Lucknow Mahotsava is a Kaliedoscope of Colours

Delicacies to savour at Lucknow Mahotsava 2013

Gori Tere Pyaar Mein (2013) Review

Gori Tere Pyar Mein is a placid peaceful viewing after the distressing din of Bhansali's Ramleela.Its funny and has a well written storyline and script plus the lead pair look great and has a social message to convey too like Naya Daur which too was about a bridge.Also this is the first release of Shraddha Kapoor after resounding success of Aashiqui2 and she is quite charismatic on-screen especially in that traditional South-Indian marriage attire with exquisite jewellery.

Its a love story between a Practical man with lots of Common-Sense and a woman who wants to make a difference.Anupam Kher acts well in the role of a scheming corrupt politician.All supporting cast have done a good job here. Vishal-Shekhar music is OK but forgettable.Costume designer Manish Malhotra and Megha Tandon have done a great job too.

 

 

Yellow Colour of School Bus affecting brain development in children of India

Lead Chromate is used to make Yellow Paint which is the official color of all School Buses in India.

"Exposure to even small amounts of lead can reduce a child's intelligence and school performance and can also cause increased violent behaviour, so high levels of lead in paint are a cause for serious concern not only for families, but the country as a whole," said Ravi Agarwal, director, Toxics Link.

According to Wikipedia "Lead paint is hazardous. It can cause nervous system damage, stunted growth, kidney damage, and delayed development.It is dangerous to children because it tastes sweet, therefore encouraging children to put lead chips and toys with lead dust in their mouths. Lead paint is dangerous to adults and can cause reproductive problems in men or women. Decreases in sperm production in men have been noted. Lead is considered a possible and likely carcinogen."

 Lead Chromate  is a poisonous yellow crystalline compound, PbCrO₄, used as a paint pigment.

Can we criticize Judges or their Judgements

Judges do not have any general immunity from criticism of their judicial conduct, provided that it is made in good faith and is genuine criticism, and not any attempt to impair the administration of justice. In In re Arundhati Roy ((2002) 3 SCC 343), the Supreme Court of India followed the view taken in the American Supreme Court (Frankfurter, J.) in Pennekamp v. Florida (328 US 331 : 90 L Ed 1295 (1946)) in which the United States Supreme Court observed: “If men, including judges and journalists, were angels, there would be no problem of contempt of court. Angelic judges would be undisturbed by extraneous influences and angelic journalists would not seek to influence them. The power to punish for contempt, as a means of safeguarding judges in deciding on behalf of the community as impartially as is given to the lot of men to decide, is not a privilege accorded to judges. The power to punish for contempt of court is a safeguard not for judges as persons but for the function which they exercise”.

Can "Mobile Panic Button" be the answer to deal with India's growing cases of Rape and sexual violence

Recently saw this story on CNN how Brazil is dealing with Domestic Abuse by giving the victim Mobile Panic Button.As soon as the Husband despite restraining order from court comes near her or threatens her she can press the button which will alert the nearest Police Station and Mobile Police Unit and they will within minutes be there to apprehend him.When activated the device emits a GPS signal and automatically starts recording the conversations around the victim -- which can later be used in court.

Imagine if such a device becomes a reality in India,what a great help it will be to counter possible cases of sexual assault,rape or molestation.We can just hope our policy makers and our Policing system imbibe such innovative use of technology to improve themselves and safeguard citizens of our country.

Bharat Ratna to Anna Hazare

BJP has finally remembered its forgotten hero Atal ji and has demanded Bharat Ratna to him.And Anna Hazare too is a deserving candidate who is now known as Second Gandhi Of India.People love him and respect him for he champions the cause of common man.And like Gandhi he was able to mobilize masses in Jan Lokpal movement.In true sense he is The Gem of India.


