"Mission Mangal belongs....Page 4 SUNDAY, AUGUST 11, 2019 INTERNET EDITION : www.dailyexcelsior.com/magazine Career in Virology...Page 2 RAKSHA BANDHAN The festival of sacred thread Ashok Sharma Death met his sister Yamuna, the river after twelve long years.Yamuna tied a thread on the wrist of Lord Yama as India is a famous for various festivals which reflect our symbol of eternal love that they had as siblings and asked rich culture and heritage. There are festivals for almost him to visit her every year.Lord Yama was touched by this every religious and social occasion in our country. We have gesture and he granted her protection and immortality and festivals associated with seasons, human bonds, harvest of promised to bless the brother who protected his crops, glory of Gods and Goddesses etc. One such eagerly sister.According to yet another legend, Lord Ganesha had awaited function named Rakshabandhan, literally mean- created Goddess Santoshi out of divine flames as his sons ing the Bond of Protection, is celebrated to mark the uncon- Shubh and Labh had insisted that they wanted a ditional love of brothers and sisters.Primarily a North sister.Rakshabandan is celebrated to rejoice this divine Indian festival, it symbolises the subliminal bond of uncon- relationship between Shubh, Labh and Goddess Santoshi. ditional love and affection between a brother and a sister. There are some Indian legends also associated with this This day also known as Rakhi Poornima, falls on the Full festival.According to one narrative, when Alexander, the Moon day,in the Month of Shravan as per Hindu Lunar Great invaded India, his wife Roxana or Roshnak sent a Calender. This is a secular festival celebrated irrespective of sacred thread to Porus asking him not to harm her husband caste, religion, state and is also popular in our neighbour- in the battle and in accordance with the traditions, when ing countries such as Nepal and Mauritius. On this day, sis- Porus saw the raakhi on his wrist, he restrained himself ters tie a sacred thread on the wrist of their brothers,male from attacking Alexander personally.According to another cousins and adopted brothers who promise them protec- legend, when the widowed queen Rani Karnavati of Chittor tion from untoward happenings and assure them their realised that she couldnot defend against the invasion by unconditional love. The sisters, in turn, pray for the long colourful mark and rice on their foreheads, put sweets in the strong branches of trees. and happy life of their brothers. This festival is so popular their mouth, tie the coloured sacred thread or amulet But with the passage of time, the vibrancy, colourfulness that many Bollywood films are based on the brother-sister around their wrist and pray for their prosperity and long and enthusiasm usually associated with this festival a few relationship with the protagonist conveying the message That fun, frolic and togetherness life.Brothers, on their part, present gifts to their sisters and decades ago are missing.Those were the days when there that he can go to any extent for protecting his sister from seems to have been lost the ritual ends.Brothers continue to wear the holy raakhi were only a few means of recreation and transport and life untoward happenings. Many Bollywood songs including till the festival arrives next year.Both brothers and sisters was not so fast and materialistic.People had enough time at the popular number ' Bhaiya mere, raakhi ka bandhan nib- somewhere along the course donot eat food till the auspicious time for tying the raakhi their disposal to celebrate the festivals.Such festivals served haana', meri pyari behniya banegi dulhania,etc are based arrives.Some girls also tie raakhis to the boys in the neigh- to break the monotony of routine life, bring the people clo- on this affectionate bond of sibling. of time thanks to the impact of bourhood adopting them as their brothers and maintain sure to each other and celebrate life.It was only during Rakshabandhan which is celebrated in our state, espe- this pious relation throughout life.In fact, this adopted rela- these festivals that people, especially brothers and sisters cially in Jammu province, has many legends associated technology, social media and tion is considered more strong and pious than the blood would meet,share joys and sorrows and then depart again with it.According to the accounts from Mahabharta, one hectic modern life. relation. Those sisters whose brothers are away send their to meet on the eve of next festival.Sisters would come with day,Lord Krishna, while in the company of the Pandavas, raakhis by post so that it reaches them in time.The men in home cooked food especially