Arts, Culture & Entertainment – Page 3

‘Privileged’: Fiji is 1st Pacific nation to host 12th World Hindi Conference

Anjeela Jokhan, Fiji’s Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Education, Heritage, and Arts, said the country is honoured to be the first in the Pacific to host the prestigious event and praised the partnership with India.

Fiji will be hosting the 12th World Hindi Conference next year from February 15-17, 2023, the Ministry of External Affairs on Thursday said at an event held here in New Delhi.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar launched the logo and website of Vishwa Hindi Diwas along with V. Muraleedharan, Minister of State for External Affairs and Permanent Secretary for Fijian Ministry of Education, Heritage and Arts Anjeela Jokhan.

Speaking at the event, Anjeela Jokhan said that Fiji is privileged to be the first country in the Pacific to host the prestigious event and hailed the partnership with India.

“We are honoured to have been nominated by the Indian government as the next year’s host for the World Hindi Conference as this platform will provide us with a wonderful opportunity to promote and celebrate Hindi, one of our country’s main languages. Indeed Fiji feels blessed and privileged to be the first country in the Pacific to host this prestigious event,” said Fijian Secretary Anjeela Jokhan.

“We will do our best to make this conference a grand success. Fiji Hindi is in fact enshrined in the Fiji Constitution as one of our official languages. Not only this we also teach Hindi in our primary and secondary schools. While it is compulsory for students of Indian origin in primary schools, it is an optional subject in secondary schools. Hindi is also taught in our universities,” she added.

Jokhan noted that the partnership with the government of India has grown from strength to strength over the past 52 years and the people of our nations have been deeply enriched through our bilateral interactions and engagements. The official added, “Our two nations have an undeniable bond which can be seen in mutual understanding and respect that we have for each other’s sovereignty, common development and shared prosperity.”

“It is based on our shared history which is rooted in age-old ties of culture. In Fiji, we have a very cordial relationship with the High Commission of India that enables us to celebrate together many events such as Yoga Day, World Hindi Day, and so forth. In fact, in 2020 we held Regional Hindi Conference in Suva”, she continued saying.

Further highlighting the contribution made by the Fijian scholars towards developing Hindi, she said that the country looks forward to hosting the event. “With a significant portion of our population having Indian heritage, we have worked together to ensure the protection and promotion of our languages, traditions, and culture. We are proud to say that Fijian scholars have made a contribution towards developing Hindi not just in Fiji but across the world via the Fijian diaspora.”

Fiji looks forward to hosting this event from February 15-17, 2023, she highlighted and said, “We look forward to hosting this significant event in our country. We know that we will receive the Indian diaspora from a number of nations and this will give our people the opportunity to develop networks and friendship.”

The three-day conference would be held in the Fijian city of Nadi.

Canadian city gets first turban-wearing Sikh woman councillor

Indo-Canadian healthcare worker Navjit Kaur Brar has become the first turban-wearing Sikh woman to be elected as Brampton City Councillor in the recent Municipal council polls.

Brar, a respiratory therapist and a mother of three, won the race for City Councillor in Wards 2 and 6, beating Jermaine Chambers, a former Conservative MP candidate for Brampton West.

Brar had 28.85 per cent of the votes cast on Monday with Chambers as nearest contender with 22.59 per cent, and Carmen Wilson coming in third at 15.41 per cent, the Brampton Guardian reported.

“I am so proud of @Navjitkaurbrar. She was a selfless and dedicated front line healthcare worker during the pandemic. She has stepped up for public service and I am confident she will be a phenomenal addition to Brampton City Council,” tweeted Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown, who won a second term in recent election.

As part of her campaign she knocked over 40,000 doors and spoked to over 22,500 residents in the last two months.

“Over the past 3 years, I’ve spoken to countless Bramptonians and the sentiment I hear is that they are all hurting, they feel unheard, they feel left behind. With the rising cost of living It’s getting harder to raise and provide for your family in Brampton… As your city councillor I will fight for better services for all Bramptonians and ensure that your voices are heard,” Brar had said in her campaign pitch.

Brar previously ran as the Ontario NDP candidate in Brampton West, losing out to incumbent Progressive Conservative MPP Amarjot Sandhu.

