Hansraj students excel
Tribune News Service

Panchkula, March 26
Madhavi Aggarwal of Hansraj Public School stood first from Panchkula in the Class VIII All-India DAV Board exams held this month. She secured 91.5 per cent marks. Ashisha Mittal of the same school came second in the district by securing 91.2 per cent marks, while Nidhi Kaihnsa of DAV Senior Secondary School, Sector 8, bagged the third position, by securing 90.83 per cent marks.

As many as 18 students of Hansraj Public School have secured above 85 per cent marks, while 10 students of DAV Senior Secondary School have secured above 80 per cent marks in the annual examination.

20 blind students get school bags
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 26
About 20 students of the Institute for Blind, Sector 26, were given school bags, at the launch of the multi -purpose school bags by VIP at Sector 19 today. Mr Vivek Jolly of Bakshi Bros., who distributed the bags ,said that the visually impaired children were given free school bags as part of their corporate- social responsibility.

These bags have pictures of Winnie the Pooh, Mickey Mouse, Cool Johnny, Harrisons and other cartoon characters.

CULTURE

Bhaskar Rao fest concludes
Our Correspondent

Mr Haricharan Verma (top) and a dance troupe (below) at 36th All India Bhaskar Rao Nritya and Sangeet Sammelan at Tagore Theatre in Sector 18, Chandigarh, on Sunday. — Tribune photos by Parvesh Chauhan

Chandigarh, March 26
The three-day 36th All-India Bhaskar Rao Nritya and Sangeet Sammelan concluded within a ballet by Mamta Shankar’s troupe at Tagore Theatre here today. The Ballet Troupe from Kolkata transported the inquisitive audience to a cosmic experience with an enchanting ballet “Amritasya Putra”.

Choreographed and directed by Mamata Shankar, the ballet refined the divine with five elements - Fire, Space, Wind, Earth and Water. The ballet also illustrated the belief that ‘soul’ moves in various forms before entering the human body.

The dancers through sleek movements described that “the world is a stage where a divine play is on, and we all have been sent to enact different characters. The artistes defined ‘love’ in all its myriad manifestations.

The costumes were designed by Mamata while her husband Chandrodoy Ghosh was the lead voice.

Musicologist and performer Haricharan Verma, Deputy Director General, AIR, commenced his vocal recital with a complex Ragaa Shudh Kalyan Haricharan proved his expertise while unfolding the bada and chhota khayal compositions. The expositions in Vilambat laya‘“Gori ko gunn’and “Hari ki aaiso hi” in Madhya besides a drut bandish - “Ek ghari pal jiya maanat nahi” were well received.

Haricharan then moved on to present Ragaa Karun Shankara with “Pratham taal sur sadhe” in Rupak tala. Gifted with mellifluous voice with amazing range and a grip over rhythm, Haricharan won applause while concluding the recital with a Meera Bhajan “Jogi mat ja” . He was accompanied on the tabla by Sudhir Pandey and on the harmonium Mayank Verma.

Earlier, the Pracheen Kala Kendra director, Mr M.L. Koser, and Haricharan Verma honoured three eminent persons for their commendable contribution in respective fields with a shawl, memento and a cash award of Rs 5001 each. The recipients included Jayaram Potdar (Music),V.P. Parbhakar (Journalism) and Anjana Rajan (Art Criticism and Bharatnatayam).

Later Thespian Neelam Mansingh and Mrs Adity Dua, wife of Mr H.K.Dua, Editor-in-Chief, Tribune group of newspapers, honoured Mamta Shankar and her troupe.

Master of earthy melodies
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 26
Humility is a strain common to all accomplished artistes. So when Haricharan Verma dilutes the conversation to downplay the celebrity of his gharana, it comes as no surprise at all.

A master in both the Jaipur and Gwalior vocal traditions, Verma brings in his fold a world filled with mesmerising tunes. “Powerful yet subtle” is the best description for his music which is equally impressive in all musical formats – from dadra and thumri to pure classical genres like khayal.

In Chandigarh today for a presentation during the ongoing Bhaskar Rao Sangeet Sammellan being organised by Pracheen Kala Kendra, Verma spoke about his tutelage and his love for musicology. A gifted composer, he has recorded a variety of musical features, operas and songs for All India Radio, besides being a regular at the performance circuit abroad and in India.

Appreciative of the quality of the western audience, Verma said Indian music was going through a tough phase. Firmly rooted as he is in the classical traditions, he is at loss to see the corruption of music in the name of sale. Holding some music directors responsible for the mess, Verma redraws the attention of an average listener to times when the Indian music had the power to melt stones.

For his part, he has been enriching the repertoire of classical vocal music as much as he can. Even during his stints abroad, he spread the message of peace and tolerance through the vocal tradition. Attached to the Indian Culture Centre, George Town (South America) for long in late 80s, he taught Indian music to youngsters. Most noteworthy among his achievements was the naming of a street after him in the area where he taught music.

But Verma is not among those who sit on past laurels. He would rather look ahead than behind. As he says, “I am now most concerned about my roles as a teacher. The more we can impart in our lifetime the better it will be for the health of Indian music,” concludes the maestro.

Pak dignitaries perform kirtan
Tribune News Service

Dera Bassi, March 26
Religious fervour marked the two-day kirtan darbar organised by the Guru Nam Leva Society at Gurdwara Babe Nanki, which concluded here today. According to Mr Gurpreet Babbu, a member of the managing committee, several dignitaries from Pakistan, including Bhai Lalji, a descendant of Bhai Mardana, Sai Chan Pir Qadri, a descendant of Sai Mian Mir, who laid the foundation stone of the Golden Temple, performed kirtan and blessed the huge gathering.

A former Punjab Finance Minister and the local MLA, Capt Kanwaljit Singh, and the president of Dera Bassi Municipal Council, Mr Amritpal Singh, felicitated Bhai Lalji and Sai Chan Pir Qadri.