diary Price Re.1/- INDIA INTERNATIONAL CENTRE volume XXVIII. No. 5 September – October 2014

i-Jahangiri, Tareekh-e-Farishta and Sri Ram Kirat Unravelling Old Delhi Mahabharata by Sri Ram Kayasth Mathur Dehlvi EXHIBITION: Pahari Imli-Window to a Lost World showcase beautiful calligraphy and floral border Photographs, books, frontispieces and objects from the decorations. There are reproductions of pages from collection of the Hazrat Shah Walilullah Public Library, and important publications. The first two days of the exhibition also acquainted the visitors with the practice of from the private collections of Abdul Sattar and Naseem calligraphy through demonstrations by the noted Beg Khan Changezi calligrapher Shri Ammeenur Rahman of Pahari Imli. Photographs by: Neeraj Singh; Saurabh Prasad; and Various panels tellingly explain the historical background photographs of Matia Mahal by Ram Rahman of Naseem Beg Changezi and his family, Abdul Sattar, Sir Demonstration by Ammeenur Rahman, calligrapher from Sayyid Ahmad Khan and the inception of Delhi College. Pahari Imli. Inauguration: Dr. Kapila Vatsyayan A number of maps document the city of Old Delhi of the October 9–15 mid 19th century; one specifically mapping ‘The Hindu and Mohammedan Monuments’ while the others show As the name suggests, this window to a lost world derives the city of Shahajahanabad before the Siege. It is its name from a huge tamarind tree on a hillock in interesting to see the structural spaces that have Shahajahanabad. The exhibition highlights the collection dramatically transformed over the years. 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.’ Reproductions of paintings highlight life in 19th century With its primary focus on calligraphy, the exhibition Delhi through the depiction of interesting historical showcases rare manuscripts, books, maps, photographs events like the Visit of the King of Kotah to Delhi, Last and objects with Kufic decorations. Calligraphic Mushaira 1845/Dilli ki Aakhri Shamma, festivals like engravings of the Sura of the Quran, Ayat-ul-Kursi, Al Festival of Falez (the festival of fruits), Baisakhi Ka Mela Falaq, Durood-e-Taj (in praise of Allah), are seen on goat and bazaars like Chandni Chowk and Meena Bazaar. skin, real stone china, bark and parchment respectively. Books of the late 19th and early 20th century like Tuzuk- SANIA GALUNDIA 1 iic experience diary

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. language, Pushkale’s impeccably beautiful brown The paintings clearly reflected each artists’ individuality painting and Bandeep Singh’s unusual photograph. and also brought into focus their bonds and common Emergence, a multi media installation by Pierre Legrand cultural traits reiterating the fact that creativity flourishes and Anuradha Mazumdar, was on view at the Gandhi- in an atmosphere of harmony and friendship. King Plaza featuring a small portion of the original ‘Light Purely from an aesthetic perspective, as an art Matter’ installation from Auroville, 2000. practitioner, for me the exhibition clearly displayed a Born in Paris, an engineer by profession, Pierre Legrand’s strength in the handling of artistic media as well as the artistic journey began after he came to India in 1968. It chosen content. While a lot of the artists took their led to the invention of a coded script which structured all inspiration from Jaisalmer, like Anup Vega with his his work: painting, sculpture, installations and, minimalistic canvas of the vast desert, artists from sometimes, even music. His work explores space in Afghanistan painted a painful, desolate landscape of a collaboration with architecture, poetry and music and has bombed and destroyed homeland in grey rubble. A clear been featured alongside Mark Tobey, in Dimensions mastery over the human form was evident in paintings by of the Infinite, Paris; and with Richard Serra in Jatin Das and Shamshad Husain. Other works that stood Schwarz, Cologne. out were Akhilesh’s green abstract of an imaginary 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 2 diary iic experience

Two interesting films were screened based on the works of Films the profound Columbian writer Gabriel Garcia FILM FESTIVAL: People, Places and a War; Focii on Gabriel Marquez. No One Writes to the Colonel filmed by the Garcia Marquez, Suchitra Sen and Robin Williams Mexican Arturo Ripstein does bring out the sadness and October 9–15 ennui in the lives of an old, penurious colonel and his wife marooned in a small town years after a military The IIC Experience screened a variety of films. A three- revolution, but it has none of Marquez’s irony, humour or film tribute to actress Suchitra Sen, who passed away in knowledge of inexplicable impulses present in life. The Kolkata earlier this year, was timely. Her career was at its same can be said of Love and Other Demons made by zenith in Bengali films, though she did appear in seven Hilda Hildalgo. This tale of blind superstition given Hindi films as well. Two Bengali films, Deep Jele Jai and sanction by an all knowing, all powerful Roman Catholic Shaath Pake Bandha revealed her sterling qualities as a Church, in which the exquisite teen-aged daughter of an dramatic actress. In the first film Deep Jele Jai, written by aristocrat bitten by a rabid dog and interned in a fortress- the well-known Bengali writer Ashutosh Mukhopadhyay, like convent, is thrown together with a young, idealist she is a nurse in a mental asylum. There against her priest who nurses her, despite being doomed to die along principles, in order to assist in the psychiatric experiment with his charge, as a sacrifice to the vanity and ignorance of a senior doctor she respects, falls in love with a patient of the clergy. Hildalgo’s handsomely mounted film to assist in his cure. The man recovers to walk away free, cannot grasp the writer’s prescience about human beings thus leaving her emotionally broken and a patient in the unable to grasp intelligence on offer and use it to seek same asylum. In Shaath Pake Bandha, she plays a woman happiness. from a well-to-do family headed by a professor father and There was a selection of films to mark the declaration of an ambitious, batty mother. Her marriage to an World War I in 1914. The four-year war was supposed to unworldly but bright academic, whom she loves, is be one to end all wars: how wrong the observation proved broken because she cannot stand up to her mother. to be! Jean Renoir’s, The Grand Illusion shot in black and Suchitra Sen’s performance in the film is memorable. white in 1937, remains the most perceptive anti-war film Equally noteworthy is her performance in the Hindi film, ever made. The escape of two French soldiers from a Aandhi, purportedly based on the life of Prime Minister German prisoner-of-war camp is a celebration of life over Indira Gandhi, written and directed by Gulzar. war (read death). Passchendaele, 2008, a Canadian film A two-film tribute to the brilliant American serio-comic directed by Paul Cross, is a sumptuously shot film about actor Robin Williams, who committed suicide this year, the futility of war. The gorgeous colours in nature are in was apt. His portrayal of a deeply caring, eccentric teacher ironic contrast with the ghastliness of death in war. It is a of English literature in an exclusive school, who holds his lump-in-the-throat film, made in the tradition of the students in thrall, and is then forced to leave them when classic Hollywood films from the 1930s. falsely accused of a sensitive student’s suicide–actually the Rainer Simon’s 1985 production, The Woman and the boy’s martinet father is responsible–in Dead Poets Society Stranger is about the travails of those German soldiers (Director: Peter Weir) is heart-wrenching. Williams is returning from the Front after defeat in WWI, and the equally memorable as a bereaved but profoundly women at home waiting for them, usually in despair. It is receptive psychiatrist who rescues a juvenile delinquent of a powerful, moving, truthful film. In refreshing contrast a mathematical genius in GoodWill Hunting. 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.

