Day: September 21, 2020

Types of film certifications

Everyone might have been observed displaying a certificate before a film begins, either in theatre or CD. This means, the film makers display that certificate to everyone so that we can know the standards of that film. But how do those certificates tells us the standard and what do they actually implies? Let us see know.

These certificates are actually issued by the Central Board of Film Certifications. There are actually four types of film certifications issued by CBFC. The certificates are U, U/A, A and S. Let us know about each one of them clearly.

U

U certificate of CBFC means unrestricted public exhibition. This means public of any age group can watch the movie. The U certified films do not contain any pornographic content, too much violence, abuse etc. So these films are something like family entertainers, can be seen with whole family.

Some of the U certified movies are: Hum aapke hein koun, Bhag Milla Bhag etc.

U/A

U/A certificates mean parental guides for children under age 12. This means that the children with age below 12 shouldn’t watch those movies without their parents beside. These movies tend to contain some frightening scenes, little romantic scenes, usage of crude language, moderate abusive scenes, moderate violence. So, the CBFC recommends that the children under age 12 can watch these movies with their parents beside.

Some of the U/A certified movies are: Gajini, Bahubali, etc.

A

If a film is A certified then it means that film is restricted to adults i.e. nobody of age 18 and below are allowed to watch that movie. Thae films tend to have pornographic content, too much abuse, violence in peaks, crude language. So, these films are allowed to watch by the people who crossed 18 years as these people are considered as majors.

Some of the A certified films are: Kabir Singh, The Dirty Picture etc.

S

This is a special certificate and is rarely used. The S certified films are restricted to some special categories of people like engineers, doctors, scientists etc. So, if a film is S certified then it means that only engineers or doctors or scientists can watch that movie.

Initially there were only two certificates U and A. The U/A and S certificates were added in June 1983. The certificate will be provided within 64 days by the censor board members. The censor board members together discuss and decide the type of certificate to be given and this has to be done within 64 days of film’s submission to the board.

The films which include the topics of foreign countries are carefully watched by censor board and decide whether some of the scenes are to be excluded or not. Because, the relations with other nations should not get broken by films.

How do the certificates are given for foreign dubbed movies?

CBFC does not give any seperate certificate for dubbed films. The certificate will be same as the one distributed to the original film.

Hope this article provides you some basic information on film certifications.

