Tribute to Bharat Ratna: Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam

At times when heart is burdened with emotions, words fail us. Truly how can words describe an extraordinary human being nonpareil...? Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam aged 83 collapsed while delivering a lecture on Liveable Earth at IIM Shillong and passed away. With enthusiasm and optimism engrained in every cell, he breathed last whilst his noble mission of reaching out to the younger generation of our country.

Avul Pakir Jainulabudeen Abdul Kalam was born on October 15^th 1931 in the temple city of Rameshwaram to a boat owner Jainulabudeen and Ashiamma, a housewife in a religious Muslim family. Being part of a large family with meagre resources, Kalam started contributing to the household income at an early age by selling newspapers. His father’s stoicism, spiritual way of life and mother’s bountiful love, caring spirit and generosity had a deep impact on young Kalam. Kalam’s childhood soaked with encounters of unique communal harmony shaped his convictions and beliefs. The syncretic fabric of the society  motivated him to read, assimilate and understand the knowledge contained in different religious texts and later on for years to come he remained an ardent believer of science.

While his grades were average during the school days he was bright and very eager to learn. After his schooling in Ramanathapuram, Kalam harboured a penchant to become a pilot but narrowly missed out in the final Air Force selections. Undaunted by failure, he soon reoriented his path and accepted the job of scientist at Aeronautical Development Establishment of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). Later he was part of the INCOSPAR committee working under Dr. Vikram Sarabhai. In 1969 he was then transferred to Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and was director of India’s first Satellite Launching Vehicle (SLV-III) that successfully deployed satellite Rohini in the near earth orbit. India’s tryst with rockets and satellites has been a mixed bag of success and failures. During the initial stages of space programme Indian scientists have suffered several trepidations, further intense media scrutiny and high level of expectations put them under immense pressure. After several trials and tribulations India successfully developed the SLVs and Polar Satellite Launching Vehicles (PSLV)s. From 1992 to 1999 Kalam served as chief scientific adviser to the Prime Minister and the secretary of DRDO. After resigning from the post of scientific adviser in 1999 he set a target of meeting 10,000 students. These interactions enlivened the teacher in him propelling him into motivating the younger generation.

Kalam played a great role in developing missile technology including Agni, an intermediate range ballistic missile and Prithvi the tactical surface to surface missile. He was the chief Project coordinator of the illustrious Pokhran-II nuclear blast of 1998 that catapulted India into the group of nuclear countries. India heaved a sigh of triumphalism as the “Operation Shakti” marked by five explosions ended on a high note. While the mood of the leaders was euphoric, India was later ordained for series of sanctions from western countries. In a diametrically significant accomplishment, the Missile Man of India fondly admired for launching satellites and firing missiles developed a low cost coronary stent, Kalam-Raju stent with cardiologist Soma Raju. The duo later designed a tablet computer for health care in rural areas called Kalam-Raju Tablet. The outstanding contributions of this ingenious prodigy hold testimony to his brilliance and scientific acumen.

Kalam’s second innings as a reluctant politician began when he won the presidential elections in a highly one-sided contest against the revolutionary leader Lakshmi Sahgal in 2002. He became 11^th President of India, served one complete term and remained largely untouched by guileful politics. He became the first scientist, first bachelor and third Bharat Ratna recipient to be the head of the state (other two were Dr. Sarvepalli RadhaKrishna and Dr. Zakir Hussain). Kalam hailing from a humble background rose to the highest echelon of the country becoming an inspirational Indian to the younger generation. As a President his warmth, humility and simple ways endeared to one and all. His special love for children and the yearning desire to inspire the youth through motivational speeches and interactions has won hearts of millions. Aptly so he was dearly admired as “People’s President” who alos formulated India Vision Strategies for 2020. Post Presidential years, Kalam completely engaged in academic activities by serving as a visiting professor at several elite institutions. In 2012 he launched a programme ‘What Can I Give Movement’ to stem corruption. 

Kalam’s 79^th birthday was recognised as World Student’s Day by United Nations in 1999. He received honorary doctorates from 40 universities. Government of India honoured with Padma Bhushan in 1980, Padma Vibhusan in 1990 and was conferred with highest civilian award Bharat Ratna in 1997. In 2005 Switzerland declared May 26^th as Science Day to commemorate Kalam’s visit to their country.

 Kalam’s invaluable contributions to society are his inspirational writings infusing optimism and blueprints ensconced with vision for a vibrant India. His autobiography: Wings of fire with vignettes of his life continue to ignite our spirits, add wings to our aspiration and fire our imaginations. All his virtues and traits are truly infectious. His contemplations, opinions and veracity about life are awe-inspiring. Another important facet of Kalam’s personality has been his profound philosophical outlook towards life. Science is exploratory and the validity of truth is often ascertained by facts. Hence scientists in general are very practical and averse to spiritual way of thought. But here we find a genius in Kalam, fondly called as India’s ‘Missile Man’ to be an epitome of spirituality. Whenever he tumbled in life with a failure or a loss of dear ones, he would find solace in the sacred books like Bhagavad Gita, Quran and Bible. His spiritual musings can be traced to his firm faith in God inculcated by his parents at a young age.

APJ Abdul Kalam is undeniably the only President of India who touched lives of people at several levels and has been a true inspiration to millions of Indians. It is indeed very rare to find a true genius to be highly unassuming. While as a scientist of exceptional ingenuity and knowledge he is the Pioneer of rocket science in India. On the other hand, his profound understanding about life is highly motivating. He is perhaps the most humble human being for he believes that values of humanity can alone offer true succour. Here is an excerpt of a deep and insightful saying that speaks volumes about his profound understanding about essence of life. “Joy is fleeting, whereas true happiness and calm can come to us only after intense pain, when we have confronted ourselves in the mirror of our souls and understood the self.”  

Kalam, a simple man from a small place in the South India swayed the entire country with his humble demeanour, enchanting smile, infectious enthusiasm and undiminished optimism. A true tribute to this noblest son of the land lies in fulfilling the pragmatic vision of technological development envisioned by him.

 

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Sri Bhimeswara Swamy Temple, Draksharamam

Revered as Dakshina Ganga, Draksharamam, the pancharama kshetra in East Godavari is one of the highly visited temples in Andhra Pradesh. The main deities of the temple are Lord Bhimeswara Swamy and Goddess Manikyamba making it a famous Shaiva kshetra  and Shakti kshetra.