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POETRY READING: The Great War – Poetry from to the Government of India, enthusiastic theatre actor the Trenches and lover of literature, recited from Wilfred Owen, the Readers: Bhaskar Ghose, Rukmini Bhaya Nair, English poet who died tragically at 25, leading his men to Keki N. Daruwalla, Sunit Tandon and Soumya Dasgupta battle. Keki N. Daruwalla, former senior IPS officer, now October 11 a well regarded poet, short-storywriter 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, whileTandonandDasguptaweredramatic.

Australia, Canada and Germany. Indian soldiers with the Rukmini Bhaya Nair, reading from the letters of Indian Royal British Army fighting in Europe and Mesopotamia soldiers attempted to bring out their droll humour. The also wrote letters home describing the conditions that war letters from Indian soldiers, Hindu, Muslim and Sikh, had plunged them into, often with wit, many a time with were down-to-earth and intentionally or unintentionally cynicism. The censors were tough to get past but the odd funny now and then. The possibility or the eventuality of letter did—probably because of the intended or getting married to French women was both a source of unintended wit of the writer. mirth as well as confusion arising from being confronted In the programme entitled The GreatWar : Poetry from the with an entirely different culture with its bewildering set Trenches, veterans Bhaskar Ghose, Keki N. Daruwalla, of values. Soumya Dasgupta’s recitation of a poem by an Sunit Tandon, Rukmini Bhaya Nair and youngster unknown poet expressed ‘gallows humour’ coming from Soumya Dasgupta read from poems and letters written by confronting death every day. unfortunate feeling and thinking men forced to fight a war against their wishes. Bhaskar Ghose, former Secretary PARTHA CHATTERJEE

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Acerbic and intolerant, Stilwell was an unpopular general, Along the Stilwell Road who thought that his road would win the war. It was completed too late for that. The labour, who were EXHIBITION: Stilwell Road. Photographs by Findlay Kember ruthlessly handled, was imprisoned at night so that they Inauguration: P.C. Sen would not escape from the horrible working conditions. October 9–15 Opium made their awful living conditions bearable.Thus to name the road after him is inappropriate. Of the eighty wonderful photographs (twenty-eight eminently satisfying enlargements), it was difficult to pick The many maps with detailed texts helped understand the favourites. After doing four parikramas of the delightful topography and the enormous effort of building that one and interesting photographs, I selected a few. way road (till Warazup)that was not used much. The most impressive was the delightfully demystifying 24 Findlay’s optimism about the reopening of the Ledo Road Zig road. These hairpin bends have been photographed is misplaced. It took about forty days for convoys to get to 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 Kunming from Ledo. Airplanes ferried more tonnage in a exercising in Kunming; the enigmatic expressions of faces month. Air transport from Dibrugarh to Kunming in front of Jinbu La gate, Kunming; and the photograph showed its unquestionable superiority. Never again has of that colourful Kali statue under a tree near the road transport been used for long hauling military goods. abandoned Ledo airfield in a fittingly large format that There is a two laned all weather road along the Lohit River heightens its simple grandeur. that reaches within a kilometre of the Indo-China border Findlay’s photographs are a testimony to his devotion to near Kibithoo. This is the lowest point (1406) on the the Ledo Road, which he prefers to call Stilwell. They entire Indo-China boundary, and its commercial depict a way of life that has not changed much except for significance has been recognised. It leads directly into the addition of modern conveniences, like in that lovely Rima in Tibet. A month will connect it to the excellent photograph of an overloaded tri scooter on the road to Chinese road that leads to Kunming. Tania. Till the 1970s, WW II Chevrolet trucks used to lumber through here. ROMESH BHATTACHARJI 5 iic experience diary

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, The series of folk songs and poetry recitations invoked a assembled their instruments, took their respective very unique tonality. The drum rhythm remained in positions on their respective morhas and then the blue of authentic legitimacy, homage to the sound of the North the stage slowly and feebly engulfed them. Every song was East. Celebratory and quaint, the compositions wore an accompanied by a description for those of us who don’t armour of strong musical direction and an interesting understand Khasi. However, the most innovative synergy of sounds. Shawn and Sean marry their rhythmic modification that was made to the traditional folk songs abilities to provide a percussion base that carries the entire was the interspersed narrative in English. Peter composition through a sea of floating melodies. Benedict, Marbaniang spoke in animated calmness and told us of the flautist, was another impressive component of the the mother who wept for her son; he told us of collective. He crafts his own flute and the notes follow Cherrapunji, he spoke of home. A persistent nostalgia most obediently. His compositions flit playfully and gnawed at the music but rather interestingly, a desire to invoke a rather powerful image of delicacy. Amarnath mingle and coexist also came through. 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.

