Category Archives: Arts, Culture & Entertainment

Release of Sania’s book on July 13

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Sports, , , , ,

India’s most successful tennis player, Sania Mirza, has kept her date with the city by deciding to launch her eagerly-awaited book ‘Ace Against Odds’ in Hyderabad on July 13.

In attendance will be family members and close relatives who have been part of her journey in the world of tennis in Hyderabad and Mumbai (where the launch is on July 16).

The book has already created interest in the world of sports as the big achiever is most likely to give an insight of what she felt on various subjects relating to her growth from a teenager into a World No. 1 women’s doubles player on the tennis court and how she felt during those turbulent times – both on and off the court.

Clearly, Sania quote in the book – “My legs felt heavy. My arms were numb. I could see the blurry tennis ball as it crossed the net and hit the surface on the court. Fault. Just missed the line” – should be an apt reminder of her intense desire to put the record straight on many subjects including one of the most critical phases of her life when she was forced to take a six-month lay-off due to a career-threatening wrist injury when she could not even hold a tennis racket.

“Essentially, I sincerely hope that it will be some sort of a guide and inspiration too for the modern day generation.

“Well, the kind of struggle the Mirzas (father Imran and mother Nasima) had gone through in shaping my career will also be a key subject in it,” was Sania’s quote on the book.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Hyderabad / by V.V. Subrahmanyam / Hyderabad – June 23rd, 2016

We thank thee, O father: Four generations of happiness

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Community Involvement / Social Issues, , , , , ,

Thiruvananthapuram, KERALA :

KakkatMPOs19jun2016

Thiruvananthapuram :

The Kakkat family has always been a big one. During marriages and other functions the ancestral house fills up with relatives. It is these past few years that the sons and daughters of the family have started living separately.

This family has always stressed on  the importance of living in harmony and with  generations together. In the Kakkat house it is a normal thing to see grandchildren and great grandchildren of the same age playing together. Four generations sit together and reminisce about their childhood and their fathers.

The great grandfather

Leaning heavily on a walking stick is eighty-year-old Moideenkutty Haji who loves spinning tales of the past. Stories mostly about his father Alippu Haji, and his grandfather, who was killed in the wagon tragedy. His favourite pastime include gathering all the young ones and regaling them with all kinds of anecdotes.

“There are so many stories that I can tell you,” he says with a twinkle in his eyes. “My father was a good man, very brave. He used to have this business (malancharakku), where he would take the goods from home (Kattuppara in Malappuram) to Ponnani Sea port. I was the eldest and he would often take me with him.”

The grandfather

Like his father before him, Ashraf Ali, now at 56, began dabbling in business at a very early age. “By the time we were 15, we started accompanying vappa (father) to different places as he went about with his business. He used to travel a lot, but when he came home he used to make sure that we knew about his experiences and such.” Though he had a job in the Gulf as a marketing manager in a watch company, he was keen on starting his own business. “Vappa is not a very educated man. He learned what he did during his travels. He taught us that. To seek knowledge from the world around us,” says Ashraf.

The Father

“Uppa (father) never told me outright what to do. Sometimes he would not answer all of my queries but made me find the answers myself,” Mohammed Thabith talks about his father. “This used to frustrate me a lot. But his discipline and his penchant of pushing me to find solutions myself helped me find my independence later in life.”

Great onus was put on the need for education. Thabith recalls how his father used to be adamant that all of his children be highly educated.

“We were all pushed to do the best we could. And that didn’t stop with education. I’m thirty-year-old. Even now he gives us practical pieces of advises from time to time. Now that I have a son, I will definitely ape my father and teach him how to question things and learn the truth by himself, while being a strong person for him.”

source:  http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Thiruvananthapuram / by Hana Ashraf / June 16th, 2016

Begum Hazrat Mahal: The Pari Who Became a Revolutionary

Amazing Feats, Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Community Involvement / Social Issues, Leaders, Travel & Tourism, World Opinion, , , , , , , , , , ,

 

BegumHazratMPOs01jun2016

Awadh(Lucknow), UTTAR PRADESH :

June, in particular is a good month to remember Begum Hazrat Mahal who led the first war of independence against the British in Lucknow. This Begum of Avadh had defied British forces of the East India Company in the great uprising of 1857.

She was one of the nine divorced women of Wajid Ali Shah, Lucknow’s last ruler.

