Tale of a Courageous Single Mother / Vanisha Uppal

In order to earn respect and to prove herself perfect to her own family, she gives up her own natural expression, her individuality and physical health.

How will she take charge of her life after 10 to 20 years of working as housewife and a full time mother, whereas she has nearly lost her self-confidence?

While waiting for our turn she asked me “Is it very difficult to get separated from the husband? My life is a mess, after 15 years of our marriage, my husband is still possessive and controlling. I feel I am done, but who will support me? My parents are so innocent. Where will I go? What will I do? From where will I get the money?

She shared all this with me because she knew I had separated from my husband four years back. It was a long and tough, yet a magical journey to find happiness, to be more confident, to face the challenges and to let it go.

Since my daughter was born, my life completely changed like most of the females in India. I gained much weight yet I was weak from inside. I did my best for my child and family. In the middle of it, it was usual disagreement with my husband, no closeness, and difficult to communicate, that made the life bad to worse.

There was no love and respect left in the relationship. We tried to adjust for eight years in the name of the child, family and social pressure, but the loneliness and sadness was eating me up.

I decided to go to Rishikesh alone to spend some time with myself. That was my first big step. I came back, armed with mediation techniques. They were powerful. I was eager to know more about myself with the help of them. By practicing intensely for two years, I got more clarity. Gradually I became more calm and peaceful yet happiness was missing.

One day mom asked me to leave her place. I was unofficially thrown out. I found a decent apartment at an even better place in no time. The required furniture was provided by the landlord.

After sending my daughter to the school, sitting at home, I was thinking how to manage the rent of Rs.20,000/- and daily expenses. I had some savings, which were fast flowing out from my bank account. My prioriies were, first to stabilize my health, second to occupy myself especially in morning and third some regular income was needed. This all was worrying me at back of my head all the time.

In the middle of struggles, two things supported me, first my daily meditation practice and second my dance classes in the evening, which I never discontinued even during the financial crisis.

Soon the meditation trust which I was working with started paying me the salary of Rs.15000/- per month. In additional I took up a part time job, teaching dance to the small children twice in a week. The money was exactly covering my needs.

Seeing my efforts, mom realized that she had been hard on me and offered me to take care of papa’s books and stationary shop, which was in a bad condition.

I found it challenging and creatively. Mom also started paying me some salary and I left the part time job and stopped taking money from the trust. Life became comfortable.

I am happy doing my writing, working at papa’s shop, learning dance, conducting retreat once in three months. I realized everything is temporary, for short time but my sincerity, totality and the joy is real.

The life continues bringing me more and tougher challenges. In the process of finding the best way out, I feel growth in all the aspects of my being.

We are so much in the habit of calculating our life as a profit and loss account, that fears have settled in us, that prevent us to truly follow our heart. Sometimes we keep waiting for others or God to take the first step and the whole life is gone. It is not easy but when one has no choice and ready to take the flight then life supports us

Poem

I had never been persistent in my life

Changing the jobs number of times,

No relationship to hold tight,

No material achievements to feel pride,

“Have I been so restless?” it came to my mind

Then why do I feel peace when I close my eyes,

Yes, I was persistent following my heart throughout my life.



Stubble Burning Fact and Fiction

Now that the harvesting season is around the corner it’s important to examine the issue of stubble burning. There’s a tremendous amount of misconception and misinformation floating around on Stubble Burning. Common people and Media squarely blame the farmers. But gleaning through Wikipedia as a proof of what one has been saying, is that it’s a world wide phenomenon. The pollution due to Stubble Burning is not as acute as is made out to be. Also, hold your breath, there are some beneficial effects. This is not to recommend Stubble Burning at all, but to introspect as well, think. Can one month of this activity cause pollution all the year round? Who are the other culprits hiding behind the farmers backs. What are the solutions?

According to Wikipedia:

that remains after grains, like paddy, wheat, etc., have been harvested. The practice was widespread until the 1990s, when governments increasingly restricted its use.

The burning of stubble, contrasted with alternatives such as ploughing the stubble back into the ground or collecting it for industrial uses, has a number of consequences and effects on the environment.

Generally helpful effects

  • Kills slugs and other pests.
  • Can reduce nitrogen tie-up.

