India's Relations with Central Asia
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Price Re. 1/- Volume XXXII No. 6 November – December 2018 and the discussions pertained to politics, geo-strategy, India’s Relations with Central connectivity and measures to strengthen the cultural ties between India and Central Asian countries. Shri M. Asia Hamid Ansari gave the valedictory address. He said he CONFERENCE had no doubt that the conclave of scholars would add to the compendium of human knowledge that would India and Central Asia promote connectivity, freer movements of goods and COLLABORATION: International Research services, and mutually beneficial cooperation between Division and Institute of Indo–Persian Studies South and Central Asia. While chairing this session, 3–4 December 2018 Dr. Kapila Vatsyayan said that India had not done enough to connect itself to Central Asia. It is a very important President IIC, Shri. N. N. Vohra, set the tone for the region that connects different cultures and civilisations. conference by highlighting the fact that India’s relations Professor Syed Akhtar Husain concluded the conference with Central Asia go back 2,000 years, and the study of the with a comprehensive report of the proceedings. He then past and present culture is essential to carry forward our called upon Dr. Laura Yarekesheva and Professor Sanjay shared legacy. He spoke in detail on India’s engagement Kumar Pandey to express their frank remarks on the with the Central Asian region during and after Soviet rule. conference. In conclusion, Dr. Md. Arshadul Qadri thanked He was very appreciative of the efforts of the Chairperson Shri Hamid Ansari for delivering the valedictory address, of the International Research Division of the IIC, Dr. (Smt.) and expressed deep gratitude to Dr. Vatsyayan with an Kapila Vatsyayan, to promote amity and understanding, Urdu couplet: Ruke to barq, chale to, hawaoo jaisa hain and knowledge and discourse among people. Wo shakhash dhup me dhekho to chhauon jaisa hain. Thirty-five participants from Central Asian countries, Iran ■ NADEEM AKHTAR and different parts of India discussed various aspects of language, literature, culture, art and geopolitics of Central Asia and India. Ambassador Ashok Sajjanhar delivered the welcome address, and expressed his appreciation for Dr. Vatsyayan’s efforts to conceptualise the meaningful themes of the conference. Professor Syed Akhtar Husain spoke at length about the concept of the conference, also recognising the contributions of Ambassadors Shyam Saran, I.P. Khosla, Yogendra Kumar, Nalin Suri, Ashok Sajjanhar and Raghunath. Eight academic sessions were held during the conference, during which the issues debated and discussed were the history, religion, language, literature, linguistic affinity, geography, art and architecture of India and Central Asia. The contemporary was given equal prominence, Delegates at the India and Central Asia Conference 1 Celebrating Raimundo Panikkar SYMPOSIUM Mysticism as a Universal Phenomenon SPEAKERS: Dr. (Smt.) Kapila Vatsyayan; Mario Aguilar; Anand Amaladass; Kala Acharya; Paulo Barone; Daniel Monodeep; Dr. Karan Singh; Come Carpentier de Gourdon; and Ashis Nandy COLLABORATION: Fundecio Vivarium Panikkar, Tavertet, Spain Dr. Kapila Vatsyayan with Milena Carrara Pavan 6 December 2018 This symposium celebrated Raimon Panikkar’s centenary briefly about Panikkar. The first session featured talks and marked the launch of the book, Mysticism and by Come Carpentier (World Affairs, India), Mario Aguilar Spirituality, one volume of the Collected Works of from the University of St Andrews (Scotland), and Anand Raimon Panikkar, by Milena Carrara Pavan, President, Amaladass from Loyola College, Chennai. International Cultural Centre Vivarium Panikkar, Tavertet, Kala Acharya, Director of the K.J. Somaiya Bhartiya Spain. Indo–Spanish philosopher, scholar, mystic and Samskrit Peetham, Mumbai; Paulo Barone, an analytical historian of religions, Raimundo (Raimon in Catalan) psychologist from Milan, Italy; and Daniel Monodeep, Dean Panikkar (1918–2010) wrote and lectured all over the world of St. Stephen’s College, Delhi, gave talks in the second in Spanish, German, English, Italian, Catalan, and was session. During this session, Dr. Karan Singh announced well versed in Greek, Latin and Sanskrit. His erudition was the launch of the Raimon Panikkar International Prize to encyclopaedic, and his love for India and her civilisation be awarded to selected young students and researchers lifelong. Milena Carrara, his spiritual ‘trustee’, translated whose work is of similar depth as Panikkar’s. into English all his writings in other languages in order to present an exhaustive panorama of his research into and The symposium concluded with an audio-visual interview analysis of the ‘religious