I happened to be spend one day at the Singapore Changi Airport on 27th august 2005, after i was returning to india from my first international trip.
The planning behind Changi is exceptional by airport standards, nothing is really very far from anywhere, there are electric people carriers
(walkways) scattered everywhere and in each direction. The shopping facilities are better than some shopping malls, the toilets clean,
and accommodating, and many different food and beverage outlets ensure that you never go hungry. If there is one airport in the world
where you do not mind being stranded for a few hours than Changi would be many peoples first option.
Changi is presently split into two terminals (1 and 2), with arrivals and departures on two separate levels, arrivals being the lower
and departures the upper level. The terminals are connected by people carriers so you can walk between them if you so desired,
this would take approximately 25 minutes, or you can use the miniature train service that runs from 6 am to midnight every day.
The real enjoyment of Changi comes after you have passed through immigration, before immigration however there
are also numerous food and beverage outlets, such as Burger King, Delifrance, and a few restaurants serving Asian and International dishes.
After immigration though you have an amazing assortment of Duty Free shops, high quality airport lounges, some food and beverage outlets
from fast food to food court style cuisine, some nice pubs, and in Terminal two even some entertaining amusement style parks themed
along Science and such.
Terminal 1 is the older of the two terminals, but still offers you almost identical 'activities' as the newer terminal 2.
There are computer slots, where you can plug in your laptop and connect to the internet using your own account
free of charge for as long as you like. Two book shops with an excellent assortment of books, four electronic shops selling everything from televisions,
digital cameras to your basic battery, jewellery shops, watch shops, a post office, a silver shop, exchange counters,
and of course the standard perfume, alcohol and tobacco shops, and even a small supermarket. This may surprise many people but the Duty Free prices for tobacco are one of the cheapest in the world here, for example a carton of 400 Dunhill International Reds will cost you roughly 29 Singapore Dollars which is just over 10 pounds sterling, compared to 13 pounds sterling at London Heathrow for only 200 !! The alcohol is also very well priced, especially compared to other Asian airports, so make sure that you check your Duty Free allowance of the country that you are travelling to and make the most of it. You cannot buy cigarettes on the way into Singapore though, only on the way out, in fact it is officially illegal to bring cigarettes into Singapore that were bought anywhere. If caught you may well be fined.
The airport lounges at Terminal 1 are all on the second level, and are all of pretty good quality. For smokers though there is only one place
to puff away (by law) and believe me the Singapore airport police do not fall for the 'Oh I didn't know sir' routine so don't even risk it.
The smoking rooms are both internal and external, allowing you to breathe in airplane fuel, instead of just nicotine. There is only one smoking room,
although it is very large in each terminal, and they are situated pretty much straight in the middle and against the airport side wall.
As mentioned you can sit and smoke outside and inside, but there is always pretty much enough room, either way.
One tip about the Thai Airways lounge, if you have difficulties connecting to the internet while you are in the lounge, and the computer
says that you do not have a dial tone, then just before you click the 'connect' button on your computer lift up the telephone handset,
and put it on the desk. This should work.
If you are arriving at Singapore Airport, the procedure is the same as at any other airport, immigration, baggage claim and customs.
The only major difference from most airports and something that I personally believe to be a big mistake is that when you arrive at
he baggage reclaim/customs area the screens between you and the waiting crowds of friends and relatives,
waiting to greet the incoming are transparent. This means that you can see your friends and loved ones,
as you wait for the baggage so the excitement of turning the corner and seeing them is all but lost as you tend to get all excited waving and smiling,
and then 10 minutes later when your baggage still has not come out, the smiling and waving is a lot less enthusiastic.
It also means that if customs do want to search your bags then they do it pretty much in front of the awaiting crowd ! Make sure you pack clean underwear !
Once you are through, you have the choice of buses, taxis, and private limousines.
Taxis are very regular, and well organised. The taxi queue at terminal one however has TWO ends to it,
well in actual fact there are two queues that face each other. It is often worth remembering this, as more often than not one queue will be very busy,
and the other relatively quiet, it is always worth checking which of the queues is the longest, before standing in line.
A taxi from the airport will charge you a 3$ surcharge, and if you take the taxi between midnight and 6 in the morning there will be the 3$ plus a 50% surcharge
on the fare. Taxis also charge extra for peak hours, CBD, and ERP, but all these charges are outlined on an official form in the taxi that explains the charges.
Friday, December 02, 2005
Tuesday, November 29, 2005
Sweet as Bro !!!
Sweet as Bro!!! That’s a Kiwi phrase for something which means something like Sweet as a Brother.
I haven't been able to write in a while because the internet at the apartments has been expensive. Right now I am in the city of Auckland again which is situated on the tip of North Island, New Zealand. Anyway, things are going really well. Last Friday I jumped on a Kiwi Experience bus. My pass wass from Auckland to Christchurch, but the bus is a neat way to get around the country because it does not go on a direct route, it zigzags all over the place. On Friday I went to Cathedral Cove on the east coast of the country where I was treated to beautiful views of the ocean. I had spent the night in a small town called Whitianga (pronounced Fitianga) and stayed at this really small hostel that had clearly been converted from a house. That night I Int out to the local pub where they were showing rugby match and I ended up talking to locals the entire night, it was a lot of fun. The next morning I headed to Rotorua which is situated around a bunch of thermal activity, geysers and the like. That night a group of us went to a Maori concert and hangi. They danced, sang, and preformed an extended version of the Haka for us and then I ate a meal that had been cooked underground, it was quite delicious. The next morning I went to the thermal fields in Rotorua and then proceeded on to Waitomo which is famous for the underground caves they have there. On Sunday morning I went through the caves on an intertube which was fun, but frightening at parts because of the proximity of my head to the ceiling of the cave. I then headed onward to Taupo. Yesterday I went on the Tongariro crossing, a 10 mile trek across volcanos and craters. Mt. Tongariro is Mt. Doom from Lord of the Rings. The views from the top Ire amazing, it is hard to put it into words. Today I went skydiving from 12,000ft which is one of the best things I have ever done. It was really scary, but so worth it, I want to do it again. On the bus there are a bunch of really fun people. There are two girls I have been hanging out with the most because they are also travelling alone. One is called Laura and she is from Ireland and the other is Isabel and she is from Germany. They are both great company and we are now kind of travelling together, in a way. Everyone on the bus has created this bond and some of us are leaving tomorrow while some are staying and it is kind of sad. The scenery everywhere is beautiful and there are a lot of sheep and also a lot of cows. Well, I am still trying to figure out a way to put pictures on this site, I promise I will get some up as soon as possible. I tried on this computer I am on now, but it didn't work for some reason. Anyway, tomorrow I am off to River Valley and then abck to auckland. I will try and write again when I make it to Auckland where I will make another attempt at the pictures.
I haven't been able to write in a while because the internet at the apartments has been expensive. Right now I am in the city of Auckland again which is situated on the tip of North Island, New Zealand. Anyway, things are going really well. Last Friday I jumped on a Kiwi Experience bus. My pass wass from Auckland to Christchurch, but the bus is a neat way to get around the country because it does not go on a direct route, it zigzags all over the place. On Friday I went to Cathedral Cove on the east coast of the country where I was treated to beautiful views of the ocean. I had spent the night in a small town called Whitianga (pronounced Fitianga) and stayed at this really small hostel that had clearly been converted from a house. That night I Int out to the local pub where they were showing rugby match and I ended up talking to locals the entire night, it was a lot of fun. The next morning I headed to Rotorua which is situated around a bunch of thermal activity, geysers and the like. That night a group of us went to a Maori concert and hangi. They danced, sang, and preformed an extended version of the Haka for us and then I ate a meal that had been cooked underground, it was quite delicious. The next morning I went to the thermal fields in Rotorua and then proceeded on to Waitomo which is famous for the underground caves they have there. On Sunday morning I went through the caves on an intertube which was fun, but frightening at parts because of the proximity of my head to the ceiling of the cave. I then headed onward to Taupo. Yesterday I went on the Tongariro crossing, a 10 mile trek across volcanos and craters. Mt. Tongariro is Mt. Doom from Lord of the Rings. The views from the top Ire amazing, it is hard to put it into words. Today I went skydiving from 12,000ft which is one of the best things I have ever done. It was really scary, but so worth it, I want to do it again. On the bus there are a bunch of really fun people. There are two girls I have been hanging out with the most because they are also travelling alone. One is called Laura and she is from Ireland and the other is Isabel and she is from Germany. They are both great company and we are now kind of travelling together, in a way. Everyone on the bus has created this bond and some of us are leaving tomorrow while some are staying and it is kind of sad. The scenery everywhere is beautiful and there are a lot of sheep and also a lot of cows. Well, I am still trying to figure out a way to put pictures on this site, I promise I will get some up as soon as possible. I tried on this computer I am on now, but it didn't work for some reason. Anyway, tomorrow I am off to River Valley and then abck to auckland. I will try and write again when I make it to Auckland where I will make another attempt at the pictures.
Wednesday, October 26, 2005
are IQ tests fair measure of a person's intellectual capacity
Yesterday, I took an online IQ test, with Trickle Inc, and got a score of 131, which they declared as a respectable score, which falls into the top 5 percent of top scores.
Intelligence Quotient, though being defined as a ratio of a person’s intellectual age to his chronological age, what I believe is that it also depends a lot on a person’s upbringing his culture and his social environment.
If a question like the following one is asked in an aptitude test:
Runner: marathon
a.) envoy: embassy
b.) Martyr: massacre
c.) Oarsmen: regatta
d.) Referee: tournament
e.) Horse: stable
The correct answer for this is C, and is more likely to be answered correctly by the upper class children (predominantly white) because they are more inclined to know the definition of regatta.
Many different factors, such as where you grow up, what kind of school you attend, and how much school you attend contribute substantially to the development of intelligences. However, it is yet not very clear me what those factors are, or how they work.
And, now it is widely agreed that IQ tests do not accurately reflect all forms of intelligence.
Obviously, cultural knowledge, creativity, wisdom, common sense and social sensitivity though not measured in IQ tests; certainly contribute to a person’s intelligence.
As per my understanding, experience and environment influence a lot of a person’s intelligence – and that intelligence is the composite of many different talents and abilities which continue to improve over time.
Intelligence Quotient, though being defined as a ratio of a person’s intellectual age to his chronological age, what I believe is that it also depends a lot on a person’s upbringing his culture and his social environment.
If a question like the following one is asked in an aptitude test:
Runner: marathon
a.) envoy: embassy
b.) Martyr: massacre
c.) Oarsmen: regatta
d.) Referee: tournament
e.) Horse: stable
The correct answer for this is C, and is more likely to be answered correctly by the upper class children (predominantly white) because they are more inclined to know the definition of regatta.
Many different factors, such as where you grow up, what kind of school you attend, and how much school you attend contribute substantially to the development of intelligences. However, it is yet not very clear me what those factors are, or how they work.
And, now it is widely agreed that IQ tests do not accurately reflect all forms of intelligence.
Obviously, cultural knowledge, creativity, wisdom, common sense and social sensitivity though not measured in IQ tests; certainly contribute to a person’s intelligence.
As per my understanding, experience and environment influence a lot of a person’s intelligence – and that intelligence is the composite of many different talents and abilities which continue to improve over time.
Monday, October 24, 2005
Monday, October 17, 2005
Indian IT juggernaut
Like, any great story, the story of the Information Technology (IT) boom in India runs at many levels. Its impact on the Indian industry and the economy is dramatic. And this is story is even more gripping at the social level.
It has impacted lives (or lifestyles to be more specific) or several middle class Indians and their families. This has given hope to millions of others that they can change their economic and social in their own lifetimes, which would have been a distant dream, say may be 15 to 20 years ago in India, where the youth had a very few choices like may be clearing some public services or Administrative services examination, if he had any such kind of a dream. Hence this has been a turning point both for the society in India and the Indian It industry.
These Indian youths (not excluding myself called the software professionals), who have joined the IT bandwagon, have started earning on an average 10 to 15 grand’s per month , a very respectable amount to earn and spend for a college pass out in India.
Also, kudos to some great Indian IT entrepreneurs like Narayan Murthy and Nandan Nilekanni of Infosys, Mr. Azim Premji of Wipro technologies and many more (I hope names keep on adding to this list), who have set such a good example that the Indian youth have realized that this is one field, where one can excel if one puts his brains and hard work, and the youth in India is really putting efforts for this.
Most of the students coming out from some good B schools in the country have started playing this corporate game of entrepreneurship and have come out with flying colors.
As of now the prospects of the Indian IT industry looks bright because of the high-quality deliverables and intelligent IT labour available at cheaper prices and it has already started attracting attentions of one narrow aspect of the world called
"the west" , and most of them have started their software development centers in India employing the Indian software professionals ( am too employed by one such firm)
All I can say is that , hope this trend keeps growing as IT is the only source of my bread and butter these days ;-) .
Ciao
It has impacted lives (or lifestyles to be more specific) or several middle class Indians and their families. This has given hope to millions of others that they can change their economic and social in their own lifetimes, which would have been a distant dream, say may be 15 to 20 years ago in India, where the youth had a very few choices like may be clearing some public services or Administrative services examination, if he had any such kind of a dream. Hence this has been a turning point both for the society in India and the Indian It industry.
These Indian youths (not excluding myself called the software professionals), who have joined the IT bandwagon, have started earning on an average 10 to 15 grand’s per month , a very respectable amount to earn and spend for a college pass out in India.
Also, kudos to some great Indian IT entrepreneurs like Narayan Murthy and Nandan Nilekanni of Infosys, Mr. Azim Premji of Wipro technologies and many more (I hope names keep on adding to this list), who have set such a good example that the Indian youth have realized that this is one field, where one can excel if one puts his brains and hard work, and the youth in India is really putting efforts for this.
Most of the students coming out from some good B schools in the country have started playing this corporate game of entrepreneurship and have come out with flying colors.
As of now the prospects of the Indian IT industry looks bright because of the high-quality deliverables and intelligent IT labour available at cheaper prices and it has already started attracting attentions of one narrow aspect of the world called
"the west" , and most of them have started their software development centers in India employing the Indian software professionals ( am too employed by one such firm)
All I can say is that , hope this trend keeps growing as IT is the only source of my bread and butter these days ;-) .
Ciao
Wednesday, August 17, 2005
Festival again...
The Shravana or the monsoon month carries all hues and shades of nature and emotions. Religiously speaking Shravan
is a pious month and full moon of this all-important month is considered to be a very holy day.
It is celebrated in different ways for different reasons almost throughout the country.
For the siblings it is the eternal tie of love, for Brahmins the day to take the pledge of Brahmanik rites
and for those who depend sea and monsoon, it is the beginning of the new season.
Indian festivals are based on the weather changes and their significance in the lives of people,
but they do have a story to support the celebrations. The rich Indian Mythology provides a religious
reason to celebrate the day in a specific way. Many epics are related to the day and the origin of Raksha Bandhan.
The festival finds a mention in most of the epics and its origin can be traced back to the mythological Pouranik times.
The legend in the Bhavishya Puran
The legend refers to a war between the Gods and the Demons. The demon King Brutra was advancing
and the Gods lead by lord Indra, were on verge of defeat. The king of Gods, Indra approached
Guru Brihaspati to find a solution to the situation. Brihaspati asked Indra to tie a sacred thread on his wrist,
powered by the sacred mantras on the Shravan Purnima. Lord Indra's Queen Sachi also called Indrani,
empowered the thread and tied it on to his hand on the decided day. The power of the sacred thread called Raksha
helped the Gods to victory.
In the history ,Alexander The Great and King Puru ,the oldest reference to the festival of rakhi goes back to 300 B.C. at the time when Alexander invaded India.
It is said that the great conqueror, King Alexander of Macedonia was shaken by the fury of the Indian king Puru
in his first attempt. Upset by this, Alexander's wife, who had heard of the Rakhi festival, approached King Puru.
King Puru accepted her as his sister and when the opportunity came during the war, he refrained from Alexander.
Since, as King Puru has been mentioned here , i would add one more magnificent trait of his, though Alexander the
Great defeated the Indian King Puru, the Indian King was determined not to loose his dignity. Despite being a prisoner
he demanded that Alexander should treat him like a King treats another King.
In the Epics, as per the Hindu mythology, Raksha Bandhan finds a mention in Mahabharata when Lord Krishna advised Yudhishthir
to perform the ceremony to protect himself and the army from the dangers of the war.
It is said that Kunti, the mother of the Pandavas tied rakhi to her grandson Abhimanyu
and Draupadi to lord Krishna.
The Significance -though now it is considered as a brother and sister festival, it was not always so.
There have been examples in history where in rakhi has just been a raksha or protection.
It could be tied by wife, a daughter or mother. The Rishis tied rakhi to the people who came seeking their blessings.
The sages tied the sacred thread to themselves to safe guard them from the evil. It is by all means the 'Papa Todak,
Punya Pradayak Parva' or the day that bestows boons and end all sins as it is mentioned in the scriptures.
Rakhi for many centuries encompassed the warmth shared between the siblings but now it goes way beyond it.
Some tie rakhi to neighbors and close friends signifying a peaceful co-existence of every individual.
Congregations like Rakhi Utsavs, popularized by Rabindranath Tagore, promote the feeling of unity and a
commitment to all members of society to protect each other and encourage a harmonious Social life.
The day has a deeper perspective in today's scenario. The occasion holds for a life long pledge to practice moral,
spiritual and cultural values. The values and the sentiments attached to the rituals of this festival are worth inculcating
by the whole human race, the sentiments of harmony and peaceful coexistence.
Raksha Bandhan assumes all forms of Raksha or protection, of righteousness and destroyer of all sin.
The rakhi tying ritual has become so much a part of the families that come what may brothers and sisters try
to reach out to each other on this particular day bringing back the oneness of the family, binding the family together
in an emotional bond.
The tradition of thread tying still continues. It is a gesture of goodwill.
is a pious month and full moon of this all-important month is considered to be a very holy day.
It is celebrated in different ways for different reasons almost throughout the country.
For the siblings it is the eternal tie of love, for Brahmins the day to take the pledge of Brahmanik rites
and for those who depend sea and monsoon, it is the beginning of the new season.
Indian festivals are based on the weather changes and their significance in the lives of people,
but they do have a story to support the celebrations. The rich Indian Mythology provides a religious
reason to celebrate the day in a specific way. Many epics are related to the day and the origin of Raksha Bandhan.
The festival finds a mention in most of the epics and its origin can be traced back to the mythological Pouranik times.
The legend in the Bhavishya Puran
The legend refers to a war between the Gods and the Demons. The demon King Brutra was advancing
and the Gods lead by lord Indra, were on verge of defeat. The king of Gods, Indra approached
Guru Brihaspati to find a solution to the situation. Brihaspati asked Indra to tie a sacred thread on his wrist,
powered by the sacred mantras on the Shravan Purnima. Lord Indra's Queen Sachi also called Indrani,
empowered the thread and tied it on to his hand on the decided day. The power of the sacred thread called Raksha
helped the Gods to victory.
In the history ,Alexander The Great and King Puru ,the oldest reference to the festival of rakhi goes back to 300 B.C. at the time when Alexander invaded India.
It is said that the great conqueror, King Alexander of Macedonia was shaken by the fury of the Indian king Puru
in his first attempt. Upset by this, Alexander's wife, who had heard of the Rakhi festival, approached King Puru.
King Puru accepted her as his sister and when the opportunity came during the war, he refrained from Alexander.
Since, as King Puru has been mentioned here , i would add one more magnificent trait of his, though Alexander the
Great defeated the Indian King Puru, the Indian King was determined not to loose his dignity. Despite being a prisoner
he demanded that Alexander should treat him like a King treats another King.
In the Epics, as per the Hindu mythology, Raksha Bandhan finds a mention in Mahabharata when Lord Krishna advised Yudhishthir
to perform the ceremony to protect himself and the army from the dangers of the war.
It is said that Kunti, the mother of the Pandavas tied rakhi to her grandson Abhimanyu
and Draupadi to lord Krishna.
The Significance -though now it is considered as a brother and sister festival, it was not always so.
There have been examples in history where in rakhi has just been a raksha or protection.
It could be tied by wife, a daughter or mother. The Rishis tied rakhi to the people who came seeking their blessings.
The sages tied the sacred thread to themselves to safe guard them from the evil. It is by all means the 'Papa Todak,
Punya Pradayak Parva' or the day that bestows boons and end all sins as it is mentioned in the scriptures.
Rakhi for many centuries encompassed the warmth shared between the siblings but now it goes way beyond it.
Some tie rakhi to neighbors and close friends signifying a peaceful co-existence of every individual.
Congregations like Rakhi Utsavs, popularized by Rabindranath Tagore, promote the feeling of unity and a
commitment to all members of society to protect each other and encourage a harmonious Social life.
The day has a deeper perspective in today's scenario. The occasion holds for a life long pledge to practice moral,
spiritual and cultural values. The values and the sentiments attached to the rituals of this festival are worth inculcating
by the whole human race, the sentiments of harmony and peaceful coexistence.
Raksha Bandhan assumes all forms of Raksha or protection, of righteousness and destroyer of all sin.
The rakhi tying ritual has become so much a part of the families that come what may brothers and sisters try
to reach out to each other on this particular day bringing back the oneness of the family, binding the family together
in an emotional bond.
The tradition of thread tying still continues. It is a gesture of goodwill.
Monday, August 15, 2005
SnowPlanet - The Skiing Center , Auckland
I had been to SNOW PLANET , the skiing center located at Silverdale, Albany, near Auckland, this weekend, along with my Kiwi office mates,
Well it’s was organised by IBM ( or may be Vodafone ), as part of continuing to build the relationships between the Operational Support Teams in Vodafone NZ and IBM.
Snowplanet is New Zealand’s first and only all-year indoor snow resort where Aucklanders and tourists alike can experience the thrill of snowsports
and atmosphere of a snow village close to Auckland. Snowplanet’s giant snow hall features 50 centimetres of real powder snow, three lifts,
a terrain park for snowboarders and separate learner area, for a fun day out irrespective of Auckland’s weather.
The Mountain View Restaurant & Bar with panoramic views onto the snow hall, snowsport shop, rental centre and Snow Academy complement
the excitement in the snow to offer an unforgettable day out, unlike any currently available in New Zealand!
Skiers of all levels can find a challenge at the 200 metre long slope with different levels of steepness to suit various skill levels.
The steepest part at the top of the slope is over 25% steep (e.g. 1 metre vertical for every four metres horizontal) and offers even advanced skiers
an exciting thrill. The lower parts of the slope are less steep and provide beginning skiers with a suitable gradient to improve their techniques.
The snowhall is over 40 metres wide, or 35% wider than most other snowdomes allowing skiers to do wide carving turns and
get the most out of the latest carving skis offered in the rental centre, definitely not for novices like me :-) . Snowplanet also offers freestyle skiers an exciting
fun park with a big jump and a number of rails. Don’t worry if you have forgotten your gears, because the rental department offers the latest Rossignol skis
And boots for those who don’t bring their own gear (all included in the entry charges).
Beginners, like me who can’t take the risks of diving from heights to depths, have to take some lessons, and snow planet provides a safe place for beginners...
Snowplanet is the perfect place to get introduced to the exciting world of snowsports. A fenced-off learner area at the lower part of the slope
offers a safe environment to have a first snow experience. This learner area is serviced by a special ’’skimat’’ learner lift, making the first day on the snow a breeze.
The Snow Academy offers a range of courses and private lessons for all levels that will enable learners to acquire and improve skills and confidence.
In fact, we offer ’’first time packs’’ including slope access, 1-hour lesson and rental equipment from only $39! After flexing your muscles (and is my case,
after breaking my tendons and ligaments.) on the chilling snow, one can have some hot stuff in the attached bar.
So, if by any chance, you are in Auckland, don’t forget to visit this place.
Well it’s was organised by IBM ( or may be Vodafone ), as part of continuing to build the relationships between the Operational Support Teams in Vodafone NZ and IBM.
Snowplanet is New Zealand’s first and only all-year indoor snow resort where Aucklanders and tourists alike can experience the thrill of snowsports
and atmosphere of a snow village close to Auckland. Snowplanet’s giant snow hall features 50 centimetres of real powder snow, three lifts,
a terrain park for snowboarders and separate learner area, for a fun day out irrespective of Auckland’s weather.
