GulDiary

When the world is struggling hard to cope with the COVID-19 menace reports of various viral and infectious diseases keep coming from different parts of the world. Recently it was interesting to know that some 47 goats were put in quarantine in a Karnataka village as the owner tested positive. It was done on apprehension that they might develop the disease. But every year many cattle and other livestock die of various animal diseases. One common syndrome is developing sore in foot and mouth. taking note of this the government has taken measures to check this by administering vaccination on them.  Right now in Tripura also vaccination of cattle is going on. It is being implemented as part of the National Animal Disease Control Programme (NADCP) launched by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi last year. It is a totally centrally sponsored scheme and aims at vaccinating over 500 million cattle. On July 10, 2020 one such FMD vaccination camp was organised by the animal resources developmen...

I just love Tulips. Happened to land up in French Village, in Ba Na Hills, Vietnam during flower festival in mid February, 2020.

When we talk about best time to visit a certain place some general aspects are considered, like temperature, rain, distance and so days to require, apart from local obligations and attractions (contextual events, festivals, restrictions etc.). However, the last but not the least, and the most important factor is personal obligations of the person concerned. Because many a time parents end up planning their holidays according to the vacations of their children.  Ujjayanta Palace, Agartala Taking the general factors in view here I would talk about Agartala, the capital city of Tripura and the state in general.  Tripura is bounded by Bangladesh on three sides leaving only a chicken's neck to connect with the rest of the country. It's mostly a hilly state, the anode of 19 tribes and some non-tribes. Normally it gets rain during July-August continuing upto September. However depending on the yearly variation rain fall begins in mid April also. So if anybody wants to avoid rain it...

This year's mid-April has been a lot different than previous years'. mid-April means festivity for the Chakmas and many other ethnic groups. The biggest festival of the Chakmas, Bijhu comes around this time. This year it did come sitting on the wheel of time, but without festivity. Since everyone was locked in their homes festivity failed to show its colour. Pre-COVID-19 all the Bijhus have been celebrated with great pomp and grandeur. In Tripura state of India in the recent past a state level Bijhu Festival has been organised under the aegis of the government. By turn a Chakma-dominated location is selected every year to hold the grand occasion. This year as per plan, it was supposed to be held in Lalchhara in Longtharai Valley subdivision. Due to COVID-19 lockdown it had to be cancelled. Bijhu outside the state level celebration also has equal gravity and importance. It is basically celebrated for three days, beginning from the last day Chaitra (last month of Bengali calendar...

What better / worse task is there then sitting idle in the office? That's what I am doing, due to a number of factors. Before coming out of home my bed beseeched me to have a nap. But that was not possible. Now enjoy the consequence. Despite the clouds loitering around, today could have been a perfect day for venturing out, that is the thing I haven't done so long. The endearing roads, the rustic ambience and chatting casually with my associates, have been luxuries long discarded. Everybody says, Corona time, confine yourself to home. But office? Is it not outside home? No options, absolutely no options for the lower middle class people. I know this is not a lecture of sociology (Marx and the class struggle), so not going beyond this. I know my limits. Physical things have been replaced by virtual options. Academic sessions are going virtual, shopping has become more virtual than ever before, above all human relationship has also turned virtual. Thanks to Corona, for giving thi...

Life has been suddenly upside down, for all I think. Astrologers attribute it to position of astrological entities Rahu, Ketu, Guru, Shani and so on. These are just jargon for a layperson like me. Whatever be the reason, I wish it had not been so, COVID-19 had not occurred to the humanity. Hadn't it been so, our lives would have been beautiful, vibrant and smooth.  But again perhaps everything happens for a certain purpose. In your presence Corona, we have realised life is precious, it is there to preserve, not to arbitrate with.We have realised that how we played with the nature; the lockdown-environment has been so pure and friendly, the River Ganga has become a river worth cherishing with its crystal waters. The air of Delhi and many other most polluted cities found a new status. Still did we really learn a lesson? If yes why don't we have such lockdowns at regular intervals, with more systematic planning, so that no migrant labourer fatigues on the road, no daughter puts e...