Punjabi Kolkata Times: Mehdi Hassan: A golden voice that transcended boun...

Punjabi Kolkata Times: Mehdi Hassan: A golden voice that transcended boun...: 'Ab ke hum bichhade to shaayad kabhii khwabon mein milen' (If we part now, we may meet in dreams). The world of ghazal will no long...

Mehdi Hassan: A golden voice that transcended boundaries

'Ab ke hum bichhade to shaayad
kabhii khwabon mein milen' (If we part now, we may meet in
dreams). The world of ghazal will no longer be same without
legendary singer Mehdi Hassan who leaves behind an unmatched
legacy and treasure of soulful melodies.
     Adored by millions on both sides of the border for his
golden voice, the 84-year-old ghazal maestro, who died in a
Karachi hospital today following multi-organ failure, was one
of the last icons representing the shared cultural heritage of
India and Pakistan.
His demise has brought the curtains down on an era of
lyricism and poetry.
     An inspiration to generations of singers in both the
countries, Hassan's mesmerising voice and range made him
'Shahenshah-e-Ghazal' (The King of Ghazal singing).
'Aaye kuchh abr kuchh sharaab aaye'; 'Patta Patta, Boota
Boota'; 'Dil-E-Nadan Tujhe Hua Kya Hai' and 'Dil Ki Baat Labon
Par Laakar' are among the his all-time hits.
Hassan was born into a family of traditional musicians at
Luna village in India's Rajasthan state on July 18, 1927.
Belonging to the 16th generation of musicians from the
Kalawant clan, Hassan received his musical grooming from his
father Ustad Azeem Khan and uncle Ustad Ismail Khan who were
both traditional 'dhrupad' singers.
He started performing at a young age and his first
concert was on 'dhrupad' and 'kheyal' with his elder brother.
Hassan's family migrated to Pakistan at the time of
Partition in 1947 when he was just 20.
     The family was living in poverty but despite the
hardships, Hassan's passion for music did not wither and he
kept up the routine of 'riyaz' (practice) on a daily basis.
In an attempt to make both ends meet, Hassan started
working in a bicycle shop. The singer got his first break on
Radio Pakistan in 1957. 
Hassan, who married twice, is survived by 14 children --
nine sons and five daughters. His wives predeceased him.
     The maestro, who began his career primarily as a 'thumri'
singer, earned recognition within the musical fraternity at
the time when Ustad Barkat Ali Khan, Begum Akhtar and Mukhtar
Begum were considered the stalwarts of ghazal rendition.
It was his passion for Urdu poetry that made him take up
ghazal singing on a part-time basis but he soon became its
greatest star.
There was a time in Pakistan's film industry when a film
was considered incomplete without Hassan's voice. He ruled the
Pakistani film world along with Ahmed Rushdi in the 1960s-70s.
He was the recipient of numerous awards and recognitions:
the 'Tamgha-i-Imtiaz' granted to him by Gen Ayub Khan; the
'Pride of Performance' bestowed on him by Gen Ziaul Haq; and
the 'Hilal-i-Imtiaz' conferred by Gen Pervez Musharraf.
Besides the Nigar Film and Graduate Awards from Pakistan,
he was presented the Saigal Award in Jalandhar, India, in
1979, while the Gorkha Dakshina Bahu Award was given to him
in Nepal in 1983.
Hassan stopped singing in the late 80s due to ill health.
Despite his ailments, Hassan had a great desire to sing
with Lata Mangeshkar. In 2010, "Sarhadein", an album which had
the first and last duet song "Tera Milana" by Mehdi Hassan and
Lata Mangeshkar, was released.
Hassan recorded his part in Pakistan in 2009 and Lata
later heard the track and recorded her part in India in 2010.
The tracks were later mixed together for a duet.
     Lata, who once called Hassan the 'voice of God', said "A
singer like him is born once in a millennium. It is my bad
luck that I could not sing with him when he was healthy. Now I
can only regret. With his demise the music fraternity has lost
a great and legendary singer."
Hassan, who last performed in India in 2000, wanted to
visit his birth country again, a wish that remained
unfulfilled.

