EDUCATION

Reorientation course on health education
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, August 12
A three-day reorientation course for primary school teachers in health education and reproductive health conducted by the Department of Health Education and Family Welfare, Christian Medical College and Hospital, Ludhiana, concluded here. The school health services are considered to be most important for future generation. "The aim of this training programme was to refresh the knowledge, skills and capabilities of school teachers pertaining to the health needs of their students," said Dr S.C. Gupta, Head of the Department of Health Education and Family Welfare, CMC.

During the training, emphasis was laid on the school health education, health check up of school children and development of healthy school environment. In addition to this, stress was also laid on sexual and reproductive health promotion in the community through school children. Teachers were advised to transfer the said knowledge to their students and prepare them as agents of change.

Sixtyfive teachers from different government primary schools of Ludhiana district participated in the training programme. Lectures were delivered by experts from various departments of the CMC, the PAU, Ludhiana, and officials of the Directorate of health services, Punjab.

Provide education free of cost: PYLJP
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, August 12
The Punjab Yuva Lok Janashakti Party (PYLJP) has demanded education free of cost to children up to the age 14 years to curb the evil of child labour. In a memorandum presented to the Governor of Punjab, Mr J.F.R. Jacob, the party highlighted the problems of the youth.

Mr Ramanjit Singh Lali, president of the party, said the party had also demanded the making of strict laws to prevent the crime against women. Another demand which had been raised was regarding the issue of ‘yellow cards’ to the people below poverty line and to distribute food grain to them on subsidised rates.

CULTURE

A sensitive portrayal of human psyche
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, August 12
The play, ‘I am not a Shiekh Chili’, is a sensitive portrayal of the old people’s desire to be in the main stream of life and not to be marginalised by society. Staged by Yatrik it was a brilliant play. It provided meaningful entertainment and projected a hilarious look at survival.

The two main characters, Nat and Das, act magnificently. The brilliant screenplay, direction and superb acting by all artistes made it a very absorbing play. The actors strung together a beautiful symphony. The hilarious dialogues kept the audience in splits. While keeping, by and large, to the basic structure and theme of the original play penned by Herb Gardener titled ‘I am not Rappaport’.

Set in one of the parks in Delhi, the play is built around two old gentlemen Nat, an Anglo-Indian (Onkar Goswami) and Das (Avijeet Dutt), a Bengali with Leftist leanings. Between the two of them, they bring home to us society’s attitude towards the aged. The play begins with both of them seated on the bench quarrelling over petty matters, reminiscing and munching sandwiches. In comes jogging upstart Malhotra (Teejesh Nippun Singh), an estate manager, to tell Nat that his services are no longer required by the management. Nat is worried but Das posing as a lawyer finds a way out.

As the play moves forward, the two friends encounter Kalu, a ‘goonda’ (Ashutosh Porus), who tries to extort money from them. The encounters are a delight to watch. Then there is Munna (Jagat Rathore), a drug-peddler who has been pestering Isha, a reformed junkie-turned-painter (Isha Joshi) and Das’s daughter, Prabha (Piu Dutt). Characterisation is true to life. Both Das and Nat live their roles to perfection, their timing, gestures and broken speech are a delight to watch.

While projecting characters from different social strata, the director safeguards against turning them into caricatures or stereotypes and that is where Yatrik’s production scores.

Avijeet said the casting helped Onkar and he had grown up and discovered all of life’s forbidden pleasures together. Negotiating a gap of a decade in our association was a wonderful deja vu. And it was indeed a pleasure working with Jagat, Isha, Teejeesh, Piu and Ashutosh, who believed in the work. The script adapted felicitously in rehearsal and the play emerged as ‘I am not Sheikh Chili’.

Handicrafts exhibition — a visual treat
Our Correspondent

Various items on display at a handicrafts exhibition at Welcome Palace in Ludhiana. — Photo Rajesh Bhambi

Ludhiana, August 12
Depicting harmony in diversity, a galaxy of craftsmen from all over the country have descended on the city. Bringing various crafts from their respective states they have put up an exhibition at local Welcome Palace much to the delight of Ludhianvis who have an eye for art and colour.

The exhibition has brought the craftsmanship of countless weavers, artists and artisans from all over the country. Since the artists are directly selling their articles, the exhibition lacks the usual glamour but it is compensated by the works of the art displayed.

From Rajasthan, the state famous for its colourful and artistic creations, the exhibition offers colourful gaghra-cholis in earthy shades typical of Rajasthan. The ensembles in block-printed Sanganeri prints lend grace to the printed yards of unstitched cloth. The craftsmen of Rajasthan have prepared beautiful trees bedecked with semi-precious jewels of different colours.

Similarly the paintings using colours made from semi-precious stones like amythest, agate, garnets and many other stones have been used to execute beautiful paintings in different sizes. The owner of the stall said, ‘‘We did not bring very big paintings, and other stuff as this is the first time that we are exhibiting our products. So we did not know what would be the response of the people. Hence we played safe by getting limited number of our products’’.

Many jewellers manufacturing inexpensive but exquisite jewellery of stones and metals had mind-boggling jewellery of wide variety have come from Delhi. One can get jewellery made to one’s choice. They have friendship bands to beautifully and imaginative-crafted other jewellery items so dear to a woman’s heart. It was a treat for college-going girls as delicate jewellery was in abundance and priced reasonably. There are weavers from Benaras who had revived certain weaves and restored their glory.

The colourful pottery from Khurja ( UP,) inadvertently draws the attention of the visitors. The different articles of everyday use in beautiful colour combinations are a visitor’s delight. The crowds throng the stall. The craftsmen of Orissa have brought colourfully-woven bedcovers, jackets and fabrics.

Another stall which attracts the attention of many is of a craftsman scribbling names on a rice grain with the help of a chemical colour. The rice grains are then glued to a keyring with the help of an adhesive which can provide it with a lifelong durability. Its price is just Rs 20.

From Varanasi the natives have brought tasty churans and suparis. The chikan workers have brought beautifully embroidered stuff in herring bone stitch a variety of articles.

Ambri Akh — emotional poetry
Asha Ahuja

Ludhiana, August 12
The Sahitya Punjabi Akademi held its monthly seminar on book discussion at Punjabi Bhavan today. The book under review this month was an anthology of poems titled ‘Ambri Akh’ by Ravinder Bhattal.

The discussion started with Dr Surinder Singh Nirula saying that to remain universal the poetry has to be deep-rooted in the past.

He further said Bhattal’s poetry has naturalness and deep emotions that had helped the latter to stand apart from other poets.

The academy convener, Prof Gurbhajan Gill remarked that Ravinder Bhattal’s poetry revealed the history of Punjabi poetry. For the month of September ‘Canvas Layee Bhatkade Rang’ has been selected for discussion.

Prof Ravinder Bhattal recited five of his poems. The poems Teri Awaaj and Tatta Lahu were highly appreciated. Dr Parminder Singh, Lal Singh Dil and Principal Hardyal Singh Atri were among the audience.

Dr Sarabjit Singh from Chandigarh and Dr Rajnish Bahadur Singh of Jalandhar presented papers on poetry of Bhattal. In their opinion, his poetry depicts the emotions of our age in a true to life style.

Mr Kulwant Jagraon remarked that Bhattal’s poetry was deeply rooted in a traditional tone yet it create new trends.