SAMAR IS CELEBRATING WORLD HUMAN RIGHTS DAY!
Letter from the Editor
We all love books. We want to read, we want to travel through these black words. In this wonderland, we find innumerous fantasies. Some of them we can imagine and some of them we cannot. Some of them are expecte and some of them are unprecedented.
But remember my dear friends; only reading books can’t help you. Try to wear it, try to eat it, try to drink it, and try to sense it. Because the biggest and the most beautiful book is the Nature. This book is open and non-taxable. It is freely accessible to any boy. When you cannot relate your readings with things around you, you may be at wrong foot. Look what Wordsworth says –
Up! Up! My friend and quit your books;
Or surely you will grow double;
…………
Come forth in the light of things,
Let nature be your Teacher
The men of words, who have written something in the heavy books, have surely got their food for thought from the Nature as a baby gets its meal through umbilical cord. So no other source can be more nourishing as nature would be. So whenever you read books, stories, poems, science, philosophy; look carefully where it makes you stand. We are child of this social system. What we think reflects in our actions.
Our magazine tries its best to create a harmony between nature and literature. It will be our honour that readers find it comfortably compatible with what Wordsworth writes in above poetic piece. So must read god things and be positive in helping us to more beautiful extracts from nature and present them in our magazine.
Thank you
Yours truly,
Editor
We all love books. We want to read, we want to travel through these black words. In this wonderland, we find innumerous fantasies. Some of them we can imagine and some of them we cannot. Some of them are expecte and some of them are unprecedented.
But remember my dear friends; only reading books can’t help you. Try to wear it, try to eat it, try to drink it, and try to sense it. Because the biggest and the most beautiful book is the Nature. This book is open and non-taxable. It is freely accessible to any boy. When you cannot relate your readings with things around you, you may be at wrong foot. Look what Wordsworth says –
Up! Up! My friend and quit your books;
Or surely you will grow double;
…………
Come forth in the light of things,
Let nature be your Teacher
The men of words, who have written something in the heavy books, have surely got their food for thought from the Nature as a baby gets its meal through umbilical cord. So no other source can be more nourishing as nature would be. So whenever you read books, stories, poems, science, philosophy; look carefully where it makes you stand. We are child of this social system. What we think reflects in our actions.
Our magazine tries its best to create a harmony between nature and literature. It will be our honour that readers find it comfortably compatible with what Wordsworth writes in above poetic piece. So must read god things and be positive in helping us to more beautiful extracts from nature and present them in our magazine.
Thank you
Yours truly,
Editor
Truth or Scare: Psychic Science
1
The word psychic is synonymous with mental and is used for a person apparently sensitive to non-physical forces. It is no secret that modern society thinks of psychic as slightly crazy or less than normal. On the contrary, the word psychic never means demented or mentally disturbed. It is a sensation to influences that produces experiences, which are not scientifically explained; having such a mental power that is not scientifically explainable.
In 1979, a 26-year-old student at the University of Sheffield in the United Kingdom consulted a doctor with complaints of a cold. The doctor on staff noticed that the student held a first class degree in Mathematics was a normal man except he has a slightly larger than average head. Curious doctor sent him to James Lobber who was then member of doctor’s club, which was leading in the spinal surgery in the world.
It was unbelievable for Dr. Lobber who reported that the student possessed IQ of 126 and had no signs of any mental deficiency, yet when the head of the student was X rayed, Dr. Lobber discovered that he had almost no brain tissue and the head was filled with fluid (cerebrospinal fluid). Dr. Lobber also calculated that the student possessed 100gms of brain compare to the adult brain weighing 1500gms. 100gms is little more than the average brain of dog.
Let us pause and think that how many dogs we knew that have honours degree in Mathematics. Cannott think of any. How was student functioning on the level he was? The student possessed such a mental power that is of scientifically explainable and he can be called a ‘psychic’. Psychic science is broad subject that includes occultism, mysticism, metaphysics etc. It is not considered a ‘head science’ and sometimes not even “science” because almost nothing is verifiable observable reproducible in these subjects of study. In other words, these disciplines do not follow the scientific basis of cause and effect.
2
Strong mental powers and the sixth sense are two difficult activities.Strong mental power makes a person confident, brave, wise, intelligent, smart etc. But the sixth sense is quite a different from this. It helps a perceive the ongoing things around him analyse it broadly and present the esoteric knowledge of unknown things. Telepathy is another phenomenon, the non-physical communication of one’s ideas and feelings, in other words it is termed as communication from one mind to another at a distance.
Clairvoyance is an English word derived from French meaning ‘clear seeing’ and is used as a synonym for Psychic. However, it is considered being able to tell what is happening in a remote place rather at the present tie than being able to see into the future.
We are talking about strong mental powers; we discussed clairvoyance, and now let us make more deep incision in this operation. We find that one of the medium of telling about what is going to happen next is Dream. Dream has been believed to foretell portentous events ever since the dawn of man. Many people believe that someone else can look into their future and give them a worthwhile advice.
Because dreams are always obscure in meaning, psychologists try to interpret their meaning. Sometimes it happens that one finds certain events in dreams which comes true in future. This happens because of one’s active ESP (Extra sensory Perception). There are two types of ESP (1) a plain future is seen (2) a person sees future an event of which he does not have any idea. It is always a fearful dream.
It starts with frightening dream, which seems very similar to the truth as realistic one. Such dreams are always revealed to human being in parts. These dreams come true in future and the person who dreamt can tell what is next. These dreams must not be considered as a magic. This type of dream is also called as prophetic dream that usually predict the future. Our conscious mind usually knows what the future holds and these dreams, in a way, try to warn us.
I as protagonist of this article have two queries for to readers and urge them to reply sincerely.
Is it possible to see future in dreams?
Can a person read one’s heart and mind?
Asim Abdullah
1
The word psychic is synonymous with mental and is used for a person apparently sensitive to non-physical forces. It is no secret that modern society thinks of psychic as slightly crazy or less than normal. On the contrary, the word psychic never means demented or mentally disturbed. It is a sensation to influences that produces experiences, which are not scientifically explained; having such a mental power that is not scientifically explainable.
In 1979, a 26-year-old student at the University of Sheffield in the United Kingdom consulted a doctor with complaints of a cold. The doctor on staff noticed that the student held a first class degree in Mathematics was a normal man except he has a slightly larger than average head. Curious doctor sent him to James Lobber who was then member of doctor’s club, which was leading in the spinal surgery in the world.
It was unbelievable for Dr. Lobber who reported that the student possessed IQ of 126 and had no signs of any mental deficiency, yet when the head of the student was X rayed, Dr. Lobber discovered that he had almost no brain tissue and the head was filled with fluid (cerebrospinal fluid). Dr. Lobber also calculated that the student possessed 100gms of brain compare to the adult brain weighing 1500gms. 100gms is little more than the average brain of dog.
Let us pause and think that how many dogs we knew that have honours degree in Mathematics. Cannott think of any. How was student functioning on the level he was? The student possessed such a mental power that is of scientifically explainable and he can be called a ‘psychic’. Psychic science is broad subject that includes occultism, mysticism, metaphysics etc. It is not considered a ‘head science’ and sometimes not even “science” because almost nothing is verifiable observable reproducible in these subjects of study. In other words, these disciplines do not follow the scientific basis of cause and effect.
2
Strong mental powers and the sixth sense are two difficult activities.Strong mental power makes a person confident, brave, wise, intelligent, smart etc. But the sixth sense is quite a different from this. It helps a perceive the ongoing things around him analyse it broadly and present the esoteric knowledge of unknown things. Telepathy is another phenomenon, the non-physical communication of one’s ideas and feelings, in other words it is termed as communication from one mind to another at a distance.
Clairvoyance is an English word derived from French meaning ‘clear seeing’ and is used as a synonym for Psychic. However, it is considered being able to tell what is happening in a remote place rather at the present tie than being able to see into the future.
We are talking about strong mental powers; we discussed clairvoyance, and now let us make more deep incision in this operation. We find that one of the medium of telling about what is going to happen next is Dream. Dream has been believed to foretell portentous events ever since the dawn of man. Many people believe that someone else can look into their future and give them a worthwhile advice.
Because dreams are always obscure in meaning, psychologists try to interpret their meaning. Sometimes it happens that one finds certain events in dreams which comes true in future. This happens because of one’s active ESP (Extra sensory Perception). There are two types of ESP (1) a plain future is seen (2) a person sees future an event of which he does not have any idea. It is always a fearful dream.
It starts with frightening dream, which seems very similar to the truth as realistic one. Such dreams are always revealed to human being in parts. These dreams come true in future and the person who dreamt can tell what is next. These dreams must not be considered as a magic. This type of dream is also called as prophetic dream that usually predict the future. Our conscious mind usually knows what the future holds and these dreams, in a way, try to warn us.
I as protagonist of this article have two queries for to readers and urge them to reply sincerely.
Is it possible to see future in dreams?
Can a person read one’s heart and mind?
Asim Abdullah
Poets of the world
William Wordsworth
William Wordsworth is one of the greatest poets of English language. He set the tone of delicacy in English language, which he got from the beehive of this beautiful world. He was nourished by the nature’s beauty as flowers nourish a bee. He loved nature and in return gifted his love with majestic verses.
Wordsworth was borne in Lake District of England in 1770. He lost his mother when he was seven and lost his father when he was thirteen. He was sent to a grammar school at Hawkshead.
William Wordsworth was in school when he found that he had developed a love for scenic beauty. He would prefer to remain in seclusion. The natural beauty of English lakes would terrify as well as nurture him, as Wordsworth would later to testify in the line;
“I grew up fostered alike by beauty and by fear.”
Another example can be given that, he writes in one of his initial poem – Lines composed a few miles above Tintern Abbey…. “that nature never betray the heart that loved her.” This love for nature and its antics accompanied him wherever he went. Each and every part of his life was decorated with these blossoms.
In his college days in Cambridge, he was not faring well. He knew that but he could not help himself. The finest thing he did in this era which helped him a lot to develop beautiful reminiscences for rest of his life, was to travel to France. This was the time when France was experiencing a revolution. In his youth, Wordsworth was also influenced by political philosophy of Rousseau but later, he became more conservative. There he met a woman called Annett Vallon. He married her and had a girl child in 1792. At the same time, he was fascinated by fall of Bastille because this was a sign of freedom of human kind. This time was like a gem for Wordsworth but three or four years followed after his return to England in 1792 were the darkest period in his life. He was penniless, rootless, wandering in London for nothing. This was the time when he got himself among strong emotion for the people like, abandoned mothers, beggars, children, vagrants. This dark period ended in 1795, when he met his sister Dorothy and after that, they never lived apart.
In 1797, he met S.T. Coleridge, one of the finest poets of the era. Both of them travelled through literary vistas and created wonderful poetry. English owed too much to this celebrated friendship of 18th century. Before meeting, Coleridge Wordsworth was writing long poems on social issues. These poems were showing his protest against society. After that (meeting with Coleridge), he wrote short poems on nature’s poetry. Some of them were affectionate tributes to Dorothy; some were tribute to Daffodils, birds and other elements of “Nature’s holy plan.” Another important event happened in Wordsworth’s life after Coleridge’s friendship was that, he started writing an autobiographical poem. He thought that the name of the poem would be ‘The Recluse’ in 1798. He completed this poem after 40 years of hard labour. It was published in 1850; the name of the book was ‘The Prelude’ or ‘Growth of a Poet’s Mind’. In this poem, he has graphed his mental development since childhood. It is a long descriptive poem, which tells many important aspects of Wordsworth’s life. The poem exultantly describes the ways in which the imagination emerges as the dominant faculty, exerting its control over the reason and the world of the sense alike.
His most famous work is Lyrical Ballads (1798). This book was written along with S.T. Coleridge, who influenced him a lot. This book marked the beginning of Romantic Movement in English. In this book, he used new poetic principles, a new device, Wordsworth writes in the preface of the book-“poetry should express feelings…..recollected in tranquillity”
In company of Dorothy, Wordsworth spent the winter of 1798-99 in Germany, where, in the remote town of Goslar in Saxony he experienced the most intense isolation he had ever known. There he wrote some elegies and some part of ‘The Prelude.’ In 1802, he went to France for third time and met his daughter and companion Annette. He made peace with them, came back to England, and married Marry Hutchinson. But peace was not very easy for him although he resided in beautiful and secluded places. He was living in Dove cottage, Grasmere (where he wrote many beautiful poems) he heard the news that his brother, John, drowned in the sea. This happened in 1805. He wrote several elegies in this period. He laments in his “Elegiac Stanzas”-
“A deep distress hath humanised my soul”
Many of his youthful fancies about that he wrote earlier were being seen as illusion. The sad music was flowing around him instead of beautiful orchestra. In the middle years, when his daughter Catherine died in 1812 he wrote a sonnet in her memory-
Knowing my heart’s best treasure was no more;
That neither present time, nor years unborn
In same period, Wordsworth wrote some other sonnets and elegies. He wrote a series of six poems called Lucy poems. These poems were tributes to Lucy. Nobody knows who Lucy was. These poems are very delicate. These poems suggest he had deep feelings for Lucy. These feelings are so delicate that one would be afraid to touch it. One of them is-
A slumber did my spirit seal;
I had no human fears:
She seemed a thing that could not feel
The touch of earthly years
No motion has she now, no force
She neither hears nor sees;
Roll’d round in earth’s diurnal course
With rocks, and stones, and trees.
