Tuesday, November 27, 2007

Fazilka gears up for heritage fest

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2007/20071119/bathinda.htm#8
Fazilka, November 18The second food art and cultural festival —- Fazilka Heritage Festival: Mehak Sarhad Di-2007 – will be organised here from November 22 to 25 next. The festival, aimed at promoting the culture of Fazilka at international level, would be organised by the Graduate Welfare Association, Fazilka.
It will also promote Punjabiat and establish Fazilka as a brand city that in turn supports local handicraft, workers, sweet makers and is likely to generate employment opportunity through tourism in the region.
Padam Shree Pushpa Hans Nite would be one of highlights of the heritage festival.
A folk dance night to commemorate Baba Pokhar Singh, founder of Jhumar dance, Kanwar Mohinder Singh Bedi “Sahar” night, a poetical evening to commemorate renowned Urdu Poet “Sahar” of Fazilka, Live DJ performances and shows in front of Fazilka’s historical clock tower on the pattern of Jhankata Penda Gali Gali, screening of Punjabi and Hindi movies, would also be organised during the fest.
“Fauz”, a live band and special performances by the Indian Armed Forces to commemorate the saviours of Fazilka town, “Paridhan” a fashion event based on the theme “Fazilka Revisited” and Fazilka Carnival would be the other attractions during the festival.
Lectures and live show with “ArriveSafe” theme by a Chandigarh-based NGO to promote road safety wil also be displayed at the festival.

Fazilka Heritage Fest concludes - The Tribune

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2007/20071126/bathinda.htm#5
Fazilka, November 25On the concluding day of Fazilka Heritage Festival, hundreds of youths pledged to ensure reduction in environment pollution. The motive was to create awareness about the detrimental affects of increasing environment pollution and risks of the phenomenon called global warming.
It was also an endeavour to promote use of bicycles to save fuel and save the environment by growing more plants. The youths also vowed to minimise the use of polythene bags.
Members of the Graduates Welfare Association, Fazilka (GWAF), the Students for Society Organisation, Fazilka, the Punjab Sabhyacharak Manch, Fazilka and the Infantry Brigade of the Indian Army jointly organised a cycle rally through the main markets in an endeavour to motivate people to ride bicycles as far as possible instead of using vehicles run on petrol or diesel.
Third and the last day of the festival was observed as “Baba Pokhar Dass Nite”. On the occasion, over 20 teams presented Punjabi folk dances, including Bhangra, Gidha and Jhumar.
The novel attraction at the programme was the auction of a replica of Fazilka’s famous clock tower.
The organisers said the amount received from the auction would be utilised for next year celebrations.
Fazilka Heritage Festival patron Dr Bhupinder Singh, secretary Navdeep Asija said considering the success of the festival in which thousands from the city and the surrounding areas had participated, it has been decided that next year, the festival would be celebrated for one week.
The festival had concluded around midnight

Fazilka Heritage Fest concludes - The Tribune

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2007/20071126/bathinda.htm#5
Fazilka, November 25On the concluding day of Fazilka Heritage Festival, hundreds of youths pledged to ensure reduction in environment pollution. The motive was to create awareness about the detrimental affects of increasing environment pollution and risks of the phenomenon called global warming.
It was also an endeavour to promote use of bicycles to save fuel and save the environment by growing more plants. The youths also vowed to minimise the use of polythene bags.
Members of the Graduates Welfare Association, Fazilka (GWAF), the Students for Society Organisation, Fazilka, the Punjab Sabhyacharak Manch, Fazilka and the Infantry Brigade of the Indian Army jointly organised a cycle rally through the main markets in an endeavour to motivate people to ride bicycles as far as possible instead of using vehicles run on petrol or diesel.
Third and the last day of the festival was observed as “Baba Pokhar Dass Nite”. On the occasion, over 20 teams presented Punjabi folk dances, including Bhangra, Gidha and Jhumar.
The novel attraction at the programme was the auction of a replica of Fazilka’s famous clock tower.
The organisers said the amount received from the auction would be utilised for next year celebrations.
Fazilka Heritage Festival patron Dr Bhupinder Singh, secretary Navdeep Asija said considering the success of the festival in which thousands from the city and the surrounding areas had participated, it has been decided that next year, the festival would be celebrated for one week.
The festival had concluded around midnight