The Mountain View Restaurant & Bar with panoramic views onto the snow hall, snowsport shop, rental centre and Snow Academy complement
the excitement in the snow to offer an unforgettable day out, unlike any currently available in New Zealand!
Skiers of all levels can find a challenge at the 200 metre long slope with different levels of steepness to suit various skill levels.
The steepest part at the top of the slope is over 25% steep (e.g. 1 metre vertical for every four metres horizontal) and offers even advanced skiers
an exciting thrill. The lower parts of the slope are less steep and provide beginning skiers with a suitable gradient to improve their techniques.
The snowhall is over 40 metres wide, or 35% wider than most other snowdomes allowing skiers to do wide carving turns and
get the most out of the latest carving skis offered in the rental centre, definitely not for novices like me :-) . Snowplanet also offers freestyle skiers an exciting
fun park with a big jump and a number of rails. Don’t worry if you have forgotten your gears, because the rental department offers the latest Rossignol skis
And boots for those who don’t bring their own gear (all included in the entry charges).
Beginners, like me who can’t take the risks of diving from heights to depths, have to take some lessons, and snow planet provides a safe place for beginners...
Snowplanet is the perfect place to get introduced to the exciting world of snowsports. A fenced-off learner area at the lower part of the slope
offers a safe environment to have a first snow experience. This learner area is serviced by a special ’’skimat’’ learner lift, making the first day on the snow a breeze.
The Snow Academy offers a range of courses and private lessons for all levels that will enable learners to acquire and improve skills and confidence.
In fact, we offer ’’first time packs’’ including slope access, 1-hour lesson and rental equipment from only $39! After flexing your muscles (and is my case,
after breaking my tendons and ligaments.) on the chilling snow, one can have some hot stuff in the attached bar.
So, if by any chance, you are in Auckland, don’t forget to visit this place.
Thursday, August 04, 2005
This one i had put on Mouthshut
This review , I had put up on MOUTHSHUT.COM
and got some good and funny comments .
I thought this could be a hot and burning topic to put as a review on MS as we see this concerned topic of review, in our day - to - day on MS.
Yep, bulls eye reader, u got it right, and this one is on what is one of the greatest arts Humans have ever achieved.
The dictionary meaning of Plagiarism is "the act of passing off as one's own; the ideas or writings of another."
"Work" includes "original ideas, strategies, and research," art, graphics, computer programs, music, and other creative expression.
The work may consist of writing, charts, pictures, graphs, diagrams, data, websites, or other communication or recording media, and may include "sentences, phrases, and innovative terminology," formatting, or other representations.
If you plagiarize, you are cheating yourself. You don't learn to write out your thoughts in your own words, and you don't get specific feedback geared to
your individual needs and skills. Plagiarizing a paper is like sending a friend to practice tennis for you - you'll never score an ace yourself!
But contrary to this, I do have an opinion that,
Nothing in this world is original, and everything is a copy. Original is nothing, but a misrepresentation of copy :)).
But most of the world the world says "plagiarism" isn’t a good thing, even the MS website have stated this thing on the webpage “tips for writing reviews”.
Some even say that if you plagiarize, you are cheating yourself. You don't learn to write out your thoughts in your own words, and you don't get specific feedback
geared to your individual needs and skills. Plagiarizing a paper is like sending a friend to practice tennis for you - you'll never score an ace yourself!
Plagiarism is dishonest because it misrepresents the work of another as your own.
Hey, well, but most of the things if done perfectly by people is also sometimes termed as an art /skill. That’s why; I think Plagiarism should also be called as an art
, and kudos to the Plagiarists definitely are artists (Kudos to them).
And i do agree with these artists to some extent. If Michael Jordan can hit a fade away jump shot better than you can and Miles Davis could play a better blues than you do on the trumpet than why not learn from them and take their ideas, which are far better than ours.
And recognising, a work as a work of plagiarism, is also a challenging job, i appreciate the MS team for this that put the members on flag, who are plagiarists.
Let me give my readers, some tips on how to identify a plagiarist's review:-
"
Here’s an UNACCEPTABLE paraphrase that is plagiarism:
The increase of industry, the growth of cities, and the explosion of the population were three large factors of nineteenth century America.
As steam-driven companies became more visible in the eastern part of the country, they changed farm hands into factory workers and provided jobs
for the large wave of immigrants. With industry came the growth of large cities like Fall River where the Bordens lived which turned into centres of commerce
and trade as well as production.
What makes this passage plagiarism?
The preceding passage is considered plagiarism for two reasons:
the writer has only changed around a few words and phrases, or changed the order of the original’s sentences.
the writer has failed to cite a source for any of the ideas or facts.
Here’s an ACCEPTABLE paraphrase:
Fall River, where the Borden family lived, was typical of north-eastern industrial cities of the nineteenth century. Steam-powered production had shifted labour from agriculture to manufacturing, and as immigrants arrived in the US, they found work in these new factories. As a result, populations grew, and large urban areas arose. Fall River was one of these manufacturing and commercial centres (Williams 1).
Why is this passage acceptable?
This is acceptable paraphrasing because the writer:
Accurately relays the information in the original
Uses her own words.
Lets her reader know the source of her information.
"
I hope my readers of this review might get some help at least on identifying if any review they read is a work of plagiarism, and report it to MS, as soon as possible.
But, one to last, plagiarism is a chimera. There are no original ideas left anyway, and all we are doing is manipulating sets of symbols.
Such philosophical positions notwithstanding, plagiarism is a reality if you don't cite the sources and as far as it is accepted by the world as an "original". It's that simple. ;)
and got some good and funny comments .
I thought this could be a hot and burning topic to put as a review on MS as we see this concerned topic of review, in our day - to - day on MS.
Yep, bulls eye reader, u got it right, and this one is on what is one of the greatest arts Humans have ever achieved.
The dictionary meaning of Plagiarism is "the act of passing off as one's own; the ideas or writings of another."
"Work" includes "original ideas, strategies, and research," art, graphics, computer programs, music, and other creative expression.
The work may consist of writing, charts, pictures, graphs, diagrams, data, websites, or other communication or recording media, and may include "sentences, phrases, and innovative terminology," formatting, or other representations.
If you plagiarize, you are cheating yourself. You don't learn to write out your thoughts in your own words, and you don't get specific feedback geared to
your individual needs and skills. Plagiarizing a paper is like sending a friend to practice tennis for you - you'll never score an ace yourself!
But contrary to this, I do have an opinion that,
Nothing in this world is original, and everything is a copy. Original is nothing, but a misrepresentation of copy :)).
But most of the world the world says "plagiarism" isn’t a good thing, even the MS website have stated this thing on the webpage “tips for writing reviews”.
Some even say that if you plagiarize, you are cheating yourself. You don't learn to write out your thoughts in your own words, and you don't get specific feedback
geared to your individual needs and skills. Plagiarizing a paper is like sending a friend to practice tennis for you - you'll never score an ace yourself!
Plagiarism is dishonest because it misrepresents the work of another as your own.
Hey, well, but most of the things if done perfectly by people is also sometimes termed as an art /skill. That’s why; I think Plagiarism should also be called as an art
, and kudos to the Plagiarists definitely are artists (Kudos to them).
And i do agree with these artists to some extent. If Michael Jordan can hit a fade away jump shot better than you can and Miles Davis could play a better blues than you do on the trumpet than why not learn from them and take their ideas, which are far better than ours.
And recognising, a work as a work of plagiarism, is also a challenging job, i appreciate the MS team for this that put the members on flag, who are plagiarists.
Let me give my readers, some tips on how to identify a plagiarist's review:-
"
Here’s an UNACCEPTABLE paraphrase that is plagiarism:
The increase of industry, the growth of cities, and the explosion of the population were three large factors of nineteenth century America.
As steam-driven companies became more visible in the eastern part of the country, they changed farm hands into factory workers and provided jobs
for the large wave of immigrants. With industry came the growth of large cities like Fall River where the Bordens lived which turned into centres of commerce
and trade as well as production.
What makes this passage plagiarism?
The preceding passage is considered plagiarism for two reasons:
the writer has only changed around a few words and phrases, or changed the order of the original’s sentences.
the writer has failed to cite a source for any of the ideas or facts.
Here’s an ACCEPTABLE paraphrase:
Fall River, where the Borden family lived, was typical of north-eastern industrial cities of the nineteenth century. Steam-powered production had shifted labour from agriculture to manufacturing, and as immigrants arrived in the US, they found work in these new factories. As a result, populations grew, and large urban areas arose. Fall River was one of these manufacturing and commercial centres (Williams 1).
Why is this passage acceptable?
This is acceptable paraphrasing because the writer:
Accurately relays the information in the original
Uses her own words.
Lets her reader know the source of her information.
"
I hope my readers of this review might get some help at least on identifying if any review they read is a work of plagiarism, and report it to MS, as soon as possible.
But, one to last, plagiarism is a chimera. There are no original ideas left anyway, and all we are doing is manipulating sets of symbols.
Such philosophical positions notwithstanding, plagiarism is a reality if you don't cite the sources and as far as it is accepted by the world as an "original". It's that simple. ;)
Wednesday, August 03, 2005
Orange Street’s distinctive sound is a combination of heavy rap-rock, Indian classical & traditional Dhol shot through an electronica bed.
This band is based in New Delhi , India.
Their music can broadly be classified as Electronic Rock Fusion, Orange Street meld rock guitars, drums and an electronica bedrock with a variety of
ethnic Indian percussion (dholak, dhupli etc.) and Indian classical vocals.
1995’s “Great Indian Rock” project organized by the only music magazine “RSJ” at the time brought Orange Street to the attention of the audiences
and the music community in India. By 2002 they won the Great Indian Rock competition and made sufficient noise about their presence.
This consolidated their reputation for ground breaking new sound and uplifting live sets.
They started off in 1995 at New Delhi when singer Anirban Chakraborty teamed up with guitarist Saibal Basu, at the time when, to make original music
was yet to be “considered” and was largely overlooked by the country obsessed with anything “not Indian”.
Succumbing to what Anirban says “Life takes over”, the band had undergone several line-up changes till 2002 which had seen them working
with guitarist Gautam Chima, DJ Jayant, drummer Ashwani Verma and bassist Neel. By this time, the band had already toured across India and Sri Lanka
with two albums under their belt. “Drive Carefully for Our Shake” was released with RSJ records in 2000 and “Candywalk” was released nationally by Magnasound India
Records in 2002. Songs from this album were used in the award winning feature film called “Everybody Says Im Fine”, directed by Rahul Bose
who is also an established actor of Bollywood film industry in India.
A major change happened in October 2003 when Anirban, the driving force behind Orange Street decided to completely revamp the band including the sound.
Thus getting together some very talented musicians, Orange Street evolved with a ground breaking sound which is the first of its kind in their country.
The demo “DHARMA” saw this outstanding collaboration of the new line-up with guitarist Donny, drummer Ashwin Andrew, bassist Dara,
Hindustani classical singer Imran Khan and the Dhol player Parveen Sethi.
This was followed by an extensive tour to Europe and Scandinavia in the summer of 2004. The band played some major festivals
like “Peace and Love”, “Slottsfjell”, “Sundance Music Fetsival” and “Little Chili” across Sweden, Norway, Estonia and UK.
The concerts were a resounding success, Orange Street performing alongside top bands and artists like Motorhead,
Trilok Gurtu, Timbuktu, Hanoi Rocks and Nizami Brothers. During the tour both Imran Khan and Anirban were invited by Swedish producer Johanne
to record for a world music album that was to feature Manu Chao. Anirban also met up with the popular British Asian band, Asian Dub Foundation in London.
It was really an inspiring trip which has had a major influence on Orange Street’s outlook on music. The band has been writing ever since and spends a lot of time
discussing and following music from different parts of the world. Guitarist Donny is also a part time DJ who spins occasionally in clubs. Orange Street’s forceful
presence seems to be breaking new grounds defying many stereotypes of the Indian musicians.
In February 2005, Donny and Ashwin played with bassist John Myung of the mega band Dream Theatre. As they now say, they were truly “humbled” by the
experience.
Orange Street is currently concentrating on a full length album taking off from their demo “DHARMA” and preparing for the second tour to Scandinavia and Europe
starting in this summer of 2005.
This band is based in New Delhi , India.
Their music can broadly be classified as Electronic Rock Fusion, Orange Street meld rock guitars, drums and an electronica bedrock with a variety of
ethnic Indian percussion (dholak, dhupli etc.) and Indian classical vocals.
1995’s “Great Indian Rock” project organized by the only music magazine “RSJ” at the time brought Orange Street to the attention of the audiences
and the music community in India. By 2002 they won the Great Indian Rock competition and made sufficient noise about their presence.
This consolidated their reputation for ground breaking new sound and uplifting live sets.
They started off in 1995 at New Delhi when singer Anirban Chakraborty teamed up with guitarist Saibal Basu, at the time when, to make original music
was yet to be “considered” and was largely overlooked by the country obsessed with anything “not Indian”.
Succumbing to what Anirban says “Life takes over”, the band had undergone several line-up changes till 2002 which had seen them working
with guitarist Gautam Chima, DJ Jayant, drummer Ashwani Verma and bassist Neel. By this time, the band had already toured across India and Sri Lanka
with two albums under their belt. “Drive Carefully for Our Shake” was released with RSJ records in 2000 and “Candywalk” was released nationally by Magnasound India
Records in 2002. Songs from this album were used in the award winning feature film called “Everybody Says Im Fine”, directed by Rahul Bose
who is also an established actor of Bollywood film industry in India.
A major change happened in October 2003 when Anirban, the driving force behind Orange Street decided to completely revamp the band including the sound.
Thus getting together some very talented musicians, Orange Street evolved with a ground breaking sound which is the first of its kind in their country.
The demo “DHARMA” saw this outstanding collaboration of the new line-up with guitarist Donny, drummer Ashwin Andrew, bassist Dara,
Hindustani classical singer Imran Khan and the Dhol player Parveen Sethi.
This was followed by an extensive tour to Europe and Scandinavia in the summer of 2004. The band played some major festivals
like “Peace and Love”, “Slottsfjell”, “Sundance Music Fetsival” and “Little Chili” across Sweden, Norway, Estonia and UK.
The concerts were a resounding success, Orange Street performing alongside top bands and artists like Motorhead,
Trilok Gurtu, Timbuktu, Hanoi Rocks and Nizami Brothers. During the tour both Imran Khan and Anirban were invited by Swedish producer Johanne
to record for a world music album that was to feature Manu Chao. Anirban also met up with the popular British Asian band, Asian Dub Foundation in London.
It was really an inspiring trip which has had a major influence on Orange Street’s outlook on music. The band has been writing ever since and spends a lot of time
discussing and following music from different parts of the world. Guitarist Donny is also a part time DJ who spins occasionally in clubs. Orange Street’s forceful
presence seems to be breaking new grounds defying many stereotypes of the Indian musicians.
In February 2005, Donny and Ashwin played with bassist John Myung of the mega band Dream Theatre. As they now say, they were truly “humbled” by the
experience.
Orange Street is currently concentrating on a full length album taking off from their demo “DHARMA” and preparing for the second tour to Scandinavia and Europe
starting in this summer of 2005.
Monday, August 01, 2005
indian rock bands
Over the years, because of Internet, I have discovered a lot of Indian acts that are just superb. Its amazing to find an Indian act which you didn't know before, only to be bedazzled further by their superb music.
On this page, I am trying to create a directory of all such acts. I also have tried to put some information apart from the link to their websites. I personally like Indian Fusion genre than the other genres. Within India, there are numerous new groups springing up every day which experiment with all genres of music and, most of the times are able to blend (fuse) it with the music of the land brilliantly. Such acts are discovered best at music promotional events such as Vasantahabba.
So go ahead, soak yourself in the music of these artistes!! (A lot of these artistes' music is available FREE at www.mp3.com )
Indian Firang (Firang: adj, slang Foreign) Pop
Tabla Girl
Tina TablaGirl at TinaWorld
Based: New Jersey
Dr. Bombay
An Indian-Danish-Swedish Act. (Belongs to the new Indian-Scandanvian pop music genre!)
The Sugandh Family (It's Your Life...Star In it...B R E A T H E...move to and be moved by music)
Geeta, Kanhaiya, and Seema.
Genre: Ghazals. Endearing fluency in Hindi, Urdu, Punjabi, Gujrati and Sindhi.
Based: LA, California.
Sanjeev and Manish
East Indian melodies and rhythms with a contemporary texture of western sounds.
Debut Album Nazariya. See Details/Buy it here
Genre: Pop.
Based: Seattle, USA.
Hemina Shah
Main site (redirects to here)
A popular live performer.
MP3 at her site.
Contact: hemina@worldoperator.com . Phone: +1-905-827-8124
Based: London.
Eastern Illusion - Live Band Entertainment
"The 'hottest' band in the UK as well as US and Canada, which provide a whole new exciting style of Live Indian Entertainment. Young, talented and stunning artists and performers make this group a vibrant and energetic band and guaranty to spice up any event, anywhere in the world! They are the classiest group in town and are known for their high standard performers and breathtaking performances!"
Based: UK/Canada.
Mistry Music
Started by Jay Mistry in year 2000.
Music, Singers and Musicians, Tabla and Sitar, Dhol Players, DJs, Lagna Geet & Background Music, Wedding Services, Photography, Mandaps, Indoor/Outdoor Decorations, Floral Decorations, Back Drops and Beauticians.
Have performed at over 500 weddings and parties in the past 4 years.
Based: UK.
Telephone: + 44 (0)7958 408801
Email: info@mistrymusic.com
Sameera
UK based Asian female singer.
featured on Apache Indian's album "REAL PEOPLE".
Contact: info@sameera.co.uk Phone: Tel 0121-422-3337 or 07966-395306
Based: UK.
Strings
A London based live Indian music band, popular live performer.
Based: London.
Contact:
email: kiran@strings-band.com Kiran: +44 7957 190 680, Anuradha: +44 956 579 391
Audio Detour
Song samples here
Based: Kansas, USA
Saroj Gupta NAIDAX
Based: UK
naidax@naidax.com, Mobile (UK) : (0)7968 561 263 . ZestZone Details : www.zestzone.net/contact.htm
Bhangra Aerobics Masala Dance & Fitness
Sarina Jain's Masala Bhangra Workout
Based: US
Masala Dance & Fitness, Inc., P.O. Box 906, Yorba Linda, CA 92885-0906
Tel: 949-737-6882, Fax: 949-856-2053, info@masaladance.com
Bojango Poonj
Started in 1995 at the Indian Cultural Show in Rutgers University. They focus on representing the true spirit of the song as it was originally recorded, while infusing it with a sense of humor and light-heartedness.
Pranay "Pintu" Maisuria. Drums, Percussion, Backup vocals Pintu is also a trader in Manhattan
Gautam Malhotra. Lead Vocals, Guitar Gautam is also a medical resident at UMDNJ.
Shabbar Danish. Lead Guitar Shabbar is also a neurosurgical resident at Univ of Penn.
Sanjay Malieckal. Bass Guitar Sanjay is also a pharmaceutical consultant for Aventis, NJ
Mahua "Little Mo" Ghosh. Lead Vocals Little Mo is also doing post-grad Psychology in Manhattan
Based: US
BojangoPoonj@yahoogroups.com
Neelam Blue Diamond (click on Artistes)
Alternative Site
Any style of music worldwide including Bollywood playback singing. Learned classical Indian music at London's Bharitya Vidya Bhavan, and had vocal training in opera by Jane Humphrey (AKA Jane Bolam) at the Blackheath Conservatoire of Music.
Based: London
Email: nberry AT ntlworld dot com
Trickbaby
Saira Hussain - vocals
Steve Ager - guitar/bass/keyboards/programming
Jeevan Rihal - Harmonium/keyboards/bv's
Vikaash Sankadecha - tabla/percussion
Emre Rramazanoglu - drums/percussion
An East/West soundclash, Saira cites influences from modern dance music through to Bollywood movie classics. It is this unique blend of inspiration, and contemporary use of classic Indian instruments alongside modern production values that provide the basis of the Trickbaby sound.
Based: UK
Contact: steve@chachaman.co.uk
Sanxe Loveji
Desi Remixes.
Based: San Francisco
Email: lovejishq@yahoo.com , Ph: 4155735696
Indian Fusion
Nitin Sawhney : V2 music
Spiritual themes combined with Indian Classical, Flamenco, Rap, Drum n' Bass, Samba
Based: U.K.
+ dj Cheb i Sabbah +
An Algerian born DJ, composed with Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan etc; Lot of fusion music in Indian Spiritual realm.
A good review on him.
Based: Probably SF, USA.
Trilok Gurtu
World Music,BHANGRA ELECTRONICA to juju soul, Afro-Asian funk to raga-pop
Son of Shobha Gurtu, a classical singing star.
Based: Oxfordshire, U.K
Taufiq Qureshi
A Percussion Specialist
Youngest son of the legendary tabla maestro Ustad Allahrakha and brother of the World famous tabla wizard Ustad Zakir Hussain.
Based: Bombay? (He actually performed at IIMB culfest on Jan 18, 2003)
Jai Uttal
A disciple of Ustaad Ali Akbar Khan.
pioneer in the world music community. His eclectic east-meets-west sound has put his music at the forefront of the world fusion movement.
Based: NY
Stephen Day
Sarod player
Through this inspiration he weaves the intricacies of Western harmony with the depth of Eastern melody and rhythm. He is a recognized composer, producer, instrumentalist, vocalist and teacher, proficient in classical guitar, sarod, vocals and drums. He works in multiple genres, including Western classical, Indian classical, jazz, folk, and rock music.
Stephen's music features in Formula 51, a movie starring Samuel Jackson and Robert Carlyle.
Based: Vancouver, Canada?
Ganesh and Kumaresh
Two brothers Kumaresh and Ganesh with fine musical lineage blend seamlessly Indian classical with westen music.
I saw them perform at Vasantahabba 2002.
Ganesh and Kumaresh have many albums to their credit:
> > Violin duet - AVM Audio
> > - sangeetha
> > - Inreco
> > - Gita
> > Manoranjani
> > Swar Utsav 2002
> > Utsav
> > Shantham
> > Colours of india
Based: Chennai, India.
Also: Brahmma.com: Music,Chennai Music,Indian Music,fusion,Jazz,Indian fusion,creative music,Music bands group,Carnatic Music in India,world music
MIDIval PunditZ
The PunditZ re-Present the Asian spirit with their music. Mainly studio musicians, the two have become
popular for the raw energy in their music and their radical DJ-sets at Cyber Mehfils.
Based: New Delhi, India.
Massive Vibrations
About the worldwide South Asian electronic Music Movement / Global News,Music,Events,Art,Film,Trends,Fashion and Lifestyle!
Yahoo Group
Blog
ConFusion home - Celtic melodies and Indian raagas
The band came together in 1997 in Berkeley, California.
Into Hindustani Classical Music and Celtic Music
Based: California?
Mindia Devi Klein Homepage
an Award Winning Musician, Composer and Educator. She Performs On These Instruments:
a) BANSURI: Classical bamboo flute of India
b) SILVER FLUTE
c) BALINESE GAMELAN: Bamboo,Bronze & Wood Tuned Percussion Vocals
Ensemble is called: Ancient Future
Based: USA
Shanti Shanti - World fusion music based on Sanskrit chanting with Indian pop influences
Two young sisters Andrea & Sara Forman blend western pop with chanting in Sanskrit (name Shanti meaning peace itself comes from Sanskrit).
Based: Nevada, USA
YELLOW BELL Music
Artistes: Richard Brookens. Studied Bansuri and Tabla at the Ali Akbar College of Indian Music in San Rafael, California.
Amit Chatterjee, Russell Feingold,Michael Moses, Abbey Rader,Nicole Yarling, Joe Zeytoonian,Barbara Sloan
Genre: World music. Mainly instrumental, sounds of varied cultures - India, China, Africa, and New Zealand, among others.
Based:
Ahimsa WorldMusic
Testimonial by Anantha Narayan, a fan:
Includes 3 Indian and 2 German musicians to create electrifying fusion music comparable to the legends Shakti (Zakir and John McLaughlin).
