THE TRAFFIC JAM AT BRANDENBURG GATE!

The worst traffic jam that ever  happened in the world was in China in August 2010 in the Beijing-Tibet Expressway. It lasted for an incredible 12 days! The drivers could move only 1 km per day! One bottle of water which costs only 1 Yuan was sold on this highway for 15 during that time. So also noodles and cigarettes!! There are similar incidents elsewhere in the world. In February 2011 at Chicago Illinois and Bethel, New York in 1969.Each traffic jam- small or big- anywhere in the world  is a harrowing experience for those who have experienced.

But here I am writing about a traffic jam-it was a gateway to a new world- which happened in Berlin, Germany in April 1990.Berlin wall was brought down by jubilant crowds of East Germany on 9 November 1989 piece by piece. It was estimated to be 18 million cars on the roads on  12 April 1990- it was Easter holidays-  during unification process full of Germans eager to reconnect with friends and family members with a fallen Berlin wall which many thought would remain forever, me included. Many East Germans were thinking that the borders now open could be closed anytime later! But instead it turned out to be a peaceful revolution. It stopped eventually the iron curtain and started the process of demise of communism in the world! Neither a shot was fired nor anyone died!

Aftermath of defeat of Germany in WW II...

After the utter defeat of Germany and axis forces- unconditional surrender- in the WWII, the jubilant allied forces agreed by a common decision to divide Germany into four zones who occupied namely Britain, USA,USSR and France. The capital Berlin too was so divided. Such a decision was taken at a high level meeting at Yalta. You may note that Yalta is in Livadiya, Crimea which was a part of Ukraine but forcibly incorporated by Russia as Republic of Crimea. The palace where the meeting took place  on February 4-11,1945 was former summer retreat of last Russian Tsar Nicholas and family.

The zones taken by Britain, USA and France became west Germany (Federal Republic of Germany) practicing Capitalism and free market economy while the USSR zone became East Germany(German Democratic Republic) practicing Communism. Both came into existence in 1949 .

Brandenburg Gate...

Brandenburg Gate which is Berlin's most popular landmark to date is a monument gateway which reminds us of Acropolis, Greece. This gate was built by King Fredrich William II in 1788-1791.The Quadriga on the top of it depicting a two wheeled chariot pulled by four horses side by side was to symbolize peace entering the city when erected.. In 1806 Napoleon took home this chariot which was brought back eight years later. During the division of Germany this gate could be visited neither by west Germans nor by those from East albeit it is situated in USSR sector. The gate symbolized symbol of Germán division but later it symbolized German unification!

Why and how the Berlin wall was erected..and brought down!

Right from the start, life in East Germany was less attractive compared to that in the west. Salaries were much less, so also freedom. As such a lot of Easterners moved to West Germany for work in spite of restrictions on visas.. During 1949-1961 more than 2.7 million East Germans esp the blue collared workers and professionals moved to west. While GDR proclaimed through propaganda that life in the west is only an illusion, the fact was something different. This I knew in person since one of my elderly neighbors who was very friendly towards me and my brother in 1965 or so was a member of some sort of a club linked to GDR  and USSR!He used to speak highly of USSR AND GDR those days but my brother used to hear VOA (Voice of America) broadcasts regularly and  get literature from USIS (United States Information Service) on regular basis and used to tell me that what our neighbor told us was false!

However as history unfolded for me, on the night of 13 August 1961 the East German authorities had stopped the movement by erecting a barbed wire fence through heart of Berlin which later changed to concrete structures for fortifications. Plus the entire border of East Germany was laid with 1 million landmines and 3000 attack dogs along with 302 watch towers with a ready to shoot at sight orders! Official explanation of East Germany was that this wall would prevent fascists of west Germany to infiltrate to East. But actually the only aim was to stop or control defections of East Germans to West which they were ashamed to admit!

On 12 June 1987 in a speech at the Brandenburg Gate US President Ronald Reagan challenged Mikhail Gorbechev, leader of USSR to tear down the wall. Two years later on November 9 1989 the jubilant East Germans actually tore down the wall piece by piece as you can see in the photos above. On October 3, 1990 East and West Germany was unified to be known as Germany officially! Communism was a good idea but proved to be Utopian!!Long live Freedom, Equality and Fraternity!!

               ______________________________________

GOODBYES ARE NOT FOREVER, KUTY SAAB!!

