all you needed to know about selling your cow

sailing down the river

The Gandak is a majestic river, draining in its wake more than seven thousand square kilometres of land as it flows down to meet the Ganga. The meeting is of course, legendary. Not just because it is an extremely beautiful confluence of rivers but also because it is the site of Asia’s biggest congregation for trade in livestock. Since two smaller tributaries also join the Ganga at this point in its course, the Sonepur fair is quite strategic in its location vis-a-vis trade, both on land routes as well as waterways.

The fair sees much more than the regular rural livestock trade in cattle, horses, camels and sheep. The range of animals includes rare bred dogs, elephants, cats, monkeys and rabbits. And if Alsatians and Terriers weren’t enough for those fond of domestic animals, then there is a large variety of birds, some even as rare as the Snow Partridge that is usually found in much colder climate and the Grey-headed Parrot from the hills near Darjeeling, which are lined up for sale. The ways in which this annual fair links itself to a number of interconnected networks of trade in the local region as well as the other parts of the world is hard to imagine. A simple tabulation of different kinds of animals and goods that are bought and sold at Sonepur, both legally and illegally is a massive and daunting task. In terms of illegal trade, snakes, bears and intoxicants of a large variety are easy answers but on digging deeper, there are a lot of stories left to tell about Sonepur’s thriving trade environment.

 Sonepur, by itself, is a largely unassuming city. One could get by without much effort while being quite taken by some of its singularities. The old Gandak Railway Bridge is one such example – more than two thousand feet long and completed in 1887 during some of the river’s furious years. With the regular floods in Bihar during the last years of the nineteenth century and the successive floods in the last few decades, Sonepur’s culture and social life has survived just like its famous landmark. The first railway platform at the Sonepur railway station is another such marker to anyone stepping foot in the city. Far longer than the more famous bridge, this platform is one of the longest in the world, stretching to more than two thousand four hundred feet. But these dimensions slowly seem to cease as the fair makes claim to the pulse of Sonepur’s life.

Celebrations during Kartik Purnima

The Kartik Purnima is an auspicious day for Hindus and Sonepur’s charm is the throbbing life on this full moon night, filled with devotees lining up to take a dip at the confluence of two mighty rivers. Many stay on for the entire fortnight of the festival while others leave within the next few days although trade goes on well into a month from the date of the Kartik Purnima. The story goes that the Mauryan Empire bought its warhorses and elephants from Sonepur after breeders had travelled for miles to arrive at the banks of this confluence. Most local tales around the fair’s origins describe the confluence as one of five rivers, as famous as the kind of animals that frequented the annual fair – Persian horses, Burmese elephants and rare birds and animals along with elaborate displays of pottery and textiles from the span between Central Asia and the Gangetic belt.

The first day also marks the worship at the Harihar Nath temple, which is the epicentre of activity on that day. Offerings and ablutions are part of the rituals and needless to say, there is a fair bit of waste that accumulates around the fair. While public toilets are scant, relief mostly presents itself in the proximity between the mango groves where the fair is held and the tourist accommodation. The routes are lined with regular forms of entertainment – fortune tellers, soothsayers and those trained in various human feats like trapeze art or the more spectacular acts like walking on burning coal.

An all-male crowd watches a dance show in progress

In many senses, the fair is also a reality check. One would be quite taken aback by the vigour that nightly dance shows are treated with. It has been regular practice, for the last few years, to hold nightly dance shows where women take the stage to dance to the most popular dance tracks of the year as well as the older well-known songs. It should suffice to say that this is a comment on one facet of the gendered economy in this part of the world. While many commentators have called these shows ‘vulgar’, leading to the State Government’s ban on these shows in 2011, it was an open secret that these shows continued in local venues. That there is marketability to such practices gives a foreign visitor, even from a city a hundred miles away, that there is a strong clash between the national discourse on women’s empowerment and the prevailing economic and social constraints for women in most parts of India.

Additionally, while trade in endangered birds and animals is otherwise illegal, it is a flourishing activity in the backdrop of this popular fair. The district administration takes many measures to clean up the negative publicity that the Sonepur fair gets every year but little in terms of results is discernible. Sonepur, by and large is distracting because there is so much to take in at any point of time. While there are so many concerns with how the fair progresses, there is also the visibility of different forms of livelihood on such a massive scale. From potters to the makers of different weapons and artefacts, one can easily find some interesting story to hear – of some new kind of trade or craft which puts into perspective many other things that one sees in life outside Sonepur in Bihar.

Birds of a feather...

