india historical sites

INDIA PERSPECTIVES MAY 2005 3INDIA PERSPECTIVES MAY 2005 2

NANDA DEVI NATIONAL PARK(Designated in 1988)

Spread around the base ofNanda Devi and several otherpeaks in the Garhwal Himalayas,the Nanda Devi National Park isdistinguished in the world forsome of the rarest and uniquehigh altitude flora and fauna thatit harbours. Nanda Devi (7817 mtr)is the second highest Himalayanpeak in India located in theChamoli region of Uttaranchal.The Park may be approachedthrough the village, Lata, near

in the world with the picturesqueRishi Ganga flowing all the way ina serpentine course draining thebasin. The National Park isrenowned for several species ofthe hoofed mammals like theBharal, the Himalayan Tahr,Goral, Musk Deer as well as thecarnivores, such as the Leopard,the Himalayan Black Bear andSnow Leopards. Notable avifaunain the Park are the MonalPheasant, Tragopan, theHimalayan Golden Eagle andothers. The floral wealth includesthe Blue Poppy, Brahma Kamal(Saussurea Obvallata) and severalother species of rare alpine flowers.

SANCHI (1988)

About 45 kilometer to thenorth of Bhopal, capital of

Part-V

World Heritage Sites in IndiaText & Photographs: P.K. DE

Joshimath 257 km from Rishikesh.Together with the famous “Valleyof Flowers”, the Nanda DeviNational Park is a BiosphereReserve covering an area of630 sq km. The entire regionremains snow bound for sixmonths in a year.

Through the ages Nanda Devi hasbeen revered as the mainifestationof Goddess Parvati, the Consort ofLord Shiva, and the hill people inthe region observe festivals andfairs in her adoration. The scenicvalley is a spectacular wilderness

Madhya Pradesh, the WorldHeritage site of Sanchi is a forest-clad hillock crowned with stupasand structures that represent theperfection in the Buddhist art andarchitectural achievements. It wasthe Kushana rulers who initiallyhad consecrated Sanchi toBuddhism; thereafter emperorAshoka, in the 2nd century B.C.,replaced the original woodenstructures with pleasing yellowsandstone rendering them intoworks of art with enduringpermanence. Ashoka built eightstupas at Sanchi, all architecturallyperfect and embellished withforms and symbols expressive ofBuddhist teachings. The greatestof them, the big stupa 16.5 mtrhigh and 37 mtr in radius, is amarvel reflecting the synthesis of

art and architecture in Buddhisttradition. It was from here thatAshoka’s son, prince Mahendrawent to Sri Lanka for propagatingBuddhism. Also, a nunnery wasbuilt at Sanchi for Ashoka’s queenwho had been ordained here withthe holy order of nuns. The gloryof Sanchi as the seat of Buddhistlearning and pilgrimage can berealized from its extensivecomplex of chaityas, stupas,temples, column of pillars,monasteries and the fourmagnificent gateways adorningthe big stupa. Master sculptors,silversmiths by trade, had utilizedtheir jewellers’ art in designingand delicate carving of themassive stone portals. They drew

Nanda Devi peaks rising above the National Park.The Sanchi Stupa and its column of pillars.


inspiration from the Jataka talesand depicted Buddha’s variousincarnations and the greatmoments in their lives. Devastatedby Aurangzeb in the 17th century,Sanchi had been deserted and layforgotten as an earthen mound inthe forest. It was re-discoveredin 1818 by John Marshall, theDirector General of Archaeology,to be salvaged and conserved inthe later years.

HUMAYUN’S TOMB (1993)

Mughal emperor Humayun, thefounder of the city Dinpanah inPurana Quila, lies buried in agrand massive mausoleum on theMathura Road in Delhi. Built inred sandstone and ornamentedwith black and white marble, withhigh arches and double dome, it isthe first representative example ofthe Mughal architecture in Indiain the characteristic style of agarden-tomb, a precursor to the

The Humayun Tomb in New Delhi –precursor to the Taj Mahal (left) and alatticed window in red sandstone (below).


storeys are made of red sandstone,the last two have white marbledecorations too. A cupola hadbeen added on top by SultanFeroz Shah in 1368 which,however, fell down in anearthquake in 1803. Highlyornamental with calligraphiccarvings, the Minar has developeda little tilt through the ages,though it has remarkablywithstood the rigours of Naturefor more than eight hundred years.According to some legend, theMinar was originally built byPrithviraj Chauhan, the last Hinduking of Delhi for her daughter tohave a look at the holy riverYamuna in the far distance. Theornate tomb of Iltutmish standingnearby is profusely decoratedwith fine calligraphy too. TheAlai Darwaza, another ornategateway was raised in the vicinity

great Taj Mahal at Agra. Itsconstruction was started in 1565,nine years after the emperor’sdeath by Haji (Bega) Begum,Humayun’s senior widow; thedesigning architect was MisakMirza Ghiyas of Persia. In the laterperiod several other leadingMughals had been buried withinthis majestic garden- tomb; ofthem the notables are Haji Begumand Prince Dara Shikoh, eldest sonof emperor Shah Jahan. It washere that the last of the Mughals,emperor Bahadur Shah-II and histhree sons had taken refuge to fleethe British troops at the end of theMutiny. While the three princeswere shot dead on the spot byLt. Hodson, Bahadur Shah hadbeen captured and exiled to Burma.

QUTAB MINAR COMPLEX (1993)

Dominating the countryside, thetowering Qutab Minar in southDelhi is a noble reminder of theAfghan rule in India. Ibn Batuta,a famous traveller of the medievalages, spoke of the minar as “oneof the Wonders of the world”.Qutub’d-din Aibak, founder ofthe Slave Dynasty of the AfghanSultanate in India laid thefoundation of Qutab Minar in1193, possibly as a tower ofvictory. The attached Quwwat-ul-Islam mosque was built for theuse of the muezzin to call thepeople for prayer. The taperingelegant 73 mtr high Minar, havinga base diameter of 15 mtr, andending at 2.5 mtr at the top, couldonly be completed by his son-in-law and successor Iltutmish afterseveral years. The five-storeyedMinar has a circular balcony ateach floor. While the first three

by Alauddin Khilji in 1311. Alsonotable within the complex is thefamous non-rust seven mtr highiron pillar, raised in memory ofthe great Gupta EmperorChandragupta Vikramaditya whoruled in the 4th Century A.D.

THE TOY TRAIN, DARJEELING(1999)

Other than for producing world’sfinest quality tea, Darjeeling – theQueen of hill stations in northBengal is best known for itsToy Train running between Siliguriin the plains and Darjeeling in theforest -clad Himalayas. Establishedin 1881, it is the world’s firstpassenger train to be hauled up bya tiny steam engine in a slowzigzag climb uphill to an elevationof 2134 mtr. The 87.5 km longnarrow gauge (0.60 mtr) section ofthe Darjeeling Himalayan Railway

(DHR) has no tunnel en route.“Ghoom” railway station in theDHR is the world’s secondhighest, being also the first highestin the world ever to be reachedby a steam locomotive. Whilenegotiating the engineering marvelof the famed Batasia Loop throughhighly enchanting sceneriesbefore entering Darjeeling, thetrain offers the joy-riders a grandpanorama of the Himalayan snowpeaks including the majesticMt Kanchenjunga (8598 mtr),world’s third highest. To curtailthe ten-hour long hill journey, thetrain has now been provided witha more powerful diesel locomotivein recent times. This uniqueToy Train was bestowed with theWorld Heritage status in 1999.◆The author is a noted photo journalist.Qutab Minar – as seen from the

Quwwat-ul-Islam mosque withinits complex.

The Darjeeling Toy Train.


GondalTHE ROYAL GRANDEUR

Text & Photographs: DILEEP PRAKASH

The constant drone of the broad gauge diesel engine overtakesthe cotton-dotted landscape as the train swerves into Gondal,Gujarat. This erstwhile state was one of the first to have a

private railway. The Gondal State Railway has some of the mostexquisite stations with a mix of British and Kathiawari architecture.The quiet station has the photo of Maharajah Bhagvatsinhji who hadthe vision to create a modern state some 100 years back. As therickshaw pulls through town I am amazed at its wide tree-lined roads,plenty of gracious architecture and European wrought iron lamp posts.

Tired after the long journey from Delhi cutting through Ahmedabadand Rajkot, I check into the Orchard Palace. Located in a hugecomplex of fruit orchards, lawns and gardens, the Orchard Palace is awing of the Huzoor Palace (the present royal residence) where theruling family of Gondal entertained personal guests including relativesfrom other princely states of Gujarat. The “Room of Miniatures” is a

splendid sitting room with acollection of miniature paintings,brass and antique furniture. Morerecently a host of Bollywoodcelebs settled in while shootingfor a movie.

The royal saloons preservedoutside arouse the rail buff in meand after a hot cuppa I’m trottingbehind a thick spectacledhousekeeper, who recalls that“Maharaja Saab loved style andgrandeur. These coaches hereare unlike the ordinary railcompartments”. Bearingtestimony to the royal lifestyle,it is equipped with a dining suite,bedroom, bathroom and even akitchen. The coach has beenrestored with furniture belongingto the times when they were used

as royal carriages. The fans,switches and mirrors in thesaloons are also similar to thosein use during that era. ViceroyLord Wellington had travelledin this saloon to Gondal onthe golden jubilee birthdaycelebration of MaharajaBhagwatsinh in 1935.

I now headed out of the pristinearoma of the Palace down to theGondali – a little river that curvesalong the town. Near its banksis the Riverside Palace. Theoldest palace in Gondal is the17th-century Naulakha Palace.Skipping a detailed view of boththese royal retreats I’m moreinterested in the collection ofvintage cars. The royal garageshave an extensive collection ofvintage cars ranging from a 1920sDaimler, a 1935 Mercedes, 1935Packard two-door convertible,

Swaminarayan Temple

Above: Orchard Palace.Right: Maharajah Bhagvatsinhji.


European laboratory equipment,an antique clock tower andintricate wooden ceilings.

