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40 students from 7 districts express their heritage in German

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Education, World Opinion

Allahabad :

Sangam city witnessed a unique confluence of German and Indian culture when around 40 students from seven districts of the state assembled to creatively express the heritage and tradition of their respective cities in German language. The occasion was a German language camp organised as a part of Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE)’s German language school curriculum. The programme was being conducted by Kendriya Vidyalaya, Varanasi region and Max Mueller Bhawan.

Take for instance the pictorial description of Varanasi with caption by students of class 7 and 8. With ‘Gott Buddha’ for ‘God Buddha’, ‘Fluss Ganga’ for ‘flowing Ganga’, ‘Der Tempel’ for ‘Temple’ and ‘Der Sari’ used to describe the popular Banarasi sari, the poster by students presented a live picture of the city as a cultural-heritage city.

Students from the KV of Allahabad, Rihandnagar, Basti, Shakti Nagar among others expressed themselves in German. 13-year-old Pratyush, student of KV, who gave a vivid description of Varanasi as ‘Banaras is a heritage city through which river Ganga flows. It flows silently…The city lanes are crowded and traffic snarls…’.

Commenting on the workshop and programme, project coordinator at the Goeth Institute, New Delhi, Puneet Kaur said, “children from Kendriya Vidyalas of Allahabad Region have assembled to improve their German language skills while discussing their immediate environment in their city.”

The workshop concluded with the valedictory session, addressed by the deputy commissioner KVS Varanasi Region, PV Sai Ranga Rao. Interacting with the students, he said, “the efforts put in by the host school, KV New Cant is worth an applaud and so is the enthusiasm of the students.”

He also said a collaborative programme such as this would help students in shaping their career as learning German as a second language gives them better prospects.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Allahabad / TNN / August 07th, 2014

A desi treat on Chhote Lohiya’s birth anniversary

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Leaders

Lucknow :

Distributing moti choor laddoos in political events is passe and has made way for authentic local delicacies. The state government on Tuesday served Balia’s famous ‘hathi kaan poori’ and boondi at the inauguration ceremony of the Janeshwar Mishra Park, named after the senior socialist political leader, also known as Chhote Lohiya.

The pooris are a specialty of Ballia, the birth place of Mishra, and are almost the size of an elephant’s ear. They are eaten with a curry of potatoes and pointed gourd (parwal), wet boondi and mango chutney. The same meal was served to about 18,000 people at the event in Gomtinagar Extension.

Around 200 cooks were hired from Ballia for the preparations that began four days ago.

“We are making these pudis since 4am today to feed about 16,000 people who are expected. We have brought eight quintals of desi gourds from Ballia,” said the caterer. The dining options for the VIPs included three additional vegetables and maal puas. There were 36 counters and each served about 500 plates.

For the first time in Uttar Pradesh, aluminum shades from Germany were used to protect the gathering from fire and rain. A popular dancing troop from Mathura was called to perform.

Chief secretary Alok Ranjan said, “This park will be one of the largest parks in Asia and will develop many conceptual gardens based on themes like rose, bougainvillea, Mughal, lily, French, Bombay gardens, etc.” The workers suggested an Ayurvedic garden should also be developed in the park.

The preparations in the run-up to the inauguration had been on for months. Engineers from Lucknow Development Authority had slogged throughout July to complete landscaping, plantation and construction of the 11-acre water body in the park before opening it for the public.

The chief minister, cabinet ministers, chief secretary and senior officials from the housing department visited the site many times to ensure arrangements were in place. However, overcrowding, mismanagement and heavy rains a day before ruined the venue’s decoration.

As water had seeped inside the tent where food had to be prepared, the resultant sludge had to be covered with large quantities of loose sand in the morning. Even then, many areas had turned into muddy pools.

A spectator said, “It doesn’t look like a park in the first impression. Heaps of used sweet boxes are thrown near the entrance and the soil has tuned into sludge. There is no greenery at all.”

Besides, there wasn’t adequate facility for parking cars at the venue. People left their cars in the nearby lanes, near roundabouts and on flyovers.

