Sans Frontiers

Diana Raj Kumari Photography: Time to bloom♥

2012-04-12T02:10:00.001-07:00

Diana Raj Kumari Photography: Time to bloom♥: "A time comes for each flower to bloom. So does every human being in their lives." *** Diana Raj Kumari Photo...

Happy Easter to all!!

2012-04-08T04:15:00.000-07:00

Happy Easter to one and all!
Not a child any longer but nonetheless decided to go on a egg hunt. No, not in the garden but on Facebook where I succeeded in collecting some of the best Easter Bunny and Easter Eggs Pictures. Sharing them here on my blog with you all....

*** A blessed and wonderful Easter Sunday to all.*** - Diana Raj Kumari

Diana Raj Kumari Photography: On a tightrope

2012-03-29T11:30:00.001-07:00

Diana Raj Kumari Photography: On a tightrope: "Sometimes one has got to balance oneself on a tightrope while the flow of life rushes by." *** Diana Raj Kumari Photogr...

Diana Raj Kumari Photography: Together ♥♥

2012-03-28T11:43:00.001-07:00

Diana Raj Kumari Photography: Together ♥♥: Together in love, everything else fades leaving only their hearts to beat together as one.. ♥♥ *** Diana Raj Kumar...

Diana Raj Kumari Photography: What is in your bag??

2012-03-22T06:13:00.001-07:00

Diana Raj Kumari Photography: What is in your bag??: What is in your bag today?? Anything interesting and worth buying..?? Here....you check out and see for yourself what you want......

The Male Indian Koel(Kokil) Bird

2012-03-22T05:39:00.000-07:00

These melodious bird Koel/Cuckoo or Kokil in Manipuri is a long and slim bird, 39- 46 cm in length. Has a long tails, pointed wings and curved bills. The male is glistening blueish black, with yellowish green bill and crimson eyes. They have short wings but long tail. The female is dark brown, with profusely spotted and barred with white. Females have green beak and red eyes. Males and females are distinct in appearance. Tail is dark gray and slightly white in colour. The crown is dark brown and the bill is pale green in colour. Females are slightly smaller than the males. It is brood parasite, and lays its single egg in the nests of a variety of birds, including Jungle Crow and House Crow.

Kingdom : Animalia

Phylum : Chordata

Class: Aves

Order : Cuculifomes

Family : Cuculidae

Zoological name : Eudynamys scolopacea

Found In : They are mostly found in every part of India. They can also be spotted in the Batla National Park, Corbett National Park, Sultanpur Bird Sanctuary, Pench National Park and Barwala Bird Sanctuary. These pictures I clicked of the male Koel is on the bank of the mighty Brahmaputra river in Assam.

"The first melodious song of the Koel tells us spring is here and its time for us to rejoice and live life with new hopes and desires." - Diana Raj Kumari

World Sparrow Day : Romance of the Sparrows!!

2012-03-20T06:46:00.000-07:00

World Sparrow Day (WSD) is being celebrated on 20 March across the globe. The first World Sparrow Day was celebrated on March 20, 2010 across the globe to celebrate the beauty of the house sparrow. National and international organisations, NGOs, clubs and societies, universities, schools and individuals across the world celebrated the event by organizing awareness programs. This is to raise public awareness about the fast-diminishing House Sparrow species, which was seen very commonly in your neighborhood a decade back. Observing the day highlights the decline of the house sparrow and helps to build awareness on the problems faced by the species in its daily fight for survival.

The World Sparrow Day also celebrates the common biodiversity around us.

Lucky that I can still see plently of them in and around my neighborhood and I happen to click some pictures of the Sparrows romantic courtship on my balcony. Am sharing a few of them here today as my humble contribution towards World Sparrow Day.

Let us spare the Sparrows and conserve these dwindling species. The conservation of the house sparrow and its habitat will not only save much of the common biodiversity but provide a better environment for other bird species, too. Best wishes to all who are striving to save the Sparrows.

---- Diana Raj Kumari ---

Diana Raj Kumari Photography: Beautiful moments of Spring!!

