The Chandigarh Police celebrated its 56th Raising Day at the Police Lines, Sector 26, Chandigarh. UT Administrator Banwarilal Purohit was the chief guest and took the salute on the occasion. Listen in to what Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had to say about Chandigarh Police:

Speaking on the occasion Governor of Punjab and UT administrator Banwarilal Purohit applauded the work being done by the Chandigarh Police to maintain the law and order of the city and for being helpful to the society by sacrificing their own holidays, family times and vacations.

Health and wellness go hand in hand, and one cannot be neglected at the cost of the other. To maintain balance, we need to delve into our inner selves. Helping us in this endeavor is the ‘Osho No Dimension meditation’ which is being hosted at Mera Qi Studio in Chandigarh.

No-Dimension meditation has a Sufi dimension, it is a  step towards ‘whirling’ meditation. The participants eventually get into whirling which is one of the oldest techniques practised by Sufi dervishes to centre oneself. However, No-Dimension meditation was developed further and designed by the Indian godman and mystic Osho.

The meditation is aimed at ‘hara’ which is the part of the body just below the navel and centering energy in that part. It is a one-hour meditation to be completed in three stages and enjoyed with meditative music.

“I have been trained by some of the very senior Osho Sannyasins over time. For the last 18 years, I have been associated with the Osho foundation, Pune. It has been a miraculous journey,” says Sahaya, facilitator for the meditation experience. She has received training as a bodyworker from Auroville, near  Pondicherry.

“I have been facilitating workshops on well-being for many years. I and my partner, Marco Novara, have been facilitating Osho meditations like Kundalini, dynamic, Chakra breathing, Nadbrahma which are Osho active meditations”.

A 900 hrs YTTC yoga teacher and a breath work facilitator herself, and also the founder of Mera Qi studio along with Arunesh,  curator Ayesha Sandhu says, “Moving of emotions is essential and in this workshop using Osho’s ways and whirling, we can step into feeling and releasing.”

What is Mera Qi?

Mera Qi is a space in the form of a studio where facilitators hold meditative or other similar health and wellness-related interesting workshops, like flow art and movement improvement jams.

From open mics to full moon ceremonies, from kirtan to yoga sessions and meditation events, Mera Qi has fast become a space of experimentation and out-of-the-box events in the Tricity. They also host picnics on certain weekends at Leisure Valley. The events are open to all. Mera Qi  was inspired from ‘meraki’ the greek word which means to put your heart and soul into whatever you do. In Punjabi. Mera Qi means ‘what is mine?’ after all we leave everything behind once the soul leaves the body .  ‘Qi’ is Chinese word for ‘energy’ and mera in Hindi is ‘mine’ so clubed together its ‘My energy’.

Date:  November 13, Sunday
Time: 5.00 pm to 6:30 pm
Venue: Mera Qi Space #544, Sector 18b, Chandigarh
Charges: Rs 400;  participants are further advised to carry a pair of socks

Everybody looks forward to happening weekends after a taxing regimen on work days, and Tricity is no exception. Party lovers are in for a treat with a host of exciting events at the ‘Cocktail Garden’ being hosted at the Forest Hill Resort, Chandigarh.

Boasting of an immersive experience complete with known faces in the bartending world, the event is going to bring together city favourites in the food and beverage industry along with  live entertaining music of varied genre.

Multiple food brands under the same roof

Some music please!

Art showcase 

An art showcase is a part of the event which will showcase many multidisciplinary artists putting their artworks on display. This is the second edition of ‘The Showcase of Sorts’ which will be seen bringing together artists from multiple disciplines.

Abhishek Durani, one of the founders of ‘Studio Sorted’ which is a multidisciplinary studio behind the pop up said, “The definition of art and who is an artist is vast. Everybody who creates something which can be enjoyed audio visually by anybody is an artist.”

Their first edition was held last year at Kakuna: A Culinary Bar in Sector 7, Chandigarh  and in this second edition they will have 15-20 multidisciplinary artists mostly from the Tricity. These artists are not charged any money to display their works. These works include original prints, illustrations, posters and other art works where they will also interact with the audience as they are stationed right at the entrance of the event.

