Thursday 31 October 2019
Wednesday 30 October 2019
Request for Articles
On the occasion of the 150th birth anniversary of mahatma Gandhi, Delhi based The Intellects is going to organise NATIONAL HISTORY SYMPOSIUM-3 on topic 'Unsung Heroes of Indian Freedom Struggle during GANDHIAN ERA' at New Delhi in association with many Gandhian Institutions.
They have requested Academicians, Authors, Researchers, Columnist to send articles for a book to be published during the symposium.
Send your articles to:
Debendra Nath Rout
Chairman, THE INTELLECTS
Mob: +91-9350127370
Email: cm.intellects@gmail.com
They have requested Academicians, Authors, Researchers, Columnist to send articles for a book to be published during the symposium.
Send your articles to:
Debendra Nath Rout
Chairman, THE INTELLECTS
Mob: +91-9350127370
Email: cm.intellects@gmail.com
Tuesday 29 October 2019
PR Job
An opening for Head PR & Communication for Vedanta Aluminium, Lanjigarh (Odisha).
Experience: 10-15 years
Language proficiency in Odia will be an added advantage.
Language proficiency in Odia will be an added advantage.
Pls write to
sonal.choithani@vedanta.co.in
sonal.choithani@vedanta.co.in
(Got it from a email forward)
Saturday 26 October 2019
Friday 25 October 2019
Column | Window Seat
Window Seat | Mrinal Chatterjee | 27.10.19
Diwali
Diwali, one of the most
significant festivals in India is celebrated across the length and breadth of
the country with much fanfare and enthusiasm- by almost all religious faiths-
Hindu, Buddhist, Jains, Sikhs. Known as the "Festival of Lights",
Diwali is a 5-day celebration, wherein friends and families get together, light
'Diyas' or earthen lamps in their houses, feast on sweet delicacies, exchange
gifts, play games and burn crackers.
It is believed that Rama
with his brother laxman, wife Sita, follower Hanuman and the army of the
monkeys returned to Ayodhya after
vanquishing Ravana on this day and the entire Ayodhya was lit up to welcome
them.
It is also believed that
Krishna killed Narakasur, a ferocious demon on the eve of this day and his
victory was celebrated on Diwali day.
Some also believe that
Goddess Lakshmi pays a visit to the houses of devotees in the middle of the
dark night, and blesses them with wealth and happiness.
In Jain tradition, Diwali is celebrated in
observance of "Mahavira Nirvana Divas", the physical death and
nirvana of Mahavira. The Jain Diwali celebrated in many parts of India has
similar practices to the Hindu Diwali, such as the lighting of lamps and the offering
of prayers to Lakshmi. However, the focus of the Jain Diwali remains the
dedication to Mahavira.
The festival of Diwali has significance for
Sikh faith too. According to Ray Colledge, highlights three events in Sikh
history: the founding of the city of Amritsar in 1577, the release of Guru
Hargobind from the Mughal prison, and the day of Bhai Mani Singh's martyrdom in
1738
Diwali or Deepavali is
called the festival of lights because it symbolizes the victory of light over
darkness, good over evil and hope over despair.
Madhubani Painting
As the country is celebrating the festival of
lights, here is wishing all a happy Diwali with a Madhubani style painting.
Madhubani art is practiced in the Mithila
region of Bihar and Nepal. Often characterized by complex geometrical patterns,
these paintings are known for representing ritual content for particular
occasions, including festivals, religious rituals, etc.
Madhubani paintings originated in the Mithila region
of Bihar. Some of the initial references to the Madhubani painting can be found in the Hindu epic Ramayana when King
Janaka, Sita’s father, asks his painters to create Madhubani paintings for his
daughter’s wedding.
Over time, Madhubani paintings became a part of festivities and special events like weddings. Slowly, this art attracted connoisseurs of art as many contemporary Indian artists took the art on global stage.
Over time, Madhubani paintings became a part of festivities and special events like weddings. Slowly, this art attracted connoisseurs of art as many contemporary Indian artists took the art on global stage.
Bihar
government is trying to promote this art form as part of the culture of Bihar.
It was a delight to see the walls of many public buildings bearing madhubani
painting. The road leading to the airport has many such paintings. It really
looked good and cheerful-something that people rarely associate with Bihar.
