Category Archives: Arts, Culture & Entertainment

14 countries to attend carpet expo this year

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy, World Opinion

Varanasi :

The 28th Indian Carpet Expo, organised by Carpet Expert Promotion Council, will start from October 10 to 13 at Sampurnanand Sanskrit University (SSU) in Varanasi under the aegis of Union ministry of commerce.

Manufacturers from Varanasi, Bhadohi, Panipat, Mirzapur, Jaipur, Srinagar and Agra will exhibit wide range of hand-knitted, tufted carpets and floor coverings at the expo. The event provides an opportunity for traders to directly deal with buyers. The organisers would offer reimbursement of $500 for return air-ticket as well as free accommodation for two nights for potential buyers.

The guest of honour would be SSU vice-chancellor Prithvish Nag and textiles secretary Sanjay Kumar Panda will inaugurate the event. Around 400 carpet importers from 57 countries, including Australia, Brazil, China, Russia, Germany, Britain and US are expected to participate. Buyers from countries like Bulgaria, Malaysia, Israel, Mauritius, Thailand and other 14 countries would also attend the expo.

Ex-Chairman Siddhant Singh said, “The rate of exports have increased and currently we have reached Rs 7,010 crores witnessing around 21% growth. Priorities have also been given to women in handicrafts and in the coming two years the growth rate is expected to cross 50%.”

He further alleged, “The present government might be better in other aspects but in terms of banking they are relatively slow. I also wish to inform that the UP government is not co-operative in terms of providing us space to organize the expo.”

CEPC Chairman, Kuldeep R Wattal complained about space for organising the expo, he said, “It would have been better if the vent was held in Sanskrit Shankul which is far-stretched as compared to the Sanskrit University.” He highlighted the problems associated in conducting the expo and said, “The interest rates are around 12% but since April, the interest submension is not fixed which used to be around 3%. On the other hand, the service tax is around 12.50% but even this is being overlooked by the government. As far as the appeal for Krishi Udyog is concerned, the government is still in doldrums about it.”

He further added that, “Prime motive behind holding Carpet Expo in Varanasi is to provide business opportunities to all the carpet buyers. We wish to make sure that the carpet importers and manufacturer-exporters are equipped with proper business environment.”

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

Begum Akhtar’s legacy to be honoured by UP government

Arts, Culture & Entertainment

Lucknow :

To mark the birth centenary of ghazal queen Begum Akhtar, Uttar Pradesh government has directed its cultural department to take forward its four proposals that stand to bring back Begum to our times.

The government will rename two roads after her — one in Lucknow and the other in Faizabad, her birthplace. An award in her name is set to be christened, while the house in Faizabad, where she was born, would be restored.

While the directive had come in over a month now, the house in Faizabad is yet to be acquired and converted into a museum of her relics. With the present owners of the house unwilling to part with the property, the district administration is focussing on an alternative land or building in Faizabad to replenish the musical genius of Mallika-e-Ghazal, said a senior officer.

The draft for the award in Begum’s memory has been set, ready to be sent to the cabinet, after which it will be finalized and given the green signal.

The road around her residence after marriage with Barrister Ishtiaq Ahmed Abbasi, on Fawn Brake Avenue in Lucknow and the one around her maternal home ‘Mushtari ka Makaan’ in Faizabad are the two proposed to be renamed after Begum Akhtar. The municipal corporations of the respective cities have been directed in this regard, awaiting the final work to be taken up, said joint director, culture department, Anuradha Goel.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Lucknow / TNN / October 30th, 2014

Meet the master behind flutes, big and small

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

Agra :

Dinesh Shandilya, now 76, made it to the Guinness Book of World Records for designing and playing a five-feet long and 3.5 inch diameter width flute made of plastic pipe way back in 1996, but his passion for crafting the wind instrument in new shapes and sizes has not diminished even a bit over the years.

