Chief Minister along with his cabinet reached MLC Mohammed Saleem’s residence for Eid Milap on the occasion of Eid-ul-Azha. He stayed there for more than an hour. During the period he discussed party position in Telangana state and Minority welfare.
According to sources KCR had made a vow (mannat) to visit Dargah Hazrat Khaja Moinuddin Chishti after formation of Telangana and now he wishes to visit Ajmer Shareef through a special train.
He told Mohammed Saleem that he plans to construct a building with the cost of Rs. 5 crore in Ajmer Shareef for the convenience of devotees.
He directed Mohammed Saleem to contact Rajasthan government and try to obtain land for the same.
Siasat news
source: http://www.siasat.com / The Siasat Daily / Home> Hyderabad / Wednesday – October 08th, 2014
Alhaj Mir Vizarat Ali Pasha founder and Secretary Tur Baitul Mal passed away at the age of 94. Funeral prayer will be offered on Wednesday, October 8, after Zuhr prayers at Jama Masjid Mir Vazeer Ali Khan, Fateh Darwaza. Burial will be performed at Shah Raju Qattal Husaini premises, Misri Gunj.
Fateha Seyaum will be held on October 9 at Jama Masjid Tur Qazipura at 4 pm. Details can be had from phone no’s 9394777849 or 9397626685.
Tur Baitul Mal will not function on October 8 & 9 due to sad demise of founder and Secretary Tur Baitul Mal.
Siasat news
source: http://www.siasat.com / The Siasat Daily / Home> Hyderabad / Wednesday – October 08th, 2014
Young Professor Dr. Abdul Moiz Head of the Dept. Arabic Maulana Azad National Urdu passed away in the early hours of October 5 at King Faisal Hospital, Makkah Mukarrama. He left Hyderabad on September 29 through private travels along with his mother for proxy Hajj (Hajj-e-Badal). Following Rami Jamar he suddenly fell ill and was rushed to King Faisal Hospital for treatment. However he died in the early hours of October 5. He was 42.
‘Funeral prayer in absentia’ (Gaibana namaz-e-janaza) was offered on Tuesday at Asr at Makkah Masjid. Details can be had from phone no’s 9000272874 & 8897677388.
A condolence Meeting was also held on Tuesday at DDE Auditorium, MANUU Campus, Gachchibowli. Prof. Mohammad Miyan, Vice-Chancellor, described his untimely death as an irreparable loss to the University. Prof. S. M. Rahmatullah, Registrar presented condolence resolution. Before joining MANUU in 2006, Prof. Abdul Moiz also served at Delhi University, Osmania University and EFLU. Speakers paid rich tribute to the departed Professor. Large number of teachers, students, officials, staff and friends attended the meeting. Younger brothers of the late Professor, Mr. Abdul Raheem and Mr. Abdul Qavi were also present.
source: http://www.siasat.com / The Siasat Daily / Home> Hyderabad / Wednesday – October 08th, 2014
The 700-year-old banyan tree, Pillalamarri, which will appear on a special cover being brought out by the Postal Department.
Hyderabad :
Pillalamarri, the famed 700-year-old banyan tree near Mahabubnagar, will appear on a special cover being brought out by the Department of Posts.
The magnificent tree with its branches stretching over an area of three acres is acclaimed as a “living legend” of the district. Over the years, the heritage symbol, located in the fields 4 km from Mahabubnagar town, attracted tourists from far and near. From a distance, it presents the look of a small hillock covered with thick foliage. As one draws closer, the majestic tree stands out like a giant umbrella, which can shelter upto 1,000 persons. There is a tomb of a Muslim saint underneath the tree.
On its part, the Postal Department has resolved to do its bit to commemorate the tree by releasing a special cover during a philatelic exhibition at Mahabubnagar on August 29 and 30. The special cover will be released by T.S.Govindarajan, Chief Postmaster General, Andhra Pradesh Circle.
