VOL 01 | ISSUE 28 | APR 12 - APR 18, 2014
`10 ges 24 Pa
Mila Kunis
Catching Up, Pg 24
GU
On manual mode in a computerised world PG 02
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G PLUS APR 12 - APR 18, 2014
Lead Story
IN SPITE OF POLLS, NO LET UP IN CELEBRATIONS
mrinmoyee hazarika
The ongoing elections are seemingly having no effect in Bihu celebrations with the events and functions going ahead as scheduled.
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s the harsh days of winter fades away, the blooms of spring is all set to make the hearts feel young and vibrant again. The season brings massive joy to the minds and hearts of the Assamese people since it brings in the spirit of ‘bihu’ along with it. The primary festival of Assam and its people residing in it are all set to celebrate the festival of bihu with zest and fervour. Over time, bihu has changed its form and structure but still, the very essence of the festival remains same among the people. The modern urban class of the city celebrate bihu through bihu functions, workshops, bihu dance and song competitions. Though the transition of bihu can be seen in their celebrations, yet all the people irrespective of age, caste and religion living in the city never miss to celebrate the festival.
Preparations
Preparation to celebrate bihu is being carried on with full steam by various bihu committees of the city with more than hundred such functions, small and big ones, will be organised in every nook and corner of the city for at least two months. Like every year, this time too, the Pub Guwahati Bihu Sanmilan, organiser of one of the premier bihu functions of the city too has geared up to celebrate the festival at the Chandmari playground. The organisers will be celebrating the four-day long festival to be started from the 14th of April. The 53rd edition of Pub Guwahati Bihu Sanmilan will be witnessing a host of activities including competitions of bihu dance and song and performances by various artistes. “On the first day of the function, local artistes will be performing bihu dance, chorus and Sattriya dance.
Our budget for this year’s bihu is `15 to `16 lac. We do not take help from any corporate and that is why we have no time to sit now. We have reserved the first day for the local people, so that they can get a chance to explore their talents. The second day will be witnessing performances from invited artistes from across the state. Every year, we have been organising state level competi-
tions on best dancer, singer, dhulia, bihu group and this year too, we will be hosting these competitions,” Anjan Sarmah, general secretary, Pub Guwahati Bihu Wanmilan told G Plus. The organisers of the Guwahati Bihu Sanmilani, established in the year 1952, too are busy with the final preparations for the function at the Latasil playground here from 14th of April. “With less than a day or two for the upcoming bihu function, we have got hardly any time to relax. The preparation for bihu is going on in full swing,” Rana Goswami told. Preparation for other big bihu functions of the city like Noonmati Bihu Sanmilani, Anchalik Bihu Sanmilani, Narangi, Paschim Guwahati Bihu Sanmilani, Bharalumukh, Dakhin Pub Guwahati Rongali Bihu Sanmilani, Rajgarh, Rukmininagar Rongali Bihu Sanmilani, Beltola, Pandu Bihu Sanmilani and Maligaon are going on to celebrate the festive season of bihu.
Money Matters
Bihu preperations & Latasil ground
In this age of corporate branding and price hike, the organisers of the bihu functions are struggling hard to meet their budgetary targets. But, they are trying their best to keep the functions free from becoming commercial avenues. The president of Pub Guwahati Bihu Sanmailan, Ranjan Bora said that the organisers have been able to maintain the very essence of culture and tradition of bihu while celebrating the festival. “We have never let the corporate use our stage. A few years back, a brand had approached us and in return, asked for some favours in the form of felicitation of their officials, display of their logo on the back of the stage but, we did not accept their proposal. There are some banks and gov-
ernment sectors who want to help us with some fund and in return, we give them stalls in the field,” Bora said. Mentioning about meeting the demands made by the artistes, he stated, “Most of the funds are being provided by the members of our Bihu Sanmilan, which is enough to cover the expenses of the function. If we cannot meet the demands of some of the artistes whom we invite to perform in our function, we simply leave them out. It is not mandatory that we have to bring in star performers to our bihu. Instead, we try to create stars from our stage and provide a platform for the local and talented artistes.” The budget for this year’s Pub Guwahati bihu sanmailan is `15 lac. The organisers have stated that singer Krishnamoni Chutia, Manas Robin, Rupa Kashyap, Gitanjali Das, Biman Barua and Manoj Kashyap would be performing live at the function. The president of Guwahati Bihu Sanmilani too has echoed the same sentiment. “Our budget for this year’s bihu is `15 to `16 lac. We do not take help from any corporate and that is why we have no time to sit now. We have been arranging money on our own and people have been helping us generously. If the star artistes demand too much, we just drop them from our schedule,” Rana Goswami, the president of Guwahati bihu sanmilani told. The organisers of the bihu functions have acknowledged the help and cooperation received from the young generation. “The youths have been lending their help to us in all respects. They are smarter than us and have been participating proactively in the preparations,” both the presidents of Pub Guwahati bihu sanmailan and Guwahati Hihu Sanmilani told.
mrinmoyee.hazarika@g-plus.in
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G PLUS APR 12 - APR 18, 2014
In The News
Ghy to have air & noise quality monitoring station
The Pollution Control Board is requesting to set up online ambience air quality monitoring stations mrinmoyee hazarika
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he residents of Guwahati will soon get access to the real time pollution updates of the city. The Pollution Control Board, Assam (PCBA) has sent a proposal to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) requesting to set up three continuous online ambience air quality monitoring stations at three different locations of the city. The PCBA has also requested for permissions to set up five such stations to monitor the air quality of the city. “We have sent a proposal to the CPCB for setting up of a continuous online ambience air quality monitoring station at different localities of the city at the cost of Rs 1.10 crore. CPCB has agreed upon to provide 90% of the cost and we have to bear the rest of the amount. It will take six to seven months to get the approval from the CRCB to establish the station in the city,” PCBA chairman RM Dubey told G Plus. The locations selected for setting up of online noise quality monitoring system are – Narikalbasti, Dighalipukhuri, Ganeshguri, Fancy bazaar and Maligaon. Similarly, the areas of Ganeshguri, Paltan bazaar
Each year during the month of November to March the values of RSPM and SPM crossed the prescribed limit. and Maligaon have been selected for establishing the continuous online ambience air quality monitoring station. All these stations will be controlled by one centre located at the office of the PCBA at Bamunimaidam. Moreover, the PCBA has been carrying out the ambient air quality monitoring programme since 1991 with the help of four stations located at Bamunimaidam, Dispur, Gopinath Nagar and Santipur. From the year 2009, the Dispur station was shifted to Khanapara and from 2010 the number of monitoring stations was increased from four to six. It was found that the year-to-year
increase or decrease of the value of the parameters suspended particular matter (SPM), respirable suspended particulate matter (RSPM), SO2 and NO2 monitored were random and did not conform to any particular trend. It was also found that the yearly average values of RSPM and SPM values in almost all the locations were either in high or in critical condition. “This may be due to the prolonged dryness during the winter months, increasing number of vehicles on road, growing industrial activities, construction and other human activi-
ties” Parivesh Batori, quarterly newsletter of PCBA mentioned. It also stated that, “From the monthly average data received by the air quality monitoring stations of PCBA, it was observed that each year during the month of November to March the values of RSPM and SPM crossed the prescribed limit. The RSPM and SPM levels are found within the prescribed limit during the month from April to September. This is perhaps due to the effects of the monsoon rain and high humidity.” In the meantime, the PCBA, on
12th of March of this year has issued a show cause notice to the office of the NF railway, Maligaon in connection with violation of 24, 25 and 32 of water (prevention and control of pollution) Act, 1974. “You are operating the new Guwahati diesel shed (Loco shed) at New Guwahati, Bamunimaidam area of Guwahati nonchalantly without obtaining the mandatory consent of the Board and also without taking any preventive pollution control measures, thereby discharging heavy pollutants like diesel, motor oil, grease and other hazardous substances directly in river Bahralu causing serious damage to the water quality of river Bharalu. “Whereas, the government of Assam has declared the whole state of Assam as water pollution control area under water (prevention and control of pollution) Act, 1974 as amended till date. “Whereas, in spite of being in operation for such a long time and being a responsible government department, you have failed to comply with the basic provisions of the above mentioned act,” the show cause notice mentioned.
mrinmoyee.hazarika@g-plus.in
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G PLUS APR 12 - APR 18, 2014
G-View
GAUHATI UNIVERSITY On manual mode in a computerised world
rahul chanda
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stablished on the 26th of January 1948, Gauhati University (GU) is the first university of Northeast India. It’s been around seven months that the new Vice Chancellor Mridul Hazarika replaced the previous varsity chief and took over the institution. Recently, various students protested against the grading system of the university and some organisations even alleged that there has also been anomalies in funds distribution in the university. The university authorities have claimed there is no such anomaly in fund distributions in the varsity and have also declared that the grading system will change by April end. As the new Vice Chancellor has already started brainstorming what to change and what not to, G Plus reviews the work done in last seven months.
The change According to the new VC, the
improvement of the infrastructure is paramount. The common basic problems have to be identified and resolved. He said, “In the last seven months, a lot of things have been done in the university as per the improvement of the infrastructure. The Phani Dhar Dutta Auditorium was in a very bad shape when I joined; people were not even able to get inside the hall because it was in a pathetic condition. Now, it is upgraded and it is in a decent condition.” He further added that a lot of change has also taken place in the administration block as the infrastructure of the building was not proper. Many offices have been upgraded in the entire varsity and the drinking water problem has been entirely solved. Now there is 100% drinking water facility for the students according to the VC. The VC has already issued orders to upgrade all the hostels in the university, and the work has already started. Hazarika added, “Tenders have been floated and proposals have been received for repairing all the internal roads inside the university and the work will start by the end of April or the beginning of May.”
The shame All over the world, there is a tech-
nological revolution, but the shocking news in the GU is that in spite of being the first university of the entire northeast, everything happens here manually. The university is yet to be computerised. Actually, when the VC was explaining about the recent changes, which took place after he
When I joined the university as the VC, discovering that the institution is still running manually was a shock to me. The tenders were floated for computerising the entire work system of the university after I joined and the technical committee has already shortlisted the parties who will carry out the work.
joined as VC, we enquired about the funds used for these projects. He then said that it would be a bit difficult to get all the details out soon, as all work in the university happens manually. Pulling up the records and details of the investment done in these days are all preserved manually and getting them out with a single click is very difficult. He added, “When I joined the university as the VC, discovering that the institution is still running manually was a shock to me. The tenders were floated for computerising the entire work system of the university after I joined and the technical committee has already shortlisted the parties who will carry out the work. The project of computerising the university will start from May. Approximately the budget of this project will be somewhere around a crore.” So, finally the Gauhati University will be computerised according to the new VC , if everything works smoothly. But, the question is that in an age where no one works without a computer and technology has replaced all traditional ways and methods of working, why is the first university of the region still working manually? Why the previous authorities did not take any initiative to computerise the institution? Assam lacks fibre optic connection for speedy technological use and the university somehow is proving that Assam still has some way to go..
