Puja's fervour

Benoy K Behl’s documentary Triumph of Knowledge: Durga Puja in Kolkata, focused on the minute details of Durga Puja, reports Rakesh Kumar

Talk about festivals of India and Durga Puja of West Bengal may well top the list. During 10 days the whole city of Kolkata wears a festive look and it is very hard to overlook the citizens’ fervour. Moreover, the last four days, marked as a holiday in the state, brings everything other than Puja celebrations to a complete halt. This imagery is what the eye of artist Benoy K Behl has captured in his documentary titled Triumph of Knowledge: Durga Puja in Kolkata. 
 The 25-minute documentary of Benoy K Behl featured the craziness of the people for the Puja ~ how they are fully and deeply immersed in the adulation of Durga, as well as the social events, which are held alongside the celebrations. And how in Kolkata alone, more than 2,000 pandals, or platforms on which the image of Durga is placed, are set up. "It is a great festival, where each night hundreds of thousands of people go from one pandal to another. Friends and family come together for the occasion. There is much shopping. Roads are over crowded and traffic comes to a standstill. Yet everyone is happy. That is the spirit of Durga Puja," shared Behl during the screening of the documentary at India Habitat Centre.
 Started from the big pandal, his documentary goes on to give a history of the Puja ~ how the Puja culture started in Bengal and the first family that housed the first Durga pandal. Behl's documentary traces the history of the Durga Puja from medieval period. It was a group of elite NRIs from London who started this celebration in Kolkata. Ever since, it has become an inseparable tradition of West Bengal.  The main Puja is on the seventh, eight and ninth days. On the tenth day, Vijaya Dashmi, Durga is taken in a procession to be immersed in the water, which is symbolic of her departure to her husband’s home in the Himalayas. "It is believed that Shiva allowed his spouse Durga to visit her parent's home for nine days every year. The festival of
Durga Puja marks this visit of Durga. On the last day Vijaya Dashmi, she leaves the parental home for Shiva's abode Mt Kailash," explained Behl in his documentary. Apart from this, the documentary also explained that the traditional image of Durga in Bengal following a pan-Indian iconography. One could see her in this form in sculpture in the rock-cut caves at Mamallapuram and Aihole, of the 7th and the 8th centuries. This is Durga as Mahishasurmardini, when she spears and slays the buffalo demon of our ignorance. Durga Puja is observed in her honour, to celebrate her victory over the evil of ignorance. Durga Puja is also widely celebrated in Tripura, Assam, Jharkhand and Orissa.

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Sparkling life

Ontario, Canada, has much to offer its visitors, be it adventure, food or shopping. Rakesh kumar treks through the region to get a feel of the cosmopolitan province

There were four wine glasses of different sizes on each table. We expected four different wines to go with our lunch but were surprised as the same wine was poured into two of the glasses. The host explained that the wine changed its taste with the glass and asked us to check it out. No wine connoisseurs, we sipped each glass but the subtle difference missed us. Yet we sagely nodded as the host launched into an explanation of wine tasting. Thus began our tour of the Inniskillin Winery, one of the most sought after wineries of the Niagara region in Ontario, Canada.

 Inniskillin Winery is famed for its Ice Wine and Table Wine. Here wine is served as a dessert not as a drink. And going by its taste, the Ice Wine can challenge a dessert in terms of sweetness. And the sweet taste lasted through our sojourn at Niagara,
which is described as a place where one can enjoy more as they explore more. Take for instance, having dinner at the world's highest restaurant or the awesome sight of the Niagara falls.
In fact, the entire Ontario region, where we spent a week, is a discovery at every turn. Whether one cycles around the serene island of Toronto or treks, one can see why a diverse population chose to make this place their home.
Perfect timing
Pleasant weather was the first thing that welcomed us as we landed at the Pearson Airport of Toronto. Summer is considered the ideal
time to visit the city because it offers ample chances to explore. For instance, summer is perfect for outdoor activities and there are many opportunities for wildlife viewing. The province also hosts an array of popular festivals. Therefore, what could be more perfect timing than mid-June to arrive at Toronto. 
Multicultural Toronto
Taking a round of the city one could hardly overlook the towering buildings. At first look, Toronto resembles any other North American city but after a close look one realises it houses the most diverse population from all around the world ~ more than 80 ethnic communities from Africa, Asia, and Europe. Therefore, Toronto prides itself on earning the name of being the world's most multi-cultural city, as it caters to a wide range of cultures, languages, food and art. Almost half of its population comprises immigrants. Therefore, Toronto's motto is “Diversity Our Strength”.
This diversity was all the more evident as we walked down the lanes of Toronto. We encountered different ethnic groups residing in different parts of city. This cultural melange was reflected in the different types of food and traditional attire.
What to do in Toronto
An interesting arts scene, numerous sporting events, a vibrant nightlife and restaurants, bistros and eateries describe Toronto. One could enjoy an incredible view from atop the CN Tower or explore a remarkable array of attractions, including the Art Gallery of Ontario and Casa Loma. Or if you are a shopping freak and want shop for latest trends then Eaton Center will be your halt and for luxury labels Bloor Yorkville will be a better option. For a break from urban life take a 10 minute ride to the idyllic Toronto Island. There are so many options and we had only a week's time to get to know Ontario! 
C N Tower
This is one place that no one can give a miss ~ every tourist has to see it as it is visible from everywhere in Toronto. It is the second largest building

