ASHA: Hope, Love and Service

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October 17, 2019

30 year old Khashti Devi, has been working as ASHA (Accredited Social Health Activist) for the past 8 years in village Sama, Kapkot, Bageshwar.

In the past eight years the young lady has helped over two hundred and fifty families spread over a radius of 6km, in bringing close to two hundred healthy babies into the world.

For Khasthi Devi, a mother of three children aged between 5-11 years lives with her ageing in-laws who have been her pillar of strength and encouragement. Her day starts early as she dons her pink coat and makes her way to Sama village visiting expectant mothers. On regular days she returns home by 5:00 p.m., but closer to delivery date there is no knowing when the day will come to an end.

“I play many roles. To some I am an older sister, to the elders of the village I am their daughter-in-law and for the young ones, I am their aunt and I try to fulfil these roles to the best of my capability,” she tells us over the phone.

Khasthi job as an ASHA involves mother-child care, preparing timely reports, vaccination and hygiene tips to families that fall under her care.

With the Bageshwar District Hospital located 51 kms from Sama, and the closest hospital at Kapkot 30 kms away, there have been instances when Khasthi has single-handedly delivered over half a dozen children during her tenure.

“It wasn’t always easy for me. I have learnt through every delivery that I have handled and have tried to make a positive difference in the larger family that has welcomed me with open arms.”

Khasthi Devi is not a one-off-ASHA. She epitomises thousands of other Community Health Workers spread across the length and breadth of our hill-state doing their bit by making life easy for our women folk, in villages habited by the old, infirm and the young.

Speaking for her fellow ASHA’s Khasthi says, “When I see a healthy new born baby and the smiling mother and faces of relieved elderly folks, it is all worth it. To have won the unconditional love and trust of the village folk, is our earnest earning.”

Homestays of India: Home away from home

By

Tania Saili

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October 15, 2019

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Traveller, photographer, biker and hotelier Vinod Verma, along with his travel writer partner Shailza Sood Dasgupta, who once worked for corporate houses like Google and McKinsey, decided to give-it-all-up and dedicate their time and effort of making ‘Homestays of India,’ their brain-child, a roaring success.

Homestays of India, a team of passionate, like-minded hard-working people with volunteers chipping-in off and on, work “on authentic, hand-picked, well-crafted home stays,” as their webpage tells us.

A platform exclusively dedicated to promote homestays, not only in Uttarakhand but also pan India, Vinod adds, “ultimate aim to is provide travellers with a unique cultural experience, while developing local community skills and handicrafts and preserving our heritage, culture and traditions.”

To make Homestays of India ‘happen,’ the duo did not take any short cuts. They travelled the length and breadth of India to learn and understand the concept of Homestay.

www.homestaysofindia.com was launched with five home stays, for starters. Since then they have progressed to 85 home stays spread over twenty states and more rare properties in the pipeline to be brought on board.

Uttarakhand has fifteen homestays registered with www.homestaysofindia.com doting districts of Almora, Nainital, Chamoli, Rudraprayag and Uttarkashi. Trying to tap migration at its very source, Homestays of India works closely with the local, rural community. The couple encourages villagers to turn their humble abodes into comfortable homestays for travellers from home and foreign shores, looking for more than just the luxuries of a five star property.

Their hard-work and vision won them the National Business Leadership Award for exemplary work in the field of Travel and Tourism.

Taking their passion one step ahead, Vinod and Shailza are working as Consultants on a project in Almora to convert a village into a Heritage Homestay Village.

For now the team is working relentlessly on becoming India’s biggest homestay network of India, by providing visitors a comfortable, authentic alternate arrangement in not only tourist destinations, but also places less travelled to.

Chardham Yatra, 2019 coming to an end.

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Tania Saili

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October 10, 2019

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The end of November tolls the end of the seven month long Chardham Yatra in Uttarakhand for the year 2019. Traditionally, the world-famous Chardham pilgrimage comes to a halt just before icy winter sets in and the shrines become inaccessible due to snow.

Along with the famous-four i.e. Gangotri, Yamnotri, Badrinath and Kedarnath, the first to close its portals is the Sikh place of worship Hemkund Sahib. Situated at an elevation of 15,197 feet in Chamoli District of Uttarakhand, Hemkund sahib has special reverence for the Sikh community.

