Category Archives: Records, All

Allahabad Museum to soon exhibit letters, documents of freedom fighters

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

The Allahabad Museum is requesting individuals and organisations to donate to it the letters, documents written by freedom fighters.


The Allahabad Museum (HT Photo)

Soon people will be able to get an insight into the lives of nation’s great freedom fighters through their own hand written accounts, letters and documents narrating their struggle and life during India’s freedom movement.

“Allahabad Museum is in the process of getting these documents from individuals, organisations and institutes from different parts of the country. The museum took the initiative after an appeal made by UP governor that people who possess some valuable documents, letters etc related to India’s freedom movement and freedom fighters should come forward to donate them to the Allahabad Museum,” said director of the museum Sunil Gupta.

“Following it, we received a well-preserved letter of freedom fighter Vishnu Sharan Dublish from KD Sharma, a resident of Meerut. He contacted us for proving the letter,” added Gupta.

Gupta claimed that Dublish wrote this letter on November 1, 1937 after he was released from the Andaman jail.

In the letter, Dublish had made an appeal to people to also treat Aman Singh Atre as a freedom fighter while highlighting his role in the freedom movement.

“We are also in discussion with Pune-based Tilak Foundation for providing hand written letter of another great freedom fighter Rajguru. A few days back, an artist donated us around 150 pictures of freedom fighters. Likewise, we have also made an appeal to some organisations and institutes to provide us some original documents on temporary basis,” he added.

The officials also informed that they were also in discussion with Savarkar Trust in Kalyan, Maharashtra for getting some letters of freedom fighter Veer Savarkar.

“We are still in the process of getting these valuable documents and letters related to India’s freedom movement. Once we get sufficient documents, they will be displayed in the new gallery being constructed at the cost of around Rs eight crore. The dates of displaying these items and other related decisions will be taken in the next meeting of Allahabad Museum,” said Gupta.

source: http://www.hindustantimes.com / Hindustan Times / Home> India / by Smriti Malaviya , Hindustan Tiems, Prayagraj / April 01st, 2019

V.N. Bhatkhande: A seeker who helped in bridging Hindustani and Carnatic music

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Education, Leaders, Records, All

Photograph of the special 15 paise postal stamp, issued on September 01, 1961 in honour of the late V.N. Bhatkhande   | Photo Credit:  The Hindu Archives – PIBB

V.N. Bhatkhande’s extensive travels helped bridge North and South

One of the most fascinating structures in the Qaiserbagh area of Lucknow is the erstwhile Pari Khana, the building, which housed the numerous courtesans in the service of the Nawabs of Avadh. In its time it must have been home to much music and what is interesting is that it continues to do so even now, the Bhatkhande Music Institute Deemed University being headquartered here. And that institution has a story that bridges both the Hindustani and Carnatic systems.

Vishnu Narayan Bhatkhande (1860-1936) remains a landmark figure in the world of Indian musicology. A resident of Bombay, he was trained in music while young and retained sufficient interest in it even after reaching adulthood, when he qualified in law and set up practice at the High Court of Bombay. Circumstances so arranged themselves that he could soon devote his entire energies to music, his wife and daughter passing away thereby freeing him of the necessity of earning for a family. It was then that he began to ponder over the fact that Hindustani Music did not have a structured curriculum of teaching and remained largely an oral tradition.

Bhatkhande travelled far and wide across North India, collecting information about the way music was taught in the various gharanas. He then moved South, coming to Madras in 1904. He had established contact with Thirumalayya Naidu, a local connoisseur. Having met up with Naidu at the Cosmopolitan Club, he attended a concert performance by Bangalore Nagarathnamma at a Sabha on Ramaswami Street, George Town. Bhatkhande’s account of her performance remains the only review of a concert by this redoubtable artiste.


The Bhatkhande Institute Deemed University  

It was, however, his subsequent interactions with other names deep down South that had a greater impact on him. He travelled to Ramanathapuram to meet ‘Poochi’ Srinivasa Iyengar. He came to know that Subbarama Dikshitar had just then published his Sangita Sampradaya Pradarshini and went to Ettayapuram to see him. In Madras, he met Thiruvottiyur Tyagier and Tachur Singaracharya among others. The interactions were not altogether as fruitful as Bhatkhande would have wished, language being a great barrier. In his daily jottings, published later by the Indira Gandhi University at Khairagarh, as Meri Dakshin Bharat Ki Sangeet Yatra (My Musical Journey in Southern India), Bhatkhande noted that while all the musicians he met came across as great and saintly personalities, they were unable to explain to him much of what they practised.

