SRINAGAR: Authorities on Monday cancelled the results of 2 Border Battalions of Jammu and Kashmir Police Border Battalion after observing some discrepancies. However, the officials said that revised results will be issued within half an hour.
The examination for 1300 Constable posts in JK Police Border Battalion was conducted on October 26, 2022 while the results were declared on January 25, 2023.
Quoting Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) Coordination, PHQ J&K, Danesh Rana news agency KNO reported that the exam results for 1300 constable posts in 2 Border Battalions of J&K Police have been cancelled after discrepancies were observed due to technical fault in the software application of the implementing agency—M/S. Timing Technologies Pvt. India Ltd.
A notification issued in this regard by ADGP Coordination, reads that after the declaration of final result issued on 25-01-2023 in respect of candidates of UT of J&K who have participated in recruitment process for the post of Constable in 02 Border Battalions of J&K Police conducted in terms of the above referenced advertisement notifications, some discrepancies in the said result were observed.
“These occurred due to technical fault in the software application of the implementing agency i.e M/S. Timing Technologies Pvt. India Ltd. resulting in revision of the said result. The result, thus declared on 25.01.2023 stands withdrawn and cancelled ab-initio,” he said.
Rana said that the revised results will be issued within half an hour.
SRINAGAR: A well-known religious cleric, Moulana Abdul Rashid Mubarki, son of Late Moulana Ghulam Nabi Mubarki, passed away on Monday evening.
Quoting family of Mubarki the news agency KNO reported that Moulana Abdul Rashid Mubarki breathed his last after brief illness.
The family further said that the funeral of the deceased will be held at Sanant Nagar at around 11:00 PM, adding that the deceased will be laid to rest at their ancestral graveyard at Malkha here.
SRINAGAR: Abdul Rashid Mubarki, former KAS officer is no more. He was 74.
A 1972-batch KAS officer, is reported to have passed away after a brief illness on Monday evening.
According to reports, the funeral of the deceased was held at Sanant Nagar at around 11:00 PM and was laid to rest at their ancestral graveyard at Malkha.
SRINAGAR: An earthquake of 3.4 magnitude hit the Katra belt of Jammu division Monday night, according to National Centre for Seismology.
However, there were no immediate reports of any loss of life or damage to property due to the earthquake.
Earthquake of Magnitude:3.4, Occurred on 20-02-2023, 22:07:11 IST, Lat: 33.03 & Long: 75.89, Depth: 25 Km ,Location: 89km E of Katra, Jammu and Kashmir, India for more information Download the BhooKamp App https://t.co/Ux1ChdLGKO @Indiametdept@ndmaindia@Ravi_MoES@Dr_Mishra1966pic.twitter.com/fRm6RrYu6E
— National Center for Seismology (@NCS_Earthquake) February 20, 2023
“Earthquake of Magnitude:3.4, Occurred on 20-02-2023, 22:07:11 IST, Lat: 33.03 & Long: 75.89, Depth: 25 Km ,Location: 89km E of Katra, Jammu and Kashmir,” National Centre for Seismology said in a tweet.
SRINAGAR: Two Pulwama residents were among three Kashmiris, who died in a road accident in Churu area of Rajasthan on Monday, officials said here.
Quoting an official the news agency KNO reported that a truck met with accident in Churu area of Rajasthan today.
He said all three persons from Kashmir, who were onboard the truck, died on spot.
He identified the trio as Jahangeer Ahmad Naikoo (driver) from Tiken Pulwama, his maternal uncle Mohammad Yousuf Bhat from Kareemabad Pulwama and another driver Showkat Ahmad Wani from Kupwara.
The official said their families have been contacted and efforts are to bring their bodies back.
SRINAGAR: The government on Monday approved the appointment of IAS officer B.V.R. Subrahmanyam as the new CEO of NITI Aayog, replacing Parmeswaran Iyer.
Iyer has been appointed as Executive Director of World Bank at the institution’s headquarters in Washington DC for a period of three years, from the date of assumption of charge of the post or until further orders, whichever is earlier.
His World Bank appointment was cleared by the Appointments Committee of Cabinet according to an order issued on Monday.