of the world after Burj Khalifa, having 147 floors. We zipped up to the 115th floor to dine at 360 Degree Restaurant. As we had prior booking we escaped the huge wait to get in. The moment we entered the tower, we were welcomed by a cameraman who clicked our group. We also learnt that the elevators were the world fastest and it took only 58 seconds to reach the 114th floor, where we got off. This floor is 1,122 feet above the ground and its glass floor made it the best place to have a panoramic view of the entire city. Of course, it was the best place to click  pictures also. The “360 Degree” is the tower's revolving restaurant, which offers a fine dining experience and a view of the city that is second to none. Apart from it, the C N Tower also offers an edge walk ~ the world's highest full-circle, hands-free-walk. Adrenaline seekers stroll at the edge of the CN Tower's main pod, just above 360 Degree restaurant, along a ledge that's only 1.5 metre wide, 116 storeys above Toronto.  However, it was  a bit expensive at around 200 dollars. 
Fashion
Being cosmopolitan in nature, Toronto has every type of cuisine and fashion. One can seek one's fill with the variety of foods available there. There is a huge choice for shoppers. For instance, if you want to shop for designer clothes then you can walk in the lanes of Toronto Yorkville. This is the place where A-listers have an array of stores. In terms of malls, Toronto has them in every size. One can wander around the perennial downtown favourite, the Eaton Centre ~ it is popular among buyers because of its comparatively low price. Others malls are in north ~ chic Yorkdale or the open-air shops at Don Mills and many more.
Markets
There are numerous street shopping option available here, for instance, China Town or Kensington Market. Kensington Market is often ranked as one of the best street markets in North Markets. It has the dense cultural labyrinth of narrow streets houses, portraying a mix of Caribbean, Latin American, European and Middle Eastern shops and restaurants. One can find here second hand vintage clothing stores too. It is the place where graffiti is legal ~ people can be seen painting the walls all the time. The other street market is China Town. A walk in this part of the city will give a feeling of walking in any city of China. It is the place where crowds come to for authentic Asian stuff. Souvenir shopping is an adventure here, with imported goods from China, Japan, Thailand, Vietnam, and beyond. Take a place at one of the traditional Asian restaurant dishing out plates of fine (budget friendly) food.
Underground city

This is a labyrinth of 28 kilometres of interconnecting passageway known as the Path (the world's most extensive underground network). It links most parts of the city be it office towers, stores, hotel, bus terminal, railway terminal and restaurants. Inside this market one could find budget friendly restaurants, bookstores, quaint cafes and bars.
Food
Because of Toronto's cultural diversity, it allows a person to eat one's way around the world via its ethnic neighbourhoods. From Butter Chicken to grilled Souvlaki and Saganki, one can sample a variety of cuisine. One can have a brunch at Dimsum during a visit to Chinatown or in St Lawrence market, one can try peameal-bacon sandwich from Carousel bakery or choose mouthwatering mustard from the 30 award-wining varieties available. Or if one is fond of beer then one can indulge in several terrific wine bars or take a brewery tour at Mill Street Brewery, Steam Whistle Brewing and Amsterdam Brewery.
Toronto Island
Fed up with the urban life and want to spend some leisure time amid peaceful greenery? Then Toronto Islands are where you should head. A 15-minute ferry ride from the mainland will bring one to the island, which has a small amusement park, a residential community and yes Toronto clothing optional beach too. The best option is to explore the whole island on cycle.
Winery
Along with the Niagara Falls, Niagara region is known for
another thing ~ wine. In the entire Ontario region, there are 140 licensed wineries, including grape and fruit wineries. We halted at the Inniskillin Winery, Canada's premier estate winery, which was established in 1975 by co founders Donald Ziraldo and Karl Kaiser. This winery is known for its Ice Wine, which is made from grapes that are left to freeze on the vine over the winter. Once temperatures drop to -8 degrees Celsius (about 18 degrees Fahrenheit), the grapes are collected and allowed to thaw, a process that helps intensify their flavour. 
 Heavenly!

