#a world of its own an oral history of heartland

[ambermarshalldaily]

Heartland memories: Amber’s Audition

“I had taken a year off school to work at a veterinary clinic and the odd acting project. Like many teens, I was trying to figure out my next step in life. I had applied to Ryerson University's Film and Television program for a fall 2007 start. And, while on a train headed home from filming a show in Ottawa, I received a call about auditioning for Heartland. My agent informed me that there was this role that he had wanted to put me up for. "It's perfect for you!" he said. "It's a horsey girl — they have had many auditions already and need to cast right away!"

“Not being able to check my email on the train — this was way back in 2006 when the internet was still being carved in rocks — I patiently waited out the five-hour train ride, until I was back home. I immediately printed out the scenes I was supposed to learn and started going over them.

It was the most rushed audition I have ever done. I requested help from my dad to read the other roles and run the camera. Back then, I only knew how to "self-tape" onto a VHS (for those of you who are too young to know what that is I recommend Google). But with the deadline for submissions being the next day, I would not have been able to mail a VHS in time.

I rushed downtown with my tape and found a company that could transfer it onto their computer and convert it into an email-able file. This was no small feat. I sent it in with moments to spare, and still love hearing how when the producers received the video it would not load properly.

They were all gathered around one computer with a very low-resolution version of the Amy Fleming to be.

The audition process for me was very short. I'm talking only a couple of days from when I first heard of an audition, to when I was told to pack my bags and get on a plane. I only ever submitted the one self-tape and never met with anyone in person before arriving in Calgary to film the pilot. Production was so down to the wire there was no time for back and forth. It was quite a whirlwind of a start, but I was so happy to be a part of it.

And after filming the pilot, I was still set to go to Ryerson that fall as other pilots I had done in the past had never become a series. I didn't want to get my hopes up with Heartland. When we were greenlit for season one, I then declined the university proposal and headed west to discover a new path.”

Source

[vgopalakrishnan]

The duo which unraveled Ponniyin Selvan ....

The late Kalki Krishnamurthy's Ponniyin Selvan, a captivating mix of history & imagination about Chozhas enthralled the readers when the historical story first appeared in his magazine Kalki as a weekly feature running into several years. The weekly feature kept the readers in the grip of never ending excitement waiting to grab the next weekly issue of the magazine. His absorbing story telling kept the audience spellbound during the entire period, from the first to the last issue.

For the very first time, through Kalki's descriptive words woven around a few generations of Chozha dynasty. the Tamizh readers could catch the glimpse of the ancient Chozhas' glory which earlier formed part of the rural folklore without much authentication. The accompanying drawings of the characters added more life and colour to the imagination of the author keeping the audience engrossed on the edge of their seats while reading the weekly feature. 

The author's imagination was at its eloquent best to recreate the story through the characters which took place almost a millennium back in the Chozha heartland of Thanjavur. He could vividly take the audience back to the Chozha era in an effortless manner which made the weekly feature, the most successful in his times. The weekly feature which later on became a compiled novel series also became a huge hit with the generations which missed the weekly features of the magazine which appeared in the 1950s. 

The riveting story which was adapted as a movie in 2022 has also created the same kind of excitement even in the modern times leaving the audience awestruck about the Chozha era happenings. Without doubt, there must be something extraordinary about the spectacular presentation of Kalki's portrayal of the events surrounding the royal family of the Chozhas which kept the audience enthralled in every format of its presentation over the last 70 years or so.

Kalki Krishnamurthy took the literary World by storm when his story first appeared in his weekly magazine providing the audience a 'never seen, never heard' story line exquisitely mingled with the Chozha history which was earlier communicated through random oral narrations, generations after generations, based on the hearsay. Many of the heroics of the ancient kings, particularly the Chozhas were always part of the folklore in & around the places where the kings ruled.  

The other reason for the readers to feel excited about the story was the non-existence of written historical experiences about Chozhas during the earlier part of 20th Century, a void effectively filled by Kalki Krishnamurthy through his Ponniyin Selvan.  Audience experienced an authentic narration of Chozha era events for the very first time in a print version.

Sitting in 2022 one would simply refuse to believe the fact that Chozha history & the history about Brahadeeshwara temple, the iconic symbol of Chozha architecture remained in the dark & was largely unknown, unraveled & unveiled for almost nine Centuries till the 20th Century. Despite the Chozha kingdom being ruled by Nayakas & Marathas for several Centuries post Chozha period, the history about Brihadeeswara remained locked in mystery. 

Yes, people till the 20th Century were not even aware about the emperor Raja Raja Chozha or his monumental Brihadeeshwara temple, for which he is been talked about, even after 1000 years since it was completed. The reason being, neither anyone actually cared to translate the inscriptions nor any had the ability to read & figure out the inscriptions which were meticulously recorded by Raja Raja Chozha across the length and breadth of the grandeur structure. 

