Academic Papers

Abstract

Indigenous writers such as Gerald Vizenor propose a concept of tribal identity which stands in opposition to the western colonisers’ concepts of nation, sovereignty, and citizenship. Vizenor’s writings demonstrate de-territorialized notions of tribal identity while simultaneously expressing the persistence and resilience of a sovereign country strongly anchored in Anishinaabe homelands. “Guthrie Theater”, a poem from Vizenor’s poetry collection Almost Ashore, portrays the Anishinaabe’s fortitude and resistance against colonial authority that seeks to reject, denigrate, and wipe out a people’s sovereignty. The Anishinaabe people in Vizenor’s writings establish their own borders and provide their own notions of nationhood.

The Invincible Soul of the Indian: A Reading of Gerald Vizenor’s “Guthrie Theater” 

The dominant Euro-American society has long sought to define the terms ‘Indian’ and ‘Indian identity’. Indigenous writers such as Gerald Vizenor propose a concept of tribal identity which stands in opposition to the western colonisers’ concepts of nation, sovereignty, and citizenship. Vizenor’s writings demonstrate de-territorialized notions of tribal identity while simultaneously expressing the persistence and resilience of a sovereign country strongly anchored in Anishinaabe homelands. 

 “Guthrie Theater”, a poem from Vizenor’s poetry collection Almost Ashore, portrays the Anishinaabe’s fortitude and resistance against colonial authority that seeks to reject, denigrate, and wipe out a people’s sovereignty. The iconic Guthrie Theater in downtown Minneapolis is used to show the disparity between the colonisers’ fabrication of the ‘Indian’ and the true figure of the Native American. 

The American Indian in the poem is “forever wounded” (“Guthrie Theater” line 3) by “tributes/…invented names/trade beads/ federal contracts” (lines 4-10). The Indian in the poem is psychologically and physically injured. Broken treaties and false promises made by the white colonisers inflict psychic damage on the Natives. They have been duped by their savage colonisers’ devious schemes.

The Natives are “decorated for bravery” (line 47). In fact, they are forced to join the military by their white colonisers, not because they want to. To safeguard their tribal territory from the British, most Native American tribes allied with the British. Many Natives, however, were killed in battle, many died of famine and other war-related causes, and many were physically handicapped. Instead of improving their circumstances, they were even more mired in misery and poverty.

When their tribal lands became more vulnerable as a result of the conflict, indigenous people felt deceived. Native Americans who were instrumental in Britain’s victory felt abandoned and dependent on missionaries and charity. They are fooled by the whites’ false promises of a treaty and economic assistance made prior to the battle. Furthermore, as non-whites, they were now more subject to racial prejudice both on and off the reservation.

The growing colonial power has seized indigenous territory since its advent in the area. When gold mines were discovered in the native nation, Native people were forced to leave their ancestral lands. Reservations were formed to confine indigenous people to a certain geographic region and exert political and economic control over them. The 1887 land allocation program was designed to take tribal landholdings away. To assist them to become self-sufficient, natives were granted tiny pieces of land, but these plots were often unsuited for cultivation.

American Indians’ lives were rendered unpleasant by the loss of land and culture, as well as poverty, ineffective education, a lack of employment, terrible economic conditions, and poor health. The Great Depression of the 1930s and the succeeding Indian New Deal, which featured a variety of social and economic measures targeted at improving Native Americans’ circumstances, aided Native Americans. The federal Indian policy emphasised political and cultural tribalism, shifting its attention away from Native American assimilation and toward the creation of a multicultural country. This turn of events also contributes to stoking the indigenous people’s resistance fire.

The “invented name” (line 48) of the American Indian also inflicts a wound on him. The mainstream Euro-American literature and media have historically misrepresented Native Americans. Preconceptions about Indians are common, and they can have a detrimental influence on how they are perceived by the rest of the world. Despite the fact that the United States and Alaska have over 560 legally recognised Native American tribes, the phrase ‘Indian’ is used interchangeably. Native stereotypes, ranging from noble barbarian to wise elder to drunken Indian, have emerged in mainstream American literature in many ways. Vizenor observes, “The word ‘Indian’ is a convenient word, a misnomer to be sure, but it is an invented name that does not come from any native language and does not describe or contain any aspects of traditional tribal experience and literature” (Vizenor 120). Native writers such as Sherman Alexie, Vizenor, and others strive to defy the European colonisers’ inaccurate portrayal of the Indians. 

The American Indian “limps past / the new theater // wounded Indian / comes to attention / on a plastic leg / and delivers / a smart salute / with the wrong hand” (lines 11-18). The actors of the Guthrie Theater rehearse the ‘invented Indian’ of the coloniser. The Vizenor’s veteran saluting with “the wrong hand”(line 18) symbolises the Indian’s rejection of colonial beliefs about the Native. At the same time, his action represents a kind of resistance against the colonial power. 

In the Guthrie Theater, the scenes of the Wounded Knee were rehearsed “night after night / the actors / new posers/mount and ride / on perfect ponies / out to the wild/cultural westerns / hilly suburbs / with buffalo bill” (lines 54-62). Thus while the inside of the Guthrie Theater perpetuates the colonisers’ ‘Indian’, Vizenor’s veteran is a realistic representation of the Indian abandoned and deceived by the white masters.

