Rishikesh

Concept paper for vocational education of the Berry college model There is a scarcity of young men and women trained at user -level technologies and routine services. Today’s society that focuses a lot on higher education forgets that it needs drivers, plumbers, electricians, vehicle mechanics, repair boys for electronic items, DTP and simple computer operations, and other people who do odd jobs, in equal number. Every one knows it. But very little is being done about it. Most people who do such jobs are trained by their parents or relatives who are in the profession. Or, they have learnt it as apprentices with little pay or no pay at all. The formal education system that teaches them languages, maths, science and history, does not teach them skill to survive. Even the ITI, diploma colleges and `Job Oriented’ courses don’t teach them such basic skills. Those courses are tailored to suit needs of the industry. Graduates of these colleges become employees. They can’t become entrepreneurs

Krishna Raichur owns a house and drives a luxury car. He flies to work in other cities and He has secure investments for the future and spends annual vacation time in Scandinavian countries, What is more, he works from home. He is not a CXO of an IT company or a member of the board of directors of a MNC. He is a painter. Mohan Seetanur comes from a family of jewelers. However, you can’t find him sitting in his shop. He keeps traveling around the country visiting villages, historical monuments and jungles and streams and sea shores. Once or twice every year, he switches off his mobile phone and sits down to paint. This process goes on for days and what emerges at the end is not only creatively satisfying, but also hugely remunerative. ``My earnings as a professional painter are comfortable. I am not sure if I would make the same amount of money if I were a jeweler,’’ he says. Mr Seetanur should know. He has been a professional painter for three decades now and has never regretted his de

The Hindu Thursday, Apr 21, 2011 ‘If they weren't educated, they would have been farmhands' Rishikesh Bahadur Desai 400 poor girls from Bidar educated in Mangalore The girls were provided shelter in hostel run by the Sisters of the Apostolic Carmel Carmelite nuns rubbish conversion allegation Sarojini with her daughters, who were educated in Mangalore, and her sister Putalabai. Bidar: Jyotsna Raju walks confidently into her classroom at the Carmel Vocational Training Centre here and starts teaching how to speak English without errors. She reads aloud sentences and makes the girls in her class repeat them. Learning English, however, was not easy for Ms. Jyotsna, B.Ed. graduate. Born into a Dalit family in Shahpur village in Bidar taluk, she was not sure of even completing her SSLC. Her alcoholic father, Raju Narasing, used to beat her mother, Sarojini, and her four siblings almost every day. He wanted the children to be pulled out of school and sent for work instead. “My aunt P

A centre of syncretic worship A tradition:Shivaraya Swami of Madyal participating in the rituals at the tomb of Sultan Ahmed Shah Ali Behmani during the fair at Ashtur in Bidar on Wednesday. Bidar: The annual ‘urs' and jatra of Sultan Ahmed Shah Ali Behmani, the medieval ruler of Bidar, is being celebrated at Ashtur this week. Ashtur, a village on the Karnataka-Andhra Pradesh border, is a centre of syncretic worship. The urs of Ahmed Shah has some unique rituals in which members of both Hindu and Muslim communities participate. Ahmed Shah, called Wali or saint by his subjects, was known for promoting arts, music and literature. Medieval historians such as Farishta say he was a benevolent king. The Hindus believe he was an incarnation of Lord Mallikarjuna. The urs is held according to the lunar calendar and is usually celebrated in the last week of March or first week of April. This year, the urs began with village people washing the tomb with rose water and reading verses from the

The Hindu Tuesday, Oct 05, 2010 Where the spirit of a tolerant king brings all faiths together Rishikesh Bahadur Desai Promoting amity:A file photo of Shivacharya Swamiji of Madyal in Gulbarga at Ahmed Shah Ali Wali's tomb in Ashtur in Bidar. Bidar: Ashtur, a village near Bidar, is a place of syncretic worship, a tradition that is widespread in north Karnataka. The tomb of the Bahmani King Ahmed Shah Ali Wali is a place of worship visited by Hindus and Muslims, and a centre of communal harmony. While the Muslims pay respects to the saintly ruler, the Hindus find it the abode of Allama Prabhu, the 12th century saint-poet. There are two annual celebrations — the birth anniversary in March-April, a week after Holi, and the death anniversary in October-November after Dasara. Hindus and Muslims participate in both the events. Sri Shivacharya Swamy of Madyal in Aland taluk in Gulbarga walks 80 km to reach Ashtur. He is joined by around 500 devotees. He arrives at the Mutavalli's hou

