Category Archives: Arts, Culture & Entertainment

Tangible benefits of an intangible heritage

The UNESCO tag has given our Durga Puja an international stature and definitely boosted the economy, says former culture secretary Jawhar Sircar.

The UNESCO application

Tapati Guha-Thakurta, cultural historian

I was approached by the ministry of culture, Government of India, in 2018 to put together a dossier on Durga Puja. A joint secretary of the ministry had come across my book In the Name of the Goddess: The Durga Pujas of Contemporary Kolkata and that is how they thought of contacting me. They wanted to submit an application to UNESCO for the inclusion of Durga Puja in India in the list of Intangible Cultural Heritage.

The joint secretary told me that the government at the Centre had applied for the listing earlier, but without success.

I accepted the offer after some thought. We had four months to prepare. The application form runs into 30 pages with questions such as “Is there any part of the element that is not compatible with existing international human rights instruments or with the requirement of mutual respect among communities, groups and individuals, or with sustainable development?” Another question reads — “How would human creativity and respect for cultural diversity be promoted by the inscription of the element?” Each answer has a word limit!

My book was the product of many years of research, so in a sense I knew the answers but there was also a need to update some things.

To start with, I picked a bunch of researchers. We pored over the previous
applications and samples of successful ones. We needed to convey in our appli-
cation that this event is a public performance of religion and art and involves
the community.

The ministry’s representatives were keen on listing Durga Puja of India in the UNESCO list. But I argued that the festival has evolved into a unique community event rooted in Calcutta over the past two centuries and that it was Durga Puja in Calcutta that would tick all the requisite boxes.

We needed signatures from various community stakeholders. This was a requisite of the application. We met idol makers, artists, families hosting Durga Puja for generations, representatives of Puja committees, corporate sponsors, media, councillors and government officials. This bit of getting people to sign endorsements was a challenge.

In December 2021, “Durga Puja in Kolkata” was inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. UNESCO authorities have a provision for periodic status checks to safeguard the basic elements of Intangible Cultural Heritage — inclusivity, diversity, openness and aesthetics.

Internships, sponsorships

Jawhar Sircar, former culture secretary

From the beginning of the new millennium, UNESCO came up with quite a few conventions or regulations to guide nation states in the restoration of antiquities or cultural properties. There were several successful efforts in the area of tangible heritage. But not much had been done till then to preserve intangible heritage.

UNESCO selected and approved the first lot of intangible heritage inscriptions in 2003. At the time, Atal Bihari Vajpayee was the Prime Minister. India was awarded the intangible heritage tag for Ramlila, Vedic Chanting, Kutiyattam, Ramman and Nowrouz. In 2008, UNESCO revived the convention with a modified procedure. As the Union secretary of culture, I participated in this process at the UNESCO. I learnt a lot about presenting professional proposals to the UN body.

China had obtained approval for 36 inscriptions of its ancient cultural practices. We too decided to get our act together. In 2009, India submitted 10 to 12 such dossiers.

By then we realised that the central government has its limitations when it comes to identifying things in a country as diverse as India. And so we decentralised it and involved the states. In 2016-2017, the Government of India decided it would choose the subjects and then get the dossiers prepared by those best suited for the job.

The UNESCO tag has given our Durga Puja an international stature and definitely boosted the economy. Tourism is just one benefit, it has also opened up new avenues for artists. Students from art colleges find opportunities to intern, pandal design has become a more structured affair and with the increase in footfall, more sponsors have come forward.

By Moumita Chaudhuri

Theme, preview, carnival

Bhabatosh Sutar, artist

In 2013, I went to Paris. It was my first trip abroad. Nobody knew me. No sooner than I touched down, my friend took me to an art gallery. An exhibition had been inaugurated that very day. A woman came up to me, introduced herself and addressed me by my name. I was taken aback. Eventually I learnt that she knew of me from Tapati Guha-Thakurta’s book. Though the UNESCO tag was yet to come, that day I had a preview of how international recognition of Durga Puja would translate for all involved in this effort.

My first Durga Puja was at Barisha, followed by Behala… That was at the turn of the millennium. Much has changed since. Words like theme, preview and carnival have been added to the Durga Puja lexicon. The art factor has acquired a different dimension altogether.

The UNESCO tag has meant even the smaller pujas have been catapulted into this collective fame.

If you ask me, Durga Puja right now is only just coming into its own as an art event in the global scene. It will blossom as time goes by.

By Moumita Chaudhuri

Tourism booster 

Atri Bhattacharya, former state tourism secretary

I have long believed that Durga Puja is West Bengal’s biggest tourism property. And tourism is a very important economic driver for a state like Bengal. While heavy industry comes at a price in an agrarian region, tourism must be developed to supplement industrial investment.

When I worked in the state tourism department, we did our best to promote Durga Puja as the world’s greatest public festival. The UNESCO proposal made a case for the economic importance of Durga Puja.

The state government and the British Council had commissioned a study to evaluate its economic importance. According to the 2021 report, annual estimated Durga Pujarelated profits are ₹32,000 plus crore. Today, it is estimated at close to ₹50,000 crore.

The tourism department did its best to publicise Durga Puja worldwide. We managed to get coverage in international publications and also flooded the Internet with attractive audio-visual modules. We conveyed the sheer scale of the festival.

A lot has happened after the UNESCO tag but I think only 50 per cent of Durga Puja’s economic potential has been tapped to date. The tourism potential should be fully realised. This will then have a ripple effect on other sectors of the economy. I hope the new government accepts that while Durga Puja is a rich aspect of religion, it is also a social, cultural and economic phenomenon.

By Prasun Chaudhuri

Rural employment guarantee scheme

Purnendu Dey, artist

Iwas born into a family of carpenters in Channa near Burdwan. For generations,
our family made Durga Puja decorations for the royal family of Burdwan. The royal family’s puja centres around the worship of Pateshwari Devi, a patachitra represen-
tation of Durga.