He did manage to obtain valuable manuscripts — the Chaturdandi Prakasika of Venkatamakhin and the Svaramelakalanidhi of Ramamatya. These, and the observations he had made while touring North India, along with other manuscripts, helped him classify Hindustani ragas under a system of ten, which is rather like the melakartas of the Carnatic style. He wrote extensively on Hindustani music and his four-volume Hindustani Sangeet Paddhathi is even today the standard text for the North Indian style of classical music. Bhatkhande also began organising All India Music Conferences, which focused on Hindustani Music.

In this he was greatly supported by Rai Umanath Bali, a prominent Taluqdar of Avadh. It was the latter’s dearest wish that a college for Hindustani Music be established in Lucknow while Bhatkhande preferred Delhi for its location. The two argued over it for nearly a decade before the latter was finally won over in 1922. The fourth All India Music Conference was held in Lucknow in 1924 and a resolution was passed for the setting up of a music college in that city. The music-loving Nawab of Rampur threw his weight behind the setting up of the institution. This became reality in 1926, with syllabus fashioned by Bhatkhande. The All India College of Hindustani Music was inaugurated at the Pari Khana by Sir William Sinclair Marris, the then Governor of the United Provinces. Six months later, the college was named after him.

Rather interestingly, this was to have an impact in Madras. It was in 1927 that the All India Congress Session was held here with a music conference being held in parallel. That saw the birth of the Music Academy with one of its mandates being the setting up of a Teachers’ College of Music, “on the lines of the Marris College.” The Queen Mary’s College, which had offered music as an elective course with no theory classes for over a decade, began to offer a two-year intermediate course from 1927. Two years later, the Music College in Chidambaram, now a part of the Annamalai University began functioning. That institution too borrowed from the Marris College pattern.

It was only in 1948 that the Marris College changed its name to give credit where it was due — becoming the Bhatkhande Institute. This scholar, intrepid traveller and seeker deserved his name being preserved for posterity. In 2000, the Institute became a deemed university.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> In Search of Music> Music / by Sriram V / March 29th, 2019

Catharsis through art

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Education, Records, All, World Opinion

For Neha Singh, MA Fine Arts student from Kashi Vidyapeeth, Varanasi, art is a miraculous alternative medicine for a speedy recovery and better receptivity for patients. 

Neha Singh

Kochi :

“Won’t it be beautiful to see a landscape when you are admitted in a hospital, rather than white walls and plain curtains,” asks Neha Singh, who was in the city recently as part of her internship project to learn about Raja Ravi Varma paintings. For Neha Singh, MA Fine Arts student from Kashi Vidyapeeth, Varanasi, art is a miraculous alternative medicine for a speedy recovery and better receptivity for patients. 

Neha had spent time at the Kowdiar Palace to learn about the paintings of Raja Ravi Varma during which won appreciation from Gauri Parvathy Bhai, member of the erstwhile royal family of Travancore, for her artwork and contributions. During her stay in Thiruvananthapuram, she visited hospitals including the Santhwana Hospital at Ambalamukku to spread messages on the therapeutic effect of art.

She believes in the pursuit of innovation with the intention of developing her own potential as well as nourishing the talents of children. The idea of healing through art struck her while thinking of an idea to help people physically or psychologically with her talent. According to her, art therapy is not just about exposing patients to artwork, but also involving themselves in the process.

“In art therapy patients are encouraged to create paintings and craft works. Though art cannot be termed as an alternative to medicine, it can assist to make the patient receptive, thereby making the treatment procedure much easier,” says Neha. 

She often visits children in hospitals and gifts them her paintings. “Mostly children tend to panic more while in the hospital. As an artist, my presence with my paintings and spending time with them has shown remarkable happiness on their faces. Undoubtedly, a patient is more receptive to the treatment and cures faster while they are relaxed,” said Neha.

Neha is a multi-talented personality and a two time World Records holder. In 2017, she made a World Record by creating the map of India with more than 16 lakh glass beads. In September 2018, she was back in the headlines after making another World Record by creating a Hanuman Chalisa with more than 38,417 fingertip impressions in a 449 feet cloth which has entered in Eurasia World Records.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Kochi / by Steena Das / Express News Service / March 06th, 2019

Mumbai doctors give push to Varanasi hospital project

Records, All, Science & Technology

The Mahamana Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya Cancer Centre in Varanasi is a unit of Tata Memorial Centre.  

