• Keeping Gandhi alive in South Africa
• Andhra Pradesh: 5000 years old tradition

• DRDO in search of Kerala's herbal powers

Meet a great grandson of the Mahatma who has spent all his life in South Africa, changed jobs quite frequently because he doesn't like getting tied down - and doesn't carry the Gandhi surname. Satish Kumar Shashikant Dhupelia, 54, is the son of Sita, the Mahatma's second son Manilal's daughter. Dhupelia is currently in Kolkata on his latest assignment, accompanying a South African football team participating in the 113th IFA Shield. Dhupelia explains the South African link. "When Gandhiji left for India, he needed someone to look after the Gandhi Settlement in Phoenix (close to Durban) and run the newspaper Indian Opinion. He asked Manilal to do that," he says. He says his grandmother Sushilaben made sure he never forgot Bapu's ideals. "From my grandmother, I heard about Bapu's ideals and his way of life." He says it doesn't matter if he's in India or South Africa, "what matters is that we follow Bapu's principles". Dhupelia's CV reflects another shade of his personality - he has done different jobs in different fields. He taught computers, accountancy and physical education for 14 years in Durban. He has been a TV producer and has his own company, SD Enterprises, which made programmes for the BBC. He has written for newspapers and also hosts a talk show, Aap Ki Vani, on a radio station - Hindvani - that promotes Hindi in Durban. Now he works for a promotional firm that has brought the Santos FC team to India. "I don't like being tied down to a job," says Dhupelia. That sure is a Gandhi trait.

Courtesy: www.msn.com, February 28, 2008

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It's a mission to unravel the healing magic flowing in the green veins of Kerala's endemic herbs. The continuing search by the Defence Research and Development Organisation for herbal remedies for maladies caused by the vagaries of nature will soon bring its surveyors to Kerala for a close scrutiny of 800-odd herbs with acknowledged medicinal value. The programme is part of DRDO's Project Charak, a research initiative aimed at translating the curing power of obscure herbs into off-the shelf solutions that will come in handy for troops deployed in harsh terrains. The first part of the survey will shortlist herbs that grow in challenging climatic conditions along the Western Ghats. The next phase will see these herbs being examined in one of the research stations operated by DRDO's Field Research Laboratory to decipher their botanical code with a view to developing remedies to address specific problems. "Our research has proved that aloe vera is very good for frostbite. Similarly, DRDO has developed a high-protein beverage from sea-buckthorn, a herb that grows in the Western Himalayas. We're sure that Kerala's rich biodiversity will have numerous such species containing potential to facilitate human adaptation," pointed out A Sivathanu Pillai, top DRDO scientist and CEO of BrahMos Aerospace. The DRDO research stations at Ranbirpura and Partapur in Nubra-Siachen are involved in the development and production of jam, sauce, puree, pickle, chyavanaprash, etc. from herbs. Its scientists have also formulated a herbal appetizer. According to Pillai, DRDO has definite interest in Kerala botany. "We want to partner with Kerala varsities to expand the scope of this research activity. The DRDO hopes to enlarge its envelope of interest beyond the Keltech- BrahMos association," he told this website's newspaper . The idea is to forge research partnerships between varsities and the Defence Institute of Physiological and Allied Science. "Our experts can help set up research stations on campuses. The research definitely has a commercial spin-off as the technology can be transferred to local manufacturers who will be free to trade the product in local markets." The DRDO has already transferred the technology to brew sea-buckthorn to a local firm in Leh, Ladakh, where another phase of Project Charak involving local practitioners, known as Amchis, is also on. "Kerala's expertise in this branch is quite vast and the experience immensely rich. We're sure that the interest we sow here will reap a rich harvest," Pillai pointed out.

Courtesy: www.newindpress.com, February 09, 2008

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A FAMOUS tribal festival named Nagoba starts in Adilabad district of Andhra Pradesh on February 6. Tribals, particularly Gondu and Mesrum sub-castes, follow this tradition since five thousand years. Nagoba (Nagadevatha) is the god of tribal castes of Gondus and Mesrum. Nagoba temple is situated in Keslapur village of Indravelli mandal in Adilabad district. Lakhs of tribals from various places come and participate in this 'Jaatara' (festival). Government of Andhra Pradesh has also recognised this festival and it is also included in the state festivals' list. This festival will be celebrated till February 9. Tribal people strongly believe that Nagoba will protect their crops, and bring peace and good health to them on 'Amavasya' (new moon night) in the 'Pushya masam' (as per Telugu calendar) every year. The history of Nagoba is also very interesting. Approximately 5000 years back, the queen of tribal kingdom named Naagaayi Mothi gave birth to a beautiful boy. Everybody believed that the boy was God Sarparaju himself, who they worshiped daily. In a dream, God himself told this to Mothi and asked her to introduce each and every newly married couple to him. One day, that boy disappeared in the fields of Keslapur, presently situated in Adilabad district. Tribals strongly believe in this fable. They built a Nagoba temple at the same place where the boy supposedly disappeared. Since that day, they offer prayers to God Nagoba every year on this day. A day before the beginning of the festival, all Mesrum people arrive at Nagoba temple and stay there for four days. Anyone is allowed to enter that temple only after completion of prayer by the Mesrum people. Before this festival, on 'Purnima' (full moon night), nearly 20 tribals along with Mesrum people go to the Godavari River and bring the auspicious water of the river in new pots. The festival starts on that day formally. After 15 days, on the Amavasya, they offer that auspicious water and milk to the God. Another interesting thing is that they cook only on 22 flames, albeit the population is in lakhs. These flames are also inside the compound of the temple. People other than Mesrum community, cook at their own places. This festival has another significance. A tribal court is conducted on this day, which is also an old tradition. Nearly 60 years back, there was no transport in tribal villages. People belonging to plain areas treated tribals as barbarians. Tribals, in turn, were afraid of these people. No official would go to tribal villages. At that time, the Nizam appointed one human environmentalist named Professor Hyman Darf for detailed study on tribal life. He came to know that all tribals gathered on the occasion of the festival of Nagoba. Immediately, he thought of conducting a court on that day to solve the problems of tribals. In the year 1946, Darf conducted the first court (Girijana Darbar) in that village. After independence also, this tradition continues by district collectors. This court is held on the last day of the festival, wherein all the elders of tribal sub-castes are present.

Courtesy: www.merinews.com, February 07, 2008

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