Kisan Baburao "Anna" Hazare born 15 June 1937) is an Indian social activist who led movements to promote rural development, increase government transparency, and investigate and punish official corruption. In addition to organising and encouraging grassroots movements, Hazare frequently conducted hunger strikes to further his causes—a tactic reminiscent, to many, of the work of Mohandas K. Gandhi.Hazare also contributed to the development and structuring of Ralegan Siddhi, a village in Parner taluka of Ahmednagar district, Maharashtra, India. He was awarded the Padma Bhushan—the third-highest civilian award—by the Government of India in 1992 for his efforts in establishing this village as a model for others.

Anna Hazare started an indefinite hunger strike on 5 April 2011 to exert pressure on the Indian government to enact a stringent anti-corruption law, The Lokpal Bill, 2011 as envisaged in the Jan Lokpal Bill, for the institution of an ombudsman with the power to deal with corruption in public places. The fast led to nation-wide protests in support. The fast ended on 9 April 2011, a day after the government accepted Hazare's demands. The government issued a gazette notification on the formation of a joint committee, consisting of government and civil society representatives, to draft the legislation.

For the year 2011 Foreign Policy magazine named him among top 100 global thinkers.Also in 2011 Anna was ranked as the most influential person in Mumbai by a national daily newspaper.

During the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965, Hazare was posted at the border in the Khem Karan sector. He was the sole survivor of an enemy attack—variously claimed to have been a bomb, an aerial assault and an exchange of fire at the border—while he was driving a truck.The experiences of wartime, coupled with the poverty from which he had come, affected him. He considered suicide at one point but turned instead to pondering the meaning of life and death.He said of the truck attack, "[It] sent me thinking. I felt that God wanted me to stay alive for some reason. I was reborn in the battlefield of Khem Karan. And I decided to dedicate my new life to serving people."He spent his spare time reading the works of Swami Vivekananda, Gandhi, and Vinoba Bhave. In a blog post, Hazare expressed his views on Kashmir by saying that it was his "active conviction that Kashmir is an integral part of India" and that if required once again for service, he would remain "ready to take part in war against Pakistan."
During the mid-1970s, Hazare survived a road crash while driving for the army. He interpreted his survival as a further sign that his life was intended to be dedicated to service.Despite subsequent allegations that he had deserted from the army, official records show that he was honourably discharged in 1975 after completing 12 years of service.

Transformation of Ralegan Siddhi

Hazare returned to Ralegan Siddhi, a village then described by Satpathy and Mehta as "one of the many villages of India plagued by acute poverty, deprivation, a fragile ecosystem, neglect and hopelessness.^"
Although most of the villagers owned some land, cultivation was extremely difficult due to the rocky ground preventing retention of the monsoon rains, this situation was worsened by gradual environmental deterioration as trees were cut down, erosion spread and droughts were also experienced. The shortage of water also led to disease from unsanitary conditions and water reuse for multiple purposes. The economy of the village had become reliant on the illegal manufacture and sale of alcohol, a product on which many of the villagers had become dependent. Many inhabitants borrowed from moneylenders to survive, paying monthly interest rates of as much as 10%. Crime and violence (including domestic violence) had become commonplace, while education and employment opportunities were poor.
Hazare was relatively wealthy because of the gratuity from his army service. He set about using that money to restore a run-down, vandalized village temple as a focal point for the community. Some were able to respond with small financial donations but many other villagers, particularly among the elderly, donated their labour in a process that became known as shramdaan. Some youths also became involved in the work and these he organised into a Tarun Mandal (Youth Association). One of the works of Vivekananda which he had read was Call to the youth for nation building.

Prohibition of alcohol

Hazare and the youth group decided to take up the issue of alcoholism to drive a process of reform. At a meeting conducted in the temple, the villagers resolved to close down liquor dens and ban alcohol in the village. Since these resolutions were made in the temple, they became, in a sense, religious commitments. Over thirty liquor brewing units voluntarily closed their establishments. Those who did not succumb to social pressure were forced to close their businesses when the youth group smashed their premises. The owners could not complain as their businesses were illegal.
Drunken villagers were tied to pillars and then flogged, sometimes personally by Hazare. He justified this punishment by stating that "rural India was a harsh society",and that

Doesn't a mother administer bitter medicines to a sick child when she knows that the medicine can cure her child? The child may not like the medicine, but the mother does it only because she cares for the child. The alcoholics were punished so that their families would not be destroyed.

