A Comparative Analysis on the Movie “Haider” and the Play “Hamlet”

An Introduction:

“Haider” is a movie based on the setting of the insurgency-torn Kashmir of 1995, where there was a massive dispute between India and Pakistan. This movie is an adaptation of one of the classic plays of Shakespeare’s “Hamlet”. Although the director Vishal Bhardwaj tried to portray the original play as it is with excellent cinematography but there are several incidents which contrast with the play, but many instances make this movie worth being called an adaption of the Shakespearean play.

The contrast in setting:

If we begin with the setting of Hamlet, we see it begins in the ancient fortress of Denmark in the late middle ages of the 14th and 15th centuries. Whereas in the Movie Haider, Set in Srinagar in 1995, during militancy and a brutal Indian counter-insurgency. The setting itself changes a lot of cultural and linguistic widegap that made the play and movie different.

The contrast in Cultural, linguistic, and Religion:

Since Haider is a Bollywood movie and the director tried to make this movie in favor of the Indian audience to make it more likable and hit it was essential to be relatable to the Indian context. When we investigate Hamlet, it has all those autocratic lives of kings and queens and has a lavish livelihood.

Linguistically also there is a widening between the 2 as one is in Hindi with a mixture of Urdu dialects, whereas Hamlet is in old English which also shows that the movie is culturally different in all terms.

Hamlet has been portrayed through the Reflection of Christianity, on the other hand, Haider portrays the political mishappen with Islamic reflection.

At certain times when there is a contrast in culture and norms the effects are often visible and here there are certain differences in the plot whereas the relationship is portrayed in both.

In context to Plot:

There are several events that have been edited in the movie from the play. Such as the major ones counted as: The play shows us the King of Denmark is already dead and the ghost of King Hamlet tells the truth to Prince Hamlet about his murder, as when we investigate the movie it is the character Roohdaar who tells Haider about the culprit of his father’s murder.

Also, the relationship between Gertrude and hamlet is not much affectionate as the way it is shown in the movie about Haider and Ghazala.

All Shakespearean Tragedy Plays has this element of all the characters die in the end. But in the movie, we see that some of the characters like Roohdaar, Khurram, and Haider himself were alive in the end.

If we compare the Themes then substantially all the themes like Revenge, Corruption, Religion, Politics, women, Madness Vs. Sanity is the major theme portrayed in the movie exactly like the play.

One of the most striking scenes is the equivalent of the “to be or not to be” scene in Shakespeare. Haider turns the “to be or not to be” soliloquy into a confessional and motivational speech in front of a crowd in the market square. It is decidedly more public and more political. He uses the hangman’s rope around his neck as an imaginary microphone. Haider also carries a boom box with a cassette player. The first question he poses points to an existentialist inquiry: “Hello, mike testing 1, 2, 3. Hello. Can you hear me?” Like Hamlet, Haider has longed to be heard. He urges the crowd to reflect on Kashmir’s political crisis: “Do we exist or do we not? Chutzpah is our problem.”

Haider Vs Hamlet – A contrast to the Characters:  

  1. Hamlet Vs. Haider: looking into the character analysis of the play Hamlet, prince hamlet is an idealistic knowledgeable person who is very Melancholy, cynical in nature and is having a huge amount of Hatred for his own uncle Claudius who has married his mother Gertrude and hamlet has a repulsion towards his mother’s sexuality.

                     A similar portrayal is in the movie where Haider is a student of “Revolutionary poets of British India” who studies at Aligarh University comes to find his Missing Father (Doctor Hilaal Meer), there he comes to know about his Mother Ghazala having illegitimate affair with his own uncle Khurram.

We can bring to a point that both Haider and Hamlet are closely similar in their character whereas due to some contrast in the context both the characters differ in some situations, but one thing is certain is about both characters becoming insane and the theme of sanity vs madness gives highlight due to the death of king hamlet/Dr.Hilaal Meer.

  • Ophelia Vs. Arshia: Since the play/movie is also about the tender love story of Haider- Arshia/hamlet- Ophelia, this portrays the role of love which leads to the death of people due to the brutal conspiracies done by Polonius and Claudius for taking an avenge from prince hamlet. Love is taken as a key to a dark plot of killing hamlet by making Ophelia as a medium/ messenger of hamlet.

The same plot goes into Haider too where Arshia was a journalist and was in love with Haider, but her love became a tragedy where her own father Parvez used her daughter to keep a track of her whereabouts of Haider when he was trying to find his father’s murderer.

Both Arshia/Ophelia can be a contrast because Arshia on the one side was a stern woman who took her own stand despite all the barriers of her being a woman in a patriarchal world, whereas Ophelia was very sensitive, and a woman suppressed by other men and did what her father told her to do.

In the end, both die out of the madness of losing their father and love at the same time and commits suicide.

  •  Claudius Vs. Khurram: The evil of the play who dies in the end, whereas in the movie he does not, as Haider changes his ideology for not killing his uncle due to his mother notions that “Intekaam se Intekaam Paida hoti Hai!” In the play and the movie Claudius/Khurram is the one with all sinister mind and political ambitions who wanted to kill his own Nephew and wanted to have full rights on Ghazala/Gertrude. His lust for women and power goes in the end when he was in the verge to die.
  •  Polonius Vs. Parvaze: Father of Ophelia/Arshia who was good close friend of Claudius/ Khurram and was giving a prominent contribution in the dark conspiracy made by Claudius, but later gets mistakenly killed by Hamlet when hamlet losses his sanity. Polonius had the greed of power and money and was as sinful as his friend Claudius.

Parvez in the movie was the police inspector which was helping Khurram with his own daughter Arshia who was in extreme love with Haider.

  • Gertrude Vs. Ghazala: Married to the new king of Denmark who was hamlet’s uncle. Often as a woman there where many questions raised on her married and love life as she remarried a man which was against the ethics and she had a very fragile relationship with her own son Hamlet, and they did not have an ideal mother son relationship.

