Born on November 13, 1780, Maharaja Ranjit Singh symbolised a resurgent and united Punjab, says Satish K. Kapoor TIME shapes man in its crucible, but there have been men who changed even the course of time and left their footprints on the shores of history. One such monarch in the recent times was Maharaja Ranjit Singh. He did not wear a crown or sit on the throne, ruled in the name of the Khalsa and had secular and cosmopolitan outlook.

Waiting to usher in a new dawn
by Rooma Mehra
IN moments of thoughtfulness, where the panicky harshness of black and white thoughts stands unlinked by any shades of gray to the real, urban world, I wonder if it is truly possible for any big-city-dweller to love the soft, soothing sounds of nature.

ARCHIVED TRIBUNE SPECIAL MAHARAJA RANJIT SINGH: SPECIAL FEATURES & PHOTOS

 

Let the festival of lights light up our lives and spread joy
by Nandita Vij
DIVALI is a festival which lights up hearts, homes and the sky.. Fascinating lights and fireworks enthrall the children, while adults too can feel the spiritual aura of the festival. Since festivals are an integral part of Indian culture, Divali is placed on one of the highest pedestals among them. Feelings of warmth, love and joy pervades through the hearts and a lot of give and take is one of the highlights of the festival.

Sahibs' impressions of Divali
by Pran Nevile
THE British were greatly impressed by the hectic gaiety of the Indians at their fairs and festivals. We come across fascinating accounts of these joyous events by men and women authors. There is also colourful visual record of the events left by the British artists. The festivals imparted intensity to community life and inspired hilarity, feasting and social contacts on a large scale. People spent lavishly on these celebrations.

ON THE SANDS OF TIME — 1979
When romance rubbed shoulders with realism
by M. L. Dhawan
IN Basu Bhattacharya’s Sparsh, Naseeruddin Shah, a blind principal of a school for the blind, falls in love with Shabana Azmi, a young widow whose interest in school is just charitable. They get engaged. Shah’s apprehension that Shabana is acting more out of sympathy than love threatens to scuttle their impending marriage. Their friends help them overcome their pain and pride.

Chandni Bar
A surprise success
by Arun Roy
MADHUR Bhandarkar’s Chandni Bar, which had cost the producers barely Rs 15 million, was shot on a single set in Hyderabad, does not have a single song and worse, is dark and depressing. And yet, it has turned out to be the biggest hit of the festive season.

How about a trout?
by Roshni Johar
THE cool air resounding with roar of water gushing into fish tanks and hanging with a mild ‘fishy’ odour, greets one in Himachal’s Indo-Norwegian Trout Farming Project, lying amidst lush greenery at Patlikuhl, almost midway between Kulu and Manali on National Highway 21.

Was this tribe visited by aliens?
by P. Lal
IT is a star in the constellation Canis Major in the southern sky. Its astronomical name is Sirius. It is also known as the Dog Star. The name comes from the days when it rose during the dog days i.e. the hot months of July and August. It is 8.5 light years away from us (one light year equals 9.46 billion kms).

NATURE: Grizzly bears are at right place, right time
by Nutan Shukla