Ghalib's 210th birth anniversary celebrated

        New Delhi: A three-day festival is being held to honour renowned Urdu poet Mirza Ghalib. Urdu poets from Pakistan too are attending. Several ardent fans of Ghalib performed in a play depicting facets of his life, and the circumstances in which some of his best works were written. The three-day 'Yadgar-e-Ghalib' (In memory of Ghalib) festival is being held in Chandni Chowk in Old Delhi, where Ghalib lived. Born Mirza Asadullah Khan on December 27, 1797 in Agra, he changed his name to Mirza Ghalib after he began writing Urdu couplets. Known for using his poetry to speak of pain, anger, anguish and humour Ghalib was also honoured by the last Mughal Emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar. "In that time, Ghalib's poetry, contained all elements of Urdu poetry, the jagiriyat' (assessing quality) and 'riwayat' (culture) in Urdu are all his contributions. He was the greatest poet ever. Therefore, I would like to congratulate everybody for organizing such a beautiful function," said Bekal 'Utsahi', an Urdu poet. Visiting poets from Pakistan also described Ghalib as magical, a man who transcended time and space. "Ghalib is alive wherever there are lovers of Urdu. He is a poet of every era. He was born in the eighteenth century, and was the greatest poet of his time. Ghalib was there in the nineteenth century, Iqbal (another poet) was in the twentieth century, but these are poets who belong to every century," said Ahmed Faraz, Pakistan's most acclaimed Urdu poet. The poems of Mirza Ghalib have been sung by almost all ghazal singers over a period of time. Ghalib died on February 15, 1869, and spent his last days in absolute penury.
- December 28, 2006

Bharatanatyam practitioner sets world record
by Jaikumar

        Salem (Tamil Nadu): A man from Tamil Nadu's Dharmapuri town has achieved an unusual feat of performing Bharatanatyam, a classical dance form of South India, for 108 hours non-stop, which he claims should merit being recorded in the Guinness Book of World Records. M.Sridharan, a dance teacher by profession in Salem in Tamil Nadu, danced to 1,468 musical tunes continuously for almost five days that commenced from December 20th. He claims to have broken to have the previous record of dancing for 100 hours set by Arulanantham Suresh Joachim, a Canadian of Sri Lankan Tamil ancestry. However, there was no independent verification of his claim of creating or breaking a world record. "Previously a record of 100 hours was made by Joachim of Canada in individual dancing. I have broken it now," said Sridharan. Hailing from a middle-class family, Sridharan always wanted to do something distinct in life. And, that was the reason why he learnt Bharatnatyam so that he could one day popularise it worldwide. "Bharatnatyam", which was born centuries ago in the temples of South India, is a highly complex art form. It utilises the dancer's movements and facial expressions to illustrate a story set to a subtle musical piece. It is also the most widely practised classical dance form in southern India beside being the most ancient of all the classical dance forms performed in India, which are based on Natya Shastra, the Bible of the classical Indian dance.
- December 26, 2006

Sahir Ludhianvi: Recitation by poets from Asia, America
by Karan Kapoor

        Ludhiana: Poets from India, Pakistan and the United States recited verses of legendary Urdu poet and Hindi lyricist Sahir Ludhianvi of Kabhi-Kabhi fame, at the Jashn-E-Sahir function held here recently. The function is organised annually by Adib International in memory of poet and lyricist Sahir Ludhianvi, whose creations are still one of the most favourite pieces of creativity in Bollywood, the Hindi film industry of India. "The annual event Jashn-E-Sahir is organised in the memory of lyricist Sahir Luhianvi, who earned so much fame for Ludhiana and Punjab. This function is dedicated to his poetry and songs," said Keval Dhir, General Secretary, Adib International. "I honestly believe that life cannot persist without couplet. No matter how far the scientific development be, it is necessary for people to give importance to the spirituality. Couplets will last till heart will remain alive in human beings, till love will persist in the world. It is a perpetual process," said Iftkhar Nasim, a participant from Chicago (USA). Pakistani poet Ata-ul-Haq Kasmi said that the lyrics and couplets have always been part of the society. "I think, good prose is written in India and good couplets are written in Pakistan. But, the difference in the situation of the two countries are always expressed in them," said Ata-ul-Haq Kasmi, a Pakistani poet, who was crowned with Sahir Award. Born in Ludhiana in 1921, Sahir Ludhianvi penned numerous lyrics for Hindi films, many of them still considered the favourite of GenX. He died in 1980. Sahir's lyrics turned immortal songs after being supported by the magical music composers of the likes of Naushad, Ravi, Madan Mohan, Sachin Dev Burman, Jaidev, Gulam Ahmed and singers such as Talat Mehmood, Mohammed Rafi, Manna Dey, Hemant Kumar and many other top class individuals.
- December 18, 2006