In the movie, we see that Ghazala and Haider had an affectionate relationship despite all the hatred between them in the end Ghazala even sacrificed her life for Haider by killing herself with a bomb explosion.

  • Roohadaar: He was an ISI agent but considered to be the ghost of hamlet and in the play, we do not have any character related to Roohdaar as the ghost of king hamlet himself tells the truth to prince hamlet about his brutal murder, whereas in the movie Roohdaar and the militant group himself tells the murder of the doctor.

Indeed, he was a good friend of the doctor and was in the prison with the doctor and he was the messenger to stimulate an urge of hatred in Haider’s mind towards his own uncle.

  • Horatio (A good friend of Hamlet): This character is missing in the movie as he was a good friend and played a positive supportive role for hamlet. Also, a reason why the movie and play are somewhat out of context from each other due to some change in the character appearance.
  • Fortinas: A close acquaintance of hamlet who had faced the same pain of losing father just like hamlet, but we do not know which character will fit the best for this. so, we can consider that this character is not available in the movie as Haider in the movie was often a loner in the movie and beacme distant from his close ones in the later part of the movie.

Conclusion:

Though the tale is somewhat similar in the movie and play but also certain characters and stories are invisible as this makes the movie or the play incomplete. Since it is an adaption so we cannot expect to be the twin of each other.

From in critic’s point of view, this movie can be rated 7.5/10 as it has all those elements of Shakespearean plays and the cinematography of Vishal Bhardwaj which is perfectly splendid!

Taken all the consideration the story is well portrayed in the movie in spite of all the cultural and religious differences with all those political contexts.

Themes of Revenge, women, corruption, religion, politics, madness are common in both the movie and play.

Veggie Licious!

You may hate them or love them, but you certainly can’t dismiss the importance of vegetables and other vegetarian ingredients in your daily diet. Take a look at some exotic food that are slowly finding their way into Indian homes and restaurants…..


Couscous
Couscous is crushed durum wheat semolina formed into small granules or spheres. It’s commonly served in North African, Moroccan, Tunisian, and Algerian cuisine. It’s a protein rich food.


Brussels sprouts
The Brussels sprout is a member of the Gemmifera Group of cabbages, grown for its edible buds. The leaf vegetables are typically 1.5–4.0 cm in diameter and resemble miniature cabbages. The Brussels sprout has long been popular in Brussels, Belgium, from which it gained its name. These sprouts are rich in Vitamins K, C, B and B6, as well as other minerals. These also have anti cancer properties.


Arugula
Arugula or rocket is an edible annual plant in the family Brassicaceae used as a leaf vegetable for its fresh, tart, bitter, and peppery flavor. It is written Vitamin C and potassium, the flowers and seeds of this plant can also be eaten. Arugula can be eaten raw in salads or prepared in diverse ways of Mediterranean European and Turkish dishes. Peak season of this green leafy vegetable is early springs and fall.


Bok choy
It’s a type of Chinese cabbage. Chinese’s varieties do not form heads and have green leaf blades with lighter bulbous bottoms instead, forming a cluster reminiscent of mustard greens. Chinese’s varieties are popular in southern China, East Asia, and Southeast Asia. It tastes like, spinach with very mild bitterness. Bok choy is rich in Vitamin A, C and also has cancer prevention compounds.


Kale
Kale, or leaf cabbage, belongs to a group of cabbage cultivars grown for their edible leaves, although some are used as ornamentals. Kale plants have green or purple leaves, and the central leaves do not form a head. Kale is the powerhouse of nutrients as it is rich in Calcium, Vitamin K, Vitamin C and beta carotene. Kale has been known to block the growth of cancerous ces and can also lower cholesterol levels.


Zucchini
The zucchini, courgette or baby marrow is a summer squash, a vining herbaceous plant whose fruit are harvested when their immature seeds and epicarp are still soft and edible. It is high in Vitamin A and potassium. It is extremely low on calories so wait watchers, you can have a new friend. Zucchini is used in Turkish, Mexican, French and Italian cooking.


Quinoa
Quinoa, a grain, is native you to South American regions. It’s a good source of Vitamin B, B6 and E, along with zinc, iron, potassium and magnesium. Cooked quinoa consists of 71.6% water, 21.3% carbohydrates, 4.4% protein, and 1.92% fat. One cup (185 grams) of cooked quinoa contains 222 calories.

Dill
Dill is an annual herb in the celery family Apiaceae. It is the only species in the genus Anethum. Dill is grown widely in Eurasia, where its leaves and seeds are used as an herb or spice for flavouring food. Dill has antibacterial and antimicrobial qualities.


Oregano
Oregano is native to the hills of the Mediterranean countries and western Asia and has naturalized in parts of Mexico and the United States. The herb has long been an essential ingredient of Mediterranean cooking and is widely used to season many foods. With visas gaining acceptance in Indian culinary scene, Oregano has become synonyms with the little sachets of toppings one can use. It also has antifungal properties.

The Battle of Saragarhi

The Battle of Saragarhi was a last-stand battle fought before the Tirah Campaign between the British Raj and Afghan tribesmen. On 12 September 1897, an estimated 12,000 – 24,000 Orakzai and Afridi tribesmen were seen near Gogra, at Samana Suk, and around Saragarhi, cutting off Fort Gulistan from Fort Lockhart. The Afghans attacked the outpost of Saragarhi where thousands of them swarmed and surrounded the fort, preparing to assault it. Led by Havildar Ishar Singh, the 21 soldiers in the fort—all of whom were Sikhs—chose to fight to the death, in what is considered by some military historians as the greatest last stand in history. The post was recaptured two days later by another British Indian contingent. The Indian Army’s 4th battalion of the Sikh Regiment commemorates the battle every year on the 12th of September, as Saragarhi Day.

