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City of ‘kirpans’
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Who cares about DC’s orders?
Traditional Punjabi jutties are displayed at a shop in Amritsar.
— Photo by Rajiv Sharma
Sri Guru Angad Dev College team
makes mark at Llangollen festival
‘Cant board can’t take octroi’
‘Govt must win over landless to curb
Naxal movement’
Home dialysis boon for kidney patients
‘Concern over drug menace
political stunt’
Naseeruddin Shah performs in the play "Sankraman" in Amritsar. It was part of ‘Katha Collage’, a three-play series directed by Shah.
— Tribune photo
Yug Drishti — ray of hope for disabled
Former DC remembers Operation Black Thunder
Cancer detection camp held
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City of ‘kirpans’
The word sword evokes images of legendary figures: English knights, Roman gladiators, Japanese ninjas or Viking warriors, besides our own ‘youdhas’. Since time immemorial civilizations and empires across the globe have used sword as insignia. No other weapon fascinates people like the sword; often seeing it as an object of grandeur. Many swords are breathtaking works of art, made by skilled hands of master craftsmen. Swords have played a significant role in major civilisation. Even in today’s society, swords are used in many important military or state ceremonies and functions. The price reflects the variety and the workmanship. One can find all types of swords; from inexpensive machine-made replicas for as little as Rs 35 to hand crafted masterpieces that cost a mind-boggling Rs 20 lakh (diamond studded), or more. Word origins
Sword is still a powerful symbol of sovereignty. During the 17th century, the ‘talwar’ emerged from among several types of sword to become the overwhelming favourite among warriors across India. Many consider sword (talwar) to be a variant of the Persian ‘shamshir’ and Turkish ‘kilic’. A talwar cannot be used in the same way as a ‘shamshir’ or ‘kilic’. However, kirpan literally means ‘kirpa’ and ‘aan’ (giver of grace). It means an act of kindness or a favour; ‘aan’ means honour, respect, and self-respect. Hence ,the word Kirpan has the literal meaning of weapon of defence; ‘mercy’ and ‘bless’, as opposed to the talwar, a weapon of offence. Kirpan and Sikhism
For the followers of the Sikh faith, sword has a different connotation. It is one among the five Ks ordained by the 10th Sikh master Guru Gobind Singh for every Sikh. One of the Ks stands for Kirpan. This must not be construed that Sikhism propagates wielding of the sword for power. On the contrary, followers of the faith had been asked to wield it only against oppression, for the protection of the weak. Kirpan is to be used to prevent violence against the defenceless when all other means to do so have failed. In fact, the kirpan represents the power of the truth to scythe through the untruth. A Sikh upon his or her initiation into the Khalsa agrees to follow the Sikh Rehat Maryada, the Sikh code of conduct that calls to wear a ‘gatra’ (strapped kirpan) that is suspended near the waist. A baptised Sikh, better known as a ‘sant-sepahi’ - a ‘saint-soldier’: a saint first and then a soldier. The kirpan is always kept sheathed, except when it is withdrawn from its casing on such occasions as blessing of the ‘karah parsad’, the ceremonial sweet pudding during religious ceremonies. Sikhs often oppose the labelling of the kirpan as a weapon. Traditionally, a Sikh should never use the kirpan in anger or for a malicious attack. However, they have used it in self-defence or to protect a person in need. Some Sikhs choose to learn the art of ‘gatka’ (martial art), devised during the Guru period that uses circular movements to effectively swing a kirpan. The practice of Sikhs carrying the kirpan as a religious symbol can be traced back to the lifetime of the sixth Sikh master, Guru Hargobind (1595-1644). Guru Hargobind regularly carried two swords, symbolic of a Sikh’s spiritual as well as temporal obligations. Business of sword making
