Showing posts with label Festival. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Festival. Show all posts

A Dark Diwali In Darjeeling

10:03 PM

Sombre Celebrations: A Dark Diwali In Darjeeling

Writes : Jaideep Mazumdar

Diwali, or Tihar as the festival is called in the now troubled and traumatised Darjeeling Hills, is a dark one this year. Fear stalks every turn, nook and corner of the Hills, thanks to a silent crackdown launched by the state government against supporters of the Gorkhaland movement. There is anger also at the targeting of “innocent” people by the brutal state machinery and the manner in which the Mamata Banerjee government is going after Gorkha Janmukti Morcha chief Bimal Gurung, who is in hiding.

Tihar is the second-most important festival (after Dashain, which coincides with Dusherra) in the Hills and is a five-day affair marked with a lot of festivities and gaiety. With all houses, even the smallest hut of the poorest man, getting a fresh coat of paint, bedecked with flowers and lit up with lamps and fairy lights, with people dressed in their festive best and in a celebratory mood, the Hills are a cheerful place at this time of the year.

But a benumbing darkness has descended on the Darjeeling Hills this year. The Tihar celebrations are perfunctory and people are carrying out the rituals, which involve worshipping and feeding birds and animals, in a mechanical manner. The festive cheer is absent, replaced this time by fear and uncertainty. The heavy and visible presence of state police and central paramilitary forces in riot gear all over the Hills serves as a dark reminder that the state is watching each and every move of the people.

Which it is, say many. “The police are closely monitoring social media posts and are picking up and questioning people randomly for posting comments that are deemed to be in favour of Gorkhaland. Some who questioned the authenticity of the arms haul a few days ago on social media are being targeted and false cases have been slapped on them. Democracy has been totally subverted in the Hills,” said a young Morcha supporter.

So deep is the fear of a vindictive Bengal government crushing even minor dissent that a web-based pro-Gorkhaland portal – The Darjeeling Chronicle – had to warn its readers against posting any comments that could be misinterpreted. “For instance, writing, “we are brave Gorkhas" is okay; but writing "we are brave Gorkhas, and we will show you what we are made of could be interpreted as a threat to someone,” the paper writes in an appeal to its readers. Those running the site say many who have posted angry comments have been picked up for questioning by the police or have been warned over phone.

“We are living in a police state where democracy has been crushed under the boots of the policemen. There is fear all around. Gorkhas are a cheerful lot, but you won’t see anyone smiling on the streets. People are fearful. If a person cannot post anything on social media in support of Gorkhaland without getting arrested, you can imagine the intolerance of the Banerjee government. It is only those who are based outside Bengal or India who are daring to post comments in favour of Gorkhaland or against Banerjee,” said a senior academic who teaches political science at a reputable college.

The academic, who did not want to be named for fear of facing harassment at the hands of the state police, said that very recently, the Darjeeling-based relatives of a young Gorkha man staying in Bangalore, who had posted comments condemning the Bengal police, were contacted by the state intelligence sleuths. “The relatives of this man were told to advise him to refrain from posting anything against the state government or the police or the Chief Minister. They were warned that they would be arrested if their nephew (the Bangalore-based young man) does not mend his ways. This shows that the police are keeping tabs on everyone. The way they traced the relatives of the Bangalore-based man and warned them is very dangerous for democracy. This incident shows we are living under a dictatorial regime intent on snuffing out dissent,” he said.

The machinations of the state government has also triggered rift and suspicion among the people of the Hills. The state government was successful in creating a divide within the Morcha leadership and wean away Bimal Gurung’s close associates Binay Tamang and Anit Thapa. “They (Tamang and Thapa) did not have much support initially. But they had the blessings of the Banerjee government and the state administration then started threatening other Morcha leaders, slapping false cases on them, indiscriminately arresting their family members and applying all sorts of illegal pressure on them to abandon Bimal Gurung and support Tamang. That is the story behind many Morcha leaders and activists switching their loyalties to Tamang. Many, of course, are doing so for personal gains also, especially since the state government has just announced a Rs 634 crore bonanza for the Hills and these people are greedily eyeing a slice of that pie,” said a retired Army officer who is a vociferous supporter of Gorkhaland.

