The Shaking Minarets, also called Sidi Bashir Minarets, are located in Sarangpur area of Ahmedabad. Sidi Bashir Mosque, where these minarets stand, was built by a slave of Sultan Ahmed Shah–Sidi Bashir–in 1452 AD. The mystery of its vibration has continued to intrigue architects and engineers since its inception. An ancient monument of such paramount national importance is left ignored today.

This is one of the 54 monuments/sites in the city that falls under the purview of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). This makes the ASI responsible for the maintenance and preservation of the cultural heritage that they hold. Sadly, most of these monuments/ sites lack suitable attention today. Dr. KC Nauriyal, ASI’s superintending archeologist (Vadodara circle) said, “We are completely dedicated to the conservation of these structures that are of national and regional importance. We are also aware of the unkempt condition of these sites. Maintenance is an ongoing process and we are on it.” Nauriyal admitted that there is an urgent need to gear up the process of conservation of these sites and in turn, give them the status that they deserve.

The brick minarets that stand disregarded on the Kalupur railway platform also is a heritage structure under ASI. Thousands of people that throng the railway station every day would hardly be aware of the architectural and historical significance of these minarets. “Spreading awareness about the historical importance of these sites is one way of gaining contribution from the people to keep these sites clean,” added Nauriyal.

Not only lesser known heritage structures, but the world-renowned ones also lack maintenance. Kumar Bundela, fromRajkot, had come to visit Jhulta Minara with his son. Bundela said, “I am here since last one hour. The gate is open but I could not find anyone to guide me or inform me about the wonders of this heritage structure.” The heritagemonumentofTeen Darwaja(Three Gates) has heaps of garbage dumped within its walls, which is difficult to ignore. Many hawkers are found sitting under the fortified structure of Teen Darwaja, careless about keeping the vicinity clean. A close watch to this site reveals the grave concern about its cleanliness and maintenance.

PK Vasudevan Nayar, Deputy General Manager, Heritage Projects, Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC), said, “The responsibility of the maintenance of those heritage monuments and sites that come under ASI lies with ASI.” Nauriyal commented, “The contribution by AMC in cleanliness and encroachment issues helps us in conserving these sites. So we are now coming up with initiatives of collaborating with AMC in the restoration of these heritage monuments.”

Nauriyal shared that ASI is planning to make extensive efforts in spreading awareness for the conservation of the heritage structures. On of the ways he mentioned was to illuminate these monuments/sites on national holidays. He concluded, “I urge people to help us in keeping these sites clean. Please don’t scribble on these monuments.” BV Doshi, a city-based senior expert on architecture said, “We, as citizens, need to develop respect and fondness for our heritage. It is disappointing that the culture of conserving our rich past is found missing in the city.”

When the city ofAhmedabadis vying for the status of aWorldHeritageCityfrom UNESCO, it demands sincere efforts from all ends to conserve the rich cultural heritage hidden in the immortal architecture of the city.

By Kruti Shah

List of monuments/sites in Ahmedabad city that are under Archaeological Survey of India

The canteen was inaugurated on 29 March and is the largest in the state. It is part of the 40 canteens approved for the state by the Home Ministry, on the lines of the Canteen Department Stores for the defence personnel, in August 2011. Located on the police parade grounds within the Thane Commissionerate, it is open to serving and retired police personnel from the Thane Commissionerate, the Thane rural force, and the Thane wings of the Anti-Corruption Bureau, the State Intelligence Department, and those attached to the Mantralaya among others. It will benefit over 9000 cops.

API Vaidya, who is in-charge of the facility, says, “Why will the response not be good? If you get something in the market for Rs. 100, here you will get it for Rs. 70. Who will not want to avail of the benefit? The average discount we offer is 30-35%.”

The canteen aims to be the go-to place for household items, as that is what the stock largely comprises. The most popular of these have been bathing soaps, detergent soaps, tea powder, cooking oil and “snacks” such as biscuits, toast, packed chips. “We need to restock the cooking oil. Some electric items such as fans and coolers have been completely sold out. This is because of the season, I guess. We had stocked 18 suitcases. They are sold out, too, as people will go out for the summer.”

