5-11 June 2015
Vol. 4 No. 42 Pages 16 ` 10
RNI No. HARENG/2011/39319, Postal Regn. No. GRG/35/2014-2017
How Green will be our Valley? write to us at letters@fridaygurgaon
S
aving the environment is not an option anymore – it is a matter of survival. And it is no longer the ‘prerogative’ of a few but the responsibility of the collective. This is also not the time for apportioning blame on any body or anybody for the degradation of the environment. Individuals, organisations and governments should be jointly accountable and responsible for their actions (or lack of them). We have to protect what is left of our planet, especially for our future generations. We surely do not want to be responsible for ‘apocalypse now’ – for our own premature curtain call. A lot
of damage has already been done. The pyramid of life of Earth is indeed on very shaky ground. But there is still time to make amends and to plan our cities and the coming hyper-urbanisation accordingly. For example, reducing energy use and/or using renewable energy will clearly help reduce air pollution and greenhouse gases. The less that the air and the environment are polluted, the more chance we have to reduce global warming, which is already playing havoc with the global climate. What man on Earth is failing to comprehend (since it seems that only seeing with one's eyes is believing) are the dangers arising from global warming – like the rising sea levels. Unless efforts are taken
to arrest such phenomenon, we will surely be swamped. Thankfully, at least awareness levels are rising – almost all across the globe. What is now needed is a method and process to translate this awareness to action(s), to help reduce, if not stop or even turn back, the ill effects on the environment. Many companies have joined this ‘race’ to save the planet. Closer home, NGOs seem to be leading the crusade. “The biggest problem of Gurgaon is now pollution, and the government needs to understand how to control it. We urgently need to find cleaner and more sustainable modes of local transportation. The government needs to protect the Aravalli Hills, especially since the area Contd. on p 6
W
orld Environment Day (WED) is celebrated every year on June 5 to raise global awareness on the need for positive environmental action for the protection of Mother Nature and Planet Earth . It is run by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). WED was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1972, on the opening day of the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment . WED is widely celebrated in over 100 countries. The 2015 Theme for World Environment Day is ‘Sustainable Consumption and Production’, and the Slogan (for the Theme) is ‘Seven Billion Dreams. One Planet. Consume with Care’. The Host Country is Italy. The 2014 Theme was ‘Small Islands and Climate Change’, with a Slogan, ‘Raise Your Voice Not The Sea Level, and the Host Country was Pakistan (Lahore). The 2016 theme has been decided as ‘Our Earth. Our Care’ and the Host Country would be Saudi Arabia). WED 2014 received a total of 6,437 pledges and over 3,000 activities were registered online – which, combined, were triple of the previous two years.
Contd. on p 10
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5-11 June 2015
RNI No. HARENG/2011/39319 Postal Regn. No. GRG/35/2014-2017 Vol. 4 No. 42 5-11 June 2015
Editor:
Atul Sobti
Correspondent:
Barnali Dutta
Sr. Photographer:
Prakhar Pandey
Sr. Designer:
Amit Singh
Marketing Executive: Kumar Thakur Dy. Manager A/cs & Admin: Shiv Shankar Jha
Civic/Social...
'Policing' them Young Like they say, ‘catch them young’. At a Road Safety Camp in the City, 140 students from a cross-section of local schools (private and govt.) will undergo training (in batches) on: road safety rules, specific laws that define road safety and measures to be taken to ensure that that both people and vehicles remain safe on the roads. This week the first batch underwent the combination of classroom and practical training, wherein students were exposed to real life situations. Working hand-in-hand with the Traffic Police, the children are expected to prepare a report on the actual status of safety precautions on the roads, adding their comments on the inadequacies.
Editorial Office
...P 7
108, Aap Ka Bazar, Gurudwara Road, Gurgaon-122001, Haryana Phone: +91 124 421 9092 Emails:
editor@fridaygurgaon.com letters@fridaygurgaon.com adsales@fridaygurgaon.com Friday Gurgaon (Weekly) edited, published and printed by Atul Sobti on
Book Review... My Thousand Sons My Thousand Sons is a 2015 book by Rajesh Bhola, an Indian author, social worker, psychotherapist, journalist, columnist and writer on spiritual subjects. While working as President of Spastic Society of Gurgaon he has positively impacted the lives of thousands of disabled persons for the last thirty years. The title of the Book has been inspired by the one thousand Cerebral Palsy-afflicted children that he worked with and grew deeply attached to during the process of their rehabilitation. In a way he has adopted them and become their guardian.
behalf of Arap Media Ventures Pvt. Ltd. from 108, Aap Ka Bazar, Gurudwara Road, Gurgaon-122001, Haryana Printed at AGS Publication, D-67, Sector 6, Gautam Budh Nagar, NOIDA – 201301, Uttar Pradesh
The views expressed in the opinion pieces and/or the columns are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, Friday Gurgaon or Arap Media Ventures Pvt. Ltd.
C ontents
Spritual... Cosmos by Design
...P 5
God has unlimited forms and He is the secret mover of the cosmos, wherein universes manifest, live and die ‘natural’ cosmic births and deaths. Evolution comes from a root word that means ‘to unwrap’, and it looks at the universe from a physical perspective; the word God comes from a root word that means ‘to invoke’, and it looks at the universe from a spiritual perspective. Guru Granth Sahib Ji speaks of the limitless and endless planets and galaxies – worlds upon worlds of His creation. As He commands, so they exist.
...P 14
G-Scape....
IUCF 2015 (IFFCO Fest)
Wellness... Managing the ‘Good & Bad’ (Part 2) As expressed in Part 1, optimal health, like life, is not a ‘black or white’ issue - it is about achieving a healthy balance. And the discipline of balancing needs to be accompanied by a nuanced skill – the art of accurate diagnosis. We need to go beyond a focus on mere symptoms; we must understand the body as a whole – as an integrated ecosystem. This is key, as many times the symptoms appearing in one part of the body may be caused by imbalances in an entirely different organ or body system. There are several possible imbalances that may drive illness in the body.
Bon Vivant... A Beautiful Mind
...P 12
Even for an experienced Classical dancer it is natural to have a bout of self-doubt. One morning I asked myself if Classical dance was basically an outcome of one’s psychomotor skills, which involve the ‘making’ of intricate facial expressions - including the roving of the eyeballs, manipulation of eyebrows, twitching and contouring of the mouth and cheeks (to depict sorrow, joy, anger, despair or desolateness). Or was it my hands and slender fingers - clapping, clasping, cupping and clipping - that did the trick. I had heard from my contemporaries that one of the legendary gurus of Classical dance focused solely on his feet.
...P 15
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5-11 June 2015
Epicentre Snareophobe at Raasta Gurgaon Date: June 5 Venue: Raasta Gurgaon, Cyber Hub, DLF Cyber City
Indian Ocean Live @ Raahgiri Gurgaon Date: June 7 Time: 7:00 am Venue: opp. Vyapaar Kendra
Music Date: June 6 Time: 7:30pm Music Without Boundaries (60mins) Producer: The Capital City Minstrels; Conductor: Carolin Remy Accompanying Artists: Nise Meruno on the Piano and Suchet Malhotra on Percussion Tickets at Rs.400 & Rs.200 available at the Venue Suitable for all age groups Theatre Date: June 7 Time: 7:30pm Hi Handsome (Hindi/90mins) Director: Mahesh Vashistha Cast: Pramod, Aakash, Avinash, Priyanka, Divya,
Dishant, Shubham & Rupesh The story of the play has been fabricated, with the loneliness of old age as the central thought Tickets at Rs. 350, 250 & 150 available at the Venue Suitable for 15 years & above Dance Date: Jure 8 Time: 7:30pm An evening of Contemporary Dance by Shubhro Ghosh & troupe Producer: Indra Dance Company Entrapment is a dance piece that talks about a man being trapped inside a box & feeling suffocated inside…and how he tries to free himself
Young Adults: It’s Logical! Date: June 9 Time: 10:30 am Venue: Club Nirvana Patio, Sector- 50, Nirvana Country
Stand Up Comedy Date: June 9 Time: 7:30pm LOL @ Epicentre Fight Comic (Hinglish/90mins) Singapore's most popular comedy face off, with Indian Tadka! Comedians: Amit Tandon, Zakir Khan, Jeeveshu Ahluwalia, Maheep Singh and Abijit Ganguly Tickets at Rs. 500 available at the Venue Suitable for 18 years & above Music Date: June 11 Time: 7:30pm IWCF
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Wednesday Theatre @ Patio Clubs Kabuliwala Storyteller: Kamal Pruthi Duration : 40 minutes Language : English & Hindi Cover Charge: Rs. 300 per head Date: June 10 Time: 8:00 pm Venue: Club Nirvana Patio, Sector- 50 Nirvana Country
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5-11 June 2015
CM says that residents of identified 3,000 unauthorised colonies in the State will be given basic civic facilities. Haryana will spend Rs 1,600 crores for the construction of roads in the State. Information on land registration and jamabandi will soon be available online across the State. Haryana proposes the Vidhayak Adarsh Gram Yojana at the State level (akin to the Centre’s MP Yojana), for the 12 MPs and 90 MLAs of the State, to ensure focused development of villages (6,500 in the State). Hisar may soon become an aviation industry hub, for repair facilities and manufacture of parts. Tax rates for personal vehicles are rationalised (leading to an increase) in Haryana. It seems that only 4.5 lakh of the 18 lakh PF account holders in Gurgaon have PAN cards, and nationally, only 25% of the 6 crore PF account holders have PAN cards; the govt. may tax withdrawals of more than Rs 30,000 from PF accounts unless a valid PAN Card number is given. Haryana govt. also decides to have samples of Maggi tested (it has been banned in Delhi for 15 days). A Horticulture University will come up in Karnal, with 3 regional centres in Jhajjar, Jind and Ambala districts. In Haryana, Gurgaon, Farid-
Red Cross toll free number: 81000-880-88
THE WEEK THAT WAS abad, Ambala and Panipat have been identified for Smart City status. A security guard, an ex-Armyman, kills a colleague and injures another, before killing himself by jumping in front of a train. 2 labourers are killed when a wall collapses in Manesar after a recent storm. An early morning accident on the e-way, wherein a truck rams into a stationary trailer, leads to the death of the truck driver, and a traffic jam that lasts till the afternoon. 2 heatstroke deaths are reported from the City. A 19-year-old, resident of Ashok Vihar, is abducted and raped by her brother-in-law and his relatives. A minor girl’s classmates are booked for attempted rape, after they lured her and then tried to film the incident. A bar receptionist is seriously injured and falls unconscious when the car she is travelling in crashes; she was fighting off the driver, who had forcibly picked her up from the road and was molesting her. A 39-year-old man beats up and molests a 29-year-old
woman from Darjeeling in front of Ambience Mall and in full view of many; he had been stalking her. A spa in Sushant Lok 1 is raided and a sex racket busted. A Delhi resident is shot at close range by 3 bikers, who first purposely hit his car, expecting him to get out. 3 workers in Maruti Udyog are hurt after a tank containing acid residue bursts while it is being cleaned. 2 frauds are caught while trying to collect parking fee in Cyber City at gunpoint. A couple is caught for cheating an online firm of Rs 60 lakhs. 9 are held for running a fake call centre and indulging in credit card fraud. 3 executives of a Punebased company are booked for defrauding an Udyog Vihar company of Rs 64 lakhs. A businessman is robbed of over a lakh and his mobile by a ‘sadhu’ who took a lift from him; apparently the sadhu ‘drugged’ him.
