Food For Thought

My heart bleeds for the brave CRPF soldiers who laid down their lives serving the nation. Unfortunately they have been victims of Maoists attacks too. Fighting the enemy from within and outside the borders is no mean feat. We pay our tribute to all the martyred soldiers. What is the source of funds, firepower and ammunition of these anti nationals? As citizens of India it is our first and foremost duty to stand united in the quest for maintaining peace and tranquility.

Death of innocent citizens is colossal loss for the nation. The recent hooch tragedy in Assam, Uttarakhand- UP wherein innocent lives were lost is a sad commentary. These are not stray incidents and have been happening for years in different parts of the country. Alcohol poisoning has resulted in death of hundreds of citizens. Sale of spurious and adulterated IMFL is an open secret. What motivates the perpetrators of crime to indulge in such heinous crime? The recent dastardly death of hapless workers involved in manufacturing of fireworks in illegal factory was avertable. It’s a wonder such illegal units still operate in different parts of the country and come to light only after a devastating accident!

 A bigger malaise is consuming our country in the form of food adulteration and contamination. In the long run slowly but surely this will adversely affect the present and future generations. How healthy is the food we consume? Contamination of vegetables, fruits with pesticides, chemicals and adulteration of spices, milk, oil and drinks, is rampant. Reportedly contaminants have also been detected in organic food products. Export of chilies, grapes and mangoes have been impacted due to the presence of high pesticide residue in it. Unfortunate consumers are the victim and are left with no choice but to unwillingly accept the contaminated food products. The toxins consumed with the food products are exceedingly harmful and wholehearted steps have to be initiated to arrest the menace.  It is difficult to fathom the mindset of people who indulge in such abominable act. There are large numbers of laboratories engaged in research on pesticides but the problem with regard to pesticide residue persists. Surprisingly there is no hue and cry on this sensitive issue!

In midst of chaos the only silver lining is the host of initiatives taken by FSSAI to maintain the food quality levels in order to ensure safety. This would definitely assist in curbing food adulteration . There is an urgent need to change the mindset, rise above greed and collectively take efficacious steps to safeguard the environment and mankind. Above all nation’s interest should be safeguarded.

DANCE OF JOY AND DEATH

                                                              

Transferable job has its own charm and advantage. One can visit different parts of the country; remote locations, meet different people, experience different culture, food habits and diverse weather. Kids get to study in different schools and states, learn different languages and increase their adaptability. Difficult to say to which state I belong to! One common factor in most of my postings has been the menace of snakes and at times has been problematic and scary. Snake patrolling our house is a familiar sight. There have been occasions when snakes have taken shelter in the house and services of snake charmers had to be employed to catch the snakes. The ease with which the snakes are captured by them is unbelievable. This has not deterred me to visit snake park and venom extraction centre in Tamil Nadu. An entirely different experience!

Snakes in action are an engrossing sight especially when combating mongoose or devouring frogs and rats. I have had the privilege of being witness to some exceptional rare sights which remains etched in my memory. To begin with once while returning home I stopped on my track spotting a snake crossing the road. Astonishingly a crow swooped down skillfully, caught the snake in its beak and claws and flew away effortlessly with the snake hanging helplessly. An act truly reminiscent of folk lore!

On another occasion one early morning people were frantically clicking their cameras in front of an abandoned house full of wild bushes.  On a closer look I was amazed and overwhelmed by what I saw. Two massive cobras their scales glistening like pearls partly on ground and partly in air intertwined like a braid were swinging, swaying and dancing in unison completely engrossed in the rhythmic act. It was an endless feat and a rare fortuitous sight.

Finally to end with, once a cobra had strayed into the drain of workplace. On being chased by a worker it fled into the field. For no perceptible reason the cobra felt threatened and seeking vengeance returned back to attack. It stood erect on its tail with its head spread wide and tongue lashing out venomously and swinging belligerently. A terrifying sight! The petrified worker desperately flung the rod in his hand and surprisingly knocked the cobra flat on the ground. A sight comparable to Ripley’s Believe it or Not!

