That exactly is the message he conveys when you come across him. Jadabh Molai Payeng – the forest man, the man who built a forest singlehandedly , various names that suggest only one thing : the man who had a deep relationship with nature. A completely unassuming person, he is not even aware of the magnitude of his accomplishments, nor does the numerous accolades bestowed upon him impress him much, specially if it comes between him and his beloved trees.

“I find it very difficult when people call me during May-July. This is the time when we plant trees and is very precious for my work. People really do not understand me.” He had lamented thus about having to go to Mumbai for the award ceremony, coming July.

I came to know about him in 2003 while I was on a Photography trip there. At that time, I was not so much into  story telling and so I remember mentioning him only to my Mother back then.

When Sangram Gautam asked me if I could accompany him to Kokila Mukh in search of this man, I immediately said ‘yes’ even in the midst of my busy schedule. 

Early morning when Sangram called me and asked what to do next as it was raining and his phone was not reachable either, I simply said, “Today is the time when we can find him in his home and we should go.”

Taking an appointment with him is difficult as his phone is always out of reach. Either he is in the Molai Kathoni or he has kept his phone on charge at someone else’s home. He doesn’t have an electricity connection you see.

He lives in a typical chang ghor that one sees in Miri villages along the Brahmaputra.

I was right. We did find him …and the meeting was a total treat . It wasn’t a formal interview or a chit chat. I just enjoyed watching him speak, being interviewed by Sangram and hearing him narrate his stories…

Payeng’s forest, yes for once I will call it his forest, named Molai Kathoni was in Aruna chapori, a sandbar of Brahmaputra river , a few kilometres away from Jorhat., Molai being his nickname given to him affectionately by the villagers.

The story of how it started was nothing different from how a success story usually starts for those who have passion for something or other. He loved nature. He loved trees. It amounted to something as simple as that. But what made it amazing was the reason that made him pursue his passion so doggedly. Nothing. Yes nothing. There wasn’t an end to his vision. There were no expectations of a result. He just went on planting trees and more trees and his happiness grew just at the sight of the lush greenness of it all. If you had asked then – ‘what next’, his answer would have been – Trees. And the interesting thing is that his answer still is – Trees

The story as you all might be aware of (as it has been carried in all the major dailies) began when he joined the tree re-plantation scheme of the Golaghat divison of Forest department as a labourer in order to combat the devastating effects of erosion and floods way back in 1979. The scheme was completed successfully , but Payeng stayed back and continued with his own scheme and started planting trees on his own in the area which now is supposedly the biggest forest in the middle of a river.  

It houses not only trees, but is quite a mini sanctuary  being home to tigers, rhino , deers and numerous birds, while Molai enjoys to reside nearby as a keeper and a guardian and also the creator.

His feat has been brought to the limelight by many reporters and film makers, one of them being the famous British filmaker Tom Robert. He has been felicitated and awarded by other organisations, but ironically he has hardly received any financial aid to create the forest from the state government, not now- not even then when they came to know about him. The only words of encouragement he had received initially were from the forest department and some saplings that were provided periodically , to further his passion.

He candidly remarked – ” Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi congratulated me, but is that enough?… Animals don’t need us. We need them… It is beyond my scope to work beyond a limit”

He shrugs it off with another of his gem of a remark- “ The Govt. is creating Dhoods (Lethargic People) by providing people with 2 Rs. Rice and Athua (Mosquito Net). But the workaholic don’t have time for that and work hard to end up buying the 20 Rs. rice and Athua” The forest is the only reward he relishes and the only he sincerely desires.

Life in the jungle does have its moments of awe . Payeng narrates an anecdote about an aged elephant, who came to Payeng’s place at the time nearing its death, as if to bid goodbye. Though the forest department tried to save him, they couldn’t. Those few days when it stayed there, tranquilized, three elephants used to come daily with food for him. 

Certainly the jungle does have a life of its own and its own laws and it is people like Payeng who respect and nurture it, who are rewarded in the long term by nature herself.

“All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy “ and what if work was all Play, now wouldn’t that make Jack happy and probably could have prevented him from being a Jack of all trades and hence master of at least one ? On a more serious note, Mountain Cruize , previously HOAA , teaches you to do just that with the additional bonus of an adventure camp in the wilderness,  right in the middle of nature’s lap, almost  cut off from civilisation. It was founded in 1993 by the legend who is fondly known as The Snow Tiger for his exploits, Colonel  Prem Chand  who is as much at ease as a trainer as being a mountaineer and holds the distinction of training Bachendri Pal and that  batch for its ascent to the Everest. He also holds the distinction of being the first Indian in the world to climb the Kanchendzonga .

HOAA ,( now named Mountain Cruize) was his dream of  an academy to train future mountaineers and the hard core adventurists , who literally lived their life on the edge, just like he did. It offered Govt. recognised basic as well as advanced mountaineering courses along with skiing and other skills and also certified course for tourist guide, at Kothi  near Manali, just a few kilometres below Rohtang  Pass , which served as an ideal terrain for the activities.

The name of Colonel Prem Chand was enough for enthusiastic young men to flock the institute for training under the master and pupils from Japan and Malaysia too used to turn up at the doorstep of the institute literally . In fact the first Malaysian expedition to the Everest had its initial training at HOAA .

However HOAA was a bit rigid and out of reach for the regular adventure seekers , which was more an institute or a professional academy. As they were regularly receiving requests for diversifying , they renamed it Mountain Cruize just last year and made it flexible in its approach.  Flexible, yes, but not compromised. “The quality, professionalism and safety that is associated with our institute was never compromised” maintains Mrs Arti Rajpal , the proprietor of Mountain Cruize and also the daughter in law of Colonel Prem Chand. Adventure ran in the family and the whole family is involved in the management, training and upkeep of Mountain Cruize as I could gather from Arti’s  patient explanation about the working of the camp, the faculty and courses provided. Mountain Cruize after its reinvention offered adventure camping, snow treks, river rafting, paragliding and also laid emphasis on environmental education, a new and unique concept. The faculty were all trained and professional personnel, mostly from the family, while at times they invited guest instructors too. True it was! Adventure certainly ran in the family.  Arti’s  husband and her brother in law both were instructors at the camp. On inquiring if Colonel  Prem Chand himself used to be present during the camp, she replied that he used to supervise the proceedings and there would be lectures or talks by him during the duration of the course. They also conducted movie shows of his earlier expeditions to liven up the lessons and there used to be other fun filled activities to keep the participants engaged.

The course fees were slightly more expensive then the Govt. run institutes as it was a private non-profit educational institute, but they were quite reasonable if compared with the professionalism and facilities offered. Many private operators offer skiing and mountaineering courses as a part of their tourist attractions at lesser prices, but they are more hurried and less professional  in their approach. But here in Mountain Cruize, they started from the basics with a step by step approach to the next level. It required some amount of time, hard work and money, but the skill was for yours to keep life long and you returned satisfied of a job well done. The course duration ranged from a week to a month depending on the type of course you were looking for.

“Many a time people inquired if we are a resort, but we are not a resort. We run adventure camps and treks, depending on the demand and numbers, because running a whole camp based on just two people doesn’t make much sense. We prefer groups or we wait for some more enrolments to form the numbers”

 In summers , if the weather was right, camping out was quite possible, while in winters they took residence in the dormitories inside the log hut. Basic amenities were made available but if you are looking for a Jacuzzi, swimming pool and an LCD television then let me remind you that it is a nature camp  as Arti said ,not a resort.

 “Just come and stay once, you will rediscover yourself away from civilisation” Solitude is a divine teacher. But for those who feel claustrophobic in solitude, then there are your mates for your company and the bond that results when you are stuck with a few group members roughing it out in the wilds is priceless.

“ Many a times, the groups become like family and they come back again for the same experience the next year. It’s quite touching at such moments”

When asked if ever they had complaining members , she remembered how often, the new members would feel nervous and hesitant the first two days, but by the third day, all barriers and reserves would melt down and all you could see were smiling and happy faces around.

“There has been a hundred per cent  shift towards adventure tourism during the last decade. People are earning more, hence are ready to spend more. They have become more aware and more adventurous. They want to try out newer experiences and are raring to go”

What about its application in the career and job market, I had wondered. She explained that it all narrowed down to tourism boom and adventure activity professionals were being lapped up like hotcakes by the travel and tourism players. “They want experienced guides, instructors, managers etc etc. You could start your own adventure tourism business alone or with private operators. The opportunities are endless and are all out there for you to take”

And if you are wondering if there are any eligibility criteria, then there is none except for a sound health. Otherwise there is no age bar or educational qualification requirement. Of course it is advisable not to take along too young a kid during the harsh winters when most of the time Kothi is snowbound. But all you need is a young heart …

FE notes- Mountain Cruize can be accessed at – www.mountaincruize.com and you can like their facebook page and follow them on twitter.

