बिट्या - कण्हेरि च्या बिया - Part II .

 बिट्या - कण्हेरि च्या बिया - Part II .Thevetia peruviana Seeds. - Morning walk vignettes.

 Quite a lot of my blogs are under the heading "Morning walk vignettes" because I like writing about good, bad, interesting or indifferent things I see along the route of the walk. 

Introduction to  बिट्या was covered in "बिट्या - कण्हेरि च्या बिया - Part I" to read it click here .

I had mentioned game of bittya was played by boys as well as girls.  here is how the girls played it.

Girls 

Girls played indoors on nicely swept smooth and level floors. 

Girls used to get together decide on the number of bittya to play with about a maximum of 10 or less.

All girls sat forming a rough circle. One of the girls, generally the girl in whose house the game was being held, started the play.

In the first move, Bittyas were thrown within the circle. 

A beginner did not know that this throw was of vital importance. The throw had to be such that bittya were not too scattered nor were they too close to each other. How important is this throw was soon learned by the beginner as she progressed in the game. Finally, it dawns on every girl that this first throw at the beginning of every round was important and your chances of a win or loss depended on how you throw them. The skill of a good throw came only with the experience of a few years of playing

In the first round, after the initial throw, one bitty was tossed up and while it was in the air the player had to pick up one bitty and catch the thrown up bitty before it fell to the ground. If the tossed up bitty fell to the ground before you have cleanly picked up 1 bitty from the ground or if you caught the tossed up bitty but failed to pick up 1 bitty cleanly from the ground you were out. If you cleanly picked up 1 bitty and also caught the tossed up bitty, you continue to play. The process of tossing up the bitty and collecting one bitty continued till all 10 bitties were picked up. If you successfully collect all the 10 bittys one by one, you progressed to the second round. 

In the second round after the initial throw, the game progresses exactly like the first round. The only difference is that in the second round instead of cleanly picking up 1 bitty you had to pick up 2 bittys. Again if you do not pick up 2 bittys cleanly and move or touch any other bitty you were out. If all goes well and you pick all 10 bittys were picked up.

I the same manner game continues with picking up 3 bittys in the third round. In this round, three bittys are picked up in the first three throws and the remaining 1 bitty in the fourth, ie last throw.

In the 4th round, 4 bittys have to be picked up in the first 2 throws and the remaining 2 bittys in the last throw. The game continues with picking up an increasing number of bittys till in the last round all the 10 bittys have to be picked up.  

If you successfully complete all the rounds and in the last round collect all the 10 bittys, amid cheers of fellow players, have won the game. 

Normally with the number of bittys as large as 10, generally no one won. The most popular figure for the game was around 5 or max 6. 

As the game progresses the importance of the initial throw dawns on a player after the second round. If they were too far apart collecting more than 2 bittys became difficult before the tossed up thrown bitty was on the way down and you had to catch it, 

Reaching and finishing the game by collecting all 10 bitties while abiding by all the restrictions was very very very difficult. Normally with the number of bittys as large as 10, generally no one won. Players rotated pretty fast and that is what kept the game extremely interesting and enjoyable.

I am sure even now the girls in far-flung rural areas play the game of bitty as an enjoyable pastime. 

TO WHOMSOEVER IT CONCERNS - THANKS A TON. Morning walk vignettes.

TO WHOMSOEVER IT CONCERNS - THANKS A TON. 

Morning walk vignettes.  

Quite a lot of my blogs are under the heading "Morning walk vignettes", because I like writing about good, bad, interesting or indifferent things I see along the route of the walk. 

It is always a pleasure to go for a vigorous walk in the early morning hours of dawn, just before and around sunrise timings. 

Nowadays pleasure of the morning walk has increased many folds due to the beautifully trimmed and thick growth of the road divider plantations on state highway 340 originating from hingna "T" point heading towards Dighori and further south of Nagpur.   

A visual delight - beautifully trimmed road divider plantation.

A visual delight - beautifully trimmed road divider plantation.

