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Now World
Mobile Games Championship! Youth
NET Awesome
Aishwarya Film
& FASHION
Painting
with Passion! It’s
Radha, Krishna once again ASPIRATIONS |
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The life and teachings of Guru Nanak are retold in a simple yet captivating way by Mala Dayal and Arpana Caur in their book ‘Nanak: the Guru’, writes Parbina Rashid Many years later, after migrating to Punjab, I was given another opportunity to broaden my knowledge about the Guru. This time not by my Sikh in-laws, but through a children’s book “Nanak: the Guru.” Written by Mala Dayal and illustrated by Arpana Caur, the book gives interesting insight into Guru Nanak’s life, from his birth in 1469 to his death in 1539. Read the opening line, “Come, let us go and greet Kalu Mehta and Tripta. Tripta has just given birth to a son, a brother for their five-year-old daughter, Nanaki,” and you are hooked. One cannot help but flip through the pages to know more about Nanaki’s little brother. Through Mala’s simple words and Arpana’s symbolic illustrations, Guru Nanak comes across as a great social reformer and a poet, more than a religious Guru. Both have put an effort to portray Guru Nanak as someone a child can relate to. Mala shows him as a naughty child, witty adult and a compassionate old man, while Arpana has done a good job portraying him as a common man, a refreshing change from artist Sobha Singh’s portrayal of the Guru with the halo and tilted head —the one representation we are so accustomed to. For Arpana, “Guru Nanak is a poet who sings and dances and is a common man’s man.” She has been painting Guru Nanak for the past two years. It was during one of her exhibitions, she met Mala and the idea for this book germinated. It was published by Rupa & Co earlier this year and proved to be one of the most sought after books in the recently held Roopa Book Fair in Chandigarh. Arpana’s favourite character Bhai Mardana (for he symbolises the unity between Muslims and Sikhs) also finds an important place in the book. So, as we celebrate Guru Nanak’s birthday today, it is time to heed what he taught us more than five hundred years ago - “Kirat karo (work), Vand chhako (share what you earn) and Naam japo (repeat the name of the Lord). |
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This painting of Guru da
Kotha, the famous gurdwara built by Guru Arjun Dev at Wazirabad in Pakistan, is accompanied by e-greetings on the occasion of
Gurpurb. It has been sent by a Lahore-based painter to friends in the city. The painter is none other than Akram
Varraich, who belongs to Wazirabad and lives in Lahore. Akram, who has visited Chandigarh several times has a fetish for painting gurdwaras and temples and more so those in his hometown. “These holy places are a reminder of the composite culture of pre-Partition Punjab in which people of different faiths lived together in harmony.” The Guru da
Kotha, says the painter, is a remarkable piece of architecture. Interestingly, Akram along with his councillor friend in Wazirabad were responsible for saving the Bazaar Mandir at Wazirabad from being demolished by members of the Jamat-e-Islami following a wide-scale demolition of temples all over Pakistan. The other temples that Akram has painted extensively are those of the Rambagh in his hometown and the picturesque temple at
Baddo-di-Gosain, which incidentally was the village of Congress leader Gulzari Lal Nanda. Akram recounts an interesting experience, “Once when I had gone to Baddo-di-Gosain to paint the temple that stands alone in the wilderness, I found a ‘diya’ lit behind the bushes.” Thus faith lives on with some anonymous person lighting a lamp to the faith of another without much
ado! —Nirupama Dutt 
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God’s grace was his gurdwara, devotion his prayer mat and compassion for humanity his fasting.