2012-03-20T00:48:00.001-07:00

Diana Raj Kumari Photography: Beautiful moments of Spring!!: Songs of birds, new green leaves, flowers in bloom...everything about Spring is so beautiful!! *** ...

Silver Pheasant

2012-02-17T04:56:00.000-08:00

The Silver Pheasant (Lophura nycthemera) is a species of pheasant found in forests, mainly in mountains, of mainland Southeast Asia and eastern and southern China, with introduced populations in Hawaii and various locations in the US mainland. It is also very closely related to the Kaliji Pheasant with which it can easily hybridize. The male is black and white, while the female is mainly brown.There are fifteen subspecies of Silver Pheasant, distributed from east Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Vietnam, China to the island of Hainan. Widespread and common in most of its ranges, the Silver Pheasant is evaluated as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

The Male Silver Pheasant is a striking bird. It is a beautiful large, up to 125cm, white pheasant with the bottom half being glossy black while the top half being white laced in black with long patterned tail. Has got bare red facial skin and also has a long bushy black crest adorning his crown which lies backwards across the head rather than vertical. It needs at least two years to attain full male plumage.

The Female happens to be olive brown with black-tipped crest although this is not as big as the one on the male and is brown with black at the tip. The Hen has some black & white streaking on her underparts. The True Silvers are larger than the other subspecies and the tail is longer. The male weighs 3 - 4 lbs (approx. 1.3 - 1.8kg) and the hen around 2.5 lbs (1-1.2kg).

The Silver Pheasant is worthy of being promoted as a great bird for rearing and breading. A beginner will find it good and to a more experienced breeder is not certainly dull.
Silver pheasants enjoy a mixed diet similar to other birds. They like fruit and enjoy a variety of live food. They will tuck into crickets, spiders, locusts and waxworms as well as the usual mealworms.Silver Pheasants are polygynous in the wild and are sometimes kept with a few hens to one cock in captivity. Silver pheasants should be kept in an aviary at least 200 square feet. This will need to be larger for more than three birds.

It will breed from two years old and are also in full colour by this time. The hen will lay a clutch of 6 - 12 eggs but can continue laying up to as many as 30 - 40 eggs if they are removed from her nest which is a hollow scraped in the ground.

Chicks are easy to raise. They feed well, only occasionally needing encouragement to start eating their crumb. They have also been quite amicable with other chicks and easily become tame. This is indeed a beautiful bird.

*** Diana Raj Kumari ***

Diana Raj Kumari Photography: Face of Innocence

2012-02-06T02:25:00.000-08:00

Diana Raj Kumari Photography: Face of Innocence: Face of Innocence - The smiling face of a baby girl who is unaware about everything that goes around her. *** Diana Ra...

An elephant injuring a lady and her child

2012-01-13T05:50:00.000-08:00

Media and crowd beginning to gather at the hospital gate.

Earlier today, an elephant injured a lady by the name of Kalpana Thakuria and her 1yr old son Jyotishmall Thakuria. The child suffered minor injuries and first aid has been given while the lady is operated upon.

I was going around with my camera in the locality clicking photos of flowers and plants when I saw people and media persons gathering around the Hospital situated in the locality. Mom who was with me asked a small boy what was happening but as if too tensed, he ran away without answering. Then upon asking other persons around, we found out that an elepha-nt have injured someone. I then approached a young guy who turned out to be the brother of the injured person. He told me that her sister is hurt and her stitches were opened up but fine now. He too was too worried to give me a proper answer.

Injured one year old boy Jyotishmall Thakuria

So, I went to the place where the incident happened. The people around there told me that the lady holding her child in her arms was trying to feed the elephant along with some of her family members and something went wrong with the elephant. He carried her for a distance and then struck her with his tusks several times injuring her on her neck, face and both sides of her tummy. The stitches from her not too long cesarean operation opened up and she is critically injured.

As the media and crowd were diverted towards the police and mahout's friend, I slipped inside the hospital and talked to the close family members. Saw the injured boy too who was resting his head on his grand-

Worried family members with the injured child.

mother's shoulder and sleeping after first aid was given to him. I talked to Hareshwari, Kalpana's sister-in-law who asked me to talk to her brother Jitumoni as he was with Kalpana and the child when the incident occurred.

