GPlus Vol 4 Issue 20 by G Plus

Spectre of agitation looms large AASU threatens huge stir if Hindu Bangladeshis are allowed citizenship

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Organic colours yet to hit city markets in Holi

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New Chick on the Block Naina Gogoi PG 24

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VOLUME 04 | ISSUE 20 MAR 11 - MAR 17, 2017 PRICE `10

9 months of BJP rule ‘delivers’ 6 major controversies PG

Government mulls reducing liquor price in Assam

Rahul Chanda

ecently, the excise department made a number of amendments under the Assam Excise Act; many new decisions were implemented. The opposition Congress slammed the decisions saying that it will spoil the future of the youth of the state. The decisions included change of bar and wine store opening and closing timings, new dry day rules, change of license renewal fees and many more. The excise department too recently made

some new rules to standardise the sale and manufacture of country made liquor. On announcement of these rules, country made liquor can be sold by obtaining a license for just Rs 10,000. In September 2016, a committee headed by IAS officer RT Jindal was formed to study and recommend reforms for the department which could help in generating revenue and for easy functioning of the department. So what are the recommendations of this JinContinued on page 2

Archaeology enthusiasts unearth ‘new’ ruins on Narakasur Hills Kalyan Deb

uwahati’s myths and history go back several thousands of years so much so that the city’s vicinity finds mention in the Mahabharata. Guwahati indeed holds the record of being one of the oldest cities in India along with Varanasi. The Mahabharata says that it was the capital place of the demon king Narakasura who was killed by Lord Krishna. A major turn of events took place during the excavations at Ambari that placed the history of Guwahati back to the 6th century when Guwahati was known as Pragjyotishpura. Over 1,000 artefacts with important historical bearings were found at the Ambari site over the years that the excavations took place (2002-2008). Meanwhile, another proper exploration of some

The ancient brick wall at Narakasur Hills, Photo by Dr. Satyakam Phukan

ruins along the crest of Narakasur Hills at Bhangagarh could unearth hitherto unknown facts about Assam. Recently, a five-member team of archaeology enthusiasts, led by

a city-based general surgeon Dr Satyakam Phukan discovered a brick wall, perceived to be a part of the city’s pre-Ahom or Ahom era fortification that could unearth further details about the history of Continued on page 6

Excise Minister Parimal Suklabaidya | File photo

G PLUS MAR 11 - MAR 17, 2017

Lead Story

Government mulls reducing liquor price in Assam

Continued from page 1

Highly placed sources said that the Jindal Committee’s main recommendation to the government is to reduce liquor prices because the high cost entices people to smuggle it from a neighbouring state preventing the government from earning revenue; excise minister says government still contemplating on the recommendation ister to buy liquor at a particular time. He said people who drank used to avail liquor at anytime but illegally; it used to be available at paan shops, street shops etc. He said that legal shops were not allowed to sell liquor before 2 pm and so people used to buy illegally and the Congress government used to collect money from whoever sold illegally. He said that they are not getting that money now and therefore they are hurt. Rajesh Jalan was arrested because he was duping the excise department for all these days. So will liquor prices decrease?

Jindal Committee recommendations

A prominent wine shop of Guwahati | G Plus photo

dal Committee? What is the status of heritage liquor as announced by the finance minister during his first budget speech after forming the government in 2016? And will the recent decisions hamper the future of the state’s youth? G Plus talks to the excise minister and some sources to understand the Jindal Committee recommendations better.

The minister Assam excise minister Parimal Suklabaidya, talking exclusively to G Plus, said that after the present government came to power it was observed that the department was running according to 1945 rules. So the government amended some rules from the month of September 2016. He said, “We do not encourage anyone to consume alcohol, but earlier people used to consume non-paid liquor.” He said that in Assam people consumed liquor but the liquor used to come from outside the state depriving it of its due revenues. He said, “We tried to stop revenue loss.” Talking about country spirit, he said that the government also brought some reforms in the sale and manufacture of country spir-

it recently so that country spirit is manufactured properly and in hygienic conditions. The government’s consideration was that consumption of liquor should not be a health hazard to anyone. He said, “Congress created such a situation that people can drink and die. We thought that since this is not a dry state people who drink should not get their health adversely affected while the government at the same time should generate revenue. He said that the excise department has recovered smuggled liquor from many places. On enquiring about the status of heritage liquor, he said it will be soon in papers. He said that to bring anything under the purview of the government it requires some study and research which will soon be completed and heritage liquor rules will be formed. He said that with previous rules up to 5 litres of heritage liquor was allowed in any household for personal consumption. So the excise department and the police cannot do anything there. “We want to legalise it. The way it used to be manufactured was not hygienic. So we are planning new norms with which there will be a

small factory, where the heritage liquor will be manufactured in a hygienic manner.” Such factories would have an owner authorised by the government, and once authorised, certain rules will have to be followed. The grain cake which is used for manufacturing could be produced by some self help groups or unemployed people and this will generate employment. He said, “Congress is saying that we are trying to increase liquor consumption habit which is not true. We are just making sure that whoever drinks should remain healthy.” He slammed the Congress saying that all these days it looted the department and now they ask why the government has increased two hours to the operation timings of the wine shop. He questioned the Congress as to where people got the alcohol previously when they used to drink before 1 pm and on dry days. He said it used to be smuggled, illicit or unsafe country liquor. He questioned whether any Congress minister had then given any certificate to people about being allowed to drink at a particular time, or whether anyone consuming liquor had taken any certificate from a Congress min-

A highly placed source in the excise department, talking to G Plus, said that the Jindal Committee has submitted two sets of recommendations and a third one is yet to be submitted. The committee consisted of people like the commissioner of excise, commissioner of taxes, commissioner of transport, a professor of Cotton College and even a professor of Gauhati University. The committee, after thorough research and many rounds of discussions with all the stake holders of the state, unanimously had certain recommendations. It mainly recommended that the excise duty should be rationalised keeping in mind that trade diversion should not take place. The committee learned that the state loses a huge amount of revenue because in states like Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh liquor prices are lesser facilitating smuggling of liquor from these states for sale in Assam. This only makes the state lose out on revenue while people of the state consume liquor which is not meant for consumption in Assam. So to reduce smuggling, trade diversion and generation of mafias, the committee has recommended the reduction in liquor prices to the government. It can only be implemented if the government accepts the recommendations. The excise minister, talking to G Plus, said that the government, as of now, has not decided anything on this recommendation but in the near future

the government might consider the proposal to ensure optimum collection of revenue.

rahul.chanda@g-plus.in

G PLUS MAR 11 - MAR 17, 2017

Crime

Fake fertiliser scam looms large; big shots might tumble

Rahul Chanda

CID seized around 650 bags of suspected fake fertilisers from a factory in Changsari and two challans for transporting the fertilisers; the fertilisers have been sent for testing and if proven fake might lead to the arrest of a leading city businessman

fter the Crime Investigation Departmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s (CID) recent arrested of five agriculture department officials for involvement in the multi-crore agriculture department scam in which crores of rupees were siphoned off, CID officials very recently raided a factory where they found some fertilisers that they suspect to be fake. If there is any truth in the matter, reports of which are awaited after Holi, the likely scam looks to bring down some city big shots. G Plus looks into the incident.

The incident According to a source in the CID, the department got information that the waste products of some factories in Jagiroad area is picked up, packaged in bags and branded as agricul-

ture fertilisers at some factories in Changsari. The CID team raided one factory in Changsari owned by one Snehashish Bora and recovered 650 bags of suspected fake fertilisers. The fertiliser bags had the label of North East Agro Tech Pvt Ltd. The CID team seized the suspected fake fertiliser but did not register any case or arrest anyone. The source said that North East Agro Tech Pvt Ltd. is owned by a prominent city businessman who is also the owner of Anuradha Cinema. The source said that no case was registered because the police have to be sure that the fertiliser is fake and therefore the same has been sent to forensic laboratories. If the suspicions come true the related people will be arrested and a case registered.

The suspected scam The source said that many such fertiliser bags were sent to other districts. The CID team also recovered two challans which had been prepared for transporting the fertiliser bags to different districts. The source said that actually a supply order of Rs 61 lakhs was given to North East Agro Tech Pvt Ltd to supply fertilisers to the government (Seed Corporation of India) which thereafter was further expected to be distributed to farmers. The source said that the CID team has asked the Seed Corporation not to distribute the bags of fertilisers received by them to the farmers and to send the same for testing the genuineness of the product. The source said that should the fertilisers be prov-

en fake, the big scam will bring many big shots into the police net. According to highly placed sources, the suspected fake fertilisers were sent to different laboratories considering that there are high profile people involved and the reports could be forged. The sources informed G Plus that till Friday evening the tests and analyses were almost completed but the final report will be received after Holi. The source said that the fertilisers have already been distributed in four districts viz. Tezpur, Raha, Bilasipara and Koliabor but the CID has instructed the district Seed Corporation authorities to ensure that farmers do not receive the same before testing. So another big scam may be unearthed after Holi if the tests prove that the fertilisers are fake.

G PLUS MAR 11 - MAR 17, 2017

Governance

Spectre of agitation looms large

AASU threatens huge stir if Hindu Bangladeshis are allowed citizenship

Rahul Chanda

The Silapathar incident has ignited a spark which might burn the government’s motive of allowing citizenship to Hindu Bangladeshis; student’s body seeks early arrest of all culprits involved in the incident

Student activists stage a protest against the Silapathar vandalism | G Plus photo

he Silapathar incident has created a tense situation across the state with police deploying additional forces in Dhemaji and neighbouring districts. Some places of upper Assam are also on high alert and various organisations have called for bandhs in the area. The organisation, Nikhil Bharat Bangali Udbastu Samannay Samiti (NBBUSS), allegedly instigated a mob to attack the AASU office at Silapathar town in Dhemaji District on 6th March which created the peace-killing situation. What exactly happened and who all were involved? Was there any negligence by the police during the incident? Who was the mastermind and will the NBBUSS be banned in the state? G Plus takes a look.

The incident According to police, on 6th February, NBBUSS held an open meeting with an approximate gathering of around 5,000 people at Sila Janajati High School under Silapathar police station. Some of the leaders of the organisation delivered provocative speeches. After the meeting, a procession was taken out. When the procession reached the office of the All

Assam Students’ Union (AASU) at Silapathar town the mob suddenly got violent and started pelting stones at the AASU office damaging furniture. According to police sources, the Dhemaji police tried to control the situation and after issuing warnings also used tear gas shells to disburse the unruly

mob even as the protesters pelted stones back at the police party. The mob became more violent causing damage to public buildings, Swahid Smrity Bhawan of AASU and some vehicles. The incident ignited a dangerous, violent spark in the area and alert was sounded by the authorities.

The aftermath The police claimed that the situation was brought under control immediately by Dhemaji police,

CRPF and Assam Police Battalion. The District Magistrate promulgated the prohibitory orders under Section 144 CrPc. General Secretary of AASU, Dhemaji District, Ranjan Chutia and President Bhagyawan Doley lodged an FIR against the protestors. Meanwhile, some other reactionary in-

cidents have taken place including fire incidents in Dhemaji and other districts which police claimed are being investigated. So who were the main culprits?

People involved According to police, the main leaders who attended the meeting and the rally are NBBUSS all India president Dr Subodh Biswas, NBBUSS central committee members Nalin Ranjan Mandal and Kripesh Baidya, NBBUSS

President of State Committee member Sahadev Das, NBBUSS members Biraj Mistry and Mukunda Sarkar, NBBUSS central level secretary Ambika Roy, NBBUSS secretary Beni Madhab Roy and NBBUSS Dhemaji District founder Mangal Kishor Das. According to police 27 people have been arrested till date including NBBUSS Dhemaji founder Mangal Kishor Das. AASU had given a 12-hour deadline to the state government on 9th March to arrest the main mastermind of the incident, Subodh Biswas, but the police have not yet been able to arrest him. According to police all efforts to nab the culprits and the conspirators including Subodh Biswas are on. Look out notices for Subodh Biswas have been circulated at all important travel points, major airports, railway stations in the country and neighbouring state police organisations. The government has announced a reward of Rs 1 lakh for any information leading to the arrest of the main accused.

Law and order The police said that the cooperation of the Indian Army has been sought for maintenance of general law and order and other extremist inputs. Various peace committee meetings are being held all over Assam to create a peaceful environment. A delegation of police officers is closely supervising the developments and additional forces are being mobilised and deployed to maintain the law and order situation. The police have formed a special investigating team to investigate the incident and have assured that anyone who tries to spoil the social fabric of the state will not be spared. A question still arises whether the NBBUSS leaders first delivered provocative speeches where after the rally was taken out in the process of which the AASU office was vandalised. Between the provocative speeches and the act of vandalism there were around 5 to 6 hours. So why were the police not prepared for such an act? Was there any negligence on the part of Dhemaji police? Answering the question, state DGP Mukesh Sahay said

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G PLUS MAR 11 - MAR 17, 2017

Governance

AASU education secretary Sarat Hazarika, talking to G Plus, said that firstly the body demands arrest of all the people involved in the incident including the master-

March and demanded immediate implementation of the Assam Accord. Meanwhile, according to media reports, Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Agriculture Minister Atul Bora were part of the cabinet sub-committee on Assam Accord Implementation, which recommended inclusion of names of Hindu Bangladeshis in the updated National Register of Citizens (NRC), who are “protected by orders of Ministry of Home Affairs about minorities leaving Bangladesh due to religious persecution.” The report said that it was revealed from the

mind Subodh Biswas. Secondly, he said that the Assam Accord will have to be implemented properly and he made it very clear that the state will witness huge protests if the Hindu Bangladeshis are allowed citizenship in the state. AASU took out a Satyagraha rally against the government’s decision to grant citizenship to Hindu Bangladeshis across the state on 10th

“minutes of meeting” of the cabinet sub-committee’s meeting held on 12th September, 2016, tabled by Assam government on the floor of the state assembly on 27th February last. In the meeting held at the Conference Room of Finance Department, State NRC Co-ordinator Prateek Hajela briefly apprised the members of the committee about “concepts, legal aspects,

that the government had already ordered a one-man committee to probe the incident and if there is any negligence found on the part of police, action will be taken accordingly. But the issue has raised questions about the Centre’s move of allowing citizenship to Hindu Bangladeshis in India.

