stage Ode to Shiva

The third godhead of the Hindu Trinity and perhaps one of our most complex deities is at the centre of a new dance production

BY USHA RAMANUJAM ARVIND

All that begins must end, thereby continuing the cycle of life and death in eternal continuum. As god of yogis, Shiva sustains change, both in the form of death and destruction but more importantly, in the positive sense of shattering ego and illusion. In doing so, he enables the vision of truth, purity and reality - Satyam Shivam

Sundaram

Exploring the complex metaphysical themes of Karma, Gnana and Bhakti Yoga, Yogatrayam, a unique Bharatanatyam ballet brought together artistes from two well-regarded institutions, Kalasadhanalaya (Chennai) and Samskriti School of Dance (Sydney) at the UNSW Science Theatre. Conceptualised by Swami Paramarthananda Saraswathi, it was a celebration of the many manifestations of Shiva and contradictions that constitute the enigmatic third god of Hindu Triumvirate.

Kalasadhanalya founder Revathi Ramachandran and her daughter-disciple Manasvini portrayed Karma and Gnana Yoga in exquisite detail through Laya Nirupanam, while Hamsa Venkat and Samskriti School delved into Bhakti Yoga with enchanting tales from the Puranas. Esoteric themes were innovatively choreographed and succinctly executed, making Yogatrayam a feast for the senses.

T he event was in aid of AIM for Seva, which runs an extensive support network for disadvantaged children in rural India. Representing both action and knowledge, Laya Nirupanam, a thematic presentation in Melatur style of Bharatanatyam examined Shiva, first as Nataraja, the god of dance, who shoulders the all-important tasks of creation, sustenance and destruction, thus keeping the world in harmony; and subsequently as Daksinamurthy, the

Mouna Guru and supreme Brahman, who transcends name and form as he resolves doubts through reflection and contemplation, leading the individual towards sat, chit and ananda (truth, consciousness and bliss).

Juxtaposing movement with introspection, youthful energy with restrained elegance, the mother-daughter duo is indeed a fine torchbearer of the shudha nrittam legacy, bequeathed by Guru Mangudi Iyer.

Beautifully rendered vocals, nattuvangam and orchestral support carried the narrative forward. Novel use of percussion heightened the sense of expectation as synchronised footwork and mathematical precision allowed the duo to demonstrate the splendour of pure nritta. Elaborate sancharis portrayed the cycle of life in all its infinite variety.

Amidst rhythmic chants from Chamakam and Guru Ashtakam, Laya Nirupanam commenced with ‘Guru Vandanam’ and ‘Shambu Natanam’, set to tune by maestros Ganesh and Kumaresh. The sounds that emanate from Shiva’s damaru leading to the creation of the cosmos ensued.

The rendering of Dikshitar kriti ‘Ananda Natana Prakasam’ demonstrated skill and mastery as the virtues of the Lord of Dance were extolled. ‘Nee Aada Naan Aaduven’ yet again showcased rhythmic unison.

The study of contrasts continued with ‘Sankara Sankara Shambho’ from Thayumanavar’s Anandakalippu, culminating in energetic and joyous Thillaana - ‘Deena Karunaakarane Nataraja Neelakantane’.

Borrowing heavily from the wealth of narratives present in ancient Hindu scriptures and mythology, Bhakti Yoga, that followed post interval, was indeed a prayer, a heartfelt offering of utmost devotion and reflected the deepest passion for the art form through self-surrender. Adi Shankara’s soul stirring compositions offered the perfect blank canvas for the very capable artists.

Ably led by their guru Hamsa, senior students including Vidya, Sruthi and

Govind crafted the individual’s personal relationship with god as he journeys along the path of self-realisation, singlemindedly overcoming obstacles. In doing so, the jeevatma ultimately seeks union with paramatma

Among the tales narrated in lavish detail were those of Sage Patanjali, often regarded as father of Yogasutra and considered an avatar of Adhisesha. Bhakti Yoga thus opened with this beautiful tale. The narrative of Nandi blocking Patanjali from entering Chidambaram temple followed. Elaborate hand and foot movements characterised the ‘Charana Shrunga Stotram’, demonstrating not just Patanjali’s vexation but also his skill and mastery over short syllabic verses while extolling the beauty of Chidambaranathan.

Vishakha Iyer rendered ‘Nandi Chol’, a beautifully choreographed Shreejith Krishna composition, with remarkable grace and dexterity.

A magnificently structured Varnam depicting the tale of Kannappa Naayanaar showcased the power of unstinting devotion that surpasses all barriers.

Bhakti Yoga also paid tribute to the phallic form of worship, symbolised by Lingam as the formless, all pervasive reality. ‘Lingotbhava Vaibhavam’ was a colourful representation of his omnipresence, with beautiful choreography and sound effects.

