Latest news with #Bundeli
Time of India
17-07-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
Women's Hockey Tournament begins in Jhansi, 12 teams compete
Jhansi : The All India Invitational Prize Money Women's Hockey Tournament kicked off with at the Major Dhyan Chand Astroturf Hockey Stadium on Thursday. Organised under the aegis of Hockey India, New Delhi, in collaboration with Uttar Pradesh Hockey and the district administration, the tournament features 12 top women's teams from across the country. The event was inaugurated by Jhansi-Lalitpur MP Anurag Sharma, who was joined by Divisional Commissioner Bimal Kumar Dubey and other dignitaries. In his address, the MP welcomed the teams to the historic land of Rani Laxmibai and hockey legend Dhyan Chand. A traditional Bundeli folk dance, performed by local students, set the tone for the cultural welcome. Regional Sports Officer Suresh Bonkar briefed the dignitaries about the tournament format and the participating teams. The tournament will continue in the coming days, showcasing the rising talent and competitive spirit of women's hockey in India.
New Indian Express
15-07-2025
- Health
- New Indian Express
Alha folk music, snake-and-ladder game part of snakebite awareness campaign in Madhya Pradesh
BHOPAL: A folk ballad narrating the tales of two legendary warriors, Alha and Udal, has now been adapted as an educational supplement to teach villagers in Madhya Pradesh's Bundelkhand region how to prevent and treat snake bites to save lives. As heavy rains cause snakes to slither into human settlements, the South Panna division of MP Forest Department has taken this innovative approach to prevent fatalities caused by snakebites. The culturally resonant folk song composed and sung in the traditional Bundelkhandi narrative (valorous storytelling) style of 'Alha' has been penned by noted poet Dr Suresh Srivastava 'Saurabh.' The song conveys vital information in simple Bundeli lingo about the risks of snakebite, preventive measures and timely-appropriate anti-venom medical treatment (within 3 golden hours from the snakebite). The song particularly educates snakebite victims to rush for medical treatment instead of approaching the tantriks (faith healers for treatment). The specially composed song's audio version will be disseminated widely through the village forest committees and social media platforms to ensure that it reaches the remotest and vulnerable communities effectively. 'Alha is a very popular folk music genre across the Bundelkhand region. By blending local folk music with modern awareness messaging, this public outreach initiative aims to adequately educate people and minimise incidents of snakebites and associated deaths. Our campaign stands as an exemplary model of how traditional art forms can be harnessed for life-saving awareness and public health communication in rural India,' DFO-South Panna Forest Division Anupam Sharma told TNIE on Tuesday. But it's not just the storytelling power and emotive connect of Alha folk music which is being used by the South Panna Forest Division (spread in 1.80 lakh hectares dense forest area) to educate people about snake bites.
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
19-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Business Standard
In plain language: Few small players shaping streaming biz beyond Hindi
The hope is to expand it to 18 languages or dialects, including Maithili, Bundeli, Awadhi and Marathi, over the next five years Vanita Kohli Khandekar Pune Listen to This Article Kaand 2010 is based on the caste violence that rocked Mirchpur, Haryana, that year. To watch this Haryanvi series, streaming on Stage, you have to first pay ₹399 for a three-month subscription, and answer this multiple choice question: 'What is your culture?' The options are Haryanvi, Bhojpuri, and Rajasthani – the three languages in which Stage claims to offer about 600 hours of programming currently. The hope is to expand it to 18 languages or dialects, including Maithili, Bundeli, Awadhi and Marathi, over the next five years, says the OTT platform's cofounder and Chief Executive Officer Vinay Singhal.
