CHOR BAZAAR WORKSHOP

Send a Smile Campaign - "Blue Peter"

2009-11-10T10:04:00.004-05:00

Listening to the BBC's, Asian Network, I came across an excellent campaign to collect unwanted t-shirts to be used as hospital gowns for children.

Operation Smile and the BBC have teamed up to form, the "Send A Smile" campaign, which aims to help and provide life-changing operations for hundreds of children with cleft lips and palates in India.

Unfortunately, we in the States cannot participate because: "Children who have made their gowns will be able to drop them off at any Currys, Currys Digital or PC World stores. Alternatively, gowns can also be dropped off at local libraries and local BBC radio stations." Here is a link to the BBC website.

There is no link to contact them. Can the CBBC contact us and give us a shipping address? We would love to assist in this campaign.

Unload those unwanted t-shirts for something significant.

High School Musical gets down to Bollywood

2009-10-23T13:02:00.001-04:00

I have not seen the movie, "High School Musical" but this is a pretty good editing job. The film editor almost seamlessly added the Bollywood lyrics of "Doom Taana" from the movie, "Om Shanti Om".

Here is the excerpt from the YouTube post, which sums it up:

High School Musical meets Bollywood. A BREN EDIT

It's really interesting that HSM is shot exactly like a Bollywood Movie. Guy meets girl, guy sings with girl, guy has inner conflict, guy loses girl... and last but not least, Guy wins girl back!

Here is the original, "Item Number", where Deepika Padukon and Shahruk Khan dance their hearts out.

Some of you may remember the Newark Airport debacle with Shahruk Khan?

President Obama's Diwali Message

2009-10-16T10:07:00.006-04:00

President Obama had recognized the Hindu in his Inaugural Address and now acknowledges one of the biggest Hindu holidays.

Here are some great photos and videos from the SAJA Forum who covered the 2009 Diwali Celebrations in the White House.

I have been reading some interesting posts on Facebook regarding the celebrations:

J.F. - Happy Diwali Actually there have been White House Diwali celebrations for the past 6 years - the George W Bush administration began the tradition in 2002...

J.F. - And according to Rediff, the Obama Diwali was something of an afterthought that came about after a lot of community pressure: Rediff Article

S.S. - The ceremony marked the first-time that Diwali was observed in The White House itself. The Bush Administration traditionally celebrated Diwali in the Indian Treaty Room in the Old Executive Office Building, next to the main White House. And, yes, that's a different kind of Indian.

Thank you Mister President and Sal Mubarak to you and your family, even if you were pressured into doing this for the South Asian Community.

HAPPY DIWALI + NEW YEAR 2066

2009-10-15T18:38:00.001-04:00

Happy Diwali and New Year to everyone!

In a selfless act, I am going to offer you spam now, buy the best Desi (Indian) inspired t-shirt on the planet. We know we would make a hot Diwali present for the cool people in your life.

Even if you don't buy a t-shirt, we still hope that you have a great Diwali and a fantastic New Year.

Thank you,

Chor Bazaar Team.

Red Baraat and the Chile Pepper Festival - Brooklyn

2009-10-05T18:34:00.000-04:00

The Brooklyn Botanic Gardens hosted their annual Chile Pepper Festival this past Saturday, October 3rd. There were a series of musical artists featured at the festival, but the headliners took the cake....or should I say the Jalebi?

Apart from a rain soaked event, these cats, called the Red Baraat drew everyone that was left of a dwindling crowd. Folks couldn't resist the Baraat flavor infused with Bangin' Bhangra 'n' Brass Funk, as they say on their Twitter account.

Mind you, the Bhangra beats are not for those with heart problems, try 200 beats per minute which makes the "screw in the light bulb" move in Bhangra dancing, insane! Regardless the ethnically, mixed crowd was definitely entertained and getting down. Even the staff at the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens couldn't resist.

