Serendipity : Musings of an Islander

Few years back, it was one of our friends birthday and we had been invited to join him for a dinner. By evening everybody assembled at Susanto pan shop. As we were about to start, one of our friend announced a cocktail party,  preceding the dinner  had been arranged at Andabeda (little far away from the meeting place). All of us walked to the spot where M r Naidu  (Sada Siva) pulled a polythene bag from the bush. From the very appearance, one could judge it contained fried fish, but few of us was looking for something better. Just at the nick of time, Kam P rasad (Ram Prasad) appeared from nowhere with a bag. Center of attention immediately shifted to the clattering of bottles in the bag. That is it! exclaimed M urkesh (Tarkesh) and got the first bottle in his hand. Without waiting for the cheer, he gulped almost a quarter of it only to spew the liquid back at us! Ack thooooo! Interestingly during the time  M urkesh was gulping the “fool drink”  H ee...

Six years back, on 26 th day of Dec 2004, when the giant tsunami waves struck A&N Islands , there was absolute mayhem.  Everybody ran uphill to protect themselves, yet those nearest to the sea, stood firm and bore the burnt of natures fury silently, for they bear on their back the responsibility of protecting our coasts and they did it with firm determination. Who are they? They are the Mangroves; the silent sentinels of our coasts. Debkumar Bhadra | Musings of an Islander Mangroves are a group of salt tolerant tree species that grows in the saline marshy areas between the shore and the sea in tropical and sub tropical latitudes. They are found in the inter-tidal zones along the coasts, bays, estuaries, lagoons, creeks and backwaters which are exposed during low tide and flooded by sea during high tide everyday. Globally there are nearly 70 species of true mangroves found dominating three quarters of the tropical coastline.   Ind...

The news of CBSE question paper leak took the peace loving islanders by surprise. We have been hearing board exams are not being conducted fairly in remote islands especially in the Nicobar group wherein it is said even a lame duck could overcome the toughest hurdle easily. Students hailing from Andaman opting Car Nicobar as examination centre has been in vogue! The trend is more prevalent among compartment students. It is written on the wall, appear examinations from Nicobar centre and pass with flying colours! But the secret stands exposed courtesy a news item published in a local daily Aspect , much to the discomfort of those behind the conspiracy. Copying in exams used to be a regular feature, but the perpetrators upgraded to the next higher level – leaking question papers. Right from transportation of question paper bags from Port Blair to Car Nicobar, perpetrators had every bit of information. A trio, comprising a JE, a Ranger and Principal GSSS Lapathy, suppor...