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The current study was conducted at the different villages of the Arajiline block of Varanasi district, Uttar Pradesh, India during November, 2022-June, 2023 to evaluate the variability of soil properties and nutrient indexof soils. The random sampling technique was used to collect 40 soil samples at different locations with the help of GPS at 0-15 cm depth. The collected soil samples were air-dried in shade at room temperature, passed through a 2 mm filter paper, and analyzed for different physico-chemical properties. The result revealed that the TS (range 8.2-81.3%), VFS (range 4.2-35.5%), Silt (range 10.1-54.2%), Clay (range 7.7-38.8%), BD (range 1.08-1.45 g cm-3), PD (range 2.04-2.33), Porosity (range 30.24-51.56%) pH (range 6.4-7.8), EC (range 0.1-0.3 dS m-1), OC (0.2-0.6%), and available N, P, K, S, Ca, and Mg varied from 130.12-260.30 kg ha-1, 14.2-23.2 kg ha-1, 145.0-240.0 kg ha-1, 7.5-17.6 kg ha-1, 3.8-8.2 cmol(P+)/kg, and 2.1-4.1 cmol(P+)/kg, respectively. The findings indicated that the studied soils were slightly acidic to moderately acidic and free from salinity hazards; 70% of the soil samples were low in organic carbon, 30% were medium in organic carbon, and 100% of the soil samples were low in available N and medium in available P, K, and S. 100% of soil samples were found to be sufficient in exchangeable Ca and Mg. The findings of this research could help in crop nutrient management, fertilizer recommendation, and decision-making for increasing agricultural production and farmer profitability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper describes quantitative and qualitative dimensions of nanomedicine research studies in India. The study is based on research publications data in nanomedicine research (1491 publications) as covered in Scopus data base for the period 2002-20. The study finds that nanomedicine research in India registered a high 73.7% growth with an average of 22.93 citations per paper. The nano-oncology subfield accounted for the highest share (48.49% share) in the national output, followed by seven other nanomedicine subfields. Jamia Hamdard University, Delhi, Panjab University, Chandigarh and Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi lead as the most productive organizations in the country. The paper also lists the most productive authors in nanomedicine research. The most productive research journals that reported nanomedicine research in India include Nanomedicine, International Journal of Nanomedicine and Current Pharmaceutical Design. In addition, International Journal of Pharmaceutics, International Journal of Nanomedicine and Drug Delivery Today topped in the list of most cited research journals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 1985, Rick Asher and G.S. Gai, jointly edited a volume published by the American Institute for Indian Studies that was titled Indian Epigraphy. Its Bearing on the History of Art. The volume carried 50 papers, short, succinct, but truly important for art historians – the result of a conference held at Varanasi in 1979. My review for the Journal of Asian Studies ended with the comment that this was a book that would find itself on the shelf of any library interested in South Asia. My paper today is a tribute to Rick and his unerring sense of areas of significance in the field in which we have all involved ourselves over the years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The yarn selection is an essential step in the manufacturing of brocade. The objective of the research paper is the selection of the best yarn for manufacturing handloom Varanasi brocade. In this research paper, the nine natural fibers (Cotton, Kapok, Hemp, Jute, Palm, Pineapple, Bamboo, Sisal, and Flax) and their properties (Cost, Availability, Comfort, Durability, Texture, color, luster, Ease of use and social values) are considered. This study was conducted in two stages. In first stage, a draft questionnaire was created by considering previous research papers and informal consultation with Analytical hierarchy process (AHP) professionals. It was then tested with seven respondents. In the second stage, the questionnaire was circulated to the 135 consumers. An analytic hierarchy process (AHP) approach was utilized to determine the suitable material through a customer survey to select the best yarn for the furnishing and upholstery industry in Varanasi. The results of the study showed that the customers have given more weight to the availability, comfort and color criteria of handloom products, whereas the weight of the cost was less compared to all other criteria. From the overall weight matrix, the pine apple yarn was ranked as the best yarn for the manufacturing of the Banaras brocade, whereas flax was ranked last. The study was only focused on the selection of natural yarns for Varanasi brocade, and the data were collected only from the handloom customers who prefer offline shopping. It does not consider online customers. Therefore, future research should include the other types of yarns and online customers for the research study. The input of the customers will be helpful for the Varanasi handloom product manufacturers to understand customers' requirements, and it will help to improve sales performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plagiarism is a serious issue in academic and professional settings that can lead to negative consequences, including academic penalties and damage to professional reputation. The advent of technology has provided educators and professionals with a variety of tools and software to detect and prevent plagiarism. This paper explores the role of technology in detecting and preventing plagiarism, with a focus on the various software and tools available to educators and professionals. The paper examines the effectiveness of these tools and the challenges that can arise when using them. Additionally, the paper discusses strategies for preventing plagiarism before it occurs and explores the ethical considerations surrounding the use of plagiarism detection technology. The research findings suggest that while technology can be a valuable tool in preventing and detecting plagiarism, it is important to use these tools in conjunction with educational strategies that promote responsible writing and research practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is not unusual for a place to wait for years before being inscribed on the World Heritage List, but Sarnath—the place where the Buddha delivered his first sermon—has been on UNESCO's "tentative list" for close to 25 years. As a sacred place for Buddhist pilgrimages, Sarnath continues to attract thousands of visitors annually and yet, remains under-developed, unlike other pilgrim towns or religious tourism destinations. This paper examines the reasons for the stunted growth of Sarnath. The findings are based on fieldwork conducted in Sarnath in 2019. The analysis of stakeholder interviews suggests several reasons for Sarnath not being able to capitalize on its religious and cultural heritage for tourism-led development. It was found that the protection of the site as an archaeological park by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), which has been controlling development surrounding the park as well as prohibiting the performance of any rituals, have been the key endogenous factors that have contributed to the relative under-development of a Buddhist pilgrimage economy in the town. A handful of monasteries are where Buddhist followers stay and perform their pilgrimage rituals, rendering them as enclaves. Private-sector accommodation is also limited to around 15 hotels and guesthouses. Administratively, Sarnath does not have an independent governance structure. It is governed as just one ward (an electoral constituency) by the Municipal Corporation of Varanasi and is, thus, always under the shadow of Varanasi city. Varanasi is one of the most significant Hindu sacred cities and, hence, visitors stay there for much longer durations to soak in cultural offerings, including religious ceremonies around the Ganga River; a visit to Sarnath is secondary and often limited to a half-day tour. Moreover, the archaeological park at Sarnath serves a recreational purpose as a picnic site for domestic visitors. The exogenous factors mean that the interests of Sarnath (as a Buddhist site) are hardly acknowledged by the Hindu city of Varanasi. This paper argues that the multi-layered contestations that exist at the site level, the town–ward level, and between visitors and managers have further contributed to the poor state of heritage and tourism in Sarnath. