Peace is the first condition, without which nothing else can be stable. Sri Aurobindo  The Tribune India

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Peace is the first condition, without which nothing else can be stable. Sri Aurobindo - The Tribune India

It wasnt difficult to see the light when besieged by such resplendence. What hits you at first is the smell of the spray you can only feel but not skim yet; the gap seems tempting but distant enough to the touch. It was difficult to tell where Rock Beach ended and the city of Pondicherry began. It wasnt difficult, however, to take a stroll on the Promenade under the moonlight slanting through the crevasses of the clouds overhead.

Life appeared ravishing, and it took me all my strength to not be lured into the enticement that the waves offered it would have taken a man of stronger character to walk away from all of that without batting an eyelid.

Sunrise at Rock Beach

The Adyar Bhavan on the road that connects the temple of Manikula Vinayagar raises its head in veneration, but it is not easy to give up on the prospect of a piping hot masala dosa served with a dollop of butter on top and the hint of unease at what it forbade an uninterested appetite washed down with the sweetest of coffees sourced from the Western Ghats in Karnataka. The Indian Coffee House, located a hundred metres down Jawaharlal Nehru Street, prefers to let this pass as an outswinger pitched on off-stump, but chooses not to curl its lips in derision.

One could not walk down these roads without passing a tinge of admiration for the exalted ashram that Sri Aurobindo set up in 1926; the last vestige of pride that overshadowed the sun setting in the west diametrically opposite to where Rock Beach was troubled you enough as you shook your head in vexation with what the town had presented to you so far.

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It was not unpleasant to see clusters of castaways and tramps throng the sacred porticoes of the Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, knowing well that man was more considerate and charitable when in the presence of God. Life made no distinction between Hyderabad and Pondicherry in both places, it is felt to be more desirable to live on the alms of others than work for a living as the strong-bodied among the beggars attest.

***

It takes a lot of will to wake up early and see the sunrise at Serenity Beach a few kilometres down the East Coast Road after a big night in; the backpackers hostels catering to the horde of solo travellers make good business at this time of the year. The monsoon has just set in, and although the humidity appeals to ones senses and asks to be set free, summer has departed. That is more than what one can ask for on the coastlines of India; of such small victories are ones days here made.

Fellow travellers those outlandish enough to wake up and chase the sunrise anyway make good use of the waspish hues that the pre-dawn gifts to the fortunate at this beach. Seen in the dark, the sky changes from a fantastic deep shade of late purple to mauve within minutes; you blink and you miss it. Shifting from a papaya whip to a deep atomic tangerine, one could be forgiven for not knowing that the northern lights were a million miles away from where one stood.

Rock Beach, with the Lighthouse prominent

The stars disappear one after the other, the Moon bids a hasty goodbye (but still lurks like a naughty schoolboy behind the curtains of the western caprices) and the star of the show the fiery-red ball we call the provider of life on Earth the Sun, makes a fashionably late appearance. It is not difficult to perceive that the world outside where men are cruel to each other has stopped existing; that this is all there is, and that this is the Truth one has spent all their life seeking. Nothing holds more significance than the moment when the sun rises from the horizon, bathed in celestial light. One feels lost in the vacuum created by time in space.

Staying true to its name, this beach ensures that contact from the world outside of its peripheries remains closed; the fishing hamlet that surrounds it and closes it in a vice-like grip deserves accord of the highest order. No middle-class tourist with disposable income freshly minted off the press can remain steadfast to what this beach signifies, and the idea of sanctity it represents.

***

No beach could match up to what one experienced at Serenity; certainly not the urban bazaar that is called Paradise (another reference to Hyderabad) and masquerades as a shoreline. The ferry ride taken across the gentle creek subterfuge as a backwater holds well until the pilot opens his mouth in stupefaction at the reality being pointed out; no wonder people feel betrayed when cruelly put face to face with the Truth. Living in delusions seems a much simpler, and often easier choice.

Sunrise at Serenity Beach

The visit to Auroville is timed with the bloom of frangipani; it is no coincidence that the jasmine that greets me on the many walks I am compelled to take in the inner confines of the commune smells of distaste yet a peculiar kind of freedom. The lassitude of the inmates mixed with the torpor that the afternoon invariably brings is overly seductive; it seems captivating yet far away from where I stand. It is that inner centring that mystics all over the world speak of that distinguishes us, beings of the same creed though we are.

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The giant Banyans branches have twisted in a death-like grimace beyond recognition. It does not bow as I pay my respects to it for simply showing up, merely for being there, yet I sense that it appreciates the advances made appropriate or not. There is no place for dogma in Auroville, and it is not surprising to see that the ideas it preaches find little mention on the brochures supplied by travel agents in and around the hotels of Pondicherry.

The Matri Mandir or Golden Dome at Auroville

***

It seems apt to end ones sojourn here with a dish of well-made Ratatouille at Madame Shanthes sprinkled quite liberally with condiments found nowhere near the French Riviera. I spot a French family of five from Lyon sitting near the balustrade but lack the courage to inquire as to what they make of this. Memphis Depay, quite naturally, dominates our conversation. This pilgrimage of the heart would have been incomplete without a trip to Baker Street across from MG Road; it seems too tantalising a proposal to pass up the quiche and croissants calling out my name and asking for nothing in return save a few inches off the waistline.

Mohul Bhowmickis a national-level cricketer, poet, essayist, travel writer and sports journalist from Hyderabad, India. His latest collection of poems They Were My Heroes is now out.

All images provided by the author.