Other changes The grade system The SFI, and the All Assam Students’ and the debts Union (Aasu), were demanding changes The VC also informed that the renovation of many departments happened after he joined. He explained that now if we visit the different departments, the change will be easily noticed. The new bus service for the students has also been introduced after the VC joined. Around 3 buses ply from the city to the university every day. The arrangement of the buses has been done with the help of the ASTC. The VC also informed that the university had a lot of pending payments which are slowly taken care of. The VC said, “2000 checks were pending of experts visiting the varsity for PhD viva and other academic requirements. The checks are pending since 2002-03, so, I have almost cleared all the checks pending since then. There were around 6000 checks pending for the examiners, and after I join till now around 3000 checks are cleared. I will clear all the pending bills as soon as possible.” This year the postgraduate results were out quite early. It was always a concern for the students that they always receive their results pretty late. The VC explained that other than departments like Assamese and Commerce, all other postgraduate results were out in the month of February, whereas in the past, the results used to be out pretty late.
in the present grading system of converting the highest mark obtained by a student in a particular subject into cent per cent while calculating the relative percentile. The SFI has also been demanding reforms in the semester pattern of assessment to match the quality of education with that of the best universities. It was bowing to the pressure created by the students’ bodies or selfinitiative, but the VC said that the highlevel committee was formed to change the grade system as soon as he joined. He said, “The demand made by student bodies are legitimate, but the committee was already formed. There was no need for agitation; it’s just that the bodies’ need mileage.” The VC informed that the grading system will be changed and declared by April end. The new varsity chief might have initiated various change and may be is trying to solve the problems, but, an institution which has 330 colleges under it, has a long way to go to compete with other educational institutes in the country. Like people from this region opt to go out and study in universities like Jamia Milia, JNU and so on, when will people from outside too will opt to study in Gauhati University?
rahul.chanda@g-plus.in
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G PLUS APR 12 - APR 18, 2014
BIHU WORKSHOPS ATTEMPT TO KEEP TRADITION INTACT
City
With numerous Bihu workshops taking place in the city, the traditional stalwarts of Assam are revitalising the dance and music amongst the youth. PRANJAL BORUAH
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t is the time that the Assamese people eagerly wait for. This is the month when the villagers of Assam dance a jig by beating the dhol (drum), believing that its sound would turn the earth fertile, before the start of agricultural activities. With Bohag begins a new year. Ploughing of fields does not take place in Guwahati. Nor does courtyard husori, but conducting numerous workshops to train up children about the basics of bihu and husori is a common scene in the city with a few weeks before the beginning of the state’s most popular festival. Be it the Srimanta Sankaradeva Kalakshetra or the Shilpgram at Panjabari or the Naamghor at Tarun Nagar, all provide a place to the young ones to learn how to play the dhol or dance. Ask about it to the pepa expert Prasanna Gogoi and he would tell you how busy he becomes during this
time. “This is a hectic time for me. I get invitations to inaugurate workshops, teach young people about the nittygritty of bihu and husori not only in Guwahati but across the state,” he would say. Gogoi has turned his Maligaon based home into a small labora-
tory where he makes the pepas, setting them in different scales. He also carries his self-developed and beautifully crafted 24 stringed Hansa Bin to the workshops showing participants the relationship of the stringed instrument with the festival.
In association with the Northeast Zone Cultural Centre, a city based cultural organisation, Sanskritic Mancha Assam, organised a bihu workshop at Shilpgram where more than 300 participants took part. Inaugurated by Prasanna Gogoi and secretary of Asom Dhulia Xilpi Xanmiloni, Jiten Bora, the workshop was graced by experts like Anil Saikia, Jayanta Sonowal, Purabi Gogoi Das, Mili Konwar, Debangana Chutia, Dipika Boro and Pinki Kalita are some of many who have been guiding the students. Another cultural organisation Bor Luit Kola Krishti Bikax Kendro of Jina Rajkumari Goswami also organised a workshop on bihu and Tiwa folk songs at the Ganeshmandir Indoor Stadium at Khanapara. “I came to know much about bihu by attending the workshop. The workshop was only for ten days but was a great help in giving me direction.
Theory and practical classes were held every day,” said Himakshree Kalita, a participant. Oja Somnath Bora, one of the most prominent names in the cultural world of the state who lives in the city, is also busy these days. He had gone to Tezpur University and then to upper Assam’s Sivasagar district to teach students how to play the dhol and other rules and regulations of bihu. “During a workshop we teach the basics about bihu and various instruments,” said Bora. If everything goes as planned, Oja will set a world record next year where 25000 people will perform bihu at the same time in the city. He said that so far 16000 participants have
confirmed their participation for the programme. “We decided to organise the programme this year. But because of the Lok Sabha elections we have postponed it to next year,” said Bora.
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G PLUS APR 12 - APR 18, 2014
In The News
THE WEEK THAT WAS
Prime Bakes offers Japi inspired Cakes at `199 for Bihu
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n the occasion of Rongali Bihu festival, the leading bakery retail brand of Guwahati, Prime Bakes has announced the launch of a limited edition Japi shaped cakes. Inspired by the headgear of Assam, the special cake layered with fresh cream and adorned with traditional motifs has been attractively priced at `199. The limited edition Japi cakes are available in flavours like classic vanilla, butter scotch and rich chocolate in addition to the regular flavours, which makes it a great gifting option, this Bihu. Weighing approximately 400 gms, it shall be available across all the 7 Prime Bakes outlets in the city, 12th April onwards. The special cakes can also be customized with personalised Bihu messages, if pre-ordered. “Rongali Bihu is a time for celebrations and happiness making Prime Bakes an ideal partner for the occasion. We are happy to offer the limited edition cakes which are not only a novel gifting option but also offers great value for money”, said Nirupam Muklania of Prime Bakes.
Poll officials training conducted
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he Kamrup Metro district administration organised a special two-day training programme on April 11 and 12 for assembly constituencies of East Guwahati, West Guwahati, Dispur and Jalukbari for presiding officers and polling personnel who will be deployed for duty during the forthcoming general elections in the city. Around 5,400 officials participated in the training programme. The training was conducted at the TC Girls’ HS, Cotton Collegiate and the District Library auditorium. There will be a total of 1,108 booths at the 472 polling stations located in the city for the polls. Polling for the Guwahati Lok Sabha seat is scheduled for April 24. There are a total of 9,69,050 voters in the city, including 5,059 ‘D’ voters.
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o mark the significance of the World Health Day, a free health check up camp was organized by the Prime Cabs, a city based radio taxi service operator on April 7. The health camp was organized in association with GNRC hospital at their premises for the drivers of the city along with general public. The camp included free diag-
nosis, medical consultation, blood sugar test, BP check, ECG etc. Doctors and nurses of GNRC attended to over 100 drivers and general public who showed up at the camp. Commenting on the initiative, CEO of Prime Cabs, Pallab Bagaria said, “Our prime focus is timely service and this initiative facilitated by us reinforces the value of timely health
check–up.” The taxi drivers are the life support of their families but due to their hectic schedule, they either ignore their health or cannot mange time for health care. Present at the camp, a taxi driver expressed, “This is a great opportunity for us and we are privileged to have such renowned doctors helping us with our health.”
ATDC hosts ‘Rough It Out’ Highest revenue collected by
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ough It Out’, a one-day event, organized by Borgohain Enterprise, a city-based firm, in association with the Assam Tourism Development Corporation on April 6, the programme was aimed at creating awareness on the importance of physical exercise among the denizens. More than 100 participants took part in a race last week to test their fitness on a sand island built in the middle of the Brahmaputra River. The island has been designed as a rough terrain resembling a military training ground. The programme included events like ditch crawling, tyre racing, wall climbing and rope climbing. The makeshift venue on
Climate change sensitisation programme at GU
n order to create awareness about the climate change and related issues among the educated youths, a two day programme was organised jointly by the Department of Geography, Gauhati University and the Assam Science, Technology and Environment Council (ASTEC), Govt of Assam on April 8 and 9. ASTEC Director HC Dutta addressed the meet as the guest of honour and he highlighted the changing environmental situations, including climate and discussed about the mission of the ASTEC towards facing such challenges. A speech competition on ‘Climate Change: Causes and Consequences’
Prime Cabs, GNRC observe World Health Day
also happened among the post-graduate students of the science and technology faculties of GU. Further a day long interactive workshop on ‘Climate Change and Livelihood Related Issues in the Context of Assam’ was held at the Biotechnology Gallery, GU for the PG students and research scholars from various departments of the university. The day-long programme came to an end with a resolution that global warming and changes in climate and environment is a reality, this is high time to equip ourselves to face the challenges through required awareness, adaptation, management and innovation.
the sand island provided the perfect ambience for the participants and lifted their excitement as the soil near the mighty river really tested their enduring spirits. “For the first time such an event is being organized in the northeast. The event attracted a good turnout. We want to propagate the idea of healthy living among the city people,” said Lucky Borgohain, a member of the firm. “It’s great to be on the island and I want such kind of events to be held quite often. Even in our busy schedule it is important that we try something different to test our physical strength through such adventure activities,” said a participant.
High Court rejects rhino poachers’ bail pleas
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he Guwahati high court has rejected the bail pleas of three persons who were accused of rhino poaching on April 7. The accused, identified as Kashim Ali, Habibur Rahman and Yakub Ali, were arrested with a 303 rifle from Kaziranga National Park in September 2012 and booked under several sections of Wildlife Act, Arms Act and IPC. “The high court rejected their pleas as the matter is now with the CBI and a probe is on. Investigation has revealed that the three persons were part of a six-member group that killed a rhino and sold its horn for a hefty amount,” said P N Choudhury, counsel appearing for CBI. The probe has revealed that the poachers, along with three other members from Nagaland, killed the rhino inside the Bagori range of the Kaziranga National park and sold 400 grams of rhino horns to a party for `16 lakh. The other three accused have escaped.
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transport department
n amount of more than `100 crore has been collected by the Kamrup district transport office (DTO) in the fiscal year 2013-14 which is the highest revenue collected till now. The financial year which came to an end just two weeks back witnessed a collection of `104.77 crore, which is `2.70 crore more than the last financial year. Last year, the collection was `102.07 crore, while in 2011-12, it was `94 crore. The revenue collected includes road taxes and fines from traffic norm violators. A total of 66,942 vehicles were registered during 2013-14. . “The revenue collection was more than the previous years. We have adopted several measures to urge vehicle owners to pay taxes, including road and other taxes, on time. It’s nice that people have responded positively,” said Gautam Das DTO (registration and licensing). He also said that the department has taken several initiatives to ensure that no vehicles ply on the road without paying taxes. The DTO has also taken up initiatives to educate school children on road safety measures. Mountaineers Tarun Saikia and Manish Kumar Deka, the first Assamese duo to scale Mount Everest, have been roped in by the DTO as brand ambassadors to create awareness among students.
Tania Tarannam launches first music album
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ania Tarannam, the young singing star of Assam launched her first album ‘Hiyat Tejore Noi’ in Guwahati. The album has also got song contribution from singers Zubeen Garg and Manas Robin. Previ-
ously, Tania Tarannam recorded the song ‘Ore Piya’ with singer Joy Chakraborty which turned out to be a hit. Tania Tarannam is the daughter of Congress Spokesperson Mehdi Alam Bora and is currently pursuing her graduation.
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G PLUS APR 12 - APR 18, 2014
ARUP SAIKIA
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ongali Bihu is round the corner and so is the rush of customers in the markets and shopping complexes across the city. The rush of people buying new clothes for them and their loved ones is increasing every day. One of the fabric that is ruling the market this festive season is the synthetic fibre mekhla chadar, which are selling like hot cakes in the city bazaars. Garment traders dealing with the mekhla chadars in the city feel that synthetic fiber mekhla chadars embroidered with local designs have a separate identity and they are in no way hampering the prospect of traditional paat (silk) textiles of Sualkuchi. On the other hand, even if weavers of the textile city of Sualkuchi agree that synthetic fibers cannot match the paat fiber mekhela chadars, they fear the local designs of Sualkuchi silk embroidered in imported synthetic material will very soon spell disaster for the weavers of the state. Baba Kalita, a weaver in Sualkuchi told G Plus that the movement against the Banarasi silk Sualkuchi that erupted last year was the need
LOCAL DESIGNS ON IMPORTED FABRIC The weavers of Sualkuchi see this as a real threat
of the hour but now, the people of the state should also focus on how to bring to an end to the practice of using local designs in clothes imported from states like Gujarat and Maharashtra. “People are buying the imported synthetic mekhla chadars as they get the local designs with them and that too, at a lower cost. The only way the popularity of these mekhla chadars can be brought down is if the practice of use of local design is stopped,” Kalita, who has been in this business for the last fifteen years said.