1800-180-4646 Helpline for children with special needs You can inform the Administration about any suspected female foeticide malpractice on mobile number 8010088088 and earn a reward (if the information is found to be correct).
MCG has reportedly asked for construction activity to be stopped in 44 colonies that had been ‘regularised’ in 2013, as no one has paid the necessary development charges; the estimated dues are Rs 100 crores. Unauthorised farmhouses are
demolished in the Bandhwari area. The Vigilance dept. is investigating the allotment of lands to International Amusement Ltd. and Kingdom of Dreams. Chinese realty companies are beginning to check out areas in and around Gurgaon. Sushant Lok I RWA is taking charge of maintenance of the colony from the builder’s maintenance company. Plans to address the issue of traffic jams around Daultabad flyover have been approved. Class X results are good across the State – many get 10CGPA. 5 City kids are honoured by the Science Olympiad Foundation for excelling in an international contest. Gurgaon Railway Station has been upgraded – from category B to A status - and its renovation has started.
29 May-4 June 2015
Watch and listen to
'Hai Ye Gurgaon Meri Jaan'
RNI No. HARENG/2011/39319, Postal Regn. No. GRG/35/2014-2017
Vol. 4 No. 41 Pages 16 ` 10
Make in
Greater Gurgaon
Haryana
a ballad on Gurgaon, based on the
The State Government has identified a few viable standalone ‘Early Bird Projects’ for development as model initiatives. Mass Rapid Transit System (MRTS): DelhiGurgaon-Manesar-Bawal Logistics Hub in South Haryana Global City at Gurgaon The Global City project will be developed over an area of 1,000 acres, through a Joint Venture Company of HSIIDC and DMICDC. To be positioned as one of the earliest Greenfield Smart City projects in the country, the ‘City’ will have a catalytic impact on economic growth and employment generation and be a major contributor for sustainable development and growth in Haryana. The Project components would include Festive & Leisure (including an Exhibition cum Convention Centre), High Value Innovation & Knowledge Industries, a Central Business District and a Township. AECOM, a US-based consultancy firm, is undertaking the Pre-feasibility Studycum-Master Planning for the Project.
legendary song... 'Ye hai Bombay Meri Jaan'.
Global Economic Corridor along the Kundli-Manesar-Palwal (KJMP) Expressway
(Draft) Industrial Investment & Business Promotion Policy 2015 Innovate – Invest – Incorporate
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHKm54U913g
OR View it at the FG Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/fridaygurgaon
The Haryana Vision To position Haryana as a pre-eminent Investment destination and facilitate balanced regional and sustainable development supported by a dynamic governance system, wide scale adoption of innovation & technology, and skill development for nurturing entrepreneurship and generating employment opportunities The Mission Reposition Haryana as a ‘Preferred Destination’ for doing business n Facilitate State GDP growth rate in excess of 8% n Generate employment for 4 lakh persons n Ensure Rs. 1 lakh crore nvestments flow into the State n Increase contribution of secondary sector in the State GDP from 27% to 32%, in tandem with the Government of India’s National Manufacturing Policy and ‘Make in India’ initiative n Promote balanced regional development through geographical dispersal of industry n Increase the competitiveness of MSMEs through cluster development n Adopt ‘Zero Defect Zero Effect’ manufacturing practices n
Ease of Doing Business n There will be online & time bound approvals under the same roof/ cloud – through an empowered CEO located in the CMO (Chief Minsiter’s Office) n CEO will have concurrent powers of 10 Departments under the Industrial Promotion Act 2005 (IPA), for projects having investment in plant & machinery (criteria as per MSME Act) above Rs.1 crore & CLU of land above 1 acre as per T&CP norms n All project related approvals will be given in 2 phases within 2 months Time bound clearances will be given, with a provision of ‘deemed approvals’ under Clause 11 of IPA n 34 Services relating to Industries Deptt. will be notified under the Right to Service Act n 30 services will be delivered through the e-biz portal n For projects having investment in plant & machinery (criteria as per MSME Act) upto Rs.1 crore & CLU of land upto 1 acre as per T&CP norms, DCs will have the power as per the Industrial Promotion Act 2005 n Investment Promotion Center (IPC) will be strengthened, and a
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- Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) will be set up for foreign direct investments under the aegis of IPC. FIPB would also manage & promote the initiative for NRIs/PIOs, christened as ‘Overseas Friends of Haryana’ District Facilitation Centers will support industry and help in troubleshooting Relationship Managers will handhold Mega Projects Economic Development Council will be set up to harness the intellectual capital in the State In the allotment of plots, e-auctions will be resorted to when demand is more; in other cases, similar objective criteria would be adopted Fortune 500 companies, large Corporates and MNCs would be ‘invited’ There ewould be a three tier Grievance Redressal Mechanism: District level Agency, under DC – to meet on a fixed day every month; State level Agency, under CS – to meet once in two months; Apex level Agency, under the Chief Minister – to meet once in three months Contd. on p 13
This Project holds unprecedented potential for the development of economic hubs at strategic locations along the Expressway. A Global Economic Corridor is also being planned along the Expressway, with provision for the establishment of various 'Theme' cities - like Knowledge City, Cyber City, Biosciences and Pharma City, Medi-City, Fashion City, Entertainment City, World Trade City, Leisure City, Dry Port City, Eco City and Sports City. These cities/hubs will cater to institutional, commercial, industrial, research, residential, logistics/freight activities and will be spread over an area of more than 150 square kilometres. These cities are expected to generate huge employment opportunities and will be developed in the Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode. A 1 km belt on the either side of KMP Expressway has been designated as a Controlled area. Kherki Daula Toll Plaza In order to address the issues/problems faced by entrepreneurs based at IMT Manesar and nearby regions, due to the existing location of Kherki Daula Toll Plaza, a staggering of the toll collection bays/creation of a dedicated/fast track lane for enterprises in IMT Manesar and nearby regions would be considered.
FG Last Week Issue Cover Page
5-11 June 2015
Book Review
M
y Thousand Sons is a 2015 book by Rajesh Bhola, an Indian author, social worker, psychotherapist, journalist, columnist and writer on spiritual subjects. While working as President of Spastic Society of Gurgaon he has positively impacted the lives of thousands of disabled persons for the last thirty years. The title of the Book has been inspired by the one thousand Cerebral Palsy-afflicted children that he worked with and grew deeply attached to during the process of their rehabilitation. In a way he has adopted them and become their guardian. My Thousand Sons is a collection of the choicest autobiographical anecdotes, advocating spiritual handling of life's daily conflicts and hassles with the aim of living a more meaningful and fruitful life. We live in an age of uncertainty, constantly trying to find our way out of the labyrinth of life and death, heaven and hell, and bringing to an end our successive cycles of incarnations. But perhaps, in doing so, we are losing sight of the real purpose of life. Our only real and true concern in life should be to fill each day with as much happiness, magnanimity and humanity as we can. Our karma will then take us wherever we belong. With their diverse themes, the one hundred and nine motivational anecdotes seek to empower and embolden, and propel one towards discovery and appreciation of one's true self. Displaying rare sensitivity, the Author has brought to the fore several of the ambiguities and dilemmas that are dogging contemporary Indian society. He presents an endearing and soul-stirring memoir of the places he has visited and introduces the readers to a variety of individuals suffering from the rarest of afflictions. It is clear that they have left a lasting impression on him. This is a an inspirational book. It recounts the actual life stories of children battling mental retardation and Cerebral Palsy. While handling such children, the parents experience intense doubt and helplessness, and themselves undergo a radical change – in how they live their lives and see the world. Bhola says that this can remarkably lead to a form of ‘enlightenment’ - it enables these parents to become socially helpful to others who are in pain. It is also observed that other persons connected with such children develop better emotional control and understanding of human problems. The experience
Title: My Thousand Sons Size: 312p/ Paperback/5.83×8.27'' Available: in Paperback / EPUB/ MOBI / PDF Available with: Amazon (at their worldwide outlets), Flipkart, Booktopia, Lybrary, Bakus, Rakuten, Bookdepository, Ebay, Adlibris, Fishpond, UKBooks, Ozon, Superbookshop.
