M A I N   N E W S

Crime mafia rules Hardwar
K.G. Dutt

Hardwar, June 21
Mystery still surrounds the brutal murder of five sadhus and a Nepali woman in the Neel Dhara area on the banks of the Ganga here a few days back. So far, the police has failed to either identify or nab the real culprits of the brutal murder.

Enquiries made by The Tribune from different sources in this holy city indicate that of late, the areas between the Chandi Bridge and Neel Dhara have firmly fallen into the clutches of the crime mafia operating in this city. Beggars and sadhus living in unlit jhuggies along the banks of the Ganga in the Neel Dhara and Chandi Bridge areas are easy victims of this mafia. As the night falls, the criminals become active and with this starts the rounds of charas and ganja smoking, opium peddling, sale of illicit liquor and even meat. Sale of both liquor and meat prohibited in the municipal limits of Hardwar.

But in this area, where mostly the sadhus and the beggars live, the products are easily available from many jhuggies. The Hardwar police has never cared to check the nefarious activities of these gangs of criminals in the garb of sadhus.

A large number of criminals who sneak into Hardwar after committing crimes elsewhere, seek easy refuge in these jhuggies. As a result, the murders, the brawls and bloody fights are a common scene in this area falling between Har-Ki-Pauri and the Neel Dhara of the Ganga.

The police has also failed to lay hands on the kingpin of these mafias. Consequently, the holy place of Hardwar is slowly emerging as a den of criminal activities.

Enquiries further show that the mass murder of sadhus a week back was the third incident in the series in this area. On March 7 last, three sadhus were murdered with sharp-edged weapons in the Rori Belwala area on the banks of the river. Similarly, a Bengali woman tourist who had come to Hardwar was found murdered in the Neel Dhara area on the second day of her arrival in Hardwar along with a group of Bengali tourists. A young man named Suresh, who had come along with his newly wedded wife to Hardwar and sought shelter for the night in the jhuggi area, was done to death. The whereabouts of his wife are not known.

How come the Hardwar administration and the police have closed their eyes to such ghastly incidents. Under-world sources told The Tribune that the kingpins of the crime world rule the areas of Neel Dhara, Chandi Bridge, Rori Belwala and along the banks of the river during the night. The police does not dare go there and check their nefarious activities. Almost entire area acts as a red light area during the night where liquor, charas, drugs and other such things are freely available on high payment. Can it be possible that the police is unaware of it asked a tourist to Hardwar?

The inefficiency of the Hardwar police in containing such crime could be known from the fact that a high profile criminal of Rajasthan named Chand Mohammad was arrested from this area by the Rajasthan police. On many occasions, police parties from neighbouring Delhi, Haryana and Rajasthan have raided this area to arrest hardened criminals.

On an average over 1.25 lakh pilgrims visit Hardwar every day. During the month-long Kanwar mela, which starts in the month of Shrawan, over 50 laid Kanwarias are likely to visit Hardwar and have a holy dip in the river. The criminal incidents become more common during these days. The citizens here feel that the Uttaranchal Pradesh Government should constitute a special task force for the Hardwar area, which should be provided with all latest facilities and means of communication to nab the culprits.

Barely 3 and knows 44 ragas
Milap Chand Dandia

Jaipur, June 21
He is only 40 months old but can identify 44 Indian classical ragas and raginis. Sounds unbelievable? But it is a fact. The name of this wonder boy is Satvik Bhatt.

Satvik will go to school for the first time in July. He has been admitted to a playschool. His first formal encounter with alphabets and numbers is yet to begin, but he has acquired mastery in recognising and identifying the minutest ragas and raginis.

A grandson of the famous inventor of Mohan Veena and recipient of the Grammy Award, Pt Vishwa Mohan Bhatt, and son of Salil Bhatt, a known musician, Satvik has carved a niche in the musical world can be easily claim to be the world’s youngest identifier of ragas and talas.

In fact Satvik’s training in ragas and raginis began while he was still in his cradle. Having been a house of musicians for generations, the atmosphere of their residence is filled with music. At the age of one and a half years, Satvik’s grandmother Chandra Kala Bhatt, herself a music guru, started giving lessons in ragas to her great grandson. Soon his father and grandfather too started interest in sharpening his skills.

Pt Vishwa Mohan Bhatt then presented him a specially built Mohan Veena which he now plays with great interest.

When his grandfather Pt Vishwa Mohan plays Mohan Veena, Salil takes no time in announcing the raga or the ragini he is playing.

It is a delight to see Satvik naming a raga and his grandfather playing the same. When Pt Bhatt tries to ditch Satvik by playing the raga not named by him, the little boy immediately names the raga which his grandfather is actually playing.

Satvik recognises the ragas not only when played on Mohan Veena but also does the same with equal expertise when played vocally. He also recognises up to eight talas on tabla and even plays tablas with confidence with his nimble fingers.

Ragas which Satvik Bhatt can identify without faltering are Yaman, Raageshwari, Gavti, Vrindavani, Sarang, Shuddha, Sarang, Gujari Todi, Bhairav, Nat Bhairav, Ahir Bhairav, Bhoopali, Durga, Khamaj, Nand, Basant, Bahar, Miya Malhar, Megh Malhar, Jhinjhoti, Pooriya Dhanashri, Hansadhwani, Kedar, Chayant, Tilak Kamod, Piloo, Jaijaivanti, Madhuvanti, Kirwani, Adana, Chandrakauns, Malkauns, Bihag, Maru Bihag, Hem Bihag, Jog, Desh, Bhimpalasi, Kalavati, Rasiya, Bhinna Shadaja, Shankara, Hemant Kafi, Durbari.

Similarly, he can identify the following talas on tabla: Teen Tala, Ek Tala, Jhap Tala, Rupak Teevra, Chautal, Dhamar, Punjabi, Dadra, Keherva and Deepchandi.