Kisan Sabha stages demonstration

Activists of Kisan Sabha, faremers wing of CPI-M, staged protest in support of their demands in Varanasi on October 26,2009.
Photo: Samrat

Adminstration gears up for Kolasla Assembly seat by-polls

A government officer provides technical know-how of Electronic Voting Machine to polling staff for Uttar Pradesh Assembly by-elections for Kolasla seat in Varanasi on October 26,2009.
Photo: Samrat

Varanasi traders up in arms against raids

Traders discussed plan of action against harrassment in the name of sample collections at a meeting in Visheshwarganj market in Varanasi on October 26,2009. Several markets remained closed in the city in protest against recent raids which crated panic among the traders. Government officials seized huge amount of adulterated oil, ghee, milk, katha during the raids recently.
Photo: Samrat

Gopastami Mahotsav begins

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Shyamdev Raichaudhary inaugurates Gopastami Mahotsav at Kashi Veevdaya Goshala in Varanasi on October 26, 2009.
According to Hindu scrptures, on this day Lord Sri Krishna became a qualified cowherd. Before this, he was a keeper of the calves.
Photo: Samrat

'Shobha Yatra' marks Guru Nanak Dev Jayanti clelebrations

A grand "Shobha Yatra" was taken out to celebrate the week-long Guru Nanak Dev Jayanti celebrations in Varanasi on October 25, 2009. Guru Nanak Dev birth anniversary falls on November 2.
Photo: Samrat

Varanasi celebrates Chhath Puja

Thousands of worshippers offered second Arghya to Sun God while performing the final rituals of four-day long Chhath Puja at Surya Sarovar in DLW (Varanasi) on October 25.
Photo: Samrat

Thousands offer first Arghya to Sun God

Thousands throgned the Dashaswamedh Ghat to offer first Arghya to Sun God on the auspicious occasion of Chhath Puja in Varanasi on October 24, 2009.
Photo: Samrat

Passing out parade by Assam Rifles jawans

As many as 177 recruits of Assam Rifles take oath after completing their 34-week long training at 39-Gorkha Training Centre (GTC) in Varanasi on October 24, 2009.
Photo: Samrat

Soaring prices fail to dampen Chhath spirit

Soaring prices of fruits and vegetables fail to dampen Chhath Puja spirit as Bratis do brisk purchasing of the eve of Sun God and Chhathi Mayiea worship festival in Varanasi on october 23, 2009.
Photo: Samrat

Taking holy dip in Ganga

Sun God worshippers take holy dip in Ganga before the 'kharana vrat' on the eve of Chhath Puja, in Varanasi on October 23, 2009.
Photo: Samrat

Cleanliness drive is on at Ganga ghats

Cleanliness drive is in progress on eve of Chhath puja at the ghats of river Ganga in Varanasi on October 23, 2009.

Photo: Samrat

Dirty ghats to welcome Chhath worshippers

As the Chhath Puja (worship of Sun God) has been gaining popularity in the holy city Varanasi for the last couple of years, the cleanliness drive of the ghats has become an essential aspect of the festival.
As cleanliness drive was launched late, many ghats in Varanasi are still prevailing unhygienic condition on eve of Chhath Puja on October 23, 2009.
Photo: Samrat

Naag Nataiyya Leela

Thousands thronged Tulsighat to watch famous Naag Nataiyya Leela in Varanasi October 22, 2009.

Photo: Samrat

Italian Language Teachers Training Programme in BHU

Banaras Hindu University vice-chancellor Professor DP Singh (left) and Professor Paolo Balboni of Venice University jointly inaugurated Italian Language Teachers Training Programme in Varanasi on October 22, 2009.

The programme has been jointly organised by Department of Foreign Language, Arts Faculty (BHU) and Cultural Institute, New Delhi.

Bottom: BHU V-C Dr DP Singh presents a memento to Professor Balboni.

Photos: PPP Cell BHU

Satge set to celebrate four-day Chhath Puja

Devotees get the places reserved for them for Chhath puja at Surya Sarovar in DLW in Varanasi on October 22,2009.
Photo: Samrat

Congress workers celebrate victory

Congress workers distributed sweets to celebrate their party's victory in Maharashtra, Haryana and Arunachal Pradesh Assembly elections in Varanasi on October 22, 2009.
Photo: Samrat

Farewell to Goddess Kali

A huge procession was take out for the immerson of Goddess Kali idol of Navsangh Club, Devnathpura in Varanasi in the midnight of October 21, 2009.
Photo: Samrat

Drive against adulterated food items

Varanasi District Adminstation launched a drive against adulterated food items inlcuding edible oils/ghee in Visheshwarganj market in Varanasi on October 22, 2009.
In the last two days adminstration had seized huge quantity of adulterated and duplicate items.
Photo: Samrat

