Church call for Special prayer for peace and safety on borders

Special prayer for peace and safety on borders

CAMIL PARKHE | Monday, 10 October 2016 AT 11:24 AM IST

    

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Catholic Bishops, CBCI, prayer, Catholic church, Cardinal Baselios Cleemis, religious event, Pune,Camil Parkhe

PUNE: The Catholic Bishops Conference of India (CBCI) has called for a day of prayer all over the country on Sunday, October 16, in view of the ongoing religious events of various communities and the ‘extraordinary challenges’ on the country’s borders.

The CBCI is the apex body of the Catholic Church in the country.

CBCI President Cardinal Baselios Cleemis has issued a circular to the church hierarchy in the country, asking them to conduct special religious services for the nation on October 16.

Cardinal Cleemis in his circular has referred to Dasara festival on October 11, Muharram, a day of special significance to the Muslims, on October 12, and the birth of Guru Granth commemorated by the Sikhs on October 20 and the forthcoming Diwali festival.

“Amidst all these festivals, our beloved country is going through extraordinary challenges especially on its borders. The Catholic church prays for our beloved country, for justice, peace, prosperity and welfare, harmony and unity,” Cardinal Cleemis said.

While urging the church leaders to conduct special liturgies and prayers for the nation on this day, the CBCI President has also invited people of goodwill to join in praying for the country.

“May every place of worship chime with prayers for our beloved nation, its leaders and its people,” the cardinal has said.

Mar Thoma Syrian Church okays cremation for clergy

Mar Thoma Syrian Church okays cremation for clergy

Reporters Name | CAMIL PARKHE | Wednesday, 20 July 2016 AT 12:00 AM IST

    

http://goo.gl/dPO8aa

Mar Thoma Syrian Church, , cremation, clergy

Pune: Mar Thoma Syrian Church, which claims its 2,000-year-old tradition from St Thomas, one of the 12 apostles of Jesus Christ, has permitted cremation of bodies of its clergy.

The departure from the church’s tradition of burying the dead is due to shortage of space for burials.

A circular issued by the Mar Thoma Syrian Church, having its headquarters at Thiruvalla in Kerala, said that the burial will be permitted only after the final rites service is completed at the church. The mortal remains after the cremation have to be later buried in either the family vault or single vault.

Although cremation of a practising Christian person is not a rare occurrence, this is for the first time that a policy decision on cremation has been taken by a Church authority.

Pune Bishop Thomas Dabre has welcomed the move, stating that the practice of cremation is eco-friendly and it is not against the Church’s doctrines.

Speaking to Sakal Times, Bishop Dabre said, “As per the centuries-old Christian tradition, the dead were buried and not cremated. In 18th and 19th centuries, cremation was banned in the church as it was said to be inconsistent with the Church’s belief in resurrection of the dead. However this view has been changed now and resurrection is perceived as spiritual and not physical. Therefore, now if requested by relatives, the Church permits cremation of bodies of the faithful.”

Bishop Dabre said that in Pune too some Christians were cremated after securing the necessary permission from the Church authorities. 

Preface ‘Contribution of Christian Missionaries in India’

‘Contribution of Christian Missionaries in India’

Written by Camil Parkhe

Published by Gujarat Sahitya Prakash,

Post Box No 70, Anand, 388 001

Gujarat, India

Foreword byAnosh Malekar

Assistant Editor,

The Indian Express (Pune edition)

Email: booksgsp@gmail.com

First Published in 2007

ISBN 978 81 8937 36 2

PREFACE

by Author Camil parkhe

I was introduced to the missionary way of life for the first time when I was a primary school student. I was then studying in third standard in St. Teresa Boys School at Haregaon in Ahmednagar district of Maharashtra. In the 1960s, European priests were working in most of the mission centres in Ahmednagar district, as was the case in other parts of India. Most of these European priests were in their middle ages. Fr. Hubert Sixt, a strict disciplinarian, was the head of this rural primary school and Fr. Richard Wasserer was the local parish priest. Their personalities and nature differed. Children from the school and the hostel were friendly with Fr. Wasserer who was slightly elder among the two.

St. Teresa Boys School in those days was housed in rows of rooms with tiled roofs and small verandah. The local parish also owned a farm where a water tank was just constructed. Every morning, all of us staying at the school hostel would attend the holy mass in the church. The school would open at around 7.30 a m. Fr. Wasserer would take us hostelites to the water tank for a swim before the break of the dawn. Water was of course used to be warm at that time. Most of us hostelites took their first lessons in swimming there. Fr. Wasserer would help us to overcome the fear of water. Once when such swimming session was in progress, one of the walls of the tank got washed away and water gushed out, along with the children and the priest. Fortunately nobody was hurt.

