The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

	Murals on the Mall Parbina Rashid The Mall in Shimla is not just about swanky joints and carefree tourists. A stroll down the mall road and one can get educated about the Himachali ways, only if one knows where to look. No, do not even try out one of those shops that sell the ethnic stuff for they do not have the time to enlighten you about the Himachali lifestyle or its cultural scenario during the peak tourist season. Look at the walls of the Mall instead, and you will find two huge murals speaking eloquently about the life of Himachal. One huge (almost 20 feet by 15 feet) mural on tea plucking and another one of similar size on apple plucking tells you not just the art of plucking but also the dignity of labour and the sense of duty which is part of each Himachali’s upbringing. If you need a little help with your analysis, you can always contact the creator of these two, Prof. M.C. Saxena who has along with his name added his contact number too. “If you have looked carefully, you will see the peaceful aura of the women folk who despite working hard both in fields and home, manage to maintain their serenity,” says Prof Saxena, who came to Shimla from Lucknow in the early sixties and made it his home. “They believe in dignity, duty and labour,” he adds. And for this artist, writer and trained psychologist, this is the quality of Himachal that drew him like a magnet. Sentiment aside, these bronze-finished stone murals teaches the technology part of the plucking business. “I am trying to depict the rare technology which the Himachalis use to pluck apples, swirl it around the stem at a particular point, and while tea plucking in Himachal is so different from that of Assam and it is only the tribes of Kangra and Palampur know how to do it. Both murals were commissioned in the early ‘80s. For someone, whose very style is based on the East-West synthesis as far as his art is concerned, Saxena has done his best to give his murals an authentic touch. “Though my style varies, the basic fiber of my art is based on mixing up the traditional elements of our art with that of Western.” So Saxena prefers the composition style of the West while for physiology, symbology and emotion it is the East he looks towards. “The trick is to blend these two styles at the right proportion and make it feel Indian,” he says. Once you are familiar with his style, you can easily spot his creations elsewhere in Shimla, Lady with a Pitcher or Himbala near the Ridge. The earlier one has Rajasthani touch to it but it marvels in technology. “I made it so that if anyone approaches the fountain, water starts pouring,” he says. There is one composition at one of the government offices titled Duty with Devotion based on the theme of Indo-Pak Summit in 1972. After retiring from the Government College for Women in 1992 as a Professor of Para Psychology, Saxena’s time now is mostly devoted to promoting art. “At present I am making a five-figure composition on the theme of War and Peace,” he is excited about this new one. “Through this I am trying to portray a young man’s plea for peace,” he adds. And we leave him to get along with his mission we desperately hope that his plea for peace falls into the right ears.
	You’ve got e-mail! Vibhor Mohan The people of Dharamsala are fast moving the e-mail way. And, that too, with many of them not actually knowing how to operate a computer. For, the brief, matter-of-fact telegraphic messages are now a thing of the past. As a proof of their being techno-savvy, the residents of Dharamsala now prefer to send e-post messages, which not only promise quick delivery, but also give them a chance to elaborate on their feelings. From an average of 150 messages sent per month in 2004, the number of outgoing mails has now soared to over 1,500. The procedure is simple. All one needs to do is write down a page-long (nearly 100 words) message with the postal address of the receiver on the top and deliver it to the post office. Using the specially designed software, the postal staff would key in the message and e-mail it to the post-office concerned using the site: indiapost.nic.in. After taking a print out of the message, the message would be sealed in an envelope and manually delivered to the destination. Vinod Chauhan, a postal assistant, says that even though the software is in English, messages can also be sent in the local languages. The service is presently available at the e-enabled post offices in Shimla, Chamba, Hamirpur, Bilaspur, besides Dharamsala. “The e-post service is now being used by an increasing number of people in Dharamsala as messages can be sent and received from any part of the world. It is like sending an e-mail to someone who has never accessed the computer,” he smiles. There was a time when people used to send telegrams like ‘Congratulations on your clearing the annual exams’ or ‘Mother sick, rush home’ and they were given the correct language on how to keep the message concise and still convey the message. But e-post gives you the liberty to write at will, he informs.