Implementation of Assam Accord

PM Modi turns saviour for ailing 8-day old child of Assam

n a nail biting incident that was played out on the streets of the country’s capital on the evening of 4th March, Prime Minister Narendra Modi served as the saviour of an 8-day old girl child from Dibrugarh, Assam. The infant, who was suffering from a grave medical condition affecting her lungs, was airlifted to Delhi’s Gangaram Hospital. The infant was under ventilation which had a power back up of only 7 hours. It is to be noted that, the flight journey from Dibrugarh to Delhi was of 6 hours, and the weekend traffic in Delhi from the airport to Gangaram Hospital would have been a nightmare for the family. Hoping against all hopes, the infant’s family dropped an email on Modi’s personal mail id, asking for assistance during the traffic hours in Delhi. Modi’s intervention at the nick of time ensured traffic-free passage for the family and the rescue team. The parents of the baby said that they owe the life of their daughter to the Prime Minister and Del-

G Plus News

hi Police. A green corridor was created to ensure traffic free route and the baby was successfully admitted in Gangaram Hospital with the battery of the child’s respiratory machine being just six minutes away from dying out. “Modi is our God,” Dhrubajyoti Kalita, father of the newborn said. “We sought help from several influential people, including a top IPS officer from the northeast working with Delhi Police. Nobody did anything. We did not know what would have happened to our daughter.” Doctors on Sunday said the baby is out of danger and making good progress. According to the parents, the infant was initially diagnosed with meconium aspiration syndrome, a medical condition when the first stool of the baby enters the lungs. “Delhi police was extremely cordial and professional. We cannot thank the Prime Minister and Delhi police enough,” the mother of the baby said.

Order to play National Anthem in City Cinema Halls

phases involved and processes undertaken in NRC update.” The minutes of the meeting said, “Regarding inclusion of descendants of D voters and declared foreigners (DV/DF) in the updated NRC the committee observed that those persons shouldn’t be included in NRC, except for those who are protected by the recent orders of Ministry of Home Affairs about minorities leaving Bangladesh due to religious persecution.” Agriculture Minister, Atul Bora, gave his consent to it in the Assembly even though he and his party denounced it later and said that they are in favour of implementation of Assam Accord in letter and spirit. The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016 is in the process of being reviewed by a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) headed by BJP MP and former Mumbai top cop Satyapal Singh, but the recent spark which has been ignited by the Bengali unit might burn Assam if the bill is passed and Hindu Bangladeshis are allowed citizenship in the state as AASU has clearly said that the state will be submerged under protests if Assam Accord is not implemented.

G Plus News

s per directives of the Supreme Court, Kamrup (M) district Administration has ordered all the owners of cinema halls, mini-cinema halls, multiplexes located in the district to play the “National Anthem” before the feature film starts. According to the Supreme Court’s order, National Anthem or a part of it shall not be printed on any object and also never be displayed in such a manner at such places which may be disgraceful to its status and tantamount to disrespect. It is because when the National Anthem is sung, the concept of protocol associated with it has its inherent roots in national identity, national integrity and constitution-

rahul.chanda@g-plus.in

al patriotism. All the cinema halls in India shall play the National Anthem before the feature film starts and all present in the hall are obliged to stand up to show respect to it. Prior to the National Anthem being played, all the entry and exit doors shall remain closed so that no one can create any kind of disturbance. After the National Anthem is played or sung, the doors can be opened. When the National Anthem is played in cinema halls, it shall be with the National Flag on the screen. The abridged version of the National Anthem made by any one for whatever reason shall not be played or displayed.

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G PLUS MAR 11 - MAR 17, 2017

City

Archaeology enthusiasts unearth ‘new’ ruins on Narakasur Hills

Continued from page 1

A five-member team comprising archaeology enthusiasts of the city along with a local undertook an expeditious trek along the crest of the Narakasur Hills on which the Guwahati Medical College & Hospital is located to unearth the distinct existence of ancient ruins which might give new pointers to the city’s history He also mentioned that many people who have settled in the area have used the bricks to build their homes. “In one place below that road, a completely untouched part of the brick wall is well visible. On earth-cutting along the crest of the hill, the brick structures came to light. There is a massive wall and the top is sturdy enough over which even four-wheelers can easily commute leading to the under-construction water treatment plant,” he said.

and extends to a stretch of several kilometres. Dr Phukan had also filmed the entire expedition in order to record evidence of the existence of the brick structures. It could also be learnt that the brick structures had distinct similarities to those found in the Ambari archaeological site. “These ruins were never explored either during the British era or in the post-independence era of India by any authority. But we are

The crest of the hill continues uniformly from east to west and at the western end, overlying the Birubari area, the crest shows the form of an ancient fortification called gar or rampart. Many people have set-

certain that systematic archaeological exploration will bring to A panoramic view of the Narakasura Hills at Guwahati | Photo by Dr. Satyakam Phukan light many hitherto unknown facts about the history and archaeology unearth the layer of soil Assam. The surgeon has also apof archaeological ruins in the hill of Guwahati and Assam,” said Dr proached the Archaeological Surfrom an elderly gentleman of Uzan- with a small imPhukan. vey of India in the city in order to bazar locality, the late Prabhat plement, takMeanwhile, it could be learnt save it from the encroachers atop Malla Barua. Malla Barua, who ing care from the Archaeological Survey the Narakasur Hills. Dr Phukan was a close associate of my father, not to of India (ASI), Guwahati harm has written to the Assam direchad befriended the gaonbura of the Circle that a process torate of archaeological survey, area and used to tell me about the the is being implearurging it to undertake a systematic discussions they used to have about mented in orexploration of the ruins saying that the existence of the structure made der to carry that the extensive ruins were never of bricks dating back to centuries. out further explored - neither during the Brit- I have always been curious about excavation ish era nor in independent India. such things but could never get the of the area. However, only systematic archae- right opportunity to make an effort The excavaological excavation will determine until recently,” the surgeon said. tion has to the date of the brick wall. The expedition was underbe approved taken on 19th February by a team teby the district The expedition comprising Pradip Dewan, Binoy administration The team of archaeological Kumar Das, Alexander Chakma, facts and then the proenthusiasts has also recorded ex- Haren Baishya and Chanda Boro and cess of carbon dating tensive archaeological ruins on the (who is a local residing in the area) after can be carried out Photo by Pradip Dewan Narakasur Hills during its explorabesides Dr Phukan himself. Dur- brushing which will uncover tion of the hills between the west of ing the expedition, at many places away the soil several details about we could find bricks. the television tower atop it and its along the crest of the hills, the team the existence of the end in the Birubari area of the city. could uncover numerous brick In many places along the structure. Accordcrest, we uncovered brick strucIt was on 17th February when Dr structures hidden under the soil. ing to Dr Phukan, tures under the soil. In fact, the Phukan accompanied by Arindam ASI has intimated The findings entire stretch that we trekked in Borgohain took a brief hike in the that the process could Dr Phukan said that along the order to reach the crest had layers Narakasura Hills and in the protake over two years Photo by Dr. Satyakam Phukan crest of the hills remains of an ex- of bricks underneath the soil. A cess talked to some of the locals of tled which he feels is too long professional excavation will surethe area where it came to light that tensive wall, possibly some ancient in the a time-frame. He has urged ly yield more positive results,” he the existence of a stretch of wall fortification, can be ascertained area and the ASI to give the matter top that were evident all along the said adding that a road has also was already in the knowledge of earth cutting priority so that the facts are untrack. He said the team, assisted been built along the crest up to an the locals. is on along the crest of the earthed as early as possible. by Chanda Boro, moved along the under-construction water treat“Since the early 1990s I had hills, where the road is laid. The kalyan.deb@g-plus.in entire track. “We dug carefully to ment plant. been hearing tales of the existence brick structures are visible there

The expedition was undertaken on 19th February by a varied team

G PLUS MAR 11 - MAR 17, 2017

Politicking

NSUI politics turn violent as poll dates near

Kalyan Deb

State NSUI presidential aspirants indulge in a violent clash within the precincts of Rajiv Bhawan in a salacious story that involves conspiracy, back-biting, an alleged molestation and defaming senior members bringing disrepute to the institution called Indian National Congress highest number of memberships, it has stirred jealousy whereas Saheel is backed by Ripun Bora. How is it possible that I was suspended within just 45 minutes without any inquiry? It also came to notice that a girl was seen video recording the whole incident since the very beginning of the clash. Doesn’t it make things more obvious that she was very much aware of the things that were about to take place?” Zubair added. Zubair also mentioned that along with him, Arup Talukdar, who was nowhere involved in the altercation, was suspended whereas the suspension order of Saheel came three days after Zubair’s suspension.

Zubair Anam (L) and Saheel Nawaz

ational politics is an essential part of human life to achieve desired goals for the betterment of the society. There is a famous saying regarding politics: “If politics decides your future then decide what should be your politics.” It is clear that political activism decides our fortunes in the society in our struggle for our due entitlements but what happens when the future of politics is steeped in corruption at the core of its roots? There has been a recent spurt in incidences of violence, strikes and protest movements in renowned educational institutions like Jawaharlal Nehru University, Film & Television Institute of India, Hyderabad University, Ramjas College albeit for different reasons. Regardless of how genuine or not-so-genuine their reasons are, these incidences raise a very pertinent question. Is it the hunger for power that corrupts the students to a level that brings out the latent inhumanity in them? With only a month to go for the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) presidential election in Assam, an incident of violence on 28th February at Rajiv Bhawan raises the same question on the future of politics of the state.

The incident On the evening of 28th February, at around 6 pm, two groups of the NSUI got involved in an altercation that went on to take a violent turn. The incident was not just restricted to a brawl between groups but also involves conspiracy, an alleged molestation, defaming of co-members of the student body and higher officials of the

Assam Pradesh Congress Committee. An altercation between two NSUI members, Zubair Anam (state vice-president) and Saheel Nawaz (state general secretary) took an ugly turn that was followed by the suspension of three members of the association viz. Zubair Anam, Arup Talukdar (former vice-president) and Saheel Nawaz. However, there are several versions of the incident as relayed by those involved.

Zubair’s version Zubair has left no stone unturned when it comes to getting memberships for the student organisation. The number of memberships also ascertains one’s domination in the election of student body. Thus, according to him, he was a promising candidate for the position of state president in the upcoming elections. “I have fallen prey to a preplanned conspiracy as Saheel is a close associate of Ripun Bora (President of APCC) and he wants to withhold me from participating in the elections. 28th February was the day of submission of membership forms for which I had gone to Rajiv Bhawan. But while I was trying to enter the office, Saheel pushed me in a way that clearly showed his intentions. That is how the brawl began and gradually more people got involved,” said Zubair. He also stated that his suspension order came within 45 minutes of the altercation and those 45 minutes were pre-planned. “I do not have any political backing but only represent my friends. Just because I have brought in the

Saheel’s version While Zubair indicated that the whole issue smacked of a preplanned conspiracy, Saheel summarises a different version of the incident. According to him, it is the hunger for dominance on other budding members of the student body and jealousy that has caused the altercation. As mentioned by Saheel, he was always an irritant to Zubair as he used to get memberships from the colleges that Zubair was in good terms with and that used to irk him. “I had gone to submit the

membership forms when the public relations officer asked me to wait for a few minutes. Meanwhile, I received a call and went out and when I was coming back, Zubair, who was in an inebriated condition, landed a punch on my chest out of nowhere. By the time, I could recollect anything his associates started pounding on me. There were around 20 to 30 members while I was accompanied by just around 5 friends, two of whom were girls,” Saheel mentioned. He also informed that since the girls were not able to stop the brawl, they started filming the incident and that is when Zubair and Arup had touched one of them inappropriately and even threatened her. It was the seniors present there who had to intervene and only then the altercation could be stopped. “They were around 30 to 40 of them and most of them were in inebriated condition. Since everything passed at lightening speed this particular detail could not be recorded. Their prime motive was to destroy my forms,” Saheel added.