After a lot of experiments in the flute design, his latest creation is a 25-feet long flute with one inch diameter which he plays with ease. His name has also been recorded in Limca Book of Records for playing the smallest flute, just 4.5 inches long, in 2000.

For this engineer-turned-musician, the inspiration for playing flutes of various lengths came from his eagerness to play some difficult ‘ragas’. He says he could not find bamboo of desired quality and diameter even after extensive search, after which he used PVC pipes to make his longest flute to enter the Guinness Book of World Records.

What’s more, he used sorrow as a motivating force to come up with something unique and beautiful. “I suffered from nervous breakdown and depression after the death of my younger brother and later, my wife. No therapy could cure me. I, at last, got solace in Vrindavan, where I heard devotional music in temples and flute recitals of Hari Prasad Chaurasia which helped me recover from illness,” says Shandilya.

Grief-stricken, he found solace in soul-stirring flute recitals, which led him to create something which has likely lent new dimensions in the mellowness and depth of notes in the flute.

Over the years, he has made several flutes of bamboo and fibre in sizes ranging from 9 inches to 25 feet, enabling him to produce notes of around 6 to 6.5 octaves. He has specially made bass flutes of different diameters so as to unfold elaborate rendition of profound and classical melodies of ragas like darbari, marwa, pooriya etc.

In the process, he says he has devised a new technique of finger manipulation suitable for playing different sizes of flute.

“Playing a flute is not easy, one needs to have strong lungs to start with. This can be achieved with practice. I spend more than four-five hours daily practicing the instrument. While designing new types of flutes, one has to keep in mind the quality of bamboo. It has to be lightweight and not have knots. The best bamboo is found in Assam,” he says.

In September 2014, Shandilya was conferred doctorate in record breaking ‘honoris causa’ for largest and smallest flute by the World Records University. His feats have been recorded several times by India Book of Records and Limca Book of Records since 1996.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Agra / by Aditya Dev, TNN / October 31st, 2014

Art students’ brush with maestros from across border

Arts, Culture & Entertainment

Lucknow :

The year was 1957-58 when Dhiraj Choudhury was denied admission to the Lucknow College of Arts and Crafts by its Principal. In 2014 Choudhury, now an eminent painter, was invited to the same institution for an interaction with its current batch of students on Wednesday. As part of the ‘Art beyond Borders’ programme, 20 painters from India and Bangladesh have come together to initiate dialogue between people of the two countries through their art.

In 1957, Choudhury was in Nainital when he had opportunity to reach Lucknow in a vehicle deployed for former prime minister late Pt Jawaharlal Nehru’s public rally. He drew sketches at the rally and was profiled in media. His exhibition of portraits drawn on the streets of Nainital was inaugurated by V V Giri, then Governor of UP. Despite the fame, he was unable to study in Lucknow. The principal was not impressed by the feat before reaching Lucknow. Later, the first exhibition of State Museum in Lucknow in 1964 featured paintings from Chaudhury’s collection, he said, recalling his bitter-sweet connect with the city.

As present Master’s students observed techniques and mediums of various artists, Choudhury’s simple yet extravagant expression made an impact on them. Figurative painter Jatin Das explained to them the importance of sketching for enhancement of their painting skills.

“It’s the way you express your thoughts on canvas more than the technique you use, is the important lesson I am taking with me today,” shared Arun Kumar, a first-year MFA student. Chhitij Sahu, a 2nd year student said “it was a golden chance for us to meet the eminent artists right here on the campus. Their breezy brushwork and their brisk movements have inspired me.”

The art on glass and the colour flow technique of painting impressed the students with its close-to-life feel. “Their ideas have made an impression on not just the canvas but on our minds too and will stay with us for life,” said Aprajita Tripathi.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Lucknow / TNN / October 30th, 2014

Colours of devotion flow free at Gomti ghat on Chhath

Arts, Culture & Entertainment

Lucknow :

Festive colours suffused the ghats of Gomti as devotees poured in to pay their obeisance to Chhath Mata and to perform the first Arghya to the sun god on Wednesday. Puja ceremonies kicked off at sundown, but saw thousands of people gathering on the banks of Gomti well in advance.

