Rangoli Competition-Cox Town,Bangalore-Ganesh Chaturthi Puja-2008

Here are few glimses of The Rangoli Competition held at Ganesh Chaturthi Puja held at Cox Town,Bangalore.

National Tribal Crafts Expo 2008,Bangalore - Aadishilp

The exhibition is held near Manipal Center, M.G.Road, Bangalore from 2nd October-13th October 2008.You will get various tribal crafts item from different states of india.

This is an effort from TRIBES INDIA (A project of TRIFED -Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India Ltd.) by Ministry of Tribal Affairs,govt. of India.

TRIBES offers a breathtaking range of tribal artefacts carved and sculpted by the finest tribal craftspersons in the country.The products at TRIBES reflect the colourful and rich culture of the Indian tribal people-the integral part of country’s heritage. The range includes unique artefacts and utility items made by the tribals from the entire length and breadth of the country. From a modest beginning in 1999, TRIBES, a project of TRIFED, exclusively dedicated to the marketing of breath-taking tribal handicrafts, has come a long way and presently it has 18 different outlets across India. The TRIBES SHOP is now a popular name in crafts among the capital’s cognoscenti as well as the general public thanks to the high-quality, authentic and exquisite creations that are sold at this outlet that is exclusively dedicated to the display and sale of tribal handicrafts in the country.

TRIFED Outlet in Bangalore :-

Shop No.5,1st Floor,

BDA Complex,

Koramangala,

Bangalore-560035

TRIFED Regional Office :-

No.158/1-181/1,GTR Arcade,

2nd Floor,Bommanahalli Bus Stop,

Hosur Main Road,

Bangalore-560068

Ph:(080)25733107,25734292

E-mail: trifedbangalore@sify.com

Below are few moments captured by my HTC touch mobile phone of the expo on 4th October(Saturday):

Tribal Dance of Madhya Pradesh

Tribal Dance of Rajasthan

Tribal Dance of Nagaland

Tribal Dance of Tanjavour

Tribal Culture of Tamil Nadu

Tribal Dance of Assam - Bihu

Durga Pujo 2008 in Bangalore

Bangalore is all set to host the biggest Bengali festival of the year. Vedic chants and sounds of the dhak (drum), will rend the air, with Maha Shasthi (arrival of Goddess Durga) beginning on Sunday.

Various organizations in the city are gearing up to celebrate the festival with grandeur. Poorva Bangalore Cultural Association (PBCA) will celebrate the festival in VSR Convention Hall, Brookefields, with pujas, cultural programmes and competitions.

On all five days (till Dashami), arrangements have been made for rituals like aarati and pushpanjali (flower offerings).

This year, one of the major attractions will be a recitation by veteran actor Soumitra Chatterjee at 8 pm, who is also going to inaugurate the event, on Sunday.

Every evening, there will be a cultural programme with a blend of classical and popular items, performed by local and invited artistes. Singer Indrani Sen will perform on Monday.

The Bengalee Association in Ulsoor will have its pandal on the RBNAMS ground. There’ll be a number of cultural programmes, including a children’s ballet on environmental issues on Sunday, performances by singer Anup Ghoshal and dancer Dona Ganguly’s troupe on Tuesday, and rock band Dhoomketu on Wednesday.

The Koramangala Sarathi puja will have rock bands Krosswindz and MO2 performing on Sunday and Monday. Boogie Boogie, a dance competition and fashion show, will be held on Tuesday, and an antakshari competition will be organized on Wednesday.

UNESCO Announces Indian National Anthem 'Jana Gana Mana' as the Best National Anthem

Indian National Anthem "Jana Gana Mana" written and composed by Rabindra Nath Tagore has been chosen as the World's Best National Anthem by UNESCO.

Jana Gana Mana Written in Sanskritised Bengali, it is the first of five stanzas of a Brahmo hymn composed and scored by Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore.

It was first sung at the Calcutta Session of the Indian National Congress,on 27 December 1911. Jana Gana Mana was officially adopted by the Constituent Assembly as the Indian national anthem on January 24, 1950. The music for the "current version" is said to be derived from a composition for the song by Ram Singh Thakur, although some dispute this.

A formal rendition of the national anthem takes about forty-eight to fifty-two seconds.

The lyrics of the national anthem is as follows :

Jana gana mana adhināyaka jaya hē

Bhārata bhāgya Vidhātā

Pañjāba Sindhu Gujarāta Marāthā

Drāvira Utkala Banga

Vindhya Himāchala Jamunā Gangā

Ucchala jaladhi taranga

Tava śubha nāmē jāgē

Tava śubha āśisa māgē

Gāhē tava jaya gāthā

Jana gana mangala dāyaka jaya hē

Bhārata bhāgya vidhātā

Jaya hē jaya hē jaya hē

Jaya jaya jaya jaya hē

History of Mahalaya

Mahalaya is a national festival and has two dimensions i.e Devaparva or prayers offered to God and Pitarparva or penance and worship of your ancestor. The latter is also named Shraddha or food offered with a sense of gratitude and affection. In The pitarpaksha season for 15 days Hindu pay their respect near a lake or a river called Pindadana to all his relatives and deceased elders or a common platform. This is also the most appropriate occasion for tantric tradition and offering to Goddess Chandi.

The traditional six day countdown to Mahasaptami starts from Mahalaya. Goddess Durga visits the earth for only four days but seven days prior to the Pujas, starts the Mahalaya. The enchanting voice of Birendra Krishna Bhadra fill up the predawn hours of the day thus marking the beginning of "devipaksha" and the beginning of the count-down of Durga Puja.

Hear online Birendra Krishna Bhadra

Durga Puja spans over a period of ten days but the main part of the Puja is limited to four days. In Hindu tradition, the fifteen days from the new moon up to the next full moon is called as Debi/Devi Paksha, and is regarded as the best time for doing any sacred, religious and auspicious activity or event. On the day of the last new moon before the Mahalaya, the eyes of the idols are designed and the process is called Chakshudaan and with Mahalaya, the Durga Puja commences.

