Disability does not mean Inability

It is said that "No eye has seen,no ear has heard and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him." No matter how much you have suffered, how many nights you have spent crying and cursing and how many attempts you have made for that one chance of success. When it's the right time, all your hard work and efforts come together and you get what you desire.

All the above lines stands true in the case of Anjana, a handicapped girl with a special ability. There was a time when she and her family lived on the footpaths of Swarg ashram in Rishikesh and begging was the only resort of their livelihood. But today, she has become a phenomenal artist, she paints with her feet and no one on the way passing by, can ignore the talent and creativity of this girl.

It was year 2015, when an American artist named Stephanie came to Rishikesh and saw that Anjana was trying to scribble something with her feet on the sand. Stephanie was so moved by the persistence of Anjana that she decided to train her the techniques of painting.

Gradually, with all her hard work and talent Anjana started painting on the paper and people started appreciating her work. Now, it takes her only five days of time to prepare a painting and as we all know talent doesn't appeal to any identity.

Now she has got an expertise in her paintings that she had started earning. The lowest price for which her painting is sold is two thousand rupees. Now her family lives in a rented house and she is able to carry their expenses.

People like Anjana are the one's who do not blame their destiny for their present situation. They believe that life has so much more in store for them that they hardly have any time to sulk and curse their stars. They choose to be their own heroes and rise from their hallows.

There is a plan and a purpose and a value to every life, no matter what its location, age, gender and disability. Your excuses or reasons are nothing in front of the determination of such people. Think about it!

PUBG : addiction, rage and trend

Pochinki,winner winner chicken dinner,battlefield,safe zone circles and so on if you are unaware of these words till now, then probably you are living under a rock. All these words or phrases are so common in hearing nowadays as they are used in the online game which has revolutionized the gaming experience of people.

Players unknown battleground or popularly known as PubG, is a game in which a total of 100 players parachute onto a battlefield of their choice. With the help of their gathering skills and survival instincts players have to fend off and kill other players to win. During the gameplay, the safe zone circle in which players will stay safe and not suffer any damage keeps on getting smaller, to make the game much more challenging and interesting. The last man standing is declared the winner, and gets the chicken dinner.

With its graphic intensive playback, PubG is one of the heaviest mobile games with an average file size of 1.63 gb. PUBG can be played solo or in a team of two to four. Matching is automatic and quick. Once the game starts, you get to speak to your friends or chat with them using an on-screen chat box.
After each game, your performance is judged on parameters like survival instincts, damage done, total kills, supplies collected, and support provided to team members.

                             

Recently, PubG has become one of the most popular games on mobile in India, and a recent survey shared by Quartz in partnership with Jana shows that close to 62 per cent of the respondents said they play the game. 

According to a KPMG report, the Indian gaming community had 120 million people back in 2016, and with the help of lowered data costs and games like PUBG will have an estimated worth of $1.1 billion by 2021. Globally, this highly addictive game has over 200 million downloads and 30 million active users.

The popularity of the game can be seen by the facts that there that it has spawned PUBG Mobile Campus Championship with a prize money of ₹50 lakh—a rarity for online gaming tournaments in the country. PubG themed restaurants have also opened in some parts of the country and even Pre wedding photo shoots based on the game theme have also become a trend.

The irony with the game is that it has rolling hills and lush valleys, and there are little villages dotted along the coastlines. Just one thing, though. Everyone here wants to kill you.

Whether you like it or not,you are an addicted player or an amateur, you cannot avoid the impact of the game. The game is so interesting,random and deadly and there’s no escape. Eventually you are going to run into someone else and the consequences will be sudden and devastating. Not only does PUBG let you tell your own stories, it lets you tell the stories that make sense in our times: there is chaos, there is fury, and every encounter is loaded with dread and horror. 

आईना

ये आईना देखता बहुत है

ये आईना बोलता बहुत है।

कभी सच्चाई दिखलाता है,

कभी झूठ से दिल लुभाता है।

हकीकत से झुठलाता है,

तो कभी झुठलाक़े हकीकत दिखता है।

सपनो को जीना सिखाता है,

खुद को खुद से मिलाता है।

मासूम मुस्कान की परछाई बन जाता है,

लेकिन बुराई की छाप अंदर ही समेट जाता है ।

कहने को तो सच्चाई का प्रतिबिंब है,

पर व्यक्तित्व पर खड़े करता प्रश्न चिन्ह है।

बिना बोले सब कह जाता है,

पर न जाने क्यों सब अनसुना रह जाता है।

हर दिन खुद को बदलता है,

हर रंग रूप में ढलता है।

साथ मे हंसता है, साथ मे रोता है।

सच यही कि हर किसी को सच दिखाता आईना,

सच यह भी कि किसी को सच कह न पाता आईना।

Fighters

People who are dealt with a challenging hand are the ones who learn to rise the challenge. People who have faced struggle and adversity are the ones who know best how to overcome it.

People who are broken down, are the ones that come back unbreakable, they have seen the worst and they no longer fear it. The best people are the ones who have to fight the hardest even after knowing that it's not going to be easy, sometimes even lethal. They know in their heart that the best things don't come for free, it requires work, it requires fight.

They know this, because they were not dealt the easy hand of cards when they were young, while others were given a good fortune on a silver plate, they were scraping dreams together on their hands and knees.

They believe that every day in their life is a challenge worth accepting and they are so involved in it that they hardly have time for those who criticise them or bring them down. They are the ones who have stopped dying for others and started living for themselves.

The real strength in them is their ability of opening themselves to the possibility of being broken again and again, their strengths lies in their willingness to take risks and being vulnerable.

