The City Standard January 21st,2019 2nd issue

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Makara Sankranti ushers in much awaited Kumbh Mela Makara Sankranti, also known as Makaraa Sankr?nti or Maghi, is a festival day in the Hindu calendar, in reference to deity Surya (sun). It is observed each year in January. It marks the first day of sun's transit into the Makara (Capricorn), marking the end of the month with the winter solstice and the start of longer days.

The Makara Sankranti festival marks the beginning of the 45 days Kumbh Mela. This year Makara Sankranti bathing will be observed on January 14 and 15. The Mela administration is expecting over one crore people arriving for the two day bathing event. According to the Mela official all arrangements have been made for the devotees and pilgrims who would be arriving to take holy dip in TriveniSangam. Makara Sankranti also ushers in the month long Kalpwas period under which a person undergoes the Kalpavasa Vrata and is called a

with social festivities such as colorful decorations, rural children going house to house, singing and asking for treats in some areas (or pocket money), melas (fairs), dances, kite flying, bonfires and feasts . The Magha Mela, is mentioned in the Hindu epic (the Mahabharata), thus placing this festival to be around 5,000 years old. Many go to sacred rivers or lakes and bathe with thanksgiving to the sun. Every twelve years, the Hindus observe Makar Sankranti with one of the world's largest mass pilgrimages, with an estimated 40 to 100 million people attending the event. At this event, they say a prayer to the sun and bathe at the Prayaga confluence of the River Ganga and River Yamuna at the Kumbha Mela, a tradition attributed to Adi Shankaracharya.

Makara Sankranti is set by the solar cycle of the Hindu lunisolar calendar, and is observed on a day which usually falls on 14 January of Gregorian calendar, but sometimes 15 January. It signifies the arrival of longer days. Makar Sankranti falls in the Hindu calendar solar month of Makara, and lunar month of Magha

Democracy transcends personalities, thrives on institutional independence STAFF CORRESPONDENT

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PRAYAGRAJ In a bizarre turn of events, Alok Verma, who was reinstated as Director-CBI by the Supreme Court January 8, was unseated January 10 by a selection committee. The Prime Minister and Justice AK Sikri, nominated by the CJI, were convinced that the charges levelled at Verma by the CVC were valid, warranting his removal. The charges include his dubious role in the Moin Qureshi case. Verma is alleged to have received payment of Rs2 crore as bribe from Sathish Babu Sana to avoid further interrogation or action in the case.

Another corruption charge is based on indicative intercepts made by the Research and Analysis Wing.

At the same time, there are counter charges that the CVC report is based on the version of CBI Special Director Rakesh Asthana, who was in reality being bribed by Qureshi. Subramanian Swamy has alleged that the CVC report is biased and based on "bogus legal brain". More important, Swamy believes the selection committee should have given Verma a chance to defend himself against the allegations.

Mallikarjun Kharge in his dissenting note has mentioned that there is a need to deliberate on the CVC report at greater length, instead of rushing through the decisions. He also agrees with the contention of Swamy that Verma should have been allowed to defend

himself against the allegation, which is the sine qua non of natural justice.

In respect of members of civil services (Verma was an IPS officer of 1979 batch), Article 311 of the Constitution provides that no person can be dismissed or removed except after a detailed inquiry and "given a reasonable opportunity of being heard in respect of those charges". There is more to the present sordid episode than meets the eye. It is not clear whether a formal charge sheet has been issued to Verma. Most legal luminaries believe the selection committee has flouted the principle of natural justice.

It is being contended that Kharge is taking a partisan view in the matter, rather than being objective and dispassionate as part of a committee. A reference is made to similar situation where Sushma Swaraj, as member of the high-power committee, had objected to the selection of PJ Thomas as CVC, as charges against him were being probed by a CBI court for irregular import of palmolein. In the case of 2011, then CJI SH Kapadia had termed the CVC as an 'integrity institution' and quashed appointment of Thomas, owing to the taint.

Many believe that by criticising Justice Sikri, the Congress has been belittling the dependence and integrity of the judiciary.

They would be well advised to read Justice Benjamin N Cardozo's book 'The Nature of the Judicial Process' (1921), where he writes: "The great tides and currents which engulf the rest of men do not turn aside in their course and pass the judges by." Judges often do get affected by the tumult of their times.

PM : Opposition wants helpless Govt to promote corruption New Delhi: Dubbing the anti-BJP grand alliance as a "failed experiment", Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said Opposition parties were looking to form a 'majboor' (helpless) government to promote nepotism and corruption, whereas the BJP wanted a strong dispensation for all-round development. Modi also attacked the Congress over the Ram Temple issue, and said it did not want a solution to the Ayodhya dispute and was creating hurdles through its lawyers.

Addressing the BJP's National Convention, the Prime Minister said the parties that were formed primarily to oppose the Congress and its culture had now join hands with it."We want a strong government so that we can put an end to corruption.

These days there is a failed experiment taking place in the country, which is known as the grand alliance. They have all gathered together to make a helpless government.

They don't want a strong government that will lead to shut down of their shops," Modi said.

(the festival is also called Magha Sankranti or Magha festival in parts of India). It marks the end of the month with winter solstice for India and the longest night of the year, a month that is called Pausha in lunar calendar and Dhanu in the solar calendar in the Vikrami system. The festival celebrates the first month with consistently longer days.

There are two different systems to calculate the Makara Sankranti date: nirayana (without adjusting for precession of equinoxes, sidereal) and sayana (with adjustment, tropical). The January 14 date is based on the nirayana system, while the sayana system typically computes to about December 23, per most Siddhanta texts for Hindu calendars. Significance: The festival is dedicated to the Hindu sun god, Surya. This significance of Surya is traceable to the Vedic texts, particularly the Gayatri Mantra, a sacred hymn of Hinduism found in its scripture named the Rigveda. The festival also marks the beginning of a six months auspicious period for Hindus known as Uttarayana period.

Naga sadhus taking part in a Peshwai

Empowering rural youths for sustainable development Every year 12th of January is celebrated as the National Youth Day in India to commemorate the birth anniversary of great spiritual leader Swami Vivekananda. Swami Vivekananda was a great religious leader whose ideals inspired the country's youths. Swami Vivekananda was born on 12th of January, 1863 at Kolkatta, India. He was a Hindu monk and the main disciple of the mystic Ramakrishna Paramahamsa.

He was a great philosopher, poet, writer and orator. He always inspired the country's youths for better education, work and dedication. He was an instrumental in introducing the philosophies of Vedanta and Yoga to the Western world. He published lot of books from 1887until his death on 4th of July, 1902. Many schools, colleges, universities and various other organisations across the nation celebrate this day and various programmes such as processions, speeches, recitations, music, youth conventions, seminars, sports competitions are organised. Swami Vivekananda was extremely patriotic and is considered as a hero for his contributions to the philosophies of India.

He was a voracious reader and used a wide range of subjects including the philosophy, religion, history, social science, art and literature. After his 1893 speech at the World's Parliament of Religions in Chicago, he was called as the "Messenger of the Indian wisdom to the western world". His thought provoking lectures,

quotes and writings have been a subject of study and a great source of inspiration for the youths. Government of India declared the celebration of National Youth Day in 12th of January, 1984.

Development of any nation depends on

the development of its youths. Youths are more creative, energetic and innovative.

It is highly important for any nation to encourage and support the young generation. Rural youths have indomitable energy and enthusiasm for the rural change.

Migration of rural youths in urban areas in search of employment has risen fastly.

This has resulted a decline in workforce in the agricultural sector. The advent of free market has been able to generate employment opportunities in the private sector which requires highly skilled workers. A majority of rural youth may not meet the criteria of private sector for a variety of reasons, like lack of advance

Reservation & Reservation

With an eye on LS polls Modi govt woos upper castes with 10% quota RAJEEV RANJAN MISHRA

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PRAYAGRAJ In what can be viewed as a political surgical strike just months ahead of the general elections, the BJP government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved 10 per cent reservation in jobs and higher education for 'economically-backward' sections in the general category. The proposed reservation will be over and above the existing 50 per cent reservation enjoyed by the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes, taking the total reservation to 60 per cent. The government has also amended Articles 15 and 16 - which are on discrimination and equal opportunity - of the Constitution.

The decision has been taken with an eye on the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

As per the final contours of the reservation, weaker section beneficiaries would include those earning less than Rs. 8 lakh annually, own less than 5 hectares of agricultural land, residential property of less than 1,000 sq. feet and a residential plot that is less than 109 sq. yards in a notified municipality and 209 sq. yards in a non-notified municipality. The decision is mainly an attempt to address the concerns of the upper castes who have been annoyed by its recent move to restore the provisions of the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

"My compliments to PM and his cabinet for giving approval to 10% reservation in jobs & higher education to economically backward persons in the general category. This shall provide much-needed push to the aspirations of this class of people," Himanta Biswa Sarma, senior BJP leader and minister in the Assam government, tweeted.

However, as expected, most Opposition parties called it an election gimmick and a step to woo upper caste votes just ahead of the polls. However, they are not likely to oppose it in Parliament, since doing so might cost them heavily in the polls.

While Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi tweeted that the government announced the decision only three months before the model code of conduct will be put in place for the general elections, former Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha, who quit the BJP recently, called it a 'jumla'. He also said the move is rife with judicial complications and that the government has no time to get it passed through Parliament.

Interestingly, Delhi Chief Minister and AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal promised support, but added that the move would be 'merely an election stunt' if the constitutional amendment is not passed immediately. Even the CPI(M) called it a welcome step. For long, it has been a grouse of the economically-backward but so-called forward caste people that they were

not able to enjoy the fruits of reservation despite being poor, just because of their birth.

If this move could give them some solace, it would surely be welcomed by all, no matter whether it is a election stunt or not.

The BJP had to face the ire of upper caste in the recently concluded assembly elections, particularly in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, where it lost power to arch rival Congress. The elections-it also lost Chhattistarh-are the first examples of an upper caste backlash in assembly elections since the BJP-led government took over at the centre.

Senior BJP leaders argue that the decision is aimed at widening the social justice net to enable more people from different backgrounds to benefit from government jobs and education.

"We have received several reports and feedback that people, especially youth, felt that they were not part of the social justice net of the government. The idea to allow reservations for economically weaker sections would allow different communities, who are otherwise facing financial trouble, to benefit," said a senior BJP leader, Brahmanand Ojha.

BJP leaders also point out that in the last four years of the ruling at the centre, different communities have led agitations demanding reservations, including Jats in Haryana, Patels in Gujarat, and Marathas in Maharashtra. All three states are ruled by the

BJP and their governments had to face the ire of these communities.

"This decision should address the demands of Patels, Marathas and Jats in a way. There is a genuine concern among members of the upper caste who are not financially stable, the government is dutybound to address the concerns of the upper castes," the BJP leader added.

Many BJP leaders explained that there was a growing sentiment within the upper castes that the BJP government was only working for socially weaker sections to win elections and that the party was not protecting the rights of the communities that helped it win the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.

"We were being seen as a party which was trying to change its social base by forgetting about the demands of its core voters.

This decision would neutralize the sentiment that the BJP no longer cares for the its core constituency. It is difficult to ascertain whether this decision would benefit the party in the long run," a senior BJP leader from Lucknow said. Meanwhile, a leading Dalit thinker and writer questioned the moral basis of the decision. "This is a morally flawed decision of the BJP government and it is aimed to create confusion within society.

Dalits and tribals were given reservation because they have faced social boycott.

There is no such social boycott against upper caste people They do not have to struggle to go to schools, colleges or to find jobs," said Chandra Bhan Prasad.

technical expertise, inadequate trainings etc. The globalization process has brought certain changes whose implications for the rural society and the rural youths need to be thoroughly understood.

Presently India is the youngest country in the world.

As per the United Nations, youth is defined as a person in 15-24 years of age group whereas the census of India treats people in the age group of 15-29 years as youths. According to Baizerman (1991), in the third world countries youth have not been able to play a vital role in the developmental process and has remained a marginalized group.

The participation of the rural Indian youth can be more impressive if more attention is paid on them. Mass media does not pay more attention on rural youths. Due to their proximity to institutions like universities, colleges, institutions of mass communication, political centres and by virtue of being an integral part of modernisation process like developing a rational outlook, adopting different sub-cultures and promoting cosmopolitanism, the urban youth continuously remains in the limelight. Rural areas are slow in their socio-economic development, slow pace of modernisation, industrialisation, overpowering presence of powerful but retrogressive social institutions, inequitable distribution of land and most significantly and underutilisation of human resources.

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kalpawasi. The kalpawasis spend their time in Kumbh Mela living an austere and minimalistic life. Urban life is very demanding and has become highly mechanical, many of us may neither have the time nor the inclination to fulfill the extreme form of austerities performed by the traditional kalpawasis.

The idea is to get away from the everyday mundane existence and observe and absorb the true meaning of life by the learning from the religious gurus, interacting with other kalpawasis, experiencing the cultures, traditions and heritage from every part of India at one single place and maintaining a single minded devotion to the understanding of the Absolute-Truth.

Makara Sankranti is one of the few ancient Indian festivals that has been observed according to solar cycles, while most festivals are set by the lunar cycle of the lunisolar Hindu calendar.

Being a festival that celebrates the solar cycle, it almost always falls on the same Gregorian date every year (January 14), except in some years when the date shifts by a day for that year. Makara Sankranti is observed

SP and BSP tie up for UP ahead of 2019 polls

New Delhi: In a major political realignment for the 2019 general elections, Samajwadi Party (SP) and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) have decided to join hands and contest equal number of seats in Uttar Pradesh in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

Both parties also said their alliance will continue for the assembly elections, slated for early 2022.

The two regional giants have decided to contest 38 seats each out of the 80 Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh. They will not contest Amethi and Rae Bareli. Although there is no formal alliance between SP-BSP and Congress, the decision to stay away from Amethi and Rae Bareli is significant since the two seats are old bastions of the Gandhi family.

"It has been decided that BSP and SP will contest 38 seats each and we have kept two seats for smaller parties. We have decided not to contest Amethi and Rae Bareli and have kept the two seats for Congress leadership," BSP chief Mayawati said during a

press conference in Lucknow.

SP chief Akhilesh Yadav was sitting beside Mayawati when the announcement was made in a joint press conference.

The two alliance leaders also made it clear that the alliance would continue till the next assembly elections in the state. "We have kept Congress out of the alliance so that Congress' votes do not transfer to BSP and SP. We have realised that the two parties would not gain much by joining hands with Congress," Mayawati added.

On the question of who could be the possible leader of the alliance, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav said he wanted someone from Uttar Pradesh to be the next Prime Minister of the country. "I had agreed to contest less number of seats so that the alliance between SP and BSP becomes a reality.

We are grateful to Mayawati that she has given us equal number of seats. We want the next Prime Minister to be from Uttar Pradesh and everyone knows who I will support," Akhilesh Yadav said.

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STAFF CORRESPONDENT

Random Thoughts : RAMBLER

Kumbh Mela is going to be a memorable event W

e are once again in the hurly-burly of the annual Mela on the Sangam shores. It is going to be a thrilling, boisterous experience this time because never before have the preparations been done on such a super-grand scale as this year. Those who have come here for the Makarsankranti bath will experience the magic and splendor of the Mela that will keep them spellbound.

This time it is Ardh Kumbh renamed Kumbh Mela by Yogi Adityanath.

But the preparations are of the scale of the Mahakumbh, if not even more. For never have I seen such a spectacular show as is to be seen this time. And I have been lucky enough to participate in all the Kumbh Melas held in free India, from 1954 till now.

Prior to that, the 1942 Kumbh Mela was on a very low key. The British Government wanted more and more funds for the Second World War that was raging at its peak then.

Train services to Allahabad were curtailed. All funds were diverted to war efforts and local people were discouraged from attending the Mela by scaring them of the apprehension of Japanese bombardment.

centre of Indian politics and Anand Bhavan hosted several important meetings when national leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Acharaya J.B.Kripalani, Maulana Azad, Netaji Subhas, Khan

Akbar but re-imposed by Aurangzeb(The toll tax was withdrawn). The fact that both the ‘Amrit Bazaar Patrika’ and ‘The Leader’, two leading English dailies, published that letter encour-

Then (1954 )

Abdul Ghaffar Khan, B.C.Roy, Sarojini Naidu,Raj Kumari, Amrit Kaur, Sardar Patel and others assembled periodically at Anand Bhavan, the abode of the Nehrus, to take important political decisions.The British fear was not unfounded because Allahabad played a leading role in the Quit India movement that was launched by Gandhiji that year.

I was studying in BA

aged me to make inroads into the profession.

The 1954 Kumbh Mela was pitched on a mere 75 acres of land. But this year, says Google, it is being organized on 10,000 acres .

But this is because in 1954 there was no Mela city.

Bathers did not stay there but rushed back to the city for board and lodging.

Today the Mela area is equivalent to a self-contained district! In 1954 huts

Now (2019)

But presumably the British rulers had another reason for keeping the Mela crowds away from Allahabad as the bathing fair would have provided freedom fighters a huge audience to instigate the population against the foreign rule. Allahabad in those days was the nerve

ing just a rupee per day in normal times were extorting Rs100 per head from the pilgrims, stuffing two or three in a room. The topmost Hotel of those days, Barnetts Hotel, was charg-

Part 1 in 1954 when the Kumbh Mela came.

Although I was a toddler in journalism then, but I still mustered courage to write a strong letter to the editor— my first one—opposing the toll tax that was then proposed to be imposed on visitors. I had likened it to the Jizya Tax , abolished by

and tents could be seen on city roads. Allahabad was a small town with Muirabad on the outskirts. New colonies in Madhauri, Govindpur, Rajrooppur, even Meerapur and new Mumfordganj to name a few, were not there. So pilgrims flocked to the city hotels some of which charg-

ing Rs12 for double room.

Maharaani of Gwalior, Vijayraje Scindia paid Rs12 whereas one of her employees who stayed in a city hotel (charging at blackmarket rates) was paying Rs100 per day! A cinema hall that reaped huge profits was Prem Talkies(presentday Ajanta)which was showing film ‘Tulsidas’. It ran to over-packed four shows daily for a month because people would go over and over again to listen to Tulsi singing ‘Mujhe apni sharan mein le lo Ram’ and ‘Kahan chhipe ho Raja Ram’. On roads, jammed with people, the traffic police would give Okay signal and crowds of people, not vehicles, would go from one side to the other. No vehicle was to be seen— hardly even a cycle –at the Johnstonganj crossing.

Families from Punjab asked me: ‘Get us the latest issues of ‘Maya’ and ‘Manohar Kahaniyan’. They said, ‘We used to read them even in Pakistan before partition’.

But there was the Kumbh tragedy too in 1954. I will talk about it later. Today I welcome the massive crowds that have assembled in the Sangam city for the Mahasankranti bath. May you enjoy all the comforts while partaking of the spiritual feast , listening to the sermons of holy men who have assembled here from far and near to bless the visitors.

Govt to promote water transport during Kumbh SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT PRAYAGRAJ

To promote tourism in water transport during Kumbh Mela, the Narendra Modi Government plans to promote the use of inland waterways for ferrying pilgrims and tourists. The Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) has set up four floating terminals, one each at Kila Ghat, Saraswati Ghat, Naini Bridge and Sujawan Ghat. In addition, two vessels - CL Kasturba and SL Kamla - and small boats will be deployed for pilgrim movement.

The ships will ferry passengers between these terminals and also between Varanasi and Allahabad, a distance of 60 km. Over 70 Heads of Missions based in Delhi have reached Prayagraj to witness the preparations for the Kumbh Mela to be held next month.

