If Malappuram’s collective heart beats for anything, it is for football — a sport that has grown to conquer the land like no other. And with Copa America, the oldest international continental football competition, already under way in Chile since Friday, it is no wonder that soccer-crazy fans in Malappuram are a restless lot.
Unable to find contentment in just watching the tournament on television, football aficionados in Therattammal — a rural Malappuram village which has moulded several national players like U Sharafali, Sakker Ahammed and K Jaseer — are gearing up for a local version of Copa America.
Starting next week, 12 teams from neighbouring villages in the region would represent the teams participating in the South American tournament and the winners would take home a cup designed just like the one for Copa America.
Besides, football clubs and fans associations across the district are busy organizing small tournaments, hoisting banners and erecting flex boards. Flags and jerseys of prominent teams are also up for sale at Manjeri, Malappuram, Tirur, Perinthalmana, Kondotty, Areekode and Nilambur towns. The flags of Brazil and Argentina, the most popular teams in Malappuram, can be seen fluttering in the streets. Close on their heels are other favourites Chile, Uruguay and Mexico.
Musthafa, a native of Cherumuku near Tirurangadi and a die-hard Brazil supporter, said Brazil fans’ association is already campaigning hard for their team. “We are sure that Brazil will perform well to compensate the defeat against Germany in the semi-final match of the World Cup,” he said.
“Villages and towns here are in a festive mood, organizing various activities in support of their favourite teams,” said Muhammed Saleem, secretary of Malappuram district football association. With ardent supporters of non-playing teams like Germany, France, Spain and Italy also joining the celebrations, the excitement of fans has reached a crescendo.
Local clubs had set up big screens and televisions at several spots where enthusiasts of all ages gathered in the early hours of each day to watch matches.
It, however, remains to be seen if the monsoon showers or Ramzan fasting would dampen the prevailing high spirits.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Thiruvananthapuram / by T.P. Nijeesh, TNN / June 14th, 2015
While the eastern gate of Bidar fort has long been called ‘Dulhan Darwaja’ (Bride’s Gate), scholars say it is ‘Dalhan Darwaja’ (Bullock Cart Gate).
This is the curious case of how the pronunciation of a word can lead to the creation of parallel historical narratives. Stories spun around an ancient door in Bidar are testimony to this.
The eastern gate of the Bidar fort that leads to Ashtoor village — the royal necropolis of the Behmani kings — has long been called ‘Dulhan Darwaja’ (Bride’s Gate). Dark and gory stories have been passed down through the ages of a cruel king called Sabbal Barid, who claimed every bride in the city for himself on her wedding day. The brides chosen by the king came in through this door. Scholars, however, have demystified the legend arguing that the name of the gate is ‘Dalhan Darwaja’ (Bullock Cart Gate). They say it got its name simply because it was only large enough to allow a bullock cart to pass through, and not a chariot or elephants.
“The confusion must have started with the translation of the book Tareek-e-Firishtah (History by Firishtah) by the court historian of Bijapur, Adilshahi Kingdom, written in the 16th Century,” said Abdul Samad Bharati, a Persian scholar.
“Some portions of his book were translated into Urdu by Sheikh Mohammad, and in English by John Briggs. The Persian book seems to have used the letters ‘u’ and ‘a’ interchangeably. But the British author used ‘u’ instead of ‘a’,” he said. The trend seems to have continued in Urdu too, says Mohammad Shafi, a poet. Though the stories about Sabbal are widely circulated, there is no proof that there was indeed a king by that name, adds Mr. Bharati. Ghulam Yazdani, in his seminar work ‘Bidar: Its history and monuments’ refers to this gate in detail and states it has nothing to do with any bride.
While the eastern gate of Bidar fort has long been called ‘Dulhan Darwaja’ (Bride’s Gate), scholars say it is ‘Dalhan Darwaja’ (Bullock Cart Gate)
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> National> Karnataka / by Rishikesh Bahadur Desai / Bidar – June 18th, 2015
A surprise appearance by actor Mammootty enlivened the Reading Day celebrations organised jointly by the Education and Panchayat departments, the Information and Public Relations Department, and the P.N. Panicker Foundation in the capital city on Friday.
