Infographic – Foodwise: Obesity v/s Malnutrition

By Ila Garg

Food is one of the primary needs of sustaining life on the Earth. However, while taking in account the recent dietary patterns, this can be easily noticed that a huge percentage of food produced is actually getting wasted. Now, this wastage can occur at multiple levels. First, at the time of production, the food get wasted and then while shipping too, a great amount of food is lost. Of course, a lot of food is carelessly thrown away. This is perhaps a major reason behind the Global Food Crisis.

According to a study, the food wasted by the United States and Europe alone could feed the world 3 times over. Food wastage has significantly increased in USA since 1974.

In the world where millions die of hunger each day, and many more are struggling hard to make the ends meet, festivals like La Tomatino are celebrated with great enthusiasm. Trucks and trucks of tomatoes are wasted as people throw them at each other and even swim in the tomato pulps. Today, as the 70th Anniversary of La Tomatino festival has recently been celebrated, it is important to evaluate its repercussions.

This festival, originated in Spain, is the largest world's food fight festival and the food wastage that it results in is alarming. Every year, on this day, Spain is painted red as the tsunami of tomatoes take over. Over 40 metric tonnes of tomatoes are used in the fight. Last year, almost 1,50,000 tomatoes were thrown at one another. Ever wondered what happens to those pulped up tomatoes? They get down the drain, what else!

This is a really sad sight!

Team NewsGram recently visited Whole Foods store located in West Loop of downtown Chicago to gain insight into more food facts. The store’s Assistant Manager, Mike and Kitchen Manager, Carlos interacted with the team and revealed some major details.

The cooked food in the buffet area is kept only for four hours (till the time it stays hot), after that the leftover food is disposed off and sent for composting. As per their policy, they do not re-heat the food. In addition, the cooked food being served is monitored for temperature check. The menu includes both vegetarian and non-vegetarian cuisine. The Indian cuisine is included in their menu too.

One doesn’t need a professional degree to be a cook at this store. They train each other to be a part of the store. Whole Foods store has certification process in place and have to comply with the guidelines and recommendations of the city Health Department. A log book is maintained for the food being served and all items are entered in it to keep a track and have an eye on logistics.

A food bank van arrives at the store on a daily basis to collect the leftovers. It is Whole Foods’s policy to donate the food to the food banks or nonprofits for poor people. It is indeed a welcome move and others must take the inspiration.

The article first appeared on NewsGram.

Operation India One - Book Review

Operation India One
By Shiv Kumar
Review By Ila Garg

Operation India One, a novel by Shiv Kumar, is published by Om Books International. The cover is intriguing and impressive at the same time. It speaks volumes about the plot of the book and manages to attract the readers. The title too sounds good as more and more people are taking interest in knowing about the many different army operations. It also arouses nationalistic feelings at first glance.

Hailing from Patna, a commercial tax officer in Government of Bihar (India) – Shiv Kumar had previously worked as an engineer in BHEL (A Government of India Undertaking) for nine years. He has travelled extensively throughout India during the course of his work which comes in handy during his writings.

He is deeply passionate about reading and writing and mostly prefers subjects which provide an insight into issues concerning contemporary Indian social reality. Other genres that he is fond of are travel writing, thriller and crime fiction. 

Operation India One is his second book after A Metro Nightmare.

The blurb reads as, “Dedicated police officer, ACP Gautam Dhaliwal, takes it upon himself to root out the MAF, a major Naxal organization based in the remote village of Bhagatpur, Bihar, as part of the central government backed, ‘Operation India One’. As his investigations on the ground progress, however, he uncovers behind the official facade of development that he had set out to defend, an ugly nexus of unscrupulous politicians, bureaucrats and businessmen feeding off the oppression of the underprivileged. Torn between his commitment to the Indian State and the sympathy he begins to feel for the miserable plight of the people of the area and the supposed terrorists fighting for them, an agonized ACP Dhaliwal is forced to rethink his earlier views on the meaning of one’s responsibility towards one’s fellow countrymen.”

The book is laced with realism and precisely, this is one reason why readers will find themselves hooked to the book despite its length. This is a story centered on Naxalite affected area of Bhagatpur, Bihar. The plot is very different from regular chicklets. In fact, the genre is very different from the ones floating in the market.

A secret mission is planned by intelligence Bureau (IB) to eliminate MAF, a Naxal organization which is located in a remote village of Bhagatpur, Bihar. In the course of this mission, ACP Gautam Dhaliwal got involved after arresting MAF chief in a raid in Delhi. It is interesting to note the precision with which the author has given the details which can be seen when he introduces Charulata who is the second in command of MAF chief. She takes over after the chief’s arrest and comes out as even more aggressive. Meanwhile, Gautam who had gone to Bhagatpur for IB’s secret mission runs into his college acquaintance, Nisha who is spearheading an NGO there. Gautam’s interaction with Nisha and other villagers widens his perspective and moves him to take drastic decisions which then affect his life and also Operation India One.

