The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Chandigarh Stories

COURTS

Bar council may get extension on office use
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, November 16
The Bar Council of Punjab and Haryana is likely to get extension for operating from its office on the District Court premises in Sector 17. As per orders of the UT Deputy Commissioner, the council was to vacate its office on November 15.

The Chairman of the Bar Council of Punjab and Haryana, Mr Anmol Rattan Sidhu, said the council had met the UT District and Sessions Judge, Mr H.S Bhalla, in this regard. He added that Mr Bhalla had assured the council that he would meet the UT Deputy Commissioner on Monday to discuss the problem.

Mr Sidhu further informed that the council had deposited Rs 45,000 with the previous application on March 3, 1998, with the Administration. They would get the plot soon, he added.

The council does not own any plot or building in Chandigarh. It had sent a letter to the UT Home Secretary, the UT Finance Secretary, the UT Administration and the Finance Secretary for allotment of a site for the construction of Law Bhavan in Chandigarh.

The Bar Council of India (BCI) had directed the Bar Council of Punjab and Haryana not to deal with any policy or financial matters. The action of the BCI had come after eight members of the council had challenged the election of the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the council.

The BCI had also issued a notice to the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the council for November 20. The council had also received five more complaints against advocates for violating the rule prohibiting advocates of the high court from visiting district courts for procuring work.

CULTURE

Reshma bares soul of rustic rhythms
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 16
Sand dunes speak in the language of music, so do the waves of ocean. Music, like blood, flows through the body of this world and knits it so strongly that geographical boundaries fail to dilute the warmth this bond begets. That explains why Tagore Theatre was packed to the capacity today and also why many cheeks were bedewed with tears when Reshma struck one painful melody after another.

Decades might have passed by Reshma, but she still manages to trap the robust tunes, so basic to the desert land of Rajasthan, a place of Reshma’s belonging. Though at times her voice appeared a little wrinkled today, in the end it was just about soul and heart. With all its elements it touched the soul hard...had enough to cause pain.

Difficult as it to explain how words and music team up to play with human emotions, it’s difficult to put Reshma’s soulful music into soulless phrases. For music can only be lived; it can never be measured or judged. All one can comfortably state about today’s show is that Reshma did fair justice to her reputation of being “the queen of high notes”. Her voice took off from the troughs and soared high to ride the crests, springing before the audience an ocean of melody...

...A melody which transcended the borders between Pakistan and India and found home in Bikaner, which Reshma calls her home. Paying a tribute to her early years as a singer, Reshma commenced the concert with the inimitable “Dama dam mast kalandar”, a song which forms an inseparable part of her childhood. Then came the love-lorn lyrics, set into music by her composer husband Khan Mohammad sahib who was present with Reshma today “Kithe nain na jodin” wove a nostalgic web which kept becoming stronger as Reshma doled out one song after another. Today’s musical repertory comprised two Rajasthani folk songs, the legendary “hai oye rabba”, and the final jewel in the shape of “Chaar dina da pyaar o rabba badi lammi judai”...

Two ghazals, which formed a part of the performance organised by the Haryana Cultural Welfare Department were...”Aashiane ki baat karte ho” by Reshma and “Gulon mein rang bhare”...by Khan Mohd Sahib.

Accompanying Reshma were Khan Mohd sahib on the harmonium, Sanjiv Kapoor on the keyboard, Sushant Sharma on the guitar, Mehmood Khan on the tabla and Santosh Kataria on the dholak.

Blending emotions with reality is his forte
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, November 16
“Contrary to the popular belief that poetry deals only with romance and dreams, it actually has a direct bearing on life”, said Prof Vijay Vishal, a multi lingual poet and Head of English Department, G G D S D College, Baijnath, while delivering a talk on “Poetry with a positive purpose” at DAV College, Sector 10 here today.

Delivering the talk in connection with the release of his second book “Parting Wish” which will be available in the market soon, Prof Vishal said poetry had its roots in day-to-day living and was an effective tool in awakening our dormant self.

“Parting Wish” is a collection of 36 of his thought provoking poems that depict a rich blend of emotion with harsh reality. The title poem “Parting Wish” — though a tribute to his departed wife, the touching narration of her battle with death raises the poem from personal to an ideal level.

The poems are based on themes of perennial human interest of everlasting significance, said the poet adding that it was an attempt on his side to make the readers think on the line of ‘self, society and humanity’. The range of poem stretches from social criticism to universalism, female exploitation to male hegemony to hypocrisy to spiritual awakening and humanism.

Prof Vishal who writes in English, Hindi and Punjabi is already an established poet with his first publication “Speechless Messages” , published by Writers workshop in 1992. His name has also figured in Poets Encyclopaedia (eighth edition) brought out by the International Biographical Centre, Cambridge, London.

Prof Vishal who is also closely associated with AIR, Shimla, Jalandhar and Dharamsala and Doordarshan, Jalandhar for his recitation of poems in Hindi and English is all set to publish his third book “Ehsaas” which is a collection of 50 selected poems in Hindi including a few ghazals in Hindustani.

Classical melodies lost at pop ‘planet’
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, November 16
Taking a break from the usual Punjabi pop scene , Planet M in Sector 17 today presented Sunanda Sharma, an upcoming vocalist in Hindustani Classical Music of Benaras Gharana which incidentally failed to attract much crowd to the performing hall of the music house here this evening.

