INDIAN CULTURAL CENTRE PARAMARIBO

1st April, 2010    LECTURE ON HEALTH PROBLEMS OF WOMEN BY DR. O. RAMKHELAWAN
A lecture on health problems of women was organized on Thursday, 1st April, 2010 at India Cultural Centre, Yoga Hall.
           Dr. O. Ramkhelawan, gynaecologist expert gave lecture on the subject women cancer in English and Dutch. Around 50 - 60 women, including Mrs. Manjit Sodhi, wife of the Ambassador and Prof. Kanhai, Sr. Gynaecologist attended the lecture. The talk was very well appreciated by the audience.  There was a question - answer session after the programme. Mrs. Sodhi also spoke on the occasion and presented a token of appreciation to the distinguished guest and Dr. Ramkhelawan on behalf of ICC.
     


4th April, 2010               MOVIE CLUB - BOLLYWOOD MOVIE  " GOLMAAL "
Under the Indian Movie Club, this month "GOLMAAL" was screened at the local air-conditioned Theatre Paarl Movies, Suit, J.A. Pengelstraat, Paramaribo. Around 200 people watched the movie. The movie club has now become very popular among Surinamese people and is a source of family entertainment.

7th, 21st & 28th April, 2010   WEEKLY MEDITATION WORKSHOP
Basic information about the chakra meditation was explained to the participants in weekly meditation workshops held on 7, 21 and 28 April, 2010. There is a curiosity to know about the chakra, its power and functions in the body. People in Suriname are interested to learn the chakra meditation and also want to know how it affects the human mind and body energy. Information on the location of chakra and colour, number of petals, mantra, yantra and practice of mantra was given According to Hatha yoga they are the points of psychic powers in the human body. How chakras are related to the five elements and how it does work with human body, the relation between five natural elements and constitution of body (human body also made-up of the five elements) were explained.


10th April, 2010 'DRAWING AND PAINTING COMPETITION ON CULTURAL EXPRESSIONS ' CONDUCTED BY MR. RANJAN AKLOE
A drawing competition was conducted at ICC on 10th April, 2010 by Ranjan Akloe, a famous painter of Suriname. About fifty students between the age of 06 - 21 years participated in the competition and made drawings on culture / national holidays of Suriname viz., Phagwa, Diwali, Hindustani Immigration Day and Keti Koti. Participants used coloured pencils to paint their creative expression. The event was very well covered by the local electronic media as well as print media. Prizes were given to the winners of participants in all the categories. Following are some photographs and a cutting of the local news paper De Ware Tijd:  




13th April, 2010      CELEBRATION OF ' BAISAKHI ' FESTIVAL
  'Baisakhi' was celebrated by students of ICC through programmes on Vocal Music, Hindi, Dance & Tabla. A Hindi speech on Baisakhi Festival was given by an Uttama level Hindi student, Mr. Santosh Gangaram Panday. A poem named 'Aati Tab Hi Baisakhi Hai' written by Mrs. Sandhya Sharma, Hindi Teacher, ICC, was recited by Miss. Payal Gangaram Panday, Uttama level Hindi student. Almost 20 Vocal Music students took part in this event, in which two songs on Baisakhi in Hindi were sung. Two solo dance performances in which the first performance was given by junior dance students. Gidda dance was performed by 15 dance students to show the vibrant culture of Punjab. Around two hundred audiences have attended the programme, which was well appreciated by the audience, followed by light refreshment.


16th April, 2010      BOLLYWOOD BHULE BISARE GEET
  A programme based on old Bollywood songs was held on 16 April in which old and present students of ICC took part. Some of the old bollywood songs were enacted in dance form by the ICC students.  Two hundred people liked the concept & enjoyed both singing and dancing together. The PowerPoint presentation was also shown live with the programme. The function was followed by light refreshment.


16th & 17th April, 2010      INFORMATIVE MUSIC FAIR AT CCS, PARAMARIBO
  An informative fair regarding music was held by the Ministry of Labour, Government of the Republic of Suriname on 16 and 17 April at Cultural Centre Suriname (CCS), Paramaribo in which ICC also participated. The fair was coordinated by Mrs. S. Chotkan - Somai, Ministry of Labour, Government of Suriname. The Indian Cultural Centre gave information regarding admission for Kathak Dance, Vocal Music, Tabla, Yoga, Hindi classes and admission for our library as well. Musical instruments, Books and CD's of Vocal and Instrumental Music, photographs of great musicians of India were displayed in the fair to propagate Indian Music. Flyers and brochures were distributed to the interested public regarding music and India. The fair was visited by a large number of Suriname people from morning till evening.



