Looking beyond obvious

Pankaj Gupta is Lucknow’s eminent painter whose work has truly depicted the aspiration of the city and its people. It is difficult to assign a genre to Pankaj’s paintings. Each frame springs up a new surprise. Vibrant colors, fine lines almost resembling carvings and lithographs, sometimes whirlpool of aqua and pastel shades and sometimes inspired by folk arts. Pen work or ink work strikes one as his expertise.

What is important is that his paintings are never untitled. He paints about issues closer to his heart.

Several of his paintings related to social issues are displayed all across the country and have won him appreciation and recognition.

 Pankaj’s paintings on HIV awareness, protecting girl child (vasudha), victims of Tsunami (the blue fire), for autistic children, LGBT rights (manthan mann ki uljhan),  plight of widows of Benaras and the rich heritage of Lucknow (ateet ke ghungroo) have received recognition throughout the nation and abroad. Pankaj has also had solo exhibitions in South Africa, Germany and Dubai.

How did the journey begin? In the days when art was not considered as a profession was it a difficult? Pankaj says right from the beginning he had no doubt in his mind even in the childhood that he wanted to be an artist. I looked at life with a perspective that others could not. “People thought I was odd to pursue a profession which then had a limited scope but I was determined. My father opposed but my mother stood by  and encouraged me.” Pankaj trained himself spending hours learning about shades and effects created by his imagination and the palette. In 2004, he had his first solo exhibition in Lucknow. The theme of this exhibition was ‘Life in Rajasthan.’

When asked how he chooses his theme, Pankaj says that it is a meditative process. “From hundreds of thoughts crossing one’s mind one chooses a theme just like one explores the deep sea to draw out the pearls.

 “I am inspired by nature, ceremonial rituals, people in relation to their culture and environment. The primary focus of my work is to create awareness. My paintings speak on issues and subjects that people see but are shy, indifferent or afraid to voice.

Pankaj draws inspiration from life, from its myriad aspects both beautiful and jarring. “I take immense pleasure in celebrating cultural differences. Like I mentioned earlier, portraying social issues on the canvas, the fact that I can in some way bring awareness and change inspires me,” he says.

For beginners, Pankaj has a piece of advice, “The quality of an artist, his temperament, his perception to look beyond the obvious is inborn. It is a gift of the Almighty. It cannot be acquired. Though it is an out of the box profession, if you are good you will also get recognition and monetary benefits. Once you have decided to make art your career, there are many good courses to opt from.”

Apart from painting, Pankaj is a skilled sculptor, ardent gardener who delights in nurturing bonsai plants, social activist and a writer. He calls himself a communicator who shows the mirror to the society.

When asked whether he rates himself as a successful painter, he says, “If the artist paints and the viewer perceives it with the same eye, the purpose of art is accomplished. I think I have achieved it, so I am successful!”

People must follow rules by habit

 It must have boosted the sagging image of the Uttar Pradesh, that on December 31, New Year’s eve, no untoward incident, either of drunken or rash driving or eve teasing was reported from the city. In an exclusive interview with The Lucknow Tribune, SP traffic, Gyan Prakash Chaturvedi, speaks about the efforts made to ensure an incident-free celebrations and their future plans

After putting up a good show on the December 31, the new SP traffic, Gyan PrakashChaturvedi is all geared to provide solutions to the traffic problems of the city.

 Taking over as SP Traffic as late as December 28, he had very little time to decide upon the plan of action for New Year’s Eve. When asked about the blue print he put forward for December 31, the SP said, “I made very stringent arrangements which included posting people armed with speed guns and breath analyser kits. Anybody flouting the rules were to be challaned irrespective of their position.”

According to Chaturvedi, more than 3000 people were issued challans between December 28 and December 31. Regular meetings with his police teams were held to understand and put in place a fool-proof system on New Year’s Eve. The police personnel also helped in the process of facilitating the traffic movement to help manage the heavy density of cars and two- wheelers.

Barricading near the LDA parking lots at Hazratganj, Lalbagh, Stadium and Saharaganj was done and no vehicles were allowed access. Even those keen on walking, were examined with the help of breath analysers which helped them to keep a check on the trouble makers who were under the influence of liquor.

