Tuesday, May 31, 2016

Smart Business of Smart People

Smart Business of Smart People

Increase in purchase power of people has opened up the manufacturing industries to produce goods and services and supply to the consumers. With international trades and commerce, the world become a global village where the suppliers and demanders are living hundreds of kilometres away from each other but they are in need of each other to run the consumers world.

Some of the developed countries like Japan, US, Germany, etc, are trying to outsourced the manufacturing industries abroad as the cost of production at home is higher. Therefore, some of their entrepreneurs started a "Service Company" that recruit selected manpower to handle international trades and communications. There are manufacturers of the products and there are purchasers of their goods. The service company patent the product in demand, sign secrecy agreement with the manufacturer and get them produce through the manufacturer as per its terms and conditions. The Service Company is a bridge between the Consumer and Supplier but ensure quality production from the manufacturer and smooth payment from the receivers. The brand image of the Service Company matters more. The manufacturers are unable to find the customers directly are in need of such intermediators. The service company carry customers in their net, therefore prescribe parameters of quality of goods from the manufacturers. The manufacturers otherwise unable to find customers on their own agree to the terms of the company and trade their business through the service company only. 

It is win win for all but the best win for the Service Company as they make profit by investing small cost on establishment. The bridge build money through the toll tax!!! For example, the chemical dyes and intermediates business, the market price of the dye is $ 20/kg, the Service Company buy it at $12/kg from the manufacturer, add its profit of $5/kg and leave $3/kg for the distributors. There is a clear savings of $8/kg for the buyers if they buy directly from the manufacturer but the trust and quality assurance allow the Smart Service Company to play its role and charge high profit for tying the note. After all, if the middle men are away, then how could the economy activities are multiplied? Economy is nothing but multiplying the economic activities to rotate the money circulation in more hands so that more employment opportunities are generated, purchase power of the people increased and the GDP of the Nation rise up. 

It is a Smart Business of the Smart People.

Punamchand
31 May 2016

Heatwave gone

Heatwave gone

Northwesterly winds from deserts of Rajasthan and Pakistan was the reason of the Hearwave in Gujarat and other parts of the country from 10th May to 21st May. 

Now the winds direction changed and become Westerly and South Westerly, coming from the Arabian Sea. It is an indicator of the onset of monsoon season over Gujarat in the third week of June. However, pre monsoon activities will give showers in some parts of the State. Al-Nino is dead now and condition like La-Nina will prevail.

However, Bay of Bengal is yet to start its full fledge activities of building system of rains for Gujarat and other parts. Lord Varun Dev is busy in building clouds that carry rains and Lord Vayu Dev is getting ready with his chariot to transport Varun Dev towards the land of India and its neighbours.

Monsoon has been delayed for a week on Kerala coast, likely to onset on 7/6/16, thereafter over Mumbai by another 5 days and over South Gujarat by 17 June. Gujarat rains are not dependent on the Kerala system, but the Bay, the Ocean and the Sea take a kick start these days to shower rain over the creatures and the land. They will give us water and food, the basic necessity of life to survive.

The digestion system will go down, therefore reduce intake and follow chaturmas upvas to make the system more efficient to build the health bank in Winter. Don't worry, chaturmas will begin after 36 days. Lol.

Welcome rain. Rimzin ke tarane leke.....

Punamchand 
30 May 2016

Rainbow v/s White

Rainbow v/s White

Before Newton, most scientists believed that white was the fundamental colour of light. When white light passed through a prism, it's colours appears. Similarly when a light being refracted when entering a droplet of water, it creates Rainbow. The spectrum has many colours but it has been divided into 7 main colours (violet, indigo, blue, green, yellow, orange, red) to the analogy of 7 musical notes and 7 days in a week.  

White carries all colours and all colours when merged become white.

USA Presidential election this year, likely to be fought amongst the colours. America the country of immigrants have more than 65% white voters and 35% other colours voters.

Presidential candidate from the Republicans, an American businessman, Mr. Donald Trump has played a 'White Card', as his main trump card of Capitalist economy. Trump drew attention to domestic issues such as illegal immigration, offshoring of American jobs, the US national debt, and Islamic terrorism, in a campaign strongly emphasized by the slogan "Make America Great Again." He has attracted the Americans through his policy views and the media through his bold rhetoric statements.

As elite jobs of America is fadding away in the hands of colored America, dominant white middle class is squeezing day by day, insecurity for there next generation is grave and growing concerning around dinner and coffee shops gathering during this election season across America specially in Mid-West were American Dreams are fadding away for had working Americans in the middle class. Visible progress of Indians and Chinese and the lower strata are with the Mexican and other immigrants are looked as invasion and dilution of American values, the whites are wondering for their placement. And therefore, Mr. Trump speaks only for the Whites  working middle class. He made it very clear that he is there for the interests of the whites. He has enough wealth and he is not contesting for money like others who have more wealth against their legal sources of income. Have you seen his signature?

America made history when Mr. Obama, the first black won the Presidential election in 2008. Now it is another chance to make history to make the first Female President of the country. Strategically, Mr. Obama scientifically planned his campaign to win. Leaving the hard cores republicans apart, he has concentrated on swing voters and the young voters. The swing voters were turned into favour mobilizing self interest group such as Teachers and the 50+ age group of AARP. The youngsters were managed through the social media. At the end, he manage the 35% share from the whites and the rest all from all colours and became the first black president of the world leader USA. 

Will the lady Mrs. Hilary Clinton can manage such a massive campaign with an organise strategy and actions to make another history for the Nation Is big question being trust deficits in genral among American women voters. Famously debated across media outlets her action of communication using personal mail address while working as Secretary of State in Obama administration. 

Education, Health care and Shelter are the three major rights of the citizens recognised in America. 51% of the population survive with "Food Stamps". The Insurance policy (affordable care/ Obamacare), instead of solving health issue, made it more complex. Trump favours the "free market plan" and wants more ROI for American Foreign Policy. 

When her democrat rival Sen. Bernie Sanders declared that  he will make the College education free, he started leading in some states. The younger generation want free education. Passing a college need $120,000. Loans are available but that will take  15 years to repay after graduation along with good paying job which is fading away in colored America with combination of lower pay and  growing trend of shipping jobs off source. He said, "I don’t believe government should take over the grocery store down the street or own the means of production, but I do believe that the middle class and the working families who produce the wealth of America deserve a decent standard of living and that their incomes should go up, not down. I do believe in private companies that thrive and invest and grow in America, companies that create jobs here, rather than companies that are shutting down in America and increasing their profits by exploiting low-wage labor abroad."

Entrepreneurs and Capitalists major motive is profit, but they are confuse to find out a way from the socialist acts of the government. They all will support the capitalist agenda. For them not the oratory style, but the solid agenda of their future matters.

Only few months are there to see the outcome of the election in November this year. One of my friends explained the status of mind of the people in his words: Americans are crazy and may go crazy in election this time".

Let us watch the democratic fight between Mr. Trump and Mrs. Hillary. White colour will take away the colours of the Rainbow or the Rainbow will refract from the droplet of water. November 2016 will answer.

Punamchand
29 May 2016

NB: The article is based on the opinion of my friends in America and the facts on net.

Saturday, May 28, 2016

Who is responsible for his untimely death?