Generally harmful effects

  • Loss of nutrients
  • Pollution from smoke
  • Damage to electrical and electronic equipment from floating threads of conducting waste
  • Risk of fires spreading out of control

There is a perception that stubble burning contributes to atmospheric CO2. However carbon dioxide releases are only slightly greater than those from natural decomposition.

Attitudes to stubble burning

  • Stubble burning has been effectively prohibited since 1993 in England and Wales. A perceived increase in blackgrass, and particularly herbicide resistant blackgrass, has led to a campaign by some arable farmers for its return.
  • In Australia stubble burning is “not the preferred option for the majority of farmers” but is permitted and recommended in some circumstances. Farmers are advised to rake and burn windrows, and leave a fire break of 3 metres around any burn off.
  • In the The burning of stubble, contrasted with alternatives such as ploughing the stubble back into the ground or collecting it for industrial uses, has a number of consequences and effects on the environment.[1]
    Generally helpful effects Edit
    Kills slugs and other pests.
    Can reduce nitrogen tie-up.
    Generally harmful effects Edit
    Loss of nutrients
    Pollution from smoke
    Damage to electrical and electronic equipment from floating threads of conducting waste
    Risk of fires spreading out of control
    There is a perception that stubble burning contributes to atmospheric CO2. However carbon dioxide releases are only slightly greater than those from natural decomposition.

    Attitudes to stubble burning Edit
    Stubble burning has been effectively prohibited since 1993 in England and Wales. A perceived increase in blackgrass, and particularly herbicide resistant blackgrass, has led to a campaign by some arable farmers for its return.
    In Australia stubble burning is “not the preferred option for the majority of farmers” but is permitted and recommended in some circumstances. Farmers are advised to rake and burn windrows, and leave a fire break of 3 metres around any burn off.

  • In the United States, fires are fairly common in mid-western states, but some states regulate the practice, e.g.
    In the European Union, the Common Agricultural Policy strongly discourages stubble burning.
    In China, there is a government ban on stubble burning; however the practice remains fairly common.
    In northern India, despite a ban by the Punjab Pollution Control Board, stubble burning is still practiced. Authorities are starting to enforce this ban more proactively.
    Stubble burning is allowed by permit in some Canadian provinces, including Manitoba where 5% of farmers were estimated to do it in 2007.
    Stubble burning in India

    Burning of rice residues after harvest, to quickly prepare the land for wheat planting, around Sangrur, Punjab, India
    Stubble burning in Punjab and Haryana in northwest India has been cited as a major cause of air pollution in Delhi. In late September and October each year, farmers mainly in those two states burn an estimated 35 million tons of crop waste from their paddy fields after harvesting, as a low-cost straw-disposal practice to reduce the turnaround time between harvesting and sowing for the second (winter) crop. Smoke from this burning produces a cloud of particulates visible from space, and has produced a “toxic cloud” in New Delhi, resulting in declarations of an air-pollution emergency.[16] For this, the NGT (National Green Tribunal) slapped a fine of Rs. 2,00,000 on the Delhi Government for not filing an action plan providing incentives and infrastructural assistance to farmers to stop them from burning crop residue to prevent air pollution.

    Although harvesters are available such as the Indian-manufactured “Happy Seeder” that shred the crop residues into small pieces and uniformly spread them across the field, as an alternative to burning the crops, farmers complain that the cost of these machines is prohibitive compared to burning the fields, fires are fairly common in mid-western states, but some states regulate the practice, e.g..

  • In the European Union, the Common Agricultural Policy strongly discourages stubble burning.
  • In China, there is a government ban on stubble burning; however the practice remains fairly common.
  • In northern India, despite a ban by the Punjab Pollution Control Board, stubble burning is still practiced. Authorities are starting to enforce this ban more proactively.
  • Stubble burning is allowed by permit in some Canadian provinces, including Manitoba where 5% of farmers were estimated to do it in 2007.

Stubble burning in India

Burning of rice residues after harvest, to quickly prepare the land for wheat planting, around Sangrur, Punjab, India

Stubble burning in Punjab and Haryana in northwest India has been cited as a major cause of air pollution in Delhi. In late September and October each year, farmers mainly in those two states burn an estimated 35 million tons of crop waste from their paddy fields after harvesting, as a low-cost straw-disposal practice to reduce the turnaround time between harvesting and sowing for the second (winter) crop. Smoke from this burning produces a cloud of particulates visible from space, and has produced a “toxic cloud” in New Delhi, resulting in declarations of an air-pollution emergency. For this, the NGT (National Green Tribunal) slapped a fine of Rs. 2,00,000on the Delhi Government for not filing an action plan providing incentives and infrastructural assistance to farmers to stop them from burning crop residue to prevent air pollution.

