It’s birthday- Vinayka’s birthday

The Ganesh festival is being celebrated across India from Friday onwards with people performing poojas in the morning to the idol of the elephant-headed god moulded in wet clay. Ganesha Chaturthi or Vinayaka Chavithi is celebrated by Hindus around the world as the birthday of Lord Ganesha.

Considered as God of wisdom and power, Lord Ganesha is Lord Shiva’s eldest son and he is the elder brother of Kartikeya and Skanda. He is considered to be the energy component of Lord Shiva and hence he is referred to as the son of Umadevi and Shankar. Mothers hope to get Ganesha’s sterling virtues by praying Lord Ganesha.

On the day of the festival, the belief is such that one should not see the moon. If anyone violates it, they will face false allegations in the coming year.

People in India uses 21 types of herbal leaves and flowers during Ganesh Festival to worship Lord Ganesh.

Immersion of Ganesh idols is performed on 3rd, 5th and 7th days. For 10 days, from Bhadrapad Shudh Chaturthi to the Ananta Chaturdashi, Ganesha is worshipped. The 11th day is the last day for immersion of the idols. The day is called as Anant Chaturdashi.

On the last day, the idol is taken through the streets in a procession accompanied with dancing, singing, and shouting like "Ganapathi Bappa Morya, Purchya Varshi Laukariya" (O father Ganesha, come again early next year), and it will be immersed in water symbolizing a ritual see-off of the Lord in his journey towards his abode in Kailash while taking away with him the misfortunes of all man.

Lokmanya Tilak was the one who popularised the festival during the freedom movement and made it a community celebration. Colourfully decorated Idols of lord Ganesha are installed both at homes and Pandals. The occasion becomes very lively and enthusiastic with the devotional songs, dances and drum beats being a part of the rituals observed by the devotees of Lord Ganesha, as part of the festivities. Pandals across Mumbai are known to thematically represent the current social issues that the city faces through tableaux, paintings and decorations.

The Lalbaug Raja in central Mumbai is the biggest draw. Although the idol in the cramped fish market remains the same each year, crores of devotees flock to this much-hyped pandal to seek boons from the wish-fulfilling deity. Over the years, offerings in gold and silver have increased in direct proportion to high-profile celebrity visits and constant media coverage. This year celebrities including Amitabh Bachchan, Bipasha Basu, Sonu Nigam, Shilpa Shetty, Isha Koppikar and Shankar Mahadevan visited Lalbaugcha Raja to offer their prayers to lord Ganesha.

Crowning festivities in south Mumbai is the Fort Vibhaag Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Mandal. It is marvellous to see how the busy spot transforms into a beautiful palace or temple each year. This season, the mandal has recreated the Kedarnath Jyotirling at the entrance with the rest of the 11 jyotirlings inside.

For the first time in the history of the Ganesh festival, teenage priests are performing religious rituals in various parts across Mumbai following a shortage of 'purohits' or Hindu priests in the city. Another significant first in this year's festival is that all the mandals have pledged not to put up banners and hoardings advertising tobacco and gutka. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has also distributed banners, hoardings and pamphlets to mandals across the city to create awareness about various social issues including female foeticide. Besides, doctors from the Mumbai District Aids Control society have roped in students from over 100 colleges to execute the HIV awareness programme at the mandals.

Bollywood has also been gripped with the festivities of Ganesh Chaturthi. Celebrities who installed the idol of the elephant god at their homes include Salman Khan, Jeetendra, Nana Patekar, Rani Mukherjee, Suniel Shetty, Jackie Shroff, Akshay Kumar, Govinda, Shilpa Shetty, Raveena Tandon and Shreyas Talpade among others. The Ganesh idol at R K Studios in suburban Chembur is the oldest with many queuing up for offering prayers during the 10-day festivities.

Meanwhile, a wave of green is increasingly making its presence felt this Ganeshotsav. Going eco-friendly in one's home is one thing, but an entire housing society doing so is quite unique. All residents of a housing society in suburban Khar have switched to eco-friendly Ganpati idols in their homes this year. Even the society's Ganpati is an eco-friendly one. Several sarvajanik mandals have also installed eco-friendly idols made from tissue paper.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) have been appealing Mumbaikars to use eco-friendly Ganesh idols and artificial ponds for immersion to curb pollution. The pollution control board has also directed the mandals to remove flowers, clothes and decorating material before immersion. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has also increased the number of artificial ponds from 19 to 22 this year.

