ओरहन...

कइसे सुधरी अपना यूपी आ बिहार के दिन दशा

noreply@blogger.com (विजय शंकर पांडेय) — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 10:12:00 +0000

आजू मंगलवार तीन फरवरी 2009 के अखबारन में दूगो खबर पढ़िके बड़ा अफसोस भइल। जागरण में पूर्णिया से राजीव कुमार लिखत बाड़न कि कोसी के सैकड़ों बेटी बस एक राति खातिर दुलहिन बने खातिर लाचार बाड़िन सन। बरैटा के केवल मंडल के बेटी रेखा के शादी पंजाब से आइल लइका संगे कइल गइल। बिआह कइके गइला के बाद उ फेरु वापस ना लौटल। ओकर राह देखत-देखत ओकर बाप भी चल बसलन। अइसहीं बेटिन के राह देखत-देखत सैकड़ों माइ-बाबु के आंख पथरा जाता। लेकिन उन्हीन के कहीं पता नइखे चलत।
पूर्णिया के गढ़बनैली के बरैटा, लखीटोला, राधानगर, पार्कटोला, हजारीबगान एवं कालीबाड़ी में पांच सौ के करीब लइकि बिआह के बाद से लापता बाड़िन सन। गरीबी के चलते एह इलाका के लोग आपन बेटिन के महज पांच से दस हजार रुपया पर बेचे खातिर लाचार बाड़न। सौदागर बिआह के नाटक रचा एहि लइकिन के ले जात बाड़न फेरु कौनो आह पता नइखे चलत।
दोसर खबर हिन्दुस्तान में ललितपुर से संजीव बजाज लिखत बाड़न कि बेड़िया समुदाय में परंपरा के नाम पर आजुओ मासूम लइकिन के देहि के सौदा हो रहल बा। बुंदेलखंड के कला संस्कृति के बात जुबा पर अइला पर लोगबाग के दिमाग में आजुओ लंबा घुंघट में नाचत मेहरारू के छवि उभरेला। ललितपुर जिला मुख्यालय से 70 किलोमीटर दूर बसल बा गांव रनगांव। मड़ावरा ब्लाक के एह गांव में राई लोक नृत्य करे वाला बेड़िया समुदाय के लोगन के बहुलता बा। एहिजा परिवार के पेट पाले के जिम्मेदारी मेहरारून के बा। राई नृत्य उहे कइ सकेला जेकर सिरढंका हो गइल बा। सिरढंका यानी एइसन मर्द से संबंध बनावल, जे पहिले से ही बिअहल हखे। एह सबंध के बदौलत बच्चों पैदा होलन सन लेकिन ऊ नाजायज औलाद ही कहलालन सन। अगर दया मया रहल त बेड़िन के खर्चा सिरढंका करे वाला मर्द चलावेला। ना त उ एहि धरती पर नरक भगे खातिर अभिशप्त बिया। गणतंत्र दिवस परेड में राई नृत्य पर ताली बजावे वाली राष्ट्रपति प्रतिभा पाटिल, सर्वशक्तिमान कांग्रेस अध्यक्ष सोनिया गांधी आ दिल्ली के मुख्यमंत्री शीला दीक्षित का एहि तथ्य से वाकिफ बा लोग। इक्कीसवीं सदी में हिन्दुस्तानी बेटिन के इ दशा का सोचे खातिर विवश नइखे करत

भोजपुरी बिटिया होठकटनी के कमाल

noreply@blogger.com (विजय शंकर पांडेय) — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 19:46:00 +0000

मीरजापुर के पिंकी जाई लॉस एंजिल्स। हां भई, बनारस के दुर्गाकुण्ड इलाका में स्थित बैंक्वेट हॉल में मीगन मायलन निर्देशित फिल्म स्माइल पिंकी के देखे खातिर लोगन के हुजूम बियफे के उमड़ पड़ल। एहि सनीमा में एगो मासूम बिटिया पिंकी के मामिर्क कहानी बयान कइल गइल बा। एहि फिल्म के थीम बा कि होठकटनी बिटिया कइसे मासूम मुस्कान बिखेरतिया।
फिल्म दशर्कन के पूर्वी उत्तर प्रदेश के मीरजापुर के एगो छोट गांव रामपुर ढ़बही ले गइल, जहवां पिंकी नावके एगो भाग्यशाली बच्ची बिया। क्लाइमेक्स में खुशी आ उत्साह से भरपूर माहौल में इ लइकी हंसत-खेलत स्कूले जा तिया। एहि पिंकी के बनारस में अखबार आ मीडियावालन से भेंट करवलन सतीश कालरा। डॉ. कालरा बतवलन कि भारत में होठकटल दस लाख बच्चन में मात्र डेढ़ लाख के आपरेशन भइल बा। एह साल 45 हजार बच्चन के नसीब बदलेके लक्ष्य बा। भविष्य में कोशिश बा कि आपरेशन के फंडिंग भारत के भी लोग-बाग करे।
खैर इ सब त भविष्य के बात बा। अभी भोजपुरियन के गौरव पिंकी आस्कर के दहलीज पर दस्तक दे तिया। तनी छाती उतान कइके बोलीं सभे..जय हे.. जय भोजपुरिया

मुंबई में शहीद भइलन केरल मूल के भोजपुरी भाषी

noreply@blogger.com (विजय शंकर पांडेय) — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 17:36:00 +0000

आतंकियन संग लोहा लेत मुंबई में जान गववलन मेजर संदीप उन्नीकृष्णनन के ओरहन परिवार की ओर से भाव में भीजल श्रद्धांजलि, जे मूलतः केरल के निवासी रहलन, बिहार रेजिमेन्ट के भोजपुरी भाषी जवान रहलन, आ मुंबई में शहीद भइलन । हमन के सहयोगी शैलेश मिश्र (sailesh_cool@yahoo.com) के सौजन्य से प्रस्तुत बा टाइम्स आफ इंडिया के एगो रिपोर्ट
Keralite, who spoke Bhojpuri & died for Mumbai

Mumbai: Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan led a life that most of our politicians- who have made it their job to divide people on grounds of region and religion would never understand. Bred in the syncretic culture of the Indian army, Unnikrishnan was a Keralite who spoke Bhojpuri, lived in Bangalore and died fighting for Mumbai. Unnikrishnan was an officer of the Bihar Regiment. After completing training at the Indian Military Academy in Dehradun, he moved to the Bihar Regimental Centre (BRC) at Danapur in Bihar in June 1999. "At BRC, a newly commissioned officer is taught the history of the regiment, culture of the men he would command and also the local traditions of the troops," said an officer who has served with the Bihar Regiment. In Unnikrishnan' s own batallion, 7 Bihar, the men in the Alpha and Charlie company are drawn largely from Orissa, while those in the Bravo and Delta company are from north Bihar. Soldiers from tribes such as Santhal, Ho, Oraon and Munda as well as Rajputs and Bhumihars served under Unnikrishnan' s command. Thus not only did he learn to speak Bhojpuri but also participated in their festivals, including the much politicised chhath puja. Unnikrishnan was with the Bihar Regiment until 2006, when he went to NSG on deputation. He topped the 'Ghatak' test-the most difficult drill of the Indian army-twice there. It is a test where soldiers have to survive for several days in extremely hostile conditions. Unnikrishnan led his jawans in Rajasthan and the icy heights of Gulmarg. Havaldar Shambhu Nath Jha, who served with him for seven years, remembers him as an epitome of courage and discipline. "Once you are an officer you follow the customs of your men with complete gusto. Hindu officers of Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry sit down with their men on Id and offer namaz because a majority of the soldiers are Muslim. There is no murmur of region or religion, we all know we serve the Indian army," said the same officer who was in 7 Bihar. Similarly, officers in the Sikh Regiment go to the gurudwara and join in the langar that follows. "I knew a Colonel from Sikh Regiment who was a Maharashtrian but spoke the most chaste Punjabi I have ever heard," said retired Colonel R P Tripathi. Thus when the news of Unnikrishnan' s death at Taj Hotel in Mumbai spread, not only did mourners gather in Bangalore and Kerala but the jawans of BRC assembled at Danapur to remember a young Malayali lieutenant who became a part of their regimental family and has today gone on to make each soldier of the Bihar Regiment proud by laying down his life for Mumbai. (TOI)

गुयाना स्टाइल में हिंसा

noreply@blogger.com (विजय शंकर पांडेय) — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 14:15:00 +0000

