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Pandavaas, ‘Riding up to the Stars’

By
Dr. Tania Saili Bakshi
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Royal Enfield

Dateline Srinagar: The latest Royal Enfield movie, ‘Riding Upto the Stars/Astral ride’ launched on YouTube is anything short of being an audio-visual treat.

The close to three-minutes, the AV takes the audience on a ride across the breath-taking splendour of Zanskar and Changthang Valley of Ladakh with the soulful voice of local artist Kunzes Dolma in the background accompanied by the music of Rigzen Sangdrup, Angdu Khigu and Pracheer Devli of Dehradun.

What makes this movie even more endearing is the fact that it has been put together by the efforts of the multi-talented Pandavaas group, based out of Srinagar, Garhwal.

Post the success of their ‘Looms of Ladakh’ episode, the Royal Enfield team reached out to the Pandavaas to take on the role of a creative team with the Royal Enfield riders. Shot in the month of September and October when the Milky way galaxy is seen in all its splendour, the team spent a little over a month to shoot the starlit formation in the dry, arid and light-free desert of Zanskar and Changthang.

The team of Royal enflied

Ladakh is a pilgrimage for every Royal Enfield rider and the company wanted to  promote responsible tourism with its motto, ‘leave every place better.’  This was reason enough for the Pandavaas i.e. the three brother team of Ishaan, Kunal and Salil Dobhal along with Shashank Nawani from Haridwar to come on board.

Talking about the project Kunal Dobhal the videographer of the shoot adds, “We have many such picturesque towns and valleys, similar in beauty, if not more in Uttarakhand as well and we wish these will be projected in brands such as these, in the near future.”

“We handpicked local singers and musicians and stitched together a promo which has turned out as magical as ever, ” says Ishaan who did the music for the shoot. While Salil Dobhal who captured the essence of Zanskar and Changthang valley and the Milky way in all its glory says, “we have tried to change the image of a biker into a gentleman rider and that is what comes across in our joint endeavour.”

Click here to see more:

https://youtu.be/visUlIwXmsY

For every cake has a story to tell

By
Dr. Tania Saili Bakshi
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0

Dateline Mussoorie: While the rest of the country begins to ring in Diwali festivities, exactly a week apart.  In Mussoorie, Welcomhotel The Savoy Mussoorie is bringing in the spirit of Christmas, that too, two months early.

In its sprawling Central Lawn, keeping in tune with the Christmas theme of Red and Gold, the hotel picked the ideal spot, on a sunny autumn afternoon to hold its customary cake-mixing ceremony followed by a traditional English high-tea.

Year after year, following the age-old custom the hotel staff, hotel guests along with dignitaries from the community turn out in large numbers towards the end of October to do their bit in keeping this 17th century tradition alive. They gather around a customised eighteen feet cake-mixing table to kick-off the festivities with fun and laughter.

And here we go…

During the half hour ceremony, Head Chef Rajeev Badola explained how, “Cake-mixing preparation begin months in advance. The customary mixing of an array of fruits, black currant, apricot, ginger peels, prunes, figs, resins, dates, tutti-frutti, grounded spices, mace, soaked in choicest of spirits such as wine, dark and white rum and brandy give that well-blended flavour to the Christmas cake, and of course, it brings the community together and enhances the festive mood.”

Due to Covid, the last year cake-mixing was an intimate affair. What makes this year’s cake-mixing even more special, keeping covid protocol in place, is the five and a half feet long, locally procured hand-made spatulas that will ensure the highest standard of hygiene, safety and physical distancing, along with customised face masks stitched in-sync with the occasion.

After being soaked for weeks on end, this perfect blended fruity mixture will then be baked into traditional festive indulgences in the month of December, setting the tone for the onset of Christmas in the hill-station of Mussoorie.

Gautam Valli, General Manager Welcomhotel The Savoy tells us, “ This aint all! This is just the beginning, we have a whole lot of events lined-up until the end of the year. ”

Watch out for this space for more.

