R Umamaheshwari When they weren’t busy ruling over (and oppressing) us, some of them in the British colonial edifice indulged in theatre, if only to amuse themselves. “Anglo-Indian society, especially in northern India, is to a great extent dependent upon...
“The dharma of release, where calm prevails, And the dharma of kings, where force prevails, How far apart they are.” — Ashvaghosha A long time ago — it might have been some 40 years — Peter Brook, that legendary director,...
Nonika Singh A SLICE of Sikh history extolling the community’s valour and sacrifices, Punjabi film ‘Mastaney’ has been a runaway hit. But in September, as it released in Seoul, South Korea, it made trade pundits sit up and take notice....
Sarika Sharma INDIAN art has found itself on a high in the last few weeks. On August 31, SH Raza’s ‘Gestation’ went for Rs 51.75 crore at Pundole’s Mumbai auction, setting a new record for an Indian artwork. Less than...
Monica Arora If you hold thisDazzling emeraldUp to the sky,It will shine a billionBeautiful miraclesPainted from the tearsOf the Most High…Look inside this hypnotic gemAnd a kaleidoscope ofTitillating,Soul-raisingSights and coloursWill tease and seduceYour eyes and mind. — Suzy Kassem, poet-philosopher,...
If not all, so many poets have commented upon the times they lived in
Amritsar, September 23 The IAFA hosted a solo art exhibition by artist Rashmita Kanojia, who is exhibiting for the first time in city. The three-day exhibition was on Friday inaugurated by senior artist and president of art gallery Shivdev...
Sarika Sharma Whenever the nation found itself in the throes of an ethical crisis, there was one man nudging its people with his quiet activism. Whether it was ‘Prisoners of Conscience’, a historical record of the traumatic period of Emergency...
Krishnaraj Iyengar “I hardly play tabla!” he chuckles. “But I am indeed a scholar and a passionate composer,” Pt Sushil Kumar Jain, 76, humbly adds. Known to have been a formidable tabla player in his youth, he accompanied many luminaries....
Shailaja Khanna One conventionally thinks of a successful life in classical music as a series of concerts and accolades. But there is another equally significant, though often forgotten, aspect of life for a musician. A life spent in acquiring knowledge,...
Palampur, September 18 “There is no parallel to classic art works of renowned artist Sardar Sobha Singh Ji”, said Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal, Cabinet Minister, Punjab. The minister visited Sobha Singh Art Gallery, Andretta, 11 km from here, today. He...
Jaskiran Chopra IT isn’t for nothing that the 1960s are called the Hindi film industry’s golden era; they stand out for some exceptional films. This memorable decade was about exquisite cinema with magical, immortal music when handsome heroes and awe-inspiring...
Nonika Singh HER glass is full to the brim. As Mona Singh clocks 20 years in the industry, she has much to raise a toast to. If ‘Jassi Jaissi Koi Nahin’ made her a household name, ‘Made in Heaven Season...
Krishnaraj Iyengar ‘Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram, Patit Pavan Sita Ram’ — the simple, soul-stirring bhajan is etched in the consciousness of millions across India. It also happened to be the signature hymn of Mahatma Gandhi and became synonymous with his...
Amritsar, September 5 Ahead of the G20 Summit being hosted by India in New Delhi, an Amritsar-based artist painted a portrait of US President Joe Biden to welcome him to the auspicious event. Jagjot Singh made a 7ft by 5ft...
Krishnaraj Iyengar Like Nelson Mandela said, “There can be no keener revelation of a society’s soul than the way in which it treats its children”, a great service to India would be to nurture its gifted child musicians. Bengaluru-based Bhoomija’s...
Sarika Sharma The docuseries ‘First of a Kind’ on Prime Video shows a clip of singer AP Dhillon sitting on the stairs of his Gurdaspur home two days before leaving for Canada in 2015 and strumming a tune on his...
Chandigarh, August 27 The Ministry of Culture has identified some iconic artworks at the Government Museum and Art Gallery, Sector 10 and requested that they be given on loan for an exhibition. The ministry is curating an exhibition, ‘Roots...
Sarika Sharma LIKE all the 1990s’ kids, Varun Grover had very little to choose from. And today’s ‘smart’ world with its staggering options seems to him a wee bit perplexing. Add to that the political atmosphere where making a joke...
Shailaja Khanna THE onset of the rains in India is welcomed unconditionally. For, with the rains comes respite from the scorching heat and the prospect of good crops. In North India, the importance of serenading the monsoon season with dance...
Nonika Singh LIKE her work, her observations are cryptic, to the point and a heady mix of sweet and salty. Acclaimed writer-director Reema Kagti has no hesitation in calling herself a feminist; rather, she feels, “Why would I have any...
Krishnaraj Iyengar THERE was a time when classical music was confined to the connoisseurs. To relish the complexities of its grammar and the slow unfolding of classical compositions required patience and knowledge. But many musicians of our era are bringing...
Sukhdev Singh HOSHIARPUR in Punjab is best known for two things: its rainwater channels called choes and inlay wood craft, the latter having a place of pride internationally. The industry was at its peak during the colonial rule. An entry...
Georgina Maddox Visuals jump before one’s eyes on the screen: from a woman who washes her feet decorated with beautiful henna patterns to a car driving through a forested land; curtains swing in the wind as they are reflected in...
BN Goswamy I read the Indian poem (the Bhagavadgita) for the first time when I was in my estate in Silesia and, while doing so, I felt a sense of overwhelming gratitude to God for having let me live to...
BN Goswamy I read the Indian poem (the Bhagavadgita) for the first time when I was in my estate in Silesia and, while doing so, I felt a sense of overwhelming gratitude to God for having let me live to...
Jaskiran Chopra THERE have been many landmark films in Indian cinema but ‘Zanjeer’ stands out. Released 50 summers ago, it not only launched the star of the millennium, but also set a new trend of action films that lasted for...
Aparna Andhare & Sonia Wigh KAVITA SINGH, the distinguished art historian, died on July 30 after a battle with cancer. She was our teacher and mentor. A proud homegrown scholar, Kavita Singh obtained her BA in English from the University...
Sumit Paul Ahmad Faraz ne na sirf apne takhallus ke saath insaaf kiya, balki use jiya bhi.(Ahmad Faraz not only justified his sobriquet, but he also lived it)— Aslam Farrukhi, Pakistani writer and critic KUCHH toh baat hai zabaan-e-Urdu mein...