The story moves in a flow and nowhere will a reader feel any disconnect. People who enjoy thriller and mystery will find it engaging. The subject is tackled beautifully by the skillful author. Indian politics come to the fore and makes the plot action packed, full of twists and turns.

The detailed account of Naxal problem and the power-play by Indian politics add to the USP of the book. Also the language is easy to comprehend. There were some editing and proofreading flaws, but they can be ignored in the light of a good plot.

How the Naxalite affected the local population, and how the government reacted to it, the inefficiency of the Indian political system that came to the fore are some of the many reasons why you will keep turning the pages to find out what happens in Operation India One. Another reason that would keep you glued to this book would be the action sequences.

Further, this 349 page book is good enough to expose the double standards of Indian politics. What makes it stands out is the realistic approach that the author took in narrating the entire episode. However, the characterization could have been better. It’s a light read and overall a compelling book.

Shiv Kumar lives in Patna with his wife, Sarika, and daughter, Lavanya, and can be contacted at shiv5180@gmail.com.

Ratings: 3/5

Buying Links: Amazon | Infibeam | Shimply | Rediff

This (Unbiased) book review is a part of "The Readers Cosmos Book Review Program". To get free books log on to thereaderscosmos.blogspot.com. Thanks Nimi Vashi for giving me the opportunity to read such a nice book!

Lybrate: Interactive healthcare on your smartphone

By Ila Garg

So you always thought ‘Jaduu Ki Jhappi’ (warm cuddle) works? Do you like taking your friend’s advice or do you prefer trying out your granny’s age-old anecdotes to avoid seeing a doctor for your day to day health issues?

Your healthcare worries now have a new answer.

With advancement in technology, healthcare is also getting swifter. Gone are the days of long hours in the waiting-room or traveling miles to reach the best hospitals to get the required treatment!

Now, your health is in your hands (literally). Your smartphone is not just a phone but is a bridge between you and your doctor. Lybrate has recently launched a mobile app with which the user can easily book appointments without having to wait. It is designed to reduce the hassle involved in finding the right doctor and lets the patient receive the best healthcare with just few taps.

www.medicaldialogues.in

What does Lybrate do?

Lybrate is a revolutionary healthcare platform where patients can easily find the right doctors without the worry of being misled. They have recently launched an app along with the website to address healthcare worries. It has a WhatsApp-like interface that ensures a user-friendly approach.

It assures an interactive doctor-patient engagement so that the patient can get quick treatment and in the best possible manner.

Now you can get proper health care and stay healthy on the go! The most attractive feature of this app by Lybrate is perhaps the healthcare tips it offers, right on your mobile phones. It advises you to ways to eat healthy, check salt and sugar intake, take proper sleep, drink plenty of water, take stairs, etc.

Image Source: Twitter

Lybrate has over 80,000 doctors registered from across the country catering to all kinds of ailments. A patient can simply use the app to chat with top doctors of India and get useful tips to stay healthy and happy. The app can also help to reach out to doctors from different cities and consult them.

Talking about Lybrate’s immense potential in helping patients, Dr Anil Mehta, a reputed general physician in Delhi, said, “This new feature works just like WhatsApp – I can now respond to patient queries in real time via mobile and in doing so I can quickly treat every day ailments as well as see early detection of major issues. I strongly recommend Lybrate to all my patients.”

Lybrate has a video calling facility too through which users can consult the doctor face to face in order to get a better treatment.

Other lucrative features included in the app are:

Ask Health-related Questions: You have a question related to health and don’t know who to ask? Now Lybrate allows you to ask questions anonymously in an open forum or privately to the trusted doctor of your choice.

Get Opinions: When you post your health-related questions in an open forum, you can easily get multiple opinions by trusted doctors who are specialised in the concerned area.

Daily Health Bytes: The user can also get precious health tips and suggestions on a wide range of health issues from trusted doctors. Prevention is after all better than cure.

Image Source: Twitter

Personalized Health Planners: Get disease-specific healing tips from expert doctors to heal better at home. This feature is extremely useful for pregnant women, people undergoing some kind of surgery, physiotherapy patients, and the like, in which every day care is critical and travelling much isn’t advisable.

Manage Medical Records: The app ensures that your medical records are well-maintained. One can simply click pictures and upload the documents on the cloud to access them anytime, anywhere, and never fear losing them.

The best thing is Lybrate is offering all these features for FREE.

