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presents incredible business opportunities. the national waterways, especially nw 2 and nw16 shall be the drivers of economic development and prosperity. national waterways 2 (nw-2) from dhubri to sadiya is a bridge to drive economic progress in southeast asian (cid:373)a(cid:396)kets, as pa(cid:396)t of i(cid:374)dia(cid:859)s (cid:858)act east policy(cid:859). these waterways will not only make assam the centre of india-asean collaboration but also attract major investments from around the world. the river is also a source of current and potential hydroelectric power generation. it will certainly give a boost to power infrastructure in the state. the rivers of the world are fast becoming hotspots for travelers, and the mighty brahmaputra happens to be one of them. a river cruise on brahmaputra is an eclectic blend of luxury, (cid:272)o(cid:373)fo(cid:396)t a(cid:374)d (cid:374)atu(cid:396)e(cid:859)s (cid:374)e(cid:448)e(cid:396) e(cid:374)di(cid:374)g delights. the e(cid:454)t(cid:396)ao(cid:396)di(cid:374)a(cid:396)(cid:455) (cid:272)(cid:396)uise e(cid:454)pe(cid:396)ie(cid:374)(cid:272)e o(cid:374) brahmaputra can be further heightened by watching migratory birds, visiting temples, tribal villages, monasteries, touring breathtaking tea estates and more. its tributaries like manas, jia bharali and kopili are ideal for white water rafting. all in all, brahmaputra effortlessl(cid:455) (cid:271)(cid:396)i(cid:374)gs togethe(cid:396) assa(cid:373)(cid:859)s t(cid:396)ade, tou(cid:396)is(cid:373) a(cid:374)d (cid:272)ultu(cid:396)al aspe(cid:272)ts, interwoven into one event, that is, namami brahmaputra- the biggest river festival of india. come, be a part of it and explore the soul of assam.

tel diya: tel meain oil. in this ceremony, mother-in-law pours a little oil on a betel (cid:374)ut kept o(cid:448)e(cid:396) the (cid:271)(cid:396)ide(cid:859)s head th(cid:396)i(cid:272)e. this is followed by the mother of the groom applying sindoor on her daughter-in-la(cid:449)(cid:859)s hair partition. surprisingly, in an assamese wedding, the groom does not apply sindoor to his bride. a lavish feast follows, after (cid:449)hi(cid:272)h the g(cid:396)oo(cid:373)(cid:859)s pa(cid:396)t(cid:455) depa(cid:396)ts. uluta juroon: this ritual, held in the evening, is similar to the juroon ceremony that takes place ea(cid:396)lie(cid:396) i(cid:374) the da(cid:455) at the (cid:271)(cid:396)ide(cid:859)s pla(cid:272)e. he(cid:396)e, the (cid:271)(cid:396)ide(cid:859)s fa(cid:373)il(cid:455) (cid:448)isits the g(cid:396)oo(cid:373)(cid:859)s side p(cid:396)ese(cid:374)ti(cid:374)g him with gifts and his wedding attire. interestingly, the items that were gifted to the bride (excluding the clothes, jewelry and make-up kit) are divided into half and given back to the groom, symbolizing the bond between the two families. paani tula: the (cid:374)e(cid:454)t (cid:373)o(cid:396)(cid:374)i(cid:374)g, fe(cid:373)ale (cid:373)e(cid:373)(cid:271)e(cid:396)s of (cid:271)oth the (cid:271)(cid:396)ide(cid:859)s a(cid:374)d g(cid:396)oo(cid:373)(cid:859)s fa(cid:373)ilies (cid:448)isit a nearby pond to collect water that is to be used for the ceremonial bath at the respective houses. a coin and a knife a(cid:396)e (cid:272)a(cid:396)(cid:396)ied (cid:271)(cid:455) the (cid:271)(cid:396)ide(cid:859)s/g(cid:396)oo(cid:373)(cid:859)s (cid:373)othe(cid:396) to the po(cid:374)d. a(cid:373)idst singing of biya naam, the water is collected and brought back, without looking back at the pond. the coin is given to the bride/groom to be kept safely while the knife is tied to a scarf/gamusa which is to be carried everywhere till the wedding gets over. nuoni: this ritual refers to the ceremonial bath of the bride and the groom at their respective houses. the ceremony begins with the mother (followed by other ladies) applying oil, curd and a paste of maah- halodhi (urad lentils and turmeric). daiyon diya: on the day of the wedding, in the early hours of the morning, curd is sent to the (cid:271)(cid:396)ide(cid:859)s house f(cid:396)o(cid:373) the g(cid:396)oo(cid:373)(cid:859)s pla(cid:272)e. the (cid:271)(cid:396)ide eats half a(cid:374)d se(cid:374)ds (cid:271)a(cid:272)k the othe(cid:396) half to (cid:271)e eaten by the groom. curd is a symbol of good luck. this ritual also marks the last meal of the day for both the bride and the groom till they are married.

