POK PM says he is as patriotic as any other Pakistani citizen

May 12, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Islamabad, May 12 (ANI): Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK) Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider has denied allegations levelled against him in a TV programme, and said that he is “as patriotic as any other Pakistani citizen, while fulfilling the role of a key person in the valley’s administrative matters.”

Addressing a press conference, he said he would inform Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani about the details of the TV programme, and “ask him to take action against the person responsible for deliberately defaming and demoralising him at the forum of state-run media.”

He also ruled out differences in the All Jammu and Kashmir Muslim Conference (AKJMC), saying the “ruling party is successfully running POK’s affairs”.

Paying respect and homage to Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the POK premier said he was “shocked beyond belief” over accusations that he had spoken disrespectfully of Jinnah.

“How I can utter such words,” the Daily Times quoted him, as saying.

Haider added that he and his forefathers had never accepted the slavery of English rulers, and played a cohesive role in the freedom movement, and succeeded in gaining a separate homeland. (ANI)

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Assam celebrates Bihu with traditional extravaganza

April 26, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Guwahati, Apr 26 (ANI): The hills and valleys of Assam come alive with the sound of Bihu thrice a year, which is much more than just a festival for the people of the state.

Rongali Bihu celebrations mark the onset of the New Year.

It is the time when farmers sow new seeds and offer prayers for a prosperous year ahead.

The Assamese people dress up in bright clothes and sing and dance in joy during Bihu, a festival which brings them close to their cultural roots.

And the gradual return of peace and normalcy has certainly given a boost to the festive spirit.

“Through Bihu we are trying to spread the message of peace and unity among all residing states of the Country. That’s why we have invited cultural groups of all seven states of northeast. The vibrant dance not just enthralls locals, but foreign tourists as well,” said

Dilip Das. organizer, Bihu celebration

“In the month of Chaitre and Bahar, we celebrate Assamese Bihu from the month of April. And we celebrate Rongali Bihu, in the last day of the month of Chaitra. We welcome this New Year, with traditional and cultural fun and fare,” said Sanjiv Lahkar, Assam.

The first day of Rongali Bihu is known as Garu Bihu. During the festival farmers wash, feed and worship their bulls and cows as a sign of respect and gratitude for the service provided by the cattle.

On the second day of Bihu, better known as Manush Bihu, people wear new clothes and feast at relatives or friends place and visitors are served rice beer.

The festival continues for 7 days.

“Since the time of our forefathers, we have been following this practice. We offer groundnuts, brinjal, cucumber, and turmeric to the cows and bulls. We pray for their good health and long life. We (villagers) give the cattle a bath as a sign of respect and gratitude for their service to us,” said Prabha Chandra Saikia, a farmer.

“Bihu is one of the biggest festivals for us (Assamese). We are enjoying Bihu by playing drums and other instruments,” said Ankur Bora, Assam.

Foreigners also enjoyed participating in the Bihu celebrations.

“I have come here today so that I would learn more about Assam, so that we build friendship much closer to Assam and I have discovered a wonderful celebration and a wonderful people. Hope next year more Americans will come and help you in celebrating Bihu,” said Beth A. Payne, a visitor from USA.

Bihu promotes brotherhood and spreads the message of peace and harmony among all. (ANI)

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Tribal culture, a source of strength in Manipur culture

April 20, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Imphal, Apr 19 (ANI): Manipur is home to different tribes who live together in perfect harmony.

Located nearly 70 kilometres from Imphal, the Machi Block in Chandel District is surrounded by green mountains and is completely cut off from the modern world.

The 72 villages in the area that have a population of 24, 000, is mainly inhabited by the Marin, Kuki and Khoibu tribes.

They live in houses made of tin and bamboo.

Their main source of income is weaving and farming.

Banana, pumpkin, and rice are the main crops, cultivated.

“We go to a factory at Mao to get seedlings of passion fruits for Rs.2 each. Our forefathers have been growing bananas for a long time. We are just carrying forward the legacy of banana cultivation,”said Maenai, local of the Machi village

A luxurious lifestyle is not for these people, but basic amenities are.