Dr Nikita Kothari, a reputed homeopath from Mumbai, shares her experience of using the app: “Lybrate’s new Q&A feature allows me to answer questions from the general public located all over India. By creating an online reputation through high quality answers to these queries, I am able to build and grow my practice like no other way possible. Lybrate is a win-win situation for both doctors and patients.”

Lybrate is founded by Saurabh Arora, a former Facebook mobile data scientist, who shared his vision saying, “By introducing Q&A, we will facilitate a culture where people query doctors directly and get an immediate response – no waiting rooms, no appointments needed. Lybrate’s vision is to bring the wealth of country’s finest doctors and their expertise to every Indian irrespective of their geography or social standing. We have tasked ourselves to create India’s first ‘Health-for-all’ platform that’s easy to use and economically viable, like healthcare should be.”

Funded by Nexus Venture Partners, India’s leading venture capital fund, Lybrate’s vision is clear. They aim to reach out to even the remotest areas where even the basic healthcare facilities still lack.

Image Source: Twitter

CrediHealth is yet another healthcare startup that runs on similar lines. It has a dedicated website and an app too.

With apps like Lybrate and CrediHealth at our fingertips, India can now stay healthy without a single crease on the forehead!

Memoirs of veteran mountaineer Romen Banerjee

By Arnab Mitra and Ila Garg

Born on June 20, 1951, and brought up in North Kolkata, Romen Banerjee is a veteran mountaineer. The scenic beauty of mountains had always attracted him, since his childhood days. He grew up to be the first civilian of India to conquer Mt Everest in 1971.

At the age of 20 when he was a second-year commerce student, he took conquering peaks as his mission. He along with six other members of Balak Sangha mountaineer club started their mission from the highest peak of the world, that is, Mt Everest. He successfully scaled the deadly heights of Mt Everest with the help of two sherpas, namely, Ang Tshering and Pemba Doorjie. It took him 11 days to reach the peak and complete his first mission.

It was on June 19, 1971, that he finally reached the peak, and was subsequently honoured by the West Bengal government for becoming the first Indian civilian to conquer Everest. This victory was enough for him to start off with the expedition of conquering all the prominent peaks of the world. His achievements include scaling the peak of Kanchenjungha in 1973, Nanda Devi in 1974, Sandakphu in December of 1974, Dodda Betta in 1975 and broad peak in 1977. He then joined IMF in 1981 and alongside managed two schools in Garwal.

Banerjee, at present, works as a teacher in Himalayan Mountaineer Association. He is also a member of IMF Eastern region. He actively participates in different camps and continues to inspire young mountaineering enthusiasts. 

Indian Diaspora: Dissecting the incredible

By Ila Garg

Since the beginning of civilisation, people have been migrators. In India too, diaspora has a history of more than 2,000 years. From Kanishka dynasty to Cholas, many people have dispersed in and out. They were popularly known as gypsies across the world.

credit: www.facenfacts.com

The term diaspora has draws its roots from the Greek lingua and it means distribution, or dispersal. Many people in the past have spread across the globe due to multiple reasons under different circumstances. However, there was no term to define this dispersion.

Diaspora was first used for Jews who were scattered worldwide, but these days diaspora can be applied to anyone residing away from their native land.

An overview of Indians residing abroad

According to the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs, an estimated population of 25 million (2,84,55,026) Indians are presently living overseas. See the table for detailed stats:

Area	Population of Indians
USA	44,55,909
Saudi Arabia	28,00,013
Malaysia	21,50,000
UAE	20,02,349
UK	18,25,000
Sri Lanka	16,14,000
South Africa	15,50,000
Canada	10,16,185
Singapore	7,00,000
Thailand	1,70,000
Spain	54,974

These statistics are too high. With so many Indians living abroad, Indian Diaspora becomes an invincible topic of discussion.

What is Indian Diaspora?

Indians living abroad come under the blanket of Indian diaspora. These days, they are often called NRIs (Non-Residential Indians). Diaspora is very special to Indians; the reason being Indian Diaspora is the largest diaspora counting to about 25 million people who are scattered worldwide. With such a large Indian-origin population residing away from their motherland, there are huge chances of intermingling of languages, cultures, and religious practices.

In literature too, very often one stumbles upon this term ‘Indian Diaspora’ and why not? Eminent author Salman Rushdie, who writes extensively about his memories of India, caters to the Indian Diaspora.

How did Indian Diaspora start?

Gypsies (Romani people)

Indian diaspora came to the fore around 2,000 years ago and Indian people who travelled across in northwest direction to settle down in European and American countries were more often known as gypsies (or Romani people) by the English-speaking lot. These gypsies mainly originated from Rajasthan in India.