ओरहन भोजपुरी भाषी भाई-बंधु लोगिन के आपन मंच ह। पिछले दिनो मिलल "Lloyd Harradan" के एगो ईमेल पढि़के बड़ा मन में पीड़ा भइल। एहिसे एहिमे हम रउवो सभन के साझेदार बनावल चाहत बानी। एकरा के ओरहन के मंच पर विचार मंथन बदे जस के तस पेश कइल जा रहल बा
-ओरहन मॉडरेटर
The November issue of the Indo-Caribbean Times can be accessed online at www.esnips.com/ web/Indo- CaribbeanTimes.
Some articles from this issue:CANADA Ravi Dharamdial was a victim of targeted black violence Guyana style In memory of Rajiv Dharamdial26,000 Indo-Caribbeans are ready for our retirement, but most of us are without a plan Santan Dharm Educational Foundation of CanadaFinding a Way out of the Current Economic Crisis
Canada headed for recession
TRINIDADTrinidad Crime TrendsPolice discover artists sketches
GUYANAGuyana Crime Trends
CARIBBEAN British brought ganja to the Caribbean
Ravi Dharamdial was a victim of targeted black violence Guyana style Shootings, gang violence, and school intimidation have flared recently in the GTA. Beyond the human cost of the violence, these incidents are alarming because they create an environment of intimidation which degrades the learning process in schools. Ravi Dharamdial was a straight-A student in Brampton with a promising future, until he was stabbed to death last month by black schoolmates whose identities are protected by the Young Offender's Act. The stabbing took place outside school property, but recent investigations reveal an atmosphere of fear and violence within schools as well. Brathwaite Secondary School youth worker Everton Clennon suggested that in Peel region, black youth feel 'seething anger' over alleged discrimination, which has created a climate of conflict and division with South Asian students. Ram Dharamdial, uncle of the deceased, revealed that Ravi and other Indian youth have been subjected to bullying and racial violence by black students in schools. Many Canadian South Asians come from the Caribbean, where ironically they suffered from black oppression and fled to Canada seeking a better life. Trinidad and Guyana are split demographically between (mostly) Hindus and blacks.. Caribbean Hindu immigrants have prospered here and built magnificent temples like the Richmond Hill Vishnu Mandir. Many arrived here fleeing what is euphemistically called ' worsening socio-economic conditions' in their homelands. These conditions involve waves of black crime, violence, and intimidation in Trinidad and Guyana which has systematically targeted the Indian business and professional communities. In these nations, blacks dominate the military and police, while Indians make up the merchant and professional classes. This is similar to the situation in the 1970s, when African dictator Idi Amin had expelled all Indians from Uganda. This community formed the educated and wealthy business class, and their removal caused Uganda's economic collapse. Many fled to the UK, and established themselves so well that Britain's Indian community is wealthier than the white majority. Canada can also reap benefits from Hindu-Caribbean emigres, provided that the community feels secure from the type of crime that they fled. This visible minority community has overcome challenges, including racism, to excel scholastically and economically here. Unfortunately, some black youth seem to have headed in a different direction. Issues of crime and high school drop-out rates have been a scourge of the
community.Some proposed solutions to these issues actually exacerbate the problem. The Safe Schools Act, which attempted to foster a safe learning environment by expelling violent trouble-makers, was alleged to have resulted in the disproportionate expulsion of black students. Political pressure resulted in the Act being watered down, with emphasis on alternatives to expelling thugs.Faced with low academic performance, political pressure from the black community has also resulted in the creation of 'black-focused classes', with its associated expense to taxpayers.Our educational mandarins need to ponder why Chinese and Hindu students, despite being visible minorities, seem to excel in school, are not adversely affected by the Safe Schools Act, and do well without the benefit of any 'Asian-focused' curriculum.We can only hope that Canadian businesses anduniversities will not succumb to political correctness by pretending that graduates of these 'black focussed classes' are equivalent to mainstream grads.The trouble is that all these proposed solutions are attempts at black self-segregation, which echo the attitudes that led to the disasters in the Caribbean and elsewhere in the black world.These solutions assume that the same curriculum which everyone follows is inappropriate for black students, so blacks must have their own separate program. The same safe-school laws which create no problems for Asian and white students are a disaster for black students, so the laws must be changed to please them.The soft bigotry of low expectations rears its ugly head. Black students get the toxic message that they cannot follow the same rules or educational coursework under which every other community achieves success.The community will never succeed under such assumptions. Afro-Canadian leaders are serving the community poorly by segregating themselves from others in this manner, just as Afro-Caribbeans damaged their nations by driving out the educated Hindu talent.Do blacks imagine that society won't see the sheer hypocrisy of bleating about alleged 'white racism', when blacks themselves oppress Hindus at every opportunity?This community needs to stop saddling everyone with guilt and address the bigotry and hate within their own dysfunctional society. Only then will they achieve anything close to success.Ron Banerjee is a director with the Canadian Hindu Advocacy
How Rajiv died At 3:41 p. m. on Tuesday October 14, in a field often used by teenagers as a shortcut to Brampton's Sandalwood Heights Secondary School, Rajiv Dharamdial dialed 911 on his cellphone. He had been stabbed, and he needed help.Before he was rushed to the hospital where he would be pronounced dead, the 14-year-old gave police important clues that would help lead them to his killers.Rajiv, known
as Ravi by friends and family, was "a model citizen, and a really good student," police said..Ravi had been walking home with friends after school was let out on Tuesday afternoon, when the group parted ways at a construction zone near Airport Road and Sandalwood Parkway East that is a popular shortcut. Police believe he was followed, then stabbed more than once, but why, they do not know. The attackers were described by police as for two black teens, 14 to 16 years old. One is 5-foot-1 to 5-foot-3, has a slim build and hair styled in short corn rows. The second suspect is taller and was wearing a brown hooded sweatshirt, dark jeans, a brown baseball cap with a gold sticker, and Air Jordan or Air Force Nike running shoes.In memory of Rajiv Ravi DharamdialRajiv, Idid not, in life, know you but I wish I had. However, if a picture can tell a thousand words yours can tell ten times that. Below your wide forehead crowned by radiant dark hair is a pair of scholarlydeep - set eyes.A well formed nose below which a pair of sensuous lipsabove the upper lies the outlinesof a moustache that was yet to be. All the above held in placeby a pointed chin clothed in beautiful brown skin giving the wholea handsome demeanour.From all and sundrythe word is spreadthat you were an ideal son!that you were an ideal brother!that you were an ideal friend!that you were a scholar! But lo!loping behind two wild dogs on hunt whose intent was to single outand wantonly kill. And nature in its vilest form parsed your threesome and presented a most uncharitable predatory opportunity. Touched by the hand of Lucifer with conscience gone malignant thoughts of murder filled their vacuous minds and reason,if there were any, hadtaken an early flight. With knives unsheat'd and fangs dripping they close the circle and aim for the kill. With mettle uncommon more than they could think you fought them off and hoped they'd retreat. But these wounded compositions of Dams and rabid dogs arose in new rage baying at your heels. Oh horror! a most sacrilegious murder! alas! at fourteen you fell and at fourteen hundred hours! all is lost! What was lost? and what was gained? Civilzed society has lost a scholar - citizen and Brampton has gained diseased animals twain! Oh! what a shame only to be sure They will kill again. A family rended a house broken grief goes unassuaged. When the snow has come and gone o'er and o'er again it'ould be Rajiv's wish that all move on with hope anew. Rajiv. Where ever you are on the Halcyon field I do not know it is my fervent wish that it is infinitely better, friendlier and always peaceful. ANONYMOUS. 26,000 Indo-Caribbeans are ready for our retirement, but most of us are without a planBy Ram JagessarWe discovered some eye-opening and some scary things about Indo-Caribbean seniors when the editorial committee of the Indo-Caribbean Times had a discussion earlier this month. Among the eye-openers: 26,000 of us are now of retirement age of 65 or older, or 13% of the 200,000 Indo-Caribbean population in Canada. Our seniors will grow to 21% of our community in another 20 years, and most of us can expect to reach the Canadian life expectancy of 82 for men and 85 for women. Booking for 20 years of retirement after reaching 65 is only reasonable, and some of us will hit 100 years.Among the scary things: Most of our retiring or retirement age seniors (and our children) have no retirement plan, no idea how much it will cost and how it will be financed. By age 85 around one third of seniors will have dementia, a group of diseases that includes Alzheimer's, and will require long term care in a nursing home, which now costs $43,000 a year. Many of us are clinging to vague ideas that we will stay with one of our children until we die, or that we will head back to Caribbean homelands like Guyana or Trinidad to retire. neither of whichis likely to happen.Our committee realized that like most Indo-Caribbeans, we had not really thought seriously and practically about retirement in Canada where we live. This is not a matter for seniors alone, but for entire families and the whole community. As a community newspaper we have a duty to raise the discussion and get the community looking more closely at the retirement issue. This is a brief summary of some of the points that came up in our discussion.Most of us Indo-Caribbeans came here as young or middle aged people, so we have little practical experience of retirement and ageing issues. We assume that our retirement will be Caribbean style retirement, where the parents stay with one ore more of the children until we die. The problem with that "remain with the children" routine is that it's not guaranteed to work. There is no guarantee that children will remain near where they grew up with parents in Canada. Canadians move around a lot and they could move to the other side of the country, to the United States, or anywhere else in the world. Children or their spousesmay not want to keep ageing parents with them, especially if the child marries someone outside our culture. Children may just be unable to keep a parent with them if the parent has dementia or requires extensive care at home. These days most partners work, and you can't leave some parents alone at home all day.As for retiring back in the Caribbean, practical experience shows that very, very few are doing it when the time comes for retirement, probably less than five percent of Indo-Caribbean retirees. Quite a few who try it are back in Canada within two years. There's no OHIP or Canada style medicare in the Caribbean, and the hospital system in places like Guyana and Trinidad canbe terrifying. Many seniors don't want to retire away from children and grandchildren. We're shocked to find that we have few friends back in the Caribbean after twenty or thirty years living in Canada, and many of the younger relatives don't know us at all. The Caribbean can be a frustrating, expensive, racist, backward place to live for a person used to life in Canada.There are at least four stages of retirement life, starting with independent living where you are healthy and able to take care of yourself, then assisted living when you may need some help with cooking, and housekeeping. Twenty four hour nursing care comes when you can't take care of yourself at all and required paid professionals- children cannot handle this. Finally, there's palliative care, when people care for you in your last days before death. All these stages require different housing needs and different levels of financing. It's likely that most seniors will not want to spend the winter months in Canada when they don't have to stay. We have to figure out in advance where we will spend those winter months - whether it's British Columbia, Florida, Cuba,somewhere in the Caribbean, India, Panama, Latin America, or even Australia, Do we want to buy a condo or beach house or mobile home, or rent a place or stay in a hotel. If we retire in the home country where will we live? Housing and money are big issues for seniors and our children too. You may not need that big family home when the children have left, so do you rent out part of it or sell and move to a smaller place? You may not want to give the family home to one of your children, as you will likely need money for later retirement. Remember that $43,000 a year for nursing care, which will not be covered by old age pension and a company pension. We know our people don't like living in typical mainstream retirement homes, but how many Indo-Caribbean retirement communities do we have? Only a handful, it seems, and certainly not nearly enough for 26,000 seniors we have today. We are far behind most other ethnic communities when it comes to seniors homes and have a lot of catchup to do. Most of us don't even know what is working for Indo-Caribbean seniors in Canada and what is not, what other communities are doing well, or what outside help we can get with our retirement issues. There are plenty of seniors' horror stories out there. Seniors have made wrong decisions about money and relied on relatives whobetrayed them. Some seniors are living out their last days in misery. Seniors have dumped unbearable burdens on their children and in-laws. Some children have destroyed their health and their families trying to take care of sick and ageing parents.But there are also some good news bonuses about Indo-Caribbean seniors and retirees. People have organized their retirement well, and found decent options for wintering in warm climates. Some children have bravely and successfully taken care of parents in their old age. Some of us have retired back in the Caribbean without regrets. Some of our retirees are truly living out their "golden years" in Canada.The thing is that the majority of our community do not know of the good news or the bad news, or the true state of the issue. The Indo-Caribbean Times would like to do our share to put the issue higher on the community agenda.Ram Jagessar ictimes@rogers. comSANTAN DHARM EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION OF CANADABy Omesh SharmaA few individuals who thought that we can all improve the way knowledge of Hinduism was being taught have formed this organization. They felt that there is a need to ensure that the fundamentals should be more easily available to the public particularly youths and others who areinterested in learning more about a value system thousands of years old.Initially they decided to make copies of a pocket-sized version of the GITA available and this has been a tremendous success. Thus far the consistent efforts of only a few dedicated individuals have resulted in the distribution of over 30,000 copies and another 15,000 are on its way from India.From September 26 to 28 a group of 5 from Toronto attended the Hindu Mandir Executive Conference in Michigan, USA to participate in a 3-day conference attended by over 100 temples in North America.The Educational Foundation distributed 250 Gitas as each delegate at the conference was given a complimentary copy. In fact many of the delegates for the first time learnt about the activities of Hindus from Guyana and Trinidad. One of the guest speakers who impressed the audience was Sat Maharaj, who spoke of a system in Trinidad where teachers are paid by the Govt. but who were hired by non-governmental Hindu Schools. He invited them to visit Trinidad to see "Little India".
THE RAMAYANThe success of the distribution of the Gita gave birth to the next text The Ramayan written by Rajagopalachari, described as the conscience-keeper of Mahatma Gandhi. He was Home Minister, and first Governor General of India. This is only one of the many texts written by Rajaji and published by the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan. The book is such a great pleasure to read that many are taking dozens, as it is the best gift for children not exposed to the wisdom of the Vedic civilization. Ramnarine Sahadeo, President of the Foundation emphasizes the promotion of EDUCATION and describes the Ramayan as one of the best love stories in the world. He regrets that it was not taught in secondary schools when Romeo and Juliet was the diet of the times but it is time to enlighten our children to another version of Love. Whether one considers the tribulations of King Dasrath's love life or