The holy city of Amritsar, is not only the hub of Sikhism but also of sword-making; that find their way across the country, besides distant lands. With annual turnover of about Rs 50 crore, the cottage industry of kirpan and other traditional sharp-edged weapons in the city caters to the needs of the domestic as well as the foreign markets. About a dozen big houses and scores of small units are involved in manufacturing and trading of swords and other traditional arms, including dagger, ‘gupti’ (a type of hidden sharp-edged weapon in a small stick), ‘khukri’, ‘khanda’ (double-edged straight sword), ‘tega’, samurai and many more. These conventional weapons are prepared in various cities across the country for religious and customary purposes but Amritsar is famous for the superior quality of the products. Advancement of technology has changed the age-old art of preparing kirpans. Before the partition, majority of the artisans were Muslims. An artisan used to take almost a day to prepare a kirpan. However, introduction of ultra-modern electronic devices have drastically reduced the inputs of labour and time. The household industry has absorbed the new-age mantra of professionalism diligently and has implemented it in letter and spirit. Parts of sword are made by different experts, which increase efficiency. All the big units employ about 12 to 15 persons and roughly 10,000 people are involved in this profession directly or indirectly. Each unit produces about 150 kirpans a day, which are largely prepared for religious ceremonies. Change of roles
The present-day kirpan in vogue is quite different from the earlier ones. The difference is in quality and weight. From 3 kg of weight, a kirpan now weighs just 600 gm. “Its usage has changed from being a vital weapon in battlefield to merely performing religious rites and to adorn the walls as a showpiece,” says Sohan Singh, president, Kirpan Association. Apart from the Sikhs, Muslims use it at Moharram, Hindus during Durga Puja and worship arms on Dussehra and during Ramlila. Near festivals the demand of swords soars. People from Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh Kerala, Orissa, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and other parts of the country buy a large number of swords from Amritsar. Process of
manufacture
Sword fabrication breaks down into roughly three processes: forming, heat treating and finishing. Depending on many factors such as base materials, location and era, these processes might merge, overlap or be dispensed with entirely. Thus, a piece of kirpan passes through numerous hands before being ready to dispatch for sale. Generally, iron and other metal sheets are given to traditional sharp-edged weapons makers, who give it the desired shape. Subsequently, it goes through grinding, polishing, embossing of trademark, nickel-chrome plating and buffing for sparkle-like shine. Eventually, various parts of the sword, like the grip and sheath, are fitted together and a piece of velvet cloth is covered over it to give it an impressive look to attract customers. Blacksmiths of Dhapai village, on the outskirts of the city, have been involved in the manufacturing of swords and other iron weapons for centuries. Jasbir Singh, a blacksmith,
does not know when his forefathers began sword making. However, he still remembers that the art has been passed from one generation to the next in his family and others in the neighborhood. For raw material, the industry is dependent on Mandi Gobindgarh while grips are purchased from Muradabad (UP) and fixed at Amritsar. With the increase in number of tourists visiting the city, retail business has become lucrative and wholesalers are dabbling in it to secure their share in the pie of boom. A wholesaler said due to intense competition, margin of profit had gone down to few rupees while a retailer could still earn Rs 40 to Rs 60 by selling one piece. Being a religious symbol, kirpan is free from all type of taxes but the raw material comes under the ambit of tax. Iron is taxed at 4 per cent while copper and wood are levied 12 per cent tax each. Characteristics of a good sword
The earliest known swords were made from copper, one of the most common metals available. Copper swords were very soft and dulled quickly. Later on, swords were made from bronze. A better sword was developed with the advent of iron. Iron ore was easily found in every part of the ancient world. Eventually, steel was discovered. The resulting mixture of iron and carbon was steel. Now, kirpans are also made from gold and silver on order. Sword making, historically, has been the work of specialised smiths or metalworkers called armorers or swordsmiths. Modern armorers and swordsmiths still ply their trade, although to a more limited clientele. Swords have been made from different materials over the centuries and with a variety of tools and techniques. A good sword is more than a piece of metal shaped to a long tapered form and fitted with a handle, although certainly many swords that are little more than that have been used over the millennia. A good sword has to be hard enough to hold an edge along a length and at the same time it must be strong and flexible enough that it can absorb massive shocks at just about any point along its length and not crack or break. Finally it should be balanced along its length so that it can be easily wielded.
