Friday 29 March 2019

UNIVERSAL BASIC INCOME



A universal basic income (UBI) is a government guarantee that each citizen receives a minimum income. The intention behind the payment is to provide enough to cover the basic cost of living and provide financial security. Our government has been toying with the idea but it seems that neither the government nor the opposition have done their arithmetic right. 

The concept has regained popularity as a way to offset job losses caused by technology. By modern technology a small group of people are getting very, very wealthy while everyone else is struggling to make ends meet and UBI for the poor is generated by taxing these very rich individuals or corporations. But is money the birth right of every citizen? Should they not work for it? Do some social service – teach in government schools, clean up the roads and the beaches for instance. Capitalist countries are built on the ideological foundation that money is something we earn – UBI would completely change this. Even in communist countries no one was given money for not doing anything!

UBI is like the game of Monopoly, only a serious version of it. In the game Monopoly, everyone starts off with a little bit of money – without it, the game wouldn’t work and no one would be able to become rich or successful. UBI is like Monopoly – everyone starts off with a little bit of money, and uses it to fuel a thriving economy.

Successful implementation of UBI would mean improvements in food security, stress, mental health, physical health, housing, education, and employment but all this will come at a cost! So let us dispassionately analyze the pros and cons of UBI

Advantages:

  • Poverty reduction- At a UBI of 4200 Per person annually, the poverty rate as per current definition will reduce to 1.42%. The expenditure of 4200 per person under UBI would be same as the money spent on all welfare schemes as of now
  • Financial inclusion: Since all individuals will use their bank account to access the money, the inclusion of un-banked people into the banking sector will lead to financial inclusion
  • Workers could afford to wait for a better job or better wages.
  • People would have the freedom to return to school or stay home to care for a relative.
  • Those with ill or differently abled relatives are often forced to quit their jobs and look after them full-time. UBI would allow care-workers to support themselves, encouraging care work and taking pressure off public services that provide care to the sick and elderly.
  • The "poverty trap" would be removed from traditional welfare programs in developed countries.
  • Women empowerment : India’s women below poverty line suffer more than men. An income in their bank account will ensure that they have a greater say in family affairs and get better nutrition.
  • Those who suffer domestic abuse, mainly women, become trapped in violent situations because they don’t have the means to leave them. UBI would make leaving an abusive partner easy, and would unleash the potential of countless people trapped by domestic violence.
  • Citizens could have simple, straightforward financial assistance that minimizes bureaucracy. Current welfare programs are also complicated for administrators and recipients. 
  • The government would spend less to administer the program than with traditional welfare. The simplicity of the program means it would also cost governments less. Cash payments that went to everyone would eliminate costly income-verification paperwork.
  • Payments would help young couples start families in countries with low birth rates.
  • The payments could help stabilize the economy during recessionary periods.
  • UBI would give employees bargaining power and discourage low wages. 
  • Psychological benefits : UBI will unburden the poor from task of finding work for daily survival and help them to improve socio economic indicators like health, literacy and education
  • UBI would bring everyone’s income above the poverty line.





Disadvantages:

  • Cost to tax payer: Currently, the money spent on all centrally sponsored schemes comes up to 5.2% of the GDP. However, the cost of UBI will be higher than the amount and also, it will increase annually due to inflation. Finding the optimum level of UBI will be a major challenge.
  • Inflation could be triggered because of the increase in demand for goods and services. If everyone suddenly received a basic income, most would immediately spend the extra cash, driving up demand. Retailers would order more, and manufacturers would try to produce more. But if they couldn't increase supply, they would raise prices. Higher prices would soon make the basics unaffordable to those at the bottom of the income pyramid. In the long run, a guaranteed income would not raise their standard of living and end up creating inflation. The purchasing power of the rupee reduces due to inflation. Hence, the government will have to adjust the UBI from time to time. In case the growth of the economy is not catching up with inflation, this could lead to financial disaster.
  • There won't be an increased standard of living in the long run because of inflated prices.
  • A reduced program with smaller payments won't make a real difference to poverty-stricken families.
  • Free income may disincentivize people to get jobs, and make work seem optional. Many recipients might prefer to live on the free income rather than get a job. They would not acquire work skills or a good resume. It could prevent them from ever getting a good job in a competitive environment. 
  • It could reduce an already-falling labor force participation rate. With an assured basic income, there might be drastic reduction of voluntary labor. This may also lead to rise in cost of labor, hurting India’s advantage as a country with cheap labor and thereby competitiveness with other Asian labour hubs.
  • Rise in consumption of temptation goods : The universal basic income concept is useful in eliminating all subsidies including PDS. However, there is a possibility of people spending this money on temptation goods like cigarettes and alcohol instead of nutritious food