Khamires (fermented cakes) uniform guarding our frontiers too are not forgotten on this and potatoes or keurs and tie raakhis to their brothers while was flying kites when he happened to cut one of his fingers Bahadur Shah, the Sultan of Gujarat, she sent a raakhi to auspicious day and many celebrities and local girls and the entire family watched the ritual.It was thought auspi- on the thread.Draupadi, in order to stop the bleeding from Moghul Emperor, Humanyu who set off with his troops to women tie raakhis on their wrists making them feel at cious for the brother to taste the food from his sister's Lord Krishna's finger, immediately tore a piece from her defend Chittor but he arrived too late and by that time home. Rabindra nath Tagore also started the Raakhi festi- home.It used to be the occasion when the estranged broth- attire and tied it around his finger.Lord Krishna was greate- Bahadur Shah had captured the Rani's fortress.Such is the ly touched by this gesture of love and promised her lifelong power and significance of this sacred thread of raakhi val in Shantiniketan to give the message of universal broth- er-sister would end all their differences with the sister tying protection.It is believed that when the Kauravas were trying This festival is celebrated with great enthusiasm. erhood and humanity. Over the years, there have been the raakhi around the brother's wrist. to shame Draupadi by stripping her in public, it was that Preparations for the celebration of this festival start many many small yet reflective changes in celebrating this festi- That fun, frolic and togetherness seems to have been small piece of cloth that Lord Krishna increased in size to days in advance.Sisters start buying raakhis as per the age val. These days sisters and friends also tie raakhis to lost somewhere along the course of time thanks to the cover her while she was being stripped and thus, began the and taste of their brothers and their own budgets while the eachother promising eternal love and thus, this festival impact of technology, social media and hectic modern life. ritual of tying raakhis.According to Bhagvata Purana and brothers start surveying the markets for gifts to be present- encompasses a larger perspective including a lifetime prac- Our traditional festivals are, infact degenerating into a Vishnu Purana, after Vishnu won the three worlds from the ed to their sisters on this pious occasion.As the day of tice of moral, cultural and spiritual values.Today people mere ritual and losing their charm with the young genera- Demon King Bali, the latter asked Lord Vishnu to stay with have the option of sending online raakhis and gifts.What is tion.No wonder, children switch over to mobiles, laptops him in his palace, a request Lord Vishnu granted.But Lord Raakhi comes, there is an atmosphere of joy and festivity in each and every household.Brothers and sisters wear new required is just to look for an online store, buy a raakhi or and other gadgets as soon as the ritual of tying the raakhi is Vishnu's consort, Goddess Lakshmi didnot like the palace gift, make the payment through Credit card and send it to over.It is time to ponder how we can inculcate love and or his newfound relationship with Bali.So she went to Bali, dresses and are in great spirits.Women and girls apply heena and 'Teera'(made from a herb by crushing it into a the brother or sister living thousands of miles away.Then, interest in the children for these festivals and to introspect tied him a raakhi and made him her brother.Bali asked her unlike the past, markets are flooded with raakhis of innu- whether more weightage should be given to the monetary what gift she desired upon which Lakshmi replied that Lord paste and mixing citrus juice to the paste) on their palms a merable designs, shapes, sizes, colours and materials. value of raakhis or love, affection and sanctity of the festi- Vishnu be freed from the request that he live with Bali in day or two before the festival.As it dries , the reddish colour Children also celebrate this day by flying kites of different vals,after all festivals are about celebration of togetherness the palace.Bali consented and accepted her as his sister. comes up at the palm and the hand where it is applied.On the day of the festival, the sisters take bath,worship the colours, sizes and price range.In rural areas, children and and human relations. According to yet another legend, Lord Yama, the God of the youth enjoy this day by swinging on long cradles tied to family Deity, perform brother's aarti and apply tilak, a (The writer is serving as lecturer in English, Govt.Hr.Sec.School, Thial (Udhampur) Sonam Wangchuk Man behind functional art 'Ice