Morning tea is served amidst thecalls of peacocks and scent offlowering mango trees. I prolongthe moments since the drone ofthe diesel waits in just a fewhours. On my way to the stationI steal a visit to the SwaminarayanTemple. Its large gateway andscores of colourful devotees lendit an awesome aura of devotion.The toot of the diesel greets meat the station and I set foot on theboard with a royal air!◆The author is a noted travel writer.

1941 and 1947 Cadillac, 1955Cadillac limousine, Jaguar XK 150and a Chevrolet. Most of thesecars are restored and some bearthe original Gondal State numberplates.

In the centre of the town is themost fabulous college building:The Sangram Sinhji High School.It is a model of Eton in Gondal. Ithas fabulous Gothic architecture,Italian marble floors, old

Above: Another view of theSwaminarayan Temple. Left: Sangram SinhjiHigh School: Gothic architecture.

When India’s first War of Independence ended in 1857, thevictors were confronted with a major question: What shouldbe done with its leader, Bahadur Shah Zafar, the last Mughal

emperor (1772-1862)? The British came up with a typical solution,inspired by the mindset of ‘divide and rule’: Send the emperor inpermanent exile to a far corner of the Raj, a deserted, desolate partof Rangoon, the sleepy city they had conquered recently. (They hadmeted out the same treatment to Thibaw, the last King of Burma,sent on exile to Ratnagiri in Maharashtra).

At first, Captain Nelson Davies, the British officer- in charge didnot know what to do with his new charge, the last resident ofDelhi’s magnificent Red Fort. Setting aside protocol, he decidedto accommodate the prisoner in the small garage of his modestbungalow. That is where Bahadur Shah, accompanied by his wife,Begum Zeenat Mahal, and grand-daughter, Princess Raunaq Zamani,along with two sons and other members of the entourage, spent the

Bahadur Shah ZafarTHE EXILED EMPEROR

RAJIV BHATIA

The Bahadur Shah Zafar Memorial in Yangon.


sunset years of his life from1858-62. (He occupied the throneof Delhi from 1836 to 1857).

Bahadur Shah was a sad andbroken man, especially afterthe failure of the War ofIndependence. The failure costhim dearly: a lost throne, brutalmurder of his sons and exile to aforeign land. The patriot that hewas, he sought the cooperationof Indian Princes and Rajasagainst the British. In a historicletter, he wrote to them that itwas his “ardent wish that thewhole of Hindustan should befree”.

The king died on November 7,1862, at a ripe age of 89. TheBritish feared him, even in his

death. He was immediatelyburied in the British officer’sresidential compound. The burialsite was concealed carefully andin no time, it was covered withtropical foliage. Davies wrote, ascited by former Punjab HighCourt Chief Justice G.D. Khosla inhis book The Last Mughal:

“A bamboo fence surrounded thegrave for some considerabledistance. By the time the fence isworn out, the grass will haveagain covered the spot and novestige will remain to distinguishwhere the last of great Mughalsrests”.

Clearly, the British knew thesymbolic value and the emotionalhold of Bahadur Shah Zafar on

the people of Hindustan.However, history proved Davies –and the Raj – completely wrong.Neither the king nor his Mazarhas been forgotten. Themausoleum stands as a memorialto the last Mughal ruler whoadorned Delhi’s throne that wasonce occupied by Akbar andShahjahan, among others.

The Mazar in Yangon (Rangoon)is the final resting place of theking, his wife and grand daughter.It is, however, noteworthy that ofthe three graves on the groundfloor, only two are believed to bereal, whereas the third, i.e. theking’s grave, is a decoy. His realgrave, located below the groundfloor, was discovered in 1991

when digging took place for amajor renovation of the Mazar.It was identified by the specialkind of bricks used in the 19thcentury, and by the descriptionof the place of burial byCaptain Davies.

For local Muslims, it is a place ofworship where namaz is offeredeveryday and large congregationsgather on special holy days. Theking has been revered as a wali(saint), blessed with specialpowers. His death anniversary iscelebrated by holding a huge Urs(fair) lasting three days when freemeals are served to visitors andmusical events are held.

Bahadur Shah Zafar was said tobe a devout disciple of the

Chistiya Sufi order (Tariqa); laterhe himself became a spiritualguide. He became famous for hismystical poems that could “movethe listener’s heart to repentanceand kindle the soul with divinebrilliance”. It is also believed thathis poems contain predictionsconcerning future events.

To Indians in general, the Mazaris a national monument, a vividreminder of pre-colonial,undivided India – and of the kingwho led, however unsuccessfully,the battle against imperialintruders.

It was Netaji Subhash ChandraBose, a titan among India’snationalist leaders, who turnedthe Mazar into a memorable spot

Courtyard of the Mazar (below) and thegrave of the Emperor on the lower floor(facing page).


of national pilgrimage. With theheadquarters of his IndianNational Army (INA) set up inYangon during the Second WorldWar, Netaji regularly visited theMazar. He issued his famousappeal to ‘March on to Delhi’ –‘Dilli Chalo’ – from Yangon,perhaps while visiting the Mazar.

In 1949, the Bahadur Shah ZafarMemorial Society in Delhiproposed that the Emperor’smortal remains should betransferred to Delhi. This wasnot agreed to. Prime MinisterJawaharlal Nehru decided tolet the memorial remain inYangon as an indicator of India’sconfidence in Myanmar’s respectfor Indian national sentiments.

During the time of Prime MinisterNehru and Myanmar’s PrimeMinister U Nu, there was also asuggestion to send the remains ofKing Thibaw from Ratnagiri toMyanmar and to bring those ofthe Mughal emperor to Delhi.However, the two prime ministerstook the view that these shrineswere part of the two countries’shared historical and culturallegacy and should be properlymaintained – wherever they werelocated.

To mark Netaji’s clarion call ofpatriotism issued from Yangon,

and to pay homage to the lastMughal Emperor – besidescelebrating an important historicallink between India and Myanmar,the Indian Embassy in Yangonfollows an interesting tradition,started many years ago. Both onIndia’s Republic Day (January 26)and Independence Day (August15), the Ambassador and otherofficers formally visit the Mazar,offer floral tributes to theEmperor, and hold discussionswith the Managing Committee ofthe Mazar. As one journalist putsit: “By these visits it is clear thatIndia has “reclaimed” its last king– at least in spirit. Some 125 yearsafter his death, Zafar is beinggiven the respect for being the lastKing of India...”

Over the years, the Governmentof India has assisted in therenovation and maintenance ofthe Mazar, with full concurrenceand encouragement of theMyanmar authorities.

Indian Council of CulturalRelations (ICCR) too has made aunique contribution; it hassponsored several well-knownQuawali troupes who havepreformed at the Mazar to thedelight of thousands of musiclovers.

What can be a more fittingrecognition and remembranceof a man who himself was asensitive poet? His deep anguishand lament over not getting eventwo yards of land for burial in hisown land has rarely failed totouch the hearts of people:

“Kitna hai badnasib Zafar kafnkay liye,Do gaj jameen bhi na mili dafnkay liye.”

(How unfortunate is Zafar, thathe did not get even two yards ofland for his burial in his owncountry).

In response, a resident poet inYangon said memorably:

“Do gaz zameen gar na mili tokya malal,khushboo ye kua yaar hai isyaadgar mein”

(Do not grieve if you did not gettwo yards of space, the scent ofyour homeland is here in yourmemorial).

It has been an establishedtradition to include the Mazar inthe itinerary of important Indiandignitaries visiting Myanmar.When the late Prime MinisterRajiv Gandhi visited the Mazar inDecember, 1987, he wrote themost apt and heartfelt tribute tothe last Emperor of India:

“I pay my homage to the memoryof the symbol and rallying pointof India’s First War ofIndependence. That war has beenwon. Never again shall India fallprey to foreign subjugation. Weshall preserve our unity withour diversity; we shall be faithfulto our values of tolerance,secularism and respect for allreligions which have ensuredthe unbroken continuity for5000 years.”◆The author is India’s Ambassador toMyanmar.

Portrait of the Emperor in the Mazar’scourtyard (left) and the graves on theupper floor.

A plaque at the Mazar.


A critical study of the historyof India will reveal that,down the ages, women have

excelled both in war and peace,both through pen and sword,upholding India’s cultural valuesand its ethical system. During thefreedom struggle, Mahatma Gandhiwas quick to realise the importanceof the Nari Shakti (women’s power)and empowered them to be equalpartners in the unique freedomstruggle whose parallel is not foundanywhere else in the world.

Gandhiji did not expect all Indianwomen to become Jones of Arc orRanis of Jhansi. He wanted them tobe as proud and brave as Sita.“Rani of Jhansi”, he said, “could besubdued, but not Sita (wife of LordRama)”. He, therefore, gave aclarion call to them to join thenational movement and save thenational honour. The first woman torespond to his call was Kasturba,his wife. A symbol of self-sacrificeshe displayed qualities ofleadership particularly whenGandhi was in jail. A pillar ofstrength to Gandhi’s efforts for non-violence she was always in thefore-front in all his non-violentagitations in South Africa as well asat home. She had a distinct outlookon life. “Kasturba’s outlook on life”,he said, “means the outlookrepresented by Kasturba Gandhiand not Mohan Das KaramchandGandhi”. She died in the DetentionCamp in Agha Khan Palace inFebruary, 1944, near Pune.Although she was herself anilliterate she stood for the education

India’s Freedom StruggleROLE OF WOMEN

SUSHMA

of women and through education,their empowerment.

Others who plunged into thenational movement includedMadame Cama, Sister Nivedita,Annie Besant, Pandita Ramabai,Sarojini Naidu, Kamla Nehru,Maniben Patel, Vijaylakshmi Pandit,Sucheta Kripalani, Prabha Vati Deviand thousands of others whosacrificed their homes to see thecountry free. Even those who didnot fully subscribe to non-violencejoined the movement for a newIndia through revolutionarymethods. These included DurgaBhabhi, an associate of BhagatSingh: Satyavati Devi, KhurshedBehn, Lado Rani Zutshi, Aruna AsafAli, et el, as also DurgabhaiDeshmukh and AmmuSwaminathan who served thecountry through active socialservice. ‘If courage of the highesttype is to be developed’, saidMahatma Gandhi, ‘the women ofIndia are the natural leaders in thisregard’.

