LIFE & STYLE

GLITZ & GLAMOUR
Go for gold on Lohri
Saurabh Malik
Tribune News Service

Thumping beats of rhythmic music drowning the slight crackle of burning twigs in the blazing inferno flaming in the midst of a gathering, invigorating golden elixir in sparkling cut glasses, and something nice to don — that’s all you need for celebrating Lohri, graciously.

You have already placed an order for the logs and have asked your gardener to scrape together enough twigs. This is not all. The whisky bottles are all nicely tucked in a carved cabinet, to be taken out on January 13. Even the cut glasses have been nicely washed and wiped. Or else, you have called up all your chums for going to the University campus for celebrating the occasion at the Student's Centre.

Everything’s ready, except the cool stuff you wish to wear for setting the hot evening on fire. Worry not, here is a comprehensive head-to-toe guide, compiled with caution, just for making the inflamed hearts of revellers around burn with a fiery desire, along with ignited timber and dry leaves.

First of all, go in for a nice headgear. “Golf caps look cool, but not in the evenings principally during formal occasions,” affirms city-based fashion designer Zameera. “Do not buy monkey caps covering your visage either, even for the heck of creating suspense and sensation. Go in good caps with Santa touch. Pick up the ones in woolly black or red. You can take one home by pulling out less than Rs 300 from your wallet. If somehow you hate wearing caps during the parties, buy pretty pony holders”.

Agreeing with her, chunk jewellery shop owner Raman says, “You can turn your Plain Jane pony-tail into a hot hair style with the assistance of elastic bedecked with sparkly faux jewels, even sequined pom-poms. The elastics are inexpensive. You can buy them form anywhere by paying just Rs 75 from your pocket”.

Next, go in for gold. Nay, not the real thing, but gilt goodies in golden hues, with beads and sequins of the same shade, for a shot of glamour. "Choose a headband with sequins,” Delhi-based designer Sonal suggests over the phone. “You can get one for just Rs 100. Team it up with an off-shoulder top and sequined pants. Wear the out-fit with glittery slip-ons and a floral belt. You can also savour the evening by putting on sheer lace pants. Planning to twirl around the fire in a skirt? Go in for one that is neatly embroidered with sequins. Don it with a tissue bustier, nothing less”.

If chilly, bone-piercing, winds scare you to tremble, wrap a stole around your shoulders. “Acquire a lace stole,” Sonal recommends. “You will not have be forced to pay more than Rs 850 if you buy it from the right shop. That’s why you should survey first and shop later”.

Also remember to carry a beaded bag. “It is in, looks cool and is essential for carrying mobile and car keys,” Sonal asserts. “It is better to keep the keys in a bag rather than misplace them and look for a duplicate one”.

This is not all. Sequin bag gives any outfit a trendy party look, “It will accessorize the evening ensemble in a way everyone is sure to love,” she concludes. That’s all folks. Have a nice time.

Venus Speaks
Party all the way

Pooja is all set to celebrate Lohri. Not just with friends and acquaintances, with family also. In the afternoon, the Home Science student plans to sit around the blazing fire with her celebrating chums, listen to some real cool music, feel the heat on her fair visage, and savour sumptuous groundnuts.

“No, as of now I have no plans of twirling around the fire,” she whispers after passing her chiselled fingers through her silky tresses. “But if the music swipes me off my feet, I will not mind cutting foot loose”.

The evening, she is hoping to enjoy with her family and relatives. “We are planning our own personal little bash after the sun set,” she asserts. “It is going to be a get together of sorts. All our near and dear are coming over. As the sun disappears behind the imposing buildings in the west, we will light the fire, put on thumping music and have some real good fun. The logs have been ordered. The speakers are all ready to be placed in the corners of the lawn”.

Dance around the blaze, carefully

You jived at the Halloween bash, lost your blues on the Christmas, tied the laces of your dancing shoes on the New Year’s Eve. Now it is Lohri. What? Another dance party at the local discotheque?

“You can also pour soft drink in a sparkling cut glass, wrap a paper napkin around it and discuss neighbourhood politics,” Zarina suggests. “Everyone will believe you are high. If the trick fails, nurse one drink forever and ever”. And if you do gulp a couple of drinks amidst “no-nos”, make sure you do not combine it with sugary dishes.

Lohri Top Ten

Here's to all the readers getting ready for the Lohri celebrations. RadioBuzz has compiled a list of music which is a must to enliven the Lohri night, a blend of contemporary and the traditional with a bit of techno thrown in.

