India of 1950s

India of early fifties

India was not an Industrial Nation in early fifties . Most  manufactured articles were imported - bicycle, motor cycle, car, radio, pen and even pencils. In my school days one of the popular brands of pencil was yellow in colour and with a small rubber eraser at the other end

. It was manufactured in Czechoslovakia and the price was two anna.

Rupee was then a powerful currency . Purchasing power of  rupee was good . For example 100 grams of butter was less than eight anna (50 paisa) and Polson was the most popular butter.

1 kilo of ghee cost little less than 5 rupees. Best quality Badam (almonds) cost Rs.5 a ser (slightly less than a kilo- 933 grams) . A 64 pages good quality copybook cost three annas and  a big loaf of bread was for  4 Anna (25 paise).

Ticket for first class in cinema halls was for Rs.1and 5 anna. A good cup of tea cost two anna and a full meal was available for a eight anna or less.

Bicycles were very popular Even senior government officers came to office on bicycles. Bicycle users were required to pay an annual licence fee of Rupee 1 for a bicycle and the metal licence plate was usually inserted in  the front spokes of bicycle wheel . Licence for possessing a radio was also there - 5 rupees per year for use of a radio. Raleigh and Hercules were the popular brands of bicycles imported from England.

Very few people owned cars. All  cars were imported - from USA and UK. American cars were big and heavy such as chevrelet, Ford and studibekar. British cars were smaller such as Hillmen and Morris.

.

 I forgot to tell you that in those days the  rupee consisted of 16 Anna and there were four paisa in one anna. we did not have metric system in those days weight was measured in SER and CHHATANK . There were 16 chhatank in one ser which was  equivalent to 933 grams.

More sometime later . . .

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Market blues in early days of independence

The British rule in India robbed India of its own industries to a very large extent. The British were never intersted in industrialisation  India sent raw materials to Britain and imported British manufactured goods . In stead of installing manufacturing facilities in India they preferred to depend on imports from Britain and other European countries for the own benefits. Even ordinary use item like  pencils , nibs for cheap holder pens , biscuits, tinned food items and so many other things were imported from other countries. 

When India become  independent it had to protect its economy. Therefore it became necessary to introduce very heavy custons duty on imported items to save foreign exchange and help india's own industries develop. But development of industries takes time. Meanwhile the result was that there was a crisis of availability of consumer products.

Until shaving razor blades were an imported item. There was not a single razor blade manufacturing  unit.  So when imort was restricted these good quality blades become very expensive  in India. . 7 o'clock and Gillette blades were available for a very high price.  people used to prolong the life of theses blades by using a blade sharpener (available in blue or light green colour).

 As far as I remember the first blade manufactured in India some time in the 1950s was Bharat blade which was available for four Anna's for a pack of 5  blades.

It was a very poor quality blade and one needed alum to  rub on the tiny cuts from this blade during shaving.

This was the period when India was in the process of starting industrialisation from a total neglect by British rulers. The first good quality blade became available only in 1966.

I  remember that one day  in  the latter half of 1966 the first good Indian blade hit the market. It was Erasmic Silk Edge blade which was of a quality matching imported blades and it was  not expensive at all.

The price was 50 paise for a pack of 5 blates and in the days following there was a big rush to buy these high quality blades.

Similar is the story of wristwatches.  After independence, due to high customs duty, wristwatches became a very expensive item. By 1967 one had to part with around Rs.300 rupees to buy a standard imported watch (equal to around Rs. 30000  rupees of today). Good quality popular brands of wrist watches became out of reach of common man.

And then in 1967 came the first Indian watch - HMT Janata watch.

There was initially a huge rush at the sales points and I remember I purchased my first HMT Janata watch for a family member for rupees 107 and 50 paisa by standing in a long queue at the Patel Chowk GPO building in Delhi.

Today very good quality battery watches are dirt cheap.

