Terror struck minds or terror struck India

As usual, I was returning from my classes (I am a media student) in the evening. It was perhaps Friday as we had film screening. Since the screening got over around five and it was a cold winter evening, I left my institute along with my friends for the bus stop.

It was already getting dark so I boarded a crowded bus. The conductor gave me his seat. After few minutes a guy asked me to hold his packet containing God knows what. I took it and then looked up to see who gave it (it should have been the other way round). Anyways, I saw that he was a Muslim. I could make that out from his dress and beard.

The bus got all the more stuffed after few stops and that guy sort of got invisible. Don’t know how and why a thought crossed my mind- who was he? Was he a terrorist? I sort of started touching the packet carefully to make out what was within. I was a bit anxious.

However, when the bus was a bit vacant, I saw that guy sitting somewhere in the front. He turned back and saw me staring him. He came, smiled, took the packet from me and said shukriya (thanks). I was really embarrassed and could just somehow managed to smile back.

I despised myself why did I think like that. Not that it was bad to suspect someone. But I never suspected anybody whose display was not so apparent. Just because he was clad in his religious attire more so because he was a Muslim, I thought him as a terrorist. I never suspected any person who was not a Muslim. How stupid is that.

In India, terrorism has become synonymous with this religion. No I don’t belong to the school of communalism. Not all Muslims are terrorists but most of the terrorist attacks are carried out by Muslims.

People tend to overlook the fact that there is more to terrorism in India than Kashmir. Naxalism has infected the heart of India including Orissa, Chattisgarh, Jharkhand, and West Bengal. LTTE is active in South India and Maoists and ULFA are active in the north eastern part of India. No part is untouched and reports prove that all these terror groups help each other to carry out their operations.

Its time that we pay some attention to other parts of terror struck India and not confine our concerns to Kashmir. And much before that it is required that we unite from within.

Don’t Mind, We Are Delhiites!

I came to Delhi around eleven yrs back and I cannot believe this is the same city, with the kind of changes Delhi has under gone. What has not changed is the basic etiquettes and mannerism of Delhiites.

Oh! That spitting and peeing around. All those pan and guthka stained walls, the choking stenches of the untidy urinals, the heaps of garbage, traffic quarrels are as identical to Delhi as the newly built flyovers, Metro Rail and the mushrooming shopping malls. The situation is so bad that in a survey conducted by Delhi University, it was found that Delhi has the worst civic sense in this country. Now this is really embarrassing, given the fact that MCD is the largest civic body in the world. Delhi’s culture is a conglomeration of various cultures. Being the capital, it represents the average lifestyle of an Indian.

Being chosen as the venue for the Commonwealth Games 2010,Delhi is under the spotlight (…as if it is ever away from it!) and therefore it is going through a makeover. Seriously, being a citizen I am glad to see these beautifications but the question is for how long will all this survive? The authorities are doing everything they can do, as sportsmen from all over the world would be here and so would be the media. Are people of Delhi ready for it too?

Delhiites have a strange habit of putting their stamp on every public place. For instance, when a subway is newly built, it is so neat and clean and well lit. It’s really a boon to the peddlers. I remember, using one when it was new and reusing after some weeks. Its walls were all stained, it was dark and very few people used it. This makes it one of the places to respond to nature’s call. Even the metro stations are not that well maintained as they used to be. Now the question is to what extent the authorities can help. People just want to use them recklessly. We are so lazy that we don’t want to move even ten yards to put the chip’s empty packets in the bin and without any guilt we throw it on the spot. The sweepers do their job by cleaning with brooms and we do our by littering. We will change perhaps once they run after us with the brooms.

Sometime back I read in a journal that government has asked all the auto rickshaw and taxi drivers to learn little bit of English so that they can communicate with the tourists during the Commonwealth Games. It is really a good idea but first they should be asked to behave politely. They always ask for high fare and if you retaliate then they behave so rudely as if we have some debts on them and they are charging us for that.

