Experiencing this massive, sprawling, disorganized, chaotic, dysfunctional, sometimes scary city discourages optimism about the future of Pakistan. Karachi is, after all, a microcosm of the nation. The city is one of the fastest-growing in the world, with the population now estimated at 22 million. There hasn’t been a census since 1998; that’s because, according to the belief here, there are some things the government just doesn’t want to know. Some project it to be the largest city in the world by mid-century.

Slums predominate and stretch mile after mile. Traffic clogs the ill-kept streets. Four transit agencies “working on more or less the same thing,” a newspaper story said, have created “chaos.” Because of an inter-governmental squabble, most of the trash is never picked up, and a news story last week warned of spreading diseases. Public water is not potable. Electricity pops on and off. Street crime and political violence are common. Journalism organizations work inside fortresses with armed guards.

After not having a mayor since 2010, the city finally elected one last month — and after his swearing in, he was promptly returned to prison, where he resides today. I am here, with seven other American journalists, at the invitation of the International Center for Journalists, based in Washington, D.C., for a study tour of life, governance and journalism in this nation key to Southwest Asia and the Middle East. We are meeting with Pakistani and U.S. officials, non-government officials, scholars and others. Karachi, the port and commercial center of the country, is considered a mini-Pakistan, and its ills are a concentration of the problems I outlined in this space last week.

And yet … people flock here, some out of economic necessity, but others because they love Karachi. I’ve had trouble getting them to articulate why, but finally they use words like “diversity,” “intensity,” “energy” and “creativity.” So it is a microcosm of Pakistan, a nation struggling under the terrible burdens of poverty, terrorism, the threat of war and frail physical and social infrastructures that make everything too difficult. But it is also a functioning democracy with a committed, resilient and innovative people determined to succeed. Anyone who looks can find a thousand points of light. Over the past two weeks, we interviewed: a young documentary video maker who’s won two Oscars for her fllms about honor killings and acid attacks on women; social reformers who have been targeted for death but carry on; a women’s rights advocate who has been working for 19 years to get local media to think about how they cover women’s issues; a new NGO fighting for freedom of expression and the safety of journalists; a young techie creating a “civic innovation lab” to make government data more open and improve public services; determined advocates for education and even sustainable development; two theater veterans struggling to maintain the nation’s only formal music and drama school (60 students) and an American-style journalism school with a year to go on its grant.

But let me tell you about just two of those points of light offering Pakistan ways out of extremism and violence — one helping Pakistan rediscover its roots; the other, its future. Most nations in Southwest Asia and the Middle East, with the notable exceptions of Iran and Turkey, are concoctions, creations of European mapmakers, diplomats and politicians to solve immediate political problems in breaking up 19th-century empires, particularly the Ottoman and British. So it was in 1947, when India won its independence from Great Britain, that the political engineers addressed the problem of two major, conflicting religions by creating a Hindu-dominated India and a Muslim-dominated Pakistan.

As if to emphasize its heritage, the very name Pakistan supposedly is actually an acronym created earlier for: Punjab, Afghan, Kashmir, Sind and “stan,” for “land.” The Afghans and some of the Kashmiris didn’t end up being part of the emergent nation, but Pakistan included scores of tribes, sects and ethnic groups that have little in common other than geography and Islam. They are a kaleidoscope of languages, cultures, dress, arts and social practices. “A great rainbow country,” a local activist told us. But suddenly under British partition and Indian threat, Pakistan had to make itself into a real nation, essentially unified around one language, one flag and increasing national identity and pride. This process also resulted in Pakistan becoming more and more intensely Muslim, showing up in varying degrees of extremism.

“Pakistan has been bruised by militancy in the past few decades,” said Fouzia Saeed, a cultural anthropologist and executive director of the National Institute of Folk &Traditional Heritage in Islamabad. “Ask young people today who they are, as their self-identity, they say ‘Muslim,’ Saeed said. “Press them, and they say ‘Pakistani.’ If you ask me, I’ll say the region my family comes from, the music, the things I work on, like women’s issues — probably 30 self-identities. “We believe in people’s acceptance and understanding of their broader self-identity. Pakistan didn’t come about all at once in 1947. It has lots of much older cultures. We are a federated country, a federation. We have about 70 languages, not just Urdu.”

So Saeed and her institute are on a mission to help Pakistanis rediscover their roots and build their lives around them, rather than nationalism and violent extremism. “We’re trying to bring back cultural traditions,” such as weddings as they were performed in their grandparents’ villages, as opposed to the Bollywood, or Pakistani “Lollywood” versions popular now. She oversees Lok Virsa, a national museum in Islamabad that consists of a very long series of tableaus depicting ordinary life in many traditional villages across the lands that now comprise Pakistan. One can imagine wandering through and finding a representation of their ancestors’ village and daily life. Saeed also is pushing for a national “culture policy.” Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif promised to announce one in April but hasn’t delivered yet. She wants some cultural traditions to die out, “like beating your children,” and the policy will have to deal with some current “morality” created by religious extremism that opposes, for example, any form of dancing, including folk.

Saeed cites some progress but feels greater urgency, as traditional cultures fade over time and generations. One indigenous group, she said, has only 3,500 people still living. “Nobody’s stopping us,” she said, as a signal of determination as well as a recognition of religious conservatives’ opposing new morality. The ray of light shining toward the future is a brand new university built on 6 acres between the Karachi airport, a slum and an illicit landfill. Pakistan’s colleges and universities are not what you and I think of as true higher education. They typically are vocation oriented, without any thought to broad critical thinking or research. Only nine include the arts and humanities at all. Curriculums are safely narrow and shallow.

The UN Human Development Report last year ranked Pakistan 124th in the world in higher education and training. Less than 10 percent of college-age students ever enroll in higher education. Last week, the Pakistan Higher Education Commission released a report saying “quality assurance” is a major problem across the 177 colleges and universities, including 109 offering illicit master’s and PhD programs. Many, if not most, of the bright young people leading reform in Pakistan whom we interviewed got their higher education in the U.S. or the U.K. Up stepped the House of Habib, a wealthy Pakistani family that owns banks and a vast array of other businesses.

They, with some other private philanthropists, simply built Pakistan’s first true liberal arts and sciences university, working with some American partners, notably Texas A&M and Carnegie Mellon universities. Habib University says it is the first university in Pakistan “dedicated to liberal arts education that combines high quality engineering and science with humanities and social sciences to provide its students insight into key national development goals to create a rich platform for global engagement.” It stands out here physically because of its stunning campus, an innovative, contemporary 450,000-square-foot, multi-level building created through an architectural design competition. But it stands out more because of its curriculum, its proudly stated “liberal core,” which it says “casts a wide net across the humanities, arts, natural and social sciences in order to give every student the opportunity to broaden their toolkit for the critical appraisal of the world in which they live, as well as the knowledge and sensibility required to generate concepts to tackles new realities.” Habib started with 108 students two years ago and plans to grow to about 900 for the class of 2020. It hopes to build its endowment from the current $10 million to $50 million, to cover operations — the Habibs built the campus. The ambitious learning happens inside walls and armed security that is common in Pakistan, but especially necessary for such a symbol of modernity, liberal thought and progress — just what terrorists like to blow up with their archaic fundamentalist mentality.

Progress lit by such rays of light as Fouzia Saeed’s goal of helping Pakistanis rediscover their traditional values and Habib’s goal of helping them envision a positive and peaceful future offers optimism for the future of this nation. If you think about how important a successful, peaceful Pakistan is to the United States, you have only to consider its neighbors: India, yes, but also Afghanistan, Iran and China, three countries that need their own rays of light.

- http://jacksonville.com/, October 1, 2016

As the country remembers the Mahatma, the lesser-known Gandhian landmarks find themselves in varying degrees of neglect “You can talk in English if you want,” D.B. Jain, a laparoscopic surgeon, says to me, as I sit across his desk. “Pani!” he calls out. An attendant appears with glasses of cold water which he places in front of me and Ansar Ali, who works at the National Gandhi Museum (NGM). Ali has been trying to help me locate the house of another surgeon — Mukhtar Ahmed Ansari, one of the central figures of India’s freedom movement. All we know is a possibly outdated address in Daryaganj and the fact that where Dr. Ansari’s garden once stood is the Shakahar Hotel.

On a quest to locate some of the lesser known sites associated with Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi and the freedom movement, I discover that many of them are totally obscure, their preservation often left to chance. After much to and fro in our search, we zeroed in on Dr. Jain’s gate. It was locked. Understandably cautious, he initially talked to us over the chained gate. Later, sitting in his examination room, we learn that Dr. Jain now owns the house, his grandfather having bought it from Dr. Ansari’s family. The house has hosted many significant meetings, as Dr. Ansari, a surgeon, was also a member of the Indian National Congress (INC) and its president in 1927. He had also served as president of the Muslim League and was one of the founders of Jamia Millia. The house’s most famous guest was Gandhi, who met Dr. Ansari in 1915, through Sushil Kumar Rudra, the principal of St. Stephen’s College. Gandhi would often walk, from this house, five miles to Viceroy House, and return to apprise the Congress Working Committee of his deliberations with Lord Irwin. These deliberations would eventually lead to the Gandhi-Irwin Pact of 1927.

Dr. Jain’s grandfather, a municipal commissioner and contemporary of Dr. Ansari, has told his grandson of a time when Gandhi was very weak from a fast while staying at the house. When asked what ought to be done if he died, Gandhi said, “Peeche jala diye (Cremate me at the back).” Dr. Jain indicates with a movement of his hands that the story is possibly just family lore, but it is not unbelievable. Rajghat, where Gandhi was eventually cremated, vaguely fits that description in terms of its location relative from Daryaganj. What can be verified is Gandhi’s secretary Pyarelal’s documentation of an incident in 1933 when Gandhi was fasting in Pune and became critically ill. Gandhi sent a message to Dr. Ansari saying he would like “nothing better” than to die on the doctor’s lap, to which the doctor said he would not let Gandhi die either on his or anyone else’s lap.

Nothing commemorates this landmark, which was once witness to momentous friendships, policies and debates central to the freedom movement. “There was a plaque some time ago,” Dr. Jain says. Dr. Ansari’s property stays preserved otherwise only because of individual interest and some luck. It is to preserve and document similar sites, video and audio recordings, and documents related to the Mahatma that the Gandhi Heritage Sites Panel was formed. Headed by Gopalkrishna Gandhi, former diplomat, governor and Gandhi’s grandson, the panel submitted its report to the government in 2008. It identified sites, both in India and abroad, including a core list of 39 sites, four of which are in London and South Africa.

The Indian sites are, not surprisingly, scattered across the country, traversing its length and breadth as Gandhi himself did. From the one in Madurai, where Gandhi swapped his relatively elaborate Indian dress for the minimalist dhoti, to the dargah of Bakhtiar Chisti in the Mehrauli area of Delhi, which Gandhi visited days before his assassination. The Panel’s main recommendations were to set up a Gandhi Heritage Mission to oversee the preservation of both the physical sites as well as documents and recordings related to Gandhi’s life. The Panel also recommended the creation of a Gandhi Heritage Portal for digital preservation of documents and pictures. Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad was given charge of enabling the Mission’s projects, which were to be funded from a corpus of Rs. 50 crore, and of creating and maintaining the portal.

As I walk up the mud path towards Sabarmati Ashram, I can hear the sounds of young voices. A class at the girls’ school of the Harijan Ashram Trust is in session and the children are reciting a lesson in Gujarati. I see a group of young people, likely from another country, walking down the path, some with matted hair, in tie-dye T-shirts and flip flops and with backpacks. A stray dog stares at me, its feet neatly placed on either side of tread marks made in the somewhat moist soil. It has rained recently. Construction workers walk in and out of some of the cottages. A man in a spotless white kurta pyjama stands at a gate in front of the cottages. Tridip Suhrud is the director of Sabarmati Ashram. He is a Gandhi scholar, not a Gandhian per se, he clarifies, during our conversation that morning. “I do enjoy wearing a T-shirt and riding my bicycle every morning,” he says. Suhrud got involved with the Ashram’s administration more than a decade ago when the managing trust was looking for ways to reinvigorate the site.

“We started rebuilding the ashram around the portal… we saw it as an opportunity to reinvent ourselves,” Suhrud says. The portal was launched in 2013. We walk across the road to the other side of the ashram. Today, the Sabarmati Ashram Preservation and Memorial Trust owns less than 2.5 acres of the original 80 acres purchased by Gandhi. The rest of the land is owned by associated trusts. Little white houses, with red tiled roofs, sit clustered across the road — these are inhabited by the Dalit families who joined the ashram when it was set up in 1917.

One rainy night in 1917, Gandhi and his companions moved to Sabarmati Ashram in a convoy of bullock carts that made its way from the ashram at Kochrab, not 10 km away. The new ashram on the banks of the Sabarmati was not quite ready, but there was no time to waste. The plague had struck Kochrab. The piece of land that Gandhi had purchased for the new ashram happened to be located between a cremation site and a prison and Gandhi thought this was entirely appropriate since, according to him, a true satyagrahi would inevitably end up at one or the other. In 1922, Gandhi himself was His Majesty’s guest at the jail in Sabarmati following his arrest for writing seditious articles in Young India. The jail and crematorium have been modernised and are functional. “On a good day, you can even smell it,” Suhrud says, laughing. Gandhi used the ashram until 1930, when he and 78 followers embarked on the Salt March to Dandi. Thereafter, he disbanded it, partly in solidarity with thousands who had had their lands confiscated by the government.

With one million visitors a year, maintaining the ashram infrastructure today is no mean task. With the reinvention came a research and climate-controlled archival centre, new job descriptions and even WiFi. Buildings designed by the celebrated Charles Correa have been renovated and some original structures such as the house of Gandhi’s nephew Maganlal, who was the ashram’s manager, and Hriday Kunj, Gandhi and Kasturba’s house, are well preserved. Someone sits in Hriday Kunj, spinning continuously on the charkha as long as the ashram is open. Gandhi’s room has a few of his original writing desks and the ubiquitous three monkeys. (I was to encounter no less than three sets of these during my travel, but I am still not clear which set is the original).

In Delhi, I visit the old St. Stephen’s College at Kashmere Gate. It is now the office of Delhi’s Chief Electoral Officer, Chandra Bhushan Kumar, who wants to build a museum on elections with a ‘Gandhi Corner’ for which he has enlisted the help of the NGM. The building has a long relationship with Gandhi. When Gandhi, fresh from his successful experiments in South Africa, arrived in New Delhi on April 12, 1915, he stayed with Principal Rudra. He continued to stay there on his visits to Delhi through 1925. The Khilafat Movement was launched here and the Non-Cooperation Movement was “conceived and hatched under his [Rudra’s] hospitable roof,” Gandhi wrote. I notice a few old structures — a staircase here, a shelf there. The Mission’s experts are consulting the archives at St. Stephen’s College to try and reconstruct the exact location of Gandhi’s stay and his lecture to the students.

Gandhi heritage sites in the public eye, controlled by robust trusts, tend to do well. Gandhi Smriti and Darshan Samiti (GSDS), Delhi, which runs an exhibition and archiving centre near Rajghat, and manages the former Birla House, is a case in point. Birla House, where Gandhi spent his final 144 days and where he was assassinated, is now a multimedia museum and a memorial to his last living quarters and the spot where he died. The place is well maintained and supports an ecosystem that extends beyond the physical space. The young guides are usually from disadvantaged backgrounds and are paid honorariums ranging from Rs. 13,000 to Rs. 16,000 per month. GSDS trains volunteers in eight different trades, including pottery, music and mime; some of them have gone on to lead programmes in Tihar Jail to train prisoners.

But not all high-profile Gandhi heritage sites are as well-kept. In May 2016, The Hindu’s Sunday Magazine reported that Pune’s Aga Khan Palace, where Gandhi, Kasturba and Gandhi’s secretary Mahadev Desai were imprisoned for the Quit India Movement, was dilapidated and in desperate need of repairs. Four months later, the situation is yet to be rectified. “The building and garden are well maintained, but the museum is still in a shabby state,” says Nilam Mahajan, who has been a guide at the museum for the past 36 years, over the phone. Suhrud says the Mission is awaiting a detailed project report to take the preservation ahead.

India’s 20th century heritage is especially vulnerable, says Anil Nauriya, a writer and Supreme Court lawyer. The Ancient Monuments Act enables the Archaeological Society of India (ASI) to protect monuments at least 100 years old, leaving newer monuments vulnerable.

Dilkush, Sultan Singh’s house where Gandhi ended his 1924 fast for Hindu-Muslim amity, is just one such example. In its place now, in the Subzi Mandi area of Delhi, stands an automobile spare parts shop. In the years after Partition, the priority was to resettle people and not preserve buildings, says Nauriya. “When you preserve a structure and everybody passes by and they know what it signifies… it creates a new mindset in the person who sees it. It is a way of educating people.” Talking to people involved with Gandhi heritage work, it emerges that a PPP model for preserving privately-owned sites may be a good way forward.

As the chairman of the Panel has observed, Gandhi “impacted on the physical surroundings that he was in by engaging intensely with those venues, whether by tilling ground, raising cottages, cleaning them, being a prisoner in them, or investing them with the magnetism of voluntary starvation, prayer and, finally, of martyrdom.” [email protected]

- http://www.thehindu.com/, October 1, 2016

Delhi-based artist Niladri Paul is known for works based on the various dance forms of India. The unique language of his paintings, coupled with the way he delineates his subject, has been appreciated the world over at – and after –exhibitions. Paul, who visited the city recently after a long spell of 30 years, happened to be visiting the Gallery Artist Mindz at Jayadev Vihar in the city where Orissa POST got the opportunity to interact with him. Paul’s love for Indian dance forms developed after witnessing live classical dance presentations. “I was always fascinated with the anatomy of movement and colour in my paintings. I have painted Bharatanatyam, Odissi, Kathak, Mohiniyattam artistes and movements as well as conceptual dance forms and other classical dances. I love the subtle movements of Chandralekha who is a great dancer. She visualises dance in modern themes – an aspect of her style I really admire,” he said.

Dwelling on the language and style of his paintings, Paul said: “I always wanted to depict Indian heritage, architecture and culture, especially the purity and profundity of the Indian performing arts which are examples of sublime aesthetics. Although most of my works are based on dance forms I often try to infuse different elements into them. I try to incorporate everything. Sometimes the calligraphy of different Indian scripts appears in my paintings which gives a piece of art a characteristically Indian touch.” Asked what was the reason behind choosing different dance forms as subjects, Paul said: “Dance is not a static form, for me its poetry. I try to explain dance as poetry and recite it on my canvas.”

Fascinated with colours since childhood, Paul considers painting to be an integral part of his life. “After school I joined a regular college in the general stream but then thought I should join an art college. I completed a five-year course from the Government College of Art in Kolkata in 1986. Holding the brush and playing with colours on the canvas gives immense satisfaction,” the artist stated. Sharing a memorable experience, Paul said: “During my last exhibition based on the performing arts, Pandit Birju Maharaj met me and appreciated my work. I was always enamoured by dance expressions, hand movements and ‘mudras’ and I was really touched by the praise.” “I have exhibited my works in New York, Florida, the UK, France, South Africa, Dubai, Singapore and Sri Lanka – works based on theatre and different dance forms,” the painter said.

Asked how difficult it was for young artists to develop their own artistic language, Paul said: “If an artist struggles to develop a unique language or style, then he can never achieve success. Style is a spontaneous expression and comes to the artist automatically. When the body, mind and the hands work synchronously, it leads to the artist developing a distinctive language and style which is not a replication but outstanding and original.” Paul is not only a painter and sculpture but also a fashion designer who has participated in many fashion shows in the country. “I love to work in mixed media, so apart from painting I do sculpture and dress designing. I did a fashion show in Mumbai a few years back but after that got so engaged with my painting that I couldn’t spare time for designing. However, I am planning to do a special festive collection which I want to launch in Delhi. The collection will be men and women’s wear in silk. The theme will be Indian – ethnic wear perfect for marriage and sundry festive occasions,” he said.

Suggesting that young artists should always follow their heart and never give up learning, Paul added: “There are no alternatives and short cuts in the performing arts. Achievement follows years of sustained devotion to work. An artist should never give up learning, however experienced he may be.”

- http://www.orissapost.com/, October 1, 2016

Vibhor Sogani’s “Mahatma In Me” exhibition in Australia reflects principles of peace, equality and non-violence through stainless steel installations Inspired to make the world a better place to live, in 2014 Nilesh Makwana and Lene Makwana started the Borderless Gandhi Project. The aim of this initiative is to promote through artistic reflections Gandhiji’s life, work and legacy by holding a series of events and exhibitions. This year the organisation has opened the exhibition “Mahatma In Me” by artist Vibhor Sogani at Perth, where several of his sculptures in stainless steel have been installed. Using steel and iron to create 12 works for the exhibition, the artist says, it was a challenge for him as far as the medium was concerned. “It took me a while to absorb the intricacies and the translation thereof.”

Delhi-based Sogani is well known for “Sprouts”, India’s largest and most visible public art installations. Spread over six acres of greens surrounding the All India Institute of Medical Sciences “Sprouts” is a 40-feet high stainless steel installation. In an interaction, Sogani talks about the Perth exhibition, what it signifies and relevance of Gandhiji in today’s world. Tell us about the show “Mahatma In Me”. ‘Mahatma in Me’ is inspired from the life of Mahatma Gandhi. One quote by him ‘Be the change that you wish to see in the world’ triggered a thought for the series. We all want to see big changes in the world. Every great journey, though, has to begin with a single step. That step, we believe, needs to come from within us — the Gandhi in us. Every individual carries a bit of Mahatma in him, waiting to be discovered. ‘Mahatma in Me’ is my humble attempt towards that realisation. For example, artworks like ‘Harmony’, ‘The March To Freedom’, ‘A Step Towards Divine’ are inspired from Gandhiji’s teachings of peace, non-violence and cleanliness.

What attracted you to this theme? Last year we were celebrating 100 years of Mahatma Gandhi’s homecoming – his return to India from South Africa. It was being celebrated at the Pravasi Bhartiya Diwas, a Government of India initiative. I was invited to create a series of installations which was to be displayed there at the Mahatma Mandir in Gujarat. This is what led to initiation of this series.

How do these work make one reflect on the Mahatma within all of us? Subtle images of Mahatma Gandhi and some impressions of his thoughts are expressed here in reflective steel. Mirror finish stainless steel is a very interactive and reflective material. The idea here is for the audience to see their own reflection in the images of Mahatma, pause and possibly introspect…a moment of self-realisation and think about the responsibility we all carry to bring about the change, and see ‘the Mahatma within all of us’ How relevant are Gandhiji’s thoughts and actions in today’s world ridden with violence and strife? His thoughts and teaching are more relevant than ever before, in my opinion. His message of peace, harmony, non-violence, cleanliness etc — all happen to be serious concerns world over. In my view Gandhiji was a conceptual man who thought differently about the problems facing not just India but humanity as such. For instance, he emphasised that cleanliness was next to godliness and the problem of hygiene is a global issue and not just limited to our country. Likewise, he used the concept of non-violence to handle the complex issue of India’s struggle for independence which again is very relevant in today’s world.

On reading about Gandhiji, I realised that he was much ahead of his times. Self-reliance, harmony, hygiene and cleanliness, etc play a major role in the growth of any nation and at micro level, every individual. His vision, his philosophy and teachings are timeless. Even though as a individual Gandhiji is remembered but his values and teachings have not been followed in post-Independence India. He had not just charted the course for the freedom of the country but also on how it should evolve post-Independence. The need of the hour is to deliberate Gandhiji in his true spirit.

- http://www.thehindu.com/, October 2, 2016

Bikram Grewal spent over five years to come up with a book weighing about four kilograms, presenting some 1300 odd species of birds found in India and neighbouring nations. But the conservationist fears for his avian friends, many of whom are facing extinction in our country. When it comes to bird conservation, Grewal feels nothing has changed for the good and that all bird species are endangered. “We are losing everywhere, population of common urban birds, migratory birds and rare birds have only witnessed a decline in India,” says the eminent birdwatcher. Without beating around the bush, he blames complete lack of political will. “We don’t need high-level science to save birds. Just had to keep their habitat sacrosanct but we couldn’t.”

This is exactly what happened with the Great Indian Bustard (GIB), he says. “There are hardly 50 of them left in the entire country. 90% of the species are in Rajasthan, where its habitat is being drastically destroyed. By 2020, GIBs will be extinct,” adds Grewal. Though the situation is critical now, he adds that a lot can still be done to save the remaining population of the bird. “When villages can be relocated to protect tigers, similar efforts can also be taken for prominent bird habitats,” he says. Is bird conservation being neglected amid tiger-centric conservation initiatives? “It has always been like this. There are hardly one or two bird sanctuaries in India. Laws exist but afforestation continues to take place on a large scale, taking away bird habitats. Conservation is better in Bhutan and Sri Lanka. Here, funds are never allotted to birds,” Grewal says.

Bird population in urban areas is becoming homeless for the same reason. The birdwatcher says, “People keep saying we don’t see much of hornbills. But we are rapidly cutting tall and big trees which home their nests. We are rapidly losing parks, gardens and green cover. There will soon come a time when we will spot birds only near army cantonment areas having some trees.” Decline in the numbers of migratory birds is again bad news. “Our rivers are choked, some have dried out and some have become toxic. This is why not many migratory birds are seen today, a sign of an unhealthy biodiversity,” he says.

Dismal research on birds and no follow-ups of whatever little has been done are also enemies of our winged friends. “After discovering that widespread use of diclofenac was linked to death of vultures, it took eight years to ban the deadly drug. We lost 50% vultures in one year. So even if the numbers are going up now, the rise is very slow,” says Grewal. He adds that scientific studies and surveys are needed along with activities like birdwatching to shift the focus on conserving birds.

- http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/, October 2, 2016

Prafulla Sawarkar (30) has made the city proud by becoming a Charles Darwin scholar in August by attending a 10-day programme in Preston Montford and Juniper Hall field centres in the UK. He won the prestigious scholarship of Field Studies Council (FSC), founded in 1943 and which is one of the leading environmental education organizations. Each year 2.20 lakh people experience FSC courses. Sawarkar, a postgraduate in environment science, is in wildlife conservation field since 10 years. For the last 4 years he is working as education officer with Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS). Earlier, he had won ‘Spark Fellow’, a one-year fellowship of NGO BAIF Development Research Foundation, Pune, under which Sawarkar worked with tribals for one year in Nandurbar. At BNHS, he works to sensitize students of over 100 schools and women in the periphery of all protected parks (PAs) in Satpuda landscape. He also imparts training to guides under BNHS programme. He also presented a research paper on environment education in Asian Association or Biological Education in Goa from September 20-24. TOI talked to him about what was the scholarship about. Excerpts from the interview...

Q. How did you get the Darwin scholarship?
A. Every year the FSC aims to train 25 young up & coming scientists across the globe on wildlife, biodiversity conservation and research. They select candidates, probably working with NGOs, government departments or ecology or biology faculty in universities under the age of 35. I had applied for it and got selected considering my experience. The process is very stringent and this year only 21 candidates from 13 countries could make it. There were 200 applications.

Q. What is the Darwin scholarship programme about?
A. The programme is all about strengthening exploration and observation competencies of young scientists; enhance ability of scientists to communicate with variety of groups and develop resources and materials to promote exploration and observation by way of presentations, lectures, excursions, field visits, workshops and sharing ideas.
Q. So what did you do and learn there? A: We had a packed 10-day schedule. It used to start at 7am and end at 8.30pm. We first started by exploring Darwin’s world by visiting his birthplace in Shrewsbury where he spent his childhood. It was basically to examine how Darwin became a great scientist and how we can start thinking like him. We learnt data collection, identification of flora and fauna, bird recording methods and also visited the world’s biggest Natural History Museum in London to explore biodiversity work. We then visited Down House, where Darwin spent most of his life and met his great great grandson.

Q. How will Darwin’s theory be applicable in India?
A. Skills of observation and identification, recording biodiversity and communicating it to the target groups will help me to educate students here and bring environmental understanding to all. It will also be useful in conservation of tiger and other species. The scientists there are far ahead in research. For example, they gave us a pocket microscope like a magnifying glass which is cheap and helps identify small organisms and plant species. I will use it here to study plant ecology and small organisms. We are short of taxonomists and experts with observation and identification. What I learnt in Darwin programme will be implemented in a more coherent way.

Q. But conservation practices in both countries differ?
A. That is true. In the UK, conservationists look at everything scientifically and do not rush with the outcome unless they are sure about it. They record every part of the study. Besides, conservationists use advanced technology and methods for research. To get recognized as a scientist, wildlife expert, conservationist, botanist or a biologist or bird watcher, in UK you need to qualify exams every three years. You have to really prove it. In India, many birders call themselves bird watchers, but in UK they would be known as just bird lovers, not even amateurs.

Q. Of the 21 candidates selected, maximum 9 were from India?
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A. This is because India has a rich biodiversity and wildlife. Besides, every Indian participant who made it was working on different species. Moreover, over 70% of the world’s tiger population is in India. They are really concerned about it.

Q. But UK has no tigers in the wild?
A. Yes. But Darwin theory is applicable in India too. In my presentation on my working in tiger conservation, I popularized the iconic tiger Jai, which is missing. Though the presentation was for 10 minutes, the question-answer session went on for 50 minutes. The participants were very keen to know about tigers, especially Jai and what happened to him. I also presented a frame of Jai‘s picture to FSI’s Jenni Duffel. I had clicked the picture in December 2014 in Umred-Karhandla Wildlife Sanctuary. They appreciated it and showed keen interest in tiger conservation.

Q. How do you feel at the end of the course?
A: I really feel elevated to be Darwin scholar as it is very tough to get an entry. I learnt many new things. I’m also thankful to BNHS director Deepak Apte and assistant director Sanjay Karkare for extending all help and guidance.

- http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/, October 2, 2016

The awe-inspiring Pangong lake is considered Ladakh's most beautiful feature and amongst the enthralling water bodies in the world.

With stunning turquoise blue water and sprawling shores, Pangong attracts lakhs of tourists from around the world, every year. They say the beauty of the lake cannot be described but can only be experienced. Being the first trans-boundary wetland in South Asia, Pangong lake in Ladakh is located at a height of over 14,000 feet above sea level. The lake is so big that around 140 kilometres area of the lake lies in India and approximately 60 per cent of the length of the lake lies in China. Pangong lake is 5 kilometres wide at its broadest point and all together covers around 604 square kilometres. one of the major attractions for tourists coming from world over, the lake is a five-hours drive from Leh via Chang La. The lake freezes during winters and the tourist season is from May to September. Crystal clear blue-coloured water is something that immediately catches the attention of the tourists and leaves them enthralled.

Local and foreign tourists feel happy about the cleanliness at the Pangong lake, alike. Leh-Ladakh received record number of tourists this year...over two lakh thirty thousand visitors. And they all feel that the awe inspiring lake must be visited at least once in a lifetime. With transparent blues and, at times, multi-coloured saline water, Pangong lake is one of the most famous tourist destination in this part of the country. Night stay facility for the tourists is also available at the lake which provides them with an opportunity to see the beautiful lake at night.

- http://ddinews.gov.in/, October 2, 2016

CWIT aims to provide a chance to early to mid-career practitioners to study in the U.K. in the fields of Arts (visual, music, performance, film, photography, design, etc.) or Heritage Conservation (architecture or landscape conservation, management of museums, collections or sites, etc.).

Eligibility: Graduation, diploma or professional degree holder aging between 25-38 years with significant working experience. Application: Application is to be submitted in hard copy at the nearest British Council centre. Prizes and rewards: 10 scholarship awards which covers tuition fee, accommodation, travel & living allowances from 2-3 months to maximum of 1 year. Deadline: November 30

Website: http://www.b4s.in/plus/CWI610 Chevening Scholarships To provide financial support to individuals with demonstrable leadership potential to study for a master’s degree at any U.K. university. The course will be starting in September/October 2017. Eligibility: Graduates with at least two years of work experience can apply. Application: Online only Prizes and rewards: Tuition fee, monthly stipend, travel and other allowances.

Deadline: November 8 Website: http://www.b4s.in/plus/CS336 Foundation For Excellence Scholarships The mission of this scholarship is to help exceptionally talented but financially constraint students become doctors, engineers, or technology experts by providing financial aid throughout their professional course.

Eligibility: First-year students of B. Tech., Integrated five-year Dual-Degree M. Tech. or MBBS with family income less than Rs. 1,80,000 per year can apply. Application: Online initial submission Prizes and rewards: Financial and other assistance. Deadline: Application is open Website: http://www.b4s.in/plus/FFE577 Courtesy: www.buddy4study.com

- http://www.thehindu.com/, October 2, 2016

Delhi's Tourism Minister directed the officials to implement a complete ban on polythene at all the monuments within a month. With a view to give an impetus to ‘Swachh Bharat, Swachh Smarak’ campaign, Tourism Minister Mahesh Sharma on Sunday visited heritage sites in Delhi as he launched an initiative to ban polythene at all national monuments. Sharma, along with officials of the tourism ministry and Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), visited Red Fort, Humayun’s Tomb and Qutab Minar. He directed the officials to implement a complete ban on polythene at all the monuments within a month and asked them to ensure cleanliness and availability of basic facilities such as toilets and cafeteria at the sites.

“Taking forward the Swachh Bharat Mission, we have decided to ban polythene at all national monuments and tourist destinations from Gandhi Jayanti this year,” Sharma had said earlier. He, however, clarified that plastic bottles will not be banned, but tourists will be asked to place those in the recycle bins. With the trial phase of the initiative launched last month, the ban will be applicable in 100-metre radius of the monuments. It will be easier to implement this initiative as the monuments have security personnel who can check tourists at the entrance, Sharma said. The initiative will be reviewed after a month to decide whether there is any need to impose fines on the offenders, an official said.

The Centre had in March banned the manufacture of plastic bags of below 50 microns as these are difficult to dispose of thus posing a major threat to the environment. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had launched the Swachh Bharat Mission on October 2, 2014. It aims to eliminate open defecation, manual scavenging and encourage modern and scientific municipal solid waste management, among others.

- http://indianexpress.com/, October 2, 2016

From Kolkata of yore to replicas of important monuments to imaginary fantasy land - this years Durga Puja festival is marked by theme-worship as the organisers focus on a blend of aesthetics and tradition. In a throwback to the good old days, the Hindustan Park Puja in south Kolkata has put on display everyday use items like janta, stitched kantha and needle and reinvented the era when children flocked to their grandmas to hear fairy tales.

"We are recreating the ambience where the elderly lady would dry her grey hair under the afternoon sun in the courtyard of her house and the children would surround her for stories of "Bangoma-Bangomi", one of the organisers said. At Bhabanipore 75 Palli, visitors will be introduced to Arshinagar, the city of mirrors, where one can see his true self. Through the gate of a 45-foot elephant the revellers will go to the garbha griha (main spot) where the glass-panelled walls will retain references of Rajasthani folk art and mirror ourselves. "We are also laying astro-turf grass before the pandal which speaks about saving green," a puja committee spokesman said.

At 83-year-old Shovabazar Burtola Sarbojonin Durgotsab, north Kolkatas dwindling number of cafes were highlighted. "Our intention is to portray Kolkatas once-vibrant coffee culture, there will be rows of old world cafes which will lead upto the main pandal named interestingly Sri Durga Cabin", Puja committee secretary Sayak Nandi said. "The cafes in north Kolkata used to be frequented by people, including puja committee members, for a healthy discourse. Now big fast food joints threaten to usurp their places," he rued.

- http://indiatoday.intoday.in/, October 3, 2016

The iconic Town Hall, home of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi for well over a century, has been lying vacant ever since the municipal establishment shifted to the Civic Centre on Minto Road. Too important to be left decaying, the colonial building in Chandni Chowk has been invested with several proposed avatars, none of which has materialised. Now there are reports that the central government will take up its redevelopment under a heritage conservation scheme.

According to sources, the ministry of tourism has asked for the inclusion of Town Hall's rejuvenation under the urban development ministry's Heritage City Development and Augmentation Yojana (HRIDAY). The HRIDAY scheme was launched in 2015 "to preserve and revitalise the soul of the heritage city to reflect the city's unique character by encouraging aesthetically appealing, accessible, informative and secured environment".

Officials from the Shahjanabad Redevelopment Corporation (SRDC), which is overseeing the project, confirmed this new development. They said that in 2013, the commissioner of North Delhi Municipal Corporation had placed before its standing committee a plan to transform Town Hall into a centre of cultural and social heritage depicting history, culture and life of Delhi. Sources said that the government had decided the revamp of Town Hall had to be prioritised, with SRDC undertaking, on behalf of North Delhi corporation, to integrate the heritage site in the projects currently being undertaken. A memorandum of understanding was signed to this effect. INTACH Delhi chapter also provided a project report, though there was no word on the execution of the plan.

Plans for Chandni Chowk are being made for the two decades at least. It is time for some action now. This area has so much tourist potential but the vested interests just don''t let anything happen h... Read More The complex is to have museums, library, activity rooms for adults and children, a light-and-sound programme on the history of Delhi, auditorium for cultural activities and dining area, disclosed officials. In the original corporation plan, the revamp was to have been funded by the ministry of tourism and implemented by Delhi Tourism. Keeping in mind the location of Town Hall in the busy Chandni Chowk area, it was felt that efficient and modern traffic management was an absolute necessity. It was, therefore, decided that a traffic plan at the site should be prepared in consultation with the traffic police. An underground parking lot with recreation parks or play areas on the ground surface might be considered as a solution for the slotting of vehicles. Such a structure would be designed to enhance the aesthetics of the heritage site.

- http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/, October 3, 2016

The iconic Town Hall, home of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi for well over a century, has been lying vacant ever since the municipal establishment shifted to the Civic Centre on Minto Road. Too important to be left decaying, the colonial building in Chandni Chowk has been invested with several proposed avatars, none of which has materialised. Now there are reports that the central government will take up its redevelopment under a heritage conservation scheme.

According to sources, the ministry of tourism has asked for the inclusion of Town Hall's rejuvenation under the urban development ministry's Heritage City Development and Augmentation Yojana (HRIDAY). The HRIDAY scheme was launched in 2015 "to preserve and revitalise the soul of the heritage city to reflect the city's unique character by encouraging aesthetically appealing, accessible, informative and secured environment".

Officials from the Shahjanabad Redevelopment Corporation (SRDC), which is overseeing the project, confirmed this new development. They said that in 2013, the commissioner of North Delhi Municipal Corporation had placed before its standing committee a plan to transform Town Hall into a centre of cultural and social heritage depicting history, culture and life of Delhi. Sources said that the government had decided the revamp of Town Hall had to be prioritised, with SRDC undertaking, on behalf of North Delhi corporation, to integrate the heritage site in the projects currently being undertaken. A memorandum of understanding was signed to this effect. INTACH Delhi chapter also provided a project report, though there was no word on the execution of the plan.

Plans for Chandni Chowk are being made for the two decades at least. It is time for some action now. This area has so much tourist potential but the vested interests just don''t let anything happen h... Read More The complex is to have museums, library, activity rooms for adults and children, a light-and-sound programme on the history of Delhi, auditorium for cultural activities and dining area, disclosed officials. In the original corporation plan, the revamp was to have been funded by the ministry of tourism and implemented by Delhi Tourism. Keeping in mind the location of Town Hall in the busy Chandni Chowk area, it was felt that efficient and modern traffic management was an absolute necessity. It was, therefore, decided that a traffic plan at the site should be prepared in consultation with the traffic police. An underground parking lot with recreation parks or play areas on the ground surface might be considered as a solution for the slotting of vehicles. Such a structure would be designed to enhance the aesthetics of the heritage site.

- http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/, October 3, 2016

Attempts to save the iconic ‘Hall of Nations’ and ‘Nehru Pavilion’ at Pragati Maidan, which risk being razed, are garnering support from some of the most respected international institutions. As part of the plan to modernise the Pragati Maidan exhibition complex, the India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO) intends to raze the two structures, which were designed by famed architect Raj Rewal, constructed in 1972. The plans have been derided by many architects, conservationists and heritage lovers who feel that the structures represent India’s first ‘modern’ architecture and should be preserved for posterity. The curator of New York’s Museum of Modern Art, curator of Pompidou Centre (Paris), president of Union of International Architects, and president of the Architects Regional Council Asia have written to the Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry, requesting for these ‘architectural masterpieces’ to be preserved as they are not only of significance for contemporary architecture in India, but of the entire world.

Professor Dr. Martino Stierli, curator of Museum of Modern Art, said in his letter: “Built in time of great optimism for the future, both structures were seminal in forging a new, modern identity for Indian society and architecture. They are architectural masterpieces and important witnesses of an important chapter of Indian history.” He also expressed concerns about the threat of demolition to these structures and committed the Museum of Modern Art’s help to ensure that they are preserved. Ar Esa Mohamed, president of the International Union of Architects, also spoke of the union’s ‘serious concerns’ about the plans to demolish the iconic structures. In his letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he said that these structures serve as an inspiration to architecture students globally and should be preserved as national assets.

Aurelien Lemonier, curator, department of architecture, Centre Pompidou (Paris), expressed his support and wish to contribute to the recognition of these two ‘great pieces of architecture’ and their maintenance as part of architectural heritage. The structures, Mr. Lemonier said in his letter, express a new step in the development of modernity in terms of aesthetic, constructive innovation and social engagement.

‘Unique in its own way’ “These structures will be lost forever, which is very serious. Institutes across the world are saying this,” architect Raj Rewal told The Hindu . “It is not only nationally important, but is also part of international architectural heritage. A structure like this is unique in its own way,” he added. “We are hoping that these will be preserved as they are one of the most important structures built in the last century,” he said. Mr. Rewal said that the structures may be 40 years old, but with some renovation they can be made to last for another 200 years. “The total area of the Hall of Nations complex, including Nehru Pavilion, is hardly 7 per cent of the 120-acre site of the Pragati Maidan. In fact, the Hall of Nations structure occupies only 2 per cent of the site. Any new development can be amalgamated with these two structures along with the same magnificent trees that are in close proximity to these buildings,” Mr. Rewal had said in a recent interview to noted Iranian philosopher and academic Dr. Ramin Jahanbegloo.

Heritage lovers say the structures represent India’s first ‘modern’ architecture and must be preserved

- http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/, October 3, 2016

Saki Group of Institutions: ‘Nadanamana’, Musical tribute B.P.Srinivas, Musical evening by Ramesh Chandra and troupe, felicitation to senior singer B.K.Sumitra, Ravindra Kalakshetra, J.C.Road, 5 p.m. Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan: Dasara Gombe Habba, exhibition of dolls on the theme ‘Putrakameshti Yaga’ by Anu Visveswar, inauguration by film actress B.Saroja Devi, Bhavan premises, Race Course Road, 11 a.m. Indian Institute of Cartoonists: ‘Zoological Garden’, exhibition of international cartoons on animals, Indian Cartoon Gallery, Midford Garden, Off MG Road, Trinity Circle, 11 a.m. The Crafts Council of Karnataka: ‘Vastrabharana 2016’, exhibition and sale of designer sarees, textiles and jewellery, Karnataka Chitrakala Parishat, Kumara Krupa Road, 10 a.m.

Kairali: ‘ Kerala Craft Fair’, exhibition and sale of handicrafts, handloom and jewellery, inauguration by B.S.Hiremath, Retired Project Director of Karnataka Statistical System Development Agency, Basava Samiti, Basava Bhavan, 4 p.m. Gokhale Institute of Public Affairs: Jaimini Bharata, musical presentation by Chandrashekara Kedilaya, commentary by Shatavadhani R.Ganesh, Bull Temple Road, N.R.Colony, 6 p.m. Central Cottage Industries Corporation of India: ‘Cottage Craft Mela’, exhibition cum sale of handicrafts and handlooms, 30th Crross, 4th Block, Jayanagar, 11 a.m.

RELIGION Sri Mutyalamma Devi Karaga Shaktyotsava: Flag hoisting, poojas, Temple premises, Shanthinagar, Akkithimmanahalli, 8.30 a.m.

Navaratri Sringeri Shankara Mutt: Sri Navagraha Homa, Maheshwari Alankara, 8.30 a.m.; vocal by Hema Subramanyam and party, Chennai, 7 p.m.; Math premises, Shankarapuram. Sri Kanchi Sankara Matam: Poojas, 8 a.m.; Discourse by Satyavageeshwara Ganapatigal on Devi Mahatmyam, 5 p.m.; Vocal by Madurai T.N.S.Krishna and party, Math premises, 5th Main, 11th Cross, Malleswaram, 6.30 p.m. Sri Mahayaga Kshetra Sri Gayatri Devasthana: Poojas, Chandika Homa, 7 a.m.; Bharatanatyam by artistes of Saraswathi Bharatanatya Vidyalaya, Chennai, Yesvantpur Circle, 6.30 p.m. Sri Varasiddi Vinayaka Temple: Navaratri celebrations, Panchavarna Alankara; Bharathanatyam by Sagar B.S., Canara Bank Colony, Nagarabhavi Road, 6.30 p.m. Sri Kalyana Venkateshwara Temple: Narasimha Alankara, Muttupandal Utsavam, 5 p.m.; Vocal by Srikantha Nagendra Shastri and party, 6.30 p.m., Temple premises, M.S.Ramaiah Road, Gokula. Adhyatma Praksha Karyalaya: Discourse on Saraswathi Mahime by Veena Nagaraj, APK Road, Thyagarajanagar 2nd Block, 9.30 a.m. Kappana Angala: Kannada solo play ‘Urmila’, action and direction by Mangala, 32A Main Road, JP Nagar 1st Phase, 5 p.m. Kempegowda International Airport: Navaratri Cultural Festival, folk songs by Srinivas and Group, and Nrithya Vividhe by Kavya Rao, Chitra Rao and troupe, airport premises, Devanahalli, 6 p.m.

-http://www.thehindu.com/, October 3, 2016

It is recorded in the Gazetteer in the London Archives, says AU Professor Suryanarayana

The guns of the native sepoys first boomed against the East India Company in an obscure fishing village along the Coromandel Coast that was then called Vizagapatam, which is now known as Visakhapatnam. It was 77 years before the Meerut Sepoy Mutiny of 1857, which is called as the First War of Independence, and much ahead of the Vellore mutiny of 1806 and the Barrackpore one of 1824. The Vizagapatam mutiny took place on October 3, 1780, and this was the first sepoy mutiny in India, as coined and recorded in the Gazetteer in the London Archives, said Professor Emeritus of the Department of History and Archaeology of Andhra University, Kolluru Suryanarayana. But this is not known to many as it finds a small mention in the Gazetteer.

Flashpoint This rebellion was led by Shaik Mohammad Khan, a subedar of the Grenadiers Regiment that was posted in Vizagapatam. During that period, two regiments of the Grenadiers comprising Indian sepoys and led by British officers were posted in Vizagapatam and Masulipatam (now Machilipatnam). A majority of the Indian sepoys were Muslims and it was during that period the Anglo-Mysore war between Hyder Ali and East India Company was at its peak.

The war with Hyder Ali and the Carnatic war had weakened the British in the south and to reinforce its strength the then Governor of Madras, John Whitehall, addressed a letter on September 14, 1780, to the then chief of Vizagapatam and Masulipatam settlements, James Henry Casamajor, to send troops for reinforcement. As per the Gazetteer and Prof. Suryanarayana, the sepoys of Vizagapatam and Masulipatam were by then a disgruntled lot as they were not paid any commission for the tax collection duty, which they felt was an additional work to their normal sepoy duty. This apart, being Muslims they were averse to the idea of fighting a fellow Muslim like Hyder Ali. The sepoys in Vizagapatam were supposed to board the Sartine frigate under the command of Capt. Lysaught on October 3, 1780.

-http://www.thehindu.com/, October 3, 2016

Several buildings of Guwahati’s Cotton College, some of them more than a century old, are in the process of being conserved as heritage buildings, says a report in the Assam Tribune. The Assam branch of the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage is doing the conservation work that is estimated to cost Rs 4.35 crore. The University Grants Commission last year extended financial support to give it a heritage tag.

- www.thestatesman.com, October 3, 2016

Enthusiastic bird lovers now have a go-to destination in Nashik as a first-of-its-kind bird museum, including wetland, grassland and bird species opened here on Sunday. The Vihang bird centre, located at Dugaon in Gangapur, provides information about 175 wetland, grassland and forest species. Created by the Nature Conservation Society of Nashik (NCSN), a non-governmental organisation working towards conserving the environment, aims to educate people, especially children about the importance of birds with the museum. The bird centre sets focus on various birds, including common, uncommon, beautiful birds, migratory, scavenging birds, birds of prey, pollinating birds, frugivorous and insectivorous birds. The centre that will provide information on birds and their role in the environment, is designed by Suruchi Randive, a landscape designer and environment lover.

NCSN member Ajit Barje said, "Our objective is to educate children about different species of birds and nurture interest about the environment among them. We will inform them about the importance of birds in the ecosystem and nature through the museum. Around 350 birds of different species are found in Nashik. Of which, we are providing information about 175 birds in our museum." Vihang bird centre also displays the current position of each bird along with children's books, souvenirs and posters. The pictures of various birds have been displayed along with their information. "We want to promote conservation of birds. People will start saving birds once they learn about their importance and how they help our ecosystem. Birds eating thousands of insects per day indirectly helps us. While our main focus is children, we also want to gather the interest of people from all age groups," Barje added.

The bird centre also provides information on the threats caused to birds, interesting facts about them, from the heaviest to tallest bird, benefits of forests to biodiversity, benefits of birds to forests and mankind, unique characteristic of migrating birds, some flowering trees pollinated by birds, birds which help in pollination and more. The first -of-its-kind museum of birds, including the wetland, grassland and forest species, began in the city on Sunday in a bid to educate people, especially children about the importance of birds and nurture their interest in environment.

The Vihang bird centre, which is located at Dugaon, Gangapur, provides information about 175 birds of wetland, grassland and forest species. It has been created by the Nature Conservation Society of Nashik (NCSN), a non-governmental organisation working towards conserving the environment. The bird centre gives focus on various birds, including common, uncommon, beautiful birds, migratory, scavenging birds, birds of prey, pollinating birds, frugivorous and insectivorous birds etc. The centre is designed by Suruchi Randive, a landscape designer and environment lover, and will provide information on birds and their role in the environment.

Speaking to TOI, Ajit Barje, a member of NCSN, said. "Our objective is to educate children about birds of different species and also nurture interest about environment among them. We will inform them about importance of birds in the ecosystem and nature through museum of birds. Around 350 birds of different species are found in Nashik. Of which, we are providing information about 175 birds in our museum." The current position of each bird has been displayed at Vihang Bird centre along with children's books, souvenirs and posters. The pictures of various birds have been displayed along with their information.

"We want promoting conservation of birds. People will start saving birds once they learn about their importance and how they help man. Birds eat thousands of insects per day and they indirectly help men. We have focused particularly on children along with people from all age groups," Barje added. It also provides information on threats to birds, interesting facts about birds from heaviest to tallest, benefits of forests to biodiversity, benefits of birds to forest and mankind, unique characteristic of migrating birds, some flowering trees pollinated by birds, birds which help pollination etc.

- http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/, October 3, 2016

Aiming to make nearly 20,000 villages in Rajasthan self-reliant in water supply by 2019, the second phase of the Mukhyamantri Jal Swavlamban Abhiyan (MJSA) is set to start soon, for which survey has begun in 4,200 villages, an official said on Sunday. "Drones have also been used for survey in 30 to 40 villages," Sriram Vedire, chairman of the Rajasthan River Basin and Water Resources Planning Authority, said. Aimed at resolving the desert state's water scarcity problem, the campaign was launched to ensure effective implementation of water harvesting and conservation-related activities in rural areas. The first phase of the campaign was launched in January.

