Hema Malini feted with lifetime achievement award
Mumabi: Actress-politician Hema Malini has been honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award for Art and Cinema.
The actress was honoured by the Bank of Baroda...
Of Beautiful vistas, perfect past and future tense
All this wealth produced by them goes out of their hands and reduces them into welfare recipients from the government. All this great wealth...
Two 4,000-year-old reliefs discovered in Egypt
Cairo: Egyptian Antiquities Minister Mamdouh Eldamaty announced that two 4,000-year-old reliefs, belonging to Ptolemaic Queen Berenice, were found by Polish archaeologists in the temple...
Brotherhood and fellowship mark Iftaar mehfil hosted by GMCH
By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter
Guwahati: The faculty members and students of Gauhati Medical College & Hospital (GMCH) have been hosting Iftaar mehfils for the medical...
Army commander greets Kashmiris on Eid
Udhampur: A senior Indian Army commander on Friday greeted the people of Jammu and Kashmir on the occasion of Eid on Saturday, hoping the...
Centre to promote places linked with Rani Laxmibai
New Delhi : The central government will extend all help to Madhya Pradesh to develop tourism around places associated with Rani Laxmibai, the woman...
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....
Sudarshan Shetty to curate ‘more democratic’ Kochi Biennale
New Delhi/Thiruvananthapuram : Sudarshan Shetty, one of the most innovative contemporary artists in India, was on Wednesday named the curator of the third edition...
PM Modi gifts miniature painting of Bedil tomb to Tajik Prez
By TwoCircles.net, Staff Reporter
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday presented to President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon a specially commissioned...
Twists and turns of NRC: Asam Sahitya Sabha slammed
By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter,
Guwahati: Asam Sahitya Sabha’s decision to approach the Supreme Court with a draft proposal regarding the update of National Register of...
Salman complains to police against false messages
Mumbai: Superstar Salman Khan, who is irked by anti-religious messages being spread in his name regarding his forthcoming release "Bajrangi Bhaijaan", says police are...
Kerala to pay tributes to Shaikh Zainuddin Makhdoom
Fifty seminars on his book ‘Tuhfat Ul Mujahidin Fee Akhbaril Burthugaliyeen’ to mark the celebrations that start after Ramadan
By Shafeeq Hudavi,...
No country has shown the kind of emergence as has India: Big B
Mumbai: On the occasion of the World Population Day on Saturday, megastar Amitabh Bachchan has "thanked" the world for addressing the world's second largest...
Around 400 theatres shut in Kerala over film piracy
Thiruvananthapuram: Close to 400 film theatres attached to the Kerala Film Exhibitors Federation remained shut for the second day in succession on Friday...
Renowned Urdu poet Sardar Anjum passes away
By Twocircles.net Staff Reporter
gham-e-hayaat ka jhagra miTa raha hai koyi
chale bhi aao ke duniyaa se jaa raha hai koyi
Chandigarh: Noted Urdu poet and...
Profiling ordinary Kashmiris during Ramadan
By TwoCircles.net
Srinagar: Azaan Shah is a freelance photojournalist from the city. He loves to capture daily life in the trouble torn Kashmir. Here are...
Thousands attend the lecture of Dr Zakir Naik at the closing night of Dubai...
By Mohammed Hidayathullah
Dubai: The 14th Dubai Ramadan Forum, organized by the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) in Dubai under the patronage of...
Heritage Sites named in Norway, Germany, Israel, Britain and US
Berlin : Unesco has designated several new World Heritage Sites in Norway, Germany, Israel, Britain and the US during the 39th meeting of...
Sumptuous dates from the world over in Delhi markets
By Ruwa Shah
New Delhi: This Ramzan, replenish your Iftar delicacies with dates from almost all the countries around the globe.
In the holy month of...
रमज़ान 1436 : जामा मस्जिद में सुकून बसता है
सिद्धांत मोहन, TwoCircles.Net
'भाई, आप तस्वीरें खींचते हैं?'
'हां'
'मेरी तस्वीर खींचने का कितना लेंगे?'
'कुछ भी नहीं, मैं ऐसे ही खींच देता हूं.'
'नहीं, कुछ पैसे तो ले...
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...
Minorities, indigenous people left behind in Asian cities’ progress, Minority Rights Group
By TCN News,
London: Minorities and indigenous peoples have been among the last to benefit from the rapid growth of Asia’s cities, according to Minority...
Environmenatlists oppose move to shrink eco-zone near Taj
Agra: Local environmentalists on Wednesday again voiced their opposition to the Uttar Pradesh government's move to reduce the eco-sensitive zone limit around Sur Sarovar...