Jitumoni, the brother-in-law who escaped unhurt.

Jitumoni told me that today, around 10.30am in the morning, he and his bhabi were offering money to the elephant. It is a daily routine for the family to offer either food or money and worship the 2/3 elephants (owned by a person who stays close by) as they happen to pass along the road in front of their house everyday. According to him, it was a shock as the elephant pushed him away with his trunk as he offered him the money and bowed before him. The elephant than caught hold of the lady and her child with his trunk and hit her left and right pushing her forward as he moved on. The child fell at the center in between his four legs and luckily escaped being crushed. As for Kalpana, when the trunk swayed and hit her left and right, the long tusks kept piercing her face, neck and tummy injuring her critically. Her abdominal stitches from the Cesarean operation too opened up. Somehow she and the child were brought to the hospital which is a few meters away and taken care of by the doctors and the hospital staff there. Kalpana is still in a critical condition and is being operated upon while the child is being sent for a CT scan to a different hospital to check out any internal injuries. We all are praying for the safety and speedy recovery of the mother and child.

Police taking away a friend of the Mahout for questioning.

As for the elephant, he is said to being kept at his owners place while the police picked

up the Mahout's friend for questioning. While I was inside the hospital with some of

the family members, the media talked to him and rest of the family members and as I came out, I saw the guy being made to sit inside the police vehicle and then they drove away.

It is a wonder for all the people as to why the elephant suddenly got wild...pushed the young guy away and then struck the lady. Its being thought that the elephant might be very hungry and got irritated that he is being offered money instead of food. According to some, the elephants might not be properly fed by the owner. Besides, the mahout is a new one and could not control the elephant. He just turned wild and is said to be still wild and angry. It is being tried in all possible ways to calm down the angered elephant.

I have been planning to go for a ride on one of these elephants but relieved now that I did not go and sit on his back. Going to give up the idea of riding this particular elephant but I will definitely try going for a ride on one of the other elephants......provided the wild life protecting people does not take away the elephants from here. They are indeed magnificent creatures and I love having them around in the locality and its always a pleasure watching them go by with full elegance, grace and grandeur.

*** Diana Raj Kumari ***

The Green thing.....

2012-01-03T11:59:00.000-08:00

We all know that we need to conserving the environment to save our planet Earth. I myself am into organic farming, organic farming awareness and its promotion in North East India. Everywhere all across the globe, the move is on...Younger generation are conscious and its great that everywhere we hear the the words 'Go Green' 'Be Green' 'Stay Green' and save your environment. They are doing a great job. But what about the older generation? What is their contribution in saving our planet when there was no Green thing back in their days? Or did they have it without being conscious and without the term Green?

An ironic write up shared by a good friend of mine, Julian Niemiec who in turn was sharing it from a friend of his gave me the answer. I would like to share it with you all as it would unfold before you some surprising facts about environment conservation in the past and present. So here it is.........

Checking out at the grocery store recently, the young cashier suggested I should bring my own grocery bags because plastic bags weren't good for the environment. I apologized and explained, "We didn't have this green thing back in my earlier days."

The clerk responded, "That's our problem today. Your generation did not care enough to save our environment for future generations." She was right about one thing -- our generation didn't have the green thing in “Our” day.

So what did we have back then…? After some reflection and soul-searching on "Our" day here's what I remembered we did have.... Back then, we returned milk bottles, soda bottles and beer bottles to the store. The store sent them back to the plant to be washed and sterilized and refilled, so it could use the same bottles repeatedly. So they really were recycled.

But we didn't have the green thing back in our day.

We walked up stairs, because we didn't have an escalator in every store and office building. We walked to the grocery store and didn't climb into a 300-horsepower machine every time we had to go two blocks.

But she was right. We didn't have the green thing in our day.

Back then, we washed the baby's diapers because we didn't have the throw-away kind. We dried clothes on a line, not in an energy gobbling machine burning up 220 volts -- wind and solar power really did dry our clothes back in our early days. Kids got hand-me-down clothes from their brothers or sisters, not always brand-new clothing.

