Parvez Damania and Ratan Luth bring you amazing pictures of Pandharpur Wari through the lenses of renowned photographers in India titled The Great Pilgrimage Pandharpur

परवेझ दमानिया आणि रतन लुथ हे भारतातील प्रख्यात छायाचित्रकारांच्या लेन्समधून पंढरपूर वारीची अप्रतिम छायाचित्रे ‘द ग्रेट पिलग्रिमेज, पंढरपूर’ या नावाने घेऊन आले आहेत

मुंबई- ८०० वर्षांच्या श्रद्धेची परंपरा असलेली पंढरपूरची वारी केवळ भारतातच नव्हे तर जगभरात प्रसिद्ध आहे. या श्रद्धेची परंपरा असलेल्या वारीत राज्यभरातील दहा लाखांहून अधिक वारकरी दरवर्षी पावसाळ्याच्या सुरुवातीला २१ दिवसांहून अधिक काळ पायी चालत पंढरपुरच्या विठुमाऊलीच्या मंदिरात पोहोचतात. गांधी टोप्या घातलेले पुरुष, डोक्यावर तुळस असलेल्या कुंड्या घेतलेल्या, रंगीबेरंगी साड्या नेसलेल्या स्त्रिया, दिंड्यांचे नेतृत्व करणारे शूर घोडे, भगवे झेंडे, पालख्या, वीणा, मृदंग, ढोलकी आणि चिपळ्यांचा भक्तिपूर्ण आवाज, फुगडीची उर्जा. पांडुरंगाची भेट होणार या आनंदात ऊन-पावसाची तमा न करता नाचत, गाणी म्हणत पंढरपूरला जाणाऱ्या, रस्त्याने जाताना मोसमातील बिया रस्त्यावर पेरून प्रवास करणाऱ्या साध्या-सोप्या लोकांची अशी ही पंढरपुरची वारी अनेकांच्या आकर्षणाचा विषय आहे.

जात-पात, पंथ, श्रीमंत-गरीब असा काहीही भेद न करता सगळे भक्त केवळ विठुरायाच्या दर्शनासाठी पंढरपुरकडे कूच करीत असतात. अशा या वारकऱ्यांचा हा प्रवास यापूर्वी अनेक छायाचित्रकारांनी कॅमेऱ्यात कैद केलेला आहेच. पण हा संपूर्ण प्रवास फार कमी वेळा छायाचित्रकारांनी कव्हर केलेला आहे.

परोपकारी आणि कला संग्राहक परवेझ दमानिया आणि रतन लथ, देशभरातील नामवंत छायाचित्रकारांच्या लेन्समधून अप्रतिम छायाचित्रांच्या माध्यमातून पंढरपूरच्या वारीचा संपूर्ण प्रवास दाखवणारे ‘द ग्रेट पिलग्रिमेज, पंढरपूर’ नावाने एक प्रदर्शन भरवत आहेत.

 

“वारी हा पृथ्वीवरील सर्वात प्राचीन आणि शक्तिशाली भक्तीमय प्रवास आहे.  काही वर्षांपूर्वी मी वारीचा प्रवास केला आणि मंत्रमुग्ध झालो. त्या मंत्रमुग्ध क्षणांना सोबत घेऊनच मी घरी आलो. मी सतत वारीबाबतच विचार करू लागलो होतो. मग मी याबाबत रतन लथ यांच्याशी बोललो आणि आम्ही वारीबाबत काय करता येईल याचा विचार सुरु केला. तेव्हाच वारीच्या फोटोंचे प्रदर्शन भरवावे असे आम्हाला वाटले आणि आम्ही त्यादृष्टीने प्रयत्न सुरु केले. आमच्या सुदैवाने आम्हाला सर्वोत्कृष्ट छायाचित्रकारांची एक टीम मिळाली आणि ही छायाचित्रे समोर आणता आली.” असे परवेझ दमानिया यांनी या प्रवासामागील माहिती देताना सांगितले.

प्रख्यात छायाचित्रकार पद्मश्री सुधारक ओलवे, लेन्समन शंतनू दास, महेश लोणकर, पुबारूण बसू, मुकुंद पारके, सौरभ भाटीकर, डॉ. सावन गांधी, प्रणव देव, राहुल गोडसे आणि धनेश्वर विद्या यांच्यासह सिम्बायोसिसचे प्रा. नितीन जोशी, दीपक भोसले आणि शिवम हरमळकर यांनी नामवंत छायाचित्रकारांची एक टीम तयार केली. या टीमने वारकऱ्यांच्या श्रद्धा, दंतकथा, इतिहास आणि परंपरा यांचे हे कालातीत क्षण कॅमेऱ्यात कैद केले. भक्तीरसाची ही झेप यशस्वी व्हावी म्हणून महाराष्ट्र सरकारच्या पर्यटन मंत्रालयाने या उपक्रमाला सहकार्य केले.

