Bhutan is a Leading Power in Promoting Environment Conservation

As the dominant powers of the world in 21^st century are scrounging ways to halt forest depletion, Bhutan has become the first nation of the world to design specific constitutional obligations for the people to preserve the environment. As per the legislation, atleast 60 percent of the nation must remain under forest cover mandatorily at all times.

There Are No Traffic Lights in Bhutan

In case you visit Thimpu, the capital of Bhutan, then don’t worry about flouting traffic rules because there are no traffic lights to mediate the traffic. Instead of the usual red, yellow and green signals, there are traditional outposts at the intersection on the roads. At these traditional outposts, a policeman stands, mediating the traffic manually, because Bhutanese prefer to have things in a much traditional way.

Here Happiness is Valued Over Money

Bhutan is one of those rare nations of the world where the quality of life is of utmost importance. There Gross Happiness index is more important than Gross National Product. The former king of Bhutan, Jingme Singye Wangchuck, is accredited to introduce the tradition of introducing the Happiness Index. This concept highlights the importance of non- economic aspects in analysing the wellbeing of the people of a country.

Bhutan Has a Uniform Dress Code for Entire Country

Bhutanese are obliged to wear their traditional outfit to work as well as to the monasteries. Men wear a traditional outfit called gho, judo styled suit and women wear a kira, an ankle-length dress to work. As formal wear, men don a Kabney draped over the Gho. Kabney is a symbol that signifies different groups or professions, so there are different colours and designs of a Kabney for different professions and levels

Television and Internet Services Made Their Way Into Bhutan Lately in 1999

Bhutan has always considered television and internet as a corruptive force to its national and traditional Buddhist heritage. To this date, it has restricted contacts with the outside world. Bhutan had banned television in 1992. But as the country stood at the threshold of the new millennium, the former king Jingme Singye Wangchuck showed a green signal to the television and internet services.

No Smoking in Public Areas

Bhutan emerged as the first country on the planet which banned smoking and use of tobacco in any other form in public areas such as dzongs, chortens, parks, hotels, restaurants, markets, cinema halls etc. Public transports, such as buses, are covered under non-smoking zones. Any citizen found guilty of selling of using tobacco in public is subjected to imprisonment.

Halt Before You Eat

In case you end up as a guest at a Bhutanese house then be cautious not to start gulping down the morsel immediately after it is served! This is because in Bhutan there is a custom of refusing food for the first time when it is served. The country has an interesting list of customary rules to remember when eating. For example, when offered food, one is supposed to say meshu- meshu while covering your mouth as if refusing the offer. On the second or third offer, you can accept.

An Ode to Matriarchy

In Bhutan, feminism of its own kind blooms. Traditionally, it is women who inherit family property and after marriage, it is the husband who moves in with his wife in the latter’s ancestral place. In the realm of decision making, women have considerable involvement. Their participation is often as high as 70% at grassroots level. A considerable number of women are also present as landowners.

Bhutan- A Safe Haven for Tourists?

As Bhutan is deep-rooted traditionally, culturally and spiritually in Buddhism which propounds the values like love, compassion and peace, the crime rates here are comparatively low. There are fewer occurrences of grave crimes committed statistically.

Bhutanese Celebrate Birthday on New Year

Do you often keep forgetting people’s birthdays? Well if you do, then get acquainted with Bhutanese who do not have to worry about the birthday calendar. In Bhutan, Citizens turn a year older on January 1st of each year. In case they forget their special day due to illiteracy, the government ensures that they do not miss the celebration on the new year. They give more relevance to year than month or date which has given birth to the tradition.

To Conclude…

Bhutan has emerged as one of the stalwarts leading the battle of environmental sustainability. It has emerged as a nation which stands apart from the crowd in terms of the laws and enactments passed by the government. Moreover, what makes this event special is that all these measures have contributed to an increase in the bar of living of the people in general wherein each citizen leads a contended and satisfied life.

Even though these rules and regulations might sound restrictive and bizarre to ordinary people, the Bhutanese have tremendous respect and reverence towards these customs and traditions. They have accepted their land, religion and the constitution with open arms. Even though the tourism industry has boomed in this serene country, there is a lot more left to explore its culture, traditions and natives. Thus this tiny Himalayan kingdom situated amidst misty mountains still remains an enigma for the larger world

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Today it has become renowned across the continent for its vibrant wholesale and retail stores. Its serpentine lanes, crowded streets and encroached roads have their own charm for the ordinary. It is its everlasting grandeur which captivates people from every rung of society.

