Chandigarh NGO sets up mobile library in minivan to help underprivileged students

In the wake of Covid19 pandemic, an NGO based in Chandigarh has set up a small library in a minivan to distribute books among the unprivileged students.

Sandeep Kumar, founder of the NGO -Open Eye Foundation -collected books from various sources to help the students who can not afford to buy books amid the financial crisis due to Covid19.

“After completing my studies, I got an idea to reuse the books for other students. In December 2016, I started this initiative and organised camps in various schools. People appreciated and came forward to help me with the study materials", said Kumar.

Since then, Kumar has been travelling in his mini van, filled with books and writing materials collected from various houses to make them available to students from slums and colonies.

“Distribution via scooter during lockdown period wasn't feasible so I got a minivan. I give aways masks and sanitary napkins too along with study material,” Kumar further added.Kumar has collected over 40,000 books in the last three years and distributed around 10,000.

Motto of his foundation is ‘Education from Trash’.

'Doctors For You' faces financial crunch

'Doctors for You' - a Trust run by some Delhi-based doctors - has been actively looking after COVID patients since the outbreak of the pandemic in Delhi. The Trust's first 100-bedded COVID care centre at Shehnai Banquet Hall shut down recently as the number of cases stagnated while the recovery rate improved.
Their 500-bedded COVID care centre at CWG Stadium, taking care of patients with mild to moderate symptoms, remains operational till date.

The CWG centre had over 340 beds occupied recently. They discharged patients who had already spent 10 days at the centre so that they could free up some beds.

The source of funds for the Trust is a private company called HCL. But with a sudden jump in COVID cases of late, 'Doctors for You' finds it difficult to run the centre.

“We have the capacity to increase 100 beds at CWG Stadium centre but we lack manpower. We have to pay salaries of the existing workforce. We charge not even a single penny from patients. We provide them free kits which include buckets, slippers, soaps, toiletries, etc. We dont know how long we can run the centre with this financial crunch," says Dr Ravi Kant from 'Doctors for You.'

Indian women demand division of household chores

From restrictions on their movement to being forced to do myriad household chores, women are facing the impact of the lockdown.

Subarna Ghosh, who runs a charity working on reproductive justice, has filed an online petition urging Prime Minister Narender Modi to step in and ask men to divide household chores.

“I filed it because inequity was already there, but the kind of imbalance in housework following the lockdown has come absolutely in our faces”, says Subarna.

Subarna lives in a small apartment in Mumbai with her husband and two children. In the beginning, when the lockdown was announced, she was fine but with several lockdown extensions, she was annoyed as nobody in the family was helping with household chores.

This resulted in more arguments; she scolded her children more as she alone carried the whole house workload.

Then came a time when she totally gave up and stopped doing any household chore. As things piled up, family members realised what Subarna was going through and decided to help in whatever possible way they could.

Lockdown forced people to sit together under the same roof for a long time. In some cases, it was a cause of friction while in others people got time to discuss affairs around them and understand each other better.

As per a report by International Labour Organization, women in urban India in 2018 spent 312 minutes a day on unpaid care work while men spent 29 minutes. In villages, it was 291 minutes for women compared to 32 minutes for men.

So far, over 70,000 people have signed Subarna's petition.

Aditi Prasad, a physiotherapist, lives with her husband and two children in Delhi. Her situation was no different.

“It was like a nightmare. All of a sudden we heard the news that no maids would be allowed to work. There is so much to do from washing clothes to ironing clothes, cooking food to feeding kids, dishwashing, etc, all was on my head. It was a big problem for me” says Aditi.

Aditi also complains about prevalent patriarchy in our society.

“It is male-biased society. Men don't usually work and they are not even expected to work,” says Aditi.

After almost 10 days, Aditi’s husband Gaurav realised how traumatic it had become for his wife to manage the whole house.

“I have just started working from home and I know how painful it gets. Maybe I am helping her with 25-30% of the work but again even that is not too much assistance that I am extending," says Gaurav

On being asked if Subarna got any response from PM Modi, she said, “I haven’t got any direct responses as yet but I am quite sure that they would be following up on it."

An open letter to adult children

Many men think they are doing a great favour to their parents by living together with them. I ask such men, "did you feel the same when you were a kid, when you were dependent on them for cleaning your poop and hand feeding you and serving you continuously till you got married and your wife became much more important to you?"

All your life when you needed support, you grabbed the hands of your parents but when they required emotional support in old age, you either moved away or continued to live with them treating them more like a liability. 