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History comes alive

The findings of the last 50 years by Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) are on display for the first time under one roof at the National Museum, reports rakesh kumar

Stone tools, artefacts, pottery, ornaments and maps are just ordinary things that hardly catch anyone’s attentions but when these belong to prehistoric era, they will turn into priceless articles and will become centre of attraction for all. It is no less thrilling even for those who have the least interest in history. But it is a piece of history that has come alive at an ongoing exhibition at the National
Museum in the Capital.
 From priceless tools to ornaments and inscriptions, all the major finds since 1961 to 2011 are on display for the first time under one roof at the museum. “The exhibition has been organised to showcase the achievements and landmark findings of ASI in the last 50 years. The exhibition is on for general public till 31 January,” informed Daljit Singh, deputy superintendent of ASI.
The exhibition is showcasing around 307 selected objects from all the major eras of Indian history that were recovered during exploration and excavation in the last 50 years.
The exhibits have been displayed in a chronological manner, right from prehistoric period to modern times. For instance, starting with the tools from Harappa Civilisation the exhibition goes on to talk about metal tools, small paintings and inscriptions. “All the items are on display was excavated by archaeological from places like Bhimbetka and Sirpur (Madhya Pradesh), Burzhom and Gufkral in the Kashmir Valley, Harappan sites at Dholavira (Gujarat) and Kalibangan (Rajasthan), Mathura and Vaishali (Bihar), besides many other places,” explained Singh.
 The exhibition, titled Rediscovering India, was organised by ASI to mark its 150th year and has housed an array of priceless tools, seals, implements, artefacts, pottery, figurines, sculptures, ornaments and inscriptions unearthed from all over India. Apart from this, there are maps, photographs and other textual panels to support the objects on display and to help visitors appreciate the significance of these objects and their relevance to the understanding of India’s past. “We have gathered all the finds from 66 different sites of the country. We have also used four replicas as the original were fragile,” informed Daljeet Singh.
Going by their age, the exhibition has stone tools 1.5 million years old, the only portrait of emperor Ashoka ever excavated, a 6th century stone image of Lord Vishnu, a 4th century stone statue of
Mahishasuramardini, and an elegant 13-14th century Garuda in bronze, Standing Buddha of 9-10 century, rusting iron implements of 1000 BC and many others. “The Standing Buddha that was discovered in Bodh Gaya had been illegally exported to the USA, where it was confiscated and
sent back to India,” informed Singh.
 The other attractions at the exhibition include Chinese porcelain of the Sultanate period (1206-1526), discovered in the Feroz Shah Kotla area of Delhi, the earliest ploughed field, the dockyard at Lothal,
gold ornaments in Gujarat as well as Uttar Pradesh, and a Harappan water harvesting system.  “These excavations make us think how our culture evolved over time,” underlined Singh.

