Tag: udaipur

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Places to Visit

The Story behind Parshuram Mahadev Temple

The City of lakes as we all know is famous for its shimmering lakes, old palaces, massive forts, luxurious hotels and artistic temples. The word ‘Temple’ itself brings a feeling of divine and saintly belief in a man. Touring around the city not just means roaming around but also considering the art and artefacts-built centuries back. The temples in and around Udaipur are famous for their striking architecture and religious nature. The temples prefigure the cultural aspect of Udaipur. There are numerous temples in Rajasthan as well as in Udaipur to be precise that are famous for their architecture and sacredness. The noble kings of Udaipur had always been great advocates of religion.
It showcases that the beautiful city is blessed with these anciently sacred architectures. These temples also portray the nature, dwellings, portraying the city as a whole. Many of these temples are acknowledged as the holy pilgrimages of the Hindus.


One among them is PARSHURAM MAHADEV TEMPLE. It is commonly known as Shiva temple situated at the border of Pali and Rajsamand district. The temple is situated inside a cave and in order to visit this serene place, devotees have to trek 1.5 km down the unconstructed steep road.
In Rajasthan or you can say in India, whenever a monument is constructed, either a temple, mosque or palace there is always a back story to go with it.

The legend of Parshuram Mahadev Temple

It’s said that Parshuram, the sixth epitome of Lord Vishnu, constructed the cave with his axe in order to worship Lord Shiva at this tranquil place in the foothills of the Aravalli mountain range. That is why the name of the temple is anciently known after Parshuram, the disciple of Lord Shiva. The cave is 3,995 feet above sea-level, and has naturally architected figures of Lord Ganesh and Lord Shiva and also has nine kunds which never go dry (a small reservoir or a small cavity like space where the rainwater is collected). The ancient cave is built beneath the ground floor, there are 500 staircases to reach the holy and sacred cave. This is one of the congenial and pleasant places. It is also known as ‘Amarnath temple of Rajasthan’ and second ‘Amarnath temple of India’.

Festivities

Although there are no such specially organized festivals on Parshuram Jayanti every year on the occasion Shravan Shukla Shashti and Saptami, a great fair is hosted here. Priests of this ancient Parshuram temple will tell a lot more of stories of the history and also the formations which are called ‘Kamdhenu’. Temple is basically located at a distance of 8 km from Kumbhalgarh Fort.

Popular beliefs

A popular myth about this temple is that Lord Badrinath’s cupboard can open the same person who has visited Parshuram Mahadev temple.

Surroundings

Visiting the cave temple can be an exciting yet thrilling experience. Surrounded by lush green valleys, it is a delight for all the flora and fauna lovers. It is nothing less than a trek to reach there, but once you see the cave temple it’s all worth the efforts. Also, the ‘Great wall of India’ a.k.a Kumbhalgarh Fort is located at a distance of approximately 8 km from the temple.

The Parshuram Mahadev Temple is a matter of experience rather than description. We suggest all Udaipurites to visit this sacred and historical marvel at least once.

Categories
Travel

Tourist Police Station in Udaipur

Exploring different places in the world is fun but there are so many things that one should know while satisfying their wanderer soul. Now while you are in a different city and get cheated by some guide or shopkeeper, what should you do? Where should you go? And who are the people responsible that will address your grievances?

Udaipur is a renowned tourist hub and hundreds of tourists flock to the city every day to explore its splendor. Hence, it is an important issue that needs to be focused in our city. Since a lot of people aren’t aware of the basic tourist things, we went to the tourist police station in Udaipur to know what all problems do tourists face and how are they resolved.

Source: UdaipurTimes

We met head constable Babu Lal there who told us about the problems a tourist faces in Udaipur and what is the contribution of Tourist police station to resolve those. He told us that tourist police station is completely meant for grievances redressal. The major problem that a tourist faces at tourist hubs such as our city is fake guides who tend to loot or do fraud with the tourists by attracting and tempting them to provide facilities like boat riding, exploration at fewer prices etc. Some of them also claim to provide you with original handicrafts at fewer prices and in return they get a commission from the respected shopkeepers as well as money from the tourists.

There are several unauthorized guides in the city who tries to loot the tourists and make their experience displeasing. Although very few people actually come to the station to report fraud, maybe because of the lack of awareness, Babu Lal told us that there are 15 constables, out of which 4 are female constables who visit the famous tourist spots and identify the fake guides and protect tourists from them.

Udaipur’s tourist police station was the first one in Rajasthan. Today, there are 3 tourist police stations in Rajasthan one of which is Udaipur and the other two are at Jaipur and Jodhpur.

There is only one act which strictly needs to get followed by the tourist police authorities and complaints regarding the same can be registered here. This act is Rajasthan Tourism Trade (Facilitation and Regulation) Act, 2010. Rajasthan Tourism Act provides acceleration of growth of tourism trade and industry in the state and makes the experience of tourists hassle-free. It provides protection to tourists against touts (commonly known as ‘lapkas’), beggars, hawkers, taxi-cab drivers, (which includes auto rickshaws and rickshaws) or any other elements who unduly harass or annoy the tourists. Apart from that unauthorized guides, people who tend to harass or follow them without their consent, or people/shopkeepers/traders selling something at a higher price than displayed can be complained against here, or people who continuously bug them to buy their products or avail their services.

