EDUCATION

PU engg results out
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, January 22
Panjab University today declared results of some examinations of engineering courses conducted in November and December 2001, an official press note said here today.

The list of courses include BE (production) eight semester, BE (mett) fifth semester, BE (mechanical) third semester and BE (electrical) third semester.

COURTS

HIGH COURT
3 civic body members reinstated with costs
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 22
Allowing three writ petitions filed by the President and two members of the Dinanagar Nagar Council, a Division Bench the Punjab and Haryana High Court today quashed the orders removing them from their elected posts and debarring them from contesting municipal elections for two years.

Pronouncing the orders on petitions filed by civic body chief Vijay Mahajan, besides members Renu Bala and Sudesh Kumar, the Bench, comprising Mr Justice N.K. Sodhi and Mr Justice Jasbir Singh, also imposed costs of Rs 45,000 “to be paid by the officers who had passed the impugned orders”. The Judges added that the “amount will not be debited to the state exchequer”.

In detailed orders, the Judges directed the state of Punjab and other respondents “to reinstate the petitioners forthwith for enabling them to complete their remaining term”. They observed: “The petitioners will have their costs, which are assessed at Rs 25,000 in one case and Rs 10,000 each in the other two cases”. Mr Mahajan, in his petition, had challenged the orders dated January 31, 2001, allegedly passed by the then Principal Secretary, Mr N.K. Arora.

Chief Secy told to file affidavit

On a petition seeking the registration of a case against Punjab’s former Chief Secretary V.K. Khanna for allegedly possessing assets disproportionate to his known sources of income, Mr Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel of the High Court today asked the Punjab Chief Secretary to file an affidavit in the matter.

Accusing Mr Khanna of misusing his official position, the petitioner, Mr Amarjit Singh of Amritsar, had alleged that “immovable properties to the tune of Rs 100 crore through illegal means” had been purchased. Mr Khanna, the petitioner had added, had shown two small factories at Amritsar to be his asset, but “in the course of his service, he had created seven more factories at different places”.

Status report submitted

A sealed status report was submitted in the High Court today by the Central Bureau of Investigation in the Haryana mining case. The report is likely to be taken up for consideration by a Division Bench tomorrow.

A journalist, Subhash Sharma, had earlier sought directions to the authorities to stop the “illegal extraction” of minerals and action against the guilty.

Notice on Mann’s plea

Taking up a petition filed by Mr Simranjit Singh Mann, MP, seeking the quashing of a portion of the government instructions requiring permission before arresting a Class I gazetted officer, a Division Bench of the High Court today issued notice of motion for April 22.

In his petition, Mr Mann had contended that as per the instructions prior permission for the registration of criminal cases and for carrying out the arrest were required. His counsel had claimed that the same were “wrong, unjust, arbitrary and discriminatory”. The instructions seriously came in the way of eradicating corruption at the higher levels of administration.

CULTURE

Divinity of dance explored
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 22
Choreographic sequences are created in moments and as good music transcends the limits of time and space to last an eternity, a good choreography spans an entire era in a few hours. It breathes a new life into a rather relevant theme or recreates an old one with near perfection.

This evening at the Pracheen Kala Kendra, Sector 35, was also about some finely mastered pieces from the vast repertory of bharatanatyam. Predominantly mythological in nature, the dance form was portrayed today by threesome Shilpi Baruri, Shikhi Baruri and Tanmoy Sengupta as it truly is — sacred.

The evening began with the customary offering to Goddess Durga in “Durgastuti”. Based on raga mallika and “ek talam”, the piece had all three dancers putting together their energies and expressions to depict Durga as “Mahishasur mardini”. Next came the Thisra Alaripam with Shivshlokam set to aditaal.

Performed by Shilpi Baruri, the sequence had the elements of a good piece. Shilpi continued her charming spell with the next item which had her dancing as Meera on “Pag ghungroo...”. With face drowned in pure emotion for Lord Krishna and feet moving in his worship, Shilpi made a pleasing picture.

The piece was followed by “Ashtapadi” which was an extract from Jaydeva’s “Geet Govinda”. Performed again by Shilpi, who came across as a little bundle of energy, the item portrayed Radha eager to meet Krishna. The song was based on raga basanti and was set to aditaal.

Shikhi and Tamnmoy, both Shilpi’s disciples, were also impressive with their grace and poise. They danced to the “Padma” based on raga Rabati set to aditaal. Shilpi then moved on to perform “Kriti”, composed by Shorbhoji Maharaj. The sequence had Radha in a spell of ecstasy. The piece, based on “Amrutvarsha” raga, was well-presented.

The customary conclusion of the recital came with the much-enthralling “tillana” which draws its base from the “tarana”. The sequence was divided into two parts performed by Shikhi and Tanmoy on the one hand and Shilpi on the other.

In her subtle grace and movement, Shilpi reminded one of the finesse of her guru Padma Shri Chitra Visweswaran.

Sohni’s agony depicted in colour
Aditi Tandon
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 22
Pain flows through her canvasses like blood through veins. Somewhere in the strokes of the painting brush lie hidden the pathos of a woman.

Arpana Caur’s depiction of Sohni in 10-odd works touches the most sensitive chord of the heart. There is breath of agony in each piece of art. The painter admits, “I have grown with this myth. For me, Sohni is not just Sohni. She embodies universality. She took a plunge which caused death. We are all taking some plunge or the other all the time.”

All motifs employed in the works serve to underline the agony of a woman who rises from the status of a myth and becomes an expression of life. Arpana uses pots as a metaphor for body, clay and broken pots as metaphors for life and death. Traffic lights as motifs figure in the works which have been put together under the title ‘The legend of Sohni’. Explaining the context, Arpana says, “Traffic lights are significant of restriction in some form. Their use in the works voices the social tendency of restricting the free flow of thought and action.” Scissors are predominant and have been lifted by the artist from Greek mythology, where these have been said to cut the threads of fate.

Arpana declares fondly, “Sohni is from Punjab and so these works had to come to Punjab. Professionally I am satisfied with the works, but I wish the Panjab University Fine Arts Museum procures a piece for its collection.”

The inspiration comes primarily from her childhood reminiscences of the myth and from the prints of Sardar Sobha Singh. Arpana draws heavily from the various sources of Indian art — folk art of Maharashtra, skyline of Orissa’s art and clouds depictive of Himachal miniatures.

One of her works now forms a part of the Hiroshima Museum, which has at its entrance a work of Henry Moore. Having worked on themes like communal violence, nuclear violence and environment, Arpana often wonders how and when she has been categorised as a feminist. She says, “Undertones of feminism are natural at times. That does not mean one essentially paints feminist themes.”