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Choli couture
As garba nights get going, we check out the fashion trends for this Navratra season
Nandita Raipurani, a city-bred designer, who will be showcasing her spring/summer collection at the Wills India Fashion Week, gives us some suggestions for garba night dressing, “Replace the usual stuff with net and experiment with sequined laces. Appliqué and stonework on the choli would render the traditional touch to the costume while also adding zing to it.” Besides the usual shimmery mirror work on the chaniya choli, there’s more you can opt for to add bling to your Navratra costume. Mohita Imrain, city-based designer, tells us how, “Wear brighter colours in jewel tones. Emerald green, sapphire blue, ruby red would look bright, irrespective of the work done on the ghagra choli.” Chose the work carefully, something that gels with the colour scheme of the costume. As Mohita suggests, “Antiquated dull work would make the sharp colours look subtle. Also one can go in for sequins and gotta work in copper colour.” In case you are in for soothing shades, experiment as much with embellishments. Babi Grewal, city-based designer, has some tips too, “Blouses in brocade with golden sequin work and multicolored stone work should be the choice then.” Well, there is nothing much actually advised for the ghagra. Nandita prefers it with minimalistic work and Mohita suggests clear hemlines for a practical reason, “Voluminous ghagras are worn to make it swirl around the body as one dances. Heavy work adds weight to it and restricts the movement.” And, if the weight of the chaniya choli really bothers you, go in for a comfortable and less voluminous outfir. Nandita’s latest concept, is a fusion of a lehanga and sari, also on display at the Bridal Asia exhibition, serves the purpose, “It is more like a modified saree, with a lot of volume suspended only near the hemline, that renders it the look of lehanga.” It’s easy to carry, light and extremely comfortable for an occasion like garba. Another viable option can be the anarkali suit, with volume in the kurti, teamed with a tight churidaar. Still looking for something easier to carry, “Wear a pair of jeans with a halter or backless choli, with heavy work done on it and drape a heavy dupatta. After all, the aim is to attend the garba night and to dance,” says TV actor Karishma Randeva, who swears by this very comfortable dress. All agog for disco dandia! ashima@tribunemail.com
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Cause & effect
The subject matter might be grave but Mukesh claims it to be a no moral science chapter. “Entertainment is the essence of cinema, deprived of which, the film will fail to attract audience and the subject will fail to educate people,” he says. In the city to promote the film on Tuesday, the team also had its lead pair, Lakhwinder Wadali and Roshni Singh. Son of Ustaad Puran Chand Wadali, Lakhwinder has also lent his voice to three songs in the film. “I am basically a singer and acting happened by chance,” he says. When someone, who happens to be the son of a renowned singer, we expect things for him would to fall into place. Lakhwinder explains hence, “I have turned down many offers before but this particular script convinced me to accept it.” A point further elaborated by Mukesh, “Most of the successful Punjabi films have been centered around the NRIs, due to which we have failed to notice several other social subjects that need to be highlighted. Female foeticide, as a subject, has been dealt with utter sensitivity.”
— Ashima Sehajpal |
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Suno bhai fans
The Festival of Kabir in Films and Bhakti Sangeet begins this Saturday
"In the wake of nuclear threats, religious intolerance, rise of fundamentalism, spread of communalism and perpetual depravation of socio-cultural and ethical values, the philosophical content Kabir bani remains a solace for the suffering humanity," says Kamal Tewari, chairperson of the Chandigarh Sangeet Natak Akademi while talking about the programme of Suno Bhai Sadho on September 26 and 27 which is being organised in collaboration with the Indian National Theatre at the Bhartiya Vidya Bhavan auditorium. The festival holds special significance, as besides the musical presentations of Kabir bani by acclaimed maestros, renowned filmmaker Shabnam Virmani will screen four of her films on Kabir, which had won awards at prestigious festivals in the world. Artistes who will take part in the festival are film director and scriptwriter Shabnam Virmani, the legendary exponent of Kabir bani in Malwi tradition, Padmashri Prahlad Tipanya and Sukhdev Singh Namdhari and his son Santa Singh Namdhari, who will present Kabir bani as scheduled under. Schedule September 26
September 27
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Firangs, faculty & films
The foreign students in PU spell out what makes the campus click
Pezhman Mohammadi misses Iran, his hometown, but never mind, he’s living up the incredible India experience. Simone Uuipf circled Chandigarh all the way from Switzerland to pursue LL.M. Masako Azuma might be from Tokya but chose Punjab for her thesis on migrants. Leyla Shakery from Iran feels the little similarities in culture and philosophy make her feel comfortable in India. Sudan, Canada, Afghanistan, Ethiopia, France, Kenya…Here’s an attempt to magnify the cosmopolitan nature of the campus, to zero in on the red, green, blue dots of atlas spilling on to the departments and buildings of city colleges and the varsity. “My interest for the country, culture, history brought me here,” Simone explains the shift from the University of Zurich, Switzerland to Panjab University, Chandigarh. “But this is my fifth visit to India, it would be foolish if I came here for the first time and straightaway took admission,” adds the LL.M-I student. The girl chose Chandigarh for two reasons, “One, the life quality here is quite comparable to European cities and it is well organized.” Pezhman, the second year Bioinformatics student from DAV-10, test-drove through Pune, Bangalore and a host of other places before settling for the city, for pretty much the same