This region of Andhra Pradesh was popular as Trilinga Desa in ancient times due to the presence of three sacred Shivalingams at Srisailam, Kalahasti and Draksharamam. The Shivalingam at this temple was believed to be installed by Lord Surya.

History

The temple was built Eastern Chalukyan King of Vengi- Bhima between 9-10^th centuries when the kingdom was under the attack of Rashtrakoota Kings.

Inscriptions dated back to 11^th century are found in temple premises which can be traced back to Eastern and Western Chalukyas as well as the Kalingas and Cholas. The inscriptions are found in Dravidian, Telugu, Devanagiri and Tamil scripts.

Mythological Connect

During the horrific battle of slaying of demon Tarakasura, the Shivalinga in his throat broke into five pieces that fell in different places which became Pancharama kshetras. One such piece fell at Draksharamam.

According to another legend, Draksharamam was considered as the place of Daksha Yagna. Since Sati immolated herself at yagna hall, no sacrificial ceremonial yagna rituals are performed in this place.

The place is one of the Ashtadasha Shaktipeetha’s and out of these eighteen proposed by Sri AdiShankaracharya, Draksharamam is twelfth.  This is one of the unique sacred places where both God and Goddess are highly revered. Other pilgrimages which fall under this category are Varanasi where Lord Vishwanatha and Goddess Annapurna are worshipped, Srisailam where Lord Mallikarjuna Swamy and Goddess Bramaramba are adored.

Devasthanam

            - The temple located on the banks of river Godavari is considered as an architectural marvel.

- Sthalapurana says that the temple was built in a single night by angels. The construction of the boundary wall couldn’t be completed before sunrise and it remained unfinished even now.

- It was believed that several attempts were made to construct the wall but it would collapse within few months.

- The unique style of the temple is presence of two-storeyed mandapa supported by massive intricately carved pillars. 

- The four different entrances to the temple located in four cardinal directions are named after four Goddesses- Nookambika, Gogulamma, Moodhamabike, Ghattambike.

- The main deity of temple Lord Bhimeswara present in inner sanctum sanctorum is in the form of Shivalingam.

-The Shivalingam which is 9ft high has crystal texture and when early morning Sun’s rays fall on the Shivalingam, black stripes appear in the upper part.

- The inner sanctum sanctorum has high pedestal built for the archakas to perform rituals. The Lord is accompanied by his consort Dakshyani (daughter of Daksha).

            - The shrine of Goddess Manikyamba considered as the one the 18 pieces of Sati that fell here and is regarded as Shakti Peetha. The Goddess face is looking towards left and is signified as Vamachara Devatha.

-The shrine of Lord Vishnu is located at the entrance of the temple is the kshetrapalaka (guardian) of the temple.

- Within the temple complex there are smaller shrines of Praakara Bhairavudu, Virupa, Nataraja, Vamana, Vishweshwara, Dundhi Ganapati, Goddess Annapurna, Goddess Durga.

-There is a small pond Godavari Kundam near the temple whose waters is considered very sacred and is used for performing Abhisekham (puja).

- According to a legend, Saptamaharishis divided the Akhanda Godavari into seven streams. Of them Draksharama, Vishwamitra, Bharadwaja, Jamadagni known as Antarvahinis have gone underground and merged together as a pond called Sapta Godavari Kundam.

- Important festivals celebrated in the temple MahaShivaratri, Devi Navatrulu, Subhramanya Sashti, Kalyanam celebrations on Bhishma Ekadasi and Jwalathoranam during Kartika month.

Activities of Temple

Laksha Patri Puja, Lakshakumkumarchana, Laksha Vattula Nomu, Ekadasa Rudram, Sahashra Kumkumarchana and Rudra Homam

Other Attractions

Chalukya Bheemeswaram temple at Samalkot

Coringa Wild Life Sanctury

Matlapalem Mahalakshmi Temple

Kotipalli

Accommodation

Nearest accommodation for devotees visiting Draksharamam can be availed from Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (APTDC) resorts in Kakinada. The temple Trust also provides modest accommodation facilities at reasonable rates.

How to reach

By Road: 6km from Ramachandrapuram

  28 km from Kakinada

            40 km from Rajahmundry

            185 km from Vijayawada

By Rail: Nearest Railway Station is Kakinada.

By Air: Nearest Airport is at Rajahmundry.

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Quirky U-turns and Frenzied provocations: The Gambit of Pakistan

Signalling resumption of bilateral talks Prime Minister Modi reached out to his counterpart Nawaz Sharif of Pakistan along the sidelines of SCO meet at Ufa, Russia. The dialogue initiated by the Indian side ended more than 11-month stalemate with Pakistan. Observers on both sides touted this meet as “ice-breaking” since it was followed by an impromptu joint statement read by the foreign secretaries of two countries, a gesture which raised hopes on both sides. The joint statement deliberately avoided a mention of Kashmir issue and instead it was decided that National Security Advisor (NSA)s of the both countries will discuss all issues connected to terrorism.  The other contents included early meetings of DG BSF and DG Pakistan Rangers, release of fishermen in each other’s custody along with their boats within 15days, mechanism to facilitate religious tourism and both sides agreed to discuss ways and means to expedite the Mumbai trials case which includes additional information like providing voice samples. This statement was welcomed by both the sides initially. Hence the momentum of the dialogue assumed greater significance.

The bilateral meet was followed by welcoming of India and Pakistan as full members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), another platform where both nations can work together towards economic growth. The deliberate avoidance of Kashmir and replacing it with discussions on all issues related to terrorism infuriated Pakistan. Within 24 hrs of the meet Sartaz Aziz, National Security Advisor of Pakistan issued a terse statement, backtracking on all the issues of the joint statement. This significant discordant U-turn dampened the spirit of dialogue completely. All the hopes of revival were dashed as he pronounced that no dialogue can be possible without Kashmir issue on agenda, he quashed the idea of voice samples, sought more evidence from India and further extended Iftar dinner invitation to separatists. A quick turn of events soon ensued whereby Pakistan resorted to 11 major incursions in 5 days. India in continuance with the spirit of friendship reached out to its neighbour in spite of the fateful killing of BSF jawan during the cross fire opened by Pakistan on the day of bilateral talks.