‘Songs of the River Ganga’ being shot in Uttarakhand

By
Dr. Tania Saili Bakshi
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0
Shantanu Moitra and Mohit Chauhan

Dateline Harsil: A documentary titled, ‘Songs of the River Ganga’ is being shot on location in the scenic town of Harsil, Uttarkashi.

Talented Music Director Shantanu Moitra who has given charter buster music in films like Three Idiots, Munna Bhai MBBS; Parineeti and PK is heading the six-episode documentary unit.

The documentary travels along the river Ganga from its place of origin in Gaumukh and culminates in Kannauj, Uttar Pradesh. Its first episode begins in Harsil, Uttarkashi with local folk artists dancing to the soulful voice of Bollywood singer Mohit Chauhan.

To take in the essence of what makes Uttarakhand unique, Shantanu Moitra cycled from Gangotri to Harsil capturing the beauty of the hill state.

Over the next two months, the unit will move along the holy river and shoot in towns like Devprayag, Rishikesh where Ganga debouches into the great plains of India. Enroute, renowned singers, from the Hindi film industry will join in to be part of ‘Songs of the River Ganga.’

Smitten by the beauty of Harsil, singer Mohit Chauhan had this to say, “It is very important that places like Harsil should be highlighted and put on the map. Mediums such as these help in propagating the pahadi culture and tradition far and wide. Efforts like these should be encouraged.”

“Songs of the River Ganga” will be released sometime early next year on OTT channels such as YouTube, HotStar, Amazon Prime etc.

Film-maker JP Dutta felicitated by VoW

By
Dr. Tania Saili Bakshi
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0
Gen Cardozo felicitating JP Dutta Pic Courtesy: Themoodylens

Dateline New Delhi: Ending Producer, Director and Film-maker JP Dutta’s birthday week on a high note, the Valley of Words, International Literature and Art festival felicitated Shri JP Dutta for his sterling contribution to the world of cinema.

At their Military History and Strategy vertical held at the USI, New Delhi, JP Dutta in the presence of his family, was presented with a marigold pin and appreciation certificate by none other than the mentor of Valley of Words, General Ian Cardozo himself.

The ‘Marigold flower or gendaa, holds a special reverence in the armed forces as a Flower of Remembrance.  General Ian Cardozo, composed a poem on this floral tribute on 28th March, 2016 which reads…

 ‘So, pause a moment all who care

and offer up in silent prayer

this sacred flower for a soldier’s death

to remember that last most precious breath.’

In his valedictory speech at the function, Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat said, “JP Dutta saheb is an icon in the way he has been projecting wars through media and the films he has made.”

Pic Courtesy: Themoodylens

For decades JP Dutta has beautifully woven the Fauj onto the celluloid screen. His cinematic blockbusters like Paltan, Border and many others have inspired a whole generation of Indians to appreciate and celebrate the contribution of our valiant sentinels.

 

 

Talking about Shri Dutta ji’s contribution, Festival Director, Dr. Sanjeev Chopra said, “JP Dutta has infused patriotic spirit in Indian youth and brought the sacrifices of soldiers in the 1971 war to the forefront of our cultural imagination.”

Humbled by the gesture, JP Dutta who turned 72 last Sunday said, “Emotions bring history and I transformed emotions into a small tribute to the Indian Army through Border.” He further added, “The Indian Army has not only the arms and ammunition but also character as it’s strength.”

The pan-India Lit fest will now move onto Vadodara, Kolkata and Hyderabad before its three day finale in Dehradun towards the end of November.

To know more visit us at: http://valleyofwords.org

2021: Valley of Words goes pan-India

By
Dr. Tania Saili Bakshi
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0
VoW, 2021

Dateline Dehradun: The fifth edition of the Valley of Words, International Literature and Art Festival, 2021 a.k.a VoW as it is popularly known is all set to flag off their pan-India presence with their first vertical Military History and Strategy dedicated to the 1971 War, to be held in New Delhi from 9-10th of October.

