Kolkata (TIP): A day before he was scheduled to appear for questioning at the CBI office in connection with the Saradha chit fund scam,West Bengal Transport and Sports Minister Madan Mitra was on November 20 admitted to the state’s largest government hospital with a complaint of breathing disorder. Mitra, who was admitted in a private nursing home since Nov 18, left the health facility and reached SSKM Hospital on November 20 afternoon and was admitted in the Woodburn ward, reserved for VIPs.SSKM director Pradip Mitra said the minister complained of dyspnea (breathing problems). He was undergoing a series of tests. A journalist, who was with Madan Mitra just before he left the nursing home, claimed the minister “left suddenly” without taking even his security guard with him.
Year: 2014
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Ebola vaccine running into patent cover in Canada?
NEW DELHI (TIP): A Canadian patent protection may be blocking an Ebola vaccine even as the world is struggling to stop the spread of the deadly virus. Almost a decade ago, Canada developed probably the world’s most promising vaccine to prevent spread of Ebola virus disease. However, the Canadian government shielded the vaccine with patent rights, limiting its further development for use in other countries, it is learnt. The Canadian government licenced the vaccine in 2010 to Bioprotection Systems Corporation, a subsidiary of NewLink Genetics, allowing the firm sole rights to develop and commercialize it. The profit-driven arrangement between the Canadian government and the firm has attracted criticism worldwide. Critics said since patenting a vaccine in such circumstances is affecting public health, the Canadian government should put it out in public domain in larger interest. The vaccine which was developed by a Canadian scientist, is based on a live attenuated vesicular stomatitis virus and has several known advantages as compared to other vaccine candidates in clinical trials.
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MEXICANS MARCH AGAIN FOR 43 MISSING STUDENTS
MEXICO CITY (TIP): Tens of thousands of people angry at the presumed massacre of 43 students marched in Mexico City on Nov 20, many chanting for President Enrique Pena Nieto’s resignation in another day of nationwide protests. Protesters waved blackened flags of Mexico and chanted “He will fall, he will fall, Pena Nieto will fall!” Parents of the 43 male college students, who reject claims their sons are dead, led the march along the capital’s main boulevard toward the historic Zocalo square.
It was the latest protest over the government’s handling of a crime that has infuriated Mexicans fed up with corruption, impunity and a drug war that has left more than 100,000 people dead or missing since 2006. The case has turned into the biggest challenge of Pena Nieto’s nearly two-yearold presidency, on top of another scandal over a mansion his wife bought from a government contractor. “Mexico is used to tragedy, robberies and corruption, and we need to begin to exercise our rights as citizens to get the government working,” said Lili Correa, 46, wearing the black color of the protest. The demonstration coincided with the anniversary of the start of the 1910 Mexican revolution.
The government canceled the annual parade. Before the march, masked protesters threw firebombs and used tubes like makeshift bazookas to launch firecrackers at riot police, who hit back with tear gas to disperse the group on a street near the airport. The clash came after hundreds of protesters blocked the main road to the airport for an hour, while police vehicles picked up passengers walking with their suitcases along the road. Thousands of people also marched in the cities of Ciudad Juarez, Puebla and Chilpancingo, the capital of Guerrero, the violence-plagued southern state where the students vanished nearly two months ago. Thousands more marched in Bolivia and some 200 took to the streets in El Salvador.
Mexico and Real Madrid football star Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez tweeted a picture of himself wearing a black hoodie and the hashtag #WeAreAllAyotzinapa, referring to the young men’s Ayotzinapa teacher-training college. “The goal is to unite and mobilize the country, to lead it toward change,” said Omar Garcia, who attends the college. With the annual parade called off, Pena Nieto led a ceremony with top officials at the Campo Marte military field, where he and the defense minister denounced violent protests. “Mexico is hurting, but the only path to soothe this pain is through peace and justice,” he said, hours after making his personal assets public to quell conflict of interest allegations over his wife’s mansion.
Defense minister Salvador Cienfuegos said violence “only leads to national failure, social backwardness, ungovernability, instability.” The crisis erupted after the mayor of the city of Iguala ordered police to confront students on September 26, sparking a night of violence that left six people dead and 43 missing, authorities say. Prosecutors say corrupt police delivered the 43 young men to members of the Guerreros Unidos drug gang, who confessed to killing and incinerating the students. Officials stopped short of declaring the students dead pending DNA tests. Federal police teams continue to search for them in Guerrero. -
In blow to PM Cameron, Britain’s anti-EU UKIP party wins second parliamentary seat
GILLINGHAM (TIP): Britain’s anti-EU UKIP party won its second seat in parliament on November 21, defeating Prime Minister David Cameron’s Conservatives in a special election six months before what is shaping up to be a closely-fought national vote. Mark Reckless, the candidate for UKIP, the UK Independence Party, was a Conservative lawmaker until he defected in September. He won 16,867 votes or just over 42 percent of the vote in the south-eastern English constituency of Rochester and Strood. The Conservative candidate came second with 13,947 votes. Labour came third with 6,713 votes. The overall turnout was 50.67 percent.
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Six nurses killed in latest attack on Chinese medical workers
BEIJING (TIP): Seven people, including six nurses, were stabbed to death at a hospital dormitory in northern China on Thursday, the official Xinhua news agency reported, the latest in a string of attacks on medical workers. A hospital administrator was among those killed and another nurse was seriously injured in the attack, Xinhua said. The hospital is in Beidaihe, a seaside resort close to Beijing favored by senior members of the ruling Communist Party. A suspect has been detained, the Xinhua report said without providing further details.
A spate of attacks on doctors and nurses in the past two years has prompted the health ministry to provide better security at hospitals. While the government has ramped up health spending, hospitals are frequently overwhelmed with patients. Doctors are also badly paid, leading to corruption and a suspicion that staff are more interested in making money by prescribing unnecessary drugs and treatment than tending the sick. Many other Chinese are unable to afford health care despite government efforts to provide a basic safety net, which has also prompted attacks in the past. Ministry data shows that violent attacks directed at doctors and other health care workers in the form of beatings, threats, kidnappings, verbal abuse and murder reached 17,243 cases in 2010, the latest year for which such figures are available -
Hong Kong activists clash with police, 4 arrested
HONG KONG (TIP): Tension spiked at democracy protests that have gripped Hong Kong for nearly two months as police arrested four men early Wednesday after a small group of activists tried to force their way into the city’s legislature in overnight clashes. The arrests came hours after authorities enforced a court order to clear some barricades from a small section of a site occupied by pro-democracy activists. Police used pepper spray, batons and riot shields against the umbrella-wielding protesters wearing masks, goggles and hardhats, who they said repeatedly charged their cordon and injured three officers. The protesters used metal barricades and concrete slabs to smash glass doors at the legislature before officers police rushed in to push them back. Pro-democracy lawmaker Fernando Cheung tried to intervene but was pulled aside by some protesters. Cheung told reporters that he saw one person enter the building. The violence apparently involved protesters who organized their action through an Internet forum known to attract people with radical views.
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Kill Dil
Cast: Govinda, Ranveer Singh, Parineeti Chopra,
Ali ZafarDirection: Shaad Ali
Genre: Action
Duration: 2 hours 8 minutes
Story: A contract killer wants to reform for love; but wait, will the ones who order him to kill, allow him to listen to his dil?