  • In the U.S. it also broke up families, since husbands and wives no longer had to remain together for financial reasons. 



Overseas experience:

In several states in the U.S. there is some sort of U.B.I. Alaska, Hawai, a few cities in California like Oakland and Stockton has this plan. Chicago, Illinois, is considering a pilot to give 1,000 families $500 a month. Canada is experimenting with a basic income program. It will give 4,000 Ontario residents living in poverty C$17,000 a year or C$24,000/couple. They can only keep half of their income from any jobs they have. Finland, Holland and even a developing country like Kenya is also experimenting with it. n 2017, Kenya announced a 12 year pilot to benefit 6,000 villagers. They will receive a $22 monthly payment on their smart phone equivalent. In 2010, the government of Iran ran a UBI trial, giving citizens transfers of 29 percent of the median income each month. Poverty and inequality were reduced, and there was no sign of large amounts of people leaving the labour market. In fact, people used it to invest in their businesses, encouraging the growth of small enterprises.

Scotland is funding research into a program that pays every citizen for life. Retirees would receive 150 pounds a week. Working adults would get 100 pounds and children under 16 would be paid 50 pounds a week. Taiwan may vote on a basic income. Younger people have left rural areas in search of decent wages. Some have even left the country to look for work. A guaranteed income might keep them from emigrating. But in 2016, Switzerland voted against universal income to act promptly against rising inflation.

Right now it seems that a payment system tied to a country’s economic output is most desirable. 10 to 12 percent of GDP can go directly to the universal income payments. The benefit is it would automatically rise with national prosperity and inflation.



Worst case scenario:

My worst fear is the misuse of UBI by the politicians. It will become a legitimate way of temptation to win votes. We are aware of the cash for votes scheme adopted by the political class of this country. If the same is done at the cost of the exchequer, it will lead to the destruction of economy as it will become a political tool to win elections.

I would not see direct income transfers as a substitute to jobs as we don’t have the capacity to pay people to do nothing. Whether you are a farmer or a poor individual, it is meant to be, as the past Governor of Reserve Bank of India says "an income support to keep the body and soul together".

Tuesday 26 March 2019

TIME MANAGEMENT - FEAR OF MISSING OUT



Last year I wrote a blog on Time management https://surajitbrainwaves.blogspot.com/2018/09/time-management-universal-problem.html and with the ever exciting and truly infectious Indian Premier League Cricket on the Telly and the equally intoxicating General Elections only weeks away managing time is getting more and more difficult!

In his autobiography (published posthumously in 1791), Benjamin Franklin wrote these words about sleep: “there will be sleeping enough in the grave.” Franklin was a firm believer in industriousness, and thought that any hour spent not being busy with something useful was an hour gone to waste. His work ethic has become a legend, a staple of American exceptionalism, but his disdain for a good night’s sleep has gone largely uncriticized. As against it Robert Owen, Welsh labor rights activist demanded“eight hours work, eight hours recreation, eight hours rest” and he was way ahead of his time.

