Barunjha’s Blog

Thank God finally it’s raining here after the long wait. Although late, we are seeing monsoon rain. It’s a different feeling you wake with the sound of rain trickling down your roof, sound of rain which soothes and cleanses you deep within. I won’t write more I am enjoying it from window sill.
You too enjoy.

Disclaimer: This post in no way supports superstition and related practices but at the same time respects acts that come from human instincts of survival on this Planet.

The coverage in international and national media regarding naked girls being made to plough fields for rain left me nothing but offended. Not because those desperate farmers whose life and livelihood is at stake, took such dire step but because of the mindless criticism and insensitiveness shown by the so called elite, urban, educated gentry (the same people who says eggs comes from refrigerator). These skeptics who do not understand what faith is and what is superstition are everywhere copying the text of news article from Reuters and posting them in public sites and their public blogs. I was equally offended by the suggestion that anything bad happening in India, in Bihar is trait of Biharis. How easy it is to make a generalization. Isn’t it?

Science and meteorology has repetitively failed in predicting monsoon. Then, to whom should these farmers go? They called it height of superstition. If you call it superstition, it is not specialty of Bihar but a general attitude prevalent in all corners of the world in one form or other. The authenticity of news in Reuters is doubtful and it becomes hopeless when people copy it mindlessly in their blogs and public sites. Indian media need to shed their “follow west” attitude and be more sensitive to the ground realities. Even the tradition of dancing naked to bring rain is nowhere related to Bihar, it is something totally western.  It is very easy to comment but come to Bihar and have a look on the countryside. Then only you will realize the ground realities.

I do not call it a superstition because when your survival is at stake the animal instinct inside you comes alive and you go to any step to save yourself. Do not generalize. The story on the other part maybe in contrast to what you believe. A section of a community with a strong will power and consistent faith resort to some age old practices in adverse circumstances and perform that in action. Until and unless you know the truth, human psychology and impulse behind these actions you cannot call then superstitions. The pressure of no food, no harvest is terrible for a family dependent solely on agriculture. Sitting in your cozy room watching TV and browsing net, you will never get to understand that.  Across the world you will find many bizarre ways in which rural/tribal (and even the so called civilized, urban) people tries to connect with God in at different times.

Anyways you do not call it trivial, barbaric and uncivilized when high heeled models go bare on the ramps. We need not to be condemnatory just because it is being done by immaculate, innocent villagers whom you call ignorant and illiterate.

Be good humans (if you are human) and drop the perception that everything bad happens in Bihar. Pray for rain, good rain wherever required and in Bihar too.

PS: It rained fairly well last night and night before in various parts of Bihar (i.e. on 26^th and 27^th July 2009). (Yes …I am ready to go naked and dance in open if that is all it takes to persuade God for rain).

This is on NH-57 under construction.(Testing Shozu)

We all use refrigerators to store things and food items at low temperatures. At home we use it mindlessly and for almost all food items. Here are some cool tips that can save you a lot on electricity bills making you a little richer and greener.

Refrigerator doors which do not seal use more energy to cool things than one that seals completely. So, make it a habit to check and make sure that door seals when you close your refrigerator door. This will reduce your energy consumption. The position of refrigerator at your home also determines the energy consumption. Do not place your refrigerator near heating appliances (ovens), heating ducts and windows and other openings from where heat is likely to come in.  If the temperature of food items to be stored is higher, more energy will be consumed. Hence, allow food items to cool off (if hot) before you put them in. Take precaution when storing liquid, uncovered liquids give vapors/moisture; this adds to compressor workload and increases energy consumption. Always store liquids in cans covered with lids. Clean condenser coil maintains the efficiency so clean the coils regularly. These coils are found in back or in bottom of refrigerator. Regularly defrost manual manual-defrost refrigerator as frosts build up decreases the efficiency. Maintain only the required and recommended temperature. And finally, only store things that need low temperature for storage.

For long term savings, look for energy star/ BEE star ratings. Purchase one with low electricity consumption, even though their cost is higher but in long term saving on electricity bills levels that and add benefits to your pocket.

What is distasteful and you always want to keep at bay will be very close to you.  And you wonder why it is with me always? Something like this happens every morning as I browse through news. Usually I start with international news followed by business, national and local news. The days around the full solar eclipse were better. We had reasons to celebrate for all national and international coverage of Taregna village and its history. But glory days are not forever; sooner the reality was evident.  One of the tourists was robbed of his belongings and strange that he was still happy. The days followed with no rain and situation hasn’t improved. There is no fear of drought but they see it coming and state has decided to get ready to take up the challenge of drought. The always wet North Bihar which has always seen the worst floods of the country still remains dry. Changing, things are changing they say, everything is changing.

The whole public remained mute onlooker of what happened on roads around Gandhi Maidan. The media seemed too busy covering the incident to pump up their TRP. It was the same place where the couples were beaten up by the cops in the park nearby, the innocent and dignified perished while goons and guns flourish.  What is happening? is it right?  Moral question or question on morality, don’t know. Don’t be evil if you cannot be good. It seems society is lifeless to realize that.

The sooner you realize, the better it is because nature is a great leveler and teacher.

Let’s stop the wild and wacky, be human in spirits, in words and in deeds.

I do not understand why we are so indifferent towards our environment? Count the members of fan clubs of Bollywood glitterati in social media, it will run into millions but when it comes to gather people for a cause like environment, education, healthcare and better living , you won’t feel that you are living in a country with a billion citizen.

One such campaign is being run by Greenpeace which aims to step up pressure of the citizen on Indian Government to speed up and adopt the renewable energy in our energy deficient country. What I have analyzed as the cause of the problem is that we don’t give a damn where does our electricity / energy comes from subject to the condition that the bulbs at our places are light. Even we do not care that the bulb is an incandescent one and we should replace it with Compact Fluorescent Lamp (CFLs) for better. We say “Chalta Hai” to the fact that around five CFLs can be used with same energy that we use to light a single incandescent bulb.

