learnings

Meet Pratibha Krishnaiah Who works in a Village now After Leaving a Lucrative Career

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India is witnessing a radical transformation where highly qualified youngsters are giving up cushy jobs to make a difference in the lives of poor people in rural areas.

Manu A B/Rediff.com tracks the success stories of some of the remarkable people who are working in remote villages to change the profile of rural India.

Pratibha Krishnaiah quit a lucrative career to help rural women in Uttarakhand.

It has been a paradigm shift for Pratibha Krishnaiah, who till last year was cozily placed, working as a software engineer in a multinational firm in Bangalore.

But these days she takes a grinding two-hour trek to reach her work place that is nestled in the Uttarakhand valley and has been trying to bring about a positive change amongst the rural women folk spread across three villages.

Pratibha Krishnaiah has been guiding women from Khetikhan, Tapni Pal and Dhat villages on how to be productive and earn money, without having to leave their families to distant towns to eke out a living.

Pratibha trains women on knitting new products

Pratibha says life in the mountains has taught her a lot and made her own life more worthwhile. Earlier even waking up early was so difficult. Now she easily gets up by 4.30 everyday and starts the day with yoga and jogging. Walking uphill to interact with the women in the villages is not difficult anymore.  “Personally, I have never felt so much happiness in my life. Living here been a great experience,” she says.

“It is really good to live with minimal income. I don’t have to worry about tax cuts neither do I have to think about good investment proposals. Money is not the most important thing in life. Though my job profile was good, I felt burnt out. I wanted to be close to nature and work dedicatedly in the villages and the SBI’s fellowship looked liked a magical opportunity. My parents thought it was a ridiculous idea to give up a good job but I convinced them to pursue my dream,” says Pratibha who is at peace now.

People in the village depend mostly on agriculture and it is a big gamble because weather plays a crucial role here. After months of hard work, when the crop is ready to be harvested, untimely rains just damage the yield which leads to huge losses. So it was important to find an alternate and steady income.

Cut off from the mainstream, the innocent villagers have little idea about the value of their products or their own capabilities. Empowering women, honing their inherent skills and finding a market for their unique products is now Pratibha’s mission.

After working for 7 years in Thomson Reuters, Pratibha realised that she needed to do something more meaningful in life. She was looking out for options to work in the rural sector when she came to know about the SBI Youth for India fellowship, which offers a 13-month stint to bring about positive changes in villages.

People in the village too thought she was crazy to give up a good city life to work in the harsh terrain that too in bad weather conditions, at a time when most youngsters in their villages were migrating to cities for better prospects.

Pratibha was captivated by the beauty and serenity of the place. But the initial days were grueling for a city-bred person like her.

“The first week was really tough. I was not used to such cold weather. I even thought I may not be able to survive there. But slowly I got acclimatised and settled well. The spirit of people is amazing and despite such tough conditions they go out to work and stay happy with meagre incomes. I realized that if you get satisfaction and peace from your work, that’s the best reward,” says Pratibha.

Once during heavy rains, the village did not have electricity for a week. Phone networks were down and they were literally cut off from the outside world. “For me it was a first experience but for the people here, it’s a way of life. They have no complaints,” says Pratibha.

 

Considering the harsh conditions, it was necessary to find an alternate source of income.Pratibha found that the women were good at knitting. These women are so good at multitasking that they will be knitting even while walking to the market carrying a big load on their head, she observed.

So she mobilised a group of 25 women to develop their skills in knitting and taught them crochet work. She provided them with elegant designs and helped them make small woollen products which have a good demand in cities.

She also trained them to make things like mufflers, shawls, small shoes, socks, hair clips and hair bands which can be made in lesser time. Pratibha then held an exhibition of these products at Bangalore and it was well received.

 

There is a good market for such products…If there is regular supply it would generate additional income for these women, says, Prathiba.

Though they are good at knitting and crochet work, they can’t give up working as labourers because it does not give them a steady income. So unfortunately these women are either toiling in the fields or working as labourers.

Partibha believes that there is so much scope for entrepreneurship here. It is a hard struggle for women who work as labourers for just Rs 20-30 a day. Most of them drop out from school or study till tenth as the government offers them Rs 50,000 for their marriage expenses if they study till tenth grade.

Pratibha plans to establish a market for their products in cities so that they have a steady income. She also has plans to set up a small scale industry, which can be run by these enterprising women.

Women on an average spent about 20 hours across a period of 1-2 weeks to knit a sweater which they sell for just Rs 250. I have now trained them to make clips which takes just 15 minutes to make and can be easily sold for Rs 15 a pair. A muffler which takes lesser time to stitch can be sold for Rs 300, so it saves them a lot of work and time,” says Pratibha.

NGOs like BAIF are a great support to the people here. Many of them have taken initiatives of creating self help groups for doing knitting work but it can be expanded on a large scale if all the women work together. They can make a better income with a collective effort, believes Prathibha.

The villagers are very simple people, not at all ambitious and most of them are ignorant about their own potential. They need a constant backing and support to get them out of the drudgery to better lives,” says Pratibha who wishes to continue supporting them even after the fellowship is over after 6 months.

Agriculture being a labour intensive job, people spend so much of time in the fields yet it ends up giving negligible returns at times. The village needs to have co-operative societies and government assistance to regulate buying and selling of agricultural produce. Most of the farmers go to the nearby town to sell their products at throwaway prices and later small shops from this village buy it from those traders, who sell it at much higher prices. So ironically people in the village end up paying more for their own produce.

“I live with an old couple here – Madhavanand and Bhagyalakhsmi. Both of them are above 70 years. I have seen the kind of hardships they go through to get the farming done. This year their entire barley cultivation has yielded nothing as rains wreaked havoc. I really wish to bring an end to such suffering. If they have an alternate means of liveliehood or have better marketing for their agricultural products, these hard working people can lead better lives,” explains Pratibha.

Most families make just Rs 2,000-3000 a month. Some months they just don’t earn anything.

Organic farming is also good practice here. Unfortunately, even farmers like Mahesh Chander who has been a crusader of organic farming is yet to get a certification for his farm. He has even made organic pesticides with medicinal plants. There is no support from the government to support such dedicated people,” says Prathibha who wants to focus on organic farming as well in future.

Pratibha also plans to starts an organic farm, go back to natural ways of farming and set up model farms. She believes that these are just small steps. But if more people come forward to help in rural development, we can really help people and build a sustainable economy.

