Monthly Archives: August 2016

Kumbh’s ‘lost-and-found’ baba passes away

Amazing Feats, Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Green Initiatives / Environment, Inspiration / Positive News and Features, Travel

KumbhLostnFoundBabaLUCKNOW22aug2016

Allahabad :

Raja Ram Tiwari or ‘Bhule Bhatke Walon ke Baba’, known to the world as the one who ran ‘lost and found camp’ on the banks of the Sangam during Kumbh and Magh Melas for the past 71 years, died here on Saturday. He was 88. Tiwari, according to a conservative estimate, united over 14 lakh adults and around 21,000 children with their families during his self-less service spreading over seven decades. His latest passion was cleaning the Ganga.

“Babuji initiated his new venture, that of undertaking massive cleaning work of Ganga from Purnima (full moon) of April and wanted to do the same on every Purnima, but could not do much,” said Umesh Tiwari, youngest among his four sons. Raja Rama has left behind a family of 28 members including 20 grandchildren and his wife Shanti Devi (85 yrs) who lives in his native village of Gura Pure Badal of Nandu Ka Pura, Raniganj Tehsil of Pratapgrah district.

Starting the noble cause at the age of 18 along with his nine associates (in 1946), Raja Ram continued his work relentlessly for the past 71 years, starting from a handmade crude loudspeaker to a full-fledged camp having a strong team of over 150 volunteers during the previous Kumbh Mela in 2013.

When asked how his work will move forward, his long-term associate Pushkar Upadhayay said, “Such selfless service cannot stop after the demise of a person, especially the one who started it. No doubt we will miss his guidance in running the camp, but at any cost his name and work would continue, with more passion and commitment.”

Although the iconic man earned several awards and citations, including being featured in TV programme Aaj Ki Raat Hai Zindagi (broadcast on October 15, 2015), his family members feel that his services were not recognized by the Central government.

As his body was brought from his native village to his house at Om Gayatri Nagar colony of the city, several senior officials of the district administration and prominent citizens visited his house to pay their last respect.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Allahabad / by Rajeev Mani / TNN / August 22nd, 2016

Lucknow gets UP’s first solar-powered collectorate

Green Initiatives / Environment, Records, All, Science & Technology

Lucknow :

On August 1, the district collectorate in Lucknow became the first solar powered collectorate in the state.

The Rs 98-lakh solar power plant is capable of supplying enough energy to power all of its 49-strong rooms.

With the solar power plant in place, the district collectorate is likely to save more than Rs 15 lakh in electricity bills. “Currently, the building consumes around 150 kilowatt of energy which costs more than Rs 70 lakh annually. Now, this bill would be reduced by almost 22% as the installed solar plant will produce around 135 kilowatt of energy,” said district magistrate of Lucknow Raj Shekhar.

Ram Manohar Lohia National Law University, Ram Manohar Lohia Institute of Medical Science, (RMLIMS), KGMU, Vikas Bhawan, Sadar tehsil office and the new proposed tehsil building of Sarojninagar would soon follow suit.The project was launched in May and completed on July 25.

According to the district administration, the solar-powered plant can produce 1.89 lakh units of electricity per year or about 500 units per day. The power plant contains 438 solar plates and four grid- connected solar inverters.

The solar grid would produce energy for the next 25 years.

The power plant also has a bi-directional meter which can return unused power to the grid.The Lucknow district collectorate building has 49 rooms, including courts, chambers, accounts and other departments. Every chamber of the magistrate is equipped with 1.5- 2.0 tonne capacity of air-conditioners, besides fans and LED lights, along with extra electronic devices.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Lucknow / TNN / August 20th, 2016

JP’s story through Chaar Anna, Chawal

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Leaders, Records, All

Lucknow:

Unfolding the story of socialist ideologue and freedom fighter Jai Prakash Narayan’s escape from jail during the Quit India Movement, a museum shop named ‘Chaar Anna’ and a restaurant called ‘Chawal’ will be part of the JP Museum at Jai Prakash Narayan International Centre set to come up in the city.

“The museum shop has been named ‘Chaar Anna’, narrating the incidents during the freedom struggle when JP had escaped from Hazaribagh Central Jail in 1942 during the Quit India Movement. At that time, he had only ‘Chaar Anna’ in his pocket,” said museum architect Sourabh Gupta.