Bihar is a state in India that is hardly well-known for things considered great by the national media. Many of its stories and its problems are unheard of and the few times that one hears of them are hardly remembered amidst the blaze of information. That it can provide a lot of fodder for thought to any curious traveller in South Asia is needless to say. Sonepur is perhaps one of those places to start with, in Bihar. The range of art, especially the Madhubani art from the region, the architectural and historic attractions of the region’s Buddhist and Jain history, and the excellent street food is enough to make a visit to Sonepur memorable. The must-eat is of course the ‘bhang ka pakoda’, a fried snack laced with cannabis resin, that is otherwise a delicacy on the famous festival of Holi around the country and in our case, a regular with visitors to Asia’s biggest cattle fair.

A whole new meaning to "The world is a book..."

The Khuda Baksh Oriental library

If you have the slightest interest in the magnificent contributions and the complex developments in the world of science, philosophy and medicine in the last few hundred years in South Asia and its surrounding regions, you might want to take a look at the trove that is the Khuda Bakhsh Oriental Public Library in Patna. Often just called the Khuda Bakhsh Library, the residents of Patna have prided themselves over its existence for years. The library has seen the city grow and change around it since the close of the nineteenth century even though the library was conceptualised much before that by Maulvi Muhammad Bakhsh. 

Maulvi Muhammad Bakhsh perhaps always knew that he wanted to leave behind a library for posterity. Presumably taken by the advances in printing culture in the lower Gangetic belt and resigned to the gradual decline of the landed gentry in Patna, he struck upon the idea for a collection of great manuscripts that could be viewed and used by all. Before his death in 1876, he left the solemn task to his son, Maulvi Khuda Bakhsh, after preserving a collection of 1400 manuscripts himself. A noted scholar in Arabic with a great love for Persian and Urdu, Khuda Bakhsh invested all efforts into realising the idea of the grand public library.

Khan Bahadur Khuda Baksh

Khuda Bakhsh was perhaps the best person to set up such a library, if one is to go by Jadunath Sarkar’s description of him as the greatest authority on Islamic bibliography at the time. Having been a lawyer at the Nizam’s court, his knowledge of the different legal strains and schools of law in Islamic jurisprudence as well as the great debates in Islamic philosophy at the time, was extensive. All in all, he made sure he expanded on his father’s collection of manuscripts sizeably from the original 1400 manuscripts in 1876 to the 5000 documents by the time of his own death in 1908. 

From Sarkar’s description of the man, one finds an image of a serious scholar committed to preserving the knowledge of his time, influenced strongly by a colonial modernity and its spill-over effects. The huqqa-smoking bibliophile now rests in a grave on the premises of the library, oblivious to the generations who have gained from his efforts. His son, Salahuddin Khuda Bakhsh, who took over the reins of the library after his death, was thankfully a similarly dedicated bibliophile. What many don’t know is that he is most famous in literary circles for inviting a fatwa from a fringe Muslim seminary in Patna because he took on a translation project of Joseph Hell’s book ‘Arab Civilisation’ in 1977 from the Jamia Milia Islamia in New Delhi. The scholar Girija Kumar has argued elsewhere that this effort was just another instance of Salahuddin’s attempts to engage with texts that were critical of orthodoxies in Islam. Criticism and reasoned well-knowing debate was the underlying force behind his intellectual drive and it shows amply in the collection at the Library.

If the rich history of the library’s fountainheads is alluring, then the range of collections that the library holds should surely make you jump. Classics from Urdu, Persian and Arabic along with travelogues and rare copies of controversial publications are strewn across the shelves at the Khuda Baksh Library. Sample this: the Jahangir Nama, the Sirat-i-Firoz Shahi, a huge range of publications on Tibb (medicine), translations and original drafts of many biographies (Tazkira) and books numbering more than two hundred and fifty thousand. Biographies were of extreme importance to both Khuda Bakhsh and his son, as a result of which, one sees the vast number of biographies, both translated as well as the original versions in the library. Similarly, memoirs and travelogues like the Ibrat Namah and the Masir-i-Talibi, providing rich accounts of a different time on the continent, are now freely available for students and lovers of history and literature.

Forceps from the era

The Yunani Tibb system of healing and medicine that underwent thorough changes with the introduction of colonial knowledge on surgery and pharmaceuticals would probably have lost a large part of its own scientific history had it not been for the preservation of documents in the Khuda Bakhsh Library. The efforts here are parallel to those made by the famous Hakim Ajmal Khan in then Shahjahanabad, or Old Delhi as we now know it.

Today, the looming building of the Khuda Bakhsh Library has undergone several changes. Many of its collections have been digitized and available for perusal on its website. Many scholars from Patna and the rest of the country have benefitted hugely from these efforts in the last few years by the National Mission for Manuscripts and the administration of the Library. Works on the Safawis (the Safavid Empire) and the Qajars, preserved in the Library, have now helped write broader connected histories of Islamic scholarship across the breadth of Asia. 

