After the scintillating success of ‘Naatu Naatu’ song from the Indian film RRR and a documentary short ‘Elephant whisperers’ winning at the Oscars, the Indian film industry has jumped back to life.

There is another good news for Chandigarhians as another short film which is being readied for Cannes Film Festival 2023 has been shot in Chandigarh.

The poster of the film produced and directed by Yogi Devgun was released in Chandigarh. The film features Sardarni Preet (from  popular TV serial Geet Dholi fame ), Arvind Kumar AK ( who is doing a film with Arshad Varsi ), Rudi Devgun (Child Artist) Kiranpreet Kaur (Waang PTC Punjabi Fame).

The short film ‘A silent escape’ has been filmed at different locations including Chandigarh. With the theme of child trafficking in the backdrop, the film tells the story of Harper and her son. Harper returns to India from Australia after a failed marriage of 15 years. She had married against the wishes of her father and her return to India opens floodgates of misery and pain. After she returns to India, Harper repents walking out of her marriage. In the meanwhile, she gets raped and her son gets kidnapped and lands up in the hands of a child trafficker.

Sardarni Preet, the main lead of the film, says, “The film highlights the fight against child trafficking and how children are forced to beg on the streets which is a big business and a racket.”

Yogi Devgun films have already featured in the Melbourne Lift Festival 2022 , the Fourth Dimension Independent Film Festival 2022 Indonesia and have also been selected for Pinewood Studios London.

When you see a woman in a saree, what kind of images cross your mind — a demure, shy, coy, submissive woman. Of course, this image of women has long been left behind. The power of a woman in being the supporting pillars of a family, a society and a nation, is visible in many ways, but to maintain that grit, grace and radiance, women need to keep themselves healthy first.

To commemorate the International Women’s Day, a ‘women only’ run was held on March 13 where over 300 women of all age groups from 5 to 60-year-olds participated in the race to be completed in a given time period with a lot of enthusiasm. The USP was that  all participants ran in symbolic red sarees, some even drove motorbikes in sarees from the Chandigarh Club, Sector 1, Chandigarh. Other than the 5-km run, have a look at the after-run music extravaganza with participants dancing their hearts out.

Organized by The Run Club (TRC), MC Commissioner Anindita Mitra, who was the Chief Guest, flagged off the run and joined the women in a warm-up dance as well. Holding the 6th edition of Saree Run which has been happening in the city since 2018 to celebrate Women’s Day, TRC (The Run Club) has been inspiring women to celebrate themselves each year by indulging in fun and run, together.

Paveela Bali, the head of TRC says, “Every day is a woman’s day especially when she is healthy, fit and emotionally supported. Our club, which has more women than men, keep on holding weekly group runs and marathons . We believe that health is the biggest gift of the Almighty and only a healthy person can enjoy life. We organise Saree Run on Women’s Day to celebrate ourselves wearing the most elegant-wear and then running for our good health.”

And the winners are:

60 plus age category

1st position Kamla Kajla

2nd position  Dr Supriya gupta

3rd position  Karuna sharma

46-60 yrs age category

1st position Cheena Devi

2nd position  Manu Yadav

3rd position  Samita Ahuja

19-45 yrs age category

1st position  Jyoti

2nd position  Mukesh

3rd position  Reet Rani

Under 18 yrs age category

1st position 1 Vanadana

2nd position  2 Sneha

3rd position  3 Anvi Chopra

The Tricity is undoubtedly a haven for food enthusiasts, thanks to the diverse options it offers for dining out. New cafes and restaurants do keep adding up in the already long list, however deciding on an ideal destination for a pleasant outing can be quite taxing.

One of our favourite haunts, especially when it comes to their all-day breakfast menu is a hidden gem, Backpackers Cafe, located in the serene surroundings of Sector 9, Chandigarh. Established in 2007, the cafe is a trailblazer in the Tricity to introduce English-style breakfast in its menu.

Their extensive menu offers a diverse selection of breakfast staples that are sure to satisfy any palate, including the mouth-watering American-style breakfast dishes that will have you coming back for more. In addition, you can indulge in their delectable French toast or savour the timeless Bangers and Mash.