The first refrigerator for home use  manufactured by Godrej company was available in 1958  for a price of a little over rupees two thousand which is around 2 lakhs rupees of today. It was very expensive but unlike the fragile refrigerators of today it was an all stainless steel refrigerator and many of the refrigerators of those days of Godrej and other companies were working even after 40 years.

it was only in early nineties  that floodgates for imports were opened in India and suddenly the world was our market  ! Refrigerator was downgraded from the list of luxury items and taxes were drastically reduced. With cheaper components and low taxes refrigerators gradually became cheaper and cheaper and became part of the essential household items  even in lower middle class people.

डाकिया और मोबाइल फोन की मार

 कुछ आवाजें है जो अब हमे नहीं सुनाई देती है । उनमे से एक आवाज है पोस्टमैन की

जो एक खास अंदाज में  आवाज लगाता था - (पोस्ट मन्न) घर पर चिट्ठी डालने से पहले , ताकि घर के लोगों को पता चल जाए कि चिट्ठी आई है।

फिर तो घर के कई सदस्य में दौड़ लग जाती थी कि कौन उठाएगा चिट्ठी।

कुछ दशक पहले तक एक दूसरे से संपर्क का माध्यम चिट्ठी ही था। ढाई आने (बाद में 15 पैसे) का एक लिफाफा होता था

,10 पैसे का अंतर्देशीय पत्र

और तीन पैसे का पोस्टकार्ड।

  जरा सोचिए 3 पैसे के पोस्ट कार्ड में आप चिट्ठी लिखते थे , यहां से मुंबई में रहने वाले अपने किसी रिश्तेदार को। लाल रंग के लेटर बॉक्स में डालते थे

फिर बाद में एक पोस्टमैन आता था और लेटर बॉक्स  से सभी चिट्टियां को निकाल कर एक बड़े थैले मे पोस्ट ऑफिस ले जाता था। वहां  चिट्ठियों की छटाई होती थी। अलग-अलग शहरों के  थैलौं में भरकर रेलवे स्टेशन एक लाल रंग की गाड़ी

से ले जाई जाती थी। रेलगाड़ी में भी RMS यानी रेलवे मेल सर्विस का एक लाल रंग का डिब्बा होता था

जिसमें सभी  थैले भर दिए जाते थे रास्ते में आने वाले शहरों के  प्लेटफार्म में यह थैले फेंक दिया जाते थे। फिर एक लाल रंग की बस में रख कर पोस्ट ऑफिस ले जाया जाता था। पोस्ट ऑफिस में अलग-अलग मोहल्लों के चिट्ठियों को अलग-अलग मोहल्लों के पोस्टमैन  अपनी साइकिल में लेकर  घरों में डाल दिया करते थे।

यह सब काम के लिए आपको सिर्फ कुछ पैसे ही देने होते थे .

ऐसी ही जो दूसरी चीज अब लगभग गायब ही हो गई है वह है टेलीग्राम ।

आप लंबी दूरी का सफर तय कर के पहुंचते थे दूसरे शहर में तो वहां से टेलीग्राम करते थे अपने घर को "Reached Safely" और इन दो शब्दों के टेलीग्राम के लिए आपको पोस्ट ऑफिस जाना पड़ता था एक फॉर्म भरना पड़ता था और पैसे देने होते थे। फिर MORSE CODE की मशीन पर आपका संदेश दूसरे शहर को भेजा जाता था

जहां पोस्ट ऑफिस के कर्मचारी एक टेलीग्राम फॉर्म में  लिखकर आपके घर पर भेजते थे । 

 आजकल शहर की सड़कों पर लाल रंग के लेटर बॉक्स करीब करीब खाली पड़े रहते हैं टेलीग्राम सर्विस बंद हो चुकी है  मनीऑर्डर भी बहुत ही कम लोग करते होंगे।

 धीरे धीरे पोस्ट ऑफिस का स्वरूप बदलता जा रहा है और डाकिए की परिभाषा भी।

 अखबार और टेलीविजन का भविष्य भी धूमिल हो गया है । 

कुछ हद तक सिनेमाघरों का भी  बुरा दिन आ रहा है। 

अगले कुछ सालों में बड़े-बड़े Malls भी ग्राहकों को तरसेंगे जब अधिकांश लोग अपने मोबाइल का इस्तेमाल करके घर पर ही सामान मंगवा आएंगे - अमेज़न फ्लिपकार्ट , बिग बास्केट जैसी बड़ी कंपनियों से।

