Would have loved to shoot in Pakistan: ‘Filmistaan’ director
By Natalia Ningthoujam,
New Delhi : Lack of resources and complications related to filming in Pakistan kept first-time director Nitin Kakkar away from shooting his...
South India’s Kathakali debuts in Bangladesh
By IANS,
Dhaka : Kathakali, the ancient dance form from South India's Kerala state, has made its debut here.
Taj Mahal builders used Harappan measurement units that British discarded
By K.S. Jayaraman, IANS,
Bangalore : Designers of the 17th century Taj Mahal, the finest piece of Mughal architecture, employed the same unit of measurement used by the Harappan civilization as far back 2000 BC, according to a study by an IIT-Kanpur professor. These units were used by builders in India till the British imposed their own units in the 18th century.
Faiz Fahmi— Encyclopaedic work on life & thought of Faiz
By Ayub Khan for TwoCircles.net
One-day mourning in Karnataka for Hindustani music doyen
By IANS,
Bangalore : The Karnataka government Saturday declared a one-day mourning to pay homage to Puttaraj Gavai, a doyen of Hindustani music, who passed away Friday.
President to inaugurate Marathi literary meet
By IANS
Mumbai : President Pratibha Patil will inaugurate the 81st Marathi Sahitya Sammelan (literary conference) Jan 19 at Sangli in south Maharashtra.
The four-day conference will attract renowned Marathi poets and writers for literary debates and discussions. Several cultural programmes on Marathi literature would be organised as part of the event.
According to organisation secretary Madhukar Page, the first meet was held in 1878 under the guidance of the eminent legal luminary and freedom fighter Justice M.G. Ranade.
Goa BJP leader heard threatening to beat up Kanhaiya; denies it
Panaji : Audio footage of the BJP's Goa vice president Sanjay Harmalkar threatening to "beat up" JNU students' union president Kanhaiya Kumar if he...
Book on Muslim culture in Hindi cinema released
By IANS,
New Delhi : A book on the depiction of Musim culture in Hindi cinema from the 1930s, co-authored by an Indian professor and the head of cinema studies at New York University, was released here Saturday evening.
The "Islamicate Cultures of Bombay Cinema" was written over a period of almost two years by Ira Bhaskar, an associate professor of cinema studies at the School of Arts and Aesthetics at Jawaharlal Nehru University, and Richard Allen, chair of Cinema Studies at New York University.
Poetry on the path to revival
By Azera Rahman, IANS
New Delhi : Words which linger on in your ears, lines which haunt you long after they have been said, emotions which are overpowering and evocative - the charming world of poetry, which had lost its following to contemporary music such as rock and pop, is on the path to revival.
A recent spurt in poetry readings in the Indian capital, attended by people of all age groups, has brought back a ray of hope to all poets.
Salman Khan’s ‘Bajrangi Bhaijaan’ earns big at Pakistani box office
Islamabad: "Bajrangi Bhaijaan", Bollywood superstar Salman Khan's Eid gift to his fans, is not only breaking records in India, but has also garnered appreciation...
Kala Ghoda Arts Festival kick-starts on 5th Feb. in Mumbai
By Rehan Ansari, TwoCircles.net,
Gaurang Shah opens couture store in Hyderabad
By IANS,
Hyderabad : Inspired by ancient Indian art of Jamdani weaves, award winning designer Gaurang Shah Friday opened his new couture store in upmarket Jubilee Hills here.
Seminar on Urdu poet and political activist Makhdoom Mohiuddin inaugrated
By Press Information Bureau
Hyderabad: A three-day seminar on noted Urdu Poet and political activist Makhdoom Mohiuddin was inaugurated today. In a message sent by the Human Resource Development Minister, Shri Arjun Singh described Makhdoom a genuine poet who gave topmost importance to his social concerns. His poetry still fills the people with energy and enthusiasm.
Book calls for ‘religious disarmament’ on conversions
By IANS
New Delhi : Religious conversion is a complex and emotionally charged issue but fundamentalists of all hues exploit it, liberals confuse it and many do not comprehend what the fuss is about, says a new book.
Untold stories, rare pictures in Dilip Kumar’s new biography
By Uma Ramasubramaniam, IANS,
New age authors talk contemporary India’s mind
By Azera Rahman, IANS
New Delhi : Their books reflect a young and contemporary India's thoughts. Debutant authors Shubham Basu's "Glian" and Soma Das' "Sumthing Of A Mocktail" are their own experiences woven around fiction.
Basu's "Glian" revolves around the central character Dev and his love for nature. In a bid to embrace nature and bond with it, Dev sets off on a tour with three of his friends to the fictitious Panida National Park.
When asked why he chose nature as the subject of his book, Basu said it was close to his heart.
Meghalaya to strum its way into Guinness records
By Syed Zarir Hussain, IANS
Shillong : A band of more than 2,000 guitarists is set to perform a record-breaking strumming session here in October to top the current Guinness Book of World Records' guitar ensemble of 1,700.
The proposed guitar ensemble titled 'Rhythms of Meghalaya' is scheduled to be the opening item at the 10-day long Autumn Festival beginning Oct 26 in state capital Shillong.
Youth breaks beer bottles on own head for a record
By IANS
Bhubaneswar : A youth in Orissa has broken at least 185 beer bottles on his head and about 100 tube lights on his body in an attempt to create a new world record.
Ramiya Ranjan Parida, a 20-year-old from Malkangiri, some 700 km from here, demonstrated his feat to hundreds of people in his hometown Wednesday, eyewitnesses said.
At the beginning of his stunt, two of Parida's aides beat him up with old tube lights one by one and smashed at least 100 tube lights in the process, Binash Kumar Mishra, a local martial art trainer, told IANS.
Isle of Bali and Vishnu influence works of Gujarat artist
By IANS,
New Delhi : Gujarat-based veteran artist Amit Ambalal draws his colours and inspiration from the 'leela' (miracles) of Lord Vishnu, the ruler of the Indian religious pantheon who is credited with at least 1,000 avatars.
Amabalal's latest muse is the mystical island of Bali, the land closely associated with ancient Hinduism and the growth of Vaishnavite culture.
