Still, the poll triumphs can’t hide that the road to women’s empowerment in India has plenty of bottlenecks. For one, critics of the Women’s Reservation Bill (which if passed will reserve one-third of parliament and assembly seats for women) have ensured the bill has remained on the table in the lower house of parliament.

And despite the examples of Indian President Pratibha Patil and Congress party head Sonia Gandhi, few can deny that the number of women in Indian politics is not commensurate with the corporate world where several Indian women hold sway over multinational companies.

Women’s liberation groups say that discrimination in politics is derived from the deep-seated hypocrisy of Indian culture, one where female deities are worshipped but women still have little say over their lives.

And that even in cases where suitable female candidates are available for national and state elections, the choice has gone in favour of a male candidate.

While the Congress party headed by Gandhi has only one woman chief minister in Dikshit, the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party doesn’t have any, despite its vocal support for the Women’s Reservation Bill.

Have things changed since the state polls? Are the election wins for Banerjee and Jayalalithaa a milestone for women’s empowerment in India? Share your views.

Despite its growing global weight, India is still only the
14th biggest trading partner for the United States, and
obstacles from outsourcing controversies to the Doha world trade
round and market access have put the brakes on faster
integration.

“Even though India has made tremendous strides to open up
its economy, there is much more work that is left to be done,”
Locke told a conference in New Delhi after a meeting with Indian
trade minister Anand Sharma.

The two reviewed progress on some thorny issues such as
market access and non-tariff barriers.

“While many tariffs have come down, others remain. Even when
there are not outright tariffs there are non-tariff barriers
that limit trade and investment,” said Locke, alongside Sharma.

The stakes on trade are high as the United States and India
need each other to meet ambitious export targets amid a sluggish
U.S. economic recovery, yawning trade deficits with China and
fears of global imbalances sparking a standoff.

EASING RESTRICTIONS

As part of its efforts to boost trade with India, the United
States has said it would ease restrictions on exports of
high-technology goods to India in recognition of stronger
economic and national security ties.

On Monday, Sharma welcomed that move.

“There will be full cooperation in space technology, nuclear
technology and other high-end technologies between the U.S. and
India,” Sharma told reporters.

A bilateral trade boom has seen total flows treble to $36.5
billion in goods in the decade to 2009/10, but the United States
slipped from number one to three in India’s trading partners.
India lags China, the United States’ third biggest trading
partner.

The Obama administration wants to double its exports to
bolster domestic growth and create jobs.

But both sides have accused each other of policy
foot-dragging, especially over the Doha trade talks. In India
there is a sense that New Delhi is much keener to push for a
deal than Washington.

The United States has criticised India for not assuming the
responsibility that comes with its growing economic clout in the
world and for insisting on shielding many of its sectors.

Locke reiterated this stance on Monday, saying U.S.
companies should have the same opportunities as Indian firms.

“Ultimately, all that America seeks is a level playing field
for its companies, where the cost and the quality of its
products and services determine whether or not they secure
business,” Locke said.

Temperatures have also risen recently over a U.S. visa fee
hike that is expected to hit India’s IT industry, as well as
proposed tax changes that would end breaks for U.S. firms that
create jobs and profits overseas.

But Indian trade secretary Rahul Khullar said on Monday
India would not go rushing to the World Trade Organisation (WTO)
to settle the dispute over an increase in U.S. visa fees.

(Additional reporting by Jonathon Burch; editing by Malini
Menon and Yoko Nishikawa)

Locke’s remarks came after a meeting with Indian Trade Minister Anand Sharma where the two sides reviewed progress on thorny issues such as market access and non-tariff barriers.

Despite India’s growing global weight, it is only the United States’ 14th biggest trading partner and obstacles, from outsourcing controversies to the Doha world trade round and market access, have put the brakes on faster integration.

“Even though India has made tremendous strides to open up its economy there is much more work that is left to be done,” Locke told reporters.

“While many tariffs have come down, others remain. Even when there are not outright tariffs there are non-tariff barriers that limit trade and investment.”

The stakes on trade are high as the United States and India need each other to meet ambitious export targets amid a sluggish U.S. economic recovery, yawning trade deficits with China and fears of global imbalances sparking a standoff.