Hoodwinking buyers
A large number of locally manufactured kirpans bear the mark ‘made at Sarohi’ (Rajasthan). Kamal Sood, a fourth generation trader and manufacturer of kirpans, said the demand for kirpans was great in Rajasthan and Gujarat. However, they liked to possess a sword made at Sarohi, in Rajasthan, famous for manufacturing high-quality kirpans.
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Who cares about DC’s orders?
Despite a ban by the Amritsar district administration on the parking of private buses, trucks, auto-rickshaws and rehris outside the newly built bus terminal, the orders continue to be violated by various parties.
The Deputy Commissioner, Mr Kirandeep Singh Bhullar, had on July 24 imposed a complete ban on the parking of vehicles outside the bus stand, from the Hussainpura Chowk to the Ramtalai Chowk and the Sangam Cinema Chowk to the Suraj Cinema Chowk under the Section 144 till September the next year. Traffic policemen posted at these places have not bothered to implement the DC’s order. The passengers face difficulty at the entry and exit points of the bus stand as rehriwalas have illegally occupied the spaces. Not only are they spreading garbage around the bus stand, but they are also spoiling the ambience of the newly constructed expensive bus terminal built on BOT basis at the cost of around Rs 20 crore. There was an agreement between private bus operators and the district administration that no bus would park outside the terminal. Despite the orders the situation has remained unchanged. The roadways staff had launched a week-long campaign for disallowing private bus operators to let passengers board and alight at the entry or exist points of the local bus stand. Mr Narinder Pal chamiari, spokesman of various roadways unions affiliated to CITU, AITUC, and INTUC, said the government was losing around Rs 1 lakh per day due to the non-entry of private buses into the bus terminal. When contacted, the Deputy Commissioner said he would pass orders to the SSP in this regard. He said no one would be allowed to violate the prohibitory orders issued by him and those found guilty would be dealt strictly according to the law. He reiterated that no private bus, truck, three-wheeler or rehri would be allowed to park outside the bus terminal. Only time can tell if these orders are executed. |
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Juttis – fusion of tradition
& fashion
Traditional handicrafts like pakhis, phulkari, charkha, daris, jutti are symbols of Punjab’s culture and heritage. Of all of them, juttis have always had a special place and attracted attention, not only in Punjab but in other parts of the country too. It is footwear not for daily use but also for special occasions and celebrations.
Punjabi folk songs like ‘Jutti Kasuri peri na poori hai rabba sanu turna paiya’, and ‘jutti khal di marora nahiyo zhaldi’ aptly capture the sentiments attached to the traditional footwear. Juttis, well known for comfort, are found in various designs and colours. The variety ranges is also wide from Punjabi, Kolhapuri, Jaipuri, Pakistani, Kasuri, Multani to Shervani, slippers (popular these days). The price can be as little as Rs 150 to a high Rs 2,200 for men and for women it is in the range of Rs 100 to Rs 900. Jutti Kasuri can be identified as by its ‘dabka’ work where as jutti Multani can be recognised for its ‘phulkari’ work. Pakistani jutti is well known for its ‘tilla’ embroidery work. Even jutti with zari, beaded work is also available in the market. These juttis can be purchased from Mochi Market, which has been shifted to Bhagat Ravi Dass Market, near Darbar Sahib market. Now this market is run by the third generation of the main owners. Some jutti shops at Hall Gate also offer the latest variety in the Punjabi jutti collection to meet the latest demand of buyers. Earlier, the owners themselves made the jutis but now with the increase in demand and variety for juttis, they are bought from the markets of Chheharta, Fazilka, Rajasthan, Malout, Abohar and Muktsar. These shops mainly deal with local customers and tourists from other parts of the country and very few of them deal with export business. The juttis are available with more comfortable cushion base these days, says satish Kumar, owner of a jutti shop. ‘Motiwali juttis’ embedded with stones are favourite among party-going lasses says Swarn Singh Bhola, another shop owner at New Mochi Market. Besides black shoes and sandals, high-heeled ‘juttis’, especially with motis are in vogue among the fashion conscious. |
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Sri Guru Angad Dev College team
makes mark at Llangollen festival
A cultural team from Sri Guru Angad Dev College Khadoor Sahib took part in the 60th International Musical Festival at Llangollen (the UK) for the second time.