Iyer would be replacing Rajesh Khullar at World Bank headquarters. Khullar is a Haryana cadre IAS officer of 1988 batch, who has been repatriated to his home cadre at the request of the state government, the order said.
Iyer had been appointed as NITI Aayog CEO in July 2022.
Subrahmanyam, a 1987 batch IAS officer of Chhattisgarh cadre, has previously served as Chief Secretary of Jammu and Kashmir, and is an expert on internal security.
He was Additional Chief Secretary, Home, in Chhattisgarh before he was deputed to J&K after Governor’s rule was imposed in the state in June 2018 following the break-up of the PDP-BJP coalition government in the state. (IANS)
JAMMU: Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Jammu released its final placement Reports for 2021-23 for the sixth batch of the post-graduate programme in management (MBA 2020-22).
An official statement said that the placement scenario at IIM Jammu has been on the rise with over 135 companies visiting for final placements. The Institute continued to create a strong presence in the industry as one of the fastest-growing IIMs.
A total of 239 students of the Sixth Batch of MBA (2021-23) appeared for the final placements.
IIM Jammu saw new opportunities coming its way as the students’ secured roles in domains like Product Management, Marketing, Consulting, Finance and General Management.
The highest domestic CTC stood at INR 64 LPA, with the top 10 percentile at 32.4 LPA, the top quartile CTC at INR 24.5 LPA, while the average and median CTC stood at INR 16.43 LPA and 15.25 LPA respectively.
IIM Jammu became one of the preferred campuses for recruiters. Some of our prominent recruiters were: Microsoft, Mckinsey and Company, EXL, Brillio, Cognizant, Zycus, Amazon, Target, Reliance Retail, Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail, State Street, ICICI Bank, SBI Capital Markets, Yes Bank, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Mahindra and Mahindra, Mercedes Benz, Maruti Suzuki, Amara Raja Group, EY, KPMG, Deloitte, CRISIL, Kantar, Affinity Global, JLL, Shobha Reality, Vedanta, Tata Power, AM/NS, Adani Group, Carlsberg, DS Group, Bombay Shaving Company, BenQ, Wildcraft amongst others.
Prof B S Sahay, Director, IIM Jammu said, “100 % placements over the last year indicate an optimistic placement scenario. From the very beginning, IIM Jammu has set high standards for outstanding value-based quality education, high-quality research, executive education, consultancy, and strong corporate as well as international linkages. Despite the considerable increase in the batch size from the previous year, we are proud to announce this year’s placement season to be a resounding success.”
Prof Jabir Ali, Chairperson, Placements said, “A jump was witnessed in the average, median & highest package offered this year. The success of the placements season is driven by the trust of the recruiters in IIM Jammu”.
The campus has been one of the most preferred hiring destinations for top recruiters in the country owing to the excellent pool of talent available with high business acumen. The placement activity was coordinated by Prof. Jabir Ali and Dr. Baljeet Singh, Chairperson, and Co-Chairperson respectively, at IIM Jammu.
With the continuous direction and guidance of Prof. B.S. Sahay, Director, IIM Jammu, training, and placement at the Institute is sure to scale new heights year after year.
SRINAGAR: The Department of Wildlife Protection (Wetlands Division, Kashmir), is conducting the census of Migratory/resident Birds in the valley wetlands on February 21, 2023.
The participants from Kashmir University, SKUAST-K, Central University, various colleges, Wildlife Conservation Fund, National Development Foundation, Biodiversity Management Committees, Kashmir Bird Watchers Club, Wildlife SOS, Wildlife Researchers, Society for Environment Education and Development, Wildlife Conservation Foundation, Volunteers and freelancers are taking part in the said census.
Meanwhile, in this milieu an orientation programme was conducted at Camping Ground, Hokersar Srinagar to inculcate the census techniques amongst the participants and to add valuable suggestions received from the participants. Different teams/groups were established on spot for different locations so that comprehensive estimation will be ensured.
The aim of the bird count is to monitor the population fluctuation trends of migratory birds and to collect overall figures to incorporate the same with the general bird count throughout India.
The census is being conducted on February 21, 2023 not only in eight protected wetlands managed by the department like Hokersar, Shalabugh, Hygam, Mirgund, Chatlum, Kranchoo, Manibugh, Freshkhoori but also in other 25 water bodies of the valley which harbor sizeable number of migratory birds during winter migration.