Sunita Khaund Bhuyan, – an accomplished Violinist, a talented award winning musician, an MBA,a career woman, propagator of music and holistic development and the ideal daughter and a dedicated pupil. A multi faceted and multitalented personality who has come up with a beautiful gift for the people of Assam and also to the world through her latest release, Bihu Strings where she has experimented with Irish folk and Jazz. Bihu Strings is an attempt by Sunita Khaund Bhuyan in collaboration with Times music to promote Bihu songs from Assam in the world folk music category.  We had the opportunity to chat with her where she spoke about her latest release Bihu Strings and her life as a musician and a musician daughter.

1)   First up, you just released a Bihu Strings album, which is pretty much first of its kind. How did you strike on this idea of fusing Bihu, Irish Folk and Jazz?

The objective behind this album is to promote Bihu in the world folk music category by Times music..So one of the numbers is a fusion with Irish folk and another with Jazz.The violin is played a lot in Irish folk and when I heard the melody of “luitor baalite” I immediately remembered a number I had been hearing for a long time from Ireland and hence the idea. However the Bihu melodies have not been changed as far as their lyrics, pattern, tone and rhythm. My exploration has been with the violin which is anyway performed across the world in folk, jazz, rock genres…This way I thought the album could be accepted by both Assamese as well as world music audiences

2)   How difficult was it to maintain the traditional sound of Bihu while doing this?

Like I mentioned we haven’t changed anything in the Bihu songs. Even the violin plays the melodies the same way .. Only when we start the fusion sections we explore Raagas, Jazz and other elements.. Yes however I had to play the violin in a folksy way which is very different from the traditional classical feel, but ultimately it’s the seven notes  Their quality, accuracy and emotion is all that is needed to make it appealing and reach out to the right chords

3)   How much time did this take considering you have a full time job too.

One full year .. I had to take breaks, give all my weekends to it, give up on a lot of social luxuries to get this done considering I work in Mumbai and the entire album was recorded in Assam with musicians from here…Thanks to Syntel my company for supporting me and family and friends giving me the space and Assam valley school for taking care of my son, I managed.

4)   Why is it that you did not prefer to choose singing as a full time career?

I had never learnt singing  and my mother would not let me pursue anything else but the violin.However I used to learn  all the musical compositions by singing first and then playing them. Again my brother used to be an avid singer and I grew up singing along all kinds of songs with him.When I was recording the bihu, I suddenly realized that the essence of Bihu cannot be produced by an artist without feeling and singing the emotion and passion behind the lyrics..so I took a chance

5)   Talking about your performances, you often start with Ganesh bandana. Is music more of spirituality to you?

That’s an invocation to Lord Ganesha , seeking blessing for good luck  and peace for any new and auspicious beginning .Spirituality has to be the core of a musician as music is about discipline, pure sounds and self awareness of what appeals to self and audience which is again the tenets of spirituality.

6)   Apart from the genres that you dabbled in the album, what other genres of music do you enjoy?

I have trained in classical . Mother and I play a lot of devotional music, bhajans etc raaga based tunes in them.. I have been presenting a program called Raagas to Bollywood exploring the presence of raagas elements in all kinds of Bollywood songs from romantic to item numbers , as they are all the same seven notes packaged and performed in different styles – a message to the young generation to train in classical music to master any form, rock, jazz, folk , bollywood, etc, .but yes, the training is essential.

7)   We believe you are a staunch supporter of music therapy. How do you bring it to practice and how does it help?

Music can scientifically heal the body . Sound waves from the musician reach the target and the brain sends signals to different parts of the body. This relaxes the body and a chemical reaction happens which produces the feel good hormones called endorphins. This helps in destressing  and redesign fatigue.. Also for recuperative patients,I work actively with cancer patients, street children and physically challenged . Group therapy does wonders than just individual..

In the corporate world wellness has become a very big initiative today as organisations have realized that employee well being and health is the key to business success.

8)   Finally, You learnt music from your mother Minoti Khound, an accomplished violinist herself. Which was the toughest to play – daughter, student or co-performer?

Of course the daughter.. no mother can be different with their daughters however progressive or accomplished and my mother is both. She still tries to discipline me and my ways even from long distance. As a Guru, she was a bit tough in the early days,  but as a co- performer, it is like I was born to be playing with her. Sometimes we have had to go on stage without a rehearsal but its like we had never left. The umbilical chord is that strong I feel… It’s a blessing  and most ethereal part of being a musician!

You can listen to the album Bihu Strings by following this link

Contd from the previous part which can be accessed at this link

 Early morning of 5^th Feb 2012, we got up at 0530 as our flight for Dar es Salaam , via Kilimanjaro was to leave at 1230 hrs. We all dressed up in a hurry , went for the “King Breakfast” and were ready to move out by 1000hr, when we remembered that we have given our clothes for calendaring and they have not been delivered yet. Lot of frenetic calls were made to the house keeping but nothing seemed to be moving , after lots of shouting and persuation we were able to get our clothes back and we rushed towards the ENTEBBE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. We were in time for the check –in and heaved a sign of relief once inside the immigration window.

        The flight was very comfortable, airhostesses were very cordial and looked us after us too well, meals were served to include sandwiches, nuts and beer/juice. The Precision Airlines as the name suggests was to be precise on schedule and we landed at Kilimanjaro Airport, TANZANIA around 1345hr for a short halt and took off again with the onboard service and same snacks again served. We landed at Dar Es Salaam Julius Nyerere International Airport  around 1535hr.We rushed ahead of everybody as our next flight was less than 40 min to take off for Zanzibar from here. We went through a routine of checks and paper work only to be told that it was not required as we were to board the Precision Airlines flight again, but in the security check one of my gem had to gift his deo’s, sun’s screen lotion and a swiss knife as they were not allowed in the hand baggage.

            The Precision Airlines flight from  Dar es Salaam   to Zanzibar is all of fifteen  minutes and the view from the top is awesome. We landed at the Zanzibar International Airport also called Kisauni Airport around 1645hours. The Airport is too small and the frills of an even basic Airport are missing, like there is no conveyor belt for your luggage, it is lugged by the  persons and handed over to you. The people are very friendly and the language commonly spoken is Swahili. We came out of the Airport and headed in the direction of the waiting cabs. The view outside the airport is similar to any of our small places in INDIA. We hired a cab and asked him to take us to a place called Kendwa Rocks , on the other end of Zanzibar Island.  

                  Zanzibar was primarily under  Portuguese Empire , which ruled it for more than 200 years. In 1698 Zanzibar fell under the control of the Sultanate of Oman . In 1890 Zanzibar became a British protectorate. The death of the pro-British Sultan Hamad bin Thuwaini on 25 August 1896 and the succession of Sultan Khalid bin Barghash of whom the British did not approve led to the Anglo-Zanzibar War. On the morning of 27 August 1896, ships of the Royal Navy destroyed the Beit al Hukum Palace. A cease fire was declared 38 minutes later, and to this day the bombardment stands as the shortest war in history.  The islands gained independence from Britain in December 1963 as a constitutional monarchy. A month later, the bloody Zanzibar Revolution, in which several thousand Arabs and Indians were killed and thousands more expelled and expropriated, led to the Republic of Zanzibar and Pemba. That April, the republic merged with the mainland Tanganyika, or more accurately, was subsumed into Tanzania, of which Zanzibar remains a semi-autonomous region. Zanzibar was most recently in the international news with a January 2001 massacre, following contested elections.        

 KENDWA ROCKS  is located on the north coast of Zanzibar, 55 km from Stone Town and just a few km south of Nungwi village. The roads were smooth and drive was a treat in a Toyota mini van but suddenly the driver stopped the van and requested us if we will allow him to run over to the nearest filling station and get an extra jerricane of  diesel for himself as the crisis of the same was hitting the town due to recession. We  told him to go ahead . We waited for twenty minutes when finally he showed up and we started moving again. It was already dark and I told him with surprise that he should turn the head lights, when he informed me that they were not working. We were dumbfound for some time and started praying as the road was narrow and he was not driving slow. We kept on looking out for the any kind of vehicular movement on the road and cautioning the driver. To our rescue a car came up from the rear and I told him to let it pass and to follow on its tail as it would help us move with its headlights for a support.

      We reached Kendwa Rocks around 2000hr and scouted for a room . We went to the reception of Kendwa Rocks resort and were told that the room will be available for three personon sharing basis  for a price of $120/ ni. The deal was way above our budget but we needed a place to put up for the night. We asked the receptionist if we could be shown the room before we decide. She obliged and went with us .The room was a very unique one, with a single room , three beds in that , with mosquito nets hanging on them, toilet and bath seprate which was adjoining to it with open roof, no air conditioner and lights too drab to look any way inviting to us. We came back to the receptionist and asked her to lower the prices as it was not worth the price which she was asking. She did not budge on it and we took our call and went to look for some other hotel in the vicinity.