The story of Madame Cama readslike a thriller. Even before Gandhihad started his movement in India,she along with Sardar Singh Ranahad unfurled the tri-colour of Indiain 1907. In an inspiring speech shesaid, “This flag is of India’sindependence. Behold, it is born. Itis already sanctified by the blood ofmartyred Indian youth. I call uponyou, ladies and gentlemen, to riseand salute the flag of Indianindependence”. The occasion wasthe International SocialistConference at Stuttgart, Germany.

All the delegates rose and salutedthe flag of freedom.

When Madan Lal Dhingra, the 22-year old patriot and an engineeringstudent in London was hanged in1909, she said: “More Madan Lalsare the need of the hour”. Incollaboration with VirendranathChattopadhyaay, she started amagazine called “Madan Talwar”(Madan’s sword) printed fromBerlin. This magazine soon becamethe mouthpiece of all Indianrevolutionaries abroad.

Replying to the British criticismabout the use of violence in thefreedom struggle, she said:“Sometime back it was repugnant tome even to talk of violence as asubject of discussion, but owing tothe heartlessness, the hypocrisy andthe rascality of the liberals, thefeeling is gone. Why should wedeplore the use of violence whenour enemies drive us to do it. If weuse force it is because we areforced to use force.” Madame Camaexercised tremendous influence onthe mind of Bhagat Singh and his

comrades. Popularly known as the‘Mother of Revolution’, she askedher countrymen to pledge tooverthrow the foreign yoke.

Durgavati and Susheela Devi weretwo sisters who played a vital rolein the revolutionary movement ofthe Bhagat Singh era. WithDurgavati – popularly known asDurga Bhabhi – Bhagat Singh hadtravelled in the Calcutta Mail onDecember 18, 1928, in one of hisescapades.

Durga Bhabhi appeared like ameteor on the firmament offreedom struggle in India. Wife ofProfessor Bhagwati Charan Vohrashe was a terror to the Britishpolice.

An active member of the NaujawanBharat Sabha, her most gloriousmoment came on December 17,1928, when after killing Saunders,Bhagat Singh and Sukhdev went toher house for advice and furtheraction. It was her plan that theyshould leave for Calcutta. Dressedas an English ‘Sahib’ he travelledwith Durga Bhabhi and her childby Calcutta Mail.

Satyawati is another name toreckon with in India’s freedommovement. She was the illustriousdaughter of Swami Sharadhnandawhose only passion was India’sfreedom. Of the 37 years she lived,12 were spent in prison, once witha new born babe in arms as hercompanion.

She served 11 jail terms and diedtwo years before India gainedindependence. She firmly stood forswadeshi (home grown), and tookactive part in Gandhiji’s civildisobedience movement

Lado Rani Zutshi, wife of a Lahoreadvocate, and her two daughters –Janak Kumari Zutshi and Swadesh

Kasturba Gandhi


Kumari Zutshi – also played aprominent role in the civildisobedience movement in Punjab,particularly Lahore. They started anew movement of womensatyagrahis, wore a distinctiveuniform of red trousers, green shirtsand white caps. They stood forswadeshi and complete prohibition.Intensely patriotic and totallyfearless, Lado Rani was theembodiment of self-sacrificeand renunciation. “When agovernment starts arresting women,its days are numbered”, she oftensaid. A perfect Gandhian, shestood for peaceful and non-violentresistance.

Usha Mehta of Bombay was,however, a different kind ofrevolutionary – one who kept thetorch of freedom alive with herFreedom Radio. A scholar ofexceptional brilliance, she was, inthe words of Dr. Ram ManoharLohia, “A woman of rare courageand rare attainments.”

She came into prominence duringthe Quit India movement started by

Gandhiji. She started a secret radioand called it Voice of Freedom.Khurshed Behn, another youngwoman from Maharashtra, workedin the North-West Frontier Provinceand became a legend among thePushto-speaking freedom fighters.

Aruna Asaf Ali, the heroine of the1942 movement, was made ofsterner stuff. Originally a Gandhian,she changed her views on non-violent methods. She remainedunderground for a number of years,hoisted the national flag inBombay, became Mayor of Delhiand won the admiration of allpoliticians.

A brilliant orator, she wrote withgreat felicity. With Dr. Lohia andJayaprakash Narayanan shefounded the Socialist Wing of theIndian National Congress. Thesewomen of India proved thatfighting for freedom was not theexclusive preserve of men.

The intellectual gaps were filledby women like Sarojini Naidu,Vijayalakshmi Pandit and Sucheta

Kriplani, not to mention artists suchas M.S. Subbalakshmi. CaptainLakshmi Sehgal, who foughtshoulder to shoulder with men inthe Indian freedom struggle, asHead of the Rani Jhansi regiment ofIndian National Army (INA), wasone of the most trusted and loyalaides of Netaji.

Sarojini Naidu was the Nightingaleof India’s freedom movement. In aletter to Nehru, she said: “As Iwatched your face while you werebeing given a rousing receptionon your election, I felt I wasenvisaging both the coronationand the crucifixion. Indeed, thetwo are inseparable and almostsynonymous today, especially foryou, because you are so sensitiveand so fastidious in your spiritualresponse and reaction and youwill suffer a hundred-fold morepoignantly than men and womenof less fine fibre and less vividperception and apprehension,in dealing with the ugliness,falsehood, backsliding, betrayal...all the inevitable attributes of

weakness that seeks to hide itspoverty by aggressive andbombastic sound”.

In yet another letter to Gandhiji,she said : “The specialists thinkthat my heart disease is in theadvanced and the dangerous stagebut I cannot stir till I stir the heartof the world to repentance over thetragedy of martyred India”. ThusSarojini Naidu was the poet-chronicler of the freedom struggle.

A princess of the erstwhile nativeKapurthala state, Rajkumari AmritKaur was Gandhiji’s secretary for16 years and free India’s first HealthMinister. Imprisoned a number oftimes and lathicharged on severaloccasions, Amrit Kaur was drawntowards Gandhiji during the days ofmartial law in Punjab. She decidedto forsake the princely pomp andjoin Gandhiji’s ashram.

Another name to emerge in thefreedom struggle was that ofDurgabai Deshmukh during the saltsatyagraha. Popularly known as theIron Lady, she defied British

Sarojini Naidu

authority in the 1930s and edited amagazine called Andhra Mahila.These women social activistsbroadened the base of the freedommovement by their active socialwork.

Last but not the least, a word aboutAmmu Swaminathan – endearinglycalled Cheri Amma (Auntie).A founder-member of the All IndiaWomen Conference situated inMadras, she joined the IndianNational Congress in 1934 andplayed a leading role in the ‘QuitIndia’ movement in 1942. A firmbeliever in non-violence andGandhian economics, she becamea Member of the ConstituentAssembly and stood for a new Indiabased on social justice and genderequality.◆The author is a freelance writer.

Vijaylakshmi Pandit Durgabhai Deshmukh Kamla Nehru Aruna Asaf Ali


Swami Ranganathnanda was ascholar with a difference: henever went to any school,

college or university – and yetwas an acknowledged authorityon Vedanta! He indeed was thetallest among them all – no othersaint-scholar quite measured upto him. Known as the Sage ofBelur Math, Kolkata, he stooddistinct and yet universal. TheSwami, who passed away in Aprilthis year at the ripe age of 96, leftthe world “poorer” – as PrimeMinister Dr Manmohan Singh soaptly put it.

Having complete control over hisfive senses, the Swami was theflashback of the ancient heritageof India, standing at par with AdiShankara and Ramanuja. As apractical Vedantist he often said,“In our effort to get a seat in theother world, we lose our seat onthe earthly paradise”.

Born in Trikkur in the erstwhilestate of Travancore, now inKerala, on December 15, 1908, hejoined the Ramakrishna Math inMysore at the age of 18. Formallyinitiated into Sanyas in 1933 bySwami Sivananda, the famoussage of Rishikesh, he worked asSecretary, Ramakrishna Mission atRangoon in Burma from 1939 to1942, and also in Karachi from1942 to 1948. He visited morethan fifty countries to spread themessage of Vedanta and wrotemore than seventy books on thesubjects ranging from Upanishads

Homage

Swami RanganathnandaSAINT-SCHOLAR EXTRAORDINARY

PRANAV KHULLAR

compassion for the animal life.In his Ashram, there was food foreverybody, including birds, beastsand insects.

One of the greatest attributesof the Swami was his easyaccessibility to one and all.Anybody could meet him anytime with any problem; the manof money and the man of culture;men without money and thosewithout culture. For Swamiji,everyone was equal and nobodymore equal.

As an educationist SwamiRanganathnanda was evengreater. According to him,education is the training of mindrather than the stuffing of brain.Education flourishes only indemocracy. He often quotedSwami Vivekananda who saidthat “I consider every educatedman as criminal, who havingreceived education at the expenseof the poor does nothing forthem”.

Democracy, said Swamiji, came toIndia before it went to Greece inthe city state of Athens or Rome.The pre-Mauryan republics ofLichchavi and Mallas weredemocracies in ancient Indiawhere equal rights were given toall including women andlabouring classes, whereas suchrights were denied to theworking classes and women inwestern republics. Democracymeans a value system based onequality, liberty, fraternity and,

above all integrity. This valuesystem can be brought back byproper education which isdifferent from gatheringinformation. “If education isidentical with information”, hesaid, then the libraries would bethe greatest sages in the world,and encyclopedias the greatestrishis”.

A great upholder of charactereducation, Swamiji often quotedthe age-old saying that if “wealthis lost nothing is lost; if health islost, something is lost but ifcharacter is lost everything is lost.Build character and build thenation”.

“The glowing picture of whatIndia can be tomorrow is marredby what India is today”, he toldthe young civil servants atMussourie, and asked them togo into the rural India to dispelilliteracy, remove superstition andblind faith. According to him,Vedanta pre-supposes theverification of truth before it isaccepted.