Victoria Memorial top choice for global travellers
Kolkata: The iconic Victoria Memorial Hall (VMH) here has been inducted in TripAdvisor's 'Hall of Fame' making it the only museum in India to...
Over 1,000 pilgrims leave Jammu for Amarnath Yatra
Jammu : Over 1,000 pilgrims of the first batch of this year's annual Amarnath Yatra left Jammu on Wednesday for the high-altitude cave shrine...
Few people understand Sufi music: Piyarelal of Wadali Brothers
By Ankit Sinha
New Delhi : The spiritual and devotional path of Sufi music has enchanted humankind for centuries but nowadays the genre is...
Sanskrit a world view, not just language: Sushma
Bangkok : External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Sunday said Sanskrit is not a mere language but a world view.
Addressing the 16th World...
Satyajit Ray’s portrait at UN exhibition
New York: Indian film maestro Satyajit Ray is among the 16 global thinkers whose portraits have been displayed here at the UN art exhibition...
‘NRC update must for development of the state’
Sahitya Parishad president Hafiz Ahmed says it will also bring an end to the harassment in the name of Bangladeshi
By TwoCircles.net Staff reporter,
Guwahati: Hafiz...
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...
A.R. Rahman might sing for nephew G.V. Prakash Kumar
Chennai: Oscar-winning composer A.R. Rahman is most likely to sing in a composition by his nephew G.V Prakash Kumar in upcoming yet-untitled Tamil film...
Salman Khan’s ‘Sultan’ to release on Eid 2016
Mumbai: Salman Khan's fans have another reason to rejoice as the Bollywood superstar's upcoming film “Sultan” has booked Eid 2016 as its release date.
Produced...
ये भी तो ख़ुदा की मर्ज़ी है, क़ुरआन की ज़ुबां भी अरबी है
डॉ. नदीम ज़फर जिलानी
हर माह-ए-रमज़ान के वक़्त एक बहस सोशल मीडिया पर ज़रूर उभरती है, इसे रमज़ान कहें या रमदान. इंग्लैण्ड में रहने वाले...
Over 9.5 lakh NCC cadets performed yoga at 1,805 centres
New Delhi: Over nine and a half lakh cadets of the National Cadet Corps (NCC), participated in the International Yoga Day on Sunday.
"The organisation...
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...
World’s largest book on display in Australian library
Sydney: The world's largest book, a giant atlas weighing 150 kg, has been put on display at the State Library here, media reported on...
Now, click and upload pics from Taj Mahal
Agra: Tourists visiting Taj Mahal will now be able to upload selfies or photographs clicked with their loved ones directly from the 17th century...
No numbers game with Salman, SRK, says Aamir
Mumbai: After Salman Khan, even Aamir Khan has come forward to announce that there's no numbers game between them and Bollywood's third Khan, Shah...
Kerala to host South Asia’s largest film market
Kochi: Kochi, the commercial capital of Kerala, will host the Indywood Film Market (IFM) and All Lights India International Film Festival (ALIIFF) 2015 from...
Aquatints showcasing Indian heritage on display in Kolkata
Kolkata: Art connoisseurs and enthusiasts can soak in some British Raj nostalgia, courtesy an exhibition of 40 aquatints showcasing India's heritage by 18th century...
Government to release stamp, coins on International Yoga Day
New Delhi : Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj on Tuesday said that the government will bring out a stamp and coins of the...
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...
The art of preserving manuscripts
By Rana Safvi for TwoCircles.net
Ambreen Shariq Khan has grown up amidst rare books. Her father Abdus Sattar has a collection of rare Urdu and...
Kamal Haasan turns make-up artist for ‘Thoongaavanam’
Chennai: Actor-filmmaker Kamal Haasan is busy juggling between acting and doing make-up for his co-actors Trisha Krishnan and Prakash Raj on the sets of...
Historic all-India Mushaira in Riyadh
By TCN News,
Riyadh: Prominent Urdu poets from across India enthralled a huge audience of about 2,000 Indians at a historic All-India Mushaira (poetry session)...
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, ...
16 मई के दिन देवीप्रसाद मिश्र की दो कविताएं
वे मुसलमान थे इसलिए बचके निकलते थे
वे मुसलमान थे इसलिए कुछ कहते थे तो हिचकते थे
देश के ज़्यादातर अख़बार यह कहते थे
कि मुसलमान के कारण ही कर्फ़्यू लगते हैं
कर्फ़्यू लगते थे और एक के बाद दूसरे हादसे की
ख़बरें आती थीं
Splash of colour, culture brightens Srinagar’s walls
By Sheikh Qayoom and Waseem Shah,
Srinagar : Inspired by internationally-known Kashmiri artist Masood Hussain, a group of students is painting murals on the walls...