  We drove for ten min as the road at the Kendwa Rocks area is really pathetic and came across a sign board saying White Sands Resort. We went to the reception which was like it had been left in a hurry, a man who was sleeping inside it. We woke him up and asked for a room for ourselves, he showed us the room which was neat and clean, bright light, with air conditioner and a chiller to boast and toilet very nicely done, although a new concept was seen everywhere that no doors were provided to any of them, in any of the hotels we saw. We said we will take it as it was for $70/ni , which was in our budget. We quickly paid off the cab chap $30 for his efforts and made ourselves comfortable in the room. After ten minutes we went to the restaurant and ordered our dinner. By the time it was getting prepared we went  for our first visit to the beach.

     We got up late on the  6^TH Feb as it was the day to relax. We went for the breakfast which was again a lavish one , off course , on the house or included in our room rent. We had fruits, cutlets ,bread and  egg to order ,juice and coffee. We decided to explore the beach as it was early in the day and the sun was pleasant . We saw a number of foreigners, singles and groups all over the beach and while we were moving around we came across a person who was directed by the receptionist of White sand to enroll us in the diving programme. We decided to take a two day dive course which would cost us $150. We were told to come for the evening classes at the SPANISH DANCERS DIVING club for the introduction and rehersal for our main diving the next day. Having taken careof our first agenda of diving we were really looking for a place for our lunch.

          We came to a place called the Essence inn and went inside the grand shelter which was beautifully decorated and looked just like it was set for some movie shoot. A person came to our table and introduced himself to us, his name was Mr Sauravan, he was from India and was the manager of the Inn. He informed us that the inn was basically for the Italian tourists’ stay but the restaurant was open for the general  public. We ordered  the Sea Food Platter and mocktails. We were amazed to see the presentation when the sea food platter was kept in front of us. The items on the platter were octopus, king crab, kalamari, shrimp, etc . We did not waste a moment longer and went for the sumptuous meal at once, which complimented the presentation. We thanked the staff for the great meal but the moment we gave our card for settling the bill it was returned with a smile that it was not accepted as it was a Debit card. The payment was made in cash from our side only after the manager agreed to let us go and do it later that evening.

           At around 1530 hr we were woken up from our slumber , which we were taking in our respective hammocks, and told to take a boat ride to the Nungwi Beach for the evening classes for Diving. We were greeted by Mr Shy, Mr Alvaro, Mr Nick at the Spanish Dancers Diving. We were quickly asked to fill our forms and pay the fees in full in advance. Done that, we were taken to the place of our briefing and demonstration. The scuba unit consists of a tank, a regulator, and a buoyancy control device (BCD ) . A BCD is inflated or deflated, allowing the diver to float or descend in the water. The regulator supplies air from the tank to the diver via a hose, gauges and a mouthpiece. We were told about the mask, scuba fins, wet suits, weight system or weight belt, the underwater communication ,etc.

             We were ready to go to the ocean the moment we were being told about the equipment so much that the minute we were given our wet suits we tried to put them on, and we did it so with lots of efforts only to be laughed at by everybody as we had put them on with the zipper in the front. We had to remove them  and put them on again , after dipping our feet in the water  to lessen the friction . We were ready for the ocean and the scuba lessens in a few minutes and looked like real divers with all the gear we had worn. We were taken for the half an hour of our first lessen in the water and we came back exhausted with the experience and learning for our life. That night we all fell asleep minutes after our dinner.

           07 Feb 2012 came with a bright sun which was a good news for us we were to go to the wall  in the Indian Ocean for the first diving experience of our lives. But before that we had to get dressed for  our breakfast. We went for our breakfast and found a unit was shooting some stunning beach models just in front of our breakfast table. With our jaws dropping we  kept on watching  the bikini clad models for good one hour when  finally I mustered enough courage and asked one of them if we can take picture of them . She obliged to the request and we went clicking on from that moment.

           We had decided to shift to the Nungwi beach as all our activities were centered  around that place. We moved in the Nungwi  Resort , took a room there  and  quickly went to the Spanish Dancers Diving for our first  diving  experience of life. We were taken to  Mnemba atoll , near the Mnemba Island which  is a mere 4.5 kilometres (2.8 miles) off of the north–eastern tip of Zanzibar .The pristine water and the surrounding was so beautiful that we were speech less for a good one minute. We put on our suits , checked our equipment and lowered ourselves into the clear water. It was nice and warm . We remained inside for about half an hour. It was worth every minute, the life which we saw was beyond words, everything was colourful, alive, mysterious, thrilling and enchanting. We surfaced and after a break of half an hour , which included refreshments like pineapple, banans & donuts, we again went for a second dive near by.

     We returned to our room by 1900hr and freshened up, got dressed and went to look for a place for drinks and dinner. We walked for  half an hour, saw the entire beach and all the eating joints, and finally decided to try out the BARAKA  Restaurant . We saw an assortment of Lobsters, kingfish, calamaries – prawns, octopus, crabs and squid freshly brought from the oceans displayed for the customers to choose for  meals. We ordered Rock Lobsters , rice and chips and our staple diet, Kiliminjaro and Sernengity beer. We relished the beer and  meal with the tides touching our feet’s with each bite.

          08^th Feb 2012  was a relaxed day, we got up late and went  for our on the house Breakfast around 1000hr. We took fruits, ham, bacon and ordered for Spanish omelet, with coffee and juice . We ate with all the time in the world to spare and kept our eyes glued to a group of lovelies who were sun tanning about ten meters from us. We decided to take a cab and go over to the stone town , in Zanzibar as the most  famous music festival of Africa , SAUTI ZA BUSARA was starting.

Finally after days , of adventure , fun and frolic,our holiday drew to a close

. But by jove, we needed that break to bring a new vigor in our life and also those moments to savour a lifetime .

I was told in the morning that I should give a presentation on our African Safari to the top man by the evening of 1^st Feb as we had planned to leave for GOMA, from RIWINDI, early on the morning on 02^nd Feb 2012 by 0700 hrs. I reached the office and asked for the time to brief the top man and was told it will be at 1830hr on 1^st Feb. I organized my team of officers and got down to put up a good show. My gems , Tandon and Tyagi , had already got the things on board and after a few clarifications we were ready. At around 1900hr on 1^st Feb we were told the presentation will be now on 02^nd Feb at 0930hr.We communicated that we will be late as we had planned to leave Riwindi by 0900hr on 02^nd Feb. But that was not heard.

On 2^nd Feb  the team led by me was ready to do the  prentation to the top man at 0920hr and we kept waiting till 1330 hr.  We decided that it would be wise if we finished our lunch and than wait for the presentation to happen. We finished our lunch and went back to wait for the top man to bless us. Finally around  1410 hr the orders came that the topman will hear our presentation (or our prayer) . We did the presentation around 1430 hr and than we left for GOMA around 1445hr on 2^nd Feb 2012.( our was a special group which briefed the topman as the group previous to us did not do so and the ones which went after us also were not required to do so)

Though we were late by the standard time of our departure from Riwindi, we were happy that now we were at least moving and will be soon in GOMA. It took us approximately six hours to reach GOMA , which included a tea break at KATALE where we were hosted well by 13 Sikh. We did not waste much time in shaking ourselves back into the leave mood and at around 2115hr we three and one more officer, Ashok Tiwari went out to LINDA HOTEL in GOMA, where we were met by a dear friend of Ashutosh Vishesh Arora.

Linda Hotel is a very beautifully decorated and located on the banks of lake Kivu. We decided to sit outside in the open with lake Kivu making a pleasant noise a few feets from us .We ordered the staple diet i.e beer and pizza’s , sizzlers and fish. Vishesh , whom I had met for the first time was instrumental in getting all of us together that day and was a very good host. We managed to reach our rooms around midnight.

On 3^rd Feb we were up and early as we had to catch the UN Chartered flight to BENI ( DRC) and further to ENTEBBE (UGANDA). The flight was scheduled for 0900hr and the check in was at 0730hrs. We arrived at the GOMA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT and went for the luggage check-in. The staff was courteous and we were allowed in with our packed breakfast, with a warning to finish it off before boarding the plane. We pounced upon our breakfast package which had sandwiches & fruits. There  were some more known faces with us , namely Chauhan, Rakesh, Tushar, Sunil etc. Notes on the places we were visiting were exchanged and we were happy to learn that we had struck a better bargain than all the others.

