Just before the lockdown a friend bought a copy and this is what she said.
I have read your book and am very impressed. First of all, I
like the originality of the layout, the quality of the paper and the photographs;
quite unusual these days. The historical background and research you have
undertaken is incredible. It appears there is little that is straightforward in
India, Kashmir or with the people.
Your account of the floods of 2014 and the effect on the
people is very moving. It must have been a terrifying experience for you and
Jean; not the normal holiday experience. Also, your reference to your family
who lived and worked in Kashmir makes your journey and experiences very
personal and moving.
Well done Mike on a fascinating and informative book. I was
half in love with India after my trip but if I return to India, a visit to
Kashmir certainly appeals. Your love and enthusiasm for the region is
infectious!
New Delhi (CNN): The Indian government has one week to review the suspension of internet services in Indian-administered Kashmir following an order from the Supreme Court.The recently created union territory of Jammu and Kashmir has not had internet access for more than 150 days, the longest such shutdown in India.
Internet, mobile phone and landline services were suspended after the government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party, removed partial autonomy of the former state in August. Friday’s ruling came after the country’s top court was responding to a series of petitions challenging the restrictions.The court did not rule whether the internet is to be restored immediately. But the judgment directed that access to the internet is guaranteed under the Constitution as freedom to speech and expression; curtailing that right is unconstitutional if the government does it indefinitely and without legitimate reason.
In October, some mobile phone and landline services were restored.”The court has to say whether the fundamental rights and freedoms of people are being curtailed in accordance with law and Constitution or not. And then the court held that, insofar as the shutdown of internet is concerned, the court said that it is to be recognized that freedom of internet is part of freedom of speech and expression,” said Vrinda Grover, a lawyer representing one of the petitioners in the case, speaking to reporters outside the courthouse. She added that the court had said “freedom of press is impacted by the shutdown of communication and internet.”
Kashmiri journalists protest the internet blockade in Srinagar in October 2019.
The ongoing internet blackout in Indian-controlled Kashmir is now the longest ever in a democracy, according to Access Now, an advocacy group that tracks internet freedom. Only the autocratic governments of China and junta-era Myanmar have cut off access for longer. Kashmiris have been without internet access for so long that WhatsApp has reportedly begun deleting their accounts for inaction.Jammu and Kashmir was put on lockdown August 5 after Modi stripped the state’s autonomy and reclassified it as a union territory. Article 370 of India’s Constitution granted the state — which encompasses the disputed Kashmir region — special status, including the power to have its own Constitution, flag and autonomy over all matters, save for certain policy areas such as foreign affairs and defense. The move was controversial and gives the government in New Delhi greater authority over the disputed Muslim-majority region.Kashmir has been the epicenter of an often-violent territorial struggle between India and Pakistan, as both nuclear-armed neighbors claim it in its entirety.Anticipating public backlash to the move to revoke Article 370, India deployed tens of thousands of additional troops to the region and imposed a communications blackout, travel curfews and roadblocks.
Longest internet shutdown in a democracy
The ongoing internet blackout in Indian-controlled Kashmir is now the longest ever in a democracy, according to Access Now, an advocacy group that tracks internet freedom. Only the autocratic governments of China and junta-era Myanmar have cut off access for longer. Kashmiris have been without internet access for so long that WhatsApp has reportedly begun deleting their accounts for inaction.Jammu and Kashmir was put on lockdown August 5 after Modi stripped the state’s autonomy and reclassified it as a union territory. Article 370 of India’s Constitution granted the state — which encompasses the disputed Kashmir region — special status, including the power to have its own Constitution, flag and autonomy over all matters, save for certain policy areas such as foreign affairs and defense. The move was controversial and gives the government in New Delhi greater authority over the disputed Muslim-majority region.Kashmir has been the epicenter of an often-violent territorial struggle between India and Pakistan, as both nuclear-armed neighbors claim it in its entirety.Anticipating public backlash to the move to revoke Article 370, India deployed tens of thousands of additional troops to the region and imposed a communications blackout, travel curfews and roadblocks.
CNN’s Swati Gupta and Esha Mitra contributed to this report.
“An exhilarating Himalayan journey: a mélange of personal experiences, geology, ancient histories, trade routes, the great flood, conflicting religions, politics, and militancy in one of the most volatile parts of the world, leading to the brink of war.”
It is relevant now due to the current lockdown in Kashmir and the dangerous standoff between India and Pakistan.
The eminent historian John Keay has written the Prologue and has sent me this encouraging comment: “Congratulations; this is a serious book, beautifully produced and full of bold insights. I shall treasure it, so professional.”
The book is now available online. It can only be obtained from this website (not Amazon, Waterstones etc.). Copies cost £25.00 plus £3.70 shipping via PayPal – UK only.
Local collection by hand (from Reading) can be arranged.
228 pages beautifully printed on fine art paper. The text is supplemented by many b/w photographs by the author.
If you wish to buy a copy from outside the UK please go to GET IN TOUCH on the Menu bar and leave your contact details. They are safe. PayPal produces an invoice for payment; it’s quick and simple.