To increase green cover in the villages, saplings will be planted and the forest department will look after them. Nearly 70 lakh plants will be grown, Vedire said. He said technology, like geotagging, has been effectively integrated into the campaign and other states are in touch with the authorities in the state for the use of these technologies here. Construction of structures for harvesting water is geo-tagged. A mobile application has also been made to track the progress. Officials working on this have been given access to this mobile application, Vedire said. When the work is in progress and finished, they have to take photographs and upload it on the mobile application. Use of geotagging and mobile applications have brought transparency in the whole process.

- http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/, October 3, 2016

From Kolkata of yore to replicas of important monuments to imaginary fantasy land - this years Durga Puja festival is marked by theme-worship as the organisers focus on a blend of aesthetics and tradition.

In a throwback to the good old days, the Hindustan Park Puja in south Kolkata has put on display everyday use items like janta, stitched kantha and needle and reinvented the era when children flocked to their grandmas to hear fairy tales.

"We are recreating the ambience where the elderly lady would dry her grey hair under the afternoon sun in the courtyard of her house and the children would surround her for stories of "Bangoma-Bangomi", one of the organisers said.

At Bhabanipore 75 Palli, visitors will be introduced to Arshinagar, the city of mirrors, where one can see his true self.

Through the gate of a 45-foot elephant the revellers will go to the garbha griha (main spot) where the glass-panelled walls will retain references of Rajasthani folk art and mirror ourselves.

"We are also laying astro-turf grass before the pandal which speaks about saving green," a puja committee spokesman said.

At 83-year-old Shovabazar Burtola Sarbojonin Durgotsab, north Kolkatas dwindling number of cafes were highlighted.

"Our intention is to portray Kolkatas once-vibrant coffee culture, there will be rows of old world cafes which will lead upto the main pandal named interestingly Sri Durga Cabin", Puja committee secretary Sayak Nandi said.

"The cafes in north Kolkata used to be frequented by people, including puja committee members, for a healthy discourse. Now big fast food joints threaten to usurp their places," he rued. - http://indiatoday.intoday.in, October 3, 2016

The iconic Town Hall, home of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi for well over a century, has been lying vacant ever since the municipal establishment shifted to the Civic Centre on Minto Road. Too important to be left decaying, the colonial building in Chandni Chowk has been invested with several proposed avatars, none of which has materialised. Now there are reports that the central government will take up its redevelopment under a heritage conservation scheme.

According to sources, the ministry of tourism has asked for the inclusion of Town Hall's rejuvenation under the urban development ministry's Heritage City Development and Augmentation Yojana (HRIDAY). The HRIDAY scheme was launched in 2015 "to preserve and revitalise the soul of the heritage city to reflect the city's unique character by encouraging aesthetically appealing, accessible, informative and secured environment".

Officials from the Shahjanabad Redevelopment Corporation (SRDC), which is overseeing the project, confirmed this new development. They said that in 2013, the commissioner of North Delhi Municipal Corporation had placed before its standing committee a plan to transform Town Hall into a centre of cultural and social heritage depicting history, culture and life of Delhi.

Sources said that the government had decided the revamp of Town Hall had to be prioritised, with SRDC undertaking, on behalf of North Delhi corporation, to integrate the heritage site in the projects currently being undertaken. A memorandum of understanding was signed to this effect. INTACH Delhi chapter also provided a project report, though there was no word on the execution of the plan.

Plans for Chandni Chowk are being made for the two decades at least. It is time for some action now. This area has so much tourist potential but the vested interests just don''t let anything happen h... Read More The complex is to have museums, library, activity rooms for adults and children, a light-and-sound programme on the history of Delhi, auditorium for cultural activities and dining area, disclosed officials. In the original corporation plan, the revamp was to have been funded by the ministry of tourism and implemented by Delhi Tourism.

Keeping in mind the location of Town Hall in the busy Chandni Chowk area, it was felt that efficient and modern traffic management was an absolute necessity. It was, therefore, decided that a traffic plan at the site should be prepared in consultation with the traffic police. An underground parking lot with recreation parks or play areas on the ground surface might be considered as a solution for the slotting of vehicles. Such a structure would be designed to enhance the aesthetics of the heritage site.

- http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com, October 3, 2016

Attempts to save the iconic ‘Hall of Nations’ and ‘Nehru Pavilion’ at Pragati Maidan, which risk being razed, are garnering support from some of the most respected international institutions.

As part of the plan to modernise the Pragati Maidan exhibition complex, the India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO) intends to raze the two structures, which were designed by famed architect Raj Rewal, constructed in 1972.

The plans have been derided by many architects, conservationists and heritage lovers who feel that the structures represent India’s first ‘modern’ architecture and should be preserved for posterity.

The curator of New York’s Museum of Modern Art, curator of Pompidou Centre (Paris), president of Union of International Architects, and president of the Architects Regional Council Asia have written to the Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry, requesting for these ‘architectural masterpieces’ to be preserved as they are not only of significance for contemporary architecture in India, but of the entire world.

Professor Dr. Martino Stierli, curator of Museum of Modern Art, said in his letter: “Built in time of great optimism for the future, both structures were seminal in forging a new, modern identity for Indian society and architecture. They are architectural masterpieces and important witnesses of an important chapter of Indian history.”

He also expressed concerns about the threat of demolition to these structures and committed the Museum of Modern Art’s help to ensure that they are preserved.

Ar Esa Mohamed, president of the International Union of Architects, also spoke of the union’s ‘serious concerns’ about the plans to demolish the iconic structures. In his letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he said that these structures serve as an inspiration to architecture students globally and should be preserved as national assets.

Aurelien Lemonier, curator, department of architecture, Centre Pompidou (Paris), expressed his support and wish to contribute to the recognition of these two ‘great pieces of architecture’ and their maintenance as part of architectural heritage. The structures, Mr. Lemonier said in his letter, express a new step in the development of modernity in terms of aesthetic, constructive innovation and social engagement.

‘Unique in its own way’
“These structures will be lost forever, which is very serious. Institutes across the world are saying this,” architect Raj Rewal told The Hindu . “It is not only nationally important, but is also part of international architectural heritage. A structure like this is unique in its own way,” he added. “We are hoping that these will be preserved as they are one of the most important structures built in the last century,” he said.

Mr. Rewal said that the structures may be 40 years old, but with some renovation they can be made to last for another 200 years.

“The total area of the Hall of Nations complex, including Nehru Pavilion, is hardly 7 per cent of the 120-acre site of the Pragati Maidan. In fact, the Hall of Nations structure occupies only 2 per cent of the site. Any new development can be amalgamated with these two structures along with the same magnificent trees that are in close proximity to these buildings,” Mr. Rewal had said in a recent interview to noted Iranian philosopher and academic Dr. Ramin Jahanbegloo.

Heritage lovers say the structures represent India’s first ‘modern’ architecture and must be preserved

- http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com, October 3, 2016

It is recorded in the Gazetteer in the London Archives, says AU Professor Suryanarayana

The guns of the native sepoys first boomed against the East India Company in an obscure fishing village along the Coromandel Coast that was then called Vizagapatam, which is now known as Visakhapatnam. It was 77 years before the Meerut Sepoy Mutiny of 1857, which is called as the First War of Independence, and much ahead of the Vellore mutiny of 1806 and the Barrackpore one of 1824. The Vizagapatam mutiny took place on October 3, 1780, and this was the first sepoy mutiny in India, as coined and recorded in the Gazetteer in the London Archives, said Professor Emeritus of the Department of History and Archaeology of Andhra University, Kolluru Suryanarayana. But this is not known to many as it finds a small mention in the Gazetteer.

Flashpoint This rebellion was led by Shaik Mohammad Khan, a subedar of the Grenadiers Regiment that was posted in Vizagapatam. During that period, two regiments of the Grenadiers comprising Indian sepoys and led by British officers were posted in Vizagapatam and Masulipatam (now Machilipatnam). A majority of the Indian sepoys were Muslims and it was during that period the Anglo-Mysore war between Hyder Ali and East India Company was at its peak.

The war with Hyder Ali and the Carnatic war had weakened the British in the south and to reinforce its strength the then Governor of Madras, John Whitehall, addressed a letter on September 14, 1780, to the then chief of Vizagapatam and Masulipatam settlements, James Henry Casamajor, to send troops for reinforcement. As per the Gazetteer and Prof. Suryanarayana, the sepoys of Vizagapatam and Masulipatam were by then a disgruntled lot as they were not paid any commission for the tax collection duty, which they felt was an additional work to their normal sepoy duty. This apart, being Muslims they were averse to the idea of fighting a fellow Muslim like Hyder Ali. The sepoys in Vizagapatam were supposed to board the Sartine frigate under the command of Capt. Lysaught on October 3, 1780.

-http://www.thehindu.com/, October 3, 2016

Several buildings of Guwahati’s Cotton College, some of them more than a century old, are in the process of being conserved as heritage buildings, says a report in the Assam Tribune. The Assam branch of the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage is doing the conservation work that is estimated to cost Rs 4.35 crore. The University Grants Commission last year extended financial support to give it a heritage tag.

- www.thestatesman.com, October 3, 2016

Enthusiastic bird lovers now have a go-to destination in Nashik as a first-of-its-kind bird museum, including wetland, grassland and bird species opened here on Sunday. The Vihang bird centre, located at Dugaon in Gangapur, provides information about 175 wetland, grassland and forest species. Created by the Nature Conservation Society of Nashik (NCSN), a non-governmental organisation working towards conserving the environment, aims to educate people, especially children about the importance of birds with the museum. The bird centre sets focus on various birds, including common, uncommon, beautiful birds, migratory, scavenging birds, birds of prey, pollinating birds, frugivorous and insectivorous birds. The centre that will provide information on birds and their role in the environment, is designed by Suruchi Randive, a landscape designer and environment lover.

NCSN member Ajit Barje said, "Our objective is to educate children about different species of birds and nurture interest about the environment among them. We will inform them about the importance of birds in the ecosystem and nature through the museum. Around 350 birds of different species are found in Nashik. Of which, we are providing information about 175 birds in our museum." Vihang bird centre also displays the current position of each bird along with children's books, souvenirs and posters. The pictures of various birds have been displayed along with their information. "We want to promote conservation of birds. People will start saving birds once they learn about their importance and how they help our ecosystem. Birds eating thousands of insects per day indirectly helps us. While our main focus is children, we also want to gather the interest of people from all age groups," Barje added.

The bird centre also provides information on the threats caused to birds, interesting facts about them, from the heaviest to tallest bird, benefits of forests to biodiversity, benefits of birds to forests and mankind, unique characteristic of migrating birds, some flowering trees pollinated by birds, birds which help in pollination and more. The first -of-its-kind museum of birds, including the wetland, grassland and forest species, began in the city on Sunday in a bid to educate people, especially children about the importance of birds and nurture their interest in environment.

The Vihang bird centre, which is located at Dugaon, Gangapur, provides information about 175 birds of wetland, grassland and forest species. It has been created by the Nature Conservation Society of Nashik (NCSN), a non-governmental organisation working towards conserving the environment. The bird centre gives focus on various birds, including common, uncommon, beautiful birds, migratory, scavenging birds, birds of prey, pollinating birds, frugivorous and insectivorous birds etc. The centre is designed by Suruchi Randive, a landscape designer and environment lover, and will provide information on birds and their role in the environment.

Speaking to TOI, Ajit Barje, a member of NCSN, said. "Our objective is to educate children about birds of different species and also nurture interest about environment among them. We will inform them about importance of birds in the ecosystem and nature through museum of birds. Around 350 birds of different species are found in Nashik. Of which, we are providing information about 175 birds in our museum." The current position of each bird has been displayed at Vihang Bird centre along with children's books, souvenirs and posters. The pictures of various birds have been displayed along with their information.

"We want promoting conservation of birds. People will start saving birds once they learn about their importance and how they help man. Birds eat thousands of insects per day and they indirectly help men. We have focused particularly on children along with people from all age groups," Barje added. It also provides information on threats to birds, interesting facts about birds from heaviest to tallest, benefits of forests to biodiversity, benefits of birds to forest and mankind, unique characteristic of migrating birds, some flowering trees pollinated by birds, birds which help pollination etc.

- http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/, October 3, 2016

Aiming to make nearly 20,000 villages in Rajasthan self-reliant in water supply by 2019, the second phase of the Mukhyamantri Jal Swavlamban Abhiyan (MJSA) is set to start soon, for which survey has begun in 4,200 villages, an official said on Sunday. "Drones have also been used for survey in 30 to 40 villages," Sriram Vedire, chairman of the Rajasthan River Basin and Water Resources Planning Authority, said. Aimed at resolving the desert state's water scarcity problem, the campaign was launched to ensure effective implementation of water harvesting and conservation-related activities in rural areas. The first phase of the campaign was launched in January.

To increase green cover in the villages, saplings will be planted and the forest department will look after them. Nearly 70 lakh plants will be grown, Vedire said. He said technology, like geotagging, has been effectively integrated into the campaign and other states are in touch with the authorities in the state for the use of these technologies here. Construction of structures for harvesting water is geo-tagged. A mobile application has also been made to track the progress. Officials working on this have been given access to this mobile application, Vedire said. When the work is in progress and finished, they have to take photographs and upload it on the mobile application. Use of geotagging and mobile applications have brought transparency in the whole process.

- http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/, October 3, 2016

From Kolkata of yore to replicas of important monuments to imaginary fantasy land - this years Durga Puja festival is marked by theme-worship as the organisers focus on a blend of aesthetics and tradition.

In a throwback to the good old days, the Hindustan Park Puja in south Kolkata has put on display everyday use items like janta, stitched kantha and needle and reinvented the era when children flocked to their grandmas to hear fairy tales.

"We are recreating the ambience where the elderly lady would dry her grey hair under the afternoon sun in the courtyard of her house and the children would surround her for stories of "Bangoma-Bangomi", one of the organisers said.

At Bhabanipore 75 Palli, visitors will be introduced to Arshinagar, the city of mirrors, where one can see his true self.

Through the gate of a 45-foot elephant the revellers will go to the garbha griha (main spot) where the glass-panelled walls will retain references of Rajasthani folk art and mirror ourselves.

"We are also laying astro-turf grass before the pandal which speaks about saving green," a puja committee spokesman said.

At 83-year-old Shovabazar Burtola Sarbojonin Durgotsab, north Kolkatas dwindling number of cafes were highlighted.

"Our intention is to portray Kolkatas once-vibrant coffee culture, there will be rows of old world cafes which will lead upto the main pandal named interestingly Sri Durga Cabin", Puja committee secretary Sayak Nandi said.

"The cafes in north Kolkata used to be frequented by people, including puja committee members, for a healthy discourse. Now big fast food joints threaten to usurp their places," he rued.

- http://indiatoday.intoday.in, October 3, 2016

The iconic Town Hall, home of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi for well over a century, has been lying vacant ever since the municipal establishment shifted to the Civic Centre on Minto Road. Too important to be left decaying, the colonial building in Chandni Chowk has been invested with several proposed avatars, none of which has materialised. Now there are reports that the central government will take up its redevelopment under a heritage conservation scheme.

According to sources, the ministry of tourism has asked for the inclusion of Town Hall's rejuvenation under the urban development ministry's Heritage City Development and Augmentation Yojana (HRIDAY). The HRIDAY scheme was launched in 2015 "to preserve and revitalise the soul of the heritage city to reflect the city's unique character by encouraging aesthetically appealing, accessible, informative and secured environment".

Officials from the Shahjanabad Redevelopment Corporation (SRDC), which is overseeing the project, confirmed this new development. They said that in 2013, the commissioner of North Delhi Municipal Corporation had placed before its standing committee a plan to transform Town Hall into a centre of cultural and social heritage depicting history, culture and life of Delhi.

Sources said that the government had decided the revamp of Town Hall had to be prioritised, with SRDC undertaking, on behalf of North Delhi corporation, to integrate the heritage site in the projects currently being undertaken. A memorandum of understanding was signed to this effect. INTACH Delhi chapter also provided a project report, though there was no word on the execution of the plan.

Plans for Chandni Chowk are being made for the two decades at least. It is time for some action now. This area has so much tourist potential but the vested interests just don''t let anything happen h... Read More The complex is to have museums, library, activity rooms for adults and children, a light-and-sound programme on the history of Delhi, auditorium for cultural activities and dining area, disclosed officials. In the original corporation plan, the revamp was to have been funded by the ministry of tourism and implemented by Delhi Tourism.

Keeping in mind the location of Town Hall in the busy Chandni Chowk area, it was felt that efficient and modern traffic management was an absolute necessity. It was, therefore, decided that a traffic plan at the site should be prepared in consultation with the traffic police. An underground parking lot with recreation parks or play areas on the ground surface might be considered as a solution for the slotting of vehicles. Such a structure would be designed to enhance the aesthetics of the heritage site.

- http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com, October 3, 2016

Attempts to save the iconic ‘Hall of Nations’ and ‘Nehru Pavilion’ at Pragati Maidan, which risk being razed, are garnering support from some of the most respected international institutions.

As part of the plan to modernise the Pragati Maidan exhibition complex, the India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO) intends to raze the two structures, which were designed by famed architect Raj Rewal, constructed in 1972.

The plans have been derided by many architects, conservationists and heritage lovers who feel that the structures represent India’s first ‘modern’ architecture and should be preserved for posterity.

The curator of New York’s Museum of Modern Art, curator of Pompidou Centre (Paris), president of Union of International Architects, and president of the Architects Regional Council Asia have written to the Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry, requesting for these ‘architectural masterpieces’ to be preserved as they are not only of significance for contemporary architecture in India, but of the entire world.

Professor Dr. Martino Stierli, curator of Museum of Modern Art, said in his letter: “Built in time of great optimism for the future, both structures were seminal in forging a new, modern identity for Indian society and architecture. They are architectural masterpieces and important witnesses of an important chapter of Indian history.”

He also expressed concerns about the threat of demolition to these structures and committed the Museum of Modern Art’s help to ensure that they are preserved.

Ar Esa Mohamed, president of the International Union of Architects, also spoke of the union’s ‘serious concerns’ about the plans to demolish the iconic structures. In his letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he said that these structures serve as an inspiration to architecture students globally and should be preserved as national assets.

Aurelien Lemonier, curator, department of architecture, Centre Pompidou (Paris), expressed his support and wish to contribute to the recognition of these two ‘great pieces of architecture’ and their maintenance as part of architectural heritage. The structures, Mr. Lemonier said in his letter, express a new step in the development of modernity in terms of aesthetic, constructive innovation and social engagement.

‘Unique in its own way’
“These structures will be lost forever, which is very serious. Institutes across the world are saying this,” architect Raj Rewal told The Hindu . “It is not only nationally important, but is also part of international architectural heritage. A structure like this is unique in its own way,” he added. “We are hoping that these will be preserved as they are one of the most important structures built in the last century,” he said.

Mr. Rewal said that the structures may be 40 years old, but with some renovation they can be made to last for another 200 years.

“The total area of the Hall of Nations complex, including Nehru Pavilion, is hardly 7 per cent of the 120-acre site of the Pragati Maidan. In fact, the Hall of Nations structure occupies only 2 per cent of the site. Any new development can be amalgamated with these two structures along with the same magnificent trees that are in close proximity to these buildings,” Mr. Rewal had said in a recent interview to noted Iranian philosopher and academic Dr. Ramin Jahanbegloo.

Heritage lovers say the structures represent India’s first ‘modern’ architecture and must be preserved

- http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com, October 3, 2016

Saki Group of Institutions: ‘Nadanamana’, Musical tribute B.P.Srinivas, Musical evening by Ramesh Chandra and troupe, felicitation to senior singer B.K.Sumitra, Ravindra Kalakshetra, J.C.Road, 5 p.m.

Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan: Dasara Gombe Habba, exhibition of dolls on the theme ‘Putrakameshti Yaga’ by Anu Visveswar, inauguration by film actress B.Saroja Devi,

Bhavan premises, Race Course Road, 11 a.m. Indian Institute of Cartoonists: ‘Zoological Garden’, exhibition of international cartoons on animals, Indian Cartoon Gallery,

Midford Garden, Off MG Road, Trinity Circle, 11 a.m. The Crafts Council of Karnataka: ‘Vastrabharana 2016’, exhibition and sale of designer sarees, textiles and jewellery, Karnataka Chitrakala Parishat, Kumara Krupa Road,

10 a.m. Kairali: ‘ Kerala Craft Fair’, exhibition and sale of handicrafts, handloom and jewellery, inauguration by B.S.Hiremath, Retired Project Director of Karnataka Statistical System Development Agency, Basava Samiti, Basava Bhavan, 4 p.m.

Gokhale Institute of Public Affairs: Jaimini Bharata, musical presentation by Chandrashekara Kedilaya, commentary by Shatavadhani R.Ganesh, Bull Temple Road, N.R.Colony, 6 p.m.

Central Cottage Industries Corporation of India: ‘Cottage Craft Mela’, exhibition cum sale of handicrafts and handlooms, 30th Crross, 4th Block, Jayanagar, 11 a.m.

RELIGION

Sri Mutyalamma Devi Karaga Shaktyotsava: Flag hoisting, poojas, Temple premises, Shanthinagar, Akkithimmanahalli, 8.30 a.m. Navaratri

Sringeri Shankara Mutt: Sri Navagraha Homa, Maheshwari Alankara, 8.30 a.m.; vocal by Hema Subramanyam and party, Chennai, 7 p.m.; Math premises, Shankarapuram.

Sri Kanchi Sankara Matam: Poojas, 8 a.m.; Discourse by Satyavageeshwara Ganapatigal on Devi Mahatmyam, 5 p.m.; Vocal by Madurai T.N.S.Krishna and party, Math premises, 5th Main, 11th Cross, Malleswaram, 6.30 p.m.

Sri Mahayaga Kshetra Sri Gayatri Devasthana: Poojas, Chandika Homa, 7 a.m.; Bharatanatyam by artistes of Saraswathi Bharatanatya Vidyalaya, Chennai, Yesvantpur Circle, 6.30 p.m.

Sri Varasiddi Vinayaka Temple: Navaratri celebrations, Panchavarna Alankara; Bharathanatyam by Sagar B.S., Canara Bank Colony, Nagarabhavi Road, 6.30 p.m.

Sri Kalyana Venkateshwara Temple: Narasimha Alankara, Muttupandal Utsavam, 5 p.m.; Vocal by Srikantha Nagendra Shastri and party, 6.30 p.m., Temple premises, M.S.Ramaiah Road, Gokula.

Adhyatma Praksha Karyalaya: Discourse on Saraswathi Mahime by Veena Nagaraj, APK Road, Thyagarajanagar 2nd Block, 9.30 a.m.

Kappana Angala: Kannada solo play ‘Urmila’, action and direction by Mangala, 32A Main Road, JP Nagar 1st Phase, 5 p.m.

Kempegowda International Airport: Navaratri Cultural Festival, folk songs by Srinivas and Group, and Nrithya Vividhe by Kavya Rao, Chitra Rao and troupe, airport premises, Devanahalli, 6 p.m.

- http://www.thehindu.com, October 3, 2016

It is recorded in the Gazetteer in the London Archives, says AU Professor Suryanarayana

The guns of the native sepoys first boomed against the East India Company in an obscure fishing village along the Coromandel Coast that was then called Vizagapatam, which is now known as Visakhapatnam.

It was 77 years before the Meerut Sepoy Mutiny of 1857, which is called as the First War of Independence, and much ahead of the Vellore mutiny of 1806 and the Barrackpore one of 1824.

The Vizagapatam mutiny took place on October 3, 1780, and this was the first sepoy mutiny in India, as coined and recorded in the Gazetteer in the London Archives, said Professor Emeritus of the Department of History and Archaeology of Andhra University, Kolluru Suryanarayana. But this is not known to many as it finds a small mention in the Gazetteer.

Flashpoint
This rebellion was led by Shaik Mohammad Khan, a subedar of the Grenadiers Regiment that was posted in Vizagapatam.

During that period, two regiments of the Grenadiers comprising Indian sepoys and led by British officers were posted in Vizagapatam and Masulipatam (now Machilipatnam). A majority of the Indian sepoys were Muslims and it was during that period the Anglo-Mysore war between Hyder Ali and East India Company was at its peak. The war with Hyder Ali and the Carnatic war had weakened the British in the south and to reinforce its strength the then Governor of Madras, John Whitehall, addressed a letter on September 14, 1780, to the then chief of Vizagapatam and Masulipatam settlements, James Henry Casamajor, to send troops for reinforcement. As per the Gazetteer and Prof. Suryanarayana, the sepoys of Vizagapatam and Masulipatam were by then a disgruntled lot as they were not paid any commission for the tax collection duty, which they felt was an additional work to their normal sepoy duty. This apart, being Muslims they were averse to the idea of fighting a fellow Muslim like Hyder Ali.

The sepoys in Vizagapatam were supposed to board the Sartine frigate under the command of Capt. Lysaught on October 3, 1780.

- http://www.thehindu.com, October 3, 2016

Several buildings of Guwahati’s Cotton College, some of them more than a century old, are in the process of being conserved as heritage buildings, says a report in the Assam Tribune.

The Assam branch of the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage is doing the conservation work that is estimated to cost Rs 4.35 crore. The University Grants Commission last year extended financial support to give it a heritage tag.

- www.thestatesman.com, October 3, 2016

Enthusiastic bird lovers now have a go-to destination in Nashik as a first-of-its-kind bird museum, including wetland, grassland and bird species opened here on Sunday.

The Vihang bird centre, located at Dugaon in Gangapur, provides information about 175 wetland, grassland and forest species.

Created by the Nature Conservation Society of Nashik (NCSN), a non-governmental organisation working towards conserving the environment, aims to educate people, especially children about the importance of birds with the museum.

The bird centre sets focus on various birds, including common, uncommon, beautiful birds, migratory, scavenging birds, birds of prey, pollinating birds, frugivorous and insectivorous birds. The centre that will provide information on birds and their role in the environment, is designed by Suruchi Randive, a landscape designer and environment lover.

NCSN member Ajit Barje said, "Our objective is to educate children about different species of birds and nurture interest about the environment among them. We will inform them about the importance of birds in the ecosystem and nature through the museum. Around 350 birds of different species are found in Nashik. Of which, we are providing information about 175 birds in our museum."

Vihang bird centre also displays the current position of each bird along with children's books, souvenirs and posters. The pictures of various birds have been displayed along with their information.

"We want to promote conservation of birds. People will start saving birds once they learn about their importance and how they help our ecosystem. Birds eating thousands of insects per day indirectly helps us. While our main focus is children, we also want to gather the interest of people from all age groups," Barje added.

The bird centre also provides information on the threats caused to birds, interesting facts about them, from the heaviest to tallest bird, benefits of forests to biodiversity, benefits of birds to forests and mankind, unique characteristic of migrating birds, some flowering trees pollinated by birds, birds which help in pollination and more.

The first -of-its-kind museum of birds, including the wetland, grassland and forest species, began in the city on Sunday in a bid to educate people, especially children about the importance of birds and nurture their interest in environment.

The Vihang bird centre, which is located at Dugaon, Gangapur, provides information about 175 birds of wetland, grassland and forest species. It has been created by the Nature Conservation Society of Nashik (NCSN), a non-governmental organisation working towards conserving the environment.

The bird centre gives focus on various birds, including common, uncommon, beautiful birds, migratory, scavenging birds, birds of prey, pollinating birds, frugivorous and insectivorous birds etc. The centre is designed by Suruchi Randive, a landscape designer and environment lover, and will provide information on birds and their role in the environment.

Speaking to TOI, Ajit Barje, a member of NCSN, said. "Our objective is to educate children about birds of different species and also nurture interest about environment among them. We will inform them about importance of birds in the ecosystem and nature through museum of birds. Around 350 birds of different species are found in Nashik. Of which, we are providing information about 175 birds in our museum."

The current position of each bird has been displayed at Vihang Bird centre along with children's books, souvenirs and posters. The pictures of various birds have been displayed along with their information.

"We want promoting conservation of birds. People will start saving birds once they learn about their importance and how they help man. Birds eat thousands of insects per day and they indirectly help men. We have focused particularly on children along with people from all age groups," Barje added.

It also provides information on threats to birds, interesting facts about birds from heaviest to tallest, benefits of forests to biodiversity, benefits of birds to forest and mankind, unique characteristic of migrating birds, some flowering trees pollinated by birds, birds which help pollination etc.

- http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com, October 3, 2016

Aiming to make nearly 20,000 villages in Rajasthan self-reliant in water supply by 2019, the second phase of the Mukhyamantri Jal Swavlamban Abhiyan (MJSA) is set to start soon, for which survey has begun in 4,200 villages, an official said on Sunday.

"Drones have also been used for survey in 30 to 40 villages," Sriram Vedire, chairman of the Rajasthan River Basin and Water Resources Planning Authority, said.

Aimed at resolving the desert state's water scarcity problem, the campaign was launched to ensure effective implementation of water harvesting and conservation-related activities in rural areas. The first phase of the campaign was launched in January.

To increase green cover in the villages, saplings will be planted and the forest department will look after them. Nearly 70 lakh plants will be grown, Vedire said. He said technology, like geotagging, has been effectively integrated into the campaign and other states are in touch with the authorities in the state for the use of these technologies here.

Construction of structures for harvesting water is geo-tagged. A mobile application has also been made to track the progress. Officials working on this have been given access to this mobile application, Vedire said.

When the work is in progress and finished, they have to take photographs and upload it on the mobile application. Use of geotagging and mobile applications have brought transparency in the whole process. - http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com, October 3, 2016

The refurbished 16th century Reis Magos fort, styled as a model of adaptive reuse, since inauguration has attracted 1.65 lakh footfalls with its diverse features, but is yet to be fully exploited as a cultural centre.

The fort served as a prison till 1993 after which it was abandoned and fell into a state of neglect. In 2010, it finally received a new lease of life through a 3.5-crore restoration project funded by the UK-based Helen Hamlyn Trust. The archives and archaeology department pursued it as a prototype of a self-sustaining model for reuse of heritage structures and officials believe the attempt has been fairly successful.

“A total of 1.65 lakh footfalls have been recorded since its opening, including nearly 27,000 during the last five months,” director of archives and archaeology Blossom Medeira says.

Tourists, locals, students and curious visitors climb the steps to the once strategic fort perched on the headland at the narrowest stretch of the Mandovi for a peep into history and for an understanding of the defence bulwarks of a fortified system.

“If one visits the fort, one can learn about history and practically see what a bastion or a citadel is. For students, this is different from what is taught in school and what they read in books,” Medeira says.

For the tourists, it is a typical fort of the Portuguese era that provides insight into Goa’s history.

“The fort’s location is beautiful and the structure talks about Goa’s history and how the Portuguese defended their territory,” says noted architect Gerard D’Cunha, who carried out the restoration four years ago after the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) in association with archives and archaeology department entrusted the project to him in 2010.

First devised as an armed outpost by Adil Shah of Bijapur in 1493, the Portuguese later built a fort at the site, which served as a strategic quarter for viceroys and other dignitaries arriving from Lisbon to rest after a weary journey. Today, the fort is a cultural centre and a tourist attraction.

But many heritage lovers are of the similar view that it is not being utilized to its full potential and is not quite self-sustaining a model either.

D’Cunha concedes that it is meant to be a cultural centre intertwining the community. “We have to involve more people, have a calendar of events, a music festival, a children’s festival and other events,” he says.

Heritage lover and co-owner of Goa’s first classified heritage hotel Jack Sukhija agrees with D’Cunha.

“It is necessary that heritage buildings are reused and become economically self sustaining. The way to do this is to use them for events, especially high end weddings, but access to public should be ensured,” Sukhija says.

The leasing out of Tiracol fort for adaptive reuse had sparked off bitterness in the 1990s, as the concept was new then and the monument was partly accessible to visitors.

The Reis Magos restoration project had also kicked up a row, as purists fumed at the conservation that included reconstruction of a few structures and slight alteration of the ambience.

But some heritage lovers back aesthetic redevelopment of heritage buildings, as the other option is to allow the structures to decay and crumble to dust. A few adjustments to meet basic requirements like toilets are inevitably needed, they say.

“The lessee should be allowed to use the premises in the best way he can, as he has to generate revenue, but access to the public is important,” Sukhijia opines.

- http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com, October 4, 2016

The Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI) is all set to celebrate the magical weave Chanderi’s undeniable charms at the ‘Amazon India Fashion Week Spring/Summer ’17’s opening show.

Chanderi is known for its mesmerising sheer quality, which makes it a frontrunner in the fashion landscape. Sixteen designers have come together to create four ensembles each, to encourage designers to incorporate it into their lexicon and boost the languishing crafts sector. The designers of the project include a list of illustrious names who have strived to upgrade handloom and have consistently put in effort to sustain the threads and weaves of indigenous India.

The designers include Aneeth Arora, Anita Dongre, Atsu Sekhose, Divyam Mehta, Gaurav Jai Gupta, IKAI by Ragini Ahuja, Joy Mitra, Ka-Sha by Karishma Shahani, Paromita Banerjee, Payal Pratap, Pratima Pandey, Ruchika Sachdev, Samant Chauhan, Sanjay Garg, Surendri by Yogesh Chaudhary and Vaishali S. These handloom aficionados have been influential and have set major trends with craft-based elements.

The Scindia family of Gwalior has been supporting the Chanderi weaver clusters for decades and has been instrumental in their upliftment. Encouraged by their contribution, FDCI has joined forces and would like to thank them for all their support to this show.

Sunil Sethi, the FDCI president said, “The recent months have witnessed delightful movements in the handloom sector. Upliftment of crafts has been our motto at the FDCI. Through this project, we will increase the usage of Chanderi making it the fabric of the moment. In the past, FDCI has made earnest attempts to revive khadi as well as the Banarasi weave; this year, we are looking to establish Chanderi belt as the central craft tourism destination in India.”

The ‘Amazon India Fashion Week,’ in association with Maybelline New York Spring Summer’ 17, will be held at the NSIC grounds from October 12 to 16, 2016. (ANI)

- http://www.siasat.com, October 4, 2016

The Indus Valley Civilisation was part of the cop per age which dates back to 6000 BC but, interestingly, man was still in the stone age in southern India during that time, notes P D Balaji, head, department of history and archaeology, University of Madras. "In peninsular India, the chalcolithic (copper) age deposits overlap with the neolithic deposits of the stone age. There is neither pure neolithic culture nor pure chalcolithic culture in south India," Balaji said during the 23rd annual session of the Tamil Nadu History Congress at Periyar University in Salem on Sunday.

Balaji said the reason for the absence of the pure copper age in southern India still intrigues many archaeologists.At one point of time in India, both copper (in north) and stone (south) were used as raw materials for manufacturing tools. This might be the reason for the presence of copper implements mixed with the neolithic deposits, he said.

"The inverted firing technology used for manufacturing black-and-red-ware pottery had emerged in north India during the copper age itself. In many chalcolithic sites, including the later Harappan sites, black-and-red-ware sherds are found in plenty. However, the same technology took more than 1,500 years to reach the southern part. When it reached peninsular India, people were in the iron age," he said.

Such news and finding, plus the comments and observations of expert should be given more publicity and coverage rather than the mundane news.. The chalcolithic-era pottery of north India eventually became the characteristic pottery of iron age culture in south India. "Perhaps this sort of divergent chronology leads one to interpret that development first took place in north India, from where it penetrated to other parts," said Balaji, who was speaking on " Archaeology in reconstructing the past: Problems and perspectives". The iron age of south India is considered important as there was an extensive horizontal mobility of society during the phase. To prove his point, Balaji said microsettlements began to emerge all over the ancient Tamil country at this time. "The people of this period followed a megalithic culture that synchronised with the end phase of iron age and preSangam age. That vouchsafes for the references to megalithic burial practices in the Sangam literatures," he said. The Sangam age between 300 BC and 300 AD was significant as it was during this period that major townships, capital cities and port cities came into existence for the first time in the ancient Tamil country, he added.

- http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com, October 4, 2016

The forest authorities have dedicated this week for the wildlife and decided to sensitize citizens about the environment in and around Yeoor.

Officials asserted that most of the harm done to nature or wildlife happens because of lack of awareness among citizens about the biodiversity around them and how to react when they come across a lost animal.

"Thane's Yeoor forest range has a variety of animal, reptiles, mammals, insects and other wildlife. Yeoor being this close to the city, there have been a number of cases of monkeys coming out and harassing residents, leopard and snake sightings. Instead of rescuing these snakes, many attack it which could cause it to fight back. Similarly, there are different ways of handling each animal, which people living around their habitat should be well versed with," said Sunil Ohol, assistant conservator of forests, Thane.

He added that through this week students and citizens will be educated about wildlife. "We will also be imposing stricter penalties and taking immediate action on anyone who breaks the forest norms or indulges in littering or poaching," he added. Forest officials have roped in environmentalists to jointly prepare a seven-day programme for school and college students, nature lovers and residents in these pockets to make them aware about clean up drives, discuss and conduct workshops on the diverse biodiversity.

In the first of these activities, the department cleared over 500kg of plastic, junk food wrappers, empty liquor bottles, litter and other waste strewn by visitors in the Yeoor forest area with the help of a group of civic officials and environmentalists on Sunday. Yeoor being close to the city, there have been a number of cases of wild animal sightings. Instead of rescuing, many attack them which could cause retaliation. There are different ways of dealing with animals, which people living around such habitats should be aware of

- http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com, October 4, 2016

Renowned conservationist Rajendra Singh, popularly known as Water Man of India – has said that community-driven water management or decentralised management of resources is the only solution to resolve water woes.

Interacting with media persons here on Tuesday, Mr. Singh said this can be achieved through conservation initiatives like rainwater harvesting, facilitating recharging of ground water, besides rejuvenation of local water bodies. He was responding to a question on the ongoing dispute between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu over the sharing of the Cauvery water.

Mr. Singh pointed out that in an arid and dry region like Rajasthan, which gets poor rains, he was able to rejuvenate 11,600 water bodies. "There is no reason why Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, which receive such heavy rains compared to Rajasthan, cannot do it."

In the context of the current dispute between the two riparian States, he said the judiciary, though he had the highest respect for it, could not resolve the water dispute. He opined that it was for the Parliament to take up the initiative. "However, the Parliament has not discussed the Cauvery or other water disputes even once in the last few years. The Parliament should act as a bridge to bring the parties in dispute together and thrash out a solution," he said.

One of the factors accentuating the conflict situation on water issues was that people saw it as a mere resource to augment their prosperity, while nobody took interest to rejuvenate the river and thereby its health so that it could benefit all, said Mr. Singh. He also stressed the need for a relook into the cropping pattern based on the local availability of water besides enhancing the efficiency of water usage.

Expressing his opposition to the interlinking of rivers so that surplus water from one region could be transferred to water deficit areas elsewhere, he said that this would only transfer pollution and warned that the project would spell unmitigated environmental disaster for the country. "What is required is the linking of the minds."

Mr. Singh opposed nationalisation of rivers and said unlike the nationalisation of banks which benefitted the public, nationalisation of rivers will only benefit the multi-national companies who will channelize the resources for business and pave way for privatisation of water resources. President of Sugarcane Cultivators' Association Kurubur Shanthakumar and others were present.

- http://www.thehindu.com/, October 4, 2016

Following rising tensions between India and Pakistan, villagers in Sri Ganganagar have started harvesting crops a fortnight early.

The district administration too has granted permission for the same, and have an evacuation plan ready in case of emergency. The harvest season for moong dal (lentil), gaur (beans), arhar (pigeon pea) and groundnut, crops that are predominantly sown in the district, begins in mid-October.

However, 94 panchayats, in the 10km range from the Pakistan border, have already started the harvest by the end of September. Villagers are not willing to take risk and maintained that the crops were ready for harvest.

"Soaring tensions have made farmers apprehensive. Instead of waiting till the first or second week of October, harvest began this year by the September-end," said Teja Sing, a farmer from Gharsana. With the state getting normal rainfall this season, farmers are expecting a bumper crop of pulses and oilseeds.

The sudden change in plans has forced farmers to put all other engagements on hold. Family members have been pressed into service by farmers and are supporting the menfolk in harvesting crops.

The local administration is also doing their bit to help farmers. Officials said that they would not restrict the movement of villagers to their fields, even in areas close to the border, until they receive orders from the government.

"Though visiting farmlands adjacent to the border is regulated, we have not put any restrictions on the movement of villagers. Since harvesting is done only during the day, it's not a problem as such," said P C Kishan, district collector.

Meanwhile, all 336 villages of the district near the border region have been cautioned and apprised of evacuation plans. "We have made our preparations, identified villages and are ready to evacuate people to relief centres when we receive orders from the government," added Kishan. A mahapadav, a gathering of farmers, in Ghadsana, scheduled for Monday, has been postponed to October 12. A delegation from the tehsil met the sub-divisional officer (SDO) and warned of massive agitation if their demands are not met. "They want water supply to their fields increased," said an official. Farmers have threatened to take over the pump house from where water is being released to district if their demands are not met. Officials also claimed that the mahapadav failed to get support as most of the farmers were busy harvesting their crops.

- http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com, October 4, 2016

The State government has approved several development plans for Bidar city. The government had agreed to release Rs. 16.61 crore of untied grants for a series of works at a recent meeting.

Among the works that will be taken up are the long-pending completion of the commercial complex at Service Stand, upgrading waste management system in the city, cleaning the medieval era underground water channel Jamuna Mori, beautification of old wells and public toilets at the Bidar fort. The package also includes projects like drinking water supply schemes, roads, drains and laying of road dividers. The projects were proposed under the 14th Finance Plan, and untied funds of the state government, according to Deputy Commissioner and administrator of City Municipal Council.

The Service Stand project has been pending for nearly 10 years. The ambitious project of resettling street vendors in a commercial complex was planned in 2006 by then Deputy Commissioner Munish Moudgil. He had identified street vendors and assured them of permanent shops in the complex. A committee, headed by the Deputy Commissioner, involved CMC officers, Nirmiti Kendra and District Urban Development Cell, chalked out plans for a multi-storey commercial complex. Displaced shop owners were to be rehabilitated while the additional shops were to be given to the highest bidder. Some shop keepers deposited money with the CMC hoping to get shops allotted. Work began on the ground floor and some shops were allotted. However, construction stopped mid way, disappointing several depositors. Deputy Commissioner Anurag Tewari, who now wants to continue the work, said: "We have set aside Rs. 36 lakh for the work and will urge the government to sanction more funds."

The Bidar fort, the most important heritage monument in the city, has 40 monuments in the 600-acre premises. However, there is only one set of four toilets inside the fort. With tourist footfalls touching over 500 per day in the recent years, there is a need for additional toilets.

Jamuna Mori, the subterranean aqua duct that carried water from the old city into the fort, has fallen into disuse. The vegetable market sits on its mouth and most of the waste is thrown into it. The channel needs to be cleaned to ensure the adaptive reuse of the heritage structure, feels CMC member Nabi Qureshi.

Bidar’s progress on solid waste management has been slow. Erection of the waste segregating machine put up in Karnataka –Telangana border village of Sultanpur is yet to start working at full capacity. The door-to-door collection of waste has been affected with a few CMC members objecting to the method of payment to the contractor. "This needs to be streamlined either by automation or by going back to the successful model of contracting it to the Self Help Groups, as was done three years ago,’’ Mr Tewari said. According to him, most of the work will be completed in one year.

- http://www.thehindu.com, October 4, 2016

Punjab School of Economics of Guru Nanak Dev University conducted a cleanliness drive under the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan on its campus. A large number of students and faculty members participated in the drive. Cleanliness and inter-class power point presentation competitions were were held on the occasion. Chief guest Dr Navdeep Singh Tung, Dean, Academic Affairs, gave trophies to the winners.

Quiz to spread awareness
As part of its drive to educate and sensitise people to their cultural heritage, the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH), Punjab Chapter, organised a state-level heritage quiz for school students at Sri Guru Harkrishan Public School. The participating teams in the quiz were selected through the city-level rounds held at different places in Punjab. Elaborating the objective of the quiz, Dr Sukhdev Singh, Punjab State Convener Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage, said the event was organised to spread awareness about the cultural heritage. “The knowledge of our cultural past is important so that we can relate to it in terms of the present while we understand the present in terms of the past,” he said. — TNS - http://www.tribuneindia.com, October 5, 2016

A book that connects the dots from ancient India to now, and makes it easy to understand why India dresses the way it does. She’s got the look! — That’s what author Geeta Khanna aims to bring about in her coffee table book Style of India. She brings to light the beauty and the evolution of the style of the quintessential Indian woman from the Harappan times to what we see today, in the 21st century.

She is known to have traversed great lengths to preserve and promote the unique arts, crafts and heritage of India, and the result is 500 stunning captures from archival material and recreations of drapes and accessories over centuries, supported by details spanning the gamut of Indian design over the centuries.

Talking about the inspiration for her book, Geeta shares, “If we want the world to recognise India as an important fashion location — which it is for so many reasons — it is time we celebrate ourselves. If we don’t value ourselves, why would the world value us? Also, there is no compilation that connects Indian culture to real time history of Indian fashion that not only includes the Indian fashion designers, but also the Indian cinema (as it greatly impacts what India wears).”

The book connects the dots from ancient India to now and makes it easy to understand why India dresses the way it does. “No such documentation has been done before. Earlier ones perhaps are on one of the subjects in this book such as sari, royal family fashion, Hindi cinema costume or Indian fashion, but none give an eagle’s eye viewpoint from start to now. I compare it to the case of five blind men who describe the elephant. Style of India is not just the sari, or the designer or Hindi cinema, it is so much more.”

The culturally reflective book is a presentation of the new India’s creative talent that largely draws its inspiration from its deep-rooted and multi-dimensional culture.

“Young minds from NIFT and my assistants (especially Nidhi Mahajan), avid historians, several PhD scholars and academic authorities have guided me on this path as well as Anuradha Kapoor, Aman Nath, Priya Paul, Jyotindra Jain, Layla Tyabji, Darshan Jalan and many more. For the research on Harappan era, I referred to several PhD documents and books. We travelled across India for a few years, in and out of flights, hotels, cabs and discovered local foods,” reveals Geeta.

The highlights of this book include the ‘same God different look’ section — the calendar art section, which reflects on how diverse Indian style is. Here the same God is dressed in regional attires. The comparison of Sita and Draupadi through the Raja Ravi Verma calendar art reflects on the fact that in India, time is cyclic in nature, and not linear.

If anyone can give this subject the upward curve, it is the expertise, art direction and styling of Geeta, who has recreated the Harappan goddess, inspired by the terracotta figurines, excavated from the Harappa sites.

“I also recreated Razia Sultan, the first androgynous dresser in Indian Islamic history, the princely state dress up of the queen of Jaipur, and visuals that present the diversity in sari drapes of India and other aspects. I love the international designers section, where we see how great minds like Karl Lagerfeld and Jean Paul Gaultier interpret the Indian maharajas. I love the ladies congress delegate calendar of 1886, which shows women wearing a tiara with their puff sleeved blouse and saris. Talk about the British influence on us!” states the Delhi-based author. The book that took five years to complete profiles ace couturiers including Ritu Kumar, Tarun Tahiliani, Manish Arora, Rajesh Pratap Singh, Anamika Khanna.

- http://www.deccanchronicle.com, October 5, 2016

New research brings to fore gender balance in Buddhist and Jainist art history; to be mused over at Deccan College Latest studies in Buddhist and Jain art history have brought to the fore interesting findings that were not known to the public before. Several researchers working in the field across the globe are helping identify these lesser known facets, which are set to come up for discussion at Deccan College this December.

Most of us identify Jainism with the male tirthankaras, but female tirthankaras have been found and these serve as a useful social commentary. “The female tirthankaras began to appear around the 10th century; they have been found in Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat. This serves to create gender equality that was missing due to imbalance,” said Maruti Nandan Tiwari, professor emeritus, Banaras Hindu University.

“In presenting a social context to the kind of art used, it has been found that brahmanical deities also feature in Jain art. Ganesh, Saraswati, Lakshmi, Kubera and Kamadev have been assimilated when representing art. These Gods represent knowledge, wealth and love, but are not prominently found in the form of sculptures or images in the mainstream art works. This displays the commonalities between religions and how the narrow sectarian approach is a relatively contemporary phenomenon. An inscription found at Mathura reads: The Buddha and tirthankaras carved are for the well-being of all,” Tiwari explained.

Buddhism and Jainism assimilated the brahmanical features, but their basic tenets of mediation and bodily abandonment continued, as depicted by the tirthankaras which are almost always carved in various meditative postures and exhibit the minimalism of the religion. “To cater to devotees who harboured materialistic wishes, each of the tirthankaras has been shown accompanied by Yaksh and Yakshi, the guardian deities who look after the worldly affairs as not every worshipper is going to renounce the world,” the professor added.

The main two sects of Buddhism are Mahayana and Hinayana, but the Vajrayana or Tantrayana’s spread across the subcontinent was possible due to mercantile activities. “Vajrayana Buddhism, developed around the 7th century, was heavily influenced by the tantric practices of the Shaivas of Hinduism,” said Choodamani Nandgopal, an art historian from Bengaluru, adding, “The silk route was instrumental in making the fold of Vajrayana take root in India between the 8th and 9th centuries, before spreading to Tibet, Bhutan and Nepal. The depiction of Bhairava, a manifestation of Shiva, has been found in early temples such as the Kanchi Kailasanathar in Kanchipuram and Kailasa in the Ellora Caves. The Bhairava cult was very prominent around the time when Tantrayana became popular.”

Deccan College will host the 25th session of the Indian Art History, with afocus on Buddhist and Jain Art in December. Simultaneously, there will also be a seminar on Symbolism in Indian Art, Archaeology and Literature. Vasant Shinde, vice-chancellor, Deccan College, said, “Various artefacts are present. But, their interpretations have not been done extensively yet. The evidences need to be linked with the textual knowledge to provide insight into the real history. The latest developments in the field of iconography and temple architecture also need to be discussed.”

- http://www.punemirror.in, October 5, 2016

As part of the Mysuru Dasara, a heritage walk was conducted by the department of archaeology, museums and heritage on Tuesday. The walk provided more information about heritage buildings of the city and showcased the city's achievements in conservation. The rich history and heritage of Mysuru is vast and people can learn a lot through heritage walks.

It was flagged off by deputy commissioner D Randeep. He said, "We have many good heritage buildings in the city and such initiatives are essential to preserve them. To preserve our rich culture and heritage is everyone's responsibility. The district administration will take the initiative to preserve our culture. We'll call for a heritage committee meeting after Dasara to discuss 201 heritage structures in Mysuru." RM Pooja, BCom final-year student of Mahajana College, said, "This is the second time I'm participating in the heritage walk. It's a good experience." L Sujendran, teaching staff of Mahajana College, said, "I've been part of heritage walks for the past seven years. This year, it was an outstanding event. The walk is really useful to create awareness about our rich culture."

Around 300 people participated in the heritage walk. Muda commissioner M Mahesh and MCC commissioner G Jagadish were also present. - http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com, October 5, 2016

India has the second highest population on the planet, just about 10% less than China, and four times as much as the United States, which is third. India’s recorded history is among the longest in human memory: the ancient civilization of the Indus valley goes back some 5,000 years. The entire civilized world knows at least in passing of the ancient Indian literary works; many an educated person knows of Patanjali; everybody knows about yoga. In modern times, Mahatma Gandhi led a move against British colonialism, and to this day he is one of the most respected figures of the 20th century, and rightly so.

