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INDIA INTERNATIONAL CENTRE
volume XXVIII. No. 5
Unravelling Old Delhi
EXHIBITION: Pahari Imli-Window to a Lost World
Photographs, books, frontispieces and objects from the
collection of the Hazrat Shah Walilullah Public Library, and
from the private collections of Abdul Sattar and Naseem
Beg Khan Changezi
Photographs by: Neeraj Singh; Saurabh Prasad; and
photographs of Matia Mahal by Ram Rahman
Demonstration by Ammeenur Rahman, calligrapher from
Pahari Imli. Inauguration: Dr. Kapila Vatsyayan
October 9–15
As the name suggests, this window to a lost world derives
its name from a huge tamarind tree on a hillock in
Shahajahanabad. The exhibition highlights the collection
of the Hazrat Shah Waliullah Public Library and
personal collections of the Changezi family and
Abdul Sattar. Situated in the busy Chooriwalan
Galli (street of bangle sellers) of Pahari Imli,
Hazrat Shah Waliullah Public Library is a
treasure trove of over 15,000 literary marvels
sourced from gifts, donations and bazaars.
Upon entering the gallery, an extremely
enthusiastic man greets the viewers and guides
them through the exhibition. That man is
Sikandar Changezi, the grandson of Naseem Beg
Changezi, inheritor of the Changezi collection
and the Secretary of the H.S. Waliullah Public
Library, who explains that ‘The exhibition is an
outcome of a newspaper article addressing a
termite attack on the library’s collection. Upon
reading the same, Dr. Kavita A. Sharma (Director,
India International Centre) approached us,
facilitated a restoration deal with the IGNCA
and enabled the realisation of the exhibition of its
collections for the public.’
With its primary focus on calligraphy, the exhibition
showcases rare manuscripts, books, maps, photographs
and objects with Kufic decorations. Calligraphic
engravings of the Sura of the Quran, Ayat-ul-Kursi, Al
Falaq, Durood-e-Taj (in praise of Allah), are seen on goat
skin, real stone china, bark and parchment respectively.
Books of the late 19th and early 20th century like Tuzuk-
September – October 2014
i-Jahangiri, Tareekh-e-Farishta and Sri Ram Kirat
Mahabharata by Sri Ram Kayasth Mathur Dehlvi
showcase beautiful calligraphy and floral border
decorations. There are reproductions of pages from
important publications. The first two days of the
exhibition also acquainted the visitors with the practice of
calligraphy through demonstrations by the noted
calligrapher Shri Ammeenur Rahman of Pahari Imli.
Various panels tellingly explain the historical background
of Naseem Beg Changezi and his family, Abdul Sattar, Sir
Sayyid Ahmad Khan and the inception of Delhi College.
A number of maps document the city of Old Delhi of the
mid 19th century; one specifically mapping ‘The Hindu
and Mohammedan Monuments’ while the others show
the city of Shahajahanabad before the Siege. It is
interesting to see the structural spaces that have
dramatically transformed over the years.
Reproductions of paintings highlight life in 19th century
Delhi through the depiction of interesting historical
events like the Visit of the King of Kotah to Delhi, Last
Mushaira 1845/Dilli ki Aakhri Shamma, festivals like
Festival of Falez (the festival of fruits), Baisakhi Ka Mela
and bazaars like Chandni Chowk and Meena Bazaar.
SANIA GALUNDIA
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Poetry, Painting and Music
EXHIBITIONS: ‘Jaisalmer Yellow’ and ‘Emergence’
Inauguration: Satish Mehta
October 9–15
An exhibition of paintings by 25 leading artists from
SAARC countries curated by Sanjeev Bhargava was on
display at the Art Gallery for the Festival of the Arts. This
show was a culmination of an artists’ camp, a collaboration
between ICCR and SEHER, which was founded by the
curatorin1990toadvance events in the arts.
The exhibition included artists from eight SAARC
countries – Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India,
Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka who attended the
artists’ camp held in Jaisalmer in 2007. This wide-ranging
show attempts to celebrate the spirit of friendship
between the countries and to bring into a shared space
their respective histories, stories and diverse experiences.
The paintings clearly reflected each artists’ individuality
and also brought into focus their bonds and common
cultural traits reiterating the fact that creativity flourishes
in an atmosphere of harmony and friendship.
Purely from an aesthetic perspective, as an art
practitioner, for me the exhibition clearly displayed a
strength in the handling of artistic media as well as the
chosen content. While a lot of the artists took their
inspiration from Jaisalmer, like Anup Vega with his
minimalistic canvas of the vast desert, artists from
Afghanistan painted a painful, desolate landscape of a
bombed and destroyed homeland in grey rubble. A clear
mastery over the human form was evident in paintings by
Jatin Das and Shamshad Husain. Other works that stood
out were Akhilesh’s green abstract of an imaginary
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language, Pushkale’s impeccably beautiful brown
painting and Bandeep Singh’s unusual photograph.
Emergence, a multi media installation by Pierre Legrand
and Anuradha Mazumdar, was on view at the GandhiKing Plaza featuring a small portion of the original ‘Light
Matter’ installation from Auroville, 2000.
Born in Paris, an engineer by profession, Pierre Legrand’s
artistic journey began after he came to India in 1968. It
led to the invention of a coded script which structured all
his work: painting, sculpture, installations and,
sometimes, even music. His work explores space in
collaboration with architecture, poetry and music and has
been featured alongside Mark Tobey, in Dimensions
of the Infinite, Paris; and with Richard Serra in
Schwarz, Cologne.
Legrand’s installation Emergence appeared to be made of
cutouts of plastic sheets in white webbed together to focus
on porosity, lightness, and space, blurring the boundaries
between the human being and the environment. The
cutouts contain poetry by Anuradha Mazumdar and the
background music has been conceptually composed from
the letters of these poems. Thus the installation appears to
begin with architecture/space construction but by using
light invites the viewer into a pathway which brings into
play other media and senses, thus complicating the work
and its interpretation.
It looked to me that the artist was putting together all
these elements to show that there is another, yet unknown
but possibly common or universal language of the soul
out there, beyond linguistic, material and creative
boundaries. How wonderful it would be for all of us to be
able to break the preconceived codes and move with the
light into a new magical mystical understanding
across borders!
SABA HASAN
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Films
FILM FESTIVAL: People, Places and a War; Focii on Gabriel
Garcia Marquez, Suchitra Sen and Robin Williams
October 9–15
The IIC Experience screened a variety of films. A threefilm tribute to actress Suchitra Sen, who passed away in
Kolkata earlier this year, was timely. Her career was at its
zenith in Bengali films, though she did appear in seven
Hindi films as well. Two Bengali films, Deep Jele Jai and
Shaath Pake Bandha revealed her sterling qualities as a
dramatic actress. In the first film Deep Jele Jai, written by
the well-known Bengali writer Ashutosh Mukhopadhyay,
she is a nurse in a mental asylum. There against her
principles, in order to assist in the psychiatric experiment
of a senior doctor she respects, falls in love with a patient
to assist in his cure. The man recovers to walk away free,
thus leaving her emotionally broken and a patient in the
same asylum. In Shaath Pake Bandha, she plays a woman
from a well-to-do family headed by a professor father and
an ambitious, batty mother. Her marriage to an
unworldly but bright academic, whom she loves, is
broken because she cannot stand up to her mother.
Suchitra Sen’s performance in the film is memorable.
Equally noteworthy is her performance in the Hindi film,
Aandhi, purportedly based on the life of Prime Minister
Indira Gandhi, written and directed by Gulzar.
A two-film tribute to the brilliant American serio-comic
actor Robin Williams, who committed suicide this year,
was apt. His portrayal of a deeply caring, eccentric teacher
of English literature in an exclusive school, who holds his
students in thrall, and is then forced to leave them when
falsely accused of a sensitive student’s suicide–actually the
boy’s martinet father is responsible–in Dead Poets Society
(Director: Peter Weir) is heart-wrenching. Williams is
equally memorable as a bereaved but profoundly
receptive psychiatrist who rescues a juvenile delinquent of
a mathematical genius in GoodWill Hunting.