Link:
Travel Diary: The Resplendence of Pondicherry - LiveWire

21 JULY 2022

Founder Chairman of SAIMS, Dr. Vinod Bhandari has been awarded by The Eminence Award 2022 for the Most Committed Hospital of Central India. It's another feather in the cap of SAIMS Fraternity. The Award was presented by Honble Minister for Road Transport & Highways in the Government of India Shri Nitin Gadkari on 21st July, 2022 at New Delhi.

07 JANUARY 2022

Governor of Kerala Hon'ble Shri Arif Mohd. Khan Visited Sri Aurobindo University

Hon'ble Governor Inaugurated the Ceremony organized in colloboration with Sri Aurobindo University & Free Press, on "NEP: A way forward to Medical Education"

21 DECEMBER 2021

Governor of M.P. Hon'ble Mangubhai Patel Visited Sri Aurobindo University

He started the "Sickle Cell Project" at SAU and inaugurated Ultrasound Simulation Lab, ECMO Academy & Advanced Central Laboratory at SAIMS.

Sri Aurobindo University Organizes International Conference on COVID

An International conference under the aegis of Indian Society for Rational Pharmacotherapeutics (ISRPT) was successfully conducted from 25th to 27th November, 2021 at Sri Aurobindo University Campus. Eminent scientists from the globe participated in this event.

INDO-UK FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM

LECTURE & HANDSON ON DENTAL PHOTOGRAPHY CONDUCTED AT SRI AUROBINDO COLLEGE OF DENTISTRY, DEPT. OF PEDODONTICS ON 27 OCTOBER 2021

11th SEPTEMBER 2021

TEACHER'S DAY CELEBRATION AT SAIMS

15th AUGUST 2021

CERTIFICATE AWARDED TO SAIMS BY INDORE COLLECTOR FOR INSTALLATION OF OXYGEN GAS PLANT ON 15TH AUGUST CEREMONY

20.07.2021

Latest NGS Sequencing Maching for COVID-19 is at Indore

Sri Aurobindo Hospital has imported the latest Next Generation Genome Sequencing Machine from USA for characterization and early detection along with identification of various COVID-19 variants.

Sri Aurobindo College of Dentistry

On 25-26th June 2021, Career Guidance Counseling Cell, Sri Aurobindo Institute of Dentistry is hosting a webinar on "Career options after BDS" which focuses on providing assistance to the future dentists of intern batch and final year, in making informed educational choices with the guest speaker as honorable Dr. Saransh Malot.

INTERNATIONAL YOGA DAY MEET - 21ST JUNE 2021

International Yoga Day Meet was organised by Department of Public Health Dentistry, on 21st June 2021, based on the theme "Come Breathe In & Breathe Out With Us In Rhythm", with yoga instructors as Dr. Binti Chand and Dr. Anchal Sharma.

INVITATION & NOTICE

19th APRIL 2021

Hon'ble Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi Ji called a Virtual Meet with Renowned Doctors and Pharmacist of different States and discussed the COVID-19 Pandemic. From Madhya Pradesh, Founder Chairman of SAIMS Dr. Vinod Bhandari represented in the meet and shared their experience and gave suggestions sought by P.M.

5th APRIL 2021

Hon'ble Chief Minister of M.P. Shri Shivraj Singh Ji called a Virtual Meet with Directors of Private Medical Institutions to discuss the COVID-19 Pandemic. SAIMS Founder Chairman Dr. Vinod Bhandari & Managing Direcotr Dr. Mahak Bhandari attended the meet and shared their experience and gave suggestions sought by C.M.

13-14TH MARCH 2021

WORKSHOP ON THESIS PROTOCOL TYPING & BASIC RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

3rd MARCH 2021

DR. MANJUSHREE BHANDARI APPOINTED CHANCELLOR OF SRI AUROBINDO UNIVERSITY

13TH FEBRUARY 2021

SAIMS-TIMES INAUGURATED

Inauguration of SAIMS Times, a magzine for all academicians, physicians, clinicians, students. Inauguration took place by IMA National President Dr. Jaylal

INAUGURATION OF COVID VACCINE AT SAIMS MEDICAL COLLEGE

Chief Guest Shri Shankar Lalwani, MP, inaugurated the COVID vaccination program at SAIMS MEDICAL COLLEGE CAMPUS

FIRST COVID VACCINE WAS ADMINISTERED TO DR. RAVI DOSI, HOD, DEPT. OF RESPIRATORY MEDICINE, SAIMS

14 JANUARY 2021

MAKAR SANRANTI CELEBRATION AT SAIMS MEDICAL COLLEGE CAMPUS

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Sri Aurobindo Institute of Medical Sciences, Medical College, Dental ...

Saquib Salim

At a recent seminar held at India Islamic Cultural Centre, New Delhi, Prof. Sanjay Dwivedi, Director General, Indian Institute of Mass Communication told the audience that a dearth of intercommunity dialogue is at the root of distrust among different religious communities in India. Taking his example, he said that on account of his primary education among Muslims, he is never afraid of people sporting Islamic symbols because he understands that they, like him, are normal Indian citizens.

The comment, though separated by more than six decades in time, resonated with what Ram Manohar Lohia wrote in his book Guilty Men of Indias Partition. Lohia, a socialist leader, and freedom fighter believed that a Hindu Muslim dialogue and understanding is the only remedy to religious antagonism in the subcontinent. He went to the extent that the partition of India could be undone if both the major religions interact healthily.

Lohia wrote, Partition can be undone only with increasing identification between Hindus and Muslims, the absence of which was the prime cause of partition A Hindu who is an enemy of the partition must necessarily be a friend of Muslims.

Lohia was not writing in thin air. In 1946, after the great communal disturbances in Bengal, he was asked by Mahatma Gandhi to camp in Kolkata. At that time, for almost a year, the city was divided into Hindu and Muslim regions with almost no physical interaction. Muslims would not go into Hindu settlements and vice versa. Gandhi asked him to visit the homes of his Muslim friends there.

