[Assam] Fwd: Re: Los Angeles Times on Northeast India

Manoj Das dasmk2k at gmail.com
Mon Jun 2 23:59:53 PDT 2008 

Forgot to add...Brahmakund was rechristened as Parasuram Kund......:)

On Tue, Jun 3, 2008 at 12:20 PM, umesh sharma <jaipurschool at yahoo.com>
wrote:

> interesting. I knew of Parshuram's matricide - the great Brahmin killing
> his mother and all Kshatriyas (warrior caste)  - his birthday is celebrated
> with great pomp and show in North India by his caste members.
>
> Also I was reminded of my 1992 visit to Gomukh glacier alongwith with boys
> and girls of my college and three professors, including Dr Seema Parihar ,
> who was at the India's premeir geography collehe dept (at my college
> Kirormal Mal College, Delhi) . Gaumukh glacier as you might recall is where
> Mother Ganges (Ganga Ma) originates.
>
> With or without the "creationist" stories - still popular in some US
> biology school textbooks also - rivers are lifeline of humanity. Human
> civilizations started on riversides.
>
> Rivers purify - inside and outside - don't they?
>
> Umesh
>
> Manoj Das <dasmk2k at gmail.com> wrote: Well the story goes like this..!!
>
> Once Brahma was enamored by the beauty of the wife of a great sage (Can't
> recall her name off hand). She however gave cold shoulder to Brahmaji's
> advances as she was devoted and opposed to any EMI. In the lusty moment
> however  '*Brahma Beej (sperms)*' fell on the location. The great sage
> knowing all through his spiritual television, gave kudos to wife for the
> fidelity, being no match to Brahma ignored his momentary lapse and
> transferred the 'beej' into a depression in the Himalayas near the Kundil
> river. The 'Beej' grew and grew and became a huge lake -'Sarovar', and came
> to be known as Brahmaputra and became a seat of great public super sin
> cleaner (*tirtha)* over time, 'brahma kund'.
>
> In another scene. Renuka, the wife of the great but short tempered Rishi,
> Jamadagni once went to fetch a pail of water. On the river bank she saw two
> 'yakshs' (you can say demi gods) in compromising position and in the act.
> She forgot her duty and watched the full show. Jamadagni saw all these in
> CCTV and grew wild. He ordered his 6 sons to behead his wife. All but
> Parsuram (PR), the youngest and ambitious son , who later became nemesis of
> all '*khastriya'*s (warrior class) obeyed his father and slashed his mom's
> head with an axe. Having committed 'matricide'- one of the greatest sins,
> the axe got super glued to his hands.
>
> Jamadagni soon rued loss of his wife and devised an escape route. He
> granted
> PR a boon. PR asked for mom's revival. However his condition remained same.
> Poor fellow was in pitiable condition with both his hands stuck to the axe.
> Jamadagni couldnot help much and advised him to do a hit and trial by
> visiting all tirthas of that time. PR visited all the tirthas in the cow
> belt, with zero result. Ultimately he reached the 'brahma kund' on the
> easrern Himalayas. By then he lost all hope and probably thought of
> amputing
> his hands.
>
> Tired and frustrated, PR dipped his hands into the holy waters of Brahma
> Kund as the last try. ASA he lifted his hands, lo and behold! his sins were
> erased and the axe came unglued. A grateful and obliged Parsuram now
> thought
> for greater good and breached one bank of the 'Brahma Kund". Thus
> Brahmaputra which is known as 'Luit' there started to flow westward to wash
> the sins of millions of people over millenniums. Brahma saw to it that no
> other male river would ever be born, and granted his son to reign over the
> harem full of all other rivers.
>
> Interesting na?
>
> On Tue, Jun 3, 2008 at 10:35 AM, umesh sharma
> wrote:
>
> > Ram-da,
> >
> > I was guessing the same but the concept seemed unique :-)
> > Brahma-putra - the Son of God  ( Brahma = the One and only God, Putra =
> > Son)
> >
> > Umesh
> >
> >
> >
> > Ram Sarangapani  wrote: Umesh,
> >
> > That would be Brahmaputra or Brahma's son.Supposedly, the only male river
> > in
> > India, all the rest are feminine.
> >
> > I am not sure about a river like Ravi in the Punjab - sounds like a male
> > name.
> >
> > --Ram da
> >
> >
> > On 6/2/08, Manoj Das  wrote:
> > >
> > > hi Umesh
> > >
> > > This male river in question is our 'bor luit'- Only male river in the
> > > world..mythologically though..:)
> > >
> > > On Tue, Jun 3, 2008 at 9:32 AM, umesh sharma
> > > wrote:
> > >
> > > > what is this "male river"
> > > >
> > > > any misprints?  :-)
> > > >
> > > > Umesh
> > > >
> > > > Manoj Das  wrote: I was thinking this all along!
