Leaders from across the countries gathered in Copenhagen and ignited the element, fire in them and caused emissions there. Did they come up with any solution? There will be different opinion on anything and everything. This Kyoto Protocol is quite mind-boggling. How would they cut emissions?
Our life-style and negative emotions are responsible. Actually we are born to live in the woods among animals. Instead we cut the food chain and make shelters to escape from carnivorous animals. We make shelters more and more comfortable and luxurious. But we don’t want to share our shelters with more members. Because of this attitude, ‘hum do hamaare do’ we multiply into nuclear families. Gone are the days of ‘hum do hamaare dus’ and many more living together under one roof. We are getting more and more selfish. So we have to build space-saving high-rises. Concrete buildings cover almost all the space. Soon the earth will become a concrete ball. When concrete buildings heat up in the Sun they generate more heat, whereas, soil heats up to a limit because soil has moisture. Human beings are land creatures but they want to fly in the air and float in the water. so we have made planes and ships to travel through air and water.
To cut greenhouse gas emissions we will have to give up everything we do now. Stop wearing clothes, stop using electric and electronic machines, stop electricity generation, close all mills and factories for ever, stop manufacturing vehicles and so on. Can we stop all these things? If we wear clothes the mills have to work with smoking chimneys and we need detergent to wash clothes, which needs a factory. All these things are interlinked. All works depend on electricity now. The only way to cut emissions completely is to wipe out the industries that provide a livelihood and go back to the Stone Age.
We will have to stop even eating. If we eat we will emit. All creatures on this earth eat and emit. It is natural. Nature can tolerate what is natural. What Nature cannot tolerate is man-made things. We need fuel and fire to cook food. Mumbaikars eat more junk foods—batata vada, vada pav and all that and emit more than others. No wonder if Mumbai’s atmosphere is remain smoggy. All those junk food produce emissions go into the air; the rest goes into the ocean—just kidding.
Don’t blame villagers, who live in a natural way, for global warming. Some city people think burning firewood is the reason for global warming. Emissions from burning firewood are a fraction of smoking chimneys of mills and factories. Actually city people are responsible. Mumbai’s temperature is always higher than that of interior Maharashtra. The reason is concrete buildings, vehicular traffic, excess usage of electricity and lack of greenery. Improving infrastructure means making the city a concrete desert. Temperature varies from place to place across the country also across the world. Then how can they reduce temperature rising to 2 degree. There is no concrete proof to what cause global warming. And there is no instant solution for the same. Nature itself causes disasters. Human beings make it more disastrous.
See, how greenery is helpful to us. Greenery absorbs the Sun light; absorbs the rain water; regulates the wind and help binding the soil. Thus it controls these four elements, fire, air, water and earth. We use these elements changing their particular course.
Monday, December 21, 2009
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Village Life
Though village is a better place to live in environmentally, life is tough there. Daily household chores will drain your energy. There is no tap water, no gas for cooking. If you want to have three square meals a day you have to work hard. Drawing water from the well, cutting fire-wood, burning fire-wood to prepare food, grinding spices with grinding stones, washing utensils outside the house and washing clothes outside or in the pond are a tough task.
I am from a joint family. My grandfather had a large joint family where more than 20 members were living together. My grandfather had a farm, here a moo, there a moo, everywhere a moo, moo instead of here a bow, there a bow. Cattle are needed for farming. There was only one female dog which lived for about 25 years. His joint family had vast acres of farm land and a house made from stone and mud and a large compound around it. Now I feel it was only a dream. Our family tree is uprooted by the bad weather of the household. The seeds are shattered here and there. It was not because of family feud. There was no one willing to continue the family profession. When educated generation migrated and settled elsewhere family members reduced to 3-4. When those few members, who came in a stage that they cannot manage the farming, sold the house and land property. There were many servants for farming and household chores. Servants were honest and dedicated then. Now we don’t get workers for farming. They also want to be educated or go for works that yield a better wage. It happens, when all want to be educated and a better life. Educated young generations don’t want to become farmers. Agriculture is not a cheap profession. Agriculture sense is needed, more than that is how lucky you are. There is no way to protect the open farm lands. Anyone can lay hands on them. Fortunately it didn’t happen to us. People were honest then. To protect the crops from pests, locusts, birds, rodents, cattle and bad weather is a tough task.
My grandmother had a separate house with a 50 cent plot where I spent my school days. I had to work hard. I had to make even cow-dung cakes. It was a boon that there were fruit bearing trees and plants in our house compound. And we grow vegetables. We would get the grains sufficient for a year from our farm. So we didn’t have to buy these things from outside. We had to buy only groceries. My mother would manage the household with an income of mere Rs.50 in the 60s and 70s. What will we do with 50Rs. now? I had to shuttle between my grandparents’ separate houses as a messenger almost all days. I missed the organic food ever since I left my native village to Mumbai. I would get to eat a lot of fruits—custard apple, guava, jack-fruit, goose berries and a variety of mangoes. I would eat even berries of neem tree. A dip in the pond at dawn would revive me. Only large houses like my grandfather’s were illuminated with electric bulbs. All other homes had dark nights. I had to study with a kerosene lamp. However, life was peaceful then.
A century old one or two storied mud houses withstand weather because we will not do any alterations once they are built. We don’t allow any activities on upper floors; don’t even let children play there. Upper floors are only to sleep. Houses are located at a distance because every house has at least a small piece of land around it. So what? You just sneeze, the entire village will hear. In other words, you cannot do anything without the consent of neighbours. They will stay ears pricked and eyes wide opened. Though houses had no proper bolts and locks we didn’t have to fear robbers. There were no daring robbers then. Now the situation has changed. Crimes started in villages too.
Early to bed and early to rise’ is the villagers’ habit that makes them healthy and wise. No one will dare to go out after nightfall. Dimly-lit lanes would remain isolated till dawn. Street lights that have 15 w. bulbs don’t make any difference in the pitch darkness and that too only for main lanes. The lamp posts stand on the lanes gloomy throughout the nights without seeing anyone. People return from movie will be the last ones to sleep. Most of them are workers. Though they don’t have three square meals a day they will spend money for film. Women from respected family might have seen a few selected films in their life time. There were make-shift sheds in a 5 mile radius as theatres. Some entertainment loving people would organize a stage show once a while. A few would gather to watch. Dimly-lit stage with gasoline lamps wouldn’t fascinate anybody much. Shops for essential things were a few but there will be country liquor shops everywhere. One thing good is there are no garbage hills or overflowing drains. Villagers have Nature sense. Though they are aware of the natural disasters deaths rarely occur by snake-bites or drowning. Villages are gradually developing. Because of the arrival of TV, computer, early to bed and early to rise is changed in to ‘late to bed and early to rise’ so wisdom also goes out of them. Village life totally depends on agriculture. Converting farm lands into residential plots is something inappropriate that they do. Since food is the main resource it should not be done. A dream house will give only day dream, not food. Development of villages means destroying landscape and greenery. Villages should be developed without spoiling its beauty. At least villages should remain as it is.
I am from a joint family. My grandfather had a large joint family where more than 20 members were living together. My grandfather had a farm, here a moo, there a moo, everywhere a moo, moo instead of here a bow, there a bow. Cattle are needed for farming. There was only one female dog which lived for about 25 years. His joint family had vast acres of farm land and a house made from stone and mud and a large compound around it. Now I feel it was only a dream. Our family tree is uprooted by the bad weather of the household. The seeds are shattered here and there. It was not because of family feud. There was no one willing to continue the family profession. When educated generation migrated and settled elsewhere family members reduced to 3-4. When those few members, who came in a stage that they cannot manage the farming, sold the house and land property. There were many servants for farming and household chores. Servants were honest and dedicated then. Now we don’t get workers for farming. They also want to be educated or go for works that yield a better wage. It happens, when all want to be educated and a better life. Educated young generations don’t want to become farmers. Agriculture is not a cheap profession. Agriculture sense is needed, more than that is how lucky you are. There is no way to protect the open farm lands. Anyone can lay hands on them. Fortunately it didn’t happen to us. People were honest then. To protect the crops from pests, locusts, birds, rodents, cattle and bad weather is a tough task.
My grandmother had a separate house with a 50 cent plot where I spent my school days. I had to work hard. I had to make even cow-dung cakes. It was a boon that there were fruit bearing trees and plants in our house compound. And we grow vegetables. We would get the grains sufficient for a year from our farm. So we didn’t have to buy these things from outside. We had to buy only groceries. My mother would manage the household with an income of mere Rs.50 in the 60s and 70s. What will we do with 50Rs. now? I had to shuttle between my grandparents’ separate houses as a messenger almost all days. I missed the organic food ever since I left my native village to Mumbai. I would get to eat a lot of fruits—custard apple, guava, jack-fruit, goose berries and a variety of mangoes. I would eat even berries of neem tree. A dip in the pond at dawn would revive me. Only large houses like my grandfather’s were illuminated with electric bulbs. All other homes had dark nights. I had to study with a kerosene lamp. However, life was peaceful then.
A century old one or two storied mud houses withstand weather because we will not do any alterations once they are built. We don’t allow any activities on upper floors; don’t even let children play there. Upper floors are only to sleep. Houses are located at a distance because every house has at least a small piece of land around it. So what? You just sneeze, the entire village will hear. In other words, you cannot do anything without the consent of neighbours. They will stay ears pricked and eyes wide opened. Though houses had no proper bolts and locks we didn’t have to fear robbers. There were no daring robbers then. Now the situation has changed. Crimes started in villages too.
Early to bed and early to rise’ is the villagers’ habit that makes them healthy and wise. No one will dare to go out after nightfall. Dimly-lit lanes would remain isolated till dawn. Street lights that have 15 w. bulbs don’t make any difference in the pitch darkness and that too only for main lanes. The lamp posts stand on the lanes gloomy throughout the nights without seeing anyone. People return from movie will be the last ones to sleep. Most of them are workers. Though they don’t have three square meals a day they will spend money for film. Women from respected family might have seen a few selected films in their life time. There were make-shift sheds in a 5 mile radius as theatres. Some entertainment loving people would organize a stage show once a while. A few would gather to watch. Dimly-lit stage with gasoline lamps wouldn’t fascinate anybody much. Shops for essential things were a few but there will be country liquor shops everywhere. One thing good is there are no garbage hills or overflowing drains. Villagers have Nature sense. Though they are aware of the natural disasters deaths rarely occur by snake-bites or drowning. Villages are gradually developing. Because of the arrival of TV, computer, early to bed and early to rise is changed in to ‘late to bed and early to rise’ so wisdom also goes out of them. Village life totally depends on agriculture. Converting farm lands into residential plots is something inappropriate that they do. Since food is the main resource it should not be done. A dream house will give only day dream, not food. Development of villages means destroying landscape and greenery. Villages should be developed without spoiling its beauty. At least villages should remain as it is.
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Beautiful Villages
A village is beautiful with greenery, ponds, farm lands, open houses and surrounded with dense forests and hills. Lush green paddy fields look like a green carpet spread across the village. Paddy fields dance to the whistle of the wind is something worth to watch. When the wind passes through the paddy grass blades it makes a melodious whistling sound. When open paddy fields cover with a thick fog from sunset to sunrise in winter we need a thick blanket to sleep. Village is calm and not crowded. The atmosphere will be filled with calls of birds and other creatures. Different kinds of birds will sing in different melodies. Since the houses are surrounded by trees and plants many species of birds can be seen around. So we don't have to go to any park for bird watching. Villagers don't wait and watch birds either. It is nothing new to them. Only I would get immersed in the calls of birds and other creatures. Crows will sing a classical note at times. They say it is for guests to come. Want to believe? Cocks around there will crow on time early morning in a gap of 5-10 minutes as if to wake up all. So there is no need of alarm cloak. Cattle grazing around will keep bellowing. When cicada creaks you will have to plug your ears. Comparing to Mumbai’s, dogs, cats, rats, bats and crows population is less.
When day creatures finish their activities by nightfall and rest at their shelter, night creatures start their activities. Owls, male and female will hoot responding each other. Foxes will howl in high pitch. Mass howling is really annoying. They come out to have a feast with crabs they get from the paddy fields. Night birds will sing at night. Fire-flies are like stars on the earth. But they can be seen only in a particular season. Toads, male and female croak responding each other is funny to hear. Jungle fowls will crow at night sometimes. The villagers are very superstitious about that bird. They say if it crows somebody will have to go. Its calls would take my breath away. When my grandfather was living, a jungle fowl came and landed on the roof of our house and started calling. Its calls can be heard from distance places, not to speak of if it is closer it will be loud. The calls have a peculiar vibration which is eerie. I was only a 3-4 year old. My grandfather got annoyed and tried to shoo it away by pelting a stone. Annoyed by the stone-pelting it flew down in a swift to peck him on the head. He ran into the house. If it touched somebody it should be considered as absolutely inauspicious. Thereafter my grand father was bed-ridden and he passed away when I was a 6 year old. You don’t have to believe in it. It must be a co-incidence. In the summer months dust devil can be seen in open places. The wind blows giving out a whistle like dog's howling. Once I was standing on the veranda of my house I saw the dust devil on the nearby lane. I told my grandmother, "See how it looks!" Suddenly it came with a force and lashed me and passed through the back window. Dust got into my eyes. Scared I stood there for a while. My grandmother started scolding me for calling the devil. People say, embers will break out suddenly on the way while walking in the darkness. Only men might have seen it. Women cannot go out at night. There are reptiles in the compound. Sometimes poisonous snakes will crawl into our house. I had to fear wicked human beings more than these things, still I fear them.
The greenery that looks beautiful in the day becomes fiery at night. The trees stand like monsters. Silhouettes of the tree would scare me in my childhood when looking at them constantly. I would watch the Moon playing hide and seek. In Moonless nights I would count the stars. I still like the toys we would make from palm leaves. A grass will not grow without my consent in our house compound. I like to see caravan steadily moving on the lanes. I prefer bullock carts to these life-taking vehicles. If all were born like me there would be only bullock-carts on the roads. I like village very much. But I cannot go back. My family took root deeply here in Mumbai. Now it is too old to transplant.
When day creatures finish their activities by nightfall and rest at their shelter, night creatures start their activities. Owls, male and female will hoot responding each other. Foxes will howl in high pitch. Mass howling is really annoying. They come out to have a feast with crabs they get from the paddy fields. Night birds will sing at night. Fire-flies are like stars on the earth. But they can be seen only in a particular season. Toads, male and female croak responding each other is funny to hear. Jungle fowls will crow at night sometimes. The villagers are very superstitious about that bird. They say if it crows somebody will have to go. Its calls would take my breath away. When my grandfather was living, a jungle fowl came and landed on the roof of our house and started calling. Its calls can be heard from distance places, not to speak of if it is closer it will be loud. The calls have a peculiar vibration which is eerie. I was only a 3-4 year old. My grandfather got annoyed and tried to shoo it away by pelting a stone. Annoyed by the stone-pelting it flew down in a swift to peck him on the head. He ran into the house. If it touched somebody it should be considered as absolutely inauspicious. Thereafter my grand father was bed-ridden and he passed away when I was a 6 year old. You don’t have to believe in it. It must be a co-incidence. In the summer months dust devil can be seen in open places. The wind blows giving out a whistle like dog's howling. Once I was standing on the veranda of my house I saw the dust devil on the nearby lane. I told my grandmother, "See how it looks!" Suddenly it came with a force and lashed me and passed through the back window. Dust got into my eyes. Scared I stood there for a while. My grandmother started scolding me for calling the devil. People say, embers will break out suddenly on the way while walking in the darkness. Only men might have seen it. Women cannot go out at night. There are reptiles in the compound. Sometimes poisonous snakes will crawl into our house. I had to fear wicked human beings more than these things, still I fear them.
The greenery that looks beautiful in the day becomes fiery at night. The trees stand like monsters. Silhouettes of the tree would scare me in my childhood when looking at them constantly. I would watch the Moon playing hide and seek. In Moonless nights I would count the stars. I still like the toys we would make from palm leaves. A grass will not grow without my consent in our house compound. I like to see caravan steadily moving on the lanes. I prefer bullock carts to these life-taking vehicles. If all were born like me there would be only bullock-carts on the roads. I like village very much. But I cannot go back. My family took root deeply here in Mumbai. Now it is too old to transplant.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Thirst for Blood
Come winter and the mosquito population starts rising. Though they breed in water our houses and plants are their dwellings. There are mosquitoes as tiny as small black ants. Some mosquitoes breed on the plants. They make a cocoon out of leaves. It will look like lumps on the leaves. Once as I broke it open mosquitoes came out. Night is day and day is night for them. Mosquitoes may be blind as bats. I haven’t seen them get through a gap wide enough for them to enter.
