Snake Charmer in India : an Old Relic

Snakes and Charmers: Indian speciality

For centuries during the days of the British Raj, India was known as the land of snake charmers and sadhus who performed the proverbial rope trick. One reason for this was the abundance of snakes especially the deadly cobra, which incidentally is revered in Hinduism and thus not to be killed. It was important to trap the cobra and not kill it, thus snake charmers came in handy. These snake charmers had special conch shells which they blew and enticed the snakes to come out of their den. The snakes were then skillfully caught by the snake charmer and put in a basket.

A snake charmer is a specialist person and his conch shell has a peculiar vibration that entices the snake to come out. He is also a sort of snake doctor. The snake charmer had the ability to draw out the poison from a human who had been bitten by a snake. Thus most villagers rushed to a snake charmer whenever any one of them was bitten by a snake. Generally the snake charmer made an incision in the body and drained out the poison. It was a painful, but effective method. India still abounds in snakes and is home to the deadliest of their variety the King Cobra. This has not changed.

Snake charmers are now a dying breed though one can see them in village fairs, but they are very few now. If one wants to see a snake charmer now in India one will have to go to the remote countryside and maybe you will be able to see one. Presently the old reference to India as a land of snake charmers and magical rope trick is no longer valid. But I will say it gives a great thrill to read about snake charmers even now, though the breed is almost extinct.

Many western scientists have tried to duplicate the conch shell of the snake charmer, but failed. This is hard to explain as the snake charmers make their conch shells at home. But they emit a particular frequency of vibration that is ‘ heard’ by the snake and so the snake comes out of its den. I saw a snake charmer once on a trip to Rajasthan. It was at a fair in Barmer and it was a great thrill to see the cobra come out from its abode towards the snake charmer who would catch it by the neck. However killing snakes or the Cobras is taboo in Hinduism and many tribal sects worship the snake as a god. The snake god Visaka is also part of Hindu mythology.

Read more ...

Memory of Visiting the Artillery Centre at Nashik Road

The Arty Centre

Gunners

As a bachelor I was posted to Artillery Centre at Nashik Road. I was part of the Air Force element of the helicopter units attached to the Artillery Centre. The Artillery centre in Nashik Road is over a 125 years old and was set up by the British Indian army to train gunners. Earlier it was a British cantonment and was much liked by the English soldiers. At one time it also housed the Staff College. It is in short the home of the Artillery which remains one of the most important arms of the Indian army. The Artillery centre also has its own airfield from which Air Observation Posts take off to help direct gun fire on the enemy. Presently the AOP's are equipped with the Chetak Mark II helicopters, which are a derivative of the French Allouettechoppers.

The artillery centre trains recruits to handle and fire guns. It has long ranges that are used for long range firing practice and that includes heavy guns like the 155 mm cannons. The latest radar controlled guns and rockets fired from launchersare also tested here. In fact when as part of the staff college team we came to Nashik , the commandant organized a live firing demonstration of rockets on to the distant hills, some 10 miles away.

The Mini Museum

gunners

The officers mess has a mini musem and is decorated with wall paintings that bring out the history of the Arty regiments of the Indian arrmy. Over a period of time some of the paintings need a touch up and I hope some experts can be drafted for the same. The paintings show Sikh gunners and later I learnt that during the days of the Raj, the Sikhs and Punjabi Muslims were preferred for these arty regiments.The paintings are all by British painters who were with the artillery regiments

The artillery centre is part of folklore of the Indian army and and traces a long history. It is very well kept and worth a visit. Civilian visitors can also visit after taking permission from the Commandant. .Nashik Road can be easily reached by rail from Mumbai and lies on the Mumbai- Nagpur/ Allahabad route.

Lastly, I remember dances at the Temple Hills club with a lovely Anglo Girl who was a teacher at St Barnes High School as well as long rides with her on my Enfield through the mountains of the Ghats.