Salman has Rs.200 crore riding on him
Mumbai : The verdict is out -- Salman Khan was on Wednesday sentenced to five years in jail for a 2002 hit-and-run accident. And...
Salman’s journey from superstar to ‘being human’
By Natalia Ningthoujam,
New Delhi : Born with a silver spoon in his mouth, Salman Khan, 49, the eldest son of writer Salim Khan, has...
Salman pleads not guilty in arms case
Jaipur : Bollywood actor Salman Khan pleaded "not guilty" on Wednesday in an arms case in a court in Rajasthan's Jodhpur city.
Salman was in...
Aamir crusades against Indian social evils at NY summit
New York : Superstar Aamir Khan discussed India's social evils like female foeticide, gender inequality and honour killing at the Women in the World...
Collectibles, tribal art up for auction
New Delhi : An ethnic betel leaf and tobacco box, M.F.Husain's pen and ink drawings on post cards and a wooden gramophone are among...
Salman case verdict date to be announced on Tuesday
Mumbai : The date of verdict in the Salman Khan case will be declared on Tuesday by Additional Sessions Judge D.W. Deshpande, an official...
Assam singer faces gender discrimination; barred from performance as she refused putting traditional chadar
By Abdul Gani, TwoCircles.net,
Guwahati: Even as several measures are being taken in minimizing the gender discrimination in the country, a female singer in Assam was barred from performing at a function, allegedly for not wearing a particular kind of dress.
Agra’s monuments victims of ASI’s callous neglect
(April 18 is World Heritage Day)
By Brij Khandelwal,
Agra : It's becoming increasingly clear that only professional managers can preserve this Taj city's heritage, experts say.
The parliamentary committee on environment, headed by former union minister Ashwini Kumar (Congress), after spot visits and interactions with stakeholders last week, expressed concern over the poor state of maintenance of even the Taj Mahal. In particular the committee pointed out the dark pockmarks on the white marble surface of the structure which urgently called for treatment. The committee members also lamented that the Taj Mahal was yellowing.
HC asks ‘PK’ makers to file response on plea alleging plagiarism
New Delhi : The Delhi High Court on Thursday asked the makers of Aamir Khan-starrer film "PK" to file their response on novelist Kapil...
Director Muzaffar Ali to make film on Sir Syed as part of educationist’s bicentennial...
By TCN News,
Aligarh: Noted film director Muzaffar Ali has agreed to make a film on Sir Syed’s life and contributions, which could be presented as a special tribute to the great social reformer and founder of the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), which could be presented as a special tribute to Sir Syed to celebrate his bicentennial birth anniversary.
‘धर्म संकट में’ के बहाने विमर्श
By जावेद अनीस,
भारत एक धर्मान्ध देश है, यहाँ धार्मिक जीवन को बहुत गंभीरता से स्वीकार किया जाता है लेकिन भारतीय समाज की सबसे बड़ी खासियत विविधतापूर्ण एकता है. यह ज़मीन अलग-अलग सामाजिक समूहों, संस्कृतियों और सभ्यताओं की संगम-स्थली रही है और यही इस देश की ताकत भी रही है. आज़ादी और बंटवारे के ज़ख्म के बाद इन विविधताओं को साधने के लिए सेकुलरिज्म को एक ऐसे जीवन शैली के रूप में स्वीकार किया गया जहाँ विभिन्न पंथों के लोग समानता, स्वतंत्रता, सहिष्णुता और सहअस्तित्व जैसे मूल्यों के आधार पर एक साथ रह सकें.
Dilip Kumar, Amitabh Bachchan conferred with Padma Vibhushan
New Delhi : Cinema icons Dilip Kumar and Amitabh Bachchan were conferred with Padma Vibhushan -- India's second highest civilian honour -- by President...
VHP calls for ban on Kamal Haasan’s ‘Uttama Villain’
Chennai : Members of Hindu Vishwa Parishad (VHP) have called for a ban on actor-filmmaker Kamal Haasan-starrer Tamil drama "Uttama Villain", claiming it will...
Telangana proposes garden, museum at Qutub Shahi tombs
Hyderabad : The Telangana government has sent a proposal of Rs.85 crore to the central government for restoration works at Qutub Shahi tombs, the...
नया फ़ैसला: फ़िल्म बनानी है? पहले तीन-तीन मंत्रालयों से इजाज़त लीजिए..