The personality of Fr. Sixt was altogether different. The school students and hostelites were scared of this priest who had a German shepherd as his pet. However when any of the hostelites fell ill or got injured while playing, they would experience the care and affection of this priest. Fr. Sixt, a German who was drafted into the Nazi Medical Corps during the Second World War would personally examine the boys and give them medicines. If required, he also used to administer injections. The children dreaded the burning sensation experienced while applying iodine on fresh bleeding wounds or the injection needle. I think this fear had contributed to a great extent in creating fear about Fr. Sixt in our minds.

My two elder brothers were also in the same school and hostel. Children from nearby Ekwadi, Donwadi, Teenwadi (Wadi means hamlet in Marathi) and Undirgaon studied in the school. The lodging and boarding fee per hostelite was Rs five per month. Nonetheless, many of the parents found it difficult to pay even this small fee in time. However, Fr Sixt never admonished or expelled any hostelite for not paying the fees.

Today, Christian priests and nuns are running schools in several towns and villages of Ahmednagar district and also in the neighbouring Pune, Aurangabad, Nashik and Beed districts. But during those days, a large number of local Christian students from Shrirampur, Rahuri and neighbouring talukas in the district completed primary education in St. Teresa schools for Boys and Girls at Haregaon and shifted to Dnyanmata School and St. Mary's School at Sangamner in the same district for the secondary education.

At both places, they were accommodated in the hostels. Poverty was the major reason why people kept their children in these hostels. Besides, most of these students would have not continued their education had they remained with their families in the villages. The atmosphere in their families or villages was not education-friendly. The entire Catholic mission centres in Ahmednagar district then were founded and run by the Jesuits, the priests belonging the Society of Jesus.

Ahmednagar and Aurangabad districts are among the areas in Maharashtra where there is a sizeable number of Christians - Catholics and Protestants. The grandparents or great grandparents of these people had embraced Christianity in the 19th century.

After appearing for the matriculation examination from Dnyanmata or even before that, many students used to join St. Joseph Technical Institute in Pune, which was also run by the Jesuits. Fr Ivo Meyer who founded the St Luke's Hospital (also called as German Hospital) in Shrirampur was later director at this institute. The students who hailed from outside Pune stayed in the institute's hostel and acquired diplomas in various courses like turner, fitter, and wireman. The institute during those days provided trained skilled workmen to Pune’s reputed industrial units including the Tata Motors, Bajaj Auto and Greaves. Most of these students were interviewed at the St Joseph institute's campus itself and recruited by these companies for various posts.

These young Christians whose parents or grandparents were erstwhile dalits (belonging to the erstwhile untouchable communities) and had no social or financial capabilities to take up graduation or post graduation courses. The Haregaon-Sangamner-Pune route proved very beneficial to these youngsters and their community as it led to their social and economical upward mobility. The number of Christian youths from Ahmednagar district who took this route is enormous. This path was followed by at least two generations. The financial status of the Christian families from Ahmednagar district, which migrated to Pune in search of greener pastures in this manner, is far better than those who lived behind.

This progress was possible only due to financial and psychological support offered by the missionaries to this otherwise neglected community. Although before their conversion, these Christians belonged to the erstwhile untouchable Mahar and other castes, they have been deprived of their right to reservations for education and jobs due to their conversion to Christianity. Ironically, reservations and other benefits are extended to their dalit family members and other relatives who embrace either Buddhism or Sikhism and others who have continued to be Hindus.

With their limited resources, missionaries have enabled this community to be self-reliant and succeeded in granting them social status. Jesus Christ has said that ‘Man does not live by bread alone’ but these missionaries made efforts to ensure that this poor community secured their bread as well. A majority of Christians in India belong to the erstwhile Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. I have referred to the example of the missionary work in Ahmednagar district only to illustrate the contribution of Christian missionaries to the progress of the underprivileged sections of society. The missionaries have given a similar helping hand to economically and socially backward Christians and also others in different parts of India.

There are thousands of schools, colleges, hospitals, dispensaries, orphanages and other institutions run by Christian missionaries in India. A large number of persons belonging to the so-called cream of the society and working in various fields are the alumni of these Christian institutions. A majority of the beneficiaries of all these institutions are, of course, non-Christians. The reason being, these institutions are open to persons of all religions and castes. The Christians studying in a majority of these institutions may be hardly one or two per cent. The alumni of these institutions include the present President of India, Dr. A P J Abdul Kalam and several veterans from different walks of life.