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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 Her undressing on stage was a violent act giving meaning there to administer the special status given to the state, of to the fact that this Draupadi is not reliant on Krishna to being a state constantly under emergency with total come and rescue her as in the Mahabharata. She has to powers to the army. fight her battles on her own. This disrobing is a definite In this play the area is not Manipur but a remote area in rejection of the tradition of the Mahabharata and an the tribal belt in the outskirts of Bengal. Draupadi is a example of a spontaneous feminine reaction as a gesture of Santhali tribal woman who is known as Dopdi in her politico-sexual exploitation. community. She fights against the atrocities committed The choreography of the forces undergoing training and against her tribe. She is captured by the special force that their normal life was excellent as was the chase by the is searching for her in the forests of the area. She is force of Dopdi and her husband who is finally caught repeatedly raped by the forces. She disrobes completely. in Bengal and most inhumanly treated before he is And sits there in her ferocious nudity frightening away killed. The play however belongs to Sabitri for her the men who come to rape her. There is a smooth change commanding performance. on stage under the cover of a sheet as the older Dopdi takes the place of the younger one in jail. KAVITA NAGPAL

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instruments in Asian Japan. The third composition From the Land of the Rising Sun Infinity, the latest by Tomoya Nakai, expressed the infiniteness of music. He said that though Koto has just PERFORMANCE: Koto Recital 13 strings, it can produce an infinite number of melodies Concert: Noriko Matsuzaka and Tomoya Nakai from Japan and he attempts to discover the infinite horizon that lies Chief Guest: N.N. Vohra in the human heart, just like, in music. Hana no youni or Collaboration: The Japan Foundation, October 10 flowering spirit stressed the fact that only a strong-hearted performer sure of his craft can liberate the essence of the The Koto concert, a collaboration between the Japan melody to the audience, otherwise the music is lost. Foundation, the Embassy of Japan and supported by Japan Airlines, brought to us the quintessential sound of Perhaps the highlight of the evening was the perfect Japan. Koto is a Japanese string instrument, also their rendition by the duo from the Bollywood movie Kal Ho national instrument. The most well-known of traditional Na Ho. Tomoya personally found the signature tune of music instruments, the Koto is an essential part of the the movie peaceful and full of serenity and revealed that music played during New Year celebrations. The six-foot many like him in Japan were ardent admirers of the dance, long instrument is made from kiri wood (Paulowania music and vigour of Bollywood movies. tomentosa) and usually has 13 strings; but 17, 21, 25 and Ama no gawa or the milky way was composed in memory 30 string examples are also sometimes seen. The tightly of the loved ones who have passed on and are now a part of

stretched strings are balanced on an ivory or plastic bridge the cosmos. Tomoya and Noriko’s soulful rendition along with the width of the body of the instrument and indeed plucked at the heart strings. are plucked using ivory picks (plectra) on three fingers. The final composition Kinshitsu aiwasu is basically a Celebrated artists Tomoya Nakai and Noriko Matsuzaka Chinese proverb. Composed of two words, Kin and with a repertoire of eight enchanting compositions Shitsu, which are two musical instruments of China and revealed their rare musical insights exuding a are in perfect harmony when played together. The transcendent melodiousness and gave us a divine evening proverb is also used to refer to a loving couple who share of music, showcasing an exceptional fusion of the great passion and bonding like true soul mates. Tomoya, traditional and modern with their creativity and skills. through the theme of this composition, accentuated the A distinct theme ran through each composition perfect blending of modern and traditional Japanese signifying it’s essence. The first composition, Monohanabi, music. He explained that while preserving your ancient was created as an ode to millions of fireworks, an old heritage you can create a unique synthesis of modern and tradition in Japan, very similar to the festival of Diwali in traditional music and yet maintain the primeval spirit of India. Rokudan-no-shirabe composed by Yatsu Hashi was your musical culture. a tribute to blind people who played Koto and other string GAURIKA KAPOOR 8 diary iic experience

balalaika and accordion. Later in the one-and-a-half hour The Lively and Colourful show we were treated to solo performances by two of the skillful musicians. As the singers exited the stage, the Cossacks dancers made a grand entrance wearing traditional black DANCE: Folk Dance and Songs of the Cossacks and red costumes with the men riding pretend horses and Presented by Stanitsa Cossack Dance Ensemble from brandishing swords flamboyantly. Their combination of Krasnodar, Russia strength, agility and elegance kept the audience riveted. Director of the Ensemble: Anatoly Krugly The swords were used to maximum effect as they let out Collaboration: Embassy of the Russian Federation; and sparks each time two struck each other. After an exciting Russia Beyond the Headlines exhibition of dance accompanied by traditional Chief Guest: Eric Gonsalves, October 12 background music, the four singers returned wearing yet The Kuban Cossack evening of gravity defying acrobatics another set of cultural costumes. They sang a combination and robust folk singing was enthralling. A Russian lady of soulful and lively songs in their emphatic style with speaking fluent Hindi introduced the troupe leaving the several in the audience joining in off and on. The audience pleasantly surprised at her fluency. She drew a recorded music was perfect for the dances and gave us a parallel between the Cossacks and the Sikhs—both are wonderful sampling of Russian folk music. brave, ride horses and have a strong tradition of hearty The entire evening was structured to give the audience a singing and dancing. taste of Cossack folk songs intermittently with exuberant The show started with the singing quartet comprising two dancing. The impact was strong and invigorating for the men and two women, dressed in splendid ethnic large audience who sat in the open lawn on a cool October costumes. They sang folk songs in their own language evening. The performances showcased a variety of clothes and, while we wondered what the words meant, regaled us from the distinct Cossack culture. The dancers and with their powerful voices and expert playing on the 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 9 iic experience diary