Both photos of paintings in Officers Mess are uploaded by me

Read more ...

Seekyt Goes Off the Deep End on Payment -- Unfair to Writers

I know this PWG blog is defunct, but since I posted here several times about Seekyt, I have to report the admin has made a decision about payment I not only disagree with, but it has made my previous articles false advertising.

Seekyt has now hit upon the terrible and unfair idea of rewarding their top 10-20 (or 30 depending on how you read the past couple of correspondences) for the revenue on ALL their articles. That means if, like me, you are taking a hiatus from writing to pursue much more lucrative work, rather than me earning my residuals or ad sales from my hard work, someone else will get paid.

As soon as I have time (whenever that will be because business is booming!) I plan to move my entire Seekyt library to my own blog or to Examiner if appropriate, but in the meantime I hope Seekyt changes this terrible and unfair policy. I enjoyed writing for them in the past, but giving my earnings -- no matter how large or small -- to someone else is certainly a deal breaker. I believe their referral program is also dead in the water.

Make up your own mind if you followed me to Seekyt, but be aware of the changes there and make an informed decision.

Best wishes and happy writing!

Related:

Earning Money Writing for Seekyt.com

Earning Money Writing for Seekyt.com 
Referrals: Another Reason I Like Writing for Seekyt
Earning Money Writing for Examiner.com 

Thank you for reading and thank you for sharing the link to this article with others. This article is © Kathryn Darden, all rights reserved,  and is not available to repost on websites, blogs, discussion boards, Facebook, or to translate and post elsewhere without written permission.

Post ID KD214

Read more ...

Modi is Cornered by Patel Agitation and better approve OROP

What Next in the OROP ? *

The Modi government is under siege and one  cant help feeling that its it own creation. The agitation of teh ex servicemen for a legitimates demand has been stalled by Modi, but now the birds have come home to roost with the agitation of the Patels in Gujarat  for reservation. This demand in contrast to the Es servicemen's demand is unholy as the Patels   are the dominant community in Gujarat and among all Gujaratis. Yet the Modi government is held to  ransom by lumpen elements of the Patel community. Till last reports the army is called out and about 7 or 8 Patels and their ilk have died.

The Modi government by sanctioning a legitimate demand for OROP, could have faced the Patel agitation squarely. But a short sighted approach and failure to recognise  the reality has brought the Modi government face to face with a monster. The ex servicemen and the army were his best bet , but he scorned them and now his own vote bank has rebelled against him. Mind you this is just  the beginning  but a precursor to many more agitations of a similar nature. It should not appear to onlookers that Modi government only talks and acts at the point a gun. The Patels have unleashed the gun and now Modi is reacting.

What a contrast to the agitation of the ex servicemen, so dignified and sans violence, yet Modi sat tight on the demand. This shows that in reality the Indian PM is a hollow man, more adept at rhetoric than substance. If modi has some sense he will sanction OROP and build his credibility. He must not show that he acts only when a bayonet is thrust into him, This calls for statesmanship. Is Modi up to it ? In another a day or two we will see where Modi stands.

Read more ...

The Mystery of How to Lie on a Bed of Nails: Proverbial Indian Trick

.Herbert Ponting took a photograph of a Hindu fakir or sadhu in 1907. This man was a yogi who had perfected the control of mind over body and as such could withstand pain to his body as a routine. The Fakir sat on a bed of nails completely oblivious to any pain the nails might cause him. The question that must be answered is whether the fakir was doing something extraordinary or it was something which could be done by others. The practice of lying on a bed of nails and meditating has perhaps originated from India. The practice however has a perfect scientific explanation and with a little bit of practice can be done by anyone. It is advisable to have a look at Newton's third law of motion and the principle of pressure in physics. Newton's third law states that to any action there is a reaction.