Info:

Proposed features of the park:

Developing the park in about 376 acres (70 acres have been developed at present)

Creating water bodies in about 40 acres

Plying boats resembling Venice’s gondolas in the water body

Developing a 10.5km pedestrian walkway

Developing a 5.28km cycling track; cycles to be given on rent

Horse riding facility, golf course, 8.85km jogging track

Plantation of 2,500 trees

Children’s play area, workout station, amphitheatre, parking space

Providing sports facilities like cricket, football, skating rink and lawn tennis

Developing volley ball, badminton, basket ball and adventure zone court

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Lucknow / TNN / August 06th, 2014

Breaking barriers, Vrindavan widows celebrate Raksha Bandhan

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

After actively participating in Holi and Deepawali in the past, the widows this time marked the occasion, by tying ‘Rakhi’ to children and holymen in the holy city.

Breaking barriers, Vrindavan widows celebrate
Breaking barriers, Vrindavan widows celebrate

Apart from around 800 widows, at least 100 children from various schools of Delhi took part in Rakhi celebration which was organized at Meera Sahabhagini ashram.

The initiative was taken by Sulabh International, which is working for improving the condition of the widows and bringing them to the mainstream besides ensuring their social assimilation. The organization looks after a thousand widows living in five ashrams here.

Countering the age-old social evil of widowhood, several widows have taken shelter in this holy city.

About 100 widows, mostly in their 80s, were engaged in making colourful Rakhis in Meera Sahabhagini and Chetan Vihar ashram to organise Rakhsha Bandhan at a large scale.

They started making Rakhis right from the first week of July and prepared around 1,000 sacred threads.

The widows shared food with school children and upper caste sadhus and brahmins on the occasion.

The widows also participated in cultural programs especially chalked out for the occasion.

Sulabh founder Bindeshwar Pathak, who takes care of around 1,000 widows in Vrindavan, said that such an initiative would bring cheers to their lives.
‘This is my idea on how to change thoughts, behaviour and attitude of the people of this country towards widows, who are their mothers, sisters, and aunties,’ Pathak said.

A collection of 2,000 colorful Rakhis and sweets would also be sent to Prime Minister Narendra Modi by the widows who have expressed a strong desire to meet him and urge him to ensure their all round welfare.

At least ten widows would visit the PM residence with Rakhis on behalf of around 2,000 widows living in Vrindavan and Varanasi tomorrow on Raksha Bandhan hoping to meet Prime Minister Modi.

Manu Ghosh, who is more than 80 year old, hoped Modi would accept Rakhi from his sisters.

‘We’ll organize many such programs for them in near future,’ Pathak said.
Sulabh, known all around the world for promoting the concept of low-cost sanitation, started taking keen initiative in the welfare of widows after the Supreme Court took strong exception last year to the manner in which the bodies of widows, who lived in government shelter homes at Vrindavan, were disposed of.

source: http://www.post.jagran.com / Post Jagran / Home> States News / by Jagran Post News Desk – Jagran Post Editorial / August 09th, 2014

UP goes wild with eco-tourism packages

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Green Initiatives / Environment, Nature, Travel

Lucknow :

You need not look far for your next holiday. The state government is now offering eco-tourism packages in selected sanctuaries including the Nawabganj bird sanctuary.

At the start of the tourist season in October, there will be eco-tourism packages for Sandi (Hardoi), Katarniaghat, Chuka (Pilibhit) and Samaspur (Rae Bareli). Bookings of rest houses will be made online, making the allotment process fair.

“We plan to first equip a few centres will all tourist facilities,” said forest corporation MD Iqbal Singh. The forest department’s website has information on different categories of eco-tourism packages. It also has sections for nature lovers and eco-tourism sites in the state.

Uttar Pradesh has one national park, 11 wildlife and 24 bird sanctuaries but eco-tourism has been limited to Dudhwa National Park and a few locations around it. The state has never had an eco-tourism policy.

On Tuesday, the Cabinet approved an eco-tourism policy with four guiding principles: conserving environment, developing community-based tourism, developing partnership with the private sector and creating and upgrading infrastructure facilities for tourists in wildlife sanctuaries.