The entire city of Mumbai celebrates ganpati festival irrespective of caste creed and religion. This celebration brings out the splendour of street life, the spirit of sharing and giving and the strength of the city's artistic traditions.

Amravati the land of Snakes

Kunwar Abhishek Bhagat

Amravati

Amravati district has hilly regions in the north and northeastern borders. These regions adjoin the Burhanpur, Betul and Chhindwara forests. The other parts of the district are dry and have a black cotton soil. In fact there seems to be a perpetual scarcity of water in and around Amravati. Looking to this nature of the terrain therefore it is no wonder that a number of snakes are found in the north while the south seems to confine to Cobra, Russels Viper, Rat snake and the Checkered black. In the hilly north there is a likelihood of the prevalence of the rough tailed snake also. Snake bite cases are few and far between in the south and are mostly confined to the cobras. The bite normally expected is that by a cobra which has a neurotoxin poison. If a poisonous snake has bitten and a sufficient lethal dose of venom injected, then the patient can only be saved by an antivenin. In cases of sub-lethal dose and non-poisonous snake bites, the patients can be cured by psychological treatments.

At Amravati University one can find both venomous and non-venomous snakes, but one cannot say that non venomous snakes not kill humans, but they are indeed deadly non-poisons, as man would die after the bite when his blood is flown of the body.

Types of the non venomous snakes at Amravati:-

Checkered Keelback: - This type of snake has checkered back and lives in water and it has very developed lungs and in Amravati they are second commonest found snake can live without oxygen for 10-15 mins .

Rat snake: - This is locally known as Dhaman. It is a long snake growing to about nine feet and is seen all over the district. There are big yellowish brown marks on its body as also in the tail region and at the sides. This snake is harmless, but is often mistaken to be poisonous. This snake feeds on rats and as such it is also called a rat snake.

Viper:- This snake is also non-venomous and is found in the hilly area of Melghat and nearby Malabar / Western ghats, it is also believed that if one get bitten by this snake and he would not survive as the same case with the Checked keelback. This short snake with blunt tail is found all over the district. It is locally called Dutondya. It has brown irregular patches on its grey body. This snake is very sluggish and grows to about two and a half feet. It feeds on frogs, lizards and mice and is absolutely harmless. It may be mistaken to be the young one of a python. The latter is pink and is much thicker with a tine tapering tail.

 Python: - This snake is locally called Ajgar and is found in thick forests. It grows to a length of fourteen feet. There are brown patches on its grey body and has a pink head and faint brown lower sides. It is omnivorous and feeds on anything living which it kills by constriction.

Kraite :- This brown snake with thick pale cross bars on the body is found near human habitations and in gardens. It is often mistaken for a crate. It is harmless and feeds on insects and frogs.

Wolf snake:- This wolf snake is quite common all over the district. It grows to about two feet and is mistaken for a crate. It is harmless and is brown coloured with whitish cross bars.

Water snake: - it is also no venomous. And it has triangular head with a thick tail.

Red sand boa:- Adapted to burrowing, the head is wedge-shaped with narrow nostrils and very small eyes. The body is cylindrical in shape with small polished scales. The tail, which is blunt, rounded and not distinct from the body, appears truncated. Coloration varies from reddish-brown to dull yellow-tan

Bended racer:- Snout obtuse, curved and prominent; rostral large, broader than wide, the portion visible from above more than half its length from the front.

Smooth back:- A slender snake, the dorsal surface is usually grey or brownish with a double row of brown or black spots. These spots sometimes appear fused giving a crossbar effect. The flanks may also have a single row of spotting. The back spots can also be joined down the back forming 2 longitudinal stripes down the body. Stripes and bars can also occur for just short parts of the markings with the double row being present as normal on other areas. Ventral surface is grey, brown, appearing uniform or mottled with white, the sides of the belly are usually whitish. The throat and forepart of the belly usually appear lighter.
Stripes Keelback:- The  buff striped keelback is a species of nonvenomous  snake found across Asia. It is a typically nonaggressive snake that feeds on frogs and toads and is closely related to water snakes and grass snakes. It pretty much resembles an Asian version of the American garter snake. It is quite a common snake but is rarey seen.