They are the real fighters who know that they were born to shine not as a faint ray on a cloudy day but as a bright blaze in all their glory. They were born to breathe a fire at those who constraint them or oppress them, and do their part in making the world a better place and pour their vibrant colors on everything that is black and white.

A Day after Deepawali

The previous night marked the biggest and one of the most popular festivals of Hinduism, Deepawali, which symbolizes the spiritual victory of light over darkness, good over evil and knowledge over ignorance. It is believed that Lord Rama , Lord Lakshman and Goddess Sita returned to Ayodhya after 14 years of exile after defeating Ravana, the demon king of Lanka.

As per our mythology, it was the night of  kartik Amavasya, the darkest night of the year. So the people of Ayodhya decorated the entire kingdom with lamps, diyas and rangolis.

The year is 2018, the five days long Deepawali festival is being celebrated with great pomp and devotion in the country. On the night of the festival of lights, revellers had adorn themselves in their finest and brand new clothes, the streets, shops and homes illuminating with the diyas, candles and worship to Goddess Lakshmi and Lord Ganesh were being offered. And the 'most important' of all fireworks were being lit with their ear deafening sound and breath choking smoke and pollution.

But what happens a day after Deepawali, after an entire night of joy and celebrations? The next morning brings a new challenge along with enthusiasm. Let's have a look at a random colony in a random city of our country.

House no. 1: The solo flag bearers of Modi ji's Swachh Bharat Abhiyan in this colony is this family. These people took the responsibility of cleaning the mess of the firecrackers and other items from the streets. Although they didn't lit any of them but still lending a helping hand to their neighbors.

House no. 2 : The rich family that owns a luxury car and have the biggest house in the locality. Their celebration of diwali was so exotic that it will become a topic of discussion for the next few days in the whatsapp groups of colony members. This family is also a home to their pair of dogs but surprisingly they were the ones to blast crackers till midnight. Not giving any heed to the #poochoverpatakha.

House no. 3: The male members of this family had their best diwali in years. As soon as they woke up, from the last night's hangover they calculated the amount which they won in the jackpot of the Gambling game with their friends as they believed that Goddess Lakshmi has blessed their fortune.

House no. 4 : This home is quite relaxed and hassle free as here lives an old couple which peacefully slept the last night because they both removed their hearing aid machines which helped them in avoiding the noise pollution and chaos in the city. However, in the morning they both discussed the time when Deepawali was actually the 'festival of lights'.

House no. 5 : The family with the maximum population in their house. This morning is truly a challenge for the ladies of the house as they have to clean the house and redecorate themselves and everyone for the Govardhan Pooja. The smallest eight years old member, is all set to blast the leftover crackers with his friends. His continuous nagging and his mother's unsuccessful attempts of luring him with sweets is causing commotion in the house.

House no. 6 :The common middle class family of the colony, who enjoyed their festival with their family and friends. The elder son is now packing his bags to leave as his Diwali vacations is over and he has to be back for work. On the other hand, his little sister is keeping a track of the number of likes and comments she got in her pictures which she uploaded the last night. A representation of a typical Indian family comes when the mother asks her beloved son to stay a little longer but he refuses and the father asks her to not to be emotional this time.

Apart from these families, there was also a group of volunteers in this locality which celebrated Diwali in the best way by providing a shelter to the street animals, distributing sweets and clothes to unprivileged ones and by spreading smiles and love in the community.

Deepawali is all about celebrating the festival with the ones we love the most and not just about fireworks, gambling, or showing off the wealth and power. Let this festival be a reason for everyone to celebrate and share love with each and everyone.

The New Face

And she was never afraid of the camera
She posed and smiled, flattered the audience with her eyes.
The swing in her waist and the joy in her feet.

 The curl of her lips and the curve of the hair streak,
She was a model, and a beauty queen,
The society can't stop her from chasing her dream.
So what, if her was face was burnt,
There were many attributes that made people turn.
People tried and tried to put her down
But there was something else that was making her strong.
He tried to destroy her face,
But she introduced a bright new phase.

"A  phase that broke the myths of the so called beauty trends.
Cause now beauty was not only about pretty faces and makeup blends.
Confidence, bravery and knowledge was the new benchmark,
For it was the end of the era of the plastic dolls and their stupid remarks."

The Birth of Indian Cinema

In the 21st century, one of the most flourishing cinema industry is in India. From the first silent movie Raja Harishchandra and the first talkie Alam Ara to the Bollywood industry,  Indian cinema has evolved to a greater extent and is the one of the most loved and appreciated cinema industry worldwide.

 However,the beginning of  cinema in India is still not known by many people and how cinema came to Mumbai (Bombay) is a lesser known event in the history of Indian cinema.There is a fascinating prequel to the Indian Cinema that goes back to the era of silent films in 1890 and the pioneers of Indian cinema were foreigners, the Lumiere brothers from France.
 

On July 7, 1896 the Lumiere brothers showcased six films at the Watson hotel in Mumbai(then Bombay) and this event marked the advent of cinema in India as we know today. The six films screened that day were : Entry of Cinematographe, The Sea Bath, Arrival of a Train, A Demolition , Ladies and Soldiers on Wheels and Leaving the Factory. The ticket price of this screening was kept at Re. 1 and it was quoted by The Times of India ‘as a miracle of the century’.

Another screening by the Lumiere brothers was held at the Novelty Theatre in Bombay on 14th June, twenty-four films were screened at that day along with Thames at the Waterloo Bridge and A Stormy Sea.