Rabba Rabba (Monsoon Wedding)

EDUCATION

ADMISSION ON FAKE DOCUMENTS
PU gives last chance to students for clarification
Sanjeev Singh Bariana
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 7
Panjab University has decided to a give a last chance to students found having secured admissions on fake documents during the last academic session to clarify their stand.

The university had registered cases against 19 candidates from different affiliated colleges. Only five turned up before the special committee of the university constituted to look into the matter. The university has decided that a last chance will be given to the remaining students later during this month, failing which the “an ex parte decision under the university rules will be taken”.

The committee chaired by Prof Deepak Manmohan includes Mr Rajinder Bhandari, Principal Harmit Kaur, Principal A.C. Vaid, Dr A.S. Dua and Dr Sodhi Ram, Controller of Examination.

The university has recorded the statements of the candidates who appeared before the committee. They have been held guilty, it is learnt. The remaining candidates have also been sent notices, a copy of which has been addressed to the “concerned principals for making sure that the candidates, in their own interest, appear before the committee for personal hearing”.

The university will consider whether to “disqualify the erring candidates for a period of five years under the university regulations as they have submitted fake confidential results or detailed marks-cards to the colleges concerned for admissions during 2001-2002”.

The Regulation 1(a) of PU Calendar (Volume II) specifies for candidates detected for seeking ‘forged admissions’ a “disqualification for a period ranging between three-five years from appearing in any examination as may be decided by the university Syndicate”.

Interestingly, all colleges of the accused candidates fall in the Ludhiana. These include Guru Nanak National College, Doraha, Kamla Lohia SD College, Guru Nanak Girls College, GTB National College, Dakha, Arya College and SCD College.

Provisional certificates are the main documents under probe.

It is felt that besides routine decisions on specific cases, the university needs to investigate the source from which these certificates come to curb the menace. Attempt should be made to determine if someone from the Administrative Block of the university is party to the offence.

It is also pointed out that the paper and format for provisional certificates need to be taken more seriously by the university. The certificates should have the university insignia, water marks and official numbering for screening at the time of admissions.

40 teachers attend workshop
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 7
Ways and means to spread technology-aided learning process in schools were discussed at a meeting organised by Koshish, an organisation of Master Trainers, at a workshop organised at Guru Harkrishan Model School, here today.

Plans for the future expansion of the organisation and the scheme of train more, “earn more”, introduced by the organisation for its members, formed a part of the presentations. Nearly 40 teachers from various local schools attended the workshop.

The aim of Koshish, which is among the 28 such organisations of master trainers in North India, is collaborate with Intel and launch programmes in schools to integrate technology aided-learning (TAL) in present curriculum.

Koshish will also collaborate with intel for its various regional and national-level events, besides holding contests for students and teachers, give incentives to schools implementing TAL and facilitate training by master trainers. It also has established a CD library for members.

An e-group of all master trainer members has also been formed with the objective of making communication easier, faster and far reaching.

Seminar for students
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 7
IDP Education Australia will organise a pre-departure seminar for the students who are leaving for Australia to pursue higher education.

According to a press note, the seminar, which is likely to be attended by more than 100 students, will provide basic information to the students who are unfamiliar with the Australian environment and give them an opportunity to students to get themselves acquainted with the climate, culture and laws of Australia.

Youth festival concludes
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, January 7
The third State Youth Festival organised by the Sports Department, Chandigarh Administration, concluded with a singing and dancing contest by students from different schools and colleges of the city.

The programme started at the Tagore Theatre this morning with three contests — folk songs, classical dance and classical vocal. It was the afternoon session that featured folk dances that drew an overwhelming response. As many as nine educational institutes from the city presented bhangra and giddha.

Mr I.S. Sandhu, SDM-cum-Additional Director, Sports, Chandigarh Administration, gave away prizes to winners.

The results are as follows:

Folk songs: first — Government Model Sr. Sec School, Sector 37, second — Government College, Sector 11.

Classical dance: first — Davansi Misra, Saupins School, second — Divya Ohara from Shishu Niketan, Sector 22. Classical vocal (solo): first — Kailash Mittal from Nehru Yuva Kendra, Sector 22, second — Hardeep Bani, MCM DAV College, Sector 36. Folk dance (bhangra): first — Government College, Sector 11, second — Government College, Sector 46. Giddha: first — Nehru Yuva Kendra, Sector 22, second — Rising Star Club.

