Thirumurai Patashala in Chidambaram, is a boon to young Saivite scholars

14 Feb 2020 Carrying on a legacy Students at the Patashala and Muthukumaran Odhuvar

While Veda Patashalas have sprung up across the State in recent years, there has been a dearth of Thirumurai Patashalas. Currently there are only 120 odhuvars, who have graduated through the five-year Gurukulam model of Thirumurai education, a number that is less than half of the 274 Padal Petra Sthalams, hailed by Saivite saint-poets.

Historically, the kings revered odhuvars and ackonwledged their significant contribution. Under royal patronage, the odhuvars gained prominence. However, over the years, low income and cutting down on provisions that were once handed out in large quantities, the number of odhuvars began dwindling drastically. Most of the new generation odhuvars prefer the three- year course offered by music schools as against the traditional gurukulam model of the Thevaram Patashalas.

Fifteen years ago, S. Manivasagan, an entrepreneur from Chennai, was captivated by the Tirumurai rendition of the odhuvars and decided to contribute towards the betterment of the community.

Trust for odhuvars

He formed the Aalavai Annal Trust to help the odhuvars, especially those attached to temples in remote areas.

As a first step, Manivasagan brought together odhuvars from across the State to participate in kumbabishekams. He also got them to render the sacred verses during temple processions, particularly during Brahmotsavams.

With an aim to preserve the tradition, Manivasagan started the Thirumurai Patashala six years ago in Chidambaram. He roped in Muthukumaran Odhuvar, who had been at the Madurai Meenakshi temple for over a decade, to be a member of the Trust. Sivakumar Odhuvar, who is at the Mayuranathar temple, Mayiladuthurai, joined the Thirumurai Patashala as the Acharya.

For the last six years, the Trust has been busy choosing interested candidates and initiating them into Tirumurai. The day at the patashala starts at 5 a.m. and ends at 9.30 p.m. Interested students have to undergo a voice test before seeking admission.

Every Margazhi, a group of 20 students are taken on a ten-day trip to the Padal Petra Sthalams, where they recite the relevant verses sung by the saint-poets.

Muthukumaran Odhuvar says that there are great opportunities awaiting young odhuvars. “Earlier, there were many odhuvars at ancient Thevaram temples and they were given immense prominence. But now as most of the Padal Petra Sthalams do not have even one odhuvar, efforts are being made to revive this beautiful tradition by offering training.”

Nagaswaram recital, chanting of Vedas and geetham were part of daily rituals in temples, of which the Tirumurai presentation by the odhuvars was an important component.

Muthukumaran Odhuvar is hopeful that the HR & CE Department will appoint odhuvars at Padal Petra Sthalams and bring back this traditional practise.

At an event held in December, odhuvars from across the state gathered to celebrate the inauguration of the biggest Thirumurai Patashala, near the historical Ilamaiyaakinar temple in Chidambaram.

Those interested to contribute can call, 93801 63791/99447 90380.

Cow dung diya (lamp)

Entrepreneur Kalyana Raman on his lamp that is made of zero residue material, and also bats away pesky insects while lighting up your living room. It is easy to see why Kalyana Raman speaks passionately when asked about the cow dung diya (lamp). In 2017, the Mumbai-based entrepreneur came up with the idea for these lamps, when he realised that farmers were selling cow dung for less than 50 paise per kilogram, as an alternative to traditional clay ones. Wealth from waste

Also known as panchgavya diya, these lamps are made out of the five products derived from a cow. Based on the concept of Ayurveda, Raman says, the lamp combines direct components like urine, cow dung and milk with indirect components like curd and ghee to create a chemical-free product that is fully bio-degradable. “Farmers in the country are financially distressed, and cow dung diya is just one of the ways in which they can earn an additional income and become independent,” Raman adds.

How is the cow dung diya different from the clay one? After it is lit, the lamp too catches fire, and the resultant smoke from it acts as a mosquito and insect repellant, he says. “The remaining ash is used as vibhuti (holy ash), and can also be used as an anti-fungicide for plants,” Raman adds. One can also discard the diya without worrying about the effects to environment.

The entrepreneur says that he went about creating a simple machine to craft the diya, which was assembled with the help of two professors from IIT Bombay. The process of making the diya is simple. It begins with mixing one litre of cow urine with 200 grams of the dung that is then left to soak overnight.

Curd, ghee and milk are then added to the mixture. On the side, neem, peepal and lime leaves are ground to form a dry paste. The two are then mixed and placed into a mould at a pressure of 900 to 1100psi, after which the diyas are left outside to dry. “We usually make 100 diyas in an hour,” he says. Additionally, from the making to disposal, no water is used. “In metro and Tier II cities, we identify women sellers who include this product in their business. In Chennai alone, there are 10 to 15 women engaged in this activity, with more looking to join,” he adds.

