Growing heat, vanishing wheat, shrinking size

When I bought a packet of sandwich bread in the morning, the vendor said that the ‘price has increased’. Then I saw news in my newspaper that wheat is in short supply in many countries of the world. India has already banned the export of wheat. Russia and Ukraine have been two leading exporters of wheat in the past, who are locking horns for the time being affecting global affairs. In such a situation, there has been a shortage of wheat everywhere. This shortfall will go on in the coming days. People are criticizing Russia's stubborn leader Putin for aggravating troubles. After Corona, the absurd and protracted war between Russia and Ukraine has increased problems in the world. Prices of packaged ‘namkeens’, bread, chips and biscuits are increasing due to shortage of wheat and edible oils, but clever brands are playing a trick. Instead of increasing the printed price, they are reducing the size of the packets. The customer does not doubt due to the same price, although there is some confusion after getting the smaller packets. It is also happening that some products are being sold expensive in the cities, but the weight has been reduced in rural markets instead of increasing price.

Summer is in full swing. Banda - a small town in UP, is melting. The temperature there reached 49 degrees the other day, highest in the world. If not for anything else, it flashed on the international weather map at least for scorching heat. Who grabs the headlines and for what, nobody knows exactly. So one should always be ready for every situation. As actor Anupam Kher says in one of his shows – ‘Kuchh Bhi Ho Sakta Hai’! Monsoon is expected to reach Kerala on May 27, slightly ahead of its scheduled time. Although the state is getting rains daily, even though it’s not monsoon rain. When the tempreture goes up, people travel to higher places. If the element of religion is added to the mountains, things get better. Perhaps that’s why there is a rush to go for Chardham Yatra. Over 34 pilgrims died on the way. From May 3 to May 16, more than 1.3 million pilgrims have registered for the Yatra. Most of those who died on the way had got Covid infection affecting their lungs. There is a lack of Oxygen at high altitudes and weak lungs do not support, hence death occurs.

Those whose lungs have weakened due to Covid should avoid going to high places like Chardham or Ladakh, or they should go only after getting a medical consultation. The mantras of worship are often in Sanskrit and there is good news for Sanskrit lovers. Google has included Sanskrit in the list of 133 languages in its translation app. Apart from Sanskrit, 23 other languages of India including Bhojpuri, Dogri are part of Google Translate. Translation is of great importance in the exchange of knowledge and culture in the world. It is only after translation that the literature of one language is read among those who know the other language. If there is no translation, then the literature of different languages of India and languages of other countries of the world could not see the light.

(Writer is a senior journalist & columnist)