Laying Down the Bricks of Foundation

When the Mughal emperor Shahjahan relocated his capital to Delhi, this square was designed by his beloved daughter, Jahanara Begum. There are many legends which go behind the title of the marketplace. Some historians believe that there was a pool which shimmered under moonlight due to which the entire township seemed to gleam like silver, rendering it the name, Chandni Chowk. Whereas some narrow their focus on the word ‘Chandni’ and believe it to be drawn from the silverware shops that lined the bazaar.

The market was originally divided into four distinct smaller parts, namely Urdu Bazar, Johri Bazar, Ashrafi Bazar and the Fatehpuri Bazar. In stark contrast to its existing description as congested town space, Chandni Chowk was once a stately promenade commonly incorporated in royal processions.

This moonlit square has always had a cosmopolitan air about it. Merchants traversing from across the borders to sell their wares from Europe and Asia resided in the traditional serais or inns which lined the esplanades. Each of these bazaars has come to be renowned for selling a particular commodity. Amidst the mayhem created by the chaotic flow of traffic, life flourishes in this oldest market with gusto. Some of its renowned markets are:

Fatehpuri Market

This market is renowned among the cloth traders spanning across all economic groups. In this colourful market, textiles are sold in bulk measured in traditional ‘thaan’ or yarn over metres. The market serves as the epicentre which provides cloth to further retailers at wholesale prices. Of the wide assortment of textiles sold here, some of the renowned types are chiffon, net, georgette, cotton etc.

Dariba Kalan

Dariba Kalan is the talk of the town for its hand-crafted jewellery. Some traditional shops specialise in gold and silver items. From contemporary fashionable designs to traditional kundan laced ornaments, this market is a haven for those in hunt of bridal stuff as well as daily wear.

Perhaps the most enticing thing of all is the varied price range of the products. The market caters to the tastes of all segments of the population. Of all the lucrative products, one rare item that is the talk of the town is the traditional itar, a unique variant of perfume and attar. Its refreshing fragrance is associated with Islam. It used to be in wide circulation in the olden times when the nobility habited at the bazaar, used it in little colourful glass vials.

Urdu Bazaar

Urdu Bazaar, originally a military camp market was a major attraction in the city in olden times. Though it was ruined during the revolt of 1857, its name survives as a location near Jama Masjid. Today, one can find the street lined with butcheries, cheap hotels, traditional inns and kebab shacks. Interestingly, the language of poets, Urdu is said to have got its name from this thriving marketplace.

OLD DELHI’S STREET FOOD: A FOODIE’S DELIGHT!

The narrow bylanes of Chandni Chowk have always been a foodie’s paradise. Counting upon its cosmopolitan heritage down in the pages of history, the food fabric of the Chowk has been diversified by the legacy left behind by the traditional trading groups and the ruling class who thrived here in olden times. The aristocratic class which patronised art, music and dance, was equally conscious about its food culture.

According to a legend, the street food of Delhi evolved during the times of Shahjahan. It is said that when Shahjahan shifted his capital to Delhi, his hakim, the royal physician was somehow upset. When asked to reveal the reason, he said that the water of Yamuna was so polluted that the entire population which migrated from Agra to Shahjahanabad with the royal entourage would fall sick.

Hearing this, Shahjahan was caught in a fix because he could not retreat after having shifted the capital of the empire. It was then, that the hakim came to rescue. He said the people will have to consume an ‘extra’ intake of spices to fight against the impurities present in water and then to balance the intake of spices, people will have to consume oil.

This point in history is denoted as the signal of for the beginning of street food culture of Delhi. The emperor ensured that the food was available at every nook and cranny of the town. Hence began the story of spicy, hot and oily chicken tikkas and kebabs for non-vegetarians and gol-gappe, papdi chaat and tikis for the vegetarians.

