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Tuesday, December 27, 2016

कर्नाटक राज्योत्सव,

कर्नाटक राज्योत्सव,

ह्या दिवसात जर कधी बंगलोर ला येणं झालं तर कोणाच्याही एक गोष्ट लक्षात येईल, ती म्हणजे जागोजागी होणाऱ्या एका विलक्षण अशा आयोजनाचं, कर्नाटक राज्योत्सव. मी कोणता एक दिवस म्हणत नाही पण नोव्हेंबर किंवा डिसेंबर मध्ये कधीही. विशेषतः शनिवार-रविवार. खरं तर 1 नोव्हेंबर हा कर्नाटक दिन किंवा राज्योत्सव म्हणून साजरा होतो. ह्या दिवशी दक्षिण भारतातील कन्नड भाषिक भूभागांना एकत्र आणून एका राज्याची निर्मिती करण्यात आली. ह्याविषयी इतर सर्व माहिती विकिपीडिया, नेट वर मिळेलच पण तो कसा केला जातो ह्याचं जास्त काही माहिती मिळणार नाही. पण तुम्ही कर्नाटकात कधी फिरत असाल तर मात्र ते कळेल. हि दिवस 1 नोव्हेंबर ला तर अधिकारीक रित्या सरकारी कार्यालयात आणि इतर सार्वजनिक ठिकाणी साजरा होतोच पण विशेष बाब हि कि हा दिवस पुढील दोन महिने कधीही साजरा केला जातो. सरकारी कार्यालयात मला कल्पना नाही पण पुढची काही दिवस राज्योत्सव हा खाजगी कंपन्यांमधे(त्यात आमच्या IT कंपन्या पण आल्या), रिक्षा स्थानकांवर, बऱ्याचदा अशाच चौकात साजरा केला जातो. ह्यात सगळ्यात दिसून येणारं म्हणजे रिक्षा वाले आणि चौकातील राज्योत्सव. रिक्षावाले आपल्या एरिया मधील सगळ्या रिक्षांना सजवतात, लाल-पिवळा असा कर्नाटक चा झेंडा लावतात, आजू बाजूचे रस्ते ह्या झेंड्यांच्या फरफर्यानी सजवले जातात. पूजा होते, कर्नाटक गीत लावलं जातं. विशेष म्हणजे ह्या वेळी शाखेत मला कर्नाटक गीत शिकण्याचा चान्स मिळाला. 'जय भारत जननिय तनुजाते, जय हे कर्नाटक माते' - अतिशय सुंदर काव्यरचना आणि भावुक अर्थ असलेलं हे गीत गाताना 'महाराष्ट्र देशा' हे गीत गायल्याची अनुभूती येते. फारच सुरेख! रिक्षावाले मग प्रभात फेरी काढतात.
आणखी एक अनोखं राज्योत्सव पाहायला मिळालं ते म्हणजे चौकटल किंवा मुख्य रस्त्याच्या कडंच. एक छोटंसं व्यासपीठ सजवलं जात ज्याचं बॅकग्राऊंड एका पोस्टर ने व्यापलेले आहे. ह्या पोस्टर वर कर्नाटक मधील ऐतिहासिक लोकांचे चित्रे असतात. हे मला वाटतं एक खाजगी आयोजन असतं. फक्त एखाद दोन लोक असतात त्यात. ह्यातीलच कोणतरी गाणे गात असतो, साहजिकच कर्नाटक च्या अभिमानाला धरून असलेली गाणी. लोक जमतात, गाणी ऐकतात, टाळ्यांनी दाद देतात. हे सहसा सायंकाळी होतं. जेंव्हा लोकांना वेळ असतो. हे कधी आपल्याकडे होताना पाहिलं नाही.