reasons, “It’s clean, organized and the people are very nice.” Talk strict academic comparisons and Pezhman says, “India is little simpler than Iran, at least the mathematics and computers here are. But it’s international because English is to India, what Persian is to Iran.” The lingua franca. This much for the city, how about the other things? The campus, culture, students, subjects, atmosphere, environment. Masako Azuma, went back to Yokosuka in Tokyo, last month and, therefore, “missed the student elections and has no idea about them.” While Simone has an opinion on the democratic extravaganza, “The elections last month were more of a spectacle than anything else, they should’ve tried convincing before the last one week.” Back home in the University of Zurich, “We do have organizations but they’re not as political as here.” But yes, the laidback life’s a hit. She adds, “Students here are enjoying all the time, hanging around, whiling away time. There, students rush for work after studies and stuff like that.” When we spotted the girl, on campus grounds, she was in a suit, peppered the talk with “theek hai” exclamations. Not to forget, “I loved Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Jab We Met, though DDLJ is a classic and is my favourite and I like Shah Rukh Khan and Shahid Kapur.” She adds, “The Bollywood thing has become quite popular in almost the whole of Europe.” For Masako, currently at Laxmi Bai Hostel, it’s “I admire Aamir Khan and like Shah Rukh Khan.” While Leyla, the Ph.D student (Philosophy) doesn’t get a chance to see many of them in India for lack of time. “But I like them because I feel they are very emotional.” So are most Indians. Didn’t she hear anyone brag, ‘We proudly wear emotions on our sleeves.’
manpriya@tribunemail.com
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Back to the roots
It’s festive season, that time of the year when various conventions and customs dominate. We ask the youngsters stick to customs and rituals. Here’s their take on festivals and religiosity. Deep-rooted
Jaspuneet Kaur,
Architect student Traditional take
Salinder Bhalla, Law student Balanced act
Akhilesh Kumar,
Medical science student Soak in the fun
Meenakshi Rana,
English student Call of culture
Neha Nanda,
Medical science student
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Oh my gawd! You know what? We spotted a lovey-dovey…err…in the car…forget the details. Come to the point. No dating culture and good dating places on the campus you see. So tough! Especially for people who keep falling in and out of love! Where, just where on earth do we go? So what all options are there? ‘Nothing you’re just left with those shady gardens and grounds and nooks and corners. So even if you’re discussing textbooks and worksheets it looks like you need moral policing,’ Confides an exasperated boyfriend. ‘We go to the gardens, but there you’re more concerned beehives going haywire rather than your honey!’ explained one. Back to square one, where to go? ‘We go to….’ Shhh…guys use your imagination, or your brains or whatever it is that you got. What? Over there? Exclaimed in response, ‘I head straight home to mamma’ wide eyed girl. Car is the safest, best friends place; if you get caught no worries, nothing like when mom and dad are out of town, when…The land of lovers (or the land for lovers) is in trouble and the brigade of losers is expanding! Oh dear! — TNS
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We quite realised how eagerly you would be waiting for this oh-so-important update on the Navratras. It’s no joke, looks matter, especially when the excitement levels to indulge some disco-dandia are surging. So, if you have spent enough on a facial, manicure, pedicure, hair polishing and the must-do back polishing and spared some (if at all you have) for the garba shopping, let us be the privileged ones to guide you in doing that, (we can see that look on you boyfriends’ and husbands’ face but come on, your lady has a tough
competition).
Cinema can’t afford to be too preachy. Even if it aims to create awareness about some social cause, it has to be interspersed with entertainment. Or else, the result would be, “A documentary’,” asserts Mukesh Gautam, director of the upcoming Punjabi film, Akhiyan Udeekdian, based on female foetcide and Punjab’s skewed sex ratio.
Endowed with spiritual wisdom, saints and sages are the blessings to the world - who have been enlightening the humanity at large with their divine teachings over centuries. In the rich linage of visionaries, one of the most revered literary saint of India, Kabir appeared from nowhere and lived at Benaras (1398 AD - 1527), but his holy utterances, replete with truthful mystic experiences, influenced the lives of the people in the entire world. 
Screening of Had-Anhad along with an interactive session with director Shabnam Virani and Prahlad Tipanya.
I personally like to keep it traditional. We are anyways celebrating and enjoying ourselves 365 days in a year. At least during such times we can conform to the traditions. Moreover, they are a wonderful way of bringing us closer to our roots. Ideally, we should go back to the pure customs. 
I think it should be celebrated the customary way. Because festivals, as it is have their origin in our history and past. And as Indians it connects us to our heritage and traditions, at least we should keep it
that ways.
I personally feel celebrations should be balanced and not strictly conformed to any watertight compartment. The festivals should be celebrated in such a way that they bring the generations together and meet at some point where everyone can relate to it. A bit of everything should be there. 
Following traditions is a good thing and of course we too do that. But yes, the focus is on celebrations and whatsoever way. The main thing is to have a good time and soak in the festive spirit. Experimenting conventions with contemporary is a good thing. 
Whatever festivals and days we have, it’s better if we observe them according to original ways and means. They derive their true spirit, value and character because of these cultures and traditions. And if we start experimenting, their meaning and value will be lost.