Chaturvedi was all praise for his team comprising of  Circle Officers  Rajesh, Zafar, and Harendra. “The selfless efforts made by traffic inspectors Gopal and Devi Dayal were also commendable,” he said.                                          

On being asked about the future plan to spruce up traffic management in the city, he said, “Our effort would be educate the people about traffic rules. Challans are not a solution to the traffic problems. People do not want to learn, they keep on doing the same thing for which they are being challaned. They should be made aware of traffic rules and following them should come naturally to them. Then it becomes a habit.”

Giving an example, he said people who visit temples take their shoes off as this has become a habit and comes from within. The same should be with traffic rules, saidChaturvedi.   

The SP traffic informed that a series of measures were being taken to streamline the traffic system of Lucknow. A request for 70 CCTV cameras has already been forwarded to the government out of which 45 have been approved. The use of speed gun and implementation of traffic lights are being made compulsory.  

There are many challenges that Lucknow traffic police will have to face in future.Chaturvedi informs that once the plan to bring Metro in the city is executed, it will throw the traffic in total disarray. “If the railway over-bridge at the MG Marg is not completed till then, it would be a complete mess and make it very hard for the traffic police to manage the traffic. He has requested the authorities to first complete the work on railway-overbridge and then begin work on the metro.” Proper diversions will have to created before digging work for the metro begins, he said.

Chaturvedi said that his task was made easy by the support and confidence shown in him and his team by DIG Navneet Sikera, who himself was supervising the arrangements.             

I want to bring about a change: Sikera

Navneet Sikera,  DIG Lucknow Range is a truly  inspiring personality,  Belonging  to the 1996 batch of IPS,  Sikera apart from being in-charge of the range,  is also looking after the 1090 Women’s Power line.  Launched almost two years back by the Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav to protect women from sexual harassment, 1090 is a shining example of how an initiative can bring a change. In an exclusive interview with The Lucknow Tribune, Sikera talks about his life, challenges that he faces in his daily life and the vision he has for the police force.

 What are the challenges you face in your daily life?

  A cop’s life is full of challenges. The day starts with people waiting outside my house to meet me and I feel obliged to solve their problems and help in whichever way I can. As the day unfolds, the number of people seeking help keeps on growing. It is a satisfying job and I get a chance to associate  with people belonging to different strata of society and help them in whatever way possible.

  Recently you launched a drive against unauthorised use of red beacons. How successful has been this drive and what problems did you face while enforcing the Supreme Court order?

The drive has been very successful and is still continuing. There were certain problems at the outset, as an earlier order by the state government as to who can use the beacon was challenged by the Supreme Court and the new order by the state government is still pending. So, during checking we ensured that no unauthorised person was allowed to get away. We conducted raids thrice a day with a team of 50 personnel. The use of CCTV cameras came very handy as no one could complain of harassment or misbehaviour on part of the policemen.

 There is a perception that law and order situation in the city is not good. What is your take on that?

India is a developing country and there are needs and priorities of such a nation to provide its citizens with food, shelter, education and medical facilities. Security is last on the priority list but when in terms of importance it is first. Security is a costly affair which requires heavy investment and one needs to keep on investing with no returns. Though if you compare from the past years, dacoits and other gangsters have been eliminated and the focus is now on tackling cyber crime.

To improve policing in the city, around 800 cycles and 100 other vehicles are being inducted into the police force to beef up patrolling.

But do you think that given the present time when criminals are using sophisticated weapons and high- tech gadgets do you think that these 800 cycles can be of any help?

The idea is to increase mobility and help the constables and home guards who are patrolling in sensitive and remote areas of the city. There are places where even the motor-cycles are unable to go. It is in these areas that cycles will be of use. We are also providing sophisticated electronic gadgets to our police personnel. The training of the personnel is updated constantly to combat the new generation criminal.

What is the success rate of 1090? Has it made an impact and what results it has produced?

