If only you had listened to this man

This is Chandi Prasad Bhatt speaking at Nehru Museum Library earlier this year. He said exactly the things that you see unfolding in Uttarakhand, not only that he has written these to policy makers. But then: policy makers peh tho development ka bhoot sawar ho chuka hai. Development here means the American model of wanton destruction. Mr.Bhatt was one of the pioneers of Chipko Andolan that saved thousands of trees in Chamoli region, indeed they are desultorily referred to as tree huggers by some. 

  Parasites in the temple

So now the dead bodies of hapless pilgrims will have to be disposed. The sensitive State government has asked the opinion of parasites of the temple (also referred to as priests) who in their collective parasitism want the holy place to be purified!! Here is a situation wherein thousands of people are dead and they are thinking in terms of purification (“shudikaran”). As if dead are impure…

Did the parasites that thrive in temples ever express any opinion on degradation of surrounding and environment as the fragile hills were exploited? Did they protest against illegal (immoral is the right word in this context) constructions around the temples? Are the parasites ever concerned about the well being of the pilgrims, who must add face exploitation at each step right upto the sanctum sanctorum? Temple towns like Puri, Madurai, Haridwar…the list long, are the worst places with the parasites spread across generation, adept in the skill of exploitation. They have armor of cleverness, wiliness, argumentation skills, even shlokas adept for occasion, made proficient during centuries of hereditary exchange. That many have moved to other greener pastures like politics and media, or anything that is manipulatable with high returns, is well documented, requiring similar skills.  Another temple that emerged in the last few decades is BCCI, the cash rich answerable to no one. They make their own rules and the priests have ready shlokas for each occasion, they have mastery of manipulating any situation. The art of stepping aside is one of them. They also made god out of cricketers. Thus rivaling Thirupathi in its earning and power. Who controls the money, where is the money used, is not outsiders concern. As in the case of parasites of temples the pilgrims, that is, the audience/fans of cricket, is not their concern, these are people meant to be squeezed. Praying for the faithful to the god, as they hold the control keys to heaven, is how parasites find their credibility and is not dissimilar to playing for the country or opportunistic media -like for instance first visual claims of tragic scenes or GDP by economists. These are parasites emerging from the same exploitative mindset, only differing in profession otherwise everything is intact.  This is where the concept of greater good for the nation and who will have to relinquish their every possession for development and wait for trickle down finds credence. Shift from brahminism to neo brahminism is the easiest, as they are the same breed, others too are catching up the intricate steps of quid pro quo world with effortless ease as this is part of our collective psyche, second nature.      

The parasites of temple will never show any signs of wisdom that defines “brahmin” because this is an ordained position. Crap ideas of karma and previous birth are added as embellishments for qualification, without any thoughts on compassion or concern. All in days work by unemployable ‘brahmins’ centuries back. Precisely what happens when dimwits have time and leisure of free food, they come out with amazing nonsense not only devoid existential angst of common people indeed make fun of their predicaments.  No they will never protest against exploitation of temple towns since they themselves are part of exploitation, this business includes them. They are traditional parcel of exploitation. Indeed after the tragedy a parasite was explaining how the temple was saved, this is reflection of greatness of the presiding deity, he asserted. In market language it is called brand building, the miracle spin. Who is responsible for deaths of pilgrims is cleverly not part of miracle.    

A person doesn’t become priest because of any competence or wisdom, these are parasites who are sucking in the name of faith for centuries.  These are dark spaces inside the temple, these are blots on faith. Over the centuries they have seeped into Indian psyche with detrimental effect. These parasites have nibbled away the soul of the civilization, and left caste driven zombies (ably exploited by politician as part of thriving democracy). Whatever left is humanness of individuals, a space where humanity still survives. 