Chakshudaan - shaping the eyes

Sarat in its bloom, mingled with the festive spirit of Durga Puja reaches its pitch on the day of Mahalaya.It is according to the myths that Sree Rama hastily performed Durga Puja just before he set for Lanka to rescue Sita from Ravana. According to Puranas, King Suratha, used to worship the goddess Durga in spring.

Seasonal "kaash" flower blooms during Sarat

Thus Durga Puja was also known as Basanti Puja. But Rama proponed the Puja and worshiped Durga in autumn and that is why it is known as 'Akal Bodhon' or untimely worship. It was considered untimely as it is in the myths that puja was performed when the Gods and Goddesses were awake i.e. "Uttarayan" and was not held when the Gods and Goddesses rested ie."Dakshinayan". It was on the day of Mahalaya, the beginning of "devipoksha", the Gods and Goddesses woke up to prepare themselves for Durga Puja.

According to another legend, the renowned hero of the Mahabharata, Karna, when he left the mortal coil, ascended to the higher worlds and the great charity he had done here was returned to him hundredfold. But, it was all gold and silver; there was no food, as he had not done any food-charity! He prayed to the god of death. So, he was sent back to earth for fourteen days, to make up for this deficiency. For fourteen days, he fed Brahmins and the poor, and offered oblations of water. On his return to the higher regions, he had food in plenty. It is these fourteen days that are commemorated in the Mahalaya Paksha. Due to the grace of the god of death, it has been ordained that offerings made during this period benefit all the departed souls, whether they are connected to you or not. Charity in the form of food is important during this observance. Life depends upon food. You cannot preach religion to empty stomachs. This human body is the most important vehicle for realising God. How precious must food be which keeps the body fit for Yoga! The gift of food is the greatest gift.

Therefore, give food in plenty, not only during the Mahalaya fortnight but all through the year.

Uploading file in JSP

I am writing this article regarding “FILE UPLOADING in JSP from Client-Server” as I have faced problem in my project regarding this issue & help others so tht they don’nt face problem.

Following are the steps for uploading file from jsp:
1) Goto javazoom.net, then download latest version for upload the files.
http://www.javazoom.net/jzservlets/uploadbean/uploadbean.html
2) Extract the zip & u will be getting four jar files.
They are:
i)uploadbean.jar
ii)struts.jar
iii)fileupload.jar
iv)cos.jar
place all these jar files in lib of u r web application:
C:\jakarta-tomcat-5.0.25\webapps\URWEBAPP\WEB-INF\lib\ or
(tomcat)\lib\
i.e. the lib folder.
lib folder varies with tomcat version.Somewhere it will under WEB-INF or outside WEB-INF.
Pl verify the same for ur tomcat version.
3) Set it in class path
4) create one jsp file named SimpleUpload.jsp
5) copy the following action part in the above jsp file:

Please put the html tags as needed.I am unable to gv the html tags as it is allowing me post the source code with html tags.

page language="java" import="javazoom.upload.*,java.util.*"
jsp:useBean id="upBean" scope="page" class="javazoom.upload.UploadBean"
jsp:setProperty name="upBean" property="folderstore" value="c:/uploads"
jsp:useBean
'///// Set the folder where u want upload the particular file.(here it is c:/uploads)

if (MultipartFormDataRequest.isMultipartFormData(request))
{ // Uses MultipartFormDataRequest to parse the HTTP request. MultipartFormDataRequest mrequest = new MultipartFormDataRequest(request); String todo = null;
if (mrequest != null) todo = mrequest.getParameter("todo");
if ( (todo != null) && (todo.equalsIgnoreCase("upload")) )
{
Hashtable files = mrequest.getFiles();
if ( (files != null) && (!files.isEmpty()) )
{
UploadFile file = (UploadFile) files.get("uploadfile");
if (file != null)
out.println("Form field : uploadfile"+"
Uploaded file : "+file.getFileName()+" ("+file.getFileSize()+" bytes)"+"
Content Type : "+file.getContentType());
// Uses the bean now to store specified by jsp:setProperty at the top.
upBean.store(mrequest, "uploadfile");
}
else
{
out.println("No uploaded files");
}
}
else out.println("todo="+todo);
}


Follow the above steps and file upload will work fine.This has worked for me.

Regards
Subharthee

Coverage of Beijing Olympics 2008 - DD leaves viewers high & angry

A scroll indicating the schedule of daily events starts four days after the coverage of the Beijing Olympics begins. The visual moves to another sport while the audio continues about the previous sport. DD commentator announces wrestler Sushil Kumar as a bronze medal winner even before the repechage round. Argentina's soccer captain, Riquleme, is referred to by his first name, Jose, by which no football fan identifies him.

These are just some of the instances when sports followers, who had tuned in to Doordarshan to watch the Beijing Olympics, sat up and cringed. The most memorable part of the 2008 Games coverage was that it was forgettable. All thanks to DD.

If out of sorts commentators and shoddy coverage of the Olympics by Doordarshan took your mind back to those early days of terrestrial coverage, the reason is that despite all the competition in these covergance era, our national broadcaster just don't believe in professionalism.

Hence you got the commentary that tested your patience, you missed crucial moments to advertisements and were forced to watch some unimportant match or even worse recording of highlights in between live action of key events.

When viewers cursed DD for showing a handball classification match while the engrossing US vs Russia volleyball semifinal got into the fifth and deciding set, the culprit was a DD official sitting in the capital. "The man in charge at the Central Production Centre at Khel Gaon had 18 live feeds to choose from," sources said wondering how DD managed to mess up some of the most anticipated moments including Abhinav Bindra's chat with reporters after he won the historic gold, AL Lakra's boxing bout and Anju Bobby George's first two attempts at the Bird's Nest. Prasar Bharati initially drew up a team of 130 people to be sent to Beijing that was later pruned by the I&B ministry to 74. Of these, 56 are DD staff, including commentators, cameramen, producers and engineers, while the rest are from AIR.

With 27 million viewers (according to TAM) tuned in and an expenditure of Rs 22 crore, including Rs 13 crore for the exclusive coverage rights, the public broadcaster was seen to be squandering public money and floundering its way through the greatest sports extravaganza. Besides, it is learnt that DD even messed up marketing the mega show and is set to end up losing crores.