A.S. Shankar - Ghatam, Matthias Müller - Guitar, S. Radhakrishna - Violin, Armit Metz - Bass, R. Yogaraja - Tabla/Perc
Based: Pentling, Germany and Chennai/India.
Karsh Kale :: online
Classically educated in tabla, schooled in drums and a fiend for electronics, Kale has infused these worlds so well separation seems impossible.
Based: Gloucester, MA?
Bhakti - Limitless Music
Featuring tender folk and soft pop vocals, this satisfying debut by singer/songwriter Bhakti is inspirational and classy.
Based: ?
Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Sacred chants and mantras of the Gaudiya Vaisnava tradition. His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada is the principal exponent of Vaisnava Krsna-conscious thought and spiritual practice in the Western world.
Based: Vrindavan, UP, India.
Yogeshwara
Inspired by the intriguing sounds from Ireland, the Middle East, India and beyond.
Based: Munich, Bavaria. Germany
Prabhu Music: An artistes Collective
Shastro: Italy-born multi-instrumentalist and vocalist.
Anugama Main site: Maui, Hawaii based, Born in Cologne, Germany, Healing music, Multi-instrumentalist .
Prem Joshua Main site: Born to a musical family in Germany, World music.
Manish Vyas
Santoor player.
World Fusion/ New Age music.
Part of a band consisting of Prem Joshua, Tanmayo, Hina Sarojini.
contact: manishtabla@hotmail.com
Sandeep Praval
World Music Multi-Percussionist
E-mail: music@sandeepraval.com
Tel: + 44 (0)7956 576 239
Nana
It is unique in that she has succeeded in creating a captivating style that combines her love of Greek music and culture with music influences from India, Native America, Central Europe and Australia. She builds upona vast array of musical and songwriting influences from Ralph Towner to Dead Can Dance, from Joni Mitchell to Vilayat Khan.
Based: USA.
Innertemple Music
Fusion of jazz, soul, hip-hop, new age, jungle, East Indian, African and other world sounds.
Artist: Thara
Based: NY, USA
Related Sites: http://www.globalsoulmusic.com/ & http://www.shaktisite.com/
Deva Premal and Miten
Graced by ancient mantras, rich harmonies, and sensual rhythms, Deva Premal and Miten's music explores the essence of love, devotion, and consciousness.
Based: USA
Felix Maria Woschek
His music embraces the spiritual tradition of Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, and Judaism, and its sounds of devotion and gratitude lead to the place where it is possible for God and Man to meet - to the heart.
Based: ?
Bodhi Music
BODHI RECORDS is a record label dedicated to working in the area of indigenous music.The label will source out and record musicians that fall into this broad category and provide a platform that will bring them closer to audiences world wide.
2c,raag durbar,
45, sterling road,
nungambakkam,
chennai- 600 034
tamil nadu
india.
phone : 91- 44- 2821 4840
91- 44- 2822 5967
Telefax : 91- 44- 2827 1288
email : info@bodhimuzzik.com
Satsonic
A BLISS-RIDE through the Modern, the Ancient, the Electric, and the Vedic. From the heart of India and the streets of New York City...
Based: USA
Ranga Pae
A World Fusion Blend of Japanese, East Indian, & Indonesian instruments with jazz and pop music.
Based: USA
Exsentrix
Amalgamation of two worlds: a new era of Bhangra Pop.
Based: Vancouver, Canada
Badmarsh and Shri
It's not Asian Underground, just quality dance music made by two innovative producers from different backgrounds.
Based: London.
Related links: http://www.outcaste.com/ , DJ Badmarsh, Shri (1), Shri (2)
Krishna - The Fusion Band
Combination of all the three styles of music known in India ie. Hindustani, Carnatic and Western
music.
Based: Bangalore, India
Sandhya Sanjana
Sandhya Sanjana is a female Indian vocalist who integrates Indian classical vocals with jazz and world music.
Based: Amsterdam/London
Time Travil Homepage: Music = Love
Indobeat ensemble, fusing the musical styles of Indian Classical, Jazz/Funk, Qawwali, Afro-Cuban/Brazillian, and Techno/Trance.
Hindustani Jazz Improvisation.
Based: NY/Boston/Kolkata
IndoFunk
Indofunk blends Indian classical and hip-hop music with straight-up American funk and dance beats to create a new take on funky music.
Based: NY, USA
Bikram Singh
Bhangra Pop/Fusion.
Based: NY, USA
Vani - Raga Rock
Raga Rock is a genre of music which is a mixture of Indian and American influences. This description may sound like the usual round of fusion, but it is not. Most of what is called fusion today is heavily influenced by modern jazz. Although we are not maligning modern jazz, it does tend to be obscure and inaccessible. The resulting fusion is often even more difficult to relate to.
Raga Rock is a very accessible genre which traces its roots back to the 1960s. Artists such as the "Beatles" and the "Incredible String Band" all produced some fine raga rock. A classic example is Norwegian Wood by the "Beatles".
Based: Houston, Texas.
Bluefield Arts
Inspired by the music of the Middle East, Ireland, India and Pakistan.
Tapan Group
Mainly Classical music but also involved in Fusion.
Based: Spain
Nadaka
Contemporary Indian and World Music; an indigenised guitar.
Based: Auroville, India
The Brown Indian Band
Indian classical/jazz Fusion.
Based: Mumbai
Another site http://www.hullocheck.com/
Jazzy Joe
Jazzy Joe is the toast of the jazz scene in Mumbai and one of the most popular jazz musicians in India today.
Based: Mumbai.
Bombay Black
began as a totally different kind of band, called The Screaming Santas, a hard melodic 'eighties'-style rock band that played Christmas music
Based: Italy??
Angel AV
Angel Audio Video is a music publishing company that strives to capture the essence of Goa and bring it to the audience.
Based: Goa, India.
Oriental Blues
Indo-Jazz Fusion.
US: Manojit Paul and Paromita Paul
manojit@yahoo.com
503-533-0977(Porland -Oregon)
India: Tarun Majumder
tarun@orientalblues.com
tarunx@vsnl.com
Ph-913331020501
Oriental Express
Latin, Latin Jazz band. The music ranges from original compositions to Latin and Jazz standards, contemporary jazz to jazz rock.
Saw them at Zero G (the Resto-bar) on a Sunday Night. Fantastic band.
Monojit Datta- monojit_datta@123india.com Phone: 2174289
Mainak Nagchowdhury- maniac_bassist_2000@yahoo.com
Sumit Bhattacharya- allbluesnjazz@yahoo.com Phone: 3377317
Monojit Datta
74/1 A.J.C Bose Road
Calcutta- 700 016
Garaj Mahal
Four world-class musicians, each with their own flair for improvisation and spiritual passion
Leeway's Home Grown Music Network
PO Box 340
Mebane NC 27302
Telephone:
919 563 4923
919 563 2319 fax
info@garajmahal.net
Oliver Rajamani
The music portrays the migration of the Roma (Gypsies) from their homeland in India into the Middle East into Europe beginning from the year 1000. Rajamani also keeps alive a vanishing folk music art form rarely heard outside of its region in Southern India and also extremely ancient namely, "Naiyandi".
Based: Austin, Texas
KingOfPearls@OliverRajamani.com
John Wubbenhorst / Facing East
Bansuri (Flute) master (Flautist) John Wubbenhorst. Master of both the Bansuri (bamboo flute) and Western flute.
Has recorded with Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia.
Two albums: "Facing East" and "Bansuri Dreams".
Based: USA.
3017 James Street
Fairfax, VA 22031
Phone: (301) 346-0789
facingeastmusic@yahoo.com
Prasanna
Testimonial by Anantha Narayan, a fan:
He plays Carnatic music on an unmodified guitar, and its just excellent. He plays traditional Carnatic songs, jazz and fusion on guitar. His music is also available on Music India Online.
Latin, Latin Jazz band. The music ranges from original compositions to Latin and Jazz standards, contemporary jazz to jazz rock.
Based: Boston, USA/ Chennai, India
Email : prasannafeedback@yahoo.com, tsaharaprod@pi.be
Shiva Sound System
DOUBLE D P (DumDum Project)!
DumDum Project
NEW YORK
LMGI
200 Bowery
4th Floor Suite E
New York, NY 10013
http://www.laskargroup.com/
MANAGING DIRECTOR
Kushal Khan
phone: 347.672.8002
kushal.khan@laskargroup.com
PUBLIC RELATIONS
Mike Davis
mike.davis@laskargroup.com
UK CONTACT
Buzz-erk Music
Niraj Chag
info@buzz-erk.com
ASIA CONTACT
Cavone Management
Sean Dinsmore
cavone@dumdumproject.com
The Unseen Guest
Wedding traditional Indian instruments with Western song-writing and guitar, and covering it with rich vocal harmonies, they apply this basic idea to songs that come from every end of the spectrum - sounding sometimes like a mix of American folk blues and Carnatic music, sometimes like a Parisian taking on Nick Drake, at others like Buena Vista by way of Mumbai.
Based: Ireland.
The Unseen Guest
Declan Murray
15 Glenwood,
Bray,
Co. Wicklow, Ireland.
Email : unseenguest@jma.ie
Jazz Goa
formed by a group of musicians and music lovers to promote jazz in and out of Goa.
Armando Gonsalves
Gonsalves Mansion,
Behind Campal Hotel,
Panjim, Goa - 403001
INDIA.
Mob.: 9822487818
E-mail: jazzgoa@yahoo.com (old email ID: armandogoa AT Yahoo co in)
Orange Street
Their music can broadly be classified as Electronic Rock Fusion, Orange Street meld rock guitars, drums and an electronica bedrock with a variety of ethnic Indian percussion (dholak, dhupli etc.) and Indian classical vocals.
Anirban Chakraborty
K-1/75 First Floor
Chittaranjan Park
New Delhi 110019
INDIA
Telephone: +91-9811651024
E-mail: upload@orangestreet.net
BabuKishan (aka Krishnendu Das)
Babu is a music designer, singer, and author renowned in India for his work in both the recording and film industries. He plays a variety of music combining new age, and world fusion, with traditional folk music in authentic Bengali Baul style..
Babukishan's photogallery ay Webshots
Based: West Bengal (Kolkata?)
E-mail: babukishan@yahoo.com
Mathew Joseph
Composer, lyricist, singer and guitarist, Mathew Joseph is from the coastal state of Kerala in the south west of India. A practicing physician for nearly twenty years, with a keen interest in Complimentary and Alternative Medicine, he now lives and works in Bermuda with his wife Sophie and sons Mathew and Mammen.
Mathew's recent re-union with multi-instrumentalist Oliver Rajamani and reggae virtuoso David Estes have resulted in a delightful celebration of sound and a refreshing journey of the spirit.
His album Firefly (at CDbaby).
Based: Bermuda.
E-mail: mathewjosepht@logic.bm
Wynne Paris
Worldbeat musician and producer.
Indian music and kirtan performer
Based: ?
E-mail: WynneParis@aol.com
Manjari
Based: Melbourne, Australia
Sri Lankan born Manjari's eclectic sound is inspired by her eastern heritage and from her upbringing in South Africa where she was exposed to gospel and tribal music.
Asian Dub Foundation
Asian Dub Foundation are 21st century MIDI warriors.
Started off in 1993 at London based organisation Community Music.
Debut album 'Facts and Fictions' (Nation Records) came out in 1995.
Sonik Gurus
Sonik Gurus exist at the meeting point of ancient, contemporary and futuristic music. With their MULTI - TONE UK Urban club sound they fuse Asian, Black and White styles like no other band creating their own distinctive sound. Their music has its roots in the clubs of London, the streets of Asia and the dancehalls of Jamaica. Sonik Gurus bring live Leftfield Fusion to the dancefloor, cutting up Eastern Classical styles and Folk beats with every genre from Ragga, Dub, Funk to Hip Hop, Breakbeat, Drum 'n Bass… and much more.
Sonik Gurus are London-based producers Ash Chandola and Ranvir Verma
Nominated at BRAMA 2005 - The British Asian Music Awards
AFJO: Asian Jazz Festival Organization
Also look at Jazz Festival
Office Mirah Hati C5/55 Permata Hijau, Jakarta 12210,Indonesia
info@ajfo.com
Indian Rock Bands
Ocean Blues
Alternate Site
Cutting an album in 3rd quarter of 2005.
I am Ocean Blues' Outstation band manager. Contact me for any gigs.
Music: Hindrock (Hindi Rock / IndiRock).
"Formed by Nairrit Das on 2nd July 2000. The formation of this band was indeed a difficult task for Nairrit as he had to fight many odds to found OCEAN BLUES. However the name of this band was SENTINELS previously which has a very amusing story behind it. I.E when we went for our first show, we were prepared on all sense but what we forgot was to give a name to our band. When being asked about our band's name we glared at each other as none of us knew what to say. At that time Avik Majumdar our base singer shouted we are the SENTINELS. When we went off stage we asked him from where he had got the name. He told us he saw a SENTINELS security car passing by. We carried on with this name for two years where we performed five times it was on 27th September 2003 our band became THE OCEAN BLUES given by our school teacher Mrs. Tapati Singhi (Info-Center Head, Birla Vidya Niketan). Our last performances were at Durgotsab G.K.II and Nabapalli Puja Samity which was a major hit with a mass audience of 4,000 people enjoying it. We felt very proud to be the Sailors of the OCEAN BLUES. We have with us Mr. Uday Mukherjee, who is a very highly qualified doctor commonly known as 'Ranga' in the band is the Rock Music Advisor for OCEAN BLUES.'
Band:
1) Nairrit Das
2) Ritwick Das
3) Ronojoy Sircar
Based: Delhi
Contact: oceanbluesgroup2000@yahoo.co.in
Gigpad.com - Join the Bandwagon!
With up-to-date info on gigs, the most comprehensive site on Indian Rock scene!
Unwind Center
Unwind Center a non-profit organization, today has become a National Icon in the field of Music.
Birthplace of India’s Mega Music melting pot - JRO (July Rock Out), the Unwind Awards, the Unwind School of Music, Live 1o1, and the ‘Underground’.
Chateau De 'ampa
110, Nelson Manickam Road, Aminjikarai,
Chennai-600029, India
Telephone
91-44 -55274472; 91-44 -55274352; 91-44 -55484352; 91-44 -55379572
info@unwindcenter.com
# 280, 10th Cross, Wilson Garden
Bangalore -27
Ph: 55336309, mobile: 9886626962
Parkirama
Since 8 years and over 200 live commercial concerts.
Their song "but it rained" has been selected for the "Official ICC Cricket World Cup" Music Album.
Saw them perform at IIMB culfest on Jan 19, 2003, and Feb 1, 2004.
Based: New Delhi
Indian Ocean
The band does not want to brand their music. And their listeners and music critics agree that a new sound has evolved, one that combines basic Indian rhythms and classical folk structures with jazz, rock, reggae. (Was scheduled to watch them perform at 6am at Vasantahabba 2004, but I had to leave just before their performance as the girls with me had the night (?) curfew).
Based: New Delhi
The Offical Indus Creed Home Page
Euphoria - The Official Band Site
The need to name genres of music probably got them the classification HINDROCK. They happened to become a premium HINDROCK band.
Saw them perform at IIMB culfest, 2002.
Based: New Delhi
Home Page of Cusp
Formed in November 1996 in Bombay India with the intention of making original music derived from varied influences.
:::: Moksha's Official Site ::::
Formed in a coffee shop in November, 1995, Moksha was the only Asian band to be featured on an Iron Maiden tribute album, which was released by a UK based recording company called Energie Records.
:::: Moksha's Older Site? ::::
Welcome to the Antaragni Web
Evolving a unique blend of Indian Classical, Folk and Western styles of music, in a short span of 2 odd years ‘Antaragni’, a 3-member band, has carved a niche for itself in the Bangalore-Mysore music scene.
Saw them at Vasantahabba 2002.
Thermal and a Quarter (TAAQ)
Formed in 1996. Origin of name: four musicians drunk on mirth coined Thermal And A Quarter after the ethnicity of the band members - three Mals (Malayalees) and one Nor-Mal.
One full-blooded concept album, Jupiter Café
BRUCE LEE MANI (Guitars, Vocals), RAJEEV RAJAGOPAL (Drums, Percussion), RZHUDE (Bass, Vocals), RAJESH MEHAR (Vocals, Guitar Tech), UMESH PN (Sound, Bass Tech), GURUDARSHAN SOMAYAJI (Drum Tech, PR), LEO DAVID (Security, Transport), BIJOY VENUGOPAL (Website, Online Communications) and PG SANTOSH (Financial and Strategic Alliances)
Based: Bangalore.
Contact:
Thermal And A Quarter
#323, 7th B Main, IV Block Koramangala,
Bangalore 34.
Ph: 98453 84297, 98440 64488
E-mail: taaq@lycos.com , taaq@mailcity.com
Oliver Sean
World Music that rocks! The Oliver Sean Band fuses Rock with Indian Tablas & Dance Music.
Album: Darna Chod Do
Oliver Sean : Lead Vocals, All Guitars
Prakash Naik : Tablas, Classical Flute
Franco Fernandes : Keyboards, Samplers
Lloyd Godinho : DJ, Rapping, Scatting, Flute
Based: Goa/London
email: oliver@oliversean.com
Krosswindz
..the fusion, the meeting, the head-on collision of the Sirocco with the Loo, the mistral with the typhoon and the tempest and the gentle sea breeze and all its sensual overtones permeating through....
Another Krosswindz site
Some of their mp3
Based: Kolkata.
Goldspot
They have blended Brit-rock with American rock to come up with music approximately in between Jeff Buckley and U2. The group has crafted dulcet melodies into a fevered soundscape that fuses lush arrangements characteristic of the Brit-rock movement with the sense of urgency found in contemporary American rock..
Based: USA.
Eclipse
Started by Clarence High School Students
Based: Bangalore
Clockwork Orange
A group of four. Female lead vocals.
Started: 2001
Based: Bangalore
Vikshepa
Started by engineering buddies
Based: South India
The Music Magazine -- India's first and finest music e-zine
JAM FESTIVALS
Less focused than Gigpad.com. Seems to focus on teeny boppers.
Hypnos Reviews
Reviews of albums, demos, singles, or any sort of release and live shows. Also, interviews and columns.
Run by Toto, out of Bangalore
Zebediah Plush
Blending various musical influences, Zebediah Plush’s style varies from song to song, voyaging between classic rock and psychedelia with the ease of a progressive rock band.
Arfaaz on drums and vocals, Anand on guitars and vocals, Avijit Michael on keyboards, Anindita on bass, Hari on vocals and Guru, band manager.
zebediahplush@hotmail.com
Arfaaz: 98454 34793
Hari : 98861 67256
Drumming World
Info on Indian Rock Bands & General Rock/Drumming Scenario in India. Info on individual Drummers.
Site run out ofPune.
Contact:
randhir@expressionsindia.com
9422015363, 9890254185
Sister site: IndianRockBands
Prayag Chimes
IndiRock.
MP3 at Soundclick
Contact:pgohain@yahoo.com
Based: Mumbai
Aurko
IndiRock to Bengali folk to Bhangra.
Based: Bangalore
NO -9 100 ft. Ring Road, 4th Cross,3rd Phase, Banashankari III Stage, Bangalore - 560085 India
91 80 2679 1643, 91 98860 49507, 91 98450 15600
email : info@aurko.com, aurko2002@hotmail.com
Aurko_fanclub Yahoo! Group
Chandrabindoo
A pioneering Bangla/Bengali Folk Rock band.
Based: Kolkata
AE-35 Salt Lake City, Kolkata, WB 700064, India
91 80 2679 1643, 91 98860 49507, 91 98450 15600
email : upal@chandrabindoo.com , anindya@chandrabindoo.com , dron@chandrabindoo.com , query-info@chandrabindoo.com , sumi@chandrabindoo.com
Strange Brew
From Indian, Classical to Pop to Rock to Fusion to Jazz come together what could the concoction be called but "STRANGE BREW".
Released album: Just Brewed.
Based: Pune
email : strangebrew_rediffmail.com
Sthir
Sthir is a Desi Rock band based in San Jose, CA, USA
Guitars - Rupinder
Keyboards - Sanjiv
Based: San Jose, USA
email : sthir@sthir.org
Them Clones
Desi Rock band.
Based: Delhi
Sledge
Sledge emerged from the fires and evoked the soul of rock from its grave and restored it to its glory. The journey began in June 1998 when a head banging group of five decided it was time to resurrect rock from the grave, to begin the ritual they started jamming in a haunted house (an old government school)
8-3-978/5, Srinagar Colony,
Hyderabad-500073,
A.P, ( INDIA )
Phone: 9849144400(Anjani), 9246581724 (Suman ), 9849221850 ( Karna )
E-Mail: sledgeindia@yahoo.com
Pralay
Pralay is the first ever Indian rock band to be considered for a Grammy Nominee in the world music category, for their debut Urban Reality.
Based: Mumbai
feedback@pralay.net, contact@pralay.net
Cassini's Division
Cassini’s Division got together in the summer of 2001 to make their own brand of modern rock music.
FD 243 Sector III
Salt Lake City
Calcutta 700091
Tel: +91 33 2321 8604
Mobile: +0 98305 83435
Mobile: +0 98310 34773
Tel: +91 33 2442 2835
email: omega@cassinisdivision.com
HFT: High Fucking Time
The brand of Music is exploratory and of "The Moment". Drawing from various genres of music,the band tries to create an easy conversation among the three instruments that ranges from the lyrical to the chaotic taking you through a pretty wide range of dynamics.
HFT
c/o Prospect Inc.
Plot no.3
Kehar Singh Estate,
Said-ul-ajaib,
New Delhi-110030
India
phone number: +91 (0)11-51671030/51671031
e mail: isheeta@prospectinc.net
Vinapra
Take the pride of being the only Hindi-Rock band on the south side.
Based: Bangalore
Vinapra's first Hindi rock album should be released in a couple of months. One of their songs has been selected for a compilation album for the "Tsunami releif" with artists like Ustad Zakhir Hussain, Shankar Mahadeven etc.
Natraj: 98860-40063, natraj AT vinapra.com
Fstars
Are an Asian-Indian Band: Punjabi, Malayali & Mixed (German-Indian).
Sing in English primarily and are akin to any Modern Rock band on the airwaves or bandwidth.
Use only the basics of Rock & Roll: Guitar, Bass, Drums.
Based: ?
band@fstars.com, stmusic@hotmail.com
Total Mukti
"Total Mukti is a concept and band by Shankar and Saikat. We work with musicians located at different places in the world and record our music by jamming and recording over the internet."
Sing in English primarily and are akin to any Modern Rock band on the airwaves or bandwidth.
Based: Bangalore
contact@totalmukti.com , or call at +91-9880536801
Indian Classical Music/Dance
Welcome to Carnatic.com
A site by S. Sowmya & K. N. Shashikiran (Concept & Content) & Ramanathan N. Iyer (Editor)
S. Sowmya & K. N. Shashikiran are pioneering young musicians who authored the world's first encyclopedic CD-ROM on Carnatic music titled Nadanubhava
Carnatica The Best of Carnatic Music and Related Subjects
A portal for South Indian Classical music (Carnatic Music)
Carnatic Sangeetham
Carnatic Music
Started in 1998 as the brainchild of Sowmya and Shashikiran, the pioneering young musicians who authored the world's first encyclopedic CD-ROM on Carnatic music titled Nadanubhava, Carnatica is now a global organization involved in various activities aimed at promoting and propagating Carnatic music worldwide. The Carnatica group is comprised of:
Run by : S. Sowmya & K. N. Shashikiran Editor: Ramanathan N. Iyer
Sangeet Natak Akademi
The National Academy of Music, Dance and Drama
SRUTI-India Carnatic Music,india dance & music magazine
India's leading music & dance magazine.
Narthaki
Your Gateway to All Indian Classical Dances!!
Sangeet Bhuvan
Dedicated to Hemanta Mukhopadhyay - the Legendary Singer
A Good source for Bengali (and Hindi) songs.
Shruthilaya-Carnatic Music, A Divine Art Form
Kala Vasudevan
5155 Harbury Lane
Suwanee, GA 30024
Phone:6787146851
Email :info@shruthilaya.us
STEM Dance Theatre
Headed by Madhu Nataraj Heri (Director) and Brinda S Jacob (Associate Director).