Who is responsible for his untimely death?

He was passing through the same road for last 1 year. His job was very simple, just to make tea for the CA company staff for two times in a day: at  10.30 am and 3.30 pm. His salary was ₹5000/month. After 15 years job in a Ashoka Textiles mill, when the mill closed down, he retired  with a service money of Rs. 5 lakh, that he had kept as FD in the bank. His father left a house for him in a chawl where he was living with his wife and widow mother. His three brothers were taking care of them periodically. The couple didn't bless with the children. His nephew kid was filling the gap of their emptiness. Except, the child part, they were living a simple life of Ahmedabad city with small income in the house where his father started his life as a textile mill worker in 1942. 

The distance between his house and the office was approximately 5-6 kms, which he used to commute by a bicycle everyday. But after attending the simantonayan Sanskar of his eldest brother's daughter in law last month, he was upset mentally, now people presume. He didn't share his feelings with anyone but at 46 years age, suddenly the emptiness of life without children started disturbing his mind. Just 15 days ago, he made it sure that his bank account and other papers carry the name of his wife.

On Sunday 22nd May 2016, the couple went to their native village to attend a Path Pooja and on return, his wife went to his mayaka village nearby to meet her parents. He came back home with other brothers on Monday morning. His mother went to the house of the eldest son due to the heatwave. In the evening, he attended a funeral of an old man, died in the chawl. He spent half the night of Monday at their place. After a small nap of the night, on Tuesday (24th) morning, he took his bicycle, and as usual to his daily routine, happily meeting the people of the line, left for the office timely. His office day starts at 10 amand the destination was just across the road (ashram road) away, he was passing through the lakkadiya pull (Eliss Bridge) at 9.45 am. Suddenly he applied break on the bicycle, kept it aside and jumped into the water of  Sabarmati from the corner where the wire fencing was not done. AMC has done wire fencing to both the sides of the bridge but the agency has left out some part, that he was watching for many days. He used the space and filled up the emptiness of his life with the water of Narmada-Sabarmati. People saw him jumping into the water, but couldn't save. He went into the water alive but returned dead. His story of 46 years, living in urban slums ended just with a wild thought of suicide and with an act of few seconds. His wife become widow, widow without income. She has a small shelter in a chawl in Rajpur, but her colour of the life has gone forever. God knows, he has been insured for the Pradhan Mantri Jivan Jyoti Yojana.

There are many Kanti, who just born and disappeared in the Ocean of the Cosmic Universe leaving behind the poor families. Whom to blame? The society? To him? Or to the Contractor and Supervisors who left a small room in the fence that allowed the execution of his decision in few seconds?

Life is full of uncertainty. RIP Kanti.

Punamchand 
28 May 2016

Friday, May 27, 2016

Calorie Bomb!

Calorie Bomb!

Japanese people are fond of food of varieties of dishes. 7-12-7 are their breakfast, lunch and dinner times. They generally eat boiled food. The consumption of oil, salt and red chilli is less compared to us. They generally cook at home and once in a month dine out with family.

The Japanese cuisine includes varieties of rice, noodles, potato, soya, fish and beef dishes. Shrimp Tempura and vegetable tempura (like indian pakora/bhajia) are very popular. They mostly swallow the food, chew less. Their speed of eating is good. In one meal, they easily consume 2-3 beer/head. The restaurant display the food dishes through the glass cabinet so that the customers can see and select as per their power of pocket. 2000 yen is good enough to have a good Japanese meal with a beer/drink.

The new generation has moved to the western style of food of ham, bacon, bread, etc, but they enjoy Indian food too. Butter chicken and tandoori chicken are very popular.

Welcoming guest is a human culture. Guest are equalised with God in many countries. Japanese also welcome guest with warmth of heart and love.

A group of Japanese friends took us to dinner at Indian Restaurant Ashoka, in Osaka. It is owned by a Punjabi Indian, where the punjabi cook and a Brahmin couple from Delhi (origin of Garwal, Uttarakhand) were working. The couple is coming to India for 3 months but the man was feeling sad to leave Japan for 3 months. He was so overwhelmed that he described the Japanese people the best people of the world. The restaurant was full with Japanese and Indian guests.

We have been served Punjabi food: Dal, Bhindi masala, aloo-gobi, mixed vegetables, salads, butter nan. The nan was made like a squash racket. All of us enjoyed the taste of India. They ate with hand copying our style and enjoyed the Dal and the Nan more. They tried to cut the nan with right hand like us but couldn't succeed. When they saw the cook making nan through tandoor, they felt thrilled. We requested them to try butter chicken and tandoori chicken, the most popular dishes amongst the Japanese, but they opted for the vegetarian taste of the guests.

One thing we have noticed that they don't waste a grain of the food. Their plats were clean when we finished our dinner.

For dessert Kulfi, Gulab jamun and Gajar halwa were available. But when we explained the details of the sweet dishes; one of them identified Gulab jamun, he had tried once. He called it the Calorie Bomb of India. With choice of all we preferred all time favourite Kulfi to the Calorie Bomb.

I like the name for Gulab Jamun, the Calorie Bomb of India.

Do you?

Punamchand
27 May 2006

Hijama

Hijama

Before Allopathy treatment started, people were curing their diseases with different techniques. Herbs were very popular across the world. Indian Ayurveda system was very popular in India. But simultaneously, the traditional methods were also in practice. In fact, Ayurveda is a summation of the traditional practices prevalent those days. It has mainly concentrated on three doshas: vat, pit and cough. The balance is the health and imbalance is the disease. If there is problem with one dosha, the cure is easy but if there is imbalance of all the three doshas, the treatment is lengthy and complex. As blood is the supply chain of oxygen and glucose to the cell, the quality of blood is important. Whatever we eat or inhale, all goes to the blood, therefore the toxicity of the blood was an issue to be addressed through some treatment methods.

In South India, the suction of blood through hollowed out bull's horn was prevalent to create vacuum and remove the bad blood from the system. Ayurveda has also suggested suction of blood using an insect called "jalo". The females develop health problems after reaching the age of menopause because the system of removal of bad blood stops. The chemical plant of the body, the Liver comes under the attack, therefore many ladies get dark spots on the face too.

In Arabian countries the method of removing bad blood is called Hijama. Hijama means sucking, is the Arabic term for wet cupping, where blood is drawn by vacuum from a small skin incision for therapeutic purposes. It is a treatment of 30 minutes, that removes the violet coloured blood from the system through the vacuum cups. Some people get instant relief and some after 2-3 sittings. The way donation of blood rejuvenate the blood cells, this technique address the removal of toxicity of blood from the location itself.

It is giving great relief to the patient suffering from psoriasis, migraine, knee and joints pain, muscle stiffness, paralysis, etc, the diseases developed through bad blood and nerves disorders. It gives relaxation and supply better energy to act faster.

I shall try this method on me on 29/5/2016. If some of you are keen to join, please SMS me on 9978406123. A practitioner from Vadodara will come to Gandhinagar.