The leader of this crew was Sunny Jain, who stated that this group was inspired by his wedding four years ago. For anyone that has been in a Baraat, it is hell of a party were you will see that grumpy old auntie or uncle get down to the beat of a Dhol. One of my favorite Dhol masters are the Dhol Foundation.

I purchased their CD, which they just released, but nothing beats these guys live. I doubt that these guys would do a wedding? If you are considering a Baraat with some flavor and these guys don't do weddings, then buy their CD and drop it in the system. The Baraat procession won't know what hit them and I mean this in a good way. I wish I had known about these guys for my Brother's wedding.

The Crew:

Sunny Jain - dhol / drumset / percussion / MC
Rohin Khemani - tavil / doumbek / percussion

Tomas Fujiwara - drumset / percussion
Arun Luthra - soprano sax
Mike Bomwell - baritone sax
Sonny Singh - trumpet / vocals
MiWi La Lupa - bass trumpet
Dave Smith - trombone
John Altieri - sousaphone / rap

From their site:

Red Baraat is the first and only dhol ‘n’ brass band of its kind in the States, melding the infectious North Indian rhythm Bhangra with brass funk and expressing the human spirit through improvisation and a powerful live sound. Comprised of dhol (double-sided, barrel-shaped North Indian drum slung over one shoulder), percussion and horns, this NYC-based group plays fresh originals, as well as traditional Punjabi songs and Bollywood numbers with a dramatic stage performance and presence.

We see that they are going to be doing t-shirts, maybe we could help out?

Happy Birthday Gandhiji! Google Style

2009-10-02T09:33:00.001-04:00

Today marks the 140th Birthday of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. Most people will realize this when they open Google's search engine today.

Looks like the artist got a little conceptual with the graphics.

The background stems from "Khādī", which is an Indian handspun and hand-woven cloth. The likely raw materials may be cotton, silk, or wool, which are spun into threads on a spinning wheel called a charkha. Khadi was part of Gandhi's, "Swadeshi Movement", which would free India and today's Bangladesh and Pakistan from British Cotton.

Today people can find a excellent array of Khadi wear at Fab India. I own a bunch of Fab India, Khadi Kurtas, but enough of that for now...

The other interesting aspect of the Gandhi-Google image, is letter "G" boys and girls! "G", is the letter of the day...brought to you by Sesame Street... I never thought of Gandhi's head as the letter G, but it may take a while to get out of my head.

My last observation is the Far East Asian Ink drawing style, of the G, sorry...Gandhi's head and the typography. Is there a connection between, Far East Asian, Ink Drawings and Gandhi's peaceful, "Non-Cooperation Movement? I certaintly felt peaceful, when Google's search engine popped up to reveal Gandhiji's Birthday. I wanted to grab a bottle of Sumi Ink and a paintbrush and make a Google image for, Che Guevara, who's birthday is June 14th.

All kidding aside, Happy Birthday Gandhiji! (October 2, 1869 – January 30, 1948) No need for me to tell you what an impact he caused in this world.

Update: The design was created by someone from RISD, hence my alumni!

From the Alumni Blog:

Jennifer Hom ‘09 IL, a web designer/illustrator at Google, is responsible for today’s Google Doodle of Mahatma Ghandi - it’s Jen’s first doodle for Google. Nice work, Jen!

Incredible India at Penn Station

2009-09-14T11:13:00.003-04:00

I was just at Penn Station the other day and struck by the subway entry, advertising.

Something was fitting about the Taj Mahal being pictured above the subway entry.

Was it the notion that I was reminiscing the descent into the tombs of Noor Jahan? Could the Taj's pure white marble of Makrana, Rajastan, be the analogous to the white tile of the subway stair walls? New Yorkers descend these stairs to the filthy hot and smelly train platforms and tourists descend the Taj Mahal stairs to the wafting scent of roses that could potentially knock you out.