Madhu Nataraj - Heri (director),
STEM Dance Theatre
No. 37, 17th Cross, Malleswaram,
Bangalore 560 055, India
Ph: 0091-80-3348645, 3360869, Fax: 0091-80-3360869
Email: madhunheri@yahoo.com / stemdt@yahoo.com
Ranga Shankara
An auditorium meant for Indian classical performances.
Bangalore based initiative from Arundhati Nag.
Rajika Puri
Flamenco Natyam, a blend of Flamenco with Bharata Natyam
Pandit Brij Bhushan Goswami
Grandson of "Pt Amol Chand Goswami", a well known haveli singer of temple tradition, Barsana.Dagar Vani.
Based: New Delhi
Dr.Chandrakant Sardeshmukh
Recognized as "a sheer prodigy" at the age of eight by Pandit Ravi Shankar, he was immediately accepted as a student by the Sitar maestro.
Based: Pune, India?
Visalakshi Nityanand On Line
Son of Trivandrum.Sri.R.S.Mani, the Carnatic Music Guru.
Sahil Jagtiani
A management graduate, Sahil's associated with the Art Of Living all over India and recently released his debut album 'Avataran'
Based: Bangalore
Kohinoor Langa Group
Music from the Rajasthan Desert Nomads.
Welcome to the site of Odissi Dance
A site dedicated to propagation, awareness and information about Odissi Dance, an Indian classical dance form from the state of Orissa.
Welcome to SifyCarnaticMusic.Com - The destination for music lovers on the Net
A site dedicated to Carnatic Music by Sify, an Indian ISP
Aditi Mangaldas : Kathak dance exponent: empanelled artiste of the ICCR
She is regarded as one of the leading dancers in both the traditional and contemporary idiom and has performed in major cities of the world. She is the artistic director and principal dancer of the Drishtik Dance Foundation.
I saw her perform at Vasantahabba 2002 and I could only say this to her: "I never believed that one can give an art-form such an appeal before I saw you perform. I totally loved your performance and have become a fan for life."
Based: New Delhi.
National Institute of Kathak Dance
Kathak Kendra (National Institute of Kathak Dance, constituent unit of the Sangeet Natak Akademi)
Bahawalpur House, Bhagwan Das Road, ND 110 001.
Ph: 2338-8681 , 23385065
Some details on Kathak courses offered here at rediff and at education4india.
Chandra and David's Indian Dance Links
A husband-and-wife team who are involved in Indian Music.
Based: Houston, Texas.
Kalyan Pathak
Versatile Drummer & Percussionist of Global Scope
A composer, musician, drummer and percussionist reflecting a journey through multi-cultural life experiences in his music and vision.
kalyan@kalyanpathak.com , sales@kalyanpathak.com
1677 Scott Street, Glendale Heights, IL, 60139, USA
Phone in USA: 630-221-1296 or Cell 630-667-6479
Shankara Foundation
A project by renowned classical dancer Ms Rashmi Gopi Hegde. Fantastic ambience, regular classical performances by renowned, upcoming classical dancers, fusion groups etc. And a lovely circular restaurant decorated with fantastic lanterns to complement the wonderful experience.
Located: Kanakpura road, Bangalore.
Another project by Ms Rashmi Gopi Hegde is called Rudraksha, this too located on Kanakpura road.
Guruskool Music - A Bangalore based organization dedicated to the promotion of classical music.
World Fusion Band Esperanto: Saw them perform and met them at Shankara Foundation, May 2003. Details at my blog.
Sunday Jam - Freedomjam.net
Freedom Jam is a space for musicians and other creative artistes to reach their audience. Organisors regularly set up the show and invite artistes to perform. The audience comes in for free and artists perform for free.- Freedom Jam, no bread. Freedom Jam is biased towards original material. All styles of music from classical to contemporary are welcome.
Freedom Jam in Bangalore is on the 14th of august every year . The Sunday Jams are on the first Sunday of every month. This has happened regularly since august 1996 when India started celebrating its 50th year of freedom.
Freedom jam started in Pondy since 2003 and is around October 30th when the union territory got 'de facto' freedom from French rule
Freedom jam debuted in Goa on 18th/19th dec 2004 - again the date when the Portugese rule ended.
CONTACT: freedomjams@yahoo.com
Suswaralaya College of Music
offers Carnatic music education in percussion, vocal and other instruments. The college lays special emphasis on graduating music students to the fine nuances of stage performance.
KALALAYA An Institution of Fine Arts and school
Kala Iyer, residing in the San Francisco Bay Area for the past 30 years, is the Founder/ Director of KALALAYA, an Institution of Fine Arts and school in Fremont , California , dedicated to teaching Carnatic Vocal lessons at all levels.
Kalalaya
512 Revival Terrace
Fremont , CA 94536 , USA
Telephone: (510) 796-5252
Facsimile: (510) 794-4937
E-mail: kalaiyer1@yahoo.com
Fireflies Ashram
Fireflies is an inclusive secular Ashram open to all spiritual traditions concerned with personal growth, social engagement and environmental action.
Indian Classical Arts Home Page: N.S.Sundar
Sirish Kumar
Percussionist (Tabla)
Born in Tanzania and brought up in Uganda, SIRISHKUMAR was taught music by his late father, Pandit Bhagwanji Bharadwaj (ragi), who in turn learnt from the great singer Pandit Omkarnath and Master Vasant Harmonium player.
43 Ruskin Gardens
Kenton, Harrow
Middlesex, HA3 9PY
M : 07956 392 548
T : 020 8621 1323
E : tabla@sirishkumar.com
Ninaad Records, a music publishing house.
Padmanabha Bapu N.
Sector - 26 , Plot - 316.
Near Ganesh Talab.
Pradhikaran Nigdi.
Pune - 411 044.
Maharashtra . INDIA.
Call on : - + 91 98901 35226. - + 91 20 27 65 10 19.
V . R . Kulkarni Compound.
Fort Harihar - 577 601.
Karnataka . INDIA.
Call on : - + 91 98458 88672. : - + 91 8192 24 44 13
E - mail : eeee8@rediffmail.com , ooofff@rediffmail.com
Diptesh Bhattacharya
Young Sarod player from Kolkata.
19/2, D.N. Chatterjee St.
Belghoria, Calcutta - 700 056
West Bengal,India
Phone: +91-33-25533896, Email: babsarode@rediffmail.com, Fax: +91-33-28450418 (attn. Babua, 9 am - 1 pm & 5 pm - 10 pm)
Mandolin Raghavendra
Carnatical Instrumental Musician (Mandolin).
He has lived in USA and performed at many parts of Globe.
Apart from being a gifted musician, he is also an IT professional and till today he has worked in some of the Top IT companies like Satyam Computers, Wipro Infotech, Infosys Technologies and Hughes.
raganidhi@mandolinraghavendra.com , mandolinraghavendra@yahoo.com
Jitendra Gore
The Young Maestro of Samvadini plays Indian Classical music on Harmonium!
On this page, I am trying to create a directory of all such acts. I also have tried to put some information apart from the link to their websites. I personally like Indian Fusion genre than the other genres. Within India, there are numerous new groups springing up every day which experiment with all genres of music and, most of the times are able to blend (fuse) it with the music of the land brilliantly. Such acts are discovered best at music promotional events such as Vasantahabba.
So go ahead, soak yourself in the music of these artistes!! (A lot of these artistes' music is available FREE at www.mp3.com )
Indian Firang (Firang: adj, slang Foreign) Pop
Tabla Girl
Tina TablaGirl at TinaWorld
Based: New Jersey
Dr. Bombay
An Indian-Danish-Swedish Act. (Belongs to the new Indian-Scandanvian pop music genre!)
The Sugandh Family (It's Your Life...Star In it...B R E A T H E...move to and be moved by music)
Geeta, Kanhaiya, and Seema.
Genre: Ghazals. Endearing fluency in Hindi, Urdu, Punjabi, Gujrati and Sindhi.
Based: LA, California.
Sanjeev and Manish
East Indian melodies and rhythms with a contemporary texture of western sounds.
Debut Album Nazariya. See Details/Buy it here
Genre: Pop.
Based: Seattle, USA.
Hemina Shah
Main site (redirects to here)
A popular live performer.
MP3 at her site.
Contact: hemina@worldoperator.com . Phone: +1-905-827-8124
Based: London.
Eastern Illusion - Live Band Entertainment
"The 'hottest' band in the UK as well as US and Canada, which provide a whole new exciting style of Live Indian Entertainment. Young, talented and stunning artists and performers make this group a vibrant and energetic band and guaranty to spice up any event, anywhere in the world! They are the classiest group in town and are known for their high standard performers and breathtaking performances!"
Based: UK/Canada.
Mistry Music
Started by Jay Mistry in year 2000.
Music, Singers and Musicians, Tabla and Sitar, Dhol Players, DJs, Lagna Geet & Background Music, Wedding Services, Photography, Mandaps, Indoor/Outdoor Decorations, Floral Decorations, Back Drops and Beauticians.
Have performed at over 500 weddings and parties in the past 4 years.
Based: UK.
Telephone: + 44 (0)7958 408801
Email: info@mistrymusic.com
Sameera
UK based Asian female singer.
featured on Apache Indian's album "REAL PEOPLE".
Contact: info@sameera.co.uk Phone: Tel 0121-422-3337 or 07966-395306
Based: UK.
Strings
A London based live Indian music band, popular live performer.
Based: London.
Contact:
email: kiran@strings-band.com Kiran: +44 7957 190 680, Anuradha: +44 956 579 391
Audio Detour
Song samples here
Based: Kansas, USA
Saroj Gupta NAIDAX
Based: UK
naidax@naidax.com, Mobile (UK) : (0)7968 561 263 . ZestZone Details : www.zestzone.net/contact.htm
Bhangra Aerobics Masala Dance & Fitness
Sarina Jain's Masala Bhangra Workout
Based: US
Masala Dance & Fitness, Inc., P.O. Box 906, Yorba Linda, CA 92885-0906
Tel: 949-737-6882, Fax: 949-856-2053, info@masaladance.com
Bojango Poonj
Started in 1995 at the Indian Cultural Show in Rutgers University. They focus on representing the true spirit of the song as it was originally recorded, while infusing it with a sense of humor and light-heartedness.
Pranay "Pintu" Maisuria. Drums, Percussion, Backup vocals Pintu is also a trader in Manhattan
Gautam Malhotra. Lead Vocals, Guitar Gautam is also a medical resident at UMDNJ.
Shabbar Danish. Lead Guitar Shabbar is also a neurosurgical resident at Univ of Penn.
Sanjay Malieckal. Bass Guitar Sanjay is also a pharmaceutical consultant for Aventis, NJ
Mahua "Little Mo" Ghosh. Lead Vocals Little Mo is also doing post-grad Psychology in Manhattan
Based: US
BojangoPoonj@yahoogroups.com
Neelam Blue Diamond (click on Artistes)
Alternative Site
Any style of music worldwide including Bollywood playback singing. Learned classical Indian music at London's Bharitya Vidya Bhavan, and had vocal training in opera by Jane Humphrey (AKA Jane Bolam) at the Blackheath Conservatoire of Music.
Based: London
Email: nberry AT ntlworld dot com
Trickbaby
Saira Hussain - vocals
Steve Ager - guitar/bass/keyboards/programming
Jeevan Rihal - Harmonium/keyboards/bv's
Vikaash Sankadecha - tabla/percussion
Emre Rramazanoglu - drums/percussion
An East/West soundclash, Saira cites influences from modern dance music through to Bollywood movie classics. It is this unique blend of inspiration, and contemporary use of classic Indian instruments alongside modern production values that provide the basis of the Trickbaby sound.
Based: UK
Contact: steve@chachaman.co.uk
Sanxe Loveji
Desi Remixes.
Based: San Francisco
Email: lovejishq@yahoo.com , Ph: 4155735696
Indian Fusion
Nitin Sawhney : V2 music
Spiritual themes combined with Indian Classical, Flamenco, Rap, Drum n' Bass, Samba
Based: U.K.
+ dj Cheb i Sabbah +
An Algerian born DJ, composed with Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan etc; Lot of fusion music in Indian Spiritual realm.
A good review on him.
Based: Probably SF, USA.
Trilok Gurtu
World Music,BHANGRA ELECTRONICA to juju soul, Afro-Asian funk to raga-pop
Son of Shobha Gurtu, a classical singing star.
Based: Oxfordshire, U.K
Taufiq Qureshi
A Percussion Specialist
Youngest son of the legendary tabla maestro Ustad Allahrakha and brother of the World famous tabla wizard Ustad Zakir Hussain.
Based: Bombay? (He actually performed at IIMB culfest on Jan 18, 2003)
Jai Uttal
A disciple of Ustaad Ali Akbar Khan.
pioneer in the world music community. His eclectic east-meets-west sound has put his music at the forefront of the world fusion movement.
Based: NY
Stephen Day
Sarod player
Through this inspiration he weaves the intricacies of Western harmony with the depth of Eastern melody and rhythm. He is a recognized composer, producer, instrumentalist, vocalist and teacher, proficient in classical guitar, sarod, vocals and drums. He works in multiple genres, including Western classical, Indian classical, jazz, folk, and rock music.
Stephen's music features in Formula 51, a movie starring Samuel Jackson and Robert Carlyle.
Based: Vancouver, Canada?
Ganesh and Kumaresh
Two brothers Kumaresh and Ganesh with fine musical lineage blend seamlessly Indian classical with westen music.
I saw them perform at Vasantahabba 2002.
Ganesh and Kumaresh have many albums to their credit:
> > Violin duet - AVM Audio
> > - sangeetha
> > - Inreco
> > - Gita
> > Manoranjani
> > Swar Utsav 2002
> > Utsav
> > Shantham
> > Colours of india
Based: Chennai, India.
Also: Brahmma.com: Music,Chennai Music,Indian Music,fusion,Jazz,Indian fusion,creative music,Music bands group,Carnatic Music in India,world music
MIDIval PunditZ
The PunditZ re-Present the Asian spirit with their music. Mainly studio musicians, the two have become
popular for the raw energy in their music and their radical DJ-sets at Cyber Mehfils.
Based: New Delhi, India.
Massive Vibrations
About the worldwide South Asian electronic Music Movement / Global News,Music,Events,Art,Film,Trends,Fashion and Lifestyle!
Yahoo Group
Blog
ConFusion home - Celtic melodies and Indian raagas
The band came together in 1997 in Berkeley, California.
Into Hindustani Classical Music and Celtic Music
Based: California?
Mindia Devi Klein Homepage
an Award Winning Musician, Composer and Educator. She Performs On These Instruments:
a) BANSURI: Classical bamboo flute of India
b) SILVER FLUTE
c) BALINESE GAMELAN: Bamboo,Bronze & Wood Tuned Percussion Vocals
Ensemble is called: Ancient Future
Based: USA
Shanti Shanti - World fusion music based on Sanskrit chanting with Indian pop influences
Two young sisters Andrea & Sara Forman blend western pop with chanting in Sanskrit (name Shanti meaning peace itself comes from Sanskrit).
Based: Nevada, USA
YELLOW BELL Music
Artistes: Richard Brookens. Studied Bansuri and Tabla at the Ali Akbar College of Indian Music in San Rafael, California.
Amit Chatterjee, Russell Feingold,Michael Moses, Abbey Rader,Nicole Yarling, Joe Zeytoonian,Barbara Sloan
Genre: World music. Mainly instrumental, sounds of varied cultures - India, China, Africa, and New Zealand, among others.
Based:
Ahimsa WorldMusic
Testimonial by Anantha Narayan, a fan:
Includes 3 Indian and 2 German musicians to create electrifying fusion music comparable to the legends Shakti (Zakir and John McLaughlin).
A.S. Shankar - Ghatam, Matthias Müller - Guitar, S. Radhakrishna - Violin, Armit Metz - Bass, R. Yogaraja - Tabla/Perc
Based: Pentling, Germany and Chennai/India.
Karsh Kale :: online
Classically educated in tabla, schooled in drums and a fiend for electronics, Kale has infused these worlds so well separation seems impossible.
Based: Gloucester, MA?
Bhakti - Limitless Music
Featuring tender folk and soft pop vocals, this satisfying debut by singer/songwriter Bhakti is inspirational and classy.
Based: ?
Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Sacred chants and mantras of the Gaudiya Vaisnava tradition. His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada is the principal exponent of Vaisnava Krsna-conscious thought and spiritual practice in the Western world.
Based: Vrindavan, UP, India.
Yogeshwara
Inspired by the intriguing sounds from Ireland, the Middle East, India and beyond.
Based: Munich, Bavaria. Germany
Prabhu Music: An artistes Collective
Shastro: Italy-born multi-instrumentalist and vocalist.
Anugama Main site: Maui, Hawaii based, Born in Cologne, Germany, Healing music, Multi-instrumentalist .
Prem Joshua Main site: Born to a musical family in Germany, World music.
Manish Vyas
Santoor player.
World Fusion/ New Age music.
Part of a band consisting of Prem Joshua, Tanmayo, Hina Sarojini.
contact: manishtabla@hotmail.com
Sandeep Praval
World Music Multi-Percussionist
E-mail: music@sandeepraval.com
Tel: + 44 (0)7956 576 239
Nana
It is unique in that she has succeeded in creating a captivating style that combines her love of Greek music and culture with music influences from India, Native America, Central Europe and Australia. She builds upona vast array of musical and songwriting influences from Ralph Towner to Dead Can Dance, from Joni Mitchell to Vilayat Khan.
Based: USA.
Innertemple Music
Fusion of jazz, soul, hip-hop, new age, jungle, East Indian, African and other world sounds.
Artist: Thara
Based: NY, USA
Related Sites: http://www.globalsoulmusic.com/ & http://www.shaktisite.com/
Deva Premal and Miten
Graced by ancient mantras, rich harmonies, and sensual rhythms, Deva Premal and Miten's music explores the essence of love, devotion, and consciousness.
Based: USA
Felix Maria Woschek
His music embraces the spiritual tradition of Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, and Judaism, and its sounds of devotion and gratitude lead to the place where it is possible for God and Man to meet - to the heart.
Based: ?
Bodhi Music
BODHI RECORDS is a record label dedicated to working in the area of indigenous music.The label will source out and record musicians that fall into this broad category and provide a platform that will bring them closer to audiences world wide.
2c,raag durbar,
45, sterling road,
nungambakkam,
chennai- 600 034
tamil nadu
india.
phone : 91- 44- 2821 4840
91- 44- 2822 5967
Telefax : 91- 44- 2827 1288
email : info@bodhimuzzik.com
Satsonic
A BLISS-RIDE through the Modern, the Ancient, the Electric, and the Vedic. From the heart of India and the streets of New York City...
Based: USA
Ranga Pae
A World Fusion Blend of Japanese, East Indian, & Indonesian instruments with jazz and pop music.
Based: USA
Exsentrix
Amalgamation of two worlds: a new era of Bhangra Pop.
Based: Vancouver, Canada
Badmarsh and Shri
It's not Asian Underground, just quality dance music made by two innovative producers from different backgrounds.
Based: London.
Related links: http://www.outcaste.com/ , DJ Badmarsh, Shri (1), Shri (2)
Krishna - The Fusion Band
Combination of all the three styles of music known in India ie. Hindustani, Carnatic and Western
music.
Based: Bangalore, India
Sandhya Sanjana
Sandhya Sanjana is a female Indian vocalist who integrates Indian classical vocals with jazz and world music.
Based: Amsterdam/London
Time Travil Homepage: Music = Love
Indobeat ensemble, fusing the musical styles of Indian Classical, Jazz/Funk, Qawwali, Afro-Cuban/Brazillian, and Techno/Trance.
Hindustani Jazz Improvisation.
Based: NY/Boston/Kolkata
IndoFunk
Indofunk blends Indian classical and hip-hop music with straight-up American funk and dance beats to create a new take on funky music.
Based: NY, USA
Bikram Singh
Bhangra Pop/Fusion.
Based: NY, USA
Vani - Raga Rock
Raga Rock is a genre of music which is a mixture of Indian and American influences. This description may sound like the usual round of fusion, but it is not. Most of what is called fusion today is heavily influenced by modern jazz. Although we are not maligning modern jazz, it does tend to be obscure and inaccessible. The resulting fusion is often even more difficult to relate to.
Raga Rock is a very accessible genre which traces its roots back to the 1960s. Artists such as the "Beatles" and the "Incredible String Band" all produced some fine raga rock. A classic example is Norwegian Wood by the "Beatles".
Based: Houston, Texas.
Bluefield Arts
Inspired by the music of the Middle East, Ireland, India and Pakistan.
Tapan Group
Mainly Classical music but also involved in Fusion.
Based: Spain
Nadaka
Contemporary Indian and World Music; an indigenised guitar.
Based: Auroville, India
The Brown Indian Band
Indian classical/jazz Fusion.
Based: Mumbai
Another site http://www.hullocheck.com/
Jazzy Joe
Jazzy Joe is the toast of the jazz scene in Mumbai and one of the most popular jazz musicians in India today.
Based: Mumbai.
Bombay Black
began as a totally different kind of band, called The Screaming Santas, a hard melodic 'eighties'-style rock band that played Christmas music
Based: Italy??
Angel AV
Angel Audio Video is a music publishing company that strives to capture the essence of Goa and bring it to the audience.
Based: Goa, India.
Oriental Blues
Indo-Jazz Fusion.
US: Manojit Paul and Paromita Paul
manojit@yahoo.com
503-533-0977(Porland -Oregon)
India: Tarun Majumder
tarun@orientalblues.com
tarunx@vsnl.com
Ph-913331020501
Oriental Express
Latin, Latin Jazz band. The music ranges from original compositions to Latin and Jazz standards, contemporary jazz to jazz rock.
Saw them at Zero G (the Resto-bar) on a Sunday Night. Fantastic band.
Monojit Datta- monojit_datta@123india.com Phone: 2174289
Mainak Nagchowdhury- maniac_bassist_2000@yahoo.com
Sumit Bhattacharya- allbluesnjazz@yahoo.com Phone: 3377317
Monojit Datta
74/1 A.J.C Bose Road
Calcutta- 700 016
Garaj Mahal
Four world-class musicians, each with their own flair for improvisation and spiritual passion
Leeway's Home Grown Music Network
PO Box 340
Mebane NC 27302
Telephone:
919 563 4923
919 563 2319 fax
info@garajmahal.net
Oliver Rajamani
The music portrays the migration of the Roma (Gypsies) from their homeland in India into the Middle East into Europe beginning from the year 1000. Rajamani also keeps alive a vanishing folk music art form rarely heard outside of its region in Southern India and also extremely ancient namely, "Naiyandi".
Based: Austin, Texas
KingOfPearls@OliverRajamani.com
John Wubbenhorst / Facing East
Bansuri (Flute) master (Flautist) John Wubbenhorst. Master of both the Bansuri (bamboo flute) and Western flute.
Has recorded with Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia.
Two albums: "Facing East" and "Bansuri Dreams".
Based: USA.
3017 James Street
Fairfax, VA 22031
Phone: (301) 346-0789
facingeastmusic@yahoo.com
Prasanna
Testimonial by Anantha Narayan, a fan:
He plays Carnatic music on an unmodified guitar, and its just excellent. He plays traditional Carnatic songs, jazz and fusion on guitar. His music is also available on Music India Online.
Latin, Latin Jazz band. The music ranges from original compositions to Latin and Jazz standards, contemporary jazz to jazz rock.
Based: Boston, USA/ Chennai, India
Email : prasannafeedback@yahoo.com, tsaharaprod@pi.be
Shiva Sound System
DOUBLE D P (DumDum Project)!
DumDum Project
NEW YORK
LMGI
200 Bowery
4th Floor Suite E
New York, NY 10013
http://www.laskargroup.com/
MANAGING DIRECTOR
Kushal Khan
phone: 347.672.8002
kushal.khan@laskargroup.com
PUBLIC RELATIONS
Mike Davis
mike.davis@laskargroup.com
UK CONTACT
Buzz-erk Music
Niraj Chag
info@buzz-erk.com
ASIA CONTACT
Cavone Management
Sean Dinsmore
cavone@dumdumproject.com
The Unseen Guest
Wedding traditional Indian instruments with Western song-writing and guitar, and covering it with rich vocal harmonies, they apply this basic idea to songs that come from every end of the spectrum - sounding sometimes like a mix of American folk blues and Carnatic music, sometimes like a Parisian taking on Nick Drake, at others like Buena Vista by way of Mumbai.
