Auspicious beginning

Though not among the ‘must-do’ things, the Bismillah ceremony during Ramzan gains significance

When the atmosphere is full of devout offering prayers and doing good deeds, why should children be left behind in the pious season? Ramzan, the holy month is significant for many reasons — one of them being the ‘Bismillah ceremony’ — which marks a child’s initiation into the reading of Quran. While there isn’t any grand celebration, the devout say it helps in setting an example for kids to follow. “Since children see us pray and read the Quran, it is wise to initiate them at a time when everyone is engaged with prayers. My son was introduced to the Quran during last Ramzan when he was four-years old,” says Md. Sikandar who is a marketing official with a national magazine.

But that doesn’t mean that parents expect their children to begin fasting as young as four years. They understand doing roza isn’t possible for the little ones, especially when they are school going children. “My daughter likes to sit with me when I read the Quran. She is too young to understand but she knows it is something important and doesn’t usually disturb me while praying. She imitates me and I think in a way it is quite good. I always believe it is best for children to learn with an example,” says Nazneen Ahmed a home maker.

Memorable win, we learnt from 2011 tour: Dhoni

A young Indian team has twice hovered close to an overseas victory in the past eight months — at Johannesburg and Wellington. And twice its efforts were thwarted and M.S. Dhoni’s men had to settle for a draw.

Finally when a much awaited triumph was gloriously etched at Lord’s, the skipper was a happy man and he termed it as a ‘reward for hard work.’

“It was a Test where there was pressure on us. We lost the toss, had to bat and I thought the openers and the top-order did their job and then in their first innings Bhuvi (Bhuvneshwar Kumar) bowled well and in the second innings, Ishant (Sharma) did well,” said Dhoni. The skipper also praised the efforts of Ajinkya Rahane, Murali Vijay and Ravindra Jadeja.

And then a chilling reality sunk in as Dhoni hinted at the inevitable curtains closing in on his career. “It will be my last Test match at Lord’s. I don’t see myself coming again and I don’t know when we will play here. It feels good to win Test matches outside India,” he said.

Sania Mirza is Telangana’s brand ambassador

Indian tennis star Sania Mirza was on Tuesday appointed ‘Brand Ambassador’ of Telangana.

She will promote the new “state’s interests” in India and abroad, according to Industrial Infrastructure Corporation Managing Director Jayesh Rajan.

Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao handed over a letter of appointment and also a cheque of Rs. one crore to 27-year-old at an interaction session with industrialists in Hyderabad.

Orchards here bear fruits of toxicity

Victims of endosulfan at Muthalamada a neglected lot

Hemalatha, eight months old, daughter of Senthil Kumar and Dhanalakshmi of Babu Colony, Muthalamada, was born two years after the global ban on endosulfan. Her swollen head and apparent physical illnesses are testimony to the residuary harm that the pesticide has been doing to the people of Muthalamada.

“Our hut is close to a mango plantation where the spraying of endosulfan had been routine for many years. This may have contributed to the plight of our child,” Dhanalakshmi says. The couple’s first child, born four years ago with similar physical conditions, lived only for two months.

Sharanya, 11, of the same locality, was diagnosed with cerebral meningitis on the 28th day of her birth. She was also diagnosed with hydrocephalus. She can sit only with support. Victims of endosulfan use are now pinning their hopes on Health Minister V.S. Sivakumar’s announcement that a health package would be implemented for those affected at Muthalamada and adjoining Kollangode. Many are but sceptical about the sincerity of the government.

Introducing Mysore’s very own rhinos

After five days of journey from Patna, covering a distance of 2,200 km, a pair of Greater One-horned rhinoceros arrived here on Sunday night.

Virat, weighing 1,360 kg and Bobbli, weighing 725 kgs, are exploring their new home at the Mysore zoo. Virat is three-years-old while Bobbli is a year old.

The Mysore zoo is housing and displaying the one-horned rhinos after a gap of nearly a decade.

In captivity, Indian rhinos can live up to 40 years. Both male and female mature early and start reproducing at the age of six and five respectively in captive conditions, according to zoo authorities.

Panel on Capital: APCC suspects ‘foul play’

'No reason to constitute a new panel when the K.C. Sivaramakrishnan Committee was about to submit its recommendations.'

The Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee has suspected some ‘foul play’ in the announcement of a committee for identification of the capital for the new State by Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu led government.

The APCC saw no reason why the government should constitute a new panel when the K.C. Sivaramakrishnan Committee constituted by the Central government was about to submit its recommendations. “Where is the need for a new committee when the Sivaramakrishnan committee is about to conclude its findings?” APCC president N. Raghuveera Reddy asked.

Questions over fire safety in Mumbai skyscrapers

Last week’s fire in a highrise in the Lotus commercial compound in suburban Mumbai brought to light serious lacunae in the fire department. However, residents of highrises are doing very little to prevent catastrophes in their buildings.

According to the municipal corporation, as many as 95 per cent of buildings in the city have not undergone safety audits as mandated under the Maharashtra Fire Prevention and Life Safety Measures Rules, 2009, since they came into existence. This year, only three highrises have submitted their safety audit reports to the fire department.