As part of its efforts to boost trade with India, United States has said it would ease restrictions on exports of high-technology goods to India in recognition of stronger economic and national security ties.

On Monday, Sharma welcomed that move.

” … there will be full cooperation in space technology, nuclear technology and other high-end technologies between the U.S. and India,” Sharma told reporters.

A bilateral trade boom has seen total flows treble to $36.5 billion in goods in the decade to 2009-10, but the United States slipped from number one to three in India’s trade partners. India lags China, which is the United States’ third biggest trading partner.

The Obama administration wants to double its exports within five years to bolster domestic growth and create jobs.

But both sides have accused each other of policy foot-dragging, especially over the Doha trade talks. In India there is a sense that New Delhi is much keener to push for a deal than Washington.

The United States complains that India has not accepted the responsibility that comes with its growing economic strength in the world and insists on shielding many sectors.

In recent times temperatures have risen over a U.S. visa fee hike that is expected to hit India’s IT industry as well as proposed tax changes that would end breaks for U.S. firms that create jobs and profits overseas.

On Monday, however, Indian Trade Secretary Rahul Khullar said India will not go rushing to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) to settle the dispute over an increase in U.S. visa fees.

(Additional reporting by Jonathan Burch; Editing by Aradhana Aravindan)

Now, heritage train aficionados are turning their passion toward the foreign tourist market, hoping for even more attention — and preservation — for the “Iron Ladies” they love.

“Steam heritage tourism is a potential tourism sector for the country,” said Ashwani Lohani, Divisional Railway Manager, Delhi, Indian Railways.

“The presence of raw fire that fires raw power in the belly of steam locomotives attracts tourists, and the unique sound, the rocking gait, the shrill whistle, the throbbing body and an open design… are features that impart an irresistible charm to these black beauties,” he added.

Lohani, once director of India’s National Rail Museum and who piloted the historic run of the Fairy Queen, an 1855 steam locomotive recognized by Guinness World Records as the world’s oldest working locomotive, is hardly alone in his passion.

There are several fan clubs on social networking websites, as well as magazines and blogs about travel to unusual places.

Others pour their hearts into fashioning model trains or dreaming about doing so. A museum dedicated to train miniatures in the western city of Pune has over 400 working model trains which draw more than 500 people every week.

“There are people who come to purchase these models and stock them in their drawing rooms and there are those who just admire them but can’t afford to buy them because of their price, which vary from $100 to $300,” said Ravi Joshi, who runs the museum.

Now, with a growing number of foreign visitors coming for vacations and even weddings in India, tour operators are hoping to cash in on increasingly broad interest.

TOURISM STEAMING AHEAD

“There was a time when foreign travelers will be interested to travel only by luxury tourist trains of India such as Palace on Wheels,” said Ashok Sharma at travel firm Real India Journeys.

“Now there are hard-line steam railway travelers and photographers who come in huge groups every week. We refer to them as ‘narrow-gauged’ or ‘single-tracked.’”

Some 80 foreign tourists rode the Fairy Queen during its last season of roughly 12 to 14 runs, while more than 1,200 visited the National Rail Museum from October to December last year.

Yet despite growing interest, train enthusiasts feel efforts toward preservation have been few and far between after a noticeable decline in the number of steam trains two decades ago.

“Many countries, especially the UK, retained a sizable number of steam locomotives, primarily for the twin causes of heritage and tourism. India also could have retained more of steam than what it has,” said Lohani from Indian Railways.

Looking to the future, the Indian Steam Railway Society, established in 1999, has earmarked 53 routes for steam heritage train journeys in India. Many of the journeys include scenic train routes such as Darjeeling, Niligiri and India’s erstwhile hill capital of Shimla, all likely to be popular with tourists.

Enthusiasts notched one victory last year when the sprawling Rewari Steam Locomotive Shed, India’s only remaining locomotive shed, was transformed into a tourist spot with attractions that include nine working locomotives.

Fans, of course, are thrilled.

“We were surprised when an engineer in the shed came to us and said, ‘let me fire up a steam loco for you guys.’ The placard on the train said ‘Rewari Queen”” said Parthajit Dasgupta, a wildlife photographer.