The forest department has tied up with an NGO to promote ?environment education’, also a part of eco-tourism. A conservator-level officer has been appointed only for promoting eco-tourism.

“It also aims at gainful employment of local people,” said the official. Locals, mostly rural folks, will be encourages to play hosts or guides to tourists and will be paid for the services.

Potential eco-tourism sites in UP

Katarniaghat on Gerua river in Bahraich; Chuka ghat in Pilibhit on Sharda dam; Chambal ravines in Agra; Nawabganj Bird Sanctuary in Unnao; Chandraprabha Rajdari waterfalls and Deodari waterfalls in Varanasi; Sarsainawar Sarus Sanctuary in Etawah; Sandi Bird Sanctuary in Hardoi; Noida Bird Sanctuary and Kalpi river cruise in Yamuna in Jalaun

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Lucknow / TNN / August 09th, 2014

Ancestral house of Premchand remained closed

Arts, Culture & Entertainment

Varanasi :

Lamahi , the birthplace of great novelist Munshi Premchand, witnessed a series of programmes being organized during Lamahi Mahotsava to celebrate the 134th birth anniversary of the great author on Thursday.

But, the ancestral house of Premchand situated adjacent to the celebration venue remained closed during the function disappointing visitors who had come to view the house.

The celebration commenced with garlanding Premchand’s statue. People started visiting the village after 11am. Several plays based on the works of Premchand were staged on the memorial ground and nearby Ramlila ground. Besides, a group of folk singers performed Birha recital on the occasion.

The three-day Lamahi Mahotsava organised by the cultural department began with a seminar at Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapith on Wednesday. The celebration will conclude at Cultural Complex on Friday. Several activities including dance and drama by school children will be held on the concluding day.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Varanasi / TNN / August 01st, 2014

Dandupur basks in Punam’s glory; gets ready to welcome its famous daughter

Sports

Varanasi :

A nondescript one-room brick house, with an asbestos shade on the front verandah in Dandupur village, about 5 kms from the district headquarters on Varanasi-Sindhora Road, waits for its proud daughter Punam Yadav, the winner of weightlifting bronze at Commonwealth Games at Glasgow.

“It is a matter of pride for us and the entire nation that a rural girl had won a medal. We will celebrate the victory when Punam comes home,” said her mother Urmila Devi, a homemaker who has four other daughters and two sons. Punam’s father Kailash Yadav, a farmer, on Thursday left for Swami Adgadanad Ashram at Shakteshgarh in Mirzapur district to solicit seer’s blessings for his daughter.

“It is ashram seer’s blessings that gave strength to Punam to win the medal,” said her mother, who was quite excited while sharing her feelings on the success of the 19-year-old.

Punam lifted a total of 202 kgs in the final of women’s 63 kgs class at the 2014 Commonwealth Games. She is also a bronze winner in the Asian Juniors.

The condition of their house is a testimony of financial constraints the family has been facing over years in backing their three weightlifting daughters. The family has a small piece of land and a couple of cattle to meet all the requirements. Punam, the fourth daughter, is performing at international level, her elder sister Shashi Yadav and younger sister Puja Yadav are national level weightlifters. Her two elder sisters Kiran and Shashilata have been married.

“The family got financial support from well-wishers particularly from an uncle of Punam to fulfil her dreams,” said Saheb Singh Yadav, her sister-in-law. It was her dedication and hard work that won her a medal, he said.

Her brothers Ashutosh and Abhishek, both high school students, were happy over the success of their sister.

The members of Saptsagar Yadav Maha Sabha too were delighted over Punam’s success. “We feel proud that a daughter of Kashi had won medal for the country,” said Pramod Yadav, president of the organization.

Chief minister Akhilesh Yadav recently announced to honour and give cash awards to all the medal winners of the state in the ongoing Commonwealth Games at Glasgow.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Varanasi / TNN / August 02nd, 2014

US tourists top international footfall list at Taj

Records, All, Travel

Agra :

At 12%, US nationals formed the largest chunk of international tourists to the Taj Mahal in 2013 followed by UK (8%) and Germany (7%), stated a June 2014 World Bank presented to the Agra district administration. The report titled ‘Destination profiling, tourism enterprises and value chain assessment’ aimed at assessing Agra’s potential to be developed as a tourism hub under a pro-poor tourism development programme.

