Articles by Rameshinder Singh Sandhu
Speaking the universal language of music
“Dear students, please put your hands together to welcome Zoltan Orosz, one of the most popular and incredible accordionists from Hungry, who is all set to captivate you with his melodious musical themes that take inspiration from central Europe…” As this announcement was made at the Khalsa College Public School, Amritsar, by Tibor Kovacs, director of the Hungarian Information and Cultural Centre at the Embassy of the Republic of Hungary, New Delhi, Orosz stepped on the stage with a smile that gave a clear indication of his exhilaration at performing in India.
Updated on Nov 22, 2013 11:29 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Rameshinder Singh Sandhu, Amritsar
Ghulam Ali stops at Amritsar for a throat check up
Noted Pakistani Ghazal singer, Ghulam Ali, who has enthralled music lovers on both sides of the border with his melodious voice, is feeling low due to throat infection he is suffering from after his live concert in the film city, Mumbai.
Updated on Nov 19, 2013 09:48 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Rameshinder Singh Sandhu, Amritsar
Young at heart
Celebrated Punjabi singer Gurdas Maan had made the point clearly years ago in one of songs that said, ‘Dilhona chahida jawan, umraan cha ki rakheya…’ (The heart ought to be young, what’s there in growing old?) If we were to look at life backwards, there would indeed be no time more magical than childhood — a time so carefree, one would think no worry would ever come close.
Updated on Nov 14, 2013 05:07 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Rameshinder Singh Sandhu
Cosmo culture: For Himachalis, city a home away from home
For scores of people hailing from Himachal Pradesh, Amritsar is a home away from home. While many Himachalis have been residing in the city even before statehood was conferred upon Himachal Pradesh in 1971, many others followed suit in search of better job opportunities.
Updated on Nov 13, 2013 12:19 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Rameshinder Singh Sandhu, Amritsar
Rubbing shoulders with the bigwigs
Excited for having had the opportunity to portray a wide variety of roles in Punjabi films, actors Gurpreet Ghuggi and Gippy Grewal now hope to contribute to the region’s film industry’s growth.
Updated on Nov 12, 2013 05:08 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Rameshinder Singh Sandhu
Cosmo culture: Gujaratis making mark with business in holy city
Most of the locals in the holy city are not even aware of the Gujarati community that also lives in Amritsar. Though the Gujaratis are very less in number, but they have made a mark in the sphere of business in Amritsar, which is a second home to them.
Updated on Nov 10, 2013 10:55 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Rameshinder Singh Sandhu, Amritsar
New York's famous women band to perform in holy city
A nine-member women's band 'Mariachi Flor De Toloache' from New York, US, will perform at Art Gallery Auditorium, Madam Mohan Malviya Road on November 11 from 6:30pm onwards.
Updated on Nov 09, 2013 11:58 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Rameshinder Singh Sandhu, Amritsar
Nip in the air, docs say prevention is the key
Diwali is the festival everyone waits for eargerly. But with completion of this festival in November, a change in the weather has also occurred silently. This is affecting the health of citizens, including children and adults.
Updated on Nov 08, 2013 09:14 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Rameshinder Singh Sandhu, Amritsar
‘Punjabis’ hearts are bigger than their chests’
It goes to his credit that any character played by Pavan Malhotra gets etched in the memory, his latest being Gurdev Singh, the Sikh army man-cum-coach of Milkha Singh (played by Farhan Akhtar) in Bhaag Milkha Bhaag. But, Pavan does not think it can be termed as anything ‘great’, for he believes that “it is the duty of an actor to remain true to his or her role.”
Updated on Nov 06, 2013 01:33 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Rameshinder Singh Sandhu
Community kitchen at Golden Temple, cynosure for pilgrims
The Guru Ram Das langar (community kitchen) at the Golden Temple is synonymous with the Sikh tradition. Langar symbolises equality as people from all walks of life, irrespective of caste, creed and religion, sit together on the floor and partake food.
Updated on Nov 05, 2013 11:54 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Rameshinder Singh Sandhu, Amritsar
Diwali turns into festival of pollution
Diwali holds special significance for city denizens. Unfortunately, every year, the quantum of air and noise pollution caused due to the bursting of firecrackers increases on Diwali.
Updated on Nov 05, 2013 11:42 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Rameshinder Singh Sandhu, Amritsar
Punjabi pride
Since childhood, I have heard that Punjabis and potatoes can be traced to any corner of the world. During a three-year graduation course in Switzerland, I got the opportunity to visit several European countries. Incidentally, wherever I went, I came across Punjabis who took pride in their work, be it big or small. Rameshinder Singh Sandhu writes.
Updated on Nov 01, 2013 09:16 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Rameshinder Singh Sandhu
Punjab Day special: 'People should love, respect their mother tongue'
At a recent seminar on the Punjabi language, a woman in her late seventies lamented that her grandchildren did not express any interest in the language due to the influence of their 'modern' school and parents, who have told them that "speaking Punjabi was not good, as it was insulting, so they should speak English or Hindi."
Updated on Oct 31, 2013 07:51 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Rameshinder Singh Sandhu, Amritsar
Troubles pile up for roads near Kacheri flyover
Kacheri Chowk, which connects almost all the major roads and important spots, including the airport, railway station, courts, schools and hospitals, has been witnessing traffic snarls since construction on a flyover began here in September 2011.
