Manav Rachna University, in collaboration with Dearc Entertainment, presented Symphony of Souls—a spectacular culmination of artistic brilliance on...
Art & Culture
NEW DELHI: With the ongoing celebration of Lohri and Makarsankranti, Delhi people got to witness a poetic cultural evening on January 15, 2020, at Shri Ram Centre Auditorium. AAMAD Kathak Dance Center organized Rang-E-Sukhan, a Kathak dance production that highlighted the shades of poetry.
Rang-e-Sukhan, a Kathak dance production was presented by more than 100 dancers including established and young Kathak dancers from AAMAD Dance Centre and disciples of Guru Rani Khanam. The event highlighted the shades of mystical and romantic poetry that were expressed through the enigmatic Kathak dance.
The program started with a Ghazal by Daag Dehlavi “Kyon Churate Ho Dekhkar Aankhein, Kar Chukken Mere Dil Main Ghar Aankhein”. Through this Ghazal, the artists highlighted the essence of Mehfil Andaz Kathak of 19th Century. This was followed by another item on Dama Dum Mast Qalandar, a spiritual Sufi song written in the honour of the most revered Sufi saint of Sindh, Lal Shahbaz Qalandar. He spread his teachings and preached religious tolerance between Hindus and Muslims. The evening continued with Kedar Sargam based on in Raag Kedar and composed in Taal Teentaal 16 Beats.
Later, the artists presented Maalgunji Sargam based on Raag Maalgunji in 16 beats. The abstract syllables are swiftly sung while the dancers bring out the essence of the melody and rhythm through footwork, intricate geometric shapes, and rapid turns. This was followed by a group performance ‘Geet’ by Swastika Dance 24’s young artists. The audience watched the next performance in awe as the youngest students of both AAMAD Dance Centre & Swastika Dance 24 presented the traditional Kathak.
The next presentation was Krishna Bhajan took from Krishnasthakam Strotam: Bhaje Vrajaika Mandanam Samasta Papa Khandanam. The evening came to an end with a group performance on Sufi Bulle Shah’s most famous Sufi Poetry ‘Tere Ishq Nachaya Karke Thaiyya Thaiyya’
Each performance was based on beautiful Farsi and Urdu poems that were focused on the amalgamation of Indian and Persian culture, also known as “Ganga- Jamuni Tehzeeb, which is very much relevant today era.
Guru Rani Khanam who has choreographed all the performances is one of the most renowned Kathak dancers. Not just this, she is also an empanelled artist in “outstanding category” of the Indian Council for Culture Relations and the Director of Aamad. Talking about the success of Rang-E-Sukhan, Guru Rani Khanam said, “Our main objective was to highlight the Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb through our performances. The divine power of all the poems reflects the purity of the form. Each performance was a rich amalgamation of dance, music and poetry.”
Finding Audrey follows Audrey, a kind and forgiving 14 year old girl who suffers from a social anxiety disorder after a terrible bullying incident that occurred to her at old school. Audrey is now home-schooled. She wears dark sunglasses all day to prevent making eye contact with any other human being, even her parents and siblings because its just so stressful for her.
She lives with her family in England.
I thought i wasn’t going to relate to her because she is 14 years old but to my surprise, I could. I was able to visualise every scene. I loved the documentary presentation, the script and most of all, the story telling. It is unique in a way that makes the story hilarious and intense, both at once. The opening scene of Finding Audrey was very beautiful.
I love that this book dealt with anxiety at all. I’ve read one other book that deals with anxiety (The Boyfriend List by E. Lockhart) and honestly, its heart wrenching to see authors spilling even the harshest and roughest emotions so beautifully.
For the most part, I really enjoyed the writing style and the presentation. It was light-hearted and riddled with humor; it had me cackling several times throughout.
The fact that this book is written in such a light tone makes it so unique. Anyone wanting to read a book about anxiety would expect dark thoughts and dark words. The brother, Frank, is hilarious. She has another brother who is 4 years old and its so adorable to imagine being around him.
Personally, i feel anxiety is nothing to be made fun of, the swaying away process seems to have been taken lightly and that’s why I wasn’t happy with how anxiety and its recovery process was presented-that meeting a new guy will instantly cure the disorder. But for the most part it was overwhelming to see Audrey dealing with her anxiety, living with her family and finding love.
It was only once in the story that i felt a little distracted.Audrey’s mom’s fixation with ridding Frank (the brother) off his computer games almost became the center aspect of the plot instead of Audrey’s healing process which took away from the enjoyment of the novel for a while.
I would recommend this to someone who would like to read a book that deals with a dark issue in a friendly way and a book that will make you laugh despite the issues being intense.
