1 20 I 19 • P P P 2 P 200 20T 08 Y SAR 8- 88-2 008 20T 008 • ES SPE 8 NIV A SPE PER IA SPE DIA PEC 198 AN A ES ECT TIVE VES CTI 20T Y DIA NNIV VER RSAA NNIV NNIV PER ARY VER NIV A ERS ES 08 VES V 1988-20 RY IA PERSPECTIV IA Vol 22, No. 6 ISSN 0970 5074 NN S 20TH ANNIVERSAR AP A Y 1988-2008 • PERSP 20TH ANNIVERSARY 1988-2008 PERSPECTIVES 20TH ANNIVER • A RSARY 1988-2008 • INDIA PERSPEC T VE A PERSPECTIVES 20TH ANNIVERSARY 198 0 ANNIVERSARY 1988-2008 • INDIA PERSPECTI 2 TH India 08 • INDIA PERSPECTIVES 20TH ANNIVERSARY 19 00 20 PECTIVES 20TH ANNIVERSARY 1988-2008 • INDIA PERSPE Perspectives H 1988-2008 • INDIA PERSPECTIVES 20TH ANNIVERSARY 1988-2 00 RY RSPECTIVES 20TH ANNIVERSARY 1988-2008 • INDIA PERSPECTIVES V NNIVERSARY 1988-2008 • INDIA PERSPECTIVES 20TH ANNIVERSARY 1988-2 20 • INDIA PERSPECTIVES 20TH ANNIVERSARY 1988-2008 • INDIA PERSPECTIVES ES 20TH ANNIVERSARY 1988-2008 • INDIA PERSPECTIVES 20TH ANNIVERSARY 1988-2008 9 1988-2008 • INDIA PERSPECTIVES 20TH ANNIVERSARY 1988-2008 • INDIA PERSPECTIV RY PE S DIA PERSPECTIVES 20TH ANNIVERSARY 1988-2008 • INDIA PERSPECTIVES 20TH ANNIVERSAR R ES 20TH ANNIVERSARY 1988-2008 • INDIA PERSPECTIVES 20TH ANNIVERSARY 1988-2008 • INDIA PER R DIA PERSPECTIVES 20TH ANNIVERSARY 1988-2008 • INDIA PERSPECTIVES 20TH ANNIVERSARY 1988-200 PE NNIVERSARY 1988-2008 • INDIA PERSPECTIVES 20TH ANNIVERSARY 1988-2008 • INDIA PERSPECTIVES 20TH AN 8 • INDIA PERSPECTIVES 20TH ANNIVERSARY 1988-2008 • INDIA PERSPECTIVES 20TH ANNIVERSARY 1988-2008 • IN RS A VES 20TH ANNIVERSARY 1988-2008 • INDIA PERSPECTIVES 20TH ANNIVERSARY 1988-2008 • INDIA PERSPECTIVES 20TH A N Y 1988-2008 • INDIA PERSPECTIVES 20TH ANNIVERSARY 1988-2008 • INDIA PERSPECTIVES 20TH ANNIVERSARY 1988-2008 • INDI PECTIVES 20TH ANNIVERSARY 1988-2008 • INDIA PERSPECTIVES 20TH ANNIVERSARY 1988-2008 • INDIA PERSPECTIVES 20TH ANNI N RS ERSARY 1988-2008 • INDIA PERSPECTIVES 20TH ANNIVERSARY 1988-2008 • INDIA PERSPECTIVES 20TH ANNIVERSARY 1988-2008 • INDIA PER ERSPECTIVES 20TH ANNIVERSAH A PERSPECTIVES 20TH ANNIVERSARY 1988-2008 • INDIA PERSPECTIVES 20TH ANNIVERSARY 1988-2008 • INDIA PERSPECTIVES 20TH ANNIVE A DI ANNIVERSARY 1988-2008 • INDIA PERSPECTIVES 20TH ANNIVERSARY 1988-2008 • INDIA PERSPECTIVES 20TH ANNIVERSARY 1988-2008 • INDI AN TH 08 Y 1988-2008 • INDIA PERSPECTIVES 20TH ANNIVERSARY 1988-2008 • INDIA PERSPECTIVES 20TH ANNIVERSARY 1988-2008 • INDIA PERSPECTIVES 20TH A SPECTIVES 20TH ANNIVERSARY 1988-2008 • INDIA PERSPECTIVES 20TH ANNIVERSARY 1988-2008 • INDIA PERSPECTIVES 20TH ANNIVERSARY 1988-2008 • IND ER NIVERSARY 1988-2008 • INDIA PERSPECTIVES 20TH ANNIVERSARY 1988-2008 • INDIA PERSPECTIVES 20TH ANNIVERSARY 1988-2008 • INDIA PERSPECTIVES 20TH A 8 AN NDIA PERSPECTIVES 20TH ANNIVERSARY 1988-2008 • INDIA PERSPECTIVES 20TH ANNIVERSARY 1988-2008 • INDIA PERSPECTIVES 20TH ANNIVERSARY 1988-2008 • INDIA 20 NNIVERSARY 1988-2008 • INDIA PERSPECTIVES 20TH ANNIVERSARYEditor 1988-2008 • INDIA PERSPECTIVES 20TH ANNIVERSARY 1988-2008 • INDIA PERSPECTIVES 20TH ANNIVERS 88 Amit Dasgupta 2008 • INDIA PERSPECTIVES 20TH ANNIVERSARY 1988-2008 • INDIA PERSPECTIVES 20TH ANNIVERSARY 1988-2008 • INDIA PERSPECTIVES 20TH ANNIVERSARY 1988-2008 • INDIA PER TI ES 20TH ANNIVERSARY 1988-2008 • INDIA PERSPECTIVES 20TH ANNIVERSARY 1988-2008 • INDIA PERSPECTIVES 20TH ANNIVERSARY 1988-2008 • INDIA PERSPECTIVES 20TH ANNI IV Assistant Editor Y Neelu Rohra NNIVERSARY 1988-2008 • INDIA PERSPECTIVES 20TH ANNIVERSARY 1988-2008 • INDIA PERSPECTIVES 20TH ANNIVERSARY 1988-2008 • INDIA PERSPECTIVES 20TH ANNIVERSARY 1988-2008 • IN EC INDIA PERSPECTIVES 20TH ANNIVERSARY 1988-2008 • ConsultingINDIA PERSPECTIVES Editor 20TH ANNIVERSARY 1988-2008 • INDIA PERSPECTIVES 20TH ANNIVERSARY 1988-2008 • INDIA PERSPECTIVES 20TH AN A TH ANNIVERSARY 1988-2008 • INDIANewsline PERSPECTIVES Publications 20THPvt. 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This issue celebrates twenty years of India Perspectives. As she gets ready to start her 21st birthday, we thought we would use the occasion to look back at the extraordinary canvas the magazine covered through each of its issues. We found the assignment rewarding as we sifted through pages of the old issues and marveled at how wonderfully each issue had captured for its readers – both near and far – the beauty, diversity and sheer magnifi cence of India. India offers a delightfully broad canvas and for any editor, the opportunity to project India is sheer joy. From cuisine to folk art, music to tourism, fashion to contemporary writing, science and technology to festivals, India is a celebration of infi nite possibilities. It was this creative abundance that the issues over the last twenty years have presented, with a sense of awe and reverence, to its readers. The magazine, till recently, was brought out in 15 different languages; a new language (Italian) has recently been added and the print run has swelled to over 70,000 with demands for some of the back issues brought out earlier this year, in particular the Special Issue on Gandhiji. For the fi rst time, the magazine is also reaching out to a readership within India, especially to schools and colleges. We hope, very soon, to be able to put on-line editions in all languages on the web site. This ‘birthday’ issue brings back to its readers a selection of almost thirty articles drawn from past issues of India Perspectives. We have also included a nostalgic article by the very fi rst editor of the magazine and a special section carrying some comments received recently from readers on the new look we have tried to give the magazine from this year in terms of content, get up and photo quality. The feed back has been heart warming. It has been an honour to serve as editor of this wonderful magazine and I will cherish the experience of seeing her through the twentieth year of her life. This is also my farewell issue; I move on to my next assignment as Consul General in Sydney and to spend time with my daughter who, too, would start her twenty fi rst birthday! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Amit Dasgupta December 2008 The pictures are truly fabulous Congratulations to you and your Extracts of Letters to the Editor SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2008 and I shall treasure this edition team on the quality of recent (dedicated to Mahatma Gandhi). copies of India Perspectives. India Perspectives The magazine is a prized India Perspectives has become JANUARY-MARCH 2008 Satendra Nandan Radhika Sabavala possession of our Library. India too good and is a highly Islands Marg Publications, India Perspectives sought after publication. R.K. Samanta Congratulations for bringing out It is refreshing to see articles on Vice Chancellor The January-March 2008 issue Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya was a ‘super-hit’. We have been a wonderful Special Issue contemporary art and writing. , India on the Father of the Nation. photocopying the publication to S.K. Bhutani Keep up the good work! Former Ambassador of India This priceless publication (Special meet requests for the publication! issue on Gandhiji) will provide A.K. Ghosh R. Venkata Kesavan Mumbai, India High standard of production, “I am a great, fantastic accident of being the right person at the right place at the right time. That is the description of my success... me many hours of self-instructive Assistant High Commissioner of India, ” Mombasa making it a delight to read through. reading and shall remain one of my Sudha Gopalakrishnan cherished possessions. My felicitations at a good JUNE-JULY 2008 India Sisir K. Barat beginning. I am not experienced Italy India in this fi eld, but in this new format Perspectives There have been tremendous of the magazine, India’s special improvements in the content and This Special Issue of the magazine diverse and historic vision is well layout of the magazine. brilliantly keeps the Gandhian brought out. All this should evoke I congratulate you and your team I was thrilled with the message alive and is worth interest in the readers abroad. on the excellent job. circulating in Italy, where India and September-October 2008 issue; the prophet of non-violence have Jagat S. Mehta Mani Shankar Aiyar a brilliant conception brilliantly Congratulations for an excellent Former Foreign Secretary of India Minister so many friends. Government of India executed! production of India Perspectives I went through the issue of Ambassador Maurizio Moreno which paid tribute to Mahatma K.P.S. Menon On behalf of India Perspectives Attractive with good photographs. Former Foreign Secretary of India H.E. Mr. Francesco Rutelli Gandhi. All of the articles were (January-March 2008) Deputy Prime Minister of Italy loaded with information, historical Gaj Singh and was surprised to fi nd India I fi nd the September-October 2008 events and were inspirational. The qualitative quantum jump of the issue a masterpiece of good editing A well produced India Perspectives inclusion of appropriate cartoons periodical. The editorial was Full of worthwhile information. with select articles beautifully issue on Gandhiji. and photographs was just perfect. exceptionally brilliant. produced. It is worth keeping and H.E. Mr. I.K. Gujral This magazine is a ‘must read’ for Aline Dobbie United Kingdom I will always value it. Former Prime Minister of India today’s generation and for those M.M. Bhanot who were not around during Spain D.N. Malhotra Congratulations on the very high A magazine of high quality The last two issues of Chairman, Hind Pocket Books Gandhiji’s efforts. Keep up the New Delhi, India in production values, variety India Perspectives are outstanding. standards achieved and the range good work! It is really a treatise on “Bapu” and content. I have kept both these issues of articles encompassing India’s and indeed a collector’s issue. Modern design, fi rst class Jamal S. Mohammed with a great deal of pride. rich heritage in the fi elds of Good job. Madhavan A pictures, informative and Trinidad & Tobago Former Ambassador of India Congratulations! education and culture! Yogesh Bhandari interesting articles make reading Zambia Ganesh Kitoony Nair The Special Issue on Gandhi is a Brigadier Trigunesh Mukherjee India Perspectives A very tastefully and sensitively India Retd. Executive Director of Education collectors’ edition and should a real pleasure. South Africa The Mahatma Gandhi issue was produced magazine. be preserved! very well written and demonstrated G.K. Arora Appropriate contents that make the Martin Kampchen I enjoyed reading Ashwani Sharma the effects of “Gandhism” India magazine most sought after! in Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung th India Perspectives, especially the USA throughout the world, since his 29 October, 2008 Abid Hussain Special Issue on Gandhi. death, in a way that no other The issue of India Perspectives Former Ambassador of India Interesting and publication has managed to do. showcasing India’s book publishing Shalva Weil very well brought out! Israel industry is indeed very timely and Usha Mayani Chandrajit Banerjee Panama extremely well brought out. Confederation of Indian Industry India Lakhan Mehrortra Former Ambassador of India Kerala Greening for a as a Philosopher A Fascinating Mosaic Better Environment 6 VIVECA TALLGREN 32 J.V.S. MURTHY 83 Indian Handicrafts World Much Sought After Delhi Metro Kapil Dev is the Greatest Free of Nuclear Arms GARIMA SHARMA 66 N.K. SAREEN 86 BHARAT BHUSHAN 106 RAJIV GANDHI 10

India’s IT Industry Fables’ Syllables RAJIV RASTOGI 108 H.Y. SHARADA PRASAD 14

Kashmir in Winter President’s Bodyguards P.K. DE ASHOK DILWALI 18 112

Sikkim The Buddhist Shangrila P.K. DE 40 India’s Unmanned Mission to the Moon DINKAR SHUKLA 90

Indian Designers Go The romance of Bhimsen Joshi International Gwalior Fort Festivals in Indian Art Vocalist Par Excellence “Tiger! Tiger!” MEENU GUPTA 22 USHA JOHN 48 UTPAL K. BANERJEE 70 RASHME SEHGAL 94 BHAGAT SINGH 116

Taj Cuisine Culture Romancing The Stone Colossus of Indian Cinema A taste of India Room for humour – always Walking Life My Way KHAWAR MALIK 26 B.M. MALHOTRA 52 SANDEEP SILAS 76 R.K. LAXMAN 98 RUSKIN BOND 121

Dance and the Body Satellite TV Language Catalyst for Rural Development Out of my Mind! Looking Back M.S.N. MENON 58 RADHAKRISHNA RAO 80 SUDHIR DAR 104 TG NALLAMUTHU 125 the Ameri can journalist, he Jawaharlal had already given partitioned India to satisfy up the vague kind of ‘cynicism’ his hunger for power. “When of the ‘too clever by half’ Jawaharlal wrote a brief essay drawing-room intellectual, My Philosophy of Life, one which had been ‘partly natural’ learned Indian Professor told an to his youth, ‘and partly the English audi ence: “Nehru is no in fl uence of Oscar Wilde and philosopher. He has not read Walter Pa ter’. He talked to Sanskrit. He denigrates Indian ‘Bapu’, as he called him, freely, tradition...” oppos ing the leader when he felt that the Mahatma’s slogans Such superfi cial surgery is only like ‘Ram Raj’ might mislead pos sible because quite a few people into revival of the members of the intelligentsia, patri archal feudal rule of the and even some among his epic period. He questioned contemporaries... have not the delays in launching known that he had read campaigns. He disapproved of Garibaldi at school, Bahunir, the ‘fasts unto death’ technique. Proudhon and Marx while at Jawaharlal remained a vigilant University, that he admired follower, a creative critic, who the Fabian socialism of Sidney complimented the Mahatma and Beatrice Webb, George when the latter refused to be Bernard Shaw, H.G. Wells and called the Great Soul. His own other intellectu als. That he dedica tion to human concern read biology for his Tripos, coincided with Gandhi’s, who and knew that science can said “God comes to the poor add new di mension to human as bread,” and his ambition knowledge,… that of his was to wipe every tear from own free will, he gave up the every eye. Compassionate profession of law after see ing understanding of human the malpractices of the legal misery, then, became a shared Jawaharlal Nehru profes sions, renounced the ideal between Gandhiji and fortunes of the family and was Jawaharlal Nehru. converted from a pseudo Brown as a Philosopher One of the many inklings of Sahab, to a kurta pyjama- his empathy for human beings MULK RAJ ANAND wearing In dian by Gandhiji. is given by him in a little book entitled “Where Are We?” have chosen to talk of Jawahar lal Nehru’s philosophy In his reminiscences, Jawaharlal of life, though he was not an academic philosopher. In some Nehru wrote: “And then came “For many months, I wandered I post-mortems he has been dissected with sharp knives. One Gandhi. He was like a powerful about India and millions of cruel surgeon recently said: “As a student he was mediocre, as a current of fresh air that made us faces passed be fore my eyes. Barrister he was a failure, as a freedom fi ghter he had no separate stretch ourselves and take deep I saw a thousand facets of this volition of his own, and he completely subjugated his will to breaths, like a beam of light that country of mine and all the that of Gandhiji. As he himself had confessed before Mesley, pierced the darkness...” rich diversity and yet always