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helps unfold the more sensitive dimensions of their hearts and minds. Many of us, on the other hand, tend to put on a ‘front’ for the world and try to cover up our infirmities – because we are ashamed. We need to realise that imperfection, suffering, pain, hardship and grief are real and can happen to anyone. The Book takes the reader to a higher plane of existence, to see life from various viewpoints, and guides him to discover ‘heaven’ on this planet - once he starts ‘responding’ to the affliction and pain that is spread all around. It seems clear that the aim of the Book is to provide relief to stressed humanity. It encourages people to volunteer to help others, in their own interest, because those closely associated with spastic, severely disabled or needy persons become more spiritually inclined. Their level of consciousness gets heightened, and prayer and meditation comes more naturally to them - they get closer to the inner core of their being. The Book reinforces the ‘lesson’ that spiritualism does not offer an escape into a metaphysical paradise, but rather provides one the opportunity to become the master of the fire of enlightenment and the doer of chosen acts and deeds. When we see that a person has accepted trouble or affliction, but still goes on living in a positive way, we are surely inspired. Rajesh Bhola has been associated with the issue of disability since 1984, and has heard from thousands of children about the trauma that they undergo, their difficulties and their feelings of (social) discrimination. Apart from being there for them, this experience has motivated him to write many short stories, which centre on the theme of disability leading to spiritual awareness. My Thousand Sons is a collection of his autobiographical experiences spanning a period of thirty years - from 1984 to 2014. Each of the one hundred and nine motivational stories, with its unique theme and flavour, tries to paint a realistic portrait of life and describes Bhola’s first hand conversations with the disabled, the infirm and those who are in need of psychopathic help. The narrative flows well and is very engrossing; Rajesh Bhola is a skilled storyteller. Deepti Umashankar, Joint Secretary, Cabinet Secretariat, Rashtrapati Bhawan, New Delhi writes in her Foreword that ‘My Thousand Sons’ provides delight to the readers. The Book can be a guidebook for the young generation on how to live life meaningfully. It will have a cathartic effect on the reader; it will help in the cleansing of one’s inner self. Reviewed by Dr. Ramesh Goyal Immediate Previous President, Indian Medical Association.
NAYI SUBAH Empower Your Domestic Workers! Help them get their Voter IDs in Gurgaon
Nayi Subah team works along with home owners to empower domestic workers If you need help, please contact us. Email: nayi.subah.ggn@gmail.com Phone: +91 9650959335 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nayi.subah.gurgaon
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5-11 June 2015
C over S tory
How Green will be our Valley? Contd from p 1
gaon, students seem to be even more sensitive to Nature than is not connected to any river. adults. Most of them understand If the forest too gets further the value of preserving Nature degraded, there may be little and saving Earth from degradachance for the City to survive. tion. “To save our planet we need I admit that we can’t really forests, plantations and water. control the population, but we They are important for all livsurely can increase the civic and ing beings - humans, animal and social infrastructure and find birds. It is important to ensure a the right balance between pre- proper ecological balance,” says serving Nature and promoting a student of a Senior Secondary ‘development’. The Administra- government school. For some it’s tion must understand this criti- already the time to act – and, like cal balance and value it,” says charity, the action needs to begin Lathika Thukral, who runs a at home. “Reusing and recycling local NGO in Gurgaon. She adds, many things, from newspapers to “Another major problem is the cans and scrap metals, will help usage of water, which needs to be protect our environment. Whatever goes to waste should controlled - and recycled - to be treated, and not the extent possible - for left to rot and seep reuse. If our ground The the ground. water gets further 3Rs - Reuse, into We should all condepleted, how will Recycle and we survive? Citizens need to wake up and Reduce – need realise that ‘developto start ment’ has little meaning without some bare trending! necessities of life.” Going forward, obviously a forest cannot be (re)created in a day. So, while we protect what is left of it, consistent efforts have to be put in for planting more trees across the City. They will not only help preserve the natural environment, but also keep people healthy. “We are working to convert the Biodiversity Park into one of the best forests in the country. Many people from the City come here for a walk and get to feel its natural aura, ” concludes Lathika. Ms. Lata Vaidhyanathan, Principal of TERI School, says, “The adverse effects of the macro and micro climatic changes are severe. We clearly need to control the damage. While many of us are aware of the basics of environment protection, we don’t follow even these. In our School we teach the students the importance of environment protection and the benefits of planting trees. For us, every day is an environment day. At TERI (Institute), thousands of researchers are working on this sensitive issue. They are working on methods, technologies and processes on how best to recycle and reuse products.” The Principal of Amity International School, Vishakha Chitnis, says, “I appreciate the fact that EVS (Environmental Science) is a compulsory subject under the CBSE Board. This education helps even young minds understand that they need to protect the environment. The good thing is that students are showing a lot of interest in, and appreciating for, the need to protect the environment – which will also benefit their own future.” In fact, in Gur-
serve electricity in all various daily activities, “ says Arpita, a student of Dronacharya Government College. The Environment Department in the State government has devised a few plans to help protect and preserve Nature. ”Traffic is the main contributor to air pollution and we are
trying our best to control it. However, we also need to conserve water and, importantly, reduce water wastage. Steps have also been taken to dissuade builders from drawing ground water. We will also plant many trees; like in Chandigarh, they will be planted in a row. Along with DC, RWAs
It takes resources to manufacture and transport all products, even those made from recycled content. At the very least, energy is spent...and spending of resources leaves the Earth poorer. While we can continue to buy ‘new' (there is no Environmental Police - yet), let us remember that buying nothing is better for the Earth than even buying Green. There are exceptions, of course – like when switching from an energywasting to an energy-efficient model. Reducing is probably the toughest, as it means letting go of notions like bigger is better, new is better than old and that convenience justifies anything. When you shop, look for things that will last – and are useful and beautiful enough to please you for a long time. It’s ok if they cost a little more (initially).
and NGOs will help in the planting of trees and managing solid waste materials. This will create more awareness as well as help develop greenery in the City. I admit the government works in a slow manner, but we have now started to seriously think about the environment,” says a department officer. The official adds that government schools now have eco clubs, which are funded by the State. These clubs are spreading awareness of the environment among the students, and are also undertaking various environment protection programmes. The State has also planned a rally from Jacobpura to the Biodiversity Park on the occasion of World Environment Day (June 5), to spread the message of environment protection, and the 3Rs – Reduce (use of natural resources), Reuse (products) and (use) Recycle(d) products. On a broader platform, the lesson is: what we can recycle, we should; what we cannot, let us not use; reduce usage of disposable products; use more paper products (as they break down better in the environment and don't deplete the ozone layer as much); stop using plastic bags; reuse brown paper bags to line our trash can; buy recycled goods; store food in reusable containers, instead of plastic wraps or aluminum foils; use more organic fertilisers; compost household waste; use recycled engine oil; and take public transport wherever possible. “Let us walk more and drive less to conserve fuel and prevent auto emissions,” says a professor of Environmental Science, Delhi University. We should avoid littering our roads and highways - and also prevent others from doing so. Littering is not just bad for the environment, it is also an offence, and carries heavy fines. Avoid burning dead leaves, as this creates significant air pollution; do not also put them out along with the trash, as this takes up unnecessary space at the landfills; instead, compost the leaves and debris. At farms, why can’t we regularly (as in earlier times) pull out the weeds, instead of using harmful herbicides? Finally, let’s teach our children to genuinely respect Nature and the environment, and work to protect, nourish and revive the one planet that offers a miracle called Life. On this World Environment Day, let us all take a pledge to save our Mother, and then make that pledge count every day, in every action we take. After all, Mother Earth will be what we make of it.u
5-11 June 2015
C ivic/S ocial
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'Policing' them Young
{ Barnali Dutta/FG }
write to us at letters@fridaygurgaon
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ike they say, ‘catch them young’. At a Road Safety Camp in the City, 140 students from a cross-section of local schools (private and govt.) will undergo training (in batches) on: road safety rules, specific laws that define road safety and measures to be taken to ensure that that both people and vehicles remain safe on the roads. This week the first batch underwent the combination of classroom and practical training, wherein students were exposed to real life situations. Working hand-in-hand with the Traffic Police, the children are expected to prepare a report on the actual status of safety precautions on the roads, adding their comments on the inadequacies. The entire exercise had
the excitement of a real life situation, because the school kids were allowed to point out traffic offences, which led to challans being issued to the offenders by the Traffic Police. The Road Safety Camp was in many ways a revelation for the school kids, who got the opportunity to understand some of the civic and social responsibilities of every citizen. It was a basic lesson on the need for commuters to adhere to traffic and safety rules, along with an understanding of the consequences of them not doing so. The participants were given kits as study material. While it is quite convenient for us to almost always criticise police officials, the ‘reality’ on the road was a revelation for the school kids. “We would never have understood the difficulties that the police officers face while on the roads, dealing with the unruly traffic and the
different kinds of rule breakers. The hot summer months are a particularly strenuous time for the Traffic Police,” said Akhil Arora, a student of a private school. Aks Singh, of Heritage School, said that he would have preferred to take training in self-defence, which is also a part of the programme. He was not amused at being compelled by his parents to participate in the ‘outdoor activity’. Dhrub, another student of the same school, said, ”Learning the various rules and regulations and then assisting the Traffic Police has been a great experience.” He is eagerly looking forward to submitting his report, which he intends to be a PowerPoint presentation. Kavita and Divya, of Jharsa Government Secondary School, seemed very happy
