NDTV raid: an assault on media freedom?

Since the BJP came into power it seems, NDTV is being targeted again and again in the name of constitutional law. On Monday, Centeral Bureau of Investigation (CBI) raided the premises of NDTV founder, Prannoy Roy and his wife, Radhika Roy as they were suspected of causing a loss of Rs 48 crore to ICICI, a private bank.

NDTV was targeted because being the India’s one of the most trusted and the oldest channel, it has refused to follow the trend lines, when almost every channel to be on safer side has quietly readjusted their ideologies and journalistic charters. We all know that the channel’s financial shakiness has been one of the worst kept secrets in the media world. As there are no rules and laws meant to immune news organizations in our country, it is asserted that in Roys case, “the law is paving its own way.”

The two intense questions surfacing here are; can we trust CBI? And if not then, was it just a planned game to blemish NDTV’s image? Because ICICI has lodged no such complaint and NDTV, in its refutation to the CBI FIR, has released a letter from ICICI saying all its dues were fully paid to the bank. The question that then arises is why the CBI is so interested in a deal between a private firm (NDTV) and a private bank (ICICI), especially at a time when about Rs 10 lakh crore of debt remains unsettled to public sector banks from a dozen large corporate groups who have worked the system for years and postponed loan repayments. Something is clearly fishy here as the manner, circumstances and justification for the CBI raid was done beg more questions than it answers.

NDTV had also said in its official statement that the “CBI FIR is based on a shoddy complaint by a former disgruntled consultant…who has been making false allegations and filing court cases all these years but no court has accepted his petition”.

NDTV has claimed that on the part of India’s investigative agency, it was an extraordinary exercise of threatening and harassing the firm, to which Indian audience will definitely considered as rising of ‘Inspector Raj.’

While going through this case, Arnab Goswami’s phrase pondered into my mind, “the nation wants to know.” The only dissimilarity here is, the nation already knows that any private news channel generally cannot cater CBI attention just for being in a dispute with a private bank due to heavy debts.

When we talked about freedom of press, we welcome the contrasting views and criticism from the fourth pillar of Indian democracy. In any country diverse opinions must be encouraged because if each and every citizen will follow the ladder blindly then we might fall harder and ended up with some kind of despotic rule in our country which we had seen during the British Raj. But today the message which is being sent to the media fraternity is that “if you can drown out the voice of protest then you can resist for longer and if not, then survive at your own cost.”

In India, most of the common citizens are always at asymmetrical disadvantage while dealing with law and enforcement. We stumble on a situation where we have less evidence to fight for an innocent person who is found guilty by the law. Therefore, there is always a need for reliable and strong Judiciary to assure credible and independent investigation in any matter.

Nowadays we judge news channel from what they serve, while watching news it is easy to judge that one particular channel is funded by which political party. This shows that hypocrisy of media continuously manufacturing puppets for politicians and these puppets are being played in their hands and gradually leading towards ‘Dark Age.’

The raid confers a message to the rest of the media to stand together against such evident assaults on press freedom. In this era of selling and buying news, the Editor’s Guild of India raised some hopes when it expressed deep concern over the CBI raids as it has condemned any attempt to stifle the media and has sought due process of law to make sure that there is no intrusion in the free functioning of the media.

Calf born with human-like face in UP, hailed as avatar of Lord Vishnu!

In between the controversy over beef ban and cow slaughter, a strange video of a baby cow that was born with human-like face has received much attention on social media sites. A calf was born on 1 June, in the village of Pachenda, Muzaffarnagar in Uttar Pradesh with the eyes, nose and ears that resemble that of a human, while the lower part of its body had features of a cow.

Unfortunately, this newborn calf died shortly after the birth and later the villagers kept calf’s carcass in a glass case for display as locals came to receive her blessings. The worshipping of cow is quite common in India but worshipping a dead calf to whom locals have hailed as an incarnation of Hindu god Lord Vishnu- Gokaran, is something extremely unusual. It is believed that ‘Gokaran’ is supposed to be born as a rescuer when the amount of sinners and sin increase on the earth.

The deformed calf was kept in a glass display, showered with flowers and garland around its neck. In India as cow is considered sacred, the locals are comparing the calf with a similar character mentioned in the Bhagavata Puran, a hindu religious text. After its cremation, the villagers are now also planning to build a temple to pay reverence to the dead calf.

