Forgot to add...Brahmakund was rechristened as Parasuram Kund......:) On Tue, Jun 3, 2008 at 12:20 PM, umesh sharma <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> interesting. I knew of Parshuram's matricide - the great Brahmin killing > his mother and all Kshatriyas (warrior caste) - his birthday is celebrated > with great pomp and show in North India by his caste members. > > Also I was reminded of my 1992 visit to Gomukh glacier alongwith with boys > and girls of my college and three professors, including Dr Seema Parihar , > who was at the India's premeir geography collehe dept (at my college > Kirormal Mal College, Delhi) . Gaumukh glacier as you might recall is where > Mother Ganges (Ganga Ma) originates. > > With or without the "creationist" stories - still popular in some US > biology school textbooks also - rivers are lifeline of humanity. Human > civilizations started on riversides. > > Rivers purify - inside and outside - don't they? > > Umesh > > Manoj Das <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: Well the story goes like this..!! > > Once Brahma was enamored by the beauty of the wife of a great sage (Can't > recall her name off hand). She however gave cold shoulder to Brahmaji's > advances as she was devoted and opposed to any EMI. In the lusty moment > however '*Brahma Beej (sperms)*' fell on the location. The great sage > knowing all through his spiritual television, gave kudos to wife for the > fidelity, being no match to Brahma ignored his momentary lapse and > transferred the 'beej' into a depression in the Himalayas near the Kundil > river. The 'Beej' grew and grew and became a huge lake -'Sarovar', and came > to be known as Brahmaputra and became a seat of great public super sin > cleaner (*tirtha)* over time, 'brahma kund'. > > In another scene. Renuka, the wife of the great but short tempered Rishi, > Jamadagni once went to fetch a pail of water. On the river bank she saw two > 'yakshs' (you can say demi gods) in compromising position and in the act. > She forgot her duty and watched the full show. Jamadagni saw all these in > CCTV and grew wild. He ordered his 6 sons to behead his wife. All but > Parsuram (PR), the youngest and ambitious son , who later became nemesis of > all '*khastriya'*s (warrior class) obeyed his father and slashed his mom's > head with an axe. Having committed 'matricide'- one of the greatest sins, > the axe got super glued to his hands. > > Jamadagni soon rued loss of his wife and devised an escape route. He > granted > PR a boon. PR asked for mom's revival. However his condition remained same. > Poor fellow was in pitiable condition with both his hands stuck to the axe. > Jamadagni couldnot help much and advised him to do a hit and trial by > visiting all tirthas of that time. PR visited all the tirthas in the cow > belt, with zero result. Ultimately he reached the 'brahma kund' on the > easrern Himalayas. By then he lost all hope and probably thought of > amputing > his hands. > > Tired and frustrated, PR dipped his hands into the holy waters of Brahma > Kund as the last try. ASA he lifted his hands, lo and behold! his sins were > erased and the axe came unglued. A grateful and obliged Parsuram now > thought > for greater good and breached one bank of the 'Brahma Kund". Thus > Brahmaputra which is known as 'Luit' there started to flow westward to wash > the sins of millions of people over millenniums. Brahma saw to it that no > other male river would ever be born, and granted his son to reign over the > harem full of all other rivers. > > Interesting na? > > On Tue, Jun 3, 2008 at 10:35 AM, umesh sharma > wrote: > > > Ram-da, > > > > I was guessing the same but the concept seemed unique :-) > > Brahma-putra - the Son of God ( Brahma = the One and only God, Putra = > > Son) > > > > Umesh > > > > > > > > Ram Sarangapani wrote: Umesh, > > > > That would be Brahmaputra or Brahma's son.Supposedly, the only male river > > in > > India, all the rest are feminine. > > > > I am not sure about a river like Ravi in the Punjab - sounds like a male > > name. > > > > --Ram da > > > > > > On 6/2/08, Manoj Das wrote: > > > > > > hi Umesh > > > > > > This male river in question is our 'bor luit'- Only male river in the > > > world..mythologically though..:) > > > > > > On Tue, Jun 3, 2008 at 9:32 AM, umesh sharma > > > wrote: > > > > > > > what is this "male river" > > > > > > > > any misprints? :-) > > > > > > > > Umesh > > > > > > > > Manoj Das wrote: I was thinking this all along! > > > > > > > > When I shared this news with a Japanese thinker from ADB, he was > > > stunned.. > > > > There are many players in this. Number one is Bangladesh, which is > > > > constantly frustrating India's efforts to get transit through the > male > > > > river. Secondly a grand politics of undermining Assam's destined > > position > > > > as > > > > the land bridge between giant Asian land and economic masses. > > > > > > > > mkd > > > > > > > > > > > > On Mon, Jun 2, 2008 at 9:33 AM, Dilip&Dil Deka