Industry professionals are critical of the indifference that has been shown by the I&B ministry and Prasar Bharati towards the Games. Instead of seeing it as an opportunity that comes once in four years, insiders say that people were busy ensuring their acolytes managed a berth on the foreign tour.

Says a disgruntled Prasar Bharati official, "The people who are involved in sports coverage on a day-to-day basis have been left behind while those who know nothing about it have managed to go."

The official said that no time had been spent on planning how the event would be covered and marketed. For instance, as the exclusive rights holder for India, DD should be getting about 16 feeds but there has been little planning on how best to use these feeds.

Sports commentator Charu Sharma says that the pubcaster suffers the constraints of any government department. "While there is no standard basis for what should be shown, there are certain critical decisions based on timing. The decisions taken by DD are inexplicable at times," he says.

A simple solution Sharma says is to hire professional producers and commentators whose expertise lies in handling multidiscipline sports for the event. "If you are spending crores on the feed, it makes sense to get pros," he said.

According to industry sources, a little tweaking in the presentation could have made a world of difference. "I did not see a timer counting down boxer Vijender Kumar's bout. He was India's last medal hope and there was tremendous interest in that. Nor were there expert opinions from say a Prakash Padukone while Saina Nehwal was playing," one source says.

Former DD DG Bhaskar Ghose says that the Olympic fiasco could be because the decision makers have no knowledge or desire to know the sport. "This very often leads to cut-aways at the wrong time."

How will they manage the coverage of the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi is anyone's guess.

Even I felt why DD took interview of the Indian Boxers at the Beijing DD studio,they should have let them concentrate on their bouts.After they have won medals after that DD could have took the inteview.

India at Beijing Olympics 2008: The Opening Ceremony

The Olympics kicked of today the 8th of August, 2008 at Beijing with it's Grand Opening Ceremony.

India's small contingent of 98 including 56 athletes and a support-staff of 42 officials led by Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore carrying the tri-colour looked a bit shoddy with their mis-matched outfits. The Indian Olympic Squad looked good from far, as the male members decked out in off-white sherwanis. But as they came closer, things looked hardly impressive with the female members of the contingent making it a veritable go-as-you-like with their contrasting outfits that made them look completely misfit for the occasion.
The tennis duo of Sania Mirza and Sunitha Rao, attired in black trousers and practice jackets, looked completely out of sorts and the contrast was even more jarring to the eyes as going side by side was Delhi paddler, Neha Aggarwal who chose a greenish saree for the occasion.

While the crowd roared with excitement to greet them, including Congress president Sonia Gandhi, one can only feel that they should have been better organized and more formal in their setting and presentation.

While I have the utmost respect for each and every sports person at Beijing for getting as far as they did, judging from the carefree and laid back attitude at the opening ceremony...it make's me wonder whether we really stand a chance at winning any medals this year or are we just there for the ride. Let's just keep our fingers crossed and pray the players performances in their respective events isn't as boring, unorganized and sloppy as their entrance today.

Photo Gallery of the Indian Contingent at the 2008 Beijing Olympics Opening Ceremony

Bindra,Sushil Kumar,Vijendra - U Trio has made all Indians proud in Beijing Olympics 2008

Abhinav Bindra won India's first ever individual Olympic gold medal, saying it was a reward for "punching holes in a paper target" all his life.Bindra, a 25-year-old businessman from Chandigarh, followed his world championship title of two years ago by grabbing the men's 10m air rifle shooting gold medal.
Athens Games champion Zhu Qinan of China won the silver and Henri Hakkinen of Finland the bronze after one of the most thrilling shooting finals in Olympic history. Bindra, who trailed by two points after the qualification round, trumped his rivals in the 10 shot final as he went into the last shot level with Hakkinen on 689.7 points. While Bindra secured his best score of 10.8 in the deciding shot, Hakkinen managed only 9.7 to concede the silver to Zhu, whose last shot was 10.5.

Freestyle wrestler Sushil Kumar scored a stunning win over Kazakhstan's Leonid Spiridonov in the extra 30-second period after the third round of the 66 kg category to clinch a surprise bronze medal, when everyone had lost hope after his first round loss in the morning. It was India's second medal of the Games, its first since 1952 in wrestling. It is also only the second time - the first being 1952 - that India have won more than one medal at the same Olympics.
In the morning, Sushil lost to Andriy Stadnik of Ukraine on points. But his slender hopes hung on the results of his conqueror, Stadnik, who went on to reach the final, thereby giving Sushil an extra lease of life as all wrestlers losing to the two finalists then contest the Repechage.Sushil won all his three bouts in the Repechage to clinch a stunning bronze for India.
Indian boxer Vijender Kumar lost against the tough opponent Cuban boxer Emilio Correa Dayeaux in 75 kg boxing semifinal match. However as a loosing semifinalist he won bronze medal and gave India the third medal in the ongoing Beijing Olympics. In the semi final match today Emilio Correa defeated Vijender by 8-5. Vijender gave his best, but Emillio proved to be too much for him.
Its also the time not to forget other Indian boxers Akhil Kumar & Jithender Kumar, who had put in splendid fight before loosing out in quarter final matches.

Facts on Thyroid

Here I am sharing few facts about Thyroid disease on the eve of INTERNATIONAL THYROID DAY. As well as my mom is also suffering from this disease and it turns very serious if not diagnosed in proper time.

THYROID DISEASE :

Thyroid is a most common disease among women and if not treated in time it can lead to severe health problems. It is very important to be aware of this friendly as well as deadly gland in our body.

1.What is the thyroid?

The thyroid is a small, butterfly-shaped gland just below the Adam's apple. This gland plays a very important role in controlling the body's metabolism, that is, how the body functions. It does this by producing thyroid hormones (T4 and T3), chemicals that travel through the blood to every part of the body. Thyroid hormones tell the body how fast to work and use energy. The thyroid gland works like an air conditioner. If there are enough thyroid hormones in the blood, the gland stops making the hormones (just as an air conditioner cycles off when there is enough cool air in a house). When the body needs more thyroid hormones, the gland starts producing again. The pituitary gland works like a thermostat, telling the thyroid when to start and stop. The pituitary sends thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) to the thyroid to tell the gland what to do. The thyroid gland might produce too much hormone (hyperthyroidism), making the body use energy faster than it should, or too little hormone (hypothyroidism), making the body use energy slower than it should. The gland may also become inflamed (thyroiditis) or enlarged (goiter), or develop one or more lumps (nodules).

