The ML Koser Indoor Auditorium, Sector 35, Chandigarh, reverberated with the melodious jingles of ‘ghungroos’ amid the soul-elating music score in sync with the body movements of well-known Kuchipudi exponent Vaidehi Kulkarni.

Vaidehi Kulkarni, known for her amazing hold over this tough classical dance genre, mesmerized the city audience with her amazing footwork living up to the intricate rhythmic patterns in the Kuchipudi dance form.

The star performer commenced with a stellar composition, Natesha Koutvam, in which she candidly depicted his the charming persona of the fictional character. This was followed by another powerful presentation of Padmavati Shringar in which she rendered a well-meaning composition, based on Goddess Padmavathi and Lord Shrinivasa, inviting a thunderous applause from the appreciative audience.

Vaidehi left an indelible mark of perfection, displaying her versatility in Javali, that followed in quick succession, a composition based on the nayak-nayika engaging pow-wow about the other women she was feeling jealous of as her nayak was enamoured by the other fictional women characters.

Vaidehi concluded with the rendition of a famous composition Marakata Manimaya. Through this composition, she depicted Lord Krishna’s divine aura, employing all traits of the dance form.

She captivated the audience with the crisp footwork she exhibited through the Arabhi raga and Adi tala. Her pitch-perfect bhav, abhinay, and her profound knowledge of taal drew admiration from the audience and art critics alike.

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

The Tamil Nadu 10K Run on May 21 offers an excellent opportunity for runners to test their endurance and improve their fitness quotient while enjoying the scenery of the Besant Nagar beach in Chennai.

To maintain a healthy lifestyle, the first basic step is to walk or run. With this motive in mind, Aarya consultancy in association with X factor, an event management company, is holding a 3K (non-timed), and 5k and 10K (timed runs) at the Besant Nagar beach, ranked the cleanest beach in Chennai. Together, they have been organizing marathons for the last eight years, but this year’s catch is the timed marathon.

There are prizes too for winners, separately for women and men categories in the 10k and 5k categories. The 3k run has no prizes as it is a non-timed run.

10K Run cash prize (separately for men and women).

1st Winner: 4,000/-
2nd Winner: 2500/-
3rd Winner: 1500/-

And all the winners get gift vouchers worth Rs.5,000/-
5K Run (Men Category) cash prize (separately for men and women)

1st Winner: 3,000/-
2nd Winner: 2000/-
3rd Winner: 1000/-

Date: 21st May 2023

Venue: Besant Nagar

Time: 6.00 am

Registration Fee:

3 KM – Rs. 500/-

5 KM (Timed Run) – Rs. 600/-

10 KM (Timed Run) – Rs. 800/-

 You can also register at  https://www.citywoofer.com/e/tamilnadu-10k-run-2023

She loves the mountains and they have given her life back this time. They are a testament to her sincerity and honesty in bearing her travails whether emotional or physical. Recently she was on a trekking expedition to summit 8, 091 high Mt Annapurna I in Nepal without supplemented oxygen. Baljeet was declared missing initially and dead later as news of her death was shared on social media. The world was moaning when she was alive, family was distraught, and she herself totally unaware of her being ‘dead’ until someone told her later at a hospital in Nepal where she was airlifted to.

Some people from her fraternity raised fingers at her indomitable courage and tried to create a narrative that it was impossible for her to be affectede by frostbite 42 hours after fighting adversities while climbing down Annapurna I without oxygen, food, water, alone with the sherpa having deserted her midway. CityWoofer spoke to her while she recuperated at her home in Solan, Himachal Pradesh. Let us hear from the braveheart and Undeterred Baljeet Kaur, how and what happened :

On April 15, I reached camp IV, and on April 16, I started my trek at about 2:30-3:00 pm. Before that sherpa Shanu who had been deputed by my mountaineering agency, Pioneer Adventure, had backed out, they arranged for another one Mingma Dorjee, mid way he also left, he put the third sherpa with me who had not rested for the last 2 days as he had scaled the summit with other climbers before me and it was his first expedition without oxygen. He was carrying a walkie talkie without any battery,  and there was a porter who also had no experience. Anyhow, the trek was on — I couldn’t fight with anybody, I couldn’t contact anybody. About 100 mt before the summit, I did not feel alright and I told the sherpa to abort the expedition and that we would come back after a few months with better preparation. I didn’t want to finish it at the cost of my life.