phenomenon’, mainly from the of Raimon Panikkar by Milena Carrara shortly before perspective of Hinduism, Buddhism and Christianity. his demise. ■ COME CARPENTIER DE GOURDON After the release of the first three volumes by Dr. Kapila Vatsyayan, who wrote the foreword to all, Carrara spoke the similarities and differences in the music, of the Dialogue and Demonstration cadence of the rhythm of tal, the feeling of bhava and the appropriateness of the melody in the raga, and its DISCUSSION synching with the time of the day. The moderator was In Conversation: Charumathi Raghuraman Justin McCarthy in conversation with violinist Charumathi and Anantha R. Krishnan in conversation with Raghuraman, mridangam artiste Anantha R. Krishnan, Shambhunath Bhattacharjee and Asghar tabla artiste Shambhunath Bhattacharjee, and violinist Hussain Asghar Hussain. Lively audience participation followed CHAIR: Justin McCarthy the musical demonstrations by each of the artistes, as they expanded on the merits of the issue being deliberated. 19 November 2018 ■ MEKHALA SENGUPTA This programme was a unique workshop of dialogue, conversations and demonstrations between Carnatic and Hindustani music. The musicians deliberated on 2 Abbas’s story surpassed the limitations of geographical Epistolatory Exchange boundaries, and communicated the transcendence of love and language. Salma recounted her memoirs, PLAY reflecting on a collection of memories capturing Mussoorie, 1953 the transition of her life. Two particular memories of Allahabad, the patch on Professor Ahmed’s coat and the Dramatic reading of a short story by K.A. stitch in his head, juxtaposes the dawning and setting of Abbas their love and compassion. DIRECTION AND DESIGN: Danish Iqbal The magic of Abbas is in being able to capture social ON STAGE: Sunita Chowhan reality through his stories. The performance persistently COLLABORATION: Khwaja Ahmed Abbas conveyed the tensions of the Muslim community in India, Memorial Trust due to the territorial repositioning of Muslims to Pakistan, 4 December 2018 post-partition. The play stipulates the notion of the personal as political; Salma describes anecdotes where women, through men’s gaze, are reduced to objects Mussoorie, 1953: at a time when language has lost its of gratification. The underlying notion of patriarchy is fervour, humans their humanity, and emotions their warmth, present in the entire tale, as Salma is dismayed in love, this play rejuvenated the sublimity of the mountains, trees, relocated by her father, wooed by a superstar, dominated the serenity of Mussoorie, and the charisma of K.A. Abbas. by her brother. The play coherently articulated the The dramatic reading developed through a series of agency of women. letters between two college friends, Salma and Usha. The ■ STEVEN S. GEORGE sole narrator, Salma, played by Sunita Chowhan, faces a form of incarceration in the foothills of the Himalayas. Environmental Film Festival FESTIVAL Quotes from the Earth COLLABORATION: Toxics Link; and Swedish Society for Nature Conservation 6 to 8 December The eighth biennial edition of the environmental film festival aimed to bring attention to critical environmental issues, and to awaken the consciousness of people. It showcased 27 thought-provoking films on various environmental themes such as biodiversity, wildlife, climate change, Jairam Ramesh inaugurating the film festival pollution, among others. Award winning films likeGyamo: Queen of the Mountains; Irada; The Birdman of Chorao The event witnessed huge participation from schools from India, as well as some international films like Modified; such as South Delhi Public School, Kulachi Hansraj Model Smog Wars; PM 2.5; and The Can were screened. School, Shri Ram School Moulsari, St. Mary’s and Sister Nivedita Sarvodaya Kanya Vidyalay, besides filmmakers, Speaking at the inauguration, Jairam Ramesh stated, ‘We participants from various NGOs, government agencies cannot deforest our way to prosperity. We need economic and colleges. growth but not at the cost of ecological imbalance.’ He further added, ‘Environment has emerged as a public The festival provided a premier platform for the filmmakers health issue like air pollution, water pollution, chemicals to showcase their films, and for the audience it was an and so on. Between 2000–2015, 8 per cent of all deaths opportunity to garner more knowledge and information in India were caused by pollution-related ailments.’ ‘Less about environment degradation and the need to act to than 10 per cent of plastics we use are recycled globally,’ save nature at an individual level. added Ravi Agarwal. ■ RUBY RANI 3 rendered his maiden playback song, Pehli Nazar. He went The Music of Mukesh on to illustrate Mukesh’s imitative period in the fashion of the legendary K.L. Saigal, and his masterful