The auspicious odyssey of Yogatrayam concluded amidst chants of ‘Pranava Naadam’, in a fitting tribute to Omkaara, controller of Life Force.

Be it the song selection, stage set up or thematic representation, Yogatrayam was a deeply uplifting spiritual experienceone that grappled with the nebulous and transformed into a vision of beauty.

After the Indian government faced embarrassment in Parliament over a bill on the Backward Classes Commission, the BJP accused the Congress of “cheating the OBCs for its minority politics” but the Opposition party hit back with a countercharge.

The Congress had hatched a conspiracy in the Rajya Sabha to not support the bill to confer constitutional status on the National Commission for Backward Classes, Bharatiya Janata Party’s Rajya Sabha member Bhupender Yadav said at a press conference in New Delhi.

In response, Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said the “betrayal” of the cause of the backward classes was evident as 35 BJP members were absent from the Rajya Sabha, leading to failure of the constitutional amendment bill.

The opposition party also demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP President Amit Shah must apologise to the backward classes for what it called compromising their interests.

“It was a Congress conspiracy. The amendment brought in by the Congress was not to favour the OBCs or to get them justice, but to halt the amendment bill in the Lok Sabha and cheat them,” BJP leader Bhupender Yadav said.

The government suffered embarrassment in the Rajya Sabha when it could not ensure the passage of a bill to give constitutional status to the Backward Classes Commission, with the opposition succeeding in getting amended an important provision on the matter.

The BJP leader said the kind of amendment the Congress supported did not come under the ambit of the Constitution. “This could have been questioned in any court of law,” he claimed.

Yadav accused the Congress of being an “anti-poor” party and said: “For the last 70 years, they did not allow any scheme to favour 15,000 small caste groups in the country. They don’t want these groups to get their rights.”

He also questioned the Congress on implementation of the Kaka Kalelkar Committee recommendations as well as the Mandal Commission over the years.

“Whatever schemes we brought, the Congress opposed these -- like demonetisation, which was brought to benefit the poor. We brought in MUDRA scheme, but they opposed it. We opened accounts of the poor under the Jan Dhan Scheme, the Congress opposed it,” the Rajya Sabha member said.

“We brought the bill on Aadhaar cards and the Congress not only opposed it but also filed a petition in the Supreme Court so that money doesn’t reach the poor,” the BJP leader said.

“Is minority politics more important for the Congress or those deprived of their rights for long,” Yadav asked.

Surjewala said, “Under the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government, a systematic decimation of the rights of the Scheduled Castes and Tribes, and the backward classes, has become the mantra.”

“As the BJP attempts to put a lid on this sordid episode by blaming the Congress, let us remind the nation that it is the Congress which brought in 27 per cent reservation for the backward classes in jobs/educational institutions and constituted a commission on the issue,” the Congress leader said.

“Instead of enacting a public drama of admonishing its MPs for absence from the Rajya Sabha, Modi and Shah must apologise to the backward classes for compromising their interests and bring in fresh legislation to undo the wrong,” Surjewala added.

The Indian Air force (IAF) has cleared 12 National Highways (NHs) as emergency landing airstrips that will enable rescue operation teams to reach affected areas easily, an official responsible for executing the project said.

Although there was initially a proposal to develop a total of 21 NHs into airstrips, for now 12 highways have been cleared, with three of those connecting Odisha,

Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh -- all Maoistaffected areas, which also witness vagaries of nature like floods and cyclones almost every year.

“The IAF has given clearance to 12 NHs to be developed into emergency landing airstrips out of the total 21. However, on the remaining NHs, discussions and testing are on and soon they too are likely to be cleared by the IAF,” a senior government official, requesting anonymity, said.

Despite repeated attempts, the IAF had no comment to offer on the project and on related issues like the facilities to be put in place if the highways are to be used in times of emergencies.

To start with, the thickness of tar will be increased and highways will be made strong enough for aircraft to land.

“The highways will be open for public during normal times, but in case there is an emergency, normal traffic will be blocked and the stretch will be used for aircraft landing. Also, alternate ways will be created for the normal traffic flow during emergencies,” said the official.

According to the Ministry of Road, Transport, Highways and Shipping, the National Highways Authority of India has been chosen as the executing agency.

“In all, 17 highways were assigned to the NHAI, but after a joint survey, we found that airstrips can be developed only on 12 of the NHs. The bill of quantities has been prepared and we are waiting for approval from the competent authority on when to start,” NHAI Chairman Deepak Kumar told IANS.

Asked specifically how long it would take for the work to commence, Kumar, who was appointed recently to head the national road construction agency, said: “The work is expected to start in the next three-four months.”

One major reason behind the initiative is to strategically operate in places prone to natural calamities and where relief work cannot be carried out without the help of choppers or aircraft.