Local designs like magar, dhol, pepa and others, are extensively used in imported fabric to attract buyers, another weaver of Sualkuchi, Nandan Kakoti said. He alleged that there is a nexus of some Guwahati based garment traders and some Sualkuchi businessmen who are making these designs available outside the state. “If these designs continue to appear on the imported synthetic mekhla chadars, sooner or later the people of the state themselves will forget that these are our own designs. The state government should take
this matter seriously and if possible should compel the imported mekhla chadar manufactures to give royalty to local designers for using their designs,” Kakoti said. Ratan Sharma, a Guwahati based trader dealing with the synthetic chadar mekhlas admitted that some of the imported fabrics are embroidered with local designs in the city itself while the rest come from cities like Surat and Mumbai directly. Many customers go in for the fancy, low cost synthetic chadar mekhlas, but the ones who want to buy the original stuff this festive season, are facing the dilemma whether to go for it or not after the Sualkuchi incident that brought to light the adulteration on original paat fabrics. Tension escalated in the silk hub of Assam, Sualkuchi in early 2013 following a series of protests by the weavers of the silk town. The weavers alleged that artificial silk brought from other parts of the country for making the traditional Assamese at-
In The News
tire was affecting them and the silk industry in the state. They also alleged that the silk clothes the shops were selling were not pure Assamese golden Muga Silk and white Paat Silk as the clothes burnt turned to ash unlike pure silk. “I was thinking of buying my mother a paat mekhela chadar this festive season but now I am having second thoughts whether the material available in the market is original or not,” said Nilakshi Konwar, a management executive with the Hindustan Paper Mill. According to the sales staff of Silkalaya (a showroom in the city which deals in traditional Assamese dresses), sale of paat fiber items in their showroom has not been affected post the Sualkuchi incident but they are now compelled to work that extra hard to convince the people on the genuineness of their products. “We have a good reputation in the market and earlier people hardly questioned the genuineness of the product we sell but now we face an array of questions from customers wanting to buy items from us,” said Kishor Nath, a senior sales staff of the outlet.
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G PLUS APR 12 - APR 18, 2014
Ward Watch
LAMB ROAD
SHUBHOJIT ROY
Monsoon scare looming large
Major Issue
Water Logging in Lamb Road Concentrated Region
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he Ambari area of Guwahati is one of the major residential spots in Guwahati. It is the centre point of the city and is close to many important areas of the city like Guwahati Club, Dighalipukuhri and Uzan Bazaar. The area is also close to the bank of the river Brahmaputra and is situated around the Jorpukhuri pond. While the area is beautiful and is also one of the oldest residential localities in the city, it has been suffering from water logging problems from some years now. G Plus went ahead in order to find out the pertaining issues that has been troubling the area.
Flooded monsoons
Lamb Road has long been suffering from water logged streets during rainy season. It becomes extremely difficult for the pedestrians as well as the vehicles. And when the water settles down slowly, the roads become extremely slippery and muddy and very dangerous for the pedestrians to walk on. Bijoy Hazarika, a pensioner who has been living in the locality since his birth says that the area was very beautiful some years back, but things have changed over time. “Our house is around 150 years old and we have seen the change in this area from good to bad. Water logging problems were not a problem always, but since some years now, the water logged streets are a major problem in the
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Sometimes when there is too much of traffic in the bus routes, the city buses divert to the Lamb Road to find a short cut. But it is not legal, it’s a residential area and not meant for buses” locality.” Hazarika further adds that the city buses are also a nuisance on the Lamb road. “Sometimes when there is too much of traffic in the bus routes, the city buses divert to the Lamb Road to find a short cut. But it is not legal, it’s a residential area and not meant for buses,” lambasts Bijoy.
Jorpukhuri status
Jorpukhuri is one of the oldest ponds in the city. However, G Plus found out that the water from the pond has only been recently taken out in order to clean it after about 60 years. The pond has been a source of life for hundreds of aquatic organisms, and the authorities have finally taken the initiative to clean-up the pond. While taking a stroll around the pond, we came across Sishir Goswami who was busy in burning his
Ward No
11
Lamb road, Jorpukhuri of Ambari area Sub Division 11A/11B
household garbage. Goswami told us that Jorpukhri doesn’t suffer from water logged streets like the Lamb Road and the locals in Jorpukhri constantly push the authorities to keep the region in proper condition. “We make sure that the authorities are taking care of the things here, we constantly push them and that is why I think the locality is all right.” Goswami further adds that the pond was beautiful but had not been cleaned for a long time. “Jorpukuhri was not cleaned for past 60 years and the authorities have at last taken the step to clean it up,” says Sishir.
Other Issues
There are some other issues that are a cause of worry in the Ambari area. There are problems of proper street light facilities, irregular garbage collection by the municipality department. Rabindra Das, a self-employed resident of the locality says that the area is fine other than some basic problem of water logging in Lamb Road, which happens during monsoons. “Monsoons are a bad time for Lamb Road residents, but it has always been there since for a long time now. There are
other minor problems too like untimely garbage collection and street lights that don’t work, but still I would rather rate the area to be fine. It’s better than many other areas of Guwahati that I have seen,” explains Das. The authorities have long rested and ignored the water logging problems in many parts of the city, Lamb Road being one such area. With elections knocking at the door, only time will tell what measures the government takes to make this city a better place to live in.
shubhojit.roy@g-plus.in
G PLUS APR 12 - APR 18, 2014
9
G-Talk
10
G PLUS APR 12 - APR 18, 2014
Business
BIHU-NOMICS The season sees a surge in the business of many sectors and makes the city and the state a centre of economic activity SHAMBHAVI
T
he spring festival is a time when the market of Assam witnesses flow of money. Weaving, handloom, garment, entertainment and consumer durable sectors see a huge surge in sales. It is time for the corporate like the Oil Companies and mobile operators, cement biggies to get engaged in the corporate social responsibility activities. Several companies are offering discounts and rebates to woo the crowds. In busy Guwahati city a trend of Bihu workshops has picked up. According to noted folk artiste Somnath Bora, the Bihu workshops have gained immense popularity amongst the young generation. Assam has a huge work force of over 15 lakhs engaged in weaving and around 13 lakhs of work force in working in the handloom sector. Thousands of Bihutolis (especially erected pavilions for celebration of Bihu functions) are being erected in
“
A Gamocha costs around `130 to `150 and Assam requires 80 million square metres of Gamocha whereas the state is producing only 50 million squares metres of gamocha every year”
different nooks and corners for the month long celebrations. The famed Assamese Gamocha witnesses a huge surge in sales and the state government controlled Assam Apex Weavers & Artisans Co-operative Federation Ltd. (ARTFED) sold close to three lakh pieces of Gamochas in 2010. The sale is expected to cross 10 lakh pieces. A piece of such Gamocha costs around `130 to `150 and Assam requires 80 million square metres of Gamocha whereas the state is producing only 50 million squares metres of gamocha every year. The turnover in the gamocha business is to the tune of `200 crores every year. Even the traditional silk sector is witnessing a spurt in activity with
thousands of Self-help groups (SHGs) and clusters taking to commercial production of silk in Assam as a preparation for the seasons’ sale. The rich golden silk is unique to India and 86 percent of the country’s total muga production comes from Assam. About 95 percent of Eri production in the country comes from Northeast India of which Assam produces about 50 percent. Market analysts opined that the sale of electronics and consumer durables witnesses a surge during this time. In the past, Airtel sponsored the noted singer and composer Manas Robin and his forty-member crew for a 60-day show. Now Vodafone has launched ‘Rongalir Ron - this month long cultural extravaganza is being or-
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ganised for Bihu dance troupes in Assam to showcase their talent. As part of this contest, Bihu troupes from across the state can participate and compete with each other in different phases, wherein the winner will be felicitated with a cash prize – the best group performance will get `2 lakh & the best individual performer will get `50,000. As the beginning of the Assamese New Year, Rongali Bihu also marks the end of the tourist season so there is a rush of tourists to catch glimpses of cultural tourism. Tour operators said that high-end tourists visit Assam during this time of the year. Allied business like greeting cards and calendars too get a boost during this time.
Guwahati Refinery conducted pig vaccination
M
ore than 50 pigs and piglets being reared by self help groups were vaccinated at Thakurkuchi in Chandrapur on April 11 with initiatives from Guwahati Refinery. The pigs were provided to six SHGs in Thakurkuchi – Rangjali, Saaya, Kalyani, Jonaki, Sonmoina and Janmabhumi – from Guwahati Refinery as par an income generation scheme to support the beneficiaries in improving their lives. The vaccination was carried out by veterinary officials from state veterinary health centre at Bonda. The veterinarians also conducted health check-ups of the pigs and piglets and provided counseling to the members of the SHGs on Friday. Guwahati Refinery, under its CSR initiatives of 2013-14, provided the improved breeds of the pigs to the seven SHGs – the other being Pragjyotish ST Development Society, Chopaidong – from National Research Centre on Pigs (NRCP) at Rani and State Veterinary Pig Farm at Khanapara.
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G PLUS APR 12 - APR 18, 2014
In Conversation
“Guwahati has more scope for growth of life insurance” - ASHIM BHUYAN (SDM, LIC Guwahati)
What are the new schemes and policies coming up in 2014? Is there any specific TG or Age group you are targeting? LIC has introduced Single Premium Endowment Plan, aimed to give adequate life cover and healthy returns by making one time investment. This plan covers a very wide age group, starting from a 90 day baby to a person aged 65 years. This is a new and a very innovative product.
The response from the customers for this product is very encouraging, and a good number of customers have purchased this policy. Apart from Single Premium Endowment Plan, LIC has introduced 8 other new Plans, including New Jeevan Anand, Limited Premium New Money Back, New Bima Bachat, Pension Plans, New Endowment Plan, and Term Assurance Plans, besides our existing Health Insurance Plan, Jeevan Arogya.
With so many brands and companies coming in, has LIC seen any drop in business over the years? When you have multiple players, no single company can have 100% market share. But even when there are 24 players in the life insurance space, as is the case right now, LIC continues to be the most dominant life insurance provider in India.
“
One thing is for sure, there is growing awareness about life insurance and people are now more oriented for purchase of bigger life insurance policies, than it was earlier”
How is the market in Guwahati? Is there any specific/peculiar customer behavior that is noticed here? One thing is for sure, there is growing awareness about life insurance and people are now more oriented for purchase of bigger life insurance policies, than it was earlier. Guwahati has more scope for growth of life insurance.
What is the size of business in the region?
Oh, it is big. If you are talking of Assam, and other neighboring states, North-East, as we call it, we are yet to tap the potential. Hills are yet to be explored. I can not quantify the exact figure though.
What about claim settlement? What are you doing in this respect?
That is the most important aspect to gauge the functioning of a life in-
surance company from the perspective of a customer. An insurance company exists to settle or pay claims. In the last financial year, LIC paid claims amounting to over `67,014 crores, which is mind boggling, through 177.44 lakh policies. In fact, the amount of claim we pay is much higher than the amount we collect by way of new business.
As a career option, how do you recommend LIC?
You may be surprised; LIC has employees who are alumni of top notch institutes like IIMs. Working in LIC is very satisfying, and LIC gives lot of opportunities to those who are associated with us as employees, agents, etc. No wonder that LIC has a workforce of over 1.15 lakh, and about 1.2 million agents. Please note that when you say LIC, you are talking about an organization with assets worth over `15 lakh crores (15 followed by 12 zeroes).