INDIA PERSPECTIVES NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2008 6 INDIA PERSPECTIVES NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2008 7 with a unifying impress of Although he admired the He did not accept the denigration soon after the declaration of India upon them. I sought to Hymn of Creation in the Rig of woman as a temptress, not freedom. understand what lay behind Veda for its bold conjectures on to be trusted, in the Manusmriti In pursuance of the will to these mil lions of eyes – that the origins of the uni verse, he and wanted equal rights for the achieve a hundred years stared at me, with hopes and did not literally accept all the females. He felt that philosophies of peace… he evolved the desires. What untold misery hunches of the Vedas. of Hindus were impressive discussions of problems in the fi ve principles of peaceful unexpressed...” Similarly, though he appreciated ancient medieval periods, but coexistence and mutual respect Certainly he often went back some of the Sutras of the were mostly irrelevant in today’s between states and peoples. to Buddha’s questioning of Upanishads, he did not feel context. Also he felt Islam to Throughout his life, Nehru the Brahmin about rejection of that they were gospel truths be a faith largely relevant to its did not give up the struggle whole peoples to the serfdom which must be accepted, own time… And when Master on behalf of man, at all the Tara Singh urged separatist status of outcastes. There is no doubt specially as they were often levels of statecraft and personal for the Sikhs, he reminded him that one of the principles which contradictory. apprehensions, along with about the Guru Granth being a he accepted as of pri mary He did value many …thoughts of synthesis of faiths… others who shared goodwill. signifi cance in his philosophy …the past. But he did not want No wonder on his writing of life seemed to be derived to accept all traditional thoughts. He wrote: “The tradi tional Photo Divison, Government of India pad were found the verses of from his belief in ethics without He wanted to inquire into the Chinese outlook, fundamentally Robert Frost: God. the divine powers were social facts of the time when a ethical and yet tinged with The woods are lovely, dark philosophy or religion arose, and religious scepticism, has an supposed to achieve through In the tentative hunches, about and deep, whether it had any rele vance appeal for me, though in its miracle men. Jawaharlal the traditional philosophies of But I have promises to keep. today. For instance, the way the application to life I may not perceived the danger of the our country, he held that only Brahmins had, for long periods, agree. It is the Tao, the path to unethical use of science and Jawaharlal Nehru did not those phi losophies, which may prohib ited the outcastes to recite be followed and the way of life came out against the mushroom despise his belief in man’s have relevance to human life holy verses, was, he felt, an that interests me.” cloud, much to the indignation capacity and need for today may be accepted now. intolerable dictum to accept. and anger of the powerful of wholeness in the philosophical Is it possible that when he the biggest power states. phrase – humanism. empha sised the Gandhian Jawaharlal Nehru had found in May we say he believed in idea that ends are means, human ness, in its highest and insisted on the right his Glimpses of World History that the in dividual had no potential of man free to evolve means to attain right ends, his own destiny. he was reinforcing ethics right until men began to assert ◆ in life, as the only possible themselves as individuals after The author is a well-known literary fi gure. the European renaissance. This is an abridged version of the original phi losophy? Therefore, he felt article that appeared in the November 1988 issue of India Perspectives. that happiness is possible only Throughout the 19th century, in a secular world… though certain societies achieved basic freedoms, the The rumoured death of God upper echelons of those very announced by Vicco, Darwin states conquered Asia, Africa, and Marx seemed to be proved South America and enslaved by the sciences. The new and exploited vast populations. discoveries had given men and women unprecedented powers Jawaharlal Nehru as the head of to fulfi l their life purposes and the Indian Republic… faced the realise certain ends which only tragic prospect of the fi rst war

INDIA PERSPECTIVES NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2008 8 INDIA PERSPECTIVES NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2008 9 We cannot accept the logic, Tanzania – refocused world World Free of Nuclear Arms that a few nations have the attention on the imperative right to pursue their security of nuclear disarmament. The Addressing the Third Special Session of the UN General by threatening the survival of Appeal of May 1984, issued Assembly on Disarmament, in June 1988, the then Prime humankind. Nor is it acceptable by , Olof Palme Minister, Mr Rajiv Gandhi, called upon the international that those who possess nuclear and their colleagues, struck a weapons are freed of all responsive chord. Negotiations community to negotiate a binding commitment to general controls while those without stalled for years began inching and complete disarmament. nuclear weapons are policed forward. The process begun in against their production. Those Geneva has led to Reykjavik, e are approa ching the close of the twentieth cen tury. It has of us who do not belong to Washington and Moscow. the military blocs would much been the most bloodstained century in history. Fifty-eight We have all welcomed the rather stay out of the race. But Wmillion perished in two World Wars. Forty million more ratifi cation of the INF Treaty have died in other confl icts. Nuclear war will not mean the death of when tactical considerations, in concluded between General a hundred million people. It will mean the end of life as we know the passing play of great power Secretary Gorbachev and it on our planet Earth. We come to the United Nations to seek your rivalries, are allowed to take President Reagan. support. We seek your support to put a stop to this madness. It is a precedence over the imperative dangerous delusion to believe that nuclear weapons have brought of nuclear non-prolifera tion, We urge the international us peace. There are those who argue that nuclear war just cannot with what leeway are we left? community to immediately undertake negotiations with a happen. Neither experience nor logic can sustain such dangerous Even the mightiest military view to adopting a time-bound complacency. The champions of nuclear deterrence argue that powers realise that they cannot nuclear weapons have been invented and therefore cannot be Action Plan to usher in a world continue the present arms race eliminated. We do not agree. order free of nuclear weapons without inviting economic and rooted in nonviolence. calamity. We have submitted such an When the General Assembly Action Plan to this Special met here last in the Special Session on Disarmament of Session to consider questions the United Nations General of disarmament, the outlook Assembly. Our Plan calls upon was grim. Today, there is a new the international community to hope for survival and for peace. negotiate a binding commitment How has this transformation to general and complete occu rred? We pay tribute to disarmament. This commitment the sagacity of the American must be total. It must be and Soviet leaderships. At the without reservation. same time, we must recognise the role of the Six Nation The heart of our Action Plan is Initiative and aspirations of the elimination of all nuclear many millions. At a time when weapons in three stages, over relations between the two the next twenty-two years, major nuclear weapon States beginning now. We put this dipped to their nadir, the Six Plan to the United Nations as a Nations – Argentina, Greece, programme to be launched

Photo Divison, Government of India India, Mexico, Sweden and at once.

INDIA PERSPECTIVES NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2008 10 INDIA PERSPECTIVES NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2008 11 The essential features of the International law already bans about the institutional chan ges Action Plan are: the use of biological weapons. required to ensure their First, there should be a binding Similar action must be taken to observance. The strengthening commitment by all nations to ban chemical and radiological of the United Nations system eliminat ing nuclear weapons, in weapons. is essential for compre hensive global security. We must stages, by the year 2010 at the The disarmament approach resurrect the original vision latest. must devise arrangements for of the United Nations. We controlling the continuous Second, all nuclear weapon must bring the United Nations qualitative upgradation of States must participate in, the Organisation in line with the nuclear and conventional process of nuclear disarmament. requirements of the new world weapons. To achieve this All other coun tries must also be order. part of the process. purpose, the essential requirement is increased The battle for peace, Third, to demonstrate good transparency in research disarmament and development faith and build the required and development in frontier must be waged both within this confi dence, there must be technologies with potential Assembly and outside by the tangible progress at each stage military application. Here let Photo Divison, Government of India peoples of the world. For, as the towards the common goal. us recall the vision of an open Dhammapada of the Buddha counter bombs, even as Fourth, changes are required world voiced by one of the teaches us; violence can not be destroyed in doctrines, policies and most remarkable scientists of by counter-violence. Mankind “Our life is shaped by our mind; institutions to sustain a world our time, Niels Bohr. In his has to get out of violence only We become what we think. free of nuclear weapons. Open Letter to the United through non-violence.” Suffering follows an evil thought Negotiations should be Nations on June 9, 1950, thirty- As the wheels of a cart follow the undertaken to establish a eight years ago today, he said: Post-War bipolarity is giving oxen that draw it. Comprehen sive Global Security way to a growing realisation of “The very fact that knowledge Joy follows a pure thought System under the aegis of the the need for coexistence. The itself is a basis for civilisation Like a shadow that never leaves. United Nations. high rhetoric of the system of points directly to openness For hatred can never put an end In Stage-I, the INF Treaty must as the way to overcome the military alliances is gradually to hatred; be followed by a fi fty per cent present crisis.” yielding to the viewpoint of the Love alone can. cut in Soviet and U.S. strategic Nonaligned Movement. This is the unalterable law”. The United Nations needs to ◆ arsenals. evolve by consensus a new Nonalignment is founded on the This is an abridged version of the speech desire of nations for freedom delivered by the Late Prime Minister Rajiv We propose that negotiations strategic doctrine of non- Gandhi at the UN General Assembly on must commence in the fi rst provocative defence. of action. It stands for national Disarmament. It appeared in the July 1988 issue of India Perspectives. stage itself for a new Treaty to independence and self-reliance. The structure of such a system replace the NPT, which expires As Jawaharlal Nehru said: should be fi rmly based on non- in 1995. This new Treaty should violence. As Mahatma Gandhi “The alternative to co-existence give legal effect to the binding said in the aftermath of the fi rst is co-destruction.” commitment of nuclear weapon use of nuclear weapons: States to eliminate all nuclear These principles are enshrined weapons by the year 2010, and “The moral to be legitimately in the Charter of the United of all the non-nuclear weapon drawn from the supreme Nations, but they have been States not to cross the nuclear tragedy of the bomb is that frequently violated. We must weapons threshold. it will not be destroyed by apply our minds to bringing

INDIA PERSPECTIVES NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2008 12 INDIA PERSPECTIVES NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2008 13 upset the book-makers. But did Fables’ Syllables we know what advice the tortoise was fond of giving his grandsons? H.Y. SHARADA PRASAD You must often fl oss your gums, You must always do your sums. riting beastly tales is an old pastime. It began with Buy your own house; don’t pay grandmoth ers, mostly nameless, and grandfa thers with names rent. Wlike Aesop and Vishnu Sharma. Vikram Seth retells two tales Save your funds at six per cent. each from these two fabulous fabulists and adds two from China and Major in accountancy, two from the Ukraine. Two more are from the Land of Gup (gossip), And grow up to be like me. the country made familiar to us by Rushdie before he was forced to Listen, Eddy, Neddy and Freddy, hide in the Land of Chup (silence). Familiar creatures wear new garbs You be slow but you be steady. here; the tales have been adapted with the same creative liberty which The tortoise plodded on, crossed, our fi lmmakers show when handling classics. We all know the old the line and bit the tape with its story of the race between the tortoise and the hare, the result of which mouth. But, after the event, it is not around the slow and steady that had won the race that the reporter and the cameramen crowded, but around the hare, hot and heady, who had lost it. For the hare had once won the Miss Honeybun title and she knew that she “was simply stunning” and that she could afford to loll and loiter. Even though she lost, …the hare suddenly was everywhere. Stories of her quotes and capers Made front page in all the papers. And the sleepy BBC – Beastly Broadcast Company – Beamed a feature with the news: “All the World Lost for a Snooze”. You can visualise her pictures in the colour sections of Pritish Nandy’s Sunday Observer. Vikram Seth knows a thing or two, to be sure, about the media world and its ways. Another well-known tale retold is the one about the crocodile and the monkey. They were great and good friends until the crocodile’s lady wished to eat the monkey’s heart. She tells her spouse in

INDIA PERSPECTIVES NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2008 14 INDIA PERSPECTIVES NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2008 15 crocodile that he has left his heart behind on the branches of the mango tree which is his home. The longest tale in the book is the last, “The Elephant and the Tragopan”, which is a sort of tract for our times. There is a river valley which is sought to be dammed and the forest cleared accents that would do an actress to provide more water to a city proud: Get him here, my love, or I, Filled with bitterness, will die. But as everyone knows, the monkey is quick to think with its and all the animals and birds of tail and dodges death with the the valley and the fi sh in the river seven-syllabled line (with an simple expedient of telling the seek to resist the plan, for “where occasional extra syllable) and the road comes the forest goes” how effortlessly he breaks out and death would be their lot. And of the constraint that end-rhyme this is what the beasts think of is supposed to impose. See the man. Says their spokesman the sheer devilry of improve it. Lewis Carroll’s Alice elephant: Playing music together books became doubly more likeable with John Tenniel’s I speak to you as one whose clan, Handsome fur and fancy feather... draw ings. This book has some Has served and therefore studied And of superb illustrations by man Since the zodiac had swerved Shankar (who, like Tenniel, is He is a creature mild and vicious, Everything had topsy-turved. basically a political cartoonist). Practical-minded and capricious, The last poem, the one about the But the drawings used on the Loving and brutal, sane and Sunderlal Bahugunas and Medha front and back covers have an mad, Patkars of the animal world, is in insouciant irrelevance to the text. But why pick up a territorial The good as puzzling as the bad. the eight-syllabled line which we The crocodile couple of Vikram quarrel? The sticky centre of this mess, had encountered in The Golden Seth’s poem lived in the Ganges Is an uneasy selfi shness. Twice upon a time there was a Gate. and its quilt of smooth silt. But He rips our fl esh and tears our book with two kinds of lovable With The Golden Gate, Vikram ’s Mrs. Crocodile is a skin lines, lines to hum and lines to Seth had become a member of French Dame waiting alone with For cloth without and food within. look at, and that book is this. the Chaucer club, of poets who a bottle of wine at a table on a He sees the planet as his fi ef And if poetry, as Dylan Thomas tell stories and chuckle at the Mediterranean terrace. The frog Where every hair or drop or leaf once said, is that which makes follies of men. Now, with Beastly of the ninth poem is evidently Or seed or blade or grain of sand your toenails twinkle, that poetry Tales, he earns the membership European (for the nightin gale of Is destined for his mouth or is this. card of another select club to the same poem is admired by the ◆ hand... which belong Lewis Carroll, Owl of Sandwich, the Duck of Beastly Tales From Here and There by Vikram Seth; Viking, 1991; pp 93; Rs 100. It would be a disservice to the Edward Lear and Ogden Nash. Kent, Mallard and Milady Trent readers to quote more lines and His Mrs. Kuroop the crocodile is and the Coot of Monte Cristo). The author was a well-known newspaper columnist after his retirement from spoil their delight of discovery. an aunt to Lewis Carroll’s little But here the frog has become a government service. This article appeared in But how much of variety can crocodile who poured the waters Dhrupad singer suffering from India Perspectives, September 1992. Vikram Seth bring out of the of the Nile on his shining tail to dyspepsia.

INDIA PERSPECTIVES NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2008 16 INDIA PERSPECTIVES NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2008 17 Kashmir in Winter

ASHOK DILWALI A well-known nature photographer. This appeared in the March 1992 issue of India Perspectives.

Kashmir has been truly hailed as a near replica of Heaven on Earth.

INDIA PERSPECTIVES NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2008 18 INDIA PERSPECTIVES NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2008 19

Indian Designers Go International

MEENU GUPTA

ver since man started clothing his body, clothes have become an adornment of the body, an expression of the self and a Esignature of the personality of the wearer, in short, an art. As a consequence, fashion originated with variety as the keyword. It was an amalgam of creativity with a liberal dose of aestheticism. Fashion designers no longer made dresses but created them. Fashion in India, however, is a relatively young concept, since the fi rst fashion show was held only in 1958. Yet, we read in Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey that muslin from unpartitioned India was a high fashion fabric, considered at that time a good bargain at nine shillings per yard. Apart from this, the Indian crafts and rich tradition of embroidery has long been made use of by fashion designers from other countries. India prides in Zardozi, Dabka work, brocades, Pashmina, jamawar, bandhni... the list is endless. The colours range from bright and sunny to earthy hues. The Indian rainbow too has for long been the inspiration for the traditional colours of Indian fabrics. It seems paradoxical, therefore, that fashion is considered a young concept in India.

