Randomrandom: April 2010

Thursday, April 22, 2010

To Sikkim And Back

Sikkim University, a 32 month university held its first convocation in Gangtok. I was most happy to be part of this grand moment. (Photograph) Gangtok from the hotel window.

The Kanchanjunga remained in a hide-and-seek mode for those ( like me) who woke up at 6 and not at 5 am.

An old Sikkim post/Photograph

Carnival

Rongali Bihu in Assam is "a unique new year festival. In reality it is a carnival" This photograph, was taken at Karbi Anglong district of Assam.

The Kaziranga Trail

Was most happy to have Sapta ( dear old friend) in Assam just after Bheblu, Priyo, Beq and Sue left. Our little friend is in love with Sapta. Look at the photograph.

Sunday, April 18, 2010

Trade Unions, Tea bodies and the government in Assam have decided to give an increment to labourers in tea gardens. All this has been done probably keeping in mind the state elections in 2011. Sadly, post-raise it appears that the trade unions have stayed on in negotiations as a yes-body. The wage increment is just one small example of labour exploitation. Not just Assam and tea, it is a trend across India.

These labourers, asked us for money half-jokingly when they were being photographed. The tea industry not just in Assam but across India has come out of a slump after almost 10 years. When we met the top policy guys in tea, they said that it is a labour intensive industry and wages should not judged on the basis of money alone. We were told that there are also a lot of other benefits ( like subsidised ration/medical care) given to the workers. And now a raise.What is the raise amount? Rs 18 over a period of 45 months. How will the raise play out. In the first 15 months, the raise will be Rs 8. In the next 15 months, the raise will be Rs 5. And as a third and final installment Rs 5 will be increased in the next 15 months.

Sombaru works in a tea estate in Assam. A gentle, welcoming and helpful soul, he looks after labourers involved in plantation. A supervisory position that gives him the title of sardar. We met him near Kaziranga. When informed that the wages of daily labourers have been increased from Rs 58 per day to Rs 66 per day, he was clueless. We found out that wages are often paid in these gardens not on a daily basis and only per week. Subsidised ration that the labourers are entitled to is also not up to the mark.

Saturday, April 3, 2010

Picture Yourself On A Boat In A River

Majuli is the world's largest fresh water mid-river deltaic island. That's what everyone says. But some are not too sure about the claim. Majuli was once, 1,200 square kilometre. A web search and recent satellite images reveal that the island is now anything between 577 and 875 square kilometre. As Amar Grover writes in 2006, December issue of Geographical, " each year several square kilometres of the island, simply disappear"

This 100 feet long monstrous boat does three trips from Nimatighat to Majuli every day. We took the 10.30 am ride.

Everyone is up and ready to be in Majuli after a one and half hour ride on the Bramhaputra

Sunayana and her son Rahul with the happy group of women from Majuli. It appeared that they are regulars on the boat, old friends---travelling on the Bramhaputra, in and out of Majuli.

Krishna--the icon of the island? Some say that Majuli is the epicentre of culture in Assam. Probably, all began when in 16th Century, social reformer Srimanta Sankardeva came here and began spreading a more accessible form of Vaishnavite culture.

The boat moves. And those who are on it everyday, go about their routine. For them it might be just a boat and just a journey.

When do I cross the river? My journey, it continues and continues.

Overwhelmed at/on being photographed. (Sunayana and Priyodorshi noticed this). Most of them appeared to be followers of Krishna( or at least a deep faith in Krishna's divine powers), some of them were widows. On a 90 minute boat ride, we hardly got their stories. Stories probably hidden behind their smiles and helpful nature.