Review: Shaad Ali’s Kill Dil is inspired by countless Hollywood movies that showcase the protagonists romancing the gun. Here too, the two heroes Dev (Ranveer Singh) and Tutu (Ali Zafar) are orphans who are raised by a local Delhi don, Bhaiyyaji (Govinda). Brought up against the backdrop of bullets instead of lullabies, the chaddi-buddies drop out of primary school and grow up to become contract killers. With mafia killings being a regular feature of the Indian city underbelly, the trigger-happy twosome goes about their work without remorse.
That is, until Dev bumps into Disha (Parineeti Chopra), an heiress who reforms criminals in her spare time. They find themselves drawn to one another, but she doesn’t know what he does for a living. That having been said, the more Dev falls for Disha, the more he starts distancing himself from his mentor. The boy, who once buried his books, now wishes to bury his gun and turn over a new leaf for love. His friend Tutu agrees to cover for him in their moonlighting operations. However, Bhaiyyaji plays a spoilsport in the game of love. Possessive about his ward, he wants to destroy Dev’s bliss. So there you go. There is enough pizzazz to divert you from the cliched plot.
It is certainly a step up from Shaad’s last disastrous outing, Jhoom Barabar Jhoom (2007). And what makes this film watchable is the effortless chemistry between Ranveer and Ali. Their poker-faced humour, jibes at one another and ability to break into a song are impressive. Supported by some corny dialogues — like pigs must always eat shit and never attempt to taste gulkand (a sweet preserve of rose petals used in paan) – they draw laughs as quickly as they draw out their weapons. Govinda’s on-screen entry and trademark dance step had the matinee crowd in a tizzy. Parineeti and Ali are good, but the film belongs to Ranveer. He’s as keyed up as an Energiser bunny, exuding charm and competence in equal measure. -
SPECIAL GIFT FOR SHRADDHA KAPOOR
If there is anyone else who is happy for Shraddha Kapoor’s back to back successes with Aashiqui 2, Ek Villain and now Haider, apart from her family is her house help. This house help has been in Shraddha’s house from the time Shraddha was a kid and she has been there with her throughout. Post the success of Haider, she was so proud and happy for Shraddha that she bought her a small gift in her capability. She personally went and picked up a congratulatory card and a small Ganesh idol for her as Shraddha worships Ganeshji a lot. Shraddha was very touched with this kind gesture of her house help and gave her a tight hug. They have a very strong bond and she has been living in their house since years now. On earlier celebratory occasions, she has also cooked Shraddha’s favourite dishes for her.
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ILEANA D’CRUZ: DON’T PREFER TO TALK ABOUT MY PERSONAL LIFE
Actress Ileana D’Cruz, who is reportedly dating Australian Andrew Kneebone, says she prefers not to talk about her personal life with everybody. “I have never said anything about my personal life. I am single until I am married. I like to keep my personal life very private. As long as my family is aware about it, I am fine with that. I don’t want everyone to know about my personal life,” she said. Ileana, who made her Bollywood debut with Ranbir Kapoor starrer “Barfi!”, is now gearing up for the release of her next film, “Happy Ending” featuring Saif Ali Khan, Govinda, Kalki Koechlin and Ranvir Shorey. The actress revealed that Kneebone has a special appearance in the film too. “Andrew Kneebone has got a little bit of role but that happened for fun,” she said. Directed by Raj Nidimoru and Krishna DK, “Happy Ending” will release Nov 21
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Kareena gifted a luxury watch for her cameo
We heard that Kareena Kapoor Khan, who has a cameo in Happy Ending, did not charge even a penny for her role. To express his gratitude, producer Dinesh Vijan gifted her a high-end designer watch, which ended up burning a bigger hole in his pocket. “It is the most expensive cameo for our company,” says Dinesh, good-humouredly. And looks like hubby Saif Ali Khan smartly chose to keep himself away from the sweet gesture.
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BROOKE SHIELDS REGRETS MARRYING ANDRE AGASSI
Model-turned-actress Brooke Shields says that soon after her marriage to former tennis star Andre Agassi, she realised it was a mistake. The actress and Agassi split in 1999 after being married for two years, but Shields feels she always had relationship doubts, reports femalefirst.co.uk. “It hit me all of a sudden – I knew I had made a mistake. For the next two years we saw very little of each other. I was working on my show, ‘Suddenly Susan,’ and he was playing at various tournaments. “He alienated me when he lost and was on to the next tournament after he won. We were drifting apart,” she wrote on her biography. Andre confessed he’d been “addicted to crystal meth” since their dating life began, but she says she had always hoped to work things out. “I was the one who had supported him unconditionally when he told me (after we started dating) that he was basically bald and had been wearing hairpieces most of his adult life. Why would this have been any different? I would have been his biggest advocate and supporter,” she shared.
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JENNIFER ANISTON CALLS ‘CAKE’ TOUGHEST ROLE OF HER CAREER
Jennifer Aniston has recently admitted that her character in the movie ‘Cake’ was the hardest job she has ever taken on. The 45-year-old artist said that although the role required her to go out of her comfort zone but she loved every second of it. It was five weeks in and out and she kept saying, you know it’s a hard body to live in, but told a good story, she further added. The ‘Friends’ star also mentioned that it really started with the physical research and the emotional research and that’s sort of what was the final outcome but this whole woman’s life made her.
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Beauty & The Beast
Cast: Vincent Cassel, Léa Seydoux, André Dussollier,
Eduardo Noriega, Myriam Charleins Audrey Lamy
Direction: Christophe Gans
Genre: Fantasy
Duration: 1 hour 52 minutesStory: The classic fairytale of love between an unlikely pair – the Beauty (played by Seydoux) who falls for the Beast (played by Cassel) after her father becomes indebted to him – gets a retelling.
Review: A wealthy merchant (Dussolier) has come upon some hard times. The downturn in business is something that he cannot recover from so easily unless some really drastic steps are taken. He has a large family to take care of (six children) and living in the big city is simply not financially viable anymore. So, he decides to relocate to the countryside and lead a simple and relatively rustic life in tranquil settings. His daughters are however, used to their old life and are understandably not thrilled at all at the idea.
The only exception is his youngest – Belle (Seydoux) – who actively yearns for mellowness, tranquility and an environment that can soothe her gentle but inquisitive soul. Later, when in a forest, the merchant ventures into a magical, mystery land that no one knows about. The Beast (Cassel) holds sway here. The merchant tries to steal something and is caught by the Beast who tells him that his thievery will not go unpunished. Belle, racked with guilt that her dad got into trouble because of wanting to get her something nice, steals back to the Beast’s castle and offers to face the punishment.
The well-known story then follows its oft-told course till the fairytale conclusion. Gans opts for a fantastical route rather than exploring the darker side of this tale. He dresses up his characters in costumes that look a bit kitschy; although Belle’s red attire does at times contrast starkly with her surroundings at times. Additionally, some of the scenes between Belle and Beast are too cold. When, as per the fairytale, it is revealed that she loves him, you might wonder whether she’s actually serious as their onscreen chemistry is somewhat lacking. That said, the visuals are elaborate and that makes it watchable. However, there’s a lot more that Gans could have done with this revered and traditional fairytale.