I digress...the advertisers couldn't have been that conceptual. An old post on "Incredible India"

1-800-A-INDIAN

2009-09-01T09:06:00.006-04:00

1-800-A-INDIAN! Well it's nice to know that the producers Lindsay Gareth and Kosha Patel were able to solidify the Russell Peters' notion, that "Indian people are cheap."

This sploof, infomercial is on the kitschy side, and could be viewed as offensive to some Indian folks. Did Kosha really need to be dressed in a Sari and be bought for $19.95 with a free Slumdog Millionaire DVD?

Nothing like being bought by a perky, "Legally Blond" chick and having to teach her about all the stereotypical baggage that comes with the idea of being "Indian".

Anyway, we will let you be the judge about this video. Hell you may get a kick out of it, but there are ramifications to be felt from those, that are not so well versed on the idea of "Indian" culture.

Spain Goes Jai-Ho!

2009-08-26T11:40:00.005-04:00

Spain is rocking to the tune of "Bollywood" or should we say Slumdog? Check out the Indo/Spanish version of A.R. Rahman's Slumdog Millionaire track. Good thing the Spaniards never colonized India, because their pronunciation of Hindi is almost as bad as the British.

From NDTV:

Jai Ho! performance at OT Operación Triunfo 2009
Monday, August 17, 2009
Spain is the latest country to fall under Rahman's spell. At the Gala 13 finals of the Generación OT (Operación Triunfo) 2009 in July, a television reality-show talent contest that is a cross between Pop Idol, Voces en Función, Star Search, and Big Brother, Spanish contestants created a sensation by performing 'Jai Ho!'. See why this performance has become such a rage.

A while back, Chor Bazaar was featured on the Spanish T-shirt Blog 1001 Camisetas

Shilpa Shetty for Mike Bloomberg

2009-08-18T11:37:00.004-04:00

Way to get the Indian votes for Mike Bloomberg!

I really don't know if Shilpa has a clue about NYC politics but I have to hand it to the Bloomberg campaigners to solicit her help. They must have hired the graphic designers that design all those cheesy flyers for Indian events. Attention to the details is key...or maybe it's just a convenient plot because she was the Grand Marshal for the New York City, India Day Parade last Sunday?

I wonder if Bloomberg could have received praise from Shahrukh Khan after his Newark debacle? Good thing he was Chicago's Grand Marshal.

"Hindguese" - Brazil is Feeling the Desi

2009-08-18T10:56:00.007-04:00

Reuters has reported on a new wave of "Desiness" (Indian) to hit Brazil. I can't understand Portuguese, but these folks are tossing in Hindi phrase like they dropped, Yiddish phrases on a Seinfeld Episode. Unlike an Indian sitcom, these folks aren't afraid to show affection either.

Maybe this will spawn a new "Hindguese" language or a "Bollysamba" battle on the streets of Rio?

Reuters - India is cool in Brazil thanks to hot 'novela'

Monday, Aug 17, 2009 5:18PM UTC

By Stuart Grudgings

RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - The pink-walled palaces, shimmering saris and Bollywood dances all scream India. So why are the actors speaking Portuguese and kissing passionately?
Welcome to Brazil's latest soap opera hit, a lavish production that has sparked a mini India boom in Brazil, even while taking liberties with its portrayal of the Asian giant.

The "Caminho das Indias" (Way of the Indias) telenovela, with Hindi phrases thrown into the Portuguese dialogue, has piqued Brazilians' interest in the emerging economic powerhouse that was little-known here before.

Hindi phrases such as the exclamation "Arre Baba" (Oh my goodness!) have entered everyday speech; interest in yoga, meditation and Indian dance is on the rise and demand for Indian clothes and decorations has jumped.

On Rio de Janeiro's beaches, vendors are touting Indian-style sarongs.