I learnt to paint in childhood but my formal training was at Kala Bhavana, Santiniketan, and Calcutta’s Government College of Art and Craft. I arrived in Calcutta in 2003 and started taking up Durga Puja-related assignments. I started to build a team of artisans, farmers, farm labourers and students from art colleges. To date, I hire traditional wood carvers from Notun Gram in Burdwan to execute intricate installations. In addition, I train rural workers in fibre casting, sand casting and ceramics.

These indigenous artists bring to their work an innocence and sincerity, a worship-like quality. Although some of them belong to marginalised communities, everyone works as a cohesive unit. The team lives, cooks, eats and works together for three months in the pandal like a family.

Durga Puja is a traditional employment guarantee scheme. For centuries, it used to be sponsored by traders and zamindars across Bengal’s villages. Every year after the cultivation of the aman crop in July-August, most farm labourers would have no work. Between then and harvest time, the puja generated work and kept the wheels of economy turning.

In 2019, I was one of the many artists whose inputs were sought by the team of researchers who filled the UNESCO form. I pointed out that Durga Puja has been providing our rural population with more than 100 days of work.

By Prasun Chaudhuri

Art avatar

Arijit Maitra, general secretary, Samaj Sebi Sangha

In 1969, the directorate of tourism introduced the concept of awards during Durga Puja. Bagbazar topped the list, second was Samaj Sebi and Gouriberia came third. In 1976, the government introduced another award wherein people’s choice and involvement were given weightage.

The Asian Paints award of the 1980s was a game-changer. Awards began to be given for idol, pandal and lighting. I remember Adi Ballygunge, Broad Street and Bondel Road would bag the prizes for their idols, while Mudiali and Jodhpur Park would be winners in the lighting category.

Artists such as Bhabatosh Sutar, Susanta Paul and Amar Sarkar brought in the concept of theme puja in the late 1990s.

When research for the UNESCO tag began in 2019, installation art was making a debut. The festival had already become more structured. Durga Puja is now an artists’ affair, with light and music directors, theme composers, mechanism technicians, projection operators and curators all roped in.

By Moumita Chaudhuri

Before the beginning

Ruby Palchoudhuri, president emeritus, Crafts Council of West Bengal

My journey of presenting the Durga Puja of West Bengal to the global audience began many years ago. I call it my Durga yatra.

In the 1990s, I took artisans from across Bengal to the UK, Europe, the US and Australia. They made Durga idols there. It was my attempt to show the world how much we invest in Durgotsav.

Wherever we showcased our work, I would choose a theme. In 1995 at the Peabody Essex Museum, Massachusetts, US, master craftsman Nemai Chandra Pal from Krishnanagar and his assistant Biswajit Chakraborty built a 10 by 8.5 feet idol of Durga. Nemai Pal is not only an ace sculptor, he knows our culture well. He followed the description in our shastras while creating the image of the goddess. The programme was inaugurated by Siddhartha Shankar Ray, the then ambassador to the US. The Smithsonian Institution funded the whole programme.

In 2002 in Scotland, at the National Museums Scotland, Nemai Pal built a Durga using clay from River Tay. The Scottish Arts Council, now called Creative Scotland, sponsored the event. In 2006 at the British Museum, we created an 18-foot Durga protima. Gurupada Chitrakar painted the chalchitra and held workshops with school children. Our artists had great fun with the staff of the health and hazard department. They had to use scaffolds and ladders to work on the top part of the idol. They were ordered by the officials to wear boots whilst working on the ladder. Our artists were uncomfortable. When the health and hazard staff were not looking, they would take off their boots. Such are the cultural differences!

The last Durga yatra I organised was in 2007 in Australia. It was titled Goddess: Divine Energy and hosted at the Art Gallery of New South Wales museum, Sydney.

The UNESCO tag has made Durga Puja relevant and empowered artists and all those involved in this cultural festival.

By Moumita Chaudhuri

City turned art gallery

Sunanda Sanyal, professor emeritus of art history

I left India in 1988 for higher studies and eventually settled down in the US. For two decades, I did not have the opportunity to visit Calcutta during Durga Puja. In 2007, when I did, I saw how the festival had undergone a metamorphosis. I made a documentary film called A Homecoming Spectacle.

Part of it focused on a select group of theme artists and their creations. These creators — modern visual artists — had bridged the gap between highbrow gallery art and popular, large-scale public spectacles. They transformed the city into an open-air art gallery every Durga Puja.

Four years later, in 2010, I saw another big shift. I captured this in a sequel A Homecoming Spectacle: Issues. That year, the trend was to showcase folk arts and artists in the Durga Puja pavilion. Some pandals were criticised for going “overboard”, taking unlimited creative license. An image of the asura as Osama bin Laden and a pandal showing a train wreck were criticised.

In 2019, when Tapati Guha-Thakurta was asked to fill out the UNESCO application form, I was among the many people who supported the effort. Two years later, when UNESCO granted the heritage tag, we were excited. We expected the inscription would enhance the already growing international face of Durga Puja and add a new dimension of artistic creativity.

By Prasun Chaudhuri

A package deal

Shailaja Mundra, Kolkata unforgettable

About 15 years ago, when no one was thinking about a UNESCO tag, my husband Sudarshan and I would go around pandal hopping come Durga Puja.

We met the organisers, spoke to the artists and labourers and gathered stories from the people of the city. We discussed themes and took photographs of the Durga idols. I created albums on my social media page. Our event management company started getting the occasional enquiry from people outside of Bengal about Durga Puja.