On top of a tendency to overwork comes a more modern malady: fear of missing out (or FOMO), a social anxiety characterized by a constant desire to be connected and in the know about what others are doing, as well as a concern that you’re missing out on an opportunity – social, financial, you name it! How can you not see Chris Gayle and Andre Russell bring Christmas and Diwali to the cricket stadiums every night? How can you miss out on the latest soap opera, the Lok Sabha elections, when it is throwing up newer characters in every episode and newer drama every day! And as if that was not enough how can you avoid that incurable constant social itch that can only be alleviated by grabbing your smartphone and browsing through Twitter, Instagram or Facebook?

And all this will surely make you a member of that elite sleep-deprivation club! Researchers have studied the habbits of your group mates and have found an increased tendency to snack, especially on rubbish foods and unhealthy beverages which give a short-term energy surge. Your mates will subsequently demonstrated weight-gain and a decreased insulin sensitivity, which may trigger diabetes if left untreated.

A huge chunk of upwardly mobile Indians, who work well over 8 hours a day while trying to extend recreational time as much as possible at the expense of valuable sleeping hours, are in line for a plethora of health issues, a cycle which will not be broken unless we rethink our weekly schedule in a major way.

In 2013 the word “FOMO” was officially added to the Oxford Dictionary. This clever acronym was coined to describe that anxious feeling that can arise when you feel there is a more exciting prospect that is happening elsewhere — and unfortunately, you’re not there. How can you get over it? Dr. Aarti Gupta, Clinical Director at TherapyNest, A Center for Anxiety and Family Therapy in Los Altos, California suggests that this should be a three step approach.

1. Admit you have a problem.
Let’s get real, you cannot be everywhere at all times and always be doing the coolest thing ever. And that’s OK. Admitting and accepting that you have anxiety can feel like your secret has been unleashed to the universe and the burden is off your shoulders. You’re acknowledging the insecurity, and with that recognition you can now tackle the problem.

2. Switch off the chatter.
Turn off your phone or block the unimportant calls and contacts. Learn to redo your morning without your eyes glued to Instagram. It may not be viable to deactivate your social media accounts, but learn to limit your activity. Set aside a certain time of day to check all your social media outlets. Make this your one and only time of day to check your accounts. Find a time of day that works for you to catch up with Facebook, and stick to it.

3. Practice mindfulness.
Mindfulness is a therapeutic technique that refers to a nonjudgmental observation or awareness that is focused on the present experience. Try this mindfulness immersion exercise: Take a mundane daily activity like washing the dishes and try to sense the muscles you use to wash, the scent of the soap, and the feeling of bubbles between your fingers. Rather than multitasking or hurrying up this task to get on to the next one, appreciate your current state of being. Mindfulness can help those with major FOMO enjoy what they are doing in the here and now, instead of yearning for what else could be.


So whether it is IPL or it is the Modi-Pappu show, you are the most important person. Sleep well, be selective with your social media and stay safe!

Friday 22 March 2019

ARE YOU GETTING FORGETFUL?




Everyone has a tendency to be a little forgetful. We sometimes forget to pick up our car keys, an important file for work, or even someone’s name. But how much forgetfulness is too much? How can you tell whether your memory lapses are normal forgetfulness and within the scope of normal aging? A very benign question, but can we ignore it?

There are 7 types of memory related problems that we tend to suffer and they are often quite common.

1. Transience
This is the tendency to forget facts or events over time. You are most likely to forget information soon after you learn it. Our memory has a use-it-or-lose-it quality: memories that are called up and used frequently are least likely to be forgotten. Far from being bad transience may be beneficial because it clears the brain of unused memories, making way for newer, more useful ones. It is like cleaning your D drive of useless files!

2. Absent-mindedness
This type of forgetting occurs when you don't pay close enough attention. You forget where you just put your spectacles because you didn't focus on where you put it in the first place. You were thinking of something else then!  Absentmindedness also involves forgetting to do something at a prescribed time, like taking your medicine or keeping an appointment.