They want pottable water, good healthcare, education for the children and better roads.

Recently, the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojna, a central scheme was implemented in the region with the aim of improving connectivity.

Likewise, the National Rural Heath Mission programme is also providing better health facilities to the region.

Locals opine that the government is actively involved in development works.

“The Government is helping us with developmental work in our village. Roads and drains are under construction. We are hoping for further development of our village after the district council election,” said Kapingam, of the Machi village.

“The Government has introduced various developmental schemes in our village. But their proper implementation in various far-flung areas as yet has not been achieved,” said Hopson, another resident.

The Machi Block has a school too, which caters to the educational needs of the people.

Hockey is the favorite game of children here.

There is hope for development and progress from the forthcoming Manipur District Autonomous Council elections, which will be held after a gap of 20 years.

People in the region are happy with the decline in militancy.

Locals opine that the situation has improved in the state.

“There has been much improvement in the law and order situation in the area. The governance or the reach of an ability to access the villages has sufficiently improved in last few years. There is more effective domination by forces particularly Assam Rifles and other forces in Chandel district. I am grateful to that,” said H Dilip Singh, District Commissioner, Chandel District.

Kukis are even supporting elections and actively participating in Government programmes.

“UNC is against the election. Only Nagas are against it, not Kukis. They have some grievances,” said Hopson, a local, Machi village.

The tribals in Machi Block have witnessed a change in their lifestyle with the ongoing development work.

And things will only get better with time. (ANI)

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Tribal culture, a source of strength in Manipur culture

April 19, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Imphal, Apr 19 (ANI): Manipur is home to different tribes who live together in perfect harmony.

Located nearly 70 kilometres from Imphal, the Machi Block in Chandel District is surrounded by green mountains and is completely cut off from the modern world.

The 72 villages in the area that have a population of 24, 000, is mainly inhabited by the Marin, Kuki and Khoibu tribes.

They live in houses made of tin and bamboo.

Their main source of income is weaving and farming.

Banana, pumpkin, and rice are the main crops, cultivated.

“We go to a factory at Mao to get seedlings of passion fruits for Rs.2 each. Our forefathers have been growing bananas for a long time. We are just carrying forward the legacy of banana cultivation,”said Maenai, local of the Machi village

A luxurious lifestyle is not for these people, but basic amenities are.

They want pottable water, good healthcare, education for the children and better roads.

Recently, the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojna, a central scheme was implemented in the region with the aim of improving connectivity.

Likewise, the National Rural Heath Mission programme is also providing better health facilities to the region.

Locals opine that the government is actively involved in development works.

“The Government is helping us with developmental work in our village. Roads and drains are under construction. We are hoping for further development of our village after the district council election,” said Kapingam, of the Machi village.

“The Government has introduced various developmental schemes in our village. But their proper implementation in various far-flung areas as yet has not been achieved,” said Hopson, another resident.

The Machi Block has a school too, which caters to the educational needs of the people.

Hockey is the favorite game of children here.

There is hope for development and progress from the forthcoming Manipur District Autonomous Council elections, which will be held after a gap of 20 years.

People in the region are happy with the decline in militancy.

Locals opine that the situation has improved in the state.

“There has been much improvement in the law and order situation in the area. The governance or the reach of an ability to access the villages has sufficiently improved in last few years. There is more effective domination by forces particularly Assam Rifles and other forces in Chandel district. I am grateful to that,” said H Dilip Singh, District Commissioner, Chandel District.

Kukis are even supporting elections and actively participating in Government programmes.

“UNC is against the election. Only Nagas are against it, not Kukis. They have some grievances,” said Hopson, a local, Machi village.

The tribals in Machi Block have witnessed a change in their lifestyle with the ongoing development work.

