Delhi Literature Festival 2019, the three days Literature Festival held at Dilli Haat

The Delhi Literature Festival was organised from 8-10th February, the seventh edition of three days Festival at the Dilli Haat, INA. The Delhi Literature Festival 2019 was inaugurated by Rashmi Singh IAS, Secretary, NDMC in the presence of Sangeeta Bahadur, Author Kaal Trilogy and Indian Ambassador to Belarus, Dilip Pandey, Author & Member, Sahitya Kala Parishad, Bharati Bhargava, Founder Director of Delhi Literature Festival along with Rama Pandey known TV & Theatre personality.

The Festival started in the afternoon by a live performance of Charag-e-Harf by the Writer’s hub from Lucknow, followed by the session on Your Prime Minister is Dead (Vitasta Publishing)  by author Anuj Dhar followed by the next session onPadmavat- An Epic Love Story (Rupa Publications) by Purushottam Agarwal in conversation with Dr.Babli Moitra Saraf.

The evening session was on the popular book Bihar Diaries(Penguin Random House) by Amit Lodha IPS in conversation with Parull Mahaajan Advisor Delhi Literature Festival, followed by A Tribute to late Amrita Pritam- with panel discussion with Lavleen Thadani renowned Film & Theatre Personality, Laxmi Shankar Bajpai, Eminent Poet along with Sumit Mishra, Eminent Poet. The Session was presented by Palka Grover, Advisor Delhi Literature Festival.

The Second day of the Festival started with the Art of Story Telling with Victor Ghose, Indian writer in the historical fiction genre as well as in the paranormal short story genre, most notably the Eric Roy stories: The Job Charnock Riddle in 2016 and the Tomb of God (to be published in 2019) along with live performance on guitar followed by a Session on Hindi literature with acclaimed Hindi writers & poets including Maitreyi Pushpa, Anamika, Alpana Mishra in conversation with Prem Bhardwaj, Editor, Paaki Magazine at Delhi Literature Festival was quite interesting. As they all were discussing the importance of Hindi Literature .

Parull Mahaajan with Amit Lodha

The evening session was full of Masala with Jonathan Gil Harris- Author of Masala Shakespeare (Rupa Publications) with Dr. Amna Mirza. Followed by a session on When History Meets Mystery- writing the Indian Historical Crime Fiction; Kaalkoot- The Lost Himalayan Secret (Treesahde Books) by S Venkatesh in conversation with Lipika Bhushan. The next session was on Infinite Variety, A History of Desire in India(Speaking Tree) by Madhavi Menon in conversation with Pallavi Rebbapragada, Author at First Post. The last session on Day two was “Kama- The Riddle of Desire” (Penguin Randomhouse) by Gurcharan Das in conversation with Rachna Sharma.

The third and concluding day of the Festival started with Sufiana Mushaira curated by Mridula Tandon, Sakshi NGO along with Shayar Azhar Iqbal, Taruna Mishra, TarkashPradip, Irfan Khan Sikandar, Meenakshi, Jijivisha and ZeeshanNiazi. Followed by the next session on Early Indians: The Story of Our Ancestors and Where We Came From (Juggernaut) by Tony Joseph in conversation with Dr.AmnaMirza. With the General Elections round the corner, in the evening the Festival, witnessed interactive session on topical subjects including the book “The Contenders- Who will lead India Tomorrow”(Simon and Schuster) by Priya Sahgal. The next Session on Mehr (Rupa Publications) by Sidhharth Gigoo in conversation with Samriddhi Goyal was quite engrossing and intense. And the Concluding Session of this year’s Festival on Ayodhya: City of Faith, City of Discord (Aleph Book Company) by Valay Singh in conversation with Anup Sharma, Columnist &Storyteller.

Tony Joseph in conversation with Dr. Amna Mirza

The Delhi Literature Festival organisers acknowledged the support of the Delhi Government, Department of Art, Culture & Languages, NDSWA, URJA and the Delhi Book Lovers amongst others.