  मोबाइल फोन की मार से सभी कुछ बदल रहा है।

***

आलू और क्रिस्टोफर कोलंबस

आलू और क्रिस्टोफर कोलंबस 

छठी क्लास की हिस्ट्री की किताब में आपने कोलंबस का नाम तो सुना ही होगा।

यह वही आदमी है जिसकी वजह से आज यूनाइटेड स्टेट्स ऑफ अमेरिका और कनाडा जैसे देश मौजूद है। यह योरप का निवासी था ।इसका शेर का दिल था। समुद्र में निकल पड़ा तूफानों को झेलता हुआ भारत की खोज करने । पर जहाज भारत जाने की जगह  पहुंच गया अमेरिका के पूर्वी तट पर अटलांटिक को पार करता हुआ। और उसने समझा कि भारतवर्ष आ गया है ।

उसके बाद तो हजारों लोग अटलांटिक पार कर उधर पहुंचे - यूरोप से । और अमेरिका को गोरी चमड़े वालों का देश बना दिया।

  हां तो उसी अमेरिका में किसी जमाने में आलू हुआ करता था बाकी दुनिया में जिस को पुरानी दुनिया कहा जाता था कहीं आलू पैदा नहीं होता था। मतलब आप जो आलू की टिक्की खा रहे हैं या आलू के पराठे यह सब कोलंबस की ही मेहरबानी है। 

हुआ यह कि कोलंबस के बाद यूरोप के देशों वाले और खासकर  स्पेन वाले भी अमेरिका आ धमके और दक्षिणी अमेरिका भी पहुंच गए । वहां पेरू और बोलीविया मैं उन्होंने आलू की खेती देखी और आलू के बीज लेकर वापस आ गए। फिर तो पूरे विश्व में आलू की खेती होने लगी।

इसका मतलब आप समझ रहे हैं कि नहीं ?  मतलब यह हुआ कीजिए आप रोज जो आलू गोभी , आलू मटर , आलू बैगन की सब्जी खाया करते हैं वह 16 वीं सदी के पहले कोई नहीं खाता था। सम्राट अशोक को नहीं पता था कि आलू के पराठे का क्या स्वाद है न चंद्रगुप्त विक्रमादित्य को। अमेरिका को छोड़कर आलू के बारे में बाकी संसार को कुछ पता ही नहीं था 16 वीं सदी तक। 

जाते जाते एक बात बता दूं । भारत और  मेक्सिको की कई खाने पीने की चीजें एक जैसी है । शायद प्राचीन काल में कोई संबंध रहा हो । हम लोग जो रोटी खाते हैं वही रोटी वह भी खाते हैं उसी तरह की पर उसे टॉर्टिला कहते हैं ।

और भी कई चीजें हैं मेक्सिको के बारे में पर उन्हें बाद में बताऊंगा।

***

कद्दू

कद्दू

उत्तरी भारत में इसके कई नाम है कोई सीताफल कहता है कोई काशिफल कहता है कोई कुम्हड़ा कहता है कोई कद्दू कहता है। इस की सूखी सब्जी बहुत अच्छी  बनती है । इसे पूरी के साथ खाने में आनंद आ जाता है। 

इसके बीज जिनको मगजकद्दू भी कहते हैं बहुत गुणकारी का भी होते हैं दिमाग के लिए। आजकल वैज्ञानिक कहते हैं कि यह फल विटामिन मिनरल्स से भरपूर है पर बचपन में सुनते आए थे कि कद्दू की तरकारी में कुछ नहीं होता। खैर अब  कह रहे हैं कि यह दिमाग के लिए बहुत अच्छी चीज है तो मान लेते हैं।