	HIllside view Boiling water, no small matter! by Vepa Rao So, you think you know how to boil water for making it potable! I too lived in such a fool’s paradise till I came to Shimla two decades ago. Kitchen taps spew out dirty water in both summer and monsoon months. Most doctors advised us to boil water before drinking it. My guest, a central university professor of chemistry put me right when I told him I had boiled the water served to him. “How well?” he asked. “Khoob, accheesi”, I said. “How long? “ “Kaafi der, quite some time” “How many minutes?” “I didn’t look at the watch, but boiled it very well.” “You are vague,” he said. “Boiling well means nothing. Science has established that the germs, bacteria etc, die only if you keep the water at the boiling point for a minimum of 8 minutes. That’s sterilization. But heavy, unclean water like here may be boiled for more time— even 20 minutes, if necessary. Boiling for less time is as good as not boiling at all— it’s wasting your time and cooking gas…” Indeed, there is so much to learn in life, at every step! Amazingly, I discovered over the time that most people around did not know these facts. Hardly a housewife does it with an eye on the watch. Once an eminent friend, leading a national survey on drinking water and people’s habits under a central government scheme shocked me. We went to a village, where I refused chai offered by a housewife. “Don’t be fussy,” he said,” it’s boiled stuff, so it’s safe”. I asked him how long it would be boiled. “Why, sufficiently, do char minute to hoga…” Nine out of ten people wrongly think that drinking tea is safe during the monsoon because the water is boiled. I began teaching it around with great zeal in Himachal — and what an uphill task! It is so difficult to change people’s notions, habits, reset their learning mechanism. But, after a series of failures, I devised an effective way of teaching such things here. I now stand with my victim at the gas-stove. I first explain the 8-minute concept. I switch on the gas. Keep a time-piece nearby. The victim invariably notes the time. I then tell him to ignore the time factor at that stage. The water is getting hot, hotter—noise begins. Again, his eyes wander towards the clock I lecture again, not to note the time. When the water starts boiling, swirling around, with rising noise and steam, I make him watch the drama intensely— letting the sight and sound register firmly on his mind. My exclamations too help. He is then asked to note the time on a piece of paper and add ten or twenty minutes. I leave him with the boiling pot, but keep an eye on the time myself. The whole thing registers on the learner’s mind only after a few repetitions over the next few days (should not be on the same day). Now you know how tough it is to teach even educated people how to boil water correctly! How lightly we take water, till a disease grips us… In fact, I drew my culture-specific method of teaching journalism at the university from this detailed, graphic and evocative way of impressing both what is, and what is not—step by step, with both sight and sound (through expressions and voice) simultaneously. Some people count the minutes from the time they put the vessel on the gas. Others start counting when a faint noise signals that water is getting hot. Most people merely “estimate” the boiling time — they forget to look at the watch when the water actually starts boiling, or switch off the gas “after sufficient time”, again without looking at the watch and noting it. Just as bad — many of us cover the vessel with an un-sterilised lid touching the boiled water. Go a step further. The shocking point is, most people never cared to know what exactly “boiling” is for this purpose. Over the years, I have tested scholars, senior bureaucrats, lawyers, political leaders, journalists, different professionals, and social workers propagating sanitation, hygiene etc. Their ignorance of “small, ordinary matters” like this grows into a casual attitude to bigger matters of life, planning and governance. Today’s world demands precision in every sphere, every second. That is the bedrock of concepts like excellence, perfection, advancement and “higher quality of life”. Patients will die in hordes, if surgeons operate with casual andaaz or “rough estimates”, and doctors give vague doses of life-saving drugs. We began with the all-pervasive ignorance about how to boil water correctly for drinking. Go two steps further. You will see, all around, a shockingly casual attitude to knowledge, a lack of concern for correctness and precision. If you err on a split-second, your spacecraft ends up in the sea nearby, not on the moon. Andaaz, and vague planning have been playing havoc all around. If we practise perfection in small, daily chores like boiling water, excellence will become an automatic part of our overall outlook and mental reflex. It will be internalised in our thinking process. A scientific approach to matters, with a passion for every small detail, should be grown at home— right from mundane-looking matters like how we choose our footwear and socks or tie our shoe-laces. So, the next time you order tea during the monsoon, let your thoughts boil for a while. It may help in other spheres of life as well.
