I have resumed my physical exercise, and enjoying it

One good thing to have happened recently in my life is that I have resumed my Yoga and free hand exercise after a long break. And you know, I am really enjoying it.

I started Yoga and free hand exercise in high school, and continued it till my college days. I was, honestly speaking, quite serious about my daily exercise routine, determined not to miss it for a single day. Even after college I retained the habit while pursuing the post-college professional courses (like PG Diploma in Public Relations).

Then ultimately came a time when I entered the professional life. Life became tough, demanding and strenuous. I slowly started finding the daily routine of exercise to be an unpleasant burden, and eventually I gave it up.

My professional life has already seen seven springs, and it has so far been a “sans exercise” period. Sometimes I have missed my fitness regime, and have started to resume it. But just after 3-4 days again I have found it to be burdensome, and withdrawn myself from it. This has happned for at least 4 to 5 times.

Then, after a long time, few days back again I got “bitten by the fitness bug”. This time I was determined that I would not only start it, but would stick to it. Yes, I used some common sense this time. I realized that now it is impossible to do a host of exercises every morning, as I used to do during my student days. Because now I do not have that time. So I decided to mark out a handful of exercises (both Yoga and free hand exercises), which would not take much time, and stick to them.

That precisely I have done. I have marked out certain exercises, and have been doing them every morning for last 2 weeks. And I am really enjoying my life. I am feeling fit, feeling energetic throughout the office hours and less exhausted after the office is over, and also happy. People may say it is psychological. May be. But how can one deny the fact that I am feeling better?

I have realized what we all actually know – No matter how much work pressure we have, we must have due time for two important aspects of our life – a.) Family and b.) Health.

I Am Grateful To Bollywood

I am really grateful to Bollywood, the largest film industry in the world and one of the objects of pride for us, the Indians.

So why am I grateful to Bollywood? Because it is only by watching Bollywood movies that I have got to know a lot about my community (the Bengali community) that I myself was unaware of.

a.) It is only by watching Hindi movies that I have come to know that the Bengalis are always dressed in Dhoti and Punjabi. It was a fact that I was unaware of despite being a Bengali myself.

b.) It is only by watching Hindi movies that I have come to know that the Bengalis always comb their hair midway. I am really so ashamed that I myself did not know this interesting fact about my own community.

c.) It is only by watching Hindi movies that I have realized how terribly bad our Hindi is. While I always knew that our Hindi accent and pronunciation are not up to the mark, I never knew that our Hindi is really so funny. And yes, I am not even counting the Hindi spoken by the Bengalis brought up in places like Delhi and Mumbai, who speak really good Hindi (at least I feel so, the Bollywood people may think otherwise). Watching the archetypal Bengali characters of the Hindi movies and listening to their smattered Hindi was really an eye opener for me.

d.) It is only by watching Hindi movies that I have realized that all Bengalis are so obsessed with Rasogollah. I never knew that all of us are so obsessed with sweets, and that too precisely with a single type of sweet (i.e. Rasogollah, while we have so many other types of sweets as well).

e.) It is only by watching Hindi movies that I have realized that all Bengalis have the bad habit of saying “Uribaba” at every 5 minutes. This is really a news for me. I have never said “Uribaba” in my entire life. And now I am really doubtful whether I am really a Bengali.

Bollywood, I am really grateful to you for making me know so many interesting things about my own community, that I myself was unaware of. Hats off to your knowledge base. Keep it up. Keep typecasting the Bengalis, the Biharis, the South Indians, the Gujaratis, the Sindhis and the Sardarjis. Good luck to you.


French Translation

Je Sais gré A Bollywood

Je suis vraiment reconnaissant à Bollywood, la plus grande industrie de film dans le monde et un des objets de fierté pour nous, les Indiens.

Donc pourquoi sais-je gré à Bollywood ? Parce que ce n'est qu'en regardant les films de Bollywood que je dois savoir beaucoup de ma communauté (la communauté bengalaise) que je m'ignorait.

A.) Ce n'est qu'en regardant les films de hindi que je suis venu savoir que les Bengalis toujours sont habillés dans Dhoti et Punjabi. C'était un fait que j'ignorais malgré est Bengali me.

B.) Ce n'est qu'en regardant les films de hindi que je suis venu savoir que les Bengalis toujours peignent leurs cheveux à mi-chemin. Je suis vraiment si honteux que je me n'a pas su ce fait intéressant de ma propre communauté.