Saragarhi was a small village in the border district of Kohat, situated on the Samana Range, in present-day Pakistan. On 20 April 1894, the 36th Sikhs of the British Indian Army was created under the command of Colonel J. Cook, entirely composed of Jat Sikhs. In August 1897, five companies of the 36th Sikhs under Lieutenant Colonel John Haughton were sent to the northwest frontier of British India (modern-day Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) and were stationed at Samana Hills, Kurag, Sangar, Sahtop Dhar, and Saragarhi.

The British had partially succeeded in getting control of this volatile area, but tribal Pashtuns continued to attack British personnel from time to time. Thus, a series of forts, originally built by Ranjit Singh, the ruler of the Sikh Empire, were consolidated. Two of the forts were Fort Lockhart (on the Samana Range of the Hindu Kush mountains), and Fort Gulistan (Sulaiman Range), situated a few miles apart. Fort Lockhart is located at 33.5562°N 70.9188°E. Due to the forts not being visible to each other, Saragarhi was created midway, as a heliographic communication post. The Saragarhi post, situated on a rocky ridge, consisted of a small block house with loop-holed ramparts and a signalling tower.

A general uprising by the Afghans began there in 1897 and, between 27 August and 11 September, many vigorous efforts by Pashtuns to capture the forts were thwarted by the 36th Sikhs. In 1897, insurgent and inimical activities had increased, and on 3 and 9 September Afridi tribesmen, allied with the Afghans, attacked Fort Gulistan. Both the attacks were repulsed, and a relief column from Fort Lockhart, on its return trip, reinforced the signalling detachment positioned at Saragarhi, increasing its strength to three non-commissioned officers (NCOs) and eighteen other ranks (ORs).

Having destroyed Saragarhi, the Afghans turned their attention to Fort Gulistan, but they had been delayed too long, and reinforcements arrived there in the night of 13–14 September, before the fort could be captured. The Pashtuns later admitted that they had lost about 180 killed and many more wounded during the engagement against the 21 Sikh soldiers. Some 600 bodies are said to have been seen around the ruined post when the relief party arrived (however, the fort had been retaken, on 14 September, by the use of intensive artillery fire, which may have caused some casualties). The total casualties in the entire campaign, including the Battle of Saragarhi, numbered around 4,800.

The names of those 21 sikh soldiers are:

  1. Havildar Ishar Singh
  2. Naik Lal Singh
  3. Lance Naik Chanda Singh
  4. Sepoy Sundar Singh
  5. Sepoy Ramm Singh
  6. Sepoy Uttar Singh
  7. Sepoy Sahib Singh
  8. Sepoy Hira Singh
  9. Sepoy Daya Singh
  10. Sepoy Jivan Singh
  11. Sepoy Bhola Singh
  12. Sepoy Narayan Singh
  13. Sepoy Gurmukh Singh
  14. Sepoy Jivan Singh
  15. Sepoy Gurmukh Singh
  16. Sepoy Ram Singh
  17. Sepoy Bhagwan Singh
  18. Sepoy Bhagwan Singh
  19. Sepoy Buta Singh
  20. Sepoy Jivan Singh
  21. Sepoy Nand Singh

In 2019, a Bollywood movie “Kesari” directed by Anurag Singh was made on the events of the Battle of Saragarhi.

THE WESTERN GHATS AND THE EASTERN GHATS

The Western Ghats

Western Ghats extend from the Nilgiris in the north to Marunthuvazh Malai at Swamithope in Kanyakumari district in the south. Height of the Western Ghats ranges from 2,000 to 3,000 meters. It covers an area of about 2,500 sq.km. Though the Western Ghats is a continuous range, it has some passes. The passes are Palghat, Shencottah, Aralvaimozhi and Achankoil. The Nilgiris, Anaimalai, Palani hills, Cardamom hills, Varusanadu, Andipatti and Agasthiyar hills are the major hills of Western Ghats.

Western Ghats

Nilgiri Hills

The Nilgiri hills is located in the Northwestern part of Tamil Nadu. It consists of 24 peaks with more than 2,000 meters height. Doddabetta is the highest peak (2,637 meters) of this hills followed by Mukkuruthi (2,554 meters). Ooty and Coonoor are the major hill stations located on the hills. It has more than 2,700 species of flowering plants and the state animal Nilgiri Tahr is found in this hill.

Anaimalai

Anaimalai is located in the border of Tamil Nadu and Kerala. It is located to the south of Palghat Gap. Anaimalai Tiger Reserve, Aliyar Reserved Forest, Valparai hill station, Kadamparai hydroelectric Power Plant are located on this hills. Aliyar and Tirumurthy dams are located at the foothills of this range.

Palani Hills

Palani hills are the eastward extension of the Western Ghats. These hills are located in Dindigul district. Vandaravu (2,533 meters) is the highest peak in the Palani hills. Vembadi Shola (2,505 meters) is its second highest peak. The hill station of Kodaikanal (2,150 meters) lies in the south central portion of the range.

Cardamom Hills

These hills are also known as Yela Mala hills located in the southwestern part of Tamil Nadu. It acquires its name from the cardamom spice, which is commonly grown here. Pepper and coffee are the other crops cultivated over the hills. They meet the Anaimalai hills in the northwest, the Palani hills in the northeast and Varusanadu and Andipatti hills in the southeast.

Varusanadu and Andipatti Hills

Another eastward extension of Western Ghats is Varusanadu and Andipatti hills. Megamalai (the highway mountain), Kalugumalai, Kurangani hill station and Suruli and Kumbakarai waterfalls are found on these hills. Srivilliputhur Grizzled Squirrel Wild life Sanctuary is located in the southern slope of these hills in Virudhunagar district. Vaigai river and its tributaries originate in this region.

Pothigai Hills

It’s major part lies in Tirunelveli district with its southern slope in the Kanyakumari district. Pothigai hills are called with different names such as the Shiva Jothi Parvath, Agasthiyar hills and Southern Kailash. These hills feature richest biodiversity in the Western Ghats. This area is known for its rich evergreen forest, waterfalls and ancient temples. Kalakkad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve is located in this region.