Fazilka set to pioneer use of CFL lamps

Anilesh S Mahajan TNN
Novermber, 21, 2007
Chandigarh: It may be called as the first citizen effort to turn to the compact fluorescent light (CFL) lamps and Fazilka would be the first city in Punjab to accept it. This effort has come without any government’s initiative in this regard. The NGO, Graduate Welfare Association of Fazilka (GWAF) has impressed upon all the traders in the city to not only promote CFL, but also to sell it on ‘no profit no loss’ basis during the Fazilka heritage festival starting from November 22 to 25. The theme of the festival is global warming. “Conservation of energy is an important issue for the state as well as for the nation. As citizens of the country we have to save energy, when we told this to the people here, they agreed to turn on to CFL lamps,” said Dr Bhupinder Singh, a retired professor of IIT Roorkee and founder of GWAF. “When citizens are told about the benefits it can give to them as well as to the state, they readily acquiesce to the change,” he added. Fazilka electricity parts dealers’ association chief Pradeep Ahuja added that they would be selling only CFL during the festival in the city. “We cannot offer subsidies, but this would be our initiative towards the mission,” he added. Moreover, all the leading business houses in the city have been asked to turn to CFL and they have agreed to it. Vikram Ahuja of farm solutions said that he has already changed the lamps and have asked other to do so. GWAF has a good influence over most of the citizens in the town, as most of the graduates are its members. It believes that this would set an example for the rest of the state. It is worth mentioning here that the Punjab government and Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) has already turned on to CFL. In comparison to the incandescent lamp used by the domestic users, one sixth to one-fourth energy is saved. It is promoted by the PSEB and Central Electricity Commission (CEC) too.

FAZILKA'S FESTIVE MOOD

Hindustan Times : Manoj Tripathi
The Buzz, P.no-134, 24-11-2007
http://epaper.hindustantimes.com/artMailDisp.aspx?article=24_11_2007_134_010&typ=1&pub=722

The three-day Fazilka heritage festival started on Thursday evening to celebrate the 160th anniversary of the town. Organised by Graduates Welfare Association, Fazilka (GWAF) in association with Punjabi Sabhyacharak Manch, the opening session was inaugurated by Brig Rajiv Bhutani at Ram Press premises.
The first evening of the festival was dedicated to the renowned poet and writer of the area-Kanwan Mahinder Singh Bedi Sahar. A colourful programme studded with songs, dance and 'mushaira' marked the opening. Historical clock tower of Fazilka is also lit up delightfully.
Stalls, displaying specialties and culture of Fazilka, are set up. These include stalls of juttis, quality agricultural products produced in the Fazilka belt. Besides, meaningful exhibitions on issues such as female foeticide, environmental pollution are also on display. A stall of traditional Rajasthani food and famous pakkhis, handmade sarpo (chapatti boxes) attracted a large number of visitors.
GWAF patron Bhupinder Singh and president Umesh Chander Kukkar and secretary Navdeep Asija said that the heritage festival is being celebrated to keep the culture and heritage of the historical border town alive. They said that this festival would enable the younger generation to know the glorious history of the town

Fazilka Heritage Fest a hit

Hindustan Times : Manoj Tripathi
http://epaper.hindustantimes.com/artMailDisp.aspx?article=26_11_2007_134_006&typ=1&pub=722
The three-day Fazilka Heritage Festival concluded here on Saturday evening with an overwhelming participation from the local residents.
Baba Pokhar Dass Nite was organised the last day to remember the noted Jhumar dance artiste of Fazilka. Artistes from different schools, dance club including GMP Fire Group, Zindva Group, Arniwla, Godwin Public School, Ghallu and others took part in the event.
Jawans of Infantry Brigade took out a bicycle rally against air pollution. GWAF members, Punjabi Sab hyacharak Manch, Army Wives Welfare Association and residents of Fazilka pledged to protect the environment by minimising the use of polythene bags, planting trees and creating a green belt.
A replica of the famous clock tower of Fazilka enclosed in a glass box was auctioned to raise funds for next year's Fazilka Heritage Festival. Vansh Chuchra, an artist's family, offered the highest bid of Rs 18,000 for the tower's model.
The festival's patron Dr Bhupinder Singh and secretary Navdeep Asija said the festival would be celebrated for one whole week next year onwards

