Newspaper Frontpages when Emergency was clamped 42 years ago

The Hindu June 27, 1975

Indian Herald 26 June 2017

English daily Indian Express left its editorial blank on 28 June as a protest against curbing of press freedom.

Odia daily Samaja, 27 June 1975

Column | Window Seat

Window Seat | Mrinal Chatterjee

Patients’ Rights Day

Anamika Ray, a media academician, a mother of a 5 years old girl was 36 when she died at a Delhi hospital on 19 July 2015. She had been admitted for a simple operation. It got complicated and she was shifted to another hospital where she breathed her last. A family got shattered.  A brilliant career (by that that she had completed her doctorate and had made a name as a translator of fiction from Bengali to Assamese and vice versa) came to an abrupt halt because of what her husband alleged as ‘medical negligence’- a charge later proved and admitted by Delhi Medical Council. Anamika’s is not a lone case. A report says in India thousands die or suffer permanent damage because of medical negligence. Patients are looted and swindled at every step of the treatment. Read the cover story of Outlook June 19, 2017 issue to know more about the scale and modus operendi.

Most of us bear the loss and sit silently hoping someday somebody will do something about it. Or, probably the government will take notice.

Dr. Ankuran Dutta, her husband decided to fight back on behalf of all the patients. He formed a trust Dr. Anamika Ray Memorial Trust and started a campaign for patients’’ rights and against ‘medical terrorism’. The trust decided to observe June 25, Anaika’s birthday as Patients’ Rights Day.

As a patients we have certain rights, say for example- the right to get necessary information about our medical situation, expected treatment costs, expected outcome, redressal process and our medical record within 72 hours.  We must be aware of our rights and exercise that right. Often we are brow bitten or asked to rely upon the doctors. It is ok to believe but it is not wise to get cheated. With the big hospitals out to make money, they want the patients to spend more money and go for expensive procedures when cheaper and better alternatives are available.

People must be aware of their rights and there needs to be a transparent redressal system. The Trust is doing its bit for that. To know about the campaign, please visit: http;//smt.armt.in

Rath Yatra

Today, 25 June 2017 happens to be Asada Sukla Dwitiya.  On this day the presiding deity of Shreemandira, Puri, Lord Jagannath along with Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra are taken on three colourful chariots to their maternal aunt’s home- Sri Gundicha Temple. This festival is known as Rath Yatra.

Rath Yatra is celebrated in many places in India and abroad. The Rath Yatra at Mahesh, West Bengal is quite well-known.

However, Rath Yatra at Puri, a temple town in Odisha, one of the four holy pitha of the Hindus is one of the grandest spectacles on the earth.  Full of drama and panoply of rituals and ceremonies, Rath Yatra is rooted in ancient traditions, myths and legends. It embodies the most colorful elements of the classical and folk cultures of the Indian subcontinent and the Odisha region.

One interesting feature about Rath Yatra at Puri is: here the presiding deities of the temple are taken out on a procession. In many temples deities are taken out in procession. But in few temples the presiding deities are taken out. Usually a representative of the presiding deity is taken out on the procession. But here at Puri and in most of the Jagannath Temples across the world- the presiding deities are taken out. This has a symbolic significance. It is as if the deities want to mingle with the masses as much as the masses want to have a darshan of the Lord. It signifies the importance of the masses in creating their God. The God is as much the creation of its devotees as the devotees are of Him.

Rath Yatra

Recently Subas Pani, the former Chief Secretary of Odisha, a well-known scholar on Jagannath philosophy has published a book titled Rath Yatra. It was released at Kaling Literature Festival in Bhubaneswar recently. 

Pani did his PhD on Jayadeva’s  Geetagovinda. He has authored several books on the culture and heritage of Odisha.

Published by Niyogi Books, this 226 page, well illustrated book with beautiful photographs of the grand spectacle is a comprehensive account of Rath Yatra at Puri. It provides the background of the origin of Lord Jagannath, who has strong links with the heritage of the aborigine tribes. Rich in detail, the book covers a wide span including the legends surrounding the temple, the unique architectural style of the temple complex, the elaborate preparatory summer festivals leading up to the main festival and the varied rituals associated with making of the chariots and the actual Yatra or the journey.

Read this if you want to know about Rath Yatra, or just browse the beautiful photographs of one of the grandest spectacle on earth.

Tailpiece 1 Motivational Message of the Year

If you do not love your job… take a home loan. You will start loving it.

Take another loan, you will start loving your boss as well.

Get married… you will start loving your office as well.

(Courtesy: Social Media forward)

Tailpiece 2 Yoga Tips

Whatever your wife says, move your head up and down twice. This is the best yoga. This will not only reduce your insomnia, irritability, restlessness and keep your blood-pressure normal but also keep you content. This is the key to a happy life.

Warning: don’t ever move your head sidewise. That could be dangerous for your health.

