Bahut dinon ke baad

Its been long since I have written something here.  Reason is not that I have lost interest, but it has to do more with the fact that I am moving back to India. My assignment is coming to an end and last few weeks have been very busy, completing assignments, making arrangements, throwing items which are of no use and lastly, worrying about the baggage allowance. 


It may take about an month when I return to blogging, since I will be visiting my home, which is in Patna, a town near Ganga Kinaare. And then the problem of getting a reliable internet connection. 


Thanks to all of you, who are reading my posts. Till next time, tada.

चहबच्चा

नेतरहाट के किसी भी छात्र से अगर आप "चहबच्चा" शब्द की चर्चा करें तो सम्भावना है की आप उस छात्र के चेहरे पे मुस्कान पायें। तो आयें हम यह जानने की कोशिश करें की ऐसा क्या है इस शब्द में जिसे सुन कर एक व्यक्ति बेसाख्ता ही मुस्कुरा पड़े।
चहबच्चा एक आयताकार गढ्ढा होता है जो चापानल के पास में हुआ करता है। यहाँ पे चापाकल के निकला हुआ इस्तेमाल के बाद का गन्दा पानी जमा होता है। एक साधारण सा गढ्ढा , जो गन्दा पानी जमा करने के काम आता है , में ऐसा क्या है जो एक पोस्ट का शीर्षक है ? धीरज रखें महानुभाव।

यह साधारण सा चहबच्चा होली के आस पास बहुत महत्त्वपूर्ण स्थल बन जाता है। होली के पहले विशेष ध्यान देकर इसकी सफाई की जाती है और खासकर ध्यान दिया जाता है की शीशा और धातु इत्यादि की वस्तुएं इसमें न रहे। इस सफाई के बाद इस चहबच्चे में छात्र एक दूसरे को डुबोते हैं। उस बालक को ज्यादा डुबाया जाता है जो ज्यादा मना करता है। और इस डुबाने की क्रिया एक विशेष अंदाज़ में की जाती है।

चार छात्र उस छात्र को जिसे डूबाना है, उसे पकड़ लेते हैं, दो हाथ और दो पैर, फिर एक झूले की तरह उसे तीन बार दायें से बाएँ और बाएँ से दायें ले जाकर छोड़ा जाता है और बेचारा बालक पानी में सरोबार हो जाता है। फिर अगले बालक को चहबच्चे में डालने के लिए एक और स्वयंसेवक मिल जाता है।

हाँ, डूबाना शब्द का उपयोग करने से एक बात याद आई। नेतरहाट के सन्दर्भ में डूबाना एक विशेष क्रिया है, जो आपको फिर कभी बताई जायेगी।

पुष्प की अभिलाषा

चाह नहीं मैं सुरबाला के
गहनों में गूँथा जाऊँ


चाह नहीं, प्रेमी-माला में
बिंध प्यारी को ललचाऊँ

चाह नहीं, सम्राटों के शव
पर हे हरि, डाला जाऊँ

चाह नहीं, देवों के सिर पर
चढ़ूँ भाग्य पर इठलाऊँ

मुझे तोड़ लेना वनमाली
उस पथ पर देना तुम फेंक

मातृभूमि पर शीश चढ़ाने
जिस पर जावें वीर अनेक

- माखनलाल चतुर्वेदी
Read more on Independence Day.

जो भरा नही है भावों से

जो भरा नही है भावों से
जिसमें बहती रस धार नहीं
वो हृदय नहीं हाँ पत्थर है
जिसमें स्वदेश का प्यार नहीं।

Final Test

So, another thrilling Ashes series being played. This has all the ingredients of a pot boiler. Australia dominated first test but England somehow managed to cling on.

Next test, a memorable performance from Flintoff and some good batting in first innings saw England coming home strongly.
Rain played a big part in third test and when it seemed that England may close it down in fourth test itself, here comes a strong reply from Australia and all the weak links turning into strong pillars.
Going into the fifth test, momentum lies with Australia, but no one knows the future. Imagine this, if Mark Ramprakash manages to get a game and does something of importance, who knows, England might scrape through. Whatever the outcome, there are many players, who got some reason to cheer, but nothing extraordinary. Can I name some? Flintoff, Johnson, Siddle, Strauss, Anderson, Ponting, Onions, Collingwood...... I hope that Flintoff manages another test and who knows then? Atleast, the game of cricket will be a winner there!!! See you then...

