PM in Menon line vs Airbase on China border
Posted: 20 Sep 2009 04:27 AM PDT
PM in the role of Krishna Menon, this is a wrong signal. India’s airbase is now on China border. It is a right step to correct the mistake of 1962. At that time India did not use its air force. There was no co-ordination between our three wings: Air, Navy and Army.
Dhritrashtra Nehru’s heir P M Manmohan Singh being in the role of comrade Krishna Menon says on Sept 19, 2009: Don't believe everything you see on TV or read in the papers, certainly not when it comes to China.
Hindi chini bhai bhai’ slogan was given in 1962. Due to Panchsheel agreement our Prime Minister Pt Jawahar Lal Nehru became Dhritrasthtra. Chinese soldiers entered in the laddakh and our soldiers were defending with canvas boot that slid on the snow. Our soldiers did not have even snow glasses which led to snow blindness. Still friend of Kaul comrade V K Krishna Menon was saying “Oh! They are not going to fight” On September 8, 1962 Chinese has intruded into Indian Territory south of MacMahon line.
Now at an iftar party in his house, the PM said he saw no evidence of increased aggression by Chinese troops into Indian Territory. The government has always maintained that the differing perceptions of the line of actual controlled to Chinese patrols going awry. He added that Chinese ambassador Zhang Yan had come to meet the national security adviser, MK Narayanan, on Sept 17, 2009. According to the PM, the envoy had very "good discussions" with him.
Government sources also added that the "disclosure" notification filed by China in the ADB on Arunachal Pradesh would have no impact on the project, or the funding.
There has been a spate of media reports about repeated Chinese incursions into Indian Territory in both western and eastern sectors, from Leh to Arunachal even in Sikkim. While the government blames the media, its government officials, in the security and armed services who have been leaking these stories, including photographs of Chinese characters spray-painted on rocks.
India did not use its air force in 1962 Indo China War. There was no co-ordination between our three wings: Air, Navy and Army.
AIR Leh goes hi-tech
Leh in J&K, has the world's highest radio station. The old All India Radio station-Leh has undergone a technological up gradation on May 29, 2008.
"India could have won 1962 war"
There is a report, published in The Hindu on Oct 09, 2006. India could have defeated China in the 1962 war had its air force been used, former Air Vice-Marshal A. K. Tewary said.
He claimed that the then political-bureaucratic combine sought U.S. Air Force's help and did not even consulted the IAF chief. ``In the final analysis, the use of combat air power would have turned the tables on the Chinese and the 1962 war could well have been a debacle for China," Air Vice-Marshal Tewary said in an article in `Indian Defence Review.'
Quoting top military and bureaucratic leadership of that time, he said the "costly and catastrophic omission" of not using the IAF was a result of several factors that ``impinged on the decision-making process at the highest level," including the "influence" on Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, of Prof. P. M. S. Blackett, the then Advisor for Defense , as well as the counsel of the U.S. Ambassador John K Galbraith who "over-estimated the capability of the Chinese air force in the absence of proper air defense infrastructure in India."
Another factor was the analysis of then Director of Intelligence Bureau (DIB) B. N. Mullick, a close confidant of Nehru, that Chinese bombers would bomb Indian cities in response to the use if IAF's combat jets, he said.
The former Air Vice-Marshal said "since IB did not have the firsthand knowledge [on Chinese air force capabilities], they sought help from `our good friends' [CIA]," which exaggerated the threat perception.
He quoted top defense analyst George Tanham and said that while the political-bureaucratic combine "pleaded to U.S. President John F Kennedy for 12 squadrons of Star fighters [F-104] and four squadrons of B-47 Bombers as an immediate USAF help to stem the Chinese advance, they did not deem it fit to even consult the Indian Air Force chief,"
The IAF officer said the then Army commander responsible for NEFA, Lt. Gen. B. M. Kaul, had conceded in his book that "we made a great mistake in not employing our air force in a close support role during these operations."
He also quoted late National Security Advisor J. N. Dixit, who was then Under Secretary in the China Division of the External Affairs Ministry, as saying that by the time Nehru was coming round to the suggestion for use of air power, the Chinese had declared a unilateral ceasefire.
Dixit, the IAF officer said, had pointed out that the Chinese logistical arrangements and supply lines were too stretched and that it did not have sufficient air power in Tibet at that point of time.
"India's air strikes would stop the Chinese advance and neutralise the military successes which they had achieved," Dixit had said, adding that this suggestion was rejected on the grounds that it had come from officers who were not military experts.
By Premendra Agrawal
Monday, September 21, 2009
Package for a price
Package for a price
Posted: 19 Sep 2009 06:08 AM PDT
By Sushil Vakil
After much dilly-dallying the Jammu and Kashmir government has announced the implementation of a special package for the Kashmiri Pandits living in exile for the last two decades. As a matter of fact, the relief and rehabilitation package was first unveiled by Prime Minister Mr Manmohan Singh himself when he visited the state last year. However, Mr Abdul Rahim Rather, Finance Minister informed the state Assembly last month that the government will provide 15,000 jobs in public and private sector, and financial package of Rs 7.5 lakhs for renovation and reconstruction of houses to Kashmiri Pandits who are willing to return to valley. So far, all was well but the condition-after return to valley- has raised many eye brows and attracted all round criticism.