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Two interesting films were screened based on the works of
the profound Columbian writer Gabriel Garcia
Marquez. No One Writes to the Colonel filmed by the
Mexican Arturo Ripstein does bring out the sadness and
ennui in the lives of an old, penurious colonel and his wife
marooned in a small town years after a military
revolution, but it has none of Marquez’s irony, humour or
knowledge of inexplicable impulses present in life. The
same can be said of Love and Other Demons made by
Hilda Hildalgo. This tale of blind superstition given
sanction by an all knowing, all powerful Roman Catholic
Church, in which the exquisite teen-aged daughter of an
aristocrat bitten by a rabid dog and interned in a fortresslike convent, is thrown together with a young, idealist
priest who nurses her, despite being doomed to die along
with his charge, as a sacrifice to the vanity and ignorance
of the clergy. Hildalgo’s handsomely mounted film
cannot grasp the writer’s prescience about human beings
unable to grasp intelligence on offer and use it to seek
happiness.
There was a selection of films to mark the declaration of
World War I in 1914. The four-year war was supposed to
be one to end all wars: how wrong the observation proved
to be! Jean Renoir’s, The Grand Illusion shot in black and
white in 1937, remains the most perceptive anti-war film
ever made. The escape of two French soldiers from a
German prisoner-of-war camp is a celebration of life over
war (read death). Passchendaele, 2008, a Canadian film
directed by Paul Cross, is a sumptuously shot film about
the futility of war. The gorgeous colours in nature are in
ironic contrast with the ghastliness of death in war. It is a
lump-in-the-throat film, made in the tradition of the
classic Hollywood films from the 1930s.
Rainer Simon’s 1985 production, The Woman and the
Stranger is about the travails of those German soldiers
returning from the Front after defeat in WWI, and the
women at home waiting for them, usually in despair. It is
a powerful, moving, truthful film. In refreshing contrast
is the naive, romantic French film, La France (2007) by
Serge Bozon. It features a young rural woman
determinedly walking to the Front to locate her
conscripted husband. She runs into a group of
sympathetic deserters trying to unsuccessfully cross into
Holland. She does finally unite with her husband.
1919, is a warm, intelligent film on The Treaty of
Versailles that tragically became one of the crucial reasons
for WW II. John Cowan skillfully mixes black and white
archival footage with re-enactments in colour, featuring
actors playing the major political figures of the day.
Steven Spielberg’s War Horse, is a visual knockout but
shallow in thought and feeling.
PARTHA CHATTERJEE
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POETRY READING: The Great War – Poetry from
the Trenches
Readers: Bhaskar Ghose, Rukmini Bhaya Nair,
Keki N. Daruwalla, Sunit Tandon and Soumya Dasgupta
October 11
to the Government of India, enthusiastic theatre actor
and lover of literature, recited from Wilfred Owen, the
English poet who died tragically at 25, leading his men to
battle. Keki N. Daruwalla, former senior IPS officer, now
a well regarded poet, short-story writer and novelist, read from
Siegfried Sassoon, a British poet made by the war. Ghose and
World War I, also known as The Great War, was the Daruwalla were comparatively restrained in their renderings
source of poetry written by soldiers from England, whileTandon and Dasguptawere dramatic.
Australia, Canada and Germany. Indian soldiers with the
Royal British Army fighting in Europe and Mesopotamia
also wrote letters home describing the conditions that war
had plunged them into, often with wit, many a time with
cynicism. The censors were tough to get past but the odd
letter did—probably because of the intended or
unintended wit of the writer.
In the programme entitled The Great War : Poetry from the
Trenches, veterans Bhaskar Ghose, Keki N. Daruwalla,
Sunit Tandon, Rukmini Bhaya Nair and youngster
Soumya Dasgupta read from poems and letters written by
unfortunate feeling and thinking men forced to fight a
war against their wishes. Bhaskar Ghose, former Secretary
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Rukmini Bhaya Nair, reading from the letters of Indian
soldiers attempted to bring out their droll humour. The
letters from Indian soldiers, Hindu, Muslim and Sikh,
were down-to-earth and intentionally or unintentionally
funny now and then. The possibility or the eventuality of
getting married to French women was both a source of
mirth as well as confusion arising from being confronted
with an entirely different culture with its bewildering set
of values. Soumya Dasgupta’s recitation of a poem by an
unknown poet expressed ‘gallows humour’ coming from
confronting death every day.
PARTHA CHATTERJEE
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Along the Stilwell Road
EXHIBITION: Stilwell Road. Photographs by Findlay Kember
Inauguration: P.C. Sen
October 9–15
Of the eighty wonderful photographs (twenty-eight
eminently satisfying enlargements), it was difficult to pick
favourites. After doing four parikramas of the delightful
and interesting photographs, I selected a few.
The most impressive was the delightfully demystifying 24
Zig road. These hairpin bends have been photographed
many times. In the 1950s,
Burmah Shell used a black and
white picture of this stretch of
road to advertise their oil. Not
only is it the best picture on
display (he waited for the right
light to capture the deserted road
that has now been sidelined by a
new road), but he demolished a
myth. It was not on the Ledo
Road. The poignant pictures of
the thousand graves cemetery
ahead of Jairampur give some
idea of the many lives—Indian
and Chinese— lost.
Pictures from Ruilli, Myitkina,
Kachin State and Kunming were
particularly eye catching.
Especially, drivers and labourers
playing pool in Tanai, Kachin
State; a woman on a moped in
Ruilli, her face shining in the soft
sunset; playing cards in Ruilli; a
woman driving a motorcycle
with her son playing with a
mobile in Muse—such
photographs don’t happen, they
are a product of immense
patience. There were also two pictures of Chinese
exercising in Kunming; the enigmatic expressions of faces
in front of Jinbu La gate, Kunming; and the photograph
of that colourful Kali statue under a tree near the
abandoned Ledo airfield in a fittingly large format that
heightens its simple grandeur.
Findlay’s photographs are a testimony to his devotion to
the Ledo Road, which he prefers to call Stilwell. They
depict a way of life that has not changed much except for
the addition of modern conveniences, like in that lovely
photograph of an overloaded tri scooter on the road to
Tania. Till the 1970s, WW II Chevrolet trucks used to
lumber through here.
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Acerbic and intolerant, Stilwell was an unpopular general,
who thought that his road would win the war. It was
completed too late for that. The labour, who were
ruthlessly handled, was imprisoned at night so that they
would not escape from the horrible working conditions.
Opium made their awful living conditions bearable. Thus
to name the road after him is inappropriate.
The many maps with detailed texts helped understand the
topography and the enormous effort of building that one
way road (till Warazup) that was not used much.
Findlay’s optimism about the reopening of the Ledo Road
is misplaced. It took about forty days for convoys to get to
Kunming from Ledo. Airplanes ferried more tonnage in a
month. Air transport from Dibrugarh to Kunming
showed its unquestionable superiority. Never again has
road transport been used for long hauling military goods.
There is a two laned all weather road along the Lohit River
that reaches within a kilometre of the Indo-China border
near Kibithoo. This is the lowest point (1406) on the
entire Indo-China boundary, and its commercial
significance has been recognised. It leads directly into
Rima in Tibet. A month will connect it to the excellent
Chinese road that leads to Kunming.
ROMESH BHATTACHARJI
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An Evening with the New Folk
CONCERT: Rida and the Musical Folks from Meghalaya
Chief Guest: Soli J. Sorabjee
October 9
A stage built specifically to harness the raw musical styling
of Rida and the Musical Folks was brought to life on this
nice October evening. A collective from Meghalaya, they
are an interesting group that delves into the articulation of
a westernised style of music immersed in the traditions of
Khasi and Jaintia folk music. Rida Gatphoh has been
documenting and archiving audio and visual material
from the hills of Meghalaya for over three years. This
project is, in ways, an assimilation of her findings.