2. What is hyperthyroidism?

Hyperthyroidism makes the body speed up. It occurs when there is too much thyroid hormone in the blood ("hyper" means "too much"). Hyperthyroidism is nearly 10 times more frequent in women than in men. The most common form of hyperthyroidism, Graves' disease, is caused by problems with the immune system and tends to run in families.
Following are the symptoms of Hyperthyroidism :
- Fast heart rate
- Nervousness
- Increased perspiration
- Muscle weakness
- Trembling hands
- Weight loss
- Hair loss
- Skin changes
- Increased frequency of bowel movements
- Decreased menstrual flow and less frequent menstrual flow
- Goiter
- Eyes that seem to be popping out of their sockets.
The symptoms of hyperthyroidism rarely occur all at once. However, if you have more than one of these symptoms, and they continue for some time, you should see your doctor.

3. What is hypothyroidism?

Hypothyroidism causes the body to slow down. It occurs when there is too little thyroid hormone in the blood ("hypo" means "not enough"). Hypothyroidism affects more than 5 million people, many of whom don't know they have the disease. Women are more likely than men to have hypothyroidism. Also, one out of every 4,000 infants is born with the condition. If the problem is not corrected, the child will become mentally and physically retarded. Therefore, all newborns should be tested for the disease.
Following are the symptoms of hypothyroidism:
- Feeling slow or tired
- Feeling cold
- Drowsy during the day, even after sleeping all night
- Slow heart rate
- Poor memory
- Difficulty concentrating
- Muscle cramps
- Weight gain
- Husky voice
- Thinning hair
- Dry and coarse skin
- Feeling depressed
- Heavy menstrual flow
- Milky discharge from the breasts
- Infertility
- Goiter
Many of the symptoms of hypothyroidism can occur normally with aging, so if you have one or two of them, there is probably no reason to worry. However, if you are concerned about any of these symptoms, you should see your doctor.

4. What is thyroiditis?

Thyroiditis is an inflammation of the thyroid gland and the most common cause of hypothyroidism. When patients with thyroiditis have any symptoms, they are usually the symptoms of hypothyroidism. It is also common to have an enlarged thyroid that may shrink over time. The type of thyroiditis seen most often is Hashimoto's thyroiditis, a painless disease of the immune system that runs in families. Hashimoto's thyroiditis affects about 5% of the adult population, increasing particularly in women as they age. Another form of thyroiditis affects women of childbearing age. Postpartum thyroiditis occurs in 5%-9% of women soon after giving birth and is usually a temporary condition. Viral and bacterial infections can also cause thyroiditis

5. What is a goiter?

A goiter is an abnormal swelling in the neck caused by an enlarged thyroid gland. It can become quite large. The problem occurs in at least 5% of the population. Worldwide, the most common cause of a goiter is lack of iodine, a chemical that the thyroid uses to produce its hormones. About 100 million people don't get enough iodine in their diets, but adding iodine to salt can solve the problem.Even with the right amount of iodine, the thyroid gland can swell, creating a goiter. This can occur in any type of thyroid disease, including hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism, thyroiditis, and thyroid cancer. Many goiters develop with normal thyroid hormone levels and do not require treatment.

6.Are all thyroid lumps (nodules) cancerous?

Thyroid lumps (also called nodules) are growths in or on the thyroid gland. They occur in 4%-7% of the population. More than 90% of these lumps are benign (not cancerous) and usually do not need to be removed. Thyroid cancer is more common in patients who have had radiation to the head or neck. A thyroid nodule might cause your voice to become hoarse, or it could make breathing or swallowing difficult. However, it usually produces no symptoms and is discovered incidentally by you or your physician.

7.How is thyroid disease discovered?

As with any disease, it is important that you watch for the early warning signs. Check if you think you might be having any of the symptoms of Hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism. Consult your doctor if you think you are suffering from any of the symptoms. However, only your doctor can tell for sure whether or not you have thyroid disease. He or she can measure the amount of thyroid hormones in your blood, as well as look at the structure and function of your thyroid gland. If a nodule is found, your doctor can test whether or not it is cancerous.

If you have thyroid disease, your doctor can discuss which treatment is right for you. There are several types of treatment:
1) Radioactive iodine is used to shrink a thyroid gland that has become enlarged or is producing too much hormone. It may be used on patients with hyperthyroidism, a goiter, or some cases of cancer.
2) Surgery is normally used to remove a cancer and may also be used to remove a large goiter.
3) Thyroid hormone pills are a common treatment for hypothyroidism, for patients with a goiter, and for patients who have had thyroid surgery. The pills provide the body with the right amount of thyroid hormone.

May 25th is International Thyroid Day

May 25th is celebrated as International Thyroid Day.As well as the Indian Thyroid Society (ITS) has declared this Sunday(i.e.25th May) as ‘International Thyroid Day’.

This ailment afflicts one and all, especially more so in women. The fact remains that thyroid disorders, despite being common, continue to remain most under-diagnosed of all other disorders. Women form a large chunk of patients with thyroid disorders.

Take the case of Ruhana Begum, a 50-year old-housewife from Moula Ali, who had an extreme case of fatigue, mood swings and lack of sleep. Initially, doctors had assured her that the symptoms were due to menopause. But, with time, her voice started to go deep and rough. Gandhi hospital doctors later diagnosed the problem as Hyperthyroid. “Thyroid glands produce hormones that influence all the organ systems of the body throughout the life. Thyroid related ailments are common in pregnant and elderly women. The reason behind this is still under research,” says Dr. Vijay Sekhar Reddy, in-charge of Department of Endocrinology of Gandhi Hospital.