“There was a feeling of awe that rocked me as I watched the Iron Lady take her mighty steps.”

(Editing by Elaine Lies)

NEW DELHI (Reuters Life!) – As incomes surge in economically booming India, pet lovers are driving the growth of a whole range of new trends, from organic pet toys to crystal healing and even nail painting for cats.

The pet care market in India has risen from $31 million in 2003 to $64.34 million last year, says pet care magazine Creature Companion quoting Euromonitor International, as millions of people moved into the middle class and disposable incomes grew.

Pet care services such as grooming, pet-sitting and boarding are becoming hugely popular, while the rapid spread of the internet has also boosted virtual stores and digital networking platforms to such an extent that the market is projected to double yet again, to $144 million, by 2015.

But at the India International Pet Fair in New Delhi at the weekend, some of the most popular areas catered to pet owners looking for advice on how to cope with grumpy and ageing pets.

More than 3,000 visited a stall devoted to crystal therapy, or using gems and stones for healing, over the first two days of the three-day fair, a ticket taker said.

“My 6-year old St. Bernard has been troubling me with his unfriendly and obnoxious behaviour over the past year, though before he was always very affectionate and showed a pleasant demeanour with everyone at home,” said Christina Paul.

“The veterinarian I took him to helped changed his eating habits but he continues with his hostility, so I am very excited to learn about this stone therapy.”

Madhu Kotiya, who began pet healing five years ago, offers packages of crystals and stones to deal with things such as “Anger and Aggression” and “Accident and Emergency.”

The prices range from $10 to $12 — in a country where the per capita income was $945 as of fiscal 2010.

“Apart from using crystals, we are also doing energy healing called ‘angel communication healing,’ which helps people find their lost dogs,” Kotiya added.

But others at the fair sniffed at the idea of New Age care, recommending old-fashioned methods such as lavishing pets with time and company.

“It’s not easy to domesticate any pet in the house. They require hygiene, love and training which not many pet owners are willing to provide,” said one exhibitor.

The three-day fair, now in its fifth year, was begun originally as a trade fair to help organise the industry, which despite its rapid growth still remains a bit of a free-for-all.

Dogs accompanied their owners as they strolled from stall to stall, lazing around or engaging in playful mock fights with other dogs. At one stall, cats could get their toenails painted in bright colours.

Also on tap were races, a dog obedience show, and a fancy dress competition won by Moni the Cocker Spaniel in a butterfly design and Jojo the cat for a “Save the Tiger” theme.

Despite many modern options, pet toys, including rubber space stations and studded chops and bells, remained a show stealer.

But even here there was a nod to present-day sensibilities — many of the more popular toys were advertised as “eco-friendly” by virtue of being made out of natural rubber.

(Editing by Elaine Lies)

NEW DELHI (Reuters Life!) – As incomes surge in economically booming India, pet lovers are driving the growth of a whole range of new trends, from organic pet toys to crystal healing and even nail painting for cats.

The pet care market in India has risen from $31 million in 2003 to $64.34 million last year, says pet care magazine Creature Companion quoting Euromonitor International, as millions of people moved into the middle class and disposable incomes grew.

Pet care services such as grooming, pet-sitting and boarding are becoming hugely popular, while the rapid spread of the internet has also boosted virtual stores and digital networking platforms to such an extent that the market is projected to double yet again, to $144 million, by 2015.

But at the India International Pet Fair in New Delhi at the weekend, some of the most popular areas catered to pet owners looking for advice on how to cope with grumpy and aging pets.

More than 3,000 visited a stall devoted to crystal therapy, or using gems and stones for healing, over the first two days of the three-day fair, a ticket taker said.

“My 6-year old St. Bernard has been troubling me with his unfriendly and obnoxious behavior over the past year, though before he was always very affectionate and showed a pleasant demeanor with everyone at home,” said Christina Paul.

“The veterinarian I took him to helped changed his eating habits but he continues with his hostility, so I am very excited to learn about this stone therapy.”

Madhu Kotiya, who began pet healing five years ago, offers packages of crystals and stones to deal with things such as “Anger and Aggression” and “Accident and Emergency.”