Modern Indian diaspora roughly started around 1800s with the arrival of East India Company in India. As the demand for sugarcane planters increased, millions of Indians were forcefully taken to the Caribbean island nations as indentured labourers. Later, it also assumed the murky form of slavery.

Thus, the dispersion to the middle-east nations was at times, mobile in nature. Even today, many Indians travel to the Caribbean nation. They work there for a short span of about six months and return. There can be many reasons for their return to India; for some, it can be the relations that they leave behind. For others, it can be the Indian culture that they carry in their heart. The link with the native country is what makes this diaspora so significant for India and Indians.

What does being Indian mean? What exactly is Indian-ness?

People can disperse anywhere but the emotional connection with the motherland can’t be done away with in an instant. Indians can be scattered worldwide, but the ‘Indian-ness’ goes along with them. After all, it is India where they belong to. The emotional, cultural, and spiritual links with the country are not marred and thus Indians residing abroad often end up creating their own little India wherever they go.

So what does it mean to be an Indian? There is no earmarked definition for being an Indian. On the contrary, being Indian is a feeling and an emotion in itself. It can vary from person to person. From the snow-covered mountains in the north to the deep blue oceans in the south, and from the beautiful valleys in the east to the sand dunes in the west, India is a diverse and incredible country.

Consequently, being Indian is a very personal expression. It means to imbibe the diversity and yet live in harmony. India as the golden bird has welcomed the pluralistic ideas in the past, resulting in an extensive cultural diversity. The tri color flag fluttering in the air and the tune of the national anthem are enough to germinate pride in the heart of every Indian. The waft of spicy Indian cuisine, the beautiful architecture, the congested old lanes, the smilingly innocent villagers, the youngsters imitating the dialogues from Hindi movies, the indigenous music and others characterise ‘Indian-ness’.

Mothers worrying for their children; fathers going beyond their comfort zones to ensure smile on their children’s faces; the unsaid family bonds and many other factors are uniquely embedded in India. Praying to millions of gods and goddesses and the management of pompous Indian weddings make India a truly colorful nation, and perhaps they act as identity-markers when they interact with the natives of other nations.

So what makes Indians travel abroad? And what keeps them linked to their motherland? Is it the relations that they leave behind, the memories, or something else? How do they survive in a different land and what are their experiences there?

All these questions firmly hold ground but they will be unravelled in the NEXT…

Pahala- a village flourishing with Rasgulla Business

By Ila Garg and Arnab Mitra

 

An inescapable fragrance of sweets imbues the streets of Pahala, a place between Cuttack and Bhubaneswar. Innumerable sweet shops, on either side of the road, are definitely an amazing sight to savour on.

Kelu Charan Mohanty, the man behind the fame of Pahala told NewsGram, “It was way back in 1965 when I came here and opened my first sweet shop. Initially, we sold sweets at a price of Re 1 per piece.”

When asked from where had he learnt the art of making Rasgulla, he said, “I joined the famous KC Das sweet shop in the year 1945, and worked there for 20 years. But soon the monotonous routine started to bore me; it was then that I decided to make Rasgullas on my own at my native place.”

In 60’s Pahala had no facilities, nothing at all. Illiteracy and malnutrition were widespread. The lack of electricity added to the plight. The only source of income for the people was mushroom farming.




Mohanty’s initiative inspired the natives and from the initial one shop, Pahala gradually made way for almost hundred and fifty shops. Once a village stricken in poverty, Pahala is now filled with well to do families. The natives now own good homes and their children are well educated too. But the most interesting fact is that the family members are still devoted to the Rasgulla business and even the raw materials that they use are all home-made.



About a hundred and fifty shops are spread in a stretch of 2 kms on the national highway, where the artisans work hard every day to make delicious Rasgullas. The Rasgullas are priced at a very reasonable rate that ranges between Rs. 3 to Rs. 6 per piece.

The economy of Pahala villages is thus, based on the Rasgulla business, and according to Harihar Behra, “The profit per day varies between Rs. 1000 to Rs. 2000, and during the festive seasons it reaches to Rs. 3000.” Regardless of all the expense made on the shop maintenance and other amenities, the owner is able to save around Rs. 1000 per day easily.




The sweets are made using some extraordinary techniques. At first, cheena is processed for around five hours in a wooden stove to make it thin. Then tiny cheena balls are made, which are then processed for two hours in slightly saccharine water. They ensure that the end product is ready by 4 PM to be sold in the shops. The shops remain open till 9 PM. Besides Rasgulla, they also make different kinds of sweets like cheena bada, ledikeni, swarvaja and other delicious sweets.

