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Witness to a fall [contd]

"Bhils would come in from the jungle with firewood, lumber, fruits and other minor forest produce. There was a small trickle of pilgrims. At Maha Sivaratri however, there would be a larger crowd.

"Sir, it was happy times. There were many ashrams here and students in them. I began my clinic and spent the time looking for the answers that I was to find by the river. But strangely, I was beginning to forget even my questions!

"Then in 1962, our world changed. It was socialist India's shrillest hour! Factories were venerated and industrialisation was believed to be the key to a prosperous India. Up the hill on a new road, in jeeps came engineers and planners. Amarkantak's bauxite was to be mined, the river dammed for power and aluminium smelters were to roll out metal for the nation.

"They began to dynamite the hills for their mines. It went on day and night! Wildlife fled to god knows where. The earth shook and something seemed to rearrange itself deep under.

Sir, within months, we were no longer a swamp; the entire hill drained out! I am sure it was the blasting.

"Then came the townships for the 6 to 8 thousand workers who were to man the mines, the power stations and the smelters. The Bhils were prudent exploiters of the jungle. But now came contractors with government licenses to plunder the forests for the lumber needed to build the new houses.

"In ten years Amarkantak was nothing like it had been for thousands of years before. Less rain fell. The river narrowed. Tourists and pilgrims roared in. Our folks changed. And, Narmada may too."

Nagaraj Sharma paused and took a deep breath. It had been an unsettling lecture in easy Hindi. Delivered by a man, still searching for positive things to do in life that might ameliorate the despair in his heart. Thus, his work with 'right' education.

"Sir, as a young man I was restless with the certainties in ideas that surrounded me. I came here and found in Amarkantak, a place settled in its own certainties. Like I wanted to explore new possibilities, it seems there were others too in government and business, driven here to explore new possibilities they were after.

I wonder if there is a limit to man's need for either ideas or material!

"Ah, well, that is the past of Amarkantak that I can personally vouch for." And then fixing me still with his eyes, he asked: "Do you still want me to tell you what the puranas have to say about this venerable place?"

Child minder

...a vernacular invention

Take a look at this delightful little invention! It is a creation of potters in Rajasthan: a child minder! Women at work let their babies into these terra cotta seats. The child is locked in but has enough room to play! Enjoy it's aesthetics and ergonomics.   [NEXT PAGE]