The library, over the years, has managed to gather around itself a milieu of academic and cultural efforts that help in its sustenance. Its assemblage of various historic scientific instruments as well as its collection of vivid Patna Qalam paintings are the result of careful patronage and dedicated endeavours to preserve the traces of a complex past. Such a past defies many of our assumptions about the development of cultures and their continued sustenance. If you like to allow yourself the luxury to sit and delve into a different time and think through it, the Khuda Bakhsh Library is one of those places that affords you the luxury to do so. And if you still haven’t made up your mind, let’s just say that a look at the centuries-old and vastly famed ‘deer skin’ leaf of the Qura’an should be an ample reward for taking the road to Bankipur in Patna.

Winter fashion in India

The intricacies of a phiran

January is still the time of comfort foods and cosy blankets. Though winters in the plains or near the coast of India are equivalent to spring or summer in some countries, the mountains are the real deal. In some of the lesser known places in the Himalayas or the foothills, temperatures drop to -20 degrees centigrade and winterwear becomes and essential part of daily fashion. India being innovative, we had just decided to wrap cool light blankets around us and call them shawls. Moreover, India being diverse, the shawls in different parts of the country are also different.

The phiran is an example of an elaborate and unique form of craftsmanship. Made from wool and often complemented by Pashmina or Shahtush shawls in the Kashmir valley as well as Jammu, the Phiran is worn by both men and women. Different specificities in designs and embroidery methods often distinguish the craftsmanship of one amongst the others. The production of phirans has increased in recent times and older weavers have considerably expanded their reach of customers. Export trade has managed to make this loose but extremely warm piece of winter wear quite popular in many parts of the world. 

Flair at the hornbill festival

The Naga Shawl is one singular piece of woollen wear that manages to stand out while keeping you as warm as possible. Thickly knitted with wool and often dyed in red, black or a mix of both, the naga shawl is convenient and hence, extremely popular. It is found in both niche markets and popular ones depending on where you are but each single Naga shawl delivers on its promise against the cold breeze that threatens to find its way through the pores of your sweaters.

The woollen Nehru Jacket, made most popular by the first Prime Minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru, is an elegant and useful coat that can easily blend into the aesthetic of any kurta-lover. The Nehru jacket highlights the breadth of the shoulders and provides just enough warmth for the mild winter days. Complemented with a shawl, the Nehru coat can significantly enhance the appearance of matching collar shirts as well as longer kurtas. 

where the wool comes from

The Pashmina Shawl perhaps needs the shortest introduction. It is widely known for being one of the warmest and the most exquisite garments in the world. Made from goat wool across the lower Himalayas, the shawl has only gained in popularity over centuries of trading relations across the Indian Ocean as well as the Hindu Kush. It is preferred by people of all ages and is treasured as a possession. Fashion designers often experiment with Pashmina shawls in order to bring out the contrast of the their bright colours against the sober grayness of winter.

Tunes from the East - Baul Music in India

A baul performance in progress

The eastern region of Bengal has long had a history of syncretic music that finds its metaphors in a direct and not ritualistic connection to god. Such spiritual meanings have been articulated by singer-performers across the region for several centuries now. Both the mystic faquirs and the itinerant Bauls are examples of this as their music and allegorical stories transcend the limitations of orthodox and ritualized religion. 

 

Disorder, restlessness and madness are a few of the meanings associated with the word Baul. Such meanings are both prescribed by structures of doctrinal Vaishnavite Hindu religion as well as self-defined by the Baul. It is through an attack against the hierarchical and dominating Vaishnavism [Hindu order with ritual worship of the god Vishnu] that such music and spirituality articulate themselves and hence, often, are seen as deviant and ‘mad’. In many ways, the Bauls have eluded the prescribed order through the content of their music and often their lifestyles. 

 

An artist's rendition of Lalon Phokir

Today, Baul music is quite popular as many artists are experimenting with its forms and content. It is now a genre that permeates the living rooms of many folk enthusiasts across the world. I might not be wrong in saying that the famous nineteenth century Baul, Lalon Phokir who was known in the narrow roads and along the banks of rivers across hundreds of villages in rural Bengal would find it hard to identify with Baul singers of the present day. Today, they regularly record in studios and feature on television and radios. But for all these changes, one must credit the Baul music for maintaining its inherent message and its perceived worldview.

Baul music is distinct in its lyrical content which is avowedly against dominant norms. Largely addressed to a divine presence, Baul songs describe the disjunction between man and spirituality. Declarations of love are a common feature of Baul lyrics, thus persistently disregarding caste hierarchies and religious differences. Influenced by the Bhakti and Sufi movements, Baul music is a unique expression of a quest for spiritual fulfillment through love. 