the sacrifices and devotion of Ram and Sita the book exposes us to the clash of values, different opinions and how they can be resolved. As page 472 states IN LOVE THAT IS NOT OPPOSED TO DHARMA WE FIND A MANIFESTATION OF GOD The Foundation would like to see small groups distributing and discussing these basic texts. It is also hoping that those who can teach or otherwise willing to participate can join in the effort to pass on to our children knowledge that must now be taught in a classroom like atmosphere and this can be at any social gathering. It could be at a private function e.g. a funeral or a birthday party or even a regular Sat-Sangh at someone's home followed by discussion of basic Vedic principles.Roy Singh who has been involved in Vedanta activities for decades sees a glaring need for teaching in his interactions with many who have been Hindus all their lives. This becomes quite obvious when he meets someone who says " I have one already". The same person has 50 pairs of shoes and will buy another pair next week, but an extra supply of Gitas or Ramayan for friends and relatives in countries around the world, or even neighbours here is not yet an idea that appeals to many. It is clear that these lifelong devotees do not see it as their DUTY to pass it the message to others. Some have grown up reading very little, while others think that the task belongs to someone else. Fortunately the success of the movement to this stage has been those people who take a few hundred each year and then distribute it to others who may or may not offer a donation in turn. These devotees believe and practice what they read in the Gita: "The one who shall help propagation of this supreme, secret philosophy shall be performing the highest devotional service to Me and shall certainly come to Me. No one on the earth shall be more dear to Me." (Gita 18.68-69)Syd Deonarine is one of those who have always made a big difference. He assists in sending Gitas to Guyana when someone like Trevor Subryan has donated hundreds to his village of birth but has no time to devote to the shipping. Syd and others also makes contacts with serious individuals back home and here so that the mandirs and village leaders in the old country can set up a system of distribution and discussion.Some priests are now more active in their leadership roles and ensure that a supply of gitas is always at the mandir while others are taking the texts to private functions and distributing them to children as a gift. No matter whether it is Christmas, diwali, or a birthday knowledge is still one of the best gifts and Vedic knowledge is the most universal and practical of them all. We all have a DUTY to share it with mankind.The Educational Foundation is looking for individuals who have reached the realization that they are performing that DUTY when they always carry a supply of gitas in their car, their homes and their places of work. Membership inquiries contact jagdishsingh@ hotmail.com 905 487 0940 Those interested in teaching small groupscall Chandan Persaud 416-754-2382For Bulk supplies of GITA and RAMAYAN ramjihindu@rogers. com 905-671-9233. Canada headed for recessionForget the brave talk about Canada's sound economic fundamentals, our banking system being better than the rest and our housing sector safe from US style meltdown.The Bank of Canada has conceded for the first time that the Canadian economy could be headed for a recession, adding that more stimulus and lower interest rates are needed to cushion the steep fall.Central Bank governor Mark Carney says that the Canadian economy has deteriorated more quickly than he had anticipated even only a month ago.Canadians have to brace for a downturn in every sector of the economy and adjust our behaviour accordingly. For a start we can expect less Christmas shopping and less hiring by employers for the season. There will be fewerjobs being created and more layoffs across the board. We are already cutting back on buying cars. houses and consumer goods because loans are hard to get. Travel to warm climates this winter should fall, and tourist visits to Canada from the US will also fall back. As the Americans get hit hard, they will buy less from Canada, so sales of lumber, car parts, minerals and holiday packages are expected to suffer. As the Canadian dollar continues to sink compared to the US dollar, we will have to pay more for the many items were import from America. That means higher prices for the food and fruit we import during winter, and anything we buy from the rest of the world that is priced in US dollars.One of the few bright spots is the lower oil, gas and natural gas prices we are seeing, which should see gasolene heading as low as 60cents a litre. But the lower oil prices will hurt oil producing provinces like Alberta and Newfoundland.Immigrants know that it's harder to get jobs in a new country during a recession, so some potential immigrants may be reluctant to come to Canada. People tend to cut back spending on anything but essential items in a recession, so restaurants, entertainment, holiday travel, clothing, electronics sales and even Christmas gift buying will see cutbacks.In a recession the average person cuts back on everything that costs money, mostly because they have less money.Governments do the same, so no surprise that the Canadian government is talking about a deficit next year and so is the Ontario government. Most of the countries in Western Europe are facing recession along with us and the Americans. There's nothing we can do aboutthe coming recession but endure it and count our blessings. We should spare a thought for our friends in the Caribbean, who will most likely get hit a lot harder than Canada.We may have to start sending barrels to the Caribbean again.Finding a Way out of the Current Economic CrisisBy Roop Misir, PhDPrior to the present crisis, dramatic rises in stock and commodity prices reached levels, unprecedented in human economic history. Of course, many experts were quick to note that the markets needed time to digest the gigantic gains before continuing its upward trek. Investors hail these activities as wealth creation, whereas others considered the staggering gains as paperprofits. The latter felt that rampant speculation using innovative techniques was fueling an economic profit bubble that would keep expanding and eventually burst. This would trigger a cooling off period, leading to a return to "normal" trading —known in market jargon as a "correction" .But who was paying attention when it was so easy to make quick money with minimal risk and borrowed funds?Dark Economic CloudsSlowly, signs of change became apparent. High prices were becoming unsustainable. Soon, dark clouds of a possible price correction loomed over the markets. Those who foresaw this liquidated their positions and held cash. Then the inevitable happened. The prices of stocks, commodities, currencies and other financial instruments fluctuated wildly and then crashed. Some investors were forced to sell their holdings.But as market gyrations continued, massive paper profits vanished and losses deepened to the point where even professional money managers became restless. Many opted out of their holdings. As panic led to pandemonium, there was a mad rush to cash out at any price. Not surprisingly, markets plunged and descended to new lows. As examples, the S&P/TSX Composite Index dropped from a record high of around 15,000 to below 9,000 points. Likewise, the Canadian dollar nose-dived from a lofty exchange rate of $1.10 USD to below 77 cents USD. For other markets and currencies, similar price gyrations became widespread. Some investors saw these lows as buying opportunities, and quickly took new positions. And for brief moments, markets rebounded as some investors returned. Perhaps, there was money to be made even in turbulent times. But gains were short-lived and not sustained. The markets continued to plummet and descended to new depths. The financial turbulence that started in one country soon spread across the globe. Country after country reported economic slow down leading to recession and job losses. Now that investors have to cope with huge losses due to the correction of stock markets and the collapse of commodity prices, what's next? Market uncertainty is creating panic among seasoned investors, including pension fund managers. What is not certain is how long will it take to restore confidence in the free market system? Present Economic ChallengesOne consequence of the current turmoil is that the market capitalization of companies was reduced to unprecedented lows. Consequently, many found it difficult to raise credit for day-to-day operations. To cope with the new credit crunch, capable workers had to be laid off, and production slowed. The feeling of despair filled the air. In plain English, market uncertainty may be making way to economic gloom. Already, Europe is in the grips of a recession. The British pound has dropped to a record low against the euro and to a six-year low in dollar terms. Things in North America are not much better. Ailing housing and auto industries are contracting. Consumer confidence is far from robust. There is concern that figures to be released will show that the US and our own country are also in recession. People who lose their jobs find it difficult to find new jobs.Tougher Times AheadIn many countries, there are reports of tough times getting tougher. News media carry reports of hardships facing many people as they try to cope with job losses and diminishing job prospects. In the news media, headlines reflect the somber situation with such titles as:Credit is tightHousing slump deepensMany forced to live in carsJobs are getting scarceHelp the Food BankFamily breakup increasesFaced with the specter of a sustained economic recession (leading to what only God knows), investors and market gurus are looking to governments to help find a way out of the present crisis.G-7 expands to G-20With the financial crisis in full swing, the exclusive rich G-7 club was forced to turn to the developing world for support and guidance. In recent times, emerging economies like China, India, Russia, and Brazil have become financial juggernauts, and they are now clamoring for more clout in global decision-making. Out of this was born an expanded G-20.In a speech in Sao Paulo two weeks ago to central bankers, Brazil's President, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, delivered a blunt speech: "No country is safe from the financial crisis. We are all being affected by the problems that started in the advanced countries." (http://www. reportonbusiness .com/servlet/ story/RTGAM. 20081114. wrobcover15/ BNStory/Business /home).The G-20 MeetingThe leaders gathered for an emergency meeting in Washington one week ago to collectively solve the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression. They were determined to work together and come up with an economic package that would put the global economy and financial markets back on track. Many topics were addressed. A Fiscal stimulus is needed to get consumers to spend and investors to invest. Interest rate cuts. Rarely seen before, central banks must act in tandem to slash interest rates. Making borrowing easy. Central banks have to creatively use their balance sheets to provide money markets with any kind of credit they need. Transparency and democracy. There is the need for one agency watching over the global financial system. This should replace existing ones long deemed increasingly archaic, faceless, irrelevant and not truly representative.Trade talks. There is the feeling that the world doesn't need protectionist trade policies. Subsidies may hurt production since they tend to prop up inefficient companies of the production of goods for which there is a declining demand.A new banking order. There is the need to restrict commercial banks to doing traditional banking, and investment banks to business in the money markets. G-20 Communiqué In the communiqué, it was agreed that emerging and developing countries should have greater voice and representation in the newinternational financial order. One focal point was the need for regulation and transparency. Because the adverse effects of U.S. mortgage lending spread so quickly around the world, some leaders wanted a more universal agency to regulate the system.But US President Bush warned that too much government intervention could choke economic growth:"One of the challenges is how do we establish good regulatory structures without destroying the incentive to innovate, without destroying the marketplace? " (http://www. reportonbusiness .com/servlet/ story/RTGAM. 20081115. wmeltdown1115/ BNStory/Business /home)So what's new?Though doom and gloom is not widespread, governments are getting alarmed, as things aren't getting any better very soon. There is limited success to attempts to shore up the markets and restore confidence is in the economic system. Is there a bottom in sight for money markets and investors?Some onlookers suggest that at the heart of the problem is the quest for excessive profit. Of course, business must be profitable to be viable. However, rampant speculation by those bent making big bucks all at once can skew market forces that affect normal trading. Thus, sound investment decision and not speculation must be put in place for markets to trade smoothly and notbecome like gambling casinos?What can we do?Now as we witness the other side of "investing", what do we do? Wring our hands? Or pray to Mother Lakshmi or God Almighty?In hindsight, should the price of an item (commodity, good) be based on the cost of production, and not be determined by speculative forces of the marketplace? Other than generalities and promise of good intent, what have the G-20 leaders achieved at their meeting? If human (biological) society is a web of interconnecting interests (organisms), can we reconcile the challenges (pandemonium) posed by the present crisis with the interest of humanity (biosphere) as whole?How the markets shall react is anybody's guess. The G-20 leaders plan to meet again in the future.[Dr. Roop Misir is an Indo-Guyanese Teacher with the Toronto District School Board. Readers may contact him at roop.misir@gmail. com].Trinidad Crime TrendsMotorists warned of attacks in Port of Spain suburbs
The Downtown Owners & Merchants
Association has warned the public to beware of carjackings and assaults in the St James, Woodbrook and Newtown areas of Port of Spain, They are alerting people to look out for bandits attacking car owners when they return to their vehicles, when they are sitting in traffic, and when they attempt to return home.The Association reports that in all cases, the motor-vehicle has been stolen. There have also been robbery of personal belongings and household effects, and rapes. They are advising motorists not to enter their motor-vehicle if there is a parked car with occupants nearby, not to exit the vehicle to open your gate if there are persons standing nearby or if a car is parked withoccupants nearby. Motorists are advised to keep their doors and windows locked all times while in trafic including during busy daytime hours.Police kill gunman trying to murder state witnessPolice killed 21 year old gunman Keston Villaroel when he was caught attempting to sneak into Savannah Villas at Aranjuez to murder a State witness. Acting on a tip, police officers arrived arrived in time to see Villaroel and his cohort trying to get over the wall. They both fired shots at the police and Villaroel was killed when police fired back. He was the 34th person shot dead by the police this year.Hitmen caught in bid to murder drug lordTwo men were prevented from carrying out their plan to kill an Aranguez drug lord by vigilant police recently. Officers intercepted the men's vehicle near the drug lord's home at 1 pm on a Wednesday afternoon and found a loaded Glock pistol. When questioned the men revealed their deadly plan and were arrested.T&T under siege by "Ravans"Attorney Om Lalla has declared that the country is under siege by "Ravans of the society"While delivering a message at the Tunapuna Regional Corporation' s Divali celebrations, Lalla s explained that Divali commemorates Lord Ram's return to Ayodhya after completing a 14 year exile and also marks his victory over the evil demon Ravan.He then went on to warn the crowd at the celebrations that,"Here at home, we are under siege by a minority of lawless individuals who are the Ravans of our society."He declared, "Ours has become a dark society where people live in fear, wondering who might be the next victim of road carnage, murder, kidnapping, robbery and rape."According to him, the country is currently facing political strife, economic instability and social unrest and there is an overall imbalance in the harmony of people across the globe. Diego Martin schoolgirl is latest victim of public shootings
Fourteen year old Diego Martin schoolgirl Kimberly Monderoy stepped out of her house at five o'clock on a Sunday afternooon, headed for the nearby Starlite Shopping Plaza to buy fireworks. As she waited to cross the road, an
argument broke out among some men playing small goal football in the plaza's car park. One of the men pulled out a gun and opened fire on another man attempting to flee.Instead, one of the bullets hit Kimberly in the chest, killing her.This is only the latest in a string of homicides this year, with gunmen carrying out feuds in public, sometimes killing innocent bystanders.In February, Nicole Applewhite, 41, was killed when gunmen opened fire on DVD vendor Brent Ollivierre on Independence Square, Port of Spain, as she looked for a movie to watch with her children. In May, cousins Anika Abraham, 22, and Debbie Ann Abraham,19, were hospitalised after bullets meant for Rohan Sinanan in Longdenville, Chaguanas, hit them insteadIn August, Karen Dhandoolal, a 32-year old mother of Pepper Village, Couva, was fatally shot after gunmen opened fire at a Maracas, St Joseph, bar. A reputed drug dealer Ryan Charles, as well as Antonio "Dougla" Nunez, were killed in the incident which also left several others wounded.Also in August, a woman waiting for a taxi on Duncan Street in Port of Spain was shot and killed in a crossfire as two men fired wildly at each other.Gang invades Central house, rape studentA teenage university student was gang raped and sodomised by three men who broke into her boyfriend's home and abducted them in Central Trinidad. The girl was taken to a home in Chaguanas and her boyfriend locked in a car abandoned at the roadside in Couva. The incident happened around 11 p.m., while the couple were in a house. Three men reportedly entered the house and, at gunpoint, led the girl and her boyfriend into her car. A short distance away, she was pulled into a black Nissan B-13 Sentra and taken away. The boyfriend broke out of the car and reported the incident to the Couva Police. The B-13 Sentra was intercepted in Chaguanas and a 26-year-old man of Edinburgh 500 was arrested. San Juan businessman freed by kidnappers
Kidnapped businessman Mohan Boodoo was freed by his abductors last week after a small ransom was paid, police say.Boodoo was taken from his home at El Socorro Road, San Juan, three days before by thieves who also robbed his machine shop.The criminals tied up workers, stole $10,000, kidnapped Boodoo and drove off with him in the family's Honda CRV.The family later got a call asking for $250,000 for his safe release. Boodoo was released in the Belmont area after the small
ransom from dropped off somewhere near the DryRiver.Ransom asked for cell phoneWhen 60 year old Penal resident Tara Saterdeen died in a car crash on the Solomon Hochoy Highway, a passerby stole her cell phone off Tara's body. Hours later the man called Tara's daughter on the cell phone and used obscene language while demanding $200 money to return the phone. The family did not pay the money and the man eventually turned off the cell phone and never called again.Trincity businessman turns tables on midday robbers
A daring attempted midday robbery turned fatal for one bandit, when Raja Rhamadar, owner of a scratch-and- dent furniture store in Trincity, got into his car, chased his three assailants and knocked one of them down. The bandit who was knocked down was then shot dead by
police responding to the incident. Raja told police the three teenage bandits walked into his store ound 12.30 p.m.and announced a hold-up. He was tied up as the men ransacked his store for valuables, but managed to escape. The bandits, on seeing him free himself, fled the scene. Raja got into his vehicle and pursued the bandits, hitting one in the process. The police then intervened and shot the man, killing him on the spot. Another one of the bandits was also shot and taken into police custody, but the third managed to escape. Notrhing was taken from the store.Police discover artists sketchesBy Ram JagessarA strange thing happenedwith the Trinidad police this month. After a policeman was shot during an botched robbery attempt at his Arouca home, police issued a sketch of the suspect. They asked the public to be on the lookout for the suspect, who was described as armed and dangerous.So what was strange about police issuing an artist's sketch of a suspect? Only the fact that Trinidad police almost never issue artist's sketches.
The only other sketch I remember them issuing was when they were looking for the Tobago man who had attacked foreign touristsSo many crimes have taken place in public where several witnesses saw the criminals, but amazingly the police have not been sending out sketches seeking help from the public.Easily the most glaring omission of sketches is in the case