Date: November 12, Saturday

Venue: Forest Hill Resort

Malika Verma,23, has achieved an academic feat which students aspire for but may not be able to achieve easily. She has won a gold medal in Mechanical Engineering from Punjab Engineering College PEC, and became the second girl to do so after a gap of more than a quarter of a century. The last time, a girl won it at PEC was in 1996.  Interestingly, in a class of 115, she was among the only three girl students doing mechanical engineering.

She recently received the medal from President of India , Droupadi Murmu. Now, she is not resting on her laurels or busy running after a job. She is undergoing practical training as a trainee under the tutelage of her mechanical engineer father who makes packing machines. She is learning how heavy machinery works especailly,  floor app machines (machines which are used in packing soaps, biscuits, other Fast Moving Consumer Goods FMCGs).

In 2018, she cracked the IIT-JEE in the first attempt, and got admission in Punjab Engineering College, Chandigarh. Thereafter, she did internship with the BSNL and got a placement with the ITC (Indian Tobacco Company) which she refused and is now working with her father who manufactures packaging machines.

At present, she is trying to delve deeper into the functioning of a robotic arm, and is working on making a human leg with the help of ‘linkages’ alone.

Always a bright student, she scored 10/10  CGPA in Class X from Doon International School, Sector 69, Mohali. She did her Class XII from Shri Guru Gobind Singh School, Sector 35, Chandigarh.

Malika talks to citywoofer.com about her simple yet inspirational journey:

Why mechanical engineering, when the whole world is going towards computer science?

It was solely out of interest. My father is a mechanical engineer, he manufactures machines needed for packing products. I like mechanical designing, CAD and CNC.

Everybody talks of less jobs in Mechanical Engineering, does that bother you?

Initially, I too wanted to work in a company like Mercedes Benz, but I realised I need to learn more by practical application. In a job, you are required to do what you are asked to, nobody teaches you, here I learn and work under the guidance of my father, who else can teach me better.

The young generation in India wants to mostly go abroad for education or white-collar jobs, would you like to do the same?

I would like to go abroad for research or further studies if I get an opportunity, after a few years, not now.

Coaching institutes or hard work, what has an upper edge while preparing for IIT-JEE?

Both are important, a student understands the concepts at the coaching institute so it is important, but I believe, self-study should be more, coaching less. In my case, I used to go to the coaching class one day and self -study the next day learning what I studied the earlier day, which meant 16-18 hours a day.

What is the role of a mother in all the rigorous preparations that the student goes through?

My mother is a teacher and a gold medallist in Physics, she is the first and the biggest teacher. Apart from academics, a mother instills good values in us which are important in giving shape to our success.

Where do you draw the line between extra-curriculars and academics?

I always have a schedule in the back of the mind for each day. I never keep any task for tomorrow. As a student, I would always revise the class or college lecture that day only. Free time is also a part of the daily schedule.

How did you focus on academics?

The first thing is you have to be passionate about it, you have to set a goal for yourself and not flounder. For me, I took up the challenge to prove that a girl could do ME and that too well.

Any message for students pursuing engineering in colleges?

Do it only if you have the passion for it, stay in your chosen stream and think out-of-the box.

A three-day Wall Art Fest at Alliance Française, Sector 36, Chandigarh, by French artist Olivia de Bona has left the visitors awestruck with her works.

Equipped with a diploma in Applied Arts and Animated Cinema, Olivia says this about her artwork titled’Let India put colors in my life’ at Alliance Française, Chandigarh.

“The idea showcases France meeting India. It’s kind of funny that the sad and grey rooftops of Paris, on a rainy day, are given the effect of India, which on the contrary, has a lot of colours, vegetation and animals. It’s like France transforming into India.”

I’ve created this piece of art with a little bit of both France and India as a gift to the French learners so that whenever they come across this wall art they can connect with the Parisian architecture with Indian diversity.”

 This is what she had to say, while speaking with citywoofer.com

Q. What is wall art, any special kind of colours you use?

Wall art is just art on the wall like street art and graffitti, I use especially acrylic and nothing else .