aaxirbaad (blessings): the wedding ceremony being over, the bride now takes the blessing of her husband, following which the newlyweds take the blessings from all the elders present. post-wedding rituals khel dhemali: meaning playing games, the newlyweds are taken inside to engage in some friendly games. one of the most popular games is to find a ring hidden in a bowl filled with rice. the one who finds it first is the one who is believed to have a stronger say in the relationship. maan dhora: the groom now touches the feet of every elder from the bride(cid:859)s fa(cid:373)il(cid:455) to offe(cid:396) his gratitude bidaai: the bride is now given a tearful farewell by her family. she showers a handful of rice thrice over her shoulders to ensure that prosperity continues in her maternal home. ghor gosoka: the newlyweds are welcomed (cid:449)a(cid:396)(cid:373)l(cid:455) (cid:271)(cid:455) the g(cid:396)oo(cid:373)(cid:859)s (cid:373)othe(cid:396) at the e(cid:374)t(cid:396)(cid:455). the (cid:271)(cid:396)ide(cid:859)s feet is (cid:449)ashed a(cid:374)d she is made to enter her new home by breaking a saaki (an earthen lamp) and finding a ring from a pitcher of water. she is then given a tour of the house, fed a little curd and then escorted back to her own house by her brother and friends. khuba khubi: the (cid:374)e(cid:454)t (cid:373)o(cid:396)(cid:374)i(cid:374)g, the g(cid:396)oo(cid:373) a(cid:396)(cid:396)i(cid:448)es at the (cid:271)(cid:396)ide(cid:859)s pla(cid:272)e to liste(cid:374) to the tale of two gods khuba and khubuni from the priest. the couple takes the blessings from the gods for a su(cid:272)(cid:272)essful (cid:373)a(cid:396)(cid:396)iage a(cid:374)d get (cid:396)ead(cid:455) fo(cid:396) the g(cid:396)oo(cid:373)(cid:859)s (cid:396)e(cid:272)eptio(cid:374) i(cid:374) the e(cid:448)e(cid:374)i(cid:374)g. it is after the reception that the bride finally moves into her new home. phool xoja: this is the first night together of the couple after their wedding. their room and bed is well decorated with fresh flowers and scented candles.

home remedies for hair loss posted by arzu begum 1) licorice root this kind of herb includes mollifying properties that help open the pores, soothe the scalp and help eliminate irritations such as dry flake. with the help of licorice root, how to stop hair loss seems to be very simple. 1) licorice root this kind of herb includes mollifying properties that help open the pores, soothe the scalp and help eliminate irritations such as dry flake. with the help of licorice root, how to stop hair loss seems to be very simple. make a mixture including one tablespoon of ground licorice root and ¼ tablespoon of saffron. apply it on your scalp before bedtime and leave it overnight. in the morning, wash your hair with water. repeat this method twice a week to see result. 2) green tea green tea is very popular in hair loss prevention. it contains a large amount of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties that prevent baldness and even grow hair effectively. green tea can be used to treat dandruff as well. the easiest way is drinking at least a cup of green tea daily.