Veteran actor, playwright Girish Karnad no more
TCN News
Legendary actor, playwright, Rhodes scholar, public intellectual, director Girish Karnad breathed his last today morning at his residence in Bengaluru. Girish Karnad, 81...
Sculptor builds his 38th Taj Mahal in Amsterdam
By IANS,
Amsterdam : Sudarshan Pattnaik, an acclaimed Indian artist, is building a sand Taj Mahal in this city of tulips - his 38th and biggest - in his quest to make such replicas in 100 places around the world.
Here for the three-week-long Amsterdam India Festival, he began carving Nov 7 and hopes to complete the Taj Mahal replica Wednesday. He is sculpting it in front of the Rijksmuseum.
British group’s plan to honour 1857 dead evokes protests
By IANS
Lucknow : The 42-member British delegation slated to visit Lucknow to pay homage to their ancestors killed during India's first war of independence in 1857 - described as the mutiny by the British - is likely to be asked to go back following protests against the visit.
The Uttar Pradesh government Monday took the decision after much debate and discussion in the wake of controversies surrounding the visit, informed official sources said here.
Marathi film ‘Harishchandrachi Factory’ is India’s Oscar entry
By IANS,
Mumbai : Marathi film "Harishchandrachi Factory", Mumbai-based theatre actor-director Paresh Mokashi's debut movie, will be India's official entry for the Oscars.
Mokashi told IANS Sunday that his film has been nominated by the Film Federation of India as the country's official entry in the Foreign Language Film category.
The movie is on the making of "Raja Harishchandra", India's first full length feature film made in 1913 by the pioneer of Indian cinema Dadasaheb Phalke.
Sunil Abhiman Awachar: An inimitable voice in Dalit poetry and painting in contemporary India
Dr Sunil Abhiman Awachar is clearly an antithesis to discourse on contemporary Indian art.
By Yogesh Maitreya, TwoCircles.net,
New Delhi: Dr. Sunil Abhiman Awachar is well known as a poet and painter, also an assistant professor with the Department of Marathi in University of Mumbai. Meanwhile, he is full time activist in dalit human rights movement. He has published four anthologies of poetry, all in Marathi, that include ‘Global vartamanachya kavita (2008)’ ‘Mi mahasattechya darashi katora gheun ubha rahanaar nahi,’ ‘Bravo! Fox minds of capitalist’ and ‘Poems of the occupied everything’.
Almost 60 years later, Deekshabhoomi continues to draw Ambedkarites
By Nivedita Khandekar
Nagpur (Maharashtra): Hemlata Sontakke, 60, was too young to remember the epoch making event she had attended with...
Four selected for Rashtrapati Bhavan’s in-residence programme
New Delhi : Two writers and two artists have been selected for Rashtrapati Bhavan's artist-in-residence programme from Sep 8, officials said Thursday.
Writers Yishey Doma...
Police disrupt a press conference on communal harmony in Ayodhya
TCN News
Members of Sarva Dharam Sadbhav Trust were stopped from holding a press conference in Ayodhya yesterday by the police for no apparent reason.
And...
Bengal pays tribute to Swami Vivekananda
Kolkata : Ceremonial processions and exhibitions on the life and work of Swami Vivekananda were held across West Bengal to mark the monk's 153rd...
Book on Prof. Rehana Sultana released on Human Rights Day
By TCN News,
Hyderabad: International Human Rights Day was observed throughout the world on December 10th. Civil Liberties Monitoring Committee observed the day in Hyderabad...
Art auction to raise money for flood-affected Kashmir
New Delhi : A photograph of Kashmir capturing its picturesque scenery and a beautiful threaded picture of the Valley are two art works that...
The identity crisis facing Tibetan refugees
By IANS,
New Delhi : What is the place of Tibetans in our society? Are they just refugees, or have they taken on an Indian identity after having lived the Indian way for over three decades? A documentary titled "Tribute to Life - memoir of a lost land" answers all.
The documentary was screened at the inaugural ceremony on Aug 28 at the Jeevika South Asia Documentary Film Festival 2008 which is on till Aug 31 at the India Habitat Centre here.
Sudhir Kakar probes connect between psyche and spirit
By IANS,
New Delhi : It has been a rather profound journey for psychoanalyst-author Sudhir Kakar from translating the Kamasutra into English to exploring Indian sexuality to probing the existence of the mad and divine in today's materialistic world.
Sudhir Kakar's latest book, "Mad and Divine: Spirit and Psyche in the Modern World", released in the capital Thursday, deals with the separation of the spirit and the body favoured by psychoanalysis.
Mountbatten tales and Hosseini captivate Delhi readers
New Delhi, July 19 (IANS) "India Remembered", Pamela Mountbatten's insight into the India of Nehru and her parents Louis and Edwina Mountbatten, zooms into number one position in the non-fiction list - notwithstanding its steep price - while Khaled Hosseini's "A Thousand Splendid Suns" continues as fiction bestseller.
The top 10 in the non-fiction and fiction categories this week are:
Non-Fiction
1. "India Remembered"
Author : Pamela Mountbatten
Publisher : Pavilion
Price : Rs.1,495.00
2. "India's External Intelligence: Secrets of Research and Analysis Wing (RAW)"
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.
Russian Nobel winner Solzhenitsyn dies at 89
By DPA,
Moscow : Alexander Solzhenitsyn, the Nobel prize winner for literature who was exiled from the former Soviet Union for his graphic portrayals of life in Soviet labour camps, died here early Monday. He was 89.
The Interfax news agency reported the news quoting literary circles in the Russian capital, where he was living since 1994 after the fall of the Soviet Union.
The world famous writer and historian had not been seen in public for months, and had reportedly been seriously ill for months. He died from the aftermath of a stroke, according to unconfirmed information.
IIFA brings cultures, countries together: Amitabh
By IANS
New Delhi : The International Indian Film Award (IIFA), which started as a celebration of Indian cinema abroad, has brought cultures and countries together, superstar Amitabh Bachchan, brand ambassador of IIFA, said here Tuesday.