By सिद्धान्त मोहन, TwoCircles.net,
नई दिल्ली: बीबीसी की डॉक्यूमेंट्री ‘इंडियाज़ डॉटर’ को भारत सरकार ने अपने आत्मसम्मान से जोड़ लिया था. भयानक स्तर पर सरकार ने कोशिश जारी रखी कि किसी भी तरीके से इस फ़िल्म का प्रसारण रोक दिया जाए. लेकिन ‘अभिव्यक्ति की आज़ादी’ को कुचलने में सरकार असफल रही और बीबीसी ने तयशुदा तारीख से पहले ही अपनी डॉक्यूमेंट्री को प्रसारित कर दिया.
Films, stories have no religion: ‘Dozakh’ director
By Radhika Bhirani,
New Delhi : A man has a religion, not a story - Hindi novelist Zaigham Imam has blunt and sensible sentiments surrounding...
Training programme on Islamic structure held at AMU
By TCN News,
Aligarh: The Heritage Cell, Aligarh Muslim University, in collaboration with the Centre for Excellence in Islamic Architecture, Department of Architecture, organized a one-week short term Training Programme on “Traditional and Modern Materials and Techniques of Façade Adornment in Islamic Structure”.
Eid-e-Gulabi: The unifying colour and spirit of Holi
By Firoz Bakht Ahmed,
Holi has a Muslim history as well. Revered Sufi saints like Hazrat Nizamuddin Aulia and Ameer Khusro have, in their chaste Persian and Hindvi poetry, adored the 'pink' festival generously.
The last Moghul Emperor, Bahadur Shah Zafar, allowed his Hindu ministers to smear his forehead with gulal on Holi. He believed that his religion would not be affected by this social ritual.
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.
मेरे हमवतनों
By आयशा परवेज़,
मेरे हमवतनों...
मुबारक हो तुम्हें ये ऊंचाइयों का मंज़र
पर ज़रा रुको....ज़रा देखो तो
इन इमारतों पर कुछ खून के धब्बे नज़र आएंगे तुम्हें
कुछ तुम्हारे दोस्तों के, कुछ तुम्हारे हमसायों के
और कुछ उन जनाज़ों के जो बेनाम ही दफ़न हो गए
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’.
I live to paint, I paint to live: S.H.Raza
By Shilpa Raina,
New Delhi : “I live to paint; I paint to live.” At 93, the revered modernist S.H. Raza continues to paint and...
Renowned Urdu poet from Patna Dr. Kalim Ahmed Ajiz is no more
By TwoCircles.net staff reporter,
Patna: Renowned Urdu poet and the recipient of Padma Shri, Dr. Kalim Ajiz passed away on Sunday in Hazaribagh, Jharkhan. He was 90 years old.
He was currently serving as the Chairman of the Urdu Advisory Committee, Government of Bihar. The author of several books on poetry Dr. Ajiz was a retired professor of Patna University.
‘Chinar-Daastaan-e-Ishq’ depicts Kashmir sans violence
Srinagar : "Chinar-Daastaan-e-Ishq", featuring Aamir Khan's brother Faisal Khan and due for release in May, is the first Bollywood movie in 25 years to...
‘Razia Sultan’ zooms in on women’s empowerment
New Delhi : "Razia Sultan", a new historical show on the first woman ruler of the Delhi Sultanate, aims to bring the message of...
Artist’s ode to the Mahatma via abstract paintings
New Delhi : An intimate yet abstract portrait of Mahatma Gandhi with his wife Kasturba, a frail-looking Gandhi during Satyagraha march and many other...
Carnatic singer Sudha Raghunathan gets Padma Bhushan
Chennai : Popular Carnatic composer and vocalist Sudha Raghunathan was Sunday named for the Padma Bhushan on the eve of the 66th Republic Day.
Raghunathan...
Different similarities – daughters of legendary Urdu poets recall fathers
By Vikas Datta,
Jaipur : They were among the best known Urdu poets of their day, and though their life trajectories unfolded differently, both cultural activist Salima Hashmi's father Faiz Ahmed Faiz and actress Shabana Azmi's father Kaifi Azmi had some important things in common - belief in poetry as an instrument of social change, hope for the future and refusal to peddle hatred.
Dance of the enchantress: Muslim man breaks glass ceiling
By Sanu George,
Thrissur (Kerala) : Mohiniyattam, a classical dance form of Kerala, is often referred to as the "dance of the enchantress" and meant to be performed solo by women. A 48-year-old lecturer has now become the first Muslim man to get a doctorate in the dance form.
SC sets aside stay on Salman Khan’s conviction
New Delhi : In a setback to filmstar Salman Khan, the Supreme Court Wednesday set aside the Rajasthan High Court order putting on hold...