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IRAN STILL STALLING AS NUCLEAR DEADLINE LOOMS: UN AGENCY
VIENNA (TIP): Tehran has yet to explain away allegations it conducted atomic bomb research, the head of the UN nuclear agency said on Thursday, four days before a deadline for Iran and six world powers to reach a deal on the Iranian nuclear programme. As US secretary of state John Kerry flies to Vienna for what are meant to be final talks to clinch a deal with Iran, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief Yukiya Amano said he was still unable to provide “credible assurance” Iran had no undeclared nuclear material and activities.
The talks — which have dragged on for more a year — are aimed at setting limits on Iran’s nuclear programme in return for an end to sanctions that have seriously hurt its economy. As one of the conditions, Western officials say Iran must stop stonewalling the IAEA investigation into concerns Iran may have worked on designing a nuclear-armed missile, although some experts feel this should not be a dealbreaker. “Iran has not provided any explanations that enable the agency to clarify the outstanding practical measures,” Amano told the UN agency’s 35-nation board of governors, also meeting in the Austrian capital.
He was referring to information Iran was supposed to have given the IAEA by late August concerning allegations of explosives tests and other activity that could indicate preparations for developing nuclear bombs. Those allegations were set out in an IAEA report in 2011 based on intelligence from some 10 IAEA member states as well as the agency’s own investigation. It did not identify the countries but they are widely believed to include the United States, Israel and some of Washington’s Western allies.
Iran denies any intention of seeking atomic weapons, saying its nuclear programme is aimed at generating electricity. “I call upon Iran to increase its cooperation with the agency and to provide timely access to all relevant information, documentation, sites, material and personnel,” Amano said. ‘Tactics of delay’ Iran’s IAEA envoy, Reza Najafi, said the allegations were based on “wrong and fabricated” information. To prove this, he told the IAEA board, Iran would be ready to give the UN agency “one managed access” to a western region, where, according to the allegations, explosives experiments took place.
The IAEA’s priority for its inquiry has been to visit another site, the Parchin military facility, refused by Iran. While the countries in talks with Iran — the United States, France, Germany, Britain, Russia and China — want Tehran to scale back its uranium enrichment programme to lengthen the timeline for any covert bid to assemble nuclear arms, the IAEA is investigating possible research on designing an actual bomb. Even though it has long been clear that the inquiry would not be completed before the target date for a deal with the powers, Western diplomats had hoped for more progress by now.
Israel and hawkish US lawmakers are likely to condemn any accord that they feel does not fully resolve the issue. Israel’s envoy, Merav Zafary-Odiz, said the IAEA investigation was “simply stuck because Iran has never abandoned its longstanding tactics of delay, concealment and reluctance to cooperate” with the UN agency. Iran says it is Israel’s assumed atomic arsenal that threatens peace and stability in the Middle East. -
UK’s bus powered by human waste hits roads
LONDON (TIP): UK’s first ever bus to run on human waste has finally hit the roads. The UK’s first ever bus powered on food and human waste was rolled out on Thursday which engineers believe could provide a sustainable way of fuelling public transport – cutting emissions in polluted towns and cities. The 40-seater Bio-Bus, which runs on gas generated through the treatment of sewage and food waste that’s unfit for human consumption, helps to improve urban air quality as it produces fewer emissions than traditional diesel engines.
Running on waste products that are both renewable and sustainable, the bus can travel up to 300 km on a full tank of gas generated at Bristol sewage treatment works – a plant run by GENeco, a subsidiary of Wessex Water. This week GENeco became the first company in the UK to start injecting gas generated from food waste and sewage into the national gas grid network and at the same time installed a gas refuelling plant for the bus. GENeco general manager Mohammed Saddiq said “Through treating sewage and food that’s unfit for human consumption we’re able to produce enough biomethane to provide a significant supply of gas to the national gas network that’s capable of powering almost 8,500 homes as well as fuelling the Bio-Bus.
Gas powered vehicles have an important role to play in improving air quality in UK cities, but the Bio-Bus goes further than that and is actually powered by people living in the local area, including quite possibly those on the bus itself.” “Using biomethane in this way not only provides a sustainable fuel, but also reduces our reliance on traditional fossil fuels.” The Bio-Bus can travel up to 300km on a full tank of gas, which takes the annual waste of around five people to produce.
The first passengers to get on board the Bio-Bus were visitors to the UK who were commuting from Bristol Airport to the historic city of Bath. Bath Bus Company, which is operating the service, said the bus was greener for the environment. Bristol sewage treatment works treats around 75 million cubic metres of sewage waste and 35,000 tonnes of food waste, collected from households, supermarkets and food manufacturers, every year. Through a process, known as anaerobic digestion, 17 million cubic metres of biomethane is generated a year at the Bristol plant – the equivalent of meeting the power needs of 8,300 homes. A newly built state-of-the-art gas plant injects the gas into the grid.
Charlotte Morton, chief executive of the Anaerobic Digestion & Bioresources Association (ADBA), said “The bus also clearly shows that human poo and our waste food are valuable resources. Food which is unsuitable for human consumption should be separately collected and recycled through anaerobic digestion into green gas and biofertilizers, not wasted in landfill sites or incinerators”. -
METROSEXUALS OUT, BEARD BACK IN STYLE
WARSAW: Jakub Marczewski grew a beard six years ago because he was too lazy to shave.Now he finds himself in the middle of a global trend. The 21-year-old got his hair and beard trimmed at a new shop with a hip retro vibe, the Barberian Academy & Barber Shop, which opened in Warsaw last month to serve the growing number of Polish men with facial hair. A revival in the culture of barbering in this Eastern European capital is just one sign of how popular beards have become, with actors, athletes and hipsters leading the way .
Metrosexuals be gone: Europe is agog for beards. “Worldwide, we are at the height of facial hair,” said Al lan Peterkin, a Toronto psychiatrist and author of “One Thousand Beards: A Cultural History of Facial Hair.” “It’s a delightful expression of masculinity, but not a super-macho expression.” After World War II, men were mostly clean-shaven, reflecting a military ethos that came to dominate corporate life, Peterkin said. Over the next decades facial hair was adopted by outcast groups like beatniks and hippies. Since the mid-1990s, it has been slowly spreading to the point that now the mountain man beard is all the rage across North America.
The 2008 financial crisis added to the beard momentum, with some men who lost their jobs ditching the conformist look as they reinvented themselves. “To grow a beard is to start a new life and to have more confidence in yourself. You look a little older, so people have more respect,” said Salvador Chanza, a 31-year-old master barber from Spain who trains professionals. Sporting both a handlebar moustache and a substantial beard, he said the embrace of facial hair reflected a rejection of the previous clean-shaven metrosexual ethos. Now facial hair is hugely popular across Western Europe, especially in fashion-conscious Paris. And in Britain and many other nations, it’s the month of “Movember” — when men are encouraged to grow a mustache to raise awareness and funds for men’s health issues. -
Indian-American Ami Bera re-elected to US Congress
SACRAMENTO (TIP): Amiresh ‘Ami’ Bera, the lone Indian American lawmaker in the US House of Representatives, managed to edge out his Republican opponent in a California race two weeks after the elections. Bera, who had won in a similar fashion in 2012, trailed Republican Doug Ose by more than 3,000 votes at the close of election night and steadily closed the gap as election officials tallied tens of thousands of remaining ballots. Bera, the third Indian American House member after Dalip Singh Saund and current Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal, had ousted then sitting Republican House member Dan Lungren in 2012.