Updated on Oct 26, 2013 07:35 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Rameshinder Singh Sandhu, Amritsar
India is another home of mine: Pak folk singer
Pakistan folk singer Arif Lohar who recently performed in Amritsar, says both Pakistan and India must encourage music festivals.
Updated on Oct 23, 2013 11:50 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Rameshinder Singh Sandhu
Poor sanitation, spurt in crime keeps visitors to holy city at bay
A Punjabi adage aptly describes the Diwali celebrations of Amritsar: “Dal Roti Ghar Di, Diwali Amritsar Di” (home-cooked food and Amritsar’s Diwali have no parallels).
Updated on Oct 23, 2013 12:50 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Rameshinder Singh Sandhu, Amritsar
Amritsar's delicious, dangerous street food
Like many cities across the world, Amritsar is also busy celebrating the World Food Week by organising seminars to create awareness about hygienic food, but the reality is something else.
Updated on Oct 17, 2013 10:00 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Rameshinder Singh Sandhu, Amritsar
The perfect connection
When they look back, Rajbinder Singh Panag and his wife Gurvinder Kaur Panag were destined to be together. And, Punjab Public School (PPS), Nabha, was to play an integral role in their meeting.
Updated on Oct 17, 2013 10:42 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Rameshinder Singh Sandhu
Traffic chaos on autopilot
The so-called tourist city is most accommodating when it comes to welcoming money. So don't mind that its auto-rickshaws and buses are packed; there's always room to take more passengers on board. Overloading is no issue; dismiss the awareness and education efforts of the traffic department.
Updated on Oct 16, 2013 07:51 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Rameshinder Singh Sandhu, Amritsar
Having a cracker of a festival celebration? Don't forget safety
Around the festival of lights, fire safety is blown away in the public enthusiasm to burst crackers. Neither children nor parents take any lesson from the Diwali-season accidents each year.
Updated on Oct 14, 2013 11:51 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Rameshinder Singh Sandhu, Amritsar
Criminal neglect: security gap not bridged
A live ostentation of beggars and filth goes on every minute over the footbridge outside the railway station. A snatching can happen anytime on this spot, and a Danish tourist was molested there recently.
Updated on Oct 12, 2013 07:33 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Rameshinder Singh Sandhu, Amritsar
Old world charm of letters
Writing letters is a forgotten art these days. People prefer exchanging messages through emails, SMSes and Whatsapp now but I believe nothing can replace the old world charm of writing letters to friends, relatives and even pen friends. Rameshinder Singh writes
Updated on Oct 09, 2013 09:37 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Rameshinder Singh Sandhu, Chandigarh
High zeal for Ram Leela
It is generally opined that 'Ram Leela' is mainly organised in cities and towns and not in villages but Khasa, a village close to the Attari border has been hosting 'Ram Leela' since 1975 with sheer zeal and enthusiasm. It is one of the few villages of Punjab that made a tradition to organise it.
Updated on Oct 08, 2013 08:09 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Rameshinder Singh Sandhu, Khasa (amritsar)
Meet the 'evil king' maker
Harbans Lal, who is in his late fifties, is fully immersed in making idols of Ravana at Lohgarh Chowk since last month. Such is his dedication towards his work, that with Dussehra around the corner, he has fixed a time table for meals, as he does not want to waste even a second.
Updated on Oct 08, 2013 02:08 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Rameshinder Singh Sandhu, Amritsar
Singing his heart out
While Deepesh Rahi, the winner of Voice of Punjab 4, was basking in his newly found stardom with hordes of fans trying to get a picture clicked with him, we caught hold of the singer backstage at the sets of the show.
Updated on Oct 07, 2013 01:14 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Rameshinder Singh Sandhu
Works by tourism board at Company Gardens lack ASI nod: CAG report
Works worth crores of rupees being undertaken by the Punjab Heritage and Tourism Promotion Board (PHTPB) at the Summer Palace of the legendary ruler of Punjab Maharaja Ranjit Singh, at Ram Bagh, also known as Company Gardens lack the sanction of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), which looks after the heritage monuments and sites including this one.
Updated on Oct 05, 2013 04:35 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Rameshinder Singh Sandhu, Amritsar
Get set for a fash
At the curtain raiser of Blenders Pride Punjab International Fashion Week last week, fashion designer Sonu Gandhi revealed secrets to looking fashionable this season
Updated on Oct 03, 2013 05:04 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Rameshinder Singh Sandhu, Chandigarh
Amritsar Sikh museum being readied for news times
Preserving times gone, Central Sikh Museum (Ajaib Ghar) at the Golden Temple is getting ready for future, all set for a major facelift that the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) has finalised
Updated on Oct 01, 2013 12:41 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Rameshinder Singh Sandhu, Amritsar
Two years on, Amritsar heritage walk not popular yet
The Heritage Walk of Amritsar, which was launched on September 27, 2011, by minister of tourism Hira Singh Gabria and local MP Navjot Sidhu under the Punjab Heritage and Tourism Promotion Board (PHTPB), has apparently lost its charm.
Updated on Sep 28, 2013 07:26 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Rameshinder Singh Sandhu, Amritsar
Govt libraries far away from basics
Reading is an inspiring and fruitful activity, but city libraries especially that fall under the government are far away even from the basic 'musts' of a library. They hardly get any readers since they lack the basic infrastructure which can attract readers.
Updated on Sep 26, 2013 08:16 PM IST
Hindustan Times | , Amritsar
Rameshinder Singh Sandhu/Avninder Kaur