Post the UNESCO tag, things changed dramatically. Three years ago, a group of eight people from New Delhi contacted me. They wanted to come to Calcutta to experience Durga Puja. They wanted a luxury travel experience, avoid crowds
and queues while still soaking in the spirit of the festival.

We went around looking for luxury buses but nothing was available. So we decided to book cars. Then we roped in Khelat Bhavan of Pathuriaghata, where we organised a 45-minute dance drama wherein we showcased all the rituals of Durga Puja from agomoni to pushpanjali to sindur khela to bisarjan. It was an interactive programme.

In 2024, this number went up to 240 and in 2025, 600. People come from Mumbai, Kochi, Visakhapatnam, Hyderabad, Ludhiana, Delhi, Chennai, Indore…We customised our tour plan. Included dance dramas and cruises on the Hooghly, heritage walks, visits to the Kalighat Temple, a taste of Bengali food.

My daughter Vasudha Pachisia is planning to take our effort forward. She says artists from Bengal are now being called to Bengaluru to set up studios.

By Moumita Chaudhuri

From Tallah to Times Square

Abhishek Bhattacharya, Forum for Durgotsav

Durga Puja is a huge industry, running into thousands of crores; one crore households benefit from it. But it is a completely unorganised sector. There are no official documents to show the spending. There are no GST bills. Payments are made at various levels. There are labourers, decorators, lightmen, idol makers, dhakis, purohits, electricians, the stalls outside the pandals… The list is long. People shop more during Durga Puja. Even the car manufacturing industry gets a boost.

The UNESCO tag means a lot for the artists. The competition among them has increased so much that they now plan, coordinate and work year-round for Durga Puja. The moment one puja ends, the organisers start planning for the next year. The artists are booked a year ahead.

Earlier, the puja carnival had foreigner footfalls. Recently, we learnt that a pre-Puja event will be organised at the Eden Gardens this year. This too is likely to draw tourists.

It is important that Calcutta gears up to entertain this crowd in terms of infrastructure and traffic management.

The UNESCO tag has done its bit. Last year, Durga Puja was celebrated for two days at New York’s Times Square. This year, it will be live screened on premium digital boards in Times Square, in Dubai’s Burj Khalifa and in London’s Piccadilly Lights to give a realtime feel. The 2026 theme of the tourism department is Bishwajure Bangalir Abeg — Durga Puja Global Connect 2026. With the new government in the state, the expectations are higher.

By Moumita Chaudhuri

source/content: telegraphindia.com (headline edited)

Indian-origin writer Padma Viswanathan shortlisted for 2026 International Booker Prize

The list, announced on Tuesday, is dominated by women, with five of the six authors and four of the six translators being female; The authors and translators represent eight countries — Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, France, Germany, Taiwan, the UK and the United States.

Padma Viswanathan, a Canadian-American writer of Indian-origin, has made it to the 2026 International Booker Prize shortlist as the English translator of a Portuguese language novella.

“On Earth As It Is Beneath” by Brazilian author Ana Paula Maia, described by judges as a “brutal, haunting and hypnotic novella set in a remote Brazilian penal colony, where the boundaries between justice and cruelty collapse”, is among the six worldwide contenders for the coveted literary honour.

The annual prize worth GBP 50,000, divided equally between the author and translator, was won last year by Kannada writer-activist Banu Mushtaq and translator Deepa Bhasthi for the short story collection “Heart Lamp”. Each shortlisted title guarantees a prize of GBP 5,000 — also split 50-50 between the book’s author and English translator.

“What struck us most is how spare, unflinching, uncompromising and relentless it is. Maia builds an entire moral universe out of very little: a remote prison, a handful of men, and the rituals of punishment that govern their lives.

Padma Viswanathan, a Canadian-American writer of Indian-origin, has made it to the 2026 International Booker Prize shortlist as the English translator of a Portuguese language novella.

“On Earth As It Is Beneath” by Brazilian author Ana Paula Maia, described by judges as a “brutal, haunting and hypnotic novella set in a remote Brazilian penal colony, where the boundaries between justice and cruelty collapse”, is among the six worldwide contenders for the coveted literary honour.

The annual prize worth GBP 50,000, divided equally between the author and translator, was won last year by Kannada writer-activist Banu Mushtaq and translator Deepa Bhasthi for the short story collection “Heart Lamp”. Each shortlisted title guarantees a prize of GBP 5,000 — also split 50-50 between the book’s author and English translator.

“What struck us most is how spare, unflinching, uncompromising and relentless it is. Maia builds an entire moral universe out of very little: a remote prison, a handful of men, and the rituals of punishment that govern their lives.

“The novel reads almost like a dark fable about power, where brutality is ordinary and civilisation feels frighteningly thin,” the judging panel, which also include award-winning Indian novelist and columnist Nilanjana S. Roy, said of the work translated by US-based Viswanathan.

The 58-year-old professor of creative writing at the University of Arkansas-Fayetteville is an accomplished playwright and author, whose novels have been published in eight countries.

The list, announced on Tuesday, is dominated by women, with five of the six authors and four of the six translators being female. The authors and translators represent eight countries — Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, France, Germany, Taiwan, the UK and the United States.

“With narratives that capture moments from across the past century, these books reverberate with history. While there’s heartbreak, brutality and isolation among these stories, their lasting effect is energising,” said author Natasha Brown, chair of this year’s judging panel.

The other books include “The Nights Are Quiet in Tehran” by Shida Bazyar and translated from German by Ruth Martin; “She Who Remains” by Rene Karabash and translated from Bulgarian by Izidora Angel; “The Director” by Daniel Kehlmann and translated from German by Ross Benjamin; “Taiwan Travelogue” by Yáng Shuāng-zi and translated from Taiwanese by Lin King; and “The Witch” by Marie Ndiaye and translated from French by Jordan Stump.

The announcement of the winning book will take place on May 19 at a ceremony at Tate Modern in London.