He settled in a house in 1818 and accepted a job of stamp distributor in local post office. So the rest of his life he remained by and large happily in that new residence. Though all these years, he was continuously attacked by critics. In 1820 when his book, The River Duddon was published, the critics and readers turned their way towards Wordsworth. By mid 1830s he had been established with both critics and the reading public.
Wordsworth succeeded his friend Robert Southey as British Laureate in 1843 and held that post until his own death in 1850. He died on April 23, 1850 in Rydal Mount, Westmorland, England. After his death, his influence was felt throughout the rest of 19t century. The world will remember him as delicate and nature loving poet
Milind
Pablo Picasso
Pablo Picasso, one of the most dynamic and influential artist of our century, achieved success in drawing, printmaking, sculpture and as well in painting. He experimented with a number of different artistic styles during his long career.
Picasso was born in Malaga on the southern coast of Spain in 1881. He was exposed to art from a very young age. His a father, who was a painter and art instructor was his immediate mentor, he got very early in his life. After studying at various art schools between 1892 and 1896, including academics in Barcelona and Madrid, he went to the Royal Academy of San Fernando in Madrid during the winter of 1896-97. Picasso soon got bored with academics and set himself up as an independent artist.
In Barcelona in 1889 Picasso’s circle of friends included young artists and writers who travelled between Madrid, Barcelona and Paris. Picasso also visited these cities and absorbed the local culture. His early works were influenced by old masters such as El Greco and Velázquez and by modern artists including Paul Gauguin, Edgar Degas and Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec. Picasso moved to Paris in 1904 and settled in Montmarte, a working class quarter. This area was home to many young artist writers. Although Picasso was greatly benefited from the artistic atmosphere in Paris and his circle of friends, he was often lonely, unhappy and terribly poor. During this period his sympathy for social outcast was reflected in his art and both his subject matter- including blind beggars and destitute families and in his melancholy blue colour schemes.
We can divide Picasso’s artistic life in different periods according to emotional and philosophical phases of his life. These phases usually were temporary but sometimes it seems that it has elongated for a large span of time.
Early period
Picasso was recognised as artistic prodigy at an early age. His works in this period illustrate his technical capability at that stage of his career. However, he was not satisfied with the limited possibilities in such a traditional mode of representation. His constant striving for new means of expression is the primary lesson of Picasso’s art.
The Blue period
Shortly after moving to Paris from Barcelona, he began to produce works that were suffused in blue. This particular pigment is effective in conveying a sombre tone. The psychological trigger for those depressing paintings was the suicide of Picasso’s friend Casagemas. The Blue period is quite sentimental, but we must keep in mind that Picasso was still in his late teens, away from home for the first time and living in a very poor conditions.
The Rose period
In 1905-06, Picasso’s palette began to lighten considerably, bringing in distinctive beige or “rose” tone. The subject matter is also less depressing. Paintings from the “Rose period” often show fairground performers in contemplative mood. Here are the first appearances of the circus performers and clowns that would populate Picasso’s painting at various stages throughout his long career.
The Beginnings of Cubism
In late 1906, Picasso started to paint in a truly revolutionary manner. Inspired by Cezanne’s flattened depiction of space and, working alongside his friend Georges Braque, he began to express space in strongly geometrical terms. These initial efforts at developing this almost sculptured sense of space in painting are the beginning of Cubism. The exhibition “The Early Years” traced his development from 1892-1906 just prior to the advent of Cubism.
Analytical Cubism
By 1910, Picasso and Braque had developed Cubism into an entirely new means of pictorial expression. In the initial stage known as Analytical Cubism, objects were deconstructed into their components. In some cases, this was a means to depict different viewpoints simultaneously; in other works it was used more as a method of visually laying out the Facts of the object, rather than providing a limited mimetic representation. The aim of Analytical cubism was to produce a conceptual image of an object, as opposed to a perceptual one.
Synthetic Cubism
In 1912, Picasso took the conceptual representation of Cubism to its logical conclusion by pasting an actual piece of oil cloth onto the canvas. This was a key watershed in Modern Art. By incorporating the real world into the canvas, Picasso and Braque opened up a century worth of exploration in the meaning of Art.
Between the wars
The collaboration between Picasso and Braque was ended by the First World War. After the war, Picasso, reflecting society’s disillusionment and shock with the technological horrors of the war, reverted to Classic mode of representation. At the same time, however he was continuing to push Cubism into new paths. During the 30s Picasso got connected with the Surrealist movement. Although Andre Breton tried to recruit Picasso, he remained ultimately aloof from any school of art throughout his career.
Picasso the legend
By the late ’30s, Picasso was the most famous artist in the world. He was called upon to depict the brutality of fascist aggression in Spanish Civil War with the monumental “Guernica”. Other paintings from this period reflect the horror of war, but there is a consistent depiction of personal interest. The women in Picasso’s had a major impact on his artistic production, and some of the best examples are from this period.
The Late Work
In the last two decades of his long career, Picasso produced more work than at any other time of his life. During this period, some works are not only dated by month and day, but by a numeral (I, II, III) indicating multiple work created that single day.
This late period tends to be overlooked, but contains some of the finest of Picasso’s paintings. Some critics maintain Picasso was creatively lazy at this point, but a close look at the work is very rewarding. He had achieved a level of effortless artistic expression that has still not been fully appreciated.
Regardless of our position on Picasso’s personal and artistic life each one of us can in view of own mortality be awed by his final self portrait
At the time of his death he had been possessing 50,000 works made by him in various media like paintings, ceramics, sculptures and papers. He was astonishing in inventing new ideas. The 80 year- time span of his life was devoted to art. Perhaps nobody else in history has got such a productive artistic life. Picasso died on April 8, 1973 in France. His works are now property of government of France. A museum on his name has been made in France where all of his works have been preserved.
Nayab
Pablo Picasso, one of the most dynamic and influential artist of our century, achieved success in drawing, printmaking, sculpture and as well in painting. He experimented with a number of different artistic styles during his long career.
Picasso was born in Malaga on the southern coast of Spain in 1881. He was exposed to art from a very young age. His a father, who was a painter and art instructor was his immediate mentor, he got very early in his life. After studying at various art schools between 1892 and 1896, including academics in Barcelona and Madrid, he went to the Royal Academy of San Fernando in Madrid during the winter of 1896-97. Picasso soon got bored with academics and set himself up as an independent artist.
In Barcelona in 1889 Picasso’s circle of friends included young artists and writers who travelled between Madrid, Barcelona and Paris. Picasso also visited these cities and absorbed the local culture. His early works were influenced by old masters such as El Greco and Velázquez and by modern artists including Paul Gauguin, Edgar Degas and Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec. Picasso moved to Paris in 1904 and settled in Montmarte, a working class quarter. This area was home to many young artist writers. Although Picasso was greatly benefited from the artistic atmosphere in Paris and his circle of friends, he was often lonely, unhappy and terribly poor. During this period his sympathy for social outcast was reflected in his art and both his subject matter- including blind beggars and destitute families and in his melancholy blue colour schemes.
We can divide Picasso’s artistic life in different periods according to emotional and philosophical phases of his life. These phases usually were temporary but sometimes it seems that it has elongated for a large span of time.
Early period
Picasso was recognised as artistic prodigy at an early age. His works in this period illustrate his technical capability at that stage of his career. However, he was not satisfied with the limited possibilities in such a traditional mode of representation. His constant striving for new means of expression is the primary lesson of Picasso’s art.
The Blue period
Shortly after moving to Paris from Barcelona, he began to produce works that were suffused in blue. This particular pigment is effective in conveying a sombre tone. The psychological trigger for those depressing paintings was the suicide of Picasso’s friend Casagemas. The Blue period is quite sentimental, but we must keep in mind that Picasso was still in his late teens, away from home for the first time and living in a very poor conditions.
The Rose period
In 1905-06, Picasso’s palette began to lighten considerably, bringing in distinctive beige or “rose” tone. The subject matter is also less depressing. Paintings from the “Rose period” often show fairground performers in contemplative mood. Here are the first appearances of the circus performers and clowns that would populate Picasso’s painting at various stages throughout his long career.
The Beginnings of Cubism
In late 1906, Picasso started to paint in a truly revolutionary manner. Inspired by Cezanne’s flattened depiction of space and, working alongside his friend Georges Braque, he began to express space in strongly geometrical terms. These initial efforts at developing this almost sculptured sense of space in painting are the beginning of Cubism. The exhibition “The Early Years” traced his development from 1892-1906 just prior to the advent of Cubism.
Analytical Cubism
By 1910, Picasso and Braque had developed Cubism into an entirely new means of pictorial expression. In the initial stage known as Analytical Cubism, objects were deconstructed into their components. In some cases, this was a means to depict different viewpoints simultaneously; in other works it was used more as a method of visually laying out the Facts of the object, rather than providing a limited mimetic representation. The aim of Analytical cubism was to produce a conceptual image of an object, as opposed to a perceptual one.
Synthetic Cubism
In 1912, Picasso took the conceptual representation of Cubism to its logical conclusion by pasting an actual piece of oil cloth onto the canvas. This was a key watershed in Modern Art. By incorporating the real world into the canvas, Picasso and Braque opened up a century worth of exploration in the meaning of Art.
Between the wars
The collaboration between Picasso and Braque was ended by the First World War. After the war, Picasso, reflecting society’s disillusionment and shock with the technological horrors of the war, reverted to Classic mode of representation. At the same time, however he was continuing to push Cubism into new paths. During the 30s Picasso got connected with the Surrealist movement. Although Andre Breton tried to recruit Picasso, he remained ultimately aloof from any school of art throughout his career.
Picasso the legend
By the late ’30s, Picasso was the most famous artist in the world. He was called upon to depict the brutality of fascist aggression in Spanish Civil War with the monumental “Guernica”. Other paintings from this period reflect the horror of war, but there is a consistent depiction of personal interest. The women in Picasso’s had a major impact on his artistic production, and some of the best examples are from this period.
The Late Work
In the last two decades of his long career, Picasso produced more work than at any other time of his life. During this period, some works are not only dated by month and day, but by a numeral (I, II, III) indicating multiple work created that single day.
This late period tends to be overlooked, but contains some of the finest of Picasso’s paintings. Some critics maintain Picasso was creatively lazy at this point, but a close look at the work is very rewarding. He had achieved a level of effortless artistic expression that has still not been fully appreciated.
Regardless of our position on Picasso’s personal and artistic life each one of us can in view of own mortality be awed by his final self portrait
At the time of his death he had been possessing 50,000 works made by him in various media like paintings, ceramics, sculptures and papers. He was astonishing in inventing new ideas. The 80 year- time span of his life was devoted to art. Perhaps nobody else in history has got such a productive artistic life. Picasso died on April 8, 1973 in France. His works are now property of government of France. A museum on his name has been made in France where all of his works have been preserved.
Nayab
The Hungry Planet
The Hungry Planet
“O God! I thank you for the food provided to me, make me worthy of the food, that I am going to take."
I am accustomed to chant these sacred lines, which I along with my chums was taught to utter before taking the meal. However, do we ever think about the finest creations of the same god for whom even stale bread seems to be rare commodity to achieve? Do I make any hyperbole when I concede a bitter fact that --'balanced diet' and 'a la carte' -- these sorts of words are unfamiliar to them? Their marathon to manage a square meal really tolls the bells of mind and shakes the foundation of term "standard of living".
My whole agony derives its inspiration, rather elements from the report "The state of food insecurity in the world "published recently by FAO .According to which when human beings are planning to spend their vacation on moon ,near about 850 millions of us are engaged in a savage battle against 'hunger' and 'malnutrition'. Out of which 820 million people live in developing countries .Every year ,near about 50 lakh children (below five year of age) belonging to third- world countries screams and lastly sleeps in the lap of their mother, that too forever...{sadly India contributes 24.2 lakhs to it}.
So, will not the bills on the issues like education, economic- growth, IT sound hollow and somehow penny-pinching to them? When the world is busy in setting new milestones in the fields like nuclear science, space research, defence technology ,on the other side ,who will care for the grim fate of people who look towards World Bank and FAO for few bags of grains. Is not this very fact authenticates the very quote of Rudyard Kipling "White man's burden" even at the time when we are going to celebrate our 56th republic day.
Still I am optimistic as we have the potential to emerge as a superpower and I have some suggestions for solving this food crisis----
1. NEED TO HAVE A MANAGEMANT BODY AT CENTRAL LEVEL
This body will implement the existing govt. policies regarding ration-distribution strictly, thus checking black marketing and price hike of staple food. It will abolish corruption and provide innovative guidelines in making new laws, which will be executed, on economic basis and not on caste or regional basis.
2. BETTER UTILIZATION OF FUNDS
The financial aids given by world bodies, instead of falling prey to the bureaucratic hawks, should reach to the needy people directly. The govt. should also encourage bonafide NGO is working on grass root level.
3. SHUN THE CONVENTIONAL FARMING TECHNIQUES
Due to influence of urbanisation until 2020 AD, only 55% of the total Indian population will have farming as their occupation. Therefore, it is high time to focus on the urgent need of scientific temperament and better irrigation facility. This will help us in rising as a self-independent nation as far as the productivity is concerned.
4. BETTER CO-ORDINATION BETWEEN STATES
A better understanding among states will play a vital role in channelising the resources like buffer-stocks and controlling the prices. The proper food management, thus, save the live of the people living in drought or flood prone area.
5. ERADICATION OF PROVERTY
The time demands our attention towards the Gandhian thought of setting small-scale industries and new co-operatives. The need is also to make the provisions of giving loans and other helps to the poor more transparent. Generation of employment should be given the top priority. We will have to concentrate on the downtrodden class and the policies made must consider their problems as Amratya Sen also emphasised upon that.