Among the 12 NHs cleared for being developed into airstrips are: JamshedpurBalasore highway and Chattarpur-Digha highway (both touching Odisha), the Kishanganj-Islampur highway in Bihar, Delhi-Moradabad highway in Delhi-Uttar Pradesh, Bijbehara-Chinar Bagh highway in Jammu and Kashmir, Rampur-Kathgodam highway in Uttarakhand, Lucknow-Varanasi highway in Uttar Pradesh, Dwarka-Maliya highway in Gujarat, Kharagpur-Keonjhar highway in West Bengal and MohanbariTinsukia highway in Assam.

Others include Vijaywada-Rajahmundry highway in Andhra Pradesh, ChennaiPuducherry highway in Tamil Nadu and Phalodi-Jaisalmer highway in Rajasthan.

Elaborating on the planning of the entire project, the official said that the selection of highways had been done in a way that the entire country could be covered during natural calamities.

“The highways chosen in Odisha are connected to Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand. Planning is such that within short duration, aircraft will be ready to land and the soldiers can be deployed to help during a natural calamity,” said the official, adding that such initiatives were in existence and had been tried during World War II.

In 2016, Minister of Road, Transport, Highways and Shipping Nitin Gadkari had announced the project and the formation of a committee to come up with specifications for highway stretches that can double up as airstrips.

The committee will look into details like feasibility of the stretches, their length and breadth, among other issues.

India, Russia likely to ink deal for more Mi-17 V5 choppers this year

India and Russia hope to conclude a contract to purchase an additional 48 Mi-17 V5 medium lift helicopters by the end of this year, an official in Moscow said.

Aleksandr Mikheev, CEO of Rosoboronexport, the state agency for exporting defence equipment from Russia, said price negotiations are to start by August.

“We are holding negotiations with a view to sign a contract for 48 Mi-17 V5 helicopters. In July-August, we are starting price and contract negotiations within the framework of the applicable Indian procedure and we hope that we will reach agreement before the end of this year,” Mikheev told this visiting IANS correspondent.

“Our Indian partners know the programme very well. They have more than 300 helicopters belonging to the Mi-8 and Mi-17 family,” he added.

India, at present, has more than 150 Mi17 V5 helicopters, the last of which were delivered in January 2016. Most of the Mi8s have, however, been phased out while some of the Mi-17s are still flying.

The Mi-17 V5 is based on the Mi-8 airframe and is one of the most advanced aircraft of the Mi-8/17 family.

The helicopters are equipped with night vision technology, all-weather radar, a new PKV-8 autopilot system and a KNEI-8 avionics suite.

The sturdy choppers have been the mainstay of the Indian Air Force in a number of humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations.

The choppers were also deployed during the 2008 Mumbai terror attack when it enabled commandos of the National Security Guard to rapel down to the Chabad House in Colaba where a few of the attackers were holed up. They are also said to have been pressed into service during the surgical strikes carried out on Pakistani terror launch pads across the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir in September 2016.

The chopper’s TV3-117BM turboshaft engines are rated at 1,900 hp each, giving it a greater service and hovering ceiling, and have proved efficient in the tough mountain terrain of the Himalayas.

Mikheev added that India and Russia are also discussing the modernisation of the Sukhoi SU-30MKI fighters.

“During a period of 15 years, we have fulfilled all our obligations to the Indian party, the HAL. We have supplied about 200 aircraft under the licence agreement and are offering the new developments of our design bureaus,” Mikheev said.

“Moreover, the Indian Air Force has some requirements for improvement of performance and operational characteristics, mainly with regard to avionics and electronic warfare systems, as well as updates of weapon systems by both Indian and Russian companies,” he added.

Asked about the S-400 Triumf long range air defence missile system, a contract for which was signed during Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to India last year, Mikheev said negotiations were on.

“As of today, we are carrying out technical consultations with the Indian party. We have already shown our equipment in both the field-testing, rangepractice conditions,” he said.

“Rosoboronexport is performing all the work aimed at signing of the contract as soon as possible, based on the feedback from the Indian party,” he said, adding: “I’d like to note that today the Indian party does not have any such systems as the S-400.”

The deal is estimated to be worth over $5 billion (over Rs 32,000 crore).

The missile system, which has been deployed in Syria, where Russia is targeting the Islamic State, can destroy incoming hostile aircraft, missiles and even drones at ranges of up to 400 km and will prove to be a game changer for India, experts said.

Global software major Wipro Ltd recently said it had opened an innovation centre in the US’ Silicon Valley to develop and showcase next-generation technologies and solutions for enterprises.

“Our Silicon Valley innovation centre at Mountain View in California will demonstrate enterprise applications based on disruptive technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, Virtual Reality, Hyper Spectral Imaging, Machine Vision and Collaborative Robotics & Automation,” said the IT major in a statement.