Police Memorial Day function

Inspector General of Police (Range) Gurdarshan Singh takes salute at Police Memorial Day function at Police Lines in Varanasi on October 21, 2009.
Photo: Samrat

Digvijay Singh in Varanasi

Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh is in Varanasi on October 21, 2009.
Photo: Samrat

National Health Insurance Scheme

Varanasi District Magistrate Ajai Kumar Upadhyay addresses a workshop on National Health Insurance Scheme at Vikash Bhawan in Varanasi on October 21, 2009. The scheme will be implemented in Varanasi district from November 1.
Photo: Samrat

VHP leader Batra injured

Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Harish Chandra Batra was injured in broad daylight firing incident near Maldahia crossing in Varanasi on October 20, 2009. The private guard of VHP leader was killed.
Photo: Samrat

Nakataiyya of Konia

Nakataiyya of Konia was celebrated in Varanasi on October 20, 2009 night. Several attractive tableaux were taken out to mark the occasion.
Photo: Samrat

Seeking votes for Yatharth Ratnam

Subeh-e-Benaras Club members took out vehicle procession in Varanasi on October 20, 2009 seeking support for local talent Yatharth Ratnam, who is among top three finalists of grand finale show of SaReGaMa Little Champ to be telecast on Zee TV on October 24.
Photo: Samrat

Annakut Mahotsav in Varanasi

"Chhapan Bhog" (56 dishes) have been offered to Ma Annapurna during Annakoot Mahotsav at Kashi Vishwanath Temple in Varanasi on October 18, 2009.

Bottom: Annakoot Mahotsav at Annapurna Mandir.

Photo: Samrat

Procession marks Govardhan Puja

Govardhan Puja procession was taken out in Varanasi on October 18, 2009. Govardhan Puja falls a day after Diwali.
Photo: Samrat

Sports stadium lit up to celebrate Diwali

Sportspersons lighted thousands of earthen lamps (Diyas) at Sampurnanand Sports Stadium to celebrate Diwali in their own way in Varanasi on October 17, 2009.
Photo: Samrat

Sindhi Samaj celebrates Deepotsav

Sindhi Samaj celebrated Deepotsav in their traditional way at Luxa in Varanasi on October 18, 2009.
Photo: Samrat

Maha Kali Puja in Varanasi

Idol of Goddess Maha Kali is installed at super sensitive Navsangh Club at Devnathpura in Varanasi on October 17, 2009.
Diwali and Kali puja fall on the same day.
Photo: Samrat

'Technology transfer must for food security'

Varanasi, October 16, 2009:

Agriculture Commissioner, Government of India, NB Singh said that Framers Fair (Kisan Mela) is an important medium to transfer the technical knowledge and other know-how to farmers from one platform.

Singh was addressing the closing function of two-day Kisan Mela at Udai Pratap College in Varanasi. He said technology transfer is essential for food security.
He lauded the role of the organizers and asked them to organize fair frequently for the benefit of faramers.

The fair was organized jointly by Banaras Hindu University, Narendra Dev Vegetable Research Institute, Varanasi, Narendra Dev Agriculture University, Faizabad and hosts UP College.

The fair was a grand success as about 13,000 farmers from all over the country got themselves registered for the fair. Different institutes, banks and other organizations set up 83 stalls in the fair to sell their products that included hybrid seeds, fertilizers on discount and other farming related equipments.

Photo captions:

Top: Agriculture Commissioner, Government of India, NB Singh addressing the concluding function of two-day Kisan Mela at UP College in Varanasi on October 16, 2009.

Bottom: Secretary of Department of Agriculture and Research Education (DARE) and Director General of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) Dr Mangla Rai at the inaugural function of two-day Kisan Mela at UP College in Varanasi on October 15, 2009.

Photo: Samrat

Text: N Parmar

A rare view of Goddess Annapurna

Gold idol of Goddess Annapurna which was brought out for ‘darsan’ of people at Annapurna Mandir near Kashi Vishwanath temple in sensitive Gyanvapi premises in Varanasi on the occasion of Dhanteras on October 15, 2009. The ‘darsan’ which started in evening continued till midnight which saw heavy rush of devotees thronging the temple to have a rare view of Maa Annapurna. The five-day festival which began in Varanasi two-day before the fetival of lights, Deepawali, is known as "Annakut".
Photo: Samrat

Birth anniversary of Rani Laxmi Bai celebrated

Queen of Jhansi Laxmi Bai's birth anniversary was celebrated in Varanasi on October 16, 2009. A procession was taken out in Assi area to mark the occasion.
Photo: Samrat