Anandita Gupta discovers everything that was so special about Guru Nanak! The light of love shining through his empathetic eyes, face resplendent with the truth of transdental knowledge and a divine aura encircling his awe-inspiring persona. Taking the cotton of contentment, threads of merciful modesty and needle of needful patience, he spun a fabric that never got worn out or soiled. Yes, this was the fabric of devotion that showed the path of salvation to the souls lost in darkness of ignorance. And this great Guru is Nanak- the prophet whose following transcends the boundaries of time, caste and religion. Today, as we celebrate this Satguru’s (true teacher) birthday, some of his followers talk about his eternal love and grace—
There is a certain mellowness in his voice as he fondly talks about his favourite Guru. Meet Kamaljeet Singh Sidhu, a final year student of Sociology from Punjab University. “It was this great guru who brought home to us mortals the importance of a true teacher (Satguru) in attaining God. And, he was a reformist to the core who tried to liberate society from its superstitions. Moreover, he was a great traveler who traveled extensively and spread invaluable treasures of spirituality throughout India” Then, there’s Gurnoor Singh, a class 10 student from YPS, Mohali who seems excited talking about Guru Nanak as he munches potato chips, “I especially cherish that Janeu (sacred thread) incident that my mother narrated to me, wherein, a nine-year-old Nanak refused to wear Janeu that was meant only for upper castes. So, he faught against caste discrimination and is loved world wide for that.” Adds Dr Kiran Kaur, “Nanak tried to turn everything discriminatory in the society upside down. Be it gender discrimination or the caste system that prevailed in society, he tried to do away with it. He acted as a bridge between Hindus and Muslims. No wonder, all religions respect him.” Chirps Monika Kapil, a second- year student perusing her Masters in English Literature, “Guru Nanak is my best friend. Yes, he guides me, inspires me and helps me always. Despite being a Hindu, I respect and love him as he taught the message of love and humanity. Adds her friend Pooja Sharma, “ Even back home in Himachal, Guru Nanak’s Birthday is celebrated with great fervour. That speaks of his universal appeal.” And suddenly, we bang into Manmeet Sodhi, a Mass Communications student who’s about to rush for an interview; “ Since, everybody’s talking about guru Nanak, I’d like to add that he was a great liberator-who raised a voice against Sati.” No wonder, the fragrance of fervour thickens the atmosphere as we cherish the fond memories of an all-time favourite Guru! |
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Langar time The fragrance heady, sight-strongly appetising! Venue-Shri Mukutsar Gurudwara at sector 15, Chandigarh.Time-wee hours of the Gurpurb morning. The sight is indeed endearing, as one finds young hostlers (decked up in new attires) from Panjab University preparing feverishly for the Langar. “Come Gurpurb and our hostlers get hyper-active,” Laughs Dr Kiran Kaur, the warden at Sarojini Hall, PU, adding, “Girls from Haryana, UP, MP, J&K, Himachal and even the eastern state of Assam go to this Gurdwara and help in preparing for the langar. Last time, we had around 2000 students participating in this. For the students, it’s almost an event where they get to meet, interact and cook with friends, classmates and teachers.” chirps Kiran. No wonder, these young students have the time of their lives —chatting, giggling and playing Sanjeev
Kapoor!
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Now World
Mobile Games Championship!
Sitting at home with a GPRS-enabled mobile phone with an Airtel subscription and with a little concentration and patience, one can join the world mobile gaming community. Here you can play and win at the World Cyber Games Mobile Championship. It is the world’s first and biggest game culture festival where gamers around the world share the excitement as they come together to compete against each other. The World Mobile Gaming Championship has been included this year as part of the World Cyber Games, which is considered as the Olympics of virtual gaming. Mobile gamers from India, USA, Australia, Singapore, Spain, South Africa, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Taiwan and Hong Kong will compete for the prize money of $ 12,000. This year these games are being held at Singapore from November 16 to 20. The championship has four official games — Midtown Madness 3, Chopper Rescue, Bruce Lee and Goolie— chosen because of their popularity among gamers across the world. Team India comprises Deep Inder Singh from Patiala, Sundeep Singh from Jalandhar, Kamal Arora from Delhi and Nanasekar Nagrajan from Salem who will represent the country in Chopper Rescue, Midtown Madness 3, Bruce Lee and Goolie respectively. Twentyeight-year-old Deep Inder Singh of Patiala, a lecturer in a college at Abohar, is thankful to his brother-in-law for introducing him to mobile gaming. Deepinder was on leave, preparing for the UGC examinations, when his brother-in-law showed him how to play games through the Airtel Live portal. “I used to play a lot of video games and was a champion at Time Out in Chandigarh and Patiala. The progression to mobile games at the Airtel Live portal was fairly easy. I liked the Chopper Rescue game because it requires a lot of concentration.” “I played with the game tag of DPSINGH for 35 hours with small breaks in-between and built up a winning score of 14,21,000 points. My score is the highest in Asia,” he adds proudly. Another Asian Champ with