You think depending on them was perfectly obvious because they gave you life and raised you but you consider having them to live with you a favour from your end. 

How often did you feel that it was your parents/parents in law’s duty to look after your kids in your absence, or even presence? If they look after your kids, it is their choice and affection towards them. They are not obligated to do so. 

Today you are troubled not because they demand too much from you but because you feel your privacy is being violated. You have no idea how much your parents have loved you all their life. Above all, they valued your life more than theirs. 

Respect them for what you are today. They spent their youth towards getting this independent man out of a boy who couldn't even live alone at home without parents. 

You depended on them when you were single, today you need them because you need a baby sitter, so that you can attend your office without having to think of your kids’ safety and school assignments. 

More than them, you need them - for your selfish motives. If there are no such motives, then they become non-entities and you choose to live away from them because living with them "kills" your privacy.

Everything you do comes back to you; good or bad; sooner or later. 

Do not ill-treat your parents. Do not be rude to them. This is the least you can do while choosing to prioritise other things over them.

Remember - your parents don’t live with you. You live with them.

No human is God

Did you just think this person is epitome of perfection and no person can replace him/her? Think...Think again…Think till you know no human is God. 

Who, in your life, has been really good to you? A friend or loved one? This kind of goodness is life-affirming. It makes you feel loved. Yet it is human goodness; it has an expiry date. 

Everything happening with us is destined to happen but clinging to bad past and not moving ahead only leads to disaster. 

Every event has a life changing impact. No event happened for no reason. Nothing could be undone, and with every event we learnt something new - to an extent that we decide to never look back and keep growing mentally and spiritually.

Life is moving and so are we. 

“Life's trials will test you, and shape you, but don’t let them change who you are.”

~ Aaron Lauritsen

No matter what you go through, no matter how people treat you, keep your foundation strong, keep your karma right. 

Be polite with every individual because politeness is the flower of humanity that grows more and more beautiful as we nurture it. 

Quit arrogance because you are not God and you are not permanent here. 

See the beauty of life. Thank God for all you have. You are way better than millions around. You are loved beyond your imagination. Feel this love - the love of God.

Love yourself and love God because at the end that is all that matters. 

Gyaan by Sapna Baba

8-year-old climate heroine of India

She is only eight, but for the last two years, Licypriya Kangujam has been actively campaigning for passing a law to tackle climate change in India.

At the age when kids are usually learning addition and subtraction, this girl from Manipur is travelling to different countries of the world to raise her concerns about climate change.

The youngest environmentalist is pressing for new laws to control high carbon emission in India and everywhere else, and to make climate change a compulsory subject in the school curriculum. She also advocates plantation of 10 trees per student per year in order to be able to pass finals exams.

“We have 350 million students, and if they plant this minimum amount of trees every year, we will be planting 3.5 billion trees a year”, says Kangujam.

Activism, including weekly protest outside the Parliament House in national capital New Delhi, consumes most of her time.

"I weep every time I see children lose their parents or become displaced due to the dangers of disasters. My heart feels sore to see people who can’t help themselves when disaster strikes", she adds.

Kangujam dropped out of school in February 2019 as attending classes regularly amid protests wasn’t possible.

While her struggle against climate change continues, she has not given up on her dream to pursue education. So far, Kangujam has travelled 32 countries and has spoken at over 60 places about her movement.

"I travel place to place to raise my concerns about climate change and disaster risks reduction to the people of the world," the young climate activist says.

So far the youngest speaker at the United Nations (UN), Kangujam says she was only four years old when she accompanied her father to raise funds for victims of the deadly 2015 Nepal earthquake.

But it was only after attending a UN disaster management conference in Mongolia with her father in 2018 that she felt the need to be involved in activism.

"I got a lot of motivation and new knowledge from the people giving speeches. It was a life-changing event for me," she says.

Right after her return from Mongolia, Kanjugam with the help of her father set up an organisation called 'The Child Movement' to demand immediate action to save the planet and the future of young children.

Rajasthan and Gujarat have been the first ones to add climate change to the school curriculum.

Licypriya finds it distasteful when people call her Greta Thunberg of India.

To this, she says, "if you call me Greta of India, you are not covering my story. I began the movement to fight climate change much before Greta appeared on the scene."

She added that she is good friends with Greta and they both respect each other.

The little girl has big dreams and an electrifying story.

