ONE
Two years ago, zoologists at Oxford University found that the crow can make tools. They left some meat in a small toy bucket inside a tall cylinder, into which the crow could not reach to get the food. What it actually did was to pick up a piece of stiff wire (left nearby by the experimenters), bent it into a hockey-stick shape by tapping ever-so-rightly against a surface and lifted the bucket using this hook and partook of the meal! The Oxford experiment is, in a way, a retelling of the Panchatantra tale, where the thirsty crow drops pebble after pebble into a pot of water to raise the level and drink. The crow is also thought of as stupid and vain. Remember the Aesop’s Fable about the crow with a piece of food in its beak? Praised by he wily fox, which wants to hear it sing, the crow opens its mouth and the fox walks away with the food. Will someone now demand that NCERT rewrite Aesop’s Fables, at least about the crow?
Based on a write up by Shri. D.Balasubramanian (dbala@lvpei.org) in
THE HINDU of June 3, 2004.
TWO
Admission fee to a medical college: Rs. 2,50,000. For a journalism course: Rs. 1,50,000. For an engineering class: Rs. 25,000. For Mambalam Samskrita Vidyalaya: Re: 1. Situated in the Ahobila Mutt School, West Mambalam, Chennai, the Vidyalaya is proud of its ‘Periya Master’. Shri. O.R. Rajagopalan, the 84 year-old teacher, has taught, in the past 50 years, the choicest Samskrit literature including Kalidasa’s poetry and Bhavabhuti’s drama to over a 1,000 students. And he has never demanded even a rupee from any of them as school fee. The frail scholar started this Vidyalaya beside a well, half a century back. He has never missed a class, even when his wife was ill and had to be hospitalized. The Vidwan has taught the schoolboy and the software professional, the Hindi teacher and the college girl. Even if there be just two students in the class on one fine day, Rajagopalan would not mind. He would teach them happily, with his trademark commitment. A specialty at the Vidyalaya is the Saturday ‘Vagvardhini Sabha’ where students are taught to speak in Samskrit. “In fact, we use it as a forum to discuss social issues”, says a student. The Vidyalaya, in many ways, is a throwback to a different age run by an idealistic old man who believes that Samskrit cannot be sold.
Based on a report by Smt. Dhanya Parthasarathy
in the ‘educationplus’ section of THE HINDU on June 28, 2004.
THREE
Late Shri (Prof.) Rajendra Singh (endearingly called ‘Rajju Bhaiyya’ by RSS swayamsevaks) turned 61 when he was in Kanyakumari, Bharat, in January 1982. He was there on an annual tour as the Sar-karyawah (General Secretary) of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). In tune with the tradition of self-denial that marks out an RSS pracharak, he let no one know that it was the auspicious day of his Shashti-abda-poorthi as per the Hindu calendar. Once the Sangh work for the day was over, he sat for a while in Dhyanam in front of Mother Kanykumari at the temple there at the land’s end. Then he proceeded to Palakkad in neighbouring Kerala to participate in a camp of RSS workers of the state, wherein the Sar-sanghchalak of the organization, respected Shri. Balasaheb Deoras was also present. On the last day of the camp, Shri, Singh received a Shashti-abda-poorthi greetings sent by his sister from Delhi. It was then that the swayamsevaks learnt of the fact. They prevailed upon Rajju Bhaiyya to agree for a simple ceremony to commemorate the auspicious occasion. Accompanied by Vedic recital, the Saha-prant-sanghchalak (state vice-president) of Kerala, Shri. (Prof.) Govindan Nair greeted Shri. Rajendra Singh. Earlier in his life, Rajju Bhaiyya, a physicist by training and a favourite student of Nobel Laureate C.V Raman, had given up his teaching career in the Allahabad University to serve the motherland by becoming a pracharak, belying the fond expectation of C.V.Raman that Prof. Singh would join him in his research some day.
Based on an article in Tamil weekly
VIJAYABHARATAM (Chennai - 31), February 19, 1982.