Hemkund Sahib re-opened for pilgrimage on the 1^st of June this year and closed today i.e. 10^th of October amidst the chanting of Gurubani.

The shrines of Gangotri and Yamunotri, the source of the Ganga and the Yamuna river respectively will close their portals on the 28^th and 29^th of October.

The dates for the closure of Badrinath and Kedarnath were announced on Vijaydashmi. Kedarnath, Shiva’s highest temple will close early, on the 29^th of October at 8:30 a.m. followed by Badrinath Shrine, Vishnu’s abode, on the 17^th of November at 5:13 am.

Annually, the Chardham pilgrimage in Uttarakhand kick offs in the month of April/May and works in a west to east direction in a clockwise manner. It begins from Yamunotri onto Gangotri and then proceeds to Kedarnath, terminating at Badrinath.

Compared to last year, when the portals re-opened on the 4th of March a whooping seven lakh pilgrims made their way to the four-shrines including, Hemkund Sahib. This year there has been a steady increase in the number of pilgrims putting the number at 8 lakh 46 thousand and counting, since the 25^th of April this year.

Following spring, on Basant Panchami the dates for the re-opening of the shrines will be announced as per ancient rites and rituals.

20th October: Masi Alakh Half Marathon

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Tania Saili

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October 8, 2019

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Those who enjoy the feel of refreshing breeze as they run through the autumn in the hills, then its time for you to mark a date on your calendar.

The First Edition of the Masi Alakh Half Marathon has been scheduled for the 20th of October this year, and registrations are open for eager participants.

Being organised under the Ma Sharda Jan Seva Committee who has been working with young children in the hills of Almora for the past two decades, have taken a step forward and come up with the concept of ‘Run for Pahad,’ which is also the motto of this event.

Speaking to the organiser Kapil Gaur, an MBBS Medico by profession, who recently moved to his home in the hills, and was moved by the lack of basic needs on ground, wanted to do his bit, “the larger aim of this event is the transformation of Uttarakhand, our home state at all levels, for which this is just a small movement in the right direction.”

The first edition of Masi Alakh Half Marathon hopes to woo close to 750 participants, both men and women, from all over the country. Masi, in Talla Gewar, Chaukhutiya block, Almora is a remote village on the banks of the Ramganga River. The organisers will put up out-of-town participants in various Home-stays dotting Masi and around. They will also give them a taste of authentic, organic food, both an added plus.

There is something for every age group. From 3km run, 5 kms, 10 km and 21km for various categories from 10 year old to 18 plus also carries a cash prize of 21000/- to 3000/- rupees.

The Pandavaas, supporting the event, will be making a promo for the event and hold a photography competition at the Masi Alakh Half Marathon. Elaborating on the competition, Kunal Dobhal adds, “there will be on-the-spot decision of the winner under three categories: landscape, action and portrait, and we are looking forward to a great number of participants to make this a success.”

To register, log on to: www.runforpahad.com

Jim Corbett Park to re-open for day safaris

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Tania Saili

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October 7, 2019

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Nainital, After four months of ‘Monsoon Closure’ Jim Corbett National Park will reopen, but partially for wildlife enthusiasts, coming 15^th October.

The park will permit day-safari jeeps and elephant rides for those who wish to venture into the park looking for wildlife and some adventure. Incase anyone wants to halt for the night, they will have to return to the park post 15^th November onwards.

For now the park authority is working round the clock to rev up their Guesthouses and approach roads which took a battering due to incessant rainfalls, this monsoon.

Director, Jim Corbett National Park, Rahul, updated the media stating, “the Park is being partially opened on the 15^th of October for visitors who wish to spend a day at the Park and for those who want to enjoy a night halt, the Park will be ready to cater to them, post the 15^th of November.”

Jeep Safari a must when you visit the park

First established in the 1936, the Jim Corbett National Park is known for its rich in flora and fauna, and also has the highest density of the Royal Bengal tiger within its periphery. Other animals found in abundance here are leopards, wild elephants, deer, wild boars that are easy to spot by those who visit the Park. The Park also boasts of the highest footfall of wildlife enthusiasts from home and abroad who make a beeline to catch a glimpse of the royal Bengal tiger, over the next seven months, before all national parks shut-shop for the Great India Monsoon.