While this is not the first instance of Pakistan transgressing on its promise, it is high time that India recalibrates its foreign policy strategy towards Pakistan. Flip-flops have been the backbone of Pakistan diplomacy. Indian civilian government unlike the Pakistan’s army controlled regime rooted in robust perfidy made sincere attempts to restore peace. But with a change in the leadership at helm of affairs India’s engagement process with Pakistan impregnated with political peace fantasies failed to accomplish a strategic breakthrough. Over the past seven decades while overwhelming optimism was meted out by enthusiastic peace talks cross border violations were followed by long dud in bilateral engagement. This process of engagement and disengagement followed by the Indian side has failed to make any gains. Indian position was thus marred by periods of intermittent dialogue and diplomatic stalemate.

The oft experienced pattern of quick U-turns has been the symbolic approach of our eastern neighbours too who incessantly barge into the Indian side along the LAC. But systematic incursions of China failed to puncture Indian weariness. In fact India has been holding regular peace talks with Chinese officials unfailingly. It is time that Indian policy makers follow similar strategy towards Pakistan. After assuming power the NDA government signalled forces to retaliate aggressively on ground. This pre-emptive approach towards Pakistan should be backed by regular dialogue. India needs to understand that war and peace can together and way forward can be consistent engagement.

While the Pakistan’s witch-craft theories and sinister plots continue to make rounds it is time that India should strategically tackle the combined Sino-Pakistan attack. China having mastered the art of diplomacy recently conferred full membership to India and China to take a moral high ground of its affability towards both nations. India should take a leaf out of Chinese foreign policy strategy. During Modi’s recent visit to China he has extended a high profile electrifying reception and trade agreements worth $20 billion were signed.  When Modi during the course of bilateral talks appealed Beijing to resolve the border issue which has been a bone of contention, Chinese government decided to remain silent.  Instead China reckoned Modi’s visit as most successful visit and hasn’t shied away from making ignominious attacks on India. Further it has vetoed India’s move on Lakhvi at the UN. In spite of India expressing its serious concerns about the proposed China-Pak economic corridor running through Pok with President Xi nothing much has changed. Just as the covert bhaichara displayed by China has been a major photo-op, India should understand the importance of “iron fist in velvet gloves”.

Both Pakistan and China are greedy nations and are hell bent on usurping strategic Indian provinces. While Pakistan wants to confiscate PoK (Pakistan Occupied Kashmir) and a portion of Kashmir valley, China has its eyes on Aksai Chin and Tawang district of Arunachal Pradesh. The duo have constructively formulated an India containment policy and inflicted significant damages. Besides, China has been instigating the combined front of the NE militants across the Myanmar border to wreak havoc in the eastern states. Hence India’s pragmatic two-pronged policy should now work towards revving up diplomatic and defence capabilities. Besides India must now bolster its image on the global platform and reincarnate itself as an assertive nation. This must definitely include a strategy where India continues to work in close tandem with South East Asian Nations.

As a propitious beginning to the new strategy notwithstanding the constant flare-ups across the borders, Indian foreign secretary has ruled out that war is not an option. He reiterated that India will give “effective and forceful” reply to the unprovoked firing and cross border killings. While the saboteurs might craftily hitch new plans to derail the dialogue process through repeated violations India must not relent and continue to engage with Pakistan. This strategy will give India enough room to manoeuvre and claim that in spite of its unstinted commitment towards peace through dialogue Pakistan has been the perpetrator.

Modi government seems to have realised the game plan of Pakistan and China. Determined to resolve the border issue Modi has extended a friendly hand to Pakistan by inviting him to his swearing-in ceremony and opened his innings as a Prime Minister with diplomatic dialogues. But Pakistan habituated to border violations and pushing infiltrators was back to its old habits.  In the meanwhile, NDA government promptly sent tough messages across the border by counteracting every unprovoked firing strongly.  Unfortunately talks between the two countries were called off in August 2014 as the foreign secretary of Pakistan wanted to hold dialogue with Hurriyat leaders in the position of stake holder of Kashmir. After 11 months India has reached out to Pakistan for diplomatic talks at Ufa. The new reformulated strategy towards Pakistan for now encompasses diplomatic dialogue and an aggressive fight on ground. The robust plan designed by Narendra Modi, Ajit Doval and Manohar Parrikar to mitigate Pakistani tactics has just begun and its stringent implementation might pave way for a major break-through.

 

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A Journey to Sangla (Baspa) Valley: Land of Kinnauris Part-4

Sandhu Village to Delhi

Day 5:

Nestled in the Apple Orchards, from the hotel room at Sandhu we had great views of the Himalayan country side. We started off by 9am and travelled till Kufri along NH-22. At Kufri, we took left turn and drove along a steep road that went past the Kufri Zoo and the famous Chini Bungalow, a testimony to Indo-Tibetan architecture. Chail is 30 km from Kufri and we have to drive through a narrow road. Unlike Shimla which is swarmed by tourists this road is less travelled and passes through a Nature park. There was hardly any traffic on this road and the serenity of the place was overwhelming. Soon we crossed Khariyal ghati, Munda ghat, Shilon Bagh and Koti, a robust town in this region. Before reaching Chail, we stopped at a village and had hot parathas by the side of the road.

 

Chail is remote town in the Shivalik belt. It is the summer capital of the erstwhile princely state of Patiala. It came into existence when Maharaja of Patiala was expelled by British from Shimla. Aggrieved Maharaja, grudging the insult avowed to clench his hold of this region. He soon explored for a hill station which is within the reach of Shimla and located at a much higher elevation. The village of Chail perfectly fulfilled his requirements. Maharaja soon built a huge palace spread in 75 acres of land in 1891. The huge mansion with all its grandeur is passed over to HPTDC in 1970 is now turned into a Palace Hotel. Chail is built over three hills- Palace Hotel is built on Rajgarh Hill, Siddh Baba Mandir is atop Siddh Hill and Pandhewa Hill has a residence of former British official.

Palace Lawns

 

Weather in Chail soon turned very chilly and with childish instincts overpowering us we devoured ice creams. First we first visited the Palace that exuded majestic splendour. While the palace may not be high on grandeur, the huge expanse of lawns, elegant fountains and pavilions emanated the glory of the Patiala rulers. It started drizzling as we were walking on the Royal lawns soon we got into our car and headed towards the Siddh Hill to visit Siddh Baba Mandir and the famous cricket ground constructed in 1893 atop of the Siddh Hill.