As they began the second of their two-day fast, believed to be the toughest there is, the men and women observing the fast showed little sign of stress. As they arrived at the ghats in bright clothes and carefully decorated puja thalis, the banks reverberated with sounds of bhajans and chanting, even as bhog was dished out to devotees. Wearing a bright red and green sari, Geeta Devi, who performed the Chhath puja, said “even though puja can be performed at home, the sentiment at the ghat is completely different. This is a community festival and nothing can match the joy of celebrating it with the entire community. As a result, I have made it a point to come here for 15 years.”

Devotees, many of whom will remain at the ghat until the end of the two-day fast, said this was the toughest part of the six-day Chhath celebrations. A devotee Surabhi Tiwari said, “This is among the toughest fasts observed by the believers. There are very stringent rules people follow. What makes it special is that Chhath remains one of the few festivals where the entire community comes together to celebrate.”

Festivities were not limited to the puja the devotees performed. Bhojpuri artistes were especially commissioned to sing for the crowds and they added to the celebratory mood. The ghat of Lakshman Mela ground resounded with folk music and bhajans sung in Bhojpuri. General secretary of the Bhojpuri Samaj, Manoj Singh, said, “Nearly 1 lakh people performed the pehla arghya, while hundreds of families who came here from distant places are expected to stay at the ghat, overnight. These families will also remain here for the concluding ritual (dusra arghya) today.”

In a separate function organised by the All India Bhojpuri Samaj, Samajwadi Party bahu Aparna Yadav and UP chief secretary’s wife Surabhi Ranjan participated and sang festival songs to add to the celebratory fervour. The function was also attended by former Member of Parliament Rewati Raman Singh and SP minister Abhishek Mishra.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Lucknow / TNN / October 30th, 2014

Owl festival: A time to crack jokes

Arts, Culture & Entertainment

Varanasi :

Hundreds of thousands of people in this Hindu holy city — and now Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s parliamentary constituency — in Uttar Pradesh are eagerly looking forward to a time for cracking jokes on anything under the sun and merry making, when the annual “Uloo Mahotsava” (Owl Festival) takes place. The festival, which has become part of the city folklore, helps people find ways to be happy and laugh at themselves.

The Mahotsava — to be celebrated at the Town Hall — is one such moment when the happy-go-lucky Banarasis get together in the midst of Diwali celebrations to crack jokes on virtually almost everything.

A proper puja called “Kotar Pujan” was held on the eve of Diwali at the Town Hall grounds attended by a huge crowd. A large cutout of an owl was prepared and prayers were offered to the bird, generally linked to foolishness!

A ‘ullu aahvahan’ was held amid chanting of religious hymns. The owl cutout was then strung to a tree and was followed by an ‘aarti’.

This, old timers say, has been done for “quite some time now”. Radha Singh from Dahesar, said she thoroughly enjoys the Diwali festivities, which culminate with the ‘Ulook Mahotsava’.

Rajendra Dwivedi, an organiser, said a ‘Ullu Yatra’ (owl procession) will be held in the evening in which a 2.5-feet tall owl cutout will be placed on an ox cart and taken around the city.

The procession will be accompanied by music bands and shehnai players. People will raise slogans in honour of the owl before the event culminates at the Town Hall.

An evening of jokes will follow where jesters will regale the crowd with their puns on contemporary politics. A recital of the ‘ullu chalisa’ will sign off the day.

The Hindu pantheon is filled with interesting and entertaining stories about the various gods and goddesses and their vehicles.The owl is a prominent one, considered the vehicle of Goddess Lakshmi, the provider of wealth and prosperity.

The owl is called Ulooka in Sanskrit and its partial blindness is inferred by many as indicative of a seeker’s tendency of going toward the pursuit of the higher goals of spirituality instead of spiritual wealth.

