COURTS

Enrolment of new members in Sanatan Sabha
 legal: Court
Jatinder Sharma

Rohtak, December 13
The Additional District Judge, Mr Shiva Sharma, today held that the enrolment of 34 new members in the Sanatan Dharma Sabha was prima facie legal and in accordance with the right conferred on the Executive Committee by the amendment of the constitution of the sabha.

Disposing of the petition filed by Mr Puran Chand Chugh and Mr Ashok Kumar Sachdev, two life members of the sabha, the judge said that so long as the amendment of the constitution was not declared ultra vires, the enrolment of 34 new members would continue to be legal.

The constitution of the sabha, the judgement said, had been duly approved by the Registrar, Firms and Societies, Haryana.

The Sanatan Dharma Sabha, which controls the prestigious Durga Bhavan here, was founded by Swami Gurcharan Dassji Maharaj as a religious society and was registered under the Indian Registration Act, 1860. After the death of Swami Gurcharan Dass, his disciple, Swami Laxman Dass Yati, became the patron of the sabha.

Swami Laxaman Dass Yati, in exercise of the powers conferred in him under the constitution of the sabha, had nominated members to the general house of the sabha on December 4, 1989, September 12, 1991 and March 14,1994. The nomination of the members was challenged and this was decreed.

But the appeal filed against the said judgement was dismissed on September 14, 1995. The petitioners have alleged that 24 members of the sabha were nominated vide letter dated October 22, 1999 and five members vide letter dated June 12, 2000, by Swami Laxman Dass Yati as patron of the sabha.

These nominations were also challenged and the suit was still pending.

The Sanatan Dharma Sabha and its president, the appellants alleged, had intended to invite 34 new members to take part in the general house meeting fixed for July 1 last to approve the proceedings of the last meeting.

In fact, the meeting of July 1 was called to get the enrolment of 34 members approved.

Mr Shiva Sharma said that so far as allowing 29 members to cast their votes was concerned, the matter was already sub judice and this court did not feel the necessity of delving deep into that controversy.

The judge also vacated the stay order issued by him on December 8 regarding the counting of votes and declaration of results.

The judge had stayed the counting of votes and declaration of results till the final disposal of the petition. The elections to the sabha were held on December 9.

CULTURE

MUSIC ZONE
Punjabi girl gives soul-stirring performance
Rana A Siddiqui

AS sports is an exercise for the body and mathematics that for the mind so is music exercise for the soul, thus said Socrates. And what if this music consists of folklore that transcends all boundaries of borders, religion, race, caste and creed? The outcome is, of course, the soul-stirring experience that lasts for long and finds a space in treasured memories.

To treat Delhi’ites to such euphonic music that is fading fast, engulfed in re-mixes and pop, Commune Globus Art Foundation, founded by a very young Vikram Sharma, a guitar player and the leading player of the rock band Eternity Minstrel and Kozmosynk, showcased a celebration of music of folk diva Reshma. Vinamrata Singh, a disciple of Surendra Bharti of Gwalior Gharana and versatile singer of diverse style from classical to fusion, ghazal and folk music, voiced these Sufi folk songs. The presentation was a part of the foundation’s New Age Virtuoso Concert Series titled Gypsy Soul, held at India Habitat Centre this week.

Dressed in a faun coloured silk suit and a bright red/faun dupatta, Vinamrata started with the famous Punjabi folk number Nayyio Lagda Dil Mera, which soon had the entire Punjabi-packed hall vibrating with life. Tu Mil Jaave, Dukh Murjhande, Nain Tere Bin Nit Kur Ronde, was the next rendition setting the apt melancholic environs. While the singer exchanged a coy smile with her accompanists, Arshad Chawdhary on the israj, Nawab Ali on the tabla, Mohd. Nizaam on the harmonium and Mohan Arya on the tambourine and Maraccus, extending a silent applause on their perfect coordination with her, the audience craved for a direct glance from her.