If you wish to help Pratibha, you can mail her pratikrish@gmail.com

If you wish to join the movement to bring about a change in rural India or would like to contribute in any way, you can send a mail to shuvajit@youthforindia.org

 

Source…www.rediff.com

Natarajan

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Message For the Day…” Who is to be Called Human…” ?

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Humans are full of love. Their hearts are springs of mercy. They are endowed with true speech. Peace is the characteristic of the human mind; it is its innate quality. There is no need to go anywhere else in search of peace. Just as gold and silver lie hidden under the earth, and pearl and coral under the sea, peace and joy lie hidden in the activities of the mind. Desirous of acquiring these hidden treasures, if one dives and turns mental activities inward, one becomes full of love. Only one who has so filled oneself with love and who lives in the light of that love can be called human. Those devoid of love are demons, monsters and subhumans. That holy quality of love will not waver in its presence; it will be ever present, without change. It is one and indivisible. Those saturated with love are incapable of spite, selfishness, injustice, wrong, and misconduct.   

Sathya Sai Baba

” சென்னை எழும்பூர் அரசு குழந்தைகள் மருத்துவ மனையில் …”

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இவர்கள்தான் மனித தெய்வங்கள் ! இறைவன் குடியிருக்கும்கோவில் , எழும்பூர் அரசு குழந்தைகள் மருத்துவமனை !

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மொத்தமும் உருக்குலைந்து நிலையில் சேர்க்கப்பட்டான் அந்தச்சிறுவன்!அரசு மருத்துவமனையில் என்ன நடந்தது?

தனியார் மருத்துவமனைகள்தான் உசத்தி. எவ்வளவு மோசமானநிலையில் இருப்பவர்களையும் காப்பாற்றும் வசதிஅவர்களுக்குத்தான் இருக்கிறது. அரசு மருத்துவமனைகள்அத்தனையும் வேஸ்ட். அங்கு முறையான சிகிச்சையும்தரப்படுவதில்லை, மருத்துவர்களும் தகுதியானவர்கள் இல்லைஎன்று நினைப்பவரா நீங்கள்? படியுங்கள் இதை!

பிப்ரவரி மாதம் 18-ம் தேதி… காலை 8.30 மணி… திருவேற்காடுசுந்தரசோயபுரம்…

கட்டடத் தொழிலாளி ரமேஷ் – சொர்ணலட்சுமி தம்பதியின்இரண்டாவது மகன் கெளதம். வீட்டுக்கு வெளியே விளையாடிக்கொண்டிருந்தான். அப்போது அந்தப் பகுதியைச் சேர்ந்த தனியார்பள்ளி வேன் ஒன்று, குழந்தைகளை ஏற்றிக்கொண்டு ரிவர்ஸ்எடுத்துத் திரும்பும்போது அதன் பின்பகுதியில்விளையாடிக்கொண்டு இருந்த கெளதம் மீது ஏறிவிட்டது. இரண்டுவயது ஆக இன்னும் இரண்டு மாதங்கள் உள்ளவன் அவன்.கெளதமை மீட்டு எழும்பூர் அரசு குழந்தைகள் நலமருத்துவமனைக்குக் கொண்டு வந்தனர். அவனை மருத்துவக்குழுவினர் பரிசோதித்துப் பார்த்தபோது, கெளதமின் நெஞ்சுப்பகுதியில் இருந்த எலும்புகள் பாதிக்கப்பட்டு, வயிற்றில் இருந்தகுடல் மேலேறி நெஞ்சுப் பகுதிக்கு வந்து இதயத்தைஅழுத்தியிருந்தது. மேலும் நுரையீரல், மண்ணீரல்சேதமடைந்திருப்பதும் பக்க விலா எலும்பு உடைந்து இருப்பதும்கண்டறியப்பட்டது. அதாவது மொத்த உடல் அமைப்பும் சிதைந்த

நிலையில்தான் கெளதம், அரசு மருத்துவமனைக்குக் கொண்டுவரப்பட்டான்.

அடுத்து என்ன நடந்தது..?

பேராசிரியரும், குழந்தைகள் அவசரச் சிகிச்சைத் துறை தலைமைமருத்துவருமான இந்துமதி விவரிக்கிறார். ‘‘அந்தக் குழந்தையைமருத்துவமனைக்குக் கொண்டு வந்தபோதே மூச்சு, இதயத்துடிப்புஇல்லை. இப்படி ஆபத்தான நிலையில் இருந்த குழந்தைக்கு‘கோல்டன் ஹவர் மேனேஜ்மென்ட்’ என்ற சிகிச்சை மிகவும்முக்கியம். காயம் அடைந்தவரை அடிபட்ட நேரத்தில் இருந்துமருத்துவமனைக்குக் கொண்டுவருவதற்கான இடைப்பட்ட நேரமேஅது. அந்த நேரத்தில் முதலுதவி கொடுப்பது மிகவும் முக்கியம்.அதில்தான் ஓர் உயிர் பிழைப்பதும் இறப்பதும் இருக்கிறது. எனவே,மூன்று மணி நேரம் போராடி ரத்த ஓட்டத்தைச் சீராக்கினோம்.அதன்பின் இதயம் மெதுவாக இயங்க ஆரம்பித்ததும் அடுத்தகட்டசிகிச்சையை மேற்கொண்டோம். வேன் சக்கரம் மேலே ஏறியதால்குழந்தையின் நெஞ்சு மற்றும் வயிற்றுப்பகுதி கடுமையாகப்பாதிக்கப்பட்டிருந்தது. நுரையீரலையும், குடலையும் பிரிக்கும்

ஜவ்வுப்பகுதி கடுமையாக சேதமடைந்திருந்ததால் அதனைஅறுவைச்சிகிச்சையின் மூலம் அகற்றினோம். அதன்பின்கடுமையான கண்காணிப்பில் குழந்தையை வைத்தோம். இந்தநிலையில் குழந்தைக்கு எக்ஸ்ரே, ஸ்கேன் போன்ற ஆய்வுகளைச்செய்ய முடியாது. மீறிச் செய்தால், அது குழந்தையின் உயிருக்கேஆபத்தாகிவிடும். எனவே, தேர்ந்த மருத்துவர்கள் குழுகுழந்தையைப் பரிசோதனை செய்தபோது குடல், இதயத்தைநோக்கி மேலே ஏறியிருந்தது.

அடுத்தகட்ட அறுவைச்சிகிச்சையில் மேலேறியிருந்த குடல் பகுதிவயிற்றுப் பகுதிக்குள் பொருத்தப்பட்டது.

