Brajbhumi Manipur

We are all very attached to the full moon nights across India, but look at this ‘Full Moon’ which is very special, across the country, and this is known as ‘Dol Purnima’ or ‘Holi’, the famous festival of colours. There is a call for celebration with a one day National holiday to a month long celebration in some states of India. Special food, drinks, colours and sometimes religious celebrations by mainly the followers of the Vaishnovite sect of the Hindu religion are the major ways of being involved. In India, the celebrations of colours go beyond religions and stand as an event of National Integration.

There is one place where the celebration pattern has not changed for ages, even in the people who are involved find peace in the traditional way which was being followed by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and this is in the valley of Manipur. The valleys and hills of Manipur, an extension of the East Himalaya, separate the Brahmaputra River from Chindwin River in Myanmar. The Manipur River and the Barak River, though originate from the Northern limits of the Manipur Hills, they follow 02 different alignments, with the Manipur River flowing with all her tributaries to create the largest fresh water lake, the Loktak Lake.

The exit from the lake continues through many rivers and rivulets which finally flow into the Chindwin River. The Meitei, Shan and Ava people traditionally collected GOLD from the floors and beaches of Chindwin River. A large area around the Chindwin River was often ruled by the Manipuri kings. There is one thing that is found common in Manipur and Myanmar, the religious roots and traditions of the people and the way they have not changed with time when it comes to religious practices and celebrations, nor there are any symptoms of changing their cultures in the recent future. The religion can be Vaishnovite Hinduism or Theravada Buddhism, the trend in the people remains the same.

Being a part of this celebration, we felt like living the days which are lost in Brajbhumi (also sometimes refers to Nandgaon-Barsana) and Nabadwip. From the villages of Loktak to the town of Imphal, men and women, old and young, all alike celebrated the Festival in a wonderful inherited discipline. The schools celebrated with annual sports, cymbals-drums-songs in community rhythm, burning the huts and dancing in the streets are some lifetime experiences. The major experience was the Manipuri food of the valleys, which are very elaborate, the main meal called ‘Chak-Lu’, where the staple food rice is called ‘Chak’ and the rest of the ‘Lu’ consists mainly of Nathomba (Fish Curry), Sinju (Salad),  Haithomba (Olive Chutney), Eronba (Banana Stem inside vegetable), Maroithomba (Groundnut curry) and many more items.

We did not want to miss our old Myanmar experience of Tamu food, which we had while we visited Tamu from Mandalay via Kaley Myo last year. The Pork curry, rice, lettuce salad, chilly pickle etc, all seemed to remain the same. We did not stop ourselves from buying the famous Bamboo woven caps and baskets again. The continuity of the hearts of people, the land based connectivity, the geographical continuity, the search for gold... all have been there through generations, but separated by the capitals at New Delhi and Yangom. For more than 20 years now that we have been hearing that our Moreh-Tamu, Indo-Myanmar border will be opened, simplified with visa at borders, and with the present New Delhi-Yangon good relations and India’s Look East Policy, the promise continues, but only restricted to a few car rallies.

The western world has declared ‘Myanmar Open’ and hoards of tourist are visiting Myanmar. Still not a budget destination, Myanmar is prepared with tourism infrastructure and services with value for money. The quality tourist flow to Myanmar will supersede India in the next 05 years. Here is an opportunity for New Delhi to act on her ‘Look East Policy’, to open the border for tourism with visa on arrival at the border and make India’s Northeast the Gateway for India from Southeast Asia. This is the need of time when ASSOCHAM, the oldest trade and industry body of India has declared that ‘Foreign Tourist flow to India has significantly dropped by 25% in the last 03 months alone’. The land is the same and so are her people living along the borders, a Indo-Myanmar Friendship Road can only benefit with better people to people relations and not by closed border, restricted trade and symbolic rallies.      

Lost Days

Finding Nemo is a wonderful animation film that has always thrilled me. It is always the mind that wants the eyes to see what’s beyond, and then you travel to explore. Not far away from Siliguri are the forests of Lohagarh. As a boy, I had the opportunity to visit the Bamonpokhari Forest Bungalow with my grandfather, who often came to meet the Elephant man, Lalji (the Raja of Gouripur). The place was so famous for his elephant camp ‘DHURA’ that the name of the forest was lost and came to be named as Garidhura. It is at his camp that I heard the stories of the elephant residences at Lohagarh, legend says that this was the fort of ‘LOHA-ASURA’. Kharibari, Naxalbari etc were much bigger names then, and then through Lohagarh, the traders would take their loaded horses to Antu and beyond.

