Khichdi - The Quintessential Indian Delicacy

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A plate full of hot, oily, juiced up khichdi served generously with a ladle-full of sabzi or a little pickle is sure to entice any discerning Indian straight to the dining feast. Such is the relish, enigma and the attraction of khichdi that a description of the Indian dishes is impossible to make without it. Across the length and breadth of the vast country, the khichdi, known in a variety of names is the numero uno choice of every Indian of all strata, race, color or background. Served whether in religious festivals or as a regular dish in households (in rainy, cold seasons usually) or in the daily meals of community kitchens, school messes etc., it remains the favourite of all without fail. It has an immense nutritional value along with its cultural importance and historical significance. Basically, it is fine rice cooked together with dal, vegetables like potato, brinjal, lentils etc. into a single dish and served hot usually with a spread of ghee and accompanied with mixed vegetables and/or a little pickle and papad. It is easy, fast to make as well as economical, tasty and provides for a stomach full.

It is a very easy and quickly cooked dish. Easily available rice (of even average quality) would create a delicious plate, mixed with readily available vegetables like potato, quick peas, radish, brinjal or carrot boiled and cooked together with dal (dry lentil,  moong, masur etc.) and a garnishing of spices of daily use like jeera (cumin), dhania (coriander), elaichi (cardamom), long (cloves) and coriander leaves cooked till boiling hot and stirred occasionally in preparing the dish. Quantities of these materials do change depending upon the number of people eating. By the way, the ingredients also change depending on place to place and the availability of the same. Sabudana khichdi, for instance, replaces rice with sabudana, a millet. It is usually taken during fasting on religious festivals. Khichdi is also given to patients in hospitals during treatment and recovery too. It not only provides a good nutritional value but also gives immunity to the body, is easily digestible besides being very tasteful. It is also served as a bhog during religious festivals like Durga Puja, the Kali Puja, Ganesh Chaturthi, Shiv Ratri etc., as an offering to the Gods and the Goddesses and is also distributed as prasada to the devotees. An afternoon family meal especially during the cold or rainy seasons becomes sumptuous with a dish of khichdi served with additions of salad (a mix of freshly cut carrot, radish, onions, cucumber slices and/or coriander leaves) with other sweet dishes. In the mid-day meals in schools or in community kitchens too, the khichdi is on the regular menu. Being quick to prepare and the easy availability of the ingredients, the khichdi is definitely the India's most preferred dish. Other dishes are neither that popular nor quick to prepare and nor that tasteful. The khichdi thus has been the most favourite of dishes in India since time immemorial.

Being the most popular of dishes readily available, the khichdi also firmly stands on the food standards rank. The calorific value of khichdi generally ranges between 200 to 350 calories for the vegetable khichdi. Other versions may be higher. But it gives a proper balance between the essential nutrients for a healthy food. A plateful of khichdi gives sufficient amount of protein from the vegetables like lentils and dal, the rice component provides the carbohydrates, amino acids present in ghee, haldi (turmeric), black pepper are a healthy stuff, the addition of a salad adds to its nutrition besides others. Being easily digestible it is healthy for all sections of people across all ages, health or status. Green leafy vegetables added to it as sabzi has around 480 kcal which provides a balanced nutrition. It is gluten free. It also provides sufficient carbohydrates, fat, calcium, iron, beta-carotene, omegas, B vitamins, folates etc. It is very helpful in preventing malnutrition. Ingredients of haldi(turmeric), jeera (cumin) have healing benefits. It also cleans up the gut and the stomach. But it also has a negative side too. Preparing with more oil or ghee and eating it every day can have adverse effects. It can harm digestion and increase the blood pressure. At the same time, it can lead to abnormal craving and hunger. It can also lead to a spike in blood-sugar levels that can hamper diabetic patients. In all, it has more positive effects than negative. It is often referred to as a superfood due to its balanced nutrient value. It is unofficially India's National Food due to its mass popularity, health and nutritional value as well as its aesthetic importance.

The Second Longest Serving Prime Minister of India-Narendra Modiji

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On the 17th of July, last our Prime Minister Sri. Narendra Modiji completed 4078 days in power creating a unique record of being the second longest serving Prime Minister in the history of the country. Elected in 2014, he has continuously, without a break, been serving the country from the chair. The election victory in 2014, after an arduous campaign put him in power winning 284 seats with a comfortable majority. Since then, the country has changed a lot. The iron-fisted rule not only provided a pro-active government at the centre but also brought about drastic, revolutionary changes in the laws, institutional setup and arrangements as well as formed a new debate on culture, polity and politics. The issues on public debate are no longer the same. Aggressive, uncouth and strict rule based on public unity, duty and development - defined in a new form - is the order of the day. After three consecutive wins in the parliamentary elections, his administration has become more imbibing and comprehensive in bringing the nation under one rhythm and tune of Indianness, historical pride as well as a promising future. On the plank of Viksit Bharat, the new model of an inclusive, advanced and a modern nation of self-pride is thus endeavored. Riding on high popularity and teamwork, he has been successful in implementing his programmes, policies for the progress, modernization in all spheres of development of the country.