They barge in by sunset and starts attacking. Their weapons are tubular needles attach to their heads. The virus applied needles are powerful to kill humans. These blood thirsty creatures will not let you keep quiet. They prick with the needles constantly and threaten in the ears, hmm, hmm, give us blood, or else we will not let you sleep. I say I will not give you a drop of blood; I am ready to fight. Swat and kill; it is the only way to get rid of them. Big mosquitoes are easy to swat. Small ones sting too much and are not visible. They make me do hip-hop. I get a rash all over when they bite. the needles can pierce through even thick clothes. I swat all mosquitoes that come closer to me with a cloth to avoid my hands get dirty and will not miss the target. I don’t want to become PETA’s pet. They might say trap the mosquitoes gently in a mosquito-trap and leave them outside. Mosquitoes like tea. When I make tea in the evening they will be ready in the kitchen hovering around the utensils. I bribe them with tea but they don’t seem pleased; will not leave me without getting a drop of blood.
A few years ago a man came with a device at the door and tried to convince me how effective the device is at the best of his communication skill. He had brought it a bag full to sell like kanta batata. I asked him how it works; he told me just plug it in and turn on the switch; mosquitoes will run away. I was impressed and bought two pieces in stead of one at a bargain. I bought it because I was desperately seeking a repellent. I plugged the device in seeking an auspicious time in the evening and waited for the result. As he said mosquitoes run away from the device but came towards me with a vengeance to sting more than before. I stopped using the device after two days. My money went into the pocket and he made me a fool. But I didn’t worry about the money I lost, instead I felt pity because these sales girls and boys have to roam around the entire city whether it rain or shine and climb up and down the stairs to earn a livelihood. It is a tiresome job and all they get is frustration. Residents will slam the door at their face.
All companies that making mosquito-repellent boast of the efficiency of their products. No repellent seems effective. Mosquitoes get immune to them in two days. Good knight doesn’t say good night; All-out doesn’t get them all out. Coil smoke will fill in the room and go into our lungs and irritate the throat. These power and money wasting devices are not only useless but also could kill us slowly due to inhaling the fume. Fumigation can kill other harmless creatures also it is harmful to us. Burn coils; burn everything; burn down your house if you want. Nothing will happen to mosquitoes. If you want to sleep well use net, or toss and turn all the night.
PS: Obama angers Peta: US President Barack Obama has apparently left People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) unhappy by killing a fly during a television interview, for the animal rights organization is now sending him a device that allows users to trap a house-fly and then release it outside—it is a stale news from TOI.
Isn’t it ridiculous? If we can’t kill a fly how can we live on this earth? And what is use of protecting a fly? It will go straight into other creature’s mouth. What they think about the animals which become prey to other animals? Why don’t they protect them?
They barge in by sunset and starts attacking. Their weapons are tubular needles attach to their heads. The virus applied needles are powerful to kill humans. These blood thirsty creatures will not let you keep quiet. They prick with the needles constantly and threaten in the ears, hmm, hmm, give us blood, or else we will not let you sleep. I say I will not give you a drop of blood; I am ready to fight. Swat and kill; it is the only way to get rid of them. Big mosquitoes are easy to swat. Small ones sting too much and are not visible. They make me do hip-hop. I get a rash all over when they bite. the needles can pierce through even thick clothes. I swat all mosquitoes that come closer to me with a cloth to avoid my hands get dirty and will not miss the target. I don’t want to become PETA’s pet. They might say trap the mosquitoes gently in a mosquito-trap and leave them outside. Mosquitoes like tea. When I make tea in the evening they will be ready in the kitchen hovering around the utensils. I bribe them with tea but they don’t seem pleased; will not leave me without getting a drop of blood.
A few years ago a man came with a device at the door and tried to convince me how effective the device is at the best of his communication skill. He had brought it a bag full to sell like kanta batata. I asked him how it works; he told me just plug it in and turn on the switch; mosquitoes will run away. I was impressed and bought two pieces in stead of one at a bargain. I bought it because I was desperately seeking a repellent. I plugged the device in seeking an auspicious time in the evening and waited for the result. As he said mosquitoes run away from the device but came towards me with a vengeance to sting more than before. I stopped using the device after two days. My money went into the pocket and he made me a fool. But I didn’t worry about the money I lost, instead I felt pity because these sales girls and boys have to roam around the entire city whether it rain or shine and climb up and down the stairs to earn a livelihood. It is a tiresome job and all they get is frustration. Residents will slam the door at their face.
All companies that making mosquito-repellent boast of the efficiency of their products. No repellent seems effective. Mosquitoes get immune to them in two days. Good knight doesn’t say good night; All-out doesn’t get them all out. Coil smoke will fill in the room and go into our lungs and irritate the throat. These power and money wasting devices are not only useless but also could kill us slowly due to inhaling the fume. Fumigation can kill other harmless creatures also it is harmful to us. Burn coils; burn everything; burn down your house if you want. Nothing will happen to mosquitoes. If you want to sleep well use net, or toss and turn all the night.
PS: Obama angers Peta: US President Barack Obama has apparently left People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) unhappy by killing a fly during a television interview, for the animal rights organization is now sending him a device that allows users to trap a house-fly and then release it outside—it is a stale news from TOI.
Isn’t it ridiculous? If we can’t kill a fly how can we live on this earth? And what is use of protecting a fly? It will go straight into other creature’s mouth. What they think about the animals which become prey to other animals? Why don’t they protect them?
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Heaven That Turned Into Hell
A year ago this day-26/11/08 was a dark day for Mumbai. It was actually the darkest day by lunar date—the day before Amaavasya. Mumbai had to go through an ordeal. Mumbaikars were daydreaming till then. Suddenly they woke up from deep slumber and sweet dreams to see the unexpected and untoward incidents.
26/11 terrorist attack was an external problem and ended in a day. What about the increasing crimes that can never bring under control? When I say this it doesn’t mean I am not sympathetic towards those were killed in the attack. I watched the horror on TV until it brought under control. I pray to god for innocent people who lost their lives—may their soul rest in peace. 26/11 is a bad day for me too. Every year either I take ill or something would happen to me on that day. Last year I was alone at home that night. This year I got up in the morning feeling unwell.
Mumbai became a crime city. Murder, suicides, burglary, mugging, chain-snatching are on the rise. MNS attack is worse than those of terrorists. MNS Raj ko raj karne ko dil taras raha hai. Knowing that getting power is a pipe dream he throws tantrums and goes berserk. Vehicle accidents are a daily horrible sight. Mumbai’s roads take at least one life everyday. Does every citizen need a vehicle? Do they buy cars for their own convenience or is it just for luxury? When cars go empty with only one person it is only to block the roads and add more to pollution. People should use public transport instead. Bikers are prone to accidents. These adventurous youngsters not only put their life at risk but also of others. Accident prone people should avoid driving. The irony is that usually accident prone people take such risks. Others will not be adventurous. Two-three decades ago one or two accidents had occurred; even it was a shock to hear. And the jam-packed local trains—when some travel inside others travel outside. It is a Herculean task to get into it and get off.
And the clustering-slums are an ugly sight and their living condition is pathetic. People migrate to this city with the hope of finding a better job. But where is the job? They don’t get either a job or permanent accommodation. They are forced to live in slums. If they can’t find any work robbery becomes their profession. Those who cannot find a job better to go back to their native places rather than making the city more crowded. This problem can be solved if other states also provide job facilities. All these problems are not enough to diminish the enthusiasm of people living here. Their minds get seasoned seeing day to day problems. When something happens only to a few people others may don't feel the loss because there is still a large crowd. After all human beings are self-centered by nature. God forbid, anything didn’t happen to my near and dear ones till now. Touch wood!
When I migrate to Mumbai (then Bombay) in 70s it was really a heaven. I was surprised to see the freedom people enjoy in this crowded illuminated city, especially women who were travelling at midnight without fear. You cannot have the freedom in remote villages. No one will dare to go out after nightfall because villages are not illuminated or crowded. Extravagance of electricity in the city makes one travel 24 hours.
I narrate this story of a man who had come to Bombay from our village in 60s when the city was not so crowded. Seeing the crowd he developed a serious mental problem and had to send him back to his village—must be Xenophobia. I don’t know what happened to him later.
Since people were nice the crowd didn’t scare me. There was nothing to fear except some pickpockets. Now one’s own house is not safe. There was a time I would leave the front door open. Now I don’t even open the door for strangers. I get more and more paranoiac as the crimes increase in the city.
Yai, dil mushkil jeena yahaan, jara hatke, jara bachke yai hai Bombay meri jaan……This film song when composed it was not much meaningful then. Now I find it more meaningful. Heaven turned into a hell now. The name changed from Bombay to Mumbai must be the reason. Name starting with ‘M’ usually has a fate or criminal tendency. I wish that Bombay of 70s had come back. The serial ‘Tere Mere Sapne' that started recently is a story not only of one Sarju also of all slum-dwellers. Something should be done for the increasing population, traffic and clustering slums.
26/11 terrorist attack was an external problem and ended in a day. What about the increasing crimes that can never bring under control? When I say this it doesn’t mean I am not sympathetic towards those were killed in the attack. I watched the horror on TV until it brought under control. I pray to god for innocent people who lost their lives—may their soul rest in peace. 26/11 is a bad day for me too. Every year either I take ill or something would happen to me on that day. Last year I was alone at home that night. This year I got up in the morning feeling unwell.
Mumbai became a crime city. Murder, suicides, burglary, mugging, chain-snatching are on the rise. MNS attack is worse than those of terrorists. MNS Raj ko raj karne ko dil taras raha hai. Knowing that getting power is a pipe dream he throws tantrums and goes berserk. Vehicle accidents are a daily horrible sight. Mumbai’s roads take at least one life everyday. Does every citizen need a vehicle? Do they buy cars for their own convenience or is it just for luxury? When cars go empty with only one person it is only to block the roads and add more to pollution. People should use public transport instead. Bikers are prone to accidents. These adventurous youngsters not only put their life at risk but also of others. Accident prone people should avoid driving. The irony is that usually accident prone people take such risks. Others will not be adventurous. Two-three decades ago one or two accidents had occurred; even it was a shock to hear. And the jam-packed local trains—when some travel inside others travel outside. It is a Herculean task to get into it and get off.
And the clustering-slums are an ugly sight and their living condition is pathetic. People migrate to this city with the hope of finding a better job. But where is the job? They don’t get either a job or permanent accommodation. They are forced to live in slums. If they can’t find any work robbery becomes their profession. Those who cannot find a job better to go back to their native places rather than making the city more crowded. This problem can be solved if other states also provide job facilities. All these problems are not enough to diminish the enthusiasm of people living here. Their minds get seasoned seeing day to day problems. When something happens only to a few people others may don't feel the loss because there is still a large crowd. After all human beings are self-centered by nature. God forbid, anything didn’t happen to my near and dear ones till now. Touch wood!
When I migrate to Mumbai (then Bombay) in 70s it was really a heaven. I was surprised to see the freedom people enjoy in this crowded illuminated city, especially women who were travelling at midnight without fear. You cannot have the freedom in remote villages. No one will dare to go out after nightfall because villages are not illuminated or crowded. Extravagance of electricity in the city makes one travel 24 hours.
I narrate this story of a man who had come to Bombay from our village in 60s when the city was not so crowded. Seeing the crowd he developed a serious mental problem and had to send him back to his village—must be Xenophobia. I don’t know what happened to him later.
Since people were nice the crowd didn’t scare me. There was nothing to fear except some pickpockets. Now one’s own house is not safe. There was a time I would leave the front door open. Now I don’t even open the door for strangers. I get more and more paranoiac as the crimes increase in the city.
Yai, dil mushkil jeena yahaan, jara hatke, jara bachke yai hai Bombay meri jaan……This film song when composed it was not much meaningful then. Now I find it more meaningful. Heaven turned into a hell now. The name changed from Bombay to Mumbai must be the reason. Name starting with ‘M’ usually has a fate or criminal tendency. I wish that Bombay of 70s had come back. The serial ‘Tere Mere Sapne' that started recently is a story not only of one Sarju also of all slum-dwellers. Something should be done for the increasing population, traffic and clustering slums.
Monday, November 23, 2009
A Day for Loo
On World Toilet Day, show solidarity with those who don’t have sanitation facilities by squatting on Girgaum Chowpatty
Go to Girguam Chowpatty Thursday evening and you will be greeted with a sight you see on Mumbai’s railway tracks every day—several people squatting in a row! Relax, the event is not going to be about pooping in the open though, it is an awareness drive for World Toilet Day, November 19—a Mumbai mirror report.
We, human beings have made a day for everything and have been celebrating it every year. We celebrate birthday, Independence Day, teacher’s day, mother’s day, and father’s day, etc. There is a day for loo too—sounds funny. November 19 Thursday was the World Toilet Day. Thinking about it may be disgusting but it is a serious issue, especially in this crowded city. We have such problems because we happened to be not just human beings, being civilized modern ones. Animals don’t have loos in the forests. How they manage? Their excreta don’t pile up. It will mix with the soil and nourish the same and the colour of it camouflage with the soil. They have freedom to squat anywhere on the earth. And they don’t have to clean up loos and the choking drains.
Imagine the plight of labourers who clean up the drains for us. They are also human beings doing such dirty jobs. Don’t they feel it disgusting? I feel pity for them. Seeing slum-dwellers squatting near the railway tracks is not so disgusting what is more disgusting is overflowing drains. My stomach gets upset seeing the labourers cleaning up the choking drains. Then they have to clean up more.
There were no permanent toilets in the villages. Now villages also are developing. So they started building toilets with septic tanks. But the septic tank will overflow if too much water is used to flush out. Loo in our village was a pit in our own plot laid with two logs on top to sit and screened with palm leaves and that too will be made only for large houses. Poor peasants had open air loos in their plots. The condition of the loo was unbearable, especially in the rainy season. That’s why I have been thinking for years to build a hygienic loo but without flowing drain. I am not succeded in making one yet. It still remains a pipe dream. Does anybody have idea to make a loo in that way? People will like to become architects and interior decorators but how many people will want to become toilet designers? It will be a chee, chee thing for most of them. But it is a matter of health and hygiene.
Public loos are a better place for graffiti writers. Such filthy inspiration may come to the mind while sitting quiet in a filthy room. They know people will read them more than the blogs. Long queues for loos can be seen in this city. I have read somewhere about the mobile loos that run in this city. Will they wait to finish? We don’t give much importance to the smallest 3x3 room in our flats. But we cannot live without it. Even repair work of that room is a nightmare because we cannot stop answering the call of Nature. There is no better solution for sanitary problems.
Go to Girguam Chowpatty Thursday evening and you will be greeted with a sight you see on Mumbai’s railway tracks every day—several people squatting in a row! Relax, the event is not going to be about pooping in the open though, it is an awareness drive for World Toilet Day, November 19—a Mumbai mirror report.
We, human beings have made a day for everything and have been celebrating it every year. We celebrate birthday, Independence Day, teacher’s day, mother’s day, and father’s day, etc. There is a day for loo too—sounds funny. November 19 Thursday was the World Toilet Day. Thinking about it may be disgusting but it is a serious issue, especially in this crowded city. We have such problems because we happened to be not just human beings, being civilized modern ones. Animals don’t have loos in the forests. How they manage? Their excreta don’t pile up. It will mix with the soil and nourish the same and the colour of it camouflage with the soil. They have freedom to squat anywhere on the earth. And they don’t have to clean up loos and the choking drains.
Imagine the plight of labourers who clean up the drains for us. They are also human beings doing such dirty jobs. Don’t they feel it disgusting? I feel pity for them. Seeing slum-dwellers squatting near the railway tracks is not so disgusting what is more disgusting is overflowing drains. My stomach gets upset seeing the labourers cleaning up the choking drains. Then they have to clean up more.
