EDUCATION

Decline of Urdu ‘unfortunate’
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Jan 15 — “Literature was a fertile area where culture and nation registered their impact,” said Prof Bhisham Sahni in his valedictory address at the seminar on “The making of the nation: culture, literature and politics”, organised by the Department of Evening Studies in Panjab University here today.

Prof Sahni said multi-cultural nature of the Indian polity was the best bet for the nation in the making. No particular culture could dominate the other.

The decline of Urdu was really unfortunate in the present context. Linguistic chauvinism had damaged our cultural life. The emergence of Dalit consciousness was a positive trait, Professor Sahni added.

In the first session, Prof Makarand Paranjape from Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi, said nation in the making was much sounder than the making of a nation.

Prof Paranjape underlined the dangers of “spiritual nationalism”.

Dr Rajive Lochan from the Department of History, PU, in his discourse pondered on the significance of unity that co-existed with diversity. He opined that nation should be defined in terms of substantial justice.

Dr Alka Kumar from Delhi University highlighted the transnational connections and the uses and abuses of nationalism in the national context.

The session was followed by a discussion. Prof Pradeep Kumar, Dr Harjinder Singh, Dr Manjit Inder Singh and Prof P.P. Arya participated in the discussion.

The main speakers in the second session were Prof Pranav Vandyopadyaya, a renowned novelist and Dr Kuldeep Kumar. Dr H.S. Mehta chaired the session.

Seminar on higher education
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Jan 15 — The Punjab and Chandigarh College Teachers Union will organise a seminar on ‘challenges of higher education’ at MM Modi College, Patiala, on January 16, a press note said here today.

Dr Sucha Singh Gill, Professor and Head of the Economics Department, Punjabi University, Prof H.S.Mehta, a former general secretary of the PCCTU, Principal Tarsem Bahia, AS College Khanna and Dr V.K.Tewari, general secretary of the PCCTU will be the main speakers at the seminar.

COURTS

Jailbreak case hearing on Feb 5
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Jan 15 — Following the stay on further proceedings by the Punjab and Haryana High Court in the alleged jailbreak case, the UT Additional District and Sessions Judge, Mr R.C. Godara, today fixed February 5 as the next date of hearing.

Taking up accused D.S. Rajput's petition, Justice K.S. Kumaran of the High Court had earlier stayed the proceedings till January 20. Challenging the proceedings, the advocate had stated that the sanction granted by the government for the prosecution was illegal.

The Additional District and Sessions Judge observed in the open court today: "Further proceedings have been stayed by the High Court. Hence, for awaiting further orders, to come up on February 5."

The alleged conspiracy was reportedly unearthed after an accused in the case, Satnam Singh, was apprehended by the Chandigarh Police in June, 1998.

According to the prosecution, explosives in the shape of laddoos were to be employed for blowing up a portion of the jail for releasing hardcore terrorist Jagtar Singh Hawara and certain other alleged assassins of the then chief minister of Punjab, Beant Singh.

Interim bail for travel agent
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Jan 15 — Granting interim bail to a travel agent accused of sending a person abroad after luring him, the UT Additional District and Sessions Judge, Mr G.S. Sandhu, today asked him to surrender before the Superintendent of Model Jail here on February 7.

The accused — city resident Sampuran Singh — was directed to be released after furnishing bail bonds of Rs 35,000, besides a surety of the like amount.

He was earlier booked by the Chandigarh Police under Sections 364 and 420 of the Indian Penal Code, besides Section 25 of the Immigration Act. He was in custody since January 29, 1997. The charges were framed against him on March 15 last year.

According to the prosection, the accused, working as travel agent, had lured a person and sent him abroad after charging money. The prosecution had added that the whereabouts of the person were not known since then.

Seeking the grant of interim bail on humanitarian ground, the counsel of the applicant had earlier stated that Sampuran Singh’s wife had to undergo a major operation on January 19.

Today, pronouncing the orders in open court, the Additional District and Sessions Judge observed: ‘‘I agree with this contention of the counsel for the accused and allow the accused-applicant interim bail till February 7’’.

CULTURE

Sardool Sikandar releases cassette
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Jan 15 — Sardool Sikandar, a popular Punjabi singer, today released his latest Punjabi cassette ‘O-Ho’ at Hotel Mountview, Sector 10 this afternoon.

‘O-Ho’, meanwhile, is already playing at the top-of-the-charts music channels these days, with the music video having been directed by Anubhav Sinha. According to Sardool, his latest album is a confluence between western orchestration and traditional Punjabi folk songs.

The various numbers in this album include, ‘Sanu Ishq Barandi’, ‘Ni Soniye Laade Tunka Pyar Da’ and ‘Ni Main Nayee Jaana’, both of which are based on fold songs. Also included the ‘Saj Je Na Nikla Soniya’, a teasing number and ‘Dil De De’ and ‘Ek Charkha Gali De Vich’ both rhythmic and peppy numbers.

Also present today at the press conference was famous music director Jaidev Kumar, who has to his credits hits like ‘Kudi Gujrat Di’ and ‘Kudi-Kudi’, both Jasbir Jassi numbers.

The lyrics of Sardool’s latest album have been penned by Sanjeev Anand. The music company, is meanwhile, planning to do a follow-up video of this album, which would include a medley of three songs from the same album.

Students exhibit drawings, paintings
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Jan 15 — An exhibition of drawings and paintings by three students of the Government College of Arts, Sector 10, opened this afternoon at the Punjab Kala Bhavan, Sector 16.

Shaminder Hundal and Shveta Gupta are both bachelor of arts students of third year of painting. The third student, Preeti Bindlish, is a third year student of Applied Art.