The symptoms associated with thyroid ailments are tiredness, depression, hair loss, weight gain, cramping, constipation, dry skin, heavy periods in women and even erectile dysfunction among men.

“Critical periods of life where risk of thyroid diseases increases are at birth, during pregnancy, after childbirth, during menopause and in the senior years,” Dr. Reddy adds.

“Eighty per cent of thyroid related ailments are due to Hypothyroidism or overactive thyroid. Pregnant and elderly women, older men, infants should undergo thyroid test,” says Apollo Hospital endocrinologist Dr. Ravi Mehrotra.

“Any person who reaches 35 years should opt for Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) blood test,” says Dr. Unnikrishnan of Indian Thyroid Society (ITS)
However, there are pitfalls too.

“There is a danger of indiscriminate tests. Thyroid ailments are not life threatening and they can be controlled by proper medication in a month or two,” Dr. Reddy informed.

Burmese villagers line roads waiting for aid

People waiting for outside aid along the road to Pyapon, a major Irrawaddy Delta town that is about 100 kilometers, or 62 miles, southwest of Yangon. (International Herald Tribune)

In village after village of the Irrawaddy Delta in southern Myanmar, people line the roads. They endure the sweltering morning sun, the afternoon monsoon rains and the storm-pregnant evening skies, under which their ghostly figures are illuminated by thunderbolts.

When an occasional car carrying donations approaches, children swarm toward it holding out their hands. Mothers hugging babies, too ashamed or shocked to ask for help, just stare into the eyes of any visitors. Fathers and grandmothers stand by, watching the scene with eyes filled with humiliation.

Every family has tales of horror to tell about Cyclone Nargis, which struck the delta on May 3. But for now, a powerful instinct for survival has driven these Burmese peasants to leave their once-fertile but now ruined rice paddies and migrate toward the nearest roads. Neither government nor international aid is coming quickly enough, if at all, to these roads. For many, the only hope of survival is aid being brought through by private donors.

"I don't know how the government is helping us," said Ko Htay Oo, 40, in Kunyangon, a delta town 50 kilometers, or 30 miles, south of Yangon, Myanmar's main city. "There are cars coming with private donations. Some get donations, some don't.
"I am no beggar, so I didn't eat anything in the past two days," he said, leaning against a roadside palm tree. "Besides, you shouldn't compete with kids for begged food."

On the roads going through the storm-hit area, the ruling military junta, which has driven Myanmar's people into squalor but keeps them docile with terror, has put up this sign: "Don't throw food on the roads. It ruins the people's good habits."

Of the nearly two dozen people interviewed this past weekend along the roads, all said they got little, if any, relief from their government. All said they did not expect any because they are not used to that kind of help from the junta. Few have heard about foreign aid flowing in. None have seen any.

The most visible government presence appeared in the form of the occasional police jeep.
With the roads, not the rice paddies, having become a source of food, villagers are building their lives along them with whatever they have left. Pigs are tied to roadside palm trees. Ducks swim in the nearby ditches. Roads are lined with the flimsy A-frame huts built with a few sticks of bamboo and "dani" leaves for roofing. One man found shelter in a large bamboo basket he had salvaged from the floodwater. Another lived in a tent built with a plastic Tiger Beer advertising banner that a truck driver had thrown to him.

The roads are littered with plastic garbage, from the packaging of donated food.

"I have no dish, no cup, no blanket, no pillow. I have received nothing from the government," said Daw San Mar Oo, 31, a farmer in the hamlet of Nyin Kone near Daedaya, a delta town southwest of Kunyangon. "I have nothing in my hands."
U Min Lwin, 37, said his family had received a government ration only twice in the three weeks since the storm, each time seven cups of rice.
Farther down the road, a 51-year-old woman who gave her name as Daw San said that she received potatoes and a small amount of beans from the government the other day but that she had no utensils for cooking.

The most helpless victims of Nargis, which sent monstrous walls of saltwater over the low-lying delta, were the poorest of Burmese farmers - those who rent rice paddies from landlords. Before the storm, they and their buffaloes, ducks and pigs had moved from field to field, living in huts beside their paddies.

In contrast to the obvious physical devastation of the Chinese earthquake, which left piles of concrete or natural debris behind, here in the Irrawaddy Delta's vast rice fields, after the sea water had subsided, it might appear to visitors that nothing had happened. But the survivors lining the roads tell a different story.

"My neighbors, their houses, their buffaloes - they are all gone," said Ma Aye Swe, 48. "They are gone with the water."
In their isolation, these farmers rely on news from static-filled radio broadcasts to link them to the outside world, and many appeared to have little notion of international aid or what a government could do for them at times of national disaster. Private aid runners say that when they hand out cakes of soap, some of the farmers do not even know what they are for.

The authorities are, in the wake of the storm, a source of intimidation.

In the hamlet of Thee Kone near Pyapon, a major delta town 100 kilometers southwest of Yangon, victims said that the village had received four tents from the government, each accommodating 20 people. Those families lucky enough to find space in government tents, built in a neat row on the side of the road, received 16 cups of rice in the past week.

"There are many other families who want to move into the tents, but there is not enough space," said a villager. "So people complain. They complain not to the government or to the village administrator, but to each other, arguing, 'why you are in the tent and I am not."

"People who can't get into the government tents are building our huts along the road, but police don't want to see us here anymore," he said, pointing to 15 roadside huts. "They said if we don't break our huts and disappear, they will shoot us. But as you can see, it's raining now. We are pleading to the police to give us one more day and we will be gone far, far from the road, as they wish."

With the government offering little help, private citizens from big cities like Yangon ply the roads with urgently needed supplies.

One of them was U Khin Mg Thein, a 47-year-old construction material salesman in Yangon, who was distributing 15 bags of rice to lines of villagers squatting on both sides of the road holding out bowls and bamboo hats in supplication.

"You just need to imagine and put myself in their shoes to realize what you should do," he said. "These are Burmese, my people. I am helping my people."

The government is not making it easy for those wishing to offer private charity. Police officers armed with rifles stopped cars at checkpoints. Foreigners without government permits to enter the disaster zone were turned back after their passports were copied. Those Burmese who are allowed to pass through were given a warning: any donation, a yellow handout notice said, must be distributed through government-controlled village leaders.