Title: Finding Audrey
Author: Sophie Kinsella
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary
Publication: Delacorte Books
NEW DELHI : Bharatendu Natya Utsav, a tribute to the father of modern Hindi literature as well as Hindi theatre – Bharatendu Harish chandra is being celebrated at Kamani Auditorium, Mandi House. The theatre festival, organized by Sahitya Kala Parishad, will be being held at Kamani Auditorium, Mandi House until 12th December 2019 and the last two days will be organized at LTG Auditorium, Copernicus Marg.
The works of eminent litterateurs with some promising contemporary writers and directors are being featured during this 6-day long festival. On the first day of the festival, the audience saw the play ‘Seediyan’ written by Daya Prakash Sinha and was directed by Arvind Singh. This was followed by a musical play ‘Ram Ki Shakti Pooja’ directed by Prathibha Singh and written by great poet Suryakant Tripathi Nirala.
On the third day, the play ‘A journey of Romeo Juliet’ originally written by Shakespeare was presented which was directed by Manoj Kumar Tyagi. The play begins with a scene where Romeo enters the stage without any prior rehearsal of his character and this creates a tension between the actor and the director. Romeo states that he doesn’t feel his character and instead of being a puppet in the hands of the director, he wants the freedom to make decisions on his own according to the criteria. The situation becomes even more tangled when instead of Juliet, Romeo falls for her friend and he has the reason to love her friend. But the director doesn’t allow this because it is against the script. This makes Romeo question the tradition and argue on the life, death, freedom and violence and categorizes them as the two sides of the chess.
Manoj Kumar Tyagi, a resident of Delhi, was a science student and a graduate of National School of Drama. He has worked on various plays and drama across the nation as well as on international level. Manoj Kumar Tyagi has worked with renowned institutes like Delhi University, Ambedkar University, IIT, Delhi to name a few. He has directed many \plays and is currently associated with the noted Marwah Film Institute where he is training the student on acting and direction. Besides, he is also working for various news channels.
Author : Arun Malik Genre : Motivational Quotes My Rating: ???? Available on : Amazon Pages : 153 My Take: The first thing which will attract you to...
While reading a work of fiction you generally don’t look forward to science. However, the book ‘Frosted Glass’ is written on the...
Book Title: Abyss
Author: Sabarna Roy
Format: Paperback
Pages: 120
Review by: Swapna Peri
Life always beckons with reality and truth however it is seen through the tinted glasses. Every day becomes a challenge in finding the real meaning of life. From his first book, the author has presented all the human-related things and emotions in his five books very intrinsically. In a perfect mixture of fiction and facts, feelings and emotions the concept of life presented by the author seem so true even though some are fictitious.
In the book Abyss, the author pragmatically used a format of storytelling in the form of plays. Abyss is a full-length play in two acts with an interval. It is a crime suspense thriller. The author has presented the characters in a very pleasing manner and holds the grip of the reader’s mind.
Book Title:
The title of the book ‘Abyss’ is interesting
What I like:
The interlacing of the scenes and the narration is done in an excellent way.
The way the author has presented about life and various emotions will move the readers.
Characters:
Every character in the story is plotted very well with interesting narration and characterizations.
Narration:
The narration of the story is engaging and interesting.
Language & Grammar:
Flawless language and good grammar are found in the story.
My Final Verdict:
A thought-provoking book with facts of life that move the reader’s mind and leave them with a great experience. The book is apt for all ages and all groups of readers.
Book Title: 4/5
Book Cover: 3/5
Plot: 4/5
Characters: 4/5
Narration: 3/5
Language & Grammar: 3/5
Final Rating: 4/5
The book’s title “Femonomic: Women Invite Crime” is a shot at society’s constant victim blaming as women are expected to resist or enjoy crime against them. No matter what happens, women are always either instructed or blamed for one or the other thing.
Book : Femonomic: Women Invite Crime
Publisher: Think Tank Books (1 September 2019)
Author : Lovey Chaudhary
Price : 125 INR
Format: Paperback & Kindle
Review by Swapna Peri
Book Cover
The cover of the book is an image of a young woman looking straight at you with courage and helplessness.
About the book
The book is a collection of poems that are like distinct fragrances of a flower, a perfect mixture of different emotions, boldness, and innocence.
Aesthetics, observation, and emotional balance are very important while penning a poetry-based book, and the author has excelled brilliantly in it. The poems appear to be inspired by real-life events, encounters, and most frowned upon subjects around the world. It seems as if most of them were personally experienced by the author.
Many poems in the book empower women to create a positive space in life and encourage society to do so as well. In a way, the book is a good medium for communicating the strong message the author planned to convey through her poems to the world.
The poetry talks about everything from body image to homosexuality, from the birth of a girl child to rape of that girl child, from anxiety to suicide, from love to sex, and from chocolate to French fries.