Manohar Lohia with Jayprakash Narayan

Lohia recalled, Little did I realise what this meant when he said it. It was such a simple thing to do It is, however, such simple and concrete actions that pave the way for settlements that decide the destiny of mankind. There were, however, not many at that time who were eager to pave such a way.

Lohia and Barin Ghosh, brothers of Sri Aurobindo Ghosh, set out to meet a Muslim friend in the city. He lived in a hostel where most of the Muslim League activists were residing. No Hindu had visited the locality in almost a year. As soon as they reached, a group of Muslim League activists surrounded both of them.

They were served with tea and a lot of inconvenient questions on politics. Almost every student was complaining that the University Vice Chancellor and Congress Leaders had not visited them in this hour of need. On this Lohia, asked them if they fully realised the consequences of their wish, only to receive the reply that I was nevertheless alive. Lohia wrote, and so the conversation went on for nearly two hours.

Lohia broke the ice between the two religious communities during those horrific times by creating dialogue at several other places as well. His experience made him believe that partition can be undone in times to come with revolutionary zeal. He wrote, the opponent of Muslims in India is the friend of Pakistan and estrangement from each other (Hindus & Muslims) is the root cause of partition. If we can create an environment where this estrangement does not exist we can dream of a united India.

Read more here:
Can the Partition of India be undone? - Awaz The Voice

Rajpath, the 1911-vintage Kingsway built to welcome King George V, became Kartavya Path. A tall black-stone statue of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, described by Prime Minister Narendra Modi as the first Pradhan of united India, was installed under the canopy where King George Vs statue stood. This is New Indias final push for dismantling colonial-era remnants. At the unveiling function, Modi described Rajpath as a symbol of slavery and hoped that Kartavya Path would motivate peoples representatives toward Indias democratic past and universal ideals.

Indias Independence movement was inspired not just by the desire to replace the British with Indian rulers but by the passion to return to its civilisational glory. Lala Lajpat Rai, Madan Mohan Malviya, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, V D Savarkar, Sri Aurobindo and M K Gandhi many leaders were committed to that ideal. Even Jawaharlal Nehru, the Cambridge-educated young man whom Gandhi affectionately described once as our Englishman, was so determinedly anti-British that he threatened to resign from Congress in 1928 when the Nehru Committee, headed by his father Motilal Nehru, recommended that India may accept the British offer of dominion status. Nothing short of Poorna Swaraj total independence junior Nehru insisted.

Sadly though, those motivations waned when independence dawned. In 1948, India decided to join the so-called Commonwealth. Most of these Commonwealth countries have nothing in common except their colonial past nor any wealth yet India continues to be a member. The silver lining is that unlike countries like Canada, Australia and New Zealand, India didnt remain under British dominion after independence.

Some half-hearted efforts were made after Independence to remove the symbols of colonialism. Names of some roads and buildings were changed. But the statue of King George V remained on Rajpath for a full two decades until a public agitation forced the government in 1968 to shift it to another venue. The canopy remained empty because the leadership was undecided over who should occupy it. Gandhis name was proposed several times but turned down during the regimes of Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi.

In the 75th year of independence, Modi is giving a new thrust to that effort. The new parliament building, Kartavya Path, National War Memorial and the statue of Netaji are all the new symbols of a decolonising India.

Some found the installation of Netajis statue on Kartavya Path less convincing. Indias identity from its Independence was that of non-violence, they argue. It is precisely that narrative which needs to change. Indias independence movement had many strands, the non-violent one led by Gandhi being the most prominent. But Netajis contribution was no less significant.

In fact, Netajis Azad Hind Fauj or Indian National Army (INA) had hit the last nail in the British coffin in the penultimate years of the Independence struggle. Netajis scintillating address at a rally in Burma, in which he gave the thunderous appeal, Give me blood and I promise you freedom, led to a tectonic shift in that struggle.

INAs adventurous battles and the capture of Moirang in Manipur under the leadership of Lt Col Shaukat Ali on April 14, 1944, had triggered a wave of enthusiasm among the masses of India, who were disappointed by the failure of the Quit India Movement. This enthusiasm turned into anger when the British brought 11 INA soldiers to Red Fort for a trial in 1945. The fire lit by the INA was so fierce that rebellions broke out in the Royal Indian Navy with Indian soldiers, who constituted the majority in the force, refusing to obey the orders of their British officers.

The rebels, who started calling themselves the Indian National Navy on the lines of Netajis INA, mutinied initially at Bombay in 1946, but the unrest soon spread from Karachi to Calcutta. It involved over 20,000 sailors and 78 ships. At the peak of the revolt, sections of the Royal Indian Air Force and Royal Indian Army too joined the revolt. There were incidents of unrest in the army cantonments of Madras and Poona. The Indian soldiers started defying their British superiors and saluting with their left hand as a mark of revolt.

Although ideologically opposed to violent struggles, the Indian National Congress leadership too saw in the INA trials an opportunity to re-ignite the spirit of freedom among the masses and came forward to defend the INA soldiers. The defence team deployed by the Congress included prominent legal luminaries like Bhulabhai Desai, Asaf Ali, Sarat Chandra Bose, Tej Bahadur Sapru, Kailash Nath Katju and Lt. Col Horilal Varma. Even Jawaharlal Nehru scrambled for the black coat that he relinquished in 1922 and jumped to the defence of the INA soldiers at the Red Fort.