	SHIMLA Diary Far from the maddening crowd Pratibha Chauhan While the former Prime Minister, Mr Atal Bihari Vajpayee, chose Manali for spending some quiet moments away from hectic political life of Delhi, the Congress Chief, Mrs Sonia Gandhi, too seems have taken a liking for Shimla, where she spent her vacation with family for the second consecutive year. Mrs Gandhi, along with daughter Priyanka and her two children, spent four days at the tranquil environs of a private resort in Charabra, with not even a single public attendance or brief interaction with anyone. In sharp contract to Mrs Gandhi’s holiday was Mr Vajpayee’s public reception and interaction with the villagers, his lending an ear to their problems and getting them redressed to a great extent. He narrated poetry to the villagers during his annual summer holiday. A tradition he has maintained even now. Wanting complete privacy, away from the prying eyes of media and public, strict direction had been issued about keeping her visit a closely guarded secret and complete silence about her movements in and around the town. Barring a visit to Naldehra and Glen, the mother and daughter spent a lot of time taking walks in the thick Deodar forests around the resorts. Son Rahul Gandhi, did not accompany the family and her son-in-law, Mr Robert Vadera also joined them two days later. Last year too, Mrs Gandhi stayed here for three days. Unlike most occasions when the public and tourists are put to inconvenience due to the visit of a VVIP, Mrs Gandhi’s visit to the “Queen of Hills” generally passed off unnoticed barring. Celebrating independence behind bars Leading isolated lives within the confines of the high walls of the Kanda jail at Ghannati near Shimla, it is the rare occasions like Independence day, Raakhi or Diwali which the 350 inmates anxiously wait for. This time too, it was no different as the volunteers of the Delhi Kala Karam, led by its General Secretary, Mrs Saroj Vasishth, celebrated Independence with the inmates on August 14. The inmates dancing and singing bhajans, patriotic songs and folk songs celebrated the day with the volunteers. She was accompanied by theatre persons Shekar Bhattacharya and Jainab Chandel. The volunteers from the Delhi Kala Karam, who made a beginning by starting interaction with those serving imprisonment at the Tihaar jail, narrated various incidents of the independence movement and the freedom struggle of our leaders and the public at that time. “We took along bhajan books, which some of the inmates had asked for when we had met them last time on Raakhi,” informed Mrs Vasishth. Being actively associated with similar programmes at the Tihaar jail while she was a broadcaster in Delhi, Mrs Vasishth had taken initiative in this regard at the Kaithu jail here in June1996. It is since then she along with other volunteers, including artists from various fields share the joys and sorrows of the inmates on different occasions. Firmly believing that books are your best friends while in isolation, she has ensured there is a library both at Kanda and Kaithu jail. Besides celebrating festivals, the volunteers of Delhi Kala Karam also conduct poetry, theatre workshops, yoga and meditation classes for the inmates. Mrs Vasishth has written a book “Tihaar jail mein aise jaise kuch hua hi nahin” based on her interaction with the inmates at the Delhi jail, while the first IPS officer, Kiran Bedi was posted there. A literacy programme, in assistance with the district administration is also being conducted since 1998. The literate inmates are appointed ‘akshar sainiks’ who help and guide other inmates. A trove of North Eastern weaves The exhibition of handicrafts from the seven North Eastern states being held here is an endeavour to keep alive the rich customs and traditions which are reflected in the lives and activities of the people of this region. The exhibition organized by Purbashree Emporium, a branch of North Eastern Handicrafts and Handloom Development Corporation, is aimed at marketing of handicrafts from Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Manipur, Nagaland, Tripura, Mizoram and Sikim. The exhibition will be on till August 22. With cane and bamboo being abundant in the forests of this region, a large number of items like furniture has been made from it to suit modern taste and preferences. A multiplicity of headgear is also fashioned out of cane and bamboo and the wide brimmed ‘Japi’ of Assam is worn by the peasants while they work in the fields. The traditional and colourful North Eastern handlooms are very popular and practically all women of the region can weave. Weaving their dreams into the looms, they make exquisite Assamese Muga silk sari, endi chaddar, Naga shawls, Gamocha and Laishingphee. A lot of items of contemporary use have also been introduced by the craftsmen through their interaction with the public at such exhibitions, held in various parts of the country.