Then only every citizen of the world will thank the god in true sense and this world will become a better place to live in for all of us.
Alok Kumar
JNU
The Hungry Planet
“O God! I thank you for the food provided to me, make me worthy of the food, that I am going to take."
I am accustomed to chant these sacred lines, which I along with my chums was taught to utter before taking the meal. However, do we ever think about the finest creations of the same god for whom even stale bread seems to be rare commodity to achieve? Do I make any hyperbole when I concede a bitter fact that --'balanced diet' and 'a la carte' -- these sorts of words are unfamiliar to them? Their marathon to manage a square meal really tolls the bells of mind and shakes the foundation of term "standard of living".
My whole agony derives its inspiration, rather elements from the report "The state of food insecurity in the world "published recently by FAO .According to which when human beings are planning to spend their vacation on moon ,near about 850 millions of us are engaged in a savage battle against 'hunger' and 'malnutrition'. Out of which 820 million people live in developing countries .Every year ,near about 50 lakh children (below five year of age) belonging to third- world countries screams and lastly sleeps in the lap of their mother, that too forever...{sadly India contributes 24.2 lakhs to it}.
So, will not the bills on the issues like education, economic- growth, IT sound hollow and somehow penny-pinching to them? When the world is busy in setting new milestones in the fields like nuclear science, space research, defence technology ,on the other side ,who will care for the grim fate of people who look towards World Bank and FAO for few bags of grains. Is not this very fact authenticates the very quote of Rudyard Kipling "White man's burden" even at the time when we are going to celebrate our 56th republic day.
Still I am optimistic as we have the potential to emerge as a superpower and I have some suggestions for solving this food crisis----
1. NEED TO HAVE A MANAGEMANT BODY AT CENTRAL LEVEL
This body will implement the existing govt. policies regarding ration-distribution strictly, thus checking black marketing and price hike of staple food. It will abolish corruption and provide innovative guidelines in making new laws, which will be executed, on economic basis and not on caste or regional basis.
2. BETTER UTILIZATION OF FUNDS
The financial aids given by world bodies, instead of falling prey to the bureaucratic hawks, should reach to the needy people directly. The govt. should also encourage bonafide NGO is working on grass root level.
3. SHUN THE CONVENTIONAL FARMING TECHNIQUES
Due to influence of urbanisation until 2020 AD, only 55% of the total Indian population will have farming as their occupation. Therefore, it is high time to focus on the urgent need of scientific temperament and better irrigation facility. This will help us in rising as a self-independent nation as far as the productivity is concerned.
4. BETTER CO-ORDINATION BETWEEN STATES
A better understanding among states will play a vital role in channelising the resources like buffer-stocks and controlling the prices. The proper food management, thus, save the live of the people living in drought or flood prone area.
5. ERADICATION OF PROVERTY
The time demands our attention towards the Gandhian thought of setting small-scale industries and new co-operatives. The need is also to make the provisions of giving loans and other helps to the poor more transparent. Generation of employment should be given the top priority. We will have to concentrate on the downtrodden class and the policies made must consider their problems as Amratya Sen also emphasised upon that.
Then only every citizen of the world will thank the god in true sense and this world will become a better place to live in for all of us.
Alok Kumar
JNU
VOTE OF THANKS
We are proud to present the eleventh edition of ‘SAMAR’. We hope you must have enjoyed the magazine. You can also read the magazine online at www.mysamar.blogspot.com. You can also give your feedback through e-mail or post.
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Letter from the Editor
“Unity to be real must stand the severest strain without breaking”.
~Mahatma Gandhi
Villagers in India show a deep loyalty to their village, identifying themselves to strangers as residents of a particular village, harking back to family residence in the village that typically defines them. A family rooted in a particular village does not easily move to another and even people who have lived in a city for a generation or two refer to their ancestral village as "our village."
Indian Villagers share use of common village facilities – the village pond, grazing grounds, temples and shrines, cremation grounds, schools, sitting spaces under large shade trees, wells, and wastelands. Perhaps equally important, fellow villagers share knowledge of their common origin in a locale and of each other's secrets. Mutuality in rural life provides a sense of unity among residents of a village.
Likewise, Samar believes in unity, togetherness and brotherhood. Samar is trying to develop unity among youth through knowledge sharing.
Thank you.
Yours truly,
Editor
~Mahatma Gandhi
Villagers in India show a deep loyalty to their village, identifying themselves to strangers as residents of a particular village, harking back to family residence in the village that typically defines them. A family rooted in a particular village does not easily move to another and even people who have lived in a city for a generation or two refer to their ancestral village as "our village."
Indian Villagers share use of common village facilities – the village pond, grazing grounds, temples and shrines, cremation grounds, schools, sitting spaces under large shade trees, wells, and wastelands. Perhaps equally important, fellow villagers share knowledge of their common origin in a locale and of each other's secrets. Mutuality in rural life provides a sense of unity among residents of a village.
Likewise, Samar believes in unity, togetherness and brotherhood. Samar is trying to develop unity among youth through knowledge sharing.
Thank you.
Yours truly,
Editor
United We Stand
Why is it the case that we need any incident or accident rather to take place to stand united and act as a unit? All of us stand united, work together as a cohesive force to rescue the casualties. At that moment, we go so busy and get such devoted for the rescuing work that we even forget as to what religion and caste the subjects belong. We forget the rigid and difficult questions of cultural identities. The question, which stands, is, why can’t we be in the same state of mind always and forever. Why always some external force or agency is required for us to work in the most human way? The answer is that {we have gone such inhuman} it takes fountains of blood to provoke the feeling of love, humanity and our duty towards our country. When something happens, we start blaming others. The military services blame the Government sources. Ministers blame the foreign agents and then someone will blame someone else .The list is endless. Fact is that we all are equally responsible. I don’t know how long we will keep blaming each other like this. The time has arrived to take the responsibilities on ourselves.
This has been high time till we have waited for things to work out. But nothing's changed. India has been fighting against terrorism almost for two decades now. And what we have come to know is that the condition has deteriorated and been worsen. We can't wait for long and leave things on their own. We should stand and try to deliver.
We have heard a number of times "Nothing's going to be alright for this country" or "This country is going from bad to worse". I would like to raise a question to those who say these things. Why don’t they work for the betterment of this country? Why don’t they join the politics and political parties? Why don’t they join the Administrative services, become IAS or IPS and work for their country? Get into the system and make things happen. Just sitting with a cup of tea in your living room won't change anything. We will have to work for things to happen and work out.
It is a very disheartening fact that it’s been 60 years since our independence. And till date 30 % and above of
our population still lives below poverty line . A large number of people are suffering with fatal diseases like AIDS. We aren't still Polio free. Literacy is way below the average line of literacy in the world. Every year we are spending 60% on our Defence services and aren't able to roam freely in J & K. Rather than working as a strong cohesive force for the betterment of our country, we keep bitching and fighting on the grounds of the religion and caste.
If we keep fighting like this, it is not out of sight and not impossible that the word "SECULAR" will loose its importance for surely in INDIA.
Anurag Anand
This has been high time till we have waited for things to work out. But nothing's changed. India has been fighting against terrorism almost for two decades now. And what we have come to know is that the condition has deteriorated and been worsen. We can't wait for long and leave things on their own. We should stand and try to deliver.
We have heard a number of times "Nothing's going to be alright for this country" or "This country is going from bad to worse". I would like to raise a question to those who say these things. Why don’t they work for the betterment of this country? Why don’t they join the politics and political parties? Why don’t they join the Administrative services, become IAS or IPS and work for their country? Get into the system and make things happen. Just sitting with a cup of tea in your living room won't change anything. We will have to work for things to happen and work out.
It is a very disheartening fact that it’s been 60 years since our independence. And till date 30 % and above of
our population still lives below poverty line . A large number of people are suffering with fatal diseases like AIDS. We aren't still Polio free. Literacy is way below the average line of literacy in the world. Every year we are spending 60% on our Defence services and aren't able to roam freely in J & K. Rather than working as a strong cohesive force for the betterment of our country, we keep bitching and fighting on the grounds of the religion and caste.
If we keep fighting like this, it is not out of sight and not impossible that the word "SECULAR" will loose its importance for surely in INDIA.
Anurag Anand
The Hungry Planet
“O God! I thank you for the food provided to me, make me worthy of the food, that I am going to take."
I am accustomed to chant these sacred lines, which I along with my chums was taught to utter before taking the meal. However, do we ever think about the finest creations of the same god for whom even stale bread seems to be rare commodity to achieve? Do I make any hyperbole when I concede a bitter fact that --'balanced diet' and 'a la carte' -- these sorts of words are unfamiliar to them? Their marathon to manage a square meal really tolls the bells of mind and shakes the foundation of term "standard of living".
I am accustomed to chant these sacred lines, which I along with my chums was taught to utter before taking the meal. However, do we ever think about the finest creations of the same god for whom even stale bread seems to be rare commodity to achieve? Do I make any hyperbole when I concede a bitter fact that --'balanced diet' and 'a la carte' -- these sorts of words are unfamiliar to them? Their marathon to manage a square meal really tolls the bells of mind and shakes the foundation of term "standard of living".
My whole agony derives its inspiration, rather elements from the report "The state of food insecurity in the world "published recently by FAO .According to which when human beings are planning to spend their vacation on moon ,near about 850 millions of us are engaged in a savage battle against 'hunger' and 'malnutrition'. Out of which 820 million people live in developing countries .Every year ,near about 50 lakh children (below five year of age) belonging to third- world countries screams and lastly sleeps in the lap of their mother, that too forever...{sadly India contributes 24.2 lakhs to it}.
So, will not the bills on the issues like education, economic- growth, IT sound hollow and somehow penny-pinching to them? When the world is busy in setting new milestones in the fields like nuclear science, space research, defence technology ,on the other side ,who will care for the grim fate of people who look towards World Bank and FAO for few bags of grains. Is not this very fact authenticates the very quote of Rudyard Kipling "White man's burden" even at the time when we are going to celebrate our 56th republic day.
Still I am optimistic as we have the potential to emerge as a superpower and I have some suggestions for solving this food crisis----
1. NEED TO HAVE A MANAGEMANT BODY AT CENTRAL LEVEL
This body will implement the existing govt. policies regarding ration-distribution strictly, thus checking black marketing and price hike of staple food. It will abolish corruption and provide innovative guidelines in making new laws, which will be executed, on economic basis and not on caste or regional basis.
2. BETTER UTILIZATION OF FUNDS
The financial aids given by world bodies, instead of falling prey to the bureaucratic hawks, should reach to the needy people directly. The govt. should also encourage bonafide NGO is working on grass root level.
3. SHUN THE CONVENTIONAL FARMING TECHNIQUES
Due to influence of urbanisation until 2020 AD, only 55% of the total Indian population will have farming as their occupation. Therefore, it is high time to focus on the urgent need of scientific temperament and better irrigation facility. This will help us in rising as a self-independent nation as far as the productivity is concerned.
4. BETTER CO-ORDINATION BETWEEN STATES
A better understanding among states will play a vital role in channelising the resources like buffer-stocks and controlling the prices. The proper food management, thus, save the live of the people living in drought or flood prone area.
5. ERADICATION OF PROVERTY
The time demands our attention towards the Gandhian thought of setting small-scale industries and new co-operatives. The need is also to make the provisions of giving loans and other helps to the poor more transparent. Generation of employment should be given the top priority. We will have to concentrate on the downtrodden class and the policies made must consider their problems as Amratya Sen also emphasised upon that.
Then only every citizen of the world will thank the god in true sense and this world will become a better place to live in for all of us.
Alok kumar
B.A. (Hons.),
Foreign Language, Korean
Narmada,
Jawaharlal Nehru University,
Poets of the world
T.S.Eliot
Thomas Stearns Eliot was born in St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.A. He graduated from Harvard University in 1909. He went to London in 1914. He remained there and worked in different professions. He became a British subject in 1927. He served English literature, until his death, he died in London itself. However, he visited America as lecturer and teacher but he was no more an American.
Eliot’s poetry is poetry of social change. He was dejected and frustrated with society’s behaviour. He discarded many established norms and straightforwardly attacked on the ideological chaos of present society. Look at these lines-
We are the hollow men
We are the stuffed men
Leaning together
Headpiece filled with straw. Alas!
The above stanza is taken from Eliot’s one of the finest creation, ‘The Hollow Men’ (1925). The poem is not only a powerful strike on people’s ordinary behaviour towards beauties occur in life and after life but it is also shown as breaking the rule of orthodox poetry. The lines are long and short and they are not following the rhyming scheme. The poetic devices are often ignored in Eliot’s poetry. ‘The Hollow Men’ had made mark in literary arena. It showed that Eliot possessed a distinct art of writing poetry that did not look like orthodox art of writing poetry, especially in physical manner.
Eliot’s revolutionary methodology not only influenced English poets and writers but also writers from other parts of the world. I remember, noted Hindi writer Agey (1911-1987) who was torchbearer of progressive poetry movement in Hindi poetry writes on several occasions that Eliot has heavily influenced him. Eliot’s imageries were fresh and new, they broke the old, heavy and dull stone of metaphors. The age of lyrical ballad and melancholy elegy has transformed into the age of broken verses where the poet is not bound to poetic devices. This happened in England only due to Eliot’s mastery. The similar thing happened in India in 1940s, when Agey edited ‘Taar Saptak’ (It was an anthology of poems of seven poets, edited by Agey )
This book had all new kind of poetry having new imageries, new metaphors and new similes. They were too simple to be called lyrical. This was called – Nayee Kavita (new poetry) by Agey.
