Author: The Metrognome

Categories
Guest writer

Why there can be no other Madhubala

A fan speaks about her fondness for yesteryear actor Madhubala, reminiscing about the late beauty on the latter’s birthday yesterday.
by Mamta D

February 14 is a day that has become popular in recent times as Valentine’s day. Few people know that this day also marks the birth of one of the most beautiful Indian actresses ever to have graced the silver screen. Madhubala, or if you prefer her real name, Mumtaz Jahan Dehlavi, was born on February 14, 1933.

I was but a child when the movie Mahal was being played for the umpteenth time at a local open air theater. It had first released in the ’50s, but was very popular even in the ’70s and ’80s. I still remember the awe with which I, as a child, first saw her stunning beauty. The pure innocence of the song ‘Aayega aayega aanewala’ overrode the surrounding suspense (the movie was a suspense thriller). The child that I was, I couldn’t comprehend the suspenseful story but was captivated by the gorgeous beauty who lit up the screen.

In the ensuing years, I came across many other movies starring this beautiful actress and I learnt to look beyond her obvious beauty at the talent she possessed. Those were the days long before the advent of the Internet, and all we had were film glossies if we wanted to know more about stars and their human personas (aside from their celluloid personas, that is). Some of these glossies carried write-ups on yesteryear actresses. It was in one such glossy that I chanced upon an article about my favorite actress. I read about early successes (she was a child artiste before she went to do lead roles), her relationship with Dilip Kumar, her marriage to Kishore Kumar, and finally her tragic death at a young age. Reading about her personal struggles only served to increase my respect and love for this iconic actress who, if she had lived longer, would have continued to rule the silver screen.

Even back then or until much later, I had no clue about her illness or about how she suffered for years.  I just knew that she had died young. Born with a heart defect, a “hole in the heart” condition as it is commonly called, she kept her ailment hidden from the film industry and cinema audiences, which though full of adulation for a beautiful and successful star, could also be cruel and insensitive.  Stoically, she continued to make films despite the illness getting worse with time. In her personal life too, she faced many hardships and unhappiness. A fallout with the man she truly loved, a short-lived marriage to Kishore Kumar, and a terribly demanding shooting schedule all took a toll on her.

Unaware of all these details, back then, all I (and countless others like me) could see was the beauty we beheld before us, and the talent that shone through. Bedazzled and smitten, we yearned for more. When she giggled and pranced, our hearts sang with delight. When she became melancholic, we grew somber and gloomy. Such was the power she held over us. The mellifluous songs picturised on her are hummed even today. And yet she had been long gone by the time I was born. Unlike the stars of today, whom you can spot in person, interact with on Facebook or tweet with on Twitter, in those days, there was no means to contact the star. Madhubala, in particular, was quite reclusive, in that she even declined to make public appearances or give interviews.

Despite some of her films not being huge box office successes, she was still one of the most sought-after actresses. Many actresses in recent years have been said to be new-age Madhubalas. But to hardcore Madhubala fans like me, no one can even hold a candle to her.

Mamta D works in the IT industry. Beyond her job, she writes, travels, paints and experiments with various side projects, among other things. 

(Picture courtesy indya101.com)

Categories
Achieve

Rural journalism goes Web 2.0

The Khabar Lahariya newspaper, born in the Hindi hinterland and run entirely by women, launched its website in Mumbai yesterday.
by Nidhi Qazi

What happens when a group of 40 women journalists come to the city for the launch of online edition of their newspaper Khabar Lahariya? A platform full of experiences, energy and enthusiasm opens up for discussion.

Wednesday witnessed women empowerment when the all-women’s team of the publication travelled from the districts of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar to Mumbai. From impact journalism to personal histories and journeys, they all had something to say.

Take the case of Meera, Editor of the paper, and who hails from Banda district, UP. She narrated how she is now at ease with the big machine that is the computer. In her own words, “I never thought I could operate this machine. In fact, I always used to think that something would go wrong if I touch it. But that fear is gone. We use computers to search for information, making pages and what not.”

For the uninitiated, Khabar Lahariya is a weekly newspaper produced by women from the marginalised sections of society. It is the brainchild of Nirantar, an organisation that works towards empowering women through education.

Launched in 2002 in Chitrakoot district of UP, the newspaper has expanded to Bihar and today runs six editions. The editions are from five districts of UP – Chitrakoot, Banda, Lucknow and Benares and Sitamarhi district in Bihar. The newspaper is published in regional languages such as Bhojpuri, Awadhi, Bundeli, Bajjika and Hindustani. With a readership of 80,000, the paper has its presence in 600 villages and sells for Rs 2.

With its print edition well in place, what made the newspaper launch online despite the fact that villages don’t have easy Internet accessibility? “The idea behind the online edition is to not just spread the newspaper, but the phenomenon that Khabar Lahariya is,” said Meera. “Apart from visibility, the online edition will also provide information on various rural developments and news which the mainstream media doesn’t report much,” she adds.

Khabar Lahariya uses social media marketing as a major tool. From Facebook to Twitter, they use it all. And all this is managed by the women themselves. The reporters are given an ICT workshop which includes training in the use of the Internet.

The newspaper depends mainly on funding from such sources as the Dorabji Tata Trust and UN Democracy and Equity Fund, though a sustainable model is what they aim for in the long run. Their margin for advertising revenue is low and they also get funded through the various awards they win.

As for the recruitment of staff, the team gives out ads. “The prospective reporters are selected after a formal interview process. We then train them for a week in writing, editing, video-making, photography and page-making,” says Kavita, who joined the paper in 2002.