For Sri Lankans, all of this is part of our knowledge base, but even more important is that we owe Buddhism, the cornerstone of our culture, to India. There the Buddha was born, lived, taught, and passed to parinibbana. Later, Arahat Mahinda, the son of the most famous Indian emperor, Asoka, brought Buddha’s teaching to Sri Lanka, virtually transforming the civilization of that time. The Sri Maha Bodhi tree was brought to Sri Lanka from India; Buddha’s tooth relics were brought to Sri Lanka. The contribution of India to our civilization is unmatched by any other.

So there is much to be admired. However, our current government in Sri Lanka seems unduly influenced by India, to the point where they are on the verge of signing the ECTA (Economic and Technological Agreement) joining the two countries in these areas. In theory, there might be much to admire about such an agreement. But when we look at a little recent history and examine the details, we have to wonder if it is really a positive thing for our country.

India’s cultural heritage has long spread to the surrounding smaller nations. In addition to Sri Lankan, India has had tremendous influence in Bhutan, Nepal, and Sikkim. And that is where we start to find some problems. Many educated Sri Lankans have traveled to India to visit, on pilgrimage, or, like me, to purse advanced studies. In general we have found the Indian people both inviting and open to us, and we benefitted from our stays in India. However friendly the Indian people are in their own country; to allow the Indian government unrestricted immigration rights to our country is another matter.

Ostensibly, India has tried to provide assistance of various kinds to their neighbors. This is a good thing, since India has a lot of advanced technology as well as the full weight of 5,000 years of civilization. But they sometimes seem to be throwing that weight around in a way that could be considered bullying.

In the early 1970’s, I was secretary to Ven. Neluwe Jinaratana, General Secretary of the Maha Bodhi Society of India, while I was doing graduate studies at the University of Calcutta, so I was close to what was going on in India at that time. Those of you who are closer to my age will remember the tiny kingdom of Sikkim, up in the mountains to the north of India. It is east of Nepal, south of China, west of Bhutan and north of West Bengal. At the time, Sikkim was mostly Buddhist, and Buddhism was the state religion. It was a poor country, short on resources with a small population. India signed an agreement with the King of Sikkim, Palden Thondup Namgyal, the 11th – and last – Chogyal of his people.

Under Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s leadership, India signed an agreement to help Sikkim’s overall situation. Badly needed doctors and other professionals were sent there, so the country could become modernized. However, within a couple of years, the Indian presence became dominate, and in fact, in 1975, under pressure from India, a referendum was held, as a result of which Sikkim became a state of India, and the monarchy was abolished. The country just disappeared. The Chogyal was against the annexation, but it seems nobody in the outside world cared. Sikkim was a victim of geopolitics: while China was heavily criticized for interfering in the affairs of other countries (most notably Tibet), India got a “pass” from the world. So, Sikkim passed into history. Actually China refused to recognize Sikkim as part of India, until 2003, at which time both China and India flexed their bullying muscles in a quid pro quo, by which India recognized Tibet as part of China while China recognized Sikkim as part of India.

More recently, we’ve seen India interfere in Nepal (rather ironic for Nepalis, as many of them who lived in Sikkim supported India’s interference in Sikkim). But more directly troublesome for Sri Lanka has been India’s meddling in Sri Lankan affairs.

With the rise of the Tamil Tigers, there was great support in India, especially in Tamil Nadu. Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, Mrs. Gandhi’s son at first supported the Tigers’ efforts. It is believed that he either turned a blind eye or actively helped the Tigers, which included airlifting food and supplies to the Tamils fighting the majority population of Sri Lanka. Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi entered into an agreement with Sri Lanka’s President JR Jayawardena, who was scared of India. His successor, President Premadasa, asked India to withdraw their troops from Sri Lanka. They didn’t want to, but gave in. Ironically, Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated later by Tamils who felt he had abandoned their cause.

For at least 2000 years of recorded Sri Lankan history, Sri Lanka has never been under India. Sri Lanka has developed quite a bit, and has very high standards of medical training and other technology. It’s a small country, but through the ingenuity and fortitude of its residents, it has made its way in the world. We need to be very cautious about entering into any agreements with India. One worry, for example, is that the Sri Lankan physicians, who are well-paid, will find themselves competing with doctors from Indian who will work for less than half the income of Sri Lankan doctors. Following these doctors will be an onslaught of Indian family members, who will need the Sri Lankan government to provide for their education and health benefits. They will be taking much more from our economy than they will give, while putting it at risk. Someone should go back and read the details of the agreement between India and Sikkim, comparing them to the current proposed ECTA to make sure that Sri Lanka is not setting itself up to be the next victim of the regional bully, who is interested only in self-aggrandizement and outmaneuvering its great regional rival, China.

I encourage Sri Lankans to let the government know that they do not agree with the Indianization of Sri Lanka. We have no problem with the wonderful cultural heritage we have inherited, partially from India. But we have a long tradition of being Sri Lanka, a nation, and we need to defend our sovereignty. Let’s make sure our democratically elected officials hear and heed the voice of the people.

- http://www.slguardian.org, October 5, 2016

As part of the wildlife week celebrations, the state forest department had conducted a photography exhibition on Tuesday.

Around 720 photographers registered out of which 605 were found eligible to participate in the competition. The participants were judged by ten judges in three rounds.

Nitin Jain from Pune was awarded the first prize while Hasib Badar from Nagpur bagged the second prize. The third prize was given to Nikhil Tambekar from Chandrapur.

Apart from this, five consolation prizes were also distributed. 92 selected photographs are put on display at Government Chitrakala Mahavidyalaya. The exhibition will be open till October 6 from 10.30am to 7pm.

Based on the theme of wildlife, the photographs have captured various aspects including animal habitats, feeding behaviour, biodiversity and threats to wildlife.

The department had also organized special competition for mentally disabled, handicapped and blind children. About 22 such students took part in the drawing competition.

- http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com, October 5, 2016

Indian academician and professor at the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies, Madhu Purnima Kishwar, had noted in 2015 how the prime time TV shows and their celebrated anchors hyperventilated at sundry issues in India while overlooking the matters of paramount importance for the national integrity. Drawing a line of difference between patriotism and ‘hysterical jingoism’, she accused a section of the Indian media, particularly the TV channels, of being heedless to the rapid spread of petrodollar Islam in India and its inevitable consequence — the radicalisation of the gullible Muslim youth, notably in the Kashmir Valley.

Kishwar wrote in her Firstpost article: “The traditional benign Sufi Islam is fast giving way to ultra-conservative and fundamentalist Salafi Islam which is expanding the catchment area for jihadi terror groups… In village after village, new Salafi mosques are mushrooming to overshadow the old Sufi mosques. In fact, Sufi shrines are being systematically targeted as being un-Islamic. While older generation Kashmiris may still go to the Sufi mosques, the excitable youth are flocking to Salafi mosques which spoon-feed them a highly distorted version of world events to show how Islam is under threat and Muslims an endangered species. The siege mentality thus engendered is helping recruit cadres for jihad.”

What Kishwar had noted in 2015 can be vividly seen today not only in the valleys of Jammu and Kashmir but even in the northern Indian states — Uttar Pradesh and Bihar — where Muslims did not appear to be drawn to the jihadist mentality or Islamist militancy.

Recently, I spent a great deal of time in the two Indian states empirically researching the impact of the divisive religious rhetoric on the radicalisation of the Muslims by visiting a number of Salafist madrasas. The question my extensive research attempted to answer is why growing number of the Indian Muslims are flocking to the Saudi-style Islam leaving behind the age-old history of Indian Sufism. After an extensive literature review and exploration of the Salafi textbooks being taught in various Indian madrasas, it appears that an academically important question has received very little attention in those fiery discussions in media or academia.

While India constitutes the largest population of Muslims in the world after Indonesia, it cannot be denied only a tiny number of those in India are getting lured to the extremist Islamist outfits such as Islamic State, al-Qaeda, Taliban and others. This is precisely because Islam in India has been anchored in syncretism and pluralistic tradition. But now several academics, analysts and even media researchers worry about the growing onslaught the petrodollar Salafism on a more accommodative form of Sufi Islam in India.

Of late, the English news channel NDTV ran a two-part research-based documentary titled, “The Shadow of Salafism”. It visited Salafi Madrasas in Uttar Pradesh and Karnataka and found works of controversial Saudi Salafi scholars as part of their syllabi. Perhaps first time in the Indian media’s history, a national TV channel has extensively researched and debated the curriculum of Salafism which is widely taught in the Indian madrasas. The program seemed concerned with the rise of the puritanical and supremacist strain of Islam, known interchangeably as 'Wahhabism' or 'Salafism'.

NDTV analysed whether the extremist, supremacist, and divisive theology of Ibn Taymiyya and Ibn Abdul Wahhab is opening a gateway into religious extremism in India. In an hour-long part one, the Truth vs Hype show – presented by Sreenivasan Jain – traced foreign funds to the Salafist NGOs in India from donors on terror watchlists. Jain also discussed as to why India has held Salafism as one of the factors behind Kashmir unrest. Travelling to various Salafist madrasas in Uttar Pradesh and to the state's eastern border with Nepal, Karnataka, Kerala and other vulnerable states of India, Jain and his colleagues did the story with inputs from various Sufi and Sunni scholars.

It is not the case that NDTV dug a lonely furrow in the Indian media by investigating the mystery of the petrodollar-funded Salafism in India. Many other national TV channels and leading newspapers of the country have shown concern over the trail of Saudi-style Islam, and with great gusto. But Jain and his team did an extensive literature review of the Salafist teachings linked with extremism, in consultation with well-versed Islamic scholars and professors. For instance, Dr Syed Aleem Ashraf Jaisi, head of the Arabic department in Maulana Azad National Urdu University in Hyderabad, appeared on this show to explain the Mardin fatwa — a 13th-century fatwa authored by Ibn Taymiyyah – which is still being adhered to by the world’s jihadist outfits to justify violent extremism. Dr Jaisi has been quoted as saying:

Terrorist organisations spread all around the world are based on Ibn Taymiyyah's principles and traditions. These terrorist organisations rely on references taken from Ibn Taymiyyah's books and particularly his Mardin Fatwa in which he has mentioned that one can kill anyone to achieve his target or defeat enemies or target anyone.

Similarly, a few other scholars were approached for an informed analysis of the Salafi curricula replete with the teachings of Taymiyyah and his successor Ibn Abdul Wahhab who misconstrued the Quranic verses in an attempt to coin an anti-pluralism theology. He preached a devised worldview by misreading the Qur’an and coining the concepts like “al Walah wal Bara” (loyalty with Muslims and disavowal against all non-Muslims including the non-Wahhabi Muslims).

Truth vs Hype show also assessed the influence of Ibn Abdul Wahhab’s intolerant and supremacist theology spreading in many parts of India. In this context, it aired the dissenting views on the textbooks being taught in the Salafi-Wahhabi madrasas. Remarkably, the madrasa rectors confessed in the show that they teach the controversial books like Taimiya’s Majmua Fatawa (compilation of his fatwas), Ibn Abdul Wahhab’s Kitab al-Tawheed (book of monotheism), along with Taqwiyatul Iman (strengthening of the religion) and Sirat-e-Mustaqeem (the straight path) authored by the hardcore Indian clerics Shah Ismail Dehlvi and Syed Ahmad “Shaheed”.

All these books contain intolerant texts denouncing the syncretic traditions and pluralistic ethos as antithetical to Islam. When the channel spoke to the trustees of Salafi mosques, they fervently supported these books vehemently opposing the Sufi culture and tradition because 'they are contaminated with the influences of non-Muslims'. "Wrong things if done for thousands of years are wrong," said the Salafist cleric Abdul Wahid Madni, founder of the Safa Educational Society in Domariaganj, Uttar Pradesh.

Thus, the news channel's show sought to address that academically important question which is rarely discussed in the mainstream media. In such an ideological discourse analysis, journalism coupled with an academic rigour should be emulated to break away from the stereotypical Indian format of "talking heads" discussion on prime time news television.

However, it was astonishing to note that the two-part investigation did not touch upon the Salafist hardliners and their separatist preachers in Kashmir. It left many in the lurch because the channel basically wanted to assess the Indian government’s ‘concern’ over the rise of Wahhabism/Salafism in Jammu and Kashmir, as the show’s intro unravels: “From time to time, the Indian government has warned of the dangers of the rise of puritanical, Saudi-style Islam in India. Most recently, during the unrest in Kashmir, when it warned it will not allow a 'Wahhabi theocracy' to take root in the Valley”. In fact, there is no dearth of well-known Salafi-Wahhabi preachers and their exclusivist sermons in the Valley. But one wonders why NDTV skipped the portrayal of the Salafist preachers in Kashmir who spew venom and misguide the Muslim youth in the valley using the religious platforms. Just as the channel examined, in the second part of this show titled “Road To ISIS”, as to how some South Indian Salafist preachers delivered speeches filled with religious bigotry and extremism, it could have cited some instances in the Valley too.

Much like Shamsudheen Fareed, a known Salafist cleric in Malappuram whose extremist sermons are cited in the show, the avowed advocate of Salafi mission in Kashmir, Maulana Mushtaq Veeri is not lesser hate-monger. Maulana Veeri has delivered various speeches — all of them filled with the extremist and exclusivist content — in the Valley’s Salafi mosques. Scores of his divisive speeches have been circulated on social media and are still attracting the imagination of the Kashmiri youth towards separatism. Only a single instance is sufficient and substantial evidence on how the ‘Salafi mission’ is being pursued in the religious rhetoric in Kashmir. In his religious sermon (khutba), Maulana Mushtaq Veeri dwells on “the Salafi Mission in Kashmir”. After a lengthy talk in the local Kashmiri language, he speaks in Urdu in the conclusive part of this video. Note these words in his speech: “Dekha Salafiyon ka kamal, jab salafi maidan men utarte hain to wapis naam lene ka kabhi sochte hi nahi. Ham Islami hukumat qaim kar ke rahenge. Iraq men dekho Abu Bakr naam ke salafi ki hukumat…..kashmir men anqareeb inshaAllah Islami jhanda gaad diya jaega….”

(See the achievement of the Salafis! When the Salafis embark on their mission in the battlefield, they do not back out. Look at the state of the Salafist by the name of Abu Bakr Baghdadi in Iraq... God willing, we will be hoisting the Islamic flag soon in Kashmir...)

The author is a scholar of Comparative Religion, Classical Arabic and Islamic sciences, cultural analyst and researcher in Media and Communication Studies. Views are personal. He tweets at @GRDehlvi. Email:[email protected]

- http://www.firstpost.com, October 5, 2016

The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has come out with the draft National Standards for Smart Cities that are expected to raise the bar for Indian cities to be called ‘Smart’. The requirements will be higher than the criteria incorporated under the government’s Smart City Mission.

Some of the indicators that the draft standards, released by BIS on September 30, seek to incorporate to assess services and quality of life are air pollution, carbon emission, renewable energy consumption, per capita GDP, unemployment rate and girl child enrolment in schools.

These measurable indicators are not part of the current assessment process. Under the Smart City Mission, the government assesses the cities on past three years’ performance in providing civic services, efficiency of governance and their proposals to implement future projects, focusing mostly on information and technology.

“The process of BIS standard formulation started prior to the establishment of the Smart City Mission so their standards may not reflect the objectives of the mission. We wanted to understand what the smart cities in Indian context are and then define the indicators for assessing their performance,” said a senior official in the ministry of urban development.

The BIS says its standards are derived from ISO on ‘Sustainable Development of Communities: Indicators for city services and quality of life’ and have been modulated by the standards notified by various Indian agencies.

The standards, which claim to have “sustainability as a general principal”, assess a city on 93 indicators across 17 sectors. For each indicator, BIS has specified data on the basis of which performance will be measured. The bureau has put the draft standards for public comments for a month before finalising them. Once the indicators are finalised, the benchmarks will be decided. By default, the BIS standards are only voluntary.

“Now these qualitative indicators are defined, they should definitely be incorporated in assessing the smart cities. The question will be how to calculate data on baseline of these indicators for our cities. A lot of work has already been done by National Mission on Sustainable Habitat. The government should use that to evolve holistic indicators to assess smart cities,” said Manu Bhatnagar of Natural Heritage Division, Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage. - http://www.hindustantimes.com, October 6, 2016

Chandigarh, one of the planned cities in India, is internationally known for its architecture and urban design. A photo exhibition at Alliance Francaise de Trivandrum by Chandigarh-based photographer Ajay Bhatia reveals the architectural beauty of the city planned by Swiss-French architect and planner Le Corbusier. The exhibition, named 'Le Corbusier in India-The Play of Light', displays various photographs of Chandigarh's Capitol Complex, the hallmark of modern architecture in India.

Capitol Complex got the UNESCO heritage status. All the pictures on display were taken when the heritage complex was lit up for the first time in October last year to commemorate the 50th death anniversary of Corbusier.

"I was lucky to take around 100 pictures of the numerous buildings within the 100-acre complex when the entire complex was lit up in different hues," said Bhatia.

He said that he was inspired by Corbusier's book 'Towards a New Architecture', in which he conceives the idea of a city as a human being - a living, breathing space. Corbusier used the same idea for Chandigarh with Capitol Complex as the 'head' of the body. "The complex interplay of shadows and highlights in the architecture is amazing. I tried to depict this human nature of the complex through my pictures," Bhatia added. For this he replaced his wide-angle zoom lenses with a 50mm lens as it offers almost the same experience as the human eye.

Around 25 pictures of various buildings in the complex like the high court, secretariat, and the legislative assembly are among those displayed.

All the pictures are the inter-reflection of light and shades which are vividly captured with minute details and optsimum depth of field.

"Everything I have learnt about photography in the past five years has gone into the capturing of this photograph of the high court with its three-coloured panels," he said pointing at one o his pictures.

The pictures were clicked in natural daylight and for night flash light was not used. "The play of light and shades, which every shutterbug dreams to capture, can be seen in these pictures," said Anand Godfrey, a freelance photographer, who visited the exhibition.

The exhibition, which started on September 20 is on till October 7. It is open to public from 10am to 6pm. - http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com, October 6, 2016

The conservation of ecosystems and biodiversity is not just an environmental need alone. Systematic degradation or loss of ecosystems can have a serious consequence on the economic benefits derived through them.

Every ecosystem, be it wetlands, water bodies or mangroves, render many ecological services be it fisheries, irrigation, water supply and recreation. Case studies done under the The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity-India (TEEB) Initiative have demonstrated that estimating the value of biodiversity and their services would help in addressing the need for conservation and management of ecosystems.

The initiative was implemented by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change under the Indo-German Biodiversity programme with the cooperation of GIZ. A media workshop, which was held on Wednesday, underlined the economic approach to guide environmental policy and conservation efforts. Ravindra Singh of GIZ said, “We wanted to generate field-based evidence on the economic value of ecosystems through pilot projects.”

Reduction in welfare
Water reduction also leads to reduction in economic welfare. Estimating the value of an ecosystem would help in assessing the benefits of wetland conservation. One of the benefits is groundwater recharge that will help save time spent in fetching drinking water, said L.Venkatachalam of Madras Institute of Development Studies.

The restoration of Chilika lagoon in Odisha was highlighted to depict the economic benefit in terms of increased income in fisheries and tourism. “While 35 per cent of the water supply depends on wetlands, they are the most costly ecosystems to replace,” said Ritesh Kumar of Wetlands International South Asia, New Delhi.

Closer home is the example of Pallikaranai marsh, which is home to diverse flora and fauna such as 166 species of birds and nearly 100 fish species, that acts as a sponge to water received from flood plains in south Chennai. But it is undergoing character change due to the dumping of waste and sewage. Jayshree Vencatesan of Care Earth Trust spoke on the marsh’s critical role in groundwater availability.

V. Selvam of M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation said that mangrove restoration will increase the resilience of coastal community and is a long-term ecological investment.

- http://www.thehindu.com, October 6, 2016

This year water contamination as a result of idols being immersed was significantly lower than that of previous years, thanks to awareness among people regarding eco-friendly idols and the active intervention of the district administration at preventing immersions in water bodies.

An assessment report of water samples taken from various water bodies in the city by the regional pollution control board showed lower levels of contamination. The board had taken test samples before, during and after immersions.

Samples collected during idol immersion contained that dissolved solids, suspended solids and biochemical oxygen demand were about 1.5-2 times higher than the permissible level. But these levels lowered in about seven days unlike previous years due to the presence of bio-degradable components.

An official from the regional pollution control board said, "Water contamination was much lower this year because many people used eco-friendly idols and they were not directly immersed in water bodies."

The district administration had placed artificial water tanks at about 50 different locations in the city and people were encouraged to immerse idols at the nearest water tank nearest to them. Immersions in lakes, rivers and ponds were prohibited.

However, environmentalists said that idols made from plaster of Paris were also immersed at several places, but the numbers were comparatively less than the previous year. The report showed that traces of lead, zinc and arsenic were found in water samples collected from Jawahar Tekri.

"This may have happened due to the presence of heavy metals in paints as a few people must have secretly immersed idols that were made of non-bio degradable materials," a pollution control board official said

- http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com, October 6, 2016

Lalit Kala Akademi, Chennai, presents 'Journey of the Self', an exhibition of artwork created by its research grant awardees between 2013 and 2016.

The artists - Sarvashri Dinu Ghata Kacharulal, Elanchezhiyan P, Kashinath Janardhan Jadhav, Koilpitchai Prabakar M, Prasanna Kumar Nagarajan, Sai Kiran Maheswara and Venkata Gangu Naidu P - display the cream of their work from this period of research, their themes spanning agriculture, science, animals and human life. The works - including sculptures and paintings - resonate with the theme 'Journey of the Self', in a way that each artist presents his own unique interpretation of the subjects.

Elanchezhian, for instance, has been fascinated by bovines for as long as he can remember, having grown up in an agricultural family. "I have seen the bull being regarded as both divine and as a friend. I started working on sculptures that were inspired by jallikattu and gradually moved to exploring the larger significance of this animal in my life and my consciousness," he says.

His sculptures are made of bronze and explore the inherent dynamism of the bull in motion during jallikattu, its dignified poise when stationary and the bond it shares with the mankind around it.

The exhibition is on till October 9 at Lalit Kala Akademi, No 4, Greams Road, Chennai.

- http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com, October 7, 2016

Ashok Khemka is known for having exposed cases of all­eged high-profile corruption, such as the Robert Varda-DLF land deals and the pesticide scam in Haryana. But last month, he took up another worthy cudgel. Travelling on a Rajdhani Express from Delhi to Allahabad, he found the train dirty, food unsatisfactory and had to endure a delay of about 13 hours. But he couldn’t get any complaint book on the train. “The staff kept making excuses and even promised me a special dinner. But they just wouldn’t give me the book.”

At his wit’s end, the principal secretary in the science and technology department of the Haryana government decided to tweet to Union Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu. “@sure­shpprabhu Travelling in 12424 DBRT Rajdhani from Delhi to Allahabad. Poor food and not as per menu. Complaint book not provided.” Later, he tweeted again, “Got complaint book after 5 hours at 8:10 pm. Registered the complaint. Thanks.”

Khemka believes social media should be used as an eff­ective tool to improve government-public interaction. He himself remains accessible to people through his account. “When I was handling transport, people would give me direct feedback on overloading of vehicles. When I handled archaeology, they provided information on encroachments around monuments. I took action in all these cases,” he said.

Khemka has also not hesitated to speak up on issues of public welfare, as he did in a tweet after the railway ministry’s recent decision to introduce surge pricing in premier trains. In a profession where plainspeak isn’t a virtue, it is not surprising that Khemka has been transferred 46 times in the past 25 years. He sums up the dilemma of a bureaucrat who is outspoken, that too on social media, with an Urdu saying: Mera qatil hi mera munsif hai (My murderer is my judge). “In our case, it is especially difficult because our employer, the government, also happens to be the judge of our critical views. But one needs to understand, corruption is neither part of government policy nor action. So my fight against corruption should not be seen as being anti-government.” Khemka, however, admits it would be a lie to say that there is no fear in speaking the truth. “I am scared about losing my job but I alw­ays strive to overcome it,” he said.

- http://www.outlookindia.com, October 7, 2016

A documentary on her life is all set to be released in New Delhi in an upcoming event.

The Chennai Rivers Restoration Trust (CRRT), a state agency , has submitted to the government the detailed project report for Phase 3 of the restoration of Adyar creek and estuary. This phase will cover the river's source at Adanur tank (Kancheepuram) to the mouth at Pattinapakkam, a distance of 42km. "Phase 2 of the restoration will end in a month and Phase 3 is expected to take four years to complete," a CRRT official told TOI on the sidelines of the threeday event, Chennai Water Forum. "We have short, medium and long-term plans for the restoration and have given it a timeline. The long-term plan is maintenance," the official said.

The restoration of the Adyar river was initiated to sustain the 58-acre Adyar Poonga (Eco Park) which was ecologically restored. Joss Brooks, who directs the restoration and biodiversity of the Poonga, said community ownership and civil society initiatives are important to save Chennai's wetlands and water bodies. "There are im mense funds to restore wetlands in Chennai but it needs civil society to help guide it," said Brooks, adding that any wetland restoration has to be owned by the community living around it.Local residents helped clean up the place, which was once a dump yard and 60,000 tonnes of garbage and debris were removed.

Conceived in 2006 by the AIADMK government and opened in 2011 by the DMK government, the project was caught in political crossfire which resulted in some of the original vision not being realised. Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was to open the park in January 2011 while on a visit to Chennai. But he did not as the environment ministry had not approved the project sent by Tamil Nadu Coastal Zone Management Authority.

The master plan had envisaged activities akin to WWT London Wetland Centre -educators working in the Poonga, small groups of children studying biodiversity, a famers' market and an institute offering training in restoration ecology.

- http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com, October 7, 2016

Sikkim will showcase iconic Mount Kanchendzonga and the Kanchendzonga National Park (KNP), which has recently been declared as a World Heritage Site, to promote eco-tourism in the Himalayan State, widely regarded as the Switzerland of the East, said Sikkim Chief Minister Pawan Chamling. He said that the state government has formulated plans in association with the Indian Mountaineering Federation (IMF) to start circumambulation tours in the periphery of India's highest mountain peak -Mt Kanchenjunga (located at 28,169 feet (8,586 metres)). The peak is the guardian deity of Sikkim and is considered sacred by the Sikkimese people. Chamling further said the state government aims to start 15 days' long trekking trails in the 1,784 km2 Kanchenjunga National Park (KNP) which has been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO recently and is ?home to major mountain peaks, glaciers, lakes, waterfalls and? unique flora and fauna. He said the parikrama tour in the periphery of the world heritage site - KNP - will be promoted mainly during the summer season keeping in view the favorable climatic conditions in the area during these months for trekking, mountaineering and other adventure activities. The Chief Minister said that the government will provide ?highest level of professional support and logistics to nature lover enthusiasts during the parikrama tour through the State Tourism Department and registered tour and travel agencies. The fee structure for these activities is under finalization. The Chief Minister informed that the state government ?has launched ?a 15-minute helicopter service to witness breathtaking views of Mount Kanchenjunga from Gangtok, the State capital. The objective is to provide tourists with a magnificent view of the pristine peak, which assumes different colours during different hours of the day. He said the helicopter service is mainly operational during the months of March to May and then from September to November, which are peak tourist months in the Himalayan State and added that the service is available around the year on demand. Chamling informed that his government has recently opened 14 pristine peaks having height of below ?7,000 meters in North and West Sikkim with a view to promote nature and eco-tourism in the state and added that the government has identified about 15 places in the State from where the various peaks can be viewed. Construction of viewing decks and other allied facilities will be developed to promote these places. × The Chief Minister stated that Sikkim has become the most favoured destination among domestic and foreign tourists in last five years in the entire North East region and added that around 7.50 lakh domestic and international tourists visited the state during the year 2015 to have a glimpse of the major tourist attractions of the State, including its pristine peaks. The state has set a target to attract 15 lakh tourist per annum by the end of 2020, and to double the revenues from tourism at the end of this period, by strengthening the tourism infrastructure and other facilities of the state. Around 60 percent of the total population is directly or indirectly connected with the tourism industry in the State, and are benefitted by new tourism projects that generate economic activity and returns. The Sikkimese youth are being involved in the tourism sector through focused interventions in the form of capacity building/ skill development programmes, so as to provide trained manpower to the tourism sector. Chamling said that Sikkim's first Greenfield Airport at Pakyong, being constructed on a 200 acre piece of land is likely to be operational in the year 2017 at a revised cost of Rs. 05.59 crore. The airport will provide direct air connectivity to the hill state and will be one of the five highest airports (altitude 4,700 feet) of the country. He added that construction work on 45 km long railhead from Sevoke to Rangpo, to be constructed at a cost of Rs. 4,190 crore, is likely to start by the year 2017. The railway line will have 14 tunnels and 28 bridges. It will offer an exclusively picturesque and scenic journey while passing through the foothills of Kanchenjunga mountain range and Teesta river valley. The statues of Cherenzi, Skywalk and Ropeway at Bhaleydhunga, stairway to Heaven at Daramdin are some of the other major projects to be completed by 2025. These projects, once completed, will position Sikkim as the foremost tourism destination of the entire South Asian region. (ANI)

- http://www.sify.com, October 7, 2016

If legend, lore, historical accounts or simply popular belief is taken into account, then 425 years ago, on this day, Hyderabad's most iconic monument, Charminar, was born.

1.1.1000 of the Hijri calendar, they say, is when Charminar, which gave Hyderabad its identity, came into being. And around it, mushroomed the city we call home now. If we go by the corresponding date on the Georgian calendar, it should be Charminar's, and Hyderabad's, 425th anniversary today. But is it? No one seems to know for sure. While some say that October 9 1591 is the date when Quli Qutb Shah laid the foundation stone, others say it was on this day, which happened to be Muharram, that the poet king had a tazia erected at the very spot where Charminar stands. As historians and heritage experts debate, Hyderabad Times listens in...

October 9 is the date when charminar was completed and thrown open to the public
The date has been documented by the Qutub Shahis themselves. And this is further augmented by historian Dr Haroon Khan Sherwani who has written extensively on the Qutub Shahis and the history of Hyderabad. In his article on the foundation of Hyderabad city, he has clearly mentioned the date: "9th of October, that corresponds to 1st Muharram,1000 Hijri". This is the day when the monument was completed and thrown open to public. it took two years to build Charminar, from 1589 to 1591. Nine lakh rupees was spent to erect the historical monument, which weighs approximately 14000 tons. And for those who claim that it was just a tazia which was placed there on this date, well, Charminar itself is modelled after a tazia! — Mohd Safiullah, managing trustee of the Deccan Heritage Trust

In the absence of historical records, 1.1.1000 (Hijri) is too tempting a date to to resist
There is a mention of the date of Charminar's construction in historian and author Prof Haroon Khan Sherwani's works. According to him, "Charminar was constructed after a model of tazia, a conventional replica of the mausoleum of Hasan and Hussain." He also writes that the story of Charminar's construction finds a mention in Mir Roshan Ali's Tozuk-I Qutb Shahiya, compiled in 1848, on the order of Raja Chandu Lal, the deewan of Hyderabad. "It is said that a Tazia was originally constructed in the place where the Charminar now stands on Sunday, 1.1.1000 Hijri, which is equivalent to 9.10.1591," he writes. However, Sherwani does not seem to agree with that date. He claimed that a booklet of 10 folios is an unreliable document. Moreover, we do not find the evidence of there being a tazia on this site in any other work. Also, the 1.1.1000 happened to be a Saturday, though I believe there can be one day difference in dates. Since it was the first millennia of the Islamic calendar, an important date, a lot of people believe the fact to be true. But Sherwani thinks it is a little earlier than that. There is a lot of controversy around the date. And since historical record is not always available, people tend to believe in a lot of things in search of an exact date. and, 1.1.1000 is too tempting to resist. — Sajjad Shahid, historian and heritage activist

It is difficult to pinpoint the exact date, but Hyderabad is 425 years old
What we know is that 9 October, 1591 is the date when a tazia was erected in Charminar. This implies that the construction of Charminar must have started before. It is unclear whether October 9 is the foundation date of the monument. However, H K Sherwani's book mentions clearly that on 9th October, the corresponding Hijri date, the tazia was erected in Charminar. The year is relevant for sure, but it is difficult to pinpoint the exact date. — Anuradha Reddy, convenor of INTACH Hyderabad

It's almost impossible to know the exact date Charminar was constructed in the year 1591, but there is no specific date. The Hijri calendar has been translated into Christian calendar. But then there is no mention of a date in the Hijri calender, so it's almost impossible to know the exact date when the historical structure had been erected, the date its foundation stone was laid or the date the construction was over. All we know is that in the year 1591 the first building of Hyderabad, Charminar was constructed.

— Narendra Luther, historian

Charminar fact file:

It took two years to build Charminar, from 1589 to 1591. Nine lakh rupees was spent to erect the historical monument, which weighs approximately 14000 tonNEs.

Charminar is built as a perfect square measuring 31.95 metres. The four minarets of measuring 56 metres each have three stories with spiral staircase inside, with 149 steps that lead to the top with 12 landings.

There is a mosque located on the western section of the second floor. With forty-five mushallas (prayer spaces) and an open courtyard in front.

The four clocks were added in the year 1889.

The base of monument originally had a Vazu (water cistern) and a small fountain for customary ablutions, before offering prayers in the mosque.

The Deccan Heritage Trust, has launched a campaign to get the government to issue a commemorative stamp to mark 425 years of Hyderabad. The year 2016 also marks the 450th birth anniversary of Muhammaad Quli Qutb Shah, the founder of Hyderabad.

- http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com, October 8, 2016

Anjum Rehmani’s book is a befitting ode to Lahore, the quintessential Mughal city, and its architecture. Lahore: History and Architecture of Mughal Monuments, however, is neither lyrical nor poetic. On the contrary, it is a very well-researched volume referenced with supporting photographs. Structured chronologically, the book traces the origins of Lahore as far back as is possible based on available literary and material sources. Chapters are arranged in sequential order from early, classical and late Mughal times, with a brief look into pre-Islamic and pre-Mughal episodes. Architecture is examined through a spectrum of building types erected under the patronage of various sovereigns and their appointed governors.

The title here becomes slightly misleading as the book sheds light on people, culture, society, religion and historiography, laying firm ground for a context where architecture breathes and blossoms. Architecture being a “valuable historic document” through agency of which the past is recreated, takes centre stage in the writing. Written like a monograph, the book does justice to the prolific builders that were the Mughals, and the brick, stone and marble aesthetics they brought to the region.

As copious as the number of monuments mentioned is the length of the book — spread over more than 400 pages, one ends up browsing page after page consuming information about gates, forts, tombs, mosques, gardens, hammams and havelis. This volume certainly adds to the scholarship that exists in Pakistan on the subject of heritage and history. The academic and service background of the author as director of the Lahore Museum serves the book well, as many non-generic resources are brought to light. Hence, it becomes an important resource in itself for young academics and researchers, and a history lover like myself cannot help but pause and look at the End Notes for answers.

The Mughal-era architecture of the city is studied as a manifestation of its culture through the centuries “One who visits Lahore always yearns to return to Lahore”, “Lahore Lahore ae!” Sayings like these start the narrative in the first chapter where the author makes use of popular slogans and anecdotes to set a rather light tone for the book. From here, though, he delves into the realm of literary evidence. As one progresses, the author’s strong grasp of the subject matter becomes evident. In the very first chapter Rehmani writes, “Since Sultan Mahmud had come to Lahore to rule permanently, not to quit it after conquest, he formulated a policy of reconciliation to win the hearts of his Hindu subjects. Furthermore, he wanted to ensure simultaneously that these Hindu subjects should feel that his government was their own”, rejecting the popular notion of Sultan Mahmud as an anti-Hindu destroyer of temples.

Floral motifs between geometric borders of the Wazir Khan Mosque.
For a scholarly work like this it is important that sources speak for themselves and popular propaganda is questioned and challenged in the light of material evidences. It becomes clear that policy matters adopted by the rulers were sensitive to the populace and Akbar was not the first one to reconcile the differences between Hindus and Muslims, provided there were any. As early as Mahmud’s time, Lahore fostered tolerance where “Persian and Arabic were current alongside Hindi and Sanskrit … devanagari script alongside that of naskh and occasionally kufic”. The focus, however, is on the Mughal period and corresponding monuments. Lahore became a flourishing city during the Mughal time and remained the seat of the empire for many years, a city at par with Delhi and Agra at the time. The Mughals had a taste for gardens designed in the chahar bagh manner, bringing a Persian sensibility to the region. “Jahangir and his empress Nur Jahan both fell in love with Lahore … Nur Jahan’s stay in Lahore, in particular, caused a revolution in the city’s social and cultural life, transforming it into almost a blueprint of her native Iranian society and civilisation. She devoted much attention to the development of landscape architecture in Lahore; laying out in Shahdara her garden, the Bagh-i-Dilkusha, where Jahangir was later buried, and chahar chaman where she herself was laid to rest”. Such was their love for the city they built and nurtured, that they chose it as their final abode.

Wazir Khan Mosque.
The maximum growth took place during the times of Akbar, Jahangir and Shahjahan. Babur, Humayun and Aurangzeb also contributed to the city, but not on the same scale. “Lahore began to flourish under Ghaznavid rule (1021-1186). It declined in the era of the Sultans of Delhi. The city was rejuvenated when the Mughal prince Mirza Kamran was the governor of Lahore (1530-1540), and continued to progress physically and culturally in the times of emperors Akbar, Jahangir and Shahjahan. During the reign of Emperor Aurangzeb Alamgir, however, it began to deteriorate.” The length of chapters narrating contributions during different periods reflects the same; the description of work done by Akbar and Jahangir is spread over two chapters each, while Shahjahan takes the lion’s share of six chapters.

“Babar, as emperor of India, could find time only once to visit Lahore, in the third year of his reign. On this occasion, his second son Mirza Kamran, as governor of Kabul, orchestrated the programme of his welcoming to the city. In Babar’s honour, he arranged a grand feast in his garden at Lahore. The emperor after his three days’ stay in the garden, was taken to the Lahore Fort. On the event, his route was extraordinarily decorated. Babar was accommodated in the palace of Sultan Sikandar Lodhi, standing by that time in the Fort. According to Tarikh Shahi, the emperor was so fascinated with the pleasant atmosphere and moderate climate of Lahore that he prolonged his stay in Lahore to one year. He roamed the surrounding jungles while hunting and fowling. Unfortunately however he left Lahore without creating any memorial to celebrate his visit; though Mirza Kamran did construct a garden in the city during this time, the details of which shall follow.” — Excerpt from the book Although during Shahjahan’s time

Lahore was no longer the imperial seat, being the city of his birth it held a special place in his heart and these six chapters are proof of the interest he took in building and developing Lahore. “His fondness for the city found expression in the various visits he paid it after becoming emperor. During each visit, his devotion and generosity found ways to bestow on the city magnificent buildings, palaces, hammams, serai, etc. Amidst this overall development of the town, official emphasis was on the expansion of the Lahore Fort.”

Fresco decoration inside Maryam Zamani Mosque. - Photos from the book
For building activity the Lahore Fort is the focal point and gets a separate chapter and sub-chapter in each period presented with the minutest details; it makes up almost one fourth of the volume. This progress during the golden period of the Mughals attracted migrants from all around the empire, increasing the diverse cultural milieu of the city. These migrants and settlers added to the city’s already flourishing architectural repository.

The linear chronological narrative of the book assists in conjuring up step-by-step images of the progress and decline of the city. The information provided facilitates an understanding of Lahore and its architecture for all and sundry. The details of the historic background of people and places, city layouts, materials of construction, structural techniques, etc., all are recounted with extensive excerpts added to the text.

At this point one is left with a longing for analytical depth and synthesis, for although much breadth of information is presented, analysis falls short. There are comparisons between Mughal buildings and their predecessors, but these are rare. The conclusion, too, basically summarises the preceding chapters, with analysis as though an afterthought. This volume, therefore, is more information-centred, but what has been collected is immense. It can be a point of departure from a diachronic study into a more analytical synchronic effort for future academics and scholars. Given the state of archives in our country, and how difficult it is accessing any resources, this undertaking by Rehmani conserves effort by pointing scholars in the right direction.

The graphics are slightly disappointing for this time and age of high resolution cameras and easy availability of digital tools. The drawings could have easily been digitised for a finer, crisper outcome. Whatever constraints the author may have had, the lopsided and distorted images and scattered composition are not easy to overlook. The contemporary photographs do defy the grand descriptions of the structures, but the state of conservation of the monuments is also given. This contrast between text and photographs leaves great room for mentally filling the gaps; converting words into images.

This piece of scholarship sheds light on Babur’s nostalgia for the terraced landscape of Central Asia, Humayun’s political struggles, Akbar’s strategic tolerance for all religions, and Shahjahan’s love for his birthplace, evident in the architecture and city planning of their reigns. Architecture is presented as an outcome of all that happened around and within Lahore socially, politically, culturally and otherwise. In writing about history, roles are often reversed and architecture acts as the marker for the very social, cultural, political and religious milieu that produced it. The longevity of architecture is exploited well in the book, it is celebrated as the very agency and aid through which the context and culture of the past are recreated. This volume is as much about the architecture still standing, as it is about the people who made it a reality, and left imprints for the likes of Rehmani to structure the sum of parts into a seamless narrative.

The reviewer is assistant professor, department of architecture and planning, NED University; and PhD scholar, history of architecture programme, Middle East Technical University, Ankara.

Lahore: History and Architecture of Mughal Monuments

(ARCHITECTURE)
By Anjum Rehmani
Oxford University Press, Karachi
ISBN: 978-0199066094
500pp.
Published in Dawn, Books & Authors, October 9th, 2016

- www.dawn.com, October 8, 2016

A Buddhist monk who has devoted himself for the restoration and protection of the Buddhist relics and monuments throughout the country has now taken on the task of spreading the teachings and philosophy of 12th century social reformer Basaveshwara, which is almost similar to the teachings of Lord Buddha, to North Indian states.

“During my frequent tour of Karnataka to study the Buddhist monuments and relics, I had the opportunity to learn about the work and preachings of Mahatma Basaveshwara and found to my amazement that these teachings were akin to the teachings of Lord Buddha. I was also surprised that the teachings and philosophy of Mahatma Basaveshwara had crossed Karnataka and Maharashtra borders,” said Bhante Tissavro, who heads the Bodh Gaya-baed Budh Avshesh Bachao Abhiyaan (Save Buddhist Relics Campaign).

In a chat with The Hindu in Kalaburagi city on Saturday, the monk said for the last three years he had spent most of his time researching the works and holding discussions with the followers of Mahatma Basveshwara and finally decided to form a committee consisting of people from all walks of life to take his philosophy to the people in Bihar, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh to begin with and later spread to other north Indian States.

Bante Tissavro said a committee under the banner of Buddha Aur Basava Samaj Maitri Sangh, to which he has been appointed as convenor, has been constituted to hold seminars, conferences and workshops in all the major cities in the three states. It has been decided to bring out the vachanas and preachings of Mahatma Basaveshwara in Hindi. Also, life size statues of Mahatama Basaveshwara at Ranchi, Gaya, Varanasi and Patna will be installed and libraries established.

If the preachings and philosophy of Mahatma Basaveshwara had spread to States such as Bihar and Jharkhand there would not have been problem of Naxalism and peace and tranquillity would have prevailed, he said.

He said Bante Subod Bodi, Allamprabhu Koppad, Ajay Chowdhari, Pracharya Dulal Thakur, Amardeep Kumar Buddha Ratna Chandrasekhar and others have joined the committee. The Committee would hold conference in different parts of the states and invite Channamalla Veerabhadra Swamiji of Nidamamudi Math, Chief of the Gavi Siddeshwar Math, Basava Samiti Chief Arvind Jatti and other senior religious heads.

- http://www.thehindu.com, October 8, 2016

This year is the birth centenary year of Benoy Ghosh, who is a pioneer in writing and documenting the social and cultural history of Bengal. He got attracted to Marxism in his student days. After his graduation in 1937, he started working as a journalist, and worked in some of the leading Bengali dailies and periodicals of the time. After moving away from the CPI in 1948, as many other intellectuals did, he did his Masters in Ancient Indian History and Culture, and established himself as a leading scholar in the field of social and cultural history of Bengal.

His book, Banglar Nabajagriti (Bengal Renaissance), published in 1948, initiated a major debate on the cultural transformation of Bengal in the 19th century. In his preface, he stated that the book was an attempt to write the history of Bengal renaissance, initiated in the 19th century, and its legacy flowing in diverse areas with immense possibilities. He tried to establish the historical foundations of the Renaissance from an orthodox Marxist perspective, and lamented the absence of historical memory among the Bengalis about their glorious past. The sole reason behind writing this book, he argued, was to document the great cultural heritage of Bengal.

In the new edition of the book, published in 1979, he completely revised his position. He argued as early as in 1970 that there is a big gap and flaw in our understanding of the social and cultural history of Bengal, and this cannot be filled up merely by more information collected from the archives or library, without proper historical and social insight. In his self-criticism, he stated that we restricted our analysis about the impact of Western science and philosophy on the minds of a few elites, completely ignoring their impact or possible impact on the ninetyfive per cent of the population. He observed that even on the eve of the last quarter of the 20th century, we find the typical co-existence of progressive and reactionary thought in different spheres of the Bengali society, from the religious guru cult to political Marxism.

In 1978, he characterised the “Bengal Renaissance” as a myth. In this connection, he criticised the Communist Parties in India for their dependence on the urban middle class and for maintaining their existence by becoming part of the system of exploitation. He even criticised many of those who claimed themselves to be real Marxist-Leninist, but whose middle-class world of babu politics and theoretical debates in the Coffee House were far away from the world of the village or the peasants. He stated that during the period 1948-1978, his journey to the villages, and exposure to village life, society and culture made him sceptical about the “Bengal Renaissance”. He concluded by saying that on the basis of Marx’s article on the future results of British rule in India, the nabajagritior renaissance of Bengal in the 19th century cannot be established as a ‘historical truth’.

The 1979-edition of the book is reprinted on the occasion of his birth centenary. The vivid documentation in the book of the composite culture of the Hindus and Muslims in Bengal testifies to the depth of his journey for a different world. He observed that most of the Bengali Muslims were converted lower-caste Hindus. Even after conversion, both the Muslims and Hindus were often found to have the same types of names and titles, and they worshiped the same folk gods and goddesses, such asSatyapir,Manikpir,Kalugaji,Sitala and Rakshyakali. The popular religious cults in Bengal attracted followers from both the religious communities. Ghosh further observed that most of the Muslim women in the villages of Bengal were not found to wear borkhas. Common architectural styles were often found in temples and mosques.

In our age of sectarian politics and crude form of cultural nationalism, reading Benoy Ghosh offers fresh insights for re-imagining Bengali politics and culture.

- www.mainstreamweekly.net, October 9, 2016

The intricate beauty of inlay has a simple charm that is in danger of being lost to time. But Mohammad Matloob is doing his best to preserve it.

SPIC MACAY's Gurgaon chapter recently organised a unique workshop on wood carving, inviting Matloob, whose life as a wood carver has been recognised by the President of India, to share the techniques and joys of this Mughal-era art with the students of Shri Ram School (Aravali). For an hour-and-a-half each day, a group of 180 students, all seventh graders, were taught the basics of carving on wood, and the wonders of creating geometric, floral and lattice patterns using just a chisel and a hammer. "The kind of passion he has displayed in trying to get kids interested in this art form has been something to behold," said Shilpa Sonal, secretary, SPIC MACAY (Gurgaon chapter).

Matloob, 50, hails from the town of Nagina, in Bijnor district of Uttar Pradesh. It's a place that boasts a millennia-old tradition of wood carving and inlay work, crafts that found patrons in Mughal royalty.

Carving and inlay require a block of wood (4x4 inches for the schoolkids), the use of a chisel and hammer, and a metal wire. The boys and girls were shown each stage, from drawing, carving and inlay work to filing, sandpapering and waxing.

Most were using the tools for the first time, and not surprisingly, a few ended up damaging the wood. That's where Matloob's dedication to his art came in, for he carried these pieces home and lovingly improved upon them with a refinement only experience can bring.

"I don't want that the kids take back home a ruined piece, they should be satisfied at the end of it." The workshop has brought much fulfilment to Matloob. "I feel very proud that I can carry forward the legacy of wood carving," he told TOI. "It's a big thing that these students gave their time to learn, and we should do our best to preserve the crafts heritage of India, so that kids are aware of it."

- http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/, October 9, 2016

This route was not only a medium of commerce for merchants but also a channel for the merger of religious traditions and cultural norms. From sufism to exchange of ideas, an Asian history and identity could be defined through the Silk Road, writes ANANYA BORGOHAIN

AAMAD Dance Center in New Delhi recently organised a seminar that exhibited a delightful visual presentation of Indo-Persian art and culture and their influence on Indian society. The seminar, titled Jashn, was hosted at the India International Centre. Its objective was “to engage, educate, and entertain the public about a treasure of the living tradition of Indo-Persian synthesis of North Indian art and culture, giving due credit to the achievements of the renowned Sufi poets”. Jashn explored the journey of Asian art and culture that flourished from 11th to 19th century, and studied how it has been reconfigured in the modern era.

Turkish musician and scholar Latif Bolat, who plays folk and mystic music from the 11th century, spoke through the web cam. He underlined how ideas were inherited by pilgrims, sufi saints and sages. A crucial part of his talk was on the Silk Road. Dating back to the era of the Han dynasty in China, the Silk Road or Silk Route, was a network of trade routes. But beyond just being a channel for commerce, it played a massive role in the integration of art and culture in several regions in Asia. It also connected the East and West from China to the Mediterranean Sea.

It is through the Silk Road that Sufism prospered; along with the culture of mysticism and zikrs. Sufism — the mystical Islamic practice through which one seeks out the true meaning of divine love and knowledge via a personal connection with God — came to India in the 12th century through Moinuddin Chisti. The other names associated with Sufism in India are Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya, Nasiruddin Mehmood Chirag-Dehlavi, and Qutbuddin Bakhtiar Kaki. They were all buried in Delhi and the Sufi Silsila is still very active in the city where qawwali enthralls people every Thursday night at the shrine of Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya at Nizamuddin.

The Silk Road has been influential in more ways than that. Asia’s oldest road, the Grand Trunk Road, was also a part of the Silk Road. The Silk Road connected Turkey, Central and South Asia, China, Persia, and Mongolia. Several kingdoms and empires merged in this exchange of trade, ideas, and culture. If qawwali is emblematic of an Indo-Pak South-Asian identity, the Silk Road is representative of a wholesome Asian identity. Several religious traditions moved through the same. When the Byzantine Christians chased the Nestorians in China, they escaped through the Silk Road, taking their cultural fabric to another land. On the other hand, Islam was spread all over the world by the merchants who traded on the Silk Road, which is why Islamic traditions vary in countries. For instance, Islam in Iran is different from Islam in Morocco or Saudi Arabia or India.

Jashn had attendees like Shanta Sarabjeet Singh (former vice-chairman, Sangeet Natya Academy), Narmada Upadhyaya from Indore (who spoke on the tradition of Indo-Persian miniature paintings in the context of North Indian dance), and Mirza Arif from Delhi (who spoke on Amir Khusrau).

At the same time, it also emphasised the history of miniature paintings in the religious context. As in Upadhyaya’s words, “Indians followed the concept of miniature paintings religiously. They used to paint within a specific block size, whereas Persians were more into definite figure paintings like portraits. A person can actually count the petals and waves in a flower and a rising wave respectively. The fusion of Indo-Persian culture was made famous by legendary artists Khusrau and Wajid Ali Shah relying on the idea of Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb.”

These artisans developed miniature art in the pre-Mughal era. Awadhi artists also contributed to the same; many miniature paintings, for instance, depicted scenes from the Ramayana. As time passed, portraits of kings were made in the miniature style and Persian strokes developed the nuances of the background. That is when a blue colour scheme got popular. Rajasthani and Awadhi traditions followed the same and thus several Hindu aspects were merged with Indo-Persian attributes.