Raja Bhaiya Mishra, 55, the manager of the cow shelter, reported to media, ‘It’s a miracle that the calf was born in this shelter. Thousands of people have been here to see it. We will be cremating him in three days, and a temple will be built for him. This avatar has most definitely created a devotion feeling amongst the people.’

According to Daily Mail, the mother of dead calf was rescued six months ago from a butcher and was given the shelter before she felt pregnant.

However, animal health experts have a different view on its birth. Dr Ajay Deshmukh, senior veterinary doctor, at Wildlife SOS, in India, said: ‘This is a case of an anatomical anomaly. If a gene didn’t develop properly or there was a fault, it causes multiple structural deformities, and such anomalies happen. It has got only scientific reasons and explanations, there’s no superstition here.’

So, the creature was not a miracle, but rather a victim of birth defects.

Puppetry arises from history’s shadows

The tradition of shadow puppet theatre in India is very old but thrives only in Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Kerala. Each state has upheld its uniqueness through particular design, style, colour-scheme and manipulation techniques.

I found the Srirama Institute of Shadow Theatre, which is one of the few groups in the State, trying to revive the age-old art form in the state. The institute is located in Angul and it is the brain child of master-mind artistes, theatre personalities and researchers. Dr. Gouranga Charan Dash, 60, a practitioner of the art form is a leading member of the group who is trying to bring change in the society by staging diverse acts and plays. The most famous traditional puppetry shows staged by this institute are Sitathaba or The Quest of sita and Ravana Chaya.

Dash has also established Anand Ashram with the hope to set up a sanctum for admirers, practitioner of folk art. It has a good library for cultural studies and an integral education school. Anand Ashram welcomes all those who wish to share their expertise or contribute in the advancement of theory.

Dash has been staging puppetry shows at educational institutions across the country, village carnivals and star hostels with the aim of keeping the art form alive. Dash, phd in theatre arts said that “I am attempting to use the art form as a catalyst for social change. So, instead of just narrating tales of Lord Rama, I try to highlight contemporary issues. However, I still prefer to call it Ravana Chhaya, even though the ethos has changed.”

However, Dash, instead of the usual tales of Ram generally writes his own script on contemporary issues. The artistes here also incorporate patta chitra instead of continuing with traditional style of making puppets. Patta chittra is a modern technique used to design the puppets which adds new dimension to the traditional style.

This institute is nurturing new talent who could continue to carry the legacy of the art form in the state. “Apart from training youngsters, we facilitate research in the field,” said Dash.

Some of the popular contemporary production of the institute includes Bapu-Katha, visit of the legend, Madahanadi katha, Chandalika and Vande Maatram. One thing that makes this group unique from others is, just 10 members here, stages more than 30 shows in a year reaching out to people in rural villages, urban elites, market places and cultural festivals. A visit to his institute and knowing about the talent of these artists was one of the long last memories, I’ll cherish for a lifetime.

 

Age-old inhuman traditions vs. Modern medicine

Branding is an inhuman traditional practice most commonly employed to treat various disorders in children in certain community in India. Superstitions and blind beliefs related to branding of children to cure them of common ailments continue to make a mockery of the State Government’s effort to check the traditional practice. Incidents of children being branded by traditional healers are not new to Odisha.

These cases are common in the tribal-dominated district of Nabarangpur, Koraput and Rayagada where at least 15 cases have been reported this year.

The 16-month-old baby must have shrieked in pain when a local healer pressed a red-hot iron on his stomach 20 times. But such howls normally fall to deaf ears in Odisha’s impoverished interior districts, where traditional practices continue to hold sway despite complaints that they’re outdated and cruel. This infant’s grandmother wanted to cure him of a nagging bowel disorder but the child who was battling for his life died in the Nabrangpur district hospital. He is one of at least 40 babies who have been branded in a similar fashion in the past six months. 20 of them have been reported from south Odisha’s Nabrangpur district alone.

The practice isn’t limited to infants only. Last December, a pregnant woman in Malkangiri was branded after she complained of abdominal pains. The healer even put bricks on her stomach, worsening her condition.

