THE SECRETS OF INDIA

Stampede! Hindu Temple Deaths

2010-03-18T23:40:00.000-07:00

Every year, all across India, people die on pilgrimage to temples and other holy sites. Deaths on pilgrimage to remote sites is understandable, given unpredictable weather fluctuations at higher elevations. Fatalities at temples, however, seem so common as to be almost astonishing.

On the 4th March this year, local people gathered at the Ram Janaki hindu temple, about 15 miles north of Allahabad, for a ceremonial festival, in honour of the anniversary of the death of the temple owner's wife. The mainly poor women, with their children, crowded into the temple grounds in the hope of recieving free clothes. During the squeeze a metal gate collapsed, trapping a few people. This seemed to result in panic and in the ensuing stampede, over sixty people died.
Sadly this kind of incident is repeated time and time again. In September 2008 a disaster was reported from Jodhpur in Rajahstan:

The reason for the stampede is still unclear. Eyewitnesses blamed it on the heavy rush of devotees and a tussle to reach the temple doors first. However, police say the stampede was triggered by a barricade collapsing.

K.S. Bains, director general of the Rajasthan state police, added that a power failure in the early hours of the fateful morning could have caused some of the devotes to slip.

In this incident, over 200 people died. Deaths also followed the January 2005 pilgrimage to the Mandhra Devi temple in Maharashtra - steps on the approach to the temple were wet and, additionally, fires broke out on the stalls surrounding it.

The list could go on and on. Whereas here in the UK, public buildings would be closed if deemed unsafe, it seems that in India there has to be a disaster before the proverbial "enquiry" into the disaster takes place.

Daniel

Indian Development: Solar Cookers

2010-03-09T12:00:00.000-08:00

In the highly developed world, solar cookers seem like a bit of a gimmick; in England, solar cookers seem almost pointless - they can't be effectively used for most of the year. Indian development, seen from a rural (and possibly urban) perspective, could make alot of room for the solar cooker. Large parts of the country receive intense sunshine for most of the year which makes solar energy seem like an obvious choice for much of the Indian energy needs.

Mr S Narayanaswamy, author of Making the Most of Sunshine is a keen advocate of solar cooking for India. He says

I have been practising in Trivandrum in India for over 12 years on a sustained basis, and recommend it to everyone with the utmost confidence. Despite the downside of being slow and unworkable in certain weather conditions, you will find it hugely satifying and great fun.

In this age of increased concern for the environment and sustainability he points out an interesting fact:

The government, however, is strangely indifferent to its potential. Bulky, concentrating solar cookers - with concave parabolic mirrors - which cost between Rs.5,000 and Rs.5,500,000 attract government subsidies, but far more effective and inexpensive solar box cooker does not!

From an Indian development point of view Mr Narayanaswamy is clear about the advantages:

The solar cooker can be used both in the rural and urban sector. In the rural sector it saves village woman from having to trudge for miles in search of scraps of firewood and spending her lifetime in smoke-filled kitchens. In the urban sector it saves energy on kerosene and LPG and makes cooking easy.

He clearly identifies the problems however. Firstly, there is cost, even for the simpler box-style solar cookers [ Rs1500 - Rs2500]:

Spread over the lifetime of a cooker of, say 15 years, the cost of solar cooking works out to leass than 40 paise per day as against Rs. 3-5 by any other means. But the cost of solar cooking is loaded upfront. The ordinary buyer is hit by the immediate cost. This is a deterrent to investing in a solar cooker. This would call for a subsidy - especially to those below the poverty line - or a deferred payment system.

Secondly, how do you make them catch on?

In most places in India one can cook for 70-80% of the days in a year. One can thus solar-cook in all seasons, with unmatched cost-efficiency. Yet solar cooking has not caught on. Why? I suspect it is because most people do not know about it. Also, potential users might find it strange [or a hassle] to cook in the open, and may not really be convinced that solar cooking is a viable proposition.

It seems to me that at the present cost, solar cookers could not become popular with the general public of India, unless there was some kind of subsidy scheme, as Mr Narayanaswamy has argued. Alternatively, a well-researched, simpler design, which can be cheaply manufactured (perhaps using everyday materials, such as brick and cheap glass) could make the solar cooker more widely available in India.