Evidently, the package lacks empathy as the return this time around wouldn’t only make Kashmiri Pandits vulnerable to militant attacks but lead to another uprootment. Moreover, the ground level conditions suggest that there has been no significant decline in terrorist violence and infiltration from Pakistan side. The revival of militant attacks have not only sent disturbing signals to security brass only but to higher echelons of power as well.
The conditional package has created a realization among Kashmiri Pandits that the state government is not sincere in implementing the scheme conceived by the Centre for mitigating the sufferings of the community but is playing political games. Almost all the Kashmiri Pandit organizations have turned down the package as they don’t want it to be linked with return. They have also refused to cooperate with the Apex Committee formed on September 15 to monitor the effective implementation of Rs 1,618 crore taking it as a process of political blackmailing.
Kashmiri Pandits aver that instead of constituting Apex Committee the Government should be sincere in implementing employment package with age relaxation and enhancement of cash relief etc. to regain the confidence of the community. There is no denying the fact that many of the Kashmiri Pandits, are living in a pitiable condition in camps in Jammu, Delhi and some other places. Keeping in view the above facts the government must desist form such policies and show a humane approach to the problems of the displaced Pandits who are leading an exiled life for the last more than 20 years now.
It is unfortunate that Pandits are on roads for last several weeks protesting against the Government’s apathy towards employment, relief etc but there was no one from the government side to visit them and work out an amicable solution. Amazingly, instead of settling their problems of unemployment and enhancement of cash relief etc. the Government has constituted the Apex Committee to turn the attention from real issues. The Government must display sagacity by fulfilling the just demands of the community. This will be first confidence building measure towards the return of exiled people.
Not surprisingly, while many KP organizations including Panun Kashmir, All State Kashmiri Pandit Conference and others have disassociated themselves from the Apex Committee a plethora of other small groups are vying with each other for getting on board. The rat race for the political upmanship is likely to wreck the interests of the community.
Again, it is unfortunate that Delhi based mainline KP organizations, All India Kashmir Samaj and Kashmiri Samiti have not held any demonstration or strike in the capital city to express solidarity with hundreds of youth holding dharnas and demonstrations across Jammu. Instead of expressing their support and sympathies with their brethren fighting for community cause in Jammu they are paying courtesy visits to HM officials to fix meetings and photographic sessions. It is high time that all KP organizations come under one banner and ask for immediate relief. Otherwise the state government would, as usual, take the undue advantage of infighting among the KP leaders.
There is no denying the fact that Kashmiri Pandits’ present plight is due to the negligence of state government. If the state government has audacity to rehabilitate and resettle the militants and their families why it is dithering in rehabilitating the patriotic Kashmiri Pandits who are languishing in camps outside the valley.
This is the right time for all Kashmiri Pandit organizations to work in unison and coerce upon the centre and state government that the economic package be given to the displaced Pandits at present place and treat the return as a separate issue.
The great austerity drama
Posted: 19 Sep 2009 06:06 AM PDT
will the austerity drive adopted by the UPA Government truly inspire its politicians and bureaucrats to curb the menace of corruption rampant in all Government departments and increase accountability of those in authority?
By Sunita Vakil
Steele once famously declared that simplicity, of all things, is the hardest to be copied. Now that the UPA Government has woken up to the virtues of leading a simple life, one can only wonder whether our imperiously extravagant leaders, who have been basking in luxury at the cost of the exchequer, will switch their style of functioning and practice austerity measures initiated by the congress. It also remains to be seen for how long the UPA's austerity brouhaha lasts. The absurd austerity moralising by the Finance Minister seems to be just a token gesture for public consumption. There is no gainsaying that politicians are just paying lip service and hoodwinking people with such tactics. It speaks a lot about UPA's hypocrisy and tokenism that its leaders have done little to keep its non-plan spending under check. Recent hike in salaries and subsidies have taken the fiscal deficit to an alarming level on top of that, the cabinet's decision last week to increase the dearness allowance by 5% will cost the taxpayer Rs. 2300 crore per year, which comes to nearly 10 times the money saved on travel expenses of ministers. The media attention that the Congress leaders are enjoying for travelling economy class is not amusing, while the cost they save is negligible. Will the drought conditions ease if they travel by a lower class? Indeed, all the major news channels can't get enough on the austerity measures being enforced by the Government. But it is a sheer mistake to expect austerity from our Ministers. Media may have made heroes out of our politicians by cheering them for their "sacrifices" but frankly, whom are they trying to impress by making a show of shunning luxury? It may be true that they have decided to travel in economy class and stay away from five star hotels. But it is also true that they spend crores on renovating their bungalows every year. What about the money they spend on getting statues erecting in their states? It is for a fact that a majority of them live in palatial bungalows with many perkes besides their salaries and yet leave unpaid bills running into crores. And they even refuse to vacate Government accomodation when voted out of power. Besides, they do not refrain from throwing lavish birthday bashes and consider it their birthright to use official vehicles for running personal errands. It isn't just the truth of Steele's saying that is being brought home by such tokenism. It is also that the whole exercise seems to be a joke as the corrupt politicians and bureaucrats can never truly be motivated to give up their VIP privileges and stop misusing taxpayer's money. As things stand, there seems to be many a slip between preaching and practising.