The contribution made by Christian missionaries especially in the educational and social fields is noteworthy. It is often alleged that Christian missionaries make use of these institutions to lure or compel the students and others to convert to Christianity. The millions of non-Christians who have been educated in the missionary educational institutions and others who have availed of services in other Christian institutions only can vouch whether the allegation holds good. If the allegation were true, the number of Christians in the country would have increased manifold during the past century.

Missionaries offered free education and medical services in remote parts of the country both before and after Independence. They have never taken into consideration the caste or religion of the beneficiaries. The term ‘missionary spirit’ now has become synonymous to selfless and dedicated service even in Indian languages.

While carrying out their routine work, the Christian missionaries in the past five centuries have contributed a great deal simultaneously in the fields of literature, social awakening, education and medical services in various States. This book however refers to the life and work of only a few missionaries. There are also many missionaries who have now gone into oblivion despite rendering great service to society. A majority of these European who toiled in the drought-prone Ahmednagar district for several years have found the final resting place at the cemetery in Sangamner town. A souvenir released by the Nashik diocese to commemorate the 150 years of evangelisation by German Jesuits in western India contained the list of Catholic priests and nuns who worked at these mission centres. Fr Joe Ubelmesser from Germany who said that he was adding the list to the German Jesuits archives in his message had rightly said that 'sometimes the cemeteries are containing more history than many books.'

While doing research on this project, I have learnt about the commendable service given by several Catholic and Protestant missionaries. My only regret is that it was not possible to write about all of them in this small book.

Camil Parkhe

April 2007

Camil Parkhe with his book Maharashtra Charitrakosh Times of India news

Camil Parkhe with his book Maharashtra Charitrakosh

Posted, 2001-01-01
 The Times of India

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PUNE: When a man burns the midnight oil for four years and painstakingly compiles biographies of 1,244 Maharashtrians, between the years 1800 to 2000, it is time to doff one's hat in appreciation. Times of India staffer Camil Parkhe is the

"Atre's book was pure magic, as it covered every aspect of Maharashtra, be it the people, society, religion, politics and literature, in his inimitable humorous style. I learnt more about Maharashtra through this book, than from many other volumes put together."

The Times of India 2001-01-01

From one controversy to another, are we just wasting time?

From one controversy to another, are we just wasting time?

Reporters Name | CAMIL PARKHE | Tuesday, 5 April 2016 AT 02:58 PM IST

    

controversies, consequences, Camil Parkhe

For the past few months, the country has witnessed scores of controversies which have divided the country people into various camps. Now in hindsight, one realises the futility of creating and getting embroiled in these useless rows. And yet, there are no dearths of such rows, they are erupting day after day like a series of volcanoes, emitting fire, ashes, engulfing all those who happen to witness them.

Soon after the BJP came to power at the Centre, the country had witnessed the VHP-sponsored Ghar Wapsi campaign to welcome back people to Hinduism. The campaign was called off after a fierce reaction from the minority communities. This was followed later with various violent incidents related to the suspicion of possessing beef. This led to the another controversy of allegations of increasing intolerance in the country and the subsequent the long episode of ‘Award Wapsi’ protest by littérateurs and artists. The above rows were certainly related to the fundamental and constitutional rights of the country’s citizens and the ruling party at the Centre had to learn lessons as it soon reigned in those fringe elements responsible for creating unrest in the society.

The recent controversies in the country created by some persons and fuelled further by their rivals however is disgusting. The competition between rival groups to prove their own nationalism, patriotism and ‘anti-national’ tendencies of the opposite ones was one of such rows. The row over compulsion to chant the slogan ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ to prove one’s patriotism fortunately did not last long enough but not without creating a divide on the issue in the society. The rows evoked strong reactions on the social media with persons inclined to either sides of the row expressing their views and leading to hot debates, akin to the loud war of words witnessed every evening on the news channels.

What is the outcome of these rows and controversies? Do they serve interests of the people on whose behalf they are purportedly raised or defended? The issues and controversies deliberately raised prior to the imminent state polls may pay rich dividends or boomerang as was proved during the Delhi and Bihar polls. For that matter, a federal nation like India has to conduct polls of a single state or a group of states after a gap of less than a year. And so it may be argued that the people in the country may have to live with these series of controversies - minor or major - throughout the year.

Unfortunately in the din of these rows and controversies are forgotten the woes of the people. Maharashtra State Assembly recently witnessed a ruckus over the refusal of the MIM member Waris Yusuf Pathan to chant ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’, leading to his suspension for the current session of the House. A couple of days before, there was a row over the alleged purification of the historic Chavdar Lake at Mahad in the Konkan. While these issues were being hotly debated in the House, the issues of citizens from the drought-affected parched areas of Marathwada and other parts of the state are not highlighted. There is no end to the series of farmer suicides in the state. But neither the ruling nor the opposition benches are interested in taking up these matters unless it suits them.

