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Durga Puja: Through The Eyes of A Bengali

Durga Puja is a festival of Hindu origin, which is celebrated predominantly in West Bengal, Tripura, Orissa and Assam, within India. Bangladesh also has their fair share of Pujas. It is annual in occurrence and is an integral part of Shaktism tradition, a branch of Hinduism. It is conducted in accordance to the Indian calendar, in the month of Ashwin (begins at sixth day of Ashwin shukla paksha tithi and ends on the tenth of the same) . Ashwin usually corresponds to September or October in the Gregorian calendar. This is a ten day long festival, and the last five days are of greater significance. Durga Puja also coincides with festivals like Navratri and Dussehra, which are of other traditional significance. 

Nostalgia

Mahalaya marks the start of the journey of homecoming or ‘Agomoni’ of Durga Maa to her natal home. On the day of Mahalaya, Bengalis wake up early in the morning and go to see skits or watch Mahalaya special programs on TV or listen to radios. These mediums, on Mahalaya, present acts or songs, which capture the essence of Puja. Infact, some songs can only be equated to the nostalgia of Durga Puja and nothing else. Or, they narrate the story that is associated with the origin of this tradition. This story can be traced back to the Devi Mahatmya, a text which is recited during the Durga Pujas. It is believed that this text was written back in 400-600 CE and was written in Sanskrit. The popular story that goes down from generation to generation says that, ‘There was a demon Mahishasur, whom the Gods or Devatas were unable to defeat. Finally, they sought the advice of the Trinity, Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. They created and manifested a superpower, whose soul rose from the holy waters of Ganga, and who was crafted by all the Devas together. That manifestation was Devi Durga. She had ten arms, each hand holding a weapon, given to her by different Gods. Armed with all these weapons, she waged a fierce war against Mahishasur and finally killed him on Maha Dashami.’

Get, Set, Puja

The main Puja starts from Maha Shashti. The idols are placed in the selected place and elaborate rituals are done to religiously establish the idols and this marks the beginning of Durga Puja. Pujas can be arranged by a single family or by a community. The community Pujas are done in PAndals, constructed specifically for the Puja. Along with Devi Durga, Laxmi, Saraswati, Ganesh and Kartikeya are also worshipped, as according to Bengali culture, they are Devi Durga’s children. Hence she brings them with her, when she visits her paternal home. Maha Dashami marks the end of her visit and the start of the journey back to Kailash,her husband Lord Shiva’s abode. The idols,which are made of biodegradable substances, are submerged in the water bodies.

For Bengalis, Durga Puja is a very big deal. The preparation and shopping starts from months prior to  the actual festival. Pandals start springing up almost a month before the Puja. Nowadays, pandals and Pratimas (the idols) competitions are a rage. So, all the communities strive to make their ones more innovative and crowd attracting. During Puja, anyone might feel like the whole city has descended on the streets. In the big cities and metropolis, you would be lucky if you get to walk on your own feet. The crowd, usually, does a good job pushing you forward. Various pandals are used to address various social issues. Pendal hoping is a favourite activity of the bengalis during the puja and it can only be seconded by the joy of eating street side food. This is actually a notable difference from the rest of India which celebrates different festivals at the same time, as for most of the food consumed during Durga Puja is non-veg. Many people, infact, eat out on all the Puja days.

Also, youngsters really like to tally how many Pujas they have finished visiting with their friends 

Puja gives everyone just the right environment to flaunt their favourite looks and outfits. No one is too over the top during this festival. Infact, try going out in old clothes, you will surely meet a family resistance. People get materials for their social media posts for a long time with all the pictures taken during puja. Also, going out with friends is met with no resistance during Puja. Another aspect of pandal hopping is that many young ones aspire to find their one true love in these Puja crowds. And if you already have someone, then Puja literally gives a free pass to go out with them, without the usual dose of hide and seek from people. 

That is true for the night life. But during the day, Pandals are filled with people, mostly from the neighbouring areas, who come to take Pushpanjali (offering flowers to Gods). The chants and hymns read during the Pushpanjali gives the true experience of the puja. Saptami, Ashtami and Navami are spent more or less in the same fashion. Bengalis basically don’t sleep on the Navami night.

Dashami Day starts with people, especially students offering prayers and possession to be blessed by all the deities. After that, married women partake in ‘Shidurkhela’, an important ritual of Dashami. Arati and Dhunuchi dance accompanied by Dhak is performed before finally moving the idolout for bishorjon (submerging in water). The processions accompanying the idols to Bishorjon are a sight in itself. Bengalis enjoy these final moments and cherish them forever. And see Durga Maa off, with misty eyes and a promise, 

“Asche bochor abar hobe”

Translation: Next year, this will happen again.

Mutual understanding key to sustaining a marriage

The key to sustaining a marriage is mutual understanding, cooperation and adjustment. For a marriage to succeed, both the husband and wife must be committed to its success. It will not develop on its own accord, but through the concerted effort of the couple.As husband and wife, we should learn to compromise and share, make sacrifices for each other, and always show concern for each other’s needs. We should also hold on to noble values like patience and forbearance. If all these happen, then you could say marriage is like a heaven.

Many relationships have broken up and many marriages have been torn apart, not because they don’t love each other, but because they don’t understand each other.Understanding means being more aware, sensitive and intuitive with the people we love. But understanding isn’t knowledge alone. Knowledge doesn’t always lead to understanding and without understanding, you won’t be able to love someone indefinitely.Understanding is knowing and being able to relate — it’s being able to comprehend the logic behind someone’s actions. It’s more than “getting” someone though.

A marriage based on love and respect doesn’t just happen. Both spouses have to do their part.Talking with your spouse is one of the best ways to keep your marriage healthy and successful. Be honest about what you’re feeling, but be kind and respectful when you communicate. Part of good communication is being a good listener and taking the time to understand what it is your spouse wants and needs from you. Keep the lines of communication open by talking often, and not just about things like bills and the kids. Share your thoughts and feelings.Appreciate each other, your relationship, your family, and your lives together. Show gratitude when your partner cooks dinner, helps the kids with their homework, or does the grocery shopping. It may help to take a few minutes each evening to tell each other at least one thing you appreciated that day.With work and family responsibilities, it can be easy to lose the romance factor. Plan special dates, either to go out or just stay at home. If you have children, send them on a play date while you relax, talk, and enjoy each other’s company.Alone time is just as important as couple time. Everyone needs time to recharge, think, and enjoy personal interests. That time is often lost when you’re married, especially if you have kids. Go out with friends, take a class, or do volunteer work, whatever you find enriching. When you’re back together with your spouse, you’ll appreciate each other even more.Everyone makes mistakes. Your spouse may hurt your feelings or do something that upsets you, and that may make you angry, even furious. But it’s important to deal with your feelings, let them go, and move on. don’t keep bringing up the past.