The International Booker Prize is awarded annually for a single work of fiction — either a novel or a collection of short stories — written in another language, translated into English and published in the UK and/or Ireland.

According to the organisers, the 2025 winner “Heart Lamp” –- the first collection of short stories to win the prize and the first translated from Kannada –- rapidly sold out in the UK in the subsequent days, with the UK publisher, And Other Stories, immediately reprinting 40,000 copies.

source/content: telegraphindia.com (headline edited)

Meet Neelam Kaur Gill, the only Indian-origin model to walk the ramp at Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show 2025

The 30-year-old walked the ramp for the American lingerie label for the first time in 2024.

Neelam Kaur Gill, the only Indian-origin model to have walked the ramp at Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show in New York on Wednesday, turned heads in a shimmering pink set on the runway. However, this is not the first time Gill has walked for the American lingerie label.

Gill made her Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show debut last year. But her modelling career began when she was only 14. 

The 30-year-old was born in Coventry, England on April 27, 1995. Her grandparents were born in India and are Sikhs from Punjab.  

Gill started her modelling career after being discovered at The Clothes Show Live. 

In 2013, she was the first Indian-origin model to appear in a Burberry campaign at the London Fashion Week.

She has worked with several other international brands like Dior, Givenchy and Elie Saab. 

 Gill also appeared in Kanye West’s Yeezy Show.

Following her appearance at Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show this year, Gill posted about the show’s commitment to inclusivity and diverse representation.  

“Punjabi princess for @victoriassecret. I’m still floating on cloud 9. Thank you to my Desi community for all the love. I’m so proud of where I’m from & that will never change. THANK YOU @adamselman for making this brown girl feel so seen, loved, confident and empowered. Thank you @piergiorgio for making my dream come true again,” she wrote, sharing photos from the event. 

According to media reports, Gill is dating a close friend of Hollywood star Leonardo DiCaprio.

The 2025 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show saw a star-studded lineup featuring fashion icons like Adriana Lima, Alessandra Ambrosio, and sisters Gigi and Bella Hadid.  

Indian actress Triptii Dimri was also present on the front row, joining global luminaries at the glamorous New York event.   

source/content: telegraphonline.com (headline edited)

Asia’s largest tulip garden opens in Srinagar; mesmerises tourists with 17 lakh blooming bulbs

CM Abdullah highlighted the Tulip Show as a celebration of Kashmir’s diverse natural beauty and a key attraction for nature lovers worldwide.

Tourists visiting Asia’s largest tulip garden here are spellbound by a riot of colours and mesmerised by its breath-taking beauty as the 50-hectare Tulip Garden opened for the public on Wednesday amidst a display of 17 lakh flower bulbs.

The opening of the Tulip Garden — nestled between the Dal Lake and the Zabarwan Hills — marked the beginning of a new tourism season in the Kashmir valley.

The Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip Garden was thrown open to the public by Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah as he inaugurated the Tulip Show-2025.

Abdullah toured the garden, visiting its different levels and flower varieties.

The chief minister highlighted the Tulip Show as a celebration of Kashmir’s diverse natural beauty and a key attraction for nature lovers worldwide.

He emphasised J-K’s timeless charm and scenic landscapes, inviting tourists to explore its unmatched splendour.

Abdullah also interacted with several visitors and obliged to their selfie requests as well.

Interacting with visitors, the chief minister welcomed them to the “Paradise on Earth”, encouraging them to cherish and share their experiences of the Tulip Garden in their home states and countries.

Later, taking to X, the chief minister said he was pleased to inaugurate the scenic Tulip Garden.

“A true spectacle of nature’s beauty, this garden embodies Kashmir’s charm and warmth. I invite everyone to witness this breathtaking bloom and experience the magic of spring in the Valley,” the CM said in a post on X.

“After more than a decade I was back at the Tulip Garden in Srinagar to officially throw it open to visitors. Over the next few weeks thousands of people are expected to visit Asia’s largest tulip garden and enjoy the riot of colour,” Abdullah said.

The inaugural day saw an overwhelming response from tourists and locals alike who marvelled at the mesmerising floral expanse.

Seema, a visitor from Delhi, Seema said the experience of visiting the garden was mesmerising.

“It feels very good to be here. It is a mesmerising experience. We came to Srinagar for the first time and it was nice to see tulip flowers here,” she said.

Another visitor, Satish, said it was altogether a different experience to see a large number of tulip flowers in the world’s second-largest tulip garden.

“The beauty of Kashmir and the tourist places here is amazing. Everyone should visit Kashmir once in life to enjoy the scenic beauty,” he said.

A tourist from Mumbai, Surmil, has fallen in love with the garden, describing his experience as amazing.

“I love this place. So many tulips here, colourful. It has been an amazing experience. The atmosphere is very nice. The weather is cool here compared to Mumbai,” he said.

The garden was set up by Ghulam Nabi Azad, the then chief minister of the erstwhile state in 2007 to advance J-K’s tourist season which was earlier limited to the summers and the winters.

Formerly known as Siraj Bagh, the garden was opened to the public as tulips of different colours have started to bloom, Floriculture Department officials said.

The department plants tulip bulbs in a phased manner so that the flowers remain in bloom for a month or more.

This year, the department has added two new varieties of tulips to the garden.

A new colour scheme has been introduced this year, and the total number of varieties of tulips and other flowers has risen to 74.

Other spring flowers including hyacinths, daffodils, muscari and cyclamens are also on display.

About 17 lakh tulip bulbs have been planted in the garden that spreads over 55 hectares, the officials said.

The extension of the garden has reached almost its full capacity, they said.

The garden started on a small scale with 50,000 tulip bulbs imported from The Netherlands. It instantly gained popularity among tourists and has been steadily growing each year, both in terms of the number of visitors and the tulips that bloom.