The anchors of the news channels however may need fresh controversies and fresh faces on day-to-day basis to increase their TRPs. At the height of the ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ row, BJP veteran LK Advani had refused to comment on the issue, and rightly dismissed the controversy as ‘meaningless’. If there is no end to nonsensical issues and rows, people will be left with no choice but to keep their news channels on silent mode. As far as the elected representatives are concerned, the people will have to wait for their response until the elections.

Pope Francis may visit India this year

Pope Francis may visit India this year

Reporters Name | CAMIL PARKHE | Thursday, 31 March 2016 AT 10:35 PM IST

    

Pope Francis, visit India, Catholic Bishops Conference, CBCI, Roman Catholic Church, Pune, Camil Parkhe

http://www.sakaaltimes.com/NewsDetails.aspx?NewsId=5485323426147461785&SectionId=5171561142064258099&SectionName=Pune&NewsDate
=20160331&NewsTitle=Pope%20Francis%20may%20visit%20India%20this%20year

PUNE: There are high chances that Pope Francis may visit India this year as the Catholic Bishops Conference of India has formally urged the Indian government to invite the pontiff on a state visit. If Pope Francis accepts India’s invitation, it will be the fourth papal visit to the country.

Cardinal Baselios Cleemis, President of the CBCI, has recently sent an invitation to the Pope to visit India. As per the procedure, the CBCI has also requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to formally in-vite the pontiff to India.

Head of the Roman Catholic Church is also the head of the Vatican City state and therefore as per the protocol, needs a formal invitation by both the Indian government and the Indian Catholic Church to visit the country.

The Church leadership in the country would be happy if the Pope attends the proposed canonisation ceremony of Mother Teresa in Kolkata. Pope Francis has already announced that the Nobel laureate would be formally declared a saint on September 3, on the eve of her death anniversary. The visit of the global head of the Catholic community in India is expected to boost the image of the BJP government, which is often accused of being anti-minorities.

Pope Paul VI was the first Pope to visit India to attend the international Eucharistic Congress held in Mumbai in 1964. Pope John Paul II was on a 10-day India visit in 1986 and again on a three-day visit to New Delhi in November 1999. Incidentally, Pakistan had also last month sent a formal invitation to Pope Francis to visit Pakistan. Pope John Paul II had visited Pakistan in 1981.

Abbe de Faria : Father of scientific hypnotism

Father of scientific hypnotism

Reporters Name | CAMIL PARKHE | Tuesday, 15 March 2016 AT 08:57 PM IST

    

Camil Parkhe, Panaji, Goa, statue, Adilshah Palace, Abbe de Faria, father of scientific hypnotism

If you are in Panaji, Goa, you cannot miss a man with raised arms attempting to cast a spell on a woman. The 10-ft bronze statue raises curiosity in the minds of passersby, mostly because of its unique posture. The statue near Adilshah Palace or the Old Secretariat is of Abbe de Faria, a Goan who won acclaim in Europe in late 18th century. He is known as the father of scientific hypnotism.
It is very interesting to know how this boy born at Candolim in Bardez taluka of Goa became a famous Catholic priest in Europe called Abbe de Faria or Abade Faria, or Fr Faria. ‘Abbe’ incidentally is the French word for abbot, the lowest ranking Catholic clergy or priest.
Abbe de Faria was born as Jose Custodio Faria on May 31, 1756. His father, Caetano Vitorino de Faria, was studying to become a priest but left the seminary before being ordained. He got married to Rosa Maria de Souza. But their marriage lasted only six years as both of them separated and secured the church’s dispensation in order to pursue religious vocations. Thus, Caetano became a priest and Rosa became a nun. Caetano, along with his son, left for Portugal in 1771. Jose Custodio later joined the seminary and was ordained a priest in 1780.
Here is an interesting incident which is said to have shaped Abbe Faria’s entire life. The Queen of Portugal invited the young priest to preach in her chapel. After climbing the pulpit, Abbe Faria was too scared to speak. His father, who was near the pulpit, whispered to him in their mother tongue Konkani: ‘Puta, Hi sogli bhaji; cator re bhaji (Son, they are all vegetables, cut these vegetables).’ Immediately, the son lost his fears and he preached well.
Young Abbe Faria later wondered how a single sentence could transform his fears into confidence. This sowed the seeds of his deep research on the subject of hypnosis.
In France, he won fame as he demonstrated the art of hypnosis. As a Catholic priest, he faced tremendous opposition from the church authorities about his views and practice of hypnotism which was considered as power of the devil. He, however, maintained that hypnosis was not contradictory to the doctrines of the Catholic Church.
Abbe Faria died on September 20, 1819 after his book explaining the principles of hypnosis was published. It was, however, only a century later that he got recognition as the father of hypnotism.
The statue of Abbe Faria in Panaji was sculpted by veteran sculptor and also a Goan, Ramachandra Pandurang Kamat and unveiled on September 20, 1945. Portugal commemorated the 250th birth anniversary of Abbe Faria’s birth anniversary in May 2006 by releasing a postcard of this statue in Panaji.
His grave is said to be somewhere in Montmartre neighbourhood of Paris. Montmartre is a favourite place of artists and those interested in classical and modern art. During my recent tour to Europe, I stayed at Montmartre. While walking there, I often wondered where would be the final resting place of the veteran Goan, Abbe de Faria. The tomb of this great Goan may never be found but his contribution and legacy in the field of hypnosis will always be remembered.