Remember to remain committed to your spouse, your family, and the life that you have built together. Support each other emotionally and in everyday ways. You, your spouse, and your relationship may grow and change with time, but these ideas can help your marriage stay successful over the years.

The painful reality is love is just not enough. I work ever day at better understanding the people whom I love. The willingness to understand is very important. It is not always easy, but healthy love is strengthened by the willingness to understand. “Love without understanding will wilt like flowers without water”.

So,please live a happy marriage life ,understand your partner problems ,issues and worries .Because without doing this you don’t have a successful marriage .

THANK U

Jallianwala Bagh Massacre

On the 13th April 1919, Acting Brigadier-General Reginald Dyer ordered troops from the British Indian Army to aim their weapons at the croweds of unwieldy Indian civilians at Jallianwala Bagh, Amritsar, Punjab and kill 379 individuals and harm more than 1,200 others, the Jallianwala massacre was also known as the Amritsar massacre.

Dyer, who was encouraged to have a major revolt, banned all meetings on Sunday 13 April 1919. The notice wasn’t widely disseminated and many villagers in Satyapal and Saifuddin Kitchlew gathered in Bagh to hold the important Indian Baisakhi Festival and to protest peacefully the arrest and deportation of two national leaders. Dyer and his soldiers entered the garden and locked their main entry, stood on a raised bank and fired at the crowd for about ten minutes without notice, aiming their bullets mostly to the few open doors, through which people tried to escape until the supply of ammunition was nearly depleted. On the next day Dyer proclaimed in a paper “I heard about the killing of between 200 and 300 people”.

In the following year the government of India released the Hunter Committee report condemning both Dyer and the Punjab administration for not having collected an accurate count of casualties and quoted 379 dead and approximately 1,200 wounded, including 192 serious wounded, provided by Sewa Samati. The statistics were reported by the Commission. More than 1,500 casualties, nearly 1,000 of them dead, were estimated by the Indian National Congress.

He was commended by some in Britain for his exploits and became a hero of many people, including Members of the House of Lords, who directly benefited from the British Raj. However, in the House of Commons, which was censured by its investigating committee in July 1920 he was strongly condemned and attacked. He couldn’t be charged for killing because he was a soldier working on orders. The military agreed not to send him to court, and his only penalty was to be suspended from his current appointment, refused the promotion of him, and forbidden further jobs in India. Dyer then withdrew from the army and moved back to England, where he died.

Both British and Indian populations were divided by responses. Rudyard Kipling, the eminent author of the novel, proclaimed that Dyer “went as far as he saw it.” This shocked him so much that he surrendered his knighthood and proclaimed “these mass-murderers do not deserve any title.” This was the first Indian and Asian Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore.

Although British intervention in the Mau Mau rebels in Kenya later led historian Huw Bennett to note that the new strategy has not always been carried out, this massacre has resulted in reassessment of its military position against civilians to a minimum. The army was retrained and less aggressive crowd control tactics developed.

The degree of casual violence and lack of responsibility shocked the whole country, causing the general Indian people’s loss of confidence in UK intentions. This unsuccessful investigation, together with Dyer ‘s initial recognition, fostered widespread outrage among the Indian population towards the British, leading to the 1920–22 Non-cooperation Movement. Some historians regard the episode as an significant step towards the end of British Indian rule.

The UK never officially apologised but expressed “regrets” in 2019 for the shooting.

Kappalotiya tamizhan-The tamil Helmsman

Vallinayagan Ulaganathan Chidambaram (5 September 1872 – 18 November 1936), popularly known by his initials, V.O.C. (spelled வ.உ.சி in Tamil), also known as Kappalottiya Tamizhan “The Tamil Helmsman”, was an Indian freedom fighter and leader of Indian National Congress. Founder of Swadeshi Steam Navigation Company in 1906 to compete against the monopoly of the British India Steam Navigation Company (BISNC) He launched the first indigenous Indian shipping service between Tuticorin and Colombo with the Swadeshi Steam Navigation Company, competing against British ships. Tuticorin Port Trust, one of India’s thirteen major ports, is named after him. At one time a member of the Indian National Congress, he was later charged with sedition by the British government and sentenced to life imprisonment, and his barrister license was revoked.

V. O. Chidambaram Pillai was born on 5 September 1872 in a vellalar family in Ottapidaram, Tuticorin District to Ulaganathan Pillai and Paramayee Ammal. When Chidambaram was six years old, he learned Tamil from teacher Veeraperumal Annavi. He heard stories about Shiva from his grandmother and stories from the Ramayana from his grandfather. He heard stories from Mahabharatha told by Allikulam Subramanya Pillai. As a child, he played goli (mkarbles), kabaddi, horse riding, swimming, stilt walking, archery, wrestling, silambattam and chess.

He learned English from a Taluk officer named Krishnan in the evenings. When Krishnan was transferred, Chidambaram’s father built a school with the help of villagers and appointed Aramvalarthanatha Pillai from Ettayapuram as the English teacher. The school was run by a priest at Pudhiamuthur. At fourteen, Chidambaram went to Thoothukudi to continue his studies. He studied at CEOA High School and Caldwell High School and in Thoothukudi at the Hindu College High School, Tirunelveli.

Chidambaram worked as Taluk office clerk for some time before his father sent him to Tiruchirappalli to study law. He passed his pleadership exam in 1894, returning to Ottapidaram to become a pleader in 1895.