“When the king left Lucknow on 13 March 1856 he took with him as well as his mother, three of his wives including Khas Mahal and Akhtar Mahal. An unknown number of wives were left behind in Lucknow as well as nine divorced women including Hazrat Mahal and her young son,” writes Rosie Llewellyn-Jones in The Last King in India.

Begum Hazrat Mahal took charge of the city despite her divorce from the king and her supporters included Raja Jailal Singh, a former Nizam of Azamgarh. It was Raja Jailal who fed support to the rebellion from the suburbs around Lucknow.

The other supporter defending Lucknow was Nana Sahib, a Maratha soldier and childhood friend of Rani Lakshmibai. Nana Sahib led the revolt against the British in Kanpur. Like Begum Hazrat Mahal he too retreated to Nepal after the British regained Lucknow in 1858.

Wajid Ali Shah was forced to leave Lucknow for exile in Calcutta, by the British. Lucknow was one of the most bitterly contested cities during this first war of independence against the British.

Between the exile of Wajid Ali Shah in March 1856 and the first war of independence in June 1857, Lucknow was defended by Begum Hazrat Mahal and she ruled as regent for 10 months. Her 12 year old son Birjis Qadr was crowned in the Baradari at Qaiserbagh, the palace built by his father.

After the British overpowered the freedom fighters, Begum Hazrat Mahal refused a pension and continued gorilla attacks on British military centers till November 1859. She spent the rest of her life in Kathmandu, Nepal and was buried there in 1879.

It may be recalled that fighting broke out at the end of June in 1857 against the British after soldiers mostly from the Avadh region heard that their mild mannered ruler was unceremoniously stripped of his throne and his kingdom by the British on grounds of mismanagement. Their first reaction was one of disbelief. Their second reaction was of anger. soldiers in different parts of north India took up arms and in Lucknow laid siege to the city’s British Residency where English and Anglo Indian inhabitants were hiding for four and a half months between July and November 1857.

But before Begum Hazrat Mahal transformed into a revolutionary she was a fairy. It may be recalled that apart from official wives and temporary wives there was yet another category of women, the pari or fairy who was often taken on as a temporary wife if the king found her pleasing and talented. The fairies were certainly an innovation of Wajid Ali Shah, poet prince and were recruited from the lower classes, including courtesans who lived mainly in Chowk, in the old city.

These women were not educated but after tuitions some of them acquired sophistication. Some fairies went on to become expert singers or dancers while others proved to be good for nothing.

Begum Hazrat Mahal’s maiden name was Muhammadi Khanum, and she was born in Faizabad. Her father was a slave called Umber owned by a Ghulam Hossein Ali Khan. Her mother was a Muslim mistress of Umber. A courtesan by profession, Muhammadi was taken into the royal harem after being sold by her parents.

She was later promoted to a fairy and was called Mahak Pari by the king. She became a begum after being accepted as a royal concubine of Wajid Ali Shah and the title Hazrat Mahal was given to her after the birth of their son, Birjis Qadr.

For some time Wajid Ali Shah was completely smitten by Hazrat Mahal. writing many poems for the dusky beauty.

Soon the king moved on to other women but in 1845 when he learned that Mahak Pari was pregnant, he immediately put her into purdah and gave her the title of Iftikhar-un-nisa or pride of all women.

Now this beautiful fairy, brave freedom fighter and pride of all women is immortalised in a documentary film directed by Mohiuddin Mirza and produced by the Films Division that was screened in the city by Lucknow Expressions Society in the presence of Kaukab Qadr Meerza, great grandson of Begum Hazrat Mahal and Manzilat Fatima, the warrior queen’s great great grand daughter.

“The aim is to never forget how the entire city had united under the leadership of Begum Hazrat Mahal to stand up against the British irrespective of religious and gender differences,” said an organiser of the event.

source: http://www.thecitizen.in / The Citizen / Home / by Mehru Jaffer / Monday – May 30th, 2016

Film on Begum brings Avadh’s queen to life

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Lucknow:

It will be a royal evening for Lucknow coming Monday when in the company of the last Queen of Awadh, Begum Hazrat Mahal, the city will come face to face with its past. In the 137th death anniversary year of the Queen, an unsung hero of the first war of Independence of 1857, a documentary on her will be screened on May 30.

Claimed to be the first ever film on the Queen, the 26-minute documentary has been directed by national award-winning director Mohi-ud-Din Mirza. Commissioned by the Films Division, the film will be screened by the Lucknow Expressions Society along with the UP Tourism department. Prince Kaukab Qader Meerza, great grandson of the Queen, will also be coming to Lucknow from Kolkata for the day.