Plastic surgery

Plastic surgery is a surgical specialty involving the restoration, reconstruction, or alteration of the human body. It can be divided into two main categories: reconstructive surgery and cosmetic surgery. Reconstructive surgery includes craniofacial surgery, hand surgery, microsurgery, and the treatment of burns. The advancements in technology in medical science have opened the doors to better treatment possibilities with minimal side effects being witnessed post treatment. People are now able to avail treatments for such complications which require highly complex and minute procedures to be performed where the implications of the existence of errors are highly fatal. With the inclusion of robotic technology and advanced medical equipment infrastructure, procedures have now become highly convenient and accessible to the people and this feasibility has also enabled the healthcare professionals to provide better medical service to the consumers (Reconstructive Plastic Surgery Overview, 2008).The development of plastic surgery that has been witnessed over the recent years has given rise to various opportunities wherein the use of medical technologies are being used to enhance personal physical features rather than seeing the medical procedures as a means of treatment of illnesses. Among these procedures, plastic surgery is the most widely sought feature modification and enhancement methods which have enabled further developments in the medical field. Plastic surgery had originated as a means to provide reconstructive measures for the damaged parts of the physical parts of the body. These parts can get damaged or injured due to accidents or various other stimuli. Plastic surgery aims at reconstructing and / or modifying the appearance as well as the function of the respective limb (Reconstructive Plastic Surgery Overview, 2008).Plastic surgery is divided into two parts, cosmetic plastic surgery and reconstructive plastic surgery. Cosmetic surgery seeks to improve the patient’s features on a purely beauty level. Reconstructive surgery seeks to fix any physical feature, which is deformed by illness, accidents or birth defect or imperfection. It also provides a significant degree of functional enhancement so as to enable the patient to regain most of the actual functionality which existed for the respective part. Traditionally these processes have been used to treat damages and hide the scars arising out of deep wounds or skin damage. Reconstructive surgery is also being considered as a viable option for those who want to enhance one’s mobility and functionality in cases of incidents which render a person partially disable (Reconstructive Plastic Surgery Overview, 2008).However the current trend of becoming competitive in terms of physical features has led to the adverse outcomes being witnessed in cases where the patients have resorted to the use of new untested drugs or in cases when there is a natural adverse reaction to the procedure. In either case, there is a severe impact of these procedures on the social environment wherein various individuals and groups are subjected to the outcomes (Reconstructive Plastic Surgery Overview, 2008).When the word plastic surgery is heard or used, people immediately think of body changes or enhancements and want to know what has been done. This is especially so in the case of women due to the focus and featuring of the female face and body in magazines and fashion shows. Plastic surgery is performed all over the world where we have women who are in need of bodily transformations and where the procedures are available. There is a high prevalence of this in the US and Europe, and through globalization the image of the enhanced ‘western woman’ has been spread far and wide. Because of this, we find women aspiring to this model or just an enhancement to make her look ‘better’ than her compatriot. This phenomenon has also spread to the Middle Eastern countries and can be found from Lebanon, Syria and others to the UAE. There are many reasons which will be explained why women in this region, and the UAE resort to this treatment despite the fact that it is prohibited in the religion of Islam.In simple terms, plastic surgery can be seen as an operation to change, shape or mould a person’s features as you would do with plastic. However, on a more sophisticated basis, plastic, reconstructive, and cosmetic surgery refers to a variety of operations performed by doctors and undertaken by patients in order to repair or restore body parts to look normal again, or to change or enhance a body part to look ‘better’ than before and thus draw more attention. All of these types of procedures are highly specialized and require accurate skills and training to perform them. The operations require the careful preparation of a person’s skin and tissues, followed by precise cutting. Afterwards , stitching needs to be accurately done to leave minute traces of scar tissue. Due to cutting-edge technology in the form of instrumentation and procedures, plastic surgery is more advanced today than before (Magleby 2008;Surgery Encyclopedia 2010).General Reasons for Plastic Surgery:The three types of surgery performed use similar types of techniques and approaches. However, they all have different reasons attached. In the case of plastic surgery it is mainly used to treat defects after birth as well as enhance the skin whereby blemishes, acne scars, growths or birthmarks could be removed. Cosmetic surgery is just to make a person look younger or enhance the appearance. Reconstructive surgery is mainly used for the reattachment of body parts that got detached in an accident or in war or to add body parts that were missing at birth or were removed by surgery (Surgery Encyclopedia 2010;Skin grafts are also used for severe burn victims as shown in the case of a Palestinian child with severe burns who were sent to the UAE (Palestine Children’s Relief Fund 2006).Specific Types and uses of Plastic Surgery:Plastic surgery:- it involves surgical procedures of the skin. Here the popular ones are the shaping of ears, acne scars and removal of tattoos. Also, the famous excess removal of abdominal fatty tissue (‘tummy tucks’) are common.Cosmetic surgery:- this is done on the face for enhancement and beautification. This is used to enhance facial features or correct a disfigurement. In children cleft lips or palates are cosmetically rectified. For adults it is mostly about shaping and modeling noses and lips. Sagging bags under eyelids are also done as well as the well-known facelifts. Then there are also the cases of breast enhancements- either increase or decrease the size of it. For a breast increase, implants are used and for reduction, excess fat and tissue are removed (Leslie 2009; Surgery Encyclopedia 2010; Corder 2007).Reconstructive surgery: – most of the cases treated are accident and burn victims. In the case of accidents it is related to the rebuilding and reconstructing of broken bones and limbs and involves skin transplantations and skin grafts as well. It includes the cases of reattachment of severed fingers , toes or arms, provided these limbs are taken to the hospital quickly. At other times, artificial limbs are attached to the body or implants are made such as teeth, knee, elbow and hip joints (Surgery Encyclopedia 2010).Disadvantages of Plastic SurgeryThe obvious risk of plastic surgery is that it not only involves complications but also the risk of receiving bad work. This is for sure, no one wants to spend substantial amount money to look even worse that before or to be affected by side effects involved in plastic surgery. In order to clarify all the possibilities of plastic surgery, whether good or bad, you should consult your doctor before you plan any surgery for you. This will assist you in knowing the risks involved and to get prior knowledge of the medications to which your body reacts unpredictably. With cosmetic surgeries, results may be unrealistic, not up to the expectations of the person undergoing surgery.Advantages of Plastic SurgeryThe advantages of plastic surgery are no doubt dramatic, like the ability to use a hand, remove skin cancer or close an open wound, or subtle like cosmetic or skin surgery or rhinoplasty for a young woman etc. Cosmetic surgery has become one of the most common events in the lives of people of all age groups, after all everyone takes due advantage from this processes. The motive behind the surgery can be any, removing birth marks or unattractive looking scars, re-scaling of noses, get rid of enlarged breasts or any other problem. The sole purpose behind plastic surgery is to get a good appearance and therefore to enhance self-confidence.Plastic surgery, the enhancement process by means of surgery has many different forms and benefits. It is very beneficial where someone is in need of physical enhancement due to a malformed body part or where a limb has been severed or was destroyed. In the case of cosmetic surgery it serves to mostly shape and enhance the person’s personal looks and body shape. Millions of women worldwide and in the UAE favour this procedure. The women who subject themselves to the cosmetic surgery would like to look younger, or have a better facial or bodily look. Plastic surgery for purely better looks are frowned upon in the Islamic religion, however, women in the Middle East still do this and justify their actions. This surgery also does not come without risks and people have died, especially under the hand of unprofessionally qualified surgeons. Many instances of malpractices in the UAE have been uncovered and warnings and advice have been given in connection with plastic surgery. Despite all of the things mentioned, plastic surgery still carries on as women keep on searching for better looks.When the word plastic surgery is heard or used, people immediately think of body changes or enhancements and want to know what has been done. This is especially so in the case of women due to the focus and featuring of the female face and body in magazines and fashion shows. Plastic surgery is performed all over the world where we have women who are in need of bodily transformations and where the procedures are available. There is a high prevalence of this in the US and Europe, and through globalization the image of the enhanced ‘western woman’ has been spread far and wide. Because of this, we find women aspiring to this model or just an enhancement to make her look ‘better’ than her compatriot. This phenomenon has also spread to the Middle Eastern countries and can be found from Lebanon, Syria and others to the UAE. There are many reasons which will be explained why women in this region, and the UAE resort to this treatment despite the fact that it is prohibited in the religion of Islam.In simple terms, plastic surgery can be seen as an operation to change, shape or mould a person’s features as you would do with plastic. However, on a more sophisticated basis, plastic, reconstructive, and cosmetic surgery refers to a variety of operations performed by doctors and undertaken by patients in order to repair or restore body parts to look normal again, or to change or enhance a body part to look ‘better’ than before and thus draw more attention. All of these types of procedures are highly specialized and require accurate skills and training to perform them. The operations require the careful preparation of a person’s skin and tissues, followed by precise cutting. Afterwards , stitching needs to be accurately done to leave minute traces of scar tissue. Due to cutting-edge technology in the form of instrumentation and procedures, plastic surgery is more advanced today than before (Magleby 2008;Surgery Encyclopedia 2010).

SCHOOLS REOPEN from today, state wise status

After a long gap of 6months due to the coronavirus pandemic, schools of some states have decided to reopen the gate of the educational institution for students of classes 9-12, on a voluntary basis . All the guidelines provided by the government for unlock 4 will be followed in the process.


The union home ministry has a set of rules for schools to follow when reopen. Students and teachers residing in containment zones are not permitted to attend schools. Only 50% of the teaching and non-teaching staff are allowed to operate, while students only from classes 9 to 12 can attend, on voluntary basis. Students who would attend have to get a permission slip signed by their parents or guardians. Schools that decide to reopen will have to continue online classes for students that stay at home.