Language
More
than half of the languages, which could be about 400 spoken by India’s 1.3
billion people may die out over the next 50 years warned The People’s
Linguistic Survey of India (PSLI) recently. In last five decades, India had
already lost 250 languages. Each time a language is lost, the corresponding
culture is killed. Most at risk are marginal tribal communities whose children
receive no education or, if they do go to school, are taught in one of India’s
22 officially recognized languages. Therefore, every attempt should be made to
preserve the language. That, precisely is the motto behind observing 2019 as the year of indigenous languages.
Odisha
has over 50 tribal communities with different languages- many without a script.
The Odisha government has taken commendable steps by bringing out dictionaries
in these languages. In 2018, the
government Odisha published 21 dictionaries in the state's 21 indigenous
languages. The dictionaries were developed in collaboration with
native-speaking communities for planned implementation in multilingual primary
education programs.
The trilingual dictionaries, with indigenous language translations into English and Odia have been uploaded in August 2019 for public use.
This will help these languages to survive and grow. This is one of the finest gifts in 2019, the year of indigenous languages to the people who speak these languages and to those who want to learn them.
See here to know more: https://ova.gov.in
The trilingual dictionaries, with indigenous language translations into English and Odia have been uploaded in August 2019 for public use.
This will help these languages to survive and grow. This is one of the finest gifts in 2019, the year of indigenous languages to the people who speak these languages and to those who want to learn them.
See here to know more: https://ova.gov.in
Cashless Donation
When it comes to cashless transaction China is
miles ahead of us. I am told even the donation boxes in the ancient temples of
China have a QR code for people to pay - cashless! And the money instantly reaches
the account of the temple.
Temples in India should also follow suit. They should also have facilities of paying through mobile banking by scanning QR code. It will preempt pilferage and ensure transparency.
This will also minimize the hassle of counting the money, accounting it and depositing in the bank. All big temples, churches and mosques- wherever there is a provision of accepting public donation in India should plan to have the system in place. If small shops and roadside eateries can have it, so can the religious institutions.
Photo:
Manish Pathak-Shelet
Tailpiece: How to identify different places of India
Scenario 1: Two guys are fighting. Third guy comes along, sees
them and walks on..
That's MUMBAI.
Scenario 2: Two guys are fighting. Third guy comes along and
tries to make peace.. The first two get together and beat him up. That's DELHI.
Scenario 3: Two guys fighting and third guy comes from a nearby
house and says "don't fight in front of my place, go somewhere
else." That's PUNE.
Scenario 4: Two guys are fighting. A crowd gathers to watch. A
guy comes along and quietly opens a tea stall there. That's AHEMDABAD.
Scenario 5: Two guys are fighting. A crowd gathers to watch. In
ten minutes the crowd takes either sides and indulges in slanging match for
hours even as the guys fighting leave the place. That’s West Bengal.
Scenario 6: Two guys are fighting. Both of them take time out and
call their friends on their mobiles.. Now 50 guys are fighting. You
are in PUNJAB.
Scenario 7: Two guys fighting. Third guy comes and shoots both
of them. You are in Bihar.
Last Scenario: Two guys fighting, third guy comes along with a
carton of beer. All sit together drink beer and go home as friends.
You are definitely in GOA.
***
The
author, a journalist turned media academician lives in Central Odisha town of
Dhenkanal. An anthology of his weekly column Window Seat, published in 2018 has been published as a book. Write
to him to get a free e-copy. mrinalchatterjee@ymail.com
Wednesday 23 October 2019
Radio Play
ବେତାର ନାଟକ ଉତ୍ସବ ୨୦୧୯
୨୦-୨୬.୧୦.୧୯ । ପ୍ରସାରଣ: ପ୍ରତ୍ୟହ ରାତି ୯.୩୦
୨୪.୧୦: ହାସ୍ୟରସାତ୍ମକ ନାଟକ ଦେଖ୍ ଭାଇ ଦେଖରଚନା: ବ୍ରଜେନ୍ଦ୍ର ନାୟକ
ପ୍ରଯୋଜନା: ମନୋଜ କୁମାର ପୂଜାରୀ
ପ୍ରସ୍ତତି: ଆକାଶବାଣୀ ସମ୍ବଲପୁର
୨୫.୧୦: ଆବେ... ଏ...