C.) Ce n'est qu'en regardant les films de hindi que je suis rendu compte comment terriblement mauvais notre hindi sont. Pendant que je toujours ai su que notre accent de hindi et la prononciation ne sont pas jusqu'à la marque, je n'ai jamais su que notre hindi soit vraiment si drôle. Et oui, je ne compte pas même le hindi parlé par les Bengalis a amené en haut à sa place comme Delhi et comme Mumbai, qui parlent vraiment bon hindi (au moins je me sens alors, que les gens de Bollywood peuvent penser autrement). Regarder les caractères bengalais archétypiques des films de hindi et écoutant leur smattered hindi était vraiment un ouvre-boîtes d'oeil pour moi.

D.) Ce n'est qu'en regardant les films de hindi que je suis rendu compte que tous Bengalis sont si obsédés avec Rasogollah. Je n'ai jamais su que nous tous si obsédions avec doux, et cela aussi précisément avec un type seul de doux (c.-à-d. Rasogollah, pendant que nous avons tant de types autres de doux aussi).

E.) ce n'est qu'en regardant les films de hindi que je suis rendu compte que tous Bengalis ont la mauvaise habitude de dire d' « Uribaba » à chaque 5 minutes. Ceci est vraiment une nouvelles pour moi. Je n'ai jamais dit « Uribaba » dans ma vie entière. Et maintenant je suis vraiment douteux si je suis vraiment Bengali.

Bollywood, je suis vraiment reconnaissant à vous pour faire que me sais tant de choses intéressantes de ma propre communauté, qui je m'ignorait. Les chapeaux d'à votre base de connaissance. Le maintenir. Garder cataloguer les Bengalis, le Biharis, les Indiens du sud, le Gujaratis, le Sindhis et le Sardarjis. La bonne chance à vous.

I Am An Indian

Neither Bengali nor Punjabi nor Tamil nor any other Indian community

I am an Indian who identifies himself with the entire Indian fraternity.

I love and respect every Indian community, and identify with its customs and culture

And know for sure that we all are same, except some apparent differences in our nature.

I believe in a pan-Indian identity, and identify myself with every region of this land

I am quite proud of my so-called own community (the Bengali community), but on any day I will prefer to carry an “All India” brand.


LONG LIVE INDIA! I LOVE MY MOTHERLAND.


French Translation

Je Suis Indien

Ni Bengali ni Punjabi ni Tamoul ni l'autre communauté indienne

Je suis Indien qui s'identifie avec la fraternité indienne entière.

J'aime et respecte chaque communauté indienne, et identifier avec ses douanes et cultiver

Et savoir exactement que tous sommes mêmes, sauf quelques différences apparentes dans notre nature.

Je crois en une identité casserole-indien, et m'identifier avec chaque région de cette terre

Je suis tout à fait fier de ma soi-disant propre communauté (la communauté bengalaise), mais sur n'importe quel jour que je préférerai porter un "Toute Inde " marque.

INDE LONGUE DE VIE ! J'AIME MA PATRIE.

Human Blood

I am the same inside James Brown, a Roman Catholic American

I am the same inside a Buddhist Chinese, named Miao Chan.

I am the same inside a Muslim Arab named Amir Muhammad

And I am again the same inside a Hindu Indian named Akash Chand.

Yes, I am also the same inside you, no matter which religion or country you are from

Who am I? I am that precious red liquid present inside everybody – the Human Blood.


French Translation

Sang Humain

Je suis le même dans James Brown, un Américain catholique romain

Je suis le même dans un Chinois bouddhiste, Miao Chan nommé.

Je suis le même dans un Arabe musulman a nommé Amir Muhammad

Et je suis encore le même dans un Indien hindou a nommé Akash Chand.

Oui, je suis aussi le même intérieur vous, n'importe qui religion ou le pays que vous êtes de

Qui j'est ? Je suis ce présent liquide, rouge et précieux dans tout le monde – le Sang Humain.

We Salute You Rahman, The Crown Prince Of Music

A.R. Rahman, the Crown Prince of music, and the King of our (Indians) heart

Your music is as refined as your nature, and precious like a rainfall in a desert.

You had already conquered India, and today you won the world

Trust me, “Oscar” itself is honoured that you have won the award.