All the students have put on display some 30 works each in this exhibition, and a whole lot of effort seems to have gone in their works. But both Shaminder Hundal and Shveta Gupta certainly manage to stand out in this show.

Shaminder’s works that have been based on “dreams” have individual human figures that have been represented in various intense postures, and are without any added embellishments. But what is alluring about most of his works are the repetitive use of similar figures in acrylic and also pencil works. Three of his works that have been done with air-brush pens in single colours present a captivating picture.

Shveta Gupta’s paintings in the Pointillism style, a popular style of the late 19th century that uses small spots of colour all over rather than brush strokes, were also interesting.

Preeti Bindlesh has presented her work in mixed media. But the very textbook style of her work that paints a very dismal picture of “beggars in India” somehow seem to lack a sense of freshness. In fact even the large size of her paintings do not seem to support the subject.

The exhibition was inaugurated today by Mr Prem Singh, Principal of the Government College of Arts, Sector 10. This exhibition would be on view till January 21.

A thought-provoking play
By Ravneet Tulsi

IS the interest of some people above the interest of inhabitants of a town? Should people face death so that pockets of bureaucrats continue to overflow with money? These queries haunt one's mind after watching the play Jan Shatru, being staged by students of Indian Theatre, Panjab University.

The play inspires you to stand by truth and lambasts society for succumbing to the greed of a few bureaucrats. It is a Hindi adaptation of Ibser's play Enemy of the People. After a long time, residents of Chandigarh have got to see a play that will provoke them to think and work against the corrupt political and bureaucratic system.

Dr Ramnath discovers that water that flows down the waterfall in the city is good from the medicinal point of view. People come there and start getting cured. Later the water gets contaminated and proves fatal.

Doctor Ramnath wants to make it public. A politician (Awasthi) and reporters (Vishva Mohan and Tyagi) promise to help him. The doctor's brother (Shiv Nath), who is in the municipal corporation, forsees danger to his welfare. He poisons ears of the politician and reporters, saying the purification of water will involve crores of rupees, which will mean levying of additional taxes. Realising this, they decide to step back.

The doctor calls a press conference to clear his stand. The so-called well-wishers of society bring their goons. They declare him an enemy of the people and assault him. The doctor is saved by his friend Rawat.

The doctor's house is ransacked. On the insistence of his wife (Lekhna), he decides to leave the city. The support of his daughter (Mala) and friend Rawat strengthen his determination and he decides to stay back.

The play ends on an optimistic note, that the strongest man in the world is the one who can stand alone. Mobs following you do not make you strong. Your inner strength gives you courage. Gandhiji's photograph is highlighted in the end.

Each character is beautifully played. The background music gives the play an artistic touch but at places, the audience fails to make out the relevance of music.

Free flow of colours
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Jan 15 — A medico-turned-government official dabbles with paints and brushes. The result is a set of water colours and oil pastels that remind the viewer of Rorshach ink blot tests. This exhibition opened today at the IndusInd Art Gallery, Sector 8.

The paintings by Dr Harmeet Singh from Ludhiana seem to speak a language of their own, while tempting the viewer to lend his perceptions and judgements to these. The 20-odd works seem to have a free flow of colours and Harmeet's use of all shades possible produce a cascading effect of emotions and impressions.

One of his works, that has a red circle with a yellow mark beneath it with a black background to match, seems intriguing, though a sense of deja vu appears at seeing the motley of colours, apparently formed by a swish-swash of brushes and paints. Some of his works have a semblance of bandhini and tie-and-dye prints. Another form that recurs is an onion-like shape, that even forms a figure of a woman in one of his pastel works.

A self-learnt artist, Harmeet says his profession has never come in the way of his creative work, "since this is an urge that has to be fulfilled, needless of whatever position one holds or work that one does". About his creations, he adds, "The viewer is only given a hint of the theme, leaving him free to interpret the subject."

The exhibition was inaugurated by Mr Prem Singh, Principal of Government College of Art, Sector 10. It will remain on view till January 29.

Sa Re Ga Ma now in Punjabi
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Jan 15 — There is a good news for budding singers as Alpha TV, the Punjabi channel of Zee TV, has decided to telecast musical programme Sa Re Ga Ma in Punjabi.

Patterned on its highly-acclaimed Hindi version anchored by noted singer Sonu Nigam, the programme is intended to revive the traditional Punjabi music and give amateur Punjabi singers a platform to exhibit their talent and enhance their professional prospects, the director of the programme, Jagmeet Bal, told TNS today.

Though almost every Bollywood movie now has a catchy Punjabi number or two yet the Punjab's rich folk music had been relegated to background, he said, adding that it would be the endeavour of the programme to give traditional Punjabi music its due.

In fact, a team of Alpha TV, led by Jagmeet, had been busy in selecting the singers after audition during the past two days. About 150 artistes participated in the audition held at the Government Museum and Art Gallery Auditorium, Sector 10.

Giving details, Jagmeet said of these singers, 16 male and an equal number of female singers would be shortlisted. They would then fight it out for the top positions after quarterfinals, semifinals and finals to be judged by eminent personalities from the music world.

The quarterfinal will have four rounds. While two rounds would of the singer's and judge's choice , another would be of folk song round. There will be a special round of shabads from Gurbani as it was an integral part of the Punjabi musical heritage. Another unique feature would be an exclusive round on "Heer" either in the semifinal or the final.

He informed that the programme, to be recorded from February 28 to March 4 at Mumbai, would be anchored by one of the three noted singers—Bali Brahambhat, Arvinder Singh and Mika. For music, top music directors such as Vishal Bhardwaj and Uttam Singh were being approached, he added.