Punamchand
26 May 2016

Wednesday, May 25, 2016

Carpet Sahib, the white Saint

Carpet Sahib, the White Saint

He and his father were born in India. He was born in Nainital. His father was a Post Master of the town. By profession, he was a hunter turned conservationist, famous for hunting man-eating Tigers and Leopards. He was called upon frequently to kill man-eating Tigers and Leopards who were on preying on people living in the villages of Kumaon. He had hunt many man eater tigers and leopards including the 'Champawat Tigress" that had killed 436 humans, as she was suffering from a leg injury and was unable to kill wilds. Wild animals suffering from disease or wounds turned into man-eater.  British government had announced a prize of Rs. 10,000/- in those days for killing that tigress. He and his sister remained unmarried and were living a simple life living in a village Kaladungi 40 km away from Nainital. After his retirement, he authored a book, Man-Eaters of Kumaon, the best seller of those days later translated into 27 languages. A film was also made with same name. He authored other books too.

The atmosphere of India was violent fearful during 46-47. British families saw it a risk to their lives. They believed that as soon as the independence takes place, the violent people will turn over them and will kill them. It was therefore, all the British from India left during the phase of that insurgency. They were categorised with three groups: the Lords: Viceroys, Members, Ministers, etc.; The elites: ICS officers and other high rank officials; and the Country Bottles: the common British Whites living like Indians and were speaking Indian languages. For them, India was their "mother land". Many remember even today, their births, school days, etc, in India.

He was one of those Country Bottles, retired with his sister to Nyeri, Kenya, the another British Colony after 1947. One can imagine the pain of his heart while leaving the country at the age of 71 years, where he had lived whole of his life. He was survived for another 9 years in Kenya but his heart was in India. He wrote  a book "My India" and dedicated it to .... "my friends, the poor of India". He was humanist. He had adopted a village in Kumayun, and continued paying the land revenue of that village from Kenya.

On 5-6 February 1952, at the time of her father's death, Princess Elizabeth stayed in the hut of a ficus tree built on the top, Corbett wrote: "For the first time in the history of the world, a young girl climbed into a tree one day a Princess, and after having what she described as her most thrilling experience, she climbed down from the tree the next day a Queen—God bless her."

People remember him as "White Saint" as he had saved the kumaon and garwal villagers from the man-eater wilds. Unable to pronounce his name properly, people called him Carpet Sahib. Carpet... Corbett, he was the famous wildlife man, Jim (James Edward) Corbett. He was very close to Pandit Govind Vallabh Pant and Pandit Nehru. After his death on 19/4/1955, the Hailey Nation Park (established in 1936) was renamed as Jim Corbett National Park in 1957, to pay the honour to Jim who played a key role in its establishment. Five subspecies of tigers have been named after him, Panthera tigris corbetti.

Our salute to the Great Indian. 

Punamchand 
25 May 2016

Tuesday, May 24, 2016

Renkoji, an unfulfilled desire.

Renkoji, an unfulfilled desire

My travel agent from India failed to communicate the timing of change of flight to the Cab Operator in Tokyo, therefore it was waiting at T-3, Tokyo Airport to manage communication to the operator through the information desk. The Cab Operator provided us transport but that is with waiting further 30 minutes to pick up passengers from another flight. The waiting at the airport wasted our valuable two hours of the day time. 

It was yesterday morning only, when I have saluted our great hero of freedom fight, by looking at the Taipai (Taiwan) side from the land of Okinawa Island crossing the water of China Sea through the mind. And today afternoon, I was wishing to fulfil my unfulfilled desire of last visit of 2002, to pay homage to the ashes of the great freedom fighter kept at the Renkoji, Tokyo. 

As the hotel check in time in Japan is 3 pm, we have dropped the luggage at the hotel reception counter and moved hurriedly to the nearby metro station on Nishikasai. After buying a day travel pass and collecting the subway map in English from the station, we picked up a train of Tozai line to Otemachi. Thereafter, we moved to the Marunauchi line and picked up a train for Higashi Koenji station. From there, after a 10 minutes walk through the residential area and a park, we reached to our destination, the Renkoji. An old Japanese man passing through the street on a bicycle stopped and with happy face inquired about us that we have come from India to see the ashes of a great man from India that has been kept in the temple. To fetch more information, I tried to ask him some more question about that great man through the help of the interpreter, but he didn't know anything except the information that the ashes of a great man from India has been kept in the temple. 

With full respect in heart, we entered into the temple campus. We saw the statue of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose to the left of the temple entrance. There were two stone fixed behind noting the visits to the site by Dr. Rajendra Prasad (14/10/1958), Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru (13/10/1957), Madam Indira Gandhi (26/6/1969), and Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee (9/12/2001). Shri Vajpayee's words were depicted on the stone in Hindi as following:

"मुझे रेंकोजी दुबारा आकर प्रसन्नता हुई, 
जहाँ भारतीय स्वतंत्रता संग्राम के महान 
सेनानी नेताजी सुभाष चन्द्र बोस की 
स्मृतियाँ सुरक्षित है ।"

Unfortunately for us, the temple was closed. We tried to contact the priest living in the campus but  their all the doors and windows were closed. Our guide tried to contact someone through phone but the request of opening the temple was not accepted. It was conveyed that the pot of ashes put for Darshana only once in a year on 15 August. We tried to see from the glasses of the grilled door, and some how manage to see the temple and the place right to the main temple, a wooden platform on wall where the ashes of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose has been kept in two white pots on the right corner with his 3 photo frames to its left and a frame picture in standing posture on the left frame wall of the rack. It has been decorated like a temple with some golden coloured articles. We could see this much from our eyes and the eyes of the camera. I saluted the ashes from outside and with the feelings of un-fulfilment of desire, we moved to Asakusa, to visit an ancient temple Senso-ji. 

The statue of the Kannon of the Senso-ji was found in Sumida River in 628 by two fishermen brothers. They tried to return the Kannon to the river but when failed after many attempts, the community decided to worship the Goddess. The gate has big lantern at the centre and two big statues of the God of Rain and God of a Thunder to their left and right side of the main gate. The campus was bombed and destroyed in WW-II, it was rebuilt. The 250 metre street(Nakamise) at the approach to the temple have many traditional shops lined both the sides selling handicrafts, souvenirs and food stuffs. The area was crowded with pilgrims and tourists.

We closed our day with a ground visit of the old Tokyo tower and a small walk on the richest street of the world, the Ginza street.

The major objective of the visit was the Renkoji, fulfilled the half. If an opportunity comes again, I shall try once again. We love Subhash Chandra Bose, the great freedom fighter of India's Independence Movement.

Jai Hind.

Punamchand 
Tokyo 
20 May 2016

Monday, May 23, 2016

Copy the best but not all from Japan

Copy the best but not all from Japan
(mitha mitha gap gap, kadava kadava thoo)

The new generation of Japan is chasing a modern life style. Majority of the population is alcoholic. Not only the boys but the girls are also drinking alcohol regularly. Beer, wine, sake, cocktail and Sochu are their favourite drinks. After the work hours they prefer pub hours. All pubs and restaurants are full with youngsters holding jars of alcohol. We saw two 'talli' at Otomachi Tozai line metro station. Both were holding shoulders of each other, some how managing to climb down the ladder steps, but knowing well, where they were going. It reminded me the pair of Ashok Kumar and Pran in film 'do jasus'. The rail police man supported the guys from falling down the stairs. Baring this incident, we have noticed their appearances at public places all normal.