More than 4.65 lakh visitors, both domestic and foreign, visited the garden last year while the footfall in 2023 was 3.65 lakh.

source/content: telegraphindia.com (headline edited)

116 new tourist destinations sanctioned across the country

The Tourism Ministry will also conduct job oriented short term skill programmes through various institutes across the country.

The Centre has sanctioned a total of 116 new tourist destinations across the country under various schemes in partnership with State governments which would be developed at a cost of ₹4,088 crores.

Out of these 34 have been sanctioned under the Swadesh Darshan 2.0 scheme, 42 have been identified under the “Challenge Based Destination Development (CBDD)”, a sub-scheme of Swadesh Darshan and 40 would be developed under Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment (SASCI).

The Swadesh Darshan Scheme, a flagship initiative of the Union Tourism Ministry aims to develop sustainable and responsible tourism destinations by focusing on theme-based circuits and providing financial assistance to state governments for infrastructure development. The scheme was revamped as SwadeshDarshan 2.0 (SD2.0) with the objective to develop sustainable tourism destinations.

Additionally, the Ministry has formulated CBDD as a sub-scheme under SD2.0 aiming for holistic development of destinations to enhance tourist experience.

Furthermore, the Centre through the Union Finance Ministry sanctioned 40 projects in 23 States for ₹3295.76 crore in Financial Year 2024-25 under SASCI – Development of Iconic Tourist Centres to Global Scale’ Scheme with the objective to comprehensively develop iconic tourist centres in the country, branding, and marketing them at global scale, Union Minister for Culture and Tourism Gajendra Singh Shekhawat informed the Parliament earlier this week.

The Centre has also approved the initiative to develop tribal homestays under the Swadesh Darshan scheme as part of the Pradhan Mantri Janjatiya Unnat Gram Abhiyan. The said intervention includes development of 1,000 homestays with support of up to ₹5 lakh per unit (for new construction), up to ₹3 lakhs (renovation) and ₹5 lakh for village community requirement.

The Tourism Ministry also conducts job oriented short term skill programmes through various institutes across the country, including Bihar. The main objective of this initiative is to train and upgrade manpower at every strata of tourism service providers in order to capitalise the vast tourism potential of the country to the fullest and provide professional expertise to the local populace, the Minister said.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

‘At an elevation of 15000 ft. above sea level’- Cabinet approves two major ropeway projects in Uttarakhand under Parvatmala Pariyojana

The total cost of both projects is over Rs. 6,811 crore and these will be developed on Design, Build, Finance, Operate and Transfer (DBFOT) mode, one of the variants of the Public-Private Partnership, or PPP, model.

The union cabinet Wednesday approved two major ropeway projects- Govindghat to Hemkund Sahib Ji (12.4 km) and Sonprayag to Kedarnath (12.9 km)- in Uttarakhand, which will be developed under National Ropeways Development Programme – Parvatmala Pariyojana.

The total cost of both projects is over Rs. 6,811 crore and these will be developed on Design, Build, Finance, Operate and Transfer (DBFOT) mode, one of the variants of the Public-Private Partnership, or PPP, model.

Currently, the journey to Hemkund Sahib, which is a site of famous gurudwara, is undertaken through 21-km uphill trek from Govindghat and is covered on foot or by ponies or palanquins. Similarly, the journey to Kedarnath temple is a 16-km uphill trek from Gaurikund and is currently covered on foot or by ponies, palanquins and helicopter.

According to the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH), Govindghat to Hemkund Sahib Ji ropeway project will have Monocable Detachable Gondola from Govindghat to Ghangaria (10.55 km) and further integrated with the advanced Tricable Detachable Gondola (3S) technology from Ghangaria to Hemkund Sahib Ji (1.85 km). It will have a design capacity of 1,100 passengers per hour per direction (PPHPD) with maximum carrying capacity of 11,000 passengers per day.

Whereas, Sonprayag to Kedarnath ropeway will have Tri-cable Detachable Gondola (3S) technology with a design capacity of 1,800 passengers per hour per direction carrying 18,000 passengers per day.

Tri-cable Detachable Gondola is a ropeway system where the Gondola or passenger compartment is supported by three cables and the gondola can be detached from the haul rope at the stations for loading an unload of passengers. Tri-cable Detachable Gondola have higher capacity, longer span between towers and higher cost compared to monocable systems, which runs on a single cable.

Ropeways do not need large construction works on the ground surface as such incur lower land acquisition costs. It has higher cost of construction per km than roadways. However, ropeways may be more economical than roadways.

In an statement, the ministry said that the project will foster the economic growth of the region as both religious sites- Hemkund Sahib ji and Kedarnath- attract lakhs of pilgrims every year.

Hemkund Sahib Ji is situated at an elevation of 15,000 ft in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand, where the Gurudwara open for about 5 months in a year between May and September and is visited by about 1.5 to 2 lakh pilgrims annually. Similarly, Kedarnath is situated at an elevation of 3,583 m (11968 ft) in the Rudraprayag district, where the temple is open for about seven months and is visited by around 20 lakh pilgrims annually.

Both the projects will significantly increase the total length of Parvatmala Pariyojna. Launched in Union Budget 2022-23, MoRTH’s ambitious ropeway scheme aims to develop more than 250 projects with ropeway length of over 1,200 kilometers under PPP model with around 60 percent contribution support by Government of India. The Programme is being implemented by National Highway Logistics Management Limited (NHLML), a special purpose vehicle of the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI).

According to the ministry’s annual report 2024-25, a total of Rs. 300 crore was allocated for the ropeway projects during current financial year and out of this Rs. 200 crore was spent till December 31, 2024.