Another Sikh candidate, Gurpartap Singh Toor, knocked off his opponent Gurpreet Dhillon in Wards 9 and 10 by a scant 227 votes.

As many as 40 Punjabis were in the fray for Brampton civic elections, according to local media reports.

Out of 354,884 eligible voters in Brampton, only 87,155 of them turned up to cast ballots — an abysmal voter turnout of approximately 24.56 per cent, according to unofficial results, The Pointer reported.

The Indo-Canadian community, along with the councillor candidates, had raised concerns over the election date overlapping with Diwali — one of the most-awaited festivals celebrated by the large swathe of Indian diaspora present in the North American country.

“It is very problematic that the elections are taking place on the Diwali day, especially the municipal election that has always seen a low voter turnout,” Gurpratap Singh Toor, who has won Wards 9 and 10, had told Omni Punjabi.

Elections for municipal government are held every four years on the fourth Monday of October, which fell on October 24 this time.

These polls usually elect a mayor and city council and sometimes also a school board.

Around 40 per cent of Brampton’s population is South Asian, and the municipal election also fell on the religious festival of Diwali, celebrated by Hindus, Sikhs and Jains.

SS Rajamouli’s RRR wins Best International Film award at 50th Saturn Awards: ‘We’re super elated’

RRR has minted over Rs 1000 crore at the worldwide box office. It tells the story of two freedom fighters and friends — Alluri Sitarama Raju (played by Ram Charan) and Jr NTR as Komaram Bheem, who fight side by side against the British.

SS Rajamouli directorial RRR has won the Best International Film award at the 50th Saturn Awards. It was nominated in multiple categories, including Best International Film, Best Action Adventure and Best Director.

While Rajamouli was himself not there to receive the honour, an AV was played in which he was seen giving a thank you speech.

“I am so glad that our film RRR has won the Saturn Award in the Best International Film category. I thank the jury on behalf of our entire team. We’re super elated. This is also my second Saturn Award. The first one I had got for Baahubali: The Conclusion. I wish I was there in person, but due to my prior commitments related to RRR promotions in Japan, unfortunately I am not able to attend. I would like to congratulate all the other winners. Hope you are having a great time. Have fun, namaste,” the director said in a video shared by the Twitter handle of Saturn Awards.

In the Action Adventure category, the feature was competing with Death on the Nile, F9: The Fast Saga, No Time to Die, Top Gun: Maverick, and West Side Story. Meanwhile, it was in the running for Best International Film award with movies like Downton Abbey: A New Era, Eiffel, I’m Your Man, Riders of Justice, and Silent Night.

On the other hand, SS Rajamouli was competing for the Best Director trophy against Guillermo del Toro (Nightmare Alley), Joseph Kosinski (Top Gun: Maverick), Jordan Peele (Nope), Matt Reeves (The Batman), Steven Spielberg (West Side Story), and Jon Watts (Spider-Man: No Way Home).

Ayodhya sets world record by lighting over 15 lakh diyas on Deepotsav in PM Modi’s presence

Modi also offered prayers to Ram Lalla at Ram Janmbhoomi in Ayodhya. This is Modi’s first visit to Ayodhya after a “bhoomi pujan” for the construction of a Ram temple on August 5, 2020.

Uttar Pradesh’s Ayodhya set a new Guinness World Record for lighting the maximum number of earthen lamps – over 15 lakh- on the banks of the Saryu as Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the historic Deepotsav celebrations on Sunday, on the eve of the festival of Diwali.

Modi and chief minister Adityanath displayed the Guinness Record certificate on the occasion.

Beginning his speech with ‘Jai Shri Ram’, Modi addressed a gathering on the occasion of Deepotsav. “From the holy birthplace of Lord Ram, I pass on Diwali wishes to my countrymen,” Modi said.

Modi also said people have to learn as much as they can from Lord Ram.
“Lord Ram doesn’t leave anyone behind, doesn’t turn away from anyone,” Modi said.

Earlier, Modi offered prayers to Ram Lalla at Ram Janmbhoomi in Ayodhya. This is Modi’s first visit to Ayodhya after a “bhoomi pujan” for the construction of a Ram temple on August 5, 2020.

“I got the opportunity of Lord Ram’s darshan due to his blessings; happy that people across the world watching Deepotsav celebrations in Ayodhya,” Modi said.