“People are afraid of voicing their opinions freely even in front of relatives, neighbours and friends. One never knows who has become an ‘informer’ and will carry tales to the police. No one wants to get into trouble and have false cases slapped against them,” said the army officer, adding that such conditions existed in the communist dictatorships of the past. The ‘dark state’ is feared in the Hills, and democracy has been subverted by the state government.

Darjeeling Lok Sabha MP S S Ahluwalia has also warned against all this. In a statement, the Union minister said that “bullets, jail and violence” will not solve the problem in the Hills. Ahluwalia alluded to the ongoing hunt for Bimal Gurung and warned the state against killing him. “I fear for his (Gurung’s) life,” Ahluwalia said. The Bengal government has slapped many cases against Gurung, his wife and other associates and has been trying to nab him. A police sub-inspector died in an alleged exchange of fire near Darjeeling a few days ago when police, acting on a tip-off about the presence of Gurung in a hideout, went to raid it. Later, the state police claimed to have recovered a huge haul of sophisticated arms and ammunition from the alleged hideout. Gurung has, in a statement issued on Wednesday, contested the police version and has also denied that his supporters or associates had fired at the police party that led to the death of the sub-inspector.

The day after the death of the police officer, houses of five close associates and neighbours of Bimal Gurung went up in flames. Police claimed that Morcha activists set fire to the houses to destroy evidence. But the police claim has few takers and the popular belief is that the police set the houses on fire to avenge the death of the police officer.

This incident has triggered widespread anger among the people of the Hills. But they are fearful of expressing their anger in any overt form. The fear of arrests, being implicated in false cases and of being threatened and beaten into submission, looms large over the Hills. That is why, perhaps, the people of the Hills are expressing their anger in a covert way: by shrouding themselves in sombre darkness during Diwali.

Via: Swarajya

Ramilo SU-Khim: The Sikkim University Fest

7:49 PM
Writes *Animesh Rai

28th May 2016, was a historic day for Sikkim University (SU), one of the youngest yet the highly debated ‘Highway’ University of India. The focus this time was not the usual debate or debacle between the state and the academia nor was it the issues pertaining to research fellowship grants, reservations, campus land tussles but it was solely the victory of the university officials and students in institutionalising the association, a consensual co-ordination of SU students with specific aims and objectives. The day was special for it was the closing ceremony of ‘Ramilo-SU-Khim’, a month long first fest organised by the Sikkim University Student’s Association (SUSA).

SUSA, the brainchild of the present Vice-Chancellor of SU Prof. T.B. Subba and the MS-18 Team, through their hard work, dedication and commitments laid the foundation of the student body and framed its constitution with 18 articles. SUSA organised the first student fest of the university with the theme “Ramilo SU - Khim” where Ramilo stands for Happy, SU is an abbreviation of Sikkim University and ‘Khim’ means Home in Limbu language. Thus, SU-Khim means Happy Sikkim University Home/Family in particular and in the broader context SU-Khim means a ‘New Home’ in the Himalayas according to the historical account of the Limbu Queen of the erstwhile Kingdom of Sikkim, the sweetheart of the noble Bhutia King – Tensung Namgyal, the second Chogyal of Sikkim. Very true, Sikkim University has today become a new home not just for the Royals but for students across and beyond the nation. The national university boasts of having students from the Indian states across Kashmir to Kanyakumari and from Gujarat towards the extremes north east via Guwahati.
Ramilo SU-Khim: The Sikkim University Fest 
Mr. Swaraj Thapa, the Chief Advisor of Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) was the Chief Guest of the ceremonious event. He delivered a soothing talk on the issue concerning a separate state for the Indian Nepalis – Gorkhaland. The program was hitched by the integrative dance steps of the NeBuLa – The Himalayan congery of Nepalis, Bhutias and the Lepchas followed by the floor sweeping Bihu steps performed by the Assamese students. ‘Mother’ a dance form presented by the department of Horticulture was howling and heart-touching – the group enthralled the audience to extreme joy and called for an eternal obeisance and obedience to a Mother. The popular North Indian Bollywood desi-mixes staged by the Trio’s of Psychology department made the judges go insane in deciding the winner.