The screening comes with an aim to enlighten people about the sacrifices of the freedom fighter for the motherland. Documenting the history of Begum Hazrat Mahal as also including her direct descendants, it shows the Queen in her role as one of the first women revolutionaries in India’s independence struggle.

“It is for the first time that a film has been made on my great great grandmother who is someone that we have grown looking up to,” said Manzilat Khan, a direct descendant of King Wajid Ali Shah and Begum Hazrat Mahal. Khan will also be in the city on the day. It was after King Wajid Ali Shah was exiled to Matiaburj in Kolkata that the Queen fought valiantly against the British troops annexing Awadh, defeating them in Alambagh. She later took refuge in Nepal where she died on April 7, 1879.

“At the time when the independence of women was just a notion, she had a vision for the country’s freedom from the British. She chose to fight and take it on herself. Not many know about her struggle and the film will rightfully do that,” added Khan.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Lucknow / TNN / May 26th, 2016

SNACK TRACK – Meaty bites of goodness

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Community Involvement / Social Issues, Travel & Tourism, , ,

Bengaluru, KARNATAKA :

Fanoos' beef roll PHOTO: SUDHAKARA JAIN
Fanoos’ beef roll PHOTO: SUDHAKARA JAIN

The legendary beef sheekh kabab rolls of Fanoos is one of Bengaluru’s most sought-after rolls

The air sizzles with the smell of grilled meat, the heat from the tandoors is warm, yet not suffocating, and the crowd that has gathered remained calm, yet excited and hungry as they wait patiently to bite into goodness.

The roomali rotis are spread on clean, slick steel counters, the steaming hot meat piled onto them, the chopped onions and lime juice thrown in and the rolls are deftly wrapped in tissue paper and handed over to eager customers. Welcome to Fanoos – the destination for the one of Bengaluru’s tastiest rolls.

The bustling Johnson Market area in Richmond Town is the abode of one the city’s most spectacular roll joints.

The heavy traffic on the Hosur Road, the melee of people in the market area and the jostling crowds pouring in to buy their choicest rolls from the counters does not deter Bengaluru’s foodies from making sure they get what they come for – the legendary beef kabab rolls of Fanoos.

While the joint also serves chicken and mutton variants, it’s the beef rolls that are to die for. Coming in a range of sizes from the humble single roll to the enormous mogambo roll, Fanoos is the place meat lovers swear by.

What started in 1975 as a small footpath kabab joint by the late Ajaz Hussain is now a booming empire in Bengaluru. Taken over by his three sons after his death, Ajaz’s motto of serving only the finest for his extended family of customers is still kept strongly alive. Shakir Hussain and his two elder brothers firmly believe in keeping their father’s legacy alive and left their studies to keep the establishment running. “It was our dad who introduced the concept of sheek kababs from a recipe he modified from his mother. Even the terms like jumbo, mumbo, Rambo and sambo for the size of the rolls were coined by him. As the next generation, we brothers came up with the next size of rolls called mogambo,” says Shakir.

He adds: “It’s not just about food in Fanoos. We have many stories here. We have friends who come here to meet up after several years. It is also a place for lovers to meet. This is the perfect combination of food, friendship and fun with our extended family of customers.”

Musician James Prabhakar says he and his band spend their Sundays every week after practice at Fanoos. “It’s almost a tradition for us and our default buys here are the sheek kabab rolls. The green apple sodas from the Madeena Stores opposite to Fanoos are an added bonus that makes it a complete meal. Fanoos also serves as a place for us to catch up with friends and chill out amid the smell of sizzling, mouth-watering meat.”

The Iranian cuisine joint customised for Bengaluru also serves shawarmas, veg rolls and a variety of other flavours and even the popular Haleem during Ramzan, but nothing comes close to their beef sheek kabab rolls priced between Rs. 45 to Rs. 185 depending on size.

