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A slice of history
The Buddhist temples of Nako have been identified as one of the 100 most endangered heritage sites by the World Monuments Fund, reports Kulwinder Sandhu
Nako village, a widely acknowledged tourist spot and pilgrimage centre of the Buddhists, situated in the cold desert belt of the Himalayas at a height of about 3,650 metres above sea level in Pooh sub-division of the tribal district of Kinnaur in Himachal Pradesh. It houses many old Buddhist temples. The village has a population of above 600 native people with roughly 123 families. All the families have apple orchards at lower locations in Ka, Yangthang and Maling that have brought prosperity for the natives. Historical accounts of Nako are available in the books written by renowned scholars — A.H. Francke and Giuseppe Tucci who visited the village in the beginning of the 20th century and published the earliest reports about
Nako. Centre of Buddhism This village was once a very important centre of Buddhism in the region. There are as many as seven temples of different periods situated at different locations in the village. The main monastery on the western edge of the village has four temples. This monastery complex preserving old artistic heritage was built in the 11th century. This main monastery is devoted to Guru Rinpoche (Padmasambhava) the legendary 8th century founder of Buddhism in the region. The local people believe that the construction work on this monastery began in the 10th century and was completed in the 11th century. Grouped around a roughly rectangular courtyard, the exact evolutionary history of these monuments and chronology of the complex still remains to be studied properly. Out of these, the two biggest temple structures inside the monastic complex are the main temple and the upper temple. These two temples preserve a considerable amount of their original decoration of clay sculptures, murals and ceiling panels. A third structure, the small white temple (dKar-chung lha-khang) preserves a once-marvellous wooden door-frame with scenes of the life of Buddha carved on the lintel. The fourth structure of a similar size to the upper temple and just to the side of it is called the temple of wide proportions (rGya-dpag-pa’i
lHa-khang). Austrian Aid These two oldest structures—dKar-chung lha-khang and rGya-dpag-pa’i lHa-khang are now being preserved under an Austrian project. These two early temples are, from an art-historical perspective, the most important ones. Both contain murals (repainted and repaired) and clay sculptures dating back to the 10th, 11th and 12th century. The FWF (Fonds zur Förderung der wissenschaftlichen Forschung) project funded by an Austrian research project on early Buddhist art in the Western Himalayas has documented the Nako monuments in 1994, 1996, and 1998 and published certain aspects of the art preserved in the two oldest monuments. The largest temple of Nako, the Lo-tsa-ba IHa-khang or gTsug-lag-khang, is also the oldest monument in the village. The room is extremely high (between 5.5 and 5.7 metres). Of the original painting, the south-wall is best preserved. The inner section of the mandala of the north wall, presumably centred around Vairocana, has been repainted. Paintings from different periods remain in the apse, which is also occupied by contemporary but occasionally restored clay sculptures. There are also remains of inscriptions and a large wall-text in the apse. On the wall to the left (south) of the apse, and on the renewed entrance-wall, fragmentary donor depictions are preserved. The roof of the temple was damaged in a 1975 earthquake, and since then only a tin roof covers the monument and protects the murals and sculptures. The other temple (Lo-tsa-ba’i) IHa-khang gong-ma is placed directly opposite the Lo-tsa-ba IHa-khang. Although the main wall (east wall) is decorated mainly with sculptures, the side and entrance walls still preserve extensive parts of the original murals. The structure is endangered today because of the fragility of the architecture. Art & Architecture The main temple is occupied by clay sculptures of the five Jina Buddhas with Vairocana in the centre. One large painted mandala covers each side of the wall to the north and south. The upper temple from the same preserves a number of distinctive artistic features such as the depictions of eight Bodhisattvas on the main wall displaying an ambivalent approach towards pictorial space. The sacred realm of the deities is defined as the two-dimensional hieratic throne frame. This artistic mode allows compositions that incorporate both temporal and spiritual space. The art and architecture of Nako, according to some historians, has Kashmiri influence as well as Indo-Tibetan iconography and aesthetics. The artistic evolution of western Tibetan style from the 10th to 13th century points to a phenomenon of regional unification. From the early 11th century, both wall paintings and book illustrations also display evidence of common stylistic features of Dungkhar (near Tholing in Tibet) and the Alchi school of paintings. Some of the panels show depictions of printed cotton cloths and luxurious textiles like silk brocades. The