New Delhi: A message to clean the Yamuna sent out through a campaign led by the Delhi Lt Governor has found resonance with clerics of several mosques, including the Jama Masjid, who appealed to members of the Muslim community to play their role in achieving this goal.
Lieutenant Governor (LG) V K Saxena had launched the Yamuna cleanliness drive on February 16 and after inspecting cleaning work at the Qudsiya Ghat, he had said that the target is to rejuvenate the Delhi stretch of the river by June 30.
In view of the LG’s initiative, clerics of several mosques here on Friday appealed to people to clean and rejuvenate the Yamuna, with the Mughal-era Jama Masjid making an announcement over its audio address system.
Mosques at Dwarka and Rohini, the Badwali Masjid at Daryaganj in Old Delhi and a mosque at the site of the Hazrat Nizamuddin Dargah, among others, conveyed the meaning and importance of the campaign.
People gather at mosques on Friday for ‘jummah’ prayers.
“After a long period, the government has taken a swift step to clean the Yamuna river. To clean the river, besides the role of the government, support of the people is also needed. Delhi’s LG V K Saxena has got a big stretch of the Yamuna cleaned, and more work is being in that direction,” the Jama Masjid announced.
He has appealed to the people to come forward to achieve this goal so that a good environment and clean water of the Yanuma can be enjoyed, it announced.
At the Badwali Masjid, a cleric told a gathering that the Hindu community considers Yamuna as a holy river, and the Muslim community should also come forward and contribute to its rejuvenation.
The cleric cited the importance of the river and said Mughal emperor Shah Jahan built the Red Fort in Delhi and Taj Mahal in Agra near the Yamuna.
Shah Jahah had also commissioned the Jama Masjid in the 17th century, the largest mosque in Delhi.
Jama Masjid’s Shahi Imam Syed Ahmed Bukhari had recently met the LG in connection with the campaign to clean the Yamuna, officials said.
Officials at the LG’s office had last month said that the efforts to clean the Yamuna will be boosted through wide ranging awareness campaigns, including involving priests to discourage people from throwing waste generated during religious ceremonies into the river.
Hyderabad: Telangana’s department of municipal administration and urban development on Tuesday launched a programme to rejuvenate and develop 50 water bodies in and around Hyderabad.
Minister for municipal administration and urban development K.T. Rama Rao inaugurated the ‘Lakes Development Programme’ at Khajaguda Lake.
Of the 50 lakes, 25 are in Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) limits and the remaining 25 in Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) limits.
Minister KTR handed over MoU certificates to real estate development companies which have adopted lakes for development. With a call to action, he urged them to carry out the development process to world-class standards.
He said that the periphery of the lakes will have walking tracks, landscaping, open gyms, benches, toilets, lights for evening walks, play area for children, gazebos, amphitheater and other facilities.
Exciting news for Hyderabad!
MA&UD Minister @KTRBRS launched the ‘Lakes Development Programme’ with an aim to revitalize and develop 50 water bodies in and around the city.
Let’s support this noble cause and work towards preserving precious water bodies. pic.twitter.com/2NGJoJkohG
— Minister for IT, Industries, MA & UD, Telangana (@MinisterKTR) March 28, 2023
KTR said that Durgam Cheruvu turned into a huge tourist attraction after the lake was developed, and added that there would be more such head turners.
He said that the idea of developing the lakes was conceived when the state government wanted to create spaces for senior citizens to take walks, for people to come with their children and other family members and spend time in leisure.
The minister spoke about the rapid growth in Hyderabad in the past eight years in IT, life sciences and other sectors and the world class infrastructure created here. “Hyderabadis are owning up, drawing pride from development on all fronts. We have just begun our journey. There are many plans,” said minister KTR.
Giving a sneak peek into a few of the plans for Hyderabad, the Minister said that in future, Hyderabad will have at least 250 kms of Metro line in and around the city and all the buses in Hyderabad will be electric.
Stating that no other city in India has the future and potential that Hyderabad has, KTR added that plans are afoot for the expansion of medical devices park, another world class film city, an international-standard sports city, and an academic city.
SRINAGAR: Modern science may take its time to establish the importance of herbal baths for postpartum women but Kashmir has used the bath for centuries is helping mothers to heal and bounce back to life. Rooted in tradition, the bath, after 40 days of the birth is a special occasion that honours a mother for giving birth to a life.
Loaseh Gasseh: The herbal mix that goes into the making of special fragrant and curative water that women use for bathing after 4 days of childbirth. KL Image by Ifra Reshi
“A mother carries her baby for nine months during which she goes through a lot of changes mentally and physically,” Raja Begum, herself a mother, said. “The bath is part of a set of practices that have passed on across generations and it helps in rejuvenation and healing.”