While many believe that the call for austerity is a drought induced reflex, others hold the view that the elections that are to be held on October 13 in Haryana, Arunachal Pradesh and Maharashtra as the reason for this political stunt to earn brownie points for the Congress. Whatever the case, austerity has suddenly become the buzzword at all levels of the Government with every Congress man in a bind to prove himself more loyal than the king. The austerity drive seems to have gained momentum with the number of followers increasing. Congress MPs who have realised by now that the party prizes "simplicity" after two of its ministers were publicaly hauled up for their lavish spending, are making it a point to join the great austerity race, particularly when there are TV cameras about. Even knowing that old habits die hard, one vehemently hopes that the drive will be transformed into a habit.
Indeed, this is not the first time that the austerity theme has been played. The political establishment occasionally exhibits bouts of austerity. In the 1965 war with Pakistan, a devastating drought following year prompted prime minister Lal Bahadur Shastri to call on people to miss a meal & cut down on wedding costs to tide over food shortage. Then again, Indira Gandhi's "Garibi Hatao" campaign urged politicians to avoid wasteful expenditure. The pre-independence Congress leaders also practised austerity in & out of jail during the freedom struggle. For Mahatama Gandhi, the epitome of simplicity, austerity meant living a simple life for the welfare of poor & not an election slogan. Former President Mr APJ Abdul Kalam maintained his frugal life-style even while living in Rashtrapati Bhawan. That said, never before has a call for austerity generated so much hype as we witness today as the main focus is on economy travel. The Congress needs to rethink the consequences of austerity measures initiated by Sonia Gandhi & Pranab Mukherjee. By choosing to fly the economy class & travel by train, Sonia Gandhi & Rahul Gandhi end up causing enormous trouble to the common man who is put to great inconvenience. This will lead to increased government spending on their security. Infact, Rahul Gandhi's train travel in Shatabdi has actually cost much more than a few thousand saved on travel. Further if the seats next to these high profile VVIPs need to be kept vacant, what is the purpose of austerity measures? If the government is serious about curbing lavish expenses, why don't our leaders shun their paraphernalia during their travel & downgrade their security, which is anyway more a status symbol than a necessity? But nothing undermines the campaign more than the propensity of the UPA leaders to make a fetish of their simplicity by making a great show of austerity.
In the larger reckoning, travel by economy or business class is really a non-issue. Instead of indulging in such gimmicks, the Congress should fix targets to cut down non plan expenditure. Resorting to piecemeal austerity will not help much other than making the UPA's senior leaders objects of ridicule. The Congress can concentrate on combating drought & control the spiralling prices on a priority basis. Working towards eliminating corruption & increasing the accountability of public servants is the need of the hour. Wastage of public money can also be curbed by scaling down the security of our VIPs and reducing the number of vehicles accompanying them. To be truly austere, politicians should curb their tendencies to hold public functions, attend inaugural and foundation laying ceremonies and other lavish but worthless exercises. These will help save more taxpayer's money than any number of economy travel measures.
Surely, the condition of the common man has not improved in 60 years. The corruption perpetuated by the Government officials as well as politicians has driven the common man to poverty and suicide.
No doubt the Government allocates funds for plenty of programmes in the budget but they do not reach their intended target. Even Rajeev Gandhi has stated that only 17 paise of every rupee spent by the Government on development projects reaches its intended recipient. That was two decades ago. But things have not changed since then. Its time for the UPA to walk the talk.
Posted: 19 Sep 2009 06:08 AM PDT
By Sushil Vakil
After much dilly-dallying the Jammu and Kashmir government has announced the implementation of a special package for the Kashmiri Pandits living in exile for the last two decades. As a matter of fact, the relief and rehabilitation package was first unveiled by Prime Minister Mr Manmohan Singh himself when he visited the state last year. However, Mr Abdul Rahim Rather, Finance Minister informed the state Assembly last month that the government will provide 15,000 jobs in public and private sector, and financial package of Rs 7.5 lakhs for renovation and reconstruction of houses to Kashmiri Pandits who are willing to return to valley. So far, all was well but the condition-after return to valley- has raised many eye brows and attracted all round criticism.
Evidently, the package lacks empathy as the return this time around wouldn’t only make Kashmiri Pandits vulnerable to militant attacks but lead to another uprootment. Moreover, the ground level conditions suggest that there has been no significant decline in terrorist violence and infiltration from Pakistan side. The revival of militant attacks have not only sent disturbing signals to security brass only but to higher echelons of power as well.
The conditional package has created a realization among Kashmiri Pandits that the state government is not sincere in implementing the scheme conceived by the Centre for mitigating the sufferings of the community but is playing political games. Almost all the Kashmiri Pandit organizations have turned down the package as they don’t want it to be linked with return. They have also refused to cooperate with the Apex Committee formed on September 15 to monitor the effective implementation of Rs 1,618 crore taking it as a process of political blackmailing.
Kashmiri Pandits aver that instead of constituting Apex Committee the Government should be sincere in implementing employment package with age relaxation and enhancement of cash relief etc. to regain the confidence of the community. There is no denying the fact that many of the Kashmiri Pandits, are living in a pitiable condition in camps in Jammu, Delhi and some other places. Keeping in view the above facts the government must desist form such policies and show a humane approach to the problems of the displaced Pandits who are leading an exiled life for the last more than 20 years now.
It is unfortunate that Pandits are on roads for last several weeks protesting against the Government’s apathy towards employment, relief etc but there was no one from the government side to visit them and work out an amicable solution. Amazingly, instead of settling their problems of unemployment and enhancement of cash relief etc. the Government has constituted the Apex Committee to turn the attention from real issues. The Government must display sagacity by fulfilling the just demands of the community. This will be first confidence building measure towards the return of exiled people.