Siddh Temple

 

Siddh Baba temple has great historical importance and according to locals Maharaja Bhupinder Singh wanted to build his palace on this hill and started construction. However after repeated efforts it couldn’t be completed. Maharaja once got a dream where a Saint appeared and told him that it was the place where he meditated and later on was buried underneath. In his honour Maharaja built the Siddh Baba Temple. The quaint place has three shrines with marble sculpted statue of the Siddh Baba in the centre, to the left are the most attractive and beautifully carved images of Lord Rama, Goddess Sita, Lord Lakshmana and Lord Hanuman and to the left is the entourage of Lord Shiva. Abutting this temple complex is the shrine that housed idol of Goddess Durga. As we were about to exit from the temple premises it started raining. This continued for the major part of our journey on the hills.

Siddh Baba

We then frenetically searched for the cricket stadium in pouring rain. Just then a young sergeant came to our rescue and guided us to the ground. It stands at a height of 2444.4 mts and is one of the highest cricket pitches and polo grounds in the World. The place which is under the jurisdiction of military school is used as playground.

Highest playground

Other important places of interest are the Chail Wild Life Sanctuary, which was earlier the private hunting reserve of Patiala. Spread in an area of 11,000 hectares it has rarest collection of flora and fauna. Chail is 45km from Shimla and the place with its myriad charms continues to enchant the travellers. Another place of significance is Kali ka Tibba, located on a hill top and 8 km from Chail. The place is connected by a road which goes through thick forests. People visit the place as it offers beautiful view of majestic peaks like Chur Chandini Peak and Karol Tibba. Since it was raining heavily we dropped the plans of visiting Mahakali Mandir and drove towards Solan. While the drive during rain is exciting, risk of landslides on hills makes the drive more challenging.  We steadily descended the narrow windy road and reached Sadhupul.

Sadhupul is a small village and a popular picnic spot. A stream of water, Ashwini flows through the village and visible tracts of land around this place practice step cultivation. The bridge across the steam was broken in 2014 when an overloaded truck tried to cross it. With the collapse of the bridge, the road crossing has become very chaotic. Several vehicles got queued up to hit the narrow road, which is muddy and become slippery due to rain. Some of the heavy vehicles ahead of us made jerky noises and caused a fright. Thankfully we could move out of that muddy pool without much difficulty. Except for this bad patch, the road from Chail to Solan was okay. We soon reached Khandaghat and then hit the NH-22 highway at Solan. From there though roads were broad heavy traffic descending the hills has literally slowed down our drive. We steadily moved past Barog and at Parawanoo we drove along the 8-lane gorgeous Himalayan Express way. Finally we reached Delhi by midnight.

 

Photographs Courtesy: Dr. T. L. S. Bhaskar

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A Journey to Sangla (Baspa) Valley: Land of Kinnauris, Part-3

    Kalpa to Sandhu Village

Day 4:

Morning we woke up at Sunrise to have a clear view of the Shivaling atop Kinnaur Kailash. Kinnaur Kailash with an elevation of 6050msl is considered sacred by Buddhists and Hindus and held in high reverence. People embark on parikrama of this range which takes about 7-9 days. A 79 ft vertical rock regarded as Kailash Shivalingam standing atop this peak is mythologically considered as the abode of Lord Shiva. On a bright sunny day the Shivaling changes colour over a period of time. Legends say that this Shivaling has come into existence since the times of Bhasmasur who upon great penance received a boon by which if he touches the head of any person, the person will turn into ashes (bhasma). As he wanted the possession of Goddess Parvati he wanted to turn Lord Shiva into ashes with his boon. Lord Shiva upon learning about his evil intentions tried to hide from him and he eventually came to Kinnaur Kailash and started mediating for Lord Vishnu. Lord Vishnu promised to slay the demon. So he tried to bewitch the asura by appearing as a beautiful woman (Mohini Avataar, one of the forms of Dashavatara) before him and made him place his hand on his head. The highest peak in these ranges is Mount Jorkanden 6473msl. The Shivaling was not clearly visible to us during the sunset as thick clouds enveloped the ranges.

Kinnaur Kailash

 

 The Divine ranges appeared stunningly-close and spread out as a canvas before us unfurling its mystical beauties. The unperturbed calm permeating the village had a magical effect and all of felt rejuvenated. Watching the snow capped peaks we had hot paranthas and later set out to explore the village. Kalpa’s centrally located temple group encompasses the Lo Chawa La-khang (Samdub Choeling) Monastery also called as Hu-Bu-Lan-kar Gompa, the ornately carved Narayan- Nagini temple and a recently built tower styled Brahma Vishnu temple beyond it. We drove through the narrow lanes of the village, parked the car and then reached temple complex by foot.

Lo Chawa La-khang

 

Few stone steps led to the porch of the Monastery founded by Rinchen Sang Po. A white chorten in the centre is surrounded by rolling praying wheels engraved with holy inscriptions all around.  Heavy brass doors led us to the sanctum sanctorum whose walls are empanelled with paintings of Buddha and Mahakala and marble statues of three deities were enshrined. The porch of the monastery provided uninterrupted view of the mountain ranges. As we walked past the monastery, we came across the Narayan-Nagin temple. The temple’s entrance had ornate wooden dragons coiled around porch pillars. The brass doors which open into the temple’s court yard were etched with images of Hindu Gods. We managed to glance through the mesh of locked doors of the sanctum sanctorum to have a peek at the idol of the Lord mounted on a palanquin.

 Sanctum sanctorum

 

Out of curiosity I enquired a head lady about the local traditions. She informed that the idols of God are carried to the houses of the people during auspicious occasions to invoke Divine blessings. These events are marked by huge processions. It is also mandatory that Pujari of the temple is a resident of the village. He must be a pure vegetarian and he is ordained to follow a moral code of conduct. Then we visited the Brahma Vishnu Mandir whose architecture and style of construction displayed traditional ambience. Since the idols were taken out for a procession we couldn’t see them. The tower-style temple is reconstruction of the 1869 temple that fell down in 1930 and rededicated in 2014.