Eliot was, as said earlier disappointed with the moral decaying of society. He makes mockery of the achievements of society of his time. In a poem he creates, an imaginary character called Macavity, which is troublesome for everybody in the society-
Macavity is a cat; he’s called the Hidden Paw-
For he’s the master criminal who can defy the Law.
He is the bafflement of Scotland Yard, the flying squad’s despair
For when they reach the scene of crime - Macavity is not there!
Macavity, Macaviy, there is no one like Macavity;
He’s broken every human law; he breaks the law of gravity
His powers of levitation would make a fakir stare;
And when you reach the scene of crime – Macavity’s not there
His most famous work is probably ‘The waste land’ published 1992. His friend and critic Ezra Pound (1885-1972) edited this book. He himself was a great poet. He promoted a number of poets and was harbinger of modern movement in English and American literature. Eliot was also one of them who got promotion and acclaim with the buck up of Pound. Initially ‘The waste land’ had 800 lines but on the suggestion of Ezra Pound Eliot cut it down to 433 lines. The wasteland brought him an international reputation. The wasteland was an example of disillusionment with world. This disillusionment and dejection was created by World war one.
When he left America, he spent one or two years in France and attended Bergson’s philosophical lectures, which influenced him too much. There he read heavily about mystical poets. John Donne, Webster, influenced him. He came back to America in 1911 to study Indian philosophy at Harvard. He even learnt Sanskrit but he again went to Europe and never could reside in America again.
This was the time he had started writing poetry. His poetry during undergraduate study was conventional and simple. Later he developed his own style. His first important publication, which was going to set a mark of modernism in English, was ‘The love song of J. Alfred Prufrock. Eliot showed with this, that he’s not only master of letter but also he has brought something new in English. This new was not only Eliot’s personal ambition but it was the need of time. Eliot was trying to create new verse rhythms based on rhythms of contemporary speech. He sought a poetic diction that might be spoken by an educated person being “neither pedantic nor vulgar” (Eliot’s own words)
Thomas Stearns Eliot was born in St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.A. He graduated from Harvard University in 1909. He went to London in 1914. He remained there and worked in different professions. He became a British subject in 1927. He served English literature, until his death, he died in London itself. However, he visited America as lecturer and teacher but he was no more an American.
Eliot’s poetry is poetry of social change. He was dejected and frustrated with society’s behaviour. He discarded many established norms and straightforwardly attacked on the ideological chaos of present society. Look at these lines-
We are the hollow men
We are the stuffed men
Leaning together
Headpiece filled with straw. Alas!
The above stanza is taken from Eliot’s one of the finest creation, ‘The Hollow Men’ (1925). The poem is not only a powerful strike on people’s ordinary behaviour towards beauties occur in life and after life but it is also shown as breaking the rule of orthodox poetry. The lines are long and short and they are not following the rhyming scheme. The poetic devices are often ignored in Eliot’s poetry. ‘The Hollow Men’ had made mark in literary arena. It showed that Eliot possessed a distinct art of writing poetry that did not look like orthodox art of writing poetry, especially in physical manner.
Eliot’s revolutionary methodology not only influenced English poets and writers but also writers from other parts of the world. I remember, noted Hindi writer Agey (1911-1987) who was torchbearer of progressive poetry movement in Hindi poetry writes on several occasions that Eliot has heavily influenced him. Eliot’s imageries were fresh and new, they broke the old, heavy and dull stone of metaphors. The age of lyrical ballad and melancholy elegy has transformed into the age of broken verses where the poet is not bound to poetic devices. This happened in England only due to Eliot’s mastery. The similar thing happened in India in 1940s, when Agey edited ‘Taar Saptak’ (It was an anthology of poems of seven poets, edited by Agey )
This book had all new kind of poetry having new imageries, new metaphors and new similes. They were too simple to be called lyrical. This was called – Nayee Kavita (new poetry) by Agey.
Eliot was, as said earlier disappointed with the moral decaying of society. He makes mockery of the achievements of society of his time. In a poem he creates, an imaginary character called Macavity, which is troublesome for everybody in the society-
Macavity is a cat; he’s called the Hidden Paw-
For he’s the master criminal who can defy the Law.
He is the bafflement of Scotland Yard, the flying squad’s despair
For when they reach the scene of crime - Macavity is not there!
Macavity, Macaviy, there is no one like Macavity;
He’s broken every human law; he breaks the law of gravity
His powers of levitation would make a fakir stare;
And when you reach the scene of crime – Macavity’s not there
His most famous work is probably ‘The waste land’ published 1992. His friend and critic Ezra Pound (1885-1972) edited this book. He himself was a great poet. He promoted a number of poets and was harbinger of modern movement in English and American literature. Eliot was also one of them who got promotion and acclaim with the buck up of Pound. Initially ‘The waste land’ had 800 lines but on the suggestion of Ezra Pound Eliot cut it down to 433 lines. The wasteland brought him an international reputation. The wasteland was an example of disillusionment with world. This disillusionment and dejection was created by World war one.
When he left America, he spent one or two years in France and attended Bergson’s philosophical lectures, which influenced him too much. There he read heavily about mystical poets. John Donne, Webster, influenced him. He came back to America in 1911 to study Indian philosophy at Harvard. He even learnt Sanskrit but he again went to Europe and never could reside in America again.
This was the time he had started writing poetry. His poetry during undergraduate study was conventional and simple. Later he developed his own style. His first important publication, which was going to set a mark of modernism in English, was ‘The love song of J. Alfred Prufrock. Eliot showed with this, that he’s not only master of letter but also he has brought something new in English. This new was not only Eliot’s personal ambition but it was the need of time. Eliot was trying to create new verse rhythms based on rhythms of contemporary speech. He sought a poetic diction that might be spoken by an educated person being “neither pedantic nor vulgar” (Eliot’s own words)
In 1919, he published poems, which contained the celebrated poem ‘Gerontion (meaning old age; here in the poem an old man is depicted). This poem is interior monologue. Some lines from this poem are given below-
Here I am, an old man in a dry month,
Being read to by a boy, waiting for rain
I was neither at the hot gates
Nor knee deep in the salt marsh heaving a cutlass
Bitter by flies fought
Interior monologue means a literary piece in which the narrator talks about himself he gives his own description. This had not ever happened in English.
Eliot’s poetry was developing along with his works on criticism. He wrote many masterly woven essays on poetry and philosophy. The first book in this series was the ‘Sacred wood’ (1920). He himself said that a poet must write “programmatic criticism” that expresses the poet’s own interest as a poet. This book helped in understanding Eliot’s unorthodox poetry. Other important books of criticism, were ‘The use of poetry and the use of criticism’(1993), ‘Thoughts after Lambeth’(1931), ‘The Idea of Christian Society’ and ‘Notes Towards the Definition of Culture’(1948). These essays were broadening the space of criticism into the space of the sociology and philosophy.
The criticism by Eliot was actually trying to grasp the essence of theology and philosophy also and same ploy he was using in his poetry and it was at its best when he was converted to subject of Church of England. That is why his critics say that his poetry and criticism were interwoven.
The masterpiece created by Eliot is ‘The four quartets’. This book has four parts; the first quartet ‘Burnt Norton’ was written in 1936, three other quartets are ‘East Coker’ (1940), ‘The Dry salvages’ (1941) and ‘Little Gidding’(1942). These four quartets were published as a single book in 1943. This book led Eliot to the award of Nobel Prize in 1948 for Literature.
Eliot had written many plays, which were performed in London, but they were not claimed as artistic as his poetry is. He started writing plays in 1920s but abandoned in 1930s. After World war-two, he resumed writing plays. Prominent among them are ‘The cocktail Party’ (1949), ‘The confidential clerk’ (1953), ‘The Elder Statesman’ (1958). These plays could not get such popularity as his poetry had.
Eliot died on 4th January 1965 in London England.
Return to basics: A Travelogue
Perhaps each of us has gone through such feelings when we do anything out of the way, which is not compatible with present trends of the society. One of such works is to visit your native village where your ancestors spent their childhood. When you live in a glittering city, it is difficult to trade its glamour with simplicity of an Indian village where scarcity of common amenities is very likely. However, for me visiting my native village is like returning to my basics. It was not only an ordinary visit and it was a delight.
Lahsania - a village on Northern boundary of India, close to Nepal is situated on the bank of Bhagmati River in district of East Champaran. It is very unlucky to get flooded almost every alternate year. However, to a great surprise in 2004 when almost the whole of Bihar was in flood, Lahsania was the only village safe and secured. The population of the village is nearly 3000 and people generally speak Bhojpuri. The soil is very fertile so the chief occupation is farming. Banana grows in abundance and is even exported to the nearby markets. But apart from this at least one or two members of each family lives either in Mumbai or in Saudi Arabia to earn a better a livelihood.
This was a brief description of the place where I celebrated Id ul fitr this year. This was not my first visit to Lahsania but this time I tried to study this village. It was not a difficult task; in fact, it turned out to be very interesting experience. Soon after sunset, a blanket of darkness covers the village but that brings out the best part of the day. How? This is the time when one is compelled to believe that peace and harmony does exist in some part of the earth. Whole of Lahsania gets into groups five to ten. They acquire places anywhere they find suitable - on the roadside, teashops, in frontyards of their houses etc. They discuss different topics, their own problems and talk about social matters. This usually lasts for two to three hours every evening.
Children of this village are very attractive. They are very much curious. Curious for what is unanswered. Most of the children carry transistors wherever they go. Radio is used for hearing songs and cricket match commentary only. Once I saw a video song of a popular artist Himesh Reshamiya, in company of some other boys. One of them commented “ ee itna hero bantan ki topi kahiyo na utar tan”(he thinks himself a superstar that he never puts off his cap). Once I heard two boys conversing that Sharukh Khan looks very smart in Munna Bhai MBBS. The ignorance about cinema and other mode of communication is because there is no electricity supply in the village. My grandfather told me that once the government tried to supply electricity to Lahsania but some old people stopped it due to the fear of catching fire. Interesting to know that Lahsania is prone to flood and fire both.
One thing I found very odd bout this village. Life style of members of the same family greatly varies. Elder brother sports casual t-shirt and jeans while the younger brother does not even have a vest to wear. I was surprised on Eid when I saw Jumman wearing branded jeans and t-shirt and while his younger brother was wearing a kurta hardly pressed. I asked Jumman he said that he works in a factory in Mumbai. His Seth (boss) has discarded the clothes and gave it to him but he has no money to buy something good for his brother and family.
Everything was good and satisfactory except one thing; the village is going backward day by day in the field of education. No sooner, a child reaches the age of nine or ten his parents send him to Delhi or Mumbai to earn money. I just counted that my friends with whom I used to play in my childhood days on my fingers. I found that thirty-one of them are working in Mumbai only. Those who are not working are studying in Madarsa or Maktab. They can hardly do anything for development of society because they are not living in a good environment. Even now, child marriage is practised here though it has decreased a lot.
Overall, Lahsania is a good place – geographically, socially and to some extent even economically. Hope it will progress and advance towards development.
Shahbaz
Lahsania - a village on Northern boundary of India, close to Nepal is situated on the bank of Bhagmati River in district of East Champaran. It is very unlucky to get flooded almost every alternate year. However, to a great surprise in 2004 when almost the whole of Bihar was in flood, Lahsania was the only village safe and secured. The population of the village is nearly 3000 and people generally speak Bhojpuri. The soil is very fertile so the chief occupation is farming. Banana grows in abundance and is even exported to the nearby markets. But apart from this at least one or two members of each family lives either in Mumbai or in Saudi Arabia to earn a better a livelihood.
This was a brief description of the place where I celebrated Id ul fitr this year. This was not my first visit to Lahsania but this time I tried to study this village. It was not a difficult task; in fact, it turned out to be very interesting experience. Soon after sunset, a blanket of darkness covers the village but that brings out the best part of the day. How? This is the time when one is compelled to believe that peace and harmony does exist in some part of the earth. Whole of Lahsania gets into groups five to ten. They acquire places anywhere they find suitable - on the roadside, teashops, in frontyards of their houses etc. They discuss different topics, their own problems and talk about social matters. This usually lasts for two to three hours every evening.
Children of this village are very attractive. They are very much curious. Curious for what is unanswered. Most of the children carry transistors wherever they go. Radio is used for hearing songs and cricket match commentary only. Once I saw a video song of a popular artist Himesh Reshamiya, in company of some other boys. One of them commented “ ee itna hero bantan ki topi kahiyo na utar tan”(he thinks himself a superstar that he never puts off his cap). Once I heard two boys conversing that Sharukh Khan looks very smart in Munna Bhai MBBS. The ignorance about cinema and other mode of communication is because there is no electricity supply in the village. My grandfather told me that once the government tried to supply electricity to Lahsania but some old people stopped it due to the fear of catching fire. Interesting to know that Lahsania is prone to flood and fire both.
One thing I found very odd bout this village. Life style of members of the same family greatly varies. Elder brother sports casual t-shirt and jeans while the younger brother does not even have a vest to wear. I was surprised on Eid when I saw Jumman wearing branded jeans and t-shirt and while his younger brother was wearing a kurta hardly pressed. I asked Jumman he said that he works in a factory in Mumbai. His Seth (boss) has discarded the clothes and gave it to him but he has no money to buy something good for his brother and family.
