To create public awareness about sexual assault during the ongoing Sexual Exploitation Awareness Month (April), more than 100 volunteers of an NGO ‘Bachpan – Save the Innocence’ held a street play at the Sukhna Lake.

The program highlighted the issue of child sexual abuse and other forms of sexual harassment through the street play. “Until we all become aware, sexual abuse is not going to stop, let us all end sexual abuse together,” said the founder of Bachpan Save The Innocence (BSTI), Rahul Singla.

The street play demonstrated various situations under which sexual abuse takes place which not only concerns females but also male members of our society. One may be surprised to find out that boys are more sexually harassed in their childhood than girls. Many a time the abuser is a family member or someone known to the family.

“I was deeply moved by the 2018 Kathua Rape case and wanted to do something. I was surprised to see that there was not even a single organization working on child sexual abuse in Tricity,” Singla told CityWoofer while revealing what motivated him to start Bachpan.

Realising that it was a complex issue, he started conducting workshops and awareness programs to help people identify this as a problem. In the year 2020, Bachpan was able to hold only two workshops – ‘Safe/Unsafe Touch’ and ‘Consent’ through which the NGO sensitized around 2000 children. They have now organized over 14 different workshops, each being a 4-hour program. Bachpan, into its third year now, has sensitized over 19,000 stakeholders through 360+ workshops.

A community awareness program aimed at creating awareness amongst the public on disaster management and mitigation was held at the Sukhna Lake by NDRF (National Disaster Response Force) team in collaboration with disaster management team of UT Chandigarh.

The Police Department, Health Department, fire and rescue services, and civil defense of Chandigarh administration along with students of KB Scholars School, Ladwa, Haryana, were present.

What was taught at the awareness programme

Medical First Responder (MFR) like Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), Bandage, Blood Control, Splinting etc.

Lifting and carrying of victims like Collapsed Structure Search and Rescue (CSSR), preparing improvised stretchers, etc.

Flood rescue techniques such as improvised flotation devices and other life saving techniques.

Fire emergency management like safety during fire emergency, Standardized Death Rate (SDR) method and use of fire extinguishers.

Dos’ and Donts’ if earthquake hits

NDRF is the world’s single largest force dedicated to disaster response and mangement. NDRF has rescued over 1.48 lakh precious human lives and also evacuated more than 7 lakh stranded persons from disaster situations within the country and abroad. The swift and effective response of NDRF during the Japan Triple Disaster-2011 and Nepal Earthquake 2015 amnog many other operations in India and globally received acclaim.

Governor of Punjab and Chandigarh Administrator Banwari Lal Purohit  released the autobiographical book Virasat-e-Punjab of eminent folk singer Dr Sukhminder (Sukhi) Kaur Brar. The program was held at Punjab Raj Bhavan , in which Punjabi Hindi film actress Preeti Sapru, eminent singer Pammi Bai, National Minorities Commission Chairman Iqbal Singh Lalpura, Dr Deepak Manmohan Singh and many eminent personalities were present at the function.

Sukhi Brar is a staunch and strong supporter of originality in the folk heritage of Punjab. Rich in versatility, she has earned the moniker ‘Virasat’ Kaur.

She is the president of the Punjab unit of Sanskar Bharti. Apart from this, she is also the Director of World Punjabi Heritage Foundation (Dev Samaj College, Sector 45).

Besides providing an academic environment, Punjab Engineering College, Chandigarh, is also actively involved in providing students a free ecosystem to hone other skills apart from academics, to unburden their minds and bring their creative streak to the fore. So, PEC’s English Editorial Board is celebrating a fine blend of literature and performance on Saturday, April 22, with its annual flagship event, Slam, a poetry and storytelling competition with participants from all over the country.

Students preparing for the Slam Poetry and Storytelling Competition at PEC

The participating students will not only read out their original poetry or story but also perform in front of a live audience, much like standup comedy. “The beauty of slam events is that they allow the writers to take charge of the meaning of their art without stating the obvious,” says Atulya Mani Tripathi, student, Metallurgy Department.

Participants initially submitted their videos performing their original writing and the top 20 participants were selected for round two. Now this is their day to showcase their talent, this time to a live audience inside the PEC auditorium. The top performers will put their writing and performance on display once again for the final round, competing for prizes worth ₹24K.