"People like it because it's very energetic and very happy," said Samra Sanches, an instructor who has started giving Indian dance classes. "We try to work on moves similar to those in the novela."
The story, which like most Brazilian soaps is told in a grueling 200 or so episodes over more than six months, centers on a forbidden love between beautiful high-caste woman Maya and handsome Bahuan, a low-caste Dalit, a group formerly known as "Untouchables."

Filmed partly in India's Rajasthan, the action flits between Jaipur and Agra where tradition and religion hang in the air and the beach-side Rio of micro-bikinis.

"The novela shows the respect in India for the elders of a family, which isn't always the case in the West," said Tony Ramos, a 60-year-old soap opera idol who plays the conservative head of the Brahmin Ananda family in the series.

CROSSING THE LINE
He spoke between takes at Brazilian entertainment giant Globo's studios, where several Indian "towns" have been constructed complete with Hindi temples and a river Ganges.

Ramos and the other leading actors spent three weeks filming in India, on top of a two-month course to get them up to speed on yoga, Indian dance moves and language.

The impact of "Caminhos" on Brazilians' speech, fashion, and interests is the latest example of soap operas' powerful social influence in Latin America's biggest country.

Globo's prime-time novelas, often portraying a wealthy elite in Rio that is far from the everyday reality of most Brazilians, can grab more than 40 million viewers a night.

Indian Ambassador to Brazil B.S. Prakash said his embassy had seen a jump in phone calls and e-mails from Brazilians curious about India. The novela, he said, helped fill a cultural gap between the two nations that remained wide despite stronger diplomatic relations in recent years.

"The novela in that sense has opened many doors, many people are getting to have an impression about India," he told Reuters by telephone from Brasilia.

"Caminhos" has attracted strong ratings and spawned at least one spin-off program on Indian life. But the steamy demands of a Brazilian soap opera have inevitably crossed the line of what would be acceptable in India, where public or on-screen kissing is still taboo.

Some Indians in Brazil are shocked by the sexual encounters between Maya and Bahuan, saying Maya would have been expelled by her family if they had happened in real life.

Some critics also take issue with the portrayal of widespread discrimination against Dalits and a rigid caste system which they say is out of date.

But actor Ramos, fresh from a scene in which he goes head-to-head against a Dalit candidate in an election, defended the portrayal of the caste system as not so far from reality.

"It's the same when you show the Brazil of slums, or the political problems -- many Brazilians will say my country isn't like that," he said.

(Additional reporting by Julia Aquino)

Biryani Cart - Makes the Cut for the NYC Vendy Awards

2009-08-17T16:16:00.004-04:00

Meru Sikder's, Biryani Cart is one of five finalists for the 2009 NYC Vendy Awards.

What are the Vendy Awards (aka The Vendys)?

-An intense cook-off between the best sidewalks chefs in New York City for the Vendy Award trophy and the title of Vendy Award winner.
-One of New York City’s most beloved and widely anticipated food events, and its premier street food showcase.
-A festival of respect and gratitude for all vendors and everything they provide us-from your morning coffee (half-and-half, two sugars) to the $2 umbrella when you get caught in the thunderstorm.
-A fundraiser for the Street Vendor Project, a membership-based non-profit organization that stands up for vendors’ rights.

We wish Meru Sikder, the best of luck! My mouth is still watering from those Kati Roll creations.

You can find him at 46th Street and 6th Avenue, Midtown Manhattan, New York City!

Happy 62nd, India!

2009-08-16T11:12:00.002-04:00

Happy 62nd Independence Day India! August 15, 2009!

How far you have come and plenty more to go.

Tripping on Desi Twinkle Twinkle Little Star

2009-08-11T10:21:00.004-04:00

I recently received this video from a family member.

I was reminded of the time my uncle in, India would sing this song to me until the ripe age of 12. Not sure why, but maybe he thought that this was like Michael Jackson to me or something?