kids drawing (family bond) posted on april 22, 2017 by sancia arnool

(cid:862)aami oxomia nohou dukhia(cid:859)(cid:859) the (cid:271)eautiful (cid:395)uotatio(cid:374) ga(cid:448)e (cid:271)(cid:455) late d(cid:396). bhupe(cid:374) haza(cid:396)ika (cid:449)ill turn into reality when each and every assamese will contribute their individual support to make this land to improve one step ahead. we all are talented in our own ways either may be in engineering, medical, art, dance, music, sports etc. but it will be eventually fruitful when we can implement our individual talents into action. assam can be the biggest industrial hub if we put some little effort and ideas to utilize its resources.it can be the biggest tea industrial area if we give some time and plan how to start, how to invest and how to process. also, it has tremendous source of flora which involves many valuable woods which are the source of furniture industry. off course we have crude oil as one of our biggest natural resource but still outsiders are utilizing our resources and enjoying life. why we cannot think about new technologies new ideas on our own that 100% of our own eth(cid:374)i(cid:272) people (cid:272)a(cid:374) (cid:271)e (cid:271)e(cid:374)efited f(cid:396)o(cid:373) this (cid:374)atu(cid:396)e(cid:859)s big offer and make ourselves independent. the mugha, silk, eri industries are still not able to reach their expected position whereas these beautiful outfits are already accepted internationally by few countries. only one or two persons are putting their own effort. why we cannot be few more to give them a worldwide huge opportunities for these garment industries in assam as we have our own raw materials to start. platform. there is in agriculture, we are still lagging behind of other states though we have our vast fertile land. we have our agriculture university but still we do harvest only fo(cid:396) o(cid:374)e seaso(cid:374), still (cid:449)e do(cid:374)(cid:859)t have technology to increase productivities .so it is time to think once again and give our best to take these these opportunities.

ta(cid:271)le of co(cid:374)te(cid:374)ts why you should read this book why i wrote this book chapter 1. ordeal in the sky: our aircraft had caught fire in flight chapter 2. baby elephant and the security officers, oil india limited chapter 3. i am the third luckiest man alive chapter 4. my experience of first breakfast, 15000 feet above sea level chapte‘ (cid:1009). the (cid:858)igloo(cid:859) is a co(cid:373)fo(cid:396)ta(cid:271)le “helte(cid:396) i(cid:374) “(cid:374)o(cid:449)

history is the witness of the times, the light of truth “e(cid:448)e(cid:396)al (cid:272)e(cid:374)tu(cid:396)ies ago (cid:449)he(cid:374) the (cid:373)ight(cid:455) (cid:858)aho(cid:373)(cid:859) ki(cid:374)gs (cid:396)uled the e(cid:374)ti(cid:396)e no(cid:396)th-east till the days of the british and later, kaliabor was an important place, both administratively and strategically and had occupied a place of honour from ages. silghat, the river port was the gateway to nowgong, now naugoan and other parts of the state during the british regime. the mother nature has blessed the entire area most abundantly with her beauty and resources. the vast fertile green area, the abundant green meadows that extend to the horizon, coupled with hills and hillocks of varied dimensions, the mighty river brahmaputra and its tributaries look like a man-made canvas of endless dimension, mind stirring and inviting. besides, the monuments, mostly hindu religion oriented that exist in general area kaliabor and the engineering skill coupled with artistic works are the evidence of the archaeological marvels of the the(cid:374) a(cid:374)(cid:272)ie(cid:374)t e(cid:396)a. the (cid:858)ka(cid:373)akha(cid:859) te(cid:373)ple at “ilghat, the (cid:858)maa du(cid:396)ga(cid:859) te(cid:373)ple at hati(cid:373)u(cid:396)ah, (cid:894)jakhala(cid:271)a(cid:374)dha(cid:895), the (cid:858)na(cid:396)a-“i(cid:373)ha(cid:859) te(cid:373)ple at jakhala(cid:271)a(cid:374)dha a(cid:374)d (cid:373)a(cid:374)(cid:455) (cid:373)o(cid:396)e, dotted i(cid:374) ge(cid:374)e(cid:396)al area kaliabor are the testimonies. made of locally available materials without the benefit of present day modern building skills and technology, aids and know-how, it endured the offensives of time and nature, and had defied valiantly till today. the general population of kaliabor is advanced and more enlightened, took a leading role during the struggle for independence of our country. hatbor, an integral part of kaliabor, is situated on the bank of a small river kolong and the national high way-37, which is one of the longest national high ways in india runs along the course of the river for a considerable distance. hatbor, is located about 50 km short of the district

