Carpet weavers want Sant Ravi Das Nagar reverted to old name Bhadohi, cite GI tag

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‘The Intellectual Property rights are also in the name of Bhadohi’.
‘The Intellectual Property rights are also in the name of Bhadohi’.

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SUMMARY
The place, meanwhile, has retained its earlier name in popular lingo and commonplace scenarios.
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The carpet manufacturers of Sant Ravi Das Nagar have met Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, demanding that the district’s name be reverted to its old name — Bhadohi. They have pointed out the difficulties in doing business owing to their product — carpets — being more famously associated with the district’s former name.

“The Geographical Indication tag accorded to our products is ‘hand-made carpets of Bhadohi’. The Intellectual Property rights are also in the name of Bhadohi. (Both these facilities protect and help develop a brand for the flagging carpet industry). It is Bhadohi carpets that are famous worldwide. So it makes sense to retain the old name of the place,” Secretary of All-India Carpet Manufacturers’ Association (AICMA), Tanvir Hussain told The Indian Express over phone.

Sant Ravi Das Nagar, before being carved out as the 65th district of UP on June 30, 1994, used to be part of Varanasi as Bhadohi. The then BSP government of Mayawati named the new district, which has since remained an issue for the carpet weavers who, in 2010, had their GI tag issued, too, under the old name.

“A delegation of our association, led by president Vinay Kapoor, met the CM on July 7 in Lucknow. Bhadohi MLA (from Samajwadi Party) Zahid Beg was also with us. We demanded that the district be named back to what it was before as it is causing problems in our businesses,” Hussain said.

The place, meanwhile, has retained its earlier name in popular lingo and commonplace scenarios. In official communications, however, it finds mention as SRD Nagar.

“Old timers still use Bhadohi in daily communications. But it is new entrants to our business base, particularly those outside the country, who tend to get confused. Also, GI tag is an official initiative. Therefore, a different name leads to confusion or even disputes,” Hussain said. He claimed that Akhilesh, during the meeting, has assured that he will promptly consider the matter.

When the ruling SP government took charge in 2012, it renamed eight districts that the Mayawati government had changed during its regime. Interestingly, SRD Nagar, too, was on the list along with other eight – Amethi (BSP had named it Chhatrapati Sahuji Maharaj Nagar), Kanpur Dehat (Ramabai Nagar), Sambhal (Bheem Nagar), Shamli (Prabuddha Nagar) and Hapur (Panchsheel Nagar).

“Somehow, things did not work out for Bhadohi (SRD Nagar) then. We are hopeful that the change will now be brought soon,” said Hussain. While district magistrate N S Pandey could not be contacted, a spokesperson said that any official communication in this regard is awaited.

Former president of AICMA, Omkar Nath Mishra, who quit recently after completing his two terms, said: “This issue (of name change) was earlier discussed with local representatives. A few letters, too, were written to the government. Nothing much happened though.”

source: http://www.indianexpress.com / The Indian Express / Home> Cities> Lucknow / by Prashant Pandey / Lucknow – July 16th, 2014

Tomb tribute to Begum Akhtar

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Records, All

– no hitch in grave renovation despite faizabad clashes

BegumLucknow19Jul2014

Lucknow :

Call it the power of music. Death has struck twice in this spiral of violence but hasn’t been able to cast its shadow on a tomb being “rescued”.

Admirers of Begum Akhtar are gearing to rediscover her legacy by restoring her grave in Lucknow at a time Faizabad, where the ghazal singer was born nearly a hundred years ago, is simmering under curfew even three days after riots left two persons dead and hundreds injured.

The violence broke out last week following a clash over an immersion procession.

Inspector-general (Lucknow range) Subhas Chandra said jawans were marching through the streets of Faizabad to restore law and order in the Uttar Pradesh town barely 10km from Ayodhya, the flashpoint of the 1992 Babri riots.

No such tinderbox emotions raged in Lucknow, 125km away, where followers of the ghazal and thumri singer prepared to mark her 38th death anniversary with a series of events starting tomorrow.

The events will culminate next month with her grave being rededicated to the city, where the “queen of melodies” came to live later in life.

BegumAkhtarLUCKNOW19jul2014

The grave is located in a squalid, congested area in old Lucknow where shanties have sprung up. “The singer’s grave needs to be rescued from obscurity and squalor and put on the historical map of Lucknow,” said Salim Kidwai, a Lucknow-based writer who is working on a book on Akhtar.