Based: Ireland.
The Unseen Guest
Declan Murray
15 Glenwood,
Bray,
Co. Wicklow, Ireland.
Email : unseenguest@jma.ie
Jazz Goa
formed by a group of musicians and music lovers to promote jazz in and out of Goa.
Armando Gonsalves
Gonsalves Mansion,
Behind Campal Hotel,
Panjim, Goa - 403001
INDIA.
Mob.: 9822487818
E-mail: jazzgoa@yahoo.com (old email ID: armandogoa AT Yahoo co in)
Orange Street
Their music can broadly be classified as Electronic Rock Fusion, Orange Street meld rock guitars, drums and an electronica bedrock with a variety of ethnic Indian percussion (dholak, dhupli etc.) and Indian classical vocals.
Anirban Chakraborty
K-1/75 First Floor
Chittaranjan Park
New Delhi 110019
INDIA
Telephone: +91-9811651024
E-mail: upload@orangestreet.net
BabuKishan (aka Krishnendu Das)
Babu is a music designer, singer, and author renowned in India for his work in both the recording and film industries. He plays a variety of music combining new age, and world fusion, with traditional folk music in authentic Bengali Baul style..
Babukishan's photogallery ay Webshots
Based: West Bengal (Kolkata?)
E-mail: babukishan@yahoo.com
Mathew Joseph
Composer, lyricist, singer and guitarist, Mathew Joseph is from the coastal state of Kerala in the south west of India. A practicing physician for nearly twenty years, with a keen interest in Complimentary and Alternative Medicine, he now lives and works in Bermuda with his wife Sophie and sons Mathew and Mammen.
Mathew's recent re-union with multi-instrumentalist Oliver Rajamani and reggae virtuoso David Estes have resulted in a delightful celebration of sound and a refreshing journey of the spirit.
His album Firefly (at CDbaby).
Based: Bermuda.
E-mail: mathewjosepht@logic.bm
Wynne Paris
Worldbeat musician and producer.
Indian music and kirtan performer
Based: ?
E-mail: WynneParis@aol.com
Manjari
Based: Melbourne, Australia
Sri Lankan born Manjari's eclectic sound is inspired by her eastern heritage and from her upbringing in South Africa where she was exposed to gospel and tribal music.
Asian Dub Foundation
Asian Dub Foundation are 21st century MIDI warriors.
Started off in 1993 at London based organisation Community Music.
Debut album 'Facts and Fictions' (Nation Records) came out in 1995.
Sonik Gurus
Sonik Gurus exist at the meeting point of ancient, contemporary and futuristic music. With their MULTI - TONE UK Urban club sound they fuse Asian, Black and White styles like no other band creating their own distinctive sound. Their music has its roots in the clubs of London, the streets of Asia and the dancehalls of Jamaica. Sonik Gurus bring live Leftfield Fusion to the dancefloor, cutting up Eastern Classical styles and Folk beats with every genre from Ragga, Dub, Funk to Hip Hop, Breakbeat, Drum 'n Bass… and much more.
Sonik Gurus are London-based producers Ash Chandola and Ranvir Verma
Nominated at BRAMA 2005 - The British Asian Music Awards
AFJO: Asian Jazz Festival Organization
Also look at Jazz Festival
Office Mirah Hati C5/55 Permata Hijau, Jakarta 12210,Indonesia
info@ajfo.com
Indian Rock Bands
Ocean Blues
Alternate Site
Cutting an album in 3rd quarter of 2005.
I am Ocean Blues' Outstation band manager. Contact me for any gigs.
Music: Hindrock (Hindi Rock / IndiRock).
"Formed by Nairrit Das on 2nd July 2000. The formation of this band was indeed a difficult task for Nairrit as he had to fight many odds to found OCEAN BLUES. However the name of this band was SENTINELS previously which has a very amusing story behind it. I.E when we went for our first show, we were prepared on all sense but what we forgot was to give a name to our band. When being asked about our band's name we glared at each other as none of us knew what to say. At that time Avik Majumdar our base singer shouted we are the SENTINELS. When we went off stage we asked him from where he had got the name. He told us he saw a SENTINELS security car passing by. We carried on with this name for two years where we performed five times it was on 27th September 2003 our band became THE OCEAN BLUES given by our school teacher Mrs. Tapati Singhi (Info-Center Head, Birla Vidya Niketan). Our last performances were at Durgotsab G.K.II and Nabapalli Puja Samity which was a major hit with a mass audience of 4,000 people enjoying it. We felt very proud to be the Sailors of the OCEAN BLUES. We have with us Mr. Uday Mukherjee, who is a very highly qualified doctor commonly known as 'Ranga' in the band is the Rock Music Advisor for OCEAN BLUES.'
Band:
1) Nairrit Das
2) Ritwick Das
3) Ronojoy Sircar
Based: Delhi
Contact: oceanbluesgroup2000@yahoo.co.in
Gigpad.com - Join the Bandwagon!
With up-to-date info on gigs, the most comprehensive site on Indian Rock scene!
Unwind Center
Unwind Center a non-profit organization, today has become a National Icon in the field of Music.
Birthplace of India’s Mega Music melting pot - JRO (July Rock Out), the Unwind Awards, the Unwind School of Music, Live 1o1, and the ‘Underground’.
Chateau De 'ampa
110, Nelson Manickam Road, Aminjikarai,
Chennai-600029, India
Telephone
91-44 -55274472; 91-44 -55274352; 91-44 -55484352; 91-44 -55379572
info@unwindcenter.com
# 280, 10th Cross, Wilson Garden
Bangalore -27
Ph: 55336309, mobile: 9886626962
Parkirama
Since 8 years and over 200 live commercial concerts.
Their song "but it rained" has been selected for the "Official ICC Cricket World Cup" Music Album.
Saw them perform at IIMB culfest on Jan 19, 2003, and Feb 1, 2004.
Based: New Delhi
Indian Ocean
The band does not want to brand their music. And their listeners and music critics agree that a new sound has evolved, one that combines basic Indian rhythms and classical folk structures with jazz, rock, reggae. (Was scheduled to watch them perform at 6am at Vasantahabba 2004, but I had to leave just before their performance as the girls with me had the night (?) curfew).
Based: New Delhi
The Offical Indus Creed Home Page
Euphoria - The Official Band Site
The need to name genres of music probably got them the classification HINDROCK. They happened to become a premium HINDROCK band.
Saw them perform at IIMB culfest, 2002.
Based: New Delhi
Home Page of Cusp
Formed in November 1996 in Bombay India with the intention of making original music derived from varied influences.
:::: Moksha's Official Site ::::
Formed in a coffee shop in November, 1995, Moksha was the only Asian band to be featured on an Iron Maiden tribute album, which was released by a UK based recording company called Energie Records.
:::: Moksha's Older Site? ::::
Welcome to the Antaragni Web
Evolving a unique blend of Indian Classical, Folk and Western styles of music, in a short span of 2 odd years ‘Antaragni’, a 3-member band, has carved a niche for itself in the Bangalore-Mysore music scene.
Saw them at Vasantahabba 2002.
Thermal and a Quarter (TAAQ)
Formed in 1996. Origin of name: four musicians drunk on mirth coined Thermal And A Quarter after the ethnicity of the band members - three Mals (Malayalees) and one Nor-Mal.
One full-blooded concept album, Jupiter Café
BRUCE LEE MANI (Guitars, Vocals), RAJEEV RAJAGOPAL (Drums, Percussion), RZHUDE (Bass, Vocals), RAJESH MEHAR (Vocals, Guitar Tech), UMESH PN (Sound, Bass Tech), GURUDARSHAN SOMAYAJI (Drum Tech, PR), LEO DAVID (Security, Transport), BIJOY VENUGOPAL (Website, Online Communications) and PG SANTOSH (Financial and Strategic Alliances)
Based: Bangalore.
Contact:
Thermal And A Quarter
#323, 7th B Main, IV Block Koramangala,
Bangalore 34.
Ph: 98453 84297, 98440 64488
E-mail: taaq@lycos.com , taaq@mailcity.com
Oliver Sean
World Music that rocks! The Oliver Sean Band fuses Rock with Indian Tablas & Dance Music.
Album: Darna Chod Do
Oliver Sean : Lead Vocals, All Guitars
Prakash Naik : Tablas, Classical Flute
Franco Fernandes : Keyboards, Samplers
Lloyd Godinho : DJ, Rapping, Scatting, Flute
Based: Goa/London
email: oliver@oliversean.com
Krosswindz
..the fusion, the meeting, the head-on collision of the Sirocco with the Loo, the mistral with the typhoon and the tempest and the gentle sea breeze and all its sensual overtones permeating through....
Another Krosswindz site
Some of their mp3
Based: Kolkata.
Goldspot
They have blended Brit-rock with American rock to come up with music approximately in between Jeff Buckley and U2. The group has crafted dulcet melodies into a fevered soundscape that fuses lush arrangements characteristic of the Brit-rock movement with the sense of urgency found in contemporary American rock..
Based: USA.
Eclipse
Started by Clarence High School Students
Based: Bangalore
Clockwork Orange
A group of four. Female lead vocals.
Started: 2001
Based: Bangalore
Vikshepa
Started by engineering buddies
Based: South India
The Music Magazine -- India's first and finest music e-zine
JAM FESTIVALS
Less focused than Gigpad.com. Seems to focus on teeny boppers.
Hypnos Reviews
Reviews of albums, demos, singles, or any sort of release and live shows. Also, interviews and columns.
Run by Toto, out of Bangalore
Zebediah Plush
Blending various musical influences, Zebediah Plush’s style varies from song to song, voyaging between classic rock and psychedelia with the ease of a progressive rock band.
Arfaaz on drums and vocals, Anand on guitars and vocals, Avijit Michael on keyboards, Anindita on bass, Hari on vocals and Guru, band manager.
zebediahplush@hotmail.com
Arfaaz: 98454 34793
Hari : 98861 67256
Drumming World
Info on Indian Rock Bands & General Rock/Drumming Scenario in India. Info on individual Drummers.
Site run out ofPune.
Contact:
randhir@expressionsindia.com
9422015363, 9890254185
Sister site: IndianRockBands
Prayag Chimes
IndiRock.
MP3 at Soundclick
Contact:pgohain@yahoo.com
Based: Mumbai
Aurko
IndiRock to Bengali folk to Bhangra.
Based: Bangalore
NO -9 100 ft. Ring Road, 4th Cross,3rd Phase, Banashankari III Stage, Bangalore - 560085 India
91 80 2679 1643, 91 98860 49507, 91 98450 15600
email : info@aurko.com, aurko2002@hotmail.com
Aurko_fanclub Yahoo! Group
Chandrabindoo
A pioneering Bangla/Bengali Folk Rock band.
Based: Kolkata
AE-35 Salt Lake City, Kolkata, WB 700064, India
91 80 2679 1643, 91 98860 49507, 91 98450 15600
email : upal@chandrabindoo.com , anindya@chandrabindoo.com , dron@chandrabindoo.com , query-info@chandrabindoo.com , sumi@chandrabindoo.com
Strange Brew
From Indian, Classical to Pop to Rock to Fusion to Jazz come together what could the concoction be called but "STRANGE BREW".
Released album: Just Brewed.
Based: Pune
email : strangebrew_rediffmail.com
Sthir
Sthir is a Desi Rock band based in San Jose, CA, USA
Guitars - Rupinder
Keyboards - Sanjiv
Based: San Jose, USA
email : sthir@sthir.org
Them Clones
Desi Rock band.
Based: Delhi
Sledge
Sledge emerged from the fires and evoked the soul of rock from its grave and restored it to its glory. The journey began in June 1998 when a head banging group of five decided it was time to resurrect rock from the grave, to begin the ritual they started jamming in a haunted house (an old government school)
8-3-978/5, Srinagar Colony,
Hyderabad-500073,
A.P, ( INDIA )
Phone: 9849144400(Anjani), 9246581724 (Suman ), 9849221850 ( Karna )
E-Mail: sledgeindia@yahoo.com
Pralay
Pralay is the first ever Indian rock band to be considered for a Grammy Nominee in the world music category, for their debut Urban Reality.
Based: Mumbai
feedback@pralay.net, contact@pralay.net
Cassini's Division
Cassini’s Division got together in the summer of 2001 to make their own brand of modern rock music.
FD 243 Sector III
Salt Lake City
Calcutta 700091
Tel: +91 33 2321 8604
Mobile: +0 98305 83435
Mobile: +0 98310 34773
Tel: +91 33 2442 2835
email: omega@cassinisdivision.com
HFT: High Fucking Time
The brand of Music is exploratory and of "The Moment". Drawing from various genres of music,the band tries to create an easy conversation among the three instruments that ranges from the lyrical to the chaotic taking you through a pretty wide range of dynamics.
HFT
c/o Prospect Inc.
Plot no.3
Kehar Singh Estate,
Said-ul-ajaib,
New Delhi-110030
India
phone number: +91 (0)11-51671030/51671031
e mail: isheeta@prospectinc.net
Vinapra
Take the pride of being the only Hindi-Rock band on the south side.
Based: Bangalore
Vinapra's first Hindi rock album should be released in a couple of months. One of their songs has been selected for a compilation album for the "Tsunami releif" with artists like Ustad Zakhir Hussain, Shankar Mahadeven etc.
Natraj: 98860-40063, natraj AT vinapra.com
Fstars
Are an Asian-Indian Band: Punjabi, Malayali & Mixed (German-Indian).
Sing in English primarily and are akin to any Modern Rock band on the airwaves or bandwidth.
Use only the basics of Rock & Roll: Guitar, Bass, Drums.
Based: ?
band@fstars.com, stmusic@hotmail.com
Total Mukti
"Total Mukti is a concept and band by Shankar and Saikat. We work with musicians located at different places in the world and record our music by jamming and recording over the internet."
Sing in English primarily and are akin to any Modern Rock band on the airwaves or bandwidth.
Based: Bangalore
contact@totalmukti.com , or call at +91-9880536801
Indian Classical Music/Dance
Welcome to Carnatic.com
A site by S. Sowmya & K. N. Shashikiran (Concept & Content) & Ramanathan N. Iyer (Editor)
S. Sowmya & K. N. Shashikiran are pioneering young musicians who authored the world's first encyclopedic CD-ROM on Carnatic music titled Nadanubhava
Carnatica The Best of Carnatic Music and Related Subjects
A portal for South Indian Classical music (Carnatic Music)
Carnatic Sangeetham
Carnatic Music
Started in 1998 as the brainchild of Sowmya and Shashikiran, the pioneering young musicians who authored the world's first encyclopedic CD-ROM on Carnatic music titled Nadanubhava, Carnatica is now a global organization involved in various activities aimed at promoting and propagating Carnatic music worldwide. The Carnatica group is comprised of:
Run by : S. Sowmya & K. N. Shashikiran Editor: Ramanathan N. Iyer
Sangeet Natak Akademi
The National Academy of Music, Dance and Drama
SRUTI-India Carnatic Music,india dance & music magazine
India's leading music & dance magazine.
Narthaki
Your Gateway to All Indian Classical Dances!!
Sangeet Bhuvan
Dedicated to Hemanta Mukhopadhyay - the Legendary Singer
A Good source for Bengali (and Hindi) songs.
Shruthilaya-Carnatic Music, A Divine Art Form
Kala Vasudevan
5155 Harbury Lane
Suwanee, GA 30024
Phone:6787146851
Email :info@shruthilaya.us
STEM Dance Theatre
Headed by Madhu Nataraj Heri (Director) and Brinda S Jacob (Associate Director).
Madhu Nataraj - Heri (director),
STEM Dance Theatre
No. 37, 17th Cross, Malleswaram,
Bangalore 560 055, India
Ph: 0091-80-3348645, 3360869, Fax: 0091-80-3360869
Email: madhunheri@yahoo.com / stemdt@yahoo.com
Ranga Shankara
An auditorium meant for Indian classical performances.
Bangalore based initiative from Arundhati Nag.
Rajika Puri
Flamenco Natyam, a blend of Flamenco with Bharata Natyam
Pandit Brij Bhushan Goswami
Grandson of "Pt Amol Chand Goswami", a well known haveli singer of temple tradition, Barsana.Dagar Vani.
Based: New Delhi
Dr.Chandrakant Sardeshmukh
Recognized as "a sheer prodigy" at the age of eight by Pandit Ravi Shankar, he was immediately accepted as a student by the Sitar maestro.
Based: Pune, India?
Visalakshi Nityanand On Line
Son of Trivandrum.Sri.R.S.Mani, the Carnatic Music Guru.
Sahil Jagtiani
A management graduate, Sahil's associated with the Art Of Living all over India and recently released his debut album 'Avataran'
Based: Bangalore
Kohinoor Langa Group
Music from the Rajasthan Desert Nomads.
Welcome to the site of Odissi Dance
A site dedicated to propagation, awareness and information about Odissi Dance, an Indian classical dance form from the state of Orissa.
Welcome to SifyCarnaticMusic.Com - The destination for music lovers on the Net
A site dedicated to Carnatic Music by Sify, an Indian ISP
Aditi Mangaldas : Kathak dance exponent: empanelled artiste of the ICCR
She is regarded as one of the leading dancers in both the traditional and contemporary idiom and has performed in major cities of the world. She is the artistic director and principal dancer of the Drishtik Dance Foundation.
I saw her perform at Vasantahabba 2002 and I could only say this to her: "I never believed that one can give an art-form such an appeal before I saw you perform. I totally loved your performance and have become a fan for life."
Based: New Delhi.
National Institute of Kathak Dance
Kathak Kendra (National Institute of Kathak Dance, constituent unit of the Sangeet Natak Akademi)
Bahawalpur House, Bhagwan Das Road, ND 110 001.
Ph: 2338-8681 , 23385065
Some details on Kathak courses offered here at rediff and at education4india.
Chandra and David's Indian Dance Links
A husband-and-wife team who are involved in Indian Music.
Based: Houston, Texas.
Kalyan Pathak
Versatile Drummer & Percussionist of Global Scope
A composer, musician, drummer and percussionist reflecting a journey through multi-cultural life experiences in his music and vision.
kalyan@kalyanpathak.com , sales@kalyanpathak.com
1677 Scott Street, Glendale Heights, IL, 60139, USA
Phone in USA: 630-221-1296 or Cell 630-667-6479
Shankara Foundation
A project by renowned classical dancer Ms Rashmi Gopi Hegde. Fantastic ambience, regular classical performances by renowned, upcoming classical dancers, fusion groups etc. And a lovely circular restaurant decorated with fantastic lanterns to complement the wonderful experience.
Located: Kanakpura road, Bangalore.
Another project by Ms Rashmi Gopi Hegde is called Rudraksha, this too located on Kanakpura road.
Guruskool Music - A Bangalore based organization dedicated to the promotion of classical music.
World Fusion Band Esperanto: Saw them perform and met them at Shankara Foundation, May 2003. Details at my blog.
Sunday Jam - Freedomjam.net
Freedom Jam is a space for musicians and other creative artistes to reach their audience. Organisors regularly set up the show and invite artistes to perform. The audience comes in for free and artists perform for free.- Freedom Jam, no bread. Freedom Jam is biased towards original material. All styles of music from classical to contemporary are welcome.
Freedom Jam in Bangalore is on the 14th of august every year . The Sunday Jams are on the first Sunday of every month. This has happened regularly since august 1996 when India started celebrating its 50th year of freedom.
Freedom jam started in Pondy since 2003 and is around October 30th when the union territory got 'de facto' freedom from French rule
Freedom jam debuted in Goa on 18th/19th dec 2004 - again the date when the Portugese rule ended.
CONTACT: freedomjams@yahoo.com
Suswaralaya College of Music
offers Carnatic music education in percussion, vocal and other instruments. The college lays special emphasis on graduating music students to the fine nuances of stage performance.
KALALAYA An Institution of Fine Arts and school
Kala Iyer, residing in the San Francisco Bay Area for the past 30 years, is the Founder/ Director of KALALAYA, an Institution of Fine Arts and school in Fremont , California , dedicated to teaching Carnatic Vocal lessons at all levels.
Kalalaya
512 Revival Terrace
Fremont , CA 94536 , USA
Telephone: (510) 796-5252
Facsimile: (510) 794-4937
E-mail: kalaiyer1@yahoo.com
Fireflies Ashram
Fireflies is an inclusive secular Ashram open to all spiritual traditions concerned with personal growth, social engagement and environmental action.
Indian Classical Arts Home Page: N.S.Sundar
Sirish Kumar
Percussionist (Tabla)
Born in Tanzania and brought up in Uganda, SIRISHKUMAR was taught music by his late father, Pandit Bhagwanji Bharadwaj (ragi), who in turn learnt from the great singer Pandit Omkarnath and Master Vasant Harmonium player.
43 Ruskin Gardens
Kenton, Harrow
Middlesex, HA3 9PY
M : 07956 392 548
T : 020 8621 1323
E : tabla@sirishkumar.com
Ninaad Records, a music publishing house.
Padmanabha Bapu N.
Sector - 26 , Plot - 316.
Near Ganesh Talab.
Pradhikaran Nigdi.
Pune - 411 044.
Maharashtra . INDIA.
Call on : - + 91 98901 35226. - + 91 20 27 65 10 19.
V . R . Kulkarni Compound.
Fort Harihar - 577 601.
Karnataka . INDIA.
Call on : - + 91 98458 88672. : - + 91 8192 24 44 13
E - mail : eeee8@rediffmail.com , ooofff@rediffmail.com
Diptesh Bhattacharya
Young Sarod player from Kolkata.
19/2, D.N. Chatterjee St.
Belghoria, Calcutta - 700 056
West Bengal,India
Phone: +91-33-25533896, Email: babsarode@rediffmail.com, Fax: +91-33-28450418 (attn. Babua, 9 am - 1 pm & 5 pm - 10 pm)
Mandolin Raghavendra
Carnatical Instrumental Musician (Mandolin).
He has lived in USA and performed at many parts of Globe.
Apart from being a gifted musician, he is also an IT professional and till today he has worked in some of the Top IT companies like Satyam Computers, Wipro Infotech, Infosys Technologies and Hughes.
raganidhi@mandolinraghavendra.com , mandolinraghavendra@yahoo.com
Jitendra Gore
The Young Maestro of Samvadini plays Indian Classical music on Harmonium!
Saturday, July 30, 2005
Why Jean Charles de Menezes ran from the cops
Why Jean Charles de Menezes, the Brazilian killed by British special forces in the London Underground, ran from the cops: he had overstayed his visa. The British government issued this gingerly-worded statement:
He applied and received a student visa on October 31 of that year, allowing him to stay until June 30, 2003. After that, the Home Office has no record of any further application or correspondence from de Menezes. “We have seen a copy of Mr. de Menezes’ passport containing a stamp apparently giving him indefinite leave to remain in the UK,” the Home Office statement said. “On investigation, this stamp was not one that was in use by the Immigration and Nationality Directorate on the date given…”
I don’t condone illegal immigration, but the usual response is to deport, not to execute. (Yes, it was a mistake. No, the cops aren’t blameless.)
He applied and received a student visa on October 31 of that year, allowing him to stay until June 30, 2003. After that, the Home Office has no record of any further application or correspondence from de Menezes. “We have seen a copy of Mr. de Menezes’ passport containing a stamp apparently giving him indefinite leave to remain in the UK,” the Home Office statement said. “On investigation, this stamp was not one that was in use by the Immigration and Nationality Directorate on the date given…”
I don’t condone illegal immigration, but the usual response is to deport, not to execute. (Yes, it was a mistake. No, the cops aren’t blameless.)
Sunday, July 17, 2005
But It Rained ...
Wrapped in a polythene tucked away safe in my mind
A little goodbye maybe or just a passing smile
The birds fly away to the southern sky searching a home
A bunch of paper flowers or a little boy left all alone
Can somebody hear me I'm screaming from so far away
Morning who will calm you now, the evening is eclipsed again
Well does life get any better
More yesterday than today
How I thought the sun would shine tomorrow
But it rained ...