A special video show for children on “stamp collection-an educative hobby”, philately workshop, essay and quiz competitions for students will be the highlights of the two-day exhibition. As an on-going effort to popularise stamp collection, the facility of philately deposit account is provided at all head post offices through which children can get newly released stamps with an initial deposit of Rs 200.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu, Online edition / Home> Southern States – Andhra Pradesh / by The Hindu Special Correspondent / Thursday – August 14th, 2003
As the Centre rolled out a year-long commemoration of the birth centenary year of ghazal queen Begum Akhtar on Tuesday, the lament of her disciples and close confidantes is that Uttar Pradesh – the State where she was born and lies buried – has shown no interest in keeping her legacy alive.
Coins released
The official launch of the birth centenary commemoration with the release of commemorative coins at National Museum here saw another disciple Rita Ganguly enthral the houseful gathering with a rendition of her teacher’s aye mohabbat tere anjaam pe rona aaya…’’
But for recent efforts by individuals to salvage what remains of `Pasanda Bagh’ in Lucknow – where Begum Akhtar was buried in October 1974 – even her grave would have been lost to encroachers. Now, the space around her grave and that of her mother’s has been restored — courtesy a grant from the Department of Archaeology of the Government of India – and this evening resonated with the voice of Shubha Mudgal.
“But not many people will be able to attend Shubha’s musical offering as `Pasanda Bagh’ has shrunk to almost the size of a room where not more than 40 people can be accommodated. Our effort is to have an annual ‘Urs’ on her ‘barsi’ but we need a bigger venue so that the public can participate in larger numbers. But this is not something that the few of us can do on our own,’’ said Salim Kidwai, founder-member of Sadbhavna Trust.
“We maintain the mazaar from our own pocket,’’ Mr. Kidwai said; adding that successive Uttar Pradesh governments ignored efforts to get some local governmental support. “We are hoping that the State Government will at least include her mazaar in the tourism map as people have begun visiting it ever since we redid the place two years ago.”
Website soon
Vocalist Shanti Hiranand – a disciple of Begum Akhtar who along with Mr. Kidwai drove the effort to restore the mazaar — told The Hindu that one of the pressing tasks ahead is the setting up of a website on the ghazal queen who was equally accomplished in the `dadra’ and `thumri’ genres of Hindustani classical music. The website will be set up as part of a project of the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts which will also organise a three-city showcase of Begum Akhtar as part of the commemoration.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> National / by Anita Joshua / New Delhi, October 08th, 2014
City’s Rithi Priyanka bagged the top place in the ‘above 75 kg’ category at the Dasara State-level Women’s Wrestling contest held at D. Devaraj Urs Multipurpose Stadium in Dasara Exhibition Grounds on Sunday.
Rithi defeated Malini of Karkala to bag the top place, while Akshaya of Belgaum came third and C. Radha of Mandya fourth.
In the 69 kg category, Aishwarya Palai of Belgaum won the top place, while Nagarathna Siddhi came second and C.K. Archana of Hassan came third.
With the major business streets of Srinagar in Lal Chwok, Jawahar Nagar, Dalgate and Karan Nagar devastated by the historic flood, people see the ‘old city’ as the only address for shopping. Safwat Zargar spent a day in the busy markets of the ‘down town’ to argue if trade in Srinagar is returning back to its roots?
On the front side of the compound wall 15th century king Budshah’s tomb at Maharaj Gunj, a young lady, hand in hand, with her three-year old son is walking past a display of bright coloured shoes. Shahida has come from Dalgate to buy apparels and shoes for her son, Burooj.
“You can’t refute the desires of children,” Shahida says, adding “otherwise, there is very less to celebrate this Eid.” Since her marriage, five years back, Shahida, a government employee, has shopped for Eid at Lal Chowk, but this season, nature seems to have broken her habit.
Kashmir is in mourning and Eid is a day far. With Srinagar’s heart, Lal Chowk, weeping mud and dust, the old city or Shahr e Khaas, a week before Eid, is witnessing the festival buzz. While floods washed away the rush of Lal Chowk seems, it is old city’s narrow lanes and streets, bustling with traffic and people.
The two, century-old markets – Maharaj Gunj and Jamia Masjid – are the prime attractions for shoppers. Circled around the archetypal dome of mother’s tomb of Sultan Ghiyas-ud-Din Zain-ul-Abidin’s, well known as Bud Shah, on the banks of Jhelum, floods seem to have livened up Maharaj Gunj’s past glory for now. Known for textiles, spices and marriage items, Maharaj Gunj, in past, would have everything for everyone. It was hard to imagine for a citizen of old city to buy anywhere except Maharaj Gunj.