मूळ मुद्दा हा कि हे राज्योत्सव पुढील दोन महिने कधीही साजरा केला जातो. अगदी आजही होतोय जे बघून मला हे लिहावंसं वाटलं. माहित नाही अजून किती दिवस होईल. पण ह्याचं कारण मला अजून जाणून घेता आलेलं नाही की हे एकदम ना होता दोन महिने का चालू असतं. पण नक्कीच काहीतरी योजना आहे ह्यामागे. जसं कि प्रत्येक जण आपल्या सवडीप्रमाणे साजरा करू शकतो. आणखी एक म्हणजे बरेच दिवस साजरा होत असल्याने त्याचा आणि त्याच्या मागच्या इतिहासाचा विसर पडणार नाही. एखाद्याचा कधी चुकला तर परत कुठंतरी तो नक्कीच हजरी लावू शकतो. पण एकंदरीत बघता हे सर्व लै भारी वाटतं. ज्या भक्ती भावाने ते साजरं करतात(साऊंड सिस्टम चा अपवाद वगळता जे आता सगळीकडं आहे) ते अगदी वाखाणण्याजोग आहे. मी कधी पुण्य मुंबई मध्ये राहिलो नाही आणि 1 मे ला तर कधीच नाही. त्यामुळे तिथे महाराष्ट्र दिन कसा साजरा होतो आणि कोठे होतो हे काही माहित नाही. त्यात भर कामगार दिनाची जी हक्काची सुट्टी. मग कधी ऐकिवात नाही की नेमकं काय केलं जातं. गावाकडं पण काय विशेष हवा नसते. माहिती असल्यास नक्कीच शेयर करा. डिटेल दिले तर आणखीनच आनंद!

कन्याकुमारी ला जातोय आणि उद्या विवेकानंदांचं स्मारक पाहण्याची बऱ्याच दिवसापासूनची इच्छा पूर्ण होईल. हा लेख आज सुचला आणि उद्या विवेकानंद स्मारकाला भेट हा एक अतिशय गोड योगायोग! देशाला जोडायला आज विवेकानंद हवेत.

जय महाराष्ट्र, जय कर्नाटक, जय हिंद!

उगाच कोणाला दुखावणार नाही ह्याची आधीच काळजी घेतलेली बरी!

- आलासकर

Monday, November 14, 2016

A Blessed Day!


Today was supposed to be an usual day. Wake up late, eat, go to office, come back, eat and go to bed.

That was not to be. Woke up and got ready to leave for work. First stop, a restaurant for morning eat. I have been eating here quite regularly and been seeing this old couple having their breakfast and tea every time I visit here. Today was a bit of change in the scene. The old person was waiting for his tea to be served and the lady was waiting for his husband to join her on table with tea. As I could see the old man was carrying the clutch in one hand and was sure he would have to manage somehow to carry the two cups and balance himself. Hence I offered my help when the tea was ready. But the old man refused my help politely but gave up when I insisted I carry the cups while he takes his seat. Man looked pleased and was more than happy to tell about my gesture to his wife. He thanked me and I was more than happy to have got a pat on my back. Felt really really nice! Can't express how! I asked if I could join them on their table for breakfast as my Dosa was ready. The couple could not be more happy to offer me the seat next to the lady. We introduced our self to each other and to strike a conversation I asked if they stayed somewhere around. Got to know they stay close by and took a walk till the hotel and had breakfast and walked back home. I also got to know they are on their own these days as their kids work out of city and this hotel was no less than a blessing for them as they could get what they wanted, hot and nice! Perhaps this might be reason the couple seemed more joyous when I offered to help and joined them on the table. The old man was a retired engineer and lady was a retired school teacher. Soon they were done with the tea and asked my leave. They got up to leave and that was when the man went to the drinking water tap and got me glass of water. I was really surprised and felt bit embarrassed. He said you 'earned it gentleman' and shook my hand. The moment was immense and joy was something that can't be expressed! I was left staring at their back as they left! There could not have been a better way to start the day!

Finished with breakfast, hit the road on my vehicle. I have this habit of looking on the sides of road when I drive and could not help but spot this lady running restlessly in the same direction that I was driving. I went few meters ahead and stopped and looked back. She looked all tensed and was confused on which direction to walk (run?) towards. She looked like a daily wage worker on a construction site, aged in her late 50s, with a basket of lunch box in her one hand. As she came closer I asked if she was in some problem. She told me in Kannada she was waiting for a bus to come to reach her work place but was kept waiting for because of a traffic jam. I asked her if she would mind if I dropped her where she wanted to go and she was all smiles. I made sure she sat on my bike comfortably and drove slowly. She told me how worried she was as her employer kept calling her and she was helpless. She could not stop thanking me and told me it would have taken at least half an hour and long run to reach the site. As I drove that one KM stretch, she kept thanking me for I decided to drop her keeping aside my work. You could feel the innocence in that aged and perhaps uneducated god believing lady's voice! As I dropped her at her site she kept talking to herself and did not move an inch until I was out of her sight. Yes, I turned back to see what I wanted to see, a wide smile. That heavenly joy that I got after seeing her reach there on time is beyond my expressions! I wished I could do this daily. Time and again! Thanked god and reached office.


