Sunday, September 25, 2016

MANIK SARKAR OF TRIPURA IS THE POOREST CHIEF MINISTER IN INDIA


                                                                       




MANIK SARKAR ( BORN 1949 ) IS THE POOREST CHIEF MINISTER IN INDIA


He does not smoke and is a teetotaler . He neither owns land nor a house. Just a Bicycle is all that can be seen in his house apart from the Government vehicle that he uses only for his official duties. His wife goes to shopping in an Auto rickshaw Paying from her own pocket. He donates his allowances and salary to the Party and then gets a sum of Rs5000/= per month from the party as subsistence allowance .

His wife Panchaali Battacharya retired from a Government Job and they manage their affairs from the subsistence allowance Paid to him and Monthly pension of his wife .

A commerce Graduate and son of a tailor , he donated his family house in Agartala to a poor relative after his mother died .
He is Manik Sarkar Chief Minister of Tripura for the last 15 years . Even his worst critic salutes him for his transparency , Honesty and integrity .

In the last elections to the state Assembly ,Sarkar, had declared Rs 9, 720 cash in bank and Rs 1, 080 cash in hand . As per details submitted by Sarkar, he had never invested in jewellery, shares, bonds, or any other investment modes.

The 59-year-old Marxist who has no land, no vehicle and no other moveable or immoveable assets Informs :

“I have never felt ashamed of my poverty .  It has been enforced as self discipline  and transparency .  I rather feel proud about the same. "

 In Tripura ,You will not find any officer using Government Vehicle for private purpose . Tripura  is a performing State that has been successfully kept free from Naxalism. It has the Highest Literacy rate not only NE States but in entire country now.The state is keen to supply at least 100 MW of electricity to power-starved Bangladesh since it has become a power surplus state.

Apart from honesty, Mr Manik Sarkar has been totally involved  for the development of the state which includes  connectivity and  IT sector . He is  also responsible for bringing the Concept of public-private partnership to so many development Projects of the state .

(Autar Mota )




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Friday, September 23, 2016

“ LONELINESS ” AND FAIZ AHMED FAIZ



                                                                          


LONELINESS ...

To this photo i am adding a poem of Faiz....

“ LONELINESS ” AND FAIZ AHMED FAIZ

FAIZ Is at his best when it comes to dealing with Loneliness in poetry . His imagery , skill and presentation moves you to tears .This could be due to the fact that Faiz had lived through what he later expressed in his poems . “TANHAAI” is amongst the finest Poems in this genre as it deals with Intense Loneliness experienced by the poet . 
                                                                        

Some one had to return . A weary wait .A starry sky , Piercing silence all around and Desolate pathways as the night settles itself. The ears , careful for even the feeblest Knock . Even if a leaf falls to ground ,the heart in wait gets alerted with the gentlest sound . Could this be his delicate foot steps ? A communication with the Heart begins . The heart that is the lone companion around ;

“ Is he at the door ? Just Look up .”
“ No, he is not . No one has returned . May be some Vagrant at the door who lost his path at this time of the night . He too shall soon Pass by and move to some other direction ”

Memories are in Tumult . Old wounds are throbbing . Every stitch of the fresh wound starts to lacerate . The hustle and bustle of the day had camouflaged so many sorrows; This unfriendly night brings them in through its porches. 

The pathways that were Busy during the day , helping scores of travelers to reach there destinations have turned weary now. They can not be expected to wait any further . They too need some rest. Other than facilitating the Journey , they have no relation with the travelers or with persons in wait . The dust on these pathways has also erased all impression of previous day’s footsteps. The pathway has to be prepared for Next day’s travelers. One after the other , these tired pathways are now surrendering to sleep . How long to wait now ? Does waiting serve any purpose? 

Decidedly , no one is returning now .What else to do now other than blowing out the candles , Drifting away from all temptations and locking all those dreamy chambers of the mind ?
No one shall return now .
                                                                        

Here is the poem and my English Translation . This is my third attempt to render the poem to simple English.

(TANHAAI)
“Phir koi aayaa, dil-e-zaar! “
“Nahin, koyee Nahin;”
Raah-rau hoga, kahin aur chala jayegaa.”

Dal Chuki Raat, 
Bikharne laga taaron ka ghubaar,
Larr-kharraane lagay Aiwaanon Mein khwaabeeda chiraagh,
So gayi Raasta tak tak ke har Ek Raah guzar;
Ajnabi khaak ne dhundlaa diye qadmon ke suraag.
Gul karo shamein, Barraa Do Mai-o-meena-o-ayaag,
Apne Be-khwaab kivaadon ko Muqaffal kar lo;
Ab Yahaan koyee Nahin, Koyee Nahin Aayegaa !

