WORLD SIGHT DAY-2011

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India fourth most dangerous place for women: survey

New Delhi:  The high number of female foeticide, infanticide and human trafficking prevalent in India has placed it as the fourth most dangerous place for women in the world, according to a survey.

Afghanistan is the most dangerous place for women followed by Democratic Republic of Congo, Pakistan, India and Somalia in the survey conducted by Thomson Reuters' Trustlaw Women, a hub of legal information and legal support for women's rights.

Three of these countries are in South Asia.

The poll asked 213 experts in the field from five continents to rank countries on their overall perception of danger as well as by six key categories of risk, health threats, sexual violence, non-sexual violence, harmful practices rooted in culture, tradition and/or religion, lack of access to economic resources and human trafficking.

"India ranked fourth primarily due to female foeticide, infanticide and human trafficking," the poll said.

In 2009, India's Home Secretary Madhukar Gupta had remarked that at least 100 million people were involved in human trafficking in India, according to the survey.

The CBI has estimated that in 2009 about 90 per cent of trafficking took place within the country and that there were three million prostitutes, of which 40 per cent were children.

Other forms of exploitation include forced labour and forced marriage.

"In India, upto 50 million girls were thought to be 'missing' over the past century due to female infanticide and foeticide," as per the UN Population Fund.

Read more at: http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/india-fourth-most-dangerous-place-for-women-survey-112349&cp

10 Most Dangerous Cities in the World in 2011

1. Bogota, Colombia

Image source - newshopper.sulekha

While security in Colombia has improved significantly in recent years, violence by narco-terrorist groups continues to affect some rural areas as well as the capital city, Bogota. In August  2010, a car bomb exploded outside the Caracol radio station in Bogota and in October, Colombian authorities claimed that they had foiled another car bomb attack directed at the National Administrative Center in Bogota. Some criminal organizations continue to kidnap and hold civilians for ransom or as political bargaining chips. The fact that Colombia has one of the highest violent crime rates in the world is quite enough for understanding how dangerous Botota is.

2. Ciudad Juárez, Mexico

Image source - life

Ciudad Juárez is one of the world’s fastest growing cities in spite of the fact that it has been called “the most violent zone in the world outside of declared war zones.” Unfortunately, it seems that crime is growing along with the city. There were around 1,400 murders in the city in 2008 and over 2,500 drug-related deaths over the same period in 2010. Public life is almost paralyzed out of fear of being hit by a stray bullet or kidnapped. Over the past 10 years Ciudad Juárez has seen more than 400 women fall victims to sexual homicides.

3. St. Louis, Missouri

Image source - kimoracochran

According to a latest study analyzing cities based on their FBI statistics for murder, rape, robbery, and assault, St. Louis top the list of the most dangerous city in America, beating Camden, Detroit and New Orleans, last year’s most dangerous cities. After first being pronaunced ‘America’s Most Dangerous City’ in 2006 and coming in second place in 2009, St. Louis has once again reached the top. St. Louis had 2,070.1 violent crimes per 100,000 residents, compared with a national average of 429.4. Overall, east St. Louis city is the area of nearly 65% of the crime.

4. Port-au-Prince, Haiti

Image source - montrealgazette

Despite the governmental changes that occurred in 2004, Port-au-Prince, the capital and largest city of Haiti,  still regularly sees violent outbreaks and demonstrations. There is no real police force that keeps the violence under control in the city and the entire country  and many towns in Haiti are literally controlled by criminals. Furthermore, while a U.N. force has provided assistance to police in the country since 2004, their presence does not guarantee absolute security for visitors or residents.  Haiti is among the four most important countries for drug transit to the U.S. Kidnapping, murders, death threats, drug-related shootouts, car-jacking, armed robberies and home break-ins are common in Port-au-Prince.

5. Mogadishu, Somalia

Image source - coincentral

In August and September of 2010, terrorists launched a military offensive attack against the Transitional Federal Government and African Union. In August, a roadside bomb exploded and damaged three civilian minibuses killing nine people and wounding 25, and in September, two suicide bombers killed themselves in an attack on Mogadishu airport. Murder, kidnapping, illegal roadblocks, banditry, and other violent incidents and threats to American citizens and other foreigners can occur in Mogadishu, as well as in any region of Somalia. Unpredictable armed conflicts among rival militias are prevalent in and around the city. Terrorist attacks, cross-border warring and brutal, violent street crime wrack the country on a daily basis.