Swamiji laid bare before theworld India’s spiritual wealth andthe excellence and glories ofIndia’s great culture. “I do notbelieve in the idolatry ofgeography but I know that Indiahas a special role to play inawakening the world, morallyand spiritually. India, he said, isblessed with divine grace for thatparticular role.

During his visit to Japan in 1958,Swamiji told his audiences that“India has invaded no foreigncountry, never drenched herhands in foreign blood, norenriched herself by exploitingother nations. Her internationalcontacts have moved through thesilent channels of culture andcommerce and never through theturbulent storms of violence andwar. It is this heritage – ancient,dynamic and pervasive that givesauthenticity to India’s voice onpeace and tolerance amongnations today”.

He concluded by saying “Todaythe greatness of a people or a

to Vedanta. His speeches andaddresses at various universitieshave been compiled by theBhartiya Vidya Bhawan, NewDelhi, and published in fourvolumes in 1986. Titled EternalValues for a Changing Society thebook emphasised that the societycan change in infinite ways inresponse to historical necessities,but that is no reason why theeternal values underlying allhuman endeavour should bediscarded or even changed.Swamiji believed that spiritualityis a dynamic force thatcontinuously propels us towardsthe only human goal therealisation of God throughvarious means.

Chastity, austerity and poverty arethe three pillars of spiritualstrength. All his life nothingpossessed him and he possessednothing except the name of God,the service of mankind and

nation will be measured by thecontribution it makes to reducethe suffering and tensions andenhance happiness and peaceamong mankind. This is the roadon which India and Japan, bothyoung and dynamic can marchtogether, along with othernations, creating a mightybulwark of peace and fellowshipin the world”. In such a shortspeech Swamiji had almostsummed up India’s foreign policy.

A man and a monk like SwamiRanganathnanda is born but oncein many centuries. Death makesno conquest of this conqueror ofsoul, for, now he lives in thehearts of millions of people inwhom he kindled the lamp ofVedanta, unifying the externaland the internal knowledge,tradition with modernity, welfarewith suffering, precept withpractice and indeed living withlife.

Describing him as a ‘SecondVivekananda’, Dr ManmohanSingh, India’s Prime Minister,in his homage to SwamiRangnathnanda said: “He was anunusually gifted individual, ateacher, a scholar, a sage, acompanion of the needy and,above all, a deeply religiousperson in the best traditions ofIndian culture and civilisation”.◆The author is a noted writer on philosophy.

The Swami at the California Ashram of the Ramakrishna Mission.


In a significant development, theBangalore-based Antrix CorpLtd, the commercial arm of

the Indian space programme, andthe Malaysian outfit MEASATGlobal Bhd have entered intoan agreement to float a 50:50joint venture company aimed atpooling their satellite resources inthe economically resurgent AsiaPacific region. This landmarkagreement was signed in NewDelhi in December last year whenthe Malaysian Prime MinisterAbdullah Ahamad Badwai visitedIndia. An official statement issuedon the occasion observedthat the move will eventuallyculminate in the developmentof a “satellite neighourhood” formillions of broadcasting andtelecommunications customersspread across the Asia Pacificregion.

Indeed, the creation of this “satelliteneighbourhood” through the jointventure would help position India’smultipurpose domestic spacecraftsystem INSAT as a leading satellitesystem in the Asia Pacific marketwhere the demand for high qualitysatellite-based services is on theupswing. The fully Indian designedand developed INSAT systemcontinues to supporttelecommunications, broadcasting,meteorological and educationalsectors in India in a big way. Nowonder the Indian Space ResearchOrganization (ISRO) hopes thatINSAT system capability will findready users in Malaysia, Indonesia,Philippines, Singapore andAustralia.

India’s Space ProwessEXPNADING FRONTIERS

Haji Mohammed Hanif Omar,Director of the Measat SatelliteSystems Sdn Bhd of Malaysia, said“we have been using the Indianspace technology and expertiseon Measat-1 and Measat-3programmes”.

The INSAT system, commissionedin 1983, is considered to be thelargest communications satelliteconstellation in the Asia Pacificregion. At present under anagreement with Intelsat(International TelecommunicationsSatellite Organization), India hasleased eleven 36 MHz equivalentof units of C-band capacityonboard the INSAT-2E satellitelaunched in April 1999. It is for thefirst time that Intelsat has lookedbeyond its own constellation ofsatellites to support the range of

RADHAKRISHNA RAO

Korea. Antrix has also entered intoan agreement with the NanyangTechnological University ofSingapore (NTU) for launching itsX-sat satellite as a piggy backpayload onboard a PSLV flight.Similarly Antrix has bagged aUS $10-million contract from theEuropean Union to launch anItalian built satellite by means ofPSLV. In order to accommodate theincreased frequency of satellitelaunches, ISRO has built a secondlaunch pad at India’s nationalspaceport in Sriharikota island,about 80 km to the north ofChennai.

Similarly, Antrix’s tie-up with theSpace Imaging of USA has resultedin a fast growing market for thehigh quality resources datagenerated by the fully Indiandesigned and developed IRS seriesof earth observation spacecraft.Thanks to this partnership todayIRS data accounts for one-fifth ofthe satellite resources data soldglobally. Growing demand for suchdata reflects the giant strides madeby India in the global space market.Today India boasts of having one ofthe largest constellations of remote-sensing satellites in the world.According to Prof U.R. Rao, aformer chairman of ISRO, India’sstrength in the area of satellitebased remote sensing is globallyrecognized. More than twentyground stations spread around theworld receive data directly from theIRS series of spacecraft.

Meanwhile India’s efforts to enterthe global market for launchingsatellites has crossed yet anothermilestone with the successfuldevelopment of a cryogenic enginethat would replace the Russiansupplied upper stage cryogenicengine in GSLV. It is described asthe most sophisticated and highly

advanced space launcherdeveloped by ISRO. GSLV wouldbe used to orbit the Indian madeINSAT class satellites which earlierused to be launched abroad.

Simultaneously, ISRO is developinga heavy lift -off version of GSLVcalled GSLV MK-III that would becapable of launching 4-tonne classcommunications satellites. GSLVMK-III is expected to be readybefore the end of this decade.It would give a big thrust toIndia’s plan to enter the globalmarket for launching commercialcommunications satellites.

Antrix which has supplied satellitecomponents, hardware and systemsto satellite fabricators in NorthAmerica and West Europe, is nowpreparing to enter the globalmarket for medium classcommunications satellites. For,discussions are currently on with

the US aerospace giant BoeingSatellite System for floating a jointventure for developing andworldwide marketing of satellites.As envisaged, ISRO will integratethe service payloads supplied byBoeing into the Indian satellitebuses at the Banglore basedSatellite Centre. The ultimateobjective is to market satellitesystems somewhat similar to INSATin capability and configuration.◆The author, based in Bangalore, is a notedwriter on science and space.

services it provides to theworldwide customers.

MEASAT is also to procure fromAntrix India a new satellite for itslaunch in 2007. This satellite, to benamed MEASAT-4, will augmentthe MEASAT fleet with theadditional Ku-band capability.Antrix is keen to build and launchmedium capacity satellites forASEAN countries. AnotherMalaysian outfit, AstronauticTechnology, has already signed anagreement with Antrix for makinguse of the services of the Indianspace vehicles – the four stagePolar Satellite Launch Vehicle(PSLV) featuring alternate liquidand solid fuel-driven stages, andthe three-stage GeosynchronousSatellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV)equipped with an upper cryogenicengine stage.

The synergy of Antrix-MEASATtie-up is also expected to lead tothe extensive use of MEASAT’s newteleport and broadcast center, inaddition to exploring the possibilityof developing a world class teleportin India. As envisaged now, thejoint venture company is expectedto have headquarters in Bangalore.The ISRO sources in Bangalorepoint out that the ultimate objectiveof the venture is to jointly market atthe international level satellitesusing ISRO’s technological prowessand MEASAT’s marketing skills.

Anrix Corp has also made gains inmarketing the services of PSLVwhich has so far launched foursatellites on commercial basis forGermany, Belgium and South

PSLV on the launch-pad.

INSAT-2E.


The recent centenarycelebrations of K.L. Saigal,the immortal singer and

superstar of the 20th century, alsoevoked the memories of Khurshidwho passed away four years agoin April, 2001. A leading singingstar in the early 1940s, Khurshidattained countrywide fame andpopularity after teaming up withK.L. Saigal in Ranjit’s great hitBhakat Surdas (1942). Acharming personality with anextraordinary acting talent,Khurshid was also anaccomplished singer. Sharing withSaigal their common Punjabibackground and outlook,Khurshid with her lively,unrestrained performance showedup as a natural heroine of Saigal.On his part, Saigal too gave theimpression of being perfectly atease with Khurshid and hisperformance was both candidand spontaneous. No wonder,Saigal-Khurshid duo instantlyshot into limelight and both wereacclaimed as superstars.

Born around 1912-14 inChoonian tehsil of Lahore,Khurshid embarked on herprofessional career with MadanTheatres of Calcutta after theadvent of Talkies in 1931. Madanwas then the leading filmproducing company in India witha chain of cinema houses all overthe country. The heroines in thesilent era were mostly drawnfrom the Anglo- Indiancommunity who joined films

KhurshidSINGING SIREN OF EARLY TALKIES

PRAN NEVILE

under glamorous native names.Ruby Myers, a telephoneoperator, became Sulochana-theleading star of the early 1930s.Then there was Irene Gasperwho appeared in some films asSabita Devi. But as they were notproficient in Hindi-Urdu, theywere replaced by theprofessional, well-trained theatreartistes.