But that young lady is right. We didn't have the green thing back in our day.

Back then, we had one TV, or radio, in the house -- not a TV in every room. And the TV had a small screen the size of a handkerchief (remember them?), not a screen the size of the state of Montana. In the kitchen, we blended and stirred by hand because we didn't have electric machines to do everything for us. When we packaged a fragile item to send in the mail, we used wadded up old newspapers to cushion it, not Styrofoam or plastic bubble wrap. Back then, we didn't fire up an engine and burn gasoline just to cut the lawn. We used a push mower that ran on human power. We exercised by working so we didn't need to go to a health club to run on treadmills that operate on electricity.

But she's right. We didn't have the green thing back then.

We drank from a fountain when we were thirsty instead of using a cup or a plastic bottle every time we had a drink of water. We refilled writing pens with ink instead of buying a new pen, and we replaced the razor blades in a razor instead of throwing away the whole razor just because the blade got dull.

But we didn't have the green thing back then.

Back then, people took the streetcar or a bus, and kids rode their bikes to school or walked instead of turning their moms into a 24-hour taxi service. We had one electrical outlet in a room, not an entire bank of sockets to power a dozen appliances. And we didn't need a computerized gadget to receive a signal beamed from satellites 2,000 miles out in space in order to find the nearest pizza joint.

But isn't it sad the current generation laments how wasteful we old folks were just because we didn't have the green thing back then?

Please share this for another selfish old person who needs a lesson in conservation from a smarty-pants young person.

....The Earth need to stay green but how green can we keep it, its for one and all, old and young to be aware of the facts and do our part in whatever way we can. - DRK

New year Count down!!!

2011-12-27T10:24:00.000-08:00

2011 is coming to an end and 2012 is fast approaching. The countdown has begun ...Each second ticking away in full gaiety is leaving space for the Grand New Year coming in. Lets bid Adieu to the wonderful year going past having put us through many memorable moments and let it slip comfortably in our memory lane leaving us on the new path of a new year full of promises and opportunities to look forward to.....

Thank you 2011 for seeing us through thick and thin...

Welcome 2012!!... Bring us all the best things in Life...

Take us all to new heights and achievements....

Give us all, success, happiness and prosperity...

Leave no room for tears and sadness.......

Make each being on Earth happy.........

*** Diana Raj Kumari ***

A clock to tell you the Time(IST).

2011-12-27T05:41:00.000-08:00

Here is a clock for you to tell you the time...Indian Standard Time(IST). Indian Standard Time is the time observed throughout India and Sri Lanka, with a time offset of UTC+05:30. India does not observe daylight saving time (DST) or other seasonal adjustments, although DST was used briefly during the Sino–Indian War of 1962 and the Indo–Pakistani Wars of 1965 and 1971. In military and aviation time, IST is designated E* ("Echo-Star"). Indian Standard Time is calculated on the basis of 82.5° E longitude, from a clock tower in Mirzapur (25.15°N 82.58°E) (near Allahabad in the state of Uttar Pradesh) which is nearly on the corresponding longitude reference line. In the tz database it is represented by Asia/Kolkata.

IST is taken as the standard time as it passes through almost the centre of India. To communicate the exact time to the people, the exact time is broadcast over the state–owned All India Radio and Doordarshan television network. Telephone companies have dedicated phone numbers connected to mirror timeservers that also relay the precise time. Another increasingly popular means of obtaining the time is through Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers.

*** It is said that Time and Tide waits for none..but it is a fact that after every 24 hours, a new days begins giving us the next 24 hours to start afresh with new hopes and desires. *** - Diana Raj Kumari

Madira & Menaka

2011-12-23T09:15:00.000-08:00

Once in a while when I happen to be in Guwahati, I often go on a walk along the river beach. And when I do so, I am being accompanied by a pair of adorable Rescue dogs who also happen to come out for walks from their station. Madira and Menaka....both are very friendly and I have a lot of fun with them. They are from amongst the 15 trained dogs of the 1BN National Disaster Response Force stationed by the Brahmaputra River.

Menaka and Madira walking beside two officials of the

National Disaster Response Force.

Madira posing for a photograph......