The ropeway projects of 60 km length was planned for award during FY25. Out of this, Ropeway at Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh) of 3.85 km is under construction. Apart from this, three ropeway projects of 4.93 km length are awarded for Bijli Mahadev (Himachal Pradesh), Dhosi Hill (Haryana), and Mahakaleshwar Temple (Madhya Pradesh).

The bids for seven projects of 53.28 km length have been invited, including both Kedarnath and Hemkund Sahib project which received cabinet approval. Apart from this, detailed Feasibility Study is in progress for additional 12 projects of 39 km length. In addition, Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed with 13 States/UTs.

source/content: indianexpress.com (headline edited)

CIMA Awards 2025 recognises the finest in Indian art

The latest edition of the triennial ceremony was held at Taj Bengal on February 1.

A little over three decades ago, 43, Ashutosh Chowdhury Avenue became the hub of Kolkata’s arts scene, with the establishment of the Centre of International Modern Art (CIMA). Since 1993, CIMA has become a cornerstone for bridging the gap between the world’s best creative minds and Kolkata.

February 1 saw the organisation celebrating the pinnacle of Indian art at Taj Bengal, with the CIMA Awards 2025, in association with The Telegraph Online. My Kolkata was in the audience.

CIMA director and managing trustee of the Art & Heritage Foundation, Rakhi Sarkar, gave the introductory speech for the triennial ceremony. “The CIMA Awards are the apple of our eye, acquainting us with the creative strength of young India. The awardees have been selected while maintaining the highest standards of originality and excellence, given how uniqueness and experimentation blend seamlessly at CIMA.”

The awards received more than 210 submissions by 200 artists from 22 Indian states. A jury selection jury comprised veterans, like Indrapramit Roy, Kunal Basu, Alka Pande and Shreyasi Chatterjee shortlisted the best paintings, sculptures, graphics, installations and new media. These shortlisted artworks are being exhibited at the Academy of Fine Arts (January 31 – February 18) and CIMA Art Gallery (January 31 – February 28).

“We especially looked for artworks that made us think. Art that doesn’t offend or ask questions, can’t be called art,” said Roy.

Pande added, “The CIMA Awards are a fantastic springboard for these artists to get visibility.” Basu further remarked, “We have such a diverse country, with many different Indias living within India. We can confidently say that all the works exhibited by CIMA reflect all of India.”

February 1 saw 12 big winners, along with two special awardees. While Pankaj Shah and Minakumari Raste were presented with the Sarbani Kar Lifetime Achievement Award for pioneering craft in Kutch, Birla Academy of Art & Culture was felicitated as a distinguished art institution of India. “While we weren’t comfortable with recognition, Rakhiji felt that our work could inspire others in the craft sector. We want to bring forward India’s traditional arts and crafts to the global stage, and provide due credit to the artisans who work behind the scenes to make this happen,” smiled Shah. “This award wouldn’t have been possible without my parents, who started this initiative as a private collection in their home, and then grew it into an academy,” beamed Mohta.

Supriyo Manna emerged as the winner of the CIMA Award 2025, for his moving piece titled, ‘The Harvest of Trust’. Chandan Bez Baruah was declared the first runner-up, while Sougata Das and Kalpana Vishwas jointly won the second runners-up award.

The evening’s vote of thanks was delivered by CIMA’s chief administrator, Pratiti Basu Sarkar. “The participation of these artists is what determines the quality of The CIMA Awards. The jury ensured impartiality and showed great commitment to art. All that CIMA is, comes from our great team,” she said.

source/content: telegraphindia.com (headline edited)

Oscars 2025: Payal Kapadia’s seat at the big table

A lack of budget certainly didn’t stop the filmmaker. Her big win at Cannes, along with rave reviews, special screenings and strong distributors with festival know-how have given her an edge.

In the spring of 2022, S.S. Rajamouli’s historical action drama RRR was a huge hit in India and in the global Indian diaspora market when two American distributors floated the idea of releasing it once again — to reach an audience not usually drawn to Indian films.

With great word of mouth and reviews, the film pulled more American audiences. It was quite unlike anything Americans had seen. RRR ended up winning a few critics’ association awards and a Golden Globe for the song ‘Nattu Nattu’. One day before the final Oscars voting began, the distributors, Variance Films and Potentate Films, organised a sold-out screening in the 1,647-seat Ace Hotel Theatre in Los Angeles. A couple of weeks later, ‘Nattu Nattu’ won an Oscar for Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures.

Indian films rarely make such an impact in the U.S. during the awards seasons. I have been observing this for over four decades, first as a journalism student, then an entertainment writer and the festival director of the oldest Indian film festival in North America. Unless it is a work of the magnitude of Richard Attenborough’s Gandhi — a British-Indian co-production that won eight Oscars in 1983, beating Steven Spielberg’s most loved film E.T., the Extra-Terrestrial. Danny Boyle’s Slumdog Millionaire also won eight Oscars, but unlike Gandhi it was a British production with no Indian producer attached to it.

Grand Prix sets the ball rolling

Marketing, promotion, and celebrity endorsements are often a big part of the awards campaign. In the fall of 2001, British filmmaker Roland Joffé (The Killing Fields) called a few of his friends in Hollywood — all members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Joffé had seen Ashutosh Gowarikar’s Lagaan, which was India’s entry for the Best Foreign Language Film. He had liked the film — about a farmer during the British Raj who challenges its officers to a game of cricket to get tax exemption — and wanted to make sure his friends would attend the Academy’s screening.

But in all these years I had not seen an Indian film reach American shores with a stamp of having won an award at a major film festival — not until May 2024, when Payal Kapadia’s second feature All We Imagine as Light won the Grand Prix at the 77th Cannes Film Festival. It was the first Indian film in 30 years to play in the main competition section of the festival.