When I woke up from deep sedation, I knew I was in a post operative ICU.  I might have been under sedation  for quite a few hours,  after I had to go through a bowel obstruction operation  . It was wee hours of the morning for sure but of which date and day, I didn't  know.The stomach pain which was troubling me for few days had gone but instead a few new minor pains elsewhere had surfaced.All this will vanish as days and weeks go by, the nurse assured me.

Without long Vinay , our eldest son came to my bed with a how- are- you-smile, handing out the newspaper which I had missed for two days. He just took out and read a report card or something the nurse produced to him. You are okay Appa, he told me.Vinay was not my doctor but a Consultant Ortho surgeon in the same hospital.Soon your consultant doctors will meet you and appraise you when you can expect a shift back to room etc.Vinay told me that Amma(my wife, Geetha) is still in the room waiting for you, Vishal (my younger son) too is around.I enquired about Anu, Mia and Serah( his family) .He left the ICU.

I was happy that once again I was back to life and hopes. But my hopes were short lived.What I did not  know was what was happening in my own city outside the hospital.My best friend in life Govindankutty had passed away in between. I was told of this  again by Vinay after I got back to my room! His demise on 15 August 2022 was not unexpected for me, at least for the  last 3-4 months  following the ailments he had undergone.But still I sobbed softly on my bed which I came to realise only when Geetha tried to pacify me! Last and first time as an adult I cried was about 11 years back, when my own brother died! 

     Last photo together, snapped few weeks prior to his demise during our last                   meeting at Grand Hyatt,Kochi along with our three generations of                                                            family members.

How did our friendship start?  

We belong to the same city- Kochi. We are products of the same alma mater for our Engineering studies. But we hardly knew each other until I landed up in Qatar in 1984. He had come and settled in that country about 5 years prior. How it all started? After I got two or three  'I wish- that -you -could- have - called -me- some- other- day' replies    unexpectedly from  persons known to me on  holidays who were living there , I decided not to make anymore such efforts.May be with the boredom I had to face on a holiday- again I decided to give another try - this time with Govindankutty,who was hardly known to me. After a quick introductory warm pleasantries, he asked to give my location of residence which I did. OK.'I know this place. After half an hour say at 11.30 am ,can you come in front of Thomaskutty Supermarket below where you stay, to be picked up?'  Yes, I answered. 

He took me to his apartment , gave me a chilled beer. He was the first to introduce to me, what actually Qatar was then. A brief about the ruling royal family, employment potential and laws, geography and about the expatriate population and peculiarities of the locals! Before I was dropped back , I was given a sumptuous lunch prepared by Sathi, his wife . His ever  friendly son, Suraj was only 5 years old then.Kiran was not born.Within two or three hours I could make out that he was a good conversationalist, had a high sense of humor and loving family. I think he had maintained this- his assets I would say- till his last day!A reliable friend ..... my mind said that day itself.He was!!

My early days and weeks with AlBalagh..and Govindan Kutty

My early days and weeks with AlBalagh, the firm where -I started off and ended with in Qatar- was tough. With another two or three visits to Govindankutty, I had to relocate to Dukhan, an oil township 100 kms away from Doha to supervise a small residential project with Qatar Petroleum. Those days the interlinking road was in pretty bad shape and I didnt have a driving licence either. The company could not afford to spare a driver and a car for my use or spend for a rent-a- car!!

The accommodation company provided me  was away from Dukhan township which was not to acceptable standards! That too with a faulty electricity connection  with an old run out generator.But thankfully with a separate bath and pantry!Food was good as I had a cook-Kassim. In between When I visited Govindankutty  I had mentioned about these physical difficulties I was facing. He advised me that soon after one Indian like us reaches Qatar, there are three hurdles to overcome- family visa and accommodation, driving licence and car and liquor permit!I wanted to run back to India and join the Govt service but stayed back only because I didn't want to fail in my assignment abroad.

Kutty...an autophile!

After four months of my arrival in Qatar , I got the covetable Qatari Driving licence and a car.When I drove out a brand new white Honda Accord, fully  automatic, I was really relieved that my stay was shifted back to Doha. During my next visit to Govindan Kutty , I surprised him with the new car.I still remember his smiling face inspecting the car minutely.Then only I knew that he was a car enthusiast which he continued throughout his life! As we settled in his drawing room, he said:'Jaison, now your first hurdle is over'!My daily routine included driving about 300 kilometers those days!And thankfully in different cars or SUVs as years went by!

