Meher Sheikh wins the ‘Emerging Female Influencer in Media Industry’ Award
New Delhi :
The 12th Edition of Entrepreneur Awards, an initiative by Entrepreneur India Magazine took place on September 20, 2022.
The platform recognizes the most influential, path-breaking entrepreneurs who do something out of the box and break stereotypes.
Bollywood actress Shraddha Kapoor graced the occasion and spoke about her debut as an entrepreneur.At the 12th edition of Entrepreneur Awards, a new category was introduced to commemorate emerging media companies. And this year, Meher Sheikh won the award in the category ‘Emerging Female Influencer in Media Industry’. Narain Kartikeyan, India’s 1st Formula One Driver who’s now the Founder and CEO of DriveX, presented the award to the uber-talented Meher Sheikh.
Meher Sheikh is a media entrepreneur and digital creator, she was a Sports Anchor with News 24 and she started her career as a fashion merchandiser. Meher is the Founder and CEO of Nikology a Youtube Channel with a subscriber base of 02 Million.
Nikology is an initiative of Papr Network that runs its operations from Noida Filmcity in Uttar Pradesh.
Meher is successfully hosting 2 shows on Nikology ‘Totally Unapologetic With Meher Sheikh’ and The Aatmanirbhar Bharat Show’. Both the series received a great response from the viewers and preps for a bigger and better season 02 is underway.”I am very happy to be recognized as an influential media entrepreneur. It’s just the beginning of a new era for content creators because the content industry is continuously facing disruption, with the emergence of OTT, mobile and digital penetration across Bharat, India has seen a shift in the way content is consumed today. Every big network is shifting its focus on the digital front by launching their own OTT platforms, podcasts and having a presence on Youtube etc”.
“I have huge plans for my viewers and aspiring entrepreneurs, we at Papr Network aim to be game changers for digital creators and new entrepreneurs”.
Some of the other winners of this prestigious award were Navya Naveli Nanda, Founder, Project Naveli and Co-founder, Aara Health, Aditya Ghosh Co-Founder, Akasa Air, Aman Gupta of Boat, Vineeta Singh of Sugar Cosmetics, Sandeep Nailwal Co-Founder, Polygon.
This story has been provided by PNN. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content in this article. (ANI/PNN)
source: http://www.business-standard.com / Business Standard / Home> Content> Press Release ANI/ PNN / September 21st, 2022
With roots in Uttar Pradesh, both these Delhi-based artists come from families whose values can be traced back to the Ganga Jamuni tehzeeb. Growing up during the 1990s, visual artist Taha Ahmad and theatre practitioner Wamiq Zia carry a nostalgia where a composite culture that was celebrated across the length and breadth of the country, where cultural identity was always stronger than the religious one.
The ‘Urdu Poetry Project’ is a manifestation of the belonging of the two individuals who come from a world where individuals were identified on the basis of the language they spoke, and not their places of worship.
An ode to Urdu poetry, the common passion shared by the two artists, the project sheds light on how the language is looked upon today, under the pretext of the current socio-political context in India.
Fifteen Urdu poets have been chosen ranging from Amir Khusro to Faiz Ahmad Faiz, and they intend to follow this project with more multi-arts projects based on the other forms of literature.
Essentially, the idea for this project came from the evening conversations, the two artists would have, with most of them being focused on literature and specifically around Urdu poetry.
Being the practitioners of their own arts, all these discussions were full of ideas around the different ghazals and nazms and how the two artists looked at them from the perspective of the art forms that they practiced.
“We have tried to visually represent the journey of Urdu poetry across the ages, in a free-flowing manner creating a historical timeline. The fusion of the different art forms is visible in the way these art pieces are being designed. Through carefully curated photographs, the project tries to visually represent 15 couplets by the 15 greats of Urdu poetry chosen for the project. The photographs are a modern interpretation as well as a representation of the couplets chosen set in today’s timeline amidst the current socio-political state of the language,” Zia, who has actively been doing theatre for the past 15 years and writes for OTT and films tells IANS.
The photographs when put together as a series will take the form of a personal letter written by a father to his daughter, the father will be a metaphor for the composite culture that the society has been a witness to, whereas, the daughter will be one for the new world.
The letters will present the father’s wish to share his legacy with his daughter. Its parts will be written by different calligraphers on each of the photographs.
Considering Urdu calligraphy and script have witnessed a massive decline over the past decades, this will be an ode to the two arts by the creators of this project.
Every photograph will have a part of the letter that talks about that era, the story of the language, and the legacy of the couplet, hence, an attempt is being made to narrate a complete story through each of these photographs.
Ahmad, the first Indian to receive The Documentary Project Fund/Award (2017) and Toto-Tasveer Award for Photography (2018) says art has always been an effective tool of resistance and highlighting issues.
