The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Chandigarh Stories

EDUCATION

Protest by business school students
Tribune News Service

SAS NAGAR, May 20 — Students of Bachelors in Computer Application (BCA), Post Graduate Diploma in Computer Application (PGDCA) and Bachelor in Business Administration (BCA) of the local Guru Amar Dass Business School in Phase IX here have protested against the management of the institute for “playing” with their career. Unconfirmed reports said the students indulged in stone pelting at the institute.

The trouble started after Punjabi University, Patiala, with which the institute is affiliated, announced that students of the institute would be allowed to appear as private candidates instead of regular candidates as a special chance in this year’s examination. The decision was announced by the university after it decided to cancel the affiliation of the institute for its failure to fulfil the guidelines laid by the former and some cases of irregularities giving admission to students came to light.

As a special case, the university said a special examination centre would be set up at SAS Nagar and from the next academic session they would be adjusted against new seats in other colleges.

The agitating students lamented that the management of the institute had charged fee but had failed to fulfil the conditions laid down by the university. Meanwhile, the parents of the students in a representation to the Vice-Chancellor of the Punjabi University urged that the affiliation of the institute be withdrawn from the next academic session. The students who had completed the entire academic session and were waiting for final results be treated as regular students and not private candidates.

CULTURE

They are keeping the guru-shishya tradition alive
By Aditi Tandon
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, May 20 — Nature’s blessings rarely come, but when they do, ....they change lives. And that is what happened in the life of Hussain brothers who have lent a distinct meaning to ghazal gayaki through their melodious voice which touches the soul ...just as nature does.

And they speak highly of nature which, for them, is a perennial source of inspiration. It moulds their moods, it effects their tone, and it makes them what they are today —- known and revered in their field.

When we cornered the masters in a Sector 18 residence yesterday for an interface, they looked tired after a long languid day full of travelling. But their voice flowed still, for it has never learnt to be stagnant. Brother maestros Ustaad Ahmad Hussain and Mohammad Hussain were in town yesterday to perform in the Tagore Theatre on the invitation of Vir Deva Foundation. They were coming from Delhi where they were busy getting a visa for their America tour scheduled next month.

“We left home long back this time and ever since we have been performing. Delhi is too fast a place. We were caught up with the work of getting our visas for America. There are about 10 American towns on the list.” said elder brother Ustaad Ahmad.

Their home is Jaipur — around the Hawa Mahal. This is the place of their upbringing where their inherent skill was groomed under the guardianship of father Ustaad Afzal Hussain Khan Sahib and Ustaad Barkat Ali Khan Sahib. As you pose a question and wait for an answer, you actually get confused between who is Ahmad and who is Mohammad. And the confusion finds an answer in their never ending love for each other.

On this confusion of identity, the inseparable twosome react together, “They say good friends start looking alike after a while. That’s also true in our case.” Their love speaks for itself, with the younger brother Mohammad requesting us to pose questions to the elder, and vice versa.

As the issue resolved, we got talking about their incessant struggle which started in about 1970s when as children they learnt classical and ghazal singing from their father. Their first performance as children was from All India Radio. “Our father taught us the skill and directed us to go and fend for ourselves. The break came much later when Kamal Barot (of the hasta hua nurani chehra fame) spotted us to become his students. We then happened to meet Kalyanji, Anandji who released our first album in 1980. It was called Guldasta.”

And one is instantly reminded of how successful this record was. Its music was arranged by Viju Shah and voice was lent by the Ustaads. Then the race started, not of outdoing others, but of proving their own talent.

“We touched many themes through our songs,” said Ustaad Ahmad, “The idea was to bring variety so that our skill keeps getting honed.” It’s interesting to note that apart from singing ghazals, the Hussain brothers also concentrated on bhajan. They recorded Ramzan-e-Azmat, Noor-e-Islam, and their latest is the Dasam Granth, a rendering of Gurbani.

Singing Gurbani must have been difficult. “Yes, but we were too committed. Also the credit goes to Sardar Bhupinder Singh of a Delhi-based company SMW. He is experimenting a lot with our voice, “said Ustaad Mohammad.