while in 7th or 8th standard, i remembered to have read the name karakoram in geography book and then had forgotten about it. i did not take any interest then. geography and history had never appealed to me even now. and decades later, while in itb police service, the name karakoram pass was more frequently heard. because of various factors the karakoram area is considered an important and a difficult one. before the chinese took over tibet, traders from many countries, particularly from tibet used to frequent to india via this pass for trade and business. this was one of the most frequented trade routes. during that time all kinds of business was transacted through barter system. very high quality wool and pasmina, which is a very fine and superior quality wool, woollen carpets with attractive colourful design and colourful woollen blankets, all handmade, white yak tail, gold, silver etc. from tibet were bartered for salt, condiments, tobacco, opium, brass utensils, yarns, fabric and many other useful commodities including medicines from the indian counterpart. it is probably the only pass in the world that connects five countries: india, tibet, china, russia and afghanistan. the othe(cid:396) u(cid:374)i(cid:395)ue featu(cid:396)e (cid:449)ith this pass is that the (cid:374)a(cid:373)e does (cid:374)ot ha(cid:448)e the suffi(cid:454) (cid:858)la(cid:859), like i(cid:374) othe(cid:396) passes. the (cid:449)o(cid:396)d (cid:858)la(cid:859) i(cid:374) ti(cid:271)eta(cid:374)/ buddhist la(cid:374)guage (cid:373)ea(cid:374)s (cid:858)pass(cid:859), like, nathu la, kha(cid:396)du(cid:374)g la, parang la, chang la etc. indo-tibetan border police force (itb police, mha, goi) this para military force was raised on 24th october 1962 during the chinese aggression with a specific purpose. only physically strong and mentally alert, tough and rugged young persons were taken in itb police, and justifiably, the personnel of itb police are known for their vitality,

the small contact printer and other accessories and ingredients necessary for the final print were taken to my headquarter located at the foothills of the karakoram where i spent one year on border duty. the power required was from the prc-10 batteries (a portable radio communication) , battery-operated like walkie-talkie set. i did not know, rather had not heard about guinness book of world record or ripley’s (cid:862)believe it or not(cid:863) then, otherwise i would have certainly contested for a coveted place in the record book for processing photos above 15,000 feet, sometimes at -30o centigrade during peak winter in such crude setting, way back in 1977. chapter 4. my experience of first breakfast, 15ooo feet above sea level introduction to places and names bada khana: a community feast when all ranks enjoy meals together. karakoram though roads connect most of the border areas, some areas in hills and mountains, road construction is difficult due to terrain condition. therefore, one has to walk to go to such places. government is spending a very large amount for road connectivity and almost all border areas now have good roads. up to middle of 70s, the road network was not as good as it is now. to go from one place to another, with varied distance, one has to walk all the way for days, sometimes involving almost three weeks, self-contained, to reach the destination. we had u(cid:374)de(cid:396)take(cid:374) su(cid:272)h a jou(cid:396)(cid:374)e(cid:455)― (cid:396)athe(cid:396) a(cid:374) ad(cid:448)e(cid:374)tu(cid:396)e, i(cid:374) the peak of (cid:449)i(cid:374)te(cid:396) i(cid:374)(cid:448)ol(cid:448)i(cid:374)g (cid:1006)(cid:1005)-day trekking in high altitude. in this particular journey, our destination was somewhere at the foothills of the karakoram, located above fifteen thousand feet, involving more than twenty da(cid:455)s(cid:859) (cid:449)alk f(cid:396)o(cid:373) the (cid:396)oad head. i(cid:374) hills a(cid:374)d (cid:373)ou(cid:374)tai(cid:374)s, the dista(cid:374)(cid:272)e is (cid:373)easu(cid:396)ed i(cid:374) te(cid:396)(cid:373)s of hours/days, not in kilometers or miles. keeping in view medical, physical fitness and above all, psychological factor of the men, the journey period in high altitude has been prescribed for