Mahendragiri Hills

This continues range is situated along the border of Kanyakumari and Tirunelveli districts and is a part of the southern range of the Western Ghats. It’s average height is 1,645 meters.

The Eastern Ghats

Unlike Western Ghats, Eastern Ghats is a discontinuous and irregular one. It is dissected at many places by the rivers, which drain into the Bay of Bengal. It’s height ranges from 1,100 to 1,600 meters. These hills separate the plains from plateaus. Javadhu, Servarayan, the Kalrayan, Kollimalai and Pachaimalai are the major hills of the Eastern Ghats of Tamil Nadu and are located in northern districts of the state.

Eastern Ghats

Javadhu Hills

Javadhu hills are an extension of the Eastern Ghats spread across parts of Vellore and Tiruvannamalai districts and separates these two districts. Many peaks with the height of 1,100-1,150 meters are located in this range. Melpattu is its highest peak. Many parts of this range are covered with bluish grey granites. It is noted for its fruit bearing trees, medicinal herbs and sandalwoods. Due to illegal logging, sandalwood trees are disappeared now.

Kalvarayan Hills

The name ‘Kalvarayan’ comes from the word ‘Karalar’, the ancient name of the present tribes. It is another major range of hills in the Eastern Ghats of Tamil Nadu. This range, along with the Pachaimalai, Aralvaimozhi, Javadhu and Servarayan hills, separate the river basins of Cauvery and Palar. The height of this hill ranges from 600 to 1,220 meters.

Servarayan Hills

It is a mountain range located near the Salem city with the height ranging from 1,200 to 1,620 meters. The name of the range comes from a local deity, Servarayan. The highest peak in the southern part of the Eastern Ghats located in this range. The peak is Solaikaradu and its height is 1,620 meters. The hill station Yercaud, which is known as poor man’s Ooty, is located on this range. Servarayan temple is its highest point (1623 meters).

Kolli Hills

It is a small mountain range located in Namakkal district. It covers an area of about 2,800 sq.km . It rises up to 1300 meters. This is a mountain range that runs almost parallel to the east coast of South India . Arpaleeswarar temple located on this range is an important pilgrims centre. It has the largest cover of evergreen or shola forest when compared to other parts of the Eastern Ghats. Several coffee plantations, fruits, flowers and silver-oak estate are found in this region.

Pachaimalai

It is the lowest hill range , spreads over the districts of Perambalur, Tiruchirapalli and Salem. In Tamil language, pachai means green. The vegetation in this range is greener than the vegetative cover of the other hills in this region. Hence it is named as ‘Pachai malai’. Jackfruit is a popular seasonal agricultural product of this hills.

Martyrs’ Day: The Day Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and Rajguru Lay Down Their Lives For Freedom

Martyrs’ Day it is

Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev Thapar, and Shivaram Rajguru – some of the most revered figures of the Indian freedom struggle – were hanged on March 23, 1931 in Punjab’s Hussainwala (now in Pakistan). Their execution spurred many youth to take up the revolutionary path, playing a vital role in energizing the fight against the British empire.

On Martyrs’ Day, also knowns as Shaheed Diwas or Sarvodaya Day, Indians pay homage to the martyrs who infused fresh blood in the fight for India’s independence.

Childhood of Bhagat Singh

At the age of 23, if anyone was smiling just before he was being hanged, he was Bhagat Singh.

Born on September 27, 1907 in Punjab’s Banga village near Jaranwala (now in Pakistan), Bhagat Singh grew up in a freedom fighters family. His uncle, Sardar Ajit Singh, as well as his father- Kishan Singh, were great freedom fighters. At an early age, Bhagat Singh started dreaming of growing guns in the fields so that he could fight against the colonial rule.

The Ghadar Movement left a deep imprint on his mind. Kartar Sing Sarabha, hanged at the age of 19, became his hero. The massacre at Jallianwala Bagh on April 13, 1919 drove him to go to Amritsar. He was preparing fof his B.A. examination when his parents planned to have him married.

He vehemently rejected the suggestion and said that, if his marriage was to take place in Slave-India, my bride shall be only death.

Shivaram Rajguru

Shivaram Rajguru, born on August 24, 1908, had witnessed British’s atrocities on India and its people.

This instilled within him a strong urge to join hands with the revolutionaries in a bid for India’s freedom struggle. He joined HSRA with a motive to strike fear into the heart of the British empire.

​Rajguru made British to take notice of the growing domestic uprising when they dealt crucial blows with attacks like in the Lahore Conspiracy Case and the bombing of the Central Assembly Hall in New Delhi.

Sukhdev Thapar

Born on May 15, 1907, Sukhdev Thapar had witnessed the brutal atrocities that the Imperial British Raj had inflicted on India, which then led him to join the revolutionaries, vowing to set India free from the shackles of British dominion. As a member of the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association (HSRA), Sukhdev Thapar organised revolutionary cells in Punjab and other areas of North India.

He even went on to educate the youth at the National College in Lahore, greatly inspiring them about India’s glorious past. He along with other renowned revolutionaries started the ‘Naujawan Bharat Sabha’ at Lahore that was an organisation involved in various activities, mainly gearing the youth for the freedom struggle and putting an end to communalism.

He also took active part in several revolutionary activities like the ‘Prison hunger strike’ in 1929; however, he is best remembered for his courageous attack in the Lahore Conspiracy Case.

Assembly Incident Trial

The dramatic protest was met with widespread criticisms from the political arena.

Bhagat Singh responded – “Force when aggressively applied is ‘violence’ and is, therefore, morally unjustifiable, but when it is used in the furtherance of a legitimate cause, it has its moral justification.”

Trial proceedings commenced in May where Bhagat Singh sought to defend himself, while Batukeshwar Dutt was represented by Afsar Ali.

The court ruled in favour of a life sentence citing malicious and unlawful intent of the explosions.

Lahore Conspiracy Case

Soon after the sentencing, the police raided the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association (HSRA) bomb factories in Lahore and arrested several prominent revolutionaries.

