A. R. Rahman To Start His World Concert from Pune

Jai Ho Flag Hoisted At MIT

Oscar winner A. R. Rahman will start his world tour from Pune. The musician known 'Isai Puyal' (Musical Storm) was in the city today. He addressed a press conference in which he announce the program of the concert aptly titled 'Jai Ho' concert. The program will take place at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Stadium in Balewadi and will be the first public concert of Rahman in Maharashtra.

Rahman also unfurled Jai Ho flag in front of the students of MAEER's MIT. Rahman said, "Pune is known as the cultural and educational centre. I wanted to have a program in the city for long." He especially mentioned Pandit Bhimsen Joshi and Lata Mangeshkar as the personalities who have graced Pune. The proceeds of the concert will go to Lata Mangeshkar Foundation and Shri Kshetra Dehu-Alandi Vikas Samiti, which is responsible for the development works in Dehu and Alandi.
Rahman's show will take place in Pune on May 31st।SInger Hariharan, Sadhana Sargam and others will take part in it। This will also mark the start of his world tour. Rahman's show is hosted by MAEER"S MIT headed by Vishwanath Karad.

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No President for Marathi Meet

Freedom of Expression Takes Backseat

The Marathi Sahitya Sammelan (Marathi Literary Meet) will take place in Mahabaleshwar without any presiding authority. Yes, the meet which is to start from Friday will have no president. This is the first time in the history of the meet that it will be conducted without president.

The meet is scheduled to start in Mahabaleshwar from March 20. Anand Yadav, the path breaking author who started era of rural literature in Marathi was elected as the president of the meet through an election process conducted all over the state. He has written a novel 'Santsurya Tukaram' which has invited wrath from the Warkaris in the state. According to Warkaris, the novel depicts Tukaram in bad light and has defamed the revered saint. After the controversy erupted about a month ago, Yadav had first refused to budge saying that Warkaris do not know what a novel is. Then he relented and withdrew his novel from the market.

Not pleased with this, Maharashtra Warkari Mahamandal, a body of warkaris demanded an apology from Yadav. Two days ago, Yadav submitted his written apology at Dehu, the place of Tukaram. He was reportedly manhandled and abused by warkaris there. Finally, Yadav tendered his resignation on Tuesday. Warkaris had threatened that in case Yadav dose not resign, 10,000 warkaris will start agiatiation in Mahabaleshwar.

"I have nothing to say on this affair. I just gave up the fight so that this annual literary meet is not hampered by some forces," Yadav said two days ago. One day after tendering his resignation as the president elect of 82nd Annual Marathi Literary Meet (Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya Sammelan). Yadav is in no mood to speak about the extra-constituential censorship.

He said, "What should I do when there are forces bent to disrupt the meet for the sake of a person? In earlier times, people (media) used to come forward in defence of freedom of expression. But this time everybody is silent. I am sorry but I have chosen to be silent."
A meeting of Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya Mahamandal was conducted yesterday in Mahabaleshwar. It was decided in the meeting that the meet will take place in the absence of a president.

Who is Yadav
Anand Yadav, 82 years old, was born in a small village Kagal near Kolhapur. He completed Ph.D. at Pune University. His writing began a new era in Marathi literature called Gramin Sahitya i.e. rural literature.

Yadav's novel Zombi (lit. 'Fight against all odds') won the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1990. Zombi is a realistic novel that narrates the story of small 'Andya', his eagerness to learn, his life in sheer poverty, his loving mother and illiterate rural father.

His second novel, "Nangarni" (cultivation of the soil), is a sequel to "Zombi". It narrates his struggle during youth and the challenges he faced in settling down in life. The third autobiographical novel of this series, "Gharbhinti", describes his adult life--his marriage, daughters' education and support of family back in Kolhapur.

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Dehu Won't Host Dow

Dehu will host more programs this years coinciding with the 400th birth anniversary of Sant Tukaram. Though it is in the news for wrong reasons for quite some time, Dehu is more known for Sant Tukaram, one of the spiritual gurus of Chhatrapati Shivaji. Even after more than 300 years since Tukram left this earth, the town is heavy with the spirit of the sant who was more interested in his devotion than the worldly attachments.  

Three days ago, much of the state government was present in this town to commemorate 400th birth anniversary. The issue of Dow Research Centre coming near Bhandara Hills, where Tukaram used to meditate and compose his abhangas came up at the event. At that time, Chief Minister Ashok Chavan catgorically stated that Dow's centre will be shifted elsewhere.  That will put a heated debate to rest hopefully.

From Dehu

I was in Dehu on 22 December. I visited the temple where Tukaram used to worship Panduranga or Viththal. A scenic but quite an unclean river flows from near this temple. The build of the temple is quite old fashioned but offeres a soothing view to the eyes of a man like me who is forced to spend his days in the concrete jungle. 

From Dehu

When I completed the darshan, I was eager to click this man who was studiosly performing his duty. It was his job to recite the god's name without heeding the number of people. When I was just to click him, I found him also staring at him. I wanted to click him without getting his conscious but failed to do so. The I gave up and after taking his photo, chatted a little. He was pleased to speak with him. Later I was surprised to know that he is also from Marathwada, from where I am. 

From Dehu

Even built in old styles, temples in Dehu are being neglected like elsewhere. The main temple where the idols of Panduranga and Rukmini are placed is very dilapidated now. 

From Dehu

Indrayani flows through Dehu. It is the same river which flows through Alandi, another holy town known for Sant Dnayneshwar. In Dehu, the river has more significance as it is said that the Brahmins who did not like Tukaram's teaching and making spirituality open for all, immersed his books in the river. Tukaram then started fasting on the banks of the Indrayani. Three day later, all the books containing Tukaram's abhangas seen flating in the river. The spot where all this drama took place is shown even today. Even the spot from where Tukaram is said to have ascended to Vaikuntha has a temple now. 

From Dehu

A new temple dedicated to the works of Tukaram is coming up near Dehu now. It is made in marble and each wall of the temple has abhangas of Tukaram inscripted in it. I will always remember this temple for two reasons. One, it is here that I got a call from my friend informing me that he has lost his job and second, my footwears were stolen from this place. I have to come back to town barefoot and buy a new pair of chappals because of that.

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