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban poverty is a complex phenomenon and people experiencing poverty suffer from various deprivations. Multidimensional poverty measurement has been one of the best indicators of this deprivation. In general, slum dwellers are considered homogenous groups, but it is not valid in multidimensional deprivation. This paper aims to find out the correlates of multidimensional poverty in slums. Spatiality and correlates of poverty in Varanasi City have been tapped using statistical modelling. The paper is based on primary data collected from 384 households through an interview schedule from 12 slums across three geographical zones of the city. The MPI index for slums, based on global MPI, was used to compute MPI for each geographical zone. Further ANOVA and hierarchical regression analysis were performed to find spatiality and correlates of multidimensional deprivation. The paper reveals that socio-religious categories, occupation and geographical location are significant determinants or at least correlates of multidimensional poverty in slums. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The conservation of heritage and heritage-based tourism are interrelated activities in which the development in one can lead to the growth of the other and vice versa. In recent years, people have become increasingly aware of the importance of heritage and the necessity of its conservation. People's knowledge and preservation of their roots and emotional attachments to traditions and places are beneficial for heritage conservation activities. Heritage places are also considered a growth point for the tourism industry that supports small- and medium-scale industries as well as numerous cottage industries. However, with the development of tourism and related industries in heritage areas, the local community may face difficulties in performing their day-to-day activities in the area. In many cases, local communities need to relocate and people must leave their residences due to the demand for tourism development. A case study of Varanasi City was conducted to obtain a detailed understanding of the impact of a recent tourism development programme (the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor Project) and people's perception of it through a review of newspaper articles. It was found that people had mixed reactions regarding the development programme. The immediate residents of the area who were directly affected by the process in terms of emotional, economic and social loss were opposed to the project, while tourists and other residents of the city were pleased with the development activities. This paper attempts to identify the changes that occurred in the area due to the project and to capture people's perspectives regarding the corridor project of Varanasi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Macro-level studies on intergenerational mobility among women in India suggests that, there is a need to further probe certain excluded communities that have a higher likelihood of persistence of educational status among women through micro-level studies. The present study investigates the extent and drivers of high/low intergenerational educational mobility among young women (vis-à-vis their mothers) belonging to the weavers' community of Varanasi, India. Using transition/mobility matrices and mobility measures, along with qualitative methods, the paper builds on a mixed-methods study conducted among 364 households of weavers' community from Varanasi. The qualitative data includes a total of 8 respondents with 5 KIIs and 3 IDIs. The study shows that the overall intergenerational educational mobility among women (vis-à-vis their mothers) from the weavers' community of Varanasi is 0.30 and there is no downward mobility. The qualitative findings further highlight various reasons enabling or preventing high educational mobility in the given context. In conclusion, the paper illustrates several micro-level issues and disparities in intergenerational educational mobility that are not clearly evident through the macro-level studies and further helps in making informed policy decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This ethnographic study is an exploration of risk as an everyday practice that women undertake to actualize their mobilities and social worlds in the city of Banaras, renowned as a sacred urban city in Northern India. The scholarship about this site has typically not centered on women's experiences, knowledge, and lives, in narrating the overwhelming sacred rhetoric of the city. This paper contributes to the extant scholarship on gender, risk, corporeality, and urbanity by establishing a dialogue between risk theories embedded in institutional management discourse, emerging from Western contexts, and the lived and embodied risk practices of women in the global South. Risk, as conceptualized in this paper, presents a grounded discussion of women's active and conscious modes of being emplaced in myriad sites in urban cities through their mobilities. In essence, the paper draws links between the potentiality of everyday risk-taking and women's mobilities. This is achieved through interrogating the embedded notions of 'respectable' femininity, honor, fear, and violence, through ethnographic accounts of having observed, interacted with, and interviewed women from diverse socio-economic backgrounds in the city. In doing so, the paper argues that women attempt to enable themselves and recreate their worlds in a patriarchal urban setting through various intersectional forms of risk-taking, namely, what I denote 'imposed' and 'chosen' varieties, which intersect in complex ways. Therefore, the paper highlights women's risk-taking as potentializing the everyday but also views this as a practice that sustains them as inhabitants of Banaras. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper theorizes a concept of performance of everyday life at the intersection of performance theory, history and philosophy to posit the everyday as a world-historical stage on which subjects enact forms of historical consciousness. It takes as its empirical ground two historical iterations of a social club known as Thalua Club (Idlers' Club) that took shape in Banaras (Varanasi) – an ancient commercial and Hindu pilgrimage centre and currently the nerve centre of Hindu nationalist politics in India. The idea of a Thalua Club first finds expression in a satirical work from 1928 of the same name, in which the author, Gulab Rai – through the character of 'Devotee of Laziness' (Alasya-bhakt) – affirms the performance of 'uselessness' as a way to resist the 'tumultuous storm of usefulness' that capitalism augured. The club itself, which Rai is believed to have founded in Banaras in his time, was re-established in 1961 by the next generation of Banarasis on the new world-historical stage of postcoloniality and state-sponsored industrial modernization. However, in its second iteration, Thalua Club captures a particular historical anxiety of the Banarasis that stems from the peripheral role that Banaras is accorded in the project of modernization and nation-building as compared to other metropolitan cities. By analysing the two historical iterations, this paper problematizes extant postmodern theories of everyday life that conceive of performance of everyday life as merely individual, arbitrary acts of a subject imbued with agency, thus failing to grasp the specific ways in which it is shaped by history. In contrast, it calls for theorization of performance of everyday life that is not only deeply rooted in empirical history but is also impelled by an objective, world-historical consciousness that transcends its cultural particularity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Varanasi's prominence as a cultural and historical center means it receives visitors from all over the world. The city's tourism industry is a boon to the local economy. Better transportation infrastructure is crucial to attracting more tourists and increasing revenue. Varanasi is currently experiencing terrible difficulties due to various roadside frictional activities. Vehicle ownership grows in tandem with population growth. The increase in the number of vehicles on the