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AIDS awareness: Society ropes in scholars
Jammu, November 28 In this connection, the JKAPCS has taken help from Dr Gurmeet Singh, a Sikh religious scholar and a doctor by profession, who compiled a book titled “Gurmat Teachings and AIDS Prevention” that gives references from Guru Granth Sahib and preachings of Sikh gurus. “This is the first of its kind initiative taken to spread awareness about the deadly disease and its prevention through the teachings of Sikh gurus and the holy Guru Granth Sahib,” says Dr Gurmeet Singh. “When I was approached by the JKAPCS, I knew that Guru Granth Sahib is a treasury on human way of life. It teaches us about safe sexual behaviour and restricts the human beings from having multiple partners,” the scholar says. “If you read Guru Granth Sahib you would find so many references of having relations with single women, that leads to healthy life.” Dr. M.A. Wani, director of the society, says, “Religion plays an important role in every aspect of human life. All religions of the world prohibit promiscuous sexual behaviour and practices which is the main cause of the transmission of HIV/ AIDS throughout the world”. “Thus, religion can be used as an effective social intervention for changing the unsafe sexual practices,” he adds. Earlier, the JKAPCS had roped in religious scholars from the Muslim community wherein the society trained Muslim scholars to disseminate the information regarding the disease. “A book titled ‘AIDS ka Muhalik Marz aur Islam Ka Tarikaie Tahafuz’ (the Islamic way of preventing the deadly disease) by Mufti Nazir Ahmad Qasmi of Dar-ul-aloom Rahemia that focused on Islamic teachings vis-a-vis HIV/AIDS prevention,” Dr Wani says. “The book is being used as a training module for sensitising imams and so far 840 imams have been covered under the project”. Based on the success of its previous project the JKAPCS decided to extend religious advocacy to Sikhism and roped in religious scholars to spread AIDS awareness. “’Jesa Sang Bisiar Siou Hai, Re Teso Hai Eehu Pergrah’ (keeping/ indulging in extramarital or sexual relation with any women or man is like embracing the cobra or poisonous snake). If this is the teaching in Guru Ganth Sahib then we have no other option but to desist ourselves from such type of temptations,” Dr Gurmeet Singh adds.
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Poll fever grips Jammu
Jammu, November 28 Leaders of almost all political parties are out to widen their popularity ahead of the elections. From traditional ways like putting up posters on tall buildings or autorickshaws, holding door-to-door campaigns to airing the video of their campaign on the local cable TV, the politicians are in no mood to take any chances. Talking to The Tribune, state BJP spokesperson Ramesh Arora said, "We are planning a media blitzkrieg from December 1, in which we will let the people know as to why they should support the BJP. We will be unfolding our campaign on the FM Radio as well as cable TV channels. Also, many of our candidates have taken an initiative and are utilising the electronic media for their campaign." However, he lamented that the ban on the SMS service was proving to be a serious handicap for the political parties during the poll season. It may be mentioned here that the BJP had high stakes in the last phase of the Assembly elections, in which 13 seats of Jammu and Samba would go to the polls. The party had been hoping to cash in on the Amarnath land row, anti-incumbency and rising inflation. Congress candidate from Gandhi Nagar Raman Bhalla had also been utilising audio visual media to muster support. His audio cassettes have foot-tapping music that immediately capture one’s imagination. For instance, one of the numbers goes like "Raman Bhalle di balle balle". "These factors boost the morale of the party workers who have to campaign round- the- clock. It had been a sort of political tonic for them," quips Bhalla. Like Arora, Bhalla too felt that the SMSs would have made things easier for them as they have so much to do in very less time. Similarly, senior Congress leader and former Deputy CM Mangat Ram Sharma, who had been contesting from the Jammu west constituency, could be seen appealing to the voters during a break on movie channels. BJP candidate from Suchetgarh, Chaudhary Shyam Lal, had also got a vivacious video made of his election campaign to air it on cable TV. The video had a song in the local dialect playing in the background, appealing to people to support him. However, there had also been a darker side of the campaign. In a bid to win over the masses, the political parties had been openly defacing the public property by indulging in wall writings, pasting pamphlets and putting up banners. The repeated warnings of the municipal corporation too seem to have fallen on deaf
ears. Photo on page 2
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Life miserable for Gujjars and Bakerwals
Mahore, (Reasi), November 28 For politicians, they are merely a votebank who can be easily exploited by raking up emotive issues. Due to illiteracy and economic conditions, their political masters have been treating nomadic Bakerwals like herds for decades. Except reaping political benefits by demonstrating their miseries, the political elites have done nothing to improve the lot of this marginalised community. Gujjars and Bakerwals have reasons to express their anguish as none of the parties has incorporated their genuine demands in their manifestos. For years , the Gujjars and Bakerwals have been demanding political reservation. Furthermore, this nomadic tribe is also demanding minority status. The most important and vocal demand of this ethnic group is the rehabilitation of nomads who have been living in the forest areas with their cattle. “More than 2.5 lakh Gujjars and Bakerwals are still leading nomadic