Category Archives: Arts, Culture & Entertainment

A queen’s story

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Historical Links / Pre-Independence, Leaders, Records, All
A still from Gallantly Fought the Queen Photo: Special Arrangement
A still from Gallantly Fought the Queen Photo: Special Arrangement

This weekend watch the life of Rani Laxmi Bai unfold on stage

“Some historians say Rani Laxmi Bai was 33-years-old. Others say she was 22 and of course, that sounds more gallant,” says V. Balakrishnan, founder and artistic director of Theatre Nisha.

His play, Gallantly Fought the Queen, which premieres in the city this weekend, chronicles her story, which is one of a young widow and a regent queen who rises to command many men in battle.

She was one of the leading warriors of the First War of Indian Independence in 1857, and also, a celebrated character in history.

Inspired by Mahasweta Devi’s book, The Queen of Jhansi and D.V. Tamhankar’s The Ranee of Jhansi, the play endeavours to stick to facts and historical references. “We start the play with the Doctrine of Lapse being imposed on her kingdom.

There’s a very famous line in history, where she is supposed to have said, ‘Meri Jhansi nahi dungi’ (I will not part with my Jhansi). For a woman of her stature, who had never been bold, to have said something like that, sets the tone for the next two years of her life.”

With music by Srivaralaxmi ‘Maya’ and percussion by Vishwa Bharath, the play is juxtaposed with Subhadra Kumari Chauhan’s famous poem Jhansi Ki Rani. “This play has all elements of theatre: storytelling, live singing, dancing and martial arts. All that should be part of an actor’s repertoire, Meera Sitaraman will be exhibiting on stage.”

The play, which is largely in English, interspersed with a little Hindi, will be staged at Alliance Francaise on March 26 and 27 (3 p.m. and 7 p.m.). Tickets are priced at Rs. 200 (Rs. 100 for schools) and available on eventjini.com. For details, call 96771 72897.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Features> MetroPlus / by Raveena Joseph / Chenai – March 24th, 2016

Ram Advani had plans to visit his bookstore till he turned 99

Arts, Culture & Entertainment

Lucknow:

On his 95th birthday, the much loved bookseller Ram Advani had told friend Pradeep Kapoor about his wish to continue visiting the bookshop everyday till the age of 99. Only after that did he want to retire and visit places outside Lucknow. On Thursday, when Advani’s mortal remains were taken to the electric crematorium, it seemed he had lived 95 years too less.

Overwhelmed with the response and respect her father received from the city, Advani’s daughter Radhika said, “The city and its people appreciated and reciprocated to my father’s warmth all his life and even in the hour of his death.” A prayer meet will now be held on Saturday, March 12 at the Hari Om Mandir from 4pm to 5pm.

Present at the crematorium to pay his last respects to the man who was his father’s friend and his own idol, Hemant Singh said, “I happened to visit a swanky new generation bookstore in the city recently. Despite its stylish interiors, it did not create the enthusiasm that Ram Uncle’s bookstore evoked.”

The modern store later asked Singh for a feedback. “They asked me names of the other three bookstores and I just wrote the name of Ram Advani Booksellers three times.”

Although he came to Lucknow only in 1947, Advani always remained a true Lakhnavi whose identity was attached only to this city. “Never in all these years did he talk about the sorrows of Partition or carry the pain of the events that took place.”

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Lucknow / TNN / March 11th, 2016

17-foot long photo album to mark 4th anniversary of Akhilesh govt in UP

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy, Leaders, Records, All

Lucknow :

The UP Award Society is preparing a 17-foot long photo album to mark the fourth anniversary of the Akhilesh Yadav led Samajwadi Party (SP) government in Uttar Pradesh (UP).

The album named ‘Swarnim UP’ will be a creation of 5000 images illustrating the development work carried out by the chief minister in UP. The album with a 100 pages and weighing 400 kilograms has been sent for entry to the Limca Book of Records.

“It will be 8-feet in length and 4-feet wide and on opening up the entire length will be 17-foot,” informed Subhash Bhalla, secretary, UP Award Society. The album is being claimed to be one of its kind in the world.

sourcce: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Lucknow / by Ashish Tripathi / March 05th, 2016

No bhajans, this UP temple gives out railway info

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Inspiration / Positive News and Features, Travel
Retired govt employee Raj Narain Mishra has been offering the service for the past 28 years
Retired govt employee Raj Narain Mishra has been offering the service for the past 28 years

Kanpur :

A retired government employee in Rura village of Kanpur Dehat district has been offering free railway information service to people for the past 28 years through the public address system of a temple.