game tag “Rock” is a Jalandhar based 23-year-old MCA student Sundeep Singh. Obsessed by computer games, he tried his hand at all the four games but it was his winning score- 81098 points in Midtown Madness 3 that got him an entry into the World Mobile Championship at Singapore. “I played these games regularly for 10 days, sometimes in the morning and sometimes in the evenings. Now my focus is on Midtown Madness 3 and I am practicing for the Championship,” he stated. You can play too All that you need to do is to download the game on your GPRS-enabled handset, select the tournament mode which will allow you access the network. Here you have to register yourself by providing the username and e-mail ID. After that, you play the games on tournament mode and proceed by following instructions on your downloaded game. You can submit as many high scores for each game at the end of play. There is a one-time registration fee of Rs 50 and another Rs 10 for every score submission. You are also advised to be in a better network area to avoid any connection failure. When you upload your score, you will get a pop-up on your handset giving details about your score and standing in the
league |
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Youth
NET Blog is like a single-page website. Usually, it’s maintained by a single author who posts his latest thoughts, creative works etc. It also may have a sidebar that contains links to other sites and stories. The author updates the sidebar periodically. Moreover, one can talk about anything and everything. Many blogs are full of interesting stories or little snippets of information that one would like to share with anyone who cares to read its contents and post reactions. Blogs cover almost every conceivable subject, and give us an idea of what youth in different parts of the world are up to. Some bloggers have a casual approach to the whole act – they post just about anything that comes to their mind and there is no order on their page. But others take blogging seriously and use it as a means of reaching out to likeminded people. Many prefer to use blog as a sort of personal diary containing their most intimate thoughts. This is a bit dangerous, as one might let out certain personal details that could be misused. Different websites have their own rules for blogging. Some, like fanmail.com, encourage posting of poems while others like myspace.com and facebook.com allow teenagers to discuss the latest in movies, music and fashions. No matter where you post your thoughts etc., do remember that not all are interested in harmless interaction. Blackmailers, swindlers and others find these places a goldmine of information that they would manipulate to advance their nefarious designs. Avoid using blogs as online personal diaries. Personal information should be kept to a minimum. Take all possible precautions while making online friends. Some popular blog sites:
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Awesome Aishwarya Love her, hate her, but the fact remains that you cannot ignore Aishwarya Rai. Former Miss World, an actress and now the latest global Indian. Life for this 32 year old is something that many can only dream of. Whether it is her black eye episode about four years ago or the alleged The lady has taken everything in her stride. Call it grace or sheer diplomacy, she knows when to speak and be spoken to. She justifies this aspect of hers by suggesting not so simply ‘love me or leave me.’ “Someone asked me why am I politically correct even when people hit out so openly at me. But I’ve never known any other way because that is the way I have been brought up and taught to behave. I can’t say anything hurtful about anyone. I won’t feel good doing that. This is the way I am.” Not surprisingly, even in her interviews to the international media, she insists on speaking about solely her work. No personal questions. That is one policy she has chosen for herself and has no qualms in accepting it openly. Too, self-conscious one may say. But she has her reasons to keep her trap shut. Like she insists, “I will talk about my personal life only when I want to. No I am not concerned about my image. But I do care about the people around me whom I love.” Despite being one of the highest paid actresses in the country, a large part of the junta continues to remember her item number in Bunty Aur Babli (‘Kajrare…’). Even her previous special appearance in Shakti: The Power (2002) where her jhatkas (‘Ishq kameena…’) were the USP of the film are more remembered than her role in say a film like Raincoat (2004). As for Hollywood, many say it ‘isn’t happening’. She has the face that can pass her off as anybody from the West. But two of the three films she has up her sleeve (Mistress of Spices and Provoked) deal with issues related to the Indian Diaspora. Back home again, she is juggling between playing the Mughal queens Jodha and Mumtaz Mahal in two different films, a courtesan in yet another flick and is also touted to make an appearance in a bikini in the action flicks. Multifaceted, brilliant, horrible actress, cold person or a PR driven illusion… call her what you like. Aishwarya Rai is a phenomenon that has just happened upon the world. Whether it lasts or not, is one part of the story. But it is happening, here and now and there is no escape from that. — Dharam Pal |
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Film & FASHION “I’ve pretty much been a knucklehead all my life. I once received a Nickelodeon burp award. I competed on the show actually. I think that’s the best award I’ve ever received,” Femalefirst quoted the actress as saying in More magazine.
