My colour is black !

*   Another black kid, Michael Brown has been killed by a white police officer, Darren Wilson and the killer without remorse goes around TV studios explaining how he killed a boy in self defence. To add insult to injury, the killer has not been charged by the grand jury. Not long ago an unarmed black was killed by a white man for trespassing. 

*    And what's surprising is that this is happening in the US, (the world's most civilised nation ?) and not in some central African country. It's quite painful to hear about such an incident. 

*     A precious human life has been taken away by a mindless man, who should be behind bars, than explaining his act on TV. Will justice be ever done? 

Road to Regression.

* A woman jailed for watching men's volleyball match. If 

   I told you this, you would mock me and say, 'Don't pull 

   my leg." Friends, this is as true as it sounds bizarre. 

   This happened in 21st century Iran.

* This seriously bring one to believe that some Muslim 

   countries continue to live in the dark age, and forget 

   that it's the age of light.  This news is disturbing for 

   every sensible human being and it's important that 

   we all protest in every possible way.

*  Women in our times deserve equal rights, denied to

    them since the dawn of civilization.  Men in all 

    societies need to address this problem without 

    wasting anytime.

  

*      This is one of my favourite stories. Enjoy the bus ride to Lekhapani..........

Last Bus to Lekhapani

Pooran Mal Lakhotia alighted at the Dibrugarh bus station at 9 p.m. and rushed to the booking counter from where a dim light emanated, indicating perhaps the counter was open. But he was disappointed to find it closed. Dejected, he looked around for someone to inquire about the bus. Seated in one corner, he found a man brewing tea.

       Picking up the suitcase, he moved to the tea shop. Suddenly, he felt an instant urge to have a strong tea.

        He put the suitcase down, and asked the tea seller, rubbing palms to generate some warmth, “Bhaiya, when is the next bus to Lekhapani?” 

       The tea seller, with typical looks of a man from the Gangetic plains, gave him a wry smile and spoke, “Arey, sahib, you’ve just missed the bus by about fifteen minutes.”

       “When is the last bus to Lekhapani?” he asked instantly.

       “That leaves this place at midnight and the booking counter will open half an hour prior to departure,” he replied putting the kettle on the fire.

        “What time does it reach there?”

        “Before 4 a.m.”

        “4 a.m.!”

       “Ji Sahib. Perhaps you are coming here for the first time. In this region the sun rises early. It’s dawn by 4 a.m.”

         “What’s your name?”

         “Lallan.”

         “Lallan, could I’ve a strong ginger tea?” he urged.

      “Ji, Sahib. Wait a minute,” he said elatedly, dusted a plastic chair with his gamchha, (hand towel) and then gestured him to sit.

“I’ll wait here at the bus stop. There’s no point going back to the hotel room now,” he thought loudly, settling in the chair.

“Sahib, you won’t regret staying here,” he heard him remark.

“Why!” he exclaimed.

“Ji, nothing. I meant you could read the book or newspaper. You would be carrying a lot of books,” he spoke putting tealeaves into the boiling water.

“How do you know?” he queried in surprise.

“I’ve seen many sahibs reading books while waiting for the bus here.” he put sugar into the pan and stirred it vigorously. A minute later when the tea started boiling, he grated ginger into fine pieces and dropped them into the pan.

“Do you know how to read?” he inquired, but felt foolish a minute later asking that stupid question.

            (Please go to 'Short Stories' section for full story)

           The Nanda Devi Raj Jat Yatra originates from Nauti village, about  25 km  from  Karnprayag  in  Uttarakhand. The  Kunwar of Kansua  village  inaugurates  the  ceremony. The legend has it that Nanda Devi, the consort of Lord Shiva left her village and went to the Nanda Devi mount. Therefore when the yatra starts, heavy rain occurs as  if the Devi is  crying. This yatra covers many villages en route  and  the  Devi  meets  her  sister  in  Bhagwati  village.  The festivities  come  to a standstill, when  time  comes for the Devi to leave  for  her  husband’s  home. Special  prayers  and  rituals are performed and the offerings are loaded on  the  four- horned Ram. The deity is decorated like a bride, ready to leave for her husband's home. The scene  becomes  emotional  when  devotees  bid tearful farewell to the Devi, as they bid farewell to their own daughter.