great variety of textile depictions and their careful rendering provide evidence of the use of sumptuous garments in the dressing of Buddhist temples, as well as the cultural and economic transfers along the trade routes. These features in the art of Nako clearly indicate the regional impact of the rich and diverse western Tibetan culture. The study of ornaments provides a vast material for the analysis of cultural transmission in terms of motifs and surface patterns. Pilgrimage Centre These temples attest to the fact that the village of Nako once was an important pilgrimage site. The Buddhist temples here have been recently identified as one of the 100 most endangered heritage sites by the World Monuments Fund. However, this architectural heritage of Nako, which has survived for more than 900 years, has recently started showing serious signs of deterioration -both physical and cultural. Recent years have witnessed a considerable change in the climate and the region now receives regularly rainfall every year. This increase of rainfall is affecting adversely all traditional buildings and especially the historic temples of Nako. This preservation project is a joint undertaking based on the cooperation with the local people, Indian and Austrian conservation architects- Romi Khosla Design Studio, New Delhi and the Interdisciplinary Research Unit on the Cultural History of the Western Himalaya, University of Vienna, Austria. This project has been funded by the World Monument Fund and other private donors. The services of the Auroville Earth Institute had also been taken to look for some alternative solutions with totally natural materials for the waterproofing of the temples’ roofs and help the extension of the temple buildings where the villagers could go during the conservation activities in the historic temples. Going
Waterproof After analysis of the situation and the way the traditional waterproofing were done, a research programme was elaborated. These tests aimed to find waterproof combinations for the walls and the roof of one of the temple- the Gongma Lhakhang, which was the most endangered. The main aim of these tests was to use only local materials easily available in the area and without adding any foreign material. Four different combinations were tried with various coats of local clay (Tua), soil, barley straw and dung (mule or cow) were used for this purpose monitored by the local team. Meanwhile, the state government of Himachal Pradesh has during the current financial year sanctioned a sum of Rs. 12.48 lakh for the construction of a prayer hall, 39.40 lakh for construction of a guest house and Rs. 2.50 lakh for construction of a tribal museum, besides, sufficient funds for making a boundary wall of the monastery complex and adequate toilets for the visiting tourists.
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Cure for epilepsy
Born and brought up at remote Tanseta village in Arki tehsil of Solan district, Dr Surender Kumar Pal has brought laurels to Himachal Pradesh for his contribution in the field of epilepsy. He will be bestowed with the Young Investigator Travel Award — 2006 by the American Epilepsy Society. The award will be given at the annual conference of the society from December 1 to 5 in San Diego.
Earlier, Dr Pal was also honoured at the International Epilepsy Congress held in Paris in 2005. In San Diego, Dr Pal will speak on “Traditional healing practices of epilepsy in North India”. More than 7,000 experts in epilepsy from different parts of the world will attend the Congress. He will be the only Indian presenting his views on the management of epilepsy. He will be speaking on biomedical and alternative treatments (traditional and faith healing) relevant to epilepsy patients. Epilepsy poses a major health problem and has been known to occur across all sections of society. It observes no cultural, geographic, racial or economical barriers. In India it is popularly known as mirgi. Dr Pal will lay stress on cultural specific beliefs, myths and practices associated with epilepsy for generations in different communities. A variety of cultural specific practices have been prevalent for providing relief to the patients during a fit. Occult treatments are imposed in many societies and patients follow spiritual healing concurrently. Traditional healers known as fakirs, babas, pirs and sadhus are still consulted for most health problems. There is a network of traditional healers providing parallel system of health care in North India, with people often switching to such treatments in desperation of finding a cure. Dr Pal, who has conducted a study on 400 epilepsy patients in the North along with Krishan Sharma and Sudesh Prabhakar, says in rural areas, epilepsy is still considered a disease caused by supernatural forces. He says, as shaman mode of curing is popular in the Himalayan region people like to consult traditional healers first. “There is a need to create awareness about epilepsy, especially in rural areas of Himachal Pradesh, but without interfering with religious and cultural beliefs,” he stresses. Dr Pal is presently a post-doctoral fellow with the Department of Neurology, PGI, and is ready to assist patients free of cost.