 Thus when a man lies on a bed of nails he exerts a pressure on the nails, which in turn exert a pressure back on the man. The principle of pressure brings out that nails exert a pressure proportional to the area. Thus a single nail when pressed by a foot is likely to pierce the skin and enter the body. This is because the pressure of the nail is concentrated at one point on the human body. But when there are a large number of nails and an entire body lies down on them, the pressure is distributed and the nails do not enter the body. There is a well known equation which is derived from Newton's laws which states that pressure is equal to force divided by area. 

If all the nails are uniformly placed the force will get distributed, but even if one nail is not synchronized than it will pierce the skin as the entire pressure of the body comes down on that one nail. The clue to sleeping or lying down on a bed of nails is to distribute the pressure evenly. In such a case the act of the Hindu sadhu will not` be an enigma. An interesting way is to check the pressure exerted by a nail. In case it can be wired to a gauge one can work out how much pressure a nail exerts. The trick is to press your finger on the nail up to point where it does not puncture your skin. In case the pressure exerted by one nail is one pound, then 200 nails will exert a pressure of 200 pounds. 

Thus for a man weighing 200 pounds, 200 nails evenly spread on a board will not pierce the skin and the man can safely lie on the board with the nails. The nails must however have a uniform surface and be similar to each other. No nail must protrude out as then the laws of physics will not apply. The clue to emulating the feat of the Hindu fakir is to ensure that a man's weight is evenly distributed on the bed of nails.

Read more ...

Narendra Modi is a Narcissist; Can he Lead India Forward , No

When I heard and read as well as saw photographs that Narendra Modi wore a a Rs 9 lakh suit to receive Obama, the US president , it struck me that here is  man who is not only vain, but more in love with himself. The US President commented that Modi was like a Mumbai film star. We have not seen or read of such costly dresses being worn by simple plebian leaders of people , though royalty is an exception. One can associate such a dress with the pomp and show of a king or empress, but certainly not with a plebeian leader.

Modi has some serious identity problems. He claims he is a backward caste to win  votes, but again his antics and to use the words in hindi " Harkat" , are not of a man belonging to a lower strata of society. Could be, he uses his back ward caste origin only for votes and has no real empathy for the downtrodden and destitute. In case he was really concerned would he give 3 billion dollars gratis to nations like Bangladesh and Mongolia, from we may get nothing in return.?

Modi has lead the party, the BJP on some glib slogans. These slogans are what they are, simply hollow and meaningless. A look at his slogans and speeches and the promises he has mad will make a man die laughing on a bed of nails. A few choice ones are brought out  below

>  I will not allow corruption, nor will I allow anybody else to benefit from corruption
>  I will ensure that One Rank One Pension is sanctioned forthwith
>  I will ensure that proprietary is maintained in Public life

There are many more, which Modi has only mouthed, because it suited him. Perhaps that is the game of all politicians , but certainly not the stuff which leaders who make a name in history indulge in. Obviously Modi will not be a mover or shaker in world history and his aim seems to be to just live life in a regal manner and look sombre and serious. It's a mask and those who  wear a mask are always seen for their true worth later on.

Let me advice Mr Modi that he has Saturn in his 12th house, showing meteoric rise and precipitous fall. It's known as the house of Napoleon and we all know what happened to Napoleon. So the future and God may yet cut Modi to size.

Read more ...

Narendra Modi and Non-Approval of One Rank One Pension

OROP ;From Here to EternityThe bell tolls on its Non Approval

Recently I read a very brave letter written by Lt Gen TS Bahri to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The general has minced no words in reminding Narendra Modi of his promise to the nation and soldiers to honour One Rank One Pension. Its a wonderful reminder, but I wonder if it will have the desired effect. OROP seems to be slipping from the grasp into a quicksand and once it goes under may never surface.

A look at past history and the approach of the government does not inspire confidence. Right from the time when Lieutenant General Kulwant Singh was superseded by Nehru and a man beholden to him General Cariappa appointed as COAS, the forces have always been at the receiving end. Merit and legitimate demands have very little meaning. One can recollect that General Kulwant in a 1952 study had clearly mentioned that China would go to war against India in a few years, but Nehru did not like the report and Kuwant found himself superseded by Cariappa. 