When the actor walked on to the stage, the audience comprising mainly schoolchildren greeted him with claps and cheers. “Reading should not be confined to a day or a week. These celebrations are merely a reminder. Keep reading every day of your life,” Mammootty told the children drawn from different schools in the city. Chairing the meeting, Education Minister P.K. Abdu Rabb called upon the children to learn to differentiate between right and wrong and the sense to filter the information they saw on the Internet. — Special Correspondent
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Thiruvananthapuram / Thiruvananthapuram – June 20th, 2015
The Jamia Millia Islamia Alumni Association, Riyadh offers its sincere condolences on the sad demise of Professor Mujeeb Rizvi Sb to his family members and stands by their side in this difficult time. May the Almighty bless him with a choicest place in Jannat and grant patience to his family members.
Prof Mujeeb Rizvi passed away on Sunday, 24 May 2015 at Max Hospital in Delhi after a short illness and kidney failure.
Prof Rizvi, son-in-law of renowned Urdu poet Ghulam Rabbani Taban, left behind his wife, Mrs Azra Rizvi and two daughters, Ms Meera Rizvi and noted Film Director and Screenwriter Ms Anusha Rizvi.
Professor Rizvi, around 80, was the founder of Hindi Department of Jamia Millia Islamia and served as its head for nearly forty years. He had been the Dean of the Faculty of Humanities and Languages, Proctor and Pro Vice Chancellor of Jamia. Notably, he was the first teacher to introduce NCC to Jamia. He was an expert of medieval Awadhi and Braj poetry with a focus on Sufi Kavya-Akhyans of the pre-Mughal era. Professor Rizvi wrote at length on Kabir Das, Tulsi Das and Ameer Khusro. He was an authority on Malik Muhammad Jayasi, a renowned Hindi poet of 16th century.
source: http://www.okhlaheadlines.com / Okhla Headlines / Home> Community Matters> Community Voice / May 25th, 2015
Soheb Samad, Regional Director, Southern Region of India Tourism (fourth from right ), is seen inaugurating the two-day Convention of Tourist Guides organised by the Tourist Guides Federation of India (TGFI) at Hotel Radisson Blu in city this morning. Others seen are (from left) former TGFI Vice President Anahita Tarapore, S. Mahalingaiah, President of Indian Association of Tour Operators, TGFI President Narendra Singh Rathore, Executive Committee member Sudhakar Embar, General Secretary Dr. Ajay K. Singh, Mikael Delafuente, Regional Director, Alliance Francaise de Bengaluru, Dr. Arun Raj, Superintendent of ASI, Bengaluru and Ramakrishna Aithal, President, Tourist Guides’ Association of India
Mysuru :
The two-day 18th annual National Convention of Tourist Guides organised by the Tourist Guides Federation of India (TGFI) began at Hotel Radisson Blu Plaza in city today.
Inaugurating the convention, Soheb Samad, Regional Director, Southern Region of India Tourism, said that 7.02 million foreign tourists visited India, thus giving a boost to the tourism industry. India Tourism has launched Athiti Devobava programme to attract more tourists from abroad, he added.
Stressing the role of tourist guides and stakeholders in tourism industry, Soheb Samad said Yoga and Medical Tourism had put Mysuru and Karnataka on the world tourist map. The tourism industry has generated 9 percent employment in the country, he added.
Samad said the tourist guides should give correct information and image of the country when explaining to tourists and added that the Ministry of Tourism has been imparting training for the tourist guides to enhance their language and knowledge.
Pointing out that learning is a continuous process in tourism industry, he said that the Ministry would consider the protection and welfare of tourist guides on priority basis. The tourist guides should aim at providing quality service to the tourists, he added.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Arun Raj, Superintendent of Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), Bengaluru, said that the tourist guides were the ‘Real Ambassadors’ of India, adding they should update their knowledge by attending refresher courses in tourism. ‘Every tourist guide should know the tangible and intangible history of the land.’
As many as 170 tourist guides from all over India are participating in the two-day National Convention. TGFI President Narendra Singh Rathore, former Vice President Anahita Tarapore, Vice President K. Monikantan, General Secretary Dr. Ajay K. Singh, Mikael Delafuente, Regional Director, Alliance Francaise de Bengaluru and others were present.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> General News / Saturday – June 13th, 2015
A Muslim educationist has offered 20 acres of land in Lucknow district for the proposed campus of Hyderabad-based Maulana Azad University. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s pointsman Zafar Sareshwala, who has been trying hard to make inroads into Muslim intelligentsia and electorate, is the vice-chancellor of the university.
Zafar Sareshwala (above), PM Narendra Modi’s pointman, is the vice-chancellor of Hyderabad-based Maulana Azad University.
Speaking to TOI, Maulana Yusuf Hussaini, who has offered the piece of land in Malihabad, said: “We all welcome and should compliment Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s moves for socio-economic welfare of the community.” Hussaini, a kin of renowned scholar Ali Mian, former rector of Nadwa Islamic seminary, runs several madrassas and other educational institutions in the city.