அதிகமாகச்சேதமடைந்திருந்த மண்ணீரலை நீக்கிவிட எங்கள் மருத்துவர் குழுமுடிவு செய்தது.

மீண்டும் 8

மணி நேர அறுவைச்சிகிச்சை நடத்தப்பட்டு அந்தப் பகுதியையும்நீக்கினோம். 10 நாட்களுக்கும் மேலாக அவசர சிகிச்சைப் பிரிவில்வைக்கப்பட்டிருந்த குழந்தையை தீவிரமாகக் கண்காணித்தோம்.அதனைக் கண்காணிக்க தனியாக மருத்துவக்குழுஅமைக்கப்பட்டது. இப்படி அறுவைச் சிகிச்சை, கதிர்வீச்சு,மயக்கவியல் என மொத்தம் 25-க்கும் மேற்பட்ட துறை மருத்துவர்கள்,தேர்ந்த செவிலியர்கள் ஆகியோரின் கூட்டு முயற்சியால் அந்தக்குழந்தை உயிர் பிழைத்துள்ளது. இது எங்களுக்குக் கிடைத்தமிகப்பெரிய வெற்றி!” என்று சொல்கிறார். கேட்கவே சந்தோஷமாகஇருந்தது.

அரசு மருத்துவமனையில், மருத்துவர்கள் சிரத்தையோடும்கவனத்தோடும் செயல்பட்டால் எந்த உயிரையும் காப்பாற்ற முடியும்என்பதை நிரூபித்துள்ளார்கள் இந்த அரசு மருத்துவர்கள். இதேசிகிச்சையை ஒரு தனியார் மருத்துவமனையில் செய்திருந்தால்குறைந்தது 25 லட்சம் ரூபாய் வரை செலவு ஆகியிருக்கும்என்கிறார்கள்.

‘இந்தியாவிலேயே எழும்பூர் அரசு மருத்துவமனையில்தான்குழந்தைகளுக்கான அவசரச் சிகிச்சைப் பிரிவு இயங்கி வருகிறது.இதற்கென தனியாக படிப்பும், மருத்துவப் பயிற்சியும் இருக்கிறது.இந்த அறுவைச் சிகிச்சை, தனியார் மருத்துவமனையில்செய்யப்பட்டிருந்தால் அதற்கான கட்டணம் அதிகம். அதோடுஇதற்கான உபகரணங்கள் அவர்களிடம் இருக்கிறதா? அந்தமருத்துவர்கள் அனுபவ ரீதியாக இந்தச் சிகிச்சைகளில்திறமையானவர்களா என்பதும் முக்கியம். முதலமைச்சரின்விரிவான மருத்துவக் காப்பீட்டுத் திட்டத்தின் மூலம் இந்தஅறுவைச்சிகிச்சைகள் நடத்தப்பட்டன. எனவே, ஏழ்மை நிலையில்இருக்கும் குழந்தைகளின் பெற்றோருக்கு மருத்துவச் செலவும்குறைந்தது. சென்ற மாதம் 30-ம் தேதி குழந்தை டிஸ்சார்ஜ்செய்யப்பட்டு பெற்றோருடன் அனுப்பிவைக்கப்பட்டது. அப்போதுஅந்தக் குழந்தையின் முகம் மலர்ந்து இருந்தது.

அந்தப் பெற்றோரின் 

முகத்தில் இருந்த திருப்திதான் எங்களது மருத்துவச் சேவைக்குக்கிடைத்த வெகுமதி’’ என்றார் மருத்துவர் இந்துமதி பெருமிதத்துடன்.

அந்தக் குழந்தையின் தாய் சொர்ணலட்சுமியிடம் பேசினோம். ‘‘விபத்து நடந்தவுடனே என்ன செய்யறதுனே தெரியலை.அங்கிருந்தவங்க 108 ஆம்புலன்ஸுக்கு போன் செஞ்சாங்க. அப்பவேகுழந்தைக்குப் பேச்சு, மூச்சு இல்லை. இந்தக் குழந்தைகள்ஆஸ்பத்திரிக்குக் கொண்டுவந்ததுக்கு அப்புறம் அவங்க செஞ்சட்ரீட்மென்ட்னாலதான் குழந்தைக்கு மூச்சு இருந்ததே தெரிஞ்சது.நிறைய டாக்டருங்க வந்தாங்க. ஆபரேஷன் பண்ணுனாங்க. இப்போஎன் குழந்தை நல்லபடியா இருக்கான்.

அதுக்குக் காரணமான எல்லா டாக்டருங்களுக்கும் நன்றி. காப்பீட்டுத்திட்டத்துல பண்ணுனதுனால செலவு கொஞ்சம் கம்மியாகி இருக்கு.இதுவே, தனியார் ஆஸ்பத்திரிக்கு போயிருந்தா  பல லட்சம்வரைக்கும் செலவாகி இருக்குமாம். அவ்ளோ வசதி எல்லாம்எங்களுக்கு ஆண்டவன் கொடுக்கல. ஆனா, என் மகன திரும்பக்கொடுத்துட்டாரு. அதுவே போதும்’’ என்றார் கண்ணீரோடு.
அவரது கணவர் ரமேஷ், ‘‘இப்போ வரைக்கும் ஆபரேஷன் நடந்தஇடத்துல வலி இருக்கும்போல. அதனால அந்தப் பகுதியை காட்டிஅழுதுட்டே இருக்கான். நோய் எதிர்ப்புச் சக்தி குறையாம இருக்கஊசி போட சொல்லியிருக்காங்க. அந்தத் தனியார் பள்ளி தரப்புலஇருந்து எங்களுக்கு எதுவும் தெரியாதுன்னு சொல்லிட்டாங்க.இப்போ ஒவ்வொரு வாரமும் செக்கப் வர சொல்லிருக்காங்க. இடதுபக்க கிட்னி பாதிச்சு இருக்காம். அத எடுக்கவேண்டியதாகூடஇருக்கலாம்னு சொல்லி இருக்காங்க. ஆனா, அவன் இப்போநல்லபடியா இருக்கான்’’ என்றார்.

இந்த மருத்துவர்கள்போல அனைத்து அரசு மருத்துவர்களும்தங்களின் பொறுப்பு உணர்ந்து செயல்பட்டால் எல்லோருடையமனங்களும் மகிழ்ச்சியால் நிறையும். நடக்குமா?