The upper limit for such purchase is Rs. 6000 per month. “This is to avoid abuse of the discounts. Also, an average household does not have to spend more than 6000 rupees on the kind of items we stock. The most important reason for this restriction is to ensure that goods are available to every one.”

Police Naik Santosh Kalamkar, who works at the shop, declares, ”The stream of customers is unending. We don’t get a moment’s respite.” Sampada Chowghule, who sits at the billing counter,says that although the shop is supposed to shut at 7 pm, she has to work till about 9 pm to attend to the customers who are inside the shop by 7 pm. The staff is made up entirely of members from the police force.

Police Constable Dhananjay Patil, who was shopping with his wife, is happy with the canteen. “I bought all the items that my house needs such as bathing soap. Also, I shopped for my kids andbought biscuits.” His counterpart, K R Panne also bought detergent poweder,hair oil and Gulab Jamun mix.

PSI SP Rane and ASI VD Bogle, who had bought packets of food to snack on, said that the canteen definitely makes for convenience. Generally, they don’t even have the time to shop but could make a quick trip to the canteen before returning to their Wireless Department.

While a cop who wished to remain unidentified complained that actual necessities like food grains were not available, Constable Maruti Karmar suggests that the shop include items like clothes and shoes. He added, “That will ensure that the canteen does even better than it does now.”

by Pradnya Waghule

Taking some time off from his busy shooting schedule at Mira Road on April 4, Mangesh Desai spoke to Citizens Report. During his school days, Mangesh used to participate in plays staged during annual gatherings. When he was in 12th standard, he bagged the Best Actor prize in Purushottam Karandak Ekankika Spardha. His breakthrough came in 1992 while staging a play where Nana Patekar was the chief guest.  Nana told Desai that his place was in the Bollywood world.

Then Desai started acting on the stage, moved on to television screen and finally came the breakthrough in films. Then the juggernaut never stopped. Asked to identify the factor that led to his success, Mangesh says, “The luck factor plays a great role in a man’s life.” When asked whether he was cut out for comic role, “No” says the actor. He enjoys playing serious roles as well. “comedy is not about laughing at other people, it is about laughing at ourselves” says Desai and admits that it is more difficult to play comic roles. Sanjeev Kumar and Kamal Haasan are Mangesh’s favourite heroes.

Earlier Khel Mandla had won the jury’s acclaim when it was screened at MAMI (Mumbai Academy of the Moving Image) festival during October last year. Produced by Amruta Productions, the film is about the story of a man struggling between reality and fantasy in this unreal world. Desai plays the role of Dasu, the puppeteer. Dasu and his father together performed puppet shows and earned their living.

Puppet attires were designed by using materials like bindi and  sarees of Dasu’s  late mother. Tired of way of living, Dasu and his father decided to try their fate in Mumbai. In Mumbai, Dasu’s life takes a different turn. He forms new relations in the city of dreams. Does he succeed in managing the strings of relationship forms the rest of the story.

Director Viju Mane’s brilliantly made film is all set to be released by April 27 this year.  Hold your breath till April 27 to see the much acclaimed movie.

By Raghavendra Odeyar    

“In a village scenario, any suffering by an individual, quicly spreads as information or concern to others in village and others come to know of it. Importantly, nobody minds it,” says Venkatesh Iyer. Iyer is the Medical Health Officer of SEARCH, an NGO based in Gadchiroli, in North Maharashtra.

Search stands for Society for Education, Action and Research in Community Health and was founded by Dr Abhay and Rani Bang over two decades ago. Among the various research and practise activities at Search is a regular mental health check up at Shodhgram, the residential cum work headquarters of SEARCH.

Mental health check-ups at Search see a turnout of about 60-70 per session. The session is organised on the last Thursday of every month.

These sessions were initiated  in December 2010 when the first mental health camp, with a participation of 144, was organised. The need for such a camp was felt as Dr. Rani Bang, co-founder of SEARCH, noticed the prevalence of mental health problems with respect to her patients.

SEARCH Medical Health Officer Venkatesh Iyer (42) shares that the villagers aren’t really aware about issues of mental health. They describe their symptoms just as they would describe symptoms of a physical ailment like, ‘I don’t feel like doing anything’.