FOUR
At least two instances of fruitful, organized, pro-active steps by general public with concern for water conservation in Tamilnadu, Bharat, were reported in the newspapers during the last week of June, 2004: 1. Coimbatore district failed to receive monsoon showers for five years in a row and as a result, the area was declared ‘black zone’, that is, completely lacking ground water. Leading industrial houses and welfare associations in the industrial hub of Coimbatore city pooled up resources to the tune of Rs. 1.5 crore which included public donations and launched ‘Siru Thuli’, a voluntary group with a resolve to desilt all the 7 tanks in and around the city and raise the tank-bunds. In one year, Siru Thuli deepened the tanks up to 5 feet and raised the bunds to 15 feet. As a result the total storage capacity of the tanks rose to 951 million cubic feet. Following rains during the early monsoon showers of 2004, the levels in the tanks went up and the quantity of water stored in them is nearly 60 percent of their capacity. The state government too pitched in with a grant of Rs. 30 lakh under its rural self reliance programme to enable the achievement of Siru Thuli target – of bringing back the sub-soil water to life (DINAMALAR of June 22). 2.The Chitlapakkam lake is a major reservoir girding Chennai metro. It was a scene of hectic activity in June 2004. A Lake Protection Group was formed to thwart increase in encroachments into the lake. The Group took steps to deepen the lake and raise its bund. Local residents contributed towards the cost of the works to the tune of Rs. 2.5 lakhs. The rural self-reliance programme of the state government backed the initiative of the public. The government released a grant, taking up the amount to Rs. 10 lakhs. Work on raising the lake-bund to an extent of 600 metres is over
(DINAMALAR of June 29).
FIVE
Smt. Rekha hails from a tiny hamlet off Mannachanallur, near Thiruchirapalli, Tamilnadu, Bharat. After her engineering graduation in Coimbatore, Rekha works in Montario, Canada as software professional. Her husband too is employed in Canada. Recently, Rekha was blessed with a beautiful girl child. As a Hindu mother, she preferred to be with the infant all through. She was averse to the idea of leaving her baby-daughter in a crèche. So, she coolly resigned her job, sending shock waves among her office colleagues (Source: January 2004 issue of HINDU SANGHA SEIDHI, Tamil monthly). “No wonder, they were struck by Rekha’s action in an atmosphere where pregnancy itself is postponed in order to maintain body form. But a Hindu mother is one who is ready for any tyaga in order to bring up her offspring as a cultured person”, comments the February 2004 issue of GRIHINI, a monthly Seva bulletin in Tamil, devoted to cultural activism of women, brought out by
Smt. Amudha Chinnabalan from 11/27, PSK Nagar, Rajapalayam - 626 108, Tamilnadu, Bharat.
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Panchaamritam 42
ONE
1. Shri. Kumari Ananthan, former president of the Tamilnadu unit of the Congress party, buys 8 morning newspapers and 3 evening papers. At his office on Venkatanaraayana Road, T.Nagar, Chennai, any one can walk in and read the newspapers. An office staff says his employer knows many can hardly afford to buy several newspapers (THE HINDU, June 30, 2004). 2. Shri. C. Vetrivel, a reader, informs in a Letter To The Editor that he has converted one room of his two-room house measuring just 500 square feet in all, into a reading room with a copy each of 500 magazines arranged in 20 categories. He writes that he has arranged his collection of 5,000 books also in that room. He has named it as ‘Meenakshi Noolagam’. He claims that this is Tamilnadu’s first Idhalagam, that is, a magazine library (DINAMANI, July 12, 2004). 3. On any Sunday afternoon, a visitor to the house of Shri. L. Narayanan, a swayamsevak of Tiruchirappalli, Tamilnadu, Bharat, can find Narayanan sizing old envelops and wedding invitations into small slips and making tiny packs of Kumkum and Bhasma (sacred ash). Later in the evening, he, accompanied by a group of friends, distributes these among the ailing in-patients in the government hospital as prasad. 4. Another swayamsevak of village Veerasikamani in Tenkasi district, Tamilnadu, distributes photocopies of his doctor’s prescription that had helped him get rid of white patches all over his body. He makes it a point to reach the info also to those who seek temples to pray to God to heal skin diseases.
