Tuesday, May 31, 2016

' सुनो, सुनो....अच्छे दिन आ गये जी, अच्छे दिन आ गये जी' - by K.J.S.Chatrath


 Hear ye all!
सुनो, सुनो !
 From today, eating out, internet and travel become costlier with the new Krishi Kalyan Cess kicking in. which is at 0.5% on all taxable services. The new effective service tax will be 15%.  Remember that in the last Budget, Service Tax rate was raised from 12.36% to 14%. This new rate of Service Tax at 14% was applicable from 1st June 2015.
Moreover, from 15th November 2015, Swachh Bharat Cess at 0.5% also got applicable. Therefore, the effective rate of Service Tax is currently at 14.5% with effect from 15th Nov 2015. (source: Economic Times)
Petrol Price Hiked By Rs 2.58/Litre, Diesel By Rs 2.26/Litre since night of 31st May/1st June 2016.


Non-subsidised cooking gas price raised by Rs. 21 a cylinder.
Urad Dhula daal is already selling at Rs. 210 per kilo


Reminds me of the song sung by Raghubir Yadav in the film 'Pipli Live':

सैयां तो बहुत कामत हैं'
महंगाई डायन खाये जात है!

 सुनो, सुनो....अच्छे दिन आ गये जी,  अच्छे दिन आ गये जी.....

.....

My websites & blogs:
indianrestaurantsworldwide.blogspot.in/
www.indianheritagephotos.blogspot.in

www.fiftyplustravels.com,
www.gravematters.in,
www.traveltalk.co.in
www.anaap-shnaap.blogspot.in,


Email: kjschatrath@yahoo.co.in; chatrath@gmail.com


'Big B's Granddaughter And SRK's Son Spotted Having Dinner- ndtvnews' - Who cares? - by K.J.S.Chatrath

'Big B's Granddaughter And SRK's Son Spotted Having Dinner- ndtvnews

Who are these young people?

What have they done in their lives to merit such publicity?

Would it make any difference to you and me if it was breakfast or lunch and not dinner?

Come on, grow up NDTV!


.....

My websites & blogs:
indianrestaurantsworldwide.blogspot.in/
www.indianheritagephotos.blogspot.in

www.fiftyplustravels.com,
www.gravematters.in,
www.traveltalk.co.in
www.anaap-shnaap.blogspot.in,


Email: kjschatrath@yahoo.co.in; chatrath@gmail.com

'Pay the fine, Mr. Ravi Shankar, after all money is such a non-spiritual thing....' - by K.J.S.Chatrath


"You Will Pay Fine, Says Court To Sri Sri's Art of Living In Strong Order" - news

Pay the fine, Mr. Ravi Shankar, after all money is such a non-spiritual thing....

.....

My websites & blogs:
indianrestaurantsworldwide.blogspot.in/
www.indianheritagephotos.blogspot.in

www.fiftyplustravels.com,
www.gravematters.in,
www.traveltalk.co.in
www.anaap-shnaap.blogspot.in,


Email: kjschatrath@yahoo.co.in; chatrath@gmail.com

Sunday, May 29, 2016

'Clean the Holy Ganga, clean Holy Varanasi' - by K.J.S.Chatrath


Cleanliness work going on in the Holy Ganga at one of the ghats in Varanasi.

I was happy to read yesterday, a  statement by the Union Water Resources Minister that Holy Ganga would become one of the cleanest rivers in the world within two years. The positivity and confidence with which this statement has been made is very promising.

With this background let me say something about my last visit to Varanasi in March 2016. This was my fourth visit to the holy city. I may also add that I have trekked up to Gomukh four times during the last few decades, the last time being about 4 years ago.

While I am sure the learned people and environmentalists must have made a good plan for cleaning of Ganga, I would draw their  attention to the photograph taken by me on the Ganga Ghat in Varanasi in March 2016. It shows the cleaning work going on. Which means dirt and rubble being pushed back into the river with preassure of water hose.

My take is simple. Why not stop putting trash in the river, rather than putting the trash into it first and then getting it cleaned. It also follows that collection of garbage and its scientific disposal on the cities on the  banks of the Ganges need to to be made world class.

I have my sincere doubts if we would be able to achieve this within the next two years as hoped by the Hon'ble Minister.  But if this happens, and I hope it does, I will be one of the happiest persons.

P.S. Painting the sketch/spectacles of Mahatama Gandhi on every garbage can around India lacks sensitivity and is not the best way of remembering and paying homage to that great man of India.

