An Unforgettable Diwali

(2 min read)

Diwali 2021

It was the day before Diwali and my little friend, a little shy of six, joined me as usual for an evening stroll for she always had much to tell and had found in me a patient, sympathetic audience never interrupting or laughing at her prattle. 

Mummy has made a beautiful rangoli at the entrance, and she let me put the coloured dust in the pattern, and Papa has hung mango leaves and marigold flowers at the main door. We bought crackers worth 240 rupees, she said, brimming with happiness.

What stuff did you buy?

Crackers and sparklers only. No chakri, the one that goes round and round when lit.

You’re too small. Never burst crackers all on your own. Must do it when your parents are near you, I said.

That was when she brought up the matter for the first time.

For bhaiya’s stupidity, Papa beat Mummy, phaltu mein, she said, her voice suddenly sombre with a touch of sadness. We were walking side by side. I did not need to look at her to realise that her cheerfulness had suddenly been overshadowed, as though by an unseasonal, dark cloud hiding a glorious sun.

Startled by the ‘secret’ she had just shared with me, and unable to think of an appropriate response, I kept quiet for a while, and then asked, ‘Why, what happened?’

Last Diwali, Mummy was preparing for puja, father was not at home. Bhaiya just couldn’t wait to burst crackers. He took out a few items and began Diwali all by himself. He lit a chakri, put it on his palm, and burnt three fingers.

I noted with much relief that the dark cloud vanished as suddenly as it had appeared and she was back to her sunny disposition and chirpy chatter.

Several weeks after Diwali, she and her brother, two years older than her, joined me for the stroll, and she brought it up all on a sudden without any obvious trigger.

‘Papa ne Mummy ko mara, phaltu mein, iske bewakoofi ke liye,’ she pointed an accusing finger at bhaiya.

That was very stupid of you, I told her brother.

‘How bad was the burn, show me?’ I asked.

Luckily, it was a superficial burn, and had not left any scar.

Must be very careful with fireworks, I said.

Image: Prasanna (Concept) & DALL-E (Creation)

Diwali 2022

Once again, she broached the topic, in presence of her brother, but before she could proceed further, bhaiya gently pinched her arm and whispered in her ear. She got the hint, discarded the narrative she had begun, and moved to another topic.

In a year, both the kids had grown up!

***

Note: 

• Author's profile is at http://amazon.com/author/pkdash
• Books by this author are available on Amazon.in, Kindle eBook, Flipkart, and Notion Press, Chennai.

***  

 

 

Mahamrutyunjaya: Mantra for Life

 

Mahamrutyunjaya: Mantra for Life

(3 min read)

Fear of Death

Every life-form has zest for life, an instinct for survival and avoidance of death; but only humans suffer from a morbid fear of death, and worry about life after death. That may be the reason why Mahamrutyunjaya is among the most popular mantras.

The Mantra & Meaning

Mahamrutyunjaya Mantra (MM) is, literally, the most potent mantra to conquer Death. It is believed that worship of Lord Shiva with this mantra is a guaranteed shield against untimely death.

मन्त्र

ॐ त्र्यम्बकं यजामहे सुगन्धिम्पुष्टिवर्द्धनम् ।

उर्वारुकमिव बन्धनान्मृत्योर्मुक्षीय मामृतात् ॥

 

Aum trayAmbakam yajAmahe sugandhimpushtivardhanam,

UrbArukamiva vandhanAtmrutyormukshiya mAmrutAt.

AUM, we worship with reverence Lord Shiva, the One with Three Eyes, who fills our life with fragrance and sustains, nourishes and enriches our life, to deliver us from death to eternal life, just as a ripe cucumber effortlessly detaches itself from the stem.

MM, as the title suggests, is the most potent mantra for victory over Death. But we know Death is undefeatable. Death will harvest all that live and grow.

MM is not a prayer for immortality, but a prayer for shielding us against premature, untimely death. Again, we know that no life has a guaranteed tenure. Even Adi Shankara, believed by his disciples and devotees to be an avatar of Lord Shiva, died young at the age of 32. But before death came, he had accomplished such feats that an ordinary mortal may not achieve in several lives. A life with a mission; brief but momentous.

MM is a prayer not merely to shield us against premature death, but to lead us to live a meaningful life, regardless of its length.

Life and Death are not at war, Death is no adversary. Life is a journey, Death its destination; Life is a seed, Death its fruit. Each life ends to make new life possible.

