Category Archives: Records, All

Clean India campaign unearths century-old record

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

While preparing for Thursday’s ‘Swatch Bharat’ campaign, the Department of Post recently stumbled upon century old records hidden beneath stacks of files in its store room. The archival documents, throwing light on the functioning of postal services in the British regime, were in a dilapidated state.

The officials and the public have so far been oblivious to the existence of such records that have academic interest. As the officials went through the records maintained in English, Hindi and other languages, they were surprised to find many unknown facts, including the one that malaria drug ‘quinine’ as earlier used to be sent through post offices.

The document says, “Quinine is almost finished. There is a stock of only two packets. The branch master should write to assistant director, public health malaria, Lucknow for new supply.”

Similarly, records dated January 24, 25 and 26, 1905 and signed by the then Post Master General of United Provinces of Agra and Oudh (border almost identical to present Uttar Pradesh) says, “The horses of Allahabad are the best I have seen in this circle. Most of them are in very god condition, but some are thin. Post Master has prepared a statement which shows that some of the horses are overworked.”

He wrote that he want a similar statement from Cownpore, Lucknow and Agra after which he would take any action.

Further during the inspection, the then British Post Master General found plague had hampered the work in the city and the number of absentee in the office had also increased affecting the work.

The document reveals that Allahabad had earlier been the focal point of business transaction among others. Now the officials have decided to maintain and preserve the records.

“The swatch bharat abhiyan was a blessing in disguise as we got rare records related to postal services in Allahabad circle. The service of the circle was termed as the best by the then Post Master General. At present the records and documents running into several pages are being studies and will be preserved,” said KK Yadav, director postal services, Allahabad region.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Allahabad / by Vinod Khanal, TNN / October 01st, 2014

Waqf board spanner in film shoot at Old City haveli

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

Lucknow :

A majestic pre-Independence era haveli in Old City is caught in a controversy with the UP Sunni Waqf Board asking district administration to halt shooting schedule of a Hindi film in it.

Tucked away in the congested Akbari Gate area on Abdul Aziz Road, Ahmad Manzil was built in 1922 and belonged to tobacco merchants Ahmad Ali and Sons of global fame. In the 1940’s, owner Khan Bahadur Syed Ahmad Husain Rizvi declared it wakf property and laid out conditions under which the property was to be utilised by his descendants. The current mutawalli (caretaker) Iqbal Rizvi allegedly granted permission to the makers of ‘Tanu Weds Manu-2’ to shoot inside the building.

This has irked other residents of the haveli who allege that shooting of the film in the building is against the will of the wakif Khan Bahadur Syed Ahmad Husain Rizvi. “Shooting cannot be allowed since no such activity can take place on the haveli compound without unanimous consent of all beneficiaries of the property. Also, nothing that’s against the ‘Shariah’ (Islamic jurisprudence) can be allowed,” says Fareed Rizvi whose letter to the Waqf Board prompted the latter’s letter to the district magistrate.

Incidentally, the Waqf Board had written a similar letter to the DM during the shooting of ‘Dabangg-2’ but by the time a district administration inspection team reached the venue, shooting for the film had already concluded.

When contacted, the haveli’s caretaker Iqbal Rizvi remained tight-lipped on the issue. DM Raj Shekhar said the Wakf Board letter could not be tabled for discussion due to holidays but appropriate action will be taken after studying the facts of the case.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City>Lucknow / by Ali Rizvi, TNN / October 08th, 2014

Keeping alive the memory of Begum Akhtar

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Historical Links / Pre-Independence, Leaders, Records, All, Uncategorized
Begum Akhtar
Begum Akhtar

As the Centre rolled out a year-long commemoration of the birth centenary year of ghazal queen Begum Akhtar on Tuesday, the lament of her disciples and close confidantes is that Uttar Pradesh – the State where she was born and lies buried – has shown no interest in keeping her legacy alive.

Coins released
The official launch of the birth centenary commemoration with the release of commemorative coins at National Museum here saw another disciple Rita Ganguly enthral the houseful gathering with a rendition of her teacher’s aye mohabbat tere anjaam pe rona aaya…’’

But for recent efforts by individuals to salvage what remains of `Pasanda Bagh’ in Lucknow – where Begum Akhtar was buried in October 1974 – even her grave would have been lost to encroachers. Now, the space around her grave and that of her mother’s has been restored — courtesy a grant from the Department of Archaeology of the Government of India – and this evening resonated with the voice of Shubha Mudgal.