When asked whether association of Modi’s name with the proposed institution would put him into trouble, Hussaini said there was no issue at all. “We would whole-heartedly welcome any initiative of the Prime Minister for the socio-economic upliftment of Muslims, who need government’s support,” he said, adding “Modi is the Prime Minister of the country and not of the BJP.”
He said that Sareshwala was due to visit the city soon to finalize the proposal for the land transfer and if all goes well the city could soon get another national-level university.
Sareshwala told TOI on Sunday that Hussaini had offered the land and a building at Malihabad, on the outskirts of the state capital, without any cost. “Prime Minister Narendra Modi wants speedy growth of Muslims and for this reason he has increased the budget for minority welfare by nearly 12%,” Sareshwala said.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> India / by Subhash Mishra, TNN / June 15th, 2015
Mumbai-based model Sanea Sheikh on loving fashion shows and growing flowers in her garden.
Sana Sheikh
At Home
I love spending time at home as work usually involves travelling all the time. At home, I like to unwind with my three cats — Posh, Spanky and Momo — and dabble in a bit of gardening. I grow hibiscus, Chinese roses, mint and chillies. I can practically sit in my bed and watch television shows all day, especially my favourite, Game of Thrones. Travelling and photography are also my passions. Spending time with my family, especially my three sisters, rejuvenates me the most.
At work
During show season, it gets hectic; we have fittings, make-up sessions, rehearsals and shows. I try to step out of the venue as much as I can to get some fresh air. But I love fashion weeks because they’re one big, happy reunion. Between shows I’ll catch up with friends. Walking the ramp is like an adrenaline rush for me. Owning the ramp for a minute or two, with all eyes only on you, can give you quite a high. Plus, I get to look my very best all the time, thanks to different members of the fraternity who’re working on me.
A feature on the spaces and objects that define our work and home life through the selfie
source: http://www.indianexpress.com / The Indian Express / Home> Lifestyle> Fashion> Eye 2015 / Express News Service / New Delhi – May 31st, 2015
1) Mysore style portrait painting of Srikanta Datta Narasimharaja Wadiyar seated on the Golden Throne based on the 2013 Khas Darbar. Artist: K.S. Shreehari, 2014. Size: 41×51 cms. Collection: Ramsons Kala Pratishtana, Mysore. 2) Portrait painting of Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar seated on the silver Bhadrasana. Artist: Manish Verma, 2015. Size: 37×51 cms. Gouache on paper. Collection: RKP, Mysore.
by R.G. Singh, Secretary, Ramsons Kala Pratishtana, Mysore
Peacock pavilion of the Mysore Palace is where the coronation of the new Scion of the Mysore Royal family is scheduled to be held tomorrow. In the hall adjacent to this pavilion is the portrait gallery that has on its walls the official portraits of several Wadiyar rulers along with their family members. It is here that one begins to realise the importance that a royal portrait played in private and public life of the nobility.
Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar IV
But it was also special events that were to be immortalised on canvas or photographed or painted. The Daly Memorial Hall of the Mythic Society in Bengaluru greets the visitor with a portrait officially commissioned of Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar IV on the him being conferred the honour of Knight Grand Commander Star of India on January 1, 1907.
The oil on canvas portrait shows the king partly in profile. The Honour is pinned to a sash. The bejewelled necklace covering the neck of sherwani only adds to the richness of the attire. The fluted and feathered plume with a jewelled brooch holding it in place to the turban also adds to the portrait’s grandeur.
11-year-old Krishnaraja Wadiyar IV
Royal portraits have hidden sutras embedded in them that takes the viewer back in time. The Official Coronation portrait of the 11-year-old Krishnaraja Wadiyar IV is one such portrait.
This is a stylised photographic portrait and has several artfully placed emblems; the jacquard seat of the chair, the three-legged table with a curved triangular holder, a clock and some leather covered folders. The young prince is shown resting one hand on them while the other is on his hip. A Beagle stands motionless under the table.
Photographer Buranuddin of Mysore has used all possible elements that signify royalty in composing this photograph.
Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar
The autographed official photograph of Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar to mark the Silver Jubilee of his coronation in 1927 shows the then King dressed sombrely resting one hand on the back of a chair. The single-row bejewelled necklace and the chain and fob in the upper coat pocket add a touch of elegance. Even the Mysore peta is unembellished. The photograph was printed in Germany on water-marked archival paper.
