Monthly Archives: May 2014

Conserving heritage

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Historical Links, Pre-Independence

Scores of villagers visit the Buddhist sites of Bojjannakonda and Lingalametta on Kanuma day

Tourist attraction Bojjannakonda site / PHOTO: k. R. DEEPAK/ The Hindu
Tourist attraction Bojjannakonda site / PHOTO: k. R. DEEPAK/ The Hindu

Surrounded by lush green fields, the twin hills of Bojjannakonda and Lingalametta are the remains of a monastery that date back to the third century BC. But that is not the only significance of these sites.

The hills are also a crucial link to an era when Buddhism flourished in this part of the country. The site was discovered and excavated by a British civil servant, Alexander Rea, in the year 1909.

Situated at a distance of 40 kilometres from the city, the stones and structures of Bojjannakonda scream to tell a story that lies hidden within it. Bojjannakonda was a place of worship for the monks.

The monastery is located on top of the site and surrounding it are the places where the monks lived. A gold coin belonging to the Samudra Gupta period, copper coins of the Chalukya king Kubja Vishnu Vardhan, coins of Andhra Satavahanas and pottery were discovered at the site.

An interesting feature of the hill is that it has seen all the three forms of Buddhism – the original Theravada, where in Lord Buddha was looked upon as a teacher; Mahayana, where Buddha was treated as a supra natural figure; and finally Vajrayana, where tantrism and a pantheon of gods entered the Buddhist ritual. Buddhism also seems to have seamlessly merged into Hinduism, for there is the image of Ganesha in one of the caves of the hill.

While in Lingalametta, every inch of the site is studded with votive stupas (structures that worshipers would donate and construct after their wishes were fulfilled).

For several years now, a strange ritual takes place on the day of Kanuma, observed on the third day of Sankranti. Lakhs of villagers visit these Buddhist sites on this day as an age-old practice. “While this custom has been observed for many years, today it has taken the form of a picnic and outing in the name tradition and vandalise these structures,” says former covernor of INTACH-Vizag Rani Sarma.

INTACH has been striving to create awareness about this issue from the past couple of years and sought help of the government officials. With the support of the District Collector,

NSS volunteers from different institutions have been instructed to monitor the situation this year and prevent any damage to the heritage structures.

Interestingly, after offering prayers at Bojjannakonda, the villagers proceed to Lingalametta and throw stones on the hill, a practice done to “driving the devil” from the hill. “The damage done to these sites over these years is enormous. At Lingalametta, the votive stupas are all broken,” she says.

NIVEDITA GANGULY

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Features> Metro Plus / by Nivedita Ganguly / january 11th, 2014

Bhainsa girl gets UGC scholarship

Education, Records, All

BhaisnaGirlHF14may2014

Kadam Manoranjana, a MSc Botany student of Satavahana University, Karimnagar, has bagged the UGC sponsored prestigious Indira Gandhi National Scholarship for Women at Post Graduate level.

She belongs to Hasgul village in Bhainsa mandal of Adilabad district and was congratulated by University Registrar B. Bhadraiah, University Science college principal Dr. V. Namratha, Head of Department Dr. N. Venu Madhav and Faculty member Dr. E.N. Murthy.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> National> Andhra Pradesh / by Special Correspondent / Adilabad – May 04th, 2014

With a score of 355 out of 360, Andhra student tops JEE

Education, Records, All

Hyderabad :

Andhra Pradesh again bagged the top position in the country in the JEE (Main) exam, with Pramod Vakacharla scoring 355 of a total 360. Last year too, 16-year-old M Viswa Virinchi, a resident of Kukatpally in city, secured the first rank with 345 marks.

In second position this year were Mohammad Akram Khan, also from Andhra Pradesh and Krishlay Raj from Jharkhand at 350. While Vakacharla hails from Sullurapeta in Nellore district, Khan’s family is from Adilabad district but now lives in Kothagudem. Incidentally, both are classmates at Narayana Sri Chaitanya IIT Academy, Vijayawada, and bagged nearly the same score in their Intermediate exams. Both want to enroll in the computer science engineering course in IIT-Bombay.