The most common illnesses identified include anxiety, depression and addiction. Addiction of alchohol or tobacco.

(Addiction patients are directed to their de-addiction programme) Cases of schizophrenia, obsessive psychosis, epilepsy, mental retardation and dementia are also found.

Iyer says that it is difficult to decidedly declare the causes for such ailments. (In urban cases, stress and lifestyle are said to be responsible).They deal with it on a case-to-case basis.

After diagnosis, patients are provided with medication or counselling or both. Low cost medication is available at the headquarters and in case patients can’t afford that, a discount is given even on that. Patients are also asked to come for a follow up either in the next month’s check-up or after 10-15 days, depending on the nature of the case.

Every month, psychiatrists from Nagpur, Amravati, Chandrapur (neighbouring districts to Gadhchiroli which as a cluster of districts form the VIdarbha region of Maharashtra)  come for the mental health OPD (OutPatient Department). A team of ten such psychiatrists has now been formed.

by Pradnya Waghule

Picture by Sonia Khudanpur

Suddenly, almost as if water to a parched throat, you hear lilting music, familiar bollywood numbers.Not recorded beats of a “ringtone” as urbaniites would be so familiar with, but, live music.

That, is a practise session of Swaranandwan orchestra: a talent pool of patients of leprosy, or their children; some singing, some playing instruments, others assisting in promotion and marketing.

For the uninitiated, Anandwan is the headquarters of the Leprosy eradication programme in Warora, launched by Templeton Prize winner and noted social worker, Baba Amte, decades ago. The project is run under the title Maharogi Sewa Samiti (MSS). Maharogi is a term given to a leprosy patient.

“It is sad that despite Leprosy never having claimed a single life ever, it is dubbed as maharog, a super disease”, rues Vikas Amte, Baba Amte’s elder son, who now runs the project and MSS after baba passed away a few years ago.

His brother and Baba’s younger son, Prakash runs the Lok Biradari Prakalp in Gadchiroli district, which aims to educate tribal children and healthcare for the Gond tribals of the region.

Swaranandwan (loosely translated, means the singing voice of Anandwan) was launched ten years ago — first as a small activity to entertain people internally, but now, a self-sustaining money spinner for the MSS.

Visually challenged Santosh Ramteke has been with the orchestra for the last four years. Practising for two-three hours everyday, he says that he learnt to play the guitar by himself. He points out that being a part of the orchestra has helped him become self-sufficient and independent.

After ten successful years of running an orchestra, the Maharogi Sewa Samiti (MSS) now plans on going a step further with a Swaranandwan Sangeet Kala Academy. In this, the healthy from in and around Anandwan (an MSS project where ‘social rejects’ are rehabilitated) will be trained in the use of musical instruments by the differently abled members and teachers of the orchestra. The only road block: funds.

Sadashiv Tajne, a trustee of the MSS and one of the founding members of the Swaranandwan orchestra, said that he had put this idea forward last Diwali. According to him, on watching the orchestra perform, (healthy) spectators also express their wishes to learn. The proposed academy arises out of that.

Being able to teach something to others would help build the confidence of the differently-abled. The tag of a teacher also brings with it some respect. If a fee of about Rs.500 per month is charged, apart from some income for the teachers, it would also mean some little money for the trust.

But Tajne says that all of this can happen only with funds.

As Vikas Amte, the MSS Secretary, had pointed out that for the academy to function, at least two instruments of each kind would be required. Tajne hopes that the academy is set in motion with the beginning of the next academic year in June. According to him, the 4000 students who now study in the four educational institutions of Anandwan could be potential students.

Amte, on his part, urges that the ‘(the) trainee-becomes-(the) trainer’ academy should be seen within the entire framework of the programme of rehabilitation and self-sufficiency of Anandwan. He also said that there are many willing students already, only the instruments are missing. Once funds are earmarked for this, the project can go ahead.

The project would require instruments like tablas, harmoniums, electronic drums, guitars, mixers etc. The estimated cost of the project is ‘Rs.10 lakhs to Rs.20 lakhs’. As the orchestra keeps touring and requires its instruments for practice otherwise, these cannot be made use of for this project.

