When Wajid Ali’s mother went to meet the Queen

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

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

Women get on Ramlila stage in Aligarh

Arts, Culture & Entertainment

Aligarh :

People are long accustomed to it – everyone knows that beneath all the make-up that Sita wears on the Ramlila stage, is a male face. Traditionally, men played all the characters on the Ramlila stage, but things are now changing.

Mahesh C Suharid, president of the Ramlila Gaushala Committee of Aligarh that organises the festivities in the run-up to Dussehra, said, “Earlier, there were problems in getting women to perform the roles of Sita or Kaushalya on stage. Things have changed in the past few years. People have realized that pulling the crowds means having women on stage, and the women are not as reluctant any more to play these roles. There are more people now attending the Ramlila.”

Vipin Swami, who is directing the Ramlila, is in the city from Mathura’s Braj Natya Kala Kendra. He says including women is also one way of shedding some work: “They understand the emotions of Sita and Kaushalya better. I don’t have so much explaining to do to them. And it is not like they have to exert themselves too much to express those emotions, like some of the men.”

Vipin Swami remembers a time when only the character of Sita was played by a woman: “In the 1970s, the sole woman on stage played Sita. That was because she was meant to marry Ram, and the marriage was arranged for the two on stage.”

After Ramananda Sagar’s epic Ramayana serial was aired on TV in the 1990s, the audience had taken to worshipping Deepika Chikhaliya, who played Sita. That was when Ramlilas that were performed live began to include women actors.

“The TV serial eroded the audience for the live Ramlilas. A serious attempt was then made to involve women in the Ramlila, as one way to increase the participation of women and resuscitate the traditional stage,” said Jitendra Vyas, president of Braj Natya Kala Kendra, also a Doordarshan artiste.

The 30-strong troupe from Mathura arrived in Aligarh on September 16. It started practising from September 18. Four members of the troupe are women.

On Saturday night, the show will begin with the kidnapping of Sita, the Sita apharan. Class 10 student Pooja Sharma is set to essay the role of Sita.

“I feel blessed to play Sita,” she said, while Ritu Sharma, a teacher from Mathura who is also part of the Ramlila troupe, says acting is also a means of empowerment.

“The crowd arrives from different strata of society. They see women performing roles in the Ramayana. If a positive message is sent out with the increased participation of women in every other field, then why not also in the Ramlila?” asks Ritu Sharma.

Sufi music, poetry inspires this Kathak dancer

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Nri's / Pio's

Bareilly :

After touring Europe and America, US-based Indian dancer Aastha Dixit, who plans to take a distinct Sufi style of Kathak across the world, visited the dargah Khanqah-e-Niyaziya recently.

Her love for Sufism and admiration for the medieval Persian poet Amir Khusru brought the Kathak exponent to the dargah, which is looked after by descendants of the great Sufi saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti of Ajmer Sharif.

Dixit has her own ballet group in US, and she plans to perform and showcase her unique style of dance with the group.

Dixit learnt Kathak under Malti Shyam of the Lucknow gharana, a disciple Pandit Birju Maharaj. She has been practising and performing the art form for more than 15 years.

“Over the last five years, I have been drawn to the Sufi style of music, poetry and expression of Amir Khusru, whose shayari, raag and taal provided an instant bonding with the occult,” Dixit said in conversation with TOI here on Monday.

She said raag-based compositions sung in the Sufi style, along with thumris now hold a huge attraction for her. Amir Khusru’s style explores the feminine side and is rendered in all dialects including Braj Bhasha, which is why it appeals to the masses, she said.

It was her interest in Sufism that brought her to Khanqah-e-Niyaziya, she said. After visiting the Dargah and meeting the head of the Khanqah, the dancer said her interest and desire to learn more about Sufism has only deepened. “This visit has strengthened my bond with Sufism. During my performances, I rope in dancers who can present the Dervish (saint) aspect of this cult with ease,” she said.

The dancer plans to perform at Dargah Khanqah-e-Niyaziya some time in February next year, during the annual Urs. The Sajjadanasheen (leader) of the dargah, Shabbo Mian, said it would be a good way to bring art and spirituality together.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Bareilly / by Mrigank Tiwari / September 23rd, 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

Hindi scholars from Israel honored

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Education, World Opinion

Gorakhpur:

Hindi scholars from Tel Aviv University, Israel, were honored at Deen Dayal Upadhyay Gorakhpur University and Buddha PG College, Kushinagar for their love for Hindi language.

Dr Gendi Shlomper, a Hindi teacher, Tel Aviv University, was in the region along with six Russian students, Alexendra, Adi Ferore, Tal Goraski, Mataj Massika, Yakir Dahari and Ofir Mikhaji, to learn Hindi language and the culture of India.

While speaking at Buddha PG College, Kushinagar, Dr Shlomper said, “For the development of Hindi it is necessary to develop it as a technical language so that the language helps in employment.” “English is important as it is international language but Hindi shouldn’t be ignored. I’m happy that Hindi is now in much use at social media,” Dr Shlomper added. The scholars reached Kushinagar after visiting Delhi, Allahabad and Ayodhaya. They also sang Hindi movie songs at the pogramme.

GDA bulldozes unauthorized shops:

The Gorakhpur Development Authority removed many illegal structures under a drive against encroachment. Three shops at Rail Vihar Colony near Taramandal wer also removed under the drive as the shops were illegally constructed overlooking the GDA norms. It is to be mentioned here that the development authority has served notice to over 850 buildings owners across the district citing objections over violation of norms in the constructions. The erring building owners have filed a review plea before GDA.