ट्राम

कोलकाता में पहली बार 24 फरवरी 1873 को सियालदह स्टेशन से आर्मेनियन स्ट्रीट तक ट्राम चलाई गई थी. तब इसे घोड़े खींचा करते थे फिर बीच में चार साल बंद रहने के बाद वर्ष 1880 में यह सेवा दोबारा शुरू की गई. इस दौरान स्टीम इंजन से ट्राम चलाने का असफल प्रयास भी किया गया और अंत में 27 मार्च 1902 को बिजली से ट्राम चलाने में कामयाबी मिली. कोलकाता में चलने वाली ट्रामों में दो डिब्बे होते हैं.


अंग्रेजों ने साल 1900 में इसमें एक और डिब्बा जोड़ दिया था तब अगला डिब्बा प्रथम श्रेणी का कर दिया गया और पिछला डिब्बा द्वितीय श्रेणी का. पिछले डिब्बे का किराया पहले डिब्बे से कम था. नगर में 1930 के दशक में 300 से ज्यादा ट्रामें चलती थीं. उस समय यही महानगर की प्रमुख सार्वजनिक सवारी थी अब सड़कों के प्रसार व वाहनों की तादाद बढ़ने के साथ इनका रूट सिकुड़ गया है लेकिन ये अब भी सड़कों पर बिछी पटरियों पर ही चलती हैं.  इस समय कोलकाता ट्रामवेज कॉरपोरेशन यानि सीटीसी के पास 272 ट्रामें हैं, लेकिन उनमें से सिर्फ 125 ट्रामें ही सड़कों पर उतरती हैं.

IPL champions KKR accorded grand felicitation at Eden

Newly-crowned IPL champions
Kolkata Knight Riders were today accorded a grand felicitation
by the state government at the packed Eden Gardens, but the
hour-long programme turned sour when chaos followed scuffles
by some frenzied fans with policemen outside the venue leading
to injuries to several people.
After the 67,000-capacity stadium filled to the brim,
the gates had to be closed denying entry to about 30,000 more
who had to remain outside when the programme was on.
Children were seen crying after being separated from
their parents and torn shoes and jerseys littered the ground
as a section of the largely young crowd engaged in scuffles
with the police, making a desperate bid to enter the grounds.
  There were also reports of lathicharge, even as the
police denied it. No barricade or fence was erected outside
the ground.
    "We did not expect such a huge response. The programme
was organised at the last minute so it was difficult to make
foolproof arrangements," an IPS official posted outside the
Eden told .
    The entry was made free for all by the government and
according to unofficial count about one lakh people turned up
to witness the grand celebration.
In the morning, the city turned purple and gold with
thousands of people lining up the entire route from Hazra
crossing, near the chief minister Mamata Banerjee's Harish
Chatterjee Street residence, to Writers' Buildings, a distance
of five kms, to witness the victory parade of the team atop a
flower-bedecked trailer.
    Many people were seen taking up vantage points on
rooftops and balconies to witness the victory procession.
    The team members, who stepped off the team bus at
Hazra a little past 11:00 am, arrived at Writers' at 12:20
pm where the chief minister, Railway minister Mukul Roy and
cabinet ministers were waiting for them.
    People threw bouquets at the players but with the team
co-owner Shah Rukh Khan, who landed at the city late last
night, missing there was some visible disappointment among the
crowd.