Although harvesters are available such as the Indian-manufactured “Happy Seeder” that shred the crop residues into small pieces and uniformly spread them across the field, as an alternative to burning the crops, farmers complain that the cost of these machines is prohibitive compared to burning the fields

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stubble_burning



How Many More Sons will be lost to Save the Ganga asks Manohar Khushalani

Guru Das Agrawal also known as Sant Swami Sanand, Sant Swami Gyan Swaroop Sanand (20 July 1932 – 11 October 2018) was an Indian environmental engineer, religious leader, monk, environmental activist, professor, and he was the Patron of Ganga Mahasabha founded by Madan Mohan Malviya in 1905.

Agrawal died on 11 October 2018, after fasting since 22 June 2018, demanding the government act on its promises to clean and save the Ganga.

Prof. Manohar Khushalani from IIIT-Delhi appeared live on 12th October 2018, on News 24 at 4.55 pm on a program on Ganga – Panch ki Panchayat. IIT Professor, Dr G. D. Agarwal’s departure from this planet after a fast unto death has refocused on the significant issue of Pollution of our Rivers. The program was shot in an Interesting format of a Panel Discussion in the open studio in Connaught Place. The format brought back Khushalani’s  Street Theatre memories, spiced with pangs of Nostalgia, as he is one of the pioneers of street theatre movement in Delhi



A look under Indus Basin in Pakistan

India has been providing unhindered access to Pakistan of 79% of Indus Basin waters as per the Indus water treaty

Over 400 million acre feet of fresh water exists in Pakistan’s riverine aquifers and may help manage its water scarcity if ever India pulls the plug.

According to Dawn, the groundwater system underneath Pakistan’s flowing rivers in the Indus plains has at least 400 million acre feet (MAF) of pristine water. This storage is so large that it is equivalent to more than three years of the mean annual flow of the Indus (or 1,000 days of storage, after excluding polluted areas) So even if India blocks Indus water to Pakistan, it can still survive, for three years.

Read Original Article



Fragile Childhood | Vanisha Uppal

One day during a conversation with my 12 year old daughter Vrinda, she told me that “Aannya, my friend, is just an average student of my class”

“And how can you say that?” I asked

Vrinda: “She scored 80% marks in the exams, and most of my classmate gets more than 90% marks”

I made fun of the situation and said “In that case you must be considered a below average student as you scored 75%”

We ended up laughing.

All the concept of right and wrong has mostly been taught by our parents and teachers, then why the children are held responsible for their attitude?

While I was writing this article, coincidentally, Neha a friend, called up and said, “I am so pissed off with this system of education. My son’s teacher gave him less marks on writing the answers in his own words. The school just gives students marks for reproducing answers through rote learning. How to make them understand that bookish language is not as important as the understanding of the subject?”

I asked “But why are you bothered about him getting less marks?”

When Vrinda, my daughter was in the primary class, one day she came to me and said “mom, how to learn the text book answers? It is difficult to memorize word by word from the notes”

I said “It is very simple, just read it once carefully and write what you understood in your own words, like a story”

She did exactly that and she found it easy. After her school test she told me that her teacher did not give full marks on her answers.

I said, “But I am very happy that you understood the concept”

We hugged each other and celebrated her performance. She did the same for another few academic years. She was more relaxed during her exams and gradually not only did she scored better marks, but also became more creative and independent.

We cannot change the world by telling others not to pressurize our child; but it is in our hand not to pressurize them. As a parent the balance is missing in us; either we over pamper our child or send them to the boarding school to disciple them.

One day I thought it will be nice to give surprise to my friend by making a sudden visit. I rang the doorbell of her house. Her son opened the door. He is 12 years old and told me that mom was not at home. I asked him “how are your studies and school?”

He said “mom has sent me to the boarding school. And now I am on vacation”

I said, “Oh, how do you find the new place?”

He said, “Aunty,first year was very difficult but now I have adjusted”

The way he said that, something touched me. When we are at the job, we work as per norms. We make adjustments according to others, but what comforts us at the back of our mind is, when will the day will be over and we can go back home and relax in the way we want.