They justified the cause for which Daddy might give up his life
It's been so long, so long a time, still I miss Daddy at night
The ache is long gone but they never keeps staring along
The waters in the seas are high
and all the sand castles have drowned
Well does life get any better
More yesterday than today
How I thought the sun would shine tomorrow
But it rained . . .
A little goodbye maybe or just a passing smile
The birds fly away to the southern sky searching a home
A bunch of paper flowers or a little boy left all alone
Can somebody hear me I'm screaming from so far away
Morning who will calm you now, the evening is eclipsed again
Well does life get any better
More yesterday than today
How I thought the sun would shine tomorrow
But it rained ...
They justified the cause for which Daddy might give up his life
It's been so long, so long a time, still I miss Daddy at night
The ache is long gone but they never keeps staring along
The waters in the seas are high
and all the sand castles have drowned
Well does life get any better
More yesterday than today
How I thought the sun would shine tomorrow
But it rained . . .
My Cover letter
I am an Application Programmer and an Open systems development professional having Sound domain on Telecom Billing, functional experience in the design of relational database applications and the implementation and support of complex systems on Open systems technologies. Total software experience of 3 years.
My technical abilities are complemented by sound communication and user interaction abilities
Some technical aspects of my earlier job roles have been:-
• Extremely familiar with Telco Billing Systems focusing mainly on Portal Infranet (over 1 years experience) and IntegRate (Billing system and Pipeline Rating Engine)
• Experienced with: BEA WebLogic, Apache, Tibco BusinessWorks, Tomcat, Microsoft Visio, Siebel, Siebel UAN, IPlanet, JRUN, IBM Websphere, Webmethods, WBI, Tivoli Work Scheduler
• Experience in performing Billing Systems Integration of Portal Infranet 6.7, Siebel and IBM WBI to replace the legacy billing and customer management system.
I am applying for this position, as I think my technical skills and interpersonal skills will suit your requirements appropriately. Please go through my resume, and if found suitable then do intimate me.
I will be looking forward to hear from you.
My technical abilities are complemented by sound communication and user interaction abilities
Some technical aspects of my earlier job roles have been:-
• Extremely familiar with Telco Billing Systems focusing mainly on Portal Infranet (over 1 years experience) and IntegRate (Billing system and Pipeline Rating Engine)
• Experienced with: BEA WebLogic, Apache, Tibco BusinessWorks, Tomcat, Microsoft Visio, Siebel, Siebel UAN, IPlanet, JRUN, IBM Websphere, Webmethods, WBI, Tivoli Work Scheduler
• Experience in performing Billing Systems Integration of Portal Infranet 6.7, Siebel and IBM WBI to replace the legacy billing and customer management system.
I am applying for this position, as I think my technical skills and interpersonal skills will suit your requirements appropriately. Please go through my resume, and if found suitable then do intimate me.
I will be looking forward to hear from you.
Thursday, July 14, 2005
My son the fanatic
I read this book of Hanif Kureishi a couple of months back and some how I got a chance to watch the movie based on this novel starring "Om Puri" who plays a character of a Indian taxi driver in Britain (in the novel its actually a Pakistani Taxi driver).
This is a movie I kinda bumped into at a Pakistani friend's place at Auckland, New Zealand and had nothing to do and just watched it for the sake of Om Puri, I really really dig that guy.
Islamic fundamentalism and western hedonism collide in Hanif Kureishi's film ''My Son the Fanatic'', which takes place in the small English town of Bradford. The film was a huge hit in the 1997 Cannes film festival. Its intriguing way of combining comedy and drama earned it the Official Selection. ''My Son the Fanatic'' gives us a peak to the life of Parvez, an Indian-British taxi-driver, who doesn't care much about his roots, but is very fond of the western way of life.
He befriends with the lower class of his town, eventually falling in love with a prostitute. His son, Farid, represents a very different kind of thinking. He opposes the western way of living recklessly and seeks order. This leads to him leaving his English fiancé and joining a group of Islamic fundamentalists.
The film that begins as a light comedy turns into serious drama as Parvez and Farid collide in their different ways of viewing life. Parvez's worry about his son and his long-dead marriage to his traditional Indian wife who doesn't approve of him mingling with criminals and prostitutes etc. offers us meaningful moments, which carry the deep characters through situations.
The film speaks for open mindedness, showing that a prostitute can be a good person and that a religious fanatic is always someone’s child. It offers much to think about while questioning common prejudiousness. The adequate acting performances and Udayan Prasad's talented directing support Hanif Kureishi's insightful script, which unfortunately, or perhaps intentionally, is left a bit superficial.
''My Son the Fanatic'' shows us that cultures can indeed intermix, and I recommend it strongly, especially at these times. To quote Parvez: ''Farid tells me cultures can't be combined. Jesus! You can't keep them apart!''
Despite that seemingly ho-hum central tack, there are many conflicts studied very poignantly -- modern versus mediaeval, father versus son, fidelity versus emotional satisfaction, ethnic conservatism (ok, fanaticism) versus open minded cosmopolitanism, Good House Husband versus Bad Man Who Befriends Prostitutes, Decent Living Taxi Driver versus Someone Who Became Filthy Rich...and each is subtle yet hard-hitting in its simplicity. Without giving away too much about the plot, there is no ordinary character in the movie, certainly no ordinary Muslim.
The father (Parvez, played wonderfully by Om Puri) is a cabbie who flirts about in a relationship with a street side floozy whom he finds more uplifting (no pun intended) than his stand pat wife back home who disapproves of his free-wheeling ways and even finds his interests in jazz ''too trumpety'' ( I am not sure whether this word exists in any of the world’s English dictionaries).
The other Muslim, the son, is at loggerheads with his peers in throes of non-acceptance and instead gets inveigled into Islamic fundamentalism as an escape. This contrast is very, very credible, real and amusing. Particularly noteworthy are Udayan's idiosyncratic implications about what constitutes ''right'' or ''wrong'' character. Parvez's prostitute girlfriend has a loving heart, a sharp mind and a vivacious presence despite her ostracization from the Good People Club.
The son and his other right-wing Islamic acolyte buddies come off as annoyingly childish in a thoughtless ''promiscuity'' of their own. For instance, they invite a Pakistani Maulvi to sermonize/''guide'', and a hilarious TRUE moment pops up when the Maulvi requests the non-approving father for some help with his immigration into England.
Another VERY, VERY quiet 5 second scene that leaves an indelible impact is the depiction of male chauvinism dominating orthodox Islam where Parvez's wife is huddled in the kitchen for dinner, behind a closed door, and refuses to come out to dine with the men of the house in fear of doing something ''inappropriate'' in the presence of the supposed Maulvi.
The movie has many light-hearted moments and the cinematography is unexpectedly stunning. This entire emotional, moral tussle between father, son, wife, romantic interest etc leads to a denouement that is hardly a resolution of sorts but is deeply moving. Everyone makes a choice (and I found the choice of Parvez's wife particularly startling) in favour of freedom from personal and social shackles.
Made me think for days and recommend this movie to everyone I care about. This is probably not your average East Meets West type ethnic take and certainly not a look into typical Muslim life as it makes no pretense of being.
Yet, as a movie that tackles very touching, very identifiable themes of how simple convictions about life and love can sway people into/away from relationships, it comes HIGHLY, HIGHLY RECOMMENDED from me.
This is a movie I kinda bumped into at a Pakistani friend's place at Auckland, New Zealand and had nothing to do and just watched it for the sake of Om Puri, I really really dig that guy.
Islamic fundamentalism and western hedonism collide in Hanif Kureishi's film ''My Son the Fanatic'', which takes place in the small English town of Bradford. The film was a huge hit in the 1997 Cannes film festival. Its intriguing way of combining comedy and drama earned it the Official Selection. ''My Son the Fanatic'' gives us a peak to the life of Parvez, an Indian-British taxi-driver, who doesn't care much about his roots, but is very fond of the western way of life.
He befriends with the lower class of his town, eventually falling in love with a prostitute. His son, Farid, represents a very different kind of thinking. He opposes the western way of living recklessly and seeks order. This leads to him leaving his English fiancé and joining a group of Islamic fundamentalists.
The film that begins as a light comedy turns into serious drama as Parvez and Farid collide in their different ways of viewing life. Parvez's worry about his son and his long-dead marriage to his traditional Indian wife who doesn't approve of him mingling with criminals and prostitutes etc. offers us meaningful moments, which carry the deep characters through situations.
The film speaks for open mindedness, showing that a prostitute can be a good person and that a religious fanatic is always someone’s child. It offers much to think about while questioning common prejudiousness. The adequate acting performances and Udayan Prasad's talented directing support Hanif Kureishi's insightful script, which unfortunately, or perhaps intentionally, is left a bit superficial.
''My Son the Fanatic'' shows us that cultures can indeed intermix, and I recommend it strongly, especially at these times. To quote Parvez: ''Farid tells me cultures can't be combined. Jesus! You can't keep them apart!''
Despite that seemingly ho-hum central tack, there are many conflicts studied very poignantly -- modern versus mediaeval, father versus son, fidelity versus emotional satisfaction, ethnic conservatism (ok, fanaticism) versus open minded cosmopolitanism, Good House Husband versus Bad Man Who Befriends Prostitutes, Decent Living Taxi Driver versus Someone Who Became Filthy Rich...and each is subtle yet hard-hitting in its simplicity. Without giving away too much about the plot, there is no ordinary character in the movie, certainly no ordinary Muslim.
The father (Parvez, played wonderfully by Om Puri) is a cabbie who flirts about in a relationship with a street side floozy whom he finds more uplifting (no pun intended) than his stand pat wife back home who disapproves of his free-wheeling ways and even finds his interests in jazz ''too trumpety'' ( I am not sure whether this word exists in any of the world’s English dictionaries).
The other Muslim, the son, is at loggerheads with his peers in throes of non-acceptance and instead gets inveigled into Islamic fundamentalism as an escape. This contrast is very, very credible, real and amusing. Particularly noteworthy are Udayan's idiosyncratic implications about what constitutes ''right'' or ''wrong'' character. Parvez's prostitute girlfriend has a loving heart, a sharp mind and a vivacious presence despite her ostracization from the Good People Club.
The son and his other right-wing Islamic acolyte buddies come off as annoyingly childish in a thoughtless ''promiscuity'' of their own. For instance, they invite a Pakistani Maulvi to sermonize/''guide'', and a hilarious TRUE moment pops up when the Maulvi requests the non-approving father for some help with his immigration into England.
Another VERY, VERY quiet 5 second scene that leaves an indelible impact is the depiction of male chauvinism dominating orthodox Islam where Parvez's wife is huddled in the kitchen for dinner, behind a closed door, and refuses to come out to dine with the men of the house in fear of doing something ''inappropriate'' in the presence of the supposed Maulvi.
The movie has many light-hearted moments and the cinematography is unexpectedly stunning. This entire emotional, moral tussle between father, son, wife, romantic interest etc leads to a denouement that is hardly a resolution of sorts but is deeply moving. Everyone makes a choice (and I found the choice of Parvez's wife particularly startling) in favour of freedom from personal and social shackles.
Made me think for days and recommend this movie to everyone I care about. This is probably not your average East Meets West type ethnic take and certainly not a look into typical Muslim life as it makes no pretense of being.
Yet, as a movie that tackles very touching, very identifiable themes of how simple convictions about life and love can sway people into/away from relationships, it comes HIGHLY, HIGHLY RECOMMENDED from me.
Friday, June 24, 2005
Developer Utilities :TESTNAP commands
Testnap
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Dependencies
Syntax
Parameters
Testnap Commands
Error Handling
Error Example 1
Error Example 2
Example
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The testnap utility allows a developer to manually interact with the Infranet® server by establishing a PCM connection with the Connection Manager (CM), and then executing PCM operations using that connection. Using testnap, a developer can:
create input flists
save input and output flists
send opcodes
view return (output) flists
create, view, modify, and delete objects and their fields
open, commit, and abort transactions
For examples and information on using testnap, see Testing Your Applications and Custom Modules.
Opcode Workbench, part of the Developer Center offers similar functionality in a GUI-based application. See Testing Your Applications and Custom Modules and the Opcode Workbench help system for detailed information.
Dependencies
The testnap utility requires a pin.conf configuration file to connect to your Infranet system. You can either use the CM's pin.conf file, or run testnap from a directory that contains a suitable pin.conf file, such as Infranet_home/sys/test.
The testnap utility relies on POID logins and types to identify the specific account or storable class to modify. A POID database number is required as a placeholder only.
The necessary pin.conf information is:
- nap cm_name hostname # Name of the system where the cm is running.- nap userid 0.0.0.1 /service/pcm_client 1 # Database number, 0.0.0.1 by default.- nap login_type 1 # Type 1 means login with password.- nap login_name root.0.0.0.n # Username testnap uses to log in to Infranet.- nap login_pw password # Password is "password" by default. Differs from one Infranet installation to another. - nap cm_ptr ip hostname 11960 # CM pointer: protocol hostname port. Allows multiple CM's to be specified in a pin.conf file. The application will try them consecutively until one works or there are no more "cm_ptr" entries.
The correct path to the shared libraries must also be configured. The library path is configured by default to point to the standard libraries in infranet_home_dir/lib. If the libraries are not in infranet_home_dir/lib, then you must set the library path environment appropriately.
Syntax
% testnapnap (pid)> command args
Parameters
The testnap utility allocates numerous internal buffers, which are used to store object or flist fields. Buffers are referenced by integers of the user's choice. Every time a new buffer is referenced, testnap allocates that new buffer.
If you do not specify a buffer number for a command that expects one, you will be prompted for a buffer number.
The meta keyword causes testnap to display the size of external buffer fields. By default, the contents of external buffer fields are displayed.
Testnap Commands
r ((token file buf
Read an flist or object from a file and put it in a testnap buffer. The ((token operator causes testnap to read from stdin until the token string is read.
r+ ((token file buf
Read and append flist to existing buf. The ((token operator causes testnap to read from stdin until the token string is read.
w buf file
Write contents of testnap buffer to a file.
w+ buf file
Append contents of a testnap buffer to the same file.
l
List the testnap buffers that are currently in use.
d buf
Display a testnap buffer.
! cmds args
Run a shell command (for UNIX systems only).
s buf
Save an flist or object from the input buffer to a testnap buffer.
( file
Execute cmd script.
p (property> (value>
Display or set properties.
q
Quit this program.
h, help,?
Print usage help message.
create buf | poid
Create an object. Run PCM_OP_CREATE_OBJ and print the return flist to stdout. The poid keyword causes the poid id of the object that is created to be the poid id specified in the input flist.
delete buf | - (db> (type> (id>
Delete an object. Run PCM_OP_DELETE_OBJ and print the return flist to stdout. The poid of the object to be deleted can be specified on the command line.
robj buf | - (db> (type> (id> meta
Read an object. Run PCM_OP_READ_OBJ using either the poid in the flist in buf, or the poid specified on the command line. Prints the return flist (the contents of the object) to stdout.
rflds buf meta
Read fields. Run PCM_OP_READ_FLDS using the flist in buf, and print the return flist to stdout. Each field (or row) in the field list must be in a valid flist format. The values for the last field are arbitrary, but must be valid for their type. For example, you have to include "" for STR fields and (some number) for a TSTAMP field. If either of these fields are blank, an error is returned.
wflds buf
Write fields. Run PCM_OP_WRITE_FLDS and print the return flist to stdout.
dflds buf
Delete fields. Run PCM_OP_DELETE_FLDS and print the return flist to stdout.
search buf meta count
Search. Run PCM_OP_SEARCH and print the return flist to stdout. The count operator sets the PCM_OPFLG_COUNT_ONLY flag, which causes search to return only the number of matches found by the search. The count is returned as the ELEM_ID of the RESULTS array on the output flist.
ssrch buf meta
Step-search. Run PCM_OP_STEP_SEARCH and print the return flist to stdout.
snext buf meta
Step-search next. Run PCM_OP_STEP_NEXT to get the next object in a step search, and print the return flist to stdout.
send buf
End step-search. Run PCM_OP_STEP_END and print the return flist to stdout.
gdd buf | - (db> (type> (id>
Get data dictionary. Run PCM_OP_GET_DD and print the return flist to stdout. The poid can be specified on the command line.
sdd ( flags> buf
Set data dictionary. Run PCM_OP_SET_DD and print the return flist to stdout.
sort buf sort_buf descending_flag
Read contents of buf, sort it non-recursively using the template in sort_buf, and print the sorted flist to stdout. Available on UNIX only. The descending flag is optional, with 0 (the default) indicating ascending order, and any non-zero integer indicating descending order.
Sorting is not implemented for the following:
POID
BINSTRS
BUFFERs
ERRBUFS
The number of ARRAY elements in the sort specification is ignored. Use 0. Sort specifications just need valid numbers. The numbers are not necessarily valid or desired values for the current sort; they are basically required place-holders.
rsort buf sort_buf descending_flag
Recursive sort. Read contents of buf, sort it recursively using the template in sort_buf, and print the sorted flist to stdout. Available on UNIX only. The descending flag is optional, with 0 (the default) indicating ascending order, and any non-zero integer indicating descending order.
open ro|rw|lock buf | - (db> (type> (id>
Open transaction. Run PCM_OP_TRANS_OPEN and print the return flist to stdout.
commit
Commit the current transaction. Run PCM_OP_TRANS_COMMIT and print the return flist to stdout.
abort
Cancel the current transaction. Run PCM_OP_TRANS_ABORT and print the return flist to stdout.
inc buf
Increment one or more fields of an object. Run PCM_OP_INC_FLDS and print the return flist to stdout.
noop buf
Run non-operational opcode. Run PCM_OP_TEST_LOOPBACK on that database and print the return flist to stdout.
pass buf
Run a pass_thru op to server. Run PCM_OP_PASS_THRU, an extension op that just sends an flist to a DM that supports it.
xop op flag buf
Run opcode op with flags set to flag, the contents of buf as the input flist, and print the sorted flist to stdout.
id
Print user and session ID.
echo string
Echo a string.
Error Handling
If an error occurs, the contents of the error buffer (ebuf) which corresponds to the error are written to stderr.
Error Example 1
# Delete attempt with the - argument missing:pin@demo5-668> testnap===> database 0.0.0.1 from pin.conf "userid"nap(27459)> delete 0.0.0.1 /account 1ERROR: bad number "0.0.0.1"no object to use for delete
Error Example 2
# Attempt to read a non-existent object:nap(10191)> robj - 0.0.0.1 /account 11988PCM_OP_READ_OBJ failed: err 3:PIN_ERR_NOT_FOUND, field 0/16:PIN_FLD_POID, loc 4:PIN_ERRLOC_DM, errclass 4:PIN_ERRCLASS_APPLICATION, rec_id 0, resvd 30001nap(10191)>
For more information on the error buffer, see Understanding API Error Handling and Logging.
Example
For an extensive set of examples refer to the Examples section of Testing Your Applications and Custom Modules.
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Dependencies
Syntax
Parameters
Testnap Commands
Error Handling
Error Example 1
Error Example 2
Example
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The testnap utility allows a developer to manually interact with the Infranet® server by establishing a PCM connection with the Connection Manager (CM), and then executing PCM operations using that connection. Using testnap, a developer can:
create input flists
save input and output flists
send opcodes
view return (output) flists
create, view, modify, and delete objects and their fields
open, commit, and abort transactions
For examples and information on using testnap, see Testing Your Applications and Custom Modules.
Opcode Workbench, part of the Developer Center offers similar functionality in a GUI-based application. See Testing Your Applications and Custom Modules and the Opcode Workbench help system for detailed information.
Dependencies
The testnap utility requires a pin.conf configuration file to connect to your Infranet system. You can either use the CM's pin.conf file, or run testnap from a directory that contains a suitable pin.conf file, such as Infranet_home/sys/test.
The testnap utility relies on POID logins and types to identify the specific account or storable class to modify. A POID database number is required as a placeholder only.
The necessary pin.conf information is:
- nap cm_name hostname # Name of the system where the cm is running.- nap userid 0.0.0.1 /service/pcm_client 1 # Database number, 0.0.0.1 by default.- nap login_type 1 # Type 1 means login with password.- nap login_name root.0.0.0.n # Username testnap uses to log in to Infranet.- nap login_pw password # Password is "password" by default. Differs from one Infranet installation to another. - nap cm_ptr ip hostname 11960 # CM pointer: protocol hostname port. Allows multiple CM's to be specified in a pin.conf file. The application will try them consecutively until one works or there are no more "cm_ptr" entries.
The correct path to the shared libraries must also be configured. The library path is configured by default to point to the standard libraries in infranet_home_dir/lib. If the libraries are not in infranet_home_dir/lib, then you must set the library path environment appropriately.
Syntax
% testnapnap (pid)> command args
Parameters
The testnap utility allocates numerous internal buffers, which are used to store object or flist fields. Buffers are referenced by integers of the user's choice. Every time a new buffer is referenced, testnap allocates that new buffer.
If you do not specify a buffer number for a command that expects one, you will be prompted for a buffer number.
The meta keyword causes testnap to display the size of external buffer fields. By default, the contents of external buffer fields are displayed.
Testnap Commands
r ((token file buf
Read an flist or object from a file and put it in a testnap buffer. The ((token operator causes testnap to read from stdin until the token string is read.
r+ ((token file buf
Read and append flist to existing buf. The ((token operator causes testnap to read from stdin until the token string is read.
w buf file
Write contents of testnap buffer to a file.
w+ buf file
Append contents of a testnap buffer to the same file.
l
List the testnap buffers that are currently in use.
d buf
Display a testnap buffer.
! cmds args
Run a shell command (for UNIX systems only).
s buf
Save an flist or object from the input buffer to a testnap buffer.
( file
Execute cmd script.
p (property> (value>
Display or set properties.
q
Quit this program.
h, help,?
Print usage help message.
create buf | poid
Create an object. Run PCM_OP_CREATE_OBJ and print the return flist to stdout. The poid keyword causes the poid id of the object that is created to be the poid id specified in the input flist.
delete buf | - (db> (type> (id>
Delete an object. Run PCM_OP_DELETE_OBJ and print the return flist to stdout. The poid of the object to be deleted can be specified on the command line.
robj buf | - (db> (type> (id> meta
Read an object. Run PCM_OP_READ_OBJ using either the poid in the flist in buf, or the poid specified on the command line. Prints the return flist (the contents of the object) to stdout.
rflds buf meta
Read fields. Run PCM_OP_READ_FLDS using the flist in buf, and print the return flist to stdout. Each field (or row) in the field list must be in a valid flist format. The values for the last field are arbitrary, but must be valid for their type. For example, you have to include "" for STR fields and (some number) for a TSTAMP field. If either of these fields are blank, an error is returned.
wflds buf
Write fields. Run PCM_OP_WRITE_FLDS and print the return flist to stdout.
dflds buf
Delete fields. Run PCM_OP_DELETE_FLDS and print the return flist to stdout.
search buf meta count
Search. Run PCM_OP_SEARCH and print the return flist to stdout. The count operator sets the PCM_OPFLG_COUNT_ONLY flag, which causes search to return only the number of matches found by the search. The count is returned as the ELEM_ID of the RESULTS array on the output flist.
ssrch buf meta
Step-search. Run PCM_OP_STEP_SEARCH and print the return flist to stdout.
snext buf meta
Step-search next. Run PCM_OP_STEP_NEXT to get the next object in a step search, and print the return flist to stdout.
send buf
End step-search. Run PCM_OP_STEP_END and print the return flist to stdout.
gdd buf | - (db> (type> (id>
Get data dictionary. Run PCM_OP_GET_DD and print the return flist to stdout. The poid can be specified on the command line.
sdd ( flags> buf
Set data dictionary. Run PCM_OP_SET_DD and print the return flist to stdout.
sort buf sort_buf descending_flag
Read contents of buf, sort it non-recursively using the template in sort_buf, and print the sorted flist to stdout. Available on UNIX only. The descending flag is optional, with 0 (the default) indicating ascending order, and any non-zero integer indicating descending order.