This article is based on an article by S. Narayanaswamy here
For an interview with him see here

Daniel

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Was there an Aryan Invasion? (1)

2010-03-07T06:48:00.000-08:00

The history ( or prehistory ) of the founding of the Indian subcontinent is a topic fraught with division. It appears that more than historical fact is at stake: one's sense of purpose, political and personal, may rest on the final interpretation given to the historical data.

In the nineteenth century, european scholars who studied the history of India began to formulate what came to be known as the "Aryan Invasion" theory of the origins of the population of India. Scholars such as the celebrated Max Mueller argued that India's hindu character emerged as a result of waves of invaders sweeping down into India in the second millenium BC. These fair-skinned peoples were probably resident somewhere deep in the north - possibly the Caucasus mountains - and spoke a language which may be called proto Indo-European.

Living space became scarce and subgroups of this people split off and travelled south; some went west and came to populate Greece and other parts of eastern Europe; others made their way through the natural physical barriers which separate the Indian subcontinent from its neighbours and spread south, breaking through into the plains of India. How else could the similarities between ancient Greek and Sanskrit be explained other than there being a common source; or the concentration of dark-skinned Dravidian-speaking people in the southern parts of India be explained, other than as eventual refuge from fair-skinned alien invaders?

Archaeologist Sir Mortimer Wheeler, writing in the 1950's points firmly to Aryan invasion:

More rational inference assigns the episode to the centuries following 1500 B.C., when, if not earlier, Aryan gods and men were on the move in western Asia. Of this movement it is reasonable to regard the invasions reflected in the Rigveda as an eastward extension...

Speaking of the Indus valley civilization and its demise, Wheeler has this to say:

The Indus civilization is commonly and, I think, rightly regarded as non-Aryan in character. There is some material evidence that it was still in action within the first half of the second millenium B.C.; and it is widely accepted that somewhere about the middle of that millenium occured the Aryan invasion which is reflected in the earliest literature of India, the hymns of the Rigveda. In these hymns the invasion constantly assumes the form of an onslaught upon the walled cities of the aborigines, and the only fortifications of approximate date known to us are the citadels of Harappa and Mohenjo-daro and at certain of the smaller contemporary towns. It is tempting to relate the two cicumstances to one another and to recognise in the destroyers of Mohenjo-daro, indifferent to the city which they had sacked, some of these heroic but barbarian nomads, to whom city-life was alien. It is not indeed impossible that the name of Harappa itself is concealed in the Hari-Yupiya which is mentioned in the Rigveda as the scene of a battle.

Wheeler however is careful to point out that

...at present these thoughts are no more than conjectures; picturesque, perhaps probabe, but not proven.

In discussing the archaeological Ganges finds and their similarities with the Koban culture of the Caucasus, he still remains cautious

...archaeologically our Ganges evidence is not ready for equation with any major historical event or speculation of the kind [Indo-Aryan migration], and the Aryans in particular should, I suggest, be given a holiday for the time being. It is best to admit that no proto-Aryan material culture has yet been identified in India.

(Another post to follow)

Daniel (email me)

Hindu Pilgrimage: Himalayan Road Trip 3

2010-03-05T07:55:00.000-08:00

With the Badrinath hindu temple closed for a few hours, we accompany Steve Forbes as he takes in the sights and sounds of this stopping point on the char dham yatra*. The friendliness and inquisitiveness of people is apparent immediately - whether sadhus waiting for the temple to open or ordinary labourers pursuing their work - most seem open and interested.

Ritual preparation must be observed before entering the temple: a hot bath, fed by natural springs, and sandlewood paste applied to the forehead by brahmin priests. A friendly astrologer invites us into his room to tell us of the necessities of learning Sanskrit and of the understanding of the hindu scripture. Look out for the itinerant rock-breaking ladies; there seems to be a distinct rolling of the eyes when Steve asks them why they wear protection on their hands...