For decades, a governmental hands-off policy and crumbling public health infrastructure ensured traditional healers thrived in a state. “For a tribe, culture and social traditions are more important than modern medicine. It will not be easy to drive out superstition,” said KK Basa, an anthropologist with the Utkal University in Bhubaneswar in an interview to a newspaper.

In Dhenkanal, in a slum near Shankarpur market, a woman named Padma Devi said that her husband had applied poisonous cashew sap on his 8-month-old son’s body to cure ailment. Subsequently he died in Bhubaneshwar hospital. In the same week her cousin-brother’s two-month-old child branded by a “desari” in the name of treatment died in the same hospital.

Despite the present laws, which ensure punishment for these desari’s under the 341 and 326 acts of IPC for allegedly branding the children, it appears to fail at stopping such evil practices and ostensive mentality of people. The local media reports and fresh cases of branding every year compel authorities to make noise about banning these heinous practices, but nothing appears to make an impact.

Say no to child branding!

The scenic beauty of Seven Sages: Saptasajya

Saptasajya, one of the major tourist attractions spot is located 12 km away to the South of Dhenkanal town, Odisha. From Dhenkanal it hardly takes 25 minutes to reach this place. This is known as the first eco-tourist spot in Dhenkanal district. The place is ideal for picnic and recreation. A small spring flowing close by enhances the beauty of the place of and it is very well famous for Saptarisi (seven sages) and Raghunath. This is believed that the great ‘Pandavas’ spent some days of their incognito life in these hills.

The name Saptasajya is derived from the conglomeration of seven hills with rich vegetation. Saptsajya also means Bhagwan Bhisnu’s bed. The entire hill range is spread over an area of 2096.75 hectare. There are many streams that pass through Saptasajya and the place is home to a wide range of flora and fauna.

After trekking up for 20 mins you come across the temple and hardly one or two shops which may help you to relinquish your hunger and will provide great taste to your taste buds with varieties of pakodas, vadas and aloo chop. On reaching 400 metres above while passing through lush green forests and bushes of wild flowers, one can sense the beauty of this place with chirping of several birds like Cuckoo and Mynah and in case you are lucky enough then your eyes will get a glimpse of peacock dancing.

“A fully air-conditioned guest house is developed with all modern amenities that include a kitchen and a spacious compound. Electricity and water is available for tourists,” Rabindra Sahu said.

Beenu Pattnaik, a local villager said the scenic tourist attracts less number of tourists from across the country even after it is developed as an eco-tourism hotspot. Only this Raghunath temple which was built in honour of Lord Rama, Laxaman and Sita by Rani Ratnaprava Devi of Dhenkanal attracts large crowd every year on Rama Navami day in the month of March-April.

The biodiversity is further enhanced with a medicinal garden that has a variety of herbal plants. People throng the hilly site for recreation and to enjoy the cool breeze, green lustrous forest cover, running streams and to sight wild animals and birds. There are also shrines of Lord Shiva, Hanuman and Navagraha that are situated on the hill range at an elevation of 300 metres.

Happy Reading!

 

 

A wedding tale of Uttrakhand brides!

In India, wedding culture is one of the most significant rites of passage. A bride traditionally steps from the abode of her parents into the arms her husband. The entire experience from planning to getting married is fraught with emotion-joy, happiness, sadness, and everything in between. 

So, Indian weddings signify much more than decorations, fineries and entertainment as it is a bond not only of two people tying knot for a lifetime commitment but also between the two families uniting together.

Uttrakhand is one of the most beautiful states of India. This state has two regions Garhwal & Kumaon. Alike Kumaon, Garhwal is a beautiful region surrounded by stunning hills, picturesque vistas and scenic beauty on all sides.

People of Garwal have a very simple lifestyle; Garwali’s have more faith in their values, culture and traditions. This place is famously known for its superb wedding traditions and rituals.

Getting married according to the Pahari traditions is like a gift bestowed to a few. Mostly if it is an arranged marriage, then the parents find a suitable match for their girl and one thing that parents look forward- whether the stature and family values of the bride match with grooms family or not?!

But this trend is gradually changing and nowadays, if youngsters find a compatible life partner then they usually prefer to go for a love marriage. Before fixing the marriage the custom of matching horoscope (janam kundli) of the prospective Garhwali bride and groom is prevalent in Garwali culture.