And things will only get better with time. (ANI)

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Farmers urged to speak out on vegetation laws

April 8, 2010 By Leave a Comment

The Senate inquiry into how native vegetation laws affect farmers’ rights and land values will sit in Wagga Wagga tomorrow.

Apart from native vegetation laws, the inquiry is considering greenhouse gas abatement and climate change measures.

The Member for Riverina, Kay Hull, says she was only notified late yesterday about the hearing at the Wagga Wagga Council Chambers.

The Nationals’ MP says she is hoping farmers can attend, despite the short notice as they are being unfairly treated.

“I’m hoping that people from around the region will look to come at very short notice from the Senate references committee secretariat. The inquiry will be held at 9:00am to 4:00pm tomorrow in the council meeting room,” she said.

“From two till four there will be an opportunity for community statements to take place.

“They’re not environmental vandals, they are environmental enthusiasts. They believe that yes forefathers have done clearing which hasn’t been beneficial to the land but our farmers, particularly [in] the last two decades, have said, ‘we have made amends, we have bought about enormous changes and now we’re not being recognised for those changes by government legislation’.”

The committee includes Nationals’ senators John Williams, Barnaby Joyce and Fiona Nash.

Ms Hull says the Nationals forced change on the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (CPRS) and this inquiry has the power to make a big difference.

“These 14 Nationals in Federal Parliament among the 220 will again punch above their weight,” she said.

“I think that you can stop these things from going ahead. Just as we do not have a CPRS implemented within Australia, I believe that we can prevent these things from happening, so long as the people of Australia get behind us and give us their voice.”

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Kerala oracles and devotees sing filthy songs on Hindu deities

March 20, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Kodungallur (Kerala), Mar 20 (ANI): Devotes and oracles gathered at the Kodungallur Bhagavathy Temple here to celebrate the Bharani festival, where they sang filthy and vulgar songs about Hindu gods and goddess with the belief that it praises their main deity.

Devotees here are free to sing any kind of songs but should be a vulgar one followed by ”ta-naro-tanro” and throw turmeric, coconut on to the temple”s sanctum sanatorium roof, while the oracles dressed in red attire holding sword with bells on their belly take a full round of the temple.

Sometimes most of them hit themselves on their forehead with their sword in praise to their deity.

Surendran Kumar, a Hindu devotee from Coimbatore, who comes here every year with his entire group to celebrate, said that he has been following his father and brothers even mother to take up as an oracle.

Kumar further said it is the power of goddess, which draws him to do it every year without any fail.

“I have been coming here for the past four years now. We are altogether 166 people. We have been becoming oracles as a family traditional from my forefathers, all my brothers and even my mother comes here every year,” said Kumar.

“Only because of this our life is safe and secure we are very happily living. There is nothing like any pain or any break on our foreheads even we do not know why we are smashing ourselves we are not aware that time,” he added.

The pilgrimage undertaken to the shrine on this occasion is believed to safeguard and bring lots of wealth to their families.

Another lady oracle Devaki Amma said she has been coming here since ages and there has been a kind of blessing in her family after visiting this place.

“I have been coming here to this temple since 1943 and I am an oracle. We are around 55 devotees came together. For all of us the Kodungallur Bhagvati is our own deity, who protects us from all evils and has got every wealth like car, house and other things to our family members,” she said.

The famous Kodungalloor Bhagavathy Temple located in Thrissur district of Kerala is open for all especially belonging to the lower strata in Hindu society on the occasion.

The Goddess Bhagavathy is the presiding deity of the ancient temple here. The Bharani festival, known for its bawdy songs, attracts the largest congregation of Velichappadu or oracles, both men and women, in the State.

Kerala is a perfect place of communal harmony and is often mentioned as the god”s own country. (ANI)

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Frog marriage solemnised for rain showers in Nagpur

June 20, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Nagpur, June 20 (ANI): A number of farmers seeking rainfall in Nagpur city organised wedding of two frogs on Saturday to please the Rain Gods and hoped their region would soon receive monsoon showers.

