Tiny tots celebrate Dasehra
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, October 25
Tiny tots from Shanti Niketan Adarsh Vidyalaya took part in a Dasehra function held here today.

Over 45 students participated. Gayatri got the first prize among pre-KG kids. Atul got the second prize for mimicking Kush. The third prize went to Ajay for the role of Sudama and Sagar for enacting the role of Narad Muni.

Paras, who played the role of Hanuman, stood first among nursery kids. The second prize went to Nancy for the role of Laxman. Karan got the third prize for his role as Shivji.

Among the KG kids, Harsimran got the first prize for mimicking Saroop Rakha, Diksha and Smile got the second prize for the roles of Krishna and Arjun, respectively. Staffy was declared third for her role as Urmilla.

Manmeet got the first prize among Class I students for her role as Shabri. Mohit, who played the role of Bhishma, got the second prize and Kajal was declared third for the role of Mata.

Meanwhile, Students of Springdale Public School, Sherpur Road, celebrated Dasehra at a function here on Thursday.

Students gave lectures on Vijayadashmi. Saajan of Class VI spoke on the lessons to be learnt on Dasehra. Satish, Navjot and Pritpal spoke on the relevance of Dasehra in the modern times. A quiz contest was also held on the teachings of the Ramayana. Later, effigies of Ravana, Meghdoot and Kumbhkaran were burnt.

Contest held on wildlife
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, October 25
As part of the ongoing Wild Animals Safety Week celebrations, divisional office of the Forest Department, Ludhiana, organised an inter-school quiz, painting and essay contest on wild animals at Kirpa Nidhan Public School, here yesterday.

Nearly 80 students from over 10 schools, participated in the competition. In the quiz contest, the host team won the first prize. Team of Government Senior Secondary School, Threka, was declared second, while the team from Sacred Rose Public School, Aman Park, got the third prize.

In the painting contest, all three prizes were won by the host school. Tejinder Pal Singh of Class X bagged the first prize, second prize went to Rajwinder Kaur of Class IX, and Harveer Singh of Class VI got the third prize.

In the essay writing contest, Sharanpreet Kaur of Sacred Rose Public School clinched the first prize, Kamalbir Kaur of Class XI was declared second, and Amandeep Kaur of B.S. Model School, Threka, won the third prize. Mr C.K. Shahi, Divisional Forest Officer, told the students about safety measures to be taken to save wild life and planted saplings on the school campus. 

Sukriti tops PTU in BBA exams
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, October 25
Sukriti Khanna, second semester student of BBA, the Punjab College of Technical Education (PCTE), has secured first position in the course in an examination conducted by the Punjab Technical University this year.

She scored 520 marks out of the total 600. Meanwhile, Vaneet Bansal, from the same college, has bagged fourth position obtaining 500 marks. Namita Sharma got seventh position in the university scoring 483 marks.

In the BBA fourth semester examination, Gautam Sikri has achieved fourth position in PTU by scoring 81.10 per cent, and Aarti Mohinder got ninth position in the university by getting 77.66 per cent marks. Dr K.N. S. Kang, Director of the college, has congratulated the students for their achievement.

CULTURE

Devotees of Godess Durga paying their obeisance in Ludhiana on Thursday.—Photo by rajesh Bhambi.

A glimpse of Bengali culture
Asha Ahuja

Ludhiana, October 25
Bengali women dressed in their traditional sarees and men in ‘dhotis and kurtas’ gathered at Janj Ghar to celebrate Durga Puja. It was a mini-Bengal which opened a window on the rich Bengali culture in this industrial city. The idol of godess Durga, made with perfection, stood majesticaly with devotees kneeling before her in prayer. To keep Durga Ma company were the idols of Ganesh, Kartikeya, Lakshmi and Sarawati.

Bangiya Samsad of Ludhiana has been is celebrating Durga Puja in this city for 39 years. The celebrations this year started on October 22 and will culminate on Dussehra day. The Samsad organises the Puja in a traditional way so that the Bengalis living in and around Ludhiana do not miss the Puja back home and the local residents also get a glimpse of Bengal’s folk culture.

A master craftsman, Ravinder Nath Bankura, with two assistants comes specially from Kolkata to prepare the idols. The team arrives one month in advance with sacksfuls of special clay from Kolkata. The local clay is not found suitable for making the idols. Hence it is brought from their home city.

The Puja starts on the 6th day of Navratras, continues for five days and culminates in immersion of the idols amidst fanfare. On Maha Ashtmi day, a community feast was held for about 700 guests who had come to attend the Puja. Mr A.K. Bhaudry, president of Bangiya Samsad, said: ‘‘The functions are of socio-religious nature. The Bengalis get a chance to meet one another and perform the Puja in their traditional manner’’.

Mr D.K. Sanyal, vice president, said that they arranged different kinds of competitions like alpana (Rangoli), drawing competition and fancy dress competition. Yesterday, women participated in conch-shell blowing competition, known as ‘Shankh Dhwani’ contest. “In the evening, there are cultural programmes based on Rabindra Sangeet and folk dances of Bengal”.

On Vijaya Dashami day, the main Puja starts at 8 in the morning and the priest chants ‘Chandi Path’ in praise of the goddess. Later, married women apply vermillion in the hair of the goddess.

This year, the immersion procession will proceed to Doraha where the idols will be immersed in the Sarhind Feeder. The devotees will return to the venue for the ‘Shanti jal’ ceremony.

Till Diwali, they will keep visiting the homes of friends and relatives to pay respects to the elders. The event will end on October 31 with Lakshmi Puja.