the morale of the men who came with me was at their peak on the twenty-first day, when we (cid:396)ea(cid:272)hed (cid:373)(cid:455) head qua(cid:396)te(cid:396) little afte(cid:396) ele(cid:448)e(cid:374) i(cid:374) the (cid:373)o(cid:396)(cid:374)i(cid:374)g. ea(cid:396)lie(cid:396) sa(cid:373)e da(cid:455), a (cid:858)tea-pa‘ty(cid:859), headed by the senior most commander present at the company head quarters had come about three kilometers ahead to receive and serve us hot tea / coffee and the freshly prepared hot (cid:858)pakoda(cid:859), the (cid:373)ost popula(cid:396) a(cid:374)d (cid:272)o(cid:373)(cid:373)o(cid:374) s(cid:374)a(cid:272)k i(cid:374) the fo(cid:396)(cid:272)es. the p(cid:396)a(cid:272)ti(cid:272)e (cid:449)as (cid:396)outi(cid:374)e fo(cid:396) all those who used to come to the head quarter. but this time it was not a routine practice; the company commander was coming to take over the charge of the company. and, therefore, the standard of the snacks were also not routine. the (cid:859)bada kha(cid:374)a(cid:859), a (cid:272)o(cid:373)(cid:373)u(cid:374)it(cid:455) feast at lu(cid:374)(cid:272)h ti(cid:373)e, a(cid:396)(cid:396)a(cid:374)ged to (cid:449)el(cid:272)o(cid:373)e us to the (cid:374)e(cid:449) location was the immediate programme that we had participated. my food was about to be served at the residence but i decided to share with the men. we all had our meals in the open air; there was no room or shed large enough to accommodate such a large strength. after the meals when i was to take a nap, the post in-cha(cid:396)ge (cid:449)a(cid:374)ted to see (cid:373)e. (cid:863)the s(cid:374)o(cid:449) has (cid:271)ee(cid:374) cleared of the field and the men would like to play a base-ball match with your tea(cid:373), “i(cid:396).(cid:863) the post in-cha(cid:396)ge (cid:449)as (cid:448)e(cid:396)(cid:455) polite a(cid:374)d (cid:396)e(cid:395)uested (cid:373)(cid:455) app(cid:396)o(cid:448)al. b(cid:455) (cid:858)(cid:455)ou(cid:396) tea(cid:373)(cid:859) he (cid:373)ea(cid:374)t the (cid:373)e(cid:374) (cid:449)ho (cid:272)a(cid:373)e (cid:449)ith (cid:373)e. (cid:862)(cid:1008) o(cid:859)(cid:272)lo(cid:272)k a(cid:374)d, (cid:272)o(cid:373)plete (cid:396)est fo(cid:396) (cid:858)(cid:373)(cid:455) tea(cid:373)(cid:859) a(cid:374)d i (cid:449)ould also (cid:271)e a pla(cid:455)i(cid:374)g (cid:373)e(cid:373)(cid:271)e(cid:396).(cid:863) it (cid:449)as a s(cid:374)ap o(cid:396)de(cid:396). m(cid:455) pa(cid:396)ti(cid:272)ipatio(cid:374) i(cid:374) the ga(cid:373)e was to boost the morale of the men and to see their stamina, so also mine, who had walked more than 20 days in the high altitude without a break and then play a base-ball match in the afternoon same day, was a physical efficiency test of very high order. the only luxury en-route we all had enjoyed was, to move for the next destination little late, after a hot complete meal in the morning and an equally balanced meal was provided in the early evening. long rest was a necessity and hence sun-set time was bed time for all except the security group. this routine, strictly followed had worked well throughout the tracking; it was a leisurely walk, no hurry, no risk and no disorderly move, which i had made it clear during briefing to all the members at the start of the long journey. normally in high-altitude, headache and loss of appetite are very common if the body does not get proper rest to recoup the energy lost during the trekking. besides, the food has a vital role to regain the stamina. however, prolonged stay without proper care and caution, one may suffer from other serious high- altitude si(cid:272)k(cid:374)ess like (cid:373)e(cid:373)o(cid:396)(cid:455) loss, e(cid:374)la(cid:396)ged hea(cid:396)t a(cid:374)d (cid:858)moo(cid:374)gage(cid:859) disease. “i(cid:374)(cid:272)e (cid:449)e (cid:449)alked leisurely all the way, we were gradually and properly acclimatised and nobody had any physical or psychological problem at all during the entire journey. i had really enjoyed the tracking as visualized. high altitude starts from nine thousand feet and above and the first indication is the thinning tree line, perennial accumulation of snow. due to higher altitude the oxygen content in the atmosphere is less and hence one suffers from breathlessness, headaches and less appetite.