People blew trumpets and sang songs, as the priest solemnized the marriage to the chanting of Hindu hymns by putting streaks of vermilion on the female toad’s head.

The toads were picked up from different ponds, following the local belief among the farmers in this part of India that a frog marriage pleases the Rain Gods and ensure a good harvest with rains.

Locals hoped the marriage would help them to end the dry spell that the region is experiencing.Our forefathers believed that marriage of male and female frogs makes Lord Indra (Rain God) happy that leads to rains. You can see that it is not raining in the entire Vidarbha, eastern region of Maharashtra state made up of Nagpur divison and Amravati division that has caused a drought like division. We are following this belief of our forefathers so that Lord Indra is pleased and it rains,” said Shailendra Awasthi, a participant in the marriage.

With temperatures soaring high and monsoons playing truant in northern and western parts of the country, people are praying hard for showers.

“It was sunny when we came in the morning for performing marriage. But now you can see the weather has changed. It means it will rain. We hope so,” said Ankita Bhatia, a participant in the frog marriage. By Sunil Kumar (ANI)

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Preserving ‘Morungs’, the traditional bachelors’ pads of Nagas

May 20, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Kisama (Nagaland), May 20 (ANI): In an effort to preserve ‘Morungs’, the traditional Naga bachelors’ dormitories in Nagaland, various steps have been initiated to promote ‘Morung’ culture.

‘Morung’ has been an integral part of the Naga villages, irrespective of tribe, since time immemorial.

To showcase and enlighten the younger generation about the Naga way of life including the cultural traditions of the bygone era, ‘Morungs’ of 16 different Naga tribes have been replicated at the Naga Heritage Village, Kisama.

Through to the efforts of the Kohima-based Cultural Promotion Society, Kohima and a few other voluntary fora, various projects on revival and renovation of ‘Morung’ culture are in progress.

“We want to preserve and renovate these cultural treasures. We believe in preservation of this age-old culture, traditions and artifacts besides taking forward the information associated with these valuable remnants,” said Keneizezo Yiese, President, Cultural Promotion Society, Kohima.

Each of the ‘Morungs’ usually lasts for a decade. At Kisama, a Morung was last set up in 2003 and now it is around seven years old.

The ‘Morungs’ showcase the material that is used to build it up since the days of yore but at the same time, efforts are on to enhance its longevity.

“Our forefathers used to bring the young ones here and narrate valuable experiences of life, things pertaining to warfare, consciousness of tradition and culture, the status of men in village, how to conduct war and also to defend villages,” said Sadikuolie Khezie, a resident.

Ever since the annual Hornbill Festival was planned, the Government of Nagaland has endeavoured to showcase the traditional Naga ‘Morungs’ to the rest of the world. By Vibhou Ganguly (ANI)

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Puran Shah Koti, the legendry guru of many Punjabi singers

May 18, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Jalandhar, May 18 (ANI): Having dedicated his life to popularize Sufi music, Ustad Puran Shah Koti is today held in deep respect by some of the best known names of the Punjabi music world.

Ustad Koti holds the distinction of having trained some of the popular Punjabi singers including Han Raj Hans, Jasbir Jassi and Master Salim.

“Singing is god’s gift to me. My father Ranjan Das taught me singing. I took further training from Waqir Hussain ‘Sahab’ of Patiala. My wife gave me her support during bad times -when we had nothing to eat and no shelter,” says Puran Shah Koti, the sufi singer. e narrates how he moved to Shahkot in Jalandhar and took shelter in a small hut. It was there that he taught music to Jasbir Jassi and Hans Raj Hans.

He claims to have no knowledge of any ‘technical method’ of singing. He calls himself “a nomadic singer”. “They listened to me and then followed my way of singing. I guess that’s how they have learnt singing from me,” says the legendry singer Koti.