फिल्मों में गाना चाहता है वॉयस आफ फाजिल्का

http://in.jagran.yahoo.com/news/local/punjab/4_2_3932599.html
24th November, 2007
फाजिल्का -फाजिल्का के स्थापना दिवस के उपलक्ष्य में आयोजित तीन दिवसीय महोत्सव के दूसरे दिन गीत प्रतियोगिता में राहुल वर्मा को वॉयस ऑफ फाजिल्का खिताब से सम्मानित किया गया। राहुल के गीत 'जाने वालो जरा मुड़ के देखो मुझे, मैं भी इंसान हूं' ने श्रोताओं को इतना प्रभावित किया कि कार्यक्रम के बाद घर लौटते समय भी लोग वही गीत गुनगुना रहे थे।
राहुल स्थानीय एसकेबी डीएवी सीनियर सेकेंडरी स्कूल की दसवीं कक्षा का विद्यार्थी है। मां सरस्वती की उसपर अपार कृपा है। जो भी शख्स एक बार उसका गीत सुन लेता है, वह उसकी सुरीली आवाज की तारीफ किए बिना नहीं रहता। राहुल ने 'दैनिक जागरण' से बातचीत में बताया कि उसे बचपन से ही संगीत से लगाव है। उसके दादा पंजाब राम बांसुरी बजाने के शौकीन है। उसके पिता केवल कृष्ण भले ही गीत नहीं गाते, लेकिन उन्हे गीत सुनने का बहुत चाव है।
अपने दादा और पिता के प्रोत्साहन से राहुल ने छह वर्ष की उम्र में ही गीत गाना शुरू कर दिया था। प्राइमरी कक्षाओं तक वह स्कूल कार्यक्रमों तक ही सीमित रहा, लेकिन डीएवी सेकेंडरी स्कूल में दाखिला लेने के बाद उसे अन्य शहरों में होने वाले कार्यक्रमों में भेजा जाने लगा। उसने बताया कि उसके पिता ने संगीत विशेषज्ञ मास्टर रोशन लाल से उसे दो साल तक संगीत का प्रशिक्षण दिलाया। एक से पांच नवंबर 2007 तक अमृतसर में आयोजित सांस्कृतिक प्रतियोगिता में कव्वाली व लोक नृत्य में वह द्वितीय स्थान पर रहा। इससे पहले नवंबर 2006 में गाजियाबाद में हुई राष्ट्रीय स्तरीय की प्रतियोगिता में भी उसे शानदार सफलता हासिल हुई थी।
राहुल को मास्टर सलीम की माता की भेंटे बहुत पसंद है। उसके मनपसंद गीतकार नुसरत फतेह अली खां है। राहुल का कहना है कि उसका लक्ष्य फिल्मों में प्ले बैक सिंगिंग करना है। राहुल के स्कूल के प्रिंसिपल मदन लाल शर्मा का कहना है कि राहुल एक अच्छा संगीतकार होने के साथ पढ़ाई में भी होशियार है। उसे स्कूल की ओर से जिस भी प्रतियोगिता में भेजा जाता है, उसमें वह स्कूल का नाम रोशन करता है।

साइंटिस्ट ने किया अनूठा प्रयोग

http://www.bhaskar.com/2007/11/17/0711170720_iit_man.html#

गुलशन कुमार.
Saturday, November 17, 2007 07:18 [IST]