It is mandatory for Schools which are reopening to have thermal scanners at the entrance, so that students, teachers and other staff can enter only after temperature checks. Schools have been advised to operate separate gates for entry and exit, although it is not compulsory. Most importantly, everyone entering the school premises have to wear face masks, and sanitise their hands or wash them following the 20-second rule on a regular basis.

Here is the state wise status of school reopening :

Andhra Pradesh
Schools in Andhra Pradesh for classes from 9th standard to Intermediate second year are likely to reopen from September 21. Schools, colleges, educational and coaching institutions will continue to remain shut for students and regular class activity up to September 30.

Assam
The Assam government on Wednesday issued the SoPs for reopening of schools and colleges in the state from September 21, adhering to Covid-19 protocols. After six months from the date of closure of schools due to the pandemic, the state secondary education department has notified the SOPs for reopening of educational institutions in Assam from classes 9 to 12.

Bihar
Schools in the city are making all arrangements to ensure safety of students as the Centre has allowed partial resumption of activities for students of classes 9 to 12 from September 21 as part of Unlock 4.0.

Chandigarh
Class 9 to 12 students are allowed at schools from today on a voluntary basis, for taking guidance from teachers.

Goa
Most stakeholders in the field of education on Thursday said that Classes IX-XII could begin from September 21, even as they expressed concern over ferrying students via Bal Raths and addressed parents’ apprehensions about schools resuming during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Haryana
Students of classes 9 to 12 will be allowed to visit their schools from September 21 in Haryana on a voluntary basis for academic help.

Himachal Pradesh
Schools reopen in the state after the Govt allowed students of Class 9 to 12 to visit schools from September 21 on a voluntary basis, for taking guidance from teachers.

Jharkhand
There is no clarity yet. Government is still to take a call. Although education department had drafted a proposal for staggered opening from September 21, but it was not approved by state government. Any decision on it will be taken only after month end

Karnataka
The Department of Public Instruction issued the order on Saturday. It is in the view of the Union Government’s order permitting students from classes nine to 12 to visit schools to meet teachers and get their doubts cleared. However, the state government issued an order on Saturday saying that students here won’t be permitted to visit school and PU college campuses till September end or further orders which will be issued after reviewing the developing situation.

Meghalaya
Education minister Lahkmen Rymbui on Friday said that the schools in Meghalaya which are shut for six months due to the Covid-19 pandemic will partially reopen from next week for students to meet teachers to clarify their doubts. The schools will be open for students of class 9 to 12 to meet teachers to clear their doubts but there will be no regular classes and no classroom session, he added.

Although states like, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Gujarat, Kerala, Odisha, Uttarakhand, and Tamil Nadu, will not reopen schools from 21st September.

Kerela and Gujarat are not willing to rush into opening schools.
Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik has declared closure of schools till durga puja.
Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand in both the states schools will not reopen as the states saw a surge of COVID-19 cases.
Tamil Nadu has decided to reopen schools only when the coronavirus outbreak will be brought under control.
West Bengal schools are closed till 30th September, after which the Chief Minister Mamta Banerjee will make a decision.

Gurajada Apparao

Gurajada Venkata Apparao (21 September 1862 – 30 November 1915) was a noted Indian playwright, dramatist, poet, and writer known for his works in Telugu theatre. Rao wrote the play Kanyasulkam in 1892, which is often considered the greatest play in the Telugu language. One of the pioneers of Indian theatre, Rao holds the titles Kavisekhara and Abyudaya Kavitha Pithamahudu. In 1910, Rao scripted the widely known Telugu patriotic song “Desamunu Preminchumanna”.

In 1897, Kanyasulkam was published (by Vavilla Ramaswamy Sastrulu and Sons, Madras) and dedicated to Maharaja Ananda Gajapati. Apparao (along with his brother Syamala Rao) wrote several English poems. His Sarangadhara, published in “Indian Leisure Hour”, was well received. The editor of the Calcutta-based “Rees and Ryot”, Sambhu Chandra Mukherji read it and re-published it in his magazine. Gundukurti Venkata Ramanayya, editor of the “Indian Leisure Hour”, encouraged Apparao greatly during the same period. In 1891, Gurajada was appointed to the post of Epigraphist to the Maharaja of Vizianagaram.

Gurajada married Appala Narasamma in 1885. He continued his studies and graduated with B.A. (Philosophy major and Sanskrit minor) in 1886. For some period during 1886, he worked as Head Clerk in the Deputy Collector’s office. On Vijayadasami day, 1887, he joined as a Lecturer (Level IV) in M.R. College with a salary of Rs.100. Around the same time, he was introduced to Maharajah Pusapati Ananda Gajapati Raju (1850–1897).

In 1905, Gurajada’s mother died. In 1906, his close friend P.T. Srinivasa Iyyangar, principal of Mrs. A.V.N. College, Visakhapatnam started an association to promote curriculum reform in high schools. One of the chief aims was to introduce spoken dialects. Along with him, J.A. Yates (1874–1951) -a British civil servant, Gidugu and Gurajada were the principal members. Another friend S. Srinivasa Iyengar (1874–1941) also gave a lot of support and encouragement. Incidentally, this Srinivasa Iyengar was a well-known lawyer and was the President of AICC (All India Congress Committee) annual session at Guwahati in 1926. Gurajada’s childhood friend and classmate in Chipurupalli, Gidugu Rammurty (1863–1940) was his school of thought.

Gurajada lived most of his life in and around Vizianagaram in what was then called as Kalinga Rajyam. He and his father before him were both employed by the princely state of Vizianagaram. Gurajada enjoyed a close relationship with the ruling family during his adult life. He had his initial schooling in Cheepurupalli while his father was working there. His remaining schooling was done at Vizianagaram after his father died. During that time, he was taken care of by the then M.R. College Principal, C. Chandrasekhara Sastri who provided him free lodging and boarding. He completed his matriculation in 1882 and obtained F.A. in 1884. Soon after, he was employed as a teacher in M.R. High School in 1884 with a salary of Rs.25.

