Friday 2 September 2011

Birud Panchami jado jamalo...How true!


Written by Anil Singh
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Unlike me, who was born and brought up in urban area in plains; both my parents lived their childhood in hills. My father moved out of his hill village, only when he had to take up a vocation.

That's why, they still depend on the 'People Wisdom' (wisdom which culture and tradition teaches people) rather than modern communication mediums to understand their climate and its changes.

Last week, my mother was saying -- from now climate will become increasingly colder. But since then, a week has passed, and there's no indication of temperature decline. When I reminded of her prophesy, she said, she said so because of this Hilly proverb:

"Birud Panchami jado jamalo; Bansant Panchami Kan Kamolo"

[Translation: From Birud Panchami (a seasonal festival in hills) cold starts freezing (or increasing); From Basant Panchami the blanket comes on to the shoulder. This simply means, Birud Panchami marks the advent of winter; and Basant Panchami the summer i.e. after Basant Panchami there's no need to cover one's body in a blanket, and hence the blanket is folded and put on the shoulder.]

But when I asked mother, why cold hasn't started settling yet. She said, she doesn't know. Underlining that, although the climate should have started getting colder, as Birud Panchami has already taken place.

Later she told me, she was mistaking, Birud Panchami is yet to arrive; hence no transition to winter yet.

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Although, technology has made many thinsg easier for us. One area where, science and technology still seems wanting is the weather forecast. Which at best remains a observation of daily changes rather a science which can be applied as a thumb rule. In contrast, the 'People Wisdom' in this regard is highly certain. Basant Panchami brings warmness, irrespective of the date on which it falls; same is true for Birud panchami, which starts moving the mercury downwards.

How True!

[NOTE: Today is Birud Panchami]
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