Menaka's turn to pose for a photograph.

A happy and friendly Menaka smiling away...:)

Sitting down and relaxing while me, mom and the officials

were talking about them...

Menaka giving a far look as to what is happening in

the distance...

Madira watches one direction while Menaka scans

the other directions with alertness......

Madira Sings for us while Menaka is not in the mood

to sing but yes, she did sing a little later...

End of song.....time to sit still.

Obedient girls they are..lifting their paws on the order

of their officials...

One can see scars on Menaka's belly. It is surgery scars for

they took her to Jaipur and tried breeding but unluckily

her babies dies inside her womb and had to be

surgically removed.

Two intelligent, adorable, friendly, females whose purpose

in life is to save lives of we human beings...

*** Diana Raj Kumari ***

Que for 5 liters of Petrol

2011-12-13T20:05:00.000-08:00

Que for 5 liters of Petrol!....Sounds a very worthless thing to pay attention to but if you view this video, you will be surprised. This is a daily scene when there are Economic blockades in Manipur and these economic blockades are quite frequent.

Manipur is a state in northeastern India, with the city of Imphal as its capital. Bounded by the Indian states of Nagaland to the north, Mizoram to the south and Assam to the west; Manipur also borders Myanmar to the east. It covers an area of 22,347 square kilometres (8,628 sq mi). The the primary ethnic group,Meiteis (Meeteis) (60% of the total population) resides in the valley area which is only 10% of the total land area. Their language, Meiteilon (Meeteilon), (also known as Manipuri), is also the lingua franca in the state. The Muslims (Meitei-Pangal) also live in the valley; The Kukis, Nagas, and other 33 smaller groups forming about 40% of the population occupy the remaining 90% of the total land area of Manipur State which are basically the hilly regions surrounding the valley. Means of transportation is by air , connecting the state capital with Delhi, Kolkata Guwahati and Agartala; And by road transport via National Highway NH-2 (Recently changed NH-39 to NH-2) links Manipur with the rest of the country through the railway stations at Dimapur in Nagaland at a distance of 215 km (134 mi) from Imphal. National Highway 37 (Recently changed NH-53 to NH-37) (India)connects Manipur with another railway station at Silchar in Assam, which is 269 km (167 mi) away from Imphal. The road network of Manipur, with a length of 7,170 km (4,460 mi) connects all the important towns and distant villages and the Imphal-Moreh road, that connects to Myanmar by NH-102.

Now, when there happens to be an economic blockade called by any group of people on the national highways, it is the people of Manipur ourselves who suffer. Shortage of essential commodities, scarcity of life saving drugs, price hikes are what people residing mostly in the valley area face during blockades. During the recently concluded 120 days of economic blockade called by the Sadar Hills District Demand Committee (SHDDC) and then by the United Naga Council(UNC) which concluded just before the arrival of the Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and Mrs. Sonia Gandhi on December 3rd. How much the population suffered during the blockade, you might have an idea after watching this video. A gas cylinder refill went above Rs.2000/- and so did the price of all other essential commodities raised exorbitantly. Petrol price hiked above Rs.200/- per Liter and that too a Light Motor vehicle could avail only 5 liters while a Two wheeler, only 3 liters at one time. For it, all the vehicles has to line up in separate ques.... for LMVs, for Heavy Vehicles and for Bikes & other Two wheelers. This video clip is of such a Que of LMVs on one side and a part of Que of Two wheelers on the other side. The video-grapher Tuleshwar Irungbam could not cover the entire length as the Security forces hardly allow filming owing to Manipur being a disturbed state. I feel that you will find this video interesting. Do have a look....

*** Diana Raj Kumari ***

Bomb Blast this morning in Imphal

2011-11-30T03:22:00.001-08:00

Photo Curtesy : Lanjingba Khundongbam

A powerful bomb exploded this morning in a crowded area in Imphal where the ongoing Sangai Tourism Festival of Manipur is taking place at Hapta Kangjeibung or Hapta Pologround, which is situated within the Palace Compound. An innocent cycle-rickshaw driver was given Rs.20 by some people to trans-port a bag from the Palace gate to the premises of the Sangai Festival. What this poor rickshaw-driver did not realize was that he innocently have traded his life

Photo Curtesy: Lanjingba Khundongbam

for a mere sum of Rs.20, with which he might be thinking of buying snacks for his children or rice to cook for diner. He had ventured out on a day which is a bandh. Maybe he thought he might earn a few extra bucks to support his family when buses do not ply and other rickshaw drivers or auto rickshaw drivers do not dare to venture out during the bandh.