"We have been waiting for this day so long. Thank you
Didi. Thank You Kolkata. Thank you West Bengal on behalf of
every member of the team. Only Kolkata will rule," SRK, who is
also the brand ambassador of West Bengal, said at the
reception in front of the Writers' Buildings amidst thunderous
cheers from hundreds.
Captain Gautam Gambhir said, "Thank you Didi. It is a
fantastic support that we have received from the people of
Kolkata and Bengal."
It was a show as much by SRK and his team as Mamata
Banerjee who, dressed in a purple-bordered white sari, the
color of the team's jersey, said, "Bengal is proud. The
victory of the Knight Riders is like a victory of the
world."
Banerjee was seen either giving directions to those
present on the grounds and or shepherding the KKR team members
and Bollywood stars.
The victory procession in two open buses culminated at
the Eden via the Writers' building where chief minister Mamata
Banerjee accorded a grand welcome with a felicitation
ceremony.
      After the 13-minute programme, the Chief Minister
boarded the team bus with the team members and headed for the
Eden Gardens, a short distance away.
      The Bollywood badshah in his straw hat made his
presence felt at the Eden celebrations dancing and even trying
to coax the chief minister to do the same.
      Mamata asked the governor M K Narayanan to lead the
team inside the ground with skipper Gautam Gambhir in front
with the trophy.
      The team members went on the dias as the crowd
cheered lustily. Popular Bangla bands Bhoomi and Chandrabindoo
played some of their popular number as all the members
including owners Shah Rukh, Juhi Chawla and Jay Mehta danced.
      The programme officially began with National anthem
after which the team members were given gold chains and
mememtos and were before being garlanded with blue-coloured
scarfs amid showers of confetti and loud cheer from thousands
of people.
       After the programme was over, the KKR team and others
present made a victory lap of the stadium to the delirious
cheers by the crowd.
      Shah Rukh might have failed in his attempt to jump
from the balcony at the Chepauk after their five-wicket win
over two time defending champions Chennai Super Kings, but the
Bollywood star made up for it as he climbed up the giant sight
screen with the trophy, waving at the crowd.
      "We have been waiting for this day so long. Thank you
Didi. Thank You Kolkata. Thank you West Bengal on behalf of
every member of the team. Only Kolkata will rule," Shah Rukh
said.

      They team members also cut a cake with
inscriptions of team mantra (Korbo, Lorbo, Jeetbo) now aptly
made into past tense: 'Korechi, Lorechi, Jeetechi, signifying
"we have done it."
      With a host of Tollywood artists in company, Mamata,
Governor M K Narayanan and the team members clapped to the
tunes of the late Salil Chowdhury-penned popular Bengali song,
'Dhitang Dhitang Bole...' which was a choice by the chief
minister herself.
      Big banners of 'We embrace our valiant Knights. KKR
2012 IPL champions," welcomed the Knight Riders outside the
stadium.
      The team slogan 'Korbo, Lorbo, Jeetbo' changed its
tense as it now became 'Korechi, Lorechi, Jeetechi', something
even team co-owner Shah Rukh Khan tried to utter after
arriving at the airport late last night.
      'Korechi, Lorechi, Jeetechi' (We have done it)
adorned the walls of the stadium with Shah Rukh chartbusters
reverbrating inside the stadium.
      The programme at the Eden Gardens began at 10.30am
with singers belting out Shah Rukh chartbusters, from
'Dard-e-Disco' to 'Main Hoon Don' as the crowd danced to the
numbers, waving KKR flags.
      The singers also changed the lyrics of the Bollywood
star's numbers a bit as 'Chak De! India' became 'Chak De!
Kolkata' with the crowd enjoying every bit of it.
      Despite the hot and humid weather, the crowd waited
patiently for the players to enter the stadium.

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आर्थिक संकट में ममता ने इफ्तार में खर्च किए 41 लाख रुपए