Suddenly, it seemed everyone was talking about All We Imagine as Light, a Malayalam language drama on three working women and the transformative power of friendship and sisterhood. IndieWire gave it an A rating; they are usually very conservative in their reviews. And senior critic Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian gave the film a five-star rating, comparing it to Satyajit Ray’s Mahanagar and Aranyer Din Ratri.

his followed screenings at the top three fall season festivals in North America: Telluride, Toronto and New York. There were more awards, including from several American critics’ associations. And even though India did not submit All We Imagine as Light for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film, the buzz about it remained strong.

According to filmmaker and film preservationist Shivendra Singh Dungarpur the reason for the success of All We Imagine as Light is the new film language that Kapadia has developed. “She blends fiction with documentary style of filmmaking giving her narrative an almost hypnotic quality,” he says. “You can’t tell where the fiction begins and when it is pure documentary.” Mumbai-based Kapadia worked as an assistant with Dungarpur before she joined the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII). Her journey since has been one of resilience — overcoming wrongful charges of rioting at FTII (where her scholarship was suspended), to persisting with her vision even when her films never found a local audience. Until now.

Under a Golden spotlight

One of the advantages All We Imagine as Light could have had is its European producers. “I don’t know [if there’s a specific] benefit in having a producer from a different part of the world… but if you are keen to premiere at a film festival in Europe, then European producers know the process,” says Kapadia. “Now, many Indian producers are learning about it, along with the American festival system. Look at Reema Das. She is her own producer and has always premiered her movies at top-level festivals. Her films are very local and yet the themes resonate across the world.”

Late last year, several critics and major publications — from The New York Times to Sight and Sound magazine ranked All We Imagine as Light as the number one film of the year. In its recent Instagram post, Sight and Sound described the film as “a delicate, dreamlike tale of loneliness and fellowship” and added that the film recalled works of Ray and Wong Kar-wai. One day after Christmas, Variety named Kapadia as one of the international breakouts of the year.

So, no one seemed surprised when All We Imagine as Light received two Golden Globes nominations, including one in the Best Director category. Variety wrote this reflected “Kapadia’s growing influence in world cinema”. This was the first such nomination for an Indian filmmaker for a film made in India. In 1999, Shekhar Kapur received a Best Director nomination for Elizabeth, but that was a British production.

All We Imagine as Light also received a Golden Globes nomination for Best Motion Picture – Non-English Language. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences only accepts one international film submitted by each individual country, but the Hollywood Foreign Press Association — the body that awards the Golden Globes — accepts submissions by producers of foreign language films. And so the filmcould compete.

For a while now, commentators have said that the Golden Globes have lost their significance. But one cannot deny that Academy members and studios seriously follow the Globes — the nominations and the awards. (And since any film that runs for a week in any of the U.S.’s six metropolitan areas is eligible to be nominated for the Oscars, All We Imagine as Light is a contender.)

Kapadia attended the Globes dressed in a black silk outfit designed by Payal Khandwala and she wore earrings gifted to her by her mother, the painter Nalini Malani. She was accompanied by her two French producers, Thomas Hakim and Julien Graff, and cinematographer Ranabir Das. “It was such a huge honour to be nominated,” Kapadia shares the day after the Golden Globes ceremony. “The nominations really put our film back in people’s attention. And of course, talking to stars you have admired is always a thrill. I met Jodie Foster as well as director Walter Salles who had both seen our movie, and they liked it!”

Kapadia’s chance of winning a Globe was never definite, given the competitive field she was in, but her name has already registered in the minds of many Academy members. Meanwhile, last week, the film was longlisted in three categories for the British Academy Film Awards (BAFTA), including best director.

Celebrity support for Indian films 

The torch of All We Imagine as Light has been kept burning by the film’s two distributors, Janus Films and Sideshow. The former had two other foreign language films nominated for the Golden Globes: Vermiglio (Italy), a drama set during World War II, and Flow (Lithuania), a fantasy adventure about a solitary cat’s survival. Flow won the Globe for the Best Motion Picture, Animated.

“We are lucky to work with Janus and Sideshow who really take care of the films they distribute,” Kapadia says. “They understand this system well and make sure that the campaign effort is streamlined and specific. We don’t have a major studio funding backing this effort so it’s sheer hard work from everyone involved.” A stark contrast to money-backed films such as RRR or even a Gandhi, which had the support of a big studio for its Oscar campaign.

But in a crowded field with Hollywood and foreign language films competing for the short attention span of Academy members, celebrity support for films can be really helpful. Late last year before the Oscar shortlists were announced, Mexican filmmaker Alfonso Cuarón hosted a screening of Kiran Rao’s Laapataa Ladies in London. British film director of Indian origin Gurinder Chadha, who is a member of the Academy along with Cuarón, also attended the screening.

In mid-November, Indian-American filmmaker Mira Nair moderated a post-screening Q&A of All We Imagine as Light with Kapadia at NeueHouse, a small theatre in Manhattan with just 86 seats. The screening was organised by Janus Films and Sideshow to generate interest before the limited release of the film on November 15 in New York City. But it was also intended to start the buzz among Academy members based in the city. The NeueHouse screening was attended by a few Indian-American Academy members, including publicist Gitesh Pandya and producer Shrihari Sathe. Nair is also an influential member of the Academy.

The same evening, Netflix hosted a screening of Laapataa Ladies in New York City. At the time, the film was in consideration for the Best International Feature Film award. Kiran Rao and Aamir Khan were present as was Nair, who did a Q&A with the director and producer. Nair then rushed to moderate the NeueHouse Q&A of All We Imagine as Light. She had seen Kapadia’s film earlier.

Is another nomination likely?