Chamaraja Wadiyar
Another painting at the Jaganmohan Palace is the coronation scene of Maharaja Chamaraja Wadiyar. The painting was created by the artist Venkata Subbu in 1868.
There is an official portrait of Chamaraja Wadiyar on being conferred with the Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Star of India in 1892. The above photograph reproduced here was ‘clicked’ by the famous Raja Deen Dayal of Hyderabad.
While the English royalty painters used pastoral themes their Indian counterparts used the very ‘Indianness’ of such public events of those days to display their virtuosity.
For instance, the 1927 Silver Jubilee of Nalwadi’s coronation has been commemorated with a beautiful portrait done by artist Keshavaiah; this masterpiece is on display at the Banquet Hall of the Vidhana Soudha. Interestingly, the advent of photography did not deal a death knell to the art of portrait paintings. Instead it led to another innovation – the painted photograph.
Jayachamaraja Wadiyar
By the time Jayachamaraja Wadiyar ascended the throne, both photography and painted photographs were very much in vogue. But such was the ingenuity of the Indian photographers that their photographs of the Royalty was a marriage of these several stylisations. Thus you have photographs of Jayachamaraja Wadiyar shown in what was supposed to be a candid form. At various times you had special photographs of Jayachamaraja Wadiyar ‘clicked’ by the then well-known City Studios like Star Studio, Palace Studio and Raj Studio. The variation was of course the painted photograph of Jayachamaraja Wadiyar by M.N. Murthy.
The photograph taken by the unknown photographer of Palace Studios of Jayachamaraja Wadiyar in 1940 to commemorate the king’s coronation has been replicated as a painted photograph by artist M.N. Murthy and is now in the RKP collection. But at no stage did photographs or painted photographs replace the portrait painter.
The tradition of painting historical events continues to this day. The last scion of the Royal House of Mysore, the late Srikanta Datta Narasimharaja Wadiyar along with his sisters and their husbands have been painted as several individual portraits by M. Ramanarsayya, the former Superintendent of Jaganmohan Palace.
Keeping the art of Painted Portraits alive
Ramsons Kala Pratishtana, in its efforts to keep alive the art of painted portraits, first commissioned artist K.S. Shreehari in 2014 to paint a classical portrait of Srikanta Datta Narasimharaja Wadiyar in the Mysore style (see pic. top right) based on photographs of 2013 Navaratri Khas Darbar.
This was followed by commissioning artist Manish Verma to recreate a Mysore style painting using a photograph of the Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar. This classic Mysore style portraiture shows the young scion accoutred in his royal vestments and Mysore peta adorning his head while his posture follows the classic from that can be seen in many of the older Wadiyar portraits. He is seated on the silver Bhadrasana which suggests that he has just been invested with the (symbolic) royal authority of Mysore Kingdom.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> General News / Wednesday – June 02nd, 2015
The observance of the death anniversary of Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal still fascinates people
The 360th Urs or death anniversary of Shah Jahan was observed at the Taj Mahal last week, but there were ripples of it in Delhi too with a busload of people reaching there to pay homage to the Emperor. Mohammad Saquib of Suiwalan was one of them. He has been attending the Urs for years as one of his ancestors was among the artisans who worked on the inlay work at the mausoleum, or so he claims. Another interested visitor was Shahnawaz Khan of Basti Nizamuddin who went for the first time to offer fateha in observance of a vow. Earlier Khan Abdul Haye Khan was a regular Delhiwallah who never missed the Urs. Abdul Haye was a Pathan who was very fond of fishing. One remembers that in 1966 during the monsoon he sat down on the rear side of Etmad-ud-Daulah to fish in the Yamuna, which was in flood and whose waters were beating against the mausoleum where rests the father of Nur Jahan and grandfather of Mumtaz Mahal. A rohu caught by Abdul Haye was so big that it sufficed for dinner for the whole family when cooked in Matia Mahal.
Shah Jahan like the unlucky Mohammad bin Tughlak was fond of Yamuna fish and so also presumably Mumtaz Mahal, but he did not drink wine till the age of 23 when he was persuaded by his father, Jahangir to do so. He however, never drank after the death of Mumtaz at Burhanpur on 16th June 1631. Accordingto Dr Ishwari Prasad, Shah Jahan died in January 1666 aged 74. Why his Urs was celebrated in mid-May is not understandable unless the date is fixed according to its proximity to Mumtaz Mahal’s death or some lunar calculation or as per the convenience of the khadims (caretakers). One remembers attending an Urs in 1958 when among those who prayed for the Emperor’s soul was Nawabzada Farouqur Rehman Khan of Datoli. Earlier the Nawab of Chhatarhi, Chief Scout of India and Freemason Grandmaster, had offered his obeisance. The first Urs of Shah Jahan, a year after his death, was presided over by Prince Muezzim, eldest son of Aurangzeb, who came from Delhi partly on horseback and partly in a horse-driven carriage, past Akbar’s Tomb at Sikandra, where he dismounted to offer fateha at the grave of his great-great grandfather. Aurangzeb came a month later. The same thing happened at the first Urs of Mumtaz Mahal at the Taj after Shah Jahan’s death.