After the film screening by Lumiere brothers in Bombay, cinema became a sensation in India. Later in Calcutta(Kolkata) a professor Stevenson staged a show at the Star Theatre.In the following years, the country had a wave of cinema coming. Using the camera used by Stevenson, Hiralal Sen, an Indian photographer made a motion picture of scenes from that show.

It is also interesting to know that the first ever film to be shot by an Indian was The Wrestlers made in 1898 by H.S. Bhatavdekar, which was depicting a wrestling match in Mumbai’s Hanging Garden. This was also the first documentary film.

Gradually, Indians understood all the technicalities related to the production and distribution of movies. The first full length Indian movie was made by Dadasaheb Phalke( the Father Of Indian Cinema) which was a silent film in 1913, called ‘Raja Harishchandra’. The film was a landmark in the Indian cinema and was a great commercial success too. It inspired many other films in the making.

In the year 1931, India got its first Talkie film Alam Ara, by Ardeshir Irani.

Today, the Indian Film Industry is one of the biggest and fastest growing industries with approx more than 2000 feature films being produced every year and Bollywood being the largest producer of films in India with almost 400 movies releasing every year.

 Like the past, Indian cinema is still continuing to win more and more laurels and awards for the country and the credit for the establishment of Cinema in India goes to the Lumiere brothers, who brought a sensation in the people and ignited the spark towards motion pictures.

A look at the water crisis in India

India is the seventh largest country in the world by geographical area and it is on number 2 in the world when it comes to population and rainfalls. There is a strange relationship between the other two.

We have so much rainfall but then why is India experiencing water shortage? Unfortunately, there is an ecological imbalance on the global scale. India is one of the eight countries which is seriously facing a sharp increase in water crisis that threatens humans,  a huge percentage of the world has no access to sanitation and clean water.

The average person only needs 20 or 30 liters of water, while every Indian consumes a bigger amount everyday for different purposes. Additionally, overpopulation and pollution have also been a cause of water poverty in India. 

 According to the report by NITI Aayog, India is facing the worst water crisis in its history, and 21 Indian cities will run out of groundwater by 2020,highlighting the need for “urgent and improved” management of water resources.

It also warned that the crisis are only going to get worse by 2030, the country’s water demand is projected to be twice the available supply, implying severe water scarcity for hundreds of millions of people.

Currently, 600 million Indians face high to extreme water stress and about 200,000 thousand people die every year due to inadequate access to safe water, said the NITI Aayog report on Composite Water Management Index (CWMI).

The report ranks Gujarat at the top in managing its water resources in the reference year (2016-17) followed by Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Maharashtra.

The worst states include Jharkhand, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.

According to India’s official Ground Water Resources Assessment, more than one-sixth of the country’s groundwater supply is currently overused, which is forcing cities to go for temporary measures like water imports which has economic implications. 

According to the World Bank’s study, water scarcity can affect long-term economic growth prospects. Water scarcity will cost India 6 per cent of its GDP if the country continues to mismanage water resources by 2050. The major impact will be on health, agriculture, income and property. 

Five of the cities likely to face severe water shortage in the next few decades are in India.They are: Delhi, Kolkata, Bangalore, Chennai, and Hyderabad in the order of current population.

The current total population of these five cities comes to around 67.5 million. By 2050, the region colored blue will have around 20 per cent more water. India, too, might have more water but urbanization will increase the population in Indian cities, thereby causing a situation called ‘absolute water scarcity’.

So, is this the right time to say that a country with a number of water resources, rivers, lakes and seas is going through a crisis of clean and potable water? Although, the monsoon season has hit various parts of India and this is the time when the government and the people should really look forward to the ways and methods of utilizing the rainwater which can make up for the wastage of water up to some extent.

Effective utilization of water resources is the only way we can avoid a disaster in the making. Performance around groundwater augmentation can significantly improve with the strengthening of groundwater regulations and strict implementation on the ground.

Steps like the improvement of monitoring network and continuous monitoring of groundwater level and groundwater quality, strict implementation of rainwater harvesting and continuous operation and maintenance of the same will also help states manage their groundwater better.

Some researchers have suggested that water conservation efforts should be primarily directed at farmers, in light of the fact that crop irrigation accounts for 70% of the world’s fresh water use.

As it can clearly be seen that the only way to tackle with this crisis is to ensure the effective utilization and conservation of water. And there are various methods known to us which we can apply even in our household applications, so as to ensure minimum wastage and conservation of water.

→ Install Water-Saving Showerheads, Shower Timers, and Low-Flow Faucet Aerators 

→Cover Swimming Pools to Reduce Evaporation

→reuse waste water wherever possible.

→water your lawn only when it needs.

→use water efficient outlets in your home.

Calm~A~Sutra

Human beings have the ability to comprehend any situation and give a reaction as per the requirement. However, the power of understanding and reacting is subjective to different people. Some may react aggressively and some may stay calm, all reactions are a result of the mechanism of the human brain which gets triggered as soon as anything happens which is not as per his expectations or against his beliefs.

Sometimes, people get so much hyper that their reactions lead to an argument and negative emotions overpower them.

And these negative emotions ultimately boil down to anger of some kind, either inwardly expressed, in that case the anger makes you feel sick, or outwardly expressed, so that it makes others feel angry and hostile.

Arguments and anger bring out the worst from the minds as well as the mouth of people. Many times, they spring from the pettiest of discussions too. Arguments are just discussion of issues between minds who disagree. When people try to defend their beliefs and disprove of others point of views, arguments arise and tend to escalate into a full blown fight which can totally threaten the relationship between two person.

