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Sunday, October 28, 2007

Herbal juices: keeps diseases at bay

A recent study revealed that popularity of herbal juices is currently on the rise for their ability to provide natural immunity against common and some critical ailments.

Nothing new, I assume. It’s our centuries old Ayurveda which we completely ignored so far for the sake of instant-relief packages of cosmetic medicines. How ironical that could be – re-imposing faith on our home-grown assets only after they find credibility on foreign soils. Nevertheless, the Vedic rishis got their dues finally; albeit very late. Below is a chart that shows how some of the herbal juices can keep you out of heavy medical expenses with minimum investments. Health is wealth after-all.

neem leaves Neem juice: A liver stimulant that also purifies blood. Good for Diabetes, Chronic fever, cough, Dysentery and Skin diseases.



karela Karela juice: A natural Pancreas stimulant: good for Diabetes, Indigestions, and Chronic fever.



tulasi Tulasi & Pudina juice:Good for heart, cold, cough, Asthma, and controls Cholesterol; purifies blood.



ginger Ginger & Lime juice: Good for digestion, Gas troubles, cold, cough, and throat infections.




amla Amla juice: Rich in vitamin C; useful for eye, Hair & Heart, good appetite, acidity, and Petic Osteo Arthritic Gynaecological problem. Helps in stopping white hair growth and rejuvenation therapy.



kokam Kokam juice (Garcinia indica): Good for skin diseases, reduces acidity and useful in absorbing summer heat.



jamun, the blackberry Jamun juice (Black berry): Good digestive drink: specially good for diabetics; controls burning sensations, boils, and skin problems.



carrot Carrot juice: Rich with vitamin A and nutrition for health and eyesight.




bel-patra leaves Belpatra juice (Aegle Marmelos): Good for Diabetes, stone problem, and Joint pains.




beet root Beet Root juice: Helps increasing Hemoglobin and purifies blood. Good for weakness and eyesight.



wheat grass Wheat Grass juice: Good for Blood Pressure (High & Low), acidity, Asthma, Piles, and Anemia etc.

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Wednesday, October 17, 2007

Festivals: Or sheer Disposals?

For various reasons, festivals fail to bring any special flavors to me anymore. They all look the same; the perpetual waste of resources galore. What makes me sad is the sheer amount of waste--money, effort, natural resources, and what not! imagine a little of these going to the needy. The consumptions and their subsequent disposals in the name of God/Goddess are extra ordinary. Cant we prune them a little and give it away some where else? may be the poor kid you see everyday on your way, the old sick lady on the foot path... only a little off your spending budget can enlighten their life, albeit for a brief moment.

Wish you all a very happy Durga Puja / Dusshera / Eid / Navratri...

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Tuesday, October 9, 2007

Save A Child: An Appeal from Loksiksha Parishad

Loksiksha Parishad, the development unit of RKM Narendrapur, has been engaged to carry welfare and development work following the ideas of Swami Vivekananda from its very inception.

It has embarked upon a task of integrated rural development in about 4,000 remote villages of 12 districts of west Bengal, especially the child development because it believes in holistic approach of development in which child plays the central role.

Child development activities consist of education for the pre-school children through 600 early childhood education centres, non-formal education for the children in the age group of 6-14 years and 350 mobile physical fitness units covering about 50,000 children within its area of operation.

The Details of the Appeal is here

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Monday, October 8, 2007

Subho Pujo

Aar daWsh din por-e pujo.

Tar mane, paanch din pore mahalaya, shokal chArte-te ghum theke uthe akashbani-r shei haunting tune ta. Aar aro haunting oi "matlo re bhuban, bajlo tomar alor benu". bochorer ai ekta din coffee allowed chilo..i wish, i really wish.



joy goswami ekbar likhechilo:

shorir anonde pure khak,
kal bhore ponchishe bosihakh"...

Economy of words, so powerful. Ei raate anonde pure khak howa, kal bhore mohaloya; eta ekta habit chilo, ekta obhyash. I wish again.


Narendrapur-e shokal charte-te uthe radio shonar dour kokhono hoyeni (block-er kone maharaj-er ghorer shamne, dining hall e worker ra, onek jayegate kintu sujog chhilo )...kintu shedin shokale prayer hall-e ekta lomba "oi giri nandini, nandito medini, bishwa birupini, nandanu te" hoto. Abaar shei shorir anonde pure khak. Dilipda, jituda-r ekta pet gaan chilo -- "dosh haate oi, dosh dike ma, choriye elo anondo, ghore ferar bajlo banshi, boichhe batash shumndo..anondo re, anondo" -- i could literally hear the banshi. Shedin amader usually monthly test-er last exam thakto. Seshob mathaye uthechhe...bari kokhon jabo....ar shai bari ferar pothe raater kolkata...raastar mor-e mor-e pandel bandha hoye gechhe...jeno ek ekta jomat bandha anondo.




deshantori chele meye,
mayer kole elo dheye,
shishir nir-e elo neye,
snigdho okal boshonto,
anondo re, anondo"

.... deshantori chhele, huhh...i wish, i sincerely wish.

Shebar, 1997 er pujo. Shei usual madox square-e shobai meet korechhi. Atri (chasha), arunabha onek deri kore elo. Partha (traang) sharadin-er jonno esechilo, raate bari firbe bolchhe. Anindya (Gupi) aar aami chesta chalachhi oke kono bhabe atke rakhar. Shara raat theke kalke shokal shokal kete porlai to holo. Naa, Jagulia naki onek beshi cool. Chasha-o bolchhe thakte parbe na--borojor raat barota. Beriye pora jak tahole. Ekta anonde shorir ta purchhe...this collective happiness...pujor lighting e notun jama gulo kemon adbhut onnorokom dekhaye. Moloy bolchhe bari firbe. trang-ke kichhutei raji korano jachhe na. Gupi ekhon phik phik kore haschhe. Thik achhe, porer bochor ar jholash na. Porer bochor hobe; aschhe bochor abar hobe....

I wish i knew that was going to be my last pujo till date, ten years...i wish, i wish from the depth of my soul.

Aamar mayer mukher haashi,
sharat aalor kiron raashi
komol bone uthchhe bhashi,
mayer gayer shugondho,
anondo re, anondo


"shubho pujo" to all of you...

Author: Saikat (Ghota) Ghosh is a 1993 madhyamik alumnus, presently doing his Post Doctorate in MIT, USA.


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US Officials visit Narendrapur


U.S. Trade Representative Susan C. Schwab accompanied by senior U.S. Government officials, meets with Swami Viswamayananda (Tushar da) of the Ramakrishna Mission during her brief visit to the mission’s production centre at Arapanch near Narendrapur, April 14, 2007. Ambassador Schwab was on a daylong visit to Kolkata...

[Photo source: US embassy site (New Delhi) ]



U.S. Consul General Henry V. Jardine interacts with farmes whose paddy harvests have increased with more efficient use of natural resources. The program is under the U.S. Government-funded grant project to the NGO Ramakrishna Mission. U.S. fund grantee Narendrapur Ramakrishna Mission Lok Siksha Parishad Director Swami Asaktananda (Bishnu da) is seen escorting him.

[Photo source: US Consulate site (Kolkata) ]

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