road significantly impacts the reliability of the transportation network since land availability is fixed. The various roadside frictional activities usually found in the streets of Varanasi are on-street parking, pedestrian crossing, and Non-Motorized Vehicles (NMVs). There are not enough legal on-street parking and segregated lanes for NMVs/slow-moving vehicles or demarcation for pedestrian movements in the old city of Varanasi. Vehicles in Varanasi are traditionally parked on the street due to the narrow carriageways. Slow-moving vehicles are forced to move with fast-moving vehicles, and pedestrian crossings affect traffic flow. Integrated movement of slow-moving vehicles and rapid-moving vehicles affects traffic speed, pedestrian crossings impact the Level of Service (LOS), and on-street parking results in the reduction of the effective carriageway width and, hence, road capacity. This paper aims to identify the impact of pedestrian crossings, NMVs, and on-street parking on the traffic flow, speed, capacity, and LOS of urban arterial roads in Varanasi. To achieve this objective, two case studies were considered: the base section (with minimum side friction) and the friction section (with maximum side friction). The videography method was used for data collection. Nine hours of data were collected from 9:30 am to 6:30 pm. The video was played on the screen for data extraction. The speed model was developed by using fundamental diagram methods. Speed-density curve was drawn using Greenshield’s model. The speed-flow curve was derived from the speed-density curve to estimate the capacity at the base and friction sections. Reduction in capacity was determined by comparing friction section capacity with base section capacity. V/C ratio of a particular road compared with the V/C value provided by IRC 106 to predict LOS. A correlation model was developed between the percentage reduction in capacity and road width. Increase in parking, the proportion of NMVs, and pedestrian crossing frequency reduce the traffic flow. It was observed that a 34.10% capacity loss occurs at a 29.31% reduction in effective width, and a 40.54% loss occurs at a 40.98% reduction in effective width. Roads with frictional activities affected its level of service up to LOS-E (for the Bhelupur section). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The three-century-old city of Varanasi stands at crossroads between choosing to preserve its Heritagescape and generating a new-age urban landscape. The paper begins by exploring the concepts of Heritage and Heritagescape by taking a contextual stand, whereby it is constructed around the core argument that heritage is a tool in the hands of the powerful and what tangible and intangible aspects of the natural and human world shall be designated and retained as heritage is only a matter of power and power relations. The paper makes a conscious attempt to critically analyze the present-day urban transformations that the city is undergoing owing to its commitment toward a Smart City Mission and the resultant destructions and the contestations that emerge as a response to that. It concludes thereafter that the Smart City Mission in Varanasi has led to manipulative handling of heritage. Though it was launched with the promise of creating urban opportunities without having to pay up for the consequences, it seems unsuccessful in winning over the soul of the city and failing to the idea of sustainability in the process. The paper uses photographs and information from the field, digital and print media, and scholarly articles to substantiate the arguments made. It is more like an analytical essay, justified through evidence from the ground. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aims to provide a comprehensive evaluation of the Machine Readable Cataloguing (MARC21) metadata scheme for addressing the specific needs of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) of Varanasi in terms of classification, storage, preservation, and retrieval. Methodology: This study conducts a thorough review of manuals, research papers, and relevant literature on MARC21 in the context of Intangible Cultural Heritage. It explores the specific attributes and their requirements associated with different ICHs of Varanasi. Findings: The analysis of the Machine Readable Catalogue MARC21 reveals that its support for ICH is fragmented and falls short to encompass the diversity of ICHs for effective access. This underscores the importance of creating a dedicated metadata element set specifically tailored for ICHs. Practical implications: This study emphasizes the need to develop a metadata element set to support the amount of ICH information like unique techniques, performing arts, craftsmanship, attire, and social practices initiatives outlined in the "Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage" by UNESCO. Originality: This study sheds light on the overlooked problem of the specific needs of ICHs in terms of storage and retrieval. It highlights the significant challenges associated with the long-term preservation and retrieval of Intangible Cultural Heritage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Groundwater is an essential resource; around 2.5 billion people depend on it for drinking and irrigation. Groundwater arsenic contamination is due to natural and anthropogenic sources. The World Health Organization (WHO) has proposed a guideline value for arsenic concentration in groundwater samples of 10 μ g/L. Continuous consumption of arsenic-contaminated water causes various carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic health risks. In this paper, we introduce a geospatial-based machine learning method for classifying arsenic concentration levels as high (1) or low (0) using physicochemical properties of water, soil type, land use land cover, digital elevation, subsoil sand, silt, clay, and organic content of the region. The groundwater samples were collected from multiple sites along the river Ganga's banks of Varanasi district in Uttar Pradesh, India. The dataset was subjected to descriptive statistics and spatial analysis for all parameters. This study assesses the various contributing parameters responsible for the occurrence of arsenic in the study area based on the Pearson correlation feature selection method. The performance of machine learning models, i.e., Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost), Gradient Boosting Machine (GBM), Decision Tree, Random Forest, Naïve Bayes, and Deep Neural Network (DNN), were compared to validate the parameters responsible for the dissolution of arsenic in groundwater aquifers. Among all the models, the DNN algorithm outclasses other classifiers as it has a high accuracy of 92.30%, a sensitivity of 100%, and a specificity of 75%. Policymakers can utilize the accuracy of the DNN model to approximate individuals prone to arsenic poisoning and formulate mitigation strategies based on spatial maps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is an attempt to determine the burden of dementia among various socio demographic and personal variables and to find out the significant risk factors related to socio demographic and personal variables for dementia method using the primary data collected from the respondents through structured, pre-tested schedule method. Paper examines the significant risk factors and the distribution of this disease among elderly in Varanasi city, U P. This study is based on 183 males and 133 females aged 60 years and above to screen the dementia, Hindi Mental State Examination (HMSE) was used as the instrumental tool to find out the score of the individual and a cut off score of 23 is considered as positivity of dementia among the study subjects 2 test, univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis were used to find out significant association of risk factors with dementia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper will focus on a 20th century Nepali intellectual, Ram Mani Acharya Dixit (1883-1972), and his trans-border activities for the promotion of the vernacular by investigating his integration of the progress of a language with his nation, his apotheosis of the vernacular and his devotion in strengthening prose writing for the sake of the development of the divine mother tongue. Foregrounding his linguistic activities such as writing, publishing and printing in Nepal and India, with Benares in particular, it will try to answer questions such as: What was the motivating factor that inspired him to write and publish in the Nepali language? Was he in any way influenced by the Hindi language movement that was at its peak in North India of the time? How influential was Dixit's role in standardizing Nepali? Besides this Nepali language standardization concern, the paper will also examine Dixit's idea of serving mother, motherland, mother tongue and [Hindu] religion through service to a language. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - This paper helps understand the effective and influenced marketing on consumers through social media. This social media influencer value model is proposed as an integrated model to account for the roles of advertising value and source credibility. The amount of money spent on influencer marketing has skyrocketed in recent years. Design/methodology/approach - The paper is designed for an exploratory study using the open-ended approach of ground theory, which consists of 353 interviews with employees including students representing the millennial generation of Varanasi city. To estimate the linkage postulated in the current model, here a model partial least squares (PLS) route modeling technique is being used. Findings - The results of partial least squares (PLS) path modeling show that the informative value of influencer-generated content, as well as the influencer's trustworthiness, attractiveness, and similarity to followers, all influence followers' trust in influencers' branded posts, which influences brand awareness and purchase intentions. Research limitations/implications - Factors identified in this study helped us better understand the mechanism underlying effective influencer marketing, we recognize that other relevant factors, such as advertising literacy and followers' persuasion knowledge, could affect the process and were not included in this research. Second, this research looked at social media influencers and overall confidence in influencer-generated marketed postings. Because of message modality or influencer content variances across platforms, social media users may have various beliefs/attitudes towards influencers or influencer-generated branded posts on different social media platforms. Future research might look at influencer marketing on certain social media platforms. Practical implications - Influencers will also benefit from the study's suggestions. They can choose to create educational posts and indicate attractiveness and resemblance to their followers, which can favourably shape their followers' faith in their branded articles, in addition to maintaining their expert standing. Originality/value - This paper fulfils an identified need to study how consumers trust on social media is influenced by message value and credibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transit-oriented development is being largely proselytised in recent times as a notion for sustainable urban and regional development throughout the entire world. Well-recognition of land-use-transport feedback mechanism is visible in such planning notion, which advocates for integrated transport and land-use planning, as well as greater synergy between the efficiency of transit infrastructure and the intensity and diversity of land-use in respective transit station sites. Moreover, scrutinising such claims and further facilitating the notion of urban regeneration around transit hubs require a system of analysis as the initial thread towards more effective transit-oriented urban development. This paper makes reference to the Node-Place Model in order to examine the railway station districts of Varanasi Urban Agglomeration, with respect to their existing efficiency of transit infrasystem and land-use characteristics. This research is based on both the primary and secondary sources of information to assess the prevailing pattern of interaction between public transport and land-use in the select station districts (800 m. buffer zone around railway stations) of Varanasi Urban Agglomeration. The resulted discussion is expected to facilitate the spatial policymakers to plan for a better synergy between transport infrasystem (mainly railways) and land-use structure (intensity and diversity) for the respective sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wastewater treatment technologies (WWTTs) are employed across the world, and the selection is mainly based on 'past experiences' aimed at 'pollution prevention' in the receiving water bodies. This paper aims to develop a methodology for the selection of an appropriate wastewater treatment chain that produces effluent suitable for the defined reuse. Adopting the least weighted cost approach, four decision criteria: Capital cost, Operation and Maintenance cost, Land requirement, and Energy requirement, have been used and the Full Consistency Method (FUCOM) has been employed for obtaining weights. Quality expectations for 14 reuses have been enlisted, and 25 WWTTs have been evaluated in a total of 360 combinations. In Kanpur city, for water reuse in industrial cooling under restricted land and challenging influent quality conditions, a combination of Membrane Bioreactor (MBR) with Wuhrmann process (WP) is obtained as the most preferred suggestion. For non-potable domestic reuse, Anaerobic Anoxic Oxic (A2O) with Ultrafiltration (UF) and Reverse Osmosis (RO) is the most preferred combination. In Varanasi city, for vehicular washing operations and for flow augmentation (inland surface water), under energy-constraint scenario, high-rate activated sludge-based biological filtration and oxygenated reactor (BIOFOR-F) is suggested. For technology supplementation to existing ASP-based STPs in the city to obtain effluent for inland surface water augmentation, WP in combination with microfiltration (MF) and reverse osmosis (RO) is suggested. Thus, the developed model may be used as a decision-making tool for planning a reuse-focused water reclamation program or for upgradation of existing STPs as per resource availability and target reuse objectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents the analysis of a large number of whistlers recorded during the St. Patrick's Day geomagnetic storm (17–23 March 2015) at Indian low latitude ground station Varanasi (geomag. lat. 140 55/ N, geomag. long. 1530 54/ E, L = 1.078). The increased occurrence of the recorded whistlers has been explained in terms of duct formations for the propagation of whistlers during the geomagnetic storm. The whistler's activity extended up to the 19th March 2015 during the daytime. The ducted propagation of the recorded whistlers is supported by the analysis of the World-Wide Lightning Location Network (WWLLN) data. In this paper, the result showed that the occurrence time of causative sferics of more than 80 % was in good agreement with that of WWLLN lightning discharges within the propagation time. The origins of these lightning strikes are lying within a 500 km radius of the conjugate point of the Varanasi. By analyzing recorded whistlers, we have computed different ionospheric parameters of Earth. The dispersion for the nighttime whistlers lies between 11 and 15 sec½ whereas dispersion for the daytime whistlers lies between 12 and 25 sec½. The columnar ionospheric electron contents (TECs) computed for the recorded whistlers during nighttime lie between 25.47 TECU and 42.84 TECU whereas TECs of the daytime whistlers lie between 30.08 TECU and 125.48 TECU. These calculated columnar ionospheric electron contents are found to be of the same order of magnitude as the IRI-2012 modeled TEC over Varanasi and that of conjugate of Varanasi whereas GPS-TEC are found to be comparatively 8–15 TECU lower over Varanasi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

