ThePrint Quiz, 4 May, 2025: Rabindranath Tagore
His birth anniversary, observed each year on 7 May as Tagore Jayanti, is a reminder that Tagore's legacy lives on through his poetry, songs, and revolutionary ideas.
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Time of India
3 days ago
- Time of India
When Sharmila Tagore lost control of her car and almost ran into Shashi Kapoor: 'Do that again and Jennifer will come to you for money for milk'
and had shared screen space in many movies like 'Waqt', 'Aamne Saamne', 'Aa Gale Lag Jaa' and more. They made a great on screen pair, just like Tagore's onscreen pairing with as well. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now While fans loved to see Sharmila and Shashi Kapoor together onscreen, they also shared a great bonding off screen. Talking about the memories with him, Sharmila Tagore had once recalled an instance when the actress lost control of the car during 'Suhana Safar' shoot. She almost ran into Shashi but thankfully, nothing happened to him. He was safe, but later the actor put his sense of humour to display as he said that if she ever does that again, his wife Jennifer Kapoor would come to her. Tagore opened up on it during a chat with author Aseem Chhabra during the launch of his book, Shashi Kapoor: The Householder, The Star'. The actress said, 'We were shooting Suhana Safar, and there was a scene where I was supposed to drive downhill, and Shashi was to jump out of the way. But something went wrong—I just could not control the clutch and brake and sped into a culvert. While the poor light man holding a reflector fell, Shashi remained unscathed. Later, he quipped, 'Do that again, and Jennifer will come to you with three children and say she doesn't have money for milk!' He could always joke, and yet remain cordial and respectful. " The 'Amar Prem' actress added further, 'Shashi would constantly tease me because I would argue a lot with the directors on the sets. Each time, he'd remind me to get on with it—don't bicker, just do it! This is what I've learnt from him. When you are doing a film for money or to help a friend out, be clear about the motives and then finish what needs to be done. When you come to the set, and are aware of the limitations of the script or the director, don't expect pigs to fly. "
Hans India
5 days ago
- Hans India
Monsoon Dreams dazzles Hyderabad
Hyderabad's vibrant cultural calendar witnessed a mesmerising evening of dance and storytelling as Chowrangee, the city's emerging art and culture platform, hosted Monsoon Dreams at the historic Taramati Baradari. Presented by the renowned Tanusree Shankar Dance Company, the evening was a seamless blend of classical choreography, spiritual themes, and Tagorean philosophy. Tanusree Shankar, the legendary dancer and choreographer of international acclaim and a recipient of the prestigious Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, led her company through an enchanting repertoire. The first half of the performance featured a series of her iconic choreographic pieces, including Ganesh Vandana, Shiva, Serenity, Court Dance, Cloud, Wrishya Vihar, and Amity. These performances explored a spectrum of moods and themes ranging from divinity and peace to the grandeur of royalty, environmental beauty, and women's empowerment. Each piece was underscored by the distinctive compositions of the late Ananda Shankar, Tanusree's husband and an avant-garde musician in his own right. The unique fusion of traditional Indian rhythms with contemporary instrumentation lent the ballets a modern yet rooted energy, which was met with thunderous applause from a packed audience. The second half of the evening was dedicated to a captivating dance ballet titled Chirantan, inspired by the works of Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore. Known for his poetic portrayal of love, peace, and human unity, Tagore's ideals were brought to life through expressive choreography, compelling music, and rich symbolism. Chirantan conveyed a vision of hope, spiritual awakening, and the triumph of love over hatred—especially poignant in today's world. A highlight of the segment was the evocative narration and voice-over by none other than Amitabh Bachchan. Coupled with the soul-stirring music by Debajyoti Mishra, the ballet unfolded as a tribute to the enduring relevance of Tagore's message: a world free from fear, guided by truth and compassion. Chowrangee, the organiser of the event, is a Hyderabad-based cultural platform that aims to spotlight India's artistic heritage through inclusive and innovative programming. Inspired by the spirit of Bengal yet inclusive of all linguistic and cultural backgrounds, Chowrangee is dedicated to fostering meaningful cross-cultural dialogues. Its curated offerings span theatre, dance, music, and visual arts, making it a rising force in Hyderabad's cultural scene. Backed by the not-for-profit Bengal and Beyond Foundation, Chowrangee remains committed to presenting high-quality, immersive performances that unite communities and celebrate shared human values. Monsoon Dreams stood as a testament to this mission, leaving the audience spellbound with its lyrical storytelling and artistic grandeur.
Indian Express
6 days ago
- Indian Express
NCERT is boosting the arts in secondary school. It must do the same for higher education
The NCERT is being criticised for a series of changes in history textbooks. However, many have not noticed that the NCERT has made another significant change to the secondary syllabus. From the 2025-26 session, theatre, music, and drama will be regular subjects starting in grade VIII. This change is in line with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCF-SE) 2023. This means that all students, no matter what they like or how much they know about the arts, will have to study and pass the subjects to move on to the following school year. The goal of the change is to give students a more well-rounded education that includes both traditional academic and creative and artistic learning. The NCERT has also released a new art textbook called Kriti to help with this transition. This book will be the main resource for teaching the visual and performing arts. This change is significant, as it puts equal value on both the intellectual and creative progress of a student. Since the arts soften hearts, a change like this will have an impact on society. Practitioners of fine arts are generally less likely to encourage discrimination, sectarianism, and hatred. They are often the torchbearers of love, empathy, and equity. If sincerely put into practice, the change made by the NCERT will help create an India we all dream of. Rabindranath Tagore did what the NCERT is doing many years ago. At his school in Santiniketan, the students did not just read textbooks. Singing, dancing, and painting were part of the curriculum. Tagore favoured the holistic development of students. The growth of a human mind was much more important to him than the attainment of a degree. While establishing Visva-Bharati University, Tagore ensured that it did not become a degree-granting institution. For a long time, no degree or certificate was awarded at the university. When this system was launched in collaboration with the University of Calcutta, Tagore reluctantly accepted the change. Tagore strongly argued that creativity should be given priority in teaching and research, not only at the school level but also in higher education. In 1919, in his first speech in English in India, he spoke about what an Indian university should be like: 'I have to give utterance to a truism and say with profound seriousness that music and the fine arts are among the highest means of national self-expression, without which the people remain inarticulate.' Visva-Bharati had separate departments for teaching these subjects. These changes at the secondary level, in line with the National Education Policy 2020 and Tagore's philosophy of education, are commendable. It is time they are made in higher education with the same spirit. Otherwise, the qualities acquired by a student in adolescence will inevitably be defunct with time. Soft faculties of the human mind need continuous practice and nurturing. This is where we have to ask a big question. In the last few years, the central government's budget allocation to the higher education sector has been continuously reduced. This has had a direct impact on the study and research of the humanities. It may be argued that this is a global phenomenon. As a discipline, the humanities are in crisis in academia across the globe. But if India has to distinguish itself from other countries and revive some of the best practices of its traditional knowledge systems, it should boost humanities studies and research in higher education, giving due priority to performative arts. Even massive changes in the syllabus at the secondary level won't be enough. In fact, to achieve what the NEP 2020 promises, higher education needs to be tied in closely with school education. If the great qualitative change that the NCERT has brought in the syllabus at the school level is not carried forward to the domain of higher education, the full benefits of this change will never be achieved. To quote Tagore, 'In the proposed centre of our cultures [in a university], music and art must have their prominent seats of honour, and not merely a tolerant nod of recognition.' The writer is professor, Department of English and Culture Studies, and director, Centre for Australian Studies, University of Burdwan
