[Reader-list] Cine Basanti: films and poetry on spring (28-29 Feb)/‘Jogis & Naths’ Kalbeliya- the snake charmers a film by Meenakshi Vinay Rai

[rohitrellan at aol.in]

Cine Basanti: films and poetry on spring

You are cordially invited to two interesting evenings of films and poetry reading on Basant, the spring festival, at India Habitat Centre, New Delhi.

Day 1: 28th Feb. 2012. 7 pm
Film: "Basant" (13 mins) (Hindi/English), Director: Yousuf Saeed; The film documents a day in the life of Sufis and Qawwals at the tomb of Nizamuddin, celebrating Basant.

Film: "Mela Basant Bahar" (25 mins), Director: Samina Aslam; A colourful film about the Basant celebration at Lahore, focusing on the kite-flying events in Lahore and other Pakistani towns. The film also traces the history of kite flying.

Day 2: 29th February, 2012. 7 pm
Film: "Portraits of Belonging: Bhai Mian" (34 min) (Hindi), Director: Sameera Jain; The film is about a traditional kite-maker, Bhai Mian of Old Delhi, a man whose ordinariness barely conceals his imagination and resilience.

The film will be followed by reading of Urdu poetry on 'Basant' by Sadia Wahidi, from the works of Amir Khusrau, Mirza Ghalib, Nazeer Akbarabadi, Shah Niaz Barelvi and Bedam Warsi.  

Venue for both days: Casurina Hall, India Habitat Centre, Lodi Road, New Delhi
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‘Jogis & Naths’ Kalbeliya- the snake charmers a film by Meenakshi Vinay Rai 



THE ATTIC 36 REGAL BUILDINGS, NEW DELHI  TEL: 23746050
 
friday 2nd march
6.30 pm ‘Jogis & Naths’ Kalbeliya- the snake charmers a film by Meenakshi Vinay Rai (25 minutes) and 
 
Folk singing: Kabir bhajans by Lalchand Jogi with Prakash Nath Kalbeliya


The Kalbelia are a Nomadic community living in the Pali, Ajmer, Chittorgarh and Udaipur districts of Rajasthan. Their main occupation is the catching and trading of snakes and the venom of the Cobra. Music and Dance is an integral part of their culture. The males play the music using the ‘’Pungi, Dufli, Been, Khanjari, Morchang, Khuralio and Dholak”. The female dancers wear long black skirts embroidered with silver ribbons and their rhythmic, sinuous, sensuous dance is a whirl of black and silver. (unfortunately not being featured this evening.)

When the Wildlife Protection Act was promulgated in 1972 it became illegal to catch and keep snakes as pets. Nobody seemed to have thought of the huge numbers of Kalbeliyas who lost their livelihoods and the very valuable service they provided in rural areas of catching snakes and curing snakebite.
 
This documentary film explores lesser known facts of Kalbeliya culture and is followed by folk singing using the fascinating musical instruments of the Kalbeliyas.



This programme is brought to you in collaboration with Chinnh www.chinh.in

CHINH is Meenakshi & Vinay Rai’s initiative to support social initiatives promoting causes of children and marginalized nomadic communities through harnessing traditional wisdom, art and culture and rediscovering them in contemporary contexts.
 
The archival documentary on kalbeliyas by duo Meenakshi Vinay Rai has been awarded the best series of the year by UGC and has been selected as an important source for nomadic studies in national and international libraries.