wrote: > > > > > > > > > Forwarding. > > > > > > > > > > Dilip&Dil Deka wrote: Date: Sun, 1 Jun 2008 > > > > > 20:58:13 -0700 (PDT) > > > > > From: Dilip&Dil Deka > > > > > Subject: Re: [Assam] Los Angeles Times on Northeast India > > > > > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > > > > > > > Dear Sanjib, > > > > > You said, "But are they producing or is it only assembling > > products. > > > I > > > > > don't know the answer. " > > > > > Even Assembling products is better than not doing anything. Mexico > > is > > > > > making a lot of money assembling products for USA. Assembling > > products > > > > > eventually leads to local production if the local entrepreneurs > mean > > to > > > > take > > > > > part in the process. > > > > > Car battery industry is a good example. As I understand, back in > > > > seventies > > > > > batteries were assembled in Assam. I heard that most of the parts > are > > > now > > > > > made in Assam. Is it true? > > > > > Dilipda > > > > > > > > > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > > > > > Dear Dilipda and Mahanta, > > > > > > > > > > Good hearing from you. I am skeptical, as Mahanta has noted. But > not > > > > > because a lot new is not taking place -- but because things that > are > > > > > crucial for a breakthrough are not happenning. There is a much more > > > > > affluent India, and many in Delhi are genuinely committed to doing > > > > > more. So if earlier we talked about 100 crores, now the language is > > of > > > > > 1000 crores. But is money enough? Domestic policy and foreign > policy > > > > > cannot be separated when it comes to Northeast India. Our relations > > > > > with China may be improving in many ways, but not when it comes to > > > > > Arunchal Pradesh. Only last summer China has begun referring to AP > as > > > > > China's Southern Tibet. So long as the Burmese military regime is > > > > > there, huge amount of foreign funds are not going to move in to > build > > > > > infrastructure in Burma. Indian money or Chinese money can do a > > little > > > > > bit of this and that, but not the funds that could be mobilized for > > > > > Northeast india to benefit from India's Look East policy. No matter > > > > > how much we shout about Bangladesh's animosity, the burden of > normal > > > > > relations is on the bigger neighbour as in all such cases of a > > country > > > > > that is far more resourceful than the aggreived smaller neighbor. > We > > > > > may be landocked by India, said a Bangladeshi foreign minister, but > > > > > Northeast india is landlocked by us. So the military man's vision > of > > > > > the Look East policy -- linking up with the Burmese or the > > Bangaldeshi > > > > > army to get support for their anti-insurgency operations--is a very > > > > > poor substitute to the huge leap of resources -- material as well > as > > > > > intellectual -- that is needed for the task. At the same time I am > > > > > willing to say that we do not know the implications of some of the > > > > > huge amount of money that is being spent. There are about 15 daily > > > > > flights from Delhi to Guwahati -- more than any other comparable > > city. > > > > > There is much more energetic road-building (and the massive > > > > > disappearance of trees and of the familiar surroundings around the > > > > > trunk road) etc etc. I know the planes carry many businessmen > taking > > > > > advantage of the tax benefits of investing in the region. But are > > they > > > > > producing or is it only assembling products. I don't know the > answer. > > > > > But we surely need a new language to talk about the region -- > > > > > certainty "neglect" is not what is happenning any more. > > > > > > > > > > Hope all is well. > > > > > > > > > > With warm regards, > > > > > > > > > > Sanjib > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Quoting Chan Mahanta : > > > > > > > > > > > Thanks for sharing the article Baruah. > > > > > > > > > > > > But I share your skepticism. We have heard these for decades on > end > > > > > > now. The politicians attempt to take credit for imaginary > > > > > > achievements and establishment spokespersons paint rosy > scenarios, > > in > > > > > > the air. But what has the reality been? > > > > > > > > > > > > m > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > At 8:33 PM -0400 5/30/08, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > > > > > >> > > > > > > http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-india29-2008may29,0,6712115.story > > > > > >> > > > > > >> From the Los Angeles Times > > > > > >> Northeast India is poised to tap economic potential > > > > > >> The eight-state area plans multiple projects to increase its > trade > > > > > >> with Southeast Asia. > > > > > >> By Shankhadeep Choudhury > > > > > >> Los Angeles Times Staff Writer > > > > > >> > > > > > >> May 29, 2008 > > > > > >> > > > > > >> NEW DELHI - India's remote northeast region has been both > blessed > > > and > > > > > >> cursed by its geography. The