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Rubber dam over Beas
Inflatable small-height rubber dam, designed to withstand the water pressure, is the only way to strike a balance between ecology and development, says
D.N. Handa
For about 29 years after the completion of the dam, it has been a continuous march to its death in the town due to heavy load of silt and sand that it receives from Sunder Nagar through Suketi
Khad. The depth of water below the Victoria suspension bridge, which during lean period used to measure 8 to 10 metres is hardly 3 to 4 meters now. The river with its noisy, bubbly molten snow water and cool breeze during summer and its deep blue water in winter has been wiped of for all time to come. The highly turbid water besides creating environmental and ecological damage to Mandi town has also gradually ravaged the fertile Balh valley, the granary of Mandi district. The heavy load of silt and sediments released from open channel and reservoir at Sunder Nagar get deposited in the fields resulting in reduction in crop yield besides creating problem of water logging. This matter regarding dumping of silt through Suketi Khad as raised by farmers of Balh valley and Citizen Council, Mandi, is also pending in Himachal Pradesh High Court. Many development projects like
B.S.L. Project were earlier launched on technical feasibility and economic considerations i.e. Benefit-Cost Ratio
(B.C.R.) only without realising that the project has to be environmentally sustainable also. The problem of safe disposal of silt had not been recognized and assessed at the planning stage and thus the beauty and charm of river Beas below dam has been destroyed. The free flow is no longer there, thanks to Pandoh dam and Project authorities, which are now evading a permanent solution to the problem despite huge income from the project It is, however, never too late. A foolproof arrangement for the disposal of silt and sand in consultation with some expert agency is required to be evolved at the source itself. Allowing a fraction (10 to 15%) of the flow of water from the dam in the river during lean period is necessary as flowing water having its own self cleansing effect will recharge the river It is obligatory on the part of Bhakhra Beas Management Board
(B.B.M.B.) to compensate the affected people for the damage. Construction of a weir (a small height dam) at a suitable location down stream of Victoria suspension bridge with sound foundation conditions will ensure some minimum water level in the river during the lean period and could provide some relief to the residents. Inflatable small height rubber dams have been provided in many countries, including U.S.A. This author had a chance to visit ‘Tempe Town Lake over Salt River’ near Phoenix City in Arizona State of U.S.A. where inflatable dam system is designed to withstand the water pressure from the lake. One of the unique features of inflatable dams is their ability to deflate quickly so as to pass the flood and silt. The dam at Tempe town can be deflated and inflated within 30 minutes offering a high level of control and easy method of releasing and recapturing the water. Normally dam should be deflated prior to monsoons and inflated after the monsoons. The technology is available with the Bridgestone Corporation with head quarters in Tokyo, Japan There is a proposal to construct a rubber weir over Yamuna River at
Wazirabad, Delhi, for creating a lake/water body for recreational purpose. As already under its active considerations, Himachal Pradesh Government may insist upon the
B.B.M.B. authorities and Central Government to implement a similar project at the earliest as a compensatory measure for reviving Beas River and ecology of Mandi town after examination of site conditions by experts, preferably of Bridgestone Corporation, Japan. (The writer is former Engineer-in-Chief, Himachal Pradesh
P.W.D. based in Mandi town.)
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Hillside view
This admirable tradition of rural India is waning in urban areas. Families have started devising their own methods of gently edging out uninvited guests. I have heard of excuses like ‘we are going out of station ji’, and torture methods like putting the guest on a mooli and kheera breakfast (“good for healthji “) before letting him go out on his mission (the hosts may savour aloo-parantha later!). A Solan friend went to a Mumbai home with a reference. He was delighted with the warm, grinning host and his family. He woke up late as usual. The host’s family who must have finished the toilet ka kaam early (like mumbaikaars do), started bathing one by one. He couldn’t force himself into the queue for the lone bathroom despite a bloating bladder and whatever else. The hosts merely ignored his gentle pleas with things like “Bittoo has to catch the 8.15 local “, and “Shyamji’s boss is arriving shortly “. He got the message and shifted to a reasonable hotel that very evening. Pressures of urban life are now catching up with our friends in busy towns like Shimla. Summer guests are a nightmare because of water shortage. Folks from the gaon referred to the state hospital IGMC for serious or chronic ailments can’t help landing up at your place. The fear of infection haunts the hosts (especially those with kids) till the guests leave — and the room and other things used by them are thoroughly cleaned up. Once my neighbour, a nice man, had guests whose son had been suffering from fever etc. IGMC diagnosed it as typhoid. They left immediately with the prescribed medicines. Unfortunately, my neighbour’s son contracted it, and his performance in the Board exams a month later shook the family. His parents blamed the guests bitterly for years and became obsessively hygienic whenever people stayed with them. Of course it’s another matter that the fellow’s performance would have shaken