the accommodation for the men i command and other areas were safe from fire being ideally constructed, without the use of parachutes, i was relieved. i (cid:449)e(cid:374)t to the kit(cid:272)he(cid:374) fi(cid:396)st. it (cid:449)as a ho(cid:396)(cid:396)i(cid:271)le sight, o(cid:374)e la(cid:396)ge (cid:858)hea(cid:448)(cid:455)-dut(cid:455)(cid:859) ke(cid:396)ose(cid:374)e (cid:271)u(cid:396)(cid:374)e(cid:396) (cid:449)as o(cid:374) (cid:859)a(cid:272)ti(cid:448)e dut(cid:455)(cid:859) a(cid:374)d the sou(cid:374)d it e(cid:373)itted was, as if, a couple of diesel railway engines was in full blast. the pitch of the burning kerosene cooker was so high that nothing could be heard even though the person was standing next to me. but that did not horrify me as much as the sight of dried-up trout fish did! the river shiyok was flowing close to the camp and the men (cid:373)ade full use to (cid:396)et(cid:396)ie(cid:448)e the a(cid:271)u(cid:374)da(cid:374)(cid:272)e of natu(cid:396)e(cid:859)s gift i(cid:374) the fo(cid:396)(cid:373) of (cid:858)t(cid:396)out fish.(cid:859) to (cid:272)at(cid:272)h the fish during winter, they used to break the ice-shield on the river surface, sufficient enough for a small net to go inside and in no time a large quantity of trout fish would be trapped. the cook in turn, would clean the belly of the fish, sewn with a fine parachute thread and place along the walls of the kitchen in many un-geometrically parallel and circular rows. it looked like as if, flowers of a large number of garlands, bereft of its original shade, fragrance and freshness were carefully preserved for memory. the cook would take out some and prepare a dish, either fried or the most popula(cid:396) (cid:272)o(cid:373)(cid:373)o(cid:374) dish― the fish (cid:858)pakoda(cid:859) as pe(cid:396) de(cid:373)a(cid:374)d. b(cid:455) the(cid:374) i had slightl(cid:455) attu(cid:374)ed to the (cid:271)la(cid:396)e of the (cid:858)‘ail(cid:449)a(cid:455) e(cid:374)gi(cid:374)e.(cid:859) (cid:863)do (cid:455)ou ha(cid:448)e (cid:858)f(cid:396)esh(cid:859) eggs?(cid:863) i e(cid:374)(cid:395)ui(cid:396)ed. (cid:863)yes (cid:858)si(cid:396)ji.(cid:863) the(cid:455) (cid:449)ould al(cid:449)a(cid:455)s suffi(cid:454) the (cid:449)o(cid:396)d (cid:858)ji(cid:859) afte(cid:396) (cid:858)si(cid:396)(cid:859)o(cid:396) (cid:858)“ahi(cid:271)(cid:859), to sho(cid:449) (cid:373)o(cid:396)e respe(cid:272)t to the se(cid:374)io(cid:396)s. (cid:862)a(cid:374)d to(cid:373)ato, o(cid:374)io(cid:374), g(cid:396)ee(cid:374) (cid:272)hillies et(cid:272).?(cid:863) i fu(cid:396)the(cid:396) e(cid:374)(cid:395)ui(cid:396)ed. (cid:862)what (cid:449)ould (cid:455)ou like to ha(cid:448)e? “tuffed o(cid:373)elette o(cid:396) f(cid:396)ied eggs, e(cid:448)e(cid:396)(cid:455)thi(cid:374)g (cid:858)f(cid:396)esh(cid:859) is he(cid:396)e, it (cid:449)as (cid:271)(cid:396)ought (cid:271)(cid:455) (cid:455)ou(cid:396) pa(cid:396)t(cid:455) (cid:455)este(cid:396)da(cid:455),(cid:863) the (cid:272)ook (cid:449)a(cid:374)ted to k(cid:374)o(cid:449). (cid:858)he k(cid:374)o(cid:449)s (cid:272)ooki(cid:374)g(cid:859) i thought. (cid:862)o.k. o(cid:373)elette (cid:449)ith t(cid:449)o eggs, a lot of g(cid:396)ee(cid:374) (cid:272)hillies, f(cid:396)esh to(cid:373)ato, o(cid:374)io(cid:374), a(cid:374)d (cid:272)a(cid:271)(cid:271)age, all stuffed(cid:863), i informed. be(cid:272)ause of the ti(cid:374)(cid:374)ed (cid:396)atio(cid:374)s (cid:449)e (cid:449)e(cid:396)e a(cid:272)(cid:272)usto(cid:373)ed to, the (cid:449)o(cid:396)d (cid:858)f(cid:396)esh(cid:859) (cid:373)ea(cid:374)t a(cid:374)(cid:455)thi(cid:374)g edi(cid:271)le that was not tinned, be it eggs or onions, potato or plume. eggs come in powdered form and tinned, and i never liked the taste and flavour because of the chemicals used for preservation. the tinned stuff of various other items was good though but fresh item was a craze for taste to the tongue and to the mind as well and a weakness and appeal for us all. after visiting the other rooms and adjacent area, i passed through the kitchen again to see the progress of the stuffed omelette being prepared. the moment i saw the eggs, the tomatoes, the green chillies and the onions and cabbage were being boiled together in a saucepan, my impression of his being a good cook had vanished instantly. ―what are you doing? i wanted a stuffed omelette and you are making a mess of it,‖ my annoyance was visible. ―all the fresh items get frozen here; everything has to be boiled first to make it tender to bring to original form, even potatoes or tomato before a dish is being prepared, sirji‖, he informed politely. he took out a ‗fresh egg‘ from a

