Monthly Archives: September 2014

Class 8th dalit student ensured school ran despite riot fear running high

Amazing Feats, Education, Inspiration / Positive News and Features

Meerut :

A 14 year boy Abhishek was conferred upon MeenaRatan Award by the UP Government on Wednesday for being able to convince parents of students who had stopped sending their children to a village school at Meerut as the communal tempers ran high owing to Muzaffarnagar riots, last year.

The boy formed a group of six students and knocked the doors of his fellow students’ homes. The award was jointly presented by Sarv Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) and Unicef.

Says principal of Upper Primary School, Kamalpur village, Abdul Samad, “Those days were quite scary. Atmosphere was strife with rumours and parents were apprehensive of sending their children to school. The attendance had dropped to 40 percent. It was then that this boy came with a novel idea.”

Abhishek formed a ‘toli’ or a group of fellow students comprising six students, Hindu and Muslim in equal number to initiate door to door campaign to urge parents not to discontinue the studies of their children.

“My parents are illiterate but I have been fortunate to get the opportunity of receiving education. In no way I could forego that opportunity and I felt the same for my fellow students as well. My school had reached a stage of closing down and we decided to approach our friends who starting skipping school because of the fear of riots.”

Though, a few students still chose to stay away, majority of them turned up. The school has a strength of 225 out of which 117 are Muslims. Abhishek was also instrumental in helping his father quit smoking. He gives all the credit to his teacher Ruchi Shrotriya who has motivated him to create impact in other’s lives.

Abhishek was among 24 children who received the awards for their invaluable contribution on spreading awareness on social issues. Kannauj MP, Dimple Yadav gave away the awards in Lucknow. Abhishek was given tumultuous welcome when he returned to the school after receiving the award.

source:http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Meerut / by Sandeep Rai, TNN / September 26th, 2014

Sports goods no match for Chinese imports

Business & Economy

Of the 2,300-odd sports goods manufacturers in the country, 800 are based in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh. Most of them are struggling in the face of rising imports from China

Meerut used to have nearly 400 micro enterprises manufacturing badminton racquets and shuttles. Most have shut shop. Manufacturers of sports goods and fitness equipment in this industrial hub in western Uttar Pradesh are simply unable to compete with Chinese imports.

Of the 2,300-odd sports goods manufacturers in the country, 800 are based in Meerut. And most of them are struggling in the face of rising imports from China.

“Even after heavy customs duty, the cost differential between what we manufacture and what is imported from China is huge. In some cases, the imported items are more than 100 per cent cheaper than what we produce here. In this scenario, many of our manufacturers do not stand a chance,” says Rakesh Mahajan, general secretary of the Meerut-based Sports Goods Manufacturers’ Federation.

The situation in India’s other sports goods manufacturing hub, Jalandhar, is no different, he says. Indian manufacturers are estimated to export sports goods worth Rs 800 crore a year. But other than cricket gear, they are losing their advantage. In cricket, too, local manufacturers have seen a slump in business in the last two years.

Chinese manufacturers receive uninterrupted power supply, work with the latest technology and enjoy economies of scale. “We suffer from frequent power cuts, patchy infrastructure and rising labour costs,” says Mahajan. “Sectors like toys, electronic items, and mobile phones are flooded with Chinese goods. The situation is no different in other areas where medium and small enterprises operate,” says Rajkumar Narula, another Meerut-based businessman.

Bicycle manufacturers of Ludhiana in Punjab, too, are facing a tough competition from Chinese manufacturers. Companies have resorted to large-scale imports of Chinese bicycle parts, especially for premium cycles. Small Indian units making parts and supplying to big manufacturers are therefore facing the heat.

One leading bicycle manufacturer is set to launch its premium range in October based on parts that are all imported from China. A senior executive with another leading bicycle manufacturer says even ‘Made in India’ cycles have “critical imported components.”

“Importing bicycles from China works out to be much cheaper. But if we continue to lose ground to China in categories where we used to have an advantage, what will happen to our manufacturing units? And more important, what will happen to lakhs of people working in those units?” says an executive with a Ludhiana-based cooperative bank.

source: http://www.business-standard.com / Business Standard / Home> Economy & Policy> News / by Mayank Mishra / New Delhi – September 27th, 2014

Historian’s guide through the Constantia

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Historical Links / Pre-Independence, Records, All, Travel, World Opinion

Lucknow :

The grand construction of General Claude Martin, the Constantia, served as a lodge for Freemasons, a secret society, as many of the English officers including Martin were Freemasons.