They insisted to finish it may be because it was their first one, Somehow, amongst all the drama, I summited the peak on April 17, at about 6-7 in the evening. As we were climbing down, about 100mt below the summit I felt dizzy, couldn’t walk, my brain was not working, I was alternating between sleep and wakefulness. I couldn’t breathe properly, I had started getting hallucinations due to low oxygen supply to the brain — I saw trees around, somebody holding the light, a couple who were talking to me, Meanwhile the sherpa  and the porter had also started hallucinating.

They started arguing with me, they wanted to leave. I asked them to go, now I was all alone, I went to sleep for about 1-2 hours, I slapped my face, motivated myself.  It had been 36 hours without food, water, oxygen, I couldn’t see properly, there were strange sounds in my mind, like many people talking at one time in different languages–  I shouted out with all my might and the sounds stopped, I took my anchor and the other moutanieering instruments, started moving slowly. While an anchor takes a few seconds to be put into place, it took me around 15 minutes, my hands weren’t moving, I was worried about frostbite. I used all the techniques my NCC guru balkar singh and other coaches had taught to keep away frostbite. Again I was hallucinating, I saw a boy who was telling me not to use the safety anchor and jump,  I had almost decided to do that, then again a sound in my mind of my coach Balkar Singh warned me against doing that. How could I become so overconfident as to not use safety anchor when my life is in danger. It had been 42 hours now, I could see some light, I shouted for help. As I opened my zipper, my mobile light flashed, I thought of listening to gurbani just to divert my mind before I resume again, I could see the Garmin app on my mobile through which I sent a message to Pioneer adventure. Generally nobody reverts when I send a message on the app, but that day they did. I sent the message at about 7 am , they reverted at about 9, and five hours after that, I was rescued.

Also Read: Woman Mountaineer Baljeet Kaur Who Scaled Heights of Human Endurance

Some others haven’t been lucky enough. Mountaineer, Noel Hanna, the first person from Ireland to reach the summit of K2 during the winter season, breathed his last in Camp IV, the night before Baljeet’s ordeal.

What she wants now is an inquiry into who spread the rumour of her death and why. Motivating people not to leave their dreams midway, she still has words of encouragement for others — “don’t stop dreaming, no matter how much the pain, achieve what you set out for”.

Film buffs from the Tricity and elsewhere in the country on Day 2 thronged the 3rd Chandigarh Music and Film Festival (CMFF) at Chandigarh University, Gharuan in Mohali. The packed-to-capacity session on Day Two was attended by some of the biggest names in Pollywood, Bollywood, and the music industry.

Acclaimed actors Vinay Pathak, Yashpal Sharma, and Rakul Preet Singh shared their experiments and expertise with the enthusiasts, offering precious nuggets of wisdom to them.

Hailing the CMFF in her own inimitable style, Rakul Preet Singh, an award-winning actress, said with oodles of oomph, “I feel excited and honoured to be a part of the mega music and film festival, which reflects the enthusiasm among the film fraternity and others associated with the glamour world, be it the fledgling clan of artistes, budding filmmakers, et al”.

Actor Rakulpreet

Sharing her thoughts, she said, “I have a strong conviction that artistes should keep working hard to achieve the incredible. They must also believe in their strengths and be conscious of their foibles, and keep learning from their past experiences to evolve to be a better version of you.”

Actor Yashpal Sharma  in conversation with the host

Similar views were aired by actors Vinay Pathak and Yashpal Sharma, household names in the field of cinema, in an animated session with the audience fielding questions and queries, one after the other. They said that there was no short-cut to success, one has to put in a lot of effort to shape his or her destiny.

Says Festival Director Rajesh Sharma, “We are on cloud nine with the humongous response that the 3rd Chandigarh Music and Film Festival (CMFF) has received from the public. Our only aim to hold such theme festivals is to provide a platform to create new talent and a space for established artistes to showcase their theatrical and film-making skills and to connect with their fans.”

The discussion on the second day of the ongoing festival featured a variety of films, short films, adding to the experiential atmosphere, to say the least. Free-wheeling discussions/ deliberations revolved around the future of the industry and the challenges before the filmmakers, besides the importance of storytelling, among other issues and concerns.

“The festival was like a pilgrimage of sorts for a film aficionado like me as it takes us through the nuances and niceties of film-making, production and so on. It was indeed a double delight for Tricity folks as they got an opportunity to rub shoulders with their favourite stars and exchange views with them,” said Vishal Verma, pursuing his doctorate at Panjab University, Chandigarh, and a Punjabi film freak.