Cancer centre built in record 10 months; takes load off Tata Memorial Hospital in city

Built in 10 months, the 352-bed Mahamana Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya Cancer Centre in Varanasi has made it to the India Book of Records for being the largest cancer hospital built in the least amount of time. While the hospital will take a large amount of patient load off Mumbai’s Tata Memorial Hospital (TMH), it is the TMH doctors who have played a crucial role in setting up the Varanasi hospital.

Dedicated staff

Spread across 5.86 lakh sq. ft, the hospital was built in record time, from April 4, 2018, to February 7, 2019, and was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi soon after. “The Tata Trusts carried out the civil work while the doctors from TMH played a role in the instrumentation, designing and training the medical staff,” said Dr. Rajendra Badwe, director of Tata Memorial Centre (TMC). He said that the Varanasi hospital now has a dedicated medical staff of 15 surgeons, six radiation oncologists, and five medical oncologists. “While the staff is now equipped to handle all routine cases, doctors from TMH will visit the hospital for four days every fortnight for intervention in complex cases,” said Dr. Badwe.

The hospital, he said, will cater to people from eastern and central Uttar Pradesh, northern Bihar and parts of Chhattisgarh. “We had also started a cancer registry in Varanasi and Muzaffarnagar to understand the magnitude of the problem there,” said Dr. Badwe.

Last year, a 180-bed Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital was opened in Varanasi in place of a dilapidated railway cancer hospital. The Mahamana Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya Cancer Centre has come up in the campus of Banaras Hindu University (BHU), which is about seven km away from the Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital. “Normally, a project like this would take over three years to complete. What the Tata Trusts has managed to achieve is great,” said Dr. Pankaj Chaturvedi, head and neck cancer surgeon from TMH. The Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital will focus on blood, bone and paediatric cancers and the Mahamana Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya Cancer Centre will be a dedicated facility for solid tumours in adults. “The TMC had entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with the BHU after which the land was transferred to the Department of Atomic Energy to make way for the hospital,” explained Dr. Chaturvedi.

Nearly one million new cancer cases are diagnosed in India annually. Mumbai’s TMH handles the highest load of patients, with over 65,000 new registrations every year. According to Dr. Chaturvedi, the incidence of cancer is 100 per lakh people in urban areas and 80 per lakh in rural India.

“With the lifestyle choices that we are making, the incidence is going to rise exponentially. Thus, the best way to offer cancer care would be decentralising it,” said Dr. Chaturvedi. Two-thirds of cancer patients coming to TMH are from out of the city, and this leads to huge out-of-pocket expenditure in terms of travel and stay. He said, “By 2021, the TMC will be running at least six hospitals across the country with over 3,500 beds.”

‘Project buddies’

As per a conventional plan, the Mahamana Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya Cancer Centre was to be ready by 2021. How did the team manage to construct the hospital in merely 10 months then? A member of the Tata Trusts said cross-functional teams with diverse portfolios were set up to collaborate and execute the plan. The team members were called ‘project buddies’.

“Meticulous planning of logistics, material and manpower was done. A dedicated team of engineers and workers were on the job round the clock. We ensured that they were highly motivated and self-driven,” he said.

Resources were integrated and milestones were mapped judiciously. The construction work also involved using the dry composite method instead of the conventional brick-and-mortar technology.

The dry composite technology meant that the walls and wood work were pre-fabricated and brought to the site.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Mumbai / by Jyoti Shelar / March 13th, 2019

International Women’s Day: The driving force of Lucknow Metro

Business & Economy, Inspiration / Positive News and Features, Records, All, Travel

Jyoti Shukla and Neetu Gupta have been drilled in the do’s and don’ts of Metro operations at the Delhi Centre and now work as train operators for Lucknow Metro. The women are more than proud to be a part of the dream project of Lucknow from its inception. On International Women’s Day, 2019, the two will operate the Metro.

When you board the Lucknow Metro which is all set to be launched, don’t be surprised to find a female train operator in the operator’s cabin.