Researchers, academics say Al-Arabi magazine”s journey features unique
By KUNA
Kuwait : Researchers and academics said Wednesday Al-Arabi Magazine has shown a unique style in literature coupled with relentless efforts to show this literature in a creative narrative manner.
The features published by Al-Arabi "belonged to a school that strengthened its foundations over the years," Dr. Khaled Azab, Information Director at Alexandria Library, said in a seminar about "Al-Arabi Magazine ... the Linking Chain with the World" that marked the magazine's 50th anniversary.
Musician in UAE, magician with a cause in Kerala
By IANS,
Kozhikode : P.K. Ummer Bhai teaches music at a school in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). But back home in Kerala he dons the robe of a magician to tell children the truth behind superstitions and black magic.
Ummer, who is based in the Umm al-Quwain emirate, has taken four months' leave to spend time in his native state, but he has no time to sit at home as he prepares to stage magic shows in the schools of Malappuram and Kozhikode.
Spotlight on South in Mahindra theatre festival
By IANS,
New Delhi: The spotlight has turned on the South Indian stage at the Mahindra Excellence in Theatre Awards with six of the 10 productions from the region this year.
Government designs new strategy for revival & resurgence of handloom production
BY TCN News,
New Delhi: The government is aiming to increase handloom exports from about Rs. 2,500 crore at present to Rs. 4,500 crore in...
Classical dance festival in Delhi from Monday
By IANS,
New Delhi : A Delhi-based cultural organisation will host a five-day classical dance festival here from Oct 19, an official said Friday.
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.
Shobha Deepak Singh makes London debut
By Dipankar De Sarkar, IANS,
London : Shobha Deepak Singh, Delhi-based director of the Shriram Bharatiya Kala Kendra, has opened a spectacular exhibition here of her photographs, drawing admiration from the audience.
Singh was born into one of India's premier industrial families - the Shrirams of Delhi. Her father, the late Lala Charat Ram, headed Shriram Pistons and helped build up Delhi Cloth Mills (DCM).
Like her mother - and a vocalist cousin belonging to the other branch of the family - Singh's heart lies in the arts.
Top Pakistani artist to hold exhibition in Delhi
By Madhusree Chatterjee, IANS,
New Delhi : For Indians unfamiliar with the fraternity of artists in Pakistan, master modernist Jamil Naqsh can be best described as Pakistan's M.F. Husain - a man who lives by his art and on his own terms.
India-born Naqsh, Pakistan's leading modern artist, who leads a reclusive life in London, will host his first-ever solo show in the capital Sep 15 at the Alliance Francaise - exhibiting a cache of 40 paintings.
The artist's ties with India are unbreakable. "I always dreamt of being in Shantiniketan," Naqsh told IANS in an email interview.
Asia’s biggest art mall pays tribute to women artists
By Madhusree Chatterjee, IANS
New Delhi : As a tribute to unsung women artists on International Women's Day March 8 and the 60th year of India's independence, Art Mall, Asia's biggest one-stop art shop, is hosting 60 women artists Friday in a show titled "Ms-60".
Couture czar J.J. Valaya turns wedding designer too
By IANS
New Delhi : Fashion designer J.J. Valaya, known for his rich, embellished couture lines, has now joined hands with wedding planner fernsnpetals (FNP) to design services for signature luxury wedding concepts.
He has launched a special design cell called Valaya Luxury Weddings that will create luxury concepts and details for special spaces, which shall then be executed by FNP.
Kannada and Telugu are now classical languages: Ambika Soni
By IANS,
New Delhi : Kannada and Telugu are two new languages to join Sanskrit and Tamil as Indian classical languages.
This announcement was made Friday by Culture Minister Ambika Soni.
The Indian government took the decision based on the recommendations of the Committee of Linguistic Experts set up by the culture ministry, Soni told reporters here.
“Representations were received from a wide spectrum of political and civil opinion from both Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh for declaration of Kannada and Telugu as classical languages,” she said.
Tina Ambani brings 30 international artists to India
By Sunanda Parmeshwar, IANS
Mumbai : After over 12 years of promoting art and young artists from across the country, Tina Ambani, wife of industrialist Anil Ambani, is set to take the next step up the art ladder.
Thirty international artists from around the world will unveil their unique and exclusive sculptures at the Dhirubhai Ambani Knowledge City (DAKC) at Navi Mumbai, Monday (Jan 14).
The artists have been working for a month under the Harmony Art Foundation (HAF)'s residency programme at DAKC, according to Tina Ambani, the moving force behind HAF.
Artisans get a platform in Jharkhand
By IANS
Ranchi : Artisans and weavers in Jharkhand have now got a platform to exhibit their products, with the opening of Jharcraft, an exclusive showroom for them.
Jharcraft, inaugurated here earlier this week, exhibits handlooms and handicraft items prepared by the state's weavers and artisans.
The showroom, run by the Jharkhand Silk Textile and Handicrafts Development Corporation (JSTHDC) houses silk products, handicrafts of different varieties like bamboo, articles made from jute, besides potteries and statues.
Orissa artists on a mission to save tribal art
By IANS
Balasore : Tribal artists in Orissa are painting the walls of houses in and around Balasore town with pictures depicting the lifestyle of tribals, their culture, flora and fauna and designs. This is meant to promote and popularise ancient tribal arts and crafts among people at large.
The artists are led by Kesudas, a popular cartoonist and executive director of Baleswari Kalakendra, an organisation spearheading a movement to revive ancient arts. The painting spree has been on for the past one month.
Flowers in Indian art: temple motifs to contemporary sensuality
By Madhusree Chatterjee, IANS,
Old Puducherry lighthouse comes ablaze with history
By Shubha Singh, IANS,
Puducherry : A 172-year-old disused lighthouse on the seafront here came ablaze with light in the New Year as it became the venue for an exhibition on oceanic culture and the Indian diaspora.
The exhibition revealed little known facts about Puducherry (formerly Pondicherry) as one of the ancient port cities of India, and its role as an important embarkation port for the thousands of Indians who migrated to colonies around the world.