The general traffic sense of an average Delhiite is as good as my command on Swahili (do I know a word of it?). People take a right turn while their vehicles’ indicators show left. Those quarrels during the long traffic jams make up for good time pass with nerve-racking horns as the background music. On a multi lane road, a vehicle will meander in all the lanes without looking at the rear mirror.



This meandering reminds me of Yamuna. I feel embarrassed to add river before it, as it looks more like a big stinking drain. I cross Yamuna daily via ITO Bridge and I see at least one person with his hands joined, his face towards Yamuna, chanting some mantra and then he throws some dry rotten flowers that were offered to God as we don’t throw sacred things in the bin but are not hesitant in making a sacred river into a moving bin. This picture evokes ambivalent feelings.

We got the slums uprooted from the Yamuna Pushta region and from several other areas. Perhaps they were embarrassing for Delhiites, the host for thousands of tourists in 2010. I personally had no qualms against the slums, as this is what real India looks like. On the contrary, yamuna makes me feel sick and I get baffled by its very appearance. Infact, I came across a very interesting fact that since the slums have been uprooted, areas nearby have been facing the problems of part-time maids and rickshaw pullers.

Well, the list is endless. Delhiites are generally warm people, but are they good enough to be hosts for the world? Its time we improve our image and become responsible citizens of this city and this country or else we should become used to of giving this silly excuse to our guests, “Please! Don’t mind we’re Delhiites!”.

Himachal pradesh: a tourist's paradise in india

India is a country of diversity. It has got everything, from beaches to mountains and from deserts to thick forests. It is indeed a complete package for a tourist. For tourists venturing for hilly regions, Himachal pradesh is the place to go. Its serene and exotic picturesque makes one wonder how different the paradise would be.

Himachal pradesh is situated in the western Himalayas. Since, the middle ranges of Himalayas, also known as “Himachal”, run through this state, hence the name Himachal Pradesh. Its cool temperate climate makes it a perfect destination for tourists from all over the world. According to a study by Hindustan Times, the number of domestic tourists visiting Himachal Pradesh every year is about 5 million and that of foreign tourists is 1.5 lakh. Its appeal lies in the fact that it provides something to every age group and every section. Be it your love for wildlife or for adventure sports or a family outing or pilgrimage for any religion, you name it and you get it in Himachal.

The best part is, no matter what the season is Himachal Pradesh tops the list of tourist destination. Different seasons offer different things without depriving you of its beauty.
Spring season shows you the colorful side of Himachal with entire valley blooming and smiling in various colors. Spring offers fishing and low-altitude trekking to adventure seekers. This is the time when snow starts melting from mountain peaks. However, the peak tourist season is summers. Kullu, Chamba, Kinnaur, Shimla, Manali etc. are the traditional tourist destination. River rafting in Manali, skiing in Rohtang pass and paragliding in Bir-Billing are the attractions for adventure sports freaks. The ideal time for trekking is the monsoon season. The trans-Himalayan areas of Spiti and Lahaul, and much of Kinnaur remain dry, as the rain clouds are unable to cross the high mountains making it an apt time for trekking.

Autumn is a wonderful time to go trekking, fishing or simply exploring. It is an eventful season for Para gliders and anglers. Paragliding Pre world Cup is held at Bir-Billing and angling festivals are held at Maharana Pratap sagar, Govind Sagar etc. Though in winters,
people are laidback, the adventurers love this season. As the manes of snow and riders of ice pass, they leave a trail that holds the entire ranges of winter sports- skiing and heli-skiing and ice-skating. You can share the peace of fresh fallen snow and feel its tranquilizing effect on your senses.