As for the ghazals, about 42 recordings have been done, the most acclaimed ones include Shamakhana, Kahkasha, Humkhayaal and Izhaar. “Our latest album Aagosh is also doing well and we are working on another titled Justju,” said Ustaad Ahmad.

Lyrics also matter a lot to them, as they do to any other sensitive singer. “But what matters the most is our jugalbandi. We will never sing separately. That’s why you don’t hear us in movies. And as far as lyrics are concerned, a couplet must tell the story of a common man. That’s the only way a ghazal will appeal to masses. In that context Hasrat Jaipuri sahib is our all-time favourite,” said Ustaad Ahmad.

After success at home and also abroad, how does it feel. “Well, it feels like never before. Ik vo din tha ki apne bhi churate the nazar, ajnabi mehfil se bhi ab to salaam aata hai,” laughed Mohammad sahib, who happened to be putting his hair in order for a photograph. Humour seemed a part of his nature, as he reacted, “Mere bikhre hue balon ki taraf na jaana, aaina samne aate hi sanvar jaaunga.”

Returning to music, Mohammad sahib said, “It’s in the blood.” And this is clear from the fact that Mohammad Waqil, his nephew, was declared the best singer in the 1998 contest of TVS Sa-Re-Ga-Ma. Ahmad sahib’s son Javed Hussain is also about to be launched, while Mohammad sahib’s son, Imran, is already going places.

Interestingly, the Ustaads are also keeping the guru-shishya tradition alive. Today they were accompanied by two students, Bhagyashree and Tivra, who are due to perform with them at the Tagore theatre. “That’s the only way to keep the soul of this art alive. Otherwise it has been reduced to nothing but trash these days. Youngsters are treading away from their roots, and this is what pains us the most. Why can’t they let art be art. Why tamper with it,” asked Ahmadji.

Ending the discussion, he interrupted us to give a message to the youth: “Apne kirdar ko mausam se bachakar rakhna, laut kar phool mein vapas nahi aati kushboo.” He added: “It is difficult to condition youth to sing good music, but you see, nature has its own ways of training the world. Music today is a means of entertainment, but some day it will have to return to its original meaning...”

... Which is “food for the soul.” That’s what music will always be...

Kids do the boogie woogie, a la Karisma, Hrithik
By Ambika Kumar

CHANDIGARH, May 20 — Tiny tots and teenagers participated in a dance competition at Bal Bhavan in Sector 23, here, today. The competition was organised on the lines of a popular television dance show.

Looking confident, the participants, who were divided into age groups of 5 to 10, 10 to 15 and above 15, stole the show watched by their parents, grandparents, brothers, sisters and other relatives.

The show was based on the lines of the dance show Boogie-Woogie. The selected participants would be sent to Mumbai for dance shows, the organisers said.

First, there was an introduction round. It was followed by a round in which participants were asked to perform on items like dupatta, nimboo, dark glasses, book and chunnari, among others.

This was followed by a round of questions and a final performance.

Little girls preferred to dance like Karisma Kapoor, Sushmita Sen and Aishwarya Rai, while the boys preferred to copy Hrithik and Salman. The participants presented folk dances as well as dances based on western music and Bollywood numbers.

Nine-year-old Mallika Joshi danced on a Rajasthani song and Nimbooda, a popular song from the movie Hum dil De Chuke Sanam. "I am confident to do well. The whole show is exciting," said the girl.

"I feel like Hrithik Roshan performing on Ek Pal Kaa Jina," said a 17-year-old youngster who was wearing a bandana around his forehead to copy Hrithik.

The event was organised by a group called DISCO. One of the organisers, Mr Yogeshwar Dilawar, said, "We have worked hard, but, the Bal Bhavan authorities have let us down. On the last moment, we were informed that the AC was not functioning. We arranged for fans, causing everyone a lot of inconvenience. Even the sound system was bad. We do not expect this from a reputed centre."

The audience was good in spite of the hot and humid conditions. Their applause encouraged the little stars. Parents of these children were upset at the music which was discontinuous.

"Due to voltage fluctuation, the music was not proper. Children found it difficult to keep their feet moving to the changing beat," said a parent. Participating children had come from as far as Mumbai.

Mr Yogesh Gupta, member of the District Grievances Committee (Ropar), was the chief guest.