“The restaurant has been named as Chawal as JP was given chawal (rice) and salt to eat in jail. The menu of the restaurant will be decided later but the idea is to add a Swadeshi touch,” he added.

Moreover, a metallic sculpture of JP will also greet visitors. Made of metal bars, it has been so designed that the space between them creates the image of JP. The bar represents a prison, the second home to JP throughout his life. This two-dimensional sculpture is a combination of reality and illusion. It is placed on the steps of the congregation, showing him as the leader of the people, officials said.

The museum will be the state’s first kinetic museum in which three-dimensional exhibits move around the visitor while an audio tour guide narrates the story. Superstar Amitabh Bachchan has given voice to the audio tour.

The museum will give the look and feel of JP’s life by using four octagonal galleries exhibiting the birth of the Lok Nayak, escape from prison, Bihar Movement and total revolution at the time of Emergency in 1975. The four galleries have been divided into time frames depicting main events of his life.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Lucknow / Mohita Tewari / TNN / August 18th, 2016

At 90, Allahabad’s sole freedom fighter readies to blow Nehru-gifted bugle again

Historical Links / Pre-Independence, Inspiration / Positive News and Features, Records, All
Bhagwat Prasad Bhartiya will blow the simple brass bugle Pt Jawaharlal Nehru gifted him. (HT Photo)
Bhagwat Prasad Bhartiya will blow the simple brass bugle Pt Jawaharlal Nehru gifted him. (HT Photo)

The old man’s hands tremble when he holds the bugle with his shrivelled hands, but the musical blow continues to bear a steady air of pride.

No official function with a patriotic theme is complete in Allahabad without Bhagwat Prasad Bhartiya. Braving the vagaries of age and weather, the 90-year-old freedom fighter is once again readying to blow the simple brass instrument he received as a gift from Pt Jawaharlal Nehru. For, Monday is the country’s 70th Independence Day.

The nonagenarian was 15 years old—and extremely thrilled—when he received the bugle from the freedom-fighter stalwart who was to become independent India’s first prime minister. Nehru gave him the instrument on his birthday at the family’s famed residence Anand Bhavan on November 14, 1941.

Since then, Bhartiya has been blowing the bugle. Initially, it was to rouse freedom fighters. Post 1947, he blew it to remind his compatriots of the great sacrifices made to win freedom.

“I started visiting Anand Bhavan as a kid. Out of curiosity,” he winds back. “I would accompany my classmate, whose father was a gardener there.”

The two-storey mansion with a dome, constructed in the 1930s by Jawaharlal’s father Pt Motilal Nehru who was a lawyer and leader, was a vital centre for the fight for Independence.

“That provided me opportunities to meet national leaders and listen to their inspirational speeches,” recalls Bhartiya at his home in Ashok Nagar. “They encouraged me to take part in social activities and rallies—all aimed at winning freedom.”

(HT Photo)
(HT Photo)

Pleased with the boy’s commitment to the cause of an Independent India, Nehru, then 37, presented Bhartiya with the bugle in the presence of national leaders, including Mahatma Gandhi, Lal Bahadur Shastri, Vijay Laxmi Pandit and Chunnan Guru (Chandra Mohiley).

“That was a great moment for me,” Bhartiya notes. “Nehruji chose me among other five youngsters for blowing the bugle during rallies.”

The aim was to spread anti-imperialistic messages such as ‘Bharat Bachao, Angrez Bhagao’, ‘Apne Desh Mein Apna Raaz’ and ‘Sab Ek Samaan’.

“For doing that, I was sent to Malaka jail (located in the premises where now SRN Hospital stands),” says Bhartiya. “I was kept there for a few months for participating in a mass rally taken out in Civil Lines in support of Quit India Movement of 1942.”

Since then, Bhartiya has kept blowing the bugle on momentous days in his country’s calendar: Republic Day, Independence Day and Children’s Day, besides at functions of patriotic fervour.

This year, too, will be no different even after over 75 years.

The old freedom fighter, though, is sad about one thing. Neither the district administration nor the state government has come forward to provide financial assistance the Sangam City’s only surviving freedom fighter.

“In 1978, I requested (late prime minister) Indira Gandhi for monetary help. That proved to be in vain,” Bhartiya says.

