Rain Gods Pleased; Maharashtra to Get More Rainfall

Rain gods seem pleased with Maharashtra as the meteorology department has predicted more rains in the region.
Many regions of Maharashtra witnessed heavy rainfall and it is assumed that the state will be receiving heavy to more heavy rain. Nashik recorded more active rainfall and now it is now its way to cover entire Maharashtra.
According to ndia Meteorological Department (IMD), Southwest Monsoon has returned to its active phase. Since Thursday, the northern regions of Maharashtra and Konkan reported heavy to very heavy rains. At the same time, Pune city recorded 26 mm rainfall, the heaviest spell recorded so far in July.
The trend is expected to continue over the weekend, particularly over Nandurbar, Nashik, Jalgaon and Dhule districts, IMD said.
Till July 12, it was remarked that these northern districts fell under the ‘rainfall-deficient’ categories, with a shortage of 30%-50% below normal. But after receiving the heavy rains for only two days, these figures have not only shown marked improvements, but they are touching normal levels.
The sudden spike in rainfall activity over the state to the influence of a low-pressure system lying over west Madhya Pradesh was recognised by the IMD, Pune officials.
Senior Scientist at the climate monitoring analysis group Sunitha Devi stated, “This system, which is expected to move towards Gujarat, is set to further intensify into a deep depression, bringing more and heavier spells of rain over Madhya Maharashtra and Konkan, especially during the weekend”.
On Friday, some places in Raigad and Sindhudurg districts in Konkan recorded very heavy rains; Pen (240 mm) and Bhira (178 mm) were among the wettest towns. IMD authorities noted, “the monsoon trough has now shifted southwards and is passing through central India, so the rainfall is expected to get heavier in the coming days”.
Sunitha Devi informed, “The rainfall will be fairly well-distributed over the state, as extended range predictions indicate that the rest of July will be wet. There are fresh systems that will cause rains over central and western parts of the country”.
Meanwhile, in the Marathwada and Vidarbha regions, the rain is expected to gather momentum only by June 20. From the time when the monsoon season started, Vidarbha has been experiencing deficient rainfall.

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People are enjoying religion as never before

Twice within last ten days, I travelled to Nashik, that old city in North Maharashtra which, it is said, Lord Ram, Seeta and Lakshman visited while in their exile to forest. The city reverberates with the same ancient spirit of holiness and faith. And this time, the spirit is especially evident as millions of devotees throng to the banks of river Godavari to have a dip in its specially-made clean stream during the auspicious period of Sinhastha.

Kumbh Mela, the grandest of all festivals is currently on in the city. Kumbh is the 12-yearly gathering of almost all important saints and holy men in Hindu faith. But my trips to Nashik were not connected in any way to it and I was not there at the shahi snaan, the extravagant holy bath done by sadhus and devotees. However, once after putting my feet on this land of pious worshippers, I couldn't keep myself off from the enchanting glimpses offered at the ghats.

The main ghat of the Panchvati area glittered with all kinds of lightings. Men, women and children, in all kinds of attires and with varying ages, filled themselves and their kin with happiness of having attained one of the most relieving satisfaction ordained by the culture. Innumerable ascetics, with almost everyone in his unique dressing and hairstyle, walked past the frenzied crowds with ease, with barely any concern or disdain for the scene around them. They were just a fraction of the sadhus camping around this city and tens, if not hundred, times more than them station in specially created colony.

The pantheon of godmen keeps enlarging, not only in Hindu but probably every religion of the world. It may not particularly point towards the increasing piety of the faith but it doesn't show any diminishing of its hold either. True, people are not bound by the religious dogmas the way they used to be, say, a hundred years ago. But they are not letting it go out of their conscience either.

Speaking more accurately, the people are enjoying the religion as they never did in the past. This holds true especially in case of Hindu faith where all leashes are open in an already disorganized fold and everyone is free to follow his own path.

For centuries, Hindus were infected with caste system with its strict hierarchical demarcations and very few individuals, if any, took joy in adhering to his or her rituals. This was true for the castes at lower rung of social ladder and even more for the so called upper castes. The members of some of the outcast castes were not even allowed to walk side by side with those ruling them.

After independence in 1947 and introduction of the Constitution of India, these socially deprived people attained the freedom and equality, howsoever compromised they might be at times. However, the members of these communities were still languishing in economic deprivation as centuries of slavery and exploitation left them in penury. They struggled for existence while ruling castes jostled with each other to capture modern means of progress.

Add to this that elusive emancipation of women which was on debating table for two centuries. That is realized, again, in a limited manner. But whatever is realized is enough to bring about a new uprising in the hitherto repressed expressions of emotions.  Female were no longer weaker sex. All shackles binding them were free.

All this changed in 1991-92 when India, having forced by the abject restrictions, mended its path - from Nahruvian economy of deprivation to liberal economy of post-Cold War era. Coupled with reservation in jobs and education, the backward classes came closer to their former masters while forward castes, due to their advantageous position, accumulated fortunes in greater proportion where once even shadows of their forefathers was forbidden.

These developments manifested in the form of frolicking women in Ram Ghat at Panchwati in Nashik where Lakshman said to have marked a line for Seeta warning her not to cross it. They came to fore in the form of groups of villagers, clearly showing their rural origins and caste markings, freely offering aartis to the river Godavari.

These all are signs that gone are the days when religion used to be a force to be feared of, an all pervasive power which curtailed individual’s freedom. Now, individual is bending his faith at his comfort and relishing the offerings as just another recipe to be savored.

In Nashik, the traders and businessmen complained that their business was hit by low numbers of devotees who did not turn up on the auspicious day because of heavy deployment of security personnel. The merit of this complaint is another thing. But the very fact that these businessmen looked at this event as an opportunity to make money because of large number of devotees itself proved that this was not just a spiritual and sacred occasion, but a chance of wealth creation and this because devotees were prepared to shed their money for earthly pleasures.

The self-professed progressives pride themselves in deriding the religion and rituals. They don’t feel any need to separate grain and chaff. Last month, in a program organized by weekly Sadhana, veteran journalist warned the intellectuals of the pitfall. “You are right in denouncing religious dogmas and taboos. But I tell you, please look at the religion seriously,” he said. If the ongoing Kumbh has any message to give, it is this.

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