of kidnapping, where victims are held for some time while ransomnegotiations take place. It's critical for the police to find and free the kidnap victims before ransoms can be paid. Luckily a large number of kidnappings take place in public places with witnesses on scene, and it seems most kidnappers don't wear masks. You would expect sketches to be an essential part of the police arsenal, as they try to locate the victim by finding the kidnappers. Since 2001 there have been close to 1,000 kidnappings in Trinidad, but how many police sketches of kidnappers have you seen? Personally, I can say I have not seen a single sketch of a kidnap suspect in the media. Instead Trinidad police issue pathetically sparse written descriptions of the kidnappers. "Three armed men kidnap Central businessman" is about the depth of the average police description of kidnappers. They usually give a more detailed description of the kidnap car, which is completely useless in practice, as kidnap cars are normally stolen vehicles which are dumped very quickly.Here in Canada police regularly use very detailed descriptions of criminal suspects, and sketches made by artists or special computer programs, and they get lots of useful tips. You won't see them saying "an armed gunman robbed a Toronto bank", when they can say, a white male around 30 years, six feet tall, with close cropped hair, and a thin moustache, slender build, with a star tattoo on his left wrist, wearing a grey Leafs jacket, faded blue jeans and red runners... robbed a Toronto bank. And a police sketch produced from one of the bank tellers will be attached. So why don't Trinidad police use sketches to help them catch criminals? Why don't they use traditional detailed police descriptions? Are they lazy, stupid, ignorant of proper police procedure, or just protecting the criminals?Personally, I lean towards protecting the criminals for reasons of race. Trinidad police know as well as we that the majority of the violent criminals, kidnappers and robbers are black people. But they also know that a daily barrage of police descriptions and sketches identifying blacks as wanted criminals will make black people "look bad". And that is to be avoided in Trinidad at all costs, even if it means abandoning standard police procedures. If anybody has a better explanations, I would really like to hear it.Anand Ramlogan asks:Why destroy crops at Diamond Village just before Divali?How could the Estate Management Business Development Corporation so callously destroy full-grown crops of pumpkin, pineapples, dasheen and pommecythere the day before Divali, when the poor farmers in Diamond Village kept begging that they were just about to harvest their crops for sale to villagers for Divali? Was there no understanding or human compassion? Would two days have made a difference? Had they returned the day after Divali the crops would have been all but gone. Does no one care for the hard labour of the poor who are simply trying to make an honest living without a gunning down or robbing someone? The farmers claimed they had been begging Caroni to sell them the lands to no avail. Lenora Alexander glumly said, "We were not given any notice about the demolishing of our food crops. "They came unexpectedly and started to destroy everything that everyone in the village have been working hard for over the past ten years and more." Why give only pocket change to Ramleela groups?What on earth prompted the Government to issue cheques for sums ranging from $500 to $1,200 to Ramleela groups across the country at a time of such unprecedented wealth? It was the lowest disbursement ever by any government. To make matters worse, the goodly minister in her speech actually stressed the need for accountability and demanded transparency from the lucky groups! The average Ramleela celebration costs $40,000 to $75,000 over nine nights. The money given could barely buy two cases of Chubby and ten aloo pies to feed the children who act and dance each night, but the minister wants accountability. I hope a similar call is made when other groups are given financial assistance that make the Ramleela budget look like mere pocket change. Guyana grows 3.8% in first half of 2008
Minister of Finance, Dr Ashni Singh, has present the 2008 mid-year report to the National Assembly which showed the economy performed satisfactorily with a recorded real growth rate of 3.8 percent.Dr Singh said this was as a result of continued efforts by theGovernment to diversify the economy and strengthen traditional sectors to modernise them with appropriate interventions to facilitate growth in emerging sectors.Based on the outturn for the first six months of the economy, growth is expected to be sustained in the second half with a 4.9 percent projection, slightly more moderate that the 5.4 percent realised last year.There was positive growth in the main productive sectors of the economy with the sugar sector achieving a first crop production of 103,280 tonnes compared to 100,592 tonnes last year, returning growth rate of 2.3 percent in the first half of the year.The first crop of the rice sector represented a 2.1 percent in growth over last year?s first crop. The second crop is projected to increase significantly. Growth in this sector was driven by strong prices on the world market which led to increased acreage being brought under cultivation.Non-traditional crops and livestock sectors recorded significant growth of 9.6 percent in the first half. Production in the other crops sector expanded by 9.5 percent, reflecting increased export and domestic demand.
Mining and quarrying sector recording a 15.2 percent growth.the distribution sector continued to perform well with a growth of 11 percent achieved inthe first half of 2008.The transport and communication sector was targeted to grow by 8 percent, with projection of 7 percent for the remainder of the year.The financial services sector grew by 8.5 percent, and the rental of dwelling grew by 3 percent, resulting in an upward projection for the year from 2 to 3.6 percent.The Balance of Payments reflected an overall surplus of US$47.6M from a deficit of US$12.3M for the corresponding period last year. This contributed to the accumulation of foreign assets by the Bank of Guyana.Total exports earnings amounted to US$381M, an increase to 22.1 percent. During the review period, the net foreign asset of the banking systemgrew by 17.6 percent to US$480.2M.The manufacturing sector showed a decline, and inflationary pressures experienced by the world economy last year as a result of high food and fuel prices caused the country to suffer from significant increases in import prices.Inflation for the rest of 2008 is projected to be 8.1 percent. The report suggests a cautiously optimistic outlook for the remainder of the year.British brought ganja to the CaribbeanHistory of ganja use in TrinidadBy Nazma MullerA scene in Trinidad a long time ago...Ram sat down wearily. He could barely move - his back was sore from bending, his palms covered in calluses and he felt as if his skin was on fire. The sun had been terrible today. He looked out over the cane, and yearned for his family and friends back in India. His village in Biharseemed so far away. Feeling tears form in the corner of his eyes, he reached for the tin of ganja on the shelf above his head. Sniffling, he rolled a joint and settled himself in his hammock. The place was a sugar cane estate in Trinidad; the time 1850 or thereabouts; and an ordinary East Indian labourer was about to get stoned out of his mind."It came with the British," historian Gerry Besson corrects me gently. "The Indians were in charge of very little."Contrary to popular myth, it was not the indentured labourers who "brought" ganja to Trinidad, but the colonial authorities. "No doubt somebody had a little bit in their pocket when they arrived on the boat," Besson commented wryly.A publisher and "amateur historian", as he calls himself, Besson is the author of works such as The Mystic Masseur, an excerpt from the film by Merchant Ivory and essays on the East Indian community, Â along with celebrated Kittitian writer Caryl Phillips; A Photograph Album of Trinidad at the Turn of the 19th Century; Folklore & Legends of Trinidad and Tobago; and The Book of Trinidad, which he co-authored with UWI professor of history Bridget Brereton.As he tells it, ganja was introduced to this country by the British, together with opium. "It is important to remark that these narcotics were not perceived as illegal in that time," Besson said. "This was not an illegal substance in the decades of the 1840s, '50s and '60s. It was just one of the many chemicals that were used for all sorts of purposes - along with arsenic, gunpowder, etc - that had to be quantified. It had to go through Customs and that sort of thing."The British, drawing on their experience of colonialism in India, fully understood the purpose and use of ganja in religious practices by Hindus. Called ganjika in Sanskrit, marijuana was used in Hindu culture as early as 1500 BC, and its ancient use is confirmedwithin the Vedas (Sama Veda, Rig Vedaand Atharva Veda). The most potent preparation, charas, is similar to hashish or "hash". Charas is smoked by some Shiva devotees and cannabis itself is seen as a gift ("prasad" or offering) of Shiva to aid in sadhana (spiritual practice). Some of the wandering ascetics in India known as sadhus smoke charas out of a clay chillu. High-caste Hindus, who are not permitted to use alcohol, may drink bhang at religious ceremonies, and as an intoxicant at marriage ceremonies and family festivals. Bhang was used by labourers "to relax at the end of the day; to relieve fatigue; to obtain a sense of well-being; to stimulate appetite; and to enable them to bear more cheerfully the strain and monotony of ... daily routines", reported The National Commission on Marihuana And Drug Abuse to the President and Congress of the United States on March 22, 1972."So this was one of the few facilities that was really offered to indentures," explained Besson. The colonial authorities allowed ganja to be sold under licence in shops on the sugar cane estates. The distilleries on the estates produced "a rather apocalyptic rum", according to Besson, and so to discourage the men from drinking rum - they were here, after all, without wives or families, and many were confined to the estates - the British supplied them with ganja.Alcohol was far more dangerous to the body, the mind and the environment. "And there was the very real problem of Indians drinking too much rum," Besson pointed out. "There still is." And so the likes of Huggins and Company, and Alstons, imported ganja on behalf of the authorities.There are still battered black signs with white writing that say 'Licensed to sell ganja' in some parts of Trinidad. Besson said he had seen one at a place on the north coast which used to be an estate. "This (marijuana) was something you could go and buy in a shop. You just carried your birth certificate to show you were over 18 and that was that."So what changed the British attitude towards marijuana? The poor blacks who smoked it didn't have gardens, so they bought it from Indian gardeners.Meanwhile, in Jamaica, a movement called Rastafari had been building momentum among the poor and working class. Its roots can be traced to Marcus Mosiah Garvey, a native-born Jamaican who rose to prominence in Jamaica and the US during the early 1900s. Garvey's skills as an orator, combined with his fierce criticism of racism and oppression of the working class,made him a heroic
Jamaican Bob Marley popularized ganja "prophet" for many Jamaicans. They viewed one of his prophecies - that Africa would produce a modern-day "black king" who would bring respect and power to black people everywhere - as being fulfilled by the crowning of Haile Selassie I in Ethiopiain 1930.Selassie's coronation as the "King of Kings, Elect of God, and Conquering Lion of the Tribe of Judah" in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia created great publicity throughout the world. Almost immediately he gained a following as both God and king amongst poor Jamaicans, who came to be known as Rastafarians. They saw what they believed to be the fulfilling of many prophecies from the book of Revelation. As Ethiopia was the only African country to be free from colonialism, and Selassie was the only black leader accepted among the kings and queens of Europe, the early
Rastas viewed him with great reverence.A Rastafarian called Leonard Howell built a commune near Kingston in the 1940s, where he and other Rastas used ganja because it helped them find the "god," or "Jah," within them. They believed that the Bible - one of the holiest books in the Rasta pantheon - calls ganja "the leaves of the Tree of Life (that) are for the healing of the nations." Soon, the use of ganja became a widespread Rasta custom.With Selassie's visit to Jamaica in 1966, Rastafari gained a new respect on the island, and across the Caribbean. And then came Bob Marley. The reggae superstar, and his militant fellow Wailer Peter Tosh, helped spread the message of Rastafarianism and its use of marijuana as a sacrament across the globe.Today marijuana is synonymous with Jamaica. As one Jamaican put it, "How can you be a Jamaican living in Jamaica and not smoke weed?" The island's popular culture, of which ganja has become a potent part, is continuously exported to the world, through its prolific musicians and entertainers; and has been adopted by youths in many countries as a symbol of rebellion and protest, including Trinidad. In the early 1900s, partly as a response to attempts by administrators to tax the Indian poor, bureaucrats initiated a study of ganja as a hallucinogen in India. They looked at the effects on the minds and came to the conclusion that it was making the natives crazy."What they may have seen was malnutrition among very poor people, aided and abetted by smoking half a pound of marijuana a day," mused Besson.This would eventually lead to ganja becoming a highly controlled substance, then an eventual ban in India. However, up until the 1940s and '50s, it was still widely used in the countryside in Trinidad. The last of the Indian immigrants arrived in 1917, and immigration stopped in 1920. The people who came in 1917 still lived in barracks and smoked their ganja atthe end of the day.Then, in the late '60s, hippies in the US discovered marijuana. It had always been popular among musicians and theatre folks, who smoked 'reefers'. "Smoking reefers and playing jazz in Louisiana always went together," Besson explained. "It was part of the underground culture of America and this spread to the Caribbean."This underground culture was brought by American soldiers stationed here during and after World War II. The truly damaging effects of marijuana on the society began to unfold, when it became part of another culture - that of the 'ghetto', says Besson. Before 1965 the word ghetto, a Jewish term that came out of New York where a lot of Trinis went to live, had never really been known. But its use to describe a certain kind of lifestyle in inner-city areas of New York was brought back home by Trinis who had been living there.GUYANA CRIME TRENDS
Gang robbery nets $17 m Guysuco payrollA huge gang of about nine gunmen held up a GEB security van and snatched a $17M GuySuCo payroll on the West Bank Demerara highway on November 6, in what has been described as a meticulously planned operation..Police reported that the driver and three armed members of GEB Security were in the van when it was blocked by a car next to a narrow bridge at Stanleytown. When the van stopped the gang surrounded the vehicle and took away the money and three guns belonging to the guards.Some of the gang escaped in the car with the money, and the rest tried to get away in a boat waiting in the river nearby. The boat capsized in the river and police pursuing them killed one of the gang, a known criminal named Eric Williams. The others escaped in the bushes. Police later captured several members of the gang, killed another in a shootout and recovered the payroll money. Fake customs officials rob businessman
Five men claiming to be customs officers searched the home of a Prashad Nagar gold and diamond dealer and
stole a quantity of raw gold and cash.Azeem Baksh said he was passing by his home when he noticed five plain clothed men in his yard. They said they were searching his home for uncustomed goods and demanded that he get out of his car. Instead Baksh sped away, and the men left immediately.Pundit robbed during Hindu prayersA pundit conducting a Hindu religious function for two people at his Princetown, Coverton received an unpleasant surprise from two masked bandits.Roupesh Narine called `Pandit Sunil' said that around 7 am he was performing a religious function at his home for a woman and her son when two men, one armed with a gun and the other a knife, approached them.They relieved the woman of her wedding ring, a gold ring, two bangles and around $5000 cash while her son handed over a gold chain, a hand band, a ring and about $8000. Narine recalled that the men called him "Pandit" before fleeing.The two suspects were then caught red-handed the next day when they attempted to break into a house at Race Course village, Corriverton.The duo is also being linked to an attack the same week during which a man was bound and gagged by three men, two of whom were armed with guns, who beat him mercilessly and attempted to dig out his gold teeth before escaping with a quantity of items and cash.Trip to Sophia costs taxi driver
A trip to `A' Field
Sophia to drop off a `passenger' turned out to be costly fora taxi driver after gunmen opened fire on him before escaping with a quantity and cash and jewellery.Albert Narine sustained a gunshot wound to the left hand during the attack, which was perpetrated by three men inclusive of his `passenger'.One of the men hired the taxi at Regent and Camp streets to be dropped off at a location in `A' Field, Sophia. Upon arrival in the area, the passenger went into a shop where he was joined by two other men. Upon observing this, Narine became suspicious and attempted to drive away. However, the men discharged rounds at him, one of which struck him on his left hand.He was then robbed of jewellery, two cell phones and $27,000 after which the men escaped.Narine was admitted to the Georgetown Hospital and treated.Car breakdown in Agricola costs a lifeMelissa Payne and her husband John Fraser of Den Amstel stopped in the village of Agricola, West Coast Demerara on their way to Georgetown, to rapair a mechanical problem with their vehicle. Melissa did not leave Agricola alive, as she was shot dead in a robbery attempt.Fraser, a contractor, while attempting to fix the problem, was approached by gunmen who were standing in an old shop across the road and was menaced. One of the men went directly to Fraser while another went to the woman and the third acted as a lookout. Fraser managed to run into oncoming traffic but Payne was unlucky as a gun had already been pressed against her side and she was commanded to hand over the handbag she was clutching. Payne reportedly refused to hand it over and attempted to escape but was shot in the process while the men fled through a nearby alleyway with the bag which contained more than $100,000 and the two gold chains she was wearing. She sustained a single gunshot wound under her right armpit and was pronounced dead on arrival at the Georgetown Hospital. Fraser escaped unhurt. Twenty-one-year- old Jermaine Savory, Second Street, Agricola has been charged by police.Armed bandits raid Universal TravelTwo armed men carted off a quantity of cash and stripped staff of their valuables yesterday when they attacked the High Street, Kingston office of Universal Travel Service and Tour Company.The robbery occurred at approximately 12.30 pm . According to the manager, Alvin Changur, the men grabbed a quantity of foreign and local cash and stripped everyone of their jewellery, cellular phones and other valuables. One of the robbers turned off their switchboard, disabling their office's telephone system, and preventing their security service from contacting the agency about an alarm was triggered by a worker.Pinky found floating in East Coast trenchThe body of 25-year-old Anjanie Mahoo, called "Pinky", of , Mandela Avenue, Georgetown, has been discovered floating in a trench at La Bonne Intention, East Coast Demerara.Mother of the deceased, Mrs. Toolsiedai Mahoo, tsaid she last saw her dauughter when she left home forwork. She said Anjanie even took her lunch with her, but indicated that she was going to the motorcade at LBI after work. An autopsy determined that Pinky was strangled to death.Gang terrorizing North West villages
Residents of three North West District (NWD) villages that are being terrorized by a large gang believe that the men are being fed information since they are utilizing the many bush trails instead of the main access roadwhere the patrol groups are. There have been sightings of the men in Hosororo but they quickly fled into the thick bush. Despite a nightly police patrol and formation of several citizens'patrol groups in Hosororo, Bumbury and Wanaina, the men continue to elude capture. Residents had reported that a gang of men, in one instance numbering twelve, has been breaking into homes in the last week and molesting girls. They are believed to come from along the Aruka River.Molotov cocktail attack on Nismes gas stationTwo bandits launched a channa bomb attack on a Nismes, West Bank Demerara Gas Station, carting off just over $17, 500 cash. According to a police release, the J&R Service Station, Nismes, was robbed by two armed men. Investigations revealed that pump attendant Niron Churuman was on duty, when he was confronted by the two men who held him up and took away $10,000 and US$50 which he had in his possession. The men then tried to gain entry into the building that houses the vehicle spare parts section and after failing, one of them lit two Molotov cocktails (locally called channa bombs) and threw them into the building through a glass door, after which they escaped in a waiting motor vehicle. One of the Molotov cocktails exploded, but was quickly extinguished by the pump attendant

