Baisakhi From bhangra
beats to DJs

Since 1567, the festival
has been an intrinsic part of the Punjabi culture. Over the centuries,
the style of celebrations may have changed but the spirit remains
unchanged, writes Sanjeev
Singh Bariana
AS
the wheat fields turn golden in Punjab, it signals a dream yield in the
country’s granary. The farmers are happy, while the families get set
to make the annual major purchases for the house and fields. After the day’s work in
the fields, the evenings are spent in socialising and celebrations. The
Baisakhi season lasts about a fortnight before the grand finale on April
13.
Punjabi spirit in Canada
Kamaljit Kaur Gill
THE annual Baisakhi nagar
kirtan in Surrey and Vancouver is one of the largest parades organised
by Sikhs living abroad. This event draws around 80,000 to 200,000
persons every year from all over the British Columbia. People from other
communities also participate. The streets of Surrey and
Vancouver turn into colourful Punjab with members of the Sikh motorcycle
club moving ahead of the Panj Piaras.
Lisa
wanted to be a journo
Prasun Sonwalkar
Lisa
Ray, who is better known for her role as young widow Kalyani in Deepa
Mehta’s critically acclaimed film Water, wanted to be a
journalist but could not fulfil her ambition. The actress, who is of the
Indian and Polish parentage, said, "I had initially wanted to be a
journalist, but there were so many diversions on the way. I was more
inclined towards writing and not acting, as I was shy and
introvert."
Happy
alone
Employment,
fascination for the glamour world of entertainment, desire of having
freedom to party and live the high life have resulted in a boom of
singles — men as well as women — seeking private space within the
buzzing cities of India, writes Vimla
Patil
THE story of Maria
Susairaj—the good-looking actress from Kannada and Tamil films—currently
in jail for helping boyfriend Jerome Matthew to murder and dispose of
the body of lover media-man Neeraj Grover, is an eye-opening example of
a girl who came to Mumbai to find that one big break in the world of
showbiz.
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