Jai Hind. ...
Mera Bharat Mahaan...
I love my India.
  .....
My websites & blogs:
www.fiftyplustravels.com,
www.gravematters.in,
www.traveltalk.co.in
www.anaap-shnaap.blogspot.in,
www.francophilesonly.blogspot.in,
indianrestaurantsworldwide.blogspot.in/
www.indianheritagephotos.blogspot.in
Email: kjschatrath@yahoo.co.in; chatrath@gmail.com


'Three beautiful actresses who died young' by K.J.S.Chatrath


I am puzzled at some of the similarities in the lives of three stunningly beautiful actresses of our times - Madhubala, Marilyn Monroe and Jayne Mansfield. All were extremely beautiful, popular, had sad personal lives and died unnatural deaths in mid 1960s when two of them were 36 and the third was only 34 years old.

Madhubala.

First Madhubala. She was born on February 14, 1933 – the date in February that is now celebrated as the Valentine’s Day. The legendry Madhubala was the Goddess of Love of her times.She was 5'-4".

Her range of portrayals was amazingly diverse- as an Anglo-Indian club dancer in Howrah Bridge, a tribal belle in Phagun and the most memorable as Anarkali in Mughal-E-Azam, just to give three examples.

The beauty of Madhubala had an ethereal quality about it. She had a sad personal life. She is said to have pined for love during her short life There were stories that she wanted to marry actor Dilip Kumar but the marriage could not be fixed as her father reportedly had objections to it. Then she was discovered with a serious medical ailment- a hole in the heart that could not be set right in that period when heart surgery was still to develop. She ultimately married singer actor Kishore Kumar who was more interested in his singing career than looking after his ailing wife.

She died, on 23rd February, 1967 and was buried in the then Bombay’s Juhu cemetery. Though we kept on remembering Madhubala and her films, but overlooked her final resting place. The news came in February 2010 that her grave had been disposed off and tomb demolished.

One does not know what is the status today but does she not deserve to rest in peace? Would it not be possible for her numerous admirers to chip in to ensure her a grave and a decent memorial?

Had she been alive, she would have been 83 this year.

Marilyn Monroe

The second young lady, Marilyn Monroe was perhaps the most popular of these three at the international level. She was born on June 1, 1926. Her nude photo was featured in the first issue of the Playboy magazine in December 1953. She had a perfect figure of 35-22-35 and was 5’-5” tall.

She received a Golden Globe Award for her performance in Some Like It Hot (1959). Monroe's last completed film was The Misfits (1961), co-starring Clark Gable with screenplay by her then-husband, Arthur Miller.Some of her other films were; Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, How to Marry a Millionaire and The Seven Year Itch.

She married thrice and had no children. She died on 5th August 1962 at the young age of 36. It was a case of suspected suicide by drug overdose. She has had her share of rumours and conspiracy theories abound her ‘real’ cause of death.


She lies buried at the Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery, in Los Angeles, U.S.A.
Had she been alive, she would have been 90 this year.

The third sad tale relates to Jayne Mansfield. She was born on 19th April 1933 and died in a fatal car accident on June 29, 1967 at the young age of 34. She was 5’-6” tall. She was known for her stunning vital statistics: 40-21-35, which she maintained even after giving birth to 5 children. Yes, she had an incredible 21 inches waist.

Jayne Mansfield (right) and Sophia Loren (left)


She featured as a playmate in the Playboy magazine and a few years later, some of her nude photographs from her film “Promises-Promises-Promises’ too were published in the same magazine. Some of her famous films were....The Girl Can't Help It, Too hot to handle and Promises-Promises-Promises. She was a good singer too.

She married thrice and divorced thrice and had 5 children.

Had she been alive, she would have been 83. In fact today is her birthday, since she was born on 19th April in 1933.

Jayne Mansfield's grave

May God rest these beautiful ladies in eternal  peace!

 .....
My websites & blogs:
www.fiftyplustravels.com,
www.gravematters.in,
www.traveltalk.co.in
www.anaap-shnaap.blogspot.in,
www.francophilesonly.blogspot.in,
indianrestaurantsworldwide.blogspot.in/
www.indianheritagephotos.blogspot.in
Email: kjschatrath@yahoo.co.in; chatrath@gmail.com


Cartoon from the Times of India, May 29, 2016

Cartoon from The Times of India, New Delhi, May 29, 2016. 
. . .