Govindan Kutty was fond of cars.He used  some of the most expensive brands of cars from time to time. Jaguar, Bentley, Mercedes, BMW ....all old ones which were available in old cars market, which he could afford!Though these old cars were good enough to put a big hole in his wallet, he loved them!

It took another one year to get a family status allowed by my company though I was always promised by them. But before my family joined me, it was Govindankutty who noticed the availability of an apartment , not far from where he was put up.Geetha and children joined me there and that was our sweet home for next 7 years or so.I got over my second hurdle!

The friendships blossom.....

Our families got along well and family gatherings on weekends at least once in a fortnight became an  event both families looked forward to.By that time a third person and his family joined the crowd.He was Thomas-Thomachen- as we called him who also hails from same home town-Kochi. In between I had to rush to India to sort out an issue with promotion in my parent dept PWD.I was in a dilemma to go or not since Vinay's leg was in bandage then and walking on crutches as one of the tendons had to be repaired due to an accident while playing with children.Govindankutty came to rescue voluntarily.He assured me that he can pick up and drop back Vinay and Vishal from school!He did that exercise for a month or so.

Our children were studying in the same school and we used to drop and pick them up. While we had to pick up, it became a practice for us for years to follow,to assemble a bit early and chit chat together in one of the cars!Mostly we were talking as if we were in our late teens!By that time Govindankutty became 'Kutty saab' for me, as called fondly by his Indian workers and Technicians.

For me who was running against odds and time for successful execution of projects each day ,such a talk and laughter was a ' stress- buster'! Having a hearty talk with those friends, a   peg or two together in our family gatherings was a relief valve for me as I could acquire a liquor licence ,my third hurdle. Among all, the jokes and sense of humour of Govindankutty always stood out.As years went,more like minded family friends joined the group. Thankfully the company where I was working was on a  growth curve, but slow one. And finally I was promoted to  be the GM as my predecessor decided to quit on personal reasons.That was officially from Jan 1993!My friends -Kutty saab and Thomachen- were really happy and shared their joy over the matter wholeheartedly.

Though GM the company was still small and I started dreaming of making it big!But how I didn't know as the opportunities available were not good and understandably the owners always looked forward for more and more profits!But we grew steady and rapidly for some reasons.I would say that the company could get into the bandwagon of systematic development works as Qatar got new riches from their oil and gas installations.From an obscure maintenance firm to a large corporate of Business House of repute! Finally in April 2013 , the company was awarded with the 'Best National Company in Qatar'.It was quite unexpected and the atmosphere in the company was for all out celebrations.That day I put in my paper of resignation to my Chairman silently!I don't know why I chose that day but I wanted that way.He was in a shock and told me that he required me at least  to stay back for one more year which I agreed.I told him 'yes, I would but not more'.But added that keeping a CEO in chair who had resigned may not be a wise decision.The only person whom I consulted before I had resigned was Geetha, while we had lunch together at home. I knew that she was enjoying her employment as a 'Foreign Press Reviewer' at Ministry of Information and Culture.But she said that I can go ahead with whatever decision and she will follow suit at the same way and time.I confided the matter with Govindankutty and Thomachen, later -after a week or so.

Govindan Kutty .... who he was ....Goodbyes are not forever!

He was an out and out technocrat.Excellent trouble shooter in his sphere of activity--MEP Building  Services.As a person he was a gem of a man. He was trustworthy, selfless and our basic foundation of friendship relied on  mutual trust.Empathy was limitless in him.Probably he might have had to face hard days because of these qualities.But in spite ,he was not ready to change his approach to life.I had a lot of tough days in my career but each time when I managed to put a step up on  the ladder of my career, he was too happy!He was a lover of Malayalam literature and music.

Once he  was back to India on retirement, along with Cherian and Venu, two of our college mates from the same town who were working in Kuwait and their better halves, we made a lot of unforgettable and lovely trips in the state, rest of India and abroad.

After my operation about which I started off in this article, when I was allowed to drive a car by the doctor after 4 weeks or so, the first person and place to visit was Sathi Govindankutty at their residence. As I walked in, in the centre of the drawing room, a garlanded smiling photo of his was in place.I looked at that photo and said silently in my mind:'You may go peacefully and rest now.But Goodbyes are not forever, Kutty Saab!'

                              ______________________

"TENNO HEIKA BANZAI"!