( Faiz Ahmed Faiz )


My Translation ..

( Loneliness )

“ Has someone turned up , O cheerless Heart? "
“No, None , 
May be a Wanderer it was ,
He will move on .”
As the night settles itself , 
The squall of stardust scatters over the sky.
In the Assembly Halls , 
The Dreamy Lights look sleepy and shimmer.
Weary in wait ,One after the other ,
Every pathway has given in to sleep . 
The alien dust of the paths has erased every impressions of the footsteps.
Blow out these candles Now ! 
Take away these cups, containers and the wine,
Bolt up the doors, 
Make safe those dreamless porticos
Now, no one will return this way . 
No one. No One ……….


In 1959, Well Known singer Noor Jahaan sang this poem in a private Gathering moving Faiz Ahmed Faiz ( who was present in that private Party ) to tears.


( Autar Mota )

PS
 (Photographs clicked by Autar Mota )


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CHINAR SHADE by Autarmota is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 2.5 India License.
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ACTOR NANA PATEKAR DONATES 90% OF HIS EARNINGS TO POOR AND NEEDY

                                                               
       ( NANA   PATEKAR WITH HIS MOTHER )
                     ( NANA ON A BICYCLE )

                                      

               (With BSF Jawans in Jammu)
  .                                
 ( Helping Vidharba Farm Widows)

NANA PATEKAR ( Born 1951 )

No Seaside Bunglow in Mumbai. No luxurious farm Houses. No Boozing sessions and No rave parties.No imported clothes .No foreign rest and recuperation tours .And no product endorsements or advertisement revenues. No servants or Guards .Nana Lives with his mother in 1 BHK Flat in Mumbai suburb. And then Donates 9O% of his income to Needy and Poor through his NGO.

Yes I mean the same Nana who gave spine chilling performances in Parinda, Ab Tak Chhappan, Rajneeti , Tiranga , Krantiveer , Apaharan and many more films .

Adds Nana :

“ India is my Religion and Indianness is my caste . No Hindu , Muslim , Christian or Sikh . I don’t belong to a Religion that believes Hate , and segregation. There may be a particular Dress in your religion but religion is not Dress. Nowadays , People dress to define their Religion.”

"Today we boast of living on the sea-face; I lived in front of the sea in a village  as a child, where I heard not lullabies but the sound of the waves, what we call in Marathi, gaaj. I slept and woke up to the sound of the waves.We lived in a rented house belonging to Nazira Anwari and Niamaat saab, so I never knew the difference between Hindu and Muslim. My friends were their kids, Dilshaad and Saifu."

“ I donate from my earnings continuously keeping something for my Rainy Days . I would be happy to live within my own class in the society . From My recent Earnings I gave money to each Farmer’s family that had committed suicide . A Little Hope . I have to see what I can do for them on long Term basis .I will educate their Children . That may bring some hope to them . I’ll have to do it to keep the human inside me alive. I’m not doing it for them, but for all of us. So let’s do it all together."



“ I can not sit idle . I gossip with my Mother . Read newspapers to her .My mother is a very strong woman. We were seven kids, five of them passed away. My elder brother and I are alive.My mother lost five kids, her husband, her parents and siblings. But she is so strong, she is living for the people who are alive.She is 95 now, and is amazing. When someone comes to visit me, she may not remember the name, but she will describe the person so well, how that person walks and talks, that I understand exactly who has come to meet me.I have learnt acting from her. I have learnt everything from my mother”

" I Cook My Food , wash my clothes at times and Clean the house myself.Cooking is my passion. I am a better cook than actor.Cooking is like doing yoga. There is a lot of satisfaction in cooking food for others."

“ Politics is not my field . I may look Kadak or tough from Outside but those who know me closely know what I stand for. Yes I am brutally honest . Sometimes I suffer for being so straightforward. But then I can’t help it. So it is and shall remain .”

“ My father Dinkar Patekar  ran a small  textile printing business  . He was  poor yet  Honest and a  Real  human being. No malice or hatred. He  loved watching theatre, cinema, Tamasha (Marathi folk song and dance). He was fascinated by them. He was happy when I started working in plays. He saw only a little of my work; he didn’t get chance to see more because he passed away . .”

" Yes My father lost all when I was in the ninth standard and had to start working.I am grateful to the late G S Tari who provided me my bread and butter (Nana printed cinema posters for him). I used to call his wife Aai (mother).You meet some good people along the journey and must not forget them.I was paid Rs 35 a month and one meal a day. I had to walk eight kilometres to the work place -- from Matunga west to Chunabhatti (in central Mumbai).My wishes and dreams are very small -- two meals a day for which I hope I don’t have to beg. Live life with honesty, that’s all I want. I never asked anything else from God."