3. Blocking
Someone asks you a question and the answer is right on the tip of your tongue — you know that you know it, but you just can't think of it. Nominal aphasia, failure to remember names is another very embarrassing type of blocking. In many cases, the barrier is a memory similar to the one you're looking for, and you retrieve the wrong one. This competing memory is so intrusive that you can't think of the memory you want.

4. Mis-attribution
Mis-attribution occurs when you remember something accurately in part, but mis-attribute some detail, like the time, place, or person involved. Another kind of mis-attribution occurs when you believe a thought you had was totally original when, in fact, it came from something you had previously read or heard but had forgotten about. Mis-attribution becomes more common with age. As you age, you absorb fewer details when acquiring information because you have somewhat more trouble concentrating and processing information rapidly. Your hard drive is so chock-a-block full that it has slowed down considerably!

5. Suggestibility
Suggestibility is the vulnerability of your memory to the power of suggestion — information that you learn about an occurrence after the fact becomes incorporated into your memory of the incident, even though you did not experience these details. The suggestion fools your mind into thinking it's a real memory.

6. Bias
Even the sharpest memory isn't a flawless snapshot of reality. In your memory, your perceptions are filtered by your personal biases — experiences, beliefs, prior knowledge, and even your mood at the moment. Your biases affect your perceptions and experiences when they're being encoded in your brain. And when you retrieve a memory, your mood and other biases at that moment can influence what information you actually recall. So if you have perceived a politician as an idiot, you tend to carry this bias to the ballot come what may!

7. Persistence
Most people worry about forgetting things. But in some cases people are tormented by memories they wish they could forget, but can't. The persistence of memories of traumatic events, negative feelings, and ongoing fears is another form of memory problem. Some of these memories accurately reflect flashbacks of horrifying events, while others may be negative distortions of reality. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can result from many different forms of traumatic exposure — for example, sexual abuse or wartime experiences.

Healthy people can experience memory loss or memory distortion at any age. Some of these memory flaws become more pronounced with age, but — unless they are extreme and persistent — they are not considered indicators of Alzheimer's or other memory-impairing illnesses.

Exercise for the Brain
As we grow older, we tend to lose some of the gray matter in our brains which is responsible for memory, among other things. Just as to keep fit you exercise your body, to remain alert and to avoid becoming forgetful you need to exercise your brain. If you want to preserve this gray matter for longer these 7 exercises that will help keep your mind sharp at any age.

1. Use Your Non-Dominant Hand
If you’re a right-handed person, try using your left hand once in a while when eating, writing, and picking things up. It might sound difficult at first, but after some practice, you can do at least a couple of daily tasks this way.
The idea is to use your non-active side of the brain. This helps to expand parts of the cortex that are responsible for processing tactile information.
2. Do Some of Your Daily Chores with Your Eyes Closed
Do you remember how many steps do you take to get downstairs? How many light switches are there in your bedroom? There is a reason why we don’t recall these answers right away – we do our regular, daily tasks inattentively. But if we carry out some safe chores with our eyes closed like showering and moving from one room to another your brain will be extra attentive. You’ll touch an object and this will send signals to your brain about the object that you’re feeling.
3. Shuffle Your Morning Routine
We all have a set schedule which starts right from the moment we wake up. However, novelty is the key to a sharper brain. It’s important that you give your brain the newness of a fresh routine to keep it active and alert. For example, get dressed after having breakfast, jog a different route, or even watch a cartoon instead of the morning news.
4. Read Aloud
Reading aloud isn’t always possible, but when it is, you must do it. It might take a couple of minutes longer than usual to finish what you’re reading, it’s totally worth it. In one of the demonstrations of brain imaging, 3 areas of the brain lit up whenever words were spoken aloud from a book.
5. Experiment with Different Foods
If you’re among those who always order the same cuisine or the same dish every time you go to a restaurant, try out a new dish. You will then ask your brain to smell the new food and send signals to the nose to activate its receptors. This new odor will also give your brain new sensations and feelings. You should also try experimenting with your daily dishes at home, use a different condiment or a new ingredient and challenge your brain out of routines.
6. Recollect your day hour by hour
Lying in bed and before going to sleep recollect your day hour by hour right from the time you left your bed in the morning. So what did you do at 5 AM, then 6 AM, then 7 AM and so on till you are back in bed. This is a wonderful memory exercise, easy to perform and will leave you with a sense of fulfillment!
7. Feed Your Brain