“It’s been my honor serving this community as a doctor for the last 19 years and I am grateful I will have the opportunity to continue serving as the representative for California’s 7th Congressional District in Congress,” Bera said in a statement. “If you remember in the contest in 2012, we were tied and after the ballots were counted, we won by over 9,000 votes,” Bera said. Ose congratulated Bera on the hard fought win saying he “celebrates the fact that our institutions and our laws provide us a system whereby elections can be peacefully resolved”. The race was deemed the most expensive one with both candidates spending at least $19.6 million in the campaign, according to the Centre for Responsive Politics. -
Xoom Announces Instant Deposit Service to Bank of Baroda Accounts in India
SAN FRANCISCO, CA (TIP): Xoom Corporation (NASDAQ: XOOM), a leading digital money transfer provider, is now offering instant deposits to Bank of Baroda bank accounts in India. This revolutionary service allows Xoom customers to instantly deposit money into their recipients’ Bank of Baroda bank accounts, 365 days a year, including bank holidays. Instant deposits to Bank of Baroda are processed through Xoom’s partnership with Punjab National Bank. “Through our partnership with Punjab National Bank and the breakthrough IMPS technology, we are thrilled to expand our instant deposit service to Bank of Baroda, one of the largest public sector banks in India,” said Julian King, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Business Development for Xoom.
“Instant deposits are available 365 days, including bank holidays, so customers will never have to wait. Speed and convenience are what customers expect from Xoom’s service and we continue to do just that in our mission to provide instant deposit to even more banks in India.” In addition to Bank of Baroda, Xoom also offers instant deposits to ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank, Punjab National Bank, Union Bank of India, Federal Bank and Yes Bank. Xoom provides great locked-in exchange rates for money transfers to India, and there is no fee when customers send more than $1,000 and pay with their U.S.-based bank account. Plus, Xoom continues to provide fast bank deposits within four hours to all other banks in India, including to NRE and NRO accounts, when sent during bank processing hours in India. Customers can also download the Xoom App for Android and iOS mobile devices for free. Visit https://www.xoom.com/india for more information. -
Xoom Announces Instant Deposit Service to Kotak Mahindra Bank Accounts in India
SAN FRANCISCO, CA (TIP): Xoom Corporation (NASDAQ: XOOM), a leading digital money transfer provider, is now offering instant deposits to Kotak Mahindra Bank accounts in India. This revolutionary service allows Xoom customers to instantly deposit money into their recipients’ Kotak Mahindra Bank accounts, 365 days a year, including bank holidays.
Instant deposits to Kotak Mahindra Bank are processed through Xoom’s partnership with Punjab National Bank., a press release said. “Through our partnership with Punjab National Bank and the breakthrough IMPS technology, we are thrilled to expand our instant deposit service to Kotak Mahindra Bank,” said Julian King, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Business Development for Xoom. “Instant deposits are available 365 days, including bank holidays, so customers will never have to wait. Speed and convenience are what customers expect from Xoom’s service and we continue to do just that in our mission to provide instant deposit to even more banks in India.”
In addition to Kotak Mahindra Bank, Xoom also offers instant deposits to ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank, Punjab National Bank, Bank of Baroda, Union Bank of India, Federal Bank and Yes Bank. Xoom provides great locked-in exchange rates for money transfers to India, and there is no fee when customers send more than $1,000 and pay with their U.S.-based bank account. Plus, Xoom continues to provide fast bank deposits within four hours to all other banks in India, including to NRE and NRO accounts, when sent during bank processing hours in India. Customers can also download the Xoom App for Android and iOS mobile devices for free. Visit https://www.xoom.com/india for more information.
About Xoom
Xoom is a leading digital money transfer provider that enables consumers to send money to 30 countries in a secure, fast and cost-effective way, using their mobile phone, tablet or computer. During the 12 months ended June 30, 2014, Xoom’s more than 1.1 million active customers sent approximately $6.3 billion to family and friends. The company is headquartered in San Francisco and can be found online at www.xoom.com.
About Kotak Mahindra Bank
Established in 1985, the Kotak Mahindra group is one of India’s leading financial services conglomerates. In February 2003, Kotak Mahindra Finance Ltd. (KMFL), the group’s flagship company, received banking license from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). With this, KMFL became the first nonbanking finance company in India to become a bank – Kotak Mahindra Bank Ltd (KMBL).
KMBL offers complete retail financial solutions for varied customer requirements. The Savings Bank Account goes beyond the traditional role of savings, and provides range of services through a comprehensive suite of investment services and other transactional conveniences like Online Shopping, Bill Payments, ASBA, Netc@rd, ActivMoney (Automatic TD sweep-in and Sweep-out) etc. Kotak’s Jifi, a first-of-its-kind fully integrated Social Bank Account, redefines digital banking by seamlessly incorporating social networking platforms like Twitter and Facebook with mainstream banking.
KMBL also offers an Investment Account where Mutual Fund investments are recorded and can be viewed in a consolidated fashion across fund houses & schemes. Further, the Bank offers loan products such as Home Loans, Personal Loans, Commercial Vehicle Loans, etc. Keeping in mind the diverse needs of the business community, KMBL offers comprehensive business solutions that include Current Account, Trade Services, Cash Management Services and Credit facilities. -
OBAMA’S SPEECH ON IMMIGRATION REFORMS
MYfellow Americans, tonight, I’d like to talk with you about immigration. For more than 200 years, our tradition of welcoming immigrants from around the world has given us a tremendous advantage over other nations. It’s kept us youthful, dynamic, and entrepreneurial. It has shaped our character as a people with limitless possibilities – people not trapped by our past, but able to remake ourselves as we choose. But today, our immigration system is broken, and everybody knows it.
Families who enter our country the right way and play by the rules watch others flout the rules. Business owners who offer their workers good wages and benefits see the competition exploit undocumented immigrants by paying them far less. All of us take offense to anyone who reaps the rewards of living in America without taking on the responsibilities of living in America. And undocumented immigrants who desperately want to embrace those responsibilities see little option but to remain in the shadows, or risk their families being torn apart. It’s been this way for decades.
And for decades, we haven’t done much about it. When I took office, I committed to fixing this broken immigration system. And I began by doing what I could to secure our borders. Today, we have more agents and technology deployed to secure our southern border than at any time in our history. And over the past six years, illegal border crossings have been cut by more than half. Although this summer, there was a brief spike in unaccompanied children being apprehended at our border, the number of such children is now actually lower than it’s been in nearly two years.
Overall, the number of people trying to cross our border illegally is at its lowest level since the 1970s. Those are the facts. Meanwhile, I worked with Congress on a comprehensive fix, and last year, 68 Democrats, Republicans, and Independents came together to pass a bipartisan bill in the Senate. It wasn’t perfect. It was a compromise, but it reflected common sense. It would have doubled the number of border patrol agents, while giving undocumented immigrants a pathway to citizenship if they paid a fine, started paying their taxes, and went to the back of the line.