Independence Day celebration with a difference

Freedom is the birth right for all human beings and finally J&K is eternally freed from Article 370. Nation will be celebrating its historic 73^rd Independence Day with J& K & Ladakh as UT. Korea, Congo and Liechtenstein are the other countries which celebrate their Independence Day on fifteenth August. Interestingly the Indian flag was hoisted in Nadia, Malda and Murshidabad on 18^th August 1947. Fortunate few are born on fifteenth August and Sri Aurobindo is one of them, an Indian philosopher, yogi, guru, poet, and nationalist. In today’s context his quotes are so apt “Do not belong to the past dawns, but to the noon’s of future” and “All problems of existence are essentially problems of harmony.”

Any amount of praise is insufficient for ISRO for successful launch of Chandrayan 2. Credit should also be given to the other industries that have assisted and partnered ISRO and played a major role in this mission. Paradoxically at the same time, people in Dumka were being lynched for practicing witch craft. It is a stark reality that a section of our population lives in abject poverty. They are deprived of the welfare schemes of the government and Chandrayan 2 has no relevance for them. Parents are haunted by incidents of child rape and deprivation. Overall evolution of the masses is of paramount importance.

In all these years the country has progressed by leaps and bounds and is continuing to progress further as a developing nation. Occurrences which have not changed are natural calamities like flood and draught. Our response may have changed but not the preparedness in totality.

Weather is playing truant. Monsoon has done the vanishing act in many parts of the country. Parts of the country especially Mumbai, parts of Bihar and North Bengal are reeling under floods. Kaziranga national forest, a world heritage site has been devastated. Precious wildlife has been lost and washed away, a horrific site. The escape route for the animals to go to the upper reaches has been blocked and put the wildlife to further peril. The rise in Rhino population has received a setback. Decision of the judiciary to stop quarrying near Kaziranga is welcome. This is not the first time that the national forest has been inundated and will happen again if corrective measures are not taken. Government is working on a war footing to save precious life and provide relief to the affected people.  Long term planning and practical measures which are readily available can easily be adopted to mitigate such situations in future.

The map of India has undergone a change. This Independence Day will be very special as the country’s flag will be flying high in all parts of the country. A sense of euphoria has spread all over the nation. A collective will is required for development of the nation. Let us celebrate this Independence Day as one nation with pride and without animosity.

Broken Chair

Quiz any student about UN; they will spontaneously rattle off the correct answer in detail. Question them about the broken chair, the response may not be so impromptu. Can’t blame them!  Having seen broken chairs littered all around in many places, they would naturally be clueless.

Yes, you have got it right; I am referring to the “Broken Chair” installed across the street opposite to the United Nations building in Geneva. A monumental and imposing structure designed in wood by the Swiss artist Daniel Berset and constructed of 5.5 tons of wood by the carpenter Louis Geneve. Thirty nine feet gigantic chair with a broken leg symbolizes opposition to land mines and cluster bombs, and acts as a reminder to politicians and others visiting Geneva. It is a symbol of fragility and strength, precariousness and stability, brutality and dignity, desperate cry of war –torn civilian population.

Standing near the chair one is overawed and dwarfed and can’t resist but admire the concept, design and stability of the chair. With flags of the nations fluttering in front and the fountains rising and falling behind the chair adds to the aura of the UN headquarters. One can perceive the significance and power emanating from the place. At a distance Lake Geneva, its towering fountain and the flower clock bestow a soothing effect on the visitors. Tourists from all over the world converge on the Place des Nations. This augments the feeling of unity and accentuates the importance of the broken chair. Ironically not always are we united for a common good cause.

Globally the use of landmines has not ceased and neither the act of terrorism. Predominantly innocent and hapless citizens are victims of such heinous and dastardly act. At the national and grass root level the use of landmines and explosives for subversive activities by Maoists has not ceased. Sporadic incidents of attack on CRPF personnel and our duty bound soldiers is an act of cowardice which cannot be condoned or ignored. Supply of arms and ammunition’s to the anti socials has to be stopped and terror funding choked to circumvent such activities.

On the other extreme poor civilians have been maimed or lost their lives while collecting exploded or unexploded shells near Chandipur coast in Odisha. Workers have lost their lives while melting scrap received from foreign soil. Despite the best of efforts unlawful activities has not come to an end. Entire nation has to stand united and condemn the unauthorized and barbaric act. One life lost is a life too many. For the sake of humanity let us be united and promote peace and prosperity and honor the spirit of the “broken chair”.

