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CBSE to revise
English (Communicative) exam format Chandigarh, May 6 A separate question paper and answer booklet will replace the format of a single booklet containing questions and space for answers. There will be two texts for reading comprehension in Section A and one additional question of five marks each will figure in the grammar and literature sections. In the existing format, the distribution of marks for reading, writing, grammar and literature is 30, 30, 15 and 25, respectively. In the new format, the distribution will be 20, 30,20 and 30 marks, respectively. |
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Golden Bell School wins one-act play contest Chandigarh, May 6 A large number of schools from Chandigarh, Panchkula, Mohali, Patiala and other nearby towns took part in the competition. Shivalik Public School, Mohali, and Government Senior Secondary School, Tripri, Patiala, jointly shared the second prize. |
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Seminar on ‘Personal growth and integration’ Chandigarh, May 6 A simple exercise to check stress was performed before the teachers. Mr Harold Carver, Principal of the school, was also present.
TNS |
HUDA closes housing scheme Panchkula, May 6 In the process, the authority seems to have left thousands of prospective applicants in the lurch, who expected an extension to the May 5 deadline in the wake of the sub judice nature of the case.The case is to come up for hearing on May 19. The closure of the scheme has created uncertainty among the applicants. Sources said if the legal battle over the scheme prolonged, HUDA would not be in a position to hold the draw of lots, which its usually holds after six months of the last date for the submission of applications. The prolonging of the scheme will make HUDA richer by several crores as it would then delay refund of the earnest money of applicants. It may be recalled that on a petition filed by a Naya Gaon resident, Dr B Singh, the court had stayed development on “catchment area” of the Sukhna Lake with a view to preserve the environment. While it was not clear whether Sectors 2 and 6 came under the “catchment area”, the government had pleaded before the high court to advance the next date for hearing from May 19 to clear confusion among prospective allottees. The court had declined to advance the date. Comparing the scandal to the Taj Corridor case, Dr B Singh had contended that the area proposed to be developed by HUDA was in fact forest land. Sector 1 of the MDC, which could have come under the “catchment area”, had already been declared an entertainment sector by HUDA and recreational facilities had been planned for it. No construction disturbing the ecological balance will be allowed in Sector 1. HUDA proposes to develop Sectors 2 and 6, considered to be an extension of Panchkula at the foothills of the Shivaliks, as a low-density urban area with plenty of open spaces and greenery.
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HIGH
COURT Chandigarh, May 6
In its petition, the association has claimed that Mukal Foils Private Limited, which bagged the contract to install and operate a CT scan machine in Government Medical College and Hospital, Sector 32, has been overcharging the poor customers. |
NEW
RELEASES
Producer-director Ashok Pandit’s hard-hitting film ‘Sheen’ is about a family of Kashmiri Pandits. The film, which opens at Nirman, Chandigarh, on Friday is a look at how terrorism ravages young love and destroys lives in Kashmir. ‘Sheen’ also discusses the plight of lakhs of Kashmiri Pandits compelled to flee their homes at gunpoint. It is a non-commercial movie that focuses on the problems and tortures faced by Kashmiri Pandits. The film has been written by Dr Agnishekhar, a refugee in his own country. He has been fighting for the rights of millions of Kashmiri Pandits. Debutant actress Sheen plays the lead role opposite another debutant, model-turned-actor Tarun Arora. Raj Babbar plays important character in the film. Kiran Juneja and Anup Soni are in supporting roles. The film has music by Nadeem-Shravan. ‘Sheen’ is touted as a social film in trade circles. It has generated pre-release interest. About drugs and dealers Director Tigmanshu Dhulia is back with action-thriller ‘Charas - A Joint Effort’. As the title suggests, the film deals with drug dealers and has been shot in narcotics dens. Award-winning actor Irfan Khan, Jimmy Shergill and Uday Chopra have showcased their best talents in this film. Hrishita Bhatt and Namrata Shirodkar also play important characters. The film will be released on Friday at Piccadily, Chandigarh, and Fun Republic, Mani Majra. ‘Charas- A Joint Effort’ has been produced by Anjum Rizvi. Varun Vadola, Anup Soni and Kenny Desai are also in the cast. The film has music by Raju Singh, lyrics by Javed Akhtar, cinematography by Setu, art by Dhiraj Akolkar, editing by Asim Sinha, action by Allan Amin and choreography by Longie Fernandes and Rema.