Mother Teresa’s canonisation an acknowledgement of dedication

Mother Teresa’s canonisation an acknowledgement of dedication

Reporters Name | CAMIL PARKHE | Wednesday, 16 March 2016 AT 12:43 PM IST

    

Mother Teresa, saint, canonisation, Catholic church, blog, Camil Parkhe

During her lifetime, Mother Teresa was referred to as the living saint as she along with her Missionaries of Charity congregation nuns served the poor and the destitute all over the world. Now the Catholic Church has decided to formally declare her as a saint on September 4, on the eve of her 19th death anniversary. There are already five other St Teresas in the list of saints declared by the Church, St Teresa of Avila being the most famous among them. Therefore Mother Teresa will be henceforth will have to be referred to as St Mother Teresa of Kolkata to provide her a distinct identity.

Canonisation or the method of bestowing sainthood in the Catholic Church is a complicated and a very lengthy process. There are many persons belonging to the previous centuries who have crossed the first stage of beatification and are awaiting the crucial and final stage of canonisation for decades. Joseph Vaz from Goa who worked in Sri Lanka in the 17th century and was declared Blessed in 1995 was declared saint by Pope Francis only last year. There are many persons declared Blessed but may never be declared as saints. Comparatively Mother Teresa has been declared a saint in a short span of 19 years after her death. Pope John Paul II was declared saint recently in the shortest span in the 2000 year old history of the Catholic Church.

Born at Skopje, now capital of the Republic of Macedonia, Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu left her home at the age of 18 to become a nun and arrived in India in 1929 and lived here until her death seven decades later.

Mother Teresa was one of the most prominent personalities of the 20th century. Her five-decade long service to the orphaned children, lepers, the aged and other destitute attracted the world’s prominent personalities including heads of the states, films stars and philanthropists to her house in Kolkata. Pope John Paul II, Lady Diana were among those called on her and appreciated her service to the needy.

Mother Teresa’s work among the poor and destitute won her the Nobel award and the Indian government too bestowed on her the coveted Bharat Ratna award.

Soon after she was presented the Nobel award, Mother Teresa had arrived on a visit to Goa. As a reporter of a local daily, I had then covered her tour and got an opportunity to watch this living saint. The Mother was not an eloquent orator and most of the times, she was not even audible. But her smile was spontaneous and contagious. With her humility and dedicated work, the frail woman was successful in attracting a large number of women to the congregation Missionaries of Charity founded by her and open several homes for the destitute and the aged all over the world. Having faith in her work, philanthropists all over the world happily funded her projects. During my visit to Rome, I had the opportunity to witness the work of the male section of the Missionaries of Charity who offer food and shelter to the destitute.

During her lifetime, Mother Teresa’s work had also caused controversies. She was accused of exploiting the poverty of the people for evangelisation. After her death too, controversies did not elude her. Recently an allegation was levelled against her that she served the poor and needy with the intention of converting those people to Christianity. Notwithstanding the charges, Mother Teresa continued her work, never replied to the charges against her. Her canonisation will bring smiles on the faces of all those who appreciate her dedicated service.

Comments

Savio Abreu - Friday, 18 March 2016 AT 04:46 PM IST

True. The canonisation of Mother Teresa is a proud moment for all Indians. The work she did among the poor, sick, destitutes in Kolkata is remarkable. She is a true Indian since she worked for the welfare of the people of India, in fact gave her life for them. All of us should follow her model rather than mouthing platitudes about nationalism and patriotism and polarising the nation. I congratulate Camil on a nice article.

