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Wednesday,
September 26, 2001, Chandigarh, India  
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Rape case: Army officer
identified UN urged to resolve Tibet issue The
Indo-Bangla musical
link Kangra paintings centre
opened Parwanoo to be developed as model entry point |
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Rape case: Army officer
identified Shimla, September 25 The preliminary investigation carried out by the police indicates that the version of the incident as mentioned in the FIR by the victim is correct. The medical examination of the girl has also confirmed rape. The vaginal swab has been sent for further examination. The police hoped that the Army authorities will hand over the accused officer for interrogation by the evening. The girl from Mumbai, who is a daughter of an Air Force officer, landed in trouble as soon as she reached Shimla. The girl who was reportedly emotionally upset, reached here all alone. She contacted the local military control office to find a safe place to stay. An Army Subedar talked to the accused officer, who in turn asked him to drop her at his residence at Longwood. Instead of helping her in finding a place to stay the officer allegedly raped her. The ordeal lasted for an hour after which she was again dropped at the station. She contacted the officials of Railway and traffic police and narrated the incident. On their advice she lodged an FIR with the police. Meanwhile, the father of the girl, who arrived here today, also met the Superintendent of Police. Further action in the matter will be taken after the interrogation of the officer. The Army personnel, who took the girl to the accused, has already been interrogated. On his statement the police was able to identify the accused.
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UN urged to resolve Tibet issue Dharamsala, September 25 In a statement issued here today the Dharamsala Regional Tibetan Youth Congress appealed to the leaders of the free world to prevail upon China to release all political prisoners in Tibet who were being held under inhuman conditions for protesting peacefully against China’s military occupation of their country. The 1987 demonstration, initiated by 21 Tibetans, was joined by hundreds of people to protest against the Chinese rule in Tibet. This had led to series of demonstrations in Lhasa till the imposition of martial law on March 5, 1989. On the occasion of the 14th anniversary of the demonstration a photo and video exhibition regarding the deteriorating situation in Tibet will be held in
McLeodganj.
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The Indo-Bangla musical
link Banikhet (Dalhousie), September 25 Among the many rich South Asian musical traditions evidenced during the ongoing Asia Pacific Performing Arts Network (APPAN) conference at Banikhet, one was Baul, presented by Begum Sultana Choudhuri, who picked up its strands from Kangalini Sufia, an uneducated Kushtiya woman. Sultana is not new to India. She has been here twice to perform at the India International Centre, Delhi, under the Indo-Bangladesh cultural exchange programme. But she is visiting the Devbhoomi for the first time. Fed on the songs of chief artist of Baul and a remarkably gifted poet Lalon Shah, Sultana was urged to unravel the techniques of this system. She learnt the same from Kangalini Sufia, who belongs to Kushtiya, the land of Lalon Shah. Our first conversation with Sultana rested on the recently-released Bangla feature film, Tumar Amar Prem, a joint India-Bangladesh venture. Released in Kolkata and Bangladesh, the film has famous Indian singers Udit Narayan, Asha Bhonsle and Anuradha Paudwal. The only Bangladeshi singer is Sultana. She has two duets with Udit Narayan. The commercial involvements apart, Sultana is now greatly devoted to promotion of Baul singing. After listening to famous Lalon Shah Bauls rendered by her during the conference, it was difficult to believe that she was the same person who had swept the crowd off its feet with popular numbers at New York’s Madison Square, during the recent Bangladesh convention of North America. From here, one was led to talk about Bauls, the mystical order, which is close to Sufi Qalaam. Said Sultana, “The difference emerges in technique, though the lyrics are similar — both inspired by joys and sorrows of life.” Longing for the eternal is dominant in Bauls, as in Sufi Qalaam. Added Sultana, “Lalon Shah infused a new spirit into the Baul song and caused it to develop on a new line. The innermost experiences of the human soul have found expression in his songs.” Another very famous Baul singer is Hasan Raja from Sylhat (near Assam). |
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Kangra paintings centre
opened Dharamsala, September 25 About 50 students have been enrolled at the centre to learn the nuances of the art, which once flourished in the royal courts. Repeated efforts by the government to revive and promote this unique art form have failed to bring about the desired results, due to want of funds for imparting training to the interested artists. This time, the district administration has provided a full-time artist, Dhani Ram, to train the students in this art form. Having undergone a four-year diploma in Kangra paintings, Dhani Ram, along with three others artists, is based at the temples in Kangra, Jwalamukhi and Chamunda. The sale counter at the Museum here, will not only improve the economic condition of the artists, but also help art lovers acquire these paintings, easily and at reasonable rates. The sale counter, which was inaugurated today, has over 200 paintings by Dhani Ram, Mukesh, Joginder Singh and Pritam. The typical themes of Kangra Kalam since the times of Raja Sansar Chand include the life of Lord Krishna, his love for Radha, Geet Govinda of Jaidev baramasa season, court scenes and portraits of the queens in the zenana. The Deputy Commissioner, Kangra, Mr Prabodh Saxena, said that a proposal is being sent to the Centre for the promotion and popularisation of the Kangra paintings. “It’s not that people do not have interest in this art form but the absence of good gurus, who can train them in the finer nuances of this style, which has been described as the art of “patience, labour and native devotion”, is the main impediment,” he opined. The Director, Language, Art and Culture, Mr K.R. Bharti, said that efforts were on to open sale counters even at Himachal Bhavans in Delhi and Chandigarh to help at the artists sell their work and get wider exposure. “Our effort will be to send these artists to fairs and exhibition at the national and international levels to promote their art and the Kangra style of paintings,” he observed. Apart from the Kangra paintings displayed at the museum, the Chamba Rumal, pieces of fine embroidery are also there. Renowned artist, Suraj Begum, retired Principal of the ITI at Chamba, who has trained several students in this art, has displayed her exquisite works. Works of Lata Behal, have also been put up. The Curator of the museum, Mr Ramesh Chander, said that Chamba rumals, which are influenced by the Kangra paintings, are rare pieces of delicate, fine and intricate embroidery. |
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Parwanoo
to be developed as model entry point Parwanoo, September 25 The
showroom will have products which are being produced in Himachal
Pradesh especially Parwanoo. This was stated here yesterday by Prem
Kumar Dhumal Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh at a function of a
vocational-cum-community centre at Sector 5. The centre is being
constructed by the Rotary Club of Parwanoo under the “Vikas Mein Jan
Sehyog” programme in which 50 per cent matching grant has been given
by the state government. Mr Dhumal said Himachal Pradesh will become a model state by the year 2010. Under a special programme of NABARD, Rs 1 crore has been sanctioned for the development of Chaki-ka-Mor to Bhoj Nagar road near Parwanoo. He said a place had been identified for the construction of a bus stand in Parwanoo. Regarding the recent hike in water rates in Parwanoo by the HP Housing Board, he said he would speak to the Board authorities at Shimla and see the possibility of reducing the rates. He informed that the housing board is an independent body and had already incurred a loss of Rs 60 lakh on the water supply of Parwanoo. Speaking on the entry tax levied by the government at all entry points of Himachal Pradesh, and the problems faced by local people residing near the barriers, he said now the residents have to pay only two-month fee for whole year as a one-time payment. |
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