lives,” says Dr Javed Rahi, chairman of the Tribal Research and Cultural Foundation. Dr Rahi said these nomads had been living in forests for decades and they should be given the ownership rights of forestland. Gujjars and Bakerwals have emerged as a significant political entity, influencing the assembly elections in more than 20 of the 87 constituencies in Jammu and Kashmir. Ironically, there are a number of politicians claiming to be leaders of the Gujjars and Bakerwals, but the leaders have done nothing to ameliorate the lives of community men, execpt exploiting them. Dr Rahi admits that following the grant of Schedule Tribe (ST) status to the Gujjars and Bakerwals, the socio-economic conditions of this community have improved to some extent, but a lot more needs to be done to mitigate their miseries. “Only some influential people have been taking the benefit of ST status and majority of the people are not aware that they have been given some concessions as ST status,” points out Rafiaq Ahmed, a postgraduate Gujjar of Chasana (Reasi). Dr Rahi, however, says the ST status is not properly implemented in the state as ruling elites are not serious for the welfare of Gujjars and Bakerwals. He staunchly demands minority status for this community. He argues, “Gujjars are losing their identity because they are not getting appropriate opportunities for growth. We are demanding that they should be categorised as a religious minority”.
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Govt school suffers for lack of infrastructure
Jammu, November 28 Although the school was upgraded from a high to a higher secondary school three years ago, it still lacks proper infrastructure. Ironically, a new government degree college that came into being this year is also functioning from two rooms in the same building. In the two-room college, students have been admitted to the BA (part I) course in the current academic session. The school is now left with only five rooms. Out of these, the principal uses one room and the other is used as the library-cum-staff room. A class XII student, Chanda Gupta said: "Our school is situated on the busy thoroughfare, due to which we can’t concentrate properly on lectures." Bhavana Jamwal, another student said:"I want to read books, newspapers and magazines in the library, but we do not have a reading room where we can sit and read." In the absence of a playground, students are not able to play games during the sports period, says Kajal, a student of class X. Rubeena Kosar and Nazia Akhtar, both college students, said:"At times, while we are attending the lectures in the corridors of the building, students of the school come out for lunch which hampers our concentration." School vice- principal Ajeet Singh said:” The required infrastructure is totally absent. We have no provision of a library and a laboratory. We do not have even an examination hall where we can conduct exams." "In order to minimise our problem, the government should provide rented accommodation to the college authorities or should shift it into the panchyat ghar that always remains vacant," he added. Lecturer of Botany Vidyotna Gupta said, "We have one laboratory, but that is insufficient for students as we have five practical subjects for which we should have individual laboratories with full equipment." Principal of the college Anil Goel said:"Due to the shortage of space, students of BA( part II and part III) have not been given admission to the college”. Director (Schools) Zahida Parveen Khan said, "We have already got a proposal for newly upgraded schools. We will provide additional accommodation so as to minimise their problems. I have discussed this matter with the Governor and as soon as we receive funds, we will start construction work in all these schools."
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DD launches second edition of “Milay Sur”
Srinagar, November 28 This edition of the show is expected to provide a platform to budding singers to showcase their talent in a big way. “Huge public demand for the show made us to come out with ‘Milay Sur-II’. Unlike last year, the show this time would feature inter-district contests and winners of grand finale would be awarded lucrative prizes,” says Dr Rafeeq Masoodi, director, DDK Srinagar, who is supervising the show. He says efforts are being made to rope in big business houses to sponsor the event. The jury assessing the performance of participants includes leading singers of the valley. Dr Masoodi says the new series of “Milay Sur” emphasizes on Kashmiri language and participants are expected to be well versant with Kashmiri music. During winters, people usually prefer to stay indoors and youngsters do not find any recreational activity, the reality show would make their vacation memorable and channelise their talent in a productive manner, he adds. Kousar Parveen, producer/director of the programme, says the DDK has received more than 500 applications out of which 332 were invited for auditions. And out of these, 154 were short-listed for preliminary round where participants would perform on harmonium and tabla. According to Parveen, auditions from Baramulla and Anantnag districts have already been telecast and this section of the show would continue every Friday and Saturday till auditions of all districts are complete. “The show has overcome generation gap and has immortalised the message that music is above all human, gender, age and geographical barriers. The show has also brought to the fore the talent of 58-year-old man from Budgam, who would be contesting with a 14-year-old participant," informs Parveen. Sounding optimistic, a contestant from Kupwara says, “I am confident to clear all rounds as I have worked hard during rehearsals”. Admiring Qazi Tauqeer of “Fame Gurukul”, he says, “I am a great fan of Qazi Tauqeer and if I win I will try my luck in Bollywood”.
