Kartika Purnima... Bon voyage to the legendary seafarers of Kalinga!

Bhubaneswar, Odisha- The rise and fall of the maritime activities and the ports of Odisha had been inextricably linked with complicated twists and turns of coastal geomorphologic forces. In the maritime history of Odisha, the fortune of Kalinga Sea-farers ebbed and flowed with ever-shifting sands of Eastern Sea coasts. Countless historians have tried to reconstruct this fascinating story from various sources as given below.

1. Legends and Puranic Anacortes.

2. Historical accounts of Travelers.

3. Archeological remains.

However, the story of Odishan ports, the tales of the daring marine conquests of the people and seafarer of different times, at best, remains hazy, thanks to the many apparent contradictions and inaccuracy of these sources and the lack of availability of authentic data.

Legends:

The legends and festivals of Odisha indicate the prosperity of maritime trade that flourished in those times at these ports and the contribution it made to the overall economy of the region. The Kartika Purnima festival observed in the Autumn Season is a pointer to this. On this day, early in the morning, people of Odisha make small boats out of the banana-trunks and sail to them in the nearest water body amid melodious chants in a symbolic remembrance of those times when the people of Odisha used to observe this festival to celebrate the home coming of Odia Sadhabas.

In those days, marine architectural science was not developed and any vessel has to navigate completely with the wind and by a clever Manipulation of the attached sails. The Odia sailors used to set sail towards Java, Sumatra, Indonesia and Malay, taking advantage of the wind which flows in the North Easterly direction from Mid October to February. The ideal moment for such a voyage was full moon night of Kartika month. In early morning of this day the seacoast of different port cities of Odisha used to reverberate with the sound of thousand conch shells blown by the wives of these indefatigable sailors whose sail would gradually fade into the horizon in search of trading prosperity at distant lands.

The symbolic floating of banana boats observed on this day is a faint reminder of the maritime superiority once enjoyed by the People of Utkala in the high of East-Asian archipelago.

Odisha, in those days, enjoyed a unique geographical advantage. It had a long coastline and numerous rivers criss-crossing its vast expanse, which were highly navigable well into the innards of their hinterland. Some historians are of opinion that these rich port cities and the flourishing trade of Kalinga with most of the East Asian countries through its long coastline and deep navigable rivers could have actually served as the main reason for attack of Ashoka in 261 B.C.

It is a well-known fact that the Kalingans had mastered the sea well before the times of Ashoka. Greek traveler Meghasthenes mentions of trading relation of Kalinga with China in his memoirs. In his memories Meghasthenes writes about the elephant trade between Kalinga and Sinhala even in the first century A.D.

One can well imagine the kind of robustness of the ships which were capable of carrying hordes of elephants over such long distance braving the vicissitude of the mighty waves of Indian Ocean. The existence of such ships also indicates the prevailing technological advance required in ship building and the manufacturing of their spare parts. As per the Greek Historians, there were five important ports at that time from where trade and colonial relationship with the countries of Far East was being attempted.

In the first century A.D. Ptolemy’s geography mentions the following ports.

1. Nanigen (Present Puri)

2. Katikardam (Cuttack)

3. Konagar (Konark)

4. Koshamaba (Balasore)

5. Kalinganagar (Toshali)

In the Buddhist era some other ports like Tamralipta, Palore (present Palur near Chilika) rose to prominence. In the third century A.D., Mahendra & Sanghamitra –son and daughter of the great Ashoka- sailed from the Tamralipta port to Singhhala (Present day Sri Lanka) along with Bodhisakha for spreading Budhhism.

In the third century A.D. from this very same port, the daughter of the Kalinga emperor Grihasiva-Hemamala and his son-in-law -Dantakumar, sailed to Sri Lanka carrying the “Holy Tooth of Budhha”. The temple containing this “HolyTooth” in present day Srilanka is still great place of pilgrimage for the world Buddhist Community.