Everything was good and satisfactory except one thing; the village is going backward day by day in the field of education. No sooner, a child reaches the age of nine or ten his parents send him to Delhi or Mumbai to earn money. I just counted that my friends with whom I used to play in my childhood days on my fingers. I found that thirty-one of them are working in Mumbai only. Those who are not working are studying in Madarsa or Maktab. They can hardly do anything for development of society because they are not living in a good environment. Even now, child marriage is practised here though it has decreased a lot.
Overall, Lahsania is a good place – geographically, socially and to some extent even economically. Hope it will progress and advance towards development.
Shahbaz
Misery and Me
This is the right time for us (youth) to speak, because our thoughts, words and actions can rock the whole nation. We have been seeing since generations, the poverty and the misery around us. These miseries and poverty are not new and for centuries it exists and spreading like fire.
There is nothing to be surprised at if I say that there is always one, who wishes to change the complete pattern, but his beautiful idea are always sent to exile. This ‘noble man’ cannot bring his ideas into reality, for we stop and send him to exile. ‘We’ are such engrossed to glorify our external beauty that we are not left with our rationale to think good for our society and people. Each one of us knows this, but still we have cocooned ourselves with false satisfaction of our material need, external appearance and all imageries. We are in the world of our own made beliefs, where everything is considered excellent. It is just our false satisfaction, which has moulded us.
The youths of this era are bankrupt of their feelings for poor around them. Our monstrous ideas, which we call, as fashionable trend is the only thing, which makes us happy. The only thing worth mentioning is that our conscience does not appeal us, for it is dead.
The poor do not come on themselves. They have been exploited since decades and centuries. They are deprived of their rights and the deprived of their education.
To assert my views more firmly I would like to present a short, appealing and a true story.
One early morning, I was getting later for my tuition and was walking fast. On the opposite side of the road a man, who looked like a servant came and emptied the waded dustbin perhaps with the left over food of last day. Before I could comprehend anything, two women came running and started quarrelling over the food; they fought, thrashed and snatched the food from each other. I was completely aghast because it was the first time I saw such a situation. My movement stopped and I watched it for minutes and it was a bit difficult for me to believe that even such people do exist in this world. The scene occurred in my mind for many days and I still remember it.
We can give our big support to them and if we cannot, then it is the dearth of our good creativity. Our one humane touch to the society and people can fulfil our noble dream. The dream which everybody possesses in his eyes that one day this world will become beautiful.
“If we think deeply of time, then we will get a conclusion that time is precious and we are wasting it freely.”
Let us get prepared to give a start to the new era of unbounded success with the spirit of brotherhood and sprit of social humanity.
Asim Abdullah
Let us be Together
What if I am black and you white?
Why you abuse us and start a fight?
What is it that makes us so different?
Look at us! We are also innocent
With you we live in same gutter
Give it a thought and let us be together
. .
Tell me if it is religion or colour of our skin?
Do you have any reason to fight like sin?
What is it that has created a lacuna?
Even Shrek was married to Fiona
Like you even, I had bread and butter
Give it a thought and let us be together
. .
How many deaths will it take to settle down?
What will happen if everything is drawn?
Who is going to gain and who will loose?
You are the decider you have to choose
with you, we take the same air
Give it a thought and let us be together
. .
What is it that compels you to hate us?
Why rainbow is loosing colours?
Why you hesitate to hold each other’s hand?
Kill your ego! We share same land
like you even, we call her Mother
Give it a thought and let us be together
Azmi
VOTE OF THANKS
We are proud to present the tenth edition of ‘SAMAR’. We hope you must have enjoyed the magazine. You can also read the magazine online at www.mysamar.blogspot.com. You can also give your feedback through e-mail or post.
Last but not the least; again, we would like to thank the readers, writers and sponsor of ‘SAMAR’.
EDITOR
NOTE: Do you support People’s initiative for complete Right to information? Kindly post or e-mail your views on the following address given below.
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Front Cover
Picture of Mahatama Gandhi, is one of the greatest leaders of 20th century. Samar is celebrating Mahatma Gandhi’s 137th birth anniversary.
Letter from the Editor
“Recall the face of the poorest man whom you may have seen and ask yourself if the step you contemplate is going to be any use of him. Will he gain anything of it? Will it restore him to a control over his own life and destiny? In other words, will it lead to Swaraj for the hungry and spiritually starring millions?
Then you will find yourself, your doubts melting away.”
M.K.Gandhi
We are celebrating Mahatma Gandhi’s 137th birth anniversary. On this occasion, we salute all those who have done their duty and peacefully left this world to their final abode. What was their duty? Their duty was to love humanity. And to love humanity you must possess a very gritty and high level charactery in you.
Gandhiji always talked about self-reformation because self-reformation is more important than social reformation. His art of living was such that you can easily learn how to live simply by seeing him for once or twice. He ever earned for waste paper material. He would never throw, when a pencil would become very small. He knew that this country is starved of resources. We must care about each & every small step taken by us. Our small steps can create big impact on others especially on those who do not come in affluent or privileged class. This is must for the Swaraj.
Samar salutes this brilliant idea. It urges people to regularly have some introspection. Try to find where your steps are going. Try to rethink about yourself about your next work or next deed. We are with those who are winning their self and then reaching out to conquer the world.
Thank you.
Yours truly,
Then you will find yourself, your doubts melting away.”
M.K.Gandhi
We are celebrating Mahatma Gandhi’s 137th birth anniversary. On this occasion, we salute all those who have done their duty and peacefully left this world to their final abode. What was their duty? Their duty was to love humanity. And to love humanity you must possess a very gritty and high level charactery in you.
Gandhiji always talked about self-reformation because self-reformation is more important than social reformation. His art of living was such that you can easily learn how to live simply by seeing him for once or twice. He ever earned for waste paper material. He would never throw, when a pencil would become very small. He knew that this country is starved of resources. We must care about each & every small step taken by us. Our small steps can create big impact on others especially on those who do not come in affluent or privileged class. This is must for the Swaraj.
Samar salutes this brilliant idea. It urges people to regularly have some introspection. Try to find where your steps are going. Try to rethink about yourself about your next work or next deed. We are with those who are winning their self and then reaching out to conquer the world.
Thank you.
Yours truly,
Editor
Your Voice
One thing, I would like to say to the editor that please keep on the discussions, especially based on “RTI” that also include some materials, related to our Ganga Jamuna tehzeeb.
I would like to request to the editor that also give some place for regular columns
Thank you,
Chinmayanand singh
Patna
I would like to request to the editor that also give some place for regular columns
Thank you,
Chinmayanand singh
Patna
History Revisited
Kashmir has fascinated civilised humans for thousand of years. She has attracted many warriors, kings, poets, sages and scholars but she has been always out of reach of all these men. She is young damsel who is blandishing her eyes and flowing her hairs to encourage the people to rush towards her in their off senses. They take their horses and swords, carriages and wheels, imagination & zeal to have some exchange of glances with her but all of them have fallen on her feet. She is like an arrogant princess laughing on their defeat with one hand on her bosoms another on her beaming cheeks.
Now, fate and destiny have changed for Kashmir. Its body is stained with blood. Its beautiful valleys have been notched off beautiful sceneries and horrifying patches have been put instead. One can’t count its wounds. One can’t think how to heal its uncountable and immensely paining wounds. Even if you can, some scar marks will be left behind.
The history is a mute spectator. It watches each and every minute detail with patience and tolerance. When it speaks out, it utters the slightest details of times and events. It is so bold in telling truth that sometimes it sounds very harsh but it always talks crystal clear. It can never leave any culprit unscathed, it can never forgive anybody. What has been dotted in pages of history will come out. Her praises and applauses are worthy and unbiased, her warnings are firm & unbreakable and her truths are voluminous like volcanoes.
History of humanism
There is a folk story, very famous in Kashmir. It is about a woman whose name was Padmavati in her young age. She was married to a man who was not only ignorant, but cruel too. Her marriage brought the same old story of oppression live and real seen all the nook and corner of her life. She subjected her to cruelty in laws. She left her husband’s home and went to unknown place to search truth. When she came back from her mysterious journey, she had become a mystic and Sufi. She started preaching local villagers through her lyrical verses. She, like Kabir, opposed all the religious bigotries. She taught the lesson of love, kindness, service to humanity. In passage of time, she became Lalleswari for Hindus and Lalla Arifa for Muslims. Till then she had become a venerable character for all the Kashmiris. She is sill living in hymns songs and proverbs of Kashmiri language.
This Sufi woman adopted a son who was born in 1356 A.D. The boy was nurtured and nourished by Lalleswari’s motherly care. He was destined to become Sheikh Nuruddin - another sage to teach lessons of humanity. He too lived in the hearts of Hindus and Muslims. Nuruddin was called Nand Rishi by Hindus and Sheikh by Muslims. His grave is in midst of valley of Kashmir. The place is called Charar-e-Sharief. This dargah attracts large number of Hindus and Muslims who come there to get solace and peace.
The lalleswaris and nand rishis the hazratbals and chrar-e-shariefs are immortal remains of humanism. People do not come here to see whether the curtains are green or saffron, the symbols are made up of moon and stars or sun and trishul. Instead, they come here to weep out their woes. They have some unspeakable demands; they have something to say which they cannot say anywhere else; they have something to show, which they cannot show anywhere else. This is their natural faith, it does not know about doctrines of clergies and diplomacies of monarchs.
When the valley weeps these pilgrimages, soak the tears of this wailing widow.
History of kings, kingdoms and their tiaras
The oldest and most authentic book which describes about Kashmir is Rajtarangini (king of rivers) written by a Pandit scholar, Kalhana. This book was completed in AD 1148. The book has eight parts, capturing the whole history of Kashmir till period of the compilation of the book. This book takes the story back in to the Mahabharata age, as it describes that 27 generations of Pandavas ruled over this state. However, the book relies more on the mythological and religious sources than history. This is why it is difficult for the readers to alienate the history from mythological stories, e.g. there was, it says, huge river called Sat Sari flowing there where at present Kashmir’s sprawling valley is situated. The war between Demons and devtas (trinity of Hindu gods, Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh) resulted in evolution of valley from beneath the river. The Gods seeing the beauty of the valley decided to reside in the Himalayas. This valley was a property of Rishi Kashyap. On his name, Kashmir was christened as the name of this vale.
The time passed with its own pace and lot of water flowed into Satluj; clans of Indo Aryan families inhabited The Kashmir. We know very poorly about that period of history of Kashmir, but it is evident that Hinduism was the primary religion and philosophy of the land.
Some more timepieces elapsed and there arose a great regent called Ashoka in India. This great Maurayan emperor brought Kashmir into ambit of his empire but he found resistance in Hinduism because Ashoka also tried to superimpose Buddhism. He failed. Two hundred years after the decline of Mauryan Empire, Kanishka, and a Kushan king ruled over from Kshmir to Bengal, brought Buddhism again in the valley. Not only that, Buddhism spread all over central Asia, Afghanistan ,Tibet by A.D. 352, and to China,
Japan and Korea by AD 552 from Kanishka’s Kashmir.
After Kanishka, a Hun ruler, Mihurkula set his empire in Kashmir. This was followed by Karkota dynasty. After that, there was rule of Utpala dynasty that ruled Kashmir from AD 855 to AD 1003. All these years were unhappy for Kashmir. For almost 400 years, Kashmir saw only marauders, killers, debauchery and lust in her own men and women. In short, there was nothing good to be written in history.
The time when Kalhana was writing last pages of his grand book, Rajtarangini, Kashmir was plagued by the incidents of intrigues, double-crossing and conspiracies. Regents were immoral and corrupt; public was thrashed on all quarters; junta was feeble and foolish; this beautiful woman called Kashmir was longing for someone to her fate.
This was the correct time for the rulers from the other sides to look towards Kashmir. First, Sultan of Delhi (at that time Quatabuddin Aibak was at throne in Delhi) tried his luck but his interest was half hearted. One of the most tyrannous and most cruel warriors ever born in history Changez Khan (or Genghiz Khan) made another attempt. He sent his marauders to Kashmir but they never reached Kashmir. Another Mongol conquered Kashmir sixty years after Changez. He was called Kublai Khan the great. His rule was extended from Tibet to modern Laddakh. This north - eastern part of Kashmir still today tastes the same old Mongol wine in its cultural delicacies.
On the same footing, this was also the right time for Sufis and sages to conquer the hearts of Kashmiris. It was the time when Sufi movement had swept all over Indian peninsula. It swept Kashmir too. At last, the sword of love wins the battle. What big staunch Muslim invaders could not do with their daggers and sabres these lean, wandering pantaloons had done. Thus, the advent of Islam happens in Kashmir.
M.J. Akbar in his book “Kashmir behind the Vale” writes-
“a strange and wondrous combinations of events – the arrival of a Musami Syed disciple of Sufi divine Shah Niamatullah Farsi of the Suharwardy order; the presence of an adventurer driven by a dream from his native Swat( now in Pakistan ); the death of great king Kublai Khan in distant Beijing, to name but three – created the conditions of the establishment of first Islam and then Muslim rule in the valley of Kashmir by the fourteenth century.”
Name of the Sufi was Syed Bilal Shah, lovingly called Bulbul Shah by the people of Kashmir. By the time, he died in 1327, the king, his brother and the commander in chief of army were Muslims, and the first mosque of Kashmir had been built in Shrinagar. Today this place where grave of Bulbul Shah and mosque are situated is called Bulbul langar.