He first served as the Chief Minister of Gujarat for 13 years guiding the state from the reconstruction and rebuilding after the devastating Bhuj earthquakes in 2001. His tenure was a remarkable one. Marked by a new model of governance - often epitomized - as the best model of development, he set new milestones in governance. He organized festivals like Vibrant Gujarat, encouraged private investments, rural electrification, encouraged water conservation projects, Tata Nano car projects, FDI investments, tax breaks for businesses, SEZs etc. However, the Gujarat riots in 2002, discrepancies in the development model owing to lower poverty relief measures, lower nutrition benefits, less development in education, low human development index, bad ranking in the State Hunger Index, poor immunization were the weak points. Nonetheless, owing to criticism of bad governance, corruption and less action on terrorism related matters, the BJP led NDA, put out a firm opposition to the then UPA government at the centre in the 2014 general elections. Modiji was elected the Prime Ministerial candidate in the tumultuous period and after an arduous campaign, his Party won a full majority in the Lok Sabha. Consequently, he was sworn in on the 26th of May 2014 as the 14th Prime Minister of India. Since then, a slew of programmes, policies and hard decisions have been taken. The first was the law on Black Money, to identify, confiscate and take punitive action on the perpetrators of black money. Later on, severe laws on Terrorism were enacted. The Demonetization in 2016 i.e. to abolish the ₹500 and ₹1000 notes then, suddenly at midnight and stringent laws on banking transactions were put in place, much to the surprise of all. On the other hand, terrorist attacks in the J&K state were severely dealt with resulting in surgical strikes across the border with Pakistan, the Balakot strikes and subsequently many treaties with the neighboring country were put in abeyance. Despite this, the BJP led NDA came out successfully in the 2019 general elections to the Lok Sabha five years later. This time, the BJP alone had a comfortable majority with 303 seats and the NDA a total of 343 seats. This time he came up with more drastic policies and programmes. Soon after being elected, in August 2019, the government revoked the Article 370 of the Constitution giving special powers to the state of Jammu and Kashmir and created the Union Territories of J&K and Ladakh. He passed the CAA act granting easy citizenship to non-Muslim refugees coming from Bangladesh, Pakistan, Afghanistan to escape religious persecution. Three controversial Farm laws were passed by the Parliament resulting in massive farmer protests, leading to around 800 farmer's deaths and ultimately the withdrawal of the laws. Alongside that, the COVID-19 pandemic appeared which made the government announce nationwide lockdowns closing transport, air, train services, schools, colleges, markets, malls, hotels and restaurants etc. and provide for the treatment, safety and vaccinations of the people from the deadly virus. In 2024, the Lok Sabha elections were held for which he was made the Prime Ministerial candidate of the NDA for the third time. The BJP and the NDA won this time too but with a reduced margin. The BJP secured only 240 seats a little short of the simple majority. Nonetheless, the NDA government was formed with Modiji at the helm again. This time the government was less stern. Elections to J&K were held. The government announced a massive cut in the Income Tax slabs that enabled people having income up to ₹7.75 lacs to go tax free. The Angel tax levied on investments to startups was abolished. TDS was reduced in a lot of cases. Defence expenditure was largely increased. More so, in early 2025 a deadly terrorist attack in Pahalgam in J&K led to action at the Pakistan border that resulted in the Operation Sindoor with Pakistan attacking with drones all along the western border and India retaliating with missile and air strikes in Karachi, Rawalpindi, Bahawalpur and other places there. A ceasefire was ultimately announced to prevent further escalation. Till today, he has been leading astutely across all issues in a pro-active, aggressive and decisive manner. He has received several criticisms during his tenure with allegations of curtailing the Freedom of Speech, civil liberties, rampant economic inequalities, heightened communal divide, severe economic burdens, a cumbersome and complex GST, ethnic violence in Manipur, unemployment, nepotism and hypocrisy. Nevertheless, he has been providing a pro-active leadership (working 18 hours a day) and a fan-following, bhakts to carry out his vision.

Our country has seen such a leader of dynamism and spirit after a long-time having similarities to that of Smt. Indira Gandhiji whose tenure he surpassed. Although, both won elections several times, Modiji is a class of his own. His greater than life image, worshipped by many, has had a permanent impact on the lives of all Indians young, old, rich, poor, educated, illiterate etc. He has been honoured with globally as well as in the country starting from the highest civilian awards of Russia, Nigeria, Kuwait, Bhutan, Mauritius etc. He has been voted as the 100 Most Influential people of the world by the Time magazine, and many others. With a large part of his third term remaining, it would be worth seeing if he can make a long-lasting impression with his values, programmes, policies or vision in the future.

Free-up space in devices

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Now-a-days life is impossible without devices like - smartphones, laptops, desktops or tablet computers. These not only store vital information for our day-to day use but also for our professional and personal usage. With regular use, the internal memory of these gets filled up resulting in them getting slow and giving inadequate results. Generally, a mid-range smartphone (priced between ₹15,000 to ₹35,000) provides up to 128GB to 1TB of internal memory. This is used for installed apps, storing files, pictures, videos etc. This generally occupies approx. 45-50% of the memory. However, with the passage of time, this memory space shrinks as more files whether PDF, music, videos or pictures files taken from camera or downloaded, gets accumulated in them. Similar, is the case with tablet computers or laptops. Tablet computers, mid-sized, come with approximately 512GB to 1TB of storage while laptops come with memories and storages in the range of 512GB to 2TB. But both these get less storage space as files downloaded or created gets saved. As a result, the devices get slow in starting up, in saving newer files or in displaying necessary apps for use. Additionally, updates to either the Windows or Android, Mac or iOS and the apps get delayed or halted which also affects their performances. Thus, it becomes necessary to free up space in the devices in order to store newer files, pictures or install updates and apps. Here are some of the procedures-   

1) Inbuilt Apps for freeing up storage space - Most devices - smartphones, tablet computers or laptops have in-built tools or apps to help delete junk files taking up memory space. Samsung has apps like Device Care to optimize space and free up memory. Others have Store Manager or the Storage tools that help clear cache memory or junk to get more space. Similarly, Files by Google for Android also serves the same. For Windows laptop or tablet computers we have Disk Cleanup and Storage Sense to free space efficiently. Similarly, commands in the Run app like %temp%, c:\windows\system32\cleanmgr.exe, cleanmgr, Disk CleanUp, or hitting Ctrl+Shift+Del can help a lot.

2) Use of cloud apps like Google Drive, OneDrive etc. - The Google Drive app found in Android devices, OneDrive from Microsoft or the iCloud app for iOS etc. are the apps that provide large storage space ranging from 2GB, 15GB or 2TB to store data. We can simply locate the files - pictures, text, PDF or music files etc. - move them (not just copy/paste) and free-up storage. These have paid as well as free to use services. We have to log in or signup using Google or Microsoft accounts to access. These provide large free storage spaces for other apps or updates in our devices.

3) Move files to an external Hard Disk or SSD Drive: - External hard disk or SSD (Solid State Disk) drives are a wonderful means to free up storage space for laptops, tablet computers or even smartphones. With capacities ranging from 256GB to 12TB, these portable drives can be easily connected to laptops, tablet computers or even smartphones to free up space. Once connected these drives appear as external storage like F:\, G:\ drives etc. We can move files, folders of almost all types from our devices to them and make available free storage. With huge volumes like 1TB or 2TB, we can move a sizeable amount of data to the drives very fast and with ease. We can also connect them to retrieve such data (files, folder etc.) for use any time in the future. HDDs nowadays cost between ₹1500 to ₹12,000 while SSDs come in between ₹10,000 to ₹20,000 depending upon storage capacities.