INDIA PERSPECTIVES NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2008 22 INDIA PERSPECTIVES NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2008 23 foreign labels, demand for both that the fashion designers have likes of Gitanjali Kashyap and the Indian and Western wear just made an impression, it Rohit Bal. goes hand in hand. Ritu Beri, is commendable that within Fashion is here to stay in India. a versatile designer with a a short span of a decade or It has erased the demarcation well-known label, “Lavanya”, so, they can boast of clients between various set dress deals primarily in Indian wear. in the Middle East. U.K. and codes. Yet, it has a long way Both Ritu Beri and Rina Dhaka, U.S.A. Ravi Bajaj has designed to go. Even the designers who also concentrate on Indian various fashion lines for export acknowledge this fact, as wear, try to revive the past houses targeting the U.S.A. and Ritu Beri says, “the world through the clothes they design. European markets. Ritu Beri is still my oyster and I have Several Indian designers have has an outlet at the prestigious succeeded in prising it open launched a pret-a-portee range, Regent Street in just a little bit.” and in New Jersey in U.S.A. ◆ which can reach out to more The author is a freelance writer. people. The Indian designers Indian designers have often This article appeared in the March 1999 at times take up social themes participated in fashion shows issue of India Perspectives. like the cause of environment in abroad. These are but few their designer wear. Considering out of many who include the

There is now an ever-growing Indian fashion designer realised need for more variety in India. early on that fashion is not just Tastes have also changed due aping the West. “It is like a to globalisation, an increase back-to-swadeshi (indigenous)” in purchasing power and a movement. The best of designs, desire to look and feel good. motifs, themes and skilled A major factor is the changed craftsmen are available in India social scenario that has seen the and Indian fabrics and styles emergence of the ‘new woman’, are best suited for the country, a woman who is confi dent, says Rina Dhaka, a well-known fi nancially independent and fashion designer. “Thanks to clear about her goals. This new this drive, even the Indian men woman can wear a Western are coming back to Sherwanis, dress with as much ease as an Chinese bandh coats, Nehru Indian dress provided it suits jackets, shawls and kurtas’, she the time and occasion. Several adds. institutes like National Institute The media has also played an of Fashion Technology (NIFT), important role in the fashion Indian Institute of Fashion boom. Good coverage is Technology (IIFT) and Pearl provided to the fashion world Fashion Academy have been and several magazines are established. Here, the students specifi cally devoted only to are taught to translate their the fashion scene. The fashion- creativity into dresses and fabric based programmes on the designs. electronic media are frequent. Specialisation has led to a Despite the competition in fashion boom but luckily, the this fi eld due to the advent of

INDIA PERSPECTIVES NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2008 24 INDIA PERSPECTIVES NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2008 25 TAJ ROMANCING THE STONE

KHAWAR MALIK with daunting prospects of companion (an offi ce colleague “This Rajput king’s statue, he another fi ve afterwards. and her fl at-mate in Paris) as climbing on the fort wall on Veronica. I got an opportunity horse and running?” “Then, why are you going at to redeem myself in Ms Berger’s all?” “This Jehangir’s tub, he taking eyes during our visit to the bath in it.” I peered into the I explained the unavoidable Agra Fort. For that, I should be huge stone tub hoping to catch compulsion that had been eternally grateful to our Indian a glimpse of Emperor Jehangir imposed. She said that she rather guide, Mr Ram Lal. with his beautiful Empress, agreed with my sister. A little jaded by his routine Noorjehan, but he was not to be “That the Taj is the most exposure to ‘the gems of seen. He had taken his fi nal bath beautiful thing on earth!” history’ (common malaise with a long time ago. profes sional guides of historical “Yes! And that you are a prude.” “This Diwaan-e-Aam, this monu ments), Mr Lal was also Diwaan-e-Khas.” That would shut me up for the in a bit of a hurry. Speaking rest of the way but, presently, quickly in that curious ‘guide I had been also greatly irritated by Mr. Lal’s constant parroting “It’s only a building!” I had told she introduced herself: Inez idiom’ – a mixture of grammar- of ‘Mach-less Mach-less’ at every my sister, “The fact that it is in Berger, a German settled in free English, transcribed every conceivable opportunity. marble, rather than of concrete Paris. She was working for an next sentence into . Mr Lal and mortar, doesn’t make it agency which organised business practically scurried through the I got an opportunity of upstag ing something out of this world. conferences. She introduced her places to see. him when in his tearing hurry, You’ve marble right here in your living room and it isn’t exactly a feast for the eyes. I think it would’ve been much nicer if we had it carpeted here.” “Oh! You are such a prude,” she had said raising her hands in exasperation. “I can see why you’ve never been able to impress a girl in life. You don’t have even an iota of romance in your soul.” a conversation and only got a chance when the one sitting However, it so transpired that closer to me fi shed for a match- my stay got extended and I ran box for her cigarette. out of things to do. “I wonder whether the trip So here I was on an air- will be worth it.” She seemed a conditioned video coach to Agra little surprised by the remark. for the lack of anything to do. “Of course! We will be seeing The only pleasure was a couple the Taj.” of foreign ‘femmes’ sitting cross-legged on the seat across. I said I wasn’t really sure if any I spent exactly half the way ‘building’ would make my day (2 ½ hours) scheming to strike after fi ve hours of this coach-ride

INDIA PERSPECTIVES NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2008 28 INDIA PERSPECTIVES NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2008 29 he forgot to even mention Inez turned to me, she had new the famous ‘mirror legend’ at respect in her eyes. Khas Mahal. I confronted him “Do you know any more on this and discovered that legends?” he did not even know about it. Thus, I turned round to my I said plenty. You see, I had captive audience and narrated been an unwilling audience of a the legend of how Emperor sister who had been to this part Shahjahan, imprisoned in of the world thrice. the Khas Mahal by his son When we reached the Taj the Aurangzeb, saw his Taj. “His same afternoon, the mercury sight had failed in old age and had still not gone down and my he could not possibly see the Taj scepticism of ‘mere buildings’ from here. But he could not live had been quite revived. I had to without the sight of it either. So feed Inez’s (voracious) appetite Aurangzeb presented him with for legends: “If one walks set. And it can have fi ve shades scepticism began to melt in its And it did everything to me a pocket-mirror which when through the Taj gate with eyes of blue on a full moon night. beautiful radiance. that had been promised in the put here, at this spot, refl ected closed, and opens them on the The Taj can talk to you if you legends. It drew away when I the Taj.” The stunned silence mausoleum itself, it seems like a speak to it”, etc., etc. A little midget of a man, torch in moved to it, came after when I was broken by furious clicking refl ection on water, rather than hand, gave us a demonstration turned away from it. It heard me of cameras as everyone took a structure on the ground. The The actual impact of the Taj, let of the brilliance of these gems. and whispered back. When we photographs of the (imagined) Taj is like a lady, as you draw me tell you, though, took me by When he put the torch to a were turned out of it, I told my spot I had put my fi nger upon. nearer, it draws away. But if surprise. As we walked through turquoise inlaid in a wreath, companions, “I am no romantic Then they all turned round to you start going away from it, it the Taj gate (eyes closed), across they glowed like ambers. He but the place has really had a snap the Taj which, even though comes after you (like heroines in the two rows of cyprus pines also gave a demo of the ‘Taj magical effect. It looked like I silhouetted like a mirage in Hindi fi lms). It can change two that lined the empty centre talks back’ by uttering some had been romancing the stone.” the noon sun, looked majestic different sets of colours in sunset pool, it seemed truly grandiose, discernible (Allah-o-Akbar) and ◆ even from this distance. When and sunrise, fi ve colours to each and yet so delicately lovely at The author, a Pakistani journalist, on some not-so discernible (ugh, visit to India. The article appeared in the same time. It shone like a ugh) sounds. India Perspectives, September 1992. jewel in the scorch ing afternoon Photographs: © Prakash Israni. sun. The girls, of course, were And the Taj echoed back totally overcome and although differ ently each time. I had been also affected very profoundly, I kept up the We gave Itmad-ud-Daula’s tomb pretence of not being so. I told a miss because we wanted to them it had not looked like an see the sunset at the Taj. The image on water the fi rst time I spectacle began around six set my eyes on it. when its dazzling white started to turn into gold. With the The girls, naturally, called me progres sion in time, a bit of a prude. Well, Inez did and peach got into the cream. Then Veronica seconded. I guess Inez it changed, and blushed a warm paid the rent back in France. fl esh tone. As the sun descended As we approached the behind it, it changed into a soft mausoleum, even my hardened eerie blue.

INDIA PERSPECTIVES NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2008 30 INDIA PERSPECTIVES NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2008 31 Kerala A FASCINATING MOSAIC

VIVECA TALLGREN

he state of Kerala is one of the smallest but also one Tof the wealthiest states of India. The narrow strip of land on the Arabian Sea Coast in the southernmost part of the country comprises of the former princely states of Travancore, Cochin and the British province of Malabar which were united in 1956 to form the state of Kerala. Although one of Kerala’s great tourist at tractions is the Kovalam Beach, known to be one of the best beaches in India, I per sonally fi nd its inner landscape, its history and culture far more interesting. Kerala has often been called “the gar den of India” because of its fertility and natural resources. As far as the eye can see the scenery is green with fertile rice fi elds and endless coconut groves traversed by smooth mirror-like rivers. In the local language, Malayalam, the coconut-palm is rhetorically called Kalpavriksha – the tree of life. The local inhabitants utilise coco nut in countless ways. The kernel of the nut serves as an important ingredient in delicious local dishes and the coconut milk is served as a sign of hospitality by the Keralites. The oil of coconut serves many purposes

Ashok Dilwali in the daily life of the Keralites.

INDIA PERSPECTIVES NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2008 32 INDIA PERSPECTIVES NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2008 33 It is used as a cosmetic for both Kerala is also the land of spices; meeting place for different North of Trivandrum, the state comes across long rows of huge explorer Vasco da Gama made skin and hair, and it is also used 95 per cent of India’s pepper cultures and religions who all capi tal, lies the city of Cochin, Chinese fi shing nets that date three expeditions to the Malabar in oil lamps and in the temples grows here, 75 per cent of its have left their mark there. which from the historical point from the 13th century when they Coast. As Viceroy in 1524 he cardamom as well as cinna mon, were intro duced in Cochin by for various religious rituals. The Today there is still an amazing of view is one of the most was ordered to reorganise the ginger, nutmeg and clove, just to Chinese tradesmen from the court coarse threads of the nutshell are variety of religions in Kerala. interesting cities of India and colonial power in India. Not mention a few. of Kublai Khan. used in the fabrication of mats, Apart from the Hindus, who the most representative of the without brutality did he do so, which today is an important local Due to its natural resources form the majority, about rich history of Kerala. The many In Cochin you can also fi nd one but he died the same year and industry in Kerala. Out of the Kerala has attracted tradesmen 20 per cent are Christians, buildings in colonial style bear of the oldest Christian churches in was buried in St. Francis Church. shell itself the Keralites make from far and near for centuries. 18 per cent are Mus lims and witness to the varied past under India, St. Francis Church, built by His bodily remains were later kitchen tools, toys and other This is also one of the rea sons there is a small Jewish commu nity Portu guese, Dutch and English Portuguese Franciscan friars in transferred to Lisbon. After things. why this region has been a as well. rule. Along the harbour one 1503. The famous Por tuguese the En glish occupation of India, Ashok Dilwali Ashok Dilwali

INDIA PERSPECTIVES NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2008 34 INDIA PERSPECTIVES NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2008 35 the Church be came Anglican the number of Christians which was also a centre for the the Romans after the destruction A unique historical event took campaigns. (In fact, Kerala now in 1795. increased due to the persecutions spice trade. To day, the Jews are of Jerusalem. The black Jews are place in 1957 when Kerala has 100 per cent literacy rate.) The history of the Christians and subsequent migrations from the smallest of Kerala’s religious said to have originated in Yemen became the fi rst place in the The very soul of Kerala is, in Kerala, however, goes back Persia. In the time of Vasco da communities, but their history on and Babylonia long before the world to freely elect a communist however, Kathakali – the old much further and originates with Gama there were about 200,000 the Malabar Coast is as old as that Christian era. According to the government. Even though the pantomime dance- drama, which the Syrian Thomists. According Christians in Kerala. of the Christians. Traditionally, white Jews, the black Jews whose Commu nists are no longer in is inspired by the great epics of to the legend, St. Thomas the Cochin is also the site of the the Jews of Kerala have been dark skin is similar to that of power, there has been a tradition “Mahabharata” and “Ramayana” Apostle, landed in India in A.D. oldest synagogue of the entire divided into two groups: the the popula tion of Kerala, are in Kerala for social reform. For as well as by popular dances 52, worked here as a missionary Commonwealth. This site was white and the black Jews. The descendants of Malayali serfs, example, Kerala can boast of and religious rites. A traditional and gath ered a group of devotees built in 1568 and is situated in white Jews came from Judea, who were set free after they being the fi rst Indian state that Kathakali performance lasts around him. In the 4th century, the old Jewish quarter, Jewtown, where they were perse cuted by con verted to Judaism. obtained best results from literacy almost a whole night due to the Ashok Dilwali Jayan N.P.

INDIA PERSPECTIVES NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2008 36 INDIA PERSPECTIVES NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2008 37 Prakash Israni Prakash Israni

movements of the eyes are the most important narrative el ements. It is said that the face of a Kathakali dancer should refl ect the inner feelings of the human being. The aim of the Kathakali dancer is total control over bodily and facial expressions, over the movements of his muscles and bones. The education of the dancer takes six Hemant Kataria years and incorporates elements of yoga and ayurvedic medical knowledge. The Kathakali is not only a dance but also a religion and a philosophy, the aim of which is to attain peace and harmony in life. As in most ancient myths and epics, the fundamental theme im provisational nature of the takes a couple of hours and, of the dance-drama is the fi ght dance. Today, however, there are when fi nished, the face becomes between good and evil in which special performances for tourists a diabolic mask. As a rule the good invariably wins. For the that last only one hour. Before primary colour of the face is tourists Kathakali is a fascinating the performance the audience is a bright green and the heavily experience. ◆ allowed to watch the fascinating painted eyes are coloured red. The author is a Finnish academic, on visit make-up process of the dancers, to India. This article appeared in the who are always men. The In Kathakali the “mudras” December 1992 issue of India Perspectives.

Hemant Kataria painting of their faces usually (hand movements) and the

INDIA PERSPECTIVES NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2008 38 INDIA PERSPECTIVES NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2008 39 Sikkim THE BUDDHIST SHANGRILA

P.K. DE

et against the imposing backdrop of the majestic SKanchenjunga, Sikkim is a paradise for all lovers of nature. The rough terrain and the undulated land mass of this small Himalayan sanctuary, covered with dense forests and snow peaks, is the abode of nearly 500 species of birds, over 600 species of butterfl ies, about 1000 varieties of exotic fl owers, such as orchids and rhododendrons, and innumerable species of wildlife including the rare snow leopard, musk deer and the red-brown panda. In this north- Prakash Israni Prakash Israni

INDIA PERSPECTIVES NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2008 40 INDIA PERSPECTIVES NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2008 41 eastern state of India spread over almost 850 sq km of the big- mountain region, lies the famous Kanchenjunga National Park – a haven of diverse and unparalleled fl ora and fauna. The turbulent Teesta and her tributary Rangeet traverse along deep gorges, cutting and meandering through this breathtakingly picturesque land. Exploring this fairyland starts from Gangtok, the capital, which is 120 km from New Jalpaiguri – the important rail head in north Bengal; nearby is Bagdogra airport which is connected to several important cities. The road leading to Gangtok from Siliguri

Amit Dasgupta Amit Dasgupta Prakash Israni (114 km away) is a very scenic Amit Dasgupta Prakash Israni

INDIA PERSPECTIVES NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2008 42 INDIA PERSPECTIVES NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2008 43 Four kms away from Gangtok lies the much renowned Research Institute of Tibetology – an Prakash Israni Prakash Israni impressive building where a large collection of religious books on Buddhism are being preserved. In 1957, His Holiness, the Dalai Lama laid the foundation stone of the building which was inaugurated by Jawaharlal Nehru in 1958. Inside are numerous invaluable objects of art and several rare thankas (tapestries). The Institute is a centre of studies for the Buddhist scholars from all over the world. Situated just below is a terraced garden where nearly 200 varieties of Prakash Israni orchid’s are being cultivated; they bloom from April till November. In the vicinity are colourful chortens (shrines) of Do-Ta-Bu, a Buddhist pilgrimage centre. In the Deer Park, amidst the peaceful surroundings of fl owers and frolicking deer, the image of Prakash Israni Prakash Israni

Amit Dasgupta the Buddha, similar to the one at Sarnath, has been enshrined. Three kilometers away from the heart of the town stands the Prakash Israni Prakash Israni

and gradually ascending highway through the hills and forests following the course of the Teesta. From Gangtok one can enjoy the grand spectacle of the majestic Kanchenjunga at sunrise. It is an unforgettable experience to watch the blue-white peaks gradually become crimson red, turning into molten gold and then silvery white.