" I got married to Nilu (Neelkanti), whom I met because of my plays. She was a very good actress and also writes well. Nilu (Neelkanti) and me have not drifted apart.Wherever I am troubled, I get out of there. If I can't give happiness, I should not give you trouble. That's what I believe in.We are not divorced. We meet almost everyday and take care of each other. But we don't live together."

" My son Malhaar has learnt cinematography and direction . He doesn’t have any interest in acting.I always tell him that his body should be in control. He should keep himself fit. He doesn’t take care of himself. We look alike. He can easily play my younger self in films that require it. That is why I tell him to be fit.The only problem with me is, my body is getting old, and body parts are not available in the market (laughs).The advantage is I haven't put on weight so it doesn’t put a lot of pressure on my knees.


May You live long Nana  Patekar and keep doing what you believe in . You are an inspiration for  so many in the country .



( Autar Mota )


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Based on a work at http:\\autarmota.blogspot.com\.

INDUS WATER TREATY AND J&K STATE


                                                                     
                                        (River Indus Near Leh  Photo Wikipedia )
                                     ( Jhelum in Srinagar city Photo Autar Mota )
                                        (  River Chenab Near Doda In J&K )

                                             (  River Chenab Near Doda In J&K )

INDUS WATER TREATY AND  J&K STATE

This Treaty was negotiated by International Bank of Reconstruction and Development ( Now World Bank ) Between India and Pakistan in 1960 . The primary aim of this Treaty was to regulate the use of water of 6 rivers ( in Punjab and Jammu And Kashmir ) between India and Pakistan. By virtue of this treaty , Water usage of Satluj , Beas and Ravi was  fully assigned to India while Indus , Jhelum and Chenab went to Pakistan with certain riders for India. The treaty was signed on 19 September 1960 in Karachi by Prime Minister Nehru and President Ayub Khan.

Prior to this treaty , we had the Punjab Canals water distribution Agreement for sharing water between East and West Punjab falling in two countries .This agreement was signed in 1948.This agreement covered a water sharing pattern between India and Pakistan and strictly
Applied to three Punjab rivers namely Satluj ,Ravi and Beas.

The treaty of 1960 also created arrangements for financing  Pakistan for  building Tarbela  Dam  on the Indus and Mangla  Dam  on the Jhelum and eight link canals which were needed to store and transport water from Indus, Chenab and Jhelum rivers to the areas which had hitherto been irrigated from the waters of Satluj, Bea's and Ravi rivers now 'assigned’ fully to India.
India was required to contribute an amount of Pounds Sterling 62,060,000 towards the financing of this new replacement work. The financing arrangements were a decisive factor in the success of the Indo Pak negotiations prior to signing of the treaty.

Pakistan would not have agreed to the Treaty in the absence of funds for the construction of the dams and link canals for the storage and transportation of waters of the western rivers to compensate for the loss of the Satluj ,Beas and Ravi rivers.

The treaty also stipulates that India shall not build any reservoir based Dam on rivers assigned to Pakistan so that optimal supply of water was available to that country . India was required to Build Projects only on the run of these river .

When India Built Baglihar Hydroelectric project , Pakistan raised  Hue and Cry . So was a loud noise made when Kishenganga Hydro electric Project was built on Jhelum river. 

A Neutral Expert  and Arbitrator  was appointed to hear these disputes . The  findings essentially said that new knowledge of sediment management technology meant that India had to be allowed to install low gates if not a reservoir . The Arbitrator upheld India’s inalienable right to power generation on all the three rivers with some riders  so as to allow optimum water supply to Pakistan .

Run-of-the-river hydroelectric stations are those with small or no reservoir capacity, so that only the water coming from upstream is available for generation at that moment, and any oversupply is allowed to pass unused.
Indus water treaty is the basic cause of power crisis in our state. We can not build a reservoir based Power project on Indus , Chenab and Jhelum when water of these rivers is J&K’s main natural resource  to be used for development and prosperity of the state.  Our power projects in the state are built on "Run of the River" Technology . We have smaller "h" factor in "mgh" calculation of Potential energy. And then this run of the river brings more silt to Turbines and the Generation Plant that gradually reduces the generation capacity.
Hydraulic turbine components operating in silt laden river water  are subject to abrasive and erosive wear Erosion .This   is one of the biggest problems in the Himalayan region.  And water of Chenab , Jhelum and Indus is silt laden. This wear  due to silt laden water not only reduces the efficiency and the life of the turbine but also causes problems in operation and maintenance . This ultimately leads to   diminished power generation apart from economic losses.



