Raje, Gehlot mourn singer Mubarak Begum Shaikh’s death
New Delhi : Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje and Ashok Gehlot, former Chief Minister, on Tuesday mourned the death of legendary Bollywood playback singer...
Ex-foreign secretaries to felicitate the Dalai Lama
New Delhi : India's three former foreign secretaries will felicitate Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama by speaking on his work at an...
Budding Punjabi poets meet on Orkut, produce book
By Khushwant Singh, IANS
Chandigarh : Some hail from as far as the US and Australia, though most are from Punjab, but love for Punjabi poetry brought 13 budding poets together on social networking site Orkut and they have now come out with a book.
These young men and women, hailing from diverse professions, met on Orkut and have released their collection of Punjabi poems "Kose Chaanan" (Warm Enlightenment), meeting for the first time at the book launch in Ludhiana.
Noted playwright Vijay Tendulkar cremated
By IANS,
Pune : Noted Marathi playwright Vijay Tendulkar was cremated here Monday, a few hours after his death following prolonged illness, his family said.
Tendulkar, 80, was rushed to the Prayag Hospital here early Monday as his condition deteriorated. Doctors at the hospital declared him dead at 8 a.m.
EU parliament hosts conference on cultural heritage of Kashmir
By EuAsiaNews,
Brussels : An international conference on cultural heritage of the people of Kashmir ended here Thursday night stressing that irrespective of their location, "all people of the former princely state of Jammu and Kashmir share a unique and ancient heritage."
Catch artist Amitesh Verma’s biggest horses at Mumbai show
By Madhusree Chatterjee, IANS,
New Delhi : Amitesh Verma, one of the most talented line artists in the country today, has changed. And so have his horses. His power stallions on canvas now pack more punch and energy.
Verma is going to showcase his horses in an exhibition called "Stallion Search", featuring a body 20 horses in various stages of motion at the Jahangir Art Gallery in Mumbai Sep 9-19.
लेखकों ने साहित्य अकादमी अवार्ड वापिस लेने शुरू किए
By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter
नई दिल्ली: लंबा वक़्त नहीं बीता जब विचारकों और लेखकों ने एमएम कलबुर्गी, नरेन्द्र दाभोलकर और गोविन्द पान्सारे की हत्याओं और...
Indian artisans campaign to get rid of middlemen
By Maitreyee Boruah, IANS,
Bangalore : A treasure trove of Indian arts and crafts will be on display here from Friday, but it will be no ordinary exhibition. The show involving 120 artisans is part of a campaign to do away with middlemen who are eating into their profits.
For 10 days, these aristans will sell their products directly to consumers at the craft festival in the Karnataka Chitrakala Parishat, Bangalore.
Amarnath Sehgal: portrait of an artist as a crusader
By Madhusree Chatterjee, IANS
New Delhi : Creative art is the necessary instrument of the efforts implicit in human metabolism to perfect itself, to enable inner vitalities to flow across inhibitions, frustrations and handicaps in the evolution towards wholeness, wrote Mulk Raj Anand after seeing Amarnath Sehgal's sculptures in 1954.
Tips on decorating with holiday souvenirs
By DPA
Berlin : Most holidays abroad involve returning home with a souvenir or small present like a flower-decorated vase from Mexico, a statue of Buddha from Thailand or the ever popular model flamenco dancers from Andalusia.
But not every souvenir immediately fits into the surroundings at home, says Berlin-based interior decorator Sam Bohr. "Anything is possible," says Bohr. But he warns against combining too many different styles and cultures.
Culture bars Asian women from councils in Britain
By Prasun Sonwalkar, IANS
London : Councils in Britain are said to be dominated by councillors who are "pale, male and stale", but women from the Indian sub-continent face several cultural barriers in their families and communities before they can enter local government, according to a new study.
Several men with roots in the Indian sub-continent have been elected councillors in various parts of Britain. Some like Harjit Gill (Gloucester) have gone on to become mayors, but there are too few women councillors from the Asian community.
Tripura minister conferred literary award
By IANS,
Agartala : Tripura Information and Cultural Affairs Minister Anil Sarkar was conferred a literary award Sunday for his outstanding contribution to the state's literature and culture.
The 70-year-old politician, who is also a writer and poet, received the "Bhasa Sahitya Sanman 2008" award at a function here. Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar gave away the award consisting of Rs.15,000, a citation and a memento.
The award function was attended by writers and poets from Bangladesh and other northeastern states.
The Fading Echoes of Delhi’s Urdu Bazaar: A Glimpse into a Disappearing Heritage
Devanshi Batra, TwoCircles.net
‘Dekho nigaahein naaz se Delhi ke nazaare, ye tehzeeb ki jannath Jamuna ke kinare,’ recited Mirza Sikander Beg Changezi, quoting the poetry...
India was Guest of Honour in Saudi Festival “Janadriyah 2018”
By TCN News
Janadriyah is a cultural heritage and folk festival of Saudi-Arabia that is held every year ever since 1985 when it was first...
ASI shoots down ropeway project behind Taj
By Brij Khandelwal, IANS,
Agra : The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has opposed a plan for a ropeway behind the Taj Mahal, drawn up by the Agra Development Authority apparently without seeking clearance from the ASI or the Supreme Court, which has laid out clear-cut guidelines for preserving the surroundings of the heritage monument.
A series of preliminary studies and surveys by experts of the Usha Breco group, roped in by the ADA for the project, have already been carried out. The ropeway is aimed at boosting tourism.
Internet changing contours of Indian art
By Madhusree Chatterjee, IANS,
Gurgaon : There was a time when art was considered an expression of human creativity and emotions. But art in India is fast becoming a craft powered by resource from the internet and technical skills culled from artists who post their works online.
The bottom line, says curator Ameeshi Tapuriah, is aesthetic or visual appeal and affordable prices. Her four-day show of contemporary art, "Odyssey", featuring 26 artists, opened at the arts and culture hub Epicentre in Gurgaon Friday.
Ismail Hussain memorial harmony award given to Homen Borgohain
By Abdul Gani, TwoCircles.net,
Guwahati: Prominent author Homen Borgohain, who returned his Sahitya Akademi recently protesting against the ‘intolerance’, was honoured with litterateur...
New piano pedal developed for paraplegics
By IANS,
Washington : Paraplegics immobilised from the hips down can now play the piano by operating the right pedal wirelessly, thanks to a method developed by Heidelberg Univeristy researcher Ing Rüdiger Rupp.
For more than 20 years, there have been electromagnetic pedal controls for paraplegic pianists - mostly accident victims - that were invented by Bayreuth piano manufacturer Steingraeber & Söhne and are custom made.
Explosion of woman power
By Madhusree Chatterjee, IANS,
New Delhi : It was an explosion of art for women and mostly by women at the Art Mall, one of the country's biggest display spaces in the capital.
Art Mall unveiled an exhibition "Liberation", showcasing nearly 500 works by over 300 senior artists from across the country on International Women's Day last Sunday.
The exhibition will end March 17. The mall is also organising a 10-day workshop of art, graphic, sculpture and drawing.
