The 700-year-old glass art of Ferozabad in Uttar Pradesh came to the centre-stage of global contemporary art Sunday with the unveiling of a 4.2 metre high futuristic glass installation “The Precious Stonewall” conceived by French glass artist Jean-Michel Othoniel.

The five-ton solid installation, crafted with 4,200 recycled glass bricks, decked with 150 glass bead necklaces and spread across 7.5 square metres of ground area was thrown open for people view at the Lalit Kala Akademi by Culture Secretary Jawahar Sircar and French Ambassador Jerome Bonnafont as part of an Indo-French artistic exchange.

The sculpture is the result of a one-and-a-half year experimentation with glass as an artistic medium between the traditional glass blowers of Ferozabad, known for its colourful glass bangles and necklaces since the reign of Ferozshah Tughlaq, and Othoniel, who has been working with glass solid art since 1998.

The artist has been working on designer glass bricks with Ferozabad craftsmen since January 2009.

Inspired by religion, the sculpture that rises like a bejeweled golden edifice from the ground is a brick-by-brick interpretation of the artist’s vision of development and the evolving spiritual self that represents India, sources at the French embassy said, elaborating on the ethos driving “the monumental form loped in swirls of coloured glass bead necklaces”.

“The sculpture is a result of my experimentation with glass in India. I discovered the primal force of this material of deep hues while working in Ferozabad in the heat of the furnaces and the dust of pigments. The thousands of bricks that this work is composed of were blown and polished to a gleam that are similar to burnished ingots,” sculptor Othoniel said.

The work was a tribute to a pile of glass bricks “that often line the Indian roads.”

Unveiling the sculpture, Sircar said Othoniel’s installation was a shot in the arm for the glass blowers of Ferozabad.

“The glass craft of Ferozabad has a rich historical lineage. Ferozabad, barely 40 km from the erstwhile Mughal capital of Agra, evolved as a glass hub spurred by the demand for glass by the Muslim princesses of the Agra fort,” he said.

“It flourished as a centre of bangle craft in the 15th century and remained so for the next 300 years. After the arrival of the British, the glass blowers began to craft glass necklaces, but the fashion did not catch on. For many years, the government has been trying to bring the glass blowers out of the confines of the bangles,” the culture secretary said.

The town is marked by the convoy of carts that sell colourful glass bangles on the streets.

Earlier named Chandwar Nagar, the town was built by Ferozshah Tughlaq between 1351 and 1388. Bangle crafting and glass works have been its economic lifeline for the last 700 years.

It was named Ferozabad during the reign of Emperor Akbar by Faraz Shah Mansab Dar in 1566. According to historians, Raja Todarmal, one of the nine gems of Akbar’s court, was looted in the town on his way to Gaya. At his request, Akbar sent Faraz Shah to maintain law and order in the town.

“The sculpture is a symbol of the cooperation and partnership between the Ferozabad glass workers and artist Othoniel, whose glass installations grace the metro station in the heart of Paris and all the renowned museums of modern and contemporary art across the world,” the French ambassador said.

“‘The Precious Stonewall’ will be displayed in an exhibition of Indian and French contemporary art at the Musee National d’art Moderne or the Museum of Modern Art at the Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris next year,” Bonnafant told IANS.

Othoniel’s signature glass ball necklaces have found their way to Rome’s Villa Medici Gardens and in American Peggy Guggenheim’s collection of trees.

Bonnafont said the government of France was sponsoring 300 visits to his country from India in 2010 to facilitate exchange of ideas in art and culture.

IANS

Amit Dasgupta, consul-general of India in Sydney, said it was in acknowledgement of the work being done by the university in providing a safe environment for Indian students.

Dasgupta said education and globalisation are both key in spreading messages against violence.

“Gandhi was born in India, but he belongs to each and every one of you,” Dasgupta said.

Dasgupta, Vice-Chancellor Fred Hilmer and New South Wales Treasurer Eric Roozendaal unveiled the sculpture at a ceremony attended by people from the Indian and other communities.

IANS

The tree, symbolising the best of Indian tradition, has been in the making for the past three months with almost 500 artisans and 300 weavers employed. The green prop is sure to grab eyeballs during the opening gala Oct 3.