 

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Ajit Waghmare - Wednesday, 16 March 2016 AT 10:15 PM IST

Nice Article. Well Summarised. Brings pride to us, Indians.

 

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Armoured Mercedes-Maybach S 600 Guard launched

Armoured Mercedes-Maybach S 600 Guard launched

Reporters Name | CAMIL PARKHE | Thursday, 10 March 2016 AT 02:12 PM IST

http://www.sakaaltimes.com/NewsDetails.aspx?NewsId=5549602870849219722&SectionId=5627351519265371878&SectionName=Business&News

Date=20160310&News

Title=Armoured%20Mercedes-Maybach%20S%20600%20Guard%20launched

    

Mercedes-Benz, Mercedes-Maybach S 600 Guard, armoured vehicle, luxury vehicle, automobile,business, Delhi, Camil Parkhe

NEW DELHI:Mercedes-Benz has launched the Mercedes-Maybach S 600 Guard, a luxurious armoured vehicle in the country, labelled as the most protected vehicle.

“The exquisite Mercedes-Maybach S 600 Guard is the first civilian vehicle to be certified with the highest ballistic protection level VR10, and is one of the safest luxury vehicles in the world,” Roland Folger, Managing Director and CEO of Mercedes Benz India, said.

The Mercedes-Maybach S 600 Guard was launched by Folger and German Ambassador in India Dr Martin Ney here on Tuesday.

Speaking at the launch, Folger said, “Mercedes-Benz remains the most trusted brand globally in manufacturing ‘Guard’ vehicles since 1928. Most of the global heads of states, top diplomats, business tycoons and celebrities prefer a ‘Guard’ vehicle. We continue to follow our ‘top of pyramid’ approach for the discerning Indian customers.”

Folger said, “In 2015, we completely redefined the highly exclusive luxury sedan segment with the launch of the Mercedes-Maybach. With the introduction of the Mercedes-Maybach S 600 Guard, we have now created an unmatched offering in the segment and strongly reiterated our ‘technological leadership’ in the field of special protection vehicles.”

“The launch of the Mercedes-Maybach S 600 Guard symbolises our unsurpassed commitment of giving the best to our customers,” he said.The Mercedes-Maybach S 600 Guard was launched in India within 15 days of its international debut.

A series of special technical features also ensures that the Mercedes-Maybach S 600 Guard remains mobile during and also after an attack and is able to exit the danger zone.The new Mercedes-Maybach S 600 Guard has been officially certified by the Ballistics Authority and, for the first time, meets the very highly stringent requirements for VR10 protection rating. These guidelines specify that the bodywork and windows must be able to withstand hardened steel core bullets fired from an assault rifle.

SALIENT FEATURES
- Mercedes-Maybach S 600 Guard is the most expensive car available in the Mercedes-Benz portfolio in India
- The vehicle is priced Rs.10.50 crore onwards (Ex-showroom Delhi)
- Opaque roller blinds all-round in the rear | heated windscreen and side windows
- Easily operated panic alarm system
- Fire extinguisher system with automatic activation
- Emergency fresh air system protecting occupants from the ingress of smoke or irritant gases
- Hydraulic power for the heavy side windows
- LED reading lamps in the rear 

Mandatory use of helmets for two-wheeler riders

‘To wear or not to wear’ cannot be the question, it’s a must!

Reporters Name | CAMIL PARKHE | Thursday, 4 February 2016 AT 10:33 PM IST

    

http://www.sakaaltimes.com/NewsDetails.aspx?NewsId=5515282159934862638&SectionId=4861338933482912746&SectionName=Blog&NewsTitle=%E2%80%98To%20wear%20or%20not%20to%20wear%E2%80%99%20cannot%20be%20the%20question,%20it%E2%80%99s%20a%20must

Maharashtra government, CAMIL PARKHE, helmet, two-wheeler riders, Pune

At last, the Maharashtra government has decided to enforce the rule of compulsory helmets for all two-wheeler riders all over the state. The rule of mandatory use of helmets has been there for many years but not implemented due to the apathy of the administration in implementing it. This has led to avoidable deaths of a large number of people, especially youngsters.

There has not been a consistent policy of the government administration and especially the police department in enforcing the rule on mandatory use of helmets. A few years ago, when a new police officer took over the charge of the traffic wing in Pune police commissionerate, he announced the strict enforcement of the rule. Accordingly, for a few months two-wheeler riders were fined for not observing the rule. This had naturally the desired effect as all those who had helmets at their homes started using them and those who did not have helmets purchased them immediately. But the enforcement was again relaxed later and now the drive on helmets rule has been totally called off. This inconsistency on the part of the police and also the government administration is totally inexplicable.