A community product that is created from bio-waste, Raman says that his technology is present in 150 districts across the country, and empowers over 1 lakh people. “I believe that the product must become significant in our daily lives, enforcing the need for sustainable living,” he concludes.

Kalyana Raman can be reached at 9820282083

Rice variety that is resistant to arsenic

Seeds made available after successful trials in both the wet season and dry season

Researchers have developed and commercialised a rice variety that is resistant to arsenic. Several studies have shown that arsenic from groundwater and the soil can enter the food chain through paddy.

West Bengal is among the States with the highest concentration of arsenic in groundwater, with as many as 83 blocks across seven districts having higher arsenic levels than permissible limits.

The new rice variety, Muktoshri — also called IET 21845 —, was developed jointly by the Rice Research Station at Chinsurah coming under West Bengal’s Agriculture Department and the National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow, over several years. A gazette notification for the commercial use of Muktoshri was made by West Bengal last year.

Bijan Adhikari, one of the scientists who worked on developing the variety, said that the State government’s decision to make the seeds available for cultivation came after successful trials in both the wet season and dry season in different blocks of the State. The trials were done in areas with arsenic contamination in groundwater, particularly in Nadia, North 24 Parganas, Bardhaman and Murshidabad.

“During our multilocational trials, we found that this variety uptakes very less amount of arsenic from soil and water in comparison to other varieties of rice. The variety yields 5.5 metric tonnes per hectare in the Boro season and 4.5 to 5 metric tonnes per hectare in the Kharif season, respectively,” said Mr. Adhikari.

Work on developing the variety started in 2006 and by 2013 the scientists were successful. Pradip Kumar Das, a farmer at Birnagar in Nadia district who cultivated the variety in over four hectares (30 bighas of land), said that the yield was satisfactory despite a dry spell.

“In Nadia, arsenic contamination is a major health problem. So far about 150 farmers are cultivating the variety and it is going to increase in next few years,” Mr. Das said. He said the rice was long and thin, and aromatic. Across the State, thousands of farmers have started cultivation, even in areas where arsenic in groundwater is not an issue, because of the aroma and the yield.

According to the World Health Organization, long-term exposure to arsenic, mainly through drinking water and food, can lead to poisoning. Skin lesions and skin cancer are the most characteristic effects.

Fulfil medical needs, bridal demands, etc with their pocket-friendly footwear

Fulfil medical needs, bridal demands and more with their pocket-friendly bespoke footwear 3 Feb 2020

How about designing your own footwear to match your outfit? Enter the Flying Cobbler.

Two years ago, Pranavnath G and his brother Kishen, launched the service, bringing cobbler services to customers’ doorsteps. “I wanted to identify talented cobblers who set up shop on the city’s pavements, provide them orientation, and employ them for a monthly pay. The idea is to empower them,” says Pranavnath, whose father is a leather exporter.

He set up a workshop at his father’s company and the team currently comprises a pattern designer and a master shoemaker, who supervise seven cobblers. They repair and refurbish used footwear. Now, they are being trained to handcraft footwear with various materials, customising them as per customers’ requirements.

Pranavnath says that he initiated service to make bespoke footwear affordable. Brides, for instance, when designing their wedding outfits, can set aside half a metre of the fabric and approach Flying Cobbler. “We will create footwear using the fabric on the upper region and insole, and for the base, we use thermoplastic rubbers for durability. The rest is made of leather,” explains Pranavnath.

The women’s range starts at ₹1,200. The team is game for upcycling as well: so you can give them an old silk sari or skirt to turn into a new pair of sandals.

Flying Cobbler recently collaborated with a men’s fashion store in the city for creating a line of shoes and sandals. “For these, we source suiting material even as customers place orders for getting them tailored,” he says, adding, “Every aspect of the design can be decided by customers: height of the heel, shape, size, design, embellishment if required, colour combinations, fabric to be used... We take their measurements accordingly.”

He adds that Flying Cobbler wishes to remain a B-to-C company, as they value direct interaction with end-users.

They also offer services for the differently-abled, people who have undergone feet injury. The company sends staff to measure the foot size of such customers, as well as showing them models to choose from. Pranav recently designed for a septuagenarian who had fractured his upper thigh. “He was finding it hard to walk in regular footwear, so we spent some time assessing his foot dimension. He had a mild limp and would drag his foot, so the sandals had to be very light. He also wanted slip-ons, instead of having to struggle with buckles,” he says.

He had also designed shoes for an accident victim whose feet were injured “The focus here is giving the most comfortable base, and ease of walking,” explains Pranavnath.

