SHANKAR’S International Doll Museum, New Delhi, is not simply every girl’s fantasy come true. It houses one of the world’s largest collections of costumed dolls, making it a unique place of learning for people of all ages. The museum has two sections – one dedicated to exhibits from Europe, USA, Australia, New Zealand, Commonwealth of Independent States and the other to countries from Asia, Africa and India. Every doll is handcrafted after careful research on the costume, accessories and physical characteristics. The collection has interesting exhibits like the Japanese kabuki dancer, a 250 year old Swiss doll, a Kathakali stage,…
Author: oiop
Kerala’s Krishnattam dance drama was created by Manaveda, a Zamorin Raja of Calicut, inspired as he was by existing dance forms like the orthodox Koodiyattam and the beautifully written Narayaneeyam. The result is a work which is both literary, populist, and eminently adaptable to stage, says Dr. Kanak Rele. Krishna Geeti, commonly known as ‘Krishnattam’, is a dance drama in Sanskrit composed by Manaveda, a scion of the royal family of the Zamorin Raja of Calicut. The Zamorins had played an important role in the cultural and political history of Kerala for nearly 900 years from the 9th to the…
The story of the Indian Air Force or IAF is a story of grit, determination and an extraordinary commitment to the motherland. The IAF also helps civilians during natural calamities, like their superhuman efforts in Uttarakhand last year and now in Jammu & Kashmir. They truly deserve our hearfelt gratitude and salute, says Brigadier Suresh Chandra Sharma (retd). The Indian Air Force (IAF) was established on 8 October 1932 by an announcement in the Gazette notification when six Indians were commissioned after completing their training at Royal Air Force College, Cranwell in UK. The First Flight of IAF was formed…
The Union Government has passed a slew of legislations including the PESA (Panchayat Extension to the Scheduled Areas) Act which recognise the special needs of the tribal areas. Prof. Yatindra Singh Sisodia hopes that these legislations will encourage tribal participation in the better management of their affairs. The tribals in India, as is well known, are the indigenous autochthonous people of the land. They have been settled in different parts of the country long before the Aryans settled along the river valleys. The tribals had to move gradually from the plains, to the more inaccessible regions of forests, hills and…
The grand old man of yoga (1918-2014) Bellur Krishnamachar Sundararaja Iyengar, better known as B.K.S. Iyengar, who died in Pune at the age of 95, was the founder of the style of yoga known as “Iyengar Yoga” and was considered one of the foremost yoga teachers in the world. A form of Hatha Yoga, Iyengar Yoga gives primacy to the physical alignment of the body in the poses. It teaches that “there is a correct way to do each pose, and that every student will one day be able to attain perfect poses through consistent practice. Once this balance is…
October 31 is celebrated as Halloween in the West. It was originally a Celtic custom. The Celts lived in what is now Britain, Ireland and northern France more than 2000 years ago. Their new year began on the first of November. On the evening before, the Celts honoured the god of death. They believed the dead came to life on that evening and were allowed to visit their earthly homes. With the emergence of Christianity, the Celtic new year became the Christian festival of All Saints Day which, at the time it was instituted (800 A.D.), was known as All…
Violence in Indian politics is here to stay. Ironically, those who incite violence with their words and deeds, often have the tacit sanction of the party leaders, who feel this helps in widening their electoral support and party base. In such a case, will any political party try and bell this cat? Indian politicians can be slotted in different categories, and this has nothing to do with their political affiliations. Some of them, alas a microscopic minority, are sincere and honest and are in politics to serve the people. A vast majority hunger after the loaves and fishes of power…
That the tribal communities of India have been left behind in the march of progress is a well-known fact. Prof. R.K. Mutatkar presents a case study in Maharashtra to prove that this need not be the case especially if community members and non-governmental agencies are actively involved. The tribal communities in India, listed in the Indian Constitution as Scheduled Tribes or STs, constitute about 8 percent of India’s population. These communities listed as Indigenous People in U.N. terminology, are branded as Adivasi, Vanvasi and Janjati in India. Indian Constitution provides special provisions to facilitate their development and to bring them…
A brave son of India (1978-2009) M
On October 2 we celebrate the birth anniversary of the Mahatma. He inspired millions during his lifetime; he continues to inspire millions around the world through his ideas, his achievements and his writings. His observations, based as they are on the inner convictions of a morally courageous man, have the ability to change lives. He Believed in the Dignity of Labour ONCE Lala Lajpat Rai and Mahatma Gandhi were staying at the house of an ardent nationalist, Shiv Prasad Gupta. On their first day there, Lala Lajpat Rai put on new clothes after his bath and left the ones he…