Wednesday, August 8, 2018

Adieu our dear bravehearts.

Major Kaustubh Prakash Rane along with Rifleman Mandeep Singh Rawat, Rifleman Hameer Singh and Gunner Vikramjeet Singh made the supreme sacrifice while combating terrorists in the Gurez sector of Jammu and Kashmir. Their valour is stuff that has already become folklore! RIP bravehearts! My salute, prayers and tears! May your near and dear ones have the strength to pass through these distressed times!! 

With the rains continuing in full swing, all rivers of the state are overflowing and the people staying on the banks have either been relocated and the remaining doughty ones are facing the fury of the gushing waters.

 (a) Balitharpanam.

       'Vavu balitharpanam', annually, falls on the new moon day of the Malayalam month of
       Karkkidakam. The relatives of the dead perform the ritual, praying for the liberation and peace
       of the departed souls. It is conducted with the help of priests on the banks of holy rivers and
       beaches. Women also take part in the ceremony in large numbers. The rituals would start at 4               AM, this Saturday.

 (b) Festival at Thanikkudam.

       The residents of Thanikkudam, in the outskirts of Thrissur, are in a rejoicing mood. They would
       be able to celebrate the 'aaraattu' (Holy dip) at the Bhagavathy (Goddess) temple tomorrow,
       following the flooding of the temple after a gap of four years.

       Traditionally, 'aaraattu' festivals are celebrated in most of the temples by taking the replica of
       the presiding deity to the pond or river close by and having the ceremonial dip. However, at 
       Thanikkudam, the river flows into the temple to enable the deity to have a holy dip.

       With plenty of rain, this year, the festival has acquired a sheen that was missing in the previous
       four years because of scanty rainfall.

 (c) Kuttanad Relief Measures.

       The state government has come out with a range of relief measures for the flood hit people of
       Kuttanad, some of which are:-

                 (i) A year's moratorium on farm loans.
                (ii) Setting up of a system for estimating rising water levels by assessing the rainfall in
                      catchment areas.
               (iii) Set up of a permanent drinking water supply system.
               (iv) Building elevated multi-purpose buildings with community kitchen and solar power
                      facilities which can be used as relief camps.
                (v) Providing relief from paying power and water bills till January.
               (vi) The immediate restoration of bunds.

       Succour to the suffering, better late than never!


Tailpiece.

It was another day that saw rains almost all through the day, here, at Guruvayur.

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