 Cariappa as army chief  has a lot to answer.  His tenure marked the first steps when the down gradation of the services took place. The general was  beholden to Nehru for being made the COAS and he just demurred. There is also no record that the general ever in any study or note cautioned the Congress government and Nehru about the threat from China. I bring this point out as part of my argument that successive Chiefs of Staff of the army have not done much for the man in uniform for a variety of reasons.

There are tens of examples of the spineless approach of the  general staff and the incident in 1962 when the Army Chief general Thapar accepted an order signed by a Joint secretary to throw the Chinese out must take the cake. This man demeaned the rank that he held of a force that had a checkered history of 200 years.

I do not hold the Air Force chief and navy Chief  as culpable as the army chief, for the simple reason that they represent a force that is basically of use in a war and has nothing to do with day to day activities of law and order. The army chief is the man who heads the largest organized and disciplined force in the country and he  and he alone must bear the weight of the world like Atlas.

Over the years the governments have studiously ignored the legitimate demands of the armed forces. One reason is the failure of successive Chiefs of Staff of the army to pressurize or represent the army point of view forcefully.

There is no difference in a Congress government and the BJP government as one can see from the approach of the government in not paying legitimate dues approved by the Supreme Court for pension. The court had  held that revisions of pension would be applicable from 2006 ( 1 Jan) and yet though the civilian counterparts are paid the government ( BJP ) counsel Pinki Anand has expressed inability to pay and is dragging  its feet on a matter approved and judged by the Supreme Court. What does it show ?

The total cost to the state exchequer is just Rs 1500 crore in this particular case. In case  the government cannot pay 1500 crore, where is the chance that it will pay 8500 crore , which is a conservative estimate for OROP. It does not seem likely at all.

Let us be clear that blaming the civil services will not go far, for if Modi and his colleagues want to sanction OROP, then which civil servant will oppose them ? This is self delusion and the fact is that government led by the Finance minister wont pay, knowing fully well that the services will hem and haw,but not bite. This is the crucial point, the government is convinced that it can drag its feet on OROP  with the hope that  an exasperated  service may accept something lesser. This is a devilish game.

One must remember that this government from the time of Nehru to Modi do not understand the language of reason and what they understand is a reaction. It is for the army chief to put the cards on the table and if necessary resigning from his post. It will have an effect. We had a sad case of an army chief going to the Supreme Court on his age, the same man is a minister in the government now. Could he go to court on OROP?  I am afraid nothing is won by a conciliatory attitude. The Hindus lost to the Muslims for they lacked the iron will and resolve and abhorred violence .

The case of OROP is a classical case of the services , the defender of the integrity and unity of India being given short shrift.Mr. Jaitley the FM is the main stumbling block and I wonder whether  he has read Mao ? political power comes out of the barrel of a gun. He better realize as the bell tolls for Modi and his government and that includes the FM.

Read more ...