them otherwise also! He was spoiled, dim, and kept a safe distance from books. God knows, whether he contracted the disease from the guest or from some dirty eating place in town. I know many people in Delhi and Shimla, who virtually sterilise the stuff (including the bed-sheets, towels, mugs etc) used by guests as soon as they depart. The toilet is singled out for special treatment— more so if it’s a commode (“western style”). A bhabhi ji in Delhi had an embarrassing habit. She would hover around, waiting for the guest to perform his morning ablutions. The minute he came out, she would rush in with a liquid sanitizer! For some queer reason she spared the female guests this ordeal. Some male guest must have bitten her badly, once upon a time! Thank god, we still have a strong sense of hospitality in this state. But, beware of the changing attitudes and compulsions. Divali gifts,
PR shifts…
Every year, around this time, we hear people grumbling: “It’s so boring and tiring— this business of going round to so many houses for giving gifts… worse still, returning gifts to people not close to us…Kya karen, mazboori hain..” If we don’t do all this, what will people think of us? Image ka kya hoga! So, we push ourselves into carrying on the social duty. I am not talking about the really near and dear ones— sharing things with them adds meaning to existence. I am talking about the image- wallahas and the more crude variety pouncing on occasions like Divali to do a bit of hard PR’ing. I mean, the matlabi kinds. A fellow used to bring me packets of dry-fruits with devotion oozing from his face. He would keep them at a distance reverently, answering my protests, “Sir, this is nothing at all… just a small token. It’s like showing candlelight to the sun! Happy Divali, sir…” I managed to find him a job with some difficulty. That year also he appeared with the packets. After that, he disappeared! He has got his fruits of labour. I get only a sheepish grin and an uncomfortable greeting whenever I run into him. Not even a Happy Divali from this suave gentleman. Once bitten… I stopped responding to Divali gifts. So, another worthy who tried to woo me with apple boxes stopped after two years. “Sir, the crop was bad this year…” His friend whispered that his wooing found a more useful target. Why do we ‘have to’ indulge in all this nonsense? Homes are flooded with Divali sweets — not even 10 per cent can be enjoyed in these days of people’s fragile health. All you do is repack and palm them off on those to whom you ‘have to send’ gifts. You would naturally select and re-distribute them according to the ‘importance’ and ‘usefulness’ of the targets concerned. Bosses, neta log etc, get the most expensive stuff. The rest goes reluctantly (just before getting putrid) to servants, peons and the bakshish-mongering sections. We of course add a sweet smile: “Bachchon ko khilana, Divali mubarak ho…”
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Shimla Diary
To rescue and rehabilitate children in need of care and protection, a 24-hour Childline phone service has been started with the Population Research Centre (PRC) of the Himachal Pradesh University, being the nodal centre for the project. In order to ensure that children get relief, sensitising the allied systems such as the police, doctors, educationists and community about the rights of the child is also an important aspect of the project. The Childline at the phones ensures that all calls and responded and help extended to the child in need. He further said talks had been held with the government to constitute the Children Advisory Board at all the district headquarters in which the Deputy Commissioner, Superintendent of Police, Chief Judicial Magistrate, doctors, legal experts and social workers are members so that rehabilitation of the needy children can be done easily. Sweet talk
Traditional sweets prepared by the HP Milk Producers Federation Ltd (Milkfed) were sold all over the state through the 450 societies, covering even the rural and remote areas. Though the Milkfed has in the past also tried its hand at preparing and selling sweets on Divali but this year they succeeded in getting bulk orders from the BSNL, Accountant General (AG) Office and Raj Bhavan.
Himfed sold over 400 quintals of sweets prepared in desi ghee and being priced relatively lower than some known brands, they were well received by the people. The Himfed had tied with the Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (HPTDC) for sale of these sweets at their units all over the state. Himfed sweets were sold at the Ashiana restaurant on the Ridge, outside the Secretariat and other tourism hotels.
With the involvement of the 450 milk-producing societies, the sweets prepared by Himfed were even sold in the villages all over the state.
Roadside woes
With the road between Longwood and Chapslee School being in a bad condition for the past three months, the residents of the Longwood area of the town have requested the government to it repaired as the public was facing a lot of inconvenience.
The residents lamented that the retaining wall along the road has collapsed and half of the road remains covered with the building material and debris dumped there. This has resulted in the road practically becoming one-way, causing inconvenience to pedestrians especially schoolchildren. Traffic jams have become a constant feature especially between 8 am to 9 am and from 4 pm to 5 pm. Col S. S. Chauhan, resident of the area lamented that the pace of work in constructing the retaining wall is very slow and the dumping of the debris and construction material has further aggravated the problem. “Certain short term measures like removal of construction material, traffic control by a constable and restriction on daily service vehicles during peak hours could help reduce the chaos on the road,” he suggested.