The  Flight  N803, an AN24 , took off around 0930hr on 03^rd Feb and an Russian Airhostess briefed us about the safety features of the aircraft. I am sure non of us could look beyond the features of the air hostess and did not hear anything except “Good Morning Gentleman”. Our plane landed at Beni Airport, which is basically in MAVIVI, in DRC. BENI town is approximately 12  KM from here . We saw a JORDANIAN SF BN, NEPAL BN, and SOUTH AFRICAN BN bases there. The runway was  a make shift and so was the Airport. Basically the plane refuels here  and then heads for ENTEBBE, in UGANDA.

We took off around 1045hr from BENI and landed at ENTEBBE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, UGANDA around 1210hr. After the necessary documentation and immigration formalities we headed for the flight booking office on the first floor of the Airport .I stayed down and kept an eye on the luggage and my gems went  for the Air tickets.  We got the tickets from ENTEBBE to ZANZIBAR, in TANZANIA and return for 5^th Feb  and 12 Feb 2012 respectively for $400 each, in the Precision Air Lines.

Taken care of the air tickets , we were now famished and headed towards the cafeteria on the airport itself. The rate list displayed was mind boggling, namely a samosa was USG 2000, coffee for USG 7000 etc.(US 1 $=2305 USG). We immediately got working on the conversion rate and heaved a sign of relief. We took our staple diet and Nitin  gave a call to his old friend to arrange for a cab. Shortly afterwards a person approached us and informed that he is the cab driver , Mr GODFREY, who will be at our service. We came out of the Airport and saw a beautiful Toyota Corolla, G –TOURING waiting for us. We placed our luggage in it and jumped in. The ride was smooth and to our surprise it was a right hand driven vehicle and traffic was moving on the left hand side , just like “APNA INDIA”. So much of diversity inside Africa.

We were moving with a fast moving traffic an excellent roads. The driver was superb and we realized that it was a “NO HORN” country. People were moving quietly without honking and waiting for their turn to pass or move. We travelled from ENTEBBE  to KAMPALA , the Capital of UGANDA , which took about an hour plus and approx $ 30. We reached the hotel SPEKE, around 1630hr. Hotel SPEKE is named after Mr John Hanning Speke, who was on a pioneering 1862-63 expedition team around lake Victoria, who first controversially suggested that a small water fall flowing northwards out of the lake might be the legendary spring- a theory whose accuracy was confirmed more than ten years later by Mr Stanley, and thus source of river Nile was found to be based in JINJA , approximately 85KM from KAMPALA.

The hotel SPEKE, built in 1920, is located in the heart of Kampala, at 7-9 Nile Avenue, on Nakasero Hill, close to the Grand Imperial Hotel and the Kampala Sheraton Hotel. This location is close to banks, shopping arcades and offices, in the middle of Kampala’s central business district is ideally located in the heart of the city. The view from the hotel room was enchanting. We changed and got out to travel the city and were on the road by 1730hr. We went straight to the Grand Imperial Hotel and exchanged our dollars for the Ugandan shillings. We were rolling in money now. It was the first time I had seen a single currency note worth 20,000/-.

We went to the famous shopping mall, called “NAKUMATT”. “NAKUMATT”  is a wholly Kenyan, privately held company, owned by the Atul shahFamily and Hotnet Limited. It is a Kenyan supermarket chain. Nakumatt is an abbreviation for Nakuru Mattresses. The Mall is spread over a very wide area and just as grand as any of our super malls in India. We bought three T-shirts , each costing approximately USG 28,800/- each. We were foxed to spend over a lakh plus amount in a few seconds . After this we went to the Garden City, in the adjacent building , which too is a grand shopping mall.

We came back to our hotel room , changed and went straight for the restaurant for dinner around 2045hrs. We were met with a number of people who were from India, namely Mr Ramesh, Mr Gonzalez, etc. During the course of our dinner one of our friend from the flight , Mr Andre Hein, from Germany , too joined us. We finished our dinner around 2330hrs and moved to the Rock Garden Bar, a pub cum disco joint , which is a part of the SPEKE hotel. The place was full of skimpily clad young girls/ ladies and people from all parts of the world were there. The girls were trying to catch the attention of men with their gestures , dance or by directly introducing themselves. Many a couples were seen hanging around with their bodies so close that air could barely pass between them. I came back to my room and slept.

On 04^th feb 2012 we had to get up early in the morning as we knew the breakfast buffet was very filling and on the house to but only till 1000AM. We all were ready and at the table by 0930. It was a lavish spread of fruits, ham, bacon, sand witches, cutlets, muffins, donuts, eggs to order , milk, fruit juice and coffee. We picked what ever we could and started ravishing it. We ordered for Spanish omelet too as we had a very hectic day ahead of us. We finished our “MAHARAJA BREAKFAST” by around 1020 and went to our waiting cab with Mr Godfrey at the wheels.

We had planned to see the source of river Nile, which is at a place called JINJA. JINJA lies in southeastern UGANDA, approximately 54 miles (87 km), by road, east of Kampala. The town is located on the shores of Lake Victoria, near to the source of the Nile River. The town is also the location of the Uganda Senior Command and Staff College. Jinja is the largest metropolitan area in Jinja District, and is considered the capital of the Kingdom of Busoga.  JINGA in local language means “rock”. There is a good tarmac  road east of Kampala  to Jinja . We were prepared well for the ride, the moment we hit the road, we took out the king of beer, CORONA, laced it with lemon and enjoyed it with the lush green scenery which was eye catching. The area is rich in sugarcane, tea and minerals. There is a sports stadium in the city center as well as a football and athletics stadium in Bugembe, another suburb of Jinja, approx 5 miles, called NELSON MANDELA STADIUM.

We reached Jinja around 1150, and after paying a entry fee of USG 40000 at the barrier we went down a steep concrete staircase to the bank of River Nile. The sight was quite impressive. The water was flowing with a great speed and it was deep green. The bank on our side had a sports bar with all the walls decorated with the playing jersey’s of all the world best Football teams. We fixed our boat  tour of the River Nile with a tour guide for USG 30000/ person for half an hour. Before we  embarked on our journey we placed our order for lunch at the sports bar for fresh Talapia fish and rice.

The Boat ride was a pleasure, the Nile was aggressively trying to force us to its direction of the flow ,i.e, northwards, and we were forcing our way towards the south. The Nile is the world’s longest river at 4,135 miles. It has two sources, one at Lake Victoria, in Uganda (the White Nile) and one at Lake Tana, in Ethiopia (the Blue Nile).White Nile leaves Lake Victoria at Ripon Falls near Jinja, Uganda, as the Victoria Nile. It flows for approximately 500 kilometres (300 mi) farther, through Lake Kyoga, until it reaches Lake Albert. After leaving Lake Albert, the river is known as the Albert Nile. The Blue Nile is the source of most of the water and fertile soil. It begins at Lake Tana in Ethiopia and flows  into Sudan from the southeast. The two rivers meet near the Sudanese capital of Khartoum.

The guide showed us the place where the lake Victoria was merging with the spring which mysteriously was coming from nowhere and the start of the great white nile was forming up in front of us. We also saw the small man made island where small shop were made for tourists like us. INDIA has a very momentous and historical connect with Jinja as some of Mahatma Gandhi‘s ashes were scattered into the source of the White Nile. There is a small memorial garden at the spot. There is an active Hindu temple near Jinja, which has a bronze bust of Gandhi .we prayed for the departed soul and wished him to bless us.

The journey was a bliss but our stomach was calling for the staple diet. We ordered beer nile and our lunch too was served with a complete Talapia fish to savior with rice. We were amazed at the preparation and without wasting a second started with our bare hands to finish the task at hand. The journey back from jinja was completed with a visit to two famous malls before the kampala town, Lugogo Mall, Jinja Rd Stores which  includes a Barclays Bank, a large Shoprite supermarket and Game, a huge DIY and household shop . It was the first time I had seen a super market where you could shop from a pin to a hardware items, garden tool, camping gear, cycles, and you name it.

We reached our room by 1945hr took bath and headed for the restaurant , ordered beer and sizzler for dinner. One of our friend Mr Andre Hein  joined us for dinner and we enjoyed it till 2330 hr.  We went to the rock garden bar after this and had a few beers there and then Mr hein and I left for our respective room for a good night sleep, as Mr Hein was to catch an early  morning flight to Berlin.

Early morning of 5^th Feb 2012, we got up at 0530 as our flight for Dar es Salaam , via Kilimanjaro was to leave at 1230 hrs. We all dressed up in a hurry , went for the “King Breakfast” and were ready to move out by 1000hr, when we remembered that we have given our clothes for calendaring and they have not been delivered yet. Lot of frenetic calls were made to the house keeping but nothing seemed to be moving , after lots of shouting and persuation we were able to get our clothes back and we rushed towards the ENTEBBE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. We were in time for the check –in and heaved a sign of relief once inside the immigration window.