region is rich in natural resources > > but > > > > > >> is landlocked and surrounded by China, Myanmar, Bangladesh and > > > Bhutan, > > > > > >> leaving it impoverished. > > > > > >> > > > > > >> The eight-state region may finally get a chance to start living > up > > > to > > > > > >> its economic potential with several projects to enhance > > connections > > > > > >> with Southeast Asia and to increase outlets for such commodities > > as > > > > > >> organic foods, orchids, tea, coal and oil. > > > > > >> > > > > > >> Now, the only way to move major quantities of goods between > > > northeast > > > > > >> India and Southeast Asia is through Bangladesh. > > > > > >> > > > > > >> But authorities in Myanmar and India are nearing final approval > of > > a > > > > > >> $100-million river project giving northeast India direct access > to > > > the > > > > > >> Indian Ocean through Myanmar, said Abhijit Barooah, chairman of > > the > > > > > >> northeastern chapter of the Confederation of Indian Industry, > > > India's > > > > > >> premier business association. > > > > > >> > > > > > >> The project envisages facilitating movement of cargo from > India's > > > > > >> Mizoram state to Myanmar's port at Sittwe, via the Kaladan > River. > > > > > >> > > > > > >> In addition, talks have begun between companies in northeast > India > > > and > > > > > >> Thailand after a trade-promotion conference in Bangkok in > October, > > > > > >> said Lemli Loyi, assistant general manager at the state-run > North > > > > > >> Eastern Development Finance Corp. Loyi expressed hope that the > > talks > > > > > >> would result in increased business and possible joint ventures. > > > > > >> > > > > > >> India first enunciated a "look east" policy, an economic and > > > strategic > > > > > >> orientation toward Southeast Asia, in 1992. It had its genesis > at > > > the > > > > > >> end of the Cold War, after the collapse of the Soviet Union. > > Having > > > > > >> lost the Soviet economic and political support on which it had > > > relied, > > > > > >> the Indian government embarked on a program of free-market > > > > > >> restructuring at home and sought new markets and economic > partners > > > > > >> abroad. > > > > > >> > > > > > >> Officials envisaged that the eight northeast states -- Assam, > > > > > >> Meghalaya, Manipur, Nagaland, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Tripura > > and > > > > > >> Mizoram -- would emerge as a trading hub for two dynamic regions > > > > > >> connected by a network of highways, railways, pipelines and > > > > > >> transmission lines. The region is home to about 40 million > people. > > > > > >> > > > > > >> But progress has been slow. The region's isolation dates to the > > > 1800s. > > > > > >> > > > > > >> "Nineteenth-century British colonial decisions to draw lines > > between > > > > > >> the hills and the plains, to put barriers on trade between > Bhutan > > > and > > > > > >> Assam, and to treat Burma as a buffer against French Indochina > and > > > > > >> China severed the region from its traditional trade routes -- > the > > > > > >> southern trails of the Silk Road," said Sanjib Baruah, a > professor > > > of > > > > > >> political science at Bard College in New York and an expert on > > > > > >> northeast India. > > > > > >> > > > > > >> The British built railways and roads mostly to take tea, coal, > oil > > > and > > > > > >> other resources out of Assam and into the rest of India and also > > to > > > > > >> Europe. > > > > > >> > > > > > >> The problems increased with the partitioning of India and > Pakistan > > > in > > > > > >> 1947. Bangladesh broke away from Pakistan in the 1970s. > > > > > >> > > > > > >> Barooah said trade would be boosted by an expected move by the > > > Indian > > > > > >> and Myanmar governments to expand the list of mostly > agricultural > > > > > >> commodities allowed to be traded by land between northeast India > > and > > > > > >> Myanmar, from 27 to 42 items. > > > > > >> > > > > > >> "The northeast is the closest land mass connecting the dynamic > > > > > >> economies of south and Southeast Asia," said Pradyut Bordoloi, > > > Assam's > > > > > >> minister for power and industries. "Besides deep-rooted cultural > > > > > >> linkages, we can reap multidimensional benefits in this era of > > > > > >> regional economic cooperation." > > > > > >> > > > > > >> Bordoloi is closely associated with a campaign to reopen the > World > > > War > > > > > >> II-era Stillwell Road, connecting Assam's town of Ledo to > > southwest > > > > > >> China. > > > > > >> > > > > > >> "If reopened, this would be the shortest surface route to Yunnan > > > > > >> province of China and other Southeast Asian countries hooking > onto > > > the > > > > > >> trans-Asian highways," he said. > > > > > >> > > > > > >> The road served as the supply line into China during Japan's > > wartime > > > > > >> occupation, but it was shut after India's independence from > > Britain > > > in > > > > > >> 