India Art Fair 12

India Art Fair (IAF), since its launch in 2008, has witnessed a celebration of modern and contemporary art of South Asia. With over 75 exhibitors from 20 South Asian cities, the IAF is the biggest such exhibition in the region showcasing a buffet of material explorations, and a brush with the contemporary and the hidden.

The 12th edition of IAF is being held from January 30 to February 2 at NSIC Exhibition Grounds in Delhi. Aiming to increase art audiences in the country, the exhibition features over 81 Indian and international galleries. 

IAF Director Jagdip Jagpal has successfully created a distinct identity for the exhibition by focusing on the curation of South Asian contemporary art. She ensured that at least 70 per cent of the floor space is dedicated for Indian and South Asian galleries and artists, private foundations, arts charities and national institutions.

Interestingly, the fair also includes art by the differently-abled as also by those who never displayed their work before.

The Young Collector’s Programme and IAF Parallel platform is designed for those interested in viewing, collecting and learning more about the curation of art. It features master classes, studio visits, walkthroughs and tours of Delhi’s famed museums, galleries, and alternative art spaces.

Ever since BMW became a presenting partner of IAF, one Art Car from the BMW exquisite collection of Art Cars has been displayed at the IAF. The BMW Art Car collection features a limited collection of BMW cars that have been used by some of the biggest artists as a canvas.

Have a look at some amazing installations by renowned artists.

   

   

     

Will come up with more updates on IAF next year. Ciao. 

Widows of Vrindavan

Vrindavan - the land of Lord Krishna - is considered one of the holiest places for Hindus in India. The temples of the city attract people from across the world, but for the widows of Vrindavan, it is home. For they have nowhere else to go.

'Sati,' the abhorrent cultural practice of a recently widowed woman, either voluntarily or by force, immolating herself on her deceased husband's pyre, was long abolished in 1829 but the condition of widows in the country till date remains pitiful.

Considered inauspicious, many widows are abandoned by their children and relatives. In order to prevent them from inheriting their husbands' property, they are thrown out by their families. In many instances, the widows had to leave the house after facing harsh treatment from their sons and daughters-in-law.

But it is still not clear why Vrindavan attracts widows from all over India, particularly West Bengal. Many come here as genuine pilgrims to devote rest of their lives to Lord Krishna, yet others simply want to escape their ruthless families.

Kalidasi came to Vrindavan 12 years ago. After her husband's death, her son and daughter-in-law started thrashing her over flimsy pretexts. One day, her son forced her to consume rat poison. That is when she decided to leave her family and settle in Vrindavan.

Widow Shobha Soni has a sorry story to tell.

"I suffered a lot after my husband's death. My parents-in-law did not treat me well. They asked me to leave the house immediately upon my husband's death. I could not remarry because I had two daughters. A woman has no value and respect in our society after her husband dies. Considered useless, she is prohibited from participating in family functions. In fact, she is completely dissociated from the family", Soni explains.

Another widow Kalyani Paul has this to say.

"I get some money through clothes-stitching for lord Krishna, but that is not enough. I buy vegetables, milk and other things. I don’t have any other source of income. Stitching is all I do to sustain myself," says Paul.

Taking into account the predicament of widows in Vrindavan, the apex Supreme Court asked National Legal Service Authority (NALSA) to contact non governmental organisation (NGO) Sulabh International to work for their cause.

In 2012, Founder of Sulabh International Dr Bindeshwar Pathak visited Vrindavan to personally meet and understand the condition of widows who were, in most cases, reduced to begging on the streets.

Even now, widows can be spotted begging at Nidhi Van and many other locations. 

“In the beginning, we helped each widow with Rs 1000 but later, as we realised this was not sufficient, we raised the amount to Rs 2000. We have employed teachers to teach them Hindi, English and Bangla, as most of the widows are natives of West Bengal. We also train them in making incense sticks, garlands and dresses for Lord Krishna and deity Radha. Sulabh helps in marketing these goods," says Dr Pathak.

From organising regular medical check-ups and annual trips to Kolkata during 'Durga Puja' and Taj Mahal in Agra, Dr Pathak and his NGO have tried to ensure a normal and joyful life to the widows of Vrindavan.

These widows start their mornings with two-hour Krishna chanting at 7 am. During the daytime, they take care of their personal work or simply relax. The evenings are again dedicated to Krishna chanting.

The widows in shelterhouses of Vrindavan are slowly beginning to gain social acceptance. Some of them celebrate major festivals such as Holi, Diwali and Rakshabandhan with the local people of Vrindavan.