We further asked Babu Lal about the process of registering a complaint at Tourist Police Station. He informed us that a tourist can directly walk into the station which is located at Pichola Road near Tibetan Market or call at 0294-2425242. There is no way to register to your complaint online. The station is available for 24 hours. However, in case of theft or any other such crime one needs to register a complaint in the general police station of the particular area.

If you have any feedback regarding the article, share them with us in the comment section below or write to me at juhee@udaipurblog.com. Share the word with other people to create more awareness about such issues in the city.

Categories
People

Lavina Lekhari From Udaipur Is Breaking Stereotypes with Her Upcycled Fashion | People of Udaipur

Lavina Lekhari From Udaipur Is Breaking Stereotypes with Her Upcycled Fashion | People of Udaipur
Lavina Lekhari From Udaipur Is Breaking Stereotypes with Her Upcycled Fashion | People of Udaipur

Lavina Lekhari, a young girl from Udaipur, is all set to break stereotypes! Yes, the young soul is making her name through upcycling clothes. Aren’t you eager to know what she is doing and how she is doing it? So, let us dive into a conversation with her and have a glimpse of the work of this fashion buff!

Lavina Lekhari From Udaipur Is Breaking Stereotypes with Her Upcycled Fashion | People of Udaipur
A glimpse of Lavina’s Art

  1. Tell Us in Detail What Do You Do and How Did You Start?

It all came into my life when I realized that my love for dressing up was not just a craze, I wanted to engage in this full-time! Right now, I am pursuing BA and also chasing my dream of becoming a fashion artist. I shred and upcycle clothes and make them funkier and happening. And is all because of my love for getting dolled up.

Like every star has its own shine my shine is my art. I love being creative. My learning started when I was just 4 years old. My brother has always supported me and you can call him my “BACKBONE”! Initially, I started dancing. I continued my schooling and dancing simultaneously and soon I became a choreographer alongside my brother, Sumit and then one thing led to another and now I am here, a budding fashion artist.

  1. Since When Are You Doing Shredding and Upcycling?

I began my journey when I was in my teens as a junior choreographer and dancer. At the age of fourteen l started upcycling fashion.

  1. How Did You Get the Inspiration to Start Upcycling Fashion?

I get attracted by colors, texture, compilation and don’t like wasting all these beautiful things.  For me, my inspiration is my colorful wardrobe and my brother. He used to work as a laborer in factories. He always motivated me, not just by words but by his actions too, his craziness of being a perfectionist and working insanely for achieving something was always applauded. My mother used to work with crotchet and bangles and made new handmade clothes to earn a living. I have seen poverty very closely and that made me come up with upcycled fashion.

Lavina Lekhari From Udaipur Is Breaking Stereotypes with Her Upcycled Fashion | People of Udaipur
In The Frame: Lavina Lekhari

  1. Tell Us About the Fashion Shows You’ve Been A Part Of?

I started with choreographing fashion shows along with designing them which I thought was my smart move towards learning and experiencing fashion. I came up with my first choreographed and design fashion show- LA✂STYLE DANCE FASHION SHOW in 2015 then the count didn’t stop.

I have collaborated with an NGO and choreographed an ‘Old Age Fashion Show’ for ‘Tara Seva Sansthan’ which was another great experience. I came up with my second designed and choreographed fashion show for kids in 2017 called the ‘Let’s Walk Together’, for which I received appreciation from a Bollywood director Viveck Vaswani.

Working my way up through the ladder, I have done INIFD fashion show, Muffins fashion show etc.

5. What All You Have Made Up till Now Using Upcycled Fashion?

I love thinking out of the box and that lead me to the creation of upcycling fashion.

I want to ask the readers, what do you all do with your old tops, lowers, t-shirts, shirts, skirts, shorts, jewelry, etc.?

A general answer would be throwing them in the trash, but I love recreating them. Till now I have created more than 400 designs out of what you would throw in the trash. I had worked with ropes to make a big rope gown and even created new designer dresses for dancing shows and acts.

Lavina Lekhari From Udaipur Is Breaking Stereotypes with Her Upcycled Fashion | People of Udaipur

  1. Where Did You Learn This Art Form?

I’ve never been to a Fashion college. Creativity is something that I have learned from my mother.

  1. What Challenges Did You Face While Pursuing This Form of Art?

Like every field, fashion entails fear of being rejected, stress and sometimes depression. Climbing out of tribulations by my own efforts is something of which I am proud of myself.

Fashion is something which is self-romanticizing. I was my own mannequin when I started because I didn’t have people with me. I still remember that after my first fashion show I got a lot of mixed reviews- some even called my art as vulgar and obscure, but these things never let me down.

  1. How Much Are People Interested to Buy These Clothes?

When I started shredding and upcycling, I loved myself seeing in it. I wore my own created fashion which undoubtedly got amazing and satisfying comments which boosted my confidence in my art.

Changes are tough to accept but I believe that once shredding and shredded clothes enter the world of Bollywood and social media, it would eventually change the mind of people across the country. According to me, 60% of teenagers are interested to buy these kinds of clothes.