Rida and her musical folks walked on to a dark stage,
assembled their instruments, took their respective
positions on their respective morhas and then the blue of
the stage slowly and feebly engulfed them. Every song was
accompanied by a description for those of us who don’t
understand Khasi. However, the most innovative
modification that was made to the traditional folk songs
was the interspersed narrative in English. Peter
Marbaniang spoke in animated calmness and told us of
the mother who wept for her son; he told us of
Cherrapunji, he spoke of home. A persistent nostalgia
gnawed at the music but rather interestingly, a desire to
mingle and coexist also came through.
The series of folk songs and poetry recitations invoked a
very unique tonality. The drum rhythm remained in
authentic legitimacy, homage to the sound of the North
East. Celebratory and quaint, the compositions wore an
armour of strong musical direction and an interesting
synergy of sounds. Shawn and Sean marry their rhythmic
abilities to provide a percussion base that carries the entire
composition through a sea of floating melodies. Benedict,
the flautist, was another impressive component of the
collective. He crafts his own flute and the notes follow
most obediently. His compositions flit playfully and
invoke a rather powerful image of delicacy. Amarnath
Hazarika complements the project with his guitar playing
prowess, throwing in a few jazz riffs into the huge melting
pot. It isn’t just the arrangement of sounds that makes
Rida and the Musical Folks tick, the refined acoustic
sensibility and dramatic modulations make them a force
to reckon with.
Rida’s voice, in contrast to the mellowness of the
arrangement, was ecstatically fierce. She not only revved
the complexity of the sound but also made us sit up and
engage with the music of her Meghalaya. The research
that she is conducting in Meghalaya has been
documenting folk music traditions in the Khasi and
Jaintia hills. Through the course of her research she was
able to record a number of folk instruments that have
never been heard before. She learnt how to make these
instruments. She became an important figure in the
development and preservation of folk music
in Meghalaya.
Rida and the Musical Folks are not only a testimony to the
power of the old but also the rise of a new within the old. It
is the birth of a kind of sensitivity that balances the
outside and the inside, a sound that calls you home when
you’re so far away.
MAANASI BAA
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Violence and the
Underprivileged
PLAY: Draupadi — Adaptation of Mahasweta Devi’s short
story ‘Draupadi’
Presented by Kalakshetra Manipur
Chief Guest: Dr. Kapila Vatsyayan
Director: Heisnam Kanhailal, October 15
The play Draupadi is adapted from a story by Mahasweta
Devi, that speaks about the marginalised who live in
remote areas of India, and who are continuously oppressed
by the forces in power: in Manipur it is the army posted
there to administer the special status given to the state, of
being a state constantly under emergency with total
powers to the army.
In this play the area is not Manipur but a remote area in
the tribal belt in the outskirts of Bengal. Draupadi is a
Santhali tribal woman who is known as Dopdi in her
community. She fights against the atrocities committed
against her tribe. She is captured by the special force that
is searching for her in the forests of the area. She is
repeatedly raped by the forces. She disrobes completely.
And sits there in her ferocious nudity frightening away
the men who come to rape her. There is a smooth change
on stage under the cover of a sheet as the older Dopdi
takes the place of the younger one in jail.
Her undressing on stage was a violent act giving meaning
to the fact that this Draupadi is not reliant on Krishna to
come and rescue her as in the Mahabharata. She has to
fight her battles on her own. This disrobing is a definite
rejection of the tradition of the Mahabharata and an
example of a spontaneous feminine reaction as a gesture of
politico-sexual exploitation.
The choreography of the forces undergoing training and
their normal life was excellent as was the chase by the
force of Dopdi and her husband who is finally caught
in Bengal and most inhumanly treated before he is
killed. The play however belongs to Sabitri for her
commanding performance.
KAVITA NAGPAL
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From the Land of the Rising Sun
PERFORMANCE: Koto Recital
Concert: Noriko Matsuzaka and Tomoya Nakai from Japan
Chief Guest: N.N. Vohra
Collaboration: The Japan Foundation, October 10
The Koto concert, a collaboration between the Japan
Foundation, the Embassy of Japan and supported by
Japan Airlines, brought to us the quintessential sound of
Japan. Koto is a Japanese string instrument, also their
national instrument. The most well-known of traditional
music instruments, the Koto is an essential part of the
music played during New Year celebrations. The six-foot
long instrument is made from kiri wood (Paulowania
tomentosa) and usually has 13 strings; but 17, 21, 25 and
30 string examples are also sometimes seen. The tightly
stretched strings are balanced on an ivory or plastic bridge
along with the width of the body of the instrument and
are plucked using ivory picks (plectra) on three fingers.
Celebrated artists Tomoya Nakai and Noriko Matsuzaka
with a repertoire of eight enchanting compositions
revealed their rare musical insights exuding a
transcendent melodiousness and gave us a divine evening
of music, showcasing an exceptional fusion of the
traditional and modern with their creativity and skills.
A distinct theme ran through each composition
signifying it’s essence. The first composition, Monohanabi,
was created as an ode to millions of fireworks, an old
tradition in Japan, very similar to the festival of Diwali in
India. Rokudan-no-shirabe composed by Yatsu Hashi was
a tribute to blind people who played Koto and other string
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instruments in Asian Japan. The third composition
Infinity, the latest by Tomoya Nakai, expressed the
infiniteness of music. He said that though Koto has just
13 strings, it can produce an infinite number of melodies
and he attempts to discover the infinite horizon that lies
in the human heart, just like, in music. Hana no youni or
flowering spirit stressed the fact that only a strong-hearted
performer sure of his craft can liberate the essence of the
melody to the audience, otherwise the music is lost.
Perhaps the highlight of the evening was the perfect
rendition by the duo from the Bollywood movie Kal Ho
Na Ho. Tomoya personally found the signature tune of
the movie peaceful and full of serenity and revealed that
many like him in Japan were ardent admirers of the dance,
music and vigour of Bollywood movies.
Ama no gawa or the milky way was composed in memory
of the loved ones who have passed on and are now a part of
the cosmos. Tomoya and Noriko’s soulful rendition
indeed plucked at the heart strings.
The final composition Kinshitsu aiwasu is basically a
Chinese proverb. Composed of two words, Kin and
Shitsu, which are two musical instruments of China and
are in perfect harmony when played together. The
proverb is also used to refer to a loving couple who share
great passion and bonding like true soul mates. Tomoya,
through the theme of this composition, accentuated the
perfect blending of modern and traditional Japanese
music. He explained that while preserving your ancient
heritage you can create a unique synthesis of modern and
traditional music and yet maintain the primeval spirit of
your musical culture.
GAURIKA KAPOOR
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The Lively and Colourful
Cossacks
DANCE: Folk Dance and Songs of the Cossacks
Presented by Stanitsa Cossack Dance Ensemble from
Krasnodar, Russia
Director of the Ensemble: Anatoly Krugly
Collaboration: Embassy of the Russian Federation; and
Russia Beyond the Headlines
Chief Guest: Eric Gonsalves, October 12
The Kuban Cossack evening of gravity defying acrobatics
and robust folk singing was enthralling. A Russian lady
speaking fluent Hindi introduced the troupe leaving the
audience pleasantly surprised at her fluency. She drew a
parallel between the Cossacks and the Sikhs—both are
brave, ride horses and have a strong tradition of hearty
singing and dancing.
The show started with the singing quartet comprising two
men and two women, dressed in splendid ethnic
costumes. They sang folk songs in their own language
and, while we wondered what the words meant, regaled us
with their powerful voices and expert playing on the
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balalaika and accordion. Later in the one-and-a-half hour
show we were treated to solo performances by two of the
skillful musicians. As the singers exited the stage, the
dancers made a grand entrance wearing traditional black
and red costumes with the men riding pretend horses and
brandishing swords flamboyantly. Their combination of
strength, agility and elegance kept the audience riveted.
The swords were used to maximum effect as they let out
sparks each time two struck each other. After an exciting
exhibition of dance accompanied by traditional
background music, the four singers returned wearing yet
another set of cultural costumes. They sang a combination
of soulful and lively songs in their emphatic style with
several in the audience joining in off and on. The
recorded music was perfect for the dances and gave us a
wonderful sampling of Russian folk music.
