Untouchable India: Impunity for Anti-Dalit Violence

August 24, 2016

AUG 31 CPR is pleased to invite you to a talk (as part of the Social Change series) on Untouchable India: Impunity for Anti-Dalit Violence Wednesday, 31 August 2016, 12:30 – 2:00 p.m. (followed by lunch) Manoj Mitta Conference Hall, Centre for Policy Research Protest rally against attacks on the Dalit community in Ahmedabad (Source) The emancipation of Dalits with the promulgation of the Constitution has resulted in a bloody pushback. The abolition of untouchability has escalated the violence against Dalits, as evident from a series of massacres across the country. Despite special laws and their eye-witness accounts, the victims in most cases have been denied justice. The patterns of impunity raise questions about the impartiality of the legal system. Drawing on official documents, Manoj Mitta has written critically acclaimed books on the two most egregious instances of communal violence: When a Tree Shook Delhi: The 1984 Carnage and its Aftermath (co-authored with HS Phoolka, 2007); The Fiction of Fact-Finding: Modi and Godhra (2014). Completing a trilogy on mass violence, he is now researching atrocities against Dalits. A journalist focused on law and human rights, Mitta worked with The Times of India, The Indian Express and India Today.

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INSTITUTO CERVANTES DE NUEVA DELHI – CULTURA – 28 AGOSTO 2016

August 24, 2016

INSTITUTO CERVANTES DE NUEVA DELHI  –  CULTURA  –  28 AGOSTO 2016  –  Web

En la ardiente oscuridad “In the Burning Darkness” by Buero-Vallejo 28/08/2016Auditorio, Instituto Cervantes, a las 6:30 pm Teatro: “En la ardiente oscuridad” de Buero-Vallejo, dirigida por Rebeca Cobos   Con motivo del centenario del nacimiento de uno de los grandes autores de la literatura dramática española del siglo XX, Antonio Buero-Vallejo. Sinopsis: La obra se centra en el infortunado Ignacio, ciego de nacimiento, que se ve compelido a ingresar en una institución de ciegos, regentada por Don Pablo. Allí se encuentra con un grupo de ciegos, aparentemente felices, a los que, sin embargo, contagia su sensación de desgracia por la pérdida del más maravilloso de los sentidos. A peser de los intentos de Carlos, receloso de la amistad entre el recién llegado y su novia Juana, Ignacio no consigue salir de su depresión. Un aciago día, Ignacio sufre una caída aparentemente accidental en los columpios del patio, que acaba con su vida y eventualmente, con la tristeza que contagia al resto de sus compañeros de piso o casa. Entrada gratuita. Theatre: “In the burning darkness” by Buero-Vallejo, directed by Rebeca CobosOn the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the birth of Buero-Vallejo, one of the most important Spanish playwrights of the XXth century. Synopsis: The play centers around Ignacio, who is admitted to an institute for the blind, managed by Don Pablo. Everything there is so perfectly arranged that the students do not mind the fact that they cannot see. Ignacio, however, always refuses to accept his blindness and struggles to find his way around. He meets a group of blind people there who appear to be happy, but his sense of dissatisfaction at losing the most marvelous of the senses is contagious and spreads through the group. The uncertainty is never solved because the students at the school seem content with the accidental ruling. It is only then that Carlos realizes he is more affected by being blind than he was willing to admit, and the play ends with this realization. Free entry.  Performance in English. AGENDA 24/08/2016 Biblioteca, Instituto Cervantes, a las 7:00 pmLectura dramatizada: “El Aleph” de Jorge Luis Borges, dirigida por Varoon P. Anand Sinopsis: Borges es el protagonista de esta historia, que parte de la muerte de Beatriz Viterbo. Durante muchos años visita al primo de Beatriz, Carlos Argentino, coincidiendo con el cumpleaños de esta. Durante estas visitas, Carlos Argentino le va haciendo confidencias y acaba por leerle unos espantosos poemas a los que después de escritos trata de dar un significado. A finales de Octubre recibe su llamada para algo totalmente distinto a lo que esperaba, le comunica que van a demoler su casa y que no puede consentirlo, ya que para él, es imprescindible porque en su sótano está el Aleph, que es un de los puntos del espacio donde están todos los puntos. Borges acude a la casa pensando que Argentino está loco pero aún así entra en el sótano y al quedarse sólo en la oscuridad también ve el Aleph, observa al mismo tiempo el mar, Londres, racimos, nieve, tabaco, vapor de agua, desiertos, etc. ve en resumen todo el universo. Este cuento de Borges se presentara con la participación del grupo de teatro Kaivalya Plays. Entrada gratuita. (+) Dramatised Reading: “The Aleph” by Jorge Luis Borges, directed by Varoon P. Anand Synopsis: In Borges’ story, the Aleph is a point in space that contains all other points. Anyone who gazes into it can see everything in the universe from every angle simultaneously, without distortion, overlapping or confusion. At the beginning of the story, he is mourning the recent death of a woman whom he loved, named Beatriz Viterbo, and resolves to stop by the house of her family to pay his respects. Over time, he comes to know her first cousin, Carlos Argentino Daneri, a mediocre poet with a vastly exaggerated view of his own talent, the cellar contains an Aleph which he is using to write an epic poem describing the entire planet. The theater group Kaivalya Plays will bring to life this classic story through a unique presentation. Free entry. Performance in English (+) 25/08/2016 Oxford Bookstore, Connaught Place. A las 7:00 pmLecturas dramatizadas: “El otro”, “El libro de arena” y “Tigres azules” de Jorge Luis Borges, dirigidas por Varoon P. Anand   Sinopsis: Tres cuento clásicos de Borges conectados a imágenes de la India relatan historias fantásticas y sobrenaturales se presentaran a cargo del group de teatro Kaivalya Plays de forma única. : En “El otro”, Borges, ya anciano, relata el encuentro acaecido con un Borges joven en la ciudad de Cambridge. El narrador de “El libro de arena” recibe de manos de un extraño vendedor el libro, de peso sorprendente y que por título lleva escrito en el lomo: Holy Writ. El vendedor le explica el nombre con que él mismo lo adquirió de manos de un mendigo: “ni el libro ni la arena tienen principio ni fin”. Borges intenta encontrar la primera página, pero es imposible. En “Tigres azules” un hombre ha admirado toda su vida al tigre. Recibe la información de que se han avistado tigres azules cerca de una aldea de la India y parte hacia allá con el propósito de contemplarlos con sus propios ojos. Entrada gratuita. (+) Dramatised reading: “The other”, “The book of sand”, “Blue tigers” by Jorge Luis Borges, directed by Varoon P. Anand Synopsis: Three classic tales of Borges connected to images of India share fantastic and supernatural plotlines presented by the theater group Kaivalya Plays. “The other” is a short story in which the narrator, Borges, encounters a younger version of himself. In “The book of sand”, an unnamed narrator is visited by a tall Scots Bible-seller, who presents him with a very old cloth-bound book that he bought in India from an Untouchable. It is emblazoned with the title “Holy Writ”, below which title is emblazoned “Bombay”, but is said to be called “The Book of Sand” because “neither the book nor the sand has any beginning or end”. Blue Tigers combines two of Borges’s favourite subjects – tigers and the metaphysical world. The action is set in North India (which bears more than a passing resemblance to Kipling’s India). Early in 1904, the narrator (a university professor in Lahore) receives news that a new variety of tiger, a blue tiger, has been discovered in a village some miles distant from the Ganga. When he gets there, a series of events take place that must rank among Borges’s finest moments as a fantasist. Free Entry. Performance in English. (+)