Vizenor’s tales attempt to dispute non-Native authors’ representations of the natives. Vizenor refutes the characterization of the Anishinaabe people as multicultural people, depicting them as capable of establishing their own native identity and declaring their tribal presence in the face of colonial authority. The struggle of the Anishinaabe people is an attempt to restore their ‘presence’ and a voice that has been denied to them in dominant Euro-American narratives. Native Americans see colonialism as a continuous process that has impacted and continues to influence both communal and individual levels. 

In Vizenor’s poem “culture wars / wound the heart / and dishonor / the uniform” (lines 38-41). Here, in contrast to the notions of the ‘vanished Indian’ or the ‘invented Indian’, the poet emphasises the power and defiance of the homeless veteran. 

In the metropolis, the Native feels disoriented. Indian agents had defrauded him of his property. After losing his ancestral grounds, the Native feels rootless and displaced in the city. The city is shown as a racially divided environment in which the Native must contend with the erasure of his religion and traditional practices. It is true that the metropolitan area is unable to give him the quiet existence that he had been denied in the reservation due to his status as a colonised person. Despite this, the valiant Indian warrior manages to carve out a niche for himself. His strong will and indomitable spirit enable him to adapt to challenging situations. 

Vizenor’s Indians resist by reframing the colonial concepts of tribalism and nationalism. Vizenor’s poetry proposes new ways of representing the indigenous reality. The colonial inclination to obscure conquest and naturalise control of the American Indians is exposed and criticised by the writer.  The Anishinaabe people in Vizenor’s writings establish their own borders and provide their own notions of nationhood. They develop their own sense of transnational mobility and attachment to their country.

Ann Mary Raju
Asst. Prof., PG & Research Department of English
Mar Thoma College, Tiruvalla,
Pathanamthitta, Kerala – 689103.
annmaryraju@gmail.com

References

McGlennen, M. S. “By My Heart”: Gerald Vizenor’s Almost Ashore and Bear Island: The War at Sugar Point”. Transmotion, vol. 1, no. 2, 2015, pp. 1. Web. 

The Cambridge Companion to Native American Literature. Edited by Joy Porter and Kenneth M. Roemer, Cambridge University Press, 2010. Print.

The Columbia Guide to American Indian literatures of the United States since 1945. Edited by Eric Cheyfitz, Columbia University Press, 2006. Print.

Vizenor, Gerald. “”Guthrie Theater.” PoemHunter, 03 June 2016, https://www.poemhunter.com/poem/guthrie-theater/. 

—. Literary Chance: Essays on Native American Survivance. Universitat de Valencia, 2011. Print. 

ABSTRACT

Cash is the important current asset for the operations of the business. It is the basic input needed to keep the business running on a continuous basis; it is also the ultimate output expected to be realized by selling the service or product manufactured by the company. Cash management involves managing cash efficiently, the proper usage of cash while assessing liquidity and the cash flow and investments. Cash planning protects the financial condition of the firm by developing a projected cash statement from a forecast of expected cash inflows and outflows for a given period. Cash management necessitates speeding cash inflows while slowing down cash outflows, but it may not be considered in isolation. A company’s cash flow is coupled to its operations, investment activities (such as the purchase or the sale of capital equipment), and to its financing activities (such as raising debt or equity funding or repaying such funding). The cash that a firm produces from its operations is tied to its core business activities and provides the best opportunities for cash flow management. Cash plans are very crucial in developing the operating plans of the firm. Cash planning can be done on daily, weekly or monthly basis. The period and frequency of cash planning generally depends upon the size of the firm and philosophy of management. The Cash Management Cycle is followed in industry, which incorporates number of operations; the operations are generally concluded after the appropriate analysis on checking about the desired quality, price transactions of sales and purchases are taking place like wise.

KEYWORDS: – Cash, Cash Planning, Cash Inflow & Outflow, Cash management, Cash Management Cycle, 

INTRODUCTION

Cash can be referred as medium of exchange, which is immediately exchangeable. Cash has to face the prime requirements of common acceptability and easy accessibility for immediate use in purchasing and payment of debt. Acceptability to a bank for deposit is a common test applied to cash items. It is channelizing available cash into expenditures that enhance productivity, directly or indirectly. In addition, Cash is ready money in the bank or in the business. It is not inventory, it is not accounts receivable (what you are owed), and it is not property. 

Cash is the important current asset for the operations of the business. It is the basic input needed to keep the business running on a continuous basis; it is also the ultimate output expected to be realized by selling the service or product manufactured by the company. The company should keep sufficient cash, neither more nor less. Cash shortage will disturb the company’s manufacturing operations while excessive cash will simply remain idle, without contributing anything towards the company’s profitability. Thus, a major function of the financial manager is to maintain a sound cash position. All cash and cash equivalents must be disclosed as current asset’s financial statements in Accordance with GAAP (Generally Accepted Accounting Principles). Effective Cash management must be incorporated accuracy, completeness, authorization, existence, disclosure, and reporting overall cash activities and the cash cycle within the organization. Management requires the control over cash so that future business planning, forecasts, and projects can be made, as well as for the production and issuance of the entity.