Not surprisingly, while many KP organizations including Panun Kashmir, All State Kashmiri Pandit Conference and others have disassociated themselves from the Apex Committee a plethora of other small groups are vying with each other for getting on board. The rat race for the political upmanship is likely to wreck the interests of the community.
Again, it is unfortunate that Delhi based mainline KP organizations, All India Kashmir Samaj and Kashmiri Samiti have not held any demonstration or strike in the capital city to express solidarity with hundreds of youth holding dharnas and demonstrations across Jammu. Instead of expressing their support and sympathies with their brethren fighting for community cause in Jammu they are paying courtesy visits to HM officials to fix meetings and photographic sessions. It is high time that all KP organizations come under one banner and ask for immediate relief. Otherwise the state government would, as usual, take the undue advantage of infighting among the KP leaders.
There is no denying the fact that Kashmiri Pandits’ present plight is due to the negligence of state government. If the state government has audacity to rehabilitate and resettle the militants and their families why it is dithering in rehabilitating the patriotic Kashmiri Pandits who are languishing in camps outside the valley.
This is the right time for all Kashmiri Pandit organizations to work in unison and coerce upon the centre and state government that the economic package be given to the displaced Pandits at present place and treat the return as a separate issue.
The great austerity drama
Posted: 19 Sep 2009 06:06 AM PDT
will the austerity drive adopted by the UPA Government truly inspire its politicians and bureaucrats to curb the menace of corruption rampant in all Government departments and increase accountability of those in authority?
By Sunita Vakil
Steele once famously declared that simplicity, of all things, is the hardest to be copied. Now that the UPA Government has woken up to the virtues of leading a simple life, one can only wonder whether our imperiously extravagant leaders, who have been basking in luxury at the cost of the exchequer, will switch their style of functioning and practice austerity measures initiated by the congress. It also remains to be seen for how long the UPA's austerity brouhaha lasts. The absurd austerity moralising by the Finance Minister seems to be just a token gesture for public consumption. There is no gainsaying that politicians are just paying lip service and hoodwinking people with such tactics. It speaks a lot about UPA's hypocrisy and tokenism that its leaders have done little to keep its non-plan spending under check. Recent hike in salaries and subsidies have taken the fiscal deficit to an alarming level on top of that, the cabinet's decision last week to increase the dearness allowance by 5% will cost the taxpayer Rs. 2300 crore per year, which comes to nearly 10 times the money saved on travel expenses of ministers. The media attention that the Congress leaders are enjoying for travelling economy class is not amusing, while the cost they save is negligible. Will the drought conditions ease if they travel by a lower class? Indeed, all the major news channels can't get enough on the austerity measures being enforced by the Government. But it is a sheer mistake to expect austerity from our Ministers. Media may have made heroes out of our politicians by cheering them for their "sacrifices" but frankly, whom are they trying to impress by making a show of shunning luxury? It may be true that they have decided to travel in economy class and stay away from five star hotels. But it is also true that they spend crores on renovating their bungalows every year. What about the money they spend on getting statues erecting in their states? It is for a fact that a majority of them live in palatial bungalows with many perkes besides their salaries and yet leave unpaid bills running into crores. And they even refuse to vacate Government accomodation when voted out of power. Besides, they do not refrain from throwing lavish birthday bashes and consider it their birthright to use official vehicles for running personal errands. It isn't just the truth of Steele's saying that is being brought home by such tokenism. It is also that the whole exercise seems to be a joke as the corrupt politicians and bureaucrats can never truly be motivated to give up their VIP privileges and stop misusing taxpayer's money. As things stand, there seems to be many a slip between preaching and practising.
While many believe that the call for austerity is a drought induced reflex, others hold the view that the elections that are to be held on October 13 in Haryana, Arunachal Pradesh and Maharashtra as the reason for this political stunt to earn brownie points for the Congress. Whatever the case, austerity has suddenly become the buzzword at all levels of the Government with every Congress man in a bind to prove himself more loyal than the king. The austerity drive seems to have gained momentum with the number of followers increasing. Congress MPs who have realised by now that the party prizes "simplicity" after two of its ministers were publicaly hauled up for their lavish spending, are making it a point to join the great austerity race, particularly when there are TV cameras about. Even knowing that old habits die hard, one vehemently hopes that the drive will be transformed into a habit.
Indeed, this is not the first time that the austerity theme has been played. The political establishment occasionally exhibits bouts of austerity. In the 1965 war with Pakistan, a devastating drought following year prompted prime minister Lal Bahadur Shastri to call on people to miss a meal & cut down on wedding costs to tide over food shortage. Then again, Indira Gandhi's "Garibi Hatao" campaign urged politicians to avoid wasteful expenditure. The pre-independence Congress leaders also practised austerity in & out of jail during the freedom struggle. For Mahatama Gandhi, the epitome of simplicity, austerity meant living a simple life for the welfare of poor & not an election slogan. Former President Mr APJ Abdul Kalam maintained his frugal life-style even while living in Rashtrapati Bhawan. That said, never before has a call for austerity generated so much hype as we witness today as the main focus is on economy travel. The Congress needs to rethink the consequences of austerity measures initiated by Sonia Gandhi & Pranab Mukherjee. By choosing to fly the economy class & travel by train, Sonia Gandhi & Rahul Gandhi end up causing enormous trouble to the common man who is put to great inconvenience. This will lead to increased government spending on their security. Infact, Rahul Gandhi's train travel in Shatabdi has actually cost much more than a few thousand saved on travel. Further if the seats next to these high profile VVIPs need to be kept vacant, what is the purpose of austerity measures? If the government is serious about curbing lavish expenses, why don't our leaders shun their paraphernalia during their travel & downgrade their security, which is anyway more a status symbol than a necessity? But nothing undermines the campaign more than the propensity of the UPA leaders to make a fetish of their simplicity by making a great show of austerity.