The exhibition, one of the biggest in the capital, was inaugurated by senior artist Anjolie Ela Menon.
Indian American music group may crash into the Super Bowl
By Parveen Chopra, IANS
New York : The Super Bowl does not normally hold much interest for the Indians in the US. But many of them will have their eyes peeled for an Indian American music group whose video may air during the TV broadcast of the ultimate US sports event this Sunday, watched by an estimated 100 million.
Nivla featuring P. Oberoi of New York is one the three finalists of the Doritos 'Crash the Super Bowl' campaign.
Resul Pookkutty’s friends in Kerala pray for Oscar win
By Rinku Gupta, IANS,
Kayamkulam (Kerala) : Resul Pookkutty was an avid listener of All India Radio during his youth, and would always be critical of the sound quality of programmes on the state-run radio, recall his friends in this Kerala village who are hoping the ace sound designer wins an Oscar for "Slumdog Millionaire".
The small tea vending outlets of this town where the Oscar hopeful spent much time as a college student are alive with recollections about their famous inhabitant.
Pookkutty has been nominated for the 'sound mixing' Oscar for "Slumdog Millionaire".
Sahitya Akademi plans to develop languages of northeast
By IANS,
Agartala : The Sahitya Akademi has undertaken an ambitious programme to provide allout support to uplift 20 languages of ethnic minorities in the northeastern India, a top Akademi official said here Wednesday.
"We have enlisted 20 languages of ethnic minorities in the region. The literary works in the these languages would be translated into other Indian languages," said Ramkumar Mukhopadhyay, regional secretary of the Sahitya Akademi. Other support would also be given to these languages for their development, he added.
’39 Clues’ to succeed Harry Potter?
By Parveen Chopra, IANS
New York : Those gnawed by emptiness following the completion early this year of the Harry Potter series of books by J.K. Rowling can take heart. Scholastic, the books' US publisher, has unveiled plans Tuesday to launch what it hopes will be a follow-up blockbuster series.
Called "The 39 Clues", this series of mystery novels will feature 10 books - the first of which will be released next September - as well as related Web-based games, collectors' cards and cash prizes.
For the Love of Urdu: Running free Urdu classes
"Even when Qamar Hayat retired in 2003 as a teacher from the Nagpur Municipal Urdu School, the Urdu class continues to be free of...
Animated film on the life of Buddha
By DPA
Bangkok: Thailand's first animated film of the life of the Lord Buddha will open in cinemas on Dec 5, commemorating the 80th birthday of the much-revered King Bhumibol Adulyadej, media reports said Thursday.
The 100-minute production received the backing of eight government agencies on Wednesday, said the Bangkok Post.
Producer Valapha Pimthong said she chose to make a cartoon version of the Life of Buddha to make it easier for young people to understand the Buddha's teachings.
It’s raining festivals in Goa
Indo-Asian News Service
Panaji : Â The monsoon season in Goa is also time for a number of celebrations - and it sure is raining feasts and festivals.
I’m humbled, says Shabana Azmi after Padma Bhushan
By IANS,
Mumbai: Veteran actress Shabana Azmi says she is humbled to be considered for the Padma Bhushan, the country's third highest civilian award.
Chandrasekaran’s Iraq book in NYT’s 2007 top-ten list
By IANS
New York : "Imperial Life in the Emerald City", the acclaimed book on Iraq by Washington Post senior editor Rajiv Chandrasekaran, has been listed by The New York Times among the 10 best books of 2007.
The book, which is being turned into a movie by Hollywood's Universal Pictures, is among the five best non-fiction books of the year listed in The New York Times Book Review section published on Sunday.
Dance drama tribute to M.S. Subbulakshmi in Malaysia
By IANS
Kuala Lumpur : The story of Meera Bai, the 15th century Rajput princess who renounced royal luxuries for devotion to Hindu god Krishna, was brought to life through a dance drama staged at Johor Baru as a tribute to legendary Carnatic musician M.S. Subbulakshmi.
The audience was swept away on a mesmerising journey through the life of Meera Bai, The Star newspaper said Wednesday, calling it "a night of splendour".
The performance paid tribute to Subbulakshmi who immortalised Meera Bai with her portrayal of the princess in the 1945 movie "Bhaktha Meera".
Indian, African artistes pay tribute to two great cultures
By IANS
New Delhi : It was a magical night celebrating the artistic confluence of two ancient lands, an ocean apart but akin in spirit against the backdrop of history.
The beats of African drums and incantation of chants mingled with mystic Sufi strains and nuances of Indian classical dances to create a soul-stirring tribute to the spirit of India and Africa - in a gala concert here titled 'A Tribute to Africa'.
The Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) presented the show Monday evening on the occasion of the first-ever India-Africa summit.
Dhaka cops shut down exhibition on extra-judicial killings
By IANS,
Dhaka : A photography exhibition on extra-judicial killings carried out by government agencies was shut by police here. Indian writer and human rights activist Mahasweta Devi, however, went ahead and inaugurated it on the road outside the gallery.
Police Monday closed the exhibition "Crossfire" about an hour before it was scheduled to start. A police contingent barred entry and exit of visitors at the exhibition venue.
World’s first oil paintings discovered in Afghanistan
By DPA,
Paris : Scientists using advanced methods to investigate cave paintings in the Afghan region of Bamiyan say they may have identified what could be the first images produced using oil pigments, the France-based European Synchroton Radiation Facility (ESRF) said Tuesday on its website.
The paintings were found in the caves located behind the site on which the Taliban destroyed two ancient Buddha statues. The caves had also suffered from damage by the Taliban and the environment.
Indian artist’s sand Taj draws crowds in Belgium
By IANS
Bhubaneswar : A sand replica of the Taj Mahal created by Indian sand sculptor Sudarsan Patnaik at a fair in Belgium is drawing huge crowds.
Patnaik created the Taj replica at the ongoing 16th edition of the annual Asia Fair that began Saturday in De Zandloper in Wemmel.
Patnaik, with the help of his student Manas Kumar Sahoo, created the 10-feet-high, 15-feet-wide sculpture in 48 hours.
In an email from Wemmel, Patnaik told IANS that he had used 40 tonnes of sand, which the organisers brought from the Netherlands.
Uttar Pradesh artist prepares 60-foot New Year card
By IANS,
Allahabad : An Uttar Pradesh artist has prepared a 60-foot-long greeting card to welcome the new year and bid farewell to 2009.
Titled Memories 2009: Lost and Found, the card carries portraits of personalities who received honours for their achievements and those who breathed their last in 2009.
The work of the 25-year-old artist, R.K. Chitera, 25, is being displayed at the Chandra Shekhar Azad Park here.
"With the 60-foot-long greeting card, I have tried to collect painful and joyful memories of 2009," Chitera told IANS.
Shah Jahan’s 353rd death anniversary observed at Taj Mahal
By IANS,
Agra : Mughal emperor Shah Jahan's 353rd urs (death anniversay) is being celebrated at the Taj Mahal here with prayers for ending terrorism.