Enright’s weepie novel proves Booker bookmakers wrong again
By Prasun Sonwalkar, IANS
London : In the end, the bookies got it wrong for the fifth year in succession and the Man Booker prize lived up to its reputation of producing surprise results as Anne Enright emerged the winner of this year's edition of the prestigious prize Tuesday night for her brooding novel, 'The Gathering'.
Contemporary Indian art goes to Frieze art fair
By IANS
New Delhi : The Khoj artists association based in Delhi will soon rub shoulders with 151 art galleries from across the world to showcase contemporary Indian art at the well-known Frieze art fair in London, Oct 11-14.
The Frieze art fair, an annual affair which takes place every October at the Regent Park, London, will offer a palette of works of over 1,000 artists from across the globe for visitors to see and buy.
Art behind bars transforms Varanasi jail
By Asit Srivastava, IANS,
Varanasi : The corridors of the Varanasi Central Jail almost resemble an art gallery, with colourful paintings adorning the walls. The credit for this goes to five convicts, most of whom are serving life terms.
Be it paintings depicting the incarnations of Hindu gods and goddesses or drawings exhibiting mother nature in various forms or intricate designs resembling wall-hangings, the range of art work on display on the prison walls is awesome.
His fine art – drawing with fingernails!
By Asit Srivastava, IANS,
Lucknow : A resident of Lucknow has mastered the unique art of drawing with his nails. Be it intricate designs, portraits or cartoons, R.S. Dobarial, 31, does it all with equal ease on paper.
"Within minutes, I can draw anything for you. I just need to re-shape my pointed nails before starting any drawing," Dobarial, a resident of the Kurmanchal Nagar here, told IANS.
For M.F. Husain, coming back is fraught with risk: Son
By Madhusree Chatterjee, IANS,
New Delhi : He does not want his illustrious father, M.F. Husain, to come back from Dubai. But that has not stopped Shamshad Husain from fondly painting the master artist's formative and defining years in India, replete with family memories.
In fact, family seems to be the theme for artist M.F. Husain and his brood this yearend.
‘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.
It’s wah ustad! at the Gwalior Heritage Festival
By Azera Rahman, IANS
Gwalior : For the people of Gwalior it was an evening to remember as sarod maestro Ustad Amjad Ali Khan and his two sons gave a bravura performance with fusion band Advaita and the Ananda Shankar dance troupe adding to the magic.
Amjad Ali Khan and his two sons, Amaan Ali Khan and Ayaan Ali Khan, gave a spell binding performance on the second day of the Gwalior Heritage festival Saturday evening.
The trio literally lighted up the stage as they walked down the bridge to the stage set amid a pond at the picturesque Moti Mahal palace.
Preserving Mughal architecture with American help
By IANS,
New Delhi : The splendour of Mughal architecture - its mosques, tombs and other structures - is in danger of being lost to neglect and pillage of time but an American university has taken up the task of documentation of neglected Islamic monuments in India.
The American Institute of Indian Studies (AIIS), a consortium of leading US universities, hopes to prepare database of these monuments to preserve them for future reference and research.
Urdu Rubaiyat now in Polish
By IANS,
Warsa : Urdu poetry, which has made inroads in Polish literary circles in the last few years with the publications of Mir, Ghalib, Faiz and Firaq, now has a new book on Rubaiyat (quatrains), both in Urdu and Polish.
The book, by writer-journalist Surender Bhutani, was released by Abdul Haider, a scholar and a former Afghan ambassador to Poland, at the Rio literary club here in the presence of poets, writers, journalists and diplomats.
Mumbai’s Taj – from icon of grace to symbol of terror
By IANS,
Mumbai : The iconic Taj Mahal Palace and Tower Hotel in Mumbai, that had over the decades hosted world leaders and royalty and was feted for its heritage building, Thursday became the symbol of a nation under attack as armed terrorists laid siege to it.
"We will rebuild every inch that has been damaged in this attack and bring back the Taj to its full glory," the Taj group of hotels said on its website as news came in of the hotel's two buildings, which have 565 rooms, being extensively damaged in the attack.
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.
Family feud sets scene for Wagner opera festival
By DPA
Berlin : A 29-year-old blonde who has staged just five operas is being lined up to run one of the world's most famous festivals dedicated to the works of Richard Wagner.
All eyes will be on Katharina Wagner when her much anticipated production of The Mastersingers of Nuremberg launches this year's Bayreuth Festival in southern Germany Wednesday.
West Bengal to find export markets for handicrafts
By IANS
Kolkata : The West Bengal government is commissioning studies to find out if handicrafts from the state will have a market in the US, Britain and Germany. Several Bengal artisans are also to take part in international exhibitions in Belgium, France and Spain after their successful participation earlier in Milan and Barcelona.
Irrfan Khan, India’s true international star
By Arpana
IANSNew Delhi : Talent unlimited... that's perhaps the apt way to describe the critically acclaimed Irrfan Khan. He is the first Indian actor to receive 'the much wanted' attention while walking the red carpet with Hollywood celebrities Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt at the ongoing Cannes Film Festival.
32 South Asian artists showcase power of art in Delhi
By IANS,
New Delhi:Thirty-two artists from eight SAARC countries and Myanmar showcased the soft power of art at a day-long exhibition titled "Puducherry Blues" here Saturday.
The artists had met in a camp at the Dune Eco beach resort in Puducherry for a South Asian artists' camp in early March.
The theme of the camp was blue.
And the locale was the heritage French quarters of the town which cradled the elegant boutique resort in a quiet corner. For a week, they worked in unison - first tentative in their interaction with each other and then in the spirit of bonhomie.
Mudpack treatment to restore Taj’s shine
By IANS
Agra : Brushing aside questions about the efficacy of using Fuller's Earth to cleanse the outer surface of the marbled structure, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has begun the mudpack treatment to restore the original shine of the Taj Mahal.
A team of scientists Tuesday began coating the arches on the western side of the mausoleum with mud, which will either fall off on its own after drying or washed off with distilled water and a light brush, ASI chief chemist N.K. Samadhia.
wait to be known as my son’s father: Naseeruddin Shah
Mumbai, May 17 (IANS) After creating a distinct niche for himself, veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah now wants to be identified as his son's father.