Officials said the route for the water transport service will stretch from Sujawan Ghat to Rail Bridge (Naini Side) and then to Boat Club Ghat to Saraswati Ghat ending at Kila Ghat. Multiple terminals will be constructed on this stretch of 20 kms and boats and vessels will be provided by the Mela Authority.

Fairway with navigational aids will be maintained between Prayagraj and Varanasi with targeted least available depth (LAD) of 1.0 m. Five temporary jetties at Chatnag, Sirsa, Sitamarhi, Vindhyachal and Chunar have also been set up for embarkment and dis-embarkment of passengers. Sources also said that a Russian company is expected to start an airboat service.

The airboat will have an engine of a vehicle and carry 16 people at a time. It can cruise up to 80 kilometers per hour and requires a depth of only 1 meter.

January 21, Monday, 2019

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CMYK

MY CITY

The City Standard

From food courts to eco-friendly utensils, surprise that await pilgrims SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT ering. A day-long visit for all ties for visitors.

PRAYAGRAJ The Kumbh Mela which is admittedly one of the largest religious gatherings in the World will be even bigger this time. The religious gathering will be spread over 45 km which was previously spread over 20 km radius.

Pilgrims visiting Prayagraj (formerly Allahabad) will also be able to see the Akshay Vat, a Banyan Tree which is held sacred by Hindus, as well as the Saraswati Koop, which is a well believed to be the source of the Saraswati River.

"The area of the Kumbh Mela has almost doubled this time.

Earlier, the Kumbh Mela used to be spread over an area of 15-20 km. Now, the mela is spread over an area of 45 km," Prayagraj Mayor Abhilasha Gupta Nandi confirmed the same. The mayor further said, "Akshay Vat is found only in four places across the country, and at these places, the Kumbh is held. According to folklore, the tree, which is inside the Allahabad Fort (under Army control) has the power to fulfil wishes." Additionally, a new road is being constructed to facilitate the travel of the pilgrims to the tree.

And not just that, the 55-daylong Kumbh Mela will play host to the heads of missions from different countries in Prayagraj as the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has invited them to join the world's largest religious gath-

the Heads of Missions based in Delhi to Prayagraj on December 15 was organised, as per the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

More than 50 HOMs were given a guided tour of the Kumbh Mela venue in Prayagraj to show the massive arrangements that are

being made for the Kumbh.

Moreover, in the spirit of the "Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam" (world is one family), a unique display piece was built at the Kumbh and a joint unfurling of the flags of the different countries took place. In December 2017, the UNESCO had recognised the Kumbh Mela as the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

The preparations for the Kumbh Mela continues to be in full swing and here is the list of all that awaits the visitors who are planning to make a trip to Prayagraj.

You can enjoy various delicacies at the Kumbh Mela with around 48 milk booths and over 40 food stalls which will be present in the food court in the Kumbh Mela area. In keeping with the mission of Swachh Bharat and the sanctity of Prayagraj where Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati confluence, there are adequate facili-

The festival is also promoting eco-friendly practices as the use of jute bags and terracotta utensils during the stay in the Mela is being encouraged. In addition, a helpline number has also been set-up. Just dial 1920 and the Prayagraj Mela authority will see to it. The facility will begin on January 01, 2019. In Kumbh 2019, the Prayagraj Mela authority is also taking care to have accessible facilities for the differently-abled pilgrims - from toilets to relaxation houses to volunteer attendants, this time, no one will be left behind. To make sure that the holy river is clean, the Uttar Pradesh Government has ordered the shutdown of tanneries in the cities of Kanpur and Unnao from December 15 to March 15 in order to provide clean water to devotees participating in the upcoming Kumbh festival. The Kumbh Mela Authority, Department of Health and Swachh Bharat Mission's district-level team in Prayagraj are giving specialised training under Swachh Bharat Mission. The authorities are constructing 1,22,000 world-class toilet facilities in the Kumbh Mela. The Prayagraj traffic police are also ready to tackle the traffic situation that may arise due to the big event by using new and improved technologies to plan routes of the Kumbh Mela.

More than one lakh cleaning agents (Swachhagrahis) are being deployed to maintain the hygiene and cleanliness at all times.

‘264 new streets, 10 flyovers, 1.22 lakh toilets in Prayagraj' SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT PRAYAGRAJ "We have built 1.22 lakh toilets for the Kumbh, which has been registered by the Guinness World Records as the biggest sanitation drive in the world," said State Health Minister Sidharth Nath Singh. Ahead of the mela, infrastructure got a major boost in Prayagraj with '264 new streets and 10 flyovers', he added.

Singh said, "In the wake of Kumbh, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath took a brave call by allowing a massive demolition drive in the city of Prayagraj wherein encroached land was reclaimed. The drive saw zero political

interference and the citizens also cooperated." About improving the connectivity to Prayagraj, Singh said, "By the time Kumbh starts on January 15, the city will be connected to 13 places through air route. We also looked at ways to destress the railway network. In order to manage the passenger traffic due to special trains being introduced for the Kumbh, we have diverted several trains to three other stations to avert any mishap."

Singh, who was nominated as minister in-charge during the visit of 70 Heads of Missions to Prayagraj on December 15 ahead of the Kumbh, said, "It was a beautiful moment to see 70 flags, along with the Indian flag, unfurled at the Kumbh site."

Railways launch mobile app to help devotees, tourists navigate through city PRAYAGRAJ

CMYK

The North Central Railway (NCR) has launched a mobile application that will help those arriving in Allahabad for the Kumbh Mela starting from January 15 to navigate through the

city and the mela grounds, an official said.

The 'Rail Kumbh Seva Mobile App' will also provide information regarding all the 'Mela special' trains that will be run during the period. Additionally, the app will provide a link to the user to buy both unreserved and reserved train tickets, public relation officer of NCR Amit Malviya said.

"This app will provide critical and valuable information to the devotees, tourists and other passengers who will visit Allahabad during the Kumbh Mela period. The app is intended to place all this information on the fingertips of the users, thereby making it convenient for them to access it at any time and place," he said.

Through this app, the user will not only get to know their current

location, but will also be able to reach to all railway stations, the mela zone, major hotels, bus stations and other facilities within Allahabad city. It will also provide information about passenger amenities available at the stations -- parking lots, refreshment rooms, waiting rooms, book stall, food plaza, ATMs and train

enquiry, Malviya said. A photo gallery, containing pictures of previous Kumbh Melas can also be accessed through the app.

Railways gives a beautiful

makeover to Prayagraj stations Kumbh Mela 2019 - Railways beautifying railway stations! To give a memorable experience to people who are all set to attend the upcoming Kumbh Mela, Railways is leaving no stone unturned. From introducing special train services to using Artificial Intelligence (AI)based technology for crowd control at railway stations, the national transporter is taking several steps to make the upcoming event a successful one. In another step to leave a longlasting impression on railway passengers, Railways is giving a new makeover to all railway stations of Prayagraj. Thus, to welcome pilgrims during Kumbh Mela event next year, all railway stations of Prayagraj are being beautified. In a recent tweet, North Central zonal railways said

that Naini is one of the railway stations, which is getting ready to serve rail passengers during the largest human congregation at Triveni-Sangam.

Other than Naini, many other railway stations across Prayagraj are also being painted in bright colours with attractive patterns.

Meanwhile, Railways is introducing as many as 800 special trains.

Also, in a first of its kind, IBM Intelligent Video Analytics will be pressed into service by the national transporter to ensure crowd control at railway stations and adjoining areas during the Kumbh Mela. In addition to these steps, a new mobile app called Kumbh Rail Seva is being launched to disseminate information to train users and others travelling to the event.

Delhi-Varanasi Train 18 to have stoppages at Kanpur, Alld Train 18, touted as the new Shatabdi Express will begin its services soon. Without providing a date for the train's first run, Railway Minister Piyush Goyal said it would "begin service soon". Train 18 will run between Delhi and Varanasi in eight hours and the fastest train between the two cities now takes 11.30 hours, according to Piyush Goyal. "This train has amenities of international standards, is Wi-Fi enabled, has CCTV cameras, and it has no locomotive or engine. It is a train set. It will cover the 750-km route at a maximum speed of 160 kmph," said Goyal, who inspected the train at the New Delhi railway station.

Five things to know about the country's first engine-less train that will initially run between Delhi and Varanasi.

1. On its journey to Varanasi on its first run, Train 18 will have two

stoppages, -one at Kanpur and the other at Allahabad.

2. According to reports, Train 18's first commercial run will begin next week just ahead of the Kumbh Mela, which will begin on 14 January in Allahabad. 3. Train 18 is likely to be one of the four special trains to ferry delegates of the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas from the Kumbh Mela on 24 January to New Delhi in time for the Republic Day ceremony. 4. Train 18, which is 45% faster than the fastest train on the Delhi-Varanasi route, will be flagged off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi ahead of the Kumbh Mela.

5. The train fare is not finalised yet; it is expected to include the cost of food.

Train 18 will have two classes-one regular and another executive class-and these will be fully air-conditioned.

Railways to use AI for crowd control Indian railways will be going to use the technology which includes the data analytic and Artificial Intelligence in a big way to tackle up the massive rush of passengers at the time of upcoming Kumbh Mela in Allahabad, for which it will also going to deploy around 800 special trains.

IBM Intelligent Video Analytics platform will be going to be

used ins service, for the crowd control at stations and its adjoining areas at the Ardh Kumbh Mela.

Kumbh Rail Seva, which is a new mobile app will soon be going to be launched to disseminate the information to train users and others traveling to the world largest religious event, which is going to attract around 100 Million people, which is a number higher than the population of most countries on the earth.

"We have finalized the action plan for this Kumbh Mela taking all possible factors into consideration," North Central Railway General Manager Rajeev Choudhury told IANS. "We will be using the technology in a significant way to facilitating crowd movement in a smooth way," Choudhury said, adding: "While IBM will provide video analytics service using Artificial Intelligence for crowd control, there will be a large number powerful CCTV cameras to monitor the situation and LED screens for displaying information."

Just apart from that, social media will also be going to be used for keeping the people updates on a real-time basis.

Around more than 5000 government railway protection force and railway police personnel will be going to be deployed to manage the crowd movement at around 10 stations in and around the city which includes the Cheoki, Allahabad, Jhansi, Prayag Ghat and Allahabad city.

CMYK

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

January 21, Monday, 2019

We are committed for security of devotees & tourists : DIG Kumbh SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT PRAYAGRAJ

With the idea of ensuring safety, securing Kumbh - CCTV grids, Watch Towers, Surveillance Systems, Command camp; Control Centers are all being reviewed, reassessed and upgraded, says K P Singh SSP Kumbh. Cops having certified good character clearances from their seniors have been deployed. DIG/SSP (Kumbh) KP Singh, said, "SSPs of other districts have verified the character of policemen who have applied for the mela duty as the department seeks only soft-spoken policemen for the period."

"We are committed for the security of all devotees and tourists. Police department will efficiently execute their duties and work above and beyond the call of duty. Cooperation of vigilant public is needed to thwart any untoward incident. Elaborate arrangements for traffic and crowd management are in place for smooth flow of visitors in the mela area. We are boosting our existing security apparatus," he added.

"A mega event like Kumbh in itself is a biggest challenge. Managing such a huge crowd in a hassle free way, ensuring smooth flow of people and traffic, arranging the Shahi Snans and other Snans, where crores of people take a dip in the holy Ganga, takes meticulous planning. Conventional challenges are crowd control, crowd channeling, crowd diversion, allotting specific time slots for the Snans and finishing it in time.

Ensuring safe and fast exit of people so as to prevent stampede is our one of the main priority. Ensuring our readiness to tackle any kind of disasters like fire, flash floods, etc, is also important," he opined. "We have devised an aggressive and intense surveillance system

involving both human and technological intelligent apparatus. Aerial surveillance like drones, ground surveillance like CCTVs, wide spread anti sabotage checks, explosive detection systems, K9 squads are deployed. Real time intelligence analysis and dissemination system have been developed where valuable intelligence is distributed on real time to the ground operatives.

Deployment of elite counter terror units equipped with sophisticated weapons and technology to tackle hostage rescue and urban counter terror situation was need of the hour," he

said.Starting October 10, police has been assigned duties in four phases. Around 10% deployed in the first phase, Singh said, and 40% in the second phase in November. In phases three and four respectively, 25% each of paramilitary forces deployed in December. The DIG added that SSPs had interviewed policemen personally as officials for the second, third and fourth phases will be coming from western and other parts of the state.

Amid threats of terror acts during the Kumbh Mela commencing from January 15, 2019 in the Sangam city, the Anti-Terrorists Squad (ATS) of Uttar Pradesh Police has deployed its sleuths in the mela area a month before the start of the mega event.

A team of National Security Guards (NSG) is camping permanently in the Kumbh Mela area to assist the ATS in case of any need. Mock drill was held in the Mela area, after which the ATS took over the reins of security of the Kumbh Mela area, spread over 3,200 hectares. The Mela area has been divided into 20 sectors. All arrangements had been made for foolproof security of the Kumbh Mela area. He said all the 40 police stations in the city and Mela area had been connected with Quick Response Teams (QRT) while the ATS field units had been made active. We will provide motorcycles to the ATS teams and the two Special Police Operation Teams (SPOT) for faster movement in the Mela area," he said. The security officials have also arranged a chopper, stationed near the Mela area for use in any emergency. The intelligence sleuths suspect that terrorists can create disturbances during the Kumbh. These suspected terrorists are either from the city or have good knowledge of the topography of the city and the Mela area. ATS and other security teams will be stationed in the Kumbh Mela area till March 5, 2019.

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CMYK

CMYK

MY CITY

The City Standard

NCRP to champion the cause of every section of society

Mr. Ananth Kumar, national president NCRP (left), Mr. Laksham Tripathi state president, Mr. Sanjay Gupta state general secretary (standing left) and others.

RAJEEV RANJAN MISHRA PRAYAGRAJ He was 13 when he left his studies and home to crave out his own destiny. Now at 38 he owns banking business in many foreign countries. He is non other than Mr. Ananth Kumar, who with a motto to serve his countrymen has launched a political party 'Nationalist Common Rights Party' on September1, 2018.

Mr. Kumar who was recently in Prayagraj, in a candid interview to 'The City Standard' said that at a time when the common man is getting disenchanted the prevailing political scenario, time is ripe for

such a political outfit which will champion the cause of every section of society, especially farmers and students.

He minced no words in flaying the policy of loan waiving to farmers adding that it neither helps the farmer nor the country at large. He quipped that instead the farmer should be provided seeds, fertilizers, diesel, etc at very low rates.

On the other hand the students should be provided free education not till matriculation but even for higher studies, irrespective of the fact whether a student studies in government aided or private school.

Talking about his political party he said that he wants that

people with honesty, sincerity and dedication should be a part of his mission. He added that people having some base at local level are welcome to join his party. Mr. Kumar informed that a number small political parties from south as well as from the north will be joining NCRP at a convention to be held on January 31 at New Delhi. He pointed out that a time when people have very limited choice of electing a candidate either from the two major national level parties or from the same regional parties, NCRP would certainly be a fresh alternative having clean candidate whose only criterion would be service of the ordinary man.

For fire-free Kumbh Mela! Peshwai of Kinnar Akhara leave citizens in awe VISHAL TALWAR

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT PRAYAGRAJ To ward off chill - saints and devotees use flammable material such as plywood, bamboos. There are thousands of tents and other structures at the site. With several fire accidents reported at the fair in the past, the mela administration, this time around, has promised that arrangements are in place to tackle such situations. A fire that broke at Sector 11 of the mela ground in 2013 - the year of the Maha Kumbh Mela - had injured at least 19 people. The administration has a fleet of 55 Motorbike Fire Fighting System (MBFFS), which can reach the corners of the massive tent city faster than a fire tending vehicle, said Pramod Kumar Sharmam, the chief fire officer (CFO) of the mela administration.

"The personnel riding these bikes have been trained to reach the sites of fires in no time.

It will be very useful in the shoulder-rubbing lanes of the Kumbh Mela, which are tough for tankers to navigate through," he said, adding that this will be the first time that fire tenders on bikes will be used at the

fair. "These motorcycles are equipped with advanced compressed air foam solution technology, while the MBFFS is the latest firefighting technology that uses the power from the motorcycle engine to produce water mist. The bikes also have a high-pressure driven pump, a water tank and highpressure jet gun with a hose reel," he added.

Sharma said that to avoid short circuits, the administration has used Miniature Control Board (MCB) switches in all the tents. will "MCBs avoid fires caused by short circuits. These MCBs have been installed in every tent, all the akharas of the saints and even in government offices," the CFO said.

Fire station in each sector: The tent city has been divided into nine zones and 20 sectors, and fire officers deployed at each of these sectors and zones will report to the CFO and the district magistrate of the Mela administration, Sharma said. "We have tried to set up at least two fire stations in each sector, with each housing water tankers, MBFFS and an adequate number of firefighters," he added.

The mela administration has also planned to install more than 4,000 fire hydrants (a connection point for firefighters to tap into for water supply) across the tent city.

Akhara chief, astride a camel, had only one message for the PRAYAGRAJ patriarchal system that she is trying to breach.

No facility, no imporAdditional security tance and denial of recogniarrangements were put in tion by the Akhara Parishad place and heavy traffic was and thrown in the corner of totally prohibited on the Ardh Kumbh area, where it is Peshwai route. The Peshwai difficult to reach, but always not only featured all religious smiling quipped "MAA" rituals, but also conveyed Mahamandaleshwar of social messages.

Kinnar Akhara , Swami A total of 21 musical Laxminarayan Tripathi as bands from other States too she led the procession participated the Peshwai with Peshwai 'Devatva Yatra' with a grand touch which the peoone word Jai Shri Maha ple watched in aw. The proKaal, drawing the largest cession was so big that it devotees and local residents blocked the traffic of the old crowed . city and most of the traffic With every Peshwai, the was diverted by the police. all over the country and even abroad came to participate in the 'Devatva Yatra'.

The grandeur of royal processions seems to be touching new heights and the rush people from nearby areas is increasing too. According to people who have seen all the "We don't need any type of recognition, certificate or any form our own monastic order".

Peshwais taken out so far, the other justification from Akharas as we are Sanatani Hindu She said that Kinnar Akhara was formed and participated royal procession of Kinnar and in Shastra we are said to be clearly justified as 'Demi- in Ujjain Kumbh where it took out its first Peshwai ever.

Akhara was the most impresGods', said Mahamandaleshwar of Kinnar Akhara, Swami Swami Laxminarayan Tripathi expressed the hope that the sive.

Laxminarayan Tripathi "Maa", while talking to TCS, corre- 'Kinnar Akhara' would help in erasing the image of transThis was not all the spondent. gender as ones who just sing and dance in birth and marriage Peshwai started form Ram She said that we are not here to indulge ourselves in any functions for money or seek alms in trains and at traffic sigBhawan crossing and reached politics or to gain any religious profits but to spread preach- nals. to the Akhara camp situated in ing's of Sanatan Dharma despite all efforts made by well Laxmi Narayan Tripathi's position idealises a mythical sector 12 after completing a known to keep Kinnar Akhara out of Ardh Kumbh. Swami past of the Sanatan Dharam and supports the right-wing poldistance of 16 kilometers but Laxminarayan Tripathi, said, "The entry of transgender into itics of communal hatred in the guise of 'we were always the devotees did not left the ascetic life is another revolutionary step after the Supreme accepted'."

"Devatva Yatra" in between Court verdict that recognized people of LGBT community as Kinnar Akhara is the openness of the Vedic Sanatan but only disbursed after reachthird gender in 2014. The saint community of 13 Akharas is Dharma and that it is open to the transgender community. ing to the Akhara camp in male-dominated. They denied us our right to be part of Hindu "Today, it was clearly said…jo Ram ka hai, woh hamara hai" seven hours of time. religion by not admitting us to their Akhara, so we decided to (he who belong to Ram, is ours too), she added.

