A Language on the Move of Gujarat
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diary volume XXIX. No. 1 January–February 2015 eminent speaker also threw light on the statehood A Language on the Move of Gujarat. DR. C.D. DESHMUKH MEMORIAL LECTURE 2015: A Language on the Move – Gujarati as an Internal Agency Regarding the rise of regional or modern Indian for Formations and Transformations of Identity of an languages, the poet listed three kinds of theories. One, Indian Regional Culture patronisation and protection, the priestly language of Speaker: Dr. Sitanshu Yashaschandra Chair: Soli J. Sorabjee Sanskrit led to the rise of literature in regional languages. January 14 Second, the Bhakti literature which rose in revolt against the casteist and brahminical Sanskrit literature. 14th January 2015 was a glorious day for the India Third, regional languages were seen as opposed to International Centre, as it marks the birthday of Shri Boli, tribal and other marginalised literatures. Calling Chintaman Dwarkanath Deshmukh. The first Governor it as the Peoples’ Literature, he remarked that early of the Reserve Bank, Finance Minister in Pt. Nehru’s Gujarati literature in its nascent stage was composed by cabinet, Chairman of U.G.C., V.C. of Delhi University, authors of multilingual orientation like the Jain monks Founder President of IIC, Shri C.D. Deshmukh was a brilliant student of Sanskrit and Marathi and a great Vajrasen Suri and Shlibhadra Suri who composed the lover of Indian Literature. poems Barahesarbahubalighor and Bharatesarbahubaliraas, respectively around 1170 A.D. These poems showed To commemorate this occasion, Dr. Sitanshu anxiety for the people and confrontation between the Yashaschandra, an eminent Gujarati poet, playwright, and academic, delivered the C.D. Deshmukh Memorial two brothers, Bharata and Bahubali. lecture, titled A Language on the Move: Gujarati as an Going further in the linguistic journey, Dr. Sitanshu Internal Agency for Formations and Transformations of Identity Yashaschandra emphasised the importance of Gujarati of an Indian Regional Culture. language during medieval times. He beautifully Formally introduced by Soli J. Sorabjee, President, IIC explained the meaning of the famous Gujarati Bhajan, to the distinguished guests and keen listeners gathered titled Vaishnava jana to tene kahiye je, by Narsinh Mehta in the C.D. Deshmukh Auditorium, Dr. Sitanshu as the devotees of Vishnu are the people who feel the Yashaschandra described the fine details of the life cycle pain of others, help those who are in misery and never of a language, from its genesis to its extinction and how let ego or conceit enter their minds. This prayer was it is influenced by the various internal and external agencies – Gujarati language in particular. He explained included in the daily prayer of our Father of the Nation how Gujarati emerged in the 15th century; it was then M.K. Gandhi who also livened the language through referred to as bhakha by the eminent poet ‘Bhallar’ when his writings. the literary convention clearly stated that literature Dr. Kapila Vatsyayan concluded the evening with her could only be written in one of the three pan-Indian vote of thanks. languages, namely Sanskrit, Prakrit and Apabhransha. Quoting Gujarati as a ‘language on the move’, the DAISY DEKA 1 exhibition diary Diversity and Strength EXHIBITION: Diversity and Strength—Photographs of Women in India. By Nicolaus Schmidt from Germany Collaboration: Ankur Society for Alternatives in Education; HAQ Centre for Child Rights; Azad Foundation; Dr. A.V. Baliga Memorial Trust; Terre des Hommes Germany-India Programme; and Heinrich Boell Foundation, January 17–27 The exhibition, ‘Diversity and Strength: Photographs of Women in India’ by Nicolaus Schmidt was on view between 16th January to 27th January 2015 in the IIC Art Gallery. The exhibition was inaugurated by yearning for a life of dignity despite many difficulties. Mr. Michael Steiner, Ambassador of the Federal Republic The photographs revealed that even the poorest women of Germany and eminent women’s right activist and are capable of displaying a surprising self-confidence. author Ms. Kamla Bhasin was key note speaker for the His series of portraits reflected the situation of women exhibition. Seven women featuring in the exhibition caught between tradition, religion and modernity. from different states were also present in the exhibition. Nicolaus Schmidt, born in 1953, is a German This exhibition was the result of a long journey photographer and historian. He created the Cerro Rico which the photographer took through the states of Aktion with 100,000 tin cans in 1982. His photographic Maharashtra, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, work has resulted in several books. Madhya Pradesh and Delhi. The photographs were a glimpse of the struggles of Indian women and their KISHORE