There were no permanent toilets in the villages. Now villages also are developing. So they started building toilets with septic tanks. But the septic tank will overflow if too much water is used to flush out. Loo in our village was a pit in our own plot laid with two logs on top to sit and screened with palm leaves and that too will be made only for large houses. Poor peasants had open air loos in their plots. The condition of the loo was unbearable, especially in the rainy season. That’s why I have been thinking for years to build a hygienic loo but without flowing drain. I am not succeded in making one yet. It still remains a pipe dream. Does anybody have idea to make a loo in that way? People will like to become architects and interior decorators but how many people will want to become toilet designers? It will be a chee, chee thing for most of them. But it is a matter of health and hygiene.
Public loos are a better place for graffiti writers. Such filthy inspiration may come to the mind while sitting quiet in a filthy room. They know people will read them more than the blogs. Long queues for loos can be seen in this city. I have read somewhere about the mobile loos that run in this city. Will they wait to finish? We don’t give much importance to the smallest 3x3 room in our flats. But we cannot live without it. Even repair work of that room is a nightmare because we cannot stop answering the call of Nature. There is no better solution for sanitary problems.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Staring Menace
People stare at me too much, not to speak of the villagers. I don’t know the reason. When I walk through the lanes in my village, some people would stand aside and stare at me till I reach out of their sight. They behave as if I am an alien. I often think whether there is any peculiarity for staring. There is nothing abnormal in my dressing up. I don’t use cosmetics, even talcum powder. Some women I meet there have nothing to talk just sit back and stare at me. They don’t think I have emotions of a human being. Some women would check me by every pore on my body as if I am a show-piece and say, I am weak there is little blood in my body. Doctors also say I am anemic even if I have 100% haemoglobin. They think I am on a fast forever. I might be born underweight. I am fed up of all these interpretations on my body and complexion. My complexion is like that, “tere angon pe champa ka rang chada,” at least a poet was there to understand. OK, I am thin and I don’t look healthy. Then why these stares, stares at me? I don’t understand. Is it because of my clear fair skin or is it envy or hatred? These questions remain unanswered. When I observe other good-looking women I understand not all are a target of staring.
I stand in front of the dressing table, which has a wall mounting mirror, and ask, “Mirror, mirror, on the wall, am I the fairest of them all?” Mirror says, “No, there are several who are fairest; you are only a fraction of them.” I ask again, “Then why do they stare at me?” Mirror says, “I don’t know, ask them.” I feel like asking them. If I ask it will go against manners. Starers don’t have to keep any manners. How long can I go with my ‘grin and bear it’ nature? Curiosity doesn’t kill the cat. Their curiosity does kill me. I can’t stand staring. I feel uncomfortable. I twist like a worm that got hurt, in front of these starers. Even animals feel uncomfortable with constant gaze. If you stare at a dog or a cat constantly it will close and open its eyes every now and again. The irony is that the very starers can’t stand staring of others. Constant gaze is a real menace, if it is with envy or hatred it is worse.
Eyes are meant to see the light of this universe and needed to live on this earth. Eyes are related to the element, fire. So some people use them as agnibaann to burn others. If only they used their eyes to observe and understand things properly! A few are gifted with a third eye. Imagine the plight of a blind person. Eyes show your emotions. You cannot hide it.
I stand in front of the dressing table, which has a wall mounting mirror, and ask, “Mirror, mirror, on the wall, am I the fairest of them all?” Mirror says, “No, there are several who are fairest; you are only a fraction of them.” I ask again, “Then why do they stare at me?” Mirror says, “I don’t know, ask them.” I feel like asking them. If I ask it will go against manners. Starers don’t have to keep any manners. How long can I go with my ‘grin and bear it’ nature? Curiosity doesn’t kill the cat. Their curiosity does kill me. I can’t stand staring. I feel uncomfortable. I twist like a worm that got hurt, in front of these starers. Even animals feel uncomfortable with constant gaze. If you stare at a dog or a cat constantly it will close and open its eyes every now and again. The irony is that the very starers can’t stand staring of others. Constant gaze is a real menace, if it is with envy or hatred it is worse.
Eyes are meant to see the light of this universe and needed to live on this earth. Eyes are related to the element, fire. So some people use them as agnibaann to burn others. If only they used their eyes to observe and understand things properly! A few are gifted with a third eye. Imagine the plight of a blind person. Eyes show your emotions. You cannot hide it.
Friday, November 13, 2009
Remedy for Insomnia
Insomnia! Don’t take it as an ailment. If you have this problem try out this natural remedy. Take one cup of kheer, made from sugar, milk and rice, or instead of rice any other ingredients, at night with meals. Add sugar only to make it palatable. Butter is optional. But without enough sugar and butter kheer will not be delicious. Remember, you take it as a remedy. And make sure don’t get addicted to it or don’t take it alone as a whole meal. One cup is enough to induce sleep. If you exceed the quota and excess sugar will cause harm, don’t blame me.
You can take sweets according the season. Pudding and fruit salads in summer, warm kheer in rainy season, sweet meats like ladoos, jalebis and milk shake in autumn and warm kheer in winter. Avoid adulterated ghee and mawa. Dairy products should be used fresh and hygienically. Old and and stale dairy products are equal to poison.
Five flavors (spicy, sweet, sour, salty, and bitter) are like five elements. Understand the benefit of sugar. Sugar is not harmful as you think unless you are a diabetic. Sugar has sedative effect but it is not like sedative medicines. Sugar will calm your brain and revive your nerves. So there is no need of sleeping pills or anti-depressants. Sleeping pills and alcohol will induce sleep but you will get up weak and lethargic in the morning. Sugar will not make you lethargic or weak; instead you will get up refreshed. I don’t think taking one cup kheer will harm or make anybody fat. If sugar is a fattening ingredient why don’t I become fat despite having a sweet tooth? If I eat an elephant daily I am not going to put on weight. Jaggery is more effective but if it is adulterated it is of no use.
If you don’t want to take sweets or you don’t like sweets there is an alternative. Keep some fragrant flowers that you like at the bedside table. Be calm and concentrate on taking the smell. The sedative smell will induce sleep. But it is not a remedy for asthmatics. Night flowers are white and rich in fragrance. The fragrance has a sedative effect and it spreads up to a long distance. It must be Mother Nature's way to put the earthlings to sleep and to keep the earth odour-free. Mumbai needs more such flowering trees. If you have the habit of too much thinking or daydreaming you will not get sleep. When you keep thinking the goddess of sleep will withdraw. It is like updating computer. When you keep working the updates will withdraw. Then it comes back as it is shutting down. In that case practice shavasana (yoga) when you going to sleep. A few minutes of shavasana will take you to world of sleep.
Though birds and animals get less sleep comparatively they are healthy and stronger than human beings. They don’t toil 24x7 like humans. They are active only in the day time; night is for sleep for them except some night creatures. They don’t disturb each other at night. When married couples sleep together they may disturb each other throughout the night. Human beings have to do something even at night. Hadn’t we have to do any work sleep wouldn’t be needed at all. We sleep when we get tired. After all, sleep is a best natural remedy for almost all the ailments. So sleep as much as you can. Have a sweet dream.
You can take sweets according the season. Pudding and fruit salads in summer, warm kheer in rainy season, sweet meats like ladoos, jalebis and milk shake in autumn and warm kheer in winter. Avoid adulterated ghee and mawa. Dairy products should be used fresh and hygienically. Old and and stale dairy products are equal to poison.
Five flavors (spicy, sweet, sour, salty, and bitter) are like five elements. Understand the benefit of sugar. Sugar is not harmful as you think unless you are a diabetic. Sugar has sedative effect but it is not like sedative medicines. Sugar will calm your brain and revive your nerves. So there is no need of sleeping pills or anti-depressants. Sleeping pills and alcohol will induce sleep but you will get up weak and lethargic in the morning. Sugar will not make you lethargic or weak; instead you will get up refreshed. I don’t think taking one cup kheer will harm or make anybody fat. If sugar is a fattening ingredient why don’t I become fat despite having a sweet tooth? If I eat an elephant daily I am not going to put on weight. Jaggery is more effective but if it is adulterated it is of no use.
If you don’t want to take sweets or you don’t like sweets there is an alternative. Keep some fragrant flowers that you like at the bedside table. Be calm and concentrate on taking the smell. The sedative smell will induce sleep. But it is not a remedy for asthmatics. Night flowers are white and rich in fragrance. The fragrance has a sedative effect and it spreads up to a long distance. It must be Mother Nature's way to put the earthlings to sleep and to keep the earth odour-free. Mumbai needs more such flowering trees. If you have the habit of too much thinking or daydreaming you will not get sleep. When you keep thinking the goddess of sleep will withdraw. It is like updating computer. When you keep working the updates will withdraw. Then it comes back as it is shutting down. In that case practice shavasana (yoga) when you going to sleep. A few minutes of shavasana will take you to world of sleep.
Though birds and animals get less sleep comparatively they are healthy and stronger than human beings. They don’t toil 24x7 like humans. They are active only in the day time; night is for sleep for them except some night creatures. They don’t disturb each other at night. When married couples sleep together they may disturb each other throughout the night. Human beings have to do something even at night. Hadn’t we have to do any work sleep wouldn’t be needed at all. We sleep when we get tired. After all, sleep is a best natural remedy for almost all the ailments. So sleep as much as you can. Have a sweet dream.
Monday, October 26, 2009
Mosquitoes' Ghosts
There were several reports in the news papers about the new species of animals that found, this year. I also found a new species of insects on Sunday-25-10-2009. When I was sitting at the window I saw something flaky in mass in the air near the plants. I thought initially that it was the usual habit of people, who live in the upper floors, throwing something. After cleaning the rice or wheat they would throw the waste carelessly through the windows. Strands of fallen hair will come straight in to our room with the wind. I have to pick up their hair and throw it into our dustbin instead of throwing it outside. Old habits die hard.
When the flaky things didn’t settle to the ground even after a few minutes I took a closer look and realized it was some kinds of insects and seen flying up and down only in a vertical motion. It looked like our flaky dry skin that comes off in winter. I tried to catch them with a transparent plastic bag, but I couldn’t get a single one. Though tiny those are cunning to evade the trap and strong enough to withstand the wind. It is dangerous than mosquitoes or any other insects. They can enter straight into our nostrils, eyes or ears. The insects were flying there about two hours then disappeared. But I didn’t have time to chase them. I named it ‘mosquitoes’ ghosts.’ But these ghost mosquitoes appear in the morning, not at night. They might be appearing only in some particular season like winged ants on the onset of monsoon.
Why animal lovers worry about the extinction of some species. When one species becomes extinct another one emerges from the soil. The other day I saw a baby centipede about half inch length. I picked it up and thrown outside. If the baby is 6 inch in length what would be the length of adult centipede? I see centipedes of about 2-3 inches often. A large number of millipedes are seen crawling around the house. A few years ago they were only in black. Now it is seen in different pattern and colour—black and yellow like Mumbai’s taxis—yellow on top and black on the sides.
Soil is full of life, but only in the upper crust. I think there is no life in the deep soil. Because of the four elements the upper crust remains humid. Humidity is needed for life to take place.
PS: Today when I checked the plastic bag thoroughly I could get a fossil of the insect. But I don’t know whether it is the same thing I got. It is too tiny to distinguish.
When the flaky things didn’t settle to the ground even after a few minutes I took a closer look and realized it was some kinds of insects and seen flying up and down only in a vertical motion. It looked like our flaky dry skin that comes off in winter. I tried to catch them with a transparent plastic bag, but I couldn’t get a single one. Though tiny those are cunning to evade the trap and strong enough to withstand the wind. It is dangerous than mosquitoes or any other insects. They can enter straight into our nostrils, eyes or ears. The insects were flying there about two hours then disappeared. But I didn’t have time to chase them. I named it ‘mosquitoes’ ghosts.’ But these ghost mosquitoes appear in the morning, not at night. They might be appearing only in some particular season like winged ants on the onset of monsoon.
Why animal lovers worry about the extinction of some species. When one species becomes extinct another one emerges from the soil. The other day I saw a baby centipede about half inch length. I picked it up and thrown outside. If the baby is 6 inch in length what would be the length of adult centipede? I see centipedes of about 2-3 inches often. A large number of millipedes are seen crawling around the house. A few years ago they were only in black. Now it is seen in different pattern and colour—black and yellow like Mumbai’s taxis—yellow on top and black on the sides.
Soil is full of life, but only in the upper crust. I think there is no life in the deep soil. Because of the four elements the upper crust remains humid. Humidity is needed for life to take place.
PS: Today when I checked the plastic bag thoroughly I could get a fossil of the insect. But I don’t know whether it is the same thing I got. It is too tiny to distinguish.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Stressful Diwali
Diwali is over. We say Happy Diwali just for a formality. It is not going to be a Happy Diwali for everybody. What would be a Diwali for beggars or blind people who cannot see the light of the universe? You can see people (milkman, postman, sweeper) at your service will be suddenly turn nice towards you even if they will be nasty at other times. The reason—Baksheesh or what else? Gas cylinderwaalas would ask for baksheesh even after two months. You have to please them as you perform pujas to please Goddess Mahalakshmi. If you are reluctant to give anything, be ready to take gaaliyan. Diwala follows Diwali.
Every year I have to celebrate a tension-filled Diwali. Some problems would coincide to make it worse. See, how a rodent came in between us to spoil my diwali this year. I have grown a medicinal plant separately on the window-sill. My husband takes care of other plants. Two days before Diwali I found the plant’s one of the stem cut off. It was healthy with full of green leaves. I got annoyed and asked my husband about it. He behaved as if he was not even aware of it. That irked me even more. I claimed that only he would do it since there was nobody at home. I have reason to suspect him because the stem was missing without leaving a leaf behind and he would do something to irritate me often. He got angry and started fighting with me and went sulky for a day. The matter did not finish there. Next day in the morning we fought over it again. By the morning he was calmed down and said quietly that he had not done it. Yet I couldn’t trust him. I told him to say it before God to know whether it is a lie. He said it again calmly that he had not done it. Then we checked the plant together. The plant was found almost destroyed and the soil dug out. Soon I realized the culprit is rat. Who would think a rodent can do such a clueless theft? Rats were not a menace to me till then. I was not aware the rats eat such plants. It might have chewed on the plant when it didn’t get anything to eat, or does it need medicine for some ailment? I felt guilty of accusing my husband for no reason and apologized.
Last year also we fought on the day of amavaasya then the next day I saw a raw of light in my life in the morning and Goddess Mahalakshmi entered in to our home when I got a silver coin as a gift. Since this happens every year I have to believe in superstition. According to the lunar dates Hindu festivals have been celebrating. Most festivals fall on Amavaasya or Poornima or close to the days of it. Hence, festivals could be troublesome. I have noticed even animals and birds fight on those days. October is the worst month for my husband and the dark phase is not favourable for me too. That’s why we have fight on those days. And my relatives are not in a good mood this year. Only God knows whether it will be a Happy or stressful Diwali next year.
Every year I have to celebrate a tension-filled Diwali. Some problems would coincide to make it worse. See, how a rodent came in between us to spoil my diwali this year. I have grown a medicinal plant separately on the window-sill. My husband takes care of other plants. Two days before Diwali I found the plant’s one of the stem cut off. It was healthy with full of green leaves. I got annoyed and asked my husband about it. He behaved as if he was not even aware of it. That irked me even more. I claimed that only he would do it since there was nobody at home. I have reason to suspect him because the stem was missing without leaving a leaf behind and he would do something to irritate me often. He got angry and started fighting with me and went sulky for a day. The matter did not finish there. Next day in the morning we fought over it again. By the morning he was calmed down and said quietly that he had not done it. Yet I couldn’t trust him. I told him to say it before God to know whether it is a lie. He said it again calmly that he had not done it. Then we checked the plant together. The plant was found almost destroyed and the soil dug out. Soon I realized the culprit is rat. Who would think a rodent can do such a clueless theft? Rats were not a menace to me till then. I was not aware the rats eat such plants. It might have chewed on the plant when it didn’t get anything to eat, or does it need medicine for some ailment? I felt guilty of accusing my husband for no reason and apologized.
Last year also we fought on the day of amavaasya then the next day I saw a raw of light in my life in the morning and Goddess Mahalakshmi entered in to our home when I got a silver coin as a gift. Since this happens every year I have to believe in superstition. According to the lunar dates Hindu festivals have been celebrating. Most festivals fall on Amavaasya or Poornima or close to the days of it. Hence, festivals could be troublesome. I have noticed even animals and birds fight on those days. October is the worst month for my husband and the dark phase is not favourable for me too. That’s why we have fight on those days. And my relatives are not in a good mood this year. Only God knows whether it will be a Happy or stressful Diwali next year.