— ANI Holmes practising to be a mom The “Batman Begins” actress Katie Holmes, who is pregnant, has been spotted bonding with Tom Cruise’s two adopted children. According to ananova.com, Holmes was seen cheering on Tom and Nicole Kidman’s adopted daughter, Isabella, from the sidelines. She was spotted wearing a white shirt to cover her growing bump. Holmes cheered on as she sat with Cruise and his adopted son Connor. She was sitting as close to Tom as possible and was all smiles as she cheered and clapped. They also shared a few intimate moments whispering and sharing a kiss.
— IANS Tom Hanks wants to moonwalk Hanks had played an astronaut in the film “Apollo 13” and also recently wrote and produced an Imax movie called “Magnificent Desolation: Walking on the Moon.” He now wants to experience space travel for real. “I have just two questions: What will be the mission? And can I go?” he was quoted as saying. But NASA sources say Hanks’ age and height will count against him - he’ll be 62 years by the time the mission takes place and, at six feet one inch he’s too tall to be an astronaut.
— IANS Christina Aguilera’s wedding plans! According to Fox News, the singer has said that she will tie the knot with record executive Jason Bateman in the presence of close friends and family only. However, though she has kept most ceremonial details to herself, she has revealed that it would take place over the span of three days. “We are going to have a weekend wedding. Each night has a certain theme to it and the whole thing is very magical,” the report quoted her as saying. Christina and Bateman got engaged in February after dating for almost three years.
— ANI Jude and Sienna’s try hard to make-up It seems Hollywood stars Jude Law and Sienna Miller are really trying hard to bring their on-off relationship back on track. According to sources, the couple, who split after Jude admitted to cheating on Miller with his kids’ nanny, recently spent 48 hours locked in an Los Angles hotel suite trying to patch up their stormy relationship. They booked into the Shutters Hotel at Santa Monica Beach on Wednesday, and also missed a star-studded Bafta bash to honour Tom Cruise and Elizabeth Taylor the next day. “They’ve barely come out of their room. They’ve told staff they want to be left alone,” The Sun quoted an insider as
saying. — ANI |
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Gen-X kids can go beyond cartoons and crayons when it comes to spilling over their creativity on the drawing sheets, reports Gayatri Rajwade As row upon rows of children stream the room, the selectors get ready to choose the best drawings amongst them all at this State Level Painting Competition on Energy Conservation organised by the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) under the aegis of the Ministry of Power. Painting with passion, the children display remarkable composure, confidence and a clear understanding of the topic, creating marvels in conservation ideas that are simple yet effective! A large window to let in natural light is ten-year-old Harleen Kaur’s idea of saving electricity! This child, who dreams of being a doctor, has come from Patti (district Amritsar). For this budding cricketer (a la Dhoni!) from Patiala, the only route to conserving energy is to be self-reliant through alternative means! Pavit Tegbir Singh, just ten, is clear what his message is and his painting shows off alternative sources of energy that can be tapped. “Do not waste electricity for it is precious,” says a charming Himanshu from Ajit Karam Singh International Public School. This lad, in the fifth standard hopes to be an artist someday! Vibrant designs, steady hands—these children have that zing to make the world a better place! “Think globally, act locally” says ten-year-old Surbhi’s colourful painting. The messages are clear and so are the drawings—in the mediums of their choice—crayons or water-colours—the children are sure about what they are attempting to project. According to Mr. P S Tulsi, Secretary, Consultancy Services, BBMB, “The attempt is to make the child aware of what the pressing issues before the nation are in a fun way that will also make them think.” After a preliminary selection from 450 drawings submitted, 150 from Chandigarh, Punjab and Haryana each, the selecting committee chose 50 students from each region for the state levels today. Each child went back with a t-shirt, an alarm clock, lapel pins and a daily allowance of Rs. 500. Darshan Singh, Additional SE, who is on the selection panel, was astounded at the maturity with which the subject was being handled. “There are a lot of children who have come from villages in Punjab. Even they have displayed a remarkable perception of the subject given to them.” Here is a generation that through its hopes and clear understanding will definitely chart a course that the country can be proud of! |