TWO
Smt. Manjula Ramesh, Consultant Editor, MANGAIYAR MALAR, a leading Tamil monthly for women, was struck by a scene as she entered the manufacturing unit of Sakthi Masala in Erode, Tamilnadu: scores of workers emerged, after a shift, from the plant, chatting merrily; only a close look revealed that several of them were blind. Many more were handicapped and many mentally retarded. Manjula was there to meet Smt. Shanti Duraiswami, the executive of the factory. The well-meaning couple, Shanti-Duraiswami has employed such special individuals in all the departments of their factory. Shanti says, the handicapped workers gain tremendous self-confidence after some time while the retarded ones gradually become normal as they engage themselves gainfully here, writes Manjula. Some workers have entered into wedlock and are rearing families, memories of boycott by relatives earlier having receded fast
(MANGAIYAR MALAR, August 2003).
THREE
Five-star hotels in Chennai had a problem disposing of used cooking oil from their kitchens. The diesel engines maintenance workshop of Southern Railway in Perambur, Chennai, came to their help by collecting the oil in order to manufacture bio-diesel. The workshop has been collecting 300 litres per month by placing barrels in the kitchens. The Southern Railway has appointed a bio-diesel task force and experiment has been going on for a year now. A plant for producing eco-friendly fuel from herbs like Kaattamanakku (wild castor), Neem, Iluppai (an oilseed) and rubber seeds was inaugurated on July 14, 2004 at the workshop, with an estimated daily production of 500 litres of bio-diesel. Experiments show that carbon dioxide emission was minimum when Kaattamanakku was used. Already several vehicles like vans and jeeps are run on this bio-diesel on a trial basis. Soon, the Southern Railway is to come up with a diesel locomotive running on this bio-diesel, say reports.
Based on a report in DINAMANI, July 14, 2004.
FOUR
Five years back, Shri. Shanmugam (50) of Ranipet, Vellore district, Tamilnadu, chose to be at the service of needy children in the industrial town, after years of successfully running a leather tannery and after his children were settled well in life. He had the wholehearted cooperation of his wife, Smt. Mallika, in this. He found that children of conservancy workers and beedi mazdoor in and around Ranipet were unable to study in schools and had to go without even two square meals a day. The Shanmugam-Mallika couple gathered the hapless kids at their premises on the Bazaar street, gave them new clothes and began serving them wholesome food every night. Two teachers have been appointed by the couple to coach the children in their lessons and homework from 5.30 to 8.00 in the evenings. Children also learn Dhyanam and Yoga here for imbibing character. In two years, the number of such child beneficiaries swelled to 102. That includes children studying in all classes right up to 12th standard. This philanthropic couple issue free uniforms and textbooks to the children at the start of the academic year. By and by, families in the town are encouraged to donate in cash or kind for the benefit of the children on memorable occasions like birthdays and wedding dates or on days in memory of departed relatives.
Based on a report in DINAMANI, July 14, 2004.
FIVE
The stench emanating from the 5.5 acre Suri Amman tank in Pammal, Kanchipuram district, became unbearable to Shri. S.Viswanathan, Honorary Secretary, Sankara Eye Hospital, Pammal. People had been using it as a lavatory. He wowed to set this right. Realizing that it demands teamwork to achieve the goal, he roped in the cooperation of service organizations in the locality like the Sankara Women’s Mandram, Rotary Club Of Fort and the Sankara Health Center of which he forms a part. The work began in August 2001, with Shri. Rajaraman, Collector of Kanchipuram District, readily providing the back up. The tank bed that had accrued silt over the years and had become a 4 feet deep marshland; it was deepened up to 15.5 feet. Canals that provide the inflow to the tank were repaired. Water flowing into the tank is filtered properly. A compound wall 1,800 feet long was built out of the funds raised by the residents of Pammal to restrict miscreants entering the tank area. Now, children play in the garden at the tank side and elders go for a morning walk, deeply inhaling the cool breeze.
Based on a report in DINAMANI, July 15, 2004.
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ONE
The SEIL (Student Experience in Interstate Living) programme of ABVP (Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad) seems to have inspired a university to take up a similar programme, but on an international level. The University of Madras is planning to bring out a directory of families that are willing to accept foreign students as paying guests. Why families and not the usual hostel? Explains Vice Chancellor Shri. S.P. Thyagarajan: “From the enquiries we are receiving, many foreign students seem to prefer staying with a local family than in a hostel, probably because they want to know our culture better. That is why we are identifying the families which want to accept foreign students.” So far, the academic and student coordinators of the university’s international center have identified about 30 families. Till now the University has about 67 applications from foreign students (from Malaysia, Singapore, Korea and the Middle East) for joining various courses. The University Students Advisory Bureau is preparing the directory.