Hazare appealed to the government of Maharashtra to pass a law whereby prohibition would come into force in a village if 25% of the women in the village demanded it. In 2009 the state government amended the Bombay Prohibition Act, 1949 to reflect this.


It was decided to ban the sale of tobacco, cigarettes, and beedies (an unfiltered cigarette where the tobacco is rolled in tendu also known as Diospyros melanoxylon leaves instead of paper) in the village. In order to implement this resolution, the youth group performed a unique "Holi" ceremony twenty two years ago. The festival of Holi is celebrated as a symbolic burning of evil. The youth group brought all the tobacco, cigarettes, and beedies from the shops in the village and burnt them in a Holi fire. Tobacco, cigarettes, or beedies are no longer sold.

Grain Bank

In 1980, Hazare started the Grain Bank at the temple, with the objective of providing food security to needy farmers during times of drought or crop failure. Rich farmers, or those with surplus grain production, could donate a quintal to the bank. In times of need, farmers could borrow the grain, but they had to return the amount of grain they borrowed, plus an additional quintal as an interest. This ensured that nobody in the village ever went hungry or had to borrow money to buy grain. This also prevented distress sales of grain at lower prices at harvest time.

Watershed development programme

Ralegan Siddhi is located in the foothills, so Hazare persuaded villagers to construct a watershed embankment and associated works to stop water and allow it to percolate and increase the ground water level and improve irrigation in the area. These efforts solved the problem of water scarcity in the village and made irrigation possible.

Cultivation of water-intensive crops like sugarcane was banned. Crops such as pulses, oilseeds, and certain cash crops with low water requirements replaced them. The farmers started growing high-yield varieties and changed cropping pattern. Hazare has helped farmers of more than 70 villages in drought-prone regions in the state of Maharashtra since 1975.When Hazare came to Ralegan Siddhi in 1975 only 70 acres (28 ha) of land was irrigated, Hazare converted it into about 2,500 acres (1,010 ha).

Milk production

As a secondary occupation, milk production was promoted in Ralegan Siddhi. Purchase of new cattle and improvement of the existing breed with the help of artificial insemination and timely guidance and assistance by a veterinarian improved the cattle stock, increasing milk production.

Education

In 1932, Ralegan Siddhi got its first formal school, a single classroom primary school. In 1962, the villagers added more classrooms through community volunteer efforts. By 1971, out of an estimated population of 1,209, only 30.43% were literate (72 women and 290 men). Boys moved to the nearby towns of Shirur and Parner to pursue higher education, but girls were limited to primary education. Hazare, along with the youth of Ralegan Siddhi, worked to increase literacy rates and education levels. In 1976 they started a pre-school and a high school in 1979. The villagers formed a charitable trust, the Sant Yadavbaba Shikshan Prasarak Mandal, which was registered in 1979.

Removal of untouchability

The social barriers and discrimination that existed due to the caste system in India have been largely eliminated by Ralegan Siddhi villagers. It was Hazare's moral leadership that motivated and inspired the villagers to shun untouchability and caste discrimination. Marriages of Dalits are held as part of community marriage program together with those of other castes. The Dalits have become integrated into the social and economic life of the village. The upper caste villagers built houses for the lower caste Dalits by shramdaan and helped to repay their loans.

Gram Sabha

The Gandhian philosophy on rural development considers the Gram Sabha as an important democratic institution for collective decision-making in the villages of India. Hazare campaigned between 1998 and 2006 for amending the Gram Sabha Act, so that villagers have a say in the village's development. The state government initially refused, but eventually gave in to public pressure. It became mandatory to seek the sanction of the Gram Sabha (an assembly of all village adults, and not just the few elected representatives in the gram panchayat) for expenditures on development works in the village.