Kedarnath also happens to be the final resting place of Adi Shankaracharya, an amazing man. I am in wonderment of this person. He truly was one of the greatest travelers. There is a shloka by him, very remarkable rendition by MS Subbalaxmi. I am sure many of us must have heard it atleast few hundred times…. Bhaja Govindam “Bhaja Govindam bhaja govindam mudamadhe, samprapte sannihite kale nahi nahi rakuate dukokarai”… “when the appointed time comes repetition of names and rules will not save you O fool”… it was statement on repetitive name calling of god and rituals, without any intelligence or reverence or context. Must add it is matter of grave concern that Shankara’s efforts were used to spread ritual driven faith by parasitic forces, that indeed was beginning of the end.  

 

 This is what S. Radhakrishnan had to say on this shloka “When intelligence (jnana) matures and lodges securely in the heart, it becomes wisdom. When wisdom is integrated with life and issues out in action, it becomes devotion (bhakti). Knowledge (jnana) which has become mature is spoken of as devotion. If it does not get transformed into devotion such knowledge is useless”.         

Weather forecasting is a serious occupation…

 While you travel it is very important to know and do a study on weather pattern of the region you are visiting. This is critical input in your travel plan and preparedness for any changes, as it turns out the change could be worst.   

 Unfortunately weather forecasting is not given much importance, while I travel I keep a keen eye on weather forecasting and cloud buildup that can be seen through satellite pictures –the reason why billions of rupees were spend to launch these satellites. Not a single TV channel in India –all languages included, that is hundreds of ‘news’ channels, don’t have anything close to making people aware of changing weather and what can be expected. These are critical information, that helps millions of people. I have written this before, one need to look at CNN -such comprehensive coverage, indeed I was trying to know about the aftermath of the tragedy in Uttrakhand and how weather is changing by watching CNN weather report. Even BBC also has a comprehensive detailing on weather (that is when they get time out of royal engagements…it is a shame, it makes me cringe. Viva democracy!!). Then there are websites, I cannot point out one Indian website and I must add Indian Meteorology Department website is least user friendly and is typical of the way government functions. As far as Indian media is concerned few newspapers carry satellite pictures, but that is stale in the age of instant information.  As far as News channels are concerned, it is such a waste…the great Indian mediocrity is back in the show. One channel has a truck moving (ofcourse with sponsors name) across Indian plain and giving us temperature, other has some ‘chic’(its derogatory term…but there are rarely males!! This is one channel that has high pretention on gender equity. Talk of gender specific occupations!! Must be for matrimonial purposes I guess. Beti TV meh athi hai tho demand tho badega hee!!). Overall Indian TV channels are such irresponsibly waste when it comes to giving the people information that is getting so critical.  

Travelling irresponsibly in environmentally fragile region…

It is the crowd that travels so irresponsibly, and pass on to children (of course producing children is another traditional occupation!!). They now come in personal vehicles, and throw out waste as they pass… to wash their sins, I am told!! I was at Rishikesh, at the evening aarthi of Ganges in Parmarth. Swami Chidanand Saraswati is an evolved man, during the brief talk, that was attended by hundreds, he stressed on the importance of respecting nature. Hari se Hariyali was an interesting connection. But what he mentioned about travelling Indians had everybody in shame. Even in Sweden, he mentioned, there are notices in Hindi asking not to dirty the place!! He asked people to pledge not to throw plastic and respect environment by planting trees, everybody raised their hands in unison. He even distributed saplings. This piece will not be complete if I don’t mention another of great Indian psyche, that is brahminical in its origin. At Parmarth aarthi young men in saffron led the prayer, after the prayers there was stampede for slippers that was deposited at a counter and was managed by an old man, quite obviously he was facing extreme difficulty as deluge of people created unruly scene. There was no discipline, no order. In the melee slippers were misplaced, the place was strewn with slippers. Around these stood the very same young men in saffron, serenely observing (right word be ignoring) the predicaments of people. I asked one of the fellow why don’t they have proper management of these, as you can see there is only one old man at the counter, and he surely is not able to handle it. This must be happening every day? The young man and his colleague who very recently were immersed in Bhakti sangeet, turned vicious, his serene demeanor slipped with characteristic alacrity, the same you see in streets of Delhi when luxury car scratch against rickshaw, and mask of sophistication slip. He declared with much anger that taking care of slippers was not his concern. Of course, I forget, the reason for this exaggerated reaction -dealing with slippers falls in lowest of order, as unemployed ‘brahmins’ verdicts few centuries back and so part of ‘old scriptures’ and therefore ‘respected’. These people should be made to work at the slipper counters for few weeks, and then they can have Sri square kind of fake dimwit serenity. It is in this context one has to understand the karseva at Gurudwara (picture herein of top lawyer in Pakistan Muhammed Kurshid Khan, doing karseva in a Gurudwara). You extend this and you will also understand why India was partitioned, and who were responsible for alienation of a section that they demanded another country.