K. The lanes of Ballimaran so much like the Poetry and Painting confusing arguments EXHIBITION: The Seduction of Delhi. An Exhibition With patridge stories at the lane’s corner. of Poetry and Paintings – poetry by Abhay K; with paintings by Tarshito The sounds of applause amidst the gurgling sounds of Collaboration: ICCR, January 21–28 chewed beetal leaves. With worn out rug curtains hung outside a few doors Ballimaran ke mahalle ki wo pechida daleelon ki see galiyan The bleating sound of a goat Saamne taal ke nukkad pe bateron ke posheede And the lifeless darkness in the hazy evening. Gud-gudaati hui paan pi peekon mein wo daad wo wah-wah That creep along the walls. Chand darwaaze par latke huye boshida se kuch taat ke parde Ek bakri ke mamiyaane ki awaaz Like the old lady from the alleys of Chooriwalan Aur dhoondhlaayi huyi shaam ke be-noor andhere Who hunts for the doors by the partial vision in her eyes. Aise deewaron se mooh jodkar chalte hain yahan Chudi-waalan unke katri ke badi bee jaise In one such dull, dark street Qasim Apni boojhti hui aankhon se darwaaze tatole Where a row of lit lamps starts, Isee be-noor andheri see gali qaasim se And a new page of poetry begins Ek tarteeb chiragon kee shuru hoti hai There, the whereabouts of Asadullah Khan Ghalib Ek quran-e-sukhan ka safa khulta hai are found. Asadallah Khan Ghalib ka pata milta hai. 2 diary exhibition Delhi So fascinating, with relics of lost empires and its mystery and magic, remains an enigma to many. Many have succumbed to its charms, some willingly and others not quite so willingly. Abhay K. and Tarshito are the most recent victims of Delhi’s seduction. You can tell from Abhay’s poetry that another being has been ensnared. This is a man who is declaring his love, so apparent in every line of his poems that have been almost dedicated to Delhi. In the poems, a sense of history mingles with the betrayals. Mingles with the tragedy, and the grandeur. Every monument is described sometimes lovingly and sometimes in pain. So beautiful Tarshito keeps harmony with Abhay’s oeuvre. Minimal and evocative as in the poem below and quiet, yet suddenly bursting into a high note with Humayun’s Tomb accents of gold highlighting the ruins of the monuments A lonely tree, but yet guarding them from complete desolation. A A flock of birds, delightful jugalbandhi, where both artists explore that Sky punctured with domes, part of the city that belongs only to them. A shriek – Tombs in eternal sleep. POONAM B. SAHI from that blinding magnetic ring Evening of Poetry that galvanizes contrariety READINGS: Images of Life in Changing Times – Poetry into the holiness of being. from The Seventh Quarry Collaboration: The Poetry Society, India January 16 O wandering aimless particles of a once seamless will – NOW NO BEAUTY, NO TRUTH shattered into smithereens Now no beauty, no truth – between a gigantic omnivorous mill, now only the prayer here’s your one chance for but a moment of reunion: of pulling back in, into the miracle of sense. from out ears to be gone the wail of the screaming siren KESHAV MALIK and into the line of vision drawn the round, self-arising sun – heart preparing to receive the profound Keshav Malik was a renowned Indian poet, critic, arts revivifying sound. scholar, and curator. This special issue of the Seventh Quarry journal was dedicated to his memory. The Then kneel, to kneel only poem Now No Beauty, No Truth was read out by his wife, before those dazzling rays Usha Malik. 3 films diary Haider, supposedly based on Hamlet, is by far the most Adapting Shakespeare ambitious of the three films. It is set in contemporary FILMS: Maqbool, Omkara and Haider by Vishal Kashmir against a backdrop of terrorism with the Bhardwaj, January 22 Indian Army and the local state police scaring the Three films by the well-known Hindi film director Vishal living daylights out of the local population. Hamlet Bhardwaj were screened at the IIC on 22nd January. (Shahid Kapoor) comes back to investigate the death All were based on plays by William Shakespeare. The of his father, an upright doctor, believed to have been betrayed by his younger brother (Kay Kay Menon), an first, Maqbool, set in modern day Mumbai, follows the informer and an aspiring politician, while performing plot outline of Macbeth. Instead of the three witches that an appendicitis operation on a supposed terrorist. The comment on house is destroyed by the Army and the doctor is arrested the action as in and never to return. the original, we have in the film two obviously corrupt policemen who count the blows as an underworld Don (Pankaj Kapoor) loses his mistress (Tabu) to his protégé (Irfan Khan) and along with it his crime empire and his life. Since it is a morality play, as most thrillers modelled The boy finds his uncle singing and dancing to amuse on this genre from Hollywood are, all the baddies die his mother (Tabu).