“I was confident of a good score but was pleasantly surprised to hear I that I had bagged the top spot. I would like to pursue computer science engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology in Mumbai,” said 17-year-old Pramod.

K Vinod Reddy studying at Hanmakonda secured 3rd position along with some others scoring 345.

While most top scorers were boys, girls too made their presence felt. “I had to put in about eight hours of study to score well. I’d love to study computer science at one of the IITs and then work for Isro,” said Manisha Bandi who hails from Pulivendula in Kadapa district.

The cut-off for the entrance test to the Indian Institutes of Technology is a tad higher this year, at 115 for general category candidates compared to 113 last year. For OBC candidates, it stands at 74, compared to 70 in 2013, at 53 for scheduled caste students and 47 for scheduled tribe candidates. A total of 13.57 lakh students registered for JEE (Main) this year across the country.

Students qualified in JEE (Main) are eligible for admissions to NITs, IIITs and other private institutions besides being eligible to sit for the JEE Advanced examination scheduled for May 25 for admission to IITs.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> Education> Entrance Exams / by Hemali Chhapia Shah, TNN / May 04th, 2014

Of passion and pure thrill of flying high

About Seemandhra / Andhra Pradesh, Historical Links, Pre-Independence, Records, All, Science & Technology

Hyderabad :

The Air Force Station at Begumpet was one of six heritages of the city to be acknowledged with an award by the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (Intach) on the occasion of World Heritage Day 2014. The event brought into focus little known facts about Hyderabad’s history, including the city’s pioneering efforts in the field of aviation which commenced in 1911 when a Belgian aviator, Baron de Caters, along with his assistant Jules Tyck, arrived with a fleet of planes to give demonstration at the Secunderabad Parade Ground.

The three-day affair received wide publicity and drew large crowds of onlookers including quite a few women. A newspaper report preceding the event announced that “a popular society lady will be taken up by the Baron on the first day”. Unfortunately the identity of this enigmatic passenger remains unknown and it is believed that it must have been a member of the European community then living in the cantonment.

The first direct association of Hyderabad with aviation was established a few years later when during World War I, a British pilot challenged the enemy while flying an aircraft bearing the name of ‘Hyderabad’ over the skies of Germany in 1917. In recognition of contributions to the Imperial war effort, the names of native states had been inscribed on the aircraft of ‘Gift Squadrons’ raised and maintained with funds donated by the Indian rulers. Subsequently, the British formed two more Hyderabad Squadrons during World War II with public contributions raised at Hyderabad, and the Spitfires and Hurricanes of these units had the legend “Presented by His Exalted Highness, the Nizam of Hyderabad” emblazoned on their fuselage. Among the three Hyderabad Squadrons of the Royal Air Force, the 152nd had the Nizam’s crown, the distinctive ‘dastar’, displayed prominently on its insignia.

The credit of introducing Hyderabad to flying as a hobby goes to two adventurous youngsters, Babar Mirza and Pingle Madhusudhan Reddy, who developed a keen interest in flying while pursuing their studies in England. While Reddy managed to keep his passion for flying in check long enough to obtain a degree in mechanical engineering from Leeds, Mirza concentrated more on developing an expertise in handling aircraft. Reckless by nature, he purchased a Simmonds Spartan and set out from Croydon in late 1932 with the sole obsession of reaching Hyderabad within the shortest possible time despite his father having explicitly banned him from undertaking such a “perilous and foolish adventure”. Without giving a second thought to the logistics involved in undertaking such an arduous journey and despite refusal of permission to transit Turkey, Mirza successfully bluffed his way out of tricky situations including some perilous moments at Konya where he inadvertently landed on a military parade ground and was promptly marched off at gunpoint! Unable to take the punishment of the “Air Mad” Hyderabadi anymore, the plane’s engine gave way over the Iraqi desert. Rescued by Bedouins, he was packed off to India along with the wreckage of his aircraft.