They also supply Rasgullas to the other shops of Orissa. In addition, they get orders for different occasions, like marriage ceremony and birthday party. The quality and taste of their Rasgullas get appreciated across the nation. They are now trying to conquer the markets of Kolkata too. Their sweets are also sent to Sussex, England and other parts of the world.



Pahala narrates the story of about hundred and fifty odd artists who work hard every day and yet these people are neglected by the government. Even the condition of roads is pathetic here and it often hampers their daily business. But, the artists never compromise with their creation. It can be seen as the infamous village came to limelight due to the struggle and dedication of the people of Pahala.

Go Solar: The new mantra

By Ila Garg

Opting for renewable energy is fast becoming the new trend. Every other household is finally seeing the benefits of solar energy: a source of electricity that is renewable, off-the-grid, clean, distributed and most importantly, affordable.

India can be most benefited from this renewable energy as more than half of the population still lives in rural areas where the grid cannot reach. These remote areas have therefore never seen electricity. They are lurking in the darkness as the world progresses each day. Now, India can finally move out of the darkness and into light, with at least 55 cities being developed as solar cities.

Taking a step towards solarising India, on Thursday, Delhi Power Minister Satyendra Jain released a Delhi Solar Energy Policy 2015 draft. This Policy aims at generating 1,000 MW of solar power in the next five years. This will help in resolving power cut worries quite easily.



At an event at the secretariat, Satyendra Jain remarked, “To promote solar energy, solar panels will be installed on the roof-tops of every government building and we’ll start with the Delhi Secretariat.”

The minister also revealed that a tender for 5MW solar power generation has been floated. “We have a target to generate 1,000 MW of solar power in the next five years and 2,000 MW by 2025,” he said.
He further added, “This solar policy will promote a rapid growth of solar power, especially from the roof-top source, via a combination of generation targets, regulations, mandate and incentives. This will also promote net-metering and grid connectivity for all solar plants.”

If all goes well, very soon, every household in Delhi will not only have access to an uninterrupted power supply but also save on the electricity bills.

Earlier, the Rajasthan government had approved of an investment of Rs. 1.56 lakh crore in the solar power sector. Sighting the benefits of solar power, the world’s first 12 MW solar power plant was inaugurated by Kerala’s chief minister at the Kochi airport. No wonder the newest metro line added to Delhi metro is NCR’s first solar equipped metro line.

Overseas, China too has already started building its largest solar plant to meet its voluptuous power needs. That’s not all. The enormous usage of this clean, green energy will leave you astonished; the first solar-powered aircraft Solar Impulse 2, made its first successful flight on 3 July, 2015.



The initial installation cost is a little on the higher side. However, since the cost can be recovered in a span of a few years, it remains a lucrative deal. Also, the enormous benefits cannot be ignored. What makes solar power the talk of the town is the fact that it is 100% eco-friendly and can reach the areas where the grid cannot.

Does that mean we will see a solar world soon?

Anything To Look Hot - Book Review

Anything To Look Hot
By Jas Kohli
Review By Ila Garg

Anything To Look Hot, a novel by a plastic surgeon and writer Dr. Jas Kohli, is published by Srishti Publishers and Distributors. The cover is apt and thoroughly intriguing for the readers. Wasim Helal has done a good job with the cover art. The title too manages to attract the readers as everyone wants to look hot these days.

A plastic surgeon by profession and a writer by passion – Dr. Jas Kohli had started his training as a surgeon twenty years back. Though during all those years, he hadn’t imagined that one day he would be exposing the secretive world of plastic surgeons and their clients. He takes keen interest in astronomy, music and bird-watching. Anything To Look Hot is his literary debut. Through his writings, he aims to foster a stronger doctor-patient bond.

The blurb reads as, “When the superstar diva of the past decade doesn’t want to play the hero’s mother on screen, she insists that she be reshaped into the most beautiful woman in the world…by any means.

This is just one of the many odd situations which plastic surgeon Dr. Dhruv faces in Mumbai. He has dealt with tyrannical bosses and finicky patients while undergoing his training, during which he has also won over a stunning doctor as his life partner. But satisfying the movie stars is a different ball game, because every girl wishes to have bee-stung lips, and every guy wants to flaunt a six-pack abdomen without working too hard. And all this while, he has to resist losing his balance over his ravishing female clients.

Dr. Dhruv’s journey surpasses even a masala movie for humour, drama and action. In debunking many a myth about cosmetic surgeries, the book will enthrall those who can do Anything to Look Hot.”