	Mining or misery? Una district is heading for a major ecological imbalance, thanks to the illegal and unscientific mining of sand and stones, that has been continuing in the seasonal rivulets here, says Kiran Deep The natural resources and environment in the Una district are being exploited with the rise in construction activities. Despite a warning by the scientists and a ban on these activities imposed by the government, the illegal and unscientific mining of sand and stones has been continuing in the seasonal rivulets here. This, combined with the cutting of trees and leveling off the Shivalik foothills for constructing houses and shops here, has worsened the situation. Even the land of seasonal rivulets is now being used by the people for habitant or for commercial usage. All these damages have been attributed to spoiling the environment here. The district is heading for a major ecological imbalance, but the authorities here are yet to act swiftly to save the lives of the people who would face consequences like flash floods, extinction of endangered wild life and the washing away of bridges over rivulets In addition to it, the migrant labourers from Bihar, employed for quarrying, are underpaid but forced to work even during monsoon. These poor labourers face a constant threat of being swept away if there is a sudden increase in the inflow of the water , consequent of a heavy rainfall. Unmindful mining A visit to the seasonal rivulets—Jalgran, Swan, Dhamandri, Dumkahr, Garni— reveals a gross exploitation of environment. The Mining Department had banned the mining of sand and stones near the bridge over the rivulets to the range of 300 meters up and down stream and also 5 meters in its both sides. But quarrying business is being carried out here with complete immunity. In Jalgran, Dhamandri, Dumkahr and Garni, extracting of sand and stones at many places has been more than five feet down and also continues along the bank. Even labourers have been spotted extracting sand and stones near bridge over Jalgran rivulet, posing threat to its survival during heavy flow of water. In the absence of sand and stones, the area in the seasonal rivulets is left with less strength to hold the water; as a result it would hit the bridge with greater impact and would cause soil erosion. There is an urgent need to prevent soil erosion to provide safety to the people along the banks. Besides, as much of the area along the rivulets is a natural habitant of rare species of birds, including the Sarus Cranes. While the manual loading of the mining material is allowed, tractor- trolleys have been seen carrying sand and stones from the rivulets. Unpaid labour Migrant labourers from Bihar have been employed for quarrying here in many places. Recently, three migrant labourers had a miraculous escape when they were swept away in heavy flow witnessed in Jalgran while extracting stones. They were struck up in the wild grass in the rivulets and later saved by the others. This could happen with any of the labourers working in these rivulets during monsoon. Forty of us, including children from Bihar have been working for the past four years in Jalgran rivulet. We have left our hometown, because we were having a hard time there. But life is not easy here; we could manage to earn Rs 30 per day per person. Even we are getting our children along to help us to extract stones so that we could earn more, said labourers Satrudhan and Ram Sakhi Devi. Destructive construction The State Government has prohibited any kind of construction in seasonal rivulets, streams, rivers and buffer zone for safety. But several houses built in the Jalgran and Swan rivulets are seen in different places and also along the banks of these rivulets. Besides it, because of the low prices of the land in these rivulets, people have even constructed big buildings for commercial purposes. A vast area of Shivalik foothills in the district continue to be leveled off by the construction of houses and shops mostly along the state highway. With an increase in the construction activities in the past few years, Shivalik foothills are also being used to extract earth for sale it. Follow guidelines The District Mining Officer, Una, Mr Sanjeev Sharma, said that the Government has issued directions to contractors to take precautions during quarrying of the rivulets. The contractors were also told to follow the mining guidelines strictly. He added that most of the areas in the rivulets were auctioned and so there is a bleak possibility if illegal mining. While the District Forest Officer, Una, Mr Ashok Somi, said that much of the area in the rivulets and foothills was owned by the people. So private land did not fall in the Government’s domain. Besides, the area of the rivulets is not defined in records. There’s a possibility that the people are carrying out construction in their own land, he maintained.