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It’s Radha, Krishna once again “My paintings are my innocent interpretations of their classic love, their affection and their playfulness towards each other,” explains artist Asit Kumar Sarkar, whose twelve enchanting paintings are on display at Art Folio in the city. With a Master degree in Visual Art from Rabindra Bharati University, Kolkata, Sarkar’s strident forms play against the backdrop of a robust palette of colours, coming together to form images that are alive, real. Radha’s expressions are true—gentle, shy and demure—as the paintings plays with her responses to a playful, thoughtful Krishna. The attention to detail is delightful, in the kinaras of the saris, in the jewellery, in the droop of the lotus flowers held in the hand. Radha with the Bankura horses, not a pure rendition, is an earlier work, which, according to the artist, draws inspiration from Rajasthani line drawings. The style is of Mughal miniatures but with a modern interpretation, “with an attempt to bring that technique to the canvas.” The result is a series of vigorous paintings, acrylic on canvas. Radha with a mask is Sarkar’s attempt at allowing the viewers to think and read the painting in their own way. “In the other paintings there is no scope to think. It is only in this one, which gives space to ponder. My work now is all to do with masks. It is only in the studio that my own mask drops otherwise a mask is everything.” This, incidentally, is also one of Sarkar’s favourite paintings. The moods and moments are varied, but each one joyful and vibrant. Radha dancing while Krishna plays the dholak wearing colourful leaves in his hair, Krishna peering as Radha sits in front of a mirror in her blouse as she holds a string of beads, Krishna looking at Radha’s reflection in the mirror as she looks back at him, the emotions are strong and loving. The exhibition is on at Art Folio, House No 351, Sector 9-D from 11 am to 7 pm till November
29. — G.R.
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ASPIRATIONS Debunking the popular opinion that history is nothing but a study of the past, and that it has nothing to offer to the future Shefali says: “That is an old notion people have, and it is partially right because earlier history was just about dates, names of kings and queens and wars. But these days history is written in a fascinating new style covering dimensions of the past. I, for instance, am particularly interested in gender in Indian history.” Could she tell us about it? “I am particularly interested in the legal status of women during the past as compared to the present. It is interesting to see how things have changed from time to time. What I learnt is that in the ancient times women had relatively a lot more freedom than the mediaeval times. What about modern times, aren’t women free at last? “Yes, but they are free in name only. They don’t have actual freedom because our society is obsessed with the male child. The girl child does not assert her right over paternal property, because she has been taught from her early childhood that she is praya dhan, and has to leave for other home one day. Things are changing slowly, girls from the younger generation must make sure that when they become mothers they do not go on telling their sons that they are somehow superior to their sisters.” But as said earlier, Shefali has more to her than academics. What are her other interests? “I just love doing interiors and fashion designing, but I do it at an amateur level only.” She is much sought after by her relations and friends whenever they have a new dress to design for a wedding, a reception or a party. Endowed with a beautiful face and a lovely smile, hasn’t she considered entering the entertainment industry? “No, my first love is academics, I want to be a lecturer. Entertainment business is a different kind of world, and I am not cut out for that.”
— Text and photo: Kuldip Dhiman |
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It was my grandmother who had initiated me into the teachings of Guru Nanak when I was still a child and lived with her in a small town Dibrugarh in Upper Assam. She often used to recite “Guru Nanak Shah Fakir; Hindu ka Guru, Musalman ka Pir”. I was too young to understand the significance of these lines.
