Tag: Manmohan Singh

In the Cauvery’s Land

I landed at Bangaluru earlier known as Bangalore airport at half past five in the evening on Wednesday.  I had boarded the flight from Delhi. It was dot on time. At the airport, drivers were asking exorbitant money for going to the city where I had booked online a room in a hotel near railway station. I chose this hotel in the proximity of railway station because I had booked a berth in a train called “Mysore express” for going to Mysore. In fact, Mysore is not so easily accessible from outside places. I have a meeting with the scientists at Central Food Technology Research Institute (CFTRI) where a collaborative project was running and it is about to conclude in November. I even tried taking a taxi directly from Bangalore airport to Mysore but again taxi drivers were asking for a fare which included the return fare also. Already we were knowing this exigency and as an alternative had booked a room in a hotel in Bangalore and leaving by early morning train for Mysore.

From Bangalore the distance to Mysore is only 140 kilometers but trains run very slow due to single track for coming and going trains. If two trains are coming from opposite sides which usually is the case, one of the trains has to halt at a passing track and allow the other to cross. At the railway station, it first seemed very confusing because instead of Mysore Express, name of the train was written as Tuticorin express. Anyway the train came very much on time from Tuticorin and commenced its journey towards Mysore on time.

Soon the city was left behind. All along there were fields of sugarcane, rice and millet. There were coconuts planted everywhere. Trees and shrubs with beautiful flowers could be seen around the houses. The whole countryside was lush green. Occasionally the train crossed a bridge on a river. And which river? It is none other than the sacred river Cauvery. It is also a bone of contention between the states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. The waters of the river are used as a Political weapon by the Karnataka state because it has erected many dams on the river and Tamil Nadu is starved of water whenever Karnataka state wants to pressurize the Central government to meet its demands.

Anyway, the greenery became more and more intense as the train chugged towards its destination. There were banana cultivations also at many places. Farmers were seen working in the fields. At last the train reached the destination after three and half hours and I was received by colleagues from CFTRI and went to the hostel.

What is in a Name?

It is said that a person feels elated when you remember his or her name and call that person by the name. Even the Shakespeare said hundreds of years ago “What is in a name?” A rose smells the same by any other name”.  But think of this peculiar situation in the Village Guanlli of Kopal district of Karnataka. Every male is called Gyanappa and every female as Gyanavva. If you give the shout Gyanappa, you can imagine how everyone in the listening distance will respond.

Identity is created by prefixing with certain words. Elders are called Dodda and kids Chikka. The gyanappa derives from the name of Saint Gyaneshwar who lived in this place. He was revered by the people for his miracles and nearness to the God. Villagers since believe that perpetuation of the name keeps them protected from evils and there is a peace and healthy ambiance all around.

This belief has been consolidated even further from the fact that the few who tried to break the tradition suffered bad luck and have to repent and rename their children. peaceful and healthy lives. Presently no one is going to change the names and you have to be very sure which Gyanappa or Gyanavva you are going to see if you are visiting that place.

Assam in winter

There are lush green trees everywhere; betel nut trees, banana, Sal, coconut grow in abundant in addition to umpteen other varieties of bushes and trees in jungles. The climate is unpolluted and the place is famous for heaviest rainfalls in India. There are big ponds called beels in local Assamese language where so many kinds of birds many of them migratory live. There are bar-headed goose, pin tail duck, grey legged goose, mallards, white and grey pelican and northern lapwing. These birds stay here from October to February when there is bitter cold in their homelands and they live here in relative warmer climes. The most famous of the beels are Nimatighat and Kokilamukh though there are beels everywhere.

pelican.jpg Lapwing Mallard

Brahamputra river, called Luit by locals flows throughout the state’s length; it brings with it fertile soil and deposits it in the river beds. Every seed once thrown in the soil immediately germinates and grow before eyes. Many beautiful birds like pigeons: grey, reddish, white and mottled; green pigeons, songbird myanahs, bulbuls, crows live in the boughs of trees.