Sightseeing on two wheels: From Columbia to India

Sightseeing on two wheels: From Columbia to India

MUNISH DHIMAN  11th Oct 2014

Cyclist Juan Jacob Ceron Velez from Columbia passion for cycling gradually turned into a missionary zeal to travel across the globe. The bicycle inspired 27-year-old Colombian Juan Jacob Ceron Velez enough to quit his job as a Qualitative Analyst in a reputed Columbian bank and pursue his passion. During his maiden visit to India, Juan chose Chandigarh to be one of his halts. He shared his experiences in a lively chat with Guardian 20. After pedalling his way through countries like Venezuela, Argentina, France, Spain, Morocco, Italy, Sweden, Norway, China, Chile, Cambodia, Thailand and Ecuador, Velez landed on Indian soil. During his two-week stay in India, he rode through some of the most tortuous terrains of the country, including those in snow-bound Leh-Ladakh, Khardung la, Mandi, Manali and Palampur in Himachal Pradesh, before participating in the 10th MTB Himalaya Bicycle Challenge, where he bagged fourth position in the championship. Though impressed by the composite cultural heritage of India, its traditions and spiritual beliefs, Velez has no good memories about the actual cycling. He rues, "I would never like to cycle on the roads in India, even if someone offers to pay me a fortune to do so! Road users here, especially the lorry drivers, are reckless and rowdy and they don't care two hoots for the cyclists. I have had the worst cycling experience in India. People are not passionate about cycling and hence pay scant respect to the cyclists." “I have come to realise that true happiness for me means pedalling a bicycle, meeting new people and visiting new places. It also feels good to know that people get inspired by me to lead a healthy life.  This is no ordinary bicycle that Velez rides. Priced at 5500 Euros, it is an 11-gear mean machine made of tough titanium and carbon fibre. Juan beams as he talks about his relationship with his bicycle that took years to blossom. "We comprehend each other's language of love. I can feel when it needs service, repair or replacement of a dead part. It feels the same way as I do. It never parted ways during my cycling ordeals through the godforsaken hilly tracks and terrains, rain or no rain. Puerile as it may sound, except for one or two countries, there is not even a single store in any country of the world where this machine can be repaired. What to talk of repairing, even mending of its tubeless tyres is a hard nut to crack here." Vele feels the people of India are always in a tearing hurry. He says, "During my stay here I met and interacted with a cross-section of people. Random interactions with them afforded me an opportunity to observe people more closely. They seemed to have developed a kind of habit to do it fast, be it eating, working, riding, driving and doing other chores. This undue haste has probably become a part and parcel of their life where they come to realise that life is synonymous with speed." Meeting new people infuses a powerful doze of fresh energy in him and pushes him to chart out new goals and accomplish them with a dogged determination and drive. While sharing his views on people of the country, he says, "India is one of those few countries where almost everyone respects tourists. At least I was lucky enough to have met the best ones during my journey. They try to help you despite the language barrier. In fact, they offer you the best they can. They are spiritually very enlightened souls and understand the value of human life and liberation of the soul." In 2013, Velez started his epic journey and has, since then, kept his promise to explore new places. After accomplishing this mission, he has plans to travel across the world on foot, besides launching a bicycle company. He concludes, "I have come to realise that true happiness for me means pedalling a bicycle, meeting new people and visiting new places. It also feels good to know that people get inspired by me to lead a healthy life. That's why I am keen on starting a company that will motivate people to visit places on bicycles and assist them in their journey so that they may enjoy a healthy and joyful ride of a lifetime." http://www.sunday-guardian.com/young-restless/sightseeing-on-two-wheels-from-columbia-to-india

Chandigarh all set for third edition of literature festival

Chandigarh all set for third edition of literature festival

MUNISH DHIMAN  18th Oct 2014

Altaf Tyrewala and Mitul Dikshit (right) With the aim of putting Chandigarh on the national literary map, the four-day-long Chandigarh Literature Festival-2014 has been scheduled from 30 October to 2 November at the sprawling Chandigarh Club in Sector 1. The third edition of the literary festival has been conceptualised to attract book lovers as well as the who's who of the literary world. The four-day event will feature panel discussions, writing workshops, film screening, book- readings, musical soirees and several other activities. There are many attractions in this season, the first being a special panel discussion on 30 years of Operation Blue Star, a grim reminder of the days of militancy that had robbed Punjab of its well-being. Extracts from 14 books authored by Indian writers will be read out and critically analysed at the festival. Like previous years, film screenings will be among the most anticipated fixtures this time too; the number of films has been increased from three to four. Noted filmmakers & critics will be a part of the discussions in this edition. While interacting with Guardian20, Festival Director Altaf Tyrewala says, "I've always felt that literature is like a mirror that reflects our true images. These invisible images may be referred to as hallucinations as they originate from the written letters but paint a picture of society we live in." Echoing these sentiments, Mitul Dikshit, Chairman, Adab Foundation says, "The committee has strived hard to make all the previous literature festivals a huge success. With each edition we have tried to add something to make it unique and impressive. A power-packed performance by a Chandigarh-based theatre group (based on passages from some of the books discussed during the festival) will be an additonal attraction for the audience. Hopefully, it will turn out to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience for the authors." The festival will lure not only literature-lovers but also movie buffs. Screening of films such as Dedh Ishqiya, Luck By Chance, Shahid and Passive Euthanasia will attract the youth. This step has been taken to portray the correlation between the two media: cinema and literature. The film screenings will be followed by thematic discussions between the critics and film-makers, including Raja Sen, Mayank Shekhar, Zoya Akhtar, Ajay Brahmatmaj, Hansal Mehta, Chetan Shah et al. "Most of the literature festivals attract authors and their fans but our focus would be on books," adds Altaf. http://www.sunday-guardian.com/bookbeat/chandigarh-all-set-for-third-edition-of-literature-festival