Scores of Kinnars from

‘‘Jo Ram ka hai, woh hamara hai’’

Chairman Rly Board inspects Alld Junction & Prayag Ghat station

CMYK

PRAYAGRAJ Vinod Kumar Yadav, Chairman Railway Board (CRB) was on his first visit to Prayagraj on Thursday after taking over as CRB. He arrived in Prayagraj early in the morning by Magadh Express and began inspection of Allahabad Junction station of North Central Railway at 9:30 hours.

In his inspection he saw the circulating area, passenger amenities and the new works that have been done at the station, especially those relating to the Kumbh Mela 2019, which is scheduled to start from January 14. He spent time at the newly widened foot overbridge (FOB), newly constructed skywalk connecting two main FOBs of the station, Newly constructed FOB at Delhi End of the station, Passenger Enclosures at the City side of the station and the newly constructed platform number 6.He appreciated the new infrastructural enhancement works done both for their high quality and for the speed with which they had been executed and commissioned.

Inside the Passenger Enclosures, he inspected the various facilities like ticketing counters, ATVMs, toilets, water booths etc. that had been provided for the pilgrims coming to the Kumbh Mela who are expected to use these enclosures in large numbers.

"Kumbh Rail Seva" Jacket that would be worn by the railway staff and volunteers who would be manning the railway stations of the Prayagraj and would be easily identifiable by passengers needing assistance by virtue of wearing the jacket. CRB and GM/NCR Rajiv Chaudhry, along with DRM/Allahabad and other senior officers personally wore the jacket as a mark of respect for those staff and officers who would be putting in their best to serve the Kumbh Mela pilgrims using the railway system.

At the enclosures, CRB also met the volunteers of the Scouts and Guides organization and motivated them to put in their best in the Mela effort. Next CRB inspected the 'Tower Control Room' at Allahabad Junction station which has been set up for monitoring, controlling and coordinating the Kumbh related train operations at different stations in Prayagraj when the actual Kumbh Mela is in progress.

After Allahabad Junction station, CRB proceeded to the newly constructed Prayag Ghat station of the Northern Railway. The Prayag Ghat Station has been developed as a new Coaching Terminal in Prayagraj District with 5 new platforms; 2 washing lines and new station building with basement plus 2 stories. He did a detailed inspection of

lating area, platforms and various passenger amenities.

After the inspection of Allahabad Junction and Prayag Ghat Stations, CRB proceeded to the Headquarters

meeting. Speaking in the meeting, CRB said that the entire Indian Railway is one large team and all the officers and staff of the team, regardless of their being from differ-

ity with which they have been executed, amply illustrate the ability and commitment of the Railway Personnel. The entire world recognizes and acknowledges that the opera-

tions: To give a memorable experience to people who are all set to attend the upcoming Kumbh Mela, Railways is leaving no stone unturned.

From introducing special train

CRB meeting staff wearing 'Kumbh Seva' jackets inside Passenger Enclosures at Allahabad Junction station. of North Central Railway in Subedarganj where he addressed a joint meeting of the officers of NCR, NR and NER. GM/NCR, Rajiv Chaudhry, GM/NER Rajiv Agarwal along with DRMs of Allahabad and Lucknow (NR) and Principal Head of the Departments of these three

ent zonal railways must function as parts of an integrated whole.

"The highest levels of commitment and teamwork are needed from all the officers and staff of the Railways who are involved in the management of Kumbh Mela. The kind of works that have been

tions of Indian Railways are the best in the world" he added. After the meeting with the officers, CRB interacted with the members of the Press and Media before leaving for Varanasi, for a window trailing inspection of the Allahabad-Varanasi Section.

Railways gives a beautiful

services to using Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based technology for crowd control at railway stations, the national transporter is taking several steps to make the upcoming event a successful one. In another step to leave a longlasting impression on railway passengers, Railways is giv-

way stations of Prayagraj.

Thus, to welcome pilgrims during Kumbh Mela event next year, all railway stations of Prayagraj are being beautified. In a recent tweet, North Central zonal railways said that Naini is one of the railway stations, which is getting ready to serve rail passengers during the largest human congregation at Triveni-Sangam.

Other than Naini, many other railway stations across Prayagraj are also being painted in bright colours with attractive patterns.

Meanwhile, Railways is introducing as many as 800 special trains. Also, in a first of its kind, IBM Intelligent Video Analytics will be pressed into service by the national transporter to ensure crowd control at railway stations and adjoining areas during the Kumbh Mela. In addition to these steps, a new mobile app called Kumbh Rail Seva is being launched to disseminate information to train users and others travelling to the event.

Railways to use AI for crowd control: Indian railways will be going to use the technology which includes the data analytic and Artificial Intelligence in a big way to tackle up the massive rush of passengers at the time of upcoming Kumbh Mela in Allahabad, for which it will also going to deploy around 800 special trains. IBM Intelligent Video Analytics platform will be going to be

control at stations and its adjoining areas at the Ardh Kumbh Mela. Kumbh Rail Seva, which is a new mobile app will soon be going to be launched to disseminate the information to train users and others traveling to the world largest religious event, which is going to attract around 100 Million people, which is a number higher than the population of most countries on the earth. "We have finalized the action plan for this Kumbh Mela taking all possible factors into consideration," North Central Railway General Manager Rajeev Choudhury said. "We will be using the technology in a significant way to facilitating crowd movement in a smooth way," Choudhury said, adding: "While IBM will provide video analytics service using Artificial Intelligence for crowd control, there will be a large number powerful CCTV cameras to monitor the situation and LED screens for displaying information." Just apart from that, social media will also be going to be used for keeping the people updates on a real-time basis.

Around more than 5000 government railway protection force and railway police personnel will be going to be deployed to manage the crowd movement at around 10 stations in and around the city which includes the Cheoki, Allahabad, Jhansi, Prayag Ghat and Allahabad city.

CMYK

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT He also released the special the station including its circu- Railways were present in the done, and the speed and qual- makeover to Prayagraj sta- ing a new makeover to all rail- used ins service, for the crowd

ABHISHEK AWASTHI

groups even at the risk of religious ostracism by the maulvis.

FATEHPUR Sajjan's father Mijjan Thakur affirms the cultural anomaly: "We have worn Sajjan Khan, of Ajitganj village, the dhoti and kurtas for ages. Why prays daily at a temple built by his should we change?" The women too father Mijjan Khan and frequently goes on pilgrimages to Hindu holy places. Like many converted Rajputs in the area, he follows a Hindu way of life and seeks to emphasise the Thakur identity.

Sajjan Khan prays at a temple at his house every day, likes to be called Sajjan Thakur and yet is a staunch Muslim. The forefathers of the wealthy 40-year-old farmer from Ajitganj village in Uttar Pradesh's Fatehpur district were Bais Rajputs who had converted to Islam.

But Sajjan puts more store by his lineage than his ancestors' acquired faith. The idol-worshipping Khan couldn't care less about being branded a kafir (unbeliever) by the village maulvi. "I don't care about our community leaders. We are Thakurs by blood. Besides, we are treated as inferiors among the Muslims, so why shouldn't we remain loyal to our roots?" he argues defiantly.

Khan is not a chance deviant. opted for the Hindu sari rather than Hundreds of Muslim families whose the more community-specific salwarRajput ancestors had converted to kameez and burqa.

Islam six centuries ago prefer to be This fusion of culture goes much called Thakur Sahibs in villages of beyond clothes. Rajput traditions central Uttar Pradesh. And it is not have eclipsed the religious divide and just about titles. forged a common identity for the The "Muslim Thakurs" live, dress Hindu Gautam Thakurs and the and even worship as Rajputs do- in Gautam Muslims. Says Hasan: "The stark contrast to the "original Gautam Thakurs are like one big famMuslims". It was in the 14th and 15th ily." Hindu Gautam Thakurs particicenturies that three Rajput sects-the pate in Muslim Gautam functions and Gautam, Bais and Dikhit-converted vice versa. to Islam and settled in Fatehpur, "When we meet, we touch the feet of Banda and Unnao districts. These the elders among the Gautam Thakurs people, particularly the Gautam just as younger people from their side Muslims, still cling to their Hindu would touch my feet," says septuageorigins. narian Gautam Nasruddin Khan, the Rather proudly too. Declares Hasan head of Sabada village in nearby Thakur, the pradhan of Missi village Banda district. in Bindki, the erstwhile headquarters These intercommunity functions of the Gautam Thakurs of Fatehpur: include religious ones as well. The "Our community members do not Gautam Muslims help organise Holi keep long beards and refuse to obey milans, Ram Lilas and kirtans. The fatwas, the men don't wear lungi, the wedding ceremonies of the former women avoid the burqa (veil)."

Rajputs retain many Hindu rituals: Hasan Thakur, a village pradhan, has the bridegroom sports a safa (headconsiderable clout among both the gear) like the Hindus do and a rauGautam Muslims and the Gautam cous band is a must in a wedding proThakurs. Proud of Thakur traditions, cession as are firecrackers. he is determined to assimilate the two In this cultural melee, it is not unusu-

al to find multireligious practices.

Sajjan, who is yet to visit Mecca, recently went on a pilgrimage to Chitrakoot. Hasan Thakur too frequently goes to Vaishno Devi with his wife and children.

Muslim Thakurs keen to retain Rajput legacy

The Gautams' relations with their fellow Muslims have faded into irrelevance as community bonds take precedence even in times of communal riots. If Gautams face a threat to their lives and property, the Gautam Muslims rush to protect them, and if Gautam Muslims are outnumbered in any particular place the Gautam Thakurs swell their ranks. "For more than 50 years in Independent India, none of our brothers has been killed in communal riots," says Hasan.

Haji Abdul Warsi, of Ajitganj village, proudly displays a shijre (family tree) tracing his Gautam Thakur lineage Politically too, the Gautam Thakursfrom both sides of the communal divide-form a cohesive and substantial vote bank. The Gautam Muslims number more than a lakh though that is a fraction of the Gautam Thakur population.

Hasan Thakur's considerable influence among both the Thakurs and the Gautam Muslims brought former prime ministers Chandra Shekhar and V.P. Singh to his house to solicit votes. Hasan's politics are dictated entirely by community concerns.

"If there is a contest between a

The delayed winter takes a bite of red guava production in Alld Patel also said that a major of chunk of the farmers' crop in Allahabad and Kaushambi PRAYAGRAJ had been damaged due to the unscheduled rains between April and July.

"This year, farmers were able to reap only The delayed onset of winter season and the two baskets of guavas in one bigha of land, unscheduled rains during summer have hit whereas last year they had been able to reap the production of the famous 'Allahabadi 10 baskets on the same land," said Patel. surkha', popularly known as red Patel also said that each basket is being sold guava across the country. Local in the market for a price between Rs 1200 traders are finding it difficult to and 1300, a sharp decline from Rs fulfil the export 1,700 -1,900 last year. Each basket orders for the contains around 20kg to 22kg of fruit, which guavas.

Patel said, "Presently, over 2,000 farmers are growing red guava in Kaushambi and Allahabad but they have not been able to get a good price for their produce."

The farmers have urged the state government to provide some relief to farmers.

The red guava or Allahabadi Surkha is the only product from Allahabad district which has a geographical indication (GI) is widely demanded ever year not only tag. across the country but in Middle eastern On an average, each farmer in the two disnations as well. tricts used to earned profits in the range of Farmers in Prayagraj and Kaushambi said Rs 50,000-Rs 75,000. Red guava is being that as compared to previous year's yield, cultivated in around 2,000 bigha of land in the production of Allahabadi surkha has dipped by more than 50% in 2018. President Bamrauli, Kaurihar-II areas of Allahabad and Muratganj area in Kaushambi. of Allahabad Surkha Guava Welfare Even buyers have to bear the brunt of the Association (ASGWA), Munnu Patel, said, dip in production as they have to shell out "Farmers growing Allahabadi surkha in the more money for buying the fruit. A kilogram region would not be able to export the fruit this year. Last year, the crop was hit due to a of red guava can currently cost anything pest outbreak and this year the erratic weath- between Rs 60 and Rs 70, which was Rs 35 and Rs 40 earlier. er has affected our profits."

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

Muslim and a Gautam Thakur, our first choice will be a Gautam Thakur," he explains. The Thakur clan's views on political issues-generally pronounced by Hasan- are uniform, and more importantly for the political parties, they vote as a community.

Historical links are sometimes highlighted to forge a common identity.

The Muslim group wants to build a memorial for Raja Bahrawat Singh, the Argal king who converted to Islam. Another concerns the martyrdom of 52 Gautam Thakur clansmen of Fatehpur who were hanged by the British for involvement in the 1857 war of independence.

The Government has built a park around the tree on which the soldiers were hanged, but the Gautam Muslims want to develop it into a grand memorial.

Instead of weakening with passage of time, the ties among the Gautam Thakurs are showing all signs of strengthening. The Muslim families are keen to bring "the family" closer through marriages. "I am making a lot of effort to unite the family once again, but society does not allow us to do so," says the patriarchal Nasruddin Khan.

Such clanish tendencies do not go down well with the more orthodox among the Muslims. "Their Hindu origins and customs are a major hurdle to rotibetities (economic and marital)," says Mohit Siddiqui, an "original" Muslim of Bindki.

The segregation leaves the Thakur Muslims unmoved. They generally marry among their own group or at most with other converted groups.

"The original Muslims look down upon us because we are converted and taunt us for behaving like Hindus. But we don't mind," remarked Mushtaq, a Gautam Muslim working at the Central Ordnance Depot in Kanpur.

While the Gautam Muslims are unabashedly seeking to reunite with the Thakurs, the Bais and Dikhit groups are doing so more unobtrusively. But whatever the degree of caste affiliations, all three of these unique communities stick to their traditional Hindu way of life and are desperately seeking to claim a Thakur identity. It is, in many ways, a reconversion not of faith but of culture.

CMYK

PRAYAGRAJ Like the many old building structures and bungalows still dotting the landscape of the city, refusing to change with time's swift charge, the resolve of Rafiq, a farrier or one who mends and fits horseshoes also reflects the unyielding spirit of holding on to the past. However, the horse shoe maker, alike his professional counterparts, harbours no illusions, every time his hammer strike the anvil. He still resolves to carry on the legacy till his body can take immense physical endurance demanded by the profession.

"Employing a rasp, hoof-knife, pincer, nipper, anvil, thick block of iron along with a pair of hammers is a task, which needs agility and exact accuracy- after all these are my customary tools. But utilizing them is a much-calculated task, requiring careful execution of each of the above-

mentioned tools. The buck doesn't stop here only - the job can get little tricky when a rogue horse - that has spent much of the day pulling overloaded carts - starts to do the waltz in front of you" said Rafiq who resides in Kasariya village, adjacent to Kalindipuram locality.

"A single glance is enough for me to judge the animal," his tone reflecting a coolness brought by decades of experience. The latest client, Sultan, an attractive horse with a striking brown skin pattern is all set. Rafiq begins by quickly removing the old, worn out shoes with the pincers and trims the hoof wall to the desired length with the nippers, a sharp-plier like tool. The sole and frog (triangular underside) of the hoof are trimmed with the hoof-knife. This is followed by the levelling of the nails.

It is to be noted that each horse has different sized nails and you cannot work on mere samples. Once this is done, the shoes are measured to the size of the foot. They can be bent to

CMYK

4

intra legem Allahabad HC issues directive on security of High Court LEGAL CORRESPONDENT PRAYAGRAJ A seven judge bench of Allahabad High Court on Friday directed chief secretary as well as principal secretary (home) of the state to provide full proof security to the Allahabad High Court and its Lucknow Bench.

During the course of hearing of this matter, the state's chief secretary, principal secretary (home) and principal secretary (law) were present before the seven judge bench. Hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) relating to the security of high court and other courts of the state, a seven judge bench comprising Chief Justice Govind Mathur, Justice

Vikram Nath, Justice Sudhir Agarwal, Justice Bharti Sapru, Justice Pankaj Mithal, Justice Shashi Kant Gupta and Justice Bala Krishna Narayana fixed February 12, 2019 as the next date of hearing. While passing the above directive, the seven judge bench expressed its concern over delay in setting up of Gram Adalats (village courts) in the state.

On which, the chief secretary assured the bench that the government would constitute all the Gram Adalats by June 30, 2019. He further assured the bench that the commercial courts would also be made functional within two months. Apart from the above, the seven judge bench also directed the officials of the state to ensure that boundary walls of district courts across the state are repaired within six months.

Special Court issues arrest warrant against UP Minister, declares him as absconder SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT PRAYAGRAJ Taking a serious note of non-appearance by UP minister for minority affairs Mohsin Raza in a criminal matter despite court's repeated directives, the special court (MP and MLA) on Friday issued arrest warrant against him and also directed that he be declared an absconder. Further, the court directed that a process, which is issued after declaring a person as absconder under section 82 of Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), be implemented and a loud declaration be made, asking him (Raza) to appear before the court on February 20. Special judge Pawan Kumar Tiwari, who is presiding over special court (MP and MLA) fixed February 20 as the next date of the matter. A case was registered against Raza in 1989 at

Wazirgarj police station of Lucknow, alleging that he along with one Akbar had thrashed the complainant, Lallan, near Takia Kalash Bagh of Lucknow. Subsequently, the police investigated the matter and submitted chargesheet against Raza. The court at Lucknow took cognizance of the matter and issued summons to Raza, who in the course of time, became minister for minority affairs of the state. He allegedly adopted lackadaisical attitude towards the court proceedings. Later, after several years on April 26, 2018, charges were framed against him. It is alleged that Raza remained absent after framing of charges in the matter. However, subsequently the matter was shifted to Allahabad following setting up of special court here as per direction of the apex court to exclusively deal with cases pending against elected state legislators and members of Parliament.

Kumbh mela too big for jumbos SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

cross the pontoon bridges on the Ganga. It will be risky to PRAYAGRAJ allow the elephants and horses over the bridges. We'll The Yogi Adityanath govern- explain it to the sadhus ment's eagerness to squeeze again." votes out of the Ardh Kumbh Mela, scheduled just before the general election, and growing commercialisation have ensured that a centuriesold tradition has become too risky this time.

The Mela administration in Allahabad has banned the centuries-old elephant-andhorse processions during the Shahi Snan (royal bath) this Ardh Kumbh, scheduled from January 14 to March 4.

The move has angered the sadhus who are determined to get the ban lifted.

Riding elephants and horses, the monks - including naga (naked) sadhus - arrive at the Sangam, the confluence of the Ganga and the Yamuna, and take the holy dip after midnight.

People from across the coun- Till now the sadhus, emergtry visit the Kumbh and Ardh ing from the city akharas Kumbh not just to take the (monasteries belonging to the dip themselves but also to various Hindu sects), have watch the spectacle of the always taken the holy dip Shahi Snan, held thrice dur- from the city side of the riverbanks. ing every Mela.

A large number of sadhus That they would need to cross walked out of a police-con- the river this time owes to vened meeting on Sunday Adityanath's efforts at using when K.P. Singh, the deputy the upcoming Mela to win inspector-general in charge of votes for the BJP before the the Mela area, told them that hordes of pilgrims arrive elephants and horses would- from across the country.

The rising number of piln't be allowed in this time.

"It's a matter of safety," Singh grims' tents, a result of told reporters. "The proces- increasing footfall, had sion of sadhus is scheduled to already shrunk the space on

A day in the life of horse shoemaker SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

January 21, Monday, 2019

the correct shape by hammering them on the anvil or can be heated. An unfit shoe can cause discomfort to the horse and even injury. It might also lead the shoe to wear out much earlier than it ought to. "Sometimes the horses return just after a day or two.