> > > >
> > > > When I shared this news with a Japanese thinker from ADB, he was
> > > stunned..
> > > > There are many players in this. Number one is Bangladesh, which is
> > > > constantly frustrating India's efforts to get transit through the
> male
> > > > river. Secondly a grand politics of undermining Assam's destined
> > position
> > > > as
> > > > the land bridge between giant Asian land and economic masses.
> > > >
> > > > mkd
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > On Mon, Jun 2, 2008 at 9:33 AM, Dilip&Dil Deka  wrote:
> > > >
> > > > > Forwarding.
> > > > >
> > > > > Dilip&Dil Deka  wrote:  Date: Sun, 1 Jun 2008
> > > > > 20:58:13 -0700 (PDT)
> > > > > From: Dilip&Dil Deka
> > > > > Subject: Re: [Assam] Los Angeles Times on Northeast India
> > > > > To: baruah at bard.edu, cmahanta at charter.net
> > > > >
> > > > >  Dear Sanjib,
> > > > >  You said, "But are they  producing or is it only assembling
> > products.
> > > I
> > > > > don't know the answer. "
> > > > >  Even Assembling products is better than not doing anything. Mexico
> > is
> > > > > making a lot of money assembling products for USA. Assembling
> > products
> > > > > eventually leads to local production if the local entrepreneurs
> mean
> > to
> > > > take
> > > > > part in the process.
> > > > >  Car battery industry is a good example. As I understand, back in
> > > > seventies
> > > > > batteries were assembled in Assam. I heard that most of the parts
> are
> > > now
> > > > > made in Assam. Is it true?
> > > > >  Dilipda
> > > > >
> > > > > baruah at bard.edu wrote:
> > > > >  Dear Dilipda and Mahanta,
> > > > >
> > > > > Good hearing from you. I am skeptical, as Mahanta has noted. But
> not
> > > > > because a lot new is not taking place -- but because things that
> are
> > > > > crucial for a breakthrough are not happenning. There is a much more
> > > > > affluent India, and many in Delhi are genuinely committed to doing
> > > > > more. So if earlier we talked about 100 crores, now the language is
> > of
> > > > > 1000 crores. But is money enough? Domestic policy and foreign
> policy
> > > > > cannot be separated when it comes to Northeast India. Our relations
> > > > > with China may be improving in many ways, but not when it comes to
> > > > > Arunchal Pradesh. Only last summer China has begun referring to AP
> as
> > > > > China's Southern Tibet. So long as the Burmese military regime is
> > > > > there, huge amount of foreign funds are not going to move in to
> build
> > > > > infrastructure in Burma. Indian money or Chinese money can do a
> > little
> > > > > bit of this and that, but not the funds that could be mobilized for
> > > > > Northeast india to benefit from India's Look East policy. No matter
> > > > > how much we shout about Bangladesh's animosity, the burden of
> normal
> > > > > relations is on the bigger neighbour as in all such cases of a
> > country
> > > > > that is far more resourceful than the aggreived smaller neighbor.
> We
> > > > > may be landocked by India, said a Bangladeshi foreign minister, but
> > > > > Northeast india is landlocked by us. So the military man's vision
> of
> > > > > the Look East policy -- linking up with the Burmese or the
> > Bangaldeshi
> > > > > army to get support for their anti-insurgency operations--is a very
> > > > > poor substitute to the huge leap of resources -- material as well
> as
> > > > > intellectual -- that is needed for the task. At the same time I am
> > > > > willing to say that we do not know the implications of some of the
> > > > > huge amount of money that is being spent. There are about 15 daily
> > > > > flights from Delhi to Guwahati -- more than any other comparable
> > city.
> > > > > There is much more energetic road-building (and the massive
> > > > > disappearance of trees and of the familiar surroundings around the
> > > > > trunk road) etc etc. I know the planes carry many businessmen
> taking
> > > > > advantage of the tax benefits of investing in the region. But are
> > they
> > > > > producing or is it only assembling products. I don't know the
> answer.
> > > > > But we surely need a new language to talk about the region --
> > > > > certainty "neglect" is not what is happenning any more.
> > > > >
> > > > > Hope all is well.
> > > > >
> > > > > With warm regards,
> > > > >
> > > > > Sanjib
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > Quoting Chan Mahanta :
> > > > >
> > > > > > Thanks for sharing the article Baruah.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > But I share your skepticism. We have heard these for decades on
> end
> > > > > > now. The politicians attempt to take credit for imaginary
> > > > > > achievements and establishment spokespersons paint rosy
> scenarios,
> > in
> > > > > > the air. But what has the reality been?