Classical Jazz Around Much Anymore to which she gave a husky-toned blues-y touch. Later in the concert, her rendition of Cole PERFORMANCE: An Evening of Classical Jazz Porter’s Love for Sale hit all the right notes (pun intended) Presented by Aditya Balani Group from Delhi of pathos and seduction. Chief Guest: Soli J. Sorabjee October 11 The ensemble worked so well together that it would be unfair to single out any one performer. The sensitive It was sheer pleasure to be present at the ‘Evening of sound of Aditya’s guitar is familiar to anyone who watched Classical Jazz’. The musicians were the Aditya Balani Coke Studio or has heard his wonderful album Answers. Group from Delhi. The sextet was led, of course, by the But mention must be made of Pawan Benjamin’s eclectic guitarist, composer and songwriter Aditya Balani saxophone, smooth and hot like molten lava, whose with a fine ensemble of young musicians: Smiti Malik playing gave us glimpses of his mentor, avant garde jazz (vocal); Pawan Benjamin (saxophone); Jayant musician, composer and experimenter Roscoe Mitchell. Manchanda (bass); Kartikeya Srivastava (drums); and Rohit Gupta continues to explore his instrument with Rohit Gupta (piano). Casting a quick look over the some very accomplished piano work. They were very ably

biodatas of each of these musicians was an interesting supported by Jayant Manchanda’s nimble bass and exercise. Their range of musical studies (Aditya himself Kartikeya Srivastava on drums, and we heard some graduated summa cum laude from the Berklee College of inspired solos from both of them as well. Music in USA, where he received the Berklee What was interesting was to hear the way a song’s Achievement Scholarship) and their experience with complexion can change with a tweak of rhythm. Aditya Indian and international artists is remarkable. At least two Balani chose to present Gershwin’s Summertime to a of them—vocalist Smiti and pianist Rohit—have made funky beat, adding a bit of bounce to this rather fluid shifts from Indian classical music to the world of languorous ballad from the superb Porgy and Bess. And wide-ranging Western and fusion genres. Sting’s Fragile was transmuted by the Latin sound of On this evening, though, they kept to the promise of Bossa Nova. classical jazz, and offered a repertoire of golden oldies. Of All in all, the concert had unexpected levels of course, the golden oldie route is a double-edged sword sophistication much enjoyed by jazz lovers in the because it can so easily evoke audio memories of the audience. In the end we were left—as all good concerts maestros of the art and lead to unfair comparisons. But leave you—wanting much more. Perhaps, then, it was the Aditya Balani group more than held their own, both only appropriate that Aditya Balani ended the concert individually and as an ensemble. Smiti’s first number with Fly Me to the Moon, which he sang in harmony with was the Duke Ellington standard, the plaintive Don’t Get vocalist Smiti Malik. ASHARANI MATHUR 10 diary iic experience

her under his wing and groomed her in the tradition of Mesmerising Concert Agra and Gwalior Gharana Gaayaki. Later, she continued under Pt. Narendra Kanekar, a senior disciple of Kanebua HINDUSTANI VOCAL RECITAL: Manjusha Kulkarni Patil and also learnt from Dr. Vikas Kashalkar. Chief Guest: Dr. Karan Singh, October 14 Currently her diligent training under Pandit Ulhas Shree, the sombre evening raga, was the most appropriate Kashalkar in the authentic Gaayaki of Gwalior, Agra and though challenging choice of Manjusha Kulkarni Patil, a Jaipur traditions, enables her to draw from all three in her vibrant vocalist of Hindustani classical music, to open her singing style just like her Guru. This was proved right evening concert with. It was veritably adventurous in that from the beginning of her concert. She continued with the raga was too heavy for the young vocalist, but raga Bhupali, which was a lovely contrast after Shree. The Manjusha rose to the occasion, depicting its majestic, popular teentala bandish, ab se tum san laagali preet melodic structure. There was a sincere effort to faithfully naveli… she sang in Madhya-laya (medium tempo) of establish the weight of the major raga without budging an Addha Theka where the last line of Sthai reached the inch from its depth. Mukhada with a descending Chhoot Taan like the flash of lightning. The neatly enunciated lyrical content was The note by note progression or Vistaar during the Bada matched with musicianship, intellectual grasp and Khayal of raga Shree Gajarava baajo… set to Vilambit melodious treatment of the raga.

(slow) TilwadaTala with Aalap, Bol-aalap, Bahelava et al., A ‘Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar’ awardee of the Sangeet spoke volumes for her aesthetic sensibility, desired Natak Academy and the recipient of Pandit restraint and Riyaazee treatment unfolding the serious Ramkrishnabuwa Vaze Puraskar, Manjusha is a versatile raga. Sargam and Aakar Taans of intricate patterns and singer. Her mellifluous voice has an extraordinary range high speed performed with effortless ease were aggressive and a vast repertoire comprising Khyal, Thumri to and melodious at the same time. This was followed by the Marathi Natya-Sangeet, Bhaav-Geet and Bhajans.She popular Chhota Khayal set to Teentala, Eri Maito aasan treated the audience this evening with a variety of deserts gaili paasan gaili… which was also performed with after the sumptuous feast of the main course. There was a commendable maturity of expression. mesmerising Marathi bhajan of Sant Jnaneshwar based Thus right from the impressive opening, Manjusha gave on Raga Bhimpalasi, a Natya-Geet on popular demand a convincing account of her assimilation of the stylised and the concluding Bhairavi Bhajan. The gifted expressions of her mentors. Born in Sangli with an innate accompanying artistes, Shriram Hasnabis on harmonium talent for music, she received her initial training from an and Mayank Bedekar on tabla enhanced her early age under Pt. Chintubua Mhaiskar. A turning point impressive performance. in her taleem (training) came when the late Pandit D.V. MANJARI SINHA Kanebua of Ichalkaranji noticed her rich potential, took 11 iic experience diary