To be concluded in the next part.

Sumitra Senapaty, an internationally known travel writer has seen and done just about everything. She has kayaked the South China Sea, snorkeled Great Barrier Reef & Red Sea, sailed the waters of Seychelles & Maldives, rafted the Zanskar in Ladakh, self driven through New Zealand, cruised the Mediterranean, toured Alaska, Canada, Israel, Egypt, Turkey, France, Australia, camped out in the African bush, and much more. Getting off the ‘beaten track’ is an addiction and she often searches out those special things to do on each trip. Sumitra is also an avid ‘foodie’ and can be found checking out unusual eateries or baking her favorite brownie cake (when she’s in town).

She felt that her treasure of experiences needs to be shared with other women. Her wish turns into reality with WOW Club- Women on Wanderlust, which pioneered the concept of all women travel during the summer of 2005. WOW Club makes your travel dreams come true. Its always, where have you been so far and where do you wish to go – Now pack up and come geared for WOW’s memorable holidays. WOW travel calendar for 2012 includes Uzbekistan, Kashmir, Ladakh, China with Lhasa, Spain, South America, Central Europe, USA, Tanzania and much more.

This issue of Fried Eye, we bring you a short evening of chit chat with Sumitra, the owner of Wow club- Women on Wanderlust, India’s first travel club for women.

How did WOW start?

It all started seven years ago when I realized of a missed travel platform for women travelers. It was a need, important and necessary. The idea was solo. It was conceptualized in New Zealand when I met women travelers from UK. It took a year to give a thought for the start but with families support and discussion, I started the WOW club-Women on Wanderlust. The WOW was born. The first trip in India was made to Ladakh and the first international travel was made to Egypt. Every year we make thirty trips for women all around the world.

How do you define the wow at WOW club?

The trip is different. We choose a central and a safe place for tour. We give ample time for women to explore around. We believe in the idea of making the travel ‘feel the wanderer’ in them. We sometimes go for meditation, do pottery, painting or get involved in wine tasting events.

WOW knows it’s a ‘holiday’ when a woman wants. We believe in the traveler’s interest. WOW women are those who say ‘Okay, I’m out’ from their mundane and hectic routine.

Who is a women traveler in WOW club?

Women travelers do not need anybody. A friend or family member may or may not like the idea of traveling out of known groups but it’s a woman’s interest, It is they who like it and define their ‘fine interest’, ‘ idle opportunity’ to explore and be themselves. Sometimes meeting in family gathering is difficult. Instead of all family members traveling to India, some of them meet during the trip midway and make the trip a memorable family gets together. Once there were three members of family traveling from Bangalore, Ireland and Australia for spending together.

Women of all ages between 25-80 years are travelers. They are 99% professional. They bond intellectually with some common interest , they make friends for life-time. A woman traveler of WOW is someone who is ‘self-motivated’, ‘courageous’, ‘confident’, ‘enthusiastic, ’encouraging’ and ‘share certain interest’.

What tips would you like to give to women travelers?

Women must be sure of where they are traveling. They must know what they want from the destination and should be able to understand where they are headed. They must do a little bit of research by themselves before setting for a destination. Women must always travel light, be alert anytime anywhere and have self-confident.

How do you choose your destination for women travelers?

On basis of what women want. Locations must be out of ordinary. Destinations must have something unique, like rafting in Rishikesh, wellness, trekking tour as in Valley of Flowers. Uncommon destinations and unusual destinations like Jordan, Great Barrier Reef, Peru, Argentina, Brazil, Morrocco etc. We look out for destinations where women can spend time in reasonable luxury and pamper themselves, be adventurous and comfortable.

Suggest three top destinations for women 

I would suggest, firstly South Africa where I prefer Cape Town, Garden Route, Krugeer and National Park Safari, secondly, Oman for safe countryside and lastly, one should not miss cruising in Greece. Its ideal without packing and unpacking for women in ocean liners

On Woman’s day Message for Wanderers –

“Be Pink & Footloose! Travel well and be alert always! Choose to explore the unknown in preference to more staid destinations”

Women travelers for cruising at Greek Island

Wine Tasting in South Africa

South Africa

For more details visit http://www.wowsumitra.com/

   Kamlesh, the wife of a daily wage labourer, is a resident of Majnu ka Tilla. During January to March- the flower show season in New Delhi, she assists her husband in painting pots, bricks that line up on flower beds and tree trunks. Catching up with Kamlesh in the sunny nursery of a South Delhi college as she worked, was a startling revelation of the difference in the worlds of the women who lived in this one single college campus. Though a little hesitant initially, Kamlesh opened up soon enough to give me a sneaking preview of her life. Originally from a village near Delhi (she did not name her village) Kamlesh was married off early and has since been a devoted mother and wife. “I have six children” she tells me with pride, the eldest being 22 and the youngest 8/9 years of age. Of them four are girls. Kamlesh has never heard of Women’s Day nor does she know the name of the President of India. When asked what her idea of women’s day would be, now that she knows there is a day in celebration of women, she responded: koi bilaiti chutti hogi. (It’s probably a holiday from the West).When asked about her work schedule she replied that most of the year, she is at home. It is only in peak seasons that she accompanies her husband to work she explains. Household duties are one’s primary duties she tells me. When asked about her dreams and aspirations, she replies “Pati aur bachcho ka pyaar hamesha rahe isse zyaada ek aurat ko kya chahiye.”(“May the love from my husband and my children remain forever with me. What more can a woman want?”) I persisted in Hindi if there was nothing she wants over and above what she already has and after a pause she replied. “Filhal betiyo ki tension hai. Meri teen betiyo ki shaadi ki umar ho gayi hai . Unhe settle karna hai” (Right now I have the tension of seeing my daughters settled. Three of them are of marriageable age) Remembering that she had just mentioned her eldest to be only twenty two years old, I asked her if each of them were of legally of marriageable age. She replied that that she cannot be sure of accurately as she doesn’t remember the exact year of each of their respective births. “Ho gayi hogi” (They must be) she responds while her hands deftly move to pick up another set of pots for painting.

Noticing her discomfort I turn my attention to her work and praise her skills. At which she blushes and replies that she has been doing this for close to five-six years now. Her husband, she reveals, has been employed by this college off and on for quite a few years and she has been accompanying him off late- ever since the metro lines started working to be precise. Before the metro she did not venture too far from Majnu ka tilla. Travelling took a lot of time. Besides her children were too young to be left by themselves for long periods of time, she explains. “Abhi meri bari wali ghar ka kaam kaaj sambhalti hai isliye muje pareshani nahi hoti jyada” (Now my eldest daughter manages the household work so I don’t have too much of a problem) “Aapki bariwali sabse bari hai?( Is your eldest daughter the eldest among your children?) I ask tactfully. Kamlesh replies in the affirmative. I enquired into her daughter’s qualifications only to realise that each of her daughters have only gone to school for two or three years. “Main kabhi iskool nahi gayi hu, na hi kabhi ichcha hui jane ki” (“I have never been to a school nor have I ever desired to go to one”) she said in response to whether she has done any kind of studies. “Parhai ka kya karna, Meri bari wali sillai ka kaam karti hai. Dukaan pe bhi aur ghar pe apne se hi. Wo khaana bhi acha banati hai. Aur apni behno ko bhi seelai aur rasoi ka kaam sikhati hai.” (What help will studies bring? My eldest daughter works at a tailor’s shop and also takes her own orders at home. She cooks well. At home she trains her younger sisters in both needlework and kitchen work).

Given that this conversation was taking place in a women’s college, I asked her why it is that even after a year of working here, she has never dreamt of seeing her own daughters in college. She tells me her own daughters were much better off. The girls I see around me are all still living on their parents’ earnings while her own have even bought their cell phones with their own money. They may not know to read and write or earn in lakhs but they have learnt to live lives with dignity. None of them begs-she points out to me. “Agar hume kuch ho jaye, wo itna kabil ban gaye hai ki khud ki zindagi izzat se jee paye. Ye baat main apni hare k beti ke liye keh sakti hu. Kya aap ye baat yaha parhti hui har larki ke bare me bol sakte ho? Meri sabse choti wali dus/gyara saal ki hogi.” (If anything was to happen to us, my daughters will be able to live a life of dignity. They have become that able. Can you say that for each student who studies here? I can say that for each of my daughters and the youngest is only ten or eleven years old.” Her response this time brought awkwardness from my end and therefore I changed the subject and asked her if would mind my taking a photograph of her. She refused to pose but was okay with a photo taken of her at work.