The British were rattled by these revolts and the massive popular support they received. Debates in the British House of Commons in the second half of 1946 stand testimony to it. Prime Minister Clement Atlee decided that it was time to quit India. He gave two principal reasons for his decision: One, that the Indian soldiers of the Royal Indian Army were no longer loyal to the crown, and second, that the British Army could no longer afford to send a large contingent of British soldiers to India, especially after the bloody experience of the Second World War.

Netajis and INAs contribution to the independence struggle thus becomes no less important than that of Gandhi and Congress. The Modi government has used Amrit Mahotsav to accord appropriate recognition to that and many such contributions. A grateful nation should cherish the memories of all those great freedom fighters.It is important to remember that all contributions were great. Nehru wont become small by making Patel big; Gandhi wont be dwarfed by making Netaji prominent.In their lifetime, those leaders had probably disagreed but never hated each other. In fact, it was Netaji who gave Gandhi the title of the Father of the Nation in a message from Burma in 1944 on his 75th birthday. Why then should we politicise Modis sincere efforts to accord a place of glory to all the freedom fighters?

The writer is member, board of governors, India Foundation

Excerpt from:
Netaji's contribution to the freedom struggle is no less than that of Gandhi and Congress - The Indian Express

In the heart of Viluppuram district, Tamil Nadu, the Auroville foundation claims to educate around 800 children through different models of schooling. From outreach schools, to transitional schools and skill based learning centres, Auroville aims to create a holistic education system for the children of locals and the foreign residents. Our vision is to promote the overall development of children which is guided by the Mothers (Mirra Alfassa) vision, Antim Singh, an Aurovillian under the foundation, told FE Education Online.

According to the residents FE Education Online met and spoken to, Auroville has different kinds of schools based on the needs of students and the vision of the community. Much like other parts of the country, the town follows a primary, secondary and higher secondary education system. However, each school seems to be dedicated to a purpose. For example, the transition schools in Auroville aim to convert students into mystic beings. Similarly, the Deepam schools in the town are meant for students with special needs. Auroville further offers regular learning to students through the New Era Secondary School (NESS) a Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) affiliated school. The school follows the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) syllabus. Students who wish to study outside the town under the state board, are free to do so, Parthasarathy, working committee member, Auroville, said.

Further, the town which runs in the form of a socialist economy, claims to offer free education to children upto a certain level. However, formal education is not compulsory in Auroville as per the residents. Parents can home school children. Nevertheless, the town has the arrangement of pre-schools such as crche and kindergarten for the early development of children between 2.5 to 7 years of age. Besides, Auroville is said to have a higher education system in place which is claimed to be funded by the Ministry of Education, Government of India, among other international bodies. In addition, Auroville has several research bodies such as Auroville Consulting which works towards building policies of sustainable development.

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The medium of instruction in schools in Auroville is said to be multilingual. According to the foundation, teachers in Auroville use Tamil, English, French, or Sanskrit depending on the language diversity of the classroom. Special efforts are made to remove the language barrier between the locals and the foreign residents to facilitate learning as well as community living in the town, the foundation said. Earlier, the education system here was not so developed. However, now they have all sorts of arrangements which are further getting better, Jaya, Auroville Town Development Council, said.

Auroville is an experimental township in the state of Tamil Nadu founded by Mirra Alfassa, a spiritual guru, occultist and collaborator of Sri Aurobindo referred to as The Mother by the followers. The town houses around 3,000 residents from around the world including France, Germany, Italy, among over 50 other countries. Educational development is claimed to be an important aspect of this community which aims to raise the spiritual consciousness of students along with imparting general education. Auroville is based on the philosophy of unending education, be it spiritual or skill based. And we are tirelessly working for it, Muriel, researcher, content creator, Auroville foundation, said.

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Auroville, the Utopic township in Tamil Nadu and its education system - The Financial Express

At the Rashtriya Rangshala camp in the Delhi Cantonment area, finishing touches are being added to the 21 tableaux that will be part of the Republic Day parade.

The floats of 12 states and nine ministries or government departments will participate in the parade. It was due to limited space and time that only 12 states were selected, according to Nampibou Marinmai, PRO (Defence), who was at the camp on Saturday.

So many states have raised their voice the thing is, we have limited space, limited time. There is a committee of experts from arts, music, culture, and other expertise. The committee has been looking into these things. We received applications from 29 states and union territories to include in the tableaux. But due to space and time, we selected only 12 states. There is no other reason, Marinmai said.

The Chief Ministers of West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Kerala had written to the Prime Minister after their tableaux were not selected for the parade.

The overarching theme for the tableaux is Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav, which is meant to commemorate 75 years of Independence.

Several students are among the performers who will be part of the floats and have been camping at Rashtriya Rangshala.

Aditi Ural, a 20-year-old final-year degree student from Bengaluru, is among a group of 12 Yakshagana artistes who are part of the Karnataka State tableau. The team has been camping at the site and practising there for around 10 days now, and they are excited about performing at the parade for the first time, she said. Her father is a Yakshagana artiste, and she has been practising and performing for around 10 years.

Another performer who is at the parade this year is Nisha Kharayat, a college student studying music in Pithoragarh. She is among 16 dancers, mostly students, who will perform the Chhapeli Nritya of Uttarakhand.

The Arunachal Pradesh tableau will have 16 dancers performing the Tapu dance, which David Darang, a 33-year-old from East Siang District of Arunachal Pradesh, refers to as the war dance. Darang, a shop owner, said that they needed little training since it is a dance that is performed for festivals back home. Darang will also be at the Republic Day parade for the first time, part of the tableau that is based on the Anglo-Abor War in which the Abor people resisted British expansion.

Dabs of paint were being added to some of the floats on Saturday, with workers milling around and making adjustments atop the elaborately designed tableaux. The tableaux have been painstakingly assembled over months.