And independent experts said that it would help grow our economy and shrink our deficits. Had the House of Representatives allowed that kind of a bill a simple yes-or-no vote, it would have passed with support from both parties, and today it would be the law. But for a year and a half now, Republican leaders in the House have refused to allow that simple vote. Now, I continue to believe that the best way to solve this problem is by working together to pass that kind of common sense law. But until that happens, there are actions I have the legal authority to take as President – the same kinds of actions taken by Democratic and Republican Presidents before me – that will help make our immigration system more fair and more just.
Tonight, I am announcing those actions. First, we’ll build on our progress at the border with additional resources for our law enforcement personnel so that they can stem the flow of illegal crossings, and speed the return of those who do cross over. Second, I will make it easier and faster for high-skilled immigrants, graduates, and entrepreneurs to stay and contribute to our economy, as so many business leaders have proposed. Third, we’ll take steps to deal responsibly with the millions of undocumented immigrants who already live in our country.
I want to say more about this third issue, because it generates the most passion and controversy. Even as we are a nation of immigrants, we are also a nation of laws. Undocumented workers broke our immigration laws, and I believe that they must be held accountable – especially those who may be dangerous. That’s why, over the past six years, deportations of criminals are up 80 percent. And that’s why we’re going to keep focusing enforcement resources on actual threats to our security. Felons, not families. Criminals, not children. Gang members, not a mother who’s working hard to provide for her kids.
We’ll prioritize, just like law enforcement does every day. But even as we focus on deporting criminals, the fact is, millions of immigrants – in every state, of every race and nationality – will still live here illegally. And let’s be honest – tracking down, rounding up, and deporting millions of people isn’t realistic. Anyone who suggests otherwise isn’t being straight with you. It’s also not who we are as Americans. After all, most of these immigrants have been here a long time. They work hard, often in tough, lowpaying jobs. They support their families. They worship at our churches. Many of their kids are American-born or spent most of their lives here, and their hopes, dreams, and patriotism are just like ours.
As my predecessor, President Bush, once put it: “They are a part of American life.” Now here’s the thing: we expect people who live in this country to play by the rules. We expect that those who cut the line will not be unfairly rewarded. So we’re going to offer the following deal: If you’ve been in America for more than five years; if you have children who are American citizens or legal residents; if you register, pass a criminal background check, and you’re willing to pay your fair share of taxes – you’ll be able to apply to stay in this country temporarily, without fear of deportation. You can come out of the shadows and get right with the law. That’s what this deal is.
Now let’s be clear about what it isn’t. This deal does not apply to anyone who has come to this country recently. It does not apply to anyone who might come to America illegally in the future. It does not grant citizenship, or the right to stay here permanently, or offer the same benefits that citizens receive – only Congress can do that. All we’re saying is we’re not going to deport you. I know some of the critics of this action call it amnesty. Well, it’s not. Amnesty is the immigration system we have today – millions of people who live here without paying their taxes or playing by the rules, while politicians use the issue to scare people and whip up votes at election time.
That’s the real amnesty – leaving this broken system the way it is. Mass amnesty would be unfair. Mass deportation would be both impossible and contrary to our character. What I’m describing is accountability – a commonsense, middle ground approach: If you meet the criteria, you can come out of the shadows and get right with the law. If you’re a criminal, you’ll be deported. If you plan to enter the U.S. illegally, your chances of getting caught and sent back just went up. The actions I’m taking are not only lawful, they’re the kinds of actions taken by every single Republican President and every single Democratic President for the past half century. And to those Members of Congress who question my authority to make our immigration system work better, or question the wisdom of me acting where Congress has failed, I have one answer: Pass a bill.
I want to work with both parties to pass a more permanent legislative solution. And the day I sign that bill into law, the actions I take will no longer be necessary. Meanwhile, don’t let a disagreement over a single issue be a dealbreaker on every issue. That’s not how our democracy works, and Congress certainly shouldn’t shut down our government again just because we disagree on this. Americans are tired of gridlock. What our country needs from us right now is a common purpose – a higher purpose. Most Americans support the types of reforms I’ve talked about tonight.
But I understand the disagreements held by many of you at home. Millions of us, myself included, go back generations in this country, with ancestors who put in the painstaking work to become citizens. So we don’t like the notion that anyone might get a free pass to American citizenship. I know that some worry immigration will change the very fabric of who we are, or take our jobs, or stick it to middle-class families at a time when they already feel like they’ve gotten the raw end of the deal for over a decade. I hear these concerns. But that’s not what these steps would do. Our history and the facts show that immigrants are a net plus for our economy and our society.
And I believe it’s important that all of us have this debate without impugning each other’s character. Because for all the back-and-forth of Washington, we have to remember that this debate is about something bigger. It’s about who we are as a country, and who we want to be for future generations. Are we a nation that tolerates the hypocrisy of a system where workers who pick our fruit and make our beds never have a chance to get right with the law? Or are we a nation that gives them a chance to make amends, take responsibility, and give their kids a better future? Are we a nation that accepts the cruelty of ripping children from their parents’ arms? Or are we a nation that values families, and works to keep them together? Are we a nation that educates the world’s best and brightest in our universities, only to send them home to create businesses in countries that compete against us? Or are we a nation that encourages them to stay and create jobs, businesses, and industries right here in America? That’s what this debate is all about. We need more than politics as usual when it comes to immigration; we need reasoned, thoughtful, compassionate debate that focuses on our hopes, not our fears.
I know the politics of this issue are tough. But let me tell you why I have come to feel so strongly about it. Over the past few years, I have seen the determination of immigrant fathers who worked two or three jobs, without taking a dime from the government, and at risk at any moment of losing it all, just to build a better life for their kids. I’ve seen the heartbreak and anxiety of children whose mothers might be taken away from them just because they didn’t have the right papers.
I’ve seen the courage of students who, except for the circumstances of their birth, are as American as Malia or Sasha; students who bravely come out as undocumented in hopes they could make a difference in a country they love. These people – our neighbors, our classmates, our friends – they did not come here in search of a free ride or an easy life. They came to work, and study, and serve in our military, and above all, contribute to America’s success. Tomorrow, I’ll travel to Las Vegas and meet with some of these students, including a young woman named Astrid Silva.
Astrid was brought to America when she was four years old. Her only possessions were a cross, her doll, and the frilly dress she had on. When she started school, she didn’t speak any English. She caught up to the other kids by reading newspapers and watching PBS, and became a good student. Her father worked in landscaping. Her mother cleaned other people’s homes. They wouldn’t let Astrid apply to a technology magnet school for fear the paperwork would out her as an undocumented immigrant – so she applied behind their back and got in. Still, she mostly lived in the shadows – until her grandmother, who visited every year from Mexico, passed away, and she couldn’t travel to the funeral without risk of being found out and deported.
It was around that time she decided to begin advocating for herself and others like her, and today, Astrid Silva is a college student working on her third degree. Are we a nation that kicks out a striving, hopeful immigrant like Astrid – or are we a nation that finds a way to welcome her in? Scripture tells us that we shall not oppress a stranger, for we know the heart of a stranger – we were strangers once, too. My fellow Americans, we are and always will be a nation of immigrants.