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4) Addition or use of memory cards: - In laptops or desktops we can install additional RAM cards to enhance memory. RAM cards of 512GB, 1TB or more can be installed in devices to enhance memory space. Alternatively, we can replace old RAM cards with newer cards of more capacity of storage. In tablet computers, we can insert external memory cards in the memory card slots with an adaptor if needed, having capacities of 256GB to 2TB to enhance memory space. Similarly, memory cards can also be inserted in smartphones to enhance memory space. Described as external storage these can enhance space from usually 2GB to 1TB. This enhances memory space to store more data or files.  

5) Manual deletion of files, folders etc.: - One of the most laborious, time-consuming and traditional methods to free up memory space in devices is the manual deletion of files, folders etc. We can select files present in folders such as Picture Galleries, video folders, document folders or the app folders and delete any file or subfolder deemed unnecessary, garbage or occupying large memory space. Thus, we can free up necessary space. This process being laborious, time-consuming as well as probably the most primitive methods is a freedom on its own. We can select files/folders at our will and delete them according to our wish and necessity.

Since smartphones, laptops or tablet computers are ubiquitous nowadays for almost all purposes we cannot but store necessary files in them. Selecting and deleting files and the use of any of these methods can help reduce the memory shortages and give us the necessary memory space to add new files or apps on to the devices. My most preferable method is moving files to cloud apps viz. Google Drive, OneDrive etc. We can get a lot of extra storage, easily move files/folders and retrieve them, when necessary, through downloading from the respective apps. 

The Kali Puja Festival

In Hindu mythology, the Tridev or the trinity of Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu, Lord Maheshwara is considered to be the supreme. Along with it, Goddess Shakti is considered to be the cosmic, creative energy - the consort of Lord Shiva and the source of all creation. She is considered to be the active power for the destruction of evil and the protector, healer and the mother of all creation. Goddess Shakti is represented in many forms like Goddess Durga, Goddess Laxmi, Goddess Kali, Maa Santoshi among others. Goddess Kali is considered the angriest, ruthless, fiercest and the most feared form of it. Legend has it, that she took into this form to fight against a powerful demon and protect humanity from destruction, fear and plunder. But when clam and peaceful, Goddess Kali is also the most benevolent, living, caring and a kind deity. 

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In mythology, a demon named Raktabeej, laid a spell of plunder, destruction and death with its evil intentions. He got a blessing, vardaan from Lord Shiva that with each drop of his blood that fell on the earth, he would arise again. This made him undefeatable as well as immortal. He terrorized the Gods and all the people with his strength and plundered all along. With his immortal and increasing forms, he started ruling over others and came to a war with Goddess Durga. But he remained invincible. Thus, Goddess Durga took the form of Goddess Kali - the fiercest, brutal, warmongering and the powerful Goddess to fight with Raktabeej and save the world. In the battle, Goddess Kali went on to kill and admonish all the Raktasuras, demons arising from the drops of blood of the demon Raktabeej. She drank all of the blood that shed thus not allowing them to fall on the ground and stop the Raktasuras from arising. She fought and finally killed Raktabeej to free the creation from his terror and destruction. Thus, she came to be worshipped, revered and adored as the protector, saviour and a mother figure for all beings. Goddess Kali is also known to be benevolent, kind to the weak, devoted as well as the needy. Thus, she has both the characters in her persona. Symbolically, she is seen as a Goddess who destroys pain, suffering and pestilences in order to bring prosperity, happiness and welfare to all.

The Kali Puja is celebrated by Hindus all over the world. In the Bengali community, the Amavasya in the month of Kartik as per the almanac is the holy day for the Puja. Some of the pujas are centuries old. In other places like J&K, Himachal and Kerala, she is worshipped too in great fanfare and gaiety. In Assam, the Kamakhya temple near Guwahati also celebrates the puja along with other places. The Kali Puja festival is the second biggest festival for the Bengalis after the Durga Puja. The famous temples dedicated to Goddess Kali are the Dakshineshwar Kali temple, Kalighat Kali temple, the Tarapith temple at Kolkata, the Shakti Peeth Sri Chamunda Devi temple in Himachal Pradesh, the Baitula Deula near Bhubaneshwar, the Dhakeshwari temple in Dhaka, Bangladesh among others. Goddess Kali is said to be the chief deity of Tantricism. She is worshipped to attain tantric, mystic powers during the auspicious nights. She is said to bless the devout with tantric powers of foresight, healing and siddhis. She is considered to be the first form of the Ten Mahavidyas i.e. a group of ten Hindu Tantric Goddesses. Thus, seeking her divine benediction, through special prayers, religious practices, meditations etc. one can gain psychic powers and knowledge. She is worshipped with the red Hibiscus flowers (Joba), a bhog of Khichudi (a preparation of dal, rice, lentils mixed together), payesh (sweet dish), sweets and occasionally animal sacrifices too. People throng the Puja Pandals for the prasadas next morning. The festival draws people from all walks of life seeking for her blessings for happiness, protection from evil and harm and prosperity in their lives.                                    

SpaDex Project - A unique achievement of ISRO

Among the milestones achieved by the ISRO (Indian Space Research Organization), since its inception in 1969, the SpaDex mission successfully completed last January is a unique and an interesting one. The mission SpaDex (Space Docking Experiment) was basically to dock and undock i.e. join and detach two small satellites in the space so as to accomplish the ability for such maneuvers for other spacecrafts in the future. In space missions, it is necessary to dock or undock spaceships, satellites so that astronauts and equipment can be carried from one vehicle to the other. This becomes necessary to carry out experiments, in repair and maintenance activities, exchange from one vehicle to another. Like in the International Space Station (ISS), astronauts move in and out of space shuttles while entering ISS or returning back to the earth.

While becoming only the fourth nation after USA, Russia and China, India has now the indigenous capacity to move people and equipment between satellites or spaceships required for its future space expeditions. Launched on December 30th, 2024, and successfully executed on January 16th, 2025, and fully autonomous docking on April 20th, 2025, ISRO had successfully docked and undocked two small satellites namely SDX01 and SDX02 launched by the PSLV 60 rocket from Sriharikota station in Hasan, Karnataka. Controlled from the ground station at Sriharikota, the docking and undocking process worked out perfectly thereby establishing our capabilities for similar maneuvers in the near future. 