The members of ‘ACT Salamander Circuit’ from Mirik have explored the entire area and during the Asian Rural Tourism Festival (ARTF) 2013 at Bahundangi, Jhapa, Nepal, the Mechi Headwater Trek Route for Indo-Nepal Friendship was inaugurated by none other than Subhas Niraula of Nepal Tourism Board, a man who has worked for more than 12 years for Sustainable Tourism in Nepal. He expressed “here when the world was thinking tourism in Nepal has been fully explored, I had no idea of this hidden treasure in the Eastern part of Nepal. I am sure the light of meaningful tourism will spread from the rising dedication of the NCS members in Nepal’s East”. It was during the first year of the festival in 2012, we had announced our friend’s wish. He was looking for his lost mother, Sharda ji. The only information he could provide was that she had returned to her house at ‘Okhaldhunga’ in the mid eighties.

Sharda ji was in Kunal’s house since 1961, when Kunal was still a child and since then Kunal was loved, cared and attached to her. When Kunal heard that Help Tourism was working in Eastern Nepal, his emotions gave way and he wanted to find his caring mother. Wonders happen, one of the policemen posted at Bahundangi during the festival in 2012 was from Okhaldhunga, and when the details of Sharda ji and Kunal was announced, he started relating his memories of his village. Gradually, it was found out that Sharda ji, who was once a while visited by her much younger brothers at Kunal’s house, they returned home and for a few months talked about their experience in Delhi or Dehradun to the village friends, who inturn told their families.

Shardaji with her brothers and their families had shifted to Jhumka. The areas of Solagumba, where the Sherpas treated the Rais and Chettri Bahuns as Rongbu. With the political equations changing, the pressure of growing families and lack of employment forced them to shift their generation of settlement to the present area at Dumraha Gabi, with much better opportunities of agriculture, the area being fed by the Koshi canal. The members of NCS (Nepal Conservation Society), the organizers of the ARTF were instrumental in finding out the family. Koshi Tappu and this area was divided by the mythological Ramdhuni Forests, the last of the surviving ‘sacred groves’ of Nepal.

Old Sharda ji was sitting at the corner of the house, not at all well physically, hardly with any company of the younger generation, whose presence calms down the mental and physical anxieties of old age. Her nephews and nieces come to the village once in a while, between their studies, work and families. People today are moving far away from their peaceful, sustainable and simple village lives. Her brothers, Khagan and Magan were overwhelmed to see Kunal. They could not believe, that two people who do not have any blood relations, and a small child who was brought up by their eldest sister as her son, could come back looking for the lost mother, that too after so many years. It probably happens in movies. Neither Kunal, nor Sharda ji could stop their tears, the local Nepali expression was wonderful, ‘duhi janako akha rasaiyo’, all of us who witnessed could not hold our tears too. We miss our old days.

Kunal, today in his fifties is a proud father of two daughters and lives in Gurgaon (Delhi for me). His wife Dipti and he have produced many wildlife films and have authored 09 interesting books, mainly on Indian Defence Forces. His mother and father lives in Kullu. He is happy with everything, but happier now after meeting Sharda ji. Kunal can be contacted at email address shivkunalverma@gmail.com.

Mach Pora, Chilika Lake, Orissa

An extraordinary recipe, reach Puri, take an excursion to Chilika Lake, reach any of the fishermen villages and take retreat under the tree for the day at any of the local fishing camps. Request 02 very experienced fishermen for fulfilling your wish to taste the best fish recipe of the world. Fresh fishes will be brought to you and you can choose your fish. A small fire is made with dry twigs and grasses collected from the area. The fishes are thrown in the fire and maneuvered with a stick till the fishes are burnt uniformly. Banana leaves collected locally and you are served this fishes directly with a paste (chutney/sauce) made of green chilly, ginger and salt. All you need for a wholesome and healthy lunch. There is only one man who can organize this for you and he is Bubu Babu. Ask any rickshaw puller in Puri with the 'Green Rider' sign and he will take you to him. The leader of the 'barefoot' service providers, who recently won a 'Responsible Tourism' award from India Tourism.