The tree is the brain child of designer Madhu Jain who collaborated with model-turned-actor Milind Soman, also a state level athlete, eight years back to form Project M – a foundation that works towards promoting art.

The Games organising committee (OC) invited the two to make something unique for the opening ceremony which would highlight weavers of India and promote India’s rich heritage.

“We have done a lot of research on this project. The tree will have the best from Indian tradition,” Jain said.

“The focal point here is that India has a 2,000-year-old rich tradition and we will be showcasing this to the world. We will never get a platform like this to reinforce brand India to the world,” said Jain.

With a lot of criticism surrounding preparations for the upcoming CWG, Jain says: “Unfortunately, people and the media are only pointing at the things that are not done. There are so many things that are running on schedule, but no one is paying heed to it.

“So many people are rehearsing and performing – there is a lot of hard work which is going behind making CWG a success. One should look at those things and appreciate and write about it as well,” said Jain.

“We, as Indians, have to put our best foot forward as it (Games) is the country’s prestige issue,” she added.

IANS

Some of the biggest names in their respective fields will be performing in the line up of various events which are scheduled to happen till 4th November 2010. Theatre lovers can feast on celebrated plays such as ‘Kaifi aur Main’ featuring Javed Akhtar and Shabana Azmi, ‘Ghalib’ featuring Tom Alter in the lead as the world’s favourite poet and ‘Eidgah’ based on a story by renowned Urdu writer Munshi Premchand as a part of ‘Jashn-e-Dilli’ at the Ansari Auditorium, Jamia Milia Islamia from 18th September to 4th October 2010. But this is not all, the lovers of Mushairas, Ghazals and Qawallis can savour some of the best from this genre during the ‘Jashn-e-Dilli: A festival of Mushaira, Ghazals and Qawwallis’ at the Town Hall in the historic Chandni Chowk. Celebrities like Ghazal maestros Jagjit Singh and Radhika Chopra , Qawwalli experts Ateeq Hussain Khan Bandanawazi and Wajahat Jaffar Sultani Badayuni Qawwal and some of the biggest urdu poets including names such as Javed Aktar, Nida Fazli, Gulzar, Bekal Utsahi, Prof. Sheharyar and Prof. Waseem Bareilvi will participate in a grand Mushaira and other events lined up at the venues.

The World Heritage monument, Qutub Minar will come alive to the strains of music and songs during the Qutub Festival from 4-13th October 2010 when some of the most renowned singers and performers will come together to enthrall the audiences. The performers at the Qutub Festival include names such as Kailash Kher, Shankar Mahadevan, Kunal Ganjawala, Abhijeet, Indian Ocean, Euphoria, Sivamani, Louis Banks, Mohit Chauhan, Sadhna Sargam, Javed Ali, Hariharan and others.

Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit along with Secretary, Union Ministry of Culture Jawhar Sircar today released a cultural events calendar of ‘Delhi Celebrates’ in a function organized at Delhi Secretariat. Speaking on this occasion Dikshit stated that the programs will definitely cater to every taste of visitors and locals.

Union Culture Secretary Jawahar Sircar stated that the concept of ‘Delhi Celebrates’ has been woven into a noble matrix. He expressed hope that this will become an annual feature.

Tagore created a pool of nearly 126 paintings for the show.

Sircar said: “The government may not be able to recreate the exhibition at Gallerie Pigalle in Paris but it will carry several paintings that were exhibited 81 years ago in France”.

The exhibition that drew the glitterati of Paris later travelled across Europe.

“Paris was then the final word on art. If it deemed that a particular artist’s work was fit to be shown, the world accepted it,” Sircar said.

The government will mount two travelling exhibitions of Tagore’s art.

“One has been curated and the other is in the process of being collated.

“Several countries in Europe, including Germany, wanted to host the first exhibition but I stuck to Paris. Even the US wants us to bring an exhibition of Tagore’s paintings,” he said.

Scholars believe that Tagore experimented with art in 1924. The manuscript of Purabi, one of his popular compositions, featured his maiden efforts at drawing. Thereafter, the poet took to drawing regularly.

His art was a combination of European expressionism, abstraction and the figurative forms of Bengal that gave it a distinct identity

“The upgraded version is surely going to work better,” said Manjit Singh, chairman and managing director of the Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation (RTDC) which manages the train.