The tune and tone of ACDC’s TNT – sung by the first year students of Horticulture Department went to be an inaugural super-hit among the ‘Rock Music’ loving fans. Chimey and the band was too blue to make the mid-summer night so bright and beautiful with a touch of jazzy Joplin and the pinch of trendy Soulmate’s. The Lazy Fingers brought the classic rock and its charms back to life just before two minutes to midnight. The Doodles, a unified heterogeneous music project constituting of the young hill music maestros hailing from ‘Kalimpong’, the land which in Lepcha means ‘the ridges where we play’ did fiddle the musical ridges in all possible ways – superbly played in between the scales of bass to alto and soprano. Doodle’s way of singing ‘Wonderful Tonight’ with their originals ‘Nakkali’ and ‘Jhilkey’ made everybody go gaga in the steps of Elvis Presley in the land of Maruni and Madal. The fest did shake and kept the Tadong hills of Gangtok alive till the midnight and successfully accomplished the mission of ‘Ramilo SU-Khim’ in the modest manner. SUSA with the emphasis on the local terminology ‘Ramilo SU-Khim’ has surely produced a ‘new culture’ of integration of diverse communities and cultures with a space and sentiment to accommodate all across and beyond borders and frontiers in the new home, in the happy family of Sikkim University.

*Animesh Rai is a Research Student in the Department of Sociology, Sikkim University.

Young Gorkha filmmaker, Saurav Rai, steal the show for India at 69th Cannes film festival

11:42 AM
Writes Faizal Khan

May 22, 2016 When he was only one-and-half years old, Saurav Rai remembers experiencing an earthquake one day that shook everything around him. His mother, however, is sure there was no earthquake that day. The memory of something that didn’t happen has been haunting Rai ever since his childhood. Now, more than two decades later, the boy from Darjeeling has used memory as a narrative to make his first film. Part of the official selection at the 69th Cannes film festival, Gudh (Nest) by Rai, a graduate of the Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute of India in Kolkata, was screened in the Cinefondation section dedicated to film schools around the world. Rai’s diploma film, Gudh is built on his childhood recollection of how he spent his holidays with his parents in Darjeeling. “I was brought up by my grandparents,” says Rai. “As a young boy I had two sets of parents,” he says. Rai lived with his grandparents in Kathmandu until he was 11 years when he was reunited with his parents in Mangwa village, 30 km from Darjeeling. When his film was selected for Cannes, the whole community in Mangwa proudly celebrated the moment. “I am the first boy from Darjeeling to come to Cannes,” beams Rai.
Part of the official selection at the 69th Cannes film festival, Gudh (Nest) by Rai, a graduate of the Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute of India in Kolkata, was screened in the Cinefondation section dedicated to film schools around the world. (Reuters)
Gudh, which is competing for the best film from 17 other entries from film schools around the world, and The Cinema Travellers, a documentary on travelling cinema, are the only films from India in official selection this year. Independent filmmaker Anurag Kashyap’s new film Raman Raqhav 2.0 was screened in the parallel section of the Director’s Fortnight while Memories and My Mother by Aditya Vikram Sengupta is part of the student film projects in the Cannes festival’s Atelier section, which encourages the emergence of a new generation of filmmakers. K Rajagopal, an Indian-origin television series maker from Singapore, arrived with his first feature film, A Yellow Bird starring Seema Biswas, in another parallel Cannes section, Critics Week. Jago Hua Savera, a Pakistani film made in 1958 with Indian participation and later lost, was screened in the Cannes Classics programme for restored cinema. There was no Indian film in the prestigious Cannes competition this year too, 22 years after Malayalam director Shaji N Karun became the last Indian filmmaker to compete for the Palme d’Or, the festival’s top prize.
Saurav-Rai
A post from Saurav Rais FB wall