Many such lesser known facets pertaining to the life and times of Claude Martin were brought to light by celebrated British historian, Dr Rosie Llewellyn Jones at La Martiniere College on Sunday. The talk was organised by Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural heritage (INTACH), Lucknow Chapter.

After being attacked by the Raja of Banaras invading Lucknow through Farhat Baksh Kothi, General Claude Martin began residing in the Constantia which he built as a fort. Constructed with four spiral columns that go right up to the terrace, cleverly with a lone staircase, Gen Martin made sure the building he liked to show off to his fellow Englishmen was secure with iron doors made from imported English iron. These doors could then be shut once a single man defending the building from the top took position upstairs.

Constantia was safeguarded by cannons on the first floor of the building next to lion statues with lamps within them. “Its construction as a defensive structure to frighten people, basically its attackers, is one of the least known features of the Constantia, which prior to being an educational institution, was a fort,” shared Dr Jones.

INTACH’s convenor Vipul Varshney talked about the axial symmetry and architectural genius of the gigantic structure with pioneering ventilation. Dr Jones also spoke about many paintings of Claude Martin.

Iron girders in the basement of the Constantia go deep down to its foundation. Dr Jones denied presence of any such tunnels opening into the Gomti against a popular myth.

Convernor Vipul Varshney talking about the architectural skyline of Lucknow said, “the heterogeneity of cultural conceptions and artistic styles triumphed to strike a harmony between the many buildings of Lucknow getting along the Nawabi and English architecture successfully in Lucknow’s skyline, and so in that order we decided to educate and inform Lucknowites about one such magnificent structure, the Constantia.”

Gen Martin a self taught man had as many as 5000 books and the presence of certain books on creating electricity have made historians like Dr Jones believe that he might have attempted to create electricity as well in the lower rooms of the Constantia. The result of his trial and error techniques on it though are yet to be studied further.

Heritage conservationist and lawyer by profession, Mohammad Haider stating the building as an unprotected monument applauded the efforts of Principal Carlyle McFarland, the staff and students of the college, ” the unique feature of this building stands in the fact that it has been well maintained within the precincts of its original form and the monument an architectural masterpiece is devoid of any uncalled for scribbling on the walls of the campus unlike the state of most protected monuments in the country.”

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Lucknow / by Yusra Husain, TNN / September 29th, 2014

UP’s first drone control room to be set up in city

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Science & Technology

Lucknow :

The immersion of Durga idols and subsequently Muharram processions this year would be under the watchful eyes of drone cameras. District administration officials said drones would be beaming live images of the processions and in the process help keep a tab on anti-social elements.

In addition, the district administration and police are also setting up a drone control room, the first of its kind in the state, for effective collection, assimilation and dissemination of surveillance information.

Confirming the development, district magistrate Raj Shekhar said, “Drone cameras proved their mettle during the recent byelections to Lucknow East assembly constituency and also during Ramzan. However, live streaming and beaming of the images by drone cameras was not done due to technical reasons.” But this time, the DM said, live streaming of high definition images would be possible.

The control room would be set up in Naka Hindola and the police have already reserved a place for the same. There would be two drones that would be pressed into action, four police staff and two men from the administration to monitor the visuals from the drone cameras. Nearly 30-40 television screens are likely to be used for this set-up, the DM said, adding, “The unique advantage which the drone camera enjoys is its cost-effectiveness as against expensive air surveillance by choppers. Moreover, the drones can be remotely operated. They also don’t make too much noise, keeping their presence a secret.”

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Lucknow / by Arunav Sinha, TNN / September 28th, 2014

When Wajid Ali’s mother went to meet the Queen

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Historical Links / Pre-Independence, Leaders, Records, All, World Opinion

Lucknow :

After Wajid Ali Shah, the last Nawab of Lucknow lost his empire, his mother Janab-i’Aliyyah went all the way to England to meet the Queen and seek justice, but she failed in her mission as she got no audience.