The academy would train students between 6 pm and 9 pm. It is open to all age groups.

The orchestra has toured and performed in different cities in Maharashtra such as Mumbai and recently, also performed in Thane district near Mumbai. Having toured Goa, it prefers performing within the state as transportation isn’t the most convenient. They charge a minimum of one lakh rupees per performance and also have a vehicle to ferry them to nearby locations.

by Pradnya Waghule

With inputs (including image) by Prateek Goyal

The programme began with the recitation of Ganesh song by Vasundhara Gokhale.  Arun Dalvi presented a medley of old Bollywood songs. Artists from Tapasya Sangeet Academy mesmerized the audience with their Kathak performance. The highlight of the evening was recitation and singing of poems by Arun Mhatre and Ashok Bagwe.

Brahmand Katta’s beloved poet Arvind Vinchure who recently won ‘Samaj Bhushan’ Puraskar was felicitated at the hands of D J Panshikar.

Poet Arun Mhatre presented his poems in a style that smacked of the technique of great poets like Mangesh Padgaonkar, Vinda Karandikar, Narayan Surve, N D Manohar and Vithal Wagh. The songs based on the theme of empty houses in villages were presented in Malvani style. While presenting his poems, Ashok Bagve made a parody of prosaic poetry. The audience was delighted with his presentation of folk songs. Keeping in view the 3^rd anniversary of Brahmand Katta, Arun Mhatre presented Suresh Bhatt’s poem “Labhale Amhas Bhaagya Bolato Marathi” in a chorus.

The anniversary celebrations witnessed a galaxy of eminent people like senior litterateur D J Phanshikar, eminent artist Vijayraj Bodhenkar, local corporator Manohar Dumbre, Shakha Pramukh Mahendra Madvi, Prof. Anil Athavle, Prof. Vatore, social worker Vilas Patil, Sahadev Mhetre, Yoga teacher Neelima Bapu Bhogate and representatives of Mayboli Rasik Mandal and Arambha Bhavi Sanstha. The programme was anchored by Rajesh Jadhav and vote of thanks proposed by Mahesh Joshi.

The volunteers who lent their hand to make the programme successful included Vivek Shanware, Arvind Vinchure, Ameya Dhamankar, Sunil Bane, Akash, Vinod Jadhav, Snehal Joshi, Pragati Jadhav, Tanay Jadhav and Vinay Jadhav.

By Raghavendra Odeyar

Everyone grows old because ageing in unstoppable. The older adults above 65 generally run the risk of falling in bathrooms or their bed rooms. However, you can prevent falls by following some simple precautions.

• Do not keep your living room and bedrooms cluttered which reduces free space for movement and precipitates chances of falling.
• Use low beds.
• A night lamp in the bedroom is essential.
• Telephone should be easily reachable and a telephone index containing emergency numbers like, police, ambulance, neighbors etc. should be kept handy.
• The space leading to the bathroom should be free from any obstacles.
• Wear heal supported shoes/chappals.
• In the kitchen tea and sugar containers should be kept at shoulder level to have easy accessibility.
• There shouldn’t be any obstacles on the stairs and staircase should be well lighted.
• Do not get up from the bed upright.

Dr. Anuja also advised the elders on the choice of walking cane and correct methods of getting up from the chair, and waking up from the bed. Non-usage of any limb leads to atrophy. In order to keep a sharp memory in old age, one should engage in solving crosswords, playing chess and reading. “Exercise is the single pill to slow down ageing”, said Dr.Priya.

Dr. Anuja also announced the introduction of a senior citizens preventive physiotherapy club – “Stepping on” in some of the locations in Thane. This club would analyze the problem of elders and teach them tailor made exercises for strength and endurance.

The club will offer training on self management of pain, nutrition counseling, yoga, meditation and relaxation techniques. It will also organize group games, laughter session, movies, picnics, etc. to rejuvenate the life of elders.

Initially the clubs’ activities will be started in Vasant Vihar Club House, Eden Woods, Hiranandani Estate and Arcadia. For further details, contact Dr.Anuja Luniya (9773656369/Dr.Priya Karthik, (9930298951).

