Students scared of wires
From Our Correspondent

CHANDIGARH, Dec 13 — The classrooms in Government High School, Sector 41, are a shamble. The five storied building is dirty and in poor condition. Switchboards in almost all the classrooms are smashed. Even doors of the classrooms were either cracked or worn out.

The toilets stink. The school presents a run down look.

In spite of two gardeners, the campus is full of weeds and wild vegetation. Many don’t play in the ground for fear of contracting skin diseases.

Some students revealed that they have good time in the absence of teachers, but feared naked wires hanging out from switchboards.

Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar recreated
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Dec 13 — The cinema hall resounded with the divine chant of Buddham Sharanam Gachhami. As the scene of thousands of Dalits embracing Buddhism on a single call of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar flashed across the screen of Jagat theatre (the venue for screening of the film today), one got the first feel of the great visionary that Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar was.

Jabbar Patel’s film Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar left strong impressions on the mind and by time the movie met its climax, it seemed that a lot of dust, which long blurred pages of the Indian history, had cleared. The three hours through which the film spanned gave a deep insight into the politico-social conditions prevalent in India between 1901 and 1956. It reflected the caste-ridden, the ethinically marooned and the religiously-dissected India which Babasaheb swore to transform into a land of equality.

The film bases itself on the struggle for social rights which about 70,000 Dalits of the country were fighting under the guidance of their mentor Dr Babasaheb. While the national struggle for freedom spearheaded by Gandhi was better known, the internal struggle which had a shudra hero at its root was little known. The film carried strong overtones of resentment that brewed between Gandhi and Dr Ambedkar who despised Gandhi as ‘‘no saint’’. Dr Ambedkar had gone to the extent of saying: ‘‘Don’t fall under his spell. He is not God. Mahatmas have come and Mahatmas have gone but untouchables have remained untouchables.’’

The characters in the film are strong and extremely well-suited. South’s superstar Mammootty in the role of Babasaheb Ambedkar has recreated the magnificence of spirit that was. Sonali Kulkarni plays her best as Rama, Ambedkar’s wife. Mohan Gokhale as Gandhi is equally convincing.

The film scores in acting and perspective. Events have been reproduced to the minutest of detail. Differences between Gandhi and Dr Ambedkar have been voiced in gripping dialogue between the two political stalwarts.

The film is an extension of the documentary which Jabbar made on the life of Ambedkar way back in 1989. The powerful performances by Mammooty also won him a national award. Nitin Desai also won a national award for art direction. Script of the film is by Sooni Tarapoorevala, Arun Sandhu and Late Daya Pawar; costume by Bhanu Athaiya, make up by Vikram Gaikwad and music by Amar Parshuram Haldipur.

Haryanvi dances, songs all the way
Tribune News Service

PANCHKULA, Dec 13 — The closing ceremony of the two-day seventh Haryana State Youth Festival attracted a large audience at Yavnika in Sector 5, here today. Folk dances and folk songs marked the conclusion of the programme.

Representing all 19 districts of the state, the youth festival provided an opportunity to select teams for the national youth festival scheduled to be held in January at Manipur.

Essentially a Haryanavi show, with absolutely no entries for either dances or songs from other states, there was little difference in what the teams staged during the programme offering no variety.

The Haryana Transport Minister, Mr Ashok Kumar Arora, distributed prizes to the winners of the competitions. He said there was a need to promote Haryanavi culture and help carve a niche for Haryanavis at the national level. He added that promotion of youth and cultural programmes was required to channelise the energy of the youth.

Earlier, the Director, Sports and Youth Welfare, Dr B.K. Sinha, highlighted youth welfare activities of the department.

In the folk dances category, the first prize went to the team from Ambala for a dance on “Odh pehar pani ne gai the, aya pya re mera chota virenia’’, Jind was second and Hisar was placed third.

Manipal of Kaithal bagged first position, Ambala got second position and Satish of Sonepat came third. In the one-act plays, “Tamso ma Jotirgamya’’ of Yamunanagar was first, Hisar’s “www.com’’ was second and Ambala with “Amrit ki aur’’ was third.

The other results are as follows: Classical Instrumental: Sitar: Saleem Kumar (Gurgaon) 1, Richa Gupta (Karnal) 2; Tabla: Islam Khan (Kurukshetra) 1, Harbhajan Singh (Ambala) 2, Rakesh Babu (Gurgaon) 3; Guitar: Mahender Kumar (Hisar) 1; Harmonium: Neeraj Gandhi (Kurukshetra) 1, Mahender Kumar (Hisar) 2, Bilal Ahmed (Panipat) 3.

Classical vocal: Bhupender Kumar (Faridabad) 1, Neeraj Gandhi (Kurukshetra) 2, Vibhas (Gurgaon) 3; Folk arts and culture: Hisar 1, Kaithal 2, Jind 3; Elocution: Yamunanagar 1, Rewari 2, Faridabad 3.

A delightful jugalbandi
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Dec 13 — The Pracheen Kala Kender, Sector 35, was today the venue of a delectable harmonium and sarangi jugalbandi by Mehmood Dholpuri and Fakruddin Dholpuri.

Mehmood Dholpuri, the internationally-renowned harmonium player, received his early training from grandfather Ustad Buddha Khan. He was later groomed by his father Ustad Nasir Ahmad Khan of the Delhi gharana. Fakruddin Dholpuri, the son of Ustad Mehmood Dholpuri, has received his early training from Ustad Rafooa Khan of the Gwalior gharana.

The concert started today with a presentation in raag maru bihag in vilambit ek taal and then moved on to drut set in teen taal in madhya laya. The second rendering from the presenters came in raag desh in teen taal in madhya laya.

The duo concluded the recital with a thumri. The two won over the audience in a very little time with the amazing control over the respective instruments. They were accompanied on the tabla by Rajesh Kumar Malvia. Rajesh received his early training in the tabla from Mahesh Thakur of Jabalpur. His skills were later refined by Ustad Allarakha Khan.