Currently he is off to Dehradun with wife Ratna Pathak to watch his younger son's first stage production.
"It's a play that Vivaan has directed in school," said the proud father. "My wife and I are going to watch it. He has been winning the best actor award on stage for two years. But this is his first stab at direction," the actor, known in the industry as Naseer, told IANS.
Tehelka to auction Indian art in London
By IANS
New Delhi : India's political newspaper Tehelka will promote, preview and auction Indian art at a summit it will host in London next week to explain the growing economic and social importance of India.
Why has music maestro Ilayaraja been nominated to Rajya Sabha?
Many believe that Ilayaraja’s praise for prime minister Modi and the BJP’s agenda to give token representation to Dalits led to his nomination.
Basil Islam...
Fresh scripts fail to make cash counters ring in 2007
By Prithwish Ganguly
IANSNew Delhi : Bollywood's hope of recreating last year's box office successes has taken a big blow in 2007, with collections of only $5.8 million in the first six months compared to $135 million in 2006.
Jamia to host 3rd Arab film fest
By IANS,
New Delhi: Jamia Milia Islamia, one of India's oldest universities, is set to host the third edition of the Arab Film Festival from Monday.
Delhi celebrates Makar Sankranti with fervour
By IANS,
New Delhi : Children on the capital's terraces cheered as their kites soared higher, while the adults made sure the supply of sesame-seed sweets did not run out - that is how the harvest festival of Makar Sankranti was celebrated Wednesday.
The day started early for most families with visits to the temple as the Sun started its annual swing northwards, according to various Indian calendars. Harking back to the traditions of the harvest festival, devotees offered fresh sugarcane, rice or sesame to the Sun god.
My father was too versatile to establish poetic identity: Javed Akhtar
By Subhash K. Jha,
Mumbai : Hindi film industry's renonned lyricist Javed Akhtar remembers his father and poet Jan Nisar Akhtar on Father's Day Sunday...
Rahman wins Best Original Song Award in Los Angles
By IANS,
Los Angles: Music maestro A.R. Rahman won the Best Original Song award at the 16th Critics' Choice Movie awards Friday.
Ganesh art show cut short in Goa after threats
By IANS,
Panaji : An art exhibition by renowned installation artist Subodh Kerkar with god Ganesh as its theme will now be held for two days instead of the planned 12 days, that too under police protection, after it was opposed by Hindu rightwing groups.
"We are going ahead with the exhibition. We have limited it to two days only though. We will not cow down to these forces," Kerkar, a former member of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), told reporters at the North Goa police head quarters in Porvorim.
Non-resident Gujaratis add colour to Ambaji festivities
By IANS,
Palanpur (Gujarat) : Among the nearly 300,000 devotees who have come to the Ambaji temple here in the past four days to witness Durgashtami celebrations, are 3,000 non-resident Gujaratis who fly down at this time of the year to offer prayers and celebrate.
Devotees have come from the US, Australia, Canada, Kenya, the Netherlands and other European countries.
"Approximately 3,000 NRGs have come to the temple town for Navratri but Durgashtami has a special significance for most of them," Ambaji temple administrator P.K. Jadeja said.
India Art Summit ends on mixed note in the capital
By IANS,
New Delhi : The curtain came down on the India Art Summit 2008 in the capital on a mixed note as a pall of gloom descended on the participants and the organisers alike with the news that M.F. Husain's exhibition was ransacked here.
But the organisers of the art summit - Hanmer MS&L, a multi-discipline communications and creative services firm - were happy that the fair was able to draw huge crowds, transact brisk commerce and thrash out issues facing the Indian art industry.
IIFA: Oscar winner Rahman gets best music director award
By Radhika Bhirani, IANS
Macau: Internationally acclaimed and double Oscar winning composer A.R. Rahman was Saturday named the best music director at the IDEA International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) awards here for his soulful compositions in the historical romance "Jodhaa Akbar".
Rahman couldn't attend the event and director Ashutosh Gowariker received the award on his behalf.
‘Increasingly confident that wreckage is from MH370’
Paris/Kuala Lumpur: Experts are getting increasingly "confident" that the plane wreckage found on Reunion island is part of the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370,...
Boston museum to exhibit Indian jewels
By IANS,
Washington : In the first exhibition of Indian art at a major American museum in nearly 30 years, 16 finest examples of Indian art will be featured at the Museum of Fine Arts (MFA) in Boston next month.
The exhibition, "Bharat Ratna! Jewels of Modern Indian Art", from Nov 14 to Aug 22, 2010 represents the first time that a significant number of works from the renowned collection of Rajiv Jahangir Chaudhri and his spouse, who have assembled some of the finest examples of post-independence Indian art, will be displayed publicly.
AMU’s Minority Character, the Judiciary and the Executive
Dr Syed Zafar Mahmood
ZakatIndia.org
The citizens of India would be grateful to the Hon'ble Supreme Court for very kindly taking note of the contents of...
House full for Naseeruddin film in Pakistan theatre
By IANS
Lahore : Tickets for a Pakistani film starring Indian thespian Naseeruddin Shah and US actors were completely sold out at a new cinema hall here even as its release Friday was sought to be blocked through a petition before the Lahore High Court.
"Khuda Ke Liye" is paired with Hollywood blockbuster "Die Hard 4" at the Defence Housing Authority (DHA), which was recently converted into a cinema hall.
On revival path, Bangalore’s Bandstand gets Japanese singer
By Maitreyee Boruah, IANS,
Bangalore : It will be another milestone in the history of a grand old venue here when a Japanese singer belts out light Kannada numbers this Sunday at the Bandstand in Cubbon Park, whose musical legacy is being slowly but surely revived.
The Bandstand, which was once the hub of the city's musical concerts, mostly classical, went through a lull for almost 20 years before it was reopened Oct 5 last year.
Archaeologists rebuild Egypt’s 3,000-year-old glass furnace
By IANS
London : A team of archaeologists has rebuilt an ancient glass furnace using local sand near an excavated site in Egypt following the same methods used by Egyptians some 3,000 years ago.
It was previously thought that the ancient Egyptians might have imported their glass from the Near East during that time.