— DP |
STYLE I
The recently concluded Lakme India Fashion Week is a major event for the fashion conscious as it leaves behind a trail of trends that will be seen in the months to come. ‘‘The fashion week is a good opportunity to keep track of the latest trends in colours, fabrics, cuts and silhouettes. As Chandigarh is a fashion-aware city and the latest trends appear in the markets within two to three months time’’, says Chanda, head of the Fashion Designing Department at NIFD. City-based designers however, have their own favourites among this year's collections that are likely to have an impact on the look in the coming months. Tarun Tahiliani’s collection worked with plenty of colour, embellishments, including swarovski stones, jewels and stones has impressed Simple Kaur, a city-based designer. ‘‘The drapes used by him are very inspiring’’, she says. The cropped jackets, satin jodhpurs bell-sleeved kurtis teamed with leather cigarette pants, fitted tops, chikan embroidered long jackets in black quilting and velvet appliqué are the designs watch out for. Along with these the bright colour palette used by him would be a hot trend because of its sheer youthfulness, she adds. Sabyasachi’s collection lost out this year because it lacked the youthful buoyancy, she says.
Applique work used by Rohit Bal is what has caught the attention of another city-based designer, Roop. ‘‘The garments presented on the ramp are an exaggerated form of the look that the designers want to present and are thus not very wearable but one or two elements are usually selected by customers and used accordingly’’. The knitted full-length jackets, dhoti inspired wrap-flap pants, elaborately embroidered jackets and use of Kutch embroidery added uniqueness to the designs. Ranna Gill’s collection with its Moroccan and Egyptian undertones is another favourite with her. Her collection including subtly sexy Kaftans, ponchos with deep necklines and side slits and slim fit pants that are surely going to be seen in a big way in the coming months, says Roop. The use of satin stitch embroideries, sparkling metal sequins and use of gold dust and moonlit silver are also likely to be liked by clients, she adds. Beige and earthy tones with accent on glitter, flowing fabrics like chiffons and Indian fabrics like Kota and embroidery are going to be the style statements in the wake of the fashion week say budding designers Dipika, Gagan and Praveen. Explaining his first hand experience at the fashion week Praveen, a second year fashion design course student says Meera and Muzzafar Ali’s collection had left an impact on him for its clean and uncluttered form. The use of pristine white cottons and silver tissues in lehenga-skirts, loose sheer pajamas, straight kurtas and long draped odhnis and murri embroidery enhanced the appeal of the collection, he said. With some city stores displaying the collection of designers like Malani Ramani it won’t be long before these would make an appearance here. However, at the Ritu Kumar’s boutique in Sector 9 the designs are updated every two months and it would take almost that much time for her latest line to appear there, says Arvinder Swani, manager of the boutique. Kumar’s collections are synonymous with the textile heritage of India, besides having the very modern and trendy appeal. Her range of crinkled and Flamenco inspired skirts made waves at the fashion week. Several of the skirts were embellished with zardozi embroidery, and some were even teamed with suede silk-thread embroidered jackets. Practicality, buy-ability and affordablity are the criteria that make a collection fit for the masses and a lot of designers like Wendell Rodricks, Suneet Verma, Lina Tipnis displayed their pret lines at the fashion week. Thus taking hi-fashion to the wearers rather than limiting it to just the ramp models. |
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Panwar’s abstract creations take you to fantasy land The exhibition showcases 27 paintings — mixed media works arranged in ‘polyptych’ compositions. Executed in acrylic, photography, computer imaging, collage, her paintings give a glimpse of Marnay sur Reine in its changing moods. So do not get disappointed if your eyes meet with a pattern of an iron grill or a simple monochromatic canvas, for viewed in isolation they may not convey much, but as a part of the series they convey the overwhelming presence of nature, its changing moods and the emotional chaos it evokes in one’s mind. Pampa Panwar, an Indian artist who studied in London and later the Centre of Art of Camac in France, where she mastered the technique of ‘polyptych’, which means compositions of several paintings put together. In this process the artist has balanced all the artistic elements on canvas, making it easy for you to discover Marney, little by little, day by day through changing lights, the swirling river Seine, birds singing, flowers blooming, blue sky, the ringing of the church bell-hour by hour.