The prices range from $10 to $12 — in a country where the per capita income was $945 as of fiscal 2010.

“Apart from using crystals, we are also doing energy healing called ‘angel communication healing,’ which helps people find their lost dogs,” Kotiya added.

But others at the fair sniffed at the idea of New Age care, recommending old-fashioned methods such as lavishing pets with time and company.

“It’s not easy to domesticate any pet in the house. They require hygiene, love and training which not many pet owners are willing to provide,” said one exhibitor.

The three-day fair, now in its fifth year, was begun originally as a trade fair to help organize the industry, which despite its rapid growth still remains a bit of a free-for-all.

Dogs accompanied their owners as they strolled from stall to stall, lazing around or engaging in playful mock fights with other dogs. At one stall, cats could get their toenails painted in bright colors.

Also on tap were races, a dog obedience show, and a fancy dress competition won by Moni the Cocker Spaniel in a butterfly design and Jojo the cat for a “Save the Tiger” theme.

Despite many modern options, pet toys, including rubber space stations and studded chops and bells, remained a show stealer.

But even here there was a nod to present-day sensibilities — many of the more popular toys were advertised as “eco-friendly” by virtue of being made out of natural rubber.

(Editing by Elaine Lies)

NEW DELHI (Reuters Life!) – Once the backdrop of romantic Bollywood movies in the 1960s and 1970s, Kashmir’s idyllic image has darkened since a separatist rebellion broke out two decades ago, forcing many into exile from a beloved homeland.

Siddhartha Gigoo’s debut novel, “The Garden of Solitude,” is a poignant story about a boy named Sridar who belongs to a Hindu sect called Kashmiri Pandits — like Gigoo — and flees with his family from the divided, mainly Muslim Himalayan region.

Weaving together dreams, memory and reality, the book follows Sridar through his search for identity until he eventually returns to his homeland to seek out stories about ancestry in danger of being lost forever.

Gigoo, born in Kashmir in 1974, spoke to Reuters about his book and what it is like to live in exile.

Q: What prompted you to write this book?

A: “I was always interested in writing. Essays, poetry, short stories mostly. I knew writing a novel was a daunting task. One needs to know the craft well. But my dream was stubborn.

“What happened in Kashmir in the late eighties and the early nineties had a profound impact on me. Events such as militancy, the migration of Kashmiri Pandits and their plight in exile. It was all bizarre and too real to be true. Some events refused to fade from my memory.

“Years after I migrated, I began writing a story. The story grew, and I went on writing for a couple of years. I dangled between patience and impatience, and memory played truant with me. But my wife supported me. She didn’t want me to give up.”

Q: To what extent do you resemble Sridar?

A: “Perhaps there are shades of me in the protagonist. But there could be shades of the protagonist in me too. Maybe I always wanted to be like the protagonist.

“But now that many people have read my novel, they all tell me that this is their story. There weren’t any migrants whose share of misfortunes was less than the others. The same conditions, life in camps, the torment, the struggle, the shattering of dreams, the torment of the aged, and then the dementia… Many perished, longing to return to their homeland, Kashmir. The young generation still suffers from an erosion of identity and a sense of rootlessness.

“The protagonist, Sridar, is someone who wants to find his ‘meaning’ in a world riddled with chaos. He finds it hard to see his community, while his parents come to terms with their ‘migrant’ status. He finds himself torn between permanence and impermanence. He does not seek salvation. His story is not consummated in any way. But the world looks at him and mocks him and decides for him.”

Q: How have you changed after you were forced into exile?

A: “I revelled in life’s vicissitudes. I revelled in the strangeness of life. I grew tired of doing the mundane things. I read novels. I learnt music. And sometimes, I squandered away time just carrying on with the usual things.”

Q: Have you been actively involved with any movements or organizations by or for Kashmiri Pandits?

A: “I am the last person on this earth to join any movement. They only movement I would like to join is a movement of lazy people who love to recline on a couch for hours together.

“My interest is only human stories. Stories about people, their dreams, their loves, their perfections and imperfections. I don’t want to stand for any causes.”

Q: How have your relations with Kashmiri Muslims been?

