Srinagar: Jammu Kashmir Saqaftee Markaz(JKSM) Budgam has invited nominations for the Children Literature award 2020 tobe presented this year.
According to the official statement ofJKSM, writers are requested to send four copies of Kashmiri Children LiteratureBooks (2018, 19), passport size photograph, computerised Bio Data andapplication on the name of president for children literature award 2020 toenter into the contest for awards. The last date of submission is 10th March2020, Dr B A Gamgeen language convener of JKSM said in a statement.
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KU scholars document ethnic Fermented Foods and Beverages of J&K
Srinagar: Several scholars from KashmirUniversity have documented the ethnic fermented foods and beverages of Jammuand Kashmir for a book titled Ethnic Fermented Foods and Beverages of India:Science History and Culture by prominent researcher Jyoti Prakash Tamang.
The book which is available online hastried to detail the food products and beverages in this genre from all aroundIndia. For Jammu and Kashmir Rehana Akhter, Prof Farooq Masoodi, Touseef AhmedWani, Jeelani Raja and Sajad Ahmed Rather compiled the list and assorteddetails of ethnic fermented foods and beverages of J&K. “We have a richtradition of such food products. It took us almost nine months to complete thework as we scoured through various sources in history,” said Masoodi.
According to book description, the umpteenvarieties of traditionally fermented foods of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K)deliver a wallop of savour, aroma, nutrients, probiotics and functionalbioactive compounds. The volume of credible scientific evidence has madeprobiotics a crucial part of human nutrition and led to a demand for probioticsin functional foods and clinical application by demonstrating their beneficialeffects on health and disease prevention. “In Jammu and Kashmir state, thereare nutrient-rich crops (cereals, vegetables) and animal products (milk) whichare fermented and used as foods and beverages in households. Althoughtraditionally fermented foods represent an important role in contributing tothe livelihood of people of the J&K state through enhanced food securityand income generation, there is still scarcity of information regarding theirtraditional production methods, microbiological and biochemicalcharacteristics, nutritional value and safety. Research into the processingtechnologies of these fermented foods is still in its infancy stage. Thus,there is a need to document their traditional production methods, microbiologyand biochemistry in order to evaluate their nutritional value and safety;standardize and industrialize them, where possible; and preserve them forfuture generations,” the book description reads.
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Filmmakers hope to screen Half Widow in local cinema
Srinagar: After getting positive reviewsfrom audience in New Delhi, Mumbai and other cities, the makers of movie HalfWidow hope that the movie will be screened in local cinemas in Srinagar in thecoming months.
The ‘Half Widow’ team while talking to alocal news agency said that they have talked to Dy. Commissioner SrinagarShahid Chowdhery in order to explore the possibility of opening some theatresso that the movie can be screened. The team hopes that screening of Half Widowin all these theatres in Kashmir will happen from first week of May 2020.
The reviews and opinions expressed bydifferent sections of people after a successful screening of Awarded Film”Half widow” directed by Danish Renzu has encouraged the filmmaker toscreen it in Srinagar.
The filmmaker in a statement said, “theFilm has made it’s effective mark both at National and international level. Theaudience at USA, France, Canada gave an extraordinary responses to the conceptof real Kashmir Sufiyat highlighted in Film. The verses of Lal e Daed, localsongs, Sonu Nigam’s and Noor Mohammad’s songs attained popularity. The Art ofKashmir and intellectual Versions are dominating the Film to present it as filmof civilisation.”
Half Widow tells the story of Neela(Neelofar Hamid), who lives in Srinagar with her brother Zakir (Shahnawaz Bhat)and her aunt. She has lost both her parents by the time we meet her but isstill full of hope and optimism towards her future. The time comes for her toget married and she gets married to a paper shop owner named Khalid (MirSarwar) The film gives at every stage feelings of authenticity. The directormakes sure to capture the landscape with a lot of beauty to contrast the miserythat the characters are feeling.
The joint production of Ghaya Bhola andDanish Renzu was considered one of the laudable additions in the year 2020which has been taken up by Amazon also for its digital packages.
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Delhi art gallery to showcase calligraphy of HC Judge
Srinagar: The calligraphic work ofmulti-talented Judge of Jammu Kashmir High Court Mahmud Anwar Alnasir has beenselected for display at New Delhi’s Lokayat Gallery at Hauz Khas on March 13.
Alnasir has been interested in calligraphyright from childhood and his latest creation, a table calendar for the year2020, with the inscription of verses of Holy Quran will enthral the audiencealong with other specimens at the Delhi gallery, where theme of the event willbe Shakti.
A sub-judge by profession, Alnasir ispresently working at Jammu and Kashmir High Court, Srinagar. His 2020 tableCalendar features a unique calligraphic work.
The calendar consists of 15 pages and has alength of 25cm and breadth 18cm.
Alnasir is a self-taught part-time artistand usually doesn’t make money out of his beautiful calligraphic pieces. At thepeak of his academic career and busy schedule during work, he would continuecalligraphy during night hours. His work has reached across the world includingEngland, Dubai, USA, London, Turkey and Tanzania. One of his biggest art pieceswas 4 feet long and 8 feet wide, which was sent to Dubai.
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Obsessed with the Dawns released
Srinagar: Samina Mushtaq Khan, an authorfrom Srinagar released a book titled “Obsessed with the Dawns” at Winterfallcafe in Dalgate Srinagar on last Sunday.
The book which is a collection of poemsrevolves around dreams, desires and the ups and downs one experiences in his orher life.
Speaking on the debut book launch event,Samina said the book is based on 35 poems that she had written during the pasttwo years. She was all praise for her parents and friends who gave her fullsupport to write the book.
She termed the book as a small attempt butpromised that in future she will try to narrate the untold stories of Kashmirvalley.
The book describes Samina as a librarian byprofession and a banker by compulsion, who always finds happiness in writingpain.
On the occasion, former director AnimalHusbandry Farooq Ahmad Kaloo appreciated the author and urged more youth withpassion and talent for writing to come forward in this field.
The book is available online and ispublished by Lieper Publication which is considered Kashmir self-publishinghouse.
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Sakhtasazi workshop enthrals audience in Delhi workshop
New Delhi: A workshop on Sakhtasazi, a typeof papier mâché that involves moulding raw paper pulp into aestheticallypleasing objects, was organised in New Delhi. The interactive workshop wasliked by the people visiting the venue.
The workshop tried is being termed as anancient technique at risk. With only about 40 artists still practicing thiscraft, 700 year old craft of Sakhtasazi is struggling to remain relevant, theorganisers said.
The workshop was organised by anorganisation Commitment to Kashmir (CtoK), in association with India HeritageWalks, and aimed to discuss and demonstrate the Sakhta craft while giving theparticipants a chance to practice it first-hand. Team leader Burhan ud DinKhateeb, along with artist Nazir, described the art and its history to theaudience.
Khateeb while talking to media persons saidthat the market has crushed the maker, instead of supporting them and theearlier bonding between the artisans has been broken due to the situation inKashmir. He called for design intervention, innovation, modern technology totake the art to the global stage.
According to CtoK the idea of the workshopwas to band together the artists to strengthen them by design and businessintervention and push the boundaries of the crafts.