Under venmous catergory in Amravati

Venomous snakes have a bad reputation worldwide, the dact is that only 20% of the snakes on the earth are venomous. This leaves approximately 80% who who hunt using something other than venom to subdue their prey.Snake venom is a cocktail of proteins that perform a wide range of functions.

There are different types of snake venoms are:-

Hemotoxic:- venom act at theheart and cardiovascular system
Neaurotoxic:-venom acts at the nervous system and brain.


There are three hemotoxic Viper: - The viper snake is very colorful and robust. The viper snake in the rain forest lives in wet places and also in mountains in small caves. Their bright colors in their skin help them survive.

The viper snake is a very short snake compared to most of the other type of snakes. She is 50 to 65cm long. But the viper snake has a very robust body. The viper snake has red and some have brown eyes they have yellow skin but some are also green. This color helps the viper snake camouflage. The viper snake lives in the forest floor.

The viper snake mainly lives in places that are wet in the rainforest like woodlands; riverbanks, bogs and also they live in mountains. The snake adapts by; they hang with their tail to a branch and catch their prey. Another way is when a bird passes the viper snake camouflages in the bushes and captures the bird. The viper snake mainly eats amphibians and the snake can stay a whole year without eating.
The diet of the viper snake is amphibians, small mammals, lizards and nestling. The way the snake kills its prey to eat it is, first they capture the prey and puts their venom in the prey and they wait for the effect of the venom and then it eats it. The snake protects itself by camouflage and also with their bite.

Bamboo peet viper:- snakes belong to the reptilian order squamata.  Absence of eyelids, external ear openings, and limbs distinguishes them from their relative, the lizard.  Snakes are carnivorous, with an acute sense of sight and smell. ‘Serpentine’ (A method of progression by the lateral undulations of the body.) locomotion, ‘sensory pits’(A sense organ sensitive to heat radiation, thus assisting in locating and capturing of prey) and the ‘poison glands’(Modified salivary glands which secret poison, a mixture of cell dissolving proteins.  It’s a weapon for capturing prey, defense and as a digestive aid) are unique to snakes.

Neurotoxic venom snakes:-

Crate: - The body colour varies from a dark steely blue-black to a pale faded bluish grey. The average length is 1 m (39 in.). Subcaudal scales after the anal plate are not divided. It has large hexagonal scales running down its spine. The narrow white cross bands are more prominent near the tail region.The male is larger than the female and also has a longer tail.

Cobra:- The Indian Cobra is known around the world as highly venomous snake that feeds on rodents, lizards, and frogs. As well as biting, the Indian cobra can attack or defend itself from a distance by "spitting" venom, which, if it enters the opponent's eyes, causes severe pain and damage. The snake actually forces the venom through its fangs, by exerting muscular pressure on the venom glands, so that it sprays out in twin jets for 2 m (6 1/2 ft) or more. 

Harvard University probes largest mass cheating scandal

Kunwar Abhishek Bhagat, Delhi

(via- PTI)

 About 125 University undergraduates are being investigated for cheating in a final exam last year, the largest academic misconduct scandal in the prestigious institution's history. The Harvard College administrative board is reviewing the allegations of "academic dishonesty," ranging from "inappropriate collaboration to outright plagiarism, on a take-home final exam," dean of undergraduate education Jay Harris said in a note sent to students.

A comprehensive review of every exam from the class found that nearly half of the 279 enrolled students may have worked together in groups to develop and share answers. The students whose work is under review have been contacted by the board, which will meet with each student separately seeking to understand all the relevant facts and to determine whether any faculty rules were violated. Students found responsible of academic dishonesty could face disciplinary actions including withdrawal from the college for a year.

"We take academic integrity very seriously because it goes to the heart of our educational mission," said Michael Smith, dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, who sent a letter to the FAS faculty to outline actions the faculty can take to reinforce Harvard's academic policies. "Academic dishonesty cannot and will not be tolerated at Harvard."

While neither the course nor the name of students allegedly involved was revealed, Harvard Crimson, the university's student newspaper, said the students were enrolled in the 'Introduction to Congress' class taught by assistant professor Matthew Platt. "These allegations, if proven, represent totally unacceptable behavior that betrays the trust upon which intellectual inquiry at Harvard depends," said Harvard University president Drew Faust. "We must deal with this fairly and through a deliberative process. At the same time, the scope of the allegations suggests that there is work to be done to ensure that every student at Harvard understands and embraces the values that are fundamental to its community of scholars."