“The advance booking for the train takes place much before the beginning of the season. It’s an indication that this train is a success,” Singh said.

And the season has just begun. The 24-coach train, with a capacity of 104 guests, departs from New Delhi every Wednesday between September and April. It runs mainly overnight with guests waking up to an exciting new destination in Rajasthan or Uttar Pradesh.

A night in the exotic train costs $400-500 (Rs.18,000-20,000), depending on the service one opts for.

For American tourist Perry Marco, a friend’s advice was worth the experience last year. “I had heard about this train from a friend, and decided to take the journey myself. Really, it’s a beautiful experience. A spectacular showcasing of ancient heritage. I don’t mind giving a second shot to it,” he said.

Marco’s wife Lydia said: “This is the best way to see the royal palaces of Rajasthan, the rich history and culture.”

There are 14 carriages, each with four en-suite rooms and attendants, two restaurant cars, one small gym, a beauty salon and a bar lounge car. Each carriage is decorated individually with luscious fabrics and named after a different Rajput state – making Palace on Wheels an apt name!

The newly added Royal Space is attached to the carriages and boasts of ayurvedic and non-ayurvedic massages.

The 52 rooms in the train with single, double and triple occupancies can accommodate 104 passengers on any fully-booked tour.

For Lalit Pawar, the chairman of the India Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC) and former managing director of RTDC, it is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. “Only heaven can be equated with Palace on Wheels,” Pawar told IANS.

“The train travels almost 2,200 km. The stoppages offer four different rides: elephant, camel, boat and safari. I have got amazing feedback from guests telling me how much they loved the journey,” he said.

Pawar said because of the cost, Indian travellers give it a miss.

“We will certainly work on an economy version of the train. I feel we should explore every possibility of making this royal treat available to the Indian masses,” said Pawar, who has an eight-year-long experience with RTDC.

The train makes its way through the royal forts and palaces of “Pink City” Jaipur, “Golden City” Jaisalmer, touches base at Ranthambore, famous for its tigers, and also Agra, home to the Taj Mahal.

There’s space for gastronomic delights too. It has two lavish restaurants – The Maharaja and The Maharani – with a Rajasthani ambience serving palate tickling Continental, Chinese and Rajasthani cuisines.

Belgium-based Watson Seron said: “Oh! I fell in love with the food…Maharaja (restaurant) has a lot to offer. The luxury quotient is high.”

Mellisa Craig from Belgium said she has travelled the world, but this was her best experience. “I travel a lot. And this has been my best experience so far. They take so much care of the guests. I would love to come again,” she added.

“It passes like a flash. Palace on Wheels ends like a dream,” signs off Lydia on a nostalgic note.

“Hey guys. Ranvir and I got married on the 3rd (September). Thanks for all the good wishes! Goodnight,” Konkona, 30, posted on her microblogging page Twitter.

The couple, who got engaged in 2008, reportedly exchanged wedding vows in an intimate ceremony at their Goregoan residence. Only a small number of friends, including Fardeen Khan and Shilpa Shetty, attended.

While Ranvir, 38, was dressed as a Punjabi groom, Konkona wore a Bengali sari and her grandmother’s jewels.

“We wanted you to read it here first but… we got married! Yay,” wrote Ranvir on his Twitter page. “The best wish/advice I’ve received on marriage so far: ‘Congratulations! Don’t do it again.”

Konkona, daughter of Bengali filmmaker and actress Aparna Sen, is known for her roles in “Mr & Mrs Iyer”, “Page 3″, “Life… In A Metro” and “Wake Up Sid”.

While Ranvir made his mark with films like “Honeymoon Travels Pvt Ltd”, “Khosla Ka Ghosla”, “Pyaar Ke Side Effects” and “Mixed Doubles”.

IANS

“It’s difficult to give voice to any animation film. When we dub for our films, we have to perform as good as you have done on screen, but to do an animation film, where you don’t have the scene, don’t have other characters, don’t know how the scene is actually going to be – keeping all those things in mind you have to give voice to the character,” Manoj said.

The actor said it was difficult to “live up to the expectations” of lending one’s voice to a character like Ram. He had to go through strenuous rehearsals to get the perfect tone required for the film directed by Chetan Desai.

“I had to go through a lot of rehearsals to get into the character. I struggled with each and every word, sentence and the graph of voice to retain the softness and mildness of Ram, yet be aggressive. It was a very difficult task,” Manoj said.