Q. Have you painted any wall in the tricity?

It’s my first time in india so it’s also my first wall (the one at Alliance Française, Sector 36, Chandigarh ) !

Q.  Is your team going to visit different parts of India looking for ideas or do some wall art?

Yes my team will travel across India for one month, you can follow our trip on social média, I will go to Pune, Trivandrum, Bhopal after Chandigarh

Q. Where do u seek motivation from — Nature, what you see around or you innovate?

My inspiration comes with what I live, what I see and what emotions I go through

Q. If somebody wants to pursue art or wall art in particular, where can he/she  do so in France or Europe?

In Europe, graffiti and mural art are very famous, you can visit any big city and find a really good wall!

In the second edition of the Wall Art Festival. From November 7 till  December 2, 2022, artists will make our cities and public spaces more colourful and beautiful, through the vision of visual artists.

As a part of the Wall Art Festival, four wall-artists — Kid Kreol and Boogie, Olivia De Bona, Neethi and Mr. Poes — will be crossing the country to look for fresh paintings.

Besides Chandigarh, these artists would be travelling to 13 cities, including, Delhi, Jaipur, Mumbai, Kolkota, Ahmedabad, Bhopal, Chennai, Trivandrum, Hyderabad, and Pune.

A Sooraj Barjatya film has always been a family entertainer – Maine pyaar kiya, hum aapke hain kaun, hum saath sath hain, vivah,  ram rattan dhan payo  being his last in 2015 …and now comes ‘unchhai’ slated to release on Nov 11, 2022. ‘Wrinkles will only go where the smiles have been’ wrote singer-song writer Jimmy Buffet, Uunchai is about smiles inspite of the wrinkles.

Actors:  Amitabh Bachchan, Anupam Kher, Neena Gupta, Boman Irani, Danny Denzongpa, Sarika, Parineeti Chopra

Story:  A story of three friends, who decide to climb Mount Everest to fulfill the last wish of their late friend. Its about long-lasting friendships, entertainer for the old and a learning experience for the young and the middle–aged, there’s definitely a take-away by the time the film ends.

Release Date: November 11, 2022

Director: Sooraj Barjatya, Sunil Gandhi, and Abhishek Dixit

Writer: Sunil Gandhi

Producer: Sooraj Barjatya, Mahaveer Jain, and Natasha Malpani Osw under Mahaveer Jain Films & Boundless Media and Rajshri Productions banner.
Genre: Comedy, Drama

Lets have a look at some of the reactions of netizens to Uunchai trailer:

#UunchaiTrailer trailer deserves more hype. Looks like a masterpiece already. Casting is superb. @shiv_vaani__ aisi aur iss umar tak dosti chahiye tumhari. And the song at end "ye jeevan hai iss jeevan ka yahi hai yahi hai rangroop" .. To good❣️❤🎶

— 🇮🇳Jyoti Singh Rajput🇮🇳 (@callmejsr) October 18, 2022

ये जीवन हैं, इस जीवन का यहीं हैं यहीं हैं यहीं हैं रंगरूप….
चार हमउम्र जोड़ियों (दोस्तों) पर बनी यह मूवी वास्तव में देखने लायक हैं।
बहुत ही शानदार मूवी👌🙏
जय हो!#UunchaiTrailer@SrBachchan @bomanirani #DannyDenzongpa https://t.co/E0XuQTJ5Cb

— C L Porwal Sunil (@sunilporwalBJP) October 18, 2022

#Uunchai Trailer Review:

Superb 👌

Casting Looks Top-Notch 👏

Cinematography 💯

Music & BGM👏

Story looks good & if the screenplay & writing works, it's a sureshot hit👌

Waiting 😁#UunchaiTrailer #Unchai #AmitabhBachchan #AnupamKher #BomanIrani #ParineetiChopra #bollywood pic.twitter.com/px9IiYwxIf

— Kumar Swayam (@KumarSwayam3) October 18, 2022

Let us have a look at some of the other artefacts which are left in Chandigarh which were used, made and designed by world famous Le Corbusier and his cousin Pierre Jeanneret.

Charles-Édouard Jeanneret (1887-1965), known widely as Le Corbusier, designed this large desk in solid teak and teak veneer – Circa 1955-56.

