Category Archives: Arts, Culture & Entertainment

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

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

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

A friendship bond stronger than steel

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

Allahabad :

In the present time, when people are fast losing faith on each other and best of friends forgot each other while negotiating with the challenges of fast moving lifestyle, two friends of the city, Honorary Captain Dharma Deo Singh and Haveldar Paras Rai, are living together, along with their respective families, for the past 50 years, sharing ups and downs of life under the same roof and same kitchen.

If one listens to the story of their friendship, it sounds like a perfect script for a hit film. They belong to different caste, Singh being a Thakur and Rai a Bhumihar. They met in 1960 when Singh arrived at Deoria for getting admitted in class XI. “I met him outside a cinema hall and it was a spontaneous chemistry between us. The same strong bond is also among our children and grandchildren,” said Dharma Deo Singh.

Singh joined Indian Army in 1962. Rai followed his friend after around a decade and that too after Singh persuaded him.

After retiring in July 91, Deo wanted to settle down in his native village but when his elder brother and other relatives showed no interest to support him or his family. It was Paras who supported him and floated the idea of constructing their own a house with a common roof.

The house has a common boundary wall, common entrance and the common inner courtyard. The two half’s of the house are mirror images of every minute things, be it the tiles of kitchen or toilet, utensils, windows, water taps, electric fittings etc. Everything is located exactly at the same location and point as in the other portion of the house.

When a visitor comes, he or is often perplexed on identifying the real parents. “The children respond with the word ‘papa’ or ‘mummy’ irrespective of who had called them,” said Chanda, daughter of Singh.

These friends were born on July 1, 1944, and got retired from the Indian Army in 1991. It is not only the festivals which are celebrated together in this large family, even the marriage cards have the names of both the parents and members of two families.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Allahabad / TNN / August 03rd, 2014

Brace for London-like outing in Lucknow

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

Lucknow :

From Tuesday onwards, you can enjoy evenings in the idyllic settings of Janeshwar Mishra Park in Gomtinagar extension. The sprawling park, claimed to be Asia’s largest garden, will be thrown open to the public on August 5.

Initially, only one-third (96 acres) area of 376-acre park will be opened. The park, named after late socialist and Samajwadi Party leader Janeshwar Mishra, is being developed at a cost of Rs 168 crore. Chief minister Akhilesh Yadav will inaugurate it on Mishra’s birth anniversary on Tuesday.

The grand project will have beautiful landscapes, two huge ponds spread over 38 acres, golf course, horse riding trail, lakes, sports centre, gymnasium, cycle track, jogging track, theme gardens, children’s play area, lawns etc.

In the beginning, public will have access only to a pond spread over 11 acres and the green belt around it. The entire project has to be completed by May 2015.

Among the major attractions would be the boats resembling gondolas, which have been brought from a Noida-based mall for a trial run. “We have purchased two boats which will ferry visitors across the water body,” said an official. Around 2,500 trees have also been bought from Meerut and Saharanpur for the park. Ponds will be recharged through rainwater harvesting and the entire park will be fully solar powered.

LDA has deployed a huge team of executive and junior engineers to complete the work before deadline. Many new townships are also coming up around the site. Officials claim rates of these properties, especially LDA’s Riverview Phase II apartments, would escalate once the entire park would be ready.

“Just wait for six more months, these flats will sell like hot cakes as it will become the most prime locality (in the city) considering the large green space, public recreation facilities, golf course etc,” said an official associated with Janeshwar Mishra Park.

Janeshwar Mishra

Janeshwar Mishra, also known as Chhote Lohia, was a famous socialist leader. He represented Allahabad three times in the Lok Sabha and was elected to Rajya Sabha in 1996, 2000 and 2006. Mishra was first elected to the Lok Sabha from Phulpur in 1969-70 after defeating KD Malviya, then petroleum minister in Indira Gandhi’s Cabinet. He served as Union minister in the governments of Morarji Desai, Chaudhary Charan Singh, VP Singh, Chandrashekhar, HD Deve Gowda and IK Gujral. Mishra held key portfolios like petroleum, water resources chemicals and fertilisers, energy, shipping and transport, communication and railways. He joined the Samajwadi Party in 1990s.

