Neeraj Mahar
1.4K posts

Neeraj Mahar
@prancing_crane
Wildlife | Canine | Waterbirds | Wetlands | Ladakh | Trans Himalaya | Hydropower | Mountain Ecology | जै हिमाल 🏔️🌲 #hilltribe Pithoragarh, Uttarakhand 🇮🇳

I must confess that until recently I had never heard of Phool Dei, a spring festival that was celebrated yesterday in the villages of Uttarakhand. Children gather fresh flowers from the hills and go from house to house placing them on doorsteps, offering a blessing for the household: “Phool Dei, Chhamma Dei, Deni Dwar, Bhar Bhakar…” roughly wishing the home prosperity. In return they receive sweets. It reminded me a little of Halloween in the U.S., where children go door to door saying “trick or treat.” But what a lovely contrast. Here the children arrive not threatening a prank, or asking first, but giving first. Flowers. In an age when we speak so much about environmental consciousness, this graceful celebration of spring and nature deserves to be far more widely known. Just as Holi travelled across India and the world, perhaps Phool Dei should too. For me, the children of Uttarakhand are my #MondayMotivation






Dehradun: Tripura Student Murder Case, Details Emerge A shocking murder case has come to light in Dehradun, where a student from Tripura lost his life after a violent attack earlier this month. Angel Chakma, an MBA final-year student at Jigyasa University, died on Friday morning (December 26) at Graphic Era Hospital. He had been undergoing treatment since December 9 after being brutally assaulted in the Selaqui area. Police say Angel Chakma and his younger brother were attacked following an argument at a liquor shop. The assailants allegedly used sharp weapons and iron rods, leaving Angel critically injured. The case, initially registered as an attempt to murder, has now been converted into murder following his death. In this case, five accused have been arrested: Shaurya Rajput, Avinash Negi, Suraj Khawas, Ayush Badoni, and Sumit. Police have identified Yash Awasthi as the main accused, who is currently absconding. Efforts are underway to trace and arrest him. Dehradun SSP Ajay Singh stated that police teams are actively pursuing the remaining accused and further investigation is ongoing.






