      The four horned ram proceeds towards Trishuli peak, the abode of Lord Shiva. The women folk believe that the mist around the Nanda Kot peak is the smoke coming out of the kitchen of Goddess Nanda. They sing songs in praise of their Goddess, whom they consider as their pampered daughter.

         This journey is extremely tough as it passes through difficult terrain. During the yatra, devotees pass by Lake Roopkund, surrounded by hundreds of skeletons. According to the mythology, once a King took some dancers to this sacred spot. Due to heavy snowfall, the people got trapped and the dancers were transformed into skeletons and stones. Another myth is that King Yasodhwal's pregnant wife's placenta, during child birth, flowed down to Roopkund and this in turn caused the death of the people present there. Nandakini, one of the five main tributaries of the Ganges, originating from the Nanda Ghunti in the Nanda Devi Sanctuary, and joining the Alaknanda river at Nandprayag, lost her significance.

         During the period of Chand kings, Nanda Devi worship took the shape of a fair. Prior to that, Nanda Devi was being worshiped, but at  that  time  only an idol of Nanda Devi used to be worshiped. The  custom  to make  two  idols  started  from  the  period  of Baj Bahadur  Chand. The twin  peaks of the Nanda Devi and Sunanda Devi are said to be the abode of two goddesses. 

          The  Nanda  Devi Raj  Jat Yatra covers approx 290 Kms. The 230 Kms distance is covered on foot by trekking and 60 Kms by the transport. It takes three week to cover the whole yatra. People from Uttarakhand  and  other  parts  of India  participate  in  this  Yatra. The route traverse through high peaks and beautiful meadows.

          The goddess Nanda Devi is worshiped at dozens of places in both the Kumaon and Garhwal regions, but the region around Mt. Nanda Devi and its sanctuary, is the prime area related to the Yatra, organized once in 12 years. The Jaat (meaning Yatra or pilgrimage) starts from Nauti village near Karnprayag and goes up to the heights of Roopkund and Homekund with a four horned sheep. After the havan - yagna is over, the sheep is freed with decorated ornaments, food and clothings, and the other offerings are discarded.

     Raj Jaat procession goes through villages, where there is a recognized Nanda Devi temple. At Koti, a night halt of the participants takes place where a night-long worship and celebrations take place. Thousands participate in the procession carrying the dola of Nanda Devi. It is said that the Nanda Devi fairs started in Kumaon during the reign of the King Kalyan Chand in the 16th century. A three-day fair is held at Kot Ki Mai or Kot Bhramari Devi. The fair at Saneti comes every second year.

 
     Nanda Devi Raj Jat is the most wonderful pilgrimage in the High Himalayas, combining faith, mystery and myth. Like the Khumbh it is organized every 12 years. 280 km pilgrimage by foot begins at the village Nauti, in Chamoli district and has 19 resting places. The yatra reflects the traditions of the society that has deep faith in Nanda Devi. People of all castes, religions and creeds joyfully join this journey, which embraces pastoral hospitably and govt apathy with equal ease, as it traverses through the heavenly environs of the Bedini Bugyal.

White Elephants !!

*    In poor country like India where thousands go hungry 

      and  millions  manage  just  one  meal  a day  for their

      families,  spending  crores  of  rupees  each  year  on 

      maintaining the  institution of  the  governor is hardly 

      any act of wisdom. The huge  amount of money spent

      on their pay, perks and maintaining Raj Bhavans does

      not justify the the work discharged from this high 

      office.

*    The Governors perform only one constitutional duty, 

      i.e., inviting the  leader of the  largest political party, 

      or the group to form the govt. It's one duty  that can  

      be better formed by the Chief Justice of the State.

*    Most governors often meddle into state politics and

      make life difficult for the state govt at the behest of

      the centre. Money  saved by  dismantling this office 

      can be spent on health and education of impoverished

      people.