 एक सज्जन थे इलाहाबाद यूनिवर्सिटी के हॉस्टल में रहते थे

बाद में बहुत ऊंचे पद से रिटायर हुए । आप मे से कई लोग उनको जानते भी होंगे । बचपन में सुना बहुत मोटे थे वह। तो उनका नाम कद्दू रख दिया गया था। फिर किसी बढ़िया अंग्रेजी स्कूल में उनके शिक्षा हुई तो नाम को ट्विस्ट दे दिया गया । नाम का अंग्रेजी करण हो गया। आज भी लोग जो पुराने समय के हैं इलाहाबाद विश्वविद्यालय के , वह उन्हें  उसी नाम से जानते हैं।

अमेरिका में एक त्यौहार मनाया जाता है 31 अक्टूबर को हर साल हेलोवीन नाम से । इसमें कद्दू का बहुत महत्व होता है । सब लोग पका हुआ कद्दू खरीदते हैं और उसके तरह-तरह के डिजाइन बनाते हैं।

जर्मनी में भी एक कद्दू का त्यौहार मनाया जाता है जिसे कहते हैं1 Ludwigsburg Pumpkin Festival. इसके अलावा कुछ अन्य   देशों में भी कद्दू का त्यौहार मनाया जाता है। यह सभी त्यौहार मस्ती से भरे होते हैं।

बाहर सब्जीवाला आवाज लगा रहा है

तो अब जाता हूं कद्दू खरीदने।

***

romancing with cars

ROMANCING WITH CARS

The first motor car in my life was my own motor car, dark red in colour and driven by peddling.  That was when I was just three years old . I remember often peddling this kid's car on an empty road with my parents walking by my side as they went to visit a neighbour.

The first real car in my life was a black T model Ford owned by a friend of my father who used to occasionally take us for a spin with the hood of the car thrown back.

When I was in class 6th my father acquired a second hand Land Rover. it was green in colour and the top was that of canvas. He used to take us out for a ride  in the evening.

This car stayed with us for several years and had a very powerful engine. At the age of 13  I was given driving  lessons on this car secretly by our  driver Ram Aasrey . For the next few years while the car was with our family I used to drive it occasionally on empty roads.

The next Big moment in my romancing with cars was when I was 19 year old and suddenly came across a massive  brand new shining maroon Impala . It was refreshing in design.

I consider the years from 1930 to 1970 as the golden years in car designing.  Some of the most beautiful cars of that era still fascinate people when they roll out on their special day of vintage cars parade. 

VIASHNO DEVI TEMPLE

Vaishno Devi Temple in Jammu in India is one of the most visited temples in India

It is dedicated to Vaishno Devi, one of the incarnations of Goddess Lakshmi.

The  idols of Mahakali, Mahalaxmi and mahasaraswati , all images of Vaishno Devi , are worshipped at the temple.

The temple is at a height of 1,584.96 m (5,200 ft), 12 km from Katra on Trikuta hill. It is about 61 km from Jammu city. 

The Rameshwaram temple

The Char Dham Temple Rameshwaram 

One of the holiest temples of India is in Rameshwaram.

Rameshwaram is a municipality in the Ramanathapuram district of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is on Pamban Island separated from mainland India by the Pamban channel and is about 40 kilometres from Mannar Island, Sri Lanka. 

Rameshwaram is part of the Char Dham pilgrimage of Hindus other dhams being at Dwarika , Badrinath and  Puri.

The Badrinath Temple

TEMPLES OF INDIA

Situated near the Alaknanda River,  Badrinath Temple, dedicated to Bhagwan Sri Vishnu, is in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand, India . It is one of the Char Dhams of Hindu religion.

Char Dham are the sacred temples dedicated to Lord Vishnu or his incarnations (avatars). The four sacred places are in Badrinath(Uttarakgand) Rameshwaram (Tamilnadu), Puri (Orissa) and Dwarka (Gujarat).

Adi Shankaracharya was the driving force behind the preeminence of these four temples of incarnations of Bhagwan Shri Vishnu

The Temple is open for only six months every year (between the end of April and the beginning of November), because of extreme weather conditions in the Himalayan region.