The Karnataka tableau, for instance, which showcases the states traditional handicrafts, took 45 days and 140 workers to prepare, and was brought to Delhi in three truckloads and assembled here.

Other states that will be part of the parade are Meghalaya, whose tableau will pay tribute to women-led cooperative societies and self-help groups. Gujarats tableau will focus on the tribal revolutionaries of the State, Marinmai said, while the Haryana tableau will focus on the States contribution to sports.

The Uttar Pradesh float will showcase the Kashi Vishwanath Dham, and that of Goa will portray the areas historical and natural attractions. Maharashtras biodiversity will be represented in the states tableau, and Punjabs contribution to the Independence struggle will be on display. Chhattisgarh and Jammu and Kashmir are also part of the parade.

The ministries that will have their tableaux are the Ministry of Culture, which will display one on 150 years of Sri Aurobindo; the Central Public Works Department will have a tableau on Subhas Chandra Boses 125th birth anniversary; the Ministry of Education which will showcase a tableau on the National Education Policy.

Tableaux of the Ministry of Law and Justice, Ministry of Civil Aviation, Ministry of Textiles, Ministry of Jal Shakti, the CRPF, and the Department of Post, will also be part of the parade.

More here:
Only 12 states selected for R-Day tableaux due to limited time, space - The Indian Express

It was a wintry December evening some six years ago that I chanced to meet young Shankar Chitre on the stone steps of Ahilyabai Ghat in Banaras, a city where many Hindustani Gharana of music bloomed over the centuries together with their legends.

In Banaras, one can hear folklore told and retold for centuries together pertaining to Apsaras and Gandharvas and their nexus with different styles of dance and Hindustani Raag. Chitre narrated to me one such story of Rag Basant.

Rag Basant is meant to welcome the Spring Season: the Basant. Said to be a Carnatic Raag originating from Vakulabharanam, it was blended with the Hindustani tradition to become known as Rag Basant, with variations like Basant Bahar, Basant Hindol and Shudh Basant.

A wave of this genre might have come from Persia centuries ago as it tallies in stylistic pattern with Maqam Hijaz. In Guru Granth Sahib also we find reference to this Rag. It is at least 1200 years old.

Basant was one of the pasandida (favoured) raags of Wajid Ali Shah, Nawab of Oudh under whose kingdom Kashi and Banaras fell.

I also adore this Raga, particularly the song Phagwa Brij Dekhan Ko Chalo Ri

The oldest record of this song that I could find was by Ustad Abdul Karim Khan. His eight minute song was recorded some 97 years ago yet it sounds as if recorded just day before yesterday.

Khansahab was instrumental in developing the Kirana Gharana of Hindustani songs. The gharana traces its origin to Gopal Nayak who sang in the court of Allauddin Khilji together with Amir Khusro.

Both Gopal Nayak and Amir Khusro practised Rag Basant. Amir Khusro sang Rag Basant and Rag Bahar in the presence of Hazrat Nizamuddin Aulia.

Incidentally, Ustad Abdul Karim Khan sang Rag Darbari just before his death at a bench on the platform of Singaperumalkoil railway station, near Chennai.

Old records say he was journeying by train to Pondicherry at the invitation of Sri Aurobindo, a revolutionary turned philosopher from Bengal, to perform at his Ashram.

At Chingleput he suddenly experienced severe chest pain. He was brought down from the train at Singaperumalkoil and laid on a bench. He then recited the Kalma and sang a little in the form of Rag Darbari. He could not complete what he tried to sing.

The date was October 27, 1937.

On that day, every radio station across Imperial Hindustan interrupted all programmes to announce the death of Abdul Karim Khan.

Let us return to the Ahilyabai Ghat where Shankar Chitre narrated me a legend of Apsara Chandra and her earthling lover Madhavsen.

Can you believe Chandra killed her lover so that he could be her consort forever in Gandharva Lok?

Chandra wove magic through her dance. She also learnt to dance on Rag Basant rendered by Madhavsen.

Chitre, a young Marathi Manus of about 25 whose family settled in Banaras from Pune some 217 years ago, shared with me the story that he had heard from his Ustadji, Chhote Ali who was some 93 years old.

The tradition of Apsara, Gandharva, Hindustani music and musical instruments in Varanasi is very old. Findings of the Archaeological Survey of India during its various excavations of different ages prove the antiquity of the Apsara tradition here.

The ASI unearthed a large number of figurines of Gandharvas and Apsaras playing various musical instruments proving their interconnection with the Hindustani music of Banaras Gharana.

The early medieval Puranas also refer to Kinnars, Gandharvas and Apsaras living in twin cities named KashiVaranasi. They played instrumental music and songs in different Ragas.

The Banarasi musical and dance Gharanas attained great heights in the 16th century during the rule of King Govind Chandra. After this too the Kings of Awadh further promoted Hindustani ragas and dances.

In Wajid Ali Shahs time the twin cities became a vibrant centre of folk and classical songs including Chaiti, Kajri, Dhamar, Hori and Chaturanga. Both indoor Jalsa and outdoor singing concerts were held on boats floating on the Ganga.

It is said that nothing is new here. Even the new generation of singers and musicians are thought to follow the ancient tradition of Meer Rustam, Pandit Ram Sahai, Waris Ali, Akbar Ali, Nisar Khan, Sadiq Ali and Ashiq Ali Khan.

These past masters belonged to the courts of the Awadh Nawabs, Mughal kings and other Raja-Maharajas and Sultan-Nawabs of the Deccan and North India. It is said that even the tabla style developed by Pandit Ram Sahai 200 years ago is still followed.