“I wish what we have learned from our forefathers could live forever because singing is eternal. I want to sing in the same way as I have sung my whole life. I have no interest in money and I don’t want any awards. But my only aim is to make the upcoming generation aware of Sufism, classical music, heritage, culture, food and singing,” says Puran Shan Koti. By Sumit Khanna (ANI)

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Himachal villagers keen to preserve water powered mills

March 19, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Kumrali (HP), Mar 19 (ANI): Villagers residing at Kumrali village in Sirmour district of Himachal Pradesh are keen to preserve the century old water powered mills “Gharat”, which are on the verge of extinction.

The Gharat, which is used for grinding flour, rice and maize, has been a source of income.

With the arrival of modern grinding equipment and power, the traditional water mills are facing slow death.

However, the villagers who have been depending on this old method of grinding want to preserve it.

“We are trying our best to preserve but the government has not come forward to help us. We are still practicing this age old tradition of “Gharat” which was set up by our forefathers,” said Shivlal, a villager.

The natural taste of flour from the mills run through water wheel still attracts a few villagers.

“After the arrival of the electricity-run machines, the demand of traditional flour mill has been reduced. But the people do not like the taste of the flour obtained from electricity run machines, they prefer the flour produced in the traditional way. Many people have complained of illness after consuming it. We are trying to preserve and lets see how our children continue,” said Preetam, a villager.

“Gharats” have been used in the Himalayan and the northeastern region for centuries. By Hemant Chauhan (ANI)

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‘Vicious’ Vikings eventually evolved to live in harmony with natives

March 13, 2009 By Leave a Comment

London, Mar 13 (ANI): Researchers have revealed the gentle side of Viking warriors, insisting that the Scandinavian invaders – known for raiding and colonizing Britain in the 11th century – were model immigrants who formed harmonious relationships with the natives.

From the time they ransacked a priory at Lindisfarne in 793, the Vikings have had a bad press. They have also been stereotyped as marauding barbarians arriving in their helmeted hordes to pillage their way across Britain.

However, new evidence suggests that following their violent arrival, the Vikings lived in relative harmony with their Anglo-Saxon and Celtic counterparts.ambridge University researchers believe they swapped technology with forefathers and enriched their culture.

“Most people’s image of the Vikings centres on their arrival and disruption but that only continued for a very short period of time. Afterwards they started building settlements and interacting with the locals and became assimilated into their culture and influenced them in many ways,” The Telegraph quoted Dr M ire N¡ Mhaonaigh, a senior lecturer, as saying.

“As such they provide a clear example of how a particular group came into a sophisticated established society and the resulting interaction was positive.

“Both societies profited and modern day people can take a lesson from this that two cultures coming together can learn from each other,” the expert added.

The ‘Between the Islands’ conference has been organised by Cambridge University’s Department of Anglo-Saxon, Norse and Celtic studies. (ANI)

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Holi spreading communal harmony in Jammu and Kashmir

March 9, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Srinagar, Mar. 9 (ANI): Hindus and Muslims are already celebrating Holi in Rajouri District forgetting their differences.

Holi has a special significance here. Hindus and Muslims celebrate this festival a week in advance by carrying out processions in the name of Lord Bhairon.

“This kind of procession happens only in Rajouri. According to our forefathers, earlier when the procession wasn’t carried out in a certain year, people faced calamities the next year like water scarcity and lack of fruits on trees. So our progenitors made a tradition to organize this procession every year,” said Hasan Mushtaq, a local.

During the procession a half naked man, who is painted black from top to bottom, holds a forceps in his hand and takes a round of the whole area. People from both Muslim and Hindu communities also move along with him.

It is believed that whoever gets a smashing on his back with the forceps receives the blessings of Lord Bhairon.

“We have been hearing from our forefathers that this is a very old tradition and it is celebrated on the occasion of Holi,” said Bharat Bashan Vaid, a local.

