Karva Chauth

Today is 29^th October 2007 and this day is celebrated as Karva Chauth Vrat or fasting ritual for married women in India. The meaning of Karva is clay pot and Chauth is Fourth. That’s why Karva Chauth is celebrated on the fourth night after the full moon in Kartik month (Hindu calendar).

The old stories about Karva Chauth is that a queen once prayed to a Godess to win back her husband who was bewitched by another woman. According to another story, married women confront Yama, the Hindu Lord of death, for their husband's longevity. It also reveals the power of women to make even death bow down to their strength.

Karva Chauth is perhaps the most romantic of all Indian Festivals and is celebrated by the North Indian Community. On this day married women traditionally apply mehendi (henna) on their hands. Women pray and fast for their husband’s long life. The fast begins at sunrise. Some women do not eat or drink anything including water until the moon rises at night. Women enjoy the rituals and the accompanying festival.

At night when the moon rises, the wives see it either reflected on water or through a sieve, or offer their prayers. They then see their husbands face again reflected in the water or through the sieve with the moon, and pray for his long life. The husband then breaks her fast by giving her a sip of water and places something sweet in her mouth.

Karva Chauth is very popular, even young women whose marriages are in the offing observe the fast for their would-be husbands.

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Our Love for Birds

Today one thing clicked in my mind. How much we care for our nature. But there are people who care for the nature, some take it seriously and for some it’s just to watch and enjoy, not to care for. Recently in my balcony and kitchen window pigeons have laid eggs. One thing what I noticed was that, most of the time pigeons sit on the egg till the chicks are not out, and it took more than 20 days to the chicks to come out from the eggs. How difficult to sit on a place without moving? But that’s care and love, they care for that, even though they know that after sometime they will fly and will not be with them.

Daily I see them and put water for them, it gives me peace, something I feel in my heart that I am doing some good work, a satisfaction, which can be felt and cannot be described. I remember some moments of my childhood, when I was living in village; I use to feed to peacocks and other birds on the roof. Even sometimes when I have wheat in my hand, the peacock used to come to me and feed from my hand, wow!! I still remember the feeling when peacock put his beak on my palm, its wonderful feeling.

The dance of peacock is marvelous; you might have read in books that when peacock dances, the female peacock shed tears, but I have seen all this. But now when I visit village, I don’t find much peacocks, and their sweet voice. Sound from my heart comes: “Where are those days?” (kahan gaye woh din…). May be shortage of water and less trees are the reasons for their demise.

Though in cities the birds don’t have much places to make their nests. We are having big buildings all around and less greeneries (where the birds make their nests). That’s why we do not see many birds in cities in comparison to villages.

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Studying Abroad !!

I want to share about the experiences of students who went abroad for study. Recently my neighbor’s son went to Australia for MBA. His parents arranged all the money for his study and for stay. When he reached there, he was very eager to see a new country (which he might have dreamed of), lots of dreams are there in his mind. Other Indian students were also there, they were from different parts of India. First few days were very hard for him; he was not being able to adjust himself, as was the case with other students. They thought for some part time work so that they can bear some of their expenses. But the work they could get was car cleaning, house cleaning and so on, which they have never expected to do, not even in India. They all felt lonely, away from home and were seen like outsiders with a different looks (which can be expected in a foreign country).

After staying there for sometime he realized that most of the students don't want to study there, but their parents have forced them for study in a foreign country. Every night after talking to their parents in India the tears flow from their eyes, they cried in depress and in the end started drinking, so that they could sleep in the night. (What a terrific situation for them). My neighbor’s son told the whole story to his parents on phone and requested that he wants to come back and study in India only. Another reason given by him was that the scope of study in Australia was not of much useful in India (I don’t know that was right or wrong). His parents agreed (though they have already spent 4 Lacs Rupees). Upon hearing of his return other students congrats him that he is very lucky. But the others could not do, because they know their parents have made such expenses on their study.

The conclusion I got was, this situation might not be with everyone, it may happen to someone when you are going away from home. That’s what we call home sickness. It’s only the initial days you have to take pains. One who concentrate of study and have some dreams might succeed. Thanks for reading patiently, got some idea to tell??

Memories of School Days

Today I want to share with you days of my primary school. I was born in a small village. Our village is situated near the bank of a river. At that time the river flows. But it has dried up now. There was no school in our village and I have to go in a school situated in a nearby village, aprrox. 3 Kms. away. Yes, it was by foot at that time there was no vehicle. With my friends, I tried to reach school early so that we can play there; you know what game we play? We play with a ball made of cloths; it’s like playing football. We enjoyed this game so much.