World across, there is an increasing concern about river health. In India, Ganga River Basin Management Plan (GRBMP) 2015 considered River Ganga as an ecological entity. This paper attempts to present a framework for river health assessment in India and discusses its applicability for River Ganga near Varanasi. In the proposed framework, the River Health Condition (RHC) is assessed through the calculation of River Health Index (RHI) on a 0-100 scale and categorized as Acceptable or Poor. RHI is calculated by using selected parameters/indices normalized on the 0-5 scale based on their critical and target values. River Health is presented through a coloured circumscribed pentagon each of whose side represents one of five indicator groups: i. Organo-electrolytic-bacterial qualities. ii. Nutrients, iii. Algae, iv. Macroinvertebrates, and v. Fish. Application of the proposed framework has been tested and explained using observed data for four seasons per year for two years from five locations of River Ganga near Varanasi. The colour of circumscribing pentagon reflects overall river health condition at a given location and each side of pentagon reflects health score concerningto one indicator group. The analyses indicate that the health of River Ganga near Varanasi is improving with time. The river health is found at its best level during Spring season and unstable during Post Monsoon period at most of the locations. The severely reduced RHI indicate “Overstressed” condition of River Ganga at the confluence points of River Assi and Varuna, which are evidenced by the presence of pollution tolerant biotic species. There are clear stretches of the river near outfall points which are nutrients rich and organically polluted causing poor health of river showing a disturbed balance of biotic species. Indicator group score based RHI gives a clear identification of critical parameters which may be used in strategic planning for river health restoration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses the outline and the conditions of the phenomenon known as the "merged temple," a composite building consisting of the extension of a "sub‐building" covering or wrapping an existing Hindu temple, or "main temple." These are frequently observed in the Old City of Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh, India). Their number and distribution, morphological variations, forming process, and other properties were investigated through a field survey and interviews with their residents. Merged temples of various shapes and degrees are generated through a combination of extrinsic development pressure and intrinsic characteristics of Hindu temples, their continuity, and their immobility, in the urban space which has historically accumulated numerous temples. In its formative process, the "moderate" plasticity of the Hindu temple building works effectively as a medium, and covering the top of the temple with new construction is carefully avoided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Congenital Hypothyroidism (CH) is defined as the partial or complete loss of thyroid gland function present at birth. During the first 2-3 years of life, thyroid hormone plays a crucial role in brain development. If a baby is born with a deficiency of thyroid hormone (CH) and is not diagnosed and treated appropriately, it can lead to intellectual disability and growth retardation in the affected child. Aim: To screen newborns for CH using Dried Blood Spot (DBS) sampling. Additionally, the study aimed to compare mean TSH values between two comparison groups based on gender, birth weight, gestational age, and type of delivery. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India, from November 2021 to October 2022. A total of 250 live-birth newborns delivered either by Spontaneous Vaginal Delivery (SVD) or Lower Segment Caesarean Section (LSCS) were included in the study after obtaining written informed consent from their parents. Blood samples were obtained on DBS cards through heel prick in all newborns. TSH levels were assessed using a neonatal TSH sandwich ELISA kit. The cut-off value of TSH to label as screen positive was set at >20 mIU/L. A two-tailed Independent t-test was performed to compare mean TSH values between the two comparison groups based on gender, birth weight, gestational age, and type of delivery. Results: Out of the 250 babies, 137 (54.8%) were male and 113 (45.2%) were female. The gestational age ranged from a minimum of 29 weeks to a maximum of 41 weeks in both male and female babies. TSH levels in male babies ranged from 0.16 mIU/L to 10.27 mIU/L, with a mean value of 3.98±2.16 mIU/L. TSH levels were below 20 mIU/L in all 250 newborns, indicating negative screening results for CH in all the neonates. Conclusion: The results concluded that the serum levels of TSH obtained through heel prick were not statistically significant in both term and preterm newborns, as well as in Normal Birth Weight (NBW) and Low Birth Weight (LBW) newborns. Furthermore, there was no significant difference based on the type of delivery (SVD/LSCS) or the gender of the newborn (male or female). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mortality rate of chest trauma is 10%. Incidence has significantly increased due to development of rapid mode of transport, new high speed vehicles, ignorance of road safety measures, fall from height, fall on road injuries due to construction activities violence, fall from under construction building. Human fatality associated with chest injuries worsening each year. This drew the impact on reducing burden of chest trauma, prevention and its measures at social, medical, economical, and governmental. So that understanding the problem is the one of the first step towards awareness and averting the problem. Present study has been undertaken to analyse the most neglected aspect of human suffering. It is an effort to know the pattern of blunt trauma chest and to elucidate the multi-factorial causations leading to rise in everyday blunt trauma cases. Here in this paper 300 cases of chest injuries by blunt forces are studied for their epidemiological, demographic aspects. Majority of them are adult/middle ages male between 41 -50 years of age, most of them are caused by road traffic accidents. Male to female ratio is 7.1:1.Majority of the cases are happened on highway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The idea of "dominant caste" has been important in the discourse of caste that saw the movement from social intercourse (hierarchy, purity-pollution) to political mediation (representation, demand for positive discrimination) in various literature. This paper offers a longitudinal study of caste relations in and around Varanasi in North India, focusing on the Brahmin caste vis-à-vis another dominant caste (non-Brahmin). It combines historical material with individual-level data set, the findings of which are presented as a case study. The essay's objectives are as follows (a) description and analysis of two different "dominant" castes to understand the functioning of the caste identity in contemporary India. This is done to reevaluate how the castes have sought to convert their historically accrued caste capital into social or political capital; (b) the relationship between the two "dominant" castes. It was found that dominance was regionally located in both cases, but in the colonial period, it depended on caste hierarchy, unlike in post-colonial/modern days. This recreated a sort of discrimination manipulated by the dominant castes at their respective levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The issue of leadership has attracted a considerable attention for many centuries and still continues to intrigue the researchers today. The success or failure of an organization is often attributed to the prevalent organizational leadership. Leaders have the potential to influence and drive a group of individuals towards the accomplishment of goals. An interesting question that challenges the researchers is this: do the women leaders behave differently than men. In a number of studies it was found that there are hardly any gender differences in the leadership behavior as perceived by their followers. One of the most comprehensive leadership theories of organizational transformation is considered to be the theory of transformational leadership. Transformational leaders motivate followers with the vision of what can be accomplished through extra personal effort, thus inspiring individual followers to achieve more than they thought they would achieve. Past studies suggest transformational leadership behaviour is not related to gender roles. The present paper is an attempt to understand the perceived leadership style of a woman and a male executive working in a department under the Central Government of India. An effort has also been made to assess the probable influence of their upbringing years on the adult behaviour based on in-depth interviews. Extensive interviews were also taken of the subordinates to identify the exhibited leadership style of the executives. It was found from the interview data of the executives that the significant figures in their