“Slam poetry often ends up being a niche in smaller cities, the English Editorial Board has put up a great opportunity to bring this important art form its well-deserved spotlight,” says Professor Gurjeet Singh, Mechanical Department, PEC.

Audience entry is free and open for all, so grab a seat and enjoy a day of gorgeous writing and glorious performances.

Event: SLAM

When: April 22, 2023

Where: PEC Auditorium

Entry: Free

Are you a music lover looking for a unique and intimate way to feel the original  tunes, the sounds, the lyrics of Engilsh and Hindi songs of yesteryears? Look no further than a vinyl listening session hosted by a fellow audiophile at his home.

Book your Saturday, April 22, to share the joy of vinyl playback in a cozy and relaxed setting with Tricity-based host Anuraag J Kkhanna.

“Vinyls are making a comeback, they are known to produce the original sound of a song and as the sound is superior to platform music, I thought of starting these events as they are also happening across the country. Also, the reason is to bring together like-minded people who enjoy a good taste of music,” Anurag explains about reinventing music listening on vinyl records, while speaking with CityWoofer.

People can expect to hear analog music which is the way it was recorded 70 years ago, he says. About his own love for vinyl, Anuraag shares, “I grew up surrounded in music as my father was a connoisseur of good music but as vinyls faded out in mid-80s and were rare to find, I too moved to formats like cassettes, CDs and later MP3, flac and other formats of music”.

“It was only about five years ago, when I picked up my dad’s collection and I could identify the highest degree of the sound that was being produced, that’s when I decided to build my own collection and today I have almost close to 2,000 records,” he says.

“This, mind you, is a very expensive passion to follow, not only buying them, but also maintaining amplifiers, speakers and other top of the line sound equipment. If somebody is keen to contact, they can track me down on Instagram, (hishandle: anuraagjk) and are most welcome to come and listen.”

Anuraag is also one of the top air bnb hosts in the city for the past eight years. He runs his own cafe from the same place which results in amalgamation of like-minded people with similar tastes.

When:  April 22, 2023

Where: 595, Sector16 D, Chandigarh

Contact: 8968128595

Women have shown grit and determination and risen above expectations in whatever field they have ventured in –even if it is as hazardous as a space mission, traing as Army cadets, running big business houses, etc.  A similar feat was achieved by women commandos at the Basic Training Centre, (BTC) Indo-Tibetan Border Police Force (ITBP) at Bhanu (Panchkula) where women commandos were trained in heli slithering where the commando is dropping in an area of operation, especially in tough terrains, with the help of a rope tied to a chopper. The training included other activities like firing, obstacle course, swimming, etc.

The 6th Women Commando Course and 100th Men Commando Course camps gave highly specialised commando training to ITBP jawans as well as to jawans from the Bureau of Police Research and Development.

19 young and upcoming himveeranganas and 91 himveers from different units of the force, including 10 from the Bureau of Police Research and Development, attended the camp.  The duration of the female commando course was six weeks while that of the male commandos is 10 weeks.

ITBP chief Ishwar Singh Duhan said that the officer trainees, who successfully complete this strategic course, get an opportunity to bag plum postings in high commission, VIP duties, NSG and, of course, in Indian consulates overseas.

The following were adjudged the best under various categories during the training course. In the women category, constable Babita Mehto, (43rd Corps), was declared the Best Physical, constable Pripanjali, (53rd Corps) the Best in Out-door and Constable Pinky Rani (36th Corps) the Best Female Commando.

In the men category, constable Santosh Dhariwal, (36th Corps), was tipped the Best physical, constable Sunil Kumar, (51 Corps), the Best Physical and out-door and constable Santosh Kumar BTC was adjudged the Best Male Commando at the course.

(The writer , Ramesh K Dhiman, is a former staffer of The Tribune and freelance writer. He has written extensively for leading newspapers and magazines on art, culture, mythology, besides travelogues.)

Poetry is the creative expression of emotions or the imaginative awareness of an experience. Most people follow this pursuit as a hobby, but now we have spoken word artists who perform poetry, prose or song on stage. Equipped with a masters in law and a practising lawyer for ten years now, Chandigarh-based Paridhi Kalotara Aggarwal is one such artist who has become a regular performer at open mic events in the Tricity. She also has a debut poetry book “Surrender to the Verse” to her credit which was published in 2021.