“We know very less about each other,” says renowned B’desh Baul musician Mac Haque
By Abdul Gani, TwoCircles.net,
Guwahati: He is very popular and widely respected in Bangladesh. A household name in the world of Baul sangeet, Maqsoodul Haque – whose roots are from Assam – has also been able to leave a mark in this part of India with his mesmerizing performances.
Modi, Jaitley lend support to art auction
New Delhi : Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley have supported an art auction along with prominent celebrities like M.C. Mary...
Nothing wrong in ‘PK’, says Delhi HC, dismisses plea
New Delhi : The Delhi High Court Wednesday dismissed a PIL filed against Raj Kumar Hirani directed and Aamir Khan starrer film "PK", saying...
Tax-free ‘PK’ invites ire of Hindutva groups
Agra : Hindutva groups in Agra continued their protest against the Aamir Khan starrer movie "PK".
Activists of the Bajrang Dal, Hindu Jagran Manch and...
‘PK’ is against religious frauds: Vaidik
New DelhI : As Hindu right-wing groups continue their protests over "PK", veteran journalist and activist Ved Pratap Vaidik says people are opposing the Aamir Khan movie because of a "misunderstanding" and they should watch it before going against it as the movie is actually against religious frauds and people who have made a business out of religion and are conning ordinary people.
Nitish gives full marks to ‘PK’
Patna : Former Bihar chief minster Nitish Kumar Wednesday gave "full 10 marks out of 10" to Aamir Khan's film "PK", saying it is...
‘PK’ tax free in UP, Akhilesh says film a ‘must watch’
Lucknow : The Uttar Pradesh government Wednesday announced that Aamir Khan's movie "PK" will be exempted from tax, as Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav said...
Bajrang Dal continues protest against ‘PK’ in Delhi
New Delhi : Nearly 200 Bajrang Dal activists Wednesday protested outside a cinema hall in Delhi and stopped the screening of Aamir Khan starrer...
VHP protests against ‘PK’ in Hyderabad
Hyderabad : Aamir Khan-starrer "PK" Tuesday faced protest here as activists of right-wing Hindu groups held a demonstration outside a cinema hall, demanding that...
‘PK’ posters vandalised in Madhya Pradesh
Bhopal : The Bajrang Dal Tuesday continued its protest against Aamir Khan's “PK” in the state alleging that the film insults the Hindu religion...
‘PK’ part of scheme to discredit Hinduism: VHP
New Delhi : Demanding a ban on Aamir Khan-starrer "PK", right-wing group Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) Tuesday termed the film part of a larger...
We respect all religions, faiths: director Hirani on ‘PK’ row
New Delhi : Rajkumar Hirani’s latest offering “PK” has raked in Rs.246.32 crore and is going strong at the box office, but some of...
Bajrang Dal protests against ‘PK’ in Odisha
Bhubaneswar : The Bajrang Dal Tuesday protested at various cinema halls in this Odisha capital and demanded a ban on Aamir Khan's movie "PK",...
‘PK’ angers Hindu groups
Agra/Bhopal : The “provocative, yet gentle” Aamir Khan-starrer “PK” has already crossed the Rs.200 crore mark at the domestic box office, but the Rajkumar...
VHP complains against ‘PK’
New Delhi : The VHP has said Aamir Khan's movie "PK" has several scenes that hurt religious sentiments of Hindus and has written to...
Folk artistes are a bridge between our nations: Pakistani singer Arif Lohar
By Jaideep Sarin,
Chandigarh : Folk artistes from India and Pakistan are a "bridge" between the countries and try and improve bilateral relations when things...
Play on disappearing daughters enthralled Delhities
By TCN News,
New Delhi: Kathak exponent Dr. Rekha Mehra, presented a Ballet titled “Tu Kaisi Maa” on female foeticide and women empowerment and Play - New Life, a drama on cancer, with visual effects in background.
Dilip Kumar out of hospital on 92nd birthday
Mumbai : On his 92nd birthday Thursday, veteran actor Dilip Kumar was discharged from the Lilavati Hospital where he was being treated following a...
Dilip Kumar turns 92, B-Town icons recollect his best
By Subhash K. Jha,
Mumbai : On Dilip Kumar's 92nd birthday Thursday, a host of Bollywood icons, including megastar Amitabh Bachchan and songstress Lata Mangeshkar, as well as his wife Saira Banu went down memory lane to pick their favourite among the veteran actor's popular filmography.
Ahead of Putin visit, an ‘Indian Poem’ by a Russian artist
By Biswajit Choudhury,
New Delhi : There is a large canvas, perhaps familiar to those who have visited Kolkata's Victoria Memorial, by Vasily Vereshchagin, a large part of whose work embodies the foundations of the India-Russia connection but who has remained largely unknown in this country.