Narayan-Nagin temple

 

The resplendent beauty of the place, simple lives of Kinnauris and their friendly demeanour left a deep impact on all of us. With a promise of revisiting the state to explore other rarest jewels draped in the mountain terrains we embarked on our return journey. We learnt from local newspaper that Shimla has been experiencing traffic jams lasting for hours. So we decided to travel by the NH-22 highway till Kufri and go to Chail bypassing Shimla and join the highway again at Solan.

Brahma Vishnu Mandir

 

Bestowed with spectacular landscapes, lofty snow peaks, deep gorges, lush green valleys, fast flowing rivers, enchanting mountain lakes, flower bedecked meadows, fabulous temples and Monasteries steeped in times. Kinnaur district is indeed a traveller’s paradise.

View from hilly terrain

Having travelled along the dangerous terrain the previous day, we were doubly cautious and alert. Luckily the steep road from Chooling Nallah via Urni to Tapri was devoid of heavy vehicular traffic so drove past the hilly terrain without much difficulty. Just before leaving the Kinnaur district we stopped at Tanda Devi temple in Sundarnagar. Driving past Jeori, Jhakri, Rampur, Sainj we briefly halted at Kumarsaini for a much needed car wash. We just sat there watching the busy workers and relaxed for an hour. We bought some fruits as well in between and as we neared Narkanda, we thought of checking into a decent room and explore the picturesque village. But all the accommodations were sold out. Local hotelier suggested us a Hotel cum Restaurant at Sandhu village, the place we stopped for lunch the previous day. Drive from Narkanda to Sandhu was exhilarating as the road goes through a valley of lush green dense legendary deodhars. We steadily drove to Sandhu before the dreary darkness of the night began to engulf us.  After a sumptuous dinner we tumbled into bed.

 Valley of Deodhars

 

 

Photographs Courtesy Dr. T. L. S. Bhaskar

 

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The Scion of Ikshvaku: Book review

Popular fiction writers in India started a novel trend wherein the Mythological stories of our great land received a new lease for life. These stories which are intense, emotional, gripping woven with intricate plots, sub-plots, internecine wars conveying larger social message have become the standard framework for the new generation of creative writers.

 Amish Tripati with his creative acumen, articulation and writing brilliance has emerged as a prodigal writer of fantasy stories. His trilogy series comprising of The Immortals of Meluha, The Secret of the Nagas and The Battle of the Vayuputras released from 2010 to 2013 have become the fastest selling book series in the history of Indian Publishing. The creative genius with this novel marketing strategy launched audio books and high-profile videos to reach the vast majority of educated Indian youth. The skyrocketing sales and soaring popularity of the author has made him the most sought after Indian writer of modern times.

The book as the title suggests is about Lord Rama, the descendant of the Ikshvaku dynasty, the Suryavanshis. The land of Bharat was ruled by two major dynasties Suryavanshi’s and Chandravanshi’s. Of all the Suryavanshi’s Lord Rama, a mortal, considered as the incarnation of Lord Vishnu, is worshipped and revered for his righteousness and strict adherence to law. The first volume in the series makes an earnest beginning and attempts to retell Ramayana with a modern perspective. Sri Ramachandra as a legendary character is introduced into the live of every individual by parents at an early age to inspire their children to emulate the ideals of the scion.

The book begins with the heart rendering scenes of kidnap of Sita. It then slips into the times where rulers of the SaptSidh harboured a disdain for the trader community which ly leads to the weakening of the mighty Empire of Ayodhya. The story then quickly portends the greedy and outrageous demands of Lankan trader Kubera brother of Ravan who threatens them of dire sequences if his demands are not met. Dasharatha the indisputable king of SaptSindh angered by high commission rates of Kubera dares him to relent. But the cunning Kubera with the help of Ravan defeats Dasarath in a war at Karachapa. Consequently, Ravan takes control over the entire trading system of India. Dasarath who was childless and never lost of war becomes deeply disturbed by the defeat. The defeat coincides with birth of his eldest son Rama.  He blames Rama for the defeat and spurns him.  

For people who already read Amish’s The Shiva Triology, the narrative may not be thrilling as essentially his naive and simple style of writing is clearly reflected in the characterisation of the plots. But what is interesting is bringing about relevance to the problems that existed in those days to the present times and linking up to the frame work of governance and the laws to be implemented to bring about order in the society. The long drawn candid philosophical conversations between Rama and his Guru Vasishta and constructive arguments over the dhrama or strict adherence of law are thought provoking.

Another refreshing aspect about this modern version of Ramayana is depicting Sita as a warrior, supremely confident and independent lady. Even the characters like Manthara, Kaikeyi, Sumitra are portrayed as smart and strong women. The toughest challenge perhaps for the author has been to bring about novelty without disrupting the broad storyline of Ramayana. The central plot of the book makes an obvious allusion to the sensational Nirbhaya case and the alternative retributive justice delivered during that trial. The instance of the juvenile rapist escaping the punishment and alternatively how he has been laid to rest has been discussed in length.

Book is generously proffered with philosophical debates about dharma, responsibilities and duties of the citizens and rulers reflecting author’s deep seated urge to discuss governance issues. A subtle but profound reference to the adherents of polytheism and monotheism and their conflicting interests in the society runs throughout the main story line. Unlike the previous versions of Ramayana which solely focused on the Divinity of Rama, this book brings about refreshingly new gyration by crafting scholastic discussions between Lord Rama and Sita.

Advertent reference to Somras, Meluha reminisces of The Shiva Triology. Further to many close analogies between Sati of Meluha and Sita reiterates author’s penchant to portray protagonist as a feisty individuals. Creativity has been Amish’s forte but unfortunately several instances in the story line reminds of his earlier work. More so recreating the same old magical script unveiled in the past can make the story a drab. Overall since the story of fast-paced it is an enjoyable read. It will be an instant hit among the readers who haven’t read Amish earlier, but the old followers might be little disappointing. In spite of being constrained by the storyline, he endeavoured to bring about new freshness into the characters.

 

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Modi’s Central Asia Visit: A New Diplomatic Paradigm

Modi’s 8-day whirl wind tour to five central Asian countries (CARs) that included a high octane dialogue with Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, participation in the BRICS Summit and Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) has been the most power packed foreign trip of the Prime Minister so far. However, the crucial economic gains and bilateral cooperation treaties inked with the five CAR’s failed to draw enough media attention and coverage vis- a- vis Modi’s engagement with his Pakistani Counterpart. Ambitiously christened as Look North tour, Modi’s focus has been to foster cooperation with these resource rich nations to enhance strategic, economic and energy ties.