Immediately after reaching Ayodhya for the Deepotsav celebrations, the PM went to the makeshift Ram temple and offered prayers to Ram Lalla. He lit an earthen lamp there and performed an “aarti”. Temple chief priest Acharya Satyendra Das applied vermillion on his forehead.

Modi was also briefed by officials on the construction going on for a grand Ram temple at the site. Modi also performed the Rajyabhishek of the symbolic Bhagwan Ram in Ayodhya.

“Shri Ram Lalla’s ‘Darshan’ and then ‘Rajyabhishek’ of King Ram, this good fortune is obtained only by the grace of Lord Ram. This Deepawali has come at a time when we have completed 75 years of independence. ‘Sankalp Shakti’ of Lord Ram will take India to new heights,” the PM added.

Earlier, Modi was welcomed by governor Anandiben Patel and chief minister Yogi Adityanath. He attended the Deepotsav celebrations.

Ayodhya divisional commissioner Navdeep Rinwa had earlier said more than 15 lakh earthen lamps will be lit as part of the Deepotsav celebrations by over 22,000 volunteers at Ram ki Paidi near the Saryu bank. The rest will be placed at important intersections and spots in the town.

Five animated tableaux and 11 Ramlila tableaux showcasing dance forms from different states will also be presented during the Deepotsav.

“Deepotsav of Ayodhya started 6 years ago with the guidance and inspiration of PM Narendra Modi. This festival of UP became a festival of the country. Today, it is touching new heights of success,” Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath on the occasion.

ht.com

Chhattisgarh potter’s ‘magical’ lamp burns for 100 hours

An innovative earthen lamp, dubbed as ‘jadui (magical) diya’ has brought a rural potter from Chhattisgarh in focus among buyers from all over the country. The unique traditional lamp, designed in the attractive shape of being mounted on an elephant, can burn continuously for over 100 hours without the need of a refill.

Tucked away in the remote area of Kumharpara at Kondagaon district of the state, Ashok Chakradhari, 53, can be spotted occupied endlessly through the day at his ‘Jhitku-Mitki Terracotta Kala Kendra’, various other earthen products. Some 12-15 people work in his team throughout the year. Chakradhari had earlier designed a diya with a flame that remained alive for 24 hours.

Chakradhari is slowly gaining popularity on the social media, and is delighted that his efforts to reintroduce the traditional craft are gaining wide appreciation. “I also access YouTube channels for better understanding of techniques. The latest earthen lamp mounted on an elephant is actually an improvement over my previous product,” he told this newspaper. “It has a dome-shaped receptacle to hold oil, which
is attached with a tube-like mould to the base of the lamp that burns for over 100 hours,” he added.

According to Chakradhari, the principle it works on is simple physics, and continuous oil flow is transmitted to the lamp, which is made of soil mixed with a little river sand. “People call it a magic lamp,” Chakradhari said. He further added that the product is a result of his zeal combined with experience and acquired knowledge that have helped him in the creative field.

The cost of a single lamp, which weighs around 3 kilogram, is Rs 2,000. “We need to connect four separate parts into one piece using a traditional touch of design. I haven’t put a high price for the ‘magic lamp’ as it has brought me so much fame,” he said.

Chakradhari, however, is not able to sell as many pieces as he would like to. He lives at a remote place, located around 230 km from Raipur, and has no access to e-commerce platforms. Also, he is preoccupied with meeting the demands throughout the year. Now, some youths of Raipur pursuing business under the banner of ‘loca-bazar’ have facilitated online marketing for his products.

“My customers comprise the common man as well as VIPs. I usually sell my products from my home when the customers visit me to buy them for personal use or bulk orders. Transporting orders is a constraint for me due to issues like lack of proper packaging and risk of damage,” he said.

Chakradhari said he always tries to blend his passion for indigenous products with innovation as value addition. “It is a bit laborious work, and the effort needs meticulous attention in handwork,” he added. He also gained knowledge by participating in several exhibitions in different states. His growing popularity has helped in bringing recognition to his centre at Kumharpada where two governors have visited in recent years.

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Gandhi museum opens up in New Jersey

Inaugurated this past weekend, the museum has artefacts and digital display screens that are interactive and visitors will be able to interactively see the life events of the apostle of peace.