“There is always a purpose behind creating an art piece that addresses certain political and social issues. Or reinterpret different social structures of the society offering alternate understandings of certain events and dimensions. All of this put together becomes a force of political and social change. The potency of an art piece lies in its capacity to transcend cultural, and linguistic barriers. Let us not forget art has a purpose — to comment on society, and what is going on around us. Raise awareness about different horrors. Interventions like these are a statement and commentary on societal issues,” adds the visual artist.
Stressing that artistic interventions have become important in the face of contemporary socio-political trends, the theatre artist also feels they are non-accusatory in nature and non-confrontational. “I am talking to the audience in a language that we both speak in and that is why poems and songs and art pieces become a rallying point in social movements. Art has always been a rallying point for the common man and some of the best art pieces have been written then and instead of fighting, we should put up a mirror and take a call for what we want to do.”
In times when languages are being interlinked with religions, the artists say it must be remembered that language is a representative of culture, and culture and language are two very different things.
“Krishna has been narrated in Urdu more than any other language and it is important to see things in perspective, that’s the point of a project like this and we want to keep hitting the nail and communicating that and I don’t know how much of an impact will it make but if we can get people to talk about it then I consider us successful,” Zia smiles.
Both artists have known each other since 2015 and worked on many ideas together including film scripts. “In between different ideas is how ‘The Urdu Project’ was born. And it is not only about us, but also our team Niharika, Ashi, Azad, Shariq, and KD. Well, the project has been a roller coaster and we have plans of massive projects and with bigger casts as well,” they add.
Even as artists are breaking silos and increasing collaboration across genres, like in their case, Zia says the same ensures diverse ideas, perspectives, and approaches to the table. “This cross-pollination of ideas, creativity mediums, and processes leads to fresh interpretations and novel techniques. I am seeing unconventional artistic solutions to problems in society. While this is not something very new, but offers immense possibilities nevertheless.” — IANS
source: http://www.muslimmirror.com / Muslim Mirror / Home> Culture / August 31st, 2023
‘Nine women in the Darjeeling Express kitchen made for a powerful visual’, the Kolkata-born British chef and restaurateur tells My Kolkata.
Simone Ashley and Asma Khan at the Darjeeling Express kitchen. (Right) the thali the actress was served @asmakhanlondon/Instagram
Nine women in the Darjeeling Express kitchen made for a powerful visual when actress Simone Ashley visited the London restaurant, owned by Asma Khan, on August 31.
Ashley, known for her portrayal of Kate Sharma in Netflix’s women-centric hit series Bridgerton, expressed her desire to connect with the all-female kitchen team.
Asma Khan, Kolkata-born British chef and restaurateur, shared her experience with My Kolkata from London, saying, “Simone met the girls with so much affection. They were thrilled to meet her. She’s very sweet, very humble. She also left a generous tip. Recognising and appreciating the women who nourish us holds significance for those of Southeast Asian heritage. Regardless of one’s origins, it’s an integral part of our culture.”
Asma’s mission is to embrace diversity in the hospitality industry
Asma has gained recognition for her unwavering commitment to empowering immigrant women, who form the heart of her kitchen brigade at Darjeeling Express. She articulated her mission to embrace diversity in the hospitality industry in a recent piece for British Vogue , where she wrote: “I have made it my mission to hire individuals from all walks of life, and of varying ages and abilities.”
Simone, who is of Tamil descent, arrived at the restaurant with the film crew of her latest project, including the producer and director. Asma said, “My connection with Simone came through our mutual friend, Charithra Chandran, who plays her half-sister in Bridgerton. We had discussed the possibility of Simone visiting the restaurant before. However, this time, the reservation was arranged by Christine, the wife of David Gelb, the director of Chef’s Table and a personal friend. She inquired about the availability and made the booking.”
‘Bridgerton’ star Simone Ashley is of Tamil descent @simoneashley/Instagram
“She had our thali at Darjeeling Express and was particularly thrilled about the puri (luchi), because we prepare them fresh for the thali. She watched our girls making it, and I’ve heard she’s a very good cook herself,” added Asma, who was a guest judge on a recent season of Padma Lakshmi’s Top Chef. In fact, the episode helped “demystify the thali” and is one of the reasons why the Sunday thali at the London restaurant is “doing so well” , according to Asma.
In recent times, Darjeeling Express has welcomed several notable personalities, including Malala Yousafzai , whom Asma describes as someone “who embodies the invincible spirit of women from South Asia”, Michael Buble , Spotify’s CEO Daniel Ek, and Paul Rudd as well as Schitt’s Creek creator Dan Levy, among others.
source: http://www.telegraphindia.com / The Telegraph Online / Home> Food> Star Chefs / by Karo Christine Kumar / September 02nd, 2023
Nadia Aslam, a resident of Panjim, Goa has always had a love for baking cakes. She used to bake delicious cakes for get-togethers and her close friends, but that changed when she went to college to study textile designing. She started a boutique business for a few years after college before having her first child. Nadia returned to making cakes as a career in 2016 after a gap of two years to devote more time to caring for her newborn.
“I shifted from designing clothes to designing cakes,” the 40-year-old cake artist explained to Two Circles.
