Union Agriculture Minister Rao Birendra Singh gets a taste of adulteration

The 'Divine' LightEvery year on Makara Sankranti day - January 14 or 15 - the remote hilltop shrine of Ayyappa at Sabarimala in Kerala buzzes with the faithful. The central attraction is a miracle: at sunset, the 'Makara Jyothi' glows in splendour over the shrine, and the devotees bow low in pious ecstasy. According to legend, this is a special light lit by the Devas to offer puja to Ayyappa before the temple closes for the season.However, some enterprising sceptics have been eyeing the impressive glow with suspicion. Some Kerala rationalists have been doggedly trying to prove that the Divine Light is of not so divine origin. At one time, they claimed, but could not prove, that it was nothing but a bonfire that a nomadic tribe of the forest lit every year.This year, success seemed within their grasp. According to Pavanan, vice-president of the Kerala Rationalist Association, a 'fact-finding' team stole up on a certain Gopi, and watched him light a big pile of camphor on receiving a "signal from the Devaswom Board authorities." The Rationalists lit their own, smaller fire, which they claim was reported as "smaller divine light." The gleeful detectives are now demanding a probe into the 'fraud' which they allege is being done to attract more pilgrims and swell coffers.But the pilgrims keep coming, and this year a record 80 lakh devotees made the journey, bringing the temple Rs 2 crore in cash and 4 kg of gold. And the 'Jyothi' dutifully made its appearance, while famous playback singer Jesudas sang to the believers gathered in the dusk.Man Versus GodIn these times that try men's souls and more often their pocket-books, harassed people hunt out all kinds of scapegoats for the continuing misery. Candidates for the curses range from the landlord threatening to hike the rent to the'ma-baap sarkar'. But no one had dared to point the accusing finger at the Omnipotence on high, variously known as God, Bhagwan, Allah or what-have-you.However, one gentleman in Uttar Pradesh has obviously got to the end of his tether. The sufferer, a resident of Faizabad district, went to Gosainganj police station with a unique complaint. With family troubles at the back of his mind, the complainant asserted that Khuda (God, Bhagwan, Allah or what-have-you) had been harassing him for the last 10 years. Khuda, apparently in a far from benevolent mood, was driving his family to ruin and he - the victim, not Khuda - was sick of it.When the ink had dried on the complaint, the guardians of the law, like so many other weary spirits fed up with existence, set out to hunt for the Guardian of all. And when reports last came in, according to district police chief K. D. Dixit, the police were still searching. If Khuda knows the Indian police, as in His omniscience He certainly should, He would do well to lie low for a while.Bitter TruthWho has not chewed on a mouthful ofdal and found to his chagrin that a stone was trying to blunt his teeth? Adulteration has become a frustrating part of life, with the inedible deceptions swelling the merchant's bank account all the time. But august institutions like khadi bhandars, which swear by the name of Mahatma Gandhi, are supposed to be free of such impurities.However, even august institutions occasionally have a fall. The person at the receiving end was no humble housewife, but Union Agriculture Minister Rao Birendra Singh himself. Recently, Singh recounted a bitter tale to a conference of state industry ministers and chairmen of state khadi and village industry boards in Delhi. He had bought two packets of almonds from a khadi bhandar, and popped a few into his mouth. The ministerial palate contorted with disgust and the minister probed the almonds suspiciously. He discovered that some wild nuts, bitter in taste, had snuggled up next to the almonds, provoking the rebellion among the taste buds. The long-suffering housewife could term this 'sweet revenge' or alternatively, giving the Government 'a taste of its own medicine.'Crops Under SiegeThe crops around Calcutta are having a hard time. Dum Dum Airport is attracting a lot of flying things apart from the metal monsters that soar in for a short rest. A study in the fields of 24-Paraganas by the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) says that the bright lights of the airport attract hordes of insects which then roam the surrounding fields wreaking havoc among the crops. ZSI scientists collected 42,000 species of insect belonging to six major insect orders from Dum Dum between November 1977 and July 1979. One of them - a voracious little thing with the exotic name of 'Nilapravata Lugene' - is said to be one of the prime destroyers of the paddy crop along the eastern belt of India.While insects attack the unfortunate plants from the air, rats sneak up on them through the ground. ZSI scientists say that about 260 kg of paddy from one hectare goes down the maws of the furry once each year. Every hectare conceals some 38 burrows, the strongholds of 450 rats. A burrow can have storage chambers of up to 4 kg capacity, and an intricate network of tunnels connects the dens. To complete the set-up, there are maternity wards for the mama rats. What with Nilapravata what's-its-name and the underground army, the plants must be wringing their surviving roots and stalks in despair.Published By: AtMigration Published On: Nov 27, 2013 15:50 IST--- ENDS ---

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Union Agriculture Minister Rao Birendra Singh gets a taste of adulteration

Who has not chewed on a mouthful of dal and found to his chagrin that a stone was trying to blunt his teeth? Adulteration has become a frustrating part of life, with the inedible deceptions swelling the merchant's bank account all the time.

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