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Basking in glory

Kunal Kapoor’s striking performance in Luv Shuv Tey Chicken Khurana has fetched him many more offers. As told to rakesh kumar

The 35-year-old actor, Kunal Kapoor, who became an overnight sensation with Rang De Basanti, is quite excited these days. After a brief lull, the actor is finally basking in the glory of his last flick Luv Shuv Tey Chicken Khurana. The film might not have performed exceptionally well at the box office, but has certainly brought him accolades. He is busy reading as well as writing scripts, shooting his next film, endorsing products and also, doing a little of theatre work.  
“As perceived, I don’t think Chicken Khurana bombed at the box office. Not only did it draw profits for the producers but also, my character was widely appreciated,” he said, claiming that his performance had got him many film offers. “I have been offered many movies and endorsement deals. In the past two months, I happened to read many more scripts than I have read in the last two years,” shared the actor. 
When asked about the script he himself is working on, the actor explained, “I am not writing the script, I am just developing it. It all started on the sets of my last movie, where I met some people and shared my ideas. They liked three of them. These are of different genres like action and comedy.” 
Are you choosy? “No! You can’t say I am choosy but I always look for good scripts. I don’t believe doing all the films coming my way,” said the actor, who is also doing theatre in Delhi.  
On marriage, Kapoor excused himself from the question. “I have not thought about it and whenever I plan to marry, you will be the first one to be informed,” he quipped.  

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Winds of change

A churning in the education sector in 2012 has evoked a mixed response, says rakesh kumar

The year gone by will go down in the annals of education as remarkable for its landmark changes proposed, both in the lower as well as higher education. While 2012 ended with the introduction of four-year graduation programme in the Delhi University, drawing groans from students and teachers alike, the year was witness to battle lines drawn between government and IIT administrators over giving weightage to the Board marks in the entrance examination. Nursery school admission norms added its mite to the confusion as authorities kept parents on tenterhooks. Teachers resorted to hunger strike, joined by students, to mark their discontent over the changes. 

Winds of change
 The biggest change was led by the Delhi University, where the introduction of the semester system last year was followed by a decision to implement a four-year graduation programme. Notwithstanding a constant protest by a section of teachers, the switch-over will be in place from the next academic session. This year, another term came to the fore ~ Meta University. The concept was jointly adopted by Delhi University and Jamia Millia Islamia. As per this concept, a student can get the experience of studying in both the universities and would be awarded a joint degree. 
The Delhi University has also tried to break the conventional concept of teaching only in class rooms as the vice-chancellor of Delhi University advocated education beyond class room. Under this, the university organised two educational train trips for the students, one  touching places associated with Mahatma Gandhi in Gujarat, and the other to Jaisalmer. 

Entrance conundrum 
In a bid to reduce stress on engineering aspirants, former HRD minister Kapil Sibal decided to change the exam pattern of IIT-JEE (Indian Institute of Technology Joint Entrance Examination). Under this, in the year 2013, Class XII Board exam results (50 per cent weightage) would be taken into account along with a two-tier joint entrance examination ~ JEE-Main and JEE-Advanced. The ministry’s initiative appeared to target commercially run tutorial outfits that draw IIT aspirants in droves.
Medical entrance exam also witnessed a major change being proposed this year. In the academic year 2013-14, all the medical entrance exams would be merged into a single exam ~ National Eligibility Entrance Exam. A candidate will be eligible to take admission in MBBS only if he/she scores a minimum 50 per cent in this exam.
“It’s a good move to conduct single medical entrance exam. After its introduction, the form-filling procedure for the medical examination will be easier and also, it will save the money of those candidates who used to apply for the different medical colleges,” said Gajan Yadav, father of medical aspirants.  
Tiny tots
No change was noticed in the guidelines for nursery admission this year. It seemed like a rehash of the earlier points system. As per the new guidelines, schools have to reserve 25 per cent seats for economically weaker sections (EWS). For the remaining 75 per cent seats, schools have been given full autonomy as far as framing the admission criteria goes. Each school would be free to decide its own eligibility criteria, provided they conformed to the Right to Education (RTE) Act. “It is good that government has increased the upper age limit for the nursery admission. Earlier it was only three year and created many problems for those parents who missed the admission in the first chance. But this year, they have increased 11 months and 30 days more. It would be helpful for the parents like us,” said Sanjeev Gupta, a Shalimar Bagh-based teacher.    