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The Dwarikadheesh temple Gujarat

The Dwarikadheesh temple is located at Dwarika city of Gujarat on the west coast of India.

It is one of the  Char Dham, a Hindu pilgrimage circuit. The other three Char Dham temples are at Badri nath in Uttarakhand, in Puri ine Orissa and in Rameshwaram in Tamil Nadu in the north, in the East and in the south of India respectively.

The Dwarikadhish temple is dedicated to the Sri Krishna,  who is worshiped here by the name Dwarkadhish.

In establishing the importance of Char Dham Adi Shankaracharya towers above all as he single-handedly revived Hinduism with his erudite philosophy and compassion.

It was he who propounded the concept of the Char Dham temples. He also established the famous Shankaracharya Peethams or Mathas in the four directions for the study and propagation of the four Vedas.

***

Shri Jagannath Puri temple

SRI JAGANNATH TEMPLE  PURI

Sri Jagannath Temple is one of the CHAR DHAM Hindu temples. 

It is in PURI  in the state of Odisha (India) on the eastern coast of India.

The temple was built by the Ganga dynasty king Anantavarman Chodaganga in the 12th century CE, as suggested by the Kendupatna copper-plate inscription of his descendant Narasimhadeva II.

The Puri temple is famous for its annual Ratha Yatra, or chariot festival

The 1803 NORTH INDIA EARTHQUAKE

PAGES FROM HISTORY

THE 1803 NORTH INDIA EARTHQUAKE

 

On the morning of 1st September 1803 at 1.30 am an earthquake struck north India with the likely epicenter somewhere in Uttarkashi. It sent Shockwaves over a large area of north India from Punjab to Calcutta. 

The earthquake damaged the upper part of Qutub Minar in Delhi and  Imaumbarah in Lucknow. 

At Barahat , Uttarkashi,  the earthquake laid great part of it in ruins, and killed over 300 of the inhabitants, besides great numbers of cattle. Srinagar (Garhwal) was turned into ruins. The magnitude of the earthquake was likely to be around Eight.

Here is a link for details:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/1803_Garhwal_earthquake

 

KRISHNA'S BUTTER BALL

Krishna's butterball

From Chennai you have to travel a distance of about 56 km. via east coast road to Mahabalipuram. There are many attractions there including a wonderful beach , a very ancient beach Temple and Krishna's butterball.

Krishna's butterball  ( also known also as 'Vaan irai Kal" ) is a  massive  granite boulder, resting on a slope at  this historic Mahabalipuram beach in Tamilnadu India for hundreds of years.

The rock’s position is quite astonishing as it looks like Asif  rock would roll down the slope any moment.

BIRLA MANDIR

Temples of India - Birla Mandir

Long time back when  I first visited Hyderabad by train, I was caught wonderstruck by the sight of a glowing white marble Temple on the Hill Top

as my train chugged around the beautiful lake on its way to Hyderabad railway Station.This was one of the several Vishnu temples Birla family built across India

From 1939 onwards the Birla family built several beautiful  Vishnu temples across India  (popularly known Birla Mandir). These temples are made of marble or. Red Stone.

Here is Wikipedia giving details:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birla_Mandir

ELEMETARY DOCTOR WATSON !!

ELEMENTARY DOCTOR WATSON  !!

When it rains,  some water goes down the drain and into the river , some water seeps through mud and grass to go underground.  The water that seeps underground raises the water table. 

 If underground water is pumped out constantly without replenishment,  a void is created underground

.. This  is likely to create a serious crisis in not so distant a future. The trees whose roots are not very deep stop getting water from underground and they dry up . With water level further going down, big trees also dry up ,  lakes also dry up. 

And finally  the  land start sinking . And a fertile land eventually turns into a desert.

That is why it is important to leave a lot of land in the cities unpaved so that water table gets  constantly replenished in a natural way.

Unless we learn to live with nature,  nature will strike back in more ways than one.