Muzaffarnagar Baaqi Hai…( Muzaffarnagar Eventually) -- Documentary Review

Title: Muzaffarnagar Baaqi Hai…( Muzaffarnagar Eventually)

Time:  135 mins   Hindi with English subtitles.

A film directed by Nakul Singh Sawney. The film speaks to a cross section of people. It mainly reflects on the massacre which took place in Muzaffarnagar and Shamli districts of Uttar Pradesh. These two districts were known for their relative harmonious living and was one such place where people of all religion lived like minded. But this did not remain for long. It was disturbed by communal violence. This documentary narrates the real incidents which took place in Muzaffarnagar and Shamli districts and the way it has troubled peoples living even today. It resulted in loss of 100 people’s lives and more than 80,000 villagers had to lose their households. Muzaffarnagar Baaqi Hai…speaks on how the social economic as well as politics has been affected or influenced on the devastation of the villagers.

The documentary reveals the anti –Muslim massacre which had taken place in September 2013 and how the people of the area have not given up yet. The whole documentary is based on the actuality that had taken place here and it involves series of interviews with the victims and their families. The Samajwadi party which was the ruling government and the Kapp Panchayat has played a major role in creating communal conflict amongst the villagers. Be it a Hindu or a Muslim girl their rights are curtailed. There’s violence everywhere. The documentary is brought out in such a way to educate people, the society and bring awareness amongst everyone on such political groups which have been the cause for the riot. This has been happening time after time and some of the Muslim families have lost their entire belongings. The film speaks to the different sections of the society, how people have used caste identity with politics and created communal violence amongst the villagers. The Dalit politics in the district is also in highlights in the documentary.

Overall this film has brought a limelight on the frequent riots which take place here and the massacre of people and their household in Muzzafarnagar. Most of all it tries to alert the society especially on groups who are the sole reason for disrupting violence and who are the root cause of everything. A documentary one needs to watch to really know what’s going on in Muzzafarnagar and its bitter truth and especially on how it has affected its people’s lives.

Athirapilly-The magnificent' Niagara 'falls of India

It was the month of July. I was in my vacations and was attending the international youth conference at DRCM Chalakudy, Kerala. Once done with the conference I along with my friends just like every year planned to visit some tourist places nearby Thrissur and since it was the last day of the conference, at 2 p.m, Youth who had come for the conference some of them had already packed up back to their homes while others like me who had come in groups were excited to travel around. We hired a taxi from DRCM outskirts and asked the taxi driver to take us to some tourist spots nearby. And this is when he mentioned a few names like Chalakkudy river, Charpa, Vazhachal and  Athirapilly. He even described the above places and the exact location. And this is when we decided to go to this place called as ‘Athirapilly’. 

It took almost an hour to reach this place. Once we got down I found a no of stalls with eatables and a small kind of market. There was a counter for paying the entry fee. We had to pay Rs.15 per head and get the entry pass. Here was a board which read out ‘visiting time only from 8a.m to 6 p.m . 

Once done with the registration we had to walk on the interlocked path which took almost 10-15 minutes and then was a small portion of the semi-rock surface which led to the waterfall area. It was surrounded by a lot of greenery and bushy areas were one would really never get tired of walking. All the way there were monkeys snatching bags containing snacks from other tourists and so we had to be really very careful over our bags. 

While we were almost nearby, we could hear the rushing water and could even feel the water droplets splattering on our faces. Once we reached the waterfalls, we saw something which we did not see until then, something beautiful... Something which I would never stop thinking about. The natural splendor and the crystal flow of water had stolen my heart. It looked as if heaven met the earth.

A view of Athirapilly falls  Credit: Google Images


Since it was raining and we did not carry any extra clothes we could not dip ourselves in the water. I just immersed my feet in the gushing water and played around. It was monsoon and so it was in full spring. The climate kept changing once in 15mins.There was an instructor nearby who explained to us different things about this place. 

Athirapilly falls is also called as the 'Niagara Falls of India and is basically located in the Sholayar ranges of the Western Ghats. There was also a jungle safari visit were one can see the various  fauna including the endangered Great Indian Hornbill, the Lion-Tailed Macaque and the Nilgiri Langur.

By then it was already 6, so we had to leave the place. Overall the experience of traveling to Athirapilly falls was enthralling. I would love to visit this place again.

Aylen Kurdi-a limelight on Syrian Violence

A Turkish police officer carries Aylan’s body.
Image Courtesy:The guardian.com

The picture which took the media by storm, the graphic of a 3Yr old Syrian boy is now one of the most important topics in discussion. This photograph quickly spread around the world, prompting an international response. The picture was of a Syrian young boy named ‘Aylan Kurdi’ who was in the headlines around the world, was found dead on a beach in Bordun, Turkey.