Normally, it should last up to a month. But it all depends on the manner in which the horse moves."

Sixty-year-old Rafiq possesses neither quality, depending only on his temperament and intuition. After the measurements, the shoe is placed onto the hoof and nails driven into its wall. The specially designed nails bend outward, avoiding the sensitive inner part of the foot and emerge on its sides. Any sharp points are cut off with the clincher. Then the rasp (a large file, like the one found in most nail-cutters), is used to smoothen the edges, eliminating any sharp edges left from the cutting of the nails. The entire process takes up to 20-30 minutes. However, sometimes it can extend up to an hour. It largely

depends on how playful the horse is.

To Rafiq surprise, Sultan is uncannily calm. "Luckily," he recalls with a grin, "I have never been kicked... Not in the face." " Unfortunately, today there are few takers for a farrier's profession.

Even in a city such as Prayagraj, known for its Gherebaazi - traditional horse-cart races, only a handful of farriers remain. "That era is gone when we were sought after by the elite. All these ikkas and tongas are just for attraction. Only a few remain.

Who would want to take up this job?" " Kya karein mazboori hai. Aur kuch sikha hi nahi," he reasons.

While he manages approximately Rs. 35-50 per session (per shoe, that is), which is definitely not enough to take care of his family, he is often compelled to take a day out each week to travel to the mandis and melas on the outskirts. All for a better living but also to subtly convey a popular English proverb: "No hoof, no horse."

the city-side banks, prompting more and more devotees to cross the bridge and take the holy bath from the other side.

This time, the state tourism

Also, to make the Mela "cashless" - in furtherance of a key campaign of Prime Minister Narendra Modi - the state government has signed a deal with Punjab National

department and some private players have been allotted land on the city side of the Sangam area to set up over 20,000 makeshift cottages for the pilgrims, for which bookings have already begun.

The rent varies from Rs 500 to Rs 35,000 a day, with the higher end intended for rich customers and VIP guests.

Adityanath said on Monday that his ministers would visit every state and invite their governors, chief ministers and ministers, and that foreign leaders too would be invited.

Bank allowing it to open over 100 counters in the Sangam area and issue prepaid cards to people.

All this construction will shrink the city side of the banks so much that it would no longer be able to host a mega event like the Shahi Snan.

Singh's fears about the horses and elephants posing a safety risk are founded in history.

During almost every Kumbh or Ardh Kumbh in Allahabad, an elephant or a horse steps out of line and ends up injuring - sometimes even killing -

a bystander or two.

The biggest incident happened on February 3, 1954, when more than 1,000 devotees and monks died after the naga sadhus took offence at something and let the elephants and horses loose on the crowds.

Yet, never before has the procession been banned.

Narendra Giri, head of the All India Akhara Parishad, an umbrella organisation of all the 13 akharas, said the Shahi Snan would be "incomplete without a grand parade of senior sadhus riding elephants and horses".

"This procession is what makes the occasion 'royal'.

The tradition is more than 400 years old and cannot be discontinued. It's the job of the police and the administration to ensure that everything goes off peacefully," he said.

"We'll discuss the matter with the Mela administration and the state government to ensure the tradition is not scrapped."

Every Kumbh or Ardh Kumbh features six dates for holy baths, three of which witness the Shahi Snan.

The holy bath days are Makar Sankranti (January 14-15), Paush Purnima (January 21), Mauni Amavashya (February 4), Basant Panchami (February 10), Maghi Purnima (February 19) and Maha Shivaratri (March 4).

The Shahi Snan days are scheduled on Makar Sankranti, Mauni Amavashya and Basant Panchami.

SHUATS faculty wins silver in Badminton

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT PRAYAGRAJ The Joint Registrar and Chairman, Athletics Committee of Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology and Sciences, Er. C. John Wesley won the silver medal in singles and doubles in the recently concluded K.L. Garg Memorial Uttar Pradesh State Masters / Veterans Badminton Championship held in Agra from 4th - 6th January, 2019. He

lost the finals to the Olympian, Arjun Awardee and India International player Shri Abhinn Shyam Gupta in Singles and in Doubles to former India Internationals Ravinder Singh and Tappa. He was also qualified to represent the State in the upcoming 43rd YONEX Sunrise Indian Masters National Badminton Championship scheduled to be held at Goa from 28th January to 3rd February, 2019. University Management gave congratulations and best wishes to Er. C.J. Wesley.

CMYK

CMYK

CITIFIED Reconversion not of faith but of culture The City Standard

POINT BLANK

The City Standard

Will BJP prepone next general elections!

Kartarpur Corridor

Opportunity to break myths The Kartarpur Corridor at the Indo-Pak border is not just a religious symbol, it is a hope of millions of people across the border who have been denied the opportunity to visit their near and dear, to have a glimpse of the places they or their predecessors were born in, lived and spent their childhood and part of their youth. There has been denial of strong wish to meet their newly developed friends through modern technology - Facebook and WhatsApp etc.

With similar background of cultural values people of the two countries have always been having strong yearning to go to the places they have been only reading about.

The Kartarpur Corridor would also be an opportunity to break myths being spread against each other. It is only when one visits Pakistan from India or vice versa, one realises how much is the love lost between the two people who not too long ago in the history lived together.

The political reasons distanced them through lines but could not break the bonds of brotherhood/sisterhood.

The success story of Sada-e-Sarhad bus service started in 1999 during the Vajpayee Government is a glaring example. It is time and an opportunity that has come before us through Kartarpur Corridor which we should not lose.

The path however is not so simple or straight forward.

Only a few days back while addressing an event to highlight the 100 day achievement of Punjab Government, Imran Khan, the Prime Minister of Pakistan said that "we will show the Modi Government how to treat minorities.

Even in India, people are saying that minorities are not being treated as equal citizens." This was an unnecessary statement. Everyone knows that Indian Constitution gives equal rights to all its citizens belonging to any religion, ethnicity, caste, creed or gender. We do not need sermons from any outsider. Imran Khan's statement amounted to interference in India's internal affairs. This statement is also in total disregard to his previous utterances suggesting that the foreign ministers of India and Pakistan meet on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly. It is well on record that during the inauguration of the Kartarpur Corridor, he had warned that a war between India and Pakistan would be catastrophic as both are nuclear weapons possessing countries. In this context, his statement of teaching India about minority rights is totally unacceptable.

As per schedule the next general elections in India are due in early next year, but speculations are rife in political circles that the polls might be preponed to this year-end.

The speculations gained momentum with the president of the main ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Amit Shah telling his party's spokespersons and social media managers recently to be prepared as the party would be in poll mode after Aug. 15, India's Independence Day. Expectations that the general elections would be preponed stem from the fact that the BJP has been losing its popularity with each passing day, after suffering repeated defeats in recent by-polls (in parliamentary constituencies) in politically big states like Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Rajasthan and Bihar.

A recent poll done by Lokniti-CSDS (Centre for the Study of Developing Societies) found that the drop in Modi's popularity has been quite sharp.

Quoting the poll findings, a leading columnist Tavleen Singh recently wrote in one of her blogs, "Today close to half the Hindu voters polled across India admit that they are unlikely to vote for Modi next time.

Muslims, Sikhs and Christians were unanimous in their desire not to."

The party lost two crucial by-polls in Uttar Pradesh's Gorakhpur and Phulpur parliamentary constituencies and Araria parliamentary constituency in Bihar in March, followed by a crushing defeat in Kairana parliamentary constituency, also in Uttar Pradesh which is politically the biggest state India.

Earlier in February, it had lost in Alwar and Ajmer parliamentary constituencies in western state of Rajasthan, ruled by the BJP, and in Uluberia parliamentary constituency in eastern state of West Bengal ruled by BJP's adversary Mamata Banerjee.

In June this year, the BJP also lost one parliamentary by-poll in Maharashtra's Bhandara-Gondia constituency, though it had a face-saver win in Palghar parliamentary constituency.

The repeated defeats of the BJP candidates in the parliamentary by-elections have given enough indications that the main ruling party is facing a tough incumbency factor among the country's voters.

The key reasons cited for BJP's poor performance in recently held by-polls could be summarized as increasing incidents of lynching on dalits (lowest caste people in Indian community) and the minority communities, particularly the

Hasina's win spells doom to northeast militancy Elections in any country are a routine affair. But, when it comes to Bangladesh, they are something special to India. If Narendra Modi was the first to congratulate Sheikh Hasina on her win in the recently held elections, there is a sound logic to it.

Sheikh Hasina, acknowledging that Modi was the first foreign leader to convey congratulations, appreciated his reiteration of India's commitment to support Bangladesh's development. Modi had expressed confidence that relations between India and Bangladesh would continue to flourish under Hasina's 'farsighted leadership'.

The Prime Minister also reiterated that priority of India attached to Bangladesh as a neighbour, a close partner for regional development, security and cooperation and a central pillar in India's 'Neighbourhood First' policy.

Bangladesh has not only reelected Hasina as its leader for the fourth time, but also firmly reaffirmed its faith in democracy, and the vision of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Bangladesh's 11th Parliamentary poll was not just an acid test for Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. It was something that India

was eagerly looking forward to find out the end result.

Even the world was not unconcerned about it. Delhi's priorities, anyway, are different from the world, particularly the West. President

Donald Trump's phased withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan has already led to some concern here with its worry over intensified Islamist militancy by the Taliban and other Pakistanbacked proxies who may not only jeopardise Indian interests in Afghanistan, but also turn their eyes towards Kashmir. Indian establishment must be ready to face a heightened militancy in

Kashmir. India bleeds further if there is a further spell of militancy in the North East which is quite vulnerable when it comes to its borders which are too porous.

Thanks to Hasina's tough stand against militants and ISI operatives since 2009, militancy has come down here to a large extent. Such forces had a free run during the BNP Jamaat Regime between 2001-2016. If today, the pro-talks faction of the United Liberation Front of Assam and Daimary faction of the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) are on the table, it is only because their leaders were nabbed and hounded out of Bangladesh and handed over to India under Hasina's explicit orders. Other armed groups in Tripura and Meghalaya too have given up on armed struggle after the crackdown in Bangladesh.

ULFA's Paresh Barua is hiding on the Sino-Myanmar border somewhere. All these, including Pakistan, wanted Hasina's defeat. The West seems to have a different take on the elections unlike India's.

While India wholeheartedly welcomed the outcome, the West criticised the 'sham of an election'.

in the eyes of the people.

While the BJP is trying its best to nail the Congress in Augusta Westland deal, the Congress is harping on the Rafael deal.

The government rejected the Opposition demand for probe by a Joint

100 meetings to be addressed by the Prime Minister in 20 States. To meet the challenge, the Congress too has reactivated its war room and held a meeting chaired by Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday to review the developments and work out counter strate-

Parliamentary Committee (JPC) into Rafael deal with France saying there was no corruption involved in it but accused the Congress of having a legacy of scams like Bofors and Augusta Westland. Defending their decision, Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley who is a good debater said that JPC can come to consensus when it comes to policy matters but not investigations.

The BJP has also planned

gies.

The Prime Minister, who spent about 90 minutes in an interview to a TV Channel for the first time in his over four-and-a-half years' of tenure on Tuesday, chose the mode of interacting with booth level party workers in Andhra Pradesh and in the process tore into the Chandrababu Naidu government accusing it of indulging in scams and making friends with "wicked Congress". But

5

No further feud in CBI, please The Supreme Court order today reinstating Alok Verma as CBI chief is seen as the end of a three-month old episode of bitter and even childish acrimony between two top officials of the most prestigious investigating agency of the country. Quite naturally the Opposition has dubbed it as a setback for the NDA government, victory of justice and stalling saffron sacrilege of the constitution. The ruling party too hailed the order with union minister for finance Arun Jaitley, an eminent lawyer himself, commenting that the apex court took a `balanced view' of the whole case. This is all fine but what probably people of the country desire most ardently at this moment is that the investigating agency that had remained, since its inception in 1941, synonymous with integrity and propriety should be brought back to its position of eminence. The British government of that time set it up to investigate cases of corruption regarding war materials supplies but the government of independent India decided to continue with it. Of

course there had been criticisms of the agency from many quarters, political parties, individuals even the courts. For example in 2013 the Supreme Court called CBI 'a caged parrot which sings its master's voice'. But despite all these criticisms people view it as an agency which is, despite a few black sheep here and there, seen as an organization by and large above board. People view it as an institution that carries out its duties without bias, with sincerity and integrity. Though there had been failures on its part, there had still been thousands of cases across the country that the agency solved and brought the perpetators of the offences to justice.

Verma who is to retire on January 31 cannot make any key policy decision. A committee comprising the Prime Minister, Leader of Opposition and Chief Justice of India will have to meet and take a decision on Verma's status in a week. Whatever the situation the union government as well as officials of the agency should take utmost care that no further feud cripples and tarnishes the image of this body.

Gone are the days of polite politics As the electoral heat for 2019 gains momentum in next couple of months, young and old alike will certainly recall the song from Raj Kapoor's film Mera Naam Joker "Jane Kahan Gaye Voh Din".

With general elections on cards and political parties have started gearing up for the battle of ballots. However, it is interesting to note that this year's Lok Sabha polls will certainly witness rhetoric never seen before. It is worth mentioning that the political stalwarts of yesteryears had never crossed the Laxman Rekha nor did they used insulting or derogatory words against each other.

The nation has been a witness to many elections and numerous leaders of stature. But never did it witness the kind of politics that may likely to unfold during the ensuing Lok Sabha elections. Every leader those days too had their own vision to develop the country. Everyone obviously thought that their vision was the best and better than their predecessors.

There were leaders who even implemented draconian laws like Emergency. But even under such circumstances, none of the leaders including Jayprakash Narayan, L K Advani, Atal Behari Vajpayee, Indrajit Gupta, Somnath Chatterji or for that matter any other prominent leader never accused Indira Gandhi using unparliamentary words.

It is a fact that all of them did go hammer and tongs against the policy of declaring Emergency.

The Jana Sangh too which was known for its catchy one-line slogans did not criticise anyone with abusive words. The only time when words like "chor" were used was when the Bofors controversy broke out.

Public issues go for a toss as politicos vie for power The nation seems to have got into election mode and all parties seem to be sharpening their arsenals. Party presidents, whether they are national or regional, and the chief administrators from the Prime Minister to the Chief Ministers, everyone is focusing all their energies to run down their rivals and retain power.

The law makers are more interested in debates on issues which could politically help them rather than issues that concern the common man. This has resulted in abysmal productivity in the winter session of the Parliament which would end in five days. The efforts from all sides are to say that 'me and my party are cleanest while all others are neck deep in scam'.

Political tempers continue to run high in Parliament and outside. The winter session of Parliament is witnessing multiple rounds of disruption. Chairman of Rajya Sabha M Venkaiah Naidu even expressed his concern over the way the image of Parliament was going down

Muslims over beef controversies, and the "not-so-successful" economic policies of Demonetization and GST (goods and services tax).

In January, violent clashes had erupted at Bhima-Koregaon, a tiny village in Maharashtra state during a commemorative event organized by a Dalit organization. Incidents of lynching of people belonging to dalit and Muslim communities have been recurring. The latest being from Dhule in Maharashtra where five persons belonging to a nomadic community were lynched on suspicion of being childlifters.

A leading English magazine, "India Today", carried its lead story in the latest edition titled "The New Gameplan" saying that the BJP was concerned at losing popularity among the Dalits and lower caste people.

Those against the two big economic reforms of Demonetization and GST introduced by the present government said that they failed to yield the desired results. Criticizing the GST implementation on its first anniversary on July 1, Indian National Congress (INC) leader and country's former finance minister P. Chidambaram described it as a "Grossly Scary Tax." "Multiple returns, multiple rules and tax slabs have made the life of an ordinary trader nightmarish.

GST was thrust upon an unprepared nation. GST has become a word that traders fear. It is an undeniable fact that GST has not had a positive impact on the Indian economy," added Chidambaram.

The BJP's poor electoral performance in recent months in the states like Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan should be a cause of worry for those at the helm of party's affairs. Put together these big states share over 260 parliamentary constituencies among themselves, out of the total 543 constituencies across the nation which go to polls every five years. The BJP had won 170 parliamentary constituencies in these states in the 2014 general elections but things does not easy for the main ruling party this time.

In the next general elections, the BJP is expected to face a formidable combination of two strong caste-based state-level parties the Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) in Uttar Pradesh; and its alliance with old-time political ally Shiv Sena appears tattered in Maharashtra, another politically big state with 48 parliamentary constituencies.

-Xinhua

January 21, Monday, 2019

he sang the same old song that his government was committed to the welfare of the AP but the TDP was speaking blatant lies and had not even submitted necessary records. Again, the effort is to drive home the point, "I am the cleanest and the best," it is the TDP which is wicked. Modi was addressing BJP workers from Kakinada, Narsapuram, Visakhapatnam, Machilipatnam, and Vizianagaram Lok Sabha constituencies through video conferencing as part of the 'Mera Booth Sabse Mazboot' initiative to strengthen the party organisation at the grassroots level. He said the Congress which was considered to be Dusht by the TDP has now become Dost. They seem to be trying to prove that NTR was wrong, Modi remarked. He also referred to the manner in which the Mahakutami lost elections in Telangana and said same would happen in Andhra Pradesh. Modi noted that truth was the biggest weapon that could dispel such falsehood.

The entire Opposition came up with the slogan "Gali Gali mein shor hai‌ Rajiv Gandhi chor hai." Between 1984 and 1989, there were many debates in the Lok Sabha when the Opposition leaders lambasted the Congress government led

by Rajiv Gandhi.

Jaipal Reddy, Indrajit Gupta, Somnath Chatterjee, L K Advani and the like who used to be the star speakers in Parliament never minced words in tearing apart the ruling party for its mistakes.

Their comments used to be caustic but not derogatory and were heard with rapt attention even by the Prime Minister of the day. Barring a few interruptions

from the treasury benches, never did the Parliament witness unruly scenes and never was there a situation when it continuously adjourned without conducting any business as is seen these days.

But now leaders have changed, attitudes have changed. There is growing intolerance among the leaders at all levels. Every leader feels he is the

greatest and the most intelligent. Those who accused their predecessors as Mouni Baba turn into bigger Mouni Babas. Gone are the days when they used to talk about their achievements and how it helped the common man and how the rulers of the day had failed to bring change in the society.

Now the so-called progressive leaders depend more on verbal attacks and counter attacks. The cacophony of these leaders is really disturbing and nauseating. But then, they seem to be justifying this attitude saying that in war everything is fair.

They forget that it may appear fair to them but not the people who are more saner and more intelligent than these leaders who claim to be master strategists and visionaries. It is disgusting to see one leader calling another party a lollipop party. Another leader uses all kinds of words against his counterpart in the neighboring State.

Some address the Prime Minister in singular noun. Some allege that his political enemy is not a leader but a manager. It is an open secret that in the modern-day politics, the party that succeeds in best management of polls wins the elections. The government which manages to submit statistics in an intelligent manner wins awards.

Can any party or leader in the country say that they are not opportunists? Do they not spend huge amount of money to win elections? Then why blame each other when all are sailing in the same boat? That is why, when the country goes to polls in the months to come, old timers will be left wondering Jane Kahan Gaye Voh Din.

Is loan waiver the new tool to woo voters in election year The agricultural distress seems to be snowballing into an emotive poll issue in the run up to the 2019 Lok Sabha elections with either sides clamoring for farmers attention and making populist announcements to appease them.

The recent Congress win in the assembly elections is being attributed to massive rural distress and mounting anger of farmers.