Khurshid with her screen nameMiss Shelha made her debutwith a role in Madan TheatresLaila Majnu. She followed it upwith some supporting roles inShakuntala. Chitra Bakavali,Hathili Dulhan and Muflis Ashiq(1933). In the meantime, therewas hectic activity in Lahoreand a number of producers such

Fortune smiled on Khurshid andin 1940, she rose to stardom withthe Ranjit’s box office hit ‘Holi’‘when she co-starred with thethen famous hero Motilal.Directed by A.R. Kardar withD.N. Madhok’s tuneful lyrics setto music by Khemchand Prakash(who was to create a sensationfew years later with ‘Ayegaannewala’ in Mahal in 1949),the film earned her fame andpopularity. Her other notable hitswere Musafir, Shadi and Pardesi.Playing the heroine’s role withMotilal, the upcoming superstarof Bombay, Khurshid reached thepinnacle of her fame in Pardesireleased in 1941. Her famousnumber “Pehle Jo Mohabbat seInqar Kiya Hota” (If only you hadearlier said ‘no’ to my love...)established her as the leadingsinging actress of her time. Thispaved the way for her selectionby Chandulal Shah, the chief

of Ranjit, to play the heroineopposite the legendary K.L. Saigalin “Bhagat Surdas”. The story ofSurdas has always provided apopular social plot to stage andscreen writers. Khurshid’s superbperformance in the role ofChintamani, the courtesan whotransforms Bilwamangal, herlover, into a saintly figure wasapplauded in superlative terms.She embellished it further withher solos and popular duets withSaigal. The following year (1943),she scaled still greater heights inher second appearance withK.L. Saigal in Tansen, one of theall-time great classics of Indiancinema. The film was a runawaysuccess and Khurshid was votedas the top superstar by theaudiences. It was Tansen whichbrought fame to the Bombay filmindustry in the world of musicwhich was until then dominatedby the New Theatres of Calcutta.

In a way Tansen immortalizedall those connected with itsproduction – director Jayant Desaiand the music directorKhemchand Prakash who playedno small role in groomingKhurshid into a consummateartiste who could sing any songwith equal ease.

Later, though Khurshid appearedin Shahenshah Babar, MumtazMahal (1944) Moorti, Prabhu KaGhar (1945) Maharana Pratap(1946), but none of these couldmake any mark in the film world.Khurshid left for Pakistan in 1947with her husband Lala Yakub, anactor with Kardar productionswhom she had married earlier in1946. According to M. Rafiq, afamous film historian in England,Khurshid was not so active inPakistan and appeared as heroineonly in two films – both in 1956:Fankar and Mandi. Unfortunately,these films despite Khurshid’ssongs and Rafiq Ghaznavi’s musicfailed at the box office. Afterleaving Yakub in 1956, shemarried a businessman IrshadBhaimiyan and came to beknown as Mrs. Irshad Begum.Hereafter, she retired from thefilms and engaged herself inphilanthropic work. She chose tokeep herself aloof and declinedto give any interviews or talkabout her film career. Manysinging filmstars tried to copy herstyle but without much success.Khurshid died on 18th of April,2001, in Karachi after a prolongedillness. She had a God-giftedvoice and a natural talent ofturning songs into enchantingmelodies for the listeners.◆The author is a noted writer.

as A.R. Kardar, R.L. Shorey andJ.K. Nanda made talkies.Khurshid appeared in Shorey’sKamla Movietone production“Radhey Shyaam” and then as aheroine in Swarg Ki Seedhidirected by J.K. Nanda (1935).Unfortunately, all those filmsproduced at Lahore floppedmiserably at the box office andthe artistes and technicians wereforced to quit Lahore and seektheir fortune in the successful filmcompanies of Calcutta andBombay (now Kolkata andMumbai).

Khurshid moved over to Bombayin 1935 and joined SarojMovietone. After struggling for afew years she finally made hermark in Sitara (1939) producedby Everest Pictures and directedby Ezra Mir with music by RafiqGhaznavi. It was a romanticdrama set in a fantasy version ofa gypsy life. Khurshid wasacclaimed for her remarkableperformance and hailed as abudding actress of great promisewith her charming, seductivelooks and lovely husky voice.She was earlier noticed in Sarojfilm Murad (1937) with thewell-known hero Jairaj whorecorded that Khurshid was thethird heroine whom he hadkissed on the screen, the othertwo being of the silent era,Madhuri (Meena Kumari’s eldestsister) in ‘My Hero’ (1930) andthe popular heroine of ‘She’ orAurat, Zebunissa.

With K.L. Saigal in Tansen (1942).


Metals are an importantelement of our being;they possess an energy

of the divine consciousness that isinherent in each one of us. Thefamous Iron Pillar in the QutubMinar complex in India’s capital,New Delhi, is one such exampleof creating metal art though thesixth sense!

At first glance, the Iron Pillarlooks like any other till one istold of its rare qualities. It hassurvived hail, storm, dust andrains for the past 1600 yearswithout a trace of any decay orrusting. Metallurgists are foxed bythe fact that if and when anytraces of rust do appear on thepillar, its self-healing propertiesrid the Pillar of the rust on its

Self-Healing Alloy

Text & Photographs: JAANAVI PRASADA

THE UNIQUE QUTUB MINAR IRON PILLAR

and reach beyond into theunknown, the unfathomable”.By a simple touch and feel of aparticular metal in their handsthey could conjure what wasmissing in the metal and whatneeded to be added to create thatprefect objet de’art which wouldalmost be a divine craft!Blacksmiths used to wait for theright time of the day when theplanetary configuration wasperfect, rays of the moon and thesun would strike the lump ofmetal at a particular angle at anappropriate time so that the metalwould imbibe all the divineproperties. It is only after this thatthe blacksmiths would breakopen the metal and begin craftingtheir perfect piece of metal art.If the spirit of man would notwork in tandem with nature, thecreation would be imperfect.

Today even after innumerableexperiments by the toparchaeologists, corrosiontechnologists and metallurgists tofind out the uniqueness of theIron pillar that lends it selfhealing properties since timeimemorial, no one has been ableto make any headway or replicatethe iron contents of the Pillar.It remains a living example ofthe genius of the Indian mind.◆The author is a freelance writer/photographer and filmmaker.

own, just like a human bodywould heal itself in due course incase of any abrasion.

The Iron Pillar stands tall, overseven metres high and weighingmore than six tonnes. It is a livingtestimony to the erudite skillsachieved by ancient Indianmetallurgists in the extraction andprocessing of iron during thereign of the Gupta dynasty thatruled northern India in AD

320-540. It is made up of 98 percent wrought iron of impurequality. It is the only reminderof a Hindu temple which stoodthere before being destroyed byQutub-ud-din-Aibak to build theQutub Minar.

Indian metallurgits of the pastwere always guided by theirinner consciousness. They wereseen as “shaman, a visionary,who could transcend given reality


Q: It is said that each individualhas a novel in him or her andsome of us try to give it a shape.Tell us how did you give yournovel the shape that it finallyacquired?

A: First of all, I wanted to writesomething different, as the clichégoes. I did not want to write atypical family saga, a generationallove story or something like that.I wanted to write something off -beat. Having been a keen quizzermyself, I have always beenintrigued by the psychologyunderlying a quiz show. Forinstance, when a quiz showcontestant is asked a questionwhat goes through his mind, hisanswer is the end product ofwhat? Is it the end product ofwhat he has read or could it bethe end product of what he hasexperienced, what he has beentold etc? And then it struck me,why not tap into the globalphenomenon of a syndicatedtelevised quiz show. KaunBanega Crorepati was big news atthat time. Who Wants to be aMillionaire was a top show inBritain. It was being telecast live

in fifty or sixty countries. Aroundthe same time, the scandal brokeabout an army major who won amillion pounds but whoconfessed eventually to having anaccomplice who was signaling tohim the correct answers.

The second strand of my novelgerminated from a veryinteresting news report I hadcome across some time ago andwhich had perhaps got lodged inmy mind: slum children using a

An Indian writer in English making waves on the international scene is not a new phenomenon. Thistime it is a diplomat. Vikas Swarup’s debut novel ‘Q and A’ has reportedly bagged a million pounds asadvance royalty. It has not only been translated into twelve European languages and being adapted fora musical in London, but is also steadily making it to the bestseller list in England and America withindays of its launch in April this year.

Suresh Kohli spoke to the debutant novelist in a free wheeling interview, excerpts of which are beingreproduced here:

Books

Q & A There is the story of the quizshow contestant Ram MohammedThomas, and there are the goingson in the quiz show itself. And tomy mind the novel has pacebecause of this dualism, thiscontradiction, this tensionbetween these two strands of thenovel. The distance of the quizshow contestant from the topprize is what, I think, powers thenarrative.

Q:Weren’t you apprehensiveabout the acceptance of thenarrative form?

A: I certainly was a bitapprehensive. In fact, after I hadwritten the novel I thought tomyself that in this perfectly goodstory of Ram Mohammed Thomas,should I just stick to only his lifestory and not get into the WhoWill Win a Billion format? I wasworried that some people mightconsider it too gimmicky, whereasthe life story of Ram MohammedThomas as I had fleshed it outwas itself quite engrossing andengaging. But then I thought tomyself who will want to read thestory of a poor waiter. The storyof a poor waiter is interestingprecisely because he has won abillion. He is nobody unless hehas won the biggest jackpot onearth. And then I realized that thequiz show is central to the plot.In fact the opening line itself:“I have been arrested” is integralto the story of Ram MohammedThomas, leading to Smita, thelawyer, making her appearance.So if I did not have the incidentof the arrest then the whole storywould collapse like a house ofcards. And then I decided to gothrough with this narrativestructure. The bigger difficultywas sustaining this structure,

because not only did I have toflesh out the life story of this poororphan boy, but had to do sowhile following the conventionsof a quiz show.

Another problem was that I couldnot narrate my protagonist’s lifestory from birth to till he is aneighteen-year old boy in a strictlychronological order because if,for instance, the questions on thequiz show had followed theprogression of his life that wouldhave been too coincidental. Youcannot have the first questioncoming when he is two years oldor the second when he is fiveyears old. He had to go back andforth in time. So the challenge forme was to ensure that while thereader maintains the thread of hislife story, at the same time thequestions should appearconvincing and follow the formatof a quiz show where thequestions are normallyinterspersed. Two questions onsports cannot follow one after theother, there has to be a questionon popular science, or a questionon cinema and things like that.The idea was to follow thenormal conventions of a quizshow, and at the same timeensure that the story does not getlost in the transition to TV.