looked up to for advice. Virender Singh Balhara, a member of the Haryana Police, has been named the ‘Tau’ of the entire campaign. His task involves teaching the kids traffic rules and various other regulations that pertain to safety on the roads. The Tau’s visits have helped create huge awareness of traffic safety rules among the children of the State. Balhara said, “I joined the police force long ago, and though I am not highly educated I love this job, wherein I can educate children on traffic and safety rules and regulations. I believe prakhar PANDEY this Camp and the to attend the Camp. Both the campaign will also help reingirls found the training on road force their basic morals, which safety, and particularly on self- sometimes we all forget in our defence, very useful. The Safety busy lives.“ The children will Camp is being ably supported by also visit the Sector 29 Police a number of Non-Government Station and the Police Training Organisations (NGOs), such as Center at Bhondsi, as well as WESS, Times Institution and getting more first hand experiEMBARQ, and of course by in- ence of managing road traffic. dividual Road Safety Officers They will present their (RSOs). Maruti has also provid- learnings on the last day, ed useful support to the entire through various mediums campaign. The Company un- like PowerPoint presentations, veiled a specially developed nukkad nataks or songs. The comic book on Road Safety, for Road Safety summer camp for children. students was inaugurated by To make the learning Navdeep Singh Virk, Commismore interesting, one police sioner of Police, Gurgaon, at officer has been selected as Traffic Tower, A Block, Sushant the ‘Tau’, in the best of Hary- Lok -1, along with Bharti Aroana tradition. A ‘Tau’, or the ra, Jt. Commissioner of Police elder brother of a child’s fa- (Traffic), Saurabh Singh, Jt. ther, is a most respected fig- Commissioner of Police and ure in the State. He is also representatives from Maruti.u
'Let’s talk about Road Safety’ A Community Engagement initiative, aimed at encouraging all stakeholders to participate and spread the message of Road Safety
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he campaign aims to engage and collaborate with all key stakeholders - such as HUDA, RTA, PWD, MCG, hospitals, schools, corporates and the Hotels and Bars Association - to jointly address and promote Road Safety. The campaign was unveiled by Satish Chandra, IAS, Member - Finance, NHAI and S.S. Kapur, IPS, ADG CID, Haryana. Also present at the function were Ms Bharti Arora - IPS, Joint Commissioner of Police, Traffic, Gurgaon and Saurabh Singh - IPS, Joint Commissioner of Police, HQ. Ms Arora highlighted critical road safety issues in Gurgaon, current traffic scenario and the plans ahead (including the campaign). She said, “Road safety is critical to everyone, and to make our city roads safer it’s important that people to participate in this endeavour. The ‘Let’s talk
about Road safety’ campaign aims to encourage and involve all stakeholders to talk about responsible behaviour and Road Safety. It’s our responsibility to make Gurgaon a safe and responsible city.” A movie created by the Gurgaon Traffic Police on Road Safety, along with various stakeholders like doctors, lawyers, auto drivers, truck drivers, road victims, children, cyclist groups, Road Safety Officers (RSOs) and Women Safety Officers (WSOs), was released at the event. The campaign will be promoted at schools and colleges, as it is most important that the future generations develop a sense of civic and social responsibility and positive citizenship. Hospitals will need to ensure the best possible emergency response and care at accident scenes and while transferring accident victims to hospital/trauma care centres. Cinemas would run video clips on Road
Safety, and corporates would sensitise their employees on Road Safety as well as participate in awareness campaigns and drives. RTAs would undertake exhaustive checks before issuing permits, and conduct periodic checks. As a part
of this campaign, the Road Safety mascot, ‘Traffic Tau’, will be seen engaging with commuters and promoting the message of Road Safety on the roads, and will provide a helping hand to the Gurgaon Traffic Police.u
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C ivic/S ocial
5-11 June 2015
Haryana e-Services
ith a view to providing time bound and hassle-free services to its citizens, the Haryana government has notified 163 services under Right to Service Act, 2014. These services would be provided in a prescribed time period and in case of unnecessary delay the concerned official would have to pay a fine. Revenue Department would provide 20 services, including: Certified copies of all documents – like Record of Rights (jamabandi), girdawari and mutation Demarcation of land Registration of all kinds of documents - Sale Deed, Lease Deed, GPA and Partnership Deed Attestation of uncontested mutations Private partition of land (mutual consent of landowners) The following Certificates will be issued by the Tehsildar of the concerned Sub Division, within 7 days: Scheduled Caste Certificate, Backward Classes Certificate, Other Backward Classes Certificate, Special Backward Classes Certificate, Tapriwas Certificate, Vimukt Jati Certificate, Economically Backward General Caste Certificate, Resident Certificate and Rural Area Certificate; Income Certificate, Area or Succession or Dependent Certificate or counter signature, Mortgage 1st. charge and Registration of Lease or Conveyance Deed will be issued/done within 15 days; and Conversion from Lease to Freehold will be done within 30 days.
Health Department: Certified copies of Birth or Death Certificate in rural areas Correction of entry in Birth and Death Certificate Health and Urban Local Bodies Departments: Birth and Death Certificate (name entry and new Birth Certificate) Registration of Death and Birth
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Water supply and sewage connection in Municipal Corporations of Faridabad and Gurgaon would be provided within 7 days. Water leakages or blockage/ overflow of sewer lines would be taken care of within 2 days. Certificate (after one year of event), Urban Local Bodies Department: Certified copies of Birth and Death Certificates Sanction of building plans other than residential, for all Improvement Trusts. Sanction of building plans or revised building plans (residential), for all Improvement Trusts Sanction of building plans in the original municipal limits for all uses and sizes except commercial or institutional uses, for the sites 1,000 square metres and above Completion or Occupation Certificate for buildings (all categories), for all Improvement Trusts No Objection Certificates or duplicate allotments or re-allotment letters, for all Improvement Conveyance Deed of Improvement Trust; No Dues Certificate of all Improvement Trusts; transfer of property in case of sale of Improvement Trust; transfer of property in case of death, for all Improvement Trusts; issue of permission for mortgage; sanction of all building plans or revised building plans (residential), for Municipal Corporations, Councils and Committees. Other than residential, in 60 days from the receipt of complete documents. Conveyance Deed New Trade Licence by Municipal Corporation; renewal of Trade Licence
Skill Haryana
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he District Administration, in collaboration with ‘School of Skills Development in Hospitality (SSDH)’, is going to introduce a training program in Hospitality in Gurgaon. The training will not only be completely free, the trainees will even get some cash incentive on successful completion of the Public Health Engineering Department: training. DC Satyaprakash said Sanction of water supply that SSDH would train at least or sewerage connection one thousand youth in a year in in corporation cities and Hospitality. Interested persons in Municipal Corporation should contact the office of the towns (within 12 days); Institute at 16/6, H Block, DLF water leakage or overflow Phase-I, Gurgaon, phone number pipes (within 3 days); sewerage or blocked or 0124- 4063752 (or Saurabh at overflow of manholes (within 7 days) 9999605207). The training is being imparted under the Pradhan Mantri Power Department: Kaushal Vikas Yojna (PKVY). ‘Normal’ fuse call (within 4 hours Under this Central Government in cities and towns, and in 8 hours in scheme, about 24 lakhs youth rural areas); overhead lines breakdown in cities and towns (within 8 hours, across the country would get the and in rural areas within 16 hours); opportunity of being trained in skills by Municipal Corporation Change of Land Use permission for the sites situated within controlled areas falling with the municipal limits Removal of solid waste from streets or roads (within 2 days); replacement of streetlights (within 10 days - subject to availability of material in stores)
breakdowns due to breakage of poles (within 12 hours in cities and towns, and in rural areas within 24 hours); underground cable breakdown in cities and towns and in rural areas (within 48 hours); major power failure involving power equipment (within 7 days)
Food and Supplies Department: Issuance of new Ration Card, on receipt of D-1 form (within 22 days). Transport Department would provide 3 services in a time bound manner; Housing Board – 9 services; Agriculture Department - 2 services; Haryana State Agricultural Marketing Board – 8 services; Industries and Commerce Department - 19 services; Haryana State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation - 13 services; HUDA - 15 services; Town and Country Planning (TCP) Department – 10 services; Home Department - 24 services.u
ooking Gas consumers need to submit the ‘Pratham Hastantarit Labh’ (PAHAL) form under Direct Benefit Transfer in LPG (DBTL) by June 30. Failure to do so will mean that they will be deprived of the gas subsidy the for last three months (April to June), and will also not get the benefit of subsidy in future. According to the District co-ordinator for all petroleum companies, Abhishek Aggarwal, till now 78% domestic gas consumers (374,120 out of a total of 480,932) have got their gas connections linked with their bank account, and these consumers are getting their gas subsidy through their bank accounts. Aggarwal said that those who don’t want to avail the subsidy should convey this to the agency and fill in the requisite form. He added that those consumers who have joined the DBTL Scheme would be given a 'permanent advance' of Rs 568 as an incentive when they book their gas cylinder for the first time after joining the scheme. The amount will be transferred to their bank account and will be deposited before the delivery of the cylinder. Under the DBTL Scheme one has to give a filled up copy of the PAHAL form to the gas agency from where one is getting the gas supply, along with a photocopy of the first page of one's bank account passbook or a cancelled cheque, and a proof of residence. If the consumer has an Aadhaar Card, he/she should give a copy of it also. Similarly, a copy of PAHAL along with a photocopy of first page of the Gas Connection Book should be submitted to the bank where the consumer has an account. The PAHAL form is available free of cost at all the 31 gas agencies in Gurgaon district, and the filled up form and documents can be submitted to them on all seven days of the week. The PAHAL form is also available on the website of the Gurgaon District Administration.
required in various industries. Apart from cash prizes, the successful candidates would also get a certificate. The Director of SSDH, Sangeeta Ranjit, apprised that further information on the scheme could be obtained by contacting the nearest Skill Development Center, calling 08800055555, or checking out www.pmkvyofficial.org or www. facebook.com/PMKVYOfficial. She said that SSDH is affiliated with the Tourism & Hospitality Skill Development Council, which is functioning under National Skill Development Council (NSDC). The website of the Institute is www.ssdh.co.in. She added that the registration of interested candidates would be undertaken at SSDH from 1st to 10th of every month. SSDH will remain open from 9.00 am to 6.00 pm daily on all working days. For registration, one must have an Aadhaar Card and a Bank Account. There will be both morning and evening sessions, and each batch will be of 30 students. The training will be of two months duration, in Restaurant Service Operations or Hospitality.
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C omment
How Green will be our Valley? Contd from p 1 What you should do on WED n Visit the World Environment Day website http://www.unep. org/wed/ n Take the WED Challenge, at http://www.unep.org/WED/ wedchallenge/ n Read about ‘Tree-a-Day’ and ‘Forest Facts’
EDITORIAL Atul Sobti
on new technologies and possibilities. Don’t just criticise; get involved and help those trying to make the change.
