Category Archives: Arts, Culture & Entertainment

Varanasi weavers now come online

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy, Science & Technology, World Opinion

E-commerce portal Snapdeal.com has tied up with the India Post to launch a pilot project to set up facilitation desks at Varanasi post offices to enable weavers to sell on its platform, a company statement said here Thursday.

This is an endeavour by Snapdeal and India Post to empower local artisans, small and medium entrepreneurs to sustain their livelihood by providing a platform to popularise their indigenous products, the statement said.

“India has a number of unique and highly specialised art forms and weaves; however, with the fast changing fashion trends and readily available products we are losing out on this rich heritage…We believe it is our responsibility to save these dying art forms by providing a platform to artisans and traditional weavers,” Kunal Bahl, chief executive officer and co-founder, Snapdeal.com, said.

“Through this partnership we will take the Banarasi weaves to customers in all corners of the country and extend this platform to include more weavers and artisans of our country,” he added.

India Post has 154,866 post offices across the country with 466,903 employees. The department with its huge network has taken up the role to serve as an agency for delivering products and also playing a vital role in the cash on delivery segment, the company stated.

source: http://www.business-standard.com / Business Standard / Home> News-IANS> Business-Economy / IANS / New Delhi – December 25th, 2014

Pearl Academy hosts discussion on the future of design education in Lucknow

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Education

(L-R) Jyoti Manral, Mark Warner, Nidhip Mehta and Lei Cox
(L-R) Jyoti Manral, Mark Warner, Nidhip Mehta and Lei Cox

Well-known design institute Pearl Academy hosted a discussion with design academicians from around the world on the ‘Future of Design Education.’ The two-day confluence was aimed at stimulating and inspiring participants to foster innovation and creativity in their learning environments.

Global thought leaders and design educators like John Thackara, founder/director of Doors of Perception, MP Ranjan, design thinker, Aditya Dev Sood, founder and CEO of Center for Knowledge Societies and Colin Renfrew, pro-VC and Dean, Manchester Metropolitan University (UK), along with budding professionals from the design world, participated to deliberate on four key themes:

micro and macro trends in the design education and professional landscape
pedagogy of the future
curriculum of the future
learners of the future.

Appreciating the academy’s initiative ‘What’s Next’, Claudio Moderini, director, design, Domus Academy, Milan, said, “This is a great initiative as the creative economy needs design thinkers. A discourse around the future of the learner and the pedagogy of tomorrow is truly the need of the hour.”

Sharad Mehra, CEO, Pearl Academy, said, “Design education in India has matured to a point where it can imagine and contribute within a wider scope and take on complex problems. Design faculty needs to be introduced to a variety of backgrounds and exposure to innovate and new-age tools and methods to provide effective solutions to issues of the society.

Through this two-day World Cafe Style Confluence, we are investing our efforts into sensitizing and informing the design educators about these sweeping changes. With four keynote speakers, eight mentors, 96 participants and eight conversation tables, the confluence concluded with powerful and game-changing ideas with the potential to transform design education going forward.”

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Lucknow / TNN / December 22nd, 2014

Seeking Malihabad’s Jewish connect

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

Lucknow :

Straight aquiline noses, fair skin colour, chiselled features and a probable connection with the Ten Lost Tribes of Israel could be an addition to the identity of Afridi Pathans who have been dwelling in various parts of the erstwhile Awadh since centuries. In a quest to trace the lineage of exiled Israeli tribes, Jewish scholars from the far-off land of Israel have been guests to Malihabad over the years. Attracting world attention yet again, Malihabad will host Dr Ari Greenspan and Rabbi Dr. Ari Zivotofsky from Israel’s Bar Ilan University on Sunday, to assist their quest to understand more about Afridi Pathans’ historical connection to Judaism based on their hypothesis.

According to legend, ten of the 12 Israeli tribes had been exiled by Assyrian invaders in 721 BC, some of whom settled in India. Afridi Pathans, the supposed descendants of one such lost tribe came to India between 1202 and 1761 AD, making Uttar Pradesh their home amongst various other regions.