	Changing face of Pahari architecture Kuldeep Chauhan The architectural face of Mandi town is in for a drastic change as the heritage buildings and old-slate-roof homes in this ancient town are in shambles. The slate-roofed masonry quaint structures, the 92-year-old Emerson House, over 400-year-old Damdamma Palace, 100-year-old Darbar Hall, are in a state of decay. These rare remnants of the Pahari architecture that once give this temple town an aura of an ancient hill town, are fast fading and are consigned to the pages of history books courtesy, negligence of the administration and mindless construction that has gripped almost all towns in this hill state over the years. The money-minting builders and businessmen are out to destroy and commercialise these rare remnants of the Pahari architecture in Mandi town, and thus changing its face forever. For one, a part of extended portion of the Emerson House has been razed. In its place will now stand an iron CGI sheet-roofed five-storied court complex under construction. The new Rs 2-crore court complex is being built at this place with direction from the High Court following a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed in this regard in the court. Besides, the PWD is also planning to replace the slate-roof of Emerson House with the lifeless CGI sheets, hitting the proverbial last nail in its coffin. Lost heritage The irony is that while the Town and County Planning (TCP) Department has woken up to declare Mandi a heritage town, the “heritage buildings” are losing their Pahari architectural flavour and beauty. Except for the Darbar Hall, which houses the Post Office, the state of Damdamma Palace and Emerson House is pathetic. Darbar Hall, built in 19th century and Damdamma Palace, built in 17th century by Suraj Sen are heritage buildings that once used to be the seat of then rajas of Mandi estate. Emerson House was built in 1914 as the secretariat for resident commissioner by the Mandi king. It was named after Emerson, the resident commissioner, who later became the Governor of the united Punjab. He was also the author of Mandi and Rampur states gazetteers. The slate-roof of Emerson House is crumbling and cries for maintenance. Fungal growth and weeds have plagued it. Free for all The major architectural blow to Emerson House, which has unique glazed verandahs, came about two years ago. The government leased out a portion of building, where once the HP Tourism Development Corporation ran its café, to a private party to run a restaurant. “Its interiors have been altered. The restaurant has changed the face of building that has ruined its architectural beauty,” they point out. Even the well-made walls of Emerson House, which still exudes unique masonry work, have been turned into the free billboards by advertisers, including the SFI, the leftist students’ outfit, which have painted broad slogans to promote their cadre. Right inside the building is housed the District Public Relation Office. Webbed world Go inside and the broken furniture, torn carpets, stinking sofas, whose covers have been changed beyond recognition due to the layers of dirt littered on them over the years, welcome visitors. On the same floor is housed a PWD office. Some of rooms are being used as a dumping ground for the rotten files, waste papers and other materials by government departments. The spiders have turned the ceilings into the virtual “free web sites” to hunt their enemies-mosquitoes. Similarly, Damdamma Palace, declared as a heritage building, but its owner, the present scion of the erstwhile Mandi state, has leased out to the private shop owners and bank on the plea that it needs funds for maintenance. The historic Shiv Ratri procession starts from temple of Madho Rai, located in Damdamma palace. The Executive Engineer, PWD, Mr B. S. Barbal says that they have submitted the proposal of Rs 4 lakh to the Finance Department. “We plan to replace roof of the Emerson House with the CGI sheets,” he adds, passing the buck on the state government. But will somebody wake up and save the architectural face of this hill temple town? This question hovers in the hills finding an answer.
	Jatropha cultivation in HP Jagmeet. Y. Ghuman About 9,600 hectares of barren forestland in Himachal has been earmarked for the cultivation of jatropha. The cultivation would be done under Rs. 33.60 crore scheme of the Central Government. This was stated by Mr. Dharampal Thakur, the Deputy Speaker of the HP Vidhan Sabha, recently, during a public function in Arki tehsil. During the current fiscal year, the jatropha cultivation would be done on 4000 hectares of land in the state, he said. He maintained that the main motive of the scheme would be to start a bio-fuel mission in the state. He further pointed that the state’s climatic condition was suitable for jatropha cultivation. Not only would the jatropha seeds be used as an alternative for vehicular fuel, but the implementation of the scheme would enhance forest protection also, asserted Mr. Thakur.