Fishes are found in abundance in the lakes and rivers of Asia. The water has been a source for life in the rice fields to be joined with fishes for meals, all complete, the starch, the protein, the minerals etc, enough to sustain human life. this was the biggest discovery of mankind to move towards greater civilizations. Day after day man became more and more greedy and today they try to rule the waters which gave then food, clothing, shelter one day. It is time who will decided the winner. No guesses permitted, but any one who wishes to enjoy the fish and rice in the most diverse form, must visit the Dihing River Camp. Discover life in a modest and simple way.

I just got access to 02 write-ups which I think was appropriate on this World Water Day

http://www.ekantipur.com/the-kathmandu-post/2013/03/21/oped/one-on-water/246682.html

MAR 21 - It is a common knowledge that water is the basis of life—a vital resource for human wellbeing and healthy ecosystems. But water is also limited while being needed for many purposes. This can be a source of conflict but also offers endless opportunities for cooperation. Climate change is affecting patterns of water availability while water consumption patterns are also changing with urbanisation, industrialisation and rising living standards—all leading to increased requirements. In the Hindu Kush Himalayan region, cooperation is essential to ensure that sufficient water is available to support social, economic and environmental development. 
Cooperation can take place at different levels, between different stakeholder groups and across sectors. Good management of water resources will only be possible if there is active participation at all levels of government, civil society, the private sector and academia. There have been many efforts at the global level to bring water issues to centre stage. Since the 1800s, more than 450 international water cooperation agreements have been made to support the management of water across borders. The 1992 Rio Earth Summit on sustainable development brought global attention to the growing water scarcity and the need for proper management. The Summit’s Agenda 21 Chapter 13 drew attention to mountains as fragile ecosystems and providers of essential services such as water and energy, while Chapter 18 emphasised the need for integrated approaches in the development, management and use of water resources. Twenty years later, in 2012, the Rio+20 meeting took stock of the progress made and the outcome document recognised that ‘mountain ecosystems play a crucial role in providing water resources to a large portion of the world’s population and fragile mountain ecosystems are particularly vulnerable to the adverse impacts of  climate change’. It called for specific actions and renewed commitment to protect our fragile mountain ecosystems and the services they provide, highlighting water as a core requirement for sustainable development. The meeting called upon states to strengthen cooperative action and ensure effective involvement and sharing of experience by all relevant stakeholders. 
The United Nations declared 2005-2015 as the International Decade for Action-’Water for Life’—and 2013 as the International Year for Water Cooperation. This Year aims to raise awareness of the need for water cooperation at all levels and encourage countries to work together to ensure that water is well-managed, fairly distributed and available to 
all. Today we are celebrating World Water Day with the theme ‘Water Cooperation’ to raise awareness of the potential and benefits of cooperation in the sustainable management of our freshwater resources.
The Hindu Kush Himalayan region has 10 major rivers that provide freshwater and other environmental services to more than 1.3 billion people living in the mountains and downstream plains—the Amu Darya, Brahmaputra, Ganges, Indus, Irrawaddy, Mekong, Salween, Tarim, Yangtze, and Yellow. Across the mountains, more than 60,000 square kilometres of glaciers act as storehouses for water, regulating runoff for downstream use. But these glaciers are now at risk due to climate change while various socioeconomic factors are exacerbating problems of lack of water, particularly during the dry season when the rivers have low flow. Our understanding of climate change and its impacts on water resources is still poor and much uncertainty remains about water availability in the future. 
Water is not limited by national boundaries; most of the rivers of the Himalayan region flow through more than one country. Water originating in one country may be essential for hydropower and irrigation in another. Floods in the plains result from rainfall in the mountains. The upstream mountains offer opportunities to store monsoon water to use in the dry season downstream. Transboundary cooperation in water management is essential if we are to maximise the benefits and reduce the risks. 
There are many examples in the region of treaties and agreements between countries on water resources management. The Indus Waters Treaty of 1960 between India and Pakistan is an example of successful cooperation at the basin level on shared water resources. It shows that cooperation can promote efficient techniques for water storage and distribution and expand irrigation schemes in each country. The Koshi and Gandak treaty between Nepal and India for flood management and irrigation has also been in place for more than 50 years. Such successful examples of bilateral cooperation highlight the need for a regional mechanism to share data, information and knowledge related to water management for the benefit of the region.
The International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) is working with regional partners in a programme on river basin management that is helping to generate knowledge and understanding of changes in water dynamics due to climate change—and what this means for people’s livelihoods and adaptation strategies. The activities help foster regional cooperation on the sustainable management of water. A comprehensive monitoring programme on the cryosphere has been started in partnership with regional and global institutions and a regional initiative is working towards developing an information system to help reduce flood risk. 
The shared dependence on water resources, vulnerability to floods and drought and benefits from water development all suggest cooperation in water resources management as a win-win scenario for countries in the region. Harnessing these opportunities will help build trust and confidence, support peace and security, ensure provision of water for food and energy, help disaster prevention and protect our ecosystems as a basis for sustainable economic growth and poverty reduction.