The cafe’s menu is presented in an engaging format, making for a fun read while the travel guides provide additional company.  Here are some snippets from the menu:

This cafe is renowned for its all-day lunch and brunch offerings, attracting vibrant youngsters and travellers alike.

During your visit, make sure to take in the restaurant’s unique and eclectic decor, which is crafted with meticulous attention to even the smallest detail.

The ambience is  enhanced by the cafe’s creative travel-related artefacts which add to its charm and character.

Whether you’re seeking a quick bite or a leisurely meal, the cafe’s effervescent and lively ambience will undoubtedly elevate your mood. With a variety of travel magazines available to peruse, you can easily spend hours sipping your brew and engaging in casual but interesting conversations.

The buoyant atmosphere of the café keeps it bustling with activity all day long, with the cafe’s all-day breakfast options being a particular favourite among patrons. Housed at the Nexus Elante Mall before moving to its current location in the exquisite and upscale Sector 9 of Chandigarh, this eatery has become a favourite among food aficionados.

Timing: 8:30 am to 11 pm

Address: SCF 16, Inner Market, 9-D, Sector 9, Chandigarh, 160009

Price range:  Approx. 1600 for two persons

Famous Punjabi singer Satinder Sartaj recently won a lot of praise for his film Kali Jotta. The film received a lot of appreciation from the audience. Now, sufi guru Sartaj has come out with his new Urdu poetry album ‘Shayarana Sartaj’ , his dream project.

A paragon of poetry, Dr Satinder Sartaj has written the songs in his own style in pure Urdu and even sung them. He released his first recital masla-e-dil recently.

Bollywood writer and an Urdu poetry wizard Javed Akhtar and his actor wife Shabana Azmi launched his album ‘Shayarana – Sartaj’ in Mumbai.

Sartaj recites his poetry in the most sublime way. He has already recited Zafarnama earlier in farsi. Sartaj has recited his own poems and also presented them in the form of a song.

Keeping the meaning of the words in mind while reciting them, Sartaj has given the video a contemporary look by selecting different locales like Taj Mahal, Ghalib’s haveli and Dubai.

Instead of making music a money minting machine, he has tried to give direction the society needs through his recitals.

Banjaariyat Tour, a mini art festival, is being held by singer and songwriter Satvik Sakar at Mera Qi in Chandigarh. The event celebrates and shares stories through different art forms like poetry, storytelling, and music.

Speaking with CityWoofer, Satvik Sakar says, “I have always believed that everything that surrounds us has a story to tell and an artist is a person who tells these stories through his art. Banjaariyat is a try at bringing all these stories together through different forms of art, be it painting, storytelling, poetry or music. The name of the event comes from my song Banjaara Dil”.

Choosing to begin his tour from Chandigarh, he wants to keep the gathering limited. The event will also feature an art exhibition by local artists from Chandigarh and delicious treats provided by PixieDust Studios. The event will have three acts — a poetry performance, a storytelling performance and an original music performance.

Musical performance by Satvik Sakar

Coming from Jaipur, Sakar is a singer-songwriter, composer, producer, and electronic artist. While growing up, he was exposed to a variety of genres of music, from ghazal to folk, from Jagjeet Singh to Bryan Adams, and these diverse influences can be felt in his music.

Poetry by Srizen Khaneja

Born in a small town, Fatehabad,  in Haryana and brought up by parents who are a little ahead of their peers, Srizen Khaneja is someone who loves reading, observing and evaluating.

She is someone who loves to look forward to new things, but also learns from the past. She is continuously on the path of self-discovery and evaluation, completing her masters in English while writing poetry.

Storytelling performance by Rajvir Singh

A storyteller and a poet from Chandigarh, he is known for his versatility, he can make you feel elated and make you cry at the same time. He was recently invited as a judge at the literature fest of Shaheed Bhagat Singh College, Delhi University, and has been invited to perform at other prestigious universities as well.

When: March 11, Saturday

Time: 6 PM onwards

Where: 544, Sector-18 B, Chandigarh

Warning people of not ignoring early signs of kidney problems, Dr Nitin Kumar, Consultant Nephrology, Manipal Hospitals, Patiala, was in Chandigarh to highlight the harm it can cause to other organs including the heart, on World Kidney Day.