Nadia has baked over 2000 cakes and pastry products, including cupcakes, for weddings, birthdays, and corporate events in the last seven years.
Nadia’s designer cakes
Challenges Faced in the Baking Business
Nadia faced several hurdles at the start of her professional career as a pastry artist. “I began very small. Because I used to earn little money, I would reinvest it in buying more stuff to meet the requirements,” she explained.
Nadia and her family used to live in a modest residential society that didn’t have a lift or enough space in the flat where she could set up her baking business in the early years. “For the business and classes, I needed space and a lift for efficient transportation because the bakery products are very fragile,” she explained.
Nadia moved to a larger flat for the sake of her business endeavour. Then after four years of baking at home, she rented a small property solely for cake production and hired an employee.
One of the major issues Nadia still encounters is a power outage while baking cakes, as well as bad roads, which leads to the fraying of the cake.
According to Nadia, it takes 17 hours to prepare, make, bake, and decorate a single cake. It became difficult when she began receiving orders for great corporate events and large parties. She said her customers want her to focus more on the decoration and general presentation of the sweet delicacies, which takes a lot of time and work.
Nadia’s creations
Earlier Nadia was preoccupied with household chores, raising children, and running the cake shop. “It messed up my sleep schedule, and I was frequently sleep-deprived,” she explained.
‘Men Should Encourage Their Wives’: Nadia Receives Support From Her Family
Nadia faced challenges, but she also received tremendous emotional support for her business from her family. Her husband, Rehan Shaikh, was always encouraging and helpful, from getting baking supplies to delivering cake orders.
“Men should encourage their wives,” said Rehan, beaming with pride at her success. Shaikh is in charge of handling the accounting of the cake business.
Nadia is assisted by her three children, aged 17, 14, and 12, in addition to her husband and two employees. “My kids help me after school and during the holidays,” she explained.
Nadia with her family
Teaching Women How to Bake
Nadia shared her experiences as a Muslim Hijabi pastry artist. “We Muslim women can financially support our families while practicing Islam and following its guidelines,” she said.
Nadia stated that her mother, a former beautician, is her greatest inspiration.
Aside from baking cakes, Nadia offers paid baking workshops that last two to three months and has taught hundreds of women how to bake and decorate cakes. Nadia hopes to build an academy where women bakers learn from chefs from all over the world.
The ‘Moist choco truffle’ is the most popular item in her diverse menu of cakes. “It’s my customers’ all-time favourite item, and they often come back to request more,” she explained.
Nadia teaching her students to bake
Receives Order From Across India
Nadia does not currently own a shop, but she receives a large number of orders through her Instagram and Facebook pages.
“We not only get orders from Goa, but also from Mumbai, Maharashtra, Belgaum, Bangalore, Tamil Nadu, and other places,” she explained. Nadia uses roadways to deliver cakes within 100 kilometers of Goa, and railways to deliver cakes to Mumbai, Belgaum, and other distant locations.
Nadia received multiple awards for her cake-making abilities, including the “Star of the Month” award from Gowomania Goa, an organisation of Gaon women, in 2017.
Sobiya Inamdar is an independent reporter based in India
source: http://www.twocircles.net / TwoCircles.net / Home> Indian Muslim> Lead Story> TCN Positive> Women / by Sobiya Inamdar, TwoCirlces.net / August 29th, 2023
The skull of a martyr Sepoy Alam Baig of the first war of Indian independence in 1985 must be brought to India for burial at the site where he was blown into pieces with a cannon for rebelling against the British Army in 1857.
This campaign is being run by British Professor Kim A. Wagner, who teaches Global and Imperial History at Queen Mary University of London and is also the author of the book The Skull of Alum Bheg: The Life and Death of a Rebel of 1857.
Prof Kin Wagner is an authority on the subject as he has published several books like ‘Thuggee: Banditry and the British in Early Nineteenth-Century India’, ‘The Great Fear of 1957: Rumours, Conspiracies and the Making of the Indian Uprising’, and ‘Amritsar 1919: An Empire of Fear and the Making of a Massacre’.
Wagner says this grisly war trophy was found in a pub in south-east England in 1963. The owner handed it over to him in 2014 and he published this book on Alum Bheg in 2017.
Wagner says the skull was brought to Ireland by someone from the British authorities and later changed hands.
“The handwritten note found with it revealed the skull to be that of Alum Bheg, an Indian soldier in British service who had been blown from a cannon for his role in the 1857 Uprising. His head had been brought back as a grisly war trophy by an Irish officer present at his execution,” writes Kim Wagner.
Prof. S. Sehrwat of the Department of Anthropology, Punjab University had said in a statement that during the revolution of 1857, Havaldar Alam Baig (the way it is spelled in India) was captured and blown up with cannon. His skull was found in England.
He said Wenger had told him about this.
The note found with Alam Baig’s skull
A complete search record of the skull has been found. The scientists are now keen to do a DNA test to ensure the identity of the skull. It is known that Alam Baig was from the Kanpur area of Uttar Pradesh and even a family has claimed him to be their ancestor.