Recent developments at world stage and stand taken by India clearly show that we care for the Earth. PM Manmohan Singh deserve appreciation for that at the same time we all need to support of him to take the mission of sustainable development way forward. Let’s stand together and put the required pressure on all corners of Indian Government so that the step by prime Minister doesn’t end up in being a tale not so good to tell.

Renewable energy is the future of India and that is the truth. Instead of investing in coal and gas based mega projects in future lets develop our renewable energy sector. We have a lot of potential in this case. Coal based plants has side effects and one is damage to forest and environment.  Anyone who has visited hilly state of Meghalaya knows it well, what the mindless coal hunting and hunger do to the environment.

Indian Government needs to know what we’re seeing across the country – floods in one place, droughts in another. Unless we step up pressure and they act things will only get worse.

Click here to show what a current generation of Indians can do.

Grief, pain and sympathy

The whole clerisy stood with tears

 Limbless he was not born

But, what the world made him.

He cycled down to the median

For there he lives, the segregated

World saw him there for the past

Usual was so unusual for them

Burning tobacco and alcohol vapors

Completely unaware of the danger

Territory intruders came in unexpected

Rammed, slashed and squashed

Blood runs in the furrows

Muddle with the urine

An illegal, insane he was they say

Knowingly, drunk he blocked the way

Morning gentry stood with their faces low

For grief, pain and sympathy to show

Plastic is menace for a clean and green living, causes global warming (got a bit complex relation) and pollution of air water and soil (very apparent). It is really intelligent to cut in your plastic consumption. Here are a few handy things you can do to reduce your plastic use.

Everyone likes free gifts and promotional material because it comes free. Here you really have a chance to turn green. Just say no to the promotional material that comes with a lot of packaging. Make your near and dear ones understood that you would like gifts without wrapping and they can use old newspaper if they really need to wrap. This may sound crazy to them but they will get used to it and if they understand, they will praise you for that. Similarly, when you pack gift for others use old newspapers or present it unwrapped and if you feel awkward, just tell them why you did so. This way you will save on a lot of plastic waste at your home. Do the same when you go shopping, instead of plastic wrapped items prefer items sold and stored in glass and other reusable materials. Similarly, do not ask for a plastic bag from the shopkeeper. Just say no if things are few and it can be carried by hand. If you already know you will shop for a lot of thing which you will not be able to carry without a bag, and then carry a bag from your home to the store. Use a cloth or jute bag, they are better. If possible, wash and reuse the plastic bags you already have at home. Reuse as many times as you can. The best is to use cloth bag which are more fashionable and reusable at the same time. If you have plenty of clean bags which you brought during your past visits to the shopkeeper ask him if he would like to have those bags for to reuse. Buy yourself a reusable lunch container and lunch bag. They are more convenient and cost effective in long run compared to plastic wraps and bags. Similarly, when you are ordering food ask them in advance while placing order not to include plastic utensils and napkins.

Also, spread awareness about the problems related with plastic use to your friends, family and colleague and asks them to reduce and reuse.

Be Smart…Reduce Your Plastic Consumption.

Interesting  Idea Isn’t it??????

On the sidelines of G8 meet PM Manmohan Singh signed a historic pledge for global warming.  Pledge to limit global warming by no more than 2 degrees. This is a bold step forward and places India in climate leadership position. We demonstrated to the world that even though we are not responsible for climate change, we will do our share to fight it. But will it translate into action?

Despite monsoon season, our country is facing severe water shortage and we all know that agriculture will suffer like anything. Farmers are not able to sow their crops. If things keep on going like that, days ahead are really horrible. Reducing our dependence on coal is one of the possibilities to avoid this situation.

Greenpeace activists are actively pursuing Renewable Energy Law and this time they are placing hundreds of liters of water in fixed deposit accounts at a major bank somewhere in New Delhi, not far from the Prime Minister’s office.

Want to join the action?

Let the message to the Prime Minister will be loud and clear.

Deposit a liter of water in a bank account right away. It’s free.

As a rule man is a fool,
when it’s hot he wants it cool,
when it’s cool he wants it hot,
always wanting what is not.

I do not remember when I read it first but one thing is sure I will never forget it because of truth in it. Human nature can be described to clarity by these four lines. I am here in my village in Bihar (India) which I do not visit too often. If words are to be believed it rained cats and dogs in this region last year. There was water everywhere……yes you got it right the whole region was flooded. And then, there was havoc of Kosi. Kosi often described as “The Curse of North Bihar”, the flood was unprecedented and so was the loss of life and property. The devastation was of scale that it was declared National Calamity.

This time situation is in sharp contrast. People are waiting for it; the situation is grim, it is hot and horrible. They want it to rain now and they want it desperately.  In North Bihar drought is not common and it is not pleasant thing. But they see it coming; people fear it, agricultural for sure. Even gentle wind blows dust in the fields which used to be water- logged by this time.  They know it, no rains means no/poor production, poor harvest means economic burden and then will come bad days, dark days in time of global recession.  

They say monsoon hasn’t arrived late but it hasn’t arrived. People see no reason to be optimistic because predictions have performed badly earlier and they are highly unpredictable lately. Global warming and climate change do not make sense, they cannot tolerate that. After all, question they ask is why I am paying for the shit and sin of the inhabitants of faraway lands?

Meteorological experts and climate scientists do not want to relate to each other on this issue.  Rain or no rain it is them who will perish. But people still look up in the sky with a hope, that it will rain and it will rain soon.

Are we playing with nature or the nature is playing with us ……………Don’t know.