In 1887, Gurajada spoke at a Congress Party meeting in Vizianagaram. His daughter Voleti Lakshmi Narasamma was born in 1887. He was simultaneously involved in social work and became a member of the Voluntary Service Corps in Visakhapatnam in 1888. He was elected vice-president of the Ananda Gajapati Debating club in 1889. His son Gurajada Venkata Ramadasu was born in 1890. In 1891 he was promoted to Lecturer (Level III) with a salary of Rs.125. He taught the F.A. and B.A. classes several subjects including English Grammar, Sanskrit Literature, Translation, Greek and Roman Histories. His younger brother Syamala Rao died in 1892 while studying at Madras Law College.

In 1911, he was appointed to the Board of Studies by Madras University. The same year, Gurajada and his friends started the Andhra Sahitya Parishat to promote use of spoken dialects. The next year, he was invited to attend the meeting of the Bangeeya Sahitya Parishat (Bengal Literary Association) at Calcutta.

Gurajada retired in 1913, and the then Madras University honored him with the title “Emeritus Fellow”.He died on 30 November 1915.

Kanyasulkam

Kanyasulkam is about the deplorable condition of widows in traditional Brahmin families in the Andhra region of India during the 19th century. The play is a highly thought-provoking social drama dealing with social issues relevant to the time. Gurajada Apparao was deeply troubled by the double standards, hypocrisy and social inequalities in the Indian society. The English preface to the first edition of his play states: “Such a scandalous state of things is a disgrace to society, and literature can not have a higher function than to show up such practices and give currency to a high standard of moral ideas. Until reading habits prevail among masses, one must look only to the stage to exert such healthy influence.”

Perhaps for the first time in Telugu literary history, a prostitute was given a very positive image so much so that she is shown to better the lives of many people during the course of the play. The play is ageless in the sense that its projection of the Indian mindset and psyche is very relevant and applicable in Indian Society today. The play was, in some ways, ahead of its time and was very bold in criticizing the popular opinions and practices during that era. It frequently jabs at the male-dominated society of India, by bringing to the forefront certain egoistic idiosyncrasies of a typical Indian male, in an unflattering manner. It also questions the practices of witchcraft, sorcery, and their popular usage in medical practice during that period in India.

Mother Nature and Man

Article by – Shishir Tripathi

Intern at Hariyali Foundation
In collaboration with
Educational News

“Nature is Mighty
Nature is Strong
Nature is always usually right
Nature is rarely ever wrong
Nature is Beauty
Nature is Moody
Nature is Smart
Nature always has the Greater Part
Nature is Blue
Nature is Green
Nature is every Color Possibly Seen
Nature is True
Nature is Beaming
Nature is Dreaming”

The whole world is moving at a very faster pace at present. Man thinks that he with his inventions in science and other fields too; he has conquered the world and can survive on its own as he has made all the artificial things and inventions for all his luxuries. But, human beings must not forget the fact that they are born out of Nature not the vice versa.

Human beings have taken all the resources available in nature for granted as if they would have produced them on their own. Nations made international borders and divided the oceans, mountains, plateaus, etc and thought as if they owned it. But nature and its organisms do not consider any of these borders at all. A whale swimming in South Pacific Ocean can go each day each hour to South Atlantic Ocean on its own. Similarly a bird flying in Arunachal Pradesh can go on its own to China without asking anyone. Humans can make rules amongst their own selves and can follow but Mother Nature can’t be forced to accept such rules.

Human beings always thought that they are superior to all the other organisms on Earth forgetting the fact that each organism is dependent on the other for survival through a food chain. If any of the creatures of the food chain goes extinct or gets endangered then surely the entire food chain and food web gets disrupted and the other creatures have to bear the imbalances of the Nature.

Human beings consume everything at present right from eggs, meat, chicken, beef and what not. And in countries like China people consume bats, frogs, cockroaches, dogs and many other creatures. Due to the presence of laws and a proper system regarding punishments to those who kill people, otherwise human beings would start consuming other fellow human beings. The hunger and greed of man at present is increasing day by day. There are vegetable products and other foods than non- vegetarian stuffs, but still the man had and will be consuming the poor organisms like goats, chicks, fishes, pigs, etc. these creatures have no life of their own and are produced just to get consumed by such wicked, hungry human beings.

Humans extract each and every tinge of all the materials that Nature has been providing from years.oil wells in Arabic Nations are getting empty day. As millions of litres oil is consumed by the whole world in running automobiles and other machineries, showing a situation of excess demand and lesser and lesser supply. Similarly, the water resources too including ground water and surface water too are used recklessly without any limitations. Due to such reasons, some regions of the world face water scarcity. Similarly untreated smoke discharged from various factories is again the cause of polluted air in different cities of the world and is contributing towards increasing global temperatures.

And if one tries to list all such activities of man in which he harms nature, the list will never be ending. Human beings must realize that in their every deed filled with greed, the nation is surely going to react in ten times much harsh ways in the form of landslides, excessive rainfall, tsunamis, earthquakes, climate change with adverse situations, etc. Humans should realize the real meaning of sustainable development, only then they can survive peacefully without any such problems. Use of resources should be done in such an efficient way that the resources should get preserved for the future generations and also the usage at present must not harm any creature and the natural heritage too.

That’s why it is rightly said that Nature can enough for one’s need but not for everyone’s greed.

Colorism in India.

“It starts when children are young: the moment a child is born, relatives start comparing siblings’ skin colour. It starts in your own family – but people don’t want to talk about it openly.”

India’s hatred of dark skin, rooted in years of colonization, haunts naturally dark-skinned people there. While under British rule, white colonizers demeaned those with dark skin, favoring those with fairer skin. The British superiority in India showed the power struggle between the fair and the dark. As a result, even amongst Indians, those with darker skin were, and continue to be, looked down upon.

Darker skin represents a connection to the past and its traditions, while Westernization is considered to be modernization, creating a desire for pale skin. Fairness seems to equate to intelligence, power and beauty, leading many to try to achieve such skin.