moving one, evoking, among other things, Krishna’s Duet Singing liberation of the elephant Gajendra from the clutches of a MUSIC: Carnatic Vocal Recital by Lalitha and Haripriya, crocodile, and it was rendered with the sisters’ customary The Hyderabad Sisters attention to bhava. Sadaa madini in the rare Chief Guest: Justice B.N. Srikrishna Gambhiravani followed, a brisk, engaging piece not often October 12 heard that some attribute to Thyagraja while others (notably renowned musicologist P. Sambamurthy) hold Lalitha and Haripriya, the Hyderabad Sisters, have been to be a prakshipta kriti, i.e., composed by an imitator. A well-established fixtures on the Carnatic concert circuit pleasant piece, regardless of the composer. An aalaapanai for decades now. Their guru, Sangeeta Vidvan Shri. T. G. in Pantuvarali (Hindustani Pooriya Dhanashree) ensued, Padmanabhan, was a direct disciple of Alathur Venkatesa followed by the well known piece Aparama bhakti ento, Iyer, and the Alathur bani they inherited is known for its with a neraval (improvisation) on the line trippatalanu disciplined classicism as well as its mastery of that tlrci kanti and svara prastharas or note cascades that quintessentially Carnatic phenomenon, kanakku, the illustrated well the structural beauty and manodharma execution of complex arithmetic laya structures. Laya element of Carnatic compositions. The next piece, complexities were not much in evidence on this occasion, Thyagaraja’s Teliyaleru Rama in Dhenuka, whose lyrics probably in view of the eclectic audience, but what was mock those who follow rituals without any real offered was a pleasing and traditional performance with a spirituality, would be music to many ears for its melodic as smooth synchronicity that comes from their having sung well as sahitya bhava appeal. While the duo had already together since early childhood. They began with a sung a longish aalapanai and kriti in Pantuvarali, thus varnam,‘Chalamela jesevayya’ in the raga Nattaikurunji, qualifying it as the concert’s main piece, it was, composed by Mulaiveedu Rangaswamy Nattuvanar and surprisingly, with the next kriti, Nagumomu in Abheri invoking Ranganatha, the lord of Srirangam. (similar to Hindustani Bhimpalasi), that they gave the Nattaikurunji is a very accessible, easily pleasing raga with audience an extended raagam-taanam-kriti suite with a a distinct emotional quality that appeals even to lay rousing bravura treatment. They closed with listeners, so it was a good choice for the opening. Balakrishnadevam Bhajeham in Yamunakalyani, where This was followed by the familiar ‘post-opening-varnam’ they used madhyamasruti (tuning the tonic note to ‘Ma’), homage to Ganesha, Vaataapi Ganapatim in Hamsadhvani followed by a tillana in the same raga. All in all, it was a by Dikshitar, with some nice sangatis on the line pranava satisfying, well-rounded, traditional Carnatic music concert svarupa vakra tundam being sung alternately by the two with the added enjoyment that always comes from sisters. Next came Thyagaraja’s Brova Bhaaramaain listening to duet singing. The accompanists, though not Bahudari,ajanya raga of Harikhamboji that is somewhat hardcore professionals, supported the vocals competently similar to the Hindustani Jog. Mysore Vasudevachar’s and it is also worth noting that the audio balance between Khamaskriti Brochevarevarura, the next piece, is a very the different musical elements was carefully adjusted. MAHADEVAN RAMASWAMY

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immensely gifted family that boasts of Sitara Devi, Gopi Of Tradition and Lineage Krishna, Alaknanda Devi and also Pt. Birju Maharaj. DANCE: Natwari Kathak Nritya by Vishal Krishna from Benaras Starting his performance with an onomatopoeic composition Chief Guest: Leela Venkataraman Damak Damak Dum Damru Baajey,he unleashed a series of October 13 one-legged stances, Akashi Bharamaris and Utplavans, associated with the Shiva iconography. Alapkari in Laya is The 23- year-old great grandson of Pt. Sukhdev Maharaj, how he described his upaj section, after which he wove in a Vishal Krishna, from Benares, has not only got the right range of chakkars and Brahmaris in the aamads and genes, but also the blessings and the taleem from his 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 micro- explorations 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 diary

After the robust drama of Cossack dances and songs, the FestivalThe Himalaya Cuisine : A Timeless Russkaya Kukhnya displayed a variety of piroshkis— CUISINE: Food from Around the World Russian pies with different stuffings. Soup, salads and OctoberQuest 9–15 stews formed the main meal with traditional Russian EXHIBITION, TALKS and FILMS: The Himalaya: A Timeless pancake or blinis, and an unusual dish of buckwheat and TheQuest IIC Experience 2014 comes with the festive season mushrooms. The desserts were delicious especially the andGeographies for seven – days Physical there and was Sacred much feasting. The festival’s apple pie which had a bread-like texture. Decorated with firstCurator: dinnerDeb wasMukharji, a continental July 12 – 23 one and the Swedish traditional craft objects, the table also had a Lomonosov Embassy served a few dishes from their lavish porcelain double-headed eagle of the Romanovs. smorgasbord of which the marinated salmon proved to Jaunpur, on the banks of the Gomti is famous for the be very popular. However, the dinner offered many more architectural marvels of the Sharqi kings and now we delectable dishes: Orange Glazed Lamb, Chicken Roll discovered its lavish dastarkhwan with mouth watering stuffed with basil and sun dried tomatoes, Asparagus with pasandas, badinjanburani, of yoghurt and brinjals, a Mornay Sauce, Artichoke with Red and Yellow variety of vegetarian dishes cooked a la do piaza and Capsicum, Brussels Sprout with Celery Sauce and an korma. Atiya Zaidi prepared the dinner and gave us dishes array of delicious desserts. with amazing flavours ending with muzaafar, fried Kuuraku restaurant and the Japanese Embassy organised vermicelli. From Sambal came Ateeq Kababwala to make a Japanese Bangohan. While globalisation might benefit galauti seekh. trade and investment, it dilutes individual cultures and so Maharashtra on a Plate was presented by Chef Machindra what we got that evening was global Japanese food—even Kasture of the Ashok Group of Hotels. The dinner the sushi and miso soup, the hallmark of Japanese food included the food of the Konkan coast, Vidharba, were faint echoes of the real thing. Kolhapur, the street food of Mumbai and East Indian This is the second time IIC and the Embassy of Brazil cooking. The wonderful flavours of the state were a have presented Brazilian food and it continues to be delight to the taste-buds as each had a distinct yet popular. Delicious starters such as Cheese Buns of complementary flavour. The Naga Kitchen brought the tapioca flour were served along with the traditional festival to a close and was prepared by Karen Yepthomi, Feijoada, a pork and bean stew, Moqueca de banana made Dzükou Restaurant. Vegetables and special herbs and in with green bananas in a tomato and coconut gravy and an particular the fresh raja chillies from Nagaland were used array of delectable desserts. Sunday lunch was A Taste of to create a combination of exotic flavours of bamboo South India with some outstanding dishes such as Meen shoots, Axhone (soyabean boiled, fermented ) and served Porichatu, a masala fried fish, Vazbulhaga Masala,awith the red sticky rice of the state. The array of chutneys special curry of aubergines and okra, appam, pumpkin added spice to the meal. A fitting end to the week halwa and the cooling flavours of almond kheer. long feasting. PREMOLA GHOSE