Pandit Ram Sahai was a disciple of Ustad Modhu Khan of Lucknow.

Here an interesting fact needs to be recorded. Nearly 200 years ago, there was a shuffle of singers, dancers and musicians from Varanasi, Allahabad, Kanauj, Agra and Rampur to various other parts of Hindoostan.

Chitre enlightened me with this information.

How I met him?

That is quite interesting.

Chitre was sitting just a few feet away from me. Suddenly, his handset rang. He took the call to tell someone he cannot come today as he has to go to meet his Ustad Ji late evening.

The very word Ustad Ji made me curious as I knew Guru and Ustad means either a dance or music teacher. I just spontaneously questioned if he is learning music?

Yes, he said.

I dont know why but I asked him if he can present a Mukhda (beginning of a classical song) in Rag Basant or Basant Bahar, may be.

He smiled and without replying hummed Phagwa Brij Dekhan Ko Chalo Ri

The song that I like the most. Can we call it a coincidence? May be

Are you a vocalist too?

No, I am a journalist!

I see why did you ask me to present Rag Basant?

Because I like it

Then you, perhaps, have heard the legend of Chandra and Madhavsen?

No, I said. But I turned extremely curious know the legend and requested him to narrate it to me.

Well, my Ustad Ji Chhote Ali once told me an ancient tale that goes with Rag Basant. He is about 93 now and belongs to a musician family whose ancestors were said to be disciples of Muhammad Ghaus from whom Tannu or Tan Sen first took lessons in music.

Muhammad Ghaus was believed to have referred Tannu to Swami Haridas and he became Tan Sen in the court of Emperor Akbar.

Chitre began a story of Rag Basant:

Centuries ago when Varanasi was a young Janapada, an Apsara by the name Chandra (moon) descended in the city in the form of a beautiful maiden. She was in search of a consort who could sing and accompany her in dance in Gandharva Lok.

In other words, to become a Gandharva that male musician consort would have to die.

What a dangerous proposition, is it not?

Chandra wandered around Varanasi for her consort for quite a long time but found none. She was planning to return to Gandharva Lok.

Then one evening something happened during the season of Basant.

A disheartened Chandra was moving in the forest near the River Ganga. Suddenly, she stood still. A male voice was singing a honeyed song. An ethereal musical spell bound Apsara Chandra. She started searching the source of this music. A little ahead, inside the forest, a young man was singing seated under a Kadam tree, a tree beloved of Lord Krishna.

Is he a Gandharva? Chandra thought a male human being just could not be so handsome. Can an earthling sing like this? Hardly possible! He must be a Gandharva like her, Chandra concluded.

She moved towards him. He was singing with his eyes closed. This is a Rag new to her. But it is wonderful, simply wonderful.

Chandra stood right before him but he was so engrossed in the song that he could hardly feel her presence.

The song ended and he opened his eyes to find a beautiful maiden before him.

Who are you, Devi?

I am Chandra, a singer and dancer in a royal court in Ujjaini. She hid her actual identity of being an Apsara. What was the Rag your song was set in?

Rag Basant!

What is your name?

Madhavsen!

What is your name?

Chandra.

Can you dance in this Rag that I may sing?

Why not?

Well, he replied, in just about a week there would be a Basant Utsav in Varanasi in which men and women would dance to welcome Basant. I will be singing in Rag Basant for them.

Chandra said she would be very happy to dance.

With this deal, the dangerous nexus of an earthly Man with unearthly Apsara began which was soon to end.

Chandra was determined to have Madhavsen. But how? He is mortal, she is immortal. He could be made immortal only by entering Gandharva Lok. For that, of course, he would have to die in Marta Loka: earth.

Yes, he has to die, thought Chandra. She just could not allow the loss of such a talented singer and handsome man.

The Apsara began dreaming up ways to kill the Singer.

It became a daily affair for Madhavsen and Chandra to meet at the forest just after the sun set. He would sing and she would dance.

But Chandra was getting impatient to get back to Gandharva Lok with her consort forever. She was eagerly waiting for Basant Panchami: that would be the last day of Madhavsen in Varanasi.

Every evening, Chandra asked Madhavsen how many days are left of Basant Panchami?

Why do you ask this question to me every day as if that would be the last day of life in Martaloka?

Well, my handsomest man, you can guess!

Shankar Chitre really wove a Jaadu (spell, magic) with his story. I suddenly had a great desire to hear a Rag Basant Bandish set in ancient lyrics.

He smiled and without replying, began one of the ancient-most known lyrics on this Rag created by Amir Khusro. It runs like this:

Ban, Ban Phool Rahi Sarson Amwa Phute, Tesu Phoole Koyal Bole Dar Dar Aur Gauri Karat Shringer

Oh, what a nice scene Khusro has created!

Khusro, the first Hindavi poet, truly created a poetic canvas with actual description of Basant Ritu with its ripe and floral beauty.

It means the forests are wearing a yellow scarf as mustard flowers have bloomed. It is the season that Mangoes ripen and Tesu flowers smile. The Koyal is singing in the twigs of trees. The womenfolk wear all the fineries and make themselves up to welcome Basant.

Bravo Khushro, I bow before Thee!

Finally, the day of Basant Panchami arrived in KashiBanaras.

Varanasis Basant Utsav is over. It is now midnight. Shortly, Chandra will kill Madhavsen. He will become a Gandharva and the inseparable consort of Chandra Apsara.

Can we not spend a little more time on the banks of River Ganga?

But it is already getting late

Before Madhavsen could finish his words, Chandra nearly dragged him to the brink of the river.

How about we swim?

But I cannot swim, replied Madhavsen.

His reply eased Chandras plan.