The Wildlife Warden, Wetlands Division Kashmir, Ifshan Deewan, stated that coordinated efforts by the Department of Wildlife Protection to conduct the Annual Water bird Census (AWC) this year shall go a long way in creating a sound database of various water bird species particularly the migratory waterfowl that visit the wetlands of the Valley during winter months.
SRINAGAR: The administration on Monday sealed the Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party’s (JKNPP) office in Jammu’s posh Gandhi Nagar area.
Quoting officials of the estate department newspaper The Indian Express reported that the premises were not allotted to any political party, but to Bhim Singh after he became a Member of the Legislative Council after the 2002 Assembly polls. The Mufti Sayeed-led PDP-Congress government ruled the erstwhile state then. Singh, however, continued to occupy the premises even after his MLC term expired, they said.
The Legislative Council stands scrapped following the abrogation of Article 370 post August 5, 2019.
The action came four days after former minister Harsh Dev Singh quit the AAP and returned to the Panthers Party.
A senior official said the department had issued a notice to Bhim Singh in 2018-19 also, asking him to vacate the premises in view of the completion of his MLC term, but the latter had gone to court. Later, in view of his health conditions, the department did not proceed against him.
Bhim Singh died on May 31, 2022, at the age of 80 and the party split into two factions—one headed by Vilakshan Singh and another by P K Ganjoo. Both approached the Election Commission for recognition as the real Panthers Party. As the party office was allotted to Singh, it came in the possession of the faction headed by Vilakshan Singh, who had the support of the former’s widow, Jaymala Singh.
After the death of the allottee, his family could have stayed in the house for a month, the official said, adding that they did nothing to vacate it.
JKNPP president Vilakshan Singh, however, said the department had not issued any notice to vacate the premises. He said the party’s laptops, computers and other things were inside the office and that he would seek a legal remedy in the matter.
Vilakshan, however, said his party had written to the department seeking the premises for the JKNPP as the party was registered with the Election Commission. The department has allotted accommodation even to non-registered political parties, he added.
And, the young ladies loved to hear and hum pan khae Sainya hamaro, sanvali suratiya hont lal lal, a musical melody of Asha Bhonsley from Teesri Qasam of 1966.
In the Pan Masla, a lot of other things are added for aroma and taste. KL Image: Raashid Andrabi
Pan is the commonly known name of piper-betel-leaf, which is chewed in the Indian subcontinent and some other parts of the world. How the betel leaves chewing came to Kashmir is an interesting study.
In Rajatarangini, there are references to Tambuli and Nagarakhanda leaves, which were brought as presents to some Brahman Rajas, namely, Jayapida, Ananta, Kalasa, Harsa, in ancient times by “foreigners” which included mostly dancing girls.
Ranjit Sitaram has equated Tambuli and Nagarakhanda with piper-betel leaves, while, according to Dr M A Stein believes Nagarakhanda leaves are not betel-leaves. He translates Nagara as ginger but adds that Nagara was never used as an ingredient of betel leaf chewing. Ranjit Sitaram’s translation of Rajatarangini is based, in his own words, on Stein’s acclaimed translation. On Sitaram’s translation, some bloggers have tried to link the modern kind of betel-leaf-chewing to ancient times.
According to Stein, transporting fresh betel leaves from outside till the recent past was most difficult in absence of facilities and hence the practice of chewing fresh betel leaves (pan) was totally unknown to “Kashmiri masses” in history; albeit, some Brahman kings, their attendants and dancers had a habit of chewing “betel leaves”, which had made their teeth red.
On record, however, betel-nut/catechu was imported to Kashmir from Punjab in the late nineteenth century as a spice or medicine but not as an ingredient of any betel-chewing [pan masala] which was unknown to the native population.
For Lip Beauty
Notwithstanding the aforementioned, chewing betel was an ancient practice all over the Indian subcontinent during medieval and post-medieval times. Betel was used by both men and women to dye their lips red and make them look attractive. People in the olden days were as anxious to look young, bright and beautiful as in our times. It was used to redden the lips to serve as a lipstick by womenfolk in the past.