Another topic discussed at the seminar was the art of dance. Dr Chetana Jyotishi Beohar, said: “In 18th century, the works of Wajid Ali Shah were printed to let audience know about the performing arts, including Raag and Taal. Be it Drupad, Saawan, Sadra, Sargam and Chitram, every culture — whether it is Hinduism, Islamic or Persian — imparts a single idea that God is one and he is the protector of all.” Rani Khanam, the only Indian Muslim kathak dancer, said, “Being from an Islamic background, there were struggles in the early years of my career. I tried to master the art of Kathak. In other art forms too, when you dig deeper you get to know about the history and challenges to ace that art. The art and culture of performing arts existed for centuries. This practice initially took place earlier in 11th century and has been carried along with legacy till present.”

Khusrau and the last Nawab of Awadh, Wajid Ali Shah, were crucial to arts, architecture, language, dance and other forms of culture in that period. To cite an example, kathak emerged as a part of their legacy. Hopefully, the young generation will follow these pursuits with a more scholarly passion.

[email protected]

- http://www.dailypioneer.com, October 9, 2016

The precious handwritten notebooks and journals of exceptional Urdu poet of the Mughal era, Mirza Ghalib is rotting in his home-turned-museum in Chandni Chowk.

The handwritten Diwans that are over 300 years old are maintained by the Department of Archaeology, Delhi government. But surprisingly, the department has no clue of its deteriorating state. The four main diaries of Ghalib have been put under a glass lid on a high platform for public view. But all of them are being eaten by black fungi.

The rotting state of the national treasure has escaped the ‘hawk’ eyes of the archaeology department, which carries out regular restoration works of some local-level monuments in the capital.

“At regular intervals, our officials visit the site, but if this is taking place then we would take necessary steps for the restoration of the books,” Archeological Engineer Vikas Maloo said.

Ghalib’s Haveli is located in Chandni Chowk’s Ballimaran area and is part of Old Delhi.

In 2000, it was declared a heritage site by the Archaeological Survey of India. The mansion which offers an insight to lifestyle of the poet has been encroached upon by shops and stalls but the ground floor has been converted into a museum.

- http://www.newindianexpress.com, October 9, 2016

The tradition of displaying the gombe (doll) that forms an integral part of the Dasara festivities in South India is declining in the recent times, particularly in cities like Bengaluru.

To revive the tradition and make it popular among people, a ‘Dasara Doll’ walk is being organised in the city.

The walk, conducted by the organisation ‘Bengaluru by Foot,’ has attracted people from different walks of life. The event, which started on October 1, allows visitors to interact with people who have been displaying dolls for many years, visit places where exquisite dolls are exhibited and also view cultural programmes.

The organisation is run by two city-based professionals, Mansoor Ali and Ameen Ahmed and offers unusual walks on natural heritage, culture and food, among others.

Ali, an architect, said that the Dasara Doll walk is being organised for more than three years now. This year, around 50 to 60 people have already taken part.

The trail
Participants are first taken to Veena Ravindranath’s house in Basavanagudi where more than 5,000 dolls are displayed. Followed by that, they get to visit Dhaatu Center for Sharing, Banashankari where puppets depicting tales of Mahabharata, Ramayana and other stories are exhibited. The next stop is Rasa Loka, a form of ‘still theatre’ at Bimba - The Art Hut in Basavanagudi, where they can have the unique experience of viewing puppets with narration that throws light on mythological stories. All these places are located within a two-km radius.

As they stroll along, participants will be treated to an array of traditional delicacies such as payasa, holige, badam milk and savouries. Preeti, one of the participants who took part in the walk on October 8, said it was a wonderful experience and added, “This is a good way to reconnect with the history and the traditional and cultural heritage of the city.”

The walk lasts for three hours, from 3 pm till 6 pm, and is held on all days till October 11. So, go ahead and soak in the Dasara fervour and experience the festival in all its traditional splendour.

Those interested in participating in the walk can send an email to [email protected].

[email protected]

- http://www.deccanherald.com, October 9, 2016

‘Roads laid without cold milling and lack of cross drainage caused localised flooding’

It is time to plan storm water drain system in a pragmatic and systematic way and link it effectively with the natural waterways. There is a need to understand the difference between water logging and floods, says Balaji Narasimhan, associate professor, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Madras.

Mr. Narasimhan is one of the authors of the report on Chennai 2015 that provided a rapid assessment of the event. He along with S. Murty Bhallamudi, professor, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Madras, made a presentation at the Chennai Water Forum, which is under way at Kalakshetra Foundation. The three-day forum hosted by Goethe Institut / Max Mueller concluded on Saturday.

Besides inadequate capacity of the drainage system, the study found that roads laid without cold milling and lack of cross drainage infrastructure caused localised flooding. Water-logging happens when rain that falls on particular land is unable to drain because of lack of proper drainage network. The report touches upon aspects of rainfall, drainage network, reservoirs, and health impact.

“We wanted to compile data and provide a quick assessment of the event to help more scientific studies and address increasing instances of urban flooding,” said Mr. Narasimhan.

“We found that release from Chembarambakkam reservoir alone was not the only reason for large-scale flooding of the city last December. It is a small piece in a puzzle. Flood waters that joined from water bodies upstream and undefined water courses also caused the massive flooding,” he said. “People must take ownership of minor drainage system and maintain them, The storm-water drains must be designed taking into account the climate change and high intensity rainfall,” said Mr. Narasimhan.

The concluding day of the forum had discussions and presentations on importance of rainwater harvesting and citizen’s initiatives in protecting water bodies and organisations like Arappor Iyakam and Environmentalist Foundation of India.

- http://www.thehindu.com, October 9, 2016

The Sikkim government has formulated plans in association with the Indian Mountaineering Federation (IMF) to start circumambulation tours in the periphery of Mt Kanchendzonga, located at 28,169 feet.

India’s highest mountain peak Mount Kanchendzonga and Kanchendzonga National Park, recently declared a world heritage site, will be promoted as eco-tourism destinations for trekking, mountaineering and other adventure activities. The Sikkim government has formulated plans in association with the Indian Mountaineering Federation (IMF) to start circumambulation tours in the periphery of Mt Kanchendzonga, located at 28,169 feet.

The peak is the guardian deity of Sikkim and is considered sacred by the Sikkimese people. Sikkim Chief Minister Pawan Chamling said his government aims to start 15 days’ trekking trails in the Kanchendzonga National Park, home to major mountain peaks, glaciers, lakes, waterfalls and unique flora and fauna. He said the parikrama tour in the periphery of the world heritage site will be promoted mainly during the summer season keeping in view the favourable climatic conditions in the area during these months for trekking, mountaineering and other adventure activities.

Chamling said his government will provide highest level of professional support and logistics to nature lovers during the parikrama tour through the state tourism department and registered tour and travel agencies. The state government has launched a 15-minute helicopter service to witness breathtaking views of Mount Kanchendzonga from Gangtok and the objective is to provide tourists with a magnificent view of the pristine peak, which assumes different colours during different hours of the day, he said.

According to Chamling, the helicopter service is mainly operational during the peak tourist months of March to May and September to November while the service is available around the year on demand. He said his government has recently opened 14 pristine peaks having height of below 7,000 m in North and West Sikkim with a view to promote nature and eco-tourism in the state and the state government has identified about 15 places from where various peaks can be viewed.

- http://indianexpress.com, October 9, 2016

- Varsity defers proposal on certificate courses in yoga and culture

Jawaharlal Nehru University will become the first university in India to teach and research all the 22 major Indian languages.

Its academic council on Friday approved a proposal to upgrade JNU's Centre of Indian Languages to a full-fledged school. It's now an arm of the university's School of Language, Literature and Culture Studies.

The council, though, deferred a proposal from the university's Sanskrit Centre for the introduction of certificate courses in yoga and Indian culture. Most of the council members argued that a research university like JNU should avoid certificate courses.

Many of them also argued that both the proposed courses, in their current form, covered only a few aspects of their subjects. Vice-chancellor M. Jagadesh Kumar asked the Sanskrit Centre to rework the proposals.

Anwar Alam, chairperson of the Centre of Indian Languages, welcomed the decision to upgrade the centre.

Launched in 1974, the centre initially offered master's and research programmes only in Urdu and Hindi. Over the past 10 years, it has been offering research programmes (MPhil and PhD) in Tamil, Kannada, Bangla, Odia and Marathi.

"Once the centre is upgraded to a school, we shall propose separate centres on 22 Indian languages that will offer both master's and research programmes," Alam said.

He said the proposed school would also set up centres for the Adivasi language, Northeastern languages and endangered languages.

Some academics criticised the council for not completely rejecting the proposal for certificate courses on Indian culture and yoga.

"Indian culture is a vast subject. It cannot be taught as a certificate course. JNU's mandate does not cover certificate courses," said C.P. Bhambri, professor emeritus at JNU. "The council should have rejected the proposal. It did not because the BJP doesn't want these courses to be rejected."

The Narendra Modi government has been promoting yoga education in a big way. Yoga has been included as a subject under the National Eligibility Test, conducted by the University Grants Commission to select candidates eligible to teach in colleges and universities.

At the academic council, many members had said that any course on Indian culture must be comprehensive and provide comparisons with contemporary culture in other parts of the world. The yoga course, they had argued, should cover all aspects of the yogic tradition.

JNU had in the past indeed offered a few certificate courses on languages, but these were foreign languages whose study it wanted to popularise in India. Ajay Patnaik, president of the JNU teachers' association, said the proposed certificate courses should instead be offered as optional (additional) subjects that students from the university's other centres can study if they want.

"Certificate courses are for part-time students. It was felt that the proposed courses should be made more broad-based and offered as optional courses for (JNU's) regular students," Patnaik said.

Most student groups at the university are opposed to the certificate courses. Chinmaya Mahanand, a research scholar, said the government was pushing yoga to "saffronise" educational institutions.

Council members said they hadn't the time to discuss certain student demands, such as hostel facilities for all, extra weightage to minority students during admission, and less weightage to the viva voce in admission.

- http://www.telegraphindia.com, October 9, 2016

Palace Museum series begins with stone works from Gupta era; Afghanistan, Russia to come

The Palace Museum is planning a series of exhibitions featuring ancient civilizations, the first being an ongoing display of sculptures from India's Gupta era - considered the "golden age" of Indian culture.

The recently opened Across the Silk Road: Gupta Sculptures and Their Chinese Counterparts, featuring artifacts from 400 to 700 AD, combines 175 fine rock works from the two countries. It runs through Jan 3.

This is the first time that 56 pieces of art from nine museums across India have been shown in China, said Prem Kumar Nagta, deputy director of the National Museum in New Delhi. The show highlights the evolution of religion, art and literature in India during the Gupta Empire - about 320 to 550 AD. A sculpture of Ganesha, the Hindu deity with an elephant's head, from Gujarat province in western India, along with another Buddha head from Uttar Pradesh in the north, are among the key exhibits. The show also has relics from 25 museums in China, some outside of glass showcases to give visitors a closer look.

Chinese fine arts, especially Buddhism-themed stone carving, also flourished over roughly the same period - from the Northern Wei Dynasty (386-557) to the early Tang Dynasty (618-907) - according to exhibition curator Luo Wenhua, a researcher at the Palace Museum.

The Meridian Gate gallery, where the exhibition is being presented, was opened in 2015, aiming primarily for foreign exhibitions, said Shan Jixiang, the museum's director. All foreign exhibition slots are booked until 2019, he said.

The next foreign exhibition will be about ancient Afghanistan. It will consist of cultural relics that were secretly shipped overseas from that country amid rising fears of destruction by the Taliban, Shan said.

Researcher Luo said it took two years to organize the Indian Gupta exhibition, as there was little information available in China.

"The process helped us to create a foundation for academic studies and fill some voids in this area," Luo said.

The exhibition also marks a departure from the past for the museum, which earlier used administrative committees instead of individual scholars to drive such shows. Also, this show features greater depth. Many earlier exhibitions of foreign relics gave Chinese visitors only a general idea about cultures in other countries.

"People always want more stories surrounding relics. And stories can only be told better if there are more details on a focused topic," said Lou Wei, deputy director of the museum.

To illustrate this point, he cited the exhibition Faberge Revealed, a show that featured the belongings of Russian Tsars that was presented by the museum earlier this year, courtesy of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts.

Two major principles are followed for exhibitions, Lou said. One is to cooperate with major world museums. The other is to display royal artifacts in an appropriately royal environment, such as the Palace Museum.

"We are also considering a third approach: to bring a series of exhibitions on the most brilliant early civilizations of the world," Lou said, adding that the current Gupta-era show is seen as the first installment.

- http://www.ecns.cn/, October 10, 2016

Contrary to general perception Sikhs have a more than 100 years old history in Australia. Not many are aware that turbaned, bearded men died fighting on the shores of this continent during World War-II.

But long before this, among the first settlers in Australia, before roads and road transport were laid, were Indians who ran camel trains. They kept the communication and supply line open between Melbourne and the central Australia.

The Australian Sikh Heritage Association, which launched a Sikh trail at Adenia Park this March, aims to document the turbaned outback men. The trail also includes the Western Australia State Heritage listed Sikh cremation site. This is a significant heritage site for Australia's Sikh and Australian communities.

It comprises the 500m physical Australian Sikh Heritage Trail and the virtual trail that will document and allow visitors to explore the Australian Sikh Heritage trail sites (hundreds across Australia) through an application. Already over $100,000 has been spent on the project. The association has also secured a government grant of $150,000 to develop an interpretive panel along the physical trail which should see a public launch by March 2017.

The trail date was particularly selected to pay homage to the first Sikh aviator Flying Officer Manmohan Singh's role in a WW-II battle on West Australian soil. This Royal Indian Air Force of ficer was on board his flying boat moored on Roebuck Bay on March 3, 1942, when nine Japanese Zeroes fitted with detachable, long-distance fuel tanks strafed his plane along with 22 others that day.He was among the 88 personnel who died that day in Broome, West Australia.

Promoting findings Harjit Singh from the Australian Sikh Heritage Association says, "Our aim is to promote Sikh heritage find ings among the wider Australian Sikh community . Everyone who came to the event was involved in the activities as an expression of solidarity with the wider Australian Sikh community . Phase 1 of the trail saw massive support and huge success.

For phase 2 of the trail, we sent an application to the Western Australian government seeking a grant of $ 150K for capital works. The grant has been approved and we have begun our work.Phase 2 will be about interpretative signages along the pathway and phase 3 will be about digital application.Response from the Sikh community on this has been excellent. We are currently in the process of inculcating this in school books and syllabus. History teachers seem very excited about it."

Plaque to history

Tarunpreet Singh from the same organization says, "In 2009 I found this brass plaque in the Canningvale g u r dw a r a m a n a g e d by SAWA. I learnt about the former Sikh Cemetery in Adenia Park in Riverton suburb and about John Parker of Canning Districts Historical Society. On meeting him, I was overwhelmed to lear n that Parker had hand-crafted it. He gathered all this infor mation and made this plaque in 1992 by melting 20 kilos of brass. He made two plaques in case one is lost or misplaced.I thus learnt from him about Sikhs being an integral part of Australia for more than 100 years. This made me more curious to learn more about the history of Sikh migration to Australia.

This site is listed on WA State Heritage Register as one with significant historic value associated with WA State Cremation Act of 1929 and undertaking of cremation. It also has great social value as it reminds the various ethnic groups trying to maintain their tradition, customs and rituals. The site and the Cremation Act represent the rare phenomenon in recognition of the history and cultural heritage of Australia of various minority religious groups. Recognition of the religious needs of the small Sikh community resulted in the gazettal of a separate Sikh cremation place in 1932.

Sikh History of WA

On October 16, volunteers from the association will hold an exhibition about Sikh History in Western Australia and Sikh contribution in World War I and World War II at the Perth Heritage Days 2016 program. There will also be a turban tying event at the venue for all visitors in order to understand the significance of the turban to the Sikh community. - http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com, October 10, 2016

The Rs27-crore biodiversity park in Ambazari lake catchment is coming up at a huge ecological cost. In the last three days, forest officials have hacked vegetation on nearly seven acres of the 1,854 acres of reserve forest area, which is home to 250 bird species, only to make space for an artificial biodiversity park.

Central India Birder Network (CIBN) has slammed the forest department's move which could destroy natural habitat of hundreds of bird species, insects and reptiles. CIBN volunteer Aniruddha Bhagat said the department started work on Thursday, and used weedicides to remove ran tulsi (Anisomeles Indica) plants. Ignoring protests, the Hingna range office pressed into action four grass-cutting machines to clear vegetation the next day.

"Nests of several birds like quails, partridges, peahens, and lapwings were destroyed. Several chicks died. The work also destroyed food source of thousands of munias that feed on grass," said Sanjay Nafde, a bird watcher.

Hingna range forest officer CH Patil claimed, "We used weedicides as an experiment. We stopped its use after CIBN volunteers protested. We are clearing vegetation in around 15 hectares of compartment no. 797, where the forest gardens are to come up. However, we have cleared grass in 2.5 hectares only. It is a forestry activity."

Environmentalists are seeing red. They suggested that Ambazari forest be declared an exclusive bird sanctuary to attract tourists. "There is no exclusive sanctuary for birds in Vidarbha, though the state has one at Karnala in Western Maharashtra," CIBN volunteers said.

"Ambazari is a reserve forest and any non-forestry activity will attract provisions of Section 2 of the Forest (Conservation) Act 1980. All this work is without FCA clearance," said Sanjay Deshpande of environment protection NGO Srushti Paryavaran Mandal. "We, including conservationist Gopal Thosar, will meet the principal chief conservator of forests on Monday to discuss this issue."

The foundation stone for the proposed biodiversity park was laid by chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on March 27; it was to be the nucleus of ecotourism activities in the district. The park would have 18 theme-based gardens, including Nakshatra Van, Shiva Van, Saptarishi Van, besides herbal, medicinal, bonsai and rock gardens, a high tech nursery and check dams. The plan also includes an adventure park, play area for children, fountain, hexagonal pagoda, an energy park, museum, a mineral park, stargazing centre, amphitheatre, ayurvedic centre, tribal craft and farmers' training centre.

- http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/, October 10, 2016

The pallid, smudgy walls of Mahmudabad fort glistened in yellow lights as hundreds of followers of Imam Husain (Prophet Mohammad's grandson and martyr of Karbala) walked barefoot on the rugged path from the outer gate to its interiors, beating drums and reciting 'nauha' (elegy) that filled the air with a tradition that has been part of the cross cultural commemoration of Muharram at the royal estate. For centuries, locals have been an important aspect of the Muharram legacy and on Saturday, Mahmudabad offered a special experience for many first-timers from Lucknow and other cities of India as well as foreign nationals from different religious backgrounds, who took part in the tradition, showcasing the synergistic nature of Awadh's heritage.

A joint effort of Waqf-e-Maharaja and a citizen-driven initiative working for communal harmony- Shoulder to Shoulder (S2S), 'Karbala: Beyond Religious Boundaries' served opportune time for people from different cultures to gather and watch closely what Muharram signifies. An eye-opener to Awadh's culture, the initiative served also as a platform for breaking several myths about Islam and Shia faith.

"I thought there would be a 'tamasha' of people striking their bodies with blades but instead I came to know about the sacrifice of Imam Husain and could feel the pain during the sermon," said Amit Kumar, part of the entourage from Lucknow.

Visitors witnessed several traditional arts that are part of 'azadaari' (mourning) at this Sitapur town and the intangible heritage of Awadh, from melancholic classical Indian ragas on shehnai like Khamaj and Bhairavi, to the recitation of 'sozkhwani' and 'marsiya' in English and Urdu and experiencing the age old tradition of Nassari-a dying narrative art.

"In most part of the world, I had met only Sunnis from Asia but here is an example of how much more there is to India than just one culture," said Philipp Jeun from Switzerland.

When the maulana (priest) began his speech on Karbala with: "Dar-e-Husain pe milte hain har khayal ke log/yeh ittehaad ka markaz hai aadmi ke liye (At Husain's threshold meet people of all ideologies/this is the hub of unity of mankind)," all agreed in unison.

"Attending a Muharram ritual motivated me to preserve our composite culture," said Anam Kamal, an electronics engineer from Lucknow. "The aim was to showcase the heritage of Awadh as a quintessence of India's synergistic culture," said Ali Khan Mahmudabad, prince of the estate.

"If such is the splendour now, I wonder how majestic it must have been in the days of the royalty," said Shireen.

- http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com, October 10, 2016

The Centre for Writing and Communication at Ashoka University recently organised a two-day seminar on “Writing Education in India” in collaboration with it’s institutional partner, the University of Pennsylvania’s Critical Writing Program. The seminar featured Dr. Valerie Ross, Founding Director of the UPenn writing program, who delivered a lecture, “Why We Write: A Meditation on the History of Rhetoric”, to Ashoka students and conducted two pedagogy workshops, one with writing faculty from Ashoka University and Shiv Nadar University and the other with New Delhi-area school principals and English teachers.

In her workshop with University writing faculty, Ross discussed best practices in writing education in the US, which include a metacognitive approach to writing instruction and the ‘writing in the disciplines’ model. Ashoka’s writing programme, which works with the University’s undergraduate students (through the Critical Thinking sequence) and postgraduate Young India Fellows (YIFs), uses both practices. This year, it is also using another well-established writing model – ‘genre-based writing’ – with the YIFs.

Ashoka UniversityThe writing in the disciplines model – a cornerstone of UPenn’s writing pedagogy – recognises that students do not learn how to write unless they have something to write about. It regards students as ‘apprentice scholars’ in a discipline whose subject matter and writing conventions they gradually learn through the process of improving their own writing within that discipline’s parameters. (Ashoka’s Critical Thinking Seminars incorporate elements of this model.) The genre-based model recognises that genres are powerful tools for ‘knowledge transfer’: as per Anis Bawarshi, understanding “genre performance” enables students adroitly to negotiate new situations of knowledge and writing production.

Both models are under-girded by a meta-cognitive approach that seeks to develop critical thinkers – writers and readers – who are cognisant of and, consequently, empowered by the rhetorical and substantive choices they make in their own writing and detect in other writers. Relatedly, Ross spoke of the growing consensus around the importance of fostering “shared epistemic agency” in a writing classroom, such that teachers collaborate with students in “knowledge building” rather than implement a one-way model of “knowledge telling”.

Indeed, as Ross explained to high school faculty in her second workshop, “knowledge telling” and its associated understanding of writing “primarily as a way of displaying learning” (as Patrick Dias describes it), fails to understand writing as a “purposeful, social, genre- and knowledge-based system” with ‘real world’ usefulness. Echoing David Russell, Ross asked: how do writing experts, socialised as they are into critical reading and writing, acquire the vocabulary and methodology to explain writing so understood to novices? How do they help students navigate the journey from reading school textbooks where meaning is transparent to college-level texts where meaning must be discerned by reading between the lines?

Ross’s interactive workshops provided participants with specific tools in this regard: providing a shared writing vocabulary and set of concepts; developing scaffolded writing activities with the intention of gradually removing the scaffolding; moving to broader units of analysis (reasoning, rhetoric, genre, audience); explicit instruction and practice in how to make the knowledge transfer; providing students with manageable tasks and targeted feedback; and linking writing to wider social practices. As it works with school and university faculty in India to develop an indigenous writing pedagogy, Ashoka University is fortunate to benefit from its partnership with an expert in the field.

- http://examswatch.com, October 10, 2016

Shri Guru Ram RaiDarbar Sahib Trust has been following the unique tradition of celebrating the Dussehra inside a pond filled with water for years together. Thousands of people assemble at this historical and spiritual place inDehradun to witness this unusual tradition. The place belongs to Guru Ram Rai, eldest son of the seventh Guru of the Sikhs, Sri Har Rai Ji. The miraculous power of Guru Ram Rai earned him respect from Aurangzeb but ire from his father who disowned him. He then set up his Udaseen sect and 'dera' at Doon valley from which, the city Dehradun derives its name.

Anubhav Gupta, senior management official at the Trust told TOI, "The episode ofLanka Dahan where Hanuman ji set the Lanka, capital of Ravana on fire is enacted inside the pond, situated outside Shri Guru Ram Rai Durbar Sahib premises. Since Lanka was an island surrounded by water from all sides, so that sort of stage is set inside the pond. A beautiful model of the palace of Ravana is put up on a make shift bridge which is set on fire. The bridge is known as Rameshwar bridge and connected with stones which float on the water, as per the account in Ramayana goes." The scene where Lord Ram alongwith Luxman enters into the Lanka looking for Sita and, later the anguished Hanuman ji burn the entire town is enacted inside the pond. "People come to witness the Lanka Dahan episode. We do not perform the finale of effigy burning for which people go to Parade Ground to see," said Gupta. Lokesh Ohri, anthoropologist and convener, Dehradun Chapter, Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage shares another unique tradition of Ghansali town ofTehri district.

" Local people in Ghansali continue the Ramayan recitation continuously day and night for 16 days before the Dussehra festival. On the day of Dussehra itself, they wear the ancient mask, which are said to be some two thousand year old. After wearing the masks, they enact the battlefield scene between Lord Ram and Ravana in the village." According to sources these holy masks are safely kept in the local temple and brought out during the Dussehra festival.

- http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/, October 11, 2016

The second edition of the Uttar Pradesh Travel Writers' Conclave organised by Uttar Pradesh Tourism, in association with Worldwide Media Pvt Ltd, got under way on Tuesday. The conclave will conclude in Varanasi on October 16, 2016. This year, writers, bloggers and photographers from across the world will explore the Heritage Arc of Agra, Lucknow and Varanasi and their surroundings between October 11 and October 15.

They will then assemble for a conclave in Varanasi on October 16. The journalists will explore the various facets of the state, from food, heritage to wildlife, textiles and landscapes. The itineraries, which span four days, cover the length and breadth of the three cities that form the core of Uttar Pradesh's cultural heritage. The conclave will bring together ministers of the state and experts in the fields of conservation, planning, food and architecture to help Uttar Pradesh build a road map that will help the state draw visitors from across India and across the world.

Commenting on the Uttar Pradesh Travel Writers' Conclave, Deepak Lamba, CEO, Worldwide Media Pvt Ltd, said, "We are proud to associate with Uttar Pradesh Tourism for the second consecutive year. This association strengthens our belief of being able to deliver the best in travel and tourism by leveraging our brandLonely Planet Magazine India. This year too, we aim to organize the Uttar Pradesh Travel Writers' Conclave as a great travel experience through uniquely-curated itineraries that bring out the essence of the state's rich and diverse cultural heritage. This will help in showcasing Uttar Pradesh's Heritage Arc to travellers from across the world, thereby promoting tourism." The detailed itinerary has been planned by Lonely Planet Magazine India for the second year in a row.

- http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/, October 11, 2016

The Symbiosis Institute of Design (SID) has organised a two day annual Craft Sustenance initiative 'Shilpkatha' on October 14 , at the exhibition area, Symbiosis University in Viman Nagar campus between 11 am and 6.30 pm . A statement issued by the institute said that, the event has been organised with an institutional objective of conserving and bringing about a product diversification of heritage Indian crafts. Students from all the four disciplines including communication design, industrial design, fashion design and fashion communication visited Maharashtra, Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Madhya Pradeshrecently and explored the various crafts practiced in those regions.

The crafts that have been studied this year by the students include Pochampalli, Golabaama, Chettinat Saree, Nettipattom, Ikat, Dhol, Kolhapuri, Kalamkari, Phulkari, copper work, Baagh, Vardaman, blockprint among others. The statement further added that, the event this year pans their journey throughout the country in the form of an exhibition along with the crafts mela and demonstration of crafts by the experts who hold this heritage and also an extravaganza of the cultural eve. The craftsmen's who helped them get acquainted to the marvels of their country have been specially invited for the event to not just exhibit their products but also demonstrate and brief them about the nuances of these crafts. The exhibition will end with the extravagant of a musical evening by artistsGurunandan performing the Yakshagana and Meera Das performing Odissi.

- http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/, October 12, 2016

The process of establishing a universityexclusively for fine arts at Badami is likely to run into a roadblock with minister for higher education Basavaraj Rayaraddi hinting at a possible merger of the proposed varsity with the Dr Gangubai Hangal University of Music and Performing Arts, Mysuru. The minister is said to have pointed at the financial burden the new university may add to the exchequer for merger as recommended by the Karnataka Knowledge Commission. Rayaraddi could not be reached for his reaction. The BJP government proposed to set up this university for promoting fine arts and issued a notification to this effect. The then minister for Kannada and culture Govind Karjol had evinced keen interest in the project. The government also identified 430 acres of land at Khyad village near Badami in Bagalkot, surrounded by historical sites where performing arts and crafts thrive.

The government even appointed professor S C Patil, dean, fine arts, Kannada University, Hampi, as special officer in March 2013 to oversee the preparation for setting up the new varsity. Patil prepared an elaborate proposal and submitted it to CM Siddaramaiah in November 2013. According to the proposal, the varsity will have an eight-member faculty and 45 departments which will cater to 4,000 residential students. The CM had promised to get the proposal approved by the cabinet.

Following this, a regional office was set up at Bengaluru. Many feel that the state government made a mistake by establishing the Music and Performing Arts University at Mysuru. Started in 2009, this university does not have its own premises till date and is functioning from a rented building. "If there are financial constraints, then the minister should think of merging the music university with the proposed one and shift its headquarter to Badami," said Srinivas Deshpande, an art promoter.

- http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/, October 12, 2016

Delhi Metro, in a unique move, has used recycled debris from its construction sites at the new Eco Park in Shastri Park. The park will be open for public later this year. Around 20-25 tonnes of waste have been used to build 12 sculptures. "A team of 11 Indian and one South Korean artistes was involved in crafting each piece," DMRC spokesman, Anuj Dayal said. The park has been built on 42,000 sq m designated as "green zone" by DDA, the land-owning agency. The sculptures and other structures in the park have been made of iron scrap, waste sheets, pipes, rolling stock waste, etc. "Broken or chipped tiles, Kota stone, granite, etc were used to construct the footpath," said Dayal. The park, which has been constructed with "green" measures like solar energy generation, will have medicinal plants as well as herbs and rare plants, the Metro official said. "Landscaping has been done using native species of shrubs and trees. Seasonal flower plants will also be used to make the area colourful. Species that require less water have been planted as well," Dayal said. In 2011, Delhi Metro had planned to construct a theme park at Shastri Park. The advertisement for the tender was released around July 2011, but the plan was shelved as the land was designated as "O" zone or green zone. The solar panels installed for energy generation would be used to light up the park. Also, only treated water from sewage treatment plants (STP) would be used in the park, said the DMRC official. Dayal pointed out that green waste, leaves and grass would be recycled for making manure. An artificial lake has been created and it would be connected to a rainwater harvesting pit. There is also a yoga park, open theatre, children's play area, CISF parade ground and a multi-purpose hall at the park, said Dayal.

- http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/, October 12, 2016

Luxuriant hills, vast stretches of fields and mangroves, a world famous Important Bird and Biodiversity Area (IBA) also known as Carambolim lake. This is what a small village nestled in Tiswadi has to offer its visitors. A rural area adjoining Old Goa towards north and industrially-bustling Corlim in the northeast, Carambolim's habitated areas have grown over the years. Towards its south, the village is skirted by Azossim, while Goalim Moula partly skirts its western border. Life here may be slow like the train chugging along the track through its green fields, but its pockets of isolated patches and open spaces offer solace.

Also known as Karmali or Kormbole, the meandering roads of this village, on the edge of khazan lands, also lead to some spots off the beaten track - the small wards of Dhado and Panch Manos. One might sight crocodiles basking in the mangroves or rousing from their slumber to quietly slither into the Cumbharjua canal that forms its eastern border. With its rich inventory of native and migrant bird species, the Carambolim lake has been a fascinating sight of a vast, lotus carpeted water body, where birders have documented around 100 bird species.

Environmentalists were aghast when its western bank was reclaimed for the Karmali station, but the dust settled down long ago and birds visiting it have also adjusted to the passing trains. The reduced number of birds is attributed to other reasons, such as deterioration of water quality and increasing construction activity around its periphery. The village has had a traumatic past of two migrations on two different occasions. In the early era of the Portuguese rule, four elephants are said to have drowned in the pristine lake. For reasons unknown to people today, the carcasses of the elephants were not pulled out of the water. This caused an epidemic which triggered off an exodus from the village. Various families like the Viegas in Carmona, Barros in Velim, Lobos in Aldona and Calangute and Afonsos in St Estevam are known to have migrated from Carambolim following this unfortunate turn of events.

Prior to this, the previous migration was caused by the arrival of the Portuguese missionaries in the mid-16th century. The act of conversions forced many to leave their native village and hunt for homes in other locales. Agriculture has been the main occupation of villagers for the longest time with paddy being the principal crop cultivated. Coconut, betel nut and millets (nachni) were also grown in the village, though they have dwindled in recent years. The vast Carambolim khazan, once a rice granary, has been largely abandoned for farming due to rising costs of labour. But pisciculture is thriving in its sluice gates and water bodies, often at the cost of agriculture and flooding of fields. The ancient temples in the village were dedicated to the deities of Betall, Sidnatha, Gram-Purusha, Khetrapall, Ravalnatha, Santeri, Ganesh, Vanavdeta, Butapriadhar, Fondde-Gaosalo-Purusha and Nirvaocipurusha, states an excerpt from Antonio Victor Couto's book translated by Rui Gomes Pereira.

Since the Portuguese were notorious for desecrating temples and mosques in Goa, the Hindu devotees transferred the image of Lord Brahma to another village of the same name, Kormoli in Sattari taluka. Formerly known as Chandiwade, the name of this village (Kormoli) was changed to Carambolim-Brama following the arrival of the idol. The Tiswadi-based Carambolim also boasts of one of the oldest churches in the state. Dedicated to St John, it was built sometime during 1714 and was originally a chapel known to have been built in 1541. It was raised to a church in 1553, during the tenure of Bishop D Joao Albuquerque. The village is considered a stronghold of the gaudas, more or less on par with other villages of Tiswadi, like Taleigao. The backward community comprises 60% of the village's total population. While the non-gaudas are mostly spread all over the village, the gaudas are concentrated in D Maria Bhat, Gavant and Parkhe Bhat. Past migrations from the village caused a vacuum, but new settlers and villagers have put the past behind them. Those who migrated to other villages have achieved success in their own spheres.

While the Karmali railway station is an important medium to commute in the state, the future of the village perhaps lies in protecting the Carambolim lake from further degradation and in reviving agriculture. Otherwise, Carambolim may lose its importance and become just another suburban sprawl, a direction that many of Goa's picturesque villages seem to be heading towards. (With inputs from Paul Fernandes) POLLUTION The nullah that passes by the Carambolim lake is posing a major problem for us. It is highly polluted and is a big menace for citizens. The larvae breeding in the water can cause water-borne diseases dangerous to human health and can also potentially contaminate the lake Migratory birds The Carambolim lake is completely ignored by the state. Weed is growing inside it and it doesn't look like the lovely lake it once was. Also, migratory birds from foreign countries that used to come here don't visit as much any more We don't have enough funds to take up the initiative to clean the lake. We have been assured monetary help by various ministers over time but to no avail. The nullah gets contaminated due to the seepage of sewage water. We are looking into this matter

Dr Bailon de Sa | As the chief technical adviser of Unesco, he helped set up the University of Cape Coast and worked there for seven years. Later he was the head of department of mathematics at the University of Libya for over three years Rui Barros | He was the technical director of Sabena Airways and was instrumental in devising various mechanisms for the comfort of passengers in air planes.

He was honoured by the King of Belgium for his services rendered to the country Dr Erwin De Sa | Dean of natural sciences and head of the physics department at Goa University. Dr Ehlrich De Sa | Former director of Goa-based National Institute of Oceanography, Dona Paula. Pandurang Kavlekar, first sarpanch of Carambolim after the Liberation of Goa.

- http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/, October 12, 2016

To draw international attention to Asiatic lions, the forest department has begun the process to secure Unesco recognition for Gir and Girnar sanctuaries. The department's success could make the zone the county's first to figure on both cultural and natural World Heritage Site lists. The area is not only the sole abode in the world of Asiatic lions but also the site of a large number of ancient monuments, including the Adi-Kadi Vav, Navghan Kuwo, Buddhist caves, and Ashoka edicts. A sun temple lies atop Girnar hills.

The forest department is likely to forward the dossier in 2017. "Later this month, I will hold a meeting with forest officials and expedite the matter," said Ganpat Vasava, the minister of forests. "We are preparing the proposal as we stand a good chance of getting the recognition," said chief conservator of forests A P Singh. This will probably be the first proposal from the country in the mixed category of cultural and natural World Heritage Sites. Girnar hills, which attract pilgrims with their heritage sites, represent vital ecological heritage as well. For instance, they are vulture breeding grounds. The adjoining Gir forest is a national park and wildlife sanctuary. The proposal will have to be cleared by the state's wildlife warden because the area in question is protected under India's forest laws. Subsequently, the proposal will be sent to the Union ministry of forests and environment, and then forwarded to Unesco. Officials said that the Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, has been marked as a category-2 centre of the UN body for World Natural Heritage Management and Training, Asia-Pacific region.

As for lions' place in Gujarat, the world's first conservation manual was etched on the foothills of Gir 1,200 years ago by Ashoka, whose edicts on protecting animals sounds modern today. Much later, in the 20th century, Muhammad Mahabat Khan III - the last nawab of Junagadh - helped forestall lions' extinction by preserving vast tracts of the Gir forest to provide the royal beasts with a stable habitat. He banned hunting as well. The lion population had dropped to less than 20 in 1913; the population increased to 287 by 1936. The first lion census, in 1963, carried out three years after the formation of Gujarat, revealed that the state had 285 lions. Over the next five years, the number fell to 177. However, since then the population has increased steadily. Over the next 47 years the population rose to 523, a spike of 195%.

- http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/, October 12, 2016

As the embassy of Spain celebrated its National Day in a well-attended event at The Ritz-Carlton Doha yesterday, Ignacio Escobar, Ambassador of Spain to Qatar, made it amply clear that his country is all set to woo Qatar with a hearty Spanish cultural extravaganza planned across a wide spectrum. To mark the 400th death anniversary of Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra (1547-1616), regarded as the greatest Spanish novelist, the Spanish embassy, in co-operation with the Translation and Interpreting Institute (College of Humanities and Social Sciences, HBKU), is organising a lecture on “the influence of Islam and Moorish culture in the work of Cervantes and his masterpiece Don Quixote”. The lecture will be delivered by Dr Muhsin al-Ramli, a Spanish writer, poet, translator, and academic, at the Cinema Auditorium, Education City, Student Centre, at 6.30pm on October 20; it will be in Arabic with simultaneous translations in English and Spanish.

Preceding that is a treat for flamenco lovers as Recorridos Flamenco Dance Show by the Spanish dancer Elena ‘La Machana’ is sure to enthral a full house at the Katara Opera Theatre at 7pm on October 17. The entry to both the events — the lecture and the flamenco show — is free. Having always considered himself to be “half-Arab, half-Spanish” due to his birth and having grown up in the picturesque city of Granada in Andalucia, Spain, Escobar admits to feeling pretty much at home here in Doha. As he spearheads a Spanish cultural feast towards the end of this year, Escobar spoke to Community at length about how and why this cultural exchange narrative would advance. What are the cultural or other community events and programmes that the embassy has planned for the coming months?

The embassy is focusing its cultural activities around the Spanish language. Speaking the language is an important step to opening your mind and understanding a different culture. Spanish is spoken by nearly 500 million people from all continents, and is the world’s second most spoken language after Chinese. There is a high demand for Spanish classes in Qatar and we are focusing on developing the instruments to meet this demand. This implies supporting the public and private institutions that teach Spanish language and creating a cluster of Spanish teachers that can share experiences and material. These activities will be supported by the embassy through conferences, seminars, literary prizes, and film exhibitions, mainly aimed at the Qatari and the Arabs, as they are the main targets of the embassy’s cultural activities.

In what way would the Cervantes and the Flamenco events extend the Spanish cultural dialogue with the Qataris and the various expatriates of Qatar? The link is clear: on the one hand, there is no need to elaborate on the rich Arabic past of Spain that has contributed to make my country what it is today; Al Andalus and the splendour of the Arab Culture are well known by Qataris and Arab expatriates alike. On the other hand, Cervantes is a reference in world literature and is best known for his masterpiece ‘Don Quixote’, and yet few are aware of his adventurous life and of the fact that he was held captive by Berber pirates in present day Algeria for five years. This gave the writer the occasion to know first-hand the Arab and Muslim cultures that are reflected in some of his works. As a matter of fact, the story of Don Quixote is the alleged translation of an ancient manuscript written in Arabic found in an old shop. The period in which the action takes place in Don Quixote is also a critical moment of Spain’s history, when the fight against the Protestant provinces of the Spanish empire pushed King Philip to seek support in the Catholic Church to the detriment of other religions. Today, in many parts of the world we are still experiencing fierce fighting over religious grounds, or should we say that religion is used again for political purposes.

Flamenco, too, has a fascinating story related to its origins. Doesn’t it? Yes. Flamenco is an artistic expression that combines dancing, singing and playing. There is little knowledge on the origins of the gypsies, the people from who this form of expression has originated. Some say they came from Egypt, others say they came from as far as India. Needless to say, the Arab influences are definitely present. However, some dance steps and movements are clearly reminiscent of some traditional Indian dances, even though flamenco is executed at a faster pace. So, there can be some room for discussion about this with Arabs and Indians! How do you find the interest and curiosity levels of Qataris and expatriates towards Spanish culture? Qataris, in general, are interested in Spanish culture, in particular because of the Arabic and Andalusian past — Southern Spain is the area that is first visited in most cases. But Barcelona is another among the main destinations, perhaps attracted by the football team, a beautiful and friendly city, full of life and with many opportunities to find cultural activities, shopping, dining, etc. Many other Qataris have travelled to Bilbao, just to enjoy the extraordinary Guggenheim Museum and enjoy their world class cuisine.

What would you say are the cornerstones or the most essential elements of Spanish culture and heritage? Defining culture is a difficult thing; defining Spanish culture is even more difficult. Spain boasts of six different climates and the same number of different mentalities. From the gay Andalucía to the severe Castilla, or from the green and rainy Galicia to the Mediterranean Cataluña, Spain displays a variety of interpretations of what it means to be Spanish. We also protect our natural resources, as we are the first country in the European Union in the number of Biosphere Reserves and Natural Parks. Moreover, Spain is ranked third on the Unesco World Heritage list; my country has a total of 45 World Heritage Sites and a further 11 declared as Intangible Heritage (including flamenco). From Arabic or Jewish monuments from the Middle Ages to modern designs by renowned architects, you can find civil or religious buildings from every period in Arts History. It’s home to many great painters such as Velazquez, Goya or the more modern ones, Dali or Picasso. But there are also other aspects of culture in which Spain excels, such as design, fashion, cinema, gastronomy, architecture, etc.

Another important aspect of what defines a Spaniard is solidarity: we have reached the number of 5 million volunteers, over 1,500 NGOs are active all over the world, and we continue to be, by far, the world leader in number of organ donations and transplants. Sports is another aspect of culture in which Spain has a say: we love to practice sports, enjoy sporting events with emotion and intensity and are capable of producing, thanks to our successful model of sports management, champions in disciplines such as football, basketball, tennis, motorcycling, cycling, Formula One racing, golf, swimming and ice-skating, just to name a few.

- http://www.gulf-times.com/, October 12, 2016

Experts at the daylong seminar at the Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University (Bamu) on Monday expressed concern over the condition of the city's heritage sites and monuments. The seminar was organised by the department of liberal art and history "The city was once known for its 52 gates and 105 gardens, but from the authorities and people has resulted in disappearance of many of these," Abdul Hai, an expert said. He added that if the remaining monuments are not preserved properly, they could be lost due to vandalism. The state of historical gates, gardens, bridges and conservation efforts were some of the topics discussed. V L Dharukar, former head of the department of journalism, presided over the programme.

Pushpa Gaikwad from the department of history, Muhammed Omar, Abdul Hai and Rajesh Ragde, the tourism department head, spoke on different aspects of the city's monuments while asserting the need for a team of conservationists.

"The city's history dates back to 1610. Going by the present state of affairs, the city may lose more signs and monuments depicting its 400-year-old history," Muhammed Omar, said. Dharurkar and Gaikwad also stressed on the need for concerted efforts by the Aurangabad History Society and other authorities concerned to preserve the monuments and heritage sites. Dharurkar said that the society was planning the launch of an awareness drive on conservation. Bina Senger, Sanjay Paikrao, Rafat Qureshi, Dulari Qureshi, Swapnil Joshi, Aditya Waghmare, Gopal Bachhire, were among 110 scholars who presented their papers on different aspects of heritage and monuments in the city.

- http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/, October 12, 2016

Even after two years of the Hudhud cyclone that left trails of destruction in the city, the century-old Queen Mary’s High School, which runs from a heritage building, is yet to recover from the shock. The roof tiles of the classrooms that fell apart in the gales are still remain piled up. The age old window-panes and the wooden doors that gave in to the cyclone is still in a sorry state of affairs. The benches and the chairs are lying wherever they were after the Hudhud destruction. Although there had been talks to revamp the school, one of the oldest in the city, everything remains a talk only. The first floor of the L-shaped heritage structure consists of five huge classrooms, including a hall for seminars and meetings. While the hall has the capacity to accommodate 200 children, each classroom can accommodate around 70 students. Post Hudhud, not a single class was conducted there. As a safety measure, classes resumed in another block near the old building by combining a few sections. The ground floor which consisted of the administrative office, headmaster’s room and the laboratories have been shifted to another block in August, with the roofs developing leakages.

There are 23 classrooms in the building whereas the requirement is for 30. “We have started conducting classes for four sections in the elementary school which is behind the present block. After we shifted the classrooms from the heritage building, the children are facing difficulty since the classrooms became congested after we merged a few sections,” said Hephzibah, in-charge headmaster of the school. The classrooms in the ground floor were not put to use after the school received a notice from the GVMC two months ago to vacate the place. “There is no place to shift the books from library and so we had to lock up the library room. We are told that the authorities will take action only after the Collector inspects the building,” said Anil Joshi, a teacher.

After Hudhud, there were suggestions to pull down the heritage structure (school) and shift the school to another place and the teachers claim that many students have stopped attending classes have seen the number of students declining gradually, owing to the miserable condition of the building. Students coming from far off places have discontinued,” said another teacher requesting anonymity. The GVMC authorities said that after the INTACH proposals, plans are being readied to conserve the heritage building. “Until the plans are ready, we have given a notice to the school authorities not conduct classes in the building as it is dangerous. Collaborating with the State Archaeology department and the Tourism department, we would examine measures to be taken to renovate the building, after inspection and verification,” said M Hari Narayanan, GVMC commissioner.

-http://www.newindianexpress.com/, October 13, 2016

Even after two years of the Hudhud cyclone that left trails of destruction in the city, the century-old Queen Mary’s High School, which runs from a heritage building, is yet to recover from the shock. The roof tiles of the classrooms that fell apart in the gales are still remain piled up. The age old window-panes and the wooden doors that gave in to the cyclone is still in a sorry state of affairs. The benches and the chairs are lying wherever they were after the Hudhud destruction. Although there had been talks to revamp the school, one of the oldest in the city, everything remains a talk only. The first floor of the L-shaped heritage structure consists of five huge classrooms, including a hall for seminars and meetings. While the hall has the capacity to accommodate 200 children, each classroom can accommodate around 70 students. Post Hudhud, not a single class was conducted there. As a safety measure, classes resumed in another block near the old building by combining a few sections. The ground floor which consisted of the administrative office, headmaster’s room and the laboratories have been shifted to another block in August, with the roofs developing leakages.

There are 23 classrooms in the building whereas the requirement is for 30. “We have started conducting classes for four sections in the elementary school which is behind the present block. After we shifted the classrooms from the heritage building, the children are facing difficulty since the classrooms became congested after we merged a few sections,” said Hephzibah, in-charge headmaster of the school. The classrooms in the ground floor were not put to use after the school received a notice from the GVMC two months ago to vacate the place. “There is no place to shift the books from library and so we had to lock up the library room. We are told that the authorities will take action only after the Collector inspects the building,” said Anil Joshi, a teacher.

After Hudhud, there were suggestions to pull down the heritage structure (school) and shift the school to another place and the teachers claim that many students have stopped attending classes have seen the number of students declining gradually, owing to the miserable condition of the building. Students coming from far off places have discontinued,” said another teacher requesting anonymity. The GVMC authorities said that after the INTACH proposals, plans are being readied to conserve the heritage building. “Until the plans are ready, we have given a notice to the school authorities not conduct classes in the building as it is dangerous. Collaborating with the State Archaeology department and the Tourism department, we would examine measures to be taken to renovate the building, after inspection and verification,” said M Hari Narayanan, GVMC commissioner.

-http://indianexpress.com/, October 13, 2016

Suvigya Sharma’s art uses gold and mirror work to showcase mythical stories

The Greco-Roman art style was largely inspired by mythology as a subject for painting. And where art and culture is concerned, India is no different. During the Maratha invasion of south India in the 16th century, a new art form was born in Thanjavur district of Tamil Nadu. Christened Tanjore, the paintings depicted Lord Krishna in various stages of his life, along with other Hindu gods and goddesses. Brightly coloured, using thikri (mirror) work, and often engraved with precious stones trimmed with gold foil, the artwork is still popular. Artist Suvigya Sharma has put on display 74 life-size Tanjore paintings made with 24-carat gold at an exhibition, The Art of The Royals. A portion of the proceeds will go to the Smile Foundation that works with underprivileged children.

Early beginnings Belonging to a family of Kishangarh painters (his father is artist R.K. Sharma), the painter has incorporated a miniature painting style with synthetic sheets, wooden panels and mirrors. Sharma says, “My earliest memory of being involved in art was that of creating colours in my veranda out of natural pigments. I was then heavily involved with portraiture.” Sharma first sketched a portrait of his mother at the age of seven. Even though he studied Foreign Trade and Export Management from Symbiosis International University, Pune, Sharma says it didn’t satiate him creatively. So it was back to the canvas. The works displayed at the exhibition took Sharma three years to complete at his studio in Jaipur, where he usually spends 8-10 hours a day. “Even if I’m travelling, I usually carry smaller artworks that I spend 3-5 hours on.” He believes there’s a significant shift in the way people connect with religion, and it’s now largely in the form of artworks rather than deities in the household.

Art of restoration “Through my art, I usually look to transform the face of mythology to make it elemental and contemporary.” Sharma describes his paintings as refined Tanjores with a twist. Speaking of transformation, the artist has also engaged with the restoration of heritage sites across the country and abroad. The sites include the City Palace in Jaipur, Humayun’s Tomb, the Singapore Art Museum and numerous havelis belonging to Marwadi families. “It all began when I found a dying fresco in my family home in Kishangarh, which I took the responsibility of restoring.”

Sharma dabbles with various art forms, but his main area of interest is miniature paintings. Using the Mughal style of art, which pays attention to scenic detail, Sharma creates various scenes of Radha and Krishna along with Ganesha, and Tirupati Balaji on ivory panels, marble and hand paper. In a country overflowing with mythology and ancient traditions, it doesn’t seem like there will be a dearth of inspiration for the artist.