The three-day celebrations began Tuesday with customary fanfare and rituals.
Entry to the 17th century monument of love build by Shah Jahan for his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal is free from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. on the urs days.
Authorities have made "foolproof" security arrangements to ensure orderly conduct of the urs and crowd management.
Chandigarh to host six-day arts and heritage festival
By IANS,
Chandigarh: Chandigarh will organise a six-day extravaganza called 'Chandigarh Arts and Heritage Festival 2010' from March 27, an official said Monday.
This festival will kick off on the World Theatre Day which falls on March 27 and will be on till April 1 at Tagore Theatre in Sector 18 and at Sector 17 Plaza, the commercial hub of Chandigarh.
Film makers should turn to northeast for interesting stories
By PTI,
Itanagar, India : Sahitya Academy award winning Arunachal state writer Y D Thongchi feels film-makers should turn to tribal areas in the Northeast to experiment with new story lines as audiences have got bored with the same plots being repeated over and over again.
"They (film-makers) seem to have exhausted of ideas. They should now turn to stories from tribal belts of the Northeast based on unique customs and practices that go beyond the imagination of people of the plains," Thongchi said.
Will Majuli get World Heritage status this time?
By IANS,
Guwahati : Assam is hoping that Unesco will this time accord World Heritage Site status to South Asia's largest river island of Majuli, which is located in the state and is an important seat of Vaishnavism.
"We hope the World Heritage Committee that is meeting in Quebec, Canada, in July would positively consider granting Majuli the unique status it deserves. We have submitted all documents and information sought by the committee," said a Lok Sabha MP from Assam, Arun Sarma, who is among those pushing the case.
Archer overtakes Jhumpa Lahiri, Byrne rules non-fiction
By IANS,
New Delhi : British writer Jeffrey Archer has overtaken desi writer Jhumpa Lahiri on the top-selling fiction list this week, while Rhonda Byrne still outsells everyone in the non-fiction category with "The Secret".
The top 10 in the non-fiction and fiction categories are:
Non-Fiction
1. "The Secret"
Author: Rhonda Byrne
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Price: Rs.550.00
2. "Crossed Swords: Pakistan Its Army, and the Wars Within"
Author: Shuja Nawaz
Publisher: Oxford
Price: Rs.695.00
3. "Eat, Pray, Love"
Author: Elizabeth Gilbert
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Vidya Bhavan Australia showcases World Culture Concert
By Neena Bhandari, IANS
Sydney : From Scottish Highland dances to Marinera, the national dance of Peru; Spanish Flamenco to Kuchipudi and Bharatnatyam, Sydneysiders enjoyed a feast of diverse performing arts at the annual World Culture Concert (WCC), an initiative of the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan Australia.
The riveting performances from 14 countries over four hours Thursday enthralled an audience of 800 people at the Sydney Town Hall.
He brews tea – and stories – at his stall
By Azera Rahman, IANS
New Delhi : Pouring endless cups of tea for customers, Laxman Rao looks like any other tea vendor on a busy road of the capital. But looks can be deceptive and Rao proves that. This tea vendor has authored 18 books till date!
Sitting on a low stool at his tea stall near ITO in Delhi, 53-year-old Rao spoke of how he came to run his own publishing house, Bharatiya Sahitya Kala Prakashan.
"I have been writing short stories, plays and books for 28 or 29 years," Rao smiled and said, as he poured tea into one of the small glasses to a customer.
Dam-displaced tribal students of Narmada Jeevanshalas celebrated Balmela with gusto
By TCN News,
Gopalpur (district Nandurbar, Maharashtra): Around 600 tribal children and students (studying at primary level) from nine Narmada Jeevanshalas participated in the 16th annual Balmela (Children’s fair) – from February 12 to 15 – here with gusto and renewed enthusiasm.
Chinese director’s ‘Blind Mountain’ screens at Cannes
By Pauline Dugler
DPA
Cannes : Chinese director Li Yang's hard-hitting "Mang Shan" (Blind Mountain) movie about the trade in buying wives in China was screened at the 60th Cannes Film Festival Sunday, bringing two levels of Chinese society into sharp contrast.
National Archives to observe 125th Foundation Year of NAI in Bhopal
By Pervez Bari, TwoCircles.net,
Bhopal: The National Archives of India (NAI), Regional Office, Bhopal is organizing a 3-day outreach programme from September...
All artists must have copyrights on their works: fake-hit Raza
By Madhusree Chatterjee, IANS,
New Delhi : Syed Haider Raza, the master of Indian contemporary art, was deeply disappointed to find fake paintings being displayed at an exhibition of his early works in one of the capital's oldest galleries. To prevent this, he feels all artists must have copyrights on their works. Raza has filed a case.
"The making of fake paintings is sad. There are certain things in life that are important for a writer, painter and researcher working in their own domains - integrity and commitment," Raza told IANS in an interview.
Hundreds celebrate Chhath in Bihar jails
By IANS,
Patna : Hundreds of prisoners, including women undertrials, have been performing Chhath puja inside the jail premises across Bihar, observing fasts and offering prayers to the sun god, officials said Tuesday.
Nearly 30 prisoners, including 22 women, in Patna's Beur jail participated in the festivities and prison authorities said they had given new clothes to the inmates.
The prisoners have also been provided the materials needed for the rituals associated with the festival - like fruits, rice, sugar and coconuts.
Father’s Day: B-Town wishes their ‘hero’ of life
Mumbai: “Wonderful”, “hero”, “best man”, “prince” are some of the tags that Bollywood stars like Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan and Sonakshi Sinha have...
A princely interior of the days of Indian splendour
By RIA Novosti
Moscow : An exhibition called the Atmosphere of the Maharajas has opened at the Moscow House of Artists here combining the best of traditional Indian aesthetics and modern European facilities.
Twenty-seven Russian interior designers, using tools Indian artisans worked with, have created a princely Indian suite furnished with antique furniture and statues as well as precious fabrics.
Tribute to Obama from a Gujarat artist
By IANS,
Ahmedabad : A Gujarat artist who has made a painting of US president-elect Barack Obama, showing the politician being blessed by Mahatma Gandhi on his poll victory, is struggling to ensure that the picture reaches the leader.
Aejaz Saiyed uses crayons and oil pastels to make paintings with Gandhian themes. His portrait of Obama with Gandhi has already been published by the Associated Press but is yet to reach the US leader.
Our country will break up: Pakistani theatre director
By Sarwar Kashani
New Delhi, Aug 19 (IANS) The widening gulf between "fundamentalists" and "liberals" will perhaps end up in the partition of Pakistan, says Lahore-based theatre director and political activist Madeeha Gauhar.
"The growing intolerance shown by Taliban followers is proving lethal for the country," Gauhar, the founding member of Ajoka Theatre, told IANS in an interview.
"There is no overnight solution to the problem. I am afraid it will break up the nation," she said, adding: "I don't mind that but am only worried about the bloodshed the partition brings along."
President Patil greets nation on Onam
By IANS
New Delhi : President Pratibha Patil Sunday greeted all Indians on the occasion of Kerala's harvest festival Onam, hoping it would bring prosperity and unity among the different religious communities in the new year.
