City’s date with Rajinikanth
Superstar Rajinikanth had a date with Lucknow to shoot for his untitled film. The city witnessed unprecedented security arrangements for the ‘Robot’ star. Directed by Karthik Subbaraj, the film also stars Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Vijay Sethupati and Trisha who will join the shoot in a few days. The film has Simran Bagga as the leading lady. The team will shoot for two months in Lucknow, Varanasi and Sonebhadra. The Lucknow leg is itself of over 30-40 days. A special security ring was created for the star-politician, who was provided a police escort.
Light of literacy
The ambience is, of course, unlike any hospital. But, inside the King George’s Medical University’s paediatric department is a colourful room that turns into a classroom for the kids undergoing cancer medication. While doctors attend to the medical needs, 21-year-old Akriti, who herself has undergone treatment here, is spreading the light of literacy in the life of these hapless kids, a majority of whom comes from a rural background and poor families. “The idea is to make these kids literate,” says Akriti. The concept is not to teach them what they do not know but make them revise what they learned in schools they were in. “It helps making them feel normal.”
Royal procession
Hundreds of Shia Muslims gathered at Bada Imambara to be a part of the royal procession to commemorate the martyrdom of Imam Husain, Prophet Mohammad’s grandson, and his 72 companions in Karbala in 680 AD. The old city was turned into a fortress with tight security arrangements as Moharram and Ganesh Chaturthi coincided. The procession was taken out from Bada Imambada. Similarly, the seventh, eighth, ninth and 10th day of Moharram too would witness massive processions at several points in the city.
Divine shapes
As the Muharram approaches, divinity starts taking shapes and descends in the form of Tazias. It’s an annual feature which presents a unique fusion of solemnity, dedication and exquisite craftsmanship. The makers, of course, race against time to complete their work at Rauza-e-Kazmain in Old Lucknow, two days before the Islamic month of Muharram which began on Wednesday. The markets are bustling with activity as makeshift shops have mushroomed in the old city areas displaying colourful ‘tazias’, a replica of Imam Hussain’s mausoleum in Iraq.
Not happy with Sec 377 verdict
Muslim outfits are angry with the Supreme Court’s verdict on Section 377 of IPC. All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) has come out in the open against the verdict decriminalising homosexuality. Jamiat-e-Ulema Hind and UP Shia Central Waqf Board termed homosexuality a crime and against the ‘law of the nature.’ These outfits find the apex court order against the essence of Indian culture and its ethos.
Namita Bajpai
Our correspondent in Uttar Pradesh
namita.bajpai@newindianexpress