6. Caracas, Venezuela

Image source - mysanantonio

In our previously published article we have listed Caracas among the 10 most dangerous cities in the world in 2010. Well, it keeps its place on the list in 2011. The murder rate in the capital of Venezuela is said to be among the highest in the world, with much of that violence being related to drug trafficking and resulting from the fact that the country is located between the U.S. and Columbia. Armed robberies are common in the city, even in areas presumed safe and visited by tourists. Express kidnappings, in which victims are seized in an attempt to get quick cash in exchange for their release, are a problem. Even worse, police investigations into kidnappings have revealed that police officers are often involved. Crime is even rampant at the airport, which itself is said to be rife with corruption. And of course, pickpockets, hotel thieves, scammers and grifters abound.

7. Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea

Image source - impactlab

Crime is a serious concern throughout Port Moresby, capital and largest city of Papua New Guinea. If you decide to travel there, you are at a greater risk of violent crimes such as rape and robbery. Also, carjackings, stoning of vehicles, pickpockets, armed robberies are problems in and around the city. Visiting unguarded public sites such as golf courses, beaches,  parks or cemeteries can be dangerous for visitors. Even public transportation is dangerous, making car rental the safest way to get around the country. Beside the criminal, Papua New Guinea is in an active seismic zone: tsunamis, earthquakes and landslides can occur.

8. Grozny, Chechnya, Russia

Image source - mostdangerouscities.org

In 2003 the UN called Grozny the ‘Most Destroyed City on Earth.’ The city has undergone very destructive warfare since the 1990s, when the Russian army demolished much of the city. Gangsters, mob and corruption create problems for little remaining authority. Organized Crime is rampant. Political and criminal murder, as well as rape rates, are very high and kidnappings are a serious issue. Some destroyed buildings are being rebuilt, but many continue to live without electricity or water. Many Chechens have fled to places like Dagestan or Azerbaijan, as their native country is not safe.

9. Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

Image source - latimes

If you decide to travel to the Dominican Republic this year, you should strongly consider leaving valuable property at home. Crime continues to be a big problem throughout the Dominican Republic. While mugging and pick pocketing are the most common crimes against tourists, reports of violence against both locals and foreigners are growing and reports of car theft have increased. Also, demonstrations, protests and general strikes occur periodically. Although political demonstrations don’t generally occur in areas frequented by tourists and are generally not targeted at foreigners, it is advisable to exercise caution when traveling throughout the country.

10. Muzaffarabad, Kashmir, Pakistan

Image source - google images

Although it is considered a “paradise on earth,” primarily known for its captivating beauty serene lakes, dazzling rivers and splendid gardens, Kashmir is thought  by many academics to be the place where the next nuclear holocaust will occur. The region is divided among 3 countries (India, Pakistan and China) in a territorial dispute. These 3 countries are Nuclear armed states, and the tension in Kashmir has resulted in nuclear brinkmanship between Pakistan and India on several occasions. Rallies, demonstrations, and processions occur regularly throughout Pakistan on very short notice. Organised crime in Pakistan include drug trafficking, forged Indian currency printing, extortion, murder for hire and fraud. Furthermore, other criminal operations engage in human trafficking, black marketeering, corruption, political violence, abduction, terrorism etc.

History of Shri Sannati Chandrala Parameshwari

                   

       This place is important for Dasistha Brahmins. To reach this place, Get down at Nalwar Railway station. Take a bus (you need to wait for long) or Auto or Jeep (engage fully). It may cost Rs13 by Bus, somewhere around Rs150 by auto or jeep depending on your negotiating skills. Travel Time about 45 to 1 hour. Roads are not good. You get some coffee/tea at some stalls outside temple. Temple provides  food usually. Check with temple & plan your food arrangements. Rooms are provided by temple for you to get refreshed. Don't expect clean place. Alternatively, you can reach from Gulburga where you get good hotels to stay. But you should really be beyond Military Specification to take the long bumpy ride from Gulburga.