Besides Sulabh, many other NGOs are working together to help improve the condition of widows in the holy town of Vrindavan. But there is a long way to go before these widows can come to have a dignified status in the society. 

For your eyes, and head, only

The Indian tradition of applying 'kajal' on the eyes of small children has been drastically brought down with doctors strictly advising mothers against it. But the practice can still be witnessed in some places where mothers believe that 'kajal' has a cooling effect and helps babies relax. The tradition passes from one generation to the other. 

Pandit Avadhesh Tiwari explains, "the babies are adorable and elders love to play with them. Sometimes this can have a negative impact on babies. In order to protect the baby from evil eye or any negative effect, the 'kajal' is applied. It nullifies the effect of the evil eye. That is why we have this practice of applying 'kajal' in Hinduism.” 

Another ritual of head shaving, commonly known as 'mundan', is also mandatory among Hindus. Some Muslims and native Americans follow it too. The ideal time to perform 'mundan' is between four months and 1.25 years of age, though it may be performed anytime before the child turns three.

Some communities tonsure boys only and no girls. The time and ritual of tonsuring vary from region to region and religion to religion. Some families prefer to perform the ritual in the presence of a priest while others do it at home in the presence of other family members. The ritual involves a big ceremony where relatives and friends are invited to give blessings to the baby. 

According to Hindu scriptures, a soul experiences 84 lakh 'yonis' (births) before coming to the human body, and every 'yoni' leaves some influence on human birth. Head shaving is a gesture that purifies and frees the soul from the past. Some ancient scriptures say that it helps in boosting the growth of nerves and brain.

"When a child is in mother’s womb, he is in an unclean condition with many germs in hair that go into head cells. They are required to be removed with an 'ustra' (razor) for better growth of the brain. Our scriptures say that there are impurities carried from past lives and shaving the head helps one free from the effect of those impurities", adds Pandit Avadhesh Tiwari.

Here we are reporting from Laxmi Narayan temple.

Piplantri goes plant-tree

When it comes to environment protection, women empowerment and employment generation, Rajasthan's Piplantri village has been leading the way in a unique manner.

At a time when stringent legal provisions have failed to check female foeticide and infanticide in the country, a man’s single-handed mission in Rajsamand district's Piplantri village has set an example of incredible change.

The village never welcomed the birth of a girl child. Female foeticide and infanticide were not unusual due to the vicious dowry system rampant in the village.

Then in 2007, the then Sarpanch of Piplantri Shyam Sundar Paliwal lost his 18-year-old daughter Kiran to dehydration and heat stroke. 

Paliwal's personal tragedy led him to reflect on how to save the girl child and, consequently, the environment. He then planted a tree in Kiran's memory. 

Seeing the support and emotions of other villagers at that time, Paliwal asked each family to plant 111 trees on the birth of a girl child. The birth of a daughter which was once considered misfortune became an occasion for celebration.

Significantly, as many as 350,000 trees have so far been planted.

The village 'panchayat' (local administration) looks after these plants so that no effort of the local people goes waste. Several women and self-help groups look after the maintenance on regular basis. 

“The women are making products from Aloe Vera which are then sold in the market. The women are becoming independent. When they become independent, they provide better education to their children. Thousands of girls and women are benefitting from this”, Paliwal emphasised.

Many village panchayats are now following Paliwal's footsteps and replicating the idea in their area.

Every year on the festival of 'Raksha Bandhan', a 'rakhi' (wrist band) is tied to the trees as a symbol of "brotherhood" with nature.

“I treat trees as my brothers because they were planted by my parents when I was born. They help keep the environment pollution free. They give us wood and fruits”, class 10 student Komal Paliwal said.

Besides tree plantation, a fixed bank deposit of Rs 31,000 is created with a contribution of Rs 20,000 by a Trust owned by Shyam Sundar Paliwal. The money, meant for girl’s education and marriage, is withdrawable only when she turns 18.

“I have two daughters. I was happy when my daughter gave birth to a girl child. For me, goddess Laxmi had arrived in my house. A fixed deposit was made at the time of her birth. Our daughters are our pride, not burden”, villager Sosar Devi said.

There is no stopping to Paliwal's unique work and now he wants the whole earth to turn green. 

"Today there are 3,50,000 trees in Piplantri giving employment to people. When so many trees can be planted in Piplantri, I am sure it can be done in other parts of the country as well," Paliwal averred.

Even after she is gone, Shyam Sundar Paliwal's daughter Kiran standing tall with 3,50,000 trees in Piplantri