 

  1. Do You Want to Make This Your Full-Time Career?

Life is made up of three ingredients for learning, earning and yearning. I have learned so much from this that definitely, I would love to pursue this as my career. I believe that whatever you do, whether you earn or not, the work must make your happy! Because for every minute you are unhappy, you lose 60 seconds of happiness.

  1. Where Do You See Yourself with This in Future?

I want to put shredding in the world of fashion. I want to do something today that my future self will thank for. I dream of promoting this art by doing live cuttings (shredding) for the people. I see upcycling as the new-age trend in the fashion industry. My dream is to see LAVSTYLE as a brand (I gave a name to my work LAVI’S STYLE = LAVSTYLE).

Lavina Lekhari From Udaipur Is Breaking Stereotypes with Her Upcycled Fashion | People of Udaipur

  1. What’s Your Mantra For Life?

Keep yourself hungry for improvement.  Close your ears and do what you like because ‘girls of Fashion starve their happiness to feed their vanity and their love to spread pride!’

It was great knowing this beautiful girl from our City of Lakes! Lavina is all set to break stereotypes and pave her own path to the success! If you wish to ask anything to Lavina, you can put up questions in the comment section below.

 

Like this story? Or have something to share?

Write to me: fouzia@udaipurblog.com

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Categories
History and Culture

Mangi Bai – The Rajasthani Folk Sensation from Udaipur

Whether it be Chandra Prakash Deval or Uday Shankar, Limba Ram or Vikram Solanki, Udaipur comprises of too many hidden gems who don’t just shine in the city but in the entire world. If you are an Udaipurite and do not have a clue about the above names, then you need to keep yourself a bit updated. Well, we will discuss these names on some other day. Today’s article is solely dedicated to one of the most renowned Maand Singer, Mangi Bai.

Udaipur has been blessed with not only the natural beauty but it has beauty in every individual residing in itself too. The similar amount of beauty and charm is reflected in the voice and music of the famous Mangi Bai Arya.

Mangi Bai has allured every one with her melodious rendition of the song ‘Kesariya Balam aavo ni’ but before we move onto Mangi bai and her life journey, I’m absolutely aware of the fact that most of the people wouldn’t know a thing about ‘Maand’. So let’s just start from that.

Source: Patrika

‘Maand’ is a singing style in Rajasthan which is used in Folk songs of the same. It can be said that it is a bit similar to the Thumri and the Ghazal. It is the most sophisticated style of folk music in Rajasthan and has played an exclusive role in the contribution to the classical music of India. This Rajasthani style of singing was originated back in the 10th and 11th century in Maand area of Jaisalmer. Apparently, that is why it is named so. The main instruments used in ‘Maand’ is kamaicha and cymbals.

Kamaicha | Source: importitall
Cymbal | Source: Craftfurnish

Now, let’s get back to Mangi Bai Arya. Mangi Bai Arya was born in the Pratapgarh district of Udaipur division. She was born in the family of traditional musicians and inherited her talent from her family itself. Her father Kamal Ram was the one who trained her in rendering the Maand song. In terms of Rajasthan’s traditional music, Mangi Bai Arya is considered to be one of the most accomplished performers. She has remained the ‘A’ graded artist of All India Radio and Doordarshan. Mangi Bai was very well known and adored by people from various cities for her famous and appealing rendition of ‘Kesariya Balam Aavo Ni’.

Now that we are talking about her achievements, let me tell you that Mangi bai has been a proud winner of the State Award of Government of Rajasthan in 2007 and also titled as the ‘Maand Gayika’ by the Rajasthan Sangeet Natak Academy in 2008 for her valuable contribution of Maand music in Rajasthan. She has successfully propagated the Rajasthan’s musical culture at not just national levels but international levels too, giving out numerous performances at these platforms which includes Apna Utsav at Mumbai, Mahabharat Utsav at Kurukshetra, and the Maand Samaroh which was organized by the Rajasthan Sangeet Natak Academy.

Source: Amar Ujala

She owns a large number of published recordings and even lent her voice for various television serials and documentaries on the traditional music of Rajasthan. Apart from that, she even has published a book on the same subject whose title is ‘Rajasthan ke Maand Geet’.

Mangi Bai Arya has taught Maand music for twenty years of life at the West Zone Cultural Centre in Udaipur and participated in workshops on traditional music in Kolkata organized by the Marudhara foundation and in Jaipur by the Jawahar Kala Kendra.

For her excellent work in the field of spreading the Rajasthani culture at the national and international level, Mangi Bai has been conferred to the title of ‘Maand Gayika’ by the Rajasthan Sangeet Natak Academi in 2008. In 2007, she also won the State Award of the Government of Rajasthan’.

On November 23, 2017, Mangi Bai passed away at the age of 88 due to a cardiac attack. She left a happy and healthy family including 4 sons behind her.

We are living in the century where people have forgotten the essence of traditional Rajasthani music or in that matter we have forgotten about our culture. At such times, people like Mangi Bai have carefully preserved these art forms, cultures and traditions of Rajasthan and it is not just limited to that but she actually proliferated Rajasthani culture and tradition in the entire world. Rajasthan and moreover the world needs more people like her.

Did you like the article? Do you have any feedback regarding it? Then share with us in the comment section below or write to me juhee@udaipurblog.com.