However grim the conditions, there was no report of outbreaks of disease among roadside people.

The storm survivors on the roads, not used to begging, simply accepted donations with a faint smile or no display of emotion. No looting or rioting was seen or reported. The most aggressive behavior displayed came from children, who stuck their hands into the windows of passing cars. Most just silently waited for any help to come their way.

In Pyapon, a commercial hub in the delta renowned for its "hpaya" grass mats, people maintained a semblance of traditional Burmese hospitality despite the disaster. When outside visitors asked for directions at dusk, a man offered them food and lodging at his home.
Pyapon is a trading center for rice, dried fish and fish paste and is the hometown of many rich Burmese tradesmen. But in this town, too, tales of horror were told over evening tea.

"Dead bodies floating down the Pyapon River are no longer strangers to us," said Daw Khin Kyi, a town resident. "Some of these bodies still wear gold necklaces and bracelets, so some people went out to collect them in the first few days. But now, after many days, nobody goes near. Fish are nibbling at the bodies."

Ma Ye Ye Tan, a 17-year-old girl from a hamlet down the river, survived the cyclone. She arrived at the home of a Pyapon relative, with virtually nothing on, shivering in monsoon rain.
She said that she did want to go back to her native village, now filled with death.

"After the cyclone came and went, we continued to hear people shouting in the darkness, but when village men went to search for them, they could find no one," she said.

Oz mum, daughter climb Mt Everest, achieve unique record

Nikki Bart, left, and her mother, Cheryl, stand a top Cho Oyu in Tibet after conquering the world's sixth highest mountain last year.
Two Sydney women - a mother and her daughter - have reached the top of Mount Everest, creating history as the first mother-daughter team to climb the world's tallest mountain.
Cheryl Bart and her 23-year-old daughter Nikki reached the peak at 9.05 am Australian time on Saturday after setting out on April 1, reported news.com.au.

Seven years after their first adventure in Nepal, Cheryl and Nikki Bart are heading back in an attempt to become the first mother-daughter team to conquer Mount Everest and scale the highest peaks on each of the Earth's continents.
They were now the first mother and daughter team to have climbed the tallest peak in each of the seven continents.

Cheryl Bart and her daughter Nikki endured bitingly cold temperatures and several delays to reach the 8850-metre peak. Delays were also caused by the ascent of the Beijing Olympic torch earlier this month amidst tight security. The pair had their communications gear temporarily confiscated because of that event.

The pair left Camp Four at about 10 pm Australian time on Friday for the final climb to the summit, and it took them a little over eleven hours to achieve the the landmark feat.
Reaching the top not only gives them an Everest record, but also gives them the record of completing what is every climbers' dream set.

The pair has already climbed to the top of Australia's Mount Kosciuszko (2228m), Antarctica's Vinson Massif (4897m), South America's Aconcagua (6962m), Africa's Kiliminjaro (5895m), North America's McKinley-Denali (6195m) and Europe's Elbrus (5642m).

National Bird Day: January 5, 2008

This information I found out while surfing internet and I was not aware of such day which is dedicated to birds.I found out interesting and happy to share with others who love birds.

In order to draw attention to the exploitation of other countries’ native birds by the pet industry in the United States and to call on activists to take action on behalf of captive birds, National Bird Day (January 5) has been instituted by two United States organizations: Born Free USA United with Animal Protection Institute (the union of two recently united animal protection groups) and the Avian Welfare Coalition (AWC). These organizations seek as well to educate the public about the difficulty of being a good caretaker of pet birds, the damage done to wild bird populations by the pet industry, and the importance of keeping birds wild. This week, to mark National Bird Day, Advocacy for Animals presents an article, written by bird expert Monica Engebretson of Born Free USA, on the effects of captivity on exotic birds.

Wild at Heart :

Whether captive bred or wild caught, birds are not domesticated animals. Domestic animals are animals that have been bred for hundreds of years to live in the care of humans and are distinct from their wild ancestors. Birds commonly kept as pets are no different than their wild relatives—they are the native species of other countries.
Those who acquire birds as companion animals soon discover that parrots, including lovebirds, budgies (parakeets), and cockatiels, are noisy and messy, and they can be destructive. Vocalizing (squawking, chirping, talking) is an important part of any parrot’s social communication; birds eat continually throughout the day, dropping and discarding bits of food everywhere; birds are instinctively programmed to chew and shred wood, whether it is a perch, toy, picture frame, or furniture. Birds will also chew electrical cords, paper, and curtains.
Parrots are also extremely intelligent and social—they have been compared to human toddlers in the needs of their emotional and social lives, but, unlike children, they never grow up. Birds are meant to fly and to be with other birds. Confinement in cages can lead to neurotic behavior, excessive screaming, feather plucking, self-mutilation and other destructive habits. As a result, very few people are capable of caring for the special needs of exotic birds or comprehend the seriousness of the commitment for the birds’ life span—20 to 70 years or more depending on species. Each year thousands of birds are sold into the pet trade to individuals who are under the mistaken impression that a bird will make a “cool” pet. Eventually, whether due to frustration, disinterest, or concern, many people attempt to rid themselves of the responsibility of caring for their birds. Unfortunately, few of these birds will find a loving home, and most will spend their days isolated and confined to their cages. Others will bounce from home to home as “owners” tire of them, and some may be abandoned at local shelters and birds rescues, or set free to fend for themselves.

How Many Caged Birds?
According to a 1998 article printed in the Journal of the American Veterinarian Medical Association deemed the most extensive demographic study of pet birds conducted to that date, the US pet bird population has been estimated between 35 million and 40 million. While this estimate of “pet” birds is lower than estimates for companion dogs and cats, the population of dogs and cats has remained relatively stable over time while “pet” bird populations have skyrocketed in recent years. According to the Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council (PIJAC), there were 60.8 million cats in 1990 and 66.15 million in 1996, with dogs numbering 52.1 million and 58.2 million respectively. According to the same industry document, there were 11.6 million “pet” birds in 1990, and by 1996 there were 40 million—a 244.8% increase!
The growing problem of unwanted exotic birds is very much a hidden crisis because most humane societies do not accept birds, and unlike abandoned cats and dogs, abandoned birds generally do not roam the streets as strays or establish feral colonies.