२१ दिवसांची पदयात्रा हा काही सोपा प्रवास नाही आणि वारकऱ्यांच्या श्रद्धेची झेप पकडण्याची ही छायाचित्रे काढण्याची यात्राही सोपी नव्हती. उपलब्ध सूर्यप्रकाश किंवा संधीप्रकाशात वारकऱ्यांचे खरे मूड टिपणे सोपे नव्हते. वारकऱ्यांना पोज देण्यासही सांगू शकत नव्हतो. त्यांची प्रत्येक गोष्ट कॅमेऱ्यात टिपणे म्हणजे एक आव्हान होते आणि मानसिक कणखरपणाचा कस लागत होता. या छायाचित्रकारांनी या सर्व गोष्टींवर मात करीत वारीची अप्रतिम छायाचित्रे काढली आहेत. ही फोटो डॉक्युमेंटरी वारकऱ्यांचा प्रत्येक क्षण लोकांसमोर सादर करणारी आहे.” असेही दमानिया यांनी सांगितले.

परवेझ दमानिया आणि रतन लथ यांनी महाराष्ट्र सरकारच्या पर्यटन संचालनालयाच्या संयुक्त विद्यमाने तयार केलेले ‘द ग्रेट पिलग्रिमेज – पंढरपूर’ हे प्रदर्शन २७ ते ३० सप्टेंबर रोजी सकाळी १० ते रात्री ८ या कालावधीत पिरामल गॅलरी ऑफ फोटोग्राफी, एनसीपीए येथे सुरु होणार आहे.

परवेझ दमानिया आणि रतन लुथ हे भारतातील प्रख्यात छायाचित्रकारांच्या लेन्समधून पंढरपूर वारीची अप्रतिम छायाचित्रे ‘द  ग्रेट पिलग्रिमेज, पंढरपूर’  या नावाने घेऊन आले आहेत

 

Parvez Damania Transforms Passionate Photographers Into Pandharpur Pilgrims With Purpose This World Tourism Day

This World Tourism Day, Art collector Parvez Damania and Ratan Luth bring to you a fabulous photographic capture of the Pandharpur Wari through the lens of some of India’s most acclaimed photographers titled ‘The Great Pilgrimage- Pandharpur’

The Pandharpur Wari boasts of an 800-year-old tradition of faith with over a million pilgrims or Warkaris travelling every year on the onset of monsoon for over 21 days on foot to reach the Vithoba temple.  One witnesses men in Gandhi caps, women in colourful saris with tulsi pots on their heads, gallant horses leading the dindis,  saffron flags, palkis,  the devout sound of veena, mridanga, dholki and chipli, the energy of the fugdi – the beauty of simple people travelling after sowing the seeds for the season  dancing and singing their way to Pandharpur on foot braving the sun and the rains in joy to meet Lord Panduranga.

This flow of humanity in an unparalleled pilgrimage that breaks the barriers of caste, creed, rich and poor, may have been covered in parts but never in its entirety by photojournalists.

 Art collectors Parvez Damania and Ratan Luth bring to you a fabulous photographic capture of the Pandharpur Wari through the lens of some of India’s most acclaimed photographers titled ‘The Great Pilgrimage – Pandharpur’.

“The Wari is one of the most ancient and powerful pilgrimages on Earth. I travelled the Wari a few years back and brought home the mesmeric moments. They haunted my mind and I spoke to Ratan Luth and together we got a team of the best photographers, and walked with the photographers on foot for ten days to capture the essence of the Wari,” elaborates Parvez Damania.

Revered photojournalist Padma Shri Sudharak Olwe, ace Lensmen Shantanu Das, Mahesh Lonkar, Pubarun Basu, Mukund Parke, Saurabh Bhatikar, Dr. Sawan Gandhi, Pranav Deo, Rahul Godse and Dhaneshwar Vidya, along with Prof Nitin Joshi, Deepak Bhosle and Shivam Harmalkar from Symbiosis University formed the team that captured these timeless moments of faith, legend, history and tradition of the Warikars in their frozen frames. The Ministry of Tourism, Government of Maharashtra joined hands to make this leap of faith possible.

The 21-day Padyatra is no easy journey and the yatra to capture the Warkaris’ leap of faith was no easy journey either. “The colourful adventure made each of us mentally strong and fearless but the images that allowed real emotions to come through with the absence of posing and in available light have created an amazing photodocumentary that captures people living every moment,” elaborates Damania.

‘The Great Pilgrimage – Pandharpur’, curated by Parvez Damania and Ratan Luth in association with the Directorate of Tourism, Government of Maharashtra, is on at the Piramal Gallery of Photography as an Art Form, NCPA, from September 28- 30, 10am to 8pm. The launch will be on World Tourism Day, September 27 evening at the gallery.