Ammaji is a youthful vibrant lady in her seventies. A daughter of Haryana, Ammaji has grown to become a mother to all of Zamrudpur- the urban village at the heart of South Delhi. Ammaji is popular because of her way of speaking, her philosophical take on life and her disciplinarian attitudes towards work. She can often be seen squatting on the lawns of the several education institutes that have sprung up infront of Zamrudpur in the last fifty to sixty years. She has seen them all grow like the “children” each of them nurtures. My acquaintance with Ammaji is almost a decade old, the major part of which I spent considering her as the oldest of the ladies who come to clean the lawns of my alma matter every weeding season. It was much later that I discovered more to her. Conversing with her for Fried Eye was easy because of my familiarity with her past but she good-naturedly narrated it all again.

Srimati Jaipali or Ammaji once owned seven cows, a couple of houses and some cultivation land in the once non-existent section of the city called South Delhi. She would weed grass even then because that was her cattle’s fodder and her cattle were her source of sustenance. But soon a day came when her family along with some others had to give up their lands for the building of the educational places. “Today all I can boast of materially owning is one cow” she says “but I have not lost out on the love of the people. As I grew older they embraced me with the respectful love reserved for a mother. Not just Zamrudpur but also the institutions that came up around it” I interrupted by asking if she did not hold resentment for the encroachers of what used to be her property. Ammaji responded in the negative saying. Our time the lands were barren. “Yaha kuch aasani se ugta nahi tha…”(Nothing grew here easily) Now, she continues, the soil is more richer, here our children, our society’s future is getting cultivated. And the land has willingly turned green here. Look at all the trees she said, gesturing to her surroundings. This place has developed like a beautiful young damsel, she poetically concluded. As she brought in the comparative, I ventured to ask if Ammaji knew of Women’s Day? Of course I do she said. I am not that ignorant. I know of all the days of today’s calendar. Valentine’s Day, Father’s Day, Mother’s Day, Cancer Day, Aid’s Day. I know all of them though I don’t know their exact dates. But once you reach my age, if you have been a good person, wherever you go you will be treated as if it is your special day regardless of these days, she added with a smile as a gardener came in with a cup of tea for her. Just look at him, will never drink his tea without getting me a cup and I haven’t even done much work today. I don’t need a Women’s Day or a Mother’s day. They make me feel good every day. I further enquired if Ammaji believed in women’s education and empowerment. She replied with a staunch yes. Yeh koi puchne ki baat hai, jaha dekho naari shakti ka praman milega aapko. Pratibha Patil, Sonia ji, Sheila ji, Mamta ji… des ki politics me naari, filmo me naari, sikha me naari, humari Kalpana to brhamand pe bhi cha gayi thi (Is this a thing to ask? Wherever you look, you will see glimpses of women power. Prathibha Patil, Sonia ji, Sheila ji, Mamata ji… there are women in the country’s political scene, in films, in education, our Kalpana even shone in the universe.) She continued: I learnt how to write my name and have the newspaper read out to me though I never went to school. I have daughters whom I managed to educate. Two of them are teachers. My granddaughters are graduates. One is doing a B. Ed.

I could not help asking how many members her family had, how much did she earn by weeding lawns and why she still worked so vigorously. She replied my daughters assist in my daily expenses; my family includes each person who calls me Ammaji, including you. As for working, this is not work. This is my land. It has not forgotten me. It still provides grass for my one cow. I need to return the favour by keeping it weed free. And it’s a duty and attachment which will never end. “Yeh nayi ghaas jane hi nahi deti muje yaha se” (The new grass refuses to let me go away from this…”) Would she mind posing for a photograph? “Khicho. Puri lena. Sirf shakal nahi. Is side se khicho. Photo achi ayegi light me” (Click. Take my full profile not just the face. Take it from this side, it will come out better in the light).

Lalmani, from Bihar, a wizened old lady, smiled shyly when we asked for an interview for our e-zine. Hesitant initially, she warmed up later as the conversation progressed. Manning a small tea stall in Indirapuram, Ghaziabad, she seemed quite at ease dealing with customers all single handedly without any help.

“The shop belongs to my daughter,” She confided. I sit in the shop to help her out.

She had lost her husband few years back and stayed with her daughter and son in law, her only immediate family. Our notion about educated class and small family was busted when she revealed that she had consciously planned for a single child, irrespective of the gender so that she could take better care of the baby with the minimal resources available to her. Though she could not fulfill her dreams of educating her daughter but she took pride of the fact that at least her daughter had succeeded at what she failed. Her three grandchildren attended the Govt School in the neighborhood regularly.

The income from the shop wasn’t much. From the daily sale of around Rs. 500, she could save only around Rs 100 some days, which was not even enough to fulfill her needs, let alone dreams.

“I feel ashamed of being a burden to my daughter and son in law, but I have no other way out… she tried to justify more to herself, than us, her eyes turning slightly moist  But I try to stay out of their way as much as possible.. They take good care of me, but…still.”

On inquiring about the day to day problems she faced being a woman, she reacted sharply. “It is not about being a woman, but being poor. Once upon a time in Bihar we had landed property. We used to enjoy respect too back then. But now here we always remain in fear.” 

What about the administration? The facilities? Was she aware of those Govt schemes for women and children, especially the girl child? About her rights?

“Yes, I have an idea that there are women friendly schemes of the Government, but I have no idea what they are and how to avail them. None of the persons we know, have a thorough knowledge about them. Nobody tells us.”

 And we wondered if she had ever heard of women’s day? Did it carry any meaning to inquire someone about International Women’s day if she was not even aware of her rights?

Well we did try our best to educate her about the Ladli scheme, about free Govt dispensaries, education but we realized that a much stronger and focused approach was needed to create a total awareness among women such as her. A sporadic random selection would not serve much towards the cause. Still we hoped that someone was better than no one and took her leave after stuffing her as much as possible about information of some of the facilities and welfare schemes that were easily available.

The rendezvous with Sakeena, a maid from the neighborhood of Ghaziabad was an altogether a different and interesting experience. Sharp and alert, she literally bombarded us with questions, CBI style, to gauge our intentions before relenting for a photograph and a quick chit chat.

“You cannot trust anyone nowadays. I was almost about to be whisked away by the police when one of my previous landlady had committed suicide, so now a days I remain alert. about what goes around”

Mother of five children, she was aware enough about the need for a small family and was trying to incorporate that ideology in her eldest daughter’s (who is married) mind. Her eldest daughter was married off early, but she had taken it upon herself to educate her other two daughters along with her sons. She was hesitant to share with us her dreams and aspirations and just smiled mysteriously. But her smile said it all. It was the smile of a person who was confident of fulfilling her dreams. Her smile said that she had planned well. A little bit of prodding revealed that she had opened accounts in the post office and was saving for her children’s future.

Did her husband agree with her progressive views and plans? 

It did take time for him to trust her opinion, she had replied , but in the end he had conceded the decision making powers to her. 

But of course I never do anything without asking or discussing with him”

When We inquired this feisty lady of the trials and tribulations she faced on being a women, she revealed that the freedom she enjoyed here was absent when she was in their village . Opinions were not asked. Decisions were taken by the males or the elders.And though everybody lived in a harmony, it was possible maybe because only few had decision making powers, hence a lesser chance of discords. Things changed for the better only after they migrated to the city.

She was aware of some of the facilities available like free health care, maternal health and childbirth, free education and mid day meal schemes but she was not aware of the monetary benefits that were attached to sterilisation operation and hospital delivery. We gladly complied with the information , which she attentively noted down . 

Surprisingly she did not seem much interested about knowing about the rights of a female.

“As long as I have the basic amenities of food, shelter, clothing and am being treated justly, I do not much care about my limits and legal rights. These are for the bade log”

 “Mahila Divas?”

And she had giggled uncontrollably. What does it matter, she replied once she sobered down. Yes what did it matter indeed? Especially who enjoyed only the fringe benefits of the society? Did it really matter to the persons to whom it should have really mattered at the first place?

Contributors- Radhika Baruah

                       Manipadma

Copy Editor- Tinam Borah

I had always wondered why the word “honeymoon” invites more “nudge, nudge, wink, wink” than anything else. Oh but hang on. It is the “wedding night” that invites more of that than anything else. But that’s not my point. Ever wondered where the word honeymoon comes from? Way back in time when couples got married without even meeting each other before the actual wedding, the newly weds were supposed to spend a month drinking mead, which is made from honey. The mead was to ensure cordiality (we all know what drinking does to people anyway) and basically to sweeten everything. To the cynic, this means that all marital bliss is supposed to wane off in a month (the full cycle of a moon); that not all moons in a couple’s life are as sweet as the first. The ancient Greeks had it even better. Instead of the newly wed wife, the groom was supposed to spend a period of a month knowing his father-in-law (of all people!) and they both drank mead as they did this. The going away on a trip has its origins in the time when the groom had to abduct his wife to get married, and the best man was supposed to protect both of them while they got married. There are more versions of this floating about, but coming to the point, it all boils down to the crass definition of a honeymoon today: a “fertile” holiday.