Skin-lightening products, like “Fair & Lovely,” “Pond’s White Beauty” and “Lotus Herbals Whiteglow” are commonplace in Indian grocery stores, and make up an industry expected to be worth over $24 billion by 2027 globally. The media portrays lighter-skinned families in advertisements and TV shows, and Bollywood favors lighter-skinned actresses as the stars of films, creating an inaccurate ideal for Indians to look up to. This representation issue has been addressed more recently by many.

Yet, colorism might be most noticeable at the grassroots level. Comments from Indian relatives or acquaintances like “The bride is pretty, but dark,” “Oh, she’s so beautiful and fair!” and “She’s so dark, hopefully the baby won’t be as dark,” continue throughout the life of a “darker” Indian individual, and serve as microagressions pinning a negative connotation on those with a darker shade of brown.

This implicit bias has been internalized by Indian society and culture for decades. It does not outwardly show itself in the same way the United States’ prejudice systemically affects Black Americans, but it still accepts and normalizes the belief that lighter is better.

Colorism has led to very implicit discrimination that affects the greater society but also trickles down into everyday microagressions such as being told to drink saffron milk so your child doesn’t inherit the same dark genes you did, or that being pretty and dark is surprising or rare.

It’s a heavy burden and it’s not going anywhere anytime soon. And unlike the comments employed to “other” and homogenize South Indians, this shade of colorism is internalized and in some ways, more painful to deal with. After all, it’s not strangers who are trying to boost their own regionalist identity—but family members who honestly believe that if you were a shade or two fairer, you might be considered beautiful.

Campaigners standing up against the world’s bias towards lighter skin are fighting more than just bad medical practice and consumer habits. They are battling millennia-old preferences for lighter skin.

Colourism and skin lightening in India is a stellar case that shows us the need of using intersectionality to capture the depths of an issue. Our preference for light skin does not merely create beauty standards but also intersects with caste, class, and gender, and actually shapes the idea of womanhood in India. 

Mysteries (II)

Part one was : http://eduindexnews.com/2020/09/14/bermuda-triangle-and-other-mysteries/

• Indian rope trick

India is a land of countless mysteries that have puzzled the rest of the world. Perhaps the most enduring of these mysteries is that of the ‘Indian rope trick’. In the classic version of Indian rope trick, a rope is thrown into the air where it remains rigid. A young boy then climbs the rope, only to disappear at the top. The performer quickly follows him only to disappear when he reaches the top of the vertical rope! Shortly after, pieces of the boy’s body fall from the sky and land on the ground at the bottom of the rope. A few seconds later, the performer is seen climbing down the rope with a blood stained knife in his hand. On reaching firm ground, the performer utters a magic word and the rope falls limp to the ground. He then gathers up the pieces of the boy’s body and bundles them under a sheet. Within seconds, the sheet is lifted and the boy appears completely whole and unharmed! Travellers to India have described this amazing trick for over 600 years, but there is considerable doubt as to whether the trick is fact or fantasy.

• Shroud of Turin

The shroud of Turin is reputedly the cloth in which Jesus Christ was wrapped and buried. The shroud is 4.34 meters long and it bears the image of a man with wounds similar to those suffered by Jesus Christ. The shroud is unquestionably old. Its history is known from the year 1357, when it surfaced in the tiny village of Lirey, France. Today, it is kept in a silver chest in the Cathedral of Saint John, the Baptist in Turin, Italy, where it has been since 1578.

Does the shroud really show the face of Jesus? No one really knows. Although, many scientists have expressed doubts about the accuracy of the image, millions believe it to be divine and it has been a religious relic since the middle ages.

• Loch Ness monster

As far back as the 17th century, people have reported seeing a monster in the Loch Ness in Scotland. Loch means lake in Scotland. This is the largest freshwater lake in the UK. But, rather than being known for its size, it is famous for the mysterious legend of the Loch Ness monster or Nessie.

For thousands of years, people have reported catching glimpse of a huge creature. This creature is said to have a small head, a long neck and an immense body with flippers. Some people have shared photos they claim to have taken of this huge creature. The legend is so great that even scientists have been intrigued and many have conducted experiments and come up with theories to try and explain what people could be witnessing.

One explanation is that the monster could be a prehistoric creature called plesiosaur, an animal that has been considered to be extinct. Maybe one of these creatures managed to survive in the Loch Ness Lake, who knows?

Thank you for reading. Have a nice day!🌼

Indian Cuisine

Indian food is as diverse as India. Indian cuisines use numerous ingredients, deploy a wide range of food preparation styles, cooking techniques, and culinary presentations. From salads to sauces, from vegetarian to meat, from spices to sensuous, from bread to desserts, Indian cuisine is invariably complex. Harold McGee, a favourite of many Michelin-starred chefs, writes “for sheer inventiveness with the milk itself as the primary ingredient, no country on earth can match India.”

India is known for its love of food and spices. Indian cuisine varies from region to region, reflecting the local produce, cultural diversity, and varied demographics of the country. Generally, Indian cuisine can be split into five categories – northern, southern, eastern, western, and northeastern. The diversity of Indian cuisine is characterised by the differing use of many spices and herbs, a wide assortment of recipes and cooking techniques. Though a significant portion of Indian food is vegetarian, many Indian dishes also include meats like chicken, mutton, beef (both cow and buffalo), pork and fish, egg and other seafood. Fish-based cuisines are common in eastern states of India, particularly West Bengal and the southern states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu.

Despite this diversity, some unifying threads emerge. Varied uses of spices are an integral part of certain food preparations and are used to enhance the flavour of a dish and create unique flavours and aromas. Cuisine across India has also been influenced by various cultural groups that entered India throughout history, such as the Central Asians, Arabs, Mughals, and European colonists. Sweets are also very popular among Indians, particularly in Bengal where both Bengali Hindus and Bengali Muslims distribute sweets to mark joyous occasions.