There are various ways by which a person can choose to be wise and stay calm at the time of heated arguments. The best methods are listed below :

1.Always remember that your point of view is not the only one that everyone should have. Respect others opinion and even if they are different from yours don’t try to manipulate them.

2.  THINK before you SPEAK, often a simple discussion gets heated because people forget their limits and speak whatever comes in their mind. Cuss words, sledging and other such harmful words should be avoided as much as possible.

3. Take a step back from situation, before entering into any argument, step back and think is it worth the energy and time you are going to waste on it. If the answer you get is no, then step back and move away from the situation.

4. Don’t drag others into the argument, even if you are feeling helpless and want someone to support in the fight, don’t force others to take sides unless they really support your views.

5. Try to not raise your voice even if you are frustrated. This will make your opponent think that you are ready for a verbal battle and he will also respond in that same volume

level.

6. Remember that your dignity is only in your hands. If you allow others to overpower you by losing your temper, then you are losing every bit of your self esteem because of others.

7.  Even after trying all the methods, you are unable to avoid such arguments, just take some deep breaths and move away. This is the best you can do to remain calm and composed at the time of arguments.

देवभूमि का बदलता स्वरूप

ऋषिकेश, पूरे विश्व में योग की राजधानी के नाम से मशहूर , भारत में जिसे देवभूमि के नाम से भी जाना जाता है, देहरादून जिले का एक प्रमुख तीर्थस्थान है। पवित्र गंगा नदी के तट पर स्थित इस स्थान का हिन्दू समुदाय में बहुत अधिक धार्मिक महत्व है। प्रतिवर्ष, पूरे देश भर से भारी संख्या में पर्यटक इस स्थान के धार्मिक स्थलों, हिमालय पर्वत की चोटियों को देखने तथा गंगा नदी में डुबकी लगाने आते हैं। हिमालय की तलहटी में स्थित ऋषिकेश कई हिन्दू देवी-देवताओं का घर है।

पौराणिक कथाओं के अनुसार, कहा जाता है कि समुद्र मंथन के दौरान निकला विष भगवान शिव ने इसी स्थान पर पिया था। विष पीने के बाद उनका गला नीला पड़ गया और उन्हें नीलकंठ के नाम से जाना गया। एक अन्य अनुश्रुति के अनुसार भगवान राम ने वनवास के दौरान यहाँ के जंगलों में अपना समय व्यतीत किया था। रस्सी से बना लक्ष्मण झूला इसका प्रमाण माना जाता है। 1939  में लक्ष्मण झूले का पुनर्निर्माण किया गया। यह भी कहा जाता है कि ऋषि राभ्या ने यहाँ ईश्वर के दर्शन के लिए कठोर तपस्या की थी। उनकी तपस्या से प्रसन्न होकर भगवान ऋषिकेश के अवतार में प्रकट हुए। तब से इस स्थान को ऋषिकेश नाम से जाना जाता है।

हिमालय का प्रवेश द्वार, ऋषिकेश जहाँ पहुँचकर गंगा पर्वतमालाओं को पीछे छोड़ समतल धरातल की तरफ आगे बढ़ जाती है, इस स्थान का शांत वातावरण कई विख्यात आश्रमों का घर है। भारत के सबसे पवित्र तीर्थस्थलों में  से एक ऋषिकेश को केदारनाथ,बद्रीनाथ,गंगोत्री औरयमुनोत्री का प्रवेशद्वार माना जाता है। 

एक तीर्थ स्थल होने के साथ ही ऋषिकेश सैलानियों के बीच राफिटंग, कैंपिंग, बंजी जंपिंग आदि एडवेंचर खेलों के लिए भी प्रसिद्ध है। जिस कारण हर उम्र के व्यक्ति को यहाँ अपने शौक पूरे करने का व आध्यात्मिक शांति दोनों का ही अवसर प्राप्त होता है।

करीब एक लाख की आबादी वाले इस शहर में हमें ऐतिहासिक से लेकर मॅाडर्न, आध्यात्मिक से लेकर भौतिक हर पहलू का आभास हो सकता है, किस तरह यह एक तपस्थली से शहर में विकसित हुआ। तथा किस प्रकार विकास के नाम पे देवभूमि का स्वरूप बदलता  गया। आज से दस वर्ष पूर्व की यदि बात करें तो उस समय न तो इस देवभूमि में इतना प्रदूषण था , ना ही यहाँ के प्राकृतिक संसाधनों से छेड़छाड़ की गई थी। गंगा के तट पर श्रद्धालु पूरी आस्था के साथ पूजन करते व डुबकी लगाया करते थे न कि मौज मस्ती के लिए आते थे।

वर्तमान समय में बढ़ती जनसंख्या व पर्यटन के नए नए आयोजनों के कारण, ऋषिकेश व यहां के लोगों की जीवनशैली में हुए परिवर्तन को हम देख सकते हैं।
जहाँ एक तरफ पर्यटकों का रुझान इस शहर के लिए बढ़ रहा है, जो कि यकीनन एक गर्व की बात है, लेकिन कहीं न कहीं इस वजह से यहां के स्थानीय लोगों व पर्यटकों की मानसिकता में कुछ अनचाहे बदलाव आए हैं।

आज के समय में लोग ऋषिकेश को आध्यात्मिक केंद्र न मानकर, मौज मस्ती करने की जगह ज्यादा समझने लगे हैं। गर्मियों की छुट्टियों के दौरान पड़ोस के राज्यों जैसे दिल्ली, उत्तर प्रदेश, हरियाणा व पंजाब से एक बड़ी संख्या में पर्यटक यहां आते हैं और यहां के वातावरण का आनंद उठाते हैं। लेकिन कई बार यही पर्यटक परेशानी का कारण बन जाते हैं।