Based on a report by Shri. K.Ramachandran in THE NEW INDIAN EXPRESS of July 15, 2004.
TWO
Villagers of Edaiyur, in the Thirukazhukundram Taluk of Kanchipuram district, Tamilnadu, Bharat, have taken upon themselves the task of restoring the Oorani (pond). It is not that the villagers do not have any source of water. An overhead tank and a hand pump, drawing groundwater, are there. It is the quality of the Oorani water that has inspired the villagers. “The taste was extremely good. That is why we want to have it again,” says Shri. M. Mohan, president of the water users’ association of Edaiyur (The ‘Edaiyur Model’, which is still under development, has already attracted the attention of many including the German government). “As silting is a major problem for any water body, we have put up a grid chamber (which will arrest silt before water entering the pond) and a filter chamber in the pond. Water can be drawn only from an open well at the bund of the pond,. There is a pipe connecting the filter chamber and the well”, says Shri. Dirk Walther, a water resources management expert from Germany and attached to Anna University, Chennai, now in Edaiyur to execute the project. The pond water is meant for domestic consumption alone and so the pond will be fenced and access to it restricted. A full Oorani will hold 30 lakh (three million) litres of water. The village panchayat has passed a resolution against use of pesticides in the area. The Edaiyur experience promises to show that the restoration of traditional water bodies can be executed at a low cost.
Based on a report by Shri. T. Ramakrishnan in THE HINDU of July 19, 2004.
THREE
It is well known that, even as the freedom struggle raged, Mahatma Gandhi dreamt of a Ram Rajya for Hindusthan. In the free Bharat, Ayodhya movement is thick in the air during the recent decades. It presents Shri Ram as a national hero imbued with noble qualities. The movement is seen as heralding a resurgence of cultural nationalism. What is not so well known is the view of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru in this aspect. He wrote in his foreword to a book, Valmiki Ramayana, by Shri. N. Chandrasekara Iyer, a former Judge of the Supreme Court: “Among our great festivals which spread joy and comradeship amongst all our people, there is none which is so popular, more especially in Northern India, as the celebration of the story of Rama and Sita. Valmiki wrote his immortal epic, and in later days, Tulsidas writing in homely language, made this story a part of the texture of the lives of our people. A story and a book which has had this powerful influence on millions of people during some millennia of our changing history, must have a peculiar virtue in it”.
Based on the ‘This Day that Age’ column of THE HINDU ( July 15, 2004).
FOUR
It is a reassuring scene: a scientist and a physician voicing concern over the goings on in their respective avenues of life. 1. First, the Scientist: “I am not in favour of human cloning… Let god be the only genetic scientist when it comes to creating human beings. But genetic engineering does have its place in curing diseases” – That was Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, President of Bharat, in an interaction through satellite. He was responding to the question of a schoolgirl from Bangalore who wanted to know what Dr. Kalam thought of cloning (Based on a report in THE HINDU of July 24, 2004). 2. Now, the Physician: “It is not necessary to seek a specialist on each and every occasion. Let us go back to the ‘family doctor’ system. The physician must try to evolve into a clinician, reading precisely the symptoms at the clinic itself to find out what the patient suffers from, instead of prescribing laboratory tests on every occasion needlessly. A doctor ought to imbibe goodness, skill and mercy.” -- That was Dr. K.V. Thiruvengadam, a senior physician of Chennai. He spoke at the release function of the book What’s Up, Doc? authored by Dr. Sharanya (From a report in DINAMANI, of July 24, 2004).
FIVE
Want to effect a cut in huge electricity bills caused by washing clothes using the washing machine? Take to ‘Solar Washing’. Do what the village washerman did: heat the water with your clothes soaked in it. Vellavi was the Tamil term for it. This is the way to do it, according to Shri. B. Subhramaniam, director, National Institute of Technology (NIT) Trichy, Tamilnadu: Dissolve washing powder in water at 5 grams per litter. Soak clothes in this, wring them slightly and then place them in a bucket. Leave at least a quarter of the space in the bucket free. Close the bucket’s top with a polythene sheet and secure it using a thread. Now, take the bucket to the terrace where there is ample direct sunlight. Leave it there. In 20 minutes, heat inside the bucket would have risen up to 50 degrees Celcius, sufficient to destroy the bacteria in your clothes. Now, rinse off the soap from the clothes and hang them dry. Since the Tri Sodium Phosphate in popular washing powders harms the garden soil when we let the water into our garden after a wash, the NIT has come forward with an eco-friendly washing agent extracted from a herbal seed (poolan kottai or boondhi kottai), informs Subhramaniam (DINAMANI, July15, 2004).