Vandy Mehra& Dr. Sanjana Jon hosted a fashionable evening to witness a stunning display of Creative Couture “ROMANCE” Valentines Special Collection

Vandy Mehra & Dr. Sanjana Jon hosted a fashionable evening to witness a stunning display of Creative Couture “ROMANCE” Valentines Special Collection at Study By Janak,  South Extension store. Some of the socialite divas along with ambassadors of different countries spotted at the event were Shashi Abraham, Meenakshi Dutt, Shivani Wazir Pasrich, Dr. Janice Darbari, Sunil Sukumaran, Rohit Sethi, K.L. Ganju, Kulbhushan Parashar, Pietro Sferra Carrini to name a few…

Kulbhushan Parashar,Shashi Abraham, Sunil Sukumaran & Rohit Sethi

The Valentine collection has been designed by Sanjana Jon which includes different tones of red and pinks with a variety of fabrics to enhance your look. All the looks are curated with different types of cuts and silhouettes. The lovers of glamour and fashion will get a perfect blend of style to flaunt this valentine.

Nelofar Currimbhoy with Neeru Gupta

About Fashion Designer Dr Sanjana Jon

Dr Sanjana Jon who received her honorary degree from Kings University USA works with organic and environmentally friendly fashion in New York & globally. Bruce Springsteen, Backstreet Boys  Prince, Collective Soul, Matchbox 20 to name a few. The debut was at Cannes for the Film Festival supported by Prince Albert of Monaco, Princess Soraya, Princess Sara Al Saud, Princess Olivia de Borbon Fashion with the heart has been propagated by her. No fur or leather in her collection and uses organic environmentally friendly fabrics especially khadi and named Global ambassador for Environment.

A special sanctuary was set for more than a 100 tigers in Florida & currently adopted & supports more than 300 street dogs.  Donald Trump, Ivanka Trump, Tiffany Trump, Marla Maples, Vanessa Trump, MelaniaTrump, Paris and Nicky Hilton, Amanda and Lydia Hearst, Lauren Bush and more than 10 reigning Miss Universe. She tied up with the United Nations and held a press conference in the New York headquarters. Salman Khan, Sohail Khan, SushmitaSen, Rajeev Sen, Riya and RaimaSen, Sajid and Wajid Khan. Currently, she has adopted more than 340 dogs who are from the street and works on Child and also in support of Global Human Rights. Winner of innumerable awards including KaramveerPuraskar, Paramveer Award, Indira Gandhi Priyadarshini Award, two Rajiv Gandhi Excellence awards, “Hall of Fame: 2014 IMM-JJ Award for Excellence, Intl Humanitarian Awards, Paramshree Universal Humanity Award, Dada Saheb Phalke International Film Festival Award, Stardust Global Icon Award at the Plaza New York, Stardust Global Achievers Award at St Regis Dubai,International Woman of Courage Award 2017,  Recognition by County of Los Angeles 2018, California Legislature Assembly Recognition 2018, UNITED STATES CONGRESS House of Representatives special Recognition 2018, Nirbhaya women Excellence Awards 2018, Global Order of Dignitaries and Philanthropists -Women Empowerment Icon of Asia 2018,  to name a few.

About Vandy Mehra:

A dynamic and forward-thinking marketing professional with an entrepreneurial spirit is what defines VandyMehra. Her knack for fashion and a tremendous feel for the pulse of the consumer has taken the brand to the next level and made it a palpable choice for the discerning consumer. Spearheading the Study ByJanak’s Women’s couture, she also heads the marketing initiatives of the brand and constantly works around translating consumer needs into reality. She has given a new dimension to prêt by offering the finest designs, without compromising on quality. It was her hard work and futuristic vision that has won accolades of BEST FASHION HOUSE of 2011 for Study By Janak and “Women’s Achievers Award” to name a few.

International Women Empowerment Summit & Awards hosted India Chapter of IWES- 2019

Arushi Nishank, Chairperson, International Women Empowerment Summit & Awards hosted India Chapter of IWES- 2019 At Ashoka Hotel, New Delhi. The Programme was being organized in collaboration with Ministry of Women and Child Development,  Ministry of Drinking Water & Sanitation, United Nations (UNICEF)   and “ Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Campaign” a flagship programme of our Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narender Modi Ji.