Vishnu has now arisen from his afternoon nap and is now ready to receive visitors; all that remains is to buy an offering of dried fruits to be taken into the temple and blessed. Photography is not permitted within this hindu temple, so we must wait until Steve has had darshan...

char dham yatra: see http://www.char-dham.com/
Himalayan Road Trip

Daniel

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Rural Development in India: Azad India Foundation

2010-03-03T04:39:00.000-08:00

This project in India, the Azad India Foundation, works in Bihar state towards a number of laudable goals. Eradication of illiteracy, improvement of healthcare, preservation of the environment and creating income generating schemes for women to name a few.

The challenges in India are many, not least in Bihar State which is chronically underdeveloped. Kishanganj is the district in which Azad India Foundation works, the region being predominantly rural. Roads are basic and inaccessible during the monsoon. Primary health care is sparsely available and female literacy is below 20%.

Agriculture is the main-stay of people in this district - industry is virtually non-existent; many landless poor subsist on daily wage work. Promotion of self-employment among the unemployed youth of the district is encouraged by interest free loans to set-up or upgrade businesses.

One youth was given tables and chairs to start his business of renting for marriage and village functions. In addition, two youths were given loan to and upgrade their shops. Two women were also given sewing machines to start their own work.

Visit the Azad India Foundation website for further information about their work in rural development in India: http://www.azadindia.org/index.html or email the Executive Director Ms Yuman Hussain here. (A polite communication from the Executive Director refers interested readers to the most up-to-date projects: Project Alimah, Project Talim & Project Disha.)

Daniel

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India's Nomads

2010-02-26T23:39:00.000-08:00

A journalist drives out one dusty afternoon from Jaipur to re-establish a tenuous contact with the Gadulia Lohar, nomadic people of India. His attempts to befriend these nomads had not been entirely successful; now the RSS have become suspicious of his presence, thinking him to be a Christian missionary, and are threatening the nomads. This has really spoiled the atmosphere, and here on his final attempt, John Lancaster is shunned and ignored. Returning to his car he is accompanied by shouts of "Don't come back."

India's nomads number perhaps eighty million, the Gadulia Lohar (mobile blacksmiths) being the most well-known. These people of west India claim decent from weapon-makers, but now their skills are more usually employed for making and repairing kitchenware and farm tools.

Other nomadic groups of India were engaged in such activities as entertainment (acrobatics and conjouring) or even medical assistance (catching, keeping and applying leeches).

India's Nomads have a way of life which is chronically threatened; how long this mobile people, which successive governments have tried to settle for so long, will survive as a recognisable culture is hard to say. Lancaster points out:

The rapidly modernising India of call centres and brand-obsessed youth has scant use for tinkers or bear trainers, and pastoralists ae in a losing battle with industry and urban sprawl. Fragmented by caste, language and region, the nomads are ignored by politicians and, in contrast to other downtrodden groups, have reaped few benefits from social welfare schemes.

Read the full National Geographic article about India's Nomads here to learn more about the challenges to their historic lifestyle.

Daniel

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Drug Abuse in India

2010-02-25T04:28:00.000-08:00

It is sad to read in The Rough Guide to India, 7th Edition that drug addiction is becoming an increasing problem with the urban poor; Varanasi, in particular is becoming notorious for its heroin problem.

The Med India site has an article on a novel therapy used in the District Jail of Varanasi to help inmates come off drugs: having a bath. In addition to medication, inmates are prompted or even forced to bathe frequently throughout the day, since observations indicated that this helps to control the addicts' cravings. Authorities claim that the therapy has helped over a thousand addicts in one year to kick the habit.

I am being given bath 2-3 times a day here and medication also. We are benefiting from it and our soreness, stomach ache, restlessness and everything has reduced much by taking bath. It is very much in control now

said Jitendra Kumar, inmate of the District Jail.

In spite of the apparent positive benefits, the medical officer is sceptical of a relationship between bath therapy and kicking the habit

The bath diverts the blood circulation...to the internal organs and especially to brain. And when they are asked to take their bath, their moods diverted from the drug addiction for some time...

For an interesting article about drug abuse in India and other social issues visit this page of the Azad India Foundation, an organisation committed to the overall development of rural India.