So what are you waiting for? Head over and dig in.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Bengaluru / by Allan Moses Rodricks / Bengaluru – May 30th, 2016

The waza from the Valley

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Jammu & Kashmir :

BashirMPOs31may2016

Bashir Ahmad Concha on how to dish out the traditional multi-course and meat-rich Kashmiri wazwan

Ask most visiting chefs about their tryst with South Indian flavours and they’d wax eloquent about their love for the crunch of a crispy dosa. But not waza (traditional Kashmiri chef) Bashir Ahmad Choncha. He’s more likely to scowl and say, “The flavours are too unfamiliar.” For, compared to our fluffy idlis, rich coconut chutney and spicy sambar, his familiar food — the spicy and salty lahbi kebab, rich curd-based nadru yakhni and melt-in-the-mouth minced mutton ball in creamy gushtaba — feels decidedly different. Yet, the wazwan is a treat for anyone curious about the possibilities of the unfamiliar.

The wazwan, considered the pride of Kashmiri cuisine, is rich, to say the least. It is made during special occasions, and traditionally served in a large plate that’s shared by four. Most dishes are curd-based and all of them are made with liberal amounts of ghee. To top it off, the spread is meat-heavy. Mutton, mostly, as most Kashmiri Muslims prefer that. The chef’s favourite is the tabak maaz, a mutton appetiser that’s deep fried in ghee. “What can I say? Most people in Kashmir are rich and they want to eat rich food too,” laughs waza Bashir, even as he insists that the ghee will only make one strong, not fat.

The most challenging dishes to make, he says, are the light and spicy rista and the heavy yogurt-based gushtaba, for which the meat needs to be pounded by hand for half an hour. The vegetables have a distinct flavour, as do the spices from the region. It is for this reason that the waza says he brought 400 kg of ingredients for the ten-day Kashmiri Wazwan food festival at Spice Haat, Hyatt Regency.

Waza Bashir learnt his culinary flair from his father, chef Noor Mohammad Choncha, by watching him cook eversince he was eight years old. “My father would have never allowed me to become a waza if he were alive. He never wanted me to come into the family business.” But when his father passed away, Bashir took over the kitchen at 25. For the last 20 years, he has been at the helm of things at ‘Concha Foods’, a restaurant in Srinagar and also, a manufacturing outfit that packages and exports spices from the valley. “There’s a big market for Kashmiri cuisine. Every month, 1,000 kg of tin-packed rista and gushtaba are exported to places around India, the United States and Gulf countries.”

His fame in the packaged food business soon saw him plate up flavours from the valley at food festivals in Bangalore, Pune, Chandigarh and other places.

However, he says, wazas taking the road is rare. Even though his father had close to 1,000 students, most of them have set up their own restaurants in Kashmir. “The wazwan is a big business in Kashmir. A typical Kashmiri indulges in the wazwan about once a week. One plate is priced at Rs. 2,500 even in a small shop. It’s a very exotic spread. So it’s very rare that people leave the valley to make wazwan.”

Kashmiri Food Festival at Spice Haat is open for dinner till May 29. There’s a Buffet is priced at Rs.1,550, vegetarian thali at Rs. 1,000 and non-vegetarian thali at Rs. 1,200, (exclusive of taxes), to choose from. For details, call 61001234.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Features> MetroPlus> Food / Raveena Joseph / May 23rd, 2016

AR Rahman to get top Japanese culture prize

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Leaders, World Opinion, ,

Chennai , TAMIL NADU :

ARRahmanMPOs31may2016

Music maestro A R Rahman has been announced as the recipient of Grand Fukuoka Prize 2016 for his outstanding contribution to Asian culture through his music.

As part of the ceremony, Rahman has been invited to the city to give a public lecture on “From the Heart: The World of A R Rahman’s Music”.

The 49-year-old Oscar-winning composer has been chosen for the honour alongside Philippines’ historian Ameth R Ocampo (Academic Prize) and Yasmeen Lari from Pakistan (Arts and Culture Prize) by the secretariat of Fukuoka prize committee.

The annual award, was established by Fukuoka City, Japan, in 1990 with an aim to honour the outstanding work of individuals, groups and organizations working to preserve and promote the unique and diverse culture of Asia.

Rahman started his movie career with Mani Ratnam’s Tamil film “Roja”. Rahman’s first big break in Hindi cinema came with Ram Gopal Varma’s “Rangeela”.

He is now one of the most sought after composers in India with his brilliant compositions for films like “Bombay”, “Dil Se”, “Taal”, “Lagaan”, “Rang De Basanti”, “Delhi 6”, “Rockstar”, “Highway” and “Tamasha”.

Rahman has carved an impressive career in Hollywood after composing “Jai Ho” for British director Danny Boyle’s “Slumdog Millionaire”, which earned him two Academy awards and a Golden Globe trophy.

