Rag pickers launch a weekly tabloid in Varanasi

Rag pickers launch a weekly tabloid in Varanasi

 

By Girish Kumar Dubey
Varanasi, September 28 (ANI): Young rag pickers in India's holy city of Varanasi have launched a handwritten newspaper, highlighting the problems faced by them as well as other children in the society. The credit for this unique newspaper titled Baccho Ki Awaz goes to Vishal Bharat Sansthan, a city-based NGO. The young rag pickers themselves are reporters and compilers of various stories.
Added: 09/28/2009

Largest Muslim congregation begins in Uttar Pradesh

Largest Muslim congregation begins in Uttar Pradesh
Tuesday, January 1, 2008

                                                               By Girish Kumar Dubey

Azamgarh (Uttar Pradesh), Dec 31 (ANI): A large number of Muslims have gathered in Uttar Pradesh's Azamgarh District for the Alami Ijtema, the largest international congregation.

This time, congregation is being held in Sherwan, a nondescript hamlet, where discussion will take place on ways to combat targeting of the community worldwide.
The Sherwan village now boasts of a 4.6 million square foot shamina that can accommodate the gathering and includes hostels, clinics and cellular service providers.  

Besides devotees from all over India, delegates from Saudi Arabia, France, Canada and the UK are taking part in the meet.  

The delegates at the meet said the main problem confronting the religion was that the followers did not follow the tenets of Islam in their daily life.

"All the people living in this world who fears Allah and believe in Allah and follows the tenets of religion set by the god. Everybody who offers Namaz (prayers) and show allegiance to Deen (faith) should try to become honest, start loving each other and stop the bloodshed and violence," said Riyaz Ahmed from Aligarh.  

Anwar Hussain from Meerut, said:  "Any Muslim living anywhere either in Pakistan, America or Iraq. If they are persecuted anywhere then its impact is felt in Azamgarh, because we are one family and believe in one faith."  

The meet also turned out to be a mass marriage venue with 500 couple getting married at a simple ceremony.  

The three-day meet concludes on January 1.

Similar congregations were held in Jaunpur, Allahabad and Barabanki in the 90s.  The largest international congregation is the brainwork of global Islamic movement Tablighi Jammat.

Benazir portraits fly in the sky in Varanasi

Benazir portraits fly in the sky in Varanasi
Monday, January 14, 2008

                                                        By Girish Kumar Dubey

Varanasi, Jan.14 (ANI): Several ardent fans of former Pakistan premier Benazir Bhutto in Varanasi have paid their heartfelt tributes to the assassinated leader on the occasion of Makar Sankranti and Lohiri festivals by kites. 

Shocked and aggrieved over Benazir's killing, these kite makers and fliers found the two major Hindu festivals celebrated on Sunday and Monday, as the perfect occasion to express their love for Benazir, who was a leader of masses beyond geographical confines. 

Varanasi's Dal Mandi market and its neighbourhood in the holy city were flooded with kites. But the most sought after kites were the ones bearing a picture of Benazir Bhutto on them.

"The demand of the kites that have a picture of Benazir on them is high in the market this year because of the incident that has happened to her in Pakistan. So the people are demanding these kites more to pay tribute to the slain Pak leader," said Chand, one of the shopkeepers.

Though there are a variety of kites right from Britain to China available in the market, the kites with Benazir's picture on them were sold like hotcakes.

"Benazir died recently and we are paying our tribute to her in this fashion through kites," said Saud Ahmad, one of the local kite-flyers.

The festivals of Lohri in Haryana and Punjab, Uttarayan in the west, Makar Sankranti in North India and Pongal in South India when people of all the faiths celebrate together. But this was the first occasion when the kite-flyers used the festive occasion to pay tribute to a political leader from Pakistan. (ANI)

Koreans on a hugging campaign in Varanasi

Koreans on a hugging campaign in Varanasi
Tuesday, January 22, 2008

                                    By Girish Kumar Dubey

Varanasi, Jan 22 (ANI): The Korean students of Gyanjoo University are
spreading the message of love by hugging poor people in Varanasi, as a
part of their "Free Hug Campaign."

They believe that their method can eradicate social divide by giving
dignity to the deprived.

"Hugging each other is a small step to understand each other without
speaking, without being violent. It may work over all castes but only
if they hug each other more and more," said Frank, a student,

The Korean students spoke passionately about the urgent need to bring
a change in the mindset of the people so that they could think beyond
barriers of castes.

The students not only hugged the people but also washed the feet of
those belonging to Musahar caste, which is considered one of the lower
social groups.