Yeah, right. I spent my first holiday as a newly wed in the company of my elder sister and my brother-in-law and another couple I had met for the first time. While with the former couple it was a case of too much familiarity, with the latter it was that of formality demanded by a brand new acquaintance. And stuck somewhere between formality and familiarity, were we: the newly weds. Nice as it was, to have the new husband as company, it was surely quite awkward to be left alone with him on purpose. More so, since my sister blatantly promised to “look the other way” when we were around. And did I mention that my husband and my sister and my brother-in-law are friends from way back in college? Throw all of them together, and add the fact that I hadn’t spent time with my husband before the wedding, and you have your traditional honeymoon twisted and contorted to make space for good old friends and family. Oh sure we drank mead; we just chose to call it beer. Now I know there’s a joke lurking right around the corner about how the honey in the mead was to make everything sweet so maybe the bitter in the beer was to make everything whatever, but I am not sure I want to make it. Anyone who’s spent their honeymoon with four other people, one of them being their elder sister, would understand how these things are not meant to be joked about. I mean come on, the husband and I had “nudge, nudge, wink, wink” jokes for breakfast along with the regular toast and eggs.

By the time the first month was over I had perfected multi-tasking in a way that only seasoned wives do. I mean, I could cook and nag at the same time, nag and sob at the same time, clean and quote the husband from memory at the same time and sometimes do all of them together. You get the gist. The first “moon” was over and so was the beer, I mean, honey. The husband decided it was time for another trip, only this time, instead of family, we had colleagues from my husband’s office for company. If more indeed does mean merrier, then surely, two other couples, *and* two of their young daughters could only make our “second honeymoon” so much better than the first. So while in the first trip, I was more conscious about all the playful teasing from the “ghar ke bade buzurg”, in the second trip everything had to be G-rated keeping in mind that the trip was to be a “wholesome family entertainment”. Before you start conjuring images, please bear in mind that seeing grown-ups even holding hands can seem “ooooh!” to six year olds. The adults themselves were pretty sensitive to the fact that we had been married for only a month, and while the jokes still remained, they were quite subtle. They even arranged for our room to be decorated like that of a honeymoon suite, even though I discovered it in the company of the two young girls who had chosen to follow me all around, instead of the doting husband. That we were forbidden by the girls to enter our own bathroom while they played with the flowers in the sink is something that I find more endearing than irritating. And that just goes to show what a month of marriage can do to you.

If I make it sound like there was no romance or dreamy sunsets or mushy evenings then well, I am wrong. Because somewhere between the teasing and the jokes and playing rock paper scissors with kids who call us Uncle and Auntie, we did share some stolen moments where it was all about the honey and the moon. Whether it was while jet-skiing over the frothy sea screaming ourselves hoarse or taking a quiet walk in the early morning just to click pictures of the beautiful resort, we connected in our own unconventional way, just like our unconventional honeymoons. But the story doesn’t end there. Just last month we had to take a trip all on our own during the Chinese New Year, and both of us were so glad to escape from the mundane and the perfunctory, we made sure to make the most of our time there. And when we came back, I realized:

Together alone? Check
Sightseeing? Check
Solo photos of one another? Check
Asking random strangers to click our photo? Check
Getting to know each other better? Check (but then that’s check always)
Mush and romance? Check

We just happened to go on our honeymoon three months after our wedding, without realizing it was our honeymoon. In which case the whole drinking-honeyed-mead-for-the-full-cycle-of-a-moon theory about the concept of honeymoon kind of falls apart. To be replaced by, “To each his own, man. Peace.”

“Really? Why? Have you felt it?”

“No”

“Have you experienced it?’

“No”

“Then? Why do you have to be scared of something which doesn’t exist? “

The above is not a conversation about the existence of ghosts or demons, rather it’s an exchange I overheard between two cynics regarding the emotion called Love sometime back.

Well, no, my topic is not a debate about the existence of Love. I agree Love exists. Or else how would you explain all the problems that arise out of it? Take my word- Love is a major global problem that has not been recognised by the authorities yet. In fact I would go as far as saying that it is one of the major direct or indirect causes that lead to loss of life and movable and immovable assets. Go on, you may think me raving mad, but you cannot deny that there is an amount of truth in what I say. 

And if you are thinking that I am referring to only suicides when I mention deaths, then you are wrong again. What about the honour killings? What will you call the murders by jealous husbands, boyfriends / girlfriends? Aren’t they related to love in a way- whether love leading to obsession or because of complete disregard to someone’s love ? 

And how could you forget about the Devdas syndrome where someone willingly takes up the path of self-destruction because of unrequited love?

Then if you think that to be far- fetched and unscientific, what will you say to the numerous unreported maternal deaths due to attempted abortion in an untrained and non-medical environment? Abortion of an unwanted pregnancy which again arose because they had unprotected sex in a moment of uncontrolled unbridled passion born out of Love ? AIDS, Alcoholism, Road traffic accidents, Bankruptcy, Delinquincy, Psychiatric disorders, Crime,- well I can list out almost all ill happenings as being direct or indirectly related to the emotion called Love. 

Not only loss of life, but if you take into account the unaccountable hard earned money being wasted in fruitless industries like balloons, chocolates, cards and poured out in numerous cups of coffee and pizzas, it would seem like such a waste , more so for a country like India where 90 percent people do not get a square meal properly.

Work efficacy of a person almost hits negative mark, students under perform and sometimes homes are ruined. But sadly, no authorities or administration takes it seriously as a problem. 

They have numerous missions and global control and eradication programmes, but they fail to see the huge magnitude of the impending disaster evolving out of love. They are more into malarias and diabetes. Mind you I am not demeaning those diseases but I just wonder why the people in power fail to see the associated problems. Why do they take it as a school boy’s whim and let it pass assuming that it will wear off by itself?

I am not of course implying that love as a whole should be banned or barred. That is almost next to impossible. There will be widespread rebellion if it is even hinted let alone implement, but there is a term- “harm minimising effect” and that is what I speak of.

Love can never have a vaccine and in reasonable intensity is a very pleasant emotion that can make your life all rosy and beautiful. Love is needed in life, but it should not turn into an unhealthy obsession. Oh dear, I am sounding so matronly and insipid, but the general tendency to just let go and float in love is a dangerous proposition. It is when we don’t hold back and let go, do the problem arise. Well but my point today is how do we curb the menacing side and after effects? What do we do when we cannot stop it?

Love though experienced by everyone at some point of life , strangely is hardly spoken about much. Can we remember our Moms and Dads or even teacher’s and bosses speaking of their unrequited love or their dates and honeymoons? No , never. Its kind of an unofficial taboo. Barring aside few instances of Aunt, uncles or grandmas , hardly anyone share their love life. You just get a contemptuous smirk whenever you ask about it- “It is personal”. So a poor fellow in love is left alone to deal with his ethos and pathos or take the help of equally inexperienced friends.

There is no support group, no Lover’s Anonymous that can help a needy person who is going through his or her personal hell. All we have at times are those agony aunts and sleazy wise guys or love gurus who churn out impractical advice which is more on witticism or idealism and less on real matter just to earn a few wolf whistles.

Psychiatry too has no special place for lovers and will broadly categorise him/her into depression. Shrinks will make them talk like hell hoping that they get bored and exhausted and finally sleep off and if that doesn’t put the subject to sleep then sedate him/ her .

There are no NGOs there who will take you up for rehabilitation and teach you to make baskets to keep your mind away from it. 

In other words , for a problem as huge as this there has been till date no official multi- faceted counseling, treatment or rehabilitation program which is a global shame or for that matter a shame for the whole human race especially since we are the same people who extol to the heavens the same emotion- Love.

Why don’t we have a special chapter on love? A subject? Teachers? A seperate Stream that deals with the social, biological, legal, psychological and financial aspects of love? May be only when we acknowledge the gravity of the problem and set up a multisectorial stream to deal with the manifold problems arising out of it, do we have a hope of normalising the chaotic scene out there and it is time that we acted. And who are the WE? We are the cynics and wary population who stay at arm’s length from the same. Yes , the onus lies on us, because those who are already afflicted with the emotion have already been rendered useless and nothing fruitful can be expected of them, not even cooperation. So We have to act fast. For the LOVE of humanity and our friends, we have to act fast to minimise and contain the harmful effects of Love only then do we have a hope of a sane world.

dreaded warriors that had been so long the subject of my waking

dreams and I could not but involuntarily exclaim:” What

splendid fellows!”—THOMSON 1885, 160

At first sight it looked strange that there were men and women walking alongside the roads with heavy loads – closer look revealed that each tribe’s person was carrying part of their hut, walls, doors and roof strung to their shoulders. The elders were in the front followed by women. Adolescent boys and girls were herding cattle. These are the Maasai pastoral nomadic tribes of Kenya. They walk for miles carrying their homes on look out for fresh pastures where they will re-assemble their homes in a circular formation. The circle of huts (known as Enkang in Maasai – Maa language) is surrounded by acacia thorn bushes which act as barbed wire to keep wild animals at bay.