Friday, October 9, 2009
Wrong, Wrong, Quite Wrong
Candy-gobbling kids grow into violent adults—
London: Willy Wonka would be horrified. Children who eat too much candy may be more likely to be arrested for violent behavior as adults, new research suggests—this is a first paragraph of TOI report.
I don’t believe in these findings. Not all candy-gobbling kids will become goblins. If some adults are violent they might be violent in childhood too. All children are not innocent as they say. One’s personality development can be analyzed right in childhood. Such aggressive, manipulative children will get what they want by throwing tantrums. Often their parents have to fulfill their whims when it becomes unbearable.
I have a sweet tooth. I would go for the dinner when I was a child only with the intention to fill my stomach with lots of kheer. I would make a lot of sweet meat in my younger days. Still like to eat sweets. But I am not violent. I believe in non-violence. I am sweet as sugar. I was a quite, obedient child. But I have to fight with my husband. It is because he is too spicy. Sugar and spice combination is not good. Spices match with salt. Often spicy food eating people are seen more violent.
Actually sweets are beneficial for children, especially for the hyperactive ones. Since sugar is a natural sedative, it will lessen their hyperactivity as they get sleepy. At the same time it is not harmful to the brain as other sedatives. Chocolates may not be good because of the ingredients, colours and preservative that use to make them, but sugar is not harmful. Children should be allowed to eat chocolates only after a good meal. Eating chocolates before meals will spoil the appetite. Most children like to eat chocolates. It is a natural desire of the body system at the time of growth. Daily intake of sweets in small amount will not be harmful unless they are genetically diabetic. They will grow tall and strong like sugarcane. Home-made sweets are better for children. But they are reluctant to eat them because home-made sweets are not attractive. TV ads make them mad. They want try out every new brand available in the market.
Johnny, Johnny, Yes, papa
Eating sugar, no, papa
Telling lies, no, papa
Open your mouth, ha, ha, ha
London: Willy Wonka would be horrified. Children who eat too much candy may be more likely to be arrested for violent behavior as adults, new research suggests—this is a first paragraph of TOI report.
I don’t believe in these findings. Not all candy-gobbling kids will become goblins. If some adults are violent they might be violent in childhood too. All children are not innocent as they say. One’s personality development can be analyzed right in childhood. Such aggressive, manipulative children will get what they want by throwing tantrums. Often their parents have to fulfill their whims when it becomes unbearable.
I have a sweet tooth. I would go for the dinner when I was a child only with the intention to fill my stomach with lots of kheer. I would make a lot of sweet meat in my younger days. Still like to eat sweets. But I am not violent. I believe in non-violence. I am sweet as sugar. I was a quite, obedient child. But I have to fight with my husband. It is because he is too spicy. Sugar and spice combination is not good. Spices match with salt. Often spicy food eating people are seen more violent.
Actually sweets are beneficial for children, especially for the hyperactive ones. Since sugar is a natural sedative, it will lessen their hyperactivity as they get sleepy. At the same time it is not harmful to the brain as other sedatives. Chocolates may not be good because of the ingredients, colours and preservative that use to make them, but sugar is not harmful. Children should be allowed to eat chocolates only after a good meal. Eating chocolates before meals will spoil the appetite. Most children like to eat chocolates. It is a natural desire of the body system at the time of growth. Daily intake of sweets in small amount will not be harmful unless they are genetically diabetic. They will grow tall and strong like sugarcane. Home-made sweets are better for children. But they are reluctant to eat them because home-made sweets are not attractive. TV ads make them mad. They want try out every new brand available in the market.
Johnny, Johnny, Yes, papa
Eating sugar, no, papa
Telling lies, no, papa
Open your mouth, ha, ha, ha
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Heart's Attack
My heart was not in the mood to celebrate World Heart Day. Instead it was celebrating Navratri so as to get blessings from gods and goddesses for its health and long life. I don’t know how long my heart will be loyal to me. My heart wants to attack me even if I don’t do anything and thrash me to the bed every now and then. But it compromise and tries to get along with this madcap, me. No wonder if heart goes erratic, it has been working constantly for 55 long years. Heart is a natural pump. Any other man-made water pump cannot work for so long. This nature-made pump also will get damaged like any other man-made pump. Some don’t get good heart at birth. Manufacturing defect is possible while making any machine. Nature also makes mistakes sometimes.
I have been living with arrhythmia for 10 years. It started all of a sudden as a twitching and getting severe with years. I know there is no cure and have learnt to live with it without any medical treatment or medicine. Any medicine I take for other ailments aggravate the problem. I can do at least some household chores now. If I go for treatment, I know I will become a vegetable.
My heart tells me,
Don’t say anything
Don’t see anything
Don’t hear anything
Don’t laugh, don’t cry
Don’t think about anything
Don’t do anything at all
Without me you are a dummy
Your life is in my hands
I cannot support you for ever
I am weak and old
If you don’t listen I will leave you forever
But I don’t pay heed.
I have been living with arrhythmia for 10 years. It started all of a sudden as a twitching and getting severe with years. I know there is no cure and have learnt to live with it without any medical treatment or medicine. Any medicine I take for other ailments aggravate the problem. I can do at least some household chores now. If I go for treatment, I know I will become a vegetable.
My heart tells me,
Don’t say anything
Don’t see anything
Don’t hear anything
Don’t laugh, don’t cry
Don’t think about anything
Don’t do anything at all
Without me you are a dummy
Your life is in my hands
I cannot support you for ever
I am weak and old
If you don’t listen I will leave you forever
But I don’t pay heed.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
The Power of Vani
A quote from Shri Buddha’s philosophy-
“O Atula! This is an old rule-not just the rule of today. They blame him who sits silent; they even blame him who speaks little. Atula, there is none in the world who is not blamed.
Fear of criticism is like a great divider. Those who have overcome it are the successful ones.
Why do we criticize? Is it an instinct? Doesn’t seem so. Does anybody have a right to criticize anybody? Anyone is not perfect to criticize others. It is a compulsive habit of humans. Animal don’t criticize each other. Why? They haven’t learnt to talk. The fault is that languages have been made for communication and our convenience. Otherwise, how would have we spoken—a, aa, e, ee, u, uoo? If we hadn’t learned to talk, when we lose temper, we would have fought like animals instead of waiting for a verbal fight.
Criticism comes out of hatred and jealousy. We criticize those whom we hate or those who hate us or it is just a time pass for some. Those who criticize others cannot take the bullet when it backfires. “I can criticize everybody, you cannot criticize me,” this is the common mentality of people. Such one way thinking creates all problems. Be good or bad, anyone will not escape criticism. Some are always a target of it. As long as your words and deeds are good you don't have to fear criticizm. Some harmless gossip is OK. My criticism is harmless, I think. I have this genetic mental disorder—making pun. I don’t find any cure for it, even for my arrhythmia. But I don’t make fun of anybody. Making fun and making pun is quite different.
Vani has a divine power since it is ruled by Vak devi. So we should not misuse the Vani. Words can unite, words can separate. Toh, jabaan sambhal ke……
“O Atula! This is an old rule-not just the rule of today. They blame him who sits silent; they even blame him who speaks little. Atula, there is none in the world who is not blamed.
Fear of criticism is like a great divider. Those who have overcome it are the successful ones.
Why do we criticize? Is it an instinct? Doesn’t seem so. Does anybody have a right to criticize anybody? Anyone is not perfect to criticize others. It is a compulsive habit of humans. Animal don’t criticize each other. Why? They haven’t learnt to talk. The fault is that languages have been made for communication and our convenience. Otherwise, how would have we spoken—a, aa, e, ee, u, uoo? If we hadn’t learned to talk, when we lose temper, we would have fought like animals instead of waiting for a verbal fight.
Criticism comes out of hatred and jealousy. We criticize those whom we hate or those who hate us or it is just a time pass for some. Those who criticize others cannot take the bullet when it backfires. “I can criticize everybody, you cannot criticize me,” this is the common mentality of people. Such one way thinking creates all problems. Be good or bad, anyone will not escape criticism. Some are always a target of it. As long as your words and deeds are good you don't have to fear criticizm. Some harmless gossip is OK. My criticism is harmless, I think. I have this genetic mental disorder—making pun. I don’t find any cure for it, even for my arrhythmia. But I don’t make fun of anybody. Making fun and making pun is quite different.
Vani has a divine power since it is ruled by Vak devi. So we should not misuse the Vani. Words can unite, words can separate. Toh, jabaan sambhal ke……
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Season for Butterflies
Butterflies are pretty things
Prettier than you or I
See the colours on its wings
Who would hurt a butterfly?
I don’t remember the poet who wrote this poem. The poet seems to be sympathetic towards butterflies. I think only poets and I can see their beauty. Others don’t seem to care about them. As the poet said, "who would hurt a butterfly," I haven't seen anybody, even birds and animals hurt butterflies. These multi-coloured winged creatures attract me. I waste my time to watch them. Butterflies come to the window-sill plants and lay eggs on them. So I can watch their metamorphosis. Farmers hate them because these winged creatures have the strength to destroy their crops. They will destroy them instead by spraying pesticides on plants. Farmers find their crops more beautiful than butterflies. How selfish human beings are! We, human take advantage of the earth maximum. Butterflies need food plants to lay their eggs. They lay the eggs under the leaves so as to protect them from weather and the leaves make food for the larvae. Their survival sense is surprisingly great. But only a few eggs hatch out of thousands of them. There are butterflies barely half inch in size. One could be mistaken them for moths. Moths are different in looks and habit. They are not attractive as butterflies. Butterflies are good to look at, not good to touch. the delicate wings will easily come off and the powdery substance on the wings will stick on the hands.
Autumn is the season for butterflies, also a season for all kinds and coloured flowers. That’s why people in Kerala make rangolis with different coloured flowers for the Onam festival. I sense the autumn dry weather pulling my skin. Fire-flies also appear in this season. With the onset of the autumn many different coloured butterflies that came out fresh from the cocoons can be seen flying around vigorously among the trees and plants. After a rain when it shine they come out looking for what, flowers or lovers? They enjoy their short life to the utmost. Their multi-coloured wings and patterns on them are attractive; represent modern art. Nature is a wonderful artist. But why does Nature give the beautiful things short life? I feel pity for them. How can we change the Nature’s ways? Though they have got a speedy short life-span they are inclined to do the duty of this world. They mate, reproduce before they shed their wings to keep the existence of their species which is the first and foremost duty of this world. Butterflies are really wonderful also Nature is wonderful.
Prettier than you or I
See the colours on its wings
Who would hurt a butterfly?
I don’t remember the poet who wrote this poem. The poet seems to be sympathetic towards butterflies. I think only poets and I can see their beauty. Others don’t seem to care about them. As the poet said, "who would hurt a butterfly," I haven't seen anybody, even birds and animals hurt butterflies. These multi-coloured winged creatures attract me. I waste my time to watch them. Butterflies come to the window-sill plants and lay eggs on them. So I can watch their metamorphosis. Farmers hate them because these winged creatures have the strength to destroy their crops. They will destroy them instead by spraying pesticides on plants. Farmers find their crops more beautiful than butterflies. How selfish human beings are! We, human take advantage of the earth maximum. Butterflies need food plants to lay their eggs. They lay the eggs under the leaves so as to protect them from weather and the leaves make food for the larvae. Their survival sense is surprisingly great. But only a few eggs hatch out of thousands of them. There are butterflies barely half inch in size. One could be mistaken them for moths. Moths are different in looks and habit. They are not attractive as butterflies. Butterflies are good to look at, not good to touch. the delicate wings will easily come off and the powdery substance on the wings will stick on the hands.
Autumn is the season for butterflies, also a season for all kinds and coloured flowers. That’s why people in Kerala make rangolis with different coloured flowers for the Onam festival. I sense the autumn dry weather pulling my skin. Fire-flies also appear in this season. With the onset of the autumn many different coloured butterflies that came out fresh from the cocoons can be seen flying around vigorously among the trees and plants. After a rain when it shine they come out looking for what, flowers or lovers? They enjoy their short life to the utmost. Their multi-coloured wings and patterns on them are attractive; represent modern art. Nature is a wonderful artist. But why does Nature give the beautiful things short life? I feel pity for them. How can we change the Nature’s ways? Though they have got a speedy short life-span they are inclined to do the duty of this world. They mate, reproduce before they shed their wings to keep the existence of their species which is the first and foremost duty of this world. Butterflies are really wonderful also Nature is wonderful.
Monday, September 7, 2009
Shani Ki Sade-sati
In Vedic Astrology Sade-Sati is mentioned as this—the period since the Saturn’s entering into the sign just beofre the natal Moon sign and in next few signs after that sign. I don’t believe in that Sade-Sati. My interpretation is different. During the Saturn’s journey through the 12 constellations, Saturn will come in conjunction, square or opposition to your natal Moon or natal Saturn in every 7-8 years and stay in those signs for about 2 ½ years. Actually this is to be considered as Sade-Sati. Those 2 ½ years which, Saturn stays in your Moon sign or Saturn sign will be troublesome. According to the Saturn’s position and other planetary aspects in your natal chart, the impact of the transit is. I always say that when one has fate, his/her brain will work accordingly.
That is what happened to Andhra CM Rajashekhar Reddy. He was under Saturn’s transit since 2008. It was about to end by the end of this year. Before he could escape the bad phase, the messenger of death intruded in to his life and took a flight along with him. If he had waited to get over the Saturn’s transit, perhaps, he could have escaped this fate. The planetary alignment in his natal chart is seen slightly complicated. When the Moon’s phases advance the weather condition will be extremely bad.
Like father like son—YSR’s son Jagan Mohan Reddy inherits almost similar planetary aspects of his father. So he too is going through a bad phase now. That’s why he couldn’t make up his mind, despite having too many supporters to pamper him. He doesn’t seem confident enough to become CM and that too in the period of mourning of his father’s death normally he will lose confidence.
Most people travel in the Saturn’s transit more than they usually do. Some purposely travel or unavoidable circumstances will make them travel. People have to travel because of the work. In the Saturn’s transit the messenger of death will follow you everywhere without your consent. If you are patient and be cautious you can escape the bad phase unscathed.
That is what happened to Andhra CM Rajashekhar Reddy. He was under Saturn’s transit since 2008. It was about to end by the end of this year. Before he could escape the bad phase, the messenger of death intruded in to his life and took a flight along with him. If he had waited to get over the Saturn’s transit, perhaps, he could have escaped this fate. The planetary alignment in his natal chart is seen slightly complicated. When the Moon’s phases advance the weather condition will be extremely bad.
Like father like son—YSR’s son Jagan Mohan Reddy inherits almost similar planetary aspects of his father. So he too is going through a bad phase now. That’s why he couldn’t make up his mind, despite having too many supporters to pamper him. He doesn’t seem confident enough to become CM and that too in the period of mourning of his father’s death normally he will lose confidence.
Most people travel in the Saturn’s transit more than they usually do. Some purposely travel or unavoidable circumstances will make them travel. People have to travel because of the work. In the Saturn’s transit the messenger of death will follow you everywhere without your consent. If you are patient and be cautious you can escape the bad phase unscathed.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
An Old Photograph
A photograph of army men, when my father was in service during British rule. There is no chance of anyone among these patriots living now. Though I have seen him a few times I have kept this photo with me in memory of him. I don’t know much about my father, except a little information I got from my grandmother. My parents’ ‘1942 A Love Story’ had a tragic end after my birth. They were separated when I was just a one year old and he passed away when I was 9. Had he been in good relationship with my mother, I would have got a clear view of British rule and partition. Since he was a true patriot, he might have had thorough knowledge of the country. Jaswant Singh’s book has created much controversy. Unfortunately, I missed out the opportunity to know whether Jaswant Singh’s statements are right or wrong.
16-09-2009—Jinnah, the destroyer
After Jaswant Singh it is union minister, Jairam Ramesh to elevate Jinnah. He compared Jinnah to Lord Shiva. He said Gandhi, Nehru and Jinnah as Hindu trinity, Brahma (creator), Vishnu (provider) and Shiva (destroyer) respectively. Was Jinnah really the incarnation of Lord Shiva? Who knows?