Discontent over change
The changes introduced were, however, not warmly welcomed by the all sections of people. Many were against the changes citing that it would ruin the current education system. Following the change in the entrance exam, there was a month-long deadlock between the HRD ministry and the IITs over the proposed common entrance test (CET) for admission to centrally-funded engineering institutes that only came to an end with IITs and HRD agreeing to a compromise formula. At one point of time IIT-Kanpur and IIT-Delhi senates declared that they would conduct a separate entrance exam, if the proposed exam system was brought into effect. The same went for the Delhi University, when it opted for the Meta University concept. A group of teachers in the university was constantly opposing the move for the Meta University concept as well as four year graduation programme. To protest against the decision, Delhi University Teachers’ Association opted for a two-month-long hunger strike also. “The new four year degree programme will ruin our current education system. Because, the changes that have been proposed with the programme seems less students friendly,” said Amar Deo Sharma, president of DUTA.
“The initial phase of change has always been unacceptable. In that phase, due to the change we have to face problems. But it doesn’t mean that we should not go for the change because once we get used to it, everything gets fine,” said Dr Satish Kumar, a University official. 

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Real heroes

IBN7 honoured 10 specially-abled Indian athletes, who participated in the 2012 London Paralympics and won a silver medal at the Games this year. rakesh kumar reports

Everything came to a halt for Amit Kumar, 27, when he met with an accident and was hospitalised for six months for a spinal cord injury. The only thing bothering him was that for the rest of his life, he would be spending on bed. But, Amit Kumar is thankful to his friend, who took him to the Paralympic Games in Bangalore in 2009. Since then, he never looked back and has become a state-level hockey player and won several medals in Paralympics games. This is not the story of Amit Kumar alone, there are several such examples, where  even after losing everything they didn’t give up. 
Take for instance, 21-year-old swimmer Sharath Gayakwad, who was born with a deformed left hand. He has won over 30 international and 40 national medals and is the first Indian swimmer to qualify for the Paralympics. 
To felicitate these heroes, IBN7 and Supertech, at their fourth edition of Super Idols, a unique set of awards that celebrate the strength of human spirit, and importance of will power and a never-say-die attitude, honoured 10 specially-abled Indian athletes who participated in the 2012 London Paralympics. India won a silver medal at the Games this year, its first ever in the high jump event. 
Bollywood superstar Salman Khan felicitated all the awardees with a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh each along with the special achiever, who received a cash prize of Rs 2 lakh. 
The 10 Super Idols who were honoured are Girisha H Nagarajegowda (Special Achievement Award), Jagseer Singh, Jaideep Deswal, Amit Kumar, Narender Ranbir, Farman Basha, Rajinder Singh Rahelu, Sachin Chaudhary, Naresh Kumar Sharma and Sharath Gayakwad. “The time has come to change the attitude of people towards the handicapped people. Because, we are not less than anyone. And the same applies for the differently abled persons too ~ they should not underestimate themselves,” suggested Arjuna awardee Naresh Kumar Sharma.  

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A day for a cause

A day for a cause

28 November 2012

Everybody should carve out a day from their busy schedule, leaving office, conference calls and emails behind just for the benefit of society, finds rakesh kumar

It was nothing short of a surprise for the students of Bal Sahyog, an NGO in the Capital that works with the under privileged, when over 100 employees of Deloitte, a leading services firm, paid them a visit last week. The corporate organisation engaged the children in a number of activities such as art and craft, dance and street-play to stimulate their minds as part of their social activity called Impact Day.  
The Deloitte professionals distributed gifts and chocolates besides prizes to the winning contestants among the underprivileged children. For the students, who are not used to getting such treatment that made them feel special, it would be one of the best days in their lives. “I participated in the drawing competition and I won chocolates as a gift. I am very happy and I think these people should daily come to our school and distribute prizes,” expressed a class III student, Raja. 
 As part of the Impact Day activities, organised in Delhi on Friday, Deloitte employees visited two NGOs, Pratham and Bal Sahayog. On this day, designated by the company, the employees do not work and instead engage in social activities. The employees voluntarily take up different causes related to education, environment conservation and upliftment of under privileged children in all over the country. In the Capital itself, 42 such projects had been addressed, company officials said. So far, in the last 10 years, Deloitte had spared 585,000 community hours, they added. 
However, their initiatives also pose a question whether one day would be sufficient to turn the lives of the underprivileged. Deloitte employees felt though a day would not make any difference to their plight, at least this could give them a much needed moral boost. “I know one day’s help is not going to change their whole life. But at least, we can help them to make a day memorable throughout the life,” said Kalpana Jain, senior director of Deloitte, India. “I think every organisation should take this initiative and carve out a day from their busy schedule to make an impact on their life. That is in any case more much more needed for them.”  

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