Captive Breeding:
One of the most common assertions made by breeders is that captive breeding is necessary to keep parrots from becoming endangered. Breeding parrots in captivity is not going to save the species in the wild. Most birds are bred outside of an official conservation program, as such the vast majority of birds bred in captivity are bred for purely commercial purposes. Captive breeding fails to address the leading causes of wild bird population decline: habitat loss, pollution, and the pet trade. Moreover, captive release programs are nonexistent for most species and are largely unsuccessful in practice.
Breeding contributes to overpopulation since it results in breeding more baby birds for the pet trade. Breeding facilities often resemble nothing more than warehouses of birds for production purposes. Breeder birds are routinely placed with a mate in small cages with nothing more than water, food, and a nest box.
A misconception perpetuated by the bird industry is that only “baby birds” will bond with people. This is untrue. Building a nurturing relationship with a parrot begins when the bird learns to trust—no matter what his or her age. The main reason that the pet industry encourages hand-weaning is that taking “baby birds” from their parents encourages them to produce more young. Keeping young parrots with their parents slows production and is less profitable for breeders.
Many breeders and stores will sell unweaned baby birds, claiming that finishing the weaning process by the purchaser will “guarantee” a hand-tame bird. Nothing could be further from the truth. The reality is that many birds who have not successfully completed weaning may not learn to eat on their own and can actually starve to death. Many baby birds die or suffer from physical injuries such as burned or punctured crops (stomachs) and infections from inexperienced hand-feeders. Unweaned chicks are sold because hand-feeding is labor intensive; it is far more profitable to sell the chicks quickly despite the risks to the young bird.

Homeless Birds :
Since finding a qualified caretaker can be difficult and many bird rescues are overburdened with an influx of unwanted birds, those wishing to give up their birds are encouraged to consider other alternatives before making a final decision. Avian behaviorist or specialist, local bird club or avian rescues can be helpful in providing educational materials, advice, and referrals on bird care, housing, diet, behavior, and veterinary services. Sometimes a change in environment, diet, or behavior modification can make all the difference in creating a happier living situation for a bird and his or her caretaker.
If the reality is that care can no longer be provided, it is imperative that the bird is placed in a stable, responsible, and loving home. A hasty decision can result in the bird ending up in the wrong hands, or being bounced from home to home, or being neglected, abused, or abandoned.
If you must find a new home for a bird:
Do not place an ad in the newspaper or on the Internet. There are many unscrupulous people who look to buy or adopt free birds so they can turn around and sell them.
Write an agreement for the adopter to sign. If for any reason they don’t live up to their obligation, include a provision that the bird will be returned to you.
Never place a bird with a breeder or anyone who wants to breed birds. Ask for the assistance of an avian adoption service, local bird club, or avian rescue organization.

Sanctuaries and Rescues :
There are currently over 90 self-described bird rescues or sanctuaries in the United States, many of which have come into existence in just the last few years. Some of these facilities are non-profit organizations, while others are merely caring individuals who have opened their homes to unwanted birds. Due to the large number of birds in need, most rescues or sanctuaries are unable to accept every bird they are offered. However, be wary of rescue organizations that will not accept smaller birds. They may simply be looking to acquire larger birds to sell or adopt out at higher fees. Before giving a bird to any rescue, check them out thoroughly. A true rescue organization does not profit from animals that have been rescued nor do they contribute to the overpopulation problem by breeding more birds for the pet market.

To Learn More goto:

National Bird Day

WWF, the Global Conservation Organization

WWF, with its familiar panda logo, is known worldwide for its wide-ranging conservation efforts. Generally known simply by its initials, the Switzerland-based organization is called the World Wide Fund for Nature in some countries and the World Wildlife Fund in North America. Its mission statement signals the scope of its commitment:
To stop the degradation of the planet’s natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature, by:

• conserving the world’s biological diversity
• ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable
• promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption.
  

Ever since it was founded in 1961, WWF has included both conservationists and businessmen, knowing that to be successful in its mission it would need public support, well-managed action, and solid scientific data. WWF also recognizes that effective efforts involve cooperation between non-governmental agencies, local governments, and local populations. From the outset, WWF has worked closely with the World Conservation Union (IUCN), and these days, it maintains a diverse range of partnerships, from talking to Baka Pygmy tribes in Central African rainforests to face-to-face discussions with world leaders and representatives of the United Nations, World Bank, and European Commission.

Over its 45 years of existence WWF has raised many millions of dollars, funding thousands of conservation initiatives around the globe. These include efforts focued on individual species, freshwater, forests, and marine issues as well as climate change. Equally important are its efforts to provide a safe and sustainable habitat for the world’s peoples, both urban and rural, including clean water, clean air, healthful food, and rewarding recreation areas.

Today WWF is active in more than 100 countries and has millions of supporters. Its more than 90 offices are focused on national and regional action. In addition to specific local issues, WWF is addressing such global issues as climate change, sustainable development, safe agricultural practices, and responsible international trade.

Images: Mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei) at Virunga National Park, Democratic Republic of Congo (Zaire); Giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) at Wolong Nature Reserve, Sichuan province, China.– ©WWF-Canon/Martin Harvey; ©WWF-Canon/Bernard de Wetter. WWF logo: ®WWF Registered Trademark. Panda Symbol © 1986 WWF.

Bisshya kobi Kobiguru Robindronath

Today is 25th Baishakh, Rabindranath Tagore's birthday according to the Bengali calendar.So I thought of writing this article.

I don’t remember when I first heard about Kobiguru. As far as I could recall, I heard a song when I was very young in some Bengali drama -

‘ami kaan pete roi o amar apon hridoy gohon dare, baare baare .. kaan pete roikon gopon bashir kanna haashir gopon kotha shuni baarebaare baare.. kaan pete roi’

…I had no idea what it meant at that time but some amazingly mystical tunes left me intrigued. Kobiguru became an inseparable part of my household but I have to admit that my knowledge and understanding of Rabindranath are very limited. So how much, if at all, do we or our next generation know about Kobiguru Rabindranath Tagore or do we even need to? Perhaps we don’t, if I was brought up under the influence of the western media and culture, dance to the hip-hop techno music, quite happy to be ignorant towards our wealthy Bengali culture - I probably do not need to.