बाहर से आए सैलानियों के लिये माँ गंगा का तट पिकनिक मनाने का स्थान बन जाता है। कईं बार देखा गया है कि लोग गंगा के किनारे शराब व अन्य नशीली वस्तुओं का सेवन करते हुए पाए जाते हैं जो कि कानूनन जुर्म है। साथ ही साथ तट पर गंदगी फैलाते हैं और नदी को भी प्रदूषित करते हैं। ऋषिकेश का प्रमुख त्रिवेणी घाट, जहाँ हर शाम एक बड़ी संख्या में लोग गंगा आरती देखने आते हैं, वहां भी ऐसे असामाजिक कार्य हमें देखने को मिलते हैं।

ऋषिकेश से कुछ किलोमीटर आगेे शिवपुरी में गंगा के तट पर कैंपिंग व राफटिंग की जाती है, यदि सही तरीके से की जाए तो यह एक रोमांचक अनुभव हो सकता है, लेकिन कैंपिंग के नाम पर वहां पर्यावरण को नुकसान पहुँचाया जा रहा है ,तथा लोगों की लापरवाही के कारण  कई बार गंगा के प्रवाह में बह जाने से उन्हें अपनी जान से हाथ धोना पड़ता है।

वैसे तो ऋषिकेश तपस्वियों की भूमि है। योग व साधना करने के लिए विदेशों से भी पर्यटक आते हैं, लेकिन विदेशी अतिथियों के साथ जो व्यवहार किया जाता है, वो भारतीय गरिमा के विपरीत है। ज्यादा से ज्यादा पैसों के लिए स्थानीय दुकानदार व रिक्शा चालक उनसे अधिक रुपए ऐंठ लेते हैं तथा दुर्व्यवहार करते हैं। इन सभी कार्यों से केवल शहर का ही नहीं पूरे देश का नाम खराब होता है।

योग और ध्यान केंद्र भी ऋषिकेश में कईं जगहों पर मिल जाएंगे। इनमें प्रमुख हैं : शिवनन्दा आश्रम, ओंकारनन्दा  गंगा सदन,योग निकेतन, स्वामी दया नंदा आश्रम, फूल चट्टी आश्रम, अनंदा प्रकाश आश्रम और ओशो गंगा आश्रम,कैलाश आश्रम ब्रह्माविद्यापीठ, विट्ठल आश्रम और  योग निकेतन, परमार्थ निकेतन आदि। लेकिन यहां हमे भारतीयों से ज्यादा विदेशी साधक मिलते हैं। शायद हम भारतीयों को अभी योग और साधना की ताकत को समझने में और समय लगेगा।

देवों की इस भूमि में कई प्रसिद्ध व प्राचीन मंदिर हैं जहां श्रद्धालु अपने मनोकामना लेकर आते हैं। लेकिन मंदिर मे प्रवेश करने से पहले ही मंदिरों के बाहर सजे खान पान के स्थान उन्हें रोक लेते हैं। लोगों ने व्यवसाय के लिए मंदिरों के बाहर ही दुकानें लगाना शुरू कर दिया। नीलकंठ महादेव मंदिर, ऋषिकेश से 25 किमी दूर आस्था का एक अद्भुत केंद्र है, परंतु बदलती मानसिकता ने इस पवित्र स्थल को भी व्यावसायिक बना दिया है। मंदिर के प्रवेश में ही ढाबे हैं जो पर्यटकों के लिए जरूरी है लेकिन इसके कारण गंदगी व पर्यावरण दूषित हो रहा है।

पर्यटकों के साथ साथ यहाँ के स्थानीय लोगों को भी इस क्षेत्र की पवित्रता को बनाए रखना चाहिए। ऋषिकेश में आध्यात्म, योग और शान्ति का एक अदभुत संगम है जिसका स्वरूप हमें उसी तरह बनाए रखना चाहिए। विकास व पर्यटन को बढ़ाने के लिए हमें किसी भी जगह की मौलिकता को खत्म नहीं करना चाहिए।

The Valiant Queen known as 'Mardaani'

Rani Lakshmi Bai, the name itself is so highly decorated in the history, is deeply remembered and praised as the Queen who valiantly fought in the battlefield single handedly against the British in the Sepoy Mutiny of 1857.

History textbooks are always occupied with the glittering mentions of Jhansi ki Rani, who is celebrated till date as the dominant example of female heroism in the country.

Rani Lakshmibai was born as Manikarnika Tambe in Varanasi in 1828 to Maharashtrian Brahmins parents. She lost her mother at the tender age of four and was raised by her father who worked in the court of the Peshwa in Bithoor. It is said that the Peshwa was impressed of young Manu's intelligence and took a keen interest in her upbringing.

Manikarnika’s childhood was way ahead of her times. She grew up with Nana Sahib and Tatya Tope, was educated at home and was also imparted training in horsemanship, fencing, shooting – something women could only dream of at that time.

She got married to the Maharaja of Jhansi, Gangadhar Rao Newalkar, in 1842, at the age of 14. It was then that she got her name Lakshmibai – a name which would immortalise her forever.

Lakshmibai’s marriage was short-lived as the Maharaja passed away in 1853. This event, tragic as it was, brought the dawn of a new chapter in the Rani’s life.

The British took advantage of Maharaja’s death in 1853, and the then Governor General, Lord Dalhousie applied the Doctrine of Lapse, rejecting Damodar Rao’s(their adopted son) claim to the throne. This, despite Gangadhar Rao and Lakshmibai solemnising the adoption of Damodar Rao in the presence of a British political officer.