By her third and Reshma’s most famous number in India, Lambi Judai, the shy singer had gained enough confidence to meet her audience eye-to-eye.

Boonda Te Baras Reyan, her next rendition, had the mostly elderly audience swaying and tapping their feet, more so, as the girl, dressed up modestly, carried herself elegantly enough to please the elderly. Furthermore, she received the applause politely, without giving the impression that she deserved the acclaim in any case!

Picture-perfect, Singh had enough to please the young rank and file, struck by Cupid’s arrow. Thus, her Mainu Isq Ho Gaya Lokon, Mai Duniya Navi Vasai, and a ghazal Aaashiyaane Ki Baat Karte Ho, Dil Jalane Ki Baat Karte Ho and Dil De De drew maximum attention from the audience. The most euphonic number had some foreigners attracted to the auditorium, who, finding no place to sit, made themselves comfortable on the floor, a little away from the main stage.

Her last number, the famous Sufi rendition in praise of Hazrat Ali, Damadum Mast Kalandar, Ali Da Pahla Number had the entire audience clapping and singing with her.

The musical evening, captivating for its aura of good renditions, was more enticing because it was sans any pompousness of skin-hugging attires, ear-stroking beats and meaningless fast songs to magnetise the masses. Modesty pays–in terms of satisfaction of the soul. The evening too paid. A rare happening these days–it pleased the elderly audience.

ARTSCAPE
Colours that provide solace and encourage musing

A journey to the world of vibrant colours becomes meaningful if the colours, besides providing a cheerful atmosphere, also leave something to be pensive about. The group exhibition of paintings, namely Golden Touch, by B. N. Arya, B. N. Shukla, Rajiv Mishra, Rajendra Prasad, Vinod Vishwakarma, Lalit Gopal Parashar and Naval Kishore Rastogi at Defence Colony, leaves some space for the same.

While Rajendra Prasad, a twin winner of the All- India Award instituted by the UP State Lalit Kala Academy and Chancellor’s Bronze Medal (Lucknow University), paints themes of complexities in human lives, the presence of masks in his works lends them an enigmatic appearance. The recurring theme of waters, landscape, homes and masks woven in limited, luminous shades captures attention. Take for example, his exploitation portrays a mask, a hatching egg and a shield, all connected with a pipe. The limited colours of yellow, mauve and magenta make things lucid and easy on the eyes.

The renowned B. N. Arya’s simple village girl (Gaon ki Gori /oil on canvas) is a beautiful damsel, paled under hardships of life. His Ghutan reminds more of Dante’s imaginative purgatory, coming out of which is as easy as from a whirlpool. Thus, the eyes trapped in suffocation bleed and cry! Aptly coloured in dark shades of brown, red and purple. Arya, felicitated with Kalashiromani (Calcutta) and Saraswati (Mysore) awards along with many others is also a recipient of several gold and silver medals from Lucknow, Mysore, Calcutta and Delhi. Rajiv Mishra, a research scholar in critical study in Indian modern wash method, is also a poet. His paintings are a good mix of melancholy and exhilaration. Where on one hand, his Rango ke Beech shows singing, merry making, village folk in the brightest of attires, on the other hand his Voh Gaya is just the opposite. A lovelorn woman, watching her beloved vanishing from her sight, perched upon a tree. His works have much in common with artists portraying folk life and do not attract much. Some of his works are enumerated as precious collections in the USA and Pakistan also.

Young Vinod Vishwakarma’s Bhookump and other paintings are a fresh change from ever-repeated portraits of common human forms. His poor man, suffering from the ravages of the earthquake, reminds one of Yeats’ poems, that moans, `Things fall apart, the centre cannot hold…’ Nature, in ink and pen, by Lalit Gopal Parashar, B. N. Shukla’s bright interplay of colours in his oil on canvas and Naval Kishore’s women are the other attractions at the gallery.