Shrestha is Senior Water Resources Specialist at the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD)

mshrestha@icimod.org

Posted on: 2013-03-22 09:03

http://www.arunachaltimes.in/#A

A treasured region showcases the importance of water

Sunderbans

Dean R. Thompson

“Here, life depends on the changing of the tides…”  I heard that refrain echoed several times during a recent excursion to the magnificent Sunderbans, my first visit to this region, which invoked a sense of wonder and appreciation for the power of nature.  Looking out from a boat traveling through one of the many waterways, I gained a deep respect for the populations that inhabit the area—both human and wildlife—who adapt their lives to the rise and fall of the tide, and who are faced with significant environmental challenges that affect their homes and livelihoods.  

I cannot think of a more apt place to recognize the importance of water, and to celebrate protection and conservations efforts.  On this occasion of World Water Day 2013, I think we can all reflect on the role water plays in our lives and consider what might happen if we, as humans around the globe, do not act to conserve our environment.  Water is fundamental to maintaining peace, security, and prosperity.  Water sustains life, and when managed well, it allows our economies to thrive, our children to grow up healthy, and can build peace and cooperation among neighbors.  Climate change will have a profound impact on the availability, distribution, and quality of water.  It will tax infrastructure and natural systems for managing water resources.  Floods, droughts, and other extreme weather events are projected to become more frequent and severe—in other words, wet areas will become wetter and dry areas will become dryer.  

The Sunderbans has already witnessed these effects.  The devastation Cyclone Alia brought to the region in 2009 is still being felt today, particularly in the most vulnerable of areas along the thousands of kilometers of embankments that line the area’s waterways.  I had the opportunity to speak with an inspiring community of women in Moukhali Village, Amtoli Island, who told me that agriculture production in the region is just now resuming; it has been poor or impossible since the storm surge pushed salt water into the fields and crops could not grow in the salinated soil.  Most of the women’s husbands had become “climate refugees,” forced to leave the village to seek work either in Kolkata or other large cities, and the women were left to take care of their home and family, while finding alternative livelihoods.  It is here that we can champion the work of local groups creating solutions for communities such as the Moukhali Village that help to both mitigate the effects of climate change and provide economic opportunities.  Groups such as the Nature Environment and Wildlife Society (NEWS), which has trained over 280 women to raise and plant mangrove saplings along the embankments, essential to hold mud in place and prevent flooding and erosion.  300,000 saplings have been planted just in the past several months, an impressive feat and one that will go a long way to protecting the most vulnerable land in the project’s area.  I know there are many organizations conducting noteworthy ventures throughout the region.  

Rebuilding and protecting the region’s natural ecosystem through projects like this is critical.  Healthy ecosystems provide a variety of services and benefits that would cost far more to provide through man-made infrastructure.  Degradation of natural ecosystems reduces the ability of the environment to provide natural filtration, aquifer replenishment, and flood and drought mitigation.  

The impact of conservation efforts can be seen in the famous Sunderbans Tiger Reserve, home to some of the world’s most beautiful and mysterious creatures.  The forest there, preserved as an UNESCO World Heritage Site, acts as the areas “lungs” and “kidneys,” by absorbing carbon from the air and providing natural filtration and cleansing of the surrounding water.  I was equally impressed with wildlife conservation efforts there, and commend the efforts against tiger poaching in the Reserve over the last decade, a reflection of cooperation between the government and NGOs with the local community to promote awareness.   