The entire evening was structured to give the audience a
taste of Cossack folk songs intermittently with exuberant
dancing. The impact was strong and invigorating for the
large audience who sat in the open lawn on a cool October
evening. The performances showcased a variety of clothes
from the distinct Cossack culture. The dancers and
singers wore vibrant overcoats called Cherkesska and the
head scarf called bashlyk. As the dancers and singers
took turns to entertain through song and dance,
there was an explosion of colour on the stage that
was created through a combination of different
headgear, swirling dresses and coats, and scarves or
ribbons. Though the favoured colours of the
evening were different hues of crimson (Krasnodar
literally means ‘Gift of the Reds’) paired with black,
the girls also appeared in one vignette in white
flowing dresses with their heads covered with long
scarves that flowed down their backs giving them an
ethereal look.
All the Cossack artists performed with smiles on
their faces that clearly showed that they were
enjoying the evening as much as the spectators. The
live singing by the four, that interspersed the
dancing, gave us a wonderful balance of the
baritone of the musician who also played the
accordion with the lilting songs of the girls.
The evening ended to thunderous applause and the
Hindi-speaking Russian lady concluded the
evening by felicitating the Dance Ensemble from
Krasnodar and the diplomats from the Embassy of
the Russian Federation, and thanking the audience
profusely.
RIMA ZAHEER
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Classical Jazz
PERFORMANCE: An Evening of Classical Jazz
Presented by Aditya Balani Group from Delhi
Chief Guest: Soli J. Sorabjee
October 11
It was sheer pleasure to be present at the ‘Evening of
Classical Jazz’. The musicians were the Aditya Balani
Group from Delhi. The sextet was led, of course, by the
eclectic guitarist, composer and songwriter Aditya Balani
with a fine ensemble of young musicians: Smiti Malik
(vocal); Pawan Benjamin (saxophone); Jayant
Manchanda (bass); Kartikeya Srivastava (drums); and
Rohit Gupta (piano). Casting a quick look over the
biodatas of each of these musicians was an interesting
exercise. Their range of musical studies (Aditya himself
graduated summa cum laude from the Berklee College of
Music in USA, where he received the Berklee
Achievement Scholarship) and their experience with
Indian and international artists is remarkable. At least two
of them—vocalist Smiti and pianist Rohit—have made
fluid shifts from Indian classical music to the world of
wide-ranging Western and fusion genres.
On this evening, though, they kept to the promise of
classical jazz, and offered a repertoire of golden oldies. Of
course, the golden oldie route is a double-edged sword
because it can so easily evoke audio memories of the
maestros of the art and lead to unfair comparisons. But
the Aditya Balani group more than held their own, both
individually and as an ensemble. Smiti’s first number
was the Duke Ellington standard, the plaintive Don’t Get
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Around Much Anymore to which she gave a husky-toned
blues-y touch. Later in the concert, her rendition of Cole
Porter’s Love for Sale hit all the right notes (pun intended)
of pathos and seduction.
The ensemble worked so well together that it would be
unfair to single out any one performer. The sensitive
sound of Aditya’s guitar is familiar to anyone who watched
Coke Studio or has heard his wonderful album Answers.
But mention must be made of Pawan Benjamin’s
saxophone, smooth and hot like molten lava, whose
playing gave us glimpses of his mentor, avant garde jazz
musician, composer and experimenter Roscoe Mitchell.
Rohit Gupta continues to explore his instrument with
some very accomplished piano work. They were very ably
supported by Jayant Manchanda’s nimble bass and
Kartikeya Srivastava on drums, and we heard some
inspired solos from both of them as well.
What was interesting was to hear the way a song’s
complexion can change with a tweak of rhythm. Aditya
Balani chose to present Gershwin’s Summertime to a
funky beat, adding a bit of bounce to this rather
languorous ballad from the superb Porgy and Bess. And
Sting’s Fragile was transmuted by the Latin sound of
Bossa Nova.
All in all, the concert had unexpected levels of
sophistication much enjoyed by jazz lovers in the
audience. In the end we were left—as all good concerts
leave you—wanting much more. Perhaps, then, it was
only appropriate that Aditya Balani ended the concert
with Fly Me to the Moon, which he sang in harmony with
vocalist Smiti Malik.
ASHARANI MATHUR
diary
Mesmerising Concert
HINDUSTANI VOCAL RECITAL: Manjusha Kulkarni Patil
Chief Guest: Dr. Karan Singh, October 14
Shree, the sombre evening raga, was the most appropriate
though challenging choice of Manjusha Kulkarni Patil, a
vibrant vocalist of Hindustani classical music, to open her
evening concert with. It was veritably adventurous in that
the raga was too heavy for the young vocalist, but
Manjusha rose to the occasion, depicting its majestic,
melodic structure. There was a sincere effort to faithfully
establish the weight of the major raga without budging an
inch from its depth.
The note by note progression or Vistaar during the Bada
Khayal of raga Shree Gajarava baajo… set to Vilambit
(slow) Tilwada Tala with Aalap, Bol-aalap, Bahelava et al.,
spoke volumes for her aesthetic sensibility, desired
restraint and Riyaazee treatment unfolding the serious
raga. Sargam and Aakar Taans of intricate patterns and
high speed performed with effortless ease were aggressive
and melodious at the same time. This was followed by the
popular Chhota Khayal set to Teentala, Eri Maito aasan
gaili paasan gaili… which was also performed with
commendable maturity of expression.
Thus right from the impressive opening, Manjusha gave
a convincing account of her assimilation of the stylised
expressions of her mentors. Born in Sangli with an innate
talent for music, she received her initial training from an
early age under Pt. Chintubua Mhaiskar. A turning point
in her taleem (training) came when the late Pandit D.V.
Kanebua of Ichalkaranji noticed her rich potential, took
iic experience
her under his wing and groomed her in the tradition of
Agra and Gwalior Gharana Gaayaki. Later, she continued
under Pt. Narendra Kanekar, a senior disciple of Kanebua
and also learnt from Dr. Vikas Kashalkar.
Currently her diligent training under Pandit Ulhas
Kashalkar in the authentic Gaayaki of Gwalior, Agra and
Jaipur traditions, enables her to draw from all three in her
singing style just like her Guru. This was proved right
from the beginning of her concert. She continued with
raga Bhupali, which was a lovely contrast after Shree. The
popular teentala bandish, ab se tum san laagali preet
naveli… she sang in Madhya-laya (medium tempo) of
Addha Theka where the last line of Sthai reached the
Mukhada with a descending Chhoot Taan like the flash of
lightning. The neatly enunciated lyrical content was
matched with musicianship, intellectual grasp and
melodious treatment of the raga.
A ‘Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar’ awardee of the Sangeet
Natak Academy and the recipient of Pandit
Ramkrishnabuwa Vaze Puraskar, Manjusha is a versatile
singer. Her mellifluous voice has an extraordinary range
and a vast repertoire comprising Khyal, Thumri to
Marathi Natya-Sangeet, Bhaav-Geet and Bhajans. She
treated the audience this evening with a variety of deserts
after the sumptuous feast of the main course. There was a
mesmerising Marathi bhajan of Sant Jnaneshwar based
on Raga Bhimpalasi, a Natya-Geet on popular demand
and the concluding Bhairavi Bhajan. The gifted
accompanying artistes, Shriram Hasnabis on harmonium
and Mayank Bedekar on tabla enhanced her
impressive performance.
MANJARI SINHA
11
iic experience
Duet Singing
MUSIC: Carnatic Vocal Recital by Lalitha and Haripriya,
The Hyderabad Sisters
Chief Guest: Justice B.N. Srikrishna
October 12
Lalitha and Haripriya, the Hyderabad Sisters, have been
well-established fixtures on the Carnatic concert circuit
for decades now. Their guru, Sangeeta Vidvan Shri. T. G.