12
G PLUS APR 12 - APR 18, 2014
Special
CelebrationS
I
t’s April and Rongali Bihu is here. According to the Hindu calendar it is the beginning of a new year. With the onset of April, a festive atmosphere begins. The dry dusty wind of March is subdued by the rains. The layers of dust on the leaves are cleansed. This atmosphere reaches out and touches the heart of the people. Organizers get busy with the lists of artists that have already been finalized to perform on the Bihutolis. Bihu in Guwahati has come to mean dances and songs on the stages. Bihu Geet is symbolic of communication of love and romance. Dancing is the most fascinating part of the festival and symbolises the fertility rites of the original inhabitants of the hilly regions of northeast India. The farmers fancied that the erotic essence of the songs would sexually arouse the earth’s body, leading to an abundant harvest. But today’s generation who has been attuned to the television culture seem to find the dances boring. Perhaps that is the reason as to why most of the Bihutolis of Guwahati now a days also stage songs and dances that has nothing to do with the essence of Rongali Bihu. As a child I had been to Bihutolis to watch the Bihu dances and the Bihu geet being performed. We hardly had any Hindi film songs being sung or
dancers dancing to the tune of Hindi songs on the stage. But today, most of the children get bored with Bihu dances. I heard a young girl remark, “Bihu dances are all the same. If you have seen one, you have seen all.” They could find an affinity with Hindi songs set on Western music. And the organisers are also feeding to this craze for such dances. So, if you go to watch Bihu dances, do not be surprised if you find less of Bihu dances or Bihu geets, and more Boogie-Boogie type of dances. However, the Bihutolis do hold different competitions like Bihu Konwari, Bihu Rani and Bihu Samragi. These
“
I heard a young girl remark, “Bihu dances are all the same. If you have seen one, you have seen all.”
competitions attract viewers in huge throngs. I also remember Husari dol coming to our house. These minstrels
would dance and sing husori in praise of Lord Krishna, invoking his blessings for health, wealth and happiness. These male singers were traditionally welcomed into the courtyard where they sang the husori songs and performed a ring dance. At the end of the performance they were thanked with an offering of betel nut in a xorai, whereupon the singers would bless the household for the coming year. If there was bereavement in the family, or the family did not invite the husori singers due to some illness, the husori band offered blessings from the gate and moved on. How lovely it would be if only this tradition is revived in Guwahati! Perhaps the organisers could do something to revive husori, bring it down from the stage to the gates of people’s houses. Gifting of gamosa is something special in Rongali Bihu. Assamese women are experts at weaving the gamosa; however, today the city is flooded with gamosa not woven by our Assamese weavers but brought in from other states where they produce machine-made gamosa in bulks. I wish the Assamese people would make it a point to buy gamosa woven only on the looms of Assam. It would definitely be a boost to the economy of our state. This age is the age of consumerism. Rongali Bihu is an occasion to buy new clothes. So, people rush to the markets or malls to take advantage of the different offers meted out by the businessmen – buy one get one free stuffs, discounts on branded items.
New designs appear on the shopping scene. The trend of buying mekhela sador sets is also very much in. New designs and bright coloured sets have captured the attention of our consumers. Discounts on muga and paat are available especially for Rongali Bihu. So, Rongali Bihu is the time for a lot of buying and selling. This adds to the festive spirit. Nowadays, even long after Bohag has gone, organisers hold functions. You can hear all kinds of songs blaring out from the loudspeakers till the middle of the night. Cuckoos flee, crows caw wondering what is going on. Well, this is supposed to be the farewell to the month of Bohag commemorated by numerous Bohagi Bidai functions. Society is dynamic, it is ever changing with new things coming in and the old going out or trying to accommodate the new. A lot of changes have come over Assam’s major festival too. However, the core essence of Rongali Bihu has remained the same. Bihu still stirs the heart of the people of Assam, people still visit their relatives’ houses, new clothes are still an attraction, pandals still throng with people and the sound of dhol-pepa-gagana still incites one to dance to its vigorous tune.
Dr. Srutimala Duara Srutimala is a bilingual writer from Guwahati and has authored short stories, novels and has also written columns for many national newspapers. She is also an associate professor of English at the Handique Girl’s College.
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G PLUS APR 12 - APR 18, 2014
Bihu Interlude
T
oo many thoughts crop up the moment one conjures the word ‘bihu’. Too many pieces similar to this one have been written over the years whenever bihu is round the corner. Too many people outdo one another in offering food as Bohag sets in. Too many people deck themselves in their sartorial best as they walk into a toli. Too many pretty damsels sway to the flute and the accompanying songs. Yes, too many things happen to too many people when April, that least cruel of months, steps in unabashedly into our hearts. The rains are yet to come. The floods are three months away. The sun, not as harsh as it would be within a fortnight, shies away under friendly clouds. The trees straighten their backs, the leaves a pale mellow lemony green fluttering in a faint breeze. And in the fields the rice stalks wait, ready to turn golden soon. In the trees, too, the birds twitter to their heart’s content. The koolie and the keteki throb a sensuousness that filter into our homes. I take a walk along the river’s bank. It is early morning, the sun still below the horizon. I breathe slowly, taking in the breeze that climbs down from the gnarled trees to my left. On my right the houses begin to awaken.
How many times have I come this way at this hour? I cannot remember. But what I can remember is the way the windows are thrown open. The way a man clears his throat. The way a small child calls out to her mother. The way the milkman closes the gate in the face of a barking dog: just an inadequate picture of a normal morning in April prelude to Bohag. There’s a woman on the pavement. I stop as she looks at me. There’s no doubt she’s crying. Her eyes are reddish and the brown and white mekhala sador not exactly clean. I step around her and proceed. There are so many of them, made homeless by fate. So many whose minds have deserted them. So many who are islands seeking human company. So many brutalized by their own kind. The kind of humans who purport to be humans. I turn around even as she turns around to look at me. Those eyes now stare at me. Eyes that have seen pain, eyes that have somehow survived; eyes that have seen far too many things that they could have done without. I retrace my steps. My heart is beating now, much more than it had done a while ago. “Baideo nohoi janu?” I ask in a whisper as I squat beside her. The tears well up now. I see the face clearly now. Perhaps clearly is not
There’s a woman on the pavement. I stop as she looks at me. There’s no doubt she’s crying. Her eyes are reddish and the brown and white mekhala sador not exactly clean. the word. Perhaps discern is better. I see the deep wrinkles on her face, a tortured face, a face that is more than just a face, a face that is a soul, a soul that does not know quite what to do. It is a face that still retains its beauty, a beauty that arises from great love and understanding. I whisper the words once again “Baideo nohoi janu?” Across the road, a man comes out from his compound, walking stick in hand. He is well-dressed, health oozing from his seventy-year old frame. I look at the woman again. “Baideo, remember me?” I place the words care-
Special fully and offer her my name. “Remember? You taught me in school. Class seven.” She is sobbing louder now. But in a reserved, quiet way. In a hopeless, resigned way. I take her hands in mine. “ Baideo...” The well-dressed man is now beside us. I look up, at his plump cheeks and white kameej, the pajamas stiff from starch. “You know”, I say lamely, “Baideo was my teacher, taught me in school.” I look at her. “God knows what she’s doing here. In this condition.” Her crying has stopped now and she looks at the river. “Never seen her before,” the man says. Gruffly, I thought. “And I know this road like the back of my hand.” He taps the pavement with the stick. “Ki hol, Aai?” The gruffness has gone, replaced by a softness. But Baideo doesn’t answer. She looks at the river and then at the crows darting for morsels on the bank. A girl drives by on a scooter. A flick of a glance. Nothing more. A few boats drift in and men’s voices float up the road. On the other side, the houses come to life. From a radio or maybe a cassette comes a raucous bihu number. I am still holding Baideo’s hand. “ Come, Baideo,” I say, because there’s nothing else I can say. “Come, I’ll take you home.” She shakes her head. Doesn’t know what to say, what to do. Maybe
she cannot place me at all. It’s been a long time. “Please!” I say, “please! You cannot stay here like this.” The crows have come in stronger now, arrogant, noisy, almost shameless. “No,” says the elderly man. “You cannot stay here.” He steps up from the road onto the pavement. “Come,” he says tenderly. “My grand-daughter will make tea. Come, “ he insists. “It’s Bihu, Baideo. Remember how you brought pithas for us from home. Pithas you made yourself. For all of us. For the whole class. Remember, Baideo” and, still holding her hands, slowly guide her to her feet. “Come!” says the man. “There are fine pithas at home. Fine sira and doi.” She looks at me, then at the elderly man. Then she looks at the river, wipes her eyes with one end of her sador, clasps my hand tightly and steps down onto the road. She is thin, unbearably thin yet I can feel the warmth building up in her palms. From the river comes a smell. It is a smell that harbours life. Yet so often it also harbours just the opposite. “Come!” says the elderly man, and turns to look at me. “Which school, did you say?”
DHRUBA HAZARIKA
Dhruba Hazarika is a renowned novelist and columnist from Guwahati. He is the author of A Bow String Winter and an active member of the Northeast Writer’s Forum.
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G PLUS APR 12 - APR 18, 2014
Bazaar Come Rongali Bihu, the market is buzzing with the shoppers picking up new clothes, gorging on pithas and attending festivals. SHUBHOJIT ROY
T
he atmosphere is vibrant and jubilant with Rongali Bihu around the corner. It is a time for people to share the merriment in Guwahati and all across Assam. But with the festivity of Bihu knocking at the door, G Plus tried to tap into the Bihu action in markets across the city. People have already started flocking into the markets to buy clothes, sweets and pithas prior to Bihu.
New clothes for New Year
Rongali Bihu is celebrated as the Assamese New Year and the arrival of spring where people welcome the spring with a clean home, neighbourhood and new dresses. The shops in Guwahati are filled with customers who have come to buy clothes for family, friends and relatives. Deeghbani, a women’s organisation has been active for quite some time now in providing a platform to women entrepreneurs from all across Assam. Deeghbani organised a preRongali Mela at the NEDFI House (North Eastern Development Finance Corporation Limited) where a variety of handloom products were exhib-
BIHU BAZAAR BITES “I am selling all the pithas for `40 per packet. I have til pitha, ghila pitha, tilor laru and narikolor laru. Joha rice is for `60 per kilo and Chira (beaten rice) for `30 per kilo”
ited for sale. “It is the first time that we have organised a trade fair at the NEDFI House on an experimental basis. Previously, all such fairs were conducted at the NEDFI Haat. Comparatively, the crowd has been less this time which probably is due to the change of the location, but whatsoever, I am pretty sure, it’s going to catch up soon,” says Indira Dutta of Deeghbani organisation. Indira further added that the organisation has set up an all total of 38 stalls at NEDFI House and are happy with the exposure that they have provided to the entrepreneurs, designers, traders and other organizations. While speaking to Utpala Bhuyan, independent ethnic designer representing Gouri Handlooms, she said that Deeghbani has provided a great platform for businesswomen. “I have been associated with Deeghbani from
a long time and I have participated in NEDFI Haat twice or thrice at preRongali Bihu Mela, pre-Durga Puja and also pre-Christmas during the winters,” says Utpala. The main attraction of the preRongali handloom market is the traditional Assamese Gamucha, Mekhla Chadar, saree and other decorative items as such as curtains, pillow covers, cushion covers, and table cloth. The price of a Gamucha can start from `30 and can reach upto `1000 per piece. The traditional muga silk of Assam is usually costlier than the paat silk and so, a muga mekhla chadar can cost upto `30,000 and even more. Similarly, a muga saree price may range from anything between `10,000 to ` 30,000.
Pithas! Pithas! Pithas!
The one word that constantly rings in your head as Bihu approaches nearer is the word ‘Pitha’. Pitha is the popular sweet and the favourite snack of Assam. Pitha symbolises a complete genre of cuisines in Assam and it is definitely one of the tastiest traditional Assamese food. Rice being the staple food of Assam, any homemade sweet or snack is usually based on rice and pithas are no different. Howsoever, it is noticeable that pitha has somewhat been commercialised in many urban localities of
Guwahati. With urban women being outgoing and being involved in varied professional occupations, it is important to take care that the tradition doesn’t vanish with passage of time and also that everyone gets the taste of bihu snacks, even if a mother or wife is too busy with her outdoor works. The Ashiana Apartment Housing Society, in association with Farm Foods is one of the pre-Rongali Bihu melas in Guwahati where people were buying their favourite Bihu pithas and enjoying some ethnic dishes of Assam. G Plus came across Nipen Sharma, who was selling pithas in one of the stalls at the Supermarket pre-Rongali mela. “I am selling all the pithas for `40 per packet. I have til pitha, ghila pitha, tilor laru and narikolor laru. Joha rice is for `60 per kilo and Chira (beaten rice) for `30 per kilo,” says Sharma. The pithas are available in markets all around the city. Some of the major places are Ganeshguri, Hatigaon market, Silpukhuri market, Chandmari, Maligaon etc. The price range of the food items is almost same all around Guwahati. With the air of festivity blowing all around, the city is once more all set to experience and enjoy Rongali Bihu. G Plus wishes all its readers a very happy Bihu and New Year.
shubhojit.roy@g-plus.in
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G PLUS APR 12 - APR 18, 2014
Bazaar
WEAVING A YARN
SHUBHOJIT ROY
The traditional weavers of Assam have continued their traditional craft & with the Bihu season arriving, there is brisk business to be done.