Take public transport more often Make this choice today. If you already do so, get your bike out for the weekend…or walk. Better still, spend time gently persuading a car lover of the benefits (and fun!) of catching the bus once in a while. n
n Get involved in a conservation , restoration or local ecoWhat you should do from today n Choose to adopt an eco-friendly, sustainable lifestyle community project Do an inventory of your energy Today is a great day to sign up and usage, your ‘consuming’ get involved with people who are Holding your own WED event habits and your reliance on Doing - rather than just talking or Organise a local WED event by enthusing ‘unsustainable’ products, and reading. your neighbourhood folk, friends, local list how you intend to curb the n Make the most of your garden community, schools, businesses, and the unsustainable activities and habits media, to get involved too. Some ideas for Compost your scraps, and then and replace them with sustainable an event are: use the compost to boost the ones. Set yourself a timeline to n An Arts and Crafts exhibition with a WED garden’s production. Make a part meet this challenge. of your garden ‘edible’, by planting theme/focus n Start reading the labels of n seasonal food crops. Even those A film festival focused on eco-issues n Ceremonies: like awarding those local origin and manufacture of the that have merely a balcony or a goods that you consume tiny plot can grow food - such as a members of the community who have done Are they certified as sustainable potato in a bag or a small sprout something worthwhile for the environmental (for example, all forest products garden on your windowsill. You can or who have inspired many to take positive with the FSC logo are logged using also join a community gardening environmental actions – you could even sustainable forestry practices), are project Grow herbs and spices : invite celebrities for the award-giving n they organic (for example, organic these add flavour to your food, look Competitions : eco-themed, like painting cotton clothing causes much less beautiful in the garden and also competitions, or even online ‘eco-poetry’ environmental damage than that have medicinal, beauty, healing, Concerts: a cool way to get lots of people made from ‘conventional’ cotton), spiritual and other usages. Borrow together in the spirit of WED are they sustainably obtained a book from the library to learn n Environmental education and awareness (like fish), are they locally made more about the use of herbs and raising; Information kits (meaning less travel miles), and spices. Encourage beneficial and n Demonstration activities are they Fair Trade (that is, friendly wildlife into your garden, n Flash mobs ‘ethically’ produced). There are through careful planting and n Online and Social Media activities lots of things that a label can tell the creation of shelters. Learn n Sports activities you. Also, if you don’t find what to make your own garden sprays you’re looking for, email or post (pesticides), using items that are a message on Facebook to the toxic to bugs and mildew - but of company, retailer or manufacturer responsible. Facebook is a course not to people and pets! great method, because lots of other people will check out your n Make Refuse, Reduce, Reuse & Recycle a habit question and be waiting for the answer! Be aware that some All that clutter has to go somewhere. If you can’t refuse it labels and practices compete with others. You need to make to start with, at least reduce, reuse or recycle it. Make good an informed choice. For example, Fair Trade retailers know choices about where your clutter’s going to end up. Think about that they face a real challenge when shipping some products to borrowing , sharing, donating, time-sharing etc., instead of remote destinations, but they do their best to ensure that the buying for keeps. Or pass it on after you’ve read, used, watched, supply chain is fair, ethical and as ecologically considerate as worn and enjoyed it. possible - and they continue to rework their approaches based
Source: wikihow
WED 2015
Sustainable Consumption and Production Seven Billion Dreams. One Planet. Consume with Care The well being of humanity and the environment, and the functioning of the economy, ultimately depend on the responsible management of the planet’s natural resources. And yet, evidence is building that people are consuming far more natural resources than what the planet can sustainably provide. Many of the Earth’s ecosystems are nearing critical tipping points of depletion or irreversible change, pushed by high population growth and economic ‘development’. By 2050, if current consumption and production patterns remain the same, and with a rising population expected to reach 9.6 billion, we will need three planets to sustain our ways of living and consumption. Consuming with care means living within planetary boundaries, to ensure a healthy future wherein our dreams can be realised. Human ‘prosperity’ need not cost the earth. Living sustainably is about doing more and better with less; it is about knowing that indiscriminate exploitation and usage of natural resources, and the resulting environmental impact, is not a necessary byproduct of economic growth.
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Counting down to our 200th. issue (June 19), we are featuring some special Cover Stories from the past. This one is from Vol 1, No. 46, July 6-12, 2012.
Gurgaon Master Stroke To Hit Rock Bottom in 10 years; to become a Desert within 20. Achieve M(uck) City status alongside.
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ill Gurgaon become a desert? Will Gurgaon drown in its own muck? Which will happen first? What will be the impact of the double whammy? The Millennium City is seriously water-stressed The groundwater is being decimated by developers and builders, and citizens. Almost 40,000 bore wells are allegedly operating here. Drilling has gone to 300 feet in a few places. In many places it has already hit rock. In 10 years the aquifers may well dry up. We would have hit rock bottom.
Water Supply – raw water comes from the 70km Gurgaon Water Supply (GWS) Canal of the Yamuna (linked to the Western Yamuna Canal coming from the Tajewala headworks near Yamunanagar. The GWS canal is designed to carry 245 MLD (Million Litres a Day) at the head, but loses 50% on the way - due to evaporation and diversion. The villages and industrial towns on the way ‘steal’ from the canal, and return to it their waste. The water is treated in the Water Treatment Plants (WTPs) situated in Gurgaon – at Basai Road, and there will soon be one at Chandu Bhudera. Raw water sourcing and treatment is HUDA’s domain. The Public Health and Engineering Dept. (PHED) is responsible for the “old’ City – and would hand over charge of water to the MCG soon (August 1). HUDA is looking after the ‘new’ City, and also should also have handed over to the MCG – though there are no plans currently. It has divided the new City into 3 sections. CPHEEO (Central Public Health and Environmental
Engineering Organization) has set a water norm of 150 LPCD (Litres Per Capita Daily). On this basis, for a population of 1.5 to 2m million today, the water demand would be 225 to 300 MLD. To that we need to add the Commercial and Industrial Demand. A good Demand estimate would be 350 to 400 MLD. The Supply is 200 to 250 MLD. Water Storage capacity at Basai is currently only 580 MLD (less than 2 days demand); it is being increased to 1770 MLD (about 5 days). Water Treatment HUDA has 3 Water treatment Plants (WTPs) in Basai, with a total capacity of 273 MLD. However, the plants are operating at about 60% capacity. The quality of water treatment is also suspect. There is wastage of water while supplying from the Plants to the homes/ factories. Sewage generation - As per a water demand of 350 MLD, sewage generation would be about 280 MLD. In reality, with water supply about 225 MLD, the sewage generation is about 180 MLD. There are 4 HUDA Sewerage Zones. They are either overloaded, or have silted up. Sewage Treatment - Gurgaon has 3 Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) – 2 at Dhanwapur (67MLD – HUDA and 32MLD - PHED) for mainly primary treatment; and 1 at Behrampur (50MLD – HUDA). Not all sewage is treated. Sewage often bypasses the Plants (overflows), especially during the monsoons. A lot of sewage also accumulates
Some Questions Where is/will the water for the hundreds of Gurgaon II projects coming/come from? Borewells (for ground water extraction) are officially banned, and Gurgaon II has no piped water connection. Where then are the water tankers getting their water from? How many residents have access to piped water? Of these, how many have water meters? Are residents being charged for water that is supplied by the builders from a (free) ground water source? Why is there no comprehensive database of the number of borewells in Gurgaon? A clear majority of them are probably illegal.
on open grounds, creating cesspools, and slowly percolates into the ground. Gurgaon’s groundwater is also not free from the menace of pollution – having high concentrations of nitrate and fluoride. For sewage collection, many colonies still do not have sewer connections; sewage is collected in septic tanks and emptied out in open areas or drains. The prominent open drains are the Khost Drain and the Badshahpur Nullah, which flow directly (untreated) into the Najafgarh Drain of Delhi (and then into the Yamuna), via an unlined 8km drain. The treated water from the STPs also goes along the same drain to Najafgarh. Water-Sewage Solutions Water Supply - Another Canal – the NCR Canal – is being dug at a cost Rs 275 crores. It is designed to carry 1210 MLD (upgradable to 1953MLD). 60% (initially 726 MLD) of the flow has been earmarked for Gurgaon. Also, as per a Haryana State Plan, 2500MLD would be diverted from the Yamuna, for use by the State. Within that, 37% (925 MLD) has been earmarked for Gurgaon.Planning for 60% share of the NCR Canal water or 37% of Haryana’s Yamuna water - for Gurgaon - is literally a pipe dream. Gurgaon matters little politically – which is why we are in this mess in the first place (see Page 1 - ‘Gurgaon on Priority’). And how can we forget that Delhi, the Capital, also depends on the same Yamuna. Additionally, there is a dire need to lay new water pipelines, and to install digital meters. Water Treatment - A new Water Treatment Plant
(3 sub-plants) is coming up at Chandu Bhudera, with a total capacity of 300 MLD. The total capacity would thus become 573 MLD, versus a minimum water demand of 800 MLD. Sewage Treatment The Behrampur Sewage Treatment Plant will be upgraded to 145 MLD (from 50 MLD today). A tertiary treatment plant, with 10 MLD capacity, will come up at Sector 52A. The total sewage treatment capacity would thus become 254 MLD, versus a generation of about 700 MLD. Conclusion As per the Master Plan 2021, the current area of Gurgaon, of 8,000 hectares, would have a population of 2.2 million; the new area (Gurgaon II – Sectors 58 to 115 - 21,733 hectares) would have a population of 1.5 million – giving a total ‘official’ population of 3.7 million. The Water Demand would be 800 to 1000 MLD. Only a miracle would help us get this - and the Water Treatment capacity would anyway be limited to 573 MLD. The Sewage Generation would be about 700 ML The Sewage Treatment capacity would only be 254 MLD ! So, yes, we would (first) drown in our own muck… Acknowledgement – This article is also based on data and information provided in a comprehensive Report of the Centre for Science and Environment – titled ‘Excreta Matters’, State of India’s Environment – A Citizen’s Report. u
{ Jaspal Bajwa }
Health & Vitality... Naturally!