Right to Information movement

In the early 2000s Hazare led a movement in Maharashtra state which forced the state government to enact a revised Maharashtra Right to Information Act. This Act was later considered as the base document for the Right to Information Act 2005 (RTI), enacted by the Union Government. It also ensured that the President of India assented to this new Act.
On 20 July 2006 the Union Cabinet amended the Right to Information Act 2005 to exclude the file noting by the government officials from its purview. Hazare began his fast unto death on 9 August 2006 in Alandi against the proposed amendment. He ended his fast on 19 August 2006, after the government agreed to change its earlier decision.

Regulation of Transfers and Prevention of Delay in Discharge of Official Duties Act

Before 2006 in the state of Maharashtra, honest government officers were transferred to other places according to ministerial wish, while some corrupt and favoured officials stayed put for decades. Anna fought hard for a law whereby a government servant must clear a file within a specified time and that transfers must take place only after three years. After many years of Anna's relentless efforts, on 25 May 2006 Maharashtra issued a notification announcing the Prevention of Delay in Discharge of Official Duties Act 2006. This act provided for disciplinary action against officials who move files slowly and enabled monitoring of officials who overstay a post, and for involvement in a corrupt nexus.
This act mandated the government to effect transfers of all government officers and employees, except Class IV workers, no sooner and no later than three years, except in emergency or exceptional circumstances. Maharashtra was the first state to have introduced such an act.However, like others, this law was not fully followed.

Campaign against liquor from food grains

Article 47 of India's Constitution commits the State to raise the standard of living, improve public health and prohibit the consumption of intoxicating drinks and drugs injurious to health.
In 2007 Maharashtra rolled out a grain-based liquor policy aimed to encourage production of liquor from food grain in light of the rising demand for spirits—used for industrial purposes and liquor. It issued 36 licenses for distilleries for making alcohol from food grains.
Anna Hazare opposed the government's policy to promote making liquor from food grains. He argued that Maharashtra had to import food and referring to food grains observed that promoting producing liquor from food grains was nappropriate.One of the State ministers Laxman Dhoble said in his speech that those opposing the decision to allow use of food grains for the production of liquor were anti-farmers and that opponents should be beaten with sugarcane sticks.Hazare began fasting at Shirdi, but on 21 March 2010 the government promised to review the policy and Anna ended his 5-day fast.But the government later granted 36 licences and grants of 10 (15¢ US) (per litre of alcohol) to politicians or their sons who were engaged in making alcohol from foodgrains. Recipients included Amit and Dheeraj Deshmukh, sons of Union Heavy Industries Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, Bharatiya Janata Party leader Gopinath Munde's daughter Pankaja Palwe and her husband Charudatta Palwe, sons-in-law of P.V. Narasimha Rao and Rajya Sabha MP Govindrao Adik. The government approved the licenses despite stiff opposition from the planning and finance departments, saying there was a huge demand in other countries for distilled spirits compared to that of molasses.Anna sued Maharashtra over the policy in the Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court. On 20 August 2009 Maharashtra stopped the policy. However, distilleries sanctioned before that date and those who started production within two years of sanction were entitled for subsidies.
On 5 May 2011 court refused to hear the suit, saying, "not before me, this is a court of law, not a court of justice" as a reason for not hearing the plea.A Maharashtra Principal Secretary, C.S. Sangeet Rao, stated that no law existed to scrap these licences.

The Dick Van Dyke Show - Most irritating exasperating show ever

Though I really love The Dick Van Dyke Show and all its central characters and find it very intelligent comedy classic sitcom but still there are numerous such episodes where you pull your hair out seeing the antics of Rob played by Dick Van Dyke especially when he poses as a bumbling stuttering simpleton when he has been a World War II veteran.In one episode when the lift stops working midway he goes through the Lift skylight on to the roof of the lift touching some cables which he later on reads are of high voltage.Then there is this episode where he goes to a police station to report that he is a witness to a robbery and acts all terrified and stammers on and on to the cop on duty.