— OC |
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Five secrets to keep your feet healthy Surgical blades and pedicure, that too at a shoe store, seem a bit scary at first but visit the chiropodist S.P. Mehta in Bata Shoe Store in Sector 17 and he will convince you that there is no other way to do a pedicure than getting rid of those dead cells with the help of a surgical kit. A trained chiropodist from Kolkata, S.P. Mehta is here to help you out getting rid of those unwanted corns and growth in nails and dead skins with a few strokes of his surgical blade, with the precision of a fine surgeon. “There are fancy beauty parlours for manicures and pedicures, but at Bata, taking care of your feet is a scientific art which needs proper training and of course loads of patience,” says Mehta. The entire procedure takes about 45 minutes, starting with a good 10-minute soak in hot soapy water in which the chiropodist adds a generous amount of antiseptic cream and peroxide. Once the feet are soft, the surgical procedure starts, first doing way with the dead cells and then getting into the main problem area like removal of a corn or growth nails. Mr Mehta who has been working as an official chiropodist for Bata since 1988, says he takes about four to five clients per day. “Demands for scientific pedicure has been increasing everyday but here we are not equipped to take on more clientele,” he says. He operates through appointments and it is mainly the ‘word of mouth’ that does the advertisement for him. What is more, one does not have to shell out much to get one’s feet pampered. Each sitting with Mr. Mehta comes for Rs 100 only. “This is more of a service from Bata than a commercial venture and, hence, we prefer to keep the rate to the minimum,” says Mr. Mehta. In Bata Shoe Company employees are trained to become professional chiropodists at their headquarters in Kolkata. according to Mr Mehta. At present there are about eight chiropodists in the country. As a chiropodist Mr Mehta’s duty does not end in just helping you to get rid of corns or dead cells. As the parting shot he tells you the five secrets for keeping your feet healthy and baby soft — soak your feet in warm water every now and then, apply a concoction made of glycerine and lemon juice, wear the right shoe size, wear socks with shoes and do not move bare feet. |
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Plenty of food
festivals in the offing The city is all set for a new culinary journey — different from the regular daal
makhani, shahi paneer and butter chicken. The foodies can look forward to having a taste of the Orient; experience the royal food of
Avadh, or simply have the kebabs melting in your mouth. The onslaught of summers notwithstanding, the city hotels and restaurants are wooing the foodies and keeping their cash registers ringing by organising food festivals. With the mercury soaring skywards, most people prefer to stay indoors. The restaurants are thus wooing customers by offering special delicacies and different exotic cuisines. So if you missed the “Dragon Nights”, a Chinese food festival organised by Blue Ice, Sector 17, or the kebab and mocktails festival at Forest Hill Club, don’t fret. There’s more in store for you. Moti
Mahal, Pub and Restaurant, has started a kebab festival on every Sunday, while a Avadhi food festival is slated for next month, and chefs from Lucknow and Delhi have been engaged. Hotel Maya Palace, which pioneered the Food Festival culture, is again beginning its culinary calendar year by organising a Thai and Chinese food festival. In nearby Panchkula, Hotel KC Cross Roads, has just wound up with its monthlong sea food special menu, and proposes to start another food fest after the marriage season is over next month. Says Mr Jacob John, General Manager, Moti
Mahal, “The city is fast evolving as a gourmet’s delight. People now like to experiment with food, and look for a change in menu.” It is thus that the restaurant has started a special kebab food festival from last Sunday, and as many as 12 different kinds of kebabs (vegetarian and non- vegetarian) are served as the second course, after a welcome drink.These are inclusive in the buffet lunch on Sunday at Rs 159 for a vegetarian platter and Rs 199 for a non vegetarian platter. At Hotel Maya Palace, Mr Naveen Kumar, manager, Food and Beverages, says that hey are all set to launch the Thai and Avadhi food festival from May 14, besides launching the city’s first lounge bar, Galaxy, on the same day. “Last year, we had organised a
Rajasthani, Oriental, sea food and Avadhi food festival. Our USP is good food, and in this competition ridden business, we have to introduce food festivals. As of now, we have a summer drinks special on- aam
panna, sattu masala drink, thandai and lassi are on offer, to beat the heat,”he says. Agrees Mr Naveen Kanwar, front office manager, Hotel KC Cross Road, Panchkula, “ The sales during the food festival increase by over 40 per cent, but a separate budget has to be earmarked for organising a special chef, and creating the ambience.” |
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Designing houses and selling furniture EVER been to a furniture shop and felt perplexed thinking if the particular design would look good in your room? Or if the colour of the tapestry would gel with the paint on the walls? If yes Furniture Palace has come up as a one stop shop, for furniture, drapes, tapestry, home line, floor coverings, including curtains, wall decorations and other decorations. The lifestyle store in Sector 7 now does turn key projects for designing a house, besides continuing with its furniture business. Mr Desh Mittar Gaind, proprietor of Furniture Palace, says that though they had been dealing in exclusive furniture for long, they decided to go to a full- fledged interior design store recently. “ Earlier, we would accompany our clients to other stores, sometimes in Delhi, to help them select the drapes, tapestry, carpets etc. With people getting more conscious of their home interiors, we thought of offering them a complete solution to designing their homes in the city itself,” he says. They now deal in a variety of curtains — from the sheer elegance to the silk drapes, tapestry, carpets, window accessories like drapery rods, blinds, awnings, besides floor coverings like carpets and durries, bathroom drapes, bed linen and other home linen and home decorations like famed raga collection of statues, sculptures and marble inlay tops, paintings etc. Mr Gaind says that they have hired a team of interior designers and have now various hotels and corporate offices, besides homes, on their list of clients.
— TNS |
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Backless choli to backless tank tops would be good for this season as well as summer 2005.
IF the colours of countryside fascinate you, then “Sring Summer in Marnay-sur-Reine” — an exhibition of paintings at Alliance Francaise is a must visit. But here you do not get see nature as it is but through eyes of artist Pampa Panwar — all in abstract form.