Telling us more about the Festival, Dr. Sanjeev Chopra, Director of VoW, states, “Over a period of two months, the pan-India festival will move to II and III tier cities such Vadodara, Kolkata, Hyderabad and Dehradun. This year the focus of the Military History and Strategy vertical is the War of 1971, that has re-shaped the sub-continent and will be held at the United Services Institution of India, New Delhi.”

This cerebral outpour will continue over the next two months over five cities and will include authors/panelists/moderators/guests attending virtual and physical session from across India and abroad. The Lit fest, like last year, will be both physical and virtual due the pandemic, ensuring that the written word is spread beyond geographical boundaries.

Tailor-made for readers of every age group this literary extravaganza incorporates many, if not all genre of creativity from literature in English, Hindi, regional languages, sessions curated for people from the defence forces, translators, poets, research scholars, policy makers, regional writers, young adults, children, debate enthusiasts, photographers, book launches, science and technology, art and culture all brought under one banner: Valley of Words.

Dr. Sanjeev Chopra further adds, “The last leg of the Lit Fest will be held in Dehradun. It will be a three day event towards the end of November. The festival has its roots in the Doon valley which has been our karam and janmbhoomi, and as always we hope to end it on a high note.”

During the festival, many firsts from the world of cinema, the defence forces and environmentalists will be felicitated for their extraordinary contribution to their respective fields.

The Valley of Words a.k.a VoW has gained popularity with each passing year as it celebrates creative expression across all genres, and beyond with a galaxy of eminent scholars joining in, year after year.

To know stay updated about the upcoming festival, visit:http://valleyofwords.org

The Himalaya Cafe, Scotland has a Mussoorie connect

By
Dr. Tania Saili Bakshi
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0

Dateline Mussoorie: In the beginning the Scots came to Mussoorie. Two hundred years down-the-road, Mussoorie has moved to the Scottish Highlands.

Making headlines with His Holiness the Dalai Lama supporting a GoFundMe in Scotland has a Mussoorie connect. Reka Gawa, the proud owner of Himalaya Cafe was all of thirteen years old when she left her home in Mussoorie to settle in Edinburgh, Scotland.

Answering my Whatsapp messages she kept to her promise. She writes: “I have vivid memories of Mussoorie and my home there. We would then walk all over the place from the Mall, talking to locals, sipping on sweet Mussoorie chai to enjoy the magical sunsets of Landour. It is all etched in my mind forever.”

Reka spent her childhood in Radha Bhawan and finished her schooling here before moving to Denmark for her further studies. She reminiscences, “I would often visit Edinburg as I had a friend there. The place slowly grew on me and I fell in love with it. It reminded me so much of my home in Mussoorie. And I sprouted roots here.”

As luck would have it, Reka started working in the hospitality department of the Scottish Parliament. It was exactly where, in 2004 that she was destined to meet His Holiness the Dalai Lama, who was on an official visit to Scotland. And that meeting was to change her life forever.  He advised her to join in the effort to ‘promote Tibetan culture.’

Being a skilled cook, she thought the best way to take the message of HH Dalai Lama forward would be to open a café. In 2017, Himalaya Tibetan Café came into existence. 14 years later, the café brings a little piece of Tibet, with its vibrant colours, incense, Tibetan artefacts and it own meditation room filled with books lending it a flavour of home.

Today the Himalaya Tibetan Café is an oasis in itself. Situated in the heart of Edinburg, its doors are open to one and all. The Café specializes in Asian and Tibetan cuisine, with vegetarian friendly, vegan options and also gluten free meals on its menu, not forgetting the good-old Mussoorie chai.

The café’s ‘pass it forward’ scheme to give food away to the homeless has won many hearts.

Recently Gawa ran a GoFundMe fundraiser to buy her rented Café. She found support by none other than His Holiness Dalai Lama himself, and within weeks, exceeded the target.

At the outset of the fund raiser appeal, Reka Gawa stated: ‘The Café is run on the Buddhist principle of compassion. After all, it was the words of His Holiness which inspired me to open a café in the first place.”