Jyoti Shukla and Neetu Gupta have been drilled in the do’s and don’ts of Metro operations at the Delhi Centre and now work as train operators for Lucknow Metro. The women are more than proud to be a part of the dream project of Lucknow from its inception. On International Women’s Day, 2019, the two will operate the Metro. When home minister Rajnath Singh will be seated for the first ride of the second phase of the 23-kilometre stretch, Neetu will pilot the train with a male pilot companion, Sushant Sarvare. Jyoti, along with a male pilot companion, Pankaj K Singh will pilot the second train.

Gupta has train-operating experience of 45,000 kilometres. Talking about her initial days she said, “I belong to a small district, Ballia, where life is still very sluggish and laid back. But for me, I always dreamt of achieving something big in my life. Studies took most of my time and Math was my favourite subject. So, the inclination towards technology was evident since childhood. How keenly we follow our dream that’s the key to success. My interests were spotted by my parents at very early age. Being the eldest, I too felt that I should behave like a responsible daughter.”

Shukla, who hails from Mirzapur, feels that there is no end to dreams for any girl, “Yes, a woman has full right to dream and also to fulfil them because at the end of the day, passion matters. I have moved around with my parents to many cities, as my father a retired serviceman now, kept getting transferred. I shifted many places and schools but the dream to be an officer in uniform was always on my mind.”

Gupta feels that only gender equality in every sector will help the nation become a developed country in the truest sense. “When we can have equal work rights in LMRC here, why can’t it be everywhere? Why is it still so difficult for girls from small towns and villages to be given equal opportunity and rights? Many small villages don’t even let girls study, let alone allow them to dream big. Girls are just considered a helping hand to run a household. Only education can change the scenario. The trainees at our centres are so positive and we feel proud training them, irrespective of gender.”

Shukla considers herself lucky that her family, especially her parents, support her and let her take decisions regarding her job and studies.

On being asked where they see themselves five years from now, Gupta was quick to respond, “Definitely not operating a train, because I believe I must have become something big, sitting in some cabin, (laughing). But I am sure that I will see more success in coming days.”

Shukla enjoys training the new batch. “I am happy with whatever little I have achieved but I know this is just the beginning.”

MEN ON THE MAIDEN RUN

The two men who will be operating the metro on the first day along with their female counterparts are Pankaj K Singh and Sushant Sarvare. Both are more than happy to be part of the venture from initial days.

Singh who has train-operating experience of 28,000 kilometres, feels that in today’s times, no girl is behind in any field, “I come from Agra and have seen women from my city going places. My parents are the reason that I see every woman as an equal and also a competition as in reality they lack nothing. At LMRC, we are friends, but at the same time, we competitors. So, this is the new India all of us youngsters want.”

Singh said that he is blessed to have made a name for himself and his family, “Yes, I am proud that today I have reached a place in my life and my choice of career is bringing in good results. My family is proud of me and my achievements. For me, it was my father and elder sister who were the driving force. My father not only supported me but also let my sister opt for her choice of education and career. She is a headmistress today and we all are so proud and happy for her.”

source: http://www.hindustantimes.com / Hindustan Times / Home> Lucknow / by S. Farah Rizvi, Hindustan Times, Lucknow / March 08th, 2019

UP’s digital land project bags gold award

Business & Economy, Records, All, Science & Technology

The Uttar Pradesh government claimed that the digital land project of the Board of Revenue won the national gold award for 2018-19 for e-governance at an award ceremony at Dr Ambedkar International Centre in New Delhi.

The award was given away by Union Minister of State (Independent charge) Jitendra Singh.

“Our digital land project also formed foundation for successful implementation of PM Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana under which Rs 2,000 was directly transferred to the accounts of more than one crore farmers in the state by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 24,” a government spokesman said in Lucknow on Thursday

The spokesman said that the success of the project could be gauged by the fact that this portal received more than a crore hits per day. During the peak period (on 13-2-2019), the portal received more than 5.30 crore hits in a single day.

The national gold award-2018-19 for e-governance was presented to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath by a Revenue department team in Lucknow on Thursday.

source: http://www.dailypioneer.com / The Pioneer / Home> State Editions> Lucknow / PNS Lucknow / March 01st, 2019

Over 7,000 Participants Set A New Guinness World Record At Kumbh

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Records, All, Travel, World Opinion

At Kumbh Mela 2019, a new Guinness World Record has been set for “most contribution to a handprint painting in 8 hours” by Prayagraj Mela Authority.