Gradually, he has even switched on to WhatsApp and earned the sobriquet ‘Train wale Baba ji’.

Raj Narain Mishra is running a parallel railway enquiry system in his village to help locals get up early and leave for railway station on time to catch trains,” said Jai Ram, deputy station superintendent of Rura.

Mishra used to work as a lab assistant from Ganesh Shanker Vidhyarthi Memorial Medical College.

“Nearly 500 people from various localities of Rura wake up early only after hearing Mishra, who uses a loudspeaker and WhatsApp to update them about movement of trains,” said a school teacher. “The timing of trains keeps on changing. But Mishra keeps us updated,” said Golden Singh.

Mishra said he launched the initiative when he was working at GSVM Medical College in Kanpur and used to travel daily between Rura and Kanpur

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Kanpur / by Faiz Rahman Siddiqui / TNN / February 29th, 2016

4 French among recipients of Laxmibai award

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Inspiration / Positive News and Features, Records, All, Sports, Travel, World Opinion

Lucknow :

Four women from France, who toured across India in an auto-rickshaw, will be among 45 to be presented the Rani Laxmibai Award by the Uttar Pradesh government on International Women’s Day on March 8.

There will also be two women from outside the state as recipients of the award to be given away by chief minister Akhilesh Yadav. Anhita Sriprasad is being awarded for having travelled across India from -Leh to Kanyakumari – on a bicycle. The chief minister contacted her on finding her profile on social media .

Nidhi Tewari is another woman of substance who is being felicitated for being solo driving from Delhi to London. Besides being the first woman to go on a 23,800-km trans-continental drive km from Delhi to London, driven a jeep in the Western Ghats, Uttrakhand, Himachal Pradesh in India and in the US, South Africa and Kenya.

The French girls to be awarded are Juliet Phinete, Julion Chopin, Charleto Hinero and Caroline who had been to Lucknow in their auto-rickshaw.

This is for the first time that this award is being given to women outside the country and from outside the state. Principal secretary, women and child welfare department, Renuka Kumar said that about half of the awardees would be women gram pradhans,.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Lucknow / TNN / February 28th, 2016

​Meet Bijnor’s postmaster, a national-level singer

Arts, Culture & Entertainment

Bijnor :

When he is not sorting out mail, Arun Sankhyadhar is crooning and winning awards. An accomplished singer, the postmaster of Bijnor has won as many as 15 gold medals for his singing talent.

What started as a hobby has made him a regular feature on Doordarshan and All India Radio (AIR). Sankhyadhar attributes the secret of his success to daily riyaz (practice).

He also did the state proud at the All India Cultural Competition held in Dehradun in November last year, which saw participation from more than 350 people, by winning three medals — one gold and two silvers. He had also won a silver medal during the All India Cultural Competition held in Guwahati in 2014.

Sankhyadhar’s talent has become a source of pride for the postal department. He has been making TV and radio appearances for the last 25 years. AIR listeners often wake up to the sound of Sankhyadhar singing devotional songs.

Speaking to TOI, Sankhyadhar said, “Ever since I was a child, music has been an important part of my life. It started as a hobby but it was my idol Anup Jalota who inspired me to take up singing seriously. His devotional songs were my inspiration.”

Sharing the secret of his success, he said, “I follow a very strict regime of riyaz. I may have a very busy day, but I always ensure to practice for two-three hours daily. I never miss a single day of practice.”

He further added, “I’ve participated in the All India Postal Cultural Meet over the last few years in different parts of the country such as Maharasthra, West Bengal, Karnataka, Kerala and Uttarakhand. I have visited over a dozen states for singing competitions.”

Stating that singing runs in the family, he said, “My son Kartikay and wife Vandana are remarkable singers and have won several state-level competitions. Our entire family is connected through music. It is music that binds us.”

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Meerut / by Harveer Dabas / TNN / February 09th, 2016

Nizamabad black clay pottery joins league of GI tagged products

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

Varanasi :

The famed black clay pottery of Nizamabad in Azamgarh district joined the league of Geographical Indication (GI) tagged products. Now, this region leads with six GI products in UP having a total of 21 GI certified products. Earlier, five products including famous Banaras Brocade and Saree, Handmade carpet of Bhadohi, Banaras Gulabi Meenakari Craft, Varanasi wooden lacquer ware and toys, and Mirzapuri handmade dari have already received the GI tag that conveys an assurance of quality and distinctiveness.