village of joy story by shrimay bikash saikia warily, i crept down the dusty steps. the air smelt stale and beads of sweat fell from my forehead. it seemed like i was putting myself in mortal peril by taking such a risk, but a sense deep down in me told me i was heading in the right direction. i came to where the flight of endless stairs ended and a door lay shut. taking a deep breath and mustering my courage i decided to turn the knob… just a few minutes ago, i was passing by the community graveyard after being rejected from the teams during the soccer match. i was welling up with anger at how i had been bullied when it came to the choosing of the teams. i was fed up of the orphanage and had decided to run away.

when i finally awoke, i looked at myself and saw that i was in some sort of room with the lantern beside me. i could not see anybody, but i saw a floating bowl of soup. immediately, i thought of ghosts and my blood ran cold. just then, i turned on the lantern and i saw a woman carrying the soup. she came beside me and sat down. ―thank you for the soup! may i know where i am?‖ i asked the woman who had handed me the bowl of soup. she replied, ―welcome to the village of joy. you must be nathaniel right?‖ i gawked at her in surprise. how did she know my name? after breakfast, she showed me outside in the village. when i exited the small hut, i found myself in a sprawling village. everyone was cheerful and chatting among themselves. she went up to a person walking past who was carrying a basket of biscuits warm from the oven and introduced me. he seemed to be the village elder given that he had a long beard. casting my fear aside, i approached him and asked about this place was. he explained putting his hands on my shoulders, ―this is the village of joy where we enjoy our afterlife. here there is no pain or suffering and we are immortal. here, everyone lives harmoniously and we share a strong kampong spirit. come, i‘ll show you to my friends.‖ bidding the woman goodbye, i went with the man. along the way, he told me more about himself. he was the village elder. whoever we met told me about their life stories and their experiences. it seemed like everyone had something interesting to share. they described their dreams, their funny moments in life and their sad experiences and i started copying everything down in my pocket notebook. when the people saw my

regaining his composure, he continued ―you have a mission to fulfil and i wish you the best of luck. goodbye nathaniel…‖ with leaden steps, i walked to the door. after a slight hesitation, i opened the door and crept outside into the walkway. i did not have to go long before i found the basilisk waiting for me with the tormentors. the master commanded his minions to prey on me. the tormentors began sucking the happiness away from me and filling me with negative and fearful thoughts. i was on the verge of giving up when i remembered the village. immediately, happy thoughts flooded through and the tormentors turned to ash. infuriated, the basilisk began slithering towards me, but i knew i was ready. closing my eyes, i concentrated on the strong feeling in the village. the basilisk backed away and began to deteriorate. however, it redoubled its efforts to destroy me and eventually, it succeeded in cornering me. i closed my eyes and braced for the worst when i remembered the mirror. sliding it out of my pocket, i turned on the lantern and angled the mirror just at that angle… there was a blinding glow and a deafening crash as the basilisk breathed its last. i dashed as fast as my legs could carry me out of the staircase and when i reached the graveyard, i collapsed in an exhausted heap. the next morning, i found myself back in the orphanage and thought everything was just a dream. however, when i took out my diary and found the lantern and mirror i was convinced the village was real. peering into the mirror, i found the faces of all the villagers smiling at me. with renewed confidence, i walked outside to face the bullies. this time though, they had better be ready… the end