Within a year of the mishap, Babar Mirza had somehow convinced his father Manzoor Jung to support his plans of establishing an Aero Club at Hyderabad. Laying out a landing strip on the polo ground of the family estate at Habsiguda, he flew in the now restored Spartan from Karachi and applied to the Nizam’s government for permission to start a private Flying Club and ordered another aircraft from London. Meanwhile Reddy, having purchased an Avro Avian in England in 1933, flew it to Hyderabad and touched down at Habsiguda to join the Deccan Aero Club. Official permission still pending, Babar Mirza took it upon himself to garner support and went about it in a unique way. Inviting the then Prime Minister of Hyderabad Maharaja Kishen Pershad and other elite to Habsiguda for an evening of flight demonstrations, he put on a show that they would never forget. After his colleagues had shown their skills in performing ‘loops’ and ‘rolls’, Mirza swooped down low over the heads of the visiting dignitaries creating ‘quite a sensation’! The dare seems to have had little effect on the administration as it was another three years before the Hyderabad State Aero Club was formally inaugurated in 1936. Mirza’s antics though, seem to have set a precedent for disgruntled aviators. Old-timers of the city narrate the exploits of another pioneer, a scion of the Bilgrami family who, jilted by his beloved because of a stubborn refusal to give up his ‘dangerous’ passion for flying, made repeated low passes over her wedding venue; blowing away the shamiana, scattering the guests and turning a lavish spread inedible with a coating of dust!

(This is the first of a two-part series on Hyderabad’s aviation. The writer is a heritage activist)

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Hyderabad / by Sajjad Shahid, TNN / April 27th, 2014

____________________________________________________________________________________

 

PM Reddy: An aviator and engineer par excellence

The founding of the Hyderabad State Aero Club ushered in an era of relative decorum and the unchecked exploits of buccaneering aviation pioneers of the city were finally tamed to a large extent. Over succeeding years Babar Mirza and P M Reddy, matured into serious aviators who took on the task of ensuring that aviation in the Deccan kept pace with international trends. Their enthusiasm for flying inspired others to take up the hobby and also hastened the plans of the Nizam’s government to establish an airline. Aban Pestonji Chenoy, the teenaged daughter of the Nizam’s Mint Master, became the first woman member of the Hyderabad State Aero Club to qualify for an aviator’s license in 1938, a year in which 55 of the club’s 70 members were Indians.

The club’s operations were suspended during World War II and its pilots, aircraft and facilities were commandeered for use by a training squadron. The association of Begumpet with the Air Force has continued ever since. The acute need for pilots during the war resulted in the establishment of a center of the Indian Air Training Corps on the Osmania University campus in 1945. Trained by Hyderabad’s own pilots along with British officers, cadets of the very first batch passing out from the Osmania University made such a strong impression on the recruiting board that a majority of them were recommended for a commission in the Air Force.

Princess Durru Shehwar laid the foundation stone for the passenger terminal at Begumpet in 1936 as part of the Nizam’s Silver Jubilee celebrations and Deccan Airways Limited was incorporated in 1945, becoming the first airline to be promoted by a native State. A joint venture of Hyderabad State and Tata Airlines, Deccan Airways had a fleet of a dozen Douglas DC-3 ‘Dakota’ aircraft when Hyderabad was absorbed into the Indian Union in 1948.

It was with Pingle Madhusudhan Reddy’s encouragement that the last Nizam, Mir Osman Ali Khan, first boarded an aircraft for a sortie over the city intended to check out his reactions to flying. Initially thrilled at being able to view from the skies, the Nizam is said to have later issued orders prohibiting any aircraft from flying over his palace. On one of his later flights in a twin engine aircraft, he enquired from PM as to what would happen if an engine conked off during flight. “Not a problem Your Exalted Highness”, PM replied, “We can safely carry on with the remaining engine”.

Years later when boarding a flight for Delhi, he pointed to the four engines of the Super Constellation and exclaimed; “Now that is what I call a safe aero-plane!”

By 1947 Deccan Airways had a fleet of sturdy Douglas DC-3 ‘Dakota’ aircraft which connected Hyderabad with key cities through regular services. Apart from scheduled flights, the airline also took on charters and diplomatic sorties on behalf of the Nizam and his government. The airline continued to serve the ruler of Hyderabad in his capacity as the Rajparmukh subsequent to merger and one of the tasks personally supervised by PM was to ensure a daily supply of fresh water for the Nizam during his sojourns away from Hyderabad. Drawn from a protected source which had supplied his ancestors, the waters of the Bam Rukn-ud Dowlah, a spring near the Mir Alam Tank, were shipped under guard in special sealed containers for the Nizam and his family.