Parvez Damania Transforms Passionate Photographers Into Pandharpur Pilgrims With Purpose  This World Tourism Day

Social Events In A Friend In Need Group In Pune Mumbai Rocks In Mumbai

Hello this is Madhu Vohra who is running 2 successful groups in Mumbai and pune in the name of a friend in need and Mumbai rocks which is a social networking platform with lot of professionals and has lot of activities like karoke,  fashion show, house party, social work, business meet, sports,travel and meet ups and gettogether. We encourage more people to join and make our group rocking.

 We do for ppl all over India  too online and offline meet up. Very soon we will start all over the world. Those wanting to join r welcome. Group is for everyone. This is a good platform to bring a smile on people’s face.  You connect with like minded people and make friends for lifetime. 

Our group is a family. People of all ages can join. We all respect each other and are neutral and cordial with everyone. We have a ladies group too where we plan events specially for ladies. Those wanting to join contact madhu at 9372436797 or email at vohra.inder@gmail.com.  This group is running successfully for 8 years.

Social Events In A Friend In Need Group In Pune Mumbai Rocks In Mumbai

Anjum Rizvi – Raghavendra N and Riju Bajaj Trilingual Jai Hind on India’s Forgotten Hero Chempakaraman Pillai on Aug 15

If you ever wondered where the term Jai Hind came up, you need to watch this biopic announced on the life of freedom fighter Chempakaraman Pillai.

On the occasion of India’s 75th Independence Day,  Anjum Rizvi Film Co, Anuraag Entertainment and Lifft India Studios announces  Jai Hind, an international feature film in English, a biopic on the life of Dr. Chempakaraman Pillai, the political activist and revolutionary who coined the slogan “Jai Hind”.

Dr. Chempakaraman Pillai conceived the term “Jai Hind” in 1907, which was adopted as the slogan of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose’s Indian National Army in the 1940s at the suggestion of Abid Hasan Safrani. After India’s independence, Jai Hind emerged as the national slogan of India, being widely used in the nation’s forces today.

After the outbreak of the First World War, Pillai founded the International Pro-India Committee in Zürich. He later merged it with the Berlin Committee, which became the guiding and controlling institution for all pro-Indian revolutionary activities in Europe, contributing to India’s independence.

Pillai was the only one who dared to demand a written apology from Adolf Hitler for his derogatory comments on Indians at that time.

However, even the name Chempakaraman Pillai seems unknown to most Indians today.

The film Jai Hind, based on true events of India’s freedom movement centering around Champakaraman Pillai and other forgotten luminaries, is written and directed by the internationally acclaimed, international award winning director Rajesh Touchriver.

While the main language of this movie will be English, it will also be released in Hindi and other major Indian languages including Tamil.

Anjum Rizvi, Raghavendra N and Riju Bajaj are producing Jai Hind under their banners Anjum Rizvi Film Co, Anuraag Entertainment and Lifft India Studios respectively.

Anjum Rizvi – Raghavendra N and Riju Bajaj Trilingual Jai Hind on India’s Forgotten Hero Chempakaraman Pillai on Aug 15

ICMEI Mahatma Gandhi National Award for Rami Ranger

Noida: it was an extension of the numerous programs designed by International Chamber of Media and Entertainment Industry to celebrate the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav on the occasion of 75^th Independence Day of India at Marwah Studios, Film City Noida when Lord Rami Ranger was invited to the International Headquarters to address the members of the Chamber.  

“We are proud to have with us a distinguished personality from London-House of Lords of British Parliament-Lord Rami Ranger who is a real case study for the people who want to do something in life. From Nothing To Everything: The Inspiring Autobiography of Struggle & Success of Lord Rami Ranger speaks everything about him,” introduced Dr. Sandeep Marwah President of Marwah Studios & ICMEI.  

On this very auspicious day We are pleased to honour him with Mahatma Gandhi National Award for promoting Gandhi’s Ideology in the World. I on behalf of Mahatma Gandhi Forum & International Chamber of Media and Entertainment Industry present this award for his untiring contribution,” added Marwah also Chancellor of AAFT University.  

Rami Ranger was nominated for a life peerage and a seat in the House of Lords in Thersea May’s resignation honours.  Ranger is the Chairman of Sun Mark Ltd and Sea Air & Land Forwarding Ltd. He was awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of West London in July 2016. He was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire in the 2005 Birthday Honours for services to business and the Asian community, and made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire  (CBE) in the 2016 New Year Honours for services to business and community cohesion.  

“I am more than happy to receive this prestigious award on my visit to New Delhi during the celebrations of 75^th Independence year of India. Nothing can be more powerful and energetic than this award. I am thankful to International Media Leader Dr. Marwah for this touching gesture,” said Lord Rami Ranger while accepting the award. 

Prominent BJP leader Anand Sahu, Veteran Journalist Kumar Rakesh, A thinker, writer & public speaker on democracy Jitendra Kumar Ojha,  and there were many more people who attended the function. 

ICMEI Mahatma Gandhi National Award for Rami Ranger