This was the picture which went viral all through the media and most of them gave pessimistic remarks. While some of them shared using social media others tried to inspect this picture and found the facet of it. Some of the media organisations published it with a warning note.

This picture was discussed the most and what came to light is not only the mystery behind it but also revealed the massacre taking place in Syria which most of us ever had a clear idea about.While some of them crosschecked and found out the specifics others just went ahead sharing it. 

But the question arises on whether media should publish such kind of graphics or not?! Is what being discussed. But the reality is that this picture can make one emotional, and the concept of sensationalism of media is also outspoken. But it is also important to note that this photograph has made us aware on the brutality taking place in and around Syria and stand up against such false groups who slaughter people to death in the name of religion.

Monsoon food

                                         

Jackfruit Chip's 

A cool season, a cool breeze and more than everything else is the heavy showers that puts on an end to the summer and gives the majestic entry of rainy season. The cool breeze which flows around reminds us of the hot spicy dishes one would crave to have. 

Like every year it is rainy season again and it is time to indulge in eating lip smacking spicy dishes. We remember of those old days were our grandparents used to cook these special dishes during the arrival of monsoon. It was a must in every home. 

With the advent of rainy season a no of varieties of food are being prepared to quench the desire of eating oily fried food. Along with the coolness of this season we relish the sweet aroma of jack fruits. 
The raw form of jack fruits are treated with the salt marinated water and kept in store which are later on used for the monsoon, and the ripened ones are being used to make a variety of sweet flavor dishes.

Uppad Pachir

In earlier days, when children came home from schools soaking wet, women of house served them with oil fried crispy snacks like jack fruit chips, jack fruit fritters to quench their desire of eating something tasty.  Along with children, elderly grandparents also crave for these crispy fried aromatic foods.



A custom of cooking these dishes has been passed on from generations to generations. This has been one of the most preserved cultures.
A variety of dishes are seen which are cooked using jack fruit like the jack fruit fritters/jack fruit appa( ghariyo), jack fruit ada( ponsa patholi), jack fruit chips, santane (dried and roasted form of jack fruit seeds), ponsa gharai, uppad pachir and the usage of turmeric( haldi) leaves in the preparation of  arasina ele ghattihaldi patholi.

Patholi (jack fruit ada) is a signature dish of Konkani cuisine.

Ponsa Patholi

Haldi Patholi is a sweet rice dumpling steamed in turmeric leaves. It is a aromatic dumpling with sweet coconut filling inside a thin rice batter coating. A thin, long rice cake packed in a slender, delicate and fragrant turmeric leaf.
The seasonal fruits which are widely seen during monsoon mainly the jack fruit and haldi plants which grow in rainy season are used in the preparation of these dishes.

Haldi Patholi

In olden days there was no fast food, in its place our grandparents used to eat home prepared snacks and dishes. 
For early morning breakfast pathrode, ponsa patholi was served, and this was the reason for their healthy lifestyle which is now been replaced to junk foods by today’s generation.
Other than these vegetables like varieties of gourd, colocasia leaves, raw mango chutney would be used in this season.


One famous dish in the konkan coastal area during this season is pathrode.Pathrode is a special dish prepared using colocasia leaves. These leaves are usually grown in the rainy season in the backyards of most of the houses in Mangalore.

Pathrode

In Konkan part, pathrode is made as a steamed dumpling wrapped in a leaf. As per Maharastrian cuisine the leaves are smeared with a spicy, tangy masala paste and stacked upon each other.And while it comes to non vegan eaters’ dry fish is being used since fresh water fish cannot be found during rainy season.Seafood which is the main source for non vegan eaters especially in the coastal areas, is usually prepared over wood and coal fires in kitchen which is highly traditional here.
The idea that there would be no fishing during the season would use this method. They also dry salt and store fish for consuming in monsoon.

Roasted Prawn Chutney

Ganji oota (congee) along with dry fish fry and roasted prawn chutney is one of the best meals a non vegan eater would like to savor during this season.The cold wind and the pouring rain would enhance the taste of these hot flavored dishes.
Now all these products have entered into the international market. 
Exhibition of varieties of jack fruit and its products are to be seen all over the world, were there is a huge response from the customers.

The old traditions have stepped back into our country as well as also penetrated into the gulf which has brought about a great demand for jack fruit and other monsoon varieties.
The old tradition of consuming these seasonal healthy foods has now been back with a demand for a healthy lifestyle. The authenticity of these foods is very high and the season is back so now it’s mine and your time to relish their flavor again.

                                                                    
Credits:Google Images