Mrinal Chatterjee, a journalist turned media academician lives on the valley of Paniohala Hills at Dhenkanal, Odisha. He also writes fiction.

mrinalchatterjee@ymail.com

***

Article | Rath Yatra

Samaja Saptahika 25.6.17

Column | Pathe Prantare

Samaya Taranga 25.6.17

Media Jobs

Job Opportunity in CARE India

Intern: Social Media Content Creation

CARE has been working in India for over 65 years, focusing on alleviating poverty and social

exclusion. CARE India seeks to responds to the needs of all who are poor and socially

excluded, with a specialized focus on women and girls. The organization focusses on the

empowerment of women and girls because they are disproportionately affected by poverty and

discrimination, and suffer abuse and violations in the realization of their rights, entitlements,

and access and control over resources (for details visit the website www.careindia.org).

CARE India is implementing a project called “Evolving a Women-centred Model for

Extension of Improved Cook Stoves for Sustained Adoption at Scale” in three tribal

dominated districts of Odisha and Chhattisgarh. The key focus of this initiative is to promote

sustainable adoption of Improved Cook Stoves as a clean cooking energy solution among

forest dependent households (FDHs) in the above-mentioned three districts. The project works

directly with 10,000 women from FDHs and their 400 Self Help Groups. The project is

addressing four key constraints that hamper sustained ICS adoption – awareness, availability,

access and affordability – by building women users’ capabilities and capacities, working with

men and other actors who influence adoption, and strengthening the Improved Cook Stove

Value Chain.

Expected Deliverables:

The project plans to engage Intern from media background who can undertake the assignment

of written and visual content for the CARE website and social media platforms. During the

internship period the Intern is expected to give the following deliverables:

 Develop human stories in English

 Prépare blogs in English for posting in the organization website

 Prepare short visual interviews of impact population and target groups in English

 Undertake translation of project documents/learning materials into English

Duration of Assignment :

July to December 2017 (extendable depending on the project requirement).

Location:

Bhawanipatna, Kalahandi with travel to project locations in Kalahandi and Kandhamal in Odisha

and in Jashpur district of Chhattisgarh. CARE India will facilitate field visit as required to enable

the Intern undertake the above tasks.

Remuneration:

In lieu of the deliverables extended as mentioned above the intern will receive a monthly

internship fee ranging between Rs. 12000 – 15000. Besides, the Intern will also be provided

Conveyance and Communication reimbursement on monthly basis.
Contact: Rekha Panigrahi

Project Manager

SWITCH Asia II (BACHAT)

Mob- 9437133455| rpanigrahi@careindia.org |

CARE India | Lane No – 6, Irrigation Colony, Bhawanipatna, Kalahandi | Odisha- 766001

(Posted on 24.6.17)

Workshop on Television Journalism

Theatre Festival in Kolkata

History of Indian Newspapers | Jam-e-Jamshed

Published in Communication Today, April-June 2017 issue. Editor: Prof. Sanjeev Bhanawat

Radio Jockey Workshop in Bhubaneswar

It will be held in Bhubaneswar by end June 2017

Column | Point by Point

Pratibimba 11-17 June 2017

Language Conference

My stories in Hindi Translation

सड़क हादसे के बाद...

डा. मृणाल चटर्जी

HINDI translation: Itishree Singh Rathore

सिड़ी
मेरे लिए सिड़ी चढ़ना बहुत ही आसान था
लेकिन अब पता चल रहा है कि सिड़ी चढ़ना कितना मुश्किल होता है
सब समय का खेल है
सिड़ी जहां थी वही है
जैसी थी वैसी ही है
बस बदल गया है मेरा वक्त...

डेटल
कल तक डेटल की खूशबू बिकलुक पसंद न थी. आज भी पसंद नहीं . कल तक डेटाल के बिना मेरी जिंदगी चलती थी लेकिन आज वह मेरी जिंदगी का हिस्सा बन गया है...डाक्टर ने कहा है कि इनफेक्सन से दूरी बनाए रखने के लिए डेटाल जरुरी है.

जूता
मार्णिंग वाक के लिए एक जूता खरीदा था बड़े ही शौक से. 
हादसे के बाद अब में विस्तर पर हूं लेकिन जूता मेरा इंतेजार कर रहा है मार्णिंग वाक पर निकलने के लिए. 

फूल
गमले में फूल का पौधा लगाकार हमारे माली ने उसे आंगन पर रख दिया था. जिस दिन उसने रखा उसी दिन शाम को सड़क हादसे का मैं शिकार हुआ. चार-पांच दिन के बाद मैंने देखा कि पौधा मुरझा चुका गया है . 
माली से पूछने पर उसने कहा, सर पानी तो रोज देता हूॆ
- तो पौधा कैसे मूरझा गया?
-आप पांच दिन घर नहीं निकले शायद इसीलिए आपका इंतेजार करते-करते पौधा मूरझा गया.

औकात
सरकारी आस्पताल के ड्रेसिंग रूम पहुंचते ही 
अपनी औकात का पता चलता है.
स्काच से सना खून और देशी शराब मिले खून का रंग एक ही होता है
तभी पता चलता है

हादसा
याद है केवल कुछ अजीब आवाजें
याद है बस सड़क पर पड़े लाल रंग के छींटे
बस एक ही पल बदल गई मेरी जिंदगी
जैसे सीमट गई हो  दस बट्टा आठ के एक कमरे तक
कमरे के बाहर से पहाड़ जैसे आवाज दे रहा हो आने के
जंगल बुला रहा हो
लेकिन मैं चुपचाप बिस्तकर पर |

बाहर  चांदनी रात उदास कट रही हैं.