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

Tue Jun 3 00:05:32 PDT 2008

Rivers do...but if you look at the pollution of Yamuna and Ganga and the
horrible sight of filth and sewage pouring into the river at
Dasaaswamedhghat at Venaras, one has to be really diehard religious to
consider that the water of Ganges that looks almost like crude petroleum can
wash sins anymore....Its appalling...

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.
> > > > > >>
> > > > > >>
> > > > > >>
> > > > > >>
> > > > > >> _______________________________________________
> > > > > >> assam mailing list
> > > > > >> assam at assamnet.org
> > > > > >> http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > > _______________________________________________
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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