Barely an hour away from Lucknow, Malihabad has been home to as many as 650 families of Afridi Pathans, who take pride in their warrior genetics, but are in fact averse to the idea of bearing Jewish roots, if there be any.

The idea of Afridi Pathans tracing a Jewish ancestry grabbed attention when the Indo-Judaic studies scholar, Navras Jaat Aafreedi started working on the subject in 2002. Emphasising his thesis and claiming the lineage of Afridi Pathans to Ephraim, Navras himself an Afridi Pathan, managed to irate his kindred back then while proposing the idea of bearing Jewish roots to them.

In an email communication with Navras, the two scholars have explained how they “would like to understand the history and meet any elders who might hold or remember traditions linking the Pathans to the Jews.” It is believed some of the Jewish traditions bear resemblance to the ones followed by the Afridi Pathans.

In 2002, Professor Tudor Parfitt along with his team from the Centre of Jewish Studies, London University had collected DNA samples from the Malihabadi Afridi Pathans. In 2008, Shahnaz Ali, researching on the subject, blood samples collected from the clan, followed by gathering DNA samples in 2009. Result of the research carried out so far has not been made public, but most of the earlier studies worldwide have refuted such claims of heredity.

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

Queen of thumri and much more

Arts, Culture & Entertainment

Kolkata :

She is Appaji to even those in this music loving city who don’t know how she got the name. To Ravi Shankar, she was a little sister, “chhoto bon”. Kishori Amonkor calls her Didi but thinks of her “like mother”. Kabir Chowk at Banaras adorned her with the sobriquet of thumri samragyi while the government showered on her the Padma Bhushan. To the world at large, she’s Dr Girija Devi.

However, more important than the many epithets is the fact that ‘Girija — a Lifetime in Music’ — distills her as both, a vocalist and a guru. For, it’s a tribute by her disciples Debapriya, Samanwaya and Sankalp to the Purab Ang maestro as she turns 86. The film, produced by daughter Sudha Datta and Madhuchandra, was launched at ICCR on Saturday in the presence of Governor KN Tripathi, Pt Vijay Kichlu, Krishna Neotia and Sanjay Budhia while H P Budhia presented her a purse of Rs 1 lakh.

To give one example: Girija Devi asks a disciple to stretch out her arm in the drizzle. “This is rim-jhim puhar, a few notes on your skin. If you sing two-three taans, it will become a shower or downpour. The words of the bandish don’t warrant that,” she imprints the experience on her student’s mind. On another occasion, she sings of a separated lover. “She’s like fish out of water, tarap tarap ke jee rahi. You must imagine the fish gasping for her life breath. Only when you see, feel, experience can you express emotions through your notes.” Clearly the memories of catching fish on the sandy banks of the now polluted Ganga inspires her to date.

Girija Devi, born to a Bhumihar Zamindar in Banaras of 1929, claims kinship with the traditions of Siddheswari Devi, Bismillah Khan, Ravi Shankar, Birju Maharaj, Rajan Saajan Mishra. Making her public debut at AIR Allahabad in 1949, she is an agraj (elder) showing the way to flautist Hari Prasad Chaurasia. As an upper class woman who promised her mother and grandmother she’d never perform mujra (private concerts), she became a faculty member of ITC Sangeet Research Academy – and made Kolkata her second home. Music, as Girija Devi has taught Anjana Nath, Manasi Majumdar, Sunanda Sharma, Malini Awasthi, Dalia Rahut — among so many others — “is more than a weaving together of notes. It is breathing lived life into the words.” Sometimes she does this with sparkling taans, unique embellishments, exquisite artistry.

Sometimes she displays her grasp of tappa and dadra, at other times bhajan and khayal gayaki. But, and always, people flock to listen to her thumri. If Omkarnath Thakur was synonymous with bhajan, Siddheswari was the empress of thumri, she believes. But not once will she disappoint even those who’re alien to the regional characteristics of Kajri, Chaiti, Hori…

Once they sit through her recital, they go home with a profound sense of happiness. As they do after watching Girija – despite its 140-minute duration. Isn’t that ‘ananda’ – aesthetic as much as spiritual – the lakshya of every high art?