The first segment of the video is from the Tamil, television "serial" (that's what they call a sitcom in, India) "Kasalavu Nesam", which is an out-and-out domestic middle-class comedy. The second part of the video is from the 1970's Bollywood movie, "Purab aur Pachhim".

This is some hilarious, trippy stuff.

Are We Spelling it Right?

2009-08-10T12:11:00.003-04:00

Here is another random post.

On a recent trip to Jackson Heights I noticed the Spelling of "Bazaar" as Bazar, as in "Apna Bazar Cash & Carry". Are we spelling it wrong? Could the illustrious, Apna Bazar Cash & Carry be wrong?

Hey Milk is on sale for $2.49...gotta make that homemade Paneer.

The Mahabharata is on Twitter!

2009-08-05T10:36:00.008-04:00

We are not much for religious posts, but we couldn't resist The Mahabharata on Twitter! Social Media meets the Gupta period's epic story. The Rāmāyana is sure to follow unless Mr. Sreedharan has already started this.

By Tony Tharakan

NEW DELHI (Reuters Life!) - Mahabharata, the ancient epic about princes, demigods and a cataclysmic war is getting a makeover on Twitter -- 140 characters at a time.

Chindu Sreedharan, a U.K.-based lecturer, is retelling the Mahabharata using the micro-blogging service, hoping to lure readers with creative snippets posted in chronological order.
"This is not quite about capturing the philosophical richness of the original Mahabharata -- but presenting a version that will, hopefully, suit the medium," Sreedharan, 36, told Reuters in an e-mail interview.

The Sanskrit epic, one of Hinduism's crucial texts, deals with a dynastic struggle for power that ends in victory for the righteous. It is regarded as an allegorical lesson in righteous living integral to much of India's cultural consciousness.

While the original Mahabharata has a main narrator, Sreedharan's version

(http://twitter.com/epicretold) is told from the point of view of Bhima, one of the five Pandava brothers who triumph over their hundred Kaurava cousins in battle.

Such was the appeal of the Mahabharata that when it was first adapted for television in the 1980s, it managed to empty city streets, forced changes in train timings and got actors elected as members of parliament.

Which is also why Sreedharan turned to the epic for an experiment in social media.
"My hunch was, to keep the follower hooked, you needed a tale that provided for plenty of dramatic tension. Mahabharata does that."

Since its launch on July 29, epicretold has gone through 33 tweets, each less than 140 characters -- a journey that has already seen the young Pandava brothers leave their jungle abode for the royal palace.

Sreedharan has no idea how many tweets he will eventually take to make good triumph over evil. But he says he has no illusions about the literary merit of the Mahabharata's Twitter avatar.

"It is simply twiction, nothing more."

Free Chor Bazaar T-shirt giveaway

2009-08-03T09:11:00.004-04:00

Okay it's a contest Sponsored by the awsome folks at "High Heel Confidential". We can't just give them away without having you do something.

CLICK HERE to enter!

We wish you the best of luck and hope you are rocking a Chor Bazaar t-shirt soon!

Bollywood Hero - Chris Kattan

2009-07-20T14:32:00.007-04:00

I was nearly floored when I saw the monster graphics for the new mini-series plastered on the side of a New York City, tour bus. I thought that they were bringing back Andrew Lloyd Webber's, "Bombay Dreams", which closed it's doors on January 2, 2005. Sorry for the not so good photo of the bus.

Chris Kattan, man who brought us "Mango" on Saturday Night Live, goes Bollywood in a three part mini series on the IFC Channel.

From IFC's Website:

"Bollywood Hero" is a three-night Bollywood musical event starring Chris Kattan that will premiere on IFC August 6, 7 and 8 at 10pm ET/PT. Kattan plays himself, sort of, in this scripted comedy -- tired of being rejected as a leading-man in Hollywood, he burns his professional bridges in L.A. and accepts a starring role in the Bollywood film "Peculiar Dancing Boy." Fresh off the plane, he's flung into a world of sibling rivalry, cultural faux pas, funding issues and power hungry starlets.