ରଚନା ଓ ପ୍ରଯୋଜନା: ଜଗଦୀଶ ଅଧିକାରୀ
ନିର୍ଦ୍ଦେଶନା: ରଂଜନ କୁମାର ବେହେରା
ପ୍ରସ୍ତìତି: ଆକାଶବାଣୀ ଜୟପୁର
Sunday 20 October 2019
Friday 18 October 2019
Thursday 17 October 2019
Wednesday 16 October 2019
Column | Window Seat
Window Seat | Mrinal
Chatterjee | 20.10.19
Plastic Waste
Disposable single use plastic
has its utility and therefore it has been used so vigorously. However, it has a
sinister side that has made it a menace. So much so that it is negatively
impacting firm production, creating sanitary problem by clogging drains and
nalas, killing animals who eat them along with the food waste containing in the
plastic bags.
Our country produces roughly
twenty five thousand tonnes of plastic waste every day, out of which only about
fifteen thousand tonnes get recycled. This means that ten thousand tonnes are
added each day to the existing mounds of plastic waste. It is not as if this state of affairs has
remained unknown to the authorities concerned. Keeping in view the magnitude of
the problem, the Plastic Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 2011 issued by
the Government of India were revised in 2016 and made more stringent. These
were further revised in 2018, where every manufacturer, producer or brand owner
was duty bound to notify the state and central pollution control boards, the
quantity of plastic waste generated due to their business activities and ensure
disposal by pyrolysis.
Though amended in good faith,
it is undestood that these rules, besides being impractical were also extremely
difficult to implement. Therefore there is a necessity to look at these laws
and make them implementable.
Blanket ban on production of plastics
is no solution. It would create more problems as we have to look at the overall
economics connected with the plastic industry and also the efficacy of the
alternatives. Indian plastics industry has become one of the leading sectors in
the country’s economy. It consists of over 30,000 firms employing over four
million people with a turnover of
Rs 2 Lakh Crore. A blanket ban would affect this sector which in turn will affect our already fledging economy. The efficacy of the available alternatives also need to be carefully examined and then pushed forward.
Rs 2 Lakh Crore. A blanket ban would affect this sector which in turn will affect our already fledging economy. The efficacy of the available alternatives also need to be carefully examined and then pushed forward.
Don’t Waste Food
October 16 is observed
as World Food Day in
honor of the date of the founding of the Food and Agriculture Organization of
the United Nations in 1945. The day is celebrated widely by many other
organizations concerned with food security. This year, World Food Day called for
action across sectors to make healthy and sustainable diets affordable and
accessible to everyone. Ironical it may seem, but the fact is enough
food is being produced in the world to feed all, but two things prevent it
being used properly. One- inequitable distribution and two- food wastage.
Food wastage is
an alarming issue in India. Our street and garbage bins, landfills have
sufficient proof to prove it.
Weddings, canteens, hotels, social and family functions, households spew out so much food. According to the United Nations Development Programme, up to 40% of the food produced in India is wasted. In fact, according to the agriculture ministry, INR 50,000 crores worth of food produced is wasted every year in the country.
Why is food wastage a problem?
Consider this: 25% of fresh water used to produce food is ultimately wasted, even as millions of people still don’t have access to drinking water. When you calculate the figures in cubic kilometers, this is a bit more than an average river.
Acres of land are deforested to grow food. Approximately 45% of India’s land is degraded primarily due to deforestation, unsustainable agricultural practices, and excessive groundwater extraction to meet the food demand.
Weddings, canteens, hotels, social and family functions, households spew out so much food. According to the United Nations Development Programme, up to 40% of the food produced in India is wasted. In fact, according to the agriculture ministry, INR 50,000 crores worth of food produced is wasted every year in the country.
Why is food wastage a problem?
Consider this: 25% of fresh water used to produce food is ultimately wasted, even as millions of people still don’t have access to drinking water. When you calculate the figures in cubic kilometers, this is a bit more than an average river.
Acres of land are deforested to grow food. Approximately 45% of India’s land is degraded primarily due to deforestation, unsustainable agricultural practices, and excessive groundwater extraction to meet the food demand.
Even though India
produces enough food to feed its present population, food wastage is ironically
behind the millions of people, especially children who are malnourished.
So, please don't
waste food.
What can you do to reduce
food waste at personal level
As I was writing about global
hunger, I came across this report in Times of India that India has further
slipped in World Hunger Index. India has slipped to 102 rank in World hunger
index, behind countries like Bangladesh, Nepal and even Pakistan.
It is more the reason, why we should not waste food. In fact food waste is much more than a criminal offence, it is an offence against humanity.
Here’s what one can do on a personal level to contain food wastage:
• Make finishing your plate a habit. Try to inculcate it further to as many possible.