Three individuals, Hans Raj Vohra, Jai Gopal and Phanindra Nath Ghosh turned approver for the Government which led to a total of 21 arrests including those of Sukhdev Thapar, Jatindra Nath Das and Shivaram Rajguru. Bhagat Singh was re-arrested for the Lahore Conspiracy case, murder of Assistant Superintendent Saunders and bomb manufacturing.

Trial started against 28 accused in a special session court presided over by Judge Rai Sahib Pandit Sri Kishen, on July 10, 1929.

Prison Hunger Strike

In jail, Bhagat Singh and his fellow inmates declared an indefinite hunger strike in protest of the prejudiced difference in treatment of the white versus native prisoners and demanded to be recognised as ‘political prisoners’.

The hunger strike received tremendous attention from the press and gathered major public support in favour of their demands. Death of Jatindra Nath Das, after 63 days long fast, led to the negative public opinions intensifying towards the authorities.

Bhagat Singh finally broke his 116-day fast, on request of his father and Congress leadership, on October 5, 1929.

Saunders’ murder

On December 17, 1927, Bhagat Singh and Shivaram Rajguru shot and killed assistant superintendent of police John Saunders.

They were supported in this act by their compatriots Sukhdev Thapar and Chandrashekhar Azad. However, their original target was not Saunders but superintendent of police James Scott who had ordered his men to lathi-charge protesters leading to the death of the nationalist leader Lala Lajpat Rai.

Owing to the slow pace of the legal proceedings, a special tribunal consisting of Justice J Coldstream, Justice Agha Hyder and Justice GC Hilton was set up on the directives of the Viceroy, Lord Irwin on May 1, 1930. The tribunal was empowered to proceed without the presence of the accused and was a one-sided trial that hardly adhered to the normal legal rights guidelines.

The tribunal delivered its 300-page judgement on October 7, 1930. It declared that irrefutable proof has been presented confirming the involvement of Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev Thapar and Shivaram Rajguru in the Saunders murder. Bhagat Singh admitted to the murder and made statements against the British rule during the trial. They were sentenced to be hanged till death.

Shaheed Diwas

On March 23, 1931, 7:30 am, Bhagat Singh along with his comrades Rajguru and Sukhdev were hanged in Lahore Jail.

It is said that the trio proceeded quite cheerfully towards the gallows while chanting their favourite slogans like “Inquilab Zindabad” and “Down with British Imperialism”.

India’s beloved sons were cremated at Hussainiwala on the banks of Sutlej River.

At the time of their execution, Bhagat Singh and Sukhdev Thapar were just 23 years old. And Shivaram Rajguru was only 22 when he was hanged on March 23.

STAGES OF A RELATIONSHIP:

Attraction :

Every couple experiences this phase. In this stage, you only focus on the good things and similarities between each other. You spend a lot of time together and imagine that you both are made for each other. You avoid fights, and it seems that fights will never happen.

Reality :

You start finding flaws in your partner. It doesn’t mean that you don’t love your partner, but things are not as beautiful as initially. You start fighting and doubting if you are really in love. The spark in the relationship seems declining.

Photo by RODNAE Productions on Pexels.com

Anger and stupidity :

You start getting angry because of little things. You know that fights can ruin your relationship, but at the end of the day, you fight anyway. And in this higher stage of a relationship, you think of stupidity like breaking up and leaving each other by blaming each other for no reason.

Acceptance :

You know you both are totally different persons, you both have other qualities and flaws, but you both accept each other. You realize that things can’t be run in a fantasy world for a lifetime there comes a time when you have to act with maturity.

Commitment :

With time you get to know each other completely. Your involvement in each other ripes up and brings a thought in your heart that you only need that particular person in your life. You fall in love with that person forever. And this is the most natural and honest thing in any relationship.

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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION LAWS – Wildlife Act

Environment protection is practice of protecting the environment, on individual, organizational or governmental & (or) humans. Protection of the environment is needed due to various human activities.

Why laws are implemented?

  • Protect and preserve the environment.
  • The law  prescribes Responsibilities of the State for protecting the national environment.
  • Determine who can use natural resources and on what terms.
  • Create rules for how people can use natural resources.
  • Governments have determined to strengthen their judicial capacity to enforce environmental laws.

Wildlife Act (1972)

The wild life protection Act, 1972 is an Act of the Parliament of India enacted on 9 Sept 1972. It provides for protection of wild animals, birds, plants and for matters connected therewith. It extends to whole India, except Jammu and Kashmir. It has six schedules which give varying degrees of protection.

Definitions

  1. Animal- Amphibians, birds, mammals
  2. Animal Article- Articles made from wild animal
  3. Hunting- Capturing, Killing, poisoning, trapping, injuring animals etc
  4. Trophy- Whole or part of animal which been preserved.
  5. Wildlife- Any animal, bees, butterflies, crustacean, fish & moths;

Authorities appointed

Central government may appoint A Director of wild life preservation, Assistant Directors of wild life preservation, Other officers & employees as may be necessary.

State government may appoint A chief wild life warden, Wild life wardens, One Honorary wild life warden in each district, Other officers & employees as may be necessary.

Wild life Advisory Board

  • The Act enforces & enables the state governments & the administrators of the union Territories to constitute a wildlife Advisory Board in each state & Union Territory.
  • Areas to be declared as sanctuaries, national parks, or closed areas & their administration.
  • Formulation of policy for protection & conservation of wildlife.
  • Amendment of any schedule.
  • Any other matter referred by State government.

Hunting of wildlife animals

Hunting of wild animals is permitted in certain cases – If the animal has become dangerous to human life or beyond recovery. Killing or wounding in good faith in defense of oneself or any other person.

Grant of permit for special purpose like Education, Scientific research, Scientific management, Collection of specimen for zoos, museums & similar institute, Derivation, collection or preparation of snake- venom for manufacture of life saving drugs.

Protection of specified plants

No person shall Willfully pick, uproot, damage, destroy, acquire, or collect any specified plant from any land & any specified area by Central government. Possess, sell, offer for sale, or transfer by way to gift or otherwise, or transport any specified plant whether alive or dead.