In Kashmiri, a postpartum lady is called Loase or Loaseh. Exactly 40 days after childbirth – normal or C-section, a mother is supposed to take a bath with Loaseh Aab (aab means water). It is a special water that is prepared by boiling Loaseh Gasseh in water for an hour or two, usually in a copper pot.
Tradition treats a mother like a patient for 40 days. She is served specially and given a lot of nutritious food. Apart from Koshur Kokur (courtyard chicken), they used to be fed with a lot of Haund (dandelion leaves), Lisseh – in certain cases, Vopul Haakh, which are vegetations having medicinal properties.
Normal practice is that the husband or her in-law brings, Peaw, a special visit to her, which brings in a lot of food items, besides clothing, warmers, beddings and – in certain cases, gold. This is seen as an occasion of celebration. Traditionally, the mother stays with her parents after the delivery. It is almost mandatory in the case of first birth unless the situation dictates otherwise.
Forty days later, the family gets ready for the bath and it changes the status of the mother. Now she can move around, go home, and get into the routine.
Almost in every society, such cultural rituals exist but in the case of Kashmir, the tradition is mixed with serious curative and healing efforts of the mother.
“It was my first experience of being honoured as a new mother,” Maroofa Majeed, a first-time mom, said. “The process was amazingly restorative and for the second time in my adulthood, I felt important and honoured – the first time was when I got married and the second time when I gave birth to the child.”
“I remember my mother being very cautious and excited about the day preparing the bath, steeping the herbs mixed with water in a big traditional copper pot and left for boiling on a traditional mud burner outside the house and then pouring into a big tub,” Nasreena Trumboo, another first-time mother, said. “She took a fistful of herbs and scrubbed and massaged my whole body for 20 minutes.”
It is just not a bath, it is literally a procedure that induces healing and rejuvenates the body.
An early twentieth century Kashmiri mother with her child
“The herbs used in the postpartum bath are part of Kashmiri folk medicines and not the Unani Tibb. It relaxes internal organs, balances the muscle tune, detoxifies and gives restoration to the body of postpartum women,” Dr Ayoub Sofi, Incharge Medical Officer Ayurveda, Yoga ad Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy (AYUSH) unit SMHS said. “In fact, the tourists and foreigners who come from far distances also take this medicinal herbal bath in Kashmir for relaxation and rejuvenation.”
The Loaseh Gasseh is a huge mixture of herbs, shrubs, leaves, wild fruits and roots together. These are sourced from different areas. Some of the items are cultivated in Doda, Gurez and Kishtwar areas. Many others are sourced from mainland India.
Practitioners believe a function of herbal medicines in bathing is to increase the involution of the uterus.
Sofi, however, regrets that the people bring these herbs from Bohru shops, people selling the herbs or herbalists, and take a postpartum bath at home without having proper awareness regarding the usage and benefits of all herbs. The pouch of the Loaseh Gasseh must contain a balanced mix of all the items that have been used traditionally. It includes various antiseptics and astringents that help heal and rejuvenate.
Normally, the Loaseh Gasseh has the following items:
Calendula, (Marigold, Jaffer): Anti-inflammatory properties that soothe and heal tissues.
Comfrey, (Black Wort): Heals bruises and sprains.
Sage leaves (Tej patta, Bargi Tej): Anti-inflammatory properties and also relieves muscles.
Liquorice, (Shangar): Repairs and reduces the number of bacteria on the skin.
Curuma, (laedri Gandri): An antiseptic having antioxidant properties that soothe joints.
Taraxacum, (Dandelions, hand): It has detoxifying properties, reduces scars and heals skin.
Unab, (Bray Mewi, Jujube fruit, Chinese date): Reverses the effects of ageing, has antioxidant properties, and fights and prevents cell damage.
Sapistan, (Lasora): Helps in relieving and relaxing pain.
In certain cases, even sea salt is also added to the water for its therapeutic uses.
This photograph put on social media in early 2023 shows a mother carrying her baby as the medicine drips into his veins. While it demonstrates the crisis of the public health infrastructure (it apparently taken in the casualty of a hospital in Anantnag), the photograph explains the costs that the mother pays in nurturing life.
Tradition suggests that the water needs to be boiled in a copper utensil for one to two hours and used when it is lukewarm. The boiled herbs are also used to scrub the body.
The herb collection costs not even a fraction of what eventually goes into its preparation. Normally, after the bath, women are supposed to take rest in a warm bed and have good meals. Since the water they use for bathing is aromatic, these women feel scented for many days.
In certain cases, like that of Kashmiri Pandits, the bath would be performed after 11 days only.
SRINAGAR: Modern science may take its time to establish the importance of herbal baths for postpartum women but Kashmir has used the bath for centuries is helping mothers to heal and bounce back to life. Rooted in tradition, the bath, after 40 days of the birth is a special occasion that honours a mother for giving birth to a life.
