Bosses in Delhi, scion in parlour

As his father and sister prepared for an eventful trip to Delhi in July, DMK scion Stalin was getting an image makeover designed to make sure he goes far enough.

M. Karunanidhi and his poetess-daughter Kanimozhi were in Delhi to attend the swearing-in of Pratibha Patil. But there was also a family business at hand: Kanimozhi was to take her oath as a Rajya Sabha lawmaker.

But away from the Delhi denouement, Stalin, called by supporters the DMK’s “rising sun”, was blazing a new trail. New posters of the leader were springing up on the city’s walls that made him look much younger and nattier. Some who saw the new images felt he was “charming”, too.

DMK workers say in the pictures, shot recently, Stalin could pass off as a “young groom”. In one picture, Stalin might easily come across as somebody who combines the best of Kamal Hassan and Sarath Kumar’s features. There are signs the young crowd is loving the new look.

But Stalin must be wary of the movie stars he might resemble. While Hassan has no taste for politics, he has to be careful about Kumar, whose ambitions are not secret.

Ektaa’s star-studded series

As far as TV series go, Ektaa Kapoor has dished out enough of them. But in July, she was the star at the launch of another one — but it was a series of incense sticks.

The new offering, “Ektaa’s Karyasiddhi Graha Shanti Dhoop”, was launched in the presence of parents Jeetendra and Shobha Kapoor.

Good friend and tarot car reader Sunita Menon is part of the new venture.

Ektaa is known for her faith in astrology. Each package has seven kinds of incense sticks, for each day of the week. Their ingredients and colours are coordinated with the planetary significance, officials of Balaji Telebrands, a joint venture with Ektaa’s Balaji Telefilms, said.

“The incense sticks have been prepared keeping in mind vedic traditions on processing and blending. Chanting of appropriate mantras while lighting of stick increases its beneficial effects,” Ektaa said.

Bus boon for heritage zone

The Delhi government will introduce 15 new CNG buses in the congested Chandni Chowk locality soon.

The buses, with lowered entry boards to assist the elderly and the differently-abled, will, the government hopes, blend into the old world charm of one of the capital’s oldest areas.

“Chandni Chowk is unique in its heritage value not just to the city but to India. The transportation needs of those who live there, however, need to move with the times,” transport minister Haroon Yusuf said.

Cycle-rickshaws, the backbone of public transport in the area’s narrow lanes, were banned earlier this year. The buses are expected to bring to an end the travel woes of residents brought about by the ban.

The buses will stop at Chandni Chowk Metro station for those who wish to use the train. They will have 3.5-foot-wide doors. It was two feet in the old ones.

Class action

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi has decided to check abuse in its girls’ schools by transferring all male teachers.

Only women teachers will be posted in the 512 girls’ schools. The civic body has said there will be no problem in getting the required numbers because there are more women teachers in the primary sections. Overall, the capital’s civic body has 11,656 female and 6,001 male teachers.

The move follows numerous complaints of harassment. A teacher was suspended last week after allegations that he molested six students in a Mangolpuri school. In another recent incident, a nine-year-old girl was allegedly molested by the principal of a Pushp Vihar school.

Delhi: Well-known Mexican photographer Javier Hinojosa captures the silent stories told by archaeological sites across his country. His exhibition, on August 7, covers sites in Mayan, Teotihuacan, Olmeca and Aztec. The venue: India International Centre’s art gallery. Time: 11am to 7pm.