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The Chandrayaan-4 mission, the Gaganyaan mission as well as the Bharat Antariksh Station (BAS), a permanent space station of India like the ISS are the prominent future space expeditions of the ISRO. Given the need for the convenient and easy passage of equipment and astronauts between spacecrafts and satellites, the SpaDex mission was needed to be accurate as well as successful for us. The Bharat Antariksh Station (BAS) will be a permanent station for experiments in space, the stay of the astronauts as well as serve as a platform for carrying people and equipment to and from it and the earth. Similarly, the Gaganyaan  mission that aims to put Indian astronauts to space through an indigenous mission first time ever, will also require such capabilities. Thus, the SpaDex mission will be a milestone in that regard. The docking and undocking of satellites in space is a very complex one. It involves a rendezvous i.e., staying aloft at a position so as to align accurately to the other craft and the docking maneuver i.e., perfect and precise movements to lock to the target spacecraft (since inaccurate docking can be expensive as well as dangerous), and commence the movement of goods and people from one craft to another. This was followed reversely by the undocking process soon. A large number of indigenous technologies were incorporated in the mission. That included the docking mechanism i.e., the whole process of identifying, communicating, connecting and ultimately docking, a suite for four rendezvous and docking sensors, power transfer technology, Indigenous novel autonomous rendezvous and docking strategy, Inter-satellite Communication Link (ISL) for autonomous communication between spacecrafts, incorporated with inbuilt intelligence to know the state of the other spacecraft. GNSS-based Novel Relative Orbit Determination and Propagation (RODP) processor to determine the relative position and velocity of the other spacecraft. Simulation test beds for both hardware and software design validation and testing. ISRO built the two satellites and the associated equipment at a cost of ₹125 crore while the launch vehicle cost ₹250 crore. The main goals of the SpaDex mission were - develop and demonstrate technology for rendezvous and docking using two small spacecrafts, showcase controllability in the docked condition, demonstrate the potential for extending the life of the target spacecraft, test power transfer between the docked spacecraft. The ISRO chief S Somnath said at a press conference that additional SpaDex missions with greater size and complexity would be launched in the near future for larger docking systems for the space missions. Thus, India has the self-reliance in cutting-edge technology and the capability of the ISRO for such critical operations. Along with it, the SpaDex was a cost- effective technology demonstrating mission costing about ₹375 crore to show in-space docking using two small spacecrafts lifted by the 62nd PSLV flight.

GST 2.0, Tax Reforms

The GST (Goods and Service Tax) was introduced on midnight 17th July, 2017. It was a revolutionary step towards tax rationalization, a scientific and a modern tax structure as well as aimed to reduce the prices of items, increase tax compliance and enhance tax collections. Since then, a vast change has occurred from the erstwhile VAT (Value Added Tax) structure. The VAT tax was imposed upon the value added to the items and was the same for almost all types of items. GST came up with a more accurate tax system based upon tax slabs on the usage of various types of items. GST combined a large number of taxes like State Tax, Octroi, Levies, Sales Tax etc. into one tax. Service Tax i.e., tax levied on the services provided was also included to it, thus giving it a new name - Goods and Service Tax. Tax slabs were - 0% on items of essential need viz. loosely sold Rice, Atta, Salt, Milk, Eggs, Baby Food etc., 5% tax slab on items of ordinary use like Mustard Oil, Clothes below Rs. 1000/-, Domestic LPG, Coal, Cashew Nuts, Packed Paneer, Agarbatti, Footwear below Rs.500/-, Floor

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Coverings etc., 12% GST rates was for items less used like Butter, Ghee, Almonds, Keypad Mobiles, Umbrellas, Chutney, Jam, Jelly etc., 18% GST was on luxury items viz Hair Oil, Toothpaste, Laptops, Pasta, Ice-Cream, Smartphones, Computer Monitors (less than 17"), Apparel Accessories etc., 28% GST slab was on imported items like Jewellery, imported Cars, Perfumes, Fashion Accessories, iPhones etc. A large number of items were also exempt from the GST like donations made for charitable purposes, schools, religious places etc. Similarly, services were also taxed at 3%, 5%, 12%, 18% etc. The GST tax collected is shared between the Centre and the State in a 50-50 ratio. Through the passage of time, flaws appeared in the process like dependency on online computerized filing of tax returns resulting in the failure of small businesses to setup such facilities at their workplaces, objection also arose on the levy of higher tax rates like 12%, 18% on oft and daily use items like tractors, toothpaste and others, complex and costly implementation created problems for tax refunds, confusion as well as difficulties in tax filing for small, medium or common businesses. Thus, reform in GST was the cry of the day.

Donald Trump, who took over as the US President, February last imposed huge tariffs i.e., 50% of exports of Indian goods to them. Some items attracted even more tariffs. He did this globally with a view to enhancing US trade and economic interests. Since, our exports would fall, the government introduced a slew of measures to protect our businesses. Among them were the introduction of PLI (Production Linked Incentive) scheme to the effected industries, finding alternative export destinations and reforms in the GST. In his Independence Day speech on the 15th of August, this year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared reforms in GST before Diwali. Thus, the GST Council meet on the 3rd of

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September last, decided to do away with the 12% and 28% tax slabs. Accordingly, a large number of items earlier in the 12% or 18% slab were moved to the 5% tax slab which included items like Hair Oil, Shampoo, Toothpaste, Toilet Soap, Toothbrush, Shaving Cream,  Butter, Ghee, Cheese and Diary spreads, Pre-Packed, Namkeens, Bhujias & 

Mixtures, Utensils, Feeding Bottles, Sewing Machines and Parts etc. Similarly, various consumer electronic items like Smart TVs, Refrigerators, Air Conditioners, Washing Machines etc. will be taxed at 18% instead of 28%. More importantly, Individual and Life Insurance products were changed from the 18% to the Nil slab. Also, medical equipment like All Diagnostic Kits & Reagents, Glucometer & Test Strips, Corrective Spectacles, Thermometer etc. were brought to the 5% slab. Similarly, taxes on educational items like Maps, Charts, Globes, Pencils, Sharpeners, Crayons, Pastels, Exercise Book & Notebooks were reduced to Nil. Petrol & Petrol Hybrid, LPG, CNG Cars (not exceeding 1200 cc & 4000 mm), Motorcycles (below 350cc) etc. have been brought in the 18% tax slab from the 28% earlier.

Focusing on Atmanirbhar and Ease of Living, the GST 2.0 reforms were made applicable from September 22nd last, just a few days before the festive season setting in. Coined as GST Bachat Utsav, the reform is aimed at reducing inflation in necessary and largely used items so that they can be within the reach of the ordinary citizenry, the farmers and small businesses. Given India's high unemployment rates, low per capita income, these reforms will boost sales in the items with reduced prices and propel the economy towards greater consumption and higher GDP growth. The reforms in GST must surely be made to suit the interests of all the people in the economic chain to make taxation simpler, easily implementable and provide impetus to higher GDP growth rates. 