After five months of ‘Monsoon Closure’ National parks all over the country including Rajaji National Tiger Reserve, will open their gates to visitors too. First established in 1983 and spread over 820 square kilometers, the park is known for its Asiatic Elephants as well as 315 species of rare birds.

Brighten up your home with reused Kulhar diyas

By

Tania Saili

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October 5, 2019

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Kullhar Divyas — From this to that, colourful diyas by Arshleen

Dehradun, A growing rage this festive season, are Kulhar or mud-cup diyas designed by Arshleenz Creation, Dehradun.

The brain-child of multi-talented Arshleen who prides herself of creating beauties out of Trash and which is also Arshleenz Creation USP, is ruling the social media.

Arshleen gives us a background story about her latest creation, “I need to thank my brother for this. He took me to the Chai Sutta Bar at Clock Tower where they serve flavoured tea in mud-cups or kulhars.” When Arshleen saw their dustbin overflowing with used Kulhars, she was struck with the idea of reusing these items.

In the days to come, Arshleen put up her own dustbin in Chai Sutta Bar and started collecting reusable Kulhars. Seeing her creativity on Instagram and Facebook page, Goli and Food Junction (eateries) got in touch with her willing to contribute their used mud-cups to be recycled into earthen candles for Diwali, by the talented lady.

Using wicks and pouring wax into these hand-painted colourful kulhars, Arshleen then decorates them with either glitter or bright woollen pompoms, that add a special touch for the upcoming festive season. She is also working on larger chrome and copper coloured Kulhar diyas.

Priced at rupees 199/- for a pair to rupees 300/-, Arshleen has gone a bit further and decided to go-green for packaging these diyas, especially when being delivered within Dehradun. “I came up with banana leaves to pack them in so its environmentally healthier, “Lets pack it with Green” is my motto,” she adds.

The busy girl signs off, “I feel that this idea of creating something useful from what is considered as waste, is taking me in the right direction. I am overwhelmed by the positive response, from not only Dehradun but bulk orders from as far as Bangalore, Haridar and Delhi as well.”

Do visit to order today:

Arshleenz_creation By Arshleen Kaur

Literati in Dehradun’s Valley of Words, 2019

By

Tania Saili

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October 4, 2019

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Dehradun: The valley of the Doon is getting set to host the 2019, 3^rd Edition of the Valley of Words from the 15th-17th of November, 2019.

This International Literature and Arts Festival turns three this year and has an interesting line up of events and topics to attract an audience that comprises of both the young and the old.

Some of the Authors lined up for VoW 2019

The Valley of Words or VoW as it is popularly known, celebrates our creative expression across all genres. Honorary Curator of the three-day event, Sanjeev Chopra, IAS explains: “The idea behind this is, its not a literary festival confined to one particular city. It is a celebration of life, literature and all forms of art. Its written word, oral, ballads, films, theatre, puppetry, everything that is created by human beings.”

The three-day event will feature interesting topics under various heads: there will be the R.S.Tolia Forum that will deal with issues like Migration, Livelihood, Ecology, Art and Crafts of the Himalaya, then there is Military History And Strategy followed by Hindi, Fiction and Non-Fiction to end with English, Fiction and Non-fiction. Adding another feather to its well plumed cap, the VoW will also showcase translations published in regional languages extending way beyond the normal parameters of just Hindi and English.

The VoW 2019 aims to bring together over a hundred authors, poets, actors, artists, photographers, balladeers, policy makers,philatelists, academicians, jurists who will all come together to share their stories with students and teachers of the leading schools and colleges from Dehradun.

Curator, Sanjeev Chopra sums it up most aptly when he says: “Dehradun is a city which is culturally very vibrant and some how or the other, this was something that was waiting to happen. Dehradun is actually most suited for an event such as this. It is, after all, an ideal place to play host to a galaxy of people from the creative world.”

Kewal Vihar, Dehradun lives by example.

By

Tania Saili

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October 3, 2019

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In the first of its kind, Dehradun Smart City Limited or DSCL in the process of conducting a competition for selecting and awarding colonies in the city for best waste management practices, handed over the coveted award to Kewal Vihar, Dehradun.