Padmanabhan, was a direct disciple of Alathur Venkatesa
Iyer, and the Alathur bani they inherited is known for its
disciplined classicism as well as its mastery of that
quintessentially Carnatic phenomenon, kanakku, the
execution of complex arithmetic laya structures. Laya
complexities were not much in evidence on this occasion,
probably in view of the eclectic audience, but what was
offered was a pleasing and traditional performance with a
smooth synchronicity that comes from their having sung
together since early childhood. They began with a
varnam, ‘Chalamela jesevayya’ in the raga Nattaikurunji,
composed by Mulaiveedu Rangaswamy Nattuvanar and
invoking Ranganatha, the lord of Srirangam.
Nattaikurunji is a very accessible, easily pleasing raga with
a distinct emotional quality that appeals even to lay
listeners, so it was a good choice for the opening.
This was followed by the familiar ‘post-opening-varnam’
homage to Ganesha, Vaataapi Ganapatim in Hamsadhvani
by Dikshitar, with some nice sangatis on the line pranava
svarupa vakra tundam being sung alternately by the two
sisters. Next came Thyagaraja’s Brova Bhaaramaain
Bahudari, a janya raga of Harikhamboji that is somewhat
similar to the Hindustani Jog. Mysore Vasudevachar’s
Khamaskriti Brochevarevarura, the next piece, is a very
diary
moving one, evoking, among other things, Krishna’s
liberation of the elephant Gajendra from the clutches of a
crocodile, and it was rendered with the sisters’ customary
attention to bhava. Sadaa madini in the rare
Gambhiravani followed, a brisk, engaging piece not often
heard that some attribute to Thyagraja while others
(notably renowned musicologist P. Sambamurthy) hold
to be a prakshipta kriti, i.e., composed by an imitator. A
pleasant piece, regardless of the composer. An aalaapanai
in Pantuvarali (Hindustani Pooriya Dhanashree) ensued,
followed by the well known piece Aparama bhakti ento,
with a neraval (improvisation) on the line trippatalanu
tlrci kanti and svara prastharas or note cascades that
illustrated well the structural beauty and manodharma
element of Carnatic compositions. The next piece,
Thyagaraja’s Teliyaleru Rama in Dhenuka, whose lyrics
mock those who follow rituals without any real
spirituality, would be music to many ears for its melodic as
well as sahitya bhava appeal. While the duo had already
sung a longish aalapanai and kriti in Pantuvarali, thus
qualifying it as the concert’s main piece, it was,
surprisingly, with the next kriti, Nagumomu in Abheri
(similar to Hindustani Bhimpalasi), that they gave the
audience an extended raagam-taanam-kriti suite with a
rousing bravura treatment. They closed with
Balakrishnadevam Bhajeham in Yamunakalyani, where
they used madhyamasruti (tuning the tonic note to ‘Ma’),
followed by a tillana in the same raga. All in all, it was a
satisfying, well-rounded, traditional Carnatic music concert
with the added enjoyment that always comes from
listening to duet singing. The accompanists, though not
hardcore professionals, supported the vocals competently
and it is also worth noting that the audio balance between
the different musical elements was carefully adjusted.
MAHADEVAN RAMASWAMY
12
diary
Of Tradition and Lineage
DANCE: Natwari Kathak Nritya by Vishal Krishna from Benaras
Chief Guest: Leela Venkataraman
October 13
The 23- year-old great grandson of Pt. Sukhdev Maharaj,
Vishal Krishna, from Benares, has not only got the right
genes, but also the blessings and the taleem from his
iic experience
immensely gifted family that boasts of Sitara Devi, Gopi
Krishna, Alaknanda Devi and also Pt. Birju Maharaj.
Starting his performance with an onomatopoeic composition
Damak Damak Dum Damru Baajey, he unleashed a series of
one-legged stances, Akashi Bharamaris and Utplavans,
associated with the Shiva iconography. Alapkari in Laya is
how he described his upaj section, after which he wove in a
range of chakkars and Brahmaris in the aamads and
Utthans strung in different jatis, revealing his control over
the layakari element of rhythm.
Vishal is a comprehensive artiste, strong on
the musical base of dance, a fact evident from
the many imageries he created in dance, that
drew on musical structures. He also
understood the value of interstices in the
music and the spaces within each note. He
faceted his padhant and the tonal microexplorations within each bol, conveying the
underlying sense of joy in his dance.
He chose his presentations for the evening
intelligently. He included three types of
ghunghat ki gats, that went with his appealing
androgynous looks. He incorporated the
signature pieces that are his legacy—tram
kiladis of Pt. Sukhdev Maharaj, sam chhodne
ke alag alag andaz at the end of tukras, made
famous by Pt. Gopi Krishna; and the Thali
Nritya of his grand aunt, Alaknanda Devi, as
well as the Mayur Nrutya of his other grand
aunt Sitara Devi, the last of which he wove
into a commanding performance of Meera
Bai’s Barsan Lagee Bajariya.
By selecting a composition that celebrated
nature, he avoided the trap of gender and
age. In any case, with a peacock feather
crown on his curly hair, he recalled to mind
the chhavi of Krishna himself. He was
supported by the strong accompaniment of
his father, Pt. Mohan Krishna (bolpadhant),
Kushal Krishna (tabla), Brijesh Mishra (vocal
and harmonium) and Sanish Gayawali
(flute).
He was like a breath of fresh air, with rare
talent, that
has mercifully not got
‘metropolised’. Despite his young years he is
steeped in tradition, is firm footed, and
centred. I use the last word with care and
caution. Most dancers of the Benaras
Gharana show a restlessness that is disturbing.
He was energetic, in fact acrobatic and flexible
like a gymnast, yet controlled, and absolutely
in command.
ARSHIYA SETHI
13
iic experience
Festival
Cuisine
The Himalaya
: A Timeless
CUISINE: Food from Around the World
Quest
October
9–15
EXHIBITION, TALKS and FILMS: The Himalaya: A Timeless
The
IIC Experience 2014 comes with the festive season
Quest
and
for seven–days
thereand
wasSacred
much feasting. The festival’s
Geographies
Physical
first
dinner
was
a
continental
Curator: Deb Mukharji, July 12 – 23one and the Swedish
Embassy served a few dishes from their lavish
smorgasbord of which the marinated salmon proved to
be very popular. However, the dinner offered many more
delectable dishes: Orange Glazed Lamb, Chicken Roll
stuffed with basil and sun dried tomatoes, Asparagus with
Mornay Sauce, Artichoke with Red and Yellow
Capsicum, Brussels Sprout with Celery Sauce and an
array of delicious desserts.
Kuuraku restaurant and the Japanese Embassy organised
a Japanese Bangohan. While globalisation might benefit
trade and investment, it dilutes individual cultures and so
what we got that evening was global Japanese food—even
the sushi and miso soup, the hallmark of Japanese food
were faint echoes of the real thing.
This is the second time IIC and the Embassy of Brazil
have presented Brazilian food and it continues to be
popular. Delicious starters such as Cheese Buns of
tapioca flour were served along with the traditional
Feijoada, a pork and bean stew, Moqueca de banana made
with green bananas in a tomato and coconut gravy and an
array of delectable desserts. Sunday lunch was A Taste of
South India with some outstanding dishes such as Meen
Porichatu, a masala fried fish, Vazbulhaga Masala, a
special curry of aubergines and okra, appam, pumpkin
halwa and the cooling flavours of almond kheer.
14
diary
After the robust drama of Cossack dances and songs, the
Russkaya Kukhnya displayed a variety of piroshkis—
Russian pies with different stuffings. Soup, salads and
stews formed the main meal with traditional Russian
pancake or blinis, and an unusual dish of buckwheat and
mushrooms. The desserts were delicious especially the
apple pie which had a bread-like texture. Decorated with
traditional craft objects, the table also had a Lomonosov
porcelain double-headed eagle of the Romanovs.
Jaunpur, on the banks of the Gomti is famous for the
architectural marvels of the Sharqi kings and now we
discovered its lavish dastarkhwan with mouth watering
pasandas, badinjanburani, of yoghurt and brinjals, a
variety of vegetarian dishes cooked a la do piaza and
korma. Atiya Zaidi prepared the dinner and gave us dishes
with amazing flavours ending with muzaafar, fried
vermicelli. From Sambal came Ateeq Kababwala to make
galauti seekh.