The net situation would be like this; we send kids daily to the school for some hours. At home they are free to sit, sleep, play and talk; to demand their favorite food and attention; to get a hug whenever they want. The power of hug is often underestimated. The simplest thing can change a child to a happy child. A hug means acceptance, it is a need like air, water and food.

No one can handle and love our child better than us. There always will be some challenges dealing with our children, their tantrums, anger, frustration and other negative emotions. Nectar cannot be attained without holding the poison in throat.

I still remember, when I used to annoy papa or misbehave. He never shouted or made face or said any harsh words to us. What I saw in his eyes was rather amazing; infinite Ocean of love and patience. It was so very beautiful; how his anger used to transform into love every time. No theory, no psychology; only pure love that he had inside him. Surprisingly my anger vanished by seeing those loving eyes. Sometimes I intentionally pushed him to be angry at me to see those eyes again. I was deeply in love with those eyes and wanted the same for myself. He is no more, but, whenever I close my eyes, I can feel his love.

I love you so much papa.



Don’t Mess With Modi in Texas / New York Times

An Oped by a New York Times columnist, Roger Cohen, suggests a change of outlook and an attempt to balance the anti India rehetoric that has been bane of this News Paper so far, on the Kashmir issue.

Talking about Imran Khan, Cohen is very scathing, he says in his Op. Ed, “Suggesting Modi has sympathy for the Third Reich, comparing him to a Fascist leader and stating that he may commit “genocide,” is to protest too much. Raising the possibility of nuclear war is reckless. All this suggests his bluff has been called.”

“If Pakistan is so concerned about Nazi Germany”, Cohen asks, “it might begin by recognizing the State of Israel. Whether Pakistan really wants a solution in Kashmir, the region that justifies its bloated military budget, and whether it can ever transparently demonstrate that its intelligence services have stopped finding uses for radical Islamism in its various violent forms, remain open questions”

Expressing concern about Pakistan’s Western neighbor, He postulates, “They are important questions for the United States, as it contemplates a military withdrawal from Afghanistan. A quandary for Trump now will be how to secure Pakistani support, rather than suffer an incensed Pakistan’s sabotage, if he moves forward with his promise to bring American troops home.”

“Modi will not turn back from his elimination of Kashmir’s autonomy. That phase of Indian history is over. Trump and Modi are both forceful, media-savvy politicians. But they are not alike. Modi, a self-made man from a poor family, is measured, ascetic, not driven by impulse. Trump was born on third base. He’s erratic, guided by the devouring needs of his ego. I’d bet on Modi to transform India, all of it, including the newly integrated Kashmir region.”

Read full NYT article



Financial Trouble at an Iconic American Hydropower Giant

Can Hydropower compete financially with Solar energy. This podcast says it all

To listen click here



Watch “Bury Kitchen Scraps Directly in Garden and This Happens” on YouTube

How to create live compost in your Kitchen Garden. Please watch this video and take note of the Dos and Don’ts to get perfect nutrients for your soil.



A wing and a prayer for ‘Howdy Modi!’ – The Hindu

Photo: Reuters

The die has been cast for a massive rally by Indian Americans in Houston on Sunday, September 22, 2019 to honour Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Rallies for Indian Americans have become larger each time Mr. Modi visits the U.S. ever since his appearance in the Madison Square Garden. No other Prime Minister of India has drawn as many people to such rallies as he has done in the United States.

An added attraction of the event is that President Donald Trump will become the first President of the United States to participate in a rally to honour a visiting foreign leader. He is likely to be accompanied by several Senators, Congressmen and others from both the parties. Several announcements, including some understanding on trade and other matters are expected. By all accounts, it is going to be game changing event in India-U.S. relations.

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Use of groundwater for construction banned in city | Deccan Herald

Even though digging new borewells was disallowed in many cities, builders were allowed to use borewells for construction. This led to misuse of ground water after cogroundwatermpletion of the structure.

To improve the groundwater levels in the city, the Karnataka Groundwater Authority (KGA)-appointed committee has decided to refuse permission to use borewell water for building construction.

“Builders were giving ‘construction as the reason while seeking permission to dig borewells. In some places, the groundwater is as good as drinking water. We can’t let freshwater be wasted on construction. So, from now on, builders should only use treated water,” a senior BWSSB official told DH.

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