But with reconstructing the glass furnace, the excavation team led by Cardiff University professor Paul Nicholson proved that the ancient Egyptians were not importing glass, rather they were making it by themselves using local sand.
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)...
A musical treat by Zubin Mehta during Euro 2008
By Mehru Jaffer, IANS,
Vienna : Music maestro Zubin Mehta is all set to conduct the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra a day before the final game of the European football championship - the third largest sports event worldwide - to be played here June 29.
The open-air concert by the Mumbai-born conductor will be held against the background of Schonbrunn, the magnificent summer palace of Austria's Habsburg rulers, on June 28 and will star Lang Lang, the Chinese pianist.
The European Football Championship is surpassed only by the Olympic Games and the FIFA World Cup in size and spectacle.
Watch: Srinagar’s Heritage House connects youth with Kashmir’s past
Located in Srinagar’s old city, a century-old building is now a heritage museum. Known as Baitul Meeras (Heritage House), the museum was opened...
Entrants for Khushwant Singh prize for poetry announced
New Delhi : Five poetry books have been shortlisted for the inaugural Khushwant Singh Memorial Prize for poetry, to promote the genre across all...
Riots film screening disrupted at Bengal varsity
Kolkata : The screening of a documentary on the 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots at the Visva Bharati Unversity (VBU) was stalled by police midway into...
Famous Italian tenor Pavarotti dies at 71
By Xinhua
Rome : Italian opera star Luciano Pavarotti died early Thursday at the age of 71 in Modena, Italy, the Italian news agency ANSA reported.
Pavarotti, hailed as the greatest tenor of his generation, underwent surgery for pancreatic cancer last year and had been staying at his villa in Modena in north-central Italy.
Pavarotti had been preparing to leave New York in July 2006 to resume a farewell tour when doctors discovered a malignant pancreatic mass. He was operated upon in a New York hospital and was forced to cancel his remaining concerts in 2006.
Artistes in Gujarat to pay tribute to Kishan Maharaj
By IANS,
Ahmedabad : As a tribute to tabla maestro Pandit Kishan Maharaj, who died in Varanasi May 4, the Saptak School of Music here will organise a gathering of artistes Friday, during which an archival recording of the legendary musician will be played.
"For me, Pandit Kishan Maharaj was like a loving grandfather. He taught me how to play the tabla," said Hetal Mehta who teaches tabla at the institute.
Hetal said that when Saptak was started in October 1980, the first musical event held was a grand performance by Pandit Ravi Shankar and Kishan Maharaj.
“Kesari”and “21 Sarfarosh” – a highly fictionalized ode
By Misbahuddin Mirza
Those familiar with America’s Civil Rights movement will tell you that African-American slaves were unofficially divided into two groups – ‘the field...
50 world classics being translated in Gojri: Dr Rahi
Says Neelmat Puran, My Experience with Truth among 12 Publications completed this year
By News Agency of Kashmir
Jammu : In a major initiative to widen the access to classic and foreign languages, 50 rare and greatest works in English, Persian and Sanskrit stands chosen to translate in a daring, long-term project to bring landmark works in Gojri –the language of Gujjar Tribe, said Dr. Javaid Rahi, Head, Gojri Wing of Jammu and Kashmir Academy of art, Culture and Languages, here today.
‘Border residents being sensitised against anti-India propaganda’
By IANS,
Agartala : India has undertaken a motivational programme to sensitise people living along its international borders to check propaganda against the country, officials said here Wednesday.
"State owned Song and Drama Division has also embarked on a massive programme to boost traditional folk music and dances in the restive northeastern region to spread the mantra of peace and development," said Shruti Kakekar, a senior official of the centre's information and broadcasting ministry.
Manipuri theatre chants ‘Shree Krishna Kirtan’ in Dhaka
By IANS,
Dhaka : A local Manipuri theatre group performed "Shree Krishna Kirtan" and a traditional art form "Natpala" at the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy to celebrate its 12th anniversary.
"Shree Krishna Kirtan" is the troupe's 13th production. When the play was first staged, it was over three hours long. However, at its repeat performance here, the troupe had to whittle down the play to one hour and five minutes.
Shubhashish Shameer adapted the play from a medieval piece written by Baru Chandidas, local reports said.
Thousands offer Eid prayers in Jammu and Kashmir
Jammu/Srinagar : Thousands of Muslims across Jammu and Kashmir offered Eid-ul-Fitr prayers on Wednesday at the end of the holy fasting month of Ramadan.
There...
‘Mighty Heart’ Irrfan on cloud nine
By Subhash K. Jha
IANSMumbai : The screening of Michael Winterbottom's "A Mighty Heart" at Cannes Film Festival was an emotional experience for Irrfan Khan who plays the head of a Pakistani counter-terrorism unit in the film.
Orissa sand artist sculpts Myanmar cyclone havoc
By IANS,
Puri : Well-known sand artist Sudarsan Patnaik has created a sand image here of the havoc wrought in Myanmar by the killer cyclone to seek help for the hundreds of thousands of victims in that country.
Patnaik and students of his Golden Sand Art Institute used five tonnes of sand to create the images of dead people and the despair of the cyclone survivors on the Puri beach.
The images were opened to public viewing Thursday.
Karnataka to help fight AIDS with folk art
By IANS,
Bangalore : Music passes the message quick and well, and Karnataka intends to do just that by using state's popular folk art to spread awareness among the masses about HIV-AIDS and to wash the stigma attached to it.
"People of the state have traditionally been inclined towards art and culture. Hence, we have decided to use the powerful tool of folk art to educate people on HIV-AIDS and create further awareness on the disease among rural and illiterate people," Karnataka State AIDS Prevention Society (KSAPS) Planning Director R. Jannu told IANS.
Police cover sought for Ghulam Ali during Mumbai visit
Mumbai: The makers of Bollywood film "Ghar Vapsi" have demanded police protection for Pakistani ghazal maestro Ghulam Ali, who will arrive here on Thursday...