Penalties

Imprisonment varying from six months up to seven years and/ or ranging from rs. 500 upto not less than rs. 10000 depending upon on the nature or seriousness of the offence committed regarding the specified wildlife.

Monsoon: An Upstanding and Suitable season to start gardening

Monsoon is on our doorsteps. Soon the great showers will come pouring down & within no time, the entire complexion of our surroundings will magically transform into an epic green stage. Our new gardening season also begins in the month of June, at the onset of monsoon. No matter how small or big your garden is, here are some key steps to make the best of this nature’s glory, & make your garden ‘monsoon ready’.

How Monsoon is suitable to start gardening?

The monsoon season in India is the best time to sit back and enjoy. The fresh smell of petrichor along with drizzling water gives a soothing effect to your mind and body after the hot summer days. The plants look greener than ever, the rainwater using its superpowers yield advantages to a plant that tap water cannot. As there is a significant fall in temperature, the sun is less hot and the rains add to the faster growth of plants. There are a variety of vegetables that loves the rainy season and grow magically during this time of the year. So it becomes really important to pick the right kind of vegetables also.

How to start Gardening in Monsoon?

  • Allow for good drainage: Water logging is a frequent problem in rainy season and restricts plant growth. When the problem is severe, roots do not have enough oxygen to respire and may eventually die. Therefore, prepare your garden with good drainage before the monsoon onsets. Some steps you can take to allow good drainage are use of grow bags, cocopeat or other potting mix that does not hold water.
  • Provide support to the plants: Plants often break or fall off during the strong monsoon winds. Provide support to your plants to withstand the monsoon winds.
  • Pruning and mulching: The first monsoon showers shoot up plant growth. Pruning, trimming and removing dead branches before the first showers arrive helps the plant to grow in the right direction. Mulching the garden before monsoon will help soil retain nutrients.
  • Vermicompost: It is well known that earth worms are farmer’s best friends. Take their aid during monsoon to improve soil fertility, texture and aeration.
  • Timely Weeding: Just like your veggies or flowering plants, weeds also thrive during monsoons. Weeding before the monsoon arrives will prevent weeds from absorbing vital nutrients from soil. Moreover, removing weeds when they are young is easier. However, weeding needs to be done regularly during monsoon season to protect your garden.
  • Harvest the rain-water: If you have the space and time to do so, rainwater harvesting is fun and beautifies your landscape. There are no complex mechanisms required for harvesting rainwater. Simply direct the rainwater to a spot in your garden or collect the rainwater in barrels. If you have enough space on your terrace, you can make a pond in one corner and plant flowers around it. This not only creates a lovely spot on your terrace but also attracts birds and improves bio-diversity.
  • Plant the right crops: Not all plants thrive in monsoons. Some plants require hot weather, some require cool weather and some require moist soil. Plants that thrive well in monsoons are typically cucumbers and gourds like ridge gourd and bottle gourd. Get your vegetable calendar ready before each season and become a pro at gardening. Also, eating seasonally grown fruits and veggies is best for your health. If you need guidance, check out our recommendations for Monsoon vegetables here.
  • Cover the plants: Sometimes plants get damaged beyond repaid when there are thunderstorms or hailstorms. Cover your plants appropriately to prevent that.
  • Fertilizers: Soil erosion is common during rainy seasons. The top layers of fertile soil gets washed away with rains. This more often happens if you do not use pots or grow bags in your garden. So apply necessary fertilizers like NPK, cow dung, neem extracts, compost etc to keep the soil fertilized.
  • Routinely check on the plants: Last but not the least, monsoons bring ample work for gardeners. Regularly check on your plants to identify broken branches, pests, infections, and water logging. Sometimes getting your hands dirty is worth it! Re-pot your plants, start new seeds and watch them grow!

Reviewing The Third Level…

Jack Finney through ‘The Third Level’ has highlighted the perspective of the people towards their stressful life. He, through the protagonist, Charley, has shown how Charley wanted to escape from his monotonous routine and find a peaceful place.

Jack Finney - Alchetron, The Free Social Encyclopedia

Charley, a common man, with anxiety, fear and stress wanted to find solace. In order to counter them, he used to collect stamps which made him stay connected with his past. His grandfather used to tell him about how peaceful the life used to be in Galesburg, Illinois. For escaping from his troublesome life he wanted to go to the Central Station’s Third Level which could help him to reach Galesburg, Illinois. His longing for comfortable and peaceful place, made Charley. hallucinate about the existence of the Third Level, a virtual place.

Thus, we can say that Third Level was indeed a medium of escape for Charley. It depicts the unfulfilled dream of his subconscious mind, which is full of anxiety and stress.

The Third Level"/Jack Finney - bhsforeman

Socialism

Socialism is both a political and an economic theory that was developed between 1750 1850 as a reaction and response to capitalism. It advocates for a system where the community as a whole owns and regulates the means of production, distribution and exchange.It aims to a build a new social order and remove the maladies of the capitalistic system. The chief proponents of socialism are Robert Owen, Sismondi, Saint-Simon and Charles Fourier.

Throughout history, there has always been a big gap between the rich and the poor due to monopolization of the means of production by a few people. The select few have constantly exploited the poor to amass wealth and to retain power. The poor barely meet the necessities of life and do not control any means of production. During the industrial stage, the gulf between the poor and the rich widened unlike before. Post the Industrial Revolution, the introduction of machines increased the divide and led to the concentration of the means of production in the hands of an even more select few. They took advantage of their position and churned out illegitimate profits. This exploitation was the reason the idea of socialism was developed.

Definitions:

Some definitions of socialism are:

Humphrey:

“ Socialism is a system of society in which means of life belong to the community as a whole, and are developed and operated by the community.”

Here, means of life refers to things like land, capital, implements and other such things which help humans to earn a living. 