"If we need to focus on anything at this point, it is the mindset of
people. If we can change the mindset of the people and people start
understanding each other, then it would be perfect," said Saisna Inko,
a resident.

The Korean students have planned to visit 40 countries to propagate
the message of brotherhood in the memory of those fellow countrymen
who participated in the fight in 1985 to end the military dictatorship
in Korea. (ANI)

Protesting seers compel Spicejet officials to apologise

Protesting seers compel Spicejet officials to apologise
Wednesday, January 23, 2008

                                                              By Girish Kumar Dubey

 

Varanasi, Jan 23 (ANI): Protesting seers here compelled officials of the Spicejet airline to sack errant workers and apologise for their misconduct.

The issue reportedly surfaced on Monday when a prominent seer, Avimukteshwaranand of Vidya Mutt, protested against the lewd comments passed on a teenage girl by some Spicejet employees.

Errant workers jeered the sage when he protested against their behavior. This enraged his followers who gathered at the Babatpur Airport here on Tuesday and raised slogans.

The protestors were pacified only after the Spicejet sacked the four accused and tendered an official apology.

"We have already suspended those who were involved in the misconduct. The seer has forgiven us," said Nalin Srivastava, Station Manager, Spicejet.

"I am happy that the Spicejet people have realised their mistake and they have sacked the four employees and apologized in writing. They have also promised to keep the pride of Varanasi and the honour of females," said Avimukteshwaranand. (ANI)

French tourists perform puja at Varanasi for world peace

2:12:2007                             By Girish Kumar Dubey

Varanasi, Dec 2 (ANI): A group of French tourists offered prayers for
world peace by performing Hindu rituals in Varanasi on Sunday.

The tourists, led by a French citizen, who is famous amongst his
followers as Guruji, offered prayers and performed certain fire
rituals for a better and sane world with peace prevailing all around.

Guruji has been visiting India along with his followers annually for
many years in his quest for quintessential and spiritual ideals. He
has dedicated his life to Sanatan Dharma.

"India is at first the country of spirituality and love. The key word
here is love, Bhakti (religiosity), devotion and so on so forth," said
Guruji.

He has established a Hindu monastery in the French capital Paris and
has around 5500 followers who have joined him in search of eternal
truth and answers of their spiritual queries.

Explaining her attachment towards India Isabela, a follower of Guruji
said, "Now, many people want to come back to spirituality. And, may be
some people are attracted by a lot of things they have in the West.
But this is really magical and holy land."

The performance of Yajna (fire rituals) for world peace by these
exotic devotees may or may not bring peace to the world but their
faith and devotion may attract many more tourists from abroad to
attain mental peace.

The culture of Varanasi is deeply associated with the river Ganges and
the river's religious importance. The city has been a cultural and
religious centre in northern India for thousands of years and remains
a thriving tourist and spiritual destination of the country. (ANI)

Fluorosis cripples villagers in Sonbhadra village in UP

22:12:2007                                               By Girish Kumar Dubey

Sonbhadra (Uttar Pradesh), Dec 22 (ANI): A large number of villagers of Sonbhadra village in Uttar Pradesh are suffering from fluorosis due to the excessive fluoride content in the ground water that these villages draw to drink.

They are facing the risk of becoming handicapped due to excessive fluorosis  Chopan, Dudhi and Myorpur and Babhni Blocks. The excessive fluoride in water has given rise to several orthopaedic problems.

"Water is the main problem in our village. Earlier, we didn't have any hand pump or well in our village. People used to drink water from open streams and have consequently become victims of deformities and diseases," said Shambhu Prasad Patel, a villager.

Majority of the affected persons have to work hard to earn their daily bread. With weak bones, none of them is able to toil.

Since the villages are isolated, these hapless rural folk have no easy access to public health services. With some of them forced to travel over 50 kilometres for a public health centre and a hospital.

Authorities of the State Health Department however claim that health camps are being set up for the villagers.

"This problem is prevalent in nine villages of three blocks of the district because of excessive fluoride content in water. We have provided every facility for the treatment of the people who are handicapped or are suffering from any disease due to water," said Dr. Ganesh Prasad, Chief Medical Officer of Sonbhadra District.

Another grouse of the villagers is that the government is not showing any concern as not even ten percent of the affected and handicapped persons have been issued certificates that they are handicapped.

Villagers hope that the concerned officials in the administration will take effective steps to stem the rot.

Fluorosis is a condition caused by the excessive intake of fluorine and is commonly of two types - Skeletal Fluorosis and Dental Fluorosis. As the names suggest, it first affects the bones due to excessive accumulation of fluoride in bones and the latter affects the teeth. (ANI)