As the singer started the evening with the “Khayal” “Piya bin lage na” preserving the pure melody of raaga Megh, the young crowd who could not adjust to the sudden transition from pop aura the hall radiates to the poor representation of a classical ambience surely felt ill at ease.

However, the lack of proper ambience was more than made up by Sunanada who with an open voice showed excellent command over her next item “tappa” — an energetic musical form coated with an classical essence whose roots can be traced back to the folk of Punjab. Her voice rose and fell in perfect sync as she sang “Oh miya.”

Sunanda, is a regular performing artist on Doordarshan and Zee TV besides being the panel artist for ICCR and SPIC MACAY. Awarded with the Outstanding Young Person Award by Indian Junior Chamber for her contribution towards Hindustani Classical Music, Sunanda has laid another milestone in the list of her achievements with her recently released album “Dharohar.”

Born in a traditional and illustrious family of musicians, Sunanda received her early training in Hindustani Classical Music by her father Sudarshan Sharma. It was her eight years training by her guru Padma Bhusan Girija Shankar under the traditional guru shishya parampara that atuned her with the fineries of Benaras Gharana like khayal, thumri, tappa, dadra and other forms unique to this gharana.

Oh brother! these brothers
Saurabh Malik
Tribune News Service

The legend:

On this day Yama — the god of death — visited his sister Yami and she applied tilak on his forehead before exchanging gifts. Yama, before leaving, announced that any one receiving tilak from his sister on this day would be blessed and taken care of. Since then, the day is observed Bhaiya Duj as a symbol of love between the brothers and sisters.

Chandigarh, November 16
A little more freedom — that is all undergraduate Zoya wants from her over-protective, not-so-understanding, personal bodyguard in guise of a brother as she applies tilak on his broad forehead on Bhaiya Duj.

In a voice choked, more with fear than with emotions, she utters: “Bhai, instead of giving me a gift this Bhaiya Duj, promise you will not hurl all those loathsome abuses at me every time I wear ‘rich’ apparel to the college. Also, you will not fight with me if you ever see me at a fast food joint with my college friends.”

The reason for her anxiety is not so hard to see. Every time she plans to bunk classes, and go for a bash, she waits for her brother to leave for his college on his macho 350 cc bike. Only then, she slips into her favourite long skirts with impressive slits. Meticulously avoids going to his preferred joints, lest he sees her in a skirt and starts scolding her right in front of her acquaintances.

Nevertheless, her troubles do not end here. Sometimes poor Zoya is forced to miss the last twirl around the polished dance floor in a discotheque in an attempt to reach home before Raghu arrives.

She, unfortunately, is not the only one suffering from “brotherly troubles”. Her best chum, Vaishnavi, too is a victim of “atrocities” committed by domineering brother in shining leather jacket. A Miss World aspirant, she cannot even go to Panjab University Student Center as her elder brother Rahul is always sitting on a comfortable plastic chair under the rejuvenating shade of a dense tree, sipping coffee. Even when he is not there, his vigilant friends are constantly present to tell tales sprinkled with ‘spicy’ details. She just cannot take chances. “How will I ever fill up the forms for the beauty pageant?” is her constant worry.

Parents, she knows, are “not much of a problem for they can be convinced”. “Daddy will gladly permit me to do whatever I want to,” Vaishnavi asserts. “It is my brother who is always throwing spanners.”

Explaining the trend, a young psychologist, Neeta Vashistha, says “Parents in Chandigarh are mostly liberal. This is particularly true in cases where both father and mother are working. Whatever little time they get from their busy schedule goes into pampering the youngsters. As a result, the kids are permitted to indulge in seemingly harmless activities like attending bashes and even walking down the ramp. In the absence of parental checks, elder brothers assume the role of a protector. Otherwise also, being a part of the society they are aware that the world is not as harmless as it appears”. So girls, remember ‘boys will be boys’ and try to make the best of the circumstances.

Exhibition on Lord Mahavira
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 16
The Chandigarh Administration will organise an exhibition on Bhagvan Mahavira: The Victor with Non-Violence” on the occasion of his 2600th birth anniversary celebrations in tandem with the Chandigarh Jain Maha Sangh.

A spokesman of the Administration said the Punjab Governor, Lt-Gen J.F.R. Jacob, who is also the Administrator of Chandigarh, would inaugurate the exhibition on November 21 at the Government Museum and Art Gallery.

He said during the inaugural function, Prof D.C. Bhattacharya, eminent art historian, would speak on “Lord Mahavir in Indian Art and Culture” and Agamgyata Up-parvartak Shri Jotermdra Muniji will give his “pravachan”.

The Governor would release two colour reproductions of folios of the Kalpasutra manuscript of 16th century A.D. and a contemporary painting of Bhagvan Mahavira painted by known artist Sumant Shah and also flag off the museum exhibition mobile van mounted with the photo exhibition: “Lord Mahavira in pictorial presentation”

At the exhibition collection from the Government Museum and Art Gallery, in the form of Kalpasutra manuscript, Indian miniature paintings, relics, medieval Indian sculptures and photographs would be displayed.

The exhibition will remain open for public till April 25 next year between 10 a.m. and 4.30 p.m., except on Mondays and holidays.