Citygritty 8212; Pune

Acharya, who has conducted camps in Pune, Lucknow, Delhi and Bhopal, claims that backaches are not the only affliction his technique cures. 8220;It also helps relieve post-delivery pains, improves sleep pattern and even stops people from snoring!8221; he says. And he8217;ll be back again to conduct a camp at the United Western Hall, Karvenagar, at 6 p.m. on November 10.

Jazz scores
The Perth Jazz Orchestra PJO will jazz up8217; the Garden Court at Hotel Blue Diamond on November 11, 7.30 p.m. onward, where the members will perform compositions of well-known composers, as well as some original scores. The orchestra will play an amazing variety of instruments 8211; saxaphones, trombones, trumpets, piano, double bass and drums. Some popular tunes like Pennsylvania 6500, I8217;m Getting Sentimental Over You and Chattanooga Choo Choo are also part of their repertoire this time.

The participation of the PJO has been made possible through Jazz India, a group of jazz-lovers who organise jazz yatras in metros. Says Ashok Gulati, organiser, 8220;The origin of jazz music lies in soul and blues music, which was transported with the slaves from Africa to the United States of America and is recognised as a genre in itself .There8217;s this general feeling that jazz music is unfathomable, because there is so much improvisation. quot;Jazz does concentrate on instrumentals, and less on the vocal side, but jazz is lively and melodious. You only have to listen to jazz dance music to know this.8221;

Many world-renowned jazz musicians have been influenced by Indian classical music and the PJO, too, will display shades of Indian music. One can look forward to a melodious and memorable evening with the jazzy8217; group.

Closer to the stars
Almost all observatories are striving to acquire sophisticated astronomical instruments to facilitate research and observation. The IUCAA, too, has added a telescope to its previous set of two. This addition 8211; a 16-inch diameter Meade LX-200 telescope 8211; was acquired about a year ago, and has an imaging camera and photometer as accessories.

8220;This is a moderate-sized computer-driven telescope, with an external computer interface. To use layman terms, the computer guides the direction of the telescope,8221; says an IUCAA official. Intended for research and to help sharpen the skills of astronomical observation, it also aids specific projects like variable star observation. Though not available for public use, amateur astronomers and other organisations interested in observational astronomy can avail of this facility.

Getting the lions into shape
The Fitzgerald Bridge, en route to Ahmednagar, is important not just in terms of its utility value, but also as an edifice of architectural significance. The sculpted lions on guard and the statues of the worker and his family present a pleasant sight against the Mula river. However, neglect and apathy by the Pune Municipal Corporation PMC officials in the past has yielded a sorry present, what with thorn bushes and other plants growing in the crevices of the stone bridge, gradually eroding the structure. Predictably, the PMC has had to be shaken out of its slumber.

With the plight of the bridge pointedly highlighted by some concerned individuals, its garden department workers have taken up operation rectification 8211; cutting down overgrown branches that threaten the structure. Hopefully, the wake-up alarm has been sounded in time.