INDIA PERSPECTIVES NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2008 44 INDIA PERSPECTIVES NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2008 45 Prakash Israni Prakash Israni

200 – year old Enchey Monastery with fl owering rhododendrons, silk. It is a sacred pilgrimage for in all its splendour. Inside are picturesque villages and terraced the Tibetan Buddhists who visit images of gods and goddesses cultivations. After an hour’s from far off places. The Rumtek and a variety of religious icons. drive of 23 km, one reaches monastery is famous for its The place commands one of the Rumtek, a Tibetan village and the Chaams – the ritual lama dances

Prakash Israni best views of the Kanchenjunga abode of His Holiness Gyalwah as well as the stylized opera range. A visit to the Institute of Karmapa, chief of the Kargya performed by the local people Cottage Industries is a must for sect of Mahayana Buddhists. The around the months of June and every tourist. This crafts centre new Rumtek monastery has been December when visitors including specialises in the production built adhering to the traditional foreign tourists throng the place. architecture of the main ◆ of beautiful carpets, shawls, The author is a noted lensman/writer. blankets, exquisitely carved and monastery at Chhofuk in Tibet. The article appeared in India Perspectives, coloured wooden tables (called The Gompa has the Dharma September 1990. ‘Choksies’), silver and coral Chakra, chorten and the golden ornaments etc, all made in the deer; inside, the large assembly traditional Sikkimese style and hall is semi-lit with hundreds design. of burning lamps. The golden Buddha in a sitting posture has The metalled road emerging been installed at the altar along from Gangtok passes through with several other bronze fi gures

Prakash Israni stately pine groves interspersed nicely draped in embroidered

INDIA PERSPECTIVES NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2008 46 INDIA PERSPECTIVES NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2008 47 their high walls palaces, Indians were master craftsmen The romance of courtyards, temples, shrines, who excelled in decorative mosques, wells, tanks, carving, delicate lattice work gardens, fountains and even and glazed tiles adorned with underground dungeons, where representations of plants, Gwalior Fort prisoners languished and pits fl owers, animals and birds. that were set on fi re so that the There is also evidence that USHA JOHN queens and princesses could India was comparatively free of die honourably rather than be religious fanaticism in an age ich in historic associations and architectural beauty, the city of captured by the enemy. when religious intolerance and Gwalior situated two hundred miles from Delhi, abounds in bigotry were prevalent in many objects of absorbing interest. Many of its ancient and medieval Few forts have witnessed so R countries. The fort has a small edifi ces are reminiscent of the grandeur of the legendary India – many historical events and have shrine of Lord Ganesh that had the India of magnifi cent palaces, pavilions and of princely rulers. so many legends and romantic been built in 1660 by Motamid fables woven around them as These rulers luxuriated in fantastic palaces, some of them built Khan, a Muslim governor, and the majestic Gwalior Fort. to please their favourite queens or relatives or courtiers. Despite it also contains many Hindu their whims and eccentricities, these rulers were pragmatic and It is evident from the structures and Muslim structures that were passionately believed in a military monarchy, and they personally in the Gwalior Fort that even not mutilated or destroyed by supervised the construction of lofty forts that contained within in those remote bygone days, Muslim or Hindu invaders. Amit Dasgupta Prakash Israni

INDIA PERSPECTIVES NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2008 48 INDIA PERSPECTIVES NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2008 49 he began building palaces for himself. Babur visited the Man Mandir in 1529 about twenty years after its completion and was so impressed by it that he wrote in his memoirs: “The palaces (of Man Singh and his son) are singularly beautiful... The south-eastern corner of the fort has a noble quadrangle full of fi ne sculptures and mouldings, and some fi ne windows. The total length of the galleries in both the palaces is about 1200 feet.” The Man Mandir which was perhaps built by Raja Man Singh in 1509 has marvelously withstood the ravages of time. It has been described by

Prakash Israni Prakash Israni Fergusson “as the most remarkable and interesting Towering three hundred feet built. It was indeed a fortunate granted by Gwalior and came to Of the many temples in the example of a Hindu palace of above the old town, Gwalior’s incident (that had far reaching be known as Gwalior, Gopadri, Gwalior Fort, the Teli-Mandir an early age.” massive fort stands on a consequences) when the Rajput Gopachala and Gwalawara. is the most prominent of all ◆ strategic, isolated sandstone hill. chief, the leper Prince Suraj the buildings in the fort. This The author is a noted writer on The construction of the Gwalior art & culture. This is the abridged Nearly two miles long and two ninth century temple, dedicated Sen, while in the midst of a Fort was commenced by Suraj version of the article which appeared in thousand and eight hundred to Vishnu, has a Dravidian India Perspectives, February 1989. hunting exercise lost his way Sen and there is much evidence feet across at its widest and architectural structure and and found himself near the that with the passage of time three hundred feet high, the displays amorous sculptures hill where Gwalipa lived. The various rulers completed the lofty Gwalior Fort is one of that are distinctly north ascetic quenched Sen’s thirst by work begun by him and added the impressive strongholds of Indian in style. Perhaps the giving him water that had been palaces, courtyards, balconies, ancient India. Because of its uniqueness of the temple lies in procured from a nearby tank. underground chambers, temples strategic location in the very its architectural structure – the Legend has it that Suraj Sen rich with sculptures, mosques, heart of India, the Gwalior Fort lower portion of the building is was instantly cured of leprosy gardens, fountains, wells and was associated with several in the north Indian style while after drinking the water. Out of tanks. The complex architecture dynasties. The construction of the roof has been designed so sheer joy and gratitude, Sen had and sculptures of the fort have the fort dates back to antiquity as to resemble the south Indian implored Gwalipa to tell him Hindu, Jain, Muslim and British and consequently, its history temple style at Mahabalipuram Prakash Israni what he should do to please components and they are cannot be precisely traced. and Mysore. him. Gwalipa then advised him strewn all over the fort, as the According to legend, about to build a fort on the hill and Fort passed from the Rajput, The palaces at the Gwalior fi fteen hundred years ago, embellish the tank. Accordingly, to the Mughals, to the British Fort were a fi ne example of the ascetic Gwalipa was the Sen fulfi lled Gwalipa’s wish. and fi nally to the Scindias who the Hindu architecture and sole occupant of the hill on The fort was given a name till recently were in charge of became a model for the Mughal which the Gwalior Fort was that commemorated the boon the fort. emperor Babur to turn to when

INDIA PERSPECTIVES NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2008 50 INDIA PERSPECTIVES NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2008 51 He began his career as a trainee technician and was soon made a laboratory assistant in the once famous and now long-defunct in Mumbai under the company’s founder, Himansu Rai, in January 1934. Ashok Kumar was born on October 13, 1911, at Bhagalpur (Bihar) in his maternal grandfather’s house, where his mother, Gauri Rani Devi, had gone from Khandwa (Madhya Pradesh) for confi nement and the delivery of her fi rst baby. Ashok’s father, Kunjalal Ganguly, was an advocate practising at Khandwa. Kunjalal named his fi rst-born son as Kumud, beginning with the letter ‘K’, like his own name. On the same analogy, in due course, he christened his second and third sons as Kalyan and Kishore. Kumud and Kalyan were fi nally renamed Ashok and Anoop, while Kishore alone retained his original name. Ashok Kumar Ashok spent his early childhood at Bhagalpur. His introduction COLOSSUS OF INDIAN CINEMA to cinema occurred when, accompanied by his mother, he B.M. MALHOTRA watched a bioscope (as cinema was then locally called) show shok Kumar, the doyen of Indian fi lm industry, breathed his under a tent at Khandwa in last on December 10, 2001, in Mumbai. It was almost as if an 1922. Aera had come to an end. He had brought to the Indian screen the rare grace and polish which are so hard to come by nowadays. In 1936, when the sets of Bombay Talkies’ fi rst fi lm, Addressed fondly by almost one and all in the Indian fi lm industry Naiya were ready and as Dadamoni (Bengali for a gem of an elder brother), Ashok the shooting was due after Kumar, the nonagenarian doyen straddled the silver screen like a couple of days, the fi lm’s a colossus for six and a half decades from the mid-1930s. During this marathon span he played a wide variety of roles and even With in Achhut Kanya, 1936 produced and directed a few fi lms. (left top) and Suraiya in Khiladi, 1950.

INDIA PERSPECTIVES NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2008 52 INDIA PERSPECTIVES NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2008 53 smiled on Ashok and his next Inteqam (1969) and Jewel Thief movie, Kangan (1939) with the (1967) to a genetic inheritance new actress, , was from a paternal ancestor of his a big hit. who Robinhood-like robbed the rich and helped the poor. Ashok After Himansu Rai’s sudden was also known for his hearty death in 1940, Devika Rani laughter both on and off the took over the reins of the screen and proved his genius Bombay Talkies and produced for enacting comedy in such Bandhan (1940) and Jhoola hits as Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi (1941) with the same leading (1957), Victoria, No. 203 (1972), pair and celebrated the hat trick (1975), Khatta of the three silver jubilee hits. Meetha (1977) and Ashok became a matinee idol (1980). He said he inherited this and the press also praised his humorous spark from his father, performances in these fi lms who by his witty and pithy and Naya Sansar (1941), in In Izzat, 1937 arguments, while tackling legal which he played the role of a wrangles in the Khandwa court, courageous and conscientious for nearly four years. often evoked repeated laughter press reporter. Bombay Talkies’ Ashok also shone in this of all those present. next fi lm, Kismet (1943) starring negative role and ironically even Ashok Kumar and Mumtaz emerged as a role model for the After Kismet, the Bombay Shanti and directed by Gyan country’s male youth, especially Talkies split and Ashok, Mukherjee with music by Anil for his stylish cigarette smoking. Sasadhar, Gyan Mukherjee and Biswas was an unprecedented He attributes his fl air for such some others launched success running continuously anti-hero roles in this and some and made several fi lms starting at a single cinema house in other fi lms like Sangram (1950), with Chal Chal Re Naujawan

Clock-wise from left top: With Meena hero, Najmul Hasan, suddenly ban doloon re” (A free bird, Kumari in Bahu Begam; in A scene from Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi. Deedar; in Ek Saal, 1957 and disappeared. Rai, after keenly I fl y everywhere) crooned by Nalini Jaywant in Sangram. assessing Ashok Kumar, Devika and Ashok became very persuaded him to fi ll the void popular. as hero against Rai’s star wife, The fi lm catapulted Ashok to Devika Rani as the heroine. Rai fame. Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira also pampered, encouraged Gandhi and Sarojini Naidu, for and groomed Ashok. The fi lm, whom Himansu Rai arranged when released, was a success a special screening of the fi lm, and apart from the kudos also encouraged him.. showered on Devika Rani the debutant Ashok’s role was also His third fi lm, Janma Bhoomi, appreciated. Then followed again with Devika Rani, was Achhut Kanya in which also a success. His other fi lms too Ashok was paired with with her in the next two years Devika. The fi lm succeeded were Savitri, Izzat, Nirmala and enormously and its duet, “Main Vachan. After his marriage with ban ki chidiya ban ke ban Shobha in 1938, fortune further

INDIA PERSPECTIVES NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2008 54 INDIA PERSPECTIVES NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2008 55 (1963), Gumrah (1963), (1963), (1968), (1969), Pakeezah (1971) and Mr India (1987). Much earlier, he had also starred in Mehboob Khan’s Najma (1943) and Humayun (1945). During his younger days Ashok was a good boxer. His hobbies included astrology, numerology, painting and playing chess. He also loved vintage cars and was a proud possessor of a Rolls Royce. He was fond of reading too and knew several languages including Sanskrit, Urdu and Persian. Besides, he was a qualifi ed With Leela Chitnis in Bandhan (above) and homeopath and successfully in Parineeta, 1953 (right). treated many patients. Himself being an asthmatic, he kept (1943), starring Ashok and his disease under control with Naseem. When Devika Rani self-prescribed homeopathic married the renowned Russian medicine. painter, Svetoslav Roerich, He won a Padma Shri in and retired from fi lms in 1962 and was conferred the 1945, Ashok and a few of Dada Saheb Phalke Award his colleagues bought major in 1989. He also received the shares of the Bombay Talkies Filmfare award as best actor and assumed its management. in Aashirwad in 1969 and the Ashok realized his ambition by Filmfare-Raj Kapoor Lifetime directing Eight Days (1946) for Achievement Award in 1995. Filmistan, but gave directorial The well-spent life of this credit to Dattaram Pie, the legend is a saga of varied and editor. He also starred in vintage achievements. Though Filmistan’s Shikari (1946), in he is no more, he will continue which S.D. Burman made his successful Mahal (1949) with In Bandini with Nutan (above) and for him. Then he continued with Nargis, Dilip Kumar and Yakub in to live in the hearts of his debut as a music director. Next, Madhubala in the female lead working non-stop in a Deedar, 1950. legions of fans. Because Ashok for Bombay Talkies, Ashok and excellent music scored by large number of fi lms, most Kumars never die. produced Ziddi (1948), for Khemchand Prakash. Film-music Ashok again worked in Betab memorable among them ◆ which he inducted Dev Anand buffs are still fascinated by (1952), Bewafa (1952) and being Mashal (1950), Afsana The author is a well-known writer on cinema. This is the abridged version of the as the hero and launched his the eternal favourite number, many other pictures and (1951), Parineeta (1953), Ek article which appeared in India Perspectives, brother, Kishore as a singer. “Aayega aanewala”, sung by was reassured of viewers’ Hi Raasta (1956), January 2002. Then followed the hugely . undiminished appreciation (1960), Aarti (1962), Bandini

INDIA PERSPECTIVES NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2008 56 INDIA PERSPECTIVES NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2008 57 of Natyashastra, a treatise on and keep time with feet. Again, called Natyaveda. The Rig Veda drama. “where the hands go, there provided the recitation, Sama DANCE The ancient Greeks, like the the eyes must follow; where the method of singing, Yajur and the Indians, had a composite form the eyes go, there the mind; gave abhinaya (acting including of drama with music and dance. where the mind goes, there the gestures) and Atharva gave rasa While they used the chorus to feelings; where the feelings go, (aesthetics). there the mood.” Gesture is said BODY L ANGUAGE tell the tale, India has its songs. Gestures are among the oldest The vidushaka (compere for to be the soul of Indian dance. M.S.N. MENON forms of communication. want of a better expression) Drama (natya) was created There is a powerful instinct explained the nuances. ndia is preoccupied with time; the West, with space. Music and by Brahma (one of the Indian in man to imitate. And many Idance are time arts to India. They are space arts to the West. Dance is a coordinated Trinity) for the education and of these sign languages are movement of the whole body entertainment of all people. It common to mankind. But To India, dance is sublime. At its highest form, it is said to be and mind. Abhinaya Darpana was a “mimicry of the ways of dance gestures can mean many attuned to the cosmic rhythm. The artist enjoys bliss. The great Sufi explains that a dancer must the world.” The four elements things. This is why the song mystic poet Rumi says dancing is the “nearest way to God.” sustain the song in the throat, of Natya-II recitation, singing, became important. The vachika Shiva is the patron of both music and dance. He taught music to depict meaning by hands, the acting and rasa – were taken (spoken) abhinaya supplements Narada, the celestial messenger, and dance to Bharata, the author mood (bhava) through eyes from the four Vedas. Hence it is the abhinaya (body

INDIA PERSPECTIVES NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2008 58 INDIA PERSPECTIVES NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2008 59 language). And, let us not forget, gestures add grace and beauty to the dance. How do words fi nd their equivalent mudras (postures)? It is said that words inhere in the limbs. This expresses the principle underlying the language based on natural and expressive movements, says Ananda Coomaraswami, the great authority on Indian art. To give a few of such “natural” expressions: eyeball going round expresses wrath; lingering glance expresses love; raising eyebrow, doubt; widening of nostrils expresses anger; drooping cheek, sadness; drooping lip, envy, and so on. The body can express itself in so many ways. The dancer tries to achieve the perfect pose and convey a sense of the timeless. The dance technique is, therefore, integrated with sculpture. Beryl De Zoete, a European student of Indian dance, says about European dance: it is “very elementary” compared to the “expressive culture of the body” of Indian dance. There are three forms of dances: Tandava (male, vigorous), Lasya (feminine, gentle), and Pindibandha (a combination of both). Tandava (the cosmic dance) came from Shiva and Lasya from his consort Parvati. Dance was added to Natya by Shiva to give it “splendour and beauty”, dear to the people. So there is pure dance without

INDIA PERSPECTIVES NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2008 60 INDIA PERSPECTIVES NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2008 61 abhinaya, as also dance with acting. Pure dance has evolved out of an alphabet of 108 perfect postures, upon which are based the techniques of movements known as karanas. Each karana consists of the movement of several limbs – in other words of much of the body. Similarly, a comprehensive system of language signs (hand gestures) has evolved out of an alphabet of basic hand poses (hastas) in the same manner as the spoken and written language has been established. (See Box for an outline of the way the limbs of the body speak). Hands became the chief vehicle of expression. They translate words into signs. Adjectives, nouns, verbs, proper nouns, adverbs, conjunctions, prepositions, abstract nouns – all these are expressed through gestures and facial expressions. Each school of dance (and there are six major schools Bbaratnatyam, Kathakali, Manipuri, Kucbipudi, Odissi and Kathak) has used the basic gestures. And each gesture can mean many things – as many as 85 in the case of the pathaka (fl ag) gesture. Hence, the need for the explanatory song. In Western ballet, reliance is on broad gestures and minimum expressions on the face. In fact, the face of a ballet dancer carries little expression. The Indian dancer, on the contrary, expresses a thousand fl eeting

Hemant Kataria emotions through his face.

INDIA PERSPECTIVES NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2008 62 INDIA PERSPECTIVES NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2008 63 Ballet is a mere “spectacle”, no doubt an attractive one. Aristotle says of drama that its purpose BODY LANGUAGE is to purge the soul of its passions. This is not served by here are three forms of dances: Tandava (vigorous), Western ballet or dance. Dance Lasya (gentle) and Pindibandha (a combination of both). in India evolved out of Vedic T ritual dances. The ritual also There are 108 dance poses described in Natyashastra, called contained the seeds of drama. Karanas. No other dance form has given Natya are four-fold: Angika (limbs), Vachika (speech), so much thought to the body Aharya (costume) and Satvika (aesthetic). language as the Indian dance. Every gesture is thought out in There are three forms of Angika: Sarira (body), Mukhaja great detail. From very early (facial) and Casta (limb movement). times, the “language of the There are six angas (limbs) head, hand, hip, chest, sides, feet; hand” (akshara-mushtika) six upangas (semi-limbs) – eyes, brows, nose, lips, cheeks, became an important study. chin. And there are neck, shoulder, arms, belly, thighs, And some of the gestures shanks, wrist, knees, which take part in dance. became universal. For example, the gesture for “protection” There are two forms of hasta mudras (hand postures): (abhaya mudra). Similarly, Asamyuta (single hand) mudras (28 in number), and the folded hands (anjali), with Samyuta (both hands together). There are 24 such gestures. which every Indian greets, There are 30 hasta movements for pure dance. another Indian, reminds them of the divinity of man. (By the Body movements are divided into four groups: karanas, way, you raise your folded angaharas, rechakas and pindibandhas. hands above head to greet the There are four forms of bhangas (bending): bhanga, gods, hold them before your samabhanga, atibhanga and tribhanga. The fi rst is serene, face to greet your guru (teacher) second like Buddha, third like Nataraja, fourth like Parvati. and against the chest to greet a brahmin or a respected person.) Movements of feet are of four types: Mandala (circular, With that I say “pranam” – 10 positions), Utplavana (jumping, fi ve types), Bhramari almost a universal gesture. (whirling, seven types) and Padachari (feet movement, seven ◆ types) and ten kinds of gaits. The author is a senior journalist and a noted writer. This is an abridged version of the There are four colours of face, refl ecting personality types. article which appeared in India Perspectives, January 1997. Eyes: Bharata mentions 36 forms of glances. There are seven movements of the brow, seven of eyeball, six of nose, six of cheek, six of lips, six of face, nine of neck, thirteen of head, fi ve positions of chest, fi ve of sides, fi ve movements of hips, fi ve of thighs, fi ve of shanks, fi ve of feet, four of hands, etc.