Changing Mentality of Hospitals and Hospitality

Despite knowing that “The greatest wealth is health” we don’t hesitate to ignore our health. When our system crashes we rush to a doctor and quite often it is too late. Why does this happen? Are we scared of medical treatment or we do not have the resources or is it inadequate facility? Probably all! Medical science and diagnostics has progressed by leaps and bounds and so has the cost of treatment. Multi and super specialty hospitals have mushroomed all over the country. Not all can afford the astronomical cost of treatment. Unfortunately the number of medical colleges or Government hospitals has not increased as compared to the population boom in the country. As per the study of medical council of India; in Jharkhand it will take eighty seven years to achieve the doctor patient ratio of 1:1000 set by WHO, which is not encouraging news. Overcrowding of the Government and private hospitals is testimony to the fact. Doctors are overworked; tempers of patients are frayed resulting in conflict between doctor and patient. Under compelling circumstances doctors go on strike and patients bear the brunt of the strike.

Medical tourism is flourishing in the country and Chennai is considered as India’s health capital. In the eastern region Kolkata is flooded with medical tourist from Bangladesh. There is a tie up with some hospitals and doctors in India. Who stands to gain by this arrangement? The ambulance operators who ferry patients from nearby districts play an important role and take advantage of the situation. Middleman cannot be avoided. End of the day the patient is at the receiving end and is the sacrificial goat!

My recent brush with doctors and staff of multispecialty hospital has been far from satisfactory. Lack of transparency is a major issue. Doctors don’t inspire confidence. They are too eager to admit the patient and conduct surgery. Their observation, comments and prescription are calibrated and doctored. Host of unwanted tests are recommended, for obvious reasons. Support staff mechanically parrot off the instructions injected in their system. Questions fired are; what is the cover of your medical insurance, corporate patient or individual. Charges are variable so is the behavior! Government is advocating paperless office but ironically Xerox copy of the prescription is preserved by the hospital staff. Reasons are best known to them. As per the recent joint report by FICCI & Ernst &Young published in newspapers, public distrust of hospitals has been steadily rising mainly due to pricing issues.

Doctors are considered as saviors and there is no better service than alleviating the pain and misery of the patient. Upholding the oath of the profession and a conscientious action will play a vital role in redeeming the faith of the patients and in serving the society and nation as a whole.

Theme Puja

Goddess Durga has descended on the plains showering her divine blessings on one and all. Ambience all around has undergone a sea change and mood is euphoric. Bliss and festivity can be sensed in nook and corner. Mahishashura Mardini by Birendra Krishna Bhadra in the year 1931 on the dawn of mahalaya still remains a quintessential part of Durga Puja. Even today his rendition is mesmerizing and has not lost its gloss or popularity. Numerous TV channels have aired admirable programme on this occasion which are not only entertaining but educative too. Coverage on various aspects of Puja is remarkable.

  The festival is celebrated all over India and has different rituals and festivities especially in the eastern Indian states. The nine manifested forms of Goddess Durga are: Shailaputri,Brahmacharini,Chandraghanta,Kushmanda,Skandamata,Katyayini,Kaalratri,Mahagauriand Siddhidhatri.Garia in south Kolkata is one of the few places which continue to worship NavaDurga during this period. Swami Vivekananda started Durga Puja in Belur math, West Bengal in 1901. He also started Kumari Puja during this period wherein nine kumar is were worshiped. The divinity with which Durga puja is performed is inimitable.

  Durga puja has undergone phenomenal transformation, especially in West Bengal. Themes have become predominant feature of many pujas. Themes cover wide range of subjects like: environmental issues, historical facts, cultural facets etc. and are very informative. This gives an opportunity for artists to show case their skills and has given creativity wings. The grandeur and magnificence of the structures created is astonishing. For executing the themes,patronage and funds are essential which appears to be in abundance. In some places in Kolkata Pujas are inaugurated much before Sashti and footfall in these pandals is in lakhs. People with indefatigable energy wait for hours in the queue to get a glimpse of the theme pujas. The enthusiasm and excitement is unfathomable. Comparatively such footfall or enthusiasm is not perceptible during actual worshiping of the goddess. Are we losing sight of the core aspect of the puja? Besides the religious aspect the commercial aspect cannot be ignored. It has turned out to be a big industry in itself! This gives a big impetus to move ahead in positive direction and worship the goddess in proper spirit and with religious fervor. Debate between theme puja and conventional puja will continue endlessly. To blend theme with conventional puja may not be a bad idea.