A
ssam has long been known for its handloom and handicraft industry. Women in Assam have mostly dominated the weaving industry for the production of authentic silk materials like muga, paat and eri. Assam manufactures 18 types of looms with a price ranging from `15,000 to `20,000 per set. The looms are provided by the government to the beneficiaries chosen under schemes such as tribal sub plan, decentralized plan and SC component plan. Once the looms are provided to the weavers, the next big step is to equip weavers with the raw products, which is yarn. The final products that are produced are the traditional Gamocha, Mekhla Chadar, Saree, Woolen scarf, Churidar and others. While talking to Jayanta Sarma, a private manufacturer of looms in Guwahati, G Plus found out that manufacturers get 25-30% of the production profit. “We get 25- 30% of profit margin on the production that is set by the government. The most efficient tender gets the contract for the production of the looms,” says Sarma of Eagle Enterprise. Sarma also stated that a low range loom costs around `5,000 per set whereas a high range loom would cost around `28,000 per set. The Assam Apex Weavers and Artisans Cooperative Federation Ltd (ARTFED) control most of the handloom weaving and other cottage industries in Assam on cooperative basis. The total number of shareholder members of ARTFED at present is 1030, which includes District Weavers Cooperative Societies, Primary Weavers Cooperative Societies, Artisans Cooperatives, Consumers Cooperatives, State Level Cooperative Unions, Individual weavers and Artisans. The authorised share capital of ARTFED is stipulated at `650 lakhs and the business performance is on the bloom as a result of the continuous thrust provided. The Federation during 2012-13 reached `9385.15 lakh as annual business turnover through its marketing network such as 55 showrooms/Emporiums, supply through singlet tender systems, mobile sales, exhibitions, craft
MUGA Gamucha Mekhalasadar Saree Woolen scarf
PAAT
`8000 - `30,000 `3000 - `25,000 `10,000 - `30,000 `10,000 - `30,000
Note- All prices are variable and subject to change depending on the product. bazaars and fairs along with global export of `286 lakh. Presently, the weavers of Primary Weavers Cooperative Societies, Self Help Groups are getting the required yarn as raw materials from 6 yarn depots of ARTFED against cash in all seasons. Speaking of the export market, ARTFED entered into global market with handloom and handicraft products of North Eastern region since 1997 giving international exposition at various events. Since 2004-05, the Federation participated in 32 international fairs/Business Service Managements/ Product Promotion Programs in Germany, Japan, USA, South Africa, UK, Malaysia, Thailand, Czech Republic, Italy, France, South America, Russia, Mauritius, Switzerland, Austria, Vietnam, Egypt, Spain, Mexico etc. for exploring export in global market. During the last eight years, the Federation obtained orders of handwoven household textiles such as curtains, cushion covers, duvet covers, shams, quilt and shower curtains on Muga and Eri silk from the buyers of Japan, USA, Malaysia, South Africa, UK, Egypt etc. and executed the said orders successfully every year. During 2012-13, ARTFED generated export turnover of `286.10 lakh. Besides the textile market, there is also a huge potential in the handicraft sector. Niralaxmi Palai, Regional Director, Office of the Development Commissioner for Handicrafts, Govt. of India states that every one person among 200 is an artisan in India. “Handicraft is the 2nd highest occupation in India after agriculture with ratio of every 1:200 of the population as an artisan. It is also very easy to train the people in rural areas as the
COTTON `30 - `500 `500 - `3,000
WOOL
`300 - `1000
“
We get 25- 30% of profit margin on the production that is set by the government. The most efficient tender gets the contract for the production of the looms”
occupation requires zero or minimal academic qualification,” says Palai. She further adds that 70% of the women folk in India are involved in the handicraft sector. It is indeed a great aspect of the Assamese culture and a great way to sustain the tradition and pass on the skills and legitimacy to the coming generations. However, the small cottage industry can grow further and holds a great potential towards rural employment.
shubhojit.roy@g-plus.in
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G PLUS APR 12 - APR 18, 2014
Fashion
JEWELLED PRIDE OF ASSAMESE WOMENFOLK The Bihu season sees a rise in the demand for traditional Assamese jewellery and it is encouraging to see that it is the younger generation that desires it more.
“
Thanks to media and advertising, more and more women are now aware of the Assamese ornaments. Nowadays, the young girls prefer old ornaments more because when a substance becomes old and rare, the demand increases automatically”
SHUBHOJIT ROY
A
ssam has long been known for the rich tradition of manufacturing traditional jewellery that dates back to several centuries. Some of the popular traditional Assamese jewellery include earrings with exquisite Lokaparo, Keru, Thuriya, Jangphai, Long Keru, Sona or Makori; an array of necklaces including Golpata, Satsori, Jon biri, Bena, Gejera, Dholbiri, Doog doogi, Biri Moni, Mukuta Moni, Poalmoni, Silikha Moni and Magardana, and diversified rings including Senpata, Horinsakua, Jethinejia, Bakharpata and others. The jewellery is typically handmade and the designs mostly depict flora and fauna treasures of the region. Traditional designs of Assamese jewelries are simple but decorated with vibrant red gemstone, ruby or mina.
ORNAMENTS Bangles (Kharu) Necklace (Haar) Earrings (Kaanfuli)
PRICE (approx.) `3000 - `9000 (silver based `1500 and above (silver base with gold foil plated) `1200 and above Black, red and green colors on gold jewelleries are most favorites among the buyers; these colors also dominate the traditional dresses of tribes and communities of the northeastern states.
Jewel Destination
Guwahati has many places from where one can buy the traditional ornaments of the Assamese culture. The rates of the ornaments may vary depending upon the usage of materials like gold or silver and its weight. A set of earring can even cost up to `20,000 and above, depending upon its material. G Plus found out some of the prominent Jewel destination in Guwahati where a woman can choose the perfect set of ornament from a varied range.
Design modifications
Over years, the Assamese traditional jewellery has gone through some changes and modifications. Lakhimi Baruah Bhuyan of Zangfai, a traditional assamese jewellery manufacturing house in the city says that even though there have been minor design modifications, but one shouldn’t experiment too much with the traditional jewellery. “There is a vast difference between designer jewel-
DESTINATIONS Parampara, Waheeda Lifestyle, Zangfai, Mrigakshi Jewellery
lery and traditional jewellery. In designer jewellery, you can experiment extensively. But in traditional jewellery, you need to make sure that you don’t tamper too much with the designs. The concept of traditional jewellery comes from nature and too much alteration will destroy the resemblance of the jewellery to our Assamese culture,” says Mrs. Bhuyan. She further adds that her jewellery house only focuses on traditional jewellery and not much on designer materials.
Old vs New
It is strange and good to know that more and more young women are being attracted towards the traditional Assamese jewellery athese days. Mrigakshi Borah of Mrigakshi Jewellery says, “Thanks to media and advertising, more and more women are now aware of the Assamese ornaments. Nowadays, the young girls prefer old ornaments more because when a substance becomes old and rare, the demand increases automatically. Some girls come to me with photographs of their grandmother wearing old traditional jewellery and would ask me to make the same design. Sometimes such designs are even hundred years old and it’s great to have such opportunity to make some of the oldest jewellery designs.”
The Season
Even though there is no specific time or day to buy what your heart desires, what is more desirable for a woman than some jewellery. But howsoever, the season of Bihu, Durga Puja or during wedding seasons, the sale is comparatively more. “Our season usually starts from September and ends in May. During these months, most of the festivities and weddings occur in and around the city. The off season
from June to August is difficult and we need to plan properly for the next upcoming season,” Kuntala Goswami of Parampara, a jewellery showroom in Guwahati tells G Plus. She also adds that the events and fairs during festivities are also a great business opportunity for many entrepreneurs and designers.
shubhojit.roy@g-plus.in
17
G PLUS APR 12 - APR 18, 2014
Life
NEW SCHOOL OF THOUGHT
WHAT SHOULD MEN DO
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ducation is not about feeding our kids with useful information. It is to make them beautiful citizens of our planet.” - Sri Sri Ravi Shankar Children, schools, textbooks and classrooms - these are the essentials of the education scene denied to eight million children (UNICEF REPORT) in this country. So when we hear of a rural, not-for-profit school – the Ved Vigyan Maha Vidya Peeth – run by the Art of Living and located on the outskirts of Bangalore, whose students participate in a model Parliament as part of the curriculum, we know the value and impact of innovative approaches to the learning process, as well as to its outcome. Coming from economically- disadvantaged families, and from a milieu where they witness and experience domestic violence, they are yet free from the effects of these stressful conditions and situations, because they practice meditation every day. These students of the school elect their Prime Minister and other Cabinet Ministers, in an electoral process similar to that of the Indian elections. The young student-participants take ownership of issues impacting them, ensuring they take up their future responsibility as citizens of the world’s largest parliamentary democracy. The VVMVP, in Karnataka, was the first rural school started by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar in 1981. It started when Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, founder of the Art of Living, observed some local children playing in the dust near The Art of Living Centre. When he saw that they had no access to education, he decided to do something to help them. Today this school has become a model for 404 similar free schools with 38,453 students (of which 51% are girls), that are revolutionizing the education scenario by offering free holistic and modern education in rural and tribal India. The rural and slum schools follow a more conventional education program, while in the tribal schools the emphasis is on a basic education platform with development of entrepreneurial and vocational skills. The vision of VVMVP is to provide holistic education in a stress free environment, with emphasis on social responsibilities and human values to rural, tribal and underprivileged children across India. The VVMVP initiative has ensured that its unique education-model has reached and thrived even in the remotest, Naxalite-infested areas. The mission of VVMVP is to impart free education, along with free meals, stationery, uniforms and transportation - anything and everything that can prevent children from attending school. It uses creative teaching methods “to broaden the vision and deepen the roots,” of the students. Apart from the usual sports activities, the students learn dance, drama, chanting, and practice tree-planting, meditation, yoga and pranayama. The Art of Living “ART Excel” course and the “Youth Empowerment Seminar” (YES!) are also conducted regularly, to help them learn to manage their emotions.
To turn an ordinary marriage into an extra ordinary one? ritu gupta
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arriage is a commitment, a promise made and not to be broken. It’s just not about tying a knot but it’s a bond we make to each other about living together happily. It’s not only about uniting two hearts but it’s about bonding two families together. Marriage is an institution where you get married not only with each other but with the entire family. A mother gives a lot of advice to a girl when it comes to marriage but we generally forget to give some tips to the sons as well. We forget that even they need some advice from the mothers. Men need to understand that marriage is not only about living together but much more. It is very important that a mother gives a few lessons to her son to prepare him for a happy married life. ‘HAPPILY EVER AFTER is not a fairy tale.’ It’s a choice we make. To make an ordinary marriage into an extraordinary one we need to just give that little extra every day, as often as possible, for as long as we shall live.
A Few points men should keep in mind: Don’t compare your wife with your mother: This is something that all the sons have to understand because they tend to look for the reflection of their mom in a wife. When it comes to culinary skills, managing budget, handling the house, waking up on time or anything that moms do better, it is their mother who is the ideal. We need to understand that moms have learnt this with time, so too will the wives. Men need to be patient and give them time. Your wife is not your mother: Don’t try to look for that motherly care and love in your wife. Don’t crib about how your mother used to take care of you and pamper you as a child or an adult. To your wife, you are her companion, her better half and so, you both have to take care of each other. Shoulder the responsibility of marriage together.
