DISC VER I A IND

PUNJAB RE-DISCOVERED

Punjab Rediscovered

Analytical report submitted to Discover India Program Committee, FLAME for partial fulfilment of Discover India Program six credit course.

Research Team:

 Shalin Koticha  Jehaan Kotwal  Natalie Grover  Noopur Desai  Rohan Thakker  Saurabh Ketkar  Shivam Nemani  Suvir Singh  Varun Patel

Faculty Mentor‟s name: Maj Gen Raj S. Mehta

FLAME School for Liberal Education

Foundation for Liberal And Management Education, Pune

Year 2009-2010

Authentication Certificate

This is to certify that the work incorporated in this report entitled “Punjab Rediscovered” submitted by the undersigned Research Team was carried out under my mentorship. Such material as has been obtained from other sources has been duly acknowledged.

Research Team:

 Shalin Koticha  Jehaan Kotwal  Natalie Grover  Noopur Desai  Rohan Thakkar  Saurabh Ketkar  Shivam Nemani  Suvir Singh  Varun Patel

Date: Faculty Mentor:

Place: Signature:

Index

Punjab Rediscovered ...... 2

Authentication Certificate ...... 3

Acknowledgements ...... 5

Chapter 1: Introduction...... 6

Chapter 2: Preliminary - Research ...... 13

Topic wise preliminary-research ...... 14

The Green Revolution ...... 14

Food ...... 19

Sikhism ...... 22

Partition ...... 28

Army ...... 32

Location wise Preliminary-Research ...... 35

Patiala...... 35

Ludhiana...... 35

Amritsar ...... 36

Chandigarh ...... 37

Chapter 3: Primary Data ...... 38

Chapter 4: Analysis ...... 84

Chapter 5: Conclusion…………………………………………………………...... 106

Acknowledgements

We, the students of Punjab Rediscovered from the Discover India Program would like to profusely thank the respected President, Dr. Indira Parikh and the Chairperson, Mr. Parag Shah for having given us the opportunity to discover a very integral part of our nation and in turn, discover ourselves. The Discover India Program is a very well thought out program which gave us the ability to understand a perspective of the country through the state‟s demography, culture, heritage, geography, history, and sociology. Through this Program, not only did the students get a blunt and revealing insight to the workings of a nation but at the same time, we got the opportunity to hone our research and analytical skills.

We would also like to take this opportunity to thank the DIP committee for their relentless commitment and faith in this endeavour.

Maj Gen Raj S. Mehta has played an instrumental role in the completion of this report. He has mentored us during our pre-research, our fieldwork and post-fieldwork. We, as a group were slightly disadvantaged as we only received our mentor a week prior to our departure. With pre- research been put together over a span of three day, we chose to compete against groups which has their respective mentors and pre-research backing them for close to three months. Therefore, Maj Gen Raj Mehta has provided priceless mentorship in channelizing our thoughts and ideas into a more productive manner. We would like to sincerely thank him for the same.

Punjab Rediscovered has been through changes in mentorship for unpredictable and unfortunate reasons. Both the mentors provided us with undue amounts of support. We would like to thank Professor Maya Dodd and Professor Ash Gulati for the same.

Chapter 1: Introduction

On the 18th of February, 9 young students departed from the Foundation for Liberal And Management Education for the Discover India Program. The students had departed underprepared, with a fair amount of skepticism and cynicism, unsure of what was to be discovered on their journeys. But not one of us had predicted how tremendously moving it would be. It was noteworthy that what was embarked on was not just a discovery of the nation; it was a discovery of the self. Through the journey, dynamics were discovered of ourselves that we had never even known to exist. And then came back only charged, sobered down and realistic after our experience that could have been nothing short of electrifying, truthful and stunning. This program had changed our lives forever. The respected President, Chairperson and the entire faculty in charge of the program cannot be thanked enough for having provided this opportunity of immense learning, both external and internal to the students. Having said this, where was it mean to be started? The aims of the Discover India Project were varied in nature. Its primary objective was to get us acquainted to the Indian sociological structure and the various needs and attributes of certain sections of Indian society that would represent the country as a whole. The beauty of the program was that we had the freedom of exploration and no place or topic was restricted to us apart from those demarcated as “red zones” 1. We approached the program by short-listing from a list of topics. We eventually chose to explore Punjab and its people for various sociological reasons.

Location

Punjab gets its name from Punj-āb which means „The land of the fiver rivers‟: Beas, Jhellum, Chenab, Ravi and Sutlej. It is a land that is blessed by nature to be bountiful; having Perennial rivers and 68000 kms of canal systems, Punjab is an extension to the Indo-Gangetic plain. It is primarily an agrarian state that has been under the spotlight of the entire international community for various reasons. Punjabis are stereotypically known for their jovial yet hardworking attitudes, their hospitality, generosity and their vivacious appetites. All these attributes come from a larger attribute that is the affluence of the state as a whole. One can only be happy, generous and full if one has the means to be. That led us to believe that behind the happiness and merriment lies a history and psyche that would much rather deny the acceptance of strife and stress than accept it. Thus, we were compelled to inquire: is Punjab really as happy as it seems?

With this question in mind, we began our research. We scoured the worldwide web looking for those facts and opinions that fortified our original premise: that behind that communal smile lay a whirlwind of trouble. We found atrocities in the history of the state to the extent of wars, both civil and foreign, ecological breakdowns and political inefficiencies. We were convinced that the Green Revolution was, on the long run, hugely detrimental to the region of Punjab on a permanent scale. We were absolutely certain that Operation Blue Star was a mishap whose implications were

1 A “red zone” was classified as an area that was either unsafe or logistically inaccessible by FLAME magnanimous in the social and political history of India; it was something that we believed the legislation at the time and India as a whole would undo if it could in a heartbeat. There was a genuine desire to study Operation Blue Star but we decided to go a different way. Nothing deterred us from the belief that the social structure of Punjab was undergoing a major shift towards the worse with the ill-effects of excess money manifesting itself in drugs and alcohol. Our apprehensions towards the stereotypes of Punjab were in the process of formation. With that in mind, we went to Punjab with a mindset and with a certain hypothesis to hear from the mouth of credible experts and common man that most of our notions were not concurrent to the true state of Punjab.

How we got to our conclusions was a result of our physical visit to Punjab under the fields we had set to research for ourselves. The criteria with which we chose these fields included what we thought were the major factors that affected a region in general along with certain aspects we thought were important in the specific case of Punjab. The fields of study we did come upon were:

 Agriculture (The Green Revolution),  Sikhism  The Army  Post Partition Punjab  Food and Beverage

These areas, individually and collectively, form a considerably large majority of the variables that make Punjab what it is today, contributing significantly to the disposition of Punjab. In the consequent paragraphs, why and in what context we chose these subheadings are explained in more detail.

Green Revolution

Agriculture is the primary contemporary profession of Punjab. The cultivation area is around forty- two lakh hectares, with the total area of Punjab amounting to approximately fifty lakh hectares. There has been a considerable rise in the output and efficiency of the crops in Punjab due to research methodology and solutions provided by the Green Revolution. The revolution came about as a means to provide a domestic source of crop in the country as opposed to the imported leftovers and under-quality crops given as aid by other countries (PL480). The „Hari Kranti‟ also had the uphill task of securing enough food for a one-billion strong population. The Green Revolution has its share of implications and problems. The immediate ones being the pressure put by these highly efficient crops on the ecology of the region; also certain crops that yield a higher income consequently demand a large sum from the ecological resources present are being grown in the area. The aim was to investigate the Green Revolution both as a policy and its social, economic and ecological implications.

Sikhism

Sikhism is a religion that believes, in theory, in all things that are practical. Sikhism has a long held tradition of social lessons and is recognized for the independence, self-righteousness and hospitality of its followers. It came as a revolt of Hinduism and its caste system and the exploitation by the upper caste. Also, Sikhism proposed the idea of equality which is exceptionally shown through the langar, where everyone sits on the floor at the same level and eats whatever food is given to them. Unfortunately, religion has played an instrumental role in the politics of the country. Like the creation of Pakistan, the Sikhs found themselves marginalized and some extremists like Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale decided to take things into their own hands and demanded a country for themselves by the name of Khalistan. In today‟s context, the religion faces its share of challenges. With western media influencing a large chunk of the now affluent members of Punjabi society, family, social and religious values have seemed to be replaced by the mimicry of western styles, mannerisms and even their habits. The money of the noveau riche has overflowed to the extent that the time vacuum is causing problems such as drugs and crime. The situation with the alienation of those communities that have migrated away from the region of Punjab is not helping its cause. The state of Sikhism in Punjab is once again challenged; and we thought it would be worthwhile to understand this contention in a local and international context.

Army

The army is an integral part of Punjab, as the people of this region are known to be a martial race. The fact that Punjab lies on the place of the critical political points between India and Pakistan also adds to the prevalence of army personnel and influence in the region. Historically, Punjab was the first point of entry between the Indian subcontinent and the Afghanistan. This would imply that the people of this region were our first line of defence for thousands of years, which led to the conditioning of the social structure and the individual psyche of a Punjabi in that context. However, with the upswing of farming and the implementation of a reservation in terms of admission into the army based on regional quotas, the army culture which was considered to be quite prominent is now at a turning point in its composition.

Partition

The partition between India and Pakistan was a hostile one. There was a lot of bloodshed during the process of relocation. The study of the demographics of Punjab from the point of view of the partition would give us a good idea of the social structure in Punjab as well as that section that includes Punjabi Pakistan. Punjab has a very critical boundary going through the Indian Punjabi and the Pakistani Punjab. There is a lot of unrest between the two borders in terms of insurgencies and drug trafficking which we intend to investigate further. Over and above that, there is severe hostility between both sides of the border. The aim was to investigate the contemporary implications of the partition.

Food

The eating habits of any community dictate the level of activity and helps explain certain behavioral traits it possesses. In the specific case of Punjab, there are two primary eating habits:

 That which has been influenced over years of conquest to form a unique blend of its own.  The staple diet of every farmer which would include the efficient use of resources to provide domestic means of nutrition fulfillment.

Our focus would include learning about certain feeding behaviors the people of Punjab exhibit. Also, the populace of Punjab has been a very food-centric race. Their obsession for food has percolated their culture in many ways. As an outsider, it can be noticed that there is an entire culture that has been created around this food in Punjab. This culture forms an epitome of Punjab‟s well- being and good health. Also, the food in Punjab has originated from several places because of its proximity to the border. We wished to understand the extent and the integrities of this culture. The legitimacy of this food culture was dissected and analysed through the channels of the study.

Methodology

Our methodology of study was to pay more attention to the views and opinions put forward by experts in their specific fields as well as to gain a holistic view from the various diverse public of Punjab. Although the opinions put forward by the experts might not be representative of that of the majority, they are more accurate and tend more towards the establishment of what is the true nature of the state of Punjab, which is our primary motive.

Aim

We propose to provide argument and counter-argument in terms of the nature of the various topics concerning Punjab. It is based on factual data only and we had as a policy refrained from speculation and assumptions. Our aim was to, by the end of this report, establish a space with which one would identify Punjab which would represent what it is on a holistic and factual basis; the attributes that we give to Punjab would be both in terms of positives and negatives with respect to the topics we have chosen and the framework of the subtopics we have further distinguished for ourselves.

Data Collection

The means of accumulating research data was through interviews, videos, data-collection through the public domain, specific population representation forums, literature, observational analysis and log keeping.

There is need to reiterate, Punjab is a land of prosperity, hospitality, freedom and vigor. The people there are as open as we get. They are happier than most places. That being said, it has their share of problems, just like the rest of us. We aim to establish their state of prosperity and despair and bring to the reader an accurate representation of what the reality of the situation is. In doing so, we would attempt to establish that the glamour associated with the state is a result of hype. The wars, famines, civil unrest and racial discrepancies could not have gone unnoticed to the general psyche of the average Punjabi, which is what had been set out to prove. How we were to be proven wrong by this glorious land and its people is the subject matter of this report.

Chapter 2: Preliminary - Research

If ongoing research is like a boat sailing in the ocean of knowledge, then pre research is definitely the sail which gives it momentum and direction. Pre research is nearly as important if not more important than the field research itself.

The discover Punjab group had decided that to discover the true essence of India, visiting only one location only was not enough. It seemed that to do justice to the aims of our “discover India” project, and to get a fair and authentic exposure to the true culture of India, one would have to analyze at least one entire state.

We decided to choose Punjab as our location for study primarily because there was a dichotomy in the media‟s portrayal of the state. The state was said to be in financial distress. The picture of Punjab, as painted by the media was one of anguish and melancholy. We expected to arrive in the Land of five rivers to find a state plagued by the fallouts of the green revolution. Information that we had gathered from the internet had led us to believe that there were several issues of anguish that we would find underlying the happiness in Punjab.

To understand the functioning of Punjab from a holistic and balanced perspective, we would have to study all its organs. We directed the focus of our research in five integral directions. The common ground of culture and heritage was then chosen by us as a medium for synthesizing and integrating these five spokes into a single research topic, „Discover Punjab‟.

Given the vast extent of the jurisdiction of our research topic, our pre research too, had to be detailed, extensive and thorough. The research was divided into two large sections. The first section was topic wise research, i.e. research about the five main headings. The second section was location wise Pre research. Location wise pre research was paramount since we were visiting several destinations across the Land of Five Rivers. Location wise pre research ensured would ensure that we milk as much information as possible from each location in the limited time that we would be able to spend there. Topic wise preliminary-research

The Green Revolution

The Bengal Famine of 1943, took the lives of an estimated four million people out of starvation that year alone in eastern India (including present day Bangladesh). The initial theory put forward to 'illustrate' the catastrophe was that there as an acute deficit in food production in the area. However, Indian economist Amartya Sen (Nobel Laureate for Economics, 1998) made an important inference from the situation -- that while food shortage did in fact contribute to the crisis, another important reason was the apathy by the British. About how their attention was directed towards the world war at the time. It was the perfect time for the avaricious Indian to exploit the circumstances and hiking up food prices to get their hands on the green.

After the departure of the British, food security was an issue of grave importance, to be dealt with immediately. This desperation led to the advent of the green revolution along with the need for regulation of government policy to ensure that vendors never hiked up prices for undue profit again. However, the term "Green Revolution" is applied to the period from 1967 to 1978. Between 1947 and 1967, efforts at achieving food sufficiency didn‟t look quite so rosy. Till 1967 and beyond the attempt was to largely extend the area under cultivation. Death due to hunger and starvation was still recurred. The problem was that the rate of increase in population far exceeded that of the rise in food production. This demanded radical action to boost yield. The action came in the structure of the Green Revolution.

The three primary objectives were:

 Expansion of farming areas;  Double-cropping farmland;  Genetically improved seeds.

Statistics:

 The revolution by 1978-79 culminated in a phenomenal grain harvest of 131 million tons. This established India as one of the world's biggest producers of grain. The success of the revolution within our country was beyond phenomenal. At last, we were exporters of food grain.  Per unit yield of farm area progressed by more than 30 per cent in the years between 1947 and 1979 when the Green Revolution finally exploded and revealed its magic.  The crop area under HYV(High Yield Variety) moved up from seven per cent to twenty two per cent of the total cultivated area; panning the decade of the revolution. It took up 70 per cent of the wheat crop area, 35 per cent of the area under rice cultivation.

Economic outcomes:

 Crop areas under these miracle high-yield varieties necessitated more water, fertilizer, pesticides, herbicides and a host of other powerful chemicals. This spurred an expansion in the manufacturing sector. This growth led to improved employment opportunities.  The increase in irrigation created the need for new dams to harness the abundant monsoon water. The water saved was utilised to generate hydro-electricity.

Sociological effects:

 The Green Revolution produced jobs a plenty for agrarian workers and industrial labour alike by the creation of lateral facilities such as factories and hydro-electric power stations as explained above.

Political results:

 India transformed itself from a barely food sufficient nation to an exporter of food. India thus established itself in the community of nations especially in the developing world.  The Green Revolution was one chief factors that made Mrs. Indira Gandhi (1917- 84) and her party The Congress, a formidable political force within the country

Limitations:

 Even today, India's agricultural output falls short in the face of its forever increasing demand. The Green Revolution, in all its glory has eventually proved not the most successful miracle drug contrary to popular opinion. India is not a self-sufficient nation. In 1979 and 1987, India faced severe drought conditions due to a scant monsoon; this provoked questions about whether the Green Revolution was in fact a accomplishment that could be enjoyed in the long run. In 1998, India had to import onions and wheat from Australia in 2006.  India has failed to extend the theory of high-yield value seeds to all produce or all areas. In terms of crops, it remains largely limited to food grains, not to all kinds of agricultural produce. In regional terms, Punjab, Haryana and U.P showed significant harvest thanks to the seeds.

Ecological implications:

 Extensive damage to the water table  Lack of irrigation means, and finances to provide the same,  Deficiency of soil nutrients due to monoculture practices,  Pressure on ecological system because of high yielding varieties and higher amount yielding variety of rice paddy.  Social prosperity led to the creation of new money, and in turn the promotion of substance abuse issues Due to demands of the country, the prevalence of a primary occupation – Farming reduces the plausibility for the development an alternate industry.

―These problems were built into the ecology of the HYVs even though they were anticipated. The high water demands of these seeds necessitated high water inputs, and hence the hazards of desertification – through water logging in some regions and desiccation and aridisation in others. The high nutrient demands caused micronutrients deficiencies on the one hand, but were also unsustainable because increased applications of chemical fertilizers were needed to maintain yields this increasing returns. The demand of the HYV seeds for intensive and uniform inputs of water and chemicals also made large-scale monocultures an imperative. And monocultures being highly vulnerable to pests and diseases, a new cost was created for pesticide applications. The ecological destruction instability inherent in HYV seeds was this translated into economic nonviability. The miracle seeds were not such a miracle after all. It is in the background of this ecological destruction caused by monocultures that the call for the diversification of Punjab agriculture was made by the Johl Committe in 1985.‖(Shiva)

―Not surprisingly, pest and pathogen populations responded very rapidly to the continuous cropping of the new varieties of wheat and rice. The first ten years of double cropping of rice at independent research institute (IRRI) in the Philippines resulted in dramatic growth in pest populations. The numbers increased directly because of the introduction of a dry-season crop; but there were more pests and more damage on the wet season crop as well. Thirteen per cent of the wet season crop was lost under single-cropping, but this rose to 33 per cent when double-cropping was introduced. Under triple-cropping the numbers and damage were even higher. Only where there is a break in cultivation, Such as a fallow, or where a cereal is alternated with a dissimilar crop, are pests and diseases held in check.