The book is laced with realism and gives a deeper insight into the world of doctors through elaborate descriptions. This is a story centered on Dr. Dhruv and how he deals with the situations at hand. The plot is very different from regular chicklets. How he clears the entrance test for the M.Ch (Master of Chirurgiae) course, marries a fellow doctor and lets her stay at a hostel for 3 years to pursue her academic dreams is wonderfully weaved into the story. The various demands of the patients and how Dr. Dhruv tackles them is actually interesting.

The story moves in a flow and nowhere will a reader feel any disconnect. Though it is a Medical Fiction but any reader can be engaged with the storyline. The subject is tackled beautifully by the skillful author. Through Dr. Dhruv, Jas Kohli takes us into the world of doctors and also describes what happens when a mishap happens during any operation. For instance, if a patient dies during a surgery, the relatives start accusing the doctor of being a murderer, which is very sad.

Excerpt from the book: ‘Sir, even after working dedicatedly for donkey’s years in the hospital, I could be called a murderer and possibly assaulted for an act of God.’‘See, we Indians have wild mood swings. When the Indian cricket team performs badly, the public goes to the extent of burning effigies of the star players. The relatives had an irrational but firm belief that the wrong injection had been given to the child. So they refused to buy your explanations.’

The romance intermingled with humour add to the USP of the book. Also the language is easy to comprehend and style of narration is unique and fresh. The ease with which the life of a plastic surgeon is brought to the fore is good to read, the instrumental role that his dreams played in his tale, and how he fell in love and found his soulmate are some of the many reasons why you will keep turning the pages to find out what happens in Anything To Look Hot. Another reason that would keep you glued to this book would be the beauty with which a flawed character Dr. Dhruv is unfolded.

Further, this 196 page book is well written and moves beyond the regular romance novels. What makes it stands out is the realistic approach that the author took in characterizing Dr. Dhruv who is at once a plastic surgeon with the eye of a falcon and courage of a tiger, and also a keen explorer with love for astronomy. It’s a light read and one can easily carry it while travelling to read along.

My Verdict: To find out whether Dr. Dhruv becomes a successful surgeon or not, how he managed to survive the pangs of separation from a girl who he loved dearly, how he finally found a girl he could live the rest of his life with and how he treated his long list of clients with great concentration and endurance, and what happened with him in the end; you will have to read the novel, Anything To Look Hot.

Dr. Jas Kohli does come across as a promising writer!

Ratings: 3.7/5

Buying Links: Rediff | Amazon | Infibeam

In your arms...

I love the feeling of being in your arms,
I feel safe in your embrace, in your warmth.
The way you look at me is special, it disarms,
Your lips on mine are gentle, soft, and irresistible.

Something in me breaks every time;
you go silent, I can cry oceans but then;
I close my eyes, only to find you there in my rhyme,
And then I crave to hear that soothing voice of yours!

I love to see 'us' as one and not fragmented,
Yet I call off each time only to hurt myself more than you.
And for all this pain, I apologize. You keep me grounded,
away from harm when all I want is to be 'me'.

I don't wish to give up on 'us', and I won't,
I will continue to see the dream that I once shunned.
Because your alluring eyes continue to haunt,
And your voice is still resounding in my ears.

Many a times, your feelings you have unfurled,
You left me craving for more when you put down the pen.
And yes, we can be two people for the world,
But in the moment we kissed, our souls united as 'one'!

Tonight I feel...

Tonight, I feel hollow inside, 
Like something has broken beyond repair. 
Darkness has taken over the light, 
As I feel trapped in an endless tunnel. 
They say that at the end of the tunnel, 
You shall find the light that you seek. 
But I seem to have lost direction, 
As I keep coming back to where it all began! 
I hear faint voices, but no one hears me. 
I bleed but no one is there to heal me.
So I choose to use my blood as ink, 
To give vent to the pain flooding inside me. 
I cry endlessly, but it is all in vain, 
I want to be hugged so tight; 
That the pain in my heart subdues. 
I want to be rescued tonight, 
So that my heart can beat again. 
And then my heartbeats can mingle, 
And create a symphony with my beholder. 
No promises, no strings attached! 
As they only cause pain and hurt. 
Tonight I choose to bear it all, 
Only in hope of a better tomorrow...

Post Ganesha Chaturthi: Delving on eco-friendly alternatives

By Ila Garg

Every year, Ganesha Chaturthi is celebrated across the nation with great pomp and show. It is a 10-day festival that Hindus celebrate with great fervour during the month of Bhadra (23 August-22 September) in accordance with the Hindu calender. The preparations begin months ahead of the event as hundreds of artisans start making Ganesha idols and paint them in beautiful colors. Many tourists too love to visit India to witness the proceedings of Ganesha Chaturthi as the excitement that this festival brings with itself is unparalleled.

Streets of Mumbai go berserk as innumerable hues and countless tunes take over to celebrate the birthday of our elephant-headed God, Ganesha.