In the fourth century A.D. Fahien, the great Chinese traveler went from this TanvaIipta port to Sinhala and then returned to his own country aboard a Kalingan Ship via Java. So important was the prosperity of Kalingan-Sea-traders that the great poet Kalidas describes Kalinga King in his epic “Raghubansa” as Mahodadhipati” or the “Emperor of the High Seas”.

The fame and fortunes of Kalinga traders of the Eastern seas rose to such dizzy heights that the astonished tribals of the Eastern Archipellago used to think them as “Messengers from Heaven”. No there exists no archeological remains of those giant seaports that dotted the once enviable Odisha Coastline.

There exist almost negligible remains of the rich and industrial hinterland that fed these busy seaports. The silent waves, the marauding sand and the brutal marine sources had joined hands with the inexorable march of history to wipe out any vestiges to their existence. But the story has to be told and with exact details. The drama of the period of marine history needs to be unfolded. It requires multidisciplinary research and the concerted efforts of Historians marine architects and ecologists towards reconstructing the history of that period.

Source: Dr. Ms. Sanghamitra Pati saihp.org.in

InDiA Vs pHAiLiN

As meteorologists warned last week of a monster storm ploughing towards India's east coast, the country's  disaster preparedness teams snapped into action, pre-positioning emergency response teams and supplies, and evacuating nearly a million people - ultimately saving countless lives.

Cyclone Phailin, India's fiercest storm in 14 years, smashed into the coastline of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha states over the weekend, flooded swathes of farmland and ripped apart tens of thousands of mud and-thatch homes
When Cyclone Phailin slammed into Odisha and neighbouring Andhra Pradesh with winds gusting at more than 200 kmph (125 mph), India was braced for the worst. A monster storm that hit the very same region 14 years ago had killed 10,000 people. But this time, the death toll was astonishingly low, at the latest count just 21.                                                                                                                      

Early warnings which started five days before the storm's arrival, the pre-positioning of food rations and packaged drinking water in shelters, and the orderly - and sometimes forceful - evacuation of close to one million people saved many lives, said aid workers.

As Phailin approached, authorities cancelled the holidays of civil servants during the popular Hindu Dussehra festival, deployed disaster response teams with heavy equipment and positioned helicopters and boats for rescue and relief operations.

Trains and flights were cancelled, roads barricaded and helplines and control rooms set up. Satellite phones and generators were dispatched to the heads of districts to ensure they remained in contact with the state capital.

The army, navy and air force were put on standby, and power and telecoms companies were instructed to be ready to restore damaged infrastructure as soon as possible after the storm.

Efforts to save people's livelihoods were also taken. Specific warnings were given to fishermen not to venture out to sea and to put their boats in safe places, while farmers were advised to harvest their standing crops.
It was a rare moment of relief in this disaster-prone country, one that has already been hailed as a triumph of official heroism and defies the Indian bureaucracy’s reputation for bungling and indecision. “It’s nothing short of a miracle that so many lives were spared. We were expecting the worst, but it just shows that all the time and investment put into preparing for such disasters by the authorities, civil society organisations and communities has paid off,” said Devendra Tak from Save the Children, the international NGO.

Kerela's Onam Oneness...

                          Thiruvonam, which marks the culmination of the 10-day Onam carnival,
is just around the corner, and the city's Malayalis seem to be in high spirits about the preparations and                                                              celebrations for this festive season.

Onam (Malayalam: ഓണം) is a festival celebrated by the people of Kerala, India.It is also the Harvest Festival of Kerala with State holidays on 4 days starting from Onam Eve (Uthradom) to the fourth Onam Day. It is also a secular festival, celebrated by people of all religions and castes with the same zeal . The festival falls during the Malayalam month of Chingam (Aug - Sep) and marks the homecoming of the mythical King Mahabali who Malayalees consider as their King. Onam is reminiscent of Kerala's agrarian past, as it is considered to be a harvest festival . Also, it is one of the very few festivals that is celebrated with most number of cultural elements such as Vallam Kali, Pulikkali, Pookkalam, Onatthappan, Thumbi Thullal, Onavillu, Kazhchakkula, Athachamayam etc