MEANING OF CASH & CASH FLOW

Cash is organized money in the bank or in the business. It is not inventory neither accounts receivable (what you are owed) nor is it property. These can potentially be transformed to cash, but can’t be used to pay suppliers, rent, or employees. Profit expansion does not essentially indicate more cash in hand. Profit is the sum of money you expect to make over a given period of time, while cash is what you must have on hand to keep your business running. Over time, a company’s profits are of little value if they are not accompanied by positive net cash flow. You can’t spend profit; you can only spend cash. Cash is the money which a company can disturbs immediately without any restrictions. The term cash includes coins, currency and cheques held by the company, and balances in its bank accounts. Sometimes near-cash items, such as marketable securities or bank term deposits, are also included in cash. The basic characteristic of near-cash assets is that they can readily be converted into cash.

Cash flow refers to the association of cash inflow and outflow in a business. Scrutiny of the cash inflows and outflows is one of the most serious management errands for any business. The outflow of cash includes those cheques you write each month to pay salaries, suppliers, and creditors. The inflow includes the cash you receive from customers, lenders, and investors. 

 If the cash inflow exceeds the outflow, a company has a positive cash flow. A positive cash flow is an excellent sign of financial health, but is by no means the only one. If company has a cash outflow that exceeds the inflow, a company has a negative cash flow. Reasons for negative cash flow contain too much or outdated inventory and poor collections on accounts receivable. The initial point for good cash flow management is developing a cash flow projection. Smart business owners recognize how to develop both short-term (weekly, monthly) cash flow projections to help them manage daily cash, and long-term (annual, 3-5 year) cash flow projections to help them develop the necessary capital strategy to meet their business needs. They also prepare and use historical cash flow statements to understand how they used money in the past.

MEANING OF CASH MANAGEMENT

Cash is the important current asset for the operations of the business. Cash is the basic input needed to keep the business running on a continuous basis; it is also the ultimate output expected to be realized by selling the service or product manufactured by the firm. The firm should keep sufficient cash, neither more nor less. Cash shortage will disrupt the firm’s manufacturing operations while excessive cash will simply remain idle, without contributing anything towards the firm’s profitability. Thus, a major function of the financial manager is to maintain a sound cash position. Cash is the money which a firm can disburse immediately without any restriction. 

The term cash includes coins, currency and cheques held by the firm, and balances in its bank accounts. Sometimes near-cash items, such as marketable securities or bank time’s deposits, are also included in cash. The basic characteristic of near-cash assets is that they can readily be converted into cash. Generally, when a firm has excess cash, it invests it in marketable securities. This kind of investment contributes some profit to the firm. Cash management is a broad term that refers to the collection, concentration, and disbursement of cash. It encompasses a company’s level of liquidity, its management of cash balance, and its short-term investment strategies. In some ways, managing cash flow is the most important job of business managers. For some time now, technology has been the key driving force behind every successful bank. In such an environment, the ability to recognize and capture market share depends entirely on the bank’s competence to evolve technically and offer the customer a seamless process flow. The objective of a cash management system is to improve revenue, maximize profits, minimize costs and establish efficient management systems to assist and accelerate growth.

CASH MANAGEMENT IN INDIA

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has placed an emphasis on upgrading technological infrastructure. Electronic banking, cheque imaging, enterprise resource planning (ERP), real time gross settlement (RTGS) is just few of the new initiatives. The evolution of payment systems such as RTGS has posed some tough challenges for cash management providers. It is important that banks now look towards a shift to fees from float although all those cash management providers who have factored in float money in their product pricing might take a hit. But of course there are opportunities also attached like collection and disbursal of payments on-line across the banks. There are a number of regulatory and policy changes that have facilitated an efficient cash management system (CMS). Fox example, the Enactment of Information Technology Act gives legal recognition to electronic records and digital signatures. The establishment of the

Clearing Corporation of India in order to establish a safe institutional structure for the clearing and settlement of trades in foreign exchange (FX), money and debt markets has indeed helped the development of financial infrastructure in terms of clearing and settlement. Other innovations that have supported in streamlining the process are: Introduction of the Centralized Funds Management Service to facilitate better management of fund flows, Structured Financial Messaging Solution, a communication protocol for intra-bank and interbank messages. Today, treasurers need to ensure that they are equipped to make the best decisions. For this, it is imperative that the information they require to monitor risk and exposure is accurate, reliable and fast. A strong cash management solution can give corporate a business advantage and it is very important in executing the financial strategy of a company. The requirement of an efficient cash management solution in India is to execute payments, collect receivables and managing liquidity. 