Categories
List

Open Air Gyms in Udaipur

‘Take care of your body, it is the only place you have to live’ is a very appropriate quote by Jim Rohn. Our body is something which we should take utmost care of. During this time of modernization and fast life, we often miss the fact that no amount of money can bring to you your health back. And so proper diet and regular exercise are very important for one to keep himself fit and healthy.

Getting the willpower to decide to go to a gym and working out is already difficult and on the top of that, we even have to pay a fortune to these gyms as well which is not always possible for everyone. At such times, there are various open gyms in the city where you can work out and keep yourself fit and that too without paying a single penny. All that you have to pay is hard work and dedicated efforts. Here is a list of places which are equipped with open gyms.

Gulab Bagh

This open gym is situated opposite the shrine near Saraswati Library. Gulab Bagh is a huge garden where you can warm yourself up before the exercise by running and then you can head towards the gym. Gulab Bagh is a place which is very frequently visited by the people of Udaipur for the workout so it is possible that you may get a workout partner there. However, because of the same reason, the gym is a bit crowded during the mornings.

Address: Gulab Bagh, Brahmpuri Road, Udaipur

 

Pratap Park

Open Air Gyms in Udaipur for all the Fitness Freaks
Source: MyUdaipurcity

Pratap Park is a newly constructed park which has become a huge tourist attraction in a very short period of time. The main highlight of the park is the enormous ‘I love Udaipur’ before the railing of the garden. It has various gym equipment along with a peaceful and comfortable environment to start your day with. In addition to that, it overlooks the beautiful Lake Pichola which will give you a pleasant sight while working out.

Address: Lake Pichola, Southern Banks, Near Sisarma, Udaipur, Rajasthan 313001

 

Dr. B R Ambedkar Open gym and Park

All machines are self-weight driven here which will give you a wonderful experience. The Open gym and Park overlooks Lake Fatehsagar creating a wonderful sight while working out. Fresh air coming from Lakeside will take away all your tiredness after the workout. There is absolutely no better way to start your mornings. Most of the machines here are core (stomach) based.

Address: Fatehsagar Lake, Rani Road, opposite Rani Village, Udaipur, 313001

 

Guru Gobind Singh Park

Source: TripAdvisor

At the most adored place of all the Udaipurites, this open-air gym is situated at Guru Gobind Singh Park at Fatehsagar. The gym includes around 8 equipment along with an air walker. This facility is open for citizens of Udaipur throughout the week. It oversees Lake Fatehsagar too and provides a wonderful experience to those who are seeking for a good health without spending much money.

Address: Maharana Pratap Memorial Road, Zinc Park, Udaipur, Rajasthan 313001

 

Pooja Park

For people living in the Hiran Magri sectors, Pooja Park would be an ideal choice as it would not be much far away from their respective houses. It is equipped with multiple gym equipment which is appropriate for people of all ages. Regular maintenance and lush green garden will give you all the motivation you will need for your workout. With time, it is getting quite popular with the people for their morning and evening exercises.

Address: Jain Mandir Road opposite waterworks, Shanti Nagar, Hiran Magri, Udaipur, 313002

 

Sukhadiya Memorial Park

It has a number of machines and equipment for all the people for their morning or evening workout. It is a well maintained and a well-decorated park. The wide stretches of the park is a very comforting place for everyone. Apart from the open gym, there are various comfortable seats placed in the park, temple of Goddess Durga and Lord Swaminarayan. It is appropriate for friends, family or children.

Address: Durga Nursery Road, Ashok Nagar, Udaipur, Rajasthan 313001

 

Townhall

Townhall is situated in the City Center, so it is not much far away from anyone’s home. It is well equipped with a track for your jogging around the fountain and various machines for your daily workout. There is an underground public parking too where you can park your heavy vehicles. It is an ideal place for all the fitness freaks and morning and evening joggers.

Address: Ashoka Cinema Road, Udaipur, Rajasthan 313001

 

These were the list of some open-air gyms in the city. While it seems very good and enjoyable to practice workout in the open air, we should understand that it is a facility given to us for our own benefits. Just for some moments of fun, do not harm any of these machines and equipment as what you do now will make everyone else suffer. Make sure that you respect and take care of the things in your city and use these facilities carefully. If you see someone else doing so, tell him not to do such things and if it doesn’t work out, try contacting some authorities regarding the same.

Do you think someplace is missed in the above list? Share your feedback and suggestions regarding the article in the comment section below. You can also write to me juhee@udaipurblog.com

Categories
List

Sitamata Wildlife Sanctuary – Birding Tours in Udaipur

Sitamata sanctuary is a visual treat for all the nature lovers and bird watchers. It is situated at a distance of about 165 km from Udaipur in the Pratapgadh district. As far as the Biota is concerned, Sitamata is one of the richest Sanctuary. It includes mammals of 50 different species and birds of 325 species which includes Herons, egrets, storks, spoonbills, partridge, quail, crane, peafowls, kingfishers, woodpeckers, sparrows, robins, etc. It’s not that the flora and fauna in here are any less. It has somewhere around 100 varieties of medicinal plants and trees like peepal, bad, neem, kachnar, babool, amaltas, ashok, khejdi, semal, bamboo etc.