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ONE
1. Suresh, a schoolboy, was found in an unconscious state inside a Chennai Metropolitan Tranport Cotporation bus plying in route 20-A on August 23, 2003. Conductor Elumalai and driver Thanigaimani of the bus rushed the boy to the hospital in the same bus and helped get him immediate medical attention. Thus they saved the life of Suresh. The coductor and the driver were honoured for their humane gesture at this year’s Republic Day celebrations, i.e., on January 26, 2004. (DINAMANI, January 27, 2004). 2. “I know that hard-earned money is invaluable. That is why I saw to it that the Rs. 24,000 left on my autorikshaw reached its owner”, said Shri. Kalidas, working as an auto-driver for 21 years in Chennai. On December 11, 2003, Dr. Thyagarajan, a retired physician, hired the auto at Chennai Central Railway Station. While alighting, he forgot to take his hand bag containing the amount. Later, when Kalidas found the bag, he promptly deposirted it with the Police Station at Central (DINAMANI December 12, 2003). 3. Devaraj is a small-time vegetable vendor of Nagerkoil, Kanyakumari district. On December 6, 2003, he spotted a bag on the roadside near the Kottar Government hospital. He found in it an amount of Rs. 75,000. Devaraj handed it over to the Kottar police. The owner of the cash, Shri.Francis of Maravankudiyiruppu, could be traced by the police with the help of the documents in the bag. Devaraj was rewarded b the police as well as by the owner (DINAMANNI December 10, 2003). 4. Shri. Mohamed Hussein (26), an Indian, is a taxi driver of Chicago. In October 2003, Antony Kamarko, an ornament designer, inadvertantly left a bag containing jewels worth Rs. 1 crore and 10 lakhs in the taxi while getting down. When Mohamed later found this out, he informed Antony’s company of this by email and handed the bag over to the police formally. He was lauded by the Chicago police for this and was rewarded by Antony (DINAMALAR, October 25, 2003).
TWO
1. Auroville, an international town near Pondicherry, is maintained as an eco-friendly locality; even the roads therein are not tarred, they are gravel-topped. In a restaurant there fleas (makki) or house-flies are not killed in an electric insect-destroyer as in other hotels; they are scarred away by a novel method. Small plastic bags filled with water are hung on branches of trees encircling the tables in the restaurant. The fleas and mosquitoes coming close to these bags are frightened when they see their enlarged image on the water bag and thus are scarred away unharmed – and not harming the hygiene either. (Based on a report in DINAMANI, Tamil daily on July 30, 2004). 2. The two-day national seminar on ‘Cultivation of medicinal plants and manufacture of herbal medicines’ in Tiruchirappalli, Tamilnadu, recently kicked off with the lighting of a traditional lamp that had wicks made of herbal leaves, which, the manufacturers said, could glow for 12 long years. Shri. Sankaraiah of Marthamalai of Pudukkottai district, supported by NGO Gandhian Rural Action Movement (GRAM) Trust, claimed to have found the unbelievable property of the leaves of Maout. This herbal plant is found abundantly in the Kollimalai near Salem and is rarely found in any other part of the country, claimed Sankaraiah. The leaves look like banyan leaves and possess excellent medicinal properties. They are particularly used for treating piles, he further claimed
(A report in THE NEW INDIAN EXPRESS of June 21, 2004). Idea: Shri Pramod Kumar.