The most talked about thing in a Garhwali wedding is the beautiful traditional nose ring famed as ‘Nathuli’. According to Garwali traditions brides’ maternal uncle sends the embroided heavy glod Nath for his niece.

A day before wedding night, sangeet and mehendi functions are held at would be couple respective places.

During the mehndi ceremony, dazzling designs are made on the hands of the bride and groom. The relatives sing and dance on the tunes of Garhwali music and on this day Garwali songs are of course, the lime light of sangeet night.

On the day of wedding, haldi ceremony is observed in which family, friends and relatives together put haldi on brides face to enhance her glow and to make her day more special and joyful with love and blessings. There is no gender division in Garwali wedding ceremonies both male and female get involved equally. All the females sing traditional songs called ‘Mangal,’ on this auspicious ceremony.

The marriage procession is led with a white flag known as Nishan (representing the bridegroom) along with traditional band that are shehnai, piper, a pair of drummers and a nagara. The last man of the marriage procession carries red flag that represents the bride. On arrival at the bride residence like any other Indian wedding food is served along with flawless services and if the marriage performed at village then the serving is done in a wonderful ethnic style.

At night of the wedding day, the bride wears a lehenga and carries a chunni over her head. The bride is adorned with jewellery and make-up on her face with traditional nath, mukut and maang teeka. The groom on the other hand wears either shervaani or formal suit for his wedding.

At late night, both take seven rounds around the fire as it represents God Agni and purity. The groom then puts vermilion (red colour sindoor) in bride’s hair parting and puts a mangal sutra (sign for married women) around her neck. After this, ‘gau daan’ rites take place in which the bride family gifts a cow to groom for his well being.

In the end, the beautiful doli of the bride moves toward her husband’s house.

 

 

 

 

 

Ready to board your flight? Here are some tips to make flying less stressful

 

It’s summer, which means the ideal time to pack your bags and head out into the unknown. Be it within the country or too far and distant lands, the tone for a trip is set right from the beginning – the journey itself. Sometimes, if you’re flying someplace and you encounter an untoward incident, it just sets the mood off right from the beginning, thus affecting your whole trip, and we wouldn’t want that, now, would we?!

To ease your travel, it is always better to learn proper flying etiquettes before you board the plane.

Unfortunately, sometimes even if you’re following all the etiquettes, nearby flight passengers and unruly children are there to make the journey difficult for you. They sometimes even turn your short flight duration into the worst nightmare.

Here are some tips that you should heed for your next flight, so that both you and your fellow passengers get off on just the right step to have an ideal journey.

The first most important thing to keep in mind is to have your boarding pass and ID ready as you approach airport security and if you’re waiting in line, you can speed up the process by removing your watch and belt, and pulling out your laptop, before you reach the conveyor. This will help you and everyone behind you to move faster.

Most of the travellers face struggle for the arm rest tops due to the annoying behaviours of their fellow passengers. It would be a sweet gesture if you let the middle-seat passenger to use the armrests, and keep your legs within the width of the chair frame.

Some people like to pass the time on an airplane through conversations with strangers but others would prefer to keep to themselves.  So, be mindful of the cues your fellow passenger is giving and if they avoid eye contact, just leave them.

It’s necessary to take care of your personal belongings as it is your personal space and this will help you to not occupy other passengers’ personal spaces.

Avoid hitting other passengers with your bag as you walk down the aisles by keeping it in front of you and close to your body. And once you sit down, you should stay there, so make sure you have everything you will need while flying.

The most annoying part of travelling is that there are passengers creating ruckus to peaceful sleep of others by snoring loudly. So if you’re guilty of a sleeping symphony, then take proper measures before boarding the flight.

Avoid the temptation to douse yourself with perfume because you might cause a respiratory problem for someone who has asthma or allergies.

In case, you are amongst, the one who usually claimed to be guilty of woken up with bad breath! See, there’s always a strong case to carry some mint with you.

Happy Journey!

 

Five offbeat hill stations to visit Uttrakhand

To escape the hectic schedule of city life, travelling to hills is always the best option. It’s like a retreat to your eyes, mind and soul amidst the picturesque surroundings.

It’s been said that our world is like a book, and travel is the way we read its tales. If one wants to read the real fun tales then visiting Uttrakhand is the perfect destination as it is the most beautiful hill station which is famous for its scenic beauty and pilgrim centers. If you are associated with religious beliefs, you may be keen to visit the place for its divinity and if you are a nature lover, you will find divinity in the rich expanse of endless natural beauty here. The state has a lot to offer for those who are ready to explore.