Undoubtedly this wildlife sanctuary is the treasure for those seeking adventure into the wild. However, if you do not have proper directions, information, and guidance, it might be possible that you cannot get the most out of it. To prevent such situations, there are several agencies that organize birding tours that include exploration of all the natural aspects of the sanctuary. Below are two organizations which help the tourists explore the beauty of the sanctuary through their birding tours.

Sitamata Wildlife Sanctuary – Birding Tours in Udaipur
Source: Udaipur Times

Rajasthan Adventure and Safari tours

It conducts a 5-day birding tour which covers Parks, Lakes, and sanctuary of around Udaipur and Chittorgarh. It provides meals that is breakfast, lunch, and dinner, transportation facilities which include either Innova, Swift Dzire or Etios and a knowledgeable English speaking guide.

Sitamata Wildlife Sanctuary – Birding Tours in Udaipur
Source: Pinterest
  • Day 1 where you might get to see Greater Flamingo, White-Tailed Lapwing, Pelican, Marsh Harrier, Black Kite, Green Sandpiper, Wood sandpiper, Little Ringed Plover, Red-wattled Lapwing, Northern Shoveler, Northern Pintail, Common Crane, Bar Headed Goose etc.
  • Day 2 covers Bathera Kalan and Ghasa Lake which is around 40 km from Udaipur. You can view birds like Common Sandpiper, Marsh Harrier, Little Grebe, Cormorants, Black-headed Ibis, Woolly-necked Stork, Water Tern, Indian Roller, Wagtails, Plain and Ashy Prinia, White-throated,Common and Pied Kingfisher, Egrets, Eurasian Coot, Purple Heron, Grey Heron, Pond Heron, Cotton Pygmy Goose etc.
  • Day 3 will lead you towards Chittorgarh from Udaipur where you may witness several birds like Ashy-crowned Sparrow-Lark, Red-rumped Swallow, Grey Wagtail, Olive-backed Pipit, Black-headed Cuckooshrike, Large Cuckooshrike, Small Minivet, Red-vented Bulbul, Common Iora, Long-tailed Shrike, Southern Grey-Shrike, Common Woodshrike, White-browed Fantail, Indian Robin, Oriental Magpie-Robin, Black Redstart,  Pied Bushchat, Red-breasted Flycatcher, Tickell’s Blue Flycatcher, Verditer Flycatcher, Yellow-eyed Babbler, Common Babbler, Large Grey Babbler, etc.
Sitamata Wildlife Sanctuary – Birding Tours in Udaipur
Source: Sitamata Wildlife Sanctuary 1
  • On Day 4, you will explore the exquisite Sitamata bird sanctuary. It consists of some very old trees. It has plenty of wild animals and birds.
  • On day 5, you will reach the Bassi Bird Sanctuary, where, by the time of sunrise, you would be able to see birds like Lesser Whitethroat, Orphean Warbler,  Great Tit,  Purple Sunbird,  Crested Bunting,  Red-Headed Bunting,  House Sparrow,  Chestnut-shouldered Petronia,  Rock myna, Indian, etc.
  • Day 6 – departure

Contact: +91 9784724226

Address: Office no. 108. 1st floor I/s. Surajpol, behind police station, Amal ka Kanta, Udaipur-313001

Sitamata Wildlife Sanctuary – Birding Tours in Udaipur
Source: Sitamata Wildlife Sanctuary

India Birding

It offers two types of birding tours. One is entirely dedicated to Sitamata Sanctuary and the other one covers places in and around Udaipur and Chittorgarh. These birding tours can be conducted at any time of the year except when there is heavy rainfall, from July to August. It can be customized as per your requirement. There is a one day tour which costs around 12000 including breakfast and lunch, birding guide and one binocular with a tripod. The team size would be 4 and the vehicle would be SUV. In the 2 day tour, the cost would be 20,000, and the team size would be 4. The animals and the birds you would be able to see would vary according to the season of the year.

Sitamata Wildlife Sanctuary – Birding Tours in Udaipur
Source: Oh My Rajasthan!

Another tour includes a visit to Mangalwar and Menar, Bathera Kalan, and Ghasa Lake. It is a two-day tour and will cost you around 20,000 which includes transportation from Udaipur hotel, breakfast, lunch and knowledgeable English speaking birding guide. The team would consist of minimum 2 to maximum 6 people and the vehicle will be SUV.

Contact: 9413000690

Address: s-10, Ankur Complex, Opp. Narayan Seva Sansthan, Hiran Magri Market, Sector – 4

If you think we have missed something here, please feel free to share it with us in the comment section below or you can write to me at juhee@udaipurblog.com.

Categories
More

Udaipur’s MLA Resumes Education After 40 Years

How many times have you thought about doing something and discarded the plan saying ‘it’s too late now’? It wouldn’t be a surprise if you have recalled quite many incidents after reading the first line. It is a mere human tendency where we simply put off something which we don’t want to do using some conventional excuses.

But breaking the norms and doing what you really want to do is a road less taken. And here is one perfect example of someone who did exactly that. A rural MLA of Udaipur, Phool Singh Meena quit his studies after Class 7th. He gave up studies after his father, who was in the army, died. After his father died, he had to quit studies to take care of his family.