In our self centered celebration we need to appreciate the unrelenting and selfless service rendered by the police, fire brigade and district administration. Day and night they toil for our safety and security.But for them our puja would be incomplete. Kudos to the entire administration.With the culmination of puja and victory of good over evil, let us ensure that all our mothers, daughters and sisters are shown the respect they deserve.

Magical moments of Pench Tiger Reserve

 

Lately human –wildlife and human-environment conflict appears to have reached a flash point. Bursting of firecrackers with total disregard to the order of the honorable court, violation of order of national green tribunal in Kolkata during Chhath, horrific killing of a tiger in UP, shooting of tigress Avni, invading core area of tiger reserve in Tadoba, electrocution of elephants in Odisha , death of deer’s in south India highlights our indifference  towards wildlife , environment and orders of the judiciary. Sizeable population appears to be in a mode of denial. The biggest casualty has been the wildlife, environment and respect for the law. Where are we heading to?

Project tiger launched in 1972 has worked wonders and tiger population is increasing but paradoxically forest cover is gradually decreasing thereby fomenting hostility between human & wildlife. We need to stand as a nation to protect the wildlife to ensure human-wildlife live in harmony. Maharashtra is blessed with abundant forest cover with wide variety of flora and fauna and has a place of pride for having maximum wildlife sanctuaries in the country. Tourists flock to Tadoba, Pench, Bor, Nagzira, Tipeshwar,Umred-Karhandla ,Melghat for sheer beauty of the forests, varied wildlife and sighting of tigers. Tadoba undoubtedly is the best choice for sighting tigers. The recent incident of tigress chasing the tourists in Tadoba may act as a deterrent or conversely attract more tourists.

Pench tiger reserve is unique, as it is split between two states Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra, with scales tipping towards Madhya Pradesh and famous for tales of Mogli. On the Maharashtra side which is less frequented, the reserve has a core habitat area of about 257 km² along with a buffer/peripheral area. Surrounded by hills with Pench river flowing through the forest is a sight to behold.

Two years back on thirteenth of December we took an afternoon safari in Pench, Maharashtra and were the first to enter the forest, with no other Gypsy trailing us which was quite unusual. We were crestfallen when the guide informed that there has been no sighting of the big cat for quite some time. No sooner had we crossed the entry gate barely one kilometer in the forest, to our utter surprise and delight we were greeted by a tiger, standing majestically on the track with eyes glowing and surveying our gypsy. Within minutes a tigress emerged from the woods following the tiger glaring at us with disdain. We couldn’t believe our luck. The tiger and tigress disappeared into the forest in no time leaving their pug marks behind for the other tourists to advertise their presence. In our excitement we forgot to click the pair in opportune moment. Glee on the face of my son spoke volumes .We felt our trip to Pench was fruitful and more than over. For the next hour not even a single animal could be spotted in the lush green forest with undulating roads and the hills towering over us which were intriguing. It appeared as if the woods had devoured all the wild life. The forest appeared not only mysterious but fascinating.  When we were silently nearing the buffer zone sound of deer and peacock permeated through the forest. Driver sped to the area from where the sound was emanating. As we kept entering the forest the sound grew louder and louder. We were squeezed on a narrow track with dense trees brushing the gypsy on one side and hillock on the other with no sight of the tiger. Barring the growling sound, nothing could be heard or seen for more than five minutes. We were expectantly waiting for the next sighting when the driver whispered that the tiger was just behind me on the hillock. I turned and froze in the jeep. The tiger was barely ten feet away crouching for the kill. Only the head with shinning eyes was visible. It was an eternity before the tiger shifted its stance and I started breathing again, relieved to be alive. Fortunately the tiger spared me to narrate this tale to everyone. Thirteen may be unlucky for some but not for me!

 

SANJOY SEN

Disclaimer: Views expressed are personal and without malice towards the citizens, local authorities, district administration or any other concerned authority or company.

 

The Journey Begins

Thanks for joining me!

Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter. — Izaak Walton