 आर्थिक संकट के कारण कई आवश्यक खर्चों में कटौती की जा रही है। लेकिन ऐसे दौर में भी कोलकाता नगर निगम की ओर से खानपान में ही लाखों रुपए खर्च किए जा रहे हैं। एक ओर विकास के कार्यो पर पाबंदी तो दूसरी ओर मेयर परिषद के सदस्यों की बैठक में ही कभी 34 हजार रुपए तो कभी 26 हजार रुपए खर्च किए जा रहे हैं।
सूत्रों का कहना है कि यह सारा खर्च 15-20 लोगों के खानपान पर ही खर्च किया जा रहा है। इस बारे में नगर निगम के वित्त विभाग की ओर से जांच की गई। पता चला है कि डिप्टी मेयर समेत मेयर परिषद के दफ्तरों में कुल मिलाकर 20 लोग रहते हैं। जबकि यहां होने वाली बैठक के दौरान 80 से लेकर 90 पैकेट भोजन आता है। इस पर अतिरिक्त 20-25 हजार रुपए खर्च हो रहे हैं। इतना ही नहीं निगम के दूसरे आयोजनों में भी खानपान पर भारी खर्च हो रहा है।
मालूम हो कि कोलकाता नगर निगम में परिवर्तन के बाद तृणमूल कांग्रेस ने 2010 में सत्ता संभाली थी। तब से लेकर अप्रैल 2012 तक मेयर परिषद की 32 बैठकें हुई है। हिसाब के मुताबिक महज खानपान के लिए ही इन बैठकों पर छह लाख रुपए की रकम खर्च हुई है। इस बारे में एक पार्षद ने टिप्पणी करते हुए कहा कि मेयर परिषद की बैठक हर हफ्ते होनी चाहिए, लेकिन ऐसा होता तो निगम का कबाड़ा हो जाता। यह सवाल भी पूछा जा रहा है कि हर बार 60 से 70 लोगों के लिए खाना क्यों मंगवाया जा रहा था।
कोलकाता नगर निगम के पूर्व तृणमूल कांग्रेस के मेयर सुब्रत मुखर्जी भी खर्च के बारे में सुनकर हैरान हैं। उनका कहना है कि हमारे समय में मेयर परिषद की बैठक में मुश्किल से एक हजार रुपए से लेकर 1200 रुपए तक खर्च होते थे। इसका कारण यह था कि ज्यादा से ज्यादा 15 लोग ही बैठक में उपस्थित रहते थे।
नगर निगम सूत्रों का कहना है कि आंकड़ों से पता चलता है कि अगस्त 2011 में ही विभिन्न सभा, समागम में 50 लाख रुपए खर्च किए गए थे। जबकि इसमें से ज्यादातर खर्चे निगम को खर्च ही नहीं किए जाने थे। इसमें सबसे पहले पार्क सर्कस इलाके में इफ्तार पार्टी शामिल है। यह आयोजन 12 अगस्त को किया गया था। इसके लिए निगम की ओर से 41 लाख रुपए खर्च किए गए थे। निगम ने इफ्तार पार्टी के लिए 7400 लोगों के लिए एक रेस्टोरेंट से खाने के पैकेट मंगलाए थे। एक पैकेट की कीमत 285 रुपए थी। कर और पैकेट आपूर्ति में कुल मिलाकर 23 लाख रुपए खर्च हुए जबकि मंच और लाइटिंग में 18 लाख रुपए खर्च किए गए।
इसी तरह महानगर की विभिन्न पूजा कमेटियों के अधिकारियों को लेकर की गई एक बैठक की भी चर्चा है। 17 अगस्त को यह बैठक पूजा से पहले हुई थी। लगभग पांच हजार लोगों के लिए नाश्ते में सवा दो लाख रुपए और मंच के खर्चे मिलाकर लगभग पांच लाख की राशि खर्च की गई थी। इसके बाद दो मई 2012 में टाउन हाल में नगर निगम की ओर से चार दिवसीय रवींद्र जयंती का आयोजन किया गया था। इस मौके पर कुल मिलाकर 15 लाख 70 हजार रुपए खर्च किए गए।
नगर निगम अभी तक महानगर में सभी लोगों तक शुद्ध पेय जल पहुंचाने में सफल नहीं हो सका है। अभी गर्मी का प्रकोप शुरू ही हुआ है कि कई जगह जल संकट देखा जा रहा है। बस्ती विकास का काम भी ठप पड़ा है। रास्तों की मरम्मत भी नहीं हो रही है। सूत्रों का कहना है कि आर्थिक संकट के कारणऐसा हो रहा है। कई जगह निकासी काकाम भी रुका हुआ है। हालांकि नगर निगम का कोई अधिकारी इस बारे में कुछ कहने के लिए तैयार नहीं है कि जब आवश्यक काम रुके पड़े हैं ऐसे में गीत-संगीत और खानपान पर खर्च किया जाना कितना जरूरी है।