Speaking to CityWoofer about her journey as a performer, Paridhi says. “My poetic journey on stage had come to a standstill after I left the university and got busy with personal and professional life. It was the vibrant culture of open mics in the tricity which brought me back to stage and gave me a conducive atmosphere to show my skills”.

“I am the happiest while performing poetry and I have always known this but had nowhere to go. The tricity has an active open mic circuit where mostly mixed art forms are performed,” she says with a glint in her eyes.

Talking about her childhood passion, Paridhi says, “I have been writing poetry since childhood. Poetry was always my most natural means of expression. I not only wrote poetry but loved to recite it as well, the stage felt liberating. However, 10 years ago there was no platform for poetry recitation in small towns of Punjab. So poetry remained restricted to my diary while I pursued life and career.”

“As a student, I participated in various poetry events. The most cherished moment was representing the Law department in inter-departmental fests while I was studying at Guru Nanak Dev University in Amritsar,” she says.

Ask her about what inspires her to compose poems, pat comes the reply, “The very essence of being human and the innumerable consequences of being one,  the indomitable human spirit, the perseverance of human endeavours, the social fabric and its intricacies”.

“The prevalent hierarchies with their inhumanity, discrimination and hypocrisy often force me to put pen to paper. The female perspective and experience inspire me to write. Everything that stirs my heart and mind together become the themes of my poetry. Poetry is endless and so are the sources of its inspiration,” she adds.

Talking about her book which is available online on Amazon, Paridhi says, “It is a collection of 21 poems. Some of the poems in the book are those that I wrote as a teenager. This book ushered the journey of total surrender to something I was born with: poetry.”

“The poems in the book are personal yet so universal. The themes, experiences and emotions are those felt, experienced and pondered upon by most of us,” she  chips in.

You can follow her on her Instagram page https://www.instagram.com/paridhi.poetry.adv/

And her book can be purchased here: https://www.amazon.in/dp/1005707464/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_i_B8MGZ31YF4A463Y17NP3

Doesn’t the idea of a countryside house made of mud, lime, soil with a frugal sprinkling of sand sound apocryphal amid a mindless race among people to own one in the posh areas of Chandigarh or its periphery? Won’t the idea intrigue you a wee bit when you discover, much to your amusement, that the house is earthquake-resistant and environment-friendly?

One such dream house is tucked away on the outskirts of Panchkula district of Haryana, a 30-minute drive from Chandigarh. On a sultry Sunday afternoon,  we (a TV-cum-AIR correspondent friend and I) drove down to the Tricity’s maiden rammed earth house through a bumpy and weather-beaten road to keep our tryst with the proud owners.

We are ushered into a moderate countryside house by its owner Manisha Lath Gupta, the driving force behind this innovative idea of using sustainable resources amidst the jungle of concrete we all live in. The moderate-looking house exuding paradisiacal ambience is surrounded by well-manicured gardens lending luminosity to its sylvan surroundings.

Touted to be the first rammed-earth house in the Tricity, it remains an enigma for the inquisitive few who come calling to have a ‘dekko’ at this unique house. Rammed earth houses are the houses whose foundation, walls and floor are made of compacted natural raw materials like earth, chalk, lime, gravel etc by making a soil mix and putting it into a framework and compressing it to about 50 pc of its original volume to gradually erect the wall.

“Earth construction, especially the rammed earth” maintains Jitesh Malik, principal architect who supervised the construction of the house, “is not a mere task per se; it is a divine experience of sorts that teaches us all to be one with Nature and savour the abundance of its bounties. Earth construction gives us a sense of a sustainable living amid ever-changing weather conditions, temperatures, humidity and all kinds of pollutions that impact our life patterns”.

Malik adds that the soil consciously used in the construction of the house, was dug up from the farmland site. “We had the essential jar test done to ascertain whether the soil, sand and silt are fit for use in the construction. Equally daunting task was to arrange masons with ample experience in rammed earth construction work. After much hair-splitting, we handpicked Murugan, a mason and Ashumi, an architect, who had adequate working experience in the rammed earth work at Auroville, who gladly agreed to guide our team at every step,” he says.