“Begum Akhtar’s ghazals are suddenly being played by her admirers everywhere,” said a member of Lucknow’s former royal family.

Work on renovating the grave began two months back when artisans from Agra applied their expertise to restore its Pietra dura design — an Italian technique through which semi-precious stones are embedded in monuments. The resetting is complete and a green ring has been constructed around the grave.

Delhi-based architect Ashish Thapar, who volunteered for the project, has been supervising the renovation.

“The Government of India’s culture department has released a grant for the project,” said Madhvi Kukreja, director of Sanatkada, an NGO in Lucknow, which is working on the renovation. “We have approached the state government for funds for maintenance.”

Begum Akhtari Faizabadi, later renamed Begum Akhtar, was born in 1914 in Baradarwaja in Faizabad. Trained under Ustad Imdad Khan, a sarengi exponent in Calcutta, and later by classical singers like Abdul Wahid Khan in Lahore, she first performed at the age of 15.

In 1945, already famous as a singer of national repute, she married a Lucknow-based barrister, Ishtiak Ahmed Abbasi.

She received the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award and was awarded the Padma Shri and the Padma Bhushan (posthumously) by the Indian government and also bestowed the title “Mallika-e-Ghazal” (queen of melodies). She died on October 30, 1974.

3rdBegumAkhtarLUCKNOW19jul2014

“It is my good fortune that I am involved in strengthening the legacy of my dear Ammi, who is still my guru,” said Shanti Hiranand, a septuagenarian ghazal singer who not only learnt singing from Begum Akhtar but also wrote a book on her, Story of my Ammi”.

Hiranand, herself a Padma awardee, would lead a concert on November 7, after which the new-look mazar would be opened to the public. A documentary, Hai Akhtari, by art critic S. Kalidas, will also be shown that day.

In Lucknow, a number of workshops have been organised in Begum Akhtar’s memory in various parts of the city.

Some 125km away, people in Faizabad were still seething in anger over the destruction of dozens of shops and vehicles in the violence that broke out on October 26.

Police officer Subhas Chandra said the administration had taken measures to check the movement of criminal elements.

source: http://www.telegraphindia.com / The Telegraph, Calcutta / Front Page> Nation> Story / by Tapas Chakraborty / Lucknow, Tuesday – October 30th, 2012

At 200, Chowringhee cousin let down by Lucknow

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

Lucknow19jul2014
Lucknow :

As Calcutta’s Chowringhee welcomed the New Year last night, its counterpart in Lucknow missed a date with history.

The Uttar Pradesh capital was to celebrate the 200th anniversary of its main thoroughfare Hazratganj Road, which was modelled on Chowringhee in 1810, sometime last year.

But the city’s development authority kept missing deadline after deadline for the road’s repair and beautification, which includes renovating and giving a coat of pink and cream to every building flanking it, from shops, bars and restaurants to heritage palaces and mansions.

At midnight yesterday, the 2km road, on which the Raj army had once marched to the residency to put down the sepoys, turned 201 years old without the bicentenary celebrations. Even the usual New Year parties in the upscale street were largely missing because Hazratganj Road is still partially closed for repairs.

Bahujan Samaj Party sources said the planned yearlong celebrations might now begin on January 15, the birthday of chief minister Mayavati.

“It wasn’t planned that way, but now the chief minister may herself flag off the bicentenary programmes on January 15, by when all work would hopefully be complete. It will be her birthday gift to Lucknow’s people,” a senior party leader said.

Many residents have been left disappointed, among them a descendant of Nawab Sadaat Ali Khan, who built the road and many of the mansions on it, largely abandoning Mughal architecture for the European-style buildings he had so admired at Chowringhee.

“We missed a date with history. Everyone knows the road completed 200 years in 2010. Now the street is one year older. They could have begun the celebrations last year and let it spill onto 2011,” said Nawab Ibrahim Ali Khan of Sishmahal.

The celebrations are to kick off with a citizens’ procession, to be led by Lucknow’s oldest resident, 105-year-old Justice R.K. Sharma. The programme includes a roadside exhibition of old photographs of the street. This will be followed by cultural events, such as poetry competitions, through the year.

“But with the centenary year having passed, people will lose much of their enthusiasm,” said Pradip Kapoor, a senior journalist.

The street stretches from Kothi Nur Baux, home to the district magistrate’s office, in the west to Kothi Hayat Baux in the east, where the governor’s house is located.

