R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

REGIONAL POTPOURRI

• Gaurishankar, a marvel in stone
• Make cosmetic surgery more economical

PUNJAB

WINNERS: DAV College team has won the championship at the inter-college yoga competition of Panjab University, for the eighth consecutive term. Subhash Chander, Anil Juneja, Sudhir Kumar, Sita Ram, Bhushan Kumar, Naresh Kumar and Khem Chand were honoured by Principal H.R. Gandhar, staff and students for winning six gold medals at the competition. Garg, CMO, about 350 patients were examined and medicines distributed free of cost. An exhibition on dental diseases was also held.

AMLOH
MEETING: Ms Raghbir Kaur Khera, Sub-Divisional Magistrate, convened a meeting of the heads of various government departments located at Amloh and Mandi Gobindgarh to discuss the preparations for Republic Day celebrations. According to a press note issued here on Thursday, a function would be organised in grain market. It would include a parade by NCC cadets and police personnel and a cultural programme by schoolchildren. Rehearsal of the function would be held at the local Government Girls’ Senior Secondary School on January 17 and 18. 

POWER-CUTS RESENTED: Mr Balbir Singh Ghuman, president of the Government Teachers’ Union, has urged the government to ensure regular power supply in the town because unscheduled power-cuts were causing inconvenience to the public in general and students in particular. Power-cuts were also affecting water supply in the area, he said. 

AMRITSAR
7 BOOKED: The police has booked Kiran Kapoor, Rakesh, Happy and four others for allegedly eve-teasing a resident of Ranjit Avenue here on Tuesday. In another incident, the police arrested Jagdeep Singh of Partap nagar, Chheharta, and seized 12 gm of smack from him. A case has been registered under the NDPS Act.

BIBLE EXHIBITION: A three-day Bible history exhibition organised by CNI Amritsar Diocese, local churches and pastors, started at Alexandra School on Wednesday.

SIX HURT: Six persons were injured in three separate incidents in the city on Monday. Beant Singh of Guru Amardass Avenue was attacked by two unidentified persons with a sharp-edged weapon. Harbhajan Singh, Bittu, Pala, Kanwaljit Singh and Jaban Singh, residents of Ghanupur Kale, allegedly attacked factory owner Sukhwinder Singh and his workers, Jawala Singh and Nirmal Singh. Vijay Malhotra and Rabinder Pal Singh of Ranjit Avenue, allegedly fired at Dinesh Kumar and his brother. Personal enmity is said to have led to the assault.

GURDASPUR
BOY KILLED: Pawan Kumar (14), resident of Babowal, was run over by a truck near the Police Lines crossing on Tuesday. The driver of the truck was inebriated and after killing the boy hit the road divider. The truck has been impounded and the driver arrested.

ELECTED: The following have been elected office-bearers of the local unit of the Shiv Sena (Bal Thackeray): senior vice-president — Mr Manish Dogra; vice-president — Mr Rohit Khullar; and legal adviser — Mr Rajesh Chohan.

KHAMANO
CRITICISED: Mr Dharam Paul, president of the local nagar panchayat, has criticised Mr Kirpal Singh Khirnian, Akali leader, for getting the fence, which was put up for preventing encroachments, near the local bus stand removed recently without permission from the authorities. He said he had given a notice to the district administration and the Local Government Department in this regard. He added it was not expected from a person like Mr Khirnian who was contesting the Assembly elections. 

DEMANDED: The people here have demanded regular power supply in the area. According to them, they have to suffer because of unscheduled power-cuts for about seven to eight hours daily. They have threatened that an agitation will be launched if necessary steps are not taken to solve the problem. Officials of the PSEB could not be contacted in this regard despite repeated attempts. 

LUDHIANA
EXHIBITION: The eighth international exhibition on knitting and allied machines and accessories, Knit World — 2002, will start here on Friday. According to Mr Narinder Mohan, organiser of the exhibition, companies from Germany, Taiwan, Italy, Korea, Holland and the USA, besides various local manufacturers would participate in the four-day exhibition. He said various types of machines and accessories would be displayed at the exhibition. 