Society in general is orthodox, but with the fall of caste structure, the modern youths are mixing more. All are individualised with their cell phone, mostly playing games and are connected with their friends through air. Girls like life of fashion. They wear clothes with purse, shoes, nail colour, wrist rings, etc, in matching. They cover their big forehead with Japanese hair style. Boys have limited choice of fashion, but can earn and spend after the girl of their choice.

You may pick up some words to coordinate talk with locals: ichi, nee, sun, she, go, rok, nena, hach, kyu, ju (1-10); hi (yes), eehe (no), sme mase (excuse me), migi (right), hidari (left), vatashiva (to introduce), konichiva (to welcome), arigato gozimas (to thank).

Japan is a country of islands: major 4 and surrounded by 7000 more. These are Hokkaido (22%), Honshu (61%), Ryukyu (11%), Shikoku (5%) and the famous Okinawa islands. It is 380,000 sqm in land area, smaller than Germany and bigger than UK. The population is 127m.

Rice miso soup and fish is a staple food. Vasani (cabbage family) roots are used as spice to imitate fragrance and it is used with Susi. 7 spices are commonly used for getting taste of Japan. Half cooked food is available in all family marts. Soya products (beer with beans, tofu, meat, sauce, stick, chunks, etc) is very popular. Youngsters enjoy noodles with soya sauce and chilly paste. Varieties of pickles are eaten. Green leafy vegetables are eaten either boiled or half cooked.  Paddy is the main crop. It's a short grain variety, need more water to grow and to cook too. But as the new generation is moving to the new food of toast, ham, bacon, salads, etc, the area under rice cultivation is decreasing. Rice farmers demand subsidy for rice cultivation.

They believe in superstition. 4 (dead) and 9 (suffering) are unlucky numbers. Some hospitals and hotels don't keep room with number 4 and 9. 7 (happy) and 8 (better) are lucky numbers. Number 8 is a lucky number for China too, therefore their Olympics games were inaugurated on 8-08-2008, and became successful.

99% people are cremated after death. 4 sqm land costs $ 4 m in the posh area. It is expensive to die if buried!

Cats are the companion and lucky pets of old ladies. The old ladies save money from their meal but feed the cat so much that the cats become fatty. Fat cat walk like a dog behind the lady.

Japanese squat toilets are same like India but little different from the front in design (can imagine the reverse). Both care for non touching the toilet seat to avoid illness spread through contact transmission. The western toilet (washlets) are unhygienic from this angle.

They pray Goddess, the goddess of mercy. In the ancient temple of Susonji, the idol of the goddess is covered with a curtain and the visitors can see her vehicle, the peacock. One has to imagine the picture of the goddess in mind by closed eyes. The entrance of the temple is very attractive and the streets are full of shops selling thousands of sovenure sand food stuff items. Away from the crowded city of Tokyo, the place offers you peace of mind. The river Subeda, mother river of Japan is flowing just 100 metre away from the temple.

Tokyo is the costliest city inhabited by 13 m people. Large population lives in the suburb of Tokyo. Therefore, the total population is 35 m. Metro train network has solved many problems of their commutation. In rush hours (morning:  ; evening 5.30 pm to 9.00 pm), the trains go jam pack, as packed as sushi (sardines).

In May, once every year, Tokyo blossom with Azania flowers. All streets look beautiful with pinkish flowers everywhere.

Ginza is one of the most costliest and expensive streets of the world. Gin means Silver. It was a street of Jwellers, now become the centre of the wealth of Tokyo. You can see the best of the brands of the world but if you see the price tags, you may return empty hands without buying! They are replacing small buildings with the high risers. One after another, systematically, they are rebuilding the structures and accommodate more in the street of Ginza. Can't we too make our markets new?

Once you learn how to use metro, things are very easy to commute in Tokyo. The entire city with its suburbs are connected with metro rail network. The tourist has to carry a map and follow the colour code of the different metro lines and change as much as train required to reach to the destination. A ticket purchase once will carry the journey in the rout. A day pass allows you unlimited journey during the day. The trains are punctual. Each minute, there is a stop, stop of 12 seconds. Left doors open for the even numbered stations and right doors for the odd numbered stations. Within such a short time the passengers depart and enter smoothly.

Shinkansen bullet train is a wonder of the world. With an installed capacity of 350 km/h, the train runs at an average speed of 250 km/h. A train with 500 km/h will be ready by 2027. There are three categories of Shinkansen: Nozomi, Kodoma and Hikari. Nozomi stops at few stations. There are reserve and non reserve coaches. For Kadoma 1-7 and 13-15 and for Hikari 1-5 coaches are unreserved for the passengers. The tourist can stand accordingly in the queue of the coach. Japan Rail Pass works in Sincansen and JR lines.

There is an elevator code to use. The persons stand must stay on left side of the elevator and leave the right for the people who can climb up or down on it. It has left hand drive like India.

One must learn tourism promotion from Japan. Site maps are available at all public places in plenty. Each tourist site is neat and clean and has basic amenities of rest rooms, food court and souvenir shop for the tourists. The tickets carry picture of the site with few lines of narration becomes the souvenir of the tour.

It has 80,000 hot springs (40-45 degree celcius), of which 350 are located in the Hakone, the natural beauty area of Kanagawa prefecture, the favourite destination of the tourists. Each spring has different minerals with different effect. Bath in a hot spring relaxes the body and the mind. It cures skin problems and give relief in joint pains. To get the benefits of the bath, one has to bath nude! One may rap a small towel while going to the bath area, but as soon as you enter into the water, keep the towel aside.

Japan has a force of volunteers (250,000) named as SDF (Self Defence Force) used for PKO (peace keeping operation), and for rescue and relief operations during natural calamities.

Let us copy their best practices and leave the rest for their generation. Mitha mitha gap gap, kadava kadava thoo.

Punamchand
22 May 2016

Sweepers of Japan

Sweepers of Japan

It has surprised me that a lady was cleaning the toilets and urinals of male at Naha Airport, Okinawa, Japan. She was wearing gloves and cleaning each part of the urinal very carefully by hands. She was cleaning the toilets too. In each unit she was giving nearly 5-10 minutes to clean it properly. People have established a very high standards of work culture and devotion to their duties, that present Japan as one of the most cleanest countries of the world.

At home, our public places are like the hell on the earth. However, the airports and other elite public places, the things have been improved but that is a small act against the huge task of making the nation clean.

Religion has made us unequal by birth and the job of cleanliness has been assigned to the lowest caste of the society. The utility and hygiene standards of Indians are very poor. Dirty people we are leaving more work behind for the cleaners/sweepers. Individually we take bath regularly. In water crisis time some guys in Rajkot don't forget to take bath thrice in a day. We maintain our personal hygiene standards high but our community hygiene is very poor, rightly judge by the PM Mr. Modi.

Cities are unclean because we don't have wall to wall cover/carpet over the roads and footpaths. Our footpaths are mostly encroached upon by the shopkeepers and the footpath venders. I wonder from the childhood looking at the sweepers sweeping on the roads. They are moving the same dust/sand for years from the centre to the side of the roads. The vehicle move them on road and the sweepers next day pull them back again to the sides of the road. The lowest caste people working for centuries are tired of their work. Due to dirts, they somehow manage to clean the public toilets and try to run away from the place as soon as possible. As a result the cleaning is substandard everywhere. They neither give up their jobs nor allow others to enter when in comes to the organised sector of jobs in municipalities. After Gandhi's emphasis on cleanliness, people in cities and villages are cleaning their toilets themselves. The higher castes working abroad in house keeping jobs are sweeping toilets of the motels regularly. It is now a high time to address the issue of quality of sweeping and cleaning at the public places. Wherever the outsourced agencies are working on contract, the quality of cleaning proved better.