Photo Curtesy: Lanjingba Khundongbam

Not realizing that there is a bomb in the bag, this guy proceeded towards the Hapta Pologround and just as he was about to reach the gate, the bomb exploded. This poor guy is no more.

These pictures were taken soon after the blast and has been shared on facebook by Lanjingba Khundongbam. It is indeed gruesome to look at but it does speak a lot about what harm evil minds can cause to innocent people living in this world. This guy ventured in the hope of earning a little even on a bandh day to feed his family and his family must have been waiting for his return... but unfortunally, he has not returned alive. The world must have shattered for the family. Isn't it time for the people of the land to sit up and do something about ending the evils in the minds of those who have no feelings for his fellow beings? This has been going on for decades and never seem to cease. This can never change until each individual decides to change. No amount of pressure or force can change evil minds. I hope and pray that each individual in this world cultures the love of his brethren and stop this madness of making innocent people die with such thoughtless and evil acts.

*** Diana Raj Kumari ***

Diana Raj Kumari Photography: Teeth of the fish Chandarupa(Pengba Amubi)

2011-11-30T02:59:00.000-08:00

Diana Raj Kumari Photography: Teeth of the fish Chandarupa(Pengba Amubi): These mean looking set of teeth belongs to the fish Chandarupa or Penga Amubi. In Myanmar, some people use it's set of teeth to t...

A surprise visitor - An Insect Beauty

2011-11-29T21:58:00.001-08:00

Few days ago, Mom found a surprise visitor walking in all grace and elegance on our balcony. An absolute beauty it turned out to be!! It walked with grace on the floor and Mom carefully picked it up and placed it on a white chrysanthemum flower and then on a yellow flower. It was a bit uncomfortable on the chrysanthemum but quite comfortable on the yellow flower. Both me and Mom clicked some photos of our Gorgeous looking visitor. Here are some which Mom clicked......

Photo by Smt. Shantibala Devi

*** A thing of beauty, in whatsoever form it may be is an absolute pleasure to behold with our eyes. *** - Diana Raj Kumari

Hihu or Suhu - Ganges River Dolphin in the Brahmaputra River

2011-11-16T02:19:00.000-08:00

Once in a while when I happen to go across the river Bramhaputra in a boat, my eyes scan the surface of the river for a sight of the playful Hihu/Susu, the Ganges River Dolphins jumping about. I always proved to be lucky as they timed to jump then in almost all my trips but they were just brief encounters. Recently on the day of Chhat Puja, where I sunk my feet in the muddy river bank and lost my slippers while trying to click pictures of the devotees and their prayer ceremonies in the wee hours of the morning that day, I was walking barefoot on a little higher ground and looked a little further on the surface of the river beyond the lines of the crowded bank. The sun had risen then and I saw the first dolphin jumping and coming. In the next few moments other dolphins too kept jumping and came closer towards the crowd. It was sheer delight to see all those dolphins playing about. According to the local people, they come specially because of the crowd as they love to be close to people. I was stupidly trying to click still pictures and missed out all those beautiful jumps and lateron recorded on video. That too, I deleted by mistake. Next day, I went again and chanced to record a few clips. All are fraction of a second jumps and in one, can be seen a bit clearly. I am sharing it here today. Hope you all like this video clip of the adorable Ganges River Dolphin.