Manisha goes nostalgic as she tells CityWoofer how life in Mumbai, high on pollution levels, had actually made her think twice over an ideal house which was sustainable, energy-efficient and aesthetic enough to be called a home to dwell in. The cost of this house is equivalent to the cost incurred on the construction of an ordinary house in Chandigarh or Panchkula.

Sharing her vision with oodles of optimism, Manisha says “Besides, with this unique idea of permaculture entrenched in mind, we started working on it with a missionary zeal some 12 years ago to live our long-cherished dream. We wanted this five acres of arid land turn into a food forest bowl, with an idyllic house to live in the natural surroundings”.

“Greatly inspired by the national sentiment ‘Plant trees and save the environment’, we set the ball rolling with a well-meaning tree-plantation drive. By far we have planted about 6000 trees, including native, flowering, medicinal and fruit -bearing trees, et al, thus turning this barren land into a fertile land fit for all kinds of crops to cultivate. This helped us protect the land from soil erosion triggered by the frequent flash floods,” she adds.

“We now grow as many as 150 varieties and food grain, vegetables, fruits et al, which are in great demand at the weekly ‘apni mandis’ held in Chandigarh. To meet the burgeoning demand for water for regular irrigation, we turned to rain water harvesting in sync with government’s initiatives in this regard.   We now, on an average, save 30 to 40 million litres of water that we use for irrigation and other purposes throughout the year. This also enables us to generate employment for the locals and others,” says an ecstatic Manisha.

“All we need to realise is the fact that the environment will not change for us, instead we need to change ourselves and our perspective towards nature and stand guard against any unforeseeable attack on our already fragile environment. The onus of protecting and preserving the environment not only rests upon the government, but also upon each one of the citizens of the country,.” she signs off.

To know more about permaculture and sustainable housing, visit www.aanandaa.com

(The writer , Ramesh K Dhiman, is a former staffer of The Tribune and freelance writer. He has written extensively for leading newspapers and magazines on art, culture, mythology, besides travelogues.)

Are you tired of the same old mundane vacation destinations? Do you want to escape the soaring temperatures or lazy around in the winter sun or run away from the chaos of the city? The Kikar Lodge in Ropar could be enticing, if it fits your budget.

This luxurious getaway, nestled in the foothills of the Shivaliks, offers an unparalleled vacation experience. Spread over 1800 acres of private forest reserve, the Kikar Lodge is a haven for adventure enthusiasts and Nature lovers alike.

One of the standout features of the Kikar Lodge, about 70 Km from Chandigarh (1hr 30 min drive), is its range of accommodations. Guests can choose from a variety of options including deluxe tents, cottages, and suites, all of which offer breath-taking view of the surrounding forest. Each room is equipped with all modern amenities, like air conditioners, satellite TV, and Wi-Fi, ensuring a comfortable and luxurious stay.

The Kikar Lodge has a range of facilities to ensure guests have a memorable stay. Take a dip in the beautiful outdoor pool or indulge in a rejuvenating treatment at the spa. Not to forget the restaurant that serves delectable Indian and international cuisine! The lodge also has a designated area for bonfires, a must-have for the winter.

For those seeking adventure, the Kikar Lodge provides a range of activities from hiking and bird watching to horse riding and ATV rides or a jungle safari in the nearby Shivalik Hills.

With rates starting at Rs 10,000 per night for a deluxe tent, it goes up to Rs 25,000 per night for a suite. The lodge offers packages that include accommodation, meals, and activities, which can be a more cost-effective option for guests.

The Kikar Lodge in Ropar is not just a vacation destination, it’s an experience.

It is also a perfect wedding venue that combines luxury and Nature. The lodge is also pre-wedding shoot friendly.

This expansive lodge offers an exquisite backdrop for your special day. Imagine exchanging vows amidst lush greenery and the serene sound of birds chirping, while your guests are pampered with top-notch facilities and luxurious accommodations.

The Kikar Lodge offers a range of wedding packages to suit every need, from intimate ceremonies to grand celebrations.

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Kangar village, Nurpur Bedi, Ropar,Punjab

Contact: +91 1887251001 , +91 9478964982

The Bhavan Vidyalaya New Chandigarh campus was inaugurated by Governor of Punjab and Administrator, UT Chandigarh, Banwarilal Purohit on April 15, 2023.