We hardly keep enough number of dustbins at public places and the lazy people we are, through the waste anywhere around we sit. We pray God in temples but our temples are in the list of unclean public places of the country.

"Don't run away, pick up your waste first", a primary school teacher was telling very loudly to her pupils(6-7 Y) in the Osaka Castle campus in Japan. And the human flowers wearing yellow caps were following the command of their teacher rightly and respectfully.

All are working with smiling face here. Individually all carry mobile with Internet connection. Anything you ask they will search on mobile and answer, even the question of their age itself! Their simplicity make them obedient and sincere to their duties. Our over smartness and efforts for making others' lines shorter, make us mean, non sincere and carefree to our work performance. We are in need of a big U turn in our work culture and public behaviour.

We shall begin with the new generation present in the anganwadis and primary schools. We shall be careful while utilising the public places and leave them as clean as we wish to see them when utilise again. Slowly slowly we shall reach to the goal of "Clean India" by 2050! And by fast track, we shall do it in two decades, provided all tune together.

"Clean India is my Dream India"

Punamchand
Sky of Japan
20 May 2016

Okinawa the beautiful tropical side of Japan

Okinawa the Beautiful Tropical Side of Japan

Chura means beautiful, Shima means island, Yan means mountains and Umi means Ocean. If one dreams a wonderland with Charu-Shima, Charu-Yan and Charu-Umi, all together at one place, it is Okinawa, one of the most beautiful island state of Japan. Weather don't fluctuate much as it is a sub tropical side.

It consists of 160 small and large islands, 46 of these are inhabited by 1.3 m people. It has good infrastructure of roads and bridges. Located on the southern most part of Japan, it is surrounded by China Sea/ Japanese Sea (left) on one side and Nagagast Bay of Pacific Ocean (right) on other side. Taiwan is in the south, Shanghai in the east and Korea and mainland Japan are located in the north of Okinawa. It was an independent kingdom of Ryukyu dynasty before being merged with the Kingdom of Japan. The language is similar to Japanese but the dialect is different. People are mostly Buddhist but there are Sinto and few Christians (converted after WW-II).

After World War II, USA has established a military base in Kadina, Okinawa. Nearly 45,000 US establishment resides here in the text free area where no Japanese can enter. The local government wants is in oppose to their stay but the national government has permitted its continuation. Therefore, the opposition party rules the prefecture.

The forest in the mountain is dense and remains evergreen due to its species. However it is secondary because many trees were cut after the WW-II to build houses and other buildings. People  are disciplined and don't cut trees here. Selected cutting is conducted by the forestry agency as per their working plan.

Sugarcane, pineapple, orange and mango (Apple mango) are the major crops of the islands. Agriculture and Tourism are the major source of income. It has two monsoon seasons. One before summer and one after summer. Away from the factories and concrete jungle life of Tokyo and Osaka, people (retired) live a very happy life. I met one retired professor of the university whose wife and two daughters are living in Tokyo and this gentleman (69Y) is living in an island of a population of 2300. He does all his household work (cooking, cleaning, washing, etc) himself. He enjoys fishing through his small boat and eating fresh fish food everyday. One has to take an hour flight to a place and then a speed boat ride of another hour to reach his home. There are two doctors in their island to attend health problem but in emergency the prefecture provides free helicopter service to the citizens. Generally, they are fit and healthy, therefore don't demand much from the government.

How will you consider our luck today? Lakshmi and I have completed 38 years of our sweet association of marriage life yesterday and today morning Naha Airport was welcoming us with colourful and beautiful orchids flowers in purple, pink and white colours. It is the best honey moon place for the newly married couple. We started our marriage life in teenage and have come to Okinawa in the forest age! We took a straight drive from the airport to a place of my dream, the Ocean Expo Park. It was two hours journey of pleasure by a car, passing through the natural gallery of lush green trees on both sides of the road, the hills, the houses and traveling in the centre. Rainy season has started and the weather is cloudy but the atmosphere was very pleasant.  
Driver Sunagava (70Y) was driving the car and only miss was the song of Kishor Kumar. Sunagava preferred driving as profession to avoid agriculture labour. In free time he does gardening and watch TV at home. He doesn't drink because he has to drive a car everyday. At home some of our drivers, don't skip drinking before driving.

We stopped at Yanbaru kitchen for a lunch break. It was a vegetarian restaurant. Two racks full of varieties of leaves were giving an impression of entering into a nursery. With green leafy vegetables, rice, Kari, tofu, sweets, Japanese tea, etc, we have enjoyed our lunch. After a short drive of another 30 minutes we reach to the most beautiful place of the island, the Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium. It is an Oceanarium crowded with children, parents and students.

We were watching the National Geography live in front of us. Varieties of colourful fishes and the sea world of small, medium and big creatures were swimming around us. At coral reef moat, we touched sea cucumbers and starfishes. Next to it, very large scale coral exhibit by utilising natural sunlight and offshore sea water. The cuttlefish was looking charming swimming around the corals. There were dangerous organism such as surgeon fish and geography cone shell. We saw the colourful and big size spiny lobsters. The eel was resting. The Papuan jellyfish were moving like many white parashoots flying into the water sky. The Sharks varieties bull shark, tiger shark, sandbar shark, lemon shark, etc, were commanding the cage and moving with many small and medium fishes around. There were many sharks, but the whale sharks cage was the attraction point of all. Children were liking yellow and blueback fusilier. Indian mackerel were swimming in huge groups, opening their large mouth and sweeping around the feed. And the Japanese spider crab, the largest crab in the world was in the precious present. We couldn't count the varieties and numbers, but it was the first visit of life, watching many varieties of marine life together in the Oceanarium. Okinawa is actually surrounded by very deep seas. Rare fish such as the black smoke and flame snapper, and valuable previous coral can be found here. The Oceanarium is maintained and manage very well with high standards. The task to maintain all these lives happy and healthy 24x7 is not an easy job.

The tourists were busy in taking video and photos and parents were taking their kins to the close of these wonderful life of the sea. There was Dolphins show too. Time was a constraint but we didn't miss taking fragrance of more than 2000 orchid plants, tropical and sub tropical flowers and fruits in the Tropical Dream Centre. We were in the heaven. Lakshmi's phone battery went off in taking many pictures of the flowers. There was no time left for us to visit the sea beaches, still we managed to stop near the bridge, touched the sea water, prayed, walked for a while on the Ivory sand of the beach and collected few corals and shells as memory of our visit.

We started back at 4.30 PM and reached to our hotel at 6.30 PM. After check in, and taking little rest, we took a long walk towards the down town. As the Sun sets early here, most of the shops were closed. We took our light supper in a grocery store and return to the hotel. I still have some energy to share the memories of the day, therefore writing and mailing you this message.

