The Daughter of Unclaimed Souls – The Story of Pooja Sharma

 A Journey Born from Tragedy

In 2022, Pooja Sharma’s life changed forever when her elder brother was brutally murdered before her eyes. With her father in a coma and her mother already deceased, Pooja stood alone. Defying traditional gender norms, she tied a turban and performed his last rites herself. This moment of profound loss birthed a mission: ensuring no one leaves this world without dignity.

Amazon Basics - Mini Backpack for Outdoor Use

Over 6,000 Final Farewells
Since that day, Pooja has become the "heir" to those forgotten by society. Operating through her NGO, the Bright the Soul Foundation, she has cremated more than 6,000 unclaimed bodies.

• The Ritual: She handles everything from tying the shroud to lighting the pyre.
• Final Peace: Every month during Amavasya, she travels to Haridwar to immerse the ashes in the Ganges.
• Faith Inclusive: She performs rites according to the deceased's faith, ensuring respect for all.

Fighting Stigma and Scarcity
Her path has not been easy. She has faced intense societal backlash, with some branding her the "companion of ghosts". The stigma was so severe that her own engagement was called off.

Funding this mission costs approximately ₹1,20,000 per month. To keep going, Pooja has used her savings, her grandmother’s pension, and even sold her mother’s wedding jewelry.

Redmi Watch 5 Active

Global Recognition
Despite the challenges, her courage has not gone unnoticed. In 2024, she was named one of the BBC’s 100 Most Inspiring and Influential Women. Today, she stands as a beacon of humanity, proving that compassion has no gender and every life deserves a dignified end.

Pooja reminds us: "I am their everything now. If I don’t show up, then who will?"

Let’s salute this real-life hero! 🙌✨

The Burning Truth: Why ‘Hula Parties’ Still Haunt Bengal’s Elephants

 

"Hula parties" (or hulla parties) are groups of 15–50 local villagers in South Bengal who are hired by the forest department to drive wild elephants away from human settlements and crops. While they claim to protect "giant tuskers" by preventing fatal retaliatory attacks from angry mobs, their methods—using burning torches (mashaals) and spikes—frequently lead to horrific injuries and the deaths of these animals.

In the heart of South Bengal, a violent tradition continues to flicker despite legal bans. Hula parties—groups of local youth—are the frontline of human-elephant conflict management. Their "good" intent is to prevent elephants from raiding crops and being killed by villagers. Ironically, they often become the very threat they claim to mitigate.

Shadowhawk Flash Light Led Torch 20000 Lumens

The Human-Wildlife Toll

• Brutality: In August 2024, a pregnant elephant died in Jhargram after a hula party member threw a burning iron rod that lodged in her back.
• The Law vs. Reality: The Supreme Court of India issued a notice to the state government in late 2024 regarding the continued use of these "barbaric" methods.
• The Conflict Cycle: Constant harassment by fire stresses the animals, making them more aggressive and prone to charging, which only fuels more violence.

Until the state implements scientific, empathy-based alternatives like habitat restoration and better early-warning systems, the "hula" fire will continue to burn on both sides of the conflict.

Why they are still in action despite the Supreme Court ban

UN1QUE Rechargeable Torch Light High Power 20000 Lumens

In 2018, the Supreme Court banned the use of "fireballs" to drive elephants. However, they persist due to several loopholes and administrative failures:

• Definitional Loopholes: The court specifically banned fireballs, but the forest department argues that mashaals (stationary torches) are still permissible in emergencies.
• Official Payrolls: Despite the ban, the West Bengal Forest Department continues to engage these parties through informal hiring or formal tendering processes, paying them roughly ₹300 per night.
• Lack of Alternatives: Officials claim hula drives are the "only effective method" as elephants do not respond to other deterrents.
• Economic Racket: Some allege a "racket" where hula parties intentionally block elephant paths to keep them in the area, ensuring more paid work nights.

Project Cheetah: 4-year Cheetah revival plan: Read about world's first intercontinental large carnivore translocation

Project Cheetah is a historic, world-first intercontinental conservation initiative launched by the Government of India on September 17, 2022. It aims to reintroduce the cheetah, which was declared officially extinct in India in 1952, back into its historical natural habitat. 

Spearheaded by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), the project focuses on reviving the grassland-savanna ecosystem by bringing in African cheetahs (Southern African subspecies) from Namibia and South Africa to Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh. 

                        Canon EOS R100 24.1 MP Mirrorless Camera (Black)

🔥 What is Project Cheetah? (In Details)

• Objective: To restore the ecological role of the cheetah as an apex predator, boost grassland biodiversity, and promote eco-tourism.
• The "Metapopulation" Approach: The goal is not just to keep them in one park, but to create a self-sustaining "metapopulation" of 60–70 cheetahs across multiple connected landscapes in Central India, including Kuno and Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary.
• The Journey So Far: Starting with 20 initial cheetahs (8 from Namibia in 2022, 12 from South Africa in 2023), the project has seen both challenges and success, including the birth of multiple India-born cubs.
• Significance: It is the world’s first intercontinental large wild carnivore translocation project. 

 JOURNEYS IN THE WILD by Sir David Attenborough

🛡️ The 4-Year (2024-2028) Cheetah Revival Plan 

As the initial phase faced challenges, the government shifted to a more strategic, long-term approach, often referred to as the "four-year" or "second-phase" plan focused on stabilization (roughly aligning with the 2024-25 through 2027-28 period). 

• Expansion to Second Site: Moving beyond Kuno, the plan focuses on establishing Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary as the second home for cheetahs to reduce pressure on Kuno.
• Strengthening Population (Botswana/Kenya): The plan includes importing a new batch of 8-10 cheetahs annually for a few years to maintain genetic diversity and prevent inbreeding.
• "Cheetah Mitras": Over 450 local community members were trained as 'Cheetah Mitras' to monitor the cats, prevent conflict, and ensure community support.
• Ecological Monitoring: Using high-tech GPS/Satellite collars to monitor movements 24/7, with teams focusing on reducing mortality rates.

Second Generation Success: A key target is ensuring that the cubs born in India (second generation) survive and adapt, which has been achieved with the births of multiple litters, including from India-born mothers.