THREE
Located south of Chennai, the Alandur municipality has a total of 26,000 property tax assesses, predominantly middle class. Its Rs. 34 crore underground sewerage scheme is an example of public-private partnership that received national attention four years back for the ‘community contribution to capital cost’. Though the residents had been demanding an underground sewerage for some years, the seeds for the project were sown six years back when authorities decided to rope in the community for contribution to the capital cost. The response was positive. In four months (October 1999 – January 2000) about 10,000 persons contributed Rs. 5,000 each. By November 2003, over 20,000 persons had given their contributions. That comes to Rs. 11 crore. A government grant of Rs. 4 crores under the Mega City Programme was added to it. The executing agency, IVRCL invested Rs. 8 crores in the sewer treatment plant. Loans also were taken from an appropriate government corporation. Now (August 2004), the scheme is on the verge of completion, with the sewer water pumping station coming up. Pallavaram and Valasarvakkam municipalities around Chennai are instances of similar community contributions to trigger the pace of providing civic amenities
(Based on a report by Shri. T.Ramakrishnan in THE HINDU, November 2003 and other inputs).
FOUR
1. Shri. R.Ramachandran (51) of Mylapore, Chennai, quit his job in Indian Overseas Bank to collect rice for distribution among the needy. Every day he sets out armed with cloth bags on his old scooter. In a month he covers about 600 families in various parts of the city. Every family in his list stores a handful of rice (pidi arisi) daily before cooking for the family. Ramachandran comes and collects this once a month. Altogether, he distributes upto 200 kilograms of rice to 25 institutions serving destitute women, orphaned children, etc., as also a few Veda Pathasalas. Ramachandran has successfully involved his wife Smt. Uma and son Sree Guru Raghavan in his mission. He says he will continue all his life, the pidi arisi scheme originally launched by the Maha Swamigal (Late Kanchi Sankaracharya Shri Chandrasekarendra Saraswati Swami) to feed the poor. Meanwhile, the beneficiaries of his scheme affectionately call him ‘Rice Rama’ (A report in DINAMANI, August 3, 2004). 2. Meet Shri. N. Periyasami (76), of Thiruchirappalli. He is described as ‘mobile counter’ in the local Theppakkulam post office. This retired raiway employee arrives at the post office at 9.50 in the morning, dangles a placard saying ‘May I help you? For any help approach me’ and waits for members of the public to come. Once they are sighted, he approaches them, finds out what help they need and provides it meticulously – What value of stamps to be affixed or how to send a postal article by registered post or by Speed Post, etc. All information that the staff at the ten counters could provide to the enquiring public are at his fingure tips. His is a free service. Observing his helpful attitude, the Post Master offered him a desk and a chair which he politely declined. The town’s citizens have been availing Periyasami’s service ever since 1996
(A report in DINAMANI, August 3, 2004).
FIVE
This is the story of a wedding that took place in March 2002 at Guwahati, Assam, Bharat. Shri. K.S.Sudarshan, the Sarsanghchalak of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) was present at the occasion to bless the couple Chiranjeevi Shailesh Goenka and Sushri Ranjana Agrawal. The bridegroom is the son of Shri. Krishna Kumar Goenka, the Uttar Assam Prant Vyavastha Pramukh of RSS and the bride is the daughter of Shri. Yugal Kishore Agrawal. Both the familes are well off. Sailesh and Ranjana offered Rs. 51,000 each to the Sarsanghchalak while seeking his blessings. This ‘Mangala Nidhi’ is intended for serving the suffering poor through Sangh-inspired projects, reported KESHAV SAMVAD, a Hindi monthly of Meerut on March 20, 2002. (An update: RSS Swayamsevaks are in the forefront in serving the flood-hit people of Assam in July-August, 2004, rescuing the marooned and reaching relief material to those renderd homeless by the floods).
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ONE
It was July 9, 2004. Smt. A.Amala Mary (48) was attending to domestic work, when she heard a deafening noise near her house in Thengangudi of Kanyakumari district, Tamil Nadu, Bharat. A heavy landslip from a height of 50 feet, upon the railway track, caused the noise. It was the Tiruvanandapuram-Nagerkoil section. The thought of a train accident close to her residence sent shivers down her spine. All her priorities, taking care of her disabled husband, unmarried daughters and the only son doing a diploma course were given the go-by. Her only concern was to stop the train that was a few kilometers away from the spot. Realizing that she was running out of time, she rushed in the opposite direction along the track. The moment she saw the train after covering 300 meters, she started waving the pallu of her red colour saree to signal the train to stop. Her presence of mind produced the desired result. The train carrying 500 passengers came to a halt well ahead of the spot where sand and boulders lay. On August 15, Independence Day, Chief Minister Jayalalitha honoured Amala with the Kalpana Chawla award for bravery. Amala was also given Rs.5 lakh by the State Government.