Since then, Old Delhi’s Chandni Chowk area has become synonymous with lip smacking street food. Each tourist who steps on Delhi’s soil, makes a pilgrimage to this marketplace to taste this diverse confluence of cuisines. Today some of the renowned shops in the area are being run by the fourth and fifth generation of a family.

But the talk about Chandni Chowk’s food sounds like a half-cooked meal if we do not discuss the spine of the food culture, the Legendary Paranthe Wali Gali! Thriving amidst the confines of the Chowk, the Gali is of Bollywood fame. Tracing back to times of freedom struggle, some of these shops brag about their glorious past with the framed photographs depicting the leaders savouring the delectable paranthas while engrossed in deep discussion.

Today one can find at least a dozen different varieties of paranthas being displayed on their menu board. They are served with an assortment of aloo ki sabzi, sweet banana chutney, petha and mixed achar.

The overcrowded streets and smoky bylanes of the chowk are no deterrent for food lovers when the charm of this erstwhile royal esplanade evokes their heart!

Some Food for Thought…

Even with increasing competition from the numerous local markets and shopping malls that offer modern facilities and conveniences, the sprawling bazaar manages to retain its place as an important marketplace. In the recent months, the government has taken over its shoulder the arduous task of making Chandni Chowk pedestrian-friendly hoping to reinstall its denuded glory.

As the rules of lockdown gradually become relaxed and the traders of the ever-bustling chowk trickle back to work, Shahjahan’s moonlit square will eventually get a new lease of life!

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No Mobile Phone Phobia or ‘Nomophobia’ is the irrational fear of being without your mobile phone or being unable to use your mobile phone for a certain reason. The condition is characterized by feelings of anxiety when people lose their phones, run out of battery life, or have no cellular coverage.

In today’s era when physical interactions have come to a halt and an air of uncertainty fills the surroundings, it’s our gadgets which keep us huddled together as a community. These days when our mobile phones serve as the sole source of connection with the world outside, the over-reliance on gadgets leads to the development of behavioural addiction.

Therefore, when a person is out of reach of her/his mobile phone, she/he often experiences anxiety, fear or even feelings of fear and panic. Experts believe that if left unsupervised, such a condition can be detrimental for physical and mental health in the long-run.

Unearthing the Statistics

In the 21st century, when technology has eclipsed all areas of human endeavour, a huge chunk of the population is vulnerable to develop symptoms of nomophobia. On average, a person checks her/his phone about 110 times a day without any concrete reason.

A study in Britain on mobile phone users suggests that 53% people tend to feel anxious when they lose their mobile phone, run out of battery or balance, or have no network coverage’. Nearly 72% of respondents admitted that there is a bleak chance that they will ever stay more than 5 feet away from their mobile phone.

In the United States, 66% people suffer from nomophobia. One in five people admit that they would rather go without shoes for a week than take a break from their phone.

A study conducted in India indicates that 43% of people use their phones more than 5 hours a day. Over 30% tend to check their phones more than 50 times a day while 31% check as frequently as every 10 minutes. It is reported that there is lesser number of calls or emails received and sent, than text messages.

These statistics suggest that mobile phones are primarily being used for accessing social media than for traditional ‘calling’ purposes. Around 85% use these palm-sized gadgets for simply ‘killing time’.

Who is Most Vulnerable?

Research investigations reveal that people falling between the age group of 18-24 are most prone to develop symptoms of nomophobia. It’s clearly evident that college students seem to fall under high levels of nomophobia than the working populace. This is primarily due to comparative higher availability of leisure time, a lesser number of responsibilities, curiosity to explore new technology at hand and extensive usage for educational and research purposes.

A research sample conducted with over 1500 students on prevalence of nomophobia in India point out to gender disparity in numbers. While women often fall under the category of ‘moderate’, ‘men’ usually show ‘mild’ symptoms. Though both have the tendency to develop ‘severe’ levels of the phobia.

Of the many reasons identified which increase vulnerability, one of the important causes is the easy and affordable access to internet. But even this luxury comes laced with potential risks as people spend hours lying on their couch, sending across text messages to their near and dear-ones with the help of free messaging applications, available just a finger-tap away.

Moreover, with the advent of social media, the entire planet has been woven into a tiny virtual space in our palms. It has got translated into our sole source of connection with the outside world. Therefore people are getting easily dependent on their phones to maintain affinity with their closed ones. Increased number of people are also using it as a tool to do away with their feelings of loneliness.