> > > > > >
> > > > > > m
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > > At 8:33 PM -0400 5/30/08, baruah at bard.edu wrote:
> > > > > >>
> > > >
> > http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-india29-2008may29,0,6712115.story
> > > > > >>
> > > > > >> From the Los Angeles Times
> > > > > >> Northeast India is poised to tap economic potential
> > > > > >> The eight-state area plans multiple projects to increase its
> trade
> > > > > >> with Southeast Asia.
> > > > > >> By Shankhadeep Choudhury
> > > > > >> Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
> > > > > >>
> > > > > >> May 29, 2008
> > > > > >>
> > > > > >> NEW DELHI - India's remote northeast region has been both
> blessed
> > > and
> > > > > >> cursed by its geography. The region is rich in natural resources
> > but
> > > > > >> is landlocked and surrounded by China, Myanmar, Bangladesh and
> > > Bhutan,
> > > > > >> leaving it impoverished.
> > > > > >>
> > > > > >> The eight-state region may finally get a chance to start living
> up
> > > to
> > > > > >> its economic potential with several projects to enhance
> > connections
> > > > > >> with Southeast Asia and to increase outlets for such commodities
> > as
> > > > > >> organic foods, orchids, tea, coal and oil.
> > > > > >>
> > > > > >> Now, the only way to move major quantities of goods between
> > > northeast
> > > > > >> India and Southeast Asia is through Bangladesh.
> > > > > >>
> > > > > >> But authorities in Myanmar and India are nearing final approval
> of
> > a
> > > > > >> $100-million river project giving northeast India direct access
> to
> > > the
> > > > > >> Indian Ocean through Myanmar, said Abhijit Barooah, chairman of
> > the
> > > > > >> northeastern chapter of the Confederation of Indian Industry,
> > > India's
> > > > > >> premier business association.
> > > > > >>
> > > > > >> The project envisages facilitating movement of cargo from
> India's
> > > > > >> Mizoram state to Myanmar's port at Sittwe, via the Kaladan
> River.
> > > > > >>
> > > > > >> In addition, talks have begun between companies in northeast
> India
> > > and
> > > > > >> Thailand after a trade-promotion conference in Bangkok in
> October,
> > > > > >> said Lemli Loyi, assistant general manager at the state-run
> North
> > > > > >> Eastern Development Finance Corp. Loyi expressed hope that the
> > talks
> > > > > >> would result in increased business and possible joint ventures.
> > > > > >>
> > > > > >> India first enunciated a "look east" policy, an economic and
> > > strategic
> > > > > >> orientation toward Southeast Asia, in 1992. It had its genesis
> at
> > > the
> > > > > >> end of the Cold War, after the collapse of the Soviet Union.
> > Having
> > > > > >> lost the Soviet economic and political support on which it had
> > > relied,
> > > > > >> the Indian government embarked on a program of free-market
> > > > > >> restructuring at home and sought new markets and economic
> partners
> > > > > >> abroad.
> > > > > >>
> > > > > >> Officials envisaged that the eight northeast states -- Assam,
> > > > > >> Meghalaya, Manipur, Nagaland, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Tripura
> > and
> > > > > >> Mizoram -- would emerge as a trading hub for two dynamic regions
> > > > > >> connected by a network of highways, railways, pipelines and
> > > > > >> transmission lines. The region is home to about 40 million
> people.
> > > > > >>
> > > > > >> But progress has been slow. The region's isolation dates to the
> > > 1800s.
> > > > > >>
> > > > > >> "Nineteenth-century British colonial decisions to draw lines
> > between
> > > > > >> the hills and the plains, to put barriers on trade between
> Bhutan
> > > and
> > > > > >> Assam, and to treat Burma as a buffer against French Indochina
> and
> > > > > >> China severed the region from its traditional trade routes --
> the
> > > > > >> southern trails of the Silk Road," said Sanjib Baruah, a
> professor
> > > of
> > > > > >> political science at Bard College in New York and an expert on
> > > > > >> northeast India.
> > > > > >>
> > > > > >> The British built railways and roads mostly to take tea, coal,
> oil
> > > and
> > > > > >> other resources out of Assam and into the rest of India and also
> > to
> > > > > >> Europe.
> > > > > >>
> > > > > >> The problems increased with the partitioning of India and
> Pakistan
> > > in
> > > > > >> 1947. Bangladesh broke away from Pakistan in the 1970s.
> > > > > >>
> > > > > >> Barooah said trade would be boosted by an expected move by the
> > > Indian
> > > > > >> and Myanmar governments to expand the list of mostly
> agricultural
> > > > > >> commodities allowed to be traded by land between northeast India
> > and
> > > > > >> Myanmar, from 27 to 42 items.