(Based on a report in THE HINDU of August 16, 2004).
TWO
Kashi, the holy city of Hindus, is also known as Varanasi or Beneras. “The city of ashta koop (8 wells), nava baavali” (9 ponds), describe the puranas. According to some, the water of some of these wells cure many serious diseases. Professor Girish Chowdary, formerly of the geology faculty of Banaras Hindu University, informs that the water of an ancient well in Kamacha locality in the city is known as “destroyer of kidney stones”. He explains that carbonic elements in the water dissolves the stones in the kidney and removes them along with urine. Water of another ancient well in Kabir Chowra locality is known to cure constipation-related disorders. The moment ones drinks it, the pressure in the stomach shoots up instantly and one has to run to the toilet, adds the professor. He demands a scientific investigation into the medicinal properties of water in such wells. Shri.Krishna Murari Lal, an educationist of Kashi, informs that the water from wells in Kashi used to be carted to far off Calcutta on account of its medicinal values.
(Based on a report in SWANTANTRA BHARAT, Hindi daily of Lucknow (U.P),
August 27, 2004 with other inputs).
THREE
‘Hanuman Traders’ is a shop in the Jayanagar area of Bangalore, Karnataka, Bharat. What is special about it? Only ‘Swadeshi goods’ are sold here. Owned by Shri. Ramkumara, the experiment started by stocking Swadeshi goods in a separate rack. Now, Swadeshi goods alone are sold. Ramkumara had to painstakingly convince his customers, mostly women, on the benefits of switching over to Swadeshi. He argues,”for half a kilogram of soap powder, the MNCs (multi national companies) charged Rs.80, whereas the Swadeshi product is available for Rs.48. MNCs allow just 8 percent on the sale of their products. Swadeshi companies offer up to 20 percent. So, what would be my choice?” The consideration is not at all monetary. Ramkumara has banned use of polythene for packing rice or wheat flour in his shop. He does not consider that his Swadeshi duty ends with selling Swadeshi goods. He motivates youngsters to take to his Swadeshi line. He trains willing shopkeepers in this respect. As a result, Swadeshi shops do brisk business in places like Tumkur, Hasan and Mysore in Karnataka. (Based on a report in SWADESHI SEIDHI, Tamil monthly from Coimbatore, August 2003).
FOUR
Shri.Sekar Raghavan spends most of the waking hours answering queries from people about harvesting water. Described as ‘cycle’ Raghavan because of the years he spent riding his bicycle around Chennai to disseminate the benefits of tapping rainwater. He has been instrumental in implementing water harvest system in over 500 houses in the city. His horizon widened after the setting up of the Rain Centre in 2002 with support from the Delhi-based Centre for Science and Enviornment. Shri.Raghavan started his career as a physics lecturer at Madras University and proceeded to research at the Centre for Policy Studies, Chennai. He played a pivotal role in the amendment of the Tamil Nadu Municipalities Buildings Rules Act (1972) that made Rain Water Harvesting mandatory.
(Based on a report by Smt. K.Lakshmi in THE HINDU of May 30, 2004).
FIVE
Samskritam is among the 22 languages accepted for translations by the Central Sahitya Academy, Bharat. Doordarshan and Akaashavani broadcast news in Samskritam. In India, 10 Universities are entirely devoted to Samskritam. Samskritam is taught in 250 Universities in 40 countries around the globe. All over India, 5,000 traditional pathashaalaas teach Samskritam. Over 3 crore students in classes between I to XII study Samskritam in India today. A steady stream of Samskrit books on a variety of subjects comes out in India today. Over 60 Samskrita magazines are being published in the country. There are quite a few villages in the country where all residents speak in Samskritam. Last but not least, the Government of India itself had expressed the view that Samskritam is a modern language. While replying in Parliament in 1987-88 to a question whether Samskritam is a classical language or a modern language (Reference Number 6329), the GOI stated, “ in view of its current usage, Samskritam is regarded as a modern language”.
(Information found in a mail of an e-group samskritabharatichennai@yahoogroups.com ).
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