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For Manmohan Singh, the zeal to preserve the pristine glory of the Craignano-Naldera Heritage Axis, is a lifetime of love’s labour, says
Rama Sharma
Meeting Manmohan Singh in his sylvan abode at the foot of Carignano hill, Mitwah cottage, unravels a true love story of an instant, deep and long- lasting love affair when a young pilot officer of the Indian Air Force fell for a dainty damsel called Craignano hills, some 45 years back. He sought and got premature retirement, set up home in a self-designed eco-friendly cottage, which now has become a focal point for the local populace, who wish a green tomorrow for not only Mashobra-Naldhera axis, but also for the entire Himachal. The cottage has been designed by Manmohan Singh, alias Mohini, as he is affectionately known far and wide. The thoughtful profile of a weeping willow is incidentally is the soul hub of the cottage. The basic idea is that of being a silent and happy receiver of the cosmos energy, which vibes with all forms of art and heart group called Bazme-Saqoon-Azaad-Gufltgu, where a true and frank exchange of ideas, sans inhibitions and stuck opinions, takes place regularly. Despite the evolutionary erosion in the metaphysics of Shimla, in the form of congestion and pollution, there is a visible newfound vibrancy especially along the heritage axis of Mashobra-Naldera within its 20-km vicinity. The green forests and lush orchards lend the retreat an exclusive charm. Perhaps this is the reason for the significant influx of settlers from the metropolis of Delhi and Bombay. Mashobra, a sleepy hamlet of the Raj era, has been energized by the Swiss- look cottage and Ayn Rand’s Fountainhead special flats, inhabited by the elite society. Mitwah was impelled energy to do his best in the preservation of the fast-depleting green-belt of the Mashobra Naldhera axis, which is yielding fast to the onslaught of massive destruction, and daylight plunder. Mohini’s four decades’ stay at Craignano and love of conservation and the erosion of the abundant green ambience made him immensely sad. For him, it was truly shocking to see the dense and deep vast areas of green pines giving way to the haughty, concrete heads of the hotels/motels, housing flats and colonies. Before his eyes, the nurturings of million years by Mother Nature was getting packed and destroyed by the vultures of vested interests. The double shame is the fact of the State authority looking the other way, with a Nelson’s eye. Mohini’s pain and concern at the indifference of the Department of Town and Country Planning, the Pollution Control Board and Departments of Forests, Health and Tourism and environment protectors and lack of a policy to preserve and protect the most precious treasure, moved him to form a core-group comprising local citizenry. The group, started four years back, is mainly concerned with checking the town’s downslide and stop the rapid conversion of the green pahar into pahar ganj (a). The group, comprised of local citizens, includes Mrs Saroj Malhotra of Garden Garden Estate, Mashobra, who has put in her heart and soul into grooming a garden of joy and variety. Other members are, Dr and Mrs Kalra, residents of Bandochi, whose retreat has become a focal visiting spot for foreigners who have ancestral links with Mashobra and Shimla from times of the British Raj. Mrs Neelam Dewan, another settler with Victorian taste, is an important link. Major Mohindra and Sushma Mohindra, Mrs Prabha Bhagra of Whistling Pines Resort, Mrs Anju Pratap Singh of Modern School, Delhi, and a few more local residents and the important cogs of Mohini’s core group. They all are conscious of preserving pristine glory and green past for green tomorrow. They are trying hand to awaken the conscience of the polity and bureaucracy on the one hand and are action-oriented on the other. The steps they have undertaken include: Organising of periodic jungle-cleaning campaigns where in young and not-so-young of 60-70 years participate with verve and vigour. With voluntary collection/ contribution, the core group has managed to put four garbage collection bins. But Mohini rues the fact that there is no back-up of the Shimla Administration towards the disposal of the garbage. So the effort remains almost defeated. In Mohini’s words, “Looking at the open dumping of garbage along the paths/roads of the sacrosanct green belt makes one inadvertently feel that when most of the globe is reaching towards the Moon Mars Age, we in Shimla hills are reaching towards garbage.” Little musical rivulets are getting choked with the plastics and the debris of building material wastes, hence the drive is needed to awaken the health, environment and pollution departments to the their duties. The visit to various rural groups include lessons and detained discussions on how and why to save the green cover and price-less timbre trees. The rural populace, particularly the panchayats, are made aware that the worth of a 50-year-old tree is very close to Rs 50 lakh in terms of life and sustenance of oxygen, carbondioxide recycling and priceless timbre. Imagine the precious asset of nature being squandered for Rs 10 per tree as TD (timber distribution rights to the rural population). Wearing his snow fur on his 65-year-old head with poise and poetry, Manmohan Singh has truly extended this three decades of love affair with Craignano to the entire Himachal.