In the larger reckoning, travel by economy or business class is really a non-issue. Instead of indulging in such gimmicks, the Congress should fix targets to cut down non plan expenditure. Resorting to piecemeal austerity will not help much other than making the UPA's senior leaders objects of ridicule. The Congress can concentrate on combating drought & control the spiralling prices on a priority basis. Working towards eliminating corruption & increasing the accountability of public servants is the need of the hour. Wastage of public money can also be curbed by scaling down the security of our VIPs and reducing the number of vehicles accompanying them. To be truly austere, politicians should curb their tendencies to hold public functions, attend inaugural and foundation laying ceremonies and other lavish but worthless exercises. These will help save more taxpayer's money than any number of economy travel measures.
Surely, the condition of the common man has not improved in 60 years. The corruption perpetuated by the Government officials as well as politicians has driven the common man to poverty and suicide.
No doubt the Government allocates funds for plenty of programmes in the budget but they do not reach their intended target. Even Rajeev Gandhi has stated that only 17 paise of every rupee spent by the Government on development projects reaches its intended recipient. That was two decades ago. But things have not changed since then. Its time for the UPA to walk the talk.
INDUS SAGA
Indus Saga
Posted: 18 Sep 2009 11:02 AM PDT
We are Indians and the nation Hindustan or India, and our Dharma Hindu because there is a river Sindhu also known as Indus. All these names describing our identity are derived from Sindhu and Indus. Sindhu is one of the most revered seven rivers Hindus worship, the other six being-Ganga, Yamuna, Godavari, Saraswati, Brahmaputra and Kaveri.
No other river on earth can claim this unique distinction as Sindhu. Five thousand year civilisation, culture, tradition and an entire life style is identified with Sindhu. The people living across it were called Sindhu-*Putras * or Hindus as the Greek could pronounce 'S' as 'H' only.
Sindhu's roar is described in the Rig Veda like this,' His roar is lifted up to heaven above the earth; he puts forth endless vigour with flash of light…Even as cows with milk rush to their calves, so other rivers roar into Sindhu. As a warrior king leads other warriors, so does Sindhu lead other rivers.' Sanskrit scholars say that Sindhu is used more than thirty times by the vedic seer in the Vedas while Ganga finds much less mention- just five times.
Like Himalayas, Sindhu is a blessing to the mother earth and her children. The only two rivers described as 'He' rivers buy the Vedas because of their ferocious flow, 'sky reaching' roar of the water and sea like vastness are Brahmaputra and Sindhu. Rishis of the yore named ocean or *Sagar* as Sindhu also –describing the sea as vast and deep as our river Sindhu!! There can't be a greater tribute to the glory and power of this river that has given a name to our civilisation and nation both.
Sindhu or Indus is one of the mightiest rivers of our planet with an astonishing length of 2900 km. Rising in south-western Tibet, at an altitude of 16,000 feet, Sindhu enters the Indian territory near Demchok in Ladakh.The author had the good fortune to lead the first ever Indus expedition in the independent India which traversed from the point Sindhu enters in Ladakh (L.A.C.) and driving along its majestic flow till Batalik where it flows down placidly into the presently Pakistan Occupied Kashmir. The total length that Sindhu travels within the present Indian boundary ( L.A.C. to L.O.C.) is app. 550 kms.
Sindhu is divine with an indescribable beauty and charm. Its water, till Zanskar meets it 30 kms down Leh, is transparently pearl blue and Budhist devotees believe it is pure Manasarovar water since till here no other river mingles with it .The source of Sindhu is in the Nyari province of western Tibet in the Kailas Manasarovar region, which is also a source to Brahmaputra, Sutlej and Karnali. According to the ztibetan scriptures as well as Vedic ones, Sindhu is a Lion river, while Brahmaputra, Sutlej and Karnali are respectively Elephant, Horse and Peocock rivers. According to the famous swami Pranavananda ji, who traveled Kailas region 51 times and wrote the most scientific and a reference book for the pilgrims as well as geologists, even the source of Ganga is in Manasarovar from where a small hidden channel reaches Gangotri.
On the Tibetan side yogi Milarepa's cave is situated on the Sindhu banks and on Indian side ancient Buddhist monasteries like Hemis,Thikse Gompa,Stok Palace,Alchi Gompa are situated. Buddhist Lamas consider the holy water of Sindhu bestowed with miraculous curing affects and during winter when the water is crystal clear, they preserve it in bottles to be used for medicinal and spiritual purposes.
Sindhu represents the age-old civilisational flow of our nation. It has been a witness to ups and downs and victories and defeats of Sindhu *putras*since the days of Alexander who returned from its banks till the Kargil victory.