Shiva as Lord of Dance (Nataraj)

Tamilnadu, Chola Period, 11th Century AD

On view at The Met, Fifth Avenue, Gallery 240

The photo of the sculpture is from metmuseum.org

 

Life-affirming

Many devotees chant this mantra, or arrange for ritual chanting of this mantra in a Shiva temple to seek cure from diseases, and to avert untimely death, especially of a terminally-ill relative. But the fear of death is not the dominant motif of this mantra. It is a life-affirming mantra.

The word ‘mrutyu’ (death) occurs only once in the mantra, towards the end; the remaining words of the mantra are for and about Life.

The prayer is for a fulfilling life, to savour the invisible heavenly blessings wafting around us as a soothing fragrance and partake as prasad the bountiful nourishment provided by Shiva, the Eternal Life-force.

Just as a ripe cucumber effortlessly detaches itself from the stem, may we be released from the ephemeral to the eternal when our time comes. A ripe fruit falls upon the ground. There is no regret or sorrow. It is the fulfilment of its destiny.

What is the purpose of a cucumber plant? To make cucumber and to give. The plant does not eat the fruit it produces. Each fruit is an offering, a sacrifice by the tree.

We, too, are fulfilled when our life is a worshipful offering, a sacrifice with reverence and humility.

AUM Namah Shivaya!

Prayers to Lord Shiva to nourish our life, and bless us with a meaningful, fulfilled life.

Maha Shivaratri

18^th February, 2023

***

 Note: 

• Author's profile may be seen at http://amazon.com/author/pkdash
• Books by this author are available on Amazon.in, Kindle eBook, Flipkart, and Notion Press, Chennai.

***  

GAU MATA: Prayers, Painting, and Essay

 

GAU MATA: Prayers, Painting, and Essay

(3 min read)

This blog presents two prayers for GAU MATA, one by a gau bhakt, and another by ChatGPT; a painting by DALL-E; and an essay by an unknown author.

Three chantings daily of the prayer composed by the gau bhakt alongwith ceremonial worship of GAU MATA will absolve all past sins, and shower GAU MATA’s limitless blessings, subject to the condition that the worshipper is a true bhakt of Bharatiya Cow, and sincere in his/her prayer.

Benefits may also accrue from chanting of ChatGPT prayer, but further  details may be obtained from ChatGPT.

GAU MATA Vandana

(GAU MATA refers only to those Bharatiya ‘native’ cows who are direct descendants of Kamdhenu! This prayer should not be offered to cash-cows like Holstein Friesian, Jersey, and other foreign cows, the author has advised.)

O GAU MATA! Holy Mother!

Nourishing your calves, and

Your human children,

With Amrit from your bountiful udder,

Never complaining about insufficient fodder;

Giver of panchagavya,

To purify the sinners,

Covid kept at bay with Gobar-snan,

Life-long immunity granted with Gaumutra sevan.

During our life, O Kamdhenu,

You blessed us with your munificence,

After our death,

Only your sturdy, reliable tail

Enables a safe swim across the tumultuous Vaitarani;

O Jeevandayini,

O Mokshapradayini,

We offer sashtanga dandavat, i.e., prostrate salutations,

Bless us with health, wealth, peace, prosperity, and

All other mundane human expectations.

***

Painting of Holy Cow in Jiban Biswas Style by DALL-E

***

Prayer for “Cow, Holy Mother” by ChatGPT

 The prayer given below has been authored by ChatGPT, with minor edit by this author.

"O, beloved Cow, Holy Mother, source of sustenance and nurturance for all living beings. We turn to you in reverence and devotion, seeking your blessings for health, wealth, peace, and prosperity.

May your gentle and nurturing nature guide us to lead a virtuous life filled with compassion, kindness, and generosity.

May your generous nourishment bring us abundance and prosperity in all aspects of our lives. May we never lack the necessities of life and may our wealth grow with each passing day.

May your peaceful presence calm our minds and bring peace to our hearts. May we experience inner peace and harmony in our relationships with others.

O, Holy Mother Cow, we humbly request your blessings for ourselves and for all those who seek your divine grace. May your loving presence be felt by all and may we all live in your grace and protection.

We offer you our gratitude and devotion, now and always. Please accept our humble prayer."

Essay on Cow by IAS aspirant

The following is an essay by an IAS aspirant, a source claims. The candidate reportedly passed the UPSC exam. A reliable source in the UPSC, requested for a fact-check, regretted for lack of information regarding the year of the examination, and the Roll No. of the candidate.