Amjad Ali Khan to perform at Nobel Peace Prize ceremony
New Delhi : Sarod maestro Amjad Ali Khan, his sons Amaan and Ayaan Ali Khan along with Pakistani qawwali maestro Rahat Fateh Ali Khan,...
Danseuse Sitara Devi passes away
Mumbai : Eminent Kathak danseuse Sitara Devi died here early Tuesday after prolonged illness, her son-in-law confirmed. She was 94.
Sitara Devi was on ventilator...
Art for the cause of emerging artists
By Shilpa Raina,
New Delhi : In what could be seen as the first major attempt to raise funds for an independent experimental art space,...
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...
Artist Subodh Gupta to receive award
New Delhi : Leading contemporary artist Subodh Gupta will Nov 18 receive the 2014 Dayawati Modi award for art, culture and education, the organisers...
MANUU launches its tarana written by Gulzar
By TCN News,
Hyderabad: The Directorate of Distance Education auditorium at Maulana Azad National Urdu University (MANUU) came alive with a musical ceremony on Friday to launch the university’s tarana (song), which is written by famous writer, poet and Bollywood lyricist Gulzar.
Victoria Memorial to showcase valuable paintings on Sikhs
Kolkata : In celebration of Guru Nanak Jayanti Thursday, the iconic Victoria Memorial Hall here has put on display a relatively modern miniature painting...
Haider: Kashmir’s dilemma – To be or not be
By Mir Liyaqat Nazir,
Haider is one of the first ever Bollywood movie that attempted to stage the Shakespeare’s revenge play Hamlet on the recurring Kashmir tragedy. It is meant for an audience, who, in the name of national interest, were always entertained and enthralled over the grievances and miseries of victims.
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...
I feel life has just begun: Sarod maestro Amjad Ali Khan at 69
By Arun Kumar,
Washington : Entering the 70th year of his eventful life, Indian sarod maestro Amjad Ali Khan is enjoying a bit of "musical...
International mushaira held in Toronto
By TCN News,
Toronto: Aligarh Muslim University Alumni Association, Canada organized its first international mushaira in Greater Toronto Area on Sunday, August 24, 2014
Muslim singer sets the stage on fire at Raas Jalsa
By TCN News,
Mumbai: Days after furor over BJP leader’s ‘Muslim men should be stopped from entering Garba pandals’ comment, a Muslim singer Osman Mir – of Deepika Padukone starrer ‘Ramleela’ fame – set the stage on fire at a Raas Dandiya event at Juhu.
Art exhibition generates Rs.60,000 for Kashmir flood victims
New Delhi : A painting exhibition here has generated Rs.60,000 for Jammu and Kashmir flood victims and the money would be sent to the...
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...
Artist working on creating Rashtrapati Bhavan’s digital legacy
New Delhi : As you walk into artist Pratap Morey's room, you are greeted with a panoramic art panel on which the multidisciplinary artist...
Kipling’s poetry: Of soldiers, monarchs and revenue-raising
By Vikas Datta,
Gifted novelists have never been confined to a specific genre, or even to a form of literature - for they are adroit in weaving magic with words, using them in sentences of matchless prose or evoking their aesthetic and rhythmic aspects in verse. But somehow their poetic contribution is always overshadowed by their prose corpus. Sir Walter Scott, Hans Christian Andersen, Thomas Hardy, right down to Michael Ondaatje, Alice Walker, Russell Banks, John Updike, Vladimir Nabokov, Erica Jong and their ilk are not exactly more famous as poets. But there was one who strode both spheres with aplomb - and Rudyard Kipling's art was recognised by conferment of the Nobel Prize for Literature - the first ever to an English writer.
Visually challenged dancers to perform classical Indian dance in Boston
By TCN News,
Boston: The event promises to be a unique experience with a group of visually challenged dancers to perform Indian classical dance in Boston.
Will Kashmir’s street theatre die an unsung death?
By Sheikh Qayoom,
Srinagar : Traditional Kashmiri street theatre, which once occupied centre stage as the most powerful medium of mass communication in Kashmiri society,...
Assam waives entertainment tax on ‘Mary Kom’
Guwahati : The Assam government Wednesday announced exemption of entertainment tax on "Mary Kom", a new Bollywood movie on the World champion woman boxer...
Bihar to set up music varsity after Bismillah Khan
Patna : The Bihar government plans to set up its first music university, named after shehnai maestro Bismillah Khan, in Muzaffarpur district, Minister of...