The author is a freelance writer
‘The Art of the Royals,Kamalnayan Bajaj Art Gallery, Nariman Point, till October 15, 11 a.m to 7 p.m.
Artist Sharma has
put on display
74 life-size Tanjore paintings made
with 24-carat gold

- http://www.thehindu.com/, October 13, 2016

Ex-MLA demands relaxation in ancient monument Act, 2010 The ongoing construction activities have come to a halt within 300 metres (regulated area) of the remains of the Nurpur Fort in this historical town thanks to the restrictions imposed by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) in 2010 on raising any construction, including carrying out additions or alternations to old structures. Local residents and even government agencies have become victims of the provisions of the Ancient Monument and Archaeological Sites and Remains (AMASR) Act, 2010, as the ASI authorities are not allowing undertaking of any new construction, completing the ongoing construction and repairing the old structures. However, the construction of a mini-secretariat and an additional building of the government girls’ senior secondary school situated in the regulated area of the Nurpur Fort has been completed after procuring the requisite permission, but the construction of the proposed new judicial court complex has been hanging fire for the past few years.



Taking a serious note of the restrictions by the ASI under the AMASR Act in the town, Rakesh Pathania, former MLA of the local area and recently appointed member of the state BJP executive, alleged that this Act was of draconian nature and had grabbed fundamental rights of those residing in urban areas. He demanded relaxation in the ASI restrictions for those residing in the regulated area of the protected monuments in urban areas. He said the state government should pursue this burning issue with the Government of India so that certain amendments could be made to the AMASR Act in the public interest.

It is notable that the local ASI staff used to lock the main gate of the Nurpur Fort for restricting the entry of vehicles into the fort premises. The management committees of the Janmashtami and Dasehra festivals have been organising these fairs for long, but now they are unable to celebrate or organise these functions in the fort premises. For this purpose, the president of the committees has to pay Rs 25,000 to the state ASI authorities for organising these public-cum-religious celebrations. The committees, led by former president of Nurpur Municipal Council RK Mahajan who has been bearing this huge cess after the enforcement of the AMASR Act, has demanded that public and religious celebrations should be exempted from this unjustified cess.

- www.tribuneindia.com, October 13, 2016

Ex-MLA demands relaxation in ancient monument Act, 2010 The ongoing construction activities have come to a halt within 300 metres (regulated area) of the remains of the Nurpur Fort in this historical town thanks to the restrictions imposed by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) in 2010 on raising any construction, including carrying out additions or alternations to old structures. Local residents and even government agencies have become victims of the provisions of the Ancient Monument and Archaeological Sites and Remains (AMASR) Act, 2010, as the ASI authorities are not allowing undertaking of any new construction, completing the ongoing construction and repairing the old structures. However, the construction of a mini-secretariat and an additional building of the government girls’ senior secondary school situated in the regulated area of the Nurpur Fort has been completed after procuring the requisite permission, but the construction of the proposed new judicial court complex has been hanging fire for the past few years.



Taking a serious note of the restrictions by the ASI under the AMASR Act in the town, Rakesh Pathania, former MLA of the local area and recently appointed member of the state BJP executive, alleged that this Act was of draconian nature and had grabbed fundamental rights of those residing in urban areas. He demanded relaxation in the ASI restrictions for those residing in the regulated area of the protected monuments in urban areas. He said the state government should pursue this burning issue with the Government of India so that certain amendments could be made to the AMASR Act in the public interest.

It is notable that the local ASI staff used to lock the main gate of the Nurpur Fort for restricting the entry of vehicles into the fort premises. The management committees of the Janmashtami and Dasehra festivals have been organising these fairs for long, but now they are unable to celebrate or organise these functions in the fort premises. For this purpose, the president of the committees has to pay Rs 25,000 to the state ASI authorities for organising these public-cum-religious celebrations. The committees, led by former president of Nurpur Municipal Council RK Mahajan who has been bearing this huge cess after the enforcement of the AMASR Act, has demanded that public and religious celebrations should be exempted from this unjustified cess.

- http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/, October 13, 2016

As Durga Puja and Dussehra festivities concluded on Tuesday, city's water bodies once again bore the brunt of people's callousness across Nagpur. The guidelines of Central and Maharashtra state pollution control boards went largely unheeded despite the efforts by Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) and police to curtail the practice of immersing big idols in the city's water bodies. TOI visited the Telangkhedi lake on Tuesday and Wednesday and found that due to lack of supervision by the authorities, many mandalas had immersed idols at the lakeside. On Wednesday morning, the entire lake wore a shabby look with remnants of the idols including the wooden frames, ornaments and other puja materials floating on the water. The Nagpur Improvement Trust (NIT), which had developed the waterfront, too is not coming forward for protecting the lake.

Though the NMC has constructed one artificial tank at Telangkhedi Lake, it proved to be of little help. Only two nirmalya kalash were kept on the south side of the lake, which got filled within an hour, forcing devotees to dump the residue from the puja material in the water body. Environmental experts have been campaigning against immersion of big idols in water bodies for over half a decade now. Judicial interventions in the past, have not yielded the desired result. Every year, after Ganesh Chaturthi, durga Puja and Kali Puja, the biological oxygen demand levels in the lakes increase drastically.

"Traditionally, idols were made of mud and painted with natural colours. But now many are made using plaster of Paris (PoP) and coated with harmful paints containing heavy metals," pointed out green activist Shrikant Desphande.

Kaustav Chatterjee, founder of Green Vigil Foundation, admitted that the threat to lake ecosystem during Devi Visarjan is same as that from Ganpati Visarjan. The oil spilled into lakes after ghat visarjan keeps floating on the surface, hindering the oxygen transfer in the water body. The issue goes largely unnoticed due to other mega events in Nagpur at the same time. "If we want to conserve our lakes, administration as well as NGOs need to be proactive during immersion of goddessidols too. Collection of 3 truckloads of nirmalyas is the solitary satisfaction for our members," says Chatterjee.

A senior official from NMC health department claimed that preventive measures have been taken at Telangkhedi lake. But it was insufficient as department's focus was on events at Deekshabhoomi, he added.

-http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/, October 13, 2016

Passengers will soon experience old world charm with modern convenience at a few metro stations near heritage build stations near heritage buildings. The entry and exit of these underground stations, made of tall roofs, stout pillars and semicircular arches, will reflect the area's history. Construction of a tall structure reflecting IndoSaracenic architecture in front of the 300-year-old St George's School near the entrance of Pachaiyappa's College metro station is nearing completion. This is one of the seven underground stations connecting Koyambedu to Nehru Park station at Kilpauk, which will be opened for public in the first quarter of 2017.

Similar structures are coming up at the entrance of the Madras High Court and Central Metro stations, complementing the 19th century structures. "These structures would also be painted in brick red, to go with the old structures around them," a metro rail official said. Work to build similar edi fices in front of the high court metro station and Central Metro will begin once the construction of the con course and platform levels of these underground stations nears completion. "It will only be a replica of the architectural design of the heritage structures near these stations. The material used to build those centuryold buildings is not available anymore. So we are trying to get a similar impression with available material like tiles," said the official.

A Brilliant idea to come up with period facades for the Metro Stations. Let us also, as the proud citizens of this City try to maintain the structures in good condition and good repair. The idea of constructing such imposing structures in front of underground station entrances came from the heritage conservation committee during the initial stage of the metro rail project. The committee is headed by the chief planner of Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA). About 90% of work has been completed at Pachiayappa's College station which is taking shape 18m below ground. Both at the high court and Central metro stations, construction of concourse and base slab, station box and entry exit points have been completed. The rest of the civil work inside the station is in progress. Metro rail is looking for a December 2017 opening for these stations.

-http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/, October 13, 2016

In keeping with the theme of this year's World Water Day, which is "Waste water", Union Environment Secretary Ajay Narayan Jha on Wednesday inaugurated an exhibition to create awareness on conservation of water. Titled "Jal Hai To Kal Hai", the exhibition was organised jointly by the National Museum of Natural History (NMNH), a subordinate office of the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change; Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB); Central Ground Water Board (CGWB); and Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation. On this occasion, a group of school children used Performing Art to deliver the message. Every year, World Water Day highlights a specific aspect of freshwater.

This year, it is "Waste water", an official communique on Wednesday said. World Water Day is held annually on 22 March, as a means to focus attention on the importance of freshwater and advocating for the sustainable management of freshwater resources. An international day to celebrate freshwater was recommended at the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED). The United Nations General Assembly responded by designating 22 March 1993, as the first World Water Day.

With rising pollution in water, today 1.8 billion people use a source of drinking water contaminated with faeces, putting them at risk of contracting cholera, dysentery, typhoid and polio, according to the communique.

-http://www.thehindu.com/, October 14, 2016

I'm hoping to work on what sort of global market there is for stolen sacred art and what component of this constitutes Indian works. I can't be sure as there has not been a lot of work done on the market *right now* for such pieces. This is something I am hoping to work on in coming years. Historically at least, the market has been large. One only need look at Western 'Asian Art' museums or the Asian collections in international museums to see this. Indian art is almost always a major component of these collections. My colleagues Simon Mackenzie and Tess Davis produced one of the first Criminological trafficking network analyses for Asia (and, well, anywhere) specifically looking at Hindu sculptures coming out of Cambodia.

When it comes to India, there is not a lot of academic work on this front (again, something that I am hoping to work on very soon), but the work of people like V J Kumar and Jason Felch on the Subhash Kapoor case, specifically exposing how some of his more prominent stolen objects moved is extremely useful. I think the information being exposed here, even if it is at the extreme high end of the market, is a good starting point. I do caution that this is the highest end of the market. The theft, trafficking, and sale of smaller pieces may look very different. Why has the theft of sacred art been neglected for so long? I don't know! I am surprised. I used to work primarily in Latin America and over the past few years the rate of theft of sacred objects from Churches seems to have gone up without much notice of it. For example, the Virgin of Copacabana, Bolivia's patron saint and the holiest site in the country was robbed and few people said anything outside of Bolivia. I wondered, who buys the crown of the Virgin of Copacabana? This lead me to look for "hot spots", places where Sacred Art is being robbed right now and thus India has come up. If you monitor just the English language the Indian press, there seems to be more or less one idol theft every week, sometimes more. And that is just what makes it to print. That is quite a lot.

One issue may be that when people in the West (and thus the people in many antiquities market countries) think about 'antiquities trafficking', they think of Greece, Rome, and Egypt. I think that this has always been an issue when it comes to the appreciation and understanding of art and archaeology from "non Western" settings. Ancient Latin America, for example, has been dismissed on the Art Market as "Primitive" and "Tribal" art, despite being produced by vast complex situations. Indian objects, in the West and on the art market, are less viewed as "antiquities" and more viewed as art objects which is quite dismissive of context and meaning. Not to go too far into details, but this may mean that when museums, collectors, and other antiquities buyers were trying to 'clean up their act' and started to be more careful about buying looted antiquities, they simply didn't see Indian objects as antiquities, even when they were ancient... Maybe. I can't say for sure, that is just a working hypothesis at the moment.

I think the protection laws are as good in India as they are anywhere. Of course laws need to be tested, evaluated, and reformed, but I don't think they are the real issue. One of the main security issues when it comes to Indian sacred art (and this is very similar to Latin American churches I should say), is that it must be accessible for it to be used. If you take an idol out of a temple that is open to the public, it cannot be used by the community as it should be. You lock it in a museum, you remove the very devotional aspects, the very function of the idol. Think of all the small public shrines and open temples in India, how do you secure those while still allowing people to worship? It is a daunting task. I'm not even sure it is possible. A motivated thief will be able to find a way to take such things.

Thus the issue is the market. The people out there who are absolutely willing to buy sacred art, no questions asked, no matter where it came from. If there was no demand for such things, the things wouldn't be stolen. An important issue: resources. A country can have the strongest law in the world, but that is meaningless if it can't enforce it. Underfunded police and customs naturally will consider antiquities crimes to be less important than, say, murders or something like that and I don't blame them. Some states in India seem to take idol theft rather seriously. That Tamil Nadu has an Idol Wing in their Economic Offenses Wing of the Police department, for example, is a very good sign. They have a website, too, which is an essentially free way to raise awareness of the issue The single most important reason that allows for the theft of a country's sacred traditional art is the accessibility of the art, that the art is there, touchable, on the street, in open temples and shrines. Of course, there is no getting around that, it MUST be accessibility. It is a Catch-22.

India is moving to legalising the export of antiquities. When I saw that I nearly spit my coffee out onto the floor in surprise. It is the single worst thing that India could do. That is like saying "I am going to reduce the number of murder convictions in the country by legalising murder". It is changing the law to accommodate criminals rather than exploring new, effective ways for protecting Indian heritage. There is a LOT of academic research stretching back decades that shows that no open antiquities market works. A good example is Morag Kersel's work in Isreal which, technically, allows the sale of some antiquities. Dr Kersel found significant law breaking and deception within this so-called legal market. I do caution that I have not seen any specifics about this plan. Maybe there aren't specifics. My opinion might change when such information is released.

I would challenge the lawmakers calling for this to tell us which country's system they are modeling this on. I would also challenge them to speak with experts on this issue before they went rushing to change things. My colleagues and I have been conducting research on international policy regarding antiquities for decades and this suggestion goes against everything that we've found. I ask, if Indian authorities are having so much trouble simply preventing antiquities from being smuggled out of the country (in other words, having so much trouble preventing a black market), how will they implement a complicated, regulated system of export complete with permits and so on? That doesn't seem realistic.

-http://www.dnaindia.com/, October 14, 2016

Kasturchand Park (KP), the biggest maidan in city and Grade I heritage area, is already destroyed, thanks to numerous exhibition and circus being held there. Next is the turn on heritage structures situated in the park. Recent Dussehra celebrations saw fireworks being lit from the Band Stand situated in the middle of the par. Now some members of Banjara community have occupied it. Sanatan Dharma Yuvak Sabha had organized ‘Ravan Dahan’ to mark Dussehra celebrations at KP on Tuesday. Those who attended informed that the Band Stand was utilized as a platform for staging drama. Artists performed on the top two levels of the Band Stand. Later, fireworks were lit on two levels. Band Stand too is a Grade I heritage structure. Sanatan Dharm Sabha’s Vijay Kher admitted they had performed on Band Stand and also lit fireworks but said they had done it safely. He also admitted they did not have any permission from district administration to do so.

A closer look revealed the parapet of Band Stand collapsing in a couple of places. The top layer of structure is in a dilapidated condition. The pillars and inside area have deteriorated. On Thursday, around 40 Banjara community members could be seen residing inside it. They were cooking using firewood right inside the structure. Clothes were hung out to dry on the pillars. Dirty water could be seen spreading as people bathed and washed. They were even defecating in the open blowing to smithereens all hopes of city attaining Swachh rankings. Garbage was dumped all over. Three heritage cannons were also being used to dry clothes. Sportspersons at the KP said it had become routine thing for Banjaras to stay in the Band Stand. “They were not there for last couple of months. Before that they stayed for over four months. They occupy the entire ground,” they said.

The district administration has no interest in KP apart from making money out of it. The ground surface is almost totally destroyed by repeated holding of exhibitions and circus. Collector Sachin Kurve did not respond to TOI’s call and message. The heritage conservation committee too has turned a blind eye towards KP’s destruction. Excluding discussion in some meetings, it has done nothing to protect the open space and structures. Architect Ashok Mokha, a member of the committee, told TOI everyone from authorities to people were abusing the property. “KP and heritage structures in it are falling prey to negligence. It was a brazen violation to conduct fireworks on the structure. It has become our culture to vandalize heritage properties. How can district administration permit such things or neglect such destruction,” he asked. Activists Dinesh Naidu and TH Naidu have demanded stringent action on the organizers and also officials concerned.

-http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/, October 14, 2016

At most iconic monuments across the country, harassment of tourists by unregistered and untrained guides is a common sight. To counter this menace, Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has outlined a guide policy to give the millions of tourists who visit the 360 monuments under it a better and enriching experience. The problem of guides is much more prevalent at important sites like Taj Mahal, Red Fort, Qutub Minar, etc. There have been numerous complaints about inefficient guides and touts posing as guides who harass visitors at protected monuments. "Foreign tourists have a particularly tough time as they are usually clueless about the norms and hire people posing as guides to tell them the history and background of the sites," said an expert. ASI's policy states that only one category of guides, called ASI monument guides, would be licensed to work at the centrally-protected sites. "The number of tourist guides would be determined by the footfall, growth potential, extent and size of monuments. The process would be done every five years by ASI," says the policy. Licences will only be granted to individuals and not to any firm, association, company or corporate body. "ASI will conduct tests and work out a mechanism to grant such licences. Those who qualify for the licence will have to undergo a six-week training programme," said an official. "Guide licences issued by the tourism ministry would be valid and deemed to have been issued under this policy. Licences issued by any other authority would become invalid and no person would be allowed to act as a guide at centrally-protected monuments once the policy comes into effect," the official added. Though signages, pamphlets and books, electronic media and the internet are flooded with information, they have limitations. Tourists need simple information on accommodation, transportation, places of interest, markets, medical aid, helpline, etc, besides detailed and authentic information about national monuments, which can be provided by authentic guides, the policy adds.

-http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/, October 14, 2016

Indian participation at the international level is proof that the country's art is at par with the western world, says artist M.K. Puri, who is representing India at the "China Hangzhou G20 International Art Exchange Exhibition". "India is an open country, with both traditional and Modern culture in combination. That is why Ganesha or Buddha images keep appearing on canvases or in sculptures," Puri told IANS in an email interview. "The influence of the west in India started with British coming to India but the strong tradition remained a strong factor of resistance," he said, adding: "With more and more artists visiting and learning art in the west gave the colour of modern and today Indian art stands with the best in west as you can see from our participation internationally."

The theme for the international art exhibition that is on till October 16 is "Peace, freedom and environmental protection". Two paintings by Puri are being exhibited and the theme that he is portraying is Yoga and Meditation which is a major part of Indian culture and heritage. The work is semi-realistic and attributes the Indian flavour. "G20 is an International political forum and all member countries have been invited to participate in it. It will be exciting to be a part of it and meeting the artists across the world. I will be proud to represent my country through my paintings," Puri said.

Commenting on the opportunities that China offers its artists, he said: "The Chinese government has been promoting traditional Chinese paintings with brush and ink projecting Tao belief about world and nature - the typical mountain landscapes, birds, bamboo etc." "For the past ten years or so modern sensibility too is being practiced due to the fact that number of artists are visiting west and otherwise due to exposure through internet etc." "The new work is mainly about portraying communist ideology. Number of artists living in the west particularly in USA are close to the contemporary western work. I saw a huge exhibition of Chinese art in Chicago by Chinese artists which was purely western proverb and western in technique," he explained. The artist also spoke about India as a platform for its emerging artists and emphasized on the role played by private organisations. "The emerging artists through their personal efforts and through available private and to some degree the state support are doing well," he said, adding: "Private galleries and organizations are playing important part as these are run by either artists or deeply connected with art. × "The institutes headed by bureaucrats are more like "sarkari" offices and have negligible sensibility about art and the artists."

Describing his journey with art, he said: Music and human relationship have been my close subjects, some times with spiritual colour and His works are in permanent collections of several museums and private collection, including National Gallery of Modern Art, New Delhi. His visit is a private one and has not been sponsored or supported by the government as ICCR did not approve the travel grant for reasons best known to it. He commented on the lack of participation from the government, saying: "Although I shall be the representative artist of my country in this politically important world event. China is providing all the hospitality during my stay." (Mudita Girotra can be contacted at [email protected]) --IANS mg/vm

-www.sify.com, October 15, 2016

The new Indian law requires the five Indian firms that produce HCFC-22 to capture and burn HFC-23 and eliminate its release into the atmosphere. In a display of climate-friendly intent, India said at an international meeting on October 13 that it has enacted a law to stop emissions of HFC-23, a gas that is thousands of times more harmful than carbon dioxide in heating up the planet. The announcement was made by India’s environment minister Anil Madhav Dave, who is in Kigali, Rwanda, to attend a high-level meeting on the Montreal Protocol, an international treaty designed to protect the earth’s ozone layer. HFC-23 is a by-product of HCFC-22, which is used in refrigeration and air conditioning. This variant of hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) has a global warming potential 14,800 times more than that of carbon dioxide.

The new Indian law requires the five Indian firms that produce HCFC-22 to capture and burn HFC-23 and eliminate its release into the atmosphere. It will potentially avoid emissions of HFC-23 equivalent to 100 million tonne of carbon dioxide over the next 15 years. Ongoing negotiations In the current negotiations at Kigali on phasing out HFCs, some developing countries, including China, have demanded financial support from developed countries for incineration of HFC-23. However, India has now clearly said it will eliminate HFC-23 regardless of help from developed economies.

The announcement comes days after a global pact on aviation emissions in Montreal, Canada, where India voiced strong reservations about any market-based measure of carbon offsets. India said such a measure would increase costs for developing countries and reduce accountability of historically more polluting nations. India, the world’s third-largest carbon emitter, has been taking more steps to battle climate change. On October 2, the Narendra Modi government ratified the Paris Agreement, which aims to limit the rise in global warming to “well below” two degrees celsius. The agreement will come into force on November 4. “With this domestic legislation to control the emissions of HFC-23, India is sending a strong signal to the world that it is serious about the climate change issue,” Chandra Bhushan, deputy director general of Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), a New Delhi-based think tank, said in a statement from Kigali.

Funds for incinerators The five Indian companies, along with 19 other firms mainly in China, have earlier received funds to set up incinerators under the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM). During 2007-2013, they destroyed the gas and sold the carbon credits to developed countries. Since the collapse of the global CDM market, the levels of HFC-23 in the atmosphere have increased. In a business-as-usual scenario, global HCFC-22 manufacturing units will release more than two billion tonne of carbon dioxide equivalent of HFC-23 into the atmosphere by 2020, according to CSE. Most of this release will happen in China. Under the new legislation in India, the five domestic firms have to now bear the costs of incineration. Signatories to the 1989 Montreal Protocol on substances that deplete the ozone Layer are meeting in Kigali to reduce and eliminate the use of HFCs. This could potentially prevent the release of as much as 100-200 billion tons of climate-changing emissions by 2050. It would be enough to take the world a quarter of the way towards achieving the two-degrees Celsius global-warming target set by the December 2015 Paris Agreement.

“The drive to phase down HFCs cannot be complete without all major countries rallying around a strong agreement that rapidly curbs these supercharged climate pollutants,” Anjali Jaiswal, India Initiative Director at Natural Resources Defence Council, an advocacy group, had said in an earlier statement. This article was originally published on India Climate Dialogue.

-http://thewire.in/, October 15, 2016

The whole of Mulanthuruthy panchayat -with the support of around 27 political, religious, and cultural organisations- is now waging a joint battle to save their natural heritage. Around 17 kilometres from the city of Kochi stands the hilly hamlet of Mulanthuruthy. Hills and paddy fields once formed its very identity. The whole of Mulanthuruthy panchayat -with the support of around 27 political, religious, and cultural organisations- is now waging a joint battle to save their natural heritage. Brought together by the Kerala Shaastra Sahitya Parishad, they formed the Manakkamala Samrakshana Janakeeya Samithi (Manakkamala Protection Council) comprising representatives from all organisations. Even rival political parties like the CPI(M), Congress and BJP have united in this struggle. The past four months have seen this village come together to fight against private companies who are trying to raze down Manakkamala -one of the biggest red-earth hillocks near Mulanthuruthy.

Continuous protests, hunger strikes and human chains were organized by the villagers to highlight their plight. Though the companies have acquired necessary clearances from the State Mining and Geology Department and the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority to raze down Manakkamala, environment activists and Samithi members warn of dire consequences on the environment. The Samithi has also approached the Green Tribunal for the cancellation of the clearances. “Hills collect ground water which can be used in summer. When hills are razed down, the water simply flows into the low-lying areas. The excavation of these red hills began over a year ago. Many of the hillocks in and around the area are now no more. All the houses located in places where the hillocks once stood, no longer have access to water in summer. Residents here have long borne the brunt of severe water shortage,” says Suresh -a local area leader of the Shaastra Sahitya Parishad- while speaking to The News Minute. He alleges that within just one year, the quarry mafia has already encroached on 35 acres of land from the village, removing more than 25,000 cubic metres of red-earth. “This is excluding the hectares of land that have been taken away from areas surrounding the village,” he adds.

Recently, some of the companies who bought the land approached the Kerala High Court seeking permission to resume excavation. Though the Court granted permission for the same, the People’s Council strongly protested and would not let them do so. “All the protests that are organized are attended by every single member of each family that lives here. The fact that the womenfolk are willing to come here with their kids just goes to show how much they suffer due to acute water-shortage in the area. People have to walk many miles to get water during summers. Women and children are the most affected,” opines Pradeep K -Tripunithura Communist Party of India (CPI) area committee leader. Red-earth excavated from the hillock is transported to other places by these companies to fuel bigger construction projects.

Pointing to a ten-acre land which has been divided into housing plots, P.A Thankachan of the Parishad says, “That used to be a huge hill. It was razed down and they took away all the red-earth. Then they divided it into plots and sold them. Only later did the people who bought the plots -hoping to build homes for themselves- realize that there was no water available there. They could not hence proceed further, and it still remains a barren land. And it is not just that area, the entire neighbourhood is reeling from acute water scarcity.” The Samithi is hence adamant that it will not let history repeat itself in Manakkamala.

- http://www.thenewsminute.com/, October 15, 2016

The parliamentary constituency of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been gifted with the first special handicraft mega cluster of the country with a fund of Rs. 31 crore to benefit 21,000 artisans of different crafts. Union textile minister Smriti Irani announced the project at the Dastakar Chaupal for handicraft artisans of Varanasi organised at the Cultural Complex, Chowkaghat on Sunday. She also launched the programme of 'Guru-shishya parampara' (teacher-taught tradition) for seven local crafts nominating seven master craftsmen as gurus on the occasion. Addressing the function, she said that the main objective of the initiative is to promote and preserve the traditional crafts and improve the living condition of people associated with these crafts. Under this project a baseline survey of craftsmen will be conducted. It will be followed by distribution of identity cards and tool-kits to the identified craftsmen, training and market linkage of the products. Besides, the artisans will be facilitated with credit facility and free insurance scheme.

The special mega cluster was introduced for seven crafts including Zardoji, Gulabi Meenakari (pink enameling), wooden toys and craft, soft stone craft, terracotta, glass beads, and hand block printing. The gurus (master craftsmen) of these crafts including Godawari Singh (wooden craft), Kazim Raza (Zardoji), Kunj Bihari Singh (Guabi meenakari), Shiv Pujan (soft stone craft), Ramadhar Prajapati (terracotta), Suresh Kumar (glass beads), and Mahesh Kumar (hand block printing) will train the artisans of respective crafts. An exhibition of handicraft was also held on the occasion. Earlier, a two-minute condolence was observed for the persons killed in the stampede on Saturday. Later, Irani went to Kashi Vishwanath temple to offer prayer before leaving from Delhi.

- http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/, October 16, 2016

Seven months after TOI reported that Vakataka-era coins worth crores had gone missing from Nagpur University (NU), officials are still to lodge a formal police complaint of theft. This despite the fact that the Ambazari Police Station officials told them to do so about a month back. As yet, NU has only sent a letter to the police asking them to probe the incident and has also submitted a report by an internal probe panel, headed by the former head of department Chandrashekhar Gupta. Not only have the precious Vakataka-era coins gone missing, but over 2,000 other artefacts have also disappeared from the museum in NU's Department of Ancient Indian History, Culture and Archaeology since 1965. After preliminary investigations, police sources say they found a prima facie case of theft and told NU officials to register a formal FIR. The probe is at a standstill due to NU's delay in lodging the complaint.

While acknowledging that NU received the letter, registrar Puran Meshram claimed they had submitted the four confidential documents, related to the relics, demanded by the police. "They told us to lodge an FIR by naming suspects. Now, it's very difficult to name people, as the antiquities are missing since 1965. Since then, many people were in charge of the department. Ideally, such a complaint should be lodged by the head of department only," he said. Preety Trivedi, the current head of department, however didn't take TOI's calls despite repeated attempts.

The Gupta panel report claims that of the 2,633 antiquities missing from the NU museum, 214 are Vakataka-era coins. The other items missing are bricks, pieces of bangles, mud pots, ceramic pieces and precious Pandu Lipis from various eras. Precious The university has been dilly-dallying on the issue for the last several months and approached the police after a series of TOI exposes. TOI's first report about the coins going missing came out on March 31. A day later, it highlighted that a 2014 fact-finding committee's report, led by divisional commissioner Anoop Kumar, who held the additional VC's charge, too had gone missing. On May 15, vice chancellor SP Kane had promised to file an FIR in the coins case. On May 18, registrar claimed that NU had filed a police complaint which turned out be merely a letter to the cops.

-http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/, October 16, 2016

Ever since the government made its intentions on building the steel flyover from Chalukya Circle to Hebbal public, the one detail that has left the citizens of Bengaluru perturbed is the possible loss of a whopping 812 trees along this stretch. Apart from playing a vital role in checking temperature and air pollution, a multitude of birds, insects and animals call these leafy trees their home, and the proposed flyover could sound the death knell to the thriving biodiversity on Ballari Road. The 60,000 ornamental plants promised by the government as compensation for the trees that will be felled cannot undo the colossal damage, opine environmentalists. Head of partnerships and projects with SayTrees, which has been creating mini-forests in the city, Durgesh Agrahari said, "If 800-odd trees are cut, the temperature is surely going to increase, but that is not all. What about the innumerable birds, squirrels and other insects? How are they going to compensate for that? They will replace the trees with landscape grass and bushes or ornamental plants, which will take a long time to grow."

The gigantic heritage trees that line Ballari Road play a vital role in checking air pollution. "The small shrubs that will be planted will only compensate for the dust particles. Let's just admit it. The steel flyover has more drawbacks than benefits," he added. Birdwatchers in the city are horrified at the prospect of a steel flyover replacing trees such as sandalwood, tamarind, In ose nests dian oak, mulberry , neem, etc, many of which date back to more than a hundred years. Birdwatcher and naturalist TS Srinivasa observed that birds were short of trees to nest and roost. "The loss will be in terms of roosting, nesting and food habits. On that road, the birds we find are chick barbet, bulbul, white eye among others. We also spot migratory birds on this stretch such as oriole and greenish warbler. If these trees are replaced with exotic ones, food will be hard to come by for them. In the long term, birds are going to find it hard to survive here," he said.

I think the meaning and concept of Biodiversity is not properly used in the write-up.Trees are an important and indispensable component of the Ecosystem. But the stability of the biodiversity and t... Abhisheka Krishnagopal, a naturalist who studies migratory bird patterns, said, "Have they considered the wildlife residing here? This is the migratory season, and birds such as rosy starling will be visiting these trees soon. Even tiny insects will lose their habitat. The loss of flowering trees means no honey bees.None of the saplings they plant will be able to compensate for the loss."

An avid bird watcher, Shubha Navakanta Bhat said, "Birds depend on the dew drops on the leaves in the winter. They don't venture into the lakes, since some of them would be too deep for the birds. We cannot afford to lose more trees."

-http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/, October 16, 2016

Underlining the necessity to make the youngsters who visit picnic spots and the waterfalls regions, aware about the hidden danger in the rivers and water bodies, one more youth drowned in Keralamkund waterfalls near Nilambur in the district on Saturday evening. The body of Suhail, 26, native of Eramangalam in Ponnani was recovered by a joint team of police, fire and rescue service personnel and local people on Sunday morning after carrying out hours long search.

It was on Saturday afternoon that Suhail along with his three friends arrived at Keralamund, which is one of the major tourism spots in Nilambur in the district. According to Karuvarakkund police, Suhail drowned while he was swimming along with friends in water falls area around 5pm. Though the local people carried out search in the region immediately after the accident they had failed to find out Suhail.

The search by police and fire service personnel with the support of local people was resumed on Sunday morning and the body was recovered from a gap of rocks in waterfalls around 12pm. The body has been handed over to the family of Suhail, after post mortem examination process at Government Medical College Manjeri. The burial function held at Eramangalam Jumamasjid. Suhail was research student of Thiruvananthapuram centre of Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR). Recently he got a job in Sharjah and he was planning to leave for gulf next week. Police said the pleasure trip which ended up in tragedy was arranged as a get- together of his friends prior to his trip to Sharjah. The tourism spots such as Adyanpara, Kakkadampoil, Keralamkund water falls region, are simply breath taking.

But the visitors, especially youth and students, ignore the warning signage informing public to keep safe distance from the danger spots for safety. In a recent accident at Adyanpara waterfalls a youth was saved from getting drowned one week ago. Two months ago, four youths had a narrow escape at Adyanpara waterfalls region, as life guards saved the lives of them who fell into waterfalls.

-http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/, October 16, 2016

The conservation work on a number of unprotected monuments has finally begun. The project, a collaboration between department of archaeology and Intach, would lend a new lease of life to these buildings. Some of the prominent monuments in the list were — ancient gateways of Chirag Dilli, little known structures at Mehram Nagar, embankment wall in Talkatora Gardens, Bhuli Bhatiyari Ka Mahal, Bawana Jail, unknown tombs in Mehrauli Archaeological Park. For most of them, it would be first time when an initiative like this would be taken to conserve them. Like in Chirag Dilli, the western gateway has almost vanished in a maze of encroachments, while the other two are in poor condition. Restoring these forgotten gates with rich history was one of the task under the project agenda.

With phase-I and II out of the way, 19 monuments were identified for phase-III of the project. A detailed survey of each memorial and its surroundings, assessment of its structural condition and reports on the ownership detail of the land where each building stands will be carried out.

Delhi government officials said funding has been cleared for not just these 19 structures, but also for 200 other monuments. "Our objective is to conserve these structures so that more people are aware of them. We also plan to hold events around these places to attract crowds,'' said an official.

-http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/, October 16, 2016

On the occasion of completion of 425 years of Hyderabad cit, an exhibition containing more than 100 rare photographs of Charminar was inaugurated at Urdu Hall Himayat Nagar yesterday. It was organized by Deccan Heritage Trust and INTACH. Mr. M. Veda Kumar, Chairman, Telangana Resource Center and Ms. Anuradha Reddy, member of the Governing Council of INTACH visited the exhibition .

Mr. Safiullah Baig, of Deccan Heritage Trust explained the objective of this exhibition. He further told that in all the four parts of Charminar, pigeon, parrot, peacock and the palm of Alam Mubarak have been erected which no one has seen so far. He told that there is a need to create awareness about this largest historic monument of the world. He hoped that after seeing this exhibition, people would be eager to visit Charminar. Ms. Anuradha Reddy told that Sultan Mohammed Quli constructed Charminar in order to overcome the congested population of Golconda, laid down the foundation of the new city of Hyderabad and in its center, he got Charminar constructed. He spent Rs. 9 lakh for the construction of this monument. Even after 425 years, it attracts the tourists. Mr. M. Veda Kumar supported the proposal of Deccan Heritage Trust to request the Govt. to issue postal stamp on Charminar.

- http://www.siasat.com/, October 17, 2016

Second edition of UP Travel Writers’ Conclave, organised by UP Tourism and WorldWide Media Private Limited, concluded here on Sunday. Speaking on the occasion, UP tourism minister Om Prakash Singh said, “People go to live in different cities but Kashi is probably the only city in the world where people come to die and attain salvation. The iconic ghats are a known feature here and every ghat has its own historic importance and culture. The city is also known for its Banaras Gharana of musicians that has given so many doyens and maestros. Like Kashi, several other cities like Agra, Mathura and Ayodhya have a lot of potential for development of tourism and state government is committed to promoting it.”

The tourism minister added that construction of international expressway on Agra-Lucknow-Varanasi and Lucknow-Gorakhpur-Allahabad is in final stages and once complete, it would ensure easy travel for tourists in a short time. Citing areas of attraction and tourism potential in Kashi, Mirzapur, Bhadohi, Agra, skill development minister, UP, Abhishek Mishra said there is a lot of scope for people working in art, culture and literature in these cities. He revealed how efforts were on to introduce contribution of artists and litterateurs in languages like Bundelkhandi, Awadhi and Bhojpuri to other parts of globe which in turn would attract domestic as well as foreign tourists. Mishra highlighted role of travel writers in attracting tourists and industrialists associated with tourism and suggested to write about cycle tracks coming up between Agra and Saifai which is an interesting concept.

He also termed UP as one of the biggest shopping destinations and asked people to explore it with “open eyes and heart”. Principal secretary, UP tourism Navneet Sehgal said although UP has huge tourism potential, it has not been exploited or marketed on that scale yet. “UP has a rich cultural architectural heritage which is not available anywhere and there are a lot of other places worth visiting,” he said, adding that government has come up with new tourism policies. “We are working on big infrastructure projects and tender has been floated for an 18-20 seater intra-state air connectivity service for 4-5 cities and Agra-Lucknow expressway would be opened within a month,” he said. Sehgal also said an online portal and a mobile app as part of travel transportation guide is on the anvil besides cuisine festivals in state.

Chief minister Akhilesh Yadav’s chief adviser Alok Ranjan said the government is focusing on policies of development of infrastructure and inclusive growth apart from policies of tourism and eco-tourism. “UP has a lot more to offer than Taj Mahal in Agra or ghats in Varanasi and people need to be made of aware of these,” he said. Ranjan also talked about possibilities of promoting tourism in Chambal region and said state government had approved Rs. 20 crore for development of the region to attract more people. The Agra-Lucknow expressway would be opened for people by November end, he added.

Later in the evening, around 40 travel writers, bloggers, journalists and photographers thronged the ghats and enjoyed boat riding in Ganga. They also attended the famous Ganga aarti at Dashashwmedh ghat followed by a cultural evening at Brajrama Palace in Darbhanga ghat where classical vocalist of Banaras Gharana, Pt. Chhannu Lal Mishra performed and mesmerized the audience.

- http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com, October 17, 2016

In the wake of rising tensions between Pakistan and India, the ancient ‘dancing girl’ statue has become another bone of contention between bitter rival states. A petition has been filed in the Lahore high court asking the federal government to claim a 5,000-year-old bronze statue called ‘Dancing Girl’ from India. Last week, Advocate Javed Iqbal Jaffrey called for a suo motu action by the court. “The statue, which was discovered in 1926 from Moen Jo Daro — the ancient city of the Indus Valley Civilisation in Sindh — was taken to India around 60 years ago at the request of the National Arts Council, Delhi, and was never brought back,” Javed Iqbal Jaffery said in his petition.

The petition incensed the Indians who took to popular microblogging site Twitter to vent their anger. They mocked the move and instead offered Pakistan Bollywood movie ‘Mohenjo Daro’. Javed Iqbal, however, laments that at the official level, the government is not doing anything whatsoever to reclaim the statute. He also blames the Lahore Art Museum staff, calling their inaction ‘criminal neglect’ on their part. He hopes his petition will be taken up by an “impartial judge having sense of aesthetic appreciation and justice”.

The Indians, however, believe that the statue belongs to them because they got it before the 1947 Partition of the subcontinent. But Pakistani officials argue the artifact was excavated from the ruins of Moen Jo Daro, which lies in Sindh, and hence it must be returned to the place of its origin. According to the Indian National Museum’s website, the ‘Indus dancing girl’ represents a ‘stylistically poised female figure performing a dance’. It was excavated from Mohenjo-Daro in 1926. “The forward thrust of the left leg and backwards tilted right, the gesture of the hands, demeanour of the face and uplifted head, all speak of absorption in dance, perhaps one of those early styles that combined drama with dance, and dialogue with body-gestures. As was not unusual in the lifestyle of early days, the young lady has been cast as nude,” read a description in the website.

The tiny bronze statue which is 10.5 cm in height is suggestive of two breakthroughs that Indus artists knew metal blending and casting and that the well developed Indus society had innovated dance and other performing arts. The name Dancing Girl was coined by British archaeologist Sir John Marshall. In 1973, another British archaeologist Mortimer Wheeler described the item as his favourite statuette. The bronze girl was made using the lost wax casting technique and shows the expertise of the people in making bronze works during that time. It also shows that that entertainment, especially dance was part of the culture.

Some of the most famous archaeologists in the world have described it as one of the most captivating pieces of art from the Indus site. Petitioner Jaffrey claimed that the statue is the property of the Lahore Museum. “It was taken to India around 60 years ago at the request of the National Arts Council, Delhi, and was never brought back,” a report in a local newspaper said. Moreover, Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA) Director General Syed Jamal Shah said that the statue will be requested under the UNESCO conventions. He said that this is the first time that the request will be made to the government of India.

- http://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/, October 17, 2016

Sydney’s premier art gallery has launched investigations into ­almost half the sculptures in its 54-piece Indian art collection to ascertain if they were stolen. The Art Gallery of NSW ­recently web posted images and a few provenance details of 21 antiq­uities bought between 1991 and as recently as 2009. Gallery director Michael Brand did not respond to questions about the project, launched four years after the gallery admitted it had acquired six antiquities from disgraced New York dealer Subhash Kapoor. Dr Brand said in a statement that gallery staff were sharing information with local and international colleagues in an attempt to ascertain the provenance of the items.

Australia's stolen art “The gallery always welcomes information regarding works of art in the collection,” he said. “A dedicated provenance page for South Asian sculptures in the AGNSW collection was launched in May, with further works of art to follow.” Unlike established Asian art provenance research projects at the Art Gallery of South Australia and the National Gallery of Australia, the NSW gallery project does not disclose what it paid for the 21 suspect items. Nor does it reveal if any research was under­taken before the purchases.

The Indian statues lack either ownership history before the 1970 UNESCO convention on cultural property or valid export permits. Though millions of dollars have been outlaid acquiring them, they are essentially worthless and in a legal limbo. They cannot be loaned and probably won’t be displayed. India can request the sculptures’ return if it is established they were stolen.

AGNSW bought items from London dealer Ben Janssens. There are numerous works from prolific antiquity collector Alex Biancardi, one item was bought from Nancy Wiener, the New York dealer who refunded $1 million to the NGA after it challenged the legitimacy of an ancient stone Buddha she sold. The first item under investigation is a 500-year-old door guardian bought from London traders Marshall Spink and Son in 1994. In 2013, The Australian with antiquities blogger Vijay Kumar revealed AGNSW had bought an Ardhanarishvara for $300,000 in 2004 from Kapoor that was stolen from a temple.

- http://www.theaustralian.com.au/, October 17, 2016

Proud Aligarians all over the world are celebrating the birth anniversary of Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, founder of Aligarh Muslim University AMU today October 17. They are remembering him with deep sense of gratitude and admiration. Aligarians are both powerful and resourceful lot. Sadly though, they have never ensured that the birth place of one of the greatest educationist of India converted into a heritage building or a library. For years together his house in Darya Ganj area of Delhi-6 remained in shambles. Maqsood Ahmad, my old friend and a teacher of Physics at Anglo Arabic School, recently took me with another dear friend Chandra Bhushanji to same place recently.

To our utter surprise, a brand new housing complex came up there. Many families are living there. So the chances of converting Sir Syed’s birth place into heritage building or library is now almost over. Few years back I took up this issue with the then Chief Minister of Delhi, Shiela Dikshit when she came at Vivek Vihar to attend a function.

She assured me that she would see to it that this place becomes a library. Couple of years ago, both Maqsood Ahmed and I even approached Mr.Shoaib Iqbal, the local MLA to use his good office so that a venerable place gets its due importance. Unfortunately nothing has happened. Now, will Aligarian come together and at least put a plaque in front of Sir Syed’s birth place?

- http://theindianawaaz.com/, October 17, 2016

Heritage lovers and activists from the city are getting vocal about the neglect of the civic authorities and the administration towards Queen Mary's School, a 265-year-old heritage buildinglocated in Vizag's Old Town. The building is in urgent need of conservation but despite repeated requests, the crumbling heritage structure hasn't been renovated or restored.

Heritage lovers and Intach (Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage) members are planning a gathering shortly in front of the school building as well as generating awareness through talks and placards about the historic importance of the building and the need to save this heritage structure built in 1750. They are alarmed at the proposed road widening in the area, which can further accelerate the 'death' of the building.

Currently, around 1,000 girls study in this government high school, which is an L-shaped building. The main heritage portion of the building had to be abandoned as the roof had been leaking, the wooden stairways are rickety and even the flooring has been damaged due to water seepage. Children study in the newer portion, which is also not in very good shape.

As per estimates by experts, around Rs 60 lakh is required for the entire building's restoration works. However, only to repair the roof and prevent water seepage to the ground floor, where many old and rare books are kept, around Rs 12 lakh is required.

Heritage activist from the city Sohan Hatangadi said, "For the past two years, several representations have been made to successive district collectors to have this historic school building repaired. Each time, we got the response, "Yes, very soon." But neither the previous collectors nor the present one could make the time to visit the school building and assess the work. The collector is too busy. Too many meetings. Too many conferences. Too many politicians to look after. Meanwhile our history is fading into oblivion."

"Now, the civic authorities want to widen the main road to 100 feet from Jagadamba Junction to Old Post Office. There's APSRTC bus terminus near the school building from where the buses take turns. They may say that there's not enough space for the bus to take a turn and suggest demolition of a part of the building. The fact that no official is taking interest in repairing and restoring the school building indicates that there is something fishy. Are there dark plans to accelerate the death of this historic building?"

City heritage lovers are all the more sceptical about the fate of the heritage school building due to the previous experience of stealthy demolition of the century-old Kurupam Market by the GVMC authorities overnight on November 19, 2013. Till date, the replica has not been rebuilt.

"So, this time we want to protest before the building is destroyed completely and let the authorities know that we want Queen Mary's School to be repaired and restored and save our heritage by spending Rs 50 lakh when they are spending crores of rupees on beach development. Around a year ago, Vizag Port Trust seemed to have given Rs 10 lakh for repairing the roof of the building. It seems the money is still with the collector. It should be immediately invested in repairing the roof," added Hatangadi.

Queen Mary's School served as Collector's Office in 1873. Subsequently, it served as an arsenal to store guns and ammunition during the East India Company's rule. Later it went on to be a harbour office and a mediaeval school. In 1913, it encouraged young widows to continue their studies, which was quite progressive in those times.

- http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com, October 18, 2016

Residents of various sectors in Noida have been reportedly getting poor and contaminated water supply following the ongoing desilting process at upper Ganga Canal from past one week. Some residents may need the help of tankers in coming days. Residents across sectors 11, 12, 19, 20, 25, 26, 27, 34 complain of reduced water supply to one hour in the morning and evening as against official three hour supply. First-floor residents are unable to pump water in low supply.

According to K K Jain, RWA president of sector 34, "Normally water supply is for three hours in the morning from 6 to 9 and again in the evening from 6 to 9. But nowadays, water supply has reduced to two hours and that too with low pressure. As a result, the 2nd and 3rd-floor residents are not getting proper water supply, particularly those who do not have suction pumps to draw water are getting most affected. Also, apart from quantity and duration of supply, the quality of water is not up to the mark."

Along with quantity, the quality of water is a major issue for residents. "While some blocks are facing yellow supply others are getting dirty water," said Rajiv Garg RWA general secretary, sector 27

Amidst all this, the Federation of Noida Residents Welfare Associations' (FONRWA) members also questioned on the lack of measures by the authorities to deal with an annual procedure of desilting. "We all know that Ganga water supply is shut down every year for a month for desilting purposes. Then why is it the preemptive measures are not taken by the authority to make necessary arrangements for ground water supply. Also, why is it that rainwater harvesting is not encouraged as a routine by now by authority." said N P Singh, president FONRWA.

According to Suresh Tiwari, senior vice president FONRWA the situation persists because infrastructural up gradation has not been undertaken by authority. "We had four tube wells in sector 20. Today, two are closed. In sector 19 only two tube wells are running while in sector 26 only one tube well is running. Apart from this, the water supplied these days is directly through the stored tank or ground water without any chlorine treatment," said Tiwari.

However, when contacted Noida's Chief Maintenance Engineer, Hom Singh Yadav maintained that while there's no lack of portable water in Noida, measures are underway to rectify problems. "It's been effectively four days since Ganga water was shut down as it takes a couple of days for its ramifications to set in. We have enough portable water to fulfill the needs of the city. As for certain hiccups that are currently underway, we are addressing them too. The situation will streamline in a couple of days as we are in the process of assessing the situation and taking necessary steps for better supply days ahead."

- http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com, October 18, 2016

Ignorance of law cannot be an excuse. There are laws providing for conservation of biodiversity in general and wildlife in particular. The Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 and Biological Diversity Act, 2002 are few of them. Constitution of India imposes moral responsibility on the state to make necessary legislation to protect environment under Article 48A which was added to the Directive Principles of State Policy under the Constitution (42nd Amendment) Act 1976. Article 48A states that The State shall endeavour to protect and improve the environment and to safeguard the forests and wild life of the country.

Just as constitution of India prescribes fundamental rights of citizens it also lays down fundamental duties under Article 51A added under the Constitution (42nd Amendment) Act 1976. Art 51A (g), specifically deals with the fundamental duty of citizens with respect to environment. It provides “it shall be the duty of every citizen of India to protect and improve the natural environment including forests, lakes, rivers and wild life and to have compassion for living creatures. The Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 and Biological Diversity Act, 2002 provides legal protection to flora and fauna in India.

Similarly Jhum cultivation is destroying the forests and eventually the Biodiversity of our region. The present method of Jhum cultivation (with reduced Jhum cycle) cannot sustain and support for long. We must realize and change to methods of cultivation that improves health of forests simultaneously with improved livelihood of indigenous communities. There are many sustainable agricultural models charted out by many national and international agricultural research institutes for our region.

With the active support of the state and union government we can eradicate Jhum cultivation and save environment. Though the acts and policies related to environment (Wildlife) conservation are applicable to whole of Union of India its enforcement differs across regions due to complex socio-economic and cultural realities.

As past experiences portray, it may not be possible to bring sudden and drastic, warranted changes overnight, in the customs and traditions that are against the ethics of nature but we can make a beginning. We are all responsible enough to use ethics, philosophical, environmental and economical values to guide environment conservation in general with special focus on wildlife conservation. Let us not wait for the law enforcement agencies to get into action. Instead let us take proactive measures. Forest department of Manipur is not weak but the cooperation of the civil society is not very strong.

Few village authorities have taken decision not to allow hunting of any kind of wildlife in their surroundings. Such ecosystem should be created in all the villages to facilitate replication of such decisions. To bring about changes in anti-environmental especially anti-wildlife customs and traditions, cooperation of all the stakeholders in the society is fundamental.

Few outdated customs and traditions can easily be eradicated with the consent of concerned stakeholders through changes in livelihood pattern and diet. The permanent solution is for the indigenous people to combine their traditional knowledge with the new scientific knowledge in environment conservation. There are many folktales and traditional knowledge associated with wildlife. But over the years the memories are entirely of violent display of pride in hunting of wildlife. At least for the sake of environment (wildlife) conservation and our future generations we should focus on diversification of sources of proteins and nutrients to relatively renewable vegetative sources.

Through this we can contribute to fresh memories full of success stories in environment (Wildlife) conservation and attempt to remove past bitter memories. There is a need to ensure active supply of alternate substitute for wildlife meat (also known as Bush meat in tropical forests of Africa, Asia and South America) like fish, protein rich plants etc. Schools and other educational institutions have critical role in imparting awareness about environment (Wildlife) conservation. The curriculum should be enriched with topics from environment (Wildlife) conservation and regular field visits, hands on exercises and special talks by professionals can be taken up.

Through environment (Wildlife) conservation we are indirectly imparting lessons of Love, kindness, tolerance and respect for humanitarian values among students and younger generation. There is a need to keep check on transportation of wildlife and its articles especially in border areas. Efforts must be made to check the transport of wildlife products at the source of supply which will reduce commercial hunting. Awareness programs to vehicle owners and operators, various security agencies of state and union in identification of wildlife and its products, its handling and about conservation laws of the state, union and international conventions will be key to reducing the wildlife trade.