Pests and pathogens are also capable of evolving rapid resistance to threats and adverse circumstances, In particular to the use of pesticides. By the mid 1980-s some 450 pest species in the world were resistant to one or more insecticides and about 150 fungi and bacteria were resistant to tolerated fungicides. Nearly 50 weed species were resistant to herbicides. Several important pests are resistant to all the major classes of insecticides; the diamondback moth, a pest of cabbages and other crucifers, is resistant in Malaysia not only to the older organochlorines and carbamates but also to the newer organophosphates and pyrethoids.‖ (Pretty)

Food

History of Punjabi food Punjabi food dates back several hundred years. In fact, the earliest reference to Punjabi food is in the Vedas. The Vedas document the lives of the Aryans living in Punjab. Interstingly, the food they ate 6000 years ago is still a part of their cuisine even today. The fact that they have retained their food habits for so many years may also be a reflection of their culture, which has retained its purity over several centuries. The food that was referred to in the Vedas includes, dairy dughd (milk), ghrit (ghee), and dahi (curd), shak (leafy green vegetables) and a variety of grain. If one were to observe the diet in of a vegetarian Punjab today, one would find large quantities of grain and vegetables being consumed.

Loved by People all across the world One finds Punjabi food strewn all across the Indian subcontinent. In fact on a larger perspective, Punjabi food has rooted itself all across our planet, and has a wide base of consumers across geographical and cultural barriers. It is believed, that wherever Punjabis go, a Punjabi restaurant follows. In fact there is a famous joke about this phenomenon. It says that if a Punjabi was to become an astronaut, one would be sure to find a Dhaba on the moon. Now one sometimes wonders why Punjabi food has such a wide appeal. One wonders what about Punjabi food makes it so universally palatable that it widely enjoyed across global boundaries. This may be traced back to the fact that Punjab is along the invasion route and also the fact that Punjabi culture in inclusive in nature. Since Punjab is on the invasion frontier, many cultures left their footprint on the culinary taste of Punjabi. Greeks, Scythians, Turks and Moghuls are some examples of the same. Punjabis being an inclusive lot would take the best of the recipes from these various cultures and modify with their own tinge. Suitability to Punjab: Punjabi food is compositionally as well as quantitatively tailored to suit the biological needs of a Punjabi lifestyle. A large part of the population of Punjab comprises of farmers. Farmers burn up high volumes of calories while working in the fields. As a result, Punjabi food has to be rich in fat and high in calories. Punjabi food is also high in complex carbohydrates, and generous in quantities of protein, for example makke ki roti and paneer. You are what you eat Rajasic food is suitable for a strenuous lifestyle. Rajas are associated with dynamism, and are also known to induce restlessness of the mind. It includes most spicy foods, eggs, garlic, onion, meat and fish. Eating too fast or with a disturbed mind frame is also a consideration. If you carefully observe a Punjabi‟s diet, is seems largely Rajasic. That may explain their psychology to a great extent. Rajasic food should be avoided by those whose aim is peace of mind, but will benefit people with an active lifestyle. A little rajasic food can be sattvic, for example, hot spices can help digestion, and therefore help create peace of mind!

Dhabha Culture Quite literally, Dhaba means restaurant owned by a Punjabi. Dhabas are generally located along highways and on the outskirts of town cities or towns. They were initially conceptualized to cater to the need of truckers, who were mainly Punjabi. Dhabas are known for their wholesome, hygienic, authentic Punjabi food. They are also associated with being open at odd hours, once again to cater to the requirements of truckers. Though it was initially intended to be an eatery for truckers, it has now become an urban trend and has also become a part of the Punjabi culture.

Sikhism

History, Ideology and aim

Sikhism was founded by Guru Nanak, who was born in the village of Rāi Bhōi dī Talwandī . As a young boy, Nanak was extremely interested in religion. It was his desire to understand the mysteries of life that urged him to leave home and travel on missionary journeys.

Rai Bular Bhatti the local landlord was really moved by Nanak‟s intelligence and spirituality. Later Nanak‟s sister Bibi Nanki also recognized his divine qualities. They urged Nanak to continue studying and provided support for him to do so as well.

Guru Nanak said in Punjabi, “There is no Hindu, there is no Muslim”. It was from that moment that he began preaching Sikhism. He is believed to have gone on four long journeys. The first was east, towards Bengal and Assam. The second was south towards Tamil Nadu. The third was north towards Kashmir, Tibet, Ladakh. The fourth tour was west towards Baghdad and Mecca. Sikhism is a religion that preaches all things that are practical. Because of the practical nature of Sikhism, the Gurus themselves found it easy to practice what they delivered, and thus they were able to build upon already existing writings and examples. Sikh belief stem from these writings and examples, therefore it is pure. Some major Sikh beliefs are listed below, it is to be noted that these beliefs would be stated if one ask a decently aware Sikh questions about his faith.

1) One God:

“God is the creator of the Universe

God isn‟t born and will never die

God is present everywhere”

2) Equality:

Sikhism believes that all human beings are created equal.

They believe in social, religious, sexual and racial egalitarianism. This concept holds true as a belief even in the event of religious services and temple (Gurudwara) visits.

3) Birth and Death:

Sikhism believes in rebirth and that after death the soul takes its shape in any bodily form, human or animal.

The type of life received in the next life depends on ones‟ actions in the previous life.

They believe that the Human life one receives is especially supreme and that it is only through the achievement of this physical presence that one can be one with God.

In Sikhism, being one with God implies that one is free of the cycle of birth and death. One could compare this aspect of Sikhism with that of Moksha from Hinduism.

4) Non-Violence:

The Sikhs, contrary to popular belief, are a peace loving clan.

The concept of the kirpan was not to create violence and disharmony but to empower the Sikh to take care of oneself and protect the rights of the weak.

Guru Gobind himself stated that the use of force should be committed as a last resort means when all attempts to be peaceful fail.

We shall further take a look at the five K‟s of Sikhism, and take a look at it from the religious point of view of feasibility in the context of time and place. Sikhs believe in all things practical as a part of their religious theory. They believe in hard work and hands-on work.

Kesh (Hair): The idea of keeping ones‟ hair long as a show of faith to me makes a lot of sense and is a brilliant idea. For the simple reason that in places where one needs to establish the religion‟s arrival on the social frameworks of the region. To see a man walk around with a turban would definitely set him apart and associate him with a religion, not to mention the fact that he himself can show his allegiance to the faith as an individual. Also, if one happens to see many men with turbans, one would automatically begin to warm up to the idea of either accepting or coexisting with such religious beliefs. The Kesh pulls attention towards the individual, and puts him in the spotlight, from then on his actions speak for his religion. The second logic of keeping a turban and long hair is the fact that doing so is quite a tasking activity and one would not prescribe to this act if one were not committed enough. It shows commitment to the cause; it is a way of saying that one is dedicated enough to be a Sikh.

Kanga(Comb): It is considered to be a symbol of cleanliness and thus a symbol of discipline. This not only states that one should remain immaculately hygienic at all times, it also implies that a Sikh should have all the tools necessary to take care of himself. This is also considered an implication on the nature of the Sikh: clean in action and in thought.

Kada(Bangle): The karra is a constant reminder to the individual that he is a Sikh. The interesting part is that the Karra is generally worn in the hand that is used most. It is a method to keep the Sikh at check and to remind him that he is a Sikh. The logic is that one always uses his hands to do bad deeds, and if one was to be reminded that he is a good person as he is about to commit the act of sin, he would probably think twice. A simple but effective form of keeping ones‟ behavior at check, generating general good and promoting ones‟ religion by saving reputation.

Kacchha(Boxer): It again provides identity to the Sikh and at the same time is useful practically to the Sikh. The Sikhs are a warrior clan coming from a region that demanded strength; they commit themselves to hard physical labor. This is why one needs to have clothing that supports such labor. This has to do with the high level of practical adaptability of Sikhism as a religion. They not only think in terms of concepts, but think in the terms of a suitable application of those concepts in daily life. A good mix of both is what would make a popular religion.

Kirpan(Dagger): The Kirpan is actually symbolic of protection. To call it a dagger would be misrepresenting the context in which it was formulated. It signifies and empowers every Sikh to stand up for the rights of him and the rights of other. It is symbolic empowerment of each individual Sikh giving him the power and ability to do good, uphold rights and „fight‟ evil. Again, one must consider the practical implications of the Kirpan. The Sikhs are primarily Warriors and agrarians, and both classes need a sharp object, one for protection and the other for creation of food resources.

Kirt Karo, Naam Jappo, vand chaggho

Work, Share your earnings and pray. This is the most common condensation of the beliefs of Sikhism. It is supposed to be the easiest means through which one can be a Sikh. The simplicity and practicality of the religion comes out through these words. One can notice that although these actions and words seem simple, they carry great complexities within. These words have sociological, economical, cultural, spiritual and occupational remedies which can cater to all of one‟s‟ religious needs. One can see these preached traits manifest themselves in the hospitality of the Sikhs, and that can explain why they love to feed their guests so passionately. One can also see these traits in their work habits and their devotion

Partition

During our pre-research, we believed that one of the highlights of the timeline of Punjab was the time of partition. On 15th August, 1947 (in India) and 14th August, 1947 (in Pakistan), the former British Indian Empire split up to form the Republic of India, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and the People‟s Republic of Bangladesh (then East Pakistan). This partition took place under the Indian Independence Act 1947. The ceremonies for the same were held in Karachi a day earlier which was attended by the last British Viceroy of India, Lord Mountbatten.

During this partition, it is estimated that 12.5 million people were displaced from their homes as the Hindus residing in Pakistan made way for India and the Muslims in India decided to defect to Pakistan. In the process, estimates say that populations ranging from several thousand to a million people lost their lives. The partition took place by means of the Mountbatten Plan or the 3 June Plan. The geographical bifurcation of the land by means of a boundary was worked out by a London Lawyer, Sir Cyril Radcliffe. Thus, the boundary came to be known as the Radcliffe Line. In fact the plan was made while Sir Radcliffe was sitting in a hotel room, therefore the ground realities of the matter were not fully understood by him. Some parts of the plan adversely affected both the Hindus as well as the Muslims. Lord Mountbatten had decided to abscond his responsibilities and go for a vacation to Shimla.

There has been a constant state of unrest in the given countries since the partition. India and Pakistan have fought in the 1947 war, 1965 war, 1971 war and the 1999 war. Apart from these major wars, there have been serious conflicts between the two nations at a very frequent level.

During the entire partition, the Raj of Punjab was divided into two distinct pieces. The West section was given off to Pakistan as it was largely Muslim dominated. The Sikhs living in the area either fled or were slain by the Muslim activists. At the same time, the Hindu dominated Eastern section of Punjab was given to India. This area also housed many Muslim citizens who either migrated or got butchered by the Sikh guerrillas. There was a huge dilemma of placing Amritsar and Lahore, the two major cities in the state of Punjab. It was finally decided that Amritsar would be given to India whereas Lahore could be given to Pakistan.

From the events that occurred in 1947, there was obviously a lot of political unrest. The political unrest had to be strong enough to lead the people of one state into dividing themselves among two clone states that had the same heritage and culture. The populace of the states that lived as brothers were immediately turned against one another and they were reduced to acts of shame like slitting the throats of their own soul-mates.

To understand the significance of this incident, we need to understand why it happened in the first place. In the late 1800s, there was growing unrest between the Hindus and the Muslims, the two most dominant religions in the second most populated country in the world. Since the Muslims felt that they weren‟t given enough power in the government, political activist, Muhammad Ali Jinnah started campaigning towards a free Islamic nation. He fought against the British Empire and the Congress Party of India with support from the majority of the Muslim population living all around the country. After several internal conflicts, commotions and unrest, the government succumbed to his demands. This is why the Islamic Republic of Pakistan was created: due to religion.

Partition:

―Even by the standards of the violent twentieth century, the partition of India is remembered for its carnage, both for its scale – which may have involved the deaths of half a million to one million men, women and children – and for its seemingly indiscriminate callousness. Individual killings, especially in the most ferociously contested province of Punjab, were frequently accompanied by disfiguration, dismemberment and the rape of women from one community by men from another. Muslims, Sikhs and Hindu‘s suffered equally as victims and can equally be blamed for carrying out the murders and assaults. The killings bridged the barbaric and the calculatedly modern, they were both haphazard and chillingly specific. A whole village might be hacked to death with blunt farm instruments or imprisoned in a barn and burned alive, or shot against walls by impromptu firing squads using machine guns. Children, the elderly and the sick were not spared, and ritual humiliation and conversions from one faith to the another occurred, alongside systematic looting and robbery clearly carried out with the intention of ruining livs. It seems that the aim was not only to kill, but to break people. A scorched earth policy in Punjab, which would today belabelled ethnic cleansing, was both the cause and the result of driving people from the land. Militias, armed gangs and members of defence organisations went on a rampage. All this both preceded and accompanied the migration of some twelve million people between the two new nation states of India and Pakistan.‖ (Khan)

―Because this project focuses on a controversial episode, which reasonable historians describe differently according to their own national or political biases, my first research priority was balancing these varied perspectives. Accordingly, I gathered archival material and conducted interviews in England, Pakistan, and India. In all three countries, I focused on government documents, examining material relating to the work of the Radcliffe Commission and to the repercussions of the Radcliffe Line. I also examined private papers, mostly of British officials serving the raj, but also, where accessible, the papers of Indian and Pakistani leaders. Regrettably, Radcliffe destroyed all his papers before he left India—in keeping, his biographer claims, with a lifelong habit of discarding material he no longer needed.3 As a result, it may be impossible ever to clarify Radcliffe‘s thinking completely. I have attempted to compensate through archival research and through interviews with Radcliffe‘s stepson and executor, with his private secretary on the Boundary Commission, and with the last surviving Pakistani official associated with the Punjab Boundary Commission.‖

(Chester)

Army

Indian army history

India‟s first regular battalion in was created in the year 1741 for carrying out garrison duties in Bombay castle. Major Stringer Lawrence was appointed as thee commander in chief of the East India Company‟s forces in India. It was headquartered at Fort. St David, south of the madras township in close proximity to the French town of Pondicherry. Robert Clive, the then commander of the East India Company, gave the duty of reorganizing the Indian troops into organized battalion to Major Stringer Lawrence. With this he gained the title of “the father of the Indian army. These battalions became the first infantry battalions of native Indian people. Each of the battalions were commanded by a British captain, 2 lieutenants, British sergeants, and 42 Indian non commissioned officers and 820 Indian ranks and file. Surprisingly, the Punjab regiment was raised in Trichinopoly as a fraction of the Madras Native Infantry alongside South Indian troop‟s way back in 1761. Between 1761 and 1776, Four battalions that were raised against the hostilities from the carnatic, would become the 2nd Punjab regiment and eventually the Punjab Regiment. It originated in 1761. The names changed from Coast Sepoys to Carnatic Infantry to Madras Native Infantry due to several reorganizations thereafter. After applying the martial races theory, north Indian troops replaced south Indian ones, with the eventual renaming of the regiment to Punjab regiment.

The battalions of the former princely states of Punjab, viz. Jind and Nabha, were absorbed into the Punjab regiment in 1951. The Jind and Nabha state forces and the second battalions of Patiala Infantry are now 13, 14, 15 and 16 Punjab. Since 1963, additional battalions have been raised.

The Sikh regiment of the Indian army is currently the highest decorated regiment in the country and was also the most decorated regiment during the tenure of the British Raj

The Sikh Regimental Centre is located in Ramgarh Cantonment, 30 km from the Ranchi, which is the capital of the state of Jharkhand in India. The Centre was earlier located in Meerut in the state of Uttar Pradesh.

The regiment has participated in various operations in the pre-and-post independence era within the country and abroad, including participation in the first and second world wars, in the 150 years of its glorious history.

The regiment today had grown to possess one training centre, 17 infantry battalions and two reserve battalions from a modest size of two battalions. The soldiers joining this regiment are strictly from the Sikh community, from anywhere in India. The war cry of regiment, taken from Sikh scriptures is: Jo Bole So Nihal, Sat Sri Akal (He who cries God is Truth, is ever Happy)

The quality of the Sikh soldiers had been describes as follows:

―Sikhs shone as a reassurance to both officers and men. Sikhs were spoken of in language that described them as hardy, warlike, moral, trusting, enduring, and above all faithful and loyal against all odds. In short, they were the perfect complement to British power in India, stalwarts pillars of light in a sea of darkness.‖

(Streets)

Army:

―The list of military heroes produced by the rebellion was long and such men were widely celebrated in contemporary military and popular sources. But in addition to the individual officers who won fame as heroes, there also emerged during the rebellion three groups of soldiers who, by their loyalty and bravery, came to be feted above all others as representatices of collective military heroism: highland scots, Punjabi Sikhs and the Nepalese Gurkhas. Stories that celebrated their valour, ferocity and gallantry articulated new connections between btitish soldiers and the most loyal inidan soldiers, and between military service in the Empire, ideal masculinity and racial superiority.‖ (Streets)

―Sikhs shone as a reassurance to both officers and men. Sikhs were spoken of in language that described them as hardy, warlike, moral, trusting, enduring, and above all faithful and loyal against all odds. In short, they were the perfect complement to British power in India, stalwarts pillars of light in a sea of darkness.‖(Streets)

Bibliography

Streets, Heather. Martial races: the military, race and masculinity in British imperial Culture 1857-1924. Manchester: Manchester University Press, 2004.

Location wise Preliminary-Research

Patiala

Patiala is one of the princely cities in the rich cultural state of Punjab. Patiala is generally recognized by the famous Patiala peg i.e. a double or a large peg of whiskey. It is famous for its „Turban‟, „Paranda‟, „Jutti‟ and „Patialashahi‟. Any service of alcohol which is double the quantity than a normal peg is known as the Patiala peg and the name comes from a famous story of the maharaja of Patiala who used to be a heavy drinker. Patiala is very famous from the point of view that it had been the birth place of many Indian celebrities like Navjot Singh Sidhu, Reetinder Sodhi, Jimmy Shergill, Om Puri, and Harbhajan Mann and so on. Patiala was the perfect set of religious and cultural life. Patiala was the first city in the north part of the country to have started the degree college program. Patiala has its own distinct „Patialavi‟ culture of its own. This city has also seen the evolution of a new style of architecture and it has molded the borrowed Rajput style according to its local traditions. Qila Mubarak complex, Darbar hall, Qila androon, Sheesh Mahal, Moti Bagh palace, Baradari temples, goddess kali temple are some of the many tourist sites that one can visit when he or she comes to Patiala for the first time to visit.