Two days after taking oath, Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot on Wednesday announced waiver of short term loans taken by farmers from cooperative banks and loans of up to Rs 2 lakh from other banks. Gandhi tweeted, "It's done!

Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh have waived farm loans. We asked for 10 days. We did it in 2".

Rahul Gandhi took to twitter to step up the pressure on Modi government. The Congress party has managed to wake the CM's of Assam & Gujarat from their deep slumber. PM is still asleep. We will wake him up too he tweeted.

Gandhi's statement came after BJP Vijay Rupani government in Gujarat announced a decision to waive electricity bills of `650 crores in rural areas and `600 crore farm loan waivers in Assam. This comes a day after

Rahul Gandhi pitched for National farm loan waiver and assured farmers that he wouldn't let PM Modi sleep in peace till he does so. What we promise, we fulfilled...you can see our state government made the announcements... Modi government should learn from this. We want to tell all the farmers of the country that we won't let PM sleep in peace till farmers loans are waived off.

Gandhi has been championing the cause of farm loan waivers though he recently said in a press conference that they were not permanent solutions to the farming crisis and technological advances in agriculture in consultation with farmers were needed.

All Congress governments have been promising farm loan waivers within 10 days of coming to power. Punjab offered one followed by Karnataka which is yet to ensure the real benefits of waivers reach farmers. Now, the Chhattisgarh and the Madhya Pradesh governments have also declared waivers. The waiver will apply to loans taken up to November 30, Ashok Gehlot said. Farmers' short-term crop loans from cooperative banks will be waived. Along with this, farmers' loans of up to `2 lakh from nationalised and other banks will also be waived, he added.

CMYK

CENTRE SPREAD

The City Standard

January 21, Monday, 2019

6

IN CONSONANCE - F

Lakhs of devotees flock to the city to take a holy dip in Triveni Sangam with a belief that takin

Kumbh Mela is the mythological history of India and the sacred religious texts that bind us carnal souls to an eternal hope - things will be better, without the ever-imminent fear of them getting worse that cripples us here.

U P Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath performing pooja at a Akhara

CMYK

The Panch Pyares

Photos by Saurabh Sharma

Kumbh Mela at Prayagraj takes place when Jupiter is in Aries or Taurus and Sun and Moon are in Capricorn during the Hindu month of Magha (JanuaryFebruary).

CENTRE SPREAD

January 21, Monday, 2019

7

CMYK

The City Standard

FAITH AND BELIEF

ng a dip in the holy water at Triveni Sangam will cleanse them of their sins.

Ready to face any evantuality : The security forces are keeping round the clock vigil in the Mela area

It is the power of faith that can part a river, move mountains, and endure the hardships that come bundled up for being an integral part of Kumbh Mela, a congregation of millions, gathered together to be freed from the vicious earthly cycle of life and death and move towards a heavenly realm, which knows no suffering or pain.

CMYK

"For us, this participation is about mainstream society accepting us.

The creator is within us and once we die, we will go back to him. Our doors are open for all," she said, adding that the acceptance of third gender is remarkable in a "conservative society like ours", Dr. Lakshmi Narain Tripathi.

Anita could never get used to her husband's loud snoring at night! She would often lose sleep and lie awake tossing about restlessly. She could do with a different bed as well as a room she thought and complained!

Of course divorce was never an option but stress was routine. How the hell should she get used to a daily loud snoring machine beside her! Jayshree was stressed with her husband's bad habit of dirtying the bathroom after using it and throwing the towel and his clothes on the floor. In spite of thousands of complaints and requests he would not comply. For him it was just his habit and for her it was a source of stress in the relationship for she believed that he did not respect her.

Rahul was annoyed at his wife most times due to her lack of order in housekeeping. She agreed that she was not perfect and did not mind a house in slight disorder and believed that her husband was 'finicky and fussy' about cleanliness and order. She was fed up of his grumblings and so was he of her refusal to change her habit. Besides dissimilar habits of spouses which could be anything and everything there are many other sources of stress in a relationship. Arjun would often nag his wife about her body weight and style of dressing. He obviously wanted his wife to be more conscious about her body image, looks and dress style. She was more conservative in her dressing and he preferred a modern look which was not very comfortable to her and her temperament.

She often cried about her husband's disapproval and this created a rift in their marriage. She felt she was not 'up to the mark' of her husband's expectations and this effectively dropped her confidence a lot. Karan and his wife clashed over the goals of education of their darling daughter. While the father wanted her to learn traditional and cultural aspects

over anything, his wife had an ambition of lution. Stress in relationships is perhaps educating her in an international school with something which occupies a lot of time and a flavour for personality grooming with a effort in the life of people but not much has possibility for college education abroad. been written and researched. It is someShe wanted her daughter to learn skills times taken as granted and considered a like horse-riding, sports and games and matter of skill of managing it and handling have a smart personality with an internait with ease. tional exposure. Ultimately Karan gave in 'Take it easy' is a commonplace advice to his wife for his own peace doled out by simple people but may not be of mind as the daughter so simple at most times. Couples that diswas more inclined cuss differences and make adjustments to towards what the it are happy and satisfied with their relamother said! Couples tionships. Most couples say they 'do not may clash over many have the time' to do so and keep it other differing goals in hanging for the grumbling a marriage such as spouse to handle it the way whether to have children they want to. It remains unresolved so to say and begins to show up in different ways on the mind and

or not, how many children to have, to follow religious rituals and traditions, how much ambition to pursue in a career, long term dreams of life style and aims for retirement and such issues. There could be a number of areas to conflict and disagree on which becomes a major stressor inside the relationship. One person has to submit and agree whole heartedly understanding the repercussions of the decision. Both spouses need to submit on different issues for reso-

Not too fussy : Chitrangada Singh on her fashion choices Actress Chitrangada Singh believes in keeping her style game simple and organic and says that she is not too fussy with her fashion choices. "I'm not too fussy, and prefer to keep it simple and organic. That's more me and more of my style. As a celebrity, your dressing has to be an extension of you and your personality," Chitrangada said.

"I'm not that brand conscious either and believe if you are comfortable in something, you should go with it," she added. She also said that she is not a fashion conscious person. "I wish I was. I don't pay too much attention to what I wear when I step out.

As long as one looks good and feels good, you can carry off an outfit with e a s e .

However, I am very

particular about my hair! It's important to always have a good hair day," added the actress, who was present at the opening of new store of brand Tresmode recently.

The brand that believes in creating uber chic footwear and handbags launched their third store in Delhi-NCR in South Extension-II. Talking about how the brand resonates with youth, Kapil Mahtani, Founder and CEO, said the collection is based on 'youth mindset'.

"At leisure is the new trend and people are now dressing down than dressing up. The occasional dressing up has also changed and become more elegant and glamorous. The market is drifting to both ends of the spectrum and we are catering to both ends of the spectrum giving our customers their everyday shoes and shoes for special occasions," he said.

body of the affected couple and also tells on the relationship that gets strained, at times beyond repair.

Repressed anger and hostilities are common between couples and this keeps peeping out in public for any observant eye! Couples jibe and poke each other in public and we know that humour and jokes on marriage and spouses is the favourite pastime in social par-

ties and outings! It may seem a good healthy way for venting anger out but may not be helpful in resolving the problem in their personal lives. Couples who adjust to the needs of each other keep happy and healthy. The discussions may be time consuming but a necessary requisite for happy co-existence.

The adjustments have to be mutual and cannot be one sided. Rahul became a vegetarian after his marriage for he loved and respected his wife who explained her discomfit at having non-vegetarian food at home.

Singh relocated his job to another city to be close to his in-laws to physically and morally support them for they had no son. Ajay gave up his job to join hands with his wife's business to grow it to greater heights. Mamta gave up her job when her motherin-law fell ill and needed her the most.

Sheila learnt to cook nonvegetarian food to please her husband and his family for they cherished it! She continued being a vegetarian herself but became a hot favourite with her cuisine in the family and friends.

She endeared herself to her family! Anuradha, coming from a semi-rural background groomed herself to match up to the industrial culture of her husband's job and status and won hearts. Whether we call them adjustments or sacrifices in major or minor ways, it makes for a happy healthy relationship and provides a good home for the children and the parents. A satisfying relationship is a boon in one's life and there can be no better provider of happiness than this.

All other material comforts and riches pale in front of this bliss.

Parkinson's disease and Lewy body dementia -the two progressive and currently incurable diseases associated with brain degeneration, say researchers.

The study, led by a team from the Rutgers University, found that caffeine, which traditionally has been credited as coffee's special protective agent, together with another compound found in coffee beans' waxy coating, slowed down brain degeneration in mice. The new coffee bean compound called EHT (Eicosanoyl-5hydroxytryptamide) was found to protect the brains of mice against abnormal protein accumulation associated with Parkinson's disease and Lewy body dementia. Lewy body dementia is the second most common type of progressive dementia after Alzheimer's disease. "EHT is a

8

ECG using AI can help early detection of heart condition APPLYING Artificial Intelligence (AI) to a widely available, inexpensive test can help detect a heart condition that is a precursor to heart failure, according to a new study.

Using AI with the electrocardiogram (ECG) results in a simple, affordable early indicator of asymptomatic left ventricular dysfunction which is typically diagnosed with expensive and less accessible imaging tests, such as echocardiograms, CT or MRI scans, researchers from Minnesota's Mayo Clinic said. Asymptomatic left ventricular dysfunction is characterised by the presence of a weak heart pump with a risk of overt heart failure which is associated with reduced quality of life and longevity.

The study found that AI applied to a standard ECG reliably detects asymptomatic left ventricular dysfunction."The ability to acquire an ubiquitous, easily accessible, inexpensive recording in 10 seconds the EKG - and to digitally process it with AI to extract new information about previously hidden heart disease

holds great promise for saving lives and improving health," the Mayo Clinic's Paul Friedman said. For the study, using digital data of 625,326 persons, the team paired ECG and transthoracic echocardiograms.

The accuracy of the AI/ECG test compares favourably with other c o m m o n screening tests, such as prostate-specific antigen for prostate cancer, mammography for breast cancer and cervical cytology for cervical cancer, according to the research published in the journal Nature Medicine.

In addition, patients without ventricular dysfunction, but with a positive AI screen were at four times the risk of developing future ventricular dysfunction, compared with those with a negative screen, the results showed.

"The test not only identified asymptomatic disease but also predicted risk of future disease, presumably by identifying very early, subtle ECG changes that occur before heart muscle weakness," Friedman said.

Asymptomatic left ventricular dysfunction is treatable when identified, the study noted.

How to be a good parent We are a generation of parents who are constantly judging themselves as well as other parents, based on their actions and reactions. Little do they realise that doing so isn't only harmful for the adults but also for the child. Well, judging aside, here are some surprising signs that can tell if you will be make a great parent. You are still close to your school best friend: Science says that having your old pals close even when you grow up and make new friends is a sign that you believe firmly in keeping long term relationships and your equations don't change as you grow. This can be a big reflection of your parenting potential - because it shows you stay fully engaged in your relationships. You are good with social skills: If you are someone who can easily have conversations with people and make others feel comfortable while keeping it all calm and cool, shows you are high on emotional intelligence which happens to be an important skill for parents. There will be times when parenting will throw up tricky situations, but if you are emotionally mature, you will manage everything well. You

are committed to your job: You'd be find joys in simple things, it means surprised with this comparison but you can make a great parent. if you are a good employee, you Parenting can be tough but if you will be a good parent too. Your know how to look commitment at work shows how at the sunnier much you take things seriously. side often, Soft skills that matter at work you will like reliability, consistency, loyalty have less are some of the disaptraits that pointments and

are highly valued in a potential parent. You have to remember that when you are a parent, you get no break - you will have weekends at work but parenting demands constant work. You love sharing simple joys on social media: If you can

Coffee may help combat Parkison’s Combining two compounds found in coffee can act as therapeutic against

January 21, Monday, 2019

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SPECTRAUM Avoid relationship stress with mutual consent The City Standard

types of coffee but the amount varies. It is important that the appropriate amount and ratio be determined so people do not over-caffeinate themselves as that can have negative health consequences," said lead author M Maral Mouradian, Professor at the varsity. Prior research has also shown that drinking coffee may reduce the risk of developing Parkinson's disease.

In the study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the team found that EHT and caffeine alone were not effective.

However, when given together, they boosted the activity of a catalyst that helps prevent the accumulation of harmful proteins in the brain.

Current treatments address only the symptoms of Parkinson's disease but do not protect against brain degeneration, according to the study.

Further research is needed to determine the proper amounts and ratio of EHT and caffeine compound found in various required for protective effect in people, said Mouradian.

something to look forward to all the time. For example, when your cranky child finally goes to sleep, if you revel in the sight of your calm baby and do not focus more on how tough it was to handle him through the day, you will be a

great parent.

You take your hobbies seriously: ife doesn't let us follow our passion but if you are someone who manages to take time out for what you like doing, you have the potential to be a great parent. You are the role model for your child and if your child sees how passionate you feel, he will also turn out to be a lifelong learner. You are sensitive to others' needs: Can you put the needs of others above your own? If you give your seat in a metro to someone with a child or help your neighbour hood lady with her luggage, you surely know how to do it.

We like it or not, parenting requires sacrifices - you will have to choose between a high profile New Year party you've been invited to and your child who is down with cold and flu.You like breaking stereotypes: You have thick thighs but you love wearing short dresses.

You like travelling solo to places without worrying about what others will say. If you are bold and do things that you truly believe in, it shows you will instill the same qualities in your child too.

You are special: Whether or not you have the above qualities, every parent loves their child and will do the best for them.

Harmful cocktail of beauty products Exposure to a cocktail of different chemicals widely used in cosmetics and personal care products can lead to changes in women's reproductive hormones, a study has found.

Researchers from George Mason University in the US collected total of 509 urine samples were from 143 women aged 18 to 44 years.

They measured for environmental chemicals that are found in personal care products, such as parabens, which are antimicrobial preservatives, and benzophenones, which are ultraviolet filters.

"This study is the first to examine mixtures of chemicals that are widely used in personal care products in relation to hormones in healthy, reproductive-age women, using multiple measures of exposure across the menstrual cycle, which improved upon research that relied on one or two measures of chemicals," said Anna Pollack, an assistant professor from George Mason University. This

multi-chemical approach more closely reflects real world environmental exposures and shows that even lowlevel exposure to mixtures of chemicals may affect reproductive hormone levels.

The study also found that certain chemical andUV filters were associated with decreased reproductive hormones in multi-chemical exposures while others were associated with increases in other reproductive hormones, underscoring the complexities of these chemicals. "What we should take away from this study is that we may need to be careful about the chemicals in the beauty and personal care products we use," said Pollack.

"We have early indicators that chemicals such as parabens may increase estrogen levels. If this finding is confirmed by additional research, it could have implications for estrogen dependent diseases such as breast cancer," she said.

Shillong: In Meghalayas tough hill terrains that limit field visits, space technology is aiding the selection of areas that are suited for growing and expanding cultivation of boro rice which is sown in winter and harvested in spring/summer, officials said.

Boro refers to a special type of rice cultivation on residual or stored water in low-lying areas after the harvest of kharif (winter) rice. Space technology has zoomed in on potential stretches in the state and offered a bird's eye view of tracts that are best suited for growing boro season rice.

This will help bridge the demand-supply gap in Meghalaya, where 81 percent of the population is dependent on agriculture but the net cropped area is proportionately quite less: only about 10 percent of the total geographical area of the state.

So, to identify areas for expansion of boro rice in Meghalaya, the North Eastern Space Applications Centre (NESAC) at the request of the Meghalaya's Directorate of Agriculture, tapped into a suite of geospatial technologies. These technologies such as

remote sensing and Geographic Information Systems are a range of modern tools contributing to the geographic mapping and analysis of a range of data about people, such as population, income, or education level and also about landscapes.

The move to expand area of rice grown in the boro season comes under the Meghalaya State Rice Mission (MSRM) aimed at narrowing the gap between rice production and consumption by doubling the production of rice - a major staple food of the northeastern state, accounting for over 80 percent of the foodgrain production.

In West Bengal and Bangladesh, expansion of irrigation, essential for supporting the boro rice production, led to a rapid increase in boro rice area and production during the past two decades and Meghalaya can benefit by deploying a similar strategy of expanding the boro season area, the state agriculture department opined.

Previous estimates from the rice mission document peg the consumption at approximately 400,000 tonnes annually during the years 2010-11. This estimate

is double the rice produced during that of total rice growing areas, mid-altitude yield of 2 MT per hectare of sali paddy," period. rice covers 25 percent and high altitude according to the report.

"Rice recorded an annual production of rice that covers five percent.

Further, winter planting is free from flash floods and is well-suited for SRI (System of Rice Intensification) technique with yields of 6-7 MT per hectare, the report said, justifying the augmentation of boro paddy cultivation in areas where this practice was not in vogue.

With the NESAC data at its disposal, the department of agriculture has initiated steps for application of the findings by taking a policy decision to link the activity for growing boro rice with the Indian government's National Rural Employment Guarantee (NREGA) program.

"This will achieve both the objective of providing assured employment under 3,01,076 metric tonnes during the year In a report submitted to NITI Aayog, the NREGA and also productive output and 2015-16 at an average productivity of Meghalaya government has said that the income for the NREGA wage earner 2.72 metric tonnes per hectare. Our under-utilisation of land during the win- cum farmer," an agriculture department spring rice/boro paddy produces an ter season has resulted in shortage of official said. average yield of 4.28 metric tonnes per rice for the ever-increasing population. Space tech can reduce time lost on trial hectare under assured irrigation," the In addition, with assured irrigation, boro and error: "By using satellite images agriculture department said. paddy yield is double the average yield and data with ground information on In Meghalaya, the rice crop is distrib- per hectare compared to sali rice. "Boro parameters such as slope, soil and cliuted in three rice ecosystems. They are paddy gives an average yield of 4 MT mate, we mapped potential areas for low- altitude rice that covers 70 percent per hectare compared to the average expansion of boro rice cultivation. This

was one of the first of its kind project in the northeast," Pratibha T. Das of NESAC told Mongabay-India.

Having space technology focus on potential areas saves time and money in implementation by skipping the field trial stage, explained Das. In an email communique to MongabayIndia, officials at Meghalaya's agriculture department also reiterated that this approach eliminates the trial and error method "saving time, effort and money and scale of implementation in a given (short) period of time."

Das further said: "Even though the identified areas are small, the agriculture department need not conduct field trials; they can directly select the potential areas from the maps and start cultivation."

The mapping exercise covered landscapes spread across nearly 5000 square km at elevation below 200 metres and excluding forest, built up and barren rocky areas. The findings published in Current Science show that out of 4903 sq. km study area only 807 sq. km (16.5 percent) is suitable for boro rice cultivation.

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Space technology aiding Meghalaya to expand boro rice cultivation

India's jobs crisis & flaws in Gujarat model of development CHRISTOPHE JAFFRELOT Close relations between a robust business community and the state politicians, as well as the bureaucracy, crystallized at an early date in Gujarat. In fact, this is one of the states where the exceptionally developed sense of entrepreneurship of the locals resisted most effectively the Nehruvian system, with the help of politicians and bureaucrats.

Years before Narendra Modi took over, the Gujarati economy was pushed forward very much by deliberate state interventions that resemble the interventions of the developmental state of East Asia, which means that Gujarat's rapid economic growth was propelled by a close working alliance between the region's political and economic elite.

Modi's economic policy in the 2000s gave a new dimension to this business-friendliness.