In fact, an Indian feature film was conspicuous by its absence from the official selection in Cannes this year, after Hindi film Masaan and Punjabi film Chauthi Koot were screened in the Un Certain Regard section that showcases fresh voices in cinema in the world last year. The Cinema Travellers, a 96-minute documentary by first-time directors Shirley Abraham and Amit Madheshiya, won the applause of the Cannes audience for its originality and aesthetic quality. Following a few travelling theatre, the filmmakers show a tradition that is fast disappearing from the remote Indian villages. “The film is a celebration of going to theatres,” said Abraham, a Bhopal-born filmmaker who lives in Mumbai. It took Abraham and Madheshiya five years to make The Cinema Travellers, an entry for the Camera d’Or prize for a debutant filmmaker in Cannes. Both The Cinema Travellers and the Pakistani film Jago Hua Savera were screened on the same day in the Cannes Classics section. Jago Hua Savera, which was shot in the then east Pakistan, in 1958, featured some of the legends in the sub-continent. Legendary poet Faiz Ahmed Faiz combined with Kolkata-based musician Timir Baran in the film, which also had Indian actor Tripti Mitra.

Faizal Khan is a freelancer


Via financialexpress


Second Short film by Gorkha TEZ in the 69th Cannes International Film Festival 2016

5:19 PM
Another Gorkha Filmmaker's Short film TEZ selected FOR 69thCannes International Film Festival (Festival De Cannes) 2016

Guwahati , Monday, 2nd May 2016: An Eastern Green Pictures production, Assamese language short Film TEZ has been selected under the Short Film Corner section at the prestigious 69th Cannes International Film Festival (Festival de Cannes) which will be held from May 11th to May 22nd 2016 at Cannes, France.

The film has been catalogued in the official ‘Short Film Catalog’ for this year’s selection in the Short Film Corner [Details: http://bit.ly/1QP0qQo]
Also, TEZ has received official selection in the 6th Dada Saheb Phalke Film Festival – 2016.

Adding another feather to the cap, TEZ has been selected at the 16th International Film Festivals to be held in Jaipur from May 15, the short film finds selection among 65 films selected out of 975 films received from 60 countries from 16 different subjects Tez is directed by Bhaskar Upadhyaya and Prabhat Goswami. The story and script is written by Prabhat Goswami and Producer of the film is Bhaskar Upadhyaya under the banner of Eastern Green Pictures. Chief Assistant Director is Manas Sagra. Pranab Vivek is the technical director and Amiya Ranjan Das is the Director of Photography of the film.
Second Gorkha Short film TEZ in the 69th Cannes International Film Festival 2016
Gorkha Filmmaker's Short film TEZ selected for 69thCannes International Film Festival 2016
Tez is a short film based on a father who abandons his new born girl child in the want of a boy. The story is based on the backdrop of the 90’s era, when in certain societies a male child meant prosperity and an extra earning hand, and whereas the ‘weaker sex’ was looked down upon. The father associates the birth of a girl with unending responsibilities and liabilities. However, the world turns upside down for the father when he has his moment of realization.

Produced under the banner of Eastern Green Pictures, Tez stars Prastuti Parashar, Angurlata Deka and Giridhar Roy; and Tarali Sarma is the music director of the film. Tez was shot in Guwahati and its outskirts late in 2015. Tez puts forward the message of ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’ (Save the Girl child, Educate the Girl child) in a very subtle yet cinematic way.