foodies square: i am a big foodie. so obviously this has to be the next point.... :) :) sg offers you a variety of cuisines ranging from burgers, fish and chips to falafel /hummus to sushi. the hawker centers are popular haunts for local food among locals and expats here. the lau pa sat and satay by the bay are my personal favorites. lots of indian places and fine dining restaurants abound in many places - you are never disappointed in this city-state. being touristy: when i arrived in singapore, the first few weekends were mostly spent like a tourist. watching the merlion, having dinner at clarke, cycling in east coast park till my legs hurt were weekly affairs. not mentioning the universal studios, sentosa, or the casino will be unfair. also the big polar bear of the zoo needs a mention too :) :) night safari at singapore zoo is recommended as well. festivities: china town, located in central singapore, is thronged with red lanterns, different decorative designs and chinese zodiac animals during the chinese new year celebrations. the whole area takes on a lovely red hue. candies, cookies and traditional food are plentiful during this festive season. likewise, little india bustles with

before i sign off here, the fastest way to get any information is to drop us a line/message in our sg whatsapp group or in our fb page, and help will pour in   

series with pakistan senior team in islamabad and lahore. i was fortunate to be a member of the junior squad. since, there was no direct flight from delhi to islamabad, we took a connecting flight from lahore. it was at lahore airport wash room, where i experienced my first feel at home moment finding a green mug inside the toilet instead of tissue papers. it was followed by a grand welcome at islamabad which made us to believe, for a while, that we were no less than sunil gavaskar or kapil dev. the excitement doubled when convoy of four jeeps escorted our bus to the best western hotel in islamabad. the delicious yellow dal fry, butter naan and butter chicken at the dinner buffet made me feel more at home. next morning at the practice session in muhammad ali jinnah indoor stadium, the team was pumped with confidence. we prepared strategy to beat the pakistan team in the evening. but, all our excitement and confidence was punctured within 24 hours of landing in this neighbour‘s country. the mighty senior team of pakistan beat us in 3 direct sets, in-front of their home crowed. we were humiliated, dejected and felt like running away from the stadium. that night at the dinner table, even the karachi chicken curry could not arose our appetite. in three days, pakistan leads 3-0 in the seven match test series. i had never read urdu in my life, but in those three days, i could make out what those captions were all about, in the sports pages of the local newspapers. there was a rest day before playing the last match in islamabad. so, to make us feel better, our coach g e sridharan, took out for sightseeing. islamabad was a new city, established in the 60‘s. looking at the government buildings, faisal mosque, neat and clean surroundings, no traffic jam, we envied, how come a pakistani city be so beautiful? only, when we were taken to rawalpindi, which is on the outskirt of islamabad, we felt like at home. crowded, congested with full of middle class population like us. during our five days stay at islamabad, i became close with the bus conductor/helper who was responsible for taking us to the stadium. he was around 14 years old. we both used to share stories from our villages. listening to his stories, i felt life in both the countries is almost same. i named him sukhvir, as his face resembles my friend raghuvir‘s brother, sukhvir singh. sukhvir was our lone silent supporter in the foreign land. fortunately, we managed to win the last match and went to lahore on a winning note to play the remaining three matches. at lahore our humiliation continued and finally we felt relieved when the series ended 5-2 in favour of pakistan. after the matches were over, we were taken to famous anarkali market, one of the most famous markets of undivided india. we spotted a photograph of nehru ji, in one of the famous sweet shop. mr. nehru visited anarkali market during the lahore session of indian national congress in 1929. after tasting the famous triple layer ice-cream of anarkali market, i and my friend kapil (now an arjuna awardee) dodged the security guards and went to one of the narrow gullies in search of low cost jeans. with little cash in hand we started bargaining. since, they spoke urdu which is quite similar to our hindi, but slightly different in accent, the shopkeepers initially thought that we were from peshawar. but, after a while they became convinced that we were neither from peshawar or karachi but from a completely different place. they desperately wanted to know if

from the front, holding the indian flag. we would never forgot those 52 seconds in our life when the tricolour was hoisted and we all sang the national anthem at the heart of islamabad. as we left the stadium, the spectators gave us a standing ovation; we reciprocate by folding our hand conveying our thanks with a namastey. this country gave us loads of beautiful memories, which we shall continue to cherish forever.