The disciplinary action An inquiry committee has been formed in order to look into the details and take neces-

sary actions. Talking to G Plus, Ajay Chhikara, National General Secretary, NSUI mentioned that those involved in the altercation have been suspended until the inquiry commission comes to a conclusion and the decision might include drastic measures such as debarring them from contesting the election. On being asked on the difference in timeline on taking action against those involved Chhikara said, “It is not the timeline that is the issue right now. However, we only acted on the complaints we have received. Equal action has been taken against both the persons and the decisions have only been made after thoroughly going through the evidences that also include media publications and footages. The difference in timeline is only because of several twists and turns such as filing and then withdrawal of cases.” He also informed that steps such as taking to violence within the premises of Rajiv Bhawan, destroying property, defaming seniors of APCC in the media is condemnable and the disciplinary body will come to a conclusion before the nomination date. kalyan.deb@g-plus.in

G PLUS MAR 11 - MAR 17, 2017

Snippets

25,114 latrines built in Kamrup (M)

GNRC honours women achievers on International Women’s Day

meeting was held in the Circuit House, Kamrup (M) District chaired by the Deputy Commissioner, Dr. M. Angamuthu, IAS for the successful completion of 25,114 numbers of Individual Household Latrine (IHHL) in Kamrup Metro District under Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin). The administration successfully completed the target of constructing 25,114 Individual House-

hold Latrines in Kamrup Metro (Chandrapur, Dimoria, Rani-part, Bezera-part) before the targeted schedule of 31st March’2017. Additionally “Niz-Panbari village” was awarded the 5th position in the state as the cleanest village. Kamrup (Metro) District was the first district in the state and also in the northeast to complete the targeted programme under Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin) before the allotted time frame.

No discounts on cashless transactions demands NEIPDA

he North East India Petroleum Dealers Association (NEIPDA) of Guwahati on Tuesday said the petroleum product outlets in the city will be forced to discontinue cashless transactions through point of sale (PoS) machines and e-wallet apps from 1st April if the discount being offered to customers is not refunded by the banks into the dealers’ accounts before 31st March. Post demonetization in November 2016, the Centre, in a bid to encourage buyers of petroleum products to “go cashless,” had instructed the public sector oil companies to give a discount of 0.75% on transactions by credit and deb-

it cards as well as e-wallet apps like PayTM. Following this, the state government also announced an additional 0.75% discount on cashless transactions from 1st January taking the total discount to 1.50%. “This discount is supposed to be reimbursed to the dealers on daily basis by the oil companies through banks. But four months since the scheme was introduced, the payment system has not been streamlined, leading to erratic payments to the dealers,” a member of the association said. President of the association, Rajib Goswami said: “Since 7th November last year, we were asked to encourage cashless transactions and had to buy three or four PoS machines at every petroleum outlet. The discounts to the customer were deducted from daily deposit of sale in our accounts. But the refunds have not been steady which the banks blamed on software issues. We fail to understand how the deductions were not affected by software glitches. According to some customers who frequently make cashless transactions, decline in card usage can be attributed to the fact that banks charges a fee of around 11.5% from the customers while only 0.75% is refunded to them.

NRC Hospitals, first super specialty healthcare centre in North East India, observed International Women’s Day at their Dispur campus on 8th March. To commemorate the occasion, GNRC Hospital honoured five social icons of Assam, to recognize their contribution to Assamese society. Dr. Lakshahira Das, eminent poet, litterateur, composer, lyricist and singer; and Dr Alka Goswami, Consultant & Gynaecologist, Formerly professor and head of the department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Gauhati Medical College, Mrs Rupa Hazarika, Founder, Destination( a home for children with special needs), Ms. Dipannita Jaiswal, Managing Director of “DY365” North East’s India premier and renowned 24/7 Satellite News Channel and “Jonack”, Ms. Medha Saikia, Fashion and Beauty Management pioneer in the Northeast India were felicitated

by GNRC family. Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Nomal Chandra Borah, Chairman cum Managing Director, GNRC, said: “It is our honour to recognize these icons and express our gratitude to them for their significant contribution to society. GNRC family dedicates the day to celebrate the progress that has been made towards equality of women

and their full participation in all aspects of society. It is also an opportunity to reflect on the barriers that remain and to take action to overcome them, and recognize role models for furthering this cause. As individuals, these icons are a role model for progressive women and we are honoured to felicitate them for their remarkable contribution to society.

Cotton College becomes Cotton University

ssam Assembly on Wednesday passed the Cotton University Act, 2017, merging Cotton College with the existing

Cotton College State University for setting up the new Cotton University. Education Minister Himanta

Biswa Sarma told during the Assembly hours that, “Cotton College has not vanished; it has been upgraded. I hope it will become an international institute. The Assam government will provide huge grants to make it big.” As per the Cotton University Act, 2017, which was passed on Wednesday, Cotton College will give away all its assets, funds and other properties to the new Cotton University. The premier college of the northeast was established in 1901. With the new act coming into effect, the Cotton College State University Act, 2011, shall stand repealed.

Tunnel found beneath India-Bangladesh border fence by BSF

roops of the Border Security Force (BSF) have discovered an under-construction tunnel below the India-Bangladesh international border fence at Gujangpara in Meghalaya’s South West

Garo Hills District. The discovery of the tunnel has put the BSF on high alert to explore all angles of reason for digging a tunnel beyond cattle smuggling, which is rampant along this part

of the border. A BSF spokesperson said two constables, Amit Kutre and Puneet Kumar, who were on duty first saw newly dug soil near the border fence and, after a thorough check, the tunnel was located. The detected tunnel was 20 to 25 feet deep with a dead end.”After analyzing the terrain, it appears that the miscreants needed to dig 200 metres further to reach the other end under the India-Bangladesh border fence,” the spokesperson said. “Though it appears to be an ill design by cattle smugglers, BSF is probing other possibilities as well,” the spokesperson added.

G PLUS MAR 11 - MAR 17, 2017

Health

Spring onset triggers rise in skin diseases

Juthika Baruah

Allergic problems in skin rise during spring season due to dryness of the weather and the dust

Risk factors for skin cancer yy Ultraviolet light exposure, either from the sun or from tanning beds. Fair-skinned individuals, with hazel or blue eyes, and people with blond or red hair are particularly vulnerable. The problem is worse in areas of high elevation or near the equator where sunlight exposure is more intense. yy A chronically suppressed immune system (immunosuppression) from underlying diseases such as HIV/AIDS infection or cancer, or from some medications such as prednisone or chemotherapy yy Exposure to ionizing radiation (X-rays) or chemicals known to predispose to cancer such as arsenic yy Certain types of sexually acquired wart virus infections yy People who have a history of one skin cancer have a 20% chance of developing a second skin cancer in the next two years yy Elderly patients have more skin cancers.

Ladies taking precautions against sun exposure | File Photo

pring is the season when people usually suffer from different health issues. Skin diseases are most common during this season due to the dry weather and people with allergies suffer more. People suffering from Atopic Dermatitis are more vulnerable during the season as this is an allergic reaction to something that irritates the skin and is manifested by one or more lines of red, swollen, blistered skin that may itch or seep. “Atopic dermatitis occurs due to dust and also due to pollen in the air. Dryness is the reason for such kind of disease and it causes swelling of eyelids, face and external part of the ear and also on hands and legs,” said Dermatologist Dr. Pankaj Adhicari while speaking to G Plus. Dr. Adhicari also said that during this season infection due to humidity is more and also leads to cosmetic allergy. It usually appears within 48 hours after touching or brushing against a substance to which the skin is sensitive and the condition is more common in adults than in children. For some people, allergy symptoms include watery eyes, sneezing or a runny

nose. The main symptom is itchy skin, which is sensitive to the pollen in the air and further irritated by rough fabrics. It makes sense that the body only tolerates a soft fabric such as cotton. The doctor further said that it is due to the climatic change that

fore bath and use moisturizer after bath. Patients with fungal and bacterial infection should wash their hands twice and should also go for anti-allergic treatment. However, the doctor said that the incidence of skin cancer is very less in Assam being just 0.1%. The

skin diseases have increased and allergy seems to be more common among the people. Dr. Adhicari advised that the people who are allergic to such types of diseases should avoid sunlight and dust during the season. Those who are sensitive to dust should wash their hands frequently and cover their face while stepping out of home. The patients with atopic allergy should also wear full sleeves and use sunscreen. Another important preventive measure is that the patients should take oil massage be-

three types of skin cancer are Melanoma, Squamous Cell Carcinoma and Basal Cell Carcinoma. According to Dr. Adhicari, Pityriasis versicolor (white spots on the body) also known as M furfur is a rash, caused by a yeast-like germ called Malassezia (also called Pityrosporum), is more common in rural areas. Small numbers of this germ commonly live in the skin and do no harm. However, some people are prone to this germ multiplying and spreading on their skin more than usual, which then

leads to developing of a rash. Often the germ multiplies and causes the rash for no apparent reason. In some cases, hot, sunny or humid weather seems to trigger the germ to multiply on the skin. In people who sweat more it may be more likely to occur. Pityriasis Versicolor is fairly common. It is more common in people in their teens and 20s. It is sometimes called Tinea Versicolor. The type of treatment varies between cases and may depend on the location of the rash and the following are treatment options: Ketoconazole shampoo is commonly advised. The shampoo is available at pharmacies which can be bought only if prescribed. Ketoconazole kills the germ that causes this rash. Apply the shampoo directly to affected areas and then wash off after three to five minutes. Repeat every day for five days. Selenium Sulfide shampoo is an alternative treatment. It is not strictly licensed for the treatment of this rash; however, it works. It can be bought from pharmacies or it is also available on prescription. Apply the shampoo

to the affected areas and leave to dry for ten minutes and then rinse off. This should be repeated daily for a week. Diluting it (half water and half shampoo) may prevent it irritating your skin. This should not be used during pregnancy. Antifungal creams may be used if only a very small area of skin is affected. Clotrimazole cream is one example. It should be applied twice a day for two or three weeks. Antifungal tablets may be prescribed if the rash is over a large area of the skin, or is not cleared by the above treatments. The ones used are usually Itraconazole or Fluconazole. Antifungal treatment may need to be repeated if this rash comes back (recurs) and becomes scaly again. If one is prone to develop recurrent episodes in the sun then it may be advisable to use Ketoconazole shampoo once a day for three days prior to going on holidays in the sun. This will help to reduce the risk of it occurring when one is away. juthika.baruah@g-plus.in

Weather report for the week Guwahati

SUN

MON

TUE

WED

THU

FRI

Mostly Sunny

Sunny

Partly Cloudy

30° / 20° C

33° / 21° C

34° / 22° C

32° / 23° C

31° / 24° C

SATURDAY

Partly Cloudy

28° / 20° C

G PLUS MAR 11 - MAR 17, 2017

Special

Organic colours yet to hit city markets in Holi

Juthika Baruah

The markets are flooded with different colours but there is no option of buying organic colours; usage of chemical colours adversely affects the skin

Holi colours on sale at a city market

he festival of colour, Holi, brings happiness, enthusiasm and rapture but some of the colours create skin irritation. To avoid such colours the Kamrup (M) district administration will form teams in all the five circles to keep strict vigil on sale of such products. The markets are flooded with different types of colours which are brought from Kolkata but are these colours safe for the skin? What does the colour consist of for which it affects the skin? People here in the city do not opt for organic gulal which should be used generally to avoid skin problems. According to a report in 2011, scientists of Assam Agricultural University developed organic gulal selected by Indian Council of Agricultural Research for commercial use. The market feasibility of the product is currently being examined by the state government and local entrepreneurs for selling the products. The entrepreneurs are not interested in such products as a result of which the organic gulal has not yet reached the local markets. However, Kamrup (M) Deputy Commissioner M. Angamuthu said that mixing of chemicals in colours can’t be stopped but this time the administration will examine the colours and will form teams to keep vigil so that such colours cannot be sold in the market. The Governor of Assam declared Local Holiday on 13th March’2017 within the jurisdiction of Kamrup (Metro) district for Dol Jatra/ Holi Festival. All State/ Central Govt. Offices, Educational institutions and financial institutions within Kamrup (M) district will remain closed on 13th March’2017 on account of the holiday. This declaration is made under the NI Act, 1881 read with the Govt. of India, Ministry of Home Affairs Notifi-

cation No. 20/25/26Pub-I , Dated 08/06/1957. On the other hand, Doul Govinda Temple at North Guwahati will celebrate the festival of colours with a five-day programme having different events.

18 steps to take care of your skin during Holi 1. If a day before Holi, mustard oil is applied on body, especially on face, hands and legs then the colour can be removed from the skin easily. Additionally this oil should also be applied on hair. By this, you can protect your hair from damage caused by colours. Hair containing oil store comparatively less colour. 2. If anyone doesn’t like applying oil, a lotion can be used instead. After this, you can apply as much colour as you want as no strong colour will stay on your skin. 3. Holi should never be played with chemical colours. For this, you can beforehand tell your friend that colours containing chemicals are not safe for the skin. 4. To protect your skin from the adverse effect of colours, you can apply sunscreen lotion on your body. This can possibly decrease the chemical effect of colour. 5. While playing Holi you should apply this near your eyes and even on your eye lashes. This can protect your eyes from the harmful effects of colours. 6. After washing off the colour with water put some rose water in your eyes and take rest. This will relax them. 7. If while playing Holi, some dry colour gets into your eyes then rinse it with clean water. On the day of Holi washing your eyes time and again with water is advisable. But do remember not to rub your eyes as this may cause

irritation. 8. On Holi, if a colour is applied by rubbing, then use face wash instead of soap to remove it. But do remember to remove the colour gently from the skin. Rubbing and then washing can harm your skin. 9. After playing Holi when you go for a bath, soak Multani Mitti about an hour earlier. While taking bath, apply this on skin where there is colour. Dry this pack for some time. Wash it thereafter. This mud pack is very helpful in removing colour from the body. 10. If your body has got some very strong colour which is not getting removed after trying all means and methods, take a piece of cloth, dip it into kerosene oil and rub it lightly by hand. This way the colour on your body will vanish. 11. Mix gram flour, sweet oil and milk cream in rose water. Make a thick paste of it and apply it on face, hand and legs. Let the paste dry. Then remove it by rubbing with hands. This way the colour on skin can be removed. 12. Add two spoons of lime juice in half a bowl of curd and apply it on the areas having colour. Then take a bath with normal or lukewarm water. This way the colour surely goes off. 13. Don’t forget to apply cream after taking bath. 14. If you apply cold cream, Vaseline, olive oil or coconut oil on body half an hour before playing Holi then the hold of colour on skin becomes weak. 15. Together with body, nails should also be taken care of. To keep the nails safe from the effect of colours, you should apply nail polish on them. And, clip the nails short. 16. To keep your skin safe from colours, try wearing clothes which cover your whole body. This way, lesser part of the body will come into contact with colours. 17. On the day of Holi, mostly water is used. So, avoid wearing white or light-coloured clothes as these clothes allow greater absorption of colour. 18. Do not wear jewellery on the day of Holi. The fervour of playing Holi can make you lose them. juthika.baruah@g-plus.in

The Holy Holi I wake up early in the morning, I can smell the ‘aabir’, My mother performing the rituals, She is indeed spiritual. It is Doljatra today, We worship Radha-Krishna; A day of harmony and delight, Our minds become more alive. I walk up to our gate, My friends, there await, With a splash of vibrant colours, They use the ‘pichkari’ and gulal. It is the day of colours, The time to celebrate Holi, Holika burns amidst merriment, It is our moment to cheer ! Saying goodbye to the gloom of winter, We adore the vibrancy of spring, May this holy Holi, Gives us reasons to sing.