"Lloyd Harradan"
__._,_.___
Notes :1. Views and ideas expressed in the posting is purely of the writer concerned and these shall not be construed as the views of the Orahan or The owner or moderators of the Orahan.2. Orahan is for Community purpose and not for conducting business/trade. Any misuse of its name by Any one is strictly prohibited. The Orahan group, the Owner or Moderators shall not be held liable/responsible for any such deals/transactions/business/ventures.

भोजपुरी एक्सप्रेस नेटवर्क-फोटो कान्टेस्ट

noreply@blogger.com (विजय शंकर पांडेय) — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 13:25:00 +0000

Bhojpuri Express Network - PHOTO CONTEST
Win a FREE 1-Year Subscription to Bhojpuri Sansar Patrika MagazineBEN Photo Contest Initiator: Rakesh Kumar TripathiPhoto Contest Prize Sponsor : Bhojpuri Sansar Patrika (BhojpuriaGuru)Last Date for Entry : January 31, 2009Photos will be judged based on "reflection of bhojpuri language, culture, festivals, traditions, customs, historic places,bhojpuria events, dramas/plays, special bhojpuri moments, special bhojpuri dishes, dances, rare bhojpuri books, district photos, maps, manuscripts, famous bhojpuri people or anything that reminds us of our bhojpuri identity. Photos may be taken either in India or abroad".भोजपुरी एक्सप्रेस नेटवर्क - फोटो प्रतियोगिता - Click here to submit photo for contest

http://www.bhojpuriexpress.com/forum/topics/photo-competition

http://www.bhojpuriexpress.com/photo/ben-photo-contest

--
Sailesh Mishra
Bhojpuri Express Network
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उमेश चतुर्वेदी के रिपोर्ट- अब भोजपुरी में बोलेगा बाजार

noreply@blogger.com (विजय शंकर पांडेय) — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 19:00:00 +0000

बलिया के उमेश चतुर्वेदी सात साल तक दैनिक भास्कर के पोलिटिकल ब्यूरो में रिपोर्टर के तौर पर काम कई चुकल बाड़न. एकरा बाद इंडिया टीवी ज्वाइन कई लिहलन आ ओकरा लांचिग टीम के एक्टिव टीम में रहलन. तीन साल जी न्यूज में सीनियर प्रोड्यूसर के तौर पर काम कइलन. फिलहाल उ सकाल टीवी में डिपुटी एक्सक्यूटिव प्रोड्यूसर बाड़न. रउवा सब उनकरा से uchaturvedi@gmail.com पर संपर्क कई सकत बानी.19 करोड़ लोगिन के मातृभाषा ह भोजपुरी. अब एहि भाषा में बाजार गुलजार होखे जा रहल बा. मीडिया में बड़ा हलचल बा. अपना अंदाज में उमेश जी एह मुद्दा पर चैनलन के नब्ज टटोल रहल बाड़न. प्रस्तुत बा www.visfot.com खातिर लिखल उनकर एगो टिप्पणी