Stalin will Remain a great in Russia

Stalin seized power after the death of Lenin in 1924 and ruled Russia with an Iron hand till his death in 1953. His climb to power in 1924 was marked by a lot of blood shed. Most of his opponents were executed and some like Leon Trotsky who was exiled, was done to death by killers with his sanction in far away Mexico in 1940.
Stalin and the Totaltorian StateStalin and the Great War
Stalin is blamed as a double crosser for his signing the no aggression pact with Hitler, but the western powers themselves made a sell out deal with Hitler at the famous Munich conference. But the German attack in 1941 brought out the finest in Stalin. We cannot overlook his contribution to the defeat of Nazi Germany. His mettle was seen as with the Germans barely 30 miles from Moscow; he refused to abandon the city and stayed put there. This was a great morale boost for the Russian troops who were into a bitter battle with the Germans.
Stalin and the Rise of the Soviet Union
The end of the war saw the Soviet Union emerge as a super power. With England and France the colonial powers on the wane, the void was filled by the Soviet Union, which now emerged as a power to challenge the United States. One thing that cannot be denied is that the Stalin era ushered in a period when the Mafia and related crimes were non existent. Russia also moved ahead in Industry and the quest for Nuclear weapons.
Stalin died in 1953 and a succession of rulers who followed him did not have his iron will and Charisma with the result that in just about 3 decades of his death the Soviet empire broke up into a number of states. Perhaps we can blame Stalin for this as he failed in establishing a permanent state and conventions that could stand the test of time. But it cannot be his fault only as his successors perhaps were not men with his caliber and efficiency.
Stalin’s Place in Russian History
Where do we place Stalin now? Russia is a democracy and is still a powerful nation that packs a mighty punch. But Crime is on the upswing and it is not safe to venture out unescorted in Moscow after dark. One of my friends who visited Russia recently told me that he had met a lot many Russians, who were nostalgic of the past and Stalin when peace and order was the watchword.
Another point that must never be forgotten is that the basis of the present Russian state can be traced to Stalin. To deny him a role in the build up of Russia as a world power would be a travesty of history. It is fashionable to condemn Stalin, yet his contribution to the development of Russia as a super power cannot be brushed away. Perhaps Stalin was a necessary episode in Russian history. Maybe a hundred years down the line, he may be equated with Ivan the terrible and other greats of Russian history.

Read more ...

Why were Adam and Eve Expelled from Heaven ?

 The story of Adam and Eve is famous all over the world. God created Adam in his own image and as he was lonely gave him a partner. He created Eve from his rib and both lived in idyllic surroundings.  Adam and Eve  lived life happily, but they broke a cardinal promise of God. They as per popular mythology ate the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. The result was that God banished them from heaven and they came down to earth. The man to earn his bread by toiling and the woman to bear children and attended suffering. This is the tale that is generally accepted by all people (mostly Christians ) all over the world. But references to this tale in some form are in all religions, but for Christians it is part of their sacrosanct belief.

This tale is simple and popular. By the reason that God expelled Adam and eve could be something else. I will venture a conjecture. If one reads Genesis2:9 it reveals a little bit of something else. It says “And he said: Behold Adam is become as one of us, knowing good and evil: now, therefore, lest perhaps he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever. And the Lord God sent him out of the paradise of pleasure, to till the earth from which he was taken”  this is the literal translation without any change.

An interpretation of the above  is that Adam and Eve were expelled from Eden not because they ate the forbidden fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, but in order to prevent them from eating from the tree of life - both forbidden trees as  in Genesis 2:9 - which would have made them eternal and Gods.

The crucial point is that God feared that Adam and Eve would eat from the Tree of life and thus become an immortal. So perhaps God feared that Adam would  become immortal  and than you cannot have two immortals ! So maybe God feared competition.

Read more ...

General Ayub Khan: Best President Pakistan Ever Had

Pakistan is the warped image of India. Both countries have a similar heritage and ethos, having been created from British India. But here the similarity ends as Pakistan is more a Frankenstein, a mutant ugly and full of sores, while india has comparatively moved forward. During this period of turmoil, Pakistan has had rulers who were ego centric and failed to see the good of Pakistan. Leaders like Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, who helped break Pakistan and General Zia ul Haq, who ushered in islamic mores and encouraged terrorism.

 In this turmoil only 2 men of some standing emerge namely general Ayub Khan and General Musharraf. Unfortunately Musharraf has soiled his hands with a treacherous attack in Kargil. Ayub is the thus the sole Pakistan leader who brought a semblance of stability in Pakistan. General Ayub ruled for 10 years and during this time he kept Pakistan relatively modern. He deserves credit that during his 10 year rule he saw Pakistan remain relatively free from sectarian violence. I vote for General Ayub Khan as the best President Pakistan ever had.

Read more ...