Jinnah’s jinni still seems to be roaming around in India, his birth place, not in Pakistan and looking for politicians, who have names similar to his—starting with J. Jinnah, Jaswant, Jairam (JJJ). They must be trinity. Jinni wants to convince people that Jinnah was not a bad man but the Muslim haters were bad.
I don’t know anything about Jinnah except I had learned from history in school. My father might have seen him when he was in army camp in Gujarat (Baroda) most of the time. Jinnah’s only daughter is still living. Why doesn’t she say whether her father was responsible or not for the partition?
Friday, August 21, 2009
My son is Krishna
RUSH FOR BABIES ON JANMASHTAMI
Kolkata: Operation theaters in Kolkata turned into assembly lines for the Janmashtami baby boom on Thursday. Doctors worked overtime as hospitals recorded an average of 50% more Caesarian deliveries to coincide with Lord Krishna’s birthday.
OTs had been booked months in advance by expectant mothers, including an NRI from the US. Those who had the ‘the foresight’ a little late were shattered. Lawyer Hena Pathak, an advocate at Barrackpore court, was heartbroken when told that her baby would have to wait a day beyond Janmashtami. The doctor apparently felt so pressured that he could not handle another patient on Thursday. “Almost all clinics had to accept at least 50% more cases of elective deliveries. I performed four C-sections when on a normal day I don’t go beyond one.” Gynecologist Ranjit Chakraborty said.
The belief is that a baby born on Janmashtami is a reincarnation of Krishna. “But if it turned out to be a girl, the parents’ faces turned gloomy.” Said gynecologist Gauri Kumra, unable to hide her indignation. Once the baby has reached the 38th week, it is mature and the mother can opt for a date for the C-section.” She explained—this is a TOI report—Aug-14-Friday.
Is there a belief worse than this one? How can people be so ignorant? I don’t think even Lord Krishna could accept such ignorance. No two persons’ finger prints are the same, so is their nature. Even twins born on the same day could be different in nature. For example I narrate this—my maternal uncle’s life. My uncle and a man in the neighbourhood in our village were born on the same day. My uncle had a good brain, so he was educated and became an engineer. The man in the neighbourhood happened to be an autistic and became a loafer. As a family friend his mother, who in the same age group of my grandmother, would often visit our home. Whenever she comes, the anguish about her son would come out from her heart. She would say to my grandmother, “Your son is in a good position and has a better life. See my son, what sin have I done to get a son like him?” Though autistic and good for nothing he had a better life than an engineer's, I think. He lived on what he get from his farm and would roam around in the village, whereas, my uncle had a hectic life as an engineer. To complete education, to get a job and hold on to it is not an easy task. Trouble-free life is important, not your achievement. A mendicant’s life would be better than of a millionaire.
Some couples seek astrologers’ advice to get their babies delivered on an auspicious day. Astrologers who break the rules of Nature are not really astrologers. Ravana's son, Meghnad had been given birth seeking an auspicious day only to have an early violent death.
Kolkata: Operation theaters in Kolkata turned into assembly lines for the Janmashtami baby boom on Thursday. Doctors worked overtime as hospitals recorded an average of 50% more Caesarian deliveries to coincide with Lord Krishna’s birthday.
OTs had been booked months in advance by expectant mothers, including an NRI from the US. Those who had the ‘the foresight’ a little late were shattered. Lawyer Hena Pathak, an advocate at Barrackpore court, was heartbroken when told that her baby would have to wait a day beyond Janmashtami. The doctor apparently felt so pressured that he could not handle another patient on Thursday. “Almost all clinics had to accept at least 50% more cases of elective deliveries. I performed four C-sections when on a normal day I don’t go beyond one.” Gynecologist Ranjit Chakraborty said.
The belief is that a baby born on Janmashtami is a reincarnation of Krishna. “But if it turned out to be a girl, the parents’ faces turned gloomy.” Said gynecologist Gauri Kumra, unable to hide her indignation. Once the baby has reached the 38th week, it is mature and the mother can opt for a date for the C-section.” She explained—this is a TOI report—Aug-14-Friday.
Is there a belief worse than this one? How can people be so ignorant? I don’t think even Lord Krishna could accept such ignorance. No two persons’ finger prints are the same, so is their nature. Even twins born on the same day could be different in nature. For example I narrate this—my maternal uncle’s life. My uncle and a man in the neighbourhood in our village were born on the same day. My uncle had a good brain, so he was educated and became an engineer. The man in the neighbourhood happened to be an autistic and became a loafer. As a family friend his mother, who in the same age group of my grandmother, would often visit our home. Whenever she comes, the anguish about her son would come out from her heart. She would say to my grandmother, “Your son is in a good position and has a better life. See my son, what sin have I done to get a son like him?” Though autistic and good for nothing he had a better life than an engineer's, I think. He lived on what he get from his farm and would roam around in the village, whereas, my uncle had a hectic life as an engineer. To complete education, to get a job and hold on to it is not an easy task. Trouble-free life is important, not your achievement. A mendicant’s life would be better than of a millionaire.
Some couples seek astrologers’ advice to get their babies delivered on an auspicious day. Astrologers who break the rules of Nature are not really astrologers. Ravana's son, Meghnad had been given birth seeking an auspicious day only to have an early violent death.
Monday, August 17, 2009
When Computer failed to recognize Indian Icon
Shahrukh Khan’s detention in the Newark airport was the main news of this week. What happened to him is unfortunate, but not unusual. If Khan thinks he should be treated like a king everywhere, the result will be disappointment. He should understand time will not be favourble for him always. If he thinks it is an ordeal, it came from above. Since he is under Saturn’s transit such problems could arise wherever he goes. This year is not favourble for him.
Salman Khan’s statement was absolutely correct. Though his acting in real life goes wrong sometimes, he talks wisely always. Because of a handful of notorious Muslims other Muslims have to suffer. All Muslims are not terrorists but terrorists are Muslims.
It is a pity that the computer at the customs red-flagged Khan’s name. US-created computers know only US icons and computers are familiar only with US names. Indian icons and Indian names may be malicious to the computers. But the computers know Khans coming from Pakistan, the land of terrorists. They have to introduce people of other countries to the computers.
As US officials say, India is blowing this incidents out of proportion, because Khan is an icon. If it was a common man they would have closed the eyes. All Indian people know Shahrukh Khan well but he may be a stranger to most of the people in US. Indian VIPs think why they have to go through the security check. It will hurt their ego. Why only VIP? Common man also wants to be treated well. There is reason to suspect even VIPs or VVIPs nowadays. Someone can impersonate celebrities. There are look-alikes of all celebrities. All countries are suffering from paranoia that triggered by terrorism, exceptionally the US, which is terrorists’ target. Instead of making US an enemy by doing a tit-for-tat, India should understand the situation.
Salman Khan’s statement was absolutely correct. Though his acting in real life goes wrong sometimes, he talks wisely always. Because of a handful of notorious Muslims other Muslims have to suffer. All Muslims are not terrorists but terrorists are Muslims.
It is a pity that the computer at the customs red-flagged Khan’s name. US-created computers know only US icons and computers are familiar only with US names. Indian icons and Indian names may be malicious to the computers. But the computers know Khans coming from Pakistan, the land of terrorists. They have to introduce people of other countries to the computers.
As US officials say, India is blowing this incidents out of proportion, because Khan is an icon. If it was a common man they would have closed the eyes. All Indian people know Shahrukh Khan well but he may be a stranger to most of the people in US. Indian VIPs think why they have to go through the security check. It will hurt their ego. Why only VIP? Common man also wants to be treated well. There is reason to suspect even VIPs or VVIPs nowadays. Someone can impersonate celebrities. There are look-alikes of all celebrities. All countries are suffering from paranoia that triggered by terrorism, exceptionally the US, which is terrorists’ target. Instead of making US an enemy by doing a tit-for-tat, India should understand the situation.
Friday, August 14, 2009
Janmashtami Celebration
It is festival season. Festivals were celebrated in a religious way before. From 2-3 decades onwards everything has changed. The religious atmosphere has gone out of the festivals. Commercializing not only make festivals meaningless but also invite trouble. Religious festivals have turned into mere entertainment because of sponsorship and coverage of TV channels. If people really believe in God they should celebrate the festivals in a religious manner.
Every year the country celebrates Sri Krishna Janmashtami with great enthusiasm. Mumbaikars want to celebrate it in a sophisticated way. Money on dahi handi lures participants. If there were no cash prizes, no one would have participated in the game. It is like the fable ‘the fox and the grapes. If money hangs on like grapes on vine, fox-like greed to get it will normally arise in one’s mind. But fox is wise. It doesn’t want to die for what it cannot get. ”Breaking dahi handi means breaking bones. Despite the accidents it cause they don’t want to give up. Nothing can diminish Mumbaikar’s enthusiasm and adventure. Did Lord Krishna tell them to make pyramids in such a height and fall from them? Krishna in childhood might have done it only to eat a little butter and that too at the height of the low ceiling of the house. All naughty children will do it. Why do these big heavy children have to imitate it? There were no multi-storied concrete buildings then to hang dahi handi. If they make pyramids to please Lord Krishna, they should do it only for some merriment, not for money. People, who gather in the streets, would make pyramids without any preparation or rehearsals before. It was normal. By wearing uniforms and helmets now it looks more like a sports event. The participants have to practice to make it perfect. This year they have to add one more shield (masks) to protect from swine flu. So what? How can they give up the adventure? Wearing masks could cause more accidents as it block the view and concentration. And the mass gathering is dangerous. Where there is crowd there will be stampede too.
Every year the country celebrates Sri Krishna Janmashtami with great enthusiasm. Mumbaikars want to celebrate it in a sophisticated way. Money on dahi handi lures participants. If there were no cash prizes, no one would have participated in the game. It is like the fable ‘the fox and the grapes. If money hangs on like grapes on vine, fox-like greed to get it will normally arise in one’s mind. But fox is wise. It doesn’t want to die for what it cannot get. ”Breaking dahi handi means breaking bones. Despite the accidents it cause they don’t want to give up. Nothing can diminish Mumbaikar’s enthusiasm and adventure. Did Lord Krishna tell them to make pyramids in such a height and fall from them? Krishna in childhood might have done it only to eat a little butter and that too at the height of the low ceiling of the house. All naughty children will do it. Why do these big heavy children have to imitate it? There were no multi-storied concrete buildings then to hang dahi handi. If they make pyramids to please Lord Krishna, they should do it only for some merriment, not for money. People, who gather in the streets, would make pyramids without any preparation or rehearsals before. It was normal. By wearing uniforms and helmets now it looks more like a sports event. The participants have to practice to make it perfect. This year they have to add one more shield (masks) to protect from swine flu. So what? How can they give up the adventure? Wearing masks could cause more accidents as it block the view and concentration. And the mass gathering is dangerous. Where there is crowd there will be stampede too.
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Pyaar Kiya to Darna Kya?
When culture becomes vulture one has to fear for falling in love. There were reports about honour killing in villages. When the country allows gay marriage, love marriage is still forbidden in villages. A youth was lynched by villagers in one of the Haryana villages for marrying from the same gotra. They want to ostracize his family too. Some communities can marry within the family—distant relatives or cousins. Some cannot marry even from the neighboring villages if it in the same gotra. It is the height of pride and prejudice of village heads. When Panchayati Raj is still strong what is the point of having a government? The village heads have their own law and they rule according to their wish. Law should reach every nook and corner of the country. The law is too old and weak to reach the jungles or climb on to the mountains.
What kind of societal norms we keep? Honour killing, dowry deaths and female feticides all these are an example of misusing culture and tradition. If one find out a life partner of one’s own choice it is not a crime. If they kill for one’s bad moral it may make sense. Is it the end of Kaliyug? I wish a Yug, that make all human beings enlightened, had come. I ask God always when Kalki avatar will take place. I didn’t get the answer yet.
What kind of societal norms we keep? Honour killing, dowry deaths and female feticides all these are an example of misusing culture and tradition. If one find out a life partner of one’s own choice it is not a crime. If they kill for one’s bad moral it may make sense. Is it the end of Kaliyug? I wish a Yug, that make all human beings enlightened, had come. I ask God always when Kalki avatar will take place. I didn’t get the answer yet.
Friday, July 31, 2009
Frogs' arranged Marriage
“With no signs of rains, villagers of Padapalli village in Krishnagiri district of Tamil Nadu turned to an age-old custom to invoke the rain Gods. They caught a male and female frog and got them married in a grand manner last Friday. After the marriage the frogs were released in the local tank”—this is an old news report from TOI.
Not only frog to frog marriage, they perform frog to human marriage too. Last year they got a frog married to a girl for rain and the frog had been left in a tank. The girl was seen crying in embarrassment in the picture which was in the TOI. When she comes to age, the frog may turn in to a prince and take her away. If frogs catch cold they would try to find a cure for it.
Marriage is for human beings who live by societal norms, not for animals who live by Nature’s rules. They know what to so when they get mature. I wonder if frogs get excited by marriage. Will the frog couple live together after marriage or they divorce? Monsoon is not the marriage season for humans, but it is for frogs and was marriage season for me too. My wedding was in monsoon, when it was raining pitter patter non-stop. We avoid marriage in monsoon simply because rain will cause inconvenience to all work.
Actually people don’t know when the rainy season is in this subcontinent. Since Chennai is familiar to me and according to my observation Tamil Nadu receives rainfall in autumn months. South-west monsoon is not so effective there. Farmers in every state should understand Nature and cultivate the lands only according to the rainfall the states receive. Even artificial irrigation will not help; the lands will dry up easily in the high temperature. Two term cultivation will not work out in all states. Instead of cursing Nature they should take blessing from Mother Nature. When we do everything artificially such problems arise and it gives frustration.
And there was this news about hiring infants for direct darshan of Lord Venkateshwara in Tirupati, the famous temple in India. The report says there are touts to hire out infants to devotees for Mahadwaram Darshan—meant for couples with children. If you want to have a quick darshan hire a child—a quick darshan for devotees and a quick buck for barkers! What is the meaning of visiting temples? Usually men cannot wear shirts in south Indian temples. But there is an option in one of the temples in Tamil Nadu. If you pay you can enter with the shirt on otherwise you have to remove it. Money can break all the rules. and there is a famous temple in Kerala, where women cannot enter wearing salwar kameez. If women go there without this knowledge they will make them wear a dhoti over salwar kameez. What is the use when salwar kameez is still there under the dhoti? Men should wear dhoti over the pants and remove shirts. Here, in Mumbai youngsters go to the temples wearing jeans and bermudas. Everything is going on in the name of religion and for money. Human beings are strange indeed. It is better we respect animals.
I believe in God but I don’t believe in meaningless rituals. I don’t do anything else than visiting a temple. I don’t even celebrate festivals. I don’t fast because I cannot stay long empty stomach. Ann hai purna Brahma, I believe. But my day starts with a prayer. I bow to the Mother Earth and Gods as I get up in the morning. I felt God’s presence in several occasions. I am God fearing; also fear devils, especially those walking around. When I was a school girl I would visit the nearest temple almost all days in the morning and I hadn’t written a single exam without visiting that temple in my village. That must be the reason if I never felt education a burden.
Rakhi’s Swayamvar was worse than frog’s wedding. I couldn’t make out whether it is in reel or real at first. Actually Swayamvar will be over when bride put on garland on bridegroom’s neck. Here it is swayamvar for engagement. The real swayamvar is unpredictable. No matter how long it lasts the couple seems ideal in every aspect.
Modern people go back to the 12the century from 21st and try to bring back age-old customs and perform making it modern. When old and modern customs mix the result is neutral.
Not only frog to frog marriage, they perform frog to human marriage too. Last year they got a frog married to a girl for rain and the frog had been left in a tank. The girl was seen crying in embarrassment in the picture which was in the TOI. When she comes to age, the frog may turn in to a prince and take her away. If frogs catch cold they would try to find a cure for it.
Marriage is for human beings who live by societal norms, not for animals who live by Nature’s rules. They know what to so when they get mature. I wonder if frogs get excited by marriage. Will the frog couple live together after marriage or they divorce? Monsoon is not the marriage season for humans, but it is for frogs and was marriage season for me too. My wedding was in monsoon, when it was raining pitter patter non-stop. We avoid marriage in monsoon simply because rain will cause inconvenience to all work.