MOTIVES FOR HOLDING CASH

     The firm’s need to hold cash may be attributed to the following the motives:

• Transactions motive
• Precautionary motive
• Speculative motive
• Compensation Motive

     They are explained in detail as – 

• Transaction Motive 

The transaction motive requires a firm to hold cash to conducts its business in the ordinary course. The firm needs cash primarily to make payments for purchases, wages and salaries, other operating expenses, taxes, dividends etc. The need to hold cash would not arise if there were perfect synchronization between cash receipts and cash payments, i.e., enough cash is received when the payment has to be made. But cash receipts and payments are not perfectly synchronized. For those periods, when cash payments exceed cash receipts, the firm should maintain some cash balance to be able to make required payments. For transactions purpose, a firm may invest its cash in marketable securities. Usually, the firm will purchase securities whose maturity corresponds with some anticipated payments, such as dividends, or taxes in the future. Notice that the transactions motive mainly refers to holding cash to meet anticipated payments whose timing is not perfectly matched with cash receipts.

• Precautionary motive

The precautionary motive i s the need to hold cash to meet contingencies in the future. It provides a cushion or buffer to withstand some unexpected emergency. The precautionary amount of cash depends upon the predictability of cash flows. If cash flow can be predicted with accuracy, less cash will be maintained for an emergency. The amount of precautionary cash is also influenced by the firm’s ability to borrow at short notice when the need arises. Stronger the ability of the firm to borrow at short notice less would be the need for precautionary balance. The precautionary balance may be kept in cash and marketable securities. Marketable securities play an important role here. The amount of cash set aside for precautionary reasons is not expected to earn anything; therefore, the firm attempt to earn some profit on it. Such funds should be invested in high-liquid and low-risk marketable securities. Precautionary balance should, thus, held more in marketable securities and relatively less in cash.

• Speculative motive

The speculative motive relates to the holding of cash for investing in profit-making opportunities as and when they arise. The opportunity to make profit may arise when the security prices change. The firm will hold cash, when it is expected that the interest rates will rise and security prices will fall. Securities can be purchased when the interest rate is expected to fall; the firm will benefit by the subsequent fall in interest rates and increase in security prices. The firm may also speculate on materials’ prices. If it is expected that materials’ prices will fall, the firm can postpone materials’ purchasing and make purchases in future when price actually falls. Some firms may hold cash for speculative purposes. By and large, business firms do not engage in speculations. Thus, the primary motives to hold cash and marketable securities are: the transactions and the precautionary motives.

• Compensation Motive

Such motives require holding cash balance in case the concern enters into some loan agreement with the bank. Bank provides a great variety of services to its customers. For some of such services it charges commission or fee. While for other an indirect compensation is demanded by it by asking its customers to keep a minimum bank balance sufficient to earn a return equal to cost of services provided by it. Such balances are termed as compensating balances. 

CASH PLANNING

Cash flows are inseparable parts of the business operations of firms. A firm needs cash to invest in inventory, receivable and fixed assets and to make payment for operating expenses in order to maintain growth in sales and earnings. It is possible that firm may be taking adequate profits, but may suffer from the shortage of cash as its growing needs may be consuming cash very fast. The ‘cash poor’ position of the firm can be corrected if its cash needs are planned in advance. At times, a firm can have excess cash with it if its cash inflows exceed cash outflows. Such excess cash may remain idle. Again, such excess cash flows can be anticipated and properly invested if cash planning is resorted to. Cash planning is a technique to plan and control the use of cash. It helps to anticipate the future cash flows and needs of the firm and reduces the possibility of idle cash balances (which lowers firm’s profitability) and cash deficits (which can cause the firm’s failure). 

Cash planning protects the financial condition of the firm by developing a projected cash statement from a forecast of expected cash inflows and outflows for a given period. The forecasts may be based on the present operations or the anticipated future operations. Cash plans are very crucial in developing the operating plans of the firm. Cash planning can be done on daily, weekly or monthly basis. The period and frequency of cash planning generally depends upon the size of the firm and philosophy of management.

 Large firms prepare daily and weekly forecasts. Medium-size firms usually prepare weekly and monthly forecasts. Small firms may not prepare formal cash forecasts because of the non-availability of information and small-scale operations. But, if the small firm prepares cash projections, it is done on monthly basis. As a firm grows and business operations become complex, cash planning becomes inevitable for its continuing success.

Cash planning has three main objectives: 

(1) To ensure that expenditures are smoothly financed during the year, so as to minimize borrowing costs;

(2) To enable the initial budget policy targets, especially the surplus or deficit, to be met; and 

(3) To contribute to the smooth implementation of both fiscal and monetary policy. 

An effective cash planning and management system should:

• Recognize the time value and the opportunity cost of cash;
• Enable line ministries to plan expenditure effectively;
• Be forward-looking–anticipating macroeconomic developments while accommodating significant economic changes and minimizing the adverse effects on budget execution;
• Be responsive to the cash needs of line ministries;
• Be comprehensive, covering all inflows of cash resources; and
• Plan for the liquidation of both short- and long-term cash liabilities.

CASH MANAGEMENT CYCLE

Cash management is imperative because it is complex to forecast cash flows precisely, particularly the inflows and outflows of cash. In normal business process at times cash outflows may exceed cash inflows, because of payments for taxes, dividends, or seasonal inventory build-up. Similarly at times, cash inflows can be more than cash payments because there may be large cash sales and debtors may be realized in large sums promptly.