Sorting is not implemented for the following:
POID
BINSTRS
BUFFERs
ERRBUFS
The number of ARRAY elements in the sort specification is ignored. Use 0. Sort specifications just need valid numbers. The numbers are not necessarily valid or desired values for the current sort; they are basically required place-holders.
rsort buf sort_buf descending_flag
Recursive sort. Read contents of buf, sort it recursively using the template in sort_buf, and print the sorted flist to stdout. Available on UNIX only. The descending flag is optional, with 0 (the default) indicating ascending order, and any non-zero integer indicating descending order.
open ro|rw|lock buf | - (db> (type> (id>
Open transaction. Run PCM_OP_TRANS_OPEN and print the return flist to stdout.
commit
Commit the current transaction. Run PCM_OP_TRANS_COMMIT and print the return flist to stdout.
abort
Cancel the current transaction. Run PCM_OP_TRANS_ABORT and print the return flist to stdout.
inc buf
Increment one or more fields of an object. Run PCM_OP_INC_FLDS and print the return flist to stdout.
noop buf
Run non-operational opcode. Run PCM_OP_TEST_LOOPBACK on that database and print the return flist to stdout.
pass buf
Run a pass_thru op to server. Run PCM_OP_PASS_THRU, an extension op that just sends an flist to a DM that supports it.
xop op flag buf
Run opcode op with flags set to flag, the contents of buf as the input flist, and print the sorted flist to stdout.
id
Print user and session ID.
echo string
Echo a string.
Error Handling
If an error occurs, the contents of the error buffer (ebuf) which corresponds to the error are written to stderr.
Error Example 1
# Delete attempt with the - argument missing:pin@demo5-668> testnap===> database 0.0.0.1 from pin.conf "userid"nap(27459)> delete 0.0.0.1 /account 1ERROR: bad number "0.0.0.1"no object to use for delete
Error Example 2
# Attempt to read a non-existent object:nap(10191)> robj - 0.0.0.1 /account 11988PCM_OP_READ_OBJ failed: err 3:PIN_ERR_NOT_FOUND, field 0/16:PIN_FLD_POID, loc 4:PIN_ERRLOC_DM, errclass 4:PIN_ERRCLASS_APPLICATION, rec_id 0, resvd 30001nap(10191)>
For more information on the error buffer, see Understanding API Error Handling and Logging.
Example
For an extensive set of examples refer to the Examples section of Testing Your Applications and Custom Modules.
Thursday, June 23, 2005
Tuesday, June 21, 2005
A 2 ZEE :- Test Nap erros and debugging
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About this document
About adding new client applications
Ways to add custom applications
Using existing system opcodes
Using custom opcodes
Using a custom Data Manager (DM)
Handling transactions
Configuring your custom application
Creating a client application in C
Compiling and linking your programs
Guidelines for developing applications in C on Windows
Guidelines for developing applications in C on UNIX platforms
Using the sample applications
Sample applications
Policy FM source files
Adding Branded Service Management to your application
The brand as an independent virtual workspace
Data scoping
Pointing a base level object to a brand account
Defining a brand account
Providing access to brands
Branding access permissions
Providing access to pricing information
Billing groups
Providing billing group access with an Access Control List (ACL)
Managing custom applications
Creating brands programmatically
Writing brand-aware applications
Displaying a list of user authorized brands
Setting the current connection scope
About adding multidatabase support to your applications
About working with multiple databases
Creating accounts
Maintaining transactional integrity
Working with replicated objects
Searching for accounts across databases
Searching for a single account
Searching for multiple accounts (global search)
Finding out how many databases you have with testnap
Bill numbering
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About this document
This section describes how to add new client applications and how these applications function within the Infranet® system. It includes general information about writing client applications in all supported languages as well as specific information about writing applications in C. The section also contains links to sample applications and their corresponding Makefiles.
To create a custom application that communicates with Infranet, you need to understand the following Infranet components:
Storable classes and storable objects
See Understanding Infranet Flists and Storable Classes.
Portal Object ID (POID) management routines
See Portal object ID (POID).
Flists and flist routines
See About flists.
PCM opcodes and the PIN library routines
See Understanding the PCM API and the PIN Library.
Error-handling routines
See Understanding API Error Handling and Logging.
About adding new client applications
Client applications can be virtually any type of program, including GUI-based tools, Web-based tools, network-enabled applications, batch jobs, cron jobs, and so on. You can write custom application programs to create, manipulate, delete, and display custom storable objects, which in turn implement a business policy.
The base Infranet system comes with a set of client applications that manipulate storable objects within the database. You may, however, require custom applications. The most common custom application captures external events of some type. These events are then submitted to Infranet, details of the event stored, and the event charges assessed if necessary.
For example, a Web hosting application needs to track the number of bytes downloaded and disk space used. This requires an application to analyze disk-space usage and send it to the Rating EM at the end of each month. This also requires a new event type and new policy code that picks the rate category or quantity for the event.
Web servers don't provide an API to display the web usage automatically, so you might want to write an application that looks at the Web log files and generates events in Infranet. Because of the potential number of records in the Web logs, you can aggregate the data externally, and then send the summary to Infranet as events daily or monthly.
Infranet includes a set of client libraries that make it easier to create custom applications. Existing Infranet applications use these client libraries. These libraries are supported on Solaris, AIX, HP-UX, Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows 2000, and Windows NT. For more information about the libraries, see About the Infranet client access libraries.
For guidelines on writing Windows applications, see Guidelines for developing applications in C on Windows.
Ways to add custom applications
You can use the following options when you add custom applications to Infranet:
Using existing system opcodes.
Using custom opcodes.
Using a custom Data Manager (DM).
Using existing system opcodes
You use the base opcodes to create, read, write, delete, and search storable objects. The base opcodes also provide programmatic access to transaction commands. More complex opcodes are implemented by the Facilities Modules (FMs). You use the policy opcodes to implement business decisions. These higher-level opcodes are translated by the FMs to base opcodes and sent to Data Managers (DMs) for processing.
For more information on the different categories of opcodes and how they are used, see Understanding the PCM API and the PIN Library.
In a client application, you use opcodes to record events such as purchasing a product, changing a credit limit, creating an account or service, changing customer information, charging for use of a resource, verifying a password, and looking up names and addresses.
In your application, you can call any of the Infranet opcodes without changing the Infranet system. You need to determine when to use a particular system opcode, what constitutes an event, and then call the appropriate opcode in your application.
Your application must include the header files corresponding to the opcodes you use. All FM opcodes include the header file for base opcodes, so you don't need to include it unless your application uses only base opcodes.
For a list of opcodes and their corresponding header files, see Header files.
Using custom opcodes
If the system opcodes don't provide the required functionality, you can create custom opcodes. However, you must implement your new opcodes in a custom FM and configure the custom FM with each Connection Manager (CM).
For the application to communicate with the custom FM, the application and the FM have to agree on the opcodes to pass and the contents of their input and output flists, error buffers, and flags. The custom FM translates the new opcodes into base opcodes. Then, it can send the opcodes directly to a DM, or it can call other opcodes implemented by the standard FMs.
For information on how to create a custom FM and link it to a CM, see Writing a Custom Facilities Module.
You call the custom opcodes in the same way with the same API by using PCM_OP() as the system opcode. Therefore, you must supply all the parameters, just as in the case of a system opcode.
Create a header file in which you define your custom opcodes. Include the header file in both the application and the custom FM source files. Compile the application and the custom FM with the new header file.
For examples of including opcodes in the header file, see pcm_ops.h in the Infranet_home/include directory.
Tip Defining your custom opcodes in a separate .h file helps you avoid updating FM header files when you upgrade to a new release of Infranet.
Using a custom Data Manager (DM)
Your application can communicate with a custom DM if the custom DM and the application agree on the semantics of the input and return flists.
You attach fields to the input flist that have meaning to the custom DM. These new fields act as opcodes to the custom DM. The return flist is the mirror image of the input flist in the sense that the application and custom storage manager agree on the meaning of the field-value pairs returned by the storage manager. The storage manager is responsible for setting error buffer values.
For information on creating and implementing a custom DM, see Writing a Custom Data Manager.
You create new fields with the PIN_MAKE_FLD macro. For information on the PIN_MAKE_FLD macro, see pcm.h in the Infranet_home/include directory for field value ranges and examples of PIN_MAKE_FLD.
Tip To avoid updating the Infranet.h files every time you upgrade Infranet, define your custom fields in a separate header file and include that file in your application.
Handling transactions
Infranet provides three basic transaction opcodes:
PCM_OP_TRANS_OPEN()
PCM_OP_TRANS_ABORT()
PCM_OP_TRANS_COMMIT()
In your application, you can call PCM_OP_TRANS_OPEN() before calling an opcode and PCM_OP_TRANS_ABORT() or PCM_OP_TRANS_COMMIT() after the opcode calls. However, by default, all opcodes except the password opcodes are surrounded by transactions if transactions are not open when they are called.
Configuring your custom application
You must set up the following applications to access the same database:
The client application
At least one CM
At least one DM
The client application makes the connection by using the Infranet database number in all three configuration files: the application's, the CM's, and the DM's. The database number is arbitrary, but it is determined before the system is installed. Once the system is installed, you can't change this number because it is encoded in every storable object in the database.
The client application must use POIDs with the correct database number. The system routes storable object requests on the basis of POIDs, which include the database number.
In your custom application, use the database number returned by PCM_CONNECT(). If you are using PCM_CONTEXT_OPEN(), call PCM_GET_USERID() and then PIN_POID_GET_DB() on the POID.
Caution! Do not get the database number or the userid POID from the configuration file by calling pin_conf() in your application.
Creating a client application in C
You write client applications by using the PCM opcodes, which send and receive flists to the Infranet database. Each opcode has a corresponding input and return flist.
Flists are used to hold return values for two important reasons:
The macro call itself does not return a value.
An flist can contain an arbitrary number of fields and values that is frequently not known in advance.
Your custom applications must include the header files that correspond to the FM opcodes you use. Which file to include depends on which opcodes you use. The header file for base opcodes needs to be included if you are using only base opcodes, which is unlikely. For information on header files and a list of opcodes and their corresponding header files, see Header files.
You use the PCM_OP() macro to pass PCM opcodes and flists to Infranet. The system returns an flist. You create input flists for the call to PCM_OP() and routine returns the results in an flist. You use the return flists and then destroy them.
The following pseudo-code shows the format of most client programs:
#include "pcm.h"/* header file corresponding to the FM opcode you're using */#include "ops/file.h" #include "pin_errs.h" main() . . . /* open a database context */ PCM_CONTEXT_OPEN() /* clear error buffer */ PIN_ERRBUF_CLEAR(&ebuf); /* send opcode to system, based on user activity or application function. */
PCM_OP(input_flist, opcode, return_flist, &ebuf) /* check for errors */ if (PIN_ERRBUF_IS_ERR(&ebuf)) { /* handle error */ } else { /* ok - no errors */ } . . . /* close database context */ PCM_CONTEXT_CLOSE() . . . exit(0);
Compiling and linking your programs
You don't have to follow any special precompilation or other steps to compile and link applications. Both static and dynamic versions of Infranet libraries are provided.
UNIX client libraries are multi-thread safe. For special instructions on writing Infranet applications in a multi-threaded Windows environment, see Managing memory in a multithreaded Windows environment
To compile and link your application:
Compile using the include files in the Infranet_SDK_home/include directory.
Link to the libraries in Infranet_SDK_home/lib.
See the sample applications and their make files for more information.
The following compilers are supported:
Solaris: Standard SUNPro C compiler, default mode (-Xa).
Infranet is compiled with -xcg92
Note gcc is not supported. Use the -munaligned-doubles option to ensure proper linking.
AIX: cc or xlC for C; xlC for C++
HP-UX: Standard HP C compiler
Windows: Microsoft Visual C or C++ compiler
Guidelines for developing applications in C on Windows
Follow these guidelines to develop custom applications in C on Windows:
Use Microsoft Developer Studio 5.0 or 6.0.
Always build your applications with the multi-threaded DLL or debug multi-threaded DLL (even when producing an .exe file).
Include portal.dll at link time.
Do not mix debug and release versions of library directives. Debug libraries are appended with the letter d. For example the debug version of portal.dll is for example, portald.dll.
Add Infranet_SDK_home/include to the list of include file directories to search.
In the preprocessor directives, be sure to include the following symbols:
WIN32,PIN_USE_ANSI_HDRS
Be extremely careful when running multiple versions of Infranet clients on the same computer. One version of portal.dll does not necessarily work for all versions of Infranet. If an application picks up the wrong DLL (or the wrong DLL is already loaded by another application), you might see abnormal program terminations. For information on sharing memory objects across threads, see Managing memory in a multithreaded Windows environment.
Guidelines for developing applications in C on UNIX platforms
Follow these guidelines to develop custom applications in C on Solaris, AIX, and HP-UX:
Include libportal.so or libportal.sl at link time.
Add Infranet_SDK_home/include to the list of include file directories to search.
In the preprocessor directives, be sure to include the following symbol:
PIN_USE_ANSI_HDRS.
Using the sample applications
Infranet SDK includes sample applications and code as well as source code for policy FMs that you can refer to for coding examples.
Sample applications
Infranet SDK includes sample applications and code in C, C++, Java, PCM COM, and Perl. For a complete list of the sample applications, see Sample Programs.
Before you write your program, try compiling and linking copies of these programs to familiarize yourself with the system. These programs are located in Infranet_SDK_home/source/samples. This directory also includes a sample application configuration file.
Caution! Don't run the sample programs on a production system. Some programs fill the database with test storable objects. Remove the test storable objects before building your production system.
Policy FM source files
Infranet SDK includes the source code for all the policy opcodes. You can refer to them for Infranet coding examples. You can find the Customer Policy FM opcode source files in Infranet_SDK_home/source/sys. Each policy FM has its own directory containing the source files for the included opcodes as well as a make file and other support files.
For more information, see the Transaction Handling section on each opcode reference page and Context management opcodes.
Adding Branded Service Management to your application
Branded Service Management allows a single hosting Infranet site to support multiple virtual Infranet sites. Each virtual ISP is known as a brand and requires a secured view of its own data. At the same time, the hosting site maintains administrative oversight of the entire system, which may include many independent Infranet sites.
The brand as an independent virtual workspace
Two kinds of accounts exist in a branded service management setting: standard accounts and brand accounts. The brand account is a special entity that serves as a complete miniature Infranet system. Each brand accesses the database according to its own rules. To effectively implement brands, "data scoping" is required.
Data scoping
Data scoping is the ability to restrict database access so that only authorized users can access data and services. The concept of an account is essential to effective data scoping. Most objects are account-centric. For example, services and profiles are designed to be associated with an account. Events and pricing objects also "belong" to an account. Therefore, to implement data scoping in a Branded Service Management environment, all objects must be associated with an account.
Pointing a base level object to a brand account
To enforce scoping restrictions, the system associates all objects with an account. This association is done via the PIN_FLD_ACCOUNT_OBJ reference in the every base level object.
! Account object to which data belongsfield PIN_FLD_ACCOUNT_OBJ ( type = PIN_FLDT_POID, perms = MW,
Defining a brand account
There are two account types: standard accounts and brands. The following tag specifies the account type.
! Brand object or normal objectfield PIN_FLD_ACCOUNT_TYPE ( type = PIN_FLDT_ENUM
This flag is set when the account is created, and cannot be modified later. The flag can have one of two values:
For brand accounts: PIN_ACCOUNT_TYPE_BRAND
For standard accounts: PIN_ACCOUNT_TYPE_STANDARD
Providing access to brands
In a Branded Service Management environment, it's often necessary for an object to have distinct read and write access rules. For example, all members of a brand account may have read access to a pricing object while write access may be much more restricted. To meet this requirement two new fields have been added to each account object that define read and write access rules for the object. These fields are controlled by the system and filled in by the Data Manager with values specified in the data dictionary. These are:
PIN_FLD_READ ACCESS: describes who has permission to read data
PIN_FLD_WRITE_ACCESS: describes who has permission to modify data
Branding access permissions
The following table defines the permissions that can be assigned for read and write access:
Permission Description
Global
Any user can read or write the object. Many /config objects are globally readable.
Brand
Any user with brand access can read or write the object. For example, pricing objects, such as products and deals, are brand-readable.
Self
Only the brand owner can read or write the data. Pricing objects are self-writeable and brand-specific to prevent unauthorized changes to the price list.
Ancestral Lineage
The brand owner or any superior billing group leader can read or write the data. For example, /device objects have Ancestral Lineage write permissions.
Brand Lineage
The owner, or any superior billing group leader within the brand, can read or write the data. Used with many objects, including services, profiles, and events to ensure brand segregation and data privacy.
Providing access to pricing information
All pricing related objects available for system use are associated at the brand level. Therefore, Pricing FM opcodes only look for pricing objects associated with the brand.
Read access to pricing data
Each brand in an Infranet system maintains its own pricing data. Because everyone who accesses the brand should be able to read pricing information, objects related to pricing have read access set to the Brand Group Scope level. Thus objects of the following types are all of the type PIN_FLD_READ_ACCESS = B (brand): /product, /rate, /fold, /plan_list.
Write access to pricing data
Since the ability to modify pricing information is generally much more restricted, write access to pricing objects are set locally. This ensures that only the owner of the pricing object can modify pricing data.
Billing groups
Billing groups act as containers for grouping accounts. A billing group leader has access to all account data owned by the billing group, as well as information owned by any of the billing group members. Thus a group leader can look down an entire tree of billing groups and its associated accounts within the brand. In this way, billing groups are used as the primary mechanism for categorizing scoping classes.
Providing billing group access with an Access Control List (ACL)
A new group object, /group/acl, has been created to define access for the billing group. The group acl includes a list of group members along with a pointer to the brand account or accounts to which group members have access.
Managing custom applications
A host ISP may manage many brand accounts. Each brand may in turn have access to a variety of multi-brand applications. Infranet's client interface simplifies an administrator's task. Once a user enters an authorized login and password, Infranet displays a list of available brands. A user can then set the current connection scope by selecting a brand to customize.
Creating brands programmatically
Use the PCM_OP_CUST_COMMIT_CUSTOMER opcode to create a new brand account. This opcode creates and initializes /account and /service storable objects. Once the account has been created, the account type flag must be set:
! Brand object or normal objectfield PIN_FLD_ACCOUNT_TYPE ( type = PIN_FLDT_ENUM
This flag is set when the account is created, and cannot be modified later. The flag can have one of two values:
For brand accounts: PIN_ACCOUNT_TYPE_BRAND
For standard accounts: PIN_ACCOUNT_TYPE_STANDARD
Set the flag to PIN_ACCOUNT_TYPE_BRAND to specify this account as a brand.
Writing brand-aware applications
Applications can be customized to meet the requirements of a brand. To do this, the administrator must first retrieve a list of available brands and then set the connection scope to the specific brand to be customized.
Displaying a list of user authorized brands
Use the PCM_OP_PERM_GET_CREDENTIALS opcode to display a list of the brands which have access to an application. Usually this opcode is called at start-up time. After the user enters an authorized login and password, the system displays a list of brands which have access to the application along with the currently active brand and billing group.
Setting the current connection scope
Because each brand represents an independent virtual workspace with its own data and access rules, a user must select a single brand (or billing subgroup) with which to work. Use the PCM_OP_PERM_SET_CREDENTIALS opcode to set the current connection scope.
About adding multidatabase support to your applications
Infranet supports the ability to add multiple databases for the purpose of scaling your Infranet system. This document explains the programming considerations of creating an application to work with an Infranet system using multiple databases.
For instructions on installing a multidatabase system, see:
Installing a Multidatabase Infranet System on Windows
Installing a Multidatabase Infranet System on UNIX
For instructions on maintaining a multidatabase system, see Managing a Multidatabase Infranet System.
This section explains the topics you need to know before you design a new application, or enhance an existing program to take advantage of the Infranet multidatabase feature.
About working with multiple databases
Generally, making applications work with multiple databases isn't all that different from making them work with a single database.
Accounts are distributed across databases, but applications log in to the correct database for an account based on the login name and service type. When an application logs in to Infranet, it gets the database context for the account it logged in as. An event for the login session for that application is created in the database that hosts the account.
After the application has logged in, it has access to the entire Infranet database for reads and writes on all classes that are modifiable. In most cases, after an account context is established, all subsequent operations for the account are performed in the single database where the context was opened.
Creating accounts
The PCM_OP_CUST_COMMIT_CUSTOMER opcode has been enhanced to work with multiple databases. Use that opcode to create accounts just as you would for a single database system. This opcode uses the /config/distribution object created by using the load_config_dist utility to determine which database your account is created in.
You can specify which database new accounts should be created in by editing the multidatabase configuration file. For more information, see Setting database priorities.
Important Billing groups, including all accounts with the same brand, must reside in the same database.
Maintaining transactional integrity
Important Remember, once you find an account to modify data in, confine all operations possible to that database.
Although an application can connect to multiple databases and manipulate data in any database, a transaction can only manipulate data in a single database. To perform a transaction on more than one database, you must close the existing transaction, open a context to the other database, and open another transaction. An application that needs to perform the same operation on all accounts (such as billing or invoicing), should be run as a separate instance on each database.
You must use the database number returned by PCM_CONNECT or PCM_CONTEXT_OPEN for all transactions within the context you open. These opcodes pass in an account's username and return the database number for that account. To prevent losing transactional integrity, avoid opening contexts to multiple databases whenever possible.
The exception to this rule is the rare occasion when you need to access information in any of the pricing storable classes. Embedded in these classes is the account information (including database number) of the person who changed that information. All account references are exact references. Dealing with this information can require you to switch contexts to another database with a new call to PCM_CONNECT or PCM_CONTEXT_OPEN.
Working with replicated objects
In multidatabase systems, some objects are replicated in all databases to improve performance. Replicating objects allows applications to access information in the database where the context is opened. Replicated objects are read-only except in the primary database.
Many frequently accessed objects, such as /config objects, are replicated. You can obtain a list of the replicated database tables by running a SQL query against the primary database.
Note The SQL query returns a list of table names. Table names generally correspond closely to storable class and class and field names. You can find detailed SQL mapping information for storable classes by following the links in Storable Class Definitions.
To generate a list of replicated tables for Oracle and SQL Server:
Log into the primary database as pin.
% sqlplus pin/password@DatabaseAlias
Enter the following SQL command to generate a list of replicated tables:
SQL> select distinct table_name from md_static_objects_t;
Searching for accounts across databases
Searching for a single account
There are two opcodes you can use to locate a single account:
Use the PCM_OP_ACT_FIND opcode to locate an account based on the login and service type. This opcode finds and returns the account POID (including the correct database number) of a single account.
Use the PCM_OP_GLOBAL_SEARCH opcode to locate an account based on other account attributes. This opcode returns any fields that you specify on the input flist.
Searching for multiple accounts (global search)
Use the PCM_OP_GLOBAL_SEARCH opcodes to find and return the POIDs of multiple accounts across multiple databases at the same time. The global search opcodes can also be used to search for a set of objects that live in multiple databases. For example, all events from a particular day. See Searching for Objects in Infranet Databases for a complete discussion of searching for accounts across multiple databases.
Important Remember to use non-global searches for better performance whenever possible. After you get the results of a global search, you can improve your application's overall performance by dividing the database read and write operations among databases.