For individuals who do not have design ideas, Flying Cobbler provides design consultation. “Flip flops and sandals with cotton fabric on them are among our most popular products,” says Pranavnath, adding “College students love them since they are a pocket-friendly option.” Flying Cobbler ships across the country. For details, call 9500145832.

30 useful government apps every Indian should download

January 31, 2020

There’s an app for almost everything these days and as part of its Digital India initiative, the government of India has also been aggressively building apps for the citizens. These apps are for various government related services and for also different sections of the society. For instance, there are special apps for teachers, farmers, women, children. Here we list out 30 government apps that one should download or at least know about

112 App: For women’s safety

Mainly meant for women safety, through this app one can just by pressing a button or just pressing power button thrice, one can initiate call to the state emergency responses.

Bharat ke Veer: For contributing to families of Central Armed Police Forces’ soldiers

Through this mobile app, citizens can pay homage and contribute financially to the bereaved families of Central Armed Police Forces’ soldiers who laid down their lives in the line of duty.

DigiLocker: For safely keeping digital copies of important documents

Users can save digital copies of documents like driving license, PAN card on this app

mParivahan: For driving license and vehicle related information

An app to create copies of driving license, vehicle registration certificate among other things. It can come in handy if you’re ever ‘caught’ by traffic police in case of violating any traffic norms.

Yoga locator: For fitness and yoga enthusiasts

As the name suggests, the app helps people searching yoga trainers and centres in cities. Yoga trainers and centres can register themselves through this app also.

Sangam: For devotional and Indian classical music

An app for devotional music, Sangam features over 2500 devotional tracks in 24 Indian languages on themes such as mantras. It also has songs from classical music artists like Pt. Bhimsen Joshi, Ustad Bismillah Khan and others

mPassport: For passport related information

All passport related information is available on this app. Users can track passport application status and locate the nearest Passport Seva Kendra (PSK)

UMANG (Unified Mobile Application for New-age Governance)

The app version of the single-ticket window and brings together various government departments and their services on one platform.

Indian Police on Call

An app to locate the nearest police station. It has numbers of district control rooms and other important details related to local police.

Krishi Kisan: For new farming techniques

Another app for farmers, which can be used to see and learn about best practices of cultivation. The app also helps farmers in geo-fencing and geo-tagging of crops.

Khelo India: For sports and fitness enthusiasts

Khelo India App helps you to get information about various games, available sporting facilities nearby and also gives a fitness assessment of children.

Consumer app: For registering consumer complaints

The app is available in Hindi and English and can be used to file complaints and get redressal within 60 days

CHC Farm Machinery: For farmers to get machinery

With this app, farmers can select and order required farm machinery at feasible rates. It is available only on Google Play Store for Android smartphones.

UTS: For booking unreserved tickets

An app for those who want to book unreserved tickets on Indian Railways.

Aaykar Setu: For income tax and PAN card

One can apply for PAN, pay taxes among other things on this Income Tax department’s app.

ePathshala: For students and teachers

This app comes in handy for teachers and students who can access e-books on mobile devices and desktops.

cVigil: For “free and fair elections

An app by the Election Commission of India that helps in creating a fast-track complaint reception and redressal system regarding elections in the country

MADAD: For Indian citizens abroad

An app created by the Ministry of External Affairs for those Indian citizens who are in distress abroad. Do keep in mind grievances/queries related to visa and passport, emergency travel documents etc. won’t be answered through the app.

BHIM: For financial transactions

A popular app for carrying out financial transactions digitally. This Unified Payment Interface-based app helps in sending/receiving money among other things.

Startup India

An app for entrepreneurs to understand government initatives about startups.

DigiSevak: For citizen volunteers

App for citizen volunteers who, based on their skills and interest, can do voluntary work for various government departments.

MySpeed (TRAI): For data speed

Users can tell TRAI about their data speed, coverage area and other network related information through this app.

IRCTC: Indian Railways app

From booking train tickets to hotels to even flight tickets, the IRCTC app is for all travel-related needs

National Scholarships Portal: For students looking for scholarship

National Scholarships Portal (NSP) is one-stop solution for various scholarship schemes offered by various central Ministries and State Departments.

Incredible India: For tourism information

All tourism related information is available on this app.

Voter Helpline: App by the Election Commission of India

An app that acts as a single point service for voters. One can submit forms for new voter ID cards, do a search of names in electoral rolls among other things.

MyGov: Feedback, suggestions and ideas to the government

This app can be used to give feedback, suggestions to the government about its various schemes

Kisan Suvidha: For agriculture related information

This app is meant for farmers who can information like market prices, weather update and other details.

mKavach (Mobile security solutions)

This government app offers mobile security solutions like malware and one can even block spam messages and calls.

eBasta app: For teachers and students

An app for teachers and students to access ebooks and creating content/study material as well