On October 25, 1944 the Japanese military employed the Kamikaze bombers for the first time in WW2. Who's a Kamikaze bomber? He is the specially trained pilot who would crash his specially made plane directly into Allied ships. Simply to put it, Kamikaze attack is suicidal bombing tactic to destroy the enemy ships.

Mohotoru Okamura who commanded a Kamikaze Squadron sincerely believed that these dare devil acts would make the tide of war in favour of Japan as he ordered the first Kamikaze pilot to be at the battle of Leyte Gulf, in the Pacific Ocean near Philippines!

In various attacks thereafter more than 3000 Japanese Kamikaze pilots perished while causalities among the US, Australian and British forces might have touched 7000.Nevertheless this did not change the tide of war. Japan had to surrender unconditionally on 16 August 1945!

"Tenno Heika Banzai" literally means " Ten Thousand Years" in Japanese. This they used to express joy or long life. It was also used by the Japanese military personnel while storming in the battle meaning  "Long Live The Emperor". The Kamikaze pilot used to shout exactly these words before he hits the ship of Allied Forces killing himself!

KAMIKAZE STRIKES...JAPAN'S LAST BID FOR VICTORY!

Year 1944...Birth year of Kamikaze.

By the year 1944 it was clearer that the tide of world war was clearly favouring the Allied forces. Japan, one of the trailing Axis Forces was facing defeat one after another whether on land, sea or air. It was in this context that Takijiro Onishi, Admiral of Imperial Japanese Navy, who founded Kamikaze convinced his superiors of having a squadron of suicide bombers attacking and destroying enemy ships to change the tide of war. At least they would be able to negotiate better terms for surrender, Japan thought. But Takijiro had to commit ritual suicide following unconditional surrender of Japan !

Kamikaze means 'divine wind'. It was the name of a typhoon originally which destroyed invading Mongol ships in the 13th century saving Japan.

Kamikaze planes...

The planes used were light bombers loaded with bombs-250 kg on the nose and extra gasoline tanks. Kamikaze planes were  launched with their wheels dropped at take off. This reduces the weight, increase the range and possibly limit the ability of pilot to return. These single seated planes- mostly like Yokosuka MX 7 Okha were used.

Kaiten...torpedoes containing human beings!

Kaitens were an under water equivalent of Kamikaze. These were launched from submarines for direct combat on identified ships. The kaiten was small enough for the pilot to squeeze through and enter the body of torpedo!The pilot verifies the position of the target- a ship normally- by a fitted periscope and then surges for the final assault. The first Kaiten assault claimed USS Mississinewa which was on anchor when hit. 63 US sailors perished!

Kamikaze pilots' training...

Kamikaze pilots were given special training for their special mission. They  performed a special ceremony of drinking Sake (Rice wine) and eating rice before they take off in their mission. They were also honoured by giving medals and a Katana sword (traditional curved sword used by Samurai) during these ceremonies.

By 1945 more than 500 Kamikaze planes had taken part in these suicide missions it is estimated! And 3800 Kamikaze pilots had died!!Many were new recruits from the finest universities of Japan! Although Kamikaze pilots never threatened to change the course of war led by the Allied forces, Kamikaze offensives were a concern for the Allies.

There are a number of books and movies produced based on actual experiences of Kamikaze post war.

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MASTER SHIPBUILDERS OF INDIA:CRAFTED WORLD CLASS WARSHIPS FOR ROYAL BRITISH NAVY!

WHAT IS THE HISTORICAL RELATIONSHIP OF NATIONAL ANTHEM OF AMERICA AND INDIA? WHICH IS THE OLDEST SHIP STILL AFLOAT IN THE WORLD?AND WHO BUILT IT?

We all know that as the greatest colonial power on earth, the British once emerged as the 'Empire on which the sun never set' due to their supremacy over the high seas- with their fantastic ships, admirals and sailors. Being an Indian, this I had learnt repeatedly right from the the days I started reading as a toddler to this very day.But what I didn't know or learn was that one of the biggest contributions for the British to attain this status rivaling Spain,Portugal or France was colonial India itself! 

More than  India's rich resources being stolen by them- traders turned as masters- systematically, an Indian shipbuilder at Bombay, exclusively built indigenously using Indian craftsmen, skilled workers and raw materials including Malabar Teak , world class ships on orders of British Navy! Not just one or two but 363 of them- enabling the British merchant and naval gunships and others trotting the whole globe covering and mastering all the seven continents in the 17th,18th and 19th  centuries!! Such a fleet which were products of exclusive Indian brains, skills and technology contains HMS Minden,HMS Trincomalee and HMS Cornwallis ! The name of the great shipbuilder was Jamsetjee Bomanjee and family of  Wadia Shipbuilders !!

