Case of a brave village woman: Saved her husband from hungry tiger

 

This is a real story of a brave woman named Mrs Jyostna Shi who saved her husband from the mouth of a tiger taking the risk of her own life. The family lives at Gurguria Bhubaneswari village of Sundarbans of West Bengal which is famous for Royal Bengal tiger. Also wildlife thrives in this unique ecosystem and it is home to large numbers of mammals, birds, fish etc. The area is covered with many creeks as it is part of the Ganges Delta. The delta is densely covered by mangrove forests. In this area many people eke out their livelihoods by catching fishes and crabs, in addition to collecting honey. Also many survive on small scale farming so the economic condition of the people is not very good.  Many people were killed by the tigers because the animals suddenly attacked the people who were catching the fish or doing farming or collecting honey.  According to a news report at least 23 villagers were killed by tigers in the Sundarbans in one year (telegraphindia.com/west-bengal/dt 02.06.21).  On 3 April 2021, early morning Mrs Jyostna Shi along with her husband (both middle aged persons) went to catch fishes and crabs by moving their small boat. It is pertinent to mention that because of tigers, the fishermen and women move through their small boat in the creek. After going a few minutes through the creek, husband and wife tied their boat in a small tree and started moving on foot to observe waterways. After moving for a few minutes they decided to return.  When they were returning, the wife was a few steps ahead, and the husband suddenly cried tiger, tiger. Mrs Jyostna Shi saw the tiger had grabbed her husband with its legs. She jumped on the back of the tiger. But the tiger wanted to kill her husband and eat. She started to remove the tiger from the husband but Tiger was not leaving him so she finally put her two fingers in two canals of the ears of the tiger. The tiger was nervous as ears’ canals are very sensitive to all animals including human beings. The tiger left the man but by this time the man was profusely bleeding. She then with a lot of struggle took her husband in the boat. And after reaching the village she cried to help her husband as husband was profusely bleeding because badly injured. The villagers were kind enough and arranged a vehicle to take them to Kolkata which is around 140 kilometres away from the area. In Kolkata, the orthopedic surgeon did few operations and still the person is under treatment and he cannot lift his one hand. Shi family has two daughters and they arranged the marriage of the elder daughter, but unfortunately the first daughter's husband was killed by the tiger. For this incident, the in-laws asked her to go back to her parents’ home and by this time she delivered a girl child also, so the young helpless woman came with the baby girl child to the parents' home. It is reported that for survival of all the family members Mrs Shi (wife of injured husband) works in the village and hardly earns Rs 200 per day. If she earns, family members get food but if not then eating is uncertain. Anyway, I salute the woman for fighting with the tiger at the cost of her life to save her husband.

(The basic inputs of the article have been collected from Didi No.1, a Bengali TV show, dated 27 September 2021) 

Dr (Prof ) Shankar Chatterjee, Hyderabad, Dt. 29 September 2021.

 

Few Facts about Engineers’ Day in India

 The World Federation of Engineering Organizations (WFEO) has selected 4 March as 'World Engineering Day for a Sustainable World’. But Engineers’ Day is observed in several countries on various dates of the year e.g. in India on 15 September, Engineers’ Day is celebrated  as Bharat Ratna Sir Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya, popularly known as Sir MV an Indian civil engineer was born on  15 September 1860 in Muddenahalli village in Karnataka. His contribution to the field of engineering in India is huge. His work was applauded with several accolades, the most eminent being the Bharat Ratna. It is pertinent to mention that his birthday on 15 September is celebrated as Engineers' Day not only in India but also in Sri Lanka and Tanzania in his memory (wikipedia.org/wiki/M._Visvesvaraya).     He was the Chief Engineer of Krishna Raja Sagara dam in the north-west suburb of Mysore city, Laxmi Talav dam in the south-west Maharashtra Radhanagari Kolhapur and also served as one of the Chief Engineers of the flood protection system for the city of Hyderabad. In 1912, he was appointed as Diwan (second minister) of Mysore and served for seven years.  With support from Krishnaraja Wodeyar IV, Maharaja of Mysore, Sir M. Visvesvaraya contributed to the development of Mysore. He was instrumental in the founding of Government Engineering College at Bangalore in 1917; this one later on was later named University Visvesvaraya College of Engineering. He commissioned several new railway lines in Mysore state also. He was instrumental in developing a system to protect Visakhapatnam port from sea erosion. This dam created the biggest reservoir in Asia when it was built. Sir Visvesvaraya provided technical advice for the location of Mokama Bridge over Ganga in Bihar when he was 90 years old.  

On occasion of Engineers’ day my salute to all the engineers as because of them we are leading a decent life. There are many instances about the engineers’ contribution in each and every society. A few I wish to mention - today’s multi storeyed buildings, bridges - flyover or on the rivers are few examples among the plethora of the engineers’ creations. 

The contribution of engineers is found in the Hindu mythology as lord Vishwakarma is considered as the God of Architect and Construction. Many perform Vishwakarma puja with great zeal normally this is held before Dasserra. On this day (Vishwakarma puja), the workers take a break from work and the machines are worshipped. Vishwakarma puja is the symbol for all the workers and craftsmen to increase their productivity (apnisanskriti.com/vrat-katha/significance-of-vishwakarma-puja).      

On the occasion of Sir Visvesvaraya's birthday, I offer my great salute to him. Also my salute to all the engineers because of them we are leading luxurious lives. During summer days and scorching heat we are enjoying cool weather as electric fans, air condition​s​ etc. are beating the heat. Similarly during extreme winter, room heaters etc., give us huge comfort.​ In other words,  I wish to mention here engineers' have controlled the season also. ​

Sir M. Visvesvaraya left for heavenly abode on 14 April 1962 (survived about 102 years) but his contribution in India and abroad will be remembered by all generations after generations.