By “feed your brain”, we mean eating foods that are known to increase brain functionality. It’s important to include a decent amount of vitamins and fats in your diet to nourish your brain. Foods that are known to increase brain power are walnuts, turmeric, eggs, coconut oil, blueberries, avocado, and broccoli.

Wednesday 6 March 2019

KUMBH – A LOGISTICAL CHALLENGE AND A CULTURAL AND SPIRITUAL AWAKENING






If you have never been to a  Kumbh Mela (fair), you will never understand the gigantic dimensions of its area, population, diversity, management, logistics, religion and culture.  The event sees a massive gathering of devotees who come to the historic city of Prayagraj, erstwhile Allahabad from every nook and corner of the country often by overcoming the travails of a long journey. Not only do they come from India but the Indian diaspora from all over the world and inquisitive foreigners in plane full descend on this historic city to be a part of this life changing experience! Devotees throng to Sangam (the confluence of holy rivers - Ganga and Yamuna and Saraswati) to take part in mass ritual bathing with a belief that the holy waters will cleanse their sins and liberate them from the cycle of life and death.

Mythology:
The tale of the Kumbh Mela dates back to the time when the gods resided on earth. They had been weakened by the curse of sage Durvasa, and the demons were causing mayhem on earth. On Lord
One of the many dwars (gates) to the Kumbh city.
Brahma’s advice, they started churning out the nectar of immortality (Amrit) with the aid of the asuras or demons. However, when the ausras realized that the gods would not be sharing the nectar with them, they chased them for a period of 12 days. During the struggle to gain this pot full of Amrit, a fight ensued between gods and demons and drops of Amrit spilled near Prayag, Nashik-Triyambakeshwar, Haridwar, and Ujjain. The rivers situated in these areas are considered to be carrying the nectar that fell from the pot. The Kumbh Mela is held on the dates when the nectar is said to have fallen in the river. Each year, the dates are calculated depending upon a combination of Jupiter, the Sun and the Moon’s zodiac positions.

History:
Probably the first historical description of this great fair in Prayag was found in 643CE in the writings of Chinese Buddhist monk Hsuan Tsang who had been in India. He wrote about the gathering of pilgrims in Prayag during the month of Magh as an ‘age-long festival’.

Cultural and spiritual Sangam:
UNESCO has already included Kumbh in the list of "Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity". The Kumbh is a real treasure trove for people who seek more than the ordinary in their lives.
Kumbh Nagari
For people who are spiritual and seek liberation, there is no better place than the Kumbh. And for those who always wondered what is this liberation that so many people are after, this is a great place to be introduced to it.   Every denomination and sect of Hinduism and eastern thought is represented at the Kumbh. It is a one stop shop for learning about Hinduism, Eastern thought  and the science of Liberation – Moksha. Thus, in the Mystical plane, the highest possibility that is open for human beings happens at the time of the Kumbh. This is why all the Saints, Sadhus, Babas and religious leaders congregate at the Kumbh. Apart from the celestial event, the very presence of these saints adds to the energy of the Kumbh Mela.

We saw many Sadhus performing seemingly impossible tasks of endurance during their Tapas.  You can
Rituals galore on the holy bamks
meet one or more on every street corner. Sadhus who have stood on one leg for decades; those who can stay under water for hours; who can read your mind; pull trucks with their genitals; who stay buried in the sand upside down – for the whole duration of the Kumbh! And if you know where to look, and how to look, you can experience true miracles and spiritual powers – called as Siddhis – as opposed to feats of endurance or sleight of hand tricks that you are used to.  And maybe some of them may even initiate you in to these powers if you are lucky! I happened to meet and greet the aghori babas (hermits) who step out of their Himalayan caves only during this time!