       King called Rajasena had a daughter Chandrala. The king began searching for a groom for his beloved daughter and organised a ‘Swayamvara' for this purpose. The princes had to see the reflection of an metal pillar in the water and bring it down to win the hand of the princess. No prince was willing to take up such a challenging task and the king was in despair.Some days later, a goddess appeared in his dreams and told him that the one who will wed his daughter will come to the town garden the next day. The next day, Narayana Muni, a handsome young man came to the town and was given a grand  welcome by the king who requested him to take up the task and marry his daughter. Though he initially declined, he later agreed.
        The couple got married and were living on the banks of the Bheema river when the eyes of an evil king fell on the beautiful Chandrala. Trying to escape from the clutches of the king, Chandrala vowed to do penance for 40 days. She then went to the Someshwara temple and sought sanctuary from the evil designs of the king. Meanwhile, Narayana Muni, seeing that his wife was missing and guessing that the king must be behind her disappearance, vowed to set things right. He went to the Hingula Peeth near Kashmir and prayed to Goddess Hingulambake.
        The Goddess promised to help him out on one condition: that he should walk in front of her, showing her the way but should not turn back and look at her until he reaches his town. Narayana Muni agreed. The clanking of the Goddess' anklets was his only clue to whether she was following him. But at the banks of the River Bheema, the twittering of the birds and the swishing of the river drowned the anklet sound and he inadvertently turned round. Immediately, the Goddess became a stone and told him that she would stay there. She also gave him a coconut telling him that there were bees inside it and he should take it to the evil king. When the coconut was broken at the king's palace, several thousands of bees came out of it and attacked the king who jumped into the river and drowned. Even today, there is a ‘Seethuraja Maduvu' near the river. Chandrala became one with the God even before she could complete her penance. In memory of this legend, every year, the Chandrala Parameshwari Devi Mahotsav is held during the Navaratri festival. The temple has a history of nearly 800 years and was renovated in 1985.
       Locally known as ‘Sannati,' devotee s come from all over the State for a glimpse of this ancient temple, situated around 20 km from Nalavar.

       HISTORY GULBARGA was known as 'KALBURGI' in former days which means stony land in Kannada. Gulbarga district is situated in the northern part of Karnataka State. In the earlier days, Gulbarga was a district of Hyderabad Karnataka area and became a part of Karnataka State after re-organization of states. Recorded history of this district dates back to the 6th Century A.D. The Rashtrakutas gained control over the area but the Chalukyas regained their domain within a short period and regained supreme for over two hundred years. The Kalahari's who succeeded them ruled till the 12th Century AD. Around the close of the 12th century.
      The Yadavas of Devagiri and the Hoysalas of Dwarasamadra destroyed the supremacy of the Chalukyas and kalachuris. About the same period the kakatiya kings of Wrangle came into prominence and the present Gulbarga and Raichur districts formed part of their domain. The Kakatiya power was subdued in 1321 AD and the entire Deccan including the district of Gulbarga passed under the control of the Muslim Emperors of Delhi.
      The revolt of the Muslim officers appointed from Delhi resulted in founding of the Bahmani kingdom in 1347 AD, by Hassan Gangu who chose Gulbarga to be his capital. When the Bahmani dynasty came to an end, the kingdom broke up into five independent Sultanates and the present Gulbarga district came partly under Bidar and partly under Bijapur. With the conquest of the Deccan by Aurangezeb in the 17th century, Gulbarga passed back to the Mughal Empire. In the early part of the 18th century when Mughal Empire was declining Asaf Jha a general of Aurangzeb became independent and formed the Hyderabad State in which a major part of Gulbarga area was also included. In 1948 Hyderabad state became a part of Indian Union and in 1956, excluding two talukas which were annexed to Andhra Pradesh the remaining talukus of Gulbarga district became part of New Mysore State.
      Gulbarga is 613 Km north of Bangalore and well connected by road to Bijapur, Hyderabad and Bidar. Train from southern part of India to Mumbai and Delhi passes through Gulbarga. Shri Kshetra Gangapur an well known pilgrimage of God Shri Sadguru Dattarya is very close from Gulbarga. The climate of the district is generally dry and healthy with temperature ranging from 5c to 45c and an annual rainfall of about 750mm. The entire district is situated in Deccan Plateau and the general elevation ranges from 300 to 750 meters above MSL.
       Two main river, Krishna and Bhima, flow in the district. The predominant type of soil in the district is black soil. The district has a large number of tanks which in addition to the river irrigate the land. The Upper Krishna Project is major irrigational venture in the district. Jowar, groundnut, rice, and pulses are the main crops. Gulbarga an industrially backward district is presently showing signs of growth in the Cement, textile, leather and chemical industries sectors. Gulbarga has a University with Medical and Engineering Colleges.
This town was the Bahmani capital form 1347 until its transfer to bidar in 1428 Later the kingdom broke up into a number of smaler kingdoms - Bijapur, Bidar, berar, Ahmednager and Golconda. The last of these, Golconda, finally fell to Aurangzeb in 1687. Gulbarg's old moated fort is in a much teteriorated state, but it has a number of interesting buildings inside including the Jama Masjid, reputed tohave been built by a Moorish architect during the late 14th or early 15th century who imitated the great mosque in Cordoba, Spain. The mosque is unique in India, with a huge dome covering the whole area, four smaller ones at the corners, and 75 smaller still all the way around. The fort itself has 15 towers. Gulbarga also has a number of imposing tombs of Bahmani kings, a shrine to an important Muslim saint and the Sharana Basaveshwara Temple.