Previous winners from India include distinguished names such as sitar player Ravi Shankar, dancer Padma Subrahmanyam, historian Romila Thapar, sarod maestro Amjad Ali Khan, Ashish Nandy, Partha Chatterjee, Vandana Shiva, Nalini Malini and historian Ramachandra Guha.

Other winners include Nobel laureates Muhammad Yunus (Bangladesh) and Mo Yan (China).

source:  http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> Entertainment / PTI / New Delhi – May 30th, 2016

A different ball game for Rahman

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Community Involvement / Social Issues, , , ,

Thiruvananthapuram , KERALA  :

 

RahmanMPOs30may2016

The crowd of party supporters swelled all around him, but Abdul Rahman stood in the middle of it all, exuding calmness, with a football balanced on his head, in a posture reminiscent of the Greek God Atlas.

A long-time Leftist and a ball boy for many of Kerala’s legendary football teams, Rahman regaled the crowd at the Central Stadium with his football balancing skills, ahead of the swearing-in ceremony of the LDF government on Wednesday.

He had literally worn a flex sheet, wishing best of luck to new Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and his Cabinet colleagues.

“I come from what they call a ‘party family’. I have been participating in the Communist party’s programmes ever since I was a kid. I took some part in the election campaign too,” he says. In his younger days, Rahman used to play with a local football team in Changanasssery, where his team mates included future stars like K.T. Chacko.

“Later, I became a ball boy. That way, I have been a part of F.C. Cochin, Viva Kerala, Eagles, and several other teams. But, that is not enough to make ends meet. So, I work as a rag picker,” he says. His next big plan is to cycle all the way from Sachin Tendulkar’s house in Mumbai to the Indian Super League football tournament venue in Kochi in September-October.

“I will start two weeks before the tournament and hope to reach here on the day it starts,” says Rahman.

His brother Mohammed Khader, an area secretary of the CPI(M) says: “We rarely get to see him. He’s almost a vagabond.”

An ardent Leftist, he regales the crowd at Central Stadium with his football balancing  skills

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Thiruvananthapuram / by S. R. Praveen / Thiruvananthapuram – May 26th, 2016

The Quint: Vadodara Mosque Claims to House World’s Largest Quran

Amazing Feats, Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Books - Holy Quran, Koran / Translations, Commentaries / by Indian Muslims (wef. February 11th, 2025), Community Involvement / Social Issues, Travel & Tourism, Videos, World Opinion, , , , ,

 

Published on May 23, 2016

The Juma Masjid in Vadodara houses a unique 250-year-old Quran. At six and a half feet long, and four and a half feet wide, members of the mosque trust claim it to be world’s largest Quran.

Handwritten by Mohammad Ghous nearly 250 years ago, two volumes of the Holy Quran were restored at the Jama Masjid in Vadodara in May

source: http://www.youtube.com

‘ Hindi’s dominance has overshadowed Urdu ’

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Education, Leaders, , , , , , ,

Mysuru, KARNATAKA :

Two-day national seminar on Urdu language and literature begins

UrduSeminarMPOs17may2016

Mysuru :

Observing that Hindi’s dominance has overshadowed Urdu, former Karnataka Urdu Academy Chairman and retired IPS officer Khaleel Mamoon has stressed on the need for developing programmes for Urdu in such a way as to meet modern requirements.

He was delivering the keynote address during the inauguration of the two-day national seminar on “The Changing Scenario of Urdu Language and Literature” organised by the DoS in Urdu, University of Mysuru (UoM) in collaboration with Karnataka Urdu Academy, Bengaluru, as part of UoM Centenary Celebrations, at EMMRC auditorium, Manasagangotri in city this morning.

Expressing disappointment that Urdu has remained the language of one religion in the country, Mamoon said that efforts should be made to remove the misconception that Urdu is the language of Muslims alone.

Pointing out that one of the basic reasons for the downfall of regional languages is theprominence of English as the language of international communication, he said that strengthening of Urdu Press and a dynamic policy for increasing the circulation of Urdu newspapers is very important in the changing scenario of Urdu language and literature.

Karnataka Urdu Academy Registrar Siraj Ahmed Khalid, Prof. S. Masood Siraj of Urdu Department, UoM, Prof. Mohammed Anwaruddin of Hyderabad University and others were present. The 2-day seminar, which concludes tomorrow, features special lectures and sessions on promotion of Urdu language.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> General News / May 11th, 2016