The senior artistes of the film fraternity shared their own experiences and the tough and tortuous path they had to tread to touch the towering heights of success.

 

Commemorating World Heritage Day which falls on April 18, the historic Government Museum and Art Gallery, Sector 10, threw open an exhibition, christened ‘Tender Concrete’, showcasing a collection of 16 black and white photographs by Emmanuel Lenain, Ambassador of France to India.

Lenain, who has extensively travelled across the length and breadth of India, calls it his sweet home. The candid images of people and places he has captured during his random travels speak volumes of his unyielding passion for photography.

The exhibition ‘Tender Concrete’ was inaugurated by Adviser to the Administrator, UT, Chandigarh, Dharam Pal at the Hall of Government Museum and Art Gallery Sector 10 on April 18, and will be on display till June 30, from 10 am to 4.30 pm, daily, except on Mondays and gazetted holidays.

The exhibition ‘Tender Concrete’ features 16 pictures of Brutalist Architecture, depicting the magnificence of the iconic buildings designed by the consummated architects of the times, offering a fleeting glance of the bygone era, known for architectural advancements. This speaks high of the visionary minds and the rich legacy of cultural heritage they have left behind to be taken forward.

Amongst some of the visuals captured by Emmanuel Lenain, in a simple yet shining black and white on public display at the exhibition, is a conglomeration of 16 photographs, a majority of them shot in Chandigarh, including the Tower of Shadows, Chandigarh Museum and Art Gallery-10, Gandhi Bhavan, the Secretariat, Panjab University, Mill Owners’ Association Building, Institute of Indology, Indian Institute of Management, National Institute of Immunology, Lilavati Lalbhai Library, Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, et al. These vibrant, simple yet stunning images captured in pure black and white are to be seen to be believed.

The rare architectural marvels are meticulously captured on camera by a deft hand, gathering the scattered threads of architecture, immortalised by the acclaimed masters of the times, including Le Corbusier, Louis Kahn, Raj Rewal and Balkrishna Doshi, among others.

A well-meaning quote by the prolific artist cogently derives home the point, leaving nothing to speculation “I am not among those left aghast by Brutalism. Quite the contrary: concrete, when handled by the greatest architects, has always seemed tender to me. It allows for sensual and dizzying curves, the alternation of empty and full, a plunge into solitude and reverie”. The quote gives a sense that things should not be taken on their face value. Even an odd and ugly-looking object can look engaging to an ingenuous eye.

Sharing more on the visuals captured with incredible precision, Emmanuel Lenain makes a point “For these photographs, I have not followed the documentary genre but a personal subjective approach. A photograph of architecture is not necessarily a topographical survey; it can be the expression of an emotion. I am less interested in the buildings taken as a whole than in architectural details, which taken out their context, acquire a poetic dimension”.

He is reported to have confided in a scribe about his undying passion for photography during an informal chit chat “When not working, or reading, I love clicking pictures for posterity. I see India as a vibrant country.” His photographs speak the language of the mute. The black and white depict the fascinating frames of architecture and Nature, people and places, elections and emotions, all rolled into one.

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

With a recently released ad with actor Bobby Deol and a song with the famous Punjabi singer Satinder Sartaj, and another song release shot with dance diva Terence Lewis to be released soon, model and actor Sabby Suri is gradually climbing the ladder of success in Bollywood.

With a web series along with Anupam Kher in ‘The viral village’ on Amazon Prime and another one ‘Dhund’ releasing in November, our Chandigarh girl is making waves in Mumbai. Nurturing the Miss India dream since childhood, Sabby participated in MTV roadies in 2016 and the Miss India contest in 2017.

She started working in the Punjabi film industry in 2017 with two Punjabi films ‘Yaar Belly’ and ‘Big Daddy’ with one of her recent releases being ‘Bai ji kutange’. She also appeared in a Haryanvi song ‘chhora jatt ka’ with Veer sahu.

A product of St Stephen’s School, Chandigarh, graduating from SD College, she lives in Sector 37 Chandigarh and keeps travelling between Mumbai and Chandigarh. Citywoofer chatted up with Sabby Suri:

Having participated in MTV roadies in 2016 and the Miss India contest in 2017, do you think participating in such contests adds up to the participant’s personality in any way?