We were strangers once, too. And whether our forebears were strangers who crossed the Atlantic, or the Pacific, or the Rio Grande, we are here only because this country welcomed them in, and taught them that to be an American is about something more than what we look like, or what our last names are, or how we worship. What makes us Americans is our shared commitment to an ideal – that all of us are created equal, and all of us have the chance to make of our lives what we will. That’s the country our parents and grandparents and generations before them built for us. That’s the tradition we must uphold. That’s the legacy we must leave for those who are yet to come. Thank you, God bless you, and God bless this country we love. -
THE RAMAYANA
contined from vol 8 issue 45
Saw not Rama and his consort, saw not Lakshman young and brave, And the tear suffused their faces and their hearts with anguish burned, Sorrow-laden and lamenting to their cheerless homes returned.
CROSSING THE GANGES
Morning dawned, and far they wandered, by their people loved and lost,
Drove through grove and flowering woodland, rippling rill and river crost,
Crossed the sacred Vedasruti on their still unending way, Crossed the deep and rapid Gumti where the herds of cattle stray, All the toilsome day they travelled, evening fell o’er wood and lea,
And they came where sea-like Ganga rolls in regal majesty, ‘Neath a fall Ingudi’s shadow by the river’s zephyrs blest, Second night of Rama’s exile passed in sleep and gentle rest. Morning dawned,
the royal chariot Rama would no further own, Sent Sumantra and the coursers back to fair Ayodhya’s town,
Doffing then their royal garments Rama and his brother bold Coats of bark and matted tresses wore like anchorites of old. Guha, chief of wild Nishadas, boat and needed succour gave,
And the princes and fair Sita ventured on the sacred wave. And by royal Rama bidden strong Nishadas plied the oar, And the strong boat quickly bounding left fair Ganga’s northern shore.
“Goddess of the mighty Ganga!” so the pious Sits, prayed, “Exiled by his father’s mandate, Rama seeks the forest shade, Ganga! o’er the three worlds rolling, bride and empress of the sea,
And from BRAHMA’S sphere descended! banished Sita bows to thee. May my lord return in safety, and a thousand fattened kine,
Gold and gifts and gorgeous garments, pure libations shall be thine,
And with flesh and corn I worship unseen dwellers on thy shore, May my lord return in safety, fourteen years of exile o’er!”,
On the southern shore they journeyed through the long and weary day,
Still through grove and flowering woodland held their long and weary way, And they slayed the deer of jungle and they spread their rich repast, Third night of the princes’ exile underneath a tree was past.
Morning dawned, the soft-eyed Sits, wandered with the princes brave, To the spot where ruddy Gangs,
mingles with dark Jumna’s wave, And they crost the shady woodland, verdant lawn and grassy mead,
Till the sun was in its zenith, Rama then to Lakshman said: “Yonder mark the famed Prayaga,
spot revered from age to age, And the line of smoke ascending speaks some rishi’s hermitage,
There the waves of ruddy Gangs with the dark blue Jumna meet,
And my ear the sea-like voices of the mingling waters greet. Mark the monarchs of the forest severed by the hermit’s might, And the logs of wood and fuel for the sacrificial rite,
Mark the tall trees in their blossom and the peaceful shady grove,
There the sages make their dwelling, thither, Lakshman, let us rove.” Slowly came the exile-wand’rers, when the sun withdrew his rays,
Where the vast and sea-like rivers met in sisters’ sweet embrace, And the asram’s peaceful dwellers,
bird of song and spotted deer, Quaked to see the princely strangers in their warlike garb appear!
Rama stepped with valiant Lakshman, gentle Sits followed close, Till behind the screening foliage hermits’ peaceful dwellings rose, And they came to Bharad-vaja, anchorite and holy saint,
Girt by true and faithful pupils on his sacred duty bent. Famed for rites and lofty penance was the anchorite of yore,
Blest with more than mortal vision, deep in more than mortal tore, And he sat beside the altar for the agnihotra rite, Rama spake in humble accents to the man of holy might:
“We are sons of Dasa-ratha and to thee our homage bring, With rny wife, the saintly Sita, daughter of Videha’s king, Exiled by my royal father in the wilderness I roam,
And my wife and faithful brother make the pathless woods their home, We would through these years of exile in some holy asram dwell.
And our food shall be the wild fruit and our drink from crystal well, We would practise pious penance still on sacred rites intent, Till our souls be filled with wisdom and our years of exile spent!” Pleased the ancient Bharad-vaja heard the prince’s humble tale.
And with kind and courteous welcome royal strangers greeted well, And he brought the milk and argya where the guests observant stood,
Crystal water from the fountain, berries from the darksome wood, And a low and leafy cottage for their dwelling-place assigned, As a host receives a stranger, welcomed them with offerings kind.
In the asram’s peaceful courtyard fearless browsed the jungle deer,
All unharmed the bird of forest; pecked the grain collected near,
And by holy men surrounded ‘neath the trees’ umbrageous shade, In his pure and peaceful accents rishi Bharad-vaja said:
Not unknown or unexpected, princely strangers, have ye come, I have heard of sinless Rama’s causeless banishment from home, Welcome to a hermit’s forest, be this spot your place of rest,
Where the meeting of the rivers, makes our sacred asram blest, Live amidst these peaceful woodlands,
still on sacred rites intent Till your souls be filled with wisdom and your years of exile spent!” “Gracious are thy accents, rishi,” Rama answered thus the sage.
“But fair towns and peopled hamlets border on this hermitage, And to see the banished Sita and to see us, much I fear, Crowds of rustics oft will trespass on thy calm devotions here,
Far from towns and peopled hamlets, grant us, rishi, in thy grace, Some wild spot where hid in jungle we may pass these years in peace.” “Twenty miles from this Prayagya,” spake the rishi pond’ring well,
“Is a lonely hill and jungle where some ancient hermits dwell, Chitra-kuta, Peak of Beauty,
where the forest creatures stray, And in every bush and thicket herds of lightsome monkeys play,
Men who view its towering summit are on lofty thoughts inclined.
Earthly pride nor earthly passions cloud their pure and peaceful mind, Hoary-headed ancient hermits, hundred autumns who have done, -
SRI GURU GRANTH SAHIB
CONTD FROM Vol 8 ISSUE 45
So meet with the Perfect True Guru, O Siblings of Destiny, and merge in the Word of the Shabad.
|| 2 || Adoring the feet of the True Guru, O Siblings of Destiny, doubt and fear are dispelled. Joining the Society of the Saints, cleanse your mind, O Siblings of Destiny, and dwell in the Name of the Lord. The darkness of ignorance shall be dispelled, O Siblings of Destiny, and the lotus of your heart shall blossom forth. By the Guru’s Word, peace wells up, O Siblings of Destiny; all fruits are with the True Guru.
|| 3 || Give up your sense of mine and yours, O Siblings of Destiny, and become the dust of the feet of all. In each and every heart, God is contained, O Siblings of Destiny; He sees, and hears, and is ever-present with us. On that day when one forgets the Supreme Lord God, O Siblings of Destiny, on that day, one ought to die crying out in pain. He is the all-powerful Cause of Causes, O Siblings of Destiny; he is totally filled with all powers.