• Plan out your meal and make your shopping list to determine what you actually need for the week. About 20% of what we buy in urban India ends up being thrown away. You could in the week after cut down on the surplus and soon in two or three weeks you will have a precise list of your family’s weekly consumption. You have no idea how amazed you will be at how much you buy and what you actually consume. Needless to say that the difference is but naturally wasted.
• Buy in quantities you can realistically use. Avoid impulse purchase.
• If you cook at home, make sure you cook keeping in mind there is no excess. You can always complete your meals with a few fruits rather than keep some extra food in the refrigerator. It’s a lot better and a healthier practice too.
• Select according to their shelf life. Use the green vegetables first. Don’t throw out fruits and veggies with ‘aesthetic only’ blemishes. Use canned and bottled food before expiry dates.
• Reuse the refrigerated left-overs (if any) for the very next meal.
• If you work in an office that has a canteen, check with them on how they manage excess food. Cooked food, especially since it has a low shelf life needs to be managed better and faster. Check with NGOs who offer to transport excess food to the needy.
• If you host a family get together either at home, a marriage hall or throw a party at a hotel plan well so that you generate less food wastage.
• If there is left over, make sure you plan to utilise it by distributing to places like an orphanage or old age home.
It is more the reason, why we should not waste food. In fact food waste is much more than a criminal offence, it is an offence against humanity.
Here’s what one can do on a personal level to contain food wastage:
• Make finishing your plate a habit. Try to inculcate it further to as many possible.
• Plan out your meal and make your shopping list to determine what you actually need for the week. About 20% of what we buy in urban India ends up being thrown away. You could in the week after cut down on the surplus and soon in two or three weeks you will have a precise list of your family’s weekly consumption. You have no idea how amazed you will be at how much you buy and what you actually consume. Needless to say that the difference is but naturally wasted.
• Buy in quantities you can realistically use. Avoid impulse purchase.
• If you cook at home, make sure you cook keeping in mind there is no excess. You can always complete your meals with a few fruits rather than keep some extra food in the refrigerator. It’s a lot better and a healthier practice too.
• Select according to their shelf life. Use the green vegetables first. Don’t throw out fruits and veggies with ‘aesthetic only’ blemishes. Use canned and bottled food before expiry dates.
• Reuse the refrigerated left-overs (if any) for the very next meal.
• If you work in an office that has a canteen, check with them on how they manage excess food. Cooked food, especially since it has a low shelf life needs to be managed better and faster. Check with NGOs who offer to transport excess food to the needy.
• If you host a family get together either at home, a marriage hall or throw a party at a hotel plan well so that you generate less food wastage.
• If there is left over, make sure you plan to utilise it by distributing to places like an orphanage or old age home.
Tailpiece: The Zoo Story
A
businessman opens a zoo with ₹ 50/- entry fee...
No
one turns up.. So he reduces the entry fee to ₹20/-..
Still
no visitors..
Further
he reduces the entry fee to ₹ 10, and eventually to ₹ 5...
But
in vain..
He
therefore decides to make the entry free. People throng in thousands. Once
everybody in, he closes all the exit gates and releases all the Tigers and
lions from their cages....
Now
the exit fee is levied at ₹ 200/- per
head...
This
story has no connection to any mobile company. Any resemblance is pure coincidental.
(Courtesy:
Social Media)
Tailpiece: Biwi, Boss aur…
Question: Biwi, Boss aur Modiji , in teeno me
kya common hai?
Answer: Teeno sirf apne MAN KI BAAT kehte hai.
Hamari to sunte hi nahi.
(Courtesy: Social Media)
***
The
author, a journalist turned media academician lives in Central Odisha town of
Dhenkanal. An anthology of his weekly column Window Seat, published in 2018 has been published as a book. Write
to him to get a free e-copy. mrinalchatterjee@ymail.com
Monday 14 October 2019
Film Festival in Bhubaneswar
Call for entry for IGNITE Film Festival
(Info as received)
IGNITE Film Festival organised by Lighthouse is a noble intention to promote and encourage young filmmakers, storytellers and creative individuals, the festival also aims at creating awareness by highlighting various social, political and humanist issues through the showcased films. IGNITE is a theme based film festival which is held every year with a particular theme.
IGNITE 2020 is dedicated to the father of our nation Mahatma Gandhi. Films based on the values of Mahatma Gandhi with the theme ‘Gandhi in Life’. The last date for the submission of the films is 30th November, 2019. All the entries of the films will be accepted through emails. All the winners will be rewarded with cash prize in a prize giving ceremony which will be held in month of January, 2020 and will be communicated to the winners through email and phone call.