What is most important is that some major automobile giants and other industries in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad have been for the past many years strictly enforcing the rule on use of helmets on their campus areas. Having no other option, employees of these industries and also those desiring to enter these premises have been following the rule.

Use of helmets is also mandatory on campus of all defence establishments all over the country. The helmets rule has been enforced most stringently in Maharashtra’s capital, Mumbai. Why is the same rule not enforced in other cities and highways in the state?

A couple of years ago, traffic police authorities in Pune police commissionerate started strictly enforcing the rule on wearing seat belts for four-wheeler drivers and have been consistent with this policy. As a result, the rule has been observed by most four-wheeler drivers in the city. It is strange why the police authorities are not consistent with the helmet rule as well.

At the national level, too, there is no consistency on implementing the helmets rule. In some metropolitan cities and states, the rule has been enforced while other cities ignore this rule. Implementation of the rule has been left to the whims and fancies of the in-charge police officials in these cities. This is despite the fact that over 1,50,000 people die in road accidents in India every year. In Pune police commissionerate area comprising Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, every year 400 people are killed in road mishaps and of them, 200 are two-wheeler riders. Of the total 479 two-wheeler riders who were killed in road mishaps during the past two years, 477 had not worn helmets.

Deaths of these two-wheeler riders would have been surely avoided in most cases had these people worn helmets. Indeed, there are many people who understand the importance and need of wearing helmets and would use the helmets even if there is no compulsion to do so. But a large number of people would be inclined to use the helmet only if it is mandatory. During my recent visit to Goa, I witnessed a large number foreign nationals zooming fast on two-wheelers without wearing helmets. I was sure that in their own countries, these foreigners would never dare to ride even a bicycle without a helmet as otherwise they would be penalised there. That is why we cannot afford to make use of helmets as optional or voluntary. There would be a heavy price to be paid for that. There is urgent need to enforce the helmet rule all over the country and that too consistently.

Marathi Sahitya Sammelan

An annual literary meet that had too much politics and little literature!

\

Reporters Name | CAMIL PARKHE | Tuesday, 19 January 2016 AT 02:48 PM IST

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89th All-India Marathi Sahitya Sammelan, Camil Parkhe, Pune, Pimpri Chinchwad, Marathi literary festival,

The 89th All-India Marathi Sahitya Sammelan which concluded in Pimpri Chinchwad on Monday truly has lived to the legacy and tradition of the nearly 125-year-old Marathi literary festival. Those people who have attended the earlier Marathi Sahitya Sammelans and who attended this Sammelan would vouch that this was the most expensive, most celebrated and most hyped literary meet. Justice M G Ranade, who had convened the first session of the Marathi Granthkar Sammelan in Pune in 1887, may have never imagined that the seed of the event he sowed would achieve such a remarkable height over a century later. But there were many controversies too and some feeling in the literary sphere that the whole event was too politicised!

Marathi Sahitya Sammelans, like the Diwali special of issues of Marathi periodicals, are unique not only among Indian languages but perhaps also all over the world. This is the only literary event which is being held on a regular basis for more than a century and is patronised by book lovers, littérateurs, publishers and all those associated with the books publishing industry. However, the downside was that including the Sammelan President’s speech to most events, everything revolved around politics and at many stages before the meet and during the three-day meet, it became an NCP versus BJP game! The whole literary meet had a super political undercurrent with literature and creativity taking a back-seat!

In the past, popular literary giants have been honoured with the coveted post of president of this literary festivals. They include Pu La Deshpande, Acharya Atre, Veer Savarkar and Shanta Shelke. Some of these Sahitya Sammelans like the one held at Karad during the Emergency period and presided over by firebrand author Durga Bhagwat, have turned out to be milestones in the struggle for freedom of expression in the country. That is why the post of the president of this literary festival has an aura and many writers and poets vie to win this honour.

The process for electing the president of the literary meet has however dissuaded the veteran littérateurs from seeking this post. The election process has always drawn criticism as less than a thousand registered persons are involved in the poll process which often denies the post to veteran littérateurs. There was open grumbling that not many people had heard of Shripal Sabnis until he was elected to preside over the Sammelan. In the game of numbers, veterans like poet BB Borkar had to face a humiliating defeat in elections and therefore many literary giants shun entering the poll arena.