However post festival, the water pollution caused by immersion of idols cannot be ignored. The idols, made up of toxic materials like Plaster of Paris, cement, plastic, and clay do not dissolve in water easily and later they create a layer on the water surface. This layer then cause breathing and surviving difficulty for fish and other aquatic creatures. And, that’s not all! The paints used to colour the idols contain mercury and lead. The plastic and cement used in the idols takes months to dissolve and yet the residue is left lurking near the debris. Also, the water’s acid content increases post the festival due to the immersion of idols. This polluted water not only hits the flora and fauna adversely but also causes diseases like skin irritation and others.

After the immersion, no steps are taken to clean the water so the pollution aggravates the problem. The Yamuna River in Delhi suffers to a large extent due to the immersion of idols. “Even after the immersion, no one from the (municipal) corporation comes to clean the riverbank. The locals collect the bamboo from the river bank for their own use. This practice is seen every year. The MCD comes to just put the road in order,” said Bhubaneswar, a local resident.

Rajesh, a member of a puja committee from Noida Sector 76, said, “The clay used for making Durga idols in Kolkata is always recommended because it gets absorbed in the water. Idols made of Plaster of Paris are not good because they release a lot of chemicals. The government should make alternate arrangements for immersion of Ganesha idols.”

This problem has persisted for many years now. The number of idols immersed increases every year. This year, the 10-day festival that ended on September 18 saw at least six lakh idols immersed in small lakes, rivers, and seas across Maharashtra. Many more idols were immersed nationwide. Imagine the amount of pollution that this would cause due to the toxins used in the idols!

“Every year we come here for Visarjan. There is no alternate arrangement. We don’t want to pollute the Yamuna but can’t help it. Every year the Yamuna gets dirty during Ganesha festival and Durga Puja, the government should do something about it. There is so much space near the ghat. The government should make separate arrangement for immersion. The sages and seers of our country should come forward and create awareness about it. Only then, this practice would change for the better,” said Somesh Lal, an engineer and a member of the puja committee in Delhi.

On September 16, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) came out with an order to ban the immersion of idols made of plastic and Plaster of Paris. As awareness is finally spreading, people have started working towards finding eco-friendly alternatives of celebrating Lord Ganesha’s birthday. Many organizations have addressed this issue and are actively coming up with eco-friendly Ganesha idols that are made of biodegradable materials and thus they can be safely immersed in the water. They also encouraged people to immerse the idols in tanks instead of rivers or seas to keep a check on the pollution.

In this regard, while on one hand a Mumbai-based NGO launched the #GodSaveTheOcean campaign, on the other hand, a Bengaluru-based organisation, ‘To Make a Difference’ (TMAD) manufactured 9-inch long eco-friendly Ganesha idols and home-delivered them to several houses this year.

Recently, the Human Resource Development Centre also started a Skill Development Scheme under which a small group of women made idols using bio-degradable materials. Two self-driven citizens of India– Shashi Shah who is an IT consultant and a Bengaluru-resident along with his friend Subru– started a company called Mudpiez this year. This company delivers ocean-friendly Ganesha idols and also offers to pick the idols for the immersion to ensure that the idols are immersed in an eco-friendly manner and not merely dumped in lakes, rivers, and seas. It is indeed a welcome move.

www.hungryforever.com

The eco-friendly Ganesha idols have been discussed upon a lot of times in the past but this year, we saw the execution of the idea. However, what came across as the most innovative way of celebrating an eco-friendly Ganesha Chaturthi was the idol that was made up of chocolate. A Mumbai-based baker Rintu Kalyani Rathod became an inspiration when she chose to make a 38 inches tall Ganesha idol with 35 kg of chocolate. It took her 50 hours to do so. What she did next is perhaps the most-amazing part of this whole idea. She immersed the chocolate Ganesha idol in milk and then she distributed it among hundreds of underprivileged kids. This served two purposes; firstly, it didn’t cause any pollution and secondly, by spreading happiness among the poor kids, she earned a lot of love and blessings.

Next year, for Ganesha Chaturthi, let us bring eco-friendly Ganesha idols to our homes and save the environment without hampering the festivity.

(With quotes from IANS)

The article first appeared on NewsGram.

I am Siachen…

How am I ever gonna say all that is there in my mind, I wonder! Earlier, I tried to give you a glimpse of a retired soldier's journey when I posted I am coming home - a poem very close to my heart. 