Athletics competition at Netarhat

The athletics competition, held every year during the month of march, is one of the main events held at Netarhat school. This was held for three days and school remains closed during this period. During the build up of the competition, extensive preparations take place.

Lots of track and field events were held at winner of an event also contributed points to his team(set). This competition was a dual competition whereby first six positions obtained in an event also contributed to their set's cause.

Pic. - Main playground (The Oval). School's main building is in the background.

Teachers don the role of referees and students, who were not participating (after all, every one cannot be an athlete and competition was tough to represent a set) served as volunteers in organising the events. The main playground (The Oval) has also got tents available where supporters and athletes used to stay during the competition.

The best day is the last day of the competition, where events like 100m, 200m, relays are held. This is the day when overall winner, best athlete are announced. Though it has been close to two decades, but memories of this event still brings smiles.

See you until next time. I am encouraged to write these posts on my school as my schoolmates are reading my posts. Hope they will enjoy this.

Greatest comeback in Test Cricket

This is perhaps the only series in the history of test cricket, when a team trailing by 0-2 went on to win the series by 3-2. Australians emerged as winners, and their captain, Don Bradman was under considerable pressure when Aussies were trailing by 0-2, owing to his batting and captaincy. But what a remarkable comeback it was, and the word "great" would have been the more appropriate word used instead of "remarkable", had the series had been played in recent years. But this series was played few decades ago and Bradman became the greatest gambler of all time, I dare say.

In the third test, the pitch was very treacherous which prompted english captain to declare even they were in deficit. Bradman did not have this choice of not batting, but he did have a choice about deciding the batting order, and he inverted the batting order. Australia were again 90 odd for 5 and then went on to score some 550 odd runs (Bradman - 270). Australia won the test match, and later on, the series and it will not be an overstatement to say that this was "the greatest comeback" in history of cricket.

Details of the match can be found on cricinfo.

Ganga

Seven different streams Bhagirathi, Janhvi, Bhilangana, Mandakini, Rishiganga, Saraswati and Alaknanda merge into Ganga at Devprayag. The rock on which King Bhagirath is believed to have meditated, is called Bhagirath Shila and is located near the temple of Ganga. To this date the water of holy Ganga is believed to have Amrit (nectar) in it. It has been studied by Scientists that the water collected from Ganga at its origin is in a pure state and even after being kept for several years, does not get contaminated.. These medicinal properties of Gangajal are attributed to the medicinal secretions of herbs and mineral content which get mixed with the water.

The river ganges is worshipped as a mother in India.

Netarhat - Antyakshari Pratiyogita

Every year, in Netarhat school, hindi Antyakshari competition is organized and this competition show cases the best literary works of renowned hindi poets. All kind of poems of Shringar ras, Bhakti ras, Veer ras, etc. are recited during these competitions creating a lively atmosphere. This event becomes very enjoyable and we students, always looked up and eagerly waited for these events.

Some of the famous songs which I can remember are:

1. Madhushala - Shri Harivansh Rai Bachchan.

2. Rashmirathi - Dinkar.

3. Urvashi - Nirala.

4. Kabir ke dohe.

and many more. The list is long and I will be adding to the list slowly and surely. One thing I would like to say that the overall presentation has always been of top quality. Perhaps this event is one of the reason why a Hatian is well informed about Hindi Sahitya.

Day 4 - Edgbaston

Another good day for england. Though England cannot lose this test, but draw appears to be a more likely result. The way last two tests have been played, English side seems to have upper hand, thanks to their bowling. Mr Anderson is very good and Mr. Onions is surely causing some tears to Aussies. Ricky Ponting might be looking for some inspiration or might just entertaining the idea to bring back Mr. McGrath or Shane Warne. What's your opinion?

Sholay - An epic

As Mahabharat is the grandest of the literary work available in India, same can be said of Sholay in reference to Hindi movies. This will not be an overstatement if I say that this movie is equivalent to the Mahabharat of hindi movies. All characters have their impact and no matter, how small a role one character has played, the significance is not lost. There are followers of this film from all walks of life and even after three decades of release, the fan following is still there. Dialogues such as "Kitne aadmi the?", still revive good memories.

The characters have become household names and their are interesting questions about this movie, which you can find creeping up in any conversation related to this movie. e.g. What was the name of Gabbar Singh's father. Though there was no presence of this character in the movie, but still he has got his own relevance to the fans of this movie. More later....

If you do not know the answer to the question posed above, ping me through comments.