Pingle Madhusudhan Reddy saw the airline through its most difficult phases of existence including a ban imposed by the Indian government just prior to the Police Action and later when Deccan Airways along with all other private airlines of the country, was nationalized in 1953 becoming part of the Indian Airlines Corporation. Having been appointed the first Operations Manager of Deccan Airways in 1945, he rose to become its General Manager and later Managing Director. Under his dynamic leadership Deccan Airways gained the reputation of being one of the best and the most efficient airlines in the country. Despite being named Regional Director of Indian Airlines, PM resigned and opted to revert to Hyderabad State service in 1954 and was put in charge of the Industrial Trust Fund and its operations; Praga Tools and Hyderabad Asbestos which was eventually handed over to the Birlas. At the request of the defense ministry, PM was released from state service and took charge of HAL Bangalore in 1957 to set up the jet engine factory from where he retired in 1967. After a long and eventful life PM passed away in Hyderabad in 1986.

(This is the second and concluding part of the column on pioneers of aviation in Hyderabad. The writer is a well known heritage activist)

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Hyderabad / by Sajjad Shahid, TNN / May 04th, 2014

T-movement 60 Years Old. Hence, the Division: Sonia

About Seemandhra / Andhra Pradesh, Historical Links, Pre-Independence

Unlike the TDP and the YSRC, the AICC chief Sonia Gandhi has not indulged in blame game for bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh while addressing her maiden public meeting in Seemandhra post-division on Friday. Moreover, she has humbly tried to take the responsibility for the Centre’s decision.

In her rally held at the Andhra Muslim College here, the AICC supremo tried to defend her decision to bifurcate Andhra  Pradesh, saying, “You all know the fact that Telangana movement was 60 years old. That is why we took this difficult decision after a lot of brainstorming.”

Hitting out at the opposition for picking holes in the decision on Telangana, the UPA chairperson said the Congress decided to divide AP only after all other political parties, except the CPM, had demanded the same.

Though her speech was not inspiring and she failed to make any new promise to the Seemandhra people  on reconstruction of their new state, she made all-out attempts to placate them, saying, “For the first time in the history of the country we have tried to safeguard the interests of the people of a residuary state (Seemandhra) during reorganisation. We have accorded special status to Semandhra for its over-all development.”

Sonia said she had concern for Seemandhra development and assured that she would take care of its people. “I am aware of your feelings and concerns due to bifurcation. But Telangana was a long-pending promise and it had to be fulfilled.”

She also listed out the central government educational institutions and a railway zone that were promised to Seemandhra besides helping the new state develop its cities like Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada, Tirupati, Kurnool, Nellore, Kakinada and Rajahmundry compete with Hyderabad.

Local Congress leaders mobilised a fairly good number of Muslims and Kapus for the meeting which was organised in the Muslim-dominated Guntur-1 town.

Seeing a good number of Muslims in the crowd, the UPA chairperson tried to win them over by using the social justice card.

“The Congress is the only party committed to the cause of social justice as it believes that the keys of political power must be with the weaker sections of society like SCs, tribals, BCs, minorities and women who have been, for long, deprived and neglected.”

Later, she assured Kapus and Balijas of inclusion among BCs if the Congress retained power. Her promise was cheered by  Union minister K Chiranjeevi and former minister Kanna Lakshminarayana, who were on the dais, and by the crowd as well.

Turning her attack on the TDP-BJP combine, Sonia said, “TDP and BJP are the two sides of the same coin. Both are old friends. The TDP had not left the BJP even at the time of horrific happenings in Godhra in 2002. Many parties walked away from the NDA but not the TDP. A vote for the TDP-BJP combine will be a vote for communal forces. A vote for the Congress will be for a new and resurgent Seemandhra and for a secular government,” she said.