Time of India
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
India is witnessing a cultural revival: folk singer Malini Awasthi
Hema Sharma Turns Heads at Airport Folk songs that have been buried for years are now making a comeback just like old traditions, says renowned singer Malini Awasthi , who has worked for years on documenting and popularising the genre in India and beyond. The Padma Shri awardee , a classically trained musician, is famous for her mastery over folk songs in dialects such as Braj, Bundeli, Awadhi, Bhojpuri and Kashika - a mix of Bhojpuri and Hindi spoken in can easily traverse through complicated classical ragas, ghazals and songs in folk traditions like kajri, chaiti, dadra, phaag and sohar."I feel very happy that folk songs that were buried for years -- songs that people knew but weren't sung anymore -- are now being listened to around the world... Folk songs are an integral part of our culture and carry the memory of our people. For example, if you go to villages, every wedding has at least 50 different kinds of songs connected to its rituals."India is witnessing a cultural revival and old traditions are being accepted again and that's true for folk songs as well. Fame, money, work -- that's ok but the satisfaction that you get when your purpose is fulfilled is different," Awasthi told PTI in an singer, 58, started at a time when the scene was dominated by vulgar songs, especially in Bhojpuri. And it has taken her four decades to establish an alternate identity as the folk queen of India, she said."Our language has given us so much respect and dignity, and yet, some artists turned it into something vulgar. People who didn't know the depth of the language would judge it based on just these songs. My competition was with a kind of singing where women were more often seen as products."But what I was doing was different - I was singing about farming, songs related to sowing and harvesting seasons, about rains and lack of it, songs that children sing when they play, songs about childbirth and festivals. That took time to change."Awasthi, who has sung only a limited number of Bollywood songs despite many offers over the years, said it was hard to resist the temptation."Who doesn't like to sing for films? But the strength to say no -- that the lyrics are not good enough, so I won't sing it -- that kind of strength in a singer is rare. Most performers don't think too much. They feel, 'It's just a song and it does not matter how it is shot.' But I drew a line."Growing up in a family of doctors in Kannauj, Uttar Pradesh, Awasthi said she always had a fondness for music and her mother, though not a singer, recognised her talent early."And that was such a blessing. She encouraged me a lot - I was around five or six years old and started learning classical music under the guidance of Ustaad Rahat Ali Khan sahab. There was a beautiful musical atmosphere father, a doctor, would often be visited by Bhojpuri-speaking patients and a young Malini would pick up the dialects from them."So when I sing classical music, ghazals - and especially when I sing folk songs - it all flows naturally."Awasthi said she slowly veered towards folk music despite her classical training as she realised that while people loved her rendition of classical songs, she would see their eyes change when she sang folk started performing professionally from the age of 19 that gave her a sense of independence from an early age -- whether it was opening her own bank account, earning money or performing with seniors."I learned to read audiences: what they liked, what they didn't understand, when they were with you and when they weren't. That was tremendous training," she said, adding that her pace slowed a bit with marriage, kids and responsibilities but she never let the music that's why, she has learned to keep pace with times when it comes to technology."If I want the younger generation, glued to phones and screens, to listen to old songs, I have to be tech-friendly. Whether that's social media or uploading songs to YouTube - I had to evolve."Awasthi said she never prepared a list for the songs that she performs at concerts. They all are dictated by audience demand."Our gurus told us to memorise everything because in times of need, the diary won't help... As I gained experience and could read audiences better, I learned that it's both easier and more challenging to flow with them. That confidence only comes when you have 200-300 songs ready in your memory bank.""I believe music - especially folk music - should flow like a pure, natural stream. It needs a heart and mind, not a script or a notebook."What's the next goal for her now? Teaching and documentation of folk is her reply."These traditions shouldn't disappear. Yes, they are in books, but we need documentation of 'surs' too. That's why I do workshops every year. We teach folk songs... many married women see me performing regularly, and they realise they too can have a career in music and live a life beyond family," said singer runs non-profit organisation Sonchiraiya, which is dedicated to promoting and preserving Indian folk and tribal said when she is singing in a foreign country be it South Korea or Spain, she always tries to convey the emotion behind the folk song that she is about to perform through an interpreter and sometimes on her own in English.
