Scope of enhancement Mountain Adventure activities in Himalayan Countries

Scope of enhancement Mountain Adventure activities  in Himalayan Countries

India, Nepal & Sikkim all these countries are having a common heritage of The Himalayas which is east to west. The Himalayas regions are  great natural, cultural for which   the travelers, explorers are coming again and again to explore the region. A good numbers of publications in print and electronic is available for adventure-loving people, film producers, artisans, writers,  research scholars and so on. The Himalayan scenes are important shots of films.

For mountaineering activities In India the apex body is Indian Mountaineering Foundation IMF (IMF). In Nepal, it is Nepal Tourism. In India, good numbers of foreign tourists visit India Himalayas for trekking, skiing, mountaineering, white water rafting, and skydiving. In the past IMF had organised programs for seminars, climbing for both the Indian and foreign climbers. These camps in nature have a great impact on understanding each other in a natural environment.

Our North-East states have the great potentiality for enhancing mountain tourism in a big way. Our neighboring states have joined the training programs, mainly the adventure course conducted by the mountaineering institutes located in our country.

In the past to promote such activities the individual and civil society efforts were undertaken in the past. In 1977, Thimpu &  Paro  of Bhutan, 1997 and 1997 to Bangladesh an Indian citizen went to Bangladesh Scouts and took part in their Radio programs to disseminate the information of the scope of adventure activities available in India  at Dacca and Sylhet. A continuous effort is on through internet postings.

Even at the city base activities like a wall, climbing may be interesting with very little experience, time and resources. The existing facilities may be used for income-generating for the youths maybe during the better season. It may be ideal if such a thing can be started initially for the students who are studying in our universities across the countries. The civil society may be interested to initiate, conduct and review the same for the betterment of such activities.

Buddhist practioners, in India in the last century as observed by an Indian

Buddhist practioners, in India in the last century as observed  by an Indian

Recently there was an International seminar on Asian connectivity, it was held at New Delhi. Another connectivity of Buddhism in Asia was organised by Maulana Abul Kaklm Azad Institute of Asian Studies of Kolkata

I was thinking my personal experiences of Buddhist personnel with whom I have mate, worked in different situations and observation I have noticed as an individual.

I had friends who were originally from Chittagaon, Bangladesh. They were school students of Taltala High School and Rani Rashmoni High School of central Kolkata. few of them played  for Subrato Cup Trophy and also won that for Rani Rashmoni High School in ‘60s . They were simple souls and hard working friends.

During my service with the Indian Army I have the pleasure to play  football with Buddhist soldiers and won the championship, it gave me to know the soldiers better.  Another game they like is Boxing.

It was  in June 1972, we went to climb two peaks in Lahul & Spiti of Bara Sigri glacier of Himachal Praedesh.We were 12 members from Kolkata there were 3 High Altitude Porters (HAPs) and leader was Ring Zing, he had a fair knowledge about the area. The Central (20,620 fts) & Lion (20100 fts) were climbed by a British team, they had published a book titled Four miles high by Joshpehen Scar.We had to cross a ravine called’BarsiNullah’ for which we had halted at Batal and attempted to cross the Nullah early in the morning when there will be less water in the nullah. Two ropes were taken by Lama,  one of the HAP at the other side of the nullah. I was the first volunteer to cross the nullah.I did some physical exercise to warm up the body temperature. I massaged the bare feet with cold  cream. The water was coming from snow it was freezing cold.  was loaded including a 8mm movie camera. I had just moved 10 fts with holding the rope on both the sides. Certainly a huge boulder on which I was standing moved away with the current of the water. I lost the balance and floating on the nullah.

Jonbo, a tall HAP came to rescue me from the water, he first took out my rucksack and then pulled me back. It took some time to bring back my body temperature for which I did good physical exercise. Our Medical Officer (MO) came and checked me and gave me some tablet. I recovered, we crossed the nullah from upper region where the ice bridge was there.