Saturday, May 28, 2016

'Indian Railway's Wordsmith (Slogan writer) chugs ahead of all others' by K.J.S.Chatrath


Wordsmiths seem to be in great demand now a days.

It is a tough creative job as it is not easy to come out with catchy, interesting, positive and relevant slogans  on development day after day.

The Wordsmith of Indian Railways seems to have chugged ahead of all others.Take a look at what railway's quarter page advertisement in newspapers today says:

"प्रगति के २ साल 
भारतीय रेल बेमिसाल।"

Of course I have a problem with the second part of the above slogan. 'Bemisal' means something  which has no similar example.  Here one has to look for examples from similarly placed organisations. Remember the saying about not comparing apples with oranges. One can not compare Indian Railways with any other organsiation as it is in a monopoly situation and no other organisation runs trains which could have been compared with, or example of which could have been cited. So, in my view the use of the word 'Bemisal' is not right.  It seems to have been chosen just because it rhymes well with 'saal'!

Then there is announcement of a  "रेल हमसफ़र सप्ताह- सात दिन, सात मुहीम". 

Here too I am not happy with the use of the word 'humsafar'. Humsafar means a co-passenger and does not convey any clear meaning in  this context. A better word, perhaps, could have been 'yatri'.

Now let us see the seven fresh slogans-  for each day of the week. Take a look:

२६  मई - स्वछता दिवस;

२७ मई - सत्कार दिवस;

२८  मई -  सेवI दिवस;

२९ मई - सतर्कता दिवस;

३० मई - सामंजस्य दिवस;

३१ मई - संयोजन दिवस, और

१ जून  - संचार दिवस

And to drum it in further, in the end it says -  रेल बड़े, देश बड़े 

Phew.....I dont know about others, but after this I don't want to see another slogan for another week!

Ah...If only slogans could take the Indian Railways ahead!

 

By the way, I am a self professed admirer of Indian Railways and at 73+, still regularly undertake and enjoy  long distance rail journeys.

Let me end by adding a slogan of my own, "I love Indian Railways"

Confused? Uh?

  .....
My websites & blogs:
www.fiftyplustravels.com,
www.gravematters.in,
www.traveltalk.co.in
www.anaap-shnaap.blogspot.in,
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indianrestaurantsworldwide.blogspot.in/
www.indianheritagephotos.blogspot.in
Email: kjschatrath@yahoo.co.in; chatrath@gmail.com

'Three talented young ladies in ads' - by K.J.S.Chatrath

 Richa Chaddha

About a year or so back, I saw a TATASKY ad about a pretty young working woman preparing to leave on a 15 days holiday to Nainital and TATASKY not charging her for that fortnight. The young lady, Amritsar born Richa Chadha, has put up an excellent performance in those 60 seconds.The ease and synchronization of her dialogues with her body, facial and eye movements was just amazing.Of course in the meantime she has acted in a few films  like Fukrey, Massan and Sarabjit, and received accolades for her performances.

Tasha Chettri

But a pretty young lady who has really impressed the ad world in the last year is Tasha Chettri. This ad writer from Dehradun has become the face of young India with her ads about Airtel 4G. The series of ads on this topic are all very maturely handled with a bit of self-mocking. She has innocent looks and at the same time competently handles people making making fun of her with a disarming shrug or smile. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OlvvkNxb2W0


The news is that Sasha Chettri, has decided to leave Airtel, and join Reliance Jio’s 4G campaign from now on. She took this decision after a user from Umiam Lake of Shillong is taking her to court as he was not able to watch India vs West Indies World T20 Semi final clash on his mobile phone using Airtel 4G.

Jasmine Bhasin

One other ad which I saw a few days back was a re-telecast of a 2014 ad. It asks:
'Simran shaadi ke 4 din baad itni pareshan?' https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Krr025ai8ak

I found Jasmine Bhasin, playing a young Panjabi bride Simran, doing an excellent job. She twitches her nose in disapproval and then the hand gesture while referring to 'class' are  really impressive. Some are of course finding fault with equating using of 'Odonil' with being cultured, but doing so is overlooking the humour and excellent performance.

 Do take a look and decide for yourself.
 .....
My websites & blogs:
www.fiftyplustravels.com,
www.gravematters.in,
www.traveltalk.co.in
www.anaap-shnaap.blogspot.in,
www.francophilesonly.blogspot.in,
indianrestaurantsworldwide.blogspot.in/
www.indianheritagephotos.blogspot.in
Email: kjschatrath@yahoo.co.in; chatrath@gmail.com