"On the auspicious occasion of Onam, I greet all my people in India and abroad," Patil said in here message.
Manipur Muslim Students organize Iftar party in Delhi
By TCN News,
Delhi: A large number of Manipur Muslims joined an iftar party held here at the premises of Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI)...
Mumbai to host film fest dedicated to peace
By IANS
Mumbai : Peace will be the main theme highlighted at the third '7 Islands International Film Festival', which begins here Saturday and cinema buffs will be treated to as many as 18 acclaimed movies.
The fest opens with German film "A Song For Beko" at the Bhavan's College auditorium in Andheri, northwest Mumbai. The movie, directed by Nizamettin Aric, has won seven international awards, including the Audience Award at the Sao Paulo International Film Festival and the Angers European Film Festival in 1993, festival director Bankim Kapadia said here Friday.
टीसीएन स्पेशल : मुश्किल है शिवालिक की पहाड़ियों में बसे वन गुर्जरो को...
आसमोहम्मद कैफ।Twocircles.net
स्थान - उत्तर प्रदेश - उत्तराखण्ड सीमा , मोह्नन्द , देहरादून मार्ग,शिवालिक रेंज
शिवालिक क्षेत्र की पहाड़ियों पर बसे हुए इन...
World Sufi Spirit Festival: A perfect treat for music aficionados
Jodhpur : A fusion of Sufi music and history at the three-day World Sufi Spirit Festival had aficionados from across the world soak up...
When tremor hits, femininity shines
By Zhan Yan, Xinhua,
Beijing : When William Shakespeare wrote "frailty, thy name is woman," he may have no idea what women could do at times of extreme adversity.
As the 8.0-magnitude earthquake rocked southwest China's Sichuan province May 12, it let out not only the devastating power from the depth of the earth, but also the incredible strength within women.
A two-month-old girl baby was found on the day of the quake under the ruins in Longwan village in Beichuan county. She survived because she was shielded by her mother, who died protecting her.
Amercians are respectful of Indian music: Zakir Hussain
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : Tabla virtuoso Zakir Hussain, who is out to present a picture of a new vibrant India through the music and rhythm of its diverse culture across the United States, says Americans are very respectful of Indian music and listen to it with "reverence and focus".
"It has been going very very well," Hussain told IANS over the phone after a show at the San Francisco Jazz Festival last week as part of a month-long 17-concert "Masters of Percussion" tour across a dozen American cities, including New York, Chicago and Atlanta.
Dance festival celebrates rivers of India
By IANS,
Chennai : What would be a better time to celebrate the rivers of India than the monsoon season? As dark clouds drift over Tamil Nadu, Chennai this week is hosting a river themed dance festival.
Sponsored by Natyarangam, the dance department of city-based cultural organisation Narada Gana Sabha, the 12-year-old dance festival has a different theme every year. This year the theme is the depiction of important rivers of India.
‘Antakshari’ contestant sings with 162 stitches in mouth
By Subhash K. Jha IANS Mumbai : Apurva Apte couldn't speak as a child. Now, with 162 stitches in his mouth after a major surgery,...
Artists under threat from fanatics in India
By Amulya Ganguli
India must be one of the few democracies where two reputed artists - M.F. Husain, the painter, and Taslima Nasreen, the writer - are being hounded by fundamentalists. Husain, who is an Indian, is facing the wrath of Hindu fanatics while Nasreen, a Bangladeshi, has received death threats both in her own country and in India from Muslim zealots.
That both Husain and Nasreen are Muslims shouldn't make anyone jump to the conclusion that only members of this community are the targets of militants.
Spelling magic with words
By IANS
New Delhi : A jaded audience burst with an infused energy as 50 poets, from an eight-year-old to an 80-year-old, spun a web of luring words, magical stanzas and beautiful poetry around them here.
While eight-year-old Sourya Reddy expressed what his dad meant to him through a poem titled "My father, my hero", a woman in her twenties let her emotions flow and a 60-year-old reminisced about the glory of the bygone days.
Dahi Handi: Hanging in the air for money that may never arrive
By Shiva Thorat, Twocircles.net
On Friday, Hindus celebrated Gokulalakshmi, also known as Janmasthami as the birth of Lord Krishna, across the country. In Mumbai,...
Celebrate Holi with beetroot, pomegranate, prescribes Dikshit
By IANS
New Delhi : Play Holi with eco-friendly colours made from beetroot, berries, spinach, mint, onion and peels of pomegranate, says Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit.
"Most of the artificial colours are made of synthetic chemicals containing harmful elements like lead and cadmium. They are responsible for many skin diseases, asthma and even cancer," Dikshit says in an advertisement published Wednesday.
Kolkata hotel goes veggie to campaign for good health
By IANS
Kolkata : A leading Kolkata hotel has joined the league of veggie Bollywood stars John Abraham and Mallika Sherawat in promoting vegetarianism, by holding a festival of vegetarian food.
The Kenilworth, in association with the NGO, People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) Thursday announced the holding of a food festival that would serve a variety of Italian and Rajasthani vegetarian dishes from Aug 25 to 28. Vegetarian kebabs and sizzlers will also be on the menu.
Now, a ‘House of Poetry’ to promote Arabic works
By IANS,
Dubai : A new 'House of Poetry' will come up in this Middle East metropolis that will promote, research and document classical and contemporary Arabic poetry and strengthen its presence and profile within the Arab world and beyond.
Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and ruler of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum has directed that a House of Poetry be established. The initiative will be set up by the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation.
Honour Indian artistes, Bangladesh scholar says
By IANS
Dhaka : Indian artistes such as Pandit Ravi Shankar and Suchitra Sen should be honoured by Bangladesh, says a renowned scholar here.
Bangladesh should enact a law to felicitate Bengali artistes and foreigners who contributed to the country's freedom movement, writer and music enthusiast Fakhruddin Ahmed has said.
Ahmed cited Indian sitar maestro Ravi Shankar and the late Beatle, George Harrison, as those who needed to be honoured, the Daily Times reported Sunday.
Jurassic Park comes to life in the centre of Berlin
By Ulrike von Leszczynski, DPA
Berlin : You would be forgiven for thinking you should make a run for it when the giant reptile suddenly appears from around the corner.
When past and present merged for communist veterans
Liz Mathew
New Delhi, Sep 13 (IANS) It was a step back in time for India's communist veterans. The heyday of the Left revolution was relived and leaders who made it possible flickered on the screen as the present day apparatchiks watched a film on the life and times of legendary left leader A.K. Gopalan Nambiar.
There was nostalgia and more as the entire top leadership of the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) gathered at the Mavlankar Auditorium here Wednesday evening to watch "AKG", a docu-fiction on one of the leading lights of the Indian communist movement.
Metro boss Sreedharan bats for national values
By IANS,
New Delhi : Known for his managerial acumen and professional integrity, Delhi Metro managing director E. Sreedharan now wants to blaze a trail in bringing ethics, truthfulness and cultural values back in Indian society.