Flavours kiss and caress as one enters this small world of it’s own. Peeled potatoes, green chillies sliced down their length, seasonal veggies diced into tiny bits, freshly chopped coriander and maah ki daal that’s being seasoned in a huge patila (utensil). 
Hi, I’m Sanjana. Got another Pepsi?” Is there be any other line in the history of the Indian advertisement industry that has set the hearts of the whole nation aflutter? Arguably not. The green-blue-eyed beauty who completely floored Aamir Khan in the advertisement, has come a long way ever since, and like she insists, has a long way to go.
It is not quite considered polite in the civilized world, where the inadvertant burp is normally followed by a quick “excuse me”, but for “Charlie’s Angels” star Cameron Diaz, it is something she is extremely proud of, with her revealing to her fans that she was once judged the winner of a Nickelodeon Burping contest.
Oscar winner Tom Hanks is pleading with US space agency NASA to let him join their mission to the moon in 2018, entertainment portal contactmusic.com reported.
Pop star Christina Aguilera is about to get married, but don’t expect an invitation, unless you are “close friends and family”, as the star plans to keep it a quiet and an intimate ceremony.
Inspiring ideas and impressive paintings, all from little ones under the age of 11! The theme, “saving electricity” and the tiny-tots, 128 of them, crayons in hand, pour over their paintings earnestly—shading trees, colouring the sun, filling in the bricks in houses.
Amid lush green foliage, delicate wrought iron garden furniture and a spacious airy room, these lovely forms and appealing textures render the immortal tale of Radha and Krishna. 
The conventional image of a studious student is one with thick reading glasses, shabby appearance, and an introvert disposition. Shefali Chauhan is a new age girl to whom other colours of life are as important as the grey matter. A student of history from Panjab University, this dashing girl is determined to be a professor one day. 
ARIES : Time to take big claims with a pinch of salt. Work will bring satisfaction and you will be pleased with the progress you make. Lucky number:1 Lucky colour: Saffron. 
LIBRA : Be extra cautious if you plan to travel. Take additional care of health and do not get extravagant and spend foolishly. There may be chances where you will find yourself alone. Lucky number: 9. Lucky colour: Rose.
TAURUS : Today is a superb time to make a fresh start. You won't have to solve any problems to be of assistance; your emotional support will be enough to do the trick. Lucky number: 4 Lucky colour: Dark red. 
SCORPIO : Return a favour by using your insight to aid a friend in emotional distress. A party tonight includes the rich and famous. Old contacts may be revived. Lucky number: 1. Lucky colour: Silver gray.
GEMINI : You will be focused and determined to stay on schedule despite hectic activity and distractions at work. You will be in the mood for romance. Lucky number: 19 Lucky colour: Cherry red. 
SAGITTARIUS : People who don't understand your concern might force some decisions upon you. Learn to say no if you are not comfortable with something. Lucky number: 14. Lucky colour: Brown. 
CANCER : "Ace of Pentacles" reveals the seed of prosperity and material gain - perhaps yet unseen. Someone is trying to help you. Share your news and feelings with loved ones. Lucky number: 7 Lucky colour: Red. 
CAPRICORN : Take out some time to study. Spend time in seclusion working out your own plans. Perfect time to make a splash at home. Relations within the family will prosper. Lucky number: 10 Lucky colour: Blue. 
LEO : Family and loved ones will offer you moral support and give you strength today. Though you must learn to trust people, it is not wise to trust anyone blindly. Lucky number: 18. Lucky colour: Peacock green. 
AQUARIUS : You draw " Six of Wands" which helps you in professional work. Don't get into any argument with your relatives, they will be the ultimate help to you when you'll need them. Lucky number: 9. Lucky colour: Yellow. 
VIRGO : You might blame your stars for pushing you into a corner. Try to seek help from those who are close to you. Friends may not realise that you are not around solely for them. Lucky number: 3. Lucky colour:
White.
PISCES: Your strained relationship with a sibling begins to mend. You take a deep interest in arts, literature and music today. You find yourself feeling so much better than before. Lucky number: 4. Lucky colour: Blue.