The full MedIndia article is here

The Rough Guide to India, 7th Edition

Daniel

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Hindu Pilgrimage: Himalayan Road Trip 2

2010-02-22T10:17:00.000-08:00

(photo of Badrinath Hindu Temple courtesy National Informatics Centre,
District Unit Chamoli, Uttarkhand-246401)

It is the second leg of the Himalayan Road Trip and an absorbing collection of scenes pass us on the road from Rishikesh to Badrinath, where pilgrims breathe the thinner air at 10 400 feet and put on extra layers of clothing to keep out the biting wind.

With the ascending roads getting narrower and busier at the same time and buses plunging down the precipitous slopes every year, one wonders why Steve ever got on the bus in the first place.

Past Rudraprayag and the Alaknanda River, we reach Chamoli, in the heart of he Garhwal. Four holy places (char dham) of Hinduism - Gangotri & Yamunotri, sources of the Ganges and Jamuna River and Badrinath and Kedarnath, the goals of this pilgrimage - beckon the pilgrim onward.

We meet a diverse selection of people: local tribal people and fellow-pilgrims. At Joshimath, we are greeted by police, dutifully managing the road for safety - rockfalls are quite common in this region. Life here passes by in the same clumsy, busy way as we have seen elsewhere - the mobile popcorn-wallah blocks the road with his cart, the pipe-smoking sadhu blocks his pipe with a small stone - a makeshift filter. You are unlikely to have heard cannabis smoking described as meditative aid to ritual sacrament before.

We eventually ascend to the abode of Vishnu, arriving at the painted hindu temple gate, closed though until 3pm. Being out of season only a few pilgrims are present, a far cry from the 3000+ daily in May/June. It is only 12.30pm, so we have a few hours to kill before the temple reopens...

(Himalayan Road Trip 2)

Daniel

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Kamat's Potpourri

2010-02-21T06:57:00.000-08:00

(photo (c) Kamat's Potpourri : used with permission)

Kamat's Potpourri is a family maintained website which explores the History, Mystery and Diversity of India. It is a diverse site displaying the work of husband-and-wife team Krishnanand & Jyotsna Kamat (with the help of son Vikas). Sadly, Krishnanand passed away in 2002 but his work is wonderfully represented here: photographs and articles on subjects as varied as prehistoric rock paintings to Indian tribal communities.

Amongst the wealth of interesting detail is an article on the history of the holy men of India, including a collection of great photographs such as the one shown above, a sadhu at Varanasi. What I like about Kamat's Potpourri is that it is a real hotch-potch; I've only begun to explore it and there is still so much more to go. (Visit Kamat's Potpourri).

Daniel

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Hindu Pilgrimage: Himalayan Road Trip 1

2010-02-19T04:51:00.000-08:00

(Bhagirathi River flowing into Devprayag, Fowler&fowler)

American Steve Forbes has produced a delightful video, Himalayan Road Trip, which outlines his pilgrimage to the Indian holy sites of Badrinath and Kedarnath.

His extrovert personality lends itself very well to the task of capturing the flavour of life in India: not only does he observe, he engages in a friendly manner with his subjects and carries his viewers along with him as well.

The nine hour overnight bus ride transports us from the world of Delhi's traffic chaos and street vending - tandoor roasted chapatis, cheap plastic consumables, fried lentils and chilled, sweetened condensed milk - to calm, quiet streams of the Ganges surrounded by verdant hills. At this rather picturesque rest station in Rishikesh, spoiled only by the dozen or so buses congregated there , travellers take the opportunity for a morning bathe.

Bustle soon returns as we find ourselves in Rishikesh proper: motor bikes, donkeys and pedestrians all share the dirt road together. Boarding the Badrinath-bound bus at the Rishikesh Bazaar, we can look forward to a further twenty hours of road travel. Not to worry: very loud Indian pop music will accompany us, as will smiling, inquisitive strangers, unabashed by our intrusive video camera.

As we leave Rishikesh and ascend, high views over the upper stretches of the Ganges - known here as the Bhagirathi River - give a foretaste of the scenery to come.

Journey so far: Delhi, Meerut, Muzaffarnagar, Roorkee, Hardwar, Rishikesh.

Daniel

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Indian English: a barrier to progress?

2010-02-17T06:19:00.000-08:00

If you should ever need to use the web to learn statistics, or any other technical subject for that matter, a good start would be the wealth of teaching videos placed on You Tube by famous institutions such as MIT, Stanford and Yale.

