|
|
|
|
Rakhi strings strengthen
Indo-Pak ties
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Real estate boom in the city
Private garbage collectors take on MC’s duties
Cutting edge of dentistry
Cricket is a passion with Krishan Mohan
Indian PM role model for Hindu College toppers
Class V student shares best of her verse
‘Debating’ his way to success
Weekly Round-up
|
||||||
|
Rakhi strings strengthen
Indo-Pak ties
Newly-fostered bonds between India and Pakistan are bearing fruit with rakhi strings arriving for the first time after Partition from Pakistan!
It took the sacred rakhi string to restore the age-old umbilical cord between the twin cities of Lahore and Amritsar of the Undivided Punjab. Composite culture It has been acknowledged by Pakistani Government on its official website that Lahore was founded by Loh, son of Lord Ram Chander mentioned in Hindus’ sacred epic Ramayana. A Loh shrine exists in Shahi Killa of Lahore that is presently under UNESCO world heritage sites in Lahore. Other common bonds between the Punjabis of these cities is the traditional sari that has already spread its “pallu” and become a craze in Lahore where it is worn with much aplomb at parties and even traditional functions. Bindis, churiyan (bangles), payal (anklet), besides
mehendi (henna), too, have melted all religious and man-made barriers to colour in common hues the common heritage of Punjabis on either side.
Ravi River, having found mention in Punjabi folklore, meanders between them, seemingly playing hide-n-seek with both cities.
Legendary Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s generosity helped in encouraging composite culture, and varied festivals in Punjab. While Lahore was the political and cultural hub of his kingdom, Amritsar continued to be the religious centre for him. Royal custom During the Mughal times, the custom of tying rakhi strings helped bind the Hindu Rajputs and the Mughal rulers of Delhi. According to a legend, when Bahadur Shah of Gujarat attacked Rani Karnavati of Chittor, she sent a rakhi string to Humayun and requested him to help her. He tried to come to her aid but was too late. Chittor had already fallen and the queen had immolated herself according to the Rajput custom of jauhar. When Alexander invaded the Indian subcontinent in 326 BC, he had to fight many battles against the rulers of kingdoms in the north west. Alexander’s wife is believed to have tied a rakhi string to King Puru or Poras. In return, he is believed to have promised to protect her and her husband. In the battle, when he had the opportunity to strike Alexander, his promise is believed to have restrained him from delivering a fatal blow. The special bonding of the sacred string has fascinated some Pakistani women who came to India in the recent past. By sending the rakhi strings they have stamped their relations with Indians in the “purest” bond between brother and sister. Since rakhi strings are not available in Pakistani markets, these “sisters” made the rakhi strings at home. A Punjabi poet from Lahore briefly sums up the ‘reunion’ of the cities famed for composite culture: “Sanjh hawa di, sanjh pani di, sanjhi hee mitti di khusbu, sanjh dilan di, sanjh khuda di, wasiye-ujreya, ujreya fer vaseya” The traditional brotherhood between Amritsar and Lahore cities of Majha region hopes for “reunion of hearts” with rakhi this time. It may be anathema to Islamic fundamentalists across the border, but it has stirred the heartstrings of many on either side of the Radcliff Line. After Basant carnival, the Lahorites’ kite-flying is fast becoming legendary, a development that is not liked by fundamentalists. However, the fancy paper kites continue to shimmer in the skies of both Lahore and Amritsar. Similarly, the simple rakhi string, too, may build everlasting bridge between both these ancient cities torn apart by Partition. Ms Neelima Nahid Durrani, SSP and renowned Punjabi and Urdu poetess from Lahore, was so anxious not to miss Raksha Bandhan that she enquired about the festival a month in advance. The Muslim “sisters” from Lahore are keen to send rakhi strings to their Amritsarite “brothers”. The celebration of Raksha Bandhan by “brothers” and “sisters” of both Punjabs (Indian and Pakistani) is being seen as the culmination of recent bonhomie via the Indo-Pak Wagah joint check post. The residents of Lahore openly defied Muslim fundamentalists who had ordered “no kite-flying” during Basant. The festival has been cashed in on by multinational companies who want to promote cosmopolitan culture in Pakistan. However, festival enthusiasts call it a rare chance to step out and celebrate in a country
trammeled by Islamic militancy. They say, “Let clerics do their job while we rejoice. It is the only colourful event that Lahore can boast of.”