The group comprised of a 10-member bhangra team and a seven-member gidha team. Besides the teams from the USA, Canada, Russia, Germany, Spain, Nepal, China, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia and Pakistan, a total number of 61 teams participated in the festival. The college team performed before the members of National Assembly Of Wales where the Cultural Minister of the Assembly was the chief guest. Prince Charles along with his wife Lady Camila Parker Bowles were also present. The duo dance of the college team secured the second position. Harjit Kaur and Bhagwant Singh got the third position in individual song and individual dance respectively. The college team secured the fourth position in the group song and fifth position in group dance. The team members were: Bhagwant Singh Bhangu, Sukhdev Singh, Sharanjit Singh, Satnam Singh, Sukhjinder Singh, Jarmanjit Singh, Arun Kumar, Lakhwinder Singh, Navjot Singh, Bhupinder Singh, Harjit Kaur, Sukhjinder Kaur, Harjeet Kaur, Simarjit Kaur, Karambir Kaur, Harprit Kaur and Ramandip Kaur, college Principal Dr Balwinder Singh said. He said Professor Rajpal Singh, former creative director, Heritage, Patiala, was the team leader from Punjab, and Dr Daljit Singh was the college team in-charge. |
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‘Cant board can’t take octroi’
Even as the Punjab Government has taken a decision to abolish octroi from the next month, the Cantonment Board in Ferozepore went ahead with an open auction for octroi collection on July 25.
Expressing alarm at the attempt by the Ferozepore Cantonment Board to undermine the authority of the Punjab Government, a prominent citizen of the area here and former cricket player Swaranjit Singh, quoting from the Cantonment Act of 1924, Section 43-A, claimed that the committees of the civil areas must have elected members apart from nominated ones, and only they were competent to take decisions including the imposition of octroi. Talking to The Tribune, he said as no elections had been held in the past five years the question of taking decisions by the committees of the board didn’t arise. Such actions were not in conformity with the Act, he added. He questioned the wisdom of the Ferozepore Cantonment Board to impose octroi while there was no octroi in any other Cantonment Board. Mr Swaranjit Singh pointed out that the real beneficiary of the octroi collection was the state government and the Cantonment Board had no authority either to impose octroi or collect it. Elaborating his arguments against the imposition of octroi, he said since law and order was in civilian areas of the cantonment was being maintained by the state police, one would expect the Cantonment Boards to follow the government line. He suggested that the government should amend the Cantonment Act of 1924 adopted during the British rule, and make it more representative and meaningful in the present-day perspective. He urged the Cantonment Boards to make their workings more transparent and involve civilians in their decision-making
processes to remove all doubts regarding their motives.
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‘Govt must win over landless to curb
Naxal movement’
Former Director General of Police of the Border Security Force (BSF) Parkash Singh has rued that his comprehensive report on the attempt on the life of former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, presented to the government some time back, is yet to be made public.