Symptoms of Nomophobia

A person symptomatic of nomophobia shows a number of physical, emotional and cognitive symptoms such as:

• Breathing at a faster rate, increased heart rate, sweating, shaking and trembling. People may also begin to feel weak or dizzy.
• The inability to turn off one’s phone
• Constantly checking the phone for missed messages, emails, or calls
• Charging the battery even when one’s phone is almost fully charged
• Fear of being without WiFi or being able to connect to a cellular data network

As the number of hours of mobile phone usage accelerates, the tendency to succumb to nomophobia increases. In the absence of their gadgets, some people may even start experiencing withdrawal symptoms.

Frequent or compulsive mobile phone use is also connected to increased stress, anxiety, and depression. Excessive phone use has been linked to a number of negative effects that include decreased grades, lower life satisfaction, and a lower sense of overall well-being.

Dealing with Nomophobia

Nomophobia if left unattended, can metamorphosise into a grave problem for mental and physical health. Therefore, taking timely action and repairing the faucet before it bursts can avert the impending danger. Some of the ways to keep a tab on mobile addiction are:

• One can design a sturdy schedule and adhere to it religiously. The time for using the phone can be determined in advance and alarms can also be set as reminders.
• A person must try to have more in-person interactions with people who are in physical proximity. Having a short conversation with a co-worker, chat with a classmate or neighbour can lower one’s feelings of loneliness and reduce the tendency of excessive usage of the phone.
• In India, we have a tradition of keeping fast on certain days. Likewise, one can set aside at least one day in a week as a ‘tech-free day’ and use the time to focus on oneself, one’s hobbies and even relax and do meditation.
• If possible, one can to try to leave the phone at home for short periods of time, such as while going for a walk, purchasing groceries etc. Just being mindful of one’s activities around can have a relaxing effect on the mind.

Lastly, in case one faces severe symptoms of nomophobia, then taking psychiatric aid is also an option available. Trained mental health experts can help a person with medications and therapies. Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) and Exposure Therapies have come a long way to help in reducing symptoms of nomophobia.

Conclusion

Nomophobia is just one example of the many health hazards posed by the over-dependence on technology. With unrestrained use of gadgets, the human populace seems to pave the trajectory towards its own doom. Being cautious of one’s mobile phone usage, taking timely action in case of adversity and maintaining good and healthy social relations can perhaps prevent the impending tragedy in the coming years.

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Hearing Kitty’s cries for help, a neighbor, Robert Mozer, yelled out of his window, “Leave that girl alone!”, causing the attacker to flee. Kitty Genovese, gravely injured, staggered to her apartment out of sight of any witness. Ten minutes later, the assailant returned, only to rape, murder and rob her. Kitty’s mutilated body was found by a neighbor, Sophia Farrar, who called the police. The entire macabre lasted for 30 minutes and Kitty Genovese lost her life en route to the hospital.

This incident left a mark in history forever. Investigators revealed that the entire abhorrent spectacle was witnessed by 37 onlookers and none of them came out to help. They saw the drama unfold before their eyes from the precincts of their home. Some stared from the window, some phoned each other while others pulled out a chair to sit and enjoy the scene.

The murder of Kitty Genovese sparked widespread interest among psychologists to investigate why people do not help in case of an emergency. They came with a concept which we term as Bystander Effect.

What is Bystander Effect?

According to psychologists, bystander effect is the inhibiting influence of the presence of others on a person’s willingness to help someone in need. The greater the number of bystanders, the less likely are the chances that the person in distress will get help.

John Darley and Bibb Latane, eminent social psychologists conducted classic studies to understand this phenomenon. In one of their experiments, subjects were seated in three different treatment conditions:

alone in a room, with two other participants, or with two confederates who pretended to be normal participants. The participants were asked to a fill out a questionnaire. As they worked, smoke began to fill the room.

The researchers found that when participants were alone, 75% reported the smoke to the experimenters. In a room with two other people, just 38% of participants reported the smoke. In the final group, the two confederates in the experiment noted the smoke and then ignored it, which resulted in only 10% of the participants reporting the smoke.