The war of 1857, It is said that prior to the Sepoy Mutiny, Lakshmibai was rather reluctant to rebel against the British and that Jhansi was relatively peaceful in the initial phases of the revolt, unlike most of north India.

It was only in 1858 that she took up arms against the British when Sir Hugh Rose, commanding officer of the British forces, demanded the surrender ofJhansi.Lakshmibai rebelled and organised forces to oust the British. She was joined in the battle led by Tatya Tope and Nana Sahib.

She gave the British a tough fight, fled to Kalpi and then Gwalior during the course of the battle and finally succumbed to the British forces in Gwalior in 1858.

The descriptions we have all grown up with of her bravery and heroism are absolutely inspiring. She marched into battle alongside her troops, dressed like a man, and died when a Hussar horseman’s sword came down on her head in the heat of battle. It is said that her troops spirited her away into the forests, but General Hugh Rose who led the British forces against her claimed to have seen her cremation in a letter he later wrote to his commander praising her courage.

Her body was cremated as per her wishes (some accounts note that Lakshmibai didn’t want her body to be captured by the British hence asked a hermit to cremate it). Three days after the death of Lakshmibai, the British captured the Fort of Gwalior.

She was an extraordinary woman who portrayed exemplary courage and bravery in the battlefield and at the same time was so tender and caring for her countrymen. The way she strapped her infant to her back while galloping on the horse in the battlefield was a sight of wonder for the people.

It's been 160 years of her martyrdom.  Her bravery, courage, wisdom, her progressive views on women's empowerment in 19th century India, and her sacrifices made her an icon of the Indian Independence Movement. The Rani was memorialized in bronze statues at both Jhansi and Gwalior, both of which portray her on horseback. Her story became a beacon for the upcoming generations of freedom fighters.

Rani Lakshmibai of Jhansi will always be remembered for her unbreakable patriotism and astonishing courage.

The love that she had for her Jhansi and her people is narrated by various poets and authors in their works but the most famous of them is  the poem by Subhadra kumari Chauhan, which has inspired many generations till date.

“Bundeley Harbolon ke muh se hamney suni kahani thi,
Khoob ladi mardani woh to Jhansi wali Rani thi.”

एवरेस्ट सम्मिट,1953

कहते हैं इंसान अगर किसी चीज को पूरे दिल से चाहे, तो पूरी कायनात उसे उससे मिलवाने में जुट जाती है।माना के थोड़ा फिलमी डायलाग है, लेकिन सच है। इंसान अगर ठान ले तो क्या नही कर सकता, दुनिया की कोई भी ताकत उसे उसके लक्ष्य तक पहुँचने से नही रोक सकती, फिर चाहे वो लक्ष्य चाँद पर जाने का हो या फिर माउंट एवरेस्ट पर चढ़ने का।

29 मई 1953, यही वह दिन था, जब सारे विश्व ने माना कि इच्छाशक्ति के आगे बड़े से बड़ा पहाड़ भी घुटने टेक देता है। आज के दिन ही 1953 में न्यूजीलैंड के एडमंड हिलेरी और नेपाल के शेरपा टेन्ज़िंग नोर्गे, माउंट एवरेस्ट के शिखर तक पहुंचने वाले पहले पर्वतारोही बन गए, जो समुद्र तल से 29,002  फीट ऊपर पृथ्वी पर सबसे ऊंचा बिंदु है । उन्होंने एवरेस्ट पर नौंवी ब्रिटिश चढ़ाई के दौरान जॉन हंट की अगुवाई में एवरेस्ट फ़तेह किया.

एवरेस्ट फतह की खबर ब्रिटेन में महारानी के अभिषेक के दिन पहुँची थी। चूंकि हिलेरी न्यूजीलैंड के थे और इस तरह वे राष्ट्रमंडल के नागरिक हुए, लिहाजा ब्रिटेन में भी उनकी उपलब्धि पर जश्न मनाया गया। हिलेरी को उनकी सफलता के लिए नाइट की उपाधि दी गई। अपनी सफलता के अगले दो दशकों में हिलेरी ने हिमालय में दस अन्य चोटियाँ भी फतह की।

एक महानायक होते हुए भी वे जीवनभर बेहद सादगी से रहे। अपने जीवन को नेपाली शेरपाओं को समर्पित करने वाले हिलेरी ने नेपाल में 63 विद्यालयों के अतिरिक्त अनेक अस्पतालों, पुलों व हवाई पट्टी का भी निर्माण किया। उनके हिमालय ट्रस्ट ने नेपाल के लिए प्रति वर्ष ढाई लाख अमरीकन डॉलर जुटाए और हिलेरी ने निजी तौर पर नेपाल अभियान में मदद दी।

'सर' हिलेरी पर्यावरण को पहुँच रहे नुकसान के प्रति बेहद चिंतित रहते थे। उन्हें कुछ पर्वतारोहियों के इस दिशा में उदासीन रवैये से भी तकलीफ पहुँचती थी। उन्होंने न्यूजीलैंड के मार्क इंगलिस और विभिन्न समूहों के 40 सदस्यों की इसलिए आलोचना की उन्होंने मई 2006 में ब्रिटेन के पर्वतारोही डेविड शाफ को मरने के लिए छोड़ दिया था।