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6.2 M earthquake hit central Italy

August 24, 2016

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Quake at 3.30 PM struck central Italy nearly fourteen people killed in densely populated area and caused damage to the properties in towns as the centre of quake was at shallow depth of 10 KM . 

At least two bodies have been recovered from the rubble in the village of Amatrice in the Lazio region.“Three quarters of the town is not there anymore,”Amatrice mayor Sergio Pirozzi said, as cited by RAI TV. “The aim now is to save as many lives as possible. There are voices under the rubble; we have to save the people there,” he stressed.

Italy quake  death toll is expected to rise, local media report. Several cities and towns have been severely damaged or reduced to rubble, officials said.Three helicopters and six ambulances have been deployed in the Lazio region, La Repubblica reported.Half of Amatrice town is damaged as reported. Town in Rieti many killed various towns landslide caused damage to building .

Italian army has been mobilized to aid earthquake-affected areas, the Italian Defense Ministry wrote on Twitter.

100 people have been reported missing in the village of Pescara del Tronto, which was the hardest hit by the quake, Italian media reported.Tremor felt at radius of 100 KM Rome where too building shook .Half of towns are badly damaged in quakes,just  after 6.2 more quake another quakes of  5.5 M hit Norcua and 1.5, which shook building  and stone bridges of ancient era  damaged.News agencies 

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Shoot starts as the contestants make an all white entry for Mrs. India Beauty Queen Pageant

August 24, 2016

Shoot starts as the contestants make an all white entry for Mrs. India Beauty Queen Pageant

Bir Kaur Dhillon, the director of Mr. India manhunt international and Mrs. India Beauty Queen(MIBQ) powered by WOWW Foundation and MIBQ foundation announced the official launch of Mrs. India beauty queen, another addition at a press conference held at Vivanta by Taj in Dwarka on 23rd August,2016.

Mrs. India beauty queen(MIBQ) is a beauty pageant for Married women that celebrate and admire the accomplishment and achievements of a wife, a mother, a complete women with true beauty and intelligence.

Entries have been enrolled from different parts of the world. After carefully examining all the applications, Mrs. Bir Kaur Dhillon shortlisted top fourteen potential candidates who will further battle for Mrs. India beauty Queen title in a 4-day long pageant where the contestants will be judged on various aspects.

Nayanika Chatterjee, supermodel and fashion (movie) fame was also present to mentor the contestants. For this edition, she has joined hands with the MIBQ foundation as the show director of the pageant.

Speaking from their own past experiences, Nayanika Chatterjee and Mrs. Bir Kaur Dhillon are thrilled to provide a platform for married women to follow their passion/dreams. Being in the industry for over 28 years, Nayanika Chatterjee talks about the change in fashion trends over the decade.

She quotes, “ Despite of a lot of taboos, the fashion industry is evolving at every point. This industry has become much more recognised, and is not just for entertainment purposes solely”.

Talking about their journey and difficulties of taking part in this pageant, the contestants are looking forward to their journey of competing with fellow talented opponents.

The winner of this pageant will represent India at the world finals of Mrs. India Beauty Queen to be held in Shenzen, China in November 2016 where women from across the globe will compete for the coveted title.