Column | Window Seat

Window Seat | Mrinal Chatterjee

Cycle

Cycle completes 200 years this year. Invented and first used in Germany in 1817 the humble machine revolutionized the way human beings commuted. From Germany it travelled to other European countries and then to the entire world. Its popularity hinged on three factors: first, it was (and still is) inexpensive to own and use;  second it was (and still is) fairly simple machine, which can be maintained and repaired easily; and third it could be used in practically any kind of terrain.

However as faster gasoline-operated vehicles were invented and used, popularity of cycle took a beating. People preferred to zip by instead of laboriously pedaling.

However, cycle has been reinvented in recent years as the most energy efficient and healthy mode of transportation as the cost of energy went up and air pollution because of vehicular fumes and preserving environment became a global concern. In many European countries, cycle is presently the major mode of transport in city centres, in educational institutions and office complexes.

In India as the automobile use increases sharply we must ponder over the healthy, energy-efficient and zero-pollution cycle. We must use of cycle as it also provides the necessary physical exercise to counter several sedentary life style diseases. The Government and City Administrators must encourage the use of cycles by short distance commuters, as it has several advantages. Besides reducing vehicular pollution it can also reduce congestion on the road and traffic and parking problems. Urban roads must have a dedicated cycle lane, as it is there in many European countries.

Riding a cycle instead of a scooter or motocycle or a car is often seen as socially ‘down-market’. This mindset needs to be changed. The image of cycle as the ‘poor man’s humble vehicle’ needs to be changed. Cycle ride must be accorded the respectful status it deserves. This could be done by the celebrities and people whom common masses look up to.

Let us do our bit to save the environment. Let us all ride cycle to our work places, wherever possible.

Wikipaedia in Indian languages

Anybody using Internet to search for some information is familiar with Wikipedia. It is a free online encyclopedia with the aim to allow anyone to write and edit articles. It is the largest and most popular general reference work and is ranked among ten most popular websites. Wikipedia began on 15 January 2001, two days after the domain  was registered by Jimmy Wales and Larry Sanger.Initially there was only the English language version. But similar versions in other languages developed quickly. With 5,420761 articles  it is still the largest of the more than 290 Wikipedia encyclopedias in more than 250 languages across the world including several Indian languages.

Among the Indian language Wikipedia, Odia Wikipedia is the oldest. Started in June 2002, it has just completed 15years. This happens to be one of first four Indic Wikipedias started in 2002 supported by non-profit Wikimedia Foundation.

 By mid 2017, Odia Wikipedia had more than 12,000 articles. It has spinned several other  repositories of knowledge and information, like  say Odia Wikisource, which is a library of public domain and other freely licensed works in Odia language. Recently they have released a new freely licensed converter that can convert the Odia text into International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) and Romanisation, two major standards used globally for writing phonetic notations.

Wikipedia in different Indian languages is one great way to build a repository of knowledge in that language. These days all Indian languages, except probably Hindi are facing the threat of decreasing use, which might lead to its extinction. The only way to save a language is to keep it in circulation. The practical way to do it is to use it and to make it a repository of knowledge, which should be easy and inexpensive to access.

However success of any language Wikipedia depends on people who would write for it, enrich it. People who would devote own time to write - for free. Wikipedia survives on the contribution of dedicated volunteers with expertise. All language Wikipedia are facing the problem of getting good quality content. We must get involved with this unique endeavour to create repository of knowledge – in any which language we can.

Raja

In all agrarian societies, there are several festivals associated with agriculture, most of them during harvest time; some at the beginning of the major agricultural season. Odisha has one such festival, which is unique for its symbolism and the rituals associated with it. It is called Raja Parba (festival).

It is a four day long festival and the second day signifies beginning of the solar month of Mithuna from which the rainy season begins, usually mid-June. It inaugurates and welcomes the agricultural year all over Odisha, which marks, through biological symbolism, the moistening of the sun dried soil with the first showers of the monsoon in mid June thus making it ready for productivity.

It is believed that the mother goddess Earth or the divine wife of Lord Vishnu undergoes menstruation (raja) during the first three days. The fourth day is called as Basumati gadhua or ceremonial bath of Bhudevi. Bhudevi, is the wife of lord Jagannath.

During these three days women are given a break from household work and time to play indoor games. Unmarried girls wear new clothes and saree, put alatha  (liquid colour)in feet and in general put on makeup and deck themselves up. They abstain from walking barefoot on earth. People play a lot of indoor and outdoor games. Girls play swings tied on tree branches whereas aged ladies play Cards and Ludo.

The first day of the festival is called Pahili Raja, second day is Mithuna Sankranti, third day is Bhu daaha or Basi Raja. The final fourth day is called Basumati snan, in which the ladies bath the grinding stone as a symbol of Bhumi with turmeric paste and adore with flower, sindoor, etc. All type of seasonal fruits are offered to mother Bhumi. The day before first day is called Sajabaja or preparatory day during which the house , kitchen including grinding stones are cleaned, spices are ground for three days.

Swings (called doli in Odia) are closely associated with this festival.  There are different kinds and varieties of swings, such as 'Ram Doli', 'Charki Doli', 'Pata Doli', 'Dandi Doli' etc. Songs specially meant for the festival speak of love, affection, respect, social behaviour and everything of social order that comes to the minds of the singers. “Through anonymous and composed extempore, much of these songs, through sheer beauty of diction and sentiment, has earned permanence and has gone to make the very substratum of Odisha's folk-poetry.”

While girls thus scatter beauty, grace and music all around, moving up and down on the swings during the festival, young men give themselves to strenuous games and good food, on the eve of the onset of the monsoons, which will not give them even a minute's respite for practically four months making them one with mud, slush and relentless showers, their spirits keep high with only the hopes of a good harvest.

As all agricultural activities remain suspended and a joyous atmosphere pervades, the young men of the village keep themselves busy in various types of country games, the most favourite being Kabadi (called bagudi in Odia)'. Competitions are also held between different groups of villages. All nights 'Yatra' performances or 'Gotipua' dances are arranged in prosperous villages where they can afford the professional groups. Enthusiastic amateurs also arrange plays and other kinds of entertainment.

The special variety of cake prepared out of recipes like rice-powder, molasses, coconut, camphor, ghee etc. goes in the name of "Poda Pitha" (literally, burnt cake). The size of the cake varies according to the number of family members. Cakes are also exchanged among relatives and friends.

If you happen to be in Odisha, especially in coastal and Central Odisha during these days – please join the festivities and savour the delicacies.

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.

Tailpiece 2: Babaji..

Babaji ke bahkabe me akar daru chod di

Liver to bach gaye, lekin ….Dost sab bichhar gaye

(Prompted by the Baba I quit drinking. My liver was saved, but….all my friends went away)

(Courtesy: Social Media forward)

Mrinal Chatterjee, a journalist turned media academician lives on the valley of Paniohala Hills at Dhenkanal, Odisha. He also writes and translates fiction and plays. His Odia translation of two Hindi plays of Safdar Hashmi has recently been published.

He can be contacted at mrinalchatterjee@ymail.com

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