By Gaurav Gautam Saha Assam

G PLUS MAR 11 - MAR 17, 2017

Snippets

Misappropriation charges on JB Law College Principal G Plus News

APW alleges APSC chairman of selecting unsuitable candidates

File photo of JB Law College

dditional District Commissioner of Kamrup (M), Pulak Mahanta has been appointed to investigate the case of JB Law College, wherein allegations were made against the principal of the college for misusing funds allotted for development of the college. In relation to this, the ADC

has asked the authorities of the college to present their allegations in front of the ADC before 20th March. The ADC has also said that it is mandatory for people presenting their allegations against the principal to give their identity proof and contact number along with the allegations presented.

Assamese language to be made compulsory in private schools

G Plus News

ssistant Secretary of Assam Public Works (APW), Dhruva Talukdar and Director Abhijit Sarmah, during a press meet on 6th March, levelled allegations against Ranjit Borthakur, Chairman, APSC for making unsuitable selection of candidates for the post of Director, Agriculture for personal motives. According to Talukdar and Sarmah, Borthakur has rejected 26 eligible candidates from the application list, and accepted the candidature of two who were not fit for the post. The two accepted candidates are Dhirendra Nath Kalita and Sunil Kumar Pathak. Dhirendra Nath Kalita is an officer of Kahikuchi Agriculture and Research Centre, while Sunil Pathak is a tea scientist in Toklai Tea Research Centre. Talukdar and Sarmah have alleged that the rejected 26 candidates were more suitable for the posts.

Education minister Dr HB Sarma

acktracking on the state cabinet decision to make Sanskrit compulsory in government schools, education minister Himanta Biswa Sarma

on Tuesday said that Assamese and not Sanskrit will be made compulsory up to class 8 in all private schools of the state. Himanta said he was not present in the cabinet meeting on 28th February when the decision on Sanskrit was taken. “Later, I told the chief minister that Sanskrit cannot be made compulsory because we don’t have required number of teachers. The chief minister has asked me to take up the matter in the next cabinet meeting,” said Himanta Biswa Sarma. He added, “We are bringing a bill in the next session of the assembly to make Assamese compulsory up to class 8 in all private schools,” Sarma added. Almost all sections of society had protested against the cabinet decision and said that Sanskrit should not be made compulsory. Some said the language can be made optional.

G PLUS MAR 11 - MAR 17, 2017

Feature

Citizenship to Hindu Bangladeshis and the Assam Accord Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016 introduced

9 months of BJP major cont

Move to grant citizenship to Hindu foreign nationals Bill contradictory to provisions in Assam Accord State ministry touch “humanitarian” chord to justify the Bill

The BJP won a rousing victory in t protect “jati, mati, bheti” – commun 9 months in office the saffron briga number of controversies. G Plus tak that have erupted ov

AASU terms the Bill as “a threat to the identity of local people”

The Sanskrit mandate

Controversy takes a bad turn with the Silapathar vandalism by NIBBUSS

Education minister announces decision to mandate Sanskrit up to Grade 8 in government schools

The AIIMS fizzle

Move seen as pandering to the government’s ideological bosses

On 28th June, 2016 Govt. of A

AASU, AJYCP, KMSS and NSUI among several others criticise the decision

of land at Changsari for settin

On 15th July clashes erupted

AASU questions the four-language formula in Assam against

12 policemen including 2 add

the three-language formula in other states “Well-orchestrated conspiracy being monitored from Nagpur (RSS headquarters)” - AJYCP

ously injured against just 1 civ

Sanskrit teachers to be recruited from outside adds fuel to the fire

Thousands of vehicles strand

The manner of imposition is the most irksome factor

Several BJP MPs from Assam

ULFA (I) demands Bodo to be made compulsory

gaon MP Rajen Gohain, favou

Decision still open to a review by state cabinet, says BPF MLA and Forest Minister Fact: Sanskrit in India now is like Latin in Europe. Its modern use is extremely limited

The dilettante Awesome Assam campaign Logo was percieved as amateurish and was a crude representation of the state Logo reportedly had technical faults Extremely shoddy advertisement released as a first step in the campaign The tagline “Naturally wild, kyunki yeh Assam hai” created outrage among people of the state Tourism department reiterates that other aspects of Assam tourism will be highlighted in future advertisements Anurag Singh, Managing Director, Assam Tourism Development Corporation (ATDC) shunted out

This was the first controversy

G PLUS MAR 11 - MAR 17, 2017

P rule â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;deliversâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; 6 ntroversies

Feature

The Constitutional Protection Meet hullabaloo Nirupama Television raises a bill of Rs 16,90,580 for a round table dialogue on consti-

the state last May with promises to nity, land and existence. Within just ade has found itself entangled in a kes a look at 6 major controversies ver the last 9 months.

Assam handed over more than 571 acres

ng up AIIMS to central government

d with demands for shifting of AIIMS to Raha

ditional SPs griev-

ivil injury

ded on the highway for hours due to the clash

tutional protection of Assam The event was organised at Vivanta by Taj on 16th December Dr. Nanigopal Mahanta, an academician with Gauhati University organized the event According to the reports Nirupama Television belongs to him Reports suggested that the event was not approved by the government and the Department of Implementation of Assam Accord is unaware of any such event sanctioned by them The meet was attended by CM Sarbananda Sonowal, ministers Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma, Atul Bora, Parimal Suklaboidyo and Naba Doley and other VIPs Over 450 people gathered in that meet. Almost all major indigenous ethnic groups from all areas of Assam were represented Hotel rooms had to be booked accordingly thereby inflating the bill

m, including Na-

SEBA a perennial laughing stock

ured Raha

y. AIIMS continues to remain a pipe dream

Paper leaks, missing answer scripts and inadequate measures to tackle the most important board exams Reliability of SEBA questioned again Question paper of Social Science distributed in two centres instead of scheduled Mathematics Social Science examination postponed from 23rd February to 8th March with new question paper Date of Social Science exam again revised to 11th March Date of practical examinations rescheduled Ramesh Ch. Jain removed from his post as MD of RMSA Several organisations staged massive protests throughout the state Education minister tweets about giving up the portfolio

G PLUS MAR 11 - MAR 17, 2017

Fun Horoscope of the week

How far should you go to accommodate other peoples’ needs? The present blend of energies hints that you may go too far, especially if someone tends to make you feel guilty no matter what you do for them. But astrological shifts this week, along with a Full Moon in your sign, could see you standing your ground and being a little bit more assertive in this situation. And maybe it’s about time that you were, for your own good.

Wellness issues may come to the fore in the coming days. You could join with a friend or perhaps a group in order to improve your overall health. You might also be eager to change your diet, as a key influence could see you considering ways to unburden your body of any toxins. On a more intimate note, the presence of Mars in Taurus can greatly enhance your senses, making the coming weeks especially perfect for romance with all the trimmings.

Leisure options are calling out to you, meaning that the week ahead may offer up some sterling opportunities for parties, celebrations, and generally enjoying life. An encounter could coincide with some in-depth conversation, though, and this might encourage you to make a pivotal decision. Mars moves into your sector of relating, so you’ll have plenty of opportunities to clear the air, as well as rekindle the flame of passion. Exciting interactions could also be more conducive to getting things done.

You may feel like taking a back seat this week, and this could be because the Sun is presently moving through your home and family sector. This brings an opportunity to recharge and indulge in a little self-care. Everyone needs this from time to time, so don’t begrudge yourself the chance to rest when you can. Also, you may be ready to put your focus on health and fitness matters, which will do you some good if your intentions have lapsed recently.

Your curiosity may be aroused by snatches of conversation, things you read online, or perhaps a TV program that captures your imagination. The coming days could see you looking into certain subjects and being quite passionate to learn more. Whatever piques your interest could indicate a new trend developing in your life. Your leisure sector looks livelier, too, with romantic opportunities peaking for you right now. If you’re hoping to impress a certain person, appeal to the senses.

With Mars entering the sensual sign of Taurus and your home and family sector this week, it might be time to slow down and enjoy some home cooking. If you can take a break in the coming weeks, try to do so. This could be a golden opportunity to recharge in a very deep way. Shopping could also appeal to you, with a great chance to get a special bargain. There could also be a temptation to splurge this weekend, so don’t overdo it.

A conversation with a friend could result in you collaborating on an idea or project that appeals to you greatly. Although this might seem like a minor matter at the moment, it could blossom into something worthwhile. Later in the week the focus shifts to your communication sector, and here you may be guided to spend more time with those you care about. Calling or e-mailing and generally letting them know that you’re there can help cement those key bonds.

Picture Perfect

3 1 2 4

5 8 7 8

Daily Sudoku: Sun 12-Feb-2017

Daily Sudoku: Wed 8-Mar-2017

2 6 5 8 4 63 39 71 47 18

9 7 3 1 8 7 6 15 22 58 49

4 1 8 3 5 5 2 72 68 91 37

5 6 3 8 1 9 6 6 2 8 4 7 81 5 99 3 22 4 74 1

7 2 4 4 1 99 73 35 58 66

3 9 2 9 7 31 44 18 66 25

1 5 7 7 9 28 66 54 93 82

8 4 6 5 3 1 5 28 74 17 93

2 4 9 6 3 5 Daily Sudoku: Sun 12-Feb-2017 hard 8 5 6 9 3 1 7 4 2 7 9 3 4 5 2 8 http://www.dailysudoku.com Word of the week1 6 1 2 4 6 7 8 5 3 9

Portmanteau

Picture Perfect

curio-city

9 6

Daily Sudoku: Wed 8-Mar-2017

noun, plural [pawrt-man-toh]

Nike

curio-city

This headless statue is presumed to be sculpted by Pythokritos of Rhodes, and was sculpted in 180 BCE. Name the goddess. 1. Taxi Driver. 2. Mysore. HMS Nigeria is renamed ‘Mysore’, Srinath’s nickname is Mysore Express and Mysore is named after Mahisasura, the demon seen with the Durga Idol. 3. National Cadet Corps (NCC) 4. Nadia Comaneci. It was a happy ending because she became the first gymnast in Olympic history to achieve the most coveted “Perfect 10”. The score board actually meant this. 5. Trinidad and Tobago.

easy

A word made by putting together parts of other words, as brunch, http://www.dailysudoku.c from breakfast and lunch

This film is believed to have inspired John Hinckley to plan an attempt to assassinate Ronald Reagan in 1981.Though the film was nominated for four Oscars(1977),it didn’t win any.The script which was penned by Schrader was inspired by Dostoevsky’s ‘Notes From Underground’ and Harry Chaplin’s song ‘Taxi’ .Name this Robert De Niro starer film?

2 3

Connect: HMS Nigeria, Javagal Srinath and Goddess Durga idol? Which special force can be considered as a successor of ‘The University Officers Training Corps (UOTC)’ which was estatablished by the British in 1942?

In 1976 Montreal Olympics, the electronic score-board didn’t have the facility to display ‘10’ and it showed ‘1’ which initially stunned a player. But it all had a happy ending because the score-board just made a mistake. Who was the player and why was it a happy ending to him/her?

For which nation did Brian Lara played in its under-14 football team? Maharnav Gogoi Quizmaster (www.qfactorglobal.com) This quiz has been brought to you by Brain Jam, a property of Priya Communications

Dilbert by Scott Adams

Crossword Across

Down

1 Mountain lake (4) 3 Promptly (4,4) 9 Endanger (7) 10 Rogue (5) 11 Religion founded by Muhammad (5) 12 Frightened (6) 14 112 pounds (13) 17 Orb (6) 19 Smell (5) 22 Hunting dog (5) 23 Tranquil (7) 24 Monday to Friday (8) 25 Jab, nudge (4)

1 Dusk (8) 2 Drive back (5) 4 In good health (4,3,6) 5 Card game (5) 6 Title at top of page (7) 7 Supplication (4) 8 Small quake (6) 13 Surprised (8) 15 One of the planets (7) 16 Self-centred person (6) 18 Terminated (5) 20 Tender (5) 21 Arab boat (4)

A deeper pulse could be why you feel drawn to contemplate key situations and the reasons behind them. A focus on a more sensitive area of your chart hints that the coming weeks could be a time of change, one in which it can be important to let go of anything that no longer serves you. And this could be very helpful if you have an ambitious plan in mind, as the less emotional baggage you carry, the better for you.