Actually people don’t know when the rainy season is in this subcontinent. Since Chennai is familiar to me and according to my observation Tamil Nadu receives rainfall in autumn months. South-west monsoon is not so effective there. Farmers in every state should understand Nature and cultivate the lands only according to the rainfall the states receive. Even artificial irrigation will not help; the lands will dry up easily in the high temperature. Two term cultivation will not work out in all states. Instead of cursing Nature they should take blessing from Mother Nature. When we do everything artificially such problems arise and it gives frustration.
And there was this news about hiring infants for direct darshan of Lord Venkateshwara in Tirupati, the famous temple in India. The report says there are touts to hire out infants to devotees for Mahadwaram Darshan—meant for couples with children. If you want to have a quick darshan hire a child—a quick darshan for devotees and a quick buck for barkers! What is the meaning of visiting temples? Usually men cannot wear shirts in south Indian temples. But there is an option in one of the temples in Tamil Nadu. If you pay you can enter with the shirt on otherwise you have to remove it. Money can break all the rules. and there is a famous temple in Kerala, where women cannot enter wearing salwar kameez. If women go there without this knowledge they will make them wear a dhoti over salwar kameez. What is the use when salwar kameez is still there under the dhoti? Men should wear dhoti over the pants and remove shirts. Here, in Mumbai youngsters go to the temples wearing jeans and bermudas. Everything is going on in the name of religion and for money. Human beings are strange indeed. It is better we respect animals.
I believe in God but I don’t believe in meaningless rituals. I don’t do anything else than visiting a temple. I don’t even celebrate festivals. I don’t fast because I cannot stay long empty stomach. Ann hai purna Brahma, I believe. But my day starts with a prayer. I bow to the Mother Earth and Gods as I get up in the morning. I felt God’s presence in several occasions. I am God fearing; also fear devils, especially those walking around. When I was a school girl I would visit the nearest temple almost all days in the morning and I hadn’t written a single exam without visiting that temple in my village. That must be the reason if I never felt education a burden.
Rakhi’s Swayamvar was worse than frog’s wedding. I couldn’t make out whether it is in reel or real at first. Actually Swayamvar will be over when bride put on garland on bridegroom’s neck. Here it is swayamvar for engagement. The real swayamvar is unpredictable. No matter how long it lasts the couple seems ideal in every aspect.
Modern people go back to the 12the century from 21st and try to bring back age-old customs and perform making it modern. When old and modern customs mix the result is neutral.
Friday, July 24, 2009
Nothing New
New species of lizard found in Kolhapur—News headlines from TOI
Navi Mumbai: A team of scientists from the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) in association with the Villanova University, US, recently discovered a new species of lizard in Kolhapur district.
The new species, belonging to the genus Cnemaspis, has been named as Cnemaspis kolhapurensis after the place it was first spotted by BNHS scientists Varad B Giri and research fellow Kshma Gaikwad. They were assisited by Aaron M Bauer of Villanova University.
“The new species is ground-dwelling and can be found among dead leaves or under rocks. Its unique feature is the presence of shiny scales on the body,” Giri a curator with BNHS, said. During this survey, he was accompanied by the members of Greenguards, an NGO in Kolhapur.
Initially the lizard seemed like the common gecko found in that region, but close observations revealed iridescent sheen on its tail dorsum. Iridescence is found in a variety of burrowing reptiles like some snakes and skinks. However, this feature has not been previously reported in geckos. Apart from this, there were other taxonomic characters which were not found in other Indian species in this genus of lizards. The group’s research findings were recently published in the science journal, Zootaxa.
According to the recent findings, this species has been founding only one locality, which is close to human habitation. This and other species discovered earlier proves that the Western Ghats in Maharashtra have a diversity of amphibians and reptiles—I copied this report from the TOI--July-24-2009.
Why do they call it a new species of lizard? It is nothing new to me or in villages. It may be new for Mumbaikars. In this concrete jungle one can see only concrete buildings. From their description I guess it is a common ground lizard which I always see in our building compound. I used to see it crawling in the garden near the window of our flat. Now it is not seen because the building compound is laid with tiles. It would even climb on the window-grill. And it always crawls around our house in the village. In our village, they say it is highly poisonous and if bitten, instant death is possible.
PS: Sorry, I couldn’t get its picture.
This creature came again. I thought it has gone for ever. I spotted one lizard on the window-sill on 10th September mid-morning. It will not come into extinction when soil and greenery around there.
Navi Mumbai: A team of scientists from the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) in association with the Villanova University, US, recently discovered a new species of lizard in Kolhapur district.
The new species, belonging to the genus Cnemaspis, has been named as Cnemaspis kolhapurensis after the place it was first spotted by BNHS scientists Varad B Giri and research fellow Kshma Gaikwad. They were assisited by Aaron M Bauer of Villanova University.
“The new species is ground-dwelling and can be found among dead leaves or under rocks. Its unique feature is the presence of shiny scales on the body,” Giri a curator with BNHS, said. During this survey, he was accompanied by the members of Greenguards, an NGO in Kolhapur.
Initially the lizard seemed like the common gecko found in that region, but close observations revealed iridescent sheen on its tail dorsum. Iridescence is found in a variety of burrowing reptiles like some snakes and skinks. However, this feature has not been previously reported in geckos. Apart from this, there were other taxonomic characters which were not found in other Indian species in this genus of lizards. The group’s research findings were recently published in the science journal, Zootaxa.
According to the recent findings, this species has been founding only one locality, which is close to human habitation. This and other species discovered earlier proves that the Western Ghats in Maharashtra have a diversity of amphibians and reptiles—I copied this report from the TOI--July-24-2009.
Why do they call it a new species of lizard? It is nothing new to me or in villages. It may be new for Mumbaikars. In this concrete jungle one can see only concrete buildings. From their description I guess it is a common ground lizard which I always see in our building compound. I used to see it crawling in the garden near the window of our flat. Now it is not seen because the building compound is laid with tiles. It would even climb on the window-grill. And it always crawls around our house in the village. In our village, they say it is highly poisonous and if bitten, instant death is possible.
PS: Sorry, I couldn’t get its picture.
This creature came again. I thought it has gone for ever. I spotted one lizard on the window-sill on 10th September mid-morning. It will not come into extinction when soil and greenery around there.
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Tree's Trauma
It is rainy season. So, old and overgrown tree’s fate has started. Many trees in Mumbai have come under tree killers’ axe. Another Gulmohar in our building compound had a trauma recently. The tree’s size brought its fate. Though it is getting old it looks healthy and strong. The tree is a favourite place for squirrels, birds, crows and even bats. It has just finished the flowering and looked greener in this rainy season ever than before when this happened. It also happens in our lives. The moment you feel everything is OK some trouble could on your way. The tree’s fate started when it stretched out its branches up to a building’s flat and making an easy way for squirrels to hop on to the window.
Society members took step on one of the resident’s complaint. They brought three strong men to cut off its limbs as a punishment. Trees know no offense; they have a right to spread the branches where there is space. One of the men climbed on to the tree and started talking to someone over the mobile as if it is a walkie-talkie. Technology is going on at its best in India. You may see even a beggar use the mobile these days. They cut off half of the branches and chopped it into small pieces.
The resident had complaint about squirrels that enter into their flat. But squirrels are not the real problem, I can guess. The tree branches swinging violently in the monsoon winds might have scared them. They told their apprehension and blamed the member for planting such huge trees near the building. The man who planted the tree had made a mistake certainly and the tree has to suffer. Multi-storied building and tall trees cannot co-exit. Squirrels also hop on to our window and run around lifting the tail up and down. Even rats and chameleon climb on to our grill. But I don’t have to shoo them away or scare away from them. They will come and go themselves. I have learnt to co-exist with them. Once a baby squirrel stayed for a long time on our grill being confused where to go. I used to see snakes in our building compound. Once I saw a snake moving backward from our window-sill when I suddenly went to put clothes on the clothes-line. It scared me but I forget easily.
Trees need regular trimming, but not in this way. Some trees will not flower or bear fruit if trimmed regularly. If they want to trim the trees it should be done just after the rainy season, so that trees will spread the branches within a limited space up to the next rainy season. In Mumbai some trees fall in the rainy season and cause damage. We live in houses surrounded by large trees and plants in village—never heard of trees fallen on humans there. If you like trees they will like you, I believe. Trees are like humans and large animals. They live long. Fortunately, Nature has created trees in a way that the branches can grow again and again. If one branch is cut another will come out with a vengeance. They should plant small trees near the buildings in Mumbai to prevent damage by falling trees.
Society members took step on one of the resident’s complaint. They brought three strong men to cut off its limbs as a punishment. Trees know no offense; they have a right to spread the branches where there is space. One of the men climbed on to the tree and started talking to someone over the mobile as if it is a walkie-talkie. Technology is going on at its best in India. You may see even a beggar use the mobile these days. They cut off half of the branches and chopped it into small pieces.
The resident had complaint about squirrels that enter into their flat. But squirrels are not the real problem, I can guess. The tree branches swinging violently in the monsoon winds might have scared them. They told their apprehension and blamed the member for planting such huge trees near the building. The man who planted the tree had made a mistake certainly and the tree has to suffer. Multi-storied building and tall trees cannot co-exit. Squirrels also hop on to our window and run around lifting the tail up and down. Even rats and chameleon climb on to our grill. But I don’t have to shoo them away or scare away from them. They will come and go themselves. I have learnt to co-exist with them. Once a baby squirrel stayed for a long time on our grill being confused where to go. I used to see snakes in our building compound. Once I saw a snake moving backward from our window-sill when I suddenly went to put clothes on the clothes-line. It scared me but I forget easily.
Trees need regular trimming, but not in this way. Some trees will not flower or bear fruit if trimmed regularly. If they want to trim the trees it should be done just after the rainy season, so that trees will spread the branches within a limited space up to the next rainy season. In Mumbai some trees fall in the rainy season and cause damage. We live in houses surrounded by large trees and plants in village—never heard of trees fallen on humans there. If you like trees they will like you, I believe. Trees are like humans and large animals. They live long. Fortunately, Nature has created trees in a way that the branches can grow again and again. If one branch is cut another will come out with a vengeance. They should plant small trees near the buildings in Mumbai to prevent damage by falling trees.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Bizarre Electric Shock
I read some bizarre incidents daily in the newspaper but I haven't witnessed one until this happened at home. We bought a plastic drum a few months ago to store water. My husband himself fixed the tap on it. After filling the drum with water when checking for the water flow from the tap he felt an electric shock and came out from the bathroom and told me. I couldn't believe at first. I thought he had gone mad. But he doesn't believe in such things. so he got confused on it. When tested with a tester it showed spark as if it is from an electric socket. My husband's hand showed more powerful spark than mine. Usually I am subjected to such problems. When I touch the switch board or electric appliances I feel a vibration through my hands. I hesitate to use the drum. What a way to produce electricity! I didn't tell anybody about it till date fearing a crowd will rush into our home to catch a glimpse of the bizarre.
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Gay Pride Parade or going mad!
I watched Gay Pride Parade on TV with a feeling of disgust. Going gay or going mad? Legalizing homosexuality will breed more homosexuals. If some are born with peculiar personality let them do it. But how come a large number of people turn gay? I don't believe all gays are born with a personality disorder. Homosexuality is against Nature's rules.
Such relationship often starts when boys and girls of the same age group will have to share one room in hostels or anywhere else. As they share the room they start sharing their personal problems too. They may talk about everything including sex and show their bodies to each other thus keep a close friendship. At first they may feel strong attraction. But there is no guarantee in such relationship. Human mind can change with time and circumstances. some get married and when they feel it is not proper they try to live like man and wife. One of them will be compelled to dress up like boy or girl and even go for sex change operation. And break up is possible.
Sexual desire starts in adolescence but we, human beings have to wait till marriage. So this is the only option to seek relief when hormones rise. And don't have to fear pregnancy. Animals don't have to wait for marriage. When they get mature naturally they start mating. So they don't become homo.
Though unacceptable, in a way it is beneficial. It is the best way to control population. It must be the Nature's way to bring human beings to extinction because Mother Nature is fed up of human beings. Now she realises the mistake in creating humans and that too granted with two hands instead of four legs. It is like offspring torture their mother. Seeings all these problems it seems the world is coming to an end in December 2012 as predicted by the Mayan and Inca tribes.
Such relationship often starts when boys and girls of the same age group will have to share one room in hostels or anywhere else. As they share the room they start sharing their personal problems too. They may talk about everything including sex and show their bodies to each other thus keep a close friendship. At first they may feel strong attraction. But there is no guarantee in such relationship. Human mind can change with time and circumstances. some get married and when they feel it is not proper they try to live like man and wife. One of them will be compelled to dress up like boy or girl and even go for sex change operation. And break up is possible.
Sexual desire starts in adolescence but we, human beings have to wait till marriage. So this is the only option to seek relief when hormones rise. And don't have to fear pregnancy. Animals don't have to wait for marriage. When they get mature naturally they start mating. So they don't become homo.
Though unacceptable, in a way it is beneficial. It is the best way to control population. It must be the Nature's way to bring human beings to extinction because Mother Nature is fed up of human beings. Now she realises the mistake in creating humans and that too granted with two hands instead of four legs. It is like offspring torture their mother. Seeings all these problems it seems the world is coming to an end in December 2012 as predicted by the Mayan and Inca tribes.
Monday, June 29, 2009
The King of Pop
Pop star Michael Jackson's sudden death is a sbock to the world because the world knows him well. The world lost a great artiste. Light of a star is blown off by fate. He had achieved good and bad name in equal measure. But when he perfoms on stage all allegations about him would go behind the screen. It seemed he was forgetting the sorrows and surroundings while rocking enthusiastically. so did everyone in the audience. He was an odd one of humankind. Though I don't like pop I would watch his stunning performance on TV holding my breath. No one can inherit his swift but steady dance moves.
He had a strange metamorphosis as his life changed from childhood to adolescence, from adolescence to youth and from youth to old age. He was quite a different Jackson in childhood, adolescence, in youth and when get old. Illness or his lifestyle must have caused the change os appearance. He is so popular and not too old to go. That's why one cannot come to terms of his death easily. Death can be occurred at any age. Death will not spare anyone, be good or bad. We all have to go once. It is Nature's rules. There was a false news about him a few months agao that he was going to die. Then the news channel had corrected it and shown that he was fit and fine. Recently I read a report in TOI that he was going in for body building. If it is true it was quite wrong at 51 and that too when having many ailments. Whether his death was natural or murder, however, it happened in his Saturn's transit. His voice and dance will remain forever among people.
He had a strange metamorphosis as his life changed from childhood to adolescence, from adolescence to youth and from youth to old age. He was quite a different Jackson in childhood, adolescence, in youth and when get old. Illness or his lifestyle must have caused the change os appearance. He is so popular and not too old to go. That's why one cannot come to terms of his death easily. Death can be occurred at any age. Death will not spare anyone, be good or bad. We all have to go once. It is Nature's rules. There was a false news about him a few months agao that he was going to die. Then the news channel had corrected it and shown that he was fit and fine. Recently I read a report in TOI that he was going in for body building. If it is true it was quite wrong at 51 and that too when having many ailments. Whether his death was natural or murder, however, it happened in his Saturn's transit. His voice and dance will remain forever among people.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
When Globes Warming
Recently I read this article in TOI titled Cows and Warming—Bovine diets being redesigned to curb methane emissions
Now cows are being fed a diet that will help them belch less methane, one of the more potent heat-trapping gases linked with climate change. Several farms in Vermont, USA, participated in an experiment that altered traditional diets of cows to include more alfalfa and flaxseed that will produce far less methane than a diet of corn and other current feed stock would. In fact, researchers say the new diet in a way mimics the cows’ traditional grass diet. Since the experiment began in January, the cows reportedly emit 18% less methane than they did before—I copied this first paragraph from the TOI.
Everybody is harping on global warming when their own globes warm up. But all are helpless in this matter. Actually no one knows how to solve the problem. Planting a tree here and there will not reduce global warming. It is not wise to plant trees near the buildings. The trees will take root into the base causing damage to the buildings. If there is a thing as global warming, we human beings are responsible for it, not animals. We do everything that causing damage to the earth, so complaining about global warming doesn’t make sense. We think we are protectors of the earth but we are not aware that actually we are destroyers. Hi-rises are rising like ant-hills and cover almost all the space. Soon the green cover will vanish. Why don’t people think hi-rises are not eco-friendly?