Short stories

For Shanti, one of the paper’s oldest reporters and who has been associated with the publication since its inception, “It’s a privilege to have travelled so far when all others from my community (she belongs to the Kol tribe of UP) haven’t even dreamed about it.” She also takes pride in the impact the paper’s stories have made. “Our efforts for three months resulted in the suspension of a police officer who refused to entertain us ‘women’ in the case of violence against a woman,” informs Shanti. It is this attitude of ‘How can women be journalists?’ that bothers people around, she adds.

Susheela, a Benares-based reporter, talks about personal issues. “My mother-in-law didn’t approve when I decided to work in 2012. She boycotted us and eventually I, my husband, three kids and husband’s grandmother had to leave our family house. But mother-in-law imposed a condition that if I give her Rs.3,000 every month, she would accept us back in the house. I refused.” For Susheela, her husband has been a big support.

For many, reporting gives a chance to explore and experience all that is around them. From MNREGA payment issues, pension hassles to civic problems, women’s issues and success stories, these women report it all.

Khabar Lahariya is now live on www.khabarlahariya.org.

(Pictures courtesy Nidhi Qazi)

Categories
Do

Help out on V-Day: ‘Love’ this NGO

City-based Men Against Violence and Abuse (MAVA) hopes to win $5,000 Fetzer Institute prize in online contest for global NGOs.
by The Editors | editor@themetrognome.in

It’s the day to show some love! And while you’re celebrating Valentine’s Day, you might consider showing some love to a city-based NGO, which could stand a chance to win $5,000 if it receives enough ‘Love’ .

The NGO Men Against Violence and Abuse (MAVA) has entered an online competition run by the US-based Fetzer Institute on its website www.tellusworld.org, which invites voluntary organisations to share their stories on how they are promoting love and forgiveness in the communities they work for. MAVA, it may be known, is an organisation that works to fight violence against girls and women in India by involving men in their efforts.

Said Harish Sadani (in pic), Honorary Secretary of MAVA, “We hope we receive enough votes on the site. The organisers have liked our story and the concept behind our NGO.” Voting begins from today – all you have to do is hit the ‘Love’ button on this link. You can also peruse other entries and vote for the ones you like. You can vote only once per entry.

(Picture courtesy changemakers.org)

Categories
Big story

2 dead, five injured as car takes wrong turn at Bandra

The Honda Accord missed a turn and rammed into five other vehicles, killing two. Driver of the car was arrested.

A horrifying accident took place at Bandra’s Linking Road near the famed Amarsons store this morning, when a Honda Accord reportedly took a wrong turn after missing a No Entry sign. The accident caused a smashup of at least three cars in all, apart from an autorickshaw and a bike.

Two people were pronounced dead, while five others suffered serious injuries and were being treated at the Bandra-based Bhabha Hospital. One woman was being treated at Lilavati Hospital.

The errant car is said to belong to a foreigner who was in the car at the time of the accident. The driver of the car has also been admitted to hospital after being arrested for rash and negligent driving.

More details are awaited.

(Picture courtesy ibnlive.com)

Categories
Learn

First preference to LPG holders at UID Centres

State extends deadline for LPG holders to get UID enrollment, by a month. The new deadline is March 15, 2013.
by The Editors | editor@themetrognome.in

If you are an LPG holder and still haven’t got yourself enrolled for an AADHAR card, you have just received a reprieve from the State Government – though the cut-off date for enrollment for LPG holders to avail of the Government’s scheme to transfer cash directly into the holder’s AADHAR-linked saving’s bank account for not more than nine gas cylinders per financial year, was February 15, 2013, the State decided to extend this date by a month.

Hence, the new cut-off date for enrollment is now March 15, 2013, said Chief Secretary Jayantkumar Banthia in a meeting yesterday.

Moreover, such LPG holders would receive first preference at UID enrollment centres across the city and State throughout this month. There would be separate lines for them. However, the enrollment process for others will also continue simultaneously, till December 31, 2013. Obviously, non-LPG holders would do well to attempt enrollment after March 15 to prevent additional chaos at each centre.

The subsidy will be transferred directly into the holder’s bank account if he/she provides the bank with the AADHAR number and ask for the AADHAR number to be linked to their account.

(Picture courtesy livemint.com. Picture used for representational purpose only)

 

Categories
Do

Rise. Stop violence against women

One Billion Rising exhorts the city to raise a voice and fight for the women who are assaulted and raped.

We’re sure you have elaborate plans for Valentine’s Day, but this year, if you could take the time and head to the Bandra amphitheatre at 5.45 pm, you could help towards making a significant difference to women and society.

For, the One Billion Rising – an initiative by Change.org to end violence against women globally – will take place on V-Day, kickstarting a dialogue between society and helping to end, slowly but surely, this grim statistic: globally, one in three women will be raped or beaten in her lifetime. That’s a staggering one billion women across the globe.

Change.org says, “On February 14th, 2013, we are inviting one billion women and those who love them to walk out, DANCE, RISE UP, AND DEMAND an end to this violence. One Billion Rising is a promise that we will rise up with women and men worldwide to say, ‘Enough! The violence ends now.’ This day has been marked as ‘the global day of action’.

All you have to do is dance in solidarity for women worldwide.

Sitar player and actor Anoushka Shankar has endorsed the event and shot a promotional video for the movement.

 

You can sign the petition for One Billion Rising here. More to the point, be there at the event on Valentine’s Day.

The Metrognome supports ‘One Billion Rising’ and has signed the pledge. We urge you, if you are reading this, and regardless of where you are placed geographically, to sign the petition and help further the cause.

(Picture courtesy photo.net)

Exit mobile version