He said the recommendations made in the report might help the government tackle Naxalism. He was speaking on the sidelines of a lecture on the ‘Naxalism – a Threat to the Internal Security’ organised by Panchnad Study Centre here. He said he had analysed the genesis of the Naxal movement, right from its inception in 1967 to its present state. He claimed it was a “major” threat to the country’s internal security. Naxalism, he said, was born in the sixties in the Naxalbari village. “The movement was started by Charu Mazumdar and Kanu Sanyal,” he added. He said student intelligentia from the elite institutions were drawn into the movement fascinated by the statements of Charu Mazumdar and others. “But halfway during the movement, the cadres deviated from the ideology. The police crackdown in West Bengal also had its effect on the movement,” he added. Mr Parkash Singh, with more three decades of service at pivotal positions in Punjab, UP and other states, said the present Naxal movement took a new name of Peoples’ War Group in Andhra Pradesh. “It was devoid of any ideology but managed to enamor a large number of poor people, tribals and others into its fold in the eighties and nineties. “But it too lost steam under relentless pressure from the security forces,” he said. Quoting official figures, Mr Parkash Singh said the present Naxalite movement was spread in 76 districts of nine states. “But according to my knowledge, the movement is going strong in 14 states and roughly 165 districts of the country,” he said. He said the report had been confirmed by the Institute of Conflict Studies. He ruled out any nexus between the Naxals and the fundamentalists, though he felt there were chances that some insurgent groups operating from neighboring countries were providing tacit support to them including explosive devices. The former DGP said he was alarmed that Maoists and organisations of south Asia were joining hands to create a red corridor between Nepal to Andhra Pradesh. Mr Singh said the government must wake up to the Naxal movement and take immediate steps to win over the alienated landless farmers in the affected areas of Bihar, West Bengal, Orissa, Chhatisgarh and Andhra Pradesh. He suggested that the government must take comprehensive steps to implement land reforms, improve the functioning of the government at the ground level to meet the aspirations of the people and upgrade the quality of life of these miserable people left to their fate. |
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Home dialysis boon for kidney patients
Home dialysis is a big boon for patients suffering from kidney ailments and requiring periodical dialysis procedures at short intervals in hospitals.
It has reduced the inconvenience of patients to travel to hospital at least twice a week; saved time on longer procedure in hospital dialysis and cut costs of conveyance, lessening discomfort of patients and their attendants, Dr Harsharan Kaur, senior nephrologist, Fortis Hospital, said. Dr Harsharan Kaur, who had reproduced the American model from Cleveland Hospital of home dialysis, said the procedure was clean, safe and required no special skills or fresh needle pricks every time. Bholi Devi, a teacher from Faridkot, suffering from a kidney ailment, was nearly on deathbed. But home dialysis has proved to be a boon for her. Dr Harsharan Kaur says, “At home, the procedure is conducted thrice a day for an hour each and keeps the body free of toxins, with less restrictions on specific food intake. She said home dialysis required a surgical procedure in which a tube was inserted in the abdominal cavity and a liquid was run through it to wash out the toxins. Most kidney ailments were due to twin factors of higher occurrence of diabetes and hypertension. Unhealthy food habits and flawed lifestyles were leading to the growth in the number of kidney patients. Meanwhile, Fortis Hospital organised a free medical camp where about 180 patients availed the facilities. |
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‘Concern over drug menace
political stunt’
Punjab BJP vice-president Laxmi Kanta Chawla has alleged that the concern expressed by political leaders over the alarming increase in drug addiction among youth was a political stunt as “consecutive governments have failed to check and take concrete steps to eradicate this menace for years now”.
She said the non-arrest of the “big fishes” involved in smuggling and selling of drugs spoke volumes about the efficiency of the police. She added that in last one and a half years, the police had arrested only those persons who were selling small amounts of smack. However, she alleged, those who were providing these accused with narcotics, were still unknown or deliberately being let off by police. |
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Maestro of theatre enthralls city residents
The standing applause reflected the mood of the enthralled audience which appreciated every bit of the ‘maestro of theatre’ Naseeruddin Shah’s story telling skills during the presentation of ‘Katha Collage’ here.