Modi commenced his tour with Uzbekistan and Kazakasthan, and then left for Ufa, the capital city of Republic of Bashkortostan, Russia where Modi had talks with Russian President Putin, met President Rouhani of Iran, reached out to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, addressed BRICS meet and participated in SCO. During the final leg of the tour he visited Turkmenistan, Kyrgystan and Tajikistan. Modi is the only Indian Prime Minister who visited all the five “Stans” as they are popularly referred to, during a single trip. These landlocked resource rich nations share cultural, historical and religious links with India. Unfortunately earlier Indian leaders failed to forge bilateral ties with these nations since their disassociation from the Soviet Union in 1991. The key focus of the NDA government has been to effectively enhance the economic interests of the country with adroit foreign policy stratagem.

At the first stopover in Uzbekistan, both leaders discussed ways to enhance defence, economic and trading ties and shared concerns over the growing influence of extremism and terrorism. Modi paid visit to Monument of Independence and Humanism and Memorial of the Late Indian Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Sastry at Tashkent. Agreements were reached on the issues of Counter terrorism and to bring about coordination between the law-enforcement agencies and special services of both nations under the framework of Joint Working Group on Counter- terrorism. Uzbekistan nurtures Hindi language and Modi met the contingent of the resident Indologists there. Prime Minister sought Uzbekistan’s support to India for joining the Ashgabat Agreement a transit pact established in 2011 by Iran, Oman, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan. Such an inclusion can boost India’s chances of massively improving its connectivity with Central Asia.

In Kazakhstan Modi was extended a very warm welcome. India inked five agreements with Kazakhstan on defence, railways, cultural exchanges, capacity building and Uranium supply. Kazakhstan is one of the biggest producers of Uranium and accounts for 38% of World production. Between 2009 and 2014 India obtained 2100 metric tonnes of Uranium. With the extension of new deal on civil nuclear cooperation that spans from 2015-2019 India can get 5000 metric tonnes of Uranium. Thus all the nuclear reactors which are shut for the unavailability of fuel will be back in action. Both countries have issued a joint statement titled Tej Kadam which broached on the possibility of transporting oil and natural gas through pipelines from Kazakhstan to India and also stressing the need for new UN reforms on the eve of its 70^th anniversary. Kazakhstan has also supported India’s candidature for a permanent seat at UN Security Council. Both sides agreed on increased collaboration in the framework of International North South Corridor (INSTC). INSTC was established in 2000 by India, Russia and Iran to increase the rail, road and water connectivity between India, Iran, Russia, Europe and Central Asian Countries. Later ten more countries in Eurasia and Oman joined as members as this project proposes to cut down the transportation costs to Central Asia by 30%. Currently two trails are conducted on this route which connects Mumbai to Bandar Abbas port and subsequently Bandar-e-Anzali in Iran to Astrakhan in Russia and finally to Central Asia. India is also working on leasing the Chabahar port in Iran to develop another transit corridor which links Iran, Oman and Central Asia. India is steadfastly looking for the North-South corridor as Pakistan has comprehensively posed a great barrier to India’s access to Central Asia.

The issue of connectivity has been greatest encumbrance for India to strengthen its trading ties with Central Asia. India’s shortest route to Central Asia is through Lahore, Rawalpindi and Peshawar. But despite fervent appeals from India, Afghanistan and US, Pakistan refused to grant overland transit facilities to India. Tajikistan is just 20km away from the border of greater Kashmir, but with denial of access to the traditional route movement of goods across the border has become a humongous task. In his address at Nazarbayev University Modi hoped that Pakistan would relent.

In Turkmenistan Prime Minister unveiled a bust of Mahatma Gandhi and inaugurated a Traditional Medicine and Yoga Centre. In a joint statement both nations agreed to step up efforts against cross-border threats, terrorism and illegal drug-trafficking and agreed to enhance bilateral trade, investment and economic cooperation. Modi pitched for the quicker implementation of $ 10 billion, 1800 kilometre long TAPI (Turkmenistan Afghanistan Pakistan and India) gas pipeline which will deliver 3.2 billion cubic feet of natural gas per annum to Afghanistan, Pakistan and India. Turkmenistan has the fourth largest reserves of Oil and natural gas. While the project TAPI was conceived two decades ago, its progress is severely doubted as it passes through worst conflict ridden areas in Afghanistan and Pakistan. While reinforcing that the gas line could potentially transform the economic prosperity of the region, Modi stressed on the feasibility of exploring multiple options like land-sea route through Iran for its quick implementation. Interestingly, Pakistan which has been reluctant to foster transborder economic cooperation persisted with this project. Perhaps this project might turn out to be an exception wherein India and Pakistan might join hands together. Turkmenistan which is largely dependent on its gas exports is also keen on the project as well. The two sides have signed seven pacts including one on defence cooperation. Modi even proposed the establishment of an agriculture research institute and a urea production facility in Turkmenistan.

India and Kyrgyzstan share common interests of combating extremism and terrorism. Special Forces of both countries held a joint exercise in March titled Khanzar 2015 and during the current visit the spheres of defence cooperation is broadened. Four agreements are signed which included cooperation between election commissions, cooperation between Bureau of Standards and in culture. Kyrgyzstan has recently joined Russian-led Eurasia Economic Union. It promised to work towards conclusion of a Free Trade Agreement between Eurasia Economic Union and India. India in turn has offered to share its experience on agro-processing, tele-medicine, green house technology, water conservation and agriculture research.

In his penultimate stop at Tajikistan, Modi invoked the deep historical, cultural and linguistic connect between the two countries. India has its lone foreign airbase at Ayni near the capital city of Dushnabe which was refurbished in 2007. But India couldn’t base its helicopters as Tajikistan under Russian pressure denied access. India had high hopes of having its foot print in the Central Asia with this military outpost. Modi however visited military hospital built by India at Tajik airbase of Farkhor. Both the countries resolved to intensify cooperation in counter terrorism and in various spheres of defence. Larger part of Indian agenda was to realise full potential of economic and trade and commerce. Accordingly, both sides constituted a joint commission to chalk out a concrete plan for expanding joint ventures and investments. Two sides inked agreements on culture and human resource development. Modi proposed inclusion of India in the existing Pakistan Afghanistan Tajikistan Trilateral Transit Trade Agreement (PATTTTA), an arrangement aimed at facilitating trade between South Asian countries and Tajikistan. Further leaders agreed for deepening cooperation in fields of agriculture, tourism, health, tele-medicine, food processing, mining, pharmaceuticals, textiles, skill development. Tajikistan leadership sought for greater Indian engagement in hydroelectric power generation.