Due to heavy rains bougainvillaea plants on road dividers along the metro line from hingna "T" point to Subash Nagar Metro Station had grown to huge size and were spilling almost half to quarter of the road. It is nice and heartening to see that concerned authorities took prompt and timely action to trim the wild growth of bougainvillaea plants. 

Nicely trimmed bougainvillaea plants on road dividers along the metro line from hingna "T" point to Subash Nagar Metro Station 

Nicely trimmed bougainvillaea plants on road dividers along the metro line from hingna "T" point to Subash Nagar Metro Station 

I know now who is responsible for maintaining them. Is it NMC? Is it the Central Public works Department, Is it State Public Works Department or  Is it Nagpur Metro for the road dividers on the roads under the metro line?  

Hence this intriguing title of the blog.

Ignorance of this information is the reason for this enigmatic title of the blog'

 

बिट्या - Part I . Morning walk vignettes.

 बिट्या - Part I . Morning walk vignettes.

 बिट्या - कण्हेरि च्या बिया - Thevetia peruviana Seeds  are called   बिट्या (Bittya)-  

 Quite a lot of my blogs are under the heading "Morning walk vignettes" because I like writing about good, bad, interesting or indifferent things I see along the route of the walk. 

Along the route, there is a पिवळ्या कण्हेरीच  झाड (Thevetia peruviana plant).  

Even though in that locality I had written about and taken photos of various plants in bloom. I was never really interested in this tree as early in the morning the flowers were not fully open, all droopy and sad looking. Never paid it no mind.

Early morning droopy and sad looking flowers and कण्हेरीच  झाड (Thevetia peruviana plant).

This morning as was passing this Kanher plant (कान्हेरीच  झाड) I saw a nice big seed pod of this Kanher (कण्हेर).

Nice big seed pod of Kanher plant (कान्हेरीच  झाड)

My feet got rooted to the spot. I was transported 70 odd years back when I was around 

8 - 10 years old. Looked around on the ground and found a couple of seed pods that had almost shaded the skin. Removed the pod skin, Wiped and cleaned the seeds. 

Lo and behold.

I was holding two nice बिट्या (Bittya) in my hand. Those days and I am sure even these days the Kanher seed are still called बिट्या (Bittya).

बिट्या - (Thevetia peruviana Seeds)

In my childhood days (8 -10 years old), these bittyas had given countless children immense pleasure in rural India by being one of the few things children used to play games with. 

Boys and girls both used these bittyas in their games. 

Game girls played will be in बिट्या - कण्हेरि च्या बिया - Part II.

Boys.

This game was an outdoor game. More often than not under the blazing sun bare feet in the dusty lanes of our neighbourhood.

We Had a group of 4 to 6 friends. Each had a good horde of around 50 plus bittyas.

To start the game a kitty was formed by contribution from each player. It used to be 2- 4 bittya per player. So we had a minimum of 8 or a maximum of 24 bittyas.

Lines were drawn. 

 All the bittyas in the common pool were given to the boy who had to start the game. he had to stand behind one line and toss the bittyas so that all the bittyas were beyond a predetermined distance where the second line was drawn. All other playes would nominate one of the bitties which the player had to hit by his own bitty. Bitty selected as a target was the furthest or most difficult to aim at and hit. 

The player took out his special bitty used as a striker to hit bitty signalled out as a target.. 

This striker bitty was no ordinary bitty. It was the biggest and the heaviest bitty in his collection and hoard of bittya. 

Each player generally had a minimum of at least two or three such "striker bittya". These were treated, looked after and cared for as if these striker bittya were a priceless treasure which at that age they indeed were.

Now standing behind the line, the player took careful aim with his striker bitty and lat go at the target. If he missed, he was given another chance. The number of chances allowed were generally three. If the player missed hitting the target in all three chances, he had to make way for the next player to try his luck. 

If his aim was true and he hit the target he won all the bittys in the pool. Another pool was then formed by contributions as at the beginning of the game. 

After all these years the game does not sound exciting. 

But when we played it as 8 - 10 years old we played it with real passion as if it was a matter of life and death.