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

Needed in Aligarh, bookstores

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Education, Uncategorized

Aligarh :

Reading The Fault in Our Stars, now that social media is abuzz with talks of the film adaptation of the book, maybe a tad difficult if you live in Aligarh. Despite the city being home to one of the country’s most prestigious educational institutions – Aligarh Muslim University – the absence of a good bookshops selling fiction, non-fiction or, for that matter, anything beyond prescribed reading material for students is quite a telling let-down.

“The city has somehow never really felt the need to have the kind of arrangement where you can go and buy fiction in a store that’s well-furnished with eclectic literary offerings,” says Shubhangini, a CAT aspirant. “Although there is not much of a choice when it comes to book shopping, it doesn’t mean people in Aligarh are not aware of the current scenario in the world of literature. Popular books can be procured through some of the stores by placing an order and paying a commission.”

There are nearly 100 bookshops functioning for decades in Aligarh, but they mostly cater to the madrassa-going students and sell Urdu literature. And almost all stores stock reading material that help in preparations for competitive examinations. This leaves the lover of fiction/non-fiction with little choice but to tap online sources or place an order at a bookshop, which may take anywhere between a week and 10 days (depending on availability) to deliver. The other option is to travel down to Delhi or the National Capital Region and go on a book shopping spree or, if one is a student, rely on AMU libraries to satiate the inner bibliophile.

Though education fairs are common in Aligarh, book fairs are few and far between. “It is a small city without much tourist inflow. So, there are not many stores that sell popular books. There are far more education fairs than book fairs here,” says Sandeep Choudhury, who recently organized an education fair in the city.

Students being on the look-out for better opportunities and job prospects have prompted even the oldest bookstore in the city – Malviya Pustakalaya – to stock books for competitive exams and recruitment tests. Malviya Pustakalaya, incidentally, has one of the most valuable collections of literature, religion, philosophy and Hindi novels.

“These were ordered, so we got them,” says Sanjeev Agarwal of Vimal Book Store, pointing to a stack of popular fiction and non-fiction reading material. It was only recently that 1 % of the shop’s stocks began comprising authors like Arundhati Roy and William Dalrymple. “Earlier, there used to be a store selling fiction but now it has shut down, probably because of dipping sales.”

However, what makes Aligarh unique to bookworms is its repository of Urdu literature. Home to a substantial number of madrassa and AMU students, the city’s stores have an enviable collection of fiction and non-fiction by Faiz, Firaq and Ghalib. “Urdu works are most popular as a lot of retired professors or students from madrassas or AMU reside here,” says Asad Faisal Farooqui, who frequents the Education BookHouse established in 1927.

“It is interesting to see modern English literature being translated into Urdu for them,” he says, adding, “Students have bought Urdu translations of books by Jaswant Singh, Irfan Habib and also religious texts, including translations of the Bhagvad Gita.”

However, the trend does not go beyond prescribed reading material or books talked about in popular media. As Ashok Kuckreja of Aligarh Law Books, says, “Students buy what their professors recommend, which may be pertinent to one’s course but may not help build a larger reading repertoire.”

The experienced bookseller rues never being asked for books by, say, legal humourist Marc Galanter or by the likes of AP Herbert. “Not even 1% of that genre is ordered here, I have tried so many times to bring to their notice the works of Edward Heward on Lord Denning, John Mortimer’s ‘The Devil’s Advocate’ and Krishna Swamy’s work on V R Krishna Iyer, but there is no interest,” Kuckreja says.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Agra / by Eram Agha, TNN / September 22nd, 2014

Tunday Kebabs in Rs 50 crore law suit over trade infringement

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

The world famous ‘Tunday Kebab’ of Lucknow has been caught in Rs 50 crore lawsuit over trade infringement.

Mohammad Muslim, who runs the ‘Lucknow Wale Tunday Kebabi’ chain of restaurants in Lucknow and beyond and is maternal grandson of the legendary one armed chef, late Haji Murad Ali ‘Tunday’, has sued the food chain’s current owner Mohammad Usman for trade infringement staking claim over the popular brand.

The Civil Judge (Senior Division) Ashok Kumar has asked Usman who runs restaurants in the name of ‘Tunday Kababi’ to come with his reply into the matter. The next hearing is on September 27.

Muslim has alleged that Usman has created the controversy over the inheritance of the chain of restaurants famous for melt-in-the-mouth Kebabs and other non-vegetarian delicacies. He said being the relative of the late Haji Murad Ali Tunday, he had every right to be part of the business.

TundayLUCKNOW22sept2014

“I am the real kin of Haji Murad Ali. We are running Lucknow Wale Tundey in Lucknow and outside for quite some time now,” Muslim said.

Contradicting Muslim’s claim, Usman said that the former was not directly related to Lucknow Wale Tunday. He said he came from Saudi Arabia and fraudulently used the brand name of Tunday Kebabs in Lucknow with his partner.

“He has no blood relation with use. I will fight it in court,” he added.

What started with a small shop in the old Lucknow city, Tunday is now a huge business empire with outlets in several parts of the city and outside.

source: http://www.news18.com / News18 / Home> English> News> Uttar Pradesh / by Gulam Jeelani / Monday – September 22nd, 2014