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s expressed in Part 1, optimal health, like life, is not a ‘black or white’ issue - it is about achieving a healthy balance. And the discipline of balancing needs to be accompanied by a nuanced skill – the art of accurate diagnosis. We need to go beyond a focus on mere symptoms; we must understand the body as a whole – as an integrated ecosystem. This is key, as many times the symptoms appearing in one part of the body may be caused by imbalances in an entirely different organ or body system. There are several possible imbalances that may drive illness in the body. Some examples are: problems with metabolism (energy production), acid-alkali balance, elimination & detoxification system, enzymes, hormones and the immune function. A root-cause for several imbalances is an imbalance in the gut microflora. Hippocrates once said, ‘Bad digestion is the root of all evil’. The gut is swarming with about 100 trillion microflora, which outnumber the human cells in our body 10 to 1. Rightfully, the human body is now being called a ‘microbiome’ (a community of cells). Good bacteria produce healthy fats (short chain fatty acids), which help reduce inflammation and modulate the immune system. Bad bugs, on the other hand, produce fats that promote allergy and asthma, eczema and inflammation. Not surprisingly, the balance between the good and bad bacteria can influence a wide range of illnesses. Several other conditions are connected to the health of the microbiome - like anxiety, depression and diseases like arthritis, Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and colitis. Even obesity has been linked to changes in the gut ecosystem, thanks to our ‘modern’ high fat, processed inflammatory diet. Bad bugs produce toxins called Lipopolysaccharides (LPS), which trigger inflammation and insulin resistance (or prediabetes) and thus promote weight gain. Good bacteria aid the metabolism of nutrients and help their absorption into the bloodstream. As with
W ellness
5-11 June 2015
whole foods-based colourful diet that is focused on plantbased foods. Prebiotics Certain non-digestible carbohydrates help feed the ‘good bugs’. These are found in whole grains, beans, onions, garlic, leeks, artichokes, asparagus, mushrooms, nuts & seeds, fruits (especially banana, kiwi) and vegetables (especially dandelion greens), jicama(yambean), burdock and chicory root. Probiotics Probiotics that are especially rich in diverse strains of ‘good bacteria’ are critical components of a diet and must form a ‘daily habit’. These help reduce inflammation and allergic reactions/auto-immune disorders. The best source is ‘naturally fermented’ foods - ideally prepared at home or purchased as ‘organic’ versions. The fermented versions of all kinds of foods are just right to get the good bugs into high gear. These include fermented vegetables (especially sauerkraut & kimchi), fermented beans (especially miso, natto, tempeh), cultured dairy products (yoghurt & kefir, cheese, buttermilk or similar products made from organic soya or coconut milk), fermented grains & beans and fermented beverages (like kombucha or organic apple cider vinegar). Some less likely sources of support for the ‘good bugs’ come from organic butter – which can enhance the intestinal barrier and improve gut health, thanks to naturally occurring butyrates. A delightful source can also be Dark Chocolate (70% cocoa or above) - it can help produce fermentation and anti-inflammatory byproducts, which can benefit both a health gut as also a healthy heart. To sum up, remember that tending to the garden within can be the answer to many seemingly unrelated health problems. An unhealthy gut is indeed a root cause for ill health.u
Managing the ‘Good & Bad’ (Part 2)
ecology, the more diverse the population of health promoting flora, the more protection the gut gets from the ‘bad bugs’. In obese individuals and in diabetics, this diversity of bacteria seems to be missing. The good news is that you can reset your gut bacteria. Gut function and flora can be normalised, and the gut lining repaired, by taking a diet that is rich in nutrients and fibre, as well as daily probiotic supplementation and enzyme therapy.
for the worse. If you are compelled to use any strong medication, it should be followed up by a high potency, multistrain variety of probiotic supplements. These are also especially helpful in the event of your catching an infectious diarrhoea during travel. Limit stress, as it can also change the make-up of your gut flora; it alters the functioning of the immune system. Hence it is important to figure out how to better manage stress - meditation, yoga and positive psychologybased counselling can help a great deal.
Tip(s) of the Week
Limit your intake of sugar, overly processed foods, animal fats and animal protein all of them provide food for unhealthy bugs. The bad bacteria simply love sugar and chemicals. Not only does this cause gas, discomfort, bloating and inflammation, but the intestinal lining can get compromised, thus allowing the
GURGAON’S OWN WEEKLY NEWSPAPER
Nature’s Wonder Food(s) of the Week: Gut microflora friendly foods
undesirable chemicals to leak into the bloodstream, fanning a root-issue like inflammation. Avoid the use of antibiotics, acid blockers and anti-inflammatories, as these change the gut flora
For Education purposes only; always consult a Healthcare Practitioner for medical conditions
Each individual has a unique bacterial population in his/her GI tract. It is therefore important to find out which foods work best for you. In general, bacteria that live in our intestinal tract flourish on a fibre-rich
(We are re-featuring the special, ‘Towards a Healthy 100’, on the followng page)
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24-30 October 2014
RNI No. HARENG/2011/39319, Postal Regn. No. GRG/35/2012-2014
Vol. 4 No. 10 Pages 16 `10
The Lotus has bloomed here
{ Abhishek Behl / FG }
write to us at letters@fridaygurgaon
N
ew’ Gurgaon, which was the hub of ‘Aam Aadmi politics’ during the Lok Sabha elections, and voted almost en bloc in favour of the AAP candidate Yogendra Yadav, embraced saffron in the Assembly polls. In the Lok Sabha polls, the BJP candidate, Rao Inderjit Singh, had polled 6,44,780 votes, while INLD's Zakir Hussain got 3,70,058 and AAP candidate Yogendra Yadav got 79,452 votes. Yadav, however, polled almost 27,000 votes from the Gurgaon assembly area, and it was expected that if AAP had fought the Assembly elections, it would have been a strong contender for the Gurgaon constituency. In the absence of a viable alternative to the Congress, many of these 'AAP voters’ and several others preferred to go with
been the average performance of Congress candidate Dharambir Gaba, who came a distant third. He was expected to win, riding on the strong Punjabi vote bank of almost 70,000 votes. All the permutations and combinations of the political pundits were proved wrong not only in Gurgaon, but across Haryana as well. It seems that people once again – even for an Assembly election – voted overwhelmingly for BJP in the name of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Even the strong, tried and tested caste arithmetic was proven incorrect in this election, says Vijay Arora, a Congress supporter. He is rankled by the poor performance of the Con-
It had been a brave decision of Amit Shah to sever ties with the Haryana Janhit Congress (HJC), when the latter refused to budge from its 50-50 stand, considering that BJP had no real independent ‘standing’ in Haryana (of course, in retrospect, if he could take on the Shiv Sena in Mumbai, the HJC decision would have been a ‘cakewalk’). Shah also stayed away from any ‘tie-up’ with INLD. With a repeat historic performance in Haryana, at Lok & Vidhan levels, Modi-Shah have proved that they are indeed mega game-changers. In many areas of ‘new’ Gurgaon, including DLF, Sushant Lok and adjoining localities, a large number of people did not even know the local party candidate, but still voted for BJP. Even Umesh Agarwal admitted that people had voted with asha PaNDEY
12
has won even in areas considered to be our strongholds. The people have just voted for Modi," he admits. Analysts say that the Lok Sabha
PM. In adjoining Badshahpur, the BJP candidate, Rao Narbir Singh, had to face a stiff contest against Rakesh Daultabad of the INLD and (BJP) Party rebel Mukesh Sharma, who made the contest quite interesting. While it was a neck-to-neck race in Badshahpur hinterland, the BJP candidate got overwhelming support from many ‘new’ Gurgaon colonies, which are still a part of this constituency. Almost 95 per cent votes in these ‘new’ Gurgaon colonies went to Narbir Singh - giving him a chance to become an MLA after a long time. The ‘elite’ corporate crowd did vote in many areas. In Pataudi and Sohna too the BJP won by huge margins, again despite not so strong candidates. In Pataudi, Bimla Chaudhary won by a good number, and she ascribed her victory to PM Modi and also to her mentor, Gurgaon MP Rao Inderjit Singh, who has quite a large following in the Ahirwal belt. So strong was
W ellness
5-11 June 2015
Health & Vitality... Naturally!
Towards a Healthy 100
{ Jaspal Bajwa }
I
n several parts of the world, traditional people have lived healthy lives well beyond the ripe age of 100. In this context, oft-mentioned races have included the valley peoples of Hunza, Abkhazia and Vilcabamba, as also the islanders of Ikara, Sardinia and Okinawa. So how have these centenarians retained the ability to function ‘normally’, with good mobility and mental health – and not fallen victim to chronic diseases? A closer look at these diverse populations shows a remarkable similarity in terms of their lifestyle choices. There is an interesting book on this by John Robbins. It seems that centenarians in these societies have chosen to: 1. Lead active and useful lives, helping out in the community’s affairs. 2. Eat mostly plant-based diets, and in frugal portion sizes; in Okinawa the mealtime mantra is ‘hara hachi bu’- which means ‘eat till you are 8/10th. full’. 3. Balance the diet, by sourcing calories from all major nutrient groups: about 70% of calories from complex carbohydrates, 1520% from fats and 10-15% from proteins. 4. Live a full life, heavily service-oriented towards the well being of the community; they sing and dance, to freely express and share emotions during occasions of happiness as well as sadness; they respect the elders for their lifeexperience and make them feel valued; wealth disparity within the community is minimal. 5. Maintain a deep sense of respect for the environment – giving back what they take, with a deep sense of gratitude. Several social experiments, which have studied the migration of these traditional people to large urban centres, have clearly shown what happens when they have ended up mindlessly changing over to diets that were out of sync with their natural constitution and social context. The outcome was a marked increase in chronic diseases. However, the good news is that these changes are reversible. Further there is accumulated evidence to suggest that healthy lifestyle behaviours act in synergy. Engaging in a combination of healthy activities, such as exercising, eating and sleeping well, and limiting alcohol and other stimulants, can significantly increase the chances of remaining healthy at any age. It is now widely recognised that our body’s 70-100 trillion cells possess innate intelligence. Responding to in-built intuitive wisdom, every second of the day, the community of cells (the ‘microbiome’) comes together to perform the dance of life in harmony with nature. There are, however, no universal panacea or ‘magic wand’ diets. It is important to remember that each one of us is biochemically unique. We must remain sensitive to the specific context of our constitution and must choose to adopt a diet & lifestyle that strengthens our natural dynamic equilibrium (homeostasis) - thus empowering the body to heal itself. Through experience and close observation we can discover which foods make us feel whole, energetic and light. ‘Live’ foods - mostly local, plant-based and strongly rooted in the cultural context - are what our body seems to need. When we choose to eat ‘live’ foods, we strengthen the ‘rebound factor’. We can then even take on oxidative stress, which has been
associated with the development of many diseases and premature aging. Free radicals cause this stress, and these come from Ultra Violet exposure, pollution, stress, ‘dead-foods’ or ‘non-foods’ (like Trans Fats) and some medications. Antioxidants help our body combat these free radicals. Consuming a diet rich in fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grains and low in red meat, refined carbohydrates (sugar) and salt goes a long way to re-assert the balance. Plant-based diets laden with phytochemicals have been shown, time and time, again to slow the effects of ageing, by helping fight free radicals and preventing cell damage. Further, cooking with reverence, relishing every bite, ideally in the company of loved ones, can help change the ‘energy-pattern’ of foods. It is also important to constantly celebrate our gift of life.