Controversy is yet another invariable aspect of the Marathi Sahitya Sammelan. Soon after being elected as president of the literary meet, Shripal Sabnis lived up to this legacy with his comments on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Fortunately, much to the relief of the organisers D Y Patil University, the row over his remarks turned out to be a storm in a tea cup.

Visitors to the four-day literary festival thoroughly enjoyed the ambiance at the venue. The hosts had indeed worked hard to make this literary event a ‘celebration’. The huge statues of Sant Dnyaneshwar, Sant Tukaram and others created the desired atmosphere for a literary fest. The presence of youngsters at the literary festival was most striking and these also included students from various institutes of the D Y Patil University campus. The red carpets spread at the various pandals of the festivals, at the two sections of the books exhibition comprising hundreds of books stalls and also on the long passages leading in various directions also underlined that this was one of the most luxurious Marathi Sahitya Sammelans.

Most book stalls at the venue were crowded. The literary meet offers the Marathi book industry a golden opportunity to showcase its products and as usual, sales of crores of rupees were registered during the four-day meet. Most publishers this time were taken aback with the huge demand for some books and were required to get refills from their godowns in Pune on day-to-day basis. Last year, the book industry had to miss this opportunity when despite protests, the Marathi Sahitya Sammelan was organised at Ghuman in Punjab where there were hardly any takers for the Marathi books.

Notwithstanding the criticism, charges and counter-charges levelled before and during the literary meet, this Sahitya Sammelan will be remembered for a long time by those attending it. And as is the tradition, in future too there will be attempts to organise the Sammelan in a more lavish and impressive style. Readers too would not mind it as long as the literary fest also serves to help the interests of Marathi literature. The hope for the future is that the meet is less about politics and more about literature, language and creativity.

RSS decision to introduce change may pay political dividends

RSS decision to introduce change may pay political dividends

Reporters Name | CAMIL PARKHE | Wednesday, 6 January 2016 AT 11:58 AM IST

    

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The nine-decade-old Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh has shown some signs of changes in the recent past. For a long time, the functioning of this organisation was shrouded in mystery. The common people or even the mediapersons were never familiar with this body’s office-bearers or senior functionaries as it was their policy to shun the media and thus they deliberately kept themselves away from the limelight. It was almost a taboo for the RSS functionaries to brief the media on their activities. This had an adverse impact on the image of the voluntary body. It had encouraged rival organisations like those affiliated to the leftist ideologies or the so-called secular forces to treat the RSS like an ‘untouchable’ body. The RSS was banned post assassination of Mahatma Gandhi and during the Emergency period and even now some or the other bodies repeat the demand to impose a ban on it. But now RSS is showing signs that it may be changing.

The RSS has for the first time shown some signs of opening up when its leaders along with its Parivar bodies had joined hands with the socialist and various other centrist parties to form the Janata Party after the Emergency. The honeymoon, however, was short lived with the socialist leaders raising the bogey of ‘dual membership’ of the erstwhile Jan Sangh members, leading to the first break-up of the Janata Party.

After that, the RSS had returned to its shell and continued consolidating its base among the masses.

In the recent few years however, breaking from its traditions, the RSS has been holding media briefings. It has also been conducting workshops for mediapersons and others to dispel the myths, apprehensions and fears related to this organisation. The mega event hosted by the RSS at Marunje near Hinjewadi recently was another manifestation of the transformation of this organisation.

The apex body of the Sangh Parivar has always professed to be an all-inclusive Hindu organisation, representing all sections within the Hindu community. The RSS has now decided to expand its base in the areas and among the communities which used to treat it like an anathema. To achieve its objective, the RSS is shedding some of its old baggage in order to be more receptive to majority sections of the Hindu community. For the past few decades it has been making conscious efforts to remove the tag of being a party of the Brahmins.

The organisation has long back welcomed dalit icon and the architect of Indian Constitution Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar in the list of persons most venerable. This was indeed to eliminate any kind of apprehension the dalits may have had towards the RSS. It has been doing so without compromising on its hardline Hindutva ideology. It is an heartening sign that this cadre-based organisation is in the process of a makeover to win the hearts of a large section of society.

The conscious decision to undergo transformation in its structure, mindset and openness to the society  may be paying rich dividends. Those who are now being exposed to the functioning of this organisation are normally left in awe about the discipline of the RSS cadre, their organisational capabilities and dedication to their mission in various fields. Transparency in its functioning and an all-inclusive policy will indeed help the organisation in reaching out to larger sections of society and earn their goodwill and also dispel any kind of misgivings.

Disclaimer: The opinion expressed within this blog is personal opinion of the author. The information, facts or opinions appearing in the blog do not reflect the views of Sakal and Sakal does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.