Aafaque Hussain on the ice-crafter, baker, singer and writer Maria Daniels
MARIA DANIELS, wife of any army officer is a multi-talented lady. She is a singer; she bakes and designs cakes besides crafting ice – her favourite hobby.
Earlier, she crafted a Shivling on ice. She has now crafted a Christmas crib in her refrigerator. “It has taken me three months to prepare this crib,” she said.
Maria crafted the crib on Christmas and scores of visitors trooped to see it in her house in the cantonment area near Anjalee Cinema Hall. She also made a crib using mud.
Christmas Crib made from ice is not the only of her creations as she also made a similar Crib
Apart from ice-sculpting, Maria is a champion baker churning out delicious cakes in shapes that do not conform to the general conception about such confectionary items. One of her cakes was designed like a car; it even had headlights and taillights.
But she is more satisfied with a marriage cake in the form of a doll. The doll-cake took her three days to create.
Maria is not the only one in the Daniels family with an eye – ears too – for the finer things in life. Her husband Lt Col TE Daniels is a singer and lyricist. Their children Cynthia and Denzel are also quite adept in music that ‘runs in the family’.
Maria has written religious songs as well as odes to soldiers who sacrifice their lives for the country. She has also written a song on Sohra nee Cherrapunjee describing its beauty. The song, she said, was written at the site of the Seven Sisters’ Falls in Sohra.
Earlier, Maria had participated in a reality show named 104 Fever with music composer AR Rahman. She also came up with music albums titled Meri Gawah and Meri Dua. Now she is set to release her first commercial album in which 11 songs have been recorded with her husband and two children.
“I have sent my songs to some of the directors of Bollywood and it will be used in different movies,” she said. Having stayed in Shillong for two years now, Maria is keen on making an album with local musicians of Meghalaya before leaving for Mumbai in three months’ time.
When asked how she manages her diverse pursuits, she said, “Concentration, calmness of mind and willpower are the main factors to achieve a goal.”
Maria is also coming up with a book titled ‘Astitva’ on the experience of women in different societies including the matrilineal Khasi society. “Matrilineal society underscores the strong character of women and every girl has strength and power,” she said.
Through this book, she wants to thank Shillong for all the joyous moments the city bestowed upon her.