The VCF has a Helpline: 96193 54670 for senior citizens of Thane. It is open from Monday to Friday from 10 AM to 12 Noon. This helpline guides and assists senior citizens to resolve many of their medical and legal problems and is serviced by senior citizens trained for the purpose.

by Raghavendra Odeyar

Ram Singh qualified for the London Olympics when he clocked an impressive 2 hours, 16 minutes and 59 seconds, besting standard qualifying time by 1 minute and 21seconds. He along with Elam Singh, who finished just twenty-seven seconds after Ram Singh, will undergo training for the London Olympics starting 27th July this year.

Singh’s journey, however, has yet to take off, with the lack of finance coming between him and the final travel abroad for the Olympics. He feels that support from a company or a person would have boosted his morale to achieve something more for his country. Lack of sponsorship for sports like marathon in the country aggravated Singh.

Coming from an agrarian family in Banaras, Singh has two children to take care of. His salary is enough for his family, but not for his diet, sport shoes and other expenses. “A sport shoe cost around Rs, 8,000 and is disposed off in two months due to intensive training. He needs at least nutrition worth Rs. 300 per day. What he wants is support from someone so that he can spend his salary on the family and concentrate on the game,” says Satish Chandra Rai, Singh’s coach.

Singh went under intensive training after missing the 2008 Olympics qualifier by just 4 seconds. “I have put in immense hard work to reach at this stage and then too I haven’t received enough motivation to boost my morale. There are club facilities in other sports; where the club takes care of all your sports related expenses. I have a family to look after; it is difficult for me to manage my family and my sports on a salary of Rs. 20,000–25,000. Ironically, in our country you will see people spending thousand of rupees on a (pet) dog,” said Singh.

He blames the media partially for his problem. “I missed participating in the 2008 Olympics because the media misinterpreted my feelings and concluded that Ram Singh doesn’t want to run for India. I will gladly run for my country, but even my country should support me. I tried speaking the truth, but owing to misrepresentation by the media, the Federation grew upset with me. The possibility of Ram Singh going for the Beijing Olympics was never discussed again.” added Singh.

Ram Singh has received orders from the Athletics Federation of India to move to Patiala where champion coaches will chip in to train him, but Singh feels that he has reached this stage because of his hard work, and the guidance that he has received. “The problem was in reaching this level. My coach, Satish Rai, has given me immense motivation and great support,” says the athlete.

Currently, Singh is at the Artillery camp in Hyderabad though other sportsmen are being trained at the Sports Institute in Pune. Singh says he enjoys practicing at the Golkonda Quila, “I will give my best performance in the Olympics,” he states proudly.

K.S.Matthew, who has been training Ram Singh over the last four years, agrees that there are inadequate training facilities for athletes at the international level, but believes that facilities are secondary, and coaching is important. Matthew and Rai both recollect that Singh winning the Standard Charted Marathon was the happiest moment of their lives. “I used to cycle 50 km with Ram Singh during his practice sessions,” said Satish Rai.

 By Mustafa Shaikh and Kainaz Choksey

Picture Courtesy: http://www.procamrunning.in/scmm/Ram-Singh

Amte runs Lok Biradari Prakalp, which he had set up with support from his father, the renowned Baba Amte, in 1973. The younger Amte is a Magsasay award winner himself, and has settled in Hemalkasa, a border taluka of Gadchiroli, since then. His wife, children and now grandchildren share his passion and have continued with the cause he started, taking the dream further.

Amte runs a project providing health care to the tribals, education to their children and now, an orphanage for wild animals in Hemalkasa, about 130 kms from Nagpur. “People are not ready to marry their daughters into families from Gadchiroli district,” he says , adding “our village has no social life; you need a partner at least to sustain yourself.”

Amte’s hospital at the Prakalp has four doctors, all from his family. “We are ready to offer a good salary, we advertise in newspapers and even then, doctors are reluctant to come here to work. The only people who seem to come here are policemen or government servants, for whom, it is more like a punishment posting,” he says.

Amte points out, that conflicts in this region are not merely of the armed variety, which get reported in the newspapers. But real social conflicts like these. “We have to convince tribals about health care. They typically swear by the jadu tona doctor in their village and are brainwashed by traditional treatment. They do not even want to be treated in hospital rooms free of cost, so we have to treat them out in the open,” he points out.