 ( Autar Mota )



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CHINAR SHADE by Autarmota is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 2.5 India License.
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Monday, September 19, 2016

ALBERT CAMUS AND ARTIST SADEQUAIN


                                

                                                                          






SADEQUAIN AND ALBERT CAMUS
(Meursault looking through the Window.. Oil on Canvas by Sadequain Naqvi.)

SADEQUAIN ( 1923-1987 ) was an internationally acclaimed artist from Pakistan born and brought up in Amroha ( UP ) . He was influenced by Bombay Progressives prior to his moving to Pakistan. He lived in Paris for 6 years where he was also commissioned to draw scenes , images and graphics for a special edition of Albert Camus’s novel ' THE OUTSIDER ' originally L’Étranger in French. He painted the characters and drew sketches of Meursault , Mary , Raymond and many more from the novel. He painted scenes as well . Scenes like Mary and Meursault on the beach or the scene of the crime and Meursault looking from the window on a lazy Sunday. Sadequain’s illustrations highlight the emotional upheavals, ideological beliefs , and integrity that Camus has written about in " THE OUTSIDER' . The artist’s mastery at illustrating the subject matter of the book is so profound  that it made the French newspaper, Le Figaro, write this :-
“ Sadequain has perfectly created the impression of space, density, volume and the reality of matter; transforming an abstract thought into a material fact in plastic.”
I saw some illustrations /paintings/sketches from Sadequain's "The Outsider" series. Superb , fantastic and speaking frames .I  am awestruck since I have read the novel more than 5 times and have become familiar with most of the characters and the scenes/ situations created by Camus.

About Sadequain's  selection, this is what SADEQUAIN FOUNDATION informs us :-

" While residing part time in Paris during the 1960s, Sadequain was chosen to illustrate the novel, The Stranger, a significant achievement for the artist  by any measure. There are not many documents that record the sequence of events leading to the selection of Sadequain as the illustrator-designate of the classic novel. The only documented references are found in Sadequain’s letters written to his brother, Kaz-e-man, which were published in a book titled, Khutoot-e-Sadequaini.

In two separate letters dated January 29 and January 31 of 1964, Sadequain wrote about the significant event. He was visited by the representatives of a prominent publishing house that was planning to publish an exclusive and limited edition of the illustrated version of a novel, titled The Stranger, written by the French Nobel Laureate, Albert Camus. Several artists, including Sadequain were invited to submit their proposed sketches of the illustrations and interpretations of the novel. The representatives of the jury came in person to inform him of his selection as the chosen one to do the illustrations. “The representatives expressed desire to see samples of my work if that could be arranged in the next few days. On February 1, an exhibition of my paintings was hurriedly arranged at Galerie Lambert, the gallery that represented me at the time. It was more like a presentation rather than an exhibition because it was not open to the public,” Sadequain wrote.

In an upbeat letter of October 6, 1966, written from Hotel d’ Europe, 20 rue Roquepine, Paris, he wrote that The Stranger was finally ready for publication. It took extra time for completion because the first edition had to be destroyed because of quality issues. The inaugural reception was held on Thursday, October 27 at Place de la Concorde, number 6. The chief guest at the reception was Madame Camus. In a letter dated November 29, Sadequain wrote that the reception was very festive. It was attended by the cultural elite and widely covered in the art circles. Sadequain was treated like a celebrity, and spent much time signing autographs for the seekers. The organizers printed several hundred lithographic prints for sale and they were all sold quickly. Basking in success, Sadequain moved to a new address, a detached house located at 16 rue Madeline Michellis, Neuilly, Paris.

In one of his letters, Sadequain mentioned that he did 170 lithographs for The Stranger. It is not clear if there were 170 individual illustrations or that 170 lithographs of separate colors were produced and then superimposed to produce the final count that are reproduced in this book. In addition to the final colour images, this book also includes several studies of The Stranger done in pencil."
( Source : Sadequain Foundation )

                                                                            
 ( "Study of Meursault’s Demon "done 1966 by Sadequain )





   ( Mary , Raymond and Meursault by Sadequain  )

                                                                                  

         ( Meursault at the Restaurant by Sadequain  )
      ( Mary and Meursault on the Beach by Sadequain )
                                    




               ( Above 4 illustrations for Camus's novel   by Sadequain )

Some sketches for the novel done by Sadequain :-

                                        



      