A walk through the history of modern Indian art (Book Review)
By Madhusree Chatterjee, IANS,
Book: "Manifestations IX: 20th Century Indian Art"; Publisher: Delhi Art Gallery; Editors: Kishore Singh & Shruti Parthasarathy; Pages: 219; Price: Rs.4,750
Lupe: A Swiss-Indian exhibition that blends stories with art
By IANS,
New Delhi : Storytelling is a form of art. And, in times of terror, offers a healing touch. The tradition of storytelling, often described as the root of all formats of expression is fast becoming a separate genre of popular literature-art with contemporary artists borrowing from the tradition to create comic book or animation art.
Funeral rites under way for dissident writer Solzhenitsyn
By DPA,
Moscow : The funeral was held for dissident Soviet writer Alexander Solzhenitsyn Wednesday ahead of his burial at Moscow's 16th century Donskoy Monastery.
Several hundred people crowded the vaulted church where white-gowned priests chanted and swung thuribles, or incense-burners, over his open coffin.
Solzhenitsyn, remembered as Russia's moral conscience for his unflinching exposes on the horrors of the Soviet prison camps, died Sunday aged 89.
Why NaMo must bite the bullet on madrasa reforms
By M. Rajaque Rahman
The Maharashtra government's decision to tag students of traditional madrasas as 'out-of-school' has put madrasa reforms back on the national discourse....
Dooru-Shahbad residents jubilant over visit of KPs on Vat-truah
By News Agency of Kashmir
Jammu : For the first time in 18 years since migration from Valley, the Kashmiri Pandits shall be celebrating the Birthday of river Vitasta or Jhelum as it is popularly known in the state of Jammu and Kashmir on Sept 25.
Vitasta Devsathan Prabandak Committee (VDPC) Verinag Kashmir has decided to celebrate the birthday of Vitasta at its original place Veth-Vitru on Veth Truwah.
After Paris decades, S.H. Raza wants to assimilate with India
By Madhusree Chatterjee, IANS,
Google celebrates Ustad Alla Rakha’s 95th birthday
New Delhi : Internet search engine Google commemorated the 95th birthday of tabla maestro Ustad Alla Rakha Tuesday by honouring him with a colourful doodle.
मां चराती थी भैंस ,पिता बनाते थे ट्रक की बॉडी ,बेटा है देश का...
मोहम्मद अली Twocircles.net के लिए
नींबू बेचकर एवं मैकडॉनल्ड्स में नौकरी करके अपनी पढ़ाई पूरी करने वाला जाकिर खान एक ऐसा नौजवान है जिसके...
Ramadan begins in Kerala
Twocircles.net Staff Reporter
Kozhikode: Muslims in Kerala will begin fasting on Monday, following confirmations after the Ramadan crescent was sighted at Kappad on Sunday evening.
Qazis...
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.
Old Tibetan king renovates centuries-old monasteries
By IANS
Kathmandu : The descendant of a once powerful Tibetan kingdom is leading a drive in remote northern Nepal to renovate centuries-old Buddhist monasteries that are treasure troves of sacred manuscripts, paintings and architectural marvels.
Woman priest, a mother – they fight cultural beliefs for change
By IANS,
New Delhi : At first glance, Suniti Gadgil doesn't look like a Hindu priest. One of the very few women who have broken yet another male bastion, Gadgil always wears a bright smile though not necessarily a priest's robes.
"My journey to becoming a priest has been a challenging one. Initially, people were not ready to accept it, even my husband did not support me. But now things have changed," Gadgil said at the UN Population Fund's (UNFPA) report release function Wednesday.
Exposure makes Indian art prices gallop in global mart
By Madhusree Chatterjee, IANS,
New Delhi : The price curve of Indian art is shooting north in the global market because of "increased consciousness" about it, say experts.
This has been brought about by greater visibility of art and artists from the country and easy access to relevant information about Indian art from the internet, they say.
"Indian art is becoming a part of international consciousness, why is why we have seen a spectacular growth in this field," Yamini Mehta, director of modern and contemporary Indian art at the London-based Christie's, told IANS on e-mail.
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.
Husain’s iconic paintings
By IANS,
New Delhi : Some of M.F. Husain's most important paintings:
"Sunehra Sansar" (1947)
"Between the Spider and the Lamp", "Zameen and Man" (1940s)
Taiwan seeks heritage status for complex Chinese characters
By DPA,
Taipei : Taiwan plans to apply for world heritage status for the complex Chinese characters that China stopped using after 1949 but Taiwan continues to use today, a newspaper said Thursday.
Taiwan plans to set up a task force in February to prepare for making the application to UNESCO, the United Daily News quoted Premier Liu Chao-Shiuan as saying.
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...
Geoff Dyer looks for inner self in two cultures
By Madhusree Chatterjee, IANS,
Jaipur : Cultures, philosophies, travel, art and people merge in Geoff Dyer's books as he chronicles a human saga that moves from Italy to India.
Hailed as one of the best novelists of the decade, Dyer in his latest book, "Jeff in Venice, Death in Varanasi", has threaded two cities with common legacies in art and culture in a Thomas Mann-like creation that documents a journalist's brush with hedonism, romance, spirituality and philosophy.
‘Indian art market is becoming global’
By Madhusree Chatterjee, IANS,
New Delhi : The high and mighty in the world of Indian art and its western promoters are now in the sprawling arena of the capital's exhibition grounds to take contemporary Indian art and a few foreign exhibits to the masses.
In the process, it is pushing the boundaries of trade and appreciation of the medium beyond galleries and stray shows.
Century-old religious fair begins in Himachal
By IANS,
Solan (Himachal Pradesh) : A three-day fair to mark the journey of Hindu goddess Shoolini, the presiding deity of this Himachal town, to the abode of her elder sister goddess Durga began here Friday with a colourful procession.
Hundreds of devotees flocked to goddess Shoolini's temple to seek blessings and then accompanied her bedecked palanquin to the temple of goddess Durga. The fair will conclude with a procession bringing the deity back to her own temple after three days.