It is a phenomenon that the four seasons—the summer, rainy, autumn and winter come one after another every year. We need to understand how the seasons are useful to us. We need the four seasons for our survival. The summer brings the rainy; the autumn brings the winter. According to the Nature the summer is for drying seeds and grains and the rainy season for reproduction for plants and trees. The seeds that fallen from plants and trees start sprouting and grow into fresh plants in the rainy season. Humidity will increase after the first rain. This humidity is needed to seeds that lying in the soil to ferment and sprout into plants. In the rainy season the earth becomes greener. But the rainy season will not provide much food unless we cultivate artificially. So we have to store food grains for rainy days. There is a saying that the month of Shravan is a month of poverty. The dry airy autumn follows the rainy. In the autumn we get more food grains from fresh harvest and enough fruits and vegetables. The autumn is rainy or winter in some of the parts in India.
If the temperature goes up, if there is more rain and flood, if temperature goes down in winter it is considered as global warming. Temperature rising is normal and unavoidable in summer. If you think temperature should not go up, don’t expect rain to come down. Rain will not come without rising the temperature above 30 degree. When the summer heat melts, when get drenched in the rain, when the autumn dry weather dehydrates and the body shrinks in the chilly winter, we complain. Modern life makes us sensitive and intolerant and brings more sufferings. We want to have the seasons in moderate. It is not possible. Nature has its ways. Imagine how animals tolerate the climate change. They don’t complain. Animals and birds migrate according to the seasons. We cannot migrate because we cannot leave the place we own and our karma bhoomi. If we live like nomads we can escape from the Nature’s disaster. When we own something we are attached to it and we have fear of losing it. Shri Buddha said, “Human sufferings are an outcome of attachment.” But how can we live without attachment and relations. We owe to the Mother Earth but we don’t deserve to own anything of her.
Human race is started several years ago on this earth. Did ancient human beings have complaint about global warming? If we want to solve global warming we have to revert to the Stone Age or we have to live like our ancestors lived or to live like animals by Nature’s rules.
Now cows are being fed a diet that will help them belch less methane, one of the more potent heat-trapping gases linked with climate change. Several farms in Vermont, USA, participated in an experiment that altered traditional diets of cows to include more alfalfa and flaxseed that will produce far less methane than a diet of corn and other current feed stock would. In fact, researchers say the new diet in a way mimics the cows’ traditional grass diet. Since the experiment began in January, the cows reportedly emit 18% less methane than they did before—I copied this first paragraph from the TOI.
Everybody is harping on global warming when their own globes warm up. But all are helpless in this matter. Actually no one knows how to solve the problem. Planting a tree here and there will not reduce global warming. It is not wise to plant trees near the buildings. The trees will take root into the base causing damage to the buildings. If there is a thing as global warming, we human beings are responsible for it, not animals. We do everything that causing damage to the earth, so complaining about global warming doesn’t make sense. We think we are protectors of the earth but we are not aware that actually we are destroyers. Hi-rises are rising like ant-hills and cover almost all the space. Soon the green cover will vanish. Why don’t people think hi-rises are not eco-friendly?
It is a phenomenon that the four seasons—the summer, rainy, autumn and winter come one after another every year. We need to understand how the seasons are useful to us. We need the four seasons for our survival. The summer brings the rainy; the autumn brings the winter. According to the Nature the summer is for drying seeds and grains and the rainy season for reproduction for plants and trees. The seeds that fallen from plants and trees start sprouting and grow into fresh plants in the rainy season. Humidity will increase after the first rain. This humidity is needed to seeds that lying in the soil to ferment and sprout into plants. In the rainy season the earth becomes greener. But the rainy season will not provide much food unless we cultivate artificially. So we have to store food grains for rainy days. There is a saying that the month of Shravan is a month of poverty. The dry airy autumn follows the rainy. In the autumn we get more food grains from fresh harvest and enough fruits and vegetables. The autumn is rainy or winter in some of the parts in India.
If the temperature goes up, if there is more rain and flood, if temperature goes down in winter it is considered as global warming. Temperature rising is normal and unavoidable in summer. If you think temperature should not go up, don’t expect rain to come down. Rain will not come without rising the temperature above 30 degree. When the summer heat melts, when get drenched in the rain, when the autumn dry weather dehydrates and the body shrinks in the chilly winter, we complain. Modern life makes us sensitive and intolerant and brings more sufferings. We want to have the seasons in moderate. It is not possible. Nature has its ways. Imagine how animals tolerate the climate change. They don’t complain. Animals and birds migrate according to the seasons. We cannot migrate because we cannot leave the place we own and our karma bhoomi. If we live like nomads we can escape from the Nature’s disaster. When we own something we are attached to it and we have fear of losing it. Shri Buddha said, “Human sufferings are an outcome of attachment.” But how can we live without attachment and relations. We owe to the Mother Earth but we don’t deserve to own anything of her.
Human race is started several years ago on this earth. Did ancient human beings have complaint about global warming? If we want to solve global warming we have to revert to the Stone Age or we have to live like our ancestors lived or to live like animals by Nature’s rules.
Monday, June 15, 2009
Barkha Rani ka Daura
Our Barkha Rani comes with a bang from her native place, The Arabian Sea along with her friend, the wind every year when the sultry summer is about to leave. Not to be mistaken for Barkha Dutt, the NDTV journalist/editor. She also tours across the world. Every year I would wait to receive Barkha Rani with a hearty welcome. I get a thrill when she comes, some get shiver. I would go about humming film songs about her--Barkha Rani jara jham se barso…… I have no problem to get along with her. All of us seek her help when the summer heat melts everybody. People pray, observe fasts, offer gifts to Gods and even throw feasts for dogs and perform wedding ceremony of frogs for her arrival every year. She plays pranks with Met department. She informs me earlier because I like her.
Barkha Rani used to visit the God’s own country, Kerala first because she prefers green lands. She will not stay longer in barren lands. Why is it called God’s own country? Do Gods only own that state of India? Is it because the state is beautiful with greenery? Being a Nature lover the greenery attracts me too. But I cannot stand green-eyed people. This year she is a little confused on where to go and how to spend her holidays. She made a short visit to Kerala and gone northward and a surprise visit to northeast. Her friend, the wind had not in a good mood and put up a fight with her and went berserk in West Bengal and Orissa before amaavasya, still not on good terms. She used to stay one week in Kerala before coming to Mumbai. Like a nomad she wanders from place to place and takes shelter for a few days in one place. She travels from Maharashtra to Gujrat, from Gujrat to Rajastan thus covers almost all the sates in 3-4 months. Once she comes she has her ways; will not go without making a little mischief. Sometimes she pours water non-stop and submerge everything. When she becomes a menace people start cursing her and they have to call out God again.
Fed up of ill-treatment she ends her tour in India by September. She decides to go abroad thinking that the grass is greener there; manages to get a ticket, passport and visa by hooks or crooks, and packs up and leaves for US. After a few days when she becomes a victim to racism she realizes the grass is better in India and comes back and consoles herself, I can get only abuses and curses in India but it is better than tolerate racist slurs, however, it is my native place. She yearns for a little affection. She is being used and taken for granted. Mumbaikars curses and abuses are unbearable to her. They need more drinking water, not Barkha Rani. She asks us in protest, “What do you really want? Do you think you can get water without my presence? Do you think such a miracle could happen? When I pour water the Mother Earth’s head becomes cool. Otherwise her head will burst.” It is a dhara treatment for Dhartimata. She visited Mumbai once on 20th May. Thereafter she doesn’t feel like coming to Mumbai again.
When the city gets flooded what one has to do is sit at home and watch the rain through the window and have garam garam chai and crisp bhajjias and pakoras.Nothing would happen if two days go by without work. BMC has to take blame every year when low-lying areas get flooded. Stubborn slum-dwellers are not ready move. When water gushing into their shanties it is easy to blame and curse the authorities. Mumbaikars cannot forget 26/7 deluge. Once bitten twice shy. Monsoon becomes a problem because the city is densely populated. Furthermore, Mumbai city is an island. Rain water will not go into the sea, especially during high tide.
When Barkha Rani’s daura ends all ministers daura starts one after another to the places that are devastated by her mischief. People feel their visit is useless, get irked and react strongly. Such is their demand that ministers should have power even to control Nature. If only they had such miraculous powers as Lord Krishna had. They fail to understand that ministers are mere human beings. After all who needs mere sympathy and sermons where money and life are important?
Doctors blame Barkha Rani for bringing vector-borne diseases. They make a list of diseases with funny medical terms, chikungunya, leptospirosis, malaria, viral fever and so on. I wonder if they diagnose it properly. If people wade through rain water, especially Mumbai’s drain and garbage mixed dirty water purposely and bring trouble and diseases, she is not responsible. Catching fever is certain if remain drenched in the rain for a long time. Once my son had fever playing football in the rain daily our family physician told us that it was malaria and had given a handful of tablets without name right from the clinic like to eat peanuts. How can he say it is malaria before diagnosing? Again when I had fever a few years ago he told me it might be malaria and had given anti-malarial drugs. When mosquitoes come for blood at nights I escape in the net. Then there is no question of having malaria. When I struggle with heart-ailment he would say it is psychological, nothing else and prescribed anti-depressants. Anti-depressants are the only remedy for unknown ailments. I often felt like asking him whether he had got a brain. Beyond medical science there is a science as Nature’s science.
Met department and other department which study climate change have predicted that the city will get 3o% more rain this year. According to my observation the rains will be less this year. Instead, rain related problems such as cyclone, flood in some parts of the country, cloud burst and fire from short circuits are possible. Farmers will suffer because of drought. There may be moderate rain form September but only in those places that usually receive rainfall in the autumn months. 26/7/2005 deluge will not repeat every year. But it may occur in every 30 years. In fact, the 2005/06 like deluge will be in 2034/35. Heavy rain occurs only in certain years. Next heavy rain is likely to be in 2012/13. But don’t blame me if my prediction goes wrong. Nature is not in my control. Nature can turn my prediction upside down. Whose prediction will come true, Met department’s or mine? Wait and watch.
Barkha Rani used to visit the God’s own country, Kerala first because she prefers green lands. She will not stay longer in barren lands. Why is it called God’s own country? Do Gods only own that state of India? Is it because the state is beautiful with greenery? Being a Nature lover the greenery attracts me too. But I cannot stand green-eyed people. This year she is a little confused on where to go and how to spend her holidays. She made a short visit to Kerala and gone northward and a surprise visit to northeast. Her friend, the wind had not in a good mood and put up a fight with her and went berserk in West Bengal and Orissa before amaavasya, still not on good terms. She used to stay one week in Kerala before coming to Mumbai. Like a nomad she wanders from place to place and takes shelter for a few days in one place. She travels from Maharashtra to Gujrat, from Gujrat to Rajastan thus covers almost all the sates in 3-4 months. Once she comes she has her ways; will not go without making a little mischief. Sometimes she pours water non-stop and submerge everything. When she becomes a menace people start cursing her and they have to call out God again.
Fed up of ill-treatment she ends her tour in India by September. She decides to go abroad thinking that the grass is greener there; manages to get a ticket, passport and visa by hooks or crooks, and packs up and leaves for US. After a few days when she becomes a victim to racism she realizes the grass is better in India and comes back and consoles herself, I can get only abuses and curses in India but it is better than tolerate racist slurs, however, it is my native place. She yearns for a little affection. She is being used and taken for granted. Mumbaikars curses and abuses are unbearable to her. They need more drinking water, not Barkha Rani. She asks us in protest, “What do you really want? Do you think you can get water without my presence? Do you think such a miracle could happen? When I pour water the Mother Earth’s head becomes cool. Otherwise her head will burst.” It is a dhara treatment for Dhartimata. She visited Mumbai once on 20th May. Thereafter she doesn’t feel like coming to Mumbai again.
When the city gets flooded what one has to do is sit at home and watch the rain through the window and have garam garam chai and crisp bhajjias and pakoras.Nothing would happen if two days go by without work. BMC has to take blame every year when low-lying areas get flooded. Stubborn slum-dwellers are not ready move. When water gushing into their shanties it is easy to blame and curse the authorities. Mumbaikars cannot forget 26/7 deluge. Once bitten twice shy. Monsoon becomes a problem because the city is densely populated. Furthermore, Mumbai city is an island. Rain water will not go into the sea, especially during high tide.
When Barkha Rani’s daura ends all ministers daura starts one after another to the places that are devastated by her mischief. People feel their visit is useless, get irked and react strongly. Such is their demand that ministers should have power even to control Nature. If only they had such miraculous powers as Lord Krishna had. They fail to understand that ministers are mere human beings. After all who needs mere sympathy and sermons where money and life are important?
Doctors blame Barkha Rani for bringing vector-borne diseases. They make a list of diseases with funny medical terms, chikungunya, leptospirosis, malaria, viral fever and so on. I wonder if they diagnose it properly. If people wade through rain water, especially Mumbai’s drain and garbage mixed dirty water purposely and bring trouble and diseases, she is not responsible. Catching fever is certain if remain drenched in the rain for a long time. Once my son had fever playing football in the rain daily our family physician told us that it was malaria and had given a handful of tablets without name right from the clinic like to eat peanuts. How can he say it is malaria before diagnosing? Again when I had fever a few years ago he told me it might be malaria and had given anti-malarial drugs. When mosquitoes come for blood at nights I escape in the net. Then there is no question of having malaria. When I struggle with heart-ailment he would say it is psychological, nothing else and prescribed anti-depressants. Anti-depressants are the only remedy for unknown ailments. I often felt like asking him whether he had got a brain. Beyond medical science there is a science as Nature’s science.
Met department and other department which study climate change have predicted that the city will get 3o% more rain this year. According to my observation the rains will be less this year. Instead, rain related problems such as cyclone, flood in some parts of the country, cloud burst and fire from short circuits are possible. Farmers will suffer because of drought. There may be moderate rain form September but only in those places that usually receive rainfall in the autumn months. 26/7/2005 deluge will not repeat every year. But it may occur in every 30 years. In fact, the 2005/06 like deluge will be in 2034/35. Heavy rain occurs only in certain years. Next heavy rain is likely to be in 2012/13. But don’t blame me if my prediction goes wrong. Nature is not in my control. Nature can turn my prediction upside down. Whose prediction will come true, Met department’s or mine? Wait and watch.
Monday, June 8, 2009
My Dear 10 rupee Coin
The new 10 rupee coins recently issued have been circulating gradually. The Gold-silver coins fascinate everybody. Those who receive the coins don’t want to give them away. The designers have made a mistake by designing it attractive. The moment my husband introduced a few coins to me I said wow and I kept them with me. I don’t feel like giving them away. At this rate the coins will not be going to circulate. The coins will be dearer to all until they get old and the gold colour fades and become common. It is all steel in gold colour like a wolf in sheep’s skin. The coins that were issued till now couldn’t fascinate anybody. The gold colour is the reason. Though it is only gold coloured people don’t want to lose it. If it were made of pure gold what would have happened. All beautiful things are attractive to our eyes. Nature has given us eyes to see beautiful things. No wonder we get ancient pots with gold coins when digging the soil. People might have hoarded the coins and buried them in the soil.
Coin minting is said to be started even before the dynastic rule. But coins were not attractive. Now with advanced technology, not only coins, but everything can be made perfect and eye-catching. There were gold, silver and copper coins during the dynastic rule. The gold and silver coins might have been banned because of the attraction towards the gold and silver. Copper coins of the British time were used till they had been removed in 60s. There were copper coins that valued ¾ of a rupee with a hole in the middle like poppins. When they had gone out of value women got an idea to make purse using them like sequins.
Friday, June 5, 2009
Size Does Matter
Size matters only to human beings. I wonder if size matters to animals. Same species of animals look alike such as lions, tigers, zebras, and giraffe, also birds and other creatures. But trees and plants are different in size and shape. We, human beings look different because we wear clothes. Otherwise, there will not be much difference. It is clothes that make us different. In this electronic age there are human beings who still live in Stone Age. Some tribes go about naked. They have no problem to live being naked. They don’t feel naked and don’t want to evolve. They are the real humans. OSHO Rajneesh might have advised his disciples to go about naked to understand the real human beings. Modern human beings are artificial in every way.