Ludhiana

Ludhiana is the largest city in the Indian state of Punjab with an estimated population of almost 45 lakhs which also sees an increase during crop harvesting season when immigration of farmers from UP, Delhi, Bihar at this time is the most. it stretches over 300km plus and is also located on the old bank of the river Sutlej. It is the richest city in Punjab and it possesses the most fertile and expensive land in the country. It is also the hub of NRI‟s in India. Ludhiana is known as the Manchester of India as it is the industrial hub of Punjab. Since industry is secondary out here not many industries are found especially since Punjab is on the border areas. But some cities like Ludhiana that have advanced considerably have shown much improvement and many branches have grown out here. You find factories set up to manufacture different products out here as well. The Punjab Agricultural University is the largest agricultural university in Asia. There are many important colleges out here but Ludhiana is known for PAU as many people come here to study different forms of agriculture as it is the best one can get. Ludhiana is known to be the city in India which has the maximum number of Mercedes and BMW cars which are owned by the people in Ludhiana. It is also famous as it is the home to many celebrities like Yuvraj Singh, Juhi Chawla, Divya Dutta, Abhay Deol, Bobby Deol, Sunny Deol and many more. Maharaja Ranjit Singh war museum, the Lodhi fort, the shrine of pir-i-dastgir, PAU, Kila Raipur, the Gurudwara‟s built in the reverence of Guru Gobind Singh that show beautiful architecture are important tourist places to visit out here.

Amritsar

Amritsar is the spiritual capital of Punjab. The word Amritsar literally means “the pool of the nectar of immortality”. It was founded by 1577 by Guru Ram Das. It is one of the most ancient fascinating cities in India. The most important monument in the Sikh religion is in Amritsar. The Golden Temple it is the holiest shrine in the Sikh religion. The Golden temple complex is surrounded by a maze of narrow lanes; it has one of the busiest markets in India. In Amritsar there are two sides one is the busy markets and congested traffic on the other side the Golden Temple is a serene presence, radiating a spiritual calmness that makes people bow their heads. It is also called the Har Mandir Sahib and is in the center of the old city of Amritsar. It was built between 1588 to 1601and the architecture is a mix between Muslim and Hindu styles. Jallianwala Bagh is very close to the Golden Temple. It is known as the Amritsar Massacre where more than 1500 unarmed men, women and children were shot under the order of British Brigadier Reginald dyer. Even today there are bullet marks in the walls and many Indians go there on the 13th of April every year and mourn for the people they have lost.

The Waghah border is the epitome of rivalry between India and its hostile neighbor: Pakistan. The Retreat Ceremony is a beautiful ceremony every evening which the guards religiously take to. Crowds on both sides are filled with enthusiasm and energy which is very rare. Filled, not only with patriotism but this kind of putting the other side down.

The visit to the Golden Temple will help us have a better understanding about Sikhism and the Punjabi culture. The Jallianwalla Bagh will bring a sense of patriotism and more learning into the history of Punjab. The Wagah border will give us an insight on the Army culture and learning‟s about the Partition.

Chandigarh

Chandigarh was first barren land. Today it is the only planned city of India. It is been designed by le Corbusier. He also designed Brasilia. It is designed in the grid format. It is at the zenith of urban town planning. It is the union territory and is the administrative capital of two state Punjab and Haryana. It gets 24 hours of electricity and traffic is digitalized. There is proper law and order. It is based on the principal of functionality rather than beauty and form. The notable features of Chandigarh are the lake, the Capitol Complex which is the business area, the Entertainment Sector which is in Sector 17, the rock garden and various administrative buildings.

Bibliography

Chester, Lucy. “Drawing the Indo-Pakistani Border.” American Diplomacy (n.d.).

Khan, Yasmin. The Great Partition: The Making of India And Pakistan. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2008.

Pretty, Jules. N. The Earthscan Reader In Sustainable Agriculture. 2005.

Shiva, Vandana. The Violence of the Green Revolution. New Jersey: Zed Books, 1991.

Streets, Heather. Martial races: the military, race and masculinity in British imperial Culture 1857-1924. Manchester: Manchester University Press, 2004.

Chapter 3: Primary Data

The function of Primary Data is to meticulously describe the extent of field research. It depicts an objective picture of the perseverance and sheer extent of work that goes into the generation of a comprehensive report of this kind.

In keeping with the structure of the report we have taken a representative sampling of the plethora of interviews and exposure we encountered. Accordingly given below are the twenty interviews in minute detail out of the ninety odd in total. However for reference, attached below is an appendix of the total list of interviewees in question.

Interview No. Date Name of the Name of the Name of the place visited place visited Interviewees 1 21st Feb 2010 Kila Raipur – Kila v Raipur – Bittu, Rural Olympic Rural Olympic Farmer, Nabha. Games, Games, Ludhiana. Ludhiana. 2 21st Feb 2010 Kila Raipur – Kila Raipur – Lucky , Rural Olympic Rural Olympic Farmer, Dokhrai Games, Games, Ludhiana. Ludhiana. 3 21st Feb 2010 Kila Raipur – Kila Raipur – Jasminder Kaur, Rural Olympic Rural Olympic Wife of a Farmer Games, Games, Ludhiana. Ludhiana. 4 21st Feb 2010 Kila Raipur – Kila Raipur – Harpreet Kaur, Rural Olympic Rural Olympic Wife of a Farmer. Games, Games, Ludhiana. Ludhiana. 5 21st Feb 2010 Kila Raipur – Kila Raipur Amar Singh, Rural Olympic – Rural Athlete. Games, Olympic Ludhiana. Games, Ludhiana. 6 21st Feb 2010 Kila Raipur – Kila Raipur – Team of Kabbadi Rural Olympic Rural Olympic players Games, Games, Ludhiana. Ludhiana. 7 21st Feb 2010 Kila Raipur – Kila Raipur – Malik Singh, Rural Olympic Rural Olympic Head Police Games, Games, Officer. Ludhiana. Ludhiana. 8 21st Feb 2010 Kila Raipur – Kila Raipur – A Rural Olympic Rural Olympic farmer(anonymou Games, Games, s) Ludhiana. Ludhiana. 9 21st Feb 2010 Kila Raipur – Kila Raipur – Jaspreet Singh, Rural Olympic Rural Olympic Athlete. Games, Games, Ludhiana. Ludhiana. 10 22nd Feb 2010 Punjab Punjab M.S. Kang, Agricultural Agricultural Vice Chancellor. University(PAU), University(PAU), Ludhiana Ludhiana 11 22nd Feb 2010 Punjab Punjab Mr. Singh. Agricultural Agricultural Scientist, PAU University(PAU), University(PAU), Ludhiana Ludhiana 12 22nd Feb 2010 Punjab Punjab Mrs. Ashu Bajwa, Agricultural Agricultural Principal, Home University(PAU), University(PAU), Science Ludhiana Ludhiana department. 13 22nd Feb 2010 Punjab Punjab Prof. Sharma, Agricultural Agricultural Retd professor, University(PAU), University(PAU), Gadvasu Ludhiana Ludhiana (Veterneray hospital, next to Gadvasu). 14 22nd Feb 2010 Punjab Punjab Sarinder Singh, Agricultural Agricultural Sarpanch, University(PAU), University(PAU), Pakhowal Ludhiana Ludhiana Nagalkhor. 15 22nd Feb 2010 Punjab Punjab Farmer(anonymo Agricultural Agricultural us) University(PAU), University(PAU), Ludhiana Ludhiana 16 22nd Feb 2010 Punjab Punjab Farmer(anonymo Agricultural Agricultural us) University(PAU), University(PAU), Ludhiana Ludhiana 17 23rd Feb 2010 Head Quarters, Head Quarters, Brigadier Iqbal 11 Vajra corps, 11 Vajra corps, Singha Jullendhar Jullendhar 18 23rd Feb2010 Head Quarters, Head Quarters, Major General 11 Vajra corps, 11 Vajra corps, J.S.Kataria Jullendhar Jullendhar 19 23rd Feb 2010 Head Quarters, Head Quarters, Col. Ram Somtia 11 Vajra corps, 11 Vajra corps, Jullendhar Jullendhar 20 23rd Feb 2010 Head Quarters, Head Quarters, Brigadier 11 Vajra corps, 11 Vajra corps, B.S.Dhillon Jullendhar Jullendhar 21 23rd Feb 2010 Havelli Dhaba, Havelli Dhaba, Food and Jullendhar Jullendhar Beverage Manager (anonymous). 22 23rd Feb 2010 Havelli Dhaba, Havelli Dhaba, Waiter Jullendhar Jullendhar (anonymous). 23 23rd Feb 2010 Ludhiana – Ludhiana – Manu, Jullendhar - Jullendhar - Driver(tempo Amritsar Amritsar traveler) 24 23rd Feb 2010 The Golden The Golden Babaji Temple, Amritsar Temple, Amritsar (anonymous). 25 23rd Feb 2010 The Golden The Golden Nihang Temple, Amritsar Temple, Amritsar Gaurds(anonymo us) 26 23rd Feb 2010 The Golden The Golden Babaji‟s Temple, Amritsar Temple, Amritsar friend(anonymous ) 27 23rd Feb 2010 The Golden The Golden Retired Army Temple, Amritsar Temple, Amritsar men(anonymous) 28 24th Feb 2010 Head Quarters, Head Quarters, Brigadier Dilawar 54 Infantry 54 Infantry Singh. Brigade, Brigade, Amritsar Amritsar 29 24th Feb 2010 Head Quarters, Head Quarters, Colonel – 54 Infantry 54 Infantry 1(anonymous) Brigade, Brigade, Amritsar Amritsar 30 24th Feb 2010 Head Quarters, Head Quarters, Colonel – 54 Infantry 54 Infantry 2(anonymous) Brigade, Brigade, Amritsar Amritsar 31 24th Feb 2010 Khalsa College Khalsa College Dr. Daljeet Singh, for men, for men, Principal. Amritsar Amritsar 32 24th Feb 2010 Khalsa College Khalsa College Prof. Dimple for men, for men, Kaur. Amritsar Amritsar 33 24th Feb 2010 Khalsa College Khalsa College Prof. Brar. for men, for men, Amritsar Amritsar 34 24th Feb 2010 Khalsa College Khalsa College Prof. Singh. for men, for men, Amritsar Amritsar 35 24th Feb 2010 Khalsa College Khalsa College Prof. Gurdev for men, for men, Singh Amritsar Amritsar 36 24th Feb 2010 Guru Nanak Dev Guru Nanak Dev Prof. Balwant University, University, Singh Dhillon, Amritsar Amritsar Professor of Sikh and Religious studies. 37 24th Feb 2010 Guru Nanak Dev Guru Nanak Dev Prof. Shashibala, University, University, Professor of Sikh Amritsar Amritsar studies. 38 24th Feb 2010 Guru Nanak Dev Guru Nanak Dev Prof. Singh, University, University, Professor of Amritsar Amritsar Religious studies. 39 24th Feb 2010 Khalsa College Khalsa College Principal and for women for women faculty. 40 24th Feb 2010 Khalsa College Khalsa College Charu Sharma, for women for women Student. 41 24th Feb 2010 Wagah Border Wagah Border Ajay Randhwa,

Officer 42 24th Feb 2010 Wagah Border Wagah Border Officer (anonymous) 43 24th Feb 2010 Wagah Border Wagah Border 2 Women Officers(anonymo us). 44 24th Feb 2010 Amritsar Market Amritsar Market Shop owners. 45 24th Feb 2010 Panther Retreat Panther Retreat JCO -1 46 24th Feb 2010 Panther Retreat Panther Retreat JCO – 2 47 25th Feb 2010 Attari Railway Attari Railway Railway station Station Station master(anonymou s),

Attari. 48 25th Feb 2010 Attari Railway Attari Railway Maj Gen Raj Station Station Mehta(retd). 49 25th Feb 2010 Pulkanjiri Pulkanjiri Officer in charge(anonymou s) 50 25th Feb 2010 Panther Retreat Panther Retreat Major General Virendra Kumar. 51 26th Feb 2010 Kilgarh, Border Kilgarh, Border Satpal Singh, Village(3kms Village(3kms Sarpanch from the Border) from the Border) 52 26th Feb 2010 Kilgarh, Border Kilgarh, Border Father of the Village(3kms Village(3kms Sarpanch(anonym from the Border) from the Border) ous). 53 26th Feb 2010 Kilgarh, Border Kilgarh, Border 4 Women at the Village(3kms Village(3kms house(anonymous from the Border) from the Border) ). 54 26th Feb 2010 Kilgarh, Border Kilgarh, Border 2 brothers and Village(3kms Village(3kms children of the from the Border) from the Border) house(anonymous ). 55 25th Feb 2010 Amritsar Railway Amritsar Railway Station station station master(anonymou s). 56 25th Feb 2010 Sidhu Farm Sidhu Farm Maj Gen Sidhu house, Patiala house, Patiala and his lady 57 25th Feb 2010 Sidhu Farm Sidhu Farm Sanjeet Singh, house, Patiala house, Patiala Son. 58 26th Feb 2010 Harjit Singh‟s Harjit Singh‟s Harjit Farm, Farm, Singh(bitto),

Dhokrai, Patiala Dhokrai, Patiala Sarpanch 59 26th Feb 2010 Harjit Singh‟s Harjit Singh‟s Anujeet Farm, Farm, Singh(Lucky),

Dhokrai, Patiala Dhokrai, Patiala Bitto‟s friend. 60 26th Feb 2010 Harjit Singh‟s Harjit Singh‟s 4 Women of the Farm, Farm, house(anonymous ) Dhokrai, Patiala Dhokrai, Patiala 61 26th Feb 2010 Harjit Singh‟s Harjit Singh‟s Harjit Singh‟s Farm, Farm, father.

Dhokrai, Patiala Dhokrai, Patiala 62 26th Feb 2010 Finance Finance Manpreet Singh minister‟s minister‟s Badal, residence, residence, Finance Minister. Chandigarh Chandigarh 63 26th Feb 2010 Finance Finance Mr. Brar, minister‟s minister‟s Assistant. residence, residence, Chandigarh Chandigarh 64 26th Feb 2010 1 Armoured 1 Armoured Col. Solomon Division, Patiala Division, Patiala Sanjeev,

Commanding Officer. 65 26th Feb2010 Six lancers Six lancers Maj Gen. Surendra Kulkarni,

GOC 1 Armored division. 66 26th Feb 2010 Six lancers Six lancers Subedhar Kumar,

JCO. 67 26th Feb 2010 Six lancers Six lancers 3 more JCO‟s 68 26th Feb 2010 Six lancers Six lancers Capt. Ajay Mardade 69 26th Feb 2010 Six lancers Six lancers 4 more Captains. 70 26th Feb 2010 Six lancers Six lancers Subedar Singh,

JCO 71 27th Feb 2010 Air Force Base Air Force Base Sanjeev, Station, Station, Liason Officer. Chandigarh Chandigarh 72 27th Feb 2010 Air Force Base Air Force Base Air Commodore Station, Station, Rajeev Sachdeva. Chandigarh Chandigarh 73 27th Feb 2010 Air Force Base Air Force Base Junior Officer, In Station, Station, charge of safety. Chandigarh Chandigarh 74 27th Feb 2010 Air Force Base Air Force Base Junior Officer, In Station, Station, charge of ATC Chandigarh Chandigarh 75 27th Feb 2010 Hindustan Times Hindustan Times Ramesh Vinayak, Office, Office, Resident Editor. Chandigarh Chandigarh 76 27th Feb 2010 Pal Dhaba, Pal Dhaba, Prat Pal Singh: Chandigarh Chandigarh Owner of Pal Dhabha 77 27th Feb 2010 Maj Gen Raj Maj Gen Raj Mrs. Kukee Mehta‟s Mehta‟s Mehta. Residence, Residence, Chandigarh Chandigarh

After careful consideration, detailed below are the 20 interviews deemed apt for Primary Data.

Interview no: 10

Date and Name of the Place visited: 22nd Feb 2010, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana.

Criteria: To study the Green Revolution from experts.

Name of the Interviewee: Dr. Manjeet Singh Kang, Vice Chancellor, PAU

Question: What has been the impact of Green Revolution on the farmers?

Answer: The Green Revolution has been both good and bad for the farmers. I would divide these into three parameters. Ecological, financial and sociological. Financially, there are a lot of debts within the farming community of about 24000 crores, but the situation has improved from what it was when the Green Revolution was introduced. Sociologically, there certainly are a lot of farmer suicides; but people seem to be much happier. One of the after effects of the kind of money that was earned due to the Green Revolution would be the injection of drugs in the population, especially the youth. Ecologically, there is a lot that needs to be done, considering the harmful effects the Green Revolution has had; but science is doing all that it can.

Question: Could you expand on the ecological impact and what can be done?

Answer: There is Crop residue. Considering the same crop is being grown, the soil has become averse to any other crop, and because of the constant use of pesticides the soil is used to it, and there is no effect on the soil. What can be done is recycle the crop, and use GM crops like BT cotton, and have more technological innovations. The Aquifers are getting depleted; so we need more agricultural strategies; and this is exactly what our university is trying to do. The only problem is that the farmers are uneducated, and therefore we are here to help them and cater to their needs.

Question: The use of BT cotton or GM foods according to our research is not a very good idea. Could you please give us your point of view?

Answer: We need food security. There is no science which says that technology is bad. There are a lot of checks before a drug is introduced in the crop. In fact I think the use of BT corn and maize is a good idea.

Question: Our Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said that there is a need for a second Green Revolution, could you comment on that?

Answer: Instead of a second Green Revolution, why not an ongoing and ever Green Revolution.

Interview no: 11

Date and Name of the Place visited: 22nd Feb 2010 Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana.

Criteria: To study the Green Revolution from experts.

Name of the Interviewee: Dr. Singh, Scientist, PAU.