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Kolkata / by Ratnottama Sengupta, TNN / December 21st, 2014

Azad’s papers to be kept at archives

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

Allahabad :

Finally after 84-years, the original documents related to the martyrdom of freedom fighter Chandrasekhar Azad would be brought before the world.

The regional archives office here has sought possession of the Village Crime Notebook (VCN) which carries the details of the case lodged against Azad under various sections of Indian Penal Code (IPC) so as to scientifically preserve it.

Researchers and general public would be allowed access to the records after they reach the archives. At present the records are stacked at Colonelganj police station along with other files.

The Village Crime Notebook was maintained by the British between 1910 and 1947. It mentions the case registered against martyr Chandra Shekhar Azad with Colonelganj police station under section 307 of IPC on February 27, 1931.

The sheet has all details including serial number as given in the first information book, date of occurrence, offence, value of properties stolen, recovered, name of the accused, suspected with parentage, caste and residence and result of the case.The case was registered by British against martyr Azad and one of his companions regarding Alfred Park firing incident, in which sub-inspector Rai Sahib Chaudhary Rishal Singh was the investigation officer.

The case was written in Urdu against Chandra Shekhar Azad and one another under section 307 of IPC, with crime number 20/1931. The British had not made any remark on the result of the case but noted down the result of every date on the sheets.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Allahabad / by Vinod Khanal, TNN / December 18th, 2014

Statues of Akbar’s ‘navratnas’ to come up in Fatehpur Sikri fort

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

Agra:

The nine gems of Akbar’s court will soon adorn Fatehpur Sikri Fort, with Agra Development Authority (ADA) and Uttar Pradesh tourism planning to install their statues in the premises of the monument.

Despite his illiteracy, Mughal ruler Akbar appreciated the presence of artists and intellectuals. His passion for knowledge and interest in learning from great minds meant that men of great intellect received patronage from the emperor. Such men went on to constitute the nine courtiers, also known as ‘navratnas’, of Akbar’s kingdom. The navratnas are Abul Fazl, Abdul Rahim Khan-I-Khana, Birbal, Mulla Do-Piyaza Faizi, Raja Man Singh, Raja Todar Mal, Fakir Aziao-Din and Tansen.

According to ASI, Mughal institutions such as the ‘Ibadat-Khanah’, ‘Din-i-Ilahi’, ‘Tarikh-i-Ilahi’ , Jharokha-Darshan, the doctrine of Sulh-i-Kul and policy of liberal patronage to indigenous arts and literatures, were founded here.

Under the plan, the statues of the nine courtiers would be built at a cost of Rs 10 lakh and will be set up in the interpretation centre coming up in the Fort complex. Fatehpur Sikri was the capital of Mughal Emperor Akbar for 13 years, from 1572 to 1585. The complex of monuments was declared a UNESCO world heritage site in 1986.

Dinesh Kumar, regional tourist officer, said, “We plan to install the statues the way Akbar used to hold court meetings with them. Tourists will also be provided information about them in detail. Although the place for their installation has not been finalized yet, we are trying to get it done in the interpretation centre. A meeting with the divisional commissioner will soon be held to get his permission.”

The interpretation centre will provide a glimpse of history and culture of the Mughal era as well as facilitate tourists’ visit to the Fort. Its construction work is likely to be completed by next month, Kumar added.

Perhaps the most famous of the ‘navratnas’ is Birbal, a Brahmin advisor in the court of Akbar. He is mostly remembered in folk tales that focus on his wit.

In 1586, he led an army to crush an unrest in the north-west Indian subcontinent, which failed tragically when he was killed along with many soldiers in an ambush by the rebel tribe.

Towards the end of Akbar’s reign, local folk tales emerged involving his interactions with Akbar, portraying him as extremely clever and witty. Birbal’s defeat was one of biggest military setbacks during Akbar’s reign and his death is said to have caused the Mughal emperor much grief.