early life had left a strong impact on their personality and later leadership styles. The interview data of the subordinates suggests there is no perceived gender difference in the leadership style of the executives. More specifically, the interview data of the subordinates seems to suggest both the executives demonstrates transformational leadership behaviour. This seems to have enhanced the overall job performance level of the subordinates. Note: This paper was presented at the National Conference On Emerging Business Practices held on 7th-8th April, 2018, organized by the Institute Of Management Studies (Faculty Of Management Studies), Banaras Hindu University (BHU), Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – Varanasi, an ancient city has witnessed the conversion of forest into agricultural lands. The high urbanization rate along with affluent lifestyle is adding another category of land use, i.e. landfill. Such land use changes significantly affect the fluxes of greenhouse gases (GHGs) from soil thus contributing to global warming. The purpose of this paper is to quantify the global warming potential (GWP) of the three land uses in Varanasi city taking into consideration CH4 and CO2.The paper also highlights the land use pattern of Varanasi. Design/methodology/approach – Sites representing land uses under forest, agriculture and landfill were identified in and around the city and measurements of GHG fluxes were conducted periodically using closed static chambers. The GWP from each land use was calculated using the standard formula of IPCC (2007). Findings – Landfill was found to be the land use with the highest GWP followed by agriculture. GWP from forest was negative. The study indicated that conversion of natural ecosystems into man made ecosystems contributed significantly to GHGs emissions. Research limitations/implications – The present research is a seasonal study with inherent uncertainties. To reduce the uncertainties long-term monitoring covering wider spatial area is required. Practical implications – The sustainable use of land along with the increment of forest cover will not only reduce the contribution in GHGs emission, but will also increase the carbon sequestrations thus limiting the implication of climate change. Originality/value – This study is the first of its kind comparing the soil borne emissions from three different land uses in a rapidly urbanizing ancient city, suggesting if there is rapid conversion of forested land into other two land uses there will be considerable increase in global warming. No similar studies could be found in the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In general, urban water management has been viewed as an exercise of meeting the domestic and industrial water demands from surface water and ground water sources. Nevertheless water-based development planning requires realistic estimation of balance between supply and demand within the geographical boundary. Recently, water management system is facing challenges of sustainable development goals (SDGs) in urban water sector. In the present paper an attempt has been made to review the various frameworks and systems developed for evaluating sustainability of an integrated urban water management (IUWM). Further, a computer application-based conceptual framework has been developed as a decision support system for integrated urban water management (DSS_IUWM) taking urban water management of Varanasi City (UP, India) as a case study. With the combination of available alternate water supply in the city, a scenario-based urban water balance has been evaluated. The study indicates that urban water balance (UWB) of Varanasi City is under unsustainable water condition with a negative value of 97 MCM. The study finally reports that a water sustainable condition in Varanasi City may be achieved through augmentation of storm water (55.4 MCM) management or reduction in fresh water demand through reuse of reclaimed water (36.5 MCM). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We exploit the public good attributes of Ganges water pollution cleanup and theoretically analyze an aggregate economy of two cities—Kanpur and Varanasi—through which the Ganges flows. Our specific objective is to study whether water pollution cleanup in these two cities ought to be provided in a centralized or in a decentralized manner. We first determine the efficient cleanup amounts that maximize the aggregate surplus from making the Ganges cleaner in the two cities. Second, we compute the optimal amount of water pollution cleanup in the two cities in a decentralized regime in which spending on cleanup is financed by a uniform tax on the city residents. Third, we ascertain the optimal amount of water pollution cleanup in the two cities in a centralized regime subject to equal provision of cleanup and cost sharing. Fourth, we show that if the two cities have the same preference for pollution cleanup, then centralization is preferable to decentralization as long as there is a spillover from pollution cleanup. Finally, we show that if the two cities have dissimilar preferences for pollution cleanup, then centralization is preferable to decentralization as long as the spillover exceeds a certain threshold. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims at discussing the vector or second verb in sentences with compound verbs in Bhojpuri Spoken in Varanasi also called Kashika. It also attempts to focus on honorific inflections in vectors with the main verbs with aptness of instances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Travelling and moving to places which are inspired by a search for a better life and real authentic self has given a boost to lifestyle migration and spiritual tourism. The holy city of Varanasi is popular among the pilgrims and travellers for taking dips in the holy river the Ganges, endless ghats, famous temples, fascinating rituals and vibrant religious festivals. The experience of being in the city cannot be limited to words as from birth to death, every aspect of earthy existence and salvation is achieved in this 5000-year-old city. International travellers come to the city to spectate the beating heart of Hindu culture and the cremation of dead bodies. The city offers moksha i.e., liberation from the cycle of birth and death. Dark tourism is associated with visiting the sites which are associated with death-related rituals and cremation grounds. In this paper, we have tried to understand how the concepts of dark tourism and lifestyle migration gets interwoven. How a traveller embraces these customs. How these dark sites reflect that life is a struggle and one can achieve liberation through moksha in this holy city. People come and embrace their dark side in the dark sites of the spiritual landscape of Varanasi. A person truly awakens when the dying has begun. Spiritual awakening is an end to all pain which is witnessed by seeing the dead bodies in Varanasi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the last two decades, an exponential rise has been observed in the growth of spiritual tourism where travellers are preferring and visiting places of religious inclination seeking to align their body and mind. In the current fast paced life where stress, anxiety, insecurities and depression have become common place, travelling to certain places that provide connection with the almighty or peace to the traveller has become very important. Spiritual tourism in India has always been very highly valued and is active as an industry in a country known as the land of temples and gods. Many globally popular destinations exist in India that attract both domestic and international travellers alike. Destinations like Puri Jagannath, Kedarnath, Amarnath Yatra, Rishikesh, Varanasi, and Haridwar have developed their image and branding power over the years for the peace and meditating impact they have on their tourists. This trend has also been enhanced by the overall image of India as a country for religious and spiritual tourism where lakhs of international tourist come for relaxation and peace. The transformation of social media platforms has had an important and significant impact on the destination branding of spiritual locations and the final decision making of travellers. As travellers are active on social media platforms in sharing their stories of travel, sharing posts and videos, highlighting their travel, they are sharing their experiences with a large