Whistling a different tune

A thirst for fame and recognition often drives some people to do things which most of us would term bizarre. One such person is Harbhajan Si...

A thirst for fame and recognition often drives some people to do things which most of us would term bizarre. One such person is Harbhajan Singh Yogi, who works in an auto factory in Chandigarh. This 25-year-old took a fancy to keep a peepni whistle in his mouth when he was just 10 years old. But the instrument has been in the very same place ever sincethat is, for 14 long years. Yogi says that the only time he is separated from his precious peepni is when it needs cleaning or when has to be replaced once in every six months.

8220;Earlier, it was just a habit. Now, I want to get my name entered in the Limca Book of World Records,8221; he explains.But he does manage to do other things with his peepni than just keeping it in his mouth. Yogi has apparently drawn huge crowds in stage shows held in Chandigarh and Delhi by taking out the sound of a crying child, a barking dog and fighting hens from his whistle, besides playing poular Hindi film songs.

Monkeying around at Tis Hazari
Tis Hazari, Asia8217;s largest district court, might soon be mistaken for an animal shelter with an increasing number of monkeys, stray dogs and cows making themselves quite at home in the premises. Some of the dogs choose to beat the scorching heat by sleeping in the corridors right outside the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate8217;s court, oblivious of the feverish activity around them. The monkeys usually restrict themselves to a small patch of greenery in the civil side, amusing both lawyers and litigants with their antics. And every once in a while yousee a cow nonchalantly swishing its tail in the parking lot. Though the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals SPCA is situated just across the road, there8217;s no driving these animals out of court.

Going global with the Gayatri mantra
He is 84 years old, an age when most people prefer to slow down and take life easy. But Madan Lal Mehra, an NRI from the US of A, strives relentlessly for a causeto globalise the Gayatri Mantra.The mantra, he says, has striking similarities with the teachings of the Quran and the Bible and has the potential to cure almost every ill plaguing mankind.

Currently in India, Mehra has travelled around most of the world distributing copies of the Gayatri Mantra in different languages. He also says he8217;s sent several copies to heads of states and celebrities. The money for all this, incidentally, comes from Mehra8217;s own pocket.