Any day in life, if there is a chance to come to Japan, do take a trip to Okinawa, the Chura-Shima-Yan-Umi of Japan. Don't forget to carry your Charu-Lata! LoL.

Punamchand
Okinawa
19 May 2016

Bottled Economy

Bottled Economy

With urbanisation of life and unlimited desires to fulfil better quality of life, we have increased the consumption of packed and bottled materials in our life day by day. The world waste is flooding with bottles, tins, packs, plastics, aluminium and other materials. Door to door collection of waste and its disposal is one of the major activities of the civic administrations all over the world.

The system of waste collection and disposal in Japan is unique. The waste management has been divided into four paths: refuse (generate less at the source), reduce (make as much as you want so that waste is reduced), reuse (use the waste for making new item out of it), recycle (use it as raw materials to recycle).

Some of the municipalities have tried a method of charging collection bag so that people generate less waste at the source. The household to buy a garbage bag by paying $10/bag. The civic collector van can accept only these bags. Some people oppose the system of buying the bags as they feel that garbage collection is the duty of the civic administration. Sometimes this may be the major agenda item in the elections.

People segregate their waste in Japan in 7 categories: Burnable (collected twice in a week on Tuesday and Friday); Plastics (collected on every Monday); Bins, Canes, Glasses, bottles (every Thursday); used paper and clothes (4th Wednesday); used articles, utensils, plates, battery, electrical waste, etc, (2n Wednesday); furniture, bicycle, cupboard, etc, (by appointment); other things (on call). The civic administration collects the waste through covered trucks and send them to the incinerators and recycling centres. For first five categories of waste, the citizen need not to pay to the waste collector but it is included in the tax. The average annual tax burden is approximately $130/head/annum. People are taxed differently as per their income slabs. Simply taking an example of bottle disposal incinerator, a unit installed for four of the municipalities (total 4 lakh people) will cost $50 million capital expenditure. The operating cost with a staff of 30 people will cost $4 million/annum.

Look at the cost of a plastic bottle of a glass of juice from it's generation to disposal. Canning, transporting, selling through malls and markets, purchased by using vehicles, stored into refrigerators, and disposed off in the bins, ultimately recycled by the incinerator at a heavy cost. A glass of juice may be costing more than $100-200 in the cycle.

I was thinking economics from two sides. Why should we spend such a high amount on the bottled life? If people live in a traditional way and make everything at home, and use organic material, the waste generated by the modern method of living will stop immediately. And the expenditure of the waste management will come down drastically.

But my mind was looking at the population and their stomach. How to feed them? We need employment and employment opportunities. $1 value juice bottle will end up with a GDP and economy size of $1 or little more. But the circulation of the product in the economy is making the GDP and Economy bigger, the size of $100-200. We are exploiting the natural resources without any check and control. The population without war and threat of life is increasing and the exploitation of natural resources is also increasing with higher pace.

How long should we continue with the present model of airing up the balloon? Better quality of life to billions at the cost of ecology? Global warming is heating up the atmosphere and if we don't control the heat of our life, one day entire mankind will cool down into the water of the rising sea level.

How long is the way of this bottled economy?

Punamchand
18 May 2016
Osaka

Kyoto the ancient imperial capital of Japan

Kyoto the ancient imperial capital of Japan

After enjoying a lavish breakfast of the hotel, we started for our day trip to Kyoto an ancient imperial capital city of Japan for more than 1000 years. It is an UNESCO world heritage city. We have picked up blue line train from the Nakafuto station and change the line from Cosmosquare for Yodoyabashi. It costs only 280 yen. From Yogoyabashi, we took a Keihan Rail (420 yen)for Kyoto. It took approximately 60 minutes to reach at the Shichijo Station of Kyoto. The trip was pleasant as the route was passing through the green range of mountains. After a vegetarian lunch at Asian Restaurant Kin Khao located at the river bank of river Kamo in Kyoto, we started our visit to a Buddhist Temple Sanjusangen-do (Renzo-in), the National Treasure of Japan.

Sanjusangen-do temple was established in 1164 AD but after it was lost in fire, again reconstructed in 1266. During last 700 years it has went through four renovations. It was made of wood with a Wayo style architecture of Japan. It has about 120 metres long temple hall carrying the idols of 1001 Kannon statues of Buddhas, with 28 idols chief deities (the guardian) of Hinduism and Buddhism placed in a straight line in the front row. The deities are Vayu, Brahma, Mahesha, Yama, Garuda, Mayura, Naga, Sanjay, Gandharva, Lakshmi, Vasu, etc, have their origin in ancient India. The images of the deities derived from the fear of the people and their gratitude to the nature. People worshipped them as deities who controlled rain and winds and brought about good harvest. The statues are made in an assembled construction methods, made of wood and lacquered with gold plating and colouring. Precious stones were placed so well as eyes in each deity to make them live, that each one has different expression suitable to their role. The main idol of Buddha with 50 hands was kept in the centre where people pray or chant manta. Some people offer Sake (rice wine) to the God as a pious drink.

The two small little garden within the campus made from the Japanese imagination of heaven, in which a beautiful centre island of trees surrounded by water and beautiful flowers.

From Sanjusangen-do, we took a taxi ride and went to another temple Kiyomizu Dera. The street was flooded with tourists and the shops located both sides of the street were offering best hand made products, foodstuff and souvenirs of Japan. The sweets made from green tea and other materials were very tasty. You can drink green tea and taste the sweets of all varieties free of cost. You need not to feel shy of tasting sweets of the shop and to enjoy a cup of green tea. It's a custom. If you taste, surely you will buy something. After a freshened walk of the street we went to the temple. It is also made of wood without using a single nail. The Chappal, pier made of iron of an ancient monk were very happy. I could lift the smaller pier but couldn't lift the bigger one. It is part of the Unesco world heritage sites. It is located in the lush green forest hill and surrounded by cherry trees. In the spring, during the first fortnight of April, the cherry blossom all over the area and the orange coloured temple look beautiful surrounded by pink cherry flowers. It's hill side location offers a impressive view of the city. Beneath to the hall, there is Otawa-to-naki fall where three channel of water falls into the pond. Visitors catch water with the help of long handle glass and drink water for fulfil their wishes. The Pegoda looks beautiful. It was used as library to keep the holy books. There are statues of kristigarbha, on which people put red baby caps in remembrance of the death of their child. There is another shrine (Sinto) in the campus dedicated to love God. It is called a match making shrine where generally the younger people go. There are two love stones kept 18 metres apart. With closed eyes after touching the first stone, if the visitor succeeds in touching the another stone, he/she finds his/her love, the true love. Love is really blind!

Shintoism (kami-no-machi) is an ethnic religion of japan focus more on religious rituals. It believes in God and people worship the nature, the Sun, the Wind God, the rain God, rock, trees, rivers, the energy, the divinity, etc, worship multitude of Gods, 8 million Gods (we count 330 million). Sinto temple don't keep idol for worship. It is a nirakar (non form) God worship through its natural me manifestation. The Buddhist temple and Sinto shrines are seen together in one campus. 80 % people believe in both, the Shintoism and the Buddhism. Both go together like Hiduism and Buddhism of India. Looking at the social structure of Japanese caste system Shintoism is in fact Hinduism of India. The Vedic religion. The word Sindhu/Indu/Hindu is there in Sinto/Shindo/Jindo. Jindo means live, the spirit, jindabad. We are Hindu, Sindu, Indu, Jindu. Whole universe is live, the manifestation of cosmic energy. Nothing die, just changing the forms. The world Kami may be used for the people who acts to fulfil their desires. And for that they follow rituals and perform practices. Buddhism, therefore started with the first sentence that the desires are the reason for our unhappiness. It proves that Hinduism was prevalent in Asian continent first, followed by Buddhism. We may not claim India as world guru but surely it has roots of Asian cultures and traditions. Let us claim at present, the Asian Guru!