Government is trying to explore other avenues of tourism, as it is the biggest revenue fetcher for the state. About 90% of state’s revenue is generated by tourism. Now government is promoting eco-tourism. It is a new concept that encourages appreciation of nature’s beauty in its pristine state. Nature enjoyment and cultural appreciation opportunities to visitors develops ecological and cultural sensitivity. It is also promoted to minimize the negative impacts of tourism and promote conservation. Eco-tourism also backs the involvement of local communities hence supporting their livelihood needs by creating their direct stake in conservation of local culture, ecology and environment. 400 forest bungalows are located at vintage points

Himachal is nature’s treasurer of its flora and fauna. It can boast of having 3240 plant species with oaks, cedar, morples birdcherry etc.as the major ones. Its fauna is a big draw in eco-tourism. It has 32 wildlife sanctuaries with 1200 species of birds, 64 species of mammals, 43 reptiles and 516 varieties of aquatic fauna. Its aquatic fauna makes it angler’s paradise. The most famous sport fish Trout (both brown and rainbow trout) is found in abundance in the streams of Himachal Like Uhl River and Rohru in the shimla valley to name a few. Himachal National Park, Renuka wildlife sanctuary, Simbalbara and Pong lake sanctuaries are the major reserves of species like snow leopards, ibex. Musk deer, snow cock etc.

Himachal is equally significant from religious point of view. Himachal provides shrines to every religion. For Hindus, Jwala Devi temple near Kangra, Chamunda Devi near Dharamsala, Naina Devi in Bilaspur, Chintpurni Devi 75km from Una and Jhaku and Sankat Mochan at Shimla are the major ones. Christians can visit the Christ Church in kasauli, St. Michael’s church in shimla and St.John in Dharamsala. Sikhs can go to Paonta Sahib in Sirmour.

In short, Himachal Pradesh has answers to all the requirements of a tourist. Hospitality of Himachal people is like an icing on the cake. So now you know where to head when you have your next vacations. And of course season does not matter.

Clouds:

I’m a wonder to behold

A marshmellow if you will

On sunny days

I’m as white and fluffy as can be

On cloudy days

I’m shades of shadowy gray

I float gracefully across the sky

A work of Art

And if you look closely enough

You’ll see that

I can become

Anything you

Imagine me to be.

Bernadette Marie Zvonek.

Since my childhood if something has amazed me the most, it has been the clouds.. It is perhaps my first childhood pal. I spent my initial 6 yrs at my maternal grandparents place with virtually no friends. Being the only kid for a long time, I was pampered too much to move and play around as my grandpa thought I would hurt myself. Since toys and dolls never attracted or interested me, my favourite pastime was cloudgazing in the evening and if it happened to be a clear sky then finding and counting stars when it was still twilight. So my bonding with clouds goes wayback into my childhood.
It was amazing and amusing to see them change shapes. Sometimes funny,sometimes scary, sometimes it reminded me of ice-creams and sometimes it was a muddle. Whatever shape it took or for that matter I interpreted, it was beautiful and I used to spend my evening looking up in the sky. I still do so when I sit in my balcony or while travelling, looking out of the window. It is ironical but I am actually scared of my pal when it thunders and rumbles but I guess all of us are scared.
People identify clouds with gloom, obscurity, grief and melancholy but for me its all about positivity, about hope, about new beginning, about making others happy. I thought I am one of a kind who enjoys cloudgazing but while net surfing, I found quite a many. In fact, there is a site named ‘The Cloud Appreciation Society’ which talks about all aspect of clouds, scientific, litrary, philosophical and other art forms. It was a revelation as earlier I thought it was crazy of me to look up in the sky and enjoy this fizzy frothy thing.
Clouds resembles our life-cycle. Its said that our bodies are made up of the five elements of the nature i.e. soil, water,fire, air and sky and after we die, we disintegrate into these five elements.We grow up and touch numerous heights but we come back to where we started from, same applies on clouds. It is made up of water. It rises and again comes down. Its form changes but traits remain the same.
Elders say that we reincarnate as living beings only. But I want to reincarnate (yes! I do believe in reincarnation) as clouds as it moves freely anywhere and everywhere. It empties and destroys itself to satiate the thirst of the earth and rises again as phoenix. It’s mortal yet immortal, so graceful yet so crude, so delicate yet so sturdy, inanimate yet so animated. Does any other thing has all these traits but clouds? No, as far as I can think, I don’t find any.