For updates please go to the NEWS AND COMMENT blog – below the logo on the Menu bar
Some of you will know that I have been following this subject closely since my first visit to Orissa (now Odisha) in 1999. The Vedanta Company wanted to take vast quantities of high grade bauxite from the Niyamgiri Hills which are sacred to the Dongria tribe. The case went to the Supreme Court and the decision left to the tribe who rejected Vedanta’s proposal. It appears that Vedanta continue in their quest using insidious methods including harassment.
Please read the link below and I hope you will sign this important petition. Thank you.
Survival International is a great cause. Please watch this 3 min clip about uncontacted tribes and support. Click on the highlight or double click on the image to open in a new window.
Remember the huge support they gave to the Dongria Kondh tribe in their battles against Vedanta’s proposals to remove 30 metres of Bauxite from the top of the sacred Niyamgiri hills in Odisha.
The Ministry for Tribal Affairs has launched a Tribal Resource Centre in Bhubaneswar, the capital of Odisha (formerly Orissa) State. It is known as Vanjeevan and here are self-explanatory articles from the Orissa Post and the Times of India. This seems to be the Centre’s new website and as I understand it Vanjeevan as an overarching NGO. Please post a comment if you know anything more. Thanks.
A great cultural event is going on in Reading, in a prison of all places. The New County Gaol was opened in 1844 as a prototype and partly based by on the design of Pentonville Prison in London. The architect was George Gilbert Scott who was later to achieve fame for his iconic design of the Midland Hotel at St. Pancras and the Albert Memorial. He was followed by architect sons and grandsons, notably Sir Giles Gilbert Scott to whom we owe the K2 red telephone box and Liverpool Cathedral. This venue is fascinating in itself and there is much to learn about prison life, the inmates, the public hangings, the exercise wheel, and the Chapel where no prisoner could see another.
Oscar Wilde brought fame to Reading Gaol for reasons that are almost unimaginable today. But this major art event is not only about him, his writings such as De Profundis (letters to Bosie), it is also about others who were homosexual, incarcerated, trapped, abused, rejected and so on. I was greatly moved by a letter from Binyavanga Wainaina to his dead mother, in which he reveals his love for another man; he could not say this while he was a live. It’s wrong I suppose to pick on a couple of people that touched me but I had never heard of Marlene Dumas. She conveys intense emotions through slightly awkward portraits of people such as Jean Genet with minimal colour. These are haunting images.
When I went yesterday a film-maker was a making a video to transmit in Brazil News. This is a worldwide event and must be seen if you can. It was due to end shortly but it has proved to be so popular that it will continue until 4th December 2016. Click on Artangel Reading for more information all necessary contacts.
The recent news from Kashmir of stone pelting, firing metal pellets etc. at children and ‘protestors’ has been reported widely but rarely has it been put in the context of how reporters have to work these days. This article from Scroll-in by David Devadas describes how things have changed over the years and how little respect many reporters now enjoy. I don’t think this is unique to Kashmir. The speed at which news travels and the thirst for a scoop has got way out of order. Incidentally I have experienced this recently first-hand in the UK. The article is well worth reading.
Things have been hotting up lately with the death of the young Burwan Wani of the Hizbul Mujahideen and his orchestrated funeral which has virtually made him into a martyr. This article “why India must not blink” strikes me as very clear and even handed for those who want to take Pakistan out of the equation. Swarajya describes itself as “a big tent for liberal right of centre discourse that reaches out, engages and caters to the new India”
Recently I took part in a Q and A discussion with Vinayak Razdan, a writer and game developer based in Kochi. We had met last year travelling in Kashmir and talked about his homeland, the effect of the militancy, that started in 1989/90 on Kashmiri Muslims who fled and Kashmiri Pandits (KPs) who were forced out of the Valley, the Indian Army, Pakistan, and the many issues that still face the troubled State of Jammu and Kashmir.
Last Saturday 21st May the Economic & Political Weekly published one of our conversations, which follows the pronouncement by PM Narendra Modi of his wish to establish three colonies so that Kashmiri Pandits can return to the Valley. The article is titled ‘The Pandit Questions‘ – please click on the highlight to read the article.
It came as no surprise that the Odisha Mining Corporation (OMC), which holds the lease for land in the bauxite laden Niyamgiri Hills, would try a rerun to get last October’s decision overturned. This would enable the huge Vedanta Mining Co. to strip millions of tonnes of bauxite to supply its well-established enormous Lanjigarh refinery. The OMC asked for a referendum in January and this time the Supreme Court has said ‘NO’. For now the homeland of the Dongria Kondh is safe.
On Monday 23rd May Vedanta published a rebuttal saying “to date neither OMC nor Vedanta has acquired any land in the Niyamgiri Hill ranges” and Vedanta “is not seeking to source bauxite from Niyamgiri bauxite deposits for its alumina refinery operations, and will not do so unless we have the consent of the local communities.”
The papers and TV have been full of images of Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge on their first visit to India and what a start. Never mind the dress let’s play cricket!