The programme aims to provide better tourist facilities in the state so that the poor can earn a livelihood via revenue generated off tourism. The report states that every year, over 7 lakh foreigners visit the Taj – one of the Seven Wonders of the World and the focal point of tourism in Agra. But only one-third of foreign nationals who visit the 17th century mausoleum make a trip to the equally noteworthy Agra Fort and Fatherpur Sikri.

Delhi tops the list of domestic visitors to the Taj with 17.9% share, followed by Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Gujarat and Rajasthan. However, the report cautioned that the figures, based on ticket sales at the ASI monuments and check-ins at Agra hotels are approximations only. Agra’s potential for development as a pro-poor tourist hub remains unrealized as only a little over 50% of foreign tourists stay overnight, while others prefer leaving the city by evening after visiting the Taj.

In other words, out of 7.4 lakh foreign tourists who came to Agra in 2013, 4.03 lakh stayed overnight. On the other hand, only 5% domestic tourists stayed overnight. “Overnight stays can have greater impact on the local economy.

Hoteliers largely attribute this decline to opening of the Yamuna Expressway facilitating day trip from the national capital. Adverse publicity (crime) and lack of tourism options beyond major monuments are other factors for less night stay” the report said, adding that in comparison to 94-330 US dollar a foreign tourist should spend on a one-day tour in Agra, only 40-110 Us dollars are spent. The 2013 Uttarakhand deluge has also affected the number of tourists visiting Agra, it stated. Foreign tourists’ inflow to Taj Mahal decreased by over 29% in June 2013 as compared to June 2012.

This is attributable to the rising number of crimes in the country sand the 2013 Uttarakhand flashfloods. According to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), 4.29 lakh foreigners visited Taj between June and December 2012, while only 3.29 lakh turned up during the corresponding period in 2013. The trend continues in 2014 as well with 1.55 lakh visitors in January and February, compared to 1.75 lakh in 2013 fort he same period.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Agra / Aditya Dev, TNN / July 22nd, 204

Sanskrit teaches you to become a good person: Kishwar Zubin Nasreen

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Education, Records, All

Lucknow :

Kishwar Zubin Nasreen, the head of the department of Sanskrit at Allahabad University, on Tuesday became the first Muslim woman to receive the Uttar Pradesh Sanskrit Sansthan award for her immense contribution in the field of Sanskrit. The award, instituted in the memory of socialist leader Janeshwar Mishra, will be given annually to a Muslim woman scholar of the language.

Though Nasreen has been a professor of Sanskrit for 36 years, she has been closely associated with the language since 1963.

“Besides being a beautiful language, Sanskrit teaches you to become a good human being and also helps you learn a lot about Indian culture and moral values,” she said.

“My religion never came in my way. In fact, after I learnt Arabic, considered one of the most difficult languages, Sanskrit was a cake walk,” she said.

“The first thing I tell my students is that they should learn Sanskrit as a therapy. That gradually moulds the character of a student, making the person a good human being enriched with the right balance of moral values and patriotism,” she added.

Nasreen said besides parental support, her inspiration to learn the language were compilations of Kalidas, which strike a balance between ancient and contemporary messages.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Lucknow / TNN / August 06th, 2014

Commonwealth Games 2014: Asab Mohammed wins bronze in men’s double trap event

Amazing Feats, Records, All, Sports
Asab Mohammed
Asab Mohammed

Shooting contibuted yet another medal to India’s medal tally as Asab Mohammed Rizvi grabbed the bronze medal in men’s double trap event. Another Indian shooter Ankur Mittal, who was leading after the qualification round finished in 5th position.

Asab defeated Nathan Xuereb of Malta 26-24 in the bronze medal play-off. Both the Indian shooters started off very well in the qualification round as Ankur and Asab with 135 and 132 points finished on 1st and 2nd respectively in the qualification round to make it to the semifinals.

Asab’s start to the semifinal round was a bit shaky as he missed 3 of the first 10 targets, but after that he didn’t miss a single shot in his next 10 rounds and scored a good 27/30. Along with Asab, two Englishmen Steven Scott and Matthew French finished with the same scoreline as the contest ended in three-way shoot-off.