Maharashtra on a Plate was presented by Chef Machindra
Kasture of the Ashok Group of Hotels. The dinner
included the food of the Konkan coast, Vidharba,
Kolhapur, the street food of Mumbai and East Indian
cooking. The wonderful flavours of the state were a
delight to the taste-buds as each had a distinct yet
complementary flavour. The Naga Kitchen brought the
festival to a close and was prepared by Karen Yepthomi,
Dzükou Restaurant. Vegetables and special herbs and in
particular the fresh raja chillies from Nagaland were used
to create a combination of exotic flavours of bamboo
shoots, Axhone (soyabean boiled, fermented ) and served
with the red sticky rice of the state. The array of chutneys
added spice to the meal. A fitting end to the week
long feasting.
PREMOLA GHOSE
diary
iic experience
Repertoire of Themes
LAUNCH : IIC Quarterly Autumn 2014
Edited by: Omita Goyal
Released by: Dr. Karan Singh
Discussants: Dr. Kavita A. Sharma, Dr. Kapila Vatsyayan
Chair: Dr. Karan Singh, October 14
The launch of the Autumn Issue of the IIC Quarterly has
become synonymous with the Festival of Arts held at the
Centre every autumn. This is appropriate as the Quarterly
symbolises the spirit of the IIC in every conceivable way
and is a confluence of a diversity of ideas and thoughts.
In her introductory remarks, Dr. Kavita A Sharma,
Director IIC, remarked that even though the Autumn
issue did not focus on any particular topic as some of the
other issues in the year, it synergises on issues concerning
the people at large. She said that the article entitled
‘Promoting Citizen-centric Police Stations’ was novel.
Apart from this, the contribution of Uma Das Gupta on
Tagore’s involvement in alternative education was worthy
of note.
In her address, the Senior Assistant Editor, Ritu Singh,
mentioned the contents of the issue and said that the
articles stressed to a large extent on failures of governance
and social policy. She referred to the article by Dr.
Dipankar Gupta where ‘Threshold Markers’ at times do
more harm than good, and cited other pieces covering the
failure of governance, and culture as well.
Dr. Karan Singh, Chairperson of the Editorial Board, said
the Quarterly readership was now far beyond the confines
of the IIC Membership and it was read by bibliophiles
across the country. Dr. Singh mentioned the exquisite
pictorial essays on Nepal and the North East. Dr. Singh
went on to add that emphasis on the North East was
timely and necessary. The piece on the Maoist movement
also brought out crucial insights. He was sure that this
issue would be appreciated much like the earlier ones.
ARVINDAR SINGH
15
exhibition/discussion
Crafts and History
EXHIBITION: Salt – The Great March II by Shelly Jyoti
Inauguration: Tara Gandhi Bhattacharjee
September 4–15
Shelly Jyoti is artist, fashion designer and poet. All three
facets feature in this second of the Salt - The Great March
exhibitions.
Here, khadi is the metaphor for non-violence, and the
Ajrakh block-printing of Kutch the medium that Shelly
Jyoti uses to interpret it.
Ajrakh is an extraordinary textile printing technique.
Older than the pyramids (scraps of it were found in the
Fustat excavations in Egypt) its double-sided version can
involve 17 different processes, giving the fabric and
colours an intense depth and richness. The traditional
designs are a complex mesh of interlocking indigo, red,
black, mustard and green hexagons, octagons, and
rhomboids—perfectly expressing the unity in diversity
that was Gandhi's vision.
Shelly lets the beauty of Khadi and Ajrakh speak for
itself in dramatic, simple shapes—pyramids, squares,
Hyper Molecules
THE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY LECTURE: Mudras of
Molecules
Speaker: Professor Nalin Pant
Chair: Dr. Dinakar Salunke
September 5
As part of The Science and Technology Public Lecture
Series, Nalin Pant gave a vivid and fascinating talk about
what seems like the ‘hyper’ activity of a molecule within
the universe of the body in which ‘everything is
happening all the time!’
On the onset, he made a distinction between molecules
that are adjustable and others who have memory and
follow their own ‘will’ so to speak. He succinctly
explained the four nodal Cs that characterise
molecules—their composition; their connectivity with
other molecules through spring-like bonds; their threedimensional configuration; and finally and most
importantly their confirmation. To a layman like me, the
confirmation seemed to be akin to the dharma of a
molecule. I also appreciated the clarity with which he
defined chemistry as precisely the ‘reorganising of
springs,’ or bonds connecting molecules.
16
diary
circles which are both a chakra and a charkha.... Inside
them the block-prints magically spin and vibrate—the
soul of India.
Another series features silhouettes of traditional Indian
garments—the angarkha, bundi—stitched on to
unbleached khadi, highlighted with surface stitching and
an occasional button. Decorative though these are, I liked
them less in the context of Salt, as also the threedimensional garments displayed. This needs another
show another time! However, the silhouette of the little
girl's frock, waistband flying, entitled ‘Allow Me to Grow
Without Fear’, was moving—bringing back the horrific
incidents of violence to young girls so recently.
Ismail Bhai Khatri, the master craftsperson from Kutch
(he was honoured with a Doctorate from Montfort
University, UK) and his two sons, Juned and Sufiyan,
worked on the Ajrakh pieces with Shelly Jyoti. They
deserve as much praise. It is a wonderful, stirring
exhibition. But why the different spellings of
Ajrakh—ajrakh, ajark, azrakh—sometimes all in
one caption!?
LAILA TYABJI
As a yoga practitioner, I was also particularly fascinated
with his categorical description of the body as ‘a machine
that burns glucose’ and when talking of the haemoglobin
molecule he gave a highly intriguing description of the
incredible speedy mechanisms that help sort and organise
the gases—namely oxygen and carbon dioxide—
transporting, liquefying, at places even ‘magically’
reversing orientation, absorbing and eliminating them
effectively in order to keep one alive and healthy.
The lecture was hugely informative, imaginative and
deeply inspiring: I was struck by the autonomy plus
‘chemical awareness’ of the molecule, and therefore the
body! It was most affirming to hear the mudra viewed as
an instrument of self-preservation and selftransformation. And finally Pant’s self-coined rasayana
sutra was for lack of a better word, very ‘confirming.’
Modelling it on a sloka from the Natya Shastra (which
quite literally distills the pritihvi (earth) of the gesture
(hasta) through the multiple evolutes of perception
(drsti), cognition (manas) and feeling (bhava) to finally
arrive at the ether-ial aesthetic experience of rasa), he
traces ark or illumination to the atom (anu) via the
trajectory of molecule (anunika), form (aakar) and
function (phalam).
NAVTEJ JOHAR
diary
discussion
Culture of Indigo
RELEASE AND DISCUSSION: Culture of Indigo in Asia –
Plant, Product and Power (Niyogi Books, New Delhi, 2014)
Discussants: Professor H.Y. Mohan Ram;
Professor Himanshu Prabha Ray, and Dr. Lotika Varadarajan
Chief Guest: Dr. M. Sanjappa
Chair: Dr. Kapila Vatsyayan
Collaboration: IIC Asia Project
September 8
continued to p.18 top....
17
discussion
diary
...continued from p. 17
PURNIMA RAI
Prasar Bharati
Discussion: Can India have an International
Media Network of its Own?
Speakers: Saeed Naqvi, John Cherian, Vijay Naik,
Anand K. Sahay and, Shiv Shankar Mukherjee
Moderator: Suhas Borker
Collaboration: Jan Prasar and Indian Association of
Foreign Affairs Correspondents
September 12
The packed round table room marked the 20th
anniversary of Jan Prasar which had its first public
meeting at IIC on 12 September 1994.The unprecedented
absence of the Prasar Bharati representative led the
moderator to begin by flagging the recommendations of
the Prasar Bharati Expert Committee for creating a new
global platform that treats international broadcasters like
BBC, CNN and CCTV as competitors, benchmarking
them on quality and reach and projects the national view
rather than the narrow official viewpoint. Must the
world's largest democracy be a passive recipient of images
beamed by CNN, BBC, Reuters and Associated Press?