Thick veneered top, removable and forming an open angle. Three robust “angle” type veneered teak legs, two of which are on the sides and one in the center decorated with two compartments open in opposition. H: 76; L: 347; D: 138 cm (approximately).

Place of origin: High court of Chandigarh, Sector 1.

Pierre Jeanneret (1896-1967) designed this suite of four armchairs called “Cane and sisso wood armchair” – Circa 1955-56.

In solid sisso (Indian rosewood) with seat and backrest in braided caning.

Place of origin: University residences of Panjab University, sector 14 and administrative buildings of Chandigarh, sector 1

Manholes

Around 2,600 antique manholes are lying in various places in Chandigarh valued at Rs 260 cr in the international market.

A total of 15 heritage items, mainly Chandigarh’s furniture designed by architects Pierre Jeanneret and Le Corbusier, were auctioned for Rs 3.34 crore in Paris in Oct 2021. Among these items, a pair of chairs, in solid teak and fabric, dating back to 1960, was sold for Rs 78.22 lakh. These were by far  ‘the costliest pair of Chandigarh chairs sold so far’.

A tubelight table of the Panjab University library was sold at Tel Aviv in Israel at a whooping Rs 1.92 cr in 2018. Actor  Sonam Kapoor’s house in London has many of Jeanneret’s creations.

According to the UT Heritage Protection Cell, countless heritage items, especially furniture, have been auctioned in at least 100 open auctions since 2009.  These items have reportedly fetched Rs 40 to Rs 50 crore till now.

Which countries bought Corbusier- Jeanneret designed furniture in auctions

France, England, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, Germany. In the recent past, auctions also took place in US and UK.

How many heritage items here?

As per the list culled by the Chandigarh Heritage Inventory Committee in 2012, some 12,793 heritage items were identified under as many as 190 categories, including rare furniture artefacts, armchairs, lounge chairs, book cases, coffee tables, teak stools, tapestry, murals, drawings, other items of heritage value, designed by Le Corbusier and his team, including Pierre Jeanneret, in the 1950s and 60s.

The Union Ministry of Home Affairs in 2011 banned the sale and export of heritage furniture. In 2021, The government of India, through the Archaeological Survey of India, again issued orders to all ports (sea or air) to prevent the export of such articles.

A six-member delegation from France is slated to visit Chandigarh from November 15 -19 which will establish the authenticity of heritage items, tag them, and suggest processes for their conservation, restoration and legal protection.

“These items, touted to be of heritage value, need to be protected under the relevant antiquity law. There is a dire need for setting up a statutory regulatory body to take care of these items. Equally mandatory is the cataloguing of each and every heritage item to be protected and preserved in museums etc,” said Balvinder Singh, former Principal of Government College for Men and an awardee painter.

Who is Pierre Jeanneret?

Pierre Jeanneret on a pedal boat on Chandigarh Lake,
India, 1950s.

When Le Corbusier (original name Charles-Édouard Jeanneret) took on the role of Chief Advisor to the Chandigarh Project, he convinced Pierre Jeanneret to take up a full-time position with him. Jeanneret first came to India in February 1951 and stayed on until August 1965. Jeanneret embraced India, he understood the local context, climate, materials, and designed buildings accordingly.

Furniture designed by Pierre Jeanneret in Chandigarh, India.
1953-1956 Photographer : Pierre Jeanneret

Jeanneret lived a simple and austere life in Chandigarh. He designed furniture for his home from simple local materials like bamboo, canvas, and rope. He became great friends with his cook and caretaker. In his spare time he built boats and sailed them on Sukhna Lake, near his house.

Apart from his own designs, he was responsible for executing Corbusier’s projects. He complimented Corbusier’s erratic temperament with his peaceful disposition.

Corbusier only visited Chandigarh twice a year for brief periods, and the responsibility for the ambitious Capitol Project, comprising the Legislative Assembly, Secretariat, and High Court, fell on Jeanneret.