– மா.அ.மோகன் பிரபாகரன்
படங்கள்: எம்.உசேன்

‘‘மருத்துவத் துறையின் மைல்கல்!”

கெளதமுக்கு தரப்பட்ட சிகிச்சை பற்றி  அனுபவம் வாய்ந்த தனியார்மருத்துவர் ஒருவரிடம் பேசினோம். ‘‘ஒன்றரை வயது குழந்தைக்குஇதுபோன்ற சிகிச்சைகள் அளிக்க வேண்டுமானால், அதற்கு கூட்டுமுயற்சியும் அனுபவம் வாய்ந்த டாக்டர்களும் முக்கியம். எல்லாமருத்துவமனைகளிலும் அதற்கான வசதிகள் இருக்காது. ஏன்இங்கேகூட இரண்டு தனியார் மருத்துவமனைகளில்தான்அதற்கான வசதிகள் உண்டு. ஆனால், அங்கு போனால் ஆகும்செலவுகள் உங்களை வாய் பிளக்க வைக்கும். உதாரணமாகமண்ணீரலை அகற்ற லட்சக்கணக்கிலும், அதற்கான பரிசோதனைசெய்ய ஆயிரக்கணக்கிலும் செலவாகும். முக்கியமாக வயிற்றுப்பகுதியில் ஜவ்வுப்பகுதியை அகற்ற அதற்கு அனுபவம் வாய்ந்தடாக்டர்கள் தேவை. மருந்து, மாத்திரை, டாக்டர் ஃபீஸ், ஆபரேஷன்தியேட்டர் வாடகை என அந்தத் தொகையை நடுத்தர மக்கள்கூட கட்டஇயலாது. சில மருத்துவர்களின் தவறான நடவடிக்கைகள் மட்டும்

இல்லாமல் இருந்தால் அரசு மருத்துவமனைகளை சேவைத் தரத்தில்வீழ்த்திவிட முடியாது’’ என்றார்.

நன்றி :- ,ஜுனியர் விகடன், 10-05-2015

 Natarajan

Message For the Day…” Once You Say and Feel ‘Aham Brahmasmi’ [ I am Divine ], You Get Infinite Strength …

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You must proceed ever towards strength (balam); you must not take to untruth, wickedness, crookedness – all of which denote a fundamental fatal trait of cowardice and weakness (Balaheenam). Weakness is born of accepting as true a lower image of yourself than you truly are. You believe you are the husk, but you really are the kernel. This is a key fact. All your spiritual practices must be directed to the removal of the husk and the revelation of the kernel. So long as you say, “I am”, there is bound to be fear, but once you say and feel, “Aham Brahmasmi” (I am Divine), you get infinite strength. The influence of the Divine is so subtle and strong that while you are contemplating on Him, all traces of envy and greed will disappear from your mind. The pure love the cowherds (Gopis) had for Lord Krishna is a great example. This is the characteristic of Divine Incarnations at all times. 

Sathya Sai Baba

 

Message for the Day…” Love [prema] is the Most effective tool for Constantly Remembering God…

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By carrying a bundle of sandalwood, can a donkey become an elephant? The donkey will sense the difference in weight but not the scent! On the other hand, the elephant disregards the weight and inhales the sweet scent. So too, the spiritual aspirant, or devotee will take in only the pure truth, the pure essence of good activities, of godliness and scriptures. On the other hand, one who goes on arguing for the sake of mere scholarship, learning, and disputation will know only the weight of logic, missing the scent of truth! Love (prema) is the most effective instrument for constantly remembering the Lord. Keeping that instrument safe and strong needs the power of discrimination (Viveka). Many in the world utilize their vast learning in disputation to prove their superiority; this is a great mistake. If they really were so learned, they would silently experience the core, the pure Divine.

Sathya Sai Baba

” Footage From Cockpit “…Plane Landing in one of the ‘Scariest ‘ Airports in the World…

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There’s a belief that computers do all of the work in the cockpit, but this amazing video shows British Airways pilots conquering one of the most challenging runways in the world.

With cameras mounted in the flight deck, the clip shows a pilot’s-eye view as a BA plane approaches and touches down on the runway in Funchal, on the Portuguese island of Madeira.

It may seem like a routine event, but captains Ally Wilcox and Ian Mills had to contend with high winds and were unable to rely on the plane’s instruments as they landed at an airport nestled between the Atlantic Ocean and a hill dotted with home

click and watch the video clip below…

 Captains Ally Wilcox and Ian Mills had to contend with high winds as they approached the runway

Captains Ally Wilcox and Ian Mills had to contend with high winds as they approached the runway

Footage from the cockpit provides a perspective that most passengers will never see as they arrive on the stunning island for a relaxing holiday.

It can be a turbulent landing, and after an extension was built in 2000 part of the runway is on stilts over the sea.

Captain Wilcox narrated the video, which was shot on a recent flight from London, telling viewers Funchal is a unique airfield because pilots cannot land a plane there unless they have special approval from Portugal’s civil aviation authority.

He said BA and Airbus have developed a bespoke plan that has been approved by authorities, which includes using banana sheds as a waypoint to navigate the ‘tricky terrain’ to the left of the runway.

Footage from the cockpit provides a perspective that most passengers will never see

Footage from the cockpit provides a perspective that most passengers will never see In order to land in Funchal pilots must undergo training and be approved by Portuguese aviation authorities

In order to land in Funchal pilots must undergo training and be approved by Portuguese aviation authorities

Only 20 BA captains are permitted to fly into Funchal, and each one had to pass a two-hour simulated training session.

Captain Wilcox said: ‘The island is very tricky because of the terrain … it means we have to fly around the bay and very close to the terrain before completing a curving approach onto the runway.’

As the airport does not have an instrument landing system, pilots must navigate around the bay visually using good judgment, he added.

Funchal is frequently included in lists of the 'scariest' runways in the world due to its challenges

Funchal is frequently included in lists of the ‘scariest’ runways in the world due to its challenges

High winds add to the degree of difficulty.

He tells viewers: ‘As it’s out in the Atlantic the wind is often strong and very variable in nature.

‘As with this approach we faced exactly that challenge with the head wind becoming a cross wind pushing us towards the terrain and here ending up as a tail wind as we landed on the runway.’

Given its location and turbulent winds, Funchal is frequently included in lists of the ‘scariest’ runways in the world.

Source….www.dailymail.co.uk  and http://www.you tube.com

Natarajan

” The Chaos “…A Classic English Poem Illustrating How English Language Became such a Mess!!!

