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Play with colours and be chic,
say city’s fashionistas
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Sitarist Adnan Khan In harmony with Nature
“We are not the children of the lesser god.” These special children seem to be saying this during a fun-filled day at Prayas.
— Photo by S.S. Chopra From Schools and Colleges
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Play with colours and be chic,
say city’s fashionistas
Eye-catching colour combinations, stone-studded rings that vie with huge hoops in myriad shades, and shoes that are more a fashion statement than footwear. Well, the city is fast shedding its image of not-being-in-the-fashion-league. The new wave of fashion-smitten youngsters has reversed the whole trend of fashionably not-fashion-conscious city. It’s cool to be chic and mod and in sync with the latest fashion! Being dowdy is a definite “no”. You have to keep abreast of the latest in the fashion world. “Though the city does not host many fashion shows, we can check out the fashion zone through Internet and magazines,” says Preeti, a college student, who has a formidable collection of Western wears. “It’s the age of mergers and forays into new ventures. Boundaries are melting and the world is fast developing into a global village. Narrowness and constriction simply do not fit into the scheme of the things. The accent, these days, is on flow. On movement. On fusion. And fashion is not divorced from life. It takes its roots in the actualities of life,” explains a student of fashion designing from the Apeejay College of Fine Arts. Comfort is the key. Tight outfits making breathing a chore are on their way out. “Jeans, trousers paired with hand-painted kurtas are the ultimate in comfort. They also look cool,” says Twinkle, NIFD student, adding that long, flowing skirts are a rage. In the formal wear, chiffon, crepe, laser, georgette are the preferred fabrics, though cotton retains its pristine charm. “There’s no match for a cool, comfy cotton outfit in attractive colours. Cotton has a certain class to it that synthetic fabrics lack, though going by the dictates of fashion gurus, cotton outfits qualify only as semi-formal wears,” explains Shaveta, who is a second year student of fashion designing at the NIFD. Embroidery has made a comeback and an impressive comeback at that! Heavy embroidery on salwar suits goes well for parties. “Salwars with heavy falls look graceful. Embroidery, mirror work, hand paint, sequins, stonework, sippis, beads can be used to embellish the traditional outfits. Dabka work, however, is out,” explains Twinkle. The play of colours, too, is important. Pastels have their votaries, though unusual colour combinations rule the roost. Orange and pink, purple and yellow, parrot green and blue — the fashion world seems besotted with the mesmeric charm of colours. Accessories are as important as clothes, says Ms Shefali Sood, city-based expert in fashion designing. “Studs, hoops, danglers look good. Rings, with biggish stones, are hot. Many go in for diamonds combined with colourful stones. Beads are also on the ‘yes’ list as are anklets,” says Shaveta. Gold, incidentally, is on its way out. Silver, platinum and costume jewellery are the latest craze. “I would not like to be seen flashing gold necklaces and pendants at parties. It looks passé,” says a socialite. If you thought that khadi was just another fabric best left to those with austere tastes, you might need to do a reality check. Khadi is the new fashion fabric. “It’s a fabric that I would call ‘versatile’. Khadi kurtas embellished with a whiff of embroidery or threadwork or even mirror work can be worn with churidar, jeans and even skirts. Khadi is cool and chic, and the comfort level of this fabric is amazing,” says Ms Tamanna, a faculty member at the National Institute of Fashion Designing. It’s not only city women who are in tune with the latest in fashion industry, even the men folk fare equally well. “Gone are the days of ‘bland dressing’ for men. Earlier, men hardly had much to choose from. But now, they can go in for short kurtas, shirts with embroideries on cuffs and collars, and even printed shirts. Paisley motifs are quite liked by many,” says Sukhjinder, a fashion designing student. His classmate, Jatinder, adds that sherwanis, churidars, dhotis are also hot favourite among fashion-conscious men. Well, the bottom line is that fashion has arrived in the city or rather the city has arrived vis-à-vis fashion! VIBGYOR experience The NIFD here organised a fashion show in which the outfits were designed by the NIFD students. “Innovation”, “creativity” and “colour play” were the thrust areas of the show. Models from Delhi sashayed on the stage displaying the outfits created by the students. Among the most well received rounds of the fashion show were VIBGYOR round that had outfits designed by using eco-friendly waste material and Khadi round that was a tribute to freedom fighters.
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Melody reigns at Malhar Utsav Monsoon magic and classical music make an inspiring combination. Overcast sky, clouds playing hide-n-seek and wind rustling wantonly as raindrops swish through trees. It’s enough to make a poet of the most prosaic person. And Indian classical music connoisseurs know this rather well, as was demonstrated during the Malhar Utsav organised by Shree Baba Harballabh Sangeet Sammelan Sabha here. It was a music-filled evening on Saturday, though the music came a little late as the programme was one hour behind the schedule. The very first presentation at the utsav was a treat for music buffs. An 11-year-old child prodigy, Adnan Khan, who hails from the family of noted music maestro Shafaq Khan, presented sitar vadan at its melodious best. Starting with Raag Bageshwari, he captivated the audience by his magical presentation. It was yet more musical fare for the audience when Karan Rana, a vocalist from Kapurthala presented Raag Haveli Basant and Raag Malhar. The taush presention was also mesmerising. The Malhar Utsav is organised every year by Shree Baba Harballabh Sangeet Sammelan Sabha that also organises Shree Baba Harballabh Sangeet Sammelan. The utsav is a tribute to Indian classical music that celebrates the holistic approach to life — an approach in which Nature’s varying shades tune in to musical outpourings. “The city has a rich tradition of classical music. It is the place where Harballabh Sangeet Sammelan has been organised uninterruptedly for the last over 128 years,” said one of the members associated with the sammelan.