The Chief Guests for the event were Shri. Dharmendra Pradhan, Ms. Maneka Sanjay Gandhi. The programme was attended by leading women in the field of cinema, literature, health, entrepreneur, philanthropist and house makers- Kirron Kher, Raveena Tandon, Deana Uppal, P.T Usha, Deepa Malik, Mata Shri Mangla Ji, Bachendri Pal, Sushma Seth, Ira Singhal, Laxmi Aggarwal to name a few…

Maneka Gandhi, Arushi Nishank & Ramesh
Kirron Kher
Dr Sanjana Jon with Deepa Malik
Bachendri Pal with Anurag Chauhan

The prime objective of the event was to bring women on a platform to discuss the issues that are becoming an obstacle for her to realize her full potential. Women’s issues were the limelight of India Chapter of International Women Empowerment Summit & Awards.

Arushi Nishank, Chairperson, International Women Empowerment Summit & Awards, said at the event, “Women empowerment is very close to my heart not only because I am a woman but being a woman I carry responsibility for others and society. Women are such strong pillar in a family, business and in any organization, she needs a wake-up call to know all her capabilities, being from Saraswati(goddess of wisdom ) to Kali(GODDESS OF DESTRUCTION). at present where girl child ratio is increasing and women participation is more in different sectors but women safely and economic independence is yet to improve, education in society not only for woman but for men also required”.

IWES, 1st chapter was successfully done in UAE, Dubai last year. There were more than 9 countries influential ladies participated for formulating policy for women which later handed over to both UAE and Indian government for any reference for making women policies.

Prasoon Joshi with Raveena Tandon

Heart shaped gifting products for your valentine

  1. Heart-Shape Chocolates

Chocolates are perfect gifting option for any special occasion, this heart shape chocolate box is the perfect present you need when your heart is filled with pure love and contentment. This valentine show your love by giving your partner heart shape chocolates. This chocolate box contains 6 heart shape chocolate and 3 I love u embossed assorted chocolates.

Price:449

Link: https://www.snapdeal.com/product/zoroy-luxury-chocolate-valentines-day/648201912262

2  Valentine hamper pink

This valentine give your partner a heart shaped hamper of teddy and flowers which will bring a smile on your partner’s face. This cute small metallic box contains a 1 small love teddy, and 3 small pink roses.

Price:260

Link:https://www.snapdeal.com/product/eastern-club-fabric-valentine-hamper/646550513550#bcrumbSearch:valentine%27s

3 Sutra Decor Crystal Couple Figurines White

A timeless showpiece expresses your lasting love. This heart shaped showpiece portrays deep love.Thiscan be a perfect classic antiqueto gift your partner made up of crystal red heart with 22ct gold plated.

Price:199

Link:https://www.snapdeal.com/product/sutra-decor-crystal-couple-figurines/675133130583#bcrumbSearch:valentine%27s

4 Couple Heart Pendant

Show your love with this charm of a heart-shaped couple’s pendant which she willalways carry with her as a symbol of love. The pendent is half gold and half silver plated. 

Price: 499

Link:https://www.snapdeal.com/product/yellow-chimes-heart-two-piece/686044420087#bcrumbSearch:heart%20locket%20couples

5 Heart Shaped Pillow

A heart shaped Valentine’s pillow is the best thing you can gift her, and she’ll feel it’s the cutest gift ever. Designed in attractive color from soft fabric this pillow is washable, easy to carry and cuddle.

Price: 399

Link:https://www.snapdeal.com/product/ultra-valentine-heart-shape-printed/655827222770#bcrumbSearch:heart%20shape%20cushion

6 3D Colour Changing Night Lamp

Gift your valentine a heart shaped lamp which he/she can place in the bedroom. This impressive night light is crafted from a flat acrylic glass plate and creates a spectacular 3D effect.

Price: 646

Link: https://www.snapdeal.com/product/skycandle-55w-incandescent-desk-light/670506770103

7 Valentine Greeting Card

Expressyour love to your girlfriend with different reasonsby penning it down in this ‘be my valentine’ greeting card. This gift item is not only about to make her feel special but also be appreciate her. This greeting card is in multicolored with a heart/love design.

Price: 213

Link: https://www.snapdeal.com/product/alwaysgift-paper-valentine-hamper-multicolour/623942917719#bcrumbSearch:valentine%27s

A glimpse of Udaipur World Music Festival with a captivating live performance by Ankur Tewari

As a prelude to the upcoming Udaipur World Music Festival, Seher India organised “A Musical Evening with Ankur Tewari” at the Foreign Correspondents Club (FCC) here today. This year’s edition of this highly sought-after festival is scheduled from 15-17 February.