A museum dedicated to the life and message of Mahatma Gandhi has opened in the Atlantic City of the United States.

Inaugurated this past weekend, the museum has artefacts and digital display screens that are interactive and visitors will be able to interactively see the life events of the apostle of peace.

The event was attended by eminent Indian American community members and India’s Consul General in New York Randhir Jaiswal.

Developed in partnership with the Aditya Birla Group by the New Jersey-based Gandhian Society, it is the first museum dedicated to the “father of the nation” in the USA.

Ponniyin Selvan puts identity and history of Cholas at centre of primetime debates

A new week, a new controversy centred on Hinduism has erupted. The latest victim of heated debates on primetime television is famous filmmaker Mani Ratnam’s latest movie Ponniyin Selvan — 1, the film adaptation of Kalki’s revered historical fiction novel.

The film itself has put a smile on the faces of everyone associated with it, on account of its remarkable success, having collected almost Rs 350 crore globally. It has been appreciated for its economical writing, striking performances, and above all, for achieving the impossible task of condensing Kalki’s novel of five volumes — which, marrying history and fiction, presents a compelling story about the rise of Raja Raja Cholan/Arunmozhi Varman (played by Jayam Ravi).

Considered South India’s most powerful king, Raja Raja Cholan is revered for his able administration, striking territorial expansions, and the creation of timeless temple architecture — including the famous Brihadheeswara Temple in Thanjavur.

It’s the identity of this king that has now come into question a thousand years after his lifetime — his 29-year reign having ended with his demise in 1014 AD, coincidentally, exactly one millennium before political colours changed in contemporary India. That seeps into the way primetime anchors, political personalities and social media influencers are setting up a heated discourse around him centering on one question: whether Raja Raja Cholan was a Hindu.

Those on the right are celebrating him for being a ‘Hindu’ king — no doubt, ascribing to him present definitions of ‘Hinduness’. And notable personalities from Tamil Nadu, including Kamal Haasan and Vetrimaaran, have weighed in on the side of a historically more nuanced argument: that the notion of ‘Hinduism’, as defined today in an all-pervading sense, did not exist during the king’s time and that those who are projecting that idea backwards are falling prey to the fallacy of presentism. A more accurate label, they say, would be Shaivism — the worship of Shiva — which has an ancient and robust non-Vedic lineage in Tamil lands.

With the resistance to the ‘Hinduism’ label seeming to be a response to perceived ‘saffronisation’, it is a difficult debate to settle — and an unfortunate one to envelop a film in. But there is a history to this: a few years ago, a furore erupted over the religious identity of Tamil poet-philosopher Thiruvalluvar after he was depicted in saffron robes in a tweet by the BJP state unit. Some see a systematic politicisation here. Others are offended by the resistance to it. Everything, it seems, depends on where you stand in the political spectrum. In this post-truth era, there are no facts — only beliefs that strengthen your worldview and solidify your identity.

Loving documentary of fabled good time

Ponniyin Selvan 1 is a loving documentation of a fabled time when the rivers in our land ran full, when the earth had not been plundered. There are lessons to be learned from how life was lived then, and yet, it is a marker of our times that a film intended to celebrate a glorious period in our history has instead resulted in squabbles over an identity nuance the film doesn’t exactly concern itself with.

Was Raja Raja Chola a Hindu? Was he a Shaivite? Will they even care after the next big release?

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Indian-American Sarah Thankam Mathews in 2022 National Book Awards shortlist

Indian-American author Sarah Thankam Mathews is among the finalists for the 2022 National Book Awards, which will be announced on November 16 at Cipriani Wall Street in New York City.

Mathews’ debut novel ‘All This Could Be Different’, is listed in the fiction category and tells the story of a young queer immigrant who creates a community for herself while grappling with the oppressive demands of capitalism.

“I simply will never be over this,” Mathews tweeted after her name was announced by The New York Times earlier this week.

Mathews grew up between Oman and India, and moved to the US at seventeen. Her work has been published in places including AGNI, SSENSE, and Best American Short Stories.

She was a 2020 Margins Fellow at the Asian American Writers’ Workshop, and the recipient of a Rona Jaffe fellowship at the Iowa Writers’ Workshop.