The 200-year-old ‘Bhairon procession’ has not only become an integral part of Holi celebrations in Rajori district, but it is also a symbol of communal harmony. By Liyaqat Chaudhary (ANI)

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Obama’s roots traced back to 17th century

March 8, 2009 By Leave a Comment

London, Mar.8 (ANI): Genealogists have traced the family roots of Barack Obama, the 44th US President back to a seventeenth-century Pilgrim settler who emigrated from England to America as one of the founding fathers of the colony of Plymouth, Massachusettes.
They found that President Obama is the 13th-generation descendant of Deacon Thomas Blossom, who was born in the village of Great Shelford, Cambridgeshire, around 1580.
Research by Charles Blossom, 63, and his close family had already revealed that they, too, are related to Thomas Blossom.

After being told of the link between their ancestor and the new President, Blossom, from Wolton on the Wolds, Leicestershire, declared himself “astonished”.

“I guess it makes us distant cousins,” The Telegraph quoted Blossom, as saying.
“We have been looking at our family history quite recently after we found some old documents and diaries. We certainly have ancestors that went to America and one was called Thomas Blossom. He was on board a ship which took some of the first Pilgrims to America,” Charles said.

Experts at the New England Historical Genealogical Society traced the link between President Obama, through his white mother, Ann Dunham, to the Pilgrim forefathers.

The President, who is half Kenyan and was born in Hawaii, is the 12th-generation grandchild of Thomas Blossom.

The discovery has sparked bickering between villages in Cambridgeshire about who can lay claim to President Obama’s English roots.

Thomas Blossom was one of seven children of Peter and Annabel Blossom from Great Shelford, Cambs. After his birth the family moved to Stapleford in around 1582, where Peter is described as a “husbandman”, or small farmer, in records.

In 1605, at the age of 25, Thomas married Anne Elsdon in Cambridge. he couple fled to the Dutch city of Leiden to escape religious persecution in England along with other exiles known as the Pilgrims. During their time there the couple buried three children who died at a young age.

They first attempted to sail to the New World in 1620 on board the Speedwell, a sister ship of the Mayflower. But while the Mayflower carried America’s founding fathers across the Atlantic, the Speedwell developed a leak and had to turn back.

The original Mayflower was dismantled for scrap in 1623, but a second ship of the same name eventually took Thomas Blossom and his family to America at their second attempt in 1629.

Thomas Blossom became an important member of the Pilgrim community as the first Deacon of the Church of Plymouth, but died in 1633 from an infectious fever, probably influenza.

After his death, he left behind a daughter Elizabeth, who was nine when the family set sail, and two sons, Thomas and Peter. President Obama is descended from Elizabeth. (ANI)

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America must show its resilience in hard times: Obama

January 19, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Washington, Jan.19 (ANI): Addressing a huge crowd of proud Americans from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial here on Sunday, two days before he is to take oath as the 44th President of the United States, President-elect Barack Obama called on the people of the country to show their resilience and overcome all obstacles coming in the way of change.

Obama called for a new spirit of national sacrifice to overcome war and economic crisis, even as a star-studded concert marked the official start of festivities leading up to his inauguration on Tuesday as America’s first black president.

“In the course of our history, only a handful of generations have been asked to confront challenges as serious as the ones we face right now. Our nation is at war. Our economy is in crisis. I won’t pretend that meeting any one of these challenges will be easy. It will take more than a month or a year, and it will likely take many,” Obama said.

“But never forget that the true character of our nation is revealed not during times of comfort and ease, but by the right we do when the moment is hard. I ask you to help me reveal that character once more, and together, we can carry forward as one nation, and one people, the legacy of our forefathers that we celebrate today,” he added.

Obama said what gave him the greatest hope was “not the stone and marble that surrounds us today, but what fills the spaces in between”. It is you, Americans of every race and region and station who came here because you believe in what this country can be and because you want to help us get there,” he said.

“As I prepare to assume the presidency, yours are the voices I will take with me every day I walk into that Oval Office,” he said, adding “The voices of men and women who have different stories but hold common hopes; who ask only for what was promised us as Americans – that we might make of our lives what we will and see our children climb higher than we did.” (ANI)

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