What has been publicized by the longest-serving chief minister (2001-14) as the "Gujarat model" benefitted first the large corporate houses. The special relationship that

developed between the government (and more precisely the chief minister) and big companies had implications not only for the economy, but also for the society (big firms need fewer workers than small and medium enterprises) and the polity.

Before the BJP took over, the liberal leanings of the earlier chief ministers were systematically balanced by attention to social policies, including reservations-based positive discrimination in the 1980s.

In 1990, the new employment policy was aimed at guaranteeing employment in backward talukas and laid down that "80% posts in new industries should go to local people and 50% posts of managerial and supervisory posts should go to local people".

Things changed in 2003, when the new industrial policy was designed and implemented under the leadership of the chief minister Modi.

The new policy called for labour reforms to the extent permissible at the state level.

A large number of industries were exempted from obtaining No-Objection Certificate

In 2014, Modi promised to bring the Gujarat model of development to India. But the state's focus on megaprojects at the expense of SMEs hurt job creation, says a new book

(NOC) from the Pollution Control Board. They were allowed relatively easy and quick possession of land through the 'urgency' clause, as well as a simplification of the administrative processes to release agricultural land for industrial use.

In the last page of his book Gujarat: Governance for

Growth and Development, Bibek Debroy summarized the state's economic policy as follows: "What is the Gujarat model then? It is one of freeing up space for private initiative and enterprise and the creation of an enabling environment by the state". In fact, it was more about businessfriendliness than market-

friendliness, as evident from the non-market prices some companies paid for their land.

While market-friendly economies minimize interventions by the state, in business-friendly economies, politicians (and "their" bureaucracies) intervene in favour of the companies they seek to favour-their cronies.

Gujarat has a long tradition of business-friendliness, but in the past, it allowed a dense network of SMEs to blossom in the state, besides bigger players like the Ambanis.

Megaprojects model The 2009 industrial policy was explicitly designed for making Gujarat the most attractive investment destination not only in India but also in the world. It targeted not only the "prestigious units" (?3 billion and more since 1991), but even more the "megaprojects" that implied ?10 billion and more investment in projects, and direct employment of two thousand persons-hence a ratio of ?500,000 per job.

The Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC) started to give land

5 smart things to do in 2019 to organise your financial life SHAIKH ZOAIB SALEEM

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According to a survey on money habits of Indians by Exide Life Insurance, one in three Indians do not keep their families informed about their financial dealings.

The beginning of a new year is the time when most of us try to take stock of our situation on various fronts. It is also a good time to take stock of your financial situation.

For the uninitiated, it is important to start saving and investing, and having other basics like an emergency fund and insurance in place. For those who are in the middle of their financial planning and investment journey, it is not just about taking stock of the investments, but also taking care of the hygiene factors in your finances.

Here are five things you must do.

Involve your family According to a survey on money habits of Indians by Exide Life Insurance, one in three Indians do not keep their families informed about their financial dealings. Financial advisors highlight how not having family members or even the spouse involved in financial decision-making is a challenge. "Normally, it is only one person who is taking the decisions in a family. This aspect (of involving family) is something that is missed out a lot of times," said Suresh Sadagopan, a certified financial planner and founder, Ladder7 Financial Advisories.

This happens because many people find discussions on finance boring and have an aversion to numbers, said Prakash Praharaj, founder, Max Secure Financial Planners. So how can that be resolved? "We have observed over the years that only talking numbers, savings and SIPs does not get the spouse or the family involved. We try to involve the family in discussions on experiences they can have. For instance, as soon as we start discussing plans for vacations, other family members get involved in the discussions. Similarly, if the spouse is interested in a particular type of house, then we can structure our discussion and plan around that.

Younger people are more interested

in discussing and planning vacations and not really about possessions," he said.

It is also important to instil the right attitude towards money, especially in children. "Children must be taught that the money that they see is not an entitlement. They need to be taught to buy something only when it is a need, or postponing things that are not immediately needed. Also, what could be the most beneficial time or

too thin. Therefore, try to consolidate so that there is a healthy blend of diversification and at the same time management of money becomes easy," said Vishal Dhawan, founder, Plan Ahead Wealth Advisors.

People keep opening new accounts as they move jobs or cities, but often forget to close the earlier ones. "I have come across instances where there are 10-12 accounts and some small amount is lying everywhere.

This year, ensure your finances are clutter-free and easier to track. Here's what you can do place to buy such things needs to be taught," said Deepali Sen, founder, Srujan Financial Advisers LLP. Showing the math is still easier, what is difficult but critical is hardwiring the attitude towards money and being able to distinguish between right and wrong, she said.

Consolidate savings Often, people have multiple bank accounts, insurance policies as well as investments. "A lot of people end up with multiple mutual fund schemes, bank accounts and multiple bank lockers. So, management of their money becomes a challenge because they have spread themselves

At the 31st meeting of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council held in December, it was decided to refer the matter of taxation of residential property to the Law and Fitment Committee.

Ever since the inception of GST, there has been extensive debate on what the appropriate GST rate for residential property should be.

As things stand, residential property sold before getting the completion certificate attracts an effective rate of 12% GST (18% GST less abatement of onethird towards the value of land). The effective GST rate for affordable housing is 8%. The developer is entitled to claim credit for input GST incurred on various goods and services used in constructing such property. However, property sold after getting the completion certificate is not liable to GST, and is subject to only stamp duty.

In the past, there has been a lot of ambiguity and miscommunication around the effective tax cost embedded in residential property, before and after GST was rolled out. While the government and consumers believe that developers have not passed on the GST benefits to consumers in many cases, the developers believe that there is little or no benefit to be passed on. With an effective service tax of 4.5% (15% on 30% of the property value), valueadded tax (VAT) generally between 1%

Similarly, there are post office accounts that people opened at some places that became inactive and the amount is still lying there. They have to transfer all of these savings at one place. I understand there is effort involved in doing all of this, but at some point of time you will have to get it done," Sadagopan said.

Make a will Many households consider even discussing the subject of making a Will inappropriate. According to the Exide Life Insurance survey, only 14% respondents have put a Will in place.

However, absence or presence of a Will can be critical to avoid disputes

for the next generation and to distribute your wealth and possessions as per your choice. For people who do not have a Will, it is definitely a good time to sit down and get one going.

For those who have a Will need to make sure it is updated, so that it can be used in case of an eventuality.

"There are people who have a Will in place but changes in family structures and beneficiaries have not been updated in Wills," Dhawan said.

However, it doesn't make sense to keep updating the Will every year or two. So, suggested Sen, it is better to include a clause that states clearly that the assets acquired after the date of the Will should also go to the beneficiary.

Another related hygiene factor that gets missed often is having nominees and beneficiaries in all of your financial investments and keeping it updated. "This happens all the time. In every case, there are one or two instances where people have not done this," Sadagopan said.

Track your real expenses Most people have a rough estimate of what they spend. But invariably, there is a wide gap between what they think they spend versus what they actually spend. "In most cases this happens because they do not count one-off expenses as part of their expenses at all. And those one-off expenses keep repeating," Dhawan said.

To understand this better, recall your irregular purchases like buying clothes or a mobile phone. Such expenses do not get counted in regular monthly expenses, but are actually going out of the same pool of money when calculated on an annual basis. This also happens with cash that comes in at irregular intervals, like a bonus or a one-off payment.

"Money lying idle has a tendency to attract expenses, and many people do not even realise where the money goes," Sen said. For instance, some people try to write-off children's school fees with a one-time bonus they get, but when actually calculated, the fees is lower than the bonus and they have no record or recollection of where the remaining money went, she said.

to industrial units on a 99year lease and created SEZs. In 1990-2001, it had acquired 4,620 hectares, but this figure rose to 21,308 hectares between 2001 and 2010-11.

The industrialists' appreciation of the Modi government was most obvious on the occasion of "Vibrant Gujarat" meetings. The chief minister conceived this special eventwhich was to occur every alternate year-in 2003, in conjunction with chambers of commerce and industry in order to attract Indian investors, including those residing abroad, and to publicize his economic credentials.

Modi had become one of the favourite chief ministers of Indian businessmen. They made a point of attending the Vibrant Gujarat meetings and of showering praise on him.

Among them, the Gujaratis were usually the first to appear on the platform; the most prominent ones including Mukesh and Anil Ambani, Shashi Ruia (Essar group), and Gautam Adani, probably the closest of all to the chief minister.

India poised to become thirdlargest consumer market : WEF

India is poised to become the third-largest consumer market behind only the US and China; and consumer spending in India is expected to grow from USD 1.5 trillion at present to nearly USD 6 trillion by 2030, a World Economic Forum report said yesterday.

According to World Economic Forum (WEF), with an annual GDP growth rate of 7.5 per cent, India is currently the world's sixth-largest economy. By 2030, domestic private consumption, which accounts for 60 per cent of the country's GDP, is expected to develop into a USD 6-trillion growth opportunity.

"If realised, this would make India's consumer market the third-largest in the world, behind the US and China," the report said.

Commenting on the report, Zara Ingilizian, Head of Consumer Industries and Member of Executive Committee, World Economic Forum, said "as India continues its path as one of the world's most dynamic consumption environments, private and public-sector leaders will have to take shared accountability to ensure such consumption is inclusive and responsible.

Notwithstanding the significant growth in consumption, critical societal challenges will need to be addressed, including skills development and employment of the future workforce, socio-economic inclusion of rural India, and creating a healthy and sustainable future for its citizens. The report titled 'Future of Consumption in FastGrowth Consumer Market - India' noted that growth of the middle class will lift nearly 25 million households out of poverty. As per the report, growth in income will transform India from a "bottom of the pyramid economy" to a middle class-led one.

From banking to bunking The most disturbing aspect about bankers is the sinister timing of their agitations. A close study of the 'strike-holiday-weekend' trend will prove this point.

Normally, it used to be Pongal time. But, this year, the bankers have chosen Christmas, not of course precluding the Pongal possibility.

So, from 21 Dec Friday, the strike merges with the fourth Saturday holiday and Sunday. 24 Dec remains a mystery, 25 Dec is Christmas and 26 Wednesday is again strike day. And possibly the worst day because even the private sector bankers are expected to 'lend solidarity'.

These bank strikes are typically accompanied by two, er, striking claims. First is national interest. 'Merger of certain banks is dangerous', goes the current protest refrain.

At a steep cost of several thousand crores to the economy and an unquantifiable agony to people, quoting national interest is queer. National interest is not only notional, it is also a poor camouflage for what is essentially self-interest - pay hike.

The second and most appalling claim that strikes us customers like a lightning bolt is 'success'. So, the measure of success of the strike is directly related to the loss and hardship to the nation and its people. Indeed, it takes a perverted mind to derive pleasure from putting dependent persons and businesses in trouble and then make a celebration of the bountiful happy hours they have reaped. And success it will be, no matter even if the demands are not met. That alibi is needed because only then can they call off the current 'indefinite' strike and only then can they strike again, at their convenience, and much to our inconvenience.

In my view, bank strikes are a form of white collar terror unleashed on innocent victims. Today, thanks to technology customers have other means of easing their dependence on banks. But still that is of little comfort when the duration is so prolonged, a familiar tactic of the idle minds working overtime in the devil's workshop called Unions. In a matter of two days and

in a milieu of ATM-to-mouth, 'cheque to clearing' existence, a cash less chaos, particularly during festival time, at month end and year end is imminent.

Indeed, a bank strike can also be termed as human rights violation as it denies access to our own money and derails our living. What the Constitution guarantees and hands over to a citizen, the bankers grab and hijack for their own personal urge by bunking their ordained duty of banking for the people.

By the way, why are these bankers perennially piqued? Let us pick some 'anomalies' (their favourite jargon, actually) and prick the bubbles. Pay hike? Even by current standards, PSU staff, children of a profligate God, are among the best paid, wholly unjustified if performance were to be a yardstick. We need to say no more on this as every customer's silent testimony is eloquent.

Pay parity! With whom? An obnoxious pay commission for Central government staff would arrive out of the blue and that would be enough for bankers to scratch the familiar itch to strike. The comparison is always with the highest paid employee in some godforsaken department somewhere remote in the government, and not worth, merit or nature of work.

Job security. None in this country is more secure, not just for the next meal but lifelong and even after, for family, as PSU bankers and their cousins in government.

There are lakhs and lakhs of ordinary citizens who would happily and without a demur be willing to change places with such a 'suffering' banker. By the way, if they are not happy with the pay and security they can just quit. Simple.

Indeed, when it comes to insecurity, it is we customers who should feel jittery about these strike-happy bankers, who constitute a minuscule percentage of the populace, but wield grossly disproportionate damage potential. So much for 'essential service'.

Do we need composition scheme in GST for real estate?

The industry would benefit if the GST Council eliminates the levy of stamp duty and GST on real estate and 3%, and blocked input taxes of VAT and excise on the construction material, the total indirect tax cost on residential property generally used to range between 6% and 11%. With 12% effective GST, the cost has gone up in many cases, contrary to the popular perception, especially among consumers.

However, to reduce the GST burden on consumers, the council is now believed to be evaluating a composition scheme of 5% without any input tax credit, along the lines of restaurants. On the face of it, this appears to be a compelling proposition, both in terms of cost and ease of implementation.

However, a deeper analysis suggests that it may turn out to be counterproductive, both for the consumers as well as for developers.

First, depending on the mix of construction cost and land value in the cost of a property, input tax blockage could exceed 6-7% for many projects, taking the overall tax incidence back to 12% (or more) of the total value of the property. Therefore, the new composition scheme may or may not result in over-

all tax cost reduction, depending on these factors. While the impact would vary across projects, in general, the tax incidence (in percentage terms) would be more where the value of land is less compared to other places.

Most developers will have no choice but to increase the base price to recover the additional input tax cost. In the absence of a clear understanding/visibility around these input taxes, the consumers may again feel short-changed.

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January 21, Monday, 2019

This, in turn, could lead to more consumers reaching out to the anti-profiteering authority, resulting in unwarranted investigations and litigation. The problem would be aggravated for ongoing projects, as the developers would need to re-compute the GST impact to be adjusted in the price, in view of the anti-profiteering provisions. Also, in cases where the contracts with consumers are silent on input taxes, there could be potential

disputes about whether the increase in input tax cost can be recovered from the consumers who have already booked the property before implementation of the composition scheme.

Also, denial of input tax credit would lead to a break in the GST chain, which is the core of the GST system.

It could also induce cash/unreported purchases, to minimize the tax cost.

Real estate has historically been a rather unorganized sector and a full GST levy with input tax credit was believed to be an important catalyst for its formalisation. Therefore, a composition scheme with no input tax credit may turn out to be a retrograde step.

Even if a composition scheme is introduced, charges such as preferential location charges (PLC) may continue to attract full GST with input tax credit. This would add to the complications of computing eligible input tax credits (attributable to PLC) and could also lead to disputes with the authorities over the computation mechanism.

Perhaps a better approach would be to

reduce the prevailing GST rate on residential property. For instance, the 18% rate may be reduced to 12%, making the effective rate 8%, with one-third abatement towards the value of land. Alternatively, a higher abatement can be provided towards the value of the land, depending on the per-square-foot price being charged for the property. As this would affect the GST to be charged by the developer on the invoice/ demand notice issued to the consumer, it would be rather easy for the latter to verify that the benefit of rate reduction/increase in abatement has been duly passed on.

Also, to curb unwarranted speculation and disputes, it is in the interest of both the government and developers to spread more awareness about the manner of computing overall tax cost (both before and after GST). Due emphasis should be given to the fact that in the erstwhile regime, service tax, VAT, and excise duty used to apply on different components of the property value and, hence, a simple mathematical addition of different tax percentages will yield an incorrect picture. Instead of introducing a new composition scheme, the industry and consumers would really benefit if the GST Council is able to eliminate the dual levy of stamp duty and GST on real estate.

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BUSINESS

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Latest trends in modern

India's love affair with food continued to blossom this year, as foodies got experimental with international cuisines, health conscious and gave a boost to online orders.

Food delivery networks Swiggy and Uber Eats have unveiled trend studies tracing what India preferred to eat and order in 2018.

Indian food remained the top choice, according to Uber Eats, which has revealed a comparative snapshot of the country's most loved cuisines.

Its analysis of the last six months reveals that Indian cuisine took the top spot as the most savoured across the country, followed by American, Chinese, Italian and Middle Eastern. Hyderabad, Delhi and Chennai are the top cities that order the maximum Indian cuisine.

Deepak Reddy, Head of Central Operations, Uber Eats India, said in a statement: "While Indian cuisine still stands as the consumer's top food preference in the country, there is a huge demand for a larger choice and selection of cuisines."

Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Chennai made a mindful choice towards eating healthy, suggested Swiggy's

The trends in jewellery are always changing. They sure amazing new designs. These new designs would be back in do not come announcing like big technological rollouts the show soon. Go online and find out how these geometbut small changes are always going on. Jewellery is ric patterns can make cool brooch designs and get something that most people do not like to have on ready to get amazed. themselves and you can try out your own prefLayering accessories are becoming a new erences. But if you would like to know about thing the modern trends that people are taking to, Except for the kangans, how many times you should read on. You can try these followhave you heard about stacking the ornaments? ing trends and mix them with the way you Well, these are going to be a thing this year. dress up, creating a style of your own. This is They have already started to gain popularity all about fun and how you can look beautiful and you would find that these look quite cool by trying out the upcoming trends: already. You can stack up the rings one atop the People are trying out styles inspired by other and look quite beautiful. But the thing is nature you should know how to stack them together. Not People are not only looking to be different, everything would go well with each other. There but they are also trying to go bold. Bold animal are different gold bangles in 10 grams which can be designs are some things that you should definitely stacked if you pay proper attention to the texture and try out. You can pair them with gold bangles or gold the style each one follows. jewellery. Gold jewellery designs with price and Try out some trending gemstones and jewellery weight are available online or you would get them at with fluid lines the stores as well. Combining them Though these styles are not that with floral or nature patterns would surprising to hear about, they look definitely be a cool idea. You would quite cool. The minimalist designs find a unique way to showcase and get are always something that you inspired by Nature. Trying out something would like to have. They have vernew is the only thing that would keep you satile designs and they would go very going. well in casual settings. You can always Geometric brooches are gaining try to get your hands on the trendpopularity as well ing gemstones. Sapphire is very Brooches?! And you thought popular these days and you they are meant to lie in old boxes might try to mix and match them. and collect dust. Well, they are going Trying these few upcoming to be back in town. So if you have one, trends in your own way could be it is time to get them polished. These are some of the classic one of the best things that you do. You would obviously look pieces of jewellery and you should get in line to buy some very attractive and have heads turning.

For flawlesh complexion follow YOGA skin

The health of your skin mirrors the health of your body.

With a healthy diet and proper lifestyle, you can delay ageing, say experts.

As a person ages, the skin goes through reduced activity of sebaceous glands which results in dry skin.

Also, thinning of epidermis and dermis causes sagging and wrinkling and slower repair of skin tissue, and age also leads to reduced blood supply to the skin, causing slow repair and metabolic activity.

Bindiya A. Gupta, National Training Manager, Organic Harvest, shares how one can slow down the skin's the ageing process: Dietary changes: A healthy diet and lifestyle will go a long way in promoting collagen production. Your best

creating perfected, flawless complexion, but yoga skin is about creating luscious, fresh and juicy skin that looks natural, but glowing with health.

WHY THIS NAME It is beacuse when you step out of the yoga studio your skin is juicy dewy and superhydrated with gorgeous radiance and it's not about hiding imperfections byt creating a hyper real version of your natural skin, pinchable and just irrestiable.