French Translation

Nous Vous Saluons Rahman, Le Prince Héritier De Musique

A.R. Rahman, le Prince héritier de musique, et le Roi de notre (Indiens) le coeur

Votre musique est comme a raffiné comme votre nature, et précieux comme une hauteur des précipitations dans un désert.

Vous aviez conquis déjà l'Inde, et aujourd'hui vous avez gagné le monde

Me fier, "Oscar" lui-même est honoré que vous avez gagné la récompense.

My Key To Immortality

All living beings in this world are mortal, and so am I

There is no way to permanently elude death, no matter how desperately I try.

There will come a day, when I will have to say goodbye to all of you

And will be forgotten by most, while being remembered by just a few.

But……

I will ensure that my link with this world remains intact even after my death

Years after my death people will remember me, you bet.

I will remain “alive” through all my creations – like my blogs and poems

Which are so insignificant for the world, but for me they are like precious gems.

Every time one will read my poems I will get “alive” for that moment

This way my entity will remain alive, even after my mortal self meets its end.
(22nd February,2009).

French Translation

Ma Clef A Immortalité

Tous les êtres vivants dans ce monde sont mortels, et donc je suis

Il n'y a pas de façon d'une façon permanente pour échapper à la mort, n'importe comment désespérément j'essaie.

Viendra là un jour, quand je devrai vous tous dis au revoir

Et sera oublié par, pendant qu'est plus rappelé par juste quelques-uns.

Mais……

Je garantirai que mon lien avec ce monde reste intact même après ma mort

Les ans après mes gens de mort me rappèleront, vous pariez.

Je resterai « vivant » par toutes mes créations – comme mes blogs et comme les poèmes

Lequel est s'insignifiant pour le monde, mais pour moi ils sont comme les gemmes précieuses.

Chaque temps l'un lira mes poèmes j'obtiendrai « vivant » pour ce moment

Cette façon mon entité restera vivante, même après mon mortel rencontre automatiquement sa fin.

(22e février, 2009).

The Cost of One Shahtoosh Shawl? At least Three Tibetan Antelopes

You must have heard of Shahtoosh shawls, right? Apart from being a work of art, a Shahtoosh shawl is also a perfect symbol of your status. Quite understandably. After all it is so costly. And you know the cost? At least three Tibetan antelopes.

A unique member of the global wildlife, the Tibetan antelope is native to the Chinese part of the Tibetan Plateau region. Considered to be an endangered species, the estimated population of this strikingly beautiful animal is less than 75,000, and even that number is fast declining.

And why is it so? Well, it is because of the skin of the hapless animal, which the world knows as Shahtoosh, and which is the raw material for the world famous Shahtoosh shawl.

Reportedly around 20,000 Tibetan antelopes (also called Chiru) are killed by poachers every year, to ensure that the worldwide Shahtoosh trade is never short of raw materials.

Since the Tibetan antelope or Chiru never sheds its skin, therefore the only way to obtain Shahtoosh is to kill the animal. Generally three to five Chirus need to be killed to gather enough raw materials for a single Shahtoosh shawl.

After killing, the dead animals are skinned, after which the skin is used to manufacture the world famous Shahtoosh shawls (and other Shahtoosh products). Then these Shahtoosh products are illegally transported to fashion capitals worldwide, where they are sold at astronomical costs.

The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) – which controls the trade in endangered species products – has completely banned international trade in Tibetan antelope products (including Shahtoosh). It is illegal to import Shahtoosh into many countries, including the USA (ironically, Shahtoosh products are so popular in the US fashion industry).

Unfortunately, despite such laws being in place, the Shahtoosh trade is going on in full swing. This is because it is not enough to have laws. There must also be a strong public protest across the board against every person who is by any means related to the Shahtoosh trade. There should be a widespread public sensitization campaign to educate the common people. People must be discouraged from using Shahtoosh products, and the ones who use these products should be publicly taunted and humiliated (so that they are forced to stop using these products). The fashion crazy (read status crazy) morons must realize that the life of a single Tibetan antelope is much more precious than their so called social status.

Also, we must stop purchasing any product from the shops and retailers which sell Shahtoosh products. I mean, we should not only refrain from purchasing Shahtoosh products, but should also refrain from purchasing any products from the shops who sell Shahtoosh products. In a nutshell, they should be boycotted. Only then they will be forced to mend their ways.



Information courtesy: http://www.earthislandprojects.org/tpp

Photo courtesy: www.gov.cn