Black pottery of Nazamabad, one of the oldest industries, contributes substantially to the economic life of the people. The potters make tea-pots, sugar-bowls and other decorative articles. The earthen wares and statues of Gods and Goddesses particularly of Ganesh, Laxmi, Shiva, Durga and Saraswati are also made. The distinctive colours can be credited to the process in which the articles are fired in enclosed kiln with rice husks. The smoke generated in the process imparts the black colour. Designs are etched on the dry surface, which is then filled with silver paint that is made from zinc and mercury. To lend a glossy look to the products, some vessels are coated with lacquer when they are hot.

The Yuva Jagriti Pottery Shilp Samiti, Hussainabad, Nizamabad in association with Varanasi based Human Welfare Association and support with National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), Lucknow had applied for GI certification in October 2013.

Sohit Kumar Prajapati, a state awardee of the craft, said that over 300 years ago during the reign of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb, some clay potters from Kutch (Gujarat) had migrated to Azamgarh and settled at Nizamabad to earn living. Here, they had created a brand known as black clay pottery, which is unique and only of its kind in the world. Sohit, his mother Seema Devi, wife Sarita Prajapati, father Ramjatin Prajapati and brother Mahendra Prajapati are also state awardees. His late uncle and aunt Rajendra Prasad Prajapati and Kalpa Devi were also honoured with national level award for furthering this unique craft.

Sohit had also displayed his craft at the 55th General Assembly of International Bureau of World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in Geneva, Switzerland held in October last year. “With this recognition the potters engaged in this industry will get more benefit for their works,” said Sohit. The HWA president Rajni Kant said that about 400 families are engaged in black clay pottery in Nizamabad. Though 90% products are exported, the financial condition of these people remains pathetic, as they get orders through middleman due to lack of marketing skill.

East UP: A Hub of GI products:

(I) Banaras Brocade and Saree: Banaras Brocade and Sarees that covers Varanasi, Mirzapur, Chandauli, Bhadohi, Jaunpur and Azamgarh districts got the GI tag in 2009.

(II) Handmade carpet of Bhadohi: Handmade carpet of Bhadohi covered the area on nine districts including Bhadohi, Mirzapur, Varanasi, Ghazipur, Sonebhadra, Kaushambi, Allahabad, Jaunpur and Chandauli got the tag in 2010.

(III) Banaras Gulabi Meenakari Craft: Got GI tag in 2014-15. Presently about 100 artists only in the city are engaged in this traditional craft of gulabi meenakari. About 50-60% products are exported to Europe, America and Gulf countries via Jaipur, Mumbai, Bangalore and Delhi.

(IV) Varanasi wooden lacquer ware and toys: Got GI tag in 2014-15. The craft of wooden toys is also an old tradition of the city, and about 1000 families are engaged in this work.

(V) Mirzapuri handmade dari: Got GI tag in 2014-15. The area of Mirzapur handmade dari covers nine districts including Varanasi, Mirzapur, Bhadohi, Sonbhadra, Chandauli, Jaunpur, Ghazipur, Allahabad and Kaushambi. About 50,000 artisans are involved in this work, and about 60-70% of the product was exported to different countries. The tradition of handmade dari made of cotton and wool has been continuing since Mughal era.

(VI) Nizamabad Black Pottery: Got GI in 2015. About 400 families are engaged in black clay pottery in Nizamabad. The craft has been continuing since Mughal era.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Varanasi / Binay Singh, TNN / January 29th, 2016

36-hr record broken, team eyes 51 hours

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

Lucknow:

The level of enthusiasm and energy in the group of 10 boys from Bulandshahr knew no bounds on second day of the 51-hour long cleanliness drive and late Sunday evening they broke their own record of 36 hours of continuous cleaning in Sikanderabad.

Undeterred by harsh weather, the group that arrived in the city with the dream of concluding successfully a cleaning session of 51 hours, kept motivating people and sweeping lanes and markets of Aminabad even after two days and two nights of hard work.

Locals not only supported the volunteers and participated with them but also took inspiration and vowed to maintain cleanliness around them.

A student and Aminabad resident Prakhar Rastogi, utilised his Sunday in the most apt manner. Inspired by these young men from Bulandshahr, Prakhar called his friends and joined hands with the group for the noble cause. “We found it exciting and at the same time very constructive to make such efforts. We are going to repeat it on the coming Sundays,” he said.

Gaurav Hinduja from Asian Book of World Records was present at the spot and maintained account of their efforts. The group is expected to get a mention in the book once they complete the drive. The district administration has provided an ambulance at the spot in case of emergency.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Lucknow / TNN / January 25th, 2016

Monuments in Kanpur get a face lift to boost tourism

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

The KEM Hall, Phool Bagh Gora Cemetry and the ghats of Bithoor are being restored by the ASI.