M.J.Akbar in his book gives a description of the first Muslim King Shah Mir. It is not only interesting but unbelievable too. He was living in Swat and saw a dream that he will become a monarch one day, so he travelled all along to Kashmir to search his destiny. The trail of events was such that he actually seated on the throne of Shrinagar and remained there till his death. This dynasty ruled Kashmir for 222 years. This was a peaceful and prosperous time for Kashmir as well as its economy and polity. The greatest king of this period was Zainul abedin. People of the valley lovingly called him Bud shah because of his industrious works like popularising Kashmiri shawl.
Mughals ended this rule and Kashmir went to the hands of rulers who were not Kashmiri. On 28th March, 1586, Mughals captured the Kashmir. That day marked the end of Kashmir’s independence.
However, Akbar proved to be a great ruler for Kashmir. After Akbar, Jehangir too cared a lot for Kashmir. Jehangir’s love for Kashmir is evident from the scenic beauty of Shalimar Bagh and Nishat Bagh. He wanted to die there but he could not. After Jehangir, Shahjahan and Aurangzeb kept their mettle in Kashmir.
Yet again, the turbulent situation arose after the death of Aurangzb. In forty-six years after the death of the Mughal king Kashmir saw fifty-seven governors and all of the were pathetic. The religious bigotry, in now Muslim majority Kashmir was a common practise by governors and kings. This was the time when Afghan governors of Ahmad Shah Abdali snatched Kashmir and plundered it. M.J. Akbar in his book cites a couplet –
Puisdan az kharabiye gulshan zi baghban
Afghan kashid guft kiAfghan kharab kard.
(I asked, says the poet, who laid waste this garden. With a deep sigh he replied: “it was the Afghan “)
This couplet tells how much cruel that period was that still lies in the memories of poets and commons.
Afghan ruled Kashmir until, 1819. In 1819, Maharaja Ranjit Singh of Punjab captured Kashmir. But the rule was not very much justified, now the misruling was against the Muslims quite contrary as it was during the rule of the Afghans. The collapse of Kashmir was inevitable; it seemed, after the death of Ranjit Singh in 1839. The crimes and beggary again flourished in Kashmir. Eventually Kashmir never recovered from its catastrophe since 1753.
After Sikh rule, another fierce battle was fought; British defeated Sikhs and captured the big state of Punjab. They sold Kashmir to Gulab Singh Dogra for 75 lakhs rupees. He was a commander in Ranjit Singh’s army but he betrayed his king.
History of political satire
The satire made against the people of Kashmir had begun in 1846. Dogras helped British in Anglo- Sikh war in 1848 and more bravely supported them in 1857 to crush the first mutiny against British. Gulab Singh’s son Ranbir Singh was also loyal to the white masters and cruel for Kashmiris. But British slowly crept into Dogra’s Kashmir. First, an officer on duty (OSC) was sent then a civil court was created in 1872. In 1888, the OSC reciprocated his special position provided by the British by splitting the royal family. The raja was accused in a false case and disposed. Everybody was stunned. Now British have clasped Kashmir that they wanted to protect themselves from Tsarist Russia.
In 1925, Hari Singh became the king of Kashmir. Till then unemployment, illite
racy, poverty, discrimination against Muslims had become common practices. The public was against the British Raj and Hari Singh both. The total power of administration and law was under the authority of the King, there was no democracy. The British exercised the real power. The Dogras had become real feudal class.
Now, fate and destiny have changed for Kashmir. Its body is stained with blood. Its beautiful valleys have been notched off beautiful sceneries and horrifying patches have been put instead. One can’t count its wounds. One can’t think how to heal its uncountable and immensely paining wounds. Even if you can, some scar marks will be left behind.
The history is a mute spectator. It watches each and every minute detail with patience and tolerance. When it speaks out, it utters the slightest details of times and events. It is so bold in telling truth that sometimes it sounds very harsh but it always talks crystal clear. It can never leave any culprit unscathed, it can never forgive anybody. What has been dotted in pages of history will come out. Her praises and applauses are worthy and unbiased, her warnings are firm & unbreakable and her truths are voluminous like volcanoes.
History of humanism
There is a folk story, very famous in Kashmir. It is about a woman whose name was Padmavati in her young age. She was married to a man who was not only ignorant, but cruel too. Her marriage brought the same old story of oppression live and real seen all the nook and corner of her life. She subjected her to cruelty in laws. She left her husband’s home and went to unknown place to search truth. When she came back from her mysterious journey, she had become a mystic and Sufi. She started preaching local villagers through her lyrical verses. She, like Kabir, opposed all the religious bigotries. She taught the lesson of love, kindness, service to humanity. In passage of time, she became Lalleswari for Hindus and Lalla Arifa for Muslims. Till then she had become a venerable character for all the Kashmiris. She is sill living in hymns songs and proverbs of Kashmiri language.
This Sufi woman adopted a son who was born in 1356 A.D. The boy was nurtured and nourished by Lalleswari’s motherly care. He was destined to become Sheikh Nuruddin - another sage to teach lessons of humanity. He too lived in the hearts of Hindus and Muslims. Nuruddin was called Nand Rishi by Hindus and Sheikh by Muslims. His grave is in midst of valley of Kashmir. The place is called Charar-e-Sharief. This dargah attracts large number of Hindus and Muslims who come there to get solace and peace.
The lalleswaris and nand rishis the hazratbals and chrar-e-shariefs are immortal remains of humanism. People do not come here to see whether the curtains are green or saffron, the symbols are made up of moon and stars or sun and trishul. Instead, they come here to weep out their woes. They have some unspeakable demands; they have something to say which they cannot say anywhere else; they have something to show, which they cannot show anywhere else. This is their natural faith, it does not know about doctrines of clergies and diplomacies of monarchs.
When the valley weeps these pilgrimages, soak the tears of this wailing widow.
History of kings, kingdoms and their tiaras
The oldest and most authentic book which describes about Kashmir is Rajtarangini (king of rivers) written by a Pandit scholar, Kalhana. This book was completed in AD 1148. The book has eight parts, capturing the whole history of Kashmir till period of the compilation of the book. This book takes the story back in to the Mahabharata age, as it describes that 27 generations of Pandavas ruled over this state. However, the book relies more on the mythological and religious sources than history. This is why it is difficult for the readers to alienate the history from mythological stories, e.g. there was, it says, huge river called Sat Sari flowing there where at present Kashmir’s sprawling valley is situated. The war between Demons and devtas (trinity of Hindu gods, Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh) resulted in evolution of valley from beneath the river. The Gods seeing the beauty of the valley decided to reside in the Himalayas. This valley was a property of Rishi Kashyap. On his name, Kashmir was christened as the name of this vale.
The time passed with its own pace and lot of water flowed into Satluj; clans of Indo Aryan families inhabited The Kashmir. We know very poorly about that period of history of Kashmir, but it is evident that Hinduism was the primary religion and philosophy of the land.
Some more timepieces elapsed and there arose a great regent called Ashoka in India. This great Maurayan emperor brought Kashmir into ambit of his empire but he found resistance in Hinduism because Ashoka also tried to superimpose Buddhism. He failed. Two hundred years after the decline of Mauryan Empire, Kanishka, and a Kushan king ruled over from Kshmir to Bengal, brought Buddhism again in the valley. Not only that, Buddhism spread all over central Asia, Afghanistan ,Tibet by A.D. 352, and to China,
Japan and Korea by AD 552 from Kanishka’s Kashmir.
After Kanishka, a Hun ruler, Mihurkula set his empire in Kashmir. This was followed by Karkota dynasty. After that, there was rule of Utpala dynasty that ruled Kashmir from AD 855 to AD 1003. All these years were unhappy for Kashmir. For almost 400 years, Kashmir saw only marauders, killers, debauchery and lust in her own men and women. In short, there was nothing good to be written in history.
The time when Kalhana was writing last pages of his grand book, Rajtarangini, Kashmir was plagued by the incidents of intrigues, double-crossing and conspiracies. Regents were immoral and corrupt; public was thrashed on all quarters; junta was feeble and foolish; this beautiful woman called Kashmir was longing for someone to her fate.
This was the correct time for the rulers from the other sides to look towards Kashmir. First, Sultan of Delhi (at that time Quatabuddin Aibak was at throne in Delhi) tried his luck but his interest was half hearted. One of the most tyrannous and most cruel warriors ever born in history Changez Khan (or Genghiz Khan) made another attempt. He sent his marauders to Kashmir but they never reached Kashmir. Another Mongol conquered Kashmir sixty years after Changez. He was called Kublai Khan the great. His rule was extended from Tibet to modern Laddakh. This north - eastern part of Kashmir still today tastes the same old Mongol wine in its cultural delicacies.
On the same footing, this was also the right time for Sufis and sages to conquer the hearts of Kashmiris. It was the time when Sufi movement had swept all over Indian peninsula. It swept Kashmir too. At last, the sword of love wins the battle. What big staunch Muslim invaders could not do with their daggers and sabres these lean, wandering pantaloons had done. Thus, the advent of Islam happens in Kashmir.
M.J. Akbar in his book “Kashmir behind the Vale” writes-
“a strange and wondrous combinations of events – the arrival of a Musami Syed disciple of Sufi divine Shah Niamatullah Farsi of the Suharwardy order; the presence of an adventurer driven by a dream from his native Swat( now in Pakistan ); the death of great king Kublai Khan in distant Beijing, to name but three – created the conditions of the establishment of first Islam and then Muslim rule in the valley of Kashmir by the fourteenth century.”
Name of the Sufi was Syed Bilal Shah, lovingly called Bulbul Shah by the people of Kashmir. By the time, he died in 1327, the king, his brother and the commander in chief of army were Muslims, and the first mosque of Kashmir had been built in Shrinagar. Today this place where grave of Bulbul Shah and mosque are situated is called Bulbul langar.
M.J.Akbar in his book gives a description of the first Muslim King Shah Mir. It is not only interesting but unbelievable too. He was living in Swat and saw a dream that he will become a monarch one day, so he travelled all along to Kashmir to search his destiny. The trail of events was such that he actually seated on the throne of Shrinagar and remained there till his death. This dynasty ruled Kashmir for 222 years. This was a peaceful and prosperous time for Kashmir as well as its economy and polity. The greatest king of this period was Zainul abedin. People of the valley lovingly called him Bud shah because of his industrious works like popularising Kashmiri shawl.
Mughals ended this rule and Kashmir went to the hands of rulers who were not Kashmiri. On 28th March, 1586, Mughals captured the Kashmir. That day marked the end of Kashmir’s independence.
However, Akbar proved to be a great ruler for Kashmir. After Akbar, Jehangir too cared a lot for Kashmir. Jehangir’s love for Kashmir is evident from the scenic beauty of Shalimar Bagh and Nishat Bagh. He wanted to die there but he could not. After Jehangir, Shahjahan and Aurangzeb kept their mettle in Kashmir.
Yet again, the turbulent situation arose after the death of Aurangzb. In forty-six years after the death of the Mughal king Kashmir saw fifty-seven governors and all of the were pathetic. The religious bigotry, in now Muslim majority Kashmir was a common practise by governors and kings. This was the time when Afghan governors of Ahmad Shah Abdali snatched Kashmir and plundered it. M.J. Akbar in his book cites a couplet –
Puisdan az kharabiye gulshan zi baghban
Afghan kashid guft kiAfghan kharab kard.
(I asked, says the poet, who laid waste this garden. With a deep sigh he replied: “it was the Afghan “)
This couplet tells how much cruel that period was that still lies in the memories of poets and commons.
Afghan ruled Kashmir until, 1819. In 1819, Maharaja Ranjit Singh of Punjab captured Kashmir. But the rule was not very much justified, now the misruling was against the Muslims quite contrary as it was during the rule of the Afghans. The collapse of Kashmir was inevitable; it seemed, after the death of Ranjit Singh in 1839. The crimes and beggary again flourished in Kashmir. Eventually Kashmir never recovered from its catastrophe since 1753.
After Sikh rule, another fierce battle was fought; British defeated Sikhs and captured the big state of Punjab. They sold Kashmir to Gulab Singh Dogra for 75 lakhs rupees. He was a commander in Ranjit Singh’s army but he betrayed his king.
History of political satire
The satire made against the people of Kashmir had begun in 1846. Dogras helped British in Anglo- Sikh war in 1848 and more bravely supported them in 1857 to crush the first mutiny against British. Gulab Singh’s son Ranbir Singh was also loyal to the white masters and cruel for Kashmiris. But British slowly crept into Dogra’s Kashmir. First, an officer on duty (OSC) was sent then a civil court was created in 1872. In 1888, the OSC reciprocated his special position provided by the British by splitting the royal family. The raja was accused in a false case and disposed. Everybody was stunned. Now British have clasped Kashmir that they wanted to protect themselves from Tsarist Russia.
In 1925, Hari Singh became the king of Kashmir. Till then unemployment, illite
racy, poverty, discrimination against Muslims had become common practices. The public was against the British Raj and Hari Singh both. The total power of administration and law was under the authority of the King, there was no democracy. The British exercised the real power. The Dogras had become real feudal class.(Dogra monarch, Maharaja Hari Singh with Maharani Tara Devi. )
In this scenario, a political movement started which remained after the independence of Kashmir and India. A party was founded called Muslim conference and its leader was Shaikh Abdullah. He was born in 1905 and was educated in Aligarh. He came and conquered all the hearts of Kashmiris. He made the Party in 1933. This was the incident which changed the fate of this land and continued to be in memories of people constantly at the time of independence and thereafter.