Question: Could you comment on the impact of Green Revolution ecologically?

Answer: There is Nitrogen deficiency, since legumes were replaced by rice and wheat. The soil is averse to any other crop. Plants are diseased; birth of Gulli dandi(Phlaris Minor) , which is like the weed of wheat . There is manganese deficiency also. In some places, there is so much pesticide than one cannot breathe. The water table is getting depleted. The water which was once 15 meters is now around 100feet or so. There is a lot of nitrate that goes into the water, which is a water soluble; this explains the cause of cancer and the cancer pockets. Also there is a lot of DDT in the milk of the cow; which causes cancer. There are cancer pockets; mostly in Bhatinda. There is shortage of electricity

Question: What is been done about the situation?

Answer: The government isn‟t doing much. They are providing a certain level of water, which is not drinking water. Also the amount of electricity that is promised does not equal to what is actually supplied. Looking at the situation we as an institution are taking initiative. First of all, we are educating the farmers about need based pesticide usage. Around 15000 people come with almost 3000 samples every year, we detect the disease. Seeds are made; and different fertilizers are suggested to the farmers. We have a plant clinic with diagnostic services where we analyze the defect/disease and repair it. There is also technical training for diagnostic services. Paddy is grown now. Also all the literature required for the farming community is printed and published in books of different languages. Also we must now turn to organic farming to save the ecological balance.

Interview no: 14

Date and Name of the Place visited: 22nd Feb 2010, Punjab Agricultural University

Criteria: To study the farmer‟s perspective of the Green Revolution.

Name of the Interviewee: Sarinder Singh, Sarpanch, Pakhowal Nagalkhor.

Question: Do you know about the Green Revolution (commonly known as Hari Kranti)? Did it help you? Comment on what you feel about your situation?

Answer: Yes I do know about the Green revolution and it hasn‟t helped me much. The rates we get from the government are extremely low. I am a marginal farmer with 30 acres(qila) of land. I grow Rice, Wheat, Corn and Sugar Cane; also I grow Mangoes and Guavas on a small scale. If there is no medicine, there is no crop. Because of the DDT in the water, five of my calfs died, and my cattle get sick often. I am in debt. In terms of the electricity the supply is really low compared what is promised. But I manage and I am happy. Though I am in debt my finances are not that bad. I feed my cattle really well. I send them for the Quila Raipur games, they win mostly. A farmer of Punjab is attached to his cattle; and all those who committed suicide, did so because they did not have any cattle.

Interview no: 13

Date and Name of the Place visited: 22nd Feb 2010, Punjab Agricultural University

Criteria: To study the psyche of a Punjabi and the sociological situation of Punjab

Name of the Interviewee: Dr. Ashu Bajwa, HOD, Human Development and Home Sciences department

Question: What makes the people in Punjab the way they are?

Answer: The people in Punjab believe in the theorem of Happy go Lucky. But they are extremely materialistic. To maintain their dignity and strata in the society they would go to any extent; and this is one of the reasons for the situation of debts. One of the notable features of Punjabis is the fact that they are extremely hospitable. If we go back in time, every time there has been an invasion, the Punjabi people have treated the invaders well. You go anywhere in the world at any time, the Gurudwara will always serve you food, and will treat you at par with everyone else. Also they are extremely cordial with each other. Within a village if there is wedding; especially if it‟s a girls wedding, she is treated like the daughter of the village. People go out of their way to help and contribute (financially); and no official note is taken.

Question: Is there any sort of gender disparity?

Answer: Oh yes, there is. The son is always given the higher priority. But that is common everywhere. There have been a lot of cases of female feticide. Daughters are looked as a burden and their wedding is the only motive. The going away ceremony known as the „bidaayi‟, is the most emotional and sensitive time for any parent. It is lately that girls are getting educated; but in primitive fields like home sciences and teaching. Like said earlier; since marriage is the top most on the „to do‟ list for a girl child; and the family wants them to be happy, there are a lot of ties with NRI‟s. Now what has happened is that these NRI‟s come here, get married, leave the here with a promise of coming back in a few months and never return. There are a lot of cases of deserted NRI wife‟s. In fact there is an NGO headed by Balwanth Singh Ahluwalia for the abandoned NRI wife‟s. The situation is certainly bad. The problem here is when we talk about women Empowerment; we are misunderstood. Empowerment doesn‟t come with financial status, we need to have a say in matters; and sadly women here have no say what so ever.

Question: In a nutshell how would you describe Punjab?

Answer: Punjab is the face of the country, which is always happy. There are problems in the society but people don‟t really care. The people here are warm, loving and hospitable. This place equals to happiness always.

Interview no: 17

Date and Name of the Place visited: 23rd Feb 2010, Head Quarters, Vajra Corps, Jullendhar.

Criteria: To study the Army and an insight to Punjab through the army

Name of the Interviewee: Brigadier Iqbal Sangha, Vajra Corps.

Question: Why is it that majority of the Army comes from Punjab?

Answer: There are a lot of reasons behind this. Because of the successive invasions and rulers, and the geographical location, we have always been known as the warrior clan; and therefore always had the defenders attitude. During the British rule, thanks to this feature, Punjab became the most important asset of the colonial India and was known as the sword of British. Now since we have been fighting for ages, the Indian Army on its initial stages consisted mostly of Punjabis, after which it became a trend and a very well followed profession. I myself am a fourth generation officer. Also it is a matter of pride, in fact the concept of pride is found across Punjab, and it‟s a question of a Sikh pride, you will not find anyone begging. But now there is a rule that only 2% of the Armed forces can be Sikhs.

Question: How would you describe the life of a soldier?

Answer: The life of a soldier follows three N‟s which are features of them being loyal and courageous. Naam(name), Namak(salt) and Nishan(target).

Question: In a nut shell how would you describe Punjab?

Answer: Punjab is a saga of valor and Glory, a symbol of religious harmony. People here are warm and self dependent.

Interview no: 21

Date and Name of the Place visited: 23rd Feb 2010, Haveli Dhaba, Jullendhar

Criteria: To study Punjab through the Food – The Dhaba culture.

Name of the Interviewee: Manager, Haveli Dhaba.

Question: Why do you think Punjabi food is so popular? Why is Haveli so popular?

Answer: It all depends on team work when it comes to preparation of food in restaurants. We have set some recipes and some particular standards which are like the cooks bible. We pick and choose our own cooks.

Question: Do you think the quality of food matters that affects the taste?

Answer: Since our process is always the same and we maintain this same process. We also keep limited items. We always see to it that we give top quality food.

Question: How old do you think is the Dhaba culture in Punjab? Answer: It is very old, it came in when Sher Shah Suri built the Grand trunk road.

Question: What makes Punjabi food so different and so authentic?

Answer: In Punjab a certain portion of the Punjab personality that is merged into the food. Honest, genuineness, love and regard that gets into the food. It is like what makes mothers food so different. Mother adds some magic in the same way Punjabis prepare food too. Punjabi connects to the food. Even authenticity comes from no adulteration and pureness of the raw materials.

Interview no: 24

Date and Name of the Place visited: 23rd Feb 2010, The Golden Temple, Amritsar

Criteria: To study the religion – Sikhism

Name of the Interviewee: Babaji (Anonymous)

Question: Were there any rules/rituals before Guru Gobind Singh introduced the 5k‟s of Sikhism? And what was the reason behind this?

Answer: No, before Guru Gobind Singh introduced the 5k‟s of Sikhism, every Sikh basically looked like how everyone else did, dressed normally and the like. These 5k‟s were introduced as an idea to give the Sikh clan a different recognition, a revolution which rose out against the stringent and orthodox Hindu society; so that they could get closer to God and get respectfully identified in the society as a part of a different religion. He basically gave all the Sikhs a common face. It‟s the symbol of a Sardar. The 5k‟s of Sikhism are kesh, kanga, kara, Kachera and Kirpan. Kesh(hair) to have a different identity, the kesh is supported by a paghdi(Turban). The significance of Kara is important, it is the symbol of purity and the Guru, every time a man does a wrong deed, he is conscious of the fact that he is wearing something so pure. The Sikhs are basically a warrior clan, with a defendant attitude, and therefore a Kirpan is given for self security. Question: What is the significance of a Turban?

Answer: “Yeh Pagdhi Sikha di Shaan hondi hain” – The turban is a symbol of Pride for all Sikhs. It supports the hair and the head of a Sikh. In fact when Sikh men go for war, they do not wear the bullet proof helmets, their turbans are enough for them, after which they leave the rest to God.

Question: What according to you is the common trait of all Punjabi‟s?

Answer: The Sikhs are dedicated people, when they decided on something, they do it without fail. They do not go back on their words what so ever.

Interview no: 28

Date and Name of the Place visited: 24th Feb 2010, Khalsa Cantt, Amritsar

Criteria: To study the Army and an insight to Punjab through the army.

Name of the Interviewee: Brigadier Dilawar Singh.

Question: We have observed that children of distinguished members of the Army do not want to join the Army; why is it so? Also, according to popular belief there has been a decline in the number of applications to join the Army, is it true? Also could you comment on the Pay and perks of this profession?

Answer: Children of distinguished Army members not joining the Army, I would call it an era gone by, which probably lasted for a decade. The reason being people thinking that there is not enough remuneration, a lot of difficulties and a boom in the corporate sector. Now this was the story then, right now the Army is much better off. Also, the number for applicants for the Army has been increasing due to the increase in pay. The financial take home of a start up sums up to almost 12 lakhs a year, which any other profession does not provide; and it keeps increasing. You get a pay back of almost 200%. At my post today, I am able to own a house spread over more than 8 acres, if this were in Delhi it would be worth 500 crores and if you value the rental, well let‟s not get there. You cannot compare this profession to any other. For the ladies, in a normal corporate on an average provides a length of 14 – 15 years. There are certainly exceptions. What a lady would earn by doing a short service commission here would be double, probably triple of what she would earn otherwise.

Question: Every time we walk in to an Army Cantt. or officers, there is so much honor and respect that they command; and the strong values, how do we bring that about in the civilian world?

Answer: The germination of the question itself will initiate the process; and at your level it will give it boost. The strength of youth in India is the highest, 33% of the net population in the age bracket of only 18 – 25 years. If the youth decides to contribute towards nation building and create a nation for you; there is nothing, no super power that can stop you. Our forefathers decided to create a nation for themselves, they did. We are in the middle, and you – the youth today are the future and you decide what the future scenario is going to look like. Unless you start contributing, don‟t expect anything great to happen. You have only one and a half competitors, one being China and half being the USA. Barack Obama is scared that the youth of India is going to take over them soon. You are responsible for the next generation.

Interview no: 36

Date and Name of the Place visited: 24th Feb 2010, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar.

Criteria: To study the religion – Sikhism from experts.

Name of the Interviewee: Prof. Bhagwat Singh Dhillon

Question: Prof. Bhagwat Singh Dhillon

Answer: He was a divine personality and he had very strong principles which he worked towards like praying to god, working together, making sure that there is no discrimination, Gurudwaras, unity in diversity, brother and sisterhood and so he has been respected a lot in history and till today. In front of the other guru‟s, he has done a lot and his teachings have been valued till today. There are three main elements to study religion: theoretic expression, authoritative statements, sociological expressions – behaviour in society and the way of worship. We are all the children of god and he has paved the way for brotherhood in mankind. Sikhism has a different place of worship known as the Gurudwara which is open to all the people irrespective of their religion. Sikh scriptures are unique from the point of view that they have been compiled and categorized by the guru‟s. The Sikh scriptures also are compiled by the Hindu bhakts and Muslim Sufi‟s. Spiritual India has been saved in the Sikh scriptures which have dated back upto 500 years. Guru Gobind Singh is an eternal guru and also that there no religious scripture in the world like the Sikh scriptures and no religious place can be compared to the Gurudwara. Unity and brotherhood are the true ideals of Sikhism. Voluntary service is another important aspect. When you see people performing service duties at the Gurudwara‟s, it is purely their own free will with which they come here and perform such tasks. Sikhs believe in the well being of humanity. „Fear not and frighten not‟ i.e. Sikhs never fear anyone or anything and neither do they indulge in indecent activities of frightening others. Meditate and pray to god, earn in life honestly and share with others are some of the core values taught by Sikhism. Before Sikhism, India was divided into castes and only one caste had a say in the defence of the nation. The other castes were sidelined. But when Sikhism came in, Guru Gobind Singh in 1699 said that all Sikhs are responsible for the defence of the nation. Dignity, honour and self respect are the values that define a Sikh today and the Sikhs are known to be the warrior clan of the nation.

Question: The economy has been changing; the income per family has been increasing. People have started to move out so do you think there has been a change in beliefs and ideologies in the last 20 years more specifically since the green revolution has boomed in Punjab?

Answer: We are in a modern age today. We have come way far and we are passing through an age which is individualistic, consumer oriented, market force determines everything. Spirituality is at the core of every religion. There is no religion without spirituality. Today people walking in different environments are under great stress. They are under great depression, they have no internal peace. Work is much more demanding and they lead a stressful life that makes them go after money. To overcome the tension you have to look at your religion internally. Religion is like a great shock absorber.

Question: You mentioned the briefest description of religion, „Kirth karo, vand chago, naam japo.‟ Could you elaborate on that please?

Answer: You are to be honest in life. You are to live in society and you are also to be a family man. Now if you are to run a family then you have to earn money also. You cannot be burdened on other people. You must work hard. If every Indian works hard, then he can make his nation proud. Work hard; meditate on the name of god. Money shouldn‟t take you away. You should be a man of integrity with internal and external peace. You also have the social responsibility and that is your social commitment.

Question: Guru Nanak was a part of the bhakti along with other influential saints and so why didn‟t their teachings get converted into religion along with guru nanak?

Answer: It has been missed by many people. Kabir, Gurdas and Namdev had contributed a lot. Guru Nanak has helped a lot at the social level by eradicating caste system and rituals. He not only preached and gave his ideologies but also institutionalized institutions to continue what he started; this was a mark of his success. Then came nine gurus after him, his nine successors who continued what he started and took it further. He started dharamshala‟s that are today known as Gurudwara‟s today. According to him people should come together and not only meditate but also takes religious, political and social decisions collectively. He utilized his own writings and from the point of view of these he went ahead of the Sufi‟s of his time and institutionalized his mission.

Question: Sir, could you please elaborate on the phrase ‟raaj karega khalsa‟ which is commonly misinterpreted?

Answer: In the 18th century, in Sikh history, the Sikhs were followed by the mughals at that time and so they were quite stressed. So at that time the phrase meant that one day the Sikhs will take over and rule the nation. Sikhism sends the message of an integrated personality and it meant that personality cannot be divided into social, political and religious. Today the phrase means the rule of purity or in plain terms divinity as the pureness of the soul has the true right to rule. So this is the basic interpretation of that phrase.

Interview no: 31 –35

Date and Name of the Place visited: 24th Feb 2010, Khalsa College for Men, Amritsar.

Criteria: To study Punjab as a whole through the academic section.

Name of the Interviewee: Prof. (Dr) Daljeet Singh, Professor of Law and Principal and faculty, Khalsa College for Men

Question: How are women treated in Punjab?

Answer: The women are very well protected out here. But they too have to maintain certain protocols like they have to be fully dresses like wearing the salwar kameez with the dupatta round the neck.

Question: Punjabi people are known to be very jolly and happy go lucky and they do what they want to, why is that so?

Answer: Punjabi‟s are very courageous and also very confident people. They have the determination and focus required to so what they want to and also excel in it. These are the teachings of Guru Granth Sahib. According to his teachings if any Sikh has the firmness to do something he can do it and there is no restriction on him especially of he‟s very confident about what he wants to do.

Question: So does this personality come from religion?

Answer: Sikh religion has played an important role in every Sikh‟s life and so it has affected people in many ways depending on the situation. So ya, people have had many positive effects sue to the Sikh teachings with which he has been brought up with. In Sikhism many sacrifices have been made and they haven‟t gone to waste. They have had some or the other value or tradition to be passed on to the Sikh‟s of today.

Question: Is it that the Punjabi culture has taken over the political situation in Punjab?

Answer: I think so, since the teachings learnt can be used in politics to a great extent so I feel that culture would play a key role in politics.

Question: So do you think the mix of culture and politics is a good idea?

Answer: Yes, I think so as there is certain mix of politics and culture and so I think that such a mix may be there.

Question: So you are of the point of view that mixing is good but what about Islamic countries that do the same, but their intentions are wrong?

Answer: What we do, there is good aspect to it as religion is very important to all of us and we follow what it tells us to. And that is our way. What others do may be right but in many cases are wrong.

Question: What is something distinct in the outlook of Punjabi‟s that defines them from everyone else?

Answer: They are very confident and courageous and their spirit to do something never dies off. They are very loyal also. In the army it is the Sikh majority that always commands and has received many awards for bravery and valour and that defines how strong they really are and that they never give up.

Question: You say Punjab is very risk taking due to its history and everything so why hasn‟t the revolution helped out a lot?

Answer: I have my land, I grow seeds and crops here and I sell them. This is the best part of Punjab. In Pakistan zamindari system is still there and that‟s why the green revolution has taken place here and not there. It has helped us a lot. UP, Bihar, Bengal suffered a plague and so there was a dispute of land. Now if I don‟t get land ownership then why will make any permanent improvement. Unless I have ownership there is no point of working on such a land as it may be taken away. That‟s why Punjab is the best and the revolution happened here.

Question: Due to the increase in use of pesticides, the soil has been tempered with and contaminated, is that true and what are the solutions for this situation?

Answer: There is such a problem but the solution for it is organic farming. It is still in its initial stages and if you want there are a few farms out here that only have organic farming. This is one of the improvement methods. Due to increase in pesticide use there has been an increase in Crop damage also. The soil is becoming bad and the productivity will be hampered immensely. The country enjoyed the fruits of the revolution and only Punjab faces the consequences and so the centre government should do something about it. Rice is not a local crop; it has been forced out here. Most of the pesticides are used on this crop and not on wheat and bajra. Here also the centre government is responsible. After all, everything comes down to politics which depends on the crop. Even though so much happened 60% of the countries produce comes from here itself and so performance wise they are the best.

Question: There has been a drug problem in Punjab due to the revolution. What is your view on this issue especially with the issue of people committing suicide?