(Source: Financial Management – By I. M. PANDEY)

The Cash Management Cycle is followed in industry, which incorporates number of operations; the operations are generally concluded after the appropriate analysis on checking about the desired quality, price transactions of sales and purchases are taking place like wise. When the transactions take place, the cash collections and cash payments gets started and the results of it would be visible to the organization in sense of whether it is deficit or surplus. In case of deficit, the cash is borrowed from bank to surmount the result, and if it is surplus then normally, investment takes place for earning certain return on the otherwise idle cash.

Sales generate cash which has to be distributed. The Surplus cash has to be invested while deficit has to be borrowed. Cash management looks for achieving this cycle at a minimum cost. Simultaneously, it also seeks to attain liquidity and control. Cash management assumes more significance than other current assets because cash is the most important and the least productive asset that a company holds.

 CONCLUSION

A business that is possibly trading beneficially with surmounted profit, can implausibly fail if cash is not available. The future for all businesses is vague due to constant tastes changes, interest rates go up or down, suppliers increase prices etc. and the economy itself endure uncertainty as the business cycle changes. Cash management necessitates speeding cash inflows while slowing down cash outflows, but it may not be considered in isolation. Cash is the lifeblood of a business and a business desires to generate adequate cash from its conduct so that it can meet its expenses and have enough left over to repay investors and grow the business. A company through certain manipulations can fabricate its earnings but its cash flow illustrates about the firms real health. A company has to generate an ample cash flow from its business in order to survive. Additionally, a business also needs to administer its cash circumstances in order that it holds the correct amount of cash to meet its urgent and long-term needs. Deprived cash management is probably the most frequent stumbling block for entrepreneurs. The basic concepts of cash flow will facilitate proper planning for the unforeseen eventualities that nearly every business faces. 

References:

1. https://corporatefinanceinstitute.com/resources/knowledge/finance/cash-management/#:~:text=Cash%20management%2C%20also%20known%20as,of%20an%20organization’s%20financial%20stability.
2. https://www.investopedia.com/terms/c/cash-management.asp
3. https://theinvestorsbook.com/cash-management.html
4. https://www.rbi.org.in/scripts/FS_Overview.aspx?fn=2753
5. https://www.rbi.org.in/scripts/BS_PressReleaseDisplay.aspx?prid=49282
6. http://www.iibmindialms.com/library/management-basic-subjects/finance-management/cash-management-cash-budget/#:~:text=Cash%20planning%20is%20a%20technique,weekly%2C%20monthly%20or%20quarterly%20basis.

‘Financial Management 11th Edition’, a text book by I. M. Pandey, Vikas Publishing House Pvt. Ltd, New Delhi, 2015, Page No: 217 – 219, 726, 738.

There is no better emerging country than India if you want to try out new adventures. From paragliding to scuba diving, India covers every adventure sport that is fun to try. This post will take you through the top 10 adventure destinations in India.

You will enjoy some of the enthralling adventure sports such as River Rafting, Camping, Bungee Jumping, Ziplining, Parasailing, Paragliding, Hot-air-Ballooning, Jungle Safari, Desert Safari, Snorkelling, Scuba Diving and many more in these locations.

Top 10 Adventure Destination in India

• Rishikesh – Have fun while rafting in thunderous rapids of River Ganga. Enjoy bungee jumping too.
• Goa – Get your hands-on Jet ski, Flyboarding and enjoy Scuba diving and Snorkelling in water
• Ladakh – Flaunt your bike riding skills in the valley and go for “Chadar Trek” in Frozen River.
• Rajasthan – enjoy desert camping with camel safari, hot air ballooning and Jungle Safari in Ranthambore
• National Park
• Manali – Enjoy the longest zipline in India along with rafting and camping in the valley.
• Auli – Skiing in the slopes of India’s best Ski-destination
• Jim Corbett – Face-off with tigers in Jim Corbett National Park
• Bir Billing- Paragliding in India’s highest paragliding site.
• Valley of Flowers – Trek in Valley of Flowers
• Sikkim – Climb up in the gorgeous mountain peaks.

1. Rishikesh

Bestowed with the recent title of “Adventure Capital of India”, Rishikesh is the most popular adventure destination in India. From River Rafting to Bungee Jumping, Rishikesh is full of adventures.

Some of the popular adventures in Rishikesh are:

River Rafting – You can enjoy short as well as long river rafting stretches as per your comfort. There are 9, 16, 26 and 35 km Rafting stretches in Rishikesh. Get full details about river rafting in Rishikesh here!
Bungee Jumping – Feel the adrenaline rushing through your body by Jumping off from India’s tallest fixed bungee platform, height – 83 m. Other activities to enjoy in Rishikesh are paramotoring, Flying Fox, Giant Swing, Zipline, Hot-air-ballooning, Rappelling, Cliff Jumping, Kayaking and Mountain-biking.
Camping – Chill out from your city bustle amid the nature camps in Rishikesh. To make your stay comfortable camping here comes with all modern amenities. To enjoy utmost in Rishikesh choose a combo of Rafting and Camping.