In the first round of selection, Kewal Vihar was shortlisted amongst top eight colonies of Dehradun, scoring over 75% marks. In the second round, an Independent Expert Committee of DSCL visited Kewal Vihar for a surprise inspection. The team carried out a detailed discussion with the residents of Kewal Vihar and physically verified the claims made by the colony for waste management disposal. A detailed documentation substantiating claims and activities was also submitted to the DSCL team.

Resident Ashish Garg, informs us, “Kewal Vihar homes 200 families spread over 21 acres, with a 1.5 km road connectivity,” adding, “the colony has been carrying out its waste management entirely on its own. A monthly contribution of ₹ 50 per month per family sees this to its proper end. There is no financial support from Government, Corporates or Real Estate Agencies.”

The mammoth task of changing the mindset of residents from old unsustainable practices of disposing mixed waste to convincing them to segregate dry and wet waste at its very source was achieved by one to one interaction with the families. Ashish Garg and his team of six members worked with patience and perseverance over the past one year to make 70% of the residents aware about waste segregation, recycle and compost.

Kewal Vihar and its residents made it to the top as they all were of the unanimous view that their relentless pursuit to achieve zero waste needs recognition on a larger level so that similar Resident Welfare Societies can emulate their example and help in making their hometown a clean and green city, in every sense of the word.

Aastha: Being the Change

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Tania Saili

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October 2, 2019

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Dehradun, 14 year old Aastha, President of Children’s Group in Badhkote, in Vikas Nagar Dehradun is leading by example. The young, dynamic girl has brought about a positive change in her environ by curtailing the use of plastic.

In June this year, the young girl along with 24 other friends from various Bal Sangathan’s attended a training session put together by Mountain Children’s Foundation (MCF). The session taught the children the art of making hand-made paper bags from old newspapers. One were simple bags used at grocery shops and the other more decorative bags for wrapping gifts.

Aastha teaching her grandfather the art of making newspaper bags

Returning home, Aastha put her new taught art into practice. She taught members of her own Bal Sanghatan to make these useful paper bags, and use them instead of plastic.

Starting from home, Aastha convinced her grandfather who owns a provision store in the village, to use handmade paper bags instead of plastic bags. On weekends, she even taught her doting grandfather how to make paper bags, which he now happily puts to use in his shop.

Following July, when her school held a craft session asking students to make something useful out of newspapers, Aastha presented her paper bags. Her teacher and Principal were impressed with her presentation and asked her to teach the entire class. Together they made more than 500 handmade paper bags that were donated to shop keepers, big and small in Badhkote, requesting them to reduce the use of plastic by switching to bio-degradable alternatives like newspaper bags, which they warmly accepted.

Aastha is one amongst millions who have taken upon themselves to reuse and recycle what we would consider trash. Her positive outlook and determination to be the change, ensures us that our future is in safe, young hands who put Nature before themselves.

Legal Awareness Campaign enlightens school students

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newspost

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October 1, 2019

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Dehradun, Under the direction of the Chief Justice of Uttarakhand, Patron-In-Chief, State Legal Services Authority, Nainital, the Secretary District Legal Services Authority, Dehradun, Neha Kushwaha started a legal awareness campaign regarding Sankalp Nasha Mukti Devbhoomi Scheme in the schools and colleges of Dehradun.

As females are easy targets for drug peddlers and addicts and sadly prone to sexual exploitation due to drug menace, the Secretary, DLSA enlightened the students and teachers of GGIC, Kargi School regarding the Sankalp Nasha Mukti Devbhoomi Scheme.

The students promised to support DLSA in eradication of drug menace and came out in support of the campaign. Neha Kushwaha also held a meeting with the Principal and teachers of the school and encouraged them to establish an anti-drug clinic.

The Secretary DLSA further directed all Para Legal Volunteers of Dehradun to spread legal awareness regarding Sankalp Nasha Mukti Devbhoomi Scheme through campaigns, in various schools that dot the valley, on a daily basis.

The students were enlightened regarding POCSO ACT, child marriage laws, early pregnancy issues, domestic violence act, maintenance laws and other important laws as well.

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