9 4 6 3 6 9 7 5 1 8 9 7 8 8 4 3 7 6 4 6 8 52 6 73 9 3 1 5 3 4 6 1 29 7 9 4 8 8 3 9 4 6 5 6 1 2 1 5 2

Travel and adventure could be your focus this week and for some weeks to come, and toward that end you may be ready to make some travel plans. Nostalgia for a certain place might encourage you to return and sample the local culture once again. Socially, things are also picking up as Mars encourages you to be more proactive in this area. This might mean moving in new circles, joining groups, and reaching out to people who can refresh your spirits.

Sudoku

Your thoughts could be very important this week, in the sense that what you focus on may have a greater tendency to materialize. It may help you to put your energy into ideas and visualizations that are in line with what you want. Try not to dwell on things that could go wrong, as this could result in a dip in confidence. Mars moves into a secluded sector of your chart, which could encourage a very insightful inner journey.

Your social life looks particularly upbeat this week, with a lively blend of energies encouraging plenty of interaction. It’s also possible that an old friend will call up with an offer to reconnect. If you do, this could be a very poignant meeting. You’ll be in your element as Mars powers into your sign midweek to give you the fortitude to press ahead with personal plans. There will be no stopping you from making your dreams a reality and showcasing your skills.

last week solution

Although you may be busy with a number of ideas, the week ahead could encourage you to take a much more philosophical approach to your plans. First, a focus on your spiritual sector suggests this is the time to sort out your priorities and let go of issues that no longer serve you. This can be essential to future progress. Mars then moves into Taurus and your personal money zone, bringing a more practical and down-to-earth approach to everyday matters.

Last week’s solution

G PLUS MAR 11 - MAR 17, 2017

Trotter

Fish Skin healing burns

n this historic city by the sea in northeast Brazil, burn patients look as if they’ve emerged from the waves. They are covered in fish skin — specifically strips of sterilized tilapia. Doctors are testing the skin of the popular fish as a bandage for second- and third-degree burns. The innovation arose from an unmet need. Animal skin has long been used in the treatment of burns in developed countries. But Brazil lacks the human skin, pig skin, and artificial alternatives that are widely available in the US. As a result, public health patients in Brazil are normally bandaged with gauze and silver sulfadiazine cream. Enter the humble tilapia, a fish that’s widely farmed in Brazil and whose skin, until now, was considered trash. Unlike the gauze bandages, the sterilized tilapia skin goes on and stays on. “We got a great surprise when we saw that the amount of collagen proteins, types 1 and 3, which are very important for scarring, exist in large quantities in tilapia skin, even more than in human skin and other skins,” Maciel said. “Anoth-

er factor we discovered is that the amount of tension, of resistance in tilapia skin is much greater than in human skin. Also the amount of moisture.” In patients with superficial second-degree burns, the doctors apply the fish skin and leave it until the patient scars naturally. For deep second-degree burns, the tilapia bandages must be changed a few times over several weeks of treatment, but still far less often than the gauze with cream. The tilapia treatment also cuts down healing time by up to several days and reduces the use of pain medication, Maciel said. It may be a boon in developing countries. In Brazil, in addition to the clinical trials, researchers are currently conducting histological studies that compare the composition of human, tilapia, pig, and frog skins. They are also conducting studies on the comparative costs of tilapia skin and conventional burn treatments. If clinical trials show continued success, doctors hope a company will process the skins on an industrial scale and sell it to the public health system. (Source: STAT)

Muslim teenager bombarded with death threats for twerking

girl, claiming to be the one in the video, later issued an apology on YouTube saying she didn’t mean to offend anyone

A Muslim teenager has received sickening death threats after being filmed twerking with a masked man in the middle of a busy city centre. The girl, who is thought to be 17, was filmed dancing in the street as passers-by gathered around. Filmed in Birmingham city centre, the clip was posted to Facebook, where users told her she should be “killed”. Social media users branded her with several derogatory comments and went on and on in the comments. An anonymous girl, claiming to be the teen in the footage, later made a video apology on YouTube, apologising for anyone she had offended.

WWE superfan recreates Triple H’s ring entrance for his wedding day

ichoo Ahmer copied the wrestler’s signature entrance as he came down the aisle, and even had a championship belt with him A wrestling fan arrived at his own wedding in the style of WWE superstar Triple H - and the superstar loved it. Kichoo Ahmer copied the 14-time World Heavyweight

Champion’s signature entrance as he came down the aisle, with the same music and fire shooting into the air. Kichoo, a businessman from Lahore in Pakistan, threw the rules of wedding etiquette out of the ring with his no-holds barred entrance. The groom arrived at the ceremony with an imitation belt slung over one shoul-

der while Triple H’s theme song was playing. He was seen on film copying the wrestler’s trademark poses while pyrotechnics go off all around him. A video shows guests responding to the groom’s spectacular entrance by clapping, cheering and chanting his name. The footage, which looks more like something out of Wrestlemania than a wedding ceremony, has now gone viral. It was retweeted so many times that it reached the attention of Triple H himself, who also shared the video. Tweeting to his 4.76 million followers, Triple H said he “could only imagine what the honeymoon was like!!!” Triple H, 47, famously performs the routine wearing little more than a pair of wrestling trunks. But Kichoo wore a traditional Pakistani wedding outfit while he swaggered into the room like the WWE star. Triple H, real name Paul Levesque, is one of the biggest wrestling stars of the last 20 years. He was member of the D-Generation X faction and is currently the Executive Vice President Talent of the WWE. (Source: Mirror)

Celebrating Women’s Day - This is how it started

very year on March 8, International Women’s Day honors millions of incredible ladies from around the world. Many women will continue to march not only for their equal rights, but to remember those of the past who made this day possible in the first place. International Women’s Day was first observed and organized by the Socialist Party of America on February 28, 1909, in New York in remembrance of the International Ladies Garment Workers’ Union strike to protest working conditions in 1908. It quickly became a way to

bring women together to protest against war and fight for their rights, and they continued doing this each year. On March 8, 1917, a Women’s Day protest in Saint Petersburg even became the catalyst for the Russian Revolution. March 8 was made into an official holiday by the Soviet Union soon after and International Women’s Day was established by the United Nations in 1975. However, it wasn’t very popular in the US after World War I. According to historian Estelle B. Freedman, “It was sustained as a communist, socialist holiday, particularly after the Russian Revolution. So during

the beginning of the Cold War especially, it wasn’t something that was embraced in the United States.” But she says it became important again with the revival of feminism in the 1960s. Some countries celebrate it in a similar way to Valentine’s Day or Mother’s Day, but it remains especially significant today as a rallying point for women’s movements around the world. “Where there are people who are mobilized behind a cause and the need to rally around some established cultural event, that’s when we see International Women’s Day re-emerge,” she said. (Source: Viral Nova)

She explained she had been shopping with friends when they came across a man playing music. The girl began dancing and was filmed thrusting her bottom towards and forwards - commonly known as a twerking move. Seemingly enjoying the public’s attention, the girl smiled, clapped and sang along to the R&B track. A friend of the girl makes way for the street performer to join in with her dancing and the pair begin gyrating with one another. She was then subjected to a

torrent of abuse when the clip was posted on social media. One user wrote: “Truly disgusting. Some people don’t understand the meaning of the veil. Another wrote: “That’s so disrespectful. You are representing Islam.” But others came to her defence, saying “people shouldn’t be judgemental”. Muslim YouTuber Ali Dawah later posted a video about the controversy that included an unseen female claiming to be the dancer speaking about what had

happened. She said mental health problems mean she sometimes “doesn’t think straight.” She said: “To all the girls that wear hijab and wear abayah, I’m sorry for disrespecting it. I’ve learnt from my mistake.” The girl said she also suffered from depression and had only been practicing the religion for a short while. She added: “It’s gone viral and I’m hurt. I want everybody to leave it alone and keep everything away.” (Source: Mirror)

G PLUS MAR 11 - MAR 17, 2017

G Talk E

K.I.S.S.

anskrit, Silapathar, Kaziranga, BBC, Hindu Bengalis, Muslim Bangladeshis, ‘persecuted’ aliens, APSC scam, refugees et al! No, I am not about to make any attempt at writing lyrics from newspaper headlines. The last time round Billy Joel had done a fabulous job. “We didn’t start the fire,” he said. “It was always burning, since the world’s been turning,” he added. So if no one started the fire of these complexities, confusions and controversies – and I am wont to believe Joel – it is perhaps this strange system of human governance that is in place today that is to blame. The Mahatma had called for being the change that we want to see. In other words, it was imperative for an individual thought to be within the system of governance to effect any change that would make the world a better place. We have been ruled by monarchs and then by a foreign power. Historically, our duty was to stay within our defined work space as dictated by our births: the Varna. We were Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Baishyas and Shudras when our kings were around. Most of us were reduced to becoming mere subjects – workers, farmers and zamindars when the British ruled us. In every instance of our existence as Indians, we were workers who survived by working and then paying our taxes. And this ensured our safety

and peace. The current variety of democracy which begs us to believe that we are our own masters deciding our own fates is actually the biggest eyewash on earth. Everything that defined our working parameters is shattered today as we try and seek to bring change from within the system (as politicians and administrators) or from without (as belligerent agitators, vigilantes, etc.). No sir, it is impossible to change the system as there are too many stakeholders benefitting from it. Every instance of an Anna Hazare, Arvind Kejriwal or Akhil Gogoi has come a cropper in their attempts at bringing change and we stand none too wiser yet. Getting sucked into the system is easy; changing it is difficult, and beating it is well-nigh impossible. And so, taking a leaf out of history of sticking to our defined work spaces, it would be most prudent to stop worrying too much and go about our work without too much ado. We need to work to ensure a better family life and a secure future for our kids. And that requires us to earn as honest a paisa as the system allows. It requires us to pay our lagaan, our taxes honestly. And with the residue, we need to ensure as large a life as is possible for us to lead. In short, let’s K.I.S.S. – Keep It Simple Sir! Swapnil Bharali Editor

Syllabus sans Sanskrit

Nothing mandated is a good decision, ever. The government should know this well by now. People should have the liberty of choice. Enter the Assam government – a team of orange clad leaders who believe that teaching Sanskrit is the next big revolutionary step to improve the educational system. Sure, that was what was lacking! Let me draw a comic reference here. According to definition, Sanskritization is a particular form of social change pertinent to India. It denotes the process by which castes placed lower in the hierarchy seek upward mobility by emulating the rituals and practices of the upper or dominant castes. Now this has nothing to do with teaching Sanskrit in schools. We should ask if this step is going to make a difference. If yes, the government must justify it. Does the Government actually believe that teaching a language that is hardly used will make things better? Why mandate teaching it till class 8? If valuable, why not extend it until later? Here’s what everyone is thinking and yes no one is saying: “Seems ‘hindutva-ish’ to me.” Students, academicians and other organizations have opposed the decision because it is an unnecessary burden on the students. Mercifully, HBS has decided to review the same and will now mandate teaching of Assamese in schools - a relatively better decision because this directly impacts the state’s education system. I’ve personally studied in a school where I had no option but to study Sanskrit. Now 10 years down the line, I have no use for Sanskrit. However, I still feel that if I was forced to study Assamese, my reading, enunciation and pronunciation would have been better. I wouldn’t call the government’s decision immature, but it is highly un-researched. Language is a lot like wine. You learn to appreciate it by exposure. Students are exposed to languages like French, Spanish and German among others and in fact are some of the countries that students travel to in pursuit of higher education. The government should facilitate the learning of such subjects instead of making an attempt at reviving the dead. What does the government think? They can make everyone say “कथमस्ति भवान् (kathamasti bhawān)?” Go figure. SIDHARTH BEDI VARMA

Guwahati and the Cities of the World

uwahati is bestowed with copious natural beauty – green hills surround the city, the Brahmaputra flows with its great volume of waters through the city, lakes and ponds puncture the city landscape. Any European country would have made the best use of these natural resources to attract tourists. Let me tell you what had caught my attention in the cities that I had visited in foreign lands. When I walked along the roads the sight of colourful flowers planted in attractive patterns along sidewalks, pots of different coloured flowers hanging from poles and flowers circling the roundabouts made me linger a while filling my eyes with the sheer beauty of it. Be it Moscow, St. Petersberg, Oslo, Stockholm or Helsinki, colourful flowers were everywhere in all European cities. The flowers that grew in riots of colours along the lakeside of Geneva and the roundabouts of Parisian streets impelled me to capture the beauty of the cities on my camera. Now, why can’t we have such flowers dotting our city? We have a lot of green trees. Why not add colour by planting a lot of Krishnachura, Radhachura, Polash and Nahor trees? Why not some colours around our Dighali Pukhuri? Tourism department has already beautified the Dighali Pukhuri area. When I look around

and see the work in our city being done recently, I feel there is hope this city would really stand out if only such works continue with planning. The roundabout in Ambari has all kinds of plants but planted in an unattractive way. Can’t we have colourful flowers there planted in a systematic manner? In this city once the saplings are planted no one bothers to water or take care of them. If only gardeners are employed on a regular basis and they water and take care of the plants and not just thrust the ‘thuja’ and ‘patabahar’ into the soil with the notion that you need not take care of them! The plants in different parts of our city that are planted along the dividers are withering. Proper system for regular watering of the plants is absolutely necessary. The problem we have in this state is the lack of maintenance - government buildings are constructed with marble floors, tiles are fixed on walls and plants are planted along the dividers and roundabouts and then that’s the end. No thought of maintenance, as if the plants would never ever need water, the tiles and marble would shine for ever with some magic wand. Guwahati would really stand out with colourful flowers on the roads and fountains that would throw up refreshing waters, where hopefully half-naked people would not have their baths. Benches along some parts of the roads would be nice, but then again policemen would definitely have to see to it that labourers, beggars and the likes do not make beds out of them. We can have more parks instead of using up every inch of land to construct monstrous buildings. In Bharalumukh, there is a park by the Brahmaputra, which could be developed into a beautiful one with a lot of flowers planted in patterns instead of simply planting trees for the sake of doing so. And yes,