Indian cuisine is one of the most popular cuisines across the globe. In most Indian restaurants outside India, the menu does not do justice to the enormous variety of Indian cuisine available – the most common cuisine served on the menu would be Punjabi cuisine (chicken tikka masala is a very popular dish in the United Kingdom). There do exist some restaurants serving cuisines from other regions of India, although these are few and far between. Historically, Indian spices and herbs were one of the most sought after trade commodities. The spice trade between India and Europe led to the rise and dominance of Arab traders to such an extent that European explorers, such as Vasco da Gama and Christopher Columbus, set out to find new trade routes with India leading to the Age of Discovery. The popularity of curry, which originated in India, across Asia has often led to the dish being labeled as the “pan-Asian” dish.

Regional Indian cuisine continues to evolve. A fusion of East Asian and Western cooking methods with traditional cuisines, along with regional adaptations of fast food are prominent in major Indian cities.

The cuisine of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana consists of the Telugu cuisine, of the Telugu people as well as Hyderabadi cuisine (also known as Nizami cuisine), of the Hyderabadi Muslim community. Hyderabadi food is based heavily on non-vegetarian ingredients while, Telugu food is a mix of both vegetarian and non-vegetarian ingredients. Telugu food is rich in spices and chillies are abundantly used. The food also generally tends to be more on the tangy side with tamarind and lime juice both used liberally as souring agents. Rice is the staple food of Telugu people. Starch is consumed with a variety of curries and lentil soups or broths. Vegetarian and non-vegetarian foods are both popular. Hyderabadi cuisine includes popular delicacies such as Biryani, Haleem, Baghara baingan and Kheema, while Hyderabadi day to day dishes see some commonalities with Telanganite Telugu food, with its use of tamarind, rice, and lentils, along with meat. Yogurt is a common addition to meals, as a way of tempering spiciness.

Book Review- The Image of Man

The Image of Man is written by George Mosses. He was an eminent German-American historian, who specialised in the history of Germany, the rise of Nazism and Fascism and Jewish History along with the relationship between the Jewish and non-Jewish sections of German society through history. In this book, Mosse traces the contours of the evolution of the ideal of manliness and manhood in modern Western European society.

The ideal of masculinity was, according to Mosse, served the dual purpose of being both a positive stereotype and also a social function. It was the adhesive that kept the disparate pieces of post-industrial human society from falling apart and it did this by reconciling the desire for progress with the need for order. Order because of its balanced and harmonious appearance, and progress through its decisiveness, activeness, and virility.

Much like the notions of European Nationalisms and indeed the idea of European civilisation as conceptualised through the historiography of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the ideal of manliness fused industrialising Europe’s reverence for the sophistication and greatness of Classical Greece with its faith in Christianity in general – in addition to what Max Weber called the ‘Protestant Work Ethic’ in particular– and pseudo-Darwinian notions.

The ideal male body symbolized a healthy, well-ordered society. The ideal male was virtuous, honourable, and merciful like a good Christian man should be. The ideal male was also strong and courageous, chaste and exercised self-control, much like the legendary men of yore from the epics. This ideal of man has lasted through the decades, evolving with the times but sticking to its core essence, and continues to remain the dominant idea of man today not just in the West, but also in other parts of a now increasingly globalised and westernised world. Mosse dates the appearance of this positive male stereotype to the time of the Napoleonic Wars.

Mosses’ analysis is subtle. He does not equate masculinity with the exercise of raw power. Few historians can equal his ability to discern what differentiates one country from another. Very few historians in the world can match Mosses’ depth of knowledge enabling him to pinpoint the differences within one country and among different countries. The book primarily deals with the situation in Pre-Nazi Germany, but also covers the situation in France, Italy, England and the United States to a lesser extent. The comparisons that Mosse makes are constructive. Why were nearly all Frenchmen considered honourable enough to duel, while in German only five per cent could give satisfaction? What distinguished the Italian fascist masculine ideal from its German counterpart? Mosse provides stimulating and convincing answers for these questions but does not consider America in any depth.

The outbreak of the First World War further entrenched the notions of martial fervour and strength as essential to masculinity. Young men were encouraged to fight the war and defeat the enemy, while conscientious objectors were looked down upon as effeminate weaklings or deviants who were parasites in society. The role of women in the construction of the ideal of man is not considered particularly significant, although not entirely absent. The book looks at institutions such as the military, schools, and clubs, which helped in shaping the manliness ideal, but fails to look into the home in any detail.

Jayaprakash Narayan

Jayaprakash Narayan was an Indian independence activist and political leader. Popularly referred to as JP or Lok Nayak which means “The People’s Hero”. He was born on October 11, 1902 in rural Bihar. He moved to United States in 1922 to pursue higher studies. He did several odd jobs there to pay for his education and these experiences were critical is shaping his ideas regarding the difficulties faced by the working class. According to his biographers, Allan and Wendy Scarfe, he returned to India from America ‘convinced that the central problem of human society was inequality of wealth, property, rank, culture and opportunity’. (Reference- Book: J.P, His Biography, page 33)

In the budding stage of his political mind, it was the influence of Marxism Socialism that had the strongest impact on him. He was convinced about dialectical materialism and the necessity of class war. But when he came to India, the Current of nationalism was most powerful subsiding the possibility of a communist revolution, he decided to join freedom movement. For this purpose, he joined the Indian National Congress. He opposed Gandhi’s social philosophy and argued that it gives an opportunity to the princes to exploit the paupers.

He rejected Gandhism as ‘timid economic analysis’ ‘ineffective moralising’ and therefore made Marxian Socialism as the basis of his ideas of socio-economic order. However, he was drawn towards Gandhism with regard to its emphasis on decentralisation in administration and commitment to certain ethical values in politics.

In 1948 he, along with most of the Congress Socialists, left the Congress Party and in 1952 formed the Praja Socialist Party. Soon he become dissatisfied with party politics, he announced in 1954 that he would thenceforth devote his life exclusively to the Bhoodan Yajna Movement, founded by Vinoba Bhave, which demanded that land be distributed among the landless. His interest in politics was re-ignited in the late 1950s and once again he became active in political activities. In 1974, he burst on the Indian political scene as a severe critic of what he saw as the corrupt and undemocratic government of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. He led the Bihar Movement which was initiated by students in Bihar in 1974 in protest against the corruption in the government of Bihar. Also, called Total Revolution Movement (Sampoorna Kranti) and JP Movement, it later turned against PM Indira Gandhi’s government at the centre and became a satyagraha of sorts.