It is flanked on either side by beautiful buildings such as the Begum Kothi, Khurshid Manzil, Sibtainabad, Amzad Ali Shah Imambarah and the Kankarwali Kothi, all built by Saadat Ali Khan, who ruled Awadh from January 21, 1798, to 1814.

This was the road that Lucknow’s last nawab, Wajed Ali Shah, took when he left his beloved capital for the last time.

Later, Hazratganj Road became an exclusive zone for British officers. It came to have Lucknow’s first bank, first fire station, first ice factory and the first dedicated English movie theatre.

Rosie Llewellyn-Jones, a historian of Lucknow who was here recently, said that sometime before his accession, Saadat had escaped to Calcutta after being implicated in a case. There, he fell in love with the handsome mansions that lined Chowringhee and decided to build a mini-Chowringhee in Lucknow.

So, the road was born. It was originally known as Ganj Road. It got its current name in 1842 when the then nawab, Amzad Ali, dedicated it to the memory of Hazrat Ali, whose tomb is in Mazar-i-Sharif, Afghanistan.

Saadat, an enthusiastic builder, commissioned many other palaces in Lucknow, including the Dilkusha Palace, Hayat Baksh Kothi, Farhat Baksh Kothi, Lal Baradari, Chhatar Manzil, Kothi Dil Aram, Munawar Baksh and the Chaupar Stables.

Some of these were designed by noted architect Claude Martin, a French soldier who had turned a general in the British army, historian Yogesh Praveen said.

The Mayavati government woke up to the idea of celebrating the bicentenary in October. But the road had been badly encroached on and its old-world charm was fast fading in the face of unplanned construction.

The Lucknow Development Authority repaired the road, pavements and some heritage buildings, put up iron railings and Victorian-style street lamps, and built a fountain and a huge parking lot. Owners of private buildings were given loans if they couldn’t afford the cost of painting.

A non-government organisation, Lucknow Connect, was already planning bicentennial celebrations for the road but once the government entered the scene, it had to abide by the official deadline.

Mayavati kept sending note after note to her officials to finish the work on time, but Lucknow ended up letting down a part of its history.
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HISTORY ROAD

Name: Hazratganj Road
Built: 1810
By: Nawab Saadat Ali Khan
Modelled on: Chowringhee Road, Calcutta
Known for: Beautiful European-style buildings in a city of arch and dome-dominated
Awadhi architecture. Later, known for Lucknow’s first bank, first fire station and first English movie theatre
Mansions: Begum Kothi, Khurshid Manzil, Sibtainabad, Amzad Ali Shah Imambarah, Kankarwali Kothi
Modern landmarks: Leading restaurants and bars
Witness to history: Last nawab Wajed Ali Shah took the road out of Lucknow; the Raj army marched on it to the residency during the 1857 war of independence
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source: http://www.telegraphindia.com / The Telegraph, Calcutta / Front Page> Nation> Story / by Tapas Chakraborty / Lucknow, Sunday – January 02nd, 2011

Women Kanwariyas flock Sangam

Arts, Culture & Entertainment

Allahabad :

Driven by devotion and desire to offer prayers to Lord Shiva at Kashi Vishwanath temple in Varanasi, a large number of women Kanwariyas are joining hands with their male counterparts in walking the extra mile.

Dressed in saffron attire, the number of women carrying the decorated pot has increased manifold at Dashashwamedh Ghat and Sangam. Here the Kanwariyas collect water from Ganga before heading to Varanasi. Most of these women kanwariyas hail from rural area and are in the age group of 25-40 years.

After collecting water from Ganga, these women walk bare foot to offer jalabhishek to Lord Shiva. The start of Shrawan month has already filled Sangam city’s streets with saffron-clad Kanwariyas carrying decorated ‘kanwars’ structure on their shoulders.

“It’s a matter of devotion. Women are making a mark in all fields like education, engineering and medical. They are also strong enough to follow the custom and practice (taking kanwar on their shoulders) as men do” said Savita, a woman kanwariya from Soraon. She added “The number of women kanwariyas has increased in the last two to three years. Earlier, they preferred offering ‘puja’ to the deity at local temples.”

Besides, even families are supporting and encouraging the women in their desire to perform jalabhishek of Lord Shiva at Kashi Vishwanath.

Most of the women kanwariyas hailing from rural areas strictly adhere to the rituals as the act is supposed to fulfill their wishes and endear them to Lord Shiva.

Another woman kanwariya Kanti said, “Nothing is impossible for us. All the pains and harsh weather is overcome by devotion and determination. Fulfilling the ritual by overcoming all difficulties gives a feeling of contentment,” she added.