After he became a counselor, he had to interact with different senior officials and leaders, so his daughters insisted him to study further. He too used to think the same but he was a bit skeptical of his age. Another issue was the time needed to study. At times, during his speeches to students on different occasions, he used to preach the importance of education but he realized that his words sounded quite hollow as he himself didn’t follow his words of wisdom.

Source: Oneindia Hindi

It is truly said that if you overpower your inner devil, there’s no other obstacle in the world that can stop you from achieving something you want to. After these incidents, his conscience started kicking in and he finally decided to resume his studies. At the age of 55, he started studying for his further education after 40 years.

Today, he has cleared 10th and 12th standard and now he has started the preparation of his BA first year’s examinations. To manage his time for work and studies, he has smartly combined both. When he is traveling from one place to another, he is tutored by Sanjay Lunawat who is the Principal of Government Senior Secondary School, Manvakheda. Sanjay also sends him WhatsApp audios regarding his lessons for his smooth and uninterrupted studies. And when he is at home, his daughters help him with it. Sanjay appreciates Meena for his dedication and hard work.

Source: Udaipur Times

Meena doesn’t intend to stop after graduation but wishes to do post-graduation and Ph.D. too. His daughters are very proud of him.

That’s the thing about will. Once you are devoted towards something no one can ever stop you from doing that, let alone these societal norms, they are too shallow to stop anyone. Phool Singh Meena is an inspiration to all of us. Whether be it Meena or someone else, whether be it education or something else, the right time to begin every great thing would be right now. Meena is the living example to the quote ‘you are never too old to learn’. He teaches us that if he can do it, maybe we all can, maybe we all will.

Do you know of someone with any such inspiring story? Do you want them to get the appreciation they deserve? Then share these stories with us and we will feature them. Write to me at juhee@udaipurblog.com. If you have any feedback regarding the article, share them with us in the comment section below.

Categories
News

First Mewari Dictionary Launched by Nirmaan Society

Nirmaan Society from Chittorgarh with the support of MMCF took a great initiative to preserve and promote the mother tongue of Mewar. A brand new Mewari word dictionary has been launched by Nirmaan Society. This is the first Mewari dictionary ever. This dictionary will help tourists as well as locals to understand the roots of the language and understand the culture of Mewar.

Nowadays, people of Mewar has forgotten about Mewari completely. Instead of that, they prefer Hindi or English. It’s not that using a certain language is wrong but one should know the regional language of the place they belong to.

Source: Eternal Mewar

This dictionary consists of Mewari songs, Mewari alphabets, a map of Mewar, process of using Mewari dictionary, abbreviations and word meanings. Most of the words gathered in the dictionary are taken from a village near Khapan tehsil. The words used in it has got checked by people from various areas in Mewar.

The Mewari dictionary is equipped with approx. 6406 words of Mewari language. Not just this but every Mewari word is combined with its English and Hindi meaning, its pronunciation, grammar related to it and the sentence constructed from the particular word in Mewari.

This Mewari dictionary has two editions one of which was published in April 2017 and the second edition was published in January 2018. The launching of the second edition of the Mewari dictionary was attended by respected Arvind Singh Mewar.

This is a beautiful initiative taken to preserve the beautiful diminishing Mewari language.  It will help all the people who are interested in the culture of Mewar and its language and through this, the culture and language of Mewar would be eternal forever. Find the soft copy of the dictionary here – https://bit.ly/2mmvQZk.

If you have any feedback regarding the article or if you think we have missed something, feel free to share it with us in the comment section below or you can also write to me at juhee@udaipurblog.com.

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उदयपुर के उस लड़के की कहानी जिसके सामने लन्दन, रूस और अमेरिका के डांसर्स भी पानी भरते थे.

uday shankar04

हमनें एक कड़ी शुरू की थी जिसमें हमनें हमारे शहर के उन लोगों के बारे में लिखना शुरू किया था जिन्होंने हमारे शहर का खूब नाम किया है, लेकिन अब हम उन्हें भुला चुकें हैं या फिर कुछ ही लोग हैं जो उन हस्त्तियों को जानते हैं, जैसे वैज्ञानिक दौलत सिंह कोठारी, राहुल सिंह और ऐन्द्रिता रे.

अब इसी कड़ी में आज हम उदयपुर की एक ऐसी हस्ती के बारे में आपको बताने जा रहे है जिनके इशारों पर यूरोप नाचा करता था. उसकी धाक ऐसी थी कि रूस के कलाकार उनके साथ काम करना चाहते थे. जो बाद में इंडियन फिल्म इंडस्ट्री यानि के बॉलीवुड का पहला कोरियोग्राफर बना. उनका नाम है, उदय शंकर. ये वही उदय शंकर हैं जिनके स्टूडेंट्स गुरुदत्त साहब, ज़ोहरा सहगल, शांति बर्धन आदि रह चुकें हैं. उम्मीद करता हूँ कुछ लोगों की यादों में यह पढ़ते ही एक धुंधला चेहरा उभरने लगेगा और वो जो अब तक इन्हें नहीं जानते थे आर्टिकल पढ़ने के बाद उनका नाम गूगल कर रहे होंगे.Uday Shankar