More than what you have already read above, it is believed to have been on  board  this Indian made Royal Naval ship HMS Minden, that the great American lawyer poet wrote the US National Anthem 'Star- Spangled Banner ' while on the coast of US near Baltimore in  1814!  The poet Francis Scott Key was a prisoner in the ship held by  British Navy who also coined and gave America its motto:In God we trust! Again it was on board  HMS Cornwallis built by Indians in 1842 that the Treaty of Nanking was signed that ceded Hong Kong to the British! Then the record of the oldest ship afloat goes to HMS Trincomalee, another one!!

Hard to believe? Incredible? But be rest assured that this is absolutely true.It is high time that we learn from our own history - our strengths and weaknesses- more than who invaded or colonised and looted us.....It is high time that we tell about ourselves to the world than waiting for others to do that which they limit to 'extreme poverty or casteism' only for their interests! 

HMS Trincomalee is kept at National Museum of Royal Navy,England. Figurehead                  of the ship is modelled on its builder Jamsetjee Bomanjee.                                                                                                                                                     

How I ran to this....

Two months back I could see a magnificent telefilm video produced  by the Indian Navy on themselves. Impressive it was but I wished that they could add our ancient past too as ancient Indian port at Lothal was  one of the oldest dry docks in the world, if not the oldest. Subsequently, my interest in digging the past on the subject hit a gold mine of historical information on our own naval history - of reasonably recent past than ancient ones.That's how I could write this article which I am sure will make many eyebrows raise like I did. 

The background

The Mughals who were ruling India were a bit relieved to see the British East India Company(EIC) in the early 16th century defeating the Portuguese, predominantly because while the later were Christian fanatics against Islamic fanaticism, British were not , which went on tune with Mughal's interests in India initially. The Mughals eagerly made concessions to EIC to accommodate them as emperor Jahangir gave them permission to trade within their territory followed by commencement of the first British factory at Surat in 1613. Bombay was just a sleepy fishing village then.That status continued till 1662, when Catherine of Braganza of Portugal  was given Bombay village as a dowry to wed Charles II of Britain!

At the end of the Napoleonic war against France, after Battle of Trafalgar in 1815,British Royal Navy felt the need to replenish lost or ageing  fleet of theirs.At that time there was a shortage of availability of quality Oak wood for the purpose of ship building.But soon the British knew about the availability of quality Malabar Teak wood of India which was even better than Oak as being more denser for building ships. Than bringing the bulky cargo of teak wood to Britain taking time, they focused on the fame of a master shipbuilder at Surat in India-Jamet Bomanjee of Wadia Shipbuilders! The British decided to 'outsource' the engineering skill of shipbuilding to an Indian which was just a tip of an iceberg of events of naval history of the world to follow. 

                                   
Portrait of Jamsetjee Bomanjee in British naval archives.A divider in one hand while the drawings of  HMS Minden on the other. One can also see the progress of construction of the very ship with 74 guns which was launched in 1810- also through the window!Interestingly this portrait is available in US historical archives also for reason as explained in the article

Wadia family ...the illustrious shipbuilding family of the world..

The Wadia Parsi family hails from Surat in Gujarat.The very name 'Wadia' means carpenter/shipbuilder in Gujarati language. Jamset Bomanjee's  firm which was named Surti Ship Builders(later known as Wadia Shipbuilders) secured initial contracts for building ships with EIC from 1736. He himself was the master shipbuilder. 

Bombay Dry Docks was built by his brother Lovji Nusserwanjee in 1750 on the British request as EIC headquartered to Bombay from Surat. Incredibly between 1735 and 1899, seven generations of Wadias built 363 ships of world class quality for the British and others ,which sailed all over the seven high seas ! The Indian Parsi shipwrights exclusively produced 39 vessels on orders of  British Royal Navy- 16 ships of the line, 13 frigates, 9 sloops and 1 schooner! Some of them remained the finest creations of it's class for decades which followed! The British, the US and the west have officially chronicled this info but we, Indians are yet to add in our curriculum for our children, it seems!

Bombay Dock , the oldest in Asia is functioning even today as the Naval Dockyard.The northern part of the erstwhile dockyard is today's Mazagon Dock, India's premier Ship Building Centre.