1947. > > > > > >> > > > > > >> Bordoloi said his campaign to reopen the road, initiated after > he > > > > > >> became a state legislator in 1998, scored a victory when India > > > > > >> upgraded the road to a full-fledged national highway, developing > > it > > > up > > > > > >> to the Indo-Myanmar border. > > > > > >> > > > > > >> Officials say infrastructure development, power, bamboo-based > > > > > >> industries, orchids and organic foods are prospective areas of > > > > > >> cooperation with Southeast Asian countries such as Thailand. > > > > > >> > > > > > >> But significant hurdles remain, including concerns that booming > > > trade > > > > > >> relations may fuel rises in insurgency, narco-terrorism and > AIDS, > > > all > > > > > >> of which plague the northeast. Security in the region is tight, > > with > > > > > >> the army out in force to combat armed groups battling for > greater > > > > > >> autonomy or independence from India. > > > > > >> > > > > > >> "The official restrictions that prevail in northeast India -- in > > > terms > > > > > >> of travel, land and labor markets -- are hardly conducive to > > > intensive > > > > > >> cross-border economic relations," said Baruah, the political > > science > > > > > >> professor. > > > > > >> > > > > > >> "Both the reality of insurgencies in the region and the security > > > > > >> anxiety of the government of India . . . are major obstacles to > > > > > >> dynamic cross-border economic ties," he added, calling current > > > efforts > > > > > >> hardly more than "a bare beginning." > > > > > >> > > > > > >> Also, Baruah said, it was difficult to imagine a big increase in > > > trade > > > > > >> given the political situation in military-led Myanmar. > > > > > >> > > > > > >> India's relations with China, a country it has long regarded > with > > > > > >> distrust since a 1962 border war, would also have to become much > > > more > > > > > >> relaxed, Baruah said. > > > > > >> > > > > > >> > > > > > >> > > > > > >> > > > > > >> _______________________________________________ > > > > > >> assam mailing list > > > > > >> [email protected] > > > > > >> http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > > > > assam mailing list > > > > > > [email protected] > > > > > > http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > > > assam mailing list > > > > > [email protected] > > > > > http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > -- > > > > Manoj Kumar Das > > > > C 172 GF, Sarvodaya Enclave > > > > New Delhi 17 India > > > > 0091 9312650558 (HP) 9910972654 > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > > assam mailing list > > > > [email protected] > > > > http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Umesh Sharma > > > > > > > > Washington D.C. > > > > > > > > 1-202-215-4328 [Cell] > > > > > > > > Ed.M. - International Education Policy > > > > Harvard Graduate School of Education, > > > > Harvard University, > > > > Class of 2005 > > > > > > > > http://www.uknow.gse.harvard.edu/index.html (Edu info) > > > > > > > > http://hbswk.hbs.edu/ (Management Info) > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > www.gse.harvard.edu/iep (where the above 2 are used ) > > > > http://harvardscience.harvard.edu/ > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > http://jaipurschool.bihu.in/ > > > > > > > > --------------------------------- > > > > Sent from Yahoo! Mail. > > > > A Smarter Email. > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > > assam mailing list > > > > [email protected] > > > > http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > -- > > > Manoj Kumar Das > > > C 172 GF, Sarvodaya Enclave > > > New Delhi 17 India > > > 0091 9312650558 (HP) 9910972654 > > > _______________________________________________ > > > assam mailing list > > > [email protected] > > > http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > assam mailing list > > [email protected] > > http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org > > > > > > > > --------------------------------- > > Sent from Yahoo! Mail. > > A Smarter Email. > > _______________________________________________ > > assam mailing list > > [email protected] > > http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org > > > > > > -- > Manoj Kumar Das > C 172 GF, Sarvodaya Enclave > New Delhi 17 India > 0091 9312650558 (HP) 9910972654 > _______________________________________________ > assam mailing list > [email protected] > http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org > > > > --------------------------------- > Sent from Yahoo! Mail. > A Smarter Email. > _______________________________________________ > assam mailing list > [email protected] > http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org > -- Manoj Kumar Das C 172 GF, Sarvodaya Enclave New Delhi 17 India 0091 9312650558 (HP) 9910972654 _______________________________________________ assam mailing list [email protected] http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org
