It is yesterday once more in the northeast cultural calendar as the region brushes the dust off its ties with Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore, who was recognised as a "great poet" by the then king of Tripura at a time when few others did 128 years ago.
Tripura, Meghalaya, Assam and Manipur have planned year-long celebrations starting Sunday in the run up to the 150th birth anniversary of the poet who penned famous dance-dramas, songs and novels during his visits to the region, especially his favourite haunts Agartala and Shillong.
"Tagore took skilled weavers from Assam to Bengal to develop and popularise weaving. He inducted Manipuri dance teachers in Santiniketan. He also sought the assistance of erstwhile Tripura kings for scientist Jagadish Chandra Bose," said researcher Pannalal Roy.
Full report here Times of India
Showing posts with label Meghalaya. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Meghalaya. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Monday, March 22, 2010
Nagaland poetry competition celebrates region's writers
The 5th Nagaland Poetry competition 2010 in celebration of 175 years of Assam Rifles and 25 years of the Poetry Society India, organized by coordinator North East Region (NER) Poetry Society India (PSI) and Assam Rifles took place on Monday at 16th Assam Rifles with state Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio and Nyeiwang Konyak, Minister of School Education and SCERT gracing the events as chief guest and the guest of honour respectively.
The theme of competition is “Friends of the Hill People” and a total of 2,346 entries were received, out of which 1127 were male entries and 1219 female entries. The ten top winners of the poetry competition recited their poems. Addressing the gathering, Rio lauded the Assam Rifles for completing glorious 175 years of existence and for creating many memorable milestones and also building trust with the north east people. Congratulating the Assam Rifles for the service to the people, he said that the AR not only provided security to the people, but were also involved in carrying out many welfare programme for the people. On the AR slogan “Friends of Hill people”, the chief minister said that the tribal people, especially the Nagas were straight forward and stated “If you are his friend, he will give his life for you and if you are his enemy, he will take your life”. The chief minister also said that the Assam Rifles should live with their slogan Friends of the Hill people in the years to come and wished them a bright future in service of the nation and for the people of Northeast.
On the poetry competition, he said that literature and music played an important role in promoting peace in the world and encouraged the budding poets and award winners to use their God given talents to the fullest. He further congratulated all the award winners and released the book The Voices of North East Poets. The chief minister also felicitated six poets of the region - awards winners Mamang Dai from Arunachal Pradesh, professor Streamlet Dkhar from Meghalaya, Head of Khasi department NEHU Shillong, professor L. Khiangte from Mizoram, head of Mizo department from Mizoram University, Bijay Bantawa from Sikkim, Editor of Snowline Magazine, Kalyan Gupta from Tripura, director of art and culture, Tripura and Raghu Leishangtiem from Manipur, Seike Academy.
Full report here Nagaland Post
The theme of competition is “Friends of the Hill People” and a total of 2,346 entries were received, out of which 1127 were male entries and 1219 female entries. The ten top winners of the poetry competition recited their poems. Addressing the gathering, Rio lauded the Assam Rifles for completing glorious 175 years of existence and for creating many memorable milestones and also building trust with the north east people. Congratulating the Assam Rifles for the service to the people, he said that the AR not only provided security to the people, but were also involved in carrying out many welfare programme for the people. On the AR slogan “Friends of Hill people”, the chief minister said that the tribal people, especially the Nagas were straight forward and stated “If you are his friend, he will give his life for you and if you are his enemy, he will take your life”. The chief minister also said that the Assam Rifles should live with their slogan Friends of the Hill people in the years to come and wished them a bright future in service of the nation and for the people of Northeast.
On the poetry competition, he said that literature and music played an important role in promoting peace in the world and encouraged the budding poets and award winners to use their God given talents to the fullest. He further congratulated all the award winners and released the book The Voices of North East Poets. The chief minister also felicitated six poets of the region - awards winners Mamang Dai from Arunachal Pradesh, professor Streamlet Dkhar from Meghalaya, Head of Khasi department NEHU Shillong, professor L. Khiangte from Mizoram, head of Mizo department from Mizoram University, Bijay Bantawa from Sikkim, Editor of Snowline Magazine, Kalyan Gupta from Tripura, director of art and culture, Tripura and Raghu Leishangtiem from Manipur, Seike Academy.
