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<< COVER STORY >>
When music made the mark
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The morning of June 3, 2012 saw the skies overcast and blue. Clouds seemed to be hanging low over the horizon wanting to catch a glimpse of the thousands odd gathering to honour a legend with another.
We, and like us many braved the lashing of the dark cloud?s offspring, scrambling underneath umbrellas to protect our guitars more than ourselves and set forth towards the Sarusojai Stadium. The spectacle there would have made Bhupen da proud, with families and teens gathered amidst the lush greens, dressed in sombre white and many hued six-strings. Albeit the rains hampering the arrival of many, the mere fact that 5,406 Guwahatians gathered in front of the Jajabor stage was a sign of respect and immense love that each and everyone present felt towards the legend Bhupen Hazarika and his music. He was undoubtedly a man, who not only gave us many a great tunes and cinema, but one who also helped in putting Axom on the cultural map of India and the world. So, what better way to pay tribute to the legend than, by making another one in his wake.
The event, which was sponsored by Pepsi Co had two aims, one to pay respect to the great artiste and the other was to help Axom gain a name in the Limca Book of Records.
A similar feat is achieved every year in Poland, under the Guiness Book of World Records. This festival called the ?Jimi Hendrix Festival? is held every year to honour the legend, wherein people from all over gather to strum one of his songs. The record of last year stands at a headcount of 7,233.
So, in our case, to break this record, we needed a total of 7,234 participants. Although, we fell short by 2,000 participants, it is indeed a heartening feeling to see that our motherland, Axom not far behind in setting records.
Be it poetic justice or a tribute leading to a national record, it was evident that no Assamese was over the sad loss of one of the jewels of our times. This was evident with many a dignified personalities like, Minister Pronoti Phukan, Dibakar Das, Ankur Dutta, JP Das, brothers Amar Hazarika, Balen Hazarika and his sister Suddakhina Sharma, who was also the Chief Guest of the event, poured their hearts out at the Jajabor on the rainy Sunday.
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<< FEATURE 1>>
THE POWER OF INDEPENDENCE
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As parents, we want to raise our children to be independent and to be able make their own decisions. However, if we give them too much of independence at one go, they may get confused, misuse the freedom or make the wrong choices. On the other hand, if we constantly use the benefit of our experience and make all their choices for them, we are perhaps destroying their ability to make their own decisions, making them dependent on us and sometimes even making them rebellious and resentful.
Helping our children grow up as independent persons isn?t easy. Often, there is a very thin line between giving too much freedom and very little. Creating a balance that works is not easy ? in fact is sometimes quite difficult. So, how can we go about it?
It is important to take it one step at a time. Every time we do something for the little ones, we need to do it slowly and let them watch carefully, so that they learn how to do it themselves. If we are helping them wear their clothes, we need to do that slowly too. We need to talk about what we are during, show them the right side, explain about the front and the back of the dress and discuss the buttons or the straps.
As we all know, it is important not to be in a hurry, and not to do everything for the little ones, however tempting it may be. When they take time to figure out right and left, and front and back, we do get impatient and are often tempted to be done with it. It needs patience to stand by and watch them handle the buttons. Nothing is more rewarding than being able to do nothing till we are asked for help. Everytime we can stop ourselves from interfering, we are giving the little ones what they need the most ? the chance to try to do what we want them to learn to do!
After we pass the stage of helping our children with every little task, we should simply be around monitoring them at some level. It is important to just stand at the side and watch. The more they start doing things for themselves, the more confidence they will start having in their own abilities. We should stop checking them at every step. Also, instead of telling them what they are doing wrong, it is much better to tell them before-hand how they can get it right. Often, the difference between raising children right and wrong is just a way of how we put things across to them.
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<< VAASTU >>
VAASTU AND HOUSING DEFECTS : A case analysis
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I had gone to visit one of my clients, who is a big whole seller of vegetables and fruits. He was having lot of mental tensions and sadness for the last two years. Both his parents and the younger brother died one by one. His father met with an accident and died later. His brother became an alcoholic and had liver cirrhosis. He had suffered losses in business and was totally shattered.