The allegations surfaced last semester when the faculty member teaching the course questioned the similarities between a number of exams and referred them to the board. After reviewing the exams and interviewing students who submitted them, representatives of the board initiated the broader review in consultation with the faculty member. The board has not come to any judgment about specific cases. Smith cautioned that the allegations should not lead people to draw broad conclusions. "We must also not forget that the vast majority of our students complete all their assignments honestly, diligently, and in accordance with our regulations and practices," Smith said.

"Allegations of inappropriate collaboration or plagiarism in a single class should not be allowed to diminish the good work or reputation of our outstanding student body." The administrative board is responsible for evaluating requests for exceptions to academic policies and review of students' academic performance.

It’s all about Sports  vs. Academics

Should India’s World Cup winning captain be penalized for playing for his country?

Unmukt Chand with the World Cup

Kunwar Abhishek Bhagat

Dt. 30-08-2012, Delhi

India under 19 team captain Unmukt Chand denied for promotion in the Second year of his bachelor of Arts course by St. Stephen college, as he failed to accumulate the minimum attendance which is required by the college.

Indian Senior Team captain also tweeted that "Marks for sports take a back seat... attendance for now takes centre stage, This shows how much importance sports has in India... sad to hear."

Vice-president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and Union Minister, Rajiv Shukla, said it was an internal matter of the college. He, however, appealed to St Stephen's authorities to consider Unmukt as a special case.

"I appeal to St Stephen's to take a considerate view on Unmukt. But I understand that it is an internal matter. The college is autonomous. But I am making this appeal," Shukla said.  

College principal Valsan Thampu defended his institution, saying that he is simply following the rules. He denied discrimination on part of the college management and added it was the Delhi University vice-chancellor's prerogative to decide whether or not to promote Unmukt despite his poor attendance.

Further, Thampu said Unmukt had attended only eight percent classes and as per rules his minimum attendance should have been at least one-third of the total classes.

Ironically, the young star was admitted to the college under the sports quota and his academic record has also been good. In May, he was not allowed to give his second semester exam until the Delhi High Court intervened. He eventually gave the exam and scored 62 per cent marks. His lawyer says the college was aware of the BCCI and DDCA schedules.

Unmukt had recently scored an unbeaten century in the under-19 World Cup final against Australia to lift the trophy for India.

Kunwar Abhishek Bhagat
Amravati

Chikli ICDS centre a Vital player for upliftment of the society

Anaganwari centre is playing a vital role in child care at chikli. Anaganwadi worker Shoba Metkar who is working in the same anganwadi since 1982, but she manages to serve the village with her will despite of earlier opposition to work as per the family. She said “despite of her family not supporting to work her husband always supported her for the cause. Women in the village are not expected to work, however if they are provided permission they are not permitted to move out the village.”

There are total 2 anganwadi centre in the village where the number of students are 89 one 86 respectively. To maintain records a record chart book is been issued to every anagawadi centre where records of the childrens from 0-6 yrs are recorded separately for boys and girls, pink colour register is maintained for girls and blue for the boys and childrens from 5-6 years are recorded in one consolidated register.

At the grass-root level, delivery of various services to target groups is given at the Anganwadi Centre (AWC). An AWC is managed by an honorary Anganwadi Worker (AWW) and an honorary Anganwadi Helper (AWH).

In a Monthly Progress Card (MPR) chart there are details like Name of the child, mother’s name, father’s name, address, Date of Birth , rank the child means which child in the family and  caste. The MPR chart has 4 different regions where White means healthy child, Green means normal, yellow under weight, Orange mal-nourished child.

According to the MPR card there are 7 girls above 5 years and 8 boys above 5 years and children in the age group of 0-5 are 79. Children birth in2011 where 5 girls were born out which 2 were from Nomadic Tribes, 1 from SC, 1 ST and 1 OBC category.