Even residents of East Punjab (India) flock to Lahore for the festival. They want to catch a glimpse of the flying kites. Top hotels report full bookings, while terraces are rented out at whopping sums and all night soirees take wings! Another Hindu festival — Holi — after its celebration at Krishna Mandir, Lahore, is fast catching up among Lahorites. The Muslim brethren also recently showed magnanimity in sanctioning a 22-bigha cremation ground in Lahore for Hindus for the first time post-Partition. Interestingly, in Amritsar, Pakistani
salwar kameez is very popular among men folk, just as nose rings or studs are popular among Pakistani women. |
||||||
|
Real estate boom in the city
Even as last fortnight’s successful auction of 10,000 square yards plot on the Mall Road at a phenomenal and unprecedented price of Rs 78,500 per square yard for the construction of multiplex and hotel has filled the empty coffers of fund-starved Municipal Corporation (MC), it has also triggered speculation of more increase in land prices, especially on the Mall Road and the Lawrence Road. Multiplex man Mr Sanjeev Prinja from the RSA Builders group, Delhi, has turned to be the major partner in the public auction group of the MC for the purchase of land for the multiplex and hotel project on the Mall. The media-shy real estate coloniser Prinja hails from Muradpur village in Fatehgarh Churiyan area of the city.
He said he had a vision that the city would one day become the hottest trade and tourist centre in north India and it would greatly benefit from the opening of the trade link between India and Pakistan. Till a few months back, the land prices in the posh Mall Road area had been hovering between Rs 30,000 and Rs 35,000 per square yard. According to property dealers and agents, this price rise has once again brought the focus back on the Holy City that had remained neglected for the last many decades. Now there’s a speculation that the Indo-Pak trade would open new vistas for the commercial status of the city. The city had been a major commercial centre in the North-West region during pre-Partition days and had been the trading hub supplying goods to Afghanistan, Iran and Iraq and also to Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh. It lost its glory after independence when the trade was restricted only to northern states of the country. The “indifference and apathetic” attitude of the successive governments compounded the problem. The Holy City suffered the most serious blow not only due to two wars with Pakistan, but also due to over a decade long militancy during the 1980s. But now things seem to be changing. The spurt in land prices not only in commercial areas, but also in areas on the Rajasansi Airport road and on the GT Road may give a fresh lease of life to the sagging industrial scene and also to the business sector. The focus of a large number of real estate companies and hoteliers has shifted to the city. In case the favourable atmosphere continues, the prices may further go up. This may turn out to be a windfall for a large number of residential plot owners. The municipal corporation has already received more than 40 applications from property holders on the Mall seeking consent for land use conversion. So much is the hype about property price rise and its consequent business opportunity that some fear that if the present trend continues, the Mall’s shady walkway would lose its pristine glory. Residents of the Mall here have raised serious concern over the “wanton and unplanned” constructions that they say has soured their dream of living in spacious bungalows without disturbing the ecological balance. The green spaces have given way to high-rise buildings, they rue.
|
||||||
|
Private garbage collectors take on MC’s duties
Private garbage collectors have taken on the municipal corporation’s duty of keeping the city clean, thanks to the alleged apathy of the corporation. A small group of migrants started the “enterprising vocation” two years back, targeting posh colonies. Presently, hundreds of such migrants are offering their services in the entire city, especially in the Civil Lines areas and the commercial hub of the walled city. Daily garbage lifting at a nominal monthly sum of Rs 20-Rs 30 is affordable and most attractive offer for city residents. Now, most areas of the city have followed the suit and accepted the offer of this “private army of cleaners”!