According to Prof Dineshwar Chaubey, who teaches genetics at BHU, Varanasi, two types of tests can be done on Alam Baig’s skull. A Kanpur family living in Delhi has claimed to be related to Alam Baig. Their genes can be matched with it.
Kim Wagner and other historians are campaigning for givinh a due burial to at some place along the India-Pakistan border, where he was done to death.
Wagner says the British had accused Baig of killing a Christian priest family and it was a fabricated charge. The record says that he was a sepoy of the 46th regiment of the Bengal Native Infantry.
Kim Wagner believes that it is the right time to bury Havaldar Alam Baig in his country, at the same spot where he fought in the Battle of Trimu Ghat on the banks of the Ravi River in the border region between India and Pakistan.
He said, “I do not consider the return of Alam Baig’s skull as political. My aim is only to bring the mortal remains of Alam Baig to his homeland so that he may rest in peace long after his death.
Although the historian’s statement has also passed a long time, there is no progress in this matter to date. It is also waiting for the time when the skull of one of the great sons of India will be brought to India and buried in the soil here.”
The Natural History Museum confirmed its likely authenticity and Wagner, with little evidence to go on, traced Bheg’s history using various sources.
source: http://www.awazthevoice.in / Awaz, The Voice / Home > Story by ATV / by Ghaus Siwani, New Delhi / posted by Aasha Khosa / September 02nd, 2023
The Telegraph goes to a Calcutta anachronism — a sweetshop that has very little Bengali about it.
Candy crush: Haji Nizamuddin (in white kurta) believes their sweets are turning out better than the Arabian originals. / Moumita Chaudhuri
Haji Allauddin, the sweet shop on Phears Lane in central Calcutta, is more than a hundred years old. Haji Nizamuddin, who is the owner now, is Allauddin’s great-grandson. He says, “My grandfather had started this shop and it is named after him. We have heard that in the early days there was no shop, just some wares on a bench in north Calcutta’s Colootola .”
Haji Allauddin had come from Uttar Pradesh’s Sitapur with his family.
Nizamuddin does not know what drove them all the way. “Maybe our ancestors were farmers, maybe my ancestor was of rebellious nature and left Sitapur in search of better opportunities,” says Hamd Sultan, who is Nizamuddin’s son.
“The earliest registration papers in our possession go back to 1904 but I have heard from my elders that the shop was operational even a decade before that,” adds Sultan, who is now getting involved in the affairs of his ancestral business.Sultan and his cousins are planning to expand.
Haji Allauddin, a sweet shop on Phears Lane, north Calcutta./ Moumita Chaudhuri
There are three branches of the shop already, one on Beck Bagan Row, another on Ripon Street and the other on Dent Mission Road in Kidderpore. The shop owners want to open branches in the Middle East next.
Allauddin had started his sweet journey by making batashas. He would go door to door and sell them. Batashas were not only used in every religious ritual in Bengal, but was also part of the daily diet of certain sections.
Some years later, he opened the shop in Colootola.
In the initial days, Allauddin would stock gond ka halwa, a kind of mashed sweet dish made from the extracts of the babul tree with a sprinkling of dry fruits. It is also called battisa after the 32 ingredients in it and is considered good for pregnant women as well as the infirm. He also sold mawa laddu and gulab jamun fried in desi ghee.
From whom or where Allauddin learnt to make these sweets remains a mystery. Says Sultan, “He chose to use ghee made in Samastipur in Bihar only as its flavour and texture were best suited to our kind of sweets.” In deference to his wisdom, his progeny continues to source all the ghee they need from Samastipur. “It has now become our USP,” adds Sultan.
After Allauddin, his son Nasiruddin and, thereafter, his son Nizamuddin introduced many more sweets — Bournvita sweets, patisa, milky soft bar, coconut-based products, milk halwa, walnut halwa. Nizamuddin also introduced gajar ka halwa, dudhiya halwa and halwa sohan. The shop sells Kanpuriya laddu, mansuri and Karachi halwa too.
Claims Sultan, “These sweets are not found in any sweet shop in Bengal. Even the kalakand in our shop is flavoured.” Their outlets sell carrot and mango-flavoured kalakand.
A year-and-a-half ago, Nizamuddin had made a trip to Dubai. He says, “I went to several shops to taste the sweets they sell. The Middle East does not have a good source of milk. Camel milk is available but is not abundant, cow or buffalo milk is hard to find. So the sweets have very little or at times no milk in them. For example, we make patisa from pure milk, they make it with besan and just a dash of milk.”
Since his return, Nizamuddin has introduced in his shops what has since been branded Arabian Sweets. In the kitchen of Haji Allauddin in south Calcutta’s Picnic Garden, cooks are busy making Arabian sweets.
“It is made of six types of dried fruits and honey. No sugar is added to it,” he says. There are five other sweets that have been influenced by the sweets of Dubai — khajur dry fruit barfi, anjeer roll with poppy seeds sprinkled all over, kaju diamond, dry fruit crunch and chocolate dry fruit ball.