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The Chaos by Gerard Nolst Trenité

This is a classic English poem containing about 800 of the worst irregularities in English spelling and pronunciation.Will Snellen wrote a PDF version using the phonetic alphabet. You can hear some of it pronounced mostly correctly by “JimmyJams” in the video The Chaos Of English Pronunciation by Gerard Nolst Trenité on YouTube.

Dearest creature in creation
Studying English pronunciation,
   I will teach you in my verse
   Sounds like corpse, corps, horse and worse.

I will keep you, Susy, busy,
Make your head with heat grow dizzy;
   Tear in eye, your dress you’ll tear;
   Queer, fair seer, hear my prayer.

Pray, console your loving poet,
Make my coat look new, dear, sew it!
   Just compare heart, hear and heard,
   Dies and diet, lord and word.

Sword and sward, retain and Britain
(Mind the latter how it’s written).
   Made has not the sound of bade,
   Say–said, pay–paid, laid but plaid.

Now I surely will not plague you
With such words as vague and ague,
   But be careful how you speak,
   Say: gush, bush, steak, streak, break, bleak ,

Previous, precious, fuchsia, via
Recipe, pipe, studding-sail, choir;
   Woven, oven, how and low,
   Script, receipt, shoe, poem, toe.

Say, expecting fraud and trickery:
Daughter, laughter and Terpsichore,
   Branch, ranch, measles, topsails, aisles,
   Missiles, similes, reviles.

Wholly, holly, signal, signing,
Same, examining, but mining,
   Scholar, vicar, and cigar,
   Solar, mica, war and far.

From “desire”: desirable–admirable from “admire”,
Lumber, plumber, bier, but brier,
   Topsham, brougham, renown, but known,
   Knowledge, done, lone, gone, none, tone,

One, anemone, Balmoral,
Kitchen, lichen, laundry, laurel.
   Gertrude, German, wind and wind,
   Beau, kind, kindred, queue, mankind,

Tortoise, turquoise, chamois-leather,
Reading, Reading, heathen, heather.
   This phonetic labyrinth
   Gives moss, gross, brook, brooch, ninth, plinth.

Have you ever yet endeavoured
To pronounce revered and severed,
   Demon, lemon, ghoul, foul, soul,
   Peter, petrol and patrol?

Billet does not end like ballet;
Bouquet, wallet, mallet, chalet.
   Blood and flood are not like food,
   Nor is mould like should and would.

Banquet is not nearly parquet,
Which exactly rhymes with khaki.
   Discount, viscount, load and broad,
   Toward, to forward, to reward,

Ricocheted and crocheting, croquet?
Right! Your pronunciation’s OK.
   Rounded, wounded, grieve and sieve,
   Friend and fiend, alive and live.

Is your r correct in higher?
Keats asserts it rhymes Thalia.
   Hugh, but hug, and hood, but hoot,
   Buoyant, minute, but minute.

Say abscission with precision,
Now: position and transition;
   Would it tally with my rhyme
   If I mentioned paradigm?

Twopence, threepence, tease are easy,
But cease, crease, grease and greasy?
   Cornice, nice, valise, revise,
   Rabies, but lullabies.

Of such puzzling words as nauseous,
Rhyming well with cautious, tortious,
   You’ll envelop lists, I hope,
   In a linen envelope.

Would you like some more? You’ll have it!
Affidavit, David, davit.
   To abjure, to perjure. Sheik
   Does not sound like Czech but ache.

Liberty, library, heave and heaven,
Rachel, loch, moustache, eleven.
   We say hallowed, but allowed,
   People, leopard, towed but vowed.

Mark the difference, moreover,
Between mover, plover, Dover.
   Leeches, breeches, wise, precise,
   Chalice, but police and lice,

Camel, constable, unstable,
Principle, disciple, label.
   Petal, penal, and canal,
   Wait, surmise, plait, promise, pal,

Suit, suite, ruin. Circuit, conduit
Rhyme with “shirk it” and “beyond it”,
   But it is not hard to tell
   Why it’s pall, mall, but Pall Mall.

Muscle, muscular, gaol, iron,
Timber, climber, bullion, lion,
   Worm and storm, chaise, chaos, chair,
   Senator, spectator, mayor,

Ivy, privy, famous; clamour
Has the a of drachm and hammer.
   Pussy, hussy and possess,
   Desert, but desert, address.

Golf, wolf, countenance, lieutenants
Hoist in lieu of flags left pennants.
   Courier, courtier, tomb, bomb, comb,
   Cow, but Cowper, some and home.

“Solder, soldier! Blood is thicker“,
Quoth he, “than liqueur or liquor“,
   Making, it is sad but true,
   In bravado, much ado.

Stranger does not rhyme with anger,
Neither does devour with clangour.
   Pilot, pivot, gaunt, but aunt,
   Font, front, wont, want, grand and grant.

Arsenic, specific, scenic,
Relic, rhetoric, hygienic.
   Gooseberry, goose, and close, but close,
   Paradise, rise, rose, and dose.

Say inveigh, neigh, but inveigle,
Make the latter rhyme with eagle.
   Mind! Meandering but mean,
   Valentine and magazine.

And I bet you, dear, a penny,
You say mani-(fold) like many,
   Which is wrong. Say rapier, pier,
   Tier (one who ties), but tier.

Arch, archangel; pray, does erring
Rhyme with herring or with stirring?
   Prison, bison, treasure trove,
   Treason, hover, cover, cove,

Perseverance, severance. Ribald
Rhymes (but piebald doesn’t) with nibbled.
   Phaeton, paean, gnat, ghat, gnaw,
   Lien, psychic, shone, bone, pshaw.

Don’t be down, my own, but rough it,
And distinguish buffet, buffet;
   Brood, stood, roof, rook, school, wool, boon,
   Worcester, Boleyn, to impugn.

Say in sounds correct and sterling
Hearse, hear, hearken, year and yearling.
   Evil, devil, mezzotint,
   Mind the z! (A gentle hint.)

Now you need not pay attention
To such sounds as I don’t mention,
   Sounds like pores, pause, pours and paws,
   Rhyming with the pronoun yours;

Nor are proper names included,
Though I often heard, as you did,
   Funny rhymes to unicorn,
   Yes, you know them, Vaughan and Strachan.

No, my maiden, coy and comely,
I don’t want to speak of Cholmondeley.
   No. Yet Froude compared with proud
   Is no better than McLeod.