Spirituality and Spiritualism

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Spirituality represents a way of life where moral and spiritual values of compassion, kindness, charity, universal welfare and spiritual bliss is given prominence. In philosophy, life is said to be both material and spiritual. Material is the physical, bodily existence while spiritual refers to the soul, immaterial, value based and inward character, The practice of spirituality involves meditation, yoga exercises, studying of spiritual books, charitable services like donations for orphanages, shelter homes for the sick and the needy, animal shelters and inspiring others too. A person with a spiritual pursuit does not care about a material and luxurious life or belongings, he/she cares about the welfare and happiness of all the people coming to them thereby attaining spiritual satisfaction, bliss or happiness. Spiritual life is considered higher, more valuable and the real or ultimate destination of all beings. Some philosophies and cultures consider the spiritual character as the real character of living beings, the physical and material being outwardly or temporary. The spiritual growth and development are considered very necessary for each individual, society or a nation. A nation or society and even an individual build up on a firm spiritual footing will face and solve the problems coming ahead in a stronger, resolute and comprehensive manner.  

The soul is considered to be a part of the universal spirit or Brahman, in Indian spirituality. Meaning, the Universal Spirit, the Brahman controls, owns and conducts all the actions of the atman or soul, which is present in everything in this creation. We consider the consciousness as the manifestation of that universal creator, Brahman. Although, each being has a right to do his/her Karma but still it ultimately enjoins and submerges with the Universal Spirit. Depending upon the good or bad deeds the duration, effort of the Moksha will differ. Good deeds lead to easier and quicker, Salvation i.e. uniting with the Lord Supreme Soul or God. Bad deeds always toughen the path or delay it. The lesson of spirituality hence puts stress on the good and bad deeds that we do, i.e. Karma. A spiritual person endures a great deal of toil and hardships in pursuing his duties. He/she has not only to shun away from the temptations and attractions of worldly life but at the same time persevere, meditate and strive hard towards the spiritual development and bliss of all and every. From collecting funds and donations to giving them to the homeless, sick and destitute to the rigorous and strict regimen of meditations, prayers and rituals. Each and every spiritual person has to be more kind, compassionate, selfless and fully devoted to the happiness of the person he/she attends to.

Spirituality is often mixed with religion. In fact, both of them have many things in common but still are not the same. In most cases, these two aspects are often mixed up or fused to one. While the spiritual involves performing and practicing a moral, aesthetic and ethical means of life, religion is much more institution-like and controlled by hard and fast rules of decorum, hierarchy and rituals. Religion too preaches universal welfare and well-being but a more coordinated one. Spirituality is often more individualized, charitable and personalized. Strict dogmas and norms do not define it, rather the inspiration comes from the higher or greater purpose of happiness, wellbeing of all. No such bondages strictly exist.

Contrasted with spiritualism, spirituality involves a service and a charitable nature. Spiritualism on the other hand, means the strength of occult spells and magical practice and probably cures people of any disease or moves people towards something social, political or purpose oriented. Spiritualism is the essential character of magic-practicing and spell-casting people seen almost everywhere. Whatever might be the nature, spirituality has gained prominence in the modern society globally now, across all strata of economic, educational, cultural identities. Organizations like ISKON (International Society for Krishna Consciousness), The Chinmaya Mission, Sri Aurobindo Ashram, Sri Saibaba Sansthan Trust, The Art of Living Foundation, The Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church, The Divine Life Society, The Ramakrishna Mission etc. being prominent. Spiritual values and virtues are very important in a materialistic world. Spirituality tells people to seek inner moral, social or universal happiness instead of being concentrated in the welfare of a few. Spirituality enables us to consider the entire world as a whole whose welfare lay in the collective progress and wellbeing. Spirituality imbibes some higher virtues that uplifts people for the service, welfare and progress of everyone.                   

Birth Centenary of Sudhakontho Dr. Bhupen Hazarika

Sudhakontho Dr. Bhupen Hazarika, also known as the Bard of Assam, was a legendary figure in the field of Assamese music, singing, filmmaking and culture. He was a leading figure in taking forward Assamese music, songs after the iconic duo of Rupkonwar Jyoti Prasad Agarwala, Kolaguru Bishnu Prasad Rabha. Sudhakotho in Assamese means the person with a sweet, melodious voice. Starting as early as ten years old, he sang as well as composed songs in Jyotiprasad Agarwala's films. Later on, he went on not only to sing but also produce, compose music, write as well as act in a large number of Assamese films, in Bollywood and in regional languages also. His composition of Dil Hum Hum Kare in the film Rodali sung by the legend Lata Mangeshkar not only attained national acclaim but also had won many national and international awards. Born on the 8th of September, 1926 in Sadiya the northern most part of Assam, he showed his musical talent at a very young stage. His father was Nilkantha Hazarika while his mother Shantipriya Hazarika. He was the eldest of his ten siblings, who were exposed to the world of music through their mother.

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In 1935, his father moved to Tezpur, where he was introduced to Jyoti Prasad Agarwala a doyen in the field of Assamese cinema, culture and art along with Kolaguru Bishnu Prasad Rabha through his Borgeet rendition (songs of Mahapurush Srimanta Sankardev, the great Vaishnava saint of the 16th century). In 1936, he accompanied Rupkonwar Jyoti Prasad Agarwala to record his first song at the Aurora Studio for the Selona Company in Kolkata. Thus started his musical journey. He sang two songs in the Rupkonwar's film, Indramaloti released in 1939. Both of them were milestones in the Assamese music industry.

He studied at Sonaram High School, Guwahati during his early years and matriculated from the Tezpur High School in 1940. In 1942, he completed Intermediate in Arts from the famous Cotton College. He finished BA (1944) and MA (in 1946) in Political Science from the prestigious Banares Hindu University. He later

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went on to study PhD at the Columbia University in USA and published his thesis -  Proposals for Preparing India's Basic Education to use Audio-Visual Techniques in Adult Education. He joined the Guwahati University as a Teacher upon returning to India. But fate had other things planned for him. Soon he left his job and went to Kolkata for his musical career. He made films like Shakuntala - a National Best Feature Film in Assamese Award winner - in 1961, Pratidhwani etc. His association with the legendary civil rights activist Paul Robeson inspired him to compose the famous song Bistirno Parore. His song Manuhe Manuhor Babe translated in Bengali almost got selected as the national anthem of Bangladesh. In total he had composed music for 31 Assamese, 14 Hindi, 15 Bengali and a few other films in Karbi, Bodo and Mising languages. He had directed seven Assamese, one Bengali and one Hindi film. He also wrote a large number of children's books too.