In Chennai, Chidambaram met Swami Ramakrishnananda, a saint who belonged to Swami Vivekananda Ashram (monastery), who advised him to “do something for the nation”. Here he met the Tamil poet Bharathiyaar who shared his political ideology. The two men became close friends.In the 1890s and 1900s India’s independence movement and the Swadeshi movement, which confirms the politic parcel initiated by Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Lala Lajpat Rai of the Indian National Congress (INC), were at their peak. From 1892 Chidambaram was influenced by Tilak Maharaj and became his disciple. Along with Subramanya Siva and Subramanya Bharathi, he became a prominent spokesperson for the cause in the Madras Presidency. Following the partition of Bengal in 1905, Chidambaram entered politics, joining the Indian National Congress and taking a hardliner stance. He also presided at the Salem District Congress session.

Chidambaram moved to Kovilpatti and practiced as a lawyer. He rejoined the Congress party in 1927 and presided over the third political conference held at Salem. He said that he wanted to join Congress again because he noticed a remarkable change in the policies of Congress and was happy to note that the policies of which he did not approve were withdrawn one by one. However, after the Salem conference Chidambaram again severed his contact with Congress.

In 1929 he moved to Thoothukudi, where he spent his time writing and publishing Tamil books. By 1935, he had written commentary on the first book of the Tirukkural (Book of Virtue) and was published under a different title. However, it was only in 2008 that the complete work of his commentary on the Kural was published.

If you are interested check out the part two here.

Nethaji- Respected Leader

It is our duty to pay for our liberty with our own blood

Subash Chandra Bose,India

Subhas Chandra Bose, byname Netaji (Hindi: “Respected Leader”), (born c. January 23, 1897, Cuttack, Orissa , India—died August 18, 1945, Taipei, Taiwan?), Indian revolutionary prominent in the independence movement against British rule of India. He also led an Indian national force from abroad against the Western powers during World War II. He was a contemporary of Mohandas K. Gandhi, at times an ally and at other times an adversary. Bose was known in particular for his militant approach to independence and for his push for socialist policies.

The son of a wealthy and prominent Bengali lawyer, Bose studied at Presidency College, Calcutta (Kolkata), from which he was expelled in 1916 for nationalist activities, and the Scottish Churches College (graduating in 1919). He then was sent by his parents to the University of Cambridge in England to prepare for the Indian Civil Service. In 1920 he passed the civil service examination, but in April 1921, after hearing of the nationalist turmoils in India, he resigned his candidacy and hurried back to India. Throughout his career, especially in its early stages, he was supported financially and emotionally by an elder brother, Sarat Chandra Bose (1889–1950), a wealthy Calcutta lawyer and Indian National Congress (also known as the Congress Party) politician.

In 1921, Bose worked under Chittaranjan Das, a powerful politician in Bengal. He worked as the editor for Das’s newspaper, Forward, and later started his own newspaper, Swaraj. In 1923, Bose was elected the President of the All India Youth Congress and also the Secretary of Bengal State Congress. He also served as the Chief Executive Officer of the Calcutta Municipal Corporation, with Das as mayor of Calcutta. He was regarded as a vigilant and charismatic youth icon in the Indian National Congress. Bose was arrested countless times, and deported to Burma (Myanmar) in 1925 because he was suspected of connections with secret revolutionary movements. During the mid-1930s Bose travelled in Europe, visiting Indian students and European politicians, including Benito Mussolini. He observed party organisation and saw communism and fascism in action. In this period, he researched and wrote the first part of his book The Indian Struggle, which covered the country’s independence movement in the years 1920–1934.

With Japanese support, Bose revamped the Indian National Army (INA), then composed of Indian soldiers of the British Indian army who had been captured in the Battle of Singapore.To these, after Bose’s arrival, were added enlisting Indian civilians in Malaya and Singapore. The Japanese had come to support a number of puppet and provisional governments in the captured regions, such as those in Burma, the Philippines and Manchukuo. Before long the Provisional Government of Free India, presided by Bose, was formed in the Japanese-occupied Andaman and Nicobar IslandsBose had great drive and charisma—creating popular Indian slogans, such as “Jai Hind,”—and the INA under Bose was a model of diversity by region, ethnicity, religion, and even gender. However, Bose was regarded by the Japanese as being militarily unskilled, and his military effort was short-lived. In late 1944 and early 1945, the British Indian Army first halted and then devastatingly reversed the Japanese attack on India. Almost half the Japanese forces and fully half the participating INA contingent were killed.The INA was driven down the Malay Peninsula and surrendered with the recapture of Singapore. Bose had earlier chosen not to surrender with his forces or with the Japanese, but rather to escape to Manchuria with a view to seeking a future in the Soviet Union which he believed to be turning anti-British. He died from third-degree burns received when his plane crashed in Taiwan. Some Indians, however, did not believe that the crash had occurred, with many among them, especially in Bengal, believing that Bose would return to gain India’s independence.

LATEST MODES OF BUSINESS.

The modes of conducting business have undergone various changes in the last few decades. The development of technology and evolution has changed the way of executing business activities. Nowadays business is not only about selling and purchasing it is now exchange of values these value may be in the form of money, goods,services or brand equity .Due to these factors some latest modes of Business have emerged These new form of businesses have their own pros and cons but no doubt these business are doing well providing good amount of value and generating revenue below are some latest modes of business

  1. E- BUSINESS First thing, it is not E-COMMERCE , E-COMMERCE is a part of e business this includes e learning e shopping and entertainment . In today’s world online and digital has become an integral part of our lives.Every possible service is available online nowadays . In coming years the scope of E business is going to have a great expansion.
  2. BPO– It stands for Business process outsourcing it is difficult to perform every process inhouse that’s why business try to outsource their auxiliary process and focus on their main activity. Mostly the process which are outsourced are Marketing, advertising, customer service, tellecalling IT help desk, Data entry and many more. Outsourcing is cost effective and you get better results, just deal with good BPO company.
  3. KPO- It stands for Knowledge Process Outsourcing .Many a times business requires an expert of a certain field like legal advisor, CA,Financial planner, HR consultant, etc. but all businesses cannot afford to hire experts on full time Jobs .so they search for a business organisation who can provide them these services when ever they require.