While Dehradun and Rishikesh are popular locations in Uttarakhand, there are many unexplored hill stations where very less tourist flocks are seen and this unexplored exquisiteness offer you the most scenic views which will surely leave you fascinated.

The ultimate list for offbeat destinations in Uttarakhand is now here, giving you some amazing adventurous places to stay in this indeed blessed Himalayan adobe and to make you mesmerised in its splendid beauty.

1) Lohaghat: This place is located at an altitude of 1706 metres, falls in Champawati district on the banks of Lohawati River. It is considered as Kashmir of Uttrakhand. Lohaghat is positioned amidst the Kumaon hills, it is well-known for Pancheswar Mahadeva Temple which is a sacred Lord Shiva Shrine lies in the foothills of Indo-Nepal border. The natives call it Chaumu which means the supreme god.

P.Barron on his visit to Lohaghat once had said,”Why to visit Kashmir, if there is heaven in the world, so it’s in Lohaghat”. This place also has a historic importance as relics of the fort of mythological demon king Banasur are found here and this demon king was killed by Lord Krishna. The celebration of the two most famous Hindu festivals, Holi and Janmashtmi are splendid here as people worship Lord Krishna with full faith and devotion.

There are many other renowned places to visit in Lohagaht which offers a peaceful and picturesque environment, starting from Advaita Ashram at Maywati to Abott Mount Church established 8Km away from Lohaghat. If you’re a nature lover then you must visit the luscious valley which is sodden in the murky dew drops of nature and is blessed with varied wildlife and densed vegetation. Summers are delightful here as wide variety of butterflies spread their vibrant wings to paint the surrounding with their magnificent colours and one can get pleasure from the sugary sound of birds playing magical flute in your ears.

2) Chopta: In case you are planning to visit Switzerland and falling short of money then don’t you worry! This place called Chopta known as ” Mini Switzerland” may sound weired to your ears in comparison to Switzerland but its beauty will definitely surprise you.

It is a small region of meadows and evergreen forest which make this place an unblemished beauty including ample range of flora and fauna. Chopta looks even more delightful during the winter months, due to the snowfall here from December to March and at that particular period the two most famous temples Tungnath and Chandrashila appear like an Igloo as they get fully covered with layers of snow.

This place is even popular among birdwatchers because one can easily search for abundance of birds.The place is also very well known for camping and trekking in summers, and for snow trekking and snow skiing in winters. Travellers can also enjoy yoga, rock craft, rock climbing, rappelling which are also among the most exciting adventurous activities here. If you want to capture some everlasting memories in your camera then monal birds and musk deers are the ultimate click for you.

3) Pithoragarh: It is considered as the gateways to the Himalayas from the north because many Pilgrims trek through this route to Kailash, Lake Mansarovar and Om Parvat. This place is also known for its distinctive culture. The whole region celebrates Saradotsav festival together and people from the various districts performed local folk dances and songs. The main attractions are Askot Wildlife Sanctuary, Patal Bhuvaneshwar and Mahakali Temple of Gangolihat. The Mahakali temple has an aura of mystery because during the dark hours of night the spirits are believed to have a free sway outside the temple premises.

Whereas, Patal Bhuvaneswar gives a very heavenly experience as devotees enter the temple through a narrow tunnel and the main passage take devotees towards several small caves which are carved with images of diverse Gods & Goddesses. The cave temple of Patal Bhuvaneshwar is traditionally believed to be the habitat of thirty three crore deities. It is also a popular destination for trekking and paragliding.

4) Landour: Landour is located in the Mussorie range of the Western Himalyas, the heavy rainfall during monsoon, gives it the most beautiful view. It is the home of India’s most prominent author Ruskin Bond, this pretty town close to Dehradun is like a crown on the ‘queens of hills’ head.

The best way to explore Landour is on foot or on cycle. One can find tranquillity with a variety of trees like Oak, Pine, deodar etc. The main attractions of this town are Laal Tibba, Church of St. Paul, Kellogg’s Memorial Church, Four Shops (Chaar Dukan) and Landour Language School. The Sisters’ Bazar is the haven for homemade jam and cheese supply, which is the novelty of this sleepy hamlet. Devdar Woods provide reasonably accommodation and food. The mouthwatering pizza’s you get here are made with fine local ingredients in an old German baking style.