Uttarkashi before the tragedy…one can say with much certainty: waiting to happen

Something sinister is brewing in Himalayas

 The temperature at Himalayan regions has increased quite dramatically. Once salubrious Uttarkashi experienced 40 degrees, the signs of rapid melting of glaciers are evident, with rising water level and intensity of Bagirathi River (look at the picture, taken in midsummer few days back!!. It was dangerous to even sit at the bank). I was interacting with elders who run the nearby tea shops and they expressed puzzlement and said these changes are becoming much evident in last three or four years. This year seem to be exceptional as the temperature has risen to new levels. Receding glaciers are a fact and will definitely have an impact in very near future. With these the perennial source for many major rivers originating from Himalayas will be depleted. I shudder to think what would be the impact. It would be socio-economic catastrophe.

If Himalayan glaciers are the source of major rivers in north part of the country then Western Ghats are critical source that tap the monsoon for rivers in southern India. It is not about rivers and its water that growing population and it demands need. It is complex riverine system that not only feed great rivers but provides thriving ecosystem for myriad species, discovered and undiscovered. It is a biodiversity heritage that is beyond price tag. When Kasturirangan suggests plundering these areas with coded innovative words like ‘green growth’ ‘culture landscape’ what we would like to know is what has been the contribution of those who have cut and sold the hills for minerals and ores in regions that are indeed extremely impoverished. What is sold is product of millions of years of formation, irretrievable asset that is exploited so cheap. They haven’t added any value, there is no R&D, only exporting to smarter people, who in turn add value and sell it back many times the price of raw material.  For decades this is happening as the land get plundered few get richer and richer without adding any value to raw material or society.  In the meanwhile the richer they get greedier they get, and find innovative ways to multiply their money. These exploitative minds and its easy ways pervade and degrade the system. 

This blogger has spent lots of time in Western Ghats, even worked briefly. The environmental friendly talk is euphemism for cosmetic measures, make it look good kind of thing. Vast amount of forest with rich biodiversity were destroyed by Britishers for tea gardens (ah the love of the tea), resorts have come up for rich to spend value time. Some are still encroaching with impunity (for instance resorts in environmently fragile regions are still encroaching land that are corridor/feeding space for endangered species. Incidentally the management of these resorts are for all purpose incompetent and least bothered. It is worst of Indian corporate, for me these are revelations on inner working of incompetence that Indians have so much in abundance!!). As forests get fragmented, corridors blocked, Rfactor and invasive species thrive.        

      

The policy makers seem least concerned, indeed the government (who increasingly clear are part of con act) are doing their best to scuttle the issue. The recent case being how they got their axe out on Gadgil report, a report that is sane and widely appreciated for its sensitivity, it sought an open and sensible debate and policy input. In return the economist-led-world-bank-trained policy makers recruited “westernized” Kasthurirangan (only Sanskritised could be Westernised, so said MN), who did exceptional job of a henchman, he surely has the credential. Wonder when they will come to sense and acknowledge the reality.   It is same thing they did in Maoist affected areas, the reason why Maoists cannot be completely be criticized, market romantics may find it difficult to fathom. Exploitative market (ala crony capitalism) kills people without taking their life, neo-Brahminist expertise in this nuance.