आइये देखें कैसे उदयपुर की गलियों में दौड़ते ‘उदय’ एक दिन ‘द ग्रेट उदय शंकर’ बन गए :-

बचपन :-Uday Shankar

उदयपुर शहर और दिसम्बर की ठण्ड वैसे भी फेमस है. लेकिन सन् 1900 की दिसम्बर ऐतेहासिक होने वाली थी. 8 दिसम्बर, 1900 के दिन शहर के ही एक बंगाली परिवार श्री श्याम शंकर चौधरी के घर एक बच्चे का जन्म हुआ. नाम रखा गया ‘उदय’. कोई नहीं जनता था कि इस बच्चे के जन्म के साथ ही चौधरी परिवार का भी उदय होने वाला था. श्याम शंकर चौधरी, झालावाड़ रियासत में बैरिस्टर थे. लेकिन परिवार उदयपुर रहता था.

चौधरी परिवार मूलतः नरेली से था, जो कि विभाजन के बाद अब बांग्लादेश का हिस्सा हैं. इन्हें नवाबों ने ‘हरचौधरी’ की उपाधि दी हुई थी लेकिन ये सिर्फ़ ‘चौधरी’ ही लगते थे.

Uday_Amala
उदय शंकर अपनी पत्नी अमला के साथ

पढ़ाई-लिखाई :-uday shankar dance

पिता श्याम शंकर चौधरी की नौकरी की वजह से परिवार को कई जगह रहना पड़ा. इस वजह से उदय शंकर की तालीम भी एक जगह न होकर अलग-अलग शहरों में हुई जैसे नस्रातपुर, गाज़ीपुर, बनारस और झालावाड़ आदि. इस दौरान गाज़ीपुर में उन्होंने अपनी ड्राइंग एंड क्राफ्ट टीचर, अम्बिका चरण मुखोपाध्याय से म्यूजिक और फोटोग्राफी सीखी. स्कूल खत्मः हो जाने के बाद 18 बरस की उम्र में फाइन आर्ट्स पढनें के लिए बम्बई (अब मुंबई) के जे.जे. स्कूल ऑफ़ आर्ट्स में दाख़िला ले लिया. 2 साल बाद वे लन्दन चले गए और रॉयल कॉलेज ऑफ़ आर्ट्स में एडमिशन ले लिया. वहां उन्होंने सर विलियम रोथेंस्टें के मार्गदर्शन में पेंटिंग की बारीकियां सीखीं. फ्रेंच गवर्मेंट द्वारा स्कॉलरशिप मिलने बाद वे आर्ट की एडवांस फॉर्म पढनें के लिए रोम चले गए.Uday-Shankar1

उदय शंकर के ‘उदय’ होने की शुरुआत :-uday shankar 5

इसकी शुरुआत लन्दन से ही हुई. जब उदय शंकर की मुलाक़ात दुनिया की सबसे बड़ी बैले डांसर (ballet dancer) ‘एना पव्लोवा’ से हुई. ये तब की बात है जब उदय शंकर रॉयल कॉलेज को आर्ट्स में पढ़ ही रहे थे. रशियन सेलेब्रिटी उन दिनों आर.सी.ए. में अपने ग्रुप में कुछ इंडियन लड़कों-लड़कियों की खोज में आई हुई थी. वहां किसी ने उनको उदय शंकर के बारे में बताया. हालाँकि उदय शंकर तब तक डांस और डांस फॉर्म्स से कोई लेना-देना नहीं था. लेकिन वे जिनिअस माने जाते थे. उन्हें समझ ज़रूर थी. उसकी वजह ये थी उनका भारत के लोक न्र्त्यों और नाटकों को करीब से देखना. इस वजह से एना पव्लोवा भी उनकी फेन हो गयी और उदय शंकर को अपने ग्रुप में शामिल कर लिया. दो क्रिएटिव माइंड और दो बिलकुल अलग कल्चर/फॉर्म्स जब एक साथ स्टेज पर उतरी तो लन्दन और अमेरिका जैसे देशों में तहलका मचना शुरू हो गया. लम्बे समय तक चला ये कोलैबोरेशन बहुत फेमस हुआ. इसके बाद उदय शंकर ने पेरिस में अपना एक अलग ग्रुप खोल लिया.Uday_Shankar_and_Ana_Pavlova_in_'Radha-Krishna'_ballet,_ca_1922

उदय शंकर का भारत लौटना :-uday shankar04

सन् 1929 में उन्होंने भारत आने का निश्चय किया और अपना खुद का एक ग्रुप खोलने की सोची. सन् 1938 में अल्मोड़ा, उत्तर प्रदेश में उन्होंने स्कूल खोला. जो आगे चलकर उदय शंकर इंडियन कल्चर सेंटर के नाम से फेमस हुआ. इस दौरान उन्होंने अपने ग्रुप के साथ कई परफॉरमेंस दीं जो न सिर्फ़ इंडिया में बल्कि वेस्टर्न कन्ट्रीज में भी पोपुलर हुई. वो अपने स्कूल में कई फेमस गेस्ट फेकल्टीज़ भी बुलाते थे. इसी स्कूल के नोटेबल अलुमिनी की बात करें तो उनमें शामिल है, हिंदी सिनेमा के महान डायरेक्टर/एक्टर ‘गुरुदत्त साहब’ और महान अदाकारा ‘ज़ोहरा सहगल’.