As the president of the Foundation for Restoration of National Values (FRNV), Sreedharan Wednesday said India's record as a corrupt country is quite high and the organisation would try to “influence the influencers” to bring transparency.
Artists seeking publicity claim faking of their works: Neville Tuli
By Madhusree Chatterjee, IANS,
Jaipur : Neville Tuli, chairman and founder of Osian's Connoisseurs of Arts - the country's biggest private art auction house, feels that the lack of authentication of art works in India leads to faking while many artists also claim that their works have been forged to gain publicity.
"Works are not authenticated and art still comes without receipts. This allows room for art to be faked. Moreover, many artists like to claim that their works have been faked to seek easy publicity," Tuli told IANS in an interview.
India’s art fair ropes in big global galleries
By Madhusree Chatterjee, IANS,
New Delhi : The second edition of the Indian Modern and Contemporary Art Fair 2009, the sub-continent's official art fair, will be bigger, better and more global this year with 16 international galleries, 64 speakers and 25 media partners from across the globe.
The three-day fair will be held during August 19-22 at the Pragati Maidan, the capital's trade and exhibition hub.
‘Payment in Kind’ programme gives Mexico worthy art
By DPA
Mexico City : In 1957, painter David Alfaro Siqueiros proposed that artists in Mexico be allowed to pay taxes with their work. Half a century later, this idea has given rise to one of the world's most important collections of contemporary art.
The unprecedented programme, Pago en Especie (Payment in Kind), went into force in 1975 through a presidential decree, but it received the support of the artists Raul Anguiano, Luis Nishizawa and Adolfo Best Maugard who donated works to get it going.
Delhi plans a heritage museum at Lahori Gate
By TwoCircles.net staff reporter,
New Delhi: In order to introduce the history and civilization of historic Walled City area of Delhi to domestic and foreign tourists, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has decided to establish a Heritage Museum and a Tourist Information Centre at Lahori Gate.
The museum will showcase the history of old Delhi in five sections: pre-Mughal period, Mughal period, 1857 Revolution, 1857-1947 period and 1947-2008 period.
‘Come Eat With Me’: Exploring caste through cooking Dalit cuisine in upper caste kitchens
In an interview with TwoCircles.net, award winning Dalit theatre artist Sri Vamsi Matta talks about his experiences as a Dalit which inform the questions,...
Indian outfits to dazzle at New Zealand’s wearable art show
By Neena Bhandari, IANS,
Sydney : Fashion guru Manish Arora's 'Butterfly Dress' and three other Indian design outfits will feature at New Zealand's most coveted fashion and arts extravaganza opening Thursday.
The 2008 Montana World of Wearable Art (WOW) Awards show in Wellington will showcase 'Emerald Tentacles' designed by N.P. Jayaraj & Pooja Bedi; 'I the Centre' by Pooja Gosain; and 'Cockroach Bra' by Pooja Rajput, besides Arora's creation.
Nouveau art takes up social reality to make bold statements
By IANS,
New Delhi : Art is charting a meaningful road in India. Investment opportunities aside, art enthusiasts are now using its power of instant identification and recall to drive home social messages.
A show, “Popular Reality”, curated by Ranjita Chaney, has woven popular issues as themes around the works of a talented bunch of young contemporary artists like Murali Cheeroth, Tushar Jog, Manil Gupta, Nandan Ghiya, Vibha Galhotra Josh P.C. and Apurba Nandi.
The show will be held Oct 1-17 at the Stainless Gallery in the capital.
Durga Puja celebrations come to an end in West Bengal
By IANS,
Kolkata : Five days of Durga Puja festivities finally ended as West Bengal bid a tearful adieu to the goddess and her children Thursday, marking another yearlong wait for her autumnal homecoming.
The frenzied immersion ceremony of the idols of Durga, accompanied by elaborate processions, dancing, beating of drums and lusty cheers by youngsters, saw people making the most of the carnival.
Mandolin player U. Srinivas is dead
Chennai : Well-known mandolin player Uppalapu Srinivas died Friday here at a private hospital. He was 45.
According to a source at Apollo hospital, where...
36 Indian women WHO worked as scavengers to walk on ramp
By NNN-PTI,
United Nations : Thirty-six Indian women, rescued by a non governmental organisation from the degrading task of manually cleaning human excreta, are all set to walk on ramp with leading models before representatives from more than 150 countries here.
The women, rescued by Sulabh International Social Service Organisation from Alwar in Rajasthan, yesterday met diplomats and dignitaries at the United Nations and talked about the changes which, they said, had made them for the first time feel like human beings.
States to be asked for land for Urdu language centres
By IANS
New Delhi : The National Council for Promotion of Urdu Language (NCPUL) Tuesday decided to approach state governments for land to open Urdu language and Urdu cultural centres.
India, China are new faces of Asian art in the globe
By Madhusree Chatterjee, IANS,
New Delhi : India and China are the new faces of Asian art in the global market with works of artists from the two countries commanding high prices, according to experts analysing the commerce of art at an ongoing summit here.
Panellists at the India Art Summit Saturday said that the two Asian economic giants were indeed calling the shots in terms of prices. The average price of individual works of high-end Chinese contemporary art was in the range of $19 million, whereas top-of-the-chain Indian artists commanded around $5.5 million.
Earth Bodies: Planted in reality and fine line drawing
By Madhusree Chatterjee, IANS,
New Delhi : "Earth bodies", an exhibition by veteran artist Jatin Das at the Visual Arts Gallery in the capital, features 66 works, mostly in oil. The artist is back with a solo show in the capital after nine years.
The works, says the artist, have been selected from his vast body of work over the past five years. Mostly figure drawings in basic earth colours like brown, ochre, yellow green, blue, red and black, they are reminiscent of classical artists like Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo because of their anatomical details.
Freedom fighter threatens to jump into Yamuna river
Agra: Freedom fighter Chimman Lal Jain, 96, on Tuesday threatened to jump into the Yamnua river on October 2 if the government failed to...
Leading Hungarian gypsy band to connect with Indian roots
By IANS,
New Delhi : The Roma gypsies are coming home to the sun and sand dunes of Rajasthan to make music this autumn.
Parno Graszt, billed as one of the best Hungarian gypsy bands, will not only play in India next month but is already busy making contact with relatives and friends in the country. After all, the gypsies of Europe trace their roots to Rajasthan.
The desert state will get to hear Hungarian gypsy music for the first time when the band performs at the Royal International Folk Festival (RIFF) in Jodhpur from Oct 10-14.
Chinese kites becoming popular in Jaipur
By Anil Sharma, IANS
Jaipur : With Makar Sankranti falling on Monday, Jaipur seems to be ready to welcome the festival with special varieties of kites. Huge Chinese kites in the shape of birds and dragons are the major attraction of this year's festival.
"Chinese kites are giving a tough fight to the domestic kite makers. Ranging from Rs 20 to Rs 300, these kites are 7-8 feet high and made up of a fine membrane of cloth," said Arshad, a kite maker.