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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

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circles which are both a chakra and a charkha.... Inside Crafts and History them the block-prints magically spin and vibrate—the EXHIBITION: Salt – The Great March II by Shelly Jyoti soul of India. Inauguration: Tara Gandhi Bhattacharjee Another series features silhouettes of traditional Indian September 4–15 garments—the angarkha, bundi—stitched on to unbleached khadi, highlighted with surface stitching and Shelly Jyoti is artist, fashion designer and poet. All three an occasional button. Decorative though these are, I liked facets feature in this second of the Salt - The Great March them less in the context of Salt, as also the three- exhibitions. dimensional garments displayed. This needs another Here, khadi is the metaphor for non-violence, and the show another time! However, the silhouette of the little Ajrakh block-printing of Kutch the medium that Shelly girl's frock, waistband flying, entitled ‘Allow Me to Grow Jyoti uses to interpret it. Without Fear’, was moving—bringing back the horrific Ajrakh is an extraordinary textile printing technique. incidents of violence to young girls so recently. Older than the pyramids (scraps of it were found in the Ismail Bhai Khatri, the master craftsperson from Kutch Fustat excavations in Egypt) its double-sided version can (he was honoured with a Doctorate from Montfort involve 17 different processes, giving the fabric and University, UK) and his two sons, Juned and Sufiyan, colours an intense depth and richness. The traditional worked on the Ajrakh pieces with Shelly Jyoti. They designs are a complex mesh of interlocking indigo, red, deserve as much praise. It is a wonderful, stirring black, mustard and green hexagons, octagons, and exhibition. But why the different spellings of rhomboids—perfectly expressing the unity in diversity Ajrakh—ajrakh, ajark, azrakh—sometimes all in that was Gandhi's vision. one caption!? Shelly lets the beauty of Khadi and Ajrakh speak for itself in dramatic, simple shapes—pyramids, squares, LAILA TYABJI

As a yoga practitioner, I was also particularly fascinated Hyper Molecules with his categorical description of the body as ‘a machine THE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY LECTURE: Mudras of that burns glucose’ and when talking of the haemoglobin Molecules molecule he gave a highly intriguing description of the Speaker: Professor Nalin Pant incredible speedy mechanisms that help sort and organise Chair: Dr. Dinakar Salunke the gases—namely oxygen and carbon dioxide— September 5 transporting, liquefying, at places even ‘magically’ reversing orientation, absorbing and eliminating them As part of The Science and Technology Public Lecture effectively in order to keep one alive and healthy. Series, Nalin Pant gave a vivid and fascinating talk about The lecture was hugely informative, imaginative and what seems like the ‘hyper’ activity of a molecule within deeply inspiring: I was struck by the autonomy plus the universe of the body in which ‘everything is ‘chemical awareness’ of the molecule, and therefore the happening all the time!’ body! It was most affirming to hear the mudra viewed as On the onset, he made a distinction between molecules an instrument of self-preservation and self- that are adjustable and others who have memory and transformation. And finally Pant’s self-coined rasayana follow their own ‘will’ so to speak. He succinctly sutra was for lack of a better word, very ‘confirming.’ explained the four nodal Cs that characterise Modelling it on a sloka from the Natya Shastra (which molecules—their composition; their connectivity with quite literally distills the pritihvi (earth) of the gesture other molecules through spring-like bonds; their three- (hasta) through the multiple evolutes of perception dimensional configuration; and finally and most (drsti), cognition (manas) and feeling (bhava) to finally importantly their confirmation. Toa layman like me, the arrive at the ether-ial aesthetic experience of rasa), he confirmation seemed to be akin to the dharma of a traces ark or illumination to the atom (anu) via the molecule. I also appreciated the clarity with which he trajectory of molecule (anunika), form (aakar) and defined chemistry as precisely the ‘reorganising of function (phalam). springs,’ or bonds connecting molecules. NAVTEJ JOHAR 16 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