Publicizing and supplying alternative medicines to replace traditional medicines (with unproved curing properties) made of wildlife will save fauna like bear, snake, leopard, pangolin etc from jeopardy. Public boycott of all ornaments, dress out fits and other articles of human use made of wildlife and also entertainment programs utilizing wild animals are few other measures to save wildlife. One more immediate measure that can conserve environment (Wildlife) is to boost tourism which can reduce incidents of poaching and hunting by providing alternative livelihoods to the local people and also keeps the poachers and hunters at bay.

The ultimate solution is to create more number of protected areas with the active involvement of indigenous peoples and improving living standards through holistic development. International cooperation in the field of conservation will definitely make a difference especially in the South East Asia. Our focus should be to ensure that our customs and traditions do not interfere with Environmental (Wildlife) Conservation.

The world’s biodiversity is at the risk of human induced mass extinction which can be the first of its kind as previous mass extinctions were largely due to natural causes. Let us not become sinners by hunting down precious wildlife and not contribute to such large scale extinctions. Let us not hunt the wildlife just for the sake of hunting.

Let us pledge that no hunting of any kind of wildlife is permitted in our premises. Let us pledge not to buy and completely ban selling of wildlife articles in our surroundings. Let this be a humble beginning towards a historical goal of preserving (bio-centric approach) endangered environment (Wildlife) in our region for the future in the face of global warming and associated climate change. Let us make the spirit of conservation perpetual.

- http://e-pao.net, October 18, 2016

The city is not different from one in India, and the talk is always about shared heritage

Somehow I thought that if I ever went to Pakistan, I would perhaps cross the Wagah border and make my way to Lahore and then Gujranwala, where my four grandparents came from. It was an idealist vision, fuelled partly by another generation’s nostalgia, and my years of teaching colonialism, Partition, and all the rest. Instead, as it turned out, I landed at Jinnah International Airport in Karachi on an Emirates flight from Dubai.

I went there to give a keynote address on Delhi at a conference on megacities organised by my university in the U.S. and the University of Karachi. I was on the opening panel with a Brazilian and a Turk, who talked about Sao Paulo and Istanbul, respectively. The idea was to start by showcasing megacities around the world and then focus on the issues and problems of Karachi.

There hasn’t been a census taken in Karachi since 1998, and the Karachi doctoral students and faculty presented findings from their own recent surveys of over 11,000 residents in the city. The conference platform was that the city’s policies should be determined by data — empirical facts and figures about health, education, water, sanitation, transportation, and youth — and not by the politics of prejudice. The elephant in the room was urban governance, despite the appearance of Karachi’s Acting Mayor at a few sessions. I was surprised to learn that Karachi — a city of an estimated 24 million — does not really have its own city government but rather comes under the jurisdiction of the state of Sindh, a government more concerned, many told me, with its rural constituencies. Meanwhile, the power centre, Islamabad, is a two-hour flight away, in neighboring and politically dominant Punjab. This leaves Karachi’s management somewhat at sea, even though the city’s production represents well over half of the country’s wealth.

The conference was attended by over 300 people each day — mostly faculty and students from the University of Karachi, but also journalists, urban planners, and a few politicians. When my turn came to speak, I was conscious of the fact that Delhi was not only another world megacity but also a neighbor down the road. Even if Delhi may be more like Lahore (two heritage cities) and Mumbai more like Karachi (two colonial port cities), certainly Delhi had more in common with Karachi than most other places in the world. I felt this immediately when I got down at the airport and was met by my host, Mustafa, a 30-something Ph.D. student with an infectious smile. I spoke in Hindi and he in Urdu, and my academic knowledge about the Persianisation of Urdu and Sanskritisation of Hindi crumbled to bits. We were both speaking the same language, and it was Hindustani.

In my talk on Delhi, I spoke about transport challenges in the city, our own urban politics of inequality, and my ethnographic studies of the social impact of the Delhi Metro. I mentioned the ladies’ coach of the Metro and the continuing debates about whether there should be a separate space for women or not. I talked about the city’s erstwhile BRT and why it might have failed politically, even if it was a success to those bus riders who whizzed along its corridor. Karachi has little in the way of public transport (though its first BRT is to open soon); its buses, numbering only 2,000 for the entire city, were the most intricate and colorful I have ever seen, and yet so crammed men ride on top of them. One of the Karachi Ph.D. student researchers caused a stir by presenting data on the high incidence of sexual harassment on Karachi’s buses; on the one hand, her research was covered extensively in the press and she was later interviewed about it on Pakistani television; on the other, forces on the religious right called her a traitor for reporting news that could in no way be true.

People in Karachi spoke to me about about security issues, but I soon realised they were talking about petty crime, armed muggings and house break-ins, not terrorism. While I was there, I heard of someone’s friend who had been shot while having his iPhone stolen. I also learned that the wealthier segments of society often live on military cantonment land — the military is also a property dealer in the city, building housing stock and offering more secure neighborhoods. Meanwhile, 62 per cent of the population lives in KatchiAbadis, informal settlements in the city and increasingly in its hinterlands.

One night we were driven to the outskirts to a new private housing development, 45 minutes along a potholed highway with traffic going in multiple directions. It had picture-perfect lawns and playgrounds, a Pizza Hut, and imposing gates. We saw a model home with marble floors and choice amenities in a row of elegant attached homes, going for over a crore each. It was a contested site, likely built on archaeological ruins and with no public utilities, yet a few of the students I was with said they would be happy to live there. It was serene, uncluttered, and completely unconnected to the city.

Back in the conference hall, people wanted to know more about Delhi life, how people lived there, how similar or different it really was, and especially — perhaps because more than half the audience were young women — how easily women moved around in public space. The students did not have a single question or comment about India-Pakistan or Pakistan-India. In that conference hall, at least, we talked city-to-city, people to people, and spoke of many common social issues.

Relating through cities rather than nations began, I realized, when I first arrived on campus and was led into a Dean’s office for chai. With him were five of the city’s newspaper editors, all sitting around a coffee table. Our formal introductions quickly led to where I was from, and when they learned the specifics of that, they each went around saying they hailed from “Meerut, Allahabad, Lucknow …” — places they had never been to but which meant something to them.

The conference was not just a formal affair. There were teas and lunches and dinners and wanderings in the city. There were chats with drivers, servers, and guesthouse staff. It was impossible, in my mind, not to compare everything I saw with the Indian cities I knew — Delhi, Mumbai, and Chennai. One beach reminded me of Juhu in Mumbai, another of Elliot’s in Chennai. Jinnah’s portrait appeared where I was used to seeing Nehru’s.

On the first day, wearing a long kurta and churidar pajama, I realised I was the only woman in the conference hall in short sleeves halfway to my elbows — the rest all wore kurtas that went to their wrists, though only a third of the women in the hall had their hair covered, and few were wearing hijabs. When I asked one of the students if people would mind if I was in short sleeves, she responded cheerfully, “No, not at all, everything goes here, you’ll see women in short sleeves, too.” She was right in a way. On a Friday night in Dolman’s mall — as fancy as Delhi’s Saket mall and with many of the same shops but with a more vertical orientation and seaside location — girls and women wore jeans, slinky tops and all the rest. When the call for prayers happened in the mall, the women I was with discretely slid their dupattas over their heads for a few moments.

On the last day of the conference, I was part of another Q&A panel, and the Dean introduced me by saying I was not only Indian but from Gujranwala as well. I felt embarrassed by the attention, but this news brought cheers from the audience and added a different dimension to the warmth and incredible hospitality I had been shown all week. At the tea break, a junior faculty member I hadn’t met before came up to me to say he was also from Gujranwala. I explained to him that it was an abstract place for me, an association passed down but not experienced in any real way. He said it was a good place and that I should come there sometime; he also joked that we were probably related. We both laughed, took a selfie and went our separate ways. RashmiSadanateaches at George Mason Universityand is the author of English Heart, Hindi Heartland: the Political Life of Literature in India;[email protected]

- http://www.thehindu.com, October 18, 2016

The steel flyover will not gel well with urban aesthetics and will only look ugly and industrial, lament leading architects. “Any flyover cuts the line of vision and stands out in urban aesthetics. Concrete allows itself to be designed along the curves and road contours, which will look aesthetically beautiful. But in a steel flyover, the linear form of steel will remain with thousands of joints making it look very industrial. The surface will fade unequally depending on exposure to sunlight, leaving visual imperfections,” says Prof. Sathya Prakash Varanasi, leading architect and convenor, INTACH, Bengaluru. Naresh Narasimhan, another leading architect and part of Citizens for Bengaluru, said that aesthetically a steel flyover may not look good.

“There are multiple flyovers, up and down ramps at the crucial Chalukya junction, that will ruin the look of the area. We are planning to take legislators on a guided tour of their backyard to show them how it would probably look like,” said Prakash Belwadi, of Citizens for Bengaluru.

- http://www.thehindu.com, October 19, 2016

Business inquiries for deals amounting to Rs 2,950 crore were generated as the 42nd edition of Indian Handicrafts and Gifts Fair (IHGF) wound up on Tuesday.

Over 5,000 trade visitors, including international buyers, buying agents and domestic volume retailers interacted with over 2,980 exhibitors who displayed nearly 2,000 products in home decor, lifestyle and fashion categories. The autumn fair gave a special thrust to promoting crafts from the northeastern region of India.

Inaugurated by Smriti Irani, Union minister of textiles, the fair saw visits from Ajay Tamta, minister of state, ministry of textiles, Mahesh Sharma, tourism and culture minister, Robert Vadra and Governor of Odisha Dr S C Jamir.

"A large chunk of the business came from countries like the US, UK, Germany, Australia, France, China and Japan," said Rakesh Kumar, executive director Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts that organised the fair.

- http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com, October 19, 2016

The new studio building of the Yashwantrao Chavan Maharashtra Open University (YCMOU) in Gangapur came alive on Tuesday as the central youth festival of the university started in full swing with more than 114 students from across the state participating in 18 fine arts and performing arts categories.

The festival that began on Tuesday afternoon went on till late in the evening as many events received spontaneous 'once mores', because of which the announcement of results got delayed.

"YCMOU has eight regional study centres at Amravati, Aurangabad, Mumbai, Nagpur, Nashik, Pune, Kolhapur and Nanded. These centres organise their own youth festivals and the top performers from each of the centres gets an opportunity to contest in the central youth festival at Nashik," university public relation officer, Santosh Sable said.

Marathi television and theatre actor Ashok Shinde formally inaugurated the festival and interacted with the students.

Known as the 'evergreen' actor of Marathi theatre, Shinde shared his college experience with the students. "I am told that many performers in today's youth festival are not full-time students. They are taking formal education along with their jobs through YCMOU. Yet, they are performing.. This university has given the state many actors, singers and painters over the years. I think this batch will continue the trend," Shinde said.

The university's youth festival is an important event in college life as YCMOU shapes the educational careers of many artistes who work hectic schedules and shifts. "The youth festival gives the much needed platform to the students for showcasing their talent," Shinde added. He also visited the art gallery of the university and praised the greenery in the premises.

In the performing arts category, one-act plays, skits, mimicry, singing, instrumental playing and dance competitions were held on Thursday. In the fine arts category, the students displayed their photographs, Rangoli, portraits and landscapes. In the literary events category, there were quiz contests, debates and spontaneous elocution contests held.

"Like last year, the Amaravati Regional centre dominated the theatrical section. Kolhapur's group dance was appreciated a lot, while Pune students recited poetry in a fantastic manner. The Nashik students excelled the debate, spot painting and photography," Sable said.

The results of all the events will be announced only on Tuesday night.

Central youth festival of the Yashwantrao Chavan Maharashtra Open University (YCMOU) began on Tuesday in the new studio building of the university in its administrative premises at Gangapur. More than 114 students selected in 18 Fine Art and Performing Art categories from across the state displayed their talent during the day-long cultural and literary extravaganza. The celebration that began on Tuesday afternoon was under way in full swing till late in the evening. As many events were receiving spontaneous 'once mores', the announcement of results got delayed.

"YCMOU has eight regional study centres at Amravati, Aurangabad, Mumbai, Nagpur, Nashik, Pune, Kolhapur and Nanded. These centres organise their own Youth festivals and the top performers from these centres get opportunity to contest in the central youth festival at Nashik," said Santosh Sable, Public Relation Officer of the university. Earlier, Marathi television and theatre actor Ashok Shinde formally inaugurated the festival and interacted with the students.

Known as 'Evergreen' actor of Marathi theatre, Ashok Shinde shared experiences of his college days with students. "I was told many performers in today's youth festival are not full time students. They are taking formal education along with their jobs and professions through YCMOU. Still, they are performing which must be appreciated. This university has given many actors, singers and painters to Maharashtra over the years. I think this batch will continue the trend," Shinde said.

"University's youth festival is very important event in college life. YCMOU has shaped educational careers of many artists who work in hectic schedules and shifts. The youth festival gives much needed platform to the students to showcase their talent," he added. Shinde also visited the art gallery of university and praised the greenery in university's premises.

In performing arts category, one-act plays, skits, mimes, mimicry, singing, instrumental playing and dance competitions were held on Thursday. In Fine Arts category, the students displayed their art works in photography, Rangoli, portraits and landscapes. In literary events category, the quiz contests, debate and spontaneous elocution contests were held during the festival.

"Like last year, Amaravati Regional centre dominated the theatrical section competitions like songs, one act play, skit, mimes competitions. Kolhapur's group dance was appreciated a lot, Pune students presented poetry recital in a fantastic manner. For Nashik, students did well in Debate Quiz contest as well as in spot painting and photography," Santosh Sable said while adding that the events will take much time and results would be announced late Tuesday night. - http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com, October 19, 2016

The dolphin count initiative - the first phase of which ended on Tuesday - by the Uttar Pradesh forest department and WWF India has revealed a rise in the number of dolphins from 22 in 2015 to 30 this year in the 192.27 kilometre stretch from Bijnor to Narora.

The survey is on a 400 km stretch of Ganga river and on Tuesday the first phase of it was completed. The survey will also devise a plan for its conservation.

Speaking to TOI, Aditi Sharma, Meerut divisional forest officer, said, "The dolphin survey was started on October 15 and the first phase ended on Tuesday. A total number of 30 dolphins were spotted. The stretch under my division includes the 192.27 km stretch from Bijnor to Narora - which last year recorded only 22 dolphins. I am glad that the number of dolphins has increased to 30."

"WWF India in collaboration with Uttar Pradesh forest department is conducting the dolphin census 2016 along the river Ganga. The census was flagged off on Friday, and will be completed in two sessions. In the first phase which finished on Tuesday, the stretch of the river Ganga from Bijnor to Narora was covered. In the second session, the stretch of the river from Kanpur to Fatehpur (approximately 175km) will be surveyed which will be done from October 20 and October 25," said coordinator-Aquatic Biodiversity, WWF-India, Sanjeev Kumar Yadav.

Talking to TOI, Mohd Shahnawaz Khan, senior project officer of WWF, said, "Gangetic river dolphins are among the world's most threatened mammals. Gangetic river dolphins, as top predators, can play a structural role in riverine ecosystems that can benefit the biodiversity of Ganga. These dolphins act as the fulcrum for keeping the balance of riverine ecosystem."

- http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com, October 19, 2016

The Catholic Church in Kerala has called on its members to adopt sustainable measures to conserve water and also protect the water bodies from contamination and pollution.

In a circular issued by the Kerala Catholic Bishops' Council (KCBC) commission on social justice and development, the church has asked its bishops, clergy and the laity to observe the ongoing `Year of Mercy' by respecting and refraining from abusing earth and nature. Man as the protector of environment has to treat mother earth and nature as God's gifts to mankind, it said. "Aga inst the backdrop of rising issues of drought, drinking water shortage and contamination of water bodies, it has become necessary to launch a water conservation aware ness programme for the society."

It called upon on all social service organisations related to the church to take up the activities to conserve water in wells. Calling for tapping rainwater and diverting it to the traditional wells which would recharge the groundwater, it asked the laity to ensure that every drop of rain water is conserved. "Though the state gets 3,000 mm of rains in a year, more than 70% is drained off. This flow must be prevented."

The circular said that most houses had either tiled or tarred the roads and the paths as a result of which the water flows on. Rain collection drains or rain holes should be made so that the water flows down into the mud and thus goes into the groundwater system. The waste water from the house should be reused for gardening or washing. People have to undergo a self-realisation that fall in rains could lead to severe water shortage in many areas.

"We have been doing a lot of work in spreading the message of sustainable living.The Year of Mercy comes to an end of next month but we don't want people to forget it.So we have issued the circular to tell people to make it a way of life," said KCBC deputy secretary general Fr Varghese Vallikkat. He said that each diocese would work to ensure that it become a practice in the society. These were some practical guidelines for people to implement in their life, he added.

- http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com, October 19, 2016

With many having decided to stop purchasing Chinese products this Diwali, there is heavy demand for traditional earthen lamps. And with that thousands of potters in Pokran and other places have got busy making earthen lamps with red sand. The Gramin Vikas Evum Chetana Sansthan of Barmer along with other women's groups have placed orders for thousands of earthen lamps and in place of oil these lamps will be filled with wax. The Santhan has started making 30,000 earthen lamps and will fill wax in place of oil. In Baldev Nagar too, the potters have been given order for making attractive lamps.

The Sansthan's art designer are giving colour to the lamps to make them look better than Chinese ones. The sansthan will send these lamps in the entire district and also will prepare more lamps. The sansthan has launched this campaign with a bid to create more employment. Intach chapter's Rawan Tribhuwan Singh said it is a good campaign to boycott Chinese products and start lighting earthen lamps. He said the chapter will increase its association and in forthcoming days will publicise about it. Intach's Yashovardhan Sharma becoming part of this campaign told to increase it further.

The sansthan secretary vikarm singh said more than one lakh lamps will be made and will light this diwali. Swarnkar mahila samuh president manju devi said for the first time, they are filling earthen lamp with wax. Sansthan's president Ruma Devi said she is feeling good that diwali will be celebrated with earthen lamps.

On the other hand, in pokaran area of jaisalmer, potters have started making thousands of earthen lamps in pokaran's red sand and colouring it. 150 potters of bhawani pole area in pokaran are budy and along with lamps, they are making various toys, idols and other decorative items which are in heavy demand.

- http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com, October 20, 2016

A British infrastructure delegation will visit Chandigarh on October 20 and 21. It comprises representatives of 11 UK companies, along with officials from the UK Department for International Trade and the British High Commission.

The delegation will have round-table meetings with chief secretaries of Punjab and Haryana as well as the Chandigarh Administration to discuss plans for the upcoming infrastructure projects in the region.

The British Deputy High Commission, Chandigarh, will also host an interactive session on ‘Infrastructure and Urban Development’ on October 21 to provide an opportunity for representatives of state governments, municipalities and the private sector to learn more about the expertise and capabilities of the UK companies and to explore how best they might participate in projects in the region.

The participating UK companies have expertise in infrastructure and urban planning, architectural design and heritage conservation, transport design, water and waste management, renewable energy and services, including project and programme management and construction delivery.

British Deputy High Commissioner, Chandigarh, David Lelliott said: “We are aware how important infrastructure and urban development projects are for people of this region, and have been engaging closely with governments at the state and city level. The UK has much to offer, hence I’m delighted that this delegation representing UK expertise across a wide range of relevant fields is visiting Chandigarh. The visit underlines the interest that the UK companies have in doing more in this region.”

The visit has been organised by the British Deputy High Commission, Chandigarh, and the UK Departnt for International Trade.

- http://www.tribuneindia.com, October 20, 2016

Swimming 20 mts. down, in the deep of the Andaman Sea, just off the coast of a newborn rainforest, I felt at peace with the planet and the universe. I held my breath for as long as I could to experience the silence, without the sound of my own exhalation. Just within my vision, 15 mts. away, I saw Mitali Kakar, the founder of Reefwatch Marine Conservation (who taught me to dive) gazing at a fan coral the way an art afficianado might theMona Lisa in the Louvre. Not far from us, we knew that the world's largest sharks were slowly filtering food from tropical waters that gave birth, billions of years ago, to all the magnificent diversity of life we see on land today. And when we returned to shore, we saw mud banks slick with tropical rain, where salties (salt water crocodiles) bred in mangrove estuaries thick with fish. Further out to sea, past the walls and outcrops of the corals we had come to explore, dolphins, turtles, jacks and manta rays that glided and floated through an inexhaustible larder stocked with sea grasses, weeds, plankton, lobsters, shrimp, prawns and jellyfish. Unimaginably powerful geological events that were responsible for pushing a breakaway piece of what was once Gondwanaland northwards, were still active, forcing plate tectonics to lift the already lofty Himalaya higher still. It is this mix of nature that is India's greatest wealth. It is this heritage that we are sworn to protect. Homo sapiens, an accident of evolutionary fate, has for inexplicable reasons been gifted dominance over the incomparable diversity of ecosystems that were birthed on the Indian subcontinent. What a rich piece of the planet we Indians are fortunate to be placed. A moderate climate, fertile soils, sparkling rivers and rainwashed forests that bursting with food are the order of the day. This is our own private heaven of plenty that our progenitors came to colonise.

To die for Unique, mysterious and forever fascinating, over the millennia the natural history of the Indian subcontinent remains largely unstudied, its natural wealth barely appreciated. To our utter good fortune, however, whale sharks, saltwater crocodiles and green turtles still swim the coastal waters of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

And in the legendary snow-capped Himalayan ranges that were thrust so sensationally skyward 25 million years ago, the snow leopard, still pads dominance over musk deer, Tibetan antelope, ibex, marmots and voles.

Even the apparently lifeless Thar that sprawls between the warring states of India and Pakistan throbs with life. And to the east, bordering Bhutan, Bangladesh and Myanmar, mists swirl permanently through cloud forests that shelter remarkable life forms ranging from tigers, elephants, rhinos and gibbons? to the world's largest moth, the Atlas.

Over 4,000 species of flowering plants including some of the rarest orchids on earth are to be found in this wild wonderland. Riverine grasslands in protected forests such as Manas in Assam still offer refuge to endangered species such as the Bengal Florican, pygmy hog and the hispid hare. And the great floodplains of the Indus, Ganges and Brahmaputra rivers, though radically altered by man's agricultural lifestyle, are among the most generative in the world.

In the Western Ghats, an ancient chain of hills running from north to south along the western coast, giant squirrels travel miles in the canopy without once descending to the forest floor. And along the narrow strip of peninsular India, 50 million Indians thrive on the productivity of a mosaic of corals, sandbars, mangroves and beaches. India is clearly still a land to die for. Its bounty wounded, but unmatched.

A history of protection

In 1271 a Venetian adventurer related incredible stories in his Book of Marvels of a land filled with curious animals - elephants, rhinos and great striped cats. That land was India. The man was Marco Polo. A thousand years before him, Emperor Ashoka had promulgated protective laws banning the felling of several species of trees and the establishment of sanctuaries where wild animals were protected. Nature conservation was never a novel concept to India. The Vedaslisted the virtues of sacred groves thousands of years ago and Gautama Buddha preached non-violence to all life forms in a deer park close to Sarnath. In 3 BC Chandrgupta Maurya had segregated forests into two types, one for commercial use and the other for worship. Only restricted hunting was allowed and the punishment for breaking the law was death. Timber was exceedingly valuable even then. Many of Alexander the Great's ships were built using hardwoods from India. But in those distant days technology was elementary and transport slow. What scars there were quickly healed. The big slide

The Moghuls and their shikar, however, made a deep dent in the populations of carnivores such as the lion, tiger, leopard and cheetah. The elephant suffered even more. By some estimates perhaps as many as 1,00,000 riding elephants were incarcerated by the Moghuls in their stables. But even this had a relatively limited effect on most species because the forests were still vast and before long animals re-colonised vacated niches. When the East India Company landed in India, the rules of the game changed. Their colonial attitude was not merely directed at India but at nature itself. So brutal was the extraction of timber that even they agreed that it was necessary for the teak forests close to the Malabar coast to be strictly protected as far back as in 1803. This nevertheless hardly prevented Nelson from building one of the world's largest fleets using our wood and our craftsmen. But even this damage was to pale before the ruin brought upon the land soon after the Second World War. Desperate to recoup financial losses, the pace of timber extraction was accelerated. And on a subcontinent awash in guns and explosives, all wild animals were fair game. Both Britishers and Royal Indians began to bag their tigers with an urgency that brought the species to the very brink. Such attitudes obliterated the tolerant values we were gifted with by our ancestors. This is why we must now struggle to save, what we used to love, respect and protect as a matter of course in bygone days.

The writer is the Editor of Sanctuary Asia magazine.

- www.thestatesman.com, October 20, 2016

On the first day of the mock round of National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) visit at the M S University (MSU), the team that consisted of professors and former vice chancellors of universities of Gujarat and other states, visited five faculties and various centres of MSU. Sources at the university said that the team gave various suggestions to the deans and heads of various departments wherever improvements were needed for the officialNAAC peer team's forthcoming visit.

The team visited vice chancellor Parimal Vyas in the morning at the university head office where Vyas made a long presentation about the inter-disciplinary app roach of the university and the digitalization of the student data base.

The team later visited arts, journalism and communication, science, family and community sciences, fine arts and performing arts faculties. The team also visited Nanotechnology Excellence Centre, All India and Central Services Training Centre and Oriental Institute. The deans and heads of department made presentations of their respective faculties and departments. Team members made individual visits to each department till late in the evening.

The team is expected to visit M K Amin College in Padra, Polytechnic College and faculties of commerce, management studies, medicine, technology and engineering, pharmacy, education and psychology, social work and law.

- http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com, October 21, 2016

The quality of empathy that makes Raghu Rai a versatile artist also defines his limitations Leafing through People, a book of Raghu Rai’s portraits, a passage from F. Scott Fitzgerald’s masterpiece The Great Gatsby comes to mind. On meeting Jay Gatsby for the first time, the novel’s narrator, Nick Carraway, is struck by the man’s smile. “It was one of those rare smiles,” Carraway recounts, “with a quality of eternal reassurance in it, that you may come across four or five times in life…. It understood you just as far as you wanted to be understood, believed in you as you would like to believe in yourself, and assured you that it had precisely the impression of you that, at your best, you hoped to convey.”

Portrait of the Dalai Lama, from Raghu Rai’s book ‘People’ Many of Rai’s portraits function like Jay Gatsby’s smile, conveying the impression one imagines the subjects would hope to convey at their best. In picture after picture, India’s best-known living photographer manages to draw out some essential strength from the subject till it gains the power of an embodied essence, whether it be the piety of Mother Teresa (now Saint Teresa), the philosophical serenity of the Dalai Lama, the ecstasy of M.S. Subbulakshmi in performance, or the iron gaze of Indira Gandhi.

Portrait of M.S. Subbulakshmi, from Raghu Rai’s book ‘People’.

One never feels his camera is judging a person’s character or politics. Perhaps that suspension of judgement is a prerequisite for any photojournalist, but Rai manages it better than most. He is as much at ease crafting an iconic image of Bal Thackeray wreathed in cigar smoke, framing an intense close-up of the militant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, or of a pensive Jayaprakash Narayan, as he is sympathetically recording members of the Gandhi dynasty. With artists and connoisseurs, his camera usually pulls out to include their tasteful collections, while dancers and musicians are often framed tightly against backgrounds that are dark or out of focus so that they verge on abstraction.

Portrait of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, from Raghu Rai’s book ‘People’.

The portraits work surprisingly well in the small format chosen by Aleph Book Company, except for a few faces such as that of journalist Kuldip Nayar, which disappear into the gutter space. The images follow no perceptible chronological or thematic order, which makes for delightful switches of mood, and some surprising bits of information—for instance, the fact that writer Tavleen Singh has sisters named Pity and Kitten. A few ordinary folk are mixed in among the celebrities, but these images are effective only when the subjects can be defined as victims, as in the case of refugees from East Pakistan, drawn from the series that first brought Rai to national attention in 1971.

Portrait of Jayaprakash Narayan, from Raghu Rai’s book ‘People’

The quality of empathy that makes him such a versatile artist also defines his limitations. To return to Fitzgerald, Rai’s camera only understands his subjects as they would like to be understood, believes in them as they might like to believe in themselves. The greatest portraitists—Titian, Frans Hals, Basavan and Lala Deen Dayal, to name but four—gave their rich patrons reason to be pleased with commissions, but retained enough artistic distance to add a layer of their own interpretation, which sometimes went against the grain of the obvious first impression. Rai’s compositions are powerful enough to reward repeated viewings but their impact always has the same dimensions. We rarely understand the image in a different way on seeing it again. This lack of semantic complexity leaves him ultimately a little short of my pantheon of supreme photographers.

Rai has published a number of volumes in recent years, among them Niyogi Books’ recent Khajuraho. Journalist Usha Rai provides a concise introduction to the history of the temples, marred by a few typographical errors that ought to have no place in an expensive coffee-table volume. The photographs, taken over numerous visits in the course of four decades, are broadly divided into two sections. Colour prints document daily life around the temple complex and the gaze of visiting tourists and pilgrims. In the book’s second half, black and white takes over and the focus shifts to architecture and sculpture. Rai delicately brings out the contrast between ordinary lives (enlivened occasionally by peculiar events like a migrating crane deciding to settle down permanently in the area and being adopted by villagers) and the magnificent edifices in whose vicinity those lives are lived. Turning his camera to the evocative stones, he captures the sinuous lines and the profound comprehension of mass and volume displayed in the design of the temples and the sculptures they contain. Guides at Konark are fond of explaining to tourists that not only does the World Heritage site in Odisha contain explicit images comparable in number to its central Indian counterpart, but that the sculptures are large enough to be viewed clearly from the ground. Khajuraho, it is true, does not afford as much clarity as Konark. The friezes lining the plinths, like the famous orgy depicted in the Lakshmana temple, are easily accessible, but many of the most interesting sculptures are tucked away in high niches, and require the kind of binoculars one takes along to a wildlife safari to be appreciated.

Rai used a specially constructed ladder to access the higher tiers and gain an eye-level view of individual carvings. His rendering of the stones—flesh, jewellery and minimal costume—is unimpeachable, and the images would have been unalloyed pleasure but for a calamitous decision that should never have got past the editor’s desk. Rai has included studio photographs of nearly naked women and placed these across from images of carved nudes, presumably seeking echoes between life and art. Unfortunately, the photographs of live models, cut off at the neck in order to hide identities, are utterly mediocre. To place these side by side with fine representations of some of the greatest artistic achievements in Indian history is an inexplicable error.

Girish Shahane is an independent critic and curator.

- http://www.livemint.com, October 21, 2016

Expert says road project should be carried out scientifically in Tiruvannamalai

Traditional water system in and around Tiruvannamalai hill needs to be preserved to ensure water security in the district, says V.R.Visweswaran, water resource expert.

Mr. Visweswaran is a hydro geologist retired from Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (CMWSSB). He had worked with several international agencies as water resource specialist. He conducted a study on Tiruvannamalai temple tanks in as late as 1997.

He recently visited Tiruvannamalai to assess the kind of impact the Girivalam path widening project may have on the water systems here. In an interview to The Hindu after his visit, Mr. Visweswaran said Tiruvannamalai hill has a structural feature of fissures and joints in archean rock formation that allows natural recharge and flow of rain water. The rain water flows into streams on all sides of pyramidal slopes of the hill and fills innumerable tanks, ponds, theerthams around the hill. The water ultimately reaches irrigation tanks in the plains and benefits farmers while recharging water table en route.

The rulers of the past provided storage structures for the waters flowing from the hills with tremendous knowledge on hydraulic structure of the hill. These hydraulic structures and courses of flow shall not be disturbed or altered now. Altering the water course will affect recharge of ground water and water available for irrigation. “Tiruvannamalai is a region that survives with low rainfall and every drop of water is important here. Hence preserving water harvesting structures constructed brilliantly centuries ago is important,” he said.

Any road project should be executed after studying hydraulic structure of the area, water flows. Utmost care should be taken to not to divert, destroy water courses. Raising road levels indiscriminately would affect water flows, he said. When asked about the plans of the highways department to dig new drainage, he said “any new channel, drainage and diversion of original courses without a scientific approach will result in water flowing into wrong areas which have no fissures for water to percolate.”

- http://www.thehindu.com, October 21, 2016

Greens on Friday hailed a court ruling on a Yamuna beautification project in Vrindavan that was seen as a threat to heritage structures, ghats and ASI-protected temples.

Despite protests from activists, construction work on the floodplains of the Yamuna began a month ago.

The activists had urged the Uttar Pradesh government to seek no-objection certificates from the departments concerned and the National Green Tribunal.

The Allahabad High Court on Thursday stayed the beautification project.

“We complained to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), which has clear guidelines on starting construction close to heritage and protected structures. The ASI registered an FIR against the government departments, but the work did not stop,” said Shravan Kumar Singh, Vice President of Braj Mandal Heritage Conservation Society.

Petitioner Madhu Mangal Shukla said the High Court had stayed all construction work on the project. The next date of hearing is November 28.

Of the many ancient ghats along the Yamuna, only a few remain now.

“The Yamuna earlier helped in natural flood control, groundwater recharge and promoted biodiversity. Encroachment and dumping of garbage over the years have posted a threat to the river system,” said one activist.

–IANS

- http://www.indialivetoday.com, October 21, 2016

India has been a bucket-list destination for travelers worldwide since recreational travel first began. Tour experts with whom Travel Agent spoke for our annual India Focus earlier this year were upbeat about everything from the country’s continually improving infrastructure, world-class hotels, unique river cruise experiences, and increasing popularity, especially among Millennials and luxury travelers.

India is such a large and diverse country that agents booking first-time visitors must be extra careful to discern precisely what these clients wish to see and experience in the time allotted. The lure for repeat travelers is that there always seems to be something new — or something they missed — that calls them back. Here is an update on the latest developments in India, including new hotels and tours, to consider while planning your next itinerary there.

A recent decision by UNESCO has added both the Capitol Complex in Chandigarh and Khangchendzonga National Park in Sikkim to the growing list of World Heritage Sites. The Capitol Complex, designed by Le Corbusier in the 1950s to represent a modern, independent India, is one of the seven works added by UNESCO recently (with others in France, Switzerland, Belgium, Germany, Argentina and Japan) to showcase the worldwide works of the Swiss-French architect.

At Khangchendzonga, the Heritage recognition for both natural and cultural significance is expected to help regulate the recent high influx of visitors by keeping any negative impacts of tourism to a minimum, all the while promoting the state as a prime destination for eco-tourism.

Taj Hotels’ Gateway Hotel Pushkar Bypass Ajmer in Rajasthan is an 81-room resort built in the Rajasthani royal style, complete with its own gardens. Taj Hotels’ Gateway Hotel Pushkar Bypass Ajmer in Rajasthan is an 81-room resort built in the Rajasthani royal style, complete with its own gardens. In Agra, India’s iconic Taj Mahal will remain open to visitors during an ongoing restoration, which is slated for completion in 2018. The mud-cleaning process requires the minarets to be covered with scaffolds, disrupting the view for visitors. To date, two of the minarets have been cleaned and two are still in the process of being completed. The cleaning of one of the outer arch has also begun, which is to be followed by the cleaning of all eight inner and outer arches and the main dome.

The city of Amritsar is offering more to visitors than just the Golden Temple and Wagah Border. To experience a typical village lifestyle, guests can enjoy a “farm-filled” stay in Punjabiyat, a resort about an hours’ drive from Amritsar. Easily accessible by road or rail, it offers visitors an opportunity to experience farm life, surrounded by fields and canals. Guests will walk along acres of crops and rural idylls before sunset and enjoy the stars of the Indian countryside. Food at the resort is reflective of Amritsar street fare: plentiful and full of flavors, sweet, sugary, buttery and spicy.

The Hornbill Festival will take place at a heritage village called Kisama from December 1-10. The festival is celebrated in the memory of the time when indigenous warrior-tribes of Nagaland who used to pit against each other banded together after World War II to fight against the invading Japanese army. The annual week-long festival is named after the colorful bird, the Hornbill, signifying the colorful, feathered and beaded head and battle gear the tribe members wore. Kisama is decorated with carved hutments that display cultural dances, indigenous sports, paintings and sculptures. Much of the festival incorporates traditional singing and dancing, and during the lunar and solar eclipses, drums can be heard being beaten to mourn for the sun until it rises again.

The Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation is hosting Lumbini Festival, an annual event celebrated in memory of Gautam Buddha and named after his birthplace in Lumbini Grove. The three-day festival, held this year from December 9-11 in Hyderabad, remembers and commemorates the simple teachings and philosophies of the Buddha with theater, plays and music during the pilgrimage to the holy site made by thousands of tourists and locals alike. During the festival the Nagarjuna Sagar Dam is illuminated to celebrate light. The celebration also offers guests an opportunity to meet with local painters, artisans, craftspeople and sculptors who showcase works reflecting ancient Buddhist history.

Luxury Gold, curated by Insight Vacations, is launching new culturally immersive experiences in India through partners ME to WE, giving clients the opportunity to spend time in a rural Rajasthan community. Guests work on building projects, learn about sustainable agricultural practices, and glean insightful knowledge about life in the hills and farmland of India through the personal stories of the men and women who live there. Guests stay at Araveli Cottages and Tented Camp, fully owned and operated by ME to WE, enjoying a sunrise yoga session and nature walk through the hills of the Aravalli mountain range. This new extension supports Luxury Gold’s commitment to sustain the environment and culture in which it operates, through the TreadRight Foundation, a joint initiative among The Travel Corporation’s (TTC) family of brands.

Peregrine Adventures is offering a new, limited edition “Jaipur Literature Festival & Kipling’s Bundi” tour in January. Beginning and ending in New Delhi, the 13-day itinerary also visits Agra, Ranthambore National Park, Bundi and Jaipur. Included on the tour is a two-day ticket to the Jaipur Literature Festival. The largest of its kind in the world, the Literature Festival is a five-day celebration of novelists, poets and book lovers across the globe. Other highlights of the tour include visiting City Palace, Hawa Mahal and Amber Fort in Jaipur; an evening and a morning safari in Ranthambore National Park; a trip to Taj Mahal and Agra Fort in Agra; visiting Jama Masjid, the Sikh temple Sheeshganj and completing an Old Delhi Walking Tour in Delhi; and experiencing Bundi Palace, step well and a walk in the town with a local guide in Bundi.

Pacific Delight Tours has launched a new “Culture & Culinary Delights” program, with three dates available through December 2016. The 10-day itinerary features an emphasis on experiential cultural and culinary offerings. Highlights of the tour include Khari Baoli spice market in Delhi, the Peshawri Restaurant’s take on the classic dish Dal Bukhara in Agra, lunch in the Rajasthani countryside and a bread-making experience in Jaipur. The program concludes in Mumbai with a lunch at Trishna Restaurant, which specializes in seafood and tandoori dishes, and a dinner at the famed Khyber restaurant, known for its architectural decor and high-profile clientele.

The accommodations at Araveli Cottages and Tented Camp are styled with tiled floors and private verandas offering views of the mountains.

The accommodations at Araveli Cottages and Tented Camp are styled with tiled floors and private verandas offering views of the mountains. Accommodations News

Radisson Blu has just opened the first phase of its new Radisson Blu Resort & Spa Karjat in Karjat, in the sub district of Raigad in Maharashtra. The 102-key resort is a two-hour drive from the popular tourist cities Mumbai and Pune. It draws architectural inspiration from Thai and Balinese designs and is expected to attract both leisure and business travelers alike. The hotel sits along the Ulhas River and has rooms and suites that boast 360-degree views of the Sahyadri Mountains. There is a restaurant and spa onsite as well.

The RS Sarovar Portico recently debuted in Palampur, offering 43 rooms and suites highlighting views of the Dhauladhar mountain ranges. Palampur is located in the Kangra Valley in Himachal Pradesh, and is known for being the tea capital of Northern India. Located about 35 kilometers from Dharamshala, the hotel offers guests a revolving restaurant and bar with menus comprising a variety of different cultural cuisines and cocktails. Also available at the property are 24-hour in-room dining, a fitness center and complimentary high-speed Internet. The hotel also has the largest banquet and conference facilities in the area, in both square-footage as well as capacity.

Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces has opened The Gateway Hotel Pushkar Bypass Ajmer in Rajasthan. Perched in the heart of the Aravalli Mountains to the north of the city of Ajmer, about 80 miles from the Jaipur airport, the 81-room resort hotel is built in the Rajasthani royal style, complete with its own gardens. The hotel’s architecture and design are inspired by the culture and history of Rajasthan; its regal design is typical Rajasthani pink sandstone, while rooms come with private balconies and jhoolas (swings). Inside, guests can view local Bani Thani art, which provides a window into the area’s cultural past, and listen to the live performances of Langa folk singers.

For relaxation, there’s a swimming pool, sunk into the expansive courtyard; the spa, offering massage therapies; and in-room yoga. At the all-day dining restaurant Aravali, guests can indulge in specialties such as Lal Maas, Dal Baati Churma, Ghewar, Bajre ki Khichdi, Rajasthani Pulao and Gatte ki Sabzi. There is also the Gateway Active Foods menu, which provides a healthy spin on traditional dishes.

The hotel is a convenient base for exploring Rajasthan, including the spiritual trail of Sufi saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti in Ajmer and the Hindu pilgrimage sites of Pushkar, one of India’s oldest cities and the “rose garden” of Rajasthan. Tip: Each year in November, Pushkar comes to life for the world’s largest camel fair.

Oberoi Hotels & Resorts is targeting a fall opening for the highly anticipated The Oberoi Sukhvilas Resort & Spa in Chandigarh, India. Surrounded by more than 8,000 acres of protected natural forest, the luxury spa resort’s design incorporates traditional Indian pavilions with aesthetically landscaped courtyards and chic, modern elements. Sixty spacious villas, rooms and tents offer forest views while filled with soft, natural light.

The new resort sets the standard for luxury in the greater Chandigarh area, as the property is about 30 minutes by car outside the city’s center. Adorned with handcrafted design features, all rooms and villas are equipped with the most modern technologies. For example, Villas and Luxury Tents offer private, temperature-controlled pools.

The spa occupies a secluded space surrounded by forest on three sides and offers massage therapies, Ayurveda, hydrotherapies, a steam, an ultraviolet sauna, a Turkish hammam and a Roman tepidarium. The Oberoi Sukhvilas’ indoor and al fresco dining venues serve international cuisines.

Slated to open November 1, W Goa will have 160 accommodations — guestrooms, suites, chalets and villas — spread out across a secluded setting along Vagator Beach on India’s Arabian Sea coast. Amenities include Wee Kids Club, Spa by Clarins, FIT gym, WET pool and high-speed Wi-Fi. Four restaurants serve a variety of cuisines, including Indian, pan-Asian, Mediterranean and international dishes. Nearby is the historic Chapora Fort, a 500-year-old Portuguese structure that affords panoramic vistas of Goa and the sea.

W Goa offers 160 guestrooms, suites, chalets and villas spread out across a secluded setting along Vagator Beach on India’s Arabian Sea coast. Seen here is one of the hotel’s Spectacular Rooms.

W Goa offers 160 guestrooms, suites, chalets and villas spread out across a secluded setting along Vagator Beach on India’s Arabian Sea coast. Seen here is one of the hotel’s Spectacular Rooms.

International Air Update
Delta Air Lines and joint venture partner Air France-KLM will enhance their existing cooperation with India’s Jet Airways, subject to government approvals. Effective from October 30, Delta customers flying from the United States and Europe will be able to connect to Jet Airways’ flights to Mumbai from Paris; and to New Delhi and Mumbai from Amsterdam. From there customers can then fly to 20 destinations within India.

Earlier this summer, Air India began flying to London again on the first leg of the carrier’s new one-stop service from Newark Liberty International Airport to Ahmedabad, India. The flights operate three times a week — Monday, Thursday and Fridays — on new Boeing 787 Dreamliners. Passengers whose final destination is Ahmedabad are given the option to stop over in London at the beginning or end of their trip at no additional charge. The new direct service, in addition to Air India’s daily nonstop flights from Newark to Mumbai and daily nonstop flights from Delhi to JFK airport, brings the airline’s total to 17 flights a week from the New York metro area to India.

Air India has also announced the increasing of its nonstop service from San Francisco to Delhi from three to six flights a week starting November 21. The flying time is 16 hours and 15 minutes, about three-and-a-half hours shorter than any other airline. The Boeing 777 flights will be departing every day except Tuesday. Departures from San Francisco will leave at 10:30 a.m. and departures from Delhi will be at 2:35 a.m. local times. Air India is also offering connections from San Francisco to other major cities across India, including Bangalore, Mumbai, Amritsar, Hyderabad, Chennai and Pune.

Intra-India Flight News
AirAsia recently began service connecting Bengaluru with Hyderabad and Goa. Additionally, the airline is operating flights between Bengaluru and Guwahati daily as well. The airline also has recently announced the expansion of its fleet along with the starting of new routes in India, inducting 20 Airbus A320 aircraft to its operation.

Also new this fall, Supreme Airlines has begun operating flights between Jaipur to Jodhpur and Udaipur. The inter-state flight is being operated six days a week with a nine-seater Cessna Caravan-C 2088 aircraft.

Two airlines have increased their destinations to include Port Blair in their routes. Vistara Airlines has recently made Port Blair its 18th destination. The newly launched daily, direct service runs from New Delhi via Kolkata (on the same aircraft), which increases the frequency between Delhi and Kolkata to three flights daily. IndiGo has also made Port Blair its 41st destination with a daily nonstop to Port Blair from Kolkata and Chennai. It will also be connected to Delhi via Kolkata and Hyderabad via Chennai. In celebration of the airline’s 10th anniversary, it’s also launching additional frequencies with daily nonstop flights between Delhi and Kolkata, Delhi and Chennai and Hyderabad and Varanasi sectors.

- http://www.travelagentcentral.com, October 22, 2016

When Stefano De Caro first saw the Palace Museum, or Forbidden City, in the movie "The Last Emperor" in the 1980s, he thought, "this is China."

After visiting the palace complex, however, it dawned on him that there was much more about China.

"The Palace Museum has over the years impressed me on many more perspectives," De Caro, director-general of the International Center for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property (ICCROM), told Xinhua at the 2016 Ancient Civilization Forum, which was held at the Palace Museum from Wednesday to Thursday.

For example, the restoration work is fantastic, De Caro said. Today, the Palace Museum has a conservation team of more than 100 professionals, who are tasked with restoring and maintaining the museum's rich collection, which includes ancient calligraphic works, paintings, time pieces and bronze items.

The Palace Museum is home to the world's largest ancient Chinese calligraphy and painting collection. While many are hundreds of years old, some were born over a millennia ago.

The museum's noteworthy efforts in conserving cultural treasures can be seen from "Five Oxen," a painting scroll by 8th century artist and prime minister Han Huang.

Oxen represent agriculture as foundation of ancient China. Han, who was active during the Tang Dynasty, so elaborately depicted five oxen that their muscles, bones and hairs are as vivid as the living animals from which he drew inspiration.

The painting, which is the world's oldest surviving Chinese paper painting, was lost during the warring period in 1900.

The central government, at great financial cost, recovered the painting after it reappeared in Hong Kong in the 1950s. When the painting was returned to the Palace Museum, it had more than 200 holes and was stained with dirt and mould.

In 1977, careful restoration work began on this splendid piece of art, and after eight months it was restored to its previous splendor. Stories of treasured Chinese antiques and artifacts being given a new lease of life have gone on within the red walls of the Forbidden City. Earlier this year, "Masters in the Forbidden City," a China Central Television documentary that profiled the work of the museum's restoration department became an unexpected Internet hit. It clocked up over four million views and scored an impressive rating of 9.5/10 on a major video-streaming website in China.

The responsibility, inner peace and persistence of the technicians have made them "idols" among many of the post-80s and post-90s generations. "It is important to attract young people, who have developed higher expectations on museums," De Caro said, noting this challenge is faced by museums worldwide .

De Caro also spoke highly of the opening-up of this once-forbidden space.

In 2002, only 30 percent of the Forbidden City was open to the public, last year this rose to 65 percent, and soon 80 percent of the complex will be accessible, according to the Palace Museum.

To commemorate its 90th anniversary last year, the museum opened freshly restored sections including the Palace of Longevity and Health and the Garden of the Palace of Compassion and Tranquility, both used by Ming and Qing dynasty empress dowagers, as well as its southeast corner tower. This forum aimed to generate solutions to common problems in preserving world cultural heritage and to seek ways of sustainable inheritance of human civilizations.

It brought together leading archeologists, historians and museologists from ICCROM, the International Council of Museums (ICOM), International Council on Monuments and Sites and eight countries known for their ancient civilizations -- Egypt, Greece, India, Iran, Iraq, Italy, Mexico and China. Over 40 professionals from various countries signed "The Declaration of Supreme Harmony," appealing to countries with great civilizations to strengthen communication and better protect cultural heritage.

The inheritance of social and cultural traditions brings the global community closer, said Shan Jixiang, director of the Palace Museum. "Protection and development of the world's cultural legacies does not only boost international cultural exchanges but also helps shape the memory and identity of a nation," Shan said.

Preserving and sharing culture of the ancient civilizations is a global theme, Hans-Martin Hinz, former ICOM president, told Xinhua. "The Palace Museum's contributions are visible to the rest of the world."

In 2013, ICOM, then headed by Hinz, founded its first international museum studies training center at the Palace Museum. The center is committed to training professionals, particularly those from less developed countries, in order to enhance their capabilities of managing museums.

"Some African countries, which are very different from nations in the European Union or East Asia, really need help," Hinz said, noting that the Palace Museum and the Chinese government have provided strong technical and financing support to help museum employees from Africa.

Hinz said the training center is a success and the ICOM is considering to establish a second overseas center.

Elham Aly, head of museums under the Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities, has 27 years of experience managing museums in Egypt.

This is her first trip to the Palace Museum, which she described as an institution of "passion and history."

"Ancient palaces in Egypt are almost no longer tangible. I am impressed by the maintenance of the huge Forbidden City. I value the Palace Museum's mission, vision and policies. We should keep it forever," Aly remarked.

Shan, who visited the conservation center of the Grand Egyptian Museum under construction, said he was also impressed by its scale and technologies, acclaiming the center a world-class restoration platform which the Palace Museum wants to have in the future.

De Caro, an Italian, advised China to build a cultural academy in Rome to promote Chinese classical arts and restoration techniques, as France and Japan have done.

"Cooperation in preserving cultural heritage and carrying forward the ancient civilizations is important. It shapes a generation," De Caro said. "To be attractive, culture is first," Aly said. When asked if she wants to visit the Palace Museum for more exchanges, she replied, "why not?"

- http://www.ecns.cn, October 23, 2016

Almost a decade ago, archaeologists confirmed that the Neolithic people of Tamil Nadu shared the same language family of the Harappan group following the finding of Neolithic celts at Sembian Kandiyur near Mayiladuthurai. The symbol was first identified from pottery graffiti at Sanur, near Tindivanam followed by Mangudi and Tirunelveli. Epigraphists found that the signs corresponded with the characters in the Indus script.

Meanwhile, a team of amateur archaeologist unearthed ancient pottery remains near Pudukkottai a couple of days ago. The damaged potteries with graffiti marks were found to be a primitive form of written script that is similar to that of the graffiti found in other parts of the state. Based on the information from a local resident, members of Pudukkottai Archaeological Research Foundation had gone on an explorative study at Ramasamypuram, Mangalanadu- Ambalathidal.

The site is spread across 173 acres and located in the banks of Villuni River, in the boundaries of Ramasamypuram and Mangalanadu, which is filled with black and red pottery pieces, along with burnt out metal, mud casting for metal shapes and crystal stones, says archaeology enthusiast and founder of the foundation A Manikandan.