Pride & Prejudice: Movie Review


Pride and Prejudice is a classic novel written by Jane Austen in 1813. The movie based on this book, Pride & Prejudice, was released in 2005 starring Keira Knightly, one of the brightest stars of this time, as Elizabeth Bennett and Matthew Macfadyen, a dashing English actor, as Mr. Darcy.

Movies can have a huge impact on our mind. This particular movie shows us the difference that existed between men and women in society in the 1800s  and how some women had the courage to battle any and all kinds of oppression that was seen as normal by others. This difference still exists today and women are still fighting oppression. Now, let’s get to the storyline of this amazing movie. 

The movie starts with a scene of the Bennett house with five children, all daughters, of Mr. and Mrs. Bennett. Mrs. Bennett is concerned about nothing but marrying off her daughters to rich and well-connected families whereas Mr. Bennett is a sensible man who dearly cares for his daughters, especially Elizabeth, his second born. Elizabeth is headstrong, opinionated and sees the world in black and white, wrong and right. She cares more for her elder sister, Jane, than herself and sincerely wishes her happiness more than anything else. The house soon receives the news that two wealthy bachelors are in town, Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy. They attend a public ball during which Jane, the prettiest of the five offsprings, catch the eye of Mr. Bingley, making him fall in love. They dance through the night, and click instantly as both are sweet, innocent and generous. On the other hand, when Elizabeth or Lizzie (as called by her family and close friends) meets Mr. Darcy for the first time, their dislike towards one another is clearly evident. After getting off on the wrong foot, things do not get better for them. However, they find themselves in each other’s company several times which leads to Mr. Darcy’s realisation that Lizzie has all the qualities he has been looking for, she’s smart, opinionated, indifferent towards money, witty and much more. In Lizzie’s mind, the image of Mr. Darcy was already tainted and after finding out that he separated her sister and Mr. Bingley, she rejects his proposal. Mr. Darcy does everything he can and greatly helps Elizabeth’s family by saving their honour and bringing Jane and Mr. Bingley together. Elizabeth realises that she perceived him wrongly and love blooms as nothing could’ve won her heart faster than putting a smile to her family members’ faces. A great ending to the movie follows, Mr. Darcy and Lizzie confess their love for each other while the sun shines on them. Mr. Darcy’s lines as he expresses his love won my heart. “You have bewitched me body and soul, and I love, I love, I love you. And wish from this day forth never to be parted from you.” Afterwards, they get Mr. Bennett’s approval for their marriage which is a truly heartwarming scene. In the end, Mr. Darcy overcomes his pride and Elizabeth Bennett learns to not be prejudiced.

You will surely not regret spending 2 hours of your life watching this must-watch movie. It will definitely end up becoming one of your favourites. Let’s add this movie to our list and watch it this weekend.

Yoga : Morning breakfast and Evening supper to the Body and the Soul

Article by – Shishir Tripathi

Intern at Hariyali Foundation
In collaboration with
Educational News

In the present times, everyone is just running all the time. Whether the person works in an office, or he or she is a home maker or a student too, everyone is so busy in their daily schedule that hardly few people extract time for their physical and mental self. Along with advancements in the field of technology, there are advancements in the diseases too. New diseases are taking birth and troubling the humans.


Individuals post on social media and say ‘Back to Basics’, without even knowing its true meaning. People think that being back to basics means that living a life in a remote area and eating the forest products. But returning to basics in true sense means living in the same surroundings and adopting the good techniques in life to make it disease free and simple too.


For the Indian people, from the ancient times ‘Yoga’ was a very good way to explore the inner self and finding peace of mind. But, the mentality of the people is just going to an air conditioned gym and spending huge amount of money on gym and the protein supplements. Whereas, Yoga is such a simpler exercise that anyone can do it at their place just with a mat beneath them and some time.


Yoga evolves from the Yoga Sutras which were written by Patanjali. Patanjali was a sage in India who is the author of many Sanskrit works including the most important, The Yoga Sutras. The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali are a collection of 196 Sanskrit sutras (aphorisms) on the theory and practice of Yoga. The Yoga Sutras were compiled sometime between 500 BCE and 400 CE by Patanjali in India who synthesized and organized knowledge about yoga from much older traditions.


Swami Vivekananda was the first person to promote and encourage Yoga at the global level. He published a book called ‘Raja Yoga’ in America in 1985 where he wrote about the productivity and the benefits of yoga for an individual. He took references from the Patanjali Yoga Sutras and told the world about the physical, mental and spiritual influence of Yoga in an individual’s life.


Doing Yoga practices early in the morning at the time of sunrise or after it and in the evening too is so beneficial for the body. Asanas in Yoga helps to cure Vata, Pitta and Kapha defects of the Human body. In the physical body, Vata is the subtle energy of movement, Pitta the energy of digestion and metabolism, and Kapha the energy that forms the body’s structure.
The most beneficial Yoga Asana is the Surya Namaskar (Sun Salutation). Under this asana, different other asanas like Pranamasana, Hasta Uttanasana, Hasta Padasana, Ashwa Sanchalanasa, Chaturanga Dandasana, Ashtanga Namaskara, and Bhujangasana. Various other Asana in yoga like Kapaalbhati, Anulom-Vilom, Brahmari,etc which are so helpful for the body.


There are various videos of Yoga teachers teaching Yoga Asanas on Youtube and there are students too pursuing graduation and post graduation in yoga who teach it to others around them. Practicing Yoga and doing it daily afterwards all by self will help an individual to get rid of different types of physical and mental disorders. There is OM chanting too in which the Yogi (person doing Yoga) chants OM, in which there is a practice of breathing along with acquiring spiritual peace at the same time.


At present, the most influential promoter and the best instructor of Yoga is Swami Ramdev. Swami Ramdev is instructing people Yoga in India and all across the globe since 2002. He is the co-founder of the Patanjali brand producing different Ayurvedic products that are useful for the Human body.


Yoga is being practiced by children right from the age of 3, and also by the elderly people of age 65-70 and even more. It is a symbol of Indian culture as it evolved from India. Indians should necessarily know that what Yoga is and how it is performed. It is the reason behind the sharp mind and a healthy body. Not only children, middle aged people and elderly people but the younger generation which is contributing each day a lot in the economy, should practice Yoga each day so that they can tell this precious art to the future generations.