INDIA PERSPECTIVES NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2008 64 INDIA PERSPECTIVES NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2008 65 Indian Handicrafts MUCH SOUGHT AFTER

GARIMA SHARMA

xquisite designs, attractive colours, unmatched workmanship and subtle elegance are the distinguishing features which Ehave put Indian handicrafts on the world map. Steadily climbing the popularity chart, their exports shot up to a staggering Rs. 83,430 million in 2002-2003. This sector has more potential for earning substantial foreign exchange. As a rural and cottage industry, it provides employment to lakhs of people from the weaker sections of society. Low capital investments, higher value addition and highly labour intensive are highlights that make the sector signifi cant for the country’s economy. Central and State governments have been paying extraordinary attention to ensure high growth rate and development of the handicrafts industry. Bimla Verma Bimla Verma

Handicrafts bear the stamp of each particular region and culture. With India’s great diversity and rich culture, we have a unique treasure of handicrafts to boast of. These works of art are executed through a variety of mediums such as metal and wood, stone, papier-mache, pottery, silk, cotton, brocade, natural fi bre from plants etc. The tribal and rural artisans have inherited various techniques and processes from their forefathers in the creation of their art.

Metal has been part of Indian life and culture since time immemorial. The iron beams of the Konark Sun Temple in Orissa and the iron pillar at Qutab Minar in Delhi are evidence of the early skills achieved by the Indians in the

INDIA PERSPECTIVES NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2008 66 INDIA PERSPECTIVES NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2008 67 birds, animals and jewellery pitchers are made of wood. boxes with intricate designs. Walnut wood, found in These are marked both for their Kashmir, is used for making utility and ornamental value. trays, book stands, wall decorations, fruit bowls etc. Papier-mache items are made Gujarat has a rich tradition of of thick layers of paper pulp woodcarving; famous are the mixed with starch and given traditional wooden swings, different shapes and designs on chairs and tables. wooden moulds. Imagination and are famous runs wild as craftsmen breathe for wood lacquering. Painted life into the moulds, bringing traditional cradles, boxes and out variety of expressions. ‘ganjifa’ sets of playing cards Kashmir turns out a variety of are painted with religious and utility items of papier -mache, as mythological fi gures. Hand also decorative pieces. fans made of strips and slices Woodcraft too has played of sandalwood are great utility fi eld of metal-casting. Copper its part in making the Indian items, spreading their refreshing and bronze are the two most handicraft treasure richer. Since aroma in the room. popular non-ferrous metals time immemorial, wood has ◆ The author is a freelance writer. shaped into tools, bronze- been used to make utensils. The article appeared in India Perspectives, casting in India being as old as In Himachal Pradesh, water October 2003. fi ve million years. The scope of metal art is immense, what with the variety of decorative techniques practiced such as inlay, metal casting, carving, appliques etc. Work done in Moradabad, Jaipur and Delhi is representative of this. Moradabad, in , is especially noted for its coloured enamelling and intricate engravings in niello. Metal wire inlay work, found mostly in Uttar Pradesh and Kerala, has panels and pictures depicting attractive scenes. Metal engraving practiced in Kashmir is usually done on walking sticks, nutcrackers, cutlery, decorative pieces etc. Rajasthan artisans do outstanding work in silver-spice boxes, caskets,

INDIA PERSPECTIVES NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2008 68 INDIA PERSPECTIVES NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2008 69 Lucknow and ; Parsi festival of Jamshed Nau Roz Festivals in Indian Art at Mumbai; Christian festivals of Christmas and Good Friday UTPAL K. BANERJEE in Goa and practically all over India; Kaza festival in estivals and fairs deeply underline the rubric of Indian culture. the Lamaistic strongholds of They provide a wonderfully rich pastiche of colours and cameos, Ladakh, Lahaul and Spiti, and Fvariety and vivacity to the leit motif of life: not merely as social Sikkim. They provide, together and religious occasions of joyous congregation of men, women and with a whole host of others, an children, but also as refl ections of inherent feelings of the people with amazing chiaroscuro associated cherished historical and social roots. almost always with visual and performing arts. In an unending procession of festivals – spiritual, seasonal or secular – one observes a whole pageantry of celebrations forming There is epigraphic evidence India’s life-line: Makar Sankranti and Deepavali all over India; about festivals being celebrated Raksha Bandhan and Bhai Duj in north India; Shivaratri at in India since Vedic times when, and Chidambaram; Holi at Mathura; Janmashtami at Vrindaban and apart from fasting and prayers, Imphal; Dusshera, Ramlila and Durga Puja at Kullu, Mysore, Delhi there were dramatic spectacles, and Kolkata; Muslim festivals of Id-ul-Zuha and Muharram at Delhi, congregations of vocal and instrumental music, solo dances Krishna and his companions celebrating Holi and dance-dramas, chariot and boat races and other sporting events. The epics Ramayana and Mahabharata trace specifi c festivals to some important events. Jatakas (stories narrating the previous lives of the Buddha) refer to Samajas (a kind of festival), with dancing, singing, instrumental music and dramatic performances, which lasted for days. Ancient Indian literature abounds with references to festivals. At one level, people needed a break from the monotony of daily chores, and festivals were occasions when they wore their best clothes and jewellery, decorated their homes and hearths and sang and danced, along with feasting and fasting. At another level, this was an

The festival of colours, Holi (top right); Janmashtami (middle) and Christmas celebrations.

INDIA PERSPECTIVES NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2008 70 INDIA PERSPECTIVES NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2008 71 effort to connect, both within of trees, was celebrated in and without, to mother nature, to Rajasekhara’s Karpuramanjari, the Supreme Being and to their when a Kuruvaka tree blossoms innermost recesses of joy and forth when embraced by an wonderment. Along with the urge impetuous maiden. In Kalidasa’s to connect came the impulse to Meghaduta, a bakula tree communicate through visual and similarly bursts forth with fl owers performing arts. when sprayed with wine from the mouths of young girls! In Indian literature, celebration of rice harvesting during rainy In the visual arts, Holi celebration season, was depicted in Kalhan’s can be seen in a unique Rajtarangini. Vasantotsava sculptured panel from the (Spring Festival) was one of Vijayanagara temple at Hampi the most celebrated festivals in with damsels dancing. Kangra Kalidasa’s Raghuvamsa, Harsha’s School has some excellent Ratnavali and Rajasekhara’s miniature paintings, showing Kavyamimansa through dance Krishna and his companions and music recitals. Dohada, an playing Holi with the charming important festival on the worship gopis (milkmaids). Historic

Vasantotsava – Spring Festival (facing page) and Dandiya dance (below)

INDIA PERSPECTIVES NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2008 72 INDIA PERSPECTIVES NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2008 73 paintings of Mewar show the over the country. Among the and Karnataka, Saraswati Puja number of tribes in India also Kamataka. All traditional shadow Maharana celebrating Holi with mythological bases of Dusshera takes place in homes decorated celebrate births, betrothals, puppets in south India are his courtesans and noblemen. are the myth of Chandi killing the with dolls. The colourful marriages and hunting connected with temple festivals. Interestingly, some Deccani Mysore Dusshera and Bengal’s expeditions with much fanfare of demon Narakasura with energy Festivals in India, thus, have paintings depict a Muslim prince Mahishasura Mardini remain music and dance. and weapons culled out from all always refl ected man’s harmony playing Holi with his princes occasions of melodious chanting, the gods (a mythic concept of There are numerous folk theatre with nature, and with gods and maids. Another well-known nadaswaram playing, singing and destruction of evil and restoration forms not associated with and goddesses who are not sculpture is the representation of dance performances. Similarly, of peace, re-lived in the social specifi c festivals, but performed make- believes, but whose the Amrita Manthana (churning religious beliefs of every hue psyche annually) and the myth of generally on festive occasions. manifestations have a purpose to of the ocean for nectar), are occasions for celebration in Rama killing the demon Ravana These include, among others, the fulfi l, an ideal to be perceived. celebrated at the Sabarimalai every part of the country. Even after praying to Durga (another Ankia Nat and Oja Pali in Assam, These connections are the temple festival in Kerala. The harvesting seasons are marked mythic concept of triumph of Suman Lila in Manipur, Bhavai bedrock of Indian festivals, and most endemic visual art is to with gay dances throughout the good). These mythic concepts in Gujarat, Burrakatha in Andhra have infl uenced literature as well be seen in the fl oor and wall country. are celebrated with innumerable Pradesh, Jatra and Chandi Jatra as visual and performing arts with decorations practised all over songs during the annual ritualistic A large number of festivals in West Bengal, Tamasha and extraordinary communicative India, mainly by women, on all worship of Durga in Bengal, celebrated in the villages are Chitrakathi in Maharashtra, forces. festive occasions. ◆ Bihar and Orissa. The rituals local, in honour of gramdevatas Kariyala in Himachal Pradesh, The author has written extensively on Indian In performing arts, the most are also viewed as equivalent (village deities) propitiated for Khyal in Rajasthan, Prahlada art and culture. This article appeared in the celebrated festival occurs in the to the coming of a married protection or of grahadevatas Nataka in Orissa, Swang in November 2001 issue of India Perspectives. contexts of Dusshera for which daughter to her parental home. (household deities) propitiated Madhya Pradesh, Trayattar in there are votive practices all In Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra for appeasement. The large Tamil Nadu and Yakshagana in

Id celebrations Durga Puja

INDIA PERSPECTIVES NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2008 74 INDIA PERSPECTIVES NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2008 75 Cuisine Culture A TASTE OF INDIA

SANDEEP SILAS

n India we are fortunate Dal Bhati. The music of Bengal one of the Bamboo Shoot curry. to have a varied cuisine fl ows in its Machh Bhaat. The Drink Sattoo in Bihar lest we lose Irepresenting distinctive cultural indulgence of Awadh wafts out out on food to drink! Gandhi’s trends in different regions of the of its Kakori Kebabs. Who can Gujarat too rolled out its Dhokla country. In fact each cultural resist the temptation of having and Shreekhand to establish its group has its own distinctive Pao Bhaaji in Mumbai or Fish signature through food. dishes. Curry rice in Goa? Or its cake The cold Kashmir weather While the Gushtaba of Kashmir called Bebinca that has no demanded that the food contain stands out for its uniqueness in peers anywhere in the world. ingredients to fi ght off the cold; taste and style, the world-famous Not to forget the fl avour of therefore a lot of heat-generating Sarson ka Saag with Makke Biryani cooked with succulent spices and saffron found their Ki Roti from Punjab is simply pieces of mutton or chicken in way in cuisine. Similarly, the hot mouthwatering. The ruggedness Hyderabad. The very mention weather of Rajasthan and Gujarat Gujarati dishes with thin gravy. The traditional Wazhwan, a Masala Dosa (left) and its making (above) of Rajasthan is refl ected in its of the north-east India reminds required lighter foods, so we fi nd The natural presence of fi sh in combination of aromatic dishes coastal areas, bamboo in the is perhaps food for the gods. beans) and a variety of stuffed Buffet – spicy & crisp. north-east, rice or wheat in areas Gushtaba is whitecoloured parathas being the staple fare producing them converted these meat balls in thin curry; Rista Lassi, sweet or salted, is usually foods into staple diet of people is red-coloured meat balls in an accompaniment replacing living in those regions. In fact thin red curry; Tabak Maas is juice, tea or coffee. food combines with the festivals roasted spare ribs with a unique too, to create those stunning taste; Yakhni is mutton with the Bengali cuisine is fi sh dominated. sweets that have become special fl avour of aniseed, cumin, and Whether marinated or cooked in only to India. Like a gujiya will cardamom; Pulao is rice and curd, fi sh is the most celebrated mark Holi, Kheer-puri shall be mutton, cooked in the fl avour of part of a Bengali dining table. Not served at Diwali, ukdiche modak spices secreted from the spice to forget the great contribution is served during Ganesh festival bag put in the utensil while of Bengali sweets to the Indian and Shreekhand at Dusshera. cooking. Here, spices are not palate. The Sandesh, Rassogullas, Similarly, Bengalis indulge in mixed; the fl avour percolates. Gulabjamuns, Chamcham, Sandesh during the Pooja season Chena Murki, Anarkali, and (Dussehra) and Tamils churn out Punjabi Cuisine uses the tandoor Mishti Doi are the shining exciting Pongal. And cakes are effectively. The huge earthen examples. Mughlai cuisine was centric to the Christian festivals of oven is used to dish out Tandoori a gift of the Mughal kings to Christmas and Easter, while sweet Chicken, Paneer Tikka, Chicken Indian taste buds. Start with the sivaiyans mark the Id festival of Tikka et al. The Punjabi Tandoori Shorba (soup), come to Chicken the Muslims. Roti with a generous helping of Jehangiri, Chicken Nooorjehani, home made white butter goes Murg do Piaza, Mutton Rogan In Kashmiri cuisine, the well with such food. Food in Josh, Tandoori Raan, Mutton locally grown dry-fruit is used villages is simple, dal makhni, stew, Nahiri and Biryani and abundantly in sweetmeats. sarson ka saag, rajmah (kidney your olfactory senses will also

INDIA PERSPECTIVES NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2008 76 INDIA PERSPECTIVES NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2008 77 be satisfi ed along with your taste pea fl our soft cake eaten along buds and appetite. The bread too with green chillies. assumed a paramount importance in Mughlai style. The Shirmaal, Rajasthani cuisine has an Roomali Roti, Naan and Tandoori unmistakable stamp of the desert Roti are each different in environment. So hot garlic paste presentation and taste. and spring onions, credited with power to prevent heat Gujarati cuisine, vegetarian and strokes, came up as necessary mostly served in thali style, is accompaniments to the meal. light on the stomach. Use of As for sweets, Churma ka laddoo, spices is moderate and often made of bread crumbs (roti) dishes are sweetened with a and sugar crystals fried together sprinkling of sugar crystals while and then crushed into a ball is being cooked. The Gujarati very tasty. cuisine managed to impress the world with Shreekhand, a Goan cuisine imbibed a lot sweetened yoghurt dessert, and from the Portuguese tradition. Making Imrities Tandoori Murg Thin as handkerchief – Rumali Roti Dhokla, a salty, fl avoured chicken They developed the Vindaloo,

The Tava culture. spicy Sorpotel and numerous a locally prepared spicy powder, and berries get transformed into seafood dishes. The generous as an accompaniment along with mouth-watering curries with the sea gave Goans a plentiful ghee, when people consume Chettiar treatment. supply of prawns, fi sh, lobsters, rice. The Hyderabadis have The art of making pickles is one crabs, and shrimps – so seafood made Biryani an internationally unusual feature of Indian cuisine. assumed paramount importance accepted dish in any menu card. Many fruits and vegetables, in Goan food. Coconut milk is like mango, lime, ginger, garlic, used liberally in cooking and South Indian Cuisine is traditional carrot, caulifl ower, jungle berries, also while baking cakes. A local and typical. Mainly rice-eaters, the chilli, even some types of meats fruit, Kokum pipes up in the cup South Indian’s food never goes like chicken, are pickled. The as a local drink, red in colour without Sambhar, Rasam and spices and oil added to the pickle and endowed with digestive curd. The traditionalist kitchen enhances the taste and preserves properties. The Portuguese will serve food on a banana leaf. the fruit or vegetable for a long passed on the tradition to use Lots of chutneys, and the use of time. Almost any bland dish vinegar in making meat dishes the paste of coconut, adds to the can be lifted in taste by eating it that adds a ‘tang’ to the dish. taste. Dosa, Idli and Vadas are along with some pickle. This art, The area is rich in coconut and the main dishes here. perhaps, developed in the hands cashew nuts from which ‘Feni’ Tamils are mostly fond of of the grandmas and till today, is made. The Bebinca beats any drumstick, gourd, brinjal, cabbage pickle from each house tastes cake in the world and Goans and caulifl ower. Imli, that is different. It is actually the hand excel in making tarts, pastries, tamarind, is added to a dish to that makes a pickle! Just like rose-a-coque, and ovos da pascoa. embellish it with a tang. Local India’s diversity, the cuisine is is often areas of Chettinad, Tanjore and distinctive and pride laden. remembered by its spice! It is Arcot developed their own ◆ The author is a noted travel writer. This is an the hottest of all Indian cuisines. variants of cuisine. Chettinad abridged version of the article that appeared Even ghongura, a pickled leaf is one such distinct school of in India Perspectives, March 2005. would leave you red in the ears. cooking recognized for its spice, The cuisine uses ‘gun powder’, aroma and oil. Sun dried legumes

