Posted on 03/04/2006 7:08:33 AM PST by TigerLikesRooster
Cool begins to catch up to India
By Anand Giridharadas International Herald Tribune
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 1, 2006
UDAIPUR, India When the wedding swept through this shimmering city of lakes, Rajasthan, "the land of Indian kings," became Blingistan, the land of Indian bling.
At a pool party in a hilltop fortress during the festivities last month, rap throbbed, mojitos gushed, bikini-clad international models frolicked, and Indian matriarchs, swathed in heirloom saris, waddled about pinching cheeks.
Gala after gala, veteran New York nightlife photographers flown in by the bridegroom struggled to identify unfamiliar new celebrities. Here, the Indian minister of aviation. There, the head of the Samajwadi Party. Here, the socialite Queenie Dhody.
The weeklong, bankrupting Indian wedding is not new. But when Vikram Chatwal, a New York socialite and "Friend of Bill" (as in Clinton), returned to India to marry Priya Sachdev, a model, they were more than marrying.
With every chartered planeload of international jet-setters arriving for the fête, they were also working to etch India onto the map of Global Cool.
"This counts with the best international parties I've heard of," said Fern Mallis, the producer of New York Fashion Week and one of hundreds of guests at the pool party. "This ranks with the Malcolm Forbes party in Morocco."
India has been many things to the West: trove of wisdom, font of spirituality and, lately, economic powerhouse. But India has long stood at a remove from that nebulous quality of cool.
In America, Indians are overrepresented in software, cardiology, and consulting, on college campuses and among buyers of luxury cars. But they are underrepresented in Hollywood and haute couture, and among owners of nightclubs and record labels.
Indians have gained privilege without glamour, wealth without bling.
(Excerpt) Read more at iht.com ...
With Bill Clinton in the mix, Chatwals look more like Riadies in 90's, two former FOB who were major players in China-gate scandal. If Demos take over White House and India keeps growing, Chatwals may be at the center of Indian version of China-gate scandal. It may not necessarily happen, but it is possible with this mix of crowds. It needs to be watched carefully. They could damage the relation between U.S. and India thanks to their sleaze and greed.
Ping!
"Cool" is crap. The only more pitiful than a "cool" Indian is an oriental kid dressed up as New York thug.
pls. insert "thing" and "a" in their proper places. thx.
You've never seen a 4'9" Japanese teen Rasta in Tokyo, then. As many hairs as can be coaxed for a goatee and a knitted dred cap (filled with what, cats? CD jewel cases? I dunno.)
The topper is that they can only be found in pairs or greater. No such thing as a solitary Japanese Rasta. Too individual. Not socially acceptable.
L-O-L!!! Glad you got my drift.
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