Opinion

Srutimala Duara

perhaps a fine levied on those who pluck the flowers! Our people here have yet to understand their role in the cleanliness and beautification of the city and that you better plant your own plants and pluck flowers for your ‘puja’ instead of offering stolen flowers to God. Wall paintings in many cities like Belfast in Ireland, Christchurch in New Zealand among others have attracted many tourists including me. I spent hours looking at the street wall paintings in these cities. The walls in some parts of our own city look quite beautiful with various paintings being done and that too by school children. But people spit out betelnut-paan juice onto the painted walls not to talk about the staircases of government buildings. I was disgusted when I saw the walls circling the stadium complex and also TC School. Bills were stuck all over the paintings. How insensible people could be! In Bergen, Venice, Tallinn and even in Singapore along the riverfronts colourful buildings add glamour to the cities. The travel catalogues too flash pictures of these riverfronts to attract tourists. But the houses along the bank of our mighty Brahmaputra leave much to be desired. Here colour is a far cry; the go-downs, monstrous structures mar the beauty of the riverside. Can’t something be done about it? We have such a beautiful river which could be converted into the most attractive area, if only steps are taken in this direction! When I recall the cities that I had visited all over the world and compare them to my city I feel that Guwahati is gifted with such a beautiful setting that it could be turned into a picture postcard-city like some of the most beautiful cities of the world. No city could be as wonderful as dear old Guwahati! All we need is a little planning. s.duara@yahoo.co.in

Letter to the Editor r ‘Short Public Memory’ There is a wise saying that public memory is always short. But with the advent of media, particularly electronic, the scenario is quite different from the earlier times. Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi, in an election rally in poll bound Uttar Pradesh, gave assurance to the people that “acche din” shall come post 2019 parliamentary polls. The Congress leader has in fact forgotten that people are quite aware what was happening before 2014 parliamentary elections. Every other day news of scams got flashed on the TV screen involving one or the other UPA minister. Rahul Gandhi’s latest prophecy on “acche din” and his party coming back to power in 2019 is nothing but day dreaming. Lanu Dutt Chowdhury, GNB Road, Guwahati.

G PLUS MAR 11 - MAR 17, 2017

In Focus

Meet

Roopa Barua Film maker

born fan of the cinematic arts and now a filmmaker herself, Roopa Barua seeks to create nuanced cinema that goes beyond geography and human boundaries. Having won multiple awards in 2015 for her documentary “Riders of the Mist” based on a century old bareback racing tradition in Assam with semi-feral ponies, Roopa’s documentary made its mark on the international platform and earned laurels from several forums. Born in Jorhat, Roopa grew up amidst the pristine beauty of the cities of Jorhat and Digboi.

The filmmaker made her way to the USA in order to pursue a degree in Economics from Boston University and became a banker with Morgan Stanley in Boston. However, her passion for cinema never diminished despite her career as a banker. “I was always interested in cinema and never missed the chance to watch Fellini, Kurosawa, Ray, etc. whenever I had some time. I would plan my office vacations around film festivals like Sundance so that I could go and watch all the films there. However, as I settled in life, my yearning

Baking is love made visible!

Upasana Saikia receiving the GFA from KK Agarwalla, GM of Vivanta by Taj

“

Cakes are like books, there are new ones you want to read, and old ones you want to reread” - Ellen Rose Baking has been called many things: grandmother’s best kept

secret, a science, and even an art. Isn’t it amazing how a single sniff could give birth to so many emotions? To mould things into delicates that looks tempting and tastes better is so much more than just an art. It is like a story

to do creative work just became bigger and bigger. The magic of cinema and the power that films had in all our lives was something that I would think of all the time. This forced me to go hands on and get a degree in filmmaking from the New York Film Academy. I had already done a critics course from the University of California, Berkeley. But I did not want to be an armchair critic. I wanted to create something that would touch the lives of people and give them something new to think about…..some new perspective to life…..that was always my aim,” the filmmaker mentioned to G Plus. With the belief that storytelling was the most powerful way building up a community, Roopa pointed towards the evident existence from the days of Ramayana and the Mahabharata which also allured her to be a filmmaker. “I decided that I would be a storyteller and I would use the medium of cinema because I strongly believe that out of all the artistic mediums of interpretation, cinema is the one that has an instant connect. The other forms of art often become too abstract for instant interpretation purposes. As a director, I can choose what story I wish to tell and how I wish to tell it,” Roopa added.

The award winning documentary filmmaker has been meticulously documenting women’s polo in India starting with Team USPA’s Women’s India Visit 2016 for Manipur and Jaipur. She has been involved in shooting extensively in Manipur where polo is played with the native Manipuri pony. She concluded her Team USPA coverage at the Rajasthan Polo Club. For the 2017 season, she will be shooting and documenting women’s polo. In January 2017, Roopa invited the team to play in Jaipur, Hyderabad and Manipur and plans to set a bigger platform in 2018 with more international teams. Meanwhile, Riders of the Mist has been premiered in several parts of the world including the United States (Houston) in March 2015 and in Europe (Amsterdam) in October 2015. The film still continues its festival run and TV broadcasts. Roopa won the Best Documentary award at the Houston Film Festival and the Nashik Film Festival. Long Live Cinema considered Riders of the Mist as one of the Top Ten best documentaries in India for 2015. It also won the prestigious Equus Award in New York to tour the premier equestrian circuit. Her short film “Falkland Road” was shown at the Afghan Human Rights Festi-

val 2012. On 3rd November last, the filmmaker unveiled Project Desh her dream project and a platform for an ongoing dialogue of the Assamese Diaspora for contemporary cultural issues and cross geographical exchange of ideas. They started their journey with an anthology of five ‘slice of life’ films set in contemporary Assam, with five budding directors. The filmmaker is currently working on the second season of Project Desh. The filmmaker has just recently joined as a partner in Huntré! Equine LLP, a social enterprise based in Mumbai and Imphal that seeks to leverage the nexus of sports and culture by using strategies involving sports policy, events, arts and media, education, and infrastructure. Roopa is also a frequent contributor to the movie blog ‘A Potpourri of Vestiges.’ She covered the Cannes Film Festival 2015 for films in both the Palme D’Or and the Un Certain Regard categories for this blog. Apart from making cinema, during her spare time, Roopa likes to watch more films. However at the same time, she also watches a lot of polo as she tries to educate herself on the game in the process.

Guwahati Food Awards Home Baker Contest - A Throwback gently weaved at every process – on weighing the sugar, on sieving the flour. You start off with all disparate stuff, such as butter and eggs, and you end up with something which totally different. Something that is so delicious! Guwahati Food Awards, the initiative of G Plus that the whole city has been talking about for the past few weeks, had its own share of baking stories to share with the people. Guwahati in the recent times have come up with an array of baking skills. The city is no more about conventional vanilla, strawberry and chocolate flavoured cakes. From birthdays to special occasions, there is a baking artist for every occasion. To give these artists a new platform to bring their baking skills ahead to the people of the city, G Plus had organised a Home Baker Contest as part of the Guwahati Food Awards, 2017. The competition saw the active participation

of some of the best bakers of the city who serve their clientele with baked goodness from their homes. The Home Baker contest was a neck-to-neck chase among 11 competitors who baked chocolate-coated cakes, melt-in-yourmouth cupcakes, freshly made breads, and palatable meat loafs. The jury members of the contest were Kashmiri Barkakati Nath, Food Blogger and Founder of Northeast Food Forum, and Amit Chatterjee, Pastry Chef of Vivanta by Taj who selected the winners on the basis of knowledge, execution and taste. Upasana Saikia, who baked a cake that was replica of the KFC bucket was declared the winner of the contest. The precision of the design and the perfectly baked details won the hearts of all. Sakiba Mohammed and Priya Tamuli grabbed the position of first and

second runners up respectively. Baking is a labour of love. It is passed on from one generation to the other. It is the most rewarding labour that one can undertake for someone. And when the right art gets recognition on the right platform, amazing things follow. G Plus, with its humble endeavour to ignite the love for the sweet tooth, will continue to provide such platforms to the people of Guwahati in the future too.

G PLUS MAR 11 - MAR 17, 2017

Review Cast: Boyd Holbrook, Dafne Keen, Elizabeth Rodriguez, Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart Director: James Mangold

s “Logan” more powerful because of what the superhero genre has delivered over the last decade? Does it seem both groundbreaking and classic because it doesn’t feel like a modern superhero movie, especially those with the Marvel brand? Don’t worry. I’m not going to dissect the flaws of the Marvel and DC brands, but it’s undeniable that the modern superhero movie has relied on CGI, particularly in final acts comprised almost entirely of apocalyptic explosions. And so many of them have served as bridges between franchise entries that one feels like they’re constantly watching previews for the next movie instead of experiencing the one they’re watching. “Logan” has stakes that feel real, and fight choreography that’s fluid and gorgeous instead of just computer-generated effects. Most importantly, “Logan” has characters with which you identify and about whom you care. It’s not just “great for a superhero movie,” it’s a great movie for any genre. “Logan” calls back directly to “Shane,” including

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a scene in which the characters watch the film, but it has more echoes of late-career films for icons such as “The Shootist” and “Unforgiven” in the way it deconstructs the line between hero and legend. Logan (Hugh Jackman) is a Western archetype, the gunslinger forced to put away his six-shooters and try to live out his days as routinely as possible. In the world of “Logan,” The Uncanny X-Men comics exist, meaning that Logan/Wolverine is like a retired sports hero or celebrity, someone who’s recognized but no longer really essential. It is 2029 and mutants have been removed from the human bloodline, meaning that the creaky Logan and the nonagenarian Professor X (Patrick Stewart) are the end of an era. Or are they? “Logan” is the rare blockbuster that could be a game-changer. It will certainly change the way we look at other superhero movies and how history judges the entire MCU and DC Universe of films. Don’t get me wrong. I love a good popcorn superhero movie as much as the next guy (maybe even more than most critics).

Album UYAI By Ibibio Sound Machine

bibio Sound Machine’s first record, which introduced mainstream dance music to the language and folk culture of the Ibibio people of southwest Nigeria, was rightly lauded for it’s colourful and entertaining fusion of afrobreat with live band electronics. Compared to their scintillating new album however, it sounds like a dry run. Eno Williams and crew up the ante on all fronts for Uyai; the percussion races forward while the arrangements are busier and more ambitious, each tune twisting and turning through rhythm changes and back-to-back riffs like a living thing. The few English words on the record indicate

both its range and desire to probe states of peak emotion. There is Joy (Idaresit), a bluster of exuberant drum fills and Hendrix whammy, and there is Cry (Eyet), which highlights Williams’ gorgeous yearning harmonies; there is both The Chant (Iquo Isang) and a Lullaby. Give Me a Reason opens like a firecracker and just keeps going, propelled ever forward by Gary Numan-esque synths and William’s ecstatic shouts. One by one, it introduces the sounds that comprise the record’s brimming sonic palette, like the spunky highlife guitar, the horns that hit like bursting piñatas and the infectious layered percussion.

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Book The Rupee Tales Reviewed by Bishaldeep Kakati

‘F

iction reveals truth that reality obscures.’ Hence to bring the reality into focus, Zerodha Publication has come up with a unique and distinctive collection of five story books compiled in a single set known as “The Rupee Tales.” The tales in each of the five books are very lucidly written by Karthik Rangappa throwing light on his immense powers of imagination and creativity. The illustrations by Tarun Andrews are quite luscious, adding another attractive element. Understanding basic economics and money management from a tender age is of vital importance. The collection of books in “The Rupee Tales” speaks about

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universe that makes such parables as “A Christmas Carol” and “It’s a Wonderful Life” possible, Sam winds up reliving the last day of her life every day for a week. She isn’t accompanied on her supernatural journey by an angel — although one might argue that, by the time she’s learned the requisite lessons about life, love and kindness, the better angels of her nature have made their presence felt. Taken up with such momentous issues as popularity, pecking orders and the impending loss of her virginity to a lunkhead in a baseball cap, Sam can’t be bothered with questions of mortality or life’s meaning. But the important things come into focus over the course of repeated sequences that Russo-Young stages with swiftness, verve and a bumpin’ soundtrack. The filmmakers have crafted a canny delivery system for their life lessons, by way of a movie that balances escapism, candor and ethics with admirable aplomb.