A staunch votary of the theatre to expose and cure the evils plaguing the society, the towering theatre and silver screen personality manifested his life ethos through the three plays. All the three plays - Bade Bhai Saheb, Shatranj Ke Khiladi (both written by Munshi Prem Chand) and Sankraman (written by Kamtanath) were directed and scripted by Shah. He acted in the last play only. Didacticism was the common theme in all these stories that exposed the trials and tribulations of individuals, families and the feudal system. Message was apparent that overlooking of inadequacies leads to error of judgment, which eventually leads to fall of individuals, families and nations. Shah had told in his address to the media that the task of theatre was to expose these evils and give message to the viewers. The genre he chose for his theatrical art was the age-old Indian art of story telling, which had been successfully exploited by R.K Narayanan. The effortless ease with which all characters portrayed their roles showed their class without dramatising their presentation and the highly meticulous direction by their mentor Shah himself. The audience was kept in awe with the taut delivery of well-articulated dialogues. Kamtanath’s play showcased the highly talented Shah, allowing him to display his acting skills, which caught the fancy of the highly appreciative crowd. The play depicted Shah as a finicky old man who wanted to run the house according to his whims and fancies. Shah, through his evocative presentation in the middle, displayed his whole repertoire of acting skills. The generation gap between father and son and perception of life through their excellent personification of characters and effortless dialogue delivery were the cornerstones of the play. The first story ‘Bade Bhai Saheb’ with Imaad Shah, 20-year-old son of Naseeruddin Shah, along with Jameel Khan, a seasoned model and TV star made forceful presentation of brothers. Shah’s son portrayed his role as a carefree and irresponsible but brilliant student who was a contrast to his brother, a studious and mediocre character. This hilarious approach to life among the brothers was the hallmark of this story. The next play was the famous story of chess players by Prem Chand; a historical satire of the two Nawabs of Lucknow, who betrayed their families and state for their passion for chess. |
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Yug Drishti — ray of hope for disabled Yug Drishti, a leading NGO from Jhansi, Madhya Pradesh, provided a new lease of life to a large number of physically challenged persons. The organisation donated free rehabilitation equipment, including tri-cycles, walkers, blind kits, wheelchairs, crutches and artificial to about 2,400 poor and needy at a special function here recently. Some of the beneficiaries can’t even earn two square meals a day. Member Parliament, Navjot Singh Sidhu, praised the efforts of the NGO and said the physically challenged should not be neglected by the society. He announced a grant of Rs 10 lakh to the organisation and said people should join this cause. Mr Rajesh Shukla, president of the organisation said the NGO also provided certificates and vocational training. Yug Drishti, along with Baba Daljit Singh of Bakshish Dham, Preet Nagar, presented certificates to 378 persons and enrolled 123 persons for vocational training. Yug Drishti has been providing educational, financial and social assistance to physically challenged persons for the past 12 years. — P KJ
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Former DC remembers Operation Black Thunder
Mr Sarabjit Singh, a Padamshree recipient and the former Amritsar Deputy Commissioner, recently talked about his controversial book on Operation Black Thunder.
Mr Sarabjit Singh, in whose tenure in 1988, Operation Black-Thunder was conducted in the Golden Temple to flush out terrorists, wrote the book “Operation Black Thunder — an Eyewitness Account of Militancy in Punjab”. In the book, he had denied that the operation was bloodless. “One or two persons did get killed,” he said. He recalled that the 11-day operation in 1988 was “unusual”. “Civil Lines remained normal, even as the operation was being carried out simultaneously at the Golden Temple under curfew,” he said. Answering queries on the controversy over the “gold” in the Golden Temple, he said the gold was surveyed and sealed in temple itself, quashing rumors of the time, of it (gold) being taken away by the security forces. Talking about his soon-to-be released book “DC Kidnapped”, Mr Sarabjit Singh said it was a work of fiction and he had drawn several incidents in book from his experiences during his tenure. The former DC was speaking on the sidelines of a Rotary Club function.
Cancer detection camp held
About 100 patients were examined and about 20 mimeographs were done during a breast cancer detection camp held at Dr Hardas Singh Orthopaedic Hospital and Super Specialty Research Center on July 30.
Medical experts said awareness regarding breast cancer and timely detection were necessary to cure the disease. Mammography equipment was donated by MKC Roko Cancer Charitable Trust. Advance diagnostic center provided radiography services, technical and professional opinions. A team of doctors, including Dr Hardas Singh, Dr Neeraj Jain, Dr APS Batra, Dr Jaswant Singh and Dr Monika checked the patients. Members of Rotary and Inner Wheel Club lent a helping hand.
— Neha Dussa
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