Ram-Leela (2013) - Review

 

Its inspired from Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet and extensively shot in Gujarat and Udaipur.Lakes and Palaces of Udaipur feature prominently in this movie mostly shot on beautiful intricately designed sets which have been a hallmark of Sanjay Leela Bhansali's films.And don't be misled by the poster above,for it may remind you of "Gone With the Wind" ,Clark Gable and Vivien Leigh but movie wouldn't.Many dialogs of the movie are said in verse which is similar to Chetan Anand's Heer Ranjha.

Though this seems so much like Ishaqzaade which came last year starring Arjun Kapoor and Parineeti Chopra and dramatically that was far better than this.This seems like a cross between Ishaqzaade and Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam.People who exited from Theater said they had a headache watching this violent movie and slept through it.If Martin Scorsese would attempt a Bollywood song and dance fare this may be the result .With such a large amount of Guns and senseless violence it seems like re-watching Gangs of Wasseypur (2012) .

But nonetheless lets not deny that this is a visual splendour plus Ranveer Singh looks like Prince Charming or Sex-god.Just as Helen was showcased in 60's Classics,so is here Ranveer Singh projected as an object of desire.Though surprisingly Deepika Padukone is not at her best here and lacks her charisma.She was so great in "Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani" but here she lacks charm.

Supriya Pathak who started with docile girl next door characters and won two consecutive Best Supporting actress Filmfare awards for her debut film Kalyug(1981) and Bazaar(1982) is the Lady Don here and seems majestic and overpowering in her screen persona more like The Godmother.

Priyanka Chopra dazzles in a special appearance Dance number.Creativity of Art Director Wasiq Khan shows in the enchanting sets built for the film and Costumes designed by Maxima Basu are a joy to behold.In all now you know what to expect so viewer beware.I would rather see Thor2 again then watch this or simply sit at home and watch classic sitcom "Dick Van Dyke" which is such a stress buster.

When a unsociable eccentric person meets a Egoistic Sociopath

In a workplace when a unsociable eccentric person meets a egoistic Sociopath,they become sworn enemies of each other.A unsociable person never gives into a Sociopath for by nature he is a loner and don't get himself involved in any thing that will evidently grow into a mob.A sociopath by nature is a megalomaniac,he is too much involved in his own petty schemes to gain power over people that surround him that he has little regard for anybody else.

Me,Mom and a pack of Urinal Cubes

On my visit to Spencer Store I picked up these colorful pack of round things a little bigger than Alpenliebe toffees.Nothing was mentioned on the pack,just its price.They smelled good and I bought them as a substitute to those monotonous naphthalene balls.

Later in the week I gave one of the pack to my Mother who said her Almirah smelled funny.She placed those among her clothes on each shelf of the Steel Almirah.Few days after this we were visited by our Aunt who is the Principal of a girl's School.They planned to go to the market later in the day.When they were dressing-up my Aunt's eyes fell on one of these cubes in the wide open Almirah.She asked mom why she is keeping urinal cubes in her Almirah.She said she didn't knew they were urinal cubes telling her I had bought them a week ago.This really embarrassed her and I was questioned,obviously I told my amused Aunty,nothing was written on them to suggest they were urinal cubes.Now whenever I visit these Malls and multiplexes which have sprung up in Lucknow in last few years and I see one of these cubes in the Toilet,I am reminded of that incident almost always.

What not to do in Social Life

1)Don't get influenced by other people's agenda.People who are bullies by nature try to dominate conversations or make people talk about things they want them to talk about.In turn trying to make you a puppet so you may even start thinking like them.

2)Discuss what you want to discuss what you think is important and close to your heart.Be cool never let violent rough people or language cloud and influence your judgement.

3)Don't jump into other people conversation or give unwanted unasked for advice.Its not good etiquette to interfere when two or more people may be discussing something.And if you give unwanted advice people generally think you are a smart-ass trying to make them look dumb.