Hindustan Times
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
India is witnessing a cultural revival: folk singer Malini Awasthi
New Delhi, Folk songs that have been buried for years are now making a comeback just like old traditions, says renowned singer Malini Awasthi, who has worked for years on documenting and popularising the genre in India and beyond. India is witnessing a cultural revival: folk singer Malini Awasthi The Padma Shri awardee, a classically trained musician, is famous for her mastery over folk songs in dialects such as Braj, Bundeli, Awadhi, Bhojpuri and Kashika - a mix of Bhojpuri and Hindi spoken in Varanasi. She can easily traverse through complicated classical ragas, ghazals and songs in folk traditions like kajri, chaiti, dadra, phaag and sohar. "I feel very happy that folk songs that were buried for years songs that people knew but weren't sung anymore are now being listened to around the world... Folk songs are an integral part of our culture and carry the memory of our people. For example, if you go to villages, every wedding has at least 50 different kinds of songs connected to its rituals. "India is witnessing a cultural revival and old traditions are being accepted again and that's true for folk songs as well. Fame, money, work that's ok but the satisfaction that you get when your purpose is fulfilled is different," Awasthi told PTI in an interview. The singer, 58, started at a time when the scene was dominated by vulgar songs, especially in Bhojpuri. And it has taken her four decades to establish an alternate identity as the folk queen of India, she said. "Our language has given us so much respect and dignity, and yet, some artists turned it into something vulgar. People who didn't know the depth of the language would judge it based on just these songs. My competition was with a kind of singing where women were more often seen as products. "But what I was doing was different - I was singing about farming, songs related to sowing and harvesting seasons, about rains and lack of it, songs that children sing when they play, songs about childbirth and festivals. That took time to change." Awasthi, who has sung only a limited number of Bollywood songs despite many offers over the years, said it was hard to resist the temptation. "Who doesn't like to sing for films? But the strength to say no that the lyrics are not good enough, so I won't sing it that kind of strength in a singer is rare. Most performers don't think too much. They feel, 'It's just a song and it does not matter how it is shot.' But I drew a line." Growing up in a family of doctors in Kannauj, Uttar Pradesh, Awasthi said she always had a fondness for music and her mother, though not a singer, recognised her talent early. "And that was such a blessing. She encouraged me a lot — I was around five or six years old and started learning classical music under the guidance of Ustaad Rahat Ali Khan sahab. There was a beautiful musical atmosphere around. Her father, a doctor, would often be visited by Bhojpuri-speaking patients and a young Malini would pick up the dialects from them. "So when I sing classical music, ghazals — and especially when I sing folk songs — it all flows naturally.' Awasthi said she slowly veered towards folk music despite her classical training as she realised that while people loved her rendition of classical songs, she would see their eyes change when she sang folk songs. She started performing professionally from the age of 19 that gave her a sense of independence from an early age whether it was opening her own bank account, earning money or performing with seniors. "I learned to read audiences: what they liked, what they didn't understand, when they were with you and when they weren't. That was tremendous training," she said, adding that her pace slowed a bit with marriage, kids and responsibilities but she never let the music go. And that's why, she has learned to keep pace with times when it comes to technology. "If I want the younger generation, glued to phones and screens, to listen to old songs, I have to be tech-friendly. Whether that's social media or uploading songs to YouTube — I had to evolve.' Awasthi said she never prepared a list for the songs that she performs at concerts. They all are dictated by audience demand. "Our gurus told us to memorise everything because in times of need, the diary won't help... As I gained experience and could read audiences better, I learned that it's both easier and more challenging to flow with them. That confidence only comes when you have 200-300 songs ready in your memory bank.' "I believe music — especially folk music — should flow like a pure, natural stream. It needs a heart and mind, not a script or a notebook.' What's the next goal for her now? Teaching and documentation of folk is her reply. "These traditions shouldn't disappear. Yes, they are in books, but we need documentation of 'surs' too. That's why I do workshops every year. We teach folk songs... many married women see me performing regularly, and they realise they too can have a career in music and live a life beyond family," said Awasthi. The singer runs non-profit organisation Sonchiraiya, which is dedicated to promoting and preserving Indian folk and tribal arts. Awasthi said when she is singing in a foreign country be it South Korea or Spain, she always tries to convey the emotion behind the folk song that she is about to perform through an interpreter and sometimes on her own in English. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