It's a unique symbol of friendship between people of three countries India, Pakistan and China (Tibet), enriching all without any discrimination or prejudice. When it reaches the present region of Pakistan, the vastness and the spread becomes unbelievable. Three years before while returning from USA in the Prime Minister's special plane, our pilot captain Patil showed me the great expanse of the river flying over Bahawalpur area in Pakistan. It was like an ocean and seemed a seamless, endless empire of liquid silver as the grey lights of the pre-dawn moments reflected in its water on that Vijayadashmi day. It was mesmerizing experience, unforgettable and rare. Ironically we do not have much literature on Indus River. Though the civilisational aspects of the Indus valley and Harappan era are found in ample.I remembered while searching books on the river Indus in 96-97, in course of preparing for the festival at Leh, I couldn't find a single book that would describe the river's history and geography, until I stumbled upon a fabulously produced book by Imran Khan, famous cricketer turned politician of Pakistan. It's a magnificent saga of Sindhu written with verve and passion by Imran Khan with equally beautiful photographs shot by famed lens man of New York Times Mike Goldwater. When I wrote to Imran detailing about my concept of a festival to celebrate Indus in Ladakh, he gave a very polite and encouraging reply offering all help in this regard.
I have had the good fortune to see Sindhu in India almost in every season and in different moods. The sounds of silence on its banks, the silvery dark placid flow like a grand master of time and space contemplating for the next creation, and in January when Sindhu looks static under a white chador, letting you cross his expanse on foot and even on lorries and Maruti Gypsies, while underneath the magical heavenly flow moves on as silently as the walk of a star in the endless space.
The drive along the Sindhu is the most enchanting and rewarding one, because you never know what surprise is waiting just after the next curve. A divine feast of colours like blue, deep sky blue, gray, off-white and sometimes shining sandy hues mingling with the sand dunes on the banks, sure reminders of the existence of sea millions of years ago in this part of our geography. When the sun walks west, the shades too change to a mellow orange, golden like liquid gold, fiery reddish and dark chocolate, turning finally into a silver gray and inviting black.
The Sindhu saga is as endless and mesmerizing as his eternal flow.
The spirit and the message of Sindhu are simply love and friendship. While it represents India's culture and civilization, it is also a symbol of social harmony and a salute to our brave soldiers. The charm and innocence of te Bddha land-Ladakh, the intermingling of various faiths, the patriotic fervour of the Ladakhi people,chants of O Mani padme Hum... all this is so close yet, not so finely registered in our mids. Many of us still think Sindhu is in Pakistan. How many of us Indians know that this river is just an hour's flight from Delhi , and we need no visa or passport to offer our tributes, how many wish to go to the banks of this great river, that gave us our identity ?
( tarunvijay@vsnl.com)
(Tarun Vijay was the founder convenor of the Indus Festival in Leh,and led Indus Expedition in 2000).
*From our scriptures** *
In the Mahabharat, the Sindhu is reverentially mentioned along with other two holy rivers, the Ganga and Saraswati. References to the Sindhu are also seen in many ancient literary works like those of Kalidasa, Bana, Panini. The fame of the mighty Sindhu had spread even beyond the subcontinent and it found reflections in the literary works of the Greek and Roman empires. It finds mention in some of the earlier literature of India. Kalidasa says in the Raghuvansha that on the advice of his maternal uncle Yudhajat, Rama conferred Sindh on Bharata. Rama's ancestor Raghu's triumphant horses had relaxed on the bank of the Sindhu.
Another great Sanskrit poet, Bhasa, had done a whole play, "Avimark" on the romance of Prince Avimark with Princess Kurangadi of Sindhu-Sauvira.
The Bhavishya Purana says that Shalivahana, the grandson of Maharaja Vikramaditya of Ujjain, established law and order in 'Sindhusthan" and fixed his frontier on the Sindhu.
Anshnath, the eleventh Jain Tirthankar, was a Sindhi. He died in Bengal. The Jaina Dakshinya Chihna (eight century) speaks of Sindhis as "elegant, with a lovely, soft and slow gait. They are fond of songs, music and dance and feel affection for their country".
There is a legend that the great Buddha had graced Sindh with his visit. Finding the climate extreme, and the area dry and dusty, he had permitted the bhikshus to wear shoes here. He had also permitted the use of padded clothing, forbidden elsewhere. Here Sthavirtis, the Prince of Rorik or Roruka (Aror or Alor, near modern Rohri) became his disciple.
When the Buddha went round his native Kapilavastu in a chariot, it was mentioned that the "four auspicious horses, of lotus colour, had come from Sindhudesh".
To this day, historic Buddhist stupas are found in Sindh. The Divyavadana (Tibetan version) reports: "The Buddha is in Rajgriha. At this time, there were two great cities in Jampudvip (north India), Pataliputra and Roruka. When Roruka rises, Pataliputra declines; when Pataliputra rises, Roruka declines". Here was Roruka of Sindh competing with the capital of the Magadha empire. When Bimbisar was the king of the Magadha, he sent Rudrayan, king of Sindhu-Sauvita, a rare portrait of the Buddha. The two powerful ministers of Sindh at the time were Hiroo and Bheru, their names still common amongst the Sindhis!
Chandragupta Maurya first won Sindh and then Punjab. It was from this base that he displaced the Nandas, occupied Pataliputra and established the great Mauryan empire.
Sindh was part of Dasaratha's empire. When Kekayi goes into a sulk, Dasaratha tells her, "The sun does not set on my empire. Sindh, Sauvira, Saurashtra, Anga, vanga, Magadha, Kashi, Koshal -- they are all mine". When Sita was kidnapped by Ravana, Rama sent the vanaras (monkeys) to look for her, among other places, in Sindh with its "remarkable swimming horses".