“For a sound body, sound mind and a sound nation, Yoga is the only solution”

REPERCUSSIONS OF OBESITY.

Being healthy or chubby is a particular individual’s personal choice. But is it good for your health? Not really because obesity causes a lot of problems for your body. Obesity is a complex syndrome involving an excessive volume of body fat. It is a medical problem that doubles your danger of other ailments and health problems, such as heart condition, diabetes, high blood pressure, etc. Although there are hereditary, behavioral, metabolic, and hormonal impacts on body mass, obesity occurs while you take in added calories than you burn throughout the exercise and usual daily activities. The body accumulates these extra calories as fat. People with obesity might consume more calories even after they are full, feel starved sooner, or eat more due to tension or worry.

Diseases such as Respiratory Disorders: People with obesity have decreased lung function. They have a larger chance of having respiratory infections. Liver Disease: Obesity is the cause of fatty liver and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Fatty liver disease can create scarring of the liver, occurring in worsened liver capacity, and this can lead to liver cirrhosis and liver failure. Stroke: Obesity puts pressure on your entire circulatory system. This pressure raises your risk of stroke. Obesity can lead to other stroke risk circumstances such as heart disease, hypertension, etc.  Sleep apnea: People with obesity are more likely to have sleep apnea, a possibly serious ailment in which breathing frequently stops and starts during sleep. Liquid calorie: People can drink many calories without feeling full, especially calories from alcohol. Other high-calorie beverages, such as soda drinks, can contribute to significant weight increase. Unhealthy diet: A diet that’s huge in calories, lacking in fruits and vegetables, fast food loaded with high-calorie drinks, large servings contribute to weight gain, etc. Inactivity: If an individual has a stationary lifestyle, undoubtedly take in more calories every day than they burn through exercise and usual activities. Working on computers, tablets, and phone screens or involved in sitting activity for too long. The estimate of hours an individual spends sitting with electronics is associated with weight gain. Obesity can diminish the overall condition of living. The person may shun away from people and public places. People with obesity may even face prejudice and other problems such as Depression Disabilities, Lower work achievement, etc.

Obesity can be prevented by losing or maintaining a healthy weight by following certain measures.The intake of fruit and vegetable is 5 to 9 portions every day for adults. Loading your meal with protein and fiber-containing food can help keep calories moderate and decrease the chance of overeating. Avoid oily food and restrict sweets and alcohol. Eat three proper meals a day with restricted snacking.At least get 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise a week to prevent weight gain. Slightly intense physical activities include fast walking and swimming.WHO recommends weight training that involves all your major muscles at least two times per week.Adhering to a healthy-weight plan as much as possible increases your chances of long-term success.

Like Mr.Joseph Pilates quoted “Physical fitness is the first requisite of happiness.” 

WHAT ARE THE CONTEMPORARY TRENDS IN THE VOTING BEHAVIOR OF THE INDIAN ELECTORATE

Studying about the voting pattern and election pattern of the world’s largest democracy is a challenge. India has seen a tremendous change in the voting pattern since the first elections of 1952. Election during that time was solely based on the leader and there was principal focus on only one political party but now the situations have changed. India has grown through the 21st century to see a lot of changes within the political system. Starting from the changes during the time of independence till today.

The voting pattern has seen considerable changes lately. During the time of independence the pattern of voting was solely based on the legacy of the nationalist movement. This was because people only voted for the single largest party at that time and that is the Indian National Congress. INC was people’s first choice since it had the legacy of the Independence struggle as well as it had an all India background which accommodated people from all kinds of religion and caste unlike other political parties which had its ground on only a single community of people.

While Today’s political system is quite complicated. The voting pattern has also become quite complex unlike earlier times. These days people’s voting pattern and behaviour have changed a lot. There are many factors for this change. It is quite a complex study where we have to unravel things from the core. For this we have to take a look from where this change in voting period has started from.

       Till the 1977 elections congress party ruled India. The INC consecutively won the elections till 1977. Only to be defeated by the Janata Party. In 1989 INC was again defeated for the second time due to the unpopular rule of the congress and the lack of representation of the regional parties, lower or backward castes, minorities etc. 1989 put an end to the rule of single party system and welcomed in the multi-party coalition system in India.

Most striking trend in the Indian politics is the political competition between the Indian Political Parties that have grown past these years. This rise in the number of the political parties in India is due to the lack of representation of the various regionalities and communities. There has been a constant competition between various communities in the country for power. People are being voted mainly because they belong to a particular community or religion. This pattern of politics emerged only very recently within the country.      

The behaviour of a voter in India is defined by the various factors

  • Religion
  • Caste
  • Performance of the party in power
  • Money
  • Policy

The political parties make use of these factors to attract more voters. Although no party can convince a person to vote for them in the name of religion and caste, this is an important factor

In the elections. Since India is a secular country the political parties nor the government cannot have a tilt towards a single religion. Even still political parties use religion and caste to catch the polls.

RELIGION is one of the main factors which affect the voting behaviour these days in our country. People are more interested to elect for candidates to more or less belong to their same religion or community since they feel that then only they can identify themselves with the leader. Despite India being a secular country and the fact that no religious affiliations can be used in the election matters we can still see that people use the religious sentiments of the people to make use of their vote. Political campaigning’s are also done for the same. For an example the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is the leading political party of India which is said to have the ideology of Hindutva. The party has a tilt towards the Hindu religion. Another example of a political party is the Indian Muslim League which is as the name says a Muslim political party.

The establishment of a secular state along with the freedom of religion – that is to choose to practise, profess and propagate any religion of our choice, treating all religions equally and not putting any religion one above the other , the political parties have failed to keep their word. Even after all these laws the use of religion in politics hasn’t come to and end and it seems like it never will according to the recent political activities and trends. The continued existence of political parties which are one way or the other linked with a religion is the main reason why religion cannot be put away from politics. The very existence of these religious acts as a black hole to the act of secularism in our country. The existence of religious pluralism affects the political system. The selection of a candidate is sometimes solely based on religions preferences. The religionization of socio- political issues by the political parties is one of the methods by which they continue to get the voters in their consideration.