Hugham:

 “Socialism is the political movement of class which aims to abolish exploitation by means of the collective ownership and democratic management of basic instruments of production and distribution.” 

Socialism developed as a response to capitalism and its primary aim was to create a new social order that eliminates the drawbacks of capitalist system. According to the proponents of socialism, capitalism fosters competition among citizens, as a result making them egoistic and immoral. It also leads to needless expenditure. It encourages a certain few to monopolise means of production and allows them to exploit other people. So the proponents propose a certain way to eliminate the miseries caused by capitalism. They propose that the factors of production be controlled by the community as a whole and not allow individuals to control the means of production. This idea formed the crux of socialism.

There are certain general principles to this theory. According to C. E. M Joad, socialism is “like a hat which has lost its shape, because everybody wears it.” Socialism as an idea has gone through many changes and one exact definition cannot be agreed upon. Nevertheless, some general principles can be seen as its distinguishing features. Socialism opposes capitalism because it believes it to be the cause of exploitation of resources. It aims to protect the common population from the select few. It advocates for social ownership of material resources and that the community should own all the factors of production like land, other property industries, etc. The motive behind production should be social necessity and not profit making for the benefit of one. Its action should at the end benefit the society. Some proponents of socialism have advocated for absolute economic equality where everyone is given the same rewards and other proponents have advocated for proportionate economic equality where people are given rewards to fulfil their basic needs. It is completely opposed to laissez-faire economy and favours the establishment of a planned economy. It is for the abolition of the institution of private property to bring about social equality. It believes in the widening of democracy, and is of the view that socialism and not capitalism can help further this end. 

Socialism has been subjected to criticism for certain of its aspects. The most important criticism of all about socialism is that it crushes the very spirit of the individual. Socialism establishes an order where there is no scope of incentive for people to work, as everyone is distributed the same or similar rewards and there is no scope for any additional incentive as a result of the individual’s hard work. Another major criticism of socialism is its impracticality. It cannot be implemented in a real world scenario as it does not provide people any incentive to work. Perfect socialism has not existed anywhere and even the countries that proclaim themselves as socialist are not completely socialist. In this theory, the State overburdened with too many functions like distribution of resources, controlling of  production, distribution of rewards, etc. This will lead to inefficiency. One other major criticism is that the State interferes with everything. Socialism kills individual freedom.

Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl – Book Review

Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl, originally written in German and translated to other languages, is a part memoir of the author’s experiences in concentration camps part non-fiction on psychology. It was first published in 1946 in its original language and English version was published in 1959. The book is divided into two parts – Experiences in a Concentration Camp and Logotherapy in a Nutshell – the first talks about his experiences in camps and explains the basis of his findings, and second part is completely about logotherapy(“meaning”). Viktor E. Frankl, an Austrian psychiatrist, was born on the 26th of March, 1905 in Vienna, Austria. He was a psychiatrist and psychotherapist and also a philosopher and Holocaust survivor. He developed “Logotherapy” – a psychological approach. His developments and findings are categorised as the third school of Viennese psychotherapy. The works of Sigmund Freud and Alfred Adler belong to first and second school of Viennese psychotherapy. His primary focusses in university, where he was a student of psychiatry and neurology, were the areas of sucide and depression. He received his MD and PhD from the University of Vienna. He based his works on his experiences in concentration camps. He breathed his last on 2nd September, 1997 in Vienna.

This work is based on Frankl’s own experiences and observations of other inmates in four different concentration camps(between 1942 and 1945). He lost his parents, brother and his pregnant wife in concentration camps.The book is written in a lucid manner and explains the concepts clearly. Based on his experiences and observations in the camp, Frankl argues that man by nature is not a pleasure seeking animal and his primary is motivation is to search for meaning in his circumstances. He states that only when man falls into a gulf devoid of meaning he resorts to seeking pleasure in immediate pleasure providing activities and needs.His concept logotherapy focusses on helping an individual find meaning in his circumstances. He quotes his experiences to show that man can find strength even in seemingly hopeless situations. His concept logotherapy focusses on helping an individual find meaning in his circumstances. Finding that meaning can help an individual bear suffering and find hope. 

“Those who have a ‘why’ to live, can bear with almost any ‘how’.”

His work on logotherapy and his existential analysis is mostly based on finding meaning and free will. In this work, he also explains certain techniques to deal with life. He uses the concept ‘paradoxical intention’ – practising contrary and humorous thoughts – to deal with anxieties and other problems. He also introduces the concept of dereflection – diverting the concentration of a person from his symptoms to other things – as a technique of logotherapy. Another of his techniques is about questioning the patient in a way to help him find meaning.  

“But there was no need to be ashamed of tears, for tears bore witness that a man had the greatest of courage, the courage to suffer.”

“Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.”

Throughout his book, the author emphasises on the human capability to deal with even the most challenging circumstances. He states that man can find courage and strength no matter what the circumstance. His views, in certain aspects, echoes the teachings of religions.

“Ultimately, man should not ask what the meaning of his life is, but rather must recognize that it is he who is asked. In a word, each man is questioned by life; and he can only answer to life by answering for his own life; to life he can only respond by being responsible.”

Need To Draw Out Of Desolation.

Labor force are the pillars of the economy. Every economy whether developed or under developed makes use of Labor intensive techniques of production. Therefore, it is pertinent to secure rights amended for labors by providing them due respect which they deserve rather than desolation or pain. It is rather shocking to see the plight of labors in India today, who have a lot of burden and despite of this they doesn’t get adequate salary or respect, which can be clearly seen from the people living in Firozabad, India’s glass blowing industry.

Why Homebuilders Can't Find Labor

Years of mind numbing toil has killed their initiative to work, for they have to work in dingy cells, in extreme conditions, making them close their eyesight.

Labor force are not able to raise their voice, due to the middle men, sahukars and inspectors, due to which there is a vicious cycle of poverty, apathy, pain and suffering which make them desolated from the joys and tribulations of life. They have lead sky and no hopes for their future.

The need of the hour is to urge the development of these laborers by giving them food, shelter, income which can only curb the poverty prevailing in India.