The total complaints of eve teasing from 1st January 2013 to 31st December 2013 registered were 2, 22,419 and altogether 2, 22,419 complaints were registered and 1, 42,112 problems were resolved all across Uttar Pradesh. Lucknow topped the list with 29,898 complaints.  Most victims of harassment were students (almost 50%) followed by 14% working women and 36% non working.  We started a campaign in various schools and colleges and spread the message “say NO to nonsense at the very first time itself.” We have planned to train and introduce a power angel in every class and group of the state. Our first mission has been very successful against the crank callers and now we aim at provide this power to women commuters in public transports or women in any corner of the city.

Are your goals achieved and what message do you want to give to the youth?

I never had a sense of achievement because as I achieved any goal, new goals emerged. I am still trying to achieve targets.  I like to connect with the youth and it is satisfying to work with them. I love to interact with them as it can help me understand their mind and their aspirations.  It is important for the youth to have a fire within. I joined the police service because I was inspired. An incident in my youth made me give up my ambition of becoming a software engineer and instead I become a police officer. A rough policeman, who insulted my father when I went to the police station, made me decide to join this profession. I wanted to bring a change so that no one suffers what I did. This is what drives me to perform.

KARAN SINGH

LUCKNOW: How little we care for our cultural heritage is evident from the manner in which the CDRI office damaged the over 300- year- old walls and frescoes at the Chattar Manzil where they were tenants for the last thirty years.

Nearly ten days ago, the Central Drug Research Institute (CDRI) which was housed in the Chattar Manzil, once the palace of Wajid Ali Shah, the King of Awadh, decided to shift to its new location on Sitapur road, electrical wires and other fitting and fixtures were removed in such a way that it left many parts of the Chattar Manzil, a heritage site protected under the ASI, damaged.

 This building designed by Major General Claude Martin and completed during the reign of two Nawabs in the 17^th century is a rare illustration of Mughal and European architecture. In 1920, Chattar Manzil was declared a protected monument by the ASI, but in 1950 it was handed over to the CDRI by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru.

   “India emerged as a free nation after the 200- year- old British regime. At that time least importance was given to heritage as other important issues like poverty, unemployment, education, development and security were topping the list. There were shortage of buildings at that time and thus the available ones were used regardless of their cultural heritage,” says Vipul Varshney,  architect and state convenor of INTACT.

       The porch of the imperial building had fallen 2 years back but no efforts were made to rebuild it. The ruckus started when CDRI sought to expand the building in order to open another  laboratory. This move was objected to by the directorate of U.P. State Archaeology on the grounds that the monument was an  ASI protected building.

 Finally CDRI was given space in Jankipuram area of the city but during the process of shifting from Chattar Manzil, no efforts were made by either the CDRI or State Archaeology Department to supervise the process of shifting. Electrical wires and other fitting and fixtures were ripped off the ancient walls in such a way that it left many parts of the Chattar manzil, damaged and the windows and plaster smashed. Wherever the installations of CDRI were found, they were torn off  mindlessly.

 PK Singh Dy. Director State Archaeology Department told this newspaper, “combined inspections of the monument are being done by CDRI and Archaeology Department teams to find out the extent of  damage and then do the needful”. Singh said that they arranged for the funds and a special team has been appointed to find the old pictures and blue prints so that the grand building should be brought back in its original form. It would take a time period of another one month when the building would be finally in our custody. “Our aim would be to give this building back to the people of Lucknow in its original form within a year”.    

Says Varshney, “the conservation architect should design the layout in such a way that it should be in perfect harmony with the past. The additional material added and colour combination should be in symmetry”.   Generating revenue from the site should also be an important concern because that will help in maintaining the heritage. Suggestions have been made to transform the building into a cultural hub. This will even help in raising revenue for the upkeep of the building. The building can also be used for showcasing the rich cultural heritage of the city of Lucknow like basant utsav, aam utsav, book shows and music festivals on kajri and thumri etc.

 Meanwhile,  Ministry of Culture is ready to sign a memorandum with the government of France for restoration of Chattar Manzil. The process is in its final stage. A meeting with the French delegates involving the stakeholders, conservationist, developers, technical experts from IIT's and government officials will be held in February to conserve the legacy which has a speck of French history too.