This an open letter by Madhav Gadgil to Kasthurirangan

Dear  Dr.Kasturirangan,

JBS Haldane, the celebrated 19h century scientist and humanist who quit
England protesting its imperialistic invasion of Suez to become an Indian
citizen has said: Reality is not only stranger than we suppose, but
stranger than we CAN suppose! I could never have imagined that you would be
party to a report such as that of the High Level Working Group on Western
Ghats, but, then, reality is indeed stranger than we can suppose!

In our report to the Ministry of Environment & Forests, based on our
extensive discussions and field visits, we had advocated a graded approach
with a major role for grass-roots level inputs for safeguarding the
ecologically sensitive Western Ghats. You have rejected this framework and
in its place, you advocate a partitioning amongst roughly one-third of what
you term natural landscapes, to be safeguarded by guns and guards, and
two-third of so-called cultural landscapes, to be thrown open to
development, such as what has spawned the 35,000 crore rupees illegal
mining scam of Goa. This amounts to attempts to maintain oases of diversity
in a desert of ecological devastation. Ecology teaches us that such
fragmentation would lead, sooner, rather than later, to the desert
overwhelming the oases. It is vital to think of maintenance of habitat
continuity, and of an ecologically and socially friendly matrix to ensure
long term conservation of biodiversity rich areas, and this is what we had
proposed.

Moreover, freshwater biodiversity is far more threatened than forest
biodiversity and lies largely in what you term cultural landscapes. 
Freshwater biodiversity is also vital to livelihoods and nutrition of large sections
of our people. That is why we had provided a detailed case study of Lote Chemical Industry complex in Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra, where
pollution exceeding all legal limits has devastated fisheries so that
20,000 people have been rendered jobless, while only 11,000 have obtained
industrial employment. Yet the Government wants to set up further polluting
industries in the same area, and has therefore deliberately suppressed its
own Zonal Atlas for Siting of Industries.

Your report shockingly dismisses our constitutionally guaranteed democratic
devolution of decision making powers, remarking that local communities can
have no role in economic decisions. Not surprisingly, your report
completely glosses over the fact reported by us that while the Government
takes absolutely no action against illegal pollution of Lote, it had
invoked police powers to suppress perfectly legitimate and peaceful
protests against pollution on as many as 180 out of 600 days in 2007-09.

India's cultural landscape harbours many valuable elements of biodiversity.
Fully 75% of the population of Lion-tailed Macaque, a monkey species
confined to the Western Ghats, thrives in the cultural landscape of tea
gardens. I live in the city of Pune and scattered in my locality are a
large number of Banyan, Peepal and Gular trees; trees that belong to genus *
Ficus*, celebrated in modern ecology as a keystone resource that sustains a
wide variety of other species. Through the night I hear peacocks calling,
and when I get up and go to the terrace I see them dancing. It is our
people, rooted in India's strong cultural traditions of respect for nature,
who have venerated and protected the sacred groves, the *Ficus *trees, the
monkeys and the peafowl.

Apparently all this is to be snuffed out. It reminds me of Francis
Buchanan, an avowed agent of British imperialism, who wrote in 1801 that
India's sacred groves were merely a contrivance to prevent the East India
Company from claiming its rightful property.

It would appear that we are now more British than the British and are
asserting that a nature friendly approach in the cultural landscape is merely
a contrivance to prevent the rich and powerful of the country and of the
globalized world from taking over all lands and waters to exploit and
pollute as they wish while pursuing lawless, jobless economic growth. It is
astonishing that your report strongly endorses such an approach. Reality is
indeed stranger than we can suppose!

With warm personal regards,

I remain,

Yours sincerely,

Madhav

Res: A-18, Springflowers, Panchavati, Pashan, Pune 411008, Tel 020-25893424
Office: Biodiversity Department, Garware College, Karve Road, Pune 411004,