Over the years with city expanding “un-naturally” and haphazardly to upper areas in flood basins, it triggered the migration of better economic class. The old city dwindled into a myth. For many living in the posh-neighbourhoods and housing colonies, downtown became synonymous with protests, backwardness and stone-pelting. Politics dominated the air but businesses struggled. Now, with floods having ravaged all the new and mostly peaceful markets and destroying stock, people are now flocking back to the old city.
82-year old Hajira of Kadi Kadal still recalls the pinnacle days of Maharaj Gunj to her grandchildren. Young, Hajira, with lunch and fresh curd in a copper jug in her hand, would navigate through crowds of shoppers, vendors and carts men, to reach Zaina Kadal where her father had a jewellery shop. “There is hardly that kind of rush and business now,” she says. “I haven’t been there for years.” However, Hajira believes “it would be beautiful if the grandeur and finery of the old city comes alive again.”
President, Gada Bazar, Maharaj Gunj Traders Association, Nisar Ahmad feels that the damage to Lal Chowk and other uptown area markets have stirred up sales in old city markets. “For last few days, we are realizing the upward trend of new customers visiting our shops. Though, the overall market is sunken but people, with whatever need and money they have, are thronging markets,” he says. “Most of the sales are compulsive sales.”
On the other hand, Fayaz Ahmad, owner of Janta Bakers at Aali Kadal, one of the best bakeries in old city, says people from places outside downtown might be turning in numbers in the old city markets but the average sales are down. “It is as if there is an implicit understanding of spending less. My sales are down by 70 per cent as compared to the previous year,” he says.
Fayaz also says there is indirect shopping taking place this year. “Relatives of flood affected areas are also buying, though in very less quantity, for their flood affected friends and relatives. It includes all those families who are putting up at their relatives’ homes’ in old city.”
The Nalla Mar road, once a water canal of Jhelum and now a two-way macadamized road, cuts the city into two halves. While the Maharaj Gunj market flurries with wholesale dealing mostly, Jamia Masjid market retails all the items ranging from readymade garments to kitchen items.
At one of the gates of Jamia Masjid, Tariq Ahmad, who owns a sprawling showroom of crockery, kitchen and household items, a lady from Raj Bagh is checking rates of the plastic water buckets. “Ninety per cent of my business from last week has been from the people belonging to flood affected areas. They usually look for water buckets, jugs, wipers, mops; to clean their homes,” Tariq says.
We are witnessing huge rush of customers, says Tariq, but we aren’t selling items beyond a price of few hundred rupees. “On Eid, a customer would prefer to buy expensive items. Last Eid, a customer won’t step out from my shop without spending 3-4000 rupees, at present, 500 rupees is a blessing,” he says.
Some traders trying to salvage whatever is possible
Noted poet and historian, Zareef Ahmad Zareef, believes the trend is an indication of city returning back to its roots but more than that it also evidences the quality of city planning and development of towns. “Old city stretched from Habba Kadal to Safa Kadal – city of seven bridges – and the quality of city planned by British engineers is still in front of us. What happened to Lal Chowk and other surrounding areas raises many questions about the quality and procedure followed in planning,” Zareef says.
Zareef who lives on the foothills of Koh–e–Maraan while recalling past says Maharaj Gunj used to be a wholesale market, its another arm, Gada Bazar, sold retail items, Bohri Kadal was a fruit and vegetable market, transported there from Dal lake through Nalla Mar on boats. Bohri Kadal was also known for herbs and organic medicines. On Chattabal bridge, fish from Wullar lake would be sold in huge numbers, every day.
“Water transport was the major transport. Roads for carts and tongas came later,” he says. “I feel that people, particularly business class, has realized the importance of old city vis-a-vis vulnerability to dangers. Whatever they will plan in future, it would be solely based on introspection and safety in future.”
One of the best textile garment and fashion wear shops in old city, Taj Fancy Store, has relatively thin footfalls, this Eid. The shop owner, Abdul Rashid Chonka, says whatever sales are taking place is due to the compulsion only. “Nobody wants to buy like before. We have people affected by floods coming here and asking for cheap clothes. Some of them even say they have only what they are wearing,” he says.