CASTE is yet another important factor in determining the voting behaviour of the people. Caste has always had its root in all kinds of problems in India. Caste is an important determinant in the politics of India. It constitutes an important basis for social relations in the country. Despite the various measure taken stop the discrimination,  caste still continues to an important basis for election. Politics in caste and caste in politics are very common in the Indian political scenario as we all know. Sometimes for the elections to various constituencies people are selected on the basis of their caste. Also while formulating various policies, election strategies and programme caste is taken as a major factor in the backdrop.  Caste system has had its roots for years and so it will take a lot of time for people to weed out these roots even from the political scenario. Votes are brought in the name of caste by the candidates.

Caste is an important determinant for the selection of candidate for the rural population. Despite the various laws and the adoption of secularism, uneducated people mostly living in the rural India choose to vote for people who belong to their own caste. The candidates despite the laws in the country make use of their sentiments to seek vote for them. Although recently this trend has been changing at least in the urban households since as you go up the social ladder caste tends to be invisible. While in the rural areas caste tends to be an important factor in the selection of their leader.

PERFROMANCE OF THE PARTY IN POWER. The performance of the party already ruling is also another important determinant. Each political party comes into power with a election manifesto and various promises. After the elections it is their duty to fulfil all of this and meet the various aspirations of the people. And so the performance of the party during the time it rules is an important factor in determining whether the people should elect for the party next time too.

Improper ruling of the party during its tenure can result in it being not chosen for the next time. The way the party rules influences the people in a big way. We can see an example of this by looking at the example of the elections during 1989. The parties which got elected only stayed in power for a short period of time due to their political instability and the lack of a charismatic leader during the time of ruling. Their unpopular rule with the lack of ideology since it was a coalition lead the people to choose another political party.

MONEY influences people in different ways. Usually people with money and power tend to stay in high positions and rule the people according to their wishes. India is a developing country and most of people live under the poverty line. And so the people having money and power tend to rise to the top. Without other factors like political wave getting involved usually it’s the people with money and power who wins the elections. Rich and the powerful throw around the money to catch the ballot. But this is not always true though because in the 1989 elections congress used a lot of money and power but it couldn’t win the elections. BJP won the elections.

POLICY. Various policies taken by the government or the political parties stand out as an important deciding factor in elections by a common man. When a party announces its political manifesto the policies it takes for the people is an important determinant in voting. A person who doesn’t know much about politics and party tends to take a look at the policies of the party or what it has done in the past years. And so creating a policy that attract the crowd and implementing it in a proper way is important for any party.

These are the various trends which are seen across the country during the election time. The voters turnout has consistently increased from the time of independence till today. People has started to see election as an important way of choosing their leaders. As people are getting educated they started to look into the doings of the party and make a proper decision when it comes to who to vote for. Voting behavior is a form of electoral behavior and understanding it can help us understand how and why people choose to vote for certain people. And the above study was about voting behavior and its determinants.

Some facts about Jagannath Temple

The Shree Jagannath Temple of Puri is an important Hindu temple dedicated to Jagannath, a form of Vishnu, in Puri in the state of Odisha on the eastern coast of India. The present temple was rebuilt from the 10th century onwards, on the site of an earlier temple, and begun by King Anantavarman Chodaganga Deva, first of the Eastern Ganga dynasty.

The Puri temple is famous for its annual Ratha yatra, or chariot festival, in which the three principal deities are pulled on huge and elaborately decorated temple cars. These gave their name to the English term Juggernaut. Unlike the stone and metal icons found in most Hindu temples, the image of Jagannath is made of wood and is ceremoniously replaced every twelve or nineteen years by an exact replica.It is one of the Char Dham.

The temple is sacred to all Hindus and especially in those of the Vaishnava traditions. Many great saints, such as Ramananda and Ramanuja, were closely associated with the temple. Ramanuja established the Emar Mutt near the temple and Adi Shankaracharya established the Govardhana Mutt, which is the seat of one of the four Shankaracharyas. It is also of particular significance to the followers of the Gaudiya Vaishnavism whose founder Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, was attracted to the deity, Jagannath, and lived in Puri for many years.

Some facts about Jagannath Temple is here:–

1. Defying Nature’s Code of Conduct

Even a child knows any piece of cloth is dominated by the wind to fly according to its course. The same principle has numerous applications; from the giant sails on your ship to a small flag in your hand all follow the same code. But it looks like the flag mounted on the top of the Jagannath Temple is a unique exception to the principle. This particular flag flows in the opposite direction to the wind’s course without any scientific background to back it up.

2. The Climb

Every day a priest scrambles the walls of the temple with a height equivalent to that of a 45 storey building, to change the flag atop the temple dome. This ritual dates far back to the day the temple was built. The practice is done with bare hands without any protective gear. It’s believed if the ritual is skipped one day from the calendar, the temple will be shut down for a long 18 years. This might make the professional climbers jealous.

3. A light with no darkness

A necessary detail while sketching anything is shading. Shading happens when sunlight glows one part of the subject leaving a shadow on the other, which ultimately triggers shade. But, what if something has no shadow?
The temple is reported to have no shadow at all, at any time of the day from any directions possible. 

4. The Food Is Never Futile Here

In Hindu mythology, wasting food is considered a bad sign; the Temple crew follows the same.  A total number of people visiting the temple varies between 2,000 to 2, 00,000 people every day. Miraculously, the Parsadam prepared every day is never wasted, not even a bite. 

The cooking technique of prasadam

Pots are actually used to cook this special delicacy using firewood. 7 pots are used for this and they are placed one on top of another. Interesting to note here is that the contents of the topmost pot gets cooked first, followed by the bottom pots

5. Mute Water

Seconds, after you put the first step inside the temple from Singha Dwara entrance, the audibility to the ocean waves is entirely lost. This phenomenon is more prominent in the evening time. Again, no scientific explanation adds up to this fact. The sound returns when you leave the temple.
According to the local lore, it was the will of the Subhadra Mayi, the sister of the two lords who wished for serenity within the temple gates. Hence her will was duly fulfilled.

6. Reverse gear of the Breeze

Take any place on Earth, on daytime the breeze from sea comes to land and the opposite happens in the evening. But, in Puri, the breeze has a tendency to contradict and opt for the exact opposite direction. In the daytime, the breeze blows from land to sea and the opposite in the evening happens.