community. Thus, social media impacts on decision making for spiritual destinations needs to be studied in depth to understand the underlying factors that impact the final decision. For the purpose of this paper, various variables are analysed through the SEM framework to determine their interdependency and how they influence the final decision of the tourist. The study is important for academics in tourism as it discusses the most relevant examples and key factors. The study is also meaningful to practitioners of tourism who can ensure that the correct social media marketing can be undertaken for attracting tourists to spiritual destinations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban heat island (UHI) is a phenomenon which may have adverse effects on our environment and is stimulated as a result of urbanization or land cover changes. Thermal remote sensing has been found beneficial to study the effect of urbanization on UHI intensity. This paper analyses the variation in land surface temperature (LST) with land cover changes in Varanasi city of India from 1989 to 2018 using Landsat satellite images. A new index named Urban Heat Intensity Ratio Index (UHIRI) was proposed to quantify the urban heat intensity from 1989 to 2018 which was found to increase from 0.36 in year 1989 to 0.87 in year 2018. Further, contribution of each land cover towards UHI was determined using land cover contribution index (LCCI). The negative value of LCCI for water and vegetation indicates its negative contribution towards UHI, whereas positive value of LCCI for bare soil and built-ups depicted its positive contribution towards UHI. The LCCI value for urban land cover shows significant increase in 29 years, i.e. 0.49, 1.43, 3.40 and 4.37 for years 1989, 1997, 2008 and 2018, respectively. The changes in normalized LST from years 1989 to 2018 for the conversion of bare land to built-ups and vegetation to built-ups were found to be as −0.11 and 0.42, respectively. This led to conclusion that the replacement of vegetation with urban land cover has severe impact on increasing UHI intensity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rivers support life of Indian population but water pollution threatens human health. There is no consensus data for water quality (WQ) of rivers in India including River Ganga. For robust stakeholder participation and community involvement and governance, a consolidation of WQ parameters for River Ganga from different data sources is essentially needed. The priority to combat environmental, economic, and social dislocations due to river pollution also necessitates WQ data convergence, its availability in public domain for policy makers, citizens, researchers, etc, and mapping with respect to the flowing river. Lack of real-time data limits civic involvement in river management. This paper is a novel attempt to consolidate the WQ data available in literature for River Ganga at Varanasi during 1992–2016. Results indicate water of River Ganga to have high coliform and BOD levels due to direct discharge of sewage waste from Varuna and that from Varanasi city. Categorization of ghats based on WQ parameters reveal pollution status of ghats to vary from low to highly polluted (coliform data excluded as it changes the category of all the ghats to highly polluted). More urban population with lack of readiness of authorities to follow the law appear to be major contributors towards failure of river management strategies. The consolidated information mapped with demographic data can be used as data management tools for sustenance of River Ganga. A need for change in policy framework and publicizing the real-time data seem key solutions for improving water quality of River Ganga at Varanasi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Among Hindus, Varanasi is believed to be the home of Lord Shiva, who frees the devotees from the bonds of past karma to ensure them moksha–release from the endless cycle of birth and death. This belief has attracted many elders, from time immemorial, to take shelter in various old age homes, wanting to die in this sacred city. Those attending these elders face challenges in balancing between modern practices of eldercare and traditional attitudes of the residents regarding disengagement from body, family, and society which are requisites for moksha. The paper concludes by questioning the relevance and applicability of globally accepted care principles for older adults in the spiritual city of Varanasi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study considers 215 research works of different authors published in the Journal "Sangeet Galaxy": a refereed journal dedicated to Indian music. All articles published during the period 2012-2022 have been considered for this study. The present paper examines the trend in authorship, percentage of collaborative research, citations, page length of the articles, the language of the articles, gender of the authors, designation and affiliation of the authors along with the state which they belong to. It has been statistically tested if the articles published are distributed uniformly over the period of study. Some interesting observations have come out from the study. For example, an increasing trend in the submission and publication of the articles over the years has been observed which indicates that the journal is becoming popular and is doing good in maintaining its academic standard. It has been observed that the trend in writing the articles in English is dominant. Mean percentage of collaborative research is 50% or less and the proportion of rejection is 0.50. Most of the contributors are from the state of Uttar Pradesh specially BHU, Varanasi. It is also noteworthy that the authors from countries like Nepal, Canada, UK etc. are also interested to contribute to the journal and consider "Sangeet Galaxy" as a suitable outlet for publishing their research work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microplastics (MPs) are ubiquitous in our environment. Its presence in air, water, and soil makes it a serious threat to living organisms and has become a critical challenge across ecosystems. Present study aimed to assess the abundance of MPs in aerosols and street dust in Varanasi, a typical urban city in Northern India. Airborne particulates and street dust samples were collected from various sampling sites around Varanasi City. The physical identification of MPs was conducted by binocular microscopy, fluorescence microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), while elemental analysis was made by energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX). Finally, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) was used for chemical characterization of MPs. Presence of MPs in both aerosols and street dust from all selected sampling sites was confirmed, however with varying magnitude. MPs of different colors having the shape of fragments, films, spherules, and fibers were recorded in the study while fragments (42%) in street dust and fibers (44%) dominated in aerosols. Majority of the MPs were < 1 mm in size and were primarily polypropylene, polystyrene, polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polyester, and polyvinyl chloride types. The EDX spectra showed the presence of toxic inorganic contaminants like metallic elements on MPs, especially elements like aluminum, cadmium, magnesium, sodium, and silicon found to adsorb on the MPs. Presence of MPs in the airborne particulates and street dust in Varanasi is reported for the first time, thus initiating further research and call for a source-specific management plan to reduce its impact on human health and environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the utilization of available resources on irrigated rain-fed farms of Eastern Uttar Pradesh. Varanasi and Sonbhadra districts were purposively selected because these districts are having differences with respect to irrigated and rain-fed farming systems, respectively. The required data were collected from 200 randomly selected farmers for the year 2016-17. The alternative resource use plans have been formulated for increasing income and employment and decreasing fertilizer use on both irrigated and rain-fed farms. All the three plans have generated conflicting results in achieving the desired income, employment and fertilizer use. Hence, the Sen's Multi-Objective Programming has been used to achieve all the objectives simultaneously. The optimized