“The cow is a successful animal. Also he is quadrupud, and because he is female, he give milk, but will do so when he is got child. He is same like God, sacred to Hindus and useful to man. But he has got four legs together. Two are forwards and two are afterwards. “His whole body can be utilised for use. More so the milk. What can it do? Various ghee, butter, cream, curd, why and the condensed milk and so forth. Also he is useful to cobblers, watermans and mankind generally. “His motion is slow only because he is of  asitudinious species. Also his other motion is very useful to trees, plants as well as making flat cakes in hand and drying in the sun. Cow is the only animal that extricates his feeding after eating. Then afterwards she chew with his teeth whom are situated in the inside of the mouth. He is incessantly in the meadows in the grass. “His only attacking and defending organ is the horn, specially so when he is got child. This is done by knowing his head whereby he causes the weapons to be paralleled to the ground of the earth and instantly proceed with great velocity forwards. “ He has got tails also, but not like similar animals. It has hairs on the other end of the other side. This is done to frighten away the flies which alight on his cohoa body whereupon he gives hit with it. The palms of his feet are soft unto the touch. So the grasses head is not crushed. At night time have poses by looking down on the ground and he shouts his eyes like his relatives, the horses does not do so. “This is the cow.”

Some people believe that the same officer may have drafted the APPEAL for Cow Hug Day! The remarkable improvement in his writing ability is owing to the regular, rigorous, and compulsory  in-Service training mandated by DoPT; though it is still work in progress.

APPEAL for Cow Hug Day

Animal Welfare Board of India (Bharatiya Jiva Jantu Kalyan Board) issued an APPEAL on 6^th February 2023 for celebration of 14^th February 2023 as Cow Hug Day (Gou Aalingan Diwas). The text of the circular is quoted below:

“We all know that the Cow is the backbone of Indian culture and rural economy, sustains our life, represent cattle wealth and biodiversity. It is known as “Kamdhenu” and “Gaumata” because of its nourishing nature like mother, the giver of all providing riches to humanity.

Vedic traditions are almost on the verge of extinction due to the progress of west culture over time. The dazzle of western civilization has made our physical culture and heritage almost forgotten.

In view of the immense benefit of the cow, hugging with cow will bring emotional richness hence will increase our individual & collective happiness. Therefore, all the cow lovers may also celebrate the February 14 as Cow hug day keeping in mind the importance of mother cow and make life happy and full of positive energy.

This issues with the approval of competent authority and on the direction of Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying.”

AWBI Circular Dated 10.02.2023

“As directed by the Competent Authority and the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, the appeal issued by the Animal Welfare Board of India for celebration of Cow Hug Day on February 14, 2023 stands withdrawn."

***

Note: 

• Author's profile may be seen at http://amazon.com/author/pkdash
• Books by this author are available on Amazon.in, Kindle eBook, Flipkart, and Notion Press, Chennai.

***  

 

 

Roof-top Solar Power

 

Roof-top Solar Power

(4 min read)

Why this Blog?

To persuade at least some readers to be producers of solar power.

Solar Power generation at home

This piece is especially for home-owners with a roof-top space of 300 sqft or more, and a willingness to invest about 3 lacs.

India’s non-fossil power

India’s non-fossil power generation capacity touched 174.53 GWs at end of 2022 with a share of 42.57% in Total Power generation capacity of 410 GW. Solar Power generation capacity was 63.3 GW, a share of 15.44% in the total, and 36.27% share of non-fossil power.

Solar Energy Potential

India has a Solar Energy Potential (SEP) of 748.98 GWs, which is 182.68% of the country’s present total power generation capacity of 410 GW.

Rajasthan, J&K, Maharashtra, MP, AP, and Gujarat have the highest SEP, as per the National Institute of Solar Energy. But other States and UTs also have significant potential.

My Solar Power Plant: Smart Investment in Green Energy

I installed a 5 KWp roof-top solar power unit on 01/11/21 at a net cost of 2.71 lacs after government subsidy of about 0.5 lac. Recently, I took stock of the performance of the unit, and the return on my investment.

While I share the details below, I may mention right away that

• ·       It feels good to be a producer of green energy, responsible for deforestation reduction by about 400 trees, and CO2 reduction by more than 2600 kgs!
• ·       Return on Investment (ROI) in rooftop solar project is far more attractive than a bank FD.

Net Export

Since Nov 2021 to Jan 2023, I generated more power than I consumed, and made a Net Export of 2161 units to the MPCZ (DISCOM for Bhopal) grid, thus making my modest contribution to the country’s mission to generate more green energy.