Stupa' Sunny Dua nagar, Wangchuk believes in functional studies and had set When ecological imbalances caused due to global warm- up Students' Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh ing are making icebergs to break away and glaciers to recede (SECMOL) in 1988. Reason behind such a school that laid thereby raising water levels in seas and also triggering unpre- more stress on imparting practical knowledge than academ- dictable cloudbursts, floods or draughts, finding a way to con- ics was that he had realised children cramming up syllabus serve water is definitely a Eureka Moment! This moment without getting to understand it. The knowledge being came into the life of 1966 born engineer Sonam Wangchuk imparted in schools was doing no good to students but put- who noticed ice mass beneath a bridge that too in the month ting them under stress and in the end failing many of them. of May, a time when most of the snow usually melts away but He took all failed students in his school and made them work the water is needed for farming in Ladakh, known as Cold on different projects like tapping solar energy, learning pho- Desert of Jammu and Kashmir State. tography or building water conservation projects. The site gave him idea of accumulating ice in a way that The engineer, innovator, educationist, reformist and a it's minimum surface area could hold maximum volume of motivator Wangchuk not only produced best of the talent but water. 'Inverted cone' was first shape he thought of making also elated the spirit of students who started believing in out of ice and then his work led him to making of a function- themselves. This was a real transformation that now has giv- al 'ice art' called 'Stupa'. This name was religiously associat- en him confidence to start Himalayan Institute of Alterna- ed with Ladakh, had a shape of inverted cone, required sim- tives (HIAL) University in cold desert for which modalities ple skills and needed no machines to make. The idea was con- stand worked out. The university will have dedicated cours- verted into action and the first 20 feet high 'Ice Stupa' was es to study climate change and sustainable tourism. SECMOL campus is designed in a way that it's self reliant created in Leh in October 2013 by using gravitational forces made out in the world he said, 'each and every student of SEC- ways, he added, "We cannot blindly open the mountains to and no machines. and doesn't depend upon fossil fuel. Cooking, lighting or heat- ing in the school is all done using Solar energy that keeps stu- MOL has capacity to perform in his/her own way. Without make a hell for its subjects. We have to be more responsive Wangchuk first located a source of water on a hill. He con- offending anyone we teach skills to our students and then they while building bridges and tunnels. Mountains manage our nected pipes to the source and let the water flow down by grav- dents warm even in minus 30 degree temperatures. Sonam Wangchuk who himself was not enrolled in a school grow to understand life, respect nature, perform in the field region so well and ours is a unique place. Opening them to ity and erected a vertical pipe fitted with sprinkler on its top of their own interest and make their world a better place. the world should come with responsibility so that those arriv- end at the site. Around this pipe a skeleton of Stupa was cre- until the age of 9 year was taught by his mother. His concept of university studies is also going to be on the pattern of SEC- Referring to climate change he said we at the mountains and ing here do not disturb ecology and our cultural ethos". ated by using some bushes. The water through the nozzle of near sea shores are on the forefront of facing the brunt of this MOL where students will be having practical studies to pre- Favouring an all weather stadium for Ladakh, Sonam sprinkler was let go off in the evening hours. This water catastrophe because our glaciers will go away and the water serve and protect Ladakh region besides save its flora and Wangchuk said that sportspersons of this region have ample because of low temperature lost its latent heat and started level in seas will rise. fauns. His latest creation is 110 feet high Ice Stupa in village potential but in absence of infrastructure they are not able to freezing in the shape of stalagmites and stalactite which "We have to make a lot of contribution in preserving out Shara. Gusiness record holder for highest manmade ice struc- tap it all. He urged government to construct a full-fledged sta- clubbed together formed a huge cone shaped structure named eco-system. We have to understand ecology and if there is no ture has also gone to Sonam's work of ice