42 year-old Sachin Tendulkar, the worldwide legend, turned up at the Oval Maidan in Mumbai for a game with local children and the Royals of course. A journalist friend has kindly sent these excellent photographs which tell the story. And take a look at Kate’s determined expression.
Photos courtesy of Anil Raina of Mumbai Mirror
There is a more serious side which is to promote awareness for children’s’ charities.
This flyover was under construction in a densely populated area of Kolkata. Early this morning a section collapsed in five seconds and trapped people underneath. Many people came to the rescue and to remove rubble by hand. Large machines could not get near.
So far eighteen people are feared to be dead. The cause is not known and will be investigated. There is a suspicion that the materials used by subcontractors were inadequate; builders say it was an “Act of “God”.
On a recent visit to Central India I saw many other such flyovers being built over the centre of large towns.
Postscript to Paris – Saturday 14 November 2015
I posted the unfinished piece about Paris at 4.am and went to bed completely drained, despondent and almost desperate for the human race. Now the news is everywhere but at the time I was astonished by the power of the story as it emerged through sound only. Continue reading →
As I write this I am listening to the radio at night. Only two hours ago there was a report of a shooting in a restaurant close to the Stade de France where France was playing in a friendly football match against Germany. Several people were shot dead, currently believed to be 40.
Since then there have been five more shootings across Paris and it seems like a coordinated terrorist attack. Continue reading →
As I awoke today Sky news announced a massive earthquake somewhere in Pakistan, Afghanistan and North India. Clearly this was a big one and as it turned out during the day the epicentre was near Jurm, Badakhshan, Afghanistan and recorded as 7.5 on the Richter scale. It was enough to stop the Metro in New Delhi for fifteen minutes, 1200 miles away, but much more seriously at least 280 people nearer to the source have been killed so far. That number is likely to increase.
With the wonders of modern Internet, when it’s working in North India, we were able to establish within just a few minutes that our friends in Kashmir were safe.
Names such as Leh, Ladakh, Shalimar, Kashmir, and Amritsar arouse, excite, and beckon any curious traveller. Last year our regular agents TransIndus in London put together one of our most memorable trips. We had not been that far north in India and like many others before us were hooked by Kashmir. Through Mascot Houseboats (new website imminent) I learnt about the curious phenomenon of the houseboat born out of Maharajah Ranbir Singh’s refusal in the 1880s to allow outsiders like the British to cool off in the summer months and build on Kashmiri land. Thus this amazing floating tradition was established.
Nageen Lake – Srinagar
I have written about the record-breaking floods of September but it never occurred to me that some people would not know about the houseboats of Kashmir. So above is a general view across Nageen Lake that gives some idea. The boats, in varying condition, are big too, anything from 60 to 150 feet long, with two to four bedroom suites and about 14 feet wide. Then there is a small pantry for serving the dining room, a large lounge leading to the num or verandah. A true palace.
It is the craftsmanship that really impresses. I was lucky to see various stages in the restoration of a near wrecked hulk hauled out of the mud and after two years work, a mountain of bureaucracy, permits etc. it is due to be complete and ready for letting this month. Everything is carved and these two photographs just hint at the quality. It may even be the last of such fine work.
Kashmir Garden – unfinished panel (detail) with the carving tools
The Archaeological Survey of India has discovered a 5000 year-old step well at Dholavira according to the Times of India. Moreover it is three times the size of the Great Bath at Mohenjo-Daro, one of its best known structures. Overall the reservoir is rectangular – 73.4m long x 29.3m wide and 10 m deep. It seems that this discovery shows a deeper excavation with rough steps down to the water level. The superintending ASI archaeologist thinks there may be other reservoirs and wells yet to be discovered and spot analyses will be done in December. And he hopes to find the ancient shoreline when Dholavira was a significant port. This find raises the reservoir to be greatest known ancient example in India.
Step well – Oct 2014
Anyone who has been to Dholavira from Bhuj will know that it’s not a casual outing. An early start, chai at Raipur, a long country drive northwards, then the long causeway across the Rann of Kutch to Khadir Island, which was once a major link to open sea and is now enclosed by salt flats. When I got to the museum no one was there apart from the curator who locked up and showed us round, quite an experience. Even then there were at least 16 large fresh water reservoirs fed by monsoon channels. Only discovered in 1967 Dholavira is acknowledged to be one of the top five Indus Valley Civilisation cities. Now its importance has gone up even further and worth a major detour.
About the book:
e as no surprise that the Odisha Mining Corporation (OMC), which holds the lease for land in the bauxite laden Niyamgiri Hills, would try a rerun to get last October’s decision overturned. This would enable the huge Vedanta Mining Co. to strip millions of tonnes of bauxite to supply its well-established enormous Lanjigarh refinery. The OMC asked for a referendum in January and this time the Supreme Court has said ‘NO’. For now the homeland of the Dongria Kondh is safe.
This flyover was under construction in a densely populated area of Kolkata. Early this morning a section collapsed in five seconds and trapped people underneath. Many people came to the rescue and to remove rubble by hand. Large machines could not get near.
Indian state Odisha is planning to revive Vedanta Resources’ bauxite mining project ….. 