Over 7,000 Participants Set A New Guinness World Record At Kumbh

Indian has a new Guiness World Record – “for most contribution to a handprint painting in 8 hours”.

Prayagraj :

Kumbh Mela in Uttar Pradesh is making news for the right reasons. After breaking the Guinness World Record for the ” largest parade of buses” on Thursday, it has now added another world record to its fold. The new Guinness World Record has been set for “most contribution to a handprint painting in 8 hours” by Prayagraj Mela Authority on Friday.

The handprint community engagement activity, a part of “Paint My City” initiative, saw participation from 7,664 people, breaking a record previously held by South Korea.

“In Seoul, around 4,675 people had participated in handprinting activity. We broke that record in the first few hours itself,” said one of the participants.1

From saints to securitymen, children to adults, people from all walks of life took part in the record-breaking event. The 60 feet canvas saw hand impressions in all sizes.

Today, another world record is being attempted at Kumbh Mela area for  – “Most People Sweeping the Floor (Multiple Venues).  “It is not a milestone to be accomplished but also a benchmark for all to celebrate cleanliness,” an organiser said.

On Thursday, a fleet of over over 500 buses were rolled out to set a new record for “longest parade of buses”. The Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) buses covered a distance of over 3.2 km. The parade of the saffron-coloured buses was held at NH-19, between Sahson toll and Nawabganj toll plaza.

source: http://www.ndtv.com / NDTV / Home> Section> All India / by Richa Taneja / March 02nd, 2019

Research to shed new light on old burial practice in BSIP Lucknow

Historical Links / Pre-Independence, Records, All, Science & Technology

A pot burial site, quite rare in the north-east, was recently found at a construction site in Muallungthu village, 20km from Mizoram’s capital Aizawal.

BSIP Lucknow,old burial practice,research at bsip lucknow

Two skulls and bones placed in a pot were found in a Mizo village(Sourced)

Pot burial and ‘strange’ burial practices of megalithic culture that dates way back to 1500 Bc all set to be unleashed. City’s prime Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotony (BSIP) is going to decode the mysteries of megalithic culture by extracting DNA from the skulls, it discovered recently during an construction work in Mizoram.

Pot burial site that is quite a rare in North East India, was recently found during a construction site in village Muallungthu, 20km from Mizoram capital Aizawal. On the rare discovery, Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) Aizawal, sought expertise from the scientists from city based BSIP institute, helping them in unleashing pot burial culture, quite common practice during megalithic culture.

“We found two skulls and bones, placed in a pot. We are studying the skulls that were found more than 10 feet below the ground. Besides we are also trying to study the femur bones that were also recovered from the burial pot,” said Dr Niraj Rai, senior scientist with Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotony (BSIP) while talking to HT.

Though they are yet to assess the age of the skulls, but Rai said from the pattern of soil deposition on the skulls and archaeological findings, it could be said that the skulls may be around 2000 year old. However, now the institute is going to extract the DNA from the remains, which they say will unleash many untold mysteries related to this particular tribe that has such strange burial practices.

“DNA extraction from the remains would help us in understanding the cultural continuity of these tribes, which so far is unknown. The DNA extraction exercise would be carried out early next month after which the DNA would be matched to our modern population DNA data base of more than 400 population group, from different ethnic backgrounds and different linguistic families. We would try to match the DNA to assess the cultural continuity of this community,” he added.

Such burial practices he said was quite a common in Asian counties and in India, it is common in south India and North East India.

He said the findings would further help in understanding the migration and mixing pattern of this community and also the population of this community at that time.

Dr Sujeet Nayan, deputy superintending archaeologist Aizawal circle, the search is on, there are more than three burials there. “We are now planning to go for carbon dating. The research and excavation is on. It’s a rare discovery,”

source: http://www.hindustantimes.com / Hindustan Times / Home> Education / by HT Correspondent, Hindustan Times – Lucknow / February 26th, 2019

At Kumbh Mela, UP Eyes Guinness Record For “Largest Parade Of Buses”

Amazing Feats, Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Records, All, Travel, World Opinion

According to an official, the parade of 500 buses would be the longest anywhere in the world ad will make new Guinness World Record.