Full report here Nagaland Post
Monday, March 15, 2010
REVIEW: The Talking Guns
REVIEW
The Talking Guns: North-east India
Nirendra Dev
Manas Publications
Rs 495
Pp 304
ISBN: 8170493307
Hardback
Blurb
The book pointing at the innovative forms of anti-India resistance from the militants with the foreign support and about the basic problems like unemployment, the compendium should contribute towards better understanding of the root causes of the problems in the North-east India. Raising issues related to human conditions, the book also examines what happens to an individual when an abnormality like shutting down life by 6pm everyday in considered normal. The book is, however, not only an exploration of what went wrong; perhaps it will also make natives ask where did we Nagas or Assamese go wrong. It is also a people's history narrating incidents how the author escaped being caught in crossfire or survived the bomb blast.
Review
A candid expose of the North-east discard Organizer
This is a book about north-east India written on the basis of the author’s personal experiences as he was born in Nagaland and educated in Nagaland, Mizoram and Meghalaya and is currently working as a journalist in New Delhi.
Cradled amidst the hilly wilds, the north-eastern end of India is famous for its pluralistic, multilingual and multi-racial character. The region is home to a number of ethnic communities - about 200 tribal and non-tribal groups living together and braving extreme odds. Mutual suspicion and rivalry abound between the tribes, the clans and even confusion abounds about the historical background. For tribals to tea estate managers, militants in this region have spelt terror. In 2003, a high-level delegation tells then Home Minister, LK Advani that terrorism in states like Tripura and Manipur had ceased to exist for any political cause. Advani tells a meeting of military officials that Tripura, a state with only three million people, has the highest rate of kidnapping for ransom and warns, "No businessman will ever invest here if such a situation continues to prevail."
Advani had a serious point to make with guns reigning supreme and panic gripping the fledgling tea industry where tribal guerrillas-with tacit support from Bangladesh-regularly went on rampage, killing and kidnapping tea-garden owners and staff in a bid to step up their extortion activities.
Nirendra Dev
Manas Publications
Rs 495
Pp 304
ISBN: 8170493307
Hardback
Blurb
The book pointing at the innovative forms of anti-India resistance from the militants with the foreign support and about the basic problems like unemployment, the compendium should contribute towards better understanding of the root causes of the problems in the North-east India. Raising issues related to human conditions, the book also examines what happens to an individual when an abnormality like shutting down life by 6pm everyday in considered normal. The book is, however, not only an exploration of what went wrong; perhaps it will also make natives ask where did we Nagas or Assamese go wrong. It is also a people's history narrating incidents how the author escaped being caught in crossfire or survived the bomb blast.
Review
A candid expose of the North-east discard Organizer
This is a book about north-east India written on the basis of the author’s personal experiences as he was born in Nagaland and educated in Nagaland, Mizoram and Meghalaya and is currently working as a journalist in New Delhi.
Cradled amidst the hilly wilds, the north-eastern end of India is famous for its pluralistic, multilingual and multi-racial character. The region is home to a number of ethnic communities - about 200 tribal and non-tribal groups living together and braving extreme odds. Mutual suspicion and rivalry abound between the tribes, the clans and even confusion abounds about the historical background. For tribals to tea estate managers, militants in this region have spelt terror. In 2003, a high-level delegation tells then Home Minister, LK Advani that terrorism in states like Tripura and Manipur had ceased to exist for any political cause. Advani tells a meeting of military officials that Tripura, a state with only three million people, has the highest rate of kidnapping for ransom and warns, "No businessman will ever invest here if such a situation continues to prevail."
Advani had a serious point to make with guns reigning supreme and panic gripping the fledgling tea industry where tribal guerrillas-with tacit support from Bangladesh-regularly went on rampage, killing and kidnapping tea-garden owners and staff in a bid to step up their extortion activities.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Warrant for Jesus goof-up
The court of the chief judicial magistrate, Shillong, on Feb 23 issued an arrest warrant against the owner and publisher of Skyline Publishers, Ram Mohan Jha, in Delhi for depicting Jesus holding a cigarette and a beer can in the textbooks of junior classes in Meghalaya.