The sales graph of Chonka might have downed but he agrees his customer diversity, however short-living, has risen. “Many customers, who used to buy clothes from Lal Chowk and uptown shops, came to my shop, but even they don’t seem to be in good mood of spending.”
Major axe of floods seems to have fallen on the several-hundred crore mutton industry. There is no rush of Gujjars and Bakerwals at Eidgah with their flock except some dispersed huddles around them. Last year, more than three lakh sheep worth 250 crore rupees were sold on Eid-ul-Azha by wholesale mutton dealers throughout Kashmir valley. This year, mutton dealers are already experiencing the flood onslaught. According to Mehraj-Ud-Din Ganaie, President, Wholesale Mutton Dealers Association, Kashmir, only 30 per cent demand is in the market, despite that sheep are available with mutton dealers. In downtown interiors, herd-owners are sitting at main intersections with their flock of few sheep to attract buyers. At Nowhatta chowk, Shah Khan, a Bakerwal from North Kashmir, is mulling to return back. “People seem to have been lost. By this time last year, I had disposed of half of my flock. This year, I pray only for that half to sell,” he says.
“In the first week of floods, more than 5000 marriages were cancelled in Kashmir valley. It means thirty thousand sheep weren’t consumed at all. The mutton industry lost 15 crores in a single week,” Ganaie says.
The major demand for sheep on this Eid used to be in the city, Ganaie says, now when most of the city is in ruins, we are targeting downtown. “But that can’t help us to recover losses. No government agency or department is talking about us,” he says.
“Our fingers are crossed. We are hopeful, a day or two before the Eid, the sales might pick up as many prefer to buy the sacrificial animal a day before, to avoid the burden of sheltering and feeding the animal,” Ganaie says. “However, the damage has been already done.”
In a consumerist economy, the growth of market is directly related to the mood of society, says Zeeshan Ahmad, a student pursuing Masters in Marketing. “Kashmir is grappling with one of the severest catastrophe in its history. It is very hard to expect the flow of money in economy like before,” adds Ahmad, who studies at a university in New Delhi.
“As far as the revival of old city market is concerned, it is just situation driven. Once the other markets are restored the focus will shift back again” he adds.
Historian Zareef says whatever the case, lessons have been learnt,
“Nature is a brutal teacher.”
source: http://www.kashmirlife.net / Kashmir Life / Home> Latest News> Special Report / Sunday – October 05th, 2014
The 13th Century Gandhak ki Baoli. — PHOTOS: SUSHIL KUMAR VERMA
The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has revived three water bodies — Rajon ki Baoli, Gandhak ki Baoli, and Hauz-i-Shamsi or Shamsi talab — inside the Qutub premises.
All these baolis, except Shamsi talab, were nearly dry till recently. But for the last couple of months, the water level in these baolis has increased despite negligible rain this season.
“The more the level of water went down in Delhi, the water level in these baolis increased,” said an ASI representative, reasoning constant cleaning of these baolis, which till sometime ago were filled with mud and filth thrown by visitors and people living close by.
While water conservationists opined that the water level increased due to sealing of several borewells in the area, ASI representative argued that the same happened after the cleaning of the choked openings in the baolis, something even the locals agree with.
Ghulam Mohammad, an 80-year-old old resident of Mehrauli village, said: “Sumant Dogra of the ASI used to come here even when the temperature was nearly 49 degrees Celsius and get the baolis cleaned every day for past many months. Soon after the cleaning, we saw water gushing up despite the poor monsoon this year.”
A visit to all the baolis, however, reveals the careless attitude people have towards them.
The 13th Century Gandhak ki Baoli. — PHOTOS: SUSHIL KUMAR VERMA
The Rajon ki Baoli, which dates back to the 15 Century, “was chocked with 20 feet of filth — meaning two storeys of the baoli, leaving only the third or the last storey was visible. We got it cleared. It took us six months. Now the water level has come up to 20 feet. We had to stop intermittently due to lack of funds. We completed the cleaning, which the ASI started in 2004-05, in 2014.”