2. Goa

The 2nd most sought-after destination in India, Goa needs no introduction. Not only in India Goa has its fan-base internationally too. Apart from Expansive sea, golden sands, vast beaches and cool party scenes, Goa is the water sports capital of India. It offers every exciting water adventure. Some of the cool water adventure sports in Goa are Scuba diving, Snorkelling, Parasailing, Jet Skiing, Knee-boarding, Flyboarding, Banana Rides, Aqua Zorbing, Hot-air ballooning and ATV riding.

So if you’re planning for a dive into the Arabian Sea to get a closer look of beautiful sea creatures or Sailing in the air on a Hot-air balloon, Goa will never disappoint you.

3. Ladakh

The Himalayan kingdom Ladakh is a dream destination for every adventure seekers. Popularly known as the Land of Snow, Ladakh is popular for its dazzling mountains and beautiful valleys. The place is also close to the heart of every biker. Pleasant weather, stunning views, highest motorable passes and challenging roads makes this place a dream destination for every biker out there.

Apart from bike riding Ladakh is also popular for “Chadar Trek” i.e. trekking in the frozen river. Here Chadar signifies “Sheet of ice”.

4. Rajasthan

The “Land of Kings”, Rajasthan is popular for its historical forts and huge palaces. Apart from rich culture and heritage, Rajasthan is home to many popular adventure activities. From Desert Camping to Hot-Air-Ballooning, Rajasthan offers a lot of adventures.

Some of the must-do adventures in Rajasthan are:

Hot-air-ballooning – Rajasthan is the famous hot-air-balloon destination. Sail in the sky at a speed 15-20 km/hr and enjoy the surreal landscapes, huge forts and mesmerizing lakes. You can enjoy your hot-air-balloon safari in “Udaipur”. The cost for a 15 minutes hot-air balloon ride ranges from Rs 750-1200 per person.
Desert Camping – What fun it will be to enjoy camping amid the Thar Desert. Desert camping in Rajasthan is a popular activity to enjoy. Watch the sun setting behind dunes, hear stories of bravery of kings from locals. The most popular places for desert camping in Rajasthan are Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Udaipur and Pushkar.
Camel Safari- Stroll around in the nooks and corners of Rajasthan on camelback. Camel Safari is a popular attraction in Rajasthan. The most fun place to enjoy camel safari in Rajasthan is Bikaner.
Other things to do in Rajasthan are Dune Bashing, ATV riding, Safari in Ranthambore National Park, Camping in Mount Abu and Trekking in Aravalli hills.

5. Manali

Nestled in the mountains, Manali is a beautiful hill station situated in the state of Himachal Pradesh. Due to its cool weather and pleasant surroundings, Manali is ideal for adventure enthusiasts, couples and family picnics. One of the major attractions here is Zipline that is 525 m long.

Other adventures to enjoy in Manali are Camping, River Rafting, Paragliding, Bridge Crossing, River Crossing, Rappelling, Rock Climbing, etc.

6. Auli

Situated in the lap of Himalayas, Auli is a small town located in Chamoli district in the state of Uttarakhand. Auli is also a world-famous ski-destination in India. It recently gained popularity among tourists. Try out your Skiing skills on the slopes of this man-made ski destination of India. Other attractions to enjoy in Auli are Auli Ropeway, Gurson Bugyal, Auli lake and Chattrakund. Choose from full-fledged Auli tour packages to make most out of this destination.

7. Jim Corbett

If you love nature and wildlife then Jim Corbett is for you. Located in the state of Uttarakhand, Jim Corbett National Park is an amazing place to visit. The park has rich flora and fauna. Jim Corbett is home to many wild animals and species of birds. This place is popular for tiger sighting.

Thousands of tourists from India as well as from foreign countries visit Jim Corbett every year for wildlife corbett Safari. Get a closer look at wildlife here on Open-Jeep Safari.

8. Bir Billing

Situated in the west of Joginder Nagar Valley, Bir is a small village in the state of Himachal Pradesh. Also known as “Paragliding Capital of India”, Bir-Billing is a popular place for adventure seekers in India.

Catch the bird-eye view of Bir Valley covered with snow while paragliding from the highest paragliding site in India. Paragliding also serves as a major attraction in the valley.

9. Valley of Flowers

Valley of Flowers National Park is situated in the Pithoragarh district of state Uttarakhand. It is also a renowned world heritage site. The park has a rich biodiversity. Trek into the valley of flowers and enjoy spectacular views of Hathi Parvat, Sapt rishi peaks, Hemkund sahib and various other small river streams and snow-capped mountains.

The surroundings of the valley ensure you’ve got a memorable trip.

10. Sikkim

Located in the north-eastern part of India, Sikkim is a least populous state in India. Sikkim is popular for its gorgeous waterfalls, alpine meadows and virgin forests. Also known as “Land of Lepchas”Article Submission, Sikkim has proximity to the Himalayan ranges which makes it a popular trekking destination. Its surreal landscapes and mountain ranges are what people entice about.

You should not miss out on the chance of climbing mountain peaks here!