“
HAPPILY EVER AFTER is not a fairy tale. It’s a choice we make. To make an ordinary marriage an extraordinary one, we need to just give that little extra every day, as often as possible, for as long as we shall live”
Respect your life partner: Don’t take your wife’s love for granted. To get love, you equally need to reciprocate as well. Parents are of course a very important part but you need to give her that
Ritu Gupta is a psychological counsellor dealing with people having individual, marital, job related and child related issues. She also assists Dr. Deepak Goenka with infertility counselling.
love and priority because she is now equally a part of you. If you show respect towards her and her feelings she would equally do the same. Help your wife at every step: Getting married does not mean you are done with your responsibility. Both of you, as a couple, will have to take each step together. You need to help your wife equally. Never stop loving your better half: I think this is the most important point. If you fall out of love then nothing will remain the same but if you are able to love your partner each day, relationship becomes stronger, life becomes beautiful and the level of bonding becomes even stronger. We have to understand that each relationship is different and holds its own special place in one’s life, but in the end, all men have to understand that the love you take is equal to the love you make. Marriage can be beautiful only if you want it to become beautiful. Each relationship has its own importance and beauty so we should try not to mix it together.
life@g-plus.in
Apart from this, several factors make the VVMVP model of education unique: • 95% of the students studying in VVMVP are first generation learners, whose parents have never been to school. • Emphasizing girl’s education and women empowerment, senior students are also taught vocational skills like tailoring, computer training and carpentry and encouraged to pursue secondary education. Many students, who would have otherwise ended up as domestic help, have now got better jobs with the skills-training they acquired. Priyanka N. graduated from VVMVP, went on to do a polytechnic course, and after becoming the first technical diploma holder from her village, piloted the maiden voyage of the Namma Metro Railway, Bangalore’s suburban commuter railway. A remarkable milestone for a village girl. • The school has had a good pass-rate in the public examination amongst its students for the past few years. • Its students have spread the education, health and hygiene skills taught to them across their communities. • The youngsters get trained in leadership qualities, empowering them to take up responsibility of the community at a young age. • Eighty million children are estimated to drop out of school annually. The VVMVP has addressed the barriers that keep children away from school by emphasizing to the parents that education and schooling are imperative if their children are to experience and enjoy an empowered future. The driving force behind the VVMVP is its Chairperson Bhanumathi Narasimhan, who is the sister of Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. Art of Living volunteers, inspired by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar have laid the foundation and created the infrastructure to facilitate this vision of free education to children in even the remotest of areas. A revolution has begun - a revolution in school education! His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar Ji
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G PLUS APR 12 - APR 18, 2014
Reviews
T
Bhootnath returns Director: Nitesh Tiwari Cast: Amitabh Bachchan, Boman Irani, Parth Bhalerao
Director: Carlos Saldanha Cast: Anne Hathaway, Jesse Eisenberg, Bruno Mars, Roberto Jamie Foxx
he whole gang’s back for Rio 2, a fast, colorful sequel to the 2011 animated hit. They’re joined by several new characters and a lot of plot, making this one of the more complicated cartoon narratives around. Youngsters will be fascinated by all the movement; older viewers should get a kick from contributions from a wide range of musical stars. A bouncy New Year’s Eve celebration reintroduces the principals from the first movie. Blu (voiced by Jesse Eisenberg), a blue macaw who was once a pet in Minnesota, has adjusted to life in Rio with his wife Jewel (Anne Hathaway) and three kids (Rachel Crow, Pierce Gagnon and Amandla Stenberg). News that a colony of blue macaws has been found in an Amazon rainforest makes Jewel long for her jungle home. The neurotic Blu reluctantly agrees to fly the family a thousand miles into the wilderness, counting on a GPS unit to keep them out of
trouble. Blu doesn’t realize that his mortal enemy, a cockatoo named Nigel (Jemaine Clement), is on his tail, accompanied by a love-struck pink tree frog named Gabi (Kristin Chenoweth) whose skin is poisonous to the touch. At the end of the journey, Jewel is reunited with her strict father Eduardo (Andy Garcia) and her former boyfriend Roberto (Bruno Mars), leading to several humiliating incidents for the easily intimidated Blu. 3D adds thrills to the macaw competition, but the sequence is topped by a vertiginous chase over waterfalls early in the picture. Rio 2 is never less than pretty, and at times—during a montage featuring cutout animation, for example—it’s striking. Rio 2 can’t make up its mind whether it’s an environmental tract, bonding exercise, survival trip, or “American Idol” parody. But at least it never stops moving, which should be enough to keep kids entertained.
childhood home - the site of their trauma. After setting up an elaborate recording system to “catch” the entity and prove its existence, Kaylie convinces her brother to join her attempt to fulfill their childhood promise to one another: destroy the demon in the glass. Demon is meant both literally and figuratively, here. The film is interesting in that it plays with both perception and memory, as initially it’s not entirely clear which of these siblings is seeing things for what they are. Now, that question is really only minimally explored and is definitively – though cleverly - answered at a certain point. However, the basic conceit works as a tantalizing enough allegory for very real aspects of the human condition. Memory is a knotty affair; it’s often rewritten or clouded by hidden terrors, fantasy, or that which we wish were true. We see what we are willing, programmed, or prepared to see and we are often psychologically “stuck” in certain moments from our childhood, events which we find a way to replay in a loop as our lives
progress. Kaylie has been metaphorically “trapped”, frozen in that childhood trauma until she must literally relive it. As for the film’s central adversary, the mirror shows its victims the vilest versions of themselves and brings to life their most deeply ingrained nightmares. In that way, it’s not so much about what The Lasser Glass does to you, but the damage we reap on ourselves and others when we are rooted in fear and rage. Flanagan understands that our minds create the most intense experiences of horror, and his script is smart in that it knows when to leave things in the realm of the unknown. It may be a matter of preference, but horror films often undercut their impact by providing a hokey “reason” for the experience that the protagonists are having and generally over-explaining elements of the plot. Oculus does not make that mistake, and it is the stronger for that choice. It leaves things to our own imaginations, where, as the film points out, all of the real monsters live.
OCULUS
E
ver since Vidya Balan mouthed the iconic lines – “Entertainment, Entertainment, Entertainment” – in the ‘Dirty Picture’, every filmmaker liberally uses it and hopes its magic would rub off on their movie’s box-office success as well. So, when it pops up randomly in ‘Bhoothnath Returns’, you know the movie isn’t banking on originality. Even references to ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ because of where the plot unfolds is rather unimaginative, and appears forced. These are, unfortunately, few of the many setbacks that the sequel displays, despite starting off with much promise, laughter and applause. An aged ghost, who is low on self-esteem, returns to India to regain his standing in the horror world. His ghostly pals in “ghost land” mock his antics of six years ago, and poke fun at his inability to scare a little kid. With very little tricks up his sleeve, Bhoothnath attempts a comeback. Disappointed at his own worthlessness, he sulks and almost gives up the fight, when a spirited street-kid Akhrot preps for a scary fest. He orchestrates a simple act that redeems Bhoothnath’s ghostly stature, and in the bargain, wins the little boy a place in the neighbourhood cricket team. The duo are inseparable from then on, and a fun song later, kickstart a unique business partnership, wherein they evacuate unhappy spirits from haunted buildings for a hefty price from the property developers. The money is good, and the pair content, until they are asked to help a local goon/politician to revive a plush building project that’s troubled by a gang of ghosts. Bhoothnath and Akhrot are told about the politician’s vicious and ordered to step away. They retract, only to irk the political leader.
The enmity increases as Bhoothnath decides to fight the conniving politico in the local elections because the election rulebook doesn’t literally exclude dead people from contesting. While the theme is well-timed, and coincides with the Indian elections, the lack of a tighter edit and logic reduces it to a ghastly mess. Even though director Nitesh Tiwari picks up from where Vivek Sharma left off in ‘Bhoothnath’, and stays true to the principle of a sequel unlike many of his contemporaries, he’s unable to place together some incredible scenes, performances and lines and convert it into a good film. The plot is inconsistent at times, with people who are (technically) unable to see Bhoothnath hold perfect eye-contact with the unseen ghost. Even a public rally, where Bhoothnath relies on a voice recorder to overcome stage fright, shows another ghost watching the drama unquestioningly. In fact, the crooked-toothed Partha is a incredible discovery, lending charm and maturity to little crusader Akhrot. He’s impeccable, and holds his own in front of stalwarts like Amitabh Bachchan and Boman Irani. Much like Akhrot, he doesn’t appear rattled by pressure, and displays confidence and talent that’s rare in Hindi movie ranks. Boman tackles the menacing leader with remarkable finesse, and gives comedy a dignified standing. Even, Sanjai Mishra, who plays Bhoothnath’s self-appointed lawyer, leaves us in splits. “Politicians disappear after they win. But, I’m already invincible,” announces Bhoothnath, hoping to win over the voters. For the audience, however, he’s rarely invincible. So, what could have been a good movie, turned into something hugely disappointing.
Director: Mike Flanagan Cast: Karen Gillan, Brenton Thwaites, Katee Sackhoff
A
feature length adaptation of director Mike Flanagan’s tightly-focused short, Oculus is an effective chiller that blends elements of a psychological thriller with visceral body horror. The film follows adult siblings Kaylie and Tim Russell (Karen Gillan and Brenton Thwaites) whose lives were shattered when their parents were brutally murdered ten years prior. After spending the bulk of his adolescence in a mental facility, Tim has come to grips with what he feels was a tragically dysfunctional family. He is - at least to some degree - at peace with his parents’ violent deaths, as he believes that it was their bad choices that caused them. Kaylie, conversely, has spent the past decade plotting her vengeance against what she maintains is the true responsible party: a supernatural and deeply malevolent force that resides within an ominous antique mirror known as The Lasser Glass. Determined to prove that her family was destroyed by an unseen force, Kaylie secures the mirror in an auction and brings it back to their
NOW SHOWING
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Mein Tera Hero
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Daily at 11 AM, 5 & 8 PM
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Captain America (3D)
Daily at 12.20 PM
19
G PLUS APR 12 - APR 18, 2014
Web Watch
‘Heartbleed’ Bug Exposes Passwords,
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esearchers have uncovered an extremely critical vulnerability in recent versions of OpenSSL, a technology that allows millions of Web sites to encrypt communications with visitors. Complicating matters further is the release of a simple exploit that can be used to steal usernames and passwords from vulnerable sites, as well as private keys that sites use to encrypt and decrypt sensitive data. “The Heartbleed bug allows anyone on the Internet to read the memory of the systems protected by the vulnerable versions of the OpenSSL software. This compromises the secret keys used to identify the service providers and to encrypt the traffic, the names and passwords of the users and the actual content. This allows attackers to eavesdrop communications, steal data directly from the services and users and to impersonate services and users.” An advisory from Carnegie Mellon University’s CERT notes that the vulnerability is present in sites powered by OpenSSL versions 1.0.1 through 1.0.1f. According to Netcraft, a company that monitors the technology used by various web sites, more than a half million sites are currently
vulnerable. As of this morning, that included Yahoo.com, and — ironically — the Web site of openssl.org. This list at Github appears to be a relatively recent test for the presence of this vulnerability in the top 1,000 sites as indexed by Web-ranking firm Alexa. An easy-to-use exploit that is being widely traded online allows an attacker to retrieve private memory of an application that uses the vulnerable OpenSSL “libssl” library in chunks of 64kb at a time. As CERT notes, an attacker can repeatedly leverage the vulnerability to retrieve as many 64k chunks of memory as are necessary to retrieve the intended secrets. Jamie Blasco, director of AlienVault Labs, said this bug has “epic repercussions” because not only does it expose passwords and cryptographic keys, but in order to ensure that attackers won’t be able to use any data that does get compromised by this flaw, affected providers have to replace the private keys and certificates after patching the vulnerable OpenSSL service for each of the services that are using the OpenSSL library [full disclosure: AlienVault is an advertiser on this blog.
Facebook changes its privacy features... Again!
Know The Web Better
I
n this section we dig the whole internet to show you rare yet useful sites that are worth visiting.
unfurlr.com
find the original URL that’s hiding behind a short URL send by your friends.