When religion and art overlapped along the ancient Silk Route
By IANS,
Book: "Indian & Central Asian Art: Narrative Interpretations of Unique Fragments"; Authors: P. Banerjee and Radha Banerjee-Sarkar; Publisher: Abha Prakashan; Price: Rs.4,000
Shakti or Durga, Hindu god Shiva's consort, was worshipped in the ancient Khotan region of China in the 7th century AD, reveals a new book that traces how Buddhism and Hinduism flourished together in China, India and Central Asia along the ancient Silk Route.
Dhaka cancels art show in Paris following theft of artefacts
By IANS
Dhaka : Bangladesh has cancelled an exhibition of rare artefacts at Guimet Museum in Paris following disappearance of two Vishnu statues from Zia International Airport last week.
Sculpted around 1,500 years ago, 'Vishnu' and 'Bust of Vishnu' were stolen from the cargo area of the airport sometime between Friday evening and Saturday noon, while in the custody of Air France.
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...
International film festival begins in Kashmir with “Little Terrorist”
By IANS
Srinagar : The first international film festival to be held in the terrorism-hit Kashmir Valley began here Wednesday. Over 40 documentary films are being screened during the two-day festival.
Thiru Onam celebrated with traditional gaiety
By IANS
Thiruvananthapuram/New Delhi : Thiru Onam, the principal day of the three-day Onam festival, was celebrated by Malayalis in and outside Kerala Monday, complete with grand feasts, colourful floral designs and cultural extravaganzas.
Indians bond with English, Bollywood, cricket: Ramachandra Guha
By Shinie Antony
IANSNew Delhi : Historian Ramachandra Guha, whose latest book "India After Gandhi" blends rich research with readability, says many factors looped the nation into a single strand - its first line of politicians after independence, the English language, Hindi films and cricket.
Stories of freedom struggle played back on stage
By V.S. Karnic, IANS
Bangalore : Freedom fighters will take turns to narrate their experience of India's struggle for independence and minutes later these stories will be enacted on stage. What's more, the entire performance will be spontaneous!
This unique tribute will be paid by a group of young theatre activists - including software and marketing professionals - in Bangalore Saturday ahead of the 60th anniversary of Independence Day Aug 15.
विधायक इरफान सोलंकी ने मांगा विधानसभा में नमाज के लिए अलग कमरा
स्टाफ़ रिपोर्टर।Twocircles.net
झारखंड सरकार द्वारा झारखंड विधानसभा में नमाज के लिए अलग कमरा उपलब्ध कराने के बाद अब उत्तर प्रदेश में भी मुस्लिम विधायकों...
Indian journo P. Sainath receives Magsaysay Award
By IANS
Manila : Well-known Indian journalist Palagummi Sainath Friday received the 2007 Ramon Magsaysay Award, Asia's equivalent of the Nobel Prize, for his rural journalism.
Sainath received the award at a ceremony held here, in recognition of his ''passionate commitment as a journalist to restore the rural poor to India's consciousness.''
Sainath was given the award of a certificate, medallion and cash prize of $50,000 by Philippines Chief Justice Artemo Panganiban.
Star tenor Luciano Pavarotti dies of cancer
By DPA
Rome : Luciano Pavarotti, one of the most famous opera stars of the 20th century, died Thursday at his home in Modena, Italy, his manager said. Pavarotti was 71.
The tenor had battled pancreatic cancer for more than a year, and his death followed reports that his health had worsened overnight. Pavarotti had lost consciousness several times, the ANSA news agency had said, citing people close to the singer.
He was hospitalised last month for a lung infection but allowed to leave Aug 25 after two weeks of care.
Tiananmen massacre painting to be auction highlight
By Hazel Parry and Simon Parry
Hong Kong, Oct 10 (DPA) It has been hidden away for more than 10 years because of its politically charged content - but when it goes to auction Friday, a masterpiece in Chinese contemporary art depicting the Tiananmen Square massacre is expected to fetch $4 million or more.
Yue Minjun's "Execution", a painting which adapts a 19th century Manet classic to echo the 1989 massacre, was spirited out of mainland China by late Hong Kong dealer Manfred Schoeni and sold in 1996 under strict conditions for just $32,000.
Delhi to get ‘heritage corridor’
By Shweta Srinivasan, IANS,
New Delhi : Residents of the capital worried about the wheels of development rolling over its millennia-old heritage can breathe a little easier - the municipal authorities have approved an idea to have a "heritage corridor" right through the city.
The corridor will be developed by the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (Intach). It will also improve and standardise the signs on Delhi's roads before the 2010 Commonwealth Games as well as improve the roadside landscaping.
In Coocoo’s Den, portrait of an ‘outsider’ in Pakistan
By Manish Chand, IANS,
Lahore : Statuettes of Shiva-Parvati and the Buddha jostle for space with paintings of pensive prostitutes in the eclectic studio of maverick painter Iqbal Hussain housed in Coocoo's Den, the famous restaurant founded by him in the heart of Lahore's red light district.
Christmas tree or a safety hazard?
By DPA
Hamburg : Christmas would not be the same without a beautifully decorated, real tree but what many people forget is that a fragrant Scotch pine in the living room can pose a major hazard to the family health and well-being.
Trees are apt to fall over, dragging down a ladder and anyone who happens to be on it, while trees which are not kept well-watered can burst into flames if lighted candles are not positioned properly or there is a short circuit in poorly maintained indoor lights.
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...
To preserve heritage, government planning special centre
By IANS,
New Delhi : The government is planning to set up a Centre for Management of Cultural Resources and also a network of Indian Institutes of Art and Culture on the lines of the IITs to safeguard India's rich heritage, Tourism and Culture Minister Ambika Soni said here Tuesday.
Speaking at the Asian Regional Cooperation Conference on heritage conservation and tourism here organised by INTACH (Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage) Tuesday, Soni said an integrated approach is required for a successful movement of heritage preservation and promotion.
Chandigarh gears up to secure heritage status
By IANS,
Chandigarh : Gearing up efforts to gain heritage status for India's City Beautiful known internationally for its architecture and urban planning, the Chandigarh administration has sought funds from the central government to maintain important buildings.
"We have written to the union government demanding an approval and release of funds that we need to maintain the heritage status. Right now I cannot disclose the amount we demanded. We are still awaiting its sanction," director of tourism, Chandigarh, Samwartak Singh told IANS.