“In making these sweets we have moved away from our legacy — there is no ghee or mawa in them,” says Sultan. The owners are now trying their hands at two more Middle-Eastern sweets — baklava and kunafa.
Nizamuddin says, “Nobody has shared any recipes with us. We are learning to make them by trial and error and I believe our sweets are turning out better than the originals.”
The proof of their pudding will, of course, be in the eating. Go, find out.
source: http://www.telegraphindia.com / The Telegraph Online / Home> Culture> Food / by Moumita Chaudhuri / August 27th, 2023
Calcutta may not have a birthday, but there can be no disagreement that the city is an alchemy of multiple events and influences. One such is the arrival of the ruler of Awadh. Wajid Ali Shah arrived in Calcutta in 1856, remained here till his death in 1887 and continues to tick on in the city’s DNA.
Illustration: Visual artist Soumyadeep Roy’s portrait of Wajid Ali Shah, a detail from his exhibition Dastaan e Akhtar celebrating the King’s bicentenary year at his resting place, the first ever exhibition held at the 159-year-old Sibtainabad Imambada in Metiabruz / Sourced by the Telegraph
Metiabruz
Before 1856, Metiabruz was a nondescript place on the outskirts of Calcutta taking its name from a matiya burz or earthen tower. The shipbuilding yard of Garden Reach had just started developing. It was the advent of Wajid Ali that transformed the very nature of the place. He purchased land from the King of Burdwan and built around 22 palatial residences in Metiabruz. With these at the core, an entire mini-Lucknow came up. “He made this city his home and left a legacy, some tangible and mostly intangible,” says Talat Fatima, one of the king’s progeny and currently working on the English translation of the book Wajid Ali Shah Ki Adabi Aur Saqafati Khidmat by Kaukab Quder Meerza. Meerza Sr’s son, Kamran, points to the remnants of the king’s mimic kingdom — Sibtainabad Imambara, Begum Masjid, Shahi Masjid, Baitun Nijat and Quasrul Buka.
Thumri
Until the early 19th century, Calcutta’s aristocracy had some exposure to Nidhu Babu or Ramnidhi Gupta’s semi-classical tappa. As for dance, there was the form practised by the khemtawalis of the red-light areas of Chitpore and Bowbazar in central Calcutta. Enter Wajid Ali Shah. He was, historians note, an “enthusiastic” patron of the arts. The “light classical” vocal form of thumri flourished in his court. He himself composed thumris under the pen name of Akhtar or Akhtar Piya. The thumri was traditionally performed by tawaifs or courtesans. And though there are arguments to the contrary, their dance style had “undeniable links” with Kathak. To make a long story very short, the king arrived in Calcutta with his musical entourage, thus stirring into its environs and culture a new rhythm. Courtesans like Malka Jaan were appointed by his court. Other ustads and musicians arrived too and many Bengali-speaking singers such as Bamacharan Bandyopadhyay were also groomed. A new style of thumri evolved with folk influences and it came to be known as the bol banao thumri. The babus of Calcutta loved it. Many of the musicians and courtesans settled down in the Chitpore area of north Calcutta, turning it into a production hub of musical instruments. This legacy, somewhat contagious, influenced commercial theatres and produced musical exponents such as Gauhar Jaan, Angoorbala and Indubala who went on to cut gramophone records and became the first artistes to do so. If Wajid Ali had not left Lucknow nagari, Ray’s Jalsaghar would be missing the jalsa; the sound of Begum Akhtar singing, “Bhar bhar aayi mori akhiyan piya bin…”
Haute Couture
It was not just Wajid Ali who arrived in Metiabruz; he was accompanied by his family, his many wives, dancers, a retinue of specialised servants and tailors. By some estimates, within a decade of his arrival, the palace had 2,000-plus employees and 1,000 soldiers. All of these people needed clothes, as did the king, who loved to dress. In his early 20th century work Lucknow: The Last Phase of an Oriental Culture, Abdul Halim Sharar suggests that the achkan was Wajid Ali’s gift to Indian haute couture. And so the fitted tunic with its stylish necks debuted in Bengal, as did the angrakhas. The king also wore an elaborate cap called the alam pasand. The royal tailors, their pupils and their descendants popularised Awadhi fashion — the chapkan, the churidar, the shararas, the ghararas… Their progeny has now turned Metiabruz into one of the largest tailoring hubs of unbranded garments. None of this would exist if it had not been for the good old trendy king. But for him, homegrown celebrity designers who are synonymous with wedding wear, sherwanis and fancy achkans would have been making patterns on their bottom line today.