 Dr Shankar Chatterjee, Hyderabad

Dt 15 September 2021​

Mother Teresa endowed with Holy Soul: A Glimpse of her humanitarian Service

 On 26 August 2021, the world celebrated the birthday of a great and holy soul, selfless lady, endowed with purity in heart, who is popularly known as Mother Teresa but born as Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu.

Mother Teresa is a symbol of sacrifice for the service and caring of the downtrodden people. She was born on 26 August 1910 in present-day Skopje of North Macedonia. I will not discuss here about her religion etc. but I feel her greatest religion was love and affection to others particularly to the poor echelon of the society. On other days, we have seen on TV that innocent people were killed without any fault of theirs in Kabul but Mother Teresa has shown us how to nurture helpless children and others for survival. She left her home in 1928 when she was 18 years old and came to Ireland to learn English. And later on sent to India and on 24 May, 1931, she took her initial vows as a nun. Among her innumerable activities few are mentioned here so that young generations are motivated. 

From 1931 to 1948 Mother Teresa taught at St. Mary’s High School in Calcutta now Kolkata, but observing the suffering and poverty outside the convent walls, she changed her mind.  In 1948 she left the convent school with proper permission from the authority and devoted herself to working among the poor in the slums of Calcutta. Although she had no funds, she depended on Divine Providence, and started an open-air school for slum children. Soon she was joined by voluntary helpers, and financial support was also forthcoming. This made it possible for her to extend the scope of her work. She established a new sisterhood, Missionaries of Charity. Mother Teresa and her associates built homes for orphans, nursing homes for lepers and hospices for the terminally ill in Calcutta (now Kolkata). Mother Teresa's organization also engaged in aid work in other parts of the world. Also her role to serve the people, during Bengal Famine in 1943 and Direct Action Day, also known as the 1946 Calcutta Killings, was praiseworthy.

It may be mentioned here that, “The Missionaries of Charity, which began as a small order with 12 members in Calcutta, today has more than 4,000 nuns running orphanages, AIDS hospices, and charity centers worldwide, and caring for refugees, the blind, disabled, aged, alcoholics, the poor and homeless and victims of floods, epidemics and famine in Asia, Africa, Latin America, North America, Poland, and Australia. In 1965, by granting a Decree of Praise, Pope Paul VI granted Mother Teresa permission to expand her order to other countries. The order's first house outside India was in Venezuela. Presently, the "Missionaries of Charity" has presence in more than 100 countries” (awpc.cattcenter.iastate.edu/directory/mother-teresa).

Some of her activities across the world are: In 1982 during the Siege of Beirut Mother Teresa rescued 37 children trapped in a front-line hospital by brokering a temporary cease-fire between the Israeli army and Palestinian guerrillas. Accompanied by Red Cross workers, she travelled through the war zone to the hospital to evacuate the young patients.

Also she visited to help the hungry people in Ethiopia; radiation victims at Chernobyl and earthquake victims in Armenia.  In 1991 she went to Albania for the first time, opening a Missionaries of Charity Brothers home in (wikipedia.org/wiki/Mother_Teresa).  Mother Teresa’s work has been recognised and acclaimed throughout the world and she has received a number of awards and distinctions, including the Nobel Peace Prize, the Bharat Ratna, the Pope John XXIII Peace Prize etc.

Although Mother Teresa left for heavenly abode on 5 September 1997 (aged 87 in Calcutta/Kolkata) but because of her great humanitarian service she is in the heart of all in the world. I offer my Pronam to her.

 Dr Shankar Chatterjee, Hyderabad , 27 August 2021

 

World Elephant Day, 12 August: Few Titbits

 In school days we were taught by the teachers while teaching general knowledge/ social science that ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ which is a Sanskrit phrase mentioned in the Maha Upanishad, meaning "the world is one family". So animals and other living beings have the right to survive in this beautiful world. On August 12, 2012, the World Elephant Day was launched to bring attention to the urgent plight of Asian and African elephants. The elephant is loved, and respected by people and cultures around the world.  They have been providing great service to human beings as ‘Elephant Safari’ is popular among the tourists in the world. The elephants are used to carry logs, heavy woods etc., in many places. And in many Hindu temples elephants are nurtured. Even then elephants are treated badly. According to Dr. Stephen Blake, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, “elephants are simply one more natural resource that is being caught up in human greed on the one hand and human need on the other.  We somehow need people to become reacquainted with nature or they can have no clue as to the interrelatedness of cause and effect.” It is observed from the website worldelephantday.org/about that ‘the escalation of poaching, habitat loss, human-elephant conflict and mistreatment in captivity are just some of the threats to both African and Asian elephants. Working towards better protection for wild elephants, improving enforcement policies to prevent the illegal poaching and trade of ivory, conserving elephant habitats, better treatment for captive elephants and, when appropriate, reintroducing captive elephants into natural, protected sanctuaries are the goals that numerous elephant conservation organizations are focusing on around the world.’                    While talking about Elephant Day, in the context of India it may be mentioned that the Government of India has notified a total of 32 Elephant Reserves. The total elephant population in India was 27312 (as per Census in 2017) (source: upsccolorfullnotes.com/32-elephant-reserves-in-india-in-2021-map). I visited some of the reserves and was charmed to see pachyderms and the pristine beauty of the places.   And one place of Sri Lanka I wish to mention here as it was a memorable place. During the course of Sri Lanka visit Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage must be visited (I visited in March 2018). It is located in the village Pinnawala in Kegalle district 90 kilometres away from Colombo. The orphanage also abandoned elephants and those injured) population of pachyderm was around 93, making it the world’s largest collection of captive elephants. It was established in 1975 by the Sri Lanka Wildlife Department adjoining the Maha Oya River. In 1978 the Orphanage was taken over by the National Zoological Gardens from the Department of Wildlife subsequently, a captive breeding program was launched in 1982. Since the inception of the programme more than 20 elephants were raised (bred) here and during the time of visit it was reported that altogether 93 elephants were staying. The objective of the Orphanage is to simulate a natural habitat to these elephants. The elephants are taken to the river twice a day for a bath, and all the babies less than three years of age are bottle fed by the mahouts and volunteers. While visiting the place, I purchased fruits from that place and put them in the mouth of an elephant (outside fruits are not allowed).                                                                                                 The theme for this year’s World Elephant Day has not been announced; however, last year it was ‘Haathi Hamara Saathi’(meaning elephants are our friends)