 

Rabindranath Tagore (right) was one of the first people to translate Baul lyrics to English

Interestingly, it was not until the nineteenth century that the lyrics of Baul songs were actually written down as opposed to the practice of orally transmitting songs. In the early decades of the twentieth century, Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore translated many Baul songs into English and described Bauls in his speeches across Europe as an essential component of rustic Bengal uncorrupted by the influences of colonial modernity.

Just like the vagueness surrounding their origin, the lack of the recorded presence of their music is often regarded as a political choice on the part of Bauls. A fascinating culmination of knowledge passed orally through centuries and sharp political articulations of identities in nineteenth century colonial Bengal, Baul music is a subversive, rustic and peripatetic existence.

A Baul can be spotted in his/her saffron robe with long hair tied in a bun on the top of the head and carrying Gopiyantro or Ektara which is an instrument with one string, sometimes in conjunction with a dugi (kettle drum) tied around their waste. Ghungur, doatara and kortal are other commonly used instruments. Baul music is found in present day Bangladesh as well as the Indian state of West Bengal, displaying a characteristic disregard for man-made boundaries. 

 

There are a few organized festivals that celebrate the poetry and music of Baul, which are held annually in Bengal. Poush Mela, an annual three day festival held in Shantiniketan in the Birbhum district of West Bengal is an event that attracts the largest number of Bauls. It is held at the start of the month of Poush according to Bengali calendar (third week of December) and marks the establishment of the Brahmo religion. Another large annual gathering of Bauls occurs in Joydev Kenduli which is regarded as the birth place of poet Jayadeva and coincides with Makar Sankranti which marks the beginning of winter harvest and is considered auspicious. The last one is the Ghoshpara festival in the 24 Parganas district in March-April which coincides with the birth anniversary of Lord Krishna. 

 

A performance at the Baul Fakir Utsav

Over time, more urban audiences have flocked to annual shows held in Kolkata city such as the Baul Fakir Utsav where Bauls from different districts of Bengal and Bangladesh come to perform. It usually goes on for 48 hours and offers those, who do not seek to travel to rural events, an experience of folk and mystical music right in the heart of urban landscape. The more famous Baul singers of today include Purno Chandra Das , Jotin Das Baul , Sanatan Das Thakur Baul and Parvathi Baul but the list is gradually and progressively increasing.

The real meaning of Nirvana - culinary traditions of India

A simple meal

India cannot be defined by one particular cuisine. Influenced by geographical diversity, the cuisine is quite diverse as well. Most of the Indian cuisine has been influenced by the availability of water. As a result, in the coastal areas, you would find the presence of quite a few light soups and rice recipes. On the other hand, in the deserts, due to the unavailability of water and thus the shortage of fresh  vegetables, the cuisine is predominantly dry and dotted by a variety of pickles and preserves. A journey on these lines provides for an incredible experience.

Considering the diversity of Indian cuisines, it is quite difficult to describe all aspects of the same. This article attempts to describe some of the highlights and the most famous of Indian cuisine. We explore the roots, the spices used and the difference between the cuisines. For the last 30 years, INDEBO (www.indebo.com) has been instrumental in providing such experiences to travellers regularily.

Breads from an indigenous bakery

Through this article we would explore some of the biggest celebrities of the North (Punjabi), the West (Gujarati cuisine), the South (cuisine from the backwaters of Kerala) and the East (fish curries and sweets from West Bengal). This article does intend to stir up the appetite as well.

Punjabi food: Possibly the most famous Punjabi contribution to Indian food is the tandoori style of cooking. This method uses large earthen ovens that are heated to high temperatures using coal fires. Once hot, many types of meat, bread, or vegetable dishes may be cooked inside. This method gives food a distinctive flavour and seals in the aroma of the item.

Many people in Punjab eat meat. Thus, the state has developed many chicken and lamb delicacies that are coated in spicy onion and mustard or sweet cream sauces. This is thought to be an influence of the Mughals during their time in India. Milk products such as yoghurt lassis and fresh cheeses are also an important part of Punjabi diet, as are pulses and wheat.

Gujarati food: Gujarati food is mainly vegetarian. The staple grain of the area is millet, with wheat as a secondary grain. Other products include peanuts, sesame, and many types of vegetables. Pulses are very important in this region as a source of protein, whether as a side dish or made into soups called “Dal”, as the majority of the population is vegetarian.

A Gujarati thali

Gujarati food is usually served as a “thali” meal, meaning that all items are served once on a large plate. A traditional thali includes two vegetables cooked with spices, dal, a flatbread (roti), rice and a sweet. There are also simple meals of mild rice and lentils known as “khichdi”, served with a lightly spiced buttermilk or yoghurt soup called “kadhi”.