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Cast: Cynthy Wu, Halston Sage, Medalion Rahimi, Zoey Deutch Director: Ry Russo-Young et’s get this out of the way: If “Before I Fall” were an elevator pitch, it would be a cross between “Groundhog Day” and “If I Stay.” It also shares strands of DNA with such teen-angst classics as “Carrie,” “Heathers” and “Mean Girls,” as well as the more recent — and sexually selfaware — coming-of-age parables “Diary of a Teenage Girl” and “The Edge of Seventeen.” But even as those inescapable echoes bounce around the viewer’s head, this confident, tonally on-point adaptation of Lauren Oliver’s 2010 young-adult novel manages to carve out territory all its own — even if that happens to be the same rainy, blue-gray Pacific Northwest environs that bear more than a passing resemblance to “Twilight.” But enough cross-referencing. In “Before I Fall,” Zoey Deutch plays Samantha, a pretty, well-liked high school student who, on one of the most auspicious days of her life, meets with a tragic end. Except it isn’t an end, exactly. In the kind of alternate

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understanding economy. Crucial concepts like saving money and increasing it by depositing it in banks, need for investing revenue in form of insurances, the necessities of stock market as well as the fundamental duty of paying taxes to the Government are brought forward through some fascinating stories which is sure to enthrall and enrich each and every child, aged 7 or more. The main motive of publishing “The Rupee Tales” is to educate the younger generation about the concepts of economy in a practical way with alluring pictures and stories. The collection is also priced reasonably which makes it a really good buy.

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G PLUS MAR 11 - MAR 17, 2017

The Inner Space of The Mind

strological predictions are just like meteorological predictions. They need not always be correct. Meteorological predictions don’t work all the time. The day before yesterday, they said there were going to be thunderstorms, but we had sunshine! So Astrology is only a probability. You can say it is a possibility. Similarly, moods depend on the moon. A mood does not stay for more than two and a quarter day. That is the amount of time the moon is at one place. The moment the moon moves from that place; your mood also changes. And when the moon and Saturn combine, people get depressed. So these emotions, these feelings, they come and they go away. Nothing is permanent. No planet is permanently stationary in one place. They all move. But when you identify yourself with any one of these emotions, you get stuck. That’s when you don’t move. That is when it infiltrates into your body and you get sick, and all such things happen. Isn’t it fascinating? So what is the way? How to move on from that? The 9 planets moving through the 12 constellations brings 108 units of change. To enhance the good effects and to reduce the malefic effects, ‘Om Namah Shivaya’ is chanted 108 times. On a cloudy day, when a flight takes off, what does it do? It goes above the

Life’s

clouds, and then there is sunshine. That is what the spiritual practices are. They move us away from the Chit Akasha to the Chida Akasha. We move beyond all the emotions. If your flight has a radar in it, night landing is possible because there is a radar. You can take-off at any time, and land anywhere. A helicopter cannot take off, or a primitive plane cannot take off. But one with a radar, one with the sophisticated instruments can take off. Do you know why ‘Om Namah Shivaya’ is chanted 108 times. People a long time ago observed how the 9 planets moving through the 12 constellations brings 108 units of change. So to enhance the good effects and to reduce the malefic effects, ‘Om Namah Shivaya’ is chanted 108 times. That uplifts you, uplifts your spirit, and takes you beyond. It connects you to the Chida Akash. In India, especially in Tamil Nadu, they use the term ‘Chittambalam Shiva’. This refers to the space of Chida Akasha. Many people don’t understand the meaning of this. It is, “I call Shiva and I land up in the Chida Akasha, the space which is consciousness”. Kasturi BorKotoKi a palette knife artist and In everyKasturi puja,is if you have observed in paints impressionist floral designs the ashram,in the moment they say oils. She hails from Guwahati. Shiva Blog: kasturiscanvas.blogspot.com Chittambalam, I take off into the causal space called Shiva. Shiva Chittambalam is natH or Shiva Tattva, the same asKasHmiri Guru Tattva, Foodie, owner at XOXO cupcakes, or the Self. Everything is that, andand that is food blogger, recipe developer expert on Assamese called meditation. That’s cuisine. what happens when you transcend. All the thoughts move away. Emotions get settled and we KuLKuL raHman experience Entrepreneur, the most mother tranquil, and a most benevolent and most beautiful inner space. passionate cook. That’s what the Kriya does, takes you round and round, and then takes you out sarmaH of this orbit.Hemanta You goKumar round, round, round Engineer, Businessman, Advanced and then you ofJok the orbit and Praniceject Healerout and Su Acupressure space. specialist. move into that

sHri sHri ravi sHanKar Founder- Art of Living Foundation.

VAASTU SHASTRA

Fridge should be placed in the northwest portion of the room. Television sets should never be placed in the southeast of the rooms. Paint colours: The kind of paint colours used in the house greatly affects the mood and general nature of the residents. The psychology of the man can be disturbed if wrong types of colours are used. At the entrance of the house, avoid red, black and gray colours, while using white, light blue and dark green colours are good. Plants within the house: According to Vaastu, cactus or related plants should never be kept in the house. Plants with red flowers and bonsai of the trees are not allowed in the house. Avoid plants in the northeast corner of the house. Avoid pots along the north and east walls of the house. Paintings and statues: Vaastu doesn’t allow usage of the northeast corner of the house to hang paintings or any other thing so as to Kasturi keep the northeast clean and BorKotoKi light. Paintings with andand evil Kasturi is ascary palettemarks knife artist impressionist floral designs things shouldpaints be avoided. Paintings depictoils. She hailsand fromMahabharata Guwahati. ing scenes of inRamayana Blog: kasturiscanvas.blogspot.com should be avoided; however, Vaastu allows the use of other puranic paintings. Paintings of nude KasHmiri should be avoided. Paintings natH Foodie,and ownerabstract at XOXO cupcakes, showing violence paintings blogger,should recipe developer and with clashingfood colours be avoided. expert on Assamese cuisine. Avoid keeping statues of gods in bedrooms. Vaastu suggests paintings of nature scenes, prayer, and temples for good health and betKuLKuL raHman ter living. Avoid keeping heavy statues in the Entrepreneur, mother and a northeast corner of the room. Never keep passionate cook. any stuffed animals in the house.

Painting the sights and smells of a city. Plein Air Series.

Canvas

had written about painting En Plien Air ( In the open air) and Urban Sketching before. I want to write few columns only on this. The joy of painting in the open air, absorbing the sights and smells of the very scene which we are capturing on canvas, is great. I have been fortunate to live

in Powai - one of the prettiest places in Mumbai. The name comes from Lake Powai, a manmade lake surrounded by hills and mangroves. It also nestles IIT Powai by its banks. The artist

Lifestyle

VAASTU AND INTERIOR DECORATIONTEMPERED

nterior decoration of a house involves aesthetics as well as common sense. But faulty Vaastu in placement of items in the house can bring adverse results. Shoe racks: The shoes and footwear should be placed in the south-west portion of the varandah or main hall only, and never in the bedroom. Shoes should never be placed in the north, north-east or east portion of the house. Almirahs: Almirahs should be placed in the southwest of the room. If almirahs with valuables are to be kept, the best place for the same is in the southwest portion of the southwest room in the house. The almirahs with valuables and jewellery should open towards the north or east direction. Beds: The beds should be placed more towards the southwest of the room but never in the southwest corner. One should sleep with head towards the south for sound sleep and better health. Sofa sets/Sitting: Sofa sets or chairs etc. should be kept in the south and west of the living room. The chairs should be so kept as for the owner of the house, or elder person in the house to face towards south or west direction while sitting. Dining table: Dining Table can be placed in the northwest of the kitchen. The owners or elder person in the house should face towards the north or east while the guest should face south or west while eating. Study table: A study table can be placed in the southwest of the room and the person should face towards north or east while studying. Mirrors: Mirrors should only be fixed on the north and east walls. No mirrors should be place/installed in study rooms and opposite to beds in the bedrooms. Home appliances: Heating appliances must be placed in the southeast of the room.

in me finds delight in doing Sunday sketches and paintings by the lakeside. The lake has a jogger’s park which overlooks the beautiful hotels and IIT buildings on its other side. I am posting here a palette knife composition of the IIT building’s reflections on the waters of the lake which was done on the spot from the jogger’ park. There were many interesting things happening in the park that morning. Kids were learning dance from a teacher, serious walkers and joggers were go-

ing through their motions and a group of ladies were chattering. After a while, most people stopped whatever they were doing and started to watch me and my group paint. There were the usual questions and exclamations. The guard came around a few times to check what was going on but after seeing the innocuous activity, left and concentrated on shooing the lovers away. It took us about an hour and a half to complete our respective artworks and once we were done, we were sweaty and covered with paint. I had also painted the fishing boats and hotel reflections on the

Hemanta Kumar sarmaH Engineer, Businessman, Advanced Pranic Healer and Su Jok Acupressure specialist. sHri sHri ravi sHanKar Founder- Art of Living Foundation.

lake in similar earlier outdoor exercises. A plein air does require planning. You need to pack the night before if you plan to head out early morning. Brushes, paints, medium, easel and some tissue or rags. I suggest you venture out today with a piece of paper and a pencil and see what you can capture from out there! I will write more about my sketches and paintings from the city in the upcoming columns. Hope you follow and like it. Kasturi Borkotoki Kasturi is a palette knife artist and paints impressionist floral designs in oils. She hails from Guwahati. Blog: kasturiscanvas.blogspot.com

G PLUS MAR 11 - MAR 17, 2017

Entertainment

Guwahati reminds me of Seattle, says Nimrat Kaur Rahul Chanda

Is this your first visit to Guwahati? As an adult it is. My father was posted at Yingkiong in Arunachal Pradesh when I was a kid. So we used to take a train from Delhi to Guwahati which used to take almost four days at that time. I was about 3-4 years then but I remember everything. I remember the train used to stop on the Brahmaputra Bridge and people used to go down and take bath. Not us. I feel bad that this time I have not seen the Brahmaputra yet.

What is the purpose of your current visit? The Blenders Pride Magical Night is the sole purpose of my visit. Today is my first event with them. It’s a great brand to be associated with and I am very proud of it.

ritically acclaimed Bollywood actor Nimrat Kaur who acted opposite Akshay Kumar in Airlift and showed her acting skills in Lunch Box opposite Irfan Khan was recently in town for an event and she talked exclusively to G Plus sharing her views about the city.

What do you like and dislike about Guwahati? I have not seen enough of it to dislike anything right now. Whatever I have seen I love the ronus of the city actually. I love the fact that there are hills; there are houses which are constructed on the hill sides. Especially when visiting Kamakhya Temple I found the landscape beautiful.

It’s so raw but there is something very charming about it. It’s not completely city-city, there are no skyscrapers and I love that. The skyline is so low and is so raw and real. These are the towns I have grown up in. The temple was really strong and powerful. I have been there as that was the first thing I had to do when I came here. We had lunch at Khorika. I managed as much as I could in half a day.

Can you compare Guwahati with any other city as you keep visiting many places? Strangely I can and you might find it a bit odd. But it reminds me of Seattle. There are bits of Seattle which I felt the place looks like. Now I have travelled through Seattle. I was on a road trip and I passed by Seattle. It has a very similar vibe where there are hill sides, there are lots of houses. I don’t know if there is lot of Guwahati like this but this is the Guwahati I have seen so far. I find it very charming and very real. Seattle is the only other place which reminds me of what Guwahati looks like.

Talking about films and your career, which film do you like more: Lunch Box or Airlift? Lunch Box is definitely very close to my heart. I think all of us were very fortunate to be a part of

that film. It is one of those things that mark your career and then you just take off from there and do whatever you want to do for the rest of your life.

Your future projects? I am currently working in a web series. We are filming that right now. That is the near future and my present.

Name your favourite male and female actors in Bollywood. I think Mr Bachchan just because he is timeless. He never stops reinventing himself which is also in way what Blenders Pride stands for as well. I find that very interesting about him; he never stops trying different things. Mr Bachchan and actress, I love Kareena Kapoor, I think she is amazing.

What about director? Mr Bansali, he is very enigmatic, something is very magical about him.

Did you ever come across any Assamese film, or listen to Assamese music? I have listened to Assamese music. I have never watched an Assamese film. I have a couple of Assamese friends in Mumbai. I have been exposed to Assamese music.

As you have worked in many advertisements I wanted to ask one thing. According to you, what is a good advertisement? It is said that celebrities can endorse any advertisement without even knowing the brand. Please cite an example of a good advertisement. Weather it is an ad film, short film or a feature film, I never become a part of something which I can’t be proud of. If there is something which I can’t agree with as a citizen, as a girl or as an audience I don’t want to be a part of it and it comes down to the smallest level and goes up to the highest level for me. I should be able to defend everything I would be part of, that’s who I am, that’s what I live by. I don’t want to speak for anyone else or other celebrities. I have never associated with products which I personally don’t stand by. My favourite ad is Cadbury Silk, Diary Milk.

What are your hobbies? I love cooking for friends. I actually love long drives a lot and drive my car myself. I love playing with my cats.

Any plans of marriage? Marriage plans will come in place when there is a person to plan it with. Currently the plans are to find a groom!