W
orld’s most popular social network, Facebook, is going to tweak its privacy features again based on userfeedback. The company is going to bring three major changes which are currently in development and testing phase. Some reports suggest that the changes might already to visible to some users on the Facebook website. Facebook says that it conducts more than 80 trillion privacy checks per day to ensure that users haven’t shared their posts with wrong people accidentally. The social network is infamously known for changing its privacy policy every now and then.
pdfescape.com
lets you quickly edit PDF files in the browser itself.
join.me
share your screen with anyone in the world over the web.
imo.im
chat with your buddies on Skype, Facebook, Google Talk, etc. from one place.
tinychat.com
setup a private chat room in micro-seconds.
timerime.com
create timelines with audio, video and images.
draw.io
create diagrams and flowcharts in the browser, export your drawings to Google Drive and Dropbox.
downforeveryoneorjustme.com
find if your favorite website is offline or not? Indrajeet Bhuyan is a 16 year old tech blogger and security researcher. He is passionate about computers and believes in sharing knowledge and information . He uses his spare time helping people and companies secure themselves. fb.me/indrajeet.bhuyan
20
G PLUS APR 12 - APR 18, 2014
Your weekly dose of HOROSCOPE ARIES
On Monday, one detail too many, and they may all spill out of your head. It’s fantastic that you have a new health routine, but it’s important to make your mental health a priority as well — and shouldering more anxiety than you can handle is not a good way to go. The way out of your own head on Wednesday is to focus on someone else’s needs. To calm down on Thursday and Friday, try to concentrate on the speed at which grass grows. Your end-of-the-week introspection belies the kind of weekend you’ll have: Full of action, surprises and surprising people.
TAURUS The texture of your day on Monday feels very 19th century: Endearment, courtships, gardens, art and charm may all figure in some way. The scene thusly set, it becomes clear by Tuesday that you are the hero in this narrative. Wednesday is anything but dull. The emotional climax comes on Thursday and Friday — if your life were a movie, there would be a moment of intensity, an argument or a cataclysm, followed by rapturous passion and, on Saturday, a conversation about marriage. Maybe it sounds more like a Jane Austen novel. Anyway, Sunday sends you back toward real life.
GEMINI Every time you add up the numbers, you get a different sum. This is maddening. What you need is someone good at math. Delegating is essential at the beginning of the week — especially because Tuesday and Wednesday are going to distract you. Letting others handle things while you stroll through parks arm-in-arm with a certain someone is a deft maneuver. Thursday and Friday, you find yourself making calculations again, although not of the mathematical kind: Emotional calculations. Your heart is aflutter. Saturday you’re moving slowly, but by Sunday you’re speeding up.
CANCER Your mind is racing at the beginning of the week, and you still feel like you’re falling behind: Your world is moving full speed ahead. Nevertheless, you enjoy the frantic pace. If you get a spare moment, you might try to have a nice one-on-one with a coworker, but you might have to wait until Wednesday for a second even to catch your breath. Thursday and Friday, you’re worthless when it comes to making decisions, and on Saturday the slightest thing brings about a major personal crisis. On Sunday, regroup. Do something for yourself.
LEO You can afford an expensive lunch on Monday, but an inexpensive lunch will leave you feeling happier and more satisfied. You’re more conservative than usual, but on Tuesday and Wednesday you’re also more social than usual — not a bad combination. You bring beautiful energy into a room. Romance figures strongly on Wednesday, but by Thursday and Friday, it’s at the farthest reaches of your mind. Your family is much more present. Someone lifts a rock for you on Saturday and a whole new world comes into view. Get back to your love life on Sunday. A coffee date, perhaps?
VIRGO Now that your desk is tidy and a new award for outstanding performance is hanging on your office wall, what’s next? That’s the question on your mind on Monday. To what future projects shall you now apply your brilliance? Tuesday and Wednesday, you are bubbling over with ideas, but you’re set on making the next thing as deep and meaningful as you can. This would be a good week to solicit input from your friends — a wide variety of them. Thursday through Saturday, you’re lost in conversation, but family obligations on Sunday bring you back to solid ground.
TIMEPASS
LIBRA You never know where the next great idea is going to come from. Be in listening mode on Monday, in every situation: when you’re sitting across the table from a friend, when you’re in a meeting for work, when a radio is playing somewhere in the background. Tuesday and Wednesday, your attention to the outside world inverts itself, and you find yourself the subject of everyone else’s interest (and, likely, their affection). But Thursday and Friday are colder days by comparison, more matter-offact and professional. Money is the dominant theme on Saturday, but Sunday is about idealism and good deeds.
SCORPIO A small favor for a friend on Monday — something you barely even think about — will come back your way tenfold later in the week. In the meantime, Tuesday and Wednesday require patience. Decisions will be difficult, authority figures will be difficult, socializing will be difficult. But this is just a blip on the radar screen. By Thursday and Friday, the tide turns and suddenly you’re the luckiest person you know. Magnetism, energy and strength bolster your already formidable talents. Rebirth and regeneration are your themes on Saturday, and Sunday finds you taking risks.
SAGITTARIUS Just because your boss is being a pain on Monday doesn’t mean you can take off after lunch and not come back. You have obligations to certain people. Thankfully, on Tuesday and Wednesday, your interactions with others are hugely rewarding. People are lavishing you with gifts. You are delirious with gratitude, which may explain why you’re mostly lost in your own thoughts on Thursday and Friday. Your imagination is active and you’re perfectly happy to be alone. By Saturday, you’re puzzling over the big picture, but Sunday you’re too busy playing games with friends to think much about anything else.
CAPRICORN The most useful information may come from far, far away on Monday, via phone or email. Your spirits are lifted (the added benefit of being in touch with an old friend). Anything is possible — that’s the animating principle on Tuesday and Wednesday. On Thursday and Friday, you’re so focused on your new projects that you’re able to separate out the white noise; some of your best thinking may happen in a crowded restaurant. Saturday, you detach from your social circle to such an extent that someone waves a hand in front of your face and says, ‘Hello, anybody home?’ Sunday’s a good day to reconnect.
AQUARIUS The sidewalk may be smooth and clean — smooth enough to roller skate on, clean enough to eat off — but what’s going on below ground? Is this path you’re on as stable as you think? Skepticism is useful at the beginning of the week. But don’t be so skeptical that others (wrongly) sense you judging them (this may happen on Wednesday). Thursday and Friday make for a slow end to the workweek. You feel funny about something, but it’s hard to put your finger on what. It will become clearer to you Saturday: It’s related to the tension between privacy and exposure. Don’t socialize until Sunday.
PISCES You are learning more about youknow-who every day, even on days when you don’t see each other. The only problem with not seeing each other, though, is that it encourages you to overanalyze everything. By midweek, you may have constructed an elaborate history of emotional deposits and withdrawals that frankly has little to do with the reality of your interactions with this person. So watch it. Calm down. Your late-in-the-week conviction that they are walking all over you may bear some truth, but broach the subject while granting the benefit of the doubt. Sunday is a lucky day.
JUST FOR LAUGHs
A family was having dinner on Mother’s Day. For some reason the mother was unusually quiet. Finally, the husband asked what was wrong. “Nothing,” said the woman. Not buying it, he asked again, “Seriously, what’s wrong?” “Do you really want to know? Well, I’ll tell you. I have cooked and cleaned and fed the kids for 15 years and on
SUDOKU
Mother’s Day, you don’t even tell me so much as ‘Thank you.’” “Why should I?” he said. “Not once in 15 years have I gotten a Father’s Day gift.” “Yes,” she said, “but I’m their real mother.”
Solutions (Last Issue)
Fun
21
G PLUS APR 12 - APR 18, 2014
SAREE RETAILERS G Plus will keep on publishing such relevant and useful information in this page in the coming issues.
Compiled by Mautapa Dhar
ABHISHEK
GOENKA TRADERS
LAXMI SAREE CENTRE
KC Rd, Fancybazar, Gh-1, Ph- 2543971, 2542194
SS Rd, Fancybazar, Gh-1 Ph- 2544726
Keshav Katra, Fancybazar, Gh-1, Ph- 2633357
AMBICA SAREE
GUWAHATI FASHION
MADHUSREE
Brindavan Mrkt Lane, Athgaon, Gh-1, Ph- 2543853
BISHYA SILK EMPORIUM
Shoppers Point, Fancybazar, Gh-1, Ph- 2637168
GS Rd, Post Office, Gh-5 Ph- 24606548
GUWAHATI STORE
MANIPURI NAGA HANDLOOM, 35, Radhabazar, Fancybazar, Gh-1 Ph- 2518718
JC Das Rd, Fancybazar, Gh-1, Ph- 2830632
New Mrkt, Fancybazar, Gh-1, Ph- 2518121
BAMBINO
HARLALKA
Manibazar, SS Rd, Fancybazar, Gh-1 Ph-2543220
BANARAS KALA
Akram Business, Fancybazar, Gh-1, Ph- 2603746
BOMBAY SAREES
Rupayan Arcade, Fancybazar, Gh-1, Ph- 2604123
DIVINE FASHION
Post office, Gs Rd. Gh-5, Ph- 2343235/36
FABRIC LUS PVT LTD
SS Rd, Lakhtokia, Gh-1, Ph- 2518512
HARLALKA TRADERS
Radhabazar, Fancybazar, Gh-1, Ph- 2518169
HENNA CREATIONS
Shoppers Point, Fancybazar, Gh-1, Ph- 2607956
PAYAL SAREES
Babubazar, Fancybazar, Gh-1 Ph-2733880
PITAMBARI SAREES
HENNA SAREES
JAJODIA FASHION
Shiw Mrkt, Fancybazar, Gh-1, Ph- 2513994
Shoppers Point, Fancybazar, Gh-1, Ph- 2543575 New Mrkt, Fancybazar, Gh-1, Ph- 2634460
JHURIA BROTHERS
New Mrkt, Fancybazar, Gh-1, Ph- 2523350
Gallery 2000
K JAJODIA
Rajgarh Rd, Gh-3, Ph-2464966
Kuber AC Mrkt, Fancybazar, Gh-1, Ph- 2524565
GAURI FASHION
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GHOONGHAT
SS Rd, Fancybazar, Gh-1 Ph-2544002
Opp. Harisabha, Panbazar, Gh-1, Ph 273418, 9435043616
Byelane 5, Zoo Narengi Rd, Gh-3, Ph-2207262, 9859075344
Rajhans Bildng, Fancybazar, Gh-1, Ph-2519382
NEW SULABH BASTRALAY
Prince Mrkt, Fancybazar, Gh-1, Ph- 2514370
PRANABS STORE
PRIYAS
Opp. SBI, Bharalumukh, Gh-9, Ph- 9401791095, 9435407097
RADHA RANI
GS Rd, Christianbasti, Gh-5 Ph- 2342666
RANGOLI
Empire Complex, Fancybazar, Gh-1, Ph- 2540790
RANI SAREE
Kuber AC Mrkt, Fancybazar, Gh-1, Ph- 2519044
Babubazar, Fancybazar, Gh-1, Ph- 2542085
KESHRI
Shoppers Point, Fancybazar, Gh-1, Ph-2510584
GOENKA SAREE NIKETA
Rani Mrkt, Fancybazar, Gh-1 Ph- 2541498
KHEMKA TRADERS
Lohia Mrkt, Fancybazar, Gh-1, Ph- 2545515
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RITU KUMAR
Maligaon, Gh-11 Ph- 2570377
Fancybazar, Gh-1 Ph- 2547100
East India Lane, Athgaon, Gh-1, Ph- 9864032850
LATA SAREES
FA Rd, Kumarpara, Gh-9 Ph- 2602807, 9435192172
RIDDHI SIDDHI ARCH
Anil Plaza, ABC, Gh-5 Ph- 2466138/39
RITUSHREE SAREE CENTRE
Lohia Mrkt, Fancybazar, Gh-1 Ph- 2517393
EMERGENCY NUMBERS
Citypedia
AMBULANCE
Ambulance 102 Arya Hospital, Ulubari 2606888, 2606665 Downtown Hospital 9864101111, 9435012669 GLP Social Circle 2737373 GGUMTA (Mirza) 03623-227109 Marowari Yuva Manch 2542074, 2547251
BLOOD BANK
Arya Hospital, Ulubari 2606888, 2606665 Ganga Blood Bank 2454742, 2455029 Lion’s Club of Ghy Central 2546611 Marwari Yuva Manch 2546470, 2547251 Saharia’s Path Lab (24 hours) 2458594