Sri Shiradi Sai Baba short History

         Shri Sai Baba's life and teachings are well documented in Sai Satcharitra by Shri Hemadpant in Marathi which was personally blessed by Shri Sai Baba. Shri Hemadpant got Shri Sai Baba's blessings in 1910 to write this work. Said Shri Sai Baba "Let him make a collection of stories and experiences, keep notes and memos; I will help him. He is only an outward instrument." Subsequently SaiSatcharitra has been translated into a number of different languages. The one in English is called Shri Sai Satcharitra by Shri Nagesh Vasudev Gunaji. As an introduction this is a short summary on the life of Shri Sai Baba.

        Chandbhai, the headman of a village called Dhoopkhede (in Aurangabad, India), once lost his horse and was looking for it. Suddenly he heard a voice say "You look tired. Come here and rest a while". He turned around and saw a young Fakir (Baba). The fakir smiled at him and said "What are you looking for in this jungle, Chandbhai". This surprised Chandbhai and he wondered how the fakir knew his name. Slowly, he said "I have lost my horse. I have looked for it everywhere, but cannot seem to find it". The fakir told him to look behind a clump of trees.

       Chandbhai was pleasently surprised to find his horse grazing peacefully behind those trees. He thanked the fakir and asked his name. The fakir said "some people call me Sai Baba." Sai Baba then invited Chandbhai to have a smoke with him. He got the pipe ready, but there was no fire to light it with. Sai Baba thrusted a pair of tongs into the ground and brought out a burning coal. To this Chandbhai was wonderstruck. He thought "this is no ordinary person" and invited Baba to come to his house and be his guest for a few days. Next day Baba went to Chandbhai's house and found everybody in a very joyful mood and festivities going on all around. He found that Chandbhai's wife's nephew was getting married. The bride was from Shirdi and the marriage party was going to Shirdi. Chandbhai invited Baba to accompany the marriage party to Shirdi.
At Shirdi they camped in a field next to Khandoba's temple. After the wedding, Saibaba stayed on at Shirdi. At first he lived under a neem tree and begged for food whenever he needed it. He then went to Khandoba's temple, intending to stay there, but the temple's priest met him at the entrance and told him to go to the mosque. That is how Baba, started staying at the Mosque which was later called Dwarkamayi. Baba preached at Shirdi all his life and performed numerous miracles to convince people that God exists.
       He healed people's diseases, provided moral and material comfort to his Devotees. Baba helped bring Unity and Harmony between all communities. He said that God is one, but called by different names. One day a rich millionaire named Booty came to Sai Baba and said he was going to construct a stone building for Shri Krishna. Baba helped him plan the building. Before the building was completed Baba fell very ill.

       On the 15th of October 1918, he breathed his last. His last wish was to be buried in Booty's building. Booty's stone building came to be known as Samadhi Mandir. Shri Sai Baba was buried here and a beautiful shrine was built over it. To this day, people flock to Shirdi to pay homage to Shri Sai Baba.