Dr Shankar Chatterjee, Hyderabad Dt. 12 August 2021

Brigadier Mohammad Usman: A Great Army Officer of India Born in July and Died in July

 For the common citizens’ peace and happiness and to keep our international border safe , time to time many army personnel of different cadres irrespective of caste , creed and religions have sacrificed their lives. I am presenting a case of a great army officer Brigadier Mohammad Usman who was born on 15 July 1912 in present Uttar Pradesh and died on 3 July 1948 while fighting with the enemies at Naushera in Jammu Kashmir. He was a great patriot as at the time of partition of India he along with many other Muslim officers declined to go to Pakistan to join in Pakistan Army. 

It is pertinent to mention that partition of India was the most unfortunate part in the history of India. The common people irrespective of caste, creed and religion fought against the British Raj but unfortunately few leaders supported by the British in those only to enjoy power were the architects of the partition at the cost of human lives. Unfortunately these power hungry leaders enjoyed the power because the partition displaced between 10 and 20 million people along religious lines, and 200,000 to 2 million deaths took place. And lakhs of women were assaulted and huge properties were damaged.  All were the common people of different religions. 

Anyway, Brigadier was awarded the Maha Vir Chakra and it is pertinent to mention that the Maha Vir Chakra (MVC, a great warrior medal) is the second highest military award  in India after the Param Vir Chakra. 

Brigadier Usman studied at Harish Chandra Bhai School in Varanasi. He had a great desire to join the army so with a lot of struggle got admission in the prestigious Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst (RMAS). He was commissioned as Second Lieutenant on 1 February 1934. Later on he was posted to the 5th battalion of 10th Baluch Regiment. For his great service, he was promoted as Lieutenant in April 1936 later on in August 1941 he was promoted as Captain. From February to July 1942, he attended the Indian Army Staff College at Ouetta (now in Pakistan). During partition, he was under great pressure from the Pakistani leadership to join in the Pakistani Army and it is now fact that Brigadier Usman had declined a request from Muhammad Ali Jinnah to settle in Pakistan. Also it is believed that he was promised in future as Pakistan's Army Chief. When the Baluch Regiment was allotted to Pakistan after partition, Brigadier was transferred to the Dogra Regiment in India.

 In January- February 1948 Brigadier Usman repulsed the attack from the Pakistan side in Naushera and Jhangar, both highly strategic locations in Jammu and Kashmir.  Indian forces inflicted around 2000 casualties on the Pakistani side (about 1000 dead and 1000 wounded) while Indian forces suffered only 33 dead and 102 wounded. For his bravery and skill and prowess, Pakistani forces announced a sum of Rs.50,000 for his  head. 

According to the Government of India, Press Information Bureau, “Late Brigadier Mohammad Usman, also known as the savior of Naushera, was responsible for the recapture of Jhangar & Naushera (Jammu & Kashmir) during the 1947-48 war with Pakistan. The gallant officer attained martyrdom on 03rd July 1948 when an enemy artillery shell landed close to him in Naushera”.

A great salute to the Brigadier as in July month he was born and also left for heavenly abode by saving our border. 

 The following websites and Press release have been consulted while writing the article:

1)    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mohammad_Usman

2)    Government of India. Press Information Bureau, Ministry of Defence, 03-July-2014

3)    https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/army-to-restore-defaced-jamia-grave-of-    war- hero/cid/1802136

   Dr Shankar Chatterjee, Hyderabad Dt 20 July 2021

Case of a Valiant Rat Who Saved Lives of Many Human Beings: Awarded PDSA Gold Medal

 As a senior citizen from my school days, I have read in various newspapers and later on watched on TV that many stalwarts have received gold medals for their dedication whether for the development of science and technology or any other innovation or other noble activities even for the supreme great sacrifice made by the person. But here I am presenting a case of a special type of Rat named as 'Magawa' who was awarded the People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA), a veterinary charity in the United Kingdom Gold Medal in September, 2020. This Medal is also described as the George Cross for Animals. He was the first rat awarded with the medal in the charity's 77-year history. Many newspapers including foreign newspapers and also on TV channels highlighted the case of this rat.  I am presenting again so that many readers can get an idea about if anyone has missed. The rat, an African breed after its training named as ’Magawa’, has helped to find 39 landmines and 28 unexploded munitions in his lifetime after training in Cambodia. It is pertinent to mention that landmines are explosives. These mines have detonating systems that are triggered by the pressure of any person or bulky animals. There are two types of landmines- a) anti-personnel landmines, aimed at killing or injuring a person (or bulky animals may also die if foot touches), and b) anti-tank mines, designed to destroy or incapacitate vehicles.

