Stampede at
Shirgao Zatra
It is shocking to note that a tragic stampede occurred at the Shree Lairai Devi temple during the Lairai Devi Zatra festival at Shirgao in the early hours of Saturday. Six people have reportedly died and 74 others sustained injuries. It is probably for the first time that Goa has witnessed so many deaths in a stampede.
Thousands of devotees from Goa, Maharashtra and Karnataka attend the annual festival. Of the 74 injured, eight are reportedly in critical condition, including two on ventilator support. They have been referred to Goa Medical College (GMC) in Bambolim for advanced care. Several others are being treated at Asilo Hospital and the North Goa District Hospital in Mapusa. Incidentally this year, the Zatra saw the largest-ever police deployment of more than 1000 police personnel for security and smooth proceedings. Drones were placed to maintain aerial surveillance on the crowd movement.
A riot control vehicle was also stationed at the venue. However no one expected a stampede to take place at the site. What is vital when there is a gathering of such a large crowd at one spot is strict crowd management and immediate emergency response. People falling from the slope was probably the prime reason for the stampede as they fell on one another.
When a large number of people gather at a spot the ground needs to be of one level in order to prevent people from slipping and falling. This aspect needs to be looked into by the authorities in future.
Adelmo Fernandes, Vasco
Laughter tonic
is the best of all
Life without laughter is like a flower without fragrance. Laughter can firmly put both physiology and psychology of a person in top gear. Retaining the ability to laugh at oneself, someone or something can be one of the most precious qualities of a man or a woman.
It is a line that separates laughter and pain, happiness and sadness, comedy and tragedy. For enjoying life and keeping vibrancy of life alive, nothing can beat laughter. Give a person the uncanny sense of humour, even the wry one, there is no way he will slip into grief.
To keep apprehension, tension and depression at bay, to keep friendship and relation intact, to disentangle from a tricky and tight situation, the " laughter tonic" can help. Plenty of human emotions are described as mankind's blessing to people, and humour is counted as one.
Studies and statistics have their own value; but individuals' intricate faculty to loosen their facial muscles, let out a guffaw and go gaga transcend learning, research and scholarship. "World laughter day" observed on May 4, was founded in 1998 by India's Madan Kataria, a physician and founder of Laughter Yoga.
Ganapathi Bhat, Akola
Vietnam victory over US
The Vietnam War, which ended 50 years ago with the fall of Saigon in 1975, holds enduring lessons for the world—militarily, politically, and morally. The victory of the Vietnamese over the Americans was seen as that of David against Goliath, the small nation against the big one.
The ‘Napalm Girl’ is a famous photo that shocked the US public in 1972 about the terror of the Vietnam War. For many Vietnamese, the war wasn’t just about communism vs. capitalism—it was a fight for independence and national reunification after decades of colonialism. That deep-rooted nationalism gave the Vietnamese resistance unmatched resolve, which foreign military power could not erode.
Vietnam’s victory teaches that wars are not just about who has more weapons, but about who has more resolve, legitimacy, and understanding of the terrain—both physical and human. It remains a cautionary tale about the dangers of extreme pride and the need for humility in global affairs. Vietnam is a major reason why a country like the US, which has been at war throughout its existence, is today reluctant to invade other countries to make them follow its writ.
Gregory Fernandes, Mumbai
Rare earth minerals
are of importance
The US & Ukraine have signed an agreement on the rare earth minerals that are available in the latter country. It is a bilateral agreement and has got nothing to do with India. Therefore one is not able to understand the news reports that say it will be beneficial for India. We should have some self-respect and some shame not to be a hanger-on at the tables of the US and Ukraine and wait for their leftovers or chew on the bones that they drop while they partake of the choice meat. The rare earth minerals are of strategic importance in the automotive, electronics, defence and space industries. There are some deposits within India and we have a private entrepreneur prospecting and mining for it under licence in some African country. Thus if we have to acquire the rare earth minerals we should do it on our own steam and not as a camp follower of the US and pick up leftovers as a consequence of the US-Ukraine agreement.
Srinivas Kamat, Mysore
May Himanshi’s
tribe increase!
While we are struggling to come out of the unbearable sorrow due to the death of 26 innocent people in the dastardly and unpardonable terrorist attack in Pahalgam, we are further saddened to learn that the hard core right wing elements are attacking the Kashmiri students in different parts of the country and also the hapless Muslims who are in no way connected to the terrorist attack in Kashmir.
It is said that unable to bear the torture given to them by the right wing goons and to save their lives, many Kashmiri students have already returned home. It is alleged that the police who have to maintain law and order remain a mute spectator to the atrocities committed by the lumpen.
In this context, it is really adorable that Himanshi who lost her husband Navy Officer Lt Vinay Narwal whose forlorn figure next to her slain husband became the face of the Pahalgam massacre has appealed to people to stop spewing hatred against any community. She insisted that we should only strive for peace and advised the hard core elements not to harm Muslims or Kashmiris. Even her loss is substantially irreparable, Himanshi' s love for others who are also innocent like her husband who was slain by the terrorists is beyond appreciation. As she wished, may her husband's soul rest in peace. And as per our wish, may her tribe increase!
Tharcius S. Fernando, Chennai