Q: It is obvious that despitebeing your first novel, it is notautobiographical. But where didyou pick up all those gory crimestories, life in the Mumbai slumsand elsewhere in the country?

A: It was basically my research.Because I have never lived inMumbai for any sustained periodof time and I have never visitedDharavi – the biggest slumcluster. Modern technology, the

mobile internet facility. And thatis what set me thinking. Normallyyou associate the internet withpeople of a certain standing,people who are in tune withtechnology, who are welleducated, but here were slumchildren who had never been toschool, who had never read anewspaper in their life, and theywere logging on to the worldwideweb. So perhaps it is not just aquestion of upbringing andenvironment. There is somethinginherent in all of us, maybe alatent possibility which given theright opportunity can come to thefore and can be exploited. So itwas these two strands whichformed the backbone of mynovel. I decided to have as myprotagonist a person belonging tothe lower strata of society,appearing in what is called abrain quiz, and winning. Andhow he won, how variousincidents in his life gave him theclues to the answers, that wouldbe the central thesis. You wouldthus have the revelation of aprivate life through the mediumof a public spectacle. That is whythe novel moves on two planes.

internet in particular, has placedso many tools at our disposal,besides having access to so manyother resources now that one canreally get all the details of aparticular situation.

Q:What necessitated theundercurrent of crime throughoutthe narrative?

A: Considering that I was writingabout the underbelly of urbanIndia, an undercurrent of crimewas perhaps unavoidable. But itdid worry me that too manypeople die in the novel.However, once I got under theskin of my central character, thestory took a life of its own. OnceRam Mohammed Thomas becamea real character for me, it wasthen he who was dictating to mewhat to write about him.

Q: Okay, but why do you callyour protagonist Ram MohammedThomas?

A: Well, the name is pregnantwith meaning. I really wantedhim to represent the ‘richnessand diversity of India’, as onecharacter does say in the novel.I also wanted him to be an iconicfigure, sort of combining inhimself the microcosm of India,and you see he uses these threenames very effectively. To aMuslim he becomes Mohammed,to a Christian he becomesThomas, to a Hindu he becomesRam. And how he adapts tochanging circumstances, and howhe unlocks the keys to the quizshow itself, is what the novel isall about. It is his adaptability andresourcefulness that is theleitmotif of the novel.◆The interviewer is a noted writer/filmmaker.

EXPLORING URBAN UNDERBELLY…


Combining masonicgrandeur with humility, themajestic Victoria Terminus

– rechristened Chhatrapati ShivajiTerminus – now finds a place onthe World Heritage List, though40 other stations across thecountry too could claim thisstatus, says a new book.

Of the nearly 7,000 railwaystations in the country, there areat least 40 which would qualifyfor heritage buildings becauseof their exquisite beauty andrare grandeur, according toK.K. Khullar in his book “IndianRailways Architectural Heritage”.Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus isonly the second Indian railwaysite after the DarjeelingHimalayan Railway to have beenaccorded the heritage status. Theauthor says stations like Howrah,Sealdah, Chennai, Lucknow andeven small stations such asEgmore, Churchgate, Byculla,Solan, Shimla, Bilaspur andDarjeeling could qualify for theworld heritage status.

Of the about 7000 railwaystations, the beauty is that no twostations are alike. “Architecturallythey are known for their exquisitebeauty, outstanding excellenceand rare grandeur, reflecting notonly the soul of Indian Railwaysbut also the soul of modernIndia”.

Some early railway stations inIndia were so small that “they

THE ARCHITECTURAL MARVELSUDHIR KUMAR

looked like a sparrow’s nest, acow’s shed and some were so bigas 5-star hotels with innumerablewindows, more rooms than menworking in them.”

The Indian Railways, only 28years younger than the World’soldest railway of the UnitedKingdom, acquired its Indiancharacter when Mahatma Gandhisaw in it a great integrating role.It is true that Indians in thecolonial days had viewed theRailways as “a devil’s workshop”suspecting it as an instrument ofthe British military might. “Thebuildings that came out of thatworkshop are now pulsatingwith life, an unceasing range ofactivities beckoning one and all,extending their welcome in ahundred ways and in a milliongestures.”

Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus isone such heritage building which

is a landmark in the stationarchitecture in the world andheralds the golden era of railwayarchitecture in India. Combiningthe best of architecture of theEast and the West, it wasdesigned by F W Stevens.Opened on June 20, 1887, tomark the Jubilee Day of QueenVictoria who was also then theEmpress of India, its uniquenesslies in its Gothic cathedralarchitecture, its structuralharmony and its lay-out plan.It represents a happy blend ofGothic, Venetian, Sarcenic andIndo-Islamic traditions.

Stevens was quick to realise thatin India there was always anexcitement for a journey.“Passengers come before the trainleaves the station; they look atthe railway building with awe.Architecture of the railways,therefore, should be awe-inspiring”. The greatest attractionof VT is that it attracts even thenon-travellers. “People go therejust to witness the incoming andoutgoing trains, to buy anewspaper, eat a meal and just tosee the drama of life”.◆The reviewer is a journalist.

VT

Pre

m K

apoor


Great rivers have foreverspawned grandcivilizations. History is

witness to the fact thatworshippers of certain gods andgoddesses have always occupiedmany sites on the banks of thegreat rivers, particularly in acountry so deeply rooted in herancient heritage as India. Perhapsit is the tangible life supportingnature of water as opposed tomost other life sustainingelements that tantalizes theworld-weary soul to seekspiritual answers in the mysticallure of the rivers.

into equal parts, it is only afraction in its passage throughAssam that we will discuss here.

The Brahmaputra, the lifeline ofAssam (India), flows fromsouthwest Tibet, where it isknown as the Tsangpo, throughAssam into Bangladesh where itempties into the Bay of Bengal.Near Sadiya (Assam), it changesits course to south-west andbecomes the Brahmaputra. Afterabout 450 miles from Sadiyasouth-west down the Assamvalley, the Brahmaputra sweepsround the spur of the Garo Hills(Meghalaya) due south towardsthe sea. Here it takes the name ofJamuna and for approximately180 miles rushes across the levelplains of Bangladesh till it joinsthe Padma, the easternmoststrain of the Ganga, and becomes

BRAHMAPUTRATHE SON OF GOD

NILAKSHI

In the northeast corner of Indialies one of the most spectacularrivers in the world: theBrahmaputra in Assam. It isapproximately 1680-mile long.With its fount near LakeMansarovar on the eastern sideof the Kailash Mountains (theElysium of Shiva) in theHimalayas, at an elevation ofabout 16,000 ft. it is indeed agreat river with many amythological and authentic tale totell. Although this vast river flowsalmost 900 miles of its course inTibet and is an important riverdividing the whole of Bangladesh

the Meghna, one of the mostimportant estuaries of the Ganges.

According to legend,Brahmaputra is the son ofLord Brahma – the creator of thisworld according to Hindumythology. It is mentioned in a10th-12th century text, the KalikaPurna, that there lived a sagenamed Santanu with his charmingwife Amogha. In the PuranicEncyclopedia written by VettamMani, it is mentioned that oncewhen Lord Brahma visited theashram of Santanu Maharshi(great saint) Amogha received theguest with reverence as herhusband was not at home.Brahma was ‘fascinated’ by herirresistible charm and could notresist ravishing her. However,unable to bear the divinepregnancy, she deposited the

‘celestial gift’ in the water lyingin the valley of the YugandharMountain. From then on itbecame a pilgrimage site.

The Brahmaputra has witnessedmany upheavals of civilizations inAssam. The valley is an alluvialland and the rapidly flowingsnow-fed rivers of the Himalayasfind little resistance in its friablesoil. Thus they are constantlycarving out new channels andcutting away their banks. Hencebuildings erected in various partsof Assam may expect to besubmerged beneath the floodsof this flowing river. Except inplaces like Guwahati, where therock pierces into the alluviumsoil, the riverbed is at a higherelevation than the level of thetowns. So if there is a breach inthe embankment then the whole

The “Umananda” Island. People bathing on its banks.


splashing around the age-olddark rocks, is the famousKamakhya temple – the greatshrine of tantric shaktism(worship of female energy,the yoni).

There are three main bridgesconstructed over theBrahmaputra. Apart from thefamous Saraighat Bridge inGuwahati, the KoliabhomuraBridge connects Tezpur withSilghat (Nagaon) and a rail-cum-road bridge connects Goalparaand Bogaigaon (Jogijopha). A tripby crossing the Saraighat Bridgeor by a ferry from Kachari Ghatto North Guwahati transports usto the old world charm of abygone era, to the secludedserenity of the relatively newDol Govinda temple dedicated toLord Krishna. There is a sense oftranquillity in being one withnature in North Guwahati, wheretime stands still – untouched asit is with the hectic pace ofmodern life.

With over 35 tributaries like theSubansiri, Bharalu, Dhansiri etc.flowing across the states ofArunachal Pradesh, Nagaland andMeghalaya in the northeasternregion of India, the Brahmaputraflows through some of the mostpicturesque places in this world.◆The author is a noted freelance writer.

town is in danger of beingwashed away. The greatearthquake of 1950 resulted in aflood that swept away half ofDibrugarh and completelywashed away the beautifultownship of Sadiya. A notedPunjabi architect, Mewada, drewa map of the new settlement andChapakawa was born. Streamerscan navigate the Brahmaputrafrom the Bay of Bengal up as faras Dibrugarh, which is 800 milesfrom the sea.

This deceptively calm riverannually ravages the Assam valleywith floods. Heavy silting hascaused the riverbed to rise andbecome an impediment tonavigation. It meanders, formingnumerous islands, sandbars,

ox-bow lakes and marshesdisplaying the operation ofalluvium and diluvium on adevastating scale. However, theensuing fertility of the soil due tothis natural process of alluviumhas resulted in the peopleenjoying a contented existence.When the flow of the river isas strong as in the case ofBrahmaputra, island formationis but a natural process.