In the present scenario of the world, the violence and the increasing crimes against women are witnessed by everyone across the world in some or the other manner. It indicates the enormity and pensiveness of the monstrosity perpetrated against women in recent years. Most of the times the parents or the relatives of the woman suffering mask out the crime against her because they fear society. It is a myth that such atrocities happen only in the communities of less-educated people. It is most prevalent with the middle class and upper-middle class, in India or America. The changes in the living standards, lifestyle, imbalance in the economic growth, changes in social life are some of the reasons that contribute to a vicious outlook towards women due to which there is multiplication in crimes against women.
Some of the poems like To Love, Tumble, I don’t know what to name it, Who am I, The tragedy of self-love & Prostitution are really very well thought and incredibly written. Kudos to the author for picking up such themes.
Thus the author has taken the emotional turbulence as well as women’s issues that she might have witnessed directly or indirectly as the muse for each of her poems and presented them to the readers in the most unadulterated, authentic and powerful way. There are many poems that are written so intelligently that they will prick the bug in one’s mind.
What I like
A perfect blend of raw human emotions towards subjects that everybody is aware of but no one talks about.
Realism, perception and imagination are beautifully interwined.
Poetry about contrasting topics in a unique way makes for a good read.
The sense of thought provoking and probing poems is admirable.
Reality of today’s world is described coherently and effectively.
The mindset of today’s society towards women is seamlessly illustrated in words.
My Final Verdict: A unique, thoughtful and exceptional read.
Book Title: 4/5
Book Cover: 4/5
About the book: 4/5
Language & Grammar: 4/5
Final Rating: 4/5
Nisha Tandon, a bilingual poetess from Dubai has marked her name in poetry with her soulful poetry. An entrepreneur by profession, Nisha Tandon has used her life experience in a well-articulated and rhythmic tone in her poetries. Starting her poetic journey with her first poetry collection, Footprints; she has come a long way in her credentials as a poetess. Currently residing in Dubai, she has been an individual with various attributes. Apart from holding a reputed position in an HR & Training Consulting Firm, she has worked in hotels, educational institutions and corporate entities.
INTERVIEW BY NITISH RAJ
When did you start writing or how you feel that you should write down your imagination?
I would say it’s genetic. My father writes poetry and I feel his creativity has passed on to me. As a teenager when one goes through a transition phase in life, it’s very difficult to share your thoughts with anyone. I found solace in noting down my random thoughts in my diary. Just that my words were in the form of poetry.
How are you feeling after publishing your second book in a span of six months?
It is an incredible feeling. I never gathered courage until my family and wellwishers after reading my work encouraged me to get them published.The roughly drafted thoughts were already there and I just needed to compile them into a book. The progression from the first to the second was smooth and the journey was indeed an interesting experience. We better ourselves with each move.
What aspects of poetry makes it more influencing than fiction?
For me I do a lot of introspection and draw inspiration from real life experiences and the people I meet. It’s important that the readers are able to connect with the poet. Poetry being the reflection of a poet’s personality makes it stand apart from other forms of art.
What role does poetry play in influencing the thought-process of mere mortals?
Poetry is a genre that creates an aura around the most ordinary emotion. They help to portray a blend of reality and fantasy and resonate with the reader’s life. It is the bridge between our heart and words spoken from our soul.
At the time when fiction has overshadowed poetry, what initiatives are taken by modern poets in order to attract the young readers?
I always feel the essence of poetry is one’s innermost emotion captured right. Remaining true to the feelings and expressing them has always worked. They may have been overshadowed
by fiction at the moment but they shall never be lost. You will always find readers’ who still believe in the age old charm of literature written in verse. Social media has been instrumental in engaging the young readers.
At the time when English language is becoming a part and parcel of our life, how much a poetry collection in Hindi language hold it’s relevance?
Hindi is the second most spoken language in the world. It will always hold it’s fort no matter what. There will always be raving fans of poetry who appreciate the significant contributions of our language in our culture and traditions. The lyrical recital still enthralls the enthusiasts. You can’t deny the fact that emotions are better conveyed in Hindi than in English.
How do you manage time for writing with your loving child who actually need special care?
I feel finding time for something one is passionate about is not difficult. For me penning down my thoughts is like breathing.I can do it almost anytime, anywhere. It’s all about time management! And as far as writing is concerned, while taking care of my child with special needs, I draw a lot of inspiration from her. Her never give-up attitude and zest for life inspires me to pursue my dream of writing.
What would be your advice to the young budding poets?
I would advise the budding poets to follow their heart while writing. Express yourself in words you believe in , they have an instant connect with the reader. Not everyone is blessed with the thought-process required for writing , especially poetry. So one must exploit this talent to the optimum.
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