५. लोकमत दीपोत्सव (दिवाळी अंक २०१७)

अंकात काय आहे ह्याची खातरजमा न करता खुशाल डोळे झाकून विकत घ्यावा अश्या काही मोजक्या अंकांपैकी लोकमत एक आहे. गेली २ वर्षं मी दिवाळीला हा अंक विकत घेतेय. अजून पर्यंत निराशा झालेली नाही. ह्या वर्षी अंकात काय लेख असतील ह्याची भलती उत्सुकता होती. वाचायला थोडा वेळ मिळेल असं वाटलं तेव्हाच मी कपाटातून अंक काढला.

पहिलाच लेख आमीर खानच्या पाणी फाउंडेशनवरचा. सततच्या दुष्काळावर मात करता यावी, पाणी अडवून जिरवायचं महत्त्व गावोगावच्या शेतकऱ्याना कळावं ह्यासाठी काम करणारी ही संस्था.      ह्या कामात येणाऱ्या अडचणीवर मात करून त्यांनी हे काम कसं सुरु ठेवलंय, त्यात आलेले बरेवाईट अनुभव, गावातल्या लोकांची जिद्द, आपल्या समस्यांवर त्यांनीच शोधलेले अनोखे उपाय हे सगळं वाचणं विलक्षण रोमांचकारी आहेच पण खूप काही शिकवणारंदेखील आहे. सरकारची वाट न बघता आपले प्रोब्ल्मेस आपणच सोडवायचे असं एकदा ठरवलं की माणसं कायकाय करू शकतात ह्याचं ही संस्था एक उत्तम उदाहरण आहे.

बाबा, संन्यासी, साधू, महात्मे ह्या सगळ्या प्रकारांबद्द्ल नाही म्हटलं तरी माझ्या मनात एक प्रकारचा आकस आहे. ह्या सगळ्यांचे पाय शेवटी मातीचेच आहेत ह्याबद्दल खात्रीच आहे माझी. त्यामुळे 'पतंजली' च्या उत्पादनांबद्दल आधी ऐकलं तेव्हा 'घ्या, पतंजलीच्या नावावर पैसे राजरोस पैसे करताहेत आता' अशीच भावना झाली आणि ती अजून तशीच आहे. त्यात ही उत्पादनं कशी बनवली जातात, त्यात नमूद केलेले घटक आहेत की नाहीत ह्याची बाहेरच्या जगाला कुठलीही शहानिशा करू दिली जात नाही हे कुठेतरी वाचनात आलं आणि ह्यातलं एकही प्रोडक्ट आपण वापरायचं नाही हे मी ठरवून टाकलं. तरी एक कंपनी, एक brand म्हणून 'पतंजली' बद्दल उत्सुकता होतीच  . ती 'कहो न, करो' ह्या लेखाने थोडीफार शमली. कंपनीची सुरुवात कशी झाली, त्याचं व्यवस्थापन कसं चालतं, तसंच कंपनीचा चेहेरा असलेले बाबा रामदेव आणि आचार्य बालकृष्ण ह्यांच्यासंबंधी बरीच माहिती ह्या लेखातून मिळते. अर्थात ह्या दोन व्यक्ती आणि कंपनी ह्यांचा फक्त उदोउदो न करता त्यांच्यासंबंधात असलेले प्रवाद, काही टोचणारे मुद्दे ह्यांचाही आवर्जून समावेश लेखात आहे हे सांगावसं वाटतं.

कुठलीही गोष्ट कठीण नाही हे सांगताना 'रॉकेट सायन्स नाहीये ते' असं आपण सर्रास म्हणतो. हे रॉकेट सायन्सच नव्हे तर उपग्रह - मग ते भारताचे असोत वा इतर देशांचे - अवकाशात सोडणे ह्याबद्दल ख्याती असलेल्या इस्रो ह्या मान्यवर संस्थेबाबत लेख ह्या अंकात समाविष्ट केल्याबद्दल संपादक मंडळाचं खरं तर कौतुकच करायला हवं. रॉकेट आणि उपग्रह ह्याशिवाय सामान्य माणसाचं आयुष्य विज्ञानाच्या मदतीने सुसह्य व्हावं ह्यासाठीसुध्दा ही संस्था काम करते हे निदान मला तरी प्रथमच कळलं. इस्त्रोचा इतिहास, कार्यपध्दती, शिस्त, संशोधन ह्याविषयी खूप मोलाची माहिती ह्या लेखातून मिळते.

Sanitary napkins हा विषय शहरातूनसुध्दा फार उघडपणे चर्चिला न जाणारा. गावात तर ह्याचा वापर दूरच, ह्याविषयी फार माहितीही असणं दुरापास्त. अशी स्थिती असताना गावातल्या बायकांना वापरता येतील असे स्वस्त पण दर्जेदार napkins बनवण्यासाठी झटलेल्या अरुणाचलम मुरुगनाथम ह्या अफलातून माणसाची कहाणी विश्वास बसू नये अशीच आहे. घरच्या बायकांचा विरोध, समाजातून होणारी कुचेष्टा, आर्थिक ओढाताण सगळं सगळं सहन करूनही ह्या माणसाने आपली जिद्द सोडली नाही. आज गावातल्या बायकांना परवडतील असे napkinsत्या स्वत:च बनवतात, ते विकतात ह्या अशक्य वाटेल अश्या गोष्टीचं सारं श्रेय अरुणाचलम ह्यांना आहे. Hats Off!