In the folk tales, Birbal is mostly shown as being younger than Akbar, religious and surrounded by envious Muslim courtiers. These tales involve him outsmarting them and sometimes even Akbar, using only his intelligence and cunning, often by giving witty and humorous responses and impressing Akbar.

Mulla Do-Piyaza is a character from a series of folk tales featuring the Mughal emperor Akbar and his witty courtier Birbal. Mulla Do-Piyaza, also portrayed as witty, is Birbal’s rival. Even though these folk tales originated at the end of Akbar’s reign (1556-1605), Mulla Do-Piyaza began to appear later, popularized by writers in the late 19th century. Most scholars consider him to be completely fictional.

The next most heard of navratna was perhaps Tansen, a prominent Hindustani classical music composer, musician and vocalist, known for a large number of compositions. He was also an instrumentalist who popularized and improved the plucked rabab (of Central Asian origin). Akbar gave him the title Mian, an honorific, meaning learned man.

Abul Fazal was the vizier of the Mughal emperor and author of the Akbarnama, the official history of Akbar’s reign in three volumes, (the third volume is known as the Ain-i-Akbari). He was the brother of Faizi, the poet laureate of Akbar.

Abdul Rahim Khan-e-Khana, another ‘navratna’ was a poet known for his Hindi couplets and his books on astrology. The village of Khankhana, which is named after him, is located in the Nawanshahr district of Punjab.

A poet and scholar of late medieval India, Shaikh Abu al-Faiz ibn Mubarak was popularly known by his pen-name, Faizi. In 1588, he became the Malik-ush-Shu’ara (poet laureate) of Akbar’s Court. He was the elder brother of Akbar’s historian Abul Fazl. Akbar recognized the genius in him and appointed him tutor for his sons and gave place to him among his decorative ‘navaratnas’.

Man Singh, the Rajput Raja of Amber, a state later known as Jaipur in Rajputana, was a trusted general of the Mughal emperor Akbar, while Todar Mal rose to become the finance minister in Akbar’s darbar. He was born in Laharpur, Uttar Pradesh in a Hindu family.

Faqir Aziao-Din was a mystic and a chief advisor in emperor Akbar’s court. Akbar regarded his advice on religious matters in high esteem.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Agra / by Aditya Dev, TNN / December 14th, 2014

Muzzafar Ali and Dimple Yadav attend Oudh Fashion Summit in Lucknow

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy, Leaders, Uncategorized

Pehnawa – The Oudh Fashion Summit-2014, was organized by CII-Yi, Lucknow Chapter, in the city recently.
Muzzafar Ali and Dimple Yadav
Muzzafar Ali and Dimple Yadav

Muzzafar Ali, who was the guest of honour for the event, earned many wah-wahs for his lines on Lucknow: “Nazakat aur nafasat tujhe virasat mein mili hai, naaz hai humein tujhpe pe ae Lucknow.”

The chief guest on the occasion, MP Dimple Yadav took note of the suggestions made by panelists to improve the work conditions for craftsmen working in the fashion industry, and promised to bring them to her husband and UP CM Akhilesh Yadav’s notice. “Work has already started on courses to train workers in chikankari,” she said.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Lucknow / by Akash Wadhwa, TNN / December 14th, 2014

An ode to Akhtar

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Historical Links / Pre-Independence, Leaders

Vidya Shah / by Special Arrangement
Vidya Shah / by Special Arrangement

The Hindu Lit for Life 2015 – Poetry with Prakriti festival closes tonight with Delhi-based Hindustani classical musician Vidya Shah’s tribute to the music and poetry of the legendary singer Begum Akhtar in her centenary year. Excerpts from an interview with Vidya:

What drew you to Begum Akhtar and her work?

I learnt in the lineage of Begum Akhtar, taught by Shanti Hiranand, one of her senior-most disciples. So I grew up listening to vignettes about her life. Begum’s most important contribution to music was her singing of the ghazal, which is what drew me to her. Through this project, I’d hoped to highlight aspects of her life that reveal her greatness as a person, and the way in which she gave the ghazal a mainstream space in an otherwise hierarchical musical world. And since I’m presenting this at a poetry festival, I will look at the wonderful way in which she understood poetry, and the poets of her time, many of whom she had special relationships with. Her music was very much a part of that poetry, and it shaped her spirit and her singing.