The landmines were first used during World War I, but their deployment increased from 1960 onwards.  According to Landmine Monitor more than 120,000 people were killed or wounded by the landmines between 1999 and 2017. It is unfortunate to mention that about half of the victims were children. According to the mine-clearing NGO the HALO Trust, Cambodia has recorded more than 64,000 casualties and little more than 25,000 amputees due to landmines since 1979. Most of the landmines were laid during the country's civil war in the 1970s and 1980s. Anyway the special type of rats after imparting training are used to detect a chemical compound within the explosives which means they ignore scrap metal and can search for mines more quickly and thus lakhs of human lives were saved and now also these rats are in job. The rats are certified after training and normally the training period is one year. These specially trained rats detect landmines from 1990. As already mentioned ’Magawa’ was trained by the Belgium-registered charity organisation viz., APOPO, (Anti-Personnel Landmines Removal Product Development), in Tanzania that trains rats like 'Magawa' to find landmines. APOPO has been nurturing the rats - known as 'HeroRATs'. 

According to APOPO, Magawa was born and raised in Tanzania. Its weight after full development was 1.2 kilogram and was 70 centimetres long. So if Magawa walks over the mine but because of the lightweight mine does not blow.  According to the report 'Magawa' has discovered 39 landmines and 28 items of unexploded ordnance, making him the charity’s most successful ‘HeroRAT’. During his career he has helped to clear more than 141,000 square metres of land (the equivalent of twenty football grounds). ‘Magawa’ can search an area of a tennis court​(size) in 30 minutes, which for a person with a metal detector takes a minimum​ ​​of ​ one day.

These rats, if they survive, can extend service up to five years.  'Magawa' the heroic rat, has retired after sniffing out landmines for five years by saving the lives of thousands of people mainly in Cambodia (he is now around seven years old).  According to the website, (pdsa.org.uk/magawa), ‘He’ll spend his time playing and relaxing!’

My great salute to the valiant soul.

References:

1)      https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-49799292

2)      https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-57345703

3)      https://www.newsbred.com/article/magwa-the-rat-is-hero-in-detecting-mines-explosives-as-long-as-peanuts-keep-coming

4)      https://www.pdsa.org.uk/what-we-do/animal-awards-programme/pdsa-gold-medal/magawa

Dr Shankar Chatterjee, Hyderabad Dt. 11 July 2021

 

1 July Celebrated Two Events in India: National Doctors’ Day & National Chartered Accountant Day

 Every year the first July in our country is celebrated as two famous events - one is Doctors’ Day and another is National Chartered Accountant Day. Both have importance in our life. All human beings required the service of medical doctors during their lifetime. My father was MBBS of Calcutta Medical College, served in Guwahati, Assam and I have observed the services rendered by him to all the echelons of the society. Similarly, accounting is important in our family life also as in the family particularly the earning member and the spouse based on the income spends money, a sort of budget is prepared. I am highlighting the importance of both the Days so that the young generation can get ideas. Also researchers can take up in-depth study in this regard. 

      National Doctors' Day is celebrated as recognition to the service rendered by the medical doctors in India the National Doctors' Day is celebrated on 1 July across India to honour the legendary physician and the second Chief Minister of West Bengal, Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy popularly known as Dr. B.C. Roy. He was born on 1 July, 1882 in Patna and died on the same date (July 1) in 1962 in then Calcutta now Kolkata after treating some patients in morning hours. He was a follower of Brahmo Samaj and in those days many intellectuals in Bengal advocated Brahmo Samaj philosophy to counter evil practices of Hinduism such as Sati system etc. Dr. Roy led the Civil disobedience movement in Bengal and was later on elected as Mayor of Calcutta Corporation. He is still considered a greatest Chief Minister of West Bengal ( according to me best among the CMs of West Bengal) and a visionary of developing the State as after independence a lot of industrial development took place in the State. Medical institutions like Jadavpur TB Hospital, Chittaranjan Seva Sadan, Victoria Institution (college), Chittaranjan Cancer Hospital and the Chittaranjan Seva Sadan for women and children were set up during his regime. He was also referred to as the first medical consultant in the subcontinent of India and was more successful and dedicated than his contemporaries in several fields, mentioned British Medical Journal. It may be mentioned that many countries celebrate Doctors' Day based on their own situation. It has to be admitted that amid the pandemic, the role of medical staff and paramedical staff is commendable as at the cost of their own life they have been doing excellent work. Cheers to the spirit and dedication of the front line workers who immensely contributed in the hour of crisis.

National Chartered Accountant Day is observed in order to celebrate the formation of Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) on 1 July, 1949. ICAI is the sole licensing and regulatory body for the financial audit and accounting profession in India. It is pertinent to mention that in 1913, the British Government passed the Companies Act that prescribed a list of books that every registered firm had to maintain. Accordingly, an auditor had to be appointed which had the power to audit these books. In 1918, a course named ‘Government Diploma in Accountancy’ was introduced in Bombay now Mumbai and after completing this course the person was eligible to work as an Auditor throughout India. After some years, the course was discontinued. In the year 1930, the British Government decided to maintain a Register called the Register of Accountants and head was Registered Accountant. After independence, in the year 1948, an expert committee was set up to examine the matters. The committee suggested a separate autonomous association of accountants should be set up to regulate. Accordingly, on 1 July 1949 Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) was formed.