We went to Advance Base Camp after establishing our Base Camp at an height of 12,500 fts, we were 4 members and 3 HAPS. Asit Moitra,our Deputy Leader ate egg item at Base Camp, this eggs were taken from Kolkata, Moitra had a loose motion and vomiting  after reaching Advance Base Camp. He had a good record of climbing, his body temperature was loosing, inside the artic tent,  our MO was at Base camp and we had no communication system to contact him. He was inside a sleeping bag, another sleeping bag was used and the loose portion of the sleeping bag was hold tight by us. His body temperature was rising and he was requesting water which was not allowed to give. Slowly  he went to sleep and early morning he was taken down by HAPs and on the way the MO was mate and he took the charged of him within 2 days, he was fit to climb and ascent the Central Peak (20620 fts) with 2 climbers and HAPs.

In both the incidents the HAPs played very important role to save the climbers at that altitude, climatic and terrain conditions. There contribution for the mountain adventure is recognised by all. In a changing world scenario there materialistic demand has increased but there attitude towards life to be understand.

Da Namgyal, a Sherpa who went to summit camp of Everest with Edmund Hillary & Tenjing Norgey in 1953, due to shortage of oxygen cylinder one has to come down the Da Namgyal was the volunteer, Is it unthinkable of present situation. I mate him last time in 1980 when Sir Edmund Hillary, Tenjing Norgay and other members of Indian expeditions to Mount Everest were there.It was the occasion of Silver Jubilee celebration of HMI. Indira Gandhi was present there to inaugurate this event,it was her last visit to Darjeeling in 1980. I found Da Namgyal at Mal of Darjeeling, he was selling woollen items there. he was then retired from HMI as an Instructor.

I had the opportunity to serve with the soldiers who are Buddhist by faith, they are simple hard working, sincere to their work even in odd situation like their performance in the desert. The Gun Position Officer (GPO) of Indian Artillery after reconcile the  area and planting flag for guns in a running and tense condition, he was thirsty, a glass of water is great to get from them and a cup of tea in odd times. Those are some good memories which will not be forgotten in the life time. It is difficult to realize by civilians of such good things in the life. This simple souls left for  home during his leave with Indian currencies for their family members, few of them were cheated  by some fellow passengers by offering drink. It may be  they could  not think negative aspect of life and love for drink which  is their way of life.

During my service with the biggest Bank of our country, one Bank Guard was lost his life in a road accident at Kolkata, he was lovable man for all. After the death it was possible to keep his body in a mortuary for few days, to bring his family members to Kolkata. His wife has been offered job in the said bank.

It is well known about their attitude towards their life, they are simple living and adopt  to overcome all odds of environment challenges and very god fearing people. This they have learned from Buddhism and nature.

Trans Himalayan Buddhism : Exploring Cultural Space

Trans Himalayan Buddhism : Exploring Cultural Space

First  week of March 2016 there was an International seminar on Asian connectivity held at New Delhi. Second  week another International conference has started at  Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Institute of Asian Studies(MAKAI) on connectivity Buddhism in Himalayan countries, the research scholars from Bhutan, India and Nepal attending and discussing the Buddhism practice in their

countries and states.

A good number of foreign tourists visit India for Buddhist circuits in India mostly from Asian countries. The scholars presented and discussed culture, beliefs, practices, myths associated with Himalayan states. Like all religions Buddhism also teach to protect the environment. Though the Buddhism is not a religion it is the way of life like Hinduism as believed some section of the people. Buddhism belief not only physical wealth, it gives important of  mental wealth too, as stated by Lungtang Gyatso, Director, Institute of Language and Culture of Royal  of Royal University of Bhutan.

A book titled Water Resources Cooperation between India and Nepal , written by Manika Mondal, was launch by Prof Phunchok Stobdan, Former Ambassador and Senior Fellow of IDSA. The book is published by MAKAI. Dr Sreelekha Datta, Director of MAKAI welcomed all the participants for joining this programme, she mentioned that due to natural and man made calamity this programme deferred few times.

