Friday, May 28, 2004, NCR STORIES

Chandigarh, India

NCR INDEX

COURTS

UP districts: Caveat against appeal filed in HC

NOIDA: Ever since the quashing of the UP Government’s order denotifying nine
districts and four commissionerates by the Allahabad High Court on May 21 people of
the district have been celebrating this victory.

Distribution of sweets, singing and dancing in different town and villages of GB

Nagar marked the sense of achievement of the people, who had waged a united and
prolonged struggle to achieve this result.

The state government, it is suspected, will go in for an appeal against this order of
the Allahabad High Court which appears to be the real motive of the state
government asking for a fortnight’s time to implement the high court order.

To checkmate such a move by the state government the people of Gautam Budh
Nagar have filed two caveats in the Allahabad High Court so that they are not caught
unawares.

A third caveat on the same issue is reported to have been filed on behalf of Maha
Maya Nagar district, Hathras, in the high court. — OC

CULTURE

ARTSCAPE
Work of art in exhibition space of human thought
Ravi Bhatia

The Hungarian Cultural Centre hosted a unique exhibition of sound installation by

Vladimir Jaksic, titled “Question Mark” on May 26 at 6 pm. Vlaimir Jaksic was born in
1977 in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. In 1997, he was awarded with the title
fine arts technician of applied sculpturing. Later on, he enrolled in the Academy of
Fine Arts in Sarajevo, Department of Arts of Painting and graduated with the title of
professional painter (BA).

This young artist describes the basic elements of his composition as darkness, sound
and break/silence. His work deals with investigating the relationship between real
and unreal, conscious and subconscious, concrete and abstract, logical and illogical,
construction and deconstruction and micro-context and macro-context.

The main idea of this sound installation is that each sound installation is a work of
art in the exhibition space of human thoughts.

Perpetuating traditional arts

Cottage Industries Exposition Ltd (CIE), a group of

companies based in New Delhi, is involved in the
production, support, procurement and retailing of
many of the finest handicrafts the country has to offer
to global connoisseurs.

As with traditional crafts the world over, their

sustenance was drawn from the patronage of the
ruling classes. So also in India, over many centuries,
traditional crafts flourished and flowered under the
benevolent succour provided by the Maharajas and
the Sultans, the nobility and the Emperors who ruled
various fiefdoms or entire empires.

However, when these periods of extremely rich development of the arts faded away
or came to abrupt ends, depending on how benevolent dynasties met their demise,
craftsmen suffered. And so by the turn of the 19th century, almost all forms of royal
patronage for the fine arts vanished. Thereafter, it was a matter of survival for the
repositories of numerous fabled handicraft and other traditional skills. Now, they
used their skill for eking out an existence. Naturally, quality became subservient to
the forces of commercialisation.

This is when CIE stepped in as a modern day patron of these dying crafts. We
refused to sacrifice our glorious tradition of handicrafts on the altar of
modernisation. It is this goal of revival and enhancement of India’s tradition of
fabulous craftsmanship and love of art, which is the driving force at CIE.

Incorporated in 1978, following a long period of patronage dating back to the

beginning of the century, CIE has the distinction of receiving many of the nations
most coveted Outstanding Export Awards (GOLD TROPHY) from various government
bodies, such as Carpet Export Promotion Council (GOI) and Indian Silk Export
Promotion Council (GOI). In the last two decades, CIE has been awarded the GOLD
TROPHY 14 times. It was also awarded the National Award of Merit in 1997-98 by
the Prime Minister of India.

The company has a sterling track record in developing, protecting and nurturing
various cottage industries most prominently of Kashmir, as well as that of other
states like Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh. Today CIE’s role as an anchor for the
Indian artisan entails providing the necessary infrastructure and financial support so
that they many continue to create rare works of exquisite beauty in the tranquility
required for such creative outpourings. In this manner, CIE today provides
sustenance to more than 110,000 artisans all over the country.

Women’s empowerment in perfect synch

The Events India Inc and the Empress Club presented Lushin Dubey’s “Untitled”, (an
internationally acclaimed play on women’s empowerment), directed by Arvind Gaur,
on May 20, at the India Habitat Centre here.

“Untitled” depicts the marginalisation of women across societies and explores the
subjects of child abuse, incest and suppression of women. The play has been
directed by veteran playwright Arvind Gaur.

Ms Vandana Luthra, Chairperson VLCC, was the guest of honour for the evening. She
is the brain, soul and face behind India’s largest and most successful chain of health,
slimming, fitness and beauty centres, VLCC.

The coming together of VLCC and the Empress Club for a powerful women centric
play such as “UNTITLED” is in perfect sync with their ideologies of giving women the
opportunity to rediscover themselves for achieving their ambitions and aspirations
and helping them realise their true potential.

Events India Inc is a complete management company represented by a group of

highly qualified professionals having several concerts and shows to their credit. The
Empress Club is a unique concept club for women that organises workshops and
seminars by the best experts in their fields thereby providing a platform for
networking to enhance women’s entrepreneurial skills packed with entertainment in
an ideal social environment.

MUSIC ZONE
Celebrating Fusion

Celebration, is a classy and brand new thematic fusion album by Rahul Sharma,
the santoor maestro of generation X. This highly talented and amazingly
adventurous musician, is the most illustrious santoor player of the country after his
great father Shiv Kumar Sharma whose name is synonymous with the instrument
that has brought alive the spirit of Kashmir, ‘Celebration’ also features veteran
Loius Banks on the keyboards, percussion wizard Taufiq Quereshi and tabla
maestro Shafaat Ahmed Khan.”

The album opens with a frisky and fast paced number – ‘Sing With Us’. Celebration
comes into its own when it is a collective expression. It is born of an infectious
enthusiasm for the moment, a desire to explode with joy and exhilaration for the
now, a wish to share and draw everyone into the circle of energy, ‘Sing With Us’
 based on Raga Bhairavi magnetises the air with a sense of celebration.

‘Just Dancing’ is an uninhibited display of the joy of music, movement, step and
beat. Rhythm draws into its grip the softness of melody, the energy of drumming
and the abandon of dance. This piece, set to Raga Kirwani, captures the bright and
the soft, the bold and the demure, the brazen and the coquettish just dancing.

The mood moves to a more subtle and romantic note in ‘Love Beckons’. Within the
air of celebrating with all, the eye catches a glimpse of one particular face. The
heart skips a beat. The spine tingles, a warm rustle creeps over the skin, the
stomach tightens - it is the first spasm of infatuation. The step turns tentative, the
eye watchful, the mind wistful. Love beckons.

‘Strums n Drums’ sees the pendulum swinging from strings to drumming. The
dulcet sparkle of the santoor tones mingle with the robust thunder of the drums
and the tabla, like the sun and the moon playing from behind the clouds on a
dusky evening, minutes before sunset. Drumming is the most primordial
expression of music, the most raw expression of joy. Drumming is celebration, it
takes the listener to a climax of energy, a crescendo of breathtaking brilliance - the
coming together of celebration, virtuosity, artistry and sensitivity.

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