Wipro said it has been investing in emerging technologies to make its clients future-ready in the digital era and solve real-world business challenges faced by enterprises.

The centre will also serve as a value creator for start-ups, small and medium enterprises and entrepreneurs, enabling them to integrate their capabilities with that of the company and participate in the larger innovation ecosystem.

The centre has incubated a ‘Digital Pod’ and features a ‘aRapid Proto Lab.’ The pod is built for the company’s digital strategy, design and engineering teams to work in a collaborative and adaptive workspace with clients.

The tech giant has 14 digital and design pods the world over, including in Bengaluru, Copenhagen, London, Madrid, Munich, New York, Oslo, Stockholm, Tel Aviv and Tokyo. “Clients will have access to immersive experiences and ability to experiment with futuristic technologies in the ‘aRapid Proto Lab’,” said Wipro.

The company hopes to enter into research partnerships with universities across the US during this fiscal.

“The centre will support our collaboration with start-ups in the Bay Area through our strategic investment arm Wipro Ventures, a $100-million fund that focuses on investing in early-to mid-stage start-ups,” said the statement.

Wipro Chief Executive Abidali Neemuchwala said that the centre was imbued with the culture, spirit and energy of the Valley, which is the cradle of technological innovation.

“The centre will design and deliver solutions for our clients. We are committed to work with start-ups, academia and tech firms in the Bay area to help our clients achieve digital transformation outcomes,” he said.

Indian-American laserist Manick Sorcar bags award in global lm contest

Denver-based, Indian-American laserist and animator Manick Sorcar has won the prestigious Award of Merit from The Accolade Global Film Competition for his animation Beautiful Mess.

The Accolade recognises film, television, videography and new media professionals who demonstrate exceptional achievement in craft and creativity, and those who produce standout entertainment or contribute to profound social change.

Sorcar, the eldest son of the legendary magician late PC Sorcar, said he was thrilled and gratified at the award, adding, “I take it as a recognition of the challenges I encountered in presenting the short, emotional story using laser as the animating medium and manipulating the strong beam of light as a harmless pencil to draw on a sketchbook.”

This is not the first laser animation of Sorcar that got international recognition. He won the ILDA 2015 Artistic Award for Light Art in Shower Ocean in Innovative Application of Laser category from the International Laser Display Association.

Sorcar had also won the ILDA 2007 Artistic Award in Laser Photography category for his laser art Reflection and the ILDA Artistic Award for Best Use of Lasers in Live Stage Performance for his Enlightenment of Buddha.

According to the Accolade, in winning this award, Sorcar joins the ranks of other high-profile winners of this internationally respected award, including the Oscar winning production of The Lady in Number Six by Malcolm Clarke, the talented Dave Bossert of Disney for his short documentary, and The Tunes Behind The Toons.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has said she would not declare the 39 Indians missing in Iraq as dead till she has concrete evidence to that effect.

“I repeat, I will not declare them (the missing Indians) dead until we have concrete evidence to that effect,” she told Rajya Sabha.

The Minister said that she “never said in Parliament or outside that they are alive, as being claimed by some Congress MPs”.

There were some sharp exchanges between the Minister and Congress members Pratap Singh Bajwa and Ambika Soni as the latter accused the government of “shifting goal posts” and demanded to know why she was not trusting the word of Harjit Masih, one of the 40 Indians captured by the Islamic State in Iraq in June 2014, who claimed that the rest of the group had been shot dead.

“Why would Harjit Masih tell a lie? What would he get out of it?” Bajwa asked.

“I have reasons to not trust Harjit Masih. I was the first one to speak with him when he first contacted Indian authorities soon after the incident. I repeatedly asked him over phone as to how he survived when the rest were shot dead according to him. But he kept saying he did not know,” Sushma Swaraj said.

“Secondly, the family of Nishan Singh, one of the missing persons, says they spoke with him on June 17 (2014). How is this possible when Harjit claims they were killed on June 15?” she said.

Congress MPs Bajwa and Soni demanded to know what the Minister’s sources were on whose basis she was claiming that the missing persons may be alive.

Sushma Swaraj said she cannot disclose sources on the floor of the House as it may put their lives in danger.

“Bajwaji, if you have the nerve to tell the families of the missing persons that they are dead, you do it. I cannot do it. I will keep searching for them until I get concrete proof that they are dead,” Sushma Swaraj said.

She said that according to the information that has been received, the group was caught at the Mosul airfield, and taken to a jail, after which they were put to construction work, and then farming, before being taken to Badush jail in 2016. But after that there has been no contact. The Minister said that all the information was culled from different sources and there was no evidence to support any of the claims.

Following reports in the media that the Badush jail building had been demolished, the Minister was blamed for misleading the nation on the 39 Indians. IANS