Evening 6.30. Was done for the day and left the office. Decided to take a longer route and not the usual short cut as it needs to drive a hundred meters in wrong side. I had just reached Satya Sai hospital in ITPL, compelled by habit, I saw an young man helping an old man with two crutches cross the road. I stopped by. I saw the young man taking the unfortunate old one to bus stop. I got down and went to the bus stop. A bus was waiting and the old man was talking to the conductor. And he decided not to board the bus even though there was enough seats available. I went ahead inquired with the old person if that bus was not going where he wanted. He said it was going but the fare is too much as it's a AC Volvo bus. It was obvious he could not afford it. So I asked if I could drop him if he was okay going on a two wheeler. He agreed instantly. I asked him to wait for me as I went to get my bike to the bus stop. I was worried if he would be safe and comfortable considering his physical condition and two crutches in his hands. He seemed okay and ready to go. As I spoke to him, I came to know he was from Kolkata and was getting treated in Satya Sai hospital after he met with an accident which left his thigh fractured and some injuries in hip bone. I felt bad for he might be going through a great pain. We reached the place and that was not on my way, neither was it any closer from the place we started. But I thought it would not be good idea to tell that. I was happy the man did not have to wait and walk any further. As I dropped him he kept asking me to have a cup of tea with him. I could  not say no. We went to a bakery and had tea. We exchanged our numbers and he could not thank me enough. Poor man was so happy, he offered me a free train travel to anywhere in India as one escort was allowed with him. He took out the medical certificate to show me that. I thought I had earned my day's worth when this man with nothing  had everything he had to offer me. Sheer emotions! I could not help but ask for a photo and he would never say no! We shook hands and thanked each other. I opened google maps to know where I was and to get my route to home. I left the place but not before gasping all the joy on this old face into my memory! One for you to see.



Three incidents in a day and I could not have asked for more! I have become habitual now to do these things for the joy they offer to me and also to the one on the other side. My job would not get me what these people have to offer me in return - their blessings! Blessings which will last all my life.

I have so many stories to tell but never share them as I thought people might take it in a wrong way. But I shared them this time just to convey one thing. That is, there are so many people around who need our attention. These people are far less privileged than us, They have so much things going in their life and they are hanging in there. Sometimes they need to know that they are not alone and ignored. These gestures might be very irrelevant for us but for them they might turn out to be a memory, a hope. Something that does not make them feel left alone. These things also give me an opportunity to talk to the people outside of my know and understand their life. That's when I come to know my sorrows and sufferings are nothing compared to what they are going  through. And how gracefully they surviving. We crib about too many things too many times. Talking to these people we can feel how fortunate we are. I am not saying they are unhappy where they are. I am saying how they keep running the show despite not having what most of us have.

Hope this inspires some one some time some where to get out of their comfort zones to lend a helping hand to the some one in distress or in dire need. I read this somewhere which always inspires me. I would like to put it here:

"You need not do everything for everyone every time! That way you will end up doing nothing for no one. Do something for someone sometime!"

So start doing. A lot of people need you.
With that thank you for taking out the time to read this! Namaste!



Tuesday, September 20, 2016

Balcony Compost - How To

Bangalore has turned into a mess in past few years. In most aspects! To list a few: traffic, water woos, roads, footpaths, pollution of air, water bodies and piles of garbage on every corner.

This post is not to criticize Bangalore. In fact this is the city I love and that has given me shelter for 10 years now. The city was once know for its gardens and cool weather. But things are changing very fast with more and more people coming into the city for jobs. With increasing population it is obvious there will crunch of resources. But instead of finding alternative we start blaming the BBMP or the Govt. Not once we think how things can be fixed at our end. We can not fix problems like roads and footpaths on our own, but there are things we can do to minimize the damage in few cases.

One of the major problems one sees in Bangalore is piles of garbage spread across every nook and corner. While this might be happening in other cities as well, but having stayed here for a decade I have seen things going worst from bad. I have been to Chennai and Hyderabad but things are not that bad there (I might be wrong as I have been to only small part of these cities). But if we are not careful and continue to be irresponsible, these cities, with growing population will face the same issues. Sooner or later.

Coming back to the topic of this write up, Composting kitchen waste in balcony, can play a vital role in fixing the mess that is on the roads which looks like this:


In March this month I moved to a rented apartment which has three balconies. Until now I used to stay in independent house which did not have a space outside of house where I could think of doing something useful. In the new house, I decided to utilize the space and started studying about composting online. I went through a lot of videos and blogs. I was impressed by one particular video blogger from Bangalore, Vani Murthy. She inspired me a lot. She has been doing composting in something called Khamba pots and educating people about them. I visited a local distributor of Daily Dump. They sell these scientifically designed set of pots to be used for composting, in different sizes depending on family member or Kitchen waste a family produces. The cost seemed high for someone like me who does not know anything about composting. Moreover I was not sure I would keep my commitment and continue to do it. So I decided to invent something and started same procedure what they do at DailyDump in medium sized pot used for planting tress. This experiment turned out to be successful. So I explored more online and came up with a permanent and low cost solution to waste management.