History lovers in Lucknow will now have access to new insights into the life and times of the last Nawab of Oudh along with rare pictures and never-heard before information. Regarded by the East India Company as a debauched ruler who spent his time with ‘fiddlers, eunuchs and women’ instead of looking after the kingdom, Wajid Ali Shah has become the centrepiece of yet another historical book.

Written by British historian Rosie Llewellyn Jones, ‘The Last King in India’ talks, besides his mother’s failed overseas mission, about Begum Hazrat Mahal’s revolt in 1857.

Though most artifacts of historical importance were lost forever after the downfall, with painstaking efforts, they have re-surfaced to narrate the story of an era in which the Nawab created exquisite poetry, theatrical pieces, music and dance. In the well researched book, he comes across as a compassionate person towards his subjects. The magnificent Qaiserbagh built by him came to be known as one of the most elaborate palace complexes ever created.

Given how little was known about the last Nawab of Awadh, the historian and author researched about Wajid Ali Shah from the original documents in Indian and British archives and through meetings with his descendants.

Several paintings and photographs have also been found. In one of the photographs Wajid Ali Shah is seen sitting with one of his 350 wives and a child on a couch. Although, almost every palace and structure along the banks of Hooghly river was either destroyed or auctioned by the British after his death in 1887, in order to eliminate any chances of a rebellion, his pictures still hang on the wall in Matiya Burj.

It is said that he had actually created a miniature Lucknow in Matiya Burj and transported its multi-faceted culture there.

At the release of her latest book, Jones said “I have always been a fan of Wajid Ali Shah. He was misunderstood by the British as he never wanted bloodshed in his kingdom and continued not to bow against them, much to their dismay. His love for poetry, art and dance is admirable and he was one of the greatest patrons of the cultural landscape.”

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Lucknow / by Shefali Mehrotra, TNN / September 28th, 2014

Women get on Ramlila stage in Aligarh

Arts, Culture & Entertainment

Aligarh :

People are long accustomed to it – everyone knows that beneath all the make-up that Sita wears on the Ramlila stage, is a male face. Traditionally, men played all the characters on the Ramlila stage, but things are now changing.

Mahesh C Suharid, president of the Ramlila Gaushala Committee of Aligarh that organises the festivities in the run-up to Dussehra, said, “Earlier, there were problems in getting women to perform the roles of Sita or Kaushalya on stage. Things have changed in the past few years. People have realized that pulling the crowds means having women on stage, and the women are not as reluctant any more to play these roles. There are more people now attending the Ramlila.”

Vipin Swami, who is directing the Ramlila, is in the city from Mathura’s Braj Natya Kala Kendra. He says including women is also one way of shedding some work: “They understand the emotions of Sita and Kaushalya better. I don’t have so much explaining to do to them. And it is not like they have to exert themselves too much to express those emotions, like some of the men.”

Vipin Swami remembers a time when only the character of Sita was played by a woman: “In the 1970s, the sole woman on stage played Sita. That was because she was meant to marry Ram, and the marriage was arranged for the two on stage.”

After Ramananda Sagar’s epic Ramayana serial was aired on TV in the 1990s, the audience had taken to worshipping Deepika Chikhaliya, who played Sita. That was when Ramlilas that were performed live began to include women actors.

“The TV serial eroded the audience for the live Ramlilas. A serious attempt was then made to involve women in the Ramlila, as one way to increase the participation of women and resuscitate the traditional stage,” said Jitendra Vyas, president of Braj Natya Kala Kendra, also a Doordarshan artiste.

The 30-strong troupe from Mathura arrived in Aligarh on September 16. It started practising from September 18. Four members of the troupe are women.

On Saturday night, the show will begin with the kidnapping of Sita, the Sita apharan. Class 10 student Pooja Sharma is set to essay the role of Sita.

“I feel blessed to play Sita,” she said, while Ritu Sharma, a teacher from Mathura who is also part of the Ramlila troupe, says acting is also a means of empowerment.

“The crowd arrives from different strata of society. They see women performing roles in the Ramayana. If a positive message is sent out with the increased participation of women in every other field, then why not also in the Ramlila?” asks Ritu Sharma.