And compassion it is that has moved mountains!

Friends marching forward on a mission

By
Dr. Tania Saili Bakshi
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0
Tibetan writer Tenzin Tsundue along Tenzin Leckphel

Dateline Dehradun: Noted Tibetan activist and writer Tenzin Tsundue along with his friend Tenzin Leckphel, film maker from Dharamshala are out on a joint-mission. Over the next three months the duo are making their way  from Ladakh to Arunachal Pradesh as part of “Walking the Himalayas,” initiative, spreading the message of Free Tibet.

On their 37th day of this long march, the duo made a pit-stop at the Press Club in Dehradun, where they screened “Escape of The Dalai Lama from Tibet’  produced by Mumbai based Rangrez Films for Epic TV channel, an opportunity that the duo take to garner support for free Tibet.

The eighty minute Hindi film is screened using a projector, soundbox and a white bedsheet for a screen at villages, market places, schools and civil societies  that they have passed by over the last few weeks. This was the film’s fiftieth screening.

Tenzin Tsundue and Tenzin Leckphel addressing the people in Dehradun

Since the 17th of August, Tenzin Tsundue along with his friend Tenzin Leckphel, have  travelled the length and the breadth of the mountains come rain or sunshine, using local transport like shared jeeps or buses, if not walking through different States. So far they have covered Leh, Nubra, Kargil, Zanskar, Jangthang Nyoma in Ladakh; Lahual, Spiti and Kinnaur in Himachal. In Uttarakhand they plan to travel from Dehradun onto Pauri-Garhwal, Nainital, Almora, Dharchula, Pithoragarh before heading to Kalimpong, Darjeeling and Gangtok; Itanagar, Bomdila, Dhirang, Tawang and border areas of  Arunachal Pradesh.

Given an opportunity,  Tsundue conducts  ‘Creative Writing Workshop’ or a ‘Poetry Reading Session’ for young minds wherever it is possible to engage them in their travel schedule.

The Dehradun Chapter of hosting the two artists was organized by Regional Tibetan Youth Congress Dekyiling, one of the eighty chapters of Tibetan Youth Congress.

Trailer of the film:

https://youtu.be/c-rhL57KNZk

Landour: Market Versus Social responsibility

By
Dr. Tania Saili Bakshi
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0

Dateline Mussoorie: The residents of Landour are concerned about the decision of the Cantonment Board to auction the old Dandi-shed which has housed a branch of the State Bank of India, at Char Dukan for the past thirty years.

Hard-wired into the DNA of those to whom Landour is home is the existence of the State Bank of India located here. It has been a part and parcel of their lives for over three decades. All economic activities of the area are centred around the bank including the accounts of those living in the nearby villages or working in the Institute of Technology Management and the Cantonment Board itself.

Over the years, the bank has invested a considerable amount of public money on converting this abandoned Dandi-shed into the shape it is in today. Relocation of such a structure will mean waste of public money in these difficult times. Down the years, the bank has done yeoman service to the Cantonment residents. This includes women, children and old men from the nearby villages of Jaunpur. It has done so by giving them access to government schemes, not to be forgotten are the facilities extended to residents and tourists who come visiting .

This ill-conceived move will adversely affect the lives of those who live in the abutting villages of Mawana, Kolti, Kanda and Ladoor. Sabal Singh of Mawaana speaks for all the villagers when he points out: “Instead of moving the bank further towards the town, why don’t they bring the bank closer to the villages? We are ready to sit in protest and fight this move tooth and nail!”

CEO, Landour, Abhishekh Rathore assures us. “We propose to move the bank to the Cantonment Board premises which is only 50 meters from where the original bank stands. The ATM will remain as it is, at Char dukan.”

Char dukan was once known for its four shops, a Bank, a Telephone Booth and a Post Office, the last two have vanished without a trace. The Bank seems all set to go that way too. Once again, market forces seems to be winning over social responsibility. At least for the time being.