These questions by Saeed Naqvi acted like spark plugs Prasar Bharati while he spoke passionately about his many decades of Discussion: Can India have an International advocacy for India’s own global media platform. John Media Network of its Own? Cherian said that the western media focuses on matters Speakers: Saeed Naqvi, John Cherian, Vijay Naik, that are important to the West and this helps the western Anand K. Sahay and, Shiv Shankar Mukherjee governments to impose their political and economic Moderator: Suhas Borker agendas on developing countries. India too does not buck Collaboration: Jan Prasar and Indian Association of this trend. We should take a page from China and Russia Foreign Affairs Correspondents which have now begun individually to counter the media September 12 monopoly of the West. Vijay Naik said that in the face of intense competition, Prasar Bharati shall have to get out The packed round table room marked the 20th of the white elephant syndrome before going anniversary of Jan Prasar which had its first public international and posting correspondents across the meeting at IIC on 12 September 1994.The unprecedented world. Calling it a complete disaster in the making, absence of the Prasar Bharati representative led the Anand Sahay argued that the Indian capitalist system had moderator to begin by flagging the recommendations of not reached the stage of supporting a global media the Prasar Bharati Expert Committee for creating a new platform. It would be hijacked by government officials to global platform that treats international broadcasters like grab plum postings or to ‘exalt’ the prime minister or BBC, CNN and CCTV as competitors, benchmarking ministers. Former diplomat Shiv Mukherjee had the last them on quality and reach and projects the national view word—it could only work if it ‘tells it like it is’ and creates rather than the narrow official viewpoint. Must the a credible space for itself. 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? SUHAS BORKER

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resistance: Charvaka and Samkhya. Soon after, Buddhism Culture as Continuum and Jainism, in the sixth century BCE, expanded the TALK: Physical Traditions as Continuity effort of an intransigent critical check on the Vedic Speaker: Navtej Johar inspiration that slowly impregnated the majority of Chair: Uma Chakravarty cultures across the sub-continent. ‘But what I want to do, Collaboration: Lila Foundation for Translocal Initiatives is to try to draw the genealogy of Sukha in Indian September 18 philosophy.’ Indeed, the materialist schools progressively developed an alternative method to reach the suppression ‘There are some questions on Yoga that a practitioner of suffering: not one based on Tapas, sacrifice and self- such as myself needs to air.’ For the sixth event of the affliction, but privileging Sukha as an equally valid path PRISM Lecture Series 2014, Navtej Johar delivered a talk and motor to liberation. that was enlightened and scholarly, but also oriented The Yoga school is one of the traditions adopting this towards very concrete and quotidian concerns. ‘In my second approach, but its relation to the dominant teachers, in my students, I can see how much Yoga creates philosophical climate remains ambiguous. The first Sukha, happiness—it is tangible, evident. This state chapter of Patanjali’s Yogasutra is clearly Buddhist, permits to maintain the moderation of Sattva, surfacing insisting on the practice of Dhyana or meditation, as a between the creative dynamic of energy and exhaustion response to suffering, stemming from the very bodily state that makes Yoga. But, what happens when we block the of Trsna, craving. But the second chapter is influenced by depth of this Sukha? Yoga creates happiness, but we don’t Vedantic thought: the cult of Isvara is presented as the let it sink. It turns into a dusty carpet we throw in the air response to the fundamental human condition of — the dust goes off for a little while, until it comes back in Avidya, ignorance. another configuration.’ It is the richness of this double possibility that makes the For Navtej Johar, this blockage in contemporary physical Yoga tradition unique.‘To reconcile this tension, I found practices of India stems from a larger historical tension: one key word: va, or. Patanjali offers a choice; he prepares the difficulty for the marginalised materialist schools to a middle path, a bridge between traditions. For the first resist intellectual incorporation onto the dogmatic and time, a spiritual project posits at its heart a choice that theistic branches of Brahmanical-Hinduism. In the eight each practitioner will have to address individually.’ century BCE, two groups initiated this movement of SAMUEL BUCHOUL

Abdul Latif Bhitai and the 32 Surs propagated by Bhitai Music of the Desert form the backbone of the Sufi music of Kutch. Bhitai had MUSIC APPRECIATION PROMOTION: Music of the Desert drawn these from his travels in Saurashtra and Rajasthan Speaker: Shubha Chaudhuri and thus these also form part of the ragas sung by the Collaboration: American Institute of Indian Studies Manganiars and Langas. The Sufi tradition of the September 19 Manganiar is that of those who have Muslim Sindhi patrons. The presentation entitled Music of the Desert was meant to One can also see the connections among the pastoralist be an introduction to the musical traditions of Western communities of this region. The Jut pastoralists and the Rajasthan and Kutch—a stretch of desert that spans the Surnaiya Langa with their Sindhi Sipahi patrons, share Thar desert, the Marwar to the Rann of Kutch. This was the stories of Sassi Punnhu, Umar Marvi, Moomal Rana based on the speaker’s fieldwork experiences and recent among others. The instruments that they share are incursions into Kutch and its music. the pawa or double flute, the earthern pot ghara, and Providing a background of the musicians of Western the sarinda, which is the only bowed instrument shared Rajasthan, the focus of the work has been on hereditary with Rajasthan. musician communities—among them the well-known The presentation was illustrated by audio and video Manganiars, Surnaiya Langas and Sarangiya Langas. The field recordings. shared boundary with Sindh and the shared history of partition is what creates strong similarities between The performance of the evening was of the well known Moora Western Rajasthan and Kutch, with its very robust Lala Marwada who sang Kafis of Bhitai, bhajans of the Kutchi tradition of Sufi music.The widespread impact of Shah saint poet Mekan Dada and a few others. SHUBHA CHAUDHURI 19 discussion diary