HMS Minden and birth of US national anthem 'Star-Spangled Banner' 

This 74 gun frigate had set off for the maiden sail on 8 Feb 1811 from Bombay Dockyard after the customary 'breaking the bottle' ceremony performed by the then British Governor Jonathan Duncan.HMS Minden was the handiwork of Jamshedji for which the order was received from Royal Navy ten years earlier. This was the first British Royal Navy ship of the line built out of 'Great' Britain.

Indian made teak 74 gun ship HMS Minden and actual remains of the US flag preserved at National Museum of American History,Smithsonian Institute's National Museum of American History.

On 3rd Sept 1814 many Royal Navy ships including INS Minden were about to attack US Fort McHenry near Chesapeake Bay , outside Baltimore as they were enemies then. On the advise of the US President James Madison , two of his representatives Francis Scott Key and John Stuart Skimmer had set sail on a US boat flying a flag of truce and reached INS Minden. Their aim was peaceful negotiations for surrender with the British. What the British did was not only agreeing to the discussions but kept the two American reps as captives! In the night the royal Naval ships bombarded the fort the whole night to the astonishment of the American captives. In the early morning, expecting a complete devastation of the US fort, as they looked out they could see almost a miracle -the fort was standing loud and clear with a fluttering US flag atop!!They believed that God had intervened!

Key was a poet too. As he saw the US flag with 15 stars and 18 stripes on the fort , he scribbled down a poem while still as a captive in the ship...the fragile faded flag remains the holiest icon of American life.

                 Francis Scott Key               original scribbling of the poem  

                                                            

It was recognized as a patriotic song immediately but it took more than 100 years. On 3rd March 1931 it was declared as US National Anthem. 

The last years of HMS Minden was in Hong Kong where it was used as a hospital before being scrapped in 1861!

 HMS Trincomalee and HMS Cornwallis

HMS Trincomalee was launched on 12th October 1987 at Bombay. A 46 gun frigate it served many occasions for Royal Navy including Crimean war in 1897 and even WWII (1939-1945). It also served as a training ship under the name Foudroyant.To this day it floats at a British Museum and attracts around 60000 visitors a day!

                                Guns in HMS Trincomalee

                                  Signing the treaty of Nanking in HMS Cornwallis

14 gun ship HMS Cornwallis was built in 1813 for Royal British Navy and served till 1957!  The treaty of Nanking by which Hong Kong was ceded to Britain was signed in this Indian made ship.

The technical prowess and skills of Indians in shipbuilding for the last three centuries is recognized in maritime world history very much. I am neither a professional  historian nor a naval architect or expert but anyone can find out these facts from historical chronicles. Am I wrong in suggesting that the subject is to be inducted immediately in Indian school curriculum as I find this a 'must' ,the whole of India and world should know?

                                       ___________________ 

HEAVENLY FRAGRANCE OF GODS WAS FROM INDIA!!

Happy new year to all my readers .... worldwide! Let me kick off the new edition of the new year with a hardly known historical fact about India.

It is a fact that in spite of our resources and local demand, India doesn't make a lot of consumer goods of Indian origin.Most of the FMCG items we manufacture and use are international brands though made in India. But steadily the scenario is getting changed I notice, but next ten years India could change the current speed of it,I am sure.

In the field of cosmetics and perfumes now we are nowhere though the consumption rate has gone high.Parisian brands are the most sought after here too for those who can afford it.I have read somewhere that the famous Indian brand in that field 'Lakme' was started by Tata's Unilever at the request of our first Prime Minister Nehru to JRD Tata to go for an Indian brand which our women could afford.JRD earnestly took the request, ending up in the creation of the brand 'Lakme'.But many of us may not be aware that 'Lakme' is a French rendition of the Sanskrit word 'Lakshmi'  who is the Goddess of wealth and beauty in Hinduism. Though Lakme created in 1952 has become a premier brand in India and even exported to 70 countries or so, now House of Tatas represent and just distribute a lot of imported international brands in India through their enterprise Tata Luxury even online! May be good for the organization  for profits but definitely not for the country. Just an observation and nothing more since, I am not an expert in the field. It is comparable to our computer hardware field where our own brands are much less, though we claim ourselves to be software giants!