ABSTRACT

Children are the pillars of a nation, especially girl children. Every girl child has the right to live happily and protected. The family and parents are the first line protection for the children. Girl Children commonly experience lack of   rights in developing countries. This study investigated parent’s awareness and attitude towards Girl Child’s rights and needs at the family and community levels in Kerala. This is a descriptive study surveyed 100 parents in Thiruvananthapuram. The sample selection was based on convenience  sampling method. Data were analyzed and interpreted using descriptive and inferential statistics. Majority of the parent’s had (81.15%) average level of knowledge where 17.85% of the parent’s had good knowledge and 00.94% had poor knowledge regarding Girl Children’s Rights in all the dimensions regarding Girl Children’s Rights which included health, education, equality, and protection needs dimensions of the needs assessment questionnaire but at the same time majority of the parent’s had neutral attitude towards girl children’s rights. A positive correlation was found (r = 0.50, p < 0.05), between knowledge (mean = 20.92, SD = 3.37) and attitude  (mean =107.77, SD =10.10) scores of parent’s regarding children’s rights. Further, a statistically significant association was found between men and women (χ2 = 9.65, p < 0.05), on the statement “Girl Children should have the right to quality child care” (χ2 = 10.66, p < 0.05). This study suggests that parents and communities need to be educated regarding the need of girl children’s rights and that legislation must be strengthened to meet the girl child rights of every girl child in the nation.

Key Words: Parents, knowledge, attitude, Child Act, Girl Child’s Rights

Introduction:

India’s rapidly deteriorating sex ratio (2011: 918 girls for 1,000 boys) has been linked to many factors, but primary among these is the perceived value of a girl child. However, if girls are not given equal access to education, then they cannot truly shine, and prove that they are valuable. Keeping this in mind, the Indian government initiated the ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’ programme in October 2014, aiming to provide survival, safety and education to the girl child. Along with focusing on education, the program celebrates the girl child, fights bias, and offers inclusiveness benefits. 

Rationale of the Study

There are many challenges that India’s girl child education mission is facing.The many backwards practices that compromise a girl child’s access to education must be addressed in real-time. This requires on-ground, constant civic body support, in the form of local governance in districts. However, in areas with poor sex ratios often stubbornly, even administration members do not support women empowerment. Fighting this requires civil society workers to first understand, and then address issues like female foeticide, education, and welfare services for females. The Divisional Commissioner and other representatives must be open to a dialogue to regularly meet and chart out action plans with civil society. NGO workers and government workers must also be supported by local police, members of legislative assembly, and other influential people. It takes a substantial amount of time and effort to establish relationships at the local governance level, yet these officers are soon transferred, forcing officials, NGO workers, and those who volunteer and donate for education must then develop new relationships. Transfers to prime posts are common for top local officials. Newly appointed officials must then be educated and sensitised for girl child education. The support of newly appointed police and other officials also must be won again. The success of any girl child empowerment program, especially in a crisis situation like the one India is facing, requires firm and measurable accountability from civic administration.  People in India’s poorer regions often ogle women officials and make unwanted advances, as they are surprised to see a woman in a position of power and success. Decades of patriarchal thinking and regressive local governance has created this environment. Volunteers visiting to educate or counsel young girls also face these challenges regularly. Rural India’s obsession with getting girls getting married as soon as possible defines a woman’s real role only as a homemaker. They must, therefore, be a subservient housewife, instead of achievers with their own victories. As women become inferior in this context, female foeticide is the logical conclusion – women are considered ‘someone else’s wealth’, and hence useless in the homes they are born in.

Objective of the study

The present study is to investigate parent’s awareness and attitude towards Girl Child’s rights and needs at the family and community levels in Kerala.

Methodology

This is a descriptive study surveyed 106 parents in Thiruvananthapuram. The sample selection was based on convenience sampling method. Data were analyzed and interpreted using descriptive and inferential statistics. Socio demographic data information collected included age, gender, education, religion, education, employment, monthly income, participation in any public awareness program related to Children’s Rights, Awareness about child help-line and source of information regarding Children’s Rights. The instrument included 35 items (including negatively worded) in four dimensions: health, education, equality, and protection. This section used a 4 point (ordinal) scale rated from 0 (never) to 3 (always).There was no correct or incorrect answers. Subjects were informed that each question required a response.The researcher framed some more questions focusing in the dimensions of right to protection, right to privacy, right to protection from all forms of violence, child labour, drug abuse, sexual exploitation and detention and punishments and comprised a total of 170 attitude statements. A three point rating scale 1(restrictive), 2 (neutral) and 3 (permissive) was used for rating. Restrictive attitude means parent’s are least bothered about the Girl Children’s Rights, neutral attitude means parent’s either welcome or nor bother about Children’s Rights and permissive attitude means parent’s are very concern and they step forward to know about the Girl Children’s Rights.  