Interestingly, all women kanwariyas are well aware of the mythological significance of offering Ganjajal to Lord Shiva, a process known as Jalabhishek, during Shrawan. This is the second trip for Sushila. “Owing to safety reasons, I accompanied male kanwariyas from my village on my first trip. This time I am going along with five other women of the village.”

Asked as to how she would keep her spirit upbeat during the long and arduous journey, she replied: “We chant bhajans and recite stories path related to Lord Shiva. This makes the journey easy.”

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Allahabad / TNN / July 16th, 2014

Clinton to visit Lucknow today

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

Former US president Bill Clinton will visit the state capital on Thursday during which he is scheduled to take part in a student interaction in a school.

Clinton will spend about two hours in Jabrauli village under Mohanlalganj tehsil of here, and is also scheduled to take part in a Clinton Foundation Health Initiative programme during which he is likely to interact with children and their mothers.

“Former US president Bill Clinton will take part in the programmes organised in a school in Jabrauli village, “district magistrate Raj Shekhar said. “Programmes have been organised in three groups.. he will interact with students of class VI to VIII besides assessing the working of self-help groups”, the DM said. The DM said that elaborate security arrangements have been made in view of the former US president’s visit.

After Jaipur mid-day meal kitchen, Clinton to visit a Jabrauli school in Lucknow today
After Jaipur mid-day meal kitchen, Clinton to visit a Jabrauli school in Lucknow today

Besides senior police officers, large number of police and PAC personnel will remain present at the programme site. Shekhar said that Clinton Foundation is working in the field of health in several districts of the country.

As part of his tour, Clinton on Wednesday served chapattis to children at a government school in Jaipur after witnessing preparation of mid-day meals for thousands of students at a kitchen run by an NGO there.

Jaipur and Lucknow are on the itinerary for Clinton as part of a visit to the Asia/Pacific during which the former US president is also scheduled to travel to Vietnam, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and Australia to take stock of the work of the Clinton Foundation and deliver remarks at the 20th International AIDS Conference in Australia.

source: http://www.ibnlive.in.com / IBN Live / Home> IBN Live> India> Uttar Pradesh / Press Trust of India / July 16th, 2014

BHU prof awarded for impact of film on epilepsy

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Education, Records, All

Varanasi :

Head of the department of neurology, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Dr VN Mishra was awarded with the ‘Certificate of Achievement’ by the European Congress on Epileptology for impact of feature film ‘Ek Naya Din’ -fight against epilepsy in North Indian states.

‘Ek Naya Din’, an educative film for epilepsy awareness conceptualized by Mishra was screened during the 11th European Congress on Epileptology held in Stockholm, Sweden from June 28 to July 3. The film based on a real life story of a patient suffering with epilepsy has been also screened at schools and colleges of the north India.

According to Mishra, the film so far had been screened in 20 states of the country and many other countries of the world. The International journal of medical science and clinical Invention in its latest issue highlighted the impact of the film on epilepsy patients. He said that myth and misconceptions regarding management of epilepsy have been prevalent throughout the world. Epilepsy is still thought to be related with evil spirit possession by some, and spiritual rituals and religious healing are commonly believed to be effective treatments.

The 63-minute educative film highlights the most basic issues relating to epilepsy management like importance of drug intake, issues regarding the management during the time of attack, importance of family care. The film is about a young girl who is born in a typical north India joint family and is suffering from epileptic seizures from the age of six. Her parents take her to a doctor but her grand parents think that some evil spirit that is causing the seizures, so they call a witchcraft practitioner that aggravates the problem of the girl. The girl’s classmates also mock at her, but at the instance of her mother teachers and fellow students gradually realise her medical condition and begin to support the brave girl.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Varanasi / TNN / July 16th, 2014

Earth Infra launches Rs 1,500 cr housing project

Business & Economy

Earth Infrastructure today launched a Rs 1,500 crore housing project on Lucknow-Rae Bareli road, which is emerging as a major realty hub in the region.

The project ‘Marvel’ spread over 3 lakh sq ft would comprise 900 residential apartments spanning 10 blocks and common amenities for sports, heath, art, entertainment, club and fine dining.

The apartment would be priced at Rs 32 lakh onwards depending upon size, Earth Group’s Marcom head Kalim A Lohar said.

Last year, the company had launched its maiden housing project in Lucknow estimated at Rs 4,500 crore.

The Group has 11 running projects in India with 12 million sq ft under construction.