INDIA PERSPECTIVES NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2008 78 INDIA PERSPECTIVES NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2008 79 Satellite TV CATALYST FOR RURAL DEVELOPMENT

RADHAKRISHNA RAO

atellite television is not a novelty in the rural, pastoral India. In 1975, using the ATS-6 satellite, India launched a year-long Sinnovative project called Satellite Instructional Television Experiment (SITE). This project, involving the direct relay of instructional programmes to the augmented TV sets in 2,400 villages spread over six Indian states, has been hailed as the most India’s fi rst exclusive educational satellite ambitious mass communication experiment undertaken anywhere in the world. augmented with a 10 ft antenna pace of socio-economic The ATS-6 satellite, considered as a “teacher in the sky”, was and a front-end converter. development in the country. powerful enough to beam programmes directly to TV receivers SITE helped demonstrate SITE was a direct broadcasting the potential of satellite TV INSAT-3B: helping accelerate rural development system involving a “centralised” broadcasting imparting practical technology. While looking instructions to the rural for technological options that population in the country. The would complement this system, programmes telecast under the idea of “limited rebroadcast” SITE covered areas such as was perceived. Out of this agriculture, animal husbandry, concept emerged the Kheda dairy, poultry, health and Communications Project (KCP). hygiene, family planning, Under KCP launched in 1975, education, national integration a low power transmitter was as well as developmental issues set up at the Pij village in the and entertainment. A study of state of Gujarat. This transmitter the impact of SITE carried out was linked to a studio and an by the Indian Space Research earth station complex on the Organisation (ISRO) which campus of the Ahmedabad conceived and implemented based Space Applications the project revealed that Centre (SAC), a unit of ISRO. instructional programming This was meant to broadcast blended with entertainment both the local programmes could make a signifi cant impact originating from the studio and on the society. the central satellite programmes In fact, one of the major received at the earth station. objectives of the Indian space No wonder, the project was programme right since its described as a fi eld laboratory inception has been to exploit in the development of system the potentials of satellite for educational and instructional technology to speed up the communications. The KCP

INDIA PERSPECTIVES NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2008 80 INDIA PERSPECTIVES NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2008 81 project was managed by computer inter connectivity Development and Educational and a data exchange system Communications Unit (DECU) to spur the development of Greening for a of ISRO. The mandate of DECU rural areas. Essentially Gramsat is to exploit the potentials of project aims at strengthening Better Environment space technology to augment the communications and social educational and developmental services network in rural India. J.V.S. MURTHY efforts in the country. As it is, the Gramsat received a shot in the arm from the KCP had the specifi c he world is blooming with technological progress. In the Vidya Vahini educational process, the environment has become a casualty. Forests objective of promoting rural channel when it was launched are felled, natural resources over-exploited, heavy industries development and bringing T by the then Prime Minister intensifi ed and valuable resources wasted. However, there is now about social change, the job it Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Using greater concern for the environment. has accomplished creditably. INSAT- 3B system capability, the Appropriately enough, KCP In India, the fi rst Green Revolution of the seventies improved the eastern Indian state of Orissa bagged the UNESCO award for food situation through high yielding varieties. The second Green is now making use of Vidya rural communications in 1985. Revolution of the nineties effected further improvements through Vahini network for providing input management, farmer services and extension work. The expertise and experience Lift-off of PSLV-C9 carrying 10 satellites education, information and gained in the course of training to rural areas in the implementing SITE and KCP villages and 12 talkback three districts of the state. The have provided valuable inputs terminals have been set up network will soon be extended for developing India’s domestic at block headquarters. The in a phased manner to cover the satellite system INSAT. The project which has as its space entire state of Orissa. Its Chief INSAT system capability which segment INSAT-3B domestic Minister Naveen Patnaik has supports 22 TV channels of satellite of India launched driven home the point that his the state-owned TV network in March 2000 acts on two state will strive to make the best Doordarshan has been fronts. For the audience, use of networks and computer harnessed to operate socially it broadcasts development connectivity to bring about relevant direct broadcasting oriented programmes every revolutionary changes through projects. evening. Simultaneously, it e-governance. conducts training programmes In pursuance of its social in the afternoon for village level On another front, the southern objectives ISRO also launched in functionaries. Indian state of Andhra Pradesh 1996 the Jhabua Development will make use of the Ku-band Communications Project (JDCP) Encouraged by the success of transponders onboard the INSAT in the predominantly tribal JDCP and its positive impact on system for promoting distance dominated Jhabua district of the grassroot level development, education, telemedicine, Madhya Pradesh. The objective the project has recently been agricultural extension and of the ongoing JDCP is to expanded to include 250 internet connectivity in the rural gain experience in the use of villages in Dhar and Badwan areas. district of Madhya Pradesh. ◆ interactive satellite based The author is a freelance writer. The article network for rural development The success of JDCP led to appeared in India Perspectives, April 2002. in a “real life” situation. As the evolution of innovative part of the project, 150 direct Gramsat, pilot project – a multi reception television sets have service programme involving been installed in as many broadcasting of programmes,

INDIA PERSPECTIVES NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2008 82 INDIA PERSPECTIVES NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2008 83 The recent endeavour of the horticulture, agriculture and with supplementary funding Farm ponds should be small, barelands, not only affecting government to carpet the silvipastures. from World Bank, UNDP, FAO, dotting the whole area in as soil moisture but also causing country with greens is a ‘Great etc. Awareness programmes, many numbers as possible fl oods. Maximum retention Green Revolution’. Greens not Tropical forests are treasure participatory rural appraisals, to spread and prolong the of these fl ows is essential. only produce crops but also houses of fauna and fl ora. training and transfer of moisture. Above all, emphasis This is possible by dovetailing improve the environment. Afforestation, root stock technologies, rural technological on simple but scientifi c and vegetative approaches; contour Greens consume deleterious protection of invaluable delivery systems and all-round economic methodologies ploughing, furrowing, stone gases like carbon dioxide, species like teak and sal, and involvement of the benefi ciaries implementable by the common packing and minor trenching, release oxygen, conserve maintenance of closed forests have gained momentum. farmers is most important. farm ponding, waterchecks and soils, recharge rainwater, are the chief concerns. Another bund and boundary cultivation, produce varieties of biomass, wonderful innovation is social In some areas, much of the To go green we need moisture which is so very essential for promote prosperity and forestry. It stands for six ‘F’s, land is under cultivation. So, and the source of moisture is growing greens. namely: Fodder, Fuel, Fruit, there is not enough land area rainwater. Of the rainwater, ◆ improve environment. All soil The author is an expert on watershed conservation measures are for Fat, Fertiliser and Fibre, all of for tree cover for meeting a part evaporates, another management. This article appeared in the raising greens only. As greens which are the needs in the the 30 per cent ecological part enters the soil, while June 1996 issue of India Perspectives. also enhance aesthetic beauty, rural areas. Over a few millions requirement. The solution is the rest fl ows overland into stress is laid on growing green of hectares are greened every agro- forestry with intensive rivers. About 40 per cent foliage encompassing forests, year under social forestry, bund and boundary plantations. of the rainwater fl ows from

INDIA PERSPECTIVES NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2008 84 INDIA PERSPECTIVES NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2008 85 Delhi Metro

N.K. SAREEN

esides being the capital cope with the ever-increasing of India, Delhi has the requirements of the expanding Bdistinction of having the metropolis. So, after conducting maximum number of private a comprehensive study to assess transport vehicles than in any and meet the challenge of the other city in the country; in city’s growing needs of transport, fact more vehicles than the it was apparent that a fast track, total number of three metros – rail-based, high carrying capacity Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata and non-polluting transport put together. In spite of this system was absolutely necessary the local transport system in and urgently needed. To turn this Delhi, though supported by the vision into a reality, the Delhi suburban railway, was mostly Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) road-based and could not was created in 1995.

INDIA PERSPECTIVES NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2008 86 INDIA PERSPECTIVES NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2008 87 easy well lighted entry/exit points equipped with escalators and lifts, spacious ticketing areas, non-stop information/help provided to the passengers on the public address system, and the modern world class air-conditioned, clean and well-lit coaches enhance the pleasure of travelling. The Delhi Metro has not only enchanted and endeared itself to everyone, but has also inculcated a strong sense of pride and elation among the people of Delhi. The Metro, as the train is commonly referred to, has considerably reduced the travelling time for all commuters. All safety measures for passengers, as also for the safety and protection of stations, equipment and the property of Metro from fi re and earthquake have been well taken care of. The Master Plan of Delhi stations are well ventilated, air Not only that, DMRC has also envisages an eight-lane Metro conditioned and have been undertaken steps to enhance and network to be completed and provided with heavy duty lifts preserve the beauty of the city by implemented in four phases, and escalators on all multi-level planting eco-friendly trees and connecting almost every part of stations for the convenience of making better and wider roads Delhi – including the domestic all kinds of passengers. With the around its stations and its lines. and international air terminals – completion of Line-3 of Phase-I in DMRC’s role is best summed with the well developed satellite June this year, the Metro is now up in its own booklet, which towns like Noida and Gurgaon of being used by more than six lakh says: “In the journey towards the neighbouring states of UP and commuters every day. Travelling excellence, there are no endings, Haryana. Work on Phase-I was by Metro is an exhilarating just new beginnings. And every started on October 1, 1998, on experience not only for any landmark achieved becomes the three 65-km long lines. Of this, Delhite but also for visitors from starting point for the next giant 47.5 km line was to be elevated, abroad. Prince Charles of the step.” If the journey so far is any about 13 km underground and United Kingdom, who had a joy- indication, the future too bodes 4.5 km in surface corridors. ride on the Metro, was all praise well for the coming generations. This was achieved in the most for it. Even the Japanese Prime ◆ professional manner without Minister enjoyed his ride on the The author is a noted freelance photo- journalist. This article appeared in the causing any major hurdles to the train and had only good words December2006 issue of India Perspectives. people of Delhi. Line-1 of the for the system. Delhi Metro was inaugurated by the Prime Minister on October With its wide, clean and air- 24, 2002. All underground conditioned platforms, several

INDIA PERSPECTIVES NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2008 88 INDIA PERSPECTIVES NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2008 89 Chandrayaan mission (left) and the Spacecraft (above)

The project blueprint is being prepared by a team of scientists. It is soon expected to be ready. Thereafter, the lunar project will begin to take shape. The National Physical Laboratory, report suggests three options. India’s The fi rst one envisages a fl y-by Unmanned Mission to the Moon mission in which the spacecraft can be sent upto the moon. It DINKAR SHUKLA will return to the earth without touching the lunar surface. The ndia has decided to send an The government’s approval spacecraft. India also has an second option envisages landing unmanned mission to the to ISRO’s lunar project was established capacity to launch it on moon. The last options which moon. The Indian Space announced recently by into space to embark upon its is the favoured one, is to send I a low altitude Polar arbiter to Research Organisation, ISRO, Dr A P J Abdul Kalam, former 3,84,470 km long fi ve-day journey has obtained the government’s Principal Scientifi c Adviser to to the moon. the moon. This option is being “go ahead” to make the the Government of India. Both favoured because it is considered The proposed unmanned mission necessary preparations in this Dr Kalam and Dr Kasturirangan as the most practicable and will make use of the established direction. According to Dr. R. affi rm that India has the the least expensive. The Polar space capabilities developed Kasturirangan, Chairperson of technology as well as the capacity Orbiter can be designed and through the PSLV (Polar Satellite ISRO, preliminary studies for to send its spacecraft to the developed at ISRO’s satellite Launch Vehicle) and the GSLV undertaking the scientifi c mission moon. A report on the lunar centre in Bangalore, without (Geo-synchronous Launch to the moon have been underway project prepared by the National entailing a heavy budget. The Vehicle) and other indigenous for the past two years, and can Physical Research Laboratory natural satellite of the earth will through Gamma-ray spectrometry project can be executed with an Indian satellites. Sophisticated outlay of Rs 3500 million, which now pick up speed and direction. (NPL), Ahmedabad says that be studied to fi nd out if the moon and for detailed mapping with observation instruments is just fi ve per cent of an increase The ISRO chief is hopeful that it will be a wholly indigenous has any traces of water as hinted high resolution stereoscopic developed by India will also be in the country’s overall Space the lunar launch is likely to be effort. There won’t be any need in some explorations. Another photography. The detailed used in the mission. budget. Compared to the top- realised around the year 2007. for foreign technical, scientifi c scientifi c objective will be to aspects of surface composition heavy funding required in space However, if all goes well, it and other assistance as the The primary purpose of the study particles and radiation of sub-groups of rocks also programmes this is quite a small can be accomplished in fi ve scientists at ISRO and the Tata project will be to carry out environment in the vicinity of needs to be studied and an amount. years. With that, India will rank Institute of Fundamental Research scientifi c observations and the moon. There is also the analysis of comet dust over among front-runners in space are fully competent to devise, investigations of the moon. More urgent need to understand the moon’s surface be undertaken. The Polar Orbiter will be able technology. design and develop the lunar importantly the origin of this only distribution of rare elements The list is long. to circle the moon at a height

INDIA PERSPECTIVES NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2008 90 INDIA PERSPECTIVES NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2008 91 Today when China, Japan and some other countries are planning their lunar missions, should India lag behind? After all, it is a space-faring nation credited India completes with having made a considerable journey to the MOON advance in space technology akin to very few countries in the West. It cannot overlook the possibility India successfully launched Chandrayaan-1, its fi rst unmanned of exploiting the abundant spacecraft to explore the Moon on October 22, 2008 with the mineral and metal resources on belief that the Rs 386-crore lunar mission is a step towards its the moon, some of these are quest for the exploration of outer space and inter-planetary indeed very rare and some very missions. As the spacecraft hurtled toward its mission, the precious like the ones to be country joined the elite international Space Club comprising extracted from the poly-metallic nodules. the US, Russia, China and Japan. After two weeks of journey, the spacecraft entered the lunar orbit on November 8, 2008. Private enterprises of some Propelled on its 4,00,000-km voyage to the moon, the craft advanced countries have already went through a number of stages circling the Earth in a shown interest in setting up The fully integrated GSLV before launch geosynchronous transfer orbit (GTO) from where it fl ew on permanent self-supporting out into the polar orbit of the Moon. of nearly 100 km above the programme. Critics say that such communities on the moon. lunar surface. Once in that orbit, a project will be at the cost of Those attached with the lunar Eventually, it will be placed in a circular orbit 100 km above it will facilitate various space other vital sector priorities. programme say that India is the lunar surface for the duration of its two-year mission. not planning the mission just experiments, collect data and take Once positioned in the intended orbit, one of its instruments However, ISRO chief to demonstrate its space skills, images from its hitech cameras will be dropped on to the lunar surface in an experiment to and transmit the same to the Dr Kasturirangan feels that the capabilities and expertise. It gather knowledge for future soft landing missions. ground station. It will also be the issue is whether or not India is being pursued so that India main source of experimentation can afford the lunar probe. It benefi ts from it in the long run. The 1,157-lb. Chandrayaan-1 was launched on one of India’s is whether India can afford to Dr Kasturirangan says that the in X-Ray spectrometry. own Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) space rockets. The ignore it. Dr George Joseph, Indian space programme is spacecraft carried 11 payloads: fi ve from India and six from According to an ISRO note, who has been appointed head indeed aimed at fulfi lling India’s preliminary analysis shows of the recently constituted lunar practical requirements. Dr Joseph the US, Europe and Bulgaria. While the European Space that both the PSLV and the task force by ISRO, insists that adds that our lunar programme Agency (ESA) provided three scientifi c instruments, the lunar GSLV rockets developed by the moon mission is defi nitely will spur national development satellite also houses an U.S. radar instrument designed to India are capable of sending going to boost India’s scientifi c in times to come. The impact locate water or ice. India plans to share its Moon data with spacecraft to the moon. What capabilities and knowledge. He of such a programme on the NASA and other space agencies. is required is enhancement of cautions against any narrow national psyche and morale their fuel capacity and suitable view on the matter, holding cannot be, and should not be, The purpose of the Chandrayaan mission is the scientifi c modifi cations in the upper stages that scientifi c programmes and underestimated. exploration of the Moon. While it will send back to Earth of the rockets so as to incorporate missions take time to benefi t ◆ high-resolution 3-D images of the moon’s surface, the mission the trans-lunar injection stage. The author is a senior freelance journalist. the society at large. In a recent The article appeared in India Perspectives, will also search for evidence of water or ice. It will also try to The government announcement interview, he mused that if one January 2002. identify the chemical breakdown of some lunar rocks. regarding the lunar mission talked of instant advantages then has spurred a debate on the Dr Homi J. Bhabha, father of our – Tirthankar Ghosh desirability of a developing atomic programme could, not country like India embarking have started the same as far back upon such an ambitious as over half a century.