He had received numerous state as well as national, international awards. He won the Best Music Director award at the National Film Awards in 1975 for Chameli Memsaab, Gold Medal from the State Government of Arunachal Pradesh, Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship, Friends of Liberation War Honour, Bangladesh, Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 1992, the Asom Ratna Award in 2009, the Padma Shri in 1977, the Padma Bhusan in 2001, the Padma Vibhusan in 2012, the Bharat Ratna, the nation's highest civilian award in 2019. He was active politically also. He was a member of the Assam Legislative Assembly from 1967 to 1972 from the Naoboicha constituency. In June 2011, he was hospitalised at the Kokilaben Dhiruben Ambani Hospital, Mumbai where he breathed his last on the 5th of November 2011. In a career spanning decades, his songs, music and films surely have made an indelible mark not only on the Assamese society but also in the national art, culture and music world. He is one of a few geniuses whose voice mesmerized people in every Bihu function of Assam swaying across the vast length and breadth of the state cutting across barriers of language, caste, creed or place.   

The Kanvar Yatra in Sawan

Every year in the holy month of Sawan (usually between July-August), devotees and followers of Lord Shiva embark on a yatra (journey) carrying pots, pitches of holy water from the rivers and shower them on Shivlings and idols of Lord Shiva and offer prayers for welfare, wellbeing and good fortunes in their lives. Sawan being the birth month of Lord Shiva - the God of Reliever and Rebirth is believed to be auspicious. We can please Him by offering holy water from the river Ganges or its branches, pure milk, leaves of Bel (Bilva tree), blue-coloured Dhatura flowers, haldi, ash, honey or other flowers.

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The Trinity of Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu and Lord Maheshwara is the supreme among all deities and are revered by Hindus worldwide. Lord Shiva is the Salvator - Destroyer of evil, pain and suffering thus providing the way of Resurrection, Rebirth, Salvation and happiness or prosperity. Lord Shiva is also called Bholenath meaning the innocent deity one who can be pleased with a measly offering of pure water and leaves of Bel. According to the holy texts, the Sawan month is said to be the birth month of Lord Shiva. Hence, it is believed that offering prayers and worship on this month enables one to receive His blessings easily. The history of the Kanvar Yatra according to Professor Devi Prasad Dubey of the University of Allahabad can be traced to the 1700s, when pilgrims and devotees would carry the holy Gangajal from Sultanganj to pour it at the shrine of Lord Vaidyanath in Deoghar, Jharkhand. By the 1960s, the yatra gained popularity and spread across north India and other parts. Now, it has come to be India's largest annual religious gathering with an estimated 30 million devotees arriving in 2023 and 2024 in Haridwar, Uttarakhand. Devotees come from neighboring states like Delhi, UP, Haryana, Rajasthan, Punjab, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, MP etc.

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The Kanwar Yatra is named after the Kanvar pole (made of bamboo) with two earthen pots, hung alongside each shoulder, filled with the holy water of the rivers to be showered on Shivlingas in temples or other places. The Kanvar-carrying pilgrims called Kanvariyas bear a great deal of physical as well as psychological toil in the process. They have to take vegetarian food or fast completely, bath and start early - before sunrise - dressed in saffron dhotis, kurtas or shawls and walk bare-foot to the rivers. They chant Bole-Bom or Har Har Mahadev or devotional songs all along. The government and local authorities also arrange for easy route by diverting regular traffic along with providing security or medical aid to the needy Kanwariyas. NGOs and voluntary organizations offer drinking water or fruit juices to them. Since a large number of yatris participate yearly, it has become a popular as well as an aesthetic occasion now. The yatra is held on Monday for the entire month of Sawan. 

However, increasing modernity has changed the yatra to more pompous now. DJ bands, professional singers on top of trucks or trolleys sing all along the route. Right from the night before such music starts which probably hampers the sleep of the people living nearby. Moreover, alcoholism and other addictions also add to the chaos. Hooliganism can also be seen there, sometimes leading to violence in neighborhood shops, public property, river sides etc. These are definitely not acceptable. Well-organized and disciplined yatra and arrangements for same is the need of the hour. Since, the participation of the youngsters is more in the yatra hence a sense of devotion and religious sacrilege is very encouraging. The yatra is meant to show our dedication, devotion and our faith in the Lord. We have to be fully immersed on the same and no other. The mercy, blessing as well as the faith will bring us peace, progress, success as well as prosperity both in our personal, social or our public lives.

Emergency in 1975

The Emergency last declared on 25th June, 1975 midnight on grounds of threats to our national security, completes 50 years this year. It was declared by a Presidential Proclamation by the then President Fakruddin Ali Ahmed on the advice of our then Prime Minister and iron-handed leader Indira Gandhi. In the year 1971, India had defeated Pakistan in the war and liberated East Pakistan, now Bangladesh. Post war, the country's economy was in shambles. Drought started leading to a severe agrarian crisis. In 1973, the Oil Crisis of OPEAC, lead to high inflation in prices of oil adversely impacting our economy. Moreover, internal political unrest had developed a crisis where the proclamation was none but imminent. There were assassination attempts on several public personalities, and our own Railway Minister Lalit Narayan Mishraji was brutally killed in a bomb blast at a railway station. The opposition led by Loknayak Jayprakash Narayan alongwith Morarji Desai started massive protests against the leadership of Indiraji after her loss in the Supreme Court case on electoral malpractices against Raj Narain. Opposition leaders and activists organised daily protests. On the 25th of June 1975, JP Narayan organised a large rally in Delhi and incited police and defence personnel to disobey. Also, due to the railway employees strike led by George Fernandes, the entire rail network had come to a standstill. Student protests on fees in Gujarat as well as in Bihar were fuelled by leaders like JP Narayan and others. Hence, the internal security situation in India had turned volatile. There were calls from the ruling Indian National Congress Party for a Presidential Emergency to prevent any further deterioration. Thus, ultimately at midnight on the 25th of June, 1975, President Fakruddin Ali Ahmed declared a state of Emergency. 

