Maharashtra
The Godmother Of Nagpada
The cops tailed her everywhere. She had several cases of intimidation against her but was never convicted. Haseena Parkar, who died last week at 56, was much more than Dawood Ibrahim’s kid sister. Her husband Ibrahim Parkar was murdered by the Arun Gawli gang, a revenge killing after Dawood bumped off the latter’s brother. At their first meeting, recalls author Hussain Zaidi, he didn’t stand up as she entered. Asked to explain, he simply said had he stood up, it would have been out of fear than respect. “She just smiled...” he says.
Himachal Pradesh
Paperless In Shimla
In its golden jubilee year, the state legislative assembly plans to go ‘paperless’, saving 6,000 trees from being felled every year and saving paper and printing costs ranging between Rs 10-15 crore per annum. Desks of the MLAs have been equipped with computers, which will be used for voting, asking questions, intervening in debates, sending notices. The plan has forced octogenarian CM Virbhadra Singh and septuagenarian speaker Brij Bihari Butail among others to scurry for computer classes.
Punjab
The ‘Tying’ Sikh
We have had the flying Sikh. Now here’s a ‘tying’ one, Bhupinder Singh Thind from Jalandhar has just made it to the record books for wrapping turbans. The ‘turban coach’ even runs a turban tying academy (turbans are back in fashion among Sikh youth), and says it usually takes 29 seconds to tie the headgear in the ‘Patialashahi style’. A National Geographic documentary possibly sowed the seeds of his ambition: he recently tied a turban on the head of a dummy fixed on his motorcycle while riding it at a 55 kmph in a record time of two minutes 15 seconds. Next stop: attempting the same feat blindfolded in a bid to get into the Guinness Book.
Bihar
All-Conquering Love
Four BJP legislators, six JD(U) MLAs, an ex-MP. Now they may all be on different sides of the political divide today but when state minister of culture, Vinay Bihari (right), picked them to act in the Bhojpuri film he’s producer-director of, they couldn’t say ‘no’. The minister, who’s also doing a role, concedes he had a tough time getting all the rival legislators to join the cast. It didn’t require too much cajoling to persuade Khagaria strongman Ranbir Yadav and his two wives, though, to act in the love story of a ‘Mahadalit’ girl and an upper-caste hero. Spoiler alert: despite the dire looking posters, it’s a happy ending for the lovers in Pyaar Mohabbat Zindabad.
Kerala
Gifts From The Serendip
The 1997 scary movie Anaconda gave them a reputation. But Arundhati, Gauri, Renuka, Ruth and three more of their siblings are proving to be huge draws at the Thiruvananthapuram zoo. Gifted by Sri Lanka and quarantined for two months, the green anacondas, the world’s heaviest reptiles, have been released for public viewing, making it the fourth Indian zoo to have them and the only one to have so many of them. Anacondas can grow up to 22 feet and weigh upwards of 227 kgs.
New Delhi
Got Rubber?
They are green and yellow, Brazil’s colours, and flavoured to taste like Caiparinha, Brazil’s signature cocktail of sugar, lime and white rum. Prudence, manufactured in Malaysia by Karex, the world’s largest condom maker, has emerged as the World Cup’s unofficial condom. Asia’s involvement in Brazilian bedrooms doesn’t end there. Indian firm HLL Lifecare exported 400 million condoms to Brazil this year, a significant jump over 2013. The company’s even opened an office in Sao Paulo.
Karnataka
All In, All Cash
When he was CM, one of his ministers was caught on film offering cash to the Reddy brothers. Now, JD(S) leader H.D. Kumaraswamy is in the doghouse again after an audio tape surfaced where he’s heard asking for Rs 25 crore from a potential candidate for an MLC seat. Unfazed, HDK says he was only being honest, after all it happens in all parties. Remember the Moily tapes and ‘Operation Lotus’?