Results:    

The samples comprised 100 parents, of whom 36.79% subjects belonged to the age group of 30-40 years, 80.91% of them were females, Most of the subjects (94.33%) were Hindus and 0.94% were Christians. Slightly more than half (74.52%) of the subjects had higher secondary education while 5.66% had secondary education and 48.12% had primary education. Similarly, majority (83.01%) of the subjects were employed. 38.68% subjects belonged to above poverty line (In the present study, as per the hospital policy, where the present study was conducted, Below Poverty Line (BPL) was considered, when the participants family source of income was below 2500Rs/month and above that is considered as Above Poverty Line (APL). This criterion goes per with World Bank poverty estimate). A larger number subjects (93.40%) had never participated in any knowledge program regarding girl children’s rights and 91.51% of the subjects had no experience related to children’s rights issues. Majority of the subjects (96.22 %) were unaware about child help- line.46.22% subjects had mentioned newspaper as the source of information regarding Girl Children’s Rights.

Table -1

Frequency and Percentage distribution of Overall level of Knowledge of Parent’s regarding Girl Children’s Rights.                               n =106

Table -2

Frequency and Percentage distribution of overall Attitude of Parent’s  regarding Girl Children’s Rights. n =106

Table 1and 2 shows overall knowledge and attitude responses to health, education, equality, and protection needs dimensions of the needs assessment questionnaire revealed that majority of the parents (81.15%) had average knowledge in all the dimensions regarding Girl Children’s Rights, where 17.85% of the parent’s had good knowledge and 00.94% had poor knowledge regarding Girl Children’s Rights. And study revealed that majority of the parent’s (69.81%) had neutral attitude regarding Girl Children’s Rights followed by 30.19% had permissive attitude and none of the parent’s were having restrictive attitude regarding Girl Children’s Rights.

Table -3 shows coefficient of correlation among overall scores of knowledge and attitude, a statistically significant correlation was found (r = 0.50, p < 0.05), indicating positive relationship between knowledge and attitudes of parent’s regarding Girl  Children’s Rights.

Further the association of the overall knowledge and attitude scores of parent’s with selected variables was determined, a statistically significant association was found between men and women (χ2 = 9.65, p < 0.05), on the statement “Girl Children should have the right to quality child care” (χ2 = 10.66, p < 0.05) .

The findings also revealed that more above median as compared to females, which indicates that the males have better knowledge than females regarding Girl Children’s Rights. Attitude level was also found to be significantly associated with gender (χ2 = 10.66, p < 0.05), where males score higher than females. And none of the other sample characteristics were significantly associated.

DISCUSSION:

This study examines the knowledge and attitude of parents on girl children’s rights and correlates the findings. The present study also has certain limitations such as the study was restricted to smaller sample size made it difficult to generalize the findings. Prospective longitudinal research is vital to examine the awareness of girl children’s rights. Future research should focus on larger sample size and qualitative approach for depth understanding of children’s rights issues. Despite these limitations, the present study helps in creating awareness among the parent’s and their relatives regarding girl children’s rights.  

This study found that 81.14% of parent’s had average knowledge regarding girl children’s rights but at the same time majority of the parent’s had neutral attitude towards girl children’s rights. This could be that they have heard about the Act but have not really known the contents of the Act. It is interesting to know that 80.91% of the study participants were females and it reflects on the knowledge and attitude scores. This could be because in Indian society men are more likely to face the community than women when exercising social rights. In developing countries like India, it is critical to examine factors that prevent women from accessing girl children’s rights. For instance women may be unable to take a decision related to her child care because her in-laws and husband make most of the child rearing decisions and forbid her to involve in her child care activities directly.  In this study except gender other socio demographic data such as age, education, religion, education,  employment, monthly income, participation in any public awareness program related to Girl Children’s Rights, Awareness about child help-line and source of information regarding Girl Children’s Rights had no significant difference and association with the study findings. But a positive correlation was found between knowledge (mean = 20.92, SD = 3.37) and attitude (mean =107.77, SD =10.10) scores of parent’s regarding girl children’s rights. Thus it could be concluded that the attitude of parent’s towards Girl Children’s Rights changes with increase in knowledge.

Recommendations:

Proper development of effective coordinating mechanisms to promote concerted effort by relevant government bodies is very important. It is  also emphasized the need for greater coordination across ministries and between levels of government if the knowledge and awareness of Girl Child Rights Act is to be achieved at the grass roots. The failure to create awareness and implement the Child’s Rights Act effectively and to curb the violation of child rights can be traced to the failure of a country to educate her citizens on human rights generally and child rights specifically.

Conclusion:

Although knowledge and attitude of children’s rights are increasing around the world but still there is much more rhetoric paid to their value than genuine enforcement especially in developing countries like India. Therefore a lot still needs to be done so that we do not just pay lip service to the implementation of the Act. Currently this appears to be the case because according to reports there appears to be insignificant difference on the lives of the girl children in the various states before and after the passage of the bill as against the highly anticipated gains that motivated the introduction of the Act. As primary health care providers in the community, nurses are in good position to help and advocate on Girl Child’s Rights at both family and community levels.

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Problems and Challenges of Girl-Child Education in India (2018):  IOSR Journal of Research & Method in Education, 4(4), 01-015.  

Dr.N.Pradeep Kumar
Assistant Professor, PG Department of Commerce,
Mahatma Gandhi College, Thiruvananthapuram
pradeepkn30@gmail.com