The Gandhi Bhawan

The Gandhi Bhawan, an auditorium within the Punjab University campus, is considered one of Jeanneret’s finest buildings in Chandigarh.
He was appointed Chief Architect of Chandigarh in 1955, the Urban Planning Advisor to the Government of Punjab, and subsequently made Head of the Chandigarh College of Architecture. He designed several civic buildings, private residences, schools, hostels, and university buildings.
By 1965, his health was failing and, unable to continue in Chandigarh, he went to Geneva where he died on 4 December, 1967 in Geneva, and as per his wishes, his ashes were scattered on the waters of Sukhna Lake in his beloved Chandigarh.

Similar vintage pieces manufactured in Ireland

A company namedas Dimo produces furniture pieces on the lines of furniture designed by these  two legendary architects and designers. The Dimo designs are infact known as the “Pierre Jeanneret pieces”.

‘Our production has been active since the 1950s and the carpentry work is operated by a Sikh that worked alongside Pierre Jeanneret,’ reads the website https://dimochair.com/collections/vintage-pieces

In today’s times, when jobs are unpredictable, and one never knows what’s in store in the future, we need to be war-ready for whatever comes our way. Kirpal Kaur, a graduate, and in her 30s did not have anything like this in her mind. She was doing her regular job at Connect Broadband at a salary of Rs 20,000 per month.

She had a day off from work on Dussehra, she made up her mind — she wanted to start her own work. She had seen her father-in-law setting his own food stall occassionally outside the PCA stadium at Phase X, Mohali whenever there was an international match. Her innate desire to self -sustain herself got fired, she went to the market and within two hours bought a few things and gathered some from home, everything she required to set her food stall, including 2 commercial gas stoves and cylinder, with the help of her two friends. The next day she was good to go. “You should have the courage, once you start something, things automatically happen,” this is the spirit with which she began on Day 1. The first day, she had 20-25 customers and she earned Rs 1,000.

Not even a month is complete yet, she has about 50-60 people who regularly come to her stall every day. “There are office-goers, students, PGs, some of them give me a call and I keep the food ready,” she says.

What does she have on the platter?

She has all kind of paranthas – 2 paranthas with curd costs Rs 60; a thalli with 2 vegetables, 3 chappatis and chutney is also for Rs 60.

Place: Friends food stall, near Phase 9 petrol pump, Mohali.

Name: Kirpal Kaur

Contact: 7355515552

Timings: 9.30 am to 4 pm

USP: Prepares everything fresh there and then, including vegetables

What does she think is the biggest difference in a regular job and your own private work? “I realized I can earn double the amount from my own work, plus you have the independence to work according to your requirement, you don’t take commands from anybody, you earn more, you can sometimes not work if there’s a problem or get free early…”

Yes, but there is a drawback, “It demands a lot of hard work, you don’t realise when the day breaks and when the sun sets”. But it’s worth taking a risk.

 What is the relevance of nanotechnology to a common man?

Nanotechnology increases the efficacy of pharma drugs which helps to treat serious diseases like cancer and also regular medical issues like anti-fungal ailments.

Nanotechnology is an innovative process which changes the bio-profile of molecules by reducing particle size. It reduces the cost of medicines and makes them cost-effective.

Fruits of her Labour

In 15 years of her academic research work, Dr Indu Pal Kaur filed for 22 patents with the Indian Patent Authority, out of which 12 patents have been granted and 10 are pending.

What is a patent?

Patent is an exclusive right to an invention, process, product, that provides a new way of doing something or offers a technical solution to a problem. One needs to get the official legal right to make or sell an invention. If you don’t patent your invention, other people may make all the profit out of it.

What is her contribution to society ?

Four important technologies developed by her which she has transferred to the Industry

1. Anti –acne products: topical ointments which are more permeable and less toxic. It has already been marketed in East Asia by the name AvitX, will be available in Indian market by 2023
2. Anti-fungal creams to fight fungal infection of the skin which will avoid relapse.
3. A probiotic formulation for vaginal infections.
4. Development of curcumin(haldi )as a wonder molecule in the form of nano-curcumin, which is good for general health, heart health, prevents Alzheimer’s and cancer

A tete-a tete with citywoofer.com

What is the future in nano technology for students?

Most students of nanotechnology do not get a sense of professional security, so they avoid getting into research work