Among his major works is his ‘Why Socialism’ where he advanced his arguments for adopting socialism in India. He made an analysis of the socio-economic conditions of India. He stated that the main cause of inequalities is the inequality of rank, of culture and of opportunity. The unequal distribution of wealth, accumulation and concentration of wealth results in exploitation as the accumulation and concentration of wealth makes it easier for some to exploit money.

He believed that a democratic society offers the chances for socialism to come into existence. Otherwise the bureaucratic state emerges with the support of the capitalist class. At this point people will resort to violent means. Hence, democracy is the only system for a free, non-violent socialist society.

Reference- J. P., His Biography [Book by Allan Scarfe]

Realism in the International System

Realism is a school of thought that explains international relation in terms of power. The exercise of power by States towards is called politics. Politics is the distinction between politics within a state and politics outside a state, because the state is assumed to have sovereignty, that is the government having structure, rule of law and a hierarchy. Realism can be understood as a body of theories and related arguments about how the world works.

One of the principles of how realism works on the aspect of international arena is groupism, where human beings need groups to survive because individuals are weak The most important human group are nation-states and nationalism are the source of ingroup cohesion. Secondly, egoism, people are self-interested as it is rooted in the human nature. Power centralism, politics is all about power and it is the fundamental feature. Realist assumes that international relation can be best explained by the choices of states operating as autonomous actors rationally pursuing their own interest in an international system of sovereign states without a central authority.

Another proposition is that a nation can only advance its interests against the interests of other nations;this implies that the international environment is inherently unstable.Whatever order may exists breaks down when nations compete for the same resources,for example, and war may follow. In such an environment,the realists argue, a nation has only itself to depend on.Structural realism or neorealism is a theory that deals with the importance of power in the stance of international relation, this was outlined by Kenneth waltz who was a believer of defensive realism described in his book that the world is in anarchy that there is no sovereign and basically every state is dependent on themselves called self-help.

Another important theoretical preposition about international relation is balance of power in which state will keep dangerous concentration of power by building up their own capabilities both internally and external balancing. Political realism works to find out how power is shared across the different countries and how the international system works.Its main focus is on power. It can be in domestic as well as international system. In domestic system it talks about politicians while in the international system it talks about nation states descriptive political realism commonly holds that the international community is characterized by anarchy, since there is no overriding world government that enforces a common code of rules realist tend to see military force as the most important element of national power. They believe that international system exists in a state of anarchy.

Alliance play a key role in the balance of power. Building up one’s own capabilities against rival is a form of power balancing but forming an alliance against a threatening state is more effective. During the cold war, the united states surrounded Soviet Union with military and political alliances to prevent soviet territorial expansion. Alliances can shift rapidly, with major effects on power relations. The world’s main alliance, including NATO face uncertain roles in the changing world order.In order to understand the foreign policy, the neoclassical realism plays an important role to understand the working of international system.

World Alzheimer’s Day: It will be very easy to remember anything in these fun ways

If people with weak memory have to struggle to remember anything, then the fun tips given here will be of great help to you….

It is true that due to increasing dependence on technology, we do not have much trouble even forgetting some things, but trying to remember things always proves beneficial for mental health. Here are some ways, with the help of which it will be very easy to remember the names of people and places, key dates and some important numbers.

Reiterate Names

When you meet someone for the first time, after hearing its name, repeat that name two or three times in your mind. Even if you have a five-minute conversation with them, always address them by their name during that time. This will make it easier for you to remember their name and they will also feel good. 

Convert words to images

After hearing a new name, try to remember its meaning or any topic related to it. For example, if a person’s name is Pankaj, remember also that it means lotus flower, then you will always remember his or her name.

Adopt interesting ways

There are also some names of Hindi which can be translated into English in a fun way. For example, if a person’s name is Lal Bahadur Singh, then you can remember him by the name of Red Brave Lion.

Affiliation is required

Before saving the number of people, write a keyword with their name so that you will immediately remember why we had saved that mobile number. For example, if you talked to someone named Ashish for your child’s tuition, then save their number in your mobile name as Tuition Ashish. You won’t have any problems later.

Remember numbers in this way

It’s okay that people’s addresses and phone numbers are saved on your mobile. Yet the way to remember these is to remember it not in numbers but in words, for example, if someone’s house number is 315, it would be easier to remember it as three hundred and fifteen instead of three one five.

Add links for key dates

Even if Facebook reminds you, try to remember special occasions like your loved ones’ birthday and anniversary on your own. Often some of your friends or relatives’ birthdays will fall around each other. You can remember it like this – in the month of May, it is the birthday of three people, firstly of Soumya on the 2nd, Ketan on the 5th and finally of Saurabh on the 28th. In this way, you will never forget your close one’s birthday. 

Stay organized

Often people forget their things by keeping them here and there. To avoid such a problem, make a habit of keeping the goods back from where they are taken. If you succeed in trying to remember these tips, you will soon forget the habit of forgetting.

Protection against unfair contracts

The Indian Contract Act, 1872 determines obligations of the parties to perform or offer to perform respective promises unless such performance is dispensed with or excused under the provisions of the Act, or of any other law.

As informed by the Law Commission of India, in order to protect the consumers, the Law Commission in its Report No.199 titled ‘Unfair (Procedural and Substantive) Terms in Contracts’ recommended that the provisions of the Indian Contract Act, 1872 and of the Specific Relief Act, 1963 need not be disturbed.