“But not many people will be able to attend Shubha’s musical offering as `Pasanda Bagh’ has shrunk to almost the size of a room where not more than 40 people can be accommodated. Our effort is to have an annual ‘Urs’ on her ‘barsi’ but we need a bigger venue so that the public can participate in larger numbers. But this is not something that the few of us can do on our own,’’ said Salim Kidwai, founder-member of Sadbhavna Trust.

“We maintain the mazaar from our own pocket,’’ Mr. Kidwai said; adding that successive Uttar Pradesh governments ignored efforts to get some local governmental support. “We are hoping that the State Government will at least include her mazaar in the tourism map as people have begun visiting it ever since we redid the place two years ago.”

Website soon
Vocalist Shanti Hiranand – a disciple of Begum Akhtar who along with Mr. Kidwai drove the effort to restore the mazaar — told The Hindu that one of the pressing tasks ahead is the setting up of a website on the ghazal queen who was equally accomplished in the `dadra’ and `thumri’ genres of Hindustani classical music. The website will be set up as part of a project of the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts which will also organise a three-city showcase of Begum Akhtar as part of the commemoration.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> National / by Anita Joshua / New Delhi, October 08th, 2014

Revitalising city monuments

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

Lucknow:

The city just might have the pride of an underground museum corridor from Darshanbilas to Farhat Baksh via Lal Baradari connecting it to river Gomti.

Teachers at faculty of architecture (affiliated to UPTU) have come up with a proposal to revitalise the Chhatar Manzil complex, a relic of the Nawabi era. The proposed connection of Farhat Bakhsh (earlier part of Chhatar Manzil) can be restored with an underground museum corridor from Lal Baradari and the pavilion bridge can be reconstructed as pedestrian connection across the river. The objective is to revive glory of Chhatar Manzil’s historic manifestation and its connection with the river.

“Chhatar Manzil and Farhat Baksh are isolated monuments on the banks of Gomti. Chhatar Manzil comprises the Lucknow skyline but the royal building does not enjoy the glory it deserves,” said Vandana Sehgal and Ritu Gulati, experts who’ve made the proposal.

As per the proposed design, Farhat Baksh and Bada Chhatarmanzil can be live museums of handicraft and live performance of traditional Lucknowi dance and drama (dastaangoi). The landscaped court of the Bada Chhatarmanzil and the Chhota Chhatarmanzil footprint can be an open sculpture court and area for live fine art demonstration.

The riverside can be developed as a promenade with kiosks for food, drinks and curios, which will also direct movement towards the Gomti, where it will connect the complex to the erstwhile Bridge of Pavilions that needs to be reconstructed to go across the river to the esplanade on the other side, said Vandana. This perspective weaves all the fragmented parts of the complex physically and metaphorically with the river and the city.

During Ghazi-ud-din Haider’s time, the Chhatarmanzil Kalan badaa (next to Farhat Baksh) and the Chhatarmanzil Khurd chhota were connected through a court. The latter was flanked by Darshanbilas and Chaulakhikothi. These two monuments can be connected through a court as a foreground for performances in the backdrop, said Ritu.

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

When Wajid Ali’s mother went to meet the Queen

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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

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

Sarnath awaits World Heritage site status

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

Varanasi :

The Buddhist marvel in Sarnath, where Buddha preached his first sermons, is yet to be declared World Heritage. Sarnath and Kushinagar in UP are the main Buddhist destinations, but unfortunately, none of them finds a place in the UNESCO World Heritage List, while the Mahabodhi Temple Complex at Bodhgaya in neighbouring Bihar and Buddhist Monuments at Sanchi in MP are in the UNESCO’s World Heritage List.

However, the ancient Buddhist site of Sarnath had been included in the tentative list of UNESCO World Heritage in 1998 in cultural category. In the tentative list, it was submitted that the monuments in Sarnath are divided into two groups- Chaukhandi Stupa under Group ‘A’ and all other monuments at the sites like Stupas, monasteries, and temples under Group ‘B’.

Chaukhandi Stupa is a lofty brick structure crowned with an octagonal tower. The octagonal tower is a Mughal monument built by Goverdhan, the son of Raja Todarmal in 1588 AD to commemorate the visit of Humayun to this place.

The second group, which contains remains of several stupas, monasteries and Ashoka column are built in brick and stone and datable from the 3rd century BC to 12th century AD, forms the major and important segment of the site. The Ashoka column, Dharamrajika stupa, Dhameka stupa, the remains of the temple and a series of monasteries and stupas are the most important remains of the site.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Varanasi / TNN / September 20th, 2014