बचपन में ही तेन्जिंग एवरेस्ट के दक्षिणी क्षेत्र में स्थित अपने गाँव, जहां शेरपाओं (पर्वतारोहण में निपुण नेपाली लोग, आमतौर पर कुली) का निवास था, से भागकर भारत के पश्चिम बंगाल में दार्जिलिंग में बस गए। 1935 में वे एक कुली के रूप में वह सर एरिक शिपटन के प्रारम्भिक एवरेस्ट सर्वेक्षण अभियान में शामिल हुए। अगले कुछ वर्षों में उन्होने अन्य किसी भी पर्वतारोही के मुक़ाबले एवरेस्ट के सर्वाधिक अभियानों में हिस्सा लिया। द्वितीय विश्व युद्ध के बाद वह कुलियों के संयोजक अथवा सरदार बन गए। और इस हैसियत से वह कई अभियानों पर साथ गए। 1952 में स्वीस पर्वतारोहियों ने दक्षिणी मार्ग से एवरेस्ट पर चढ़ने के दो प्रयास किए और दोनों अभियानों में तेन्जिंग सरदार के रूप में उनके साथ थे। 1953 में वे सरदार के रूप में ब्रिटिश एवरेस्ट के अभियान पर गए और हिलेरी के साथ उन्होने दूसरा शिखर युगल बनाया।

तेनज़िंग की इस ऐतिहासिक सफलता ने उन्हें इतिहास में अमर कर दिया है। भारत के अतिरिक्त इंग्लैंड एवं नेपाल की सरकारों ने भी उन्हें सम्मानित किया था। 1959 में उन्हें 'पद्मभूषण' से अलंकृत किया गया। वास्तव में 1936-1953 तक के सभी एवरेस्ट अभियानों में उनका सक्रिय सहयोग रहा था।

इस अभियान का एक  प्रेरणादयी प्रसंग भी है। इस अभियान के लीडर कर्नल हंट थे। हंट ने खुद पीछे रहकर इस अभियान का सफल नेतृत्व किया था। वह चाहते तो चोटी पर चढ़ने वाली टीम का हिस्सा बन सकते थे। लेकिन उन्होंने ऐसा न करके अपनी दो बेस्ट टीमें बनाईं। पहली टीम बोरडिलन, ईवान्स की। दूसरी हिलरी और तेनजिंग की। 

चढ़ाई से पहले वाली रात दोनों के लिए काफी खतरनाक थी। तेज बर्फीली हवाएं चल रही थीं। रात में हिलरी के जूते गलती से बाहर रह गए थे जब अगले दिन सुबह हिलरी उठे तो उनके पैर बर्फ में जम गए। 

अंतिम चढ़ाई के समय उनके सामने एक खड़ी चट्टान थी। वह चट्टान एक बड़ी बाधा थी क्योंकि उसके रहते उनलोगों को दूसरा रास्ता लेना पड़ता जो लंबा था और एवरेस्ट तक पहुंचने का समय लंबा हो जाता है। इस मौके पर हिलरी ने दिमाग लगाया और चट्टान की दरार में से रास्ता बनाया। उस रास्ते से होकर पहले हिलरी और उनके पीछे तेनजिंग आगे बढ़े। 29 मई, 1953 को 11 बजकर 30 मिनट पर वे दुनिया की सबसे ऊंची चोटी माउंट एवरेस्ट पर पहुंच गए। वहां पर हिलरी ने कुल्हाड़ी के साथ तेनजिंग का फोटो लिया।

Naxalism: a social curse

It is often said that Naxalism and terrorism are two sides of a same coin. As per our political leaders, naxalism is traced to economic and social causes but it has been reduced to an activity, much like terrorism aimed at spreading fear and terror.

But what actually is the reality behind these naxalite movements? Is it India's biggest law and order problem?Is Naxalism a problem or is it the consequence of social and spatial disparity?Why has the government failed to address it and subsequently acknowledged Naxalism as a serious problem for national security?

Thus, this debate needs a better understanding of the sensitive and delicate subject which could be resolved only through fear-free questions and some fair-frank answers.

Naxalism has been branded as a serious problem for national security by various intellectuals and the media.On the other hand, there is another section of society who thinks Naxalism is a social movement against the rampant social exclusions of the have nots. It is the fight of the poor, discriminated and the marginalised Indian masses for social justice and basic rights to natural resources. 

The Naxalite movement first came to the forefront in the late 1960s, when Naxalbari became famous for the left-wing revolt that took place in West Bengal. Since then, it is perceived as the greatest threat to law and order within Indian. The movement has now advanced to the hilly and forest regions of around eight different states, with more than 150 districts are believed to be under its direct influence. It is mostly active in the tribal areas spreading from Andhra Pradesh to Bihar and Maharashtra, and also covering parts of Karnataka, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Chhattisgarh, and Tamil Nadu. Naxal violence has resulted in the death of over 10,000 civilians and displaced 12 million people since 1980s with a significant rise in the number of killings in Naxalism-hit states. Additionally, more than 200 of India’s 640 districts are indirectly under Naxal control.

Naxalism signifies a particular kind of militant and violent armed struggle by the peasants and tribals who accept Marxist-Leninist ideology. Inspite of Naxalism being termed as the biggest problem in Adivasi areas, the social problems are actually much wider in the form of unemployment, poverty and an untold number of socio-economic injustices.

The socio-economic problems are so vast that getting them in control is also a matter of conflict.

India’s development model pursued since Independence led to commercialisation of forest resources, reducing the traditional access to forest produce. Besides destroying their natural environment, mining-based industries and the construction of large dams caused wide-scale migration of the tribals.

Development is, undoubtedly, very necessary in today’s age but the Central and State governments should make sure that it is not done at the cost of citizens. Having said that, the Naxalite movement attempted to achieve equity in the society by means of a mass movement and struggle, and they did achieve it to some extent but at the cost of the economic development of the state. There has been a range of violence which has had no direct consequence on the rights of people but invariably ended up harming masses by way of disruption in the elections, destruction of schools, trains and rail lines, etc. 

