(From top): A model shows off a Wendell Rodricks outfit at Mezzo Mezzo; M.J. Akbar and Nayantara Sehgal at the Oxford book launch; Models at the Vijay and Shobhna Arora fashion show; Peter Goldsworthy, Kate Grenville, Tim Winton, Mike Moignard, senior trade commissioner, Austrad and Harish Trivedi at the Oberoi

A couple of high-profile book launches and a fashion show were the main events in the Capital while in Mumbai, Italian was the flavour of the moment

Book, line and sinker

The Australian cricket team has come and gone. Now, a team of three award-winning Aussie authors is touring India, doing readings from their works over wine and cheese. First stop on the literary journey was Delhi where they met the city?s readerati at the Oberoi Hotel.

Organised by the Asialink Literature Touring programme and the Australian High Commission, the literary tour features authors Peter Goldsworthy, Kate Grenville and Tim Winton, all recognised as masters of their craft in their home country. Penguin India will be publishing works by all three, among them Goldsworthy?s Three Dog Night, a winner of the 2003 Christina Stead Award for fiction, Grenville?s The Idea of Perfection that won the 2001 Orange Prize for fiction and Winton?s Cloudstreet that has won the Miles Franklin Literary Award.

While Goldsworthy?s Three Dog Night is an examination of love and friendship under stress, Grenville?s The Idea of Perfection tells the story of a man and a woman in a small town in the Australian outback. Cloudstreet, by Tim Winton, on the other hand, tells the tale of two rural families who flee to the city and find themselves living under the same roof, that of a swarming, throbbing-with-life house called Cloudstreet.

Adding sparkle to the evening was some excellent Australian wine brought to India by Aussie wine merchant Jim Murphy, who was heard urging guests to try the Malbec, a white sparkling wine that seemed to grow in popularity as the evening progressed. After plenty of Aussie wine had been quaffed, the authors also read excerpts from their books and discussed contemporary Australian writing with literary expert Professor Harish Trivedi.

Looking back through letters

There?s a new side to the Jawaharlal Nehru legend. India?s first prime minister was a prolific letter-writer and his Letters from a Father to his Daughter, are part of the country?s historical heritage. Now, his niece Nayantara Sehgal has released 38 years of letters addressed to her mother Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit (Nehru?s sister).

The book, Before Freedom: Nehru?s Letters to his Sister, 1907-1947, published by Roli Books, is priced at Rs 495 and was recently launched at The Oxford Bookstore in the Capital.

The letters addressed to ?Nan?, as Vijaya Lakshmi was affectionately called by her brother, are a poignant reflection of the turbulent times. The letters have been divided into seven sections ? in the first few, the warmth and affection between a brother and a sister is palpable. Later, the letters reveal the man who was to become the country?s prime minister, in the varied roles of husband, father and statesman. Especially touching among these is the letter which Nehru wrote to Nan after the demise of her husband.

?I was going through the papers in the ?90s when I thought to myself, here is a woman who is a pioneer among women. Her birth centenary was coming up in 2000. So, I decided to dedicate this collection to my mother, Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit. But when I proposed the ideas to three former prime ministers, there was a thundering silence from the corridors of power. Finally it got the approval of the Vajpayee government,? remarked Sehgal during a conversation with journalist M J Akbar.

A dash of glitter

It?s all about subtle glitter this winter from Vijay and Shobhna Arora, the designer duo who showcased their fall-winter collection at Hotel Qutab in the Capital recently. While the clothes on display were elegant and classy, it was the music that truly stood apart. With live opera melodies playing in the background, the show started off with silk ensembles for women in striking shades of pink, blue, red and black. Surface embellishments were kept to a minimum and comprised mostly floral motifs. The saris in chiffon were inspired by the Zen philosophy of balance. The saris with their Chinese motifs and complemented with stylish cholis and sequined blouses, were definitely the show-stealers.

?Chinese motifs have always fascinated us as they are so intricate and yet look so simple. We?ve created these on the sari borders using crystal embellishments and thus, the sari looks festive without actually going all out in the glitter department,? says Arora.

The regular fare at the show of course, included salwar-kameezes, churidar-kurtas and skirts in fabrics ranging from crinkled silks to wispy chiffons. As for menswear, Vijay and Shobhna stuck primarily to elegant bandhgalas and churidar-kurtas. For the more adventurous, there were pyjamas (much like bell-bottoms) in crinkled silks teamed with kurtas.

Spaghetti and style

J.W. Marriott?s Italian restaurant Mezzo Mezzo was buzzing with activity and high-profile guests recently as the gourmet hotspot presented a first-of-its-kind Fashion Fusion with Food. The event, which kickstarted the Italian gourmet festival at Mezzo Mezzo, was fuelled by pizzas, pastas and pesci even as Italian music set the mood.

If good food was on the cards, so was high fashion and delivering this in his own unique way was Goa-based fashion designer Wendell Rodricks who showcased his latest collection. A flurry of reds, greens, blue and blacks, the clothes shown off by the models ranged from flowing skirts to pleated tops in fabrics like linen and satin.

Like all Wendell fashion shows, this one too had a showstopper which was distinctly Italian, and showcased by none other than good friend Malaika Arora. The dress, in blue satin was embellished with pasta and spaghetti, and Malaika looked as stunning as always.

Said Wendell, ?Italian food is like its people ? sensual, romantic, colourful and intoxicating. And that?s why it?s so easy to capture these same feelings in my creations. My biggest fear, though, about the dress that Malaika wore, was how to transport it. Eventually, I had to carry it flat, like a baby in my arms, all the way from Goa to Mumbai.?

After the fashion show, the kitchen opened its doors for drinks, food and fun. And spotted living it up were pretty actress Amrita Arora and hunky boyfriend Upen Patel, a brightly-dressed Marc Robinson with wife Waluscha, former model Lubna Adams and designer Kawaljeet among others.

Photographs by Ramakant Kushwaha and Rajesh Kumar