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Snow keeps date with skaters
Early spell of snow on the higher reaches and widespread rain in lower hills have brought cheer to ice-skating enthusiasts who are hoping for a prolonged skating season this winter.
With snow becoming increasingly scarce Asia’s oldest natural ice-skating rink is the only attraction for the winter revellers who throng the ‘queen of hills’ in large numbers. However, the sharp deterioration in environment has over the past three decades led to severe climatic changes, which have not only affected snowfall but also sharply reduced the duration of ice skating season. The mercury has plunged sharply and there is enough moisture in the atmosphere, which will help water to freeze naturally. These days on an average only 60 to 80 sessions take place during a normal season and with the weather God playing spoilsport there have been occasions when number of sessions even failed to cross the figure of 20. Earlier in 1960’s even 120 to 150 sessions were possible and the season extended to almost four months. However, with the ‘queen of hills’ degenerating into a concrete jungle, there has been a sea change in the microclimate. The average temperature has increased considerably and the minimum temperature, which even dipped to minus 13 degrees Celsius, hovers around the freezing point even during peak winter making it difficult for water to freeze naturally. Further, as the day temperature mostly remains quite high only a few evening sessions are possible. Freezing water under the sky is an art mastered by the Garhwali highlanders who have been performing this job ever since the rink came into existence 85 years ago. A clear sky is essential for water to freeze under natural conditions. After levelling the ground, which is used for multifarious activities during rest of the year, water is sprayed in a controlled manner several times a day. Initially, it is soaked into the dry earth. Once it is saturated and cooled sufficiently, a thin white sheet appears on the surface, which grows thicker as more and more water is sprayed on the rink. It takes about a week to have two-inch thick layer of ice. The degradation of micro-environment caused due to cutting of trees on the hill side and of the rink, which provided shade from the Sun, has not only curtailed the duration of the season but also the effective skating area. A large part of the rink has been exposed to the sunrays as a result of which the skating area, which was equal to five tennis courts, has been reduced to almost half. The Ice-skating Club has been pursuing a proposal to convert the natural rink into an all weather rink by installing suitable refrigeration machinery for the past three years. Secretary of the club, Mr Bhuvanesh Banga, informs that the facility will not only make ice-skating possible during cloudy weather but also help extend the season from the existing two months to at least five months. The government has promised to provide the necessary funds to implement the project. A project had been sent to the Sports Authority of India, which has agreed in principle to provide an indigenous plant, which will cost about Rs 50 lakh. There was hardly any ice-skating during the winter because of persistent bad weather and summer facility would enable the members to make for the lost season, Mr Banga added. A new pavilion has been constructed at the rink built at a cost of Rs 42 lakh last season. Besides proper change rooms, toilets and other amenities for the skaters, it also has a billiards room, table tennis room, gymnasium along with a viewing gallery. The club has also imported skates, ice hockey and other required gear. If the weather remains favourable the season could get underway by the third week of November.