The Consumer Protection Act, 2019 has come into force w.e.f. 20th July, 2020 and has replaced the Consumer Protection Act, 1986. As provided in the new  Act unfair contract means a contract  between a manufacturer or trader or service provider on one hand and a consumer on the other, having such terms which cause significant change in the rights of such consumer, including the following, namely:—

(i)  requiring manifestly excessive security deposits to be given by a consumer for the performance of   contractual obligations; or

(ii)      imposing any penalty on the consumer, for the breach of contract thereof which is wholly

disproportionate to the loss occurred due to such breach to the other party to the contract; or

(iii)     refusing to accept early repayment of debts on payment of applicable penalty; or

(iv)     entitling a party to the contract to terminate such contract unilaterally, without reasonable cause; or

(v)      permitting or has the effect of permitting one party to assign the contract to the detriment of the other party who is a consumer, without his consent; or

(vi)     imposing on the consumer any unreasonable charge, obligation or condition which puts such consumer to disadvantage;

This information was given in a written reply by the Union Minister of State for Consumer Affairs Food and Public Distribution, Shri DanveRaosahebDadarao in Lok Sabha today.

Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh delvers Kunwar Viyogi Annual Memorial Lecture of University of Jammu

Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh today said that the common man in Kashmir is tired of terrorism and is becoming increasingly aspirational for himself and for his children.

Delivering the 1st edition of “Kunwar Viyogi Annual Memorial Lecture” of the University of Jammu on the subject “Way Forward Post Abrogation of Articles 370 and 35A in Jammu and Kashmir”, Dr Jitendra Singh said that terrorism is in its last phase in Jammu & Kashmir and terrorists on the run are hitting soft targets. He said, things are changing for the better each day and hoped for a new beginning from the next season.

Dr Jitendra Singh informed that in the 2nd term of the Modi Government, the Prime Minister had called upon to give J&K similar kind of attention and focus as was given to North-East. He said, after a very long gap, there is almost equal distribution of Central resources in Jammu and Kashmir Divisions.

Referring to his speech in Parliament during abrogation of Article-370 last year, when he described it as a miscarriage of history and anomaly of the Constitution, Dr Jitendra Singh said that what was supposed to be a temporary feature remained permanent for 70 years. He said it was the vision and strong will of Prime Minister Narendra Modi that the historic wrong was undone.

He said even the prophets of doom were proved wrong that abrogation of Articles 370 and 35A would lead to bloodshed and violence. On the other hand, the UT of J&K witnessed the most peaceful festive season be it Holi, Muharram, Eid, Diwali, Republic Day or Independence Day.

Dr Jitendra Singh said that the people of the UT are realizing that in the name of special status and self-rule, it was in fact continuation of dynastic rule of three generations and autonomy was denied at the grassroots level by not holding panchayat elections. He said, panchayat elections were held under the new dispensation of LG in J&K, thus empowering the local people.

Describing the Jammu & Kashmir Domicile Rules Notification as the dawn of a new era for Jammu & Kashmir, Dr Jitendra Singh said that history will vindicate us and prove that this course correction was in keeping with the principle of equality and the norms of a healthy democracy. He said that three generations of people in Jammu & Kashmir had been denied the right to live with justice and dignity. He said, the West Pakistan Refugees and displaced persons from PoJK have been restored their legitimate rights and a discrimination of several decades has been undone.

Recalling that two Prime Ministers of India, I.K.Gujral and Dr. Manmohan Singh, came from Pakistan,Dr Jitendra Singh quipped, they would not have become Prime Ministers if they had chosen to settle in J&K because of the discriminatory law. He also added that it is an irony that All India Services Officers, including IAS and IPS, who devoted 30 to 35 years of their life to serve in Jammu & Kashmir were, at the end of the day, after superannuation, asked to pack up, leave and look for a place elsewhere to settle. This was, he said, quite in contrast to the arrangement in several States and UTs where the All India Service officers of State Cadre are not only allowed to settle but are also provided plots of land for the same. He said the same is the case for teachers, doctors and other professionals.

Dwelling on the administrative outcomes, Dr Jitendra Singh said that post 5th August,2019, Transparency, Digitization and Accountability has increased and said that the Centre is assisting the Union Territory Government of Jammu & Kashmir to establish Grievance Portal in each of the 20 districts of the UT. He said that citizen centricity in Governance has become a new norm. Similarly, several of the stalled developmental projects in the irrigation, power and other sectors have started seeing the light of the day after remaining in cold storage for more than 30-40 years, he added.

On the cultural outcome, Dr Jitendra Singh said by making Dogri an official language, another anomaly was done away with. He said that people are gradually coming out of slavish, slack and selfish mind-set, and becoming part of the new milieu.

In his address the Vice Chancellor of University of Jammu, Professor Manoj Dhar praised the Union Minister for his passion for growth and development of Jammu and Kashmir and that of Dogri Language. He informed that a full-fledged Department of Dogri is functional in the Jammu University and soon a “Centre of Excellence” will be established for promotion of Dogri language, culture and heritage.

Professor Monika Sethi, Head of Department of English under whose aegis the webinar was organized along with Ayushman Jamwal, senior editor of News18 took part in the programme.

Pandemic related rise in mental illness cases

The Government has taken a number of initiatives to provide psychosocial support during COVID-19.

These initiatives include:

  1. Setting up of a 24/7 helpline to provide psychosocial support, by mental health professionals, to the entire affected population, divided into different target groups viz children, adult, elderly, women and healthcare workers.
  2. Issuance of guidelines/ advisories on management of mental health issues, catering to different segments of the society.
  3. Advocacy through various media platforms in the form of creative and audio-visual materials on managing stress and anxiety, and promoting an environment of support and care for all.
  4. Issuance of detailed guidelines by the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), Bengaluru- “Mental Health in the times of COVID-19 Pandemic – Guidance for General Medical and Specialized Mental Health Care Settings”.
  5. All the guidelines, advisories and advocacy material can be accessed on Ministry of Health and Family Welfare website under “Behavioural Health – Psychosocial helpline” (https://www.mohfw.gov.in/).
  6. Online capacity building of health workers by NIMHANS in providing psychosocial support and training through (iGOT)-Diksha platform.

The Minister of State (Health and Family Welfare), Sh Ashwini Kumar Choubey stated this in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha here today.