Fewer people will have heard of the education channel nptel: the National Programme on Technology Enhanced Learning, which is a joint venture by the Indian Institute of Technology* and the Indian Institute of Science. The YouTube channel, nptelhrd, has uploaded over 4300 videos on subjects ranging from Basic Electronics, through Amino Acids to Quantum Physics.

During his studies though, the budding statistician may be baffled or amused to hear of 'Gosh' and 'Poison' probability distributions and this raises one potential concern for this massive educational achievement: is the standard of spoken english good enough?

Why should this question be of any importance, since at present it is the most heavily subscribed Indian Channel, having over 30,000 supporters, with a total of twenty million upload views? Its importance lies in assessing the quality of the impact rather than its size: has this massive educational program optimised its impact?

The teaching professors featured on the videos all have good grammatical command of english but the weakness lies in the accent, which can make an already technical subject almost incomprehensible to the listener.There is a rather broad spectrum of accents, which can sometimes lead to viewers leaving comments such as:

nice one...I can hardly understand his english because of his accent...very substantial though.

Other comments made could be from any university:

I think finding a charasmatic/interesting/informative engineering lecturer would be akin to finding a needle in a haystack

nice handwriting dude! I can almost read it!

In the opinion of this author, most lectures could be followed by a student of their chosen subject, with the accent of the teacher not presenting a real barrier to learning. Would a student choose nptel over MIT and Stanford if a particular course was available on the internet through all three institutions? That is hard to say, but the competitive edge could probably be sharpened if greater care was paid to the spoken word: elocution lessons, perhaps. This may seem like an unfair expectation of people who are speaking what is probably a second language, but perhaps such attention to detail could lead what is already an impressive venture to further success.

To finish with a positive and, probably, not uncommon attitude amongst users of the nptel channel:

Wow. This lecture series is giving away valuable knowledge, & you're worried about questionable usage of the English language? The professors use of English is excellent! Much better than my ability to talk to him in HIS first language. He teaches, I learn. Wonderful. Most of us came here to learn, not ridicule some ones accent or use of English

Visit the nptel website here.
The nptel You Tube channel is here.
Indian Institute of Technology

Daniel

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Indian Ascetics and Astronauts

2010-02-13T11:42:00.000-08:00

An Indian holy man who was well known for his super-human feats and his dependence on sweet, milky Indian chai (tea) was seen one morning on the sandy banks of the Ganges river. An eager and expectant crowd began to gather round him.

After much shouting and jostling the crowd moved backwards and an open circle was formed in their midst. Strong young men came forward and began digging at the soft, damp sand. The crowd continued to move back as the hole deepened and the sand piled up around it.

A while later, only the ends of the spades, periodically flinging sand out of the hole, could be seen. Most onlookers had become quiet; the energetic grunts and chatter of the diggers alone could be heard.

In time, the hole was ready, at least six feet in depth and broad enough for a man to enter comfortably. Excitement rose again as the ascetic made his way forward through the crowd, instructing helpers to lay a mat at the base of the hole for him. With his only comfort in place, he descended into the hole. Adjusting himself on his and gathering his thoughts, sand was flung cheerily upon his head. Cheers accompanied the encroaching internment of the sadhu. With all the sand now in place, a few of the holy man's helpers walked over his burial place to compact the sand down more thoroughly. The chattering group began to disperse and the spot was all but abandoned.

Next morning, a few people returned to the place where the sadhu had been left. Soon, others joined them and an eager crowd assembled once again. Digging recommenced with as much gusto as on the previous morning. A wide crater formed and now the tone became rather more frantic; shouts were accompanied with wild gesticulations as spades were discarded and the diggers scooped out sand with their cupped hands. Sure enough, tousled black hair began to appear to the sound of cheers; further digging and scraping revealed the outlines of a torso. When the sadhu's body had been half-exposed, helpers plunged their arms into the sand and placing them beneath his arms, gave him a good tug. The sadhu emerged and stood rather shakily upon his feet, sand tumbling from his lean body. His large brown eyes fluttered open and he stared around him, somewhat vacantly. It was a poignant, yet awkward moment; no-one dared speak a word. The holy man took a moment to compose himself. "Chai!" he said, a little shakily, then once again more firmly: "Chai!" Taking leave of the bank, he strode off purposefully in the direction of his favourite tea shop.