“Sarah Thankam Mathews has written one of the buzziest, and most human, books of the year,” the Vogue said.

“…an extraordinary novel, spiny and delicate, scathingly funny and wildly moving. Sarah Thankam Mathews is a brilliant writer, one whose every ringing sentence holds both bite and heart,” Lauren Groff, author of Matrix, said.

A total of 25 finalists will be contending for the awards. Publishers submitted a total of 1,772 books for this year’s National Book Awards: 463 in fiction, 607 in non-fiction, 260 in poetry, 146 in translated literature, and 296 in young people’s literature.

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National Film Awards: Actors Ajay, Suriya and Apa

President Droupadi Murmu on Friday conferred National Film Awards for the year 2020 under various categories at a ceremony held in the national capital. The prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke Award was conferred on veteran actor Asha Parekh.

Congratulating Parekh for her special contribution to the field of cinema, Murmu said that our sisters of that generation made their mark in various fields despite many constraints and the award given to the actor is also an honour for the indomitable female power.

Speaking on the occasion, the President further said that the film industry plays a major role in building a better society and nation. “Being an audio-visual medium, the influence of films is wider than other mediums of art. Cinema is not only an industry but also a medium of artistic expression of our culture and values. It is also a medium for connecting our society and for nation-building.”

Present on the occasion were Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting (I&B) Anurag Singh Thakur, Union Minister of State for I&B Dr L Murugan, and secretary Apurva Chandra. Murmu presented more than 100 awards under the features and non-features film categories including most film-friendly state award which was jointly given to UP and Uttarakhand for their support of film shooting.

Hindu film Actor Ajay Devgn and Tamil actor Suriya Shivakumar shared the Best Actor Award while Aparna Balamurali was conferred the award for Best Actress. Sachidanandan KR was given the Best Director award for Malayalam movie AK Ayyappanum Koshiyum and Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior received the Award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment.

Thakur said that cinema is poetry in pictures mirroring the magic, marvel and madness of all that which makes us feel alive and human. “Cinema has captured and carved the conscience, community and culture of our country,” said the minister on the occasion.

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UNESCO launches list documenting 50 iconic Indian heritage textiles

It mentions causes for their dwindling popularity and provides strategies for their preservation

UNESCO on Thursday released a list of 50 exclusive and iconic heritage textile crafts of the country. Toda embroidery and Sungadi from Tamil Nadu, Himroo weaves from Hyderabad and Bandha tie and dye weaving from Sambalpur in Odisha were some of the textiles that made the cut.

Handmade for the 21st Century: Safeguarding Traditional Indian Textile lists the histories and legends behind the textiles, describes the complicated and secret processes behind their making, mentions the causes for their dwindling popularity, and provides strategies for their preservation.

According to UNESCO, one of the major challenges to the safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage in the South Asia is lack of proper inventory and documentation. The publication, which aims to bridge this gap, brings together years of research on the 50 selected textiles.

Some of the iconic handcrafted textiles documented from north India are Khes from Panipat, Chamba rumals from Himachal Pradesh, Thigma or wool tie and dye from Ladakh and Awadh Jamdani from Varanasi.

Finding a place

From the south, Ilkal and Lambadi or Banjara embroidery from Karnataka, Sikalnayakanpet Kalamkari from Thanjavur have been included.

Kunbi weaves from Goa, Mashru weaves and Patola from Gujarat, Himroo from Maharashtra and Garad-Koirial from West Bengal also find a place among the 50 iconic textiles.

In announcing the publication, UNESCO New Delhi Director, Eric Falt added: “Textile crafts represent a very significant share of the Indian cultural heritage and have dazzled the world for centuries. Despite the pressures of industrial mass production and competition from new countries, it is essential that these iconic heritage crafts are taken stock of and promoted as contemporary treasures”.

“It is my hope that India will consider expanding its register of elements inscribed in the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by nominating one of the textile crafts featured in this publication. No textile practices from India have been included in the list so far and an inscription in the list would be due recognition of the talent and diversity of the country’s extraordinary weaving traditions,” Mr Falt said.

In addition to acting as a sample of endangered textile crafts, the UNESCO publication also includes recommendations for the protection and revitalization of these textile crafts, that cover both the broad-spectrum of issues extending from policy to grass-root based micro-interventions.