“In Patiala, on an average, 2,500 dialysis takes place in a month, big hospitals do 1,000, and small hospitals undertake 200-300 dialysis each month. In big cities like Chandigarh, 7,000-10,000 dialysis take place in a month,” he says.

The younger generation indulges more in fast food and junk food which has high salt content. These salts and sauces found in street food increase the risk of developing diabetes and hypertension in the future, Dr Nitin Kumar says.

Earlier, only old people used to complain of these complications but lately, adults as young as 40- year-olds are being diagnosed with kidney problems.

Kidney transplant

“We at Manipal Hospitals, Patiala, do 20-25 transplants in a month. Recently, we performed a successful surgery where the wife was the donor. The creatinine levels of the patient reached 1.2, and no dialysis was needed after that. We want to expand our services to all people who might need a transplant with their family members. If not, they can also opt for cadaver registration to get a non-living person’s kidney transplanted,” says Dr Nitin.

To prevent the onset of critical disease and keep the kidneys and the entire body healthy, Dr Nitin mentions some of the initial symptoms of kidney disorder. These include:

Excessive hunger

Shortness of breath

Swelling in feet and face

Frothy urine

Blood in urine

Pain during stools

Uncontrolled levels of diabetes and blood pressure

Recommended measures to keep kidneys healthy

Lifestyle plays a major role in reducing the risk to kidneys. One must keep their activity levels high. Dr Nitin recommends doing a brisk walk daily for at least 5 days a week.

Keep a non-sedentary lifestyle and as far as possible, eat healthy, organic food which is free from pesticides.

Reduce the consumption of excess oil, fatty food, and sweets

Problems like kidney stones are generally ignored by the majority of the population which later becomes worse. Therefore, do not take kidney stones lightly and consult a doctor immediately if detected.

To prevent kidney complications, one must:

Get regular routine health check-ups, especially after the age of 40 years

Diabetes and hypertension must always be managed

If one or any of the symptoms pops up, go to a general physician or a kidney specialist immediately

Don’t delay treatment if you have any other disease

Actor Rakesh Bedi , famous for his myriad comic roles in films and TV serials, is in town for the shooting of India’s first spiritual web series ‘Two great masters’. He also celebrated Holi in Chandigarh with his unit and fans.

Coming to the web series directed by Anurag Sharma , Bedi will  act as the narrator who will amalgamate stories of two great spiritual leaders, Swami Vivekanada and Paramahansa Yogananda. It is based on the book ‘Autobiography of a Yogi’ and author Amrit Gupta’s ‘Two great masters—Living a happy and joyous life’ .

The concept of narrator started in Indian television with two serials ‘Bharat—ek khoj” which was based on Jawaharlal Nehru’s book ‘Discovery Of India’ where actor Roshan Seth played the narrator and ‘Upanishad Ganga’, a series depicting the concept of Upanishads exploring vedic culture.

The web series ‘Two great masters’ is being produced by Juni Films and Approach Entertainment.

Giving advice to young people wanting to do cinema, Bedi says, “ Look for the talent inside you, do not try to emulate big stars. I never changed my ambition. After knowing my interest in theatre, my father hand-held me through the first step and then I was on my own. That is how I fulfilled my dreams.”

Rakesh Bedi has been in the film industry for 47 years and starred in Doordarshan’s first comedy show ‘Ye jo hai zindagi’.

On the occasion of International Women’s Day, we celebrate and highlight the ways in which women struggle in order to make their own dreams come true. This is where an organisation aimed at supporting and encouraging women in their endeavours aptly called ‘Boss Ladies’ comes in. Run by an entrepreneur Himja Rana, it is a group of women who run small businesses and wish to make their own entrepreneurial journeys come true.

Himja Rana shares that this is a platform “where women entrepreneurs come together to share knowledge, upskill, network, and collaborate for the betterment and improvement of their business. I conceptualized and started this community in 2018 and as of today, we have chapters in seven cities: Chandigarh, Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Amritsar, Patiala, Pathankot and Jammu”.

“With the bigger aim of promoting women in business, I curate, women-oriented, networking events and workshops to help women entrepreneurs and women-led startups to make a head-start by giving them a platform to showcase their products and services to a ripe and select audience,” she adds.