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Physician’s brush with art
Jammu, November 28 Most of the paintings, which are in the abstract, present an array of various poses of Ganesha. It is really a test of the imagination for the spectators to assemble the zigzag lines and find out the form of Lord out of them. Thanks to the artist as he is very much present on the spot to explain where lies the exact form amidst geometrical lines. He has indeed delved deeper to create Ganesha in the shapes of fish, child, rose petals, bamboo sticks, shell and a three-dimensional piece juxtaposing three powers, Shiva, Kali and Ganesha, with each other. From his first solo exhibition five years ago, which was his first series on Ganesha in acrylic in colours, he has taken a drastic shift to black and white in charcoal medium. He says, “One has to be perfect and precise in colours. There is no room for mistakes. But in black and white, you have freedom to do a lot of experiments with the subject. Not to forget, black and white looks more serene than the chaos of colors which are distractive”. Deriving satisfaction and pleasure on the completion of his second series, the artist is thinking of coming up with the third series on the same theme in future. But when asked if as a doctor who had seen people facing miseries from close quarters, he would ever like to paint those emotions, he dismisses the idea saying, “Painting for me is like meditation, an escape route from the grimness associated with my profession. So I would never paint the woes and grief-stricken people”. Dr Sharma, who is not a trained artist, takes cues from his artist patients.
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Gen next gives Basohli art the brush-off
Basohli (Kathua), November 28 On the banks of the Ravi, 80 km from Kathua, and nested among low-lying hills, lies Basohli town whose withering magnificence stands a mute testimony to the glory it was in its heyday. Basohli, which had left a mark on the cultural horizon of the country, now stands witness to its dying art and culture. The town was once known for its world famous Basohli paintings, but with the passage of time, the art is withering away as the new generation does not seem to be much interested in it. The art is dying a slow death and the reason is being attributed to the laidback attitude of the state government towards its protection and projection. The art does not seem to interest the younger generation who are attracted towards more lucrative career options. Immortalised by its artistic eminence and the connoisseur patrons, Basohli paintings were a metaphor for a vigorous, bold and imaginative artistic style, which was rich and unconventional. "Basohli is a style of painting characterised with its geometrical patterns and the use of bold colours infuses vitality in the painting. The use of primary colours and peculiar facial formula prevailed in the 17th and early 18th centuries in the foothills of the western Himalayas in Jammu and Punjab,” says Mir Jamsheed Ahmed, curator of Dogra Art Museum. He says, "According to historians, these paintings originated in Basohli from where the style spread to the hill areas of Kullu, Mankot, Nurpur, Mandi, Bilaspur, Suket, Chamba, Nalagarh, Kangra and Gular”. The first mention of the Basohli painting was recorded in the annual report of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and published in 1921. The archaeological section of the Central Museum, Lahore, in its report stated, “A series of old paintings of the Basohli School were purchased. The Basohli School is possibly a pre-Mogul origin and the Tibetan pictures are nothing but late productions of this school”. Zafar Iqbal Manhas, secretary, J&K Academy of Art, Culture and Language, says, “The need of the hour is to spread awareness among people. We must preserve the art in all its forms”. “We would soon be initiating some action to preserve and to educate the new generations to take up the art,” he adds. Meanwhile, the curator says, "The exhibition of the Basohli paintings during the ongoing heritage week has been the centre of attraction for the visitors as it has a different pattern unique of any other form of paintings”.
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Letter
Come elections and political parties start defacing the public property by indulging in wall writing and pamphlet pasting. They don't spare a thought that by defacing buildings of government offices and educational institutions they are tarnishing the beauty of the winter capital, which has recently been given a facelift in view of the Darbar move.
What is more surprising is that the repeated warnings by the Jammu Municipal Corporation seem to have made no impact on them and they continue to violate the norms with impunity. I think instead of issuing notices and seeking damages from the political parties the civic body should send the bill for restoring the public property to its original shape to the Election Commission, which should add the amount in the candidate's electoral expense. Though it's a different matter that the political outfits that seek to represent the people should set an example by running a defacement-free campaign. Raj Verma,
Jammu Readers are invited to write to us. Send your mail, in not more than 200 words, at j&kplus@tribunemail.com or write in at: Letters, J&K Plus, The Tribune, Sector 29, Chandigarh-160030.
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