"The graffiti found here on pots are of two types, one is phonetic and the other is a pictograph. The pictograph looks like an upside down trident. The Greek archaeological experts opine that these symbols depicts the burial site of a warrior," he told TOI. However, he says that according to some, it is a simple mark of pot makers. "These kind of marks are found in Sri Lanka, Greece, and various ancient archaeological sites in India. In this light, the symbols and pictograph must be the universal language of the ancient times. The bones and other remains found at the site should be send for carbon dating and the foundation is taking proper steps to find the actual time of the civilization," Manikandan said.

He said the site is covered with ancient pottery with graffiti marks. "These ancient graffiti was initially mentioned by A Sundara in the year 1881. The markings may be 3,000-4,000 years old and might have been developed in to a written script, which latter developed as Thamizi," he said.

The team has found several other archaeological artifacts. A calcium and mortar flooring, mud rolls and ruined circular base for kilns or some other structure were also found at the site.

"The archaeological sites of Karur, Uraiyur, Alagankulam, Vallam and Kodumanal, have pots with graffiti markings. The lower part has Tamizhi writing and the upper part has graffiti marking. This is also an evidence that these markings are primitive forms of written script," Manikandan added.

- http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com, October 23, 2016

Villagers and activists held protests on Saturday at Agasaim, opposing a cement plant in the paddy fields and the 'Mini India' park at Quelossim, alleging that natural heritage is being destroyed through a set of illegalities.

The activists under the banner of United for Mother Goa and History-Heritage action group first held a demonstration with 400 villagers in Agasaim to support locals engaged in the traditional occupations of fishing and agriculture.

The locals are aggrieved over the tin-sheet structure and bulldozing of a road, both in the paddy fields for a cement plant to provide concrete for construction of the new Zuari bridge.

Napoltin Rodrigues, a widow with two daughters, depends entirely on fishing for a living. "The upcoming project has caused hardship to me and my family as it is very difficult to get seafood," she says.

The locals are unable to produce paddy, brinjal and other crops, while access to the beach is also blocked due to the ongoing work and pollution.

"My family and I rely on agriculture, as we grow paddy and sell it to villagers, who depend on fresh organic produce," Sucorina Gracias said. Sarpanch James Afonso said that the panchayat has not issued any permission to it. "I strongly support the locals, but only for the right reasons. The illegal construction started on private property after the church committee gave it on a three-year lease," he said.

The activists moved to Quelossim later and joined the locals in support of their protest against the Mini-India park project. They inspected the large areas in fertile khazan land on the Zuari river bank reclaimed illegally by project promoters, mangroves destroyed and a few structures.

A bund has been broadened into a road on the basis of a provisional approval from the panchayat.

Activists, Prajal Sakhardande, Judith Almeida, and villager Lopinho Xavier were among those who spoke and said that they would continue opposing the project.

- http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com, October 23, 2016

The Jewish community in the Pune city is thankful for the minority status granted to it after the Government of Maharashtra approved the proposal in the month of June 2016. Senior members of the community said that this would not only give the community not only the recognition, it deserved, but also spread awareness about them and help them to contribute towards the welfare of the community.

In the words of Daniel Penkar, president of the Succath Shelomo Synagogue, “This is a welcome move and there is a general feeling of gratitude and happiness among the members of the community. The Government has done the right thing and it is commendable.” “Jews will now be able to avail all Government schemes and subsidies and scholarships, he further added.

A Synagogue is a Jewish house of worship. It is the Jewish equivalent of a church, mosque or temple.

Jews are now India’s seventh minority group, along with Muslims, Christians, Buddhists, Sikhs, Jains and Parsis. India is one of the few countries in the world where Jews have never faced any harassment or persecution.

India has approximately 5,000 Jews out of which nearly 2,500 are in Maharashtra. However, according to government authorities, the Government has no official record of the number of Jews in Maharashtra, as there was no special column for Jews in the census form. Many of them were considered as Christians. An accurate census has never been done.

What is a minority? The Constitution of India has used the word ‘minority’ or its plural form in some Articles, 29 to 30 and 350A to 350B, but has not defined it anywhere.

But by a general understanding a minority Group is a subordinate group whose members have significantly less control or power over their lives than members of a dominant or majority group or any section of citizens having a distinct language, script and culture.

According Dr Zoya Hasan, a Professor at Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi, and a member of the National Commission of Minorities, a meaningful conception of minorities should include sections of people who, on account of their non-dominant position in the country as a whole, are targets of discrimination and therefore deserving of special consideration.

While the subject of defining ‘minority’ is under consideration by the Government of India and the supreme court, and whether it is a state subject or central, there is no doubt that Jews in India are a minority , a minute minority in any state or as a country.

The Jews of India are not one singular community. Among themselves they are divided into different communities. Each community has its own culture, background and origin. Each community claims its arrival in India in different ways and times and it is not always clear how they really came to India. As of today, there are a number of Jewish groups in India.

The oldest Indian Jewish community is in Kerala, based in the port city of Cochin. They have been in India for at least 1,000 years if not more. At the time of independence, there were seven active synagogues in Kerala. Today there is a regular minyan only in the Paradesi Synagogue of Cochin. A minyan is the quorum necessary for public worship among Jews. It is the smallest congregation which is permitted to hold public worship and one made up of ten men.

The world-renowned Paradesi Synagogue was first built in 1568, reconstructed in part and enlarged over the years. The synagogue is situated at the north end of Synagogue Lane, a narrow street lined on both sides with houses that were once Jewish owned and occupied.

Today the Paradesi Synagogue is said to be the oldest functioning Jewish house of prayer not only in South India, but in the whole country, and even the entire British Commonwealth. It is visited by thousands of tourists from India and abroad each year. It is open six days a week, except on Friday afternoons and all day Saturday when it is closed. It is very well maintained.

Chennai Jews: The so-called Spanish and Portuguese Jews, Paradesi Jews and British Jews arrived at Madras during the 16th century. Following expulsion from Iberia (now Spain) in 1492, a few families of Jews eventually made their way to Madras 9 now Chennai) in the 16th century. They maintained trade connections with Europe, and their language skills were useful. Although they spoke Spanish, in India they learned Tamil and Malayalam from the Cochin Jews. They were diamond businessmen.

The Baghdadi Jews consists of Jews from West Asia, mainly from Baghdad and Syria who came in the 19th century as traders and refugees. They settled in Bombay, Calcutta and Pune, They first arrived in Surat which was then the most important port on the West Coast. They spoke Arabic or Persian and English. At one time, there were about 5000 of them, today less than 200, most of them having emigrated to U.K., Australia and Canada.

The Bene Ephraim (also called “Telugu Jews”) are a small group who speak Telugu; their observance of Judaism dates to 1981. The Bnei Menashe are Mizo and Kuki tribesmen in Manipur and Mizoram who are recent converts to Jewish religion.

In addition there are Ashkenazi Jews, who claim Israeli origin – speculated to be one of the lost tribes – and call themselves Bnei Menashe. Each group has active synagogues.

As of today, it is the Bene Israel who predominate the Jews in India. Some say that they came from the ancient kingdom of Israel after they were defeated by the Assyrian king in 722 B.C.E. Some believe that when the kingdom of Judah was destroyed and Jerusalem taken by the Babylonians in 586 B.C.E. some of the Jews reached the West Coast ofIndia. Oral tradition and probably the most favored one is that they descended from the Jews who fled in 175 B.C.E. from the Syrian-Greek ruler Antiochus Epiphanes, were ship wrecked at Navgaon near the port of chaul on the Konkan Coast.

Seven men and 7 women survived and from there the Bene Israel spread to many of the surrounding villages in the Konkan. Most of the Bene Israel people have surnames ending with ‘’kar’’ identifying with the villages where they resided. There are 142 such surnames. In a new study, it has been revealed that the Bene Israel community in India carries genetic proof of their Jewish roots.

- http://www.dailyexcelsior.com, October 23, 2016

The second international seminar on Health, Human Rights and Intellectual Property Rights with the theme ‘Traditional Knowledge’ that was conducted here recently discussed the challenges and potential of the sector.

It saw academicians, policy-makers, students, custodians and stakeholders of traditional knowledge from different sectors in Kerala discuss the need to protect traditional knowledge and to suggest the way forward. There was also an exhibition of famous Kerala Geographic Indications (GI) like Arnamula mirror, Vazhakulam pineapple, Pokkali rice, etc.

The event was organised by the Centre for Health Law and Policy, Centre for Human Rights and the Centre for Intellectual Property Rights of the National University of Advanced Legal Studies (NUALS). It was inaugurated by Kerala High Court Judge Kemal Pasha. The jurisprudential aspects of traditional knowledge too were discussed. This was followed by a core session chaired by Carlos M. Correa of the University of Buenos Aires and Ghazala Javed from the Ministry of AYUSH. The second day of the seminar discussed the challenges and opportunities of traditional knowledge holders. Also discussed was the role of traditional knowledge in promoting healthy living.

- http://www.thehindu.com, October 24, 2016

Of Karnataka's 508 centrally protected monuments, 57 sites, including the iconic Gol Gumbaz in Vijayapura, are encroached. Karnataka ranks second in the list of states with the highest number of encroached monuments, trailing Uttar Pradesh, where 96 structures are encroached. To blame are official apathy and a lack of public awareness.

The culture ministry's documents say 278 centrally protected monuments across the country are encroached upon.These include the house in West Bengal where British In dia's commander-in-chief Robert Clive resided, and Fatehpur Sikri in Uttar Pradesh.

Officials said the nature of encroachments varies -from small stalls to other structures in the protected area -at the historic sites in the state. At Gol Gumbaz, the tomb and other structures within the protected ar ea are encroached upon.

Karnataka has protected monuments in 24 of its 30 districts. Vijayapura accounts for 53 of the 57 encroachments, followed by Bidar (2), while Chamarajanagar and Kalaburagi each have one encroached site. Vijayapura is home to 182 protected sites, the highest in the state.

While estate officers of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), which is responsible for protecting these monuments, have issued notices, officials said clearing the encroachments is not possible without the assistance of the state archaeological departments and local administration.

Manjula N, commission er for the department of archaeology, museums and heritage, said, "The ASI has the right to deal with these monuments, and we have no role to play in this. If ASI is unable to clear the encroachments, then the practice is to seek help from the local administration."

Experts said the government betrayed an apathetic attitude to preservation of heritage. Director of municipal administration, Vishal R, said in defence of the government: "The ASI must take the initiative. These are centrally protected monuments, and we play a supporting role. We will be more than happy to help the ASI."

Although UP has 39 more encroached monuments, the difference is reduced to 1%, if the number of encroached sites is juxtaposed with the number of protected structures in both states. The 96 encroached monuments in UP account for 12% of that state's total of 742 centrally protected sites. Karnataka has encroachments on 11% (57) of its monuments. Maharashtra, the third on the list, has 30 monuments which are illegally occupied. They account for 10.52% of its 285 protected monuments.

Prof S Settar, a historian with the National Institute of Advanced Studies, Bengaluru, said the problem is not restricted to encroachment."The problem is with overall preservation," he said. Concurring with the view, experts said shortage of staff and funds is also a problem."Fund paucity, staff and lack of awareness among citizens to push for preservation are existing problems, but they cannot become excuses for our failure to protect our heritage. The preservation policy is outdated, lacks innovation. Local bodies neglect preservation, and disown several properties," Settar pointed out.

- http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com, October 24, 2016

The Bengaluru comprehensive development plan for 2031 (CDP 2031) flouts rules for protection of historical monuments, and allows construction of buildings up to 7m high within 100m of a historical monument and up to 10.5m within 200m in six planning zones.

The Bangalore Metropolitan Regional Development Authority (BMRDA), the nodal agency for development of six planning authorities on the outskirts of Bengaluru, has approved CDP 2031 for all six authorities in the last few months.In all cases, it has allowed construction of buildings within 100m of any historical location or heritage site, despite the same being barred by a gazetted notification of 1998.

A CDP is meant to serve as a regulatory framework for urban growth of a particular area, and should make provisions for protection of history and heritage. In July this year, BMRDA approved the plan for Magadi local planning authority (LPA). As part of the approved CDP, a special chapter has been dedicated to archaeologicalhistorical monuments and precincts. While the chapter suggests that BMRDA intends to protect heritage sites, special provisions have been made for allowing construction of buildings within 100m and 200m distance of any historical monument.

In Magadi, three historical locations, declared protected monuments by the state archaeology department, have been identified. These include the fort of Bengaluru's founder Nadaprabhu Kempe Gowda, Ranganathaswamy tem ple and Someshwara temple. According to a March 10, 1998 gazette, available on the Karnataka archaeology department website, any construction, mining or quarrying within 100m of a historical monument, is barred. Further, within a 200m radius, activity is to be regulated as the area has to be declared a buffer zone.

Despite this gazette notification, the CDP for Magadi LPA has allowed the following provisions: "Buildings up to and inclusive of first floor or up to a height of 7m from ground level, whichever is less, is permissible within a distance of 100m from the premises of the monument."

Further, buildings "up to and inclusive of second floor or up to a height of 10.5m from the ground" have been allowed within a distance of 200m from the premises of the monument. The same provisions have been allowed in the CDPs for Nelamangala, BIAPPA, Anekal, Hoskote and Kanakapura.

BMRDA additional director for town planning MN Thippeswamy said the CDP had said construction could not take place within a protected zone without a no-objection certificate from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) or the state archaeology department. "The permission made available is subject to the NoC and also the approval of a special heritage committee, which needs to be constituted for protecting the no-construction zone, if required," he said.

The CDP suggests that the local planning authorities set up heritage committees for the purpose of providing necessary government approvals, and says all construction will be subject to getting no-objection certificates from the state archaeological department or ASI.

Urban design and heritage expert Sathya Prakash Varanashi said the CDP may have decided to allow construction as ASI and the state archaeology department also have rules for town planning. " A lot of Indian rules are generalized. Oversight of the interdependency of rules -as is it in this case where both ASI and state archaeology department rules are effective in town planning -may have led CDP to state that construction activity can take place. It is time the government decided to protect heritage and historical structures directly or indirectly ," he said.

Times view This seems like a classic case of creating loopholes to allow construction in protected zones, and then covering the loopholes with paper-thin riders so that the officials concerned keep themselves safe. The fact is that the rules do not allow construction near heritage sites, but local planning authorities are clearly aiming to flout those rules, and the BMRDA -the supervisory authority -is allowing it. If the comprehensive development plan-2013 allows for construction in a protected zone and then requires residents to get a zillion permissions to build there, it is creating a complicated and bureaucratic process, which is just laying the foundation for further corruption.

- http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com, October 24, 2016

Ancient sculptures from Goa's temples and villages are a valuable property of the nation, even if they are mutilated. Locals must instantly inform government officials about any discarded sculptures, said historian, Rohit Phalgaonkar.

"Any sculpture tells you about the period they are from which is why they have to be preserved. But, there is a tendency to neglect sacred sculptures once they're mutilated," Phalgaonkar said, adding that people dispose off damaged sculptures without realizing their worth.

"People don't know that these sculptures are a part of history, heritage and archaeology or how long back they date. But, most of them are centuries old thus the stone gets deteriorated. In such a situation, competent government authorities have to be informed to collect them," he said.

The department of archaeology usually rescues such sculptures and the Goa state museum restores them.

He claimed that possessing ancient damaged sculptures is not acceptable.

"It is a crime to keep discarded sculptures, unless it belongs to one's family. It's as good as smuggling because the sculpture is a valuable property of the nation," the historian said.

Speaking about his subject, 'Iconography', Phalgaonkar said, "Every village of Goa is governed by a local deity, guardian deity, a spirit, etc, and each have sculptures. The ornaments worn by them depict the art of those times, which is lost today. This is what iconography focusses on." In his presentation, Phalgaonkar focused on Hindu iconography in Goa. "The iconography of Hindu tradition shows a pattern of sculptures of the elite class, royals, locals, attendants etc. But it doesn't target the labour class."

- http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com, October 24, 2016

Animal rights activists have reacted sharply to the Byculla zoo penguin's death. Many have demanded a stop to the trade in exotic species just so they are kept in confinement to entertain the public.

Activist Anand Siva, who demonstrated outside the zoo in July against the import of the penguins, said, "This (the death) is something we had feared from day one. A penguin has died even before the public could see the birds."

The legal advisor of People For Animals, Ambika Nijjar, said, "In September 2014, I wrote to the BMC informing them that bringing these penguins was against the National Zoo Policy and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), which India has signed and ratified. Humboldt penguins are on Appendix 1 of CITES. International commercial trade in these species is prohibited. These penguins are native to Chile. They live in cold weather and extremely specific conditions.

"In India we neither have the expertise nor the weather conditions to keep them. I hope the BMC, takes cue from this and does not keep importing more endangered species only to let them die on our soil."

Siva said the zoo has a history of poor upkeep of animals, and penguins need extensive care. "(The zoo has a) terrible track record. The Shiv Sena must take full responsibility for this and voluntarily shut down the zoo. The CZA (Central Zoo Authority) must immediately rehabilitate the remaining animals." His view was echoed by many activists.

Activist Gauri Maulekhi said, "To bring in animals and birds of another biodiversity and have them adjust to a place like Mumbai under artificially simulated conditions is no joke.The BMC ought not have played with lives to fulfil poll promises.It's unfortunate that enough thought and the value of life was not taken into consideration."

The director of the Federation of Indian Animal Protection Organisations (FIAPO), Arpan Sharma, said, "It is high time we banned the concept of a zoo and let wildlife conservation take place in natural biodiversity. We are already witnessing bird flu outbreaks in other zoos in India, which indicates a poor state of affairs."

- http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com, October 24, 2016

Inscribed as a World Heritage Site in 2013, the site management plan of the fragile Sonar Fort is still not in place in totality. Now with the deadline for UNESCO reviewing the conservation works and site management plan scheduled in November, officials are gearing up to implement bylaws made under site management plan.

Ironically, the draft of the site management plan was handed over to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) in August 2014 and implementing this plan was an important parameter of UNESCO for the world heritage site. Manish pundit who prepared this site plan said he had handed over this plan to ASI long time back but the same was not implemented.

"Bylaws made for the Sonar Fort will be implemented soon and a meeting has been called on Mon day under the chairmanship of the chief secretary in which officials from ASI, RUIDP , district administration, tourism and urban development department would be present," said P V S Raman, Jodhpur centre superintendent, ASI.

According to Raman, soon a consolidated report on conservation and other works being done has to be handed over to the UNESCO. The officials would have to submit a report on the progress of site mana gement plan, visitor management sub plan, sewerage works being done by RUIDP and other conservation works at the fort along. Besides, issues like removal of illegal constructions and encroachments would also be discussed in the meeting."Last month, a wall of Sonar Fort had suddenly collapsed while being repaired. Now with end of monsoon season, the repair work has started again which will be completed in 3-4 months," said Raman.

- http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com, October 24, 2016

Chairman of Vasireddy Venkatadri Institute of Technology Vasireddy Vidya Sagar disclosed that an extra-ordinary Kuchipudi dance programme was organised at the institute on Thursday by Society for Promotion of Indian Classic Music and Culture Amongst Youth (SPIC-MACAY), New Delhi, under the aegis of Cultural, Dance and Music Club.

He said that VVIT and its school the VIVA, were ahead in exploring Indian culture and heritage. SPIC-MACAY is a voluntary movement striving to create awareness on the rich cultural heritage of the country among youth and children as part of it artistes of repute perform at educational institutions.

Classical music, both Hindustani and Carnatic, vocal and instrumental; classical dance forms, folk music and folk dances from across the country, traditional handicrafts and paintings and yoga are introduced to the students.

In the programme on Thursday, Dr Yeleswarapu Srinivasulu, grandson of Yakshagana Chakravarthi Mahankali Satyanarayana, performed Kuchipudi dance with his team. He learnt the art form from legendary gurus Vempati Pedda Satyam, Vempati and Chinna Satyam, Vedantam Satyanarayana Sarma, Mahankali Sriramulu Sarma and Pasumarti Rathayya Sarma.

- http://www.thehansindia.com, October 28, 2016

Students of Ryan International School, Chandigarh, put up a spectacular show for the 4th International Festival of Performing Arts (IFPA) that was held at Tagore Theatre on October 25-26. Two shows were held on each day, which witnessed the presence of an impressive array of luminaries and distinguished guests from the region. The festival was based on the theme of ‘Brighter Tomorrow’.

International trainers from Finland, Latvia, Egypt and Zimbabwe trained over 1,600 children of Ryan International, Chandigarh and Mohali, for the festival.

The initiative enabled the children from various cultures to come together and enjoy the diversity of ideas. The show reflected the values of liberty, tolerance and equality. This mega event had the children performing the Finnish, Latvian, Egyptian and Zimbabwe dance forms that mesmerised the audience. The prayer dance took them into the spiritual world and ‘Vande Matarm Dance’ evoked the feeling of patriotism. When the huge Tricolor covered the stage, the packed house applauded the performers.

Performance on the theme ‘Peace’ by the Latvian choreographer highlighted its importance of peace in today’s hectic life.

Drums of India took the audience in the world of sound, symphony and synchronization. Vibrant colors of India, the Finnish dance, created the national symbols using huge props that left all the guests spellbound.

The Egyptian dance celebrated the freedom and empowerment of women. The ballet ‘Brighter Tomorrow’ based on Nirbhaya case hit the emotional cord of the audience. - http://www.tribuneindia.com, October 28, 2016

Shailesh BO, an artist at the Cholamandal Artists' Village, along with Karthikeyan P, an expert on colour calculation and colour mixing, and Dheer Kaku, a design coordinator from Mumbai, has come up with rangoli murals, at a prominent mall in Velachery. The combined area of these murals is around 3,000 sq ft, he says and claims that this is the largest rangoli done by a contemporary artist and his team in the city. Talking about what went into creating these artworks, Shailesh says, "The mall has an art team called Art C, and they told me that they had this idea for a project and wanted me to get involved in it. They also got one more artist, Karthikeyan, to be part of this. After discussions, we finalised the finer details of the project."

Given the scale of the project, they decided to involve more hands, and invited art college students to be part of this. "We had a training session with them for five days, where we explained to them what we were planning to do, and they were excited. They came to Cholamandal every morning, and interacted with the artists; and in the nights, we went to the mall to work (from 9pm till 5am or so)," says the artist, adding that they chose to work when the mall was closed because they did not want distractions.

But there were a couple of challenges, he reveals and elaborates, "When we went to the market to buy the colours we had decided on, we couldn't find colours that matched the shades that were on our colour chart." So, the team did some R&D and decided to buy pigments. "Pigments are very strong colours, which when mixed with another colour result in a new colour. We bought white rangoli powder, and mixed it with the different colours of pigments that we had to create the shades that we wanted," he explains. And that is where Karthikeyan's expertise in mixing colours came to the fore, and Shailesh says he played around with them in remarkable ways.

The entire project took around 20 days (10 days to plan, five days to train the art students), from start to finish, and 21 people involved in it. The theme of the designs is the wheel, which signifies how the circle of life keeps repeating — from birth comes death, and from death you move on to birth. "But you might not realise this when you look at it. You will only see a beautiful design," Shailesh adds.

Though he has been involved in outdoor projects earlier, Shailesh says this one was different. "There is a great difference between a painting and a kolam. Paintings and sculptures can be preserved for long, and can even be sold. But rangoli is time-specific work. Once you finish the project, it stops belonging to you anymore. But it is also part of our rich tradition, and we are happy to have undertaken this project for this festive season," he signs off.

- http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com, October 28, 2016

“Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Mali and Syria are all in our minds on Thursday, but many more countries are to be added to this list, where acts of intentional destruction harm all, target free thinkers and disproportionately affect people belonging to minorities,” the Special Rapporteur on cultural rights, Karima Bennoune, stressed yesterday in her briefing to the Assembly’s main body dealing with social, humanitarian and cultural issues (Third Committee).

Highlighting challenges and solutions to the problem of deliberate destruction of cultural heritage, and stressing that it must be considered a human rights issue, Ms, Bennoune noted that such ongoing destruction in the war-plagued Yemen is a particular source of concern.

According to Special Rapporteur, in order to protect cultural heritage, including precious monuments, sites and sacred places, the first step that has to be taken is protecting human rights and people.

“Destruction is often accompanied by other grave assaults on human dignity and human rights. We must care not only about the destruction of heritage, but also about the destruction of the lives of human beings. They are interrelated,” Bennoune stated.

She also emphasized that armed conflict is among the root cause of heritage destruction, as well as indiscriminate attacks which failed to distinguish between military targets and civilian infrastructure, deliberate targeting, and acts based on an inappropriately broad definition of military necessity.

“[It] undermines the right to freedom from discrimination and numerous other human rights, including the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; the right to freedom of artistic expression and creativity; and the rights to take part in cultural life, and to access and enjoy cultural heritage”, she added.

The Special Rapporteur suggested that holistic strategies which promote human rights and peace-building are solutions to the problem, and they must be integrated into the human rights-based approach to the issue.

“It means consulting the people who have particular connections with heritage when seeking to determine whether they wish to rebuild or reconstruct such heritage and if so, how and when,” she said.

In Bennoune’s opinion, it is important for States to fight extremism and fundamentalist ideologies, sectarianism, and discriminatory attitudes, in accordance with international standards, while promoting respect for human rights, tolerance and pluralism.

In the end of her report, the Special Rapporteur paid tribute to all those who had sacrificed their lives to preserve world’s cultural heritage. “In many cases we must consider cultural heritage professionals on the frontlines of the struggle against destruction as human rights defenders,” Bennoune stated, adding that it is vital that we ensure their safety and security, grant them asylum, and create necessary work conditions for them.

- http://www.indiablooms.com, October 28, 2016

Columnist says the river diversion project will bring little respite to the parched parts of south Karnataka

Nagesh Hegde, columnist, said on Thursday that the Yettinahole project, also called the Netravati River Diversion Project, is an unscientific one that will bring little respite to the parched districts of south Karnataka.

He was delivering a special lecture on ‘Water Crisis, Cauvery, Mahadayi etc: How do we resolve?’, organised by the Centre of Gandhian and Peace Studies, a constituent of Manipal University, and Adelphi, Berlin.

Mr. Hegde said that huge pipes have been dumped on nearly 80 acres of paddy-growing fields for implementing the project, and every scientific study has shown that it will not provide much water to the parched districts of the southern parts of the State. The weather data has not been taken, nor has the rainfall in the area been measured. The amount of water that might get evaporated also has not been measured, he said.

He said the change in crop pattern was responsible for the drying up of water resources in Kolar. The farmers there started growing eucalyptus instead of their traditional crops such as mulberry and ragi, which did not require more water. They also started cultivating more vegetables to sell them to the nearby cities. They started exporting sand from the rivers in the region. There was also reckless use of water from the waterbodies. All this was done for commercial reasons and thus the state of affairs, he said.

Now, Yettinahole water has to be diverted to make up for the shortage. The more sensible thing, Mr. Hegde said, would be to ensure that Chikkaballapur district gets its own water. It is essential to encourage water harvesting and water conservation techniques in the parched districts of south Karnataka, he said.

A problem the world over

He added that reckless use of water is a problem in many parts of the world. Freshwater availability is going down in many parts of the world, including India. Many countries will be facing water scarcity within a couple of decades if the current pattern of water usage continues, he warned. The lower riparian States or countries enjoy more rights over water than the upper riparian ones. But there is always pressure to save water. Besides reckless exploitation of natural resources, there has been an increase in the per capita use of water over the years, he said.

“We have disrupted the hydrological cycle and this will have an impact on global warming. It is essential to create more awareness of water conservation techniques among people,” Mr. Hegde said.

Varadesh Hiregange, director of the centre, and Unni Krishnan K., associate professor, Centre for Cultural and Creative Studies, were present. - http://www.thehindu.com, October 28, 2016

The reopening of the city's opera house is a small victory in a long war to preserve traces of the past.

Over the course of eight decades, Bombay’s Royal Opera House went from grand proscenium theatre, to prestigious venue for film premieres, to musty single screen auditorium, to derelict candidate for demolition. Restored after 20 years of limbo to its original Baroque Revival splendour by a team headed by Abha Narain Lambah, one of the city’s leading specialists in architectural conservation, it promises to become a trendy performance space again. As Patricia Rozario’s pure voice filled the acoustically immaculate hall last Friday, the evening after the Mumbai Film Festival’s inauguration on the same stage, it felt like the culmination of a two-decade journey of revaluing the city’s built heritage.

Bombay doesn’t possess an extraordinarily wide variety of interesting architecture. There are a number of rock-cut shrines and monasteries created between 2,100 and 1,500 years ago, some well preserved, others encroached upon and virtually ruined. Very little survives of what was constructed after those early Buddhist and Hindu structures and before Portuguese and British rule, leaving a gap of nearly a millennium. Aside from a handful of interesting modernist buildings that have risen since Independence, highlighted in a recent exhibition at the National Gallery of Modern Art titled State of Architecture curated by Rahul Mehrotra, Ranjit Hoskote and Kaiwan Mehta, the built heritage of the city is a colonial-era affair. For the first decades after Independence, a sense of guilt accompanied praise of anything associated with British imperialism. In the 1990s, the mood changed, partly because the United Kingdom had been reduced to the role of a bit player in global politics. It became possible to appreciate Victorian-era buildings unapologetically. At the same time, architects and historians like Charles Correa and Mustansir Dalvi highlighted the Indian contribution to colonial era design. Correa was fond of saying that the British built Calcutta, but Indians built Bombay.

Heritage regulations
1995 proved a watershed year in the process of revaluing the city’s architectural legacy. In that year, Rahul Mehrotra and the late Sharada Dwivedi published the seminal, Bombay: The Cities Within, which celebrated the complex achievement of 19th and early 20th century architects and urban planners, and inspired the nascent heritage movement. Pressured by activists, the municipal corporation adopted a series of heritage regulations, whose operation I don’t have the space to delve into beyond stating they’ve proved a mixed blessing. The Kala Ghoda Association was formed to raise funds to restore historic buildings in that precinct. It attempted to brand the area as the city’s art district by organising the annual Kala Ghoda Arts Festival. The association has been very successful in achieving the first of its goals, with a number of 19th century buildings like the one housing the David Sassoon library and, next door, my alma mater Elphinstone College, getting a facelift, but the shifting of many art galleries to Colaba in the far south has somewhat stymied its secondary aim.

In the late 1990s and first decade of the present century, headquarters of a number of banks and corporations, the magnificent buildings of the university campus, and Lalbaug’s Bhau Daji Lad museum were restored by specialists like Lambah and Vikas Dilawari; the visual chaos of hoardings and shopfront signage in the Fort area was tamed by regulation; and guides began taking locals and tourists on heritage trails covering significant Neo-Classical, Victorian Gothic, Indo-Saracenic and Art Deco edifices downtown. While these are all significant achievements, the movement’s limitations are also evident. Thus far, there’s been little by way of adaptive reuse: a library stays a library, a museum remains a museum, an opera house regains its original purpose as a performance space.

We have no version of the Musée d’Orsay or Museum für Gegenwart, major art collections housed within former railway stations in Paris and Berlin respectively, or Tate Modern, standing on the site of a refurbished London power station. We have no examples of industrial facilities being redesigned for housing rather than being demolished and rebuilt. We have few instances of the sort of community engagement that Ratish Nanda and the Aga Khan Foundation team have focussed on while attempting a sensitive regeneration of the Nizamuddin basti in Delhi. A concerted attempt was made in Khotachiwadi, a residential colony of lovely wooden bungalows with a largely East Indian Catholic population, but who can blame individuals for trading their beloved homes for a lifetime of financial security?

Seeking a model
Without a financially viable model to preserve enclaves like Khotachiwadi, it’s only a matter of time before all Bombay’s remaining bungalows are converted to highrises. I doubt if we can emulate the example of European cities that have employed art, culture and creative industries, in conjunction with architectural conservation and restoration, to drive urban regeneration. That requires a level of commitment within government and among citizens far beyond what exists in India. We will probably have to pick our fights, ensure that the most valuable aspects of the city’s built heritage remain untouched, and seek enlightened government officials, corporate executives, and business owners willing to back restorations of the Royal Opera House variety.

For the moment, I’m savouring the small victory that the opera house represents. In the course of its first life, it catered to different segments of the public, but to only one of these at any given moment, beginning with the most affluent and ending with the working class. I’m hoping its second life will mix things up a little. The owners have asked Asad Lalljee, the head of Essar’s CSR initiative called AVID Learning, to take charge of event planning. Lalljee has steered AVID’s prolific and varied programme with panache, and seems the perfect person for the job. He wants to combine high-profile award ceremonies, mainstream music and theatre performances, edgy and experimental happenings, and NGO-driven activities aimed at children and underprivileged citizens. I wish him and the Jadejas of Gondal all the luck for the Opera House’s second innings. We welcome your comments at [email protected].

- http://scroll.in, October 28, 2016

It was boom time around 2008 for the hospitality industry, in Chennai. Then came the slow down. For a while things looked grim for Tamil Nadu which faced a power crisis.

It was boom time around 2008 for the hospitality industry, in Chennai. Then came the slow down. For a while things looked grim for Tamil Nadu which faced a power crisis. The power situation has changed dramatically with the state transforming itself from power deficit to surplus. Tamil Nadu has emerged as the state with largest energy surplus of 11,649 million units in 2016-17 in the country. The growth rate of Tamil Nadu has increased in the year 2014-15, compared to that in 2011, according to the report of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India. Today, Chennai is emerging as a favoured destination for leading international hospitality brands. Marriot Starwood, Carlson, Accor, Hyatt, are all there. They have established their presence in Tamil Nadu market over the last three years. Between 2012 and 2016, around 13 hotels were launched in the city that includes these international players. The InterContinental Group, that runs the Holiday Inn chain, has been steadily adding to their inventory of rooms. Hotels which saw an occupancy rate of 55% previously, witnessed higher occupancy rate in 2015 facilitated by turnaround in the economy and increasing tourist activity.

According to a report by Cushman and Wakefield, Chennai has a total hotel inventory of 7,517 rooms and an upcoming supply of 3,274 keys by 2017, of which 51% is in the mid-scale segment, 29% is in the budget segment, 11% in the upper upscale segment and 9% in the upscale segment. About 20% of this total inventory went operational in 2014 alone.

Intercontinental Hotels and Resorts brand launched the Chennai Mahabalipuram Resort with 105 suites which is its second under the luxury brand Intercontinental in India, earlier in the year. The first one is in Mumbai. “With this, Chennai is the first city in India where we have all our four brands in the country,” says Shantha de Silva, head of South West Asia, InterContinental Hotels Group. “The hospitality landscape in Chennai has grown at an incredible pace in the past five years, with traveller appetite growing across all segments. As a city, Chennai offers tourism and commercial benefits which allows for frequent visitors from both leisure and business sectors. The ever expanding automobile business has brought in several expatriates into the city, giving reason for brands to setup their businesses close to the auto hubs. We launched Holiday Inn, and we are launching the OMR IT Expressway later this year or early next year.”

IT and ITeS industry and healthcare segments have also contributed to the growth in the hospitality sector. The room inventory has doubled in the last four or five years. As there is no space available in the centre of town, expansion is taking place in areas like OMR, Siruseri (IT parks) and Oragadam (auto industry). Although Sri City, the planned integrated business city is located in AP, it is only 55 kms from Chennai and hotels are coming up in peripheral areas of the city to make commuting easy for people going to the industry hub.

In spite of all the additions which took place between 2014 and 2015, the industry grew by 4.5%, which is a very good figure as growth took place in spite of higher inventory of rooms. The growth, however, has been distributed across multiple hotels. As one cannot store a room, volume growth has taken place at the cost of yields. Customers have also been bargaining for better rates. Yields have remained static for the last two years with hotel industry absorbing inflation. The industry is waiting for demand to exceed supply which is bound to happen in the next two years in this cyclical industry. The building activity is peaking. The existing hotels which have not tied with with an international brand are not sitting back either. They are upgrading their facilities and working on clearly differentiated offering. Vivanta by Taj Connemara, the city’s iconic 125-year-old heritage hotel, is closing down for a year for a comprehensive makeover aimed at re-creating the grandeur of its early past.

Chennai has also seen significant increase in the conference space. The city was not seen as a conference destination till a few years ago. With the ITC ‘s Grand Chola and Leela Palace taking the lead, conferences are contributing to almost 4% of turnover. Tamil Nadu is doing very well in leisure circuit as well. According to data published by India’s ministry of tourism, the state contributed almost 20% of the total foreign visits to India in 2015. The classical South Indian circuit starts with Chennai and ends with Kochi or the other way round. Tier 2 cities such as Coimbatore, Tiruchi and Madurai are also seeing a lot of activity in the hospitality sector.

Although international brands are making their presence felt in Chennai, the below R3500 segment local properties have not had a single bad day. They bucked the trend during the downturn and continue to do well. Hotels such as Maris, Green Park, or Residency have never been impacted. There is an air of optimism seen in the city’s hospitality sector. All hospitality majors have seen potential in Chennai and have found it to be the right time to bring their leading brands to the city. “We will continue to build on our growth in this city with expanded facilities and offerings in existing hotels,” says de Silva of Intercontinental.

[email protected]

- http://www.financialexpress.com, October 28, 2016

Geophysicists spot mythical Chandrabhaga

Scientists have discovered what they say is the first geophysical evidence for an ancient dried-up river near the 13th century Konark temple, corroborating historical accounts of a large water body in its vicinity during the construction.

A team of geophysicists working with humanities researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, has used satellite imagery, ground penetrating radar data and field studies to delineate a paleochannel, a buried river valley north of the temple.

The researchers say that while there is no large natural water body anywhere within 10km of the Konark temple at present, historical illustrations suggest and mythological anecdotes popular in the state mention a river named the Chandrabhaga close to the temple.

"We know there are numerous references to such a river in many texts, including the temple chronicles called the Madala Panji, that predate the Konark temple," said Priyadarshi Patnaik, a specialist in culture and literature studies in the humanities department at the IIT Kharagpur. The geophysicists, who used satellite imagery to analyse surface topography of the area, have found multiple signatures - subtle differences in vegetation, soil moisture and temperatures - indicating a paleochannel running nearly parallel to the Bay of Bengal.

"The follow-up observations with the ground penetrating radar provided additional evidence," said William Mohanty, professor of geophysics at IIT Kharagpur. "The radar data shows patterns of soil deposits and valley-like structures along the paleochannel - exactly what a river would leave behind."

Mohanty and his colleagues have published their findings this week in the scientific journal Current Science.

Their field observations mainly by research scholar Subhamoy Jana also suggest that the ancient river might have had a tributary east of the temple that flowed into the Bay of Bengal into a zone that is now a swampy area, now called the Chandrabhaga lake. The scientists say this area is now cordoned off by the government and opened for ritualistic holy baths mainly during the festival of magha saptami. Whether the river was connected to this lake area remains unclear, the researchers said.

"What happened to the river and why it dried up is something we now want to take up," said Saibal Gupta, professor of geophysics and another team member.

Historians say the Konark temple was constructed over 700 years ago during the mid-13th century during the reign of King Narasimhadeva. "Rivers can change course and dry up - sometimes this can happen within decades," he said.

The geophysical evidence has long been preceded by epigraphic and mythological accounts. Palm-leaf drawings and sketches from nearly 700 years ago have suggested the presence of a water body near the site of the temple.

"We also have this story of Dharmapada, the 12-year-old son of the chief artisan Visu Maharana," said Patnaik. "The period of origin of this oral tradition is unknown, but documented in the 19th century. He is said to have set the temple pinnacle in place and later, in order to save the other artisans from shame, jumped into the river from the Konark temple."

- http://www.telegraphindia.com, October 28, 2016

Sensing mood of the nation after Uri attack, various Vyaapar Mandals (Market associations) of Pink City will use patriotism as the theme of Diwali lighting. Johari Bazaar that remains the centre of attraction for lighting is going to have posters, banners on surgical strike.The huge posters and banners depicting the paratroopers and para commandos would be pasted along with the lighting in the markets.

Artistes and designers burning midnight oil to give a backdrop of martyrs, para commandos and others to relive patriotism while people will throng Walled City markets to see lighting.

"I think this Diwali, we should salute the bravery of our armymen and paramilitary forces responsible for letting us celebrate Diwali peacefully. Thus, the people visiting these markets will see big posters of the commandos, armymen, paratroopers and others," said Brij Bihari Agarwal, general secretary of Johari Bazaar Vyaapar Mandal on Wednesday.

The trade associations have already ordered for posters of armymen and others which would be pasted on the walls. "I think, we should also sense the mood of people. After Uri attack, the nation is in patriotic fervour. Thus in Chaura Rasta too, the para commandos and their bravery would be depicted in our lighting. Usually, our designers make gates on the backdrop of some international monuments but this year, one has to respect our soldiers," said Om Prakash Agarwal, president of Chaura Rasta Vyapaar Mandal.

Likewise, at MI Road, Vaishali Nagar and other markets, people would see lighting depicting tri-colour. "We have also decided not to use and sell Chinese lighting items and other material in our decorations in the market and will use only India made items just to show solidarity with our soldiers," said an officebearer of Vyapaar Mandal.

Some year ago, the trade associations had depicted armmen killing Osama Bin Laden through cut outs and posters. "We have to depict contemporary things which go with the mood of public and which is necessary," said a member of trade association.

- http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com, October 28, 2016

Due to the negligence of department of archaeology officials, the historic Srirangapatna Fort has become a refuge for vagabonds.

The fort, once hailed as one of the best in south India, is losing its grandeur because officials have turned a blind eye to the monument being used by vagabonds and anti-social elements. One such vagabond has turned a portion of the fort near Thomas Inman's Dungeon on the north-eastern side into his home. He has been living there for the past couple of years and he has been even cooking his meals there. He stores firewood in the fort and has pinned several photographs of deities to the walls.

Asked if he has been warned to clear out by archaeology department officers, he said he doesn't know anything about restrictions about not living or preparing food inside the fort. "I live here and eke out my livelihood as an astrologer. I've converted a portion of the fort as home and nobody has objected to it. What's wrong if I live here? I don't have a family and have no home to go to," he said.

A senior archaeology department officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity, expressed his shock at this gross misuse of the monument. "As per the Ancient And Historical Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1961, any protected monument should not be used for dwelling or cooking food. It's strictly prohibited. I'll look into it and take immediate steps to put an end to it," he said.

Thomas, a tourist from Telangana, expressed his dismay. "The negligence of officials will destroy such monuments and we'll lose them forever."

- http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com, October 29, 2016

Ministers responsible for disaster risk reduction in 61 countries will meet here early next month to share their best practices in handling various calamities and discuss how to deal with future emergencies together.

The Asian Ministerial Conference for Disaster Risk Reduction (AMCDRR) 2016, to be held from November 3-5 in New Delhi, will set the direction for implementation of Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (SFDRR) in the Asia-Pacific region.

"It is a matter of immense pleasure that representatives of 61 countries are participating the meeting in disaster risk reduction. India will share its best practices before the global audience," Home Minister Rajnath Singh told reporters here.

Sendai Framework is the first major agreement of the post-2015 development agenda and identifies targets and priority action areas towards reducing disaster risks.

The conference, to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is being organised by the government of India in collaboration with the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction.

An exhibition will also be held showcasing good practices in disaster risk management through the initiatives displayed by various governmental and non-governmental organisations as well as other stakeholders.

Visual material, publications, posters, multimedia and latest technological innovations showcasing India's efforts at Disaster Risk Reduction, mitigation and preparedness will be displayed at the exhibition.

The exhibition will also be leveraged to showcase India's rich cultural heritage, handloom and handicraft products to the international delegates from 60 Asian countries that are participating in the Conference.

Pakistan will not send its representative to the conference, amidst the ongoing hostilities with India.

- http://www.ptinews.com, October 29, 2016

Tourists visiting protected monuments in India will now be able to avail 'business class' treatment as the government has decided to offer high-value entry tickets. The facility is likely to come into effect from next week in a list of selected monuments. Visitors will now get separate queues, free bottled water, an information booklet and separate washrooms under this facility if they buy a high priced ticket.

“Like you have a first class in trains and planes, why can’t you get better facilities at monuments if you pay more? Since there are separate ticket counters and queues for high-value tickets, visitors will be automatically led to separate toilets.” Union Culture and Tourism Minister Mahesh Sharma told the Indian Express.

In May, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) said that Delhi’s Red Fort and Qutub Minar, Agra’s Taj Mahal, Varanasi’s Sarnath and Mahabalipuram’s monuments will have world class facilities.

Electronic information delivery about the monument and its history in story-telling mode, virtual reality-based 3D walkthrough of the monument, 3D projection show, free WiFi, and audio and video guides were some of the initiatives that it had then announced, reports Deccan Chronicle. Presently, the cost of an entry ticket in Taj Mahal for an Indian is Rs 40 while it is Rs 1,000 and Rs 750 for foreign tourists and Citizens of SAARC and BIMSTEC Countries respectively. - www.scoopwhoop.com, October 29, 2016

Twenty-three Telugu films have been donated to the archive for preservation and possible restoration.

The National Film Archive of India has added 23 Telugu classics to its collection. The films include LV Prasad’s Shavukaru (1950), Pelli Chesi Choodu (1952) and Missamma (1955) as well as Vijaya Vauhini Studios productions Pathala Bhairavi (1951), Maya Bazar (1957) and Satya Harishchandra (1965).

In a press note, NFAI director Prakash Magdum said, “On the occasion of the World Day for Audiovisual Heritage, I appeal to film lovers to come forward and donate any rare and old film footage and non-filmic items like wall posters, still photographs and song booklets, so that it can be preserved for future generations”.

The Telugu films follow the recent acquisition of Bilwamangal. Made in 1919, Bilwamangal is the second oldest title in the NFAI’s vault after DG Phalke’s silent movie Raja Harishchandra (1917). Apart from fragmented bits of silent films such as Raja Harishchandra and Kaliya Mardan (1919), the archive in Pune also boasts of the complete version of The Light of Asia (1925) and Shiraz (1929).

Among the Telugu titles is Kadiri Venkata Reddy’s Pathala Bhairavi (1951), starring Telugu superstar NT Rama Rao. The fantasy adventure features kings and queens, the hunt for a wish-fulfilling statue, sorcery, and a soundtrack by renowned music composer Ghantasala.

‘ ‘Pathala Bhairavi’. Courtesy National Film Archive of India.
LV Prasad’s family drama Shavukaru stars NTR and Sowcar Janaki as star-crossed lovers who unite after overcoming familial opposition.

‘Shavukaru’. Courtesy National Film Archive of India
Rao’s Chandraharam (1954), starring NTR and Sriranjani, is a fantasy adventure about a king’s efforts to find the woman of his dreams.

‘Chandraharam’. Courtesy National Film Archive of India.
Chandraharam’. Courtesy National Film Archive of India.

Kamalakara Kameswara Rao’s Gundamma Katha (1962) is an adaptation of William Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew and stars NTR and Akkineni Nageswara Rao, Savitri and Jamuna.

- http://thereel.scroll.in, October 30, 2016

We are looking back at a busy Tagore Festive Season, celebrating three events one year after another: In 2011, the 150th birth anniversary of Rabindranath; in 2012, the 100th anniversary of the publication of the English Gitanjali, followed by the 100th anniversary of the award of the Nobel Prize to Rabindranath. William Radice was one of the Tagore scholars who, for over three years, was travelling on three continents — Asia, Europe and North America — to speak on Rabindranath to diverse audiences. In each city, he had a new message about the relevance and beauty of Tagore’s poetry, his social message and our need to study and absorb him more.

A selection of William Radice’s lectures and essays which he held and published between 2011 and 2013 have now been edited by Martin Kämpchen (Gitanjali Reborn. William Radice’s Writings on Rabindranath Tagore. Social Science Press, New Delhi, 236 pp, Rs 850). As reported in The Statesman, Radice met with a road accident in May 2013. After this, he has discontinued Tagore studies and now lives, with his wife Elizabeth, in retirement in Cambridge, UK. As he told Kämpchen, this may be his last book.

Here is a shortened version of Radice’s lecture at Napier University, Edinburgh, held on 4 May 2012.

Rabindranath Tagore: The Next Fifty Years
At all the Tagore conferences that I have attended over the last two years, there have been papers on Tagore’s Rezeptionsgeschichte, the history of his reception in various lands. Though he experienced wide differences of social and political circum-stance, and though his speeches on his extensive travels ranged through religion, education, aesthetics, nationalism, universalism and more, the story in these papers (in the Western world at least: in the Far East, in Persia and in India itself it was rather more complex) has essentially been one of variations on a theme: that of the seer from the East to whom people flocked not so much for his poetry but because he had wise and spiritual things to say. The only exceptions to the rule, perhaps, were Soviet Russia in 1930, where the spiritual message had to be suppressed in favour of his concern with rural reconstruction and the education of the poor, and Spain, which Tagore never visited, where the focus fell — and has continued to fall throughout the Spanish-speaking world to this day — on Tagore the poet, rather than Tagore the preacher. This was because Tagore’s translator into Spanish, the famous poet Juan Ramón Jiménez, working with his English-speaking wife Zenobia Cambrubí Aymar, replaced Yeats’ introduction to the Gitanjali with a prose poem which addressed Tagore very much as a fellow poet.

Jiménez went on prefacing each book of Tagore that he and his wife translated with a poem of his own, and although his notions of Tagore as a poet were undoubtedly limited by what he was able to gain from Tagore’s own English translations (he never had any personal contact with Bengalis or Indians), the focus on Tagore throughout the Hispanic world has remained unusually literary, much less devotional than it was elsewhere.

Tagore – poet or seer?
In the English-speaking world, the image of Tagore the prophet rather than Tagore the poet became entrenched and has proved very hard to shift. For a long time it seemed that only Unitarians or those with an abiding interest in his spiritual teaching were attracted to him. Edward Thompson tried heroically with his book Rabindranath Tagore, Poet and Dramatist of 1926 (revised and expanded in 1948 after Tagore had died), to show that Tagore was a poet of true originality and genius, but his work fell largely on deaf ears, partly perhaps because it lacked any critical assessment of Tagore’s stories or novels. Just how entrenched attitudes to Tagore among the British literary establishment still are — negative, because they have tended to be anti-spiritual — was dismally shown in 2011 by articles in the Guardian by Ian Jack, who recommended that we should forget that Tagore was a poet at all, and by the Notebook column at the back of the Times Literary Supplement, which began with the rhetorical question, “Who reads Rabindranath Tagore now? Not many, it is safe to say. Yet a century ago, Tagore, whose 150th anniversary falls this year, was all the rage.” (The Guardian has recently redeemed itself with an excellent leader on Tagore, published on 30 April 2012.)

Unknown to the writer of the TLS Notebook, however, a fight back on behalf of Tagore the poet and writer has been unfolding, in Britain, in Germany, in India, and many other countries. It would have been difficult to organise this and many other conferences and events without the existence of this “new wave” on which so many people with an interest in Tagore now ride, especially those who do not have access to the Bengali language. Many new translations have been done, direct from Bengali, and discussions of Tagore are by no means restricted now to his own translations or to the secondary translations thereof that were done in his lifetime.

My Selected Poems of Tagore, first published in 1985, perhaps opened a door, but it was a door through which many other people have gone through — Ketaki Kushari Dyson here in Britain, Martin Kämpchen in Germany, Victor van Bijlert in Netherlands, and Hannele Pohjanmies in Finland. In India, many new translations, especially of Tagore’s fiction and essays, published by Penguin India, and by Oxford University Press under the editorship of Sukanta Chaudhuri, came out. Recently the massive compendium, The Essential Tagore, edited by Fakrul Alam and Radha Chakravarty, was published by Harvard University Press and Visva-Bharati (2011).