Survivors unite to stop acid attacks

Survivors unite to stop acid attacks

MUNISH DHIMAN  27th Sep 2014

(From left to right) Laxmi, Ritu and Rupa. ver imagined life without a face? Spare a thought for those faces which once looked upon the world and were deformed by people they trusted the most. Worse still, these people are left to fend for themselves and fight a lone battle through their life. Laxmi, Ritu and Rupa, acid attack survivors from diverse backgrounds, were in Chandigarh to launch the Grief Support Helpline, an initiative designed to offer emotional and moral support to those who have undergone horrific ordeals and have faced the trauma of rape and domestic violence. The trio has become a role model for thousands of people who had been targeted by their own kin and acquaintances. An acquaintance of Laxmi's attacked her in 2005, permanently disfiguring her face and rendering her a physical and emotional wreck. "My life turned a nightmare the day I was attacked," she said, holding back tears. "I was devastated to see even my bosom buddies avoiding me. I wanted to end my life when I saw my face in the mirror the first time after the disaster. If I am alive today, it is because of my parents, who came to my rescue and rekindled my desire to live. Their pep talks and moral support helped me regain enough strength and confidence to fight the trauma. I am back on track and am contributing to save the suffering souls like me, by helping them fight the trauma." Ritu, who was the victim of a similar sinister attack in 2012, broke down while narrating her story. Ritu's own cousin threw acid on her face. "It takes a lot of time for you to accept the ground reality that you have lost your face," she said. "And coming out of this trauma, though not impossible, was not so easy either. Meeting Laxmi and getting associated with the Stop Acid Attacks campaign gave me a new lease on life. I am pursuing my passion of designing cards — I may soon open a shop and support my family, besides helping survivors like me." Incredible as it may sound, there are no specialty government or corporate hospitals in the country to deal with cases of acid attacks. There are no counseling centers where survivors can share their grief and sorrow and seek the requisite information. There are no NGOs worth the name which can fight for the rights of those affected. They are left with no choice but to fend for themselves. The survivors have to undergo a surfeit of surgeries to get their faces back into shape, which costs a fortune in the absence of adequate financial support from the government. Laxmi, Ritu and Rupa had to undergo more than five surgeries each. One night back in 2008, Rupa was fast asleep when her step mother tip-toed to her bed under the cover of darkness and poured acid on her face. Rupa told us in a choked voice, "My step mother had no inkling my father had a daughter too, besides a son — my father had concealed this fact from her at the time of their marriage. I became the victim of her hatred and jealousy. Post this incident, my friends and other kids in the neighborhood would run away on seeing my acid-stricken face. I used to stir out of the house after covering my face. I was at a loss to know what exactly happened to me. Can you believe I didn't see my face in the mirror for three years after the incident? When I faced it for the first time, I fainted and fell down on the ground. Even after regaining consciousness, I could not convince myself that it was me." Today, these gritty young ladies are not only meeting the formidable challenge of their own lives but are also fighting for the rights of others of their ilk by extending a helping hand in winning over the social stigma and depression and learning to live life as a normal human being. Their initiative has worked wonders for these young minds behind the endeavour, in terms of reaching out to the victims of such happenings. It is encouraging to note that the women behind this life-saving effort have been rewarded. Laxmi's dedication and zeal has won her accolades worldwide. She bagged the coveted International Women of Courage Award and was felicitated by the U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama for successfully leading the Stop Acid Attacks campaign. However, it is matter of grave concern that in our country acid is easily available in markets despite the punitive measures that the law-dispensing mechanism has put in place to check its open sale. Those caught flouting the rule go scot free every time they are nabbed. There is a need to check these grey areas through stringent laws and by accelerating the pace of the dispensation of justice. http://www.sunday-guardian.com/young-restless/survivors-unite-to-stop-acid-attacks