It was used as a masticator. Under common belief, that pan strengthens the stomach, sweetens the breath, and gives the tongue, lips and teeth a reddish tinge. It was customary among people of the Indian subcontinent, all classes and communities, to take pan after their meals but many people developed the practice of taking it throughout the day. The areca nut (supari) was/is cut into small pieces, put in betel leaf with lime water, called Katha (lime made by Oyster and areca) and chewed with rolled betel leaf. The rich would mix with it costly spices like camphor, cardamom, cinnamon, honey, musk flavours, and dried-rose-petals and tie both its leaves with a silk thread, and keep it in golden and silver betel boxes (pan dabi). Some people bruised a portion of falafel (areca nut/sopari) and put it directly in the mouth as a nasha like a cigarette or tobacco.
A betel leaf was moistened together with a grain of chalk/lime, rub one upon the other, roll them together, and then place in the mouth. It was used by such people as opium. Some people took as many as four leaves of betel at a time, and chew them. Sometimes they spit out red-colour saliva. Some used spittoon (pan dani) for spitting out red colour saliva.
Among common Hindus, it was offered to the bridegroom and attendants (Baratis) at the bride’s house with sweet drinks. Abul Fazl mentions 16 items of women’s fashion and charm in the Mughal Era among all communities which included pan eating also. The royals kept pans in golden and silver boxes, while the common masses kept them in brass and wooden boxes.
Kashmir Dandas
In Kashmir, we had an old tradition of using the bark of walnut-tree (dandas) by womenfolk to brighten the teeth for a beautiful look and keep the oral health good. It was believed that the use of dandas kept teeth and gums stronger, besides refreshing the breath. Betel leaves were not used by men and women in Kashmir.
A Kashmiri pan seller is busy making a ‘dose’ for a client on Srinagar’s Residency Road in February 2023. KL Image: Rassod Andrabi
The tradition of pan-chewing appeared in Kashmir only after 1953 when Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah was removed from office and incarcerated for a decade. It was inducted into Kashmirian society during the Bakhshi era (1953-1963).
Betel does not grow in Kashmir. In the late 1950s, several pan-shops appeared first in the city centre of Court Road, Palladium cinema, Ameera Kadal, Residency Road, Habba Kadal, and then at Exchange Road, Khanyar, Bohri Kadal, and other places till the 1970s.
The earliest of these pan-shops was one of a Pandit at Habba Kadal, Mir Pan House at Residency Road, Regal Chowk and Churasia Pan House at the corner of Court Road opposite Palladium Talkie. Pan has a variety of metha pan, alaichi pan and tobacco pan. The fennel seeds, coconut powder and clove became added ingredients to the pan masala.
Credible eyewitnesses have recorded that in Bakhshi and Sadiq regimes, new trends of life, style and fashion appeared among Kashmiri youth. They would visit nearby cinema halls in city centre to watch a movie, take Kanti and Kabab, coffee and tea, at Ahdoos and other newly set up restaurants in Lambert Lane, in the background of Kishore Kumar singing Elvis Presley’s style, Inna Meena Dika, Dai manna Dika, rumpumpol, rumpumpol.
Visiting Amar Singh Club for billiards by rich people became order of the day, it is recorded. The young men would stroll from one end to another on Residency Road in the evening, puffing cigarettes and taking rass malai at newly established sweet shops. They would either sing or hum Bollywood songs of great hits of the time, Junglee, Janwar, Jab Jab Phool Khilay, Arzoo and the like.
MJ Aslam
The theme of these Bollywood hits, mostly shot in Kashmir revolved around Vale, and its beauty and they triggered a huge rush of tourists to Pahalgam, Gulmarg and Mughal Gardens. The valley was in full bloom and the city was in full buzz.
Chewing pan by young people emerged as the new trend among Kashmiris during this time as its aroma had an intoxicating effect on their minds. It became trendy to chew pan with cigarette puffs by young men of Kashmir. And, the young ladies loved to hear and hum pan khae Sainya hamaro, sanvali suratiya hont lal lal, a musical melody of Asha Bhonsley from Teesri Qasam of 1966. During two decades from 1953-1975, upheaval socio-cultural and political changes took place in Kashmir and the lifestyles of many well-offs and bad-offs also underwent drastic changes.
(MJ Aslam is a published author and a columnist. Ideas are personal.)