 On this auspicious occasion my salute to all the Doctors, the supporting staff and also to all the Accountants. 

 Dr. Shankar Chatterjee, Hyderabad Dt. 1 July 2021

 

Tributes to ' Kalaguru Bishnu Rabha on ‘Bishnu Rabha Divash’

 Time to time across great personalities were born in undivided India also in present India who are still remembered and events are held as tribute to them. On 20 June 1969, a great human being, patriot, also an artist, actor, painter, music composer, poet and writer of Assam left for heavenly abodes, popularly known as Kalaguru Bishnu Prasad Rabha. Such a talented person left for heavenly abode at the age of 60 years at Tezpur, Assam. In commemoration of his death, 20 June is celebrated in Assam as 'Bishnu Rabha Divash (Bishnu Rabha day)'.  Kalaguru (meaning Master of the Arts) was born on 31 January 1909 in ST family in Dhaka (now in Bangladesh), then Bengal Presidency of British India.

Bishnu Rabha’s schooling started at Tezpur Government High School, Assam and later on he went to Calcutta now Kolkata for pursuing higher study. From a young age he proved his talent through his writings. He was in the freedom movement and was influenced by leftist ideology  and ardent supporter of the Communist Party of India. However, when Germany attacked Soviet Union during the Second World War, the leaders of Indian communists decided to support the British Government which antagonised a section of the communist leaders and subsequently they formed the Revolutionary Communist Party of India (RCPI) in 1945 where he joined.    He was a multifaceted artist and revolutionary singer of Assam. His music today is known as Bishnu Rabha Sangeet.

He was associated very closely with theatre movement in Assam and there were many live performances at the Ban theatre in Tezpur which is famously connected to Kalaguru Bishnu Rabha.

     Kalaguru was a genius in creative activities and undoubtedly his enormous contribution no Indian can forget. His work Bano Kobang portrays the life of many indigenous Assamese communities. His other publications inter alia are Missing Coneng, Sonpahi, Axomiya Kristir Hamuh Abhakh, and Atit Axom. He had given music to most of his songs. He was a visionary, and through music, dance, acting, writing, etc., he endeavoured to realize his dream of a greater, prosperous Assamese society with every ethnic group as equal partners. He acted in a mobile theatre group of that time named 'Ban Theatre'. He directed an Assamese film 'Siraj', where he also composed the music. Further, he acted in the movie 'Era Baator Xur'. It may be mentioned  that he was awarded the title 'Kalaguru' by Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan at Varanasi for his enthralling ‘dance of Lord Shiva’. Kalaguru actively worked to popularize Vaishnavism initiated by Srimanata Sankardev (Saint and scholar) in Assam in 15^th century. Kalaguru painted portraits of both Sankardev and Madhavdev with water colours. He was a great human being also and always had feelings for the underprivileged and poor echelons of the society. It is pertinent to mention here that he had given about 2500 bighas (1 bigha is approximately equal to 0.40 acre) to the peasants. He popularised a slogan “Haal Jaar Maati Taar" means "those who cultivate, should own the land".

He passed away on 20 June 1969 but he will be in the hearts of millions for his brilliant activities.

Dr Shankar Chatterjee, 20 June 2021, Hyderabad

The International Year of Fruits and Vegetables 2021: Few Issues

 All living beings for their survival have to eat. For human beings tt may be vegetarian or non-vegetarian foods. Although vegetarian and non -vegetarian foods depend on individual perceptions. Few examples are presented here.  Many eat eggs (duck, chicken or other birds) but not fish or meat as according to them ‘egg is vegetarian’. For Bengali widows garlic, onion and red- gram dal (pulse) are prohibited. Earlier the Bengali widows even did not touch these also.  When I was in Eritrea as an academician many Orthodox Christians told me ‘Milk is non-vegetarian as it comes out of the blood of the animal’.  But for Hindus in general milk is not non-vegetarian. Anyway irrespective of any religious beliefs all across the world eat fruits and vegetables. Based on the publication “FRUIT AND VEGETABLES –YOUR DIETARY ESSENTIALS: The International Year of Fruits and Vegetables 2021 Background paper” published by  Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations , Rome, this article has been written so that readers can get a general idea about the significance of the Year as well as importance of fruits and vegetables. The United Nations has declared 2021 as the International Year of Fruits and Vegetables with the aims to raise awareness of the nutritional and health benefits of consuming more fruits and vegetables as part of a diversified, balanced and healthy diet and lifestyle as well as to direct policy attention to reducing loss and waste of these highly perishable produce goods. The important point as found in the publication is that there is no widely accepted definition for either fruits or vegetables. The definition agreed to for the International Year of Fruits and Vegetables is as follows. The fruits and vegetables are considered edible parts of plants (e.g., seed bearing structures, flowers, buds, leaves, stems, shoots and roots), either cultivated or harvested wild, in their raw state or in a minimally processed form. The following items are excluded from the category of fruits and vegetables:

Ø   Starchy roots and tubers such as cassava, potato, sweet potato and yams (although leaves of these plants are consumed as vegetables).

Ø   Dry grain legumes (pulses) unless harvested when immature.

Ø   Cereals including maize (corn), unless harvested when immature.

Ø  Nuts, seeds and oilseeds such as coconuts, walnuts and sunflower seeds.

Ø  Medicinal or herbal plants and spices, unless used as vegetables.

Ø   Stimulants such as tea, cacao and coffee.

Ø   Processed and ultra-processed products made from fruits and vegetables such as alcoholic beverages (e.g. wine, spirits), plant-based meat substitutes, or fruit and vegetable products with added ingredients (e.g., packed fruit juices, ketchup).

