Listen with Irfan

Recorded on 25 June 2020

Raghubir Yadav recalls his Parsi Theatre Days.

रघुबीर यादव ने 1967 के आसपास एक घुमंतू पारसी नाटक कंपनी से अपनी कलायात्रा शुरू की थी। उस जीवन अंतहीन क़िस्से हैं उनके पास। उनके मुताबिक़ तब तक ग़ज़ल क्या होती है वो नहीं जानते थे। फिर एक दिन सिरौंज के एक मंदिर में उन्होंने मुईनुद्दीन पेंटर को गजल गाते हुए पहली बार सुना।

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Cover Design: Irfan

Conversation recorded in Gorakhpur at the guest's house on 14 April 2015

Mohd Shafiullah Siddiqui (Born 4 October 1930, Mohammadabad, Siwan) is a self made person. He worked mainly in the Churk Cement Factory, Sonebhadra (Energy Capital of India, then known as Mirzapur, UP). He is one of those hundreds of skilled and unskilled labourers who have joined this factory (Pt Nehru termed as the temple of Independent India)

Gurma Markundi was the place where various limestone mines were dug and used to create Cement.

This region became an industrial heaven from an area of forest and hills. Some of the hills were having limestone and lot of them were having coal. There were some small rivers running through the area and the major was the Son.

Owing to the limestone hills, initially one cement factory was established at Churk in 1956. Later another cement factory started at Dala in 1971 name them Dalla cement factory this Cement plant is Biggest plant in Asia and ancillary unit of Dala got started at Chunar in 1980. The cement factories became the foundation on which other industries were built. A big dam constructed at Pipri in 1961 and named Rihand Dam. The dam produces 300 MW of electricity. Another small dam was constructed at Obra in 1968, 40 km from Rihand dam which generates 99 MW of electricity.

Pic : Irfan

Conceived, Recorded and Produced by Irfan

Recorded on 30 April 2016 in Haldwani, Uttrakhand

Pankaj Shrivastava is a poet, cultural activist and senior journalist. He is now working as a Vice Chairman of Media Cell in UP Congress.

Aur Sunao Guru is a series of cherishable memories and anecdotes from friends and famous/infamous people.

Othe episodes in this series are available on the following link.

Playlist ASG on YouTube https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLkZc35eAXRloea3aiLn5-_jHjb9rE3OuJ

Cover Photo and Art: Irfan

Conceived, Recorded and Produced by Irfan

Anand Swaroop Verma is a writer and journalist.

Cover Image Courtesy: Google

Cover Art: Irfan

Conceived, Recorded and Produced by Irfan

Sahil Agha is a Dastango.

Cover Image and Art: Irfan

Conceived, Recorded and Produced by Irfan

Kapil Saraswat is an aspiring actor.

Cover Image and Art: Irfan

Conceived, Recorded and Produced by Irfan

Vimal Verma is an actor and theatre trainer based in Mumbai

Cover Image and Art: Irfan

Conceived, Recorded and Produced by Irfan

Vipuljit Basu is a filmamker based in Kolkata.

Cover Art and Image: Irfan

Conceived, Recorded and Produced by Irfan

Vijay Singh is an actor, radio jockey and cultural activist.

Cover Photo and Art: Irfan