How long would India take to get out of the colonial
information grid?
18
These questions by Saeed Naqvi acted like spark plugs
while he spoke passionately about his many decades of
advocacy for India’s own global media platform. John
Cherian said that the western media focuses on matters
that are important to the West and this helps the western
governments to impose their political and economic
agendas on developing countries. India too does not buck
this trend. We should take a page from China and Russia
which have now begun individually to counter the media
monopoly of the West. Vijay Naik said that in the face of
intense competition, Prasar Bharati shall have to get out
of the white elephant syndrome before going
international and posting correspondents across the
world. Calling it a complete disaster in the making,
Anand Sahay argued that the Indian capitalist system had
not reached the stage of supporting a global media
platform. It would be hijacked by government officials to
grab plum postings or to ‘exalt’ the prime minister or
ministers. Former diplomat Shiv Mukherjee had the last
word—it could only work if it ‘tells it like it is’ and creates
a credible space for itself.
SUHAS BORKER
diary
Culture as Continuum
TALK: Physical Traditions as Continuity
Speaker: Navtej Johar
Chair: Uma Chakravarty
Collaboration: Lila Foundation for Translocal Initiatives
September 18
‘There are some questions on Yoga that a practitioner
such as myself needs to air.’ For the sixth event of the
PRISM Lecture Series 2014, Navtej Johar delivered a talk
that was enlightened and scholarly, but also oriented
towards very concrete and quotidian concerns. ‘In my
teachers, in my students, I can see how much Yoga creates
Sukha, happiness—it is tangible, evident. This state
permits to maintain the moderation of Sattva, surfacing
between the creative dynamic of energy and exhaustion
that makes Yoga. But, what happens when we block the
depth of this Sukha? Yoga creates happiness, but we don’t
let it sink. It turns into a dusty carpet we throw in the air
— the dust goes off for a little while, until it comes back in
another configuration.’
For Navtej Johar, this blockage in contemporary physical
practices of India stems from a larger historical tension:
the difficulty for the marginalised materialist schools to
resist intellectual incorporation onto the dogmatic and
theistic branches of Brahmanical-Hinduism. In the eight
century BCE, two groups initiated this movement of
Music of the Desert
MUSIC APPRECIATION PROMOTION: Music of the Desert
Speaker: Shubha Chaudhuri
Collaboration: American Institute of Indian Studies
September 19
The presentation entitled Music of the Desert was meant to
be an introduction to the musical traditions of Western
Rajasthan and Kutch—a stretch of desert that spans the
Thar desert, the Marwar to the Rann of Kutch. This was
based on the speaker’s fieldwork experiences and recent
incursions into Kutch and its music.
Providing a background of the musicians of Western
Rajasthan, the focus of the work has been on hereditary
musician communities—among them the well-known
Manganiars, Surnaiya Langas and Sarangiya Langas. The
shared boundary with Sindh and the shared history of
partition is what creates strong similarities between
Western Rajasthan and Kutch, with its very robust
tradition of Sufi music. The widespread impact of Shah
discussion
resistance: Charvaka and Samkhya. Soon after, Buddhism
and Jainism, in the sixth century BCE, expanded the
effort of an intransigent critical check on the Vedic
inspiration that slowly impregnated the majority of
cultures across the sub-continent. ‘But what I want to do,
is to try to draw the genealogy of Sukha in Indian
philosophy.’ Indeed, the materialist schools progressively
developed an alternative method to reach the suppression
of suffering: not one based on Tapas, sacrifice and selfaffliction, but privileging Sukha as an equally valid path
and motor to liberation.
The Yoga school is one of the traditions adopting this
second approach, but its relation to the dominant
philosophical climate remains ambiguous. The first
chapter of Patanjali’s Yogasutra is clearly Buddhist,
insisting on the practice of Dhyana or meditation, as a
response to suffering, stemming from the very bodily state
of Trsna, craving. But the second chapter is influenced by
Vedantic thought: the cult of Isvara is presented as the
response to the fundamental human condition of
Avidya, ignorance.
It is the richness of this double possibility that makes the
Yoga tradition unique.‘To reconcile this tension, I found
one key word: va, or. Patanjali offers a choice; he prepares
a middle path, a bridge between traditions. For the first
time, a spiritual project posits at its heart a choice that
each practitioner will have to address individually.’
SAMUEL BUCHOUL
Abdul Latif Bhitai and the 32 Surs propagated by Bhitai
form the backbone of the Sufi music of Kutch. Bhitai had
drawn these from his travels in Saurashtra and Rajasthan
and thus these also form part of the ragas sung by the
Manganiars and Langas. The Sufi tradition of the
Manganiar is that of those who have Muslim
Sindhi patrons.
One can also see the connections among the pastoralist
communities of this region. The Jut pastoralists and the
Surnaiya Langa with their Sindhi Sipahi patrons, share
the stories of Sassi Punnhu, Umar Marvi, Moomal Rana
among others. The instruments that they share are
the pawa or double flute, the earthern pot ghara, and
the sarinda, which is the only bowed instrument shared
with Rajasthan.
The presentation was illustrated by audio and video
field recordings.
The performance of the evening was of the well known Moora
Lala Marwada who sang Kafis of Bhitai, bhajans of the Kutchi
saint poet Mekan Dada and a few others.
SHUBHA CHAUDHURI
19
discussion
The Flowering of Consciousness
26TH PADMAPANI LECTURE: An Insight into Plant Life —
Perception, Feelings and Self Regulation
Speaker: Professor Sudhir K. Sopory
Chairperson: Professor Lokesh Chandra
Collaboration: Tibet House, September 13
Professor Sudhir K. Sopory, Vice Chancellor of JNU and
an internationally renowned molecular biologist opened
with this teaser: can science confirm or deny whether
plants have consciousness? The evidence he presented
was fascinating.
Plants have six of the seven criteria that define life, lacking
only locomotion. They’ve adapted to all environments
and are amazingly diverse in size, appearance and
behaviour. But do they see, smell, feel, hear and talk? Well,
we know that touch-me-nots fold their leaves and show
their spines when touched, but did you know plants have
‘light switches’ so sensitive that if you disturb their night’s
sleep by just five seconds of light of a certain frequency,
they may not flower? That they’re smart enough to realign
Legal Histories
BOOK DISCUSSION: Aequabilis–Fairness, Equity and
Justice—A Study of Select Judgments of Justice
(Nagpur, Air Law Academy and Research Centre, 2014) by
Jai Anant Dehadrai
Panel Discussion: Lakhan Mehrotra, and Sunita Narain
September 17
India International Centre witnessed a glittering evening
on 17th September 2014. The event was a spectacular
release, followed by a discussion session of a book by a
distinctive criminal lawyer and author, Mr. Jai
Anant Dehadrai.
This commentary on former CJI, R.S. Pathak's landmark
cases is aptly named as Aequabilis: Fairness, Equity and
Justice, a study that provides an honest insight into the
judicial reason that went into those judgments.
Eminent Chief Justice of India, Pathak was entrusted
with the case against Union Carbide regarding the worst
industrial accident that took place in 1984 in the city of
Bhopal. The case kept pending in the district court, high
court and after four years came to him. The issue was the
diary
themselves according to gravity if you plant their seeds
horizontally or upside down? That they can use chemicals
to call insects from two miles away to eat larvae that feed
on their leaves? That they send electrical signals to bees
informing them how much pollen is available? That their
‘memory’ tells them when to flower? That some plants can
smell other plants to find out whether they have sugars
that can be extracted?That plants like or dislike other
plant species? Or that they may even use sounds to
communicate with each other?
From Darwin through J. C. Bose to the present, we’re
learning that plants are more sophisticated than we think,
leading us closer to the ancient Buddhist, Hindu and
other perspectives on them, and the issue of whether they
have consciousness or not is perhaps only a semantic one.