The word Japan might have a link with Sanskrit word 'japa', the country of worshippers of God doing japa with thread notes.

We have enjoyed a long walk of five hours through the streets of Kyoto, tasted sweets, bought souvenirs and finally went to the railway station Gion Chijo to pick up our train to Yodoyabashi. Again following the same route by changing three lines we reached to our temporary home at hotel Hayaat Regency, cooked khichadi, enjoy the taste of Gujarat and went to the bed happily.

Punamchand
16 May 2016
Osaka

Osaka the kitchen of Japan

Osaka the Kitchen of Japan

After a gap of 13.5 years I have come to Osaka, Japan. Situated at the mouth of the river Yodo on Osaka bay, it is a third largest city of Japan with a day time population of 3 million, managed by the Osaka City Council and the Prefecture Government. The Mayor is elected directly for the term of 4 years. It was the capital of Japan before Tokyo and after Kyoto and Nara. With such a huge population and moving in thousands at public places you will be surprised with the level of its cleanliness at all public places. It was a dirty city 30 years ago. Cleanliness and public behaviour are taught in schools here. It was introduced in education during Tokyo Olympic in 1964. With continuous efforts of 5 decades the new generation citizens are more conscious and disciplined in terms of cleanliness. Combining with the administration's alerts and efforts, the country becomes one of the cleanest countries of the world.

Our organiser of the workshop didn't arrange my pick up from the airport, therefore, after waiting for a while, we moved to the transport inquiry desk. The students from the local university were volunteers to help the tourists and old people. Language is a big problem as many students don't understand English. With four five efforts amongst the students, finally one boy guided us to take a train to Namba and also guided how to change the lines three more times to reach to our destination. I like such adventure, therefore we picked up an Orange line train for Namba by paying a ticket of ¥920 each. We thereafter, moved to another subway Midosuji Line, bought ticket of ¥280 each and travel two stations more on red line and dropped down at Homaachi to change into Chuo line (green) and travel up to Cosmosquare. From there we moved to Tram Nanko Port Town line (blue) and got down at Natafuto station. At last after a train journey of 2 hours with small luggage, we reached to our destination hotel Hayaat Regency in Nanka Kuta near the bay. The hotel staff later regretted for not making pick up arrangements as the communication reached to them very late. Any way, before going to the hotel we had a city tour touching it's South Centre Namba.

After a short rest, we were ready for the evening tour at 6 pm. Tsukuda San, a friend's friend drive down us to another City Centre in the north, the posh area of Hankyu Umeda. It's a rich men area with hundreds of business offices, malls and restaurants, running above the train station. People mostly prefer train transport therefore one can drive in the area smoothly, otherwise can't imagine the chaos if all are moving in their individual cars. India has to think very early to improve its mass transportation system. The trains were run by the government but now they have been privatised. Students get only 30% concessions in the tickets.

After a short walk to the expensive malls of the station, we moved to the restaurant at 32nd floor of the building. We took window seat to enjoy the view of the buildings in the lights of night. As we eat Indian food all times at home, I prefer to try Japanese food. As I couldn't understood the Manu written in Japanese, Tsukuda San ordered the dishes. Our dinner started with spicy starter made from spinach and carrot, using hashi (chopsticks). Non alcoholic beer and grape juice were serve as welcome drinks. Let me write some of the dishes that may water your mouth: seafood salad with seaweed, Asari-boiled cell fish soaked in rice wine, tuna fish and avocado rolled with tofu paper, tofu with egg, grilled fish okay, green salad of boiled vegetables, garlic bread, Chinese cold tea, etc. You have rightly judge my share in the food, the salads, garlic bread and Chinese cold tea. Our delicious dinner ended with a tasty hot green tea.

Life is not easy here. The per capita income is not increasing, in fact it is declining. A graduate can start his job with $2000/month. The average income of the common men fall around $ 15000. Bicycles are returning on roads for fitness of the people as well as to solve traffic and money problem. One third of the women force are working. Wife is the 'Governor' of her husband. The male had to ask for money from the wife as she commands the finance of the family. No male can dare to take major decision of buying a car or a house without the consent of the wife. If he did so, he has to face the music on his deeds.

Japanese do have caste system like India. The castes group may be merging together due to urbanisation and education. But still the "Buraks" are identified as outcaste people and are not accepted for intercaste arranged marriages. Parents generally don't accept such marriages. The Buraks are like untouchables in India who were engaged in leather, sweeping and cremation work. They have been exempted from the tax and if a company fire of discriminate them after knowing their caste, government impose penalties over the company.

Japanese older generation is still fond of traditional herbal medicines. But the new generation prefer allopathy to herbs, as they don't like the smell and bitter taste of the herbs.

Shintoism  and Buddhism are the common religion of 70% Japanese. Both are the branches of the umbrella religion, but Shintoism believes in the existence of God and Buddhism is silent on God. In practice, new generation can be placed in no religion area but they also believe that religion is important for customs and mainly when you die. The cremation takes place as per Buddhism system of disposal of dead bodies through fire.

Why is it called the Kitchen of the country ? I asked a last question of the day. Because people go on eating till they are filled up to the mouth. People of the city are fond of eating all types of food. Apart from traditional Japanese foods, people enjoy beef, chicken, chinese, italian, indian, and other foods. Tsukuda replied. In fact it was a trade centre and major supplier of rice to the nation. As the urban rural population ratio turned into 70:30, and younger generation is leaving farming, the culture of agriculture through families have been replaced by the company farming. The companies either buy lands or get on lease and cultivate paddy and other crops with better farm mechanisation. India may have to walk this way one day in some of the states to solve the problem of shortage of agriculture labour and to improve the farm productivity.

Osaka did claim for hosting Olympic 2008 and developed the artificial new city near the bay by reclaiming land and building new infrastructure, but the Chinese took away the event. The waste management incinerator building in the area has an impressive look like a museum building. Chinese tourists as usual land here in big numbers. When the Chinese flights land, the immigration and customs clearance take more than two hours some times. Traditionally, Japanese don't like China, they prefer India for the business. As the growth rate of the economy is slowing down, they are looking at India to make money as it is one of the fastest growing economies.

If you wish to merge into the flow of people at public places, see the quality articles with hundreds of designs and to enjoy the fragrance of the delicious food of Japan at the top floor of the building watching the city view, book an Air India direct flight from New Delhi, that takes only 8 hours to fulfil your dream. Ahmedabad to Ahmedabad, it costs only ₹41,000, if you buy the tickets timely.

Punamchand
Osaka
15 May 2016

Thursday, May 12, 2016

Lapwings and their Chicks

Lapwings and their Chicks

Tintodi (lapwing) is a large wader (35 cm) of India. Their wings and back are light brown with a purple sheen, but head and chest and front part of neck are black. It is known for it's loud alarm. When majority of the birds are resting in their nests, lapwings are seen flying and making noice in nights.