It is easy to feel small when traveling through the vast expanse of the Sunderbans.  I was only able to see a tiny portion of the region, but gained an immense understanding of the way of life here, including the challenges and benefits of living in a serene, but vulnerable environment.  Heading back to shore, the sunset reflecting in the water and the breeze cooling off the heat of the day, I thought of ways we can all be active in ensuring water security in the coming years—raising awareness being perhaps the most accessible and productive across all communities.  It is not just about coastal areas like the Sunderbans, but also places to closer to home.  For example, I have seen firsthand the ongoing work to protect the East Kolkata Wetlands, vital to sustaining the city and its surrounding area.  The United States is committed to promoting water security around the world, to ensure the development and sustainability of treasured regions like the Sunderbans, and our cities alike, for generations to come.   (The writer is U.S. Consul General Kolkata. Readers may  follow him on twitter: @deanthompson)

The Hornbill Headgears

One country 02 states, Assam and Arunachal Pradesh. One river 02 names, Kameng and Jia Bhareli. One continuous habitat 02 Tiger Reserves, Pakke and Nameri. One language spoken by 16 different communities. This is the language of ‘conservation’ spoken by 16 different communities living around Pakke and Nameri Tiger Reserves at the recently completed ‘Pakke-Nameri Conservation and Peace Carnival’, from Pakke Jungle Camp at Seijosa in East Kameng District of Arunachal Pradesh to Ban Theatre in Tezpur in Assam.

Imagine who took the initiative, the Nyishi community Gaon Burras. The Nyishis and conservation, the ones who wear Hornbill beak headgears, everyone laughed at us as if we were joking. Community conservation at Pakke Tiger Reserve, initiated by the DFO, Tana Tapi, ADCF, now Field Director, along with some National Wildlife NGOs by getting together the Nyishi Gao Burhas (Village Heads) into an organization called Ghora Abhe Society, who in turn organized locally led conservation by their community to save this extraordinary Tiger Habitat. Help Tourism was invited here to boost the process and they added community based ecotourism infrastructure to the initiative, ‘the Pakke Jungle Camp’.

The dynamics were perfect, but in isolation. The work of Ghora Abhe Society was being appreciated nationally and internationally, but there was hardly any news or awareness or initiative locally in the neighbourhood. The 02 partners in ecotourism, Ghora Abhe and Help Tourism sat with the Field Director of Pakke Tiger Reserve and discussed that it will be impossible to sustain conservation if the similar dynamics is not set in continuing Nameri Tiger Reserve. The several community leaders of different communities around Nameri Tiger Reserve were invited for a preliminary meeting to Pakke and convinced to participate in community based conservation. To do the first awareness program, a carnival for peace and conservation was planned. 

The once isolated community, Nyishis, fierce hunting community referred to as ‘Dafla’ by the neighbours in Assam, now took the responsibility to lead habitat conservation and wildlife protection in the region, infact they took the ownership on conservation. This is not strange, conservation was always in their gene, only that we cannot interpret this with our modern sense of conservation. They always lived as a part of nature, ate out nature, built shelter out of nature, got their clothing out of nature and lived the most sustainable lifestyle in isolation. We wanted to make them global, they appeared before the world in their hornbill headgears and we shouted that they were killing hornbills to make headgears. We often consider Hornbills to Tigers, as the king representative in their respective categories, birds and mammals. The Nyishis wear this as their headgear to show the world that they belong to an extremely diverse habitat, which they have lived with for time unknown and where hornbills are abundant. We have, through our greed destroyed these entire habitats and act as pro-conservation people from our un-natural homes and offices. The English could not make them a part of their industrial revolution and termed them TRIBALS. 

The time for us has come to be TRIBALS, to be a part of the natural system beyond borders, and not trying to exploit nature, each for our own selfish interest. If we have created some infrastructure, let us all blend it with the biodiversity forces locally and convert ourselves to the religion of BIODIVINITY. Come and train with the TRIBALS in their traditions. 

The support for the rally was provided in a big way at Tezpur by Nature’s Beckon, an Assam based NGO, pioneers in the field of community based conservation and presently extends hands to some Northeast states and West Bengal.