For the Bollywood novices, the IFC has posted an Indie Guide to Bollywood.

Trueroots - Tata - Call India Commercial

2009-07-16T14:42:00.005-04:00

Yes, it's another post on an Indian commercial. This one is from, Trueroots International, a calling service from Tata Communications.

It is a clever commercial on stereotypical Desi-ness (Indian). It's an exercise in defining an Indian in 90 seconds.

The famous head nod for yes and no is perfect.

Well done TATA!

TATA tshirts

2009-07-06T17:57:00.005-04:00

Yet another Desi inspired t-shirt from a non-Desi inspired company.

I guess the folks at "The Cotton Factory", are not too concerned about copyright infringement? They also missed the "TATA's" if you know what I mean...and on a guy's shirt this is a little weird.

For those that don't know about TATA, here is a LINK ...oh and they own Jaguar and Landrover, so they are everywhere now.

Nike T-Shirt going Desi

2009-07-06T13:09:00.003-04:00

Here is an interesting find from the Netherlands. A rare Nike T Shirt - 'Love' India edition. I actually found this on EBAY.

We were recently contacted by a newspaper that posed an interesting question.

"Do you feel that Indians are ready to represent themselves in the West, considering that they are more prone to wearing a mainstream brand?"

We feel that our t-shirts can be worn by anyone and not necessarily for someone of Indian origin. Our designs don't scream, "Brown", "Desi" etc... They are made for the masses.

The interesting thing about Nike producing a t-shirt with Hindi writing could actually show that there is something to what we are doing. Could a mega company like Nike actually make it cool to wear something of Indian origin, or will they kill us? In the meantime we are going to keep tooting our TATA horn and do our own thing.

We can only hope that you find our designs are a bit more appealing than the standard "Om" symbol shirt or a Nike shirt with "love" written in many languages.

Bhangra Loves Michael Jackson

2009-06-25T22:08:00.008-04:00

(August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009)

To the King of Pop, may you finally rest in peace from all the vultures that wanted a piece of you.

For those that don't know the track in the video above.....it is Tigerstyle's - "Nachna Onda Nei". The foundation of the song is thanks to Michael Jackson. A man that crossed all genres of music will be greatly missed.

Okay, I couldn't resist this Telugu rendition of Michael Jackson's Thriller. Sit back and enjoy the insanity. I got a ton of feedback on Facebook for this one.

Ustad Ali Akbar Khan Passes Away

2009-06-19T10:55:00.006-04:00

The South Asian Classical Music World lost a great maestro today. May Ustad Ali Akbar Khan rest in peace. Our heartfelt condolences to his family, friends and lovers of his creations.

(April 14, 1922 – June 19, 2009)

His discography , It is massive! Educate yourself and buy some!

Those Tiny Packets in the Electronics Box.

2009-06-15T14:32:00.007-04:00

Okay, this completely random but I couldn't resist to post something called, "Desi-Pak".

Now the science part from Desi-Pak® :

Desi Pak® unit bags provide a low cost and efficient method of protecting against moisture damage during transit and storage. The bags are filled with a bentonite clay which is a naturally occurring mineral as opposed to a chemically synthesized adsorbent.

Wonder where the name originates from anyway? Some guy in France, certainly has a monopoly like the "YKK" guy that's on most people's flies.

"Intel Star" Ajay Bhatt

2009-06-13T18:42:00.013-04:00

This had us in stiches.

From Intel:

Rather than focusing on a new product, the 2009 "Sponsors of Tomorrow" ad campaign celebrates what makes Intel different culture, personality, heroes -- and ways Intel has helped change the world for over 40 years.

Where does one get the Ajay Bhatt, t-shirt anyway? It won't be long before someone on "Cafepress" or "Zazzle", creates one. Did we mention, how we dislike Cafepress and Zazzle?

Hey Intel, we are here to offer our services!