On Union Budget 2014-15, he noted the realty sector was sanguine about improving business climate.

source: http://www.business-standard.com / Business Standard / Home> Companies> News / by B S Reporter / Lucknow – July 15th, 2014

Villagers of Jabrauli agog to meet Clinton

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, World Opinion

Lucknow :

The proposed visit of former US President Bill Clinton to Jabrauli village in Mohanlalganj tehsil of Lucknow has generated excitement, enthusiasm and hope among villagers. Police and district administration officials are going the extra mile to ensure that nothing goes wrong during the high profile visit on Thursday.

From connecting roads to the panchayat bhawan and primary and secondary schools, the village and its residents are waiting eagerly for Clinton to arrive. A labourer white washing a wall of the primary school was stopped by an official of the district administration just as he was about to swipe out a diagram showing computer and its accessories.

According to district administration officials, Clinton is expected to stay in the village for nearly 45 minutes. He is scheduled to see workers connected to the Clinton Health Access Initiative, which trains healthcare workers to treat diarrhoea, one of the largest killers of children in India.

Among others waiting anxiously for Bill Clinton are 69 members of Matsya Jeevi Sahkari Samiti Limited, Jabrauli, who formed this self-help group in 1984 and are primarily involved in fishing. Member of the self-help group Jagroop Narayan said “we will try for an audience with Bill Clinton, so that we can narrate our miseries to him and draw his attention to our plight.” He added that members of this self-help group were from Jabrauli village and hailed from the same community. Some of the varieties of fishes these members cultivate (in the pond) include Rohu, Nayan Bhakur, silver carp and grass carp.

“We have sought a pond from the government, to improve our livelihood. But, we have yet to see any success in this regard,” said 58-year-old Jagroop.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Lucknow / TNN / July 16th, 2014

Ganga warrior Yogeshwar passes away

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Green Initiatives / Environment, Leaders, Nature

Varanasi :

Ganga warrior and self-proclaimed head of Kashi Mahashamsan Peeth Nagnath Yogeshwar, passed away after a prolonged illness on Friday. He was cremated at Manikarnika Ghat.

In 2008, he undertook a 1,000 day long fast for uninterrupted flow of Ganga from Gangotri to Ganga Sagar. The fast began on July 19.

He was admitted to a government hospital recently and referred to Sir Sunderlal Hospital of Banaras Hindu University on Thursday. He died at the hospital around 1.45 am. He protested against the construction of dams on Ganga.

His last rites were attended by scores of people, including Congress MLA Ajai Rai.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Varanasi / TNN / July 12th, 2014

Renuka and Anoop Kumar launched ‘The Oudh Story’ a fashion studio in Lucknow

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy

The city has another hot-spot for all fashionistas. ‘The Oudh Story’, a designer fashion studio, launched amid huge fanfare at Hotel Clarks Awadh on Saturday, night had all fashion conscious city janta thronging the tastefully done up place.

The chic store was opened by MD Clarks Group of Hotels Anoop Kumar and his wife, the creator of The Oudh Story, Renuka Kumar, who is also a known celebrity stylist and an acclaimed dancer.

Anoop and Renuka Kumar
Anoop and Renuka Kumar

Housing collections from acclaimed Indian fashion designers like Anjul Bhandari, Chetan Chiller, Hemant Ambwani, Anuradha Vakil and Mandeep Negi’s Shades of India, the store is a onestop place for all those looking for the perfect ethnic and western wear for both men and women at affordable rates, Renuka, the promoter of the store, said, “I have conceptualised this place with great care and affection. All the designers who will be showcasing their designs here are very accomplished and known names in the fashion world, not just in India, but internationally.

This is a wo n d e r f u l concept which brings together new designers to Lucknow and most of all, here people can get customised outfit which will be specially made to order. Also, throughout the year, designers will be coming to Lucknow to personally interact with our clients.”

Designer Hemant Ambwani, who has designed for the likes of the Bachchans among other celebrities, said, “Lucknow is a wonderful place to be showcasing my designs. My speciality is the traditional Rajasthani gota-patti and for me to be bringing my designs to Lucknow is a great opportunity. Here people are still inclined towards traditional wear and I’m sure people will like my ensembles. It’s the first day today and already people have shown such great interest in my designs.”

Saturday’s designer trunk-show also had the guests meet the designers in person and talk to them about latest trends and designs. The Oudh Story is located at Hotel Clark’s Awadh, Lucknow.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Entertainment> Events> Lucknow / TNN / April 21st, 2014