Answer: There is a problem mainly at the border area villages. The main reason for this has been unemployment. There is a lot of smuggling that takes place at border villages. Along with these addictions people started committing suicides and it was at its peak in 1995-1996 whereas now it has cut down a lot and the rate is really low. The main problem is the loans taken from banks. Their debt is so huge it‟s either pay back or sell of your land. There is a lot of loan diversion from agriculture to automobiles; customs etc., if I take a loan for my daughter‟s wedding then I can divert the loan to these fields where I can expect return. When an NRI comes here, I try to portray myself as a big zamindari even though I am not; but I will still try to pull it off as you feel like showing that you are a big person in Punjab. And this explains the debts and therefore the suicides. Question: According to you, how can the government in power help in improving the situation?

Answer: They can‟t as the governments come and go and all they do is chatter about the issue and spend their money elsewhere. The levels of corruption are quite high but the problem is they don‟t understand the practicality of the situation. The farmer has to suffer all of it at the end of the day. They vote for congress they don‟t do anything. The farmer votes for the opposition with the hope that they would do something, betrayal again. So at the end, both parties are useless. They just want to play politics and make a lot of money.

Question: Can you please describe Punjab in your words for us?

Answer: 50 % of Punjab is making food and 50 % of Punjab is eating it.

Question: Could you describe Punjab in a word or a phrase?

Answer: They have a very rich culture and we are extremely proud of this richness that we have and can boast about.

Interview no: 39

Date and name of the place of the visited: 24th Feb 2010 Khalsa College for Women, Amritsar.

Criteria: To study Punjab as a whole through the academic section.

Name of the interviewee: Students and faculty, Khalsa College for Women.

Question: Is it that there is discrimination between men and women?

Answer: Even if the women do get good education, the family members would want the daughter to get married and be well settled in her new family. Whether they could continue to study or work is in the hands of her husband and in laws. There is also the fact of jealousy if the wife is smarter and earning more than the husband which hurts the male ego tremendously. Question: What sort of professions do women look at in Punjab?

Answer: Many women have goals and ambitions whereas some have sidelined them either for marriage or family. Some want families that accept this modernism that they want like studying and working; and since the professions that they pursue are limited they hope to at least be allowed to do what they have chosen within those limits like teaching.

Question: Punjab is an agrarian economy with a large scope of industrialization. So why hasn‟t industrialization taken place?

Answer: Being at the border, industries would be affected and also that if industries were developed the primary focus on agriculture would be shifted to industries and thus agriculture would be affected and the pollution brought about by these factories may also affect the fields.

Question: The effects of the green revolution were the use of addictive things like alcohol and drugs, what has the effect been on the women population of the state?

Answer: The best part no woman has been dragged in to all of this, but the men who consume may have created many issues for the women. The situation at home was very bad. But it was the duty of the woman in the house to make sure that her husband or son gets rid of his addiction. This is a demand from society. She cannot leave her home and she is alienated by her parents, her friends, her relatives as this is shunned by society. General Mehta added: in every family there is a black sheep and it is generally the man in the house. There is at least one man in each house who is addicted to drugs and alcohol. Women suffer the most as they take care of their loved ones involved in all of this. They are emotional and they know how to maintain relationships and are not like men who can break them at one go. They build their houses and cannot see them breaking. Till the time the man recovers the woman suffers the embarrassment whether she likes it or not. During this situation, minus the woman there is no family support, it is all on the woman. All the pressure falls on her. Question: Please comment on the fact that statistics show that many women married to NRI‟s are still in Punjab and haven‟t been taken back by their husbands.

Answer: It was a wrong move of the Parents. There is an issue in families where parents think that she is beautiful, he is old, and it‟s all okay. The point remains that she should get married only in an NRI family. If the parent‟s mindset is as such then the daughter can‟t do anything about. They believe that the girl will be happy living outside and will lead a good life. It is also a good access to the green card for American citizenship. They assume these NRI‟s to be rich and so parents happily get their daughters married in such families. People in Australia have migrated to Punjab due to the situation out there. In the Hindustan Times, there are articles publicizing marriage as either kaccha(unripe) marriage or pukka(ripe) marriage. Many men want to have a pukka marriage with a girl who has cleared her IELTS, a certain courses and is working or applying abroad. There are many matrimonial columns advertising the need for brides who has cleared her IELTS. It is a really sad situation and the demands are just disgusting.

Question: What is the situation of the divorce in the state in comparison to Maharashtra and Delhi where it is the most? Is it low or rising and is it accepted by society out here?

Answer: Divorce is like a stigma out here. If you‟re divorced then you‟re left socially alone. 5 % is the divorce rate in Punjab. If you want to get remarried then there is a condition that she shouldn‟t bear a female child as in she shouldn‟t also have a girl child. Punjab being a male dominated state, there are very few women who get divorced otherwise the life of a wife revolves around her husband whether she likes it or not. She can‟t do anything about it. They just carry on to live their lives either happily or unhappily foe the time being with the hope for some change and happiness in the future.

Interview no: 45

Date and name of the place of the visited: 25th Feb 2010, Attari Railway Station, Amritsar

Criteria: To study the partition and learn about its effects Name of the interviewee: Maj Gen Raj Mehta (retd)

Question: Could you give us a brief on the Partition and its fallouts?

Answer: Well the partition happened as a function of the Radcliff award. The British detailed jurist called Radcliff, who unfortunately had very little ground knowledge of what he was partitioning; his mandate was also not very particularly clear; sitting in a hotel room with a map not of appropriate scales, with a pencil drew these enclaves and hoped for the best. What happened was some aspects of the partition were disturbing for the Sikhs as well as for the Muslims because he went by the general mandate that where there was a majority of population, that portion should go to the concerned country. It dint quite happen like that. There were a lot of areas of conflict like Dinanagar, Gurdaspur, and Amritsar; and further as you go down, you‟ll find areas that were bitterly contested either because they were fertile and rich or the understanding of the demography was completely wonky and it was savagely mishandled. I don‟t think British India was ready for this fall out of such a trauma when millions of people had to actually transmigrate across this award called the Radcliff award. So people who were living in unified Punjab literally had to run for their lives from current day Punjab in Pakistan to India and vice versa. Lots of Sikhs and Muslims living in both the areas had to face extraordinary trauma. This is where rumour abetted with anger abetted with frustration abetted with inadequate policing really made a mess out of the whole thing. Now this is where the Indian Army gained respect from the Indian people primarily on the account of the partition. This was one of the positive fall outs, because till then the Indian Army was known as the Army of occupation which was considered to be serving with honesty and loyalty to the British. Jallianwala Baugh had happened where the Indian Army had fired at its own people. There was also a lot of residual ill will for the Indian Army per say but the extraordinary work that they did during the partition for people from all sectors; and that sort of bought the Army a lot of respect and changed the profile of the Indian Army in eyes of the nation‟s population. That said, a lot of chaos took place in terms of trains full of dead bodies piled all over with children mutilated, women raped and men literally cut into pieces all put into these trains with perhaps only the train crew being the live members of this unfortunate train either transiting in to India or Pakistan; and this station – the Attari railway station was central to the entire chaos and tragedy because it was the main access or exit to today‟ Punjab half of which is in Pakistan. Even today this station is extremely important. The Satbhawana express which connects the two countries starts from here and people are allowed to travel only with certified documentation. Incidentally, Lord Mountbatten who was the last viceroy of India, I believe he has quoted a very startling statement saying „that there is nothing I can do, but leave.” Apparently he then went for a four to five days holiday to Shimla. He responded in a very irreverent manner.

Interview no: 51

Date and name of the place of the visited: 25th Feb 2010, Kilgarh, border farm.

Criteria: To study the norms Punjab and the Partition through a common farmer

Name of the interviewee: Satpal Singh, Sarpanch, Kilgarh.

Question: Are all the residents of this village from this side of the border or some have migrated? Did your family and village have trouble during the partition? Since this village is 3 km from the International Border, what is the situation of the village in times of war? If given a chance would like to go to Pakistan.

Answer: All the residents have been here only. There has been no migration to this village. We did face tremendous problems during the partition. We lost a lot of loved ones, the entire village did. Every time there is a war we have to migrate and go to other villages, it‟s quite a task to do so. Yes, if given a chance ill like to go to Pakistan since we get visas now; and every time I feel like seeing or meeting people from the other side, I go to the Wagah retreat.

Question: You have 3 sons who are studying, but if you had a daughter would you let her study?

Answer: Yes, I would. I am modern in my thoughts, so is everyone in the village. We do have schools for the children, irrespective of the gender. The problem are there elderly people, women especially who do not let a girl child progress in life. They are extremely orthodox like that and it‟s difficult to change their thought process. Question: What do you think of the government? How is the situation of your village in terms of debts, suicides, water and electricity? What is your role as the Sarpanch of the village?

Answer: We do not depend on the government, we try and work our way out. Every time there is an election, these people come and give false promises, nothing happens after that. But lately it is getting better, obviously they cannot meet all the demands, they can do better though. I personally do not have any water problem, because I have set up my motor system. Electricity is a major problem all over. The promised time, is never supplied. In terms of

Suicides, over all there are suicides, but the rates seem to be decreasing. Also the debt situation is getting better. If you do not use your money well obviously there will be debt. I have to see to it that every household is doing well, and take all the problems that village is facing to the government. Also I have to solve all the minor problem of the people.

Question: Do you know what is „Hari Kranti‟(Green Revolution)? What is your take on the situation of drugs, and cross border trafficking of drugs?

Answer: No, I don‟t know about Hari Kranti. Drugs are everywhere now, especially in Ludhiana. The youth is majorly unemployed which is the reason for its abundance. In my village, luckily there is no drug problem in my village. Also as far as I know the cross border trafficking happens more on the Rajasthan and south Punjab border, not here.

Question: How would you describe Punjab to us?

Answer: Punjab, according to me is a happy state. I wouldn‟t compare it to the world, but compared to our nation as a whole, Punjab is happier. Every state has its problem, we have them too, but we solve them on our own and move on; and the only reason we are better off is because of the kind of people we have; the people here are the binding force. We have no malice what so ever.

Interview no: 58

Date and name of the place of the visited: 26th Feb 2010, Dharoki, Patiala. Criteria: To study the norms of Punjab and the farming community through a farmer.

Name of the interviewee: Harjit Singh (Bittu), Lucky Singh, Sarpanch, Dharoki, Patiala.

Question: When the green revolution took place in Punjab and they came out with the hybrid variety seed did you use it as soon as it came out?

Answer: No I did not. That time the seed was rare and were not given to all the farmers. Who ever got it was lucky and they used it. The others farmers are making good seed in Punjab itself. For instance chilly CH 1 is a hybrid chilly which gives a good produce is made by the farmers only. They take advice from the PAU and make it.

Question: Whatever information is given by the Punjab Agriculture University; can everyone avail it?

Answer: They put up agricultural fair all over Punjab even in the University every year. Anyone can go there and access the information. It is open for everyone all problems are analyzed and resolved. Out of all rice seeds from Punjab university batch 201 and Haryana university batch 44 are the seeds the government gives subsidy to the farmers. We buy and use that. Some times its batch 505 or 502 whichever the Punjab university recommends the farmer blindly uses and there is no problem in it.

Question: You met us only once and even after those brief minutes we met, you invited us to your house, brought us here and fed us wonderful food. Is this type of behaviour very common in the Punjabi culture? And why is it so?

Answer: Yes it is and it is in our blood. In a Punjabis heart there is one thing which they very strongly believe in and that is service. It is also written in our Guru Granth Sahib which is our current Guru that one should serve. Speak the truth and always serve society and everyone around you. It is this blessing in our blood and that is why we are any time of the day ready to serve. All Punjabis are very generous and are taught to serve. If he does not serve then he is not a Punjabi. There is no particular reason all I can say, it is just inbuilt in us. It depends on your body language if you are good to someone they will be good to you. Also we are large hearted and can also laugh on themselves. Our Guru Granth Sahib also teaches us to always be happy and never show any tension on our face. No matter what your situation is whether rich or poor do the right thing and have a smile and glow on your face.

Question: Have any of your family members joined the army? Do many farmers‟ sons join?

Answer: Yes my grandfather he served for 33 years and also many parents are proud that there child has joined the army. Many men retire and then work on their farms.

Interview no: 62

Date and name of the place of the visited: 26th Feb 2010 Chandigarh

Criteria: To study Punjab through a well educated politician

Name of the interviewee: Manpreet Singh Badal, Finance Minister, Chandigarh

Question: We were extremely impressed with PAU and Gadvasu, what plans does Punjab for the future in terms of Agriculture?

Answer: Gadvasu has been doing a pioneering work. In the next 15 years the income of Dairy will be equal to that of farming. Punjab is like the Denmark of India, in fact after the green revolution we are now looking for a White revolution.

Question: Farmers aren‟t taxed, there are subsidies given and the population comes from the farming community; where does Punjab get its money?

Answer: Punjab has huge consumption patterns. People like to acquire a lot of materialistic things. These have VAT (value added tax) which are almost 8000 crore, 2,500 crore liquor, 2,000 crore property tax, government grants etc. Question: There is a lot of unemployment in Punjab most probably because of the lack of industry, is Punjab looking forward for large scale industries in the near future?

Answer: The three reasons are: 1) Punjab is the new generation of the only state that has a high per capita income but does not have an industrial base. There are many historical reasons to it. It also has a location disadvantage since it‟s on the live border. 2) There is a policy that has been persuaded by the government that Punjab has to develop its self as a food grain producing economy. It contributes 50% grains even though it is just 2%land mass. Food security is as important as national security. 3) Also One thing unfair in the new budget like before they have given special excise and income tax concessions to the neighbouring states and left Punjab handicap. There is a huge amount of unemployment. We have put too much money into agriculture and we have overlooked putting money in our education system. Hence not many opportunities and many have immigrated Youth immigrating is not good for Punjab and India as well. There is this wonder lust in Punjab; and there is a social cost to it. The best human resources are sort of lost in Punjab.

Question: The male child is expected to make a living outside there is hence a lot of drug abuse and substance abuse?

Answer: That is because there has been unexpected prosperity and the youth has had access to money; money that cannot be captured on the budget. The state seems to be doing bad financially but the people seem to be quite happy with their situation. They are also remittances coming from abroad. One other factor is also joblessness which leads to abuse. Another thing, which I am not too sure off is the cross border trafficking of drugs; and this a pre mediated policy of Pakistan which has being going on.

Question: There are rich farmers and poor farmers why not tax the rich instead of giving them subsidies too? Since there is a huge disparity between the rich and the poor isn‟t there a way one could give more subsidies to the poor and less to the rich?

Answer: That is sort of a myth, everything seems to be large, but it isn‟t. Food is coming at a great cost. The government has to give many subsidies of all types. Farmers also are incurring debt loads of money are keeping farmers productive if taxed it may back fire even though it may look good on paper. The richer would be very few.

Question: Is it true that only 2% of India‟s population pays tax?

Answer: Well because 300 million people live on less than Rs. 25 per day. So how do we tax them?

Question: After a lot of research we would still like to know according to you was the green revolution good or bad for the state?

Answer: It was very good for state and country. When I was young I used to see people roaming in torn clothes and without shoes. Consumption levels were very low. The green revolution has put money in people‟s pockets. Punjab has transformed for a feudal society to a capitalist society. It has transformed for the better. There were famines in India, people used to die of hunger. Even though it was bad for the ecological system that time no one cared because there were famines in India, people were dying for food, so it we had to go in for this. BT has come in so the use of pesticide has reduced significantly. Now that we know what is happening, we are taking correctional measures.

Interview no: 65

Date and name of the place of the visited: 26th Feb 2010, 6 Lancers, Patiala

Criteria: To study the Army and an insight to Punjab through the army.

Name of the interviewee: Maj Gen. Surendra Kulkarni, GOC 1 Armoured Division

Question: There is discipline to deal with the entropy in the world and when you are not at war you create entropy in your organization how is that brought about?

Answer: We need discipline everyday here and when we are not at war each person here can‟t do what he feels like. So there has to be a curb on his initiative. It is this when one joins the armed forces it takes many of your fundamental rights. On top of that his life is regulated here. He knows when he has to come on parade, what time and where he has to be punctual. Things you might see as constraining factors in your personal lives. He has to maintain order and yet has to be taught not misuse it. It is like an ethical hacker. When we tell him to get into the enemy system and cripple it. He does exactly that he does not go hacking systems everywhere for money. The concept is similar we will tell him when to use what tactic. Otherwise be a discipline solider. This is a continuous challenge and for us to retain that out of the box thinking in a man and yet keep him in a straight jacket. It is a leadership challenge.

Question: Now that the pays and perks have increased of the officers, do you think there will be more people joining the Army?

Answer: Even if we pay as much as the corporate sector, there will still be a large number of people who will not join the army. It‟s a 24/7 job. You are entitled to leave but notlike in the corporate world. One has to go and live in odd and unheard of places. The family has to suffer because they may not get the luxuries of the city or even the education one gets in the city, which every man desires his family to get. That is the reason he works. He can‟t send his children to the best schools even if he can afford it. There are many luxuries which a person working in a corporate firm is entitled to that are not true unfortunately for a soldier.

Interview no: 75

Date and name of the place of the visited: 27th Feb 2010, Hindustan Times office, Chandigarh

Criteria: To study Punjab as a whole through the perspective of the media

Name of the interviewee: Ramesh Vinayak, Resident Editor, Hindustan Times, Chandigarh

Question: With the green revolution and loads of money coming in there was rapid percolation towards the western culture. Has that changed the landscape of Punjab? How sociologically?

Answer: Yes it did change the landscape of Punjab and lives of man. If you take 1947 as the bench mark compared to other countries we were really at the bottom. Punjab was doing reasonably well since it was very fertile. It was divided into three regions. They are Malwa, Maja and Doabha. The seeds of green revolution were sown on in the 1970‟s. India was facing huge crisis we had fought the war and there were famines. Food security was most important. We got the high yielding variety from Mexico and Punjab became the laboratory for the whole of south Asia. The Punjabis took it in full form and made India from food secure to food surplus. Loads of money flowed in. In 1970‟s was the first rave of migration. They went and started working on green pastures. Again their money too flowing in as NRI remittances. It took prosperity to another level. From 1966 to 1980 Punjab was growing at 7% and India on the other than was growing at 2%. That is the time there was enormous infrastructure and growth. It supplemented the green revolution. Punjab‟s Green revolution was spear headed by wheat and paddy. The flip side of green revolution is that it fuelled consumption and consumption that is not productive. Then started the substance abuse and the debt trap. People started spending huge money on Dowry and Marriages. It also brought in a lot of cleavages in the Punjabi society. Before even in public schools which were decent. Children from all strata‟s of society used to study together. When private schools came in everyone sent their children to study there. Hence the quality of teaching in government schools dropped and even today it is at the same level. Research has shown only 4% of children from government schools make it to the university. The middle class has seized to put pressure on the government for improving and hence they don‟t have any stake in it. Substance abuse is very rampant especially in the Malwa region. Since Punjab is sharing a border with Pakistan there is a lot of drug smuggling going on. All this is said to be the down side of green revolution.