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Almost all the major political party leaders were arrested and imprisoned including JP Narayan, Morarji Desai, George Fernandes, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Vijayraje Scindia, Charan Singh, Mulayam Singh Yadav, Raj Narain etc. All forms of strikes, dharnas etc. were crushed down heavily. Elections to the Parliament and the state governments were postponed. Freedom of the Press was suspended and newspapers, magazines etc. were almost stopped except for a few. In the meantime, the government came up with the 20 Point Economic Programme for getting the economy out of the abyss. Increase in agricultural and industrial productivity, improvement in Public Services, fighting Poverty, Illiteracy through strict discipline. Several Ordinances were passed for the same. The 42nd Amendment to the Constitution was passed that empowered the government largely. Apex Bipartite Committees were formed by government at the Centre and the States for creating councils of workers, employees. 

The good part during that time was that inflation had eased greatly. Due to the good monsoon that year, followed by the resolution of Oil Crisis, inflation in food and grains eased. But, after March 1976, inflation started rising again to abysmal levels. Tax exemption for lower earning groups was a welcome step. Moreover, tax breaks for the higher income groups i.e. Rs. 8000-15000/- also helped collections. Wealth tax was cut. Income tax was reduced by 11%. But, the shortfall was compensated well by cuts in welfare related expenses. Demolition of slums in major cities like Delhi and also in Bihar, Haryana, Maharashtra for the urban renewal program spearheaded by Sanjay Gandhi were carried out. To reduce the population increase, sterilizations, sometimes forced were carried out.

There were criticism as well as support for the imposition of the Emergency. Prominent newspapers protested by printing blank editorials. Books were written on it. Political leaders, were divided in supporting or opposing it. The US government disliked but diplomatically kept silent. While the Russians supported it and Mrs. Indira Gandhi's actions then. The Emergency lasted for only 21 months from 25th June 1975 to 21st March 1977. About 1 lakh people had been arrested. Despite being a dark period in India's history, it must also be remembered as a time to consolidate on our unity, political and economic development as well as to admire at the firm-handedness of our great leader Smt. Indira Gandhi.             

The Kapil Sharma Show

Humor and Laughter are important aspects that remove the dullness and monotony to energize us psychologically and emotionally. Comedy shows - Live or Recorded are very popular and appealing now-a-days. The Kapil Sharma Show run by comedian, actor, celebrity Kapil Sharma is undoubtedly the most popular of them all. Started in April 2016 and running till date albeit with a new name, is famous for its witty, dramatic and funny acts staged by actors, on the sets. Aired on Sony Liv channel first, it basically has guests invites for minute interviews alongside jugular acts from actors mimicking superstars, actors, directors and many others. Using a commonplace Hindi, in total the program provides celebrity interview mixed with artists impersonating other characters.

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The show is a reality laughter-show where, celebrity guests are interviewed in front a small audience as well as broadcast on the Sony Liv channel. Apart from Kapil Sharma the host, the cast includes Krushna Abhishek acting as Dharmendra, SRK, Jackie Shroff, Amitabh Bachchan, Sapna etc. Kiku Sharda mimicking as Bumper, Sunny Deol, Nurse etc., Sunil Grover acting as the famous Dr. Masoor Gulati of 50-50 Hospital, Rinku Devi, Mithun Chakraborty etc., Chandan Prabhakar acting as Chandu Tea Seller, Sumona Chakraborty acting Bhoori etc., Bharti Singh mimicking as Madhuri Dixit, Simran, Titli etc., Sidharth Sagar as Music Teacher, Naseeruddin Shah, Ranveer Singh etc., veteran actress Upasana Singh as Kapil aka Kappu's Bua, Sudesh Lehri acting as Daler Mehendi, Arijit Singh etc., among others. Among the skits performed during the show included Krushna Abhishek and Kiku Sarda dressed as Dharmendra and Sunny Deol respectively and delivering quirky dialogues on stage. Another is about the incidents of the 50-50 hospital run by Dr. Masoor Gulati aka Sunil Grover along with Kiku Sarda as nurse Bumper performing hilarious medical operations on his patients. Similarly, the KBC show conducted by Mr. Arora aka Kapil Sharma asking humorous questions to guests and Rinku Devi i.e., Sunil Grover interrupting with hilarious antics in between. Each episode comes with a new story and skit invoking great humour and laughter among the audience at large. The celebrity guests who came to the show included Amitabh Bachchan, Salman Khan, Shah Rukh Khan, Priyanka Chopra, Akshay Kumar, Irfan Khan, Monoj Bajpayee, Aishwariya Rai, Tripti Dimri, Alia Bhat, John Abraham, Udit Narayan, Alka Yagnik, Juhi Chawla, A R Rahman, the Wadali Brothers, Sonu Nigam, Huma Qureshi, Ajay Devgan, Abhishek Bachchan, Sania Mirza, Saina Nehwal, Sukhbir, Daler Mehdi, Gurdas Mann and many others both on promotions of their upcoming films or directional ventures as also as Kapil's guests. The TRP of the show is highest among all genres of programs shown on TV. The earnings from the show have brightened the fortunes of the performers and actors there. Kapil Sharma the highest earner reportedly earns ₹5 Cr. per episode, actor Sunil Grover ₹25 lakh. per episode, Kiku Sarda ₹7lacs. per episode, Krushna Abhishek ₹10 lacs approx. The show judge veteran Puran Singh reportedly takes approx. ₹10-₹15 lacs per episode. The Sony Channel too earned ₹100 to ₹200 Cr. from the show contracts. The actors and actresses have become celebrity names as well as attained a high brand value. Some of them like Sunil Grover has had a successful Bollywood film career as well as successes on TV shows. Similarly, Kiku Sharda, Chandan Prabhakar also earned fame and successes from children's TV serials. Actress Upasana Singh has also been a famous character actor in films and TV serials also. Similarly, Krushna Abhishek has also been a celebrated actor in Bhojpuri TV and films besides being a Bollywood star. The IMDb ratings of the show are at 7.3/10. The popularity of the show is so much that it found mention in the speeches in elections of 2014, prominent public, social functions etc.

Kapil Sharma first won the Great Indian Laughter Challenge trophy in 2007 and since then has scaled almost all ladders of success. He is now one of the most wealthy and popular of comedians and screen celebrities of showbiz. Judged by veteran actress Archana Puran Singh and then by famous cricketer turned commentator and politician Navjot Singh Sidhu, the show with 471 episodes has its own fan following and avid viewership. Now, showing with a different name since 2024, as the Great Indian Kapil Show, the comedy-show has filled the Indian drawing rooms with bouts of laughter, smile and fun through the years.                 