Dhanvantari Jayanti function in BHU

President of Kashi Vishwanth Temple Trust, Pandit Harihar Kripalu Tripathi, addressing Dhanvantari Jayanti function in Banaras Hindu University on October 15, 2009.
Photo: Samrat

Dhanteras celebrated with much gaiety and fervour in Varanasi

Dhanteras, the first day of the five-day long Deepawali festival, was celebrated with traditional gaiety and fervour in Varanasi on October 15, 2009.
The photo shows heavy rush of customers at a shop to buy utensils in Varanasi on October 15, 2009.
Photo: Samrat

Pandaw cruise reaches Varanasi

Pandaw cruise carrying 50-odd foreign tourists from Kolkata to Varanasi through Ganga river ways arrived at Khirkhiaghat near Rajghat in Varanasi on October 11, 2009 empty.
Two weeks ago, the cruise left Kolkata and on October 10, 2009 it reached Ghazipur but due to less water level and garbage in river Ganga it failed to move forward smoothly and forced the tour managers to send all the foreign tourists to Varanasi by road.
The empty cruise reached Varanasi a day later.
Photo: Samrat

‘India contributes only 1 per cent in the world of organ transplantation’

By Neelam Parmar
Varanasi, October 10, 2009:
India contributes less than one per cent in the medical world of organ transplantation.
This was revealed by the renowned doctors at the 20th annual conference of Indian Society of Organ Transplantation, organized at Swatantra Bhawan in Banaras Hindu University from October 8 to 10.

“Though, it an important break-through of the medical science, but at international level, India’s contribution is very less, only 0.8 per cent,” said a doctor.

There are different myths about brain death, whether it is legal or not was discussed in details. It may be mentioned here that life is not reversible once brain is declared death. The concept of brain death was legalized in 1985 in India. After brain death if a person is put on ventilator, other vital parts like heart, liver, lungs etc functions normally, the organs of brain dead person are the medically best suited for organ transplantation. Usually heart should be transplanted within 4-6 hours, lungs 6-10 hours, liver 10-12 hours, pancreases 10-20 hours, kidney 48-72 hours.

The conference reveals that about 60 per cent transplantation takes place in South and West India. Maharashtra, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka are well ahead of other states in this field of medical science. About 50 heart transplant has been done in India.

Kidney is most common organ being transplanted in India and abroad. Participating in the conference, Dr. Amitabh Gautam, Assistant Professor of Surgery, Section of Transplant, Boston University (USA), said there was huge demand of transplantation, particularly kidney in all over the world. He said major problem in kidney failure was that patients go to hospital with almost 80-85 per cent damage. The symptoms at initial stage were not observed, he added.
He said patient could live normally as other person after transplantation.

The conference observed that donors come from every section of society rich, poor, literate and illiterate. Doctors felt that people should be made to understand that organ donation is a great and noble cause.

Mohan Foundation based in the Hyderabad is doing wonderful work as they have motivated 8 families to donate organs and retrieved 16 kidneys, 4 liver, 10 heart valves and 36 eyes. The details are available on their website www.mohonfoundation.org.

At the valedictory function, president of society Dr. Bala Krishna praised the organizers and said it was one of the best scientifically organized and attended workshop in the recent times.

Interestingly, many of surviving cases which were operated in Institute of Medical Sciences, BHU, the donors as well as recipients were present in the workshop. The transplantation at BHU is being done by Prof. Jai Prakash along with Prof. PB Singh, Dr. US Dwivedi.

Important personalities, who attended the workshop were Dr. AM Division (UK), Dr. DC Brenna (USA), Dr. Amitabh Gautam (USA), Dr. AK Mandal (USA), Dr. RK Sharma Director SGPI, Dr. Vijay Kher New Delhi and Dr. Greg Knoll (Canada).

Photo caption: Doctors participate at the 20th annual conference of Indian Society of Organ Transplantation, organized at Swatantra Bhawan in Banaras Hindu University from October 8 to 10.

Source: PPP Cell, BHU

'BHU Darpan' released

Banaras Hindu University chancellor Dr Karan Singh released "BHU Darpan" a tabloid on university affairs and news in Varanasi on October 8, 2009.
Source: PPP Cell, BHU.

Centre of Food Science and Technology inaugurated in Banaras Hindu University

Banaras Hindu University (BHU) chancellor Dr Karan Singh (in black cap) inaugurated the Centre of Food Science and Technology building at Institute of Agriculture Sciences in Varanasi on October 8, 2009. BHU vice-chancellor Professor DP Singh and other senior faculty members were present on the occasion.

Source: PPP Cell, BHU