The flag attached to the top of the temple, for some weird reason, always floats in the opposite direction of the wind. This is something definitely beyond the reach of science.There is a Chakra atop the temple. It weighs a ton and is located at a height of 20 feet. Its positioning is such that no matter where you are in Puri, you will find the Chakra facing towards you. There may be some engineering mystery behind this but that is unknown yet.The site of the Jagannath temple has never been declared as a no-fly zone. Still, for some strange reason, no birds or plane fly above the temple. Some attribute this phenomenon to the divine force.

Jagannath Temple Puri is one of the most miraculous establishments in existence. The happenings associated with it are out of human imagination. If you understand the story then the theory of life and the existence of Lord Jagannath will hover around your mind in an unbelievable way! The temple architecture is still a mystery for modern science. The increasing weight of god’s wooden idols, while carrying temples to the chariot (rath) at the time of Puri Jagannath still a magical mystery for all.

Mythology says that the once King Indradimna – ruler of Puri had a dream and immediately he followed the instructions of the dream. He then found the heart of Lord Krishna floating in the sea. Since then it is believed that the heart rests in the wooden idol of Lord Jagannath. It is taken out for a duration of 12 years which is known as “NABAKALEBARA” – When the idol of the Lord is changed as well.

There are more facts that are still unsolved of our great Jagannath Temple.

Keep calm and go win it!…

I woke up in the morning. On my mobile, I saw local news saying the market will be open as NEET exam is scheduled today. It reminded me of my best friend’s younger brother. He is a NEET aspirant. He is a repeater and has been preparing for 3 years. A few moments later, I received a text from my best friend. He told me, his brother’s exam today. I said yes I know, wish him luck from me. Then he told me that’s the issue. He told me that his brother didn’t sleep for the whole night and only thinking about exam. He was scared and under stress. When he woke up in the morning, he was feeling anxious. He felt his heart beating fast. They called the doctor home. She told them he’s under stress and need some rest. Then he slept for a while and went for the exam.
I know every one of you must have gone through this phase for once in your life. We work hard, try to give our best shot but when the day of the exam arrives, we feel the fear and anxiety. We get stuck in iffs and what iffs. After working hard, we feel anxious thinking about the future. We think about what will happen if we fail. Our mind keep on burdening ourselves under our own expectations or others’.
Every one of us run behind the success, how to win, how to make money, how to be rich, how to earn fame and much more. But no one of thinks or plans about what if it doesn’t work, what should we do then. This is why we struggle when failures give a hug cause we don’t know how to deal with it. We ignored smartly this side of life. But life is harsh, it eventually brings you in rough road. This sudden impact on our old mindset put us in shock and we fall prey to mental problems. I’m not saying we should discourage someone with the fear of failure. But we should make them aware of this fact. This too can happen and you have to be ready for it. From childhood, we keep children away from this darker side of success. When they grow up, they struggle of their own and face this harsh reality all of a sudden. Some couldn’t take it easy and some manage it well.
All I want to say is failures should not be a taboo. We are humans, we make mistakes. Sometimes even after all the efforts, we couldn’t make it. And it is completely okay. It cannot be the end of life. People walk, fall, rise again. This cycle continues forever. It is a never ending loop. We should always remember that god don’t create garbage. If he closes a door for us even after we gave our best then definitely he must be planning something more precious for you. All you need to do is accept failures with calm mind and be ready to rise again. We can rise only if we fall, so take it as a first step towards your rise!…

Are Gandhian principles relevant today?

Gandhiji was a national leader of India who forced the Britishers to leave India without resorting to violence. He is regarded both as a transformational leader and a leader of the masses. Every year on 2nd October, we celebrate Mahatma Gandhi’s birth anniversary and recall his principles and philosophies. It is a fact that Gandhiji adhered to his principles of non violence, truth and satyagraha with utmost sincerity to achieve his goals. Many people argue that all his principles hold good in today’s world. We all have moved years ahead with lots of changes in lives, innovations in science and technology, vivid variety of lifestyles. Here the point is if the principles and ideologies of Gandhi are still relevant or practical in modern world or not.

YES

•Gandhiji’s principle are valid and everlasting His principles are based on truth and non-violence are the base of civilized human society. He practically proved to the whole world that a war can be fought without indulging in violence. In modern world violence is increasing rapidly. Nuclear weapons and terrorism are becoming common these days. More and more People are resorting to violence and divided into religious and ethnic compartments. We need guidance and the direction to save the world from this desperate situation.

• Gandhiji is an inspiration to international leaders also.

Gandhian principles are followed not only by national leaders but also by some eminent foreign leaders like Dalai Lama, Barack Obama, Martin Luther King Jr, Nelson Mandela etc.

• Gandhi’s principles of economic independence valid even today

Even today, our Prime minister has launched a programme ‘Make in India’ which very much reflects Gandhiji’s principles of spinning Khadi and giving employment to thousands of poor people.

NO

• Violence multiplies on being non-violent

In today’s era, violence can best be answered by violence. Those who remain silent when treated with violence suffer even worse if they do not fire back in the same way.

• Modern culture outplays Gandhian swawlambi philosophy

In today’s modern world, trends and fashion have taken a new shape and so people wear trendy outfits and by no means they are restricted to use self made khadi clothes as part of ‘Swawlambi’ philosophy of Gandhiji.

• Principle of truth not valid today

In a world where money is the most important part of life, big business houses and capitalists thrive on lies to make huge profits. Advertising agencies most of the time try to cheat people by projecting false claims. Today values and meaning of the success are far more different from the values of Gandhiji.

To conclude we can say that some of Gandhian principles are relevant even today, though some of them have become outdated and irrelevant. The principle of non violence cannot be ignored. Gandhiji’s vision cannot be ignored as they form the very base on which a new generation of decision makers must adapt in order to compete on the global level. If the energy of the youth can receive honest and selfless motivation and direction from the experienced then India can surely progress. Gandhi’s vision should not be lost in religious, political and emotional fervours. It must be reorganized and reconstructed for a brighter and logical future.