Sonia Gandhi claimed that the Congress was the only party that always stood for secular values and principles and never compromised with communal forces. “It is these very values and principles that kept our country together and for these values and principles Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi became martyrs.”

Not giving any concession to the YSRC, Sonia fired a broadside at the fledgling party, saying, “YSRC is exploiting the name of the late chief minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy who was a valued and loyal member of our party. The Congress had given him an opportunity to serve the people and he worked hard and implemented the policies of the party. People who exploit his name choose to ignore the fact that YSR had dedicated his entire career to the Congress.”

Union ministers Chiranjeevi, Kanna Lakshminarayana, JD Seelam and Panabaka Lakshmi, and APCC chief N Raghuveera Reddy were present.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Andhra Pradesh / by J R Prasad – Guntur / May 03rd, 2014

Man with the Midas touch

Business & Economy, Inspiration /Positive News and Features, Leaders, Science & Technology
M. Rajaiah
M. Rajaiah

Mallineni Rajaiah , who came to Vijayawada with a good luck charm his mother gave him, is now the chairman and MD of Vijay Agro Products Pvt. Ltd. and Taj Gateway Hotel with an annual turnover of Rs. 200 crore

Leaving behind his village Amanacharla in Nellore district, he came to the ‘City of Victory’ in 1968 as an ordinary employee of a private solvent extraction company.

All he had was a Rs.2-coin clasped tightly in his fist, a good luck charm his mother gave him while seeing him off, an abundance of hope and of course, a steely grit to make it big in life.

Meet Mallineni Rajaiah, a prominent industrialist who is credited with placing Vijayawada a notch higher by bringing into the city the landmark Taj Group of hotels –Hotel Taj Gateway. Today, the businesses he is involved in fetch him an annual turnover of Rs. 200 crore. Mr. Rajaiah is the Chairman and Managing Director of Vijay Agro Products Pvt. Ltd. at Enikepadu and Taj Gateway Hotel.

In 1973, he set up his own enterprise. “I burnt my fingers but it did not deter me from making a fresh attempt two years later”.

In 1980, he started a solvent extraction unit and after three years, he launched the agro company. He then gradually diversified his business into pisciculture, cold storage and hospitality sector.

In 2007, the much-awaited Gateway Hotel came into operation. “I bought a site in the heart of the city and wanted to build a landmark structure here. Many friends and well-wishers warned me. But I followed my gut instinct and went ahead and here we are,” he says, letting out a winning smile.

“We are far ahead of others. This is only the beginning,” he says dropping broad hints that he has many more major projects up his sleeve.

Known for being vocal about perennial apathy of the successive governments towards Seemandhra region, Mr. Rajaiah says he is not against the State division. “I resent the manner in which we have been thrown out like an abandoned child. There are several unanswered questions causing a great deal of unrest among people in this region,” he says.

It is a misconception that there is no land available in Krishna district, he argues, informing that there are more than 27,000 acres of forest, temple and government land in East Krishna which can be put to good use.

Mr. Rajaiah foresees a bright future. “We are efficient, hard-working and good entrepreneurs. There is no dearth of aptitude but we need to bring back our youth who are away for want of good jobs,” he says.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Vijayawada / by P. Sujatha Varma / May 11th, 2014

Hard work key to his success

Education, Records, All

 

V. Surendra / Handout / The Hindu
V. Surendra / Handout / The Hindu

Where there is a will, there is a way, goes the saying and a poor student has proved it true with his hard work and determination. He secured 455/470 marks in the Intermediate first year.

Meet, V. Surendra of Vizianagaram who doubles up as a paper boy, distributing newspapers, to supplement his family income. His father, Gouri Shankar, is a daily wage labourer and his mother a homemaker. His sister Supriya is studying in class VII.

A student of RK Junior College in Vizianagaram, he aims to get a good rank and secure a seat in mechanical engineering. His routine: “I wake up at 4 a.m. every day and distribute newspapers for one-and-a-half hours. I return home and study till 7 a.m. I reach my college by 8 a.m. and return home by 7 p.m. and study till 10 p.m.”

“During examinations I used to sleep for not more than five hours a day. During the examinations I had a substitute to deliver the newspapers,” he says.

