Punjab Diary: Lok Sabha election and toilets

Amritsar: All political parties are fighting for the public’s attention ahead of the Lok Sabha election. Ashok Talwar, chairman of the Amritsar Improvement Trust, dedicated the refurbished restrooms at the Nehru Shopping Complex last week. But when asked what would happen to other abandoned restrooms in the sacred city, he was at a loss for words.

Friendly IAS officer Vaastu

Patiala: A freshly moved IAS officer in Patiala objected to moving into his official residence until the “house is set right as per Vaastu.” According to a senior official, he has requested a number of officers to make sure the needed modifications are done. Remarkably, a few years before, a lady IAS official lived in the same home, and a self-described godman was often seen carrying out rituals there.

Kharge ji and his horde of devotees

Gurdaspur: Name-dropping is the newest trend among congressmen. Party guys often attempt to make an impression on each other by stating something along the lines of, “I just returned from Delhi after meeting Kharge ji.” 80 per cent of Congress leaders who have “met” Kharge, conservatively estimated, have been offered the Gurdaspur ticket! Twenty percent still say that “if the party wins, Kharge ji has offered me a plum posting in the Centre.” To uncover the truth, someone has to have the guts to burst the inflated balloons of their twisted, too-good-to-be-true tales. Kharge ji may not be aware of what is happening in Gurdaspur under his name!

Punjab’s cultural legacy

Ludhiana: Namune Dariyan De: Dariyan Wali Peti, a coffee table book written by Dr. Jagdish Kaur of PAU’s Department of Agricultural Journalism, was just released. The book explores Punjab’s rich cultural legacy, with a focus on carpets. It not only encapsulates the spirit of the durries but also tells the tales of strong Punjabi women who have preserved this elaborate craft for many years.