From 'THE OUTSIDER'  series, "Study of Meursault’s Demon "done 1966, is a highly impressive image created from mix of gouache, ink and graphite . The image is a representation of Meursault's character.Cut off from the world, Meursault is shown struggling with his desires and tormenting beliefs of religion and truth.There is no background to this image that looks somewhat demonic and full of anguish.
                                                                       
                        ( Left Sadequain at Paris )
                             ( Self Portrait by Sadequain )

My friend Narinder Safaya informs me this :-

"In December 1981, Sadequain  held a show of his drawings, sketches some calligraphic  work all based on couplets of Ghalib in  Rabindra Bhawan  New Delhi . I went under some confusion about the  date of inauguration a day earlier and  he was himself mounting and arranging his paintings. I sat   with him the entire afternoon giving a helping hand. He sketched  one for me with a couplet.

“Cheshm ko chaahyie har rang main waa ho jaana '

He aso promised me one which I liked at the end of the show, unfortunately l had to go to attend a very important case in Bombay till the end of his exhibition. I regret that I could not be there ."

                                                        
     (Sketch done for  Narinder Safaya by Sadequain in 1981 )


Sadequain’s murals are also on display at AMU ,Aligarh and BHU Varanasi ( 70 by 12 Feet ) and Indian Institute of Geological Sciences . Sadequain in his lifetime is reported to have painted over 15,000 pieces that include gigantic murals, figurative art, drawings and calligraphies.He held successful exhibitions at Varanasi, New Delhi, Hyderabad and Aligarh in 1981.
                                                                         
                    ( A mural at BHU by Sadequain )

For me , The "Afterword" to the great novel ‘ THE OUTSIDER ‘ by Camus himself remains matchless to this day.It touches, moves and overwhelms the reader .Here is the Afterword;
 quote ..
“A long time ago, I summed up The Outsider in a sentence I realise is extremely paradoxical: `In our society any man who doesn't cry at his mother's funeral is liable to be condemned to death.' I simply meant that the hero of the book is condemned because he doesn't play the game. In this sense, he is an outsider to the society in which he lives, wandering on the fringe, on the outskirts of life, solitary and sensual. And for that reason, some readers have been tempted to regard him as a reject. But to get a more accurate picture of his character, or rather one which conforms more closely to his author's intentions, you must ask yourself in what way Meursault doesn't play the game. The answer is simple: he refuses to lie. Lying is not saying what isn't true. It is also, in fact, especially saying more than is true and, in case of the human heart, saying more than one feels. We all do it, every day, to make life simpler. But, contrary to appearances, Meursault doesn't want to make life simpler. He says what he is, he refuses to hide his feelings and society immediately feels threatened. For example, he is asked to say that he regrets his crime, in time-honoured fashion. He replies that he feels more annoyance about it than true regret. And it is this nuance that condemns him.
So for me Meursault is not a reject, but a poor and naked man, in love with a sun which leaves no shadows. Far from lacking all sensibility, he is driven by a tenacious and therefore profound passion, the passion for an absolute and for truth. The truth is as yet a negative one, a truth born of living and feeling, but without which no triumph over the self or over the world will ever be possible.
So one wouldn't be far wrong in seeing The Outsider as the story of a man who, without any heroic pretensions, agrees to die for the truth. I also once said, and again paradoxically, that I tried to make my character represent the only Christ that we deserve. It will be understood, after these explanations, that I said it without any intention of blasphemy but simply with the somewhat ironic affection that an artist has a right to feel towards the characters he has created.” Unquote



( Avtar Mota )



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CHINAR SHADE by Autarmota is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 2.5 India License.
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Friday, September 16, 2016

DARK CLOUDS OVER BLUE SKY AND LINES FROM SAHIR LUDHIANAVI'S SONG

                                                                     
                                                                                                                                                
                                     

                     (Sahir and Anand Bakshi)

THE EVENING SKY CAME WITH KOHL FILLED EYES...


To this photo ,I am adding lines from a song of Sahir Ludhianavi that he wrote for Hindi movie Chtralekha ..

"Andhiyaaron ki Chaadhar Taan …
Eik Hongay Do Vyakul Praan…
Aaj Na Koyee Deep Jalay.
Keh Do Samay Se Thhum Ke chalay .
Aaj Hriday ke swapn Phalay
……………….Chha Gaye Baadal Neel gagan Par
Ghul Gayaa kajaraa Saanjh Dalay.."


My English rendering of the above lines is as under......

Under a blanket of darkness over them,
Two restless souls are about to unite .
No Lamp be lit tonight..
O fleeting time! Be a little tardy .
Tonight ,Dreams held within are  to blossom..
Clouds have spread all over the blue sky
A Kohl has overwhelmed this evening time..
( Autar Mota )

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