Even as Amte speaks, his verandah has visitors. A tribal with his wife and four-year-old child stand, awaiting medical attention. A log of wood has fallen on the little child, fracturing his foot in two places. The boy is screaming in pain. The family has walked ten kilometres to reach Hemalkasa. Holi, the festival of colours is being celebrated in full swing outside, and Amte had chosen to remain indoors. But, the call of the ailing has to be answered.

Attired in a cotton home-stitched shorts and a vest, he is on all fours, and within minutes, with the help of his elder son Digant, and watched by his three year old grandson, the boy’s leg has been ‘repaired’ and put in a cast. “This is the gradual process of making people realise the worth of good medical care,” he says when the family leaves.

People who work for tribals and villagers in this district fall into a grey area with regard to the law. “We cannot help the (naxal) situation: we try to sustain our work in the midst of it. If we start taking sides we stand the fear of getting arrested or attacked by one side or the other,”reveals Vilas Manohar, who was with Prakash Amte when they started this project. Vilas Manohar is also the author of the celebrated book Eka Naxalwadyacha Janm.

Sunil Ramanand, Deputy-Inspector General (DIG), Gadchiroli, who heads the anti-naxal operation in the region, explains the other conflict in the area: State versus non-state. “80% of Gadchiroli district is covered by forest area. It is difficult to cover all pockets of the district. This district has no social life. Contrary to popular belief, Gadchiroli is also expensive to live in as most of the food and vegetables come from other districts”.

For him and others in uniform, it is a battle between perception and execution of the law. “The hold of Naxals on the villagers is decreasing. The number of villagers killed by Naxals in 2011 is the highest till now. This shows that people do not want to be with them any more,” explains Ramanand.

By Mustafa Shaikh

A banker’s support is vital for a vibrant business. For any business to grow and prosper, credit/overdraft limits and lending rate all play a key role. The common experience of most of the businessmen is that when they submit their project and apply for a loan, only a partial financial requirement is met by the banker and that too with high collateral security.  Again since bank managers in nationalized banks are transferred every two to three years, a business man has to start
afresh to establish his business credentials with the new incumbent and it is impossible to build a long term rapport with any bank manager which is so essential to build a strong edifice of business. It is in this context that SME Rating Agency of India Ltd (SMERA) can empower the industrialists in getting a fair evaluation of their net worth and getting favorable credit terms from banks.

In Saturday Club’s last meeting held in the third week of March, Rishi Nanda, Area Development Manager of SMERA was invited to talk on “Credit Rating & NSIC Subsidies for Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSME). He was accompanied by Ketki Gadkari, Asst. Cluster Development Manager and Nilesh Dadpe, Regional Manager (West). MSMEs contribute a lion’s share to the country’s GDP through manufacture, exports and create huge employment potential.

SMERA, the dedicated rating agency for MSME sector in India was formally launched in 2005 at the hands of the then Union Finance Minister, P. Chidambaram. It is an independent third-party rating agency which undertakes comprehensive assessment of the overall condition of an MSME.

With each bank having separate rating processes and disclosure requirements for the purpose of disbursing loans, MSMEs find themselves spending a significant time and effort while approaching different banks for credit. SMERA’s comprehensive, transparent and reliable rating process has a wide acceptance within the banking system of the country. SMERA is actively supported by SIDBI and a large number of public and private sector banks in the country. Such wide acceptance facilitates faster and easier flow of credit from financial institutions to MSMEs.

SMERA rating aids in enhancing credibility of the MSME unit, facilitates international trade and commerce and enables industries to become a part of the Dun & Bradstreet’s (D&B) largest B2B global database of over 162 million business records. A better rating from SMERA helps MSMEs to access timely and adequate credit, lower interest rate/collateral requirement and simplified lending norms.

At the end of the presentation, there was a question-answer session. Dr. Nadurdikar wanted to know whether SMERA rating is recognized by cooperative banks to which Nanda said that presently their rating is accepted by nationalized banks only. However, cooperative sector may also come under their umbrella in future.

By Raghavendra Odeyar