दिल्ली, मुंबई से लेकर कोलाकाता तक उपहास और उपेक्षा का पात्र रहा भोजपुरी समाज अचानक क्षमतावाला बाजार हो गया है. इस संभावित और अनछुए बाजार में इतनी ताकत नजर आ रही है कि मीडिया की दुनिया में उतर रहे बड़े खिलाड़ी बाकायदा खबरिया चैनल लाने की तैयारी में जुट गए हैं। जबकि मीडिया और इंटरटेनमेंट की दुनिया के नामीगिरामी हस्तियां मनोरंजन चैनल लेकर बाजार में उतरने की तैयारी में हैं।

करीब दो दशक पहले पत्रकारों की जिदगी को केंद्र में रखकर नईदिल्ली टाइम्स नाम की फिल्म बना चुके पी के तिवारी के दिमाग की उपज है महुआ चैनल। महुआ चैनल के समाचार प्रमुख अंशुमान त्रिपाठी के मुताबिक इस चैनल में जहॉ भोजपुरी में खबरें होंगी, वहीं दमदार प्रोग्रामिग भी जोर रहेगा। इसके लिए अंशुमान त्रिपाठी की टीम शिद्दत से जुटी हुई है। वहीं हमार टीवी के भी आन एयर होने की तैयारी शुरू हो चुकी है। इस चैनल को पूर्व मंत्री मतंग सिंह की कंपनी लाने जा रही है। मतंग सिंह नरसिंह राव सरकार में मत्री रह चुके हैं। असम से राज्यसभा के लिए चुने जाते रहे मतंग सिंह की मूलत- बिहार के रहने वाले हैं. शायद यही वजह है कि उनकी दिलचस्पी भदेसपन की भाषा में खबरिया चैनल लाने की है। इस चैनल के प्रमुख हैं कुमार संजाìय सिंह। कभी कुमार सजय सिंह के नाम से जाने जाते रहे संजाìय का टेलीविजन और प्रिंट पत्रकारिता में अच्छा खासा अनुभव है। फिलहाल ये चैनल तैयारियों में जुटा हुआ है। इसके अलावा पुरूवा नाम का एक चैनल भी भोजपुरी खबरों की दुनिया में दस्तक देने की तैयारियों में जुटा हुआ है। इसी तरह एक ग्रुप गंगा नाम से भी चैनल लाने की तैयारी में जुटा हुआ है।

आखिर क्या वजह है कि भदेसपन की इस भाषा को लेकर मीडिया दिग्गज़ों और नए खिलाड़ियों को अपने मीडिया साम्राज्य के लिए काफी संभावनाएं नजर आ रही हैं। दरअसल पिछले दो साल में भोजपुरी फिल्मों ने जिस तरह सफलता के नए मानदंड स्थापित किए हैं उससे एक वर्ग को लगता है कि मीडिया और इंटरटेनमेंट की दुनिया के लिए भोजपुरी का बड़े बाजार के तौर पर उभरना अभी बाकी है। इन मीडिया हाउसों को लगता है कि अगर उन्होंने शुरूआती बाजी मार ली और बाजार पर अपनी पकड़ बना ली तो सफल होना आसान होगा। वैसे भी काफी कम बजट में बनी भोजपुरी फिल्में करोड़ों का बिजनेस कर लेती हैं।
दो साल पहले बनी भोजपुरी फिल्म ससुरा बड़ा पैसे वाला ने सफलता के वे झंडे गाड़े कि भोजपुरी में लोगों को बड़ा बाजार नजर आने लगा। ये फिल्म महज 27 लाख रूपए में बनी थी और उसने छह करोड़ का बिजनेस किया। इसके बाद तो मनोज तिवारी की फिल्म दरोगा बाबू आई लव यू समेत कई फिल्मों की बाढ़ आ गई। अवधीभाषी रवि किशन भी भोजपुरी सिनेमा के सुपर स्टार हो गए। भोजपुरी का जलवा ही कहेंगे कि अमिताभ बच्चन और मिथुन चक्रवर्ती भी सिल्वर स्क्रीन पर भोजपुरी बोलते नजर आने लगे। नगमा को भी भोजपुरी बोलने से परहेज नहीं रहा। ऐसे में मीडिया और इंटरटेनमेंट के दिग्गज भला क्यों पीछे रहते। सूचना और प्रसारण मत्रालय से छन कर आ रही खबरों पर भरोसा करें तो मीडिया की दुनिया में अपनी सफलताओं का परचम लहरा चुके जी टेलीफिल्म और श्री अधिकारी ब्रदर्स भी भोजपुरी में इंटरटेनमेंट चैनल लाने की तैयारी में जुट गए हैं। पूर्व सूचना और प्रसारण सचिव रतिकॉत बसु की कंपनी भी भोजपुरी में नया चैनल लाने की तैयारी में है। खबरिया चैनल की दुनिया में हाल ही में कदम रख चुकी हरियाणा के पूर्व मंत्री विनोद शर्मा की कंपनी इंडिया न्यूज भी भोजपुरी में न्यूज चैनल लाने की तैयारी में जुटी है।

वैसे हिंदी में राष्ट्रीय कहे जाने वाले कम से दस चैनल हो गए हैं। कुछ एक अभी भी आने की तैयारी में हैं। लेकिन ये भी सच है कि हिंदी की राष्ट्रीय टेलीविजन पत्रकारिता में इससे ज्यादा स्पेस की गुंजाइ?श फिलहाल नहीं दिखती। लिहाजा इन दिनों क्षेत्रीय चैनलों की भी जोरदार तैयारियॉ चल रही हैं। वैसे इसकी शुरुआत इनाडु टीवी ने उत्तर प्रदेश-उत्तराखंड, बिहार-झारखंड, मध्यप्रदेश-छत्तीसगढ़ और राजस्थान के लिए अलग से चार क्षेत्रीय चैनल लाकर क्षेत्रीय टीवी पत्रकारिया की हिंदी में शुरूआत की थी। गुजराती, बॉग्ला, मराठी, तेलुगू, तमिल और कन्नड़ की टीवी पत्रकारिया में इनाडु ने ही पहले-पहल कदम बढ़ाया। अब तो जी और स्टार के भी गुजराती, मराठी, बॉग्ला और तेलुगू में अपने स्वतंत्र चैनल हैं।

अब इन क्षेत्रीय भाषाओं और बोलियों के अपने स्वतंत्र चैनल हो सकते हैं तो सवाल ये है कि 19 करोड़ लोगों की भाषा भोजपुरी में अपना कोई चैनल नहीं हो सकता है। टीआरपी की दुनिया में सबसे बड़ा बाजार मुंबई है। आज हालत ये है कि मुंबई में भी पूरबिये लोगों की संख्या करीब चालीस लाख हो है। टीआरपी के लिहाज से दूसरे बड़े बाजार दिल्ली में भी करीब चालीस लाख भोजपुरीभा?षी और पूरबिए हैं। कोलकाता की 56 फीसदी जनसंख्या गैर बॉग्लाभाषी है। जिसमें सबसे ज्यादा लोग पूवी उत्तर प्रदेश और बिहार के भी लोग हैं। मध्यवर्गीय बाजार में इनकी भी हैसियत कोई कम नहीं है। इसके साथ ही मारीशस, फिजी, गुयाना जैसे देशों में भी भोजपुरी भाषियों की संख्या लाखों में हैं। जाहिर है- इस भाषा में भी एक बड़ा बाजार इंतजार कर रहा है। और मीडिया के नए-पुराने खिलाड़ियों की इसी बाजार पर निगाह है।

लेकिन सबसे बड़ी आशंका इन चैनलों के कंटेंट को लेकर है। साठ के दशक में भोजपुरी में बनी पहली फिल्म गंगा मईया तोहे पियरी चढ़इबो में एक सामाजिक संदेश भी था। लागी नाहीं छूटे राम से लेकर दूल्हा गंगा पार के और रूठ गइले संइया हमार जैसी फिल्मों में ये परंपरा जारी रही। लेकिन हाल के दिनों में बनी भोजपुरी फिल्में कंटेंट और कथ्य के स्तर पर कुछ खास छाप नहीं छोड़ पाई हैं। यही हाल इस इलाके के लिए रिकार्ड किए जा रहे म्यूजिक की भी है। सबसे बड़ा खतरा ये है कि खबरों में भले ही ये प्रवृत्ति ना दिखे, भोजपुरी चैनलों की प्रोग्रामिग पर इसका असर दिख सकता है। ऐसे में ये चैनल कहीं हंसी का पात्र ना बन जाएं, इसका खास खयाल रखा जाना होगा जरूरी होगा, तभी खबरिया चैनलों की दुनिया में भदेसपन की भाषा के ये चैनल भोजपुरी लोगों के विकास के साथ ही उनकी सामाजिक-आर्थिक और राजनीतिक समस्याओं को मुखर आवाज देने में सफल होंगे।

IGNOU to offer foundation course in Bhojpuri

noreply@blogger.com (विजय शंकर पांडेय) — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 19:34:00 +0000

New Delhi: The Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) will soon start a foundation course in Bhojpuri language.

Prof. Shatrughna Kumar, Course Coordinator at the School of Humanities, IGNOU said, "The Vice Chancellor has formed an external members committee with eight experts to start the course."

"If we look at the number of people who speak Bhojpuri, it is only second to Hindi. Moreover, it is a language which is spoken not only in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, but also in countries including Mauritius, Fiji, Trinidad & Tobago, Muscat and Surinam", added Kumar.

A large number of Bhojpuri speaking people also reside in metros like New Delhi and Mumbai.

Realizing the importance of Bhojpuri language, the Government of Delhi had also setup the Maithili-Bhojpuri Academy in Delhi in March this year.

The academy organises programmes, seminars, exhibitions and makes arrangements for the translation of work of other languages. It also helps in the publication of books, and support, recognise and aid deserving institutions connected with the language.

While setting up the Maithili-Bhojpuri Academy, Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit had said that the academy was being established since Delhi has a sizeable number of Maithili and Bhojpuri-speaking people with a defined cultural identity.

Sailesh Mishra

शैलेश मिश्र की कविता- गोपियन के संगे खेलस कन्हैया

noreply@blogger.com (विजय शंकर पांडेय) — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 20:03:00 +0000

चेन्नई में जनमल शैलेश मिश्र हिन्दी आ भोजपुरी भाषा के लेखक कवि हउवन; भोजपुरी असोसिएशन ऑफ़ नॉर्थ अमेरिका के संस्थापक आ अध्यक्ष हउवन; भोजपुरी के प्रसिद्ध सोशल नेटवर्क - भोजपुरीएक्सप्रेस.कॉम के सृजनकर्ता हउवन. लेखक मूलतः बलिया जिला के डांगरबाद गाँव से जुड़ल बाड़े आ आजुकाल्ह अमेरिका के डैलस शहर (टेक्सास) में कंप्यूटर सॉफ्टवेर इंजिनियर बाड़े. ई-मेल संपर्क : smishra@gmail.com
गोपियन के संगे खेलस कन्हैया
मधुर राग में बजावस बँसुरिया
मथुरा द्वारिका जगमगास सहरिया
हरे कृष्ण बोले सौंसे नगरिया
मैया यशोदा से कान्हा पावस दुलरिया
मटका फोडके मुस्कास बहरिया
केतना दिन ले छिपी माखन के चोरिया
बाल-लीला से गूँजे सौंसे नगरिया
देवकी-बासुदेव के दिनवा भईल अँजोरिया
कन्स-उत्पात से भरल पाप के गगरिया
नकवा से चना चबावे शक्ति असुरिया
कन्हैया नचावस अब सौंसे नगरिया
बरखा से बचावास गोकुल नगरिया
अंगूरी पे उठाई के गोबर्धन पर्बतिया
इन्द्र के प्रकोप के ना भईल असरिया
हरे कृष्ण बोले सौंसे नगरिया
सोहर गीत गावें मिलके ब्रजबसिया
अष्टमी के बाँटे सब मेवा आ बुनिया
जय गोपाल जय माधव गूँजे गिरिधरिया
हरे कृष्ण बोले सौंसे नगरिया
कालिया नाग से लपटस श्यामल सरिरिया
पबित्र भईल जमुना जब निकलल जहरिया
जैसे ही प्रभु-माया के मिलल खबरिया
हरे कृष्ण बोले सौंसे नगरिया
गुरु संदीपनी से लेस ज्ञान गिरिधरिया
बन्धु सुदामा से निभावस् मैतिरिया
चौसठ कला जानस मोहन मुरलिया
हरे कृष्ण बोले सौंसे नगरिया
नरकासुर से मुक्त कईलन सोलह सौ रनिया
बनल सब कान्हा के शरण में पटरनिया
राधा-रुक्मणि-सत्यभामा भी उनकर दिवनिया
बंसीधर के धुन में धुनाय सौंसे नगरिया
गीता उपदेश से बान्धस अर्जुन के धीरजिया
दुष्टन के ना छोड़स सुदर्शन चक्रधरिया
द्रौपदी पर जब-जब आवे आफत संकटिया
कृष्णलीला के हल्ला से चौंके नगरिया
द्वापर जुग के हे! विष्णु अवतरिया
भक्त के पुकरवा सुनिह कुंज-बिहरिया
सबके इच्छा पूरा कर गोविन्द गिरिधरिया
हरे कृष्ण बोले सौंसे नगरिया
शैलेश मिश्र
डैलस, टैक्सस, अमेरिका