Manipur courtyard theatre for reform
by LCK Singh

        Manipur: Shumang Leela is a 'courtyard theatre' in Manipur which is seen as a vehicle of social and religious movement. The community-based theme and style of Shumang Leela is attracting a large number of people in comparison to modern stage theatre, which is performed for a select audience. Shumang Leela, the traditional courtyard theatre of Manipur, a play where men enact various roles of women, is on a reviving spree among Manipuris. In Shumang Leela, the women characters are actually played by male artistes. Women are generally not allowed to participate in this traditional art form. However, women are allowed to form their own theatre groups, which should have only female participants. The main motive of the Shumang Leela is to educate while entertaining people on various issues, both local and international. "The Shumang Leela is a mirror of Manipuri society. Through entertainment, we deliver a slice of our real life to the people. At the end of the day, it is an art form and spreads awareness. I have joined it, as I feel strongly about social causes," said Sorokhaibam Brojendra, an artist. Under this theatre, a band of 12-13 professional artists perform the 'Leela'. These troupes may be exclusively female, or male, in which case it is termed as 'Nupa Shumang Leela'. The attractive part is that the latter enjoys a greater degree of popularity due to the intriguing enactment of female roles by male artists. "It does not distinguish gender, but inculcates the spirit of peace and harmony that is shown in our activities in which we believe in," said Khwairam Saibi, another artist. Performed in an area of 13 by 13 feet in an open pavilion, it does not use any heavy props or set designing, barring few chairs and tables. However, this popular rural dance form faces a shortage of talented female artists, and to overcome this, a state council organised an event called 'Shumang Leela 2006, Miss and Mister Contest' to hunt fresh talent. "The Manipur state 'Shumang Leela' Council arranged this event as there was a dearth of male performers for female roles. They wanted to give a platform for more males to come forth and test their skills. This event was an occasion for male dancers like me to showcase our talents," said Thoibi, a participant. Shumang Leela, has its origin in the mid-19th century, when it was known as Phagee Leela, an out and out comedy. That time, only religious and historic plays were staged. But in the '70s, music and songs were introduced into it, and ever since, it has gained in popularity. "Shumang Leela acts as a mirror of the society at large in Manipur. The performances filled with entertainment draws a lot of people and evoke inquisitiveness to learn about the realities of life. Its purpose is to spread awareness among people about various facets of life. That is why I have decided to join," said Sarokhibam Robindro, another artiste. Courtyard theatre has been providing a platform to a lot of talented youngsters including men, in performing arts. The young boys of the State have been seen leading a different lifestyle. Most of the boys get engaged either in the profession of make-up artistes or try acting in the courtyard theatre. Similar to theatres and films, the director plays a vital role in the successful performance of Shumang leela. His job is to take care of every act to be performed on the stage. In some of the Shumang Leela groups there are choreographers who help in improving upon the steps or sequence of the dance. But many people believe "Shumang Leela" was enacted in 1918 for the first time. It was recorded as 'Harischandra Leela' at that time. However, the basic concept of the "Leela" dates back to the era of King Chandrakriti (1851-1886) when it used to be organised in clown form.
- December 7, 2006