Jungle Lodges resort coming up near Bidar RISHIKESH BAHADUR DESAI SHARE · PRINT · T+ The property is likely to be ready by November 1 Jungle Lodges and Resorts Limited, Government-run eco tourism agency, plans to inaugurate its lake view resort on the banks of the Vilaspur tank in Bidar on November 1. Vilaspur resort is JLR's newest property. It is JLR's second resort in North Karnataka after the sloth bear resort in Hampi in Bellary district. “We will complete work on the property before October 31. We plan to inaugurate it on November 1,” said JLR Managing Director N.D. Tiwari. He told The Hindu that the property would have 18 cottages that could accommodate two campers each. Mr. Tiwari said the project was taken up with the assistance of the district administration that allotted seven acres of revenue land adjacent to the forest for construction of cottages. “The then Deputy Commissioner Harsh Gupta took the initiative. Otherwise, it would have taken us sometime to p

The Hindu, Bidar Wednesday, Nov 16, 2005 Bidar gurudwara, a beacon for devotees Rishikesh Bahadur Desai SACRED PLACE: The Nanak Jhira Gurudwara in Bidar decorated for Guru Nanak Jayanti Bidar: Bidar is emerging as an important spiritual tourism destination. The Nanak Jhira Gurudwara here attracts hundreds of tourists every day. On Tuesday, over 50,000 people from across the country converged on the gurudwara to celebrate the 536th Guru Nanak Jayanti. Devotees believe that the first Sikh Guru visited Bidar on his way to Sri Lanka in March 1512. "Then, Bidar was a dry place with no source of drinking water. People were forced to use brackish water. The Guru moved a stone under his feet and an eternal spring of fresh water gushed out. The spring flows even today. People believe it has magical powers and cures diseases," says Amar Singh Ragi, the gurudwara manager. Sahib Singh, one of the `Panch Pyares' of Sikhism, was born in Bidar. That is why it attracts devotees from

The Hindu Monday, Nov 14, 2005 The proud son of Bidar Rishikesh Bahadur Desai LOCATION: The site where the gurdwara will come up at Navadgeri in Bidar. Bidar: The city of Bidar has a significant place in Sikh history. Bhai Sahib Singh, one of the Panj Pyare of Sikhism, was from Bidar. But it appears he has been forgotten. His memorial is incomplete and stray buffaloes wander around the structure. The Panj Pyare, or the Five Beloved, are the men who, under the leadership of Gobind Singh (1666-1708), the last of the 10 Sikh gurus, were initiated into the khalsa or the brotherhood of the Sikh faith. They have a revered place in the Sikh tradition. Daya Ram, a Khatri from Lahore, Dharam Das, a Jat from Delhi, Mohkam Chand, a washerman from Dwaraka in Gujarat, Himmat, a cook from Jagannath in Orissa and Sahib Chand, a barber of Bidar, form the Panj Pyare. The website SikhCyber.com says Sahib Chand was born in 1662 in Bidar, in the then Nizam state of Hyderabad. He sacrificed his life in th

The Hindu, Bidar Thursday, Mar 03, 2011 An occasion to recall Aurangazeb's association with this historic city Rishikesh Bahadur Desai The Mughal emperor wrested Bidar Fort from Adil Shahis in 1656 Serene:The Solah Kambha Masjid where Aurangazeb, whose death anniversary is on Thursday, is said to have offered prayers. Bidar: On his death anniversary on Thursday, people of Bidar are reminded of the contribution of the Mughal emperor Aurangazeb to this historic city. Aurangazeb came to Bidar after his father and emperor Shah Jahan appointed him the Prince of Deccan. He wrested the Bidar Fort from the Adil Shahis after a 21-day war in 1656. With this, Bidar became a part of the Mughal dynasty for the second time. Earlier, Muhammad bin Tughlaq had conquered Bidar in 1330. The city was later ruled for 300 years by the Bahamani and Baridshahi rulers. Historians such as Ghulam Yazdani have described the 1656 war as a “path-breaking event” for the Bidar Sultanate as it changed not only th

He ploughs on despite setbacks Rishikesh Bahadur Desai FARMER'S PLIGHT: Bheemrao Manigempure and his son Shivasharanappa ploughing their field at Kadlabad village in Bhalki taluk. Bidar: "Anyone else would have hanged himself by now," says Bheemrao Manigempure, a small farmer of Kadlabad in Bhalki taluk. Poverty has forced him and his son Shivasharanappa to play the role of bullocks, which they do not have, to plough his fields. His daughter-in-law Saraswati follows them, sowing, de-weeding or adding fertilizer and pesticides. The family has a huge loan to repay. Bheemrao owns less than two acres of land. The greyish-black soil does not seem very fertile, and seeds sown in two consecutive seasons failed to sprout. There is no irrigation facility in the village and he depends on the rains. He usually grows black gram and green gram and toor. This year, he managed o harvest some black gram, which he had to barter for jowar and other foodgrains with the local agriculture co