A: “I do have some friends from Kashmir who are Muslims. I share jokes with them. But if the discussion turns political, I try to bring in more jokes. Strangely, I have never known any bitterness. I don’t have any prejudices. And I have never viewed my relationship with friends through the prism of religion.

“I am more interested in life and its funniness. Religion gives rise to funny incidents, which is good for artists and writers, I guess. I always feel that God invented religion so that there could be art.”

Q: You have written poems. How difficult is writing prose?

A: “I used to dabble in poetry. It was more of a hobby. But no one wants to read poetry in India these days. I had difficulties in writing prose. I wanted to learn how writers handle characterization, plot, structure and the passage of time.

“The education never stops. It is a learning process. A few days back I was flipping through the pages of my novel in print and I was tempted to make a few changes, here and there. Is that what people call evolution?”

(Editing by Elaine Lies)

NEW DELHI (Reuters Life!) – Urban Indians are making the most of new-found economic independence and confidence this New Year’s Eve to shed traditional celebrations for the delights of bowling, go-karting, indoor golf and other diversions.

Leisure sports, badminton and volleyball competitions as well as musical productions are some of the activities Indians with a bit of money will choose to do and see this New Year’s eve instead of long family dinners, drinking and nightclubs.

It’s time do something exciting and adventurous like playing sports, go-karting, night badminton and volleyball competitions”, said Ritika, Delhi-based interior designer.

“I don’t want to end my year on a gastronomical high with a five course meal and some premium spirits.”

Some of India’s urban professional young have exhausted their taste for the big buffets and massive live music parties that have been a feature of New Year’s eve in the last decade.

“Quaffing copious quantities of alcohol as some sensuous girl moves her body in front of you is a thing of the past for me,” said Jaideep Ahuja, a senior banker. “I have had an eyeful of those giant dance floors.”

To keep up with changing tastes, organizers in New Delhi have pumped money into less lavish pastimes and the kind of fun that’s good for the whole family.

Dozens of bowling alleys have popped up in a cricket-mad nation which appears to have also taken a shine to rolling the big ball at the pins.

“We have pegged bowling (not) as a sport, but another form of entertainment.” Gautam Dutta, CEO of PVR BluO, one of India’s largest bowling alleys, told Reuters.

Those with enough money can also enjoy a bit of Bollywood-style fun in New Delhi at a live performance for the musical “Zangoora”.

The Indian version of a Broadway show has had a hundred runs before a fully packed house since September, delighting audiences with its 50 performers on stage, aerial sequences, special effects and grand props.

“The face of entertainment for a New Year’s evening now looks different,” said Shruti Agarwal, lead performer and project manager at Zangoora.

“Dollops of action, drama, romance and (the) glamour of Hindi movies, all produced live while you are served free drinks and snacks during the two-hour performance is unmatched,” said Animesh Upadhyay.

“Going to Mumbai to see the Bollywood industry is no longer a pipe dream for us.”

NEW DELHI (Reuters Life!) – Urban Indians are making the most of new-found economic independence and confidence this New Year’s Eve to shed traditional celebrations for the delights of bowling, go-karting, indoor golf and other diversions.

Leisure sports, badminton and volleyball competitions as well as musical productions are some of the activities Indians with a bit of money will choose to do and see this New Year’s eve instead of long family dinners, drinking and nightclubs.

It’s time do something exciting and adventurous like playing sports, go-karting, night badminton and volleyball competitions,” said Ritika, Delhi-based interior designer.

“I don’t want to end my year on a gastronomical high with a five course meal and some premium spirits.”

Some of India’s urban professional young have exhausted their taste for the big buffets and massive live music parties that have been a feature of New Year’s eve in the last decade.

“Quaffing copious quantities of alcohol as some sensuous girl moves her body in front of you is a thing of the past for me,” said Jaideep Ahuja, a senior banker. “I have had an eyeful of those giant dance floors.”

To keep up with changing tastes, organizers in New Delhi have pumped money into less lavish pastimes and the kind of fun that’s good for the whole family.

Dozens of bowling alleys have popped up in a cricket-mad nation which appears to have also taken a shine to rolling the big ball at the pins.

“We have pegged bowling (not) as a sport, but another form of entertainment.” Gautam Dutta, CEO of PVR BluO, one of India’s largest bowling alleys, told Reuters.