Asab unfortunately missed one target in the shoot-off as the other two shooters shot a perfect 2/2 to qualify for the gold medal match.

In bronze medal play-off, Asab was leading 8-6 at one stage but then the 17 year old shooter from Malta,Nathan Xuereb made a good comeback to level the scores to 14-14. The inexperience of the Maltian shooter came into play as he missed few shots towards the end of the match.

Steven Scott shot a perfect 30 to clinch the gold medal and his compatriot Matthew French with a score of 29 won the silver medal.

With this medal, India’s medal tally has now gone up to 19 medals which includes 5 golds, 8 silvers and 6 bronze. England, Australia and Scotland hold the top 3 positions respectively.

Final Standings:

Position / Name / Medal
1 Steven Scott (ENG) GOLD
2 Matthew French (ENG) SILVER
3 Asab Mohammed (IND) BRONZE

source: http://www.sportskeeda.com / SportsKeeda / Home> News> Shooting / by Vishal Kungwani / July 27th, 2014

Akharas come alive on Naag Panchami

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Sports, Travel

Allahabad :

While wrestlers kept the Tri-colour fluttering in Glasgow at the ongoing Commonwealth Games, their local brethrens on Friday got a chance to showcase their skills at dangals (wrestling competitions held in various akharas turned fitness centres of the city on the occasion of Naag Panchami.

Most of the akharas are decked up specially for the annual dangals held on Naag Panchami. For the rest of the year, these akharas act as fitness centres.

It is tragic change of fortune for the akharas of the Sangam City that still fondly remembers the famous wrestling match in which former world champion and legendary Gama Pehalwan defeated Rahim Sultaniwalla in an ‘akhara’ to become national champion. The match was held a century ago. Since then, much water has flowed in Ganga and even city’s landscape has undergone a sea change, robbing ‘akharas’ of sheen.

Senior wrestler Ram Dulare said that akharas get a new lease of life only in Shravan. “The traditional style of wrestling is one of the oldest discipline of sports but has now confined to an annual affair,” he added. Lamenting that local akharas had shunned Indian style of wrestling, he said “The drills include around 90% gymnasium techniques. Pure form of training involving dand baithak’ is missing as we lack mandatory equipments like Mugdals’, Gaddas’, Nals’ and Mallakhambs,” said Dulare.

As a result, the city has failed to produce even a single wrestler of repute in the last several years. In Friday’s dangals several local wrestlers won people’s applause. However, most of them lamented absence of expert trainers and equipments in akharas.

Sanu Dube, who won the dangal’ in Raghunathdas Vyayamshala said, “We don’t have the luxury of enjoying energy drink after hours of practice in akharas. Instead, we rely on tea. One cannot expect wrestlers practicing under such pitiable conditions to scale new heights.”

Shubham is a boatman and a practicising wrestler in middle-weight category. He still relies on age-old technique of Kala-jung’ and Dhaag’, while other wrestlers have turned to modern gymnastics techniques.

He was among two dozen wrestlers, including runner-up Ankur (18), Nitin (18) and Bikku Nishad (17), who won the annual traditional competition’ despite practicising in akharas (pits) that are devoid of even traditional equipment like like Mugdals (Indian Clubs), Gaddas’ (Maces), Nals’ (Stone Weights) and Mallakhambs (Wrestler Pillars).

“Energy drink and training under experts are luxury for wrestlers like us. We neither have the money to buy such expensive items nor any equipment to exercise,” said the wrestlers.

“In fact, the akharas’ (pits) have turned into gymnasium where dangals are held only in Shravan (July-August),” laments wrestler Suraj Kumar at contested at the dangal held in Loknath Akhara.

For another wrestler Kamal Singh, Shravan is the only occasion in which he and his disciples get a chance to display their expertise. For the rest of the time, the two akharas turn into a fitness centre.

Dangal was also held in Loknath Vyayamshala but there was no provision to declare winners. However, the topmost winners were feted.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Allahabad / by Vinod Khanal, TNN / August 02nd, 2014