Uday_Shankar_Ballet_Troupe,_ca_(1935-37)
उदय शंकर अपने ग्रुप के साथ

रबिन्द्रनाथ टैगोर और उदय शंकर :-

नोबल प्राइज़ विनर ‘श्री रबिन्द्रनाथ टैगोर’ उदय शंकर के बहुत बड़े फेन रहे हैं. वो उनकी इतनी इज्ज़त करते थे कि जब उदय शंकर भारत लौट रहे थे तो उनके स्वागत के लिए टैगोर खुद पहुँच गए. एक और बात रबिन्द्रनाथ टैगोर ने ही उदय शंकर को भारत में स्कूल खोलने के लिए कहा ताकि यहाँ के लोग उनसे सीख सकें.

कुछ और बातें :- 

uday shankar and alice boner
ऐलिस बोनेर और उदय शंकर
  • सन् 1931 में उदय शंकर की ऐलिस बोनेर से मुलाकात हुई, ऐलिस बोनेर स्विस पेंटर और स्कलप्चर आर्टिस्ट थे जिन्हें उदय शंकर के साथ पुरे यूरोप में इंडियन डांस अकादमी खोलने का श्रेय जाता है.
  • महान सितार वादक पंडित रवि शंकर, उदय शंकर के सबसे छोटे भाई हैं.

    Uday shankar_Ravi shankar_1970
    भाई उदय शंकर को तिलक लगाते पंडित रवि शंकर
  • उदय शंकर ने भारत की पहली हिंदी फिल्म ‘कल्पना’ बनाई जिसमें क्लासिकल डांसर्स लीड एक्ट्रेस थी.uday shankar 05
  • सत्यजीत रे और उदय शंकर ने साथ मिलकर डॉक्युमेंट्री भी बनाई है.
  • उदय शंकर को पद्म विभूषण के अलावा संगीत नाटक अकादमी और संगीत नाटक अकादमी फेलोशिप जैसे ढेर सारे अवार्ड्स और सम्मान मिले हैं.
  • उदय शंकर की बेटी ममता शंकर भी बहुत अच्छी डांसर के साथ-साथ एक्ट्रेस भी है, वो खुद एक डांस टीचर है और अपने पिता की लिगेसी को ज़ारी रखे है.Uday_shankar03

uday shankar4

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Events

PURPLE RUN – Udaipur’s Biggest Running Event at Forum Celebration Mall Udaipur!

Our City’s very own The Celebration Mall turned to FORUM Celebration Mall earlier this year. It is now a part of FORUM Malls, a Prestige Group Enterprise which owns and manages more than 7 shopping malls in 6 different cities of India.

In the year 2017 Forum started “Purple Run” with an aim to create awareness about Alzheimer’s disease.  With more than 10,000 runners across the country, the event was an instant success among health enthusiasts. Now in 2018 with the advent of newer dimensions to the largest mall of Udaipur, FORUM Celebration Mall along with 6 other malls across the country are going to organize this year’s Purple Run on 30th September 2018. This is planned to be Udaipur’s Biggest Running event with more than 2000 runner across 4 different categories running to create awareness about Alzheimer’s.

 

According to the Alzheimer’s Association, Alzheimer’s is a type of dementia that causes problems with memory, thinking, and behavior. In its early stages, memory loss is mild, but with late-stage Alzheimer’s, individuals lose the ability to carry on a conversation and respond to their environment. Symptoms usually develop slowly and get worse over time, becoming severe enough to interfere with daily tasks. The stats suggest, in India more than 4 million people suffer from some form of dementia and it’s the 5th leading cause of death in people over 55 years of age.

We the people of Udaipur shop and have a gala time at the Forum Celebration Mall every time. Now, it’s our turn to make a mark in Udaipur’s history. It’s time to make it BIG by participating in Purple Run. Anyone and everyone can be part of Udaipur’s biggest running event. With 4 running categories, you can participate in either competitive or non-competitive races for 3km, 5km, 10km, and 21km.

Register to Win prizes worth 17 Lacs: http://bit.ly/PurpleRunUdaipur 

This year, the Purple Run will target more than 20,000 participants running across 7 malls in 6 cities for the same cause on the same day.

Schedule of Purple Run:

  • Race categories – 3 km, 5 km, 10 km and 21km
  • Event Date: Sunday, 30th September 2018, 5:00 AM
  • Free registrations for children under 12 years and adults above 55 years
  • 30% discount on bulk booking of 100 and above
  • Timing Chip is mandatory to compete for the first 3 places in all the 4 categories. Ranks and prizes will be given to those with Timing Chip only.
  • For 21Km the minimum age to participate is 18 years and for 10Km, 5Km & 3Km run all minors must be accompanied by adults.
  • The last date for entry for each category is 26th Sep 2018, Thursday, 9 pm or as soon as running places are filled, whichever is earlier.
  • Registration Fee to include – BIB, T-shirt, Medal, First aid kit, Food & Beverage Coupon
  • The last date to register for the event is Wednesday, 26th September 2018 before 9 PM.

 So, get ready to join hands for Udaipur’s Biggest Running event!