KIRTAN DARBAR: The Dhan-Pothohar Punjab will organise a ‘kirtan darbar’ on Monday at Gurdwara Mohar Singh Nagar, near CMC Chowk. Mr N.S. Nanda, president, Brotherhood, in a press note said the ‘kirtan darbar’ was being organised in memory of late Amar Singh Wadhera, senior-vice president, who died here recently. He said ‘kirtani jatha’ of Bhai Devinder Singh, Bibi Manjit Kaur and Bhai Harpal Singh Nimana would recite the Gurbani in the darbar. The ‘kirtan darbar’ would be organised with the cooperation of Mr S.G.P. Singh Chadda, president, and Mr Tejinderpal Singh Bindra, secretary, of Mohar Singh Gurdwara.

SEMINAR: The Godrej Hair Care Institute launched its services in the city by organising a seminar on haircare here on Thursday. The seminar was conducted by renowned hair expert Firdaus Padamsee and was attended by more than 100 beauty professionals and salon owners. The expert emphasised the importance of haircare routine. Another highlight of the workshop was the focus on post colour haircare regimen, including the use of specially formulated products such as after-colour shampoos etc. Speaking on the occasion, Mr Rimpy Phillips, executive, Godrej Hair Care Institute, said the first seminar was conducted by the institute in Mumbai. Seminars were also held in cities like Delhi, Bangalore, Calcutta, Pune, Chandigarh, Chennai, Baroda and Hyderabad. The participants of the seminar were given certificates by the institute.

MALERKOTLA
MEDICAL CAMP: The Civil Hospital organised a medical and dental check-up camp here on Wednesday. According to Dr N.C. Garg, CMO, about 350 patients were examined and medicines distributed free of cost. An exhibition on dental diseases was also held.

NAWANSHAHR
MANDI ASSOCIATION: Nawanshahr Mandi Merchants Association president Rajnish Jain, in a press note here on Wednesday, urged Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal to release Rs 5.50 crore due to rice mill owners. Mr Jain alleged that the FCI had released the payment to the Punjab Government three months ago, but the state government was causing delay in disbursing it.

PATHANKOT
APPREHENDED: The police has arrested patwari Om Parkash and girdawar Mohan Lal of the Sujanpur circle for allegedly accepting bribe. According to SP (Vigilance) R.K. Shardna, Mr Gopal Singh of Sujanpur lodged a complaint accusing the two of demanding Rs 3,000 for demarcation of his ancestral property.

PATIALA
DHARNA BY TEACHERS: The Punjab Government College Teachers Association held a dharna in front of the office of Directorate of Public Instructions here on Wednesday to protest against the non-implementation of their demands. The association had been demanding implementation of the UGC report of 1996 and increase in retirement age of college teachers from 58 years to 62 years. 

SAHNEWAL
DEMAND: The Nagar Panchayat of Sahnewal has demanded that the ticket for Ludhiana (rural) seat for the coming Assembly elections should be given to Mr Sharanjit Singh Dhillon, president, Youth Wing, Shiromani Akali Dal. In a meeting held under the presidentship of Dr Shamsher Singh Kaile, the panchayat observed that Mr Dhillon understood the problems faced by the local residents quite well. He also strived to solve these problems and had initiated many development projects in the area, maintained the councillors. The meeting was attended by many prominent personalities of the area, including Mr Tejinder Singh Sandhu and Mr Kulwant Singh Sandhu, president and secretary, respectively, of SAD, Ludhiana (urban). Members of Automobile Shopkeepers’ Union and Panchayat Raj Sports Club also took part in the meeting. 

SAMRALA
ELECTION BOYCOTT: Retired teachers of non-government-aided colleges have decided to boycott Assembly elections if orders regarding implementation of the Pension and Gratuity Act were not issued before the voting date. This was stated by Prof Hamdardvir Nausheharvi, press secretary of the Non-Government-Aided Retired College Teachers’ Forum, here on Thursday. Talking to mediapersons, Prof Nausheharvi said though the state Assembly had passed the Act on March 30, 1999, and a notification was issued on April 26, 1999, announcing its implementation from April 1, 1992, the government had not done so till now.

SPORTS FAIR: The Panchayati Raj Sports Club will organise a sports fair at Daheru village, 15 km from here, from January 24 to 27. This was stated by Mr Manjeet Singh Daheru, press secretary of the club. 

HARYANA

KILLED: Ganga Bahadur from Nepal was crushed to death by a truck on the GT Road on Wednesday. He was working as a chowkidar in Arya Senior Secondary School.