Shehnai on the verge of extinction in Bangladesh
By IANS,
Dhaka : Shehnai, a wind instrument, is on the verge of extinction in Bangladesh, laments a music exponent.
Shamsur Rahman, who partly learnt to play the shehnai by listening to records of India's celebrated Ustad Bismillah Khan, has said it is "almost impossible" to survive in Bangladesh as a shehnai player.
The tradition is almost becoming extinct in Bangladesh and it has compelled Rahman to concentrate more on flutes, though he says "my heart always seeks the soothing melodies of the shehnai", the New Age newspaper reported Wednesday.
Husain show resumes after ‘brief disruption’
By IANS
New Delhi : An exhibition of the limited edition prints of eminent artist M.F. Husain resumed Sunday in the capital after it was hurriedly called off a day ago following alleged threats from Hindu fundamentalists over his nude depiction of Hindu goddesses.
The India International Centre (IIC), a culture hub of the capital, decided to resume the solo show after a "brief disruption" following a meeting of its directors late Saturday night. "It opened at 11 a.m. Sunday and closed at 5 p.m.," an IIC official said. The show would continue.
Leading American post-war artist fuses Indian ragas with art
By Madhusree Chatterjee, IANS,
New Delhi : James McGarrell, one of America's best-known post-war painters, is in India for his first solo Asian show with a collection of 36 paintings - "Astronomies and Pleasures, A New Ragamala" - influenced by Indian classical music and the traditions of Rajput miniature art.
The paintings, mostly 11X15 inch frames of water colour and gouache in bright shades of orange, yellow, red, brown, blue and green with Rajput-style borders, are each named after an Indian raga - beginning with the morning Raga Bhairavi and ending with Raga Kedar.
Week-long Minicoy festival begins in Kochi
By IANS,
Kochi : It is a small island with a population of about 10,000 people that you have probably not heard of. Minicoy is Lakshadweep's southernmost island and it takes 18 hours by ship to get there from Kochi. Now people will be able to experience Minicoy's cuisine and learn about its crafts as a week-long festival has begun here.
Literary journal ‘Andaz-e-Bayan’ is the quest for understanding feminine pain and protest
By Manzar Imam for TwoCircles.net,
Subjugated for centuries, women have come a long way to getting their voice heard even in the most so-called progressive...
Indian folk artist killed in Nepal
By IANS
Kathmandu : An Indian folk artist was gunned down early Sunday in a frontier village of Nepal during a folk play performance.
Phani Lal Yadav, a 35-year-old folk artist from Bihar's Madhubani district, was shot in Baseriya village in Saptari, one of the most violent districts in Nepal in recent times where in the past one month at least 20 people have been killed by armed groups.
Christie’s sale of South Asian masters to fetch $7 mn
By IANS,
London : Christie's sale of South Asian Modern and Contemporary Art here June 11 will feature 112 works including noted Indian artists like F.N. Souza and Tyeb Mehta. It is expected to fetch more than 3.7 million pounds (over $7 million).
The works, including those offered from the Harmony Art Foundation in association with Barclays Wealth, will also feature artists from Pakistan.
Eco-Friendly Mosque Opens In Manchester
By Bernama,
London : An eco-friendly mosque, which runs on renewable energy has been opened in Manchester, the Press Trust of India (PTI) reported Wednesday.
The US$6.9 million mosque features solar panels, under-floor heating and lowe energy bulbs, and is built with woods and Indian pink stone. It also fuses Eastern and Western architecture, and peach-coloured deep pile carpets, a huge chandelier and plasma televisions.
Worshiping Cow: Killing Humanity
Ram Puniyani,
Just over a decade ago (2002) in Dulina village of Jhajjar in Haryana a...
Sunil Gangopadhyay’s Bengali translation of ‘Romeo and Juliet’ to be released
By IANS,
Kolkata : A Bengali translation of Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet" by late author Sunil Gangopadhyay will be released at the Kolkata Book Fair that begins Jan 29, 2013.
A Hindu temple in Cambodia steeped in history
By Peter Janssen, IANS,
Preah Vihear (Cambodia) : Preah Vihear, a millennium-old temple dedicated to the Hindu God Shiva - the divine destroyer - has been a magnet for conflicts in its recent history.
The temple, which may be designated a world heritage site by Unesco next month, prompted an ownership spat between Cambodia and Thailand that led to a suspension of diplomatic relations in 1958 and eventually ended up in The Hague for an international settlement in 1962. Cambodia won, but even today embers of the old border dispute burn on.
Lo, behold! Here come the storytellers
By IANS
New Delhi : Those years when fancy took its course, when houses were made of cookies and trees bore chocolates, will come alive Monday as 40 international storytellers from 18 countries come together at the International Conference on Storytelling here.
Storytelling in many art forms, be it through cinema, performing arts, dance, music or puppetry, will be celebrated at a three-day conference.
Time we moved away from pain of partition: Gulzar
By IANS
New Delhi : Poet and lyricist Gulzar, while launching a book on the partition of India, said it was high time people moved on and started talking about life after that period instead of dwelling on the painful memories.
"Enough has been said about the pain, the agonies and the bloodshed. But very little about how life took its own course after that period. How people settled down, started life afresh and made successful careers is hardly mentioned," Gulzar told a packed auditorium at the American Centre Thursday.
Photo Feature: Independence Day celebrations in Indian madrasas
By Raqib Hameed Naik, TwoCircles.net
Belying a perception that Madrasas generally show little interest in national festivals like Independence Day and Republic Day, several...
Agra’s Shahi Hammam at Risk of Demolition: Heritage, Community and Homes Threatened
Sanjana Chawla, TwoCircles.net
Lying on the banks of the Yamuna River in Uttar Pradesh, Agra is home to three UNESCO World Heritage Sites. While the...
Doordarshan launches two channels in Britain
By IANSNew Delhi : Doordarshan has launched two channels in Britain with the idea of bringing "the essence of India to Great Britain", Information...
Zulfiqar – An attempt to negatively stereotype Muslims
By TwoCircles.net staff reporter
Kolkata: Otherization of Muslims in movies is nothing new but a recent Bengali movie went over the top in its negative...
Odissi now in 21st century, international avatar
By IANS,
Kuala Lumpur : Kuala Lumpur is celebrating Odissi, an Indian classical dance form, with Malaysians interpreting it in multi-media formats while retaining its essence.
Galeri Petronas, in collaboration with Sutra Dance Theatre, is holding the exhibition called Stirring Odissi in conjunction with the 4th International Stirring Odissi Festival 2008.
The event features 15 visual artists and photographers from Malaysia and India and showcases how different artists interpret the Odissi dance.
Surendran Nair, Atul Dodiya highlights of Saffronart auction
By Uma Nair, IANS
Mumbai : The Saffronart spring online auction of modern Indian art works will take place March 12-13 and feature 140 works by 55 artists. Paintings of Surendran Nair and Atul Dodiya will be the highlights.
The auction includes works of the younger lot of artists who have tasted success much earlier than their elders.