The participants are requested to submit their films or communicate or send their queries to our email id ignitefilmfestival@gmail.com.
For further details of the festival one can visit our official Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/igniteff and website http://lighthouseodisha.com/ignite-2020/.
Saturday 12 October 2019
Thursday 10 October 2019
Column | Window Seat
Window Seat | Mrinal Chatterjee | 13.10.19
End of Print Edition?
Mumbai and Ahmedabad editions of the English
daily DNA (Daily News and Analysis), launched in 2005 was shut down on 10 Oct.
2019. Its digital edition, however, is alive and kicking. In fact- it was a
conscious management decision to go digital as the young audience ‘prefer
reading us on their mobile phones rather in print.” The management of DNA would
have us believe that “only medium is changing, not us. Instead of your
doorsteps, we will now keep travelling with you wherever you are.”
DNA happens to be the first large daily
newspaper to close down its print editions and go digital. It might trigger a
trend in India, which thus far have been witnessed in western countries. Will
it sound the death knell for the print media? Or, print media will rediscover
itself and reposition itself? Will the engagement quality be the same? Will
there be a change in impact of newspaper in its digital avatar? It requires
serious research to find out the answers.
But one thing is sure- the media ecosphere of
India is poised for a big change.
Change in Rural India
During the puja vacation this year I went to a
village deep inside rural Odisha. And I am telling you with responsibility that
rural Odisha is witnessing sweeping changes. As I observe the way people engage
with technology, luxury items, and rituals of religious ceremonies - changes
are visible. Social behaviour pattern is changing. So is the perception of
power structure. Food habit is undergoing a radical change. So is the sense of
fashion and entertainment consumption. The urban-rural divide in terms of life
style and world view is narrowing down at a faster rate than you can imagine.
The aspiration level of the average rural youth is rising at a never before rate.
Their bond with the village and extended family, which used to be the hallmark
of rural life, is slackening; if not breaking off.
How
will the changes manifest in terms of socio- economic terms? I really do
not know. But manifest it will.
Durga Idol in relief
I went to a village named Punanga in Jagatsinghpur
district of Odisha and found an idol of Goddess Durga made of cement being
worshipped. Made in relief style, the idols are permanently placed at the puja mandap. For those uninitiated in art
forms- relief is a
sculptural technique where the sculpted elements remain attached to a solid
background of the same material. The term relief
is derived from the Latin verb relevo, which means to raise. To create a sculpture in
relief is to give the impression that the sculpted material has been raised
above the background plane.
 |
| Photo: Mrinal Chatterjee |
As the idols are made of cement- unlike the
clay idols, these are not immersed in water. So, no making
of idols every year, no noisy immersion procession, no immersion of clay idols
with chemical paint into water bodies. It is so environment friendly.
If only other puja mandaps adopt this
tradition- water pollution due to immersion of idols could be reduced to a
large extent.
Lemon Power
In many parts of Odisha, people take their
vehicles for puja on Vijaya Dasami day. For some reasons, the logic of which I
fail to understand lemon is a necessary article for such puja.
After the puja of the vehicle the priest would put two or four lemons at the wheel and ask the driver to crush it by slowly driving the vehicle over it. One would find hundreds of crushed lemon in front of temples and puja mandaps. It is believed that it wards off evil eye and facilitate safe journey of the vehicle.
After the puja of the vehicle the priest would put two or four lemons at the wheel and ask the driver to crush it by slowly driving the vehicle over it. One would find hundreds of crushed lemon in front of temples and puja mandaps. It is believed that it wards off evil eye and facilitate safe journey of the vehicle.
When I told my friend ‘this is blind belief and
a waste of lemon, which should be consumed and not crushed on road’, he accused
me of being a non-believer. He said even Rafale jets were fortified with lemon
power. And the reason Vikrant failed in its mission to land on moon intact- was
that it was not fortified with lemon power. The evil eyes of Pakistan made it
fail.
Tailpiece: Prophetic Lines
If a
nation expects to be ignorant and free, it expects what never was and never
will be, said Thomas Jefferson the third President of the United States (from 1801
to 1809).
How prophetic!
How prophetic!
***
The
author, a journalist turned media academician lives in Central Odisha town of
Dhenkanal. An anthology of his weekly column Window Seat, published in 2018 has been published as a book. Write
to him to get a free e-copy. mrinalchatterjee@ymail.com
Friday 4 October 2019
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