggest snorters, Saaz says, “Well, a drug addict there does it privately and takes utmost care of not getting caught. Although you see in nightclubs people snorting in groups, but then they get it from peddlers and they have links. I don’t know how they do it, but there are instances. But just linking up drugs with nightclubs is not correct. In London, a drug addict will do drugs, no matter where he is, but with care. In India they have a feeling that their dad’s wealth can help them get away with the crime if they are caught. And like London, they gain entry easily into nightclubs. Youngsters too have misconception that certain genres can only be enjoyed when you are high on drugs.
“As a musician, I would like to request people especially youngsters that DO NOT ASSOCIATE ANY KIND OF MUSIC WITH DRUGS. The problem in Delhi is that youngsters find it hip to do drugs. They think that if they do it, they are IN the scene. Youngsters do it not for the kicks, but to merely show off. What typically happens is a 17-year-old girl starts smoking dope and gradually progresses to other forms of chemical drugs. By the age she reaches 23, she’s already a veteran and you know what they call them then? (Coke sluts),” he adds. “It’s just a way of ruining your future.”
Talking about drug scene in Delhi, Saaz says, “Everybody does it at an individual level. I don’t say that DJs don’t do drugs, but tell me any field where you won’t find cokeheads? It’s totally individual. There are DJs who demand cocaine at the nightclubs before performing; otherwise they threaten not to play. What can you do? Event managers succumb to their demand. And if you visit some of the nightclubs here you can see traces of cocaine at the most probable places.
“Another myth is people associate certain genres like funk, trans, acid house and progressive rock to drugs. There’s nothing of that sort. You don’t particularly need drugs to enjoy the music. Music is in itself a high. It’s lot of fun and the easiest language to understand,” he adds.
DJ Saaz has some advice for the media also. The DJ feels that media shouldn’t blow drug cases out of proportion. “When you blow it up then kids get more adventurous of trying it out. And I feel that youngsters between 17-23 are the most vulnerable. Authorities should ensure that rules are followed of not serving liquor to kids below 25.”
Finally DJ Saaz has an advice for youngsters: “Choose your life over drugs, ’coz there’s lot more to it.”
However Delhi’s leading DJ - Saaz – feels that the frenzied approach of media and building such hype over these arrests only create more excitement for the youngsters to go and try it more. “Rather than tackling the drug menace, they just build the hype and kids get adventurous and go ahead with trying it for once and than ever.”
“Everything in Delhi is on a boom right now. Delhi is getting more nightclubs, a lot more TV channels and newspapers are being launched so there’s lot of awareness which only leads us to copy the western culture. And in doing so we are just falling ourselves apart,” he adds.
The Delhi-based DJ, who is a regular on the UK nightclubs as well as the Indian party circuit, feels, “There’s no harm in copying the western culture, but only problem is that we can’t copy the UK system here. I play regularly here and see teenagers binging and dancing here, whereas in London, they check your ID for age proof (only above 21 are allowed) and do a thorough search for drugs on people entering the nightclub. And if you are caught, no way you can escape. Whereas in Delhi, we have a law which says serving liquor to only 25 and above, but actually we end up serving to girls as young as 17.”
The DJ feels, this is the root cause of the drug menace in the Capital. Talking about DJ Aqueel’s arrest, he says, “I have met Aqueel several times and have spoken to him when he comes to Delhi. He is a sane person and wouldn’t do such a foolish thing of carrying Ecstacy tablets in the airport and that too in the Middle East. I can bet on it that he has been framed. Aqueel is in a different league altogether and he has the Bollywood tag too. Almost in all the Asian circuit he commands a respect and has carved a niche for himself. In this business there are too many competitors and anybody would have planted the two pills on his bag. I know him personally and he can’t do such a foolish act. Basically it’s not about him, it’s about anybody. Any person, until he is a peddler, won’t take such a great risk of landing in the cop’s net along with drugs at the airport.”
Talking about Londoners as the biggest snorters, Saaz says, “Well, a drug addict there does it privately and takes utmost care of not getting caught. Although you see in nightclubs people snorting in groups, but then they get it from peddlers and they have links. I don’t know how they do it, but there are instances. But just linking up drugs with nightclubs is not correct. In London, a drug addict will do drugs, no matter where he is, but with care. In India they have a feeling that their dad’s wealth can help them get away with the crime if they are caught. And like London, they gain entry easily into nightclubs. Youngsters too have misconception that certain genres can only be enjoyed when you are high on drugs.
“As a musician, I would like to request people especially youngsters that DO NOT ASSOCIATE ANY KIND OF MUSIC WITH DRUGS. The problem in Delhi is that youngsters find it hip to do drugs. They think that if they do it, they are IN the scene. Youngsters do it not for the kicks, but to merely show off. What typically happens is a 17-year-old girl starts smoking dope and gradually progresses to other forms of chemical drugs. By the age she reaches 23, she’s already a veteran and you know what they call them then? (Coke sluts),” he adds. “It’s just a way of ruining your future.”
Talking about drug scene in Delhi, Saaz says, “Everybody does it at an individual level. I don’t say that DJs don’t do drugs, but tell me any field where you won’t find cokeheads? It’s totally individual. There are DJs who demand cocaine at the nightclubs before performing; otherwise they threaten not to play. What can you do? Event managers succumb to their demand. And if you visit some of the nightclubs here you can see traces of cocaine at the most probable places.
“Another myth is people associate certain genres like funk, trans, acid house and progressive rock to drugs. There’s nothing of that sort. You don’t particularly need drugs to enjoy the music. Music is in itself a high. It’s lot of fun and the easiest language to understand,” he adds.
DJ Saaz has some advice for the media also. The DJ feels that media shouldn’t blow drug cases out of proportion. “When you blow it up then kids get more adventurous of trying it out. And I feel that youngsters between 17-23 are the most vulnerable. Authorities should ensure that rules are followed of not serving liquor to kids below 25.”
Finally DJ Saaz has an advice for youngsters: “Choose your life over drugs, ’coz there’s lot more to it.”
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