An interesting choice for a lecture in the Padmapani Series
organised by Tibet House and the IIC, with an apt
introduction by Geshe Dorji Damdul, Director of Tibet
House, and a learned afterword by eminent scholar
Professor Lokesh Chandra.
MAHADEVAN RAMASWAMY
amount of compensation which was determined at 250
crore by the High Court. Union Carbide offered to pay
Rs. 350 crore, the defendant wanted 500 crore. Justice
Pathak awarded Rs. 750 crore penalty as compensation
and facilitated an out of court settlement between Union
Carbide Corporation and the Government of India by
the dropping of criminal liability charges against Carbide
in the case. Three years later, the Supreme Court upheld
the settlement in 1991.
Mr. Mehrotra articulated that it was not just pleasure, but
privilege to release this unique book by a unique author.
Dr. Sunita Narain said that this judgment will be part of
the environmental history of India. According to the
author, thirty years back the scenario was entirely
different and it would have been very difficult to prove the
charge of neglect amounting to criminality.
Justice Raghunandan Swarup Pathak, the 18th Chief
Justice of India has given some of the most important
historical judgments during his tenure as CJI. This book
has been a successful endeavour to study his
judicial reasoning.
DAISY DEKA
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discussion/notices
International Disputes
BOOK RELEASE: International Indians and the Law by
Anil Malhotra and Ranjit Malhotra. Released by Hon’bles
Justice T.S. Thakur; Justice A.K. Sikri; Julian Evans;
Dr. Balram Gupta; Justice Hima Kohli; Dr. Manish Arora; and
Dr.Kavita A. Sharma
Welcome and Introduction by Molshree Sharma
Panel Discussion: Inter–country Parental Child Removal Issues
Dedicated to Late Ambassador J. C. Sharma
Panelists: Hon’ble Justice Hima Kohli; Dr. Balram Gupta;
Rhona Royale; Molshree Sharma
Moderator: Anil Malhotra. Chair: Hon’ble Justice A.K. Sikri
Vote of Thanks by Ranjit Malhotra, October 16
The release International Indians and the Law was
followed by a panel discussion on ‘Inter country Parental
Child Removal Issues’.
The focus of the talk was on the quagmires of
international law that dealt with processes of identity
giving to children caught in international disputes. Cases
of inter-country adoption, custody battles between
couples going through a divorce and residents of different
countries and recent cases of transnational surrogacy
wherein newborns have been rendered stateless due to the
illegal status of surrogacy in their parents’ country of
residence were some of the focus areas for the panelists.
The Hague Convention and Treaty on International
Adoption that governs inter-country adoption processes
and is now seeking to regulate disputes and processes of
citizenship in case of transnational surrogacy, was
discussed with reference to specific country laws. The
primary focus of the debate revolved around the Indian
juridical importance given to the practice of ‘best
interests of the child’ as opposed to the Hague
Convention’s support for identifying citizenship of the
child at the place where it is residing. This means that
inter-country adoption cases for countries like India that
are donor nations become potentially thorny issues,
especially since a ruling (Laxmi Kant Pandey vs Union of
India) supported domestic adoptions for Indian children.
The matching of international and national laws on child
rights and identity giving to children clashes in cases of
divorce custody disputes and transnational surrogacy,
especially since there is an increasing movement of
children across borders. This may include trafficking and
other forms of forced movement which for many of the
panelists was problematic when seen in relation to the
arguments put forth in favour of the ‘best interests of the
child’. Supporters of the latter argument suggested the
issues of acclimatization and being habituated in a
particular cultural locale as reasons why the child should
be retained in a particular set of relations and
circumstances. Within such opposing arguments, rights
of the mother and father to custody of the child were
debates, as were rights of adoptive parents vis-à-vis
biological parents.
ANINDITA MAJUMDAR
Notice
Dr. Kavita A. Sharma, who joined IIC on 7 August 2008, relinquished the office of the Director on 3 November 2014,
upon being appointed as President of the South Asian University. A farewell function was organized on
3 November 2014, at which the President presented the customary silver salver to Dr. Kavita A. Sharma and wished
her well in her future endeavours.
Till a new Director is appointed, Cmde. Ravinder Datta, Secretary IIC, will officiate as the Director.
Obituary
A–1581
A – 4013
A–5421
M–1422
Shri Nitish Chakravarty
Ms Dharmvati Kumar
Dr. Wasim Zaman
Dr. H.K. Pargal
M–1736
M–1868
M–2296
M–4083
Air Marshal (Retd.) T.S. Brar
Shri A.P. Venkateswaran
Shri R.P. Khosla
Dr. J.S. Sarma
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futures
Highlights for November – December 2014
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notices
Reg. No. 28936/77
A Note from the Director
This was the eleventh year of the IIC Experience, the IIC’s Festival of the Arts which was celebrated with a range of
concerts, exhibitions, films and cuisine. This year was also the centenary of the First World War, and the IIC Festival
screened feature films about the Great War. There was, additionally, a focus on the Northeast.
The international performances included the Japanese Koto Recital by Noriko Matsuzaka and Tomoya Nakai from
Japan. Koto is a Japanese string instrument, also the Japanese National instrument. The most well-known of
traditional music instruments, the Koto is an essential part of the music played during New Year celebrations.The Folk
Dance and Songs of the Cossacks by Stanitsa Group from Krasnodar, Russia was structured to give the audience a
taste of Cossack folk songs along with exuberant dancing. The performances showcased a variety of clothes from the
distinct Cossack culture.
From India, there was an evening of Classical Jazz presented by the Aditya Balani Group from Delhi.The Carnatic
Vocal Recital by Lalitha and Haripriya, The Hyderabad Sisters, was a satisfying, well-rounded, traditional Carnatic
music concert with the added enjoyment that always comes from listening to duet singing. There was Natwari Kathak
Nritya by Vishal Krishna from Benaras; and a Hindustani Vocal Recital by Manjusha Patil of the Gwalior Gharana.
The exhibitions presented a wide range of themes. Pahari Imli—Window to a Lost World derives its name from a huge
tamarind tree on a hillock in Shahjabanabad. The area was once prominent for its calligraphers, book binders,
miniaturists and publishers. The exhibition highlighted the collection of the Hazrat Shah Waliullah Public Library
and personal collection of the Changezi family and Abdul Sattar. Pierrre Legrand of Auroville’s multi-media
installation, Emergence invited the viewer to walk through light, translucent architecture, made of poetry and
experience. Jaisalmer Yellow included paintings by 25 leading artists from 8 SAARC countries—Afghanistan,
Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
The Northeast was represented by a photographic exhibition on the Stilwell Road that runs from Assam to the Yunan
province of China. Findlay Kember, a British journalist travelled recently along the road which came into existence in
the Second World War, and took photographs. The opening event of the festival was a concert by Rida and the Musical
Folks from Meghalaya. They articulated a Westernised style of music also immersed in the traditions of Khasi and
Jaintia folk music. The closing event was Heisnam Kanhailal’s interpretation of Mahasweta Devi’s short story
‘Draupadi’, a play on marginalised peoples in remote areas of India who are continuously oppressed by the
forces in powers.
There was a poetry reading: ‘ The Great War: Poetry from the Trenches’. The film festival, People, Places and a War
also included tributes to Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Suchitra Sen and Robin Williams.
The IIC Experience 2014 came with the festival season and for seven days there was much feasting. There was food
from the European continent, Japan, Brazil, South India, Russia, Jaunpur, Maharashtra and Nagaland. It was a
wonderful experience and a grand success.
KAVITA A. SHARMA
The issue of the Dairy has been assembled and edited by Omita Goyal, Chief Editor, Rachna Joshi, Senior Asstt. Editor and Ritu Singh, Senior Asstt.
Editor. Published by Ravinder Datta, for the India International Centre, 40, Max Mueller Marg, Lodhi Estate, New Delhi - 110 003,
Ph. : 24619431. Designed by Sanjay Malhotra at IMAGE PRINT, N-78, Kirti Nagar, New Delhi-110015. Ph. : 41425321, 9810161228
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