JavaScript

JavaScript - One of the most popular, versatile, feature-loaded, flexible and efficient web programming languages. Created by Brenden Eich in 1995, it is now widely used in a variety of devices like computers, mobile phones, tablets, television sets etc. to display web applications in a large number of formats performing a variety of functions. A regular web application will be time consuming if it has to produce fast and exquisite pages in response to user interactions using HTML, CSS or other languages. JavaScript transforms a web browser in such a manner that it produces instant reports, pages in quick response to user data. In other words, it programs the browser to perform a lot of tasks which would have been done by many other linked applications slowly and in a burdensome manner. The browsers are now not only fast but also more productive in use.    

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First developed as an alternative to Microsoft’s ASP language by Netscape for its Netscape Navigator browser, it has grown since the Internet boom began. Since web users need fast, accurate, responsive as well as elegant web sites, other programming languages like Java, C, C++, HTML etc. could not be used. Hence, a programming language that could process data at the browser level itself without going through the long server-side process was the need of the time. JavaScript combines the HTML type markup using tags with the Java, C++ type programming to produce fast, interactive, dynamic web pages for the users. JavaScript comes through all the versions being ES1, ES2, ES3, ES4, ES5 and currently ES6 versions. It has some very interesting features like object-oriented programming for faster, modular and secure pages, to inbuilt functions, JSON objects, DOM (Document Object Model) feature to modify the entire page fast, Event programming, Arrays to frameworks like Angular, Nodejs, Bootstrap, Express.js, Spring etc. libraries like React etc. However, it has evolved from the first version till the ES6 (ECMA Script version 6 released in 2015) having better keywords like const instead of var, introduction of features like OOP(Object Oriented Programming different from that of other languages like Java, C++, Python etc.), Set Objects, Arrays, Template literals, Arrow functions, Asynchronous functions,  etc. for an easier, faster, feature loaded, secure and more flexible language. Alongside, it also enables the Console tool in which a developer can instantly view the program output in the browser console itself. The JavaScript language can be written and run on most popular Code Editors like VS Code (Visual Studio Code), Sublime Text, Notepad++, Eclipse, Zed, Vim, NetBeans etc. VS Code for example has built-in Plug-ins like ESLint, SonarLint, JavaScript (ES6) code snippets, npm Intellisense etc. for better bug finding, error identification, debugging, linking with browsers or other tools, better code suggestions. In all the VS code is the most popular, cool place for JS coding, development debugging etc.        

It has lately left behind many other programming languages viz- Python, Java in today’s world of mobile revolution, scalable web pages as well the elegance and dynamism of the web. A recent study shows JavaScript’s versatile, feature loaded and wide capabilities have made it indispensable for web applications. It has been used to create popular apps like Netflix, Candy Crush Saga, Facebook, Uber, eBay, Groupon etc. Given its C, C++, Java type programming structure it easily allows programmers to develop apps alternatively and more easily. Moreover, its HTML embedding allows it to be used for processes very easily for dynamic and featured web pages. It can used for Frontend as well as Backend web development. Thus, it can help store, retrieve data from backend devices as well as display them easily in web pages. Hence, we can develop full-stack web applications using one language. For mobile games, frameworks like React Native, Phaser, PixiJS etc. help develop fast and portable mobile games. It has database frameworks like MongoDB, NodeJS etc. to accomplish a lot in the web app development and deployment world.

However, given the fast-changing nature of web apps, it has to keep pace with transitions coming. Python has an upper hand in dealing with AI and AI-based services. New libraries like TensorFlow.js, Brain.js, Synaptic will use machine learning to train apps within JavaScript. On the other hand, AI integration in the web browsers will also enhance the capabilities of JS in creating and running interactive and dynamic webpages. In addition, new serverless models of web development, Web Assembly, better JavaScript Engine development, Framework evolution will help it retain its supremacy in the web app development and deployment business.                                 

Facebook Memes & Jokes

Facebook - The most popular and ubiquitous social networking site is a great repository of cards on jokes, memes and funny cartoons spread across diverse topics and issues. Quirky one or two-liners, poetry, cartoons or memes - meaningful and funny descriptions on real pictures, drawings etc. make up a lot for the humorous side of the page. Informative, educational as well as funny these jokes & memes have earned a distinct place among the mass public for various reasons of information, entertainment, laughter or even anger.

Photo Credit: Digital Mom Blog

They educate and alert the people about silly mistakes, stupidities or ignorance in life. Sarcastic and critical, they trickle the humor out of the saddest and depressed of the people. For example- The picture here on right(bottom) humorously displays the situation where a cat has a science magazine put on its back. Looking surprised and putting up a blank face, it seems to be curious like a science- enthusiast. Hence the tagline Trying To Absorb New Wave Sci-Fi. Another one (top, left) jokingly, tries to show how

Photo Credit: Wikipedia

 to prepare oneself for the week starting Sundays. Take the next one right (below), displays the lethargic attitude towards work on Monday. The message here says - "You can take this Monday and shove it" as if the person encourages others for a productive Monday and reap good profits from it. The picture of an encouraging, suggesting and a smiling person drives home the message very powerfully as well as clearly.  Beneficial jokes like these make good mood among the millions of users logged in here. Credits due to the creators of such useful art. Be it Companies, individuals or part-time contributors, they have made browsing the app more informative, happy, humorous and at the same time amply vetting out public expressions better.

Photo Credit: Digital Mom

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The impact of these varies from people to places to tastes and opinions. What may sound humorous to one may irritate someone or escape notice of any other. Some memes or jokes appear to amuse someone or make others roll out flat while they might be offending for someone else. This depends on the person reading it, his/her tastes, background, social or political affiliations etc. Sometimes controversy too erupts owing to objectionable depiction of characters or incidences. Memes depicting leaders, failed sports persons, celebrities etc. in high sarcasm or critique have not gone well everywhere. Some have led to attacks or assaults on the persons creating, distributing or sharing them. Some have been deleted after peer supervision or court orders. Examples of public riots and violence have also been reported on many memes or posts. In short memes & posts here are popular and thought-provoking at the same time. Viral memes or jokes do spread like wild-fire and create quick and massive outburst of public sentiment and emotions.     

Facebook being such a popular medium, memes & jokes whatever be their effects and response do create vibes healthy to public opinions, tastes or feelings. Deeper analysis of issues will provide more stuff for such creativities. The future of Memes & Jokes would surely be more complex, sophisticated and clearer. Use of AI apps to create jokes and graphical posts will be a step further. Wish more smarter and beneficial Memes & Jokes to brighten the days of its users and admirers.