Prime Minister Modi’s back to back visit to geographically contiguous Central Asian Republics is a perspicacious decision. These nations have been under the Russian hegemony till 1991 and eventually harboured good will towards India. These land-locked countries, in the back yard of Russia, deprived of a robust connectivity networks and laundering under poor nation building process are still largely dependent on its past master. Despite their willingness to carve a unique niche they are unable to break out from the strangulating hold of Russia. China in its immediate vicinity in the meanwhile is making deeper in roads into these countries and trying to draw the much needed lifeline, Oil and natural gas. But CARs are wary of its growing economic clout, aggressive expansionism. They are now looking forward to India to play a strategic role in this region. Unfortunately India with its historical, cultural and religious links in the past 25 years failed to establish strong relationships with CARs. With the emergence and spread of ISIS in the west Asia, impending threats of extremism and terrorism have become common cause of concern for India and CARs. Modi in his diplomatic engagement with CARs raised this issue and sought cooperation for counter terror technology and counter radicalism. Moreover, engaging with countries that share common border with Afghanistan would help India to safe guard its own strategic interests at a time when India efforts in rebuilding Afghanistan have been overridden by China-Pakistan duo. Besides, by engaging with resource-rich CARs India can bolster its economic prospects. As CARs can provide the needed raw material (energy supplies) and can acts as markets for Indian goods. Modi during his bilateral talks with all the leaders garnered support for India’s candidature as a permanent member to the UN Security Council. Above all, to counter the towering influence of China and to bolster India’s presence in the global arena engaging with CARs is inevitable.

 

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A Journey to Sangla (Baspa) Valley: Land of Kinnauris Part -2

b. Sarahan to Recong Peo and Kalpa

 

Day 3

We got up at 5:45am to have a glimpse of the majestic hills at Sunrise. The pristine skies offered an amazing view of the Shrikhand range of mountains which includes twin peaks of Gishu Pishu and Srikhand Mahadev. Nothing can beat the picturesque beauty of Sarahan with snow capped mountains towering the turquoise green vegetation dappled with colourful blossoms. Sarahan has a glorious history to its name. The temple of the Bhimakali Temple of Sarahan identified as Sonitpur (referred in Puranas) is one of 51 Shakti Peethams or Places of strength where Goddess reincarnated. Bhimakali is the presiding deity of the Bushahr rulers.

 View from Hotel

 

Bhimakali temple is a historic twin towered structure built in Indo-Tibetan style and bear resemblances to Chinese pagodas. The temple is built in Indo-Tibetan style and has alternating layers of wood and stone. The thick walls and low roofs offers needed insulation in the high mountainous terrain during winters. The temple, a mark of pride with its intricate designs of the wood work reflects the local Kinnauri architecture. Historians believe that the stones of Sarahan are steeped in history for its references in puranas and legendary tales. Goddess was considered to be manifestation of Dakhsa Yagna incident when the ear of Sati fell in this place and became the place of worship as Pitha Sthan. The region was believed to be ruled by Banasura, ardent devotee of Lord Vishnu who was the great grandson of Prahlad.

 Twin Towers of Bhimakali temple

 

The treasured identical twin towers constitute the prized embodiments of the temple. The old tower damaged by the earth quake in 1905 is now locked and used as repository the new structure is its resurrected version constructed with exquisite artistic woodwork. The new temple has three-storeyed deep foundations and an underground tunnel that leads to a village Ranwin. Pundits usually enter and leave the temple through this tunnel. The 200 year old idol of Bhimakali is worshipped in this immaculately clean two-storeyed building.  It houses two idols of the Goddess-the virgin form of the Goddess and another one enshrined in the form of Parvati, the consort of Lord Siva. These towers are on a raised stone platform and constitute the inner chambers of the temple premises. Cell phones, cameras and other leather material are strictly prohibited inside these chambers. The temple complex is encased in court chambers. The chambers in outer corridor serve as temple office and rest houses for devotees. The shrines of Lord Narasingh (Narasimha) and Lord Shiva that lie in outer chamber are relatively old and are built in classical shikara style.

Lord Shiva Shrine

 

The fabulous temple has a gruesome history attached to it as human sacrifices were carried out here till the early 19^th century in the Lankra Vir Temple within the complex. After which the subtler form of lamb sacrifice was a regular practice till 2013 during the Dusshera celebrations. Following the court order even that ritual is now abandoned. The descendants of the Royal family serve as Pandits of the temple. The Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh Virabhadra Singh, a member of the Royal family is the elected representative from Sarahan.

View of the mountain peaks

 

The serene environs and the exquisite location of the temple make the visit more auspicious and enchanting. Another interesting place in the town is Tragopan pheasantry, where local breeds of birds are scientifically bred. The place remained closed during our visit as it was breeding season. Before waving bye to the place, we relaxed on the swings in the beautiful lawns of the Hotel that offers a panoramic view of the peaks and the valley. As we began to set out for Kalpa in Kinnaur district 100km away, people cautioned us about the bad roads on the way.

Sarahan located in Shimla district is gateway to Kinnaur. Himachal Pradesh is bountifully blessed with nature’s splendour. The Himalayan ranges that run through the state divide it into two regions. The monsoon winds which bring rains to most parts of the country fail to cross the towering mountain peaks. Hence the region to the south of the ranges is rain fed by the monsoons. But the plateau to the North of the Trans-Himalayan regions, past the ranges falls remains dry (falls in rain shadow region) is characteristically treeless with seamless fast flowing rivers and deep valleys. Kinnaur district is South East of the ranges and its unparalleled scenic beauty is enhanced by the near vertical mountain peaks that constantly reminds us of the invincible power of nature. Quite akin to this fact people, (Kinnauris) respect and worship nature in every form. We hit the national highway NH-22 at Jeori and proceeded to towards Kinnaur district.