The owl, in the Bhagavad Gita, is likened to an enlightened ‘sthita prajna’ (the one who remains unwavering in any situation, whether happy or sad).

Goddess Lakshmi is also said to be the mistress of spiritual wisdom. By keeping the owl as her vehicle, she teaches us to open our eyes to the light of the wisdom residing within us.

This ‘Karunamayi (compassionate one) Mother’, hence, symbolically keeps ignorance under her control, said pandit V.M. Shastri.Wildlife conservationists, however, feel such practices sound the death knell for this nocturnal creature which is hunted and sold during the festival season.

Ram Lakhan Singh, former chief wildlife conservator of Uttar Pradesh, said people blinded by outdated religious beliefs, black magic practices and fake advice by soothsayers, mistake the owl trade as part of religious rituals. But for the average Banarasis, this Sunday like in the past will be a time to let their hair down and have a blast.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Varanasi / IANS / October 27th, 2014

Kalibari continues with ancient Trantrik Puja tradition; Replaces Mass Sacrifice Of Goats With Sugarcane

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

The 154-year-old Mutthiganj Kalibari is a living testimony to the religious influence of Bengali Community in the Sangam City. Till recently the temple was a centre of ancient ritual of ‘tantrik puja’ on no-moon Diwali night. Goats were offered as sacrifice to Goddess Mahamaya. Though sacrifice is still performed but with a minor change – goat has been replaced with leafy sugarcane with roots.

However, despite abandoning of sacrifice, the Kalibari continues to attract hundreds of devotees from across the Northern India on the intervening night of Diwali. In order to cater to its devotees across the globe, the Kalibari has this year decided to telecast the puja ceremonies live on official website.

Allahabad Kalibari Maintenance Society secretary Arun Kumar Bannerjee said, “A decade back, mass sacrifice of goats was an integral part of Kalibari ritual. Rituals cannot be changed overnight in any religion and the sacrifice tradition was no exception. It took a few years to stop mass sacrifice.”

“Following consultations with renowned and noted priests, the animal sacrifice was replaced with sugarcane as part of the tradition,” he said.

“The offering of sugarcanes with roots and leaves, pumpkin and coconuts are offered as sacrifice on the night,” added Bannerjee, which is regarded as ‘symbolic’ sacrifice.

This year, the special puja of Goddess Mahamaya would start in Kalibari after the onset of no-moon-night at 8 pm while Mahapuja would start at 12 am on October 23 and continue till the moon changes its course early next morning. Pushpanjali, Havan and lighting the temple with 108 earthern diyas are the essential rituals.

Kalibari – the most popular temple during Diwali – was established by seer Krishnanand Brahmachari from undivided Bengal in 1860 as a part of his initiative to set up temples of Goddess Kali in every part of the country.

After establishing Kalibari in Peshawar and Lahore (now in Pakistan) along with 31 other places countrywide, the seer finally arrived in Allahabad which was a small town then. He established a small temple at Mutthiganj on a land donated by an employee in Collectorate Raas Bihari Ghosh and donated it to the Bengali Society of the city. Now Allahabad Kalibari Maintenance Society looks after the Kalibari.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Allahabad / by Vinod Khanal. TNN / October 22nd, 2014

Sampat Pal inaugurates centre for acid attack survivors

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Inspiration / Positive News and Features

Agra :

Sampat Pal, founder of Gulabi Gang, on Sunday inaugurated a cafe-cum-boutique that will strive to bring acid attack survivors back into the mainstream.

The support centre, named Sheroes Hangout, also intends to provide employment to such victims. The ‘hangout’ will also try to pressurize shopkeepers to stop selling acid in open markets in the city.

Pal extended her support to survivors and sought stringent punishment against perpetrators of such crimes. She also urged the government to come ahead and help acid attack survivors.