The Buddhist practising places in the lap of Himalayas, Coutse

Buddhist in Asia 
No of countries  in Asia   Percentage of Buddhist population 

  14                                            50 %

   07                                            90%

Asia Pacific                               98%

Studies on Buddhism in Indian Universities

Benaras Hindu University Department of Pali & Buddhist Studies

University of Hyderbad

Mahabodhi Society, Banglaru

Somaia Vidyabihar

University of Delhi

Syllabus of MA Buddhist studies of Delhi University

Gautam Bhudha University, UP

University of Calcutta Palli Department

Syllabus of Pali

Nalanda University

My painful memory with the Japanese Mountaineering Team in Indian Himalayas in 1975

My painful memory with the Japanese Mountaineering Team in Indian Himalayas in 1975

Sushanta De

It was in 1975 I had returned from Mulikla Six (20600 ft.) of Himachal Pradesh. I was with them as Indian Liaison Officer, then I was Second Lieutenant of the Indian Army. By then before joining Indian Army I  had done Basic & Advance Mountaineering Courses and also had the experience of organising mountaineering expedition to Indian Himalayas, I was also a  member of the team of Kolkata, India they had first time unfurled the NCC flag from a mountain it was in 1972.

My artillery unit released me for the USA team. After completing the assignment I went to the Army Headquarter for returning my unit location. A was told by the concerned officer that a Japanese team was waiting for the Indian Liaison Officer to arrive at New Delhi. I was advised to proceed with the Japanese team, I got only one day at my disposal at New Delhi before leaving for the mountain with the Japanese team. i had filled up the forms for accidental insurance for the sherpas who had arrived from Darjeeling, West Bengal. There was only one Sherpa who was in the 1973 expedition to Sickle Moon in the Kishtwar region of J&K.Siclel Moon, He was Havildar Ang Chatter, he was working with the Indo Tibetian Border Police (ITBP). He joined this expedition taking leave from his employer. This was twelve members  from Japan Self Defence Force (JSDF) from Japan along with two ladies. The leader was Lt Col Yunoki of Armoured Corps.

In 1973 there was a joint expedition with the Indian Army to the same peak. Havildar Ang Choter was rescued from an accident, he was evacuated to Military Hospital.

In 1975 we started our trekking from Kishtwar, Google Map of Kishtwar Regionthe road head towards that area. The team was carrying Very High-frequency transceiver sets. The communication between Camp I and summit camp ( at a height of 18500 ft. was possible through these radio sets. On the very first day, the team member could not cover the distance, they had bivouac on the very first night.

The team had after establishing a base camp which was at the height of 125000 ft., and intermediate camps were there. Lieutenant Takachi who had established weather observation instruments at the base camp those were wind velocity and temperature recording.

I tried to remember a few very important words in case of emergency but at the time of an emergency, those words were not remembered such as ‘watch out’ .

The base camp to nearest telegraph and police wireless was at a distance of 24hrs walking, we employed two mail runners and the cook was also used to carry the urgent evacuation messages to New Delhi by telegrams and also police wireless.

i was surprised to see the gesture of shepherds, they had brought meat, butter for the Indian Officer who was with the foreign team.

The final attempt for climbing the peak Sickel Moon was made the team returned to the summit camp at 1 am, they went to sleep in a tent thereat. All of them were in one row. At about 2 am. a running boulder from the top had hit the head of Hav Ang Choter who was dead at the spot.. next to Choter was Lt Takashi who got the hit at his chest, he survived for next 2 hrs and 30 mins. Another member from the said camp Lt Yamaguchi left the camp at about 4 am and reached Base camp for rescue. An immediate arrangement was sent but it was no use by then.

Myself Ms. Hiraga with the help of English to Japanese and vice versa dictionaries we marked helipad area for the evacuation of the dead bodies. This was not possible. The last rites of both of them were carried out at the base camp.

I took imitative with the employer and insurance company, the matter was settled. i was able to meet Mrs. Chotter after 2 years at Darjeeling.

Effort to create tools for mitigating natural disaster

Effort to create tools for mitigating natural disaster

India has different terrains, climatic conditions throughout the year. Due to the change in the climatic condition, it is more difficult to predict the natural disaster forecast.

In the state of West Bengal the state government officials are trained on disaster mitigation by the state-run agency Administrative Training Institute (ATI). A few years back the new Block Relief Officers (BRO)  were assembled this Institute it was just started monsoon and there was a flood in two districts. This area is low and flooded mainly due to discharging the excess water of the reservoir. The effected BRO rushed back to their place of posting to tackle the situation.

A contingent plan is also suggested and advised to review the same. The biggest bank of our country always finds out what was the condition of the particular area during the last flood of that area, before selecting an alternative or new Branch premises. The earlier benchmark was 1978 now it is 2000. There are branches which are flood-prone areas, they are mentally prepared on how to tackle the situation with their past experience.