Tip of the Week
ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) measures how much antioxidant power a food has – that is, its ability to destroy free radicals. When the daily recommendation of 3,000 to 5,000 ORAC points a day is consumed, the antioxidant power of the blood increases by 10 to 25%, helping us prevent disease. Some Natural Health experts recommend ratcheting the ORAC intake all the way through to 30,000 ORAC units a day.
Nature’s Wonder Food(s) of the week : High Potency Antioxidant Foods
When using the ORAC Index, it is important to keep in mind that a theoretical comparison of ‘per 100 gm’ ORAC values may not be very practical -for example, some of the spices may be very high on intrinsic ORAC values, but it may not be easy to consume such a high quantity in a single day. Fibre-rich greens and seasonal fresh fruits and vegetables are naturally endowed with antioxidant power. A few classic examples are flavonoid-rich blueberries and apples (with skin intact), leafy vegetables like broccoli, kale, mustard greens, bok choy, spinach and cauliflower, and anthocyaninrich deep purple vegetables such as eggplant and red cabbage. Chinese wolfberries, noni fruits, barley grass and blackstrap molasses are also notable high potency antioxidants. An excellent reference of the ORAC value of various foods is provided in a recent book titled ‘O2 Diet’, by Kerri Glassman. A few examples of ‘per Cup’ ORAC units, which we can ‘mix n match’, to achieve the daily-recommended value of 5,000 to 30,000 ORAC units, are: blueberries (9,700 units), artichoke (7,900 units), green tea (3,000 units) and spinach (2,400 units); half a cup of lentils can offer 7,000 units, as can a spoon of cinnamon; important high ORAC value spices are cloves, turmeric, nutmeg, oregano and rosemary; just 28 gms of dark chocolate are loaded with 5,900 units; plums, oranges and sweet potatoes can provide between 2,500 and 4,000 units per piece; one fourth of an avocado serves up 700 ORAC units – the same as a serving of oatmeal or pumpkins, or 10 almonds; eighteen nuts of pistachios can offer as much as 1,000 units. Any number of healthful combinations of these super-foods can be tried, to build the immunity needed for a long and healthy life.u For Education purposes only; always consult a Healthcare Practitioner for medical conditions
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Transplanted!
R
ohtash, a retired Army man, was living a normal life until he was diagnosed with Advanced Kidney Failure in December last year. For three months the 52-year-old had travelled 240km up and down from his home, thrice a week, for crucial dialysis. However, when this became too much to bear, his 50-year-old wife, Rajo Devi, decided to donate her kidney to save her husband’s life. With a new Kidney Transplant division having started operations, doctors at Paras Hospitals took up the case in March. A team of doctors led by Dr Ajay Oswal and Dr. P.N Gupta decided to perform a Kidney Transplant with a difference. They found Rajo Devi to be a compatible and healthy donor. For the procedure, rather than the ‘usual’, where a Double J stent is implanted between the new kidney and the urinary bladder, the doctors, confident about their experience and expertise in this arena, decided to conduct the procedure without a stent. Kidney Transplant is an end-stage solution, but is the best ‘treatment’ for kidney failure. It is performed when the kidney functions of a patient have completely failed. The procedure needs a high level of skill and precision. The life of a patient hinges on its success. “When he was diagnosed with Advanced Kidney Failure, Rohtash had no option but to undergo routine dialysis or artificial cleansing of the blood, thrice a week. His long travels for undergoing dialysis had worsened his general health. When he approached us he had lost weight, looked tired and weary, and was eager for a permanent solution,” said Dr P.N Gupta, Senior Consultant, Nephrology & Transplant Physician. The patient underwent a Kidney Transplant on March 16. “Usually when a Renal Transplant is conducted, surgeons place a prophylactic stent between the new kidney and the urinary bladder, to support the organs. This creates two complications. First, it increases the risk of infection, and secondly it needs a revision procedure to remove the stent when its job is over. Since we had a high degree of expertise and were confident of the procedure, we decided to do away with the stent, to help minimise the risks,” added Dr Ajay Oswal, Senior Consultant, Urologist & Transplant Surgeon. The patient started passing urine at the rate of 1 liter/hour immediately after the surgery, and his S. Creatinine (marker of Kidney function) dropped to 1 mg/dl (from earlier 6 mg/dl) on Day 2 of Surgery. He also started sitting and taking a few steps on Day 2. By the third day he had started walking comfortably and was beginning to feel normal. To his relief, by the fourth day his appetite returned and he started regaining his lost energy. He was discharged on the eighth day, with the turmoil of the past three months well behind him. His wife and saviour, Rajo Devi, too did well and was discharged on the fifth day. This case is a rare surgical success in Delhi-NCR. Kidney failure is a dangerous condition, since currently it cannot be medically reversed. Another pertinent issue in India is the paucity of donors. A person who suffers loss of kidney function needs to be very careful about maintaining his/ her health. Life can become very difficult. Rohtash, however, was lucky. He is doing well. He feels that he has got a new lease of life. u
14 Cosmos by Design
S piritual
5-11 June 2015
{ Dr. Rajesh Bhola }
G
od has unlimited forms and He is the secret mover of the cosmos, wherein universes manifest, live and die ‘natural’ cosmic births and deaths. Evolution comes from a root word that means ‘to unwrap’, and it looks at the universe from a physical perspective; the word God comes from a root word that means ‘to invoke’, and it looks at the universe from a spiritual perspective. Guru Granth Sahib Ji speaks of the limitless and endless planets and galaxies – worlds upon worlds of His creation. As He commands, so they exist. Guru Nanak says: ‘He created the Earth and the two lamps: the Sun and the Moon…He has unfolded Himself in so many ways…Forever and ever, He is the One, the One Universal Creator. Many millions are created in various forms. From God they emanate, and into God they merge once again. His limits are not known to anyone. O Nanak, God exists by Himself…He established the three worlds (life in water, on land and in the air)’. Sikhism states that this is not the first time God created this Universe - He has done so many times. Life not only exists on Earth alone but on many other planets. Scientists are attempting to unravel the creation of God, but the whole of creation is so vast that it seems beyond what humans can explore. In fact scientists who try to comprehend the mysteries of His creation realise that the more they ‘learn’, the more they are amazed. However, when we meditate on God, He Himself unfolds the mysteries and reveals all of His creation. The long-term stability of the Solar system remains a perplexing, ‘unsolved’ issue. Let’s see what makes Earth ‘tick’. The Earth is tilted on its axis at an angle of 23.5”. This is important, because it accounts for the seasons. Two factors impact the progression of seasons. The most important is the location of land masses on Earth. Nearly all of the continental land mass is located in the Northern Hemisphere. Since land has a higher capacity to absorb the Sun’s energy, the Earth is much warmer when the Northern Hemisphere is pointing towards the Sun. This happens to be the point at which the Earth is farthest from the Sun. If the opposite was true, the seasons on Earth would be much more severe (hotter summers and colder winters). Why is the Moon important to life on Earth? The collision of the small planet with Earth resulted in the ejection of the majority of Earth’s primordial atmosphere. If this collision had
not occurred, we would have had an atmosphere similar to that of Venus. Such a thick atmosphere on Venus resulted in a runaway greenhouse effect, leaving a dry planet with a surface temperature of 800”F. Earth has 20% more mass than Venus and is further away from the Sun - factors that should have led to the terrestrial atmosphere here being much thicker than that of Venus. For some strange reason we have a very thin atmosphere - just the right density to maintain the presence of liquid, solid and gaseous water, which is necessary to life. That is His great design. There are three types of galaxies in the universe: spiral, elliptical and irregular. Our galaxy, the Milky Way, is a spiral galaxy, and our Sun resides far away from the galaxy’s centre. At
God, the director, not only stages the play, but Himself plays the many characters - life forms - in different costumes (bodies). When the Creator projects Himself, He creates many planets, living beings and life forms. And when He draws His creation within Himself, all living beings merge in Him. the centre of probably all galaxies is a black hole, which is so dense that light cannot escape from it. Any matter that comes near a black hole is attracted to it by gravity, and as the matter speeds up, a large amount of radiation is emitted. Stars near the centre of a galaxy, and far enough from the black hole, can survive its gravitational pull, but they are subject to much more intense radiation than stars that are far away from the centre of a galaxy. Since radiation is not conducive to life, it is good that our Sun is not near the centre of our galaxy. Further, the Sun’s almost circular galactic orbit keeps it far away from the centre. In the case of elliptical and irregular galaxies, their stars have orbits that cause them to visit the centre of their galaxies, and thus be exposed to the dangerous radiation that exits there. Next, consider our Moon, which, like the Sun, is critical to supporting life on Earth. The Moon’s gravitational pull on Earth stabilises the tilt in the Earth’s axis of rotation. If this axis were varied, the result would be that over time the North Pole would migrate down toward the Equator, and there would be tremendous changes in climate around the Earth. Areas
that were fertile would become either too cold or too hot for crops to grow. As a result, life would be confined to small compact niches, and a large diversity of life probably would not exist. In fact, without the Moon, intelligent life might not exist at all. Mars has two moons, but they are too small to stabilise its rotation, and thus Mars’ axis of rotation varies widely. Our Moon is relatively large compared to our planet’s size. The best hypothesis for its formation is that the two planets collided just after Earth’s formation. However, the angle of the collision was critical. If the planets had collided head on, they would have annihilated one another; if the collision angle were too small, Earth’s gravity would not have been able to ‘capture’ the Moon. How many times in the universe have two planets collided in the precise way that the Moon and Earth collided? Finally, let’s consider Earth. If Earth’s mass was much smaller, its gravity would not be strong enough to retain its atmosphere; if Earth’s mass was too large, then the pull of its gravity would be huge, and it would not be possible to have high mountains. There is so much water on Earth that, without mountains, the entire surface of Earth would be under water. Plate tectonics and the related continental drift are also important for sustaining life on Earth. Continental drift results in the formation of mountains and high grounds, for a diversity of life to exist. A planet also has to have a minimum size, to keep the heat in its interior from being lost too quickly. Within the interior of Earth there are radioactive reactions taking place, which generate heat. The result is that the iron in Earth’s core remains molten, and this molten iron generates a magnetic field around Earth. This magnetic field is crucial to life, because it protects Earth from damaging cosmic rays, whose cosmic radiation would also strip away Earth’s atmosphere. In addition to Earth’s size and structure, we must also consider its orbit, which is almost circular. If the orbit was more elliptical, then Earth would either be too hot when it approached the Sun or too cold when it moved far away. If the radius of Earth’s orbit was changed by even 5%, there would be no animal life - the ‘zone’ for animal life in the Solar system is very narrow. The uniqueness in Earth’s design has prevented it from becoming a planet frozen solid in ice (like Neptune) or a sweltering scorched inferno (like Venus). We can thus conclude that only a very, very tiny fraction of stars would have just the