Loaseh Gasseh: The herbal mix that goes into the making of special fragrant and curative water that women use for bathing after 4 days of childbirth. KL Image
“A mother carries her baby for nine months during which she goes through a lot of changes mentally and physically,” Raja Begum, herself a mother, said. “The bath is part of a set of practices that have passed on across generations and it helps in rejuvenation and healing.”
In Kashmiri, a postpartum lady is called Loase or Loaseh. Exactly 40 days after childbirth – normal or C-section, a mother is supposed to take a bath with Loaseh Aab (aab means water). It is a special water that is prepared by boiling Loaseh Gasseh in water for an hour or two, usually in a copper pot.
Tradition treats a mother like a patient for 40 days. She is served specially and given a lot of nutritious food. Apart from Koshur Kokur (courtyard chicken), they used to be fed with a lot of Haund (dandelion leaves), Lisseh – in certain cases, Vopul Haakh, which are vegetations having medicinal properties.
Normal practice is that the husband or her in-law brings, Peaw, a special visit to her, which brings in a lot of food items, besides clothing, warmers, beddings and – in certain cases, gold. This is seen as an occasion of celebration. Traditionally, the mother stays with her parents after the delivery. It is almost mandatory in the case of first birth unless the situation dictates otherwise.
Forty days later, the family gets ready for the bath and it changes the status of the mother. Now she can move around, go home, and get into the routine.
Almost in every society, such cultural rituals exist but in the case of Kashmir, the tradition is mixed with serious curative and healing efforts of the mother.
“It was my first experience of being honoured as a new mother,” Maroofa Majeed, a first-time mom, said. “The process was amazingly restorative and for the second time in my adulthood, I felt important and honoured – the first time was when I got married and the second time when I gave birth to the child.”
“I remember my mother being very cautious and excited about the day preparing the bath, steeping the herbs mixed with water in a big traditional copper pot and left for boiling on a traditional mud burner outside the house and then pouring into a big tub,” Nasreena Trumboo, another first-time mother, said. “She took a fistful of herbs and scrubbed and massaged my whole body for 20 minutes.”
It is just not a bath, it is literally a procedure that induces healing and rejuvenates the body.
“The herbs used in the postpartum bath are part of Kashmiri folk medicines and not the Unani Tibb. It relaxes internal organs, balances the muscle tune, detoxifies and gives restoration to the body of postpartum women,” Dr Ayoub Sofi, Incharge Medical Officer Ayurveda, Yoga ad Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy (AYUSH) unit SMHS said. “In fact, the tourists and foreigners who come from far distances also take this medicinal herbal bath in Kashmir for relaxation and rejuvenation.”
The Loaseh Gasseh is a huge mixture of herbs, shrubs, leaves, wild fruits and roots together. These are sourced from different areas. Some of the items are cultivated in Doda, Gurez and Kishtwar areas. Many others are sourced from mainland India.
Practitioners believe a function of herbal medicines in bathing is to increase the involution of the uterus.
Sofi, however, regrets that the people bring these herbs from Bohru shops, people selling the herbs or herbalists, and take a postpartum bath at home without having proper awareness regarding the usage and benefits of all herbs. The pouch of the Loaseh Gasseh must contain a balanced mix of all the items that have been used traditionally. It includes various antiseptics and astringents that help heal and rejuvenate.
Normally, the Loaseh Gasseh has the following items:
Calendula, (Marigold, Jaffer): Anti-inflammatory properties that soothe and heal tissues.
Comfrey, (Black Wort): Heals bruises and sprains.
Sage leaves (Tej patta, Bargi Tej): Anti-inflammatory properties and also relieves muscles.
Liquorice, (Shangar): Repairs and reduces the number of bacteria on the skin.
Curuma, (laedri Gandri): An antiseptic having antioxidant properties that soothe joints.
Taraxacum, (Dandelions, hand): It has detoxifying properties, reduces scars and heals skin.
Unab, (Bray Mewi, Jujube fruit, Chinese date): Reverses the effects of ageing, has antioxidant properties, and fights and prevents cell damage.
Sapistan, (Lasora): Helps in relieving and relaxing pain.
In certain cases, even sea salt is also added to the water for its therapeutic uses.
Tradition suggests that the water needs to be boiled in a copper utensil for one to two hours and used when it is lukewarm. The boiled herbs are also used to scrub the body.
The herb collection costs not even a fraction of what eventually goes into its preparation. Normally, after the bath, women are supposed to take rest in a warm bed and have good meals. Since the water they use for bathing is aromatic, these women feel scented for many days.
In certain cases, like that of Kashmiri Pandits, the bath would be performed after 11 days only.