But mind trivial and vial,
Tripod, menial, denial,
   Troll and trolley, realm and ream,
   Schedule, mischief, schism, and scheme.

Argil, gill, Argyll, gill. Surely
May be made to rhyme with Raleigh,
   But you’re not supposed to say
   Piquet rhymes with sobriquet.

Had this invalid invalid
Worthless documents? How pallid,
   How uncouth he, couchant, looked,
   When for Portsmouth I had booked!

Zeus, Thebes, Thales, Aphrodite,
Paramour, enamoured, flighty,
   Episodes, antipodes,
   Acquiesce, and obsequies.

Please don’t monkey with the geyser,
Don’t peel ‘taters with my razor,
   Rather say in accents pure:
   Nature, stature and mature.

Pious, impious, limb, climb, glumly,
Worsted, worsted, crumbly, dumbly,
   Conquer, conquest, vase, phase, fan,
   Wan, sedan and artisan.

The th will surely trouble you
More than r, ch or w.
   Say then these phonetic gems:
   Thomas, thyme, Theresa, Thames.

Thompson, Chatham, Waltham, Streatham,
There are more but I forget ’em–
   Wait! I’ve got it: Anthony,
   Lighten your anxiety.

The archaic word albeit
Does not rhyme with eight-you see it;
   With and forthwith, one has voice,
   One has not, you make your choice.

Shoes, goes, does *. Now first say: finger;
Then say: singer, ginger, linger.
   Real, zeal, mauve, gauze and gauge,
   Marriage, foliage, mirage, age,

Hero, heron, query, very,
Parry, tarry fury, bury,
   Dost, lost, post, and doth, cloth, loth,
   Job, Job, blossom, bosom, oath.

Faugh, oppugnant, keen oppugners,
Bowing, bowing, banjo-tuners
   Holm you know, but noes, canoes,
   Puisne, truism, use, to use?

Though the difference seems little,
We say actual, but victual,
   Seat, sweat, chaste, caste, Leigh, eight, height,
   Put, nut, granite, and unite.

Reefer does not rhyme with deafer,
Feoffer does, and zephyr, heifer.
   Dull, bull, Geoffrey, George, ate, late,
   Hint, pint, senate, but sedate.

Gaelic, Arabic, pacific,
Science, conscience, scientific;
   Tour, but our, dour, succour, four,
   Gas, alas, and Arkansas.

Say manoeuvre, yacht and vomit,
Next omit, which differs from it
   Bona fide, alibi
   Gyrate, dowry and awry.

Sea, idea, guinea, area,
Psalm, Maria, but malaria.
   Youth, south, southern, cleanse and clean,
   Doctrine, turpentine, marine.

Compare alien with Italian,
Dandelion with battalion,
   Rally with ally; yea, ye,
   Eye, I, ay, aye, whey, key, quay!

Say aver, but ever, fever,
Neither, leisure, skein, receiver.
   Never guess-it is not safe,
   We say calves, valves, half, but Ralf.

Starry, granary, canary,
Crevice, but device, and eyrie,
   Face, but preface, then grimace,
   Phlegm, phlegmatic, ass, glass, bass.

Bass, large, target, gin, give, verging,
Ought, oust, joust, and scour, but scourging;
   Ear, but earn; and ere and tear
   Do not rhyme with here but heir.

Mind the o of off and often
Which may be pronounced as orphan,
   With the sound of saw and sauce;
   Also soft, lost, cloth and cross.

Pudding, puddle, putting. Putting?
Yes: at golf it rhymes with shutting.
   Respite, spite, consent, resent.
   Liable, but Parliament.

Seven is right, but so is even,
Hyphen, roughen, nephew, Stephen,
   Monkey, donkey, clerk and jerk,
   Asp, grasp, wasp, demesne, cork, work.

A of valour, vapid vapour,
S of news (compare newspaper),
   G of gibbet, gibbon, gist,
   I of antichrist and grist,

Differ like diverse and divers,
Rivers, strivers, shivers, fivers.
   Once, but nonce, toll, doll, but roll,
   Polish, Polish, poll and poll.

Pronunciation-think of Psyche!-
Is a paling, stout and spiky.
   Won’t it make you lose your wits
   Writing groats and saying “grits”?

It’s a dark abyss or tunnel
Strewn with stones like rowlock, gunwale,
   Islington, and Isle of Wight,
   Housewife, verdict and indict.

Don’t you think so, reader, rather,
Saying lather, bather, father?
   Finally, which rhymes with enough,
   Though, through, bough, cough, hough, sough, tough??

Hiccough has the sound of sup…
My advice is: GIVE IT UP!

Notes on The Chaos

“The Chaos” is a poem which demonstrates the irregularity of English spelling and pronunciation, written by Gerard Nolst Trenité (1870-1946), also known under the pseudonym Charivarius. It first appeared in an appendix to the author’s 1920 textbook Drop Your Foreign Accent: engelsche uitspraakoefeningen. (From Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Chaos

Source….www.bbc.com  and  http://ncf.idallen.com/

Natarajan

” பூனையாலே வந்தது …பூனையாலே போனது …” !!!

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எனது பாட்டி எனக்கு அறிவித்த ஒரு அதிசய சம்பவத்தை உங்களிடம் பகிர்ந்து கொள்கிறேன்.

ஒருசமயம், காஞ்சிப் பெரியவர் பக்தர்களுக்கு ஆசி வழங்கிக் கொண்டிருந்தார்.

பக்தர்கள் நீண்ட வரிசையில் காத்திருந்தனர்.

கூட்டத்தில் வந்த இளம் தம்பதியரின் கையில் ஒரு ஆண்குழந்தை இருந்தது. கொழு கொழுவென இருந்த குழந்தையை பெரியவரின் காலடியில் கிடத்தி விட்டு, அழத் தொடங்கினர்.

“”தங்க விக்ரகம் போல இருக்கும் அந்த குழந்தையின் உடம்பில் எந்த வித அசைவும் இல்லை. மலர் போன்ற அதன் கண்களில் பார்வையும் இல்லை” என்பதை அறிந்ததும் அனுதாபத்தில் ஆழ்ந்தனர்.