She was holding his hand. Suddenly, with the swiftness of lightning, she hurled him into the river. Madhavsen was sinking sinking and Chandra jumped into the river to embrace him and quicken the process of his mortal end.

Madhavsen is dead. With her magical spell, the Apsara took his spirit to Gandhar Lok.

She now has an eternal consort in the form of Gandharv Madhavsen.

Smiling at me, Shankar Chitre stood up as he had to catch an auto-rickshaw to reach his Ustadjis house. I also have to get back to the hotel near Varanasi Railway Station.

Sky was dark. It looked like Aanchal of a black Banarasi Saree studded with silvery stars.

Looking at the stars up above the sky, I suddenly shuddered! Could one of them be Chandra, the killer Apsara watching me?

Excerpt from:
The Apsara Began Dreaming Up Ways to Kill the Singer - The Citizen

Dharmakshetre Kurukshetre Samaveta Yuyutsavaha

The opening word of the magnificent scripture Gita is dharma, the great word of ancient India. Just as beauty was dear to Greece and power was dear to Rome, dharma was close to the soul of India. Our ancient rishis exhorted us to build our life in dharma.

Dharma is derived from dhru which means hold. Dharma is the power, the force, the jivan shakti which holds life. Kshetra means field. Let us therefore, ask ourselves: What am I sowing in the field of life, dharma or adharma? If you are one of the blessed souls who are sowing the seeds of dharma, your life becomes a song, a Gita of the Lord!

In this Kaliyuga, which is characterised by the degeneration of dharma, it becomes imperative for each of us, as individuals, to adhere to dharma in the measure that is possible to us. And, it is my firm conviction that the Gita can be our leading light, our beacon of hope in this endeavour.

I believe too, that it is necessary and desirable for all Indians, especially the youth, professionals and young parents to cultivate familiarity with this precious scripture which is our great heritage. Knowing the essence of its teachings and putting into practise its practical precepts is the best way of escaping the dominant dark forces of this age.

Sri Adi Shankara himself wrote one of the most respected and authoritative commentaries on the Gita. Sri Ramanuja, Sri Madhavacharya, Sri Vallabhacharya and Sri Jnaneshwar have added valuable insights to their respective bhashyas. In modern times Lokmanya Tilak, Mahatma Gandhi and Sri Aurobindo have written on the Gita. As for me, I was privileged to be the disciple of a great-souled saint, whom many regarded as a living Gita Gurudev Sadhu Vaswani. The Gita is the core strength of every Hindu indeed, the universal guide to every thinking, sensitive human being who realises that life does not stop at the physical and material level.

The message of the Gita is affirmative; the message of the Gita is dynamic. It is a message that we all need to affirm and internalise in our daily lives.

(Dada J.P. Vaswani is humanitarian, philosopher, educator, acclaimed writer, powerful orator, messiah of ahimsa, and non-sectarian spiritual leader.)

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Guiding Light: The significance of the Gita for the twenty-first century - Free Press Journal

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Published on January 24, 2022

Bengaluru: Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam Education Summit 2022, organized by Summit India in association with Tech Avant-Garde (TAG), successfully completed phase-1 of its event. The 3-day inaugural conference of the 3-month long summit came to a closure with some insightful debates, discussions and deliberations. More than 10000 people including educationalists, teachers, parents attended the conference over these 3 days.

The 3-day inaugural conference started with a message from the Honble President of India, Shri Ram Nath Kovind, followed by a recorded speech by Honble Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi, on NEP2020. The congratulatory message was given by the Honble Governor of Karnataka, Shri Thawar Chand Gehlot.

The 3-day inaugural conference saw policymakers, leaders, educationists, bureaucrats, education body heads and industry players speak, discuss, deliberate on the future of learning and what should we do to ensure that our Indian Education System stays robust and relevant. Some of the speakers included names like Smt. AnnapurnaDevi, Minister of State for Education India, Shri. Rajeev Chandrashekhar, Minister of State for Skill Devp. Entrepreneurship, Electronic& IT., Smt. Renuka Singh, HonbleMinister of State for Tribal Affairs,Shri. M K Sridhar, member of the NEP 2020 Drafting Committee, Prof. Anil D Sahasrabudhe, Chairman AICTE, Prof. Sridhar Shrivastava, Director NCERT, Dr. Biswajit Saha, Director Skill & Training CBSE, Mr. K V Vincent, National Secretary ASISC, Shri.Atul Kothari, National Secretary, Shiksha Sanskriti Utthan, Dr. Vinnie Jauhari, Director Education Advocacy, Microsoft India,Ms. Kirti Seth, CEO, IT-ITES Sector Skill Council, NASSCOM, Mr. Rahul Tandon, Design Head, BBP and Ms Roshini Kumar, President, Lycee Corp.

Some of the key outcomes from these discussions were:

India needs to reimagine its education system. The model that served us well till today is outdated and will not help prepare our children for the new future, NEP 2020 should be adopted in day to day educational practices.

We are at the end of the information era and entering the knowledge era. An education system that is based on information accumulation will be highly inadequate

Both educators and parents are concerned about the changing social, economic, technological landscape and need help and support to navigate the digitally transformed, post-pandemic education ecosystem

We need to make our children multidimensional in their capability. Acquiring tangible skills, physical and digital, will be key

The challenges and opportunities of a digitally transformed world are immense. An education system that is inclusive, future-ready, and technology-enabled will be key to facing those challenges and transforming India into a global superpower of the Knowledge Age.

The summit organizers have contacted Examination Boards, Universities, Schools, Colleges, Members of Management, Principals, Teachers, Parents and Vendors. The vision is to reach out to 10 million educators and parents of 250 million students to sensitize them on NEP2020 and the new genre of learning, Hybrid Learning.