Finding out how many databases you have with testnap
Use the testnap testing utility to find out the number of databases that are connected to your Infranet system. The example below shows testnap being started, and then displaying the contents of an flist named 1. This flist is designed to match all root accounts. In the next step, this flist is passed into PCM_OP_GLOBAL_SEARCH (Opcode number 25) which searches all databases. In this final step, testnap searches all databases for their root accounts. There is only one root account (in the /service class) in each database, so the result of this search is a listing of all the databases currently connected to your Infranet system. In this case there are two: 0.0.0.1 and 0.0.0.2.
testnapinput flist:nap(10238)> d 10 PIN_FLD_POID POID [0] 0.0.0.1 /search -1 00 PIN_FLD_FLAGS INT [0] 00 PIN_FLD_TEMPLATE STR [0] "select X from /service where F1 like V1 and F2 = V2 "0 PIN_FLD_ARGS ARRAY [1]1 PIN_FLD_LOGIN STR [0] "root.0.0.0%"0 PIN_FLD_ARGS ARRAY [2]1 PIN_FLD_POID POID [0] 0.0.0.0 /service/pcm_client -1 00 PIN_FLD_RESULTS ARRAY [0]1 PIN_FLD_POID POID [0] NULL1 PIN_FLD_LOGIN STR [0] ""result:nap(10238)> XOP PCM_OP_GLOBAL_SEARCH 0 1XOP: opcode 25, flags 0# number of field entries allocated 3, used 30 PIN_FLD_POID POID [0] 0.0.0.1 /search -1 00 PIN_FLD_RESULTS ARRAY [0] allocated 2, used 21 PIN_FLD_POID POID [0] 0.0.0.2 /service/pcm_client 1 11 PIN_FLD_LOGIN STR [0] "root.0.0.0.2"0 PIN_FLD_RESULTS ARRAY [1] allocated 2, used 21 PIN_FLD_POID POID [0] 0.0.0.1 /service/pcm_client 1 11 PIN_FLD_LOGIN STR [0] "root.0.0.0.1"
Bill numbering
Applications must now avoid hard-coding billing numbers. Bill numbers are now coded to the database they were created in and Infranet relies on the new numbering scheme. The /data/sequence class still keeps track of billing numbers to ensure that they are all unique. This class has been enhanced to make sure that database numbers are unique across databases.
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About this document
About adding new client applications
Ways to add custom applications
Using existing system opcodes
Using custom opcodes
Using a custom Data Manager (DM)
Handling transactions
Configuring your custom application
Creating a client application in C
Compiling and linking your programs
Guidelines for developing applications in C on Windows
Guidelines for developing applications in C on UNIX platforms
Using the sample applications
Sample applications
Policy FM source files
Adding Branded Service Management to your application
The brand as an independent virtual workspace
Data scoping
Pointing a base level object to a brand account
Defining a brand account
Providing access to brands
Branding access permissions
Providing access to pricing information
Billing groups
Providing billing group access with an Access Control List (ACL)
Managing custom applications
Creating brands programmatically
Writing brand-aware applications
Displaying a list of user authorized brands
Setting the current connection scope
About adding multidatabase support to your applications
About working with multiple databases
Creating accounts
Maintaining transactional integrity
Working with replicated objects
Searching for accounts across databases
Searching for a single account
Searching for multiple accounts (global search)
Finding out how many databases you have with testnap
Bill numbering
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
About this document
This section describes how to add new client applications and how these applications function within the Infranet® system. It includes general information about writing client applications in all supported languages as well as specific information about writing applications in C. The section also contains links to sample applications and their corresponding Makefiles.
To create a custom application that communicates with Infranet, you need to understand the following Infranet components:
Storable classes and storable objects
See Understanding Infranet Flists and Storable Classes.
Portal Object ID (POID) management routines
See Portal object ID (POID).
Flists and flist routines
See About flists.
PCM opcodes and the PIN library routines
See Understanding the PCM API and the PIN Library.
Error-handling routines
See Understanding API Error Handling and Logging.
About adding new client applications
Client applications can be virtually any type of program, including GUI-based tools, Web-based tools, network-enabled applications, batch jobs, cron jobs, and so on. You can write custom application programs to create, manipulate, delete, and display custom storable objects, which in turn implement a business policy.
The base Infranet system comes with a set of client applications that manipulate storable objects within the database. You may, however, require custom applications. The most common custom application captures external events of some type. These events are then submitted to Infranet, details of the event stored, and the event charges assessed if necessary.
For example, a Web hosting application needs to track the number of bytes downloaded and disk space used. This requires an application to analyze disk-space usage and send it to the Rating EM at the end of each month. This also requires a new event type and new policy code that picks the rate category or quantity for the event.
Web servers don't provide an API to display the web usage automatically, so you might want to write an application that looks at the Web log files and generates events in Infranet. Because of the potential number of records in the Web logs, you can aggregate the data externally, and then send the summary to Infranet as events daily or monthly.
Infranet includes a set of client libraries that make it easier to create custom applications. Existing Infranet applications use these client libraries. These libraries are supported on Solaris, AIX, HP-UX, Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows 2000, and Windows NT. For more information about the libraries, see About the Infranet client access libraries.
For guidelines on writing Windows applications, see Guidelines for developing applications in C on Windows.
Ways to add custom applications
You can use the following options when you add custom applications to Infranet:
Using existing system opcodes.
Using custom opcodes.
Using a custom Data Manager (DM).
Using existing system opcodes
You use the base opcodes to create, read, write, delete, and search storable objects. The base opcodes also provide programmatic access to transaction commands. More complex opcodes are implemented by the Facilities Modules (FMs). You use the policy opcodes to implement business decisions. These higher-level opcodes are translated by the FMs to base opcodes and sent to Data Managers (DMs) for processing.
For more information on the different categories of opcodes and how they are used, see Understanding the PCM API and the PIN Library.
In a client application, you use opcodes to record events such as purchasing a product, changing a credit limit, creating an account or service, changing customer information, charging for use of a resource, verifying a password, and looking up names and addresses.
In your application, you can call any of the Infranet opcodes without changing the Infranet system. You need to determine when to use a particular system opcode, what constitutes an event, and then call the appropriate opcode in your application.
Your application must include the header files corresponding to the opcodes you use. All FM opcodes include the header file for base opcodes, so you don't need to include it unless your application uses only base opcodes.
For a list of opcodes and their corresponding header files, see Header files.
Using custom opcodes
If the system opcodes don't provide the required functionality, you can create custom opcodes. However, you must implement your new opcodes in a custom FM and configure the custom FM with each Connection Manager (CM).
For the application to communicate with the custom FM, the application and the FM have to agree on the opcodes to pass and the contents of their input and output flists, error buffers, and flags. The custom FM translates the new opcodes into base opcodes. Then, it can send the opcodes directly to a DM, or it can call other opcodes implemented by the standard FMs.
For information on how to create a custom FM and link it to a CM, see Writing a Custom Facilities Module.
You call the custom opcodes in the same way with the same API by using PCM_OP() as the system opcode. Therefore, you must supply all the parameters, just as in the case of a system opcode.
Create a header file in which you define your custom opcodes. Include the header file in both the application and the custom FM source files. Compile the application and the custom FM with the new header file.
For examples of including opcodes in the header file, see pcm_ops.h in the Infranet_home/include directory.
Tip Defining your custom opcodes in a separate .h file helps you avoid updating FM header files when you upgrade to a new release of Infranet.
Using a custom Data Manager (DM)
Your application can communicate with a custom DM if the custom DM and the application agree on the semantics of the input and return flists.
You attach fields to the input flist that have meaning to the custom DM. These new fields act as opcodes to the custom DM. The return flist is the mirror image of the input flist in the sense that the application and custom storage manager agree on the meaning of the field-value pairs returned by the storage manager. The storage manager is responsible for setting error buffer values.
For information on creating and implementing a custom DM, see Writing a Custom Data Manager.
You create new fields with the PIN_MAKE_FLD macro. For information on the PIN_MAKE_FLD macro, see pcm.h in the Infranet_home/include directory for field value ranges and examples of PIN_MAKE_FLD.
Tip To avoid updating the Infranet.h files every time you upgrade Infranet, define your custom fields in a separate header file and include that file in your application.
Handling transactions
Infranet provides three basic transaction opcodes:
PCM_OP_TRANS_OPEN()
PCM_OP_TRANS_ABORT()
PCM_OP_TRANS_COMMIT()
In your application, you can call PCM_OP_TRANS_OPEN() before calling an opcode and PCM_OP_TRANS_ABORT() or PCM_OP_TRANS_COMMIT() after the opcode calls. However, by default, all opcodes except the password opcodes are surrounded by transactions if transactions are not open when they are called.
Configuring your custom application
You must set up the following applications to access the same database:
The client application
At least one CM
At least one DM
The client application makes the connection by using the Infranet database number in all three configuration files: the application's, the CM's, and the DM's. The database number is arbitrary, but it is determined before the system is installed. Once the system is installed, you can't change this number because it is encoded in every storable object in the database.
The client application must use POIDs with the correct database number. The system routes storable object requests on the basis of POIDs, which include the database number.
In your custom application, use the database number returned by PCM_CONNECT(). If you are using PCM_CONTEXT_OPEN(), call PCM_GET_USERID() and then PIN_POID_GET_DB() on the POID.
Caution! Do not get the database number or the userid POID from the configuration file by calling pin_conf() in your application.
Creating a client application in C
You write client applications by using the PCM opcodes, which send and receive flists to the Infranet database. Each opcode has a corresponding input and return flist.
Flists are used to hold return values for two important reasons:
The macro call itself does not return a value.
An flist can contain an arbitrary number of fields and values that is frequently not known in advance.
Your custom applications must include the header files that correspond to the FM opcodes you use. Which file to include depends on which opcodes you use. The header file for base opcodes needs to be included if you are using only base opcodes, which is unlikely. For information on header files and a list of opcodes and their corresponding header files, see Header files.
You use the PCM_OP() macro to pass PCM opcodes and flists to Infranet. The system returns an flist. You create input flists for the call to PCM_OP() and routine returns the results in an flist. You use the return flists and then destroy them.
The following pseudo-code shows the format of most client programs:
#include "pcm.h"/* header file corresponding to the FM opcode you're using */#include "ops/file.h" #include "pin_errs.h" main() . . . /* open a database context */ PCM_CONTEXT_OPEN() /* clear error buffer */ PIN_ERRBUF_CLEAR(&ebuf); /* send opcode to system, based on user activity or application function. */
PCM_OP(input_flist, opcode, return_flist, &ebuf) /* check for errors */ if (PIN_ERRBUF_IS_ERR(&ebuf)) { /* handle error */ } else { /* ok - no errors */ } . . . /* close database context */ PCM_CONTEXT_CLOSE() . . . exit(0);
Compiling and linking your programs
You don't have to follow any special precompilation or other steps to compile and link applications. Both static and dynamic versions of Infranet libraries are provided.
UNIX client libraries are multi-thread safe. For special instructions on writing Infranet applications in a multi-threaded Windows environment, see Managing memory in a multithreaded Windows environment
To compile and link your application:
Compile using the include files in the Infranet_SDK_home/include directory.
Link to the libraries in Infranet_SDK_home/lib.
See the sample applications and their make files for more information.
The following compilers are supported:
Solaris: Standard SUNPro C compiler, default mode (-Xa).
Infranet is compiled with -xcg92
Note gcc is not supported. Use the -munaligned-doubles option to ensure proper linking.
AIX: cc or xlC for C; xlC for C++
HP-UX: Standard HP C compiler
Windows: Microsoft Visual C or C++ compiler
Guidelines for developing applications in C on Windows
Follow these guidelines to develop custom applications in C on Windows:
Use Microsoft Developer Studio 5.0 or 6.0.
Always build your applications with the multi-threaded DLL or debug multi-threaded DLL (even when producing an .exe file).
Include portal.dll at link time.
Do not mix debug and release versions of library directives. Debug libraries are appended with the letter d. For example the debug version of portal.dll is for example, portald.dll.
Add Infranet_SDK_home/include to the list of include file directories to search.
In the preprocessor directives, be sure to include the following symbols:
WIN32,PIN_USE_ANSI_HDRS
Be extremely careful when running multiple versions of Infranet clients on the same computer. One version of portal.dll does not necessarily work for all versions of Infranet. If an application picks up the wrong DLL (or the wrong DLL is already loaded by another application), you might see abnormal program terminations. For information on sharing memory objects across threads, see Managing memory in a multithreaded Windows environment.
Guidelines for developing applications in C on UNIX platforms
Follow these guidelines to develop custom applications in C on Solaris, AIX, and HP-UX:
Include libportal.so or libportal.sl at link time.
Add Infranet_SDK_home/include to the list of include file directories to search.
In the preprocessor directives, be sure to include the following symbol:
PIN_USE_ANSI_HDRS.
Using the sample applications
Infranet SDK includes sample applications and code as well as source code for policy FMs that you can refer to for coding examples.
Sample applications
Infranet SDK includes sample applications and code in C, C++, Java, PCM COM, and Perl. For a complete list of the sample applications, see Sample Programs.
Before you write your program, try compiling and linking copies of these programs to familiarize yourself with the system. These programs are located in Infranet_SDK_home/source/samples. This directory also includes a sample application configuration file.
Caution! Don't run the sample programs on a production system. Some programs fill the database with test storable objects. Remove the test storable objects before building your production system.
Policy FM source files
Infranet SDK includes the source code for all the policy opcodes. You can refer to them for Infranet coding examples. You can find the Customer Policy FM opcode source files in Infranet_SDK_home/source/sys. Each policy FM has its own directory containing the source files for the included opcodes as well as a make file and other support files.
For more information, see the Transaction Handling section on each opcode reference page and Context management opcodes.
Adding Branded Service Management to your application
Branded Service Management allows a single hosting Infranet site to support multiple virtual Infranet sites. Each virtual ISP is known as a brand and requires a secured view of its own data. At the same time, the hosting site maintains administrative oversight of the entire system, which may include many independent Infranet sites.
The brand as an independent virtual workspace
Two kinds of accounts exist in a branded service management setting: standard accounts and brand accounts. The brand account is a special entity that serves as a complete miniature Infranet system. Each brand accesses the database according to its own rules. To effectively implement brands, "data scoping" is required.
Data scoping
Data scoping is the ability to restrict database access so that only authorized users can access data and services. The concept of an account is essential to effective data scoping. Most objects are account-centric. For example, services and profiles are designed to be associated with an account. Events and pricing objects also "belong" to an account. Therefore, to implement data scoping in a Branded Service Management environment, all objects must be associated with an account.
Pointing a base level object to a brand account
To enforce scoping restrictions, the system associates all objects with an account. This association is done via the PIN_FLD_ACCOUNT_OBJ reference in the every base level object.
! Account object to which data belongsfield PIN_FLD_ACCOUNT_OBJ ( type = PIN_FLDT_POID, perms = MW,
Defining a brand account
There are two account types: standard accounts and brands. The following tag specifies the account type.
! Brand object or normal objectfield PIN_FLD_ACCOUNT_TYPE ( type = PIN_FLDT_ENUM
This flag is set when the account is created, and cannot be modified later. The flag can have one of two values:
For brand accounts: PIN_ACCOUNT_TYPE_BRAND
For standard accounts: PIN_ACCOUNT_TYPE_STANDARD
Providing access to brands
In a Branded Service Management environment, it's often necessary for an object to have distinct read and write access rules. For example, all members of a brand account may have read access to a pricing object while write access may be much more restricted. To meet this requirement two new fields have been added to each account object that define read and write access rules for the object. These fields are controlled by the system and filled in by the Data Manager with values specified in the data dictionary. These are:
PIN_FLD_READ ACCESS: describes who has permission to read data
PIN_FLD_WRITE_ACCESS: describes who has permission to modify data
Branding access permissions
The following table defines the permissions that can be assigned for read and write access:
Permission Description
Global
Any user can read or write the object. Many /config objects are globally readable.
Brand
Any user with brand access can read or write the object. For example, pricing objects, such as products and deals, are brand-readable.
Self
Only the brand owner can read or write the data. Pricing objects are self-writeable and brand-specific to prevent unauthorized changes to the price list.
Ancestral Lineage
The brand owner or any superior billing group leader can read or write the data. For example, /device objects have Ancestral Lineage write permissions.
Brand Lineage
The owner, or any superior billing group leader within the brand, can read or write the data. Used with many objects, including services, profiles, and events to ensure brand segregation and data privacy.
Providing access to pricing information
All pricing related objects available for system use are associated at the brand level. Therefore, Pricing FM opcodes only look for pricing objects associated with the brand.
Read access to pricing data
Each brand in an Infranet system maintains its own pricing data. Because everyone who accesses the brand should be able to read pricing information, objects related to pricing have read access set to the Brand Group Scope level. Thus objects of the following types are all of the type PIN_FLD_READ_ACCESS = B (brand): /product, /rate, /fold, /plan_list.
Write access to pricing data
Since the ability to modify pricing information is generally much more restricted, write access to pricing objects are set locally. This ensures that only the owner of the pricing object can modify pricing data.
Billing groups
Billing groups act as containers for grouping accounts. A billing group leader has access to all account data owned by the billing group, as well as information owned by any of the billing group members. Thus a group leader can look down an entire tree of billing groups and its associated accounts within the brand. In this way, billing groups are used as the primary mechanism for categorizing scoping classes.
Providing billing group access with an Access Control List (ACL)
A new group object, /group/acl, has been created to define access for the billing group. The group acl includes a list of group members along with a pointer to the brand account or accounts to which group members have access.
Managing custom applications
A host ISP may manage many brand accounts. Each brand may in turn have access to a variety of multi-brand applications. Infranet's client interface simplifies an administrator's task. Once a user enters an authorized login and password, Infranet displays a list of available brands. A user can then set the current connection scope by selecting a brand to customize.
Creating brands programmatically
Use the PCM_OP_CUST_COMMIT_CUSTOMER opcode to create a new brand account. This opcode creates and initializes /account and /service storable objects. Once the account has been created, the account type flag must be set:
! Brand object or normal objectfield PIN_FLD_ACCOUNT_TYPE ( type = PIN_FLDT_ENUM
This flag is set when the account is created, and cannot be modified later. The flag can have one of two values:
For brand accounts: PIN_ACCOUNT_TYPE_BRAND
For standard accounts: PIN_ACCOUNT_TYPE_STANDARD
Set the flag to PIN_ACCOUNT_TYPE_BRAND to specify this account as a brand.
Writing brand-aware applications
Applications can be customized to meet the requirements of a brand. To do this, the administrator must first retrieve a list of available brands and then set the connection scope to the specific brand to be customized.
Displaying a list of user authorized brands
Use the PCM_OP_PERM_GET_CREDENTIALS opcode to display a list of the brands which have access to an application. Usually this opcode is called at start-up time. After the user enters an authorized login and password, the system displays a list of brands which have access to the application along with the currently active brand and billing group.
Setting the current connection scope
Because each brand represents an independent virtual workspace with its own data and access rules, a user must select a single brand (or billing subgroup) with which to work. Use the PCM_OP_PERM_SET_CREDENTIALS opcode to set the current connection scope.
About adding multidatabase support to your applications
Infranet supports the ability to add multiple databases for the purpose of scaling your Infranet system. This document explains the programming considerations of creating an application to work with an Infranet system using multiple databases.
For instructions on installing a multidatabase system, see:
Installing a Multidatabase Infranet System on Windows
Installing a Multidatabase Infranet System on UNIX
For instructions on maintaining a multidatabase system, see Managing a Multidatabase Infranet System.
This section explains the topics you need to know before you design a new application, or enhance an existing program to take advantage of the Infranet multidatabase feature.
About working with multiple databases
Generally, making applications work with multiple databases isn't all that different from making them work with a single database.
Accounts are distributed across databases, but applications log in to the correct database for an account based on the login name and service type. When an application logs in to Infranet, it gets the database context for the account it logged in as. An event for the login session for that application is created in the database that hosts the account.
After the application has logged in, it has access to the entire Infranet database for reads and writes on all classes that are modifiable. In most cases, after an account context is established, all subsequent operations for the account are performed in the single database where the context was opened.
Creating accounts
The PCM_OP_CUST_COMMIT_CUSTOMER opcode has been enhanced to work with multiple databases. Use that opcode to create accounts just as you would for a single database system. This opcode uses the /config/distribution object created by using the load_config_dist utility to determine which database your account is created in.
You can specify which database new accounts should be created in by editing the multidatabase configuration file. For more information, see Setting database priorities.
Important Billing groups, including all accounts with the same brand, must reside in the same database.
Maintaining transactional integrity
Important Remember, once you find an account to modify data in, confine all operations possible to that database.
Although an application can connect to multiple databases and manipulate data in any database, a transaction can only manipulate data in a single database. To perform a transaction on more than one database, you must close the existing transaction, open a context to the other database, and open another transaction. An application that needs to perform the same operation on all accounts (such as billing or invoicing), should be run as a separate instance on each database.
You must use the database number returned by PCM_CONNECT or PCM_CONTEXT_OPEN for all transactions within the context you open. These opcodes pass in an account's username and return the database number for that account. To prevent losing transactional integrity, avoid opening contexts to multiple databases whenever possible.
The exception to this rule is the rare occasion when you need to access information in any of the pricing storable classes. Embedded in these classes is the account information (including database number) of the person who changed that information. All account references are exact references. Dealing with this information can require you to switch contexts to another database with a new call to PCM_CONNECT or PCM_CONTEXT_OPEN.
Working with replicated objects
In multidatabase systems, some objects are replicated in all databases to improve performance. Replicating objects allows applications to access information in the database where the context is opened. Replicated objects are read-only except in the primary database.
Many frequently accessed objects, such as /config objects, are replicated. You can obtain a list of the replicated database tables by running a SQL query against the primary database.
Note The SQL query returns a list of table names. Table names generally correspond closely to storable class and class and field names. You can find detailed SQL mapping information for storable classes by following the links in Storable Class Definitions.
To generate a list of replicated tables for Oracle and SQL Server:
Log into the primary database as pin.
% sqlplus pin/password@DatabaseAlias
Enter the following SQL command to generate a list of replicated tables:
SQL> select distinct table_name from md_static_objects_t;
Searching for accounts across databases
Searching for a single account
There are two opcodes you can use to locate a single account:
Use the PCM_OP_ACT_FIND opcode to locate an account based on the login and service type. This opcode finds and returns the account POID (including the correct database number) of a single account.
Use the PCM_OP_GLOBAL_SEARCH opcode to locate an account based on other account attributes. This opcode returns any fields that you specify on the input flist.
Searching for multiple accounts (global search)
Use the PCM_OP_GLOBAL_SEARCH opcodes to find and return the POIDs of multiple accounts across multiple databases at the same time. The global search opcodes can also be used to search for a set of objects that live in multiple databases. For example, all events from a particular day. See Searching for Objects in Infranet Databases for a complete discussion of searching for accounts across multiple databases.
Important Remember to use non-global searches for better performance whenever possible. After you get the results of a global search, you can improve your application's overall performance by dividing the database read and write operations among databases.
Finding out how many databases you have with testnap
Use the testnap testing utility to find out the number of databases that are connected to your Infranet system. The example below shows testnap being started, and then displaying the contents of an flist named 1. This flist is designed to match all root accounts. In the next step, this flist is passed into PCM_OP_GLOBAL_SEARCH (Opcode number 25) which searches all databases. In this final step, testnap searches all databases for their root accounts. There is only one root account (in the /service class) in each database, so the result of this search is a listing of all the databases currently connected to your Infranet system. In this case there are two: 0.0.0.1 and 0.0.0.2.
testnapinput flist:nap(10238)> d 10 PIN_FLD_POID POID [0] 0.0.0.1 /search -1 00 PIN_FLD_FLAGS INT [0] 00 PIN_FLD_TEMPLATE STR [0] "select X from /service where F1 like V1 and F2 = V2 "0 PIN_FLD_ARGS ARRAY [1]1 PIN_FLD_LOGIN STR [0] "root.0.0.0%"0 PIN_FLD_ARGS ARRAY [2]1 PIN_FLD_POID POID [0] 0.0.0.0 /service/pcm_client -1 00 PIN_FLD_RESULTS ARRAY [0]1 PIN_FLD_POID POID [0] NULL1 PIN_FLD_LOGIN STR [0] ""result:nap(10238)> XOP PCM_OP_GLOBAL_SEARCH 0 1XOP: opcode 25, flags 0# number of field entries allocated 3, used 30 PIN_FLD_POID POID [0] 0.0.0.1 /search -1 00 PIN_FLD_RESULTS ARRAY [0] allocated 2, used 21 PIN_FLD_POID POID [0] 0.0.0.2 /service/pcm_client 1 11 PIN_FLD_LOGIN STR [0] "root.0.0.0.2"0 PIN_FLD_RESULTS ARRAY [1] allocated 2, used 21 PIN_FLD_POID POID [0] 0.0.0.1 /service/pcm_client 1 11 PIN_FLD_LOGIN STR [0] "root.0.0.0.1"
Bill numbering
Applications must now avoid hard-coding billing numbers. Bill numbers are now coded to the database they were created in and Infranet relies on the new numbering scheme. The /data/sequence class still keeps track of billing numbers to ensure that they are all unique. This class has been enhanced to make sure that database numbers are unique across databases.
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