Seher India had featured the talented sensation singer-songwriter – Ankur Tewari in last year’s edition of the Udaipur Would Music festival where his performance enthralled the audience with breathtaking melodies. Seher organized the concert at FCC to give music aficionados a glimpse of the upcoming edition in Udaipur.

Mr. Sanjeev Bhargava, Founder Director, Seher India, said, “With cohorts of music lovers coming together in Udaipur for the World Music Festival, we are thrilled to provide a glimpse of the spectacular musical experience that is coming. We had introduced Ankur Tewari last year and are delighted to have him onboard again. This year we have planned a great mix of talent from across the globe and it will be a splendid experience!”

Udaipur World Music Festival, India’s biggest world music extravaganza, will be held this year from 15th-17th February 2019 in the beautiful city of lakes. The 4th edition of the festival will witness over 150 renowned artistes from across the globe with participation from countries such as Spain, Israel, Iran, France, Cuba, Portugal, Azerbaijan, India and many more. With a footfall of over 50,000 people every year, the festival has been a game changer in the realm of performing arts in the country. 

This year the festival will host performances by artistes such as Vibha Saraf (India), Albaluna (Portugal), La Dame Blanche (Cuba – France), Natig Rhythm Group (Azerbaijan), Els Catarres (Catalonia, Spain) among others.

For more information please visit – http://www.udaipurworldmusicfestival.com/

About SEHER

Founded in 1994 by Sanjeev Bhargava, SEHER literally means ‘breaking of the dawn’. Since its inception, Seher has been synonymous with thoughtful and imaginative initiatives in the sphere of painting, sculpture, theatre, dance, music, literature and cinema. Seher was founded with the vision of taking Indian culture to large number of people, not just to a small cultural elite. In the last 15 years, Seher has become one of the most highly regarded organizations in the area of the performing and visual arts – both for the diversity of performances as well as for the unusual manner in which each one has been conceived. Its events have been repeatedly described as historic, innovative and radically different.

These have included live performances amid ancient monuments as well as in public parks. Many have been done for the first time ever in India and have attracted thousands of people. Apart from these, some of the major initiatives by SEHER are ‘India Now’ campaign in London at the Trafalgar Square and Regent street, ‘Ananya’- Classical Dance Festival, ‘Bhakti Utsav’, ‘Delhi Jazz Festival’, ‘South Asian Bands Festival’, ‘SAARC Artists’ Camp’ and the ‘Udaipur World Music Festival’.

Best barbeque deals to celebrate this winter with lip smacking dishes

With the peak of winters upon us, and a plethora of house parties with friends and loved ones on the anvil, one of the much beloved traditions is the outdoor barbeque, often set, adjacent to that bonfire. The modern barbeques don’t take up too much space, can be handled by amateur chefs, and are portable to boot. The only conundrum? Finding their perfect fit of the right barbeque for your specific need. To make life easier, here’s a list of some great barbeques that can be bought online:

  1. Fabrilla Silver Hard Anodised Stainless Steel Barbeque With 5 Skewer

Fabrilla silver barbeque is made with hard anodized stainless-steel body. It comes with handles on both the sides which allows easy handling and can be carried anywhere by folding the barbeque. No matter where you are, it is ideal for taking to parties, picnics, festivals. With this portable barbeque you can easily cook, portable design for easy storage and transport.

Original Price-  Rs.2,975

Price on Snapdeal– Rs.1,910

2. Prestige PPBB-02 Barbecue

One can cook variety of stuff ranging from steaks to paneer tikkas to grilled chicken, in absolutely no time with this amazing grill by Prestige. This tandoor has foldable legs, and its light weight makes it convenient to carry from one place to another. The grill comes with the unique air damper facility that regulates the airflow and temperature during cooking.

Original Price- Rs.2995
Price on Flipkart- Rs.2,799

3. Prestige Barbecute Coal Barbeque Grill

The quick to assemble Prestige Barbecute Coal Barbeque Grill comes with two sizes of skewers which makes it a perfect house party partner to cook lip smacking dishes. It is portable because of its compact frame and hence, can be carried along for camping and other outdoor parties. Easy EMIs at Rs.260 per month is also available on Amazon.