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Bringing up special children
Fortunately, now Astitva, a special school opened at Rohru under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, has improved the life of not just the children suffering from various mental disorders but also of their parents, who till recently had no guidance or help in bringing up these special children. Effort has also been made to reach out to some of these differently able children in the vicinity of Rohru villages under the home-based project called Ghardwar. Udaan, a society of parents and guardians of children suffering from various mental disorders like cerebral palsy, autism, mental retardation, Down syndrome and multiple disabilities, was formed in Shimla in 2003. Their endeavour now is to reach out to other such children, especially in the rural areas where myths, superstition and dogmatic beliefs prevent such parents from accepting the fact that their child is mentally challenged. Many of them, even when their child is over 10 years old, believe that somebody has cast an evil spell using black magic. The effort by parents under the aegis of Udaan, who themselves had to face great difficulty in getting guidance in handling such children, properly want to assist and help others faced with similar situations. Being run with the financial assistance from the National Trust under the Peace and Relief pilot project, today there are 12 children from remote areas of the state availing hostel facility at the Respite Care Centre being run by Udaan at New Shimla. Besides this, Udaan is also running a day-care centre, attended by almost 30 children from all over the town along with a recently opened vocational centre. “Notwithstanding the problem of finances and space constraints, we want to equip these children with some vocation so that they can be on their own feet with guidance from others,” says Mr R.S. Rana, who has been in the forefront in taking up this cause. With limited finances, the children above the age of 18 years have been taught how to make candles and greeting cards at ‘Swabhimaan’. A self-help group of eight children has been made with the objective of training them to run a juice counter or a similar venture with help from any government agency. Presently Udaan is running the hostel facility, day-care centre and the vocational centre in three separate buildings, making it difficult for the children and the staff in managing the affairs. The parents feel that if they are provided with some land they could have a bigger institute with all the facilities under one roof. “With limited schools for these special children in this region, we have a waiting list of over 25 children but due to accommodation problem we too are helpless,” says Mr Hari Ram, Special Educator. He says ignorance and superstition come in the way of early detection and acceptance of the problem by the parents as a result of which they are not even toilet or speech trained. He cites several instances where parents, majority from well-off families when approached denied point blank that their child had any problems at all. “Parents must realise that keeping the child shut inside the house will worsen his condition and the only way is to get training to handle such children effectively,” he stresses. Managing their affairs with great difficulty, it is some friends and well- wishers who have been helping run the show by Udaan. “With small donations from friends and well-wishers we have somehow tried to create a facility but financial constraint makes it difficult for us to even pay salaries to our staff,” says Mr Rana. However, there are some good Samaritans who have extended great help by adopting a child each at the hostel being run by Udaan. “Six children have been adopted by different people, who pay Rs 1,000 every month required to cater to all their needs,” says Mr Rana. Besides this there is a circle of friends and acquaintances, who pay Rs 100 per months, which is of great help, he adds. Help from more such people will go a long way in providing a better life for these special children and a big encouragement for parents who have formed Udaan as one can’t help admire their unflinching dedication and spirit.
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Cricket on the higher grounds
With Dhoni and Pathan as their role models, the more-experienced Tibetan crickets fight it out on well-laid wickets in the Tibetan Community Village (TCV) School Grounds or come all the way to the Police Ground in Dharamsala. In and around McLeodganj, Tibetans have popular cricket teams like the TCV School’s team, Bir Settlement team, Medical Institute team and the Tibetan Library team. Cricket matches are organised to celebrate the Dalai Lama’s birthday and different teams participate in the tournament held in upper TCV. “The infectious game catches the fancy of Tibetans who go back to Tibet after temporarily staying in McLeodganj and they play cricket in Tibet all the time,” says Lobsang Wangyal, a local Tibetan in McLeodganj. “Teachers of all TCV schools have their teams and enjoy playing cricket. I was a spinner for the TCV in Bir during my stint in school. The Tibetan community loves to watch the game even if they do not play it,” says Tenzin, who works with the Central Tibetan Administration. One of our team members even broke his TV set some years back when India lost a big match to Pakistan,” chips in Tenam, who retired from the Department of Information. He further says he has won several matches for his library team as a fast bowler. “We have grown up watching players like Kapil Dev. I was in school when he steered India to the World Cup win in 1983. I remember skipping my dinner to listen to radio commentary when he made 175 against Zimbabwe,” he says. The absence of a big ground in McLeodganj, say Tibetans, is a major hurdle in organising big matches. That is why TCVs are actually the hub of cricket in McLeodganj. “All my friends are looking forward to the Champion’s Trophy being promoted by Mandira Bedi, who has also popularized ‘gully’ cricket. We had
gone to the Board President’s XI Vs Pakistan match organized in Dharamsala last year in February on all three days. Some of them watched a big international match for the first time,” says Jigme, another Tibetan. Not just Tibetan youth, many Tibetan monks can be seen displaying their cricketing talents near the monasteries in McLeodganj. The Tibetan community is also very fond of playing football and regular tournaments are organized in McLeodganj and Dharamsala. A large number of locals turn up to watch these events and even if they don’t play the game, they have their favourites. “For instance, the Library Cricket team has a large number of employees from the Central Tibetan Administration,” says Wangyal. The Gyalyum Chemo Memorial Gold Cup Football tournament is organised every year by the Tibetan National Sports Association in memory of the Dalai Lama’s mother, where Tibetans teams from settlements from across India, Nepal and Bhutan participate. The Tibetan National Football team has played a host of international matches and has some great Tibetan players as its members.