शिखा शालिनी की रिपोर्ट - अब छोटे पर्दे पर भोजपुरी दिखाएगी अपना जलवा

noreply@blogger.com (विजय शंकर पांडेय) — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 13:48:00 +0000

क्षेत्रीय चैनलों की होड़ में भोजपुरी चैनल न हो, ऐसा भला कैसे हो सकता है। अब भोजपुरी चैनलों ने भी अपनी दमदार मौजूदगी दर्ज कराने की कवायद शुरू कर दी है। इस रेस में शामिल हैं पॉजिटिव टेलीविजन लिमिटेड का हमार टीवी, पर्ल मीडिया प्राइवेट लिमिटेड का महुआ और गंगा। इनके अलावा एक म्यूजिक चैनल भी लॉन्च होने वाला है। भोजपुरी चैनल अपनी पहचान अंतरराष्ट्रीय स्तर पर भी बनाने की कवायद में जुट चुके हैं।
इसके तहत हमार टीवी ने मॉरिशस ब्रॉडकास्ट कॉरपोरेशन के साथ गठजोड़ भी किया है और इस चैनल ने अमेरिका के लॉस एंजलिस में भी अपना स्टूडियो बनाया है। महुआ भी ऐसे में पीछे नहीं रहना चाहता। वह मॉरिशस, फिजी, सूरीनाम, त्रिनिदाद और टुबैगो में भी अपनी मौजूदगी के लिए 3 महीने के अंदर ही तैयारी करने वाला है। गंगा टीवी की कोशिश भी यही है कि वह हिन्दी भाषी देशों में अपनी सीधी पहुंच बनाए।
बाजार का आंकड़ा
भोजपुरी चैनल लॉन्च करने के पीछे बाजार की जो रणनीति काम कर रही है वह यह है कि बिहार और यूपी के भोजपुरी प्रदेशों तथा हिन्दी क्षेत्रों में सभी तरह के खर्चीले प्रॉडक्ट का बाजार है। इसकी वजह से बड़ी कंपनियां भी इस बड़े बाजार तक अपनी पहुंच बनाने के लिए इन चैनलों से संपर्क साधेंगी।
हालांकि ज्यादा विज्ञापन तो उन्हीं उत्पादों का मिलेगा जिनका बाजार वहां बड़ा है। इसी लिहाज से ये भोजपुरी चैनल काफी खर्च भी कर रहे हैं। सभी चैनलों का दावा है कि वे किसी राष्ट्रीय चैनल से कम खर्च नहीं कर रहे हैं। हमार टीवी ने अपना खुद का टेलीपॉड भी लगाया है।
हमार टीवी के प्रमुख संजॉय कुमार सिंह का कहना है कि बिहार में बड़ी गाड़ियों का बाजार भले ही न हो लेकिन मोटरसाइकिल का बहुत बड़ा बाजार है। हालांकि गंगा टीवी के प्रमुख एस. एन. विनोद का मानना है कि फिलहाल हम ज्यादा मुनाफे की उम्मीद नहीं कर सकते हैं।
कौन हैं खिलाड़ी
महुआ चैनल इन्फोटेनमेंट चैनल के तौर पर 11 अगस्त को लॉन्च हो रहा है। यह चैनल फिलहाल उत्तर प्रदेश, बिहार, मध्य प्रदेश, झारखंड, दिल्ली और मुम्बई में लॉन्च हो रहा है।चैनल का प्रसारण पंजाब के कुछ हिस्सों में भी होगा।
महुआ के प्रमुख (न्यूज) अंशुमान त्रिपाठी का कहना है, 'हमारे चैनल पर भोजपुरी के 5 बुलेटिन प्रसारित होंगे। इसमें दर्शकों के मनोरंजन के लिए भोजपुरी फिल्में, गाने और सीरियल भी प्रसारित होंगे।' इस चैनल पर 6 धारावाहिकों का प्रसारण होगा तथा दो साप्ताहिक धारावाहिक भी प्रसारित किए जाएंगे। यह चैनल रोज भोजपुरी फीचर फिल्म भी दिखाएगा लेकिन सप्ताहांत में दो बड़ी फिल्मों का प्रसारण करेगा।
महुआ चैनल प्रकाश झा के साथ मिलकर भी एक सीरियल बना रहा है जिसका नाम है बाहुबलि। इस सीरियल का प्रसारण भी इस चैनल पर होगा। इस चैनल के बिजनेस प्रमुख राघवेश अस्थाना का कहना है, 'हमने भोजपुरी की लगभग 80 प्रतिशत फिल्में खरीद ली हैं जिसका प्रसारण हम करने वाले हैं।
विदेशों में हमारे कंटेट शेयरिंग की बात चल रही है। उनके मुताबिक यह चैनल अगले साल से 8 फीचर फिल्में भी बनाने की योजना बना रहा है।' इस रेस के दूसरे खिलाड़ी का नाम है हमार टीवी। यह चैनल उत्तर प्रदेश, बिहार और झारखंड जैसे हिंदी भाषी क्षेत्रों में तो नजर आएगा ही लेकिन अंतरराष्ट्रीय स्तर भी उसने अपनी पहचान की कोशिशों को अंजाम देने की शुरुआत कर दी है।
हमार टीवी दरअसल पॉजीटिव टेलीविजन लिमिटेड का चैनल है। इस गु्रप का उत्तर पूर्वी भारत में भी एनई टीवी काफी मशहूर है। इसमें 17 भाषाओं में बुलेटिन प्रसारित होता है। कुमार संजॉय सिंह का कहना है, ' हमारा चैनल पूरी तरह से भोजपुरी न्यूज चैनल होगा।
आजकल जैसे न्यूज चैनल में थोड़े बहुत मनोरंजन के कार्यक्रम प्रसारित होते हैं, हमारे चैनल में भी बहुत कम मात्रा में ऐसे कार्यक्रम दिखाए जाएंगे लेकिन यह पूरी तरह से न्यूज चैनल ही होगा। हमने अपने चैनल में दो भाषाओं भोजपुरी और अंगिका में बुलेटिन प्रसारित करने की योजना बनाई है।' उनके मुताबिक अंगिका भाषा बिहार के बड़े इलाके में बोले जाने वाली भाषा है जिसे बोलने वालों की संख्या भी खासी बड़ी है। यह चैनल सितंबर में लॉन्च हो रहा है।
एस. एन. विनोद के मुताबिक अगस्त के अंतिम सप्ताह में उनका चैनल आएगा और वह समाचार और मनोरंजन का मिला जुला रूप होगा। उनका चैनल उत्तर प्रदेश, बिहार के अलावा महाराष्ट्र, पंजाब, हरियाणा और पश्चिम बंगाल में भी दिखेगा। मीडिया वर्ल्ड वाइड प्राइवेट लिमिटेड 24 घंटे का भोजपुरी म्यूजिक चैनल लॉन्च कर चुकी है। इस चैनल का नाम संगीत भोजपुरी है। इस चैनल के वितरण का काम दिल्ली में संभालने वाले मोहन चंद्र जोशी का कहना है कि यह चैनल यूपी, बिहार, झारखंड, पंजाब, दिल्ली और हरियाणा में भी प्रसारित हो रहा है।
कैसी होगी भाषा
जहां तक भाषा का सवाल है कुमार संजॉय का कहना है कि उनके चैनल की भोजपुरी हिंदी के करीब की भोजपुरी होगी। इन चैनलों की कवायद यह है कि उनके लक्षित दर्शकों में भोजपुरी बोलने वालों के साथ-साथ हिंन्दी बोलने वाले भी हों। गंगा टीवी के एसएन विनोद का कहना है कि भाषा तो वैसी ही होगी जो अब तक भोजपुरी फिल्मों में बोली जाती थी। पूरी तरह से ठेठ भोजपुरी नहीं होगी बल्कि इस भोजपुरी में पूर्वी और अवधी का टच होगा।
कितने हैं भोजपुरी-भाषी
गौरतलब है कि बिहार में 8 करोड़, उत्तर प्रदेश में 7 करोड़ और भारत के दूसरे प्रदेशों में 60 लाख लोग भोजपुरी बोलते हैं। भारत के अलावा दुनिया भर में भोजपुरी बोलने वालों की संख्या 20 करोड़ है। भोजपुरी गाने और फिल्मों की मांग केवल यूपी और बिहार तक ही सीमित नहीं है बल्कि यह देश के विभिन्न भागों में पसंद की जाती है।
इसकी वजह यह है कि देश के हर हिस्से में बिहार और यूपी के भोजपुरी प्रदेशों से जुडे लोग रहते हैं। गंगा टीवी के प्रमुख का कहना है उनके चैनल के सर्वेक्षण के मुताबिक 84 लोकसभा क्षेत्र और लगभग 300 विधानसभा क्षेत्रों में भोजपुरी वालों का वर्चस्व है।
अगर मुंबई और ठाणे की बात करें तो यहां की 60 लाख जनसंख्या उत्तर भारत की है जिसमें से 90 फीसदी लोग भोजपुरी भाषी हैं। चर्चा है कि अधिकारी ब्रदर्स भी अपना एक भोजपुरी चैनल लाने की तैयारी में हैं। पिछले साल काफी बड़े बजट के साथ बिहार झारखंड और नेपाल के पोखरा में 24 घंटे का दुनिया का पहला भोजपुरी चैनल पूर्वा टीवी लॉन्च हुआ। हालांकि वह चैनल अभी कहीं भी चर्चा में नहीं है।

मॉरीशस में शुरु हुआ ‘विश्व भोजपुरी सम्मेलन’

noreply@blogger.com (विजय शंकर पांडेय) — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 13:43:00 +0000

वाराणसी। ‘विश्व भोजपुरी सम्मेलन’ में भाग लेने के लिए वाराणसी से 25 लोगों का एक सद्भावना दल कल सुबह मॉरीशस के लिए रवाना हुआ। मॉरीशस में 22 अगस्त से 29 अगस्त तक चलने वाले भोजपुरी सम्मेलन में भाषाई विकास और उसके उत्थान के बारे में गहन चर्चा होने की संभावना है।
इस दौरान यहां विविध प्रकार के सांस्कृतिक कार्यक्रम भी आयोजित किए जाएंगे। इस सम्मेलन में फिजी, सूरीनाम, गुयाना, त्रिनिडाड एंड टोबैगो सहित एक दर्जन से अधिक देशों के 500 से अधिक प्रवासी भारतीयों के भाग लेने की आशा है।
वाराणसी से मॉरीशस जाने वाले दल का नेतृत्व कर रहे डॉ. अशोक सिंह ने रवाना होने से पहले बताया कि वैसे तो इस सम्मेलन के कई फायदे हैं, लेकिन जो सबसे बड़ा फायदा होने वाला है वह यह कि इससे दो समान संस्कृति वाले देशों को और नजदीक आने में मदद मिलेगी तथा सबसे ज्यादा बोली जाने वाली क्षेत्रीय भाषा भोजपुरी के विकास के लिए रास्ता तलाशने में मदद भी मिलेगी।
मॉरीशस में होने वाले विश्व भोजपुरी सम्मेलन की तैयारी यहां काफी दिनों से की जा रही थी। सम्मेलन के दौरान वहां सांस्कृतिक कार्यक्रम के लिए यहां के कलाकारों ने खास तैयारियां की हैं।
सम्मेलन में भाग लेने जा रहे प्रख्यात भोजपुरी गायक भरत शर्मा व्यास ने बताया कि, "इतने बड़े मंच पर अपनी कला का प्रदर्शन करते हुए हम लोग काफी रोमांचित हैं।" मॉरीशस जाने वाले लोगों में अनुराधा सिंह, विधान परिषद सदस्य कैलास सिंह सहित अन्य कई गणमान्य लोग शामिल थे।
इस दल के सदस्य अपने प्रवास के दौरान मॉरीशस के प्रधानमंत्री, राष्ट्रपति तथा खेल एवं सांस्कृतिक मंत्री से मिलकर भोजपुरी भाषा के विकास और भारत के साथ और मधुर सांस्कृतिक संबंध की संभावनाओं पर विचार-विमर्श करेंगे।