Kabutarbazi
The king was famous for his menagerie and also for the thousands of kabutars or pigeons he reared and kept. He employed hundreds of people to look after the birds. Among the varieties were peshawari, gulvey, choya, chandan, shirazi — many fetched from Lucknow. Some of them were trained to perform manoeuvres during flight. “You’ll still find breeders invoking the royal pigeons while making a sell in the bird market,” says Kamran Meerza, the great-great-grandson of Wajed Ali Shah. Many babus of north Calcutta eventually embraced the hobby and pigeon roosts were a common architectural feature in old mansions of the city. The king also brought one of the best kite fliers of Lucknow, Ilahi Baksh Vilayat Ali, with him. He himself could design kites and encouraged others to compete with his team of kite fliers. The tradition of flying kites from those days still survives in Calcutta. Beginning August 15, right through to winter, the city skies are dotted with kites, most of them made in Metiabruz. Kabutarbazi and kite flying are not just random sports, they are synecdoches of a culture of great panache even in great leisure.
The Calcutta Biryani
The king’s khansamas gave Calcutta a taste of the Awadhi style of dum pukht or slow oven-cooking. Their descendants spread across the city and continued to popularise and adapt this style of cooking to fit the plebian kitchen. The Calcutta Biryani would be nowhere on the culinary map had it not been for the banished king. Manzilat Fatima, who is Wajid Ali’s great-great-granddaughter, wields her secret family recipes to create the Calcutta Shahi Biryani and Awadhi Galauti Kebab among other Lucknavi delicacies in her boutique restaurant in south Calcutta. Manzilat clarifies that the potato, an exotic tuber in the 19th century, was used as an experiment by the king to enhance the taste of the biryani and not to incorporate a cheaper substitute as has been suggested. Jab tak rahega biryani mein alu…
source: http://www.telegraphindia.com / The Telegraph Online / Home> Culture / by Prasun Chaudhuri / August 27th, 2023
New Delhi / Shillong, MEGHALAYA / Bengaluru, KARNATAKA:
Anjum Hasan’s novel considers what it is like to live in troubling times.
History’s Angel, Anjum Hasan, Bloomsbury India.
Living in an ancient city is like living in two time periods – the present (when you are alive) and the past (when the city was alive and you were not). It’s a strange conundrum. In a city like Delhi, where Alif from History’s Angel lives, the past creeps into the present in ordinary, mundane ways. There’s Humayun Tomb to visit, the Red Fort that you see on your way to work, the ruins of Tughlakabad where people reside…the city of Delhi is effortlessly ancient and ever-expanding. And what about the intangible past – the memories of what Delhi used to be, the violence that ravaged it and the unexpected friendships that were born in dire times, the natural seat of power that stood strong even as the city exchanged hands between emperors and regimes? History is a double-edged sword – there’s pride in continuing the legacy and there’s a burden of living with its failures.
Author Anjum Hasan. | Lekha Naidu
Anjum Hasan’s latest offering, History’s Angel considers what it is like living in Delhi in troubling times (something the city always seems to be in). Alif teaches history to students aged between nine and 14 at a private school. He believes in history – its nuances, nonlinear existence, and its ability to make its students upright, empathetic people. But Indian school education system does not care for holistic scholarship. As long as the students successfully mug up facts and figures and hurl them onto the answer sheets, the teacher’s job is done. But Alif has bigger aspirations – he wants the children to understand and appreciate history in all its complexity. And in striving for this noble goal is where the trouble begins.
Humayun, Hanuman, Hindustan
Hell breaks loose when nine-year-old (upper caste Hindu student) Ankit Kumar disappears from his sight on an excursion to Humayun’s Tomb. Alif imagines the worst, but after a brief period of great anxiety, Ankit is finally found. Overcome with relief, Alif is only too happy to indulge the child when he seeks permission to ask a question. Only it is not what Alif was expecting.
Ankit asks his teacher, “Are you a dirty Mulla?” Perhaps before Alif could even make sense of the child’s question, he reaches for the boy’s ear and twists it. Corporal punishment is a punishable offence – as it should be – but in this case, it is something of a reflex action. Alif is stunned and he feels helpless.
Always keeping himself out of the way of trouble, and with his faith dialled down to the minimum, Alif does everything he can to be a “good Muslim”. However, the India he lives in is not so kind. The story, as it moves from one tongue to another and one imagination to another, takes a grotesque form. The final version is this: Ankit disappeared after Alif insulted his god Hanuman and threatened to throw him out of the rickshaw. In the absence of any reliable eyewitnesses, it is Alif’s words versus the majority’s hostility which is ever ready to exaggerate the failings of Muslim citizens.
The school where Alif teaches is a mini India. There are people of all faiths and cultures but one seems to be quickly taking precedence over the others. Alif wonders why the children stopped singing Muhammad Iqbal’s Saare Jahan Se Achcha in the assembly, why the principal was conducting a havan on the school premises, or why history lessons on Muslim emperors were no longer essential. The principal clearly instructed him to not bring religion into the school – visits to Humayun’s Tomb etcetera – while Hindu traditions were proudly being paraded as the culture of the country. Alif can see the gradual shift from Iqbal’s Hindustan to the narrow-minded, saffron-tinted Bharat. And so can we.