Kavya, Lakshmi and I were on our morning walk in the Lake (without water) Garden (Sec-1) on Jalshakti road (J2-Ch-2) in Gandhinagar. I was walking little ahead of them. Suddenly, I saw a couple of lapwings chattering. I sensed something short and brown moving along with the fence stopped.

Is it a frog? Why are the birds chattering? I called up Lakshmi and Kavya. She checked the little one, and with our surprise, we saw the beautiful chick of the lapwing. With the finger touch, it rose up and walked away. Another near one to it, also rose and walked away. Her parents were making a loud alarm of our coming, therefore, they were settled in silence on the ground corner. As both the chicks were unable to climb up the little fence, Lakshmi under the chatters of their parents, lifted them up and put them in the garden, near to their parents. As soon as the two chicks started walking, the third one emerged from the garden. The mother took the lead of the three and all four went little up to a safer place. And the father sat like a soldier giving them a guard.

Leaving them in happy union, we returned to the garden gate. But Kavya expressed her desire to touch the chicks. Lakshmi returned and took her near to the chicks. But as soon as Lakshmi tried to pick the chicks up, the mother increased her volume of chatter and tried to attack over her. They had to respect the mother. Kavya couldn't touch the chick and both returned to the garden gate with a loud laughter of the morning face.

Bird do have family, feelings, bonding and language. We have realized.

Punamchand
12 May 2016

Monday, May 9, 2016

Veth (bondage) and Forest Settlement

Veth (bondage) and Forest Settlement

Darbars, the families of Princely States were the owners of agriculture land of villages before independence. The farmers (Patels) were the cultivators. After harvesting, the yields were kept in the "kharvad" under the police guard of the Darbar. As per the traditional agreement, the farmers will hold 1/4 or 1/3 share of the yield and rest will be taken away by the Darbars. The villagers were living in a "veth" system of slavery, in which each family had to serve the darbars families (the land owners) in their household works by rotation. Grinding cereals in a hand mill, washing clothes, cleaning utensils, cleaning house, rearing cattle, cooking if guests came, carrying head loads, etc. Other castes were also doing "veth" as per their job division and in rotation of the day. Each Darbar family had been allocated the service families as "gharak" within the village.

In Mothan village of Lalpur Taluka of Jamnagar, the tradition of veth was prevalent. The family of farmer Manji Patel was serving the Village Darbar family. It was an event around the year 1925. Manji Patel's wife, that day went to see a sick relative living in a nearby village, some 5 kms away. Some guests arrived at Darbar's house and there was a need to cook food for all of them. The servant of Darbar came to call Manji's wife. As she was not at home, Manji was summoned by the Darbar and was ordered to go to that village and bring back his wife. Manji requested the Darbar, that had it be known about the guests she would've postponed the visit, but as she has already gone, it will be difficult for him to go and bring back her in time. Finally, the Darbars threatened him to surrender the land given for cultivation. Leaving family behind, Manji and his 6 colleagues went towards Junagadh in search of another land.

Copying comforts of English Kings, some Kings bought Motor Cars. Jamnagar King had a Motor Car. But the Nawab of Junagadh was moving in his horse buggy (roadsters). He had scarcity of resources. His Nagar Brahmin Diwan advised him to allot land of Gir for cultivation to the farmers to increase the revenue income. The Nawab made an announcement. Manji and his 6 fellows were searching for the land, followed the announcement, went to Gir, identified land and established a village Amrutvel. They were paying 4 anna as Masvadi charge and some portion of yield as crop share to the Nawab. All seven farmers brought their families and left the "veth" of Darbars. They were living with their new companions: varieties of trees, lions, leopards, deers and birds. Their cows were their 'kamdhenu'. Cow milk and milk products increased their life expectancy, made them stronger and fearless so that they live happily with the Kings of Jungle, the Lions.

Manji's son Jamanji is 81 years old now, living a life of good health. His body is fitter than a urban guy of 40 years old. All his senses are well to see, hear, understand and argue. One of his sons is living in US. Two of his sons are settled in Mumbai. And he and his wife are happy living in Gir, with cows and lions. Cow milk, butter milk and ghee are giving them long, happy and healthy life. His father was the traditional head of the village. And now he is leading the lot a Chairman of the EDC (Eco Development Committee), maintaining the bio diversity of the Nature.

After independence, the Forest Department had accepted their settlement rights and allowed their holding but land ownership right had been kept with the Forest department. If whole of the farmer family leave Gir, the land goes back to the Forest Department. The farmers carry only the occupancy rights. Therefore, some old couples are living in the Forest and demanding the inclusion of their children's name in the Forest land records. Jamanji was explaining the life in Gir.

Punamchand
9 May 2016

Saturday, May 7, 2016

Chilled Risk

Chilled Risk

Our bodies are made to sustain in hot weather. But our desire of happy life has changed our living style. Life without perspiration is our definition of happy life.

We were taught in school that, "siddhi tene jai vare, je paraseve nahay" (there is no substitute of hard work). But present days teaching is a life of just chillin. New generation prefer a life of AC everywhere; in office, in car and in bed room. When Chinese and Japanese prefer hot water drink with meal, we prefer cold drinks full of sugar with meal. We eat overdose of Sugar, Salt and Oil, oily white poisons.

In Developed countries the sub ways and hotels serve unlimited cold drinks free of cost. When I asked to a student studying in New Zealand about free cold drinks, what did he reply? Uncle, it is no good as it brings diabetes in 15 days. We don't perspire in cold weather, therefore, overdose of sugar make us diabetic. Free drink is giving us free diabetes. "Two free".

Is it not the reason that more and more people in India are coming under the spread of diabetes? The disease known as "Raj Rog" become a "Common Men's disease". Our intake of oil and sugar is more than what our body demands. Therefore, the waste balance become our liability of the life.

Leave the life of chills and enjoy the hot weather of Indian continent. Our perspiration glands will save us from Diabetes. Despite more. Lol.

Save Sugar, Save Life.

Punamchand
7 May 2016

Tuesday, May 3, 2016

Mistress of Jivanlal (Jivanlal ki Godadi)

Mattress of Jivanlal (Jivanlal ki Godadi)

They were 18, living together in a joint family; parents, family of three brothers and a sister. After a very long association, all three brothers decided to part ways. The household goods were divided into three parts. When it comes to the division of mattresses, Jivanlal, the eldest brother played a trick. For last few months he was making new cover over the mattresses. That way he had covered nearly half of the total 49 mattresses. When it comes to the division of mattresses, he took away those 25 saying that they had covered by him, therefore belonged to him. Finally he took away those 25 and one third of the remaining 24. His share 33 and other two brothers left with 8 each.

The story reminds me Jivanlals in public administration. The wealth, properties and infrastructures developed over the years by many putting their all round efforts using available resources, suddenly, the Jivanlals, put a cover and start claiming them as their achievements. Older generations had also work a lot. They have created the base, therefore the present generation is in a position to refine it or make it new by giving a new cover and putting a sticker of their names over them. The mattresses belong to all.

Salute elders. You were great.

Punamchand
3 May 2016
Powered by Blogger.