~MILIND
References
M.J. Akbar, Kashmir behind the Vale, VIKING 1991
Encyclopaedia of Britannica, 2000
Poets of the World
William Blake
A poison tree
I was angry with my friend
I told my wrath, my wrath did end
I was angry with my foe
I told it not, my wrath did grow
And I watered it in fears,
Night and morning with my tears,
And I sunned with smiles,
And soft deceitful wiles
And it grow both day and night,
Till it bore an apple bright
And my foe behind it shine,
And he knew that it was mine.
And into my garden stole
When the night had veiled the pole
In the morning glad I see
My foe outstretched beneath the tree.
In this simple but powerful poem, William Blake describes how a feeling of anger, which soon disappears if there is good will and friendship, can become deadly poison, if instead,
there is distrust and enmity. Using the metaphor of a poison tree, the poet creates a vivid picture of how such anger, hidden in the mind, grows daily by feeding on other harmful feelings ; such as fear , until it becomes capable of causing great destruction and wicked sense of pleasure in it.
William Blake was born on November 28, 1757 in London, Great Britain. Today Blake is regarded as one of the earliest and greatest figures of romanticism but in his own age, he was regarded as a mad and the fault of him was that he was a single-minded and unworldly human. He lived in poverty and died in neglect.
Since childhood, Blake developed a sense of mysticism in him. He would describe about his experiences or visions he saw in countryside. In these visions, he would see angels in a tree and sometime he would see prophet Ezekiel in a field. Interesting thing is that Prophet Ezekiel was born in sixth century BC. He was follower of Judaism and was one of them who wrote Old Testament. The prophet is also related to concept of Israel, a Jewish country. It's a distant but not an abnormal intimacy Blake would show towards. All along his life he wrote about ancient mystical world.
Another example from his life, which shows, his mental state, is related to death of his younger brother, Robert. When his father died in 1784 Blake started a printing shop in London, he took his brother Robert too. Robert died in 1787. Blake who has given his care and nursing to his brother was so touched and moved that he would see his brother's vision rising from ground to ceiling more often than once. One day Robert appeared to him and told him about the new methodology of engraving the texts and illustrations. Blake used this method for engravings in his books and called it "illuminated painting".
Most of the Blake’s works were decorated with the above kind of engraving. The first books in which he used the new kind of engravings were, There is no natural religion and All Religions are One published in 1788.
The various kinds of incidents in his life and mystical development of his mind made an unusual impact on his character. His poetry is clear reflection of this fact. Look into this piece of verse, which is one of the most famous poems composed by him; The Tiger. It was part of his book - Songs of experience (1794)
Tiger! Tiger! Burning bright
In the forests of the night,
In these lines, tiger is an imaginary character. It is a mixture of humanity’s lust and cruelty. The poet asks the god, which are you the same creator who has created the lamb and this tiger both. His poem is full of such metaphors that indicate towards divinity and supernatural powers.
In 1793, Blake and his wife went to southern part of London called Lambeth where they lived for seven years. He spent these years in writing some prophetic books. Again, the same spiritual and philosophic ideas were developed and transformed into poetry by him. Blake loved to be there among these divine whisperings. These seven years were best part of his literary life because he wrote a series of majestic books. These are America, A prophecy (1793); Europe, A prophecy (1794); The book of Urizen (1794); The book of Ahania; The book of Los, The song of Los (1795).
These prophetic books are description of an imaginary cosmic fight between conflicting forces - reason (Urizen) and imagination (Los). The Christian and Jewish mythological concepts have been readily used in these books to present picturesque depiction of cosmic forces.
From 1800 to 1803, Blake lived happily in a seaside cottage in Sussex provided by his patron. Soon he felt his patron intolerable, moreover his wife's health deteriorated. Therefore, he came back to London in 1803. Back in London, he wrote three epics, Jerusalem, Milton and Vale. But Blake's life from 1803 to 1820 was too difficult to bear. He had no work. He was not publishing poetry, as there were only few takes of his poetry and engravings.
In 1819, he met a new patron. His name was John Linnell. John introduced to group of young artist where Blake was revered as master. Blake too enjoyed this company. In 1821, John commissioned him to make watercolour paintings. Blake completed this work before his death. Critically these works were acclaimed as Blake’s best art. In 1825, another assignment of 102 paintings on Dante’s Divine Comedy was given to him but he could not complete this work.
The life he got in his last couple of years was one the he longed for whole of his life. He was working even in his 70th year. He died, as he wanted. He had brush in his hand while lying in bed. He died on August 12, 1827. Blake was buried in London where he spent biggest part of his life.
~Sharique
A poison tree
I was angry with my friend
I told my wrath, my wrath did end
I was angry with my foe
I told it not, my wrath did grow
And I watered it in fears,
Night and morning with my tears,
And I sunned with smiles,
And soft deceitful wiles
And it grow both day and night,
Till it bore an apple bright
And my foe behind it shine,
And he knew that it was mine.
And into my garden stole
When the night had veiled the pole
In the morning glad I see
My foe outstretched beneath the tree.
In this simple but powerful poem, William Blake describes how a feeling of anger, which soon disappears if there is good will and friendship, can become deadly poison, if instead,
there is distrust and enmity. Using the metaphor of a poison tree, the poet creates a vivid picture of how such anger, hidden in the mind, grows daily by feeding on other harmful feelings ; such as fear , until it becomes capable of causing great destruction and wicked sense of pleasure in it.
William Blake was born on November 28, 1757 in London, Great Britain. Today Blake is regarded as one of the earliest and greatest figures of romanticism but in his own age, he was regarded as a mad and the fault of him was that he was a single-minded and unworldly human. He lived in poverty and died in neglect.
Since childhood, Blake developed a sense of mysticism in him. He would describe about his experiences or visions he saw in countryside. In these visions, he would see angels in a tree and sometime he would see prophet Ezekiel in a field. Interesting thing is that Prophet Ezekiel was born in sixth century BC. He was follower of Judaism and was one of them who wrote Old Testament. The prophet is also related to concept of Israel, a Jewish country. It's a distant but not an abnormal intimacy Blake would show towards. All along his life he wrote about ancient mystical world.
Another example from his life, which shows, his mental state, is related to death of his younger brother, Robert. When his father died in 1784 Blake started a printing shop in London, he took his brother Robert too. Robert died in 1787. Blake who has given his care and nursing to his brother was so touched and moved that he would see his brother's vision rising from ground to ceiling more often than once. One day Robert appeared to him and told him about the new methodology of engraving the texts and illustrations. Blake used this method for engravings in his books and called it "illuminated painting".
Most of the Blake’s works were decorated with the above kind of engraving. The first books in which he used the new kind of engravings were, There is no natural religion and All Religions are One published in 1788.
The various kinds of incidents in his life and mystical development of his mind made an unusual impact on his character. His poetry is clear reflection of this fact. Look into this piece of verse, which is one of the most famous poems composed by him; The Tiger. It was part of his book - Songs of experience (1794)
Tiger! Tiger! Burning bright
In the forests of the night,
In these lines, tiger is an imaginary character. It is a mixture of humanity’s lust and cruelty. The poet asks the god, which are you the same creator who has created the lamb and this tiger both. His poem is full of such metaphors that indicate towards divinity and supernatural powers.
In 1793, Blake and his wife went to southern part of London called Lambeth where they lived for seven years. He spent these years in writing some prophetic books. Again, the same spiritual and philosophic ideas were developed and transformed into poetry by him. Blake loved to be there among these divine whisperings. These seven years were best part of his literary life because he wrote a series of majestic books. These are America, A prophecy (1793); Europe, A prophecy (1794); The book of Urizen (1794); The book of Ahania; The book of Los, The song of Los (1795).
These prophetic books are description of an imaginary cosmic fight between conflicting forces - reason (Urizen) and imagination (Los). The Christian and Jewish mythological concepts have been readily used in these books to present picturesque depiction of cosmic forces.
From 1800 to 1803, Blake lived happily in a seaside cottage in Sussex provided by his patron. Soon he felt his patron intolerable, moreover his wife's health deteriorated. Therefore, he came back to London in 1803. Back in London, he wrote three epics, Jerusalem, Milton and Vale. But Blake's life from 1803 to 1820 was too difficult to bear. He had no work. He was not publishing poetry, as there were only few takes of his poetry and engravings.
In 1819, he met a new patron. His name was John Linnell. John introduced to group of young artist where Blake was revered as master. Blake too enjoyed this company. In 1821, John commissioned him to make watercolour paintings. Blake completed this work before his death. Critically these works were acclaimed as Blake’s best art. In 1825, another assignment of 102 paintings on Dante’s Divine Comedy was given to him but he could not complete this work.
The life he got in his last couple of years was one the he longed for whole of his life. He was working even in his 70th year. He died, as he wanted. He had brush in his hand while lying in bed. He died on August 12, 1827. Blake was buried in London where he spent biggest part of his life.
~Sharique
Health Status in Urban Bihar 1
Bihar is the third largest state in terms of total population size, occupies the 11th position, its share in national urban population being 3.04 percent. 2001 census shows that Bihar has an urban population of 8.67 millions comprising 10.47 percent of the state. There has been a decline in urbanisation of Bihar during 1990s. In 1991, undivided Bihar had 13.1percent urban population, which came down to 10.47 percent in 2001. Partly it is attributed to going of big urban centres like Dhanbad, Jamshedpur and Ranchi to Jharkhand after the division of state. However, it is also attributed to the process of liberalization. The migration to urban centres in developed states has been more due to higher flow of financial, industrial and infrastructural investments. However, the backward states have not attracted private capital due to lack of infrastructure. Even the government has not been able to achieve much in terms of industrialization of backward states.
Patna, the capital of Bihar with 41.80 percent urban population is the most urbanised district and has almost one fourth(22.69 percent) of total urban population of the state Patna district with a percentage decadal growth of 43.02 during 1991-2001 has an urban population of 1.96 millions (census 2001)
There are 19 cities in Bihar (having population of 100,000 and above). Of this patna falls into sub-class M5 (population between 1,000,000-1,999,999), Gaya Bhagalpur and Muzaffarpur in sub-class M3(300,000500,000),Darbhanga, Biharsharif and Arrah in sub-class M3(200,000-299,999) and rest 12 cities in sub-class M1(100.000-199,999).
It is observed that the highest incidence of urban poverty is mostly in small cities. NSS survey shows that with the increase in size of town the incidence of poverty declined steadily. The head count ratio of the urban poor in M1 towns in 1987-88 was 47.4 percent and M5 towns were 26.73 percent. Bihar with only one M5 city is dotted heavily with small cities and towns and thus has a large burden of urban poor population. As per the estimates given by the planning commission for 1993-94, thirty-five percent of the urban population in Bihar was below the poverty line. As per TCPO, estimates Bihar had a slum population of about 3.5 millions in 2001. The census of India puts slum population to be little over 0.5 millions only.
Health Issues of Urban Poor
The state urban health infrastructure is in extremely bad shape. Bihar has 6 medical college hospitals, 23 district hospitals out of 38 districts and only 23 sub-divisional hospitals out of 101 subdivisions (RCH II). Bihar does not have a single urban PHC or health post. Only Patna andBhaghalpur have 2 municipal dispensaries in each district according to an estimate. There are less than one dozen family welfare centres in the state. 19 cities of Bihar have 33 urban dispensaries.
More than one-fifth of the females in urban Bihar still have to marry before 19 years of age. Only 23 percent of married women in urban Bihar make decision for obtaining health care of her. The median age at first cohabitation is 16.4 for women living in households with a low standard of living. It reflects that the women are the disadvantaged[1] lot even in urban households as regards to making decision in terms of either seeking health care for herself or having teenage pregnancy.
Water sources and sanitary facilities have an important influence on the health of household members, especially children. Only 35 percent of the urban population has access to piped drinking water. One third of the urban population has no sanitary facility of latrines/toilets. Crowded conditions also affect health as well as the quality of life. 37 % of the urban households live in houses with three or more persons per room. One-forth households in urban Bihar have low standard of living index (SLI), defined in terms of ownership of household goods like durable goods and type of kitchenware used.
In reference with the scenario of health status in Bihar, briefly described above, a survey was undertaken in various cities of Bihar. Major conclusions are given here –
Preference for facilities for seeking Health Services
- Urban poor do not have confidence in Govt. hospitals when it comes to curative services.
Only 1/10th of respondents visited the OPD( outpatient departments) for treatment of children in case of diarrhoea and of women in case of RTIs - (Reproductive Tract Infections).
- Neighbourhood chemist shops are major provider of curative services to urban poor ( 28% in case of Diarrhoea an 29% in case of RTI ). Every 3 out of 10 urban poor are opting a chemist shop for seeking treatment.
- Urban Poor’s confidence in promotional health services offered by Government health services providers in marginally more as compared to their faith in curative services provided by them.
- Routine Immunization of children for the urban poor is the most preferred service of Government Health delivery setting.
- Almost 4/5th of children (79%) were immunized at a Government health centre.
- In between the Government hospital and Angan Wari Centres (AWC), the hospitals, which are, preferred most by the respondents. Only 9 % of children were immunized at AWC.
For the other promotional health services the urban poor mostly go to private heath providers - Less than 1/3rd pregnant women go to Govt. Health providers for T.T.(Tetanus Toxoid) injections and Ante Natal checkups (ANC). Private health providers did 71% of TT administration and 68 % of ANC of pregnant women.
- 1/5th of pregnant women received T.T. shots at small chemist shops. The quality of cold chain maintenance at small chemist shops in a matter of concern.