It depends on the person and how he/she takes the journey forward. If a person is patient enough and believes in self, he/she will extract power from the rejection. Personally, I learnt a lot by participating in these shows – I got to know what my drawbacks are, I worked on my personality, I learnt how to live with other participants and adjust with them, and emerged more confident.

Is it difficult to survive in the field of acting in Mumbai?

Yes, this line is quite difficult and there is a lot of competition. You have to run around for auditions here and there and keep yourself motivated. There are people who will demotivate you, like if you are tall, they’ll say you are too tall, if you are short, they’ll say you are not tall enough. So you have to make your weakness your strength. Life in Mumbai is totally different.

You believe casting couch exists in the industry? Has the #MeToo movement improved the conditions in any way?

It does, not that I have faced it. But yes, due to #MeToo movement, a little bit of fear is there in the mind of wrongdoers.

Was arranging finances for your sustenance in Mumbai difficult initially?

I regularly did modelling assignments in Delhi, Chandigarh and Mumbai. I have done many print shoots, photo shoots and ad campaigns. Initially, my parents helped and they otherwise also, handle my stress so that I can be stress-free.

Are you comfortable with bold scenes?

If it is the demand of the story, I don’t have a problem.

The much-awaited inauguration of Indian Air Force (IAF) Heritage Centre in Sector 18, Chandigarh, took place on May 8. Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh declared it open in the presence of the Chief of Air Staff and  Governor Punjab and Administrator Chandigarh and Advisor to UT Administrator Chandigarh.

The IAF Heritage Centre is an embodiment of the rich history and legacy of the Indian Air Force. The Centre houses a collection of artefacts, murals, and 3-D dioramas that showcase the evolution of the Indian Air Force from its inception to the present day. The IAF Heritage Centre is open to the public now.

One of the highlights of the IAF Heritage Centre is the array of simulators that allow visitors to experience the thrill of flying an aircraft. The simulators have been designed to replicate the experience of flying some of the most iconic aircraft in the IAF’s history, giving visitors a chance to get a taste of what it feels like to be a pilot. But this experience will come at a price.

The Immersive Experience ticket is priced at Rs 295 and the entry ticket is priced at Rs 50. Children below the age of 18 years are exempted from Entry Tickets only. The tickets can be booked online on Chandigarh Tourism App or can be purchased from the IAF Heritage Centre, Sector 18. A cafe at the IAF Heritage Centre is also operational and is accessible to the visitors to the Centre as well as general public.

Visitors will also be able to explore enclosures dedicated to the various war campaigns in which the IAF has participated. A beautiful one-foot wall that has pictures of 58 vintage and retired aircraft will serve as a visual treat to visitors.

ALSO READ: IAF Heritage Centre in Chandigarh, The First of its Kind in India

Speaking about the IAF Heritage Centre, Raksha Mantri said, “The IAF Heritage Centre is a testament to the courage and dedication of the men and women who have served in the Indian Air Force”.

Chief of Air Staff recognized the support given by UT Administration Chandigarh. He handed over token of appreciation through the coins of IAF to Dr Dharmpal, Advisor, VP Kavle, Secy Culture; Sourabh Arora, Director Cultural and CB Ojha, Chief Engineer.

The Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh was supposed to inaugurate it on January 31 but got delayed. The UT Administration had earlier proposed to set up a vintage car museum at this site. On August 27, 2021 an agreement was signed between the IAF and the UT Administration  which was followed by a MoU inked in June 2022.

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

The 3rd edition of the Chandigarh Music & Film Festival (CMFF) is all set to mesmerize city denizens once again from 7th to 9th May 2023.  The CMFF will be graced by renowned filmmakers and artists from the Hindi & Punjabi film industry. The festival aims to feature great cinema & at the same time provide more insights into current trends in Indian cinema.

Celebrities attending the fest

This year’s festival will draw a large number of movie stars, renowned celebrities and artists including Rakul Preet Singh, Rajendra Gupta, Vinay Pathak, Yashpal Sharma, T.P. Aggarwal, Rakesh Bedi, Binnu Dhillon, Jaswinder Bhalla, Director Ketan Anand, Charanjit Ahuja, BB Verma, Shamsher Sandhu, Bal Mukund Sharma, Malkeet Rauni, Sharhaan Singh, Gavie Chahal, and many more artists have confirmed their attendance for the CMFF.

Where to collect free passes from?

Municipal Bhawan – Sector-35A

MY FM Office-Sector 25

Living India News, Industrial Area, Phase 1

Goldline Electricals, Sec 35

Fellas Lounge -Sec 26

Boogle Bollywood – Sunny Enclave

Film enthusiasts, film lovers, students, and budding filmmakers, not only from Tricity but also from the surrounding states – Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh – will get the chance to experience the magic of cinema.