We cannot change the way we have been created by the Nature. Today’s generation struggles to change the appearance to look good. They have to increase of decrease weight, even height by exercise. Animals don’t do such stupidity. You cannot make a hippo slim or muscular by putting it on exercise. Hippos are born to be plump. Daily routine is enough exercise. It is better to accept the things in its way. Every human being is different in nature and stature. Comparing with each other doesn’t make sense. If we were alike in appearance like animals it would be difficult for us to identify each other also be boring.
Often well-built people get more respect. Small built will get a pat or clout according to their nature. People will treat them like children. Kamasutra author Vatsayana has divided human beings into four types—small-built, moderately-built, medium-built and big-built. Small-built people usually have more brain power. They are not fit for hard work. They can use their brains. Well-built people are meant to use their brawns. In this way all human beings will be useful to each other. Be big or small we are dependant to each other in one way or the other.
In Easop’s fables the lion scoffed at the rat for it being small. But the rat showed the lion what a tiny creature can do by rescuing the lion from the hunter’s net. The lion became small before the rat. There are many such stories that ridding of superiority.
We cannot change the way we have been created by the Nature. Today’s generation struggles to change the appearance to look good. They have to increase of decrease weight, even height by exercise. Animals don’t do such stupidity. You cannot make a hippo slim or muscular by putting it on exercise. Hippos are born to be plump. Daily routine is enough exercise. It is better to accept the things in its way. Every human being is different in nature and stature. Comparing with each other doesn’t make sense. If we were alike in appearance like animals it would be difficult for us to identify each other also be boring.
Often well-built people get more respect. Small built will get a pat or clout according to their nature. People will treat them like children. Kamasutra author Vatsayana has divided human beings into four types—small-built, moderately-built, medium-built and big-built. Small-built people usually have more brain power. They are not fit for hard work. They can use their brains. Well-built people are meant to use their brawns. In this way all human beings will be useful to each other. Be big or small we are dependant to each other in one way or the other.
In Easop’s fables the lion scoffed at the rat for it being small. But the rat showed the lion what a tiny creature can do by rescuing the lion from the hunter’s net. The lion became small before the rat. There are many such stories that ridding of superiority.
Sunday, May 31, 2009
What a Melon
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I got these pictures from my mail-box and the title from Mumbai Mirror. I find it a delight. I wonder, whether the first human being was born out of a melon or from an egg or from the soil. The question still remains unanswered.
Watermelon season is ended. Now it is season for mangoes. The red and green fruit is for April or May.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Inauspicious Time
UPA is going to sit on the throne. UPA is crowned. Why don’t we have a crown prince to sit on the throne? The swearing-in-ceremony was performed on 22nd, but in inauspicious time in the dark phase. From the 10th day onwards till Amavaasya is not a good time for starting any work or ceremonies. I talked about it within my family that it was an inauspicious time and the government will have to face problems.
Though UPA got a clear mandate delay to decide portfolios and to form a cabinet occurred. Furthermore, it is a bad phase for politics. Political situation will continue to be grim till October. What is to be happened will happen in the next three months in the countries. According to the bad phase of the politics, citizens bring trouble to the countries by riots, racism, ragging, terrorism and all that. Even before the set up of a cabinet, problems come in between. Violence was in Vienna but India has to bear the brunt. People don’t have to think about the government or anything else. They live hugging on religion. What will they gain by destroying public property? They create riot as if government is responsible. Could government control murder? Citizens are responsible for most of the problems.
Besides, Sonia Gandhi and President Pratibha Patil are going through a bad phase Manmohan Singh has no problem at present but hindrances will come in between in the 5 year term. It is likely to be in 2012.
BJP still cannot make out what went wrong with the party. Because of campaign with hath kaatega, piar kaatega, par naak kati. Lord Rama is with the good, not evil. DMK Karunanidhi clan will rule the country from now onwards overpowering the Nehru/Gandhi dynasty.
Citizens expect a windfall. Though there will not be expected change soon at least we can expect a peaceful government. A relief is that government is in safe hands. Comparing all parties Congress is better. Aggressive parties should go. All Duryodhana’s brothers should go. We need good old Pandavas to rule. We always live in hope. But hope is still at the bottom of the Pandora’s Box remains closed. If it is opened evil also will come out with the hope. Hence, we have to live without hope. Nature has nothing to do with these problems.
Saturday, May 23, 2009
End of Kaliyug's Ravana
The battle between Tamil Tigers and Sinhala Lions is finally ended with the LTTE leader V. Prabhakaran’s death. It is said to be a 26 year old conflict or is it enmity that rose from racism? Thousands of civilians perished in the war. Prabhakaran is a Ravana for Sinhalese, Rama for Sri Lankan Tamils or is it Rajapakshe, the Ravana for Sinhalese? I will let God to decide it. However, his death occurred in the same month that Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated by LTTE and just 3 days before his death anniversary. Rajiv Gandhi’s soul must be after him. Fate of victim and murderer coincides. According to his natal chart he is destined to have a violent death. This Saturn’s transit didn’t spare him. When his time had come he left the world. His supporters don’t want to believe he is dead. They think if one of his head is blown off it will be replaced with another one. When terrorists have supporters how will terrorism end? Treta Yug's Ravana also had many supporters, even have worshippers in this Kaliyug.
Sri Lankan President Rajapakshe said, “My government has finally defeated the LTTE militarily.” Triumph over evil is our aim. But triumph over evil is not possible without loss. Did he take a dip in a holy river or lake like Lord Rama did to remove his sins?
During the Afghanistan war, my grandson, a five year old then, would place a newspaper with Osama’s photograph at the wall and shoot at Osama with his toy gun. When we laugh supporting his mischief he would say, “Don’t be so happy about it. You also will have to die.” Five year old would talk like a 5o year old. His childish pranks would often make me dumbfounded
Likewise I say that Rajapakshe cannot be happy about the victory. Rajapakshe has won the enmity of his own Prajapakshe, not the war. Hence, his life is in danger. Peace cannot be restored easily when people, who lost their near and dear ones, have anguish in their hearts. Their hatred will be against the government, not against the terrorists. But Rajapakshe government had no option but to eliminate the militants who were a constant head ache.
Terrorism is a big issue. India and neighboring countries are really in a dilemma. If we tolerate, the terrorists will take advantage of it. If the government takes action on terrorism innocent citizens will suffer. How can the country tackle terrorism without causing damage? Is there any other way to tackle terrorism? When felling a tree the nearby trees and plants will go with it. Military cannot go straight into terrorists’ den and kill them. Any country would have done it in the same way as Sri Lanka did. Only India can go compromising with terrorism. There is international pressure on Pakistan to control terrorism in the country.
If someone had triggered racism long ago do they have to carry enmity in their minds generation by generation and through out ages? Change will come with time and racism will go behind. People have a right to fight for the freedom of their community. No one can achieve freedom by violence or murder. What the terrorists do is not fight for their right or any thing else. They just want to create chaos in the countries. Even though Pakistan and its militants have no problem with India they terrorize India over previous enmity. If they act on the present situation it is OK. It is their instinctive nature makes them terrorists. Country’s affairs have no role in it. They are wild and killing is their instinct. If a man have problem with achievement and he is fateful yet he has an ego bigger than the earth no wonder he becomes a radical. Only one man is enough to destroy a country.
How come Sri Lanka is a land of Lions? There is no chance for lions having there. Lions cannot survive in the entirely fertile lands. I will let Nature to decide it.
Sri Lankan President Rajapakshe said, “My government has finally defeated the LTTE militarily.” Triumph over evil is our aim. But triumph over evil is not possible without loss. Did he take a dip in a holy river or lake like Lord Rama did to remove his sins?
During the Afghanistan war, my grandson, a five year old then, would place a newspaper with Osama’s photograph at the wall and shoot at Osama with his toy gun. When we laugh supporting his mischief he would say, “Don’t be so happy about it. You also will have to die.” Five year old would talk like a 5o year old. His childish pranks would often make me dumbfounded
Likewise I say that Rajapakshe cannot be happy about the victory. Rajapakshe has won the enmity of his own Prajapakshe, not the war. Hence, his life is in danger. Peace cannot be restored easily when people, who lost their near and dear ones, have anguish in their hearts. Their hatred will be against the government, not against the terrorists. But Rajapakshe government had no option but to eliminate the militants who were a constant head ache.
Terrorism is a big issue. India and neighboring countries are really in a dilemma. If we tolerate, the terrorists will take advantage of it. If the government takes action on terrorism innocent citizens will suffer. How can the country tackle terrorism without causing damage? Is there any other way to tackle terrorism? When felling a tree the nearby trees and plants will go with it. Military cannot go straight into terrorists’ den and kill them. Any country would have done it in the same way as Sri Lanka did. Only India can go compromising with terrorism. There is international pressure on Pakistan to control terrorism in the country.
If someone had triggered racism long ago do they have to carry enmity in their minds generation by generation and through out ages? Change will come with time and racism will go behind. People have a right to fight for the freedom of their community. No one can achieve freedom by violence or murder. What the terrorists do is not fight for their right or any thing else. They just want to create chaos in the countries. Even though Pakistan and its militants have no problem with India they terrorize India over previous enmity. If they act on the present situation it is OK. It is their instinctive nature makes them terrorists. Country’s affairs have no role in it. They are wild and killing is their instinct. If a man have problem with achievement and he is fateful yet he has an ego bigger than the earth no wonder he becomes a radical. Only one man is enough to destroy a country.
How come Sri Lanka is a land of Lions? There is no chance for lions having there. Lions cannot survive in the entirely fertile lands. I will let Nature to decide it.
Friday, May 22, 2009
Flame of the Forest that quenched by Parasites
There was a Gulmohar tree at our building’s backyard. It looked different and abnormal from normal Gulmohar trees, lean and tall. Normally, Gulmohar trees have thick heavy stems and branches spread toward all sides making a canopy. But this one had branches growing upward. I thought it was a male because of its lean and tall stem. But it showed me soon it was 100% a female by flowering and bearing fruits. It was destined to born like that or Nature had made a mistake while creating it. Male characteristics in females are seen in human beings too. There are women with gait of male and bony structure. Male hormone must be more in them than female hormone.
When it was in the bloom of youth suddenly it lost all leaves. Blooming stopped and its gloomy days started. The ailing tree stood there for months with its branches stretched out towards the sky as if it was calling out Almighty. There was no sign of life. Its prayers must have heard. Surprisingly, leaves started sprouting and it flowered in the next season. But flowers and leaves did not look healthy or normal. Again it started shedding leaves. It became a skeleton. The tree looked like a cancer patient who recovered after chemotherapy. Though it was diseased it survived for a few more years. Alas, one day it uprooted and collapsed at midnight on the nearby dilapidated cottage with a loud thud. The condition of the tree and cottage was the same.
Only I was there to witness its death while others were sleeping. It must be because I was concerned. Nobody noticed its condition; even the member who had planted the tree carefully didn’t care about it. No one has time for such silly things or they may not be Nature lovers like me. I would look at it helplessly from the window and I was predicting its bleak future. I noticed a parasitic growth at the base of the tree. Mush room like parasites started growing rapidly in a pile around it. It must have eaten into the roots and caused the tree fall. However, death occurred when it came under Saturn’s transit.
Plants and trees also have influence of the Heavenly Bodies. Since Gulmohar trees bloom in April they are associated to Zodiac, Aries. The bright red flowers look like burning charcoal amidst greenery if viewed from afar and its compound leaves waving about in the wind is a lovely sight. It has many nicknames in Indian and foreign languages. It is popularly known as Flame of the Forest. There is another one (Gulmohar), huge and sturdy remains for years but getting old with me. It blooms every year but flowers become scanty year by year.
Not only human beings, but trees, plants, animals and birds are suffering from dreadful diseases like cancer. Such diseases only of big animals and big trees are visible to us. Diseases of small animals and small plants go unnoticed. Trees and plants also have brains, the roots. They serve humans and other creatures selflessly and suffer their torture silently. Has Nature created trees and plants with beautiful flowers for the fancy of humans or birds?
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Brain and Brawn
Brain and brawn go hand in hand. Brain and brawn are always interactive. Without brain there is no brawn, or vice versa. But brain and brawn may go sulky when both have to work together too much. If brain works too much brawn cannot bear it. If brawn works too much brain will be lazy and lethargic. You may think I am mad. You may wonder if I have got a brain.
Recent research says brain power will decline by the age of 27. It is true. Brain power will decline by the end of education due to the overuse. We use brain and brawn more than required for higher education and doing all impossible tasks. Ancient human beings must have more brain power than today’s modern educated people. I mean brain strength to live a hard life and survival. People who are illiterate and leading quiet lives find to be physically stronger than their educated counterparts. People who use brain too much will be physically weak. Animals use brain only for basic needs and their survival. If you have to do work with brain and brawn you will get confused. Brain cannot bear different type of works. Some may be multi-talented. But multi-talents often go useless. Only one talent is better.
It is pathetic that children have to go to school before they learn to walk. In our times children would start their school only at 6. Parents also are too ambitious and speed up their children’s life. Why is the hurry? Go slow. Education should be compulsory but not by compulsion. Schools should not pressurize children for 100% pass. Education is for the benefit of the children, not for school’s credit. Children may get exhausted by using brain too much. They should study according to their capacity. If children are interested in higher studies they themselves will go in for the same. Some children commit suicide when education becomes a burden. Overuse of brain may cause sleep, mental and behavioral disorders. Learn to live by Nature’s rules.
Human brain may look alike when scanning. But each brain is different in thinking and understanding things. In fact, each person’s personality is different. If some people are adventurous it is not because they have extra strength or energy. It is ignorance. Their brains make them adventurous. Animals don’t become adventurous. They use energy only to fetch food. Nervous system gives energy. When nervous system gets weak you will be fatigued. Brain is a slave to temptation. It has the habit to do the same thing persistently. That’s why one gets addicted to something such as alcohol, drugs, food or even sex. Alcohol, drugs, medicines and radiation will destroy the brain. If you have got a good brain learn to protect it.
I had undergone a medical test by radiation ten years ago. The medical test almost killed me. But I recovered gradually and bring about a change in my life. Though I am fatigued I feel got enlightened thereafter. I remember the words of Lord Krishna, “If anything happened it was for good. If anything is going to happen it will be for good.” In my case it is true.
Recent research says brain power will decline by the age of 27. It is true. Brain power will decline by the end of education due to the overuse. We use brain and brawn more than required for higher education and doing all impossible tasks. Ancient human beings must have more brain power than today’s modern educated people. I mean brain strength to live a hard life and survival. People who are illiterate and leading quiet lives find to be physically stronger than their educated counterparts. People who use brain too much will be physically weak. Animals use brain only for basic needs and their survival. If you have to do work with brain and brawn you will get confused. Brain cannot bear different type of works. Some may be multi-talented. But multi-talents often go useless. Only one talent is better.
It is pathetic that children have to go to school before they learn to walk. In our times children would start their school only at 6. Parents also are too ambitious and speed up their children’s life. Why is the hurry? Go slow. Education should be compulsory but not by compulsion. Schools should not pressurize children for 100% pass. Education is for the benefit of the children, not for school’s credit. Children may get exhausted by using brain too much. They should study according to their capacity. If children are interested in higher studies they themselves will go in for the same. Some children commit suicide when education becomes a burden. Overuse of brain may cause sleep, mental and behavioral disorders. Learn to live by Nature’s rules.
Human brain may look alike when scanning. But each brain is different in thinking and understanding things. In fact, each person’s personality is different. If some people are adventurous it is not because they have extra strength or energy. It is ignorance. Their brains make them adventurous. Animals don’t become adventurous. They use energy only to fetch food. Nervous system gives energy. When nervous system gets weak you will be fatigued. Brain is a slave to temptation. It has the habit to do the same thing persistently. That’s why one gets addicted to something such as alcohol, drugs, food or even sex. Alcohol, drugs, medicines and radiation will destroy the brain. If you have got a good brain learn to protect it.
I had undergone a medical test by radiation ten years ago. The medical test almost killed me. But I recovered gradually and bring about a change in my life. Though I am fatigued I feel got enlightened thereafter. I remember the words of Lord Krishna, “If anything happened it was for good. If anything is going to happen it will be for good.” In my case it is true.
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