DehraBoom Cypher puts fans in a trance

By
Dr. Tania Saili Bakshi
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0
DehraBoom Cypher

Dateline Dehradun: 24 hours later. Fifty thousand hits and counting. Supported by artists such as Raghav Juyal. DehraBoom Cypher (BLM Bonus), a seventeen minute forty second Hip Hop song is making waves online being touted as one of India’s biggest inspiring Hip Hop tracks to go down in the history of Indian Hip Hop.

‘DehraBoom Cypher’ is one of Uttarakhand’s Homegrown Hip Hop track and arguably one of the biggest and finest cypher track in the Indian Hip Hop scene, put together by thirty talented artists, spread across the hill-state.  Names include Team Evolution, India’s Dakait, Aniket Raturi, 2FISTD, N-DRAZ, Kalamkaar’s Karma, MTV Hustle fame Void, Pithoragarh’s Kobi Dai and Akash Raturi from Rishikesh and so on and so forth. The beats are produced by Semmi, Abhijay Sharma and Aniket Raturi.

A mini album in itself, DehraBoom Cypher is a living testament of coming together of rap artists who celebrate their passion for music. It sends out a message of unity, oneness and how art knows no bounds, is  winning laurels and appreciation from all quarters as it has made the world a stage, virtually.

The brain child of Dakait, Aniket Raturi, 2FISTD and N-DRAZ who worked together on Black Label Mixtape tracks with collaborations from artists across India always dreamed of featuring artists from their home-state finally making ‘DehraBoom Cypher’ a reality.

Taking a little over a year, getting the singers together virtually because of the pandemic, the team shared five hiphop beats with artists to choose from, compose and record their verses, which were then put together into this 17:40 minute exhibition of talent, multiple rhyme schemes, brilliantly put bars and unique voices that put the audience into a trance.

DehraBoom: is a Hip-Hop Community promoting the art of freestyle in India and abroad. The community is a collage of Hip Hop artists, newcomers, enthusiasts.

Black Label Mixtape: Is a collaborative collection of 24 premium Hip Hop/Rap tracks, featuring artists from India and beyond, released in III parts.

TUNE IN:

https://www.evoforlife.com/dehraboomcypher

Hero MotoCorp hands over advanced life support ambulances

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newspost
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0
CM flagging of Hero MotoCorp Ambulances

Dehradun: In keeping with its commitment towards supporting COVID-19 relief efforts, Hero MotoCorp Ltd – handed over thirteen life-support ambulances to the Government of Uttarakhand.

As part of the Company’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) platform “Hero WeCare”, the initiative aims to strengthen the healthcare infrastructure across the hill-state.

Flagging off these ambulances, equipped with state-of-the-art facilities, Chief Minister of Uttarakhand, Shri Pushkar Singh Dhami said, “The pandemic has accentuated the need for healthcare and we are grateful to Hero MotoCorp for their significant contribution in supporting and strengthening the medical infrastructure in the state. These efforts are helping to provide immediate relief to the frontline workers and the communities most impacted by Covid-19. We appeal to other corporates around the country to come together and extend their support to the governments to handle this unprecedented crisis.”

Mr. Bharatendu Kabi, Head – Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) & Corporate Communication, Hero MotoCorp said, “An unwavering commitment towards the safety and wellbeing of the society has always been an integral part of our philosophy at Hero MotoCorp,’ adding, ‘The ambulances provided by Hero MotoCorp in Uttarakhand will not only help communities during the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic; these will also go a long way in providing the much-needed infrastructual support at the time of any future health-related emergencies.”

In the past Hero MotoCorp donated eight specially designed First Responder Vehicles (FRVs)· In Haridwar, the company partnered with Ramakrishna Mission Sevashrama to strengthen their healthcare system with 122 bed COVID-19 hospital. The company also provided its motorcycles and scooters for commuting by health care workers and medical staff. Along with that the company has undertaken a project to administer ten thousand vaccine doses in a phased manner in Haridwar district. Hero MotoCorp is partnering with the local health department to facilitate vaccination for specially-abled people in Haridwar district as well.

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