V Venkayya and Eugen Hultzsch

But destiny had its own plans.  A chance meeting of two important historians in 1886 proved to be a turning point in unraveling the Chozha & Brihadeeswara temple history. V Venkayya, a school teacher turned epigraphist by hobby, met Eugen Hultzsch, a British appointed epigraphist. They both landed in Mamallapuram separately to study the stone inscriptions in the shore temples. Impressed by Venkayya's enthusiasm, Eugen Hultzsch invited him to join the government's epigraphy department to carry out the epigraphy works across various historical sites. Together they undertook an arduous mission to study & unravel the history of the land, particularly the South Indian. 

Over the years, among many sites, the duo also toiled hard and analysed the stone inscriptions of Brihadeeswara temple & finally concluded the ownership of the builder who was none other than the great Raja Raja Chozha. As they say, the rest is history. After their priceless discovery, it was just a matter of time before the entire Chozha history was mapped based on the stone inscriptions identified across various temples and other historical sites. By the turn of 20th Century, the Chozha history was firmly in its due place, thanks to the amazing efforts of Venkayya-Hultzsch. 

Before the duo's discovery of the inscriptions at Brihadeeswara temple, lots of rumours, unsubstantiated myths & imaginary stories surrounded Brihadeeswara temple about its builder & the origins as also the exact period of its construction. The duo effectively sealed those stories by declaring the exact history of the temple & its builder without an iota of doubt.

Their tireless efforts gave rise to further epigraphic and archaeological studies across various historical sites in & around Chozha dynasty, paving way for near completion of the study of Chozhas with authors like Neelakanta Shastri and Sadashiva Pandarathar taking up precise and detailed write ups on Chozha dynasty. And that triggered the enrapturing imagination of the novelists like Kalki Krishnamurthy who penned Ponniyin Selvan, kindling the curiosity of the history loving masses making it a fascinating & an all season compelling read about the Chozha dynasty. 

[trekkinginpakistan]

New Post has been published on Trekking in Pakistan

New Post has been published on https://trek.pk/sialkot/

Sialkot

Sialkot (Urdu and Punjabi: سيالكوٹ) is a city in Punjab, Pakistan. Sialkot is Pakistan’s 13th largest city by population and is located in north-east Punjab—one of Pakistan’s most industrialized regions. Along with the nearby cities of Gujranwala and Gujrat, Sialkot forms part of the so-called Golden Triangle of industrial cities with export-oriented economies.

Sialkot is wealthy relative to other cities in South Asia, with an estimated 2014 per capita income of $2800 (nominal). The city has been noted by The Economist for its entrepreneurial spirit, and productive business climate that has made Sialkot an example of a small Pakistani city that has emerged as a “world-class manufacturing hub.” The relatively small city exported approximately $2 billion worth of goods in 2015 or about 10% of Pakistan’s total exports. Sialkot is also home to the Sialkot International Airport—Pakistan’s first privately owned public airport.

History

Sialkot is believed to be the site of ancient Sagala, a city razed by Alexander the Great in 326 BCE, and then made the capital of the Indo-Greek kingdom by Menander I in the 2nd century BCE—a time during which the city greatly prospered as a major center for trade and Buddhist thought. Sialkot continued to be a major political center until it was eclipsed by Lahore around the turn of the first millennium. The city rose again in prominence during the British era, and is now one of Pakistan’s most important industrial centers.

The recorded history of Sialkot, a district of modern-day Pakistan, covers thousands of years. It has since its creation changed hands from Aryan, Persian, Hindu, g Greek, Buddhist, Muslim, Sikh, and British rule to the present-day federation of Pakistan.

There are various sources tracing the origins of the city of Sialkot but the authenticity of many of these sources varies. The less-reliable historical sources about the origins of the city have been derived from oral traditions. More reliable and validated historical references relating to the city date back to 327 BC in which it has been stated that the city is of Greek origin. Excavations throughout the area have revealed large amounts of Greek coins, ancient Zoroastrian temples, and several Buddhist stupas. The antiquities of Sialkot have also been discussed by Sir Alexander Cunningham in his Archaeological Survey Reports, II, 21, 22, and XIV, 44 to 47.

Climate

Sialkot features a humid subtropical climate (Cwa) under the Köppen climate classification, with four seasons. The post-monsoon season from mid-September to mid-November remains hot during the daytime, but nights are cooler with low humidity. In the winter from mid-November to March, days are mild to warm, with occasionally heavy rainfalls occurring. Temperatures in winter may drop to 0 °C or 32 °F, but maxima are very rarely less than 15 °C or 59 °F.

Cityscape

Sialkot’s core is composed of the densely populated Old City, while northeast of the city lies the vast colonial-era Sialkot Cantonment – characterized by wide streets and large lawns. The city’s industries have developed in a “ribbon-like” pattern along with the cities main arteries, and are almost entirely dedicated to export. The city’s sporting good firms are not concentrated in any part of the city but are instead spread throughout Sialkot. Despite the city’s overall prosperity, the local government has failed to meet Sialkot’s basic infrastructure needs.