Malayali food: In Kerala, food is traditionally served on a large banana leaf. Even today, this method is prevalent for feasts. The staple food of Southern India is rice. Different preparations of the grain may even be eaten for breakfast. The other staple is coconut. Coconut is made into chutney, served as a refreshing desert, and incorporated into vegetable or fish dishes as a flavour. This often gives the food a surprising taste that is a mix of sweet and spicy.

Bengali food: Bengal is known for its fish and its sweets. Located on the Eastern coast of India, fish has long been a staple of Bengali diet. It may be sauted in yoghurt or marinated in Bengal's famous spice mixture. This region uses 5 basic spices, known collectively as “pachphoron”. They are anseed, cumin seeds, black cumin seeds, mustard and fenugreek. Mustart plays a huge role in Bengali food. Mustard is mashed and used as a gravy for a special type of fish called Hilsa. Mustard oil is also used extensively in Bengali food.

Fairs & Festivals of India

Monks at the Thiksey Tsechu in Ladakh

India is indeed a land of Festivals. Indian festivals boast of India's rich cultural and traditional background. There are end number of festivals which are celebrated in this amazing land. The festivals in India may differ in their celebration and rituals but the commonality in all the celebrations is that it celebrates humanity. They represent the diversity of culture on one hand and unity of India on another hand.

Some of the common rituals, which are followed in most of the festivals, are processions in the streets, decoration of homes and sacred places and traditional and folk song and dance performances. Most religious festivals have elaborate prayers, traditions, customs and rituals attached to them.

Color generally seen at a fair

India is known as a land of many religions and innumerable languages, it might well be described as a land of many festivals as well. There is perhaps not a single day in the Indian calendar when a festival or a fair is not celebrated. Bright colors, brightly lit religious places, decorated houses, sweets and traditional dresses and dances and unwavering enthusiasm are the characteristics of all the festival holidays in India. If someone wants to see the deep roots of the culture, belief, life style, living, food, art, traditions of India, the fair and festivals are the window to view the true colour of India. There are festivals for all occasions which include color festivals, festivals to celebrate change of seasons, festivals connected with the harvesting or sowing of crops etc. Even the birthdays of divine beings are celebrated by connecting them with particular festivals. Indian festivals are celebrated according to the solar and lunar calendars. Consequently, dates & months may vary accordingly.

A Few important festivals of India

Mopin (Arunachal Pradesh)
Mopin is the most important festival of the Gallong community of the Adi Tribes of Arunachal Pradesh. Mopin across Arunachal Pradesh is celebrated for five days in the month of April. It is celebrated prior to the sowing of the paddy.

People worship the deity of welfare in order to get rid of natural calamities, evil spirits and for good harvest, health and prosperity. During this festival, smearing rice powder on each other’s faces marks the beginning of the festival. One other feature of the Mopin festival is a dance known as Popir which is performed in a very elegant manner.

Bihu (Assam)

A Bihu dancer

It is the most important festival of Assam. It is celebrated with great happiness and enthusiasm and is celebrated by all Assamese irresepective of caste, creed, religion, faith and belief.

The Assamese witness three Bihu festivals in a year. Each Bihu coincides with a distinctive phase in the farming calendar. For example, Rongali Bihu marks the beginning of sowing of seeds, the Kati Bihu marks the completion of sowing and transplantation of the saplings and finally Magh Bihu marks the advent of the harvest period. The three are connected with the spring, winter and autumn seasons respectively.

Bali Yatra (Odisha)
To commemorate the glorious past of commercial voyages to the islands of Bali, Java and Sumatra by Oriya traders, a big fair called ‘Bali Yatra’ is held on Mahanadi river bank at Cuttack on the full moon day of the Hindu month of Kartik.

Kartik Purnima was considered the most auspicious day by traders to venture on a journey to distant lands. To mark the occasion; small boats made of cork, coloured paper and banana tree barks are set afloat on the Mahandi river. The Bali Yatra bears testimony to the rich maritime legacy of ancient Orissa. It is also known as Boita Bandana Utsav, or the "festival of boats".

Man and his best friend at the Pushkar festival

Pushkar (Rajasthan)
Held each November at the time of of Karthik Poornima (full moon), the Pushkar Camel Fair is one of the largest cattle fairs in India. During the fair, millions from rural Rajasthan flock to Pushkar, along with camel and cattle for several days of livestock trading, horse dealing, pilgrimage and religious festivities.

The camel and cattle trading is at its peak during the first half of festival period. During the latter half, religious activities dominate the scenario. It is an occasion for Hindu pilgrims to converge for a holy dip in the sacred Pushkar Lake to "wash away the sins of a lifetime" and pay obeisance at the ONLY Brahma temple in the world.

Sonepur (Bihar)
The Sonepur cattle fair or Sonepur Mela is held on Kathik Poornima (the full moon day) in the month of November in Sonepur, Bihar, on the confluence of river ganges and Gandak. This fair attracts visitors from all over Asia. It is the biggest cattle fair of Asia and goes on for around one month.