The Majuli Char was created inits channel out of the silt from theHimalayas and is said to be thelargest fresh water, inhabitedRiver Island in the world. It hasbeen the cultural capital of Assamfor the past five centuries. RasPurnima (October-November) iscelebrated in obeisance to lord

Krishna. Although Majuli is a longway away from Vrindavan, it isbelieved that Lord Krishna playedwith his consorts in Majuli. Thecolourful Ali-Ai-Lang festival ofthe Misimi tribe is also celebratedhere during February-March.

The Peacock Island, an emeraldblob of dark green in thesapphire waters between northand south Guwahati, is said to bethe smallest River Island of the

world. It houses the threetemples of Umananda,Chandreshkar and Hargavri.Gadadhar Singha (1681-1696), agreat king of Assam, had built thetemple of Shiva which even tothis day attracts ferry loads ofpilgrims during the holy festivalof Shivratri celebrated on the eveof the new moon in the month ofChaitra (February-March). Atopthe Nilachal hill, overlooking theblue waters of the Brahmaputra

Motorboats plying on the river.

Sukleshwar Ghat (top) – once gateway to Assam andthe eroding effect of the Brahmaputra (above).


Fascination with crystal is asold as the Indiancivilization.The Sanskrit

word sphatika refers to clearquartz crystal, the root wordsphota meaning ‘manifest’, that is,something bursting forth. Theelusive luminescence of crystalseems to capture the essence ofthe human spirit, self- illuminedand at peace. Surya (Sun) mayhave been the earliest godlyrepresentation to be seen in thequartz crystal but subsequently,reflections of other key gods ofthe Hindu pantheon – such as,Shiva, Vishnu and Devi appearedin crystal.

The fact that sphatika does nothave any particular colour of itsown might explain its appeal withthe Rishis (saints), the old seers oftruth who found in it a powerfulmetaphor for the gunatita orattributeless quality of theSupreme Self, the Atman orBrahman of the Vedas. In theancient Indian Puranic world oflegend, crystal acquired magicalpowers so that it was popularlyseen as a valuable aid to healingand purification; the crystal mala(necklace) of today carries thatspirit.

Legend has it that the great ninthcentury saint-scholar,Shankaracharya, received fiveshiva lingams (phallus) carvedout of clear rock crystal afterundergoing great penance atMount Kailasa, the famous abode

Crystal GodsODE TO HUMAN CREATIVITY

GAUTAM MUKERJEE

of the Supreme Lord Shiva. Someof those spectacular crystals areknown to have descendedthrough the lineages of selectdevotees of the great Acharyaand to this day receive worshipin private altars, away from thepublic gaze.

A special characteristic of Hinduiconography is that its imagery isnot partial to a select medium,nor averse to spanning the fullgamut – from religious piety tocavalier expressions ofsecularism. Today, colourful oroccasionally garish images ofKrishna, Ganesh or Lakshmimerrily adorn T-shirts andhandbags as sacraments ofcommerce in a mass market.

In Britain and the United States,the expatriate Indians are incultural exile, thirsting forsymbols of their ageless customs,traditions, beliefs and folklore.These are seen to offer relevancein a very disconnected world ofmaterial pursuits where thefamiliar is often abandoned longbefore the alien can be openlyembraced. For the enterprisingfew, however, the answer maybe found in art as a viableconnection between the culturalrhythm that flows through one’sveins and the beat of one’sadopted surroundings. Thus ithappened that a whole arrayof Hindu gods entered the worldof man-made or manufacturedcrystal.

Art aficionados based in Britaininitiated the process by coaxingthe most famous houses of crystalin the West to venture into theuntested waters of Hinduimagery. Lalique, Daum andBaccarat are names that conveyboth artistic lineage and regalelegance through objects ofexquisite beauty in quality lead-crystal, creations that hint atboundless opulence and clippedsophistication. Long used toserving the ‘niche’ markets ofupscale glamour, these institutionsquickly saw value in Hinduiconography, albeit in calculatedsteps of strictly limited editions.

Lalique, of Art Deco fame, wasthe first house of crystal to step

into the mysterious world ofHindu icons. The first commissionin 1996 produced Ganesh, anexquisite creation of frosted andclear crystal in the modernabstract style; the free flowingdreamy curves of the figurepromise to enchant even the mostuntutored eye. Great pain wastaken to ensure authenticity ofform but the style was entirelyLalique. For expatriate Indians,this offered an excellentopportunity to rediscover theirown heritage through the novelmedium of man-made crystal, aform of artistic expression muchprized in the West.

Ganesh, the ubiquitous god ofthe Hindus, proved to be trueto his fame as the remover ofobstacles. The Lalique ventureturned out to be immenselysuccessful sending ripples ofexcitement through the art worldand drawing the attention ofother crystal houses. In 1999,Baccarat, the eighteenth centuryinstitution which once cateredexclusively to royalty, wasinspired to come up with its ownversion of Ganesh. Keeping withthe house style, the brilliance ofcrystal was highlighted with theage-old opulence of gold –thereby giving the new creationa rare majesty and splendour.

Soon to follow was the houseof Daum, a vintage nineteenthcentury establishment, with itsnovel pate de verre method ofcrystal making. This highly prizedtechnique involves pressing glassfragments into a plaster mould,thereby ensuring controlledfusion of colour and a distinctivelustre. It is a variation on the lost-wax method of bronze casting

that was in vogue at the time ofthe Cholas and later, the Paladynasty of India. Pate de verreproduces a gem-like quality incrystal, letting surprisingcombinations of colour comethrough the sculpted pieces. Inkeeping with the by now almoststandard ritual, Daum came upfirst with a Ganesh of its own incoloured crystal. Not long afterappeared Balaji, a gem-likeexpression in crystal, that is bothexquisite in appearance andcarefully sculpted in every detail.

The most notable characteristic ofthe crystal creations is that theyare all finished by hand and thataccounts for their crispness andclarity. Ideally, subdued lightingcoming through a sculpted piececreates the best advantage;diffused light at the base of asculpture allows sufficientrefraction through the piece topresent it in its full glory. Therecan be no denying that fine art,

collectible or not, is a delightfultreat for the senses, bringing onein touch with the innermostsensibilities as one is drawn intoan unstinted worship of beauty.While all these crystal pieces aredefinite collectibles, their steadyappreciation in value attests notonly to the unquenchable thirstof the commercial spirit, but theundeniable importance of fine artin introducing both meaning anddefinition to the somewhatfrazzled lives on the fast lane.And in the annals of world art,the crystal gods will remain aproud testimonial to the effusivecreativity of the human spirit.◆The author teaches at the University ofPittsburgh at Bradford.

Pictures Courtesy: Peter Louis

Daum Balaji in crystal.

Lalique Ganesh in crystal.


The Garden of Five Senses is a unique experiment. True to itsname, it is structured around our five senses – that of sight,touch, sound, smell and taste. It has been designed as a prayer

and an ode to the Almighty, for the gift of five senses that He hasbestowed upon us. Different aspects of the Garden evoke each ofthese senses, taking one beyond the realm of reality to a dream-likeworld of sheer bliss. With Qutab Minar in the backdrop, the ambienceit creates is just perfect for leisure and rejuvenation.

Spread over 20 acres, the architecture of the Garden blends superblywith the ruins of Mehrauli in the south of Delhi. Its stone columns,pillars, seating arrangements and its amphitheatre seek to recreate

Garden of Five SensesSOOTHING OF MIND & SOUL

Text: CHITRA BALASUBRAMANIAMPhotographs: Dr BIMLA VERMA

Delhi’s historical past. The use ofstainless steel in limited mannertries to provide a contemporarytouch to the settings – thusblending traditional with themodern. A project of the DelhiTourism DevelopmentCorporation, it was so designedthat not a single wire shows, nocrisscross cables; everything isplanned underground.

In consonance with the theme offive senses, number Five isconstant throughout the Garden,starting with five elephants at theentrance. A scene showingelephants enjoying a bath isreminiscent of such episodesalong river banks throughout

The Garden by night.A “Children’s class” in the open (above)and the Entrance Gate (right).


captures the essence of theMughal Gardens, with itsimmaculately laid-out gardens,water channels, cascading ofwater and plethora of trees andflowering bushes. John Bowmanhas sculpted a fountain in metalin the form of an upside downtree.

Appealing to the sense of soundare a series of wind chimes. Thelittle bells chime away in thewind producing a soothingrhythmic music. The earlierceramic bells made by KristineMichael have now have beenreplaced by metal bells. Next toit is the lily pond.

The flora in the Garden is adelight for a true nature lover anda botanist. The sheer variety ismind-boggling. The bamboogarden houses a variety of rarelyseen bamboos like black, green,Buddha and dwarf. A bamboobridge is to be commissioned bythe National Bamboo Missionsoon. The entire garden is dottedwith bamboo furniture, asbamboo is excellent for outdoorfurniture.

The sunset view is a high pointof the Garden. And as the nightdescends, the entire area takesupon itself the look of an ocean.The reflection of mercury lights inwater creates a beautiful visualimpact. The place can truly bedescribed as holistic for the body,mind and soul.◆The author is a freelance writer.

India. The abundance of water isfound throughout the garden, avisual treat for jaded eyes of citydwellers. On the entrance wallis a huge painting showingmedicinal plants and ayurvedicmedicines, as the focus is on thenature and its healing properties.

The architecture of the Gardendraws heavily from thearchitecture of Delhi; we thushave exposed stone structuresthat are quite predominant here.Column pillars betray the Lutyen’sinfluence. Columns in therestaurant area are colourful,more like what one would seein temple complexes. The stonepaved pathways meander throughthe entire garden.

The garden is so big that to enjoyand get an accurate idea of itsdimensions, one definitely needsmore than two visits. The gardenpays a special homage to the Sun.There is a Sun Dial, oppositewhich on a high grass moundare dragons made by KristineMichael. The harnessing of theSun’s energy is laid out in theSolar Energy Park. On displayare two solar-powered busesand cars, weighing machines,solar-powered bicycles, solardrum, slide and a prototype ofa solar-powered home.

The food courts at the entranceand towards the end near theamphitheatre offer enough spaceto relax. The sunken court of theamphitheatre with seats allaround is ideal to watchperformances and fashion shows.