Tell us about the process of creating this concert and its structure.

This concert is my understanding of Begum Akhtar, my perspective on her as a contemporary musician living in these times. I examine who Begum Akhtar was, her journey from being a bai to a begum, and in these journeys how she empowered herself with music and poetry. The performance is woven with a narrative that highlights interesting aspects of her life with anecdotes, some rare and others better known, which reveal how she could make such a fantastic impact on audiences even today. Choosing pieces from her vast repertoire was quite a difficult process. I was often overcome and overwhelmed with greed because I’d want to sing this song and that one too, because there are so many charming pieces she’s done. But ultimately, what I did choose are those that reasonably showcase the versatility of her singing, the richness in her choice of poetry and the journeys she made within her world of music.

What about Begum still resonates with audiences today?

It is musicians like Begum who paved the way for us. We don’t have the social baggage that they carried but we have the opportunities to present similar work. Begum was an assertive, independent feminist, who, despite the struggles in her life, was able to empower herself and others. For instance, in Hindustani classical music, the ritual of the ganda bandhan initiates one into a formal guru-shishya relationship. In her time, it was an entirely male practice. She was one of the first women to do it for her female students. So there was a lot of élan and strength to her as a person, and she found an amazing balance between her joie de vivre, and life’s struggles and sorrows. And that passion shows through in her music. Which is why she will remain relevant forever.

How has creating this project changed you?

Right at the start, I knew I could never reproduce or replicate Begum’s music. That would be impossible. The biggest advantage of her music, though, was the inherent quality that lets you imbibe it, absorb it, understand it, internalise it and make it your own. The project is now a year old and I’m still growing with it, still learning from it. It has given me a lot of humility and it’s been a humbling experience. It has also given me a lot of strength. I can now sense what must have been her greatness. And I’m excited to bring this now to Chennai, being a Tamilian myself, singing Urdu poetry here and sharing the life of a diva who wasn’t from here, but whose story still resonates here. I’m excited to be making that journey for myself.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Features> Lit for Life / by Esther Elias / December 09th, 2014

Muslim family preserves the ancient art form

Arts, Culture & Entertainment

Allahabad :

The family of this 32-year-old Muslim from Dausa in Rajasthan is preserving the country’s ancient folk art form of ‘Bahurupiya’. They dress as Hindu mythological and other traditional characters. His family is engaged in it for five generations.

Meet Mohammad Farid, who and his brothers Naushad, Shamshad, Saleem and Akram are entertaining the crowd at ongoing Rashtriya Shilp Mela since past seven days by dressing up as Lord Krishna, Hanuman, Lord Shiva and 20 other mythological characters. These artistes are the centre of attraction for children and youngsters.

They also dress as women vegetable sellers, tribal man and woman and others. Farid has also been felicitated with ‘Kala Samman’ twice by Central government’s cultural centre, West Zone Cultural Centre in 2008 and 2012. He his brothers only appear in government sponsored fairs across the country.

“The was passed by my forefathers since past five generations. My father passed the art to five of us. I started giving stage performances at the age of 11 years while my first official appearance was at the age of 13,” Farid said.

Naushad said the most difficult part of a ‘bahurupiya’ being that there is no time limit on the stage or arena for performance.

Naushad, Shamshad, Saleem and Akram too started at an early age. It takes around two hours for the make up of mythological characters like Lord Shiva and Hanuman.

They rued that Rs 1,000 per day to the troupe leader and Rs 800 to the members is not sufficient.

“The makeup costs Rs 500. We have to purchase other items from Rajasthan as here the required items are not available,” 29-year-old Naushad, who performs the characters of Lord Hanuman, said. He also dresses a tribal man.

“I want my son to adopt the art but at the same time I want him to study and earn more than me by bagging a job. The renumeration that we get from the art is very low,” Farid said.