|| 4 || The Love of the Name is the greatest treasure, O Siblings of Destiny; through it, emotional attachment to Maya is dispelled. If it is pleasing to His Will, then He unites us in His Union, O Siblings of Destiny; the Naam, the Name of the Lord, comes to abide in the mind. The heart-lotus of the Gurmukh blossoms forth, O Siblings of Destiny, and the heart is illumined. The Glory of God has been revealed, O Siblings of Destiny, and the earth and sky have blossomed forth.
|| 5 || The Perfect Guru has blessed me with contentment, O Siblings of Destiny; day and night, I remain attached to the Lord’s Love. My tongue continually chants the Lord’s Name, O Siblings of Destiny; this is the true taste, and the object of human life. Listening with my ears, I hear and so I live, O Siblings of Destiny; I have obtained the unchanging, unmoving state. That soul,which does not place its faith in the Lord shall burn, O Siblings of Destiny.
|| 6 || My Lord and Master has so many virtues, O Siblings of Destiny; I am a sacrifice to Him. He nurtures even the most worthless, O Siblings of Destiny, and gives home to the homeless. He gives us nourishment with each and every breath, O Siblings of Destiny; His Name is everlasting. One who meets with the True Guru, O Siblings of Destiny, does so only by perfect destiny.
|| 7 || Without Him, I cannot live, even for an instant, O Siblings of Destiny; He is totally filled with all powers.With every breath and morsel of food, I will not forget Him, O Siblings of Destiny; I behold Him ever-present. In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, I meet Him, O Siblings of Destiny; He is totally pervading and permeating everywhere. Those who do not embrace love for the Lord, O Siblings of Destiny, always die crying out in pain.
|| 8 || Grasping hold of the hem of His robe, O Siblings of Destiny, we are carried across the worldocean of fear and pain. By His Glance of Grace, He has blessed us, O Siblings of Destiny; He shall be with us until the very end. My mind and body are soothed and calmed, O Siblings of Destiny, nourished by the food of the Naam. Nanak has entered His Sanctuary, O Siblings of Destiny; the Lord is the Destroyer of sins.
|| 9 || 1 || SORAT’H, FIFTH MEHL: The womb of the mother is an ocean of pain, O Beloved; even there, the Lord causes His Name to be chanted. When he emerges, he finds corruption pervading everywhere, O Beloved, and he becomes increasingly attached to Maya. One whom the Lord blesses with His kind favor, O Beloved, meets the Perfect Guru. He worships the Lord in adoration with each and every breath, O Beloved; he is lovingly attached to the Lord’s Name.
|| 1 || You are the support of my mind and body, O Beloved; You are the support of my mind and body. There is no other Creator except for You, O Beloved; You alone are the Inner-knower, the Searcher of hearts. || Pause || After wandering in doubt for millions of incarnations, he comes into the world, O Beloved; for uncounted lifetimes, he has suffered in pain. He has forgotten his True Lord and Master, O Beloved, and so he suffers terrible punishment. Those who meet with the Perfect True Guru, O Beloved, are attached to the True Name. We are saved by following those, O Beloved, who seek the Sanctuary of the True Lord.
|| 2 || He thinks that his food is so sweet, O Beloved, but it makes his body ill. It turns out to be bitter, O Beloved, and it produces only sadness. The Lord leads him astray in the enjoyment of pleasures, O Beloved, and so his sense of separation does not depart. Those who meet the Guru are saved, O Beloved; this is their pre-ordained destiny.
|| 3 || He is filled with longing for Maya, O Beloved, and so the Lord does not ever come into his mind. Those who forget You, O Supreme Lord Master, their bodies turn to dust. They cry out and scream horribly, O Beloved, but their torment does not end. Those who meet the Guru, and reform themselves, O Beloved, their capital remains intact.
|| 4 || As far as possible, do not associate with the faithless cynics, O Beloved. Meeting with them, the Lord is forgotten, O Beloved, and you rise and depart with a blackened face. The self-willed manmukh finds no rest or shelter, O Beloved; in the Court of the Lord, they are punished. Those who meet with the Guru, and reform themselves, O Beloved, their affairs are resolved.
|| 5 || One may have thousands of clever tricks and techniques of austere self-discipline, O Beloved, but not even one of them will go with him. Those who turn their backs on the Lord of the Universe, O Beloved, their families are stained with disgrace. He does not know that thing which is, O Beloved; falsehood will not help him. Those who meet with the True Guru, O Beloved, dwell upon the True Name.
|| 6 || When the Lord casts His Glance of Grace, O Beloved, one is blessed with Truth, contentment, wisdom and meditation. Night and day, he sings the Kirtan of the Lord’s Praises, O Beloved, totally filled with Ambrosial Nectar. He crosses over the sea of pain, O Beloved, and swims across the terrifying world-ocean. One who is pleasing to His Will, He unites with Himself, O Beloved; he is forever true.
|| 7 || The all-powerful Divine Lord is compassionate, O Beloved; He is the Support of His devotees. I seek His Sanctuary, O Beloved; He is the Innerknower, the Searcher of hearts. He has adorned me in this world and the next, O Beloved; He has placed the Emblem of Truth upon my forehead. I shall never forget that God, O Beloved; Nanak is forever a sacrifice to Him.
|| 8 || 2 || SORAT’H, FIFTH MEHL, SECOND HOUSE, ASHTAPADEES: ONE UNIVERSAL CREATOR GOD. BY THE GRACE OF THE TRUE GURU: They read scriptures, and contemplate the Vedas; they practice the inner cleansing techniques of Yoga, and control of the breath. But they cannot escape from the company of the five passions; they are increasingly bound to egotism.
|| 1 || O Beloved, this is not the way to meet the Lord; I have performed these rituals so many times. I have collapsed, exhausted, at the Door of my Lord Master; I pray that He may grant me a discerning intellect. || Pause || One may remain silent and use his hands as begging bowls, and wander naked in the forest. He may make pilgrimages to river banks and sacred shrines all over the world, but his sense of duality will not leave him.
|| 2 || His mind’s desires may lead him to go and dwell at sacred places of pilgrimage, and offer his head to be sawn off; but this will not cause the filth of his mind to depart, even though he may make thousands of efforts.
|| 3 || He may give gifts of all sorts – gold, women, horses and elephants. He may make offerings of corn, clothes and land in abundance, but this will not lead him to the Lord’s Door.
|| 4 || He may remain devoted to worship and adoration, bowing his forehead to the floor, practicing the six religious rituals. He indulges in egotism and pride, and falls into entanglements, but he does not meet the Lord by these devices.
|| 5 || He practices the eighty-four postures of Yoga, and acquires the supernatural powers of the Siddhas, but he gets tired of practicing these. He lives a long life, but is reincarnated again and again; he has not met with the Lord.
|| 6 || He may enjoy princely pleasures, and regal pomp and ceremony, and issue unchallenged commands. He may lie on beautiful beds, perfumed with sandalwood oil, but this will led him only to the gates of the most horrible hell.
|| 7 || Singing the Kirtan of the Lord’s Praises in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, is the highest of all actions. Says Nanak, he alone obtains it, who is pre-destined to receive it.