But here I am to share a hardly known information among us that India has  one of the richest history in own fragrances and perfumes which is yet to be commercially tapped.Here I am writing about Agarwood or Aloes or Oud, a fragrance of Indian origin that mastered the fragrance world since 1400 BC about which shamefully I came to know first from Arabs only, while in Qatar.

Oud shops of Mumbai....

It was Mr. Sherida Al Kaabi, Chairman of the business group 'Al Balagh' where I had been working in Qatar, who told me first that among the Oud wood the best and costliest comes from India! I specifically remember that he told me so while we were strolling Mumbai Fort area looking for some specific shops selling them! We were on a business trip .To be very honest and frank, when I had landed in Qatar in 1984, I was so ignorant about perfumes and fragrances that I did not know the difference between an eau de cologne, eau de toilette and eau de parfum! I didn't know about Oud wood chips either. I think many of the educated Indians could  still  be in that state even now.

But let us be awake fellow Indians...We have introduced the first most popular fragrance to the  rest  of the world centuries back. Let it be in ancient Egypt, Greece, Rome, Middle East or else where...India has done it historically making it the 'favourite fragrance of the Gods' whether it is Hinduism,Judaism, Christianity, Buddhism or Islam as it is mentioned in seminal texts!

As spiritual history rolls out....

Agarwood of Assam, India and its mystifying fragrance was first mentioned in the Sanskrit epic 'Mahabharata' in 1500 BC. There it is mentioned as a welcome aroma as 'Agaru'.The earliest recorded use of this plant aromatics is found in the four vedas of ancient India written between 1500-1000 BC . So also in Arthasastra of 320 BC it is clearly mentioned that the aromatics originates from resin infused infected wood in the stem of the Agar tree or even artificially done so!Agarwood was in use as an ingredient of perfumery in India along with sandalwood,musk, camphor from olden times.From time immemorial Hindus burn incense stick in puja rooms and elsewhere. It is known as 'Agarbatti' which is derived from 'Agar bathi' in Hindi- incense stick made from Agarwood!

In the Old Testament of the Bible, Aloe (Agaru) is specifically mentioned many times may be because it was in use in Jewish traditions.Even in the New Testament as per the Gospel of John 19:39-40 it is stated that Jesus's body was anointed with a mixture of Myrrh and Aloes following His crucifixion!

In 'Nirvana Sutra Buddhism' when Buddha was about to enter the state of Nirvana, about Aloe aromatics there is a mention.Buddhist text 'Jataka Tales' of 4th century BC also mentions about Aloe categorically!

Pre Islamic Arabian tribes were trading in Aloeswood/Agarwood of India.In the Quran there is a mention of many fragrant plants. In several Hadiths, Oud (Agarwood) is referred to as an Indian Incense for rituals as burning of incense wood, which is being practiced in many Islamic  countries to this day.

As I am not an expert on holy books all as these references are made from  historical records available and any wrong interpretations be taken in that spirit.

Black Gold.....

Botanically when an Agar tree - Aquilaria Malaccensis- becomes infected by a mould -Phialophora Parasitica- the tree produces a dark, dense and fragrant resin to protect itself.It is this resin which becomes embedded in the tree which is the source of Oud! As in the case of pearl, artificially also such a resin can be produced.Originally discovered in India in  Assam locally known as Xasi,the ' info and technique' of Agarwood was later passed on to Tibet (a-ga-ru), China (Chen Xiang),Thailand (Mai Krishna), South East Asia and Middle East where it was known as Oud.

As the neo rich of the Arabian Gulf states likes the fragrances and perfumes, the area became a big market for this costly oil-- more than $ 12000 per kg! International brands of perfumes of Paris and London fight with each other for their market share with neo fragrances in neo bottles with neo prices each season- the highest ever perfume created for a human nose so far !From Tom Ford, to Christian Dior to Armani or Yves Saint Laurent ......But this fragrance is not popular among westerners is another fact. 

It all started with India centuries back...It is high time that Indians take a note of it! Not only we have to teach others but we have to learn also from others- what we don't know or not good at...It is difficult to believe that now India makes one of the best whiskies in the world out beating even renowned scotch brands - 'Amrut' single malt.And the best cheese in the world out classing all the best European brands-'Eleftheria Brunost' is from Bombay!I am sure that among perfumes also we are capable of competing Paris- just a matter of time.

Tailpiece

I don't find any mention of this history in Indian textbooks!I wish that I am wrong!!

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Dr.Rajan Varghese, Ex Principal UC College has shared the following postal stamps of India on the subject.His comments are given in appropriate column.          