Visitor from India and abroad have been coming to Sangam for the Kumbh since ages and for each one of them it has been a life changing experience! Jack Hebner in his book on the 1990 Kumbha Mela wrote “The very foundation of my conception of life, the reality in which I lived, was shaken at its root. I was forced by circumstances to find a new identity within myself and adopt a completely new value system. My western values were not enough to deal with the profoundity of the Kumbh Mela. What ensued was an unforgettable experience and a true understanding of the Kumbh Mela. I began to understand why millions of people attend the Kumbh Mela and I began to imbibe an inkling of their faith”. Nothing can sum up a Kumbh experience better than this.

The logistical scale:
This year’s Mela had a footfall of whopping 150 million over the 55 days of its course, The number is more than the populations of 222 countries individually- Germany (81,914,672), UK (65,788,574), France (64,720,690), South Africa (56,015,473) and Australia (24,125,848) among others (Source- UN List of
Shahi Snan on Makar Shankranti
Population). The number of people expected to attend is also more than the population of over 100 countries combined. The Mela has mainly the three traditional 'shahi snan' days which are especially auspicious days of bathing in the Sangam, the confluence of three rivers – Ganga, Yamina and the mythical Saraswati. The first is the Makar Sankranti, then Mauni Amavasya, and lastly Vasant Panchami. Besides, there are other spiritually auspicious bathing days - Paush Purnima, Magh Purnima, and Maha Shivratri. In each of these six bathing days 20 million devotees took the holy dip! Incidentally, that is the total population of Australia or Sri Lanka!

A whole city came up temporarily at Prayagraj spread across 2,500 hectares on the banks of the the Ganga and Yamuna. The huge Mela area had 250 km long roads and 22 pontoon bridges and, for the first time, the Mela area was brightened up by installing over 40,000 LED lights. The government installed more that 1,22,000 toilets ahead of the Kumbh Mela. The decision to spread the movement of 'Swachh Bharat' to the Kumbh Mela was natal as hygiene is all the more important due to such a huge gathering of people.


The state of the art technology:
Artificial Intelligence (AI) was used for the first time for crowd control by Indian Railway to tackle the massive rush of passengers to the holy city during the Kumbh Mela. IBM Intelligent Video Analytics were pressed into service at the stations and its adjoining areas. 

Special trains to Prayagraj for Kumbh
Not only were there hospitals, trauma centres and eye camps doing free cataract surgeries but the government deployed  'epidemic intelligence officers' who could coordinate with medical units to keep Kumb under strict disease surveillance and prevent outbreak of infectious and communicable diseases.  
The Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) tirelessly towards facilitating safe passenger movement for Kumbh Mela. It set up four floating terminals, one each at, Kilaghat, Sarasvati Ghat, Naini Bridge and Sujawan Ghat and deployed two vessels, CL Kasturba and SL Kamla, for pilgrim movement. Countless boats all furnished with safety kits and life jackets and with life guards watching the bathers from vantage points made this a very safe Kumbh.

A very useful App and a website was developed to help people find the lost belongings and loved ones in this deluge of humanity.  This app developed by UP Police could guide one to everything he/she may need - face trouble in hunting for hotels/lodges, routes to reach the bus stop and railway station and in finding their way on the mela ground. For complaints of missing children or lost phones or valuables, an FIR and report could be lodged in the control room using the app. The control room was linked to Kumbh police website. The website displayed information on lost and found articles and missing people. 

