Designs on divinity
If you think about it, a bank manager would have an intuitive feel for one of the most precious (and India's most popular!) metals known to us. Swapna Pednekar must have thought so too when she switched from managing banks to designing jewellery. And now she has her own line - Swapnajali Jewellers. There are none of those new-fangled designs here for she has specialised in temple jewellery. With the images of Laxmi, Saraswati, Durga, Shiv-Parvati, Ganesh and scenes from the Ramayan, the traditional styles of the jewellery is preserved. These and many more designs will be on display and sale at Raviraj Hotel, Bhandarkar Road from April 30 to May 2 between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. Bangles, earrings, and necklaces - Pednekar believes that these have been priced to suit any budget.

Reconnecting tradition
Jigyasa or intellectual curiosity - the name of this programme based on dance says it all. Nandkishore Cultural Society has organised this programme on April 24 which comprises a lecture demonstration by the renowned kathak exponent, Padmavibhushan Pt. Birju Maharaj among others. Says dancer Nandkishore Kapote,``These are times when people are moving away from their tradition and losing their touch with the classical performing arts like kathak. This programme will try to reconnect the people to their roots.'' Pandita Rohini Bhate and Saswati Sen will also conduct lectures. Vocalist Alka Deo-Marulkar, drama critic Vibha Deshpande and Heera Adhyantaya, vice-chancellor Tilak Maharashtra Vidyapeeth besides Birju Maharaj and Bhate are to take part in a seminar on `Popularising Traditional Arts.' The programmme is to be held at 11 a.m. at the Congress Bhavan, Shivajinagar.

World cup tunes
What did pop singers have to do with cricket? If you found yourself asking this question when faced with a bunch of singers at the Pepsi MTV World Cup concert the answer would be - plenty. Says Usha Uthup, a self-confessed cricket fanatic,`` I remember playing cricket in the gallis in my childhood. Of course all the boys made sure that I did very little batting and I would end up fielding.'' For Kamal O O Jane Jana Khan too, cricket is a childhood game that has stayed with him. ``I will be there at the World Cup watching them perform live.''

Perhaps cricket-loving India would do well to listen to Anaida. ``India's got a huge population so if all of us said a little prayer for our side - it will definitely be heard!'' Even the Swedish pop group, the Graaf sisters Magdalena and Hannah had something to say about it. While she confessed that cricket was not a familiar game, Hannah quipped,``Now we know a lot more about it.'' Cricket fever's really catching on.