Thank you for reading. Have a nice day! 🌼

Virtual Assistants have also started understanding Hindi

Virtual Interaction means Artificial Intelligence is gradually strengthening its place in our lives, whether you realize it or not. It is not only affecting our working practices but also changing them- whether we work in Hindi or English. A great example of this is the change in the way computers, mobiles and other digital devices interact. Traditionally, we used to rely on a keyboard, mouse and monitor or screen to make input and to know output in these devices. This method of communication and conversation has changed with the advent of Artificial Intelligence. An interesting change has come in our interaction with virtual assistants, for whom Hindi is no longer unknown at all. Today, the world of computers and mobiles is dominated by four virtual assistants. These are Amazon’s  Alexa, Google’s Google Assistant, Microsoft’s Cortana and Apple’s Siri. The first three of these virtual assistants have been introduced to Hindi in some way, while Hindi has been used with Apple’s Siri and it is expected that this relationship will soon be seen as a reality beyond experiments.

Google Assistant: Google Assistant is now able to execute dozens of instructions in Hindi and can go much further than searching the Internet or answering questions. For example, it also has the ability to access many other Google applications. You can do it with text as well as for instructions through sound. If you have converted it into a smart home using the Internet of Things in your home, then it can control many things in the house. If Google Assistant is not present in your smartphone, then download it from Play Store. After installing you have to make two settings. First, activate voice input in Hindi on your Android phone and second, go to Settings and add Hindi in search language as well. Google Assistant is not only available in Android smartphones, but it works in many devices controlled by Android.

Cortana:  Microsoft’s Cortana also helps you as an application. It is available in Windows 10. It is also able to access your computer like other virtual assistants. Able to open applications, software etc. within it. It can also do typing for you and do an internet search and all kinds of calculations. Although Hindi support in Cortona is limited, it does have the ability to translate, write, and speak Hindi.

Amazon’s Alexa: Alexa is a hardware tool capable of communicating in Hindi that comes in two forms. The first smart speaker is the Amazon Echo and the second is the combined Echo Show with a display screen. The way the user communicates with both is the same. You give him some spoken instructions and Alexa follows up what you said. It can fetch you anything from the Internet, you can listen to the news and music on your request. For video calling also you can use its display version.

WILDFIRES : The “Burning” issue

A wildfire is an unplanned fire that burns in a natural area such as a forest, grassland or a prairie. Fossil Charcoal indicates that wildfires began soon after the appearance of terrestrial plants about 420 million years ago. Earth is an intrinsically flammable planet owing to its cover of carbon-rich vegetation, seasonally dry climates, atmospheric oxygen, and widespread lightning and volcanic ignitions.

Depending on the type of plants present, a wildfire can also be classified more specifically as a forest fire, bush fire, desert fire, grass fire, hill fire, prairie fire, vegetation fire or a veld fire. Wildfires can be characterized in terms of the cause of ignition,their physical properties, the combustible material present and the effect of weather on the fire.

The causes of these wildfires may be natural or due to the involvement of human activity. The natural factors include dry climate, lightning, volcanic eruption. The most common direct human causes of wildfire ignition includes fire bombing, discarded cigarettes and sparks from equipment. They can also be started in communities experiencing shifting cultivation, where land is cleared quickly and farmed until the soil loses its fertility, and slash and burn clearing. However, the most common cause of wildfires varies throughout the world.

The spread of wildfires varies based on the flammable material present, its vertical arrangement and moisture content, and weather conditions. Fuel arrangement and density is governed in part by topography, as land shape determines factors such as available sunlight and water for plant growth.

Plants in wildfire-prone ecosystems often survive through adaptations to their local fire regime. Such adaptations include physical protection against heat, increased growth after a fire event, and flammable materials that encourage fire and may eliminate competition. Dense bark, shedding lower branches and high water content in external structures may also protect trees from rising temperatures. Fire-resistant seeds and reserve shoots that sprout after a fire encourage species preservation, as embodied by pioneer species.

Some animals do die in the flames of wildfires, mostly the elderly and very young animals who can’t escape. However, the majority of the wildfire mortalities came after the fire is out, due to the loss of important habitat and food sources burned in the fire. The burns create a new type of habitat, usually open areas where dense forests used to be that are quickly colonized by grasses and shrubs. This creates an opportunity for invasive species to move in before native species get the chance, which can have harmful impacts on the landscape.

Chinchaga Fire – 1950

The Chinchaga fire, also known as the Wisp fire, Chinchaga River fire and Fire 19, was a forest fire that burned in northern British Columbia and Alberta in the summer and early fall of 1950. With a final size of between 35,00,000 acres and 42,00,000 acres, it is the single largest recorded fire in North American history. The fire was allowed to burn freely, a result of local forest management policy and the lack of settlements in the region. The Chinchaga fire produced large amounts of smoke, creating the “1950 Great Smoke Pall”, observed across eastern North America and Europe. As the existence of the massive fire was not well-publicized, and the smoke was mostly in the upper atmosphere and could not be smelled, there was much speculation about the atmospheric haze and its provenance. The Chinchaga firestorm’s “historic smoke pall” caused”observations of blue suns and moons in the United States and Europe”. It was the biggest firestorm documented in North America created the world’s largest smoke layer in the atmosphere.

Black Saturday Bushfires – 2009

The Black Saturday bushfires were a series of bushfires that either ignited or were already burning that either ignited or were already burning across the Australian state of Victoria on and around Saturday, 7 February 2009, and were among Australia’s all-time worst bushfire disasters. The fires occurred during extreme bushfire weather conditions and resulted in Australia’s highest ever loss of human life from a bushfire, with 173 fatalities. Many people were left homeless as a result. As many as 400 individuals fires were recorded on Saturday 7 February ; the day has become widely referred to in Australia as Black Saturday.

California Wildfires – 2020

The 2020 California Wildfire season is a series of ongoing wildfires that are burning across the state of California. As of September 11, 2020, a total of 7,718 fires have burned 33,54,234 acres, more than 3 percent of the state’s roughly 100 million acres of land, making 2020 the largest wildfire season recorded in California history, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

The latest fire that has occurred in California is named as the ‘Willow Fire’. It started on 9th September, 2020 at 6:04am. The location of this wildfire is Neptune Lane and Willow Glen Road, North of Smartville. It burned 1,311 acres leaving 41 structures destroyed and 10 structures damaged.