HOW TO GET YOGA SKIN Dont worry you dont really have to do yoga to get this yoga skin.

types. create your skin mix. use a ration of 60-70 percent foundation, 15 percent facial oil, 10 percent liquid illuminator, 5 percent glow drops if you have dry skin you can also squeeze in a small amount of moisturiser for extra hydration. if you have oily skin you can also use less of the skin care mix and have higher percentage of foundation in the cocktail. massage the mix into your skin using your hands, in layers. push the mix into the skin to really work it and to get the blood pumping, creating a natural flush. let each year settle for a minute, and build up until you're happy with the finished effect. apply liquid or cfream concealerwhere you feel you need extra coverage , using a fluffy eyeshadow brush for a lighter, more natural effect. you can powder if you need to, but keep it very minimal. This look is about fresh, dewy skin so only use powder where absolutely necessary.

Slow down skin ageing bet to combat the natural decline that happens with age. A smart way for vegetarians and vegans to support collagen production is to eat fruits and vegetables plentiful in collagen boosting nutrients.

Include lots of a fresh fruits, vegetables and nuts and seeds to keep your antioxidant levels and collagen levels high. Also reduce alcohol consumption and junk foods to maintain a healthy skin.

Sun protection: Use sun

protection regularly so you Hydration: It is extremely protect the skin from UV important to stay hydrated throughout the day.

Use hydrating gel or moisturiser and organic lightweight oils like Jojoba oil to maintain the oil barrier of the skin. Avoid both active and passive smoking to keep your skin healthy and young for long.

Incorporate organic skincare that nourish your skin with antioxidants, collagen protein and reduce skin damradiation damage. Ensure age. you apply sunscreen at least Pankaj Agarwal, Managing 15 minutes before you go Director and Co-founder, outdoors.

Just Organik, suggests:

Packing guide for road travellers

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To get the look, start by applying your regular skincare as normal, and leave it for at least five minutes to settle into your skin.

Apply a layer of primer, and then it's time to get to mixing what i love about this look is that it's completely customisible to your needs, preferences and skin

Every memorable road trip is made up of two essentials - great company and a beautiful road, but there are various other essentials, without which any road trip would be incomplete. Ahraaz Khan, Marketing Leader, Connected Living Solutions, Honeywell Building Technologies, India, Nipun Marya, Director - Brand Strategy, Vivo India, and Peyush Bansal, CEO, Lenskart, have created a checklist for the adventurous souls: "Navigation: There are plenty of great GPS navigation systems available for your cars and phones, but in case the battery dies, you will need some sort of a back-up.

Surely you don't want to be lost on the road when your signals run out. Therefore, it is always advisable to bring a detailed route map for your trip. A map also helps in planning your daily itinerary and sticking to it.

"Entertainment options: While some choose to sleep, the others pick to use this time to catch up on their favourite movies and TV shows. Hence, keeping a stock of them on your phone is a good idea to take you through the tedious journey.

"Car air purifier: The air quality of your chosen destination might be optimum, but the

highways and cities will definitely not be so.

Therefore, invest in a good car purifier.

"Sunglasses: A pair of chic and stylish sunglasses are the best way to beat the heat on any vacation.

"Food and beverages: No great road trip is complete without a stopover at some renowned eating joint. However, there might be miles to go before you reach the eating place. So, it is essential to keep a stock of your favourite snacks the night before you get on the road. A mini cooler of y o u r favourite bottled water or iced coffee will also be a great idea to provide a little extra refreshment.

"Car check-up: It is imperative to make sure that the trip doesn't get sidelined with a flat tyre or any other car accident. Therefore, you must schedule a full check-up of the car prior to the trip to ensure the tyres have sufficient pressure, air filters are cleaned properly, engine is functioning at a satisfactory level, and the battery is fully charged. "mergency kit: A small kit must include items like a flashlight, small blanket, first-aid kit, hand sanitiser, rain coats and water bottles.

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10

Indian foodies savour desi cuisine

jewellery

2018 Had been the year for many beauty launches, and there have been so many make up skincare trends too, but it's hard to keep up.

From the rising dominance of Jbeauty care launch, to lion mane brows and even face lift tape, the list is long and you'd be easily forgiven if you haven't had time to try them all.

But as the New Year starts it's the time kick off with the new try make it Yoga skin. The Technique, which was created and coined by makeup artist Sara hill, will not only give you the glowiest skin of your life, but it's so eay, you'll be done in in just a few minutes.

WHAT IS YOGA SKIN AND HOW CAN ONE GET IT EASILY You know it's going to give you glow, and you certainly want to try it out dont you? But if you're wondering how yoga skin differs from other trends like glass and cloudless skin, here we explain. yoga skin is a all about a look that feels real. Glass skin and smiliar trends are about

January 21, Monday, 2019

Healthy eating takes the biggest share when it comes to keeping the skin healthy and glowing. The festive season is the time when the body needs to stay hydrated and continuous replenishment of minerals and vitamins are needed. It is advisable to continually consume fresh and organic fruits and vegetables to keep the body immune to ailments.

The addition of medicinal herbs and organic spices in diet will also help.

Skin needs to be taken care of externally through the application of various organic products. Turmeric, Aloe Vera, Gooseberry, Avocado, Tea Tree Oil, Shea Butter, Sea Salt, and other herbal oils and herbs have the ability to rejuvenate the skin.

third annual order analysis reportStatEATistics 2018, which is based on millions of orders the platform received between December 2017 to November 2018.

This includes ordering in planned, healthy and single-serve meals along with embracing eco-friendly packaging options. Juices like watermelon, mosambi, pineapple and orange are preferred choices for healthy items across India;

Roasted chicken and Fruit salad are often ordered in cities like Ahmedabad, Chandigarh, Delhi, Lucknow, Mumbai and Pune. Not surprisingly, on weekdays, Indians watched their calorie intake by ordering more healthy food compared to weekends.

Fruit juices were consumed five

times more than aerated drinks, according to the trend study.

According to Swiggy, there has been a considerable surge in the number of people ordering in vegetarian food. Compared to last year'' 43 per cent, 62 per cent of the orders across the country were vegetarian, with Ahmedabad topping the list for most vegetarian dishes ordered. On the other hand, Bengaluru ordered the most chicken dishes followed by Hyderabad.

Also, festivals turned into 'feast'ivals as Indians added more flavour to their celebrations.

According to Swiggy, 2018 saw Indians increasingly turn to ordering in their festive fares while choosing to spend some quality time with their loved ones. Durga Puja saw an increase in orders for Mishti Doi and Kalakand, while Butter Chicken, Hyderabadi Biryani and Haleem saw a massive spike in orders during Eid. Furthermore, popular items like laddoo and karanji saw a 400 per cent increase during Ganesh Chaturthi, the sales of gujiya increased nearly 10 times in the week of Holi.

How to pray for someone SWAMI VEDA BHARTI Spiritual guides are often asked to pray for someone. From illness to wellness, from poverty to wealth, from failure to success, from emotional distress to peace, from grief to acceptance, from anger to equanimity.

Frequently, the seekers also ask, "How may I pray for someone?" Here is a brief answer. Often people think of prayer as so many words, "please help him. Oh God", "please make my daughter well", "please make my son pass his examination", "Dear Divine Mother, please, please, reduce my husband's anger" - and so on.

Or we think of prayer as reciting or chanting of some mantras, shlokas, set compositions, verses from holy books of our religion - whichever religion.

The way of prayer for a meditator is a silent one. My Master, Swami Rama of the Himalayas, said: Prayer is intense feeling.

Even one who does not believe in God can pray for others. But, one needs to learn to prepare one's mind to offer such a prayer. A clear, sattvic and selfless mind.

Also, learn the technique of meditation.

This can be a long and complex process, or short one. One may even use a recording of guided meditation (1). Here briefly is one (missing out many details): Relax all your muscles, especially the forehead.

Bring your attention to your breathing.

Simply observe how you are breathing.

Through that simple observation your breath will slow down.

Bring your attention to feel the flow and touch of your breath in the nostrils.

Breathe slowly, gently and smoothly.

Keep feeling the breath stream touching in the nostrils.

[Here you may choose a name of God from your religion and language, or a sacred phrase. If not, just count the breaths, not in words, but in thought alone, Onnnne...Twooo... repeatedly, while feeling the breath stream.]

When the mind has become an undisturbed even-flowing stream, visualize the presence of the person you are praying for.

Visualize the person in the condition in which you wish to see him/her. Let this be an intense feeling.

Interspersed with the breath observation as described above, keep returning to this

intense feeling. If you are a believer, let there be an intense feeling of surrender to Divinity.

Do this repeatedly till your goal for the person is achieved. But, let there also be a sense of acceptance, surrender of the desire and the fruit. If the Divine Force accepts the prayer, you are grateful.

For a more advanced mode of this feeling prayer, one needs to learn diaphragmatic breathing,

otherwise chest problems can ensue.

For this, take some lessons in the Himalayan yoga meditation methods from a certified teacher. When diaphragmatic breathing has become a natural process, one may move to the next step in this feeling prayer. You may intersperse between the intense feeling and the breath-awareness and sit doing this as long as you wish. Do not complain: "God when will you hear my prayer? I have been praying for so long and you have not fulfilled my wish!!"

Secrets of success in prayer are 1. Intense feeling 2. Surrendering the desire for fruits; acceptance.

Wish you success in your prayers.

Lesser known tourist spots in Rajasthan RAJASTHAN Rajasthan is one of the most famous states and it has received the majority of the fame for witnessing the glorious past and being an adobe of many rulers. No wonder that the state enjoys the epithet of "The princely state of India," and to justify being worthy of the title, there are countless palaces, castles, lakes, historical monuments, and what not. Rajasthan, as a state, has all that makes it ideal for tourists to take a tour.

Everything about Rajasthan, right from the beautiful monuments that tell the tales of different dynasties to nature' wonders, food and unique drinks, shopping lanes and malls add on the reason for having a tour here. One can only explore the best of the state by booking Rajasthan tours from a trusted website or agent.

Today, however, we are not focussing on the glorious

past of the state or some of the famous cities or palaces.

Instead, we are moving adverse and discussing below some of the lesser known places in Rajasthan that

even when the entire country was under the British rule.

The small and comparatively lesser-known city of Rajasthan boasts of the preserved handmade monu-

is again a small town that is located in Shekhawato. The town was established back in the year 1768 and is famous for housing great paintings and artwork. The most

tourists hardly know but must pay a visit.

Bundi Though falling between two most famous cities of Rajasthan, Udaipur, and Jaipur, Bundi stays a lesserknown destination. Bundi serves the capital city of the Rajputs reign; and is known to have enjoyed freedom

ments. There is a palace that follows an exemplary architecture, painting mainly consisting of blue hue, and a step well that is 50 in numbers.

The elaboration of the beauty cannot be justified in words and you will have to take a day out to explore the unmatched beauty it has preserved. Mahansar Mahansar

famous place in the small city is "Sone Chand ki Dukan," that is in the existence since the 18th century.

Well, don't be confused as it is a name of the haveli. The walls of the haveli are covered with paintings that are hard to find elsewhere with complex yet gorgeous golden leaves woven along. Apart

from the haveli, do visit Dancing Halls and Raghunath Temple.

Kuchaman Kuchaman, the historical city hold an important part in the state of Rajasthan. It is located 100 km from Pushkar and is famous for housing a fort that takes the architectural beauty to some another level.

However, the fort has now been converted into a heritage hotel.

The surrounding landscapes of the fort are impressive as well with sky colured in perfect blue and being a city less polluted, one can get the best view of the sky. The fort features a collection of original piece work made of expensive stones, gold paint, and glass.

Other must-visit attractions include Sheesh Mahal and Meer Mahal. Meera Mahal is a famous spot for presenting the lifestyle of Meerabai.

These three places of Rajasthan are comparatively lesser known but deserve every bit of fame other cities do.

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LIFE STYLE

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January 21, Monday, 2019

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ENTERTAINMENT

The City Standard

Nargis to Rakesh Roshan 16 Bollywood celebs and their battle with cancer

Saath Hain, Sarfarosh, Kal Ho Na Ho took to twitter in an emotional post. She is currently getting treated in New York.

Irrfan Khan- Neuroendocrine Cancer Earlier this year, Irrfan Khan revealed he had been diagnosed with neuroendocrine cancer. It was a shocking information for fans but the 'Madari' actor kept it together, stating, "It's been quite some time now since I have been diagnosed with a high-grade neuroendocrine cancer. This new name in my vocabulary, I got to know, was rare, and due to fewer study cases, and less information comparatively, the unpredictability of the treatment was more. I was part of a trial-anderror game."

Irrfan is still under recovery and will be seen in his upcoming film Karwaan alongside Mithila Palkar and Dilquer Salmaan.

Nargis Dutt- Pancreatic Cancer Yesteryear's actress Nargis Dutt ruled the Hindi cinema in 40s and 50s. She was married to legendary actor Sunil Dutt and was mom to Sanjay Dutt. After her cancer treatment in New York, she returned to India as her health was constantly deteriorating. She lost her battle with cancer a week before her son's debut film Rocky.

Manisha KoiralaOvarian Cancer The gorgeous Nepali beauty, Manisha Koirala has given the film industry super hit films such as Dil Se, Bombay, and Lajja to name a few. At the age of 42, she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer for which she got treated in New York. After several surgeries and chemo therapies, she was declared cancer-free in the year 2015. Manisha conquered her illness and came out of it like a true hero. Her recent flick was Sanjay Dutt's biopic 'Sanju' where she played the role of late Nargis Dutt.

Anurag Basu- Blood Cancer The ace director of Bollywood who has given some of the best flicks like Gangster, Life

Chor Machaye Shor, Aag, Khilona, Aadmi aur Insaan, Upaasna and so on. At the age of 54 she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She fought the disease for 11 years and made sure it did not get the better of her. She was also featured in the UniGlobe Entertainments documentary on cancer survival called '1 Minute'.

Feroz Khan Veteran Bollywood actor and filmmaker

Feroz Khan, died of cancer at the age of 69. He was undergoing treatment at Breach Candy hospital in Mumbai, but had expressed his desire to visit his farmhouse in Bangalore, where he took his last breath. Khan, who had acted in hit films like "Qurbani" and "Jaanbaaz" in the 1980s, is survived by his actor son Fardeen Khan, daughter Laila and estranged wife Sundari.

His last appearance was in the 2007 hit "Welcome."

Rajesh Khanna This legendary Indian actor was the 'First Superstar of Indian Cinema' during his era. He has delivered some of the best films such as Aradhana, Amar Prem, Bawarchi, Anand and Namak Haram to name a few. He was diagnosed with cancer in the year 2011. After fighting for about a year, he passed away in 2012.

Aadesh Shrivastava Another name in the list of Indian celebrities who died of cancer is ace music composer and singer Aadesh Shrivastava. He fought for 40 days but sadly passed away at the age of 51.

Vinod Khanna- Advanced Bladder Cancer There is no doubt that Vinod Khanna was one of the most desirable men in India Cinema during 70s & 80s era. Some of his best works include, Imtihan, Muqaddar Ka Sikandar, and Hera Pheri to name a few.

He left us at the age of 70 after being diagnosed with advanced bladder cancer.

Kamaal Rashid KhanStomach Cancer Kamaal Rashid Khan aka KRK has always taken everyone offguard with his harsh criticism on films, garnering attention and always being in the eyes of the media. What shook everyone however, was when he shared that he was suffering from first stage stomach cancer. In a short press release posted from the Twitter account KRKBOXOFFICE, the critic had written,

Reasons behind Dipika Kakar's Big Boss 12 triumph India evidently loves Bigg Boss. This television reality show adopted from the Netherlands, has been successfully running for the twelfth season here. It is one of the most sought after shows garnering some eye-popping TRP. Naturally, Dipika Kakar Ibrahim's victory is trending in earnest.

Celebrity notions According to Banani Das Dhar, a famed blogger, "I have been an ardent fan of the show. It simply exposes the fact of how celebrities can fool us into believing who they are. Here, on a platform such as Bigg Boss the clichés crumble like a pack of cards.

What celebrities really miss is

that audiences cannot be jeered into believing something the way they want to show them things. The audience has a mind of its own, and can certainly see through the mind-set of a celebrity."

Whatever the audience did see of Dipika's mind-set, they clearly loved and approved of.

Eventually, crowned winner, pulling the rug from under apparent favourite Sreesanth's feet, Dipika's is no minor feat.

And she also has Rs 30 lakh in her kitty to cement that.

Here's looking at the possible factors that spurred her victory…

Game plan Dipika plays the lead protagonist Simar Bhadwaj in the famous televi-

sion sitcom Sasural Simar Ka. adopted to attain the win.

Key to victory Dipika cerIt seems she has indeed imbibed a lot from the show; tainly earned the 'favourite' position among all contestants. One of the primary reasons being that she kept her dignity in place, and did not cause unnecessary drama to attract unwarranted footage.

She firmly maintained her stance in keeping with her cool demeanour, which in turn won her the likes faster as compared to others. in fact it wouldn't be wrong to Simran Ratnani, a practising state that she got into a similar PR professional, states, character on the Bigg Boss "From what I have underpremises. She evidently used stood is that she seems to the character as a tool to have taken the time out to catalyse her victory, but understand the nuances of the onlookers yet suggest there is show and the kind of part a lot to learn from the strategy each character plays on the

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It's Deepika Vs Alia for Sanjay Leela Bhansali's next It looks like Alia Bhatt is going to be Deepika Padukone's main competition in the times to come. This year Deepika's performance in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Padmaavat is being dwarfed at the popular awards by Alia Bhatt's Raazi. Now the latest buzz in Bollywood is that Sanjay Leela Bhansali who has hosted Deepika's glory in three back-to-back epics (Ram Leela, Bajirao Mastani and Padmaavat) is considering Alia Bhatt for his next.

Informs a source close to Bhansali, "Nothing is final as yet.

But Bhansali is thinking of Alia seriously for his next, although Deepika is his all-time favourite.

A change after working with the same Ranveer Deepika pair in three successive films would be highly recommended."

show. Interestingly, she seems to have not only learnt by watching, but by positively applying the lessons during her 105 days stint at the Bigg Boss house."

Bond story Most people criticised her bond with Sreesanth, though to some level it has been observed as genuine. Even after the results have been announced the 'brother-sister' duo has been spotted together along with their spouses at famed city restaurants and hangouts.

Sreesanth's points on many occasions have been arguably right, but since he had lost his cool in most places he lost the spot that Deepika has righteously earned.

"Perfect and 100% final and accurate reports got by 3rd Hospital. I am having only 1st Stage Cancer. According to Doctors I will be 100% perfect within 6 months. It's proof that don't trust doctors without checking at 2-3 hospitals! Thank to all of you for Good Wishes."

Rasika Joshi Noted film and Marathi theatre actor Rasika Joshi passed away in 2011 at the age of 39. Joshi, who was suffering from cancer, died at a nursing home in suburban Bandra.

Rasika gained immense popularity with the character in 'Bandini' and even after going through serious illness; the actress was positive and optimistic. She has also acted in Bollywood films including "Malamal Weekly", "Ek Hasina Thi" and "Bhul-Bhullaiyya".

Simple Kapadia Yesteryear Bollywood actress and costume designer Simple Kapadia succumbed to cancer in 2009. The 51-year-old actress was Dimple Kapadia's younger sister, who made her debut in the film Anurodh, with her brother-in-law, actor Rajesh Khanna. She quit acting in 1986 and returned to Bollywood as a costume designer. She also bagged a national award for best costume design for the film Rudaali.

Tom Alter- Skin Cancer Veteran theatre and film personality Tom Alter had lost his battle against stage four skin cancer at the age of 67. Did you know that Sachin Tendulkar's first ever television interview was taken by Tom Alter? He is best known for his role in the children's favourite show 'Shaktimaan' but has also delivered popular television stints included Bharat Ek Khoj, Zabaan Sambhalke and Betaal Pachisi. Tom was a Padma Shri award holder as well.