“A couple of months ago, I lost my bicycle when my father took it to the bus complex area and on return, he found it missing. I had to go to college on an autorickshaw and I borrowed my uncle’s bicycle for distribution of newspapers,” he says.

In recognition of his merit, The Hindu rewarded him with a bicycle and a college bag, and felicitated him in the presence of other delivery boys at a simple function in Vizianagaram. Newspaper agents and delivery boys applauded this gesture of The Hindu.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Visakhapatnam / by Special Correspondent / Visakhapatnam – May 02nd, 2014

Hassle-free temple fest for devotees this year

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Historical Links, Pre-Independence

VISAKHAPATNAM:

Call it divine intervention if you will, but the sudden thunderstorm and rains on Thursday coupled with the absence of political VIPs thanks to election fever and early attendance by members of the Vizianagaram royal family enabled the ordinary devotees to have an unhindered and early darshan of the original form of the presiding deity of Simhachalam temple, Lord Sri Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy, on Friday on the occasion of the annual Chandanotsavam festival.

Usually during Chandanotsavam, devotees are allowed a glimpse of the real form of the Lord only after suffering through long hours waiting and jostling in serpentine queues only after 5.30 am because of visits by high-powered VVIPs like government officials and netas.

But this time if the rains resulted in a lower turnout of devotees at just around 1 lakh, the elections put paid the plans of politicians to hog the limelight at the temple and Poosapati Anand Gajapathi Raju of the Vizianagaram royal family, who is supposed to first see the real form of the idol, turned up much earlier than anticipated. Every year, the Vizianagaram royal family visits the temple at around 4 am to 4.30 am, but this time they came with sandalwood and silk clothes at 2.45 am.

This left the aam janta heaving a sigh of relief as they could have a better and more peaceful darshan. “I am happy that this year I got a chance to have a Nijaroopa Darshan of the Lord at around 4.30 am on Friday instead of later in the day. Usually each year there is a heavy VIP devotee rush and the royal family too arrives late,” said M Appa Rao, an LIC agent working in Srikakulam town.

Appa Rao, an ardent devotee of Lord Narasimha, has been attending the festival for the last 12 years and arrived in the city on Thursday evening from Srikakulam town to stand in the general queue outside the hilltop temple. But this time he was able to finish his darshan by 7 am.

Simhachalam temple executive officer K Ramachandra Mohan said: “This year the turnout was lower than previous years because of the elections. Moreover this time we didn’t issue any free VIP passes either because there was hardly any demand for them. Besides last year there were some issues pertaining to VIP passes, due to which we decided not to issue any.”

Some devotees, including K Mahalakshmi, from Tuni, were not too happy with the arrangements. “Though the number of devotees were be less as compared with last year, the authorities have failed in making proper arrangements, especially when it comes to providing drinking water and shelter. Because of the rains and heavy gales, many makeshift shelters were damaged and no alternative arrangements were made ,” Mahalakshmi added.

It may be mentioned that Chandanotsavam is celebrated each year on Vaisakha Suddhatadiya when devotees get to see the real form of the presiding deity, which is otherwise covered by a thick coat of sandalwood paste during the rest of the year. The ceremony began in the wee hours of Friday with the removal of sandalwood paste. After that, the members of the Vizianagaram family led by Ananda Gajapathi Raju entered the temple with silk clothes and sandalwood paste. After giving a chance to the devotees to see the original form, the authorities restarted applying the paste from Friday night.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Visakhapatnam / TNN / May 03rd, 2014

Salome Roy Kapoor visits Hyderabad to make it a fashion hub

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy
Miss India (1972) and mother-in-law of actress Vidya Balan, Salome Roy Kapoor. (Photo: PTI/File)
Miss India (1972) and mother-in-law of actress Vidya Balan, Salome Roy Kapoor. (Photo: PTI/File)

Hyderabad: 

Thursday evening saw a gathering of people who one would assume were strangers; but in real life they have known each other for as long as they can remember.