Compared to Lucknow and Varanasi, tourist footfall in Kanpur is considerably low. Taking cognizance of it, the Kanpur district administration has begun sprucing up the monuments in the city to attract tourists to Kanpur. The administration has involved the Archaeological Survey of India in restoring landmark monuments in the city such as the King Edward Memorial Hall and the Gora Cemetery. Restoration work has also been going on at some of the ghats in Bithoor for the past four months.

“We wanted to promote Kanpur as a tourist destination, and so we took this decision to restore these monuments and places like Bithoor, which have so much historical relevance,” says Avinash Singh, ADM, Kanpur. “More tourists coming to the city will not only put the city on the tourism map, but also give a boost to the hotel and handicraft business in the city. The city administration, KDA and ASI have collaborated and have begun the restoration of historical places like the KEM Hall, Phool Bagh and the ghats in Bithoor. We have completed the first phase of restoration at Patthar Ghat in Bithoor. In the next phase we also plan to restore other ghats. The Kanpur Development Authority is reconstructing the famous Japanese Garden where the department also plans to start a light and sound show soon,” he adds further.

KB Saini, supervisor of the Archaeological Survey Of India who is helping restore the KEM Hall says, “Work is on at full swing at the KEM Hall. Since the hall is under the Kanpur Development Authority, they asked us to restore the building which used to be a recreation centre for the British businessmen and officials before independence. The building was in a dilapidated condition when we started the work but now we have restored almost the entire building and the final work is on.”

Another place which is being spruced up in the city is Phool Bagh, which used to be a lush garden during the British. But after independence the garden suffered great neglect. But now once again the authorities are trying their best to restore the former glory of the garden. Manoj Mishra, executive engineer KDA informs, “We wanted to make our city more beautiful and both the KEM Hall and Phool Bagh are landmarks of the city.”

The Gora Cemetery in Civil Lines has its own history. The cemetery has graves of British officers which had till now, were in a bad condition. The cemetery is also being given a makeover. Giving more information about this is Manoj Kumar Verma, the senior conservation assistant of ASI. “We have specially called masons from Panna and Jalaun, who are experts in restoration work, to work on these graves. The cemetery has almost 800 graves and till now nearly 70% of these have been restored. We have used the same building material and styling that was originally used while making the graves,” says Verma.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Kanpur / by Sumit Jha, TNN / January 11th, 2016

Man who cycled 20,000 km across India suggests recycling waste is way forward

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Education, Green Initiatives / Environment, Inspiration / Positive News and Features, Nature, Records, All, Science & Technology, Sports, Travel
Abhishek Kumar Sharma has submitted his findings with the Centre (TOI Photo)
Abhishek Kumar Sharma has submitted his findings with the Centre (TOI Photo)

Aligarh :

The year will end on a “clean” note for 28-year-old Abhishek Kumar Sharma, a research student of environment at Kanpur University, who began a journey on bicycle in November 2014 to endorse Prime Minister Modi’s Swachh Bharat Abhiyan. Sharma completed the trip on December 22 and has staggering numbers and remarkable insights to talk about.

Sharma covered 20,000 km across 25 states, met chief ministers of 18 (Kerala was the best experience as CM Chandy was readily available), interacted with 402 district magistrates and addressed lakhs of students in over 200 lectures on environment and cleanliness.

Sharma submitted his findings with the Union urban development ministry on ‘How to Make Waste our Wealth’. The first seven days were tough: starting from Uttar Pradesh to Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, he battled cold in December, January and faced extreme heat in May-June in Rajasthan and Gujarat.

In Sharma’s opinion, with sensible solid waste management one can make wealth out of waste. “Mysore is the cleanest city. They have a self-sustainable model of waste management wherein they segregate waste as organic, inorganic, and recyclable. Kachra or junk goes to kabadiwallahs, organic waste is used for bio-fertilizers. I think South India is cleaner than North India,” he said.

Also, on his journey around India he found villages cleaner than cities. “This means educated people litter their surroundings expecting someone to pick it up,” he said. A village in Punjab, which has the same sarpanch for the past 15 years, is mentioned by him because the sarpanch invented interesting ways to keep his surroundings clean and healthy. “He made a biogas plant for all to use free of cost,” Sharma said.

The Smart Cities plan can only be successful if surroundings are clean and waste is managed effectively. “Municipal corporations should go beyond dumping waste – from one site to another, honestly that is all they do. To be able to make wealth out of waste they should segregate waste as organic, inorganic, recyclable and so on and put them to use accordingly.”

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Agra / by Eram Agha, TNN / December 28th, 2015