Pragyaraj :

By rolling out a fleet of 500 buses at the ongoing Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj, the Uttar Pradesh government is eyeing to break existing Guinness World Record. The record of largest parade of buses is currently held by Abu Dhabi of 390 buses. A 5.8 km-long convoy of 390 buses had travelled a stretch of 4 km on the Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Highway in Abu Dhabi. The record attempt was to celebrate UAE 39th national day.

According to an official, the parade of 500 buses would be the longest anywhere in the world.

The Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) buses will cover a distance of over 3.2 km. The parade of the saffron-coloured buses will be held at NH-19, between Sahson toll and Nawabganj toll plaza.

“The parade is also to demonstrate the traffic plan which worked very well during the ongoing Kumbh Mela where 1,300 hectare of land was used for parking of vehicles”, Additional Chief Secretary (Information and Tourism) Avaneesh Kumar Awasthi told news agency IANS.

Over 20,000 police personnel were deployed for security and safety of the Kumbh Nagar where millions visit every year, he added.

The UPSRTC had issued directions to all the 18 regions of the state to send the buses along with manpower in the city by February 27.

A couple of observers from the Guinness Book of World Records will witness the record-making attempt on the route on which buses will run.

(With Inputs From ANI, IANS)

source: http://www.ndtv.com / NDTV / Home> All India / by Richa Taneja (with input from Agencies) / February 28th, 2019

Fame has sought him, his creations

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Records, All

The popular Hindi adage ‘Jahan na pahunche Ravi, wahan pahunche kavi’ (The poet manages to reach even where the sun doesn’t – in salute to the poet’s power of imagination) stands true for Naresh Saxena, 80. In Lucknow literary circles, he needs no introduction.

The popular Hindi adage ‘Jahan na pahunche Ravi, wahan pahunche kavi’ (The poet manages to reach even where the sun doesn’t – in salute to the poet’s power of imagination) stands true for Naresh Saxena, 80. In Lucknow literary circles, he needs no introduction.

Even though his first book was published in 2000 at the age of 61, his fame and body of work has reached across the country. His poetry is part of syllabi right from Class VIII to M Phil in various states, and at the Jawaharlal Nehru University.

But, that’s not all. He has made a solo film which has won a national award. His play ‘Aadmi Ka Aa’ has been staged over 5,000 times. He has made TV serials for Lucknow, Bhopal and DD National. His musical compositions have been aired on All India Radio and he has given flute and harmonica performances on stage. HT City profiles the multi-faceted Lucknowite.

NO SCHOOL AS KID!

He was born in Gwalior and after Intermediate, he completed his graduation studies (in engineering) from Jabalpur (1964), and post-graduation studies from Kolkata. In 1965, he joined Lucknow Jal Nigam as assistant engineer, from where he retired in 1997.

“My father was in the irrigation department, so I was brought up in the Chambal region. It is not just a co-incidence that I became an engineer of water! I have grown up in dak banglows around the tributaries of Chambal and have seen rivers and life around it very closely.”

Interestingly, he never went to a school till the age of 10. “We were living in a very remote area, so nothing was near our dak bungalow. So, I was directly admitted in Class V in Moraina. But, my parents took care of my basic education at home. I got into the habit of reading, which made my Hindi strong. Also, my sister later shifted to Etha for Hindi Sahitya Visharad course, so I got chance to read a lot of Hindi literature. That’s how I got into the habit of reading poetry – Suryakant Tripathi ‘Nirala’, Sumitranandan Pant, Maithali Sharan Gupt and others.”

With no friends around and no one to play with, reading became his best pastime. “My passion for reading grew to the extent that I even ‘picked up’ a few books,” he confesses, bursting into laughter.

NARESH, THE POET!

His first book ‘Samundra Pe Ho Rahi Hai Barish’ was published in 2000, and without a book to his credit, he had bagged the coveted Pahal Samman, which is awarded once in two years to a poet from across the country for his contribution to literature. “My poetry has been published since I was 17 that too in the prestigious Gyan Uday (Calcutta), Kalpana (Hyderabad) and Dharmyug. I never had to struggle. Gradually, I started getting invitations to kavi sammelans (poet symposia) and have performed on all major stages of India. I never felt the need to write a book till I retired.”

He had two books ‘Samundra Pe…’ and ‘Suno Charusheela (2011) and two collections of poetry (‘Kavi Ne Kaha’ and ‘Naresh Saxena aur unki chuninda kavitayein’) to his credit.