Due to the art, he got an opportunity to travel across the country from a nondescript village in Rajasthan.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Allahabad / by Vinod Khanal, TNN / December 09th, 2014

Wool’s worth

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy, Records, All, World Opinion

Rahul Mishra at Evoluzione in Chennai. Photo: M. Moorthy / The Hindu
Rahul Mishra at Evoluzione in Chennai. Photo: M. Moorthy / The Hindu

Designer Rahul Mishra, the first non-European to win the International Woolmark Prize, talks on how his rural roots have inspired his work.

From a thatched-roof, mat-lined school in Malhausi (a village in Uttar Pradesh) that charged Rs. 7 a month as fees to the Istituto Marangoni, a fashion and design institute in Milan that charged around Rs. two lakhs, Rahul Mishra has charted quite a path.

“I didn’t have to pay the two lakhs because I got a scholarship,” laughs the designer who is now based out of Noida. The first non-European to win The International Woolmark Prize earlier this year, the designer was at Evoluzione to showcase The Lotus Effect, his award-winning collection created out of Merino wool.

For this line, Mishra’s turned wool into a summer fabric. “It’s 90 per cent wool and 10 per cent silk. I got extremely fine Merino wool fibre spun. The embroidery is done using wool yarn. I wanted to change the notion that wool is a winter fabric,” he says holding up a pristine white outfit. It’s hard to believe that the sheer, diaphanous fabric is wool. “Even Woolmark Australia could not believe it. My garments passed through all the tests and it was proved this is wool,” he grins, delighted.

Spurred by the honour, the line has travelled across the globe and has been a hit. With its exhaustive intricate embroidery and detailing these delicate garments are like works of art. No wonder then that The Victoria and Albert Museum, London, the keeper of all things fine and valuable has acquired The Lotus Effect in its international category section and intends to archive it.

In white, black, yellow and grey, each of these garments tell a subtle story. The most popular in his collection is a white dress with the tree of life in yellow in front and city life in grey behind. “It got sold off a Munich-based website mytheresa.com in two days,” says Mishra, who made his international presence first through this website. After that it was Harvey Nichols in London. As soon as one enters this high-end store, a large wall with lotus motifs and Rahul Mishra’s name in big bold letters catches the eye. “Finding a space next to Chloe, Balenciaga, Dior and McQueen was dream. This is the first time an Indian designer has been showcased there,” he says.

Colette, Paris too has Mishra, or rather Mischra (that’s how they spell it) in their store. The designer whips out his iPad and eagerly shows pictures of the boutiques where his work is stocked. It’s like sitting with a child who excitedly runs you through his new set of toys. “This, and look at this…and this is what the Australian press wrote,” he smiles, rapidly swiping through the tablet.

Mishra’s philosophy integrates his designs with the craftsmanship of local artisans from villages across India. All the embroidery work for this collection was done by artisans from West Bengal and the rest of the work was done in Chanderi. “We chose the hottest month to develop this fabric. It was in June and the temperature was 50 degrees in Chanderi,” he says. “If we can create this kind of award-winning product with the help of rural artisans then imagine the strength India’s villages have. India shouldn’t be an outsourcing market alone. We need to make “Made in India” happen or rather “Made in the villages of India” happen. “Fashion is not just a glossy, vanity entity. It can help create a better India,” he adds.

Talking about his association with the villages he works with, Mishra is glad to see how their lives have changed for the better. He speaks of a bunch of skilled artisans who were making handicrafts for international luxury brands but living in inhuman conditions in Mumbai. They are now back in their villages, with their families and work from there. “Now they live comfortably and eat a wholesome meal.”

He shows me a picture as proof and a video of an artisan speaking about how happy he is to be working with Rahul bhai. “I learnt from Mahatma Gandhi that you have to become one of them. So when I visit villages I stay in their houses, eat with them, sleep on a charpoy or under the trees. This is where my village upbringing helps me.”

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Features> MetroPlus> Fashion / Priyadarshini Paitandy / December 11th, 2014