For the residents, in a broader perceptive, it means cleanliness of outer portions of their houses, having their garden waste lifted and also a solution to regular brawls between neighbours mostly due to haphazard garbage disposal. In totality, the offer means an effortless, easy way to “clean living”.
By this enterprising effort, the private garbage collectors have literally taken on municipal corporation’s duties even as the municipal corporation spends lakhs of rupees on its sanitation staff. As many as 1495 employees in corporation’s department have been engaged in duties of keeping the city clean. Over the years, the complaints of “irregular and unsatisfactory” garbage lifting have virtually flooded the corporation department. However, the corporation officials say that the number of persons assigned to do sanitation work has reduced over the years, as fresh recruitments have been banned. In the corresponding period, the city expanded exponentially, they argue. Incidentally, it has been learnt that a few employees allegedly take a “monthly” share from the migrants for giving the latter an access to their areas of duty for garbage collection. Earlier, these migrants used to sift through garbage for materials to be sold to junk dealers. “Now having our own share of garbage has given us an edge,” says Tulla, a migrant labourer doing the rounds of posh Green Avenue area, while talking to Amritsar Plus. These collectors hire cycle carts at Rs 100 per month and earn a daily wage of Rs 50 to Rs 100 A peep into the life of these migrant labourers living in slums near the bypass and the garbage landfill shows that in the last few years some of them have become so prosperous that they have purchased television sets and stereos. The labourers collect the garbage and sift through it for plastic, metals, paper, cloth and cardboard.
|
||||||
|
‘Make the city tourist-friendly’
The Amritsar Hotel and Restaurant Association has urged the state government to develop more places as tourist destinations to utilise to the fullest the tourism potential of the Holy City of Amritsar.
The association asked what the idea of erecting multiplexes and hotels would be if tourists did not stay there for long. The tourists planned their programme in such a way that they returned home after seeing the Golden Temple and Wagah border on the same day. This was usually due to the lack of proper facilities at the other tourist places there, added the association. Mr A.P.S. Chatha, honorary general secretary of the association, talking to Amritsar Plus, said that heritage buildings like Pul Kanjari, Ram Bagh, historical havelis, temples and other buildings, besides Harikepattan Bird Sanctuary, which was one of the famous sanctuaries, should be developed as the major tourist destinations. He said the government should also plan to organise cultural programmes at Khalsa College there. The 40-year-old association also expressed serious concern over large-scale mushrooming of allegedly illegal lodges around the Golden Temple and inside the walled city, making the area more congested. Mr Chatha said the municipal corporation should follow proper guidelines. “These lodges in residential places should be asked to follow the norms,” he added. He said under the norms these lodges should have obtained the Sarai Act permission, no-objection certificate from deputy commissioner, police, municipal corporation and municipal town planning. The honorary general secretary said that the association, after a meeting with the Additional Director, Punjab Tourism, had decided to prepare a brochure of the hotels and the restaurants owned by the members of the association.
|
||||||
|
Cutting edge of dentistry
The Dental K — the Clinicians’ Forum, an “innovative” forum to disseminate the latest knowledge among the dental fraternity and to create awareness among the masses, has instituted a scholarship for toppers. The forum gave a scholarship of Rs 4000 each to six students who had topped in their annual exams this year.
Dr Anil Kohli, president, Dental Council of India (DCI), inaugurated the forum on August 14 and distributed scholarships to the students. The scholarship holders included Navjot Khosa, Abhishek Dutta and Jaspreet Kaur, all students of Punjab Government Dental College, Amritsar, and Harneet Grewal, Renuka Dewan, Kanchan Dhiman and Navreet Randhawa, all from Sri Guru Ram Das Dental College, Amritsar. Dr Vimal Sikri, president of the forum, said that the forum was conceived and constituted with the aim of developing “knowledge edge” of Indian dentists. He said the forum would work collectively in association with numerous dental institutions for the proper use and dissemination of knowledge. Dr Puneet Girdhar, secretary of the forum, said that prizes were also given to the winners of “Beautiful Smile Contest” and painting competition. He said such events were very helpful in creating awareness among people about proper care of teeth. Dr Kohli, who has received this year’s B.C Roy and Padma Bhushan awards, said that with limited infrastructure, still the country was able to produce 1500 postgraduates and 15000 graduates specialising in dentistry annually. The country, however, needed to provide more facilities, he
added.
|
||||||
|
Cricket is a passion with Krishan Mohan
It was a true homecoming for the newly-appointed cricket coach for the Amritsar Games Association (AGA), Krishan Mohan, also former captain of the Punjab team.
The Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) recently appointed him the chief coach for the city. He has been honing the skills of budding cricketers in Gandhi Ground, which has the distinction of producing class cricketers like Bishen Singh Bedi, Madan Lal, Harvinder Singh, Saranjit Singh and many more. A right-hand middle order batsman and valuable off-spinner, Krishan Mohan’s presence used to fill the void of a much-needed quality all-rounder in the team. He delivered as per the expectations of his selectors and seniors who as a result reposed faith in him. It was coaching, the most crucial aspect of any game, that attracted him and he put his earnest efforts in learning the nuances of this art. He took coaching courses offered by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). At Bangalore, he got the rare opportunity to learn the skills of teaching cricket from 80-year-old former Australian fast bowler Franktyson. His nine-year-long association with the state cricket team was marked with memorable events. He was a member of the Punjab cricket team that lifted the Ranji Cricket Trophy for the first time for the state in 1992-93. Punjab trounced Maharashtra in the final. He had been the captain of the state team for 1988 and 1989 events. He hung his boots in 1996. He played in 50 first-class matches and accumulated 2000 runs with the average of 45. He hit seven centuries and took 80 wickets. Apart from this, he played for under-15 Indian team for two years from 1982. He also played for under-19 national team against Australia at Patiala. During his captaincy of Guru Nanak Dev University cricket team from 1987 to 1988, the university, for the first time, lifted the Rohinton Baria All-India Inter-University Trophy at Jaipur. He played for overseas club teams too. He remained with the Felling Cricket Club (England) and participated in Durham Senior League in 1992 and in 1995. He took part in the Kenyan National League for the Premium Club, Kenya, in 1995-96. Interestingly, he is not the only person from his family to join sports. His two older sisters have played for the state and earned name in national basketball.
|
||||||
|
Indian PM role model for
Hindu College toppers
Students of Hindu College’s Economics Department say that Dr Manmohan Singh, an alumnus of the college, is their role model.
Some of the students of this college have already succeeding in emulating in some measure the academic success of the Prime Minister by claiming top positions in MA Part I and II in Guru Nanak Dev University this year. Dr Manmohan Singh, too, had topped in the university. Manpreet Kaur, a student of MA Part I, secured the top place in the university with 79 per cent marks. She obtained 314 marks out of the total of 400. In the final year of MA (Economics), Smriti Lumba topped in the university with a record of 80 per cent marks. Dr Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister, who studied in the college and did his BA (Economics Hons) had brought fame to his alma mater by passing with distinction from the university. Both toppers said that when they came to know that Dr Manmohan Singh had studied from their college, they wanted to do the best in exams and also wanted to emulate him. Manpreet Kaur said she felt honoured by studying in that college and that she had strived to achieve distinction in her chosen subject. Her aim was to be a lecturer. She had been placed in the merit list in matriculation when she was a student of Sant Singh Sukha Singh School, she added. Daughter of Prof V.P. Lumba, Head of Economics Department, Hindu College, Smriti secured 636 marks out of the total of 800. She had bagged the first place in MA Part I last year also. A voracious reader, she loves to read economics books. Her desire is to be an IAS officer. She says her father has been a constant source of inspiration for her.
|
||||||
|
Class V student shares best of her verse
Independence Day
Independence Day is a very important day,
While girls of her age love to devote their spare time to favourite games, Madhujot Madan, a student of Class V in DAV Public School, prefers to spend her time in writing poetry. Already she has a collection of poems that is by all means impressive, say observers.