This study illustrated that, as the number of participants increased, the reporting of smoke in the room decreased. Thus contrary to the popular belief, the presence of more people can turn out to be detrimental in case of an emergency situation.

What are the causes of Bystander Effect?

Researchers have pin-pointed a number of factors behind this phenomenon such as:

1. Diffusion of Responsibility

Diffusion of responsibility is a psychological phenomenon in which people are less likely to take action when in the presence of a large group of people. This is primarily because, in the presence of a large group, people experience a sense of de-individuation, the responsibility to help gets diffused or distributed and as a result no one singularly feels pressurised or guilty for the same.

According to Latane and Darley, when a person comes across a stressful situation, he/she makes a series of decisions to decipher whether help is required:

• The first step involves actually noticing a problem.
• Second, the individual must decide if what they are witnessing is actually an emergency.
• Third, perhaps the most critical decision in this process: Deciding to take personal responsibility to act.
• The individual decides what has to be done.
• Finally, the bystander actually takes action.

It is after going through this decision-making process that a person makes a decision whether help is required in the situation.

2. Norm Of The Social Setting

The situations of emergency are often chaotic and stressful and often to make a decision to intervene, people look at others to decipher the acceptable norms of conduct. If others do not help people, think that perhaps help is not needed.

3. Ambiguous Nature Of The Situation

Many times bystanders hesitate to intervene because the situation is unclear. They shy away from making a decision to help if the need and cause of the situation are unclear.

For instance, in the case of Kitty Genovese, many witnesses reported that they believed that they were witnessing a “lover’s quarrel,” and did not realize that the young woman was being murdered.

4. Feelings of inadequacy in terms of required strength and traits to be able to help and thinking that others are better equipped to aid.

5. Fearing a cumbersome interrogation by the police as an eyewitness.

Incidences Of Bystander Effect In India

Perhaps the very first incidence of bystander effect in our country took place in the courtroom of Hastinapur where Draupadi was insulted and warriors meekly passed the onus of responsibility from one to another.

In one recent case, 35-year-old Narender Kumar recalls the harrowing experience when he was lying on road bleeding for 12 hours and none of the passers-by heeded to his calls for help. Worse, some of them stopped only to rob him of his money and phone.

What we see in India and in other parts of the world as well as the case of sheer public apathy. Incidents like these are no longer a novelty. Moreover, these silent perpetrators further aggravate a victim’s pain by video-recording the scene for their fruitless WhatsApp and Instagram feeds.

Dealing with Bystander Apathy

Psychologists believe that bystander paralysis can be best reduced by awareness among the masses. Simply knowing the causes that hold a person back from intervening in an emergency situation can make a person take conscious decisions to overcome it.

Secondly, a major factor which hinders public intervention is the fear of getting entangled with police and court formalities for case interrogation. SaveLife Foundation, a non-profit committed to improving road safety and emergency medical care across India, explains that 74% of bystanders during road accidents do not help the victim.

But as many people might be unaware, The Good Samaritan Law enacted by the Supreme court of India in March 2016 allows a person to come forward voluntarily to administer immediate assistance or emergency care to a person injured in an accident, or crash, or emergency medical condition. The law protects Good Samaritans from harassment on the actions being taken by them to save the life of the road accident victims. Thus the need of the hour is to spread awareness among the masses.

Dr. Harish Shetty, a psychiatrist, says that, “We are taught from a very young age not to meddle in others’ affairs. It’s easy to sit in your drawing room and have conversations on standing up for what is right. But when it comes to helping someone who is not a part of your family or friends’ circle, people

tend not to intervene. Taking a stand and rocking the boat is not a part of our psyche.”

Thus, to address the situation in a holistic sense, a mass awareness programme is required. Perhaps, our principle of ‘Vasudheva Kutumbakam’ meaning ‘World is a family’ can be taught in schools so that our upcoming generation is morally educated to extend a hand of help in case of emergency. A sense of empathy must be ingrained at a larger scale so that people do not apathetically witness a situation but rather take a conscious decision to help and those coming out to help must be publicly lauded.

Lastly, one must learn to take the lead. If others do not act, one must step forward and actively ask others to assist the person in need.

So let’s all come together as the baton bearers of change and take the lead to raise an ode to humanity!

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