From memory’s unmapped isles: A poet on alienation – and nature’s rhythms
By Vikas Datta,
One of the rather negative aspects of urbanisation is a sense of alienation, of isolation - that despite being surrounded by masses of people, you are quite unlikely to have any meaningful connection with them. And this perception can be felt more keenly at night when walking through teeming or deserted thoroughfares and markets, brilliantly lit or gloomily dark. This motif and its stark imagery have been employed quite a bit in modern Urdu poetry by some big names. But its champion was a most highly-regarded but short-lived poet of rare sensitivity, though his fame in the non-Urdu speaking world may only rest on a haunting ghazal made popular by the unmatched Ghulam Ali.
Music is the healer, think Afghan musicians as they perform in Guwahati
By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter,
Guwahati: On most of the occasions, when we talk of Afghanistan, it’s either Taliban or the prolonged conflicts at the land locked country. The country was almost devastated by many from both inside and outside yet there are some beautiful things to be appreciated in the country.
Noted documentary film-maker Shubhradeep Chakravorty passes away
By TwoCircles.net Staff reporter,
New Delhi: Noted documentary film maker and freelance journalist Shubhradeep Chakravorty passed away on Monday morning in the national capital. He breathed his last at the All India Instituted of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) where he was admitted for last one week after suffering from brain hemorrhage. He is understood to be under depression for the intimidation he was facing and due to the banning of his latest documentary on Muzaffarnagar riots.
Vaibhav Chhaya: A maverick voice of dissent into the poetic world
By Yogesh Maitreya,
“With all my baggage gone I can travel light now, forging on deeper into forest” says Haruki Murakami in his Kafka on the Shore. The same feeling can be drawn as soon as one finishesreading ‘Delete Kelela Sarr Aakash’ (Entire deleted sky), the first poetry book by Vaibhav Chhaya. Vaibhav writes poetry in Marathi. And the forest of his poem is equally risky and beautiful, one who could see the life in the underbelly, would certainly remain unsettled after brooding into the forest of his poems.
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...
Shaitan ki khala: Hinglish Vinglish
TwoCircles.net presents a new column by self-proclaimed "Shaitan ki khala" Asma Anjum Khana. TCN is not responsible for her shaitani ideas but they are worth reading and pondering.
By Asma Anjum Khan for TwoCircles.net,
English-Vinglish! #english#englishvinglish#sirsayyedahmedkhan#education
Ladies and gentlemen, have you got over your Mid May crisis? I did. Holidays, books and mangoes, helped. So now? Ready to take the new flight?
The poetic physician: Momin and his art
By Vikas Datta,
It is an unfortunate occurrence that if there are many outstanding literary figures in any era, only one or two will figure in the general public consciousness. Elizabethan England had no shortage of dramatists but can you think of anyone except Shakespeare? Russian literature flourished in the 19th century but the only names that register now are Tolstoy and, maybe, Dostoyevsky. Likewise, mid-19th century Delhi could boast of a galaxy of accomplished poets, but all have been overshadowed by Mirza Ghalib, though some were much more popular then and just one couplet of one of them had sent him into raptures.
Chacha Chaudhary creator Pran is dead
New Delhi : Pran Kumar Sharma, creator of iconic comic book characters like Chacha Chaudhary and Sabu, is dead. He was 75, his family...
Pran was versatile cartoonist: Modi
New Delhi : Comic book character Chacha Chaudhary's creator Pran Kumar Sharma was a "versatile cartoonist who brought smiles on the faces of people",...
A call for revolution, and romance: The poetry of Faiz
By Vikas Datta,
Is there any common ground between revolution and romance, as expressed in poetry and music? Lenin didn't think so, admitting he loved hearing a Beethoven sonata, but couldn't listen to music much since it made him want to pat people's heads, though his "devilishly difficult job" called for him to beat their heads instead. But it is not difficult to identify parallels - for one, both activities call for a great deal of passion. The Indian subcontinent can boast of several people who effortlessly straddled both spheres. One of them was Faiz Ahmed 'Faiz," who even won the Lenin Peace Prize.
Pakistani TV shows: Breaking down walls of mistrust, delusions
By Vikas Datta,
"Mulk taksim huye, dil to abhi ek hai/Isi liye hamne khidkiyan kat rakhi hai deewaron mein (The nations were divided, but hearts are still one/That is why we've cut windows into the walls (between us))", wrote an Urdu poet. Divided amid bloodshed, experiencing long spells of adverse relations punctuated by armed conflict, Indians and Pakistanis have however never lost their fascination for each other - despite the prevalent stereotypes. The enthusiastic response to a bouquet of Pakistani shows on an Indian cable TV channel is proof enough.
Veteran actress Zohra Sehgal dies at 102
New Delhi : Veteran actress Zohra Sehgal died here Thursday of cardiac arrest at the age of 102, a family member said.