The state of any minority in our country has never been worth much and now, even more so. The hostility and open call for violence is not just encouraged but rewarded. The news cycle works on repeat – lynchings of Muslims, the murder of an untouchable, a Kashmiri’s freedoms curbed, a journalist attacked or jailed, a farmer dead from suicide. And screaming news reporters who are oblivious to it all. An endless, vicious cycle that sucks the common man dry. And it is in this soul-sucking, gut-wrenching India that people like Alif and his wife Tahira strive to be perfect (Muslim) citizens.
Horrors, hounding, humiliation
Simple things like renting a house become an impossible dream as brokers ask the couple if they slaughter goats at home and tell them – feigning kindness – that there are no mosques or madrasas nearby. Tahira and Alif are made to participate in humiliating interrogation – they are not only questioned about their faith and eating habits but made to answer for Muslim invaders and also those who stayed back. The fact that these events happened many centuries ago and the “invaders” had long since integrated with the Indian peoples is immaterial.
The indignity that Muslims are subjected to in India is one-of-its-kind. Disparaging remarks are always at hand and fingers are quick to point to Muslims when something goes wrong in the nation-state. Alif’s mother says stoically, “Things are bad…but if that is what’s bothering you then forget it. Because it is not new.” It is not new. Through the elderly lady’s voice, Anjum Hasan tells us that this has always been the reality of being a Muslim in India. It always has been humiliating. Of course, things have become alarmingly bad in the last decade, but none of us should think even for a moment that India was a secular haven before.
Alif’s is an interesting characterisation – his history teacher persona makes him acceptable as an upright citizen. In India, a teacher exists beyond the classroom – they are considered quite literally a “guru”. In the same way, Alif exists beyond the textbook. He contemplates the Sufi way of life, sorrowfully remembers the demolition of the Babri Masjid and the violence that followed, and imagines the horrors of the Partition.
Not just the past, Alif must also answer for the loud azaan and “land jihaad” of the present. It’s a life of questions and interrogations and like most of us – any of us – Alif does not always have an answer. He is no more responsible for the actions of Muhammad Ghori than Hindus are for the pillaging and killing that many kings of their religion were known for. But only one of them is allowed to cut the cord from the notorious past.
While Hasan easily incorporates the past in her portrayal of the contemporary Indian Muslim, the figures and events of this past can sometimes be distracting. The nine-year-old child who gets the wheel turning on Alif’s ruination fades into the shadows – how did the child become so hateful, what made him falsely accuse his teacher, and why did he not fear being punished? I wanted to know more.
Ahmad, a minor character in the novel, is a devout Muslim. And being devout often means enforcing one’s personal beliefs on others. He complains that Alif’s family “shirks shirks shirks” their faith –photos of human faces adorn the walls at home, Alif’s mother does not cover her head, the men do not always attend prayers at the mosque, the women go out to work, and the children are not being educated in madrasas. Hindus have alienated and hounded Muslims, and so have Muslim fanatics. The common Muslim who just wants to go about their day without getting into trouble is on the losing side of a lost war. Hasan’s attack on Muslim orthodoxy is subtle yet impressive.
History’s Angel ends on a predictive note. You can see it coming however it does not dampen the reading experience – surely you were not expecting justice to be delivered to a wronged Muslim history teacher?
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source: http://www.scroll.in / Scroll.in / Home> Book Review / by Sayari Debnath / July 30th, 2023
Syed Akthar Ahmad, also known as Akthar Orenvi, was a Bihar-born Urdu writer who produced exceptional literary works, devoted his life to Urdu, and died in 1977 after suffering from a severe illness.
Now, almost 35 years after Orenvi’s death, Syed Amjad Hussain, an 18-year-old aspiring writer, is writing a book about him in Hindi, an extraordinary task for a student in his first year of college.
“Bihar has been home to many Urdu writers and poets, some of whom are still remembered, while others have been relegated to obscurity in an era when the language itself is on the verge of extinction,” said Hussain, who is currently pursuing BBA at the Maulana Abul Kalam Azad University of Technology in West Bengal, adding that he has chosen to write a book about Orenvi and “re-introduce him to the youth of today.”
Why Akthar Orenvi?
Hussain was introduced to Urdu writers in his house, where education has always been a priority, through the elders who spoke about prominent Urdu writers of Bihar and also narrated the stories written by them.
“ My great grandfather had married a girl from Oren. She was the daughter of Magistrate Syed Irshad Hussain. And my father, his cousins all spent their childhood in Oren. And whenever they visited our house there used to be a lot of discussions about the village and the prominent people of the village, one of whom was the poet Akthar Orenvi” said Hussain to Two circles.
This connection with the Oren village and all that he heard about Akthar sahab gave young Amjad Hussain the idea to write about him.
Hussain was also moved by the fact that Orenvi suffered from severe illnesses but kept on writing till his last breath.
“In the current era of reel, people have been cut off from real life. And in the process, they have forgotten the rich Indian culture of reading. Earlier there were book clubs despite the fact that not all people had access to them. Today when people have such easy access to books, they are no longer interested in reading,” Amjad said.