- Amongst the pregnant women, only 2 % went to AWC for T.T. administration and meagre 1% for ANC.
- Less than 1/5th of pregnant women went to Govt. hospital for a delivery of a child.Child Care Indicators
- Only 23% children between 12-23 months were fully immunized.
- Tow-third children age 12-23 months did not have the immunisation card.
- 39% was the drop out for RI (Routine Immunization) among children.
- 13% of children did not complete the RI due to post injection side effects.
- 12% of respondents did not take their children for RI in absence of facility of RI in their vicinity.
Maternal Care Indicators
Place of delivery and assistance during delivery
- More than half of the pregnant women did not seek ANC during last pregnancy. Only 46% of pregnant women went for ANC during the last pregnancy and most of them had only gone once for ANC
- More than 1/5th of the pregnant women didn’t receive any TT shots.
- 61% of deliveries were conducted at home and rest 39% were institutionalized deliveries at either Govt. hospital or private hospital.
- Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs) are conducting 86% of the deliveries in case of domiciliary delivery.
Safe Delivery Practices
- All the 5 cleans ( i.e. hands with soap before conducting delivery, use f new blade for cutting the umbilical cord, use of sterilised cord for tying umbilical cord, not applying any thing on the stumps after cutting the cord) for safe delivery was not observed in any household in case of home deliveries.
- Using new blade for cutting the umbilical cord was universally (99%).
Washing hands before conducting delivery by TBAs was mostly practiced (91%)
In less than half of the deliveries, sterilized cord was being used for tying the stumps (38%). - In almost all cases medicine/oil/ash/ was applied on the stump of the umbilical cord. In only 4% cases, nothing was applied on the stumps after cutting it.
The Disease Burden
- 28% of children t 5 years had at least one episode of diarrhoea during last six months.
- 38% of children under the same category had cough and 27% had Acute Respiratory Infection (ARI) during the last six months.
- 13% of children have suffered from Measles during the last one year.
- 36% of mothers had suffered from RTI (Reproductive Tract Infection).
- Majority of the women suffering from RTI did not seek any treatment.
Infant and Child Mortality
- There was death of a child less than 5 years in every 10th house of the urban poor during last one year.
- 139 children under 5 years under 5 years has died during last 1 year of which more than two-third children died before celebrating their 1st birthday.
- Among the children dying before their first birthday, 59% were neonates.
- 1/4th children died of diarrhoea which was leading cause of death.
- ARI (Acute Respiratory Infection) was the next most frequent reason for death of children under 5 years. 16% children died of ARI.
- Diarrhoea and ARI along with Tetanus (12%) was responsible for death of more than half of children under 5 years.
Know your Neighbour
NAME:
Conventional long form: Kingdom of Bhutan conventional short form: Bhutan
BACKGROUND:
In 1865, Britain and Bhutan signed the Treaty of Sinchulu, under which Bhutan would receive an annual subsidy in exchange for ceding some borderland. Under British influence, a monarchy was set up in 1907; three years later, a treaty was signed whereby the British agreed not to interfere in Bhutanese internal affairs and Bhutan allowed Britain to direct its foreign affairs. This role was assumed by independent India after 1947. Two years later, a formal Indo-Bhutanese accord returned the areas of Bhutan annexed by the British, formalized the annual subsidies the country received, and defined India's responsibilities in defence and foreign relations.
LOCATION:
Southern Asia, between China and India
CLIMATE:
Varies; tropical in southern plains; cool winters and hot summers in central valleys; severe winters and cool summers in Himalayas
POPULATION:
2,185,569 note: other estimates range as low as 810,000 (July 2004 est.)
LABOUR FORCE - BY OCCUPATION:
Agriculture 93%, industry and commerce 2%, services 5%
POPULATION BELOW POVERTY LINE:
NA
NATIONALITY:
Noun: Bhutanese (singular and plural) adjective: Bhutanese
LANGUAGES:
Dzongkha (official), Bhotes speak various Tibetan dialects, Nepalese speak various Nepalese dialects
LITERACY:
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 42.2% male: 56.2% female: 28.1% (1995 est
GOVERNMENT TYPE:
Monarchy; special treaty relationship with India
CAPITAL:
Thimphu
CURRENCY:
Ngultrum (BTN); Indian rupee (INR)
INDEPENDENCE:
8 August 1949 (from India)
EXECUTIVE BRANCH:
Chief of state: King Jigme Singye WANGCHUCK (since 24 July 1972).Head of government: Chairman of the Council of Ministers Lyonpo Yeshey ZIMBA (since 20 August 2004).
FLAG DISCRIPTION:
Divided diagonally from the lower hoist side corner; the upper triangle is yellow and the lower triangle is orange; centred along the dividing line is a large black and white dragon facing away from the hoist side
ECONOMY:
The economy, one of the world's smallest and least developed, is based on agriculture and forestry, which provide the main livelihood for more than 90% of the population. Agriculture consists largely of subsistence farming and animal husbandry. Rugged mountains dominate the terrain and make the building of roads and other infrastructure difficult and expensive. The economy is closely aligned with India's through strong trade and monetary links and dependence on India's financial assistance. The industrial sector is technologically backward, with most production of the cottage industry type.
INDUSTRIES:
Cement, wood products, processed fruits, alcoholic beverages, calcium carbide
UNEMPLOYMENT RATE:
NA
COMMUNICATION:
Telephone, Radio, Television, Internet
TRANSPORTATION:
Railways, Roadways, Airports, Waterways
~Farooque Ali
Vote Of Thanks
We are proud to present the ninth edition of ‘SAMAR’. We hope you must have enjoyed the magazine. You can also read the magazine online at www.mysamar.blogspot.com. You can also give your feedback through e-mail or post.
Last but not the least; again, we would like to thank the readers, writers and sponsor of ‘SAMAR’.
EDITOR
NOTE: Do you support People’s initiative for complete Right to information? Kindly post or e-mail your views on the following address given below.
WEBSITE: www.mysamar.blogspot.com
E-MAIL : samar_themagazine@yahoo.co.in
POSTAL ADDRESS: SAMAR
HOUSE NO: 388A/3J
New Patliputra colony
Patna – 13 , Bihar
India
# 0612-3257077
Last but not the least; again, we would like to thank the readers, writers and sponsor of ‘SAMAR’.
EDITOR
NOTE: Do you support People’s initiative for complete Right to information? Kindly post or e-mail your views on the following address given below.
WEBSITE: www.mysamar.blogspot.com
E-MAIL : samar_themagazine@yahoo.co.in
POSTAL ADDRESS: SAMAR
HOUSE NO: 388A/3J
New Patliputra colony
Patna – 13 , Bihar
India
# 0612-3257077
Letter from the Editor
Dear readers,
Right to information has got a jolt when government started talking about deletion of file notings from the scan of RTI act. File notings are so important part of information conveyed by government officials that it can be spared at any cost. If file notings are deleted from the act, then RTI will lose its colour and shine. File nothings are the messages or orders written by any government officer on the side margin of an application or letter. These notes tell us that where the file is going? Whom is it refered to? If a file is lillegally stopped or lopped off, by any officer, file noting can tell us who is responsible for that. Without the revelation of file notings, any applicant cannot catch the officer who is doing the misdeeds. Only thing he can know that whether his application is submitted or not, whether it has been forwarded or not. He cannot know whether somebody has taken any step or not on his file.
According to the definition of RTI (ch 1, clause 1, sub clause (f) of Right to Information Act, 2005) published in the Gazette of India , 21 June 2005, information means anything like floppy , files, films, tapes, CDs etc. if file notings are deleted than many kinds of opinions, orders, comments, advises will not be shown to the applicant. This needs government to amend the RTI Act and nobody likes it else government.
We support people’s initiative and we condemn anything, which curbs the empowerment of common people. We urge our readers and general intelligentsia to oppose the steps, which are against the freedom of people and support the people’s intitiative through RTI.
Thank you.
Yours truly,
Editor
Right to information has got a jolt when government started talking about deletion of file notings from the scan of RTI act. File notings are so important part of information conveyed by government officials that it can be spared at any cost. If file notings are deleted from the act, then RTI will lose its colour and shine. File nothings are the messages or orders written by any government officer on the side margin of an application or letter. These notes tell us that where the file is going? Whom is it refered to? If a file is lillegally stopped or lopped off, by any officer, file noting can tell us who is responsible for that. Without the revelation of file notings, any applicant cannot catch the officer who is doing the misdeeds. Only thing he can know that whether his application is submitted or not, whether it has been forwarded or not. He cannot know whether somebody has taken any step or not on his file.
According to the definition of RTI (ch 1, clause 1, sub clause (f) of Right to Information Act, 2005) published in the Gazette of India , 21 June 2005, information means anything like floppy , files, films, tapes, CDs etc. if file notings are deleted than many kinds of opinions, orders, comments, advises will not be shown to the applicant. This needs government to amend the RTI Act and nobody likes it else government.
We support people’s initiative and we condemn anything, which curbs the empowerment of common people. We urge our readers and general intelligentsia to oppose the steps, which are against the freedom of people and support the people’s intitiative through RTI.
Thank you.
Yours truly,
Editor
Your Voice
I would like to thank all the writers and readers whose support is making this magazine popular. They all are tying to increase the sweetness of this fruit. In this process, most of the efforts of those hard working students are commendable. Where ‘Democracy’ gives the knowledge of Rights and power of an individual, the article on Kasturi Ranga Aiyangar was a new kind of bow in their quiver, which one finds rarely in the magazine. It was a good effort from the writer.
In last issue I had read the story ‘Tasadduq bhai’; I would like to give special thanks to the writer of this story. I am impressed with him. This story has encouraged other students to write such stories. The hero of this story looks like an imaginary character but writer has filled all the colours to make him alive.
The Editorial was also meaningful. We should always read editorial.
Indeed these efforts will bring something like revolution in this field. I would rather say that Samar is like an ocean and everybody should plunge in this ocean at least for once and Samar will do the rest.
Aditya
Patna
“Power corrupts a man and absolute power corrupts absolutely”
There is nothing much one can do to help the present situation. The only thing one can do is to try to persuade educated class of society as well as ourselves to join the politics and thus give our democracy a real meaning. Until then the situation will remain stagnant.
Emad
Bangalore
In last issue I had read the story ‘Tasadduq bhai’; I would like to give special thanks to the writer of this story. I am impressed with him. This story has encouraged other students to write such stories. The hero of this story looks like an imaginary character but writer has filled all the colours to make him alive.
The Editorial was also meaningful. We should always read editorial.
Indeed these efforts will bring something like revolution in this field. I would rather say that Samar is like an ocean and everybody should plunge in this ocean at least for once and Samar will do the rest.
Aditya
Patna
“Power corrupts a man and absolute power corrupts absolutely”
There is nothing much one can do to help the present situation. The only thing one can do is to try to persuade educated class of society as well as ourselves to join the politics and thus give our democracy a real meaning. Until then the situation will remain stagnant.
Emad
Bangalore
Brain drain
We are in 21st century but still Brain Drain is a sensational topic for all of us. It is acting as a hurdle for the developing countries like India. The graph shows that how drastically it is increasing in the developing countries as concerned with the topic. Brain Drain means migration of intellectuals, engineers, doctors etc. It is also acting as the economic hindrance for the nation. Today not a single developing country can provide so many facilities, better standard of living as much can a developed country can. Better jobs, temptation of money, better standard of living are some of the reasons of Brain Drain. In foreign countries, migrated peoples are treated as a second-class people but still they desire to live there. When the people go to foreign they took years and years to accept foreign cultures but after accepting foreign culture they feel little bit relaxed. The remittances send by them in the form of foreign currency or anything have no compensation for the money invested on them by their nation’s government. But they didn’t realize these things and do not ever think on these topics.
With the dawn of 21st century, economic scenario of India and other developing countries has changed. Now India is also providing equal opportunities for her people. The migration of people from India to foreign countries has reduced, but still is has not completely stopped. People are serving their nation.
It has entered in our social habit now. For India, the process of development includes foreign job. Every affluent person has very near relatives in America or European countries. Moreover, this is considered as symbol of status and in marriage negotiations, this certificate of foreign job puts the groom’s family in invincible position. It is a national shame.
We had read in our schoolbooks that the fire extinguisher goes fist to those places where the fire is mire severe. Similarly, doctors, engineers, advocates, journalists and managers are needed most in our villages but all of us know that instead of going to villages they are going to America.
At last, I would like to conclude and also suggest that every person must feel that your country is the best and try to live in the circumstances provided to you in your country. I also want to suggest those peoples who are working in foreign countries that they must come back and serve their country.
~ADIL
With the dawn of 21st century, economic scenario of India and other developing countries has changed. Now India is also providing equal opportunities for her people. The migration of people from India to foreign countries has reduced, but still is has not completely stopped. People are serving their nation.
It has entered in our social habit now. For India, the process of development includes foreign job. Every affluent person has very near relatives in America or European countries. Moreover, this is considered as symbol of status and in marriage negotiations, this certificate of foreign job puts the groom’s family in invincible position. It is a national shame.
We had read in our schoolbooks that the fire extinguisher goes fist to those places where the fire is mire severe. Similarly, doctors, engineers, advocates, journalists and managers are needed most in our villages but all of us know that instead of going to villages they are going to America.
At last, I would like to conclude and also suggest that every person must feel that your country is the best and try to live in the circumstances provided to you in your country. I also want to suggest those peoples who are working in foreign countries that they must come back and serve their country.
~ADIL
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April 2008
Samar - a bimonthly and bilingual magazine