Kashmir's ancient royal history Rajatirangini has many references to Sindh and the Sindhis. Kuya's son Sindhu rose to lead the elephant brigade of Kashmir. He was advisor to Queen Dida. A top honour was "Sindhu Gaja", Elephant of Sindh. *Indus in India* After flowing eleven miles beyond Leh, Sindhu is joined on the left by its first tributary, the Zanskar, which helps green the Zanskar Valley.Manyinteresting mountain trails beckon the mountaineering enthusiasts to the Zanskar Valley. The Sindhu then flows past Batalik. The mighty Indus when it enters the plains is joined by its famous five tributaries the Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Beas and Sutlej giving Punjab-"Land of five rivers"- its name.
Rafting in the Indus has also become an attractive feature for tourists.
http://tarunvijay.org/?p=141
Posted: 18 Sep 2009 11:02 AM PDT
We are Indians and the nation Hindustan or India, and our Dharma Hindu because there is a river Sindhu also known as Indus. All these names describing our identity are derived from Sindhu and Indus. Sindhu is one of the most revered seven rivers Hindus worship, the other six being-Ganga, Yamuna, Godavari, Saraswati, Brahmaputra and Kaveri.
No other river on earth can claim this unique distinction as Sindhu. Five thousand year civilisation, culture, tradition and an entire life style is identified with Sindhu. The people living across it were called Sindhu-*Putras * or Hindus as the Greek could pronounce 'S' as 'H' only.
Sindhu's roar is described in the Rig Veda like this,' His roar is lifted up to heaven above the earth; he puts forth endless vigour with flash of light…Even as cows with milk rush to their calves, so other rivers roar into Sindhu. As a warrior king leads other warriors, so does Sindhu lead other rivers.' Sanskrit scholars say that Sindhu is used more than thirty times by the vedic seer in the Vedas while Ganga finds much less mention- just five times.
Like Himalayas, Sindhu is a blessing to the mother earth and her children. The only two rivers described as 'He' rivers buy the Vedas because of their ferocious flow, 'sky reaching' roar of the water and sea like vastness are Brahmaputra and Sindhu. Rishis of the yore named ocean or *Sagar* as Sindhu also –describing the sea as vast and deep as our river Sindhu!! There can't be a greater tribute to the glory and power of this river that has given a name to our civilisation and nation both.
Sindhu or Indus is one of the mightiest rivers of our planet with an astonishing length of 2900 km. Rising in south-western Tibet, at an altitude of 16,000 feet, Sindhu enters the Indian territory near Demchok in Ladakh.The author had the good fortune to lead the first ever Indus expedition in the independent India which traversed from the point Sindhu enters in Ladakh (L.A.C.) and driving along its majestic flow till Batalik where it flows down placidly into the presently Pakistan Occupied Kashmir. The total length that Sindhu travels within the present Indian boundary ( L.A.C. to L.O.C.) is app. 550 kms.
Sindhu is divine with an indescribable beauty and charm. Its water, till Zanskar meets it 30 kms down Leh, is transparently pearl blue and Budhist devotees believe it is pure Manasarovar water since till here no other river mingles with it .The source of Sindhu is in the Nyari province of western Tibet in the Kailas Manasarovar region, which is also a source to Brahmaputra, Sutlej and Karnali. According to the ztibetan scriptures as well as Vedic ones, Sindhu is a Lion river, while Brahmaputra, Sutlej and Karnali are respectively Elephant, Horse and Peocock rivers. According to the famous swami Pranavananda ji, who traveled Kailas region 51 times and wrote the most scientific and a reference book for the pilgrims as well as geologists, even the source of Ganga is in Manasarovar from where a small hidden channel reaches Gangotri.
On the Tibetan side yogi Milarepa's cave is situated on the Sindhu banks and on Indian side ancient Buddhist monasteries like Hemis,Thikse Gompa,Stok Palace,Alchi Gompa are situated. Buddhist Lamas consider the holy water of Sindhu bestowed with miraculous curing affects and during winter when the water is crystal clear, they preserve it in bottles to be used for medicinal and spiritual purposes.
Sindhu represents the age-old civilisational flow of our nation. It has been a witness to ups and downs and victories and defeats of Sindhu *putras*since the days of Alexander who returned from its banks till the Kargil victory.
It's a unique symbol of friendship between people of three countries India, Pakistan and China (Tibet), enriching all without any discrimination or prejudice. When it reaches the present region of Pakistan, the vastness and the spread becomes unbelievable. Three years before while returning from USA in the Prime Minister's special plane, our pilot captain Patil showed me the great expanse of the river flying over Bahawalpur area in Pakistan. It was like an ocean and seemed a seamless, endless empire of liquid silver as the grey lights of the pre-dawn moments reflected in its water on that Vijayadashmi day. It was mesmerizing experience, unforgettable and rare. Ironically we do not have much literature on Indus River. Though the civilisational aspects of the Indus valley and Harappan era are found in ample.I remembered while searching books on the river Indus in 96-97, in course of preparing for the festival at Leh, I couldn't find a single book that would describe the river's history and geography, until I stumbled upon a fabulously produced book by Imran Khan, famous cricketer turned politician of Pakistan. It's a magnificent saga of Sindhu written with verve and passion by Imran Khan with equally beautiful photographs shot by famed lens man of New York Times Mike Goldwater. When I wrote to Imran detailing about my concept of a festival to celebrate Indus in Ladakh, he gave a very polite and encouraging reply offering all help in this regard.