Miss India (1972) and mother-in-law of actress Vidya Balan, Salome Roy Kapoor, designer James Ferreira, make-up artist Cory Walia, jewellery designer Suhani Pittie, fashion designer Shravan Naresh, Shilpa Reddy and others were present at the launch of the Deccan Institute of Design (DID), which they will be part of when it starts operations.

“I last came to Hyderabad many, many years back. I used to be a model and we had come to the city for a show,” says Salome, who dances, choreographs, directs plays, fashion shows and also conducts grooming classes. Her role as a visiting professor would be to conduct grooming sessions, which include deportment, etiquette, table manners, body language etc.

Salome’s sons — Siddharth, Kunaal and Aditya — are all connected with Bollywood and talking about the latest addition to her family from the industry, Vidya Balan, she says, “Vidya is down-to-earth and a lovely daughter-in-law. There have been times when people have tried to get in touch with Vidya through me regarding some event or something else, but I have never encouraged that. She has a busy schedule and I can’t interfere.”

Salome has known the “talented James” (Ferreira) for over 40 years, having also been the one to give him his first break. “It was right after college and I was very nervous, but she saw my work and pretty much gave me my first job,” says James, who is also the creative head of the institute.

DID is an institute by Mohd. Azhar Mujahid and Ayesha Azara Mujahid of the Lakhotia Institute of Fashion Design. Talking about the institute, James says, “Our (institute’s) aim is to make Hyderabad the fashion capital of South India. Not only is Hyderabad the most happening place down South, but it also has the most number of affluent people. We are going to take people back to the roots.

There are 108 ways of wearing a sari, 45 ways of wearing a turban and 60 styles for wearing a dhoti; but in this fast-food age, we have not given our Indian traditions much importance and we hope to change that.”

source: http://www.deccanchronicle.com / Deccan Chronicle / Home> Nation> Current Affairs / by ADC / May 03rd, 2014

Celebration time for Sindhis

Arts, Culture & Entertainment
Sindhis having fun at Sindhu Bhavan on the occasion of Cheti-I-Chand in Visakhapatnam on Tuesday. / PHOTO: C.V. SUBRAHMANYAM / The Hindu
Sindhis having fun at Sindhu Bhavan on the occasion of Cheti-I-Chand in Visakhapatnam on Tuesday. / PHOTO: C.V. SUBRAHMANYAM / The Hindu

Special events mark the auspicious occasion of ‘Chet-I-Chand’. Women of the community were seen offering Jhulelal’s favourite preparation ‘bharano’ (made of wheat flour, water, ghee and sugar).

The mood was buoyant at the venue as scores of Sindhis came together in colourful attires to mark ‘Chet-I-Chand’, the combined celebrations of the community — New Year and birth anniversary of the elixir of life Lord Varun Deva, also known as ‘Jhulelal’.

For Sindhis, the second day of the ‘Chaitra’ month is celebrated as Chet-I-Chand, which is considered to be the most auspicious day where people meet, greet and make merry. On Tuesday, special ‘abhishekam’, ‘puja’, ‘aarti’, ‘bhajans’, group dance, skits, devotional hymns and community feast marked the celebrations.

Favourite dish

Women of the community were seen offering Jhulelal’s favourite preparation ‘bharano’ (made of wheat flour, water, ghee and sugar). These were topped with ‘misri’ (crystal sugar), which were later immersed in the sea followed by a procession on the Beach Road. A lot of significance is attached to the custom. “It is believed that all our wishes will be fulfilled on this auspicious day. Today, ‘bharano’ is considered as Jhulelal. We offer prayers to Lord of Ocean with oil lamp and flowers,” says Tanya Idnani, a Sindhi.

Sindhis, who have made the City of Destiny as their home, visited Sindhi Bhavan to offer prayers. They involved themselves in the day-long cultural programmes that included foot-tapping ‘dandiya’.

Men and women said that they had been celebrating Chet-I-Chand in the city for the past 50 years. “There is so much of fun involved in meeting your dear ones. This is the occasion which I will never miss despite my packed schedule. This year, I am all the more excited because I am dancing with my friends,” says Kanchan Sudhani, a software professional.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Visakhapatnam / by Staff Reporter / Visakhapatnam – April 01st, 2014