ह्या लेखांव्यतिरिक्त ८०७ शाळांतल्या एक लाख तीस हजारांहून अधिक मुलांना सकस, स्वच्छ आणि ताजं गरमागरम जेवण रोज दुपारी पुरवणाऱ्या अक्षयपात्र ह्या योजनेची माहिती देणारा ‘अक्षयपात्र’, आपल्या अथक प्रयत्नांनी गावोगावच्या जिल्हा परिषदांच्या दुर्लक्षित शाळांचा कायापालट करणाऱ्या तरुण धडपड्या शिक्षकांवरचा 'डिजिटल शाळा', गुजरातेतल्या धुंडी गावातल्या सहकारी तत्वावर सौर उर्जा निर्माण करणाऱ्या शेतकर्यांवरचा ‘शेतात जेव्हा वीज पिकते', चीनच्या सीमेवर डोळ्यात तेल घालून पहारा देणाऱ्या भारतीय सैन्यावरचा 'बुमला पास', तसंच अन्नपूर्णादेवी, आलिया भट, रजनीकांत ह्या व्यक्ती आणि व्हीएफएक्स हे तंत्रज्ञान ह्यांच्याविषयीची माहिती देणारे लेखसुध्दा वाचनीय.

‘तिघी' मध्ये ३०० हून अधिक वडाची झाडं लावून पोटाच्या मुलाप्रमाणे त्यांचा सांभाळ करणाऱ्या थिमक्का, तरुणाला लाजवतील अश्या चपळाईने योगासनं करणाऱ्या ९८ वर्षांच्या नानम्मल आणि वय वर्षं १०६ असतानासुध्दा शेतात चूल पेटवून स्वयंपाक करणाऱ्या मस्तानम्मा भेटल्या. ह्या तिन्ही आजीबाईना अक्षरश: लोटांगण घातलं मी मनातल्या मनात. हे वर्ष संपत आलं असताना ह्या सगळ्या भेटल्या ते बरंच आहे. पुढच्या वर्षीचे संकल्प तडीस नेताना कठीण जाईल तेव्हा ह्यांची आठवण केली तरी पुरे :-)

फक्त शर्मिला फडके ह्यांचा अमृता शेरगिलवरचा लेख मला खास आवडला नाही. तिच्याविषयीची फार माहिती नव्हती.....नुसतेच शब्दांचे बुडबुडे.

एक मनोरंजक पण माहितीपूर्ण अंक वाचल्याचं पुरेपूर समाधान ह्या अंकाने पदरात टाकलं. दिवाळी अंकाकडून आणखी काय अपेक्षा असते?

An Era Of Darkness: The British Empire In India – Shashi Tharoor

Ghachar Ghochar – Vivek Shanbhag

Dragon On Our Doorstep: Managing China Through Military Power – Pravin Sawhney & Gazala Wahab

The End Of Karma: Hope And Fury Among Indian Youth – Somini Sengupta

Reporting Pakistan - Meena Menon

The Indian Middle Class – Surinder S. Jodhka & Aseem Prakash

Never Marry A Woman With Big Feet: Women In Proverbs From Around The World – Mineke Schipper

The Great Railway Bazar: By Train Through The Asia – Paul Theroux

https://www.loksatta.com/khau-anandey-news/articles-in-marathi-on-hurda-party-1598075/

Supernatural S13, E09

Question. Am I the only one or does anyone else here think that the writers seem to have lost the plot entirely by bringing dinosaurs into it? Really. The scene in which people climb out of the giant footprint wondering where they are is as old as, if not older than, the prehistoric creatures. Wonder what's coming next. Aliens, maybe?

Another question. Why do the angels need Jack to swell their ranks? If they look upon humans as frail beings, isn't it rather beneath them to seek help from someone who is half-human? I wonder why no one makes an attempt to contact Amara. I have a feeling that she is gonna make an appearance in this season - sooner or later.

And now we are told that something terrible is coming. I don't know how bad it is going to be for Sheriff Mills or the Winchesters. But I am sure it will be pretty bad for the viewers, if the recent twists and turns in the storyline are anything to go by.