After inspecting his house, I found the following:
1. His house was extended towards the Southwest with his shop, which is very bad for the owner. It causes accidents, financial loss, mental tensions, chronic ailments
2. The kitchen is in North causing heavy expenses and conflicts in the house
3. The main entrance is at Eastern Southeast which causes quarrels, loss of money, and is bad for ladies
4. The main bedroom was at North West So the owner was not stable.
5. There was a toilet under the staircase which is very bad
Rectification
1. The shop was isolated by closing the door connecting the house. Now the house has become rectangular
2. The kitchen has been shifted to South East, with the store facing East
3. The main entrance was shifted to the Eastern Northeast
4. The bedrooms are interchanged with the main bedroom at Southwest, though it is a smaller room
5. The toilet has been shifted to Northeastern Northwest.
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<< FEATURE 2 >>
Are you on Facebook?
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Had Facebook been a religion, then the above would have definitely been an appropriate mantra to invoke the God of social networking. Kudos to the noble soul of Mark Zuckerberg, who had been one of the persons instrumental in conceptualizing such an innovative idea, which has today caught the imagination of the entire world.
Facebook and Twitter were blocked in China in July 2009. Earlier, Facebook had about a million active monthly users which is still a tiny fraction of China?s 300 million odd Internet users and 1.3 billion people. Facebook?s traffic in China rebounded in early 2011, after dipping as low as 30,000 people last year, according to new data from inside Facebook. The number of active monthly users jumped to 7,00,000 in early February, up from just over 1,00,000 at the beginning of January 2011.
During 2010, the monthly total did not exceed that level. This has proved that you can only avoid it, but you can?t ignore its presence. So much so that it had trickled down in every strata of the society. Just the other day, one of my friends, ace swimmer Mithoo Barooah was fuming while recalling how she had almost threatened her local fish vendor in Uzanbazar, when he had expressed a desire to send her a friend request in her ?Phesbuk? account! Yes! this is the extent of Facebook(FB) mania.
People today are so obsessed with FB that wherever they are and whatever they do is instantly updated in their status. In fact, there is also a popular joke that goes like this, ?Once when a judge asked a convict about his last wish before being hanged, the convict expressed his wish to change his status and update it to ?dead?!
Jokes apart, FB has indeed revolutionized the notion of networking among friends. It has also become a platform to promote social causes, making it easier for us to be part of important issues. It was through FB that Anna Hazare and his supporters were able to mobilize people to participate in a movement against corruption. Dighalipukhuri in Guwahati has been witness to such an event when people gathered at the place to support team Anna after, after the news of such a mass gathering was floated in FB. Similar was the situation when the jajabor Bhupen Hazarika passed away with thousands of people gathering in the Judges Field to pay their last respect to the bard. FB certainly saw to it that every update on the jajabor?s movements and the void created by his absence was felt by the people. Each of us can post information about any issue needing a public opinion in FB, and just wait to see the reactions you receive! You get almost instantaneous response... |
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<< SIGN LINE >>
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?Birthday Forecast?
Moon conjunct Jupiter on your solar return chart denotes a good period with excellent opportunities all around you. Success in endeavours is strongly indicated. You bring out-of-this-world ideas down to earth, and approach them step-by-step. This opens up a new avenue for you, hitherto unexplored. Those of you pursuing a project or a business will also meet with success. Overseas travel will also put you in touch with new contacts and associates. Try to avoid impulsive spending. Access your needs before making any outside commitments, especially involving large sums of money. Open up communication channels in your interpersonal relations for enhanced understanding and rapport. An open mind and ability to listen to others will help you immensely. Interest in intellectual activities will be beneficial.
Aries : (April 14 - May 14)
You are committed, bold and adventurous right now. You are more effective in general, in attempts to express your creativity. You have a stronger ability to hold the attention of an audience. Love, love affairs, and other social activities help to enhance a healthy self-image. You may spend extra money on things that will make your life more comfortable and pleasant, and work that needs to be done in and around the home becomes a priority. You may find yourself in a position in which there is a blending of the financial with social or public affairs.