> > > > > >>
> > > > > >> "The northeast is the closest land mass connecting the dynamic
> > > > > >> economies of south and Southeast Asia," said Pradyut Bordoloi,
> > > Assam's
> > > > > >> minister for power and industries. "Besides deep-rooted cultural
> > > > > >> linkages, we can reap multidimensional benefits in this era of
> > > > > >> regional economic cooperation."
> > > > > >>
> > > > > >> Bordoloi is closely associated with a campaign to reopen the
> World
> > > War
> > > > > >> II-era Stillwell Road, connecting Assam's town of Ledo to
> > southwest
> > > > > >> China.
> > > > > >>
> > > > > >> "If reopened, this would be the shortest surface route to Yunnan
> > > > > >> province of China and other Southeast Asian countries hooking
> onto
> > > the
> > > > > >> trans-Asian highways," he said.
> > > > > >>
> > > > > >> The road served as the supply line into China during Japan's
> > wartime
> > > > > >> occupation, but it was shut after India's independence from
> > Britain
> > > in
> > > > > >> 1947.
> > > > > >>
> > > > > >> Bordoloi said his campaign to reopen the road, initiated after
> he
> > > > > >> became a state legislator in 1998, scored a victory when India
> > > > > >> upgraded the road to a full-fledged national highway, developing
> > it
> > > up
> > > > > >> to the Indo-Myanmar border.
> > > > > >>
> > > > > >> Officials say infrastructure development, power, bamboo-based
> > > > > >> industries, orchids and organic foods are prospective areas of
> > > > > >> cooperation with Southeast Asian countries such as Thailand.
> > > > > >>
> > > > > >> But significant hurdles remain, including concerns that booming
> > > trade
> > > > > >> relations may fuel rises in insurgency, narco-terrorism and
> AIDS,
> > > all
> > > > > >> of which plague the northeast. Security in the region is tight,
> > with
> > > > > >> the army out in force to combat armed groups battling for
> greater
> > > > > >> autonomy or independence from India.
> > > > > >>
> > > > > >> "The official restrictions that prevail in northeast India -- in
> > > terms
> > > > > >> of travel, land and labor markets -- are hardly conducive to
> > > intensive
> > > > > >> cross-border economic relations," said Baruah, the political
> > science
> > > > > >> professor.
> > > > > >>
> > > > > >> "Both the reality of insurgencies in the region and the security
> > > > > >> anxiety of the government of India . . . are major obstacles to
> > > > > >> dynamic cross-border economic ties," he added, calling current
> > > efforts
> > > > > >> hardly more than "a bare beginning."
> > > > > >>
> > > > > >> Also, Baruah said, it was difficult to imagine a big increase in
> > > trade
> > > > > >> given the political situation in military-led Myanmar.
> > > > > >>
> > > > > >> India's relations with China, a country it has long regarded
> with
> > > > > >> distrust since a 1962 border war, would also have to become much
> > > more
> > > > > >> relaxed, Baruah said.
> > > > > >>
> > > > > >>
> > > > > >>
> > > > > >>
> > > > > >> _______________________________________________
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> > > > > >
> > > > > >
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> > > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > _______________________________________________
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> > > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > --
> > > > Manoj Kumar Das
> > > > C 172 GF, Sarvodaya Enclave
> > > > New Delhi 17 India
> > > > 0091 9312650558 (HP) 9910972654
> > > > _______________________________________________
> > > > assam mailing list
> > > > assam at assamnet.org
> > > > http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > Umesh Sharma
> > > >
> > > > Washington D.C.
> > > >
> > > > 1-202-215-4328 [Cell]
> > > >
> > > > Ed.M. - International Education Policy
> > > > Harvard Graduate School of Education,
> > > > Harvard University,
> > > > Class of 2005
> > > >
> > > > http://www.uknow.gse.harvard.edu/index.html (Edu info)
> > > >
> > > > http://hbswk.hbs.edu/ (Management Info)
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > www.gse.harvard.edu/iep  (where the above 2 are used )
> > > > http://harvardscience.harvard.edu/
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > http://jaipurschool.bihu.in/
> > > >
> > > > ---------------------------------
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> > > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > --
> > > Manoj Kumar Das
> > > C 172 GF, Sarvodaya Enclave
> > > New Delhi 17 India
> > > 0091 9312650558 (HP) 9910972654
> > > _______________________________________________
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> >
> >
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> >
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>
>
> --
> Manoj Kumar Das
> C 172 GF, Sarvodaya Enclave
> New Delhi 17 India
> 0091 9312650558 (HP) 9910972654
> _______________________________________________
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-- 
Manoj Kumar Das
C 172 GF, Sarvodaya Enclave
New Delhi 17 India
0091 9312650558 (HP) 9910972654

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