|| 8 || Your slave is intoxicated with this Love of Yours. The Destroyer of the pains of the poor has become merciful to me, and this mind is imbued with the Praises of the Lord, Har, Har. || Second Pause
|| 1 || 3 || VAAR OF RAAG SORAT’H, FOURTH MEHL: ONE UNIVERSAL CREATOR GOD. BY THE GRACE OF THE TRUE GURU: SHALOK, FIRST MEHL: Sorat’h is always beautiful, if it brings the True Lord to dwell in the mind of the soul-bride. Her teeth are clean and her mind is not split by duality; the Name of the True Lord is on her tongue. Here and hereafter, she abides in the Fear of God, and serves the True Guru without hesitation. Discarding worldly adornments, she meets her Husband Lord, and she celebrates joyfully with Him. She is adorned forever with the Name in her mind, and she does not have even an iota of filth. Her husband’s younger and elder brothers, the corrupt desires, have died, suffering in pain; and now, who fears Maya, the mother-in-law? If she becomes pleasing to her Husband Lord, O Nanak, she bears the jewel of good karma upon her forehead, and everything is Truth to her.
|| 1 || FOURTH MEHL: Sorat’h is beautiful only when it leads the soul-bride to seek the Lord’s Name. She pleases her Guru and God; under Guru’s Instruction, she speaks the Name of the Lord, Har, Har. She is attracted to the Lord’s Name, day and night, and her body is drenched in the color of the Love of the Lord, Har, Har. No other being like the Lord God can be found; I have looked and searched over the whole world. The Guru, the True Guru, has implanted the Naam within me; my mind does not waver any more. Servant Nanak is the Lord’s slave, the slave of the slaves of the Guru, the True Guru.
|| 2 || PAUREE: You Yourself are the Creator, the Fashioner of the world. You Yourself have arranged the play, and You Yourself arrange it. You Yourself are the Giver and the Creator; You Yourself are the Enjoyer. The Word of Your Shabad is pervading everywhere, O Creator Lord. As Gurmukh, I ever praise the Lord; I am a sacrifice to the Guru.
|| 1 || SHALOK, THIRD MEHL: In the flames of egotism, he is burnt to death; he wanders in doubt and the love of duality. The Perfect True Guru saves him, making him His own. This world is burning; through the Sublime Word of the Guru’s Shabad, this comes to be seen. Those who are attuned to the Shabad are cooled and soothed; O Nanak, they practice Truth.
TO BE CONTINUED -
SEXED UP ROMANTIC HOTSPOTS AT HOME
Not only the bedroom, but very unlikely corners can be made romantic with some kinky imagination. Tired of sticking to a set routine while making our? Well, there are ways to pep up your sex life by going a tad funky with where you two do the tango. Here’s how:
Bathroom
It can be made the jazziest and most happening place so far as sex is concerned. All you need to do is perk up the ambience to uplift the mood. Select the choicest minty or lemony perfumes, soaps, and fragrances of your choice. Fill the bathtub with bath salts of your choice and simply indulge in each other’s company.
Living space
When you have the entire home at your service, why to limit your romantic encounters to a particular spot? So, change the spot according to your mood. Set your living room with all the essentials of love making, like the right pillow for the right sex position, condoms at an accessible place near or beneath the sofa cover and so on.
Kitchen
Celebrate love while relishing some of the wonderful tastes. Well, you can lean against the refrigerator, or you can just take to the kitchen platform – any which way you choose, the kitchen area makes for a wonderful sex hotspot. All you need is some mood elevating props like cocktails, ice cubes, some delicious finger foods ready.
Cozy corner in the bed room
Move over the comfy mattress as you can very well set the mood right at a cozy corner. Set the ambience of your bedroom right with a very nice combination of lamps. An LED that just let both of you feel and sense the romantic mood in the corner is enough. You can even drag the cushy bed cover and make the corner a very special love destination for some nights. -
EMOTIONAL BENEFITS OF MASSAGE
One of the oldest techniques of holistic rejuvenation, oil massage, has been prevalent in our country for centuries. Reams have been written about its benefits. Ritu Singh Tanwar, an aesthetician who also specialises in massages, says, “The best thing about them is that not just physically, massages also benefit you emotionally.” Oil massages are part of purification, prevention and rejuvenation processes, The famous Indian tel maalish is now popular globally.
Physical benefits
Oil massage improves overall health, increases longevity, perks up skin tone and hair, and works well for anti-ageing. A full body massage hydrates skin, aids blood circulation, muscle relaxation, calms the nervous system, and improves lymphatic circulation, which helps in flushing out the toxins from the body.
Emotional benefits
Dr Sonal Shah, trichologist, who has also developed many natural detox therapies says, “One of the best emotional benefits that a massage can give is the sense of touch — it is a direct transfer of energy.” This helps you de-stress. Dr Sonal adds, “A massage also gives you time to unwind. Those one or two hours of ‘me time’ have a huge emotional benefit.” She explains that negative thought processes, worries and anxiety are all released after a massage session and toxins are flushed out.
“There are certain hormones that are secreted after a massage that rejuvenate and repair one emotionally,” she adds. When you get a massage by a professional, it leads to a lingering sense of calm and gives a definite relief from mental stress/tension. Moses adds, “A massage is known to improve your sense of well-being. It is a great aid to deal with any form of stress, which is the root cause for most sicknesses.”
Go for the quickie!
A head massage is a brilliant go-to, if you are time-strapped. This relieves you off your daily stress and anxiety and helps you focus better. It also lends a ‘feel good’ aura. -
SPROUTS ARE STOREHOUSE OF VITALITY
Sprouts are the ‘shooting’ stars of the gastrosphere, with health specialists sprouting everything from grains and seeds to pulses! Here’s why it makes sense to include them in your diet:
SUPER GRUB
Sprouts are effectively living foods and one of the richest forms of nutrients known.”People sprout their food to boost its nutritional content. Generally, sprouts are rich sources of vitamin C, B, fibre and protein, which are great for boosting the immune system,” says nutritionist and food consultant Jia Singh. Sprouts are the perfect plant-based food, which can help us reduce our blood cholesterol levels, which in turn reduce heart strokes and other heart issues. “Sprouts make perfect sense for those watching the waistline, since they are high in insoluble fibre that is crucial for weight loss. Controlled weight will also keep beasts like diabetes, depression and high BP at bay,” says health expert Dr Anjali Hooda.
SO MUCH TO SPROUT!
You’ve probably heard of bean sprouts or the latest Brussels sprouts but there’s so much more that can be sprouted – grains, such as barley and wheat, radish and broccoli seeds, kidney beans, soybean, amaranth and even brown rice. Sprouted seeds, pulses and beans are collectively known as `sprouts’ and they’re big globally right now. Organic food markets across the globe are selling sprouted grain bread, quinoa, as well as sprouted grain flour. But why sprout grains, you might think.Well, sprouted grains aren’t allowed to reach their full-grown stage and are picked before the seeds use the starch to grow. So what you get is less starch and more vitamins, minerals, nutrients, and protein! They also contain less gluten and hence, are ideal for people with gluten sensitivity.
BREAK THE MONOTONY
The next time, instead of scowling at sprouts, break the boredom of it all by trying different approaches. You could mix and match various sprouts (lobhia, kidney bean, soybean) and take a break while consuming them. Your body needs to work extra hard to process this raw food, so opt for sprouts once a week or twice maximum. Also, wherever you would use a grain, nut or bean in your cooking, replace it with a sprouted one.