Many Tricity- based women who are small business owners are members of the collective. One such brand is run by Seeza Bhardwaj who actually owns and operates a skin care brand by the name of Green Loom. Opting for a “quality natural” approach, her products are free from synthetic ingredients like parabens, petrochemicals, sodium lauryl, and artificial colors and dyes.

Seeza Bhardwaj (right) with Himja Rana

Another business owner associated with the collective is fashion designer Simran who runs her own chic and stylish brand ‘Aasa by Simran’. She has worked to put her aesthetic sensibilities together and has loads of happy customers to boast of.

Simran (extreme right) with other boss ladies

Tricity-based celebrity cake artist Upneet Bhatia runs a cake boutique, best known for her designer creations, under the brandname The Cake Walkerz.

Upneet Bhatia (extreme right) with other boss ladies

Balpreet Kaur runs Strokes and Verses, an environmentally conscious startup involved in eco-friendly crafts, arts, utility products, and wearables, for a greener and sustainable planet. She strives to be a good steward of the planet leaving no carbon footprint, and that too with the utmost thoughtfulness and consciousness.

From skincare to baking to fashion to art, Boss Ladies has brought everything under one umbrella and helping get many other like-minded women under its refuge.

As we celebrate International Women’s Day, many women may be sighing in pain with mental or physical trauma, unaware of the constitutional and legal rights that the country’s legal system bestows on them. We may celebrate womanhood symbolically in more ways than one, we here at CityWoofer have donned the mantle of reinforcing your legal rights in your mind to empower you in case of need.

Irrespective of the status of women, rich or poor, educated or uneducated sometimes, women are caught in a warp and they keep ignoring the issues at hand to protect family honour, job, social status, sometimes future of children or any other personal reasons. What we need is awareness of legal recourse women can avail in need. In case you find anyone around you suffering, here is a list, in a layman’s language, of the legal rights and power of the Indian legal system in undoing the wrongs and leading a free and fair life.

Work-related rights

Equal pay for equal work (pay parity)  is a constitutionally enforceable right under Article 39(D) of the Constitution. It provides for payment of equal wages for work of similar nature to male and female workers.

Maternity benefit Act, 1961: A woman working in any private or government office during the total 26 weeks following or prior the day of her delivery or her miscarriage cannot be employed.

No woman can be required by her employer to do any work which is of an arduous nature or which involves long hours of standing or which in any way is likely to interfere with her pregnancy or the normal development of the foetus, or is likely to cause her miscarriage or otherwise to adversely affect her health.

Where a woman absents herself from work in accordance with the provisions of this Act, it shall be unlawful for her employer to discharge or dismiss her during or on account of such absence.

Every employee including daily wagers also have a right to claim benefits under the said Act provided she has worked for 80 days in the previous year. The Maternity Benefit Amendment Act 2017 makes creche facility mandatory for every establishment employing 50 or more employees and women employees would be permitted to visit the crèche four times during the day (including rest intervals) and where creche facilities are not available to women employees there should be 2 ½ hour rest periods.

Sexual harassment of women at workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and redressal)Act, 2013: Sexual harassment results in violation of the fundamental rights of a woman to equality under Articles 14 and 15 of the Constitution of India and her right to life and to live with dignity under Article 21 of the Constitution and right to practice any profession or to carry on any occupation, trade or business with includes a right to a safe environment free from sexual harassment;  If there is a complaint of sexual harassment against any male counterpart, the institution is legally bound to look into the complaint or form a committee to probe the allegations.

Crime-related rights

A woman cannot be arrested or called to the police station after sunset or before sunrise. She cannot be arrested by a male police officer. The female can lodge complaint in any police complaint in a rape case and she is entitled to free legal aid and the name of the rape victim is also kept anonymous in the said case.

Indian Penal Code, 1860 : It lays down the provisions to penalise the culprit for the heinous offences against women. Various sections under IPC specifically deals with crimes like

Acid Attack (Sections 326),

Rape (Sections 375 & 376),

Attempt to commit rape (Section 376/511),

Kidnapping and abduction (Sections 363–373),

Dowry death, Cruelty by husband or his relatives (Section 498A),

Outraging the modesty of women (Section 354),

Sexual harassment (Section 354),

Assault on women with intent to disrobe a woman (Section 354B),

Voyeurism (Section 354C),

Stalking (Section 354 D),

Importation of girls upto 21 years of age (Section 366B ),

Word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman (Section 509)

Indecent representation of woman (prohibition) Act,1986: It prohibits indecent representation of women through advertisements or in publications, writings, paintings, figures

Section 67 in Information Technology Act, 2000: It entails punishment for publishing or transmitting obscene material in electronic form.

Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006 prohibits marriage of a woman who is below 18 years of age and a man who is 21 years of age.

Rights of married women

Right to Reside in Marital Home: A married woman has the right to live in a marital home even if the property belongs to the husband or in-laws or is leased; a woman has a right to live there. The right to the marital home at the time of separation can not be taken away, not even during ongoing domestic violence proceedings.

Right to Streedhan: Streedhan refers to a woman’s possessions at the time of her marriage. It is different from dowry; it is a gift given to the wife before or after marriage without force. Women will have exclusive legal rights over their streedhan even if it is in the control of her husband or in-laws.

Right to Maintenance by Husband: Maintenance refers to the financial support that a husband gives to his wife during marriage. A woman can seek maintenance per Section 24 of the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 , and Section 125 of CrPC, 1973. Divorced women have alimony rights that can be in annual payments, lump sum, full payments, or monthly as decided by the court.

Right to Succession in Parental Property : Under the Hindu Succession Act of 1956, a married woman has right to her parental property. It is stated by the court that ‘Once a daughter, always a daughter’. Before 2005, the laws did not include the right of a female to have a part of parental property. Yet, in the 2005 revision to the Hindu Succession Act of 1956, a woman (married or unmarried) has similar rights over the property as a son. A widow has legal rights to her deceased husband’s property . If it is a joint property she has invested in and the spouses have decided to divorce, she has the right to share proportional to the percentage she has invested in the same.

Protection of women from domestic violence Act, 2005: It includes protection from physical harm, maintenance and place to live. Special Protection Officer can be deputed to look after physical safety.

Medical-termination of pregnancy Act,1971: Even if a woman is unmarried, nobody can force her to terminate her pregnancy.

Dowry prohibition Act, 1961 which prohibits giving or taking of dowry

Impediments in taking legal recourse:

The ‘equal pay for equal work’ and sexual harassment cases are reported less by women for fear of loss of their jobs and thus they do not speak up against it. In private jobs, maternity leave clause and equal pay for equal work are not being followed at all while in crime–related cases, women do not report as it is a long and cumbersome process and affects their livelihood.

“The medical termination of pregnancy cases and divorce cases are increasing day by day. Women-centric laws were enacted to protect the dignity of a woman but have now become a widely misused weapon. Once an FIR is filed under 498A/406 (IPC) it becomes a tool in the hands of the police to harass the husband and all his relatives named in the FIR. This diminishes all chances of an amicable reconciliation between the couple. The prolonged trials further add bitterness to the already strained relationship between the families,” says Vivek Sharma, practicing lawyer at the Punjab & Haryana High Court.

“There are mediation centres in the Supreme Court, all High Courts and district courts where aggrieved parties can go in marriage-related cases to seek counselling or if the matter is already in a court, the court can refers the matter to the mediation centres to settle the matter with the consent of the parties,” he adds on a positive note.

On the occasion of World Hearing Day, the facility of Brain Evoked Response Audiometry (BERA)was inaugurated by Director Health Services, GMSH 16, Dr Suman Singh.

This test is available only in GMCH 32, PGI Chandigarh and only 2-3 medical colleges in the entire Punjab. GMSH 16 has now become one of the pioneers in this facility.

BERA TEST is basically an objective test who can detect congenital sensorineural hearing loss ,even in a new born baby so that immediate treatment can be planned like cochlear implant. The child hence can be given a dignified life rather than a hearing impaired life along with no speech development.  from this, BERA is useful for every age group presenting profound hearing loss especially in patients of acoustic neuroma(tumour) which can be  diagnosed and dealt with at the earliest.

“Previously we were referring such cases to PGI Chandigarh and patients had no choice but to undergo a very lengthy and tough procedure to get their BERA test to be done, now their screening can be done here,” said Dr Suman Singh.

GMSH-16 is a teaching hospital (DNB Students), so the students will also be be benefitted by this facility.