The prayer for all RISHIKESH BAHADUR DESAI None would imagine that the piety-filled prayer that emerges from the tomb of the Prophet in Makkah has its roots in Bidar. It was written by Hazrat Ishqui, a poet from Bidar HOARY PAST A file photo of Rajya Sabha member, the late Maqsood Ali Khan, felicitating Rashid Ahmed Rashid in Bidar. Rashid was called Shayar-e-Hayat by fans The air around the Masjid –E-Nabavi in Mecca in Saudi Arabia reverberates with the sound of the prayer “Ya Shafi Ul Wara Salam Un Alaik…”, five times a day, everyday. This mosque, also called the Mosque of Prophet Mohammad, co ntains the tomb of Prophet Mohammad and is considered holy by Muslims all over the world. The prayer sung here is written in praise of the Prophet. This beautiful piece of Arabic poetry is the creation of Hazrat Ishqui, who lived in Bidar in Karnataka nearly 200 years ago. The saint poet Hazrat Ishqui is revered across the globe. His religious writings in Arabic and Farsi are still recited by b

The Hindu Monday, Feb 07, 2011 Art offers a wide canvas of jobs RISHIKESH BAHADUR DESAI There is a huge potential for artists trained in painting and design creation. Photo: G. Rajeshwara Chari Follow the heart:Artists have always been in demand, and with increasing prosperity, they are well paid. Mohan Seetanur comes from a family of jewellers. However, you can't find him sitting in his shop. He keeps travelling around the country visiting villages, historical monuments and jungles and streams and sea shores. Once or twice every year, he switches off his mobile phone and sits down to paint. This process goes on for days and what emerges is not only a creatively satisfying, but also hugely remunerative career. “My earnings as a professional painter are comfortable. I am not sure if I would make the same amount of money if I were a jeweller,'' he says. He has been a professional painter for three decades and has never regretted his decision not to join the family business.

The Hindu, Sun May 1, 2011 8:57 PM IST Education Plus Time to explore new worlds April 20, 2011 Rishikesh Bahadur Desai Ranjit Kumar Warre has been away from phones and the Internet for a year now. Neither has he met any of his family members and friends in that period. However, he does not feel he is missing out on anything. That is because the excitement in his job is unparalleled. A student of archaeology from Jawaharlal Nehru University, he is working on a research project on an excavation site in Kondapur, Sangareddy district, Andhra Pradesh, near Bidar. “For me, all the excitement in the world is here,” he said. “Every minute we are finding, exploring new worlds. Each stone tells a story. Pieces of pottery and vessels dug up from below the ground reveal new ways of understanding the world.” After his M.A. in history and archaeology from Andhra University, he joined the JNU. Work in Kondapur is part of his Ph.D. research. Though he says he was interested in archaeology from the b

The Hindu, Friday Review Friday, Aug 17, 2007 The flower-like letter Imagine a style of writing being compared to the glistening hair of the bride. Such evocative images can emerge only from the grand art of calligraphy. Sadly, it is withering away for lack of patronage RISHIKESH BAHADUR DESAI FADING CITADEL Mohammad Quaza demonstrates his art. With no takers left, he leads his life painting posters “Let me enjoy the aroma of flowers around here,” says the epitaph of Sultan Mehmood Shah Bahmani the third, who once ruled Bidar. The Arabic and Farsi letters are arranged in such an artistic manner on the tomb stone, that they look like flowers in blossom. Islamic Calligraphy, called Fun –E- Khattat is present on almost all the historic buildings in Bidar. It adds to the beauty of these 100 or so tombs, Masjids and Dargahs in and around the historic city. Calligraphy is also defined as the art of giving form to signs. Islamic calligraphy is said to have evolved nearly 100 years after the

The Hindu article BIDAR, May 1, 2011 High jowar price hits many households in north Karnataka RISHIKESH BAHADUR DESAI SHARE · PRINT · T+ 1 kg of jowar costs between Rs. 36 and Rs. 48 in the retail market in Bidar With the price of jowar ( Sorghum bicolor) reaching Rs. 50 a kg, households in north Karnataka are having a hard time. On Saturday, a kg of jowar cost between Rs. 36 and Rs. 48 in the retail market in Bidar. Government sources said the hike in price was a result of the area under jowar cultivation decreasing by nearly half in the State. “The average area under sorghum in Karnataka is around 17 lakh hectares. However, this year it has reduced to around 11 lakh hectares. This is alarming,” a senior Agriculture Department official said. Of the total area under jowar, only a fifth was of the hybrid variety used as fodder. Rabi jowar, called the Bijapur variety or Bili Jola, was grown on 80 per cent of the area. Bijapur and Bagalkot together contribute to over 50 per cent o