The baoli is filled with stagnant water covered with algae. One can reach it by climbing down nearly 60 stairs. The ASI official adds: “Visitors throw wrappers, packets and even spit in it. If we don’t clean it every day, the filth will reach 20 feet within a week.”
Gandak ki Baoli is located about 200 meters from this one. The water there “started rising two-three years ago. It now has about 40 feet of water,” he added.
Built in the 13 Century, the water in this baoli, as the name suggests, is mixed with Sulphur, which supposedly has medicinal qualities. Due to this, the locals bathe and wash their clothes in it.
When the reporter visited the spot, a man who has just finished washing his clothes was then seen urinating in the baoli, as a guard looked on helplessly. The ASI official, who comes here daily for inspection, said: “The locals use the baolis as their personal property. Vagabonds roam this area and it turns dangerous by the evening. If we ask them not to dirty the baoli, they take out knives in no time. Even the police is scared of them.”
The third water body or the Shamsi talab, is located in the middle of the Mehrauli market, most of which is unauthorised. The talab was once spread over a huge area, with a tomb in the centre. As the talab started shrinking due to lack of water, the tomb, which is still visible, has been relegated to a side. Water beyond it has dried up already. But “it now has 15 to 20 feet water,” the official adds.
The area around this talab remains unspoilt, filled with the chirps of thousands of birds. A reminder of what the baolis may have looked like in the past.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Delhi / by Rana Siddiqui Zaman / New Delhi – October 0th, 2014
The School of Education building at Jamia Millia Islamia. FILE PHOTO: S. SUBRAMANIUM
From building a medical college to masters’ course on disaster management, the V-C has big plans
From building a medical college, a new masters’ course on disaster management, to choice-based credit systems and even renewing the students’ union, Jamia Millia Islamia’s new Vice-Chancellor Talat Ahmad has big plans for the University.
“We have announced the building of a medical college on the 22-acre property, given to us recently by the Delhi Government. A medical college must have a 300-bed hospital, so we are in talks with a nearby hospital to link it to our proposed college, since starting the hospital first could take awhile. We already have a physiotherapy building, which has 100 beds, and we also have a dentistry department,” said Prof. Ahmad, while explaining that his background in geology and his association with several bodies doing research in the area of disaster management had made him think of Jamia’s need for a masters’ degree in disaster management.
“There will also be small courses, available to all students, basic knowledge that everyone should have about what to do during a disaster.”
Soon, it will be possible for an enrolled post-graduate student to actually take another course, which is far removed from his/her stream and even get credit for it.
“Suppose you are doing an MA in Economics and also want to study music, it will be possible to do so soon, and get credit for it towards your degree. Each department is currently working on the modalities of working out separate courses for students from other streams. It will be slightly easier and more general than something you will learn if you were taking that course full-time.”
Another ambitious plan is to put Jamia on the world rankings.
“We are on our way to getting NAAC accreditation. We are also consciously working to meet the parameters required for a good international ranking. Faculty publications, foreign exchange programmes between students and teachers, we are doing it all.”
Jamia is also known for several small centres of study.
“We intend to merge all these centres into a school or faculty for smoother operations.”
It is also known for its seminars on various subjects under its outreach programmes. “We intend to strengthen this to provide short-term courses to people in the neighbourhood, skill-based learning that can be useful.”
Placements are another area that the V-C wants to focus on.
“We will be strengthening the links between the placement cell and the industry, and we are trying hard to forge better ties with national and international corporate houses.”
The varsity is also known for the number of language courses it offers. “Turkish seems to be the most popular language course here and almost all our students get placed. There is also French and German. We have national as well as international placements.”
Expanding the distance programme to other parts of the country, digitalising all their library resources and increasing their tie-ups with foreign universities are other projects on which the university is working feverishly.
Before concluding, Prof. Ahmad had a special message for students who had missed out on various entrance exams because of the Jammu and Kashmir disaster.
“Our professors will be travelling to Srinagar and conducting exams there. The results will be declared together.”
Special focus on research
Come January and the thick fog will bring Delhi to its knees with cancelled or late flights and trains, and traffic snarls.
Much before that, a few scholars at Jamia Millia Islamia will be working to somehow reduce the fog by “precipitating” it or turning it into rain.