Apart from that, Bollywood enthusiasts will not only get to hear their favorite filmmakers but also have a chance to interact with them.  Entry to the festival is free of cost. On Day one, May 7, the venue shall be Municipal Bhawan, Sector-35A, Chandigarh where film enthusiasts and fans can meet famous actors, directors, and producers and may watch many new, interesting films from 10 am to 10 pm.

For Day 2 and Day 3, May 8 and 9, the venue of the CMFF shall be the Chandigarh University campus where film screening and interaction with Indian film actors and filmmakers will take place.

Sharing his views, Rajesh Sharma, the festival director of the Dehradun International Film Festival, said, “Over the last couple of years, the Film and Music Chandigarh Festival has received a lot of love and support from the people. This year we have gained momentum and are now bringing in more industry stalwarts and talent to interact and engage with the enthusiasts and fans”.

“The festival is a way of giving back to people and society, as it will inspire many talented filmmakers, budding artists as they will get to gain the knowledge of the art and science of filmmaking through various ways,” he says.

Chandigarh University, Chancellor, Satnam Singh Sandhu, said, “Films and music are part of our culture. The festival will further boost the spirit of emerging artists from Chandigarh and Punjab who are very creative.”

Venue: Day 1:  Municipal Bhawan, Sector-35A,

Day 2: Chandigarh University campus

Entry: Free passes available at above-mentioned places

Dates: May 7-9

Sukhna Lake, one of the most picturesque spots in Chandigarh, has been a popular destination for both locals and tourists for decades. The serene blue waters, lush green surroundings, and the chirping of birds make it an ideal spot for a morning jog or an evening stroll.

A long-awaited step, the news of the synthetic track being prepared at Sukhna Lake has been welcomed by fitness enthusiasts and locals. The existing cinder track of mud and stone, which spans 1,800 meters in length and is 4.9 ft wide, has proven to be a challenge to maintain for the MC and inconvenient for walkers due to its dusty surface and lack of absorption ability. Furthermore, it has been deemed unsuitable for use as a running track. As a result, the Municipal Corporation has made the decision to replace it with a 6ft wide synthetic track that will provide a superior surface for runners and joggers.

“The synthetic track will be constructed using a durable and weather-resistant material that is also environment friendly and requires minimal maintenance. This feature will make it suitable for running under bad weather conditions too, something that was not possible with the previous cinder track. The track will be open to the public by mid-May,” says Chief Engineer CB Ojha, while speaking with CityWoofer.

The development comes as a huge relief for runners who have been waiting for this for years. For many, running on the uneven and often muddy pathways around the lake was not only a challenge but also posed a risk.

The results of the written examination of National Defence Academy (NDA) conducted by the Union Public Service Commission on April 16, 2023, were announced on May 1.  Ten students, including 2 girls from the Chandigarh Defence Academy, a private preparatory institute in Sector 36,  Chandigarh, have cleared the written test.

Over 6 lakh students across India appear for the  NDA exam out of which about 6,000 get shortlisted on the basis of the written exam, finally around 350  young boys and girls will get selected for the NDA after clearing the SSB(Service Selection Board), so the ratio of selection is 1:100.

Students of the Chandigarh Defence Academy (CDA) Gurbir, Akshdeep, Yuvneet, Rahul, Jagmeet, Sonam, Manpreet, Mannat Verma, Saurabh Sheoran, from Chandigarh Defense Academy have achieved success in the written examination conducted by UPSC on 16 April 2023.

The selected students interacted with the media and their mentors at the Academy — General HJ Singh, Brig G Singh, Col Urvinder Singh. This is what the students had to say:

Giving a few tips to the other students keen on joining the Indian Armed Forces, the successful students suggested the aspirants not to lose hope if one doesn’t get selected and try again, secondly, take help of friends, teachers, anybody who can be of help to clear your doubts.

One of the successful students said, ” The scolding of the parents also plays a very important role in motivating you, although a student may feel bad at that time but it is only for our own good, Secondly, your teachers’ expectation also pushes you to give your best’.

Guiding the young boys and girls, General HJ Singh gave them some tips on how to make the cut;

There is a 1/3rd negative marking for wrong answers:

-0.83 for maths

-1.33 for English

-1.33 for General Ability Test