तस्वीरों में रमज़ान : जामिया में इफ्तार में जुटे छात्र
सिमरा अंसारी।Twocircles.net
रहमतों का महीना ‘रमज़ान’ की आमद के बाद हर कोई अल्लाह की इबादत में जुट जाता है। इस महीने को बहुत ही पाक...
Bihar Minister accuses MEA of delaying clearance for foreign trip
By TCN Staff Reporter
New Delhi: A delay in political clearance from the Ministry of External Affairs for travelling abroad left Abdul Bari...
Textiles discovered in 2,500-year-old Chinese tomb
By Xinhua
Nanchang : Chinese archaeologists have found textiles in a mysterious tomb dating back nearly 2,500 years in eastern Jiangxi province of China.
The textiles, which are well-preserved and feature stunning dyeing and weaving technologies, will rewrite the history of China's textile industry, says Wang Yarong, an archaeologist who has been following the findings in the textile sector for more than three decades.
Nanchang : Chinese archaeologists have found textiles in a mysterious tomb dating back nearly 2,500 years in eastern Jiangxi province of China.
The textiles, which are well-preserved and feature stunning dyeing and weaving technologies, will rewrite the history of China's textile industry, says Wang Yarong, an archaeologist who has been following the findings in the textile sector for more than three decades.
Picasso sets new art auction record: $106.5 mn
By DPA,
New York : A 1932 painting by Pablo Picasso sold Tuesday night in New York for $106.5 million, a new world record auction price for a work of art, the Christie's auction house announced.
The oil painting, Nu au Plateau de Sculpteur (Nude, Green Leaves and Bust), has Marie-Therese Walter, the artist's mistress in reclining and also in a bust. Picasso included his own profile in the blue background.
The winning bid came by telephone from an anonymous buyer. The price had been estimated at $70 million to $90 million before the sale, and bidding began at $58 million.
Indian filmmaker wins case against New York administration
By IANS
New York : Filmmakers using hand-held equipment while shooting in New York will no longer be required to obtain permits under a deal reached with Indian filmmaker Rakesh Sharma, who was detained by police two years ago.
हमारा हिजाब ही हमारी ताकत,देश भर की मुस्लिम लड़कियों ने बुलंद की आवाज़
सिमरा अंसारी। Twocircles.net
इलाहाबाद निवासी सारा अहमद सिद्दीकी हिजाब पर प्रतिबंध को इस्लामोफोबिया की संज्ञा देते हुए कहती हैं, ये जेंडर इस्लामोफोबिया है, इससे...
Indian film venture firm to raise funds on London market
London, May 1 (IANS) A new investment firm chaired by noted director Shyam Benegal and focussed on Indian movies is set to float on Britain's Alternative Investment Market this month to raise 55 million pounds.
Diwali celebrated in Johannesburg
By IANS
Johannesburg : There was dance, song and lots of feasting over the weekend here as South Africans from diverse backgrounds came together to celebrate Diwali, the Indian festival of lights.
The Newtown Diwali Festival 2007, hosted Saturday by the city of Johannesburg, showcased Indian song, music and dance, according to the festival website. Famous Indo-fusion bands Strings and Skins and Friends as well as the Johannesburg-based classical music and dance group Saptaswara performed at the event.
Kerala now woos Indian middle-class tourists
By IANS,
Chandigarh : Having attracted a large number of foreign tourists year after year, Kerala is now wooing Indian middle-class tourists and holding roadshows to promote the coastal state in several places.
“We realise that Kerala has got an image that it is an expensive destination to go to within India. We are now focusing on a special campaign with a 'Dream Season' for domestic middle-class tourists to bring Kerala within their reach,” Kerala tourism director M. Sivasankar said here Friday.
In the wall’s shadow: museum of Palestinian detainees
By DPA
Abu Dis (West Bank) : Jesus Christ was the first political detainee in Palestine, maintains a new West Bank museum which focuses on Palestinian detainees and is located on the premises of Al Quds University in Abu Dis, east of Jerusalem.
"This is the Via Dolorosa," says head of trustees Abdelaziz Abdul-Baki, as he points to a miniature stone bridge in the frontcourt, which leads across a field of cacti.
‘Das Kapital’ now a rarity in Red West Bengal
By Nayanima Basu, IANS
Kolkata : Karl Marx's "Das Kapital", which laid the ideological foundation for Communism, has ironically now become a rare book in communist-governed West Bengal.
The 19th century manuscript, in three volumes and written by Karl Marx, details at length how the growth of capitalism is directly related to the exploitation of labour.
Book owners here say there are few takers today for the three-volume "Das Kapital", which at one time was considered a must read for those entering the world of Communism.
Voting for first ever Kashmir’s ‘Youth Icon Awards’ to start from June 6
Half of money generated through the sale of tickets to be donated to a cancer patient
By Raqib Hameed Naik, TwoCircles.net, ...
Mulla Sadra’s Asfar Al-Arbaeh available in English
By IRNA,
Tehran : Mulla Sadra's (Sadr al-Din Muhammad al- Shirazi), famous book, which is a philosophical masterpiece, Asfar Al- Arbaeh (The Four Journeys) has been translated into English for the first time.
The book has been translated into English by an American professor of philosophy.
Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has supervised the process of translation and has written the introduction to the book.
Mulla Sadra's other books have also been translated into the Russian, Bulgarian, Bosnian, Chinese, Korean, and Turkish languages.
Saarc food festival: a gastronome’s delight
By IANS
New Delhi : With Pakistan's simmering chappal kebebs and Sri Lanka's tempting fish ambulthiyal, Maldives' delicious masbai and Nepal's spicy maasu bhaat - the food festival chapter of the South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation (Saarc) cultural festival is a cauldron of flavours of South Asia.
Chinese throng to see Indian classical dances
By Kavita Bajeli-Datt, IANS,
Shanghai : "I have never seen such crowds!" said an excited Delhi-based choreographer as the Chinese poured in for the Indian classical dance performances her team put up for visiting President Pratibha Patil at the India pavilion of the 2010 World Expo here.
"The Chinese people wait for hours to get a glimpse of our dances," said Maitreyee Pahari. "I have travelled a lot in India and abroad for my dance presentations. But the response of the crowd here has been mind-boggling," Pahari told IANS.
Ustad Ghulam Husain Khan – Keeper of Indian classical music, a neglected music maestro
By Manzar Imam,
If I were not a physicist, I would probably be a musician. I often think in music. I live my daydreams in music. I see my life in terms of music, famous scientist Albert Einstein said. Einstein, the physicist had such a high musical vision. His musical dream did materialize, but there was something else in store for him.
Island of gods has red carpet out for Indians
By Joydeep Gupta, IANS
Bali (Indonesia) : Wherever an Indian goes in this island of the gods, the first question is: "Are you a Hindu? I am." From taxi drivers to tour guides to policemen, the question in this crowded little island of 2.5 million people does not vary.
Over 90 percent of the population is Hindu, and you see signs of that everywhere. Every few steps on the pavement, there is a small leaf-plate, with a few flowers and an incense stick in a corner. It is an offering to the family deity, the locals tell you, and you have to watch your step.
