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Vijaya Pushkarna
Vijaya Pushkarna

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Delhi in brief: Mysterious braid chopping, metro heritage line and more

PTI8_4_2017_000068A Panickered women and childres in Kanganheri village of Delhi, on Thursday after three women in the village reported that their braids had been chopped while they were sleeping | PTI

A knock at the door. She opens it. When she regains her senses later, she finds that her Rapunzel-like tresses have been shoddily chopped off.

That was what Gurgaon resident Sunita Devi told the police, thus bringing to national attention the  stories of mysterious chopping of women's ponytails, plaits and even lose hair in the National Capital Region and neighbouring states. In Kangan Heri village, three women showed the police their chopped hair, while some others hung lemon and chillies at the entrance of their house, to ward off evil spirits that they believed were responsible for this.

Remember the Monkey Man, portrayed beautifully in Dilli 6 by Rakesh Omprakas Mehra? It seems to be a cousin of this monkey, in man form, chopping off women's tresses! Ironically enough, women who have complained are over the hill at 60 plus! And none of them has seen the hair dresser with sharp scissors.

Meanwhile the police have threatened to take action against those giving currency to such rumours. 

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The Delhi Metro is indeed the pride of the city. End May, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation threw open to public what is called the “Heritage Line”. From ITO—where a road named after the last Moghul emperor, Bahadurshah Zafar, is referred to as New Delhi's Fleet Street because it is home to a number of old national dailies—to the Kashmiri Gate, the ancient northern gate of the walled city, the stations all open into ancient landmarks and monuments. Notable ones are the Delhi Gate, the Jama Masjid and  Red Fort. Not on that line, but a short hop from the Red Fort station is the famous Chandni Chowk, and a little beyond, the Chawri Bazar.

And now the Delhi Walks, a group that has been conducting curated walks with themes that include heritage, food and shopping has joined hands with the DMRC to give those who want to walk this heritage route, a guided tour. So far the walks were held in areas like Mehrauli with the Qutab Minar, and Hauz Khas and Nizamuddin. 

There is history, not just in the heritage monuments along the way, but also some famous shops. No wedding is complete, it is believed, without sweets from Chaina Ram mithaiwala! The Jalebiwala next to the Shishganj gurdwara, is almost a 100 years old, and his twirled jalebis are called jalebas—the huge male equivalent, stuffed with cottage cheese, and worth the wait in the long queue. 

This heritage walk will be held on Saturdays and Sundays. But with the metro line, residents and visitors alike can conduct themselves, and do it at a leisurely pace taking in the details. 

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As  Independence Day is approaching, the fashionistas of Delhi are waiting to see  how Prime Minister Narendra Modi's head gear is going to be as he delivers his speech from the ramparts of the Red Fort.

In his first speech from there in 2014, Modi sported a red  Rajasthani bandhini turban with a long olive green and yellow edge swaying in the air. The next I-day, the prime minister was seen in an ombre-dyed pink, yellow and red solid turban. On August 15, 2016, he wore a pink-mustard and saffron turban styled quite differently from the previous years.

Similarly, the Republic Day also sees the prime minister in stand out shades and styles of turbans.

BJP leaders in the capital say more than showing off his sartorial sense, the prime minister is drawing attention to the weavers, dyers, printers, artisans, and everyone involved in the “Make in India” theme dear to him.

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A criminal defamation case filed by advocated Surendra Kumar Sharma against Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and the Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia is coming up on August 8 when charges are likely to be framed against them.

Sharma had complained that he had been promised a ticket for the Delhi assembly elections in 2013, but was eventually denied the ticket. He maintained that while denying it to him, they used defamatory  and derogatory language.

The chief minister and his deputy have been asked by the Delhi court to appear before it. 

And in a rare show, Sisodia appreciated the action of BJP leader and union HRD minister Prakash Javadekar for rolling back the policy of “no detention” in schools, under the Right to Education Act. 

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Topics : #Delhi

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