Bollywood chanteuses visit city with message for women Kalyan Deb

long with the entire world that was celebrating International Women’s Day on 8th March, Guwahati was also drenched in the same fervour with several events taking place around the city. A pre-event celebration at Shradhanjali Kanan witnessed two singers of Bollywood who made their way to the city carrying along with them their message of empowering woman. Asees Kaur and Pavni Pandey are two emerging stars who have come a long way from their days of being part of reality singing shows to making an impact in Bollywood. G Plus finds more about their experiences in the film industry so far. A five-year-old Asees started singing when her father introduced her to the Gurbani. Her early days in Panipat, Haryana were spent in Gurudwaras singing lines from the Gurbani which was also her prime inspiration. The Panipat girl was also seen as a participant in the 6th season of Indian Idol. Although her

Asees Kaur (L) and Pavni Pandey

stay in the show was very brief she had successfully made her presence felt in Bollywood with several songs, one of which is Bandeyaa (Reprise) that has been accepted and appreciated by people from all over the country. “After Indian Idol I went back to Panipat and directed all my focus on singing. Gurbani

has really helped me a lot. I had to struggle when I was back in Panipat,” said Asees in a conversation with G Plus. Soon after landing in Mumbai, she got very good opportunities and within a month the budding singer had yet another Bollywood track under her belt – “Tukra Tukra” from the movie

Mirza Juliet, which released on 10th March. Asees was accompanied to Guwahati by Pavni who rose to fame at the age of 14 with ‘Sa Re Ga Ma Pa L’il Champs’ that earned her first assignment in Bollywood with the movie “Kisaan” and the singer has never looked back. She lent her voice in the movie “Bodyguard.” “Bodyguard gave me a great deal of exposure as it was a massive and one-of-its-kind projects for me but I still have to keep working hard and keep trying as there is a lot more to achieve,” Pavni mentioned during a conversation with G Plus. She has recently been heard in the 2016 remix of ‘Laila Main Laila’ in the movie Raees. Pavni, whose inspiration behind her singing are the legendary Lata Mangeshkar, Sunidhi Chauhan, Shakira and Whitney Houston, will be soon heard in several projects to be released in the near future. The next closest release is “Philauri” and another is “Anarkali of Arah” where Pavni

has lent her voice in three songs. The budding singers visited the city with their message for all women and said that there is no such career where women are behind. “On this date there is no such area where women are not at the top, be it in schools or astronomy, business, science or the entertainment industry or singing for that metter. You can name a field and there are women who have made their impact. I would urge everyone to promote education of women,” Asees said. Pavni’s message said that women have been surviving in a male dominated society and we need to break the glass ceiling where women are held back. “I would only say all the women should just be bold and beautiful and I don’t think that there is a better alternative to it that can serve you better,” the singer added. kalyan.deb@g-plus.in

G PLUS MAR 11 - MAR 17, 2017

Entertainment

‘Purab Ki Awaz’ hits theatres across nation P

KALYAN KUMAR KALITA

utting all speculations to rest, ‘Purab Ki Awaz’ saw the light of day on 10th March in theatres across major states of the country like Mumbai, Punjab, Orissa, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Assam and other states of the northeast. According to the producer, people of Assam staying outside the state can enjoy the film at their nearest theatre. Whatever the reason, this much awaited Hindi biopic is the first film to be made on legendary freedom fighter Kanaklata Barua and is, by far, the most ambitious project of filmmaker Chandra Mudoi. LPKG Film Production had joined hands with Mittal Advertising and Distribution to release the film. Despite boldly facing the bullets of the British

police during the freedom struggle of India in 1942 and laying down her life for the country, Kanaklata is a little-known figure in the rest of the country. The defiant patriotism, fortitude and fearlessness displayed by Kanaklata who was only 16 at that time, made her an ultimate icon, a potent symbol of independence. Hailing from a harsh social background, Kanaklata rose above circumstances through grit and determination to fight for the country’s freedom against the British oppressors. Most people in Assam are only aware of how this heroic woman was slain by the police while she was trying to hoist the national flag at the local police station. As a child, she endeared herself to everyone with her emotional accessibility and fellow-feeling

towards her near and dear ones. She wasn’t in the least afraid to speak up her mind against any injustice. The film is seen through the eyes of a young Assamese girl, a hardnosed cadre from a militant outfit who accidentally stumbles into Kanaklata’s village, now long past its former glory, and rediscovers the life-story of this forgotten fighter with whom she finds a lot of affinity. There are two strands of narrative in the film that run parallel while depicting the story of two women belonging to two generations in two separate ‘freedom’ movements, by expressing their voices of protest against insecurity, betrayal and oppression. Produced by Loknath Deka, ‘Purab Ki Awaz’s script is written by director Chandra Mudoi. There are several songs in the

film written by Mudoi; two of these have been penned by Dipak Roy. The music has been composed by Dr. Hitesh Boruah, Ajoy Phukan and Tapan Kakati. Cinematographed by Naba Kumar Das, the various roles in the film have been played by Nipon Goswami, Urmila Mahanta, Debasis Borthakur, Dr. Tapan Sharma, Dipak Roy, Jatin Khanikar, Monimara Bora, Rina Bora, Swapnajit Borkakati, child artistes Rodali Bora, Jafri etc. The film’s editing has been handled by Syamal Das. The filmmakers are hopeful of drawing the attention of the national viewers to the bravery and sacrifice of Kanaklata, and have also requested the Assamese Diaspora living outside the state to extend their all-out help and support to the movie.

Sattriya exponent awarded

G Plus News

t was a great moment for Sattriya danseuse Dr. Anwesa Mahanta when Byatikram Mass Awareness & Social Development Organisation conferred her with the “Unique You Award for Dance” today. The award programme, aptly named as ‘Unique You’, is the annual International Women’s Day celebration by Byatikram MASDO and was held at Hotel Contour on Wednesday evening. Speaking on being honoured with this award, Anwesa expresses, “I feel so honoured and blessed to receive this award that has been offered to my years of learning and research on the great heritage of Sattriya Dance under the

guidance of my mentor Padmashri Bayanacharya Ghanakanta Bora. I offer my respect and gratitude to my parents who have been constantly supporting me in pursuing my vision. I also thank all the art lovers, connoisseurs and scholars, for showering immense love and recognition to my work and understanding of dance.” “This award is very special since it comes on a day when we celebrate womanhood. We, the women, can accomplish anything if we put our heart to it. Every woman has her own battle to fight, but it is important to understand that you will never feel truly empowered unless you do what your

heart tells you to, and not succumb to the societal pressure. As a dancer, I feel empowered with my art form which has given me ample scope to express my views and perceptions in various ways”, she added. A dedicated and promising young dancer of Sattriya Dance, Dr. Anwesa Mahanta is the daughter of Prof. Pradip Jyoti Mahanta and Minati Choudhury. The artist has received accolades from the art connoisseurs and scholars for the grace and liveliness of her dance and the expressiveness of her abhinaya. Belonging to the Vaisnava monastery of Assam, Saudkuchi Sattra, Sivasagar, Anwesa started her formal lessons in Sattriya from her early childhood under the guidance of the eminent maestro and a Sangeet Natak Akademi Awardee Bayanacharya Ghanakanta Bora, Padmashri. With a view to contributing to the cause of social harmony through art, Anwesa has conceptualized the Pragjyoti International Dance Festival, a the first of its kind in Assam. Pragjyoti International Dance Festival (PIDF) is one of her attempts through KALPA (A Society for Promotion of Literature, Art, Culture and Social Harmony) which allow the young exponents to speak and share their thoughts and ideas through dance and communicate to the youths the relevance of Indian dance in the contemporary world.

‘Rum Vodka Whisky’ eyes May-end release

KALYAN KUMAR KALITA

ovies showcasing the emotions, love and sentiments of the youth always come in for high praise among movie lovers of all ages. This time, a full length Assamese film has been made on this subject. The film, directed by Prasant Saikia and produced under the banner of Veena International is “Rum Vodka Whisky – Cocktail of Love.” The film’s script has been penned by Prodyut Kumar Deka, Rajdweep and Prasant Saikia. The story of the film revolves around three friends and their love life. The key roles in the film have been essayed by Hiran-

ya Das, Queen Hazarika, Udayan Duarah, Priyanka Bhargav, Moon Rajiv, Durgashri Bora, Rupam Barua and Prakash Medhi among others. The music of Rum Vodka Whisky has been scored by Tridip Basumatary while the lyrics have been penned by Rajdweep, Raj Agnihotri and Tridip Basumatary. All the songs of the film have been beautifully rendered by Queen Hazarika, Tridip Basumatary and Amrita Lahkar. The film’s cinematography has been done by Papu Deka around some attractive locations of Guwahati, Cherrapunji and Sonapur. DI and Colorist is Ratan Sil Sarma. The choreographer of the film is Deepak Dey. The film has been edited by Abhijit Roy and Hirak Jyoti Pathak, art director is Prasant Saikia, make-up is by Dipshikha Kalita and Montu while the poster designer is Hirak Jyoti Pathak. The official poster of the film was released on 14th February, i.e., Valentine’s Day. According to director Prasant Saikia, the movie is expected to hit the theatres at the end of May this year. The director is also keen to participate in various national and international film festivals. The entire film unit is hoping that the new age film will be able to entertain the audience.

G PLUS MAR 11 - MAR 17, 2017

Events

Acoustic Night and Ladies Night Venue: NYX Palacio

Acoustic Night and Ladies Night at NYX Palacio has been the city’s buzz for quite some time now! City’s favourites, guitarist Nibir Bhuyan and singer Queen Hazarika stole the show last week (March 3)

Nibir Bhuyan of Celestial Way set the right mood for the night

Queen Hazarika ‘hitting the right notes’

G PLUS MAR 11 - MAR 17, 2017

Events Kenny Sebastian Live in Guwahati Venue: Terra Mayaa (5th March) Sunday’s mad dose of laughter with a full house and ‘bottles falling on the floor’ Did you know? Kenneth Sebastian was featured as the number 1 young Indian to watch out for in 2016 on Buzzfeed India!

Photos: Arindam Sikder

Prerana Barborooah Sharma, Radha Barooah Panesar, Nandini Baruva, Medha Saikia and another patron at the show

Show Stopper Nimrat Kaur striking her pose

A bevy of models were part of the show

The Blenders Pride Magical Nights Fashion Tour made it’s way to Guwahati last weekend with Bollywood actress and showstopper Nimrat Kaur, with a wardrobe designed by Niharika Pandey and music presented by Karsh Kale. Venue: Terra Mayaa (4th March)

xBHP Assam Ladies Motorcycle Rally

A Women’s Day Special for the lady bikers of Guwahati Team xBHP Assam team organized a ride from Nehru Park to Vijaya Nursery at Khetri to celebrate International Women’s Day

G PLUS MAR 11 - MAR 17, 2017

Catching Up Most shared story of the week

Naina Gogoi

PM Modi turns saviour for ailing 8 day old child of Assam

New

M Modi’s heroics earned him the entire country and especially Assam’s good wishes as he turned into a saviour for an ailing 8-day old child from Dibrugarh. He ordered a green path for the ambulance carrying the ailing child and thus saved the day.

787 facebook.com/guwahatiplus

twitter.com/guwahatiplus

GYAN

Did you know?

Doordarshan Kendra Guwahati

Chick on the block

About Me Hello all the readers! This is Naina, and I am a resident of Guwahati. I graduated from the Morph Institute, Guwahati, and am currently working as a professional fashion designer. I have always been very interested in the fashion industry. I’ve loved dresses since my childhood. Some of the significant fashion shows that made a great impact in my life are Lamplight Festival 2015, Spring Summer Collection Show, North East India Fashion Weekend 2015, Assam Talks New Year Show 2017, metropolis 2017, Assam Mahotsav 2017 & Rongali 2017. Mojo

he idiot-box that we also know as television made its way to India on 15th September 1959 but it took thirty-seven years for Doordarshan to arrive at Guwahati. The history of Doordarshan Guwahati can be traced back to the year 1982. It was in this year that India hosted the 9th Asian Games and this event

in New Delhi brought about a far-reaching change in the social and economic lives of people of Guwahati. On 19th November the same year Doordarshan Kendra, Guwahati was commissioned with LPT status. Later it was converted to HPT in the month of January 1985 with a transmitter power of 10 KW covering a range of 89-120 kms. At the initial stage, the Kendra was run from a rented house at Panbazar, Guwahati. But on 7th February 1992 the station was shifted to its permanent area with better facilities at RG Baruah Road.

WHAT DID I JUST

My passion for fashion and the eagerness to play with designs keeps me moving ahead. I love to create beauty from the ordinary. I get motivated when people admire my work. Route in the Woods I have always believed in hard work and patience. With these two assets I wish to make my own name and the people of Assam proud in the future. Photography - Deepak Das Make Up - Manjit Chetry

HEAR?

According to media reports Meghna Singh, a Miranda House student who attended the Shri Ram College of Commerce fest Crossroads, brought back semen on her jeans and an experience she’d rather forget. “I came home and changed out of my jeans only to see semen stains on it. And then I realised, that the guy who had been feeling me up from behind during KK’s performance had jerked off on me,” said Singh according to a national daily.

Kamur

of the week

The week was a bit of a kamur for Guwahatians as the babus sitting in Dispur were very busy. Any assembly session starts and the babus, bureaucrats and the netas have a ready made excuses of telling people to come after the Assembly session and this week being the last for the budget session, many people had to return from the secretariat empty handed. Thank God the session is finally over.

Printed & Published by Sunit Jain on behalf of Insight Brandcom Pvt. Ltd. and Printed at Arkashish Publications (P) Ltd., Katahbari, Garchuk, Guwahati and Published at H/No. 34, K. C. Choudhury Road, Chatribari, Guwahati - 781008, Editor: Swapnil Bharali. Phone: 0361 2737737, Email: info@g-plus.in, RNI No: ASSENG/2013/52641