Original Price-  Rs.6,995

Price on Amazon– Rs.5530

4. Atraco Mild Steel Barbeque

The Atraco mild steel barbeque bucket comes with 1 Grill And 3 Sticks. It is lightweight and perfect for tailgating at sporting events or picnics. The grill is easy to clean with grill scraper. 
Original Price-  Rs.995 

Price on Snapdeal– Rs.775

Algotherm-“FROM OCEAN TO SKIN”

Mr. Alexandre Ziegler – The Ambassador of France to India came for the launch of Algotherm, a marine-skincare line from France. 

Algotherm started in 1962 off the east coast of Brittany in the heart of the Sea of Iroise, today a UNESCO biosphere reserve. The ocean and the seas continue to be our daily inspiration. From this powerful natural environment of rare beauty comes a miraculous resource – a treasure trove for the skin – algae.

Through extensive study of this magical organism, we have developed the knowledge to select and assemble the perfect species for skin care needs and requirements and become the pioneers in Algotherapy.

Designer Duo Rimple & Harpreet Narula designed a classical vintage ensemble for Amritsar Bride

Komal Sandhu and Tanveer Singh wanted understated yet opulent attire for their recent nuptials. After a few consultations at our atelier, Komal chose an olive-grey raw silk lehenga. The hand-crafted skirt features a majestic array of floral bursts and resplendent peacocks, derived from a vintage 19th century brocade textile and rendered using meticulous kasab and resham aari embroidery. The lehenga was paired with a patchwork embroidered kurti and a hand-woven zari dupatta from Benaras, that is layered with an intricate handcrafted bandhej pattern and hand-sewn textured sequins. The look was finished off with a cinnamon tulle dupatta with intricate marodi embroidery.

Image credits:
Art capture production

Tanveer’s pistachio green silk robe was hand-crafted with traditional Varq ka Kaam motifs that were interspersed with zardozi and marodi embroidery rendered using dabka and Kashmiri tilla . The looks hearken back to the erstwhile royals of undivided-Punjab complete with an embroidered Kamarbandh and Patka. It was layered with a textured chanderi silk angrakha and a silk churidar.


Image credits:
Art capture production

“Prayag – The Inner journey”, An art show by Bharat Thakur

From the Five elements of earth to sins done by humans, artist Bharat Thakur brings together a world where he explores the iconoclastic Spiritual Dimensions in his paintings for the first time through his series called “Prayag- The Inner Journey”. He brings together all the four directions of the compass, highlighting how India is about exploring improbable beauty. Sometimes a painting depicts an irretrievable moment in the past, sometimes it inspires one to create a future, all pieces of art being special in their own way  that made the viewers to introspect  every painting.

Here are some glimpse of the art show:-

3 sports equipments to make your workout more fun

As the party season spins, all those fitness freaks can now pump up for the new year season with that perfect body and soul. Fitness lovers hunting for the quick fitness essential can now feel at ease as Snapdeal brings 3 sports equipment’s that will definitely get their pulses racing. Enclosed are the details of the products:

Here are the equipments that make your workout more fun:    

  1. Running Parachute 

This is the best speed & resistance improving product. Running Parachutes are most often used by sprinters and runners of all types for training. The product comes packed in carry bag and are available in different colors.

Link: https://www.snapdeal.com/product/sahni-sports-speed-chute-running/280718835

Original Price- Rs.1149

Price on Snapdeal- Rs.557

2. Bicycle Digital Speedometer Odometer

This handy digital speedometer will measure the distance of your ride, your maximum/current speed, and other functions. It is a must have product for bicycle enthusiasts who also want to track their progress.

Link: https://www.snapdeal.com/product/fdp-bicycle-digital-speedometer-odometer/1084882512

Original Price- Rs.499

Price on Snapdeal- Rs.331

3. Leather Boxing Speed Bags

Ramp up your workouts using a boxing speed bag. One can use them to build strength, endurance and get the pulse racing during lengthy training sessions.

Link: https://www.snapdeal.com/product/sky-roullet-leather-boxing-speed/677258307681#bcrumbLabelId:307

Original Price- Rs.1099

Price on Snapdeal- Rs.459