Firozabad bangle makers to challenge UP govt order on paid holiday for civic polls | Agra News - Times of India

The REvil Ransomware Attack

On July 2nd 2021, the Russian ransomware-as-a-service group known as REvil launched an attack on the American software company Kaseya. The hackers targeted the Virtual Server Administrator (VSA) to distribute ransomware as the VSA is used to send out software updates to every computer on that server. 50 of Kaseya’s clients were affected and since they also sold IT services, more customers were prone to attack. This is known as a supply chain attack. It is reported that about 1500 businesses were hit. REvil is demanding $50 million to unlock their files.

The US government has been trying to put an end to cyber crimes like this for quite some time. It does not look like it has been disruptive but it still is being called the largest ransomware attack in history. The ransomware is so sophisticated that it avoids the systems that has the languages that came from the former USSR regions (Russian, Armenian, Romanian, Ukrainian etc.). It is known that criminal cyber groups are allowed to operate freely in Russia as long as they target The United States and other Western countries.

Joe Biden and his administration is actively trying to rally enough global support and pressure the Russian government to find and arrest cyber criminals like REvil. A month ago, at the Geneva summit with Vladimir Putin, Biden had talked to Putin about ransomware becoming a serious threat and that he will take action if Russia doesn’t stop allowing cyber criminals to operate without any consequences. White House officials are expected to deliberate over this problem and come up with a course of action. Biden will most likely tell Russia to live up to its obligations and prevent Russian land to be used for criminal acts like these. The least that they can do is hand over these criminals so they can stand trial for their actions. Russia has even signed an international agreement where it states that they will not allow criminal activity in their territory. The individuals behind this attack must be arrested and the files must be returned to all the businesses immediately.

Biden even said that if Russia continues to not bat an eye, the US would be forced to respond with an attack of their own. He added that the last thing Putin would want on his hands now is a new Cold War. This is not the first time an attack like this has occured. A Russian cyber group had previously attacked hospitals and food-processing plants. This is why the US has had enough and want swift justice.

Best fantasy TV/Web Series to Watch

There have been innumerous fantasy web series being launched since the 21st century dawned mainly because of the advancement of technology. With each year visual effects improved. Following are some of the most popular web series arranged according to the IMBD rating and are mainly released after 2010.

10. Chilling Adventures Of Sabrina (7.5)

Released in 2018 with 2 seasons and 36 episodes, it is a fantasy, horror, drama Netflix series. It is produced by Warner Bros Television. The leading role is played by a character named Sabrina Spellman Sabrina who is a half-human and half-witch who struggles to keep the balance between both sides.

9. The Vampire Diaries (7.7)

It was released in 2009 with 8 seasons and the 171st episode ended in 2017. With the genre of drama, supernatural, fantasy, horror it further has 2 more series interlined to some extent namely The Originals (8.2) and Legacies(7.4). It mainly consists of vampires werewolves and witches.

8. The Umbrella Academy (8)

With a perfect blend of action-adventure comedy and fantasy, it was released in 2019 has 2 seasons and 20 episodes. One peculiar 43 women gave birth at the same time and each child had a unique ability. Sir Reginald Hargreeves adopted 7 of them and formed a superhero squad named ‘The Umbrella Academy

7. Wanda Vision (8.1)

It is a recent web series launched in 2021 starred by 2 Marvel characters Wanda Maximoff and Vision. With the genre of action fantasy drama-comedy, the first few episodes are more towards comedy and with each episode, the series has more action.

6. Lucifer (8.1)

Released in 2016 with currently 5 seasons and 83 episodes, the story revolves around Lucifer Morningstar, lord of the hell who was cast out of heaven. With fantasy comedy, drama as its genre the series is set for another season.

5. The Witcher (8.2)

It is action, drama, fantasy series released in 2019 with 1 season and 8 episodes. It revolves around Geralt of Rivia, a monster hunter, who struggles to find his place in a world where humans are more wicked than beasts.

4.Supernaturals(8.4)

Released in 2005 with 15 seasons and 327 episodes the story is based on 2 brothers who hunt supernatural creatures. It is an action-adventure, drama, fantasy, horror series which finished in 2020.

3.Stranger Things (8.7)

The series premiered on Netflix on July 15, 2016, with 3 seasons and 25 episodes. It is a science fiction, horror, and drama web series. The story starts with the disappearance of a boy and the appearance of a strange girl Eleven with supernatural powers

Image result for loki serues

2. Loki (8.9)

Recently premiered based on a Marvel character Loki, it has 1 season and 5 episodes so far. It is an action-adventure fantasy drama series. There are supposed to be a total of 6 episodes in the first season and the second season is in development.

1. Game of Thrones (9.3)

Released in 2011 with 8 seasons and 73 episodes, it is based on 9 families who try to control the land of Westeros. With fantasy, tragedy, drama as its genre, it is one of the most popular series up to date

Brush Aside Fear.

The real freedom from the fear is to fear itself.

The words are well explained by William Douglas, who in his first narration tells his real life experience of over coming his childhood fear of water. From childhood, William Douglas had deep sighted fear of water and his fear got deeper when he was on the verge of dying by drowning at deep sight of YMCA pool. The incident left an etched mark on the mind of Douglas, due to which he was devoid of any watersports activity. Thereafter, he determined tp learn swimming and hire an instructor, who, build and integrated each piece to make Douglas, a swimmer as a whole.

William O. Douglas | Oyez

There is no substitution for hard work. Success comes to those who try alike William Douglas, who tried despite of haunting fear of water. Many students face immense pressure, due to high competition and race, with pace. Besides learning swimming, William Douglas cleared his residual doubts. Every student should follow example of Douglas. Grit and determination always lead a student to the pinnacle of success.

Fear the fear itself should be the strategy of each student. A strong person only faces challenges, weak avoid them.

Fear Stock Illustrations – 171,470 Fear Stock Illustrations, Vectors & Clipart - Dreamstime