It is observed from the publication that women produce much of the world’s fresh products, and "they are often responsible for the harvesting, marketing and processing. As consumers, they often choose what items to buy and how to cook them. But women face disadvantages at all stages in the chain – as producers in their ability to access land, inputs and advice, as entrepreneurs in getting finance to develop their businesses, as workers in terms of fair payment for their work, and as consumers in terms of education about food and nutrition". The high value of fruits and vegetables and the potential for innovation open exciting opportunities for young people to become involved in production and other aspects of the value chain as observed in the publication.

Before conclusion, the FAO Director-General may be quoted from the publication, “When we think of healthy eating, the first food items that often come to mind are fruits and vegetables – colourful, vitamin-, mineral- and fibre-rich, they are vital for the proper functioning of the human body. The benefits of consuming fruits and vegetables as part of a nutritious diet are vast. Fresh produce items are not only beneficial to consumers, but they also benefit the food system. The fruit and vegetable sector contributes to increasing biodiversity, generating environmental sustainability, and improving the livelihoods of farmers and employees operating along the value chains”.

Dr Shankar Chatterjee, Hyderabad, 11 June 2021

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Lokenath Baba, A Great Saint: Survived up to 160 Years

 

Time to time in India many saints in different religions were born. They have enlightened human beings to survive in the best possible way with the feeling of humanity. I will present here the case of one famous saint known as Lokenath Baba who enlightened those days all human beings by saying "Whenever you are in danger, - whether in the middle of the ocean, or in the midst of the battlefield, or in the deepest jungle - think of me and I will deliver you to safety."  Still many Indians believe this saying. And in West Bengal many houses his photo may be seen as I visited the nook and corner of the State for academic works and observed the same. Even many cab drivers keep his photograph in the taxi. Loknath Baba survived 160 years as he was born in 1730 and left for heavenly abode on 3 June 1890 (aged 160). And many believe that those days even the British respected him for his spiritual activities. Baba did not marry and severely practised spiritual activities in different places including jungles so known as Lokenath Brahmachari. Lokenath Brahmachari was the fourth son of Ram Narayan Ghosal and Kamala Devi. Ram Narayan was an extremely religious person and had decided that his first son would be dedicated to the life of austerity. But Kamala Devi did not agree and she could give up neither her first born, nor the second born, not even the third born. While Lokenath Baba was born she observed his body was glowing with a divine glow so she let him follow the path of spiritualism as a saint. In the adjacent village Sri Bhagwan Ganguly, a saintly person but staying at home was living.  The father of Lokenath Baba approached him to become the Guru (Acharya) of Lokenath Baba and also requested him to perform the sacred thread ceremony. So, Ramnarayan (father of Lokenath Baba) handed over the responsibility of his son to a renowned Vedic scholar Bhagwan Ganguly, who, realizing the divine wisdom of Lokenath’s birth, initiated him and his playmate Benimadhav, who also insisted on becoming a sannyasi (Saint).  Guru ji (Bhagwan Ganguly) prepared the two boys for the hard life of austerity and renunciation and under his guidance, the disciples, in addition to practice meditation, also observed various fasting vows that lasted - from a single day - to two days, then for three, five, nine and twelve days and then a fortnight. Anyway it is believed that after enlightenment, Baba had travelled all over South Asia and Southeast Asia on foot. By leaving narrow boundaries of faith and religion, he visited many holy sites of Islam, Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, Sikhism and Jainism.  Baba travelled to Mecca, Afghanistan, Iran, Israel, Palestine, and other regions of western Asia and Middle East.  

He loved all irrespective of caste, creed or religion. Although he passed away on 3 June 1890 by leaving his mortal but Baba left a message to all of us,

 “I am eternal, I am deathless. After this body falls, do not think that everything will come to an end. I will live in the hearts of all living beings in my subtle astral form. Whosoever will seek my refuge, will always receive my Grace.” I extend my respectful Pronam to this great saint, a Brahmachari.

The following websites have been consulted while writing the article

1)      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lokenath_Brahmachari

2)      http://www.loknathbaba.com/english/aboutus.htm

3)      https://babalokenath.org/about-baba-lokenath/#

Dr Shankar Chatterjee, Hyderabad

A Secular and Rebel Poet Born in India, expired in Bangladesh: Kazi Nazrul Islam

Kazi Nazrul Islam, popularly known as ‘Bidrohi Kabi’, or ‘Rebel Poet’, was one of the most important voices during freedom movement. He was born on 25 May, 1899 in Burdwan District of present West Bengal (birthday has been collected from livehistoryindia.com/story/history-daily/nazrul-bengals-beloved-rebel-poet). It is pertinent to mention here that he is the only person to appear on postage stamps in India, Bangladesh and Pakistan. Due to his powerful writing mainly through his poems reflecting Hindu-Muslim unity and patriot feeling British was always scared of him as sequel imprisonment him several occasions.  Nazrul's father Kazi Faqeer Ahmed was an Imam and caretaker of a local mosque and his mother Zahida Khatun, was a house maker. Kazi Nazrul Islam studied up to Class X and then joined in then British army in 1917 at the age of 18 but he left the army in 1920 when the 49^th Bengal Regiment was disbanded and joined as a staff in the Bangiya Mussalman Sahitya Samiti ("Bengali Muslim Literary Society").