Amitabh Bachchan steals the show at Baabul premiere
by Siddhi

        Mumbai: The premiere of Baabul held here on Wednesday night was a big star studded event. But the cynosure of all eyes on the occasion once again was superstar Amitabh Bachchan. Also present of the occasion was the entire star cast of the "Baabul" including the gorgeous Rani Mukherjee, who is playing main actress in the film The film "Baabul" revolves around a father-in-law (played by Big B) who loses his son in an accident and how he strives to bring back happiness in the life of his daughter-in-law (Rani Mukherjee). "The first thing which comes in the mind with the word "Baabul" is about a father. A father who really is a loving, caring, doting and a father in a true sense," said, Rani Mukherjee who plays the role of the daughter in law. Directed by Ravi Chopra of the 'Baghban' fame, Baabul is all set to hit cinema halls on Friday (December 8). "It is very great. We Indians are somewhat different from the rest of the people around the world. The emotions we have are different from the rest. We have an emotional base and a value system and till the time we do not tell others about there would be no joy," Ravi said. The Indian film industry, valued at about 1.75 billion dollars in 2006, is forecast to nearly double to 3.4 billion dollars by 2010, according to estimates by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), the largest of the Big Four auditors in the world.
- December 7, 2006

Naga culture: Delhi gets a glimpse
by Sanjay Kumar

        New Delhi: Nagaland is the most diverse among the north-eastern states, in culture and tradition with as many as 30 tribes. A two-day Naga festival organised by the Nagaland Tourism here, recently, showcased the rich culture and heritage of Nagaland. "The main purpose of the event is to create awareness so that people here in Delhi are aware of our culture. Because we cannot just verbally tell them right, so we decided to show them, not only hear it, see it, feel it and experience it," said Merenla, an artist. Metsi, another artist, said, "Since this is the capital of India where everybody is here and this is the best place that the Nagas can expose their culture to the world, to the Nagas and to India as a whole". Making their presence felt in more ways than one, different tribes and sub-tribes of Nagaland performed cultural dances and sang traditional songs. Nagaland Government Commissioner and Secretary Khekiye K Sema said, "We also need to learn a little bit about ourselves. While we try and learn about ourselves our culture and so on and so forth pass on to the younger generations". "We bring in all the 16 tribes showcasing the traditional culture. And all the Naga traditional sports and games are displayed at various stages. This is what we want others to come and enjoy. Because that's where the learning experience begins for everybody," Sema added. The participants were mainly Naga students studying in New Delhi. It was a time for others to discover and for them to showcase their traditions to the new generation. "Of course you feel proud you know it's high time for the north- east to come into the limelight and take up the opportunities. We are going on a high and we hope to remain at a high," Nutsevelu Mercy, an artist Some of the renowned musicians like Nise Meruno, who has revolutionised the world of music in Nagaland also participated in the show. Nise's intelligent amalgamation of western classical and traditional music, added to the magic of the evening. "It has been a really good experience and I think not only for myself but for those who have been here - the audience. I think they have seen a very different perspective a different angle because what people know of Nagaland is only politics and corruption but there is more to Nagaland and there is more about Nagas. So many beautiful things happening and this is just a glimpse of what we have back home," said Nise. The fest also gave a chance to the Nagas to get back to their culture. "The festival not only highlights the Naga culture but also educates the youngsters on culture because youngsters of today are forgetting their own culture. There is hardly any platform to showcase our culture. Because of the strong forces of westernisation the Nagas are not able to practice their culture. So the festival not only highlights the culture but also gives a chance to the Nagas themselves to get back to their culture," Walunil said. While the festival was a treat for the Delhiites, it was also one of the rare occasions for those living far from home to feel connected to their roots. Nagaland borders the States of Assam and Manipur to the west, Arunachal Pradesh to the northeast, and Myanmar to the east. The state capital is Kohima, and the largest city is Dimapur. With a population of nearly two million people, it has a total area of 16,579 km - making it one of the smallest states of India. A large population of Naga inhabits Assam. Nagaland is rich in flora and fauna. About one-sixth of Nagaland is under the cover of tropical and sub-tropical evergreen forests - including palms, bamboo and rattan as well as timber and mahogany forests Tribe and Clan traditions and loyalties plays an important part in the life of Nagas. Weaving is a traditional art handed down through generations in Nagaland. Each of the major tribes has its own unique designs and colors, producing shawls, hand-woven shoulder bags, decorative spears, tablemats, woodcarvings and bamboo works. Tribal dances of the Nagas give an insight into the inborn reticence of the people. War dances and dances belonging to distinctive tribes are a major art form in Nagaland.
- December 4, 2006

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