Question: We want to know more on the ecological damage it has caused to? Do you think in terms of the consequences it has faced was it worth it?

Answer: This is a million dollar question all this has happened due to much skewed national policies. We have been depending on Punjab all through out for food security. The government policies never came much for promoting agriculture elsewhere. Now the seed are being shifted to the east it should have been done a long time ago. Punjab‟s ecological balance it is paying the price for the country. The depletion of water tables, due to excess use of pesticides there are cancer pockets. We have got stuck now in Punjab. We have only stuck to wheat and paddy we haven‟t shifted. We haven‟t gone into other high yielding verities which will require much less water and suck fewer nutrients. If you ask a farmer why don‟t you shift? His answer is where is the guarantee of price where is the market. Also the government has come up with MPS minimum price support where they will always get their price for their product. There is security in such products and hence they don‟t want to shift. We need to have a paradigm shift i.e. to shift agriculturally and diversify to more crops. It has been said since a long time but since the government has put MPS on only wheat and paddy, the farmers don‟t not want to change and take the risk. They had burnt their hands once with the PepsiCo ketchup industry. They don‟t intend to do it again.

Question: We have read a lot of farmer suicides and even though the agriculture produce is high in Punjab, also there is a high rate of farmer suicides in Maharashtra are they correlated?

Answer: I don‟t know what other experts may say about this but I can say with reasonably degree of authority that there are hardly any suicide‟s that are debt driven in Punjab. I am sorry to say but it is substance driven suicides. It is Drug abuse that causes these suicides since the average Punjab farmer is very rich if you compare him to the ones in other states. In other states they have cash crops if it fails the farmer has nothing left with him. We in Punjab have never seen a crop failure like other states. It may vary from time to time depending on other factors but never fail. It is a myth that it is debt driven. It is basically people spending beyond their means. Also loan diversion is very common. Farmers are under debt just like everyone else they too are clearing it in time. Very few cases where there are bad defaulters. When farmer suicides were happening all over the country because of debt even these farmers in Punjab thought that they too could get some benefit from the government if the spread this myth. Even to avoid social stigma families say that he died because of debt pressure where the truth is that he was a drug addict. There is no ground level study that there are debt driven suicides it extrapolated.

Question: The political environment in Punjab is quite questionable one government after the other has always promised change?

Answer: Like the situation it is with agriculture it is the same with politics. Like in agriculture the farmers only grow wheat and then grow paddy the cycle goes on. In the same way the Punjab is will bring the congress and then the alkali sand this cycle has been going on since the last 50years. We don‟t have a third party that can change this. Punjab‟s biggest curse is poor quality of governance. There was turmoil in the1980 in the government and even after that got over the rules that were made were not changed instead they got institutionalized. That is what is been pushing us backwards. If you compare the two states Punjab and Haryana one will see that even though they were one state at one point in time. When today studies have been showing that there is a staggering difference and Haryana is doing way better in terms of per capita income, debt returns are better, there economy is vibrant too and their human index is better since they have been sending more athletes for international games. They waste a lot of time trying to fix what the other party did it is also called the politics of vendetta.

Question: Would you contribute that the lack of industries are the reason why Punjab has not developed? As compared to Gurgaon which from a jungle transformed into a mighty town just because of industries?

Answer: Punjab has a lot of disadvantages one being that it is not given tax exemptions, it is and locked, not many natural resources etc. It can‟t because it is the food basket of the country. If they stop farming and progress into industrialization then the country will suffer because of lack of food.

Question: Has the government played any role in helping the farmers?

Answer: Punjab is what it is because of private enterprises. The state politicians did nothing much. Whatever was done was done by the people. It is amazing how the people have only become self sufficient and with their zeal taken over their lives and the lives of many others. They want to grow and are not satisfied with what they have they have that entrepreneurial fire in them. It‟s in the Punjabi psyche.

Question: Do you think Punjab could have done better?

Answer: In 2006 Manmohan Singh said that by now Punjab should have been like California. Since it was growing at 7% which was the same as California, Somehow we lost our way. If we had our policies and priorities in place, it is the fault of poor governance and the reign of terrorism for 15 years. Punjab missed the two most important revolutions that changed India one is the IT industry and the second auto mobile revolution.

Question: What more can Punjab do now its agriculture production has been stretched? What is the future like?

Answer: Punjab has reached its optimum level and cannot do any more as in terms of agriculture. Even science has limitation said one famous scientist who is doing research on high yielding variety. You can‟t go more than this. You can‟t go higher than Mount Everest the same goes to Punjab‟s agricultural situation.

Question: What do you think about BT cotton? Does it have a future?

Answer: Yes it does it is good we need to shift to high yielding crops. There are many individual stories of its success but it is not yet widely spread.

Question: What about the vicious cycle that is not letting Punjab prosper?

Answer: It is there and the situation is improving even though we have such hostile neighbours like Pakistan. Drugs are being smuggled and but the security is becoming tighter.

Question: What about the harm that the ecology of Punjab is facing? Can something be done about it?

Answer: The situation is improving. More people are becoming aware. It will take a long to compensate what we have lost but it is do able and not something impossible. If the politicians come up with some good policies where the farmer earns his income and also does not damage the ecology of the land. Things can change.

Question: When subsidies have been given, how can it be taken back? What about the farmers? Answer: Before the government used to give a lot of subsidies to the farmers, they knew they could not sustain if they continued to do so and hence now they have initiated the process of charging them for a few things. They are rationalizing it won‟t withdraw it but make a few changes in it.

Question: We have made a large number of treaties with Pakistan, but with the continued altercations with the country, do you think there can ever be peace?

Answer: Well, that‟s a tough question. Pakistan has been perpetuating the anti-India campaign and Kashmir is the centre to that; and honestly there is no answer. Treaties have more or less failed.

Question: Have you had any conversation with any militant or terrorist captured by the army?

Answer: Once there was a very popular terrorist who had settled near a shrine which was of a Sufi saint made of wood and was 200 years old in Kashmir. Militancy started in 1989 and lost its way in 1992. Pakistan started pumping in afghan nationals to keep terrorism alive in Kashmir. In may 1995, the shrine was cornered on all sides by the army and there was a lot of firing in which many died and escaped and only 1 alive militant was caught. On questioning him I found that he was committed on dying and such commitment is what led to 9/11. He was sent to die and he didn‟t hesitate in saying that. He was a Punjabi who knew to speak Punjabi; the only difference was his Punjab is now in Pakistan. I called 60 journalists from Lahore for a press conference on this matter. When they came here they were shocked to see this side of Punjab as they had never seen it before. They wanted to see a cremation as they had never seen it before. My friend Zaheer who was the head of the Lahore press and I, the head of the Punjab press held a gathering where when I offered him a helping from my plate, he was shocked as he was under the wrong assumption that Hindu‟s don‟t eat of Muslim‟s plates and vice versa whereas that has never been the case in the first place. The history of Pakistan is quite distorted. One day I was at Bangkok airport with my wife and small son were heading back home. Then one man comes and asks to click a picture with your son as he looks like mine and he was heading back from US to his homeland after 5 yrs. He thought I was Pakistani and I told him that we maybe from different Punjab‟ but we are still brothers. One of my best stories was on human relationships between India and Pakistan. In 1997 we celebrated 50 years of Indian independence. In Jan 1997, there was a cultural program where Hindu and Muslim personalities were there. Reshma the famous singer was there and the guy organizing all of this called me up so as to take her interview and I went there. She narrated me an incident that in 1946 when she was a 9 yr old girl from the nomads, when they were camping outside Lahore. When she was singing an officer Khwaza Akhtar, the Lahore station director, passing by was astonished by this voice and when he found this girl singing he took her to the radio station and the rest is history and she is now the famous Pakistani-Punjabi singer. The woman sitting next to her was crying and her story was that she was born as a Sikh but today is Muslim, during partition her village was attacked and she was separated from her family. She was brought up by Christian missionaries and was married to a Maulvi and Reshma got her here under the pretext of a cultural performer which she wasn‟t. A very sad story that I‟ve heard in long. She didn‟t have any visa or passport and thus she had to be disguised as a performer and be brought here. Then during partition two siblings were separated as the brother wanted to stay with his friends and they thought partition was temporary so they would return and it turned out that for the next 50 years they kept in touch through letters. I got the sister to Wagah border one day and asked her brother‟s son to get his father to Wagah border so that they could re-unite after 50 years of separation spoke to the border stationed officer to let them meet at the 0 km point and that‟s where they met. When an old man with a young boy came walking the woman knew that was her brother and she yelled Suresh even though he was now converted and his name was khan, she yelled out that it was Suresh her brother. Finally both of them reunited 50 years post partition.

Question: Could you please describe Punjab for us?

Answer: “Khata peeta lahira, rehnda ahmed shaheda”, this phrase means that whatever you eat or drink is yours, everything else belongs to Ahmed Shah who plundered and looted Punjab a long time ago for 16 years straight. Even then Punjab recovered from it and is very rich even today. Looters came and went and Punjab always recovered. It is the ‟never say die‟ attitude that has always boosted them a lot. They have never given up on anything and they never lose hope. For example, a Sikh from Pakistan came to India with 1200 rupees and today his company manufactures 12000 motor bikes a year; and here we are talking about the founder of the once known as Hero cycle. He has come a long way post partition. Punjab is a very strong state and they are known as the warrior clan for a reason.

Interview no: 76

Date and Name of the Place visited: 27th Feb 2010, Pal Dhaba, Chandigarh

Criteria: To study the Dhaba Culture in Punjab

Name of the Interviewee: Prat Pal Singh

Question: Since how many years is this Dhaba running?

Answer: It‟s been running since 60 years in Chandigarh. It‟s been since my father‟s time.

Question: Did you change anything in the menu when you started running it? You don‟t have that many varieties in your menu but food items that are legendry, is there a particular reason behind it?

Answer: My father left us this shop and I expanded it. We make only little so that it can be fresh all the time and don‟t spend much time on variety. Also make this limited food the way everyone likes it. There is no end to variety.

Question: What do you think about Punjabi food and the Dhabas? And how is the food here compared to other states?

Answer: We make only little so that it can be fresh all the time and don‟t spend much time on variety. Also make this limited food the way everyone likes it. There is no end to variety. Well the Dhaba food is like when you go home and your mother feeds you food with love and affection. In the same way in Dhabas food is made and served with love and affection. No other state can compete with Punjab when it comes to food.

Question: What is the deal with the huge quantity of food? Answer: We believe that a person should be belly full when he steps out of our home. That is why we give such high quantities and pure food.

Question: How drastically have things changed in Punjab in the food industry?

Answer: Initially the consumption pattern was extremely simple, now even on a regular base, luxurious food items are consumed.

Question: What do you know about the green revolution?

You can see it all over Punjab. Go outside homes in farms and everywhere around us is a product of the green revolution.

Question: Was the Dhaba culture always so famous in Punjab?

Answer: Since 1985, the concept of Dhabas has been more accepted. People before always preferred to eat at home one reason they would also not prefer to eat at Dhabas was because they didn‟t like people drinking there. Even in my own place we don‟t serve drinks and we have learned that a lot of families love Dhaba food.

Interview no: 77

Date and Name of the Place visited: 27th Feb 2010, Residence of Major General Raj Mehta Chandigarh

Criteria: To study the Army through the wife of an Army General Mrs. Kukkee Mehta

Name of the Interviewee: Mrs. Kukkee Mehta, Wife of Major General Raj Mehta

Question: You come from an army background, your father was in the army, you‟re brothers are in the army, how does it feel to be a woman born in such a family? This implies that the Army has been a part of your life, have you observed any changes? Answer: We come from an agricultural background as well. My grandfather was a farmer. We are mainly farmers. My dad was in the army when the British ruled. He went to Burma for war also. Then my brothers joined. My sisters and I are married to Army men. During my dad‟s time which was the British time, they used to be formally dresses for parties with dinner jackets. The British had many protocols. Today my brothers are quite casual. Many of them were royals and aristocrats who needed protocols to be followed at that time. Today people from average income households come and join the army so people from all sections can join the army and the pay scales are also low. Thus people started rejoining the army and not only officer‟s children joined, everyone was allowed.

Question: Did you face any challenges being the wife of an Army General? What are the benefits that army wives get whose husbands have passed away during war? What are the benefits of being an indirect part of the Army?

Answer: An army wife has many important roles to play like welfare, ladies club which teaches you many things from cooking to flowering. The women are very graceful and a lot of elegance is learnt. Then we do welfare where we take care of the jawan‟s wives. We try teaching them skills, empower them. There was a case with an MBA woman so refused to do welfare, as she had work. This is true since they are working but if there is a party to attend or there was any welfare, you couldn‟t be anti-social, you had to attend. But we learned a lot. The ladies in the army are very elegant. A captain‟s wife who‟s an MBA can‟t say that I know more than the CO‟s wife. There is a hierarchy system in the army and thus a little bit of respect should be given. Here she says I have work so I don‟t want to attend these functions. The CO gave the captain a bad report because of which he had to leave the army and his wife was refused to do any welfare activities and her arrogance reflected badly on the captain. In these welfare activities we teach these widows kills to come up again and they need proper guidance now if you‟re busy and don‟t attend who will help them. The rule today has been changed and now you can go ahead without completing courses and the women today are busy so that they are exempted from their duties. My husband wasn‟t going to be colonel as he wasn‟t likes and he hadn‟t completed the necessary courses also. He also receives many bad reports but he worked really hard and covered them up. There was a social gathering like coffee morning which was like a social gathering for everyone to meet. Today the wives may attend or may not attend. Yesterday at the social gathering, it was a stag party, there were women officers but not wives and may be the young cadets who were unmarried may have been chosen as per our age group that was coming there.

Question: We still see the importance of the Armed forces in Punjabi families; do you think the tradition will continue?

Answer: It is within the culture. Sikhs are known to be the warrior clan, and it is a matter of pride for them to join the Army. I am sure that the tradition will remain intact.

Question: How do you cope when your husband was at war? Did the army wives play a key role as a support system?

Answer: Well when he was in war we weren‟t married but I was most scared when he was posted in Kashmir and he voluntarily went when it was okay if he didn‟t go. The day started at like 4 am and there were phone calls all the time saying that there are so many casualties. There was only death and injury out there. One officer told his wife that he‟ll pick her up at 5 pm the next day and with a fight with militants he was killed that very day. There is only talk of injury and death and at times they went at night for trekking. The area which we were in couldn‟t be left and once the militants attacked and killed two officers. One Gurkha wanted leave but was denied and so committed suicide as he didn‟t want to live a tensed life anymore. It was extremely difficult. At sometimes I would hope against hope; but the none the less being an Army man‟s wife, this is the sort of challenge that we are ready to take; and let me tell you we are huge support system to these men of war. The regiment is like family where everyone cares for everyone. The book „one in which you‟re giving us presents‟ is about how helpful army wives really are since their husbands are in Kashmir or in the north east. There was an incident where JCO‟s daughter tries to commit suicide. How she prevented the police from finding out that it was a suicide attempt without informing their husbands in Kashmir was something really amazing to read.

Interview no: 72 Date and Name of the Place visited: 27th Feb 2010, Air Force Base Station, Chandigarh

Criteria: To study the Indian Air Force and Punjab through the Indian Air Force.

Name of the Interviewee: Air Commodore Rajeev Sachdeva, Air Force Base Station, Chandigarh.

Question: What is the importance of the Officer in charge of safety on the base?

Answer: The Officer who is in charge of safety on the base is of supreme importance. Even though he is junior, he could still command me and not allow me to fly a certain aircraft due to some possible chance of lack of safe take off for the respective flight. This is quite unlike the army. Here a junior officer has the authority to stop the air commodore of the base, in the case of a possible safety problem.

Question: What are the reactions of the human body to multiple G-forces while flying a Fighter jet?

Answer: In the case of positive G forces, something known as a blackout is experienced. This happens due to the sudden flow of the blood to the lower side of the body, which leads to the lack of blood supply to the brain, and also the occipital lobe which is our primary vision receptor, and hence leads to a gradual loss of vision which is termed as a Blackout. In the case of negative G forces, something known as a redout happens. This happens when the aircraft is descending. The blood suddenly rushes to the head making everything appear red. In newer aircrafts like the Sukhoi, G forces of upto 9 G‟s can be experienced. Our human body can only tolerate a maximum of 5 G‟s. Hence a G-suit has been created where pressurized air is pumped as the G forces increase. This slows the rate of the blood flowing to the legs while ascending and also slows the rate of the blood flow to the head while descending.

Question: Why are women not allowed to fly Fighter aircrafts in India?

Answer: One is that once they get pregnant, they are given 2 years of maternity leaves. This leads to a loss in skill and hence those riding better and sophisticated aircrafts. The license to fly lasts only one year and has to be renewed every year to ensure a certain standard of skills. Two, sometimes women who come back from maternity leave do not pass the exam at the first attempt due to a complete cut-off from flying. Their menstrual cycle goes for a toss due to flying under multiple G-forces which leads to further complications in their health. Hence that kind of combat aircraft flying is avoided; and this is just not a rule in India. Except for a few countries, all other Air Forces do not let women fly fighter aircrafts.

Question: Is there a family tradition of joining the IAF in Punjab, especially the Sikhs?

Answer: The Air Force, like the Army; also has a similar family tradition of Sikh officers serving the air force. In fact there are families with fourth generation Air Force pilots/officers.

Chapter 4: Analysis

This begins the analysis portion of this research paper. Given below is a topic wise scrutiny of the different aspects of Punjab we observed and subsequently examined.