Taurus : (May 15 - June 15)
By the present planetary combination you would focus on having fun, enjoying sports and expressing yourself efficiently. A love affair may become a little more serious now. Spending time with someone special is a focus. You are looking to expand your activities, and you may find that you have a lot of energy for higher studies, travel, or brand new subjects. It's a good time to work out money problems or other issues of sharing with a partner. You receive pleasure from anything that expands your horizons, both physically and mentally. You derive pleasure from your health regimen.
Gemini : (June 16 - July 15)
This is an excellent time for travel, education, communications, and higher learning. You might consider furthering your education and hobbies; it is a fabulous time to do so or simply broadening your knowledge in a more informal manner. Career and vocational issues may benefit from the increased clarity you possess. Much of your energy will be applied to vocational achievement, professional success, and leadership during this period. Some form of pleasant results in your education or profession brings rewards and recognition.
Cancer : (July 16 - August 15)
This phase brings fabulous results for domestic and work related matters. Sports person also benefit from this planetary alignment as they are infused with positive energy and gain recognition for their talents and hard work. You are more stimulated by all that is unconventional and your ideas are original and progressive now. This is a time to follow your dreams and ideas, and to plant a seed in the form of a wish for the future. People at work might be surprised by your ability to assert yourself and your needs. Speculation, as long as it's reasonable, may prove worthwhile. Your creativity is stronger than usual, and children can figure prominently in your life.
Leo : (August 16 - September 15)
This period enhances funds, brings monetary gains and you may earn from previous investments. You have more faith in general regarding your career and the direction in which you are headed. You will have the ability to build up financial reserves and resources, for this placement can bring a good deal of success in all monetary pursuits. You are far less inhibited when it comes to expressing yourself creatively, and you are a lot more fun to be around. Children, romantic trips, hobbies and other forms of communication and making connections would strongly appeal.
Virgo : (September 16 - October 15)
You would enjoy making things that are beautiful and you succeed in areas that require an aesthetic sense as well as artistic ability. Matters concerning your career come to the fore. You are likely to enjoy a strong feeling of happiness and solidarity in friendship and love. This is a good time for research and meditation; but do avoid being dragged down by issues that have outgrown their worth and purpose. Examining the past in order to improve the future is certainly worthwhile, as long as you don't get caught up in the past. You are physically fit and on top of things. |
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<< QUIZ >>
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<< FEATURE 3 >>
When two worlds collide
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Minutes passed. The woman behind the table sat observing the pen in her hand, not bothered by the time her assistant was taking to bring her the information.
After what seemed like almost an hour, he entered the room and placed a file on the table.
?Harrison hasn?t come to office today?, he said.
?I know?, she replied without looking up.
?But I got the file you asked for. It was in his desk drawer,? he continued.
Silence followed.
Taking the hint, the man left, shutting the door behind him.
Ellen Scott stood up, thinking about the FBI agent who has questioned her some weeks back. Alexandra Grey. The name sounded familiar and she did have an idea who it might be. But to verify, she had asked Harrison to run files on the name.
Unfortunately, too much information was revealed to him during the process. He had dug too deep about her family and she had to let him go. Alexandra Grey was a name, a name that reminded her of the time her father died. She picked up the file to verify her judgment. Yes, she had been correct.
Sometimes, it was a wonder to her how children of the same family choose such different paths, and whether Alexandra Grey even knew who she was dealing with.
*******
The night was clear except for one single dark cloud hanging in the sky. Ellen Scott was on the wide balcony of her plush house where she lived by herself after her husband?s accidental death. It would have been a peaceful night if the doorbell hadn?t broken the silence.
?Agent Grey,? the woman in the dark suit at the door introduced herself, flashing the badge.
?I thought I was done with you, Ms Grey. You?re here for another chat, I suppose, so why don?t you put down that nasty gun of yours??
Grey responded with a mirthless laugh.
?Well, I suppose it?s time you gave some answers.?
?I?d be happy to, but at this odd hour...?
?We?ll begin,? she said curtly.
?Very well then. Take a seat, will you, Ms Grey?? Ellen Scott offered. |
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