The beauty of the festival lies in its secular fabric. People of all religions, castes and communities celebrate the festival with equal joy and verve. Onam also helps to create an atmosphere of peace and brotherhood by way of various team sports organised on the day.
The rich cultural heritage of Kerala comes out in its best form and spirit during the ten-day festival. The central feature of Onam is the grand feast called Onasadya, prepared on Thiruvonam. It is a nine-course meal consisting of 11 to 13 essential dishes. Onasadya is served on banana leaves and people sit on a mat laid on the floor to have the meal

             During Onam, people create a multi-coloured floral decoration on the ground in the front of their home called pookkalam. Young children especially girls are often entrusted with the task of gathering and laying out the flowers in elaborate patterns. Competitions are held on onam day to create this floral design. It is usually 1.5 m in Diameter usually in circular shape. A lamp is usually placed as part of the design. In the recent years, the floral designs have evolved from the traditional circular shape to unique designs depicting different cultural and social aspects of Kerala life.

The Vallamkali (the snake boat race) is another event that is synonymous with Onam. Well-known races include the Aranmula Boat Race and the Nehru Trophy Boat Race. About 100 oarsmen row huge and graceful snake boats and men and women come from far and near to watch the snake boats skim through the water.
During the Onam, Keralite Hindus install an image of Thrikkakara Appan or Onatthappan (Vishnu in the form of Vamana) in their home just as Hindus install images or murtis ofLord Ganesh on the Ganesh Chaturthi festival.
           Many lamps are lit in Hindu temples of Kerala during this celebration.A palmyra tree is erected in front of temples and surrounded with a wooden balustrade and covered with dry palmyra leaves.It is lit with a torch and burned to ashes to signify that Mahabali went to hell as a sacrifice.

From HeaveN to HeaVoc.....

Uttarakhand :It is often referred to as the "Land of the Gods" due to the many holy Hindu temples and pilgrimage centres found throughout the state. Uttarakhand is mainly known for its natural beauty of the Himalayas, the Bhabhar and the Terai.

The state is known for its endless reasons...

but....

When you change the course of a river by mining, cutting of trees indiscriminately and building roads in a haphazard manner, a calamity is bound to take place,

Nature has unleashed its wrath on Uttarakhand. Hundreds of people have died and thousands are still stranded. It seems, the land of God has turned into the town of ghost. Although official figure of death toll in the catastrophe, caused by flash floods followed by landslides, is placed around 1,000 but in actual, it likely to cross over 5,000. More than 1000 roads, 90 bridges have been washed away in the monsoon mayhem in Dev Bhoomi. Even, the holy shrine of Kedarnath has barely survived, it is buried deep in mud. But question is who is responsible for this catastrophe?

Uttarakhand tragedy, which seems to be a natural calamity, in fact is the man made disaster. Colossal greed of politicians and bureaucrats has eaten up the lives of thousands. The experts say that unplanned development and rampant destruction of forests is the some of the main reasons behind the nature’s fury. Then, unabated construction of hydro-electric (hydel) power projects, roads, hotels have also compounded the problem and made the State prone to such disaster.

Point is, until we will not have any coherent strategy to deal with such a calamity, we will continue to suffer. Many more will be killed if no timely decision is taken.

courtesy: uttarakhand tourism

Matkas: An Indian method of cooling water

It's a hot sunny day. Your throat is parched. So what do you do? Reach for that bottle of cold water in your fridge? Refrigerators and freezers typically make up about 17% of total residential electricity consumption and the continual opening and closing of that fridge door doesn't help! "Matkas",by which you can cool your drinking water by up to 14° C (~25° F ) lower than room temperature without using any electricity! While a matka won't eliminate your need for a refrigerator, it could help you reduce your refrigerator's electricity consumption.
A matka is a terracotta pot. Various sizes are available. A variation of a matka with a longer slender neck called a "surahi" is also used for storing water. "A matka is made of mud and has many minute pores (extremely small holes). No matter how tightly you pack the mud, these pores remain. It is through these pores that the water, placed inside the matka, oozes out." This continual evaporation of water from the side of the matka causes the water to cool.
Water from a matka is comparatively gentler on the throat; hence people who are prone to cough and coldsare advised to consume it from such earthen pots than straight from a refrigerator.
Nowadays, you’ll also see jug-shaped earthen pots to store water, they are handy and will also look nice on your dining table. So this summer, bring on those cute looking matkas, delicate surahis, and jugs for refreshingly fresh and cool water. But make sure you scrub and clean them regularly

HOLI...Even the Rainbow bows to the spirit!