चंडीगढ़ राजधानी से 325 किलोमीटर दूर पंजाब के एक छोटे से शहर फाजिल्का के लोगों ने अपने ही दम पर हेरिटेज फेस्टिवल की अनूठी पहल की है। साइबर हाईवे पर इस फेस्टिवल ने विदेशी टूरिस्ट्स को भी आकर्षित किया है। एक आईआईटी साइंटिस्ट की देखरेख में चल रही इस मुहिम में शहर भर के नौजवान जुटे हुए हैं।
अमृतसर, पटियाला, फरीदकोट आदि में तो पांच साल पहले सरकारी खर्च पर विरासत मेले शुरू हुए, लेकिन फाजिल्का शहर के नौजवानों ने खुद ही फाजिल्का हेरिटेज फेस्टिवल ‘महक सरहद दी’ का आयोजन करने की ठान ली। 22 से 24 नवंबर तक होने वाले इस फेस्टिवल में फाजिल्का से जुड़े लोग दुनिया भर से अपने शहर पहुंच रहे हैं। आईआईटी में कार्यरत नवदीप असीजा नवदीप की देखरेख में गठित ग्रेजुएट्स वेलफेयर एसोसिएशन, फाजिल्का ने इस पूरे आयोजन की जिम्मेवारी संभाली हुई है। फेस्टिवल में गीत-संगीत से लेकर कला के विभिन्न क्षेत्रों को शामिल किया गया है।
गीत-संगीत की महक :
फेस्टिवल में पद्मश्री पुष्पा हंस नाइट, फोक डांस नाइट, छनकाटा पैंदा गली-गली आदि आयोजनों में गीत-संगीत की महक बिखेरी जाएगी। पैनोरमा सेक्शन में हिंदी-पंजाबी की चुनिंदा फिल्में भी दिखाई जाएंगी। भारतीय सेना का बैंड अलग से प्रस्तुति देगा। नाटकों का भी मंचन और फाजिल्का कार्निवाल परेड भी आयोजित होगा।

कार फ्री जोन होगा शहर :
शहर को उन दिनों कार फ्री जोन रखा जाएगा और लोगों को पैदल या साइकिल से ही चलने के लिए प्रेरित किया जाएगा। फेस्टिवल के दौरान पॉलिथीन बैग्स पर पाबंदी रहेगी। फाजिल्का रतन अवार्ड भी दिए जाएंगे। नवदीप ने बताया कि वर्ल्ड कार फ्री नेटवर्क, चैक रिपब्लिक अपनी मैगजीन कार फ्री नेटवर्कर्स ने ताजा अंक में फाजिल्का पर विशेष आर्टीकल भी प्रकाशित किया है।
भारत-पाकिस्तान सीमा से महज 11 किलोमीटर पीछे स्थित फाजिल्का का इतिहास करीब 169 साल पुराना है। इस फेस्टिवल से फाजिल्का की एक अलग पहचान बनेगी। —नवदीप असीजा

Saturday, November 3, 2007

Fazilka Heritage Festival- Invitation

India's most pedestrian and cycle friendly township calling you on their most eco-friendly annual, art cultural and food festival

Invitation


Fazilka Heritage Festival - Mehak Sarhad Di
22nd to 25th November, 2007
www.fazilkafestival.org


India’s smallest big town, inviting people across the country and continent to come and discover the rich heritage and culture of Fazilka.

It gives us immense pleasure to announce the dates for Fazilka’s Second annual, food, art and cultural festival “FAZILKA HERITAGE FESTIVAL -Mehak Sarhad Di-2007” from 22nd to 25th November 2007. Started in the year 2006 under the aegis of the Graduates Welfare Association Fazilka®, the Fazilka Heritage Festival is an annual feature ornamenting the fair face of the city of Fazilka. Fazilka Heritage Festival is an offering sublime not just for the music and art lovers of Fazilka but also for those of the entire state of Punjab and region put together. Conceived and planned as a cultural event showcasing the various aspects of art, music and food culture of the erstwhile Fazilka with a view to injecting a fresh lease of life into them, the Festival is literally an art and cultural extravaganza. Fazilka Heritage Festival 2007 brings out this very spirit alive in the shape of a mega cultural fest where cultures unite, wits battle, ideas and imaginations evolve creating a joint and ever lasting euphemism. The cultural facet of the event provides a podium for creative and imaginative display of teams, talent, ideas and thoughts. The season is all set and the mood is like never before. Fazilka Heritage Festival 2007 promises to be a much bigger, broader and better affair that will go down the memories as a sophisticated as well as enjoyable event - the basic essence of this festival. The main aim of this heritage festival is to promote Fazilka’s rich culture and heritage worldwide. This event will not only promote the vibrancy of Fazilka’s culture and Punjabiat in the border region of Punjab but also will help to establish Fazilka as a Brand city. This branding will directly or indirectly support the local handicraft, workers, sweet makers and will generate employment opportunity through tourism in the region for many.