Even as recently as in February this year, he wrote to President Pranab Mukherjee for pension. The letter was forwarded to the district magistrate office through the state government and he was asked to approach the official with documents. “I have not been able to meet him,” adds Bhartiya.

His two sons work as newspaper hawkers to earn a living for the seven-member family.

source: http://www.hindustantimes.com / Hindustan Times / by Rajesh Srivastava, Hindustan Times,Allahabad / August 14th, 2016

Another prodigy sprouts from Lucknow’s ‘talented family’

Amazing Feats, Education, Records, All
Just short of her fifth birthday, Ananya is all set to get admission in Class 9 in a Lucknow school if the state education department gives its consent. (Handout image)
Just short of her fifth birthday, Ananya is all set to get admission in Class 9 in a Lucknow school if the state education department gives its consent. (Handout image)

As her name suggests, Lucknow’s Ananya Verma is a unique child.

Just short of her fifth birthday, Ananya is all set to get admission in Class 9 in a city school if the state education department gives its consent. And it will be the first time she will ever go to a school.

The story of her two elder siblings is no different. Her brother Shailendra became the country’s youngest computer science graduate in 2007 when he was just 14 and sister Sushma holds the Limca Book of Records for becoming the youngest matriculate at seven. She enrolled in a PhD course at the age of 15 last year.

Born on December 1, 2011, Ananya can read all kinds of books, including the Ramayana and the Hanuman Chalisa, with ease.

“My elder daughter, Sushma, went to St Meera’s. This school is willing to take the child (Ananya) in Class 9. But there are certain formalities and hence she cannot be enrolled without official permission,” Ananya’s father Tej Bahadur, who works as a peon in a university, said.

“We never force her to study. When I return home from the university, she insists that I help her in her studies. Her ability to grasp new topics is commendable,” Sushma, who mostly helps her in mathematics, said.

The school has allowed Ananya to attend classes as she waits for the education department’s permission. She has been going to school regularly for the last 10-15 days and is already quite popular among students.

The management of St Meera’s School is also very happy to have Ananya.

“We spotted abundant talent in Ananya just like Sushma. We groomed Sushma after she came to our school in Class 9 when she was just 5. We will work extra with Ananya also. Her fingers are very small. She needs to be given special attention, particularly in mathematics. Our trained educators will conduct extra sessions with her,” school manager Vinod Ratra said.

He said in Sushma’s case the then district inspector of schools Vikas Srivastava gave her the permission and she could then attend school.

“We are awaiting approval from the secondary education department. Ananya is coming unofficially to the school and attending classes. But formal admission will be given once we get the approval,” Ratra added.

Tej Bahadur has no words except those of gratitude for the goddess of learning, Saraswati, who he says has blessed his children.

“I am illiterate and cannot guide my children. Whatever they have achieved is the grace of Ma Saraswati,” he said.

source: http://www.hindustantimes.com / Hindustan Times / Home / by Rajeev Mullick, Hindustan Times,Lucknow / August 09th, 2016

Visitors show interest in Azad’s urn displayed in Lucknow museum

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Leaders, Records, All, Travel
The urn containing the ashes of Chandra Shekhar "Azad" displayed at the State Museum in Lucknow (TOI photo)
The urn containing the ashes of Chandra Shekhar “Azad” displayed at the State Museum in Lucknow (TOI photo)

Lucknow :

As the nation steps into its 70th year of Independence, the urn containing the ashes of freedom fighter and revolutionary Chandra Shekhar “Azad” completed its 40 years in the UP State Museum, located within the precincts of Wajid Ali Shah Zoological Garden (formerly called Lucknow Zoo).

The urn was kept at a special gallery for the visitors as a part of Jashn-e-Azadi celebrations to mark the 70th Independence Day. However, much about the special urn is unknown to the public. Sunday, the eve of the Independence Day sprang a surprise for a few visitors, who while visiting the State Museum were amazed to see the urn containing the ashes of Azad, and that they had never noticed it during their earlier visits.

Elaborating further about the urn containing the ashes of Azad, director of State Museum, Yashwant Singh Rathore, said, “After the cremation of Chandra Shekhar ‘Azad’, some of his ashes was kept in safe custody of Shiv Vinayak Mishra (Azad’s uncle). The ashes kept in the urn have been kept as a memory of the revolutionary.” He further stated that the historical procession (Shobhaa Yatra) of the ashes of Chandra Shekhar Azad started on August 1, 1976 from Varanasi’s Vidyapeeth and reached the State Museum in Lucknow on August 10, 1976.