The garden is divided intoexclusive spaces. The Khas Bagh

Wind chime – musical bells.

Purple lilies in “Neelbagh” – Blue Garden(left top) and people at a shrine in theGarden (left).


Chintamoni Kar, one of India’s most renowned sculptors, at theripe age of 91 exhibited his latest bronze sculptures recently inan art gallery in Kolkata. Well-known for multiplicity of styles

in his sculptures and paintings, synthesizing traditional Indian art, theBengal school and the European art traditions, this legendary artist hastravelled a long and checkered way from his adolescence days whenhe decided to take up art as a vocation – despite disapproval from hisfamily who wanted him to study medicine.

“What drives you to carry on working so hard at your age?”, I askedhim the obvious question when I met him surrounded by exhibits ofhis new sculptures. Kar’s face radiates and he says, “Making sculpturesrequires considerable physical effort and at this old age my physicalcondition does not always allow me to generate adequate energy. But

CHINTAMONI KARSCULPTOR PAR EXCELLENCE

ROMAIN MAITRA

mentally I am very alive andI cannot think of anything elsebut sculpture.”

It was an irony of fate that due tostudent unrest, he could not seekadmission to the GovernmentSchool of Arts, which specializedin teaching European art at thattime. Instead, he joined theIndian Society of Oriental Art in1930 to learn sculpture. Thisinstitution of AbanindranathTagore was solely devoted toreviving oriental art traditionamong the centres of arteducation during the Raj days.However, during hisapprenticeship in France from1938 to 1939 and his careerin England from 1946-1956, Karcame close to masters like Robert

Wlerick, Constantin Brancusi,Ossip Zadkine, Sir Jacob Epsteinand Henry Moore, among others.In London, he was elected to theRoyal Society of British Sculptorsand in 1948, he was awardedSilver Medal and Diploma forGreat Britain at the InternationalCompetition of Sports in Art atthe 14th Olympiad in London.Even during this period theinfluence of his French schoolingon his works was quite evident.Two years later, he transformedhis awarded work Skating theStag from its occidental style toan oriental decorative idiom inbronze and named it CloudMessenger.

However, Kar was now drawinginspiration from far and near,

evoking an excellent fusion oftechnique and concept, the variedbranches of his style wereabsorbing more and morenourishment from his Indianroots. Once a French critic askedhim how could he do athoroughly realistic piece ofsculpture one day and an abstractpiece the next?

His reply was: “That may bedifficult for you but not for us;flexibility of mind typifies theIndian character. The same thingis true about my sculpture.”

In London, Kar was also invitedto teach at the Polytechnic. In theclass, his approach to art wasrather practical. He told his

Usha-Savita, terracotta, 1952.

A view of Kar’s works.

students the very first day that hewas a craftsman and as craftsmenare practical, his students shouldknow how to execute practically.For demonstration, he took someclay and made it into a roundball. Then with a knife hescooped out some clay and madea hole into it and then again, hemade another hole next to it.After that he placed a triangularclod between the holes and madea slit below the clod. “So I toldthem,” he said, “that by makingthe first hole I activated the formof the round ball and with thesecond one, the ball was moreactivated. Then, with thetriangular shape on it and the slit,I not only activated the formfurther but also dematerializedthe material to make it into ahuman face. This is the firstlesson in sculpture.”

Although Kar likes to identifyhimself as a craftsman rather thanan artist, most would agree that acustomary craftsman cannot delveso uniquely deep into theaesthetic world of form andsymmetry, life and motion like hedoes. Any discerning viewer ofhis sculptures in and aroundBhaskar Bhavan, a museum onthe outskirts of Kolkata whichexclusively houses his drawings,paintings and his work wouldagree that these have exquisitegrace, timeless calm and lyricalpoise. His featureless creationslike Apsara (bronze) and Motherand Child (wood) are a contrastin motion and poise respectively.His sculptures reflect his perfectunderstanding of human form.However, his paintings on theother hand bear so littletestimony of his sculptural idiom,

as they evoke the distinctive styleof the traditional Bengal School.

Kar is of the opinion that as onegrows in life, one realizes thatarchitecture and sculpture areessentially based on the sameprinciple. In both, the mass andthe void are combined and aharmony is created. He alsomaintains that in the traditionalIndian sculpture, however, thereis no dichotomy between realismand abstract form. In the Indianvision of sculpture, there is afusion of the outer vision, whichis realism, and the inner visionwhich is conceptual. “Our iconicsymbols could be so abstract like,for example, purusha or maleprinciple is a triangle standing onits base, and prakriti or the

female principle is the invertedposition of this triangle and thetwo triangles become a lotus.Likewise, the sun is representedby a swastika. For the ritualoffering to the natural powers,the altars were in the shape ofthese symbols,” he explains.

Although some may find amarked western influence in hissculptural style, Kar himself doesnot agree with this observation.He says, “Due to my longresidence in Europe, myfamiliarity with western art, andmy close associations with greatEuropean sculptors, it is onlynatural that I should haveabsorbed some western impact.But while absorbing my westernexperience, I am not conceptuallyinfluenced by western art. Togive one example, when I cameback to India in the 1950s, I wascommissioned to make asculpture on the symbol of justicefor the Supreme Court. Withouttoeing the usual line of depictingit as a blind figure holding abalance, I made a mother figure(as Mother India) with a child (asthe young republic), the formerholding the book of law.”

Chintamoni Kar’s life is indeed asuccess story. He became thePrincipal of the GovernmentCollege of Art and Craft in 1956(and served for seventeen years),was conferred the PadmaBhushan in 1974, D.Litt (honoriscausa) from Rabindra BharatiUniversity in 1986, and the Orderof Chevalier des Arts et des Lettresfrom the French Government in2001. Above all, he still continuesto make sculptures!◆The author, an art critic and journalist, isbased in Kolkata.

INDIA PERSPECTIVES MAY 2005 44

Caryatid in wood, 1959 (above) and“Symbol of Justice” (facing page).

ISSN 0970 5074

India PerspectivesMAY 2005

MAY 2005 VOL 18 NO. 5

EditorBharat Bhushan

Assistant EditorNeelu Rohra

India Perspectives

This edition is published for the Ministry of ExternalAffairs, New Delhi, by Navtej Sarna, Joint Secretary,External Publicity Division, and printed atAjanta Offset and Packagings Ltd., Delhi-110052.This edition is designed by Image & Imprint for theMinistry of External Affairs.

India Perspectives is published every month in English,French, Spanish, Arabic, Urdu, Hindi, Portuguese, Russian,Bahasa Indonesia and German. Views expressed in thearticles are those of the contributors and not necessarily ofIndia Perspectives. All original articles, other than reprintspublished in India Perspectives, may be freely reproducedwith acknowledgement.For obtaining a copy of India Perspectives, pleasecontact the Indian Embassy in your country.Editorial contributions and letters should be addressed tothe Editor, India Perspectives, 149 ‘A’ Wing,Shastri Bhawan, New Delhi-110001.Telephones: 23389471, 23388873, Fax: 23782391email: [email protected]: http://www.meaindia.nic.in

WORLD HERITAGE SITES IN INDIA P.K. De 2

GONDAL: THE ROYAL GRANDEUR Dileep Prakash 8

BAHADUR SHAH ZAFAR: THE EXILED EMPEROR Rajiv Bhatia 11

INDIA’S FREEDOM STRUGGLE: ROLE OF WOMEN Sushma 16

HOMAGE: SWAMI RANGANATHNANDA: SAINT-SCHOLAR EXTRAORDINARY Pranav Khullar 20

INDIA’S SPACE PROWESS: EXPNADING FRONTIERS Radhakrishna Rao 22

KHURSHID: SINGING SIREN OF EARLY TALKIES Pran Nevile 24

SELF-HEALING ALLOY: THE UNIQUE QUTUB MINAR IRON PILLAR Jaanavi Prasada 26

BOOKS 28

BRAHMAPUTRA: THE SON OF GOD Nilakshi 32

CRYSTAL GODS: ODE TO HUMAN CREATIVITY Gautam Mukerjee 36

GARDEN OF FIVE SENSES: SOOTHING OF MIND & SOUL Chitra Balasubramaniam 38

CHINTAMONI KAR: SCULPTOR PAR EXCELLENCE Romain Maitra 42

Front cover: Lord Ganesh in crystal by Baccarat.

Back cover: Serene ambience of theSwaminarayan Temple in Gondal.Photograph: Dileep Prakash.

From the Editor…

In this issue we pay homage to one of the

greatest thinkers of the 20th century – Swami

Ranganathnanda, head of the Ramakrishna Mission

in Kolkata. The Swami, who left for his heavenly abode in

April this year at the ripe age of 96, was a scholar with a

difference: he never got any formal education and yet was an

acknowledged authority on Vedanta! He laid bare before the

world India’s spiritual wealth and its excellence, as also the

glory of India’s great culture. “I do not believe in the idolatry

of geography, but I know that India has a special role to play

in awakening the world – morally and spiritually”, he

reminded his audiences. Education to him was the “training

of mind, rather than the stuffing of brain.” He visited more

than fifty countries to spread the message of Vedanta. During

his innumerable discourses, he always emphasized that the

“society can change in infinite ways in response to historical

necessities, but that is no reason why the eternal values

underlying all human endeavour should be discarded”.

In a befitting tribute to the great Swami, Prime Minister

Dr Manmohan Singh described him as the “second

Vivekananda” who was an “unusually gifted teacher

and scholar”.

We also carry a write-up on India’s space prowess – something

that we have been emphasizing from time to time keeping in

view the giant strides the country is taking in this field. Today

India “boasts of having one of the largest constellations of

remote-sensing satellites in the world”. More than twenty

ground stations spread all over the globe directly receive data

from the IRS series of Indian spacecraft.

A detailed feature on Bahadur Shah Zafar – the last of the

great Mughals, recalls the contribution he made in waging

India’s First War of Independence in 1857 against the colonial

powers. His ‘Mazar’ in Myanmar has now almost become a

pilgrimage center, the author underlines.

india historical sites

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