plan has increased income by 11.83 percent, employment by 7.43 with decreased fertilizer use by 11.83 over existing farming plan on irrigated farms. On the rain-fed farms, the income and employment increased by 8.90 percent and 7.29 percent respectively with reduced fertilizer use by 8.59 percent over existing farm plan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, Banaras became a site of significant social and intellectual contestation whose outcomes exerted their influence well into Indian modernity. Recent scholarship has demonstrated that Mīmāṃsā and Advaita Vedānta were favoured by that city’s intellectual elite, many of whom emigrated from the Deccan and South India. However, much work needs to be done to contextualize this claim within the social and intellectual history of both traditions. This paper concentrates on a particular problematic: the relationship between popular religious movements and the rarefied air of scholarly pedagogy. What sort of challenge did the public expression of personal devotion pose to early modern Sanskrit intellectuals? How did the growth of theistic traditions influence intellectual writing across Sanskrit knowledge-systems? More particularly, what space mightbhaktihave found among the intellectuals of Banaras, jostling for attention with well-established disciplines expoundingkarmaandjñāna– that is, Mīmāṃsā and Vedānta? And how might we situate these shifting registers of intellectual discourse against the social changes of the early modern world? This paper explores the intellectual corpus of the Deva family of Maharashtrian Brahmins, in order to discern the tensions between their philosophical interest in scriptural study, their pedagogical commitment to ritual hermeneutics, and their religious devotion to a personal god. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Degradation of freshwater resources has become a major issue of this century in many parts of the world. In order to ensure urban sustainability, decision support system (DSS) is a useful tool to help in water balance and to predict the various scenarios according to the scope of reuse. In the present paper, a framework for decision support system for urban water balance (DSSUWB) has been proposed. A graphical user interface (GUI) has been developed incorporating seven wastewater treatment technologies (WWTT) with six treated wastewater reuse options and two disposal options. The developed system has been validated using available data for Varanasi city (Uttar Pradesh, India). The indicative results suggest that the annual groundwater extraction is 89.1 MCM and annual water balance is estimated as -100.4 MCM which is too low. However, forecasted demand for the next 15 years will be increasing significantly by 37%. The estimated annual storm water of 55.3 MCM and untreated wastewater of 73 MCM requires a proper management which may contribute to help in future water balance. Three scenarios were considered for water reuse, which show that if water reuse capacity increased to 20%, 30% and 50%, then the water balance will improve by 32.9%, 49.27% and 82.12% and water extraction will reduce by 24.1%, 36.14% and 59.10% respectively. Hence, wastewater treatment technology selection has to be made considering the potential of reuse and there is requirement of separate infrastructure for storm water within urban boundary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Present paper deals with the diversity of zooplanktons of river Ganga Varanasi during the year 2009. Zooplankton were represent by 10 Genera of Rotifera, 2 genera of Cladocera & 3 genera of Copepoda. These parameters were effected many morphological growth response & habits of prawn and other aquatic organism. The role of planktonic organism in aquatic environment is an essential link in the food chain and they are capable of affecting the entire aquatic biota. For the study of water quality the limnological observation is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a machine learning approach for classification of arsenic (As) levels as safe and unsafe in groundwater samples collected from the Indo-Gangetic region. As water is essential for sustaining life, heavy metals like arsenic pose a public health concern. In this study, various tree-based machine learning models namely Random Forest, Optimized Forest, CS Forest, SPAARC, and REP Tree algorithms have been applied to classify water samples. As per the guidelines of the World Health Organization (WHO), the arsenic concentration in water should not exceed 10 µg/L. The groundwater quality parameter was ranked using a classifier attribute evaluator for training and testing the models. Parameters obtained from the confusion matrix, such as accuracy, precision, recall, and FPR, were used to analyze the performance of models. Among all models, Optimized Forest outperforms other classifier as it has a high accuracy of 80.64%, a precision of 80.70%, recall of 97.87%, and a low FPR of 73.33%. The Optimized Forest model can be used to test new water samples for classification of arsenic in groundwater samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Growing concern about healthcare information security in the wake of alarmingly rising cyber-attacks is being given symmetrical priority by current researchers and cyber security experts. Intruders are penetrating symmetrical mechanisms of healthcare information security continuously. In the same league, the paper presents an overview on the current situation of healthcare information and presents a layered model of healthcare information management in organizations. The paper also evaluates the various factors that have a key contribution in healthcare information security breaches through a hybrid fuzzy-based symmetrical methodology of AHP-TOPSIS. Furthermore, for assessing the effect of the calculated results, the authors have tested the results on local hospital software of Varanasi. Tested results of the factors are validated through the comparison and sensitivity analysis in this study. Tabulated results of the proposed study propose a symmetrical mechanism as the most conversant technique which can be employed by the experts and researchers for preparing security guidelines and strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dark tourism is a popular niche of tourism that allows tourists to come into close proximity with death, atrocity, and the macabre, and therefore has the potential to be an emotional and even traumatic encounter for tourists. While this context has inspired tourism researchers to investigate dark tourists' motivations, as well as the marketing and representation of dark tourism sites, we have yet to attend to its implications for the researcher. This paper analyzes the emotional experiences and aftermath of fieldwork at the cremation grounds of Varanasi, India, which involved working closely with tourists, Doms, and Aghoris by focusing on the relations of reflexivity, positionality, and emotionality. As a result, we suggest a number of reflexive and self-care practices to be put into place so as to attend to the researchers' emotional well-being in the fieldwork process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ambitious Kashi Vishvanath Corridor in Varanasi (India) was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in March 2019. Set to turn the site into a 'world-class' pilgrimage destination, the project entails the construction of a monumental path that connects the Ganges river to the city's main Hindu temple. In the middle of the area under 'beautification', stands the Gyanvapi mosque – a longstanding target of Hindu nationalist campaigns to 'liberate' supposedly originally Hindu places of worship from Muslim presence. By combining ethnographic material collected through longitudinal research with a critical analysis of local Hindi newspapers, I trace the genesis of the Corridor as a 'heritage project'. I suggest that, through it, a new heritage regime is being put forward to suit, and provide evidence for, current Hindu nationalist projections of India as a Hindu nation. However, I also argue that this regime is not just the result of a top-down agenda, but originates from a counter-intuitive process: bottom-up mobilisations of heritage by residents (who were eventually evicted) seem to have informed, if not provoked, subsequent official narratives and the branding of the Corridor as heritage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]