Teams meet from corners of the country, and we have confluence of ideas. The vision of Fazilka Heritage Festival continues to be. The targets that we set out last year, in Mehak Sarhad Di, we managed to achieve, and our goals are set higher now.

The main highlights of this mega event shall be;
Our Legends
1. Padamshree Pushpa Hans Night –Singing night in the honour of Veteran Punjabi singer and daughter of Fazilka Padamshree Pushpa Hans
2. Folk Dance Night – In the memory of Late Baba Pokhar Singh, founder of Jhummar dance.
3. Chankata Penda Gali Gali – Live DJ performances and live shows in front of Fazilka’s historic building Clock Tower.
4. Panorama Section – this event will showcase Punjabi and Hindi movies
Car free Zones
5. Pedestrian and bicycle friendly food street – This will not improve the health of participants through walking but here you can also taste the delicious food of Malwa region of Punjab around clock tower.
6. Artist’s corner –, where on the both sides of the roads, local artist will display their products related to handicrafts and traditional fine arts.
7. Safety Zone – lecture and live shows in association with ArriveSafe , Chandigarh based NGO to promote road safety amongst users especially school children
The Community
8. Fauj – live band and special performances by Indian Armed forces, the savoir of Fazilka town.
9. Rang Manch – Nukkar Theatre event dedicated to street and stag plays by various participants groups across the country.
10. Paridhan- A fashion event based upon the theme Fazilka revisited.
11. Fazilka Carnival Prade – Parade by the participants, Indian Defense Forces and school children, displaying various forms of Fazilka’s lifestyle.
12. The Great Fazilite Dream – If you’ve ever thought some of a vision/change/mechanism to make our city a progressive and better place, we appreciate you. The rest if follow suit. “The Great Fazilite Dream” brings you a confluence of such ideas where dreams are discussed. Dreams that would shape the portrait of tomorrow.
and many others fine and performing art events.

This year “FAZILKA RATTAN” awards during the festival shall be given to these five dignitaries who brought laurels to the name of city Fazilka - Padamshree Fazilite Smt. Pushpa Hans, World famous neurologist Fazilite (Dr.) Jagjit Chopra, , Fazilite Kunwar Mohinder Singh Bedi “Sahar”, a famous urdu poet , Fazilite (Dr.) Harpreet Singh, HOD, Department of Electronics, Wayne State University, Detroit, USA and Fazilite Sardar Gurbachan Singh Brar, former captain of Indian Hockey Team.

Last year, pedestrianisation in Fazilka through festival was appreciated by Transport Department, University of Vienna, Austria. In continuation to that, this year festival theme has been chosen as “Global Warming”. During festival time, special emphasis shall be given to keep the city as pedestrian and cycle friendly. This will the recorded as worlds most eco friendly festival, use of plastic in terms of carry bag shall be banned during and after the festival. At present Fazilka generates 17.5 tons of solid waste everyday. Local volunteers shall be trained to promote for the best waste management practices.

To facilitate the participants, an official website http://www.fazilkafestival.org/ for the event has been launched. Registration for participation in the competition and cultural events has started. Sponsors, exhibitors and volunteers can directly register through this website. This website is a brainchild of Mr. Gautam Chaudhary, a 17 years old 11th standard student from Fazilka.

Registration- About our Website

One can Registration for Participation in the events, Exhibition, Sponsorship and for becoming a volunteer by visiting http://www.fazilkafestival.org/ or can directly go to registration section http://www.register.fazilkafestival.org/.

Registration through mobile- To facilitate people we have also launched a mobile site wap.fazilkafestival.org . One can also register by visiting this site through their Mobile browsers. ( Additional Data cost may be applicable, depend upon the service provider while opening this site)

You can write your comments or suggestions in our Guestbook. It is available at http://fazilkafestival.org/guestbook

We have added a ‘Link to Us’ section from where you can get HTML Codes for Fazilka Heritage Festival Banners and you can use the same in all those websites where which allow use of HTML. For example, you can use these in the Scrapbooks of your friends in orkut and thus help in the promotion. These HTML Codes will work in most of the sites.