Holi is the festival of colours. It is the time of the year when people get drenched in a myriad of colours. From people playing with 'gulaal'(coloured powder),'pichkaris' n water baloons to the savouring of sweets like 'gujiyas' n 'malpuas', Holi has its own spirit n charm . No wonder Holi is a such a popular Indian festival! While the above is a constant for most hindus all over the world, the festival also comes with some unique regional ceremonies!

Nowhere it is celebrated with so much charm and enthusiasm as in Mathura, Vrindavan, Barsana and Nandgaon - the places associated with the birth and childhood of Lord Krishna.the festivities last a complete 40 days, concluding finally on the day of Holi! The best of classical and folk dancers come together from all over the country to depict the love story of Krishna and Radha. At Barsana Holi assumes the name of Lathmaar Holi. Here, women of Barsana give a tough time to men of Nandgaon as they come to play Holi with them. Women drag the unlucky captives, beat them, dress them in a female attire - yet all is in the spirit of Holi.

In Haryana, there is a tradition that the brother's wife beats her brother-in-law with her sari rolled up into a rope in a mock rage. All this is done in good humor and in the evening the brother in law brings sweetmeats for her. 

The most enjoyable tradition of Holi, of course, apart from the play of colours is the tradition of breaking the pot. It is celebrated with much fan fair in the states of Maharashtra and Gujarat. Here a pot of buttermilk is hung high on the streets. Men form a huge human pyramid and one on the top breaks the pot with his head. All this while women keep singing Holi folk songs and throwing buckets and buckets of water. The tradition has its roots in the mischievous nature of Lord Krishna who was so fond of butter milk that he used to steal it from every accessible house in the village. To hide the butter from young Krishna, womenfolk used to hang it high. All in vain!  Gujarat has strange ways of celebrating Holi. In Rajkot, soon after the Holika is burnt, people from across the town rush to the Aji dam to watch a strange custom where people shower abuses. It's called 'faag'. One of the villages in Junagadh has a novel way of celebrating Holi where black is preferred to any other colour.

For Sikhs, Holi calls for the display of their physical strength and military prowess as they gather at Anandpur Sahib a day after Holi to celebrate Hola Mohalla. The tradition was started by the tenth and last guru of Sikh religion, Guru Gobind Singh ji and is being religiously carried forward.

Holi is celebrated in the most dignified manner in the state of Bengal. At Vishwa Bharti University, founded by Rabindranath Tagore founded the tradition of celebrating Holi as 'Basant Utsav' or 'Spring Festival'. Students decorate the campus with intricate rangolis and carry out prabhat pheris in the morning. Clad in a traditional attire young boys and girls sing songs composed by Gurudev and present an enchanting view to the onlookers who gather in large number here. In Orissa, Holi is celebrated as Dol Yatra where the idols of Radha and Krishna are placed on a decorated palanquin and taken out in a procession. 

                                                             

When spring comes by, Jaipur gears up for a twin celebration, that of Holi and the Elephant Festival. Apart from the beautifully adorned elephants, the heart racing Elephant Polo matches and the grand processions of folk dancers and singers, the most unique aspect about celebrating Holi in Jaipur is enjoying smearing colour on your loved ones faces of elephant backs! The Jaipur Elephant Festival is a great opportunity to see elephant, the sturdy symbol of Rajput royalty.

Holi delicacies include gujiya, mathri, malpua, puranpoli, dahi badas, etc. After a frenzied play of colours people love to gorge them up. The thing noteworthy though is the fact that the spirit of Holi remains the same throughout. It is the festival which generates the spirit of brotherhood and bring people close - and this is what matters most than anything else.