Born in 1887 in Unnao’s Beeghapur, Shiv Vinayak Mishra was a freedom fighter who participated in the Satyagraha movement called by Mahatma Gandhi and also in the Non-Cooperation Movement from 1930-32.

When Chandra Shekhar grew up, he left his parent’s place and fled to Banaras. His uncle Pandit Shiv Vinayak Mishra used to stay there. Chandra Shekhar took some help from him, and made some arrangements to get admission in the Sanskrit College.

Aadesh Shukla, who visited the Lucknow State Museum along with his friends was amazed to tumble upon the urn containing the ashes of Chandra Shekhar Azad. “I had visited the museum earlier, but it seems that I had always missed the urn containing the ashes of Chandra Shekhar Azad. Anyway thanks to Jashn-e-Azadi, I not only saw the urn, but also clicked its photo,” Shukla said.

Anupam Mishra, while reacting to development was of the view that the Uttar Pradesh government must give adequate publicity to this special urn, which contains the ashes of Chandra Shekhar Azad kept in State Museum, Lucknow. “Some of the amount of money spent on the advertisements by the UP government could be easily diverted to give some publicity to this,” Mishra said.

In the 2014 Lok Sabha election, Swarajya Party of India headed by Anupam Mishra fielded Azad’s great-grandson Rajeev Mishra alias Raju from the Unnao parliamentary constituency.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Lucknow / Arunav Sinha / TNN / August 16th, 2016

Indian teen from LA gives self-defence training to Bareilly girl dropouts

Education, Inspiration / Positive News and Features, Nri's / Pio's, Sports

Bareilly:

When an assailant grasped the hand of Taravati (who uses only her first name), the young girl twisted his arm and pushed him away, and then kicked him. Taravati, a class XII student, received appreciation from other girls and even from the assailant for her defensive skills.

Taravati is one of the 50 girls of Dhaneli village under Meerganj tehsil of Bareilly district who were briefly forced to discontinue studies due to continuous harassment by a group of youths on the way to school. They resumed studies only after police increased security in the area.

However, when Pooja Nagpal, 18, a Los Angeles resident and second-degree black belt in taekwondo, read the TOI report on the incident, she decided to visit Dhaneli to give the girls some handy self-defence tips.

“After I read the TOI report, I felt bad for the girls. I decided to visit this village to make them confident so they can take on the assailants on their own in future,” the teenager said. Nagpal has been learning different forms of martial arts since she was 12 and has been running her own organisation: For a Change — Defence.

“The Nirbhaya gangrape case really touched me and I decided to train girls in India during my summer vacation. I have conducted workshops for girls in remote areas of Himachal Pradesh and orphanages in Delhi and Chandigarh. I was teaching at a school for the visually impaired in Chandigarh when I read about the these school girls and came here,” she said.

Her father, college teacher Pawan Nagpal, “When she said she wanted to visit Bareilly, my friends told me the place is not safe. I was reluctant to come here but she had made up her mind. It was a proud moment to train these girls.”

On Friday, Pooja trained 50 girls from Dhaneli and another 150 from neighbouring villages at Dunka Inter College, nearly 40 km from Bareilly. “The girls were initially shy and kept on saying that they will not be able to punch hard. However, after a few rounds, they opened up and quickly learned a few defensive techniques. I wish I had more time to teach them but my college starts this month,” said Pooja, who will now study electrical engineering and computer science at University of California, Berkeley.

Devwati (who uses only her first name), a class XII said, “The workshop was very informative. If anybody tries to harass me, I now know how to teach him a lesson.”

Nikita Soman, from class XI, said that she will keep practising the techniques and teach other girls in her neighbourhood.

Principal of the school, Vinod Kumar said, “We will make sure the girls continue to practice these defensive skills in their games period.”

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Bareilly / by Priyangi Agarwal / TNN / August 12th, 2016

Writing on the wall: Art’s here to stay

Arts, Culture & Entertainment
(Representative image)
(Representative image)

Allahabad :

The ancient Egyptians did it, the Minoans in Greece did it, the Romans in Pompeii did it, and now the elite in Sangam city are doing it-beautifying the walls of their homes with exquisite and brightly coloured murals.