Horses at Sonepur

It is quite an exciting fair as nearly all the animals of different breeds are bought here for sale. Persian Horses, Camels, Guinea Pigs, Dogs, Bears, Cats, Rabbits, Buffaloes, Donkeys, Ponies, Sheep etc are specially brought here for sale and buyers from across the globe come to buy the best of breeds from here. A major attraction is the sight of numerous beautifully decorated Elephants lined up for sale.

Kullu Dussehra (Himachal Pradesh)
Dussehra, symbolising the victory of Rama over Ravana, is celebrated all over India but the Dussehra of Kullu has got its own significance. When Dussehra celebrations come to an end in the rest of the country, they begin in Kullu. Over 600 local deities are brought to pay homage to Lord Raghunath. This is a time when the valley is at its colorful best.

The celebrations continue for a week every year. Dussehra in Kullu commences on the tenth day of the rising moon (the ‘Vijay Dashami’ day) and continues for seven days. On the first day the idol of Raghunathji in a gaily attired chariot and attended by village gods mounted in colourful palanquins, is pulled from its fixed place in the Dhalpur Maidan (open ground) to another spot across the Maidan by big ropes. The pulling of ropes is regarded sacred by the local people. This forms a huge procession. All the gods in the valley visit Kullu during Dussehra in order to pay their homage to Raghunathji.

Elephants at Thrissur Pooram

Thrissur Pooram (Kerala)
Thrissur Pooram, which is known as the "Pooram of all Poorams" or "Festival of all Festivals" is the most awaiting cultural extravaganza in North Kerala.

The festival is celebrated every year during the month of April/May. The sprawling Thekkinkadu maidan located at the heart of the city and encircling the famous Vadakkumnathan Temple is the venue of almost all major events of the Pooram festivals.

The major attraction of this festival is the Elephant procession, which witnesses the participation of elephants from various temples of Kerala. Apart from this splendid procession, other attractions of Thrissur Pooram festival include a spectacular display of colorful fireworks, parasol exchanges, display of pyro-techniques and drup concerts.

Hemis Tsechu ( Ladakh)
The Hemis Tsechu is the largest and most popular monastic festival of ladakh. It is a two day annual festival which is celebrated in the courtyard of hemis monastery. It is celebrated on the 10th day of the Tibetan lunar month. The main purpose of this festival is to commemorate the birth anniversary of Saint Padmasambhava, the patron saint of Tibetan Buddhism and the one who brought Buddhism from India to Tibet. During these two days festivals, the resident Lamas perform sacred masked dances in the courtyard of the Monastery.

Along the Ganga - From the source to the sea

Most of the Ganges is about quaint fishing boats

The Ganges is more than just a river. It is a symbol. The second longest river of India flowing over 2510km has been important in religion and life. Being a perennial water source providing fertile soil all around it, the Ganges has also been the source of major kingdoms and an agricultural hub. Cities like Pataliputra, Kannauj, Kara, Allahabad, Murshidabad, Behrampur, Kara and Kolkata had sprung up along its banks and the banks of its distributaries. A journey along this river provides for a fascinating glimpse into how important the river still is.

From the source to the sea, the Ganges is more of a unique entity than a physical river. The river has been made immortal by the legend that surrounds it and the role that it plays in the various legends. The river is also a part of daily life and life on the banks of the river starts with a prayer to it. The journey starts at Gomukh, believed to be the source of the river deep in the upper Himalayas. It winds through Varanasi, one of the oldest living cities in the world and ends at the Sunderbans, the world's largest delta. A part of the journey can be accomplished by rafting (in the upper reaches) and by sailing in fishermen's boats (from Allahabad to Varanasi, from Chandennagore to Kolkata and then in the Ganga Sagar). INDEBO (www.indebo.com) has been one of the pioneers in designing journeys along this river in fisherman boats or rafts.

The storm before the calm in the upper reaches

The upper reaches: Most of the upper reaches have to be walked or can be rafted in. You would trek to Gomukh, believed to be the true source of the Ganga. Here the river is crystal clear, cold and pristine. You can then move on to Gangotri. The ganga is believed to have come down from the heavens at Gangotri.Uttarkashi would be point of interest to you as well. This picturesque town has breathtaking views of valleys and natural skies. From here on, you can come to the twin towns of Haridwar and Rishikesh where the Ganges takes on a slightly milder state. The regions are great for rafting. The towns provide important facets of Hinduism as well as they are some of the holy points and pilgrimage centers for the Hindus.

