|
Mahatma and the Martyr
Did the ideological
distance between Bhagat Singh and Mahatma Gandhi decide the young
revolutionary’s fate? Was he a victim of Gandhi’s apathy? V.N.
Datta’s latest book Gandhi and Bhagat Singh focuses on
Bapu’s attitude towards Bhagat Singh’s trial and execution.
| Historians
give
different explanations about Gandhi's attitude to the trial and
execution of Bhagat Singh. Some writers allege that Gandhi was not
emotionally involved in saving Bhagat Singh's life from the gallows
because of his obsession with his creed of non-violence and his
repudiation of violent means, which Bhagat Singh had adopted for the
fulfillment of his plans to wreck British power in India.
The
Irwin Angle
|
 |
Art on stone
K.D.L.
Khan on the marble
carvers of Agra, who have been doing precious inlay work on artefacts
over the centuries
EVEN 350 years after
they created the Taj Mahal, the marble carvers of Agra have no equal
in the world. When in 2001 a new Minbar (pulpit) was to be created for
Prophet Muhammad’s mosque in Mecca, the architects ordered it from
the marble artists of Agra.
Flowing with the Alaknanda
Sudha
Mahalingam traces the
mighty Alaknanda’s journey as she cascades down the mountains and
merges into the Ganga
A sliver of mist has
descended upon Neelkanth, curling around his crown like a gossamer
scarf. Flanked by two dark massifs, much like security guards
escorting a VIP, Neelkanth dazzles. The chance to catch a glimpse of
his snowy majesty is reason enough to brave two days of treacherous
ride to the temple town of Badrinath.
Fishing to stay afloat
The daily income of
Kashmiri fisherwomen is barely Rs 200 per head. Pollution of lakes,
absence of an official fish market and lack of help from the
government and NGOs have worsened their plight, writes Prakriiti
Gupta
EARLY in the morning,
after a simple breakfast of kahwa (Kashmiri tea) and bread,
scores of Kashmiri fisherwomen make their way to the Amirakadal
bridge, the unofficial fish market of Srinagar. A common thought plays
on their minds—to quickly sell off the day’s catch.
No bikinis on the ramp
Shilpa Raina
THEY walk
the ramp in
contemporary and traditional attire. They reveal loads of skin, but
walking the ramp in bikinis or lingerie is a strict no-no for Indian
models. As a result of this,
though a range and variety of swimwear and lingerie is available off
the shelf, no Indian designer has ventured into creating an exclusive
line of such wear.
Postcards are
back
THE
humble postcard is making a comeback after it was almost shown the
door by the ‘texting generation’, suggests a new UK report. In an
age when we are able to idly text "Wsh u wr hr!" to friends
and family from far-flung beaches, the UK’s holidaymakers are
staying faithful to the humble postcard.
Man of many acts
Shoma
A. Chatterji on
Soumitra Chatterjee, who has been honoured with the National Award for
Best Actor
FOR 50 years, from
Satyajit Ray to Tapan Sinha to Mrinal Sen to Gautam Ghosh and Aparna
Sen, all major directors have utilised Soumitra Chatterjee’s
enormous talent that creates unforgettable cinema. The peerless thespian
was nominated for the National Award once, for his performance in
Gautam Ghose’s Dekha, but had declined the award while other
awards, titles, felicitations and tributes kept flowing in.
Rhythms of passion
Ustad Zakir Hussain says
that riyaaz means exploring new movements, ideas, combinations and
patterns, writes Ranjita
Puri
TABLA maestro Ustad
Zakir Hussain dazzles his audience without even touching the
instrument. With a poetic turn of phrase that shows a passionate
connection with his art, most of the time the maestro turns his
pre-concert talks with his fans into a lively interaction.
Neil’s magic at work
Subhash K. Jha
Talented newcomer Neil
Nitin Mukesh’s next film Freeze is a science fiction about a
guy with a camera that has supernatural powers. And apart from taking
photographs, the actor performed some breathtaking stunts too. Hesitant to talk about
the film’s big USP, Neil said, "We’ve had movies about people
who could see the future.
Mita to do cabaret
Radhika Bhirani
Actress
Mita Vashishth, often categorised as a serious offbeat artiste in
Bollywood, is in for a role reversal. She is set to play a flamboyant
cabaret dancer in Sai Paranjpye’s comeback film. "Yes, I am
playing a cabaret dancer for Sai Paranjpye’s comeback film Khoon
Toh Hona Hi Tha (Paranjpye is directing a film after an 11-year
break).
Myths
to animate TV
Shinie Antony
AUTHOR Anita
Nair, who
was fed on mythology with dinner from the age of one, will soon have
her tales lighting up TV screens, thanks to a tie-up with Canadian
animation firm Kahani World. Kahani World has teamed
up with Nair to co-produce an animated version of her recently
released book for children Magical Indian Myths, which imbues
the old legends with wit and fresh insight.
|