Sufi music, poetry inspires this Kathak dancer

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Nri's / Pio's

Bareilly :

After touring Europe and America, US-based Indian dancer Aastha Dixit, who plans to take a distinct Sufi style of Kathak across the world, visited the dargah Khanqah-e-Niyaziya recently.

Her love for Sufism and admiration for the medieval Persian poet Amir Khusru brought the Kathak exponent to the dargah, which is looked after by descendants of the great Sufi saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti of Ajmer Sharif.

Dixit has her own ballet group in US, and she plans to perform and showcase her unique style of dance with the group.

Dixit learnt Kathak under Malti Shyam of the Lucknow gharana, a disciple Pandit Birju Maharaj. She has been practising and performing the art form for more than 15 years.

“Over the last five years, I have been drawn to the Sufi style of music, poetry and expression of Amir Khusru, whose shayari, raag and taal provided an instant bonding with the occult,” Dixit said in conversation with TOI here on Monday.

She said raag-based compositions sung in the Sufi style, along with thumris now hold a huge attraction for her. Amir Khusru’s style explores the feminine side and is rendered in all dialects including Braj Bhasha, which is why it appeals to the masses, she said.

It was her interest in Sufism that brought her to Khanqah-e-Niyaziya, she said. After visiting the Dargah and meeting the head of the Khanqah, the dancer said her interest and desire to learn more about Sufism has only deepened. “This visit has strengthened my bond with Sufism. During my performances, I rope in dancers who can present the Dervish (saint) aspect of this cult with ease,” she said.

The dancer plans to perform at Dargah Khanqah-e-Niyaziya some time in February next year, during the annual Urs. The Sajjadanasheen (leader) of the dargah, Shabbo Mian, said it would be a good way to bring art and spirituality together.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Bareilly / by Mrigank Tiwari / September 23rd, 2014

Commonwealth Games 2014: Shooter Mohammed Asab Wins Bronze in Men’s Double Trap

Records, All, Sports, World Opinion

Mohammed Asab beat Nathan Xuereb of Malta to give India their ninth medal in shooting.

India's Asab Mohd displays his Men's Double Trap bronze medal. / PTI
India’s Asab Mohd displays his Men’s Double Trap bronze medal. / PTI

Glasgow:

Indian shooter Mohammed Asab won the bronze medal in the men’s double trap beating 17-year-old Nathan Xuereb of Malta in the bronze medal match of the 2014 Commonwealth Games at the Barry Buddon Shooting Centre here on Sunday.

The 26-year-old Asab shot 26 while Xuereb managed 24. Another Indian in the fray, Ankur Mittal missed out on a medal finishing fifth in the semi-final.

Shreyasi Singh grabbed the first medal of the day by winning the silver medal in the women’s double trap event. The Delhi girl shot 92 in the final round to win the silver, the fifth for the Indians from the shooting competition at the Barry Buddon Shooting Centre.

India’s medal count from shooting now stood at nine — three gold, five silver and a bronze.

Abhinav Bindra, Rahi Sarnobat and Apurvi Chandila have won the gold medals. The silver medal winners, besides Shreyasi, are Malaika Goel, Prakash Nanjappa, Ayonika Paul and Anisa Sayyed.

source: http://www.sports.ndtv.com / NDTV Sports / NDTV Sports> News / by Indo-Asian News Service / Sunday – July 27th, 2014

With Vedic mantras at tip of tongue, woman priest shatters myth on sanskar

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Records, All

A woman has come forward to break the myth that women cannot perform a funeral or other ‘sanskars’. Asha Rani Rai has been doing this from past 35 years. Chanting of Ved mantras, each mantra followed by ‘swaha’ has become an integral part of her life.

Rai said when she was young, she was curious to know why women are not allowed to perform `hawans’ and `sanskars’. “I read all the religious books including the four Vedas. None of the ‘Shastras’ say that women can’t perform funeral or sanskar. It is a taboo created by the society. “In a quest to debunk the myth, I started performing sanskars. It has been 35 years and I am doing this, but it hurts when the society still does not except women purohits,” she said.

Having the highest degree of ‘Dharmshastra’, Rai claims to be the only woman in the city, who performs the functions of a priest at religious ceremonies, including marriages.