HOSPITALS Arya Hospital, Ulubari (2606888, 2606665) B Baruah Cancer Institute (2472364/66) Brahmaputra Hospital Ltd (2451634/678) Chatribari Christian Hospital 0361-2600051, 9207044374 Downtown Hospital (2336906, 2330695, 2331003) Guwahati Medical College (2529457, 2529561) Guwahati Medical College Emergency (2263444)
International Hospital 0361-7135005 Mahendra Mohan Choudhury Hospital (2541477, 2543998) Marwari Hospital & Research Centre 0361-2602738/39 Marwari Maternity Hospital 0361-2541202/01 Nemcare Hospital 0361-2528587, 2455906, 2457344
Pratiksha Hospital 0361-2337260, 2337183/84 Basistha Military Hospital (2304617/0351) Railway Central Hospital Casuality (2671025) Redcross Hospital (2665114) Sri Sankardeva Netralaya 0361-2233444, 2228879, 2228921 TB Hospital (2540193) Wintrobe Hospital 0361-2519860, 98647-77986 GNRC Hospital 03612227702 GNRC Life First Ambulance 9401194011
24-HOUR PHARMACIES Arya Hospital, Ulubari (2606888, 2606665) DEAD BODY CARRYING VAN GLP Social Circle 2737373, 9435047046 Marowari Yuva Manch 2542074, 2547251 GGUMTA 98640-16740 ELECTRICITY SUPPLY Call Centre – 9678005171
OTHERS Fire Emergency 101 State Zoo 2201363 GMC Carcass Pickup 9435190720, 9864047222 LPG Emergency/Leakage 2385209, 2541118
RADIO TAXI SERVICES Prime Cabs 0361- 2222233 Green Cabs 0361-7151515 My Taxi 0361-2228888 Cherry Cabs 8876222288
Cinema Hall Anuradha Cineplex – 0361-2656968, 99545-44738 Fun Cinema (HUB)- 98648-00100, 98648-00200 Gold Cinema (Paltan Bazaar) – 98540-66166 Gold Cinema (Salasar) – 0361-2735367, 98540-77177 Gold Cinema (Narengi) – 88110-01898 police station SP, Kamrup District: Ph- 2540278 DGP Control Room: Ph- 2540242 SB Control Room: Ph-2261511 Police Control Room: Ph-2540138, 2540113 Azara PS: Ph2840287 Basista PS: Ph-2302158 Bharalumukh PS: Ph- 2540137, 2731199 Borjhar PS: Ph-2840351 Chandmari PS: Ph- 2660204 Chandrapur PS: Ph-2788237, 2785237 Dispur PS: Ph-2261510 Fancybazar PS: Ph- 2540285
Fatasil Ambari PS: Ph-2471412 Geetanagar PS: Ph-2417323 Hatigaon: Ph-2562383 Jalukbari PS: Ph-2570587 Jalukbari Out Post: Ph-2570522 Jorabat: Ph-2896853 Khanapara: Ph- 2281501 Khetri PS: Ph-2787699, 2787220 Latasil PS: Ph-2540136 Noonmati PS: Ph- 2550281 North Guwahati PS: Ph-2690255 Paltanbazar PS: Ph-2540126 Panbazar PS: Ph-2540106 Pragjyotishpur Ps: Ph-2785237 Women PS Panbazar: Ph-2524627
22
G PLUS APR 12 - APR 18, 2014
Vox Pop
G Plus talks to some young ‘uns to find out what they think about Bihu and what makes them tick.
Panchalee Baruah Journalism Student Age 20
Bihu is a time of happiness and it makes us realize our roots, from where we belong. The best part about Bihu is that it makes me remember my childhood days, it’s a nostalgic feeling. My family has always been lenient with the traditions and we enjoy Bihu very openly with love and respect.
Shubham Dey HS Student Age 18
I am going to visit my family in Tinsukia and am planning to enjoy my Bihu with family this year. I have also planned to meet my old school friends back in my hometown and spend some time with them. I am already so excited and my bags are all packed.
Anushmita Baruah Commerce Student Age 20
I have not planned yet about what I am gonna actually do during Bihu. Most definitely, I will go out with friends and hang out as my college will be closed. Ohh ya, I am also going to see the Bihu functions with my parents.
Bicky Basumatary BPO Employee Age 25
I am going to sleep at home and will eat the pithas. I don’t want to go out in the sun. May be I will go out in the evening with friends to some Bihu function, but I am unsure whatsoever.
Adrija Chaliha Arts Student Age 20
It’s such a wonderful time; I am going to help my mother in making pithas and definitely going to taste them too. Later in the day, I will go out to have some fun with friends and also visit some of my cousins. I love the fact that Bihu is that time of the year where you get to know where you have come from. You get to know that from where your tradition, your ancestry and your bloodline come from.
Piuli Dhar
Sociology Student Age 19
Sadly, no Bihu celebration for me this time as exam is on. Moreover, we have got only one holiday for Bihu. I have to study a lot; I probably will only get time to eat mother made pithas like any other year.
Edwin Singha Singer Age 21
Well, in general, Bihu it is a cultural festival of Assam and according to the Assamese culture, it’s the beginning of the New Year. But for us youths, it’s a great day to hang out with family, friends and loved ones and also explore through various fields of our culture in music and various activities as well.
BIHU BITES Jugal Kishore Rabha Musician/ Student Age 23
Well for me, I will perform in some shows and then roam wherever there is a Bihu function. Late nights, merry makings, homemade liquors, and many more stuffs are in my mind right now. Happy Bihu to you in advance!
Kunal Das Student Age 24
I am planning for a trip with friends. We will see some Bihu functions, booze with friends but off course responsibly. We are going to have a great time, friends and Bihu for life.
Nikhita Sarma Singer Age 2
‘Bihu bihu lage bihut!’ You feel connected to your roots, your culture, no matter how happening your life is. The echo of the ‘husori’ makes you tap your feet and move along with the beat of the dhol. I have shows, so I will be busy performing on all days, I am going to enjoy so much.
Bedanta Kaushik Advocate Age 25
Bihu to me is fun, music, function whole night with friends and of course exchange of some gifts. I haven’t planned much yet but I am excited already, I will get some relief from work and also some time to spend with family.
Bhaswati Das Media Personnel Age 25
It feels great with festivity around and Bihu songs being played everywhere. The sound of ‘husori’, the taste of pitha and everything else, it’s just perfect. I will go to my relative’s place and exchange some gifts, I am so excited already. I am also thinking of dancing a step or two in this Bihu.
Dr. Hitashi Kakati Dental Surgeon Age 24
It’s new years for us and there are so many meanings to Bihu. I don’t take all the traditions seriously because I feel they are manmade stuffs. Traditions change as per people’s convenience and with evolution of time. We will bathe and feed a cow which is the best part of Bohag Bihu. Later, I will visit my cousin’s place and have some fun.
23
G PLUS APR 12 - APR 18, 2014
Catching Up
Headlining acts! Marion Cotillard Mila Kunis WHO’S SHE Milena Markovna “Mila” Kunis is an American actress. In 1991, at the age of seven, she moved from the Soviet Union to Los Angeles with her family. After being enrolled in acting classes as an after-school activity, she was soon discovered by an agent. SO WHAT At age nine, Kunis was enrolled by her father in acting classes after school at the Beverly Hills Studios, where she met Susan Curtis, who would become her manager. On her first audition she landed the role for a Barbie commercial. Now what In 2014, Kunis will be co-starring with Channing Tatum in the sci-fi film, Jupiter Ascending. Directed by the Wachowskis the film is scheduled to be released on July 18, 2014.
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UK uses health workers in counter-terror plan Medical workers, most would agree, have one important job to do: look after the well-being of their patients. However, in the UK, employees of the National Health Service are now being assigned another task: identifying potential terrorists. This new directive comes from the Prevent programme, part of the UK government’s counter-terrorism strategy created in the wake of the July 2005 London bombings. As part of this mission, since last year Prevent has been providing mandatory training to employees of the National Health Service (NHS) on how to identify potential terrorists among patients, visitors and other medical staff, and report them to the authorities.
Chinese man named Bai Ting charged with biting police officer Chinese man Bai Ting has been arrested after allegedly biting a police officer in Singapore.The 28-year-old also faces charges of being drunk and incapable of taking care of himself in a public place. The Chinese national was found drunk at Lorong 27A Geyland, before being taken to a lock-up at Bedok Police Division Headquarters where he reportedly bit Sergeant Ng Wen Chi’s right forearm.
pick of the week India, China, Pakistan to take part in joint naval exercises In a rare show of camaraderie, naval ships of India, China and Pakistan would take part in joint exercises being organised to celebrate the 65th founding anniversary of the Chinese navy. INS Shivalik, an indigenously built Indian stealth frigate, will take part in the International Fleet Review being organised by the People’s Liberation Army Navy at the Qingdao port on April 23-24. Officials say Chinese President Xi Jinping, who is also the head of the PLA, is expected to take part in it.
WHO’S SHE Marion Cotillard is a French actress, singer and songwriter. She garnered critical acclaim for her roles in films such as La Vie en Rose, Rust and Bone, The Immigrant, Les Jolies Choses, A Very Long Engagement and Love Me If You Dare. She has also appeared in such films as Chloé, Taxi, Furia, Lisa, Big Fish, A Good Year, Public Enemies, Nine, Inception, Midnight in Paris, Contagion and The Dark Knight Rises. SO WHAT In addition to her film work, Cotillard is interested in environmental activism, and has participated in campaigns for environmental protection, in particular Greenpeace, for whom she has acted as a spokesperson. In 2013, she caged herself near Paris’s Louvre museum to demand the freeing of 30 Greenpeace activists jailed in Russia over an Arctic protest. She entered the cage and held a banner proclaiming “I am a climate defender”. Now what In February 2014, she signed “The Tiger Manifesto”, a campaign calling for an end to everyday products being manufactured through forest destruction. Launched by Greenpeace, the campaign is encouraging consumers to demand products are forest and tiger-friendly, particularly in Indonesia, where the Sumatran tiger is on brink of extinction.
Shatrughan Sinha to receive IIFA’s special honour The IIFA Awards will honour veteran actor, Shatrughan Sinha with the prestigious ‘Outstanding Contribution to Indian cinema’ award this year. Having fearlessly essayed both positive and negative characters in his on-screen roles, Sinha is best remembered for his unconventional yet highly intense and passionate monologues and unique style of dialogue delivery which continues to strike a chord with audiences even today....especially when he says Khamosh! In previous years, IIFA has acknowledged many Indian cinema legends including the late DirectorProducer Yash Chopra, lyricist Javed Akthar, filmmaker Ramesh Sippy and songstress, Asha Bhosle among others. Acknowledged for applauding the work of renowned actors and directors on a global platform, IIFA will felicitate Shatrugan Sinha in Tampa Bay, Florida this year. The 15th IIFA Weekend and Awards will be held from the 23rd to the 26th of April.
What did I just hear? According to media reports, Samajwadi Party leader Abu Azmi expressed that any woman who has sex outside marriage should be hanged, including rape victims. Azmi, who is also the fatherin-law of actor Ayesh Takia, said, “Rape is punishable by hanging in Islam. But here, nothing happens to women, only to men. Even the woman is guilty.” Ayesha too tweeted her disgust saying, “if wot im reading about my father in laws statements r true then me and Farhan are deeply embarrassed n ashamed...” She also added, “We surely do nottt share this mindset...its disrespectful to women.if these statements r true then its sad.”
Kamur of the week
BUS BLUES: People for whom Guwahati is the city of job, the Bihu and Durga Puja holidays are filled with homesick blues, as it becomes very difficult, tedious and tiresome to get bus and train tickets for home. Add to that the elections for which public transport is being requisitioned, tickets are almost non-existent this time.
24
G PLUS APR 12 - APR 18, 2014
Bazaar
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