Closest to his heart are ‘Acche Bachchey’, ‘6 December’ (on the Babri mosque demolition), ‘Shishu’ and ‘Chambal ek nadi, ka naam’. “‘Chambal’… is closest to my heart. Never mind my listeners, it even brings tears to my eyes,” he said.

A few lines of his poem ‘Ek Vriksha’ have been immortalised on Lodhi Road (Delhi) and at the Dehradun crematorium. “It (my poetry) has reached places where I had never thought it would reach. A film has been made on my poem ‘Girna’, and on the same creation, a theatrical performance has been held in Varanasi.”

He renders the opening line of the poem: ‘Cheezeon ke girne ke niyam hote hain, manushya ke girne ke koi niyam nahi hotey’ (When objects fall they do so governed by science but there is nothing to measure how far man may fall)!

The poem ended on a hopeful and inspiriting note that if one has to fall then: Giro kisi dushman par, kisi gaaj ki tarah giro, ulka paat ki tarah giro, vajra paat ki tarah giro, main kehta hoon gir kar dikhao to sahi (Fall, but like a sword upon the enemy, fall like the meteor, or like a thunderbolt: Let me see how you can fall)!

NATIONAL AWARD

“I made a serial ‘Jugalbandi’ for DD Lucknow and one for DD Bhopal in the ’80s. I made a serial ‘Nai Kiran’ that was telecast on national TV on prime time.” Besides, he has made few documentaries.

He won national awards for the only celluloid film he made. “I directed a 20-minute film ‘Sambandh’ that I shot on 35 mm print. It had been shown on DD and at many places and had also featured on ‘Surabhi’ TV. I won the Jury Special Mention Award in 1991 – the same year Amitabh Bachchan (Agneepath) won his first national award. Lata Mangeshkar too won another national award that year. So it was very special.”

‘Sambandh’ was shot in Lucknow (Bakshi Ka Talab) with city-based actors and was based on his own poetry ‘Ek vriksh bhi bacha rahe sansaar mein’. “But, I did not use my poetry in the film and interpreted it with visual medium and conveyed it with montages. The jury chairperson complimented that he has ‘for the first time seen creative use of grammar in the film’.”

Film happened by chance to him. “My wife (late Vijay Naresh) was supposed to direct the film. But, she went to Surinam as director of the Indian Cultural Centre. I had not made a film till then but my experience of TV and documentary came handy and I eventually made the film.”

His wife did not go to college after Intermediate and later, she completed her education privately. She then worked with All India Radio and Doordarshan. “She left her job and went to FTII, Pune and was the first woman to graduate in direction. She was appointed at the level of first secretary at the Embassy of Surinam and later director of Indian Cultural Centre there. Later, she became director of State Institute of Educational Technology.” His daughter Purva Naresh is a famous theatre director and son, Raghav, has an office job.

PLAYFUL ACTS!

His first play ‘Ek Hati Manu’ was based on Rani Laxmibai. His play ‘Aadmi Ka Aah’, on literacy, has had 5,000 shows across the country and has been translated in many regional languages. Two of his plays ‘Utterly, Gutterly, Atrocious’ and ‘Pret’ (Ghost) have been adapted and directed by his daughter. Luminaries Urmil Kumar Thapliyal, Suryamohan Kulshrestha and a director from Kolkata have directed plays written by him.

Besides, his music composition has been broadcast from Lucknow, Allahabad and Delhi. “I have never learnt anything. I used to play the harmonica and used to believe that I was the best in the country till I heard RD Burman playing it. I have given stage performances for both flute and the harmonica.”

Talking about his love for music, he said, “All art forms aspire to be music. It was my first love but I could not learn it. My parents did not let me learn it so I learnt it on my own but it was ‘adha-adhoora’ (incomplete). In my serials and documentary, I have played the flute. Now, I can say poetry is closest to me. I have taken on everything as a challenge.”

On writing poetry he said, “Poetry removes the hurdles of life and creates new openings. ‘Arth pehle aatey hain, shabd baad main aatey hain (First comes the perception; the words merely follow)’. We have to search for words according to the perceptions we conceive. Poetry is an art of the language! It’s not just the use of language but a special use of language, and unfortunately, today, people just scribble anything and get labelled as a poet!

source: http://www.hindustantimes.com / Hindustan Times / Home> Lucknow / by Deepak Saxena, Hindustan Times – Lucknow / February 25th, 2019