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In harmony with Nature Eco-consciousness and living in harmony with Nature were the themes of the “Monsoon Environment Week” celebrated from August 8 to August 13 by over 150 eco-clubs of various government schools in the district. Talking to Jalandhar Plus, Mr Lakhbir Singh, president of Pahal, an NGO, said the clubs were formed under the scheme of the National Green Corps, Ministry of Forests and Environment, Government of India. At the state level, the State Council for Science and Technology provided guidance to the eco-clubs, he added. Pahal had planned the weeklong programme for the eco-clubs after consultation with the district administration. The programme began with the eco-clubs organising environment-awareness rallies in villages and colonies. About 50,000 students took part in the rallies. Later, painting contests were held on various topics, including save earth, save water, stop the use of pesticides. The idea was to create awareness about environmental issues among students. Declamation contests were also organised. The students were encouraged to plant trees. “Trees are the lifelines of earth. If the green cover is lost, human species is doomed,” the students were told. To give the members of the eco-clubs practical knowledge about the hazards of violating eco-rules, trips to villages were organised. As a “cleaning act”, the members collected piles of plastic bags strewn about in localities. Some of the students also took upon themselves to weed out parthenium from their surroundings. “It is imperative to educate youngsters about ecology. Unless we create awareness about environmental issues, how can we expect youngsters to have an eco-friendly lifestyle? We should not only tell them to stop the use of ecologically harmful practices, but also we have to give them viable alternatives,” explained Mr Lakhbir Singh.
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A ‘Prayas’ for life with
dignity Freedom from prejudices and right to live with dignity. This may not have been said even once during the programme organised by Prayas for special children, but the undercurrent of the yearning for “acceptance” by the ‘normal’ populace was palpable all through the programme. More than 55 specially-abled children presented folk songs and folk dances, and took part in painting competition on the Independence Day. They also participated in indoor games like tug-of-war. The events were marked with sheer verve and enthusiasm. “It was not the coordination that mattered, what shone through the performances was the children’s ability to transcend their limitations,” said a visitor. “These children may be intellectually deficient, but they have their emotional responses intact. At least, they can sense that they have been accepted and appreciated. Unfortunately, most people do not acknowledge their presence. It’s as if they do not exist on the mental horizon of the ‘normal’ people,” said Mr Ravindra Kumar, Principal, Prayas. He added that even parents were not empathic when it came to mentally retarded children. The placement of such children, too, is replete with instances of maltreatment that range from ridicule to physical abuse. “One of the students of Prayas managed to get a job, but the hostile attitude of his co-workers was frustrating for him,” explained Mr Kumar. However, unmindful of the ‘normal’ society teeming with prejudices, these special children at Prayas make the best effort to do things to the best of their ability. Already, six children from this institution have been selected at the state-level for Special Olympics to be held in September or October this year.
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From Schools and Colleges
The Independence Day was celebrated with fervour at St Soldier Divine Public School, Wadala Chowk. Mr Anil Chopra, Chairman of St Soldier Group, unfurled the National Flag and inspected the parade. A cultural show was also organised. Special assembly
Delhi Public School heralded the Independence Day with a special assembly held on Monday. The assembly started with a prayer asking for strength and wisdom to love and respect the motherland. Mr B. Banerjee, Principal, told the students about the sacrifices of freedom fighters. Songs and dances were also presented on the occasion. Cultural show
Students and staff of Army Public School, Jalandhar Cantonment, celebrated the Independence Day on Monday. Ms Inderjeet Kaur, Headmistress, organised a cultural show comprising patriotic songs, bhangra and ballad. The function was presided over by Ms Shashi Bhalla, officiating Principal. She lauded the efforts of the students and urged them to strive to keep the country’s freedom intact. Tricolour glory
Tiny tots of Mama’s Pride, a playway school, held the Independence Day celebrations during a special assembly. The kids came dressed in Tricolour attires. The National Flag was hoisted and the National Anthem was sung on the occasion. Later in the activity class, the kids coloured the National Flag. Fancy dress
A fancy dress show marked the Independence Day celebrations at Kidzee Nursery School. Among Pre-Nursery students, Divanshu, Ayush and Arav were declared first, second and third, while Jhanvi, Sargun and Ananya bagged the top three prizes among Nursery students. Cultural programme
Kids of Euro Kids, a pre-school, celebrated the Independence Day in their school. There was march past, singing of patriotic songs and recitation of shalok by Vansh Jain of Nursery. The children were told about the importance of the National Flag and the National Anthem by Ms Neha Ratti, Centre Head. The Director of Euro Kids, Ms Neerza Mayor, offered gifts to the children. Patriotic fervour
To inculcate the feelings of patriotism and love for the nation, Sanskriti KMV celebrated the Independence Day on the campus. Ms Usha Pandey, Principal, hoisted the National Flag. Pre-primary students recited patriotic poems. The students were also taken to the War Museum where they paid tributes to the martyrs. Song competition
Students, staff and management of Apeejay School, Model Town, celebrated the Independence Day on Monday. Mr Vats, member of the managing committee, presided over the function and unfurled the Tricolour. An inter-house Hindi group song contest was organised. Students of Class I took part in a fancy dress show in which they came dressed up like national heroes. National pride
The DAV Institute of Engineering and Technology celebrated the Independence Day on Monday. Mr C.L. Kochher, Director-cum-Principal, welcomed the guests and emphasised on the importance of national pride, perseverance, sincerity and discipline. |
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