 He preached ‘revolution’ through his poems "Bidrohi" (The Rebel) and "Bhangar Gaan" (The Song of Destruction), as well as through his publications in "Dhumketu" (The Comet). His continuous support in Indian freedom movement antagonized the British and many times jailed him.  On April 14, 1923 he was shifted from Alipore jail to Hooghly jail in Calcutta for which he began a 40-day fast to protest against ill-treatment by the British jailer. Nazrul broke his fast one month later and was released from prison later on. He composed a large number of poems and songs during this period of imprisonment.  

      He was secular-mined person and married Pramila Devi, (belonged to Brahmo Samaj), on April 25, 1924. His  secularism is also reflected  when he kept his sons name keeping in mind both Hindu and Muslim background-  Krishna Mohammad, Arindam Khaled(bulbul), Kazi Sabyasachi and Kazi Aniruddha. Anyway, in his ‘Kandari Husiar” poem he penned, “Hindu or Muslim should not be an issue. We should fight to save our motherland”. Nazrul wrote an editorial in Joog Bani in 1920 about religious pluralism, “Come brother Hindu! Come Musalman! Come Buddhist! Come Christian! Let us transcend all barriers, let us forsake forever all smallness, all lies, all selfishness and let us call brothers as brothers. We shall quarrel no more”. In another article entitled Hindu Mussalman, published in Ganabani on 2 September 1922, he wrote the religious quarrels were between priests and Imams and not between individual Muslims and Hindus.

     He felt for the poor echelons of the society which is reflected in his poem 'Daridro'(Poverty). Also in those days in Bengal dowry, exploitation of women etc., were also major issues and he wrote the poem Nari (Woman), where he has mentioned, “I don't see any difference between a man and woman. Whatever great or benevolent achievements that have taken place in the world half of that was by woman and the other half by man.”

    Rabindranath Tagore and Kazi Narul Islam had special bonding to each other. Tagore called Nazul, "the mutinous child of the Goddess of the Universe". Nazrul was shaken by the death of Rabindranath in August 1941. He composed two poems in Tagore's memory; one, "Rabihara" (loss of Rabi) was broadcast in All India Radio during that time. After the creation of Bangladesh, the then Government of Bangladesh invited him with his family members where they moved in 1972. He left for heavenly abode on 29 August 1976. He is officially recognized as the National poet of Bangladesh and his song “Chal, Chal, Chal” (move, move, and move) is the national song of Bangladesh.

 (For the writing of the article mainly this website www.livehistoryindia.com/story/history-daily/nazrul-bengals-beloved-rebel-poet has been consulted)

 Dr. Shankar Chatterjee, Hyderabad , 26 May 2021

International Day for Biological Diversity/ World Biodiversity Day: Important Issues

 

International Day for Biological Diversity/ World Biodiversity Day: Important Issues

As human beings, we should observe this day of 22 May every year and generations after generations seriously otherwise one day human lives will be in danger. The United Nations proclaimed 22 May as the International Day for Biological Diversity (Biodiversity Day) to increase understanding and awareness of biodiversity issues (UNGA Resolution 1994, COP1 Decision (COP means Conference of the Parties, UNGA Resolution 2000).

The International Day for Biological Diversity (or World Biodiversity Day) is a United Nations–sanctioned international day for the promotion of biodiversity issues. It is pertinent to mention that Biological diversity – or biodiversity – is the term given to the variety of life on Earth and the natural patterns it forms. This diversity means a wide variety of plants, animals and microorganisms. Around 1.75 million species have been identified, mostly small creatures such as insects. The researchers and scientists have estimated that there are about 13 million species, though estimates range from 3 to 100 million.

  It may be mentioned here that the rich tapestry of life on this planet is the result of more than 3.5 billion years of evolutionary history. It has been shaped by forces such as changes in the planet’s crust, ice ages, fire, and interaction among species. Human beings should take interest in conserving nature and its resources and it has to be admitted  that whether land or water or animals or plants all are the creation of nature and not by human beings so it is our responsibility to save and conserve these.  Further, we are responsible for declining numbers of pandas, tigers, elephants, whales, and various species of birds, fishes etc.  And many are at the verge of extinction.  It is observed from the Report that many species have been disappearing at 50-100 times the natural rate, and this is predicted to rise dramatically (cbd.int/doc/publications/cbd-sustain-en.pdf). It is also evident from the Report that, an estimated 34,000 plant and 5,200 animal species – including one in eight of the world’s bird species – face extinction. A few lines from the conclusion part of the Report is presented here, “although still in its infancy, the Convention on Biological Diversity is already making itself felt. The philosophy of sustainable development, the ecosystem approach, and the emphasis on building partnerships are all helping to shape global action on biodiversity. ……..Much, much more needs to be done. The passage of the Earth’s biodiversity through the coming century will be its most severe test. With the human population expected to rise dramatically, particularly in developing countries, and the consumer revolution set for exponential expansion – not to mention the worsening stresses of climate change, ozone depletion, and hazardous chemicals – species and ecosystems will face ever more serious threats. Unless we take action now, children born today will live in an impoverished world”.

    Anyway, this year (2021) in the International Day for Biological Diversity/ World Biodiversity Day the theme is “We’re part of the solution”. The slogan was chosen to be a continuation of the momentum generated last year under the overarching theme, “Our solutions are in nature”, which served as a reminder that biodiversity remains the answer to several sustainable development challenges. This important slogan we must adhere.

