Classification of Maithili Songs by Kailash Mishra
The new building of IGNCA is receiving blessings even before its occupation. The internationally designed building got its first blessing as a gift from an artist. Mrs Meena Patel, the renowned artist working on porcelain and bone china, with 22 carat gold, presented a portrait of Mahatma Gandhi.
The portrait was received by Dr L.M.Singhvi on behalf of IGNCA. Member Secretary N R Shetty assured Mrs Patel that it will occupy a place of pride in the new building. Mrs Patel, who was brought up in Kenya and lives in England said it was always her dream to gift a painting to a prestigious institution in India. It was a dream come true for her.
The occasion was graced by the doyen of Indian painting Shri B C Sanyal, who after a close look at the painting and breath-taking suspense decalred the work “very good,” bringing broad grins on the face of Mrs Patel. It is a compliment she would cherish.
Austrian – dance scholar comes calling
The Centre had a distinguished visitor on December 22, 2000. Ms Radha Anjali, an Austrian who is an exponent of Bharatanatyam came here for an interaction with scholars and academicians. Ms Anjali had taken the Indian name from her guru in Chennai. She was introduced to Bharatanatyam when she was only 10 years old. And her anklets have not rested since then. She runs the only Indian Dance School ‘Natya Mandir’ in Vienna. Some 60 students are learning dance there. During her interaction with IGNCA scholars, Ms Anjali said the Austrians respond positively to Indian culture, especially dance. What compelled her to open the school was the pressure of people who wanted to learn Indian dance.
IGNCA – Unveils Precious Collection of Photographs
Rabindranath Tagore had that face, which mesmerised people. And Shambu Shaha had that instinct that captured the spirit of the face. The photographs of Tagore by Shaha cannot but leave you deeply touched. Even when one is out of the Mati Ghar, one keeps thinking about the photographs that are on display, the man in the photos and the man behind it. Such was the experience one had at the exhibition of photographs by Shambu Shaha on the theme ‘Tagore and Shantiniketan. ‘ What made the exhibition all the more interesting was the fact that this is the first time IGNCA was unveiling this collection. No less a personality than former President R. Venkataraman inaugurated the exhibition. We have in our collection 61 photographs by Shaha.
The amphitheatre came alive the charming winter evening on December 3 with the sounds of excited children. The occasion was the birth anniversary of Dr. Rajendra Prasad, the first President of India. The function was organised jointly by IGNCA and Sanskar Bharti.
A Lecture-demonstration on Music in Bangladesh with special reference to Nazrul Sangeet By Dr. Afroza Begum Yasmin
The lec-dem by Afroza Begum Ysmin was a hearing experience and cannot be explained in words. She gaveapractical demonstration about Qazi Nazrul Islam’s rare works. Qazi Nazrul Islam was not only a great poet in Bangladesh but had a deep understanding of the Hindustani classical music and had composed all of his songs based on different ragas in Hindustani Classical.
Afroza Begum Yasmin, Ph.D (Sociology), from Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi is ‘A’ grade Hindustani classical Vocalist of Radio & Television, Bangladesh, Dhaka & Bangladesh Television, Dhaka, since, 1972. Begum Yasmin, a well adorned person won the Gold medal in the competition organized by East Pakistan Cultural Decade, 1968. She participated in classical music conference in 1983 organised by Radio Bangladesh, Dhaka Kendra and Classical Evening organized by ‘Vishwa Sahitya Kendra’ in 1983.
She has given several Light Classical music performances on various occasions. She is at present pursuing a Post- doctoral Fellowship at Centre for Political Studies at Jawaharlal Nehrn University, Delhi, sponsored by the Govt. of India.
Pre-historic Culture of India and S B Asia a comparative study By Dr. D.F: Sharma
Dr. Deo Prakash Sharma in a stimulating lecture discussed the comparative study of prehistoric Archaeology of Eastern India and South East Asia from earliest time (lower Paleolithic period) to Neolithic period (2000B.C.). The earliest stone pebble tools along with fossil remains of Austraipithecus were discovered from Rahmidus in Ethiopia and these finds date around 4.3 million B.P.
Giving account of various points Dr. Sharma said the similarity in technology of back blade Mesolithic tools of Birbhanpur (Bengal) and Paisara I (Bihar) and other sites with similar type tools, discovered at Sulawesi, Timor (both in eastern Indonesia) suggested some contacts during Mesolithic period. The common Archaeological denominators of all the Neolithic sites of northeast India are shoulder Celts, miniatures quadrangular Celts, perforated hoe, corded and burnished pottery. On the basis of common typology of shoulder Celts, and corded pottery of two regions, Dr. Sharma said it can be concluded that Neolithic people of South East Asia came in north eastern India around 5000 B.C. and further moved east, to Orissa around 2000. The Neolithic industries of Assam are tentatively dated to middle of 5-4 millennium B.B.
Dr. Sharma a post-graduate in Ancient History, Culture and Archaeology from Al1ahabad University, is the author ofl12 papers and seven books. He acquired a postgraduate degree in Archaeology from the Institute of Archaeology, London. He has participated in several excavations and at present is the Head of Collection of prehistory, Central Asia, Indus valley and early Harappan archaeology National Museum, New Delhi.
(Lecture delivered on Nov. 15)
IGNCA signs MoU with Heidelberg University for academic collaboration
IGNCA and South Asia Institute (SAI) of the Heidelberg University have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to encourage and sustain collaborative research work in identified areas. The agreement, initialled on the occasion of the inauguration of a joint workshop on Shruti -Transmission of Oral Tradition, envisages promoting new ideas and methodologies of research in the areas of Anthropology, History, Art History, Classical and Modern Indology, geography and other related disciplines. Member Secretary IGNCA Prof. N. R. Shetty and Prof. at the SA! Ms. Monika Boehm –Tettelbach signed the document on behalf of their institutes.
Under the MoU, research scholars enrolled for higher studies (beyond masters) in SA! can carry out research at IGNCA, under the guidance of experts in IGNCA faculty. Similarly, the scholars of IGNCA can avail of the research facilities and resources at the SA!. Also, the two institutions together would organise conference and other academic .conventions, undertake joint research, and identify specific areas of research for the purpose of Dr. Phill or PhD.
The joint programmes would be monitored by a steering committee, to be set up with the executive heads of the SA! and IGNCA as ex-officio members. The two Centres would also exchange visitors, with the parent institute of the visitor determining the duration and level of visit. The MoU has been signed for a five-year period
The signing of the document puts an official seal on the interactions the two centres of excellence have had in the past several years. The SA! is an interdisciplinary teaching and research institute of the Heidelburg University and comprises the units of Development Economics, Ethnology, Geography, History (including Art History), Classical lndology, Modern Indology, International Economics and Political Sciences.
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