The immediate local of young age group is always the first-hand resource persons to evacuate marooned persons. They required training to do the work more efficiently. They can be given the idea of making improvised rafts which they are capable to do so.

On enquiry of a district of the state of West Bengal, it was found that   the said district, subdivision, and block they prepared their action plan.

Recently the Indian Statistical Institute (ISI) organised one symposium with the support of National Institute of Disaster Management ( NIDM), New Delhi  of National Disaster Management Authority on Disaster Management R Risk analysis under Big data paradigm.

The decision support tools by Md Abdul Gani of ATI Kolkata presented. Challenges and opportunities for big data collection was presented by Mr. P G Dhar Chakraborty, he was earlier Director of NIDM. He expressed that the date is scattered, it is to be collected and then stored with the premiere Institute like ISI. They are planning to create tools for natural disasters initially which will be effective for preparation, actual disaster mitigation, and post-disaster scenario.

Kolkata 21^st February 2016

Adventure on Ganga in India

It was in the ’80s a group of NCC cadets from Darjeeling reached Kolkata by a raft from Farakka. They prepared their raft by empty cans of vegetable oil, bamboos. The NCC Naval wing organised several expeditions this distance.

In 1995 14 members did boating by 3 boats from Maharajpur, Jharkhand to Behrampore, West Bengal, it was 5 days to cover 190 km. Nest year 18 members another attempt was  made by two rafts made of tire’s tube, bamboos, and straps and they covered 300 km from Behrampore to Kolkata, it took 8 days. Both the expeditions were organised by The Institute of Exploration, Regional unit Behrampore under the leadership of Mr. Debashish Bhattacharya.

All India Women team did rowing from Rishikesh to Kolkata under the leadership of Ms bachindri Pal. The Central Reserve Police also organised boat expedition from Rishikesh to Kolkata.

An adventure by three members from West Bengal Hiked and trekked from Ganga Sagar to Gomukh, Uttrakhand, it was in 1996, they took 111 days. A book titled “Pai Heta Gangasagar to Gomukh” (On foot Gangasagar to Gomkh) , writer Indranil  Sarathi, he was the leader of the program.

A big-budget program by powerboat  was organised by Indo New Zeland in which Edmund Hillary, President of Indian Mountaineering Foundation H C Sarin, ICS also took part. The Films Division produced a film titled Ocean to Sky.

Alternative dependable communication system in natural disaster, available in India

World Communication Day is 16th May. There are amateur wireless operators who are operating there systems 24x7. These operators give yeomen services to mankind specially during natural disasters. In India, the National Disaster Policy does not include such operators in their disaster mitigation as per the 2005 Policy. The matter was discussed during the Indian national Disaster Congress of 2006. During the Tsunami of 2004 Andaman & Nicobar Islands were cut off from the world, it was the Amateur wireless operators who were temporally operating there they contacted the World first time.

An Indian who was there in December 2004 was asking a media person based at Port Blair regarding their alternative communication system in case of a natural disaster (it was before Tsunami). He was not aware of such a condition. There was no permanent functional amateur wireless station at Andaman & Nicobar in 2004. But the various VHF/HF sets in operation by various agencies never thought that they may be functional after this disaster if they had an alternative plan.

Hut Bay, an Iceland of Andaman & Nicobar https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=zznfq56_OCXg.kV881f9TT5QA

This Iceland was detached for a few days during the tsunami, 2004. I understand Bharat Sevashram Sangha of Port Blair went first to relief to this Iceland after this Tsunami.I had visited this Iceland after the Tsunami, the SBI Branch was much affected by this disaster, the branch and staff accommodation were at ground level and the distance is from sea line in normal condition is only 550 meters. These premises has been repaired but still at the same location and even at the same floor. It is difficult to understand why they have not shifted to an alternative safe place. The business area is shifting to higher ground.

I had an opportunity to discuss with the police personnel why there VHF set they could not shift to alternative places to communicate outside the Hut Bay? They have never thought of such a situation. I am not sure are they equip in present day? The authority of the Governments may think satellite phones may be the answer to such situations. My question is this service is free? Amateur wireless operators give service free of charge as a volunteer. Are we not welcome and salute them?

17^th May 2015