Accommodation:
A luxury tent
There was a place to stay for everyone. From dormitories to 5 star accommodation, everything was available in Kumbh nagari. Delhi-based Hitakri Productions and Creations set up one of the most luxurious tent cities at the Kumbh – ‘Indiraprastham – the City of Eternity’ – in public-private partnership mode with the Uttar Pradesh government. Set on the banks of river Ganga, a 900-sq feet suite in an expansive tent, comprising two bedrooms and a living room with upscale upholstery, was the most premium accommodation on offer at Indiraprastham at nearly Rs 35,000 a night. Other economical alternatives - cottage tents, including luxury and deluxe tents were available at Rs 16,000 and Rs 12,000 a night (plus taxes) respectively. The setting son would flood the tent with an amber hue which was simply divine!
A Lucknow-based firm, Lallooji and Sons, was offering budget accommodation at its ‘Kumbh Canvas’, with cottages in the range of Rs 2,500 a night and dormitories at just about Rs 1,000 per bed. And then there were the hotels all over the city of Prayagraj to suit every pocket. 

Gen next identified with Kumbh:
Taking a trip to the Kumbh was the new cool for India’s millennials this year. Generation X wanted to
absorb and post the offbeat culture of the Kumbh on social media, while exploring the local cuisine, art and craft of the holy city of Prayagraj. Online travel booking platforms note that 25-30% of the bookings to the Kumbh came from millennials this time especially photography enthusiasts and art lovers. Direct flight connectivity to Prayagraj from the metros and social media craze were factors. Youngsters are narrating their Kumbh journey on Instagram which includes clicking sadhus who are using heavy headgears and flashy sunglasses, to attract the crowd. Generation X and Z were travelling for cultural experience rather than spiritual tourism.

Overseas Visitors:
Over 40,000 overseas visitors visited the Kunbh this year, thanks to the special effort put in by the government in giving it bue publicity through its High Commissions and Embassies. Guided by the
Boat ride 
ancient Indian philosophy of (Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam), which means "the world is one family”, the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) took the initiative of inviting one foreign representative from each country of the world to witness the Kumbh. The delegates, from all walks of life, have been nominated by Indian Missions abroad and include senior politicians, social reformers, Yoga practitioners, academicians, artistes, senior bureaucrats, medical professionals etc. This initiative was aimed not only to apprise the foreign representatives about India’s rich cultural traditions but also to convey India’s message of universal brotherhood, peaceful co-existence and global unity to the world.

A bonus:
It is also for the first time in the last 450 years that the devotees who visited the Kumbh got an opportunity to pray at 'Akshay Vat' and 'Sarasvati Koop'. According to a legend, once the sage Markandeya asked Lord Narayana to show him a specimen of the divine power. Narayana flooded the entire world for a moment, during which only the Akshaya vat could be seen above the water level.  It is a banyan tree mentioned in Ramayana and Rama, Lakshmana and Sita are said to have rested beneath this tree.

Friday 1 March 2019

WHERE DO THE MONTHS GET THEIR NAMES FROM?




Do you know that the calendar that we use today is a fairly new one? The ancient Romans used a different calendar system, and their year began in March and ended in February and had ten months! In 1582, Pope Gregory adjusted the calendar, so most western nations began celebrating the start of the year on January 1. This new calendar became known as the "Gregorian calendar." However, England and the American colonies continued to celebrate the New Year on the date of the spring equinox in March. It was not until 1752 that the British and their colonies finally adopted the Gregorian calendar.

Even though our modern system may be quite different from the ancient Romans', they gave us something very important: the months' names. We have known these names since our school days but do you know how these months got their respective names? We get used to these names and have taken them for granted. They have become as familiar as a festival or a ritual or favorite food of that particular time of the year. A month's name is hardly ever given any thought. Let's take a look at where these names have stemmed from: 