“Akthar Sahab suffered from typhoid thrice. And in those days medical treatment was not advanced, and we can imagine how much he suffered then. Even while sick he never stopped writing; such was his devotion to writing. And I felt such commitment and dedication needs recognition. But sadly, non-Urdu readers don’t know much about him. So, I decided to write his biography.”
Cover page of the Hindi book authored by Syed Amjad Hussain
Amjad said his fascination about History and his own love for the Urdu language were also reasons why he chose to write the biography of Orenvi.
Amjad shared that there is one very popular book by Orenvi titled ‘Bihar mein Urdu Zaban -O-Adab ka Irtaqa’ which also played a role in prompting him to write about him.
And surprisingly his parents agreed to his project with no questions asked!
What the book contains
Syed Akthar Ahmed hailed from Urain or Oren, a village in Munger division of Bihar State. The book Amjad is writing is titled ‘ Akthar Orenvi: Bihar mein Urdu Sahitya ke Nirmata’ and has roughly around 70-80 pages containing a brief history about Orenvi – birth, education, marriage, achievements, his meeting with Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, his sickness, his works and his death.
“Unfortunately, not much material is available about Akthar Orenvi”, said Amjad to Two circles, “I did extensive research, even visited Oren the place where Akthar sahab belonged to. His house in the village is intact. And I found some pictures which I shall include in my book,” he added.
Amjad spoke to the people of the village, especially the elders who had more to tell. He started his research in October 2022 and began writing the book in January 2023.
The people in the village told him that Akthar sahab shifted to Patna after his marriage so they did not hear much about him later. “His house in the village is intact and so are his memories in our hearts”, said one of them.
Akthar Orenvi’s brother Syed Fazal Ahmed retired as Inspector General. Akthar Orenvi did not have any children but has some popular descendants (nephews) who are well known TV and theatre personalities like Roshan Seth who played the role of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru in the epic movie ‘Gandhi’ and Aftab Seth, retired Indian diplomat.
Akthar Orenvi’s works are included in the syllabus of many a Urdu University all across India. And his short stories are included in SSC Board exams. And Amjad’s favourite story by Orenvi is ‘Ek Darakht ka Qatal’.
Akthar Orenvi’s house in his village Oren
Future plans
Amjad feels this book, slated to release on the 14th of July will not only introduce the poet, writer AKthar Orenvi to the youth but also make them want to learn Urdu so they can read the original works of the author.
The first edition will have 300 copies only which will be sold online through Notion Press, Chennai.
Interestingly Amjad has worked on the book alone, reading, re-reading, spell check, proofreading etc.
Amjad, originally from Shaikhpura, Bihar now lives in Kolkata pursuing his studies while his parents and siblings continue to live in Bihar.
His father, Syed Ahmad Hussain founded ‘Madrasatul Banat Azizul Uloom’ in the 90s which is exclusively for girls. Syed also looks after their business along with his eldest son while his younger siblings are studying.
Amjad plans to write another book about Sufism in Bihar. He likes reading Urdu Shayari, especially the works of Juan Elia Sahab and Imam Ahmed Raza Khan.
He wants to work towards preserving the Urdu language because he feels that it is foolish to associate any language with one particular community and discriminate against it.
But overall, he is just like any other teenager, fun loving and hangs out with his friends.
source: http://www.twocircles.net / TwoCircles.net / Home> Indian Muslim> Lead Story> TCN Positive> Youth / by Nikhat Fatima, TwoCircles.net / July 05th, 2023
Students from 24 states celebrate the Independence Day at Markaze
Calicut:
Students from 24 states and six union territories came together in a grand ceremony at Markaz Karanthur to commemorate a significant event.
Sheikh Abubakr Ahmad, the founder Chancellor of Markaz and Grand Mufti of India, proudly raised the flag and delivered an inspiring address. He emphasized that every Indian deserves to relish the hard-earned freedom that has been secured through the united efforts of people from all walks of life, transcending barriers of caste, religion, and class.
Furthermore, Sheikh Abubakr Ahmad urged the nation to reflect upon the civil liberties and fundamental rights envisioned by the architects of our nation and enshrined in the constitution. After 76 years of independence, it is crucial for both citizens and leaders to assess the extent to which these principles are being upheld in the present day. He encouraged the students to pursue continuous learning and training, with the aim of elevating India’s reputation on the global stage.
Addressing the gathering, Markaz Director General C Muhammad Faizi conveyed an important message.
The students, under the guidance of Jamia Markaz Pro-Chancellor Dr Hussain Saquafi Chullikode, made a collective pledge to uphold these values.
The event featured a parade and captivating performances by various groups including the Markaz School Student Police Cadet, Scout, Junior Red Cross Society, NCC, and the Markaz School brigade team, adding to the festivities.
source: http://www.muslimmirror.com / Muslim Mirror / Home> Indian Muslims / by Muslim Mirror Desk / August 15th, 2023