Add to all the new translations critical studies such as Rabindranath Tagore’s the Home and the World: A Critical Companion, edited by PK Dutta (2003), and the mainstream publication of Krishna Dutta and Andrew Robinson’s biography, Rabindranath Tagore: The Myriad-Minded Man (1995), and its companion volume of their Selected Letters of Rabindranath Tagore, published by Cambridge University Press (1997), and you had, when all the 150th birth anniversary celebrations started, a situation in which Tagore the poet and writer had emerged sufficiently strongly for conferences and events to be able to give just as much emphasis to Tagore the writer as to Tagore the man with a message. So where are we now, and what trends and challenges can we discern for the future?

Tagore performances as a new feature
The “new wave” in Tagore appreciation began in the mid-1980s which has done a lot to make Tagore the poet and writer credible and present again on the international stage, counter-balancing the earlier image of him as a sage and a prophet. The earlier phase, that of Tagore’s reputation in his own lifetime, certainly took care of the word “global”; the second phase from 1985 to the beginnings of the 150th birth anniversary phase has done a lot to confirm and substantiate the word “writer”. What has been added to Tagore’s image by all the anniversary celebrations is the performative aspect: Tagore as a creative artist who operated not just with the written word, but with music, drama and dance. Looking back through all the celebrations, it is extraordinary how rich they have been in highly creative performances, and it is all the more remarkable to note that many of these took place in the context of conferences and academic gatherings at which one would never normally expect such things.

In December 2009, Reba Som, director of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations’ Tagore Centre in Kolkata, organised a remarkable festival, “Tagore Beyond Frontiers”, which was designed as a curtain-raiser for all the many worldwide celebrations to follow, but which also, in retrospect, set a distinctively innovative and creative tone. It included performances of his dance-drama Natir puja and his famous play Dakghar (“The Post Office”); it even included a fashion show of outfits for women in the 19th century on which the Tagore family had an influence.

But what I particularly and vividly remember from the festival was Tanushree Shankar’s dance production based on Tagore’s English poem “The Child”. This was a wonderfully youthful and athletic display that was performed to an exhilarating soundtrack that included Schubert’s Ave Maria sung — at full volume — in Bengali. My friend Martin Kämpchen was there, and I remember that we agreed after the performance that this — though we couldn’t at that point say exactly how — represented the future, the way that Tagore and his significance are likely to be carried forward.

As I cast my mind back through the last two years, and leaf through the pile of conference brochures and publications and anthologies that have accumulated, I find that the performances are what emerge most strongly in my memory. Events such as Debashish and Rohini Raychaudhuri’s performance of Rabindrasangit — without accompaniment! — at the Dartington Tagore Festival in May 2011; or Valerie Doulton’s production of The Post Office at the Nehru Centre and the British Library; or the Liederabend of Western musical settings of Tagore by brilliant student musicians from the Musikhochschule in Stuttgart, that was part of the “Rabindranath Tagore und Deutschland” event that Martin Kämpchen organised at Deutsche Literaturarchiv in Marbach back in March 2011; or the “Waves of Joy” music and dance sequence put on by Sharmila Roy Pommot during the tribute to Tagore held at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, DC; or “Flying Man”, the programme of poems for the 21st century with jazz improvisations by Zoe and Idris Rahman that I myself took part in at the British Library; or the reading I did from the Gitanjali with songs from it sung by Reba Som at a small studio theatre in Lund, Sweden, where a Tagore song was also sung by a local choir trained by Bubu Eklund; or the stunning fusion of Tagorean dance, Rabindrasangeet and flamenco that concluded the “Tagore En España” Festival in Valladolid; or the dance and song performance on Tagore’s songs of the monsoon and the autumn put on by the Netherlands Bengali community as part of the international Tagore seminar organised by the Friends of the Kern Institute in Leiden in September 2011; or Ash Mukherjee’s wonderful “Song of the City” ballet put on by Akademi: The Centre for South Asian Dance, in the uniquely chilly and spooky Southwark Vaults in London; or the exquisitely performed recording of arrangements of Rabindrasangit for string quartet that Partha Chatterjee played us at the “My Tagore; why Tagore” seminar held in Ahmedabad in October 2011; or the performance in February 2012 before an audience of more than 600 people in Kolkata of Tagore’s play Raja in English, directed by Debashish Raychaudhuri in which I was privileged to play the part of the invisible Raja; or the performance not so far away from us here in Hexham, Northumberland, of Alain Danielou’s magical versions of Rabindrasangit for voice and piano, performed by two local musicians with readings and commentary from me in November 2011. I could go on and on, and each one of those memorable events would deserve a description as long as this lecture.

What all these performances and experiments show is that Tagore, in the 21st century, is taking on a profile and a significance akin to Shakespeare in the sense that it is simply impossible to separate the academic discussion of Tagore or the translation of Tagore or the teaching of Tagore from the performance of Tagore. This is hugely exciting, and I am personally proud of what I may have done to help some of these developments forward. They make me prepared to bet that, as the years go on this century, we will see Tagore being used more and more worldwide as an extraordinarily rich resource for the performing arts.

New intellectual respect for Tagore
A second feature of the current, anniversary phase of Tagore’s reception is that Tagore the prophet, Tagore the thinker, is by no means dead. He has not been supplanted either by Tagore the poet/writer, or by Tagore in the performing arts. What we have seen at the more academic events that have been held is increasingly serious and sophisticated attention being given to his ideas, particularly in the fields of history, education, feminism, nationalism, universalism and issues to do with rural development and the environment. This is not some kind of revival of the mindless admiration for the wise man of the East; it is a serious and scholarly appraisal of ideas that were complex and constantly changing in the light of experience and circumstances.

Amartya Sen, in his lecture on “Why we still need Tagore” at the British Library, London, on 6 May 2011, set the tone for this new kind of intellectual respect. Read Michael Collins’ excellent book, Empire, Nationalism and the Postcolonial World: Rabindranath Tagore’s Writings on History, Politics and Society (Routledge, 2011), or Sabyasachi Bhattacharya’s brilliant new intellectual biography, Rabindranath Tagore: An Interpretation (Penguin Viking India, New Delhi, 2011), and you will find a Tagore who, in his day — and for our day, too, through his writings — had all the characteristics of what we would nowadays call a “public intellectual”.

I am sure we will hear more about this intellectual side to Tagore and we shall also rightly hear about Tagore the activist — the campaigner (to use another present-day term) who strove to put his ideas into practical effect, at Shelidah, Santiniketan and Sriniketan, the early history of which has been expertly researched by Uma Das Gupta and Kathleen O’Connell.

Tagore the painter
A third aspect of Tagore that we have seen emerging very strongly during this birth anniversary period, in addition to the performative, intellectual and activist aspects, is that of Tagore the painter. I haven’t yet seen a compendium of the critical responses to the exhibitions of Tagore’s paintings that have been held over the last year in Berlin, Paris, London, New York and Chicago, so it is too early for me to assess what impact they have had. In London, the exhibition suffered a bit from the rather cramped, shoebox-like room that was chosen for it at the Victoria & Albert Museum, and the lack of publicity even at the entrance of the museum. But in Chicago, where I recently gave a lecture connected with the Tagore exhibition at the Art Institute, the paintings seemed to me to have a stunning effect, because of the beauty and spaciousness of the hanging, the excellence of the commentary and the proximity of the paintings to masterpieces in the museum to which Tagore seemed fully commensurate. In a way, it is a shame that an exhibition as great as that has to be dismantled and be sent back home to India. What a difference it would make to Tagore’s profile worldwide if there were substantial groups of his paintings on loan to major art galleries across the world. This is something that I hope the authorities in India will begin to think about, because it is far better that they should be displayed in that way than stored, out of sight, in a strong-room at Rabindra Bhavan, Santiniketan.

Previously, during the prophetic phase of Tagore’s reception, that rhythm and those dance steps were barely perceived at all, because everything was communicated through English — through self-translations in which it was difficult for Tagore fully to express his voice — and through secondary translations of his English.

In the second phase, what we might call the literary phase, the rhythm and the dance began to emerge in some translations. Certainly in my own translations I tried to capture the movement of the original; but it is only in this third, the birth anniversary phase, that the rhythm of Tagore is actually starting to be heard, through performance, through exposure to the paintings, and also through close study of his intellectual writings, because, just as there is rhythm in his feelings and their artistic expression, so there is rhythm in his thoughts and his way of constructing an argument.

How to proceed from here?
Before I end, let me briefly list a few areas where I think we need further attention and development, things that I hope will indeed be pursued during the next fifty years.

1. We need to return to Tagore’s religious ideas. His poetry and songs are never far away from them. People have been nervous of exploring them, because we have been living through a largely secular age, and because the focus on Tagore’s spirituality during the first, prophetic phase of appreciation produced so much nonsense. But read Tagore’s writings on religious and spiritual topics in Bengali — especially the beautiful sermons that he delivered at Santiniketan and which were collected into the two volumes called Santiniketan — and you will find every religious emotion from grief and struggle to serenity and joy, expressed with precision and truth. Read many of his letters, his English letters too, for example to CF Andrews, and you will find the same qualities.

2. Rabindrasangit needs to be performed and transmitted worldwide with freedom from inappropriate accompaniments. In terms of probing and communicating the feelings of the songs, I think we can go a lot further. We need to go deeper and deeper into the songs of Tagore, and if this is done, they will take their place among the supremely great poetic and musical legacies of the world.

3. Tagore’s plays need to be widely performed, in vigorous new translations and adaptations, with directors feeling as free and creative as Tagore himself encouraged his students and collaborators to be in performances in Santiniketan in his lifetime.

4. We need more critical appreciation of his literary works. Many of them are profoundly mysterious and bafflingly complex. Readers need help with them, just as they do with Dante or Shakespeare or Goethe or any great writer. They need to be able to connect his creative works with his life and ideas. It occurred to me recently that a book needs to be written which would simply take a number of major literary works by Tagore, and analyse them clearly and accessibly to the benefit of students and the general reader of today.

5. Finally, we sometimes need — though this may not be a tactful thing to say at the start of a conference — to stop talking about Tagore and to stand back and simply contemplate him. This is after all what we do with all great artists. There is a place for scholarship, for analysis, for conferences, for discussion and all the rest. But at the end of the day, if Tagore is to continue to mean something to us in the 21st century we need to gaze, contemplate, listen and wonder.

- www.thestatesman.com, October 30, 2016

A customised AC bus is an alternative for Chhatrapati Shivaji Vastu Sangrahalaya

` The museum, which started in October 2015, is an initiative of the Ministry of Culture and Citibank. “The themes of the travelling exhibitions change periodically. The bus is designed to reach mainly schools, colleges, NGOs within the city of Mumbai and into the interiors of Maharashtra,” said Aparna Bhogal, a curator at the CSMVS Museum. Usually replicas of the original exhibits are kept on display in the bus to prevent any damage to the original art works. The latest exhibition in this museum, which is always on the move, is “The big Indian toy story.” This bus has travelled to Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Thane, Nashik and Ratnagiri so far and has multi-touch screens for making the experience more fun. While the bus might be a great outreach programme, the museum located in South Mumbai still continues to be a great attraction for those seeking an insight sense into cultures of India through various exhibits in 22 different galleries. The museum sees 3,000 visitors every day during the week days which increases to 5,000 during the weekend.

The Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya, formerly known as the Prince of Wales Museum of Western India was founded in the early 1900s. The museum has different galleries like Natural History, sculptures, textiles, pre-proto history, decorative art, European paintings, etc. Right now, panels are informing people about a Mummy’s exhibition seems to be the latest attraction. “Sometimes when people visit the museum from the interiors of Maharashtra, they tend to pray and bow before the sculptures and statues of Shiva, Vishnu and other Gods and Goddesses on display here at the museum. For us it is a mere work of art but for them it takes a higher meaning,” said Bhogal.

According to her, depending on the age group of the person visiting the museum, they are attracted to different galleries. “For instance, children like to go to the Natural History gallery,” she explained.

New exhibitions are always being planned every few months depending on the artifacts procured by the museum. “People sometimes ask us what we do as curators since everything is already on display with explanations,” said Bhogal smiling. “We have to justify our job and tell them we have to plan and organise new exhibitions, come up with new initiatives to keep it interesting,” she added.

According to the museum website, on August 14, 1905, a number of prominent people of Bombay gathered at the Town Hall and resolved to erect a memorial for the visit of the Prince of Wales (later King George V) in the form of a public museum, which would be named after him. The foundation stone of the museum was laid by the Prince of Wales on 11th November 1905 and the museum was named Prince of Wales Museum of Western India. “For a long time people had felt the need for a good museum in the city and finally the museum was established by the public contribution aided by the then Government of the Bombay Presidency. This memorial in the form of a museum was to be erected on the plot of land known as the Crescent Site on the southern tip of the island. The building was completed in 1914 but it opened to the public much later on 10th January, 1922. Until then it was used by the military as a hospital and for Children’s Welfare Exhibitions,” states the museum website.

Much of the original beauty of the building has been retained. The artifacts collected during the British Era and thereafter has been exhibited in various galleries. During 2008-2015, over 1,500 art objects were registered at the CSMVS for varying levels of analysis, documentation or treatment. The museum also offers PG Diploma in Museuology and Conservation and a course in heritage studies and conservation to fill the gap of lack of such courses in Maharashtra. Supported by donors and sponsors, the museum is always trying to make the past relevant in the present times.

- http://indianexpress.com, October 30, 2016

The din to celebrate a green Diwali is getting louder this year in the city. With schools and NGOs taking out awareness rallies, requesting residents to say no to crackers on Diwali, the city may hope to celebrate the festival with a little less noise and air pollution.

To spread the message of need to celebrate green Diwali, the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB), Regional Office, Bathinda, has also started a campaign to create awareness among the public against ill-effects of various types of pollution on the environment due to the burning of fire crackers on Diwali.

Er SS Dhaliwal, an environmental engineer, requested the management of multiplexes of the city to spread this socially relevant message in the form of a video on big screens. The cinema halls have started showing the video, highlighting harmful effects caused by burning of fire crackers on the environment, especially animals and birds.

Ruby Sidhu, assistant environmental engineer, addressed students of RBDAV Public School, Bathinda, highlighting the chemical composition of crackers and other fireworks and their harmful impact on the environment, humanity and biodiversity as a whole.

Paramjit Singh, a motivational speaker from Patiala, also spoke at MSD School, Bathinda, to motivate students of the school to avoid bursting of crackers and to celebrate the festival of lights in a environment-friendly way.

NGOs have also played a big role in bringing down the use of crackers in the city. Over the past years, members of BANGO, an NGO, have held rallies and awareness campaigns in the city to sensitise residents against the ill-effects of bursting crackers.

Some residents are making efforts to celebrate a green Diwali, which will bring some change.

- http://www.tribuneindia.com, October 30, 2016

as been facing friction over the sharing of river waters. Karnataka and Tamil Nadu have been fighting like two warring nations over sharing of Cauvery River water. Punjab, Haryana and Delhi have also been engaged in a horrid conflict over sharing of the water of Sutlej River and the construction of Sutlej-Yamuna link canal.

Odisha and Chhatisgarh are also at loggerheads on sharing the water of Mahanadi River. Water sharing can also become a hot issue, developing into a conflict between Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Water wars in future will create a problem for the entire nation.

Central and state governments are both responsible for this situation. Water management is very bad in India. Floods and droughts cause regular havocs in the country. The standard per capita availability of water is just 1,550 cubic meters a year which make India a 'water deficient' nation. Every year the situation has been getting worse. According to a survey by 'Central Ground Water Board', during the south-west monsoon (April to July), the ground water level falls around 65 per cent in various parts of the country. This situation has been worsening every year.

This is a big worry for the future. Today about 75 to 80 per cent of water recourses are consumed by the agricultural sector but this sector supports more than half of India's population. Indian farmers do not use modern techniques which results in the use of two to four times more water to produce the same unit of a crop as compared to China and Brazil. Government studies show that states like Punjab and Tamil Nadu are most water demanding.

For example, Punjab consumes 4,118 litres and Tamil Nadu consumes 4,118 litres, whereas Bengal and Assam consume 2,169 and 2,432 litres of waters respectively to produce one kilogramme of rice. This problem can be solved very easily. States must construct dams and check dams in every district and interlink rivers by constructing canals.

But due to dirty politics by regional parties and obstructive and disruptive attitude of NGT and other environmental and green bodies, NGOs, judiciary etc, such positive actions are not implemented. Hence the nation has to see such water wars between states.

While on one hand, Indian states are fighting for water but India's great folly of 1960 is also responsible for this 'water stressed' situation. India signed a treaty with our enemy nation, Pakistan, which ensures around 80 per cent water of Indus River system to the enemy nation. The Indus Water Treaty (IWT) gives only 19.48 per cent water of the six rivers of Indus system although all the rivers originate from either India or China.

If all the water of Indus River system would be made available to India, there would never be a water shortage in Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. Due to this suicidal treaty, Pakistan takes away almost 80 per cent water from the six rivers namely Indus, Jhelum, Ravi, Chenab, Beas and Sutlej along with their tributaries.

While on one hand India has been facing conflicts between its states, on the other hand, Pakistan has been tormenting India by misusing the provisions of the IWT. But due to the pro-Pakistan vote-bank in India and a very strong pro-Pak lobby, India is not in a position to terminate this disastrous treaty. Even Pakistan has been trying to stop the construction of small dams and hydropower projects. In 2005, noted water research institute, International Water Management Institute and Tata Water Policy Programmes, also advocated for scrapping the Indus Water Treaty as it was against the interest of India.

(Dainik Jagran, New Delhi, 23 September, 2016, p-17)

Now this treaty is has become a liability for the nation. If this treaty is dissolved, water shortage in six states of India will be solved. Few years' back US unilaterally withdrew from the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty after Russia did not agree with its revision. Now even the Muslim majority J&K Assembly is demanding the annulling of this treaty. They have found that this treaty is largely hampering the development of the state. River expert and environmentalist Himanshu Thakkar of the South Asian Network on Dams, Rivers and People (SANDRP) agrees with such an option. India has been permitted to construct storage of water on western rivers up to 3.6 million acre feet (MAF) for various purposes, but the country has not developed any storage facility. Thakkar said, "We have never exercised our rights under the treaty as we have not created infrastructure on our side to use water of western rivers. We must, therefore, concentrate on building barrages and other storage facilities to use the water."

Lately, India has started to address this problem of water and electricity shortages. Now India is building small dams and hydropower plants in Jammu & Kashmir. In the meanwhile, Pakistan has been building huge dams and power projects on these rivers, such as Bunji Dam (Capicity-7,000 MW), Bhasha Dam (Capacity 4,500 MW). Pakistan has even invited China to build big dams in PoK and in Gilgit-Baltistan.

Due to the surrender of India to Pakistan, this treaty is the most successful treaty. India never shows any courage to dissolve the treaty. The dissolution of IWT will give India enough water to link Chenab with Ravi-Beas-Sutlej-Yamuna system and to address the water problem in the northern part of the country.

The nation is facing this new type of water war. From tap to rivers and dams and from court to streets, such jostling can be seen. The flow of water in India is seemingly out of control. But the bitter irony is that there is hardly any voice against the arch enemy Pakistan for monopolising the waters of these six rivers.

Water is in abundance in India. A population which has now more than quadrupled since 1951 has enough rain water. But this rainwater is not collected and stored in India. If all the rain water of Cauvery basin and her catchment area is collected and stored in dams and barrages, it will fulfil the needs of both warring states.

Narrow vote bank politics create more rivalries. A number of states are involved in such conflicts. Now even communities, whose water will be diverted quickly rise up in organised protests like caste quota wars. For example, Bengaluru is not allowed more water from the Cauvery, so it tries to take from the Netravati River, but far, far away, in Mangalore district people organise protests. Now big cities must respond by constructing dams, checking dams and barrages to meet the demand of water.

We can talk of perpetual water only when we ensure the regular flow of water in rivers. This can be ensured by the construction of dams, check dams, barrages, river linking and rain-water harvesting. Such methods will also reduce the pollution levels in rivers.

But unfortunately, most of the state governments are doing nothing on this front. Ironically, though, such measures will benefit everyone in the long run. Central government and state governments must come together to meet the demand and reduce clashes. With big dams and river linking, flexible water storage systems in form of check dams, barrages and rain-water harvesting systems must be commissioned. This will also bring economic prosperity for all. We have to re-design and overhaul the water storing patterns to optimise every drop of rain, across all competing users- agriculture, industry, urban and rural domestic needs. Nation also needs a radical rethinking for water. The government must open integrated research institutions for surface and groundwater education and research which has long been neglected. They should only focus to govern water more wisely, both for quantity and quality. The specialist organisation like National Hydro Power Corporation (NHPC) must be involved in this exercise.

- http://www.merinews.com/,

Ironically, Bengaluru is very aggressive in the fight over Cauvery, but it has almost killed two rivers due to pollution- Vrishabhavathy and Arkavathy, flowing in its backyard. Local bodies need to be radically restructured and remove all the encroachments from the river beds, catchment areas, wetlands and water bodies.

We cannot stop the conflicts like the Cauvery dispute or Mahanadi dispute or Sutlej-Yamuna link canal dispute without storing more water in dams and barrages.

Citizens will have to compel elected representatives to build the new water facilities in the nation. Peacefully and perennially, then the Cauvery, Mahanadi, Sutlej and families of Indus rivers can flow.

- http://www.merinews.com, October 30, 2016

A severe drought is looming large over Kerala as the state has received deficient rainfall during the south-west monsoon. There has been a sharp decrease of rainfall (34%) during the south-west monsoon, according to figures released by the Indian Meteorological Department.

From June 1 this year to September 30, Kerala received 1352.3 mm rains against the normal rainfall of 2039.7 mm.

There has been no rain in October and if this situation continues, there will be drought-like situation, IMD, Thiruvananthapuram Director S Sudevan, said.

“If the North East Monsoon fails then there will be problems in different sectors-- Agriculture, Power etc”, he told PTI.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, has also said that the state was heading for a “severe” drought as Kerala had received deficient rains in the south-west monsoon.

Though the north-east monsoon was yet to set in, the state had not received pre-monsoon showers, he said.

“A huge danger is lurking in the state in the form of drought as the south west monsoon was deficient”, Vijayan had said at a function yesterday. “If this situation continues, the state is heading for a severe drought. We need to take precautions,” he had said.

To tackle the situation, the government was also keen to encourage rain water harvesting, he said.

There has been an average reduction of 22 per cent water in the state’s dams when compared to the water storage in September last year. The state was also gearing up to take measures to tackle scarcity of drinking water which is likely to be faced by the state due to deficient monsoon, according to Water Resources Minister Mathew P Thomas.

The government also has plans to rejuvenate at least 10,000 private temple ponds of the total 40,000 in the state.

The Chief Minister had convened a high level meeting on Oct 13 to work out plans to meet the impending drought situation.

Kerala is now pinning all hopes on the north east monsoon which is yet to set in, he said.

- http://www.hindustantimes.com, October 30, 2016

Conservation and climate change have become hot topics in the past 30 years—we observe World Environment Day and Earth Day each year. However, in 1916, exactly a century ago, a Scotsman realized the importance of conservation and preservation of biodiversity and spent his entire life towards achieving this goal.

But for Hugo Francis Andrew Wood, the lush green Western Ghats today, especially the Anamalai range (Anai means elephant and malai means mountain) that runs through Tamil Nadu and Kerala would have become like the dry Eastern Ghats, doomed by British exploitation. The Western Ghats begin in Gujarat in the north-west and span over 1,600km to the south of India. To their west lies a narrow plain bordering the Arabian Sea, while in the east, they merge with the Deccan plateau. It would not be an exaggeration to say it determines the climate of India. It stands directly in the path of the south-west monsoon and creates heavy rainfall on the narrow coastal plains on the west and dry regions on the eastern side. This is also the reason why the Western Ghats‘ biodiversity in flora and fauna is unparalleled in the world and is a Unesco World Heritage site.

Creation of Topslip
As I drove up the Anamalai hills, it was sunny until I entered the mountainous road amid thick forest canopy filled with towering trees of all kinds. Wherever the trees were broken by elephants, light shone through upon signs like “Don’t stop anywhere” and “Don’t use horn”.

It’s exhilarating to drive amid dense jungles wondering if you are going to encounter wild elephants—Anamalai, as the name suggests, is elephant territory. Finally, reaching the Anamalai Tiger Reserve located on Topslip, you see little sign of civilization until a checkpoint.

Until 200 years ago, only tribals lived in the Anamalai range, which has the highest peak of the Western Ghats at 2,695m. Francis Buchanan mentioned of Indian teak and other trees he came across in the Anamalai of Madras Presidency in his travelogue A Journey from Madras through the Countries of Mysore, Canara and Malabar (Volume 3) published in 1807.

The British had the Anamalai range surveyed in 1820. Both the East India Company and the British government were thrilled when they found jungles on the Anamalai range, which spanned several mountains in Madras Presidency (Kerala and Tamil Nadu), were filled with giant teak trees. They decided to harvest the timber but found that they couldn’t transport the trees down to the plains as they were too large. So, they came up with a novel method—they cut the trees and pushed the timber down through the slope to the river downhill. Hence the name Topslip.

In 1850, a road from Topslip to Valparai was built by Captain James Michael of the Madras Infantry, and in 1856, Captain George Gosling, who was also a geologist, built a road from Topslip to Parambikulam (now in Kerala), so they could exploit the jungles in the entire range; the timber was carried to Topslip using elephants.

When I visited the area—I travelled more than 50km inside the Anamalai range, in the region permitted by the forest departments of both states—I could find just one teak tree that had survived the exploitation and is 460 years old. It’s called the Kannimara Teak and is now a tourist attraction on the Parambikulam side. (Interestingly enough, the tree has also been awarded the Mahavriksha Puraskar, normally given individuals or organizations for protecting certain species of trees.)

Scientific forestry
Many people don’t understand why the great Indian Railways was built or the importance of the Indian forests to the British—or, for that matter, the connection between the two.

In the early 19th century, the colonial powers were vying for naval supremacy. The oak forests of Britain vanished due to irresponsible felling of trees to make ships. The Royal Navy needed timber for new ships, to retain its supremacy.

The British needed the railways for administration and trade. Apart from cargo and transportation, they needed the railways to move troops quickly to places of rebellion after the Sepoy Mutiny of 1857 challenged their imperial supremacy. For each mile of railway track, around 2,000 wooden planks or railway ties/sleepers were needed to hold the track in position.

Apart from this, wood was needed to fuel the steam locomotives. The British government decided to expand their railway network rapidly after 1857; so, even more wood was needed.

For these purposes, they needed massive amounts of teak. So, this species was needed to be grown and other species of trees were cut down. They called it “scientific forestry”. The British kept cutting off teak in Anamalai and shipping them off to Tiruchirappalli (aka Trichy) or Bombay (now Mumbai). In Trichy, it was used for building tracks across the subcontinent.

Teaks shipped to Bombay were used to build Royal Navy ships in the Bombay shipyard. Indeed, Indian teak contributed in making Britain a superpower. Roughly 40,000 trees were felled each year in government forests in Madras Presidency alone for the railways, according to Forestination in Madras Presidency by Dietrich Brandis (1883). This doesn’t include other species of trees that were exploited for other purposes like fuel. In the name of civilization Anamalai also became a political showcase of how the British were civilizing Indians. The British believed that killing wildlife and clearing forests for cultivation was a sign of civilization. They truly believed they were helping Indians leave their “natural savagery” behind by deforestation while using our timber to retain their imperial power status.

The British accomplished this in a systematic manner. First, they enacted the Indian Forest Act in 1865. As per this Act, they divided the forests into three categories—reserved, protected and village.

The Anamalai forests came under the reserved category, which meant local tribes couldn’t even take twigs to use as fuel or hunt small animals for food. They banned cattle grazing. Collecting vegetables or fruits could land one in prison.

Before the Act, people who lived in or near the forest got their food and fuel by hunting and the felling of branches, which had been their traditional right for centuries. Adivasi communities were banned from trading jungle products like tiger teeth, ivory, hides and skins, bamboo, spices, gums, resins, medicinal herbs, etc.

British companies were instead given the trading rights. Indian aristocrats and the British were allowed hunting licences to kill at will wild animals that caught their fancy, especially tigers. They were, in fact, paid for killing them. According to Indian Wildlife History: An Introduction by Mahesh Rangarajan, over 80,000 tigers, 150,000 leopards and 200,000 wolves were killed for rewards between 1875-1925 all over India. Since British kept records of only the money paid out, the actual number may be more.

Many Adivasis, on the other hand, were forced to vacate their ancient homelands and work in British plantations for free. To carry the huge trees, they created an elephant training camp, which exists even today. Tribals who lived in the Anamalai area of Western Ghats domesticated some elephants to become kumki elephants. They were used to drive away wild elephants to the mountain range and also carry the trees. This went on until most of the Anamalai range was cleared up. Between 1885 and 1915, several forest officers and conservators tried to regenerate the area but were unsuccessful. This was when an officer named Hugo Wood decided to put a stop to the unchecked destruction of indigenous forests. Birth and life

On 12 June 1870, Wood was born to Elizabeth Maria Louisa and Thomas William Wood at Byculla in Bombay Presidency. He was their second son. He studied at the Royal Indian Engineering College, Cooper’s Hill, in 1890-93. He passed the Indian Public Service tests and chose forestry. He returned to India in 1893. He worked on regenerating the Ajmer forests of Rajasthan. His ability in this regard was noticed by the British government and he was later sent to Godavari and Kurnool in Madras Presidency, where he served in various capacities as assistant conservator of forests and deputy conservator of forests.

Wood was asked to replicate his Ajmer work in the Anamalai range in 1915. The next year, he was posted to the South Coimbatore Division (a region that included parts of present-day Tamil Nadu and Kerala) by the time the Anamalai range was left with almost no trees.

Wood never married. He dedicated his life to conservation and didn’t care about race, religion, ethnicity, language or nationality. He was finally made conservator of forests in 1918, a post he held till 1926, when he retired to Coonoor after suffering from tuberculosis, according to a Tamil Nadu forest department booklet.

Forestry and conservation
The continued practices of scientific forestry and poaching across the world have led to disastrous consequences. Many of the Earth’s resources are non-renewable—once depleted, they are gone for good. Environmental pollution, species extinction and global climate change are all results of human mismanagement of the Earth’s resources, endangering our survival.

Wood knew this a 100 years ago. He understood the importance of the Western Ghats to the Indian climate, as well as the dangers of deforestation and importance of conservation.

In 1915, Wood drew up a working plan for regenerating the forests of the Western Ghats, especially in Anamalai and the surrounding areas. First, he talked to the tribals, the British government and other interested parties and made them agree on chopping trees and hunting wildlife. Second, he admonished the British for uprooting trees and introduced coppicing. This is a method of forest management which takes advantage of the fact that many trees will rapidly regrow in the spring if they are cut down up to the stump during the winter. It is friendly to wildlife and other flora and fauna.

Wood befriended the tribals and many who were displaced were brought back. He restored the customary rights of those who lived near the forests in the Anamalai range.

Finally, he marked out areas where no felling or coppicing was allowed for 25 years. The British government agreed to this plan as they had unsuccessfully tried regenerating the Anamalai range for 30 years. (Wood also refused to provide to the British during World War I.) In 1916, Wood, living in a bamboo hut in Mount Stuart, began the regeneration of the Anamalai range. He cooked his own food and lived alone. First, he analysed why the teak trees were not growing back and discovered that it was due to the presence of Lantana camara, a flowering shrub which is actually a weed; an invasive species introduced in the plantations for ornamental effect, it had spread quickly all over the range. Wood made sure to get rid of it all.

Despite the fear of cholera and malaria due to the climate in the region, he worked in earnest. He would go on daily walks into the deforested land 4km away, pockets filled with teak seeds.

He would dig holes a foot deep with his silver-tipped walking stick and plant the seeds in. He did this at 15ft intervals. Once his pockets were emptied, he would go back for more seeds and start again from where he left off. In 1916, he started small, targeting an area of 25 acres; by his death, it had spread to an area of 650 sq. km. Death and legacy

On 13 December 1933, the first motor vehicle that drove up Anamalai’s mountainous road to Topslip was a small lorry carrying the body of Hugo Wood. It was followed by 11 cars with British officials.

Wood had died in Coonoor on 12 December at the age of 63. However, a few months earlier, sensing his approaching death, he drew a will asking to be buried in Mount Stuart in the Western Ghats and also sent the money needed for the tomb to the chief conservator of Madras Presidency. He now lies buried among the teak trees and his legacy. The inscription on the tomb reads “Si monumentum requiris circumspice”, Latin for “If you are looking for my monuments, look around”.

Deepa Kandaswamy is an award-winning freelance writer and author based in India.
Comments are welcome at [email protected]

- http://www.livemint.com, October 30, 2016

Cities have always been important to Asia. As Charles Tilly remarks, “Cities emerged in Asia, and in terms of sheer man-years lived in cities, Asians have more urban experience than the rest of the world put together”. South Asia has its own pre-history of flourishing urban centres, and some of those which have been excavated still produce wonder and awe.

Muslims brought their own urban tradition to the region. Cities have been central to Islamic history because of military and strategic reasons, commercial interests, the fulfillment of inclusive ritual obligations, and symbolic imperatives. Walter Fischell has argued that “Islamic civilisation owes its very existence to cities, and it is cities that made Islam the great power it is in world history”.

It is reasonable to expect that the combined heritage of India and Islam would foster extensive urban growth. In terms of sheer numbers, it did. The percentage of people living in the urban areas was higher in 17th Century India than in Europe (15 percent to 13 percent), and at a time when only three European cities had populations over 200,000, the cities of Agra, Delhi and Lahore had populations well over 500,000.

But the number of people living in Indian cities did not lead to the same developmental trajectory that European urban settlements followed. First, as Marx had pointed out in his discussion the Asiatic Mode of Production, there was no “opposition” between town and country. Thus, a prime condition of economic differentiation and class formation was absent, and social and economic stagnancy was inevitable. As Marx put it, “Asian history is a kind of undifferentiated unity of town and country” with the large city “as a princely camp super-imposed upon the economic structure” unlike in Europe where economic forces gradually led to the “urbanisation of the countryside, not the ruralisation of the city”. (The last insight is as true today as it was in Marx's time).

Second, medieval Indian cities did not have the corporate character, municipal institutions, exemptions or charters, or the legal personality that European cities came to exemplify. There was no burgher class, no autonomous source of revenue, and the relationship between the State and the cities remained ambiguous. Consequently, the delivery of services and the implementation of the rule of law was arbitrary and ineffectual. That history continues to cast a long shadow over current realities in Bangladesh.

Third, and most importantly, Europe was radically transformed through the industrial-capitalist revolution in the 18th Century, and the evolution of democratic institutions, habits and attitudes that followed. Cities began to be more prosperous which allowed greater resources and better planning. They also began to be democratically organised which provided the residents a sense of pride and ownership. Moreover, a notion of time that was linear and specific helped to organise their activities and expectations and became part of the urban ethos.

A civic culture developed - mindful of the rule of law and respect for the rights of others, dedicated to the notion of shared spaces, committed to a concern for collective well-being, and confident about a self-governing arrangement where decisions could be consensually taken and authoritatively implemented. Cities had to balance the respect for individual autonomy (which capitalism had heralded), with the orderly management of social life that collective existence demanded (which entailed some personal adjustments and sacrifices).

If the rise of the Protestant ethic was fundamental to the development of capitalism as Weber had asserted, the development of this attitude of being part of a new, complex, time-sensitive, impersonal community in a spirit of accommodation and mutual support, became the defining hallmark of a cosmopolitan world-view, a civic-mindedness, an urban sensibility, which not only became associated with, but indispensable to, the development of modern cities.

In South Asia, as in Dhaka, while urban growth occurred, this transition did not, either because of the weaknesses inherent in its internal dynamicor because of the subversion of colonial forces. From the city's side there was little preparation or planning in terms of acquiring new infrastructural and managerial capacities, delivering appropriate services, or being responsible to the public or responsive to its needs. On the receiving side, many of the new migrants to the cities did not have the social experience, “rationalist”orientation, or participatory values to inculcate the sense of attachment and awareness that their new domiciles demanded. Most of the residents retained their “home” identities, habits and attitudes (as the old expression goes, they may have left the village, but the village had not left them). A commitment to the collective good, shared spaces, and timely performance of duties, essential for the functioning of a modern city, was neither clarified to them, nor required from them. They were in the city, not of it.

Thus, the lack of enforceable rules and laws, and the undeveloped nature of civic norms and curtsies, led to behaviour that was often offensive, selfish and illogical. It is important to note that both the marginalised and the prosperous engaged in “anti-societal” conduct. The poor would only “encroach” on sidewalks to set up their little stores and trades, the rich would simply incorporate the sidewalks into their own property. The poor would use the trees and boundary walls as toilets, the rich would throw their garbage in the streets, and litter with impunity. The poor would scamper across busy roads as they endangered themselves, the rich would routinely and arrogantly violate traffic laws to have their way and thereby cause gridlock and chaos. The poor would create messy and unhealthy slums, the rich in predatory greed would take over precious lakes and open spaces to construct buildings that were an affront to the landscape and costly to the public. And both would spit copiously and nonchalantly in public areas - an act that was as gross as it was perhaps indicative of their feelings towards the city.

The city administrations in the past also tended to cling to their sense of feudal entitlements, more interested in displaying their power than in serving the public. They ignored the inefficiencies and corruptions around them and perfected the art of shifting blame and pointing fingers rather than in resolving issues, or doing the right thing. This was facilitated by a Kafkaesque bureaucracy of endless paper-shuffling, constant bickering between government agencies with confusing and overlapping jurisdictions, and political pressures for nurturing patron-client networks and protecting entrenched interests. The “system” was never user-friendly, and destined, perhaps designed, to be dysfunctional.

The argument of this essay is that if we seek to make Dhaka more livable, beautiful, sustainable, then some understanding of its political culture, and the historical and structural baggage it carries, may be necessary and relevant. This is not to suggest that we should give up our dreams about re-envisioning Dhaka to achieve both aesthetic and utilitarian objectives. Indeed, such projects of reform and redesign must be pursued with renewed vigour and courage. But we must realise the political cynicism and psychological resistances that such efforts may face, and emphasise the cultivation of civic virtues to make them possible today and meaningful in the future.

The writer is Professor Emeritus, Black Hills State University, USA, and Director of Gyantapas Abdur Razzaq Foundation, Dhaka.

- http://www.thedailystar.net, October 30, 2016

Restoration of the iconic Saptakoteshwar temple at Naroa will mark a milestone in conservation for the archives and archeology department, as one of the seven architects empanelled by it will restore the nearly 350-year-old landmark raised by Chhatrapati Shivaji. With the department facing the gigantic task of maintaining 51 protected monuments and archaeological sites, it has formed a panel of seven architects and agencies to provide architectural and consultancy services for its restoration work, for three years.

"We will entrust the restoration of the Naroa temple to one of these seven architects specialized in conservation. The temple completes 350 years in 2018 and the work is expected to be over by the end of 2017," assistant superintending archaeologist, archives and archaeology department, Varad Sabnis said.

The department was facing a vacuum in conservation expertise after archaeologists and scientific officers retired from the department. Lack of political will in drafting replacements for a couple of years reflected in the neglect of monuments, some of them needing intensive maintenance, sources said. But things have improved slightly with a few recruitments recently.

Seven architects and agencies have responded after the department invited expressions of interest for consultancy and other services. In the past, the department had engaged other agencies for restoration, but now it plans to take up works on a larger scale to improve the conservation effort. The Naroa temple had been restored a decade ago by Fundacao Oriente, but exposure to natural elements and time have taken their toll on the monument. Shri Saptakoteshwar, a form of Shiva, was the family deity of the Kadamba kings. A mention of the deity is found on copperplates and gold coins of Kadamba kings, such as Tribhuvanmalla and Jayakeshi, as also Degamve stone inscription of Kadamba king Shivachitth and his Queen Kamladevi.

After the Bahmani Sultans gained supremacy in Goa in 1352, several temples were destroyed. But the Vijayanagar king restored most of them after defeating the Sultans in 1367. Once again, the Portuguese razed the temple in 1560. "Sardessais managed to shift the linga to Naroa and installed it at the new site, where Shivaji built the temple in 1668," Sabnis said.

The location at which the temple exists today was known as Hindale in ancient records. But after the deity was brought from Naroa, Divar, this location also came to be known as Naroa.

The temple committee has also proposed development of the site in sync with its heritage character. "The department will restore the temple, lamp tower and water tank," Sabnis said. - http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com, October 31, 2016

Keeping the festive season in mind, Cidco Urban Haat kicked off a handicraft exhibition from October 26, which will be on till November 6 from 11am to 10pm daily. Over 70 artisans from 13 states are participating in the exhibition, which is organized by the grant-in-aid from Ministry of Textiles, Development Commission (Handicrafts), Government of India.

Products in the exhibition include handicrafts, leather crafts, metal crafts and embroidery saris.

"I was looking for jute craft, which is rarely available in markets. I got what I was looking for at the exhibition. Though prices are a bit higher here, quality seems to be far better," said Airoli resident, Neelam Patil.

300 million children live in areas with extreme air pollution, India among worst

Over 1 billion children live in homes where solid fuels are used in cooking and heating

300 million children in Asia, live in areas where outdoor air pollution exceeds six times international limits, which is the most extreme.

Another 1.22 billion children live in areas where outdoor air pollution exceeds international limits.

China and India – the two most populous nations on the planet - have been frequently cited as areas where air pollution is at its worst.

A comprehensive report titled ‘Clear the air for Children’ released by UNICEF in October 2016, highlights the extent to which children all over the world are exposed to the harmful effects of air pollution (both outdoor and indoor).

Some of the findings of the report are:

Together, outdoor and indoor air pollution are directly linked with pneumonia and other respiratory diseases that account for almost one in 10 under-five deaths, making air pollution one of the leading dangers to children’s health.

Over 1 billion children live in homes where solid fuels are used in cooking and heating. Eighty-one per cent of rural households in India use biomass fuel, for instance, because it is relatively inexpensive and readily available.

In the three countries with the highest child populations (India, China and Nigeria), the number of cars is likely to grow considerably in the coming decades, which will be particularly marked in Africa, and substantial too in South Asia. For comparison, if those countries were to have the same motorization rate per capita as the United States of America currently, the number of vehicles would increase by nearly 40 times for India and Nigeria, and 8 times for China, and this does not account for the growth in population over the coming decades.

The effects of indoor air pollution kill more children globally than outdoor air pollution, especially in Africa and Asia. More than 60 per cent of the population in India continue to use solid fuels in household cooking – contributing to over 100,000 child deaths associated with indoor air pollution in 2012.

Lower-income households tend to have poor ventilation systems, and these ventilation systems can worsen indoor air pollution. One study found that indoor smoke from cooking can be 20 times higher than international limits. A study in Andhra Pradesh, India, found that solid fuel use created a mean 24-hour average concentration of particulate matter that ranged from 73 to 732 µg/m. Guidelines from the WHO indicate that it should not exceed 10 µg/m3.

Poor children are among the most at-risk from air pollution.

Causes of air pollution

Human-made pollutants are caused by fossil fuel combustion, industrial manufacturing, waste-burning, dust from traffic, smoke, and exhaust from automobiles, ships, and airplanes. Fires and brush clearing are also a major source of pollution in the form of smoke and black carbon. Mining operations and use of insecticides and fertilizers in agricultural activities, lead to emission of harmful chemicals in the air. All these contribute to outdoor air pollution.

Burning of solid fuels for household cooking, heating and lighting is a major cause of household, or indoor, air pollution.

Ill-Effects of air pollution on children

Air pollution is linked with diseases and infections that kill around 600,000 children under 5 years of age per year. Pneumonia accounts for up to 16 per cent of all under-five deaths; more than half of childhood pneumonia deaths are associated with air pollution.

It causes miscarriages, early delivery, and low birth weight.

It contributes to diseases that account for almost 1 in 10 of all deaths of children under the age of five.

It can harm the healthy development of children’s brains.

It is a drag on economies and societies, already costing as much as 0.3 per cent of global GDP – and rising.

It causes difficulty in breathing. Studies show it is linked with asthma, bronchitis, airways inflammation and even eye irritation. It can cause wheezing, coughing and phlegm production.

Children breathe twice as quickly as adults, and take in more air relative to their body weight. Their respiratory tracks are more permeable and thus more vulnerable. Their immune systems are weaker. Their brains are still developing and they are at more risk of developing acute respiratory infections such as pneumonia.

Ultrafine, airborne pollutants -- caused primarily by smoke and fumes -- can more easily enter and irritate children’s lungs, causing and exacerbating life-threatening disease.

Studies show these tiny particles can also cross the blood-brain barrier, which is less resistant in children, causing inflammation, damaging brain tissue, and permanently impairing cognitive development. They can even cross the placental barrier, injuring the developing fetus when the mother is exposed to toxic pollutants.

What measures can be taken to improve the situation?

Children should be kept away from anything that harms them - their exposure to air pollution needs to be minimized. Even though the toxic cocktail of chemicals in air pollution is largely invisible to the naked eye, these elements are deadly and affect children’s health and well-being. Minimizing exposure requires actions by families and individuals, as well as communities and governments. These can include providing better ventilation, as well as insulation, depending on the source of pollutants in homes; the provision of cleaner cookstoves; and preventing exposure to tobacco smoke. They can include greater knowledge and awareness of how to protect oneself and one’s family. Finally, they can include better urban planning and making sure that polluting sources are not built within the immediate vicinity of schools and playgrounds.

Better monitoring of air pollution is required. Air quality can fluctuate rapidly in every environment. For example, cooking or heating with biomass in the home can cause a rapid spike in indoor air pollution. Urban outdoor pollution spikes during rush hour in most cities. Waste-burning tends to be practised at certain times of the day in many places. Monitoring systems can help individuals, parents, families, communities and local and national governments become more aware of how air pollution might affect them, and adjust to immediately prevailing conditions to minimize exposure. These measures will not in themselves stop the problem of air pollution – but they are a necessary and important first step. The more we know about air pollution, the better we can figure out how to protect children from its negative effects.

To support action to limit citizen’s exposure to air pollution, including that of children, the Government of India has expanded air quality monitoring and research. It now provides location specific near real-time air quality data and forecasts for its largest cities. UNICEF is supporting programme partners in Jaipur in measuring the impact of pollution on the breathing capacity of children and advises citizens on the risks of air pollution and how to limit exposure and its adverse effects.

Efforts need to be also focused on reducing air pollution. Reducing air pollution will translate into millions of saved lives, and lead to better, healthier lives for our children and future generations. At the governmental level, actions should be implemented to reduce fossil fuel emissions, and increase investments made in sustainable energy and low-carbon development. These include commitments made as part of the COP21 Climate Change Paris Agreement and Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). Within communities, better management of community resources, including safe waste disposal, better public transportation options, and information and knowledge on reducing pollution, is needed.

- http://www.thenewsminute.com, October 31, 2016

Fashion designer returns to her first love khadi for her new festive collection titled Vichar Vastra

Years ago, 25 to be exact, fashion designer Ritu Beri chose khadi as a fabric to launch her brand. It was a textile she was comfortable with; after all, Beri saw everyone from her forefathers to cousins wearing it.

But there was one more reason the then-fledgling designer used khadi, a fabric espoused by Mahatma Gandhi. “At that point of time, the fact that khadi was a green fabric, environment-friendly, natural and had unique appeal (as every yarn is different) were not factors playing on my mind,” recalls the fashion designer. “I simply could not afford an expensive fabric. So I used khadi, because it was affordable.” That is how Beri came out with her first two collections, which were in the fabric.

“Now, when I look back, I realise that I have always been in love with this fabric,” she says. “Khadi makes the person stand out. If a bride wears khadi, she immediately gets noticed. But now, we see the same monotonous look during weddings.” The material not only evokes patriotic fervour, but there’s also a romantic side to it. “The fabric played an important role during the Independence movement. My great grandfather was a big believer in the significance of khadi in nation-building. I remember an unbreakable rule existed in our house that everybody should wear khadi.” The fashion designer has revisited her favourite fabric with Vichar Vastra, a collection of Western and Indian ensembles specially crafted for the festive season. “Basically, I have created a collection around khadi. I thought that Diwali would be an ideal time for people to promote [khadi] among their friends and families. For me, it is the most luxurious, special, hand-spun, hand-woven fabric with a zero carbon imprint. Also, as a designer, it is a fantastic fabric to work with.”

Beri has expanded her love for khadi by becoming an adviser to the Khadi and Village Industries Commission. She recollects how BJP leader Meenakshi Lekhi asked her to make the fabric relevant for every age group. “When I saw the amazing collection of maroon, orange, pink, red, indigo, white (my perennial favourite), there was no stopping me. Khadi is such a versatile proposition. It is a creative social equaliser and is as much apt for politicians as for students and artists. When I take something up, I go completely into it. But I wondered how I could make the idea appealing for college-goers.”

A solution came when she heard the Prime Minister’s speech, which included a reference to Mahatma Gandhi saying that khadi was not a vastra (dress) but a vichar (thinking). “So I played with words and coined my collection Vichar Vastra,” Beri says.

For the festive collection, Beri has experimented with different forms and silhouettes ranging from beachwear to trousers. The designer believes that the fabric can play a vital role on the global scale. “Whenever I travel to Paris, I carry plenty of khadi and distribute it among my friends. Similarly, when my French friends come over to Delhi, I take them to the Khadi Gram Udyog. The moment they get into the shop, they get into crisp khadi kurtas . The whole intention behind the khadi movement is to make the world understand how beautiful our textiles are. We have a unique heritage which we need to take forward.”

In the future, Beri would like to make India a destination for luxury wear. She cites the example of Italy and France, countries which have luxurious, top-of-the-line brands. “As a proud Indian, I get offended when people talk in high esteem about other countries without bringing India into discussion,” she says, reminiscing about an incident where she attended a seminar on luxury where references were to Germany, Belgium and Vietnam for starting the luxury movement. “But there was no a mention of India. I was appalled. We are connoisseurs of luxury. If anyone looks at the hall at Bikaner House, where the Maharaja of Patiala has a heritage car, they would understand the kind of importance we give to luxury.” And so the fashion designer is doing her best to put India on the world map of fashion and style, through khadi.

The designer believes that the fabric can play a vital role on the global scale

- http://www.thehindu.com, October 31, 2016

Spearheading the cause of Traditional Knowledge (TK) protection by taking up the recommendations of scientists from Kerala, MP Shashi Tharoor has submitted a private bill in parliament. Political leaders of Kerala cutting across political lines have pledged their support to push for TK Bill after scientists raised their concerns over bio piracy.

\"We have a wealth of Traditional Knowledge in our country but, no means of protecting it, regulating its applications or ensuring it is not wrongly exploited. My bill seeks to recognize TK and protect it," Tharoor said.

TK refers to the knowledge passed on since generations, innovations and practices of indigenous and local communities, traditional and tribal herbal cures, unique agricultural practises and native culture.

A senior scientist on IPR management Praveen Raj from CSIRNational Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology (NI IST) here had consistently taken up the cause of TK protection by inspiring and guiding Tharoor in drafting the TK Bill. In a first, he had reiterated to protect TK separately and not to include it under Intellectual Property Rights (IPR).

"TK protection has to be in-situ, in the place of its origin, retaining its originality and ge ographical protec tion and need not be included in the IPR folder. TK protection can be ensured by the state with rights for the original holder by creating `Knowledge Commons' with those holding their rights under a commons licence," Praveen Raj said. The right holders shall permit others to use knowledge in their possession for non-commercial purposes. However, pathbreaking discoveries need not be listed under commons and can be separately patented, he said.

The LDF government, in 2008, had announced the IPR policy and placed in the legislative assembly . Later, the UDF-led government had constituted a committee which had released a draft Traditional Knowledge Protection Rules on July 1, 2014.

- http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com, October 31, 2016