Thus , in the conflict between the Naxalites and the government, it is the common man of the country who has to suffer. For the people of India, Naxalism is a curse which has created a havoc in their lives. 

The total number of Naxal-related violent incidents during the last 6 years was 10,568 where 4,027 people were killed, which roughly translates into 1 person being killed for 2.6 incidents.

Chhattisgarh had the highest number of incidents and casualties followed by Jharkhand. Incidentally, out of 640 districts in India, around 87 districts (13.5%) faced Naxal violence. While 22 of them are in Jharkhand, 15 are in Chhattisgarh.

The central reason for the advancement of Naxalism is the vast exploitation of the poor and the scheduled castes. People, who have been displaced, should be given proper rehabilitation along with police protection. Security, as well as development, has to run hand in hand.

Thus, it is appropriate to say that Naxalite movement which started with the aim to bring the basic rights to the marginalised section of the society and equality and social justice for all, has turned into a curse for the society.

Negative effect of cartoons on children

Doraemon, Shinchan, tom and jerry, chhota bheem all these names must be common for you if you are surrounded by kids in your home or in your locality. Not just kids but some grown up adults are fond of such cartoons and find them a great source of entertainment. Undoubtedly, cartoons serve as a medium for a light dose of laughter and also refresh us as the cartoons are made such that they don't cause any stress on the minds of the audience, especially as the target audience of cartoon serials is the toddlers and the children below 12 years of age.

Who doesn't likes to step into a world of magic, fascination, dreams, a place where everything is possible from flying robots to ninjas in the city, superheroes, fairytales , talking animals and much more. Cartoons makes you believe in the unbelievable. Increases the imagination power of the kids, learn new things, pictures, words, colors etc.

Children are fond of cartoons as because of many reasons. As they found human in cartoon form with cute or weird shape and dress with colorful attire. Child at 3 to 9 years age usually starts to watch cartoons. But At this age kids have growing mind and with curiosity and fast learning capability by observing things. And that’s why cartoons directly make an impact on their minds and nature as well. 

Have you ever thought about the negative effects caused by the modern age cartoon series on the minds of young children? Find out in this article.

• The violence showcased in the cartoons in the name of entertainment, causes an adverse effect on the minds of the children.They become insensitive to others’ pains and sorrow.Children do not feel discomfort from any elements of violence around them in real life. They are prone to aggressive reactions and violent behaviour.

• It is obvious that there is nothing good in sitting all day in front of the TV, watching cartoons. This can only weaken kids’ eye sight, or may lead to spine curvature disorders. Lack of physical activity also creates problems with obesity. Furthermore, many experts stress negative impact of cartoons on speech development of children by the age of three. Psychologists claim that watching cartoons is a passive activity in which there is no interaction required for proper speech development.

• While watching cartoons, children often identify themselves with the characters. However, the problem is that these characters are usually inappropriate for any identification, since they are too aggressive, or have supernatural powers: they can fly, shoot spider web from the wrist, jump from the top of a skyscraper on the buildings nearby, throw a lightning bolt, run faster than the wind, fall from the 10th floor and stay unharmed, beat 15 criminals single-handedly, and similar.

These aggressive characters may easily turn into role models. Without the supervision of the parents, who will explain the difference between reality and fiction (which is not always the case since they are usually busy and prefer to leave the kids in front of the TV), children can use cartoons as a substitute for real life. This might be a threat for the child’s psychological development.

Thus, apart from the positive impacts of the cartoons, there are a lot more negative aspects which can cause unnecessary and uncontrolled effect on the behavior and health of the young children.

Therefore, Children should not be allowed to watch certain cartoons whose content they cannot understand.Parents should provide cartoons to their children which could have a positive impact on them.It would be better if parents also watch and discuss the characters of cartoons with children.

New age monsters

Little did she know that nowadays monsters don't have horns on their heads, large teeth or ugly faces that she used to listen in stories. The new age monsters come disguised as humans and you can't even differentiate a bit from them. At such a tender age when her laughter blossoms the entire home and surroundings she was trembling with fear, screaming and crying because she believed that the person who is holding her in his arms is her own. That the person will love her just as her own family members, but the reality was different, she fell prey to the lust of that monster and was still unaware of the consequences. The monster raped her, assaulted her and killed her. Her voice was left unheard, before she could even speak she was subjected to eternal silence, before she could even see this world, she was sent to sleep forever. And this tale ended with only one moral, Once upon a time there was humanity.
😠😢
High time now.
#riphumanity

Unsafe

Well, you people must have been utterly frustrated and disgusted by what has flooded the entire social media and the country. The heart wrenching case of Asifa. A lot of people has written, debated, criticised this heinous crime. I don't have anything new to say, just like you all i am deeply enraged by this incident, feeling depressed and helpless, i gave myself a moment of thought, and thought about all the past rape victims in our country and their families. Every year, every month, every week and even worse every day we are exposed to the reality of our country that it is totally UNSAFE for women even little girls. But what i am trying to convey is that these names like Gudiya , Nirbhaya, Zainab, Asifa over which we lament for a few days on social media, these names just become a memory every time a new case comes out. This time this is Asifa, and i know it's not going to stop here, by the time you are reading this another girl in a part of our country is getting raped. So basically we should not only keep this rage for a period of time, we should not forget the pain of the rape victims who have died or are still living a miserable life.
#gudiyarapecase
#nirbhayakaand
#justiceforasifa
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