Common Name: Ganges river dolphin, blind dolphin, Ganges dolphin, Ganges susu, Gangetic dolphin, hihu, side-swimming dolphin; Plataniste du Gange(Fr); Delfín del Ganges(Sp)

Scientific Name: Platanista gangetica

Habitat: Ganga and Brahmaputra river system

Location: South Asia

This Dolphin has a long thin snout, rounded belly, stocky body and large flippers are characteristics of the Ganges River dolphin. Although its eye lacks a lens (this species is also referred to as the "blind dolphin"), the dolphin still uses its eye to locate itself. The species has a slit similar to a blowhole on the top of the head, which acts as a nostril. The dolphin has the peculiarity of swimming on one side so that its flipper trails the muddy bottom. This behavior is understood to help it to find food. Being a mammal, the Ganges River dolphin cannot breathe in the water and must surface every 30-120 seconds. Because of the sound it produces when breathing, the animal is popularly referred to as the 'Susu' or the 'Hihu'.

The movements of the Ganges River dolphin follow seasonal patterns, although the details are not well known. However, it seems that animals travel upstream when water level rises, and from there enter smaller streams.

The color of the dolphin is grayish brown. The calves and young ones are dark in color but as the animal grows in size, the color lightens.

Females are larger than males and attain a maximum size of almost 9 feet. Males are about 7 feet.

The Ganges River dolphin, or susu, inhabits the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna and Karnaphuli-Sangu river systems of Nepal, India, and Bangladesh.

A recent survey conducted by WWF-India and its partners in the entire distribution range in the Ganga and Brahamaputra river system - around 3,700 miles - identified fewer than 2,000 individuals in India.

The presence of dolphin in a river system signals a healthy ecosystem. Since the river dolphin is at the apex of the aquatic food chain, its presence in adequate numbers symbolizes greater biodiversity in the river system and helps keep the ecosystem in balance.

*** Diana Raj Kumari ***

Two mischievous ducks at Maach Ghat.

2011-11-15T22:10:00.000-08:00

Some months ago, I went to buy fish at Maachh Ghat at about 9.30 AM. It was almost closing time and the usual crowd of buyers and sellers had disbursed and so less of noise and it was great looking at the scenic beauty of the river. But what caught my attention were two mischievous ducks which were having a great time snatching fish from the trays where the fishes were kept. The sellers chased them away from near the trays. Missed out the snatching part but recorded them eating a few thrown to them. They had their fill and then finally went for a bath in the river. Great times these ducks were having and I had a great time too watching and recording their mischief.

*** Each being in this world be it humans, animals or birds..... all have a life of their own, gifted to them by God! *** - Diana Raj Kumari

Ziro's Shivlingam, the largest Shivling in the world.

2011-11-07T00:53:00.000-08:00

The largest Shivling in the world has been discovered not quite long ago by the people of Arunachal Pradesh in a town called Zero or Ziro also known as Apatani Plateau which is located at an altitude of 5754 ft. (1,780m) above sea level in Arunachal Pradesh of North East India. This high town is almost a level valley enveloped on all sides by pine clad low stooping hills. A small picturesque destination with the quietly flowing rivers of Subansiri, Nishi, Apatani, Dafla, and Miri along with the Pine and Bamboo groves, villages, a craft centre and Tarin Fish Farm makes this place an ideal place for trekking and hiking. Traditional indegenious methods of rice cultivation and the incorporation of fish farming in this place is also worth seeing.

Now, the people of this land happen to find a HUGE Shivlingam about 25ft tall and is still growing bigger. The Archeological Survey of India(ASI) has made many visits there for observation and many devotees of Lord shiva have been visiting this place in the recent months to have a view and worship this awesome Shivlingam. It seems that there is still a confusion as to whether this massive Shivling is to be termed as a Shivlingam or an Image of Lord Shiva because there are also 2 more stones next to it, which are believed to be Devi Parvati and Lord Ganesha.

This amazing place of worship is not yet declared as a pilgrim place and worshipers of this sacred place are hopping to have it recognized by ASI and other Hindu religious organisations as a place of pilgrimage. This, I hope and feel will be shortly in the near future.

OM Namah Shivaya!*!

Photo by Sudip Acharjee

*** OM NAMAH SHIVAYE ***

- Diana Raj Kumari -

Crackers!! Sounds of celebration or Sounds of the bursting heart....