Economy

Sialkot is a wealthy city relative to the rest of Pakistan and South Asia, with a per capita income in 2014 estimated at $2800. The city was considered to be one of British India’s most industrialized cities, though its economy would later be largely decimated by violence and capital flight following the Partition. The city’s economy rebounded, and Sialkot now forms part of the relatively industrialized region of northern Punjab that is sometimes referred to as the Golden Triangle.

Sialkot has been noted by Britain’s The Economist magazine as a “world-class manufacturing hub” with strong export industries. As of 2015, Sialkot exported US$2 billion worth of goods which is equal to 9% of Pakistan’s total exports (US$22 billion). 250,000 residents are employed in Sialkot’s industries, with most enterprises in the city being small and funded by family savings. Sialkot’s Chamber of Commerce had over 6,500 members in 2010, with most activity in the leather, sporting goods, and surgical instruments industry. The Sialkot Dry Port offers local producers quick access to Pakistani Customs, as well as to logistics and transportation.

Despite being cut off from its historic economic heartland in Kashmir, Sialkot has managed to position itself into one of Pakistan’s most prosperous cities, exporting up to 10% of all Pakistani exports. Its sporting goods firms have been particularly successful, and have produced items for global brands such as Nike, Adidas, Reebok, and Puma. Balls for the 2014 FIFA World Cup were made in Sialkot.

Sialkot’s business community has joined with the local government to maintain the city’s infrastructure, as the local government has limited capacity to fund such maintenance. The business community was instrumental in the establishment of Sialkot’s Dry Port in 1985, and further helped re-pave the city’s roads. Sialkot’s business community also largely funded the Sialkot International Airport—opened in 2011 as Pakistan’s first privately owned public airport, which now offers direct flights from Sialkot to Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.

Industry

Sialkot is the world’s largest producer of hand-sewn footballs, with local factories manufacturing 40~60 million footballs a year, amounting to roughly 60% of world production. The 2014 FIFA World Cup’s footballs were made by Forward Sports, a company based in Sialkot. The clustering of sports goods industrial units has allowed for firms in Sialkot to become highly specialized and to benefit from joint action and external economies. There is a well-applied child labor ban, the Atlanta Agreement, in the industry since a 1997 outcry, and the local industry now funds the Independent Monitoring Association for Child Labour to regulate factories.

Sialkot is also the world’s largest center of surgical instrument manufacturing. Sialkot was first noted to be a center of metalwork in the 1890s, and the city’s association with surgical instruments came from the need to repair, and subsequently manufacture, surgical instruments for the nearby Mission hospital. By the 1920s, surgical instruments were being manufactured for use throughout British India, with demand boosted by further by World War Two.

The city’s surgical instrument manufacturing industry benefits from a clustering effect, in which larger manufacturers remain in close contact with smaller and specialized industries that can efficiently perform contracted work. The industry is made up of a few hundred small and medium-sized enterprises, supported by thousands of subcontractors, suppliers, and those providing other ancillary services. The bulk of exports are destined for the United States and European Union.

Sialkot first became a center for sporting goods manufacturing during the colonial era. Enterprises were initially established for the recreation of British troops stationed along the Northwest Frontier. Nearby timber reserves served to initially attract the industry to Sialkot. The city’s Muslim craftsmen generally manufactured the goods, while Sikh and Hindu merchants of the Sindhi Bania, Arora, and Punjabi Khatri castes acted like middlemen to bring goods to the market. Sialkot now produces a wide array of sporting goods, including football and hockey sticks.

Sialkot is also noted for its leather goods. Leather for footballs is sourced from nearby farms, while Sialkot’s leather workers craft some of Germany’s most prized leather lederhosen trousers.

Transportation

Motorways

A dual-carriageway connects Sialkot to the nearby City of Wazirabad, with onwards connections throughout Pakistan via the N-5 National Highway, while another dual carriageway connects Sialkot to Daska, and onwards to Gujranwala and Lahore. Sialkot and Lahore are also connected through the motorway (M11), which is the north-south motorway in Punjab. The total length of this motorway is 103 km. It was completely opened on 18 March 2020 at the cost of 44 billion rupees. It has reduced the travel time between Sialkot and Lahore to 50 minutes from two hours (through the other route via N5/GT).

Rail

Sialkot Junction railway station is the city’s main railway station and is serviced by the Wazirabad–Narowal Branch Line of the Pakistan Railways.

Air

Sialkot International Airport is located 8.7 east of the city in the town of Sambrial. It was established in 2007 by spending 4 billion rupees by the Sialkot business community. It is Pakistan’s only privately owned public airport and offers flights throughout Pakistan with also direct flights to Bahrain, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, France, UK, and Spain.

Air Sial

Sialkot International Airport has launched their own airline named AirSial. It was founded in October 2017 by Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

[ambermarshalldaily]

“A World of It’s Own”: An Oral History of Heartland