We chose the following five due the importance they hold in the psyche of the Punjabi mind. According to our hypothesis they translate into the disposition and prove a noteworthy player in the average characteristics of the Punjabi layman.

Green Revolution

It commenced as early as the 1940‟s, under the leadership of the Nobel Laureate Norman Borlaug the celebrated father of the ‗Green Revolution‘. It was initially brought about to aid the poor farmers in Mexico. After nearly two decades of research and investigation they produced a high yielding dwarf variety that resisted a plethora of pests and disease in addition to procuring a threefold increase in harvest compared to its traditional counterparts.

Eventually, in the 1960s, the program expanded to India and Pakistan, and the results were wonderful.

Pakistan produced 8.4 million tons in 1970, up from 4.6 million in 1965.

India‟s production was 20 million tons in 1970, up from 12.3 million 1965.

The understanding of the Green Revolution in the state is an apt illustration of how science takes the acclaim for triumphs and disengages itself from all accountability of its letdowns. It offers technical patch ups for social and political problems, but detaches itself from the new social and political nuisance it creates. It is a design of how the contemporary scientific venture is politically and socially twisted and how it constructs its immunity and conveniently obstructs social evaluation. The Green Revolution was based on the premise that technology is a healthier choice than nature's confines. However the assumption that nature is a bleak source of sustenance in the face of technology the plentiful, is patently ridiculous; leading to the creation of new technology and thus in turn creating new scarcities in nature through ecological annihilation. The reduction in availability of fertile land and loss of diversity of crops as a result of Green Revolution, illustrates that at the ecological level, the Green Revolution brought about paucity, not abundance. It not only led to ecological insecurity but also social and political diffidence. It is deceptive to reduce the roots of Punjabi crisis to religion, since the conflicts are also rooted in the ecological, economic and political impacts of the Green Revolution. The communalization of the problem, which basically arose from the political transformation linked with the Green Revolution, was based, in part, on externalizing the political impacts of industrial change from the domain of technology. Despite its footfalls, the verdict is loud and clear. The average Punjabi farmer is unexpectedly quite happy with the state of his state. The HYV‟s are still being utilised and proficiently yet they remain in debt, but are steadily building a future for their families. They have a decided lack of land, and so most land is rented from the uptight rich proprietor, only too happy to oblige. After all, they make a decent packet; their families walk about with their heads held high. They might be swimming in debt, and most of them are; but they seem to have ingeniously devised a double niche for themselves. By farming and doing something else. Like electrician-farmers and suchlike. They seem to pay their bills and sustain themselves.

The induction of this new technology and its consequential „Indianisation‟ is a significant development. Once the seeds were sowed, so were the mother industries; education and infrastructure that urbanized the entire revolution. P A U (Punjab Agricultural University) came up, amidst the cacophony of roads and kilns to fuel the rapid progress. This development was immense and fierce, not only did it revolutionise the dwindling food shortage it also built the foundations of a state and the possibility of sustainability.

Vast fields of rice has corrupted the water cycle and robbed the soil of its natural flair. Rice is not a native crop of the land. It takes a toll on the water supply, but it also sells- and very well. PAU prides itself on its expertise. They have an established faculty and matching infrastructure to cater to the needs to the farming community. From seeds, to pesticides to awareness to individual attention. It‟s magnaminous approach is simple – it has to keep the revolution alive. To say the least, it has. It program offers the best assistance to any farmer with a curiosity and perhaps the urge to better his prospects in the field.

Their only complaint is against the fickle government and its futile promises. From one party to the next, the same pledges, only to face the same disappointment. Water and electricity - the main issues of conflict. But these problems are complicated too for the average politico. Since Punjab is primarily an agrarian state, the government is compelled to provide subsidies and tax breaks to its farmers. Thus the electricity that its farmers receive is essentially free of cost.

But since the allotted time of service promised is at least 8 hours, the farmers are unhappy with the meager 4 hours they have to work with.

With the impending climate change, water scarcity and insufficient rainfall, the water table is on its last legs. Rain water as a rule generally seeps about 100 metres into the ground. These resources are not only inadequate but are also contaminated thanks to incessant pesticide use.

As a result the farmers have found alternatives such as submersible pumps that bore within ground as much as 500 metres deep into the precious non-replenishable resource; aquifers. bBut then again, it depends on who you talk to. The rich farmer is quite content with the political system, he gets what he needs, all that he can ask for with his monetary outreach. The poor farmer is not quite so fortunate.

The drug problems that affect the Elite Punjabi families of today are essentially of interest to us mainly due to the displaced opinion that farmers commit suicide out of frustration and misery of their meagre lifestyles. Confounded a notion that this has proven to be, this premise was actively disputed by small time farmers and educators alike. It seems most suicides are a result of substance abuse difficulties that arise out of new money and procrastination.

The revolution brought about a change. The farmers are essentially unaware of the term „Green Revolution‟. But they are familiar with the term „hari kranti‟. They are proud of it, and its obvious benefit. All they know, and care about really is that these magic seeds work. They overwork their fields, tire their labour and it costs packets, but harvests gold. It would be unfair to deny them this fortune. The change, the dynamic growth in their soils is tangible and thus undeniable. A small sacrifice for the present, but sustainable development is yet another decade away. These farmers are moving toward it at a small yet steady pace; and organic farming is in the throes but for now only through the benevolence of the rich farmer.

What is disheartening is the lack of the youth craving to sow and reap. No kid wants to be a farmer anymore. Whether the tired look in their father‟s eyes says it all, the money magnet has cleverly lodged itself quite permanently. Punjabi‟s are ostentatious by nature. They like to buy shiny cars, and toys to impress their neighbours and so cleverly embellish their lifestyles to perhaps justify their hard work. But their pride is unmistakable.

It‟s crystal - more than 50% of the country‟s food grain is produced by this 2% of the country.i

Dr Manmohan Singh in 2006 implored the need for another revolution, one that didn‟t completely destroy all ecological balance; after all we‟re already down to exporting wheat from Australia. While our excess food grain, the extra tons and tons rots due to the apparent lack of storage facility.

But this scheme of another revolution as ludicrous as it may sound; is what we should be looking at. The experts agree somebody needs to take the heat off of Punjab. It has been sucked of its vitality and shall probably perish without some well deserved rest. Other parts of this country are more than well equipped to grow some, and feed more. It is not only a possibility- it is the need of the hour.

We are all optimistic about the future. The state seems to be standing on its feet. The revolution did its best, and it is still trying. While Punjab tries to recuperate from the ills of it, the farmers continue to bless their stars for the miracle that it has proved to be.

A moment of poignancy.

An anecdote comes to mind. The Finance Minister, the delightful Mr Manpreet Badal alleged – He said, all said and done; there‟s only that much all the criticism and analysis you can derive from this handsome revolution.

The end is simple. Twenty years ago, he saw people walking barefoot, poor and despondent. Today there are shoes on every farmer‟s feet.( Refer to Interview 15.)

In fact I recall a particularly interesting sweet old man from the heart of Ludhiana walking about in Puma‟s. That‟s got to count for something.

SIKHISM

There is a saying in Punjabi, “Sikh Jehoja Yaar Na”, which means, there is no companion like a Sikh. It makes one wonder, what it is about this religion that warrants such a reputation? What is it about the preaching of the ten Gurus that led to the majority of the generous souls of Punjab to become Sikhs? What is it about the Sikh that makes him instantly identifiable? These were questions that we set to find answers for on our trip to Punjab. And just like everything else in Punjab, we found them in plenty.

Religion can be defined as “The sum total of answers given to explain humankind‟s relationship with the universe.” Every religion has a formula. A religion has to cater to various aspects of a humans‟ existence. It needs to cater to lifestyle, spiritual satisfaction, discipline, and locus of control, philosophy, ideology and basically every aspect of the human experience having to do with

existence. That being said, the religion must also cater to the specific regional and sociological nuances to make it popular among its people. One might view the examples of more popular world religions and equate it with the given formula. Most of them have a generic view of civility, equality, a higher standard of living, Moksha and textual understanding.

However, a region like the Punjab could not fit into just any religion. The fact the Bhakti movement took place was proof that the people of Punjab would not roll over to just any system of worship or living. The people as a collective were not too happy with the rigid caste sysytem prevalent in Hinduism and exploitation by the Hindu priests. A new mode of life was the need of the hour; one free of all the ills that Hinduism brought along with it, and Sikhism found its birth in the hands of Guru Nanak, the movement continued till the last of the Sikh Gurus, Guru Gobind Singh.

The beauty of Sikhism was that it was especially created, or moulded itself over time, to suit the preferences of the people of the region of Punjab. For example, the inclusion of the Kirpan in the five K‟s which states that every member of the Sikh community has the right and duty to where a knife like instrument to uphold the rights of himself and others. Now, the scriptures do state that one should resort to violent means as a last ditch attempt only when all effort for peace have failed, and it is humane. But one should also notice the fact that the people from the region of Punjab are martial and war-seasoned. Therefore, one can approach the Kirpan scheme as a necessity of implementation out of the general habits of the people in Punjab. If we consider or rather imagine such a rule being implemented in any other religion, Buddhism, for example, it will not make sense on a regional and contextual basis. The tact used to change a matter of bearing of arms into that of upholding the sanctity of society and the empowerment to do so was done quite well. But nonetheless, the Kirpan was something that was region specific; that is why the concept of the Kirpan does not apply well to any other religion, because most other communities do not relate to it.

―You will love the weapons of war, be excellent horsemen, marksmen and wielders of the sword, the discus and the spear. Physical prowess will be as sacred to you as spiritual sensitivity.‖ Guru Gobind Singh, on the day he established the Khalsa on 30th march 1699.

One thing different about Sikhism which needs to be applauded is the fact that Sikhism‟s major feature is that the „Sikh‟ is considered to be a „learner‟ and is expected to learn extensively about ones‟ religion. This might be one of the reasons why we rarely found any individual in Punjab that did not know about his or her religion or resorted to more superficial means of worship. The nuances of Sikhism are well thought out and the beauty about this is that there is not a case where knowledge rests only in the hands of a few to exploit the masses, but rather the knowledge (which is considered part of the religion and an integral part of Sikh life) is part and parcel of the religion itself and it rests in the hands of the many. This feature is reminiscent to the foundations of Sikhism and how it was originally started to break away from the ills of Hinduism.

The above stated paragraph leads us to one of the biggest problems Sikhism is facing in the contemporary age. Because Sikhism is such a region specific religion, based on verbal communal teaching the values and morals taught by Sikhism are found dilute themselves if followers tend to move away. Here the problem is social proximity. Furthermore, with the increasing influence of Western media and trends, there is a disconnect between people and Sikhism even within the region of Punjab. The youth in Chandigarh can be an example of this. Upon our visit to a local restaurant, we saw youth wearing colourful turbans and wearing t-shirts of their favorite English Football Club. An external source of information leads to an external sense of identity. This was apparent, especially in those individuals that dwell in urban areas. There is a shift in the sense of identity which leads to a regression of the individual to superficial practices and in turn surmounts to a dilution of overall understanding of the religion.

Another source of tension would be the disparity of commitment in religious practice of various age groups. It is seen that the older groups follow the doctrines of Sikhism in a stricter manner. The youth are comparatively more lax in their religious displays. For example, there are individuals that do shave their beards whilst maintaining a turban which is not the norm amongst the older followers of Sikhism.

Sikhism in the modern period also stands vulnerable to misinterpretation. Men like Jarnail Singh Bindranwale have utilised the apprehensions and fears of the Sikh people to unite them against a perceived enemy. Such misrepresentations would only occur if there is a lack of concrete understanding of what the religious text truly states. The cause for this has been mentioned above.

Another implication that a religion that has been constructed around a martial kind such as Sikhism possesses is that there is the genesis of extremists. Even today, there exist certain sections of Sikh society that are hostile in their practice of the religion such as The Damdami Taksal and the All India Sikh Students Federation. These extremists groups are a result of misinterpretation and unenlightenment that comes from a text that is threaded very close to something that accepts the use of violence as a norm. In reality, that is not the case.

One must also take a look at the exploitative power and political influence of Sikhism. Parties such as the Shiromani Akali Dal have a lot of say in matters of governance in Punjab. Their control stems from the strong religious identity of the people in the region. On visiting Punjab and speaking to the people there, one gets a clear-cut signal- it is absolutely impossible to divorce Sikhism from politics. Sikhism has its hold on every aspect on the life of the Punjabi. It doesn‟t matter whether or not one follows the religion itself, but the fact that one lives in the region and is indirectly influenced by the policies of a Sikh-centric government and lives among a Sikh dominated community is enough. The stronghold of Sikhism can be seen quite clearly to anybody who takes a walk down any road in Punjab. John Stuart Mills‟ question of the tyranny of the majority (in this case, the Sikhs) can be thought about from this point of view. Here, the Sikhs are so strong in influence of the affairs of Punjab that the interests of minorities might not have been taken into account. This is another problem a particular segment of Punjabi society is facing. Although it is important to state the non- Sikh people we met did not seem to complain much about the majority rule of the Sikh people.

Problems aside, one may obviously say the appropriateness of Sikhism in a Punjabi context remains widely unchallenged. It has its share of problems of disconnect and alienations. But one can state without doubt that the people in the region of Punjab love Sikhism and they make it their duty to

follow its teachings. All said and done, the people of Punjab are united, and the unity they practice is a direct result of the fine fibres stitched by Sikhism.

Sikhism is a strong religion, in that its followers are well-informed and astonishingly loyal. It is safe to say that Sikhism cannot be divorced from almost any machinery- economic, social or political, of the State of Punjab. It goes hand in hand with the people and region of Punjab. It was a religion custom made for the inhabitants of this region. One must applaud the founders of this religion for having the foresight and doing a wonderful job.

Army

The Indian army is the largest funded government organisation and ranks third largest in the world by means of numbers. The Sikhs have contributed largely to the success of the British rule in India and the military operations carried out by free India over the past years. Following is a statistic that shows us the proportion of Sikhs in history, just to give one an idea of the extent of the Sikh influence in the military.

• “Out of 2125 Indians killed in the atrocities by the British, 1550 (73%) were Sikhs.

• Out of 2646 Indians deported for life to the Andaman Islands (where the British exiled political and hardened criminals) 2147 (80%) were Sikhs.

• Out of 127 Indians sent to the gallows, 92 (80%) were Sikhs.

• Out of 121 persons executed during the freedom struggle, 73 (60%) were Sikhs.”i

Punjab was historically the first line of defence between the South Central Asian forces and India. Due to the seasoning of the natives of this region towards war, they have become apt for the profession of army men. They are both mentally and physically equipped to be soldiers, so much so that the army has imbibed itself in their culture, we will explore this later. Various factors have also challenged the state of the Punjabi contribution to the army; to recognise and dissect these factors would be the aim of this section.

The most prominent attribute that has been embedded in Punjabi culture that is quite apparent even in army culture is that of alcohol. Also, there is a common property among its (Punjab‟s and the army‟s) people, that is a devil-may care humorous attitude towards the happenings of one‟s life. These properties of Punjabis go well in the army because in terms of habit and concept, these practices go well with a martial lifestyle. The fact that death may be just around the corner can be stressful for the psyche. In order to protect oneself from this fact one resorts to mind-altering methods as well as humour (which is a defence mechanism defined by Freud), rationalization and suppression (the devil-may-care attitude).

The Punjabi body-build has been seasoned to suit that of a warrior. The diet of the Punjab is centred on physical activity. The Punjabi level of activity is high, thus not making the capacity to do physical labour an issue. All these further fortify the well-known and accepted fact that the Punjabis are traditionally a warrior clan.

However the question of further inclusion of Sikhs into the army is being challenged today. The very first trace of that can be seen in the implementation of a representation quota based on the proportion of the state population to the population of the country. Only 2% of the Indian army can now comprise of Punjabis and not more than that. This has major implications on the occupational scene in Punjab. The primary profession until a few years ago was being in the army.

The Green Revolution also contributed greatly in breaking a century old trend. With the clash of two major professions now being observed in Punjab, the entrants to the army further decline. The profession of agriculture in Punjab has proved to be so lucrative that traditional soldiers are now opting out of the armed services.

The affluence of the Green Revolution opened up vast avenues for both education and profession. And either of these stay independent of geographical difficulties. The ability to afford an international education and the possession of the infrastructural means now allows people from this region to gain wide and various national professions. Punjab a hundred years ago did not see the Green Revolution or elaborate means of travel; the people simply did not have the means to shift to another profession. Since they were good at it, they continued with the profession.

Now, with multinationals and corporates coming to India, the army‟s modest pay packages do not compare. It is to be noted that on interview with Brigadier Dilawar Singh, we were to find out that this issue has been tackled by the Indian army with an entry level take home pay and perks amounting up to 6 lakhs per annum. Being young, educated and zealous, a young candidate would much rather go for something that would yield a higher monetary amount for his services.

Thus, from the reasons mentioned above, we can attribute several reasons why the Punjabis are such a popular ethnic group amongst the army. Their compatibility is a function of both their nurturing as well as their overall natural form. At the same time, due to the economic changes taking place in the state of Punjab along with the revolutionisation of farming, the profession of the army is being side-lined in the state of Punjab.

Partition

The partition was a very challenging moment in the history of India. In a matter of days, 12.5 million people were relocated and huge amounts of these people were killed. The Muslims and Hindus had belonged to the same land and lived as brothers, having been like each other in every way. Over days, the political barriers created by the governments led to tremendous amounts of enmity between the same groups of people and reduced them to killing each other.

Given these facts, we wanted to understand what are its sociological implications today? Did Punjab still find itself to be hostile to the country and the people of Pakistan? After our research, we felt that there was civil and political unrest between the two countries. We planned to understand why this hostility and tension still lay between the two states.

An important destination for field study was the Attari railway station. This station is the last station on the Indian side of the border. Merely 2 kms away, the train crosses into Pakistan. The station has some horrific stories in its past. When speaking to the Station Master and our mentor, Major General Raj Mehtai, we were told how the trains had moved between India and Pakistan during the Partition. Sometimes, entire trains rolled in with only the driver and the train crew alive. Today, the same station forms a quiet, desolate spot on the map of India. Very few use this station as a transit destination to go into the country of Pakistan.