Principles of Software Engineering and Design - Marvin V. Zelkowitz, Alan C. Shaw, and John D. Gannon

Software Systems Architecture - Eoin Woods and Nick Rozanski

Testing Object-Oriented Software - Bob Binder

Quality Software Management - Gerald Weinberg

Kishor Magazine Archives

http://kishor.ebalbharati.in/archive/

Crossing to Safety - Wallace Stegner

Refactoring Databases - Scott Ambler

Agile Database Techniques - Scott Ambler

The Object Primer - Scott Ambler



Barracoon: The Story of the Last Slave - Zora Hurston

Stet: An Editor's Life - Diana Athill

Alive, Alive Oh! - Diana Athill

Somewhere Towards The End - Diana Athill

Good Times Bad Times - Sir Harold Evans

Photos from a village weekly maket

Saw a shooting star blaze a trail across the night sky yesterday. My very first. Sadly, I was so surprised that I didn't remember to make a wish :-( Now I got my list pat down. Does that mean that I won't see one in near future? :-)

Supernatural, S13, E08

I have one word for the Winchesters - Stupid. If they had to play heroes to save the damsel in distress, at least they could kept enough of a presence of mind to grab the spell's parchment before it became toast. All that cherry pie could have addled Dean's brain!! And Sam was too intent on saving Smash to think of mundane things like getting hold of the spell which could have helped them track Jack.

Oh, and BTW, if Sam could establish the veracity of the one half of the spell, why couldn't he use the same source to get his hands on the whole of it?

But ain't complaining. No Asmodeus. No Lucifer. And No Arthur Ketch. Wish they would all just disappear.

Utsav - Thalis Of India (Epic Channel, 9pm)

I have been watching this program with great interest these days. It features thalis (a meal consisting of many dishes) from different parts of India. All Indians are aware of the stunning varieties in food habits across the states. But I was amazed that within a state too thalis can differ in such a huge fashion.

The case in point is Jaisalmer in the state of Rajasthan. One of the episodes showed its non-veg Rajputana thali which had 3 types of meat - the famous Safed Maas (white mutton curry), Jungali Maas and a dish of dry mutton. But the Bhatia community from Jaisalmer is totally vegetarian and so is their thali. Indians are known for their sweet tooth but I was surprised to find that one of the thalis from the Andhra (I forgot which one) doesn't have any dessert. They end their meals with bananas instead.

The program also covers recipes of a dish or two. I remember two of them in particular. One was a sweet halwa made from - mutton. Yep. Mutoon. The usual suspects in any Indian dessert were all there - ghee, sugar, milk, khoya, dry fruits, cardamom powder and saffron water. I guess Kewra water was added as well to make doubly sure that the smell of the meat was totally eliminated. The person preparing the sweet told Chef Kunal Kapoor that no one will be able to guess that it is a meat preparation unless you tell them so. To be frank, the dish didn't appeal to me and I felt nauseous when I saw chef Kunal eat a spoonful of it. :-)

The other dish - Jungali Maas - was prepared by the heir of the royal family of Jaisalmer. I had never before seen any meat preparation with just 4 ingredients - mutton, salt, ghee and lots of red chillies. Of course, salt was added too. And garlic - but only because the person preparing it loved the taste of garlic in it.

If you are a foodie and would love to know more about the rich culinary tradition of India, you better tune in to Epic channel every night at 9. It's half an hour well spent.

Supernatural, S13, E07

Okay. Just how many characters do the series' writers plan to drag back from the seasons gone past? As long as it was a one-off instance like Missouri Mosley, it was fine. But now the characters are popping out of the woodwork faster than the speed of light. First it was Michael, albeit from a parallel universe. Then it was Kevin Tran. And if that wasn't enough, Arthur Ketch is back - to my utter and complete dismay, if I may say so. What's more, he is working for Asmodeus. I have no idea how or where he made that connection. But to borrow Dean's words, it don't sound good for the Winchesters. At all.

Add to that the fact that Lucifer is back into the real world. With his powers diminished. Asmodeus has him locked in Hell along with Castiel and the Winchesters (as always!) are blissfully unaware of the whole mess. Oh, and Jack is nowhere to be seen. Things couldn't get any uglier. Or could they?

There is no trace of the only 3 people from the past who I would love to see again - Crowley, Mary and Rowena. Of course, I know Crowley cannot be back because Mark Sheppard has ruled out that possibility already. I hope Mary will hitch a ride out of the parallel universe with Michael. Will Rowena make her appearance in next episode? The Winchesters really need someone in their corner, even if it is someone as selfish as her. Given the time lag between the US and Indian telecasts, I guess only Wiki can tell :-)

Till date, I haven't been able to reconcile myself to the fact that Jack is Lucifer's son - biology squarely dictates that he is the president's child. Unless, of course, the mortal biological rules don't apply to the angels!

Supernatural, S13, E06

Just when you heave a sigh of relief that the Winchesters have got their (and mine!) favorite angel back in their camp and all's well with the world, the writer had to throw a curveball. I was not surprised that the case was used just as a backdrop. Afterall, there are only so many ghouls and things-that-go-bump-in-the-night in the world.

But I was mad that the Winchesters and Castiel kept treating Jack with kid gloves. Merely saying that it was an accident was a surefire way of amplifying his guilt. They should have explained to him that he had aimed his powers to disable the ghoul when the security guard decided to step in. It was clearly no one's mistake; he just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

How I wish Kelly was alive! Maybe the Winchesters should have kept the shapeshifter Mia on call to fill in for her when needed. I rather suspect that Kelly will be sorely missed in the near future.