4)Steer clear of people with negative personalities who may be overtly sociopath.People with hidden agendas generally mobilize gullible people to form a mob and it generally leads to anarchy.

5)Maintain direct relationship with everybody,never talk behind their back.If you have certain issues or you dislike some aspect of their behavior its better to raise them in such a manner so as not to demean them and they can understand and comprehend your point of view. 

6)Try sharing your joys with people you know at work-place or in your locality.

7)Overlook faults in people or forgive them easily for their sporadic lapses in behavior if you think they are good at heart and never mean any harm.Its plain stupid if you get angry or stop speaking with somebody over a trifle dispute.


From Jumping Sun on Yahoo

Don't compare yourself with others as we don't know their history and life-path.

Show your keen interest to listen what other wants to say and share. Everybody wants to have a good listener.

Don't tell your sob stories. No body has the time and patience to hear negative things. Always be cheerful and talk only positive things.
 

Captain Phillips (2013) - loved it

                               
Its a well crafted film and you don't expect any less from a Tom Hanks movie.It never gets boring and engrosses viewers to its bloody end.Barkhad Abdi is very funny as English speaking Somali pirate captain, Muse.Its based on the true story of Captain Richard Phillips and the 2009 hijacking by Somali pirates of the US-flagged MV Maersk Alabama, the first American cargo ship to be hijacked in two hundred years. Screenplay by Billy Ray is really intelligent and so is the focused Direction and editing.They all contribute to make this film realistic.And this shows how accurate and well planned operation by U.S. navy seals managed to rescue Captain Phillips alive.

When Savitri and her Dad missed a Train

                                                                              
Rakshabandhan was a day which 6 year old Savitri had been waiting for.It was on this day she got away from her city home and went with her Dad to his dear sister's home in the interior village of Amausi Gaon.She really loved her Aunt for she was always pleasant and gave her numerous delicacies to savor plus she got along with her daughters pretty well,playing all kinds of games with them,running around the large farmhouse they had,climbing up the trees in the Orchard.

They took a train to Amausi Station from Charbagh,which was adjacent to their locality of Chhitwapur.The train took them along meandering paths and thick Jungles and finally through lush green farm Lands it reached Amausi Sation,which is a small Railway Station between Lucknow and Kanpur.From there they walked to her Aunt's home.

Aunty was delighted to see them and so was Savitri to meet her Aunt and her friendly daughters.Later on her Aunt came with the "Thali" (Plate) and put a Tika on Dad's forehead,tied a beautiful Rakhi on his hand and gave him a delicious home made "Peda" to eat.Dad gave his sister money which is a tradition on this day.Savitri enjoyed the whole day in merriment,exploring the village with her child like curiosity and playing joyous games with her new found playmates.

Her Aunt prepared a delicious meal for them.Savitri was so fond of her Dad that she ate in his "Thali" refusing to eat alone.Her Aunt reprimanding her "Oh! Savitri Dear you are a grown-up girl now,let your father eat in peace".Her Dad would just smile and feed his little daughter from his own Plate.Though her Aunt wanted them to stay at Night but her father said he had to report to his Office early in the morning,so he has to set out before Dusk.

Just when the sun was sinking in the South,Savitri and her Dad set out for the station.But on reaching the station her Dad was shocked to see the last Train gone.After pondering a while he decided to follow the train tracks to Home.Savitri,who was a spirited little girl told her father she could walk all the way home.But after few kilometers of walk she grew really tired and sleepy.Her father picked her up and continued the walk with the little child slumbering on his shoulders.Her Dad walked and walked steadly towards home,as the Night was about to fall he reached Manak Nagar Railway Station just on the outskirts of Lucknow city.He rested a while there and later on walked to Alambagh and took a Bus home.Savitri was still asleep when they reached home but soon awoke telling her two brothers what a wonderful time she had today.

Pink tufts at Karrkee's Home

Gul-Mehendi

Light saffron moisture Mushroom growing underneath a damp door lying on our roof