The two-floor cafe, opposite the Taj Mahal Gateway hotel on Fatehabad Road, is a joint effort of an NGO Chaanv Foundation and a group of acid attack survivors.

“This is a very noble initiative and sends a strong message to society. We salute the courage of these fighters and stand with them. The government should come forward and help acid attack survivors,” said Pal.

She added that perpetrators of such crimes should be “hanged for this inhuman act”.

The cafe will offer a reading section where books and journals on women’s empowerment and feminism will be available. Besides, a boutique to display creations of a survivor Rupa, a parlour, a kitchen and a snack shop will also be up on display.

Ashish Shukla of Chaanv Foundation said, “We have started a test run of the cafe from today (Sunday) which will go on for next 15-20 days. During this time, all the survivors will be given training in various sections of the hangout. Customers will not be charged any fixed amount during this period and they can pay whatever they wish. We will focus on people’s suggestions and how they are taking our initiative during test run.”

He added that the cafe will be formally inaugurated during a three-day event starting November 7 with a series of awareness campaigns.

Five young women have been rehabilitated under the Agra chapter of Sheroes hangout, added Alok Dixit, founder of ‘Stop Acid Attack’ campaign.

Rupa (22), who was attacked by her step-mother with acid when she was sleeping, said, “There was a time when people used to frown upon us and were reluctant to offer jobs, but now these girls have shown that they are not less than anyone.”

Chandresh Mishra (32), a resident of Meerut and acid attack victim, said this menace was not just limited to women. “The Agra chapter will shape our campaign in other neighbouring districts,” he added.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Agra / by Aditya Dev, TNN / October 19th, 2014

Book to renew Kolkata’s tie with Wajid Ali Shah

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

Kolkata :

“It’s the only book I’ve read twice. And my favourite line is ‘life can’t be divided into chapters’,” mused Shahanshah Mirza, great-great-grandson of Wajid Ali Shah, referring to ‘The Last King in India’ by Rosie Llewellyn-Jones. The British historian has made waves by compiling facts about the legendary nawab whose memory still divides opinion.

Rosie smiled: “Thanks for helping me investigate the mind of the last king. The British opposed him because they wanted to take his kingdom. Mirza nodded: “You’ve dealt with his seclusion rather well.” He thought the agony associated with the annexation of Awadh is well portrayed in the book.

Rosie begins with a chapter following this act, when the nawab’s mother travels to petition Queen Victoria for justice. Unknown to her, the Queen had no power to return Awadh. The bleak start sets the tone for the book — the British duplicity, with the king caught between forces over which he had no control.

For inputs, Rosie has watched ‘Shatranj Ke Khilari’ “several times”. “Ray did a lot of research,” said Rosie. “When Ray met my father in 1978, he was asked if it was easy getting Amjad Khan into Wajid’s skin. He had said ‘Amjad was blinking a lot. When a ruler is angry, he doesn’t blink. His eyes are wide open’,”
said Mirza.

Rosie’s Kolkata connect goes a long way — since she found Mirza on the royal family website in 2004. “I came here and we did a lot of research together,” she said. The cover is a painting of the nawab which belongs to Mirza’s relative Sultan Ali Sadiq.

Rosie pointed out: “In nearly all his pictures, the king has his left breast exposed.” Mirza explained: “I guess the poet in the nawab wanted to show that his heart was always open.”

The book will be unveiled for the third time on Sunday after a London launch in June followed by another such ceremony in the nawab’s very own Lucknow last month. “Now it is Kolkata’s turn and we had to have Shahanshah,” said Rosie. Mirza has given Rosie inputs on the king settling down in Metiabruz (or Metiaburj, which literally means a clay tower). An old watchtower had once stood there, guarding the Hooghly river bend, giving the place its name.

“The book shows that even 127 years after his death,
Wajid Ali Shah, who himself authored 117 books (Rosie found some of them at the London Library), is still a subject of interest.”