16th & 30th April, 2010            TALK ON AYODHIA KAND RAMAYANA
The Ramayana classes have started again from 16th April, 2010. Two Ram bhajans were taught to the students by Vocal Music Teacher, Smt. Madhumita Bose, ICC. A talk on Ayodhia Kand Ramayana was delivered by Hindi Teacher of ICC, Mrs. Sandhya Sharma. Around 40 students and Pandits attended the programme. Chaupaiyan's, Ram Bhajans and Doha's were also recited. Short stories on moral values were narrated to propagate good values.


17th April, 2010      WORKSHOP ON PARANAYAMA
A workshop on Paranayama was conducted at Jai Shree Hanuman Mandir, Hoek Nieuw Weergevondenweg - Magentakanaal - Paramaribo on 17 April. The relation of prana and the different parts of body was taught to the participants. Practical session was given to all the participants and local teacher to practice and learn the advice level of pranayama and it affects on human mind. It was well appreciated and realised by the group, teacher was asked to conduct more workshops on pranayama like this. Following are photographs:


21st April, 2010      FLAVOURS OF INDIA  -  ' ALOO PURI '
         An Indian Dish "Aloo Puri" was prepared and demonstrated at the monthly cookery class organised at the Indian Cultural Centre on 21 April. Recipe of the Aloo Puri was distributed among the ladies. Around 40 ladies attended, followed the demonstration enthusiastically






23rd April, 2010      'SHAM - E - GHAZAL '
  An evening of Ghazals was performed by the advanced junior and senior level Vocal Music students of ICC led by Mrs. Madhumita Bose, Vocal Music Teacher on 23 April. Different styles of Ghazals were performed in the programme from ancient to modern of different poets. The rendering of traditional Ghazals of different Urdu poets with classical, semi-classical and modern style based on classical ragas were presented by the students. A PowerPoint presentation was also shown with  the live performances. Students performed in professional style. Around 200 people were present to grace the occasion. H. E. Ambassador of India, Shri K J S Sodhi also spoke on the occasion.


26th April, 2010      DISTRIBUTION OF CERTIFICATES TO YOGA INSTRUCTORS
ICC had received a request for organising Teachers Courses in Yoga to learn the yoga as per the prescribed syllabus and to learn more about traditional Hatha yoga and yoga philosophy. Keeping that in mind, ICC conducted regular theory and practical classes for the yoga teachers for one academic year. After the completion of the course, the theory and practical examination were conducted and sixteen students passed the examination successfully. Certificates were given to all the students by H.E. Shri K.J.S. Sodhi, Ambassador & Director, ICC, Mr. Sunil Bhalla. Two dance performances were given, one by the smallest group of ICC Kathak students under the age of 8 years and another by the elderly ladies group up to the age of 78 years. Giving the message that there is no age bar for learning or gaining knowledge, so keep it up for life long.



27th April, 2010      WORKSHOP ON DIABETES
There is large number of people having diabetes in Suriname. And it's the time to know about the alternative therapy, and to create awareness among people about the benefits which yoga can provide. During the workshop held on 27 April, there were inquiries about the food and the yoga asana and pranayama. The participants were given the requisite details about the diet.


30th April, 2010      IMPACT OF KATHAK ON BOLLYWOOD
  The ICC organized a dance show on 30 April to explain the role of classical dances like Kathak in bollywood dances.  Emphasis was given on learning classical dance forms.  Fifteen (15) dance performances were presented by the ICC students showing different aspects of Kathak like -  Thumri Bhajan, Mughal, Semi-Classical, Pure Classical, Hori etc. Nrityanjali dance school by Mr. Anand Ramcharan also contributed this show by performing two dances. Around 200 people attended the presentation. Around 45 students of dance department participated and performed different aspects of Kathak. It was a big success. Comment by a local citizen - Thank you from the people of Suriname for teaching the classical values of Indian dancing