A heart patient,...
Pakistan-India content exchange will push connect: Veteran Pakistani actress
By Radhika Bhirani,
New Delhi : She grew up watching the films of Bollywood's late ethereal beauty Madhubala, has enjoyed new wave Indian gems like...
Bihar plans to set up two film cities: Minister
Patna : Bihar plans to set up two film cities to give a fillip to the film industry in the state, Art and Culture...
‘Thirumanam Ennum Nikkah’ not anti-religion: Producer
Chennai : Ace producer Aascar Ravichandran has reiterated that his upcoming Tamil romantic-drama "Thirumanam Ennum Nikkah" is not against any religion and that the...
Hindustani films’ first superstar and the Lucknow school of Urdu poetry
By Vikas Datta,
Literature has a close relationship with films, specially Hindustani films, and it would not be wrong to say that the two are intricately intertwined. For what are films but a story leaping from the printed page (or in these days, a device screen) to be acted out on the big screen with the same norms of narrative, plot, characters and character development, dialogue and, yes, lyrics of course.
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...
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...
Amaan, Ayaan collaborate with San Francisco-based vocalist
New Delhi : Sarod maestros Amaan Ali Khan and Ayaan Ali Khan have collaborated with a San Francisco-based vocalist Devika Chawla to create a...
33 artistes to get Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar
New Delhi : The Sangeet Natak Akademi, the national academy of music, dance and drama, said Saturday it has selected 33 young artistes for...
Sharif’s India visit: Sand artist creates image on peace
Bhubaneswar : Sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik Sunday created a sand sculpture on peace in Odisha ahead of Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's visit to...
Stand-up comedians can truly speak their mind: Hasan Minhaj
New Delhi : Los Angeles-based Indian American Hasan Minhaj, who discussed a range of subjects with Indian and South African comedians on travelogue show...
Exhibition of Indian Buddhist art, scrolls opens in Hong Kong
Hong Kong: As Buddhists around the world celebrated the 2,576th birth anniversary of the Buddha, an exhibition of Indian Buddhist art and photo scrolls...
Social Media got brighter with Munawwar Rana’s Muhajir Nama
By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter,
Mumbai: Who would not be familiar with Munawwar Rana’s name? Munawwar Rana, whose poetry is the place where a mother, surrounded by the fence of mundaneness, breathes freely. Munawwar Rana, for whom the way to heaven is not above skies but at the feet of mother.
Photography exhibition at AMU
By TCN News,
Aligarh: A five day Exhibition of Digital Art and Photography by Mr. Mohd. Danish is being held from 1 May 2014 at Moinuddin Ahmad Art Gallery, Aligarh. The Vice Chancellor of Aligarh Muslim University, Lt. Gen. Zameer Uddin Shah inaugurated the show on the first day.
NDTV Indian of the year: Amjad Ali, Satish Gujral honoured
New Delhi : Sarod maestro Ustad Amjad Ali Khan and eminent artist Satish Gujral were Tuesday honoured with the NDTV Indian of the Year...
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.
Sufi meets pop at Punjabi music festival in Delhi
New Delhi : Punjabi pop singer Jasbir Jassi and Pakistani classical singer Shafqat Amanat Ali, among others, will perform here at a Punjabi festival...
Gulzar to receive Dadasaheb Phalke Award
New Delhi : Veteran poet and film lyricist Gulzar has been chosen for the coveted Dadasaheb Phalke Award for 2013, the ministry of information...
‘Since I was nine years old, I wanted to make a movie on Jinn’
By Ras Siddiqui, TwoCircles.net,
“In the Beginning, three were created. Man made of clay. Angels made of light. And a Third made of fire.” These form the elemental core of Jinn, a movie written and directed by Ajmal Zaheer Ahmad, an American of South-Asian origin with a passion for imagery. Jinn is slated to hit the screens on the first Friday of April, 2014 when it will attempt to capture viewer our imagination and the attention of a worldwide audience. Starring Dominic Rains, Serinda Swan, Ray Park, William Atherton and Faran Tahir, the movie highlights man’s meeting with that elusive third race “born of smokeless fire”, a rare encounter. “Similar to humans in many ways, the Jinn lived invisibly among us and only under dire or unusual circumstances were our paths ever meant to cross.”
Noida girl wins art award
Gurgaon: A series of geometrics and line patterns, guided by the urban metroscape, fetched Noida-based-artist Chetnaa Verma a prestigious art award here Saturday.
Verma won...
Peace, women’s freedom on canvas of Pakistani artists
New Delhi: Pakistani artist Fizza Saleem's paintings hint at the constant struggle between the mind and heart to "let go off the troubled past",...