                                         

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GUILLOTINE -HOW A KILLING MACHINE BECAME A SYMBOL OF EQUALITY!

While the French revolution gave the world 'Liberty , Equality and Fraternity' which reverberated throughout the world , though necessarily immediately like in India, it also gave a killing tool some sort of a status in the French  society! Guillotine which was promoted by a surgeon became respectable at that time since it symbolized equality in  death also! When it was introduced in 1789 by Dr.Joseph Ignace Guillotin as a lawmaker this was the logic behind and the name of the equipment got stuck to the family name.Till capital punishment was stopped recently in France in 1981, Guillotine was continued to be used.

As the Guillotine way of execution which was quick and considered to be more humane compared to the various ways of execution existed till those days, the King Louis XVI was slaughtered in 1793 in public, declaring the country to be republic followed by queen Marie Antoinette in the same year! 

During the days of 'Reign of Terror' (1793-94) fight among revolutionaries themselves following execution of the King took place while Jacobin's eventually took control, 40000 such executions took place using Guillotin.Such executions were popular among the masses as an entertainment and staged in public.

How Guillotin came into France...

The story of beheading was different in the world.At least 500 years before Guillotine was put into practice in France, similar but more crude and other ways of executions were there in Ireland ,Italy and England. "Planke" of Germany, Scottish "Maiden"  and "Mannaia' of Italy are some of them. "Halifax Gibbet" was used in England in the 12th century.

In 1790 Dr Joseph Ignace Guillotin did not invent the machine but as a lawmaker promoted  it that death penalty shall be equal to all regardless of crimes committed or social ranking of the person who did it!In fact this machine was invented by another surgeon Antonie Louis.Initially the machine was called as Louisette.

 Dr. Guillotin presented his six articles as follows and became law in France.Quote:

1. Offences of the same kind will be punished by the same kind of penalty.

2. In all cases where the law imposes the death penalty on an accused person, the punishment shall be the same, whatever the nature of the offence of which he is guilty; the criminal shall be decapitated; this will be done solely by means of a simple mechanism.

3. In view of the personal character of crime, no punishment of a guilty person shall involve and discredit to his family. The honour of those belonging to him shall be in no way be soiled, and they shall continue to be no less admissible to any kind of profession, employment and public function.

4. No one shall reproach a citizen with any punishment imposed on one of his relatives. Whosoever ventures to do so shall be publicly reprimanded by the judge. The sentence imposed on him shall be written up on the offender's door. Moreover, it shall be written up on the pillory and remain there for a period of three months.

                                             Dr.Guillotin
5. Confiscation of the condemned person's property shall in no case be imposed.

6. The corpse of an executed man shall be handed over to his family on their request. In every case, he shall be allowed normal burial and no reference shall be made on the register to the nature of his death.Unquote.

The machine...

The device releases a sharp blade from a height of 226 centimeters.With the combined weight of the blade and counter the Guillotine can cut through the neck of a human being within .005 seconds!According to Guillotine, this invention was one of the best deals of the revolution-humane,equalizing and scientific!A guillotine blade that was originally used during revolution for executions is exhibited in Paris at the Police Museum.Still it seems like a star attraction!

By the time joseph Guillotin died at his age of 75, the machine had become synonymous with terror with his family name stuck to it. After his death , his relatives approached the Government to change the name of the machine which was rejected.It could be a paradox in history that instead the family changed the name!

Earrings and Tricoteuses of the revolution period

Tricoteuses is a French term used to describe 'a knitting woman' who used to flock in thousands and watch the live executions staged in public while continuing to knit!It became a nickname to describe the women who sat to watch the executions by guillotine and cooly knit enjoying the scenario! The liberty cap they knit those days became infamously popular. Charles Dickens in his famous novel 'A Tale of Two Cities ' has popularized the images of Tricoteuses profusely. Even fashion was influenced by the  earrings modelled after Guillotine as seen above!!

Ironically Hitler made the Guillotine the state method of execution in the 1930s and 40s with 20 such machines placed across the German cities killing thousands!

Tailpiece....The Cross

Having written about Guillotine and how it was regarded as a symbol of equality on death in a modern society in France and elsewhere, if I skip about a killing device which has become arguably the most popular in the history of the world, I would be unfair.The Cross, the most important symbol of Christianity  not only remains a symbol of  hope and peace... but also revered among Christians for last 2000 years!

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