This is one of the 93 ongoing research projects at the varsity, which Vice-Chancellor Talat Ahmad is seeking to develop further in his bid to up Jamia’s ante as a research-oriented university.
“The Chemistry Department is in-charge of the project. Another consortium will be using the Geographical Information System to connect crime, and there is a lot of work going on in the field of nanotechnology. We also plan to bring all the projects under one roof, so they can work together using the same technology,” Prof. Ahmad said. And this means the faculty will have to increase their citations.
“They will have to publish more internationally. In fact, this is also the benchmark for career progression as mandated by the UGC, so it serves both purposes. We have also set up a digital resource library that allows us to track every publication or citation that has been made by a faculty member. This is so we always know who has what publication and how much weight their publications carry,” the V-C added.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Delhi / by Vijetha S.N. / New Delhi – October 05th, 2014
The triumphtant Mysore Division’s sports-persons and the Mysore Division coaches- Gopinath (Athletics), Ashok (Volleyball) and Ramesh seen receiving the Overall Championship trophy from L.Manjunath (eighth from left), President, Dasara Sports Sub-Committee during the validectory function held at Chamundi Vihar Stadium yesterday. Also seen are the members Dasara Sports sub-committee.
Mysore :
Inspiring performances by Mysore Division’s athletes in the men’s section and some good performances in the team games, helped them to bag the Overall Championship title with 123 points,on the concluding day of the Dasara Games 2014 at Mysore.
On the final day’s athletic events, five (three in the men & two in the women’s section) new meet records were set, taking the total of new records at the championship to 14.
Jayaprakash Shetty of Bangalore City, an athlete from the Central Excise & Customs, Bangalore ran a fast paced race to win the 400 mts race with a new meet record timing of 48.1sec erasing his own record of 48.3 sec set in 2009. A.K. Raghu (48.4 sec) and Vishwambhar of Belgaum (48.7 sec) secured the second and third places respectively.
Bangalore City’s men 4×100 mts relay quartet comprising of S. Ganesh, N.B. Gowrish, Md. Asif Owaise and N. Vaishak won the gold with a new meet record timing of 41.2 sec, erasing the old mark of 42. 2 sec set by Mysore Division in 2008. Bangalore Rural and Belgaum secured the second and third places respectively.
M. Arpitha, a national level athlete from Bangalore City who had won the 200 mts event on the second day completed a fine double when she won the 400 mts event with a new meet record timing of 53.0 sec, erasing the old mark of 56. 4 sec set by Mysore Division’s Reena George in 2013. Reena George of Mysore Division also bettered her own mark with a timing of 54.9 sec.
Shahajahani of Mysore Division from LIC, threw the javelin to a record distance of 44.70 mts and erased the 23-year-old mark of 43.84 mts set by Mysore Division’s B.M. Bhageerathi in 1991.
The 4×100 mts relay quartet comprising of M.G. Padmini, Prajna Prakash, Archana Appaiah and M Arpitha of Bangalore City won the gold with a new meet record with a timing of 47.4 sec, erasing the old record of 49.1 sec set by Mysore Division in 1990. Mysore Division also bettered the mark with a timing of 47.9 sec.
K. Vishwambhar of Belgaum who won the men’s 800 mts with a new meet record was adjudged as the Best Athlete in the men’s section with a total of1028 points.
M. Arpitha of Bangalore City who won the women’s 200 mts, 400m with new meet records was adjudged as the Best Athlete in the women’s section. All the fourteen record breakers were given away cash awards of Rs.10,000 each.
In the team events, Mysore Division won the title in Tennis, Throwball, Kabaddi, Football, Badminton, Kho-Kho events and finished runner-up in Table Tennis, Net Ball, Swimming and Basketball. L.Manjunath, President, Dasara Sports Sub-Committee, Suresh, Asst. Director, DYES, Mysore, K.S. Ramesh, Dy.Director, DYES, Bangalore, members of Dasara Sports Sub-committee and others were present on the occasion.
On the ocassion, the organisers feliciated sports journalists- Girish Doddamani (Prajavani), C.K. Muralidharan (Freelance Sports Journalist-Star of Mysore & The Hindu) and veteran athlete K. Somashekar (South Western Railways (Workshop), Mysore.