உற்றுப் பார்த்த பெரியவர், “அப்படியே தான் இருக்கு இன்னும் கொறயலையே” என்று மட்டும் சொல்லி விட்டு, சில நிமிடம் மவுனம் காத்தார். பெரியவர் என்ன சொல்கிறார் என்பது அப்போது யாருக்கும் புரியவில்லை. பின் மடத்து ஊழியரை அழைத்து, பாலும், நந்தியாவட்டைப் பூவும் கொண்டு வரும் படி பணித்தார். பூவினைப் பாலில் தோய்த்து குழந்தையின் தலை, கண்கள், வயிறு, பாதம் ஆகியவற்றில் தடவி விட்டு, கண்களை மூடி பிரார்த்தித்தார்.

பெற்றோரிடம், “”கொழந்தைய.. .. மாயவரம் (மயிலாடுதுறை) மாயூரநாதர்கோயிலுக்கு தூக்கிண்டு போயி தட்சிணாமூர்த்தி பாதத்தில படுக்கப் போடுங்கோ…. இப்பவே கிளம்புங்கோ…” என்று சொல்லி அனுப்பி வைத்தார்

.

அந்த தம்பதியும் மயிலாடுதுறை புறப்பட்டனர்.

அவர்கள் வரும் முன்பே, மாயூரநாதர் கோயிலில் கூட்டம் சேர ஆரம்பித்தது. உணர்ச்சியற்ற அந்த குழந்தையைப் பற்றித் தான் ஒரே பேச்சாக இருந்தது.

குழந்தையுடன் வந்த பெற்றோர், மாயூரநாதர் கோயிலில் விநாயகரை தரிசித்து விட்டு, பிரகாரத்தில் இருக்கும் தட்சிணாமூர்த்தி சந்நிதி முன், குழந்தையைப் படுக்க வைத்து வழிபட்டனர். ஒரு மணி நேரம் ஆன பின்பும், குழந்தையிடம் ஒரு அசைவும் தென்படவில்லை. மக்கள் சலசலக்க ஆரம்பித்தனர்

சிலர், அந்த பெற்றோரின் தெய்வ நம்பிக்கையை குறைக்கும் முயற்சியிலும் ஈடுபட்டனர்.

அப்போது, திடீரென ஒரு வெள்ளை பூனைக்குட்டி கூட்டத்திற்கு நடுவில் ஓடி வந்தது. குழந்தையின் அருகில் நெருங்கியது. பூனையால் ஆபத்து நேர்ந்திடாமல் தாய் கவனித்துக் கொண்டிருந்தார். யாரும் எதிர்பாராத விதத்தில், பூனை குழந்தையின் நெற்றியை நாவால் நக்கியது. தலை முதல் பாதம் வரை முகர்ந்து விட்டு ஓடி விட்டது.

பிறந்ததில் இருந்து அசையாத அக்குழந்தை, தட்சிணாமூர்த்தி சந்நிதியை நோக்கி திரும்பிப் படுத்தது. அதன் இதழில் புன்னகை அரும்பியது.

“க்ளுக்’ என்ற மழலை ஒலியும் எழுந்தது. இதைக் கண்ட பெற்றோர், “ஹரஹர சங்கர ஜெயஜெய சங்கர’ என்றபடி குழந்தையை தூக்கினர். அவர்களைப் பார்த்துச் சிரித்தது.

இந்த அற்புதம் கண்டவர்கள் காஞ்சி மகானின் தெய்வீக தன்மையைக் கண்டு வியந்தனர்.

முற்பிறவியில் பூனையைக் கொன்றவர்களுக்கு, பூனை சாபத்தால் புத்திரபாக்கியம் இல்லாமல் போவது அல்லது ஊனமான குழந்தை பிறப்பது போன்ற தோஷம் உண்டாகும் என்கிறது சாஸ்திரம்.

அதே பூனை இனத்தைக் கொண்டே, இந்த குழந்தையின் தோஷத்தைப் போக்கி, தலைவிதியை மாற்றி அமைத்த பெரியவரின் மகிமையை என்னவென்பது?

Read more: http://periva.proboards.com/thread/9451/#ixzz3cSEyogTw

Source….www.periva.proboards.com  and Dinamalar dated 17 june 2014

Natarajan

 

 

 

 

 

Natural Remedies for Stomach Ulcers and Heartburn….

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You would never think of tomatoes as being bad for you, but they can, in fact, make things even worse for your ulcers. You’ll truly be amazed at which other health foods you should avoid to prevent acid reflux from occurring. Before we discuss the 12 natural home remedies for stomach ulcers and heartburn, it’s important to have a better understanding of the causes and symptoms between each disorder.
What are Stomach Ulcers?
Many people make the mistake of confusing peptic ulcers with heartburn, but they are far from alike, despite having similar symptoms. Ulcers consist of tiny open sores that develop on the inner lining of the stomach and small intestine areas, causing excruciating pains.
What Causes Stomach Ulcers?
Helicobacter pylori is the main bacteria infection that triggers stomach ulcers. Helicobacter pylori develops from certain medications, poor dietary lifestyle, and stomach acid buildup.
What Are the Symptoms Associated with Stomach Ulcers?
The most common symptoms attributed to ulcers are burning pains that begin at the top of your chest, eventually reaching your belly button area, and sharp pains that keep you awake at night. There are also pains that occur 2-3 hours after eating, which may provoke mild nausea. These pains generally go away after vomiting.
Foods and Beverages to Avoid with Stomach Ulcers: 
  • Coffee – Coffee stimulates acid production and can cause severe indigestion problems.
  • Alcohol – Alcohol can irritate and erode the lining of the stomach and small intestine, triggering the ulcers.
  • Spicy Foods – Certain peppers found in dishes such as Mexican chili, can trigger heartburn in a flash. Avoid spicy foods as much as possible, since they simulate acid reflux buildup and gastrointestinal pains.
What is Heartburn?
Heartburn occurs when the stomach acid backs up from the esophagus, and eventually reaches your throat area. Heartburn is a very unpleasant burning sensation that can truly leave a bad taste in your mouth. Nearly 1 out of every 5 Americans suffers from it.
What Causes Heartburn?
The common cause of heartburn is a lower esophageal sphincter, or LES, that doesn’t contract regularly. Unhealthy foods play a major contributor of heartburn, especially foods that are deep fried or cooked in grease. Overeating can also cause acid reflux buildup due to the excess amount of pressure on the stomach.
What Are the Symptoms of Heartburn?
 