A thoroughly Indian story.

Another Indian story concerns Parvez Kumar, who spent most of his career working on the Canadian Space program. He recalls his life in The Cry of The Eagle: The Life & Times of an Aerospace Engineer. Born in Lahore, which at that time was part of British India, the upheavals of partition uprooted the Kumar family. They fled the newly formed Pakistan to India, where Parvez secured a good education at the *Lawrence School, Sanawar, in Himachal Pradesh. Subsequently, his studies brought him to England, where he followed a long apprenticeship in Aeronautical Engineering at Imperial College and Southampton University. His career took him from the UK to France and eventually to Canada, where he now lives in retirement.

Both of these stories come from the same period, the period in which modern India was born and rose to become a nuclear power. Both stories are far from uncommon; who knows how many times sadhus have been buried on the banks of the Ganges or young Indians have pursued academic or industrial careers and made contributions in the fields of science and technology?. Science, industry and technology are features of modern India only, the Sadhu is not. His way of life stretches from millenia past into the present day and will probably continue for some time yet? How long? Will the progress of technology lead to the final extinction of the Sadhu's way of life? In the West, the rise of science and technological development does seem to have been accompanied by secularisation, but that does not mean that people believe in nothing. Secularisation has struck at the heart of formal belief, but not the urge to believe. This search seems to continue as it has always done.

In India the genius for assimilation will possibly lead to a different sort of secularisation: science or religion, technology or superstition won't be categories that make sense. Rather, a divinisation of technology, an embracing of all the applications of science seen as outworkings of the spiritual seems more likely. Television sets were richly garlanded with flowers when they began to broadcast episodes from the Ramayana; devoted mendicants and holy men attending the Kumbh Mela of 2001 could be seen sporting the latest cell phone technology as they plunged into the auspiciouswaters for a holy dip. The holy man and sadhu will never die out. He will simply grow and develop like the technology which surrounds him.

(Another post next week)

The Cry of The Eagle: The Life & Times of an Aerospace Engineer
*Lawrence School, Sanawar

Daniel

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Food for the gods

2010-02-11T12:28:00.000-08:00

Outside India, the price of a bag of sweets would hardly get a mention, let alone a news article devoted to it. Inflation in India is, however, affecting a most important aspect of daily life, religious devotion, which is where the sweets come in.

It is reported in Varanasi* (on dailyindia.com) that a surge in the price of sugar is resulting in lower sales of Prasad, food given as offerings in temples.

Shopkeepers are understandably gloomy about the drop in sales, while devotees are said to be 'poignant'. Their approach to the problem is pragmatic: buy less Prasad.

With prices up by over sixty percent it is interesting to see how financial pressures affect this most ancient practice of holy offering.

In India as everywhere else, people give for a variety of reasons, but in Indian religious life, the motivation that lies behind such offerings appears more complex.

Many people in the West do not identify themselves with any particular religion or tradition; giving to a good cause such as famine relief, tackling homelessness or cruelty to animals, even to the upkeep of old monuments and buildings makes sense, but why give anything simply to perpetuate a religious tradition?

A useful parallel in the view of this author is the life of the Jewish community. This community has retained a distinct identity for thousands of years and the firm commitment to traditions of ancient lineage has undoubtedly helped to protect them from assimilation. Such traditions do not only have religious significance for those who practise them; many Jews do not have any strong religious aspirations and yet share a firm commitment to ancient traditions. Such communities instinctively feel that without shared practices their community will die out; identity somehow springs from ancient traditional practice. So it seems to be in Indian life.

One must also recognise the deep sense of duty which many Indians possess and also the genuine religious feelings which lie behind these actions. It is these strong instincts, however, which inevitably allow manipulation and abuse to occur. Mark Tully interviewed the Detective Inspector General of Allahabad during the Kumbh Mela festival of 1989, who related to him the following story about his family panda (priest):

After my father's death, the panda demanded money for a bicycle for him to ride in the next life. I complained that it was beneath my father's dignity to ride a bicycle - he only ever travelled by horse or elephant. Of course that was a stupid mistake - the panda immediately demanded the price of an elephant. When I refused, he insisted on the money for the bike, saying that my father's body would be lighter now, so he would find it easier to cycle.

