MyVoice is to lift up the voices and experiences

Bathukamma, a floral fest for women

Bathukamma is a unique festival of Telangana having spiritual and socio-cultural efficacy, and specifically belongs to women.

Only a few male attendants used to help women put Bathukammas in streams and tanks. Nowadays, it is seen at some places, men are also participating in Bathukamma event. Sometimes they even partake in dances.

Generally, the womenfolk feel embarrassed and cannot move freely if men are present there and observe them. If male political leaders and organisers want to show their solidarity, it should be limited for initial few minutes and they must go away from the premises leaving the women alone.

No male members shall be allowed in and around the Bathukamma dance taking place except very few attendants if necessary. It is also observed in recent years that idols or pictures of Gouramma, Batukamma, Kalimatha or Boddemma are also kept on top of Bathukamma or around Bathukammas.

It is a not a good practice. Bathukammas shall be made of only flowers (or paper as practiced at some places) and Gouramma or Boddemma shall be made of traditional way of turmeric only. No form or picture of Goddesses shall be placed on Bathukamma.

Otherwise, in course of time, it may lead to ugly display of photos and idols etc of Goddesses which destroy the importance of flowers.

The size of Bathukamma also shall not be given any importance. Whatever is the size, if prepared by ladies themselves at home shall be revered and given importance as it comes out of the faith and devotion of people which ultimately counts.

Let us all preserve our unique and distinctive festivals intact and serve their intended purpose of unity in diversity and union with nature.

Salla Vijayakumar, Mancherial

Gandhiji, hero of heroes

Mahatma Gandhi is undoubtedly the hero of heroes. He practised ahimsa or nonviolence and consumed only vegetarian food, he did no harm to anyone by words or deeds.

With his powerful weapon, satyagraha, a peaceful resistance to tyranny through mass nonviolent civil disobedience (no arms, weapons, wars, live with freedom, choice, friendly-team, peaceful-coexistence with all rights), he could chase away the British from our soil.

He propagated ahimsa silk/Eri-silk from plants to avoid torturing of living silkworms' cocoons to be put in boiling water, for conventional method of making silk.

He participated in Boers War on the side of England (versus South Africa) in 1892 by creating The Natal Indian Ambulance Corps with an ambulance to shift the needy injured soldiers to hospital, not guns.

He always travelled by 3rd class in trains. He stopped wearing upper garment shirt, when he saw the poor shivering in winter with meagre clothing. He lived a simple life in Sabarmati Ashram (Ahmedabad, Gujarat) and served the needy, diseased ones, did prayers regularly.

Gandhiji kept his spinning wheel, made his own clothes, and refused to buy British/foreign cloth. He walked for 24 days to Dandi beach (Arabian seacoast) from Sabarmati Ashram to make salt against the British-tax on salt.

He opposed the production/growing of goods of artificial boosting such as tobacco, liquor and propagated 'Happy Development Management' to help people avoid boosters and save their health.

That explains his smart management prescription to focus only on Happy Development Management, peaceful-dialogue with joyful success solutions, encouragement, strengths, suitability, appreciation and supports of all types.

P S N Sreelekha, Boudhnagar, Secunderabad

There should be proper drug control system

One day, the public are warned against taking Ranitidine drug reportedly showing traces of probably cancer-causing carcinogenic compounds.

The next day, reports appear in newspapers asking us not to panic since N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA), an environmental contaminant, is found in even water and food items.

What does the State Drug Control departments say firmly and finally? To swallow or shun Rantac? It is high time that a national level therapeutic committee of medical experts sat, dwelt on the issue and submitted its report.

The sooner the better, yes, right it is before too late.

E Sethuramalingam, Kollam, Kerala