Site Web ಬಡಪಾಯಿಗಳಿಗೆ ಜನ ಲೋಕಪಾಲ್ ಮಸೂದೆ:ಹೃಷಿಕೇಶ್ ಪಾಯಿಂಟುಗಳು ಹೃಷಿಕೇಶ್ ಬಹದ್ದೂರ್ ದೇಸಾಯಿ ಸೋಮವಾರ, 11 ಏಪ್ರಿಲ್ 2011 (04:55 IST) (ಚಿತ್ರ:ಪ್ರಕಾಶ್ ಬಾಬು) ಆ ರಾಳೆಗಾಂವ ಸಿದ್ಧಿಗೆ ಹೋಗಿ ಅಣ್ಣಾ ಹಜಾರೆ ಅವರ ಬಗ್ಗೆ ಸುದ್ದಿ ಮಾಡಿ ಎಂದು ನನಗೆ ಸಂಪಾದಕರು ಹೇಳಿ ನೂರಾ ಇಪ್ಪತ್ತು ವರ್ಷಗಳಾಗಿದ್ದವು. ಆದರೆ ನಾನು ಮಾಡಿರಲಿಲ್ಲ. ಪತ್ರಕರ್ತನಿಗೇನು ಮರ್ಯಾದೆ ಇಲ್ಲವೇ? ಸಂಪಾದಕರು ಹೇಳಿದ್ದೆಲ್ಲ ಮಾಡಿಬಿಡೋದೆ? ಅವರು ದೆಹಲಿಗೆ ಹೋಗಿ ಊಟ ಬಿಟ್ಟಾಗಲೂ ನಾನು ಬರೆಯಲಿಲ್ಲ. ಛೆ! ನಮ್ಮಂತಹವರು ಇಂತಹ ಗಂಭೀರ ವಿಷಯಗಳನ್ನೆಲ್ಲ ಬರೆದರೆ ಹೇಗೆ ಅಂತ ಸುಮ್ಮನಿದ್ದೆ. ಆದರೆ ಕೊನೆಗೆ ವಾಗ್ದೇವಿ ನನ್ನ ಕೈ ಹಿಡಿದು ನನ್ನ ಬೆರಳುಗಳನ್ನು ಕೀಬೋರ್ಡಿಗೆ ಮುಟ್ಟಿಸಲೇಬೇಕಾದ ದಿನ ಬಂತು. ಆ ಮರೆಯಲಾರದ ಘಳಿಗೆ ಯಾವುದೆಂದರೆ ಮುಖ್ಯಮಂತ್ರಿ ಯಡ್ಡ್ಯೂರಪ್ಪನವರು ಅಣ್ಣಾಗೆ ಹಜಾರ್ ವಂದನೆಗಳನ್ನು ಹೇಳಿ ಅವರನ್ನು ಬೆಂಬಲಿಸಿದ ಕ್ಷಣ. ನನಗೆ ಎಂಥಾ ಖುಶಿ ಆಯಿತು ಎಂದರೆ ಆ ಅನುಭೂತಿಯನ್ನು ವರ್ಣಿಸಲು ಪದಗಳೆ ಸಿಗುತ್ತಿಲ್ಲ.ಎರಡು ದಿನಗಳ ಮೇಲೆ ಯಡ್ಡ್ಯೂರಪ್ಪ ಅವರ ಇನ್ನೊಂದು ಹೇಳಿಕೆ ಹೊರ ಬಂತು- “ಕೇಂದ್ರ ಸರಕಾರ ಲೋಕಪಾಲ್ ಮಸೂದೆ ರೂಪಿಸುವಾಗ ಎಲ್ಲಾ ರಾಜ್ಯಗಳ ಮುಖ್ಯಮಂತ್ರಿಗಳ ಸಲಹೆ ಕೇಳಬೇಕು”. ಆಗ ಮುಖ್ಯಮಂತ್ರಿಗಳ ಪಾದ ಕಮಲಗಳಿಗೆ ಮನಸ್ಸಿನಲ್ಲೇ ಸಾಷ್ಟಾಂಗ ನಮನಗಳನ್ನೂ ಸಲ್ಲಿಸಿಬಿಟ್ಟಿದ್ದೆ. ಅದೆಲ್ಲಾ ಇರಲಿ, ಹಜಾರೆ ಸಾಹೇಬರು ನಾಲ್ಕು ದಿನ ಉಪವಾಸ ಮಾಡುತ್ತೇನ