Make Weakness Your Strength { Shobha Lidder } Can I turn my weaknesses into strengths? Can I honestly accept my poor health? I could not be an athlete or be socially active I did not host parties & shows I was a bit slow My friends were so fit & fair They were zipping here & there Flying in the air...the happening people I withdrew into quietude Of rustling leaves, birds, whispering breeze I learnt the speech of mute animals They said so much in their silence I learnt silent ways of communicating Watching & listening, reading & writing Thinking & contemplating ... They may not get you the center stage Place you in the who’s who page You don’t win public accolades, praise Yet you can be so content, invent Be creative in simple ways Just adding spices to your whey Doing acts of kindness to the needy Smiling at a tired face Water a starving tree, give a ‘nobody’ for free You can win a few peaceful moments Of simple joys.....so priceless Which nothing can buy Explore paradigms of inner contentment Of doing ordinary things with a zing Shine like the amber sun Even when you are ‘no one’! Shobha Lidder Writer, Journalist, Teacher, Trainer, Social Activist, Reiki Master, Pranic Healer
right conditions for intelligent life (as we know it to exist) on a planet orbiting them. More importantly, these facts seem to suggest the role of a super intellectual Creator, who could ‘design’ things with such meticulous finesse. As the Bible says: ‘The heavens declare the glory of God’. The universe, our galaxy, our Solar system and the Earth-Moon double planet link, demonstrate remarkable evidence of intelligent design. It is improbable that this came about randomly - design by an intelligent Creator is definitely a more ‘realistic’ explanation. Whichever and whatever…we must admit that we are the ‘products’ of a miracle – either by chance or (more likely) by design.u Dr. Rajesh Bhola is President of Spastic Society of Gurgaon and is working for the cause of children with Autism, Cerebral Palsy, mental retardation and multiple disabilities for more than 30 years. He can be contacted at rabhola@yahoo.com
B on V ivant
5-11 June 2015
15
‘Ashta Nayika’ - the Eight Moods of the Dancing Maiden
A Beautiful Mind W
{ Meenu Thakur Sankalp }
{ Meenu Thakur Sankalp }
E
ven for an experienced Classical dancer it is natural to have a bout of self-doubt. One morning I asked myself if Classical dance was basically an outcome of one’s psychomotor skills, which involve the ‘making’ of intricate facial expressions - including the roving of the eyeballs, manipulation of eyebrows, twitching and contouring of the mouth and cheeks (to depict sorrow, joy, anger, despair or desolateness). Or was it my hands and slender fingers clapping, clasping, cupping and clipping - that did the trick. I had heard from my contemporaries that one of the legendary gurus of Classical dance focused solely on his feet. The audience could never take its eyes off those feet, as they delicately caressed the stage and skimmed the floor effortlessly. The craning of the neck, and the bending and stretching of the torso - all in one motion - has also been the highlight of every Classical dance. Did all these physical attributes, together, form the nucleus of Classical dance? I realised, after reading a bit, that Dance, being a microcosm of creative art, a parallel could be drawn to other art fields - like Western musis and, believe it or not, Mathematical-Economics. John Nash Forbes Jr., the Nobel Prize winning Mathematician-Economist respected for his contribution to ‘Game Theory’, suffered from paranoid schizophrenia, and yet had it all figured out in his beautiful mind (his life has been portrayed in an Oscar-winning film, ‘The Beautiful Mind’). World War II era Jewish Polish pianist Wladyslav Szpilman, hiding in a Warsaw attic (as he was being hounded by the Nazis), would magically move his fingers in the air - the music being clearly heard by his beautiful mind. I wondered if, similarly, the nucleus of Dance might actually be within a Dancer’s ‘beautiful mind’. I decided to put this to the test. I sat down upright, took a deep breath and closed my eyes in meditation. Strangely, as I visualised myself dancing, I began to feel a musical piece playing in the background. It was a most powerful realisation of the power of the mind, which meant that, even in Dance, intellect and understanding seemed to tower over physical attributes or ‘motions’. As I rose from the floor I tried to relate this premise with my ‘good’ and ‘bad’ performances. I soon realised its truth. I now teach my students that Classical dance can be ‘performed’ inside the mind. The ‘meditative dance’ with my ‘beautiful mind’ was perhaps the best performance of my dancing career!u The writer is a renowned Kuchipudi danseuse and choreographer (It’s an opportune time to revisit ‘Ashta Nayika’ and see it in this new light)
oman, God’s most unique creation, is an exquisite combination of contradictions. With beautiful charm and grace, she does not hesitate to entice or enamour her lover; on the other hand, a woman scorned can be unpredictable and destructive. This enigmatic (split) persona has found beautiful expression through dance. Dance - though often dramatic and exaggerative in nature and narrative - has portrayed well the beauty and darkness of a woman, as well as her strength and frailty. Through her dance a woman can express multiple emotions - of coyness, joy, love, despair, anger, hate - in 1
Vasakasajja Nayika Vasakasajja is a Nayika who is decked up in ornate jewellery and clothes, in anticipation of the return of her lover from battle or from a long journey. She seeks to attract her weary lover to her bedroom, which is filled with colourful flowers and garlands. As she waits longingly for him to return, her mind races towards a union with him. 6
both overt and covert terms. A woman dancer can raise many a man to ecstasy, and knock him down with similar ease. Writers and poets have equated the varied moods of a woman, comparing her to the sweetness of honey, the mildness of milk, the sourness of vinegar and the pulpiness of a fruit. ‘Ashta Nayika’ (Eight Heroines) has been an integral part of Indian dance folklore. Conceptualised by the sage Bharata in his treatise ‘Natyashastra’, which was written two millennia ago, the Ashta Nayika is a collective name for the different (eight) moods or stages of love of a maiden, depicted through dance. It has been refined over the ages. Of course Indian painting, lit-
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Svadhinabhartruka Nayika This Nayika subjugates her lover with her love and charm. Her pleasing beauty controls his actions. He is depicted as a man enamoured by her beauty, as he applies aromatic paste on her feet and vermillion on her forehead. Portraying this relationship, some scriptures have also depicted Radha commanding Krishna to rearrange her clothes and make-up after love-making.
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Khandita Nayika This Nayika is enraged and burning in anger, as her lover, who has promised to have a union with her, does not turn up. The beautiful Nayika waits all night only to discover that he has spent the night with another woman. She is deeply offended and reprimands her lover, accusing him of infidelity. 8
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Virahotkanthita Nayika She is also waiting, but not happily like Vasakasajja. The Virahotkanthita Nayika is distressed by the separation. This beautiful heroine, decked up like the Virahotkanthita Nayika, is pining for the return of her lover and standing in anticipation in the balcony or in her bed chamber – but is disappointed as her beloved does not turn up due to his preoccupation.
Proshtibhartuka Nayika She is a damsel in mourning, as her husband or lover has not returned to her from work. Her maids try to console her, but she refuses to accept their pleas. She weeps uncontrollably and lapses into deep mourning.
Abhisarika Nayika This damsel, deeply in love with her beloved, throws away her guarded feelings of modesty and lurks out of her house to meet her lover - who is waiting for her in the jungle. So much is her love for him that she braves the vagaries of nature, snakes and animals, and hurriedly runs into her lover’s arms.
erature and sculpture have also celebrated a maiden’s emotions. Jayadeva’s Geeta Govinda, written in the twelfth century, converted the eight heroines (of Ashta Nayika) into one entity, showing the Nayika as Radha, the lover of Lord Krishna, who displays these moods for her beloved. Though a woman’s love for her beloved is pure, she is in fact, like the divine Radha, eight ‘emotional’ heroines rolled into one. Every dancer attempts a foray into Ashta Nayika, which is considered a challenge, since all these emotions are generally not expressed in modern day life. Each of the eight Nayikas is based on a nature of relationship that a woman shares with her beloved.
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Kalahantarita Nayika She is a lover separated from her beloved, due to a silly quarrel that occurs out of her meaningless jealousy. As the hero tries to woo her, she refuses to accept his explanations and turns him away. However, after the man leaves her bed chamber in despair, she begins to repent. Her heart is thus pained by the separation caused by her folly.
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Vipralabdha Nayika Similar to the situation that the Khandita Nayika faces, this Nayika’s lover also cheats on her. She is in deep agony while waiting for him in her chamber the whole night. In despair she finally removes her clothes, throws away her ornaments and rubs off her make-up.
The importance of the Nayaka (the invisible Hero) in the dancing portrayal of a Nayika cannot be undermined. A Nayaka’s role can change the scope of the portrayal of a Nayika. The moods and emotions of the Nayika are dependent on the character of her hero. A Nayaka like Lord Vishnu could take up the role of ‘Anukoola’, who is faithful to one woman (like Lord Rama) or ‘Shatha’, the deceitful lover who manipulates the emotions of his beloved (like Lord Krishna). The Dakshina Nayaka loves all his wives, like a Mahabharata prince (like Arjuna) and the Drishta Nayaka pleads and begs before his wife (like Vaali). Indian ‘shastras’ (scriptures) have gloriously depicted the beauty of the union of the Nayak and Nayika, and Indian dance has picked up these threads and subtly woven the gamut of feelings (especially of love) into an expressive fabric. Nayika, a unique concept that is etched in Indian Classical culture through literature, sculpture and paintings, is incomplete without the exaggerative-yetsubtle and the abstract depictions of love through Classical dance.u The Writer is a renowned Kuchipudi Danseuse and Choreographer
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5-11 June 2015
G -Scape prakhar PANDEY
IUCF 2015 (IFFCO Fest)