Therefore, so much attractiveness of this small town is something one should not miss.

5) Kasauni: The joyful place for travellers and a paradise for any writer make Kasauni an ideal destination to spend weekend in the most dazzling valley. This beauteous hill is also known for Kasauni Tea Estate, enveloped in lush greenery produces the finest quality tea leaves. So, if you’re a tea lover then there is always an option to take back home the tea from Kausani Tea Estate. There are more secrets to be revealed, you know despite being a small hill station the area offers the special hand-made Kausani shawls, handicrafts, pickles, marmalades, jams and woolens.

It also provides a panoramic view of the massive Himalayan peaks such as Trishul and Nanda Devi. This scenic place is the birth place of an eminent poet Sumitra Nanadan Pant who wrote many poems, praising the beauty of Kausani. This place had even felt the presence of Mahatma Gandhi once, he was so much allured by its aesthetic beauty that he compared this mighty landscape with Switzerland. He said, “Here the day unfolds with the melodious chirpings of the colourful birds and ends with the sweet lullaby of the gentle words”. In Anashakti Ashram, there is a museum dedicated to Bapu which showcases personal work, items and memorabilia for public view.

Tourists can discover about the rural life, art, culture and heritage that permeate the Himalayan regions. If you are a spiritual person and love to spend some time in God’s feet then you can visit the Someshwar, Baijnath and Bageshwar temple situated in the vicinity of Kasauni.

Kasauni has been turned into an eco friendly environment to promote eco-tourism which is not only a sustaining way of travelling but also creates an everlasting magical bond between man and nature.

Ek ‘chitti’ Evan Spiegel ke naam

Evan Spiegel,

Sir, You said that “India is a poor country” and trust me I’ve no problem with what you said because this is what you believe. I would like to thank you!, as here, you forced me to think over the problem of the vicious circle of poverty in my country. Sir, in India, the moment you stop your car at the traffic red light, you see a woman with a child in her arm running closer to you or a little boy with running nose banging your car window or a handicapped old man asking for alms. This is a common sight in India. You will find many of these people in both the railway and metro stations, tourist spots, in temples and in many areas where there is a regular crowd. At times, out of sheer pity or out of fear from being cursed by God, we tend to give them some coins, and if not then we simply ignore or shoo them away.

Yes, frequent floods and droughts cause heavy damage to agriculture. Moreover, absence of timely or excessive rain, severely affect country’s agricultural production. The growth of population here exceeds the rate of growth in national income but also lowers the per capita income which tends to increase poverty. Our farmers are committing suicide, living in the atrocious conditions where they are unable either to pay their debts or to earn basic livelihood for their families. This year they even did protest at Parliament Street where they asked for their dues sanctioned by our beloved ministers during budget session which was estimated around Rs. 40,000 crores. If we can give this much portion to our farmers then how can you say us poor? (in spite the fact, that we ourselves don’t know where it actually goes- to pocket of a farmer or somebody else?!)

No one has the right to say us poor because I think you’ve never heard about the number of scams our country had, where thousand crores rupees were involved. Let me tell you about that too- bofor scam, fodder scam, Harshad Mehta scam, common wealth scam, chopper scam, Telgi scam, coal scam, 2G scam etc etc. ( I just stopped myself writing about more because I’ve my final exams next week and I haven’t read anything yet.)

I really don’t know, why our people are cursing you. You are not the first person to say such things about India, we already have many Indian brothers who have already published their books and articles saying India is the world’s poorest country. “India super poor, not superpower,” said Shashi Tharoor to Deccan Chronicle.

But at the same time, we have had APJ Abdul Kalam, I’m sure, you must have heard about this great personality and his works. In his book Lead India 2020: A Vision for the New Millennium Kalam said, developed India by 2020, or even earlier, is not a dream. It need not be a mere vision in the minds of many Indians. It is a mission we can all take up and succeed.

According to the report by New World Wealth, India has been ranked seventh in the list of top 10 wealthiest countries in the world, which was topped by the United States with total individual wealth of $48,700 billion.