These special screenings by well-known filmmakers are held throughout the awards seasons. In December, Kapadia was interviewed by director Shuchi Talati (Girls Will Be Girls) after the film’s screening at Film Forum, a prime art-house theatre in New York City. Again, the Q&A was meant to create a buzz about All We Imagine as Light as the Academy members were getting set to watch the films in consideration. The film is now in its eighth week of theatrical run at Film Forum.

And earlier at the end of October, Kapadia was in Japan for the Tokyo International Film Festival when she had an in-depth conversation with the Japanese master Hirokazu Kore-eda. (Kore-eda received a Palm d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival in 2018 for Shoplifters. The next year Shoplifters received an Academy Award nomination for the Best Foreign Language Film.)

During the conversation, Kore-eda asked Kapadia her thoughts on All We Imagine as Light not being sent to the Academy Awards. Her response was measured and diplomatic. “I think with this film, it got a lot already. I’m very satisfied with how the journey of the film has gone. And it’s been really more than I expected. So everything that comes its way, it’s like a bonus for me.”

All We Imagine as Light has had a huge success in finding distribution deals in 85 countries. And according to Zico Maitra, one of the film’s producers, it has already opened in 43 countries, including just recently in the U.K., Germany and Spain. After a limited release in India, the film is also streaming on Disney+Hotstar. Kapadia wanted her film to be seen by people across the country. Hence, the screenings took place in major cities, but also those that could be described as Tier-II cities: Guwahati, Chandigarh and Kanpur. The OTT release is a part of the extra bonus Kapadia mentioned.

Voting for the Academy Awards is on from January 8 to 12, and the nominations will be announced on January 19. While no one can predict whether All We Imagine as Light will receive any nominations, this much is clear: Kapadia and her film already have a seat at the main dinner table. She will be there even after the award season has ended.

The writer is a film festival programmer and author.

content/source: thehindu.com (headline edited)

‘First ever’ glass bridge opened in India’s southernmost tip | Key details

Glass bridge connecting Vivekananda memorial, Thiruvalluvar statue inaugurated in Tamil Nadu.

Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin on Monday inaugurated a glass bridge connecting the Vivekananda Rock Memorial and the 133-feet Thiruvalluvar statue in the Kanyakumari district.

The structure claimed to be the first such one in India, was inaugurated to mark the silver jubilee of the unveiling of the renowned Tamil poet Thiruvalluvar’s statue by late chief minister M Karunanidhi.

The glass bridge connecting the two monuments offers visitors a breathtaking view of the sea. “It provides a thrilling experience of walking above the sea,” a tourist official told news agency PTI.

Key details about Kanyakumari glass bridge

The glass bridge is 77-meter-long, 10-metre wide and 133-feet high.

According to the state government, the bowstring arch on the glass bridge has been designed to withstand the saline breeze from the sea and high humidity.

Tourists who used to travel between the two historical monuments on a ferry can now walk over the glass bridge and reach the other end quickly.

Politics over glass bridge

After the inauguration, Stalin walked over the bridge accompanied by deputy chief minister Udhayanidhi Stalin, state ministers, MP Kanimozhi, and senior officials. A laser light show was held at the Thiruvalluvar statue.

Stalin hailed the legacy of the Tamil poet and announced that last week of every December will be celebrated as “Thrirukkural week” to spread the poet’s teaching in his renowned work “Thirukkural”.

Meanwhile, opposition AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami said the project was sanctioned and granted environmental clearance during his tenure as the chief minister.

“Chief Minister M K Stalin who inaugurated the glass bridge in Kanyakumari on Monday evening did not bring the project. It was brought during the AIADMK regime when I was the Chief Minister,” Palaniswami told reporters here.

“Since Kanyakumari is a very popular tourist destination, I requested (union shipping minister) that a bridge be built to link Thiruvalluvar statue with the Vivekananda Rock Memorial,” he added.

(With PTI inputs)

source/content: hindustantimes.com (headline edited)

How Haryana’s Carterpuri village was named after former US President Jimmy Carter

Jimmy Carter, the third US president to visit India, had a personal link through his mother, Lillian, who served as a Peace Corps health volunteer in the 1960s.

Jimmy Carter, the 39th US president and third American leader to visit India, after whom a village in Haryana was named Carterpuri has passed away at 100 in Georgia.

Carter, the longest-lived president in US history, passed away on Sunday at the age of 100.

According to the Carter Centre, on January 3, 1978, Carter and then First Lady Rosalynn Carter travelled to the village of Daulatpur Nasirabad, an hour southwest of New Delhi.

He was the third American president to visit India and the only one with a personal connection to the country – his mother, Lillian, had worked there as a health volunteer with the Peace Corps during the late 1960s.

“The visit was so successful that shortly after, village residents renamed the area ‘Carterpuri’ and remained in contact with the White House for the rest of President Carter’s tenure. The trip made a lasting impression: Festivities abounded in the village when President Carter won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002, and January 3 remains a holiday in Carterpuri,” the Carter Centre said.

“In fact, since the Carter administration, the US and India have worked closely on energy, humanitarian aid, technology, space cooperation, maritime security, disaster relief, counterterrorism, and more. In the mid-2000s, the United States and India struck a landmark agreement to work toward full civil nuclear cooperation, and bilateral trade has since skyrocketed,” the centre said.

President Carter understood that shared democratic principles formed a strong foundation for a long, fruitful relationship between the US and India. It is, therefore, no surprise that the two nations grew steadily closer in the decades after he left office, it said.

“India’s difficulties, which we often experience ourselves and which are typical of the problems faced in the developing world, remind us of the tasks that lie ahead. Not the Authoritarian Way,” Carter had said on January 2, 1978.

A day later at the signing of the Delhi declaration along with then Prime Minister Morarji Desai, Carter said at the heart of the friendship between India and the US is their determination that the moral values of the people must also guide the actions of the states, the governments.

With PTI inputs

source/content: hindustantimes.com (headline edited)