CULTURE

Jacob gifts 12 paintings to museum
Aditi Tandon
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 7
With work being carried out on priority, the UT Administration’s ambitious project of adding four separate sections to the Natural History Museum at Government Museum, Sector 10, is fast nearing completion. After the inauguration of the rare manuscript section, the first in the series of four parts of the Natural History Museum, last year, it is now time to draw curtains on another interesting section under the head of nature in art.

Unique in itself, the nature in art section of the Government Museum will earn it the reputation of being the only museum in North India to have a space that pays an artistic ode to nature. The whole affair becomes more significant in view of Punjab Governor and UT Administrator Lieut-Gen JFR Jacob’s personal interest in the project to make the museum alive and vibrant.

After himself conceiving of these four sections for the Natural History Museum (manuscript section, nature in art section, evolution of man through ages section and dinosaurs of India section), the Governor has now gifted to the museum 12 lithographic prints on paper from his personal collection.

Confirming the news, the Director of the museum, Mr V.N. Singh said the prints were a celebration of nature in art. Each one of these12 lithographs which have already been displayed in the nature of art section date back to the 20th century AD. Apart from these 12 works, the section will comprise many of the award-winning embroidered works by Sardar Joginder Singh. A retired soldier with the British Army, Joginder Singh, now lives in SAS Nagar and has contributed 62 embroidered works for the nature in art section. Each of these works is unique in the sense of theme and execution. The artist has used his creativity to bring alive the majesty of animals and birds.

The works will be padded with the museum’s indigenous collection that boasts of beautiful works by great artists of the like of Anandi Devi, Ganga Singh Schott, Haren Das, Harnek Singh, Vishwanath Mukherjee, Subhash Roy, M. Bose, K.M. Menon, Prabha Panwar, D.N. Sharma and Kishor Wallah.

Apart from the fact that the section will be beautified with some of the finest pieces of art ever created, the museum authorities are also installing a special water feature inside the section. Mr V.N. Singh informed: “We will create the effect of a hillock backed by a water fountain. The idea is to give a natural feel to the visitors. Everything will merge with the theme of the section.” The famous 105-cm-long jute fibre sculpture titled, Plantain tree, by Mrinalini Mukherjee will be installed in front of the water feature.

Experimenting with all forms of music
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 7
Racing for success is always adventurous, not only because it satisfies the human urge for perfection, but also because it inspires life in dead routine. No wonder then that Sanjay Paul decided to return to his native land after catering to the musical tastes of the Indian community in Britain for well over eight years.

A Punjabi at heart, Sanjay is now in India talking about his maiden musical release, “Thumka”, which has songs by the famous line of writers like Sham Balkar, Anand Raj Anand, Payam Saeedi and Shakeel Azmi. Essentially variety-based, Sanjay’s music album promises to look after choices of music lovers from all age groups and sections. So where there are five Punjabi numbers, there are two soulful songs in Hindi, apart from a mix of raggea and rap.

In the city recently for the promotion of his creative work, Sanjay talked of music with passion and interest. Moving away from routine performances and styles, Sanjay is now on the verge of experimenting with something that is fresh and something that qualifies on the yardstick of “change.” “We all want change and change is always for the better. As a singer I have to look after the taste of my listeners. Any work of art qualifies as good or bad after it had been consumed and judged by the people. I have sung all kinds of music in concerts, as I am essentially a live performer. But gradually I realised that the market in Britain was saturating. I came to India looking for a larger clientele. The idea is to give space to my talent.”

Inspired greatly by the likes of Shiv Kumar Batalvi, Jagjit Singh, Ghulam Ali and now Hans Raj Hans, Sanjay comes across as a singer waiting in line for success. With an open mind to accept change, he is sure to make a fair mark, especially after his first video is being already well received. He further plans to tour the country and perform live at some of the places.

Sanjay is very confident of the commercial viability of his product. Unperturbed by the fact that despite sound classical grounding, he had to look for success in a different stream of music, Sanjay feels, “There are no formulas for success. Moreover, I am a man of music, who is comfortable with all kinds of music. I love music and it does not matter to me what colour of form it is. You cannot compartmentalise music.”

Album of hymns
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 7
Brig P.S. Jaspal (retd) has prepared an album of hymns sung in praise of Guru Gobind Singh, the video of which will be telecast on Alpha TV Punjabi from 7.30 am to 8 am on the birth anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh, which falls on Thursday. The programme will be repeated on January 12, 19, and 26 in the same time-slot.