INDIA PERSPECTIVES NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2008 92 INDIA PERSPECTIVES NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2008 93 had a courageous nature,” and to Jal andhar a leading centre Bhimsen Joshi proudly recalls of Hindustani music. Finally, how he plunged into the swift Vinay akbuva Patwardhan, fl owing Ghatprabha river advised him to return home without being able to swim. “I and become a student of almost drowned, but somehow Sawai Gandharva, the most I managed to reach the bank.” outstanding disciple of Karim Determined to fi nd a guru Khan. Sawai Gandharva was a (teacher), Bhimsen left home guru to stalwarts like Gangubhai and travelled ticketless. On few Hangal, Hirabai Barodekar and occa sions he got caught, he did Pheroze Dastur, and was staying short stints in jail. Eventually, he at Kundgol, a village not far went to Gwalior where he from Joshi’s hometown. The sought out the great sarod guru did not accept Bhimsen all (a string instru ment) maestro that easily. Hafi z Ali, the father of Amjad The training was arduous. Riaz Ali Khan. (practice) stretched out through He moved next to Kharagpur, the day and into the late hours

Calcutta and Delhi, and then Sangeet Natak Akademi, New Delhi of the night. Gandharva insisted Sangeet Natak Akademi, New Delhi Bhimsen Joshi VOCALIST PAR EXCELLENCE

RASHME SEHGAL

orn at Gadag, in the Dharwar district of Karnataka, on February 14, 1922, Joshi is the son of the well-known Beducationist, Gururaj Joshi, whose -English dictionary is acclaimed as a standard text even today. His grandfather Bhimacharya was a reputed musician, but Bhimsen’s musical inspiration stems from the infl uence of his mother who would sing bhajans (hymns) to him as a child. His father was anxious that Bhimsen become a scholar but that was not to be. Bhimsen was obsessed with music from as far back as he can remember. “It has always been music and more music”, he says. From the age of three, Bhimsen was drawn towards shehnai (a wind instrument), players, marriage bands and bhajan singers, and sometimes spent days with them on the road, to be restored to his despairing parents by some good Samaritans. His parents were forced to pin his name and address on his shirt so that if he

strayed, he could always be brought back home. “I have always Sangeet Natak Akademi, New Delhi

INDIA PERSPECTIVES NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2008 94 INDIA PERSPECTIVES NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2008 95 on breathing exercises, voice As he became more and more culture and voice calisthenics. popular, invitations began He also taught his young to pour in from all over the student to recognize the place. He ac quired a Model’ importance of the and its 48 Pontiac in which he, his signifi cance in the elaboration four accompanists with their of a raag, as alaap is the life different instruments, would pile force of a raag and clearly in and trundle off. G.N. Joshi demonstrates the capabilities has described these trips of his and potential of the artiste. evocatively in his essay, Down The guru also insisted that the Memory Lane. bandish should be gracefully structured, punctuated with the Another story which musicians choicest taans. Young Bhimsen recall with awe relates to his accompanied his guru on his prodigious stamina when he concert tours and this helped recorded three long playing widen his musical sensibility. rec ords in one marathon sitting. Joshi arrived at the HMV studio In 1944, G.N. Joshi of HMV in Bom bay to cut one disc. spotted him playing the lead Several musi cians including role in the play Bhagyashri. Kumar Gandharva and Sudhir When he heard Bhimsen Phadke were present at the sing, he recognized his talent studio to hear him. Joshi was and persuaded him to record to sing Raag Gaud Sarang, but two Hindi and two Kannada till midnight he was not able Sangeet Natak Akademi, New Delhi bhajans. Soon after, he recorded to get into the right mood. The (teacher-disciple tradition), but internation alise Indian classical abstract painting while Joshi the beautiful poem Uttar other mu sicians, sensing his I cannot teach on a regular music. West ern music and regaled the audience with his Druva Dum composed by the predicament, left. Slowly, he basis since most of my time is Indian classical music cannot masterly unravelling of Raag Kannada-Marathi poet, began to warm up. When he spent travelling. I have only blend because the scope Bhairavi. The proceeds from D.R. Bendre. Both these heard the replay of his singing one shishya (disciple), Madhav and aims of both are very this unusual jugalbandi (duet) recordings were a success. But of the raag, he became like one Gudi, who has been with me different. “Indian music aims were given to charity. Bombay’s it was 1946, which marked the obsessed and went on to record for over twenty years, and who at achieving oneness with God fash ionable elite were delighted turning point in his career. A Brindavani Sarang, Puriya, has shown great seriousness.” whereas Western music aims at to see Hussain paint live. But modest musical programme Durga, Kalashri and Lalit He concedes that while the en tertainment.” Hussain was visibly nervous. was being held in a small town Bhatiyar. The recordings were younger generation has a great He confi ded later to journalists in Karnataka to felicitate Sawai complete by 7 am! knowledge about classical At sixty-eight (he is now and critics that his nervousness Gandharva on his birthday. music, they do not have the 86 years old), Bhimsen has stemmed from having to paint Apart from spending a few Gandharva was not feeling well stamina and shakti (energy) to mellowed, but despite his age before a ‘real master’. A great hours on riaz, he enjoys taking and twenty-four year old Joshi undergo arduous training. “City any challenge put before him accolade! was asked to take his place. his grandchildren for a drive in life has destroyed the solitude makes his adrenaline fl ow. The maestro has been awarded Joshi sang Raag Malhar for a his twenty years old Mercedes of tapasya (devotion). Today, Some months ago in Bombay, the Bharat Ratna on November mere half hour, but he sang or in his Pontiac. “My only young people want everything Joshi was part of an unusual hobby – driving a motor car.” 4, 2008. so lucidly that the audience instanta neously.” experiment. Refl ecting a spirit of ◆ was delighted. A new star He also spends some time camaraderie little known among The author is a noted writer/journalist. had emerged on the musical teaching his disciples. “I believe It is for the same reason that artistes, the celebrated painter This article is an abridged version of the one that appeared in the November 1990 issue of fi rmament. in the guru shishya parampara he is averse to attempt to M.F. Hussain deftly created an India Perspectives.

INDIA PERSPECTIVES NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2008 96 INDIA PERSPECTIVES NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2008 97 Room for humouralways

R.K. LAXMAN not with helpless sorrow and disgust but with robust good he condition in which humour. the majority of people In other words, it is our sense Tlive, the headlines in of humour which humanises the newspapers that one is us. A person with a sense of forced to read every morning humour is admittedly a better and the horrifying gossips and citizen, a better neighbour and a de pressing rumours that fall better family man than one who on our ears, all seem pretty sadly lacks this quality. alarming. An individual may not be In such an atmosphere one capable of laughing at his plight would believe there would on his own. It is the business of be no room for humour or the cartoonist to come to his aid laughter. to show that he is indeed in a And yet paradoxically enough, comi cal situation and he could I hear more laughter and see laugh it off as there is little he more grinning faces in our could do in the absence of an country than anywhere else in alternative to paying a hefty tax! the world. One of my post-Budget Our instinct to laugh seems to cartoons had a warm reception assert itself readily. I think it is from the public. It showed nature’s device to protect and the tax payer surrendering all insulate us from the onslaught his salary to the tax collector of the harsh reality of existence. and pleading with him to give Ironically, I depend on themes him back some allowance for that depict the sad, horrifi c, daily sustenance. Similarly, at deplor able and shameful side a time when over crowding in of our exis tence, for my daily schools became a matter of cartoons to regale my readers great concern to the parents of with. These cartoons make children, my cartoon appeared people look at the sorry state ridiculing the authori ties. of their affairs and laugh. And The cartoon showed a teacher laughter helps them to view life with books, black-board

INDIA PERSPECTIVES NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2008 98 INDIA PERSPECTIVES NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2008 99 and all sitting outside a brand of humour. Punch also classroom. He is telling a offered entertainment to those parent, “Yes, I am the teacher. who could not read, through But I have no place to sit inside. the funny drawings it featured It is frightfully over-crowded, of people with long noses, you see!” exaggerated ears, thin legs and A humorist regales the pot-bellies. Merely looking at commu nity in a satirical way those contorted charac ters made picking up the issues from the them laugh. trivial social events to the larger Humorous magazines and national concerns like political novels by humour writers from upheavals, ideological confl icts, England became favourite economic policies etc. Of reading of the educated class. course, a cartoon does not bring They came to believe that the about change in the life of the British humour was the best. common man, but it certainly Since the English fra ternity helps him to face the situation did not have access to these with a smile and not with a pockets of mirth and laugh ter, frown. it was believed that the aver age Inevitably satirical cartooning Indian possessed no sense of by its very nature is an art of humour. disapproval and complaint. It Of course, our cartoons in, thrives best in adversity and language papers of those days a cartoonist treats his subjects India with the British rulers were embarrassingly crude with healthy irreverence and and were bereft of any satirical good humoured ridicule. along with their language, their printing tech niques and their con tent. They were more like This art is an imported item in habits and eccentricities. But propa ganda posters vaguely our culture. Though satirical cartoons began to appear in advocating social consciousness, humour was traditionally India only less than a hundred ban on child marriage or in existence here from time years ago. atttacking non -existing causes. imme morial in the form of Our freedom movement with folk-lore, verses and drama, Punch, the famous British the advent of Gandhiji gave a our ancient artists somehow humour magazine, played an great impetus to our satirical did not seem to have employed important role in popularising sensibilities. John Bull and their talent in a lighter vein at graphic humour and infl uencing Bharatmata () anytime to tickle the community our artists. For the fi rst time were no more timid symbols and provoke laughter. they were exposed through this maga zine to an art which of the ruler and the ruled but In the West itself, the art of deliberately distorted reality the cartoons boldly began to cartooning and caricature was with the sole purpose of ridicule the Viceroy and his a latecomer. England was the amusing the readers. council of ministers who were birthplace of graphic satire, pitted against our unarmed but which became popular only The educated Indian with his determined political leaders. in the 17th century and later knowledge of English became When the British fi nally left spread to Eu rope. It came to an addict to Punch and its us, our political stage was

INDIA PERSPECTIVES NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2008 100 INDIA PERSPECTIVES NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2008 101 full of the most caricaturable deception, black money deals, newspapers or in cartoons, thus characters in the world. horse-trading and several other letting the humorist have a fi eld Topping the list was Gandhiji negative traits. I remember a day. cartoon of mine in which the with his eccentric habits of But curiously enough, the wife is telling her husband and dress, bald head, fl oppy ears country has made very little his friend: “Don’t you two have and puckish toothless smile. headway in developing social anything else to talk about He was a God-send to the cartoons of the kind one sees in except corruption, corruption caricatur ists. So was Jinnah the New Yorker or Punch. There and cor ruption. Must you two in a quite opposite way, is still no sign of the equivalent talk politics all the time?” thin as a bean-pole, sporting of Dennis the Menace, Blondie, a monocle, immaculately Most of the talk that takes Beatle Bailey or Mickey Mouse dressed in a four-piece suit, place in the name of politics appearing on the Indian sport ing a cigarette in a long is actually gossip, rumours scene… ivory holder. Then there was and speculations. These lend ◆ Nehru. I found him diffi cult The author is an eminent cartoonist. themselves splendidly to jokes This is an abridged version of the article to caricature in the early days. and humorous comments that appeared in India Perspectives, February 1991. Subsequently, I won him over either in witty columns in the by quietly removing his cap one day and exposing his bald pate. The others like Maulana Kalam Azad, Govind Vallabh Pant, Acharya Kripalini, Sarojini Naidu, etc. all seemed to have born to oblige the cartoonist. Soon after Independence, cartoons and humorous pieces of writings became a regular item in our newspapers and periodicals.

There are innumerable areas to make light-hearted comments on the peculiarites of our social life. Yet our main source of enter tainment generally seems to be politics and the ubiquitous politicians.

Our staple theme of conversa tions mostly centres around politics. This national pastime has affected even the very connotation of the term “Politics” itself. In today’s context, it pro duces images in one’s fertile mind of

INDIA PERSPECTIVES NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2008 102 INDIA PERSPECTIVES NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2008 103 OUT OF MY MIND!

Courtesy: Out of My Mind, The Statesman Ltd., New Delhi. Out of My Mind Again, Vikas Publishing House Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi

INDIA PERSPECTIVES NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2008 104 INDIA PERSPECTIVES NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2008 105 Kapil Dev is the Greatest

BHARAT BHUSHAN

hen Sri Lankan batsman “The fact that half of Kapil’s can expect the luxury of a Hashan Tillekeratne wickets had come from the few balls with the new ball to Wsnicked a bat-and-pad unforgiving batting strips of be bowled wide so that they catch to Sanjay Manjrekar at the Indian sub continent was a can be let go by. But Kapil’s the forward short-leg position tribute to his fi tness, skill and pinpoint accuracy has not off Kapil Dev during the stamina... I am enjoying the allowed this”, he once said as a Ahmedabad Test on February moment for him”. tribute to the skill of the Indian 8 this year, he was unwittingly fast bowler. Undoubtedly, in fi tness, effort, helping create cricketing history! sheer will-power and the ability Later that eventful evening, Yes – Kapil Dev had claimed his to take the rough with the Kapil Dev acknowledged that 432nd Test wicket to become smooth, Kapil Dev has been to be number one is what the greatest cricket all rounder among the fi nest cricketers of every cricketer aspires to when in the world, surpassing New all time. he starts playing. “That’s what Zealander Sir Richard Hadlee’s everyone wants to be, the best world record of 431 wickets. Even Bobby Simpson, the in the world. That is the fi rst While everyone was talking former Australian Captain, was motivation”. of Kapil’s great stamina and once forced to concede that he ◆ skill, the best tribute to his feat cannot think of anyone else, The author was a former editor of came from none other than Sir other than Kapil Dev, who has India Perspectives. This article appeared in the May 1994 issue. Richard Hadlee himself whose given the batsmen less respite. Photographs: Courtesy Srenik Sett record he had overhauled: “Normally, an opening batsman

INDIA PERSPECTIVES NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2008 106 INDIA PERSPECTIVES NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2008 107 2005 due to healthier spending India amongst the fastest-growing segments (engineering and across key markets of the US IT markets in the Asia-Pacifi c R&D services, offshore product India’s IT Industry and Western Europe, and strong region. development and made-in-India growth in emerging markets. software products) are estimated RAJIV RASTOGI Outsourcing continued to be The Indian IT-enabled and to have grown ten-fold – from the primary growth engine Business Services (ITES-BPO) a little over US $300 million in purred by the continuous service delivery reach through previous year. Thus with sound with global delivery forming an have demonstrated superiority, 2001-02 to over US $3.1 billion buoyant economy and a combination of green-fi eld macroeconomic condition and integral part of the strategies sustained cost advantage and in 2004-05, and are projected to Sa positive outlook for initiatives, besides partnerships buoyant buying sentiment in the adopted by customers as well as fundamentally powered value reach US $3.9 billion by the end corporate earnings, worldwide and alliances with local players. market, PC sales have touched service providers. The software proposition in ITES. Several of the current fi scal year. IT-ITES spending has also Global software product giants 4.7 million units during the year and ITES exports from India global players are now sourcing witnessed a steady growth. such as Microsoft, Oracle, SAP, 2005-06. The high growth in PC grew from US $12.9 billion in the their engineering and R&D Today, a majority of the Outsourcing continues to be etc., have established their sales is attributed to increased year 2003-04 to US $17.7 billion services from Indian third-party companies in India have already the primary growth engine captive development centres in consumption by industry verticals in 2004-05. These are estimated providers and/or through their aligned their internal processes with global delivery forming an India. such as Telecom, Banking and to touch US$ 23.4 billion during captive engineering and R&D and practices to international integral part of the strategies Financial Services, Manufacturing, 2005-06. Strong demand over units in India. Indian IT-ITES standards such as ISO, CMM, India’s record on information adopted by customers as well Education, Retail and BPO/IT- the past few years has placed export revenues from these Six Sigma, etc. This has helped security ranks better than many as service providers. The Indian enabled services as well as major other countries. This is due to IT-enabled and Business Services e-governance initiatives of the India’s strong emphasis on further (ITES-BPO) have demonstrated Central and State Governments. strengthening the information superiority, sustained cost Signifi cant consumption in the security environment in the advantage and fundamentally- small and medium enterprises country. More steps that are powered value proposition in and increased PC purchase in underway include enhancing ITES. Indian companies are smaller towns and cities was the legal framework through expanding their service offerings, witnessed during the last year. proposed amendments to the enabling customers to deepen It is expected that increased IT Act 2000, and increasing their offshore engagements; government focus on pan-India interaction between IT industry the shift from low-end business deployment of broadband at one and enforcement agencies to help processes to higher value, of the lowest costs in the world create greater awareness about knowledge-based processes is will soon lead to accelerated PC information security issues and having a positive impact on the consumption in the home market. facilitate mutual support as and overall industry growth. Strong when required. demand over the past few years The southward trend in pricing has placed India amongst the The total number of IT and continued during the year due fastest-growing IT markets in the ITES-BPO professionals employed to technological advances and Asia-Pacifi c region. The Indian in India has grown phenomenally other initiatives of the industry, software and ITES industry has over the years. The industry is including the below Rupees grown by 28 per cent during the estimated to have helped create Ten Thousand cost PC. The last fi ve years. The industry’s additional three million job Notebook market is expected to contribution to the national GDP opportunities through indirect grow by 100 per cent as prices has risen from 1.2 per cent in and induced employment. of notebooks have also come 1999-2000 to a projected 4.8 per down signifi cantly. Entry level The total production of consumer cent during 2005-06. notebooks are available in the electronics is expected to increase range of RS 30,000 (about US Recognising the advantages of to Rs 180,000 million during $650 only). multi-country service delivery the year 2005-06, registering capabilities, Indian companies a growth of over seven per Worldwide spending on IT-ITES are enhancing their global cent over production in the witnessed steady growth in