We visited the Wagah border to witness the tension first-hand. One could infer the most about the people‟s opinions towards the Pakistanis at the Wagah Border. This border lies 30 kms from Amritsar and it is an entry point into the country of Pakistan by road. Every evening at sunset, a retreat ceremony takes place where the flag is taken down from the border and hoisted back up a few hundred metres behind. At the ceremony, it is important to notice the acts of aggression carried out by the Pakistani Ranger Forces and the Border Security Forces of India. The entire ceremony was based on a show of glamour where each country tries to one-up the other. Stands were set on either side where the crowd would cheer their respective countries. Patriotic songs were played by either country.

It is important to note that the speakers of either country were faced against one another than at the crowds. This suggested that the intention of the speakers was to play the songs primarily to their neighbours. Also, the guards at the border were chosen to be particularly tall and hefty to intimidate any foe. The ceremony was carried out very crisply with great amounts of pomp and show. This again is important to note as it suggests that the entire process of the ceremony is only a means of creating patriotism towards one‟s own country and at the same time, instigate a sense of rivalry between the two countries. The BSF displayed their hatred towards Pakistan by means of their “attention” position which was un-contemporary by way of the amount of attitude it reeked. Also, their march was highly ostentatious. All movements were carried out with excessive vigour and even the opening and closing of the gates was done in a rather crude manner. The commentator of the ceremony would provoke the crowd by chanting national cheers like “Jai Hind”, “Vande Maataram” and “Hindustan Zindabad”. The commentator would also compete with the commentator of the neighbouring country by giving a command to the BSF for the longest time possible. This became a challenge between the two countries as well.

Noteworthy is the reaction of the crowds at the time. The crowds would cheer louder every time the Indian side attempted to put the Pakistanis down. Since the beginning, the women were given a chance to hold the Tiranga and run down the road in front of the crowd. This caused an almost brainwashing effect on the crowd. It inspired patriotism and soon, it turned into dislike towards the rival country.

As a group, we got to visit “zero point” which is up close at the fence dividing Pakistan and India. This was the first time we came face-to-face with some of the civil population of Pakistan. At first sight, the Pakistanis appeared to be absolutely amicable and one of the Pakistani men stepped up and said: “We love Indians and we love Pakistanis.” This was a very noble gesture on his part but at the same time, it helped us realise something instrumental. Could it be true that most people of India and Pakistan would choose to have friendly relations between each other but the governments of either countries and their foreign policies suggested otherwise?

We met with the Honourable Finance Minister of Punjab, Manpreet Singh Badali. When asked about the generous nature of the people of Punjab, he stated: “But there is only one set of people who beat us in hospitality. It is the Pakistanis. They just beat you hands down. The only thing they are better than us is at the hospitality.” If ones tries to analyse this statement, there is a definite element of rivalry as the Minister talks about beating one another in terms of virtues. And this can be explained by his role as an integral part of the government of Punjab. But at the same time, he recites several incidences where he wasn‟t allowed to pay for the services he made use of. The driver of a taxi did not accept money from him because he was a guest in the country and when he bought something, the shopkeeper wouldn‟t accept money either. At one time, he ate a meal at a restaurant in Pakistan and the manager informed him that someone else sitting on another table had already paid for the Minister and left only because he was from India. This experience led him to state that “the Pakistanis are embarrassingly hospitable.”

We had met with Mr. Ramesh Vinayak, Resident Editor of Hindustan Times, Chandigarh. He said that the tension between the two cultures of East Punjab and West Punjab (now in Pakistan) were due to a lot of misrepresentation and miscommunication between the two countries. In 1995, militants had nested near a 200 year old shrine of a Sufi saint made of wood. When the militants were tackled, one was caught alive. When a press conference was called, 60 odd journalists were shocked to see that this man was a Punjabi from Punjab. Only, his Punjab lay in Pakistan. He was committed to die and give up his life for his cause. But when Mr. Vinayak offered the militant food from his plate, the militant was shocked. He was under the assumption that only Hindus never ate from Muslim people‟s plates.

Our mentor, Major General Raj Mehta added that the 7th grade textbooks studied in Pakistani schools state that Pakistan has been in existence for thousands of years and India has been carved out of it. Thus, we can see that dislike against the Indians is bred among young minds and propagates among all generations, only through the means of miscommunication and misinterpretation.

At another point, when Mr. Vinayak was at the Bangkok airport, a Pakistani man asked to take a picture with his son since the child reminded him of his own. The Pakistani was returning from USA after 5 years. It came as a shock to him when he was told that the child was an Indian. This just goes to show how similar the two groups of people can be to the untrained mind. At the same time, it shows how different the perception of the people becomes once they are faced with the truth. All the stereotypes and opinions associated sub-consciously surface at this point. Mr. Vinayak said: “We are still brothers of the same land.”

After this, he recited two touching stories in which siblings were separated during the partition and sometimes, the Sikh siblings had to be converted to Muslims. In one story, the girl sibling was smuggled along with a group of entertainers to come to India in order to meet her family. Unfortunately, the family did not turn up. The latter story is that of a brother and sister where the brother decided to stay in his country with his friends presuming the partition was temporary. Finally, they met after 50 years at “zero point” on the Wagah border where the girl sibling recognised her brother and father instantly.

After meeting experts like the Editor and the Minister, we spoke to a common farmer to diversify the source of information. Satpal Singh, the Sarpanch of a border village, Kilgarh, stated that the people on the other side of the border are culturally the same. Given a choice, he would prefer to go to Pakistan often. Also, during times of war, they are caused great pains by being moved to different villages. Satpal Singh stated that he goes to the Wagah Border often to meet his fellow villagers from Pakistan. This just goes to emphasize how decades old political boundaries between the two nations can be rendered useless in comparison to cultural conditioning.

The point of these stories is to realise that the people in either countries are not that culturally different. All they differ in is their religion. But the political scenario has become such that the two subsets of the same race of people have come down to dislike one another. In theory, this may be apparent to an inquisitive eye due to the political circumstances and the role of the media in the entire matter. But if one looks closely, one will find that there is a strong urge for the majority of the

populations to overlook these metaphorical barriers and extend themselves to their fellow brothers and sisters who are and unite once again. What needs to be identified is the political intentions of the relations between the two countries and scope for improvement in miscommunication between the two societies. The influence that the situation causes on the psychological dispositions of the minds of Punjab is that of impatience towards the government, towards the policy and in some cases, towards the Pakistanis for unwarranted cause.

Food and Beverage

In view of the feeding patterns of the natives of Punjab, one may observe two distinct types of diets form. These diets come from the specific activity demands of the various professionals that form the two major occupations of Punjab. The two major diet types are vegetarian and non-vegetarian. One may see a trend form in terms of the people who consume certain types of diets.

One must note that when we did ask either farmers or army men what they ate to derive nutrition, they told us that they did not adhere to anything specific and just ate what they normally eat. We were to find that „normally eat‟ itself is a conditioned form of diet which has a rigid framework. The people simply eat what they need and the latently established diet pattern fulfills its needs. For example, a farmer who sustains himself on a staple diet of Saag and Roti unknowingly falls under the bracket of „vegetarian consumer‟. In the case of the farmer, he would not eat meat because of various reasons. Regardless, individuals adhere to the set categories according to various factors based on activities, requirements and environment.

It would be worthwhile to observe the food efficiency of the natives of Punjab, particularly the farmers. They are almost completely self-sufficient. Every major component of the food they cook can be sourced from their farms. They eat dal, roti and saag. Most of the raw materials are grown on their farms. For one, mustard greens, the vital ingredient in saag, are seen growing by the thousands of square kilometers. This may be one explanation as to why the farming community in Punjab is usually found to be vegetarian, they do not have the means or the necessary incentive to go out and fetch themselves the raw materials required to prepare a non-vegetarian dish.

On the other hand, there exists that part of Punjabi society that eats meat regularly. This section of the demographic comprises primarily of those that were ancestrally warriors. They were required to be especially strong in terms of muscle content and diet calories for the simple reason that they were required to fight in battle. Therefore, one can see the prevalence of a non-vegetarian diet in Punjabi culture more than other parts of India for this exact reason - because a staple diet of meat is required

by one to keep up with the protein demands of a warrior. One might even see the protein content in the dairy consumed by the populace of Punjab. The identity of Punjab in a geographical context plays a vital role here. It has a history of invasions and was the first point of entry, thus forcing itself to be the first mode of resistance from external forces.

One might even use the concept of Indian psychology and attribute and categorize the eater of each type of food. Those who eat the non-vegetarian spicy foods are said to be Rajasic in nature. This means that because of the nature of the taste and its harmonic implications, they are impulsive, dynamic, aggressive and energetic. These attributes are necessary to be part of the armed forces. The diet of the farmers on the other hand can be defined as Sattvic, which means that the eater of such foods are calm, good natured, open minded and generally sustain themselves without much drive for achievement. These attributes are required if one is to be a farmer.

A reason why Punjabis have such large appetites in general could be traced to the success of the Green Revolution. The fact that there is more food available means that the minimum amount of food one sustains oneself at sees a quantitative rise. However, the fact that the Punjabis are ostentatious and hospitable could mislead our analysis. Whoever we visited did not eat at the same time we did. When they did serve us food, they served us mammothian quantities and fed us more than we could chew, quite literally. In such cases, the feeding of others is automatically turned into an indicator of food habits of the natives, which may be misrepresented; the people of Punjab may not eat as much regularly as they feed their guests.

One very prominent characteristic of the food from Punjab was how fresh the ingredients were. Because most of the farm proximity and ease of acquisition of the means of producing the food, the food tasted especially fresh and was in turn easy to digest. Such a contrast is quite easily made to a group of students who come from metropolitans where the raw materials are chemically treated and processed. In Punjab, one literally felt that the milk in the lassi was acquired from the cow just moments before it was consumed. It was a common consensus that the people we visited in Punjab made us eat double of what our normal appetite was. Despite that the food we ate did not weigh us

down heavily or cause lethargy. We were back to normal the next morning and would probably be able to eat more than we did the previous day.

In retrospect, we could note that Punjab was the melting pot of cultures as it was the first location where foreign conquerors would fly their flags, one may see their influences manifest themselves in the food of the region. It would be intriguing to know that most of Punjab‟s traditional food isn‟t actually Punjab‟s ethnic food. It is actually a variation of some of the foods of regions around Punjab. For example, Sarson da Saag is actually an Afghani preparation and tandoori chicken also comes from the Middle East. The original intent of the naan (an Indian bread made from baking fine ground flour in a kiln) was to facilitate slow digestion so that desert travelers could sustain themselves through long tiresome journeys and not feel hungry easily. These cultural nuances were transformed by the region and people of Punjab into their own context and thus made a very creative and colorful blend of the old and the new styles of preparation.

On an international front, Punjabi food has gained enormous popularity. So much so, that Punjabi food has become synonymous with „Indian‟ food; it tantamount to the same cuisine in the minds of a foreign lay man. There are groups of friends all over the world that walk into Indian restaurants and ask for “Butter-chicken naan‖. Parathas have become a general breakfast food all over India. Moreover, the popularity so achieved has been vast and wide. Once acquainted with the flavor, there are few who do not like the taste of Punjabi food.

The universal popularity of Punjabi food can be attributed to its palatability. People like those flavors which haven‟t been subjected to too much taste. This implies that those flavors that concentrate more on the immediate taste of food and not on specific attributes like spicy or sweet remain most popular. Punjabi food, unlike other mainstream commercial Indian food, consists of a mixture of both the Indian sub-continental use of spices and the Middle Eastern use of kilns. The blend is a smooth mixture of both well cooked and moderately flavored foods which formulates the demands of a majority of taste buds even around the world.

All in all, one is quite safe to generalize the fact that food and diet can tell a person a lot about regions‟ culture, resources, people, professions and social structures. One can deduce that the Gujaratis with their diet of oil and sugars are a cerebral clan and the Rajasthanis with their consumption of meat, dal and complex carbohydrates (Dal bhati churma and Gavran chicken) are primarily work horses who work for prolonged periods of time under tough conditions. Similarly in the context of Punjab one can see that the people there are large, generous, energetic, dynamic, aggressive, strong and hands on. One might deduce this from various aspects of their feeding behavior, serving sizes, composition of food, means of food preparation and the level of detailing they use to prepare the food. The history of Punjab may also be seen through the looking glass that is its food. And what can be seen is a rich vivid history full of flavor in all meanings the word provides. Punjabi food, like its people, is loved by all. Both of them are jovial, easygoing and simple (in their complexities, one might add).

Suffice to say, a Punjabi meal is for the large hearted – apt for a king.

Chapter 5: Conclusion

‗Kirth karo, wand chhako, naam japo!‘ ( Earn with integrity, Share what you reap, there is one God, always remember the name.)

From times immemorial Punjab has been a crucible of culture. An unending amalgamation of communities and confluence cultures took place resulting in a pragmatic, experimental and utilitarian outlook on life and a robust common-sense view which debilitated the root of all sorts of dogmas, conventions and conservatism. The Arab Muslims first raided Sind and Multan in 713 AD; that was Punjab‟s involvement with the next phase of military, political and cultural conflicts. Other armies from West and Central Asia followed over the next thousand years. The Ghoris, Mongols swept across the Khyber Pass and down into Punjab to plunder, but they were not interested in establishing their rule and staying in the country permanently. From Egyptian invasions to Alexander to Sher- Shah-Suri to finally the British -- the people of Punjab are clearly used to putting up a bit of a fight. Today‟s generation is possibly genetically predisposed to this aggressive, passionate disposition.

This land of ubiquitous fervour is synonymous with Sikhism. Resplendent with colour, spirit and joy the religion and its people have encountered foes from far and wide. The faith makes it presence well felt in every aspect of a citizens existence.

The prevalence of Sikhism is substantial to the region. Its relationship with politics, social norms and every other aspect associates the people with their religion and the state. In addition however it would not suffice to say that the strong ties and tradition that the faith inculcates is blindly followed. With the affect of a strong western influence, the youth is slightly wavering towards an amalgamation of following their belief and allowing for the inclusion of shaving and other forms of influence.

These farmer-warriors are impenetrable. Their humour, their blessed love for liquor and a blithe mind-set reiterates their temperament. After the years of humiliation they managed to hold their ground, since the years of incessant torture life and death make for mere fickle notions. It is all about the moment; carpe diem!

Content and jubilant for the most part, you wonder where the sadness and the pain manifests itself. In the famous words of T. S .Elliot you „put on face to meet the faces that you meet‘

The British made a virtue out of necessity. The Sikhs – The warrior clan had to find something to do when they weren‟t out being somebody‟s knight in shining armour. Consequently, they introduced the agrarian culture to the feisty lot, and what better place than the land of five rivers.

Their diet reflects their profession. The average farmer will eat his „Sarson da saag and Makki di Roti‟ while the typical soldier will gorge on any sort of meat. Your occupation demands a specific skill set, a definite built. The history of Punjab may also be seen through the looking glass that is its food. And what can be seen is a rich vivid history full of flavour in all its connotations.

The Green Revolution was the resurrection of the Punjabi style of life. After the partition‟s torment, the burly populace had an aim, it manifested their energy and confidence into becoming the best agriculturalists the country was capable of producing. And did they manage it!

As mentioned earlier, the revolution came at a cost. But ecological instability in the face of bleak starvation is another matter. It is true. You tend to lean toward saving a hungry three year old as opposed to bothering about the sudden drop in the chemical composition of the soil outside your neighbour‟s farm.

The army with its new policy of including only 2% of the population of the state makes other avenues of occupation highly plausible. With the monetary benefit of the revolution the young are prone to avail of the abundance of corporate opportunity abroad.

One of the most striking points to be noted is the fact that the industrial sector along with the education sector are completely sidelined compared to the agricultural monopoly the state practices.

The state doesn‟t promote the settlement of industry for the simple reason that there isn‟t just enough space. Cultivation area covers most of Punjab. The state does not have central government holidays like other North Indian states for the reason that it doesn‟t feel the need to promote other industry. Punjab is undoubtedly the food basket of India and the country‟s food security in its entirety depends mainly on Punjab‟s abundant harvest. Logically, political and financial constraints drive the government to refrain the promotion of anything else.

The women of Punjab are a hardy lot. They treat their husbands with the greatest reverence and utmost respect. The man of the family is ultimately the bread winner, eventually the decision maker. The driving force is that they want to hold on to their land holdings, involving women complicates matters in terms of dowry issues.

What was most evident was the ostentatious nature of the race. Cars, cows, quilts – whoever has the most, is the better, richer chap. Their embellishments reflect their pride. But with this wealth comes its filial ties of drugs and merriment. The suicides reported in the area are the function of substance abuse, despite the debt issues most farmers are agonised by.

The political manipulation is palpable in the constantly changing governments each with their own set of facetious ideals and promises. With issues of water and electricity abundant, now the state plans a white revolution of sorts. The ruthless promotion of the lucrative dairy industry. As the horticulture experiment failed, the farmers fell back to their tried and tested monocultural practices.

The place has a feeling of joy, the mood of serenity and above all an emotion of utmost joy which is almost inimitable.

Punjab the gateway of India, Punjab the green revolution, Punjab the home of the brave heart, Punjab the land of the Dhaba, Punjab torn apart -- „Sher-e-Punjab‟.

DIP Punjab has come to the end of an extraordinary journey of discovery which was uniquely multidimensional. It is neither ironic nor astonishing that in attempting to discover Punjab, the group ended up discovering themselves in part.

The group feels that this was to be expected from an institution that professes and practices Liberal Education as a metaphor for communication. In honour of this brilliant take off point, the group approached its discovery of Punjab with respect, anticipation and genuinely keen desire to learn as well as unlearn. It is our humble opinion that we have met with reasonable success in this quest. FLAME has always propagated that the journey is as important if not more important that the destination itself. The group feels that this journey on which we have now embarked upon, of serious enquiry, of self discovery and of learning to cope with the travails of life is as exciting as was our notional discovery of the state. We intend to honour this with the unsinkable spirit of the Punjabi who has a standard reply when attending to the heights of achievement or lows of dire depression : „chad di kalaan‘.

Synopsis

This is a story of how nine students discovered a land that they believed was riddled with anguish. This tale talks about how these students rid themselves of their notions to discover the land of the five rivers in all its bounty. This project explores the spirit of Punjab in all its glory. Its people, its religion, its cuisine, its contribution to the armed forces, and its pronounced history.

It has had, the best of times and the worst of times.

Just like the rest of us.