LDA struggles to meet deadline

As the deadline approaches, LDA is struggling to meet the expectations of chief minister who wants the park to be modelled on the lines of famous Hyde park of London.

The grand inauguration will be held at the park’s entrance plaza but about 30% of construction work is still pending. Workers are still fixing the tiles and polishing marbles. The main pond at the entrance, which will have fountains, is under-construction.

Trees that were planted a few days back have started drying. Officials say these plants are special as they dry up on plantation and before growing into a green tree. The entire land had to be ploughed in a hurry before sowing grasses. This has led to loosening of soil particles and formation of sludge due to rains.

The last minute preparations have also led to the function being planned in absence of the statue of Janeshwar Mishra. Officials said the 25 feet statue is being sculpted by a renowned Australian sculptor. But it won’t arrive in time for inauguration, confirmed LDA.

Earlier, officials had claimed that gondolas would be imported from China or Japan or Venice, but instead LDA has bought boats resembling gondolas from Noida.

Interesting bits

Inauguration to be held without the statue of Janeshwar Mishra

Park to be developed on the lines of Hyde Park of London

Once park gets ready in 2015, rates of properties around the site to shoot up

Boats resembling gondolas to be run on trail basis

Hurried ploughing has loosened soil and led to sludge in the park

Civil work at entrance plaza still on, fountains missing

Entire focus on constructing walking, jogging and cycling track

In next phase, construction of sports facilities like cricket, badminton and lawn-tennis etc., will be done

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Lucknow / TNN / August 04th, 2014

The Mehedis of Aligarh – sherwani makers for presidents

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

Aligarh :

Mehedi Hasan of Aligarh has served as tailor to former presidents Sanjeeva Reddy, VV Giri and Fakruddin Ali Ahmed. He is reputed to have stitched 175 sherwanis for former president Zakir Hussain, who donned these in all his 17 years of political life.

Mehedi Hasan’s shop was set up in 1947, the year India became independent. These days, the renowned tailor’s sons Anwar and Akhtar Mehedi carry forward the sartorial legacy.

Vice President Hamid Ansari, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi, former prime minister Manmohan Singh, actors Saif Ali Khan and Raj Babbar, RLD chief Ajit Singh and Somnath Chatterjee, formerly of the CPI-M, have all donned Mehedi sherwanis. Rahul Gandhi’s body is easy to design for, the tailors say, while Satpal Maharaj is rather “complex”!

This Eid, the brothers are hard at work. Anwar, an engineer by training, pursued his father’s trade and entered into tailoring as he finds it far more creatively satisfying. “I learnt from my valid (father) the secrets of making a perfect sherwani. The art lies in getting the right cut and fitting and a graceful fall. Tailors in Delhi are also making sherwanis but they cannot get the right fit, all of them are making free-size sherwanis!” Anwar says.

In the month of Ramzan, the sherwani assumes formal importance,

“That is because of iftar parties, which are formal. Sherwanis go with the feel of the get-together, and has a regal look. We can’t wear this and go for work. It is too formal to be worn at the workplace. Even today, I stitch sherwanis for the DIG, DMs commissioners for iftar parties,” Anwar says.

This Eid, orders have been pouring in from across the country. The Mehedis are catering to demand for sherwanis from Mumbai, Pune, Madras, Odisha and Jammu & Kashmir. Orders from the USA, UK, UAE and Australia are also received, the Mehedis say.

“There is slight change in the demand. Youngsters want modern elements in the sherwani, so we give them open collars. But the demand for the traditional style is higher,” Anwar Mehedi says.

Visitors to the shop can see the register, which has letters from the secretaries of presidents praising him or his father for their sherwanis.

The Mehedis prefer working with silk wool, polywool and terrawool – these fabrics give a nice fitting, they say.

“The art lies in the details, and in observing the body type – shoulders, back, chest and arms, and the grace of the fall. Everything needs to be taken care of.” Anwar Mehedi said, adding, “Fat people think it won’t look nice on them, but the sherwanis gives their bodies shape because they are made to fit the body frame.”

As for women, he says: “I have made some five sherwanis for women, and sent them to the USA. But then, which woman will spend between Rs5,000 and Rs15,000 on a garment that is not-too-embellished or fancy?”

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Agra / by Eram Agha / July 29th, 2014