Taj Mahal perhaps the world’s most photographed monument
By Brij Khandelwal
Agra : The Taj Mahal in Agra is perhaps the world's most photographed monument. Each minute hundreds of cameras click to...
India long way off from becoming fashion power: Rathi Vinay Jha
By Prithwish Ganguly, IANS
New Delhi : India is a long way off from being recognised as a fashion power although its designers are showcasing their lines at top global ramp shows, says the head of the Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI).
Jamia students celebrate Ambedkar’s 125th birth anniversary
By TCN News,
New Delhi: Paying tribute to Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar on his 125th birth anniversary, students of Jamia MIllia Islamia gathered at Jamia Hall...
UTV’s Brand Bindass to find India’s first space tourist
By IANS
New Delhi : All those dreaming of space travel have a rare chance of making their dreams come true. UTV, one of India's leading film production houses, has announced the launch of entertainment channel bouquet Brand Bindass with a campaign to select the lucky Indian who will be the country's first space tourist.
Pranab Mukherjee, Ashim Ghosh bag ‘Bengali of the Year’ award
By IANS
Kolkata : External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Hutchison Essar Managing Director Ashim Ghosh have pipped popular Bengali icons like cricketer Sourav Ganguly and Bollywood actor Mithun Chakraborty to bag the "Best Bengali of the Year" award jointly.
From amongst 10 eminent personalities, Mukherjee and Ghosh were chosen the "Shera (best) Bengali of 2007" for their memorable contributions at a function organised by Bengali news channel Star Ananda here Saturday night.
Patil’s love for Maharashtra
By Liz Mathew, IANS
On Board Air India Special Aircraft : President Pratibha Patil could not hide her special love for her native state Maharashtra during her trip to Latin America that began Saturday.
While interacting with media, Patil specially referred to the contribution of a person from her state to the bilateral relations between India and Mexico.
Cross-culture marriages a mixed blessing in Land of Smiles
By DPA
Bangkok : Em, a 28-year-old Thai woman married to a British man, was deserted by her husband after years of arguments and conflict. He took their daughter back to England without either the mother's consent or a goodbye.
"I cannot get a divorce from my husband because I don't know his whereabouts and worst of all I don't have enough money to go to Britain to look for my daughter," said Em, a pseudonym.
Widespread protest against British plan to honour 1857 dead
By IANS
Lucknow : In an unusual development, Hindus, Muslims and even ideologically divergent Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Samajwadi Party (SP) seem to be joining hands to oppose the arrival of a British delegation to pay homage to their ancestors who were killed during India's first war of independence in 1857, described as the mutiny by the British.
Kerala observes Mahanavami
By IANS,
Kozhikode : Hindus in Kerala observed Mahanavami with religious fervour Wednesday and organised special prayers in temples and homes.
Makeshift prayer halls were erected on road side and in public places like reading clubs where prayers were offered to goddess Saraswati by offering fruits, beaten rice, roasted paddy and jaggery.
Tuesday evening, the Durgashtami day, a ceremony called Poojavaipu was observed in temples and in certain households. In homes, books were tastefully arranged with an image of the Hindu goddess of learning.
Terror threat fails to dampen Tripura’s Durga Puja spirit
By Sujit Chakraborty, IANS,
Agartala : Colourful pandals (marquees), beating of drums and festivities - Tripura is in a celebration mode for the five-day long Durga Puja, but under a tight security cover amid fears of terror strikes.
"We cannot rule out possibilities of extremist violence and hence massive security arrangements have been made to ensure that the festival passes off peacefully," Director General of Police Pranay Sahaya told IANS.
Christie’s showcases 25 Indian art works
By IANS
New Delhi : It was a feast for art lovers here as auction house Christie's presented 25 paintings and photographs by some of India's best known artists like Tyeb Mehta and Bhupen Khakhar at an exclusive preview here.
The preview, held Thursday and Friday at the Imperial Hotel, was that of modern and contemporary South Asian art that is to be auctioned at the Christie's sales in New York and Dubai in autumn between Sep 20 and Nov 1.
Remembering Muzaffarnagar
By Abul Kalam Azad,
"History repeats itself, first as tragedy, second as farce" - Karl Marx
Trumpets blaring, announcing the ending of a prolonged beginning! Delirious...
Gujarat to help artists exhibit outside state
By IANS,
Ahmedabad : Young and budding artists and those over 60 years of age who exhibit their works outside Gujarat would be helped through a fellowship scheme, Minister of Sports, Youth and Cultural Activities Fakirbhai Vaghela said here Thursday.
He was speaking at a ceremony at which he conferred the Gujarat Lalit Kala Gaurav Puruskar on 18 artists, photographers and sculptors. The award covers the years 2000-01 to 2007-08.
‘Shooting USAF plane brought Seventh Fleet to Bay of Bengal in 1971’
By IANS
New Delhi : The unwitting shooting of a US aircraft parked at Chaklala air base in Pakistan, hours after the India-Pakistan conflict began in 1971, may have prompted the Nixon administration to send a naval task force to the Bay of Bengal, says the pilot who flew the mission.
Former Indian Navy chief Admiral Arun Prakash, who flew a Hunter while on deputation with the Indian Air Force in the wee hours of Dec 4, 1971, destroyed a number of light aircraft parked at the base.
‘Phir Ugana’: How Tribal Poet Parvati Tirkey Gave Voice to a Silenced Culture
'I Wrote in the Language They Forgot—Now They Can’t Ignore Us', Says Jharkhand's Parvati Tirkey After Winning Sahitya Akademi Award
First-of-Its-Kind Win: Parvati Tirkey’s ‘Phir...
Moore returns to Cannes with scathing look at healthcare
By Andrew McCathie
DPA
Cannes : The larger-than-life figure of US filmmaker Michael Moore jetted into Cannes this week stirring up the film festival with a screening Saturday of his latest polemic - a scathing look at the US health service.
Essayist Anand traces chess roots back to ancient India
By IANS,
New Delhi : Russia, or the Soviet Union as it was once called, may have produced the most world chess champions but the fact of the matter is that the current world champion and World No.1 player is an Indian, Viswanathan Anand. What's more, the world's No. 2 player among women, too, is an Indian, Koneru Humpy.
100-year-old painting sold for $2.18 mn
By IANS/EFE,
London : A 100-year-old painting has fetched 1.44 million pounds ($2.18 million), more than double its estimated price, at an auction in Britain.
"Nina en la Playa" (Girl on the Beach) created in 1910 by Spanish artist Joaquin Sorolla sold Tuesday at the auction at Christie's in London.
The picture was estimated to fetch between 915,000 and 1.37 million euros ($1.1 million-$1.7 million).
The painting features a little girl walking on a wet sandy beach with a boat and a fisherman in the background.
Pandit Ravi Shankar toasts latest celebrity in brood
By Madhusree Chatterjee, IANS
New Delhi : At 88, sitar maestro Pandit Ravi Shankar is beset with several tasks - writing a new concerto for daughter Anoushka, adding a new chapter to his autobiography, an impending trip to California and toasting wife Sukanya's US-based sister who is a first-time novelist.