Her parents, Dr Surinder Singh and Dr Jatinder Kaur, are planning to publish her poems into a book form. Madhujot turned to writing poetry when she was studying in Class II. For the past two years, she has been winning the first prize in inter-class competition organised by her school. In her maiden participation in the school’s poetry competition in 2003, she bagged the first position. The theme of her poem was “The Circus”. The very next year, she repeated the feat. In her poem “The Garden”, she provides an interesting peep into the mind of children when they view a garden. She says she selects themes for her poems from the characters which fascinate her and the scenes which appeal to her heart. “That she is interested in poetry-writing does not mean that she detests outdoor activities. She is a good player of skating,” says her mother. She has penned a poem dedicated to freedom fighters, who got Independence for the country. She says she simply likes writing poems and she is very happy when she “writes verses”.
|
||||||
|
‘Debating’ his way to success
There’s news to cheer. Class XII student of DAV Public School, Rameshinder Singh Sandhu, has brought fame to the school and the city by clinching the first position in debate and discussion in the Eleventh Student Leaders’ Convention held recently at Singapore.
The convention was organised at sprawling Hwachang institute’s building. As many as 600 students from seven countries participated in the four-day mega competition. India was represented by 43 students. The topic of the debate was “UNO Reforms”. Besides debate and discussion, Rameshinder Singh has a flair for poetry recitation, too. He has secured the first place thrice and stood second five times. He stood second in poetry-reciting competition held in Punjab Public School, Nabha, in 1999, which was enough to boost his morale. In the next competition, he improved his position and secured the first position in the Open Public Speaking Contest in 2001. The same year he was adjudged second in English declamation contest and poetry recitation. For the next two years, he remained the winner of the Open Public Speaking Contest. He was awarded the certificate of merit for participation in the third Padam Shree J.K. Kate Memorial All-India Inter-Public-School English Debate held in 2002.
|
||||||
|
Weekly Round-up
The District Congress Committee (DCC), Rural, has decided to honour Capt Amarinder Singh, Chief Minister, with a gold medal for the overall development of the state under his leadership.
Mr Inderjit Singh Basarke, president, DCC, said a reputed national media group had commended Capt Amarinder Singh for his contribution to the uplift of the Punjabis. He said the decision to honour the chief minister was taken unanimously in a meeting held recently. Workshop A fortnight-long workshop on electronic media was inaugurated at DAV College by the college’s Principal, Mr Dhani Ram. The First Take International, New Delhi, is organising the workshop under the aegis of the Department of Mass Communication and Video Production. Mr Dhani Ram said the focus during the workshop would remain on dynamics and aesthetics of radio, TV anchoring, news reading, video jockeying, voice training, voice modulation, script writing, studio, outdoor shooting and dubbing. Seminar A seminar was organised in a local hotel under the guidance of Ms Koula Chaalambous, who is the international admission officer of Cyprus College. Among other courses, Cyprus College is offering hotel management course. Ms Koula claimed the students could also get “transferred” to the USA, the UK and Canada from Cyprus. The college also provided on-the-spot admissions and scholarships to deserving students. Cultural programme Students of Sri Guru Harkrishan Senior Secondary School organised a function to commemorate the Independence Day. Mr Bhag Singh Ankhi, honorary secretary, Chief Khalsa Diwan, was the chief guest on the occasion. The chief guest, the principal and the supervisors gave the prizes to the position holders. Peace initiative To further strengthen the ties between India and Pakistan, Spring Dale Educational Society, under the aegis of Punarjyot, initiated a peace process that involved the Ajoka Theatre of Pakistan. A project “Border-Border” was taken up last year. As an extension of this “friendship commitment”, the Border-Border team is here again. Children from across the border stayed with their Indian friends and their families to strengthen the bond for years to come.
|
| HOME PAGE | |
Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir |
Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs |
Nation | Opinions | | Business | Sports | World | Mailbag | Chandigarh | Ludhiana | Delhi | | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