themselves according to gravity if you plant their seeds The Flowering of Consciousness horizontally or upside down? That they can use chemicals 26TH PADMAPANI LECTURE: An Insight into Plant Life — to call insects from two miles away to eat larvae that feed Perception, Feelings and Self Regulation on their leaves? That they send electrical signals to bees Speaker: Professor Sudhir K. Sopory informing them how much pollen is available? That their Chairperson: Professor Lokesh Chandra ‘memory’ tells them when to flower?That some plants can Collaboration: Tibet House, September 13 smell other plants to find out whether they have sugars that can be extracted?That plants like or dislike other Professor Sudhir K. Sopory, Vice Chancellor of JNU and plant species? Or that they may even use sounds to an internationally renowned molecular biologist opened communicate with each other? with this teaser: can science confirm or deny whether From Darwin through J. C. Bose to the present, we’re plants have consciousness? The evidence he presented learning that plants are more sophisticated than we think, was fascinating. leading us closer to the ancient Buddhist, Hindu and Plants have six of the seven criteria that define life, lacking other perspectives on them, and the issue of whether they only locomotion. They’ve adapted to all environments have consciousness or not is perhaps only a semantic one. and are amazingly diverse in size, appearance and An interesting choice for a lecture in the Padmapani Series behaviour. But do they see, smell, feel, hear and talk? Well, organised by Tibet House and the IIC, with an apt we know that touch-me-nots fold their leaves and show introduction by Geshe Dorji Damdul, Director of Tibet their spines when touched, but did you know plants have House, and a learned afterword by eminent scholar ‘light switches’ so sensitive that if you disturb their night’s Professor Lokesh Chandra. sleep by just five seconds of light of a certain frequency, they may not flower?That they’re smart enough to realign MAHADEVAN RAMASWAMY

amount of compensation which was determined at 250 Legal Histories crore by the High Court. Union Carbide offered to pay BOOK DISCUSSION: Aequabilis–Fairness, Equity and Rs. 350 crore, the defendant wanted 500 crore. Justice Justice—A Study of Select Judgments of Justice Pathak awarded Rs. 750 crore penalty as compensation (Nagpur, Air Law Academy and Research Centre, 2014) by and facilitated an out of court settlement between Union Jai Anant Dehadrai Carbide Corporation and the Government of India by Panel Discussion: Lakhan Mehrotra, and Sunita Narain the dropping of criminal liability charges against Carbide September 17 in the case. Three years later, the Supreme Court upheld the settlement in 1991. India International Centre witnessed a glittering evening Mr. Mehrotra articulated that it was not just pleasure, but on 17th September 2014. The event was a spectacular privilege to release this unique book by a unique author. release, followed by a discussion session of a book by a Dr. Sunita Narain said that this judgment will be part of distinctive criminal lawyer and author, Mr. Jai the environmental history of India. According to the Anant Dehadrai. author, thirty years back the scenario was entirely This commentary on former CJI, R.S. Pathak's landmark different and it would have been very difficult to prove the cases is aptly named as Aequabilis: Fairness, Equity and charge of neglect amounting to criminality. Justice, a study that provides an honest insight into the Justice Raghunandan Swarup Pathak, the 18th Chief judicial reason that went into those judgments. Justice of India has given some of the most important Eminent Chief Justice of India, Pathak was entrusted historical judgments during his tenure as CJI. This book with the case against Union Carbide regarding the worst has been a successful endeavour to study his industrial accident that took place in 1984 in the city of judicial reasoning. Bhopal. The case kept pending in the district court, high court and after four years came to him. The issue was the DAISY DEKA

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and is now seeking to regulate disputes and processes of International Disputes citizenship in case of transnational surrogacy, was BOOK RELEASE: International Indians and the Law by discussed with reference to specific country laws. The Anil Malhotra and Ranjit Malhotra. Released by Hon’bles primary focus of the debate revolved around the Indian Justice T.S. Thakur; Justice A.K. Sikri; Julian Evans; juridical importance given to the practice of ‘best Dr. Balram Gupta; Justice Hima Kohli; Dr. Manish Arora; and interests of the child’ as opposed to the Hague Dr.Kavita A. Sharma Convention’s support for identifying citizenship of the Welcome and Introduction by Molshree Sharma child at the place where it is residing. This means that Panel Discussion: Inter–country Parental Child Removal Issues inter-country adoption cases for countries like India that Dedicated to Late Ambassador J. C. Sharma are donor nations become potentially thorny issues, Panelists: Hon’ble Justice Hima Kohli; Dr. Balram Gupta; especially since a ruling (Laxmi Kant Pandey vs Union of Rhona Royale; Molshree Sharma India) supported domestic adoptions for Indian children. Moderator: Anil Malhotra. Chair: Hon’ble Justice A.K. Sikri The matching of international and national laws on child Vote of Thanks by Ranjit Malhotra, October 16 rights and identity giving to children clashes in cases of divorce custody disputes and transnational surrogacy, The release International Indians and the Law was especially since there is an increasing movement of followed by a panel discussion on ‘Inter country Parental children across borders. This may include trafficking and Child Removal Issues’. other forms of forced movement which for many of the The focus of the talk was on the quagmires of panelists was problematic when seen in relation to the international law that dealt with processes of identity arguments put forth in favour of the ‘best interests of the giving to children caught in international disputes. Cases child’. Supporters of the latter argument suggested the of inter-country adoption, custody battles between issues of acclimatization and being habituated in a couples going through a divorce and residents of different particular cultural locale as reasons why the child should countries and recent cases of transnational surrogacy be retained in a particular set of relations and wherein newborns have been rendered stateless due to the circumstances. Within such opposing arguments, rights illegal status of surrogacy in their parents’ country of of the mother and father to custody of the child were residence were some of the focus areas for the panelists. debates, as were rights of adoptive parents vis-à-vis The Hague Convention and Treaty on International biological parents. Adoption that governs inter-country adoption processes 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 Shri Nitish Chakravarty M–1736 Air Marshal (Retd.)T.S.Brar A – 4013 Ms Dharmvati Kumar M–1868 Shri A.P.Venkateswaran A–5421 Dr. WasimZaman M–2296 Shri R.P.Khosla M–1422 Dr. H.K. Pargal M–4083 Dr. J.S. Sarma 21 futures diary

Highlights for November – December 2014

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23 diary 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 Yearcelebrations.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 byVishal Krishna from Benaras; and a Hindustani VocalRecital by Manjusha Patil of the Gwalior Gharana. The exhibitions presented a wide range of themes. Pahari Imli—Window to a LostWorld 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 WorldWar, 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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