Maasai ancestors originated from North Africa, they followed the course of River Nile conquering many tribes on the way to eventually settle in the lush green valleys of escarpment in Kenya and Tanzania. The rift valley known as the escarpment was result of volcanic action that created Mount Longonut, lakes and massive sunken valleys. The lava provided fertile pastoral land where they graze their cattle. Their migration continued to south of Kenya to Tanzania. Today, their homeland is bounded by Lake Victoria to the west and Mount Kilimanjaro to the east including picturesque Ngorongoro Crater which also shelters one of the most beautiful wildlife lion country havens.

They are very tall, handsome and almost sharp Arabic features. The warriors carry spears and a double edged flat knife called Simi. Originally, they wore animal skins. Indian traders who migrated to Kenya introduced them to blankets – selling these from their shops called Duka in remote areas. Maasai men are hunters and women/girls role is as gatherers. It is a male dominated society and polygamy is a norm. Additionally, circumcision rite brothers have a right over each other’s wife. Maasai men have pierced ear lobes and these lobes have been stretched until a hand can be put through. Sometimes to stop from dangling they wrap it around the ear.

Women, remove gourds from jungle vines, clean these and use as storage utensils for milk and honey. Apart from these roles girls also build huts and perform domestic cooking chores. Women and adolescent girls construct their dwellings known as Manyatta. It is constructed using branches for wooden structure and plaster is made of cow dung and mud. The walls and roofs are detachable which can be carried with them to their next stopping place.

Tribal hierarchy is led by the Maasai elders who often organise bonding ritual blood drinking sessions within the tribes. The cow’s jugular vein is pierced with arrows and blood is collected in gourds which are passed around the men folk. Adolescent boys and girls romp together. However separation of sexes occurs when the boys gather for manhood ceremony. These are communal circumcisions and the participants acquire the title of Moraine. This is the right of passage to adulthood. Those who are circumcised together also become brothers with right to each others wife. In the old days they had to prove their manhood by killing a lion with a spear single-handed. Nowadays this is illegal and banned. However, the practice of lion hunting is still existent but in search of lions that prey on their livestock or threaten a particular area of inhabitants.

Cattle are integral part and parcel of Maasai lives. They believe that when the earth and sky split, God bequeathed cows to them. As all the cattle belong to them according to God’s edict, it therefore follows that rustling and stealing herds from other tribes in not sinful. They believe that they were placed in the centre of universe by God as the chosen people.

The material wealth is measured in number of cows a man owns. A woman’s worth depends on how many cows will her father demand for dowry. Since Maasai practice polygamy, a man with many wives is considered wealthy because he has been able to get many wives by parting with his cattle.

“The traditional Maasai calendar has no designated holidays. It is divided into twelve months belonging to three main seasons: Nkokua(the long rains), Oloirurujuruj(the drizzling season), and Oltumuret (the short rains). The names of months are very descriptive. For example, the second month of the drizzling season is Kujorok , meaning “The whole countryside is beautifully green, and the pasture lands are likened to a hairy caterpillar.”*(source – Everyman.com)

Having read about the Maasai tribesmen, their culture and traditions in our geography lessons, our teacher arranged for a field trip for us to live amongst the Maasai in a Manyatta for a week. We set off from Nairobi and travelled through the picturesque rift valley. At the bottom of the rift valley is a church built by Italian prisoners of war. Though missionaries tried to convert Maasai, they have steadfastly refused to yield their beliefs, culture and traditions. This church has never been attacked by them.

Further on past the church – one is travelling at the floor of the rift Valley – past Mt Longonut. It is about 1500 meters high. We stopped here to climb the mountain which is easy climb and has a crater at the top. Next to the mountain is Lake Navivasha. It is a beautiful fresh water lake. Nearby is Lake Nakuru which is home to the flamingos. Maasai legend states, “the day these lakes dry, the mountain will erupt spewing out red hot lava” – the lakes keep the lava cool. We walked around the crater looking down into the depths from where lava emanated once upon a time. Wild animals live in the crater. Our first encounter was with Maasai warriors who appeared out of nowhere with menacing spears whilst we were descending. This apparently turned out to be the advance guard sent by the Manyatta elders to escort us.

We were naturally treated with great curiosity by Maasai women and girls. Though men and boys were curious but it would be against their tradition to show it. Women and girls, touched and felt our hair as they had never had close encounter with straight hair men. After customary exchange of gifts, we sat down for a feast. Two goats were slaughtered to honour the guests. I declined to drink blood. Maasai girls built wooden fire on which the goats were roasted. They also made a maze meal for us called Ugali to be eaten with meat. The roasted meat is known as Nayama Choma. Each one of us was given a knife to tear the meat of the goat. This communal eating was great bonding session. Home made brew blew our heads off. Indians had introduced them to vegetable salad which they call Kuchumbri.

Staying in these huts, each individual hut is called Enkaji was quite an experience. At night it was scary as it appeared all the wild animals in the jungle howled relaying messages about presence of strangers in Manyatta. We went herding with Maasai Moran – circumcised boys who are now considered as men. They were surprised that at our ages, we hand not undergone this ceremony. We saw women create elaborate designs of beads, necklace and wrist bands. They also mix lava rich red soil with ochre to anoint their skins and hair. It is in reality really sun cream – protection against the sun heat and rays. They also introduced us to their dance – standing in circle, chanting and jumping sky high – as they continued jumping up, it induces a trance. We were quite dizzy trying to keep up with them.

We returned with pleasant memories of encounters with the Maasai. Males do not display emotion which would be akin to admission of weakness of character. Some women and girls wailed. Some asked us to return to make a baby for them with long straight hair. We returned to Nairobi taking a detour via the house where Joy Adamson and George Adamson of Born free fame lived. Their residence abounds with bushy tailed colobus Monkeys. The bottom of the garden borders with another lake called Crater Lake. During our visit George was away on safari and she met us. She was very pleasant lady though had fame of being very cantankerous towards humans.

In 2008, I travelled through the Maasai Land, climbed Mt. Longonot our favourite childhood haunt, went past several Enkang – but the one where I stayed had moved on to fresh pastures with their huts – Instead, I saw that the Maasai were now trading handicrafts made by them, selling to tourists, refusing to have a photo taken unless they were paid in cash. They also only accepted American dollars – spoilt by American tourists. Maasai now go to rural schools and some have started wearing western attire. However, hardcore of the Maasai tribe still retain their culture, traditions and beliefs and have refused to convert or move to the cities.

My nephew has purchased a farm in the Maasai area. It was during this visit that we were warned that two rogue lions were at large. One Maasai girl who had been herding cows and sheep witnessed lions kill one sheep. She ran to the village and another Maasai girl who was on vacation joined us for the lion hunt. She was now working as a receptionist in one of five star hotels in Nairobi city. Though she was adamant about Maasai traditions, beliefs – her role in their society had changed with education. Others will follow the suit. One of the most prominent Maasai is Cabinet Minister of Kenya – Professor George Saitoti.

In the Maasai lands one also find some cafes for the tourist trade – The favourite snack is Maru’s Bhajia pioneered by one Gujrati trader in the 1930’s. Several Gujrati shop owners selling provisions in this area speak fluent Maasai language. Exposure to them has also changed Maasai cuisine- they utilise similar tadka to prepare some dishes. Tadka cuisine is called Karoga cuisine.

My close encounter left a lasting impression on my mind of these fearless warrior tribes.

Their pastoral lands are now being acquired by developers who want to spin out high rise apartments to carter for growing urban population. This development not only cuts through their lands but also migration routes of wild animals. Maasai too are one of the tourist attractions nowadays and earn money by performing traditional dances for the tourists. Part of the dance routine is to invite one of the tourists to pretend being a Maasai and dance like them.

In large cities like Nairobi, Maasai are in demand as low paid – night watchmen. Their reputation as fierce warriors with spears provides a backdrop to employ them. Little can a spear wielding night watch man can do faced with armed robbers wielding guns and machine guns.

A traditional dance that has been debased to appease the tourists. Maasai warrior appear to be irresistible to western women, and especially sophisticated white European women from many parts of Europe and America, who carry off their lovers to the west by marrying them. They have glare of publicity in tabloids but most marriages flounder with the ex-massai lover heading back to where he belongs.

Let’s hope they continue to resist change.

One day we may have to launch a campaign to save the Maasai culture, traditions and beliefs.