Highlights:

1.       Tata Solar Roof-top Unit- 5 KWp

2.       My net investment, after subsidy- 2.71 lacs (Solar panels-2.5 lac, Structure & erection-0.21 lac)

3.       Total Generation: 01/11/2021 to 15/12/2022 - 6495.8 units. Much less than the average generation of 4 units per kw (20 units per day, 7300 units a year. For 13 months, it should be 7900 units!) assured by Tata Solar. My unit was out of order for 3 weeks. Inverter blown, which was replaced free of cost by Tata Solar. But the generation loss was mine.

4.       Net Export- Units (up to Jan 2023)

4.1.   Export: 6412 (Total Generation – Self-consumption)

4.2.   Import: 4251

4.3.   Net Export- 2161 (my contribution to the power grid)

5.       Expenditure (INR) on Elec Bills

5.1.   Before solar power project: Jan-Dec 2021- 49108

5.2.   After solar power project: Jan-Dec 2022 -6194 (87.31% reduction in bill payment vis-à-vis previous year)

5.3.   Saving: 42914 (5.1-5.2)

6.       Return on Investment: 15.84% (42914/271000*100), Tax-free. In fact, if upfront subsidy of 50000 is reckoned, the RoI is 34.29% (50000 + 42914= 92914/271000*100).

7.       Yearly Return on FD (If solar plant cost were invested in FD):

7.1.   Gross- 6.5%

7.2.   Post-tax – 4.55% (way lower than 15.84%)

7.3.   Since Core Inflation is > 5%, Return on FD is Negative! RBI forecast for FY 24 is 5.3% inflation.

8.       Warranty: Solar Power Plant has 5 years Warranty against any manufacturing defect, and Solar photovoltaic modules carry a performance warranty against excess of 20% degradation in 25 years. The Company has assured me that the unit has a life of 25 years, but I guess I may not be around to verify the claim. Further, the technology for harvesting solar energy is bound to change and be more efficient in the coming years, rendering my unit sub-optimal or obsolete. But I’m happy if my total investment is repaid through savings in electricity bill over a period of 5 to 6 years.

9.       Insurance: For unforeseen damages, if any, to the solar power unit, I bought a general insurance cover for an annual premium of 427.

10.   Environmental Benefits (as per ShinePhone App of the Inverter Supplier Co)

10.1.                     CO2 Reduction/Coal saved – 2597.9 kgs

10.2.                     Deforestation reduced – 357 trees

11.   Though I am a net exporter to the grid, owing to Discom policy (fixed charges/billing on basis of month-wise consumption, and settlement of my export to grid once a year in April), I had to pay a modest billed amount during the year. Also, Discom pays me @2.00 per unit I exported, but charges me @8.0 for units imported by me. Despite these policy parameters, which I understand are specific to M.P. (a few other states have a more liberal policy to support private investment in solar power generation), I am happy to note that my electricity expenditure has reduced by more than 87%, and my return on investment is significantly higher than post-tax return on FD.

12.   Annual Tariff Hikes: Electricity Regulatory Authority issues enhanced tariff rates every year after considering the petitions by the DISCOMs and other stakeholders, and factoring in all cost variables of power production, purchase, and distribution. Since the tariff would increase year on year, the savings accruing to me from electricity bill payment would also increase.

Solar irradiance and other variables

Performance of solar unit is dependent on several variables of which solar irradiance at your location is the most important.  If your roof-top solar unit receives 10 hours or more of direct sunshine, the production will be optimum. Spraying water at least once a week to remove the layer of dust and bird droppings from the solar panel will improve performance.

Your power consumption pattern also has a direct bearing on your bill, if higher at night when you import from the grid, you pay more; so use washing machines, water pumps, geysers, etc. during peak solar power generation hours.

DBT

GoI now provides DBT (Direct Benefit Transfer) for payment of subsidy to the beneficiary’s bank account.

Current Cost

At present, a 3 KWp unit costs 2.25 lacs after subsidy of 43000, and a 5 KWp unit costs 3.25 lacs after a subsidy of 58000. Cost of tubular strucutre and erection may be about 20000 for 3 KWp and 30000 for 5 KWp. It is best to check with various dealers/Companies to ascertain actual cost of installation.

Is your roof-top rendered unusable?

No. I have installed the solar panels at a height of 8ft to 6 ft with a slant to enable me to walk under it, get my vitamin D from the sun in the morning and the afternoon, and also grow pots of flowers and vegetables under it.

Reducing Carbon Footprint

We, the homo sapiens (wise man, how very ironical!) have ravaged the earth by mindless consumption. The consequences of our greed and exploitation are staring us in the face. Now is the time for everyone to act. Each person can reduce carbon footprint by sensible and sustainable consumption. 

Those who can, may also produce green energy.