2011-11-04T07:26:00.000-07:00

As a child, I often kept wondering why people burst crackers as I disliked the noise it created. Not only me, but the dogs in our family too disliked them. They used to run and hide under the sofa or under the bed and we had to cox them out from their hiding place and console them as we found them trembling uncontrollably. so, that made the few of us which made us scowl and fear at the mere thought of crackers. To the rest of the world, fireworks and crackers are an indispensable part of celebrations. In India, people always make a go for crackers and fireworks specially during Durga Puja and Diwali besides other celebrations ranging from winning the World Cup Cricket... to our Govt. agreeing to meet the demands of some protesters... to weddings or... any other form of celebrations and festivities. And as I said before, Diwali and Durga Puja is the time when the display of fireworks and bursting of crakers are at its highest point in India. I used to wonder why can't there be celebrations without the crackers? Lights and fireworks are wonderful but crakers....Ummmpphh!!

Life's journey continued and during the journey, most have been happy times but yes, there were also instances when my heart bled. During the happy times, life breeze like a breadth of fresh air and is filled with all the beauty and charm of the display of fireworks. But then, when you got a bleeding heart, it was like the frightening sound of the crackers which I used to dislike all the time. And when people set fire on crackers, the sounds of my sad bursting heart resonated with those of the crackers which are sounds of joy for others. I kept listening to those deafening sounds and it seemed as if I am setting free the trapped sounds of my bursting heart from within myself. What used to be frightening as a child became a sense of relief and release from my pent up emotions of life's darker side as I matured in the journey of my life. Then again, when happiness knocked in my heart this Diwali, it was sheer joy and celebrations and my heart sang along with the fireworks and crackers.

So, Crackers for sure are both Sounds of celebrations as well as Sounds of the bursting heart..be it bursting with sadness, or bursting with joy!!

This Diwali, I happen to record a few moments of the display of sparks and sounds of a bursting chain of crackers which matched with the sparks in my life and also resonated with the sounds of my heart bursting with joy and exuberance. Hope you will enjoy viewing this video and find your heart resonating with it too. Cheers!!

*** Diana Raj Kumari ***

Gauri and Ganesh of Umananda Island

2011-10-28T03:07:00.000-07:00

I often visit the Umananda/Peacock Island in the middle of the Brahmaputra river to offer my prayers at the temple of Umananda i.e. Uma(Goddess Parvati) and Ananda(Lord Shiva) with their son Lord Ganesh. It always gives me immense pleasure and peace of mind in doing so and feel as if my batteries are charged to take on the challenges of life. But besides doing my puja there, it is also an oportunity to react with the few animals kept there. The Golden Langurs, the slide show of their pictures I had published in one of my earlier posts, a cat, a few goats, a cow and a calf. Today I am presenting some photographically captured beautiful moments spent there with Gauri the Cow and Ganesh, her calf who is one full of mischief on one of my trips there with my Dad and Mom.

Gauri, the mother cow suckling her calf Ganesh.

Ganesh posing with Dad for a photograph.

Ganesh with the goat and Mom watching in amusement at

his mischievous nature.

Ganesh expecting for something to eat from Mom.

Moooo... not satisfied with the cake and patties Mom gave,

he decided to give her a chase for more snacks :))

Still looking for more......

Finally having his fill, decided to give Mom a lick in appreciation.. ....Cute way of saying thanks by a mischievous calf :))

A cute and mischievous Ganesh standing beside the Cycas plant.

Gauri deciding to play hide and seek with eveyone...

*** Diana Raj Kumari Photography***

Wishing one and all Happiness, Joy and Prosperity on the auspicious occasion of Diwali!*!

2011-10-25T05:53:00.000-07:00

May the festival of lights be the harbinger of joy and prosperity. On the auspicious occasion of Diwali, the atmosphere is filled with the spirit of mirth and love. Here's hoping this festival of Light and beauty bring your way, bright sparkles of happiness, prosperity and contentment that stay with you through the journey of Life.
Best wishes on Diwali!!

♪♫ Musical Diwali Blessings ~Tucmuc~

***May the festival of light that we celebrate at Diwali show us the way and lead us together on the path of righteousness, peace, prosperity and social harmony.***

*** Diana Raj Kumari ***