We bring roti (chapatti), onion and lassi in bottle with us for lunch. After reaching school, we put lassi under sand so that it keeps cool till lunch and I tell you it works and the taste was wonderful of that lassi. It has a different fragrance in it, still remember that one. But nowadays that taste is not available; everything seems to be artificial now. Just before the end of school we were given dalia or something else to eat. For making our handwriting better, we write on a wood plate (1x2 ft in size). A sticks pen is used to write on the plate with the help of Black ink. After reaching back home from school, we have to wash that plate for the next day.

In winters, the water of river was chilled; to cross the river, we made a small bridge with the help of stones where the water was flowing less. What an experience it was!! I remember an incident of summers; I did not know swimming (I still cannot), one day we were taking bath in the river, some of my friends pushed me in deep water and I started throwing my hands to come out…uhh it was terrible for me… though they caught me and drew me out of water. After that incident I never took bath in the river. There are lots of such incidents, which I remember. You might also have such, share them with me.

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Water Shortage Part-II (Effect of Cold Drinks)

This is in continuation of my earlier post Water Shortage Part-I . Another issue of great concern for shortage of underground water is the Cold Drinks manufacturing Companies. You might be surprised to know that but its true that these companies are using most of the underground water. These companies installed their plants only on those locations where the underground water available in good quantity. After installing the plants these companies start pumping out underground water without any limit. They not only pump out the water of their area but the water of the nearby locations without any limit. In other words, these companies are pumping out that water on whom they don’t have any rights and making huge profit on the water that doesn’t belongs to them. By doing this they are making the wells dry in those locations, which causes another adverse effect i.e. the farmers are not getting enough water from their wells and they are not being able to farm their crops. You know the results if the crops are not being seeded???

Strangely in our country we don’t have any such law that can restrict these companies from pumping out limited water. There should be law, which prescribe a certain quantity of water to be pumped out from the underground and not unlimited quantity. Even we, who consumes cold drinks, are also responsible and part of the shortage of underground water. When we drink a cold drink we should know that from where this cold drink has been manufactured, in that place, the farmers are not getting water and are not being able to farm their crops. Do we know that? By reducing cold drinks you will give your contribution in increasing underground water. “I don’t think cold drink have any good effect on our body”. May be I am wrong. I know you have some questions in your mind; I want to hear that from you, just express your views through your comments.

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Water Shortage Part-I

Today I am going to tell you about the shortage of water we are facing in India, you may also have the same situation in your area. India is the second largest populated country. We need more water for agriculture purpose and for our personal use. The water sources are underground water, rainwater, rivers, ponds or dams. Due to excessive pumping out of under ground water, it is going low. But it is still the main source. The rivers are also not getting much water. When it rains heavily we faced flood situation, but when it did not we face water crises. (I think that’s the nature and excessiveness of everything is bad.) In rainy season, we are not concerned about the uses of water and we don’t preserve water. But come summer and the situation worsen. In summers, we talk about shortage of water, decline of water level in the country, pure drinking water and so on. Most of us don’t care much about water crises, but the reality is that we are facing severe shortage of drinking water. There are lot of reasons for such shortage and some how we all are responsible for this.

As I said earlier underground water is the main source of drinking water. Though we get good rain in rainy season but still we faced shortage of water in summers. Reasons for that are the ponds situated near the cities for providing drinking water are not being filled properly. Because enough water does not reach in the ponds due to large scale of constructions taken place in the city. Earlier the same water reached the ponds and recharged nearby wells, but now it is not happening. The governments or the concerned officials are not taking care of these facts. What the government or the Municipal Corporations in the cities doing is that they are digging hand pumps in almost every colony of the city. But from where these hand pumps get water, is there underground water available in every colony? The answer is ‘No’, after installing hand pumps no one cares about them whether the water from these hand pumps are coming or not. Waste of money. I am concluding here that part otherwise it will be long.

In the next part, read how Cold Drinks play a major role in water crises.

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Crime in Young Generation

The robberies of Mobile phones are on the rise in the city. Mobile shops and passer-by have being targeted. When in such an incident a robber was caught, it was found that he was well educated and was studying for professional degree. Could not understand, if educated people will do such crimes then how we can blame uneducated? It seems that to fulfill their own necessities they can do anything. They can put others life in danger. But they don’t know what will be the consequences of all this. They will be put in jails, their career will be ruined, but while doing such crimes they don’t think about this, at that time they only need money and might think that they are the cleverest and no body will know about them.

One should spend in his limits; you have less money, try to live in that and don’t harm others life for your own need. But globalization and commercialization have brought more products and more money. They see new products in market with their relatives and friends and lure towards them. To getting them they do such crimes. They should understand their own need and others. Most of these crimes are being committed by the young generation. They should control themselves, but will they? Don’t know where we will go?? Will you share with me any such incidents happened in your area?

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