'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. 

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