Farewell

FarewellChandralekha — Unto the last dance
In Chennai on December 31 An extraordinary personality of the Indian art world, Chandralekha left for her heavenly abode, she remained an independent thinker and an original artiste. She was known for having put contemporary Indian dance on the world map.
A Bharatanatyam soloist of the 1950s, she caught the public imagination through her innovations and experiments in various dance forms.
Her electrifying performances discarded the devotional elements of dance for passionate body-oriented movements.
Oft described as an iconoclastic maverick dancer who has the capability to unite Bharatanatyam, Yoga and Kalarippayat in a single mind-blowing step, she has won national and international acclaims for her services.
At the national level, she had received Sangeet Natak Academy Fellowship and Kalidas Samman, among others.
Chandralekha’s international recognitions include the Gaia Award in 1992 from Italy and the Time Out Dance Umbrella Award in 1992 from London.
She began her career as a traditional dancer after having received training from renowned Guru Kanchipuram Elappa Pillai in early 1950s.
In 60s, she gave up performing and chose to become a writer and a woman’s and human rights activist. She made a major comeback to dance world in 1985 as a choreographer.
Her comeback was marked by the “East West Dance Encounter” in Mumbai, where she presented three of her productions with the help of Kalakshetra students. Chandralekha’s return took her all over the world - from Moscow to London, Italy, Germany, Toronto, New York and Tokyo - stunning the audience with fiercely sensual and intensely iconoclastic productions.
According to her, dance is a passionate, self-exploratory expression of the earthy, the erotic and the elemental, which is why, unlike other classical dancers, she never does the traditional pranam prior to performances. Chandralekha was also one of the most important voices on the Indian cultural scene.
Her writings, books, prints and choreography have attained an unprecedented status in India and abroad. Most recently, she has been expressing her aesthetic and political vision through dance-making.
Her works include Angika, Lilavati, Prana, Sri, Yantra, Mahakal, Raga, Sloka and the latest Sharira. lets pray for the departed soul.

Ravi

Police reforms: States to seek more time

Hi Friends
In view of the states not being able to meet the Supreme Court’s deadline for implementing its order on police reforms, which expires tomorrow, they have decided to seek some more time for it.
A decision to this effect was taken at a meeting convened by Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil and attended by Chief Ministers and Home Ministers of various states here.
It was decided that states would file separate affidavits before the apex court detailing steps taken so far with regard to police reforms and also put forth their views on making certain amends as suggested by the court in the September 22, 2006, order, sources said.
The Centre will also file an affidavit on behalf of Union Territories, directly under its administrative control.
So, justice will come late, but it has to come...
Ravi

Mattoo Case Update

In New Delhi on December 31 ,Two senior officials of the Delhi Police have been suspended for dereliction of duty in connection with the Priyadarshini Mattoo case. Surinder Sharma and Vijay Kumar Manchanda, the Assistant Commissioners of the Delhi Armed Police and the Vigilance Wing respectively, were placed under suspension yesterday for not taking appropriate action on complaints filed by Mattoo, Police Commissioner K.K. Paul said today.
Sharma was the Station House Officer of the Vasant Kunj police station while Manchanda was the in charge of the R.K. Puram station during 1999,when Mattoo was raped and murdered by Santosh Kumar Singh. So friends, our fight for justice continues and continues...

Ravi

Traffic Signal

Hi friends,

Its been a long time since I have been here. But what can we do, its such a busy schedule being advocate in high court that I can not think else. But surely our fight for justice continues. Thins time I have two questions. Two days ago Mr.Madhur Bhandarkar released his movie TRAFFIC SIGNAL. What ever he has made has been a master piece. But this time probably he has not made a great classic like his page 3 or Satta or Chandani Bar; although as usual Madhur has shown one more real movie. And as usual this movie is also not free from controversy; first and the worst controversy is use of the word “Kinner” which is used to address Shemales in the movie. Factually they are addressed by this name in some parts of India. But this use has made Himachal Pradesh people feel bad. Actually in Himachal Pradesh this word is commonly used to address people from District KINNAUR. And people from H.P. are in such anger that Government has banned this movie until and unless this word is not deleted from the movie. The second thing I felt bad was the way National Flag was shown fallen in the move, although it was shown that a person who is a nationalist comes there and takes them with him after removing It from ground. What ever , it was not good to show the great National Flag of India fallen, no matter it was made of Cloth or Plastic( as it was in the movie Traffic Signal ).

Ravi