You can also subscribe to our RSS Feeds to get latest news and information about Fazilka Heritage Festival. A weekly newsletter shall be launched to apprise you development of the festival. You can subscribe by clicking on the RRS Sign in the left top and bottom corners of our website. Or by directly adding the address “http://fazilkafestival.org/rss/feed.xml“ to a RSS Feed reader.

So guys tighten up your belt to fly with us on a journey called Fazilka Heritage Festival.

Cheers,
Fazilka Rocks


Team Fazilka Heritage Festival

Our other Official Websites are;

http://www.lovefazilka.esmartweb.com/
http://www.fazilkaonline.com/
http://www.navdeepasija.blogspot.com/

Thursday, November 1, 2007

Punjab cycles its way to eco-friendliness

The Tribune, Bathinda Edition, Punjab, 1st October, 2007 http://www.tribuneindia.com/2007/20071101/bathinda.htm#2

Punjab cycles its way to eco-friendliness
By Navdeep Asija
Fazilka, October 31The number of bicycle users in Punjab is among the highest in the country, proving amply that people here understand the meaning of sustainable development.
According to an analysis conducted by Navdeep Asija of Fazilka, who has done his Masters in Geotech and Geo-environmental Engineering from IIT Delhi, cycle density per 10,000 people in Punjab is the highest compared to states that have a similar terrain and geographical conditions, except for the hill states. His research is based on the 2001 census.
State Loves To Pedal
A study says that cycle density per 10,000 people in Punjab is the highest compared to other states.
Asija's analysis reveals that as per capita income in the states is going up, the number of cycle users is going down. This is the trend in states like Haryana, Maharashtra, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.
But Punjab has shown an altogether different trend. Despite the fact that Punjab has the maximum per capita income (as per 2001 data), after Goa, the Punjabi's love for the bicycle has not gone down. Almost every second occupied household in Punjab has a minimum of one bicycle.
The high density of non-motorised mode of transportation proves that Punjab is moving ahead as far as ecologically sustainable development is concerned. \n\u003cp\>In Punjab, there are 1,257 cycle users for every 10,000 persons while in Haryana, it is just 835 users per 10,000 people. \n\u003cp\>A research conducted by Urja Purash of Uttarakhand Dr Bhupinder Singh, a retired professor at IIT Roorkee, reveals that to burn one litre of fuel, 15.2 kg of air from the atmosphere is needed. \n\u003cp\>Based on this, if we consider the average daily length of a cyclist's trip as 5-6 km in a day; then one cycle user is saving half a litre of fuel and 7.6 kg of fresh air. Therefore, the high density of cycle users in the state is also contributing to the preservation of environment a daily basis. \n\u003cp\>Other states, which have a lower but comparable result in terms of cycle density, are Orissa, Uttar Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. It is so because of lower per capita income, between Rs 5000 to Rs 7000 per annum, as modes of motorised transport can be an expensive affair. Punjab is equally attracted to other modes of motorised transport but here, bicycle has not been ignored by the people. Cycling is a simple way towards improving public health. With more people taking to bicycles to commute, communities experience reduced traffic snarls, improvement in air quality and greater physical fitness, all beneficial to people.

The high density of non-motorised mode of transportation proves that Punjab is moving ahead as far as ecologically sustainable development is concerned.
In Punjab, there are 1,257 cycle users for every 10,000 persons while in Haryana, it is just 835 users per 10,000 people.
A research conducted by Urja Purash of Uttarakhand Dr Bhupinder Singh, a retired professor at IIT Roorkee, reveals that to burn one litre of fuel, 15.2 kg of air from the atmosphere is needed.
Based on this, if we consider the average daily length of a cyclist's trip as 5-6 km in a day; then one cycle user is saving half a litre of fuel and 7.6 kg of fresh air. Therefore, the high density of cycle users in the state is also contributing to the preservation of environment a daily basis.
Other states, which have a lower but comparable result in terms of cycle density, are Orissa, Uttar Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. It is so because of lower per capita income, between Rs 5000 to Rs 7000 per annum, as modes of motorised transport can be an expensive affair.
Punjab is equally attracted to other modes of motorised transport but here, bicycle has not been ignored by the people.
Cycling is a simple way towards improving public health. With more people taking to bicycles to commute, communities experience reduced traffic snarls, improvement in air quality and greater physical fitness, all beneficial to people.