Rabindranath Tagore is the most eminent modern Bengali writer to have appeared on the whole literary scene. He wrote his first poem when he was just 7 years of age while looking outside through the window in a rainy day, ‘Jol Pore, Pata Nore’ in 1868. Rabindranath was born on May 7, 1861 (25th Baishakh, 1268 – Bengali Year) in Jorasanko, Calcutta. He was one of the fourteen children and came from a cultural and wealthy family. During his sixty years of literary life, Tagore contributed to Indian and Bangladeshi literature with over one thousand poems, nearly two dozen plays and playlets, eight novels and several short stories, more than two thousand and eight hundred songs of which he wrote both the words and music.

Kobiguru never liked his school - due to the wealthy family background, his early education was through private tutors. Subsequently, he studied at several institutions and even went to England to study law in University College London, however, did not complete any degree program. Apparently, he was recalled back home by his father in 1880, possibly because his letters to his family indicated his attraction (which was mutual) to English girls. He also admitted that he didn’t like the English weather very much.

Rabindranath is known primarily for his poetry and music, but he also distinguished himself in another area and that is modern painting. He produced over 2,500 paintings over a decade and in 1930, "through a series of exhibition in Paris, London, Berlin, Moscow and New York, the world discovered the poet Rabindranath as an important modern painter."

Rabindranath became the first Asiatic recipient of Nobel Prize in literature in 1913 for his world class literary contribution for translating ‘Gitanjali’ into English just one year after it’s publication. In ‘Gitanjali ’, a collection of mystical-devotional poetry, “Tagore tried to find inner calm and explored the themes of divine and human love”. Much of Tagore's ideology comes from the teaching of the Upanishads and from his own beliefs that God can be found through personal purity and service to others. “

Almost all of his work prior to that time had been written in his native tongue of Bengali. He decided to do this just to have something to do, with no expectation at all that his first time translation efforts would be any good. Tagore was due to sail from Calcutta, but on the night before his departure he was suddenly taken ill and the doctors forbade an immediate voyage. He was disappointed at this unforeseen cancellation of his voyage and sought consolation and strength by retiring to Shelidah on the banks of his beloved river Padma. It was here that he began to translate, for the first time, some of his ‘Gitanjali’ songs into English.

“…It was the month of Chaitra (March-April), the air was thick with the fragrance of mango-blossoms and all hours of the day were delirious with the songs of birds. When a child is full of vigour, he does not think of his mother. It is only when he is tired that he wants to nestle in her lap. That was exactly my position. …… So I took up the poems of Gitanjali and set myself to translate them one by one….”

After spending a few days in Santiniketan he sailed for London from Bombay on 27 May 1912 accompanied by his son Rathindranath and the latter's wife, Pratima. Fortunately the sea was calm and he had enough rest and leisure to continue his translations of the Gitanjali songs in small exercise books. Arriving in London, while travelling in the Underground from Charing Cross to Russell Square, Rathindranath left behind the brief-case containing the ‘Gitanjali’ exercise book in the compartment and realised his mistake on the following morning when his father asked for it. Fortunately, the brief-case was recovered at the Lost Property Office.

Tagore and his ‘Gitanjali’ took the western writers and critics by storm. Among some of the great admirers were painter Sir William Rothenstein, poet and sculpture Ezra Pound, poetess May Sinclair, poet Ernest Rhys, Alice Meynell, Henry Nevinson, Charles Trevelyan, Fox-Strangway and Irish Poet W. B. Yeats who later recorded his feelings in the beautiful introduction for the first limited edition of ‘Gitanjali’ published by the India Society of London.
Not all the criticism was favourable, however; some were in fact downright hostile, often becoming mixed up in racial overtones and biases. For example, The Times, Los Angeles, complained that young modern writers in Europe and America had been discouraged by the award of the Prize "to a Hindu poet whose name few people can pronounce, with whose work fewer in America are familiar, and whose claim for that high distinction still fewer will recognize".
Tagore was awarded the knighthood in 1915, but he surrendered it in 1919 as a protest against the Massacre of Amritsar, where British troops killed some 400 Indian demonstrators protesting colonial laws.

In the field of music, Tagore’s background was classical Indian. However, as a composer he introduced a rich variety of form and content, enriched by Bangla folk music, such as the Baul and Bhatiyali. He is credited for both the words and music for over 2500 songs, popularly known as Rabindro Sangeet. This also includes the national anthems of both India (Jana Gano Mano Adhinayako) and Bangladesh (Amar Shonar Bangla), a unique accomplishment, indeed. The tune of ‘Amar Shonar Bangla’ reflects his admiration towards Baul songs and Lalon Shah as this is also the tune of well known Lalon geeti, ‘Ami Kothay Paabo Taare, Amar Moner Manush Jere’.

In 1940 Oxford University arranged a special ceremony in Santiniketan to honour the poet with Doctorate Of Literature. Tagore passed away on 7th August, 1941.

Few useful links and references, some of which was used here:

1.http://www.calcuttaweb.com/tagore/tagore.htm

2.http://www.virtualbangladesh.com/biography/tagore.html

3.http://alochona.hypermart.net/newsletter/2001/may/Tagore.htm

4.http://www.schoolofwisdom.com/tagore-einstein.html

5.http://www.journeymart.com/breakfree/India/shantiniketan/

6.http://www.santiniketan.net/

7. http://www.cs.brockport.edu/~smitra/sadhaka.html

8.Rabindranath Tagore ‘Amar Chelbala’ - Rabindra rachnavali’, Calcutta (1940)

9. Krishna Kripalani, ‘Rabindranath Tagore: A Biography, Visva-Bharati, Calcutta (1980).

Kobi Pronam - Subha hok .. Subha hok .. Tomar Shubha Jonmodin