Talking to this correspondent in Guwahati Engineer turned passionate filmmaker Bhaskar Upadhyay said, ‘Selection of TEZ in film Festivals like Cannes Film Festival, International Film Festival, and Dada Saheb Phalke means creative efforts and cinematic excellence and experience of Eastern Green Pictures is rewarded. EGP congratulates people of Assam and the North East for this achievement by an regional language Short Film and we look forward for filling the void of the cinema industry of regional movies in the region in the days to come’.

It may be recalled Eastern Green Pictures recently announced its full length Assamese movie ULKA (https://web.facebook.com/UlkaTheFilm/?fref=ts to be produced by Bhaskar Upahyay and Meghraj Timsina and to be directed by Pranab Vivek. This movie will be first of its kind and audience will find a completely new genre film in regional language which will dubbed in few more regional language and released nationwide among the North Easterner crowd.



via: TheDC

Grand Tamang Sonam Lochar Celebrations in ‪‎Mirik‬

10:34 AM
Writes: Deep Milan Pradhan

A grand celebrations of Tamang Sonam Lochar was orgaized in Soureni yesterday. Gorkhaland Territorial Administration Soureni Samasty sabhasad Arun Sigchi was the Chief guest for the occassion.

Mr. Sigchi stated that GTA will distribute ‘Tamang dictionary’ to each Tamang communities of Soureni samasty soon, in order to promote Tamang language and culture.

He also declare that one of the veteran vocalist and first Nepali musician, lyricist Late Gopal Yonjan's statue will also be established on Manju fatak under the Soureni samasty. Mr. Singchi appealed to the Tamang community to choose the place for establishing the statue of religious guru Narbu Lama.

Mr. Sigchi said “I am very happy to note that such celebrations bring our community together and and together we can work towards improving the socio-economic status of all the people of of Mirik Soureni area.”
Grand Tamang Sonam Lochar Celebrations in ‪‎Mirik‬
Grand Tamang Sonam Lochar Celebrations in ‪‎Mirik‬
Notably, dignitaries of Tamang community expressed their depth of gratitude for hearty compliments to GTA and Mr. Sigch

Via TheDC

BHAI TIKA - A True Celebration of Women Empowerment in ‪‎Gorkhali‬ Society 

8:04 AM

Writes: Bal Krishna 

While in majority of the communities across South Asia - Rakhi is seen as one of the most important festivals, for Gorkhalis its Bhai Tika... and we believe that no other festival in the world celebrates female empowerment more than Bhai Tika.

In Rakhi, the sister ties the string of faith on her brother, and he in turn promises to protect her. In Bhai Tika its just the opposite. Its not the brother protecting the sister, but rather the sister protecting her brother.

So how did it all Began? 

This is a story told to us by our Boju and she would tell us this story every Bhai Tika, so I am sharing the same... 

A long long time ago, a Kirat King was on his death bed and Yamaraj had come to take him to the next realm. However, the king's sister would not let her younger brother die just yet. So she pleaded with Yamaraj to spare her brother's life, but Yamaraj would not listen to her. 

She kept on pleading, but Yamaraj instead of hearing her plea, started to get angry at her and later became infuriated. 

So Yamaraj in anger took the King with him towards Patal lok... but the Sister refused to give up. So she challenged Yamaraj to a duel. 

Yamaraj was livid, being challenged by a woman and tried to brush her off, but the sister held her ground and told Yamaraj, "I am not moving... either you have to kill me or spare my brother's life." 

Infuriated, Yamaraj accepted the challenge and dueled with the Sister.

Yamarj being the God of death was mighty and powerful, and all that sister had on her side was her love for her brother and conviction that she would prevail.

The fight lasted for a long time, and Yamaraj was surprised that try as he could he was unable to defeat this woman.

Towards the end, Yamaraj made a mistake and lifted his hand too high, the Sister took her chance and struck him through the gap. 

The blow could have killed any ordinary person, but as her opponent was Yamaraj, he did not die... however Yamaraj's head was cut open and erupted in blood, due to the strong blow meted out by the Sister.