Road to Kinnaur

 

Legend says that Kinnaur with its mesmerising scenic beauty fell from heaven as a gift from Gods. The district is criss-crossed by rivers Sutlej originating from Tibet and Spiti River. While the lower river basins are floored by orchards the hilly slopes are enveloped by thick woods. The region once part of the largest Bushahr princely state holds greater Himalayas and Zanskar mountain ranges. This part of the state is largely referred to in Mahabharata as it was believed that Pandavas spent several years of their exile in these tracts. Ancient texts consider the people of Kinnaur were the Kinners- halfway between Gods and men. Much of this region was largely cut off from the rest of India until the construction of Hindustan-Tibet road (NH-22) in 1850 by Lord Dalhousie. During the recent years with the construction of Hydel Power projects across the rivers and with spread of scientific agricultural and horticultural practices people began to catch with the rest of the World. With its proximity to Tibet, people have strong cultural, religious with them. It is manifested in their language, customs, traditions and Hinduism in this region is embellished with Buddhist practices. The Tibetan influence is clearly reflected in construction of temples and other huge heritage structures. Entry of foreigners into this region has been restricted for security reasons. They are required to obtain an inner line permit if they wish to travel beyond Jangi in Kinnaur.

Hindustan-Tibet road (NH-22)

Our wild fantasy to visit this place stemmed from its picturesque scenic images showcased in the movie Highway. Kinnaur district also called as Baspa valley or Sangla valley has many beautiful nuggets. Exciting details of this valley details has spurred us into a road trip. The rigours and dangers associated with driving these inhospitable terrains are worth the risk  to rejoice the unrivalled scenic beauty of this mountainous terrain.

 Rock Tunnel on NH-22

 

At the border of Kinnaur district we were stopped at security check post and were asked to furnish a valid ID card and itinerary of our trip. It was a bright sunny day and we were amazed by the sheer grandeur of the Kinnauri landscape. We marvelled at the ingenuity of the engineers who contrived the plans of constructing the Hindustan- Tibet highway through the gigantic rocky terrain and held tribute to the unsung heroes- the labourers who toiled for years to make our journey so pleasant and comfortable. All along the labyrinthine trail we travelled by the side of river Sutlej. The near vertical rocky mountain cliffs devoid of vegetation revealed its colossal existence. Gushing waters of Sutlej added ruggedness to the terrain.

Sutlej @ Karcham

 

We passed through the villages of Nigulsari, Bhabhanagar, Nathpa and Wangtu. From Nathpa the ongoing construction for the Karcham Wangtu power plant has severely damaged the highway. Roads are completely chipped off its outer surface and the layer of pebbles beneath began impeding our drive. Till Tapri the roads are were badly damaged and the Hindustan Tibet road ahead of it which lies in landslide prone region is badly damaged due to falling boulders. Hence this road was closed. The traffic was being diverted to a steep narrow hilly road which went all the way up to Urni. The drive along this road was extremely scary as the un-shouldered road touches an elevation of 2875msl.  While driving along a single lane road at such an elevation is hair-rising, meandering through heavy vehicle traffic has made the ride doubly challenging and gruesome. The road slowly descended to meet the riverside bridge across the Chooling Nallah. The ordeal of cracked roads continued to haunt us till Powari. This roundabout treacherous route was 20 km longer than the old road which was closed due to landslides. Finally we reached Karcham cantonment area the place where River Baspa joins River Sutlej. NH 22 along this entire stretch till Powari is very dusty and the construction activity of the Karcham-Wangtu Power plant has worsened the situation.

Karcham-Wangtu Power plant

 

Little ahead of Karcham is a stony bridge and a left turn from this place leads to Sangla Valley. We drove towards Recong Peo crossing the Shongtong Bridge. As we began to ascend slowly we had an amazing view of the colossal range of snow-capped mountains.

Shongtong Bridge

 

Recong Peo, the capital of Kinnaur district is perched at an elevation of 2290 msl. Peo is a serene town and relatively sparsely populated. Peo is earlier referred to as Kinnara in legends. Between 9^th and 12^th century the district was under the rule of Guge Kingdom of Tibet. After a very tiresome drive, we stopped at Peo for an evening stroll. We spotted a Tourism centre and walked in to enquire about places of interest nearby. From Peo we had a panoramic view of Jorkanden and Kinner Kailash mountains.

Recong Peo

 

Peo is known for the Kothi Durga Temple also called Chandika temple, 3 km from Peo on the way to Kalpa. A steep motor able road led to the temple entrance. Built amidst of Orchards and lapped in mountains, it has a very unique architecture and the roofs are embossed with intricate wooden sculptures bearing animal motifs. Entry of outsiders is strictly prohibited to the inner chambers of the shrine. The golden idol of the goddess is posited on a grand wooden palanquin.

Kothi Durga Temple

 

Few metres from this temple is Bhairava Mandir, where the marble sculpted image of Lord Shiva open to sky was installed. This temple has a unique tradition wherein the Pandit alone would enter the premises to clean and perform all the rituals. Entry of outsiders or even local people is prohibited.

Bhairava Mandir

Peo was overlooked by a huge statue of Lord Buddha of the Brelengi Gompa Monastery of Brelengi 5 km from Peo. The road leading to monastery is under construction, so we walked up to the monastery. Since there are no sign boards marking directions we got lost and made our entry into Kalachakra Monastery from backside. The monastery was built in 1992 upon the instructions of Dalai-Lama to perform the Kalachakra ceremony. It has an impressive modern edifice and next to it is a 10 meter statue of Lord Buddha which is visible from distant surroundings. Enclosed by dense orchards, the place is ideally suited for mediation.

Kalachakra Monastery

 

We then slowly moved along the winding steep road going through apple orchards and Pine Woods towards Kalpa 7 km from Peo at an altitude of 2960mts. It is intriguing that Kinner Kailash which is bestowed greater religious significance is clearly visible from Kalpa alone. The place earlier called as Chini offers a spectacular view of the majestic Kinner Kailash range. It is believed to be the point where the mountains halt the progression of the monsoon winds. We booked our rooms at HPTDC Kinnaur Kailash, which offers a peerless view of the Kailash range. As dusk settled over the town a feeling of eternal peace and contentment dawned on us. We quietly sat in the lawns of the hotel watching these ranges and began munching hot pakodas.

Photographs courtesy: Dr. T. L. S. Bhaskar & Samanvit Teegela
 

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