Review : Rosogolla movie Cast: Ujaan Ganguly, Avantika, Kharaj Mukherjee, Kaushik Sen, Aparajita Adhya, Rajatava Dutta and Bidipta Chakraborty, Shantilal Mukherjee, Subhashree Ganguly, Chiranjeet Chakraborty Director: Pavel The much revered Bengali sweet 'Rosogolla' becomes the focus of this Pavel directed biopic that traces the humble origins of its creator Nabin Chandra Das (portrayed by Ujaan Ganguly) whose single-minded pursuit redefined the very nature of 'mishti' as we know it today.

Even fellow inventors of other famous Bengali sweets, like Bhola Moira and Bhim Chandra Nag, are featured in the film.

It's not a film about food as much as it is a vain attempt at galvanizing a spot in posterity for the ubiquitous rosogulla. Pavel's narrative hightailing Nabin Kumar's so-alluding, a tryst with destiny, is pretty much hare-brained and illogical to boot. He is the poor relation with a widowed mother and his obsessive pursuit of culinary skill is frowned upon by his richer relatives. Of course, his widowed mother will turn heaven and earth to help him to his eventual goal.

Stereotypical characters, heavy melodrama, and ridiculous set-ups are par for the course here. Nabin Kumar is portrayed as dim-witted, lacking in social graces, and all too easily conned. His mother mouthfeeds him even at age 20 which is a bit ridiculous even if we consider its setting of a distant past. In fact it's hard to believe in a film about food where the creator himself is never shown tasting his own

creation. There's a sequence in the film where Nabin Kumar makes special sweets for a marriage party and is subsequently beaten up because the guests start vomiting blood. We see his partner accidentally dropping a few opium seeds into the stirpot and this causes the inadvertent poisoning, we are made to believe. A few seeds in a boiling cauldron of sugar water meant to feed a few hundred guests are certainly not capable of creating this kind of health hazard.

In fact much of 'Rosogolla' is drenched in symbolic fervor and copious sentiment.

Nabin Kumar doesn't even belong to a sweet-merchant family. He barely apprentices at a sweet shop and even there he doesn't create any sweets of his own, neither does he make the regular ones. So his skill in that department is entirely questionable. Pavel in fact merely taps into Bengali sentimentality to hit his sweet spot. The spongy reverence does not allow for gritty emotional attachment either. The performances are juvenile, the direction is ham-handed and the unremarkable pacing and plotting don't allow for much attachment.

We're well aware of the recent skirmish between Bengal and Odisha regarding the ownership of the rosogolla. And the much more recent development of celebrating an annual Rosogolla Diwas, also lends immediate poignancy to a film on its so-called origins. Pavel's film is neither realistic nor gritty drama - it's merely fantasy prodded on by an intent to create a universe for the sweet that has taken the course of 'legend' in the east.

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Yesteryear Bollywood actress and costume designer Simple Kapadia succumbed to cancer in 2009. The 51-year-old actress was Dimple Kapadia's younger sister, who made her debut in the film Anurodh, with her brother-inlaw, actor Rajesh Khanna. She quit acting in 1986 and returned to Bollywood as a costume designer. She also bagged a national award for best costume design for the film Rudaali.

Bollywood celebrities have time an again been our route to escape through the entertainment medium for decades. Despite the fact that the show must go on, we happen to chuck out on their problems that they have been secretly fighting. Over the years, cancer is one such battle where one has to deal with self and ulterior pressures that come with it. These are the heroes who inspire us to stay on the battlefield of life and come out victorious. From survivors to those who succumbed to this fatal illness, here are sixteen Bollywood personas who have carried the baggage of cancer.

Rakesh RoshanSquamous cell carcinoma Actor-filmmaker Rakesh Roshan has been diagnosed with early stage of squamous cell carcinoma, a type of throat cancer. The family has a cancer survivor in Sunaina Roshan, Hrithik's sister. She fought cervical cancer and survived it. Apart from his acting career, Rakesh Roshan is known for directing films like "Kishen Kanhaiya", "Karan Arjun", "Kaho Naa… Pyaar Hai", "Koi… Mil Gaya" and the superhero "Krrish" film series.

Sonali Bendre- Metastatic Cancer In a shocking turn of events, Bollywood actress Sonali Bendre revealed that she has been diagnosed with metastatic cancer. Bendre who is known for her roles in films like Hum Saath

in a Metro and Barfi was diagnosed with acute promyelocytic Leukemia (a type of blood cancer) in 2004. Although the Doctors gave him a verdict of two months it did not shake Basu's spirit and he made the recovery. His recent movie was 'Jagga Jasoos' starring Ranbir Kapoor and Katrina Kaif.

Lisa Ray- Blood Cancer In 2009, the Indian-born actress was diagnosed with multiple Myeloma (another type of blood cancer). Ray kept herself away from any kind of media attention and fought her illness for over a year coming out victorious. In 2010, she made a public announcement saying that she had a full stem cell replacement and was cancer-free, but, not fully cured as this disease is treatable but not curable.

Mumtaz- Breast Cancer This evergreen Bollywood actress won many hearts with her beauty and charismatic performances in movies such as Do Raaste,

January 21, Monday, 2019

From lambs abroad to lions,

India tame Australia

Virat Kohli has shown he is fair to his players, leads from the front as the No. 1 batsman in the world and has brought in a culture of fitness This Indian Test team is now going to be hard to beat anywhere. In photo: Indian Cricket Team captain Virat Kohli.

It's a test of character. That's why it's apt that the five-day game is called Test cricket. This Indian team led by Virat Kohli has shown plenty of character to become the first to win a series in Australia.

India came close to doing it in the 1977-78 series when Sunil Gavaskar scored three centuries, like Cheteshwar Pujara did this time around. Then they drew a series in 1981, with the equalizer coming in Melbourne where Kapil Dev blew away the Aussies with a 5 for 28 in the second innings.

The 1985 team that won the one-day world championship tournament in Australia should have won the Test series too. However, Alan Border's Australia escaped twice with draws. In Melbourne, India dawdled to 59 for 2 in 25 overs on the final day before rain washed out play with only 67 needed for victory. The rain-affected final Test in Sydney ended in a draw after Australia followed on and lost six wickets.

The Sachin Tendulkar era began in

the nineties. Despite some famous knocks by the new Little Master, India got thrashed 4-0 and 3-0 on two tours that decade.

Sourav Ganguly's team did better this millennium, but allowed Steve Waugh to escape with a draw in the final Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground in January 2004.

India batted into the third day to amass 705 for 7, with Tendulkar remaining not out on 241 and compounded that by not enforcing the follow on. Waugh had just four wickets in hand for a draw in the end.

Anil Kumble led a frustrating tour in 2008 marred by Steve Bucknor's umpiring. India went 2-1 down despite a famous win in Perth.

M.S. Dhoni's team got thrashed 4-0 in 2011-12. That series ended the careers of Rahul Dravid and V.V.S. Laxman, while Tendulkar carried on for two home series before hanging up his boots too.

Young Virat Kohli wowed Australia with a century and 50 in the third Test when he finally got a look-in.

Kohli's first tour to Australia as captain in 2014-15 produced two narrow losses and two draws. He went on to take

India to the pinnacle of Test cricket by dominating visiting teams at home.

Tours to South Africa, England and Australia last year presented a chance to remove India's stigma of being lions at home, but lambs abroad.

India had opportunities but squandered them, losing 2-1 in South Africa and 4-1 in England. Selection fiascos such as leaving out Pujara from the first Test in England and defensiveness in the field with catching positions left vacant contributed to it.

However, the fighting spirit of this team and the coming of age of a potent pace bowling unit were evident on those tours. The contest in England was far closer than the scoreline suggests and India could easily have won 3-2 or even 4-1.

Kohli has shown he is fair to his players, leads from the front as the No. 1 batsman in the world and has brought in a culture of fitness. He combines well with coach Ravi Shastri to nurture young talent. He appears to acknowledge tactical mistakes and learn from them. He sets an example for doing whatever is needed for the team to suc-

New high for 'Magnificent Mary', becomes world No.1

Kohli and Shastri receive honorary membership of SCG

New Delhi: The celebrated M C Mary Kom's unprecedented sixth world title triumph has propelled her to the number one position in the International Boxing Association's (AIBA) latest world rankings.

The diminutive Manipuri became the most successful boxer in world championships' history when she claimed the 48kg category top honours in November last year in Delhi.

In the updated rankings put out by AIBA, Mary Kom is placed top of the charts in the weight division with 1,700 points. The 36-year-old will have to jump to 51kg in pursuit of her 2020 Olympic dream as 48kg is not yet included in the Games roster.

The mother-of-three enjoyed a stellar 2018, picking up gold medals at the Commonwealth Games and a tournament in Poland. She also won a silver at the prestigious Strandja Memorial in Bulgaria. Among other Indians, Pinki Jangra is placed eighth in the 51kg category list. Asian silver-medallist Manisha Maun holds the same position in the 54kg category. Former world silver-medallist Sonia Lather was placed at the second spot in the 57kg division despite enduring a disappointing 2018, during which she finished medal-less at the Asian Games.

World bronze-medallist Simranjit Kaur (64kg), who was crowned the national champion a few days back, took the fourth position in her weight category. Following her was former world champion L Sarita Devi at the 16th spot. India Open gold-medallist and world bronze-winner Lovlina Borgohain took the fifth position in the 69kg category. The men's rankings have not been updated as yet.

Sydney: India skipper Virat Kohli and coach Ravi Shastri on Friday received the honorary membership of the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) for their contribution to the sport of cricket. The Indian team defeated Australia 2-1 in the four-match Test series, ending the country's 71year-old wait for a rare series win Down Under.

"The SCG congratulates Team India for securing its first Test series win on Australian soil. It is wonderful to see the world's largest cricketing nation putting its focus firmly on Test cricket - a step that will reinforce the pre-eminence of Tests in the global cricketing landscape," SCG Chairman Tony Shepherd was quoted as saying on their official website. Apart from Kohli and Shastri, the only other international cricketers to be granted the honorary membership of the SCG are iconic Sachin Tendulkar and Brain Lara of the West Indies. "Virat and Ravi have been at the forefront of that and Test cricket is well served having both placing such significance on the five-day format," Shepherd added.

ceed in any situation, making individual milestones secondary.

All this finally kicked in on the current Australia tour. Pujara, now the mainstay of the batting line-up, anchored the win in the opening Test with a century and a 50. India got the combination wrong in the next Test in Perth, overreacting to a green top by replacing the injured Ravichandran Ashwin with a fourth pacer, while Aussie offie Nathan Lyon collected eight wickets.

This Indian team doesn't stay down.

They came back strongly to score 400 plus and win the Melbourne Test. Then, with the mounting pressure of expectations of securing India's first Test series win Down Under, India batted Australia out of the game with a 600plus score in Sydney. It was a good toss to win, but it also took guts and determination to do that against a challenging bowling attack.

The spin of the coin finally favoured Kohli in Australia where he won three out of the four tosses. Now, with India's greatest overseas triumph under his belt, he has the confidence, the know-

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Australia series win my

biggest achievement : Virat India captain Virat Kohli termed his team's historic 2-1 series win on Australia soil as his "biggest achievement" which will give the current team a "different identity".

Photo: Reuters Sydney: India captain Virat Kohli termed his team's historic 2-1 series win on Australia soil as his "biggest achievement" which will give the current team a "different identity". Eight summers back at the Wankhede, Kohli was the youngest member of a star-studded team led

by Mahendra Singh Dhoniwhich lifted the World Cup but this according to him will remain on "top of the pile". "By far this is my best achievement. Has to be on top of the pile.

When we won the World Cup, I was a young player. I saw the others getting emotional. This series will give us a different identity as a team. What we've been able to achieve is something to be really proud of," Kohli said at the post-match presentation ceremony.

It was at Sydney that Kohli was annointed with permanent Test captaincyand it is at the very ground that he created an epic chapter in Indian cricket history.

"Our transition started here when I became the captain for the first time.

Only one word to say, I'm proud. To lead these players is an honour and a how and the diverse talents of his team to stay on top in what promises to be a golden era of Indian cricket.

India began touring in the summer of 1932. But it wasn't until 36 years later, in 1968, that she registered her first Test win abroad on a cold February day in Dunedin, New Zealand. Ajit Wadekar anchored the batting with 50s in both innings, while Erapalli Prasanna announced the arrival of Indian spin with a match-winning sixwicket haul in the second innings. Tiger Pataudi's men went on to win the series 3-1. Wadekar, who took over the captaincy before the next tour, built on India's new-found self-belief and spin formula to subdue the mighty West Indies, whose line-up had the who's who of cricket-Roy Fredericks, Rohan Kanhai, Clive Lloyd and Garfield Sobers. The Indian victory came in the second Test at Port of Spain where debutant Sunil Gavaskar scored 50s in both innings. Gavaskar amassed 774 runs in four Tests, with four centuries and a double century, to keep the Windies at bay and register a 1-0 series win.

privilege. They make the captain look good. Definitely deserve to enjoy this moment," the elated skipper said.

He was all praise for Cheteshwar Pujara, one of India's stand-out performer in the series apart from Jasprit Bumrah. The skipper also praised young Mayank Agarwal and Rishabh Pant. "Want to give a special mention to Pujara.

He's one guy always willing to accept things. He's the nicest man around.

Special mention to Mayank Agarwal too. To come in on Boxing Day and play like that against a high quality attack. Someone like Rishabh as well, coming into his own and dominating attacks," he said.

The bowling attack has performed through the year and Kohli got another opportunity to laud their efforts. "We knew once the batsmen score, our bowlers are lethal. The way the bowlers have dictated terms in this series. And not just this one, the previous two tours as well. I've not seen happen in Indian cricket. They don't look at a pitch and think there's nothing for us. It's a revelation for Indian cricket and a learning for the other bowlers back home." "They (pacers) definitely deserve to be here and breaking record of the great West Indian fast bowlers (aggregate wickets in a calender year) is no mean feat," the skipper reminded.

Wadekar's team followed that up with a 1-0 series win in England, against one of the strongest teams of that period. Bhagwat Chandrasekhar's 6 for 38 to bundle England out for 101 in the final Test sealed the deal. Despite the promise of a new dawn, a long hiatus of 15 years followed those rousing triumphs. India became world champions of one-day cricket in 1983 and finally registered another away series win in England in 1986. Captain Kapil Dev helmed the bowling with support from Roger Binny, while Dilip Vengsarkar anchored the 2-0 victory with back-to-back centuries.

After that, the only notable away series wins came in Pakistan in 2004, England in 2007, and New Zealand in 2009. Zimbabwe, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and a depleted West Indies became happy hunting grounds, but to finally win in Australia, the first Asian team to do so, is the Kohinoor among these rare gems of away Test series victories. India finished 2-1 after rain saved Australia in Sydney, but this Indian Test team is now going to be hard to beat anywhere.

Confident PV Sindhu, all set to rule the new season BENGALURU "It's a new year, a new season. The World Tour finals win is in the past now.

I don't think about previous finals," PV Sindhu says with a smile.

The World number 3 was speaking on the sidelines of a promotional event while in the city for the Premier Badminton League. She probably gets that same question time and again. The World Tour Finals was her first win in 2018 after faltering in the final five times during the season, seventh straight since the Hong Kong Open loss the season prior.

"I was not satisfied with winning silver in the 2017 World Superseries Finals.

This year, I thought I've to win. So when I came to the final, I was focused, I felt that it should be different. I was leading against (Nozomi) Okuhara, but I did not become comfortable, did not assume that I would win. I was aware that every point would be crucial. And sure enough, she mounted a comeback," she said.

In the end, She got the gold after a 21-19, 21-17 thriller. Sindhu's first final win after 15 months, her last coming against the same opponent at the Korea Open the year before. She completed a full circle. "I was happy that there would be no more criticism saying 'She was won (only) silver again'," she adds, the smile slowly creeping back in. Nevertheless, she is quick to dissuade the idea that the critique got to her.

"It's a thin line between winning and

losing - you have to be strong and take in a positive way. If you rectify the few mistakes made earlier and come back stronger, that's enough." "When you lose, you tend to feel bad or nervous. But I never felt that criticism is bad, or felt like 'Why are they always criticizing me?' The way I looked at it was, I won silver.

Rather than viewing it as a loss in the final," Sindhu stressed.

This 23-year-old is already a tangible story of success for the young crop in the country, a fact that makes her 'happy', aware of the responsibility. She peak years lie ahead of her. With an Olympic silver already in her kitty, the focus is to go that one step further at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. But 2019, the Olympic qualifi-

cation year, is key - to find her rhythm and chinks in the armour of the usual suspects, who she is likely to meet at the business end of tournaments.

She revealed before switching focus onto the opponents, "In 2019, I hope to do well. The Olympic qualification period is scheduled for going from April 29, so we'll have to be fit and healthy," Sindhu added, she will start with the Indonesia Masters and stressed saying, "When you play against the top players, you will always have that confidence that you did well against these guys following a similar pattern, so will try to do the same. Definitely, it is not one particular strategy. You should not stick to one as we play in every alternate tournament"

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MELBOURNE A tearful Andy Murray on Friday announced he would likely retire this year due to severe pain from a hip injury, saying next week's Australian Open could be the last tournament of a glittering career.

The former world number one and three-time Grand Slam winner broke down at a press conference in Melbourne as he said the pain had become almost unbearable. "I can play with limitations.

But having the limitations and the pain is not allowing me to enjoy competing or training," the emotional Scot said.

Thirty-one-year-old "Sir Andy" said he would like to finish at his home Grand Slam in Wimbledon, but ruefully admitted he might not make it that far.

He will be remembered as the first

British man to win Wimbledon in 77 years and as a player who battled his way to the top in a golden era for the game alongside Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal.

"Wimbledon is where I would like to stop playing, but I am not certain I am able to do that," he said.

"I've been struggling for a long time. I'm not sure I can play through the pain for another four or five months.

"Pretty much done everything that I could to try and get my hip feeling better and it hasn't helped loads." He pulled out of last year's Australian Open to have hip surgery and only returned in June at Queen's Club in London. He ended the season at Shenzhen in September after only a handful of appearances to concentrate on working his way back to full fitness. But he was knocked out in the sec-

ond round on his return at Brisbane last week and called it quits on Thursday after less than an hour of a practice match in Melbourne against Djokovic, with his movement clearly hampered. "I think there is a chance the Australian Open is my last tournament," he said.

While he intends to begin his openinground match against 22nd seed Roberto Bautista Agut next week, how his body withstands potentially gruelling five-set clashes in energy-sapping heat remains to be seen.

"I'm going to play. I can still play to a level, not a level I'm happy playing at," he said. 'LEGEND OF A BLOKE' One of the so-called Big Four, along with Federer, Djokovic and Nadal, who have dominated the game for years, Murray's ranking has slumped to 230.

He hasn't reached a Grand Slam

final since winning his second Wimbledon title in 2016, but has nevertheless enjoyed a glittering career since turning professional in 2005, with not only three Grand Slam titles, but two Olympic gold medals and 45 ATP crowns. Notably, in 2013 Murray became the first British man to win Wimbledon for 77 years, ending the nation's obsession with finding a champion to follow in the footsteps of Fred Perry. Top Australian coach Darren Cahill, who until recently was mentoring world number one Simona Halep, said Murray was an example of the neversay-die attitude that separated the best from the average. "When you search for examples of 'emptied the bucket to be as good as they could be' there should be a picture of Andy Murray sitting under that quote," he tweeted.

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Andy Murray to retire, Australian Open could be last event