This blog is about the same. I have been doing composting since last 4 months and its the best thing I have done so far which interests me  (my Job does not drive me anymore, its just to keep my needs :D). Lets start to learn then!

What we need:

1. A container with a cap  with close to 40 liter capacity.
2. A tub to collect the Black soldier fly maggots falling from the compost container and also to mix the coompost every 4 days



3. Cocopit (Crushed coconut tree remains)


4. A packet of Compost itself
5. Dry leaves or paper shreds to absorb the extra water in the waste and to cover the bin.
6. Gloves and other tools
7. Buy or borrow a drill machine.
8. Neem leaves or Neem leave powder.


Procedure:

1. Drill the container from all sides, bottom and top (its cap) like shown in below image. This to to have sufficient air circulation needed for the process. The excess water if any should come out from bottom.

2. Segregate your kitchen waste. You can add anything from your kitchen except milk, water, non veg food (chicken etc), plastic. Cut the vegetable waste into small pieces as this helps speed up the process. Remove excess water from curries and add the remains.

3. If you are doing this for the first time (new setup), make a bedding of dry leaves or paper shreds or cardboard shreds to absorb the extra water that accumulates at bottom. In the other bottom tub mix your kitchen waste with more paper shreads or dry leaves, cocopit (amount same as kitchen waste), and some ready made compost. Mix this well with hands (dont forget to put on the gloves) and dump in the main container.







4. Once done cover this with a layer of the dry leaves or news paper so that no flies enter and no smell comes out.


5. Repeat step 2 and 3 every time you have a fresh kitchen waste. Don't forget to cover the container with dry leaves like shown above.

6. Mix everything every 4-5 day so that it gets enough air which is very much necessary. and cover again top with dry leaves. One can make a round shaped cap from news paper of cardboard to be placed on top permanently.



7. If you have very small amount of kitchen waste, just dig through the current layer and stuff is inside and mix it. Cover it.

8. Place the container in the tub and keep the tub in a corner. Cover it with cap (You can avoid covering with plastic cap as it causes lot of warmth inside and water.)

9. After few days (2 weeks) the breakdown must have taken place but not fully. The compost will give birth to maggots. Do not get panicked as I did. They are our friends. If they are too much in number add some Neem leaves or Neem leave powder and mix it well.

10. The maggots will initially be tiny white ant size worms which will grow in size to be close to half centimeter. They will try and come out of hole that are made in the container, Every 3-4 days collect these maggots in a small container and dispose them off in bushes near your garden. Birds like them. And some lucky ones will becomes flies. Second picture courtesy dailydump.org.





12. On an average its takes 6-8 weeks for the wet waste to become a compost. If the container is filled make another setup and let the first one turn into complete compost and do not add anything to it. Keep mixing the old compost every week after this until it breaks down to small black compost and dries up.




13. When your second compost container is filled your first compost is ready to go to garden and to be used for new cycle of compost.

Precautions:

1. DO NOT add water. Keep the container such that no rain water enters inside. You don't want rain water enter inside. This will cause lot of mess.
2. No non veg food items like bones, flesh remains etc,
3. No bio waste like kids potty or animal poop. Its a strong No No.
4. Keep observing the changes as it helps learn the whole process.
3. If you are troubled with flies and maggots refer to Daily Dump Troubleshoot

What are the benefits:
1. No wet waste goes out of house. You no longer crib about Govt not doing enough as you realize you are the one who is doing it.
2. You get compost for garden
3. You are helping stop the spread of diseases because of landfills

I have been doing this for a while and produced some compost. There is different kind of satisfaction to see the nature at work. To realize that you not leaving carbon footprint behind. You are doing your bit not allowing your waste go on roads or end up in land fills.

Every task at beginning looks tough. But as you do it more often you master it and it becomes a daily routine. Many people are worried to put there hands in the waste they themselves produce, but expect other people to carry it and segregate it. They must realise the real fun is in being self dependent.

And last, Be patient. You efforts will yield good results. And feel proud when you take a stroll next time in your city. :)

NOTE: I will keep updating the blog in future with my finds and changes in case someone encounters weird results with this procedure. As of now I have not seen any problem.