And they’re choosing age-old Indian traditional art forms to adorn their walls with Pattachitra, Bhil, Manjusha, Madhubani, Tantrik and Gond paintings to do so.

Be they Mithila paintings etched with fingers, twigs, brushes, nib-pens and matchsticks using natural dyes and pigments or Warli paintings attributed to adivasis from the North Sahyadri range in India, art lovers are inviting artists from Bihar, West Bengal, Mumbai, Chattisgarh, and Madhya Pradesh to splash Indian culture on the walls of their houses and even offices.

“It’s a unique experience when you get all the walls of your house painted with Indian folk and traditional art,” said Shooby Bakht who has got all the rooms of her house painted with traditional artwork.

She added, “Creativity has no barriers and art is always fuelled by innovation and creativity.”

Bakht has company in people like Vinay Mehrotra, Rohit Shukla and Praveen Pandey who have opted to get the walls of their houses inked with tribal and traditional folk art.

Says Vinay Mehrotra, “I have chosen Gond paintings from Madhya Pradesh and Madhubanis from Bihar to beautify the walls of my house. Every art form has its importance and value and once painted, it leaves an everlasting impression.”

Bihar-based artist Shrawan Paswan, who is in Sangam these days for some painting projects, said, “The craze for Indian folk art has increased manifold among people across the country. Artists of different art forms are being invited by individuals to paint houses as well as offices.”

“Madhuvani, Bhil, Gond, and Warli paintings are in demand not just in India but abroad as well,” said Paswan, adding, “It takes time and patience to draw outlines and turn barren walls into attractive pieces of artwork.” But for clients who commission these paintings, the results are often breath-taking.

“The pattachitras wherein pattas or cloth-based scrolls were painted with mythological and epic stories put together in a sequence are also liked by many who particularly ask for such embellishments on their walls,” said the artist, adding, “Every traditional art form has ‘hidden words’ waiting to be described with a brush and some paints.”

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Allahabad / by Kapil Dixit / TNN / August 14th, 2016

UP sets world record for planting 5cr trees in 24 hours

Agriculture, Amazing Feats, Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Green Initiatives / Environment, Nature, Records, All, World Opinion

Lucknow :

Uttar Pradesh now holds a world record for planting maximum, 5 crore, trees in a single day. On Saturday, Guinness gave the certificate to state government for planting 5core trees in 24 hours on July 11.

It was on July 11 that more than 5.3 crore trees were planted at 6,166 plantation sites, and 81,000 hectare, in 80 forest divisions of UP. The campaign started with chief minister Akhilesh Yadav planting two Verna trees at his residence.

While chief minister planted trees in Kanpur dehat, SP president Mulayam Singh Yadav planted eight saplings at Kukrail forest division.

Students and teachers, people from different communities, PAC battalion, army jawans, NCC cadets, farmers participated in the plantation drive apart from ministers and MLAs all over the state.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Lucknow / by Neha Shukla / TNN / August 13th, 2016

Tourist spot to glorify Kakori train action

Amazing Feats, Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Historical Links / Pre-Independence, Inspiration / Positive News and Features, Records, All, Travel

KakoraTrainActionLUCKNOW12aug2016

Lucknow:

Kakori Train Action Smarak will be developed as a tourist place with auditorium, library and cafeteria on a PPP (public-private partnership) model.

District Tourism Promotion Parishad has sanctioned Rs 50 lakh for development of Kakori Smarak and work will begin in October 2016 to be completed by March 2017.

District magistrate Raj Shekhar said, “Lucknow district administration has submitted a proposal of nearly Rs 4.5 crore to the tourism department for the overall development of the Kakori Smarak area as tourism destination.

“The proposed library at the Kakori Smarak will have most of the books dedicated to the freedom struggle, including the Kakori Train Action and other prominent historical incidents,” said the DM.

He added that apart from history books, literature pertaining to tourist places in Lucknow will also find place in the library.

The auditorium will be used for screening 10-minute documentary films in English and Hindi on Kakori Train Action showing the glorious revolutionaries of the freedom struggle.

Lucknow district administration is celebrating the ‘Festival of Freedom’ titled ‘Swadheenta Saptah’. In the celebrations there will be a series of eventsbased on freedom. The events began on Tuesday and will conclude on August 15.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Lucknow / TNN / August 10th, 2016