Along the plains: The ancient and holy city of Varanasi draws pilgrims by the multitudes. On display are the innocence and religious fervour of the people. One of the oldest living cities of the world, Varanasi is an important site for Hindus, Sikhs and Buddhists. Buddha delivered his first sermon close to Varanasi. Many believe, that to die in Varanasi would guarantee salvation. On this journey, Allahabad would be very important as well. The Ganga, the Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati merge at Allahabad.The confluence is the site of the Kumbh Mela. Down the river lies the town of Sonepur – famous for Asia's largest cattle fair where horses, elephants, birds and cows are traded. Further down from Sonepur in the Northern reaches of West Bengal lie Murshidabad (the town of mysteries) and Chandennagore, the French town. Both feature prominently on the way to Kolkata.

The tiger gets more elusive in the Sunderbans

Meeting the sea: Where the river meets the sea lies the Sundarbans - the world's largest continuous mangrove forest. It hosts an amazing diversity of flora and fauna, including probably the largest remaining population of Royal Bengal tigers, the endangered estaurine crocodile, the Ganga river dolphins, as well as an astounding variety of birds. On one of the islands of the Sunderbans is held the annual Ganga Sagar Festival. The river is also famous for the Hilsa – a fish that lives in the sea but lays its eggs 1200km upstream in the river. Due to its anadromous nature, the Hilsa is famous for its taste, especially with the mustard.

The Indigenous People of India

Over the centuries of the rough geographical entity of India, the region has been influenced by most of the major cultures in the world. Being a land of plenty, kings and conquerors from all over the world have been to India – to loot or to set base in the country. From the times of Alexander the Great, to the last British Viceroy, India has been influenced by the West and the East. These influences have been manifested in pratices, rituals, food, fashion and daily life.

However, there are a minor few who were the original people of India. In spite of such invasions and dynasties, the rituals followed by these people have not really been affected. Keeping to themselves, the rituals and lifestyle followed by these people have seldom incorporated any new changes since the time they were recorded. Through INDEBO you can now explore the lives of these people and maybe learn a few tricks on a better way of living. 

There is a substantial list of Scheduled Tribes in India recognised as tribal under the Constitution of India. Tribal peoples constitute 8.2% of the nation's total population, over 84 million people according to the 2001 census. Most of rural India is comprised of tribes, each different in their own philosophy and way of life. The most interesting regions in this aspect are the Himalayas, the hills of Orissa and Chhattisgarh, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands (although you are not allowed to meet them as they are under threat from modern developments and land encroachment), and the Western Regions of Gujarat. The tribal population of India is one of the strongest examples of diversity in a country that is trying to preserve its identity while inviting globalisation.

Arunachal Pradesh: The main tribes of Arunachal Pradesh are the Nishis, The Adi Miyongs, the Membas and the Khambas. Most of them hold on to their legends and the past through stories that they have memorized in verse. The Nishis practice agriculture & animal husbandry and stand out for their unique headdress of hornbill feathers. The Adi Miyongs are mongoloid in race and worship nature. The Khambas and Membas are of Buddhist origin and have preserved records of their ancestry. They interact with other tribes like the Tangins, Ashings and the Simnongs.

Gujarat: The predominant tribe of Gujarat are The Rabaris. Settled in Kutch, the Rabris trace their descent to Shiva. They were semi nomadic tribes, and consider themselves custodians of the camels, cattle and goats that they rear. The women stand out because they always wear black, the color being associated with that of sadness due to some events that they trace to their collective memory. They can be identified by tattoos, long earrings and stretched earlobes. They are adept at embroidery and create art on cloth, with pieces of mirror in various shapes.

Life and times in Orissa

Orissa & Chhattisgarh: Orissa has the highest number of original inhabitants in India. The most colourful of these people are the Saoras, the Gadabas, The Bondas and the Kondhs. The Saoras live in a stratified society and their pantheon consists of innumerable and ever watchful deities and ancestors. They observe a number of ceremonies at different stages of cultivation and other economic pursuits. Unfortunately polygamy is still practiced and marriage by capture is common. The Gadabas are the most colorful tribe in Orissa, are amongst the earliest settlers in the country and trace their origin to the time of Ramayana.They live permanently in large villages. Their language is called Gutab. They perform a dance called the Demsa. The Bondas are visible at weekly haats, (the market), where they come to buy provisions, and sell forest produce and country liquor. They call themselves Remo and speak an Autro-Asian language. They do not wear clothing, which has unfortunately made them the subject of speculation. The Kondhs belong to the dravidian group and speak the Kui language. Kondh life is full of festivities at the time of sowing and harvesting.

of thunder and dragons - through Darjeeling and Bhutan

All ye who enter!

We all remember that time in the bar when people are drunk enough to disclose their past lives. Some were daughters of Persian kings. Some were sons of Persian kings. Some were Persian kings. Most of the others were either Einstein or James Dean. Well, I have recently realised that I was the last dragon. There is something about Bhutan that is so much better than erstwhile Persia or the US. I couldnt have been anywhere else. And the fact that I was born and settled in the plains is simply God's way of playing a joke.