I have had the good fortune to see Sindhu in India almost in every season and in different moods. The sounds of silence on its banks, the silvery dark placid flow like a grand master of time and space contemplating for the next creation, and in January when Sindhu looks static under a white chador, letting you cross his expanse on foot and even on lorries and Maruti Gypsies, while underneath the magical heavenly flow moves on as silently as the walk of a star in the endless space.
The drive along the Sindhu is the most enchanting and rewarding one, because you never know what surprise is waiting just after the next curve. A divine feast of colours like blue, deep sky blue, gray, off-white and sometimes shining sandy hues mingling with the sand dunes on the banks, sure reminders of the existence of sea millions of years ago in this part of our geography. When the sun walks west, the shades too change to a mellow orange, golden like liquid gold, fiery reddish and dark chocolate, turning finally into a silver gray and inviting black.
The Sindhu saga is as endless and mesmerizing as his eternal flow.
The spirit and the message of Sindhu are simply love and friendship. While it represents India's culture and civilization, it is also a symbol of social harmony and a salute to our brave soldiers. The charm and innocence of te Bddha land-Ladakh, the intermingling of various faiths, the patriotic fervour of the Ladakhi people,chants of O Mani padme Hum... all this is so close yet, not so finely registered in our mids. Many of us still think Sindhu is in Pakistan. How many of us Indians know that this river is just an hour's flight from Delhi , and we need no visa or passport to offer our tributes, how many wish to go to the banks of this great river, that gave us our identity ?
( tarunvijay@vsnl.com)
(Tarun Vijay was the founder convenor of the Indus Festival in Leh,and led Indus Expedition in 2000).
*From our scriptures** *
In the Mahabharat, the Sindhu is reverentially mentioned along with other two holy rivers, the Ganga and Saraswati. References to the Sindhu are also seen in many ancient literary works like those of Kalidasa, Bana, Panini. The fame of the mighty Sindhu had spread even beyond the subcontinent and it found reflections in the literary works of the Greek and Roman empires. It finds mention in some of the earlier literature of India. Kalidasa says in the Raghuvansha that on the advice of his maternal uncle Yudhajat, Rama conferred Sindh on Bharata. Rama's ancestor Raghu's triumphant horses had relaxed on the bank of the Sindhu.
Another great Sanskrit poet, Bhasa, had done a whole play, "Avimark" on the romance of Prince Avimark with Princess Kurangadi of Sindhu-Sauvira.
The Bhavishya Purana says that Shalivahana, the grandson of Maharaja Vikramaditya of Ujjain, established law and order in 'Sindhusthan" and fixed his frontier on the Sindhu.
Anshnath, the eleventh Jain Tirthankar, was a Sindhi. He died in Bengal. The Jaina Dakshinya Chihna (eight century) speaks of Sindhis as "elegant, with a lovely, soft and slow gait. They are fond of songs, music and dance and feel affection for their country".
There is a legend that the great Buddha had graced Sindh with his visit. Finding the climate extreme, and the area dry and dusty, he had permitted the bhikshus to wear shoes here. He had also permitted the use of padded clothing, forbidden elsewhere. Here Sthavirtis, the Prince of Rorik or Roruka (Aror or Alor, near modern Rohri) became his disciple.
When the Buddha went round his native Kapilavastu in a chariot, it was mentioned that the "four auspicious horses, of lotus colour, had come from Sindhudesh".
To this day, historic Buddhist stupas are found in Sindh. The Divyavadana (Tibetan version) reports: "The Buddha is in Rajgriha. At this time, there were two great cities in Jampudvip (north India), Pataliputra and Roruka. When Roruka rises, Pataliputra declines; when Pataliputra rises, Roruka declines". Here was Roruka of Sindh competing with the capital of the Magadha empire. When Bimbisar was the king of the Magadha, he sent Rudrayan, king of Sindhu-Sauvita, a rare portrait of the Buddha. The two powerful ministers of Sindh at the time were Hiroo and Bheru, their names still common amongst the Sindhis!
Chandragupta Maurya first won Sindh and then Punjab. It was from this base that he displaced the Nandas, occupied Pataliputra and established the great Mauryan empire.
Sindh was part of Dasaratha's empire. When Kekayi goes into a sulk, Dasaratha tells her, "The sun does not set on my empire. Sindh, Sauvira, Saurashtra, Anga, vanga, Magadha, Kashi, Koshal -- they are all mine". When Sita was kidnapped by Ravana, Rama sent the vanaras (monkeys) to look for her, among other places, in Sindh with its "remarkable swimming horses".
Kashmir's ancient royal history Rajatirangini has many references to Sindh and the Sindhis. Kuya's son Sindhu rose to lead the elephant brigade of Kashmir. He was advisor to Queen Dida. A top honour was "Sindhu Gaja", Elephant of Sindh. *Indus in India* After flowing eleven miles beyond Leh, Sindhu is joined on the left by its first tributary, the Zanskar, which helps green the Zanskar Valley.Manyinteresting mountain trails beckon the mountaineering enthusiasts to the Zanskar Valley. The Sindhu then flows past Batalik. The mighty Indus when it enters the plains is joined by its famous five tributaries the Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Beas and Sutlej giving Punjab-"Land of five rivers"- its name.
Rafting in the Indus has also become an attractive feature for tourists.
http://tarunvijay.org/?p=141
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