The king contributed greatly to Kolkata’s culture. Kathak and kite-flying were introduced by him. He opened a menagerie which attracted a lot of visitors. According to Rosie, the king tried, within his limited resources (he had to live off a pension given to him by the British), to recreate a miniature Lucknow in Garden Reach-Metiabruz where he lived his last 31 years. He brought with him the music, the poetry, the cuisine, the adab that had made Lucknow under him the byword of culture and etiquette.

“His Calcutta stay changed many aspects of its social life. The British failed to fathom (deliberately) the love that he enjoyed from his subjects,” said his great-great-grandson.

The British, who deposed him to Calcutta in 1856, could hardly accept a ruler who believed that his subjects singing his songs was enough guarantee that he was seen as a good ruler. “Do Queen Victoria’s subjects sing her songs?” Satyajit Ray makes Wajid ask his chief minister in ‘Shatranj Ke Khilari’, thus capturing the differing notions of kingship.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Kolkata / by Ajanta Chakraborty, TNN / October 12th, 2014

Meet Tabassum Bano – the first female e-rickshaw driver of Allahabad

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy, Green Initiatives / Environment, Inspiration / Positive News and Features, Records, All, Travel

Tortured by her in-laws for dowry, Tabassum was thrown out of the house with her six months old son, she decided to not give up.

Tabassum Bano riding the e-riskshaw - Mohammad Anas
Tabassum Bano riding the e-riskshaw – Mohammad Anas

Tabassum Bano decided to fight and not surrender despite facing so many hardships some years back. She had been tortured physically and mentally by her in-laws for dowry, she was thrown out of the house with her six months old son, but Bano didn’t give up. She braved all the difficulties and challenges of her life. Confident and self dependent, Bano has set an example of courage as the first female e-rickshaw driver of Allahabad.

“I came to Allahabad in the year 2005. My family lives in a small village Narsimhagarh in Pratapgarh. One year after marriage, my in-laws started torturing me for more dowry. My son was just six months old at that time. One day they even took my clothes off and threw me out of the house. Tired of their torture, I had even thought of committing suicide, but my child gave me the reason to live and fight,” Bano broke into tears as she narrated her life story to iamin.

“Finally, I decided to get divorce from my husband and made up my mind to come to Allahabad and start a new life. With just two rupees in hand and my son in my arms, I began my journey from Pratapgarh by foot and reached Allahabad after walking 50 kilometres. Once when I wa at new Yamuna bridge, out of hunger, my son started crying uncontrollably and I became restless and helpless in this unknown city. An old man saw us and brought us to Sister Sheeba Jones. My life changed since that day,” said Bano who lives in a rented room at Teliyarganj colony in Allahabad with her son.

Bano gives the credit to Sister Sheeba for changing her life. “Sister Sheeba first taught me how to ride a scooty and then four-wheelers.” Besides riding the e-rickshaw, Bano also works as a maid in houses to bear her expenses of her family members.

Yes, apart from her own son, Bano is taking care of six other members of the family. “After my brother-in-law’s death, I took care of my sister and her three children. My brother died in the year 2011 and his daughter is also my responsibility. There is no male member in our family. I take care of my old mother too,” said Bano.

Besides work, Bano who was an illiterate before coming to Allahabad started studying and cleared class X examination. Her son Abdullah studies in a reputed English school in the city. “I want a better life for my son so, I work hard to send him in a good English medium school.”

Sharing her experience as a female e-rickshaw driver, Bano asserted, “I want to change people’s attitude towards women. There are different types of people in our society. Some people stare at me awkwardly while some praise and encourage me. I want to show that women are strong and can face challenges.”

Bano also uses her scooty to carry people. She sometimes drops school children to their homes free of cost in her e-rickshaw. Tabassum is surely an inspiration for women in the country.

source: http://www.iamin.in / I am in DNA of Allahabad / Home> Allahabad> Trending News / by Mohammad Anas, Edited by : Longjam Dineshwori/ Tuesday – October 21st, 2014