INDIA PERSPECTIVES NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2008 108 INDIA PERSPECTIVES NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2008 109 extend fast data connectivity upto Chennai are having K, I and F tools and fonts have already been the block level in all states and root servers, respectively. Their released, and the ones in Punjabi union territories in the country. installation in the country will and Urdu are ready for release. India is still a predominantly rural help in reducing the expensive All Indian languages are expected country, with almost two thirds of international bandwidth load, to be covered in the next one its population living in villages. increase the internet resilience by year. The Information Technology Consequently the IT Department, bringing down our dependency Act was enacted in the year 2000, as part of NEGP, proposes to on root servers abroad. primarily to boost e-commerce in establish 100,000 Common The benefi ts of Information the country. Services Centres (CSCs) in rural ◆ Technology can reach the The author is a Civil Servant with the areas. common man in India only when Department of Information Technology, Government of India. This article is an The Department of Information the digitalised information is abridged version of the original one that Technology (DIT) and National available in all Indian languages. appeared in the December 2006 issue of India Perspectives. Internet Exchange of India (NIXI) The Department of Information has installed three mirror Internet Technology has thus taken a root servers at Delhi, Mumbai major initiative to make freely and Chennai, as these form a available to people the tools and critical part of the global Internet fonts in various Indian languages. infrastructure. Delhi, Mumbai and Tamil, Hindi and Telugu software

establish India as a credible meeting local as well as export sourcing destination. As of markets. December 2005, over 400 Indian In consonance with its companies had acquired Quality commitment to improve the certifi cations with 82 companies quality of basic governance, certifi ed at SEI CMM Level 5 – the government is laying great higher than any other country in emphasis on E-Governance – the world. especially in areas of concern The telecommunication industry to the common man. A National is now recognised as the key E-governance Plan (NEGP) driver for all round development has accordingly been drawn and growth. With over 175 up; it will be implemented million telephone subscribers, at the central, state and local India has emerged as one of government levels. This will the largest in the world and make all government services second largest in Asia. More than accessible to the common man 800,000 Broadband connections in his locality, throughout his have been provided in more life, through a One-stop-shop than 100 towns in the country. (integrated service delivery) India has also emerged as ensuring effi ciency, transparency the second largest market for and reliability and at affordable mobile handsets. Following the cost. The Government has unprecedented growth in the already approved a scheme for mobile market, a number of the establishment of State Wide companies are planning to set Area Networks (SWANs) at a total up production base for mobile outlay of Rs 33,340 million for handsets in the country for the next fi ve years. These will

INDIA PERSPECTIVES NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2008 110 INDIA PERSPECTIVES NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2008 111 PRESIDENT’S BODYGUARDS That Grand Spectacle...

P.K. DE

t ceremonial functions, the President of India is Aescorted by a select group of elite troops – 145 bright and smart horse riding men – each of them handpicked and selected from families having a long and glorious tradition of military service. Together they constitute the senior-most unit of the Indian Army, called the President’s Bodyguard. Raised almost 230 years ago in September, 1773, by the then British Governor-General Warren Hastings, The Bodyguard has, throughout its chequered history, maintained an enviable record of combat service both in India and abroad. It now bestows a grand spectacle, of colour and pageantry on all State functions. Through the passage of time the composition of the Bodyguard has changed to meet different requirements. Today, service in the President’s Bodyguard is essentially hereditary and cannot be achieved by a soldier less than six feet in height. The President’s Bodyguard is an elite unit as it is specially trained to serve both as armoured and mounted ceremonial troops. For ceremonial occasions, its horses are all Indian bred and

INDIA PERSPECTIVES NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2008 112 INDIA PERSPECTIVES NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2008 113 all chestnut brown in colour without white markings, averaging over fi fteen hands in height. The President’s Bodyguard enjoys two unique distinctions, namely its horses wear manes – a distinction held only by the Household Cavalry in the British Army – and it is the only unit in the Indian Army privileged to carry the Presidential Silver Trumpet. On ceremonial occasions, the President’s Bodyguard is distinguished by its scarlet and gold embroidered frock coats, ceremonial turbans, Napolean jack boots and trappings. In summer, the scarlet-gold coat is replaced by white tunics. Each man proudly wears the gold embroidered wings of a trained Parachutist. When mounted on horseback, the Bodyguard carry the traditional bamboo lance of the cavalry, topped by a fl uttering red and white pennant. Since 1947, the major function of the Bodyguard has only been ceremonial – as the personal troops of the Rashtrapati (President of India). However, the offi cers and troopers are nevertheless all active combatants ready to proceed on active duty, anywhere – anytime. ◆ The author is a regular contributor to India Perspectives. This article appeared in the June 2003 issue.

INDIA PERSPECTIVES NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2008 114 INDIA PERSPECTIVES NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2008 115 “Tiger! Tiger!”

BHAGAT SINGH

Winter was at its peak. A cold wind was gently blowing across the vast open ground overgrown with tall grass, shrubs and brushwood that abound in the Dhikala complex (The core area of the Corbett National Park). I was sipping my morning tea, sitting comfortably on a chair outside my tent in the soft sun, warming up for the strenuous day ahead, as I had to explore the adjoining forest. Vinoo, aged fi ve, fl ushed with excitement, came running and holding my trouser at the knee, shouted at the top of his voice, looking up straight at my face, “Daddy! Daddy! Tiger, Tiger”. Before I could stand up and rush into the tent to pick up my camera, the boy ran back. I dashed into the grass, caught hold of the boy and dragged him unceremoniously out onto the road, without heeding to his repeated calls, “Daddy, tiger is there!” On my way back to the tent, I mused, “The child might have seen a spotted deer or a sambhar”. Sitting on the chair, I gently asked Vinoo if he had really seen the face of the beast. Stretching both his hands as wide as he could, he said, “Yes, Daddy, it was so big”. “What about the tail?”, I asked. “It was very long, Daddy”, he answered. This description of the beast confi rmed beyond doubt that it certainly was a tiger that

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Vinoo had seen. Why did it not mission, for, tigers as a rule do lens on the far side of the river distress. Karuna, completely My presence, unintentionally, harm the child, I asked myself. not hunt in daylight. to get ready to click as soon as paralysed by the spine-chilling added to the complexity of the Instantly I was reminded of Jim the giant would show his full presence of the most dreaded situation which the beast was But the next time it was different. Corbett’s observation, “Tiger is appearance. beast as near as six feet, was in. By then, he hardly had any I was camping at Dhikala with the gentleman of the forest”. sitting on the ground with her time to comprehend the situation my youngest son Vinay and The tusker had to cover only arms wrapped round her knees. and decide his further course Jim Corbett has cited several such my daughter Karuna. It was on a few feet to reach the river. I She looked dead and lifeless, as if of action. Rudely shaken, he instances in his stories that lend one afternoon that I, with my aimed my camera at him, keeping she had been struck by lightning. briskly stepped forward three or suffi cient credence to the belief daughter and son, was sitting on a constant watch through the She was staring, with vacant four paces and emitted, in quick that tigers are averse to killing the boundary wall of the old Rest viewfi nder for the right moment eyes, right into the face of the succession, a few deep-grunted human beings so long as they are House facing the Ram Ganga to press the shutter release striped beast, as if begging for growls in full rage. Frozen to capable of securing their natural below. After a long wait, we knob. As moments passed, a her life. The tiger, a fairly grown the bone, all I could make out prey to sustain their existence. saw a massive movement in the dead silence drew over us and up male, stood in suspense, parched grass. We soon realised everything seemed to standstill. of his uproarious ferocity at that Opinions of experts widely differ with calm but threatening looks, that a heavily built lone tusker The apparent stillness and the fateful moment was that the beast as to the causes responsible for facing the girl as if admonishing was on the move. I guessed it uneasy calm were rudely broken really intended to administer the handicaps of a tiger. Whatever her for intruding too close to might be the Red-Ear Rogue. by the two pathetic and heart- severe punishment to me, for be the cause for his handicap, his track. Just as I reached the Hurriedly sliding down the wall, rending screams of my daughter, my annoying intrusion into the the fact remains that he kills only edge, and stood helpless at we made our way towards the “Tiger! Tiger!”. Terribly shaken scene. I prayed to the Almighty to satisfy his hunger; he does about 15 feet from the frightful spot, where he would possibly and numbed by the horror that from the core of my heart to not kill beyond his requirement, sight, the tiger uttered a low cross the river taking the well- had besieged the poor girl, I rescue us from the instant danger. except when provoked. Being a grunted growl, looking sharp known elephant track. Keeping stealthily walked upto the edge of into my eyes, with ears pointing Apprehending no serious danger carnivorous, he cannot assimilate an eye on the tusker, we walked the bend, signaling my son to run towards me and raising his tail from the two motionless objects, any other form of food, except for three quarters of a kilometer away to the rest house. I stood up with a sudden jerk, showing the gentle beast quietly slid down fl esh, whether human or animal. and reached the point where motionless holding my breath. in no uncertain terms his intense to the Ram Ganga to quench his Evidently, the tiger Vinoo had the grass land joins the wooded There was nothing I could do to displeasure and indignation at my thirst and to cool himself in its seen was not on a hunting hill slope. I focussed my camera free my child from her present abrupt appearance on the scene. fl owing water.

INDIA PERSPECTIVES NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2008 118 INDIA PERSPECTIVES NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2008 119 Recovering from my daze, I hurriedly walked upto the girl. Walking Life Patting her on the shoulders, I asked her to stand up. Trembling and quivering, she My Way embraced me and burst into tears. Sobbing bitterly, the only RUSKIN BOND words that could slip out of her lips were “Daddy, Daddy”. ll my life I have been a the little Anglican church which Next day, I set out to inspect the walking person. To this still stands in the little hill spot and investigate the causes of day, I have neither owned station. My father had done his the grave error I had committed A nor driven a car, bus, tractor, schooling at Lawrence Royal the previous day. I found a aeroplane, motor-boat, scooter, Military School, at Sanawar, well-beaten animal track running truck or steam-roller. Forced to a few miles away, but he across the forest that lay on the make a choice, I would drive had gone into “tea” and then right and sloping down to the a steam-roller, because of its teaching, and at the time I was river below on the left. It is well known that tigers usually drink slow but solid progress and born, he was out of a job. unhurried fi nality. water twice a day. Moreover, But my earliest memories are tigers, like most other animals, In my early teens, I did for a not of Kasauli, for, we left when have their marked territories. brief period ride a bicycle, until I was two or three months old; The well-marked track bore I rode into a bullock-cart and they are of Jamnagar, a small testimony to the presence of the broke my arm; the accident state in coastal Kathiawar, tiger in the nearby forest. The only serving to underline where my father took a job as beast was, as usual, on his way my unsuitability for wheeled English tutor to several young to Ram Ganga when the poor conveyance or any conveyance princes and princesses. girl confronted him right in the that is likely to take my feet off middle of his track. It was but Amongst my father’s pupils in the ground. Although dreamy natural for him to take stock of one of these small States were and absent-minded, I have the situation and to interrogate three beau tiful princesses. One never walked into a bullock- the trespasser to satisfy himself of them was about my age, but cart. that she did not pose any danger the other two were older, and to him. Obviously, he had no Perhaps there is something they were the ones at whose evil intentions towards the to be said for sun-signs. Mine feet I worshipped. I think I was girl. It was a case of defence being Taurus, I have, like the four or fi ve when I had this and not of aggression. In the bull, always stayed close to strong crush on two “older” girls sheer excitement of catching grass, and have lived my life – eight and ten re spectively. the huge tusker in my camera, at my own leisurely pace, At fi rst I was not sure that they I inadvertently violated the laws only being stirred into furious were girls, because they always of the jungle. ◆ activity when goaded beyond wore jackets and trousers and The author is an expert on wildlife. endurance. I have every kept their hair quite short. But This is an abridged version of the article sympathy for bulls and none for my father told me they were which appeared in India Perspectives, November 1999. bull-fi ghters. girls, and he never lied to me! I was born in the Kasauli My father was a loving parent. military hospital (near Shimla) He taught me to read and write in 1934, and was baptized in long be fore I started going to

INDIA PERSPECTIVES NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2008 120 INDIA PERSPECTIVES NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2008 121 school, although it is true to say retiring from the Railways had that I fi rst learned to read upside built a neat, compact bungalow down. This happened because on the Old Survey Road. There I would sit on a stool in front of it stands to day, unchanged the three princesses, watching except in ownership. Dehra them read and write, so the was a small, quiet garden town, view I had of their books was only parts of which are still an upside-down view; I still read recognizable, now fi fty years that way occasionally, especially after I fi rst saw it. when a book gets boring! I remember waking in the My mother was at least twelve train early one morning and years younger and liked going looking out of the window out to parties and dances. She at heavy forest-trees of every was quite happy to leave me description but mostly Sal and in the care of the servants. Shisham: here and there a forest I had no objection to the glade, or a stream of clear arrangement. The servants water-quite dif ferent from the indulged me; and so did my muddied waters of the streams father, bringing me books, and rivers we had crossed the toys, comics, chocolates and previous day. As we passed of course stamps, when he over a largish river we saw a returned from visits to Bombay. herd of elephants bathing; and leaving the forests of the Siwalik There are other kinds of walks hills, we entered the Doon that I shall come to later but it Valley, where fi elds of rice and was not until I came to Dehra fl owering mustard stretched Dun and my grandmother’s away to the foothills. house that I really found my feet as a walker. Outside the station we climbed into a tonga, or pony-trap, In 1939, when World War II and rolled creakingly along broke out, my father joined quiet roads until we reached the RAF, and my mother and I my grandmother’s house. went to stay with her mother Grandfather had died a in Dehra Dun, while my father couple of years previously found himself in a tent on the and grandmother lived alone, outskirts of Delhi. It took two except for occasional visits or three days by train from from her married daughters Jamnagar to Dehra Dun. By and their fami lies, and from her journey’s end we were wilting unmarried but wandering son and soot covered, but Dehra’s Ken, who was to turn up from bracing winter climate soon time to time, especially when brought us back to life. his funds were low. Granny It was a popular place with also had a tenant, Miss Kellner, elderly Anglo-In dians, and who occupied a portion of the my maternal grandfather, after bungalow.

INDIA PERSPECTIVES NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2008 122 INDIA PERSPECTIVES NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2008 123 don’t remember that he ever laughed or smiled. I am not Looking Back sure what deep tragedy dwelt behind those dark eyes (he never spoke about himself, even when questioned) but he was tolerant of me, and talked to me about the fl owers and their characteristics. It looks like just yesterday. To gauge, what people in There were rows and rows of sweet peas; beds full of But 20 years have passed. those countries would like phlox and sweet- smelling One evening when I was to know about India was snapdragons; geraniums on working at the Press the next big challenge. the verandah steps, hollyhocks Information Bureau in Was it India’s diverse along the garden wall. Behind Chennai, I got a two line culture or her plural the house were the fruit trees, teleprinter message that I secular democracy or her somewhat ne glected since my had been transferred as quest for economic power? grandfather’s death, and it was Chief Editor of Indian and Or was it India’s unique here that I liked to wander Foreign Review (IFR) and diversity in religion, in the afternoons, for the old orchard was dark and private posted to New Delhi. I was language and lifestyle? a bit upset as my second in the next editions of and full of pos sibilities. I made IFR and then decided Thus, began the journey friends with an old jackfruit daughter had been born of India Perspectives, tree, in whose trunk was a large just a few months earlier. to totally change the magazine into a monthly which has completed 20 hole in which I stored marbles, As I prepared myself to years. The initial response coins, catapults and other and make it much more treasures, much as a crow stores take up the assignment, reader friendly and was heartwarming. Our the bright ob jects it picks up I called on the legendary more importantly, a real readers in many countries during its peregrina tions. Editor of the Hindu, window of India to the took to the magazine and Mr. G. Kasturi to take asked for copies to be I have never been a great world. Thus, was born tree- climber, having a tendency leave of him. I told him India Perspectives. mailed directly to them. that I was a bit nervous as In the last twenty years, to fall off branches, but I liked The task was not easy. The climbing walls (and still do), I had no experience in the India Perspectives has and it was not long be fore I had print media. He gave me a times were different. There grown into a good India climbed the wall behind the few tips: Be topical, serve was no internet. The print magazine and I feel like Miss Kellner had been crippled hands were deformed and she orchard, to drop into unknown the widest possible interest media had taken roots, a proud parent. My best in a carriage accident in Calcutta could scarcely hold a pen, but terri tory and explore the bazars and make sure that your but the electronic media wishes! when she was a girl, and had she managed to play cards quite and by lanes of Dehra. was still at an infant ◆ readers look forward to been confi ned to a chair all her dexterously and taught me a stage. A magazine like adult life. She had been left The author is a noted writer. This is an the next edition. number of card games, which abridged version of the article which India Perspectives could – TG Nallamuthu some money by her parents, I have forgotten now. Miss appeared in India Perspectives, May 1993. I took this message as a still reach people all over and was able to afford an ayah Kellner was the only person gospel. Initially, I made and four palanquin-bearers, the world and tell them with whom I could play cards: some incremental changes who carried her about when she allowed me to cheat! India’s story. she wanted the chair moved, and took her for outings in a Granny employed a full-time real sedan-chair or sometimes gardener, a wizened old a rick shaw – she had both. Her character named Dhuki, and I

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