art. Some Ice Stu- dium in Ladakh having almost all sports facilities so that our 'Stupa'. This lasted till June and served the purpose of water understanding of the subject nothing is going to happen here", pa can store 150,000 litres of water in the form of ice without children can also play sports and complete with outer world. conservation only to be used for farming. he said adding that much damages have been done to the plan- Born in village Uleytokpo, Alchi of district Leh, Ladakh any shade from the Sun. Regarding his family he said that since his brother looked after et earth and we need to arise before its too late. Expressing his parents well in him home town, he was able to study well Rolex award winner Sonam Wangchuk said that these 'Ice The idea has so well picked up that many competitions are his concern over deteriorating condition of some of the Stupas' retain water and don't melt away in Sun easily. While being held in Ladakh to encourage villagers to construct 'Ice and establish SECMOL, complete engineering course and monasteries in Ladakh, he said that restoration work on these work on Stupas. these 'Stupas' have started catering to water needs of farmers Stupas' and conserve water. This is making people get monasteries and other heritage sites is not going on as per the "The money I get from the awards and corporate talks goes of cold desert, tourists too have started enjoying Coffee shops involved and about 14 villagers have so far constructed these requirements. 'Basically I call it a joke on the restoration work. to Himalayan Institute of Alternatives (HIAL).So far now I built inside these Stupas while others have found adventure ice stupas. The idea is picking up in neighbouring Pakistan as Though we don't interfere in others' work but this restoration have donated rupees one crore to the dream project of alter- in climbing these 'Ice Arts' that are visible in the cold desert well as Switzerland and other places around the globe that get work has to be on a serious note', he advised. from a long distance and remain intact till late summers. good snow but doesn't have water. Feeling proud of Indian Post Stamp Cover released in the native mountain university where students will be trained in He claimed that 'Ice Man' Padam Shri Chhewang Norphel After giving Ladakh a School and Stupa science, Sonam name of SICMOL he said that with this comes more respon- mountain skills and knowledge about the mountains. Asked from Ladakh was already practicing water conservation tech- Wangchuk is now trying to plant trees and make cold desert sibility. Wangchuk said that in two villages, ice climbing and to give a Message for engineers he asked them to solve the real niques but ice accumulated on flat surfaces used to melt away green. When asked about its impact on ecology especially ice cafes have been started but they haven't become money life problems and not work in conventional ways in Jammu well before summers. However, science clubbed with creative when God chose to create 'Barren Mountains', he said it's a spinners yet. Despite that it's good enough to create a new and Kashmir where potential is more. 'We need to solve real idea made things happen as per the needs. He said, 'Ladakh misconception among the people that more plants will dam- kind of winter tourism. Referring to decision of state govern- life problems the mountain regions can be benefited by engi- gets less rainfall and agriculturists primarily depend upon gla- age Ladakh. He added that if God didn't give us green areas ment in granting Divisional Status to Ladakh, Sonam neering skills. Corrupt practices must go because they are cier waters which during spring dries up. This new technique we can make it happen. 'We are having 0.6 per cent growth Wangchuk said, "it is good for the region but since Ladakh causing more damages to the state and skills that engineers has given them reasons to be jubilant for sowing seeds dur- of trees in the region which can go up to 6 per cent without was an independent Kingdom we need more autonomy for its don. ing spring days because they now get water for the purpose harming the ecology. "We can convert the desert into forest geo-political and cultural survival". Wangchuk is also recipient of Global Award for Sustain- from these Stupas. but should not convert any forest into desert", he asserted. Referring to Government planning massive infrastructur- able Architecture, Real Heroes Award, Ashoka Fellowship for Alma mater of National Institute of Technology (NIT), Sri- Asked to name his students who have achieved or have al development in the region in the form of tunnels and high- Social Entrepreneurship and Ramon Magsaysay Award.