Unatti Dhakre who was born on 11.2.2011 was 6.5 kg as the weight was after two years as her parent were not in the village but now she is a healthy child with weight of 8kg. Amazing fact in the village is that when no name kept by the parents the AWW use to write’ Balya’ for male child, and Bali for girl. Bali who born on 6/8/2011 belonged to SC category again registered her weight in 2nd month which was 3.5 kg where she is absent from the records as not in the village. Another girl Bali d/o Rekha who was born on 9/8/2011 st 2nd month 4.5kg and 3 month 5 kg and her parents now migrated for work or visit mothers place. Bali d/o Durga was born on 25/8/2011 2months her weight was 3kg and showed increase in her weight in the 4th month to 5 kg.

There were only two deaths in the village, one girl and one boy. Sharada who was born on 6.6.10 and died on 27/5/11 dead 11 months, Due to pneumonia and jaundice she was shifted to Dharni and was hospitalized but  was dead . Another death was recorded of a boy Balya who died after two days of his birth, he was born on 21.5.11 dead 23.5.2011, after his birth due to toxic water entered his stomach he suffered death, he was also shifted to the hospital but was dead.

For malnourished child AWW has a VCDC scheme which means extra care is given to the malnourished child where the child is feeded sx times a day with healthy food including egg milk upma daliya lapsi etc per day.

After the 6 years of care in the anganwadi center the childrens are admitted to the primary school as age has been fixed for admission in the 1st class is 6 years.

Despite of good working condition the AWW centre the Anganwadi worker faces many problems, AWW worker Shoba Metkar said” Despite of keeping records up to date now the government now willing to rewrite the whole in a new register, as earlier we were filling it with pencil now we got instructions to fill it with pen.”

She also added “training to make entries in the chart is not provided fully, and even one cannot go out for field visit every day.”

Monthly salary of the AWW worker is 2500, she told the a hike is expected later December this year with Rs.1500 hike the salary making it to Rs. 4000 per month. She also told that she was getting 125 rs in 1982 as she was matric fail but AWW worker who were 10+2 were getting 175rs per month in  1982.

AWW worker Shoba Metkar also quoted her example by admitting her two granddaughters to the Anganwadi centre, which clearly implies of her will towards her work which created positive attitude towards various other residents of chikli. She added “people in the village have became more cautious and curious about the fluctuation in the weight of their child and also asks for the precautions to be taken.

"Censorship or regulation on Social Media" is Direct Attack on Freedom of Speech by the Government.

"Censorship or regulation on Social Media" is Direct Attack on Freedom of Speech by the Government.

KunwarAbhishekBhagat

Amravati:

Social Networking sites have always been a platform where we could express our opinion or thoughts about politics, political leaders, entertainment and virtually everything freely. But we cannot deny that Social networking sites have also been the place to pornography, defame leaders, actors and even common people and also religious attack which can harm communal harmony. So the Government in India is all set to implement regulation and some norms which have to be followed by social networking sites. 

Networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIntold that they have their own norms and never allow content that do not stick to Facebook norms. Google has also maintained that they cannot remove content that abide their terms and conditions simply because the content is controversial and this very pleas are not being accepted by government and even PCI chief Katju.

Social media provides the ultimate freedom of space for anyone who wants to express their thoughts and views for or against. But by taking away this freedom, the government is spoiling the basic tenets of democracy and that is just not acceptable.

The concern is understandable. But the government has lost the moral right to do so, because this move could easily be coloured by their fear of a public outcry and revolution. We’ve seen shades of the same during the Anna Hazare movement. They fear that the anguish amongst the public is so much that if social networks continue to be what they are, soon we could see a Tahrir Square happening!

Censoring or regulating the content on social media sites is totally unjustified. How different would we be from China or Afghanistan? I think censoring of the Internet is good, but to a certain extent. At the same time no one can really define what crosses the line.

KunwarAbhishekBhagat

IIMC Amravati, DrZichkarBhawan

1^st floor.SantGadge Baba University,

Amravati, Maharashtra

(E) honeybhagat@gmail.com

India will grow at 7% GDP

India will grow at 7% GDP

PM Dr. Manmohan Singh at 10th Bhartiya Pravasi Diwas at Jaipur

Kunwar Abhishek Bhagat

January 10th, Amravati,

The GDP of India during this fiscal year will be 7% , this information was shared byPM Dr. Manmohan Singh at  10th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas in Jaipur.he said "Despite of international worries and recession this year it is 7 % GDP as calculated.

The Indian economy is slowing on a combination of feeble growth in the United States and Europe, a ratcheting up of interest rates to quash high inflation and a decision-making paralysis in government.