Meghalaya police had moved for the arrest warrant against the publisher on Monday and the court today granted permission to arrest the offender.
The controversial pictures published in cursive writing books of Classes I to III prompted guardians to complain to St Joseph school authorities on February 17. The deputy superintendent of police (crime), Vivek Syiem, said police registered a case under 295 (A) of the IPC following an FIR filed by St Joseph school authorities here.
A team of police officials will leave for Delhi soon to arrest the publisher with the assistance from Delhi police.
Full report here Telegraph
The controversial pictures published in cursive writing books of Classes I to III prompted guardians to complain to St Joseph school authorities on February 17. The deputy superintendent of police (crime), Vivek Syiem, said police registered a case under 295 (A) of the IPC following an FIR filed by St Joseph school authorities here.
A team of police officials will leave for Delhi soon to arrest the publisher with the assistance from Delhi police.
Full report here Telegraph
Monday, February 22, 2010
Jesus picture row: Meghalaya cops to question Delhi publisher
A team of the Meghalaya Police is expected to reach the national capital shortly to question the publisher of Class I cursive writing textbooks that depicted Jesus Christ in poor light and sparked off resentment among Christians who constitute 80 per cent of the state population.
An FIR against the Delhi publisher was lodged by the principal of St Joseph’s Girls Higher Secondary School after the textbooks — which carried a picture of Jesus Christ holding a cigarette and a beer can — reached her school.
DSP Vivek Syiem (Crime) told The Indian Express on Sunday: “We will send a police team to New Delhi to question Ram Mohan Jha of Skyline Publication. He will be taken into custody if we manage to get an arrest warrant against him from court.” He added that the controversial textbooks had been seized from distributors in Shillong.
Full report here Indian Express
An FIR against the Delhi publisher was lodged by the principal of St Joseph’s Girls Higher Secondary School after the textbooks — which carried a picture of Jesus Christ holding a cigarette and a beer can — reached her school.
DSP Vivek Syiem (Crime) told The Indian Express on Sunday: “We will send a police team to New Delhi to question Ram Mohan Jha of Skyline Publication. He will be taken into custody if we manage to get an arrest warrant against him from court.” He added that the controversial textbooks had been seized from distributors in Shillong.
Full report here Indian Express
Friday, February 19, 2010
Christ Picture: Cops Seize Books; Case Registered
Police in Shillong have registered a case against the publisher and seized around 123 books carrying an "objectionable picture" of Jesus Christ holding a cigarette in one hand and a beer can on the other which has sparked a controversy triggering condemnations from various quarters.
"We have registered a case under Section 295(A) against Skyline Publication for hurting religious sentiments. We have seized the books from the distributor as well as the school where it was supplied," DSP Vivek Syiem told PTI on Friday, Feb 19.
He said a police team will be leaving for Delhi soon to carry forward the investigation, indicating that persons responsible would be arrested.Authorities of St Joseph Girls Higher Secondary School here, where the cursive writing book was supplied among the students of Class I to IV, yesterday filed an FIR against the publisher after the objectionable picture of Christ came to notice.The cursive writing book meant for Class I is a spelling tutor. For the alphabet 'I', the word 'Idol' is used in the book. Against this word is printed the picture of Jesus Christ with the scandalous representation.
Full report here Outlook
Related news
Cigarette-holding Jesus in school book triggers row Hindustan Times
Pictures of smoking Jesus kick up storm Telegraph
Indian state confiscates 'blasphemous' Jesus textbooks BBC
He said a police team will be leaving for Delhi soon to carry forward the investigation, indicating that persons responsible would be arrested.Authorities of St Joseph Girls Higher Secondary School here, where the cursive writing book was supplied among the students of Class I to IV, yesterday filed an FIR against the publisher after the objectionable picture of Christ came to notice.The cursive writing book meant for Class I is a spelling tutor. For the alphabet 'I', the word 'Idol' is used in the book. Against this word is printed the picture of Jesus Christ with the scandalous representation.
Full report here Outlook
Related news
Cigarette-holding Jesus in school book triggers row Hindustan Times
Pictures of smoking Jesus kick up storm Telegraph
Indian state confiscates 'blasphemous' Jesus textbooks BBC
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