A special feature of the Urs of Shah Jahan, which was later merged with the Urs of Mumtaz Mahal, is the laying of a gigantic multi-coloured Hindustani Chadar at the grave. This was offered on Friday May 17, with the Urs continuing on the subsequent Saturday and Sunday. Entry to the Taj was free from the afternoon of Friday (which is usually a closed day for visitors). The shehnai was played, along with the naqarra drum, at the top of the main entrance to the monument and on the following days the big kettle drums were beaten to mark the occasion, as in Mughal times when Shah Jahan is believed to have once remarked to Mumtaz: “Naqqare tumhari amadh ka ailan karenge aur tum Manno Malika kehlaugi” (The drums will announce your arrival and you dear will be called Emperess). Not much information is available of the first Urs of Shah Jahan but the one for Mumtaz Mahal is recorded, as follows, by father in his 1977 memoirs: “The celebrations traditionally begin with the washing of the tombs of the Emperor and his wife with rose water and the lighting of ‘agarbattis’. Prayers are offered with and flowers and cloth ‘chadars’ — one of them on behalf of the Department of Archaeology — are placed on the graves.
Occasionally a visitor whose prayers have been heard sends a ‘chadar’ as a token of thanksgiving. Atop the gate facing the mausoleum sit shehnai players and as evening advances, qawwalis in praise of the dead couple attract a big audience from neighbouring Tajganj, where reside the descendants of the builders of the monument. In keeping with tradition, food is distributed to the poor. The entire cost of the Urs is borne by the khadims from offerings made at the tombs. The first Urs of Mumtaz Mahal was performed by Shah Jahan himself in 1631. The Emperor wore a white dress and the nobles were in mourning habit. A covering with strings of pearls worth several lakhs of rupees was spread over the tomb. Prayers were offered for the soul of the queen and fateha was performed. Asif Khan, father of Mumtaz Mahal, was assigned a prominent place at the ceremony. A lakh of rupees was sanctioned for the ceremony, Rs 50,000 of it was given in alms to the poor.”
This time the Urs followed the recent earthquake which did not have any significant effect on the monument, except Sahilion-ki-Burj. Believe it or not, Mufti Ehsan Sahib of Mehrauli thinks Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal always protect those who come to offer homage to them.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Features> MetroPlus> Society> Down Memory Lane / by R.V. Smith / May 24th, 2015
One-of-its-kind silver ‘zarih’ is being made in Lucknow to commemorate the ‘wiladat’ (birth anniversary) of Bibi Sakina, great grand daughter of Prophet Muhammad and daughter of Imam Hussain, the martyr of Karbala, celebrated on 19 Rajab, falling this year on May 9. Zarih is lattice work, often gilded, that encloses an Islamic tomb. Handcrafted by 10 skilled artisans for past six months, it is replica of the original zarih in Syria.
The estimated cost of the lattice made of 25kg pure silver is Rs 15 lakh, an amount collected from donation at Hazrat Abbas dargah. It is 3 feet wide, 4.5 long and 3.5 feet high and has Quran verses and story of Bibi Sakina’s pilgrimage carved on it in Arabic.
Once construction work is complete the existing zarih made of plain iron will be replaced with the silver one to enclose the holy shrine of Bibi Sakina situated on the premises of Dargah Hazrat Abbas in Rustam Nagar.
One of the most revered shrines in Lucknow built in 1819 this Dargah is perhaps the oldest shrine of the Shia Muslims in the city, popular among non-Muslims too.
Speaking to TOI, member Hazrat Abbas Dargah committee Arif Hasan said, “Donation was received from members of all communities.”
Artisan Nisar Hussain said, “Though original zarih in Syria is placed on a stone we will be installing the zari on a wooden platform.”
Plan is to make a 100gram gold crown embellished with multicolored semi-precious stones to be placed next to the zarih.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Lucknow / by Uzma Talha, TNN / May 01st, 2015