“I perform sanskars. There are total 16 sanskars in Shastra. The first three sanskars are done before the birth of a child. In the present scenario no one does them. Sanskars like Naamkarma, Annaprashana, Vivaah and Antyeshti are most common. I regularly conduct these with a team of girls who voluntarily contribute in bringing the change in the society. The whole atmosphere filled with divine fragnance of ‘hawan samigri’ and chants give me immense peace of mind,” Rai, who is a member of Arya Samaj and a scholar of Sanskrit, said.

She said that it was not easy for her to take over as priest. “My journey of 35 years was not at all easy. People used to make fun of me. They used to tease, comment and mock at me. Once an acharya from Gorakhpur called me and asked me several questions to why I wear janeu. I clarified to him that nowhere in Vedas or Brahmin granths it is written that a woman cannot wear a janeu. Wearing janeu means that I am eligible to perform Sanskars and Yagyas. Just like a doctor wears white coat, a pure sole or rather a priest wears janeu,” she said.

Rai, who took the initiative of starting up a ‘vocational Sanskrit’ course at graduation level in Vidya Mandir years back, added saying that there is nothing wrong if women perform funeral ceremonies or take the chanting of mantras as profession.

“These Ved voices should be followed by humanity in which there is no hindrance in the development of the country. Once women start taking it up as profession, there will not be any need to look for suitable Purohit or a Brahmin to perform Yagyas and Havans,” she said.

Talking about ‘Shradh’ and ‘Tarpan’ she said that Shradh means to keep faith in elderly person of the house and Tarpan means taking care of father and mother while they are alive. She pointed out that once a person dies his soul immediately takes birth in some other body, therefore performing Shrad and Tarpas after death are not very relevant.

Sixteen sanskars are Grabhaadhan: Conception, Punsavana: Fetus protection, Simanta: Satisfying wishes of the pregnant Mother, Jaat-Karmaa: Child Birth, Naamkarma: Naming Child, Nishkramana: Taking the child outdoors, Annaprashana: Giving the child solid food, Mundan or Choula: Hair cutting, Karnavedh: Ear piercing, Yagyopaveet: Sacred thread, Vedarambh: Study of Vedas and Scriptures, Samaavartana: Completing education, Vivaah: Marriage, Sarvasanskaar: Preparing for Renouncing, Sanyas (Awasthadhyan): Renouncing, Antyeshti: Last rite, or funeral rites.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Kanpur / TNN / September 23rd, 2014

Lone temple of Bhishma Pitamah exists in Allahabad’s Daraganj

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Records, All

Allahabad :

Amid the hustle and bustle of the city, lies a rare temple devoted to legendary warrior of Mahabharata, Bhishma Pitamah. This 50-year-old temple is visited by devotees from far-flung cities and small towns, with a wish for longer life and spreading brotherhood in the society. It is the only temple dedicated to Bhishma Pitamah in the country.

This rare temple, which is not known to many people, is located in Daraganj near a famous Nagvasuki temple. Built by J R Bhatt, a high court lawyer, the temple has a statue of the son of Ganga, Bhishma Pitamah, who is shown sleeping on the bed of arrows. The temple was completed in 1961. According to priest of the temple Shyam Dhar Tripathi, an old woman was staunch devotee of Ganga and used to daily come to take holy dip in the river. She requested Bhatt that she wished to see a temple dedicated to the son of Ganga. Thus came the idea of constructing this temple, which eventually came up on the side of famous Nagvasuki temple near the banks of Ganga.

The temple, which is dedicated to Pandit Veni Madav Ragunath Pathak, has a 12 feet long statue made of sandstone, showing Bhishma sleeping on the bed of arrows and waiting for leaving to the heavenly abode till Sun enters the northern hemisphere. “People come to this temple, especially during Pitra Paksha, to offer prayers to their ancestors, represent by none other then son of river Ganga Bhishma,” the priest said, whose family has been performing the duty of priest. All the devotees, who come to visit Nagvasuki and Beni Madhav temple also visits this temple and seek blessings for long life, he added.

“We come to this temple quite often. Many visitors of the country and abroad were surprised to know that a temple dedicated to Bhishma exists,” said Vibhu Gupta, a resident of Daraganj.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Allahabad / by Rajeev Mani, TNN / September 19th, 2014