India has huge natural resources in terms of natural gas, coal and metal ores. India is the second largest country in the world in terms of GDP. It’s around $2290 billion which is around Rs 1,53,43,000 crore. Demographics-wise India is the country with the youngest population. This means that the dependency ratio is the lowest. So, we are a rich economy, we do have everything that is needed to make our citizens wealth, it is just that we need to be a bit more productive.

Evan, but when you say- SNAPCHAT is not meant for Indians, it’s for rich people not for poor like us. I won’t agree with you here, “India has bypassed Japan to become the world’s third largest Internet user after China and the United States, and its users are significantly younger than those of other emerging economies,” Global Digital Measurement and analytics firm comScore has said in a report.

Unfortunately, due to your remarks on our poor status, You’ve already lost many Indian Snapchat users which must be causing you a heavy loss.

PS: One more thing to say, this is a friend of a person (Swati Garg) who does a lot of snapchats in a day that I can’t even count.

Yours truly,
Shweta Kukreti

Lets Play Holi!

India in all its divinity celebrates its diversity and culture through its various festivals. Holi the festival of colours, epitomises the very spirit of India where every soul is welcomed with a warm embrace of compliance.

Holi is a lively Hindu festival which celebrates the arrival of spring. Its mention can be traced back to the ancient hindu scriptures which associated the festival with worship of the gods as well as celebrating the onset of spring. It falls around the time of the vernal equinox which is traditionally the first day of spring. Several legends and myths are concorded with Holi and although it may be celebrated in different versions throughout India, the underlying purpose remains same, surpassing the evil to celebrate the birth of new.

The legend of holi tells the story of Prahlad, son of the demon king hiranyakashyap who dared to contravene his father’s orders to cease worshipping Lord Vishnu. As a result he was subjected torture and punishment which included him having to sit on a burning pyre with his aunt holika. Holika, who was immune to fire by the god’s grace, miraculously was charred to ashes while the devout young Prahlad remained safe and sound. This story eventually led to the burning of Holika Dahan, one day prior to holi, where a wooden pyre is burnt as a symbol of eradicating the evil so that pious new life grows in the world. Like many spring festivals around the world, it also represents the burning away of the dullness of winter and the mother earth’s beautiful adornment as a newlywed bride during spring.

Holi celebrates the rejuvenation of earth that arrives with the flowers and vivacity of spring. People smear each other with colours traditionally made from flowers, herbs and roots with medicinal value which is considered to act as protection against fevers and illness associated with the change of season. Red, green, yellow, blue and black powders fly from rooftops and in crowded squares and the festival transcends classes and caste. This lively festival is celebrated over several days and includes creating beautiful and intricate rangoli or kolam patterns at the thresholds of houses to bless visitors and those who enter. Exchange of greetings, desserts and fun filled gatherings of family and friends is what makes this festival one of the most awaited festivals in Indian culture. The day after the burning of Holika, some people mark their foreheads with the ashes from the pyre mixed with sandalwood as a symbol of keeping away evil. Though for many people it is a secular holiday, Holi ultimately signifies the triumph of good over evil and of sensual values over spiritual ones.

The people of Odisha celebrate “Dola” on the day of Holi where the icons of Jagannath replace the icons of Krishna and Radha. Dola Melana, processions of the deities are celebrated in villages and bhoga is offered to the deities. “Dola yatra” was prevalent much before Holi was started where the idols of Jagannatha, Balabhadra and Subhadra used to be taken to the “Dolamandapa” (podium in Jagannath temple). People used to offer natural colors known as “abira” to the deities and apply on each other’s feats. dol jatra’ or ‘dol purnima’ is monumentally celebrated in west Bengal one day before holi specially in Shantiniketan where the students of viswa bharati university engage in the frolics of ‘basanta utsav’ with all and sundry. In Bihar holi or phaguwa is celebrated with soulful dholak beats and folksongs and people engage in large numbers to play with colours while enjoying a drink of intoxicating bhaang and other mouth watering delicacies like Gujayia and Kheer.

Holi helps to bring the society together and strengthen the secular fabric of our country. The festival is celebrated by people irrespective of their religion as its charm celebrates the spirit of bonhomie and brotherhood, it is the day when hostility and enmity vanishes into oblivion as the smiles on people’s faces outshine the colours decked on them.