A land locked away and kept a mystery to most who cannot afford it, Bhutan has been my preferred Shangri La after Ladakh. The water is pure. The people are pure. The alcohol is cheap. The cigarettes are illegal. Its how life should be. The fact that I love it is cliched and quite an understatement. After you have somehow escaped Assam, Bhutan feels like one of those lost paradises that movies keep talking about. A four-hour journey from Agra to Delhi felt taxing. A 6-hour journey from Gelephu to Wangdue felt like a dream.

The people have their priorities right. The king has his priorities right. To match the abstract notion of Gross National Happiness in such a way that you see the tangibility on the people's faces... I dont believe that even the most famous address on Janpath could do that.

The custodians of Wangdue

I started off in Gelephu. The border town is just waking up. No one really knows about it. None of the drivers at the Guwahati airport knew where it was. I was in love with it already. A 6-hour drive through villages where women wore their Sarees like the latest Chanel evening gowns, and I was in. The mystery was backed by this elaborate gateway in the middle of no-where and with the hills just rising beyond it. It is only in Gelephu that you can see some of the smaller factors that contribute to the happiness - the Druk and army distilleries. A Black label here and I am ready for whatever Bhutan throws at me.

The next day was reserved for Wangdue. Another 6 hours and I was finally at a place where the only sound I could hear is of the river, where there is no mobile network and where "no wireless networks found" is a very prompt message that has undertones of "what the hell are you thinking!!". This considering the fact that the place I am staying at is only 5 min away from the road. And this is not my vacation. A walk through the old dzong brings out laughing novices, stern monks and a walk outside brings out the colourful bazaars. Wangdue is where the heart is. Do you remember the old worn posters stuck behind the back of autos, the ones that you chuckled on and considered cliches just because it was virutally impossible to find such a place ? Well, this is what I saw from my balcony . The green river roared and tumbled. Behind it, a hill rises that is covered by creepers and trees that I have to say are lush and green for lack of creativity in finding a better description. I was home, and there is no other place that I would rather be.

From Wangdue, I headed towards el capitol... probably the biggest city in Bhutan. Thimphu is known for a lot - for the dzong, for the king, for the medicine, for the crafts, for a lot. But Thimphu is incomplete without the night. It is only then that the oysters and the oyster bazaars come out. It is only then that you can get to clubs called Om Bar that boast of Thimphu's budding and awesome nightlife. While you spend the night on blues and druk 11000, it is only now that you realise that the whole issue about Bhutan fighting its past with its present is not really a fight, but a gradual blend. The same women looking so homely in their kiras do let their hair down and groove to Joplin and CSNY. What would life be without drinking under the stars listening to Clapton in a land known more for not being known about that much.

The Punakha dzong

Thimphu also opens the gates to Paro - where they built a monastery in a crack on the mountain face more than 200 years ago. With such names as the tiger's nest and the whole buildup to the nest (you can only hike up to the place... a hike of 3-4 hours), you can see the glamour that stems from the mystery. And it all seems worth it. When the monastery does unfold in front of you, you do not miss the lost fat or the fact that you had to wake up early. All you realise is that it is not hard to gain enlightenment if you stay in a place like this.

Phuntsoeling turned out to be my last stop in Bhutan. The gateway city again humiliates you. On this side is a bit of Europe, except that the theme for the day is Himalayan Buddhism. Clean roads, smart places for beef and red rice, ordered gardens, prayer wheels.... on the other side is a an absolute mess, with too many people and too many paan stains.

Bridge over the river Teesta

Darjeeling turned out to be better than usual. The killing and the apprehension of a strike helped take all the Mr. Bannerjees and their chunnu munnus out of Darjeeling, leaving the place very British and very likeable - the way it should have been. It is only when you dont have to see where you are going that you can actually lift your head and check out the former movie theater that is now the municipality building and the post office.

It is only then that you thank god that Bhutan is not an Indian state and realise that West Bengal does not deserve Darjeeling. As I follow my route again, I am reminded of the discussion that I was having with the editor of NGT-ZA. We were discussing why two sides of the border were so different and I said that it is because of the number of people. Bhutan had only 934000 people to manage compared to India's 1.1 billion. "It might seem like a very good reason, but it isnt", was her reply."Its the reason alright. Its just not a good enough excuse", observed her photographer. These were the opening statements while we dived back into the land of the thunder dragon.

It is very weird. The other day I was reading this article by someone from somewhere who said that the environment was not his primary problem as he was bothered with bigger issues like poverty etc. The only difference between Bhutan and India is that we have not yet realised that all the problems are interconnected. In fact, we would have had a more effective government only if politicians travelled more.