We played it with wild abundance as if there was no tomorrow.

 We had no worries then. Lived for the moment. Never thought about tomorrow. We were the happiest kids playing our game of bittyas under the scorching sun, barefoot in the dusty lanes of our village.

Unique worshippers of Nagpur.

Unique worshippers of Nagpur.

India has a tradition of offering flowers among various other things to Gods during every ritual or Puja. 

We did not have a garden in our house from where we could get a supply of flowers for our daily puja. So to get a regular supply of flowers, I remember like a milkman who every morning delivered milk we also had a 'flower man' who delivered a small packet of flowers (फुलांची पुडी). Almost everyone who did not have their own flowers had a 'flower man' to meet their flower requirements for puja.

All along the morning walk route, there are houses. Some consist of four-floor buildings of flats. There are, even today some independent bungalows. Almost each and every house has some sort of garden maintained either by the bungalow owners or ground floor tenants of these flats. Each and every garden has a flower bed and flowering plants/Trees growing along with the boundary wall/fencing. In most of the houses, these flowering plants/trees have grown quite big and their branches spill over a bit outside the boundary wall. When in full bloom these flowers in these houses give pleasure not only to the residents but also to the general public passing along the road.   

Over the years, during my morning walk, I have noticed people who are also on their morning with small bags. Their eyes are constantly roving over the houses along the road. The moment they espy the flowers they make a beeline for the flowering plant. Pluck the flowers put them in their bags, almost stripping the plant of all its flowers, all without the permission of the house/ garden owner. Then they go in search of the next target. 

These gentlemen and ladies appear senior citizens or in their 40ties or 5oties. Either retired or from well to do families. They appear to be affluent enough to afford the few rupees needed to pay for the flowers required for the puja. 

Unique worshippers of Nagpur.

These worshipers of God do not use flowers from their own gardens nor do they buy them from the market but they use flowers purloined from the private gardens of neighbourhood   SO, I decided to call them

Unique worshippers of Nagpur.

  

What drives them to do such a thing has always baffled me.  

Official Apathy - Locked doors of Swami Vivekananda Museum.

 Locked doors of Swami Vivekananda  Museum.

AT

Swami Vivekananda Memorial.

Swami Vivekananda memorial situated at overflow point of Ambazari lake was inaugurated on 1 January 2017.

This magnificent 21 feet tall bronze statue of Swami Vivekanand is installed on a 30-foot pedestal, making for a total height of 51 feet. 

A large hall below the pedestal was to hold Swami Vivekanand Museum depicting the life, achievements and philosophy of Swami Vivekanand by the medium of bass reliefs, paintings and interactive computer stations. 

The complete project was constructed on manmade rock and surrounded by fortified circular walkways around which flows the overflow waters of Ambazarl lake. 

The memorial has become a major attraction of tourists as well as local residents. Especially in the evening with the setting sun as a background, Swami Vivekanand Memorial presents a beautiful unforgettable scene.

Initially, no entry fee was charged. Some time back an entry fee of Rs 10/- per head was introduced.  

Unfortunately, every time I have visited the memorial I have not been able to see the Museum as every time I found that the museum doors were locked.

During the recent visit, I finally accosted the security guard on duty. He informed me that the museum is locked as EVERY thing inside the museum is broken and is not in working condition.

He further informed me that MNC officials are very well aware of it but no action has been taken to put matters right.

After spending crores of taxpayers money in creating the memorial and the museum it is shameful on the part of the concerned officials not to maintain the museum and to deprive the visitors of seeing the museum.  

The apathy and could not care less attitude of the concerned officials is beyond understanding.

Ever seen a car registration number plate in colour GREEN.

 Ever seen a car registration number plate in the colour GREEN.

I  had never seen it. saw it today.

Intrigued by never before seen registration plate in this colour decided to find out.

 A youngster was occupying the driver's seat.

 He informed me that the car was an electric vehicle. 

As per the latest RTO rules, all electrical vehicles were supposed to have a registration number plate of green colour.

 Seems to be one of the latest in RTO reforms.

 Learnt something new today.