The Summit is being supported by NCERT, AICTE, ASISC, NIELIT, Canara Bank, Universal Sompo General Insurance, Tech Avant-Garde, Maha Learning Tab, and Edqart. The summit is conducted on the Knowledge Lavenir Conclave platform.

Speaking at the event Smt. Annpurna Devi, Minister of State for Education India, said India has always been a seeker of knowledge. We should take inspiration from our past while preparing for our future. The education system that served us so well to date has its limitations and might not be ready to tackle the needs of the future. NEP2020 is prepared to keep future needs in mind as it incorporates feedback from different and prominent people from the education sector. It is framed keeping the changing landscape of education and learning and will help in taking India to greater heights.

Addressing the parents at the event and emphasising the importance of equipping students with the right skills, Shri Rajeev Chandrashekar, Honble Minister of State for Skill Devp, Entrepreneurship, Elec & IT. said, I encourage all parents to ensure that children are acquiring multi-dimensional skills to prepare them for the future. Be it traditional skills or carpentry, carpet making, whatever it is. Children should learn digital skills, not just be digitally savvy. Parents should now know that the future of India and the future of our children for the next 10-20 years will be totally different. Globalization will bring a lot of opportunities and most of these will be digital in nature. It is going to be very different, very positive and very digital. Every parent should be aware of that and every parent should prepare their children for that.

Speaking at the inaugural event, Smt Renuka Singh, Minister of State for Tribal Affairs, said,This education summit will have large participation from the tribal, rural and urban sectors of our nation. Including government and private centres, schools and institutions of higher education. Knowledge Lavenir has emerged at the forefront of the quest to create a more educated, meaningful, purposeful, harmonious and compassionate society. The summit will comprise varied sessions with a focus on digital transformation and holistic learning along with NEP2022.

The inaugural event also featured Shri Audimulapu Suresh, Education Minister, Andhra Pradesh who spoke about the need for upskilling students with the right resources. He said, Our students need to be market-ready. and prepared to face challenges when they pass out of school in the coming years. Industries are constantly changing with technology like artificial intelligence, machine learning, augmented reality etc. Hence, our institutions should no longer be just specialised ones. As NEP2020 envisions, institutions should evolve to be multi-disciplined.

Speaking on the new education model, Sridhar Shrivastava, Director, NCERT, said, Education, going forward, needs to be adaptive. It needs to have three key elements flexibility, accessibility and customizability. A child should have the flexibility to learn what s/he wants to, have access to good teachers, content and eco-system and the learning pace and modules should be customised to his or her individual needs and temperament. We are focused to build the right digital technologies combined with well-trained teachers to deliver these elements in the new education model.

The event also had thought leadersincluding Swami Mitrananda, Chinmaya Mission who spoke about the concept of the event. He said, The very title Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam inspires us. We, the people of Bharat, were the first to ever claim that not just our world, but the whole universe is our family. That was the education Bharat had the oneness or Ek Atma Bhava. This education is very important for us to live harmoniously, and we the people of Bharat are custodians of this knowledge.

Several educationists also were in attendance, both as speakers and attendees. Speaking at the event Dr. A Chhalamayi Reddy, Principal Shri Aurobindo International School said, Sri Aurobindo establishes that, and I quote It is an education that is proper to the Indian soul, deed, temperament and culture, that we are in quest of. Not indeed, something faithful merely to the past, but to the developing soul of India, to her future need, to the greatness of her coming self-creation and to her eternal spirit.

Speaking about the format of the summit, Shri Shyam Jaju, Chairman Summit India said, This fact that this milestone event had to be done virtually due to Omicron indicates the impact of the pandemic. However, the summit being virtual is helping it reach a much larger audience, indicating the power of NEP 2020. I thank all our dignitaries, education experts, vice-chancellors, who have taken the time out and participated in this event and made it a big success.

Shri Mahesh Verma, Secretary Summit India, further added, The vision of NEP2020 is apt for the changes we are seeing happening in the education sector. The impact will truly be felt when we reach the maximum number of people in a minimum time period and develop awareness. We hope that this 3-month long summit will help us achieve that.

Because of popular demand from several educational institutes, educationists, teachers and parents, the 3-day inaugural conference will be re-webcasted again between January 27, 28, 29 and will be open to all. Following the three-day conference, there will be weekly panel discussions held from February 5th till April 9, 2022. These discussions will delve deeper into the various challenges and opportunities in the education world arising from a digitally transformed, post-pandemic world. The three-month-long summit will focus on the National Education Policy 2020 (NEP 2020), Digital Transformation and Holistic Learning (DTHL) and the role of Hybrid Learning in enabling the Indian Education System to re-invent itself and evolve into a robust framework that is in tune with the needs of the digital-native student.

Talking about hybrid learning and the role of technology, Ali Sait, Summit India Chairman South & CEO, Tech Avant-Garde, said,Communities have only begun to tap the potential of technology for learning. In a world in which knowledge is the number one asset, the benefits of this information-rich, technology-enhanced, collaborative learning environment must be extended even further to empower students, teachers, schools and entire communities to learn without limits. Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam Education Summit 2022 is one such initiative which will spread the awareness on Hybrid Learning and NEP 2020 which help reimagine education and make our society Future Ready.

The 3-month long Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam Education Summit 2022 will open dialogues between thought leaders, bureaucrats, policymakers, industry players and educationists. With the pandemic induced turmoil, there is a lack of clarity about the best way forward. These events have been designed to offer educationists guidance in a collaborative yet flexible manner.

Read more from the original source:
India reimagines its education system to suit a digitally transformed world - APN News