Now, this is the least I could do as my mind took me the cold, wild, harsh fronts of Siachen. A land that is silent and violent at the same time. I am Siachen... is therefore an attempt to bring you face to face with the toughest battlefield in the world. Compared to LOC, this place has remained forgotten and not been an active part of the "news". However, this place is no less than a hell for the soldiers who serve there. It is strategically important for keeping a hold on Ladakh and Kashmir too. Therefore, in spite of the hardships and the harsh weather conditions, soldiers consider it their pride to serve a tenure of 90 days here.

Siachen is known for the legendary soldiers like Capt. Bana Singh (PVC) who went against all odds to capture the Quaid Post in 1987 (now named Bana Top) and regained control of this place. I and my partner in crime, Shwetabh Mathur dedicate this poem to the dare devilries like these and we salute the utmost commitment of every soldier who has dared or will dare to serve under the extreme weather conditions of Siachen.

So up, close, and personal - Here's Siachen for you - the most unforgiving battlefield of the world! Come walk with us as we march through this cold, numb, bone-chilling land. My friends, my lovers, my companions - Let us all go hand in hand...

"I am Siachen..."

I am Siachen… the land of wild roses.

I am the highest, coldest battlefield of the world, the bone of contention between two countries.

Life is anything here… but rosy.

At 21000 feet above sea level and temperature as low as -65° C, I can be a cold hell; sometimes even worse than the arctic.

Yet those guarding me go about their job in the bone-chilling climate which freezes weapons and makes walking a mammoth task.

I cover an area of 700 kms… for I am Siachen.

The more “active” of my counterpart extends till here – the LOC.

The world treats me as a demonic place where angels fear to tread and death seems to be something which lurks at every corner for the soldiers.

But believe me, it’s not me who takes their lives, it’s my climate which is too extreme for their bodies.

The melting glaciers and avalanches aren’t my fault too, yet I am seen as a brat.

I am Siachen…the land of wild roses.

I have seen wars fought for my control; such heroic sagas are embedded in my history.

I have witnessed Operation Meghdoot in 84 and then Rajiv in 87.

I have seen sweat turn to ice, fingers and limbs lost to frostbite more than hostile fire.

Where kerosene stoves are used just to keep weapons warm, the green parkas becomes black, food comes from cans and oranges become hard as cricket balls.

Where hunger and appetite take a backseat at these heights and food is eaten just to keep the body energized.

Where choppers behave like oversized bumblebees.

Where artillery guns have opened up in support of the soldiers whenever needed.

I have seen Lt. Rajeev and others sacrifice themselves in the capture of Quaid post.

I have seen Bana Singh defy elements to capture the same post with just 4 men.

With a fury of a wounded tiger he avenged the death of his comrades and captured the post.

I have seen the dying light and soldiers raging against all odds and elements.

I have seen them climb near vertical walls of ice without second thoughts, for this is what the Siachen battle school trains them to do - where only the fittest are sent to serve.

I am Siachen…

I share the jubilation of the troops at the bada khaana when they return to base camp after 3 months tenure.

They go as soldiers, return as veterans.

I share their gratitude to OP Baba for keeping them safe all throughout.

The faith in him so strong that soldiers vow to keep away from alcohol and tobacco during their tenure.

Ceasefire or not, soldiering continues, if not for surveillance, just to tread on trodden tracks so that the trail does not disappear in the snow.

There are angels here too, they are called as the Air Force and Army Aviators who make sure to keep the posts supplied all the year round in their choppers, in conditions which test both men and machines to their absolute limits.

Leave no men behind is their aim as they help bring casualties back irrespective of the weather.

In spite of all this, I am worried about the ecology of my own area.

Bio-degradable waste generated is a threat to me and I am highly affected pertaining to that.

I can be peaceful and tranquil to the human eye, but my wrath comes to the fore when I am exposed to such treatment.

My glaciers melt away causing avalanches, crevices which can open up suddenly to nearly 100 feet. I die out daily because of the imbalance that is created here.

It causes me pain and sorrow; pain because of my disturbed ecology, sorrow for the ‘purple’ bloodshed.

Soldiers are not born every day, they are special and thus it tears me apart when I see their blood being ‘purple’, so rare, being shed.

What’s the use of all this? Crores being spent on me just to maintain control and vigil on me.

Even then, we share a love and hate relation; they need me and yet tend to go carefree.

For now, I sit here as every year more brave-hearts come to prove their mettle as I pose challenges in front of them, to protect me and then be proud that they searched at Siachen.

For I am… the land of wild roses. I am Siachen…

 

“Quartered in snow, silent to remain… When the bugle calls, they shall rise and march again.

To every man upon the earth death cometh soon or late. And how can a man die better, than facing fearful odds, for the ashes of his fathers, and the temples of his gods”.

- Scroll of honour at Siachen War Memorial.    

 Post Script: This poem is written in collaboration with Shwetabh Mathur