बुढ़ छेरी अब बगइचा चरी

noreply@blogger.com (विजय शंकर पांडेय) — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 20:48:00 +0000

एह दौर में पत्रकारिता में पढ़ल-लिखल लोगन के गुजारा नइखे। केहू गलती से एह पेशा में अब आ जाता त ओकर बुद्धिए हेरा जाता। मिथिलेश जी जइसन पढ़ाकू लिख्खाड़ एकर जियत जागत उदाहरण बा। नवभारत टाइम्स, प्रभात खबर, अमर उजाला आ भास्कर के बाद बाबा अब आई नेक्स्ट देहरादून के एडिटरी करत बाड़न। लोग बतावता कि उनका अब ब्लागिंग करके शौक चराईल बा। उनकरा ब्लाग के पता ह- http://gahe-bagahe.blogspot.com/उनकरा के रउवा सब तनी फोन (0-9917478717) कइके बधाई दे दीं सभे ताकि उ लिखल शुरू कइ देस।

शैलेश मिश्र के भोजपुरी कविता - अन्हरिया में चनरमा

noreply@blogger.com (विजय शंकर पांडेय) — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 20:04:00 +0000

बियाह के बाद जबले लइका- लइकी ना होला, घर सून लागेला माई-बाप बनला पर जवन अनुभव होला, ओकरा पर आधारित हमार ई भोजपुरी कविता बा - अन्हरिया में चनरमा अमावस बीतत गइल कवनो तारा ना आइललइका-लइकी बिना माई-बाप तरसे, तरसे अइसनअनाथ पर ममता उमड़ आइल पैदा भइनी त घरवा में आइलअन्हरिया में चनरमा, चनरमा अइसनपूरा वंश में अंजोर भइल बोलनी मुहवाँ से तs घरवा में भइलसून-सान अंगना में हल्ला, हल्ला अइसनमोहल्ला-जवार में खुशहाली आइल निनिया न आवे त बजरवा से आइलकन्हैया के झुलना, झुलना अइसनअंजोरिया भी दिनवा में सूते आइल कौवा के खियवनी रोटी त चिरैया आइलझुंड संगे धान खाए, खाए अइसनखरीद के धान के बोरा आइल हियाँव-हियाँव रोवनी त खेलवना आइलडगरा-डगरा के खेले, खेलनी अइसनसौंसे खेलवना के बजार आइल खाए-पिये लगनी त दूधवा के दाँत आइलकुटुर-कुटुर चबाये, चबवनी अइसनकुल्ही चवन्नी-अठन्नी के सिक्का हेराइल जमीनिया पर हथवा धरके चले आइललोगवा पीछे-पीछे दउरे, दउरे अइसनहार के अंगना से दुआर गेंडाइल पहिली बेरिया बगिया में एगो भँवरा आइलबहुत बरिस बाद फुलवा खिलल, खिलल अइसनअन्हरिया में चर-चरगो चनरमा आइल घरवा के चनरमा कुल के उजागर कईलन माई-बाप में ममता के बाढ़ आईल, बाढ़ अइसन"शैलेश", अन्हरिया फेरु कब्बो ना आइल ---शैलेश मिश्रडैलस, टैक्सस, अमेरिका [शैलेश मिश्र हिन्दी औरी भोजपुरी भाषा के लेखक और कवि हउवन भोजपुरी असोसिएशन ऑफ़ नॉर्थ अमेरिका के संस्थापक और अध्यक्ष हउवन भोजपुरी के जानल-पहचानल सोशल नेटवर्क - भोजपुरीएक्सप्रेस.कॉम के सृजनकरता औरी संचालक हउवन मूल रूप से बलिया जिला के डांगरबाद गाँव से जुडल हउवन औरी अमेरिका के डैलस शहर (टेक्सास) में सॉफ्टवेर इंजिनियर बाडन

भोजपुरिया ब्लागों की धूम

noreply@blogger.com (विजय शंकर पांडेय) — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 15:55:00 +0000

इंटरनेट पर ब्लॉग अभिव्यक्ति का एक सशक्त माध्यम बनता जा रहा है। अंग्रेजी में शुरू हुए ब्लागिंग के बाद लोगों ने हिंदी में ब्लागिंग शुरू की और यह सफल भी रही, अब आंचलिक भाषाओं में भी ब्लॉग लिखे जा रहे हैं। खासकर, मैथिली और भोजपुरी भाषा में रोज नए ब्लॉग सामने आ रहे हैं।
आंचलिक भाषाओं के इन ब्लॉगों की संख्या अभी हिंदी के मुकाबले काफी कम हैं। भोजपुरी भाषा में मौजूद ब्लॉगों की लोकप्रियता का ग्राफ जहां काफी तेजी से आगे बढ़ रह है, वहीं मैथिली में मौजूद ब्लॉगों की रफ्तार भोजपुरी के मुकाबले कमजोर है। दोनों भाषाओं के ब्लॉगों में जहां साहित्य और सामाजिक स्थिति को लेकर पोस्ट मौजूद हैं वहीं 'कम्युनिटी ब्लॉग' को लेकर भी इन भाषाओं के ब्लॉगर कार्य कर रहे हैं।
भोजपुरी में सबसे अधिक लोकप्रिय ब्लॉग 'भोजपुरिया ब्लॉग' में देश- विदेश की खबरों के अलावा भोजपुरी समुदाय की सांस्कृतिक गतिविधियों पर भी रिपोर्ट मौजूद हैं। इस ब्लॉग पर भोजपुरी फिल्मों की समीक्षा भी पढ़ने को मिल सकती है। एक और भोजपुरी ब्लॉग 'चौरीचौरा डॉट कॉम' भी पाठकों को अपनी आकर्षित कर रहा है। यहां आपको वीडियो पोस्ट भी आसानी से मिल जाएंगे।
दूसरी ओर मैथिली भाषा के ब्लॉग भी ब्लॉग -जगत में हलचल मचा रहे हैं। 'कतेक रास बात', 'मिथिला मिहिर' 'माटिक लोक' 'हेलो मिथिला' 'टोला' जैसे कई ब्लॉग साहित्य और मिथिला के सामाजिक परिवेश पर चर्चा कर रहे हैं। 'हेलो मिथिला' ब्लॉग पर तो मिथिलांचल इलाके की ढेर सारी रिपोर्टे मौजूद हैं, वहीं 'मिथिला मिहिर' पाठकों को मैथिली की कहानियां, कविताएं और विश्व प्रसिद्ध मिथिला पेंटिंग से परिचित कराने में योगदान कर रहा है।
मैथिली के लोकगीतों का यदि वीडियो में आनंद प्राप्त करना चाहते हैं तो 'मैथिली लोकगीत' नामक ब्लॉग पर आएं। यहां मिथिला के प्रचलित लोक गीतों का भंडार है। विभिन्न अवसरों पर गाए जाने वाले गीतों को यहां पोस्ट किया गया है।

भगवती प्रसाद द्विवेदी के कविता - हिन्दी पट्टी

noreply@blogger.com (विजय शंकर पांडेय) — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 14:04:00 +0000

भाषा-सरहद के पटवारी! हिन्दी पट्टी सभ पर भारी।
एक बिहारी सइ बेमारी बकत रोज, से रोगी, ऊ सस्ता शोहरत के भुक्खड़, करमवीर हम जोगी। भावे ना कबहू¡ बटमारी।
बा जेकरा सउ¡से दिमाग में भरल कीच आ गोबर, गोबर के कीरा कहि के ऊ माने, भइल बरोबर! राजनीति का गोबर-नाली?
हम ना लड़ीं बेवजह कबहीं, लोग कहेला `भइया´, दिल देला जब केहू सहजे, बन जाइं ले सइ¡या! खूब निबाहीं रिश्तेदारी!
वीर शिवाजी-सावरकर के एक सपूत, ई ठानऽ, भू¡कत पगलाइल कुक्कुर के सिक्कड़ में अब बान्हऽ! बढ़ि न जाय कतहीं दुसवारी!
भारत के हर कोना में हम हीरा-मोती बोइं, मए क्षेत्र, भाषा, मजहब में माला सदा पिरोईं। शान्ति-क्रान्ति के हमीं पुजारी।
अगर सियासत कइल जरूरी, करऽ भूख के, जन के, आदमियत के रोदन आ पथराइल संवेदन के। भारत-भू सभके महतारी।

बधाई स्वीकार करीं

noreply@blogger.com (विजय शंकर पांडेय) — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 13:17:00 +0000

पांडेय जी बहुत बढि़या शुरुआत कइले बानी. भोजपुरियन के बतकुचन खातिर.बधाई स्वीकार करीं.हम हाल ही में BhojpuriExpress.com पोर्टल चालू कइलीं हां.उहवां भी कुछ साहित्य आ पत्रकारिता के रस बिखेरीं सभे.

शैलेश मिश्र

sailesh_cool@yahoo.com

ओरहन नाम बड़ा अच्छा लागल

noreply@blogger.com (विजय शंकर पांडेय) — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 13:14:00 +0000

I have bookmarked the page. ओरहन नाम बड़ा अच्छा लागल.
बिनय कुमार पांडेय
binay_rekha@yahoo.com

बहस के बढ़िया मसाला

noreply@blogger.com (विजय शंकर पांडेय) — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 16:03:00 +0000

स्वतंत्रता दिवस के दिने रउवा बढ़िया बहस के मसाला आ मंच दुनो मुहैया करवनी महाराजा. एह देस में तो करु अनीति कहू नीति के तर्ज पर लोग-बाग चलू रहल बा. तुलसी बाबा के देश में वैसीहूं समरथ के कौनो दोष ना होला. ओकर सात खून माफ होला. एहसे लोग आजाद बा अपना-अपना ढंग से शब्दन के मतलब निकाले खातिर. फेरु मीडिया भला काहें पीछे रही. हां, स्वतंत्रता दिवस के मउका पर रउवा भोजपुरियन के कंठ खोले खातिर बढ़िया मौका देतानी एह खातिर रउवा के बधाई

तिकड़म खबर बेचे के

noreply@blogger.com (विजय शंकर पांडेय) — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 14:34:00 +0000

मंगलवार को विहिप आहूत बंद के दौरान कानपुर में जाम के चलते एगो लइका के बीच सड़क पर दम तोड़ देबे के फर्जी खबर पूरा नमक मिर्च लगाके इलेक्ट्रॉनिक आ प्रिंट मीडिया में जम के उछालल गइल. जबकि उ लइका करेंट लगला से पहिलहीं मर गइल रहे. एह बात के पुष्टि महानगर के एसपी ट्रैफिक भी कई रहल बाड़न. लेकिन जब तक आपन बात बढ़ा-चढ़ा के ना कहल जाई. केहू ना सुनी. अखबार ना बिकाई. टीवी चैनल के टीआरपी ना बढ़ी. आखिर एक झूठ के सई बार दोहरा के हम साच साबित करे पर काहें तुलल बानी. एकर नतीजा का निकली. मीडिया के एह दोहरा चरित्र पर खुलल बहस होखे के चाहीं. बात-बात पर बंद के समर्थन ना कइल जा सकेला. एह से पूरा जन जीवन प्रभावित होला. बंद के आह्वान कर राजनेता आपन रोटी सेकता लोग. ओहसे मरेला गरीब गुरबा. इहौ एगो बहस के मुद्दा बा.