HIMACHAL PRADESH

KULU
WORKSHOP: The Forest Department organised a workshop on “sanjhi van yojna: at Patlikuhal on Wednesday. Range Officer H.S. Pal said eight Village Forest Development Societies participated. The workshop included deliberations on improving green cover and moisture regime and saving forests from fire.

REGIONAL POTPOURRI

Gaurishankar, a marvel in stone

Across the roaring Beas lies Naggar, which is dotted with innumerable big and small temples of various styles of architecture namely pagoda, shikhara, chalet, etc styles. About eight km from Manali is Dashal village. A narrow road meandering through slate-roofed hamlets, maize fields and apple-laden trees leads to the ancient stone temple of Gaurishankar dedicated to the deities of Shiva and Parvati. Indeed, it is a veritable showpiece in a tranquil setting.

This Shaivite temple dates back to 12th century AD. It is a fine specimen of the shikhara style, not indigenous to the hills, having been brought from the plains.

History that the seventh century witnessed the decline of Buddhism and the consequent emergence of Hindu renaissance. Around this period, many kingdoms and empires also extended their reign into the Himalayan region. As a result, rulers brought sculptors and artisans here, who made some of their most beautiful temples under royal patronage. The late Gupta period was indeed an age of fine temple architecture in Himachal.

The shikhara style is characterised by temples having a curvi-linear stone tower. The Gaurishankar temple is crowned with an ‘amalkha’ on top with “chaitya” windows decorated with floral and geometrical sculptures. It stands on a high plinth. The entrance slabs portray two female figures facing each other. They are the goddesses Ganga and Yamuna on their respective “vahanas”, carrying the trident of the Mother Goddess and are flanked by Shaivite “dwarpalas”. The richly carved door-frame of the sanctum sanctorum contains floral designs, bearing the image of Ganesha. Its pillars are heavily carved with floral scrolls interspersed with images of gods. The temple depicts Vishnu, Brahma, flying “gandharvas”, dancers and musicians.

The sanctum sanctorum is square and dark having conch-shells, flowers and incense with a linga in a yoni. In front of the temple lies an image of Nandi, while lion-headed water spouts are carved on the temple’s exterior.

It is a protected , bathed in floodlights at night. In the serenity of this mountainous pastoral setting, one can hear the roaring nearby Vankhol nullah, flowing over boulders to join the Beas, 3 km away in the valley.

The temple is deeply rooted in the socio-religious beliefs of Pahari culture. At Shivaratri a fair is held which is highlighted by bhandara, bhajans and bajaas.

Make cosmetic surgery more economical

Dr B.P. Singh, a renowned cosmetic surgeon from Jalandhar, has called upon cosmetic surgeons in the country to acquaint themselves with new techniques being used in cosmetic surgery internationally so as to make it safer and more economical with better results.

He was speaking to journalists on his return from Sydney, where he had gone to attend the Second World Congress of Cosmetic Surgery. During the four-day conference, methods to improve existing techniques of surgery were discussed.

Dr B.P.Singh, who is running his own Center of Laser Cosmetic & Plastic Surgery at Mota Singh Nagar in Jalandhar, was the only Indian participant at the international conference, attended by 85 experts.

Discussions were held on about 30 cosmetic surgery procedures such as liposuction, (the procedure to suck out extra fat to shape the body), rhinoplasty (used to beautify the nose), Lipo injection (to inject fat in sunken cheeks), and mammoplasty (used for correction of breast shape, face-lift and eye bags removal). Discussions were also held on the role of lasers in cosmetic surgery. It was emphasised that lasers should be used judiciously to avoid complications and bad results due to over-enthusiasm of young surgeons.

Dr B.P.Singh’s unique technique of lipoinjection has been successful and is widely used by surgeons worldwide. His 12 years’ experience in the field of cosmetic and plastic surgery at the international level was also highly appreciated. It is noteworthy that no other surgeon from either Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Pakistan or Arab countries was invited to the Congress.

Dr B.P. Singh was awarded the World Leader of Cosmetic Surgery Award and Best Scientific Presentation Award at the World Congress on Aesthetic and Restorative Surgery in February 2001 at Mumbai.

The acclaimed surgeon believes that it is very important for every surgeon to attend scientific meetings and deliberations to keep themselves abreast with the latest developments and research in cosmetic surgery. This interaction is important for a cosmetic surgeon engaged in the work of complete body shaping. The immediate benefit goes to the patient who gets the latest and best care in treatment.

Contributed by Roshni Johar, A.S. Prashar.