The following Reports have been consulted for writing the article:

1)   1)   https://www.cbd.int/doc/publications/cbd-sustain-en.pdf

2)     2)  https://www.cbd.int/biodiversity-day

3)     3)  https://www.un.org/en/observances/biological-diversity-day

Dr Shankar Chatterjee, Hyderabad

 

International Day of Families 2021: Titbit

In school days we all read the famous line ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ (a Sanskrit phrase) which means "the world is one family". So, it is evident that family is sine qua non for a society, country and for the world. Although long long ago the Sanskrit phrase ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ was used to mean the importance of family but in1985, the United Nations put importance on families in the world. The Economic and Social Council and the Commission for Social Development requested the then Secretary-General to raise more awareness about the issues and needs of families. On May 29, 1985, the General Assembly passed a resolution by including a topic, "Families in the Development Process" on the recommendation of the Council. In 1993, the General Assembly decided in a resolution (A/RES/47/237) that 15 May of every year should be observed as ‘The International Day of Families’. This day provides an opportunity to promote awareness of issues relating to families and to increase the knowledge of the social, economic and demographic processes affecting families. On 25 September 2015, “the 193 member states of the United Nations unanimously adopted the Sustainable Development Goals, a set of 17 goals aiming to eliminate poverty, discrimination, abuse and preventable deaths, address environmental destruction, and usher in an era of development for all people, everywhere. Families and family-oriented policies and programmes are vital for the achievement of many of these goals” (www.un.org/en/observances/international-day-of-families).The UN website further states, “Family policies are a mainstay of national public policies, and the most meaningful vehicle for governments to influence the living standards of upcoming generations. As part of achieving the global ambitions of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), family policies play an important part in meeting targets across many of the goals”. The theme of International Day of Families 2021 is ‘Families and New Technologies’.

 Today (15 May 2021) an  inaugural Conference was held in Bangkok , under the banner of Asia Pacific Leadership Conference ‘Providing Vision and Leadership for Nation Building and Peace’ 6th  Batch under Universal Peace Federation (UPF), an international and interreligious network of individuals and organizations, including representatives from religion, government, civil society and the private sector. UPF is dedicated to achieving world peace. An NGO in general consultative status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations, UPF supports the work of the United Nations, particularly in the areas of interfaith peace building, peace education, and the strengthening of marriage and family. In today’s Conference I was one of the participants as it took place as a virtual conference. All gave importance today’s day as International Day of Families. Anyway by quoting from UN website I am concluding, “Family trends: Families around the world are changing, many becoming smaller, as the number of single-parent households grows. Currently, 65% of all families are made up of either couples living with children of any age, or couples living with both children and extended family members, such as grandparents. The diminishing number of extended families and the increasing number of single-parent families put into sharp focus the issue of social protection”, (www.un.org/en/observances/international-day-of-families).

Dr Shankar Chatterjee, Hyderabad , 15 May 2021

Happy Easter: My Experience about Easter in a Foreign Country

 

Easter is a great and joyous festival of Christian community as they believe on this day the resurrection of Jesus Christ took place, three days after his burial. Hence this day is also referred to as Resurrection Sunday. In India on 4 April 2021 Easter will be celebrated with full gaiety but there is a country located in the North-east of Africa known as Eritrea (capital Asmara) there this year Easter will be celebrated on 2 May 2021 as most of them belong to Orthodox Christian. So there Easter is known as Orthodox Easter, also called Greek Easter, is the main festival of the Orthodox Church. And around 300 million Orthodox Christians celebrate 7 January as Christmas and based on the Julian calendar Easter date varies so this year it will be 2 May 2021. It is pertinent to mention that the Gregorian calendar was introduced in 1582 by Pope Gregory XIII, as a modification of the Julian calendar. The Orthodox Church uses the Julian calendar for the calculation of Easter, whereas the Western churches use the Gregorian calendar. It is important to mention that Easter is associated with crucification of Jesus Christ and “the Last Supper was essentially a Passover feast. However, the New Testament describes it as being given new significance by Jesus: He identified the matzah (or bread) He shared with his 12 apostles as his “body” and the cup of wine they drank as his “blood” (history.com/topics/holidays/history-of-easter).

 I had the opportunity to enjoy Easter in Eritrea in addition to my country, India. A few lines about Eritrea I wish to men for the benefit of readers. Eritrea is spread over to an area of approximately 117,600 square kilometres including the Dahlak Archipelago and several of the Hanish Islands. Its total population was around 61 lakh in 2020. Eritrea is a unitary one-party presidential republic elections were never held. Mr.  Isaias Afwerki has been serving as President since its independence in 1993. When I was in teaching in the years 2005 and 2006 a lot Indian persons worked in different teaching faculties. The Indian army was posted as ‘Peace keeping force’ as those days Eritrea and Ethiopia had awful relations.

  Anyway in India my Christian friends have invited me many times for Easter and I have thoroughly enjoyed cakes, biscuits, tea etc. Here, I am sharing my experience in Eritrea. I was in that country for about two years selected by them as Associate Professor to teach Economics. As mentioned already, they are Orthodox Christians so their celebration of Easter date is different from Catholic and other Christians. During 2005 and 2006 two times I was invited by two different families on Easter. They prepared varieties of foods such as cakes, popcorn, barley-grain fry, biscuits etc. But, I was amazed to observe their coffee preparation. They prepared coffee powder in their residences by grinding coffee seeds and the powder is mixed with hot water then boiled the same in a charcoal stove. Every time after serving black coffee in a small cup the pot is put on the charcoal stove. Thus, hot coffee is served 3-4 times to each person. I enjoyed the coffee preparation which I observed for the first time  in my life.

   On this auspicious occasion of Happy Easter I wish all in general and Christian brothers and sisters in particular for a blissful, healthy and prosperous life.

Dr Shankar Chatterjee, Hyderabad

3^rd April 2020