Yet in spite of his clear perception that robbery is being committed and his suspicion towards priests of all religions, the Detective Inspector General affirms his belief in the pandas' ongoing function as middlemen between man and God:

My ancestors knew that the pandas were villains, but they used them, so what right have I to show disrespect to my father by robbing him of these rites?

Will Prasad continue in Varanasi*, a city whose religious life has continued unbroken since the sixth-century BC? It almost certainly will continue in spite of the economic downturn. Even if worshippers cannot be persuaded to give more, they certainly will be persuaded to give less: maybe the gods, like men, must tighten their belts in times of hardship.

*see Banares Region: A Spiritual and Cultural Guide (Pilgrimage & cosmology series)

Daniel

Another post soon.

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India in the Twenty First Century

2010-02-09T08:38:00.000-08:00

India in the twentieth century is the place to start. Thirty years ago, as a child, I received a world geography book as a present. Of the book, I remember very little, except for one image which remains quite fixed in my mind: a few ragged family members lay out dozens of what appear to be round loaves to dry in the hot sun; surrounding them are all the tattered emblems of urban life in the east; in the distance, tower blocks rise impressively into the sky. It is a scene from an Indian city.

The iconography of the image is striking yet for this very reason we must be careful. It forces upon us a sense of stark contrast, directing us to think along the lines of binary opposites. It seems to us that the urban Indian poor such as these could know only misery and destitution, while the wealthy minority reside happily and ignorantly in the distance.

How accurate is this picture? There can be no denying that by the standards of the west these people are very underpriviledged; without job security, minimal healthcare, limited amenities and no real property, we can regard them only as poor. Yet how do they view themselves? They certainly are under no illusions regarding their own situation but the spirit and fortitude and good humour shown against such odds commands our respect. It is hard not to fall victim to false empathy as Dominic Lawson calls it, imagining that we can feel the suffering of another while all the time feeling only our own horror at the thought of being placed in such a situation ourselves. Such false empathy gives way to despair, which these Indian poor, such as the woman below, cannot allow themselves the luxury to feel.

Looking beyond the binary opposites, we see a vast multitude of figures in the middle distance who defy categorization. Their lives appear to be such clumsy yet functioning juxtapositions, so common in India. Who are these people and how have their lives changed since the photograph we have mentioned was taken? Have their lives changed for the better at all? Take literacy in India for example: it stands at over sixty percent now compared with only twelve percent at the end of British rule. Certainly an impressive achievement, yet still over half of India's children are judged to be underweight (and many women too) while water supply and sanitation in India continues to be a grave problem (see Water Supply and Sanitation in India).

So, what of India in the twenty first century? With such a jumble of progress and arrested development, we shall see that it will be very difficult to avoid travelling through Indian towns and villages without the sharpest of contrasts directing our perspective.

Daniel

Another post to follow.

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Welcome to the Secrets of India

2010-02-08T00:24:00.000-08:00

(Photo of Varanasi (c) Babasteve)

This Blog is devoted to discovering India, exploring Indiaand sharing experiences of India. I aim to post the thoughts, article reviews, links and experiences of myself and others.

From life in India, Hindu temples, Indian english to travel in India, if you would like to contribute, please email your review, experience, story etc. about India to me at this link; include a photo if you wish to. For the record, I have never set foot in India myself, but I don't see as this a barrier to contributing to the site. If you have been to India, or you live in India, even better.

Articles are probably best kept to a maximum of 400 words; if longer, I will aim to publish them in two parts. If necessary I will make minor changes to the text, like for spelling etc.

I am sorry that I cannot promise to publish your contribution, but I will do my best to include as much contributed material as possible and to reply to your email; I don't consider myself as owning any contributed material, and if you want it removed at a later date, just let me know and I'll delete it.

Along with your name and email link, if you want any further biographical details, personal web page links etc. included, please let me know in the email.

Thankyou for your interest in sharing your thoughts and experiences of India. With your contribution I hope to develop an interesting site.

Daniel

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