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Doomed for life
The oustees of Bhakra Dam have been asking these questions to themselves over and over again. Thousands of villagers were left with no choice, when they were told to vacate their homes. They were made to give up their ancestral agricultural land with the assurance that they will be rehabilitated when their land was acquired to built as what was termed as ‘a modern temple of the nation’ the Bhakra Dam by great leaders. The dam was built to regulate Sutlej water, which provides water for drinking, irrigation and also power to the people of the North. But oustees were forgotten about and left on their own to survive along the Govind Sagar Lake and in the remote hill areas. For the past five decades since their displacement, they have virtually been living in the remote dark areas where no one even visits them. The displaced villagers of Neilla, Olinda, Bhakra, Khulmi in Bilaspur and Paroian, Kosri Camp, Boru Chukhat, Sohnal in Una and many others of these two districts situated along the Govind Sagar lake rue that neither the Bhkara Beas Management Board (BBMB) nor the state government have paid enough attention to their problems. Moreover, the Central Government also failed to check their condition. They just got assurances from successive governments coming to power in the state. Four months ago a committee was also constituted by the state government to study their problems. But the ground reality is that they have no ray of hope for them and their children but to survive in the present adverse conditions. Temporary relief was all that came their way. No body is bothered about their condition any longer. With no proper education facility, basic health- care centres and road connectivity, the people here do not even have water supply facility for drinking or agriculture. The villagers have been cut off from their relatives who were displaced in similar manner and re-settled in Haryana and Rajasthan thus have been living in different conditions and culture, they rue. The future of their children seems bleak as one has to cover several kilometres of distance to attend schools. For higher studies they have to commute to other subdivision of the districts. Even the villages that have primary, middle and secondary schools, lack proper infrastructure. These villages are situated in such remote areas that no one really wants to be posted in here. Even senior officials hardly pay visits to these villages.
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Sacred Heart gets new building
19th 0ctober 2006 was a red-letter day for Sacred Heart School, Dalhousie, as well as for the famous Dalhousie hill town. Besides being the Annual Day, the new building for the plus two level was inaugurated by the Governor of Himachal Pradesh Mr V. S. Kokje in the benign presence of former primary education minister and the local MLA Mrs Asha Kumari and other dignitaries of the town. The cultural program that followed was a feast to the eyes.
The Governor appreciated the cultural items that were entertaining and educative. He considered the children who were studying in Sacred Heart as fortunate and exhorted them to avail of the opportunity provided to them to the fullest. “We study the history of those who have conquered us and not the ones who conquer hearts”, the Governor felt. He said that the performance of the children was a reflection of the quality of the education provided here. The Governor also mentioned that schools must provide education up to the plus two-level in order to complete the school education. In this regard the 105-year old Sacred Heart School has taken a bold step to introduce plus two. After the cultural program the Governor inaugurated the billiards’ room and billiards table by playing a shot. In her speech, Mrs Asha Kumari, a local MLA and former Education Minister mentioned that starting of plus two was a long-standing demand of the people and this endeavour fulfils the dream of many parents. She appreciated the variety and quality of the cultural program presented by the students.
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Any project relating to the construction of a dam implies that a vast area on its upstream and downstream will be affected. Large dams seem to present more problems than solutions as they have significant adverse social and environmental impacts although they have played an important role in power generation, irrigation and increasing food production. The ecological balance is disturbed over large area. The real villain may, however, not be the dam/power project itself as the consequential not taken into account initially. A balance between ecology and development therefore. 
People of Mandi town hold river Beas sacred as the town is considered a gift of the river. But unfortunately the beauty and charm of the river originating from Rohtang Pass and wading its way through scenic Kullu-Manali valley to Mandi has been destroyed for all time to come due to the construction of a massive dam at Pandoh for the Beas Satluj Link
(B.S.L.) Hydro Project. The dam has strangled the flow of river and starved its downstream life to death affecting adversely the ecology and grandeur of the town.
Hospitality is second nature to most Himachalis. A guest is not a pest here— he is a housewife’s delight—especially if she is not a workingwoman. Every body adjusts without any fuss. Meals, beds, quilts and bathrooms are shared briskly, peacefully.
With no help at home, Geeta had no option but to tie her 10-year-old daughter suffering from mental retardation along with the cattle in the courtyard to save her from falling and suffering injury. Today the only sound that the girl can make is that of a cow.
The narrow streets of McLeodganj would be the last place where actor and cricket commentator Mandira Bedi can expect her ‘gully’ cricket becoming an obsession with the local Tibetan youth.
Development is an important aspect of human growth but at what cost? Can growth not be achieved after providing adequate compensation to those made to suffer because of the developmental projects?