Those with enough money can also enjoy a bit of Bollywood-style fun in New Delhi at a live performance for the musical “Zangoora.”

The Indian version of a Broadway show has had a hundred runs before a fully packed house since September, delighting audiences with its 50 performers on stage, aerial sequences, special effects and grand props.

“The face of entertainment for a New Year’s evening now looks different,” said Shruti Agarwal, lead performer and project manager at Zangoora.

“Dollops of action, drama, romance and (the) glamour of Hindi movies, all produced live while you are served free drinks and snacks during the two-hour performance is unmatched,” said Animesh Upadhyay.

“Going to Mumbai to see the Bollywood industry is no longer a pipe dream for us.”

(Editing by Paul Casciato)

But the more she learned the more intrigued she became by the complicated world she found in Mumbai, once known as Bombay.

A 2005 ban on the dance bars — where relatively well-clothed women perform to Bollywood or Indian pop songs — set off a firestorm about whether the dancers were exploited or simply women seeking a dignified way out of poverty.

The Goa-born Faliero, an award-winning journalist, uses the life of one dancer, 19-year-old Leela, as a way into this underworld in “Beautiful Thing: Inside the Secret World of Bombay’s Dance Bars,” released earlier this month.

Faliero, currently based in San Francisco, told Reuters that she felt drawn to people on the margins of society and that how they were treated was likely to determine the future of India.

Q. What sparked the idea for this book?

A. I was interested in the possibilities, and later intrigued by the complex, layered, and hierarchical subculture that is the world of Bombay’s dance bars, a world that is occupied not just by bar dancers and bar owners but by cops and gangsters, by politicians and madams, and in its myriad shades perfectly encapsulates the concept of Bombay noir.

Q. Why the name “Beautiful Thing?” Does it refer to the profession or the beautiful countenance of bar girls?

A. Both. Leela was certainly beautiful, fulfilling conventional ideas of what we consider attractive in our society. But her beauty was also a commodity and a currency that she had to barter for her survival.

Q. What side of the law are you with on the issue of dance bars – the controversial 2005 ban?

A. The ban was not merely a political act motivated by so-called social concerns for public morality and youth safety. It was an act of violence that pushed 75,000 women in a situation of destitution and degradation, one in which few had a choice but to become sex workers.

It was implemented to raise the public profile of the politicians involved, and is a sad comment on not just our poor choices on who we choose to represent us politically and to make choices for us, but for our inability to recognize the malfeasance of such political action, and to demand an end to it.

Q. How many bar girls did you meet? How did you encourage them to speak?

A. Hundreds. They spoke to me because as a reporter I have developed a reputation for being upfront and honest, and because as a person I’m respectful and non judgmental. I’m also low maintenance, and have endless amounts of time to invest in the pursuit of my subjects whether at day or night, in the city or the suburbs, in brothels or dance bars.

Q. What were the challenges that you had to put up with while researching the book?

A. Establish trust, certainly, because I was dealing with young women who had suffered betrayal at the hands of those closest to them; family members who should have protected them for example, and who had instead sold them into the dance bar. However, once Leela honored me with her trust, her family and friends were quick to follow. I hope this story has done them justice.

Q. You have earlier written another book, “The Girl.” And, you have written anthologies which are an eclectic mix of stark, contemporary and non-serious issues. How would you draw an analogy, if any, between your earlier works and this work of non-fiction?

A. I write of what I see. And it’s true that I, more than most other people, am drawn to the margins of our society and to the stories of those people who inhabit these spaces.

I believe these people are the majority, that people like you and me are the minority, and I believe that unless we understand them, and as importantly understand how we treat them, than we’re unlikely to understand who we are as Indians and where our future lies.

Q. What is the image of the protagonist Leela that you want most readers to retain in their mind after finishing the book?

A. Leela isn’t just a survivor; she’s a winner. She can take any situation thrown her way and extract the best from it. I want people not just to admire her for these qualities, but to recognize her admirable courage and resilience. We need more women like Leela in our world, but we also need more people willing to see Leela’s potential and to help her become her best possible self.

(Editing by Elaine Lies)