Conclusion

If you have a roof-top space of 300 sft or more, have put your long-term savings in a bank FD, and do not know of an investment that would give you more than 15 per cent yearly return, you may consider this eco-friendly investment.

***

Acknowledgement

For reading the draft of this blog and offering many valuable comments and suggestions, I am thankful to my friends and colleagues, and especially to - Subhash Khuntia, Upendra Tripathy, Dinesh Goel, Pradeep Pujari, Dev Raj Birdi, SPS Parihar, and Manu Srivastava.

***

Note: 

• Author's profile may be seen at http://amazon.com/author/pkdash
• Books by this author are available on Amazon.in, Kindle eBook, Flipkart, and Notion Press, Chennai.

***  

 

  

A Pair of Eyes

 

A Pair of Eyes

(3 min read)

Once the baraat procession began its languid, unhurried crawl to the marriage venue, a mere hundred metres away; he materialised, as though out of nowhere, took position, and began scanning the road, dilating his pupils to zoom in and zoom out. Very familiar with the dust and pebbles, and the flying plastic pouches on the road, he was on the lookout for unusual stuff, a small circular metal, a coin.

To get the baraatis into the mood, the DJ belted out popular Bollywood dance numbers, the eager ones danced a few steps, and swiftly dragged in the hesitant, uncertain ones on the flanks, but the resolute non-dancers physically resisted being pulled into the dancing ring. The dancers were expected to demonstrate their overwhelming ‘joy’ on the momentous occasion, and did their very best, but the steps were stiff and awkward; not unlike the forced laughter in a Laughter Club by new members who had no reason for such full-throated laughter elsewhere in their life.

Upon demand from his friends, the groom emerged periodically from the sliding sun-roof of the hired Mercedes Benz GLA, and broke into a stationary, upper-torso only, cameo dance to motivate the street dancers.

The procession crawled towards the East, where the venue was; but one pair of eyes looked to the West. He kept the dancers at his back and the groom’s car in front, the little space being his sole area of focus. His eyes were riveted on the relative who chaperoned the groom’s slow-moving car with a proprietorial air, and held in a transparent polythene bag a mix of anointed rice sprinkled with turmeric powder, petals of marigold flower, and a few Fifty Paise, One Rupee, and Two Rupee coins.

Once a little distance had been covered, he dipped his hand into the bag, took out a fistful of the mix and tossed it into the air. The rice was for the birds and the coins for the needy - a customary act of piety to secure blessings for the groom on this special day.

He was about six, or a bit older. Spindly legs, matted hair, oversized clothes donated by a kind-hearted person or a charity. Malnourished, and stunted growth, no doubt, but there was nothing sickly about him. He exuded raw energy that derived solely from his fierce determination, it seemed.

Owing to the noon glare, the baraatis had already donned their designer dark glasses, but his eyes burned bright and steady, without a blink. The Sun was his buddy, and kinder on his practised, young eyes. Legs astride with the right foot arched, and the sole slightly raised, ready to sprint. Closely monitoring the movements of the man with the coins, this pair of eyes was on high alert, to catch the glint of sunshine reflected by the metal, and his ears were cocked to cut out the high-decibel Boom-Boom DJ music, and hear the soft and sweet tinkling sound of the coin hitting the road.

He not only tracked multiple moving targets in the air and on the surface of the cluttered road, but also deftly manoeuvred between a forest of dancing legs, taking care never to bump into a guest or soil their expensive clothes by accidentally brushing against them. He had to sprint, with speed and agility, beat his competitors, a few of them bigger and stronger, to win his trophy. Arjun had a much simpler task of severing a stationary clay-bird’s head.

Each time he picked a coin, a flicker of a smile appeared for a nano-second on his face and vanished as soon as it had surfaced, as though he were withholding an ear-to-ear smile for a worthier occasion.

The hired photographer-cum-videographer signalled to a relative that the boy was straying into the photos and videos and ruining it. The relative went up to the boy and asked him to get lost.

The boy didn’t immediately comply with the orders. For a moment that looked like an eternity, he stood his ground, not in insubordination, but in mute protest, and raised an eyebrow, as though asking: Sir, I’ve not trespassed into your home or property; you are a temporary visitor to my home. I get it that you don’t like how I look or smell. But should you really be asking me to leave my home?

But his mission for the day was to collect a fistful of coins, not to raise a rebellion. He stepped onto the pavement for a brief while and soon positioned himself at another strategic location for his WFH (Work From Home).

***

Note: 

• Author's profile may be seen at http://amazon.com/author/pkdash
• Books by this author are available on Amazon.in, Kindle eBook, Flipkart, and Notion Press, Chennai.

***