January
This is named after Janus, the Roman God. In ancient Roman religion and myth, Janus is the God of beginnings, gates, transitions, time, duality, doorways, passages, and endings. It is represented with t he was a god of spring, growth in nature, and fertility, and the protector of cattle. he was a god of spring, growth in nature, and fertility, and the protector of cattle. o heads that are back to back, signifying that he is looking back at the past for perspective, or looking forward to the future for hope. This duality perfectly coincides the end of one year and the start of the next. 
February
Derived from the Roman period of Februa, back in the day this was a festival of purification, also called the festival of Lupercalia. February was named after the Roman God Februus who represented purification. This festival took place on the 15th day of the month. It included some cleansing rituals which were believed to improve health and fertility. 
March
In the Roman calendar, the third month of our calendar was their first month. It was named after Mars, the Roman god of war and identified with the Greek god Ares. It was a time to resume war after the winter had thawed out. An ancient Roman deity, in importance second only to Jupiter he is also an agricultural guardian, he was a god of spring, growth in nature, and fertility, and the protector of cattle.
April
Aphrodite or Venus
This month is considered to be the month of Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of sexual love and beauty. The word itself comes from the Latin word apeire. This means to open, and is usually referred to in connection with flower buds opening to bloom in the spring. Then again April may have got its name from the Latin word meaning “second" since April was the second month. Aphrodite is identified with Venus by the Romans. The Greek word aphros means “foam,” according to Hesiod's Theogony, she was born from the foam in the waters of Paphos, on the island of Cyprus. She supposedly arose from the foam when the Titan Cronus slew his father Uranus and threw his genitals into the sea.
May
Derived from the French word Mai, and named after Maia, the goddess of spring and growth. Maia is the daughter of Faunus, one of the oldest Roman deities and the wife of Vulcan. In Greek mythology, Maia is known as the mother of Hermes. Both the Greeks and the Romans considered Maia to be a nurturer filled with warmth. She causes the plants to grow through Her gentle heat,
June
June is named after Juno, the Roman goddess of love and marriage. According to Roman mythology, Juno watched over pregnant women and children, ensuring their safe births. For this reason, getting married in June is considered good luck. Not only is June an ideal time for weddings, it is also a good month for renewing vows and conceiving children. She is often thought of as the Roman version of the Greek goddess of love and marriage, Hera. Juno was the wife and sister of Jupiter, and the two of them were worshipped along with the Goddess Minerva on the Quirinal in Rome.
July
Initially known as Quintillis, or the fifth month, this month was named in honor of Julius Ceasar after his death in 44 B.C.E. as he was born in this month. July is the first month of the calendar which is named after a real person.  Julius Caaser introduced a new calendar, the Julian calendar, that corrected astronomical discrepancies in the old.
Augustus
August
August was originally called Sextilis, from the Latin word sextus, meaning six. Its name was then changed to honor the Roman emperor Augustus, Ceasar's great nephew. Augustus brought peace to a conflicted area and inspired growth, reform and a stronger infrastructure within its cities. He was a statesman and military leader who was the first Emperor of the Roman Empire, controlling Imperial Rome from 27 BC until his death in AD 14
September
September comes from the Latin term septem, meaning seven, as it was originally the seventh month in the ancient Roman calendar - which until 153 BCE was originally ten months long. September depicted the celebration of Ludi Romani, which lasted several weeks and featured chariot races, gladiatorial contests and lots of feasts. Spiritually, September can be thought of as the month we celebrate our personal victories and accomplishments. 

October
Derived from the word octo, which means eight - as this was the eight month of the Roman calendar, which then became the tenth month with the Gregorian calendar. October is marked by many festivals that take place around the world, including Oktoberfest in Germany. 
November
This is derived from the Latin word novem, meaning nine. Its name stuck, just as the other did, even after January and February were added to the calendar. November is associated with Thanksgiving in the states, a four day weekend that includes a lot of eating, Black Friday and the start of the Christmas holiday season. 
Decima in the middle of the three fates
December

Coming from the Latin word decem, which means ten, this month of the Julian calendar is the tenth month, while it is now the 12th month of the Gregorian one. The Latin name is derived from Decima. In Roman mythology, Decima was one of the three Parcae, or often known in English as the Fates. ... the thread of life with her rod, like her Greek equivalent Lachesis. Her mother is the Goddess of night and her father is the God of darkness.

So that is how the months got their names!