Symptoms of heartburn or acid reflux, include a dry cough, a sore throat that causes difficulty swallowing, an increased burning sensation after digestion and tasting acid or food in the back of your mouth. These symptoms intensify the moment you lay down.
Foods and Beverages to Avoid with Acid Reflux:
  • Citrus Fruits – Citrus fruits might be ideal for the common cold, but the acidity inside can cause heartburn, particularly on an empty stomach.
  • Garlic and Onions – Although both vegetables are essential for a healthy dietary intake, they also wreck havoc on people suffering from heartburn.
  • Carbonated Beverages – Carbonated beverages cause gastric distension, leading to acid reflux and indigestion. It’s best to stay away from sodas, and just drink mineral water instead.
  • Natural Treatments for Heartburn  

1) Eating a Healthy Diet – There are many foods that are extremely good for you, but bad for your heartburn. Some of these foods include; ground beef, sour cream, cottage cheese, onions, tomatoes, and citrus fruits. Make sure you avoid fried and greasy foods to prevent heartburn from occurring. Drink plenty of water in between meals and skip the carbonated beverages altogether.
2) Enzymes and Probiotics – Probiotics are often referred to as the “good bacteria”, since they promote healthy digestion. Probiotics minimize the growth of harmful bacteria, and boost the immune system. Probiotics are available in supplement form, and help combat acid reflux. It’s recommended to take a hydrochloric acid or HCI enzyme supplement along with probiotics for smooth digestion.
3) Aloe Vera Juice – Aloe vera juice has been known to treat acid reflux and other medical symptoms. It’s advisable to drink 1/4 cup of aloe vera approximately 20 minutes before a meal or whenever you experience acid reflux issues. You can even mix the aloe vera with tea or water if you don’t like the basic taste of it. Do not drink aloe vera juice if you have diabetes, kidney failure or thyroid disease. Pregnant women and children should also avoid it.

4) Apple Cider Vinegar  – Apple cider vinegar is used to treat stomach acid buildup, as ironic as it sounds. The cider helps digestion by breaking down fats, despite the acidity factors. It is recommended to mix one or two teaspoons of the apple cider vinegar with a glass of water. Drink a glass of the cider before meals or when you feel a reflux attack coming on.
5) Baking Soda – A little baking soda is all it takes to reduce your acid reflux problems. You may not appreciate the bland taste, but you’ll feel much better afterward. Mix a half or a full teaspoon of baking soda with a glass of water.
Natural Treatments for Stomach Ulcers
1) Cabbage Juice – Cabbage is packed with an abundance of natural anti-oxidant properties that help prevent stomach ulcers. Cabbage contains vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, C, E, K and folate, all essential for treating acid reflux and fighting cancer.
2) Zinc Carnosine – Zinc-Carnosine is used to treat stomach ulcers and other gastrointestinal problems. The function of the Zinc-Carnosine is to repair damaged tissues and heal ulcer wounds.
Recommended Dosage: Use for 8 weeks, with a daily dose of 75mg in divided doses.
3) Probiotics – Probiotics improve intestinal functions and help fend off Helicobacter pylori. They are also used to prevent other gastric disorders, such as diarrhea and inflammatory bowel disease, from occurring.
Recommended Dosage: Take a probiotic of 1 to 2 million CFUs daily.
4) Glutamine – Glutamine significantly reduces the amount of inflammation brought on by a Helicobacter pylori infection. Glutamine supplements can be purchased at any local health store.
Recommended Dosage: Take 2 grams of glutamine daily for stomach ulcers.
5) Ginger Root – Ginger limits the harmful helicobacter pylori from acting up. Add several slices of fresh ginger roots to hot water, and drink the ginger mixture approximately 20 minutes or so before each meal for a quick soothing remedy.
6) Deglycyrrhizinated Licorice Powder (DGL) – DGL can work wonders for peptic ulcers. They protect the inner lining of your small intestine and stomach.
Recommended Dosage: Suggested dose is 200 to 400 mg daily dissolved in 200 ml warm water.
7) Astaxanthin – These powerful antioxidants help protect the gastrointestinal or GI tract and reduce symptoms of acid reflux. The free radical scavenging activity of astaxanthin also combats against Helicobacter pylori bacterial infection.
Recommended Dosage: Suggested daily dose is 40 mg.
Bonus Recipe: How to Prepare an Anti Reflux Smoothie:
  • 1 cup diced fresh pineapple
  • 1 cup diced fresh papaya
  • 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
  • 1/2 cup ice
  • 1/2 cup pineapple juice or water
  • Mix all in a blender and drink.

Source….www.ba-bamail.com

Natarajan

Why this 20-yr-old set out on a 4,200 km journey on a cycle…?

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The planned 43-day-long campaign called ‘Raise your Voice Against Child Sexual Abuse’ will see Muhammed Shahid cover 11 states and 96 districts.

A 20-year-old university student embarked on Wednesday on a solo cycle trip that will take him from Kanyakumari to Kashmir to raise awareness about child sexual abuse.

Muhammed Shahid, a second year Geography student from Jamia Milia Islamia University hit upon the tour idea with the support of the university authorities and volunteers of various groups working for the rights of children.

The campaign that Shahid begins from the Swami Vivekananda Kendra in Kanyakumari is expected to cover 11 states and 96 districts and is scheduled to culminate on July 12 at the University of Kashmir.

The planned 43-day-long campaign, which he calls “Raise your Voice Against Child Sexual Abuse” will see Shahid distributing pamphlets with information on the social issue.

Shahid also plans to interact with parents and students, and enact at places he stops, a street drama aimed at inspiring children to speak up and not keep silent if they face abuse.

“I got the idea of a cycling campaign when I went to a couple of juvenile homes in Delhi as a part of a program by a reputed city-based NGO. Most students I talked to had some experience to share of sexual abuse. It was then I decided to do this campaign,” he says.

“As a child I had encountered abuse so I don’t want this to happen to anyone else,” says the cycling enthusiast who thanks his parents for their full support.

The itinerary chalked up by Shahid, who hails from Kozhikode in Kerala, attempts to cover a total of around 4,200 kilometres at a daily cycling of an average of 95 kilometres to 105 kilometres.

For the past six months Shahid says he prepared by rigorously practicing for the proposed trip.

“I use to cycle almost 50 kilometres a day from 7 pm to 1 am. During weekends I used to increase the distance to 100 kilometres,” says the cyclist.

To reduce the load on the road trip the cyclist has packed only the bare essentials in a back pack that also contains a camera.

The student says he has received support from social activists, friends and other non governmental organisations.

Relief and Charitable Foundation of India, RCFI, a Kozhikode-based charity has assisted Shahid financially and the Jamia Milia University has sponsored his bicycle.

Source…www.rediff.com

Natarajan