Stunned, Yamaraj pleased and impressed with the valour and conviction of the sister told her, "Ok... I won't take your brother with me now.. you can take your brother back, but this cannot go on forever... he will have to die someday, as that is the Law of Nature..." 

The sister was relieved... In addition to being brave, she was a smart thinker... so she said, "I will set some conditions and when that condition is fulfilled only then you can take my brother." 

Yamraj said, "As you wish..."

These are the conditions the sister set

"1. You cannot take my brother away, unless the Tika I put on him fades away." 

Yamraj said "Ok..."

The sister put Paanch Rangi Tika’ consisting of five colours (red, green, blue, yellow and white) on the forehead of their brother. This way the Tika took forever to fade and her brother continued to live.

"2. You cannot take my brother away, unless the circle I draw around him dries out"

Yamaraj said "Ok"

The sister used Oil instead of water to draw the circle around her brother, which took forever to dry out, and her brother continued to live.

"3. You cannot take my brother away, unless the garland of flower I put on him wilts"

Yamaraj said "Ok"

The sister used Makhmali phool [Globe amaranth] to make the garland, and since this flower lasts and never wilts her brother continued to live forever. 

It is said that Yamaraj could take the brother, only after his sister grew very old and died before him. 

This, as our boju used to tell us, was why we do the rituals we do on bhai tika... 

The Okhar (walnut) which our sisters break today is supposed to symbolize the breaking of Yamaraj's head in that epic battle... so every year our sisters send a signal to Yamaraj... don't come near my brother, else what I did to this Okhar could very easily happen to you. 

I personally find this story very powerful and this legend very symbolic of the fact that in Gorkhali community, the woman have not only been equal, but also more stronger, more daring, more loving and caring than the men. 

So here's to all the Sisters... THANK YOU FOR BEING YOURSELVES... 

HAPPY BHAI TIKA!!

[P.S: Dedicated to my sisters... thanks for all the love]

Via TheDC

Kohima Gorkha community celebrated pre-Tihar (Diwali)

10:52 AM
The Kohima Gorkha community today celebrated pre-Tihar (Diwali), the festival of lights under the aegis of Gorkha Public Panchayat Kohima within its office complex in Chandmari here.

Gracing the celebration as the chief guest, OSD Municipal Affairs Department Nagaland, Sanju Pandey expressed the hope that the celebrations would spread the message of brotherhood and oneness amongst all the community.

He also appreciated the GPP for organising the celebrations with a view to uphold the cultural identity and also pass it on to the younger generation.  Pandey also extended festive greetings and best wishes to the people.

Guest of honour, Dy SP PHQ, Jibon Pradhan expressed hope that peace will reign the society with the celebration of tihar.

Earlier, the guests also lighted the diwali lights along with GBs and presidentsof various Gorkha NGOs in the state capital.
 Kohima Gorkha community celebrated pre-Tihar (Diwali)
 Kohima Gorkha community celebrated pre-Tihar (Diwali)
Assistant General Secretary of GPP Chanda Rai delivered the welcome address while tihar greeting was extended by GPPK president Santu Thapa. Significance of tihar was shared by GPPK general secretary Suresh Kumar Lama. Special number was presented by Samir Thapa while Gorkha Sahitya Kala Sanstha Kohima Chandra Kumar Lama tendered the vote of thanks.  

The main highlights of the program were dramatise act on tihar, Gorkha traditional fashion show, cultural dances, performance by Tashi Dolma Lama, finalist of Dancing Stars of Nagaland, Kamal Chettri, 1st runners-up and Kezevinuo Sogotsu, finalist Amazing Voice of Nagaland, bands of Gorkha NGOs, individual artists.  

Tihar is a five-day Hindu festival celebrated by Nepalese/Gorkhas that honors different animals on successive days. The third day of the festival, Lakshmi Puja, dedicated to the goddess of wealth, is known as Diwali.

Source:nelive


 
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