He finished dubbing for “Ramayana” just before playing a character inspired by Mahabharata’s Duryodhan in his recent hit “Raajneeti”.

“Before ‘Raajneeti’, I dubbed for ‘Ramayana…’. It’s a great opportunity for an actor to do such contrasting characters back to back,” he said.

According to Manoj, 3D animation is a great medium to popularise Hindu epics at a time when all children want to watch is “Harry Potter”.

“The kind of time we are living in, people tend to read Harry Potter and watch it. They don’t know the characters of Ramayana and Mahabharata, which are far more superior. They have a larger than life quality in them and this is where the 3D animation is going to do full justice to Ramayana,” the actor said.

IANS

“Many a time in life I have wished to spend time and effort in getting down to learn just any one instrument but I am just not getting enough courage to get into it. It would perhaps take me another lifetime,” Amitabh posted on his blog www.bigb.bigadda.com.

The 67-year-old says if nothing else, he likes to randomly hit the keys of a piano at his house.

“And so, helpless, I retire to my own piano, gifted to me on my birthday by the family and start pushing some ‘blacks’ and ‘whites’ randomly. I try to look so very professional and well equipped. There is nothing of value that comes out but I do have to say that every note creates that much desired feel of… what can I say… fulfilment,” he added.

The musical instrument santoor largely remained in the precincts of Jammu and Kashmir until instrumentalist Shiv Kumar Sharma gave his first public performance in 1955. And 55 years thereafter, he is proud that even soaps and restaurants are named after the instrument.

“If I trace the development and popularity of the santoor and compare it with other instruments which were widely known that time, I can proudly say it has come a long way. I am happy that many people play the santoor, and there is a large number of listeners for it. In fact, it makes me happier that there is also a soap named santoor,” Sharma, 72, told IANS over phone from Mumbai.

“Some friends even told me that there is an Indian restaurant named Santoor in

Paris and what’s wonderful is that the santoor is played live in the restaurant. If it has reached such places internationally, it is an indicator that the instrument has definitely arrived somewhere,” he added.

Such is the market for his music, that Saregama India, with whom Sharma has recorded most of his works, has launched an 18-CD premium pack comprising all his works recorded with it till date.

It covers 43 years (1955-1998) of Sharma’s music career and includes his solo performances, jugalbandi, rhythms, thematic music, live concerts, music from his albums and his work with his son and disciple Rahul Sharma.

“I am humbled at their gesture. I am sure 18 CDs will be a bit too much of me for listeners, but it will be very interesting to just see what I have been doing with the instrument over the years. It is a great way, in fact, for me to sit back and assess myself.

“Also, it is very important as a reference point for those who are learning the santoor, for listeners who like my music, and even for those who have never heard what it sounds like,” said Sharma.

Born in Jammu, he has been playing the santoor since he was 13. He recorded his first album in 1960 with Sa Re Ga Ma, after which he even composed music for Shantaram’s 1965 film “Jhanak Jhanak Payal Baje”.

His major landmark came in 1967 with the album “Call of the Valley”, for which he teamed up with renowned flautist Hariprasad Chaurasia and guitarist Brij Bhushan Kabra. He continued his association with Chaurasia and composed for films like “Silsila”, “Chandni”, “Lamhe” and “Darr”.

But now he says he has no time to compose for films.

“There is no film on hand right now. Hari-ji and I are getting old. We have to travel all over the world for our concerts. Where’s the time? But, yes, in future if we get some time and suitable project, we will surely compose,” said Sharma.

What would a suitable project be?

“I would like to compose music of my taste – whether classical or non-classical. Every song must have feelings and melody. For film songs, I feel an important ingredient is the lyrics. A heady combination of good melody and poetry is all I would like to do,” he said.

A Padma Shri and a Padma Vibhushan awardee, Sharma says even though he has a classical bent of mind, he doesn’t despise the loud music used in Bollywood movies.

“Films keep changing and tastes also undergo change. Each generation has different ideas and change is a constant in life. I don’t think there is anything wrong with any kind of music. The youth is a better judge of the music today. I don’t listen much to film music.

“But, yes, the music of every film depends on its script as well as taste and liking of the director. If film content is changing, so will the music.”