The stage is set for a great theatrical event in the capital. The National School of Drama (NSD) is organising its annual festival "Theatre Utsav, 2006," which will be held from January 2-14.

The school’s eighth annual festival, would bring to centrestage 62 productions from 11 countries, which will be staged at five venues: Kamani Auditorium, Sri Ram Centre, and three halls at the NSD namely Abhimanch, Bahumukh, and Sammukh.

The festival has been broadly divided in five sections: The Indian presence, Emerging Talent, Theatre Training and Asian and Arab windows.

The first section brings together the best Indian productions of last year and the next two categories incorporate fresh theatrepersons who are making their presence felt across the country and works from other theatre institutes. The Asian and Arab windows give a glimpse of the evolution of theatre in these parts of the globe.

Devendra Raj Ankur, director, NSD, says, "In the festivals held earlier, the focus invariably was on regional theatre in India. This year, however, we have laid enough emphasis on the participation of troupes from South Asian countries. Besides, there will be a three-day seminar (January 6th to 8th) on issues relating to theatre in which eminent scholars from the region will participate." The symposium will be chaired by veteran American theatreperson Richard Schechner, who is credited with having started "environmental theatre" in the US.

Some of the issues to be discussed, says Ankur, are traditions and morality in theatre.The other highlight of the theatrical extravaganza would be the simultaneous staging of some selected plays in Bangalore on January 4-7. "This is being introduced for the first time. But we aim to continue this in the subsequent festivals. Next year, we’ll stage some plays in Kolkata," informs Mr Ankur.

Amal Allana, chairperson, NSD, says, "The focus of this festival will be on the section called Window on Asia, which features plays from countries like China, Japan, South Korea, Nepal and Sri Lanka." Theatre, says Allana, is an important part of culture. "It should be made part and parcel of young people’s lives. Incorporating theatre into the syllabi of schools and universities is long overdue. The festival is a celebration of performing arts as an important part of our lives," she says.

She further adds, "We want the NSD to be connected with good works from other institutions. We don’t want it to be isolated in training field."

With scientists having delayed the arrival of 2006 by the first "leap second" in seven years, everyone can enjoy the New Year eve a second longer. Even as one would be immersed in the midnight revelries, a leap second will be inserted in the world’s clocks — Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) — just before midnight.

This adjustment in the timing, meant to make up for changes in the Earth’s rotation, however, can, astrologically speaking, change many more things for you.Surindar Kashyap, a Delhi-based astrologer says, "Though the leap second would not have much effect on the sun signs, it will certainly affect the ascendant sign."

The ascendant, says Surindar, is the sign of the zodiac which is rising in the East at the moment of birth, and this sign, and the exact position of the ascending degree, are the starting points in any astrological interpretation. "With the ascendant signs, we get to know who we really are. The sun signs, however, represent our ego and how we would like to be," he says.

Jugal Kishor of Saral Jyotish echoes the same. "Many astrologers apply nowadays the sidereal positions of the planets in their applications. In fact, Hindu astrology is based on planet positions in the sidereal zodiac. The one second difference could alter the aynamsa, which makes all planets positions in the tropical zodiac faster by about 23 degrees."