Geographic Alliance of Iowa

India: The Golden Bird
By Dr. Devendra Prasad Singh

 
July 22, 2003

In the ancient period, before the Muslim rulers started in India (After the defeat of the Poithri Raj Chauhan in 1092 AD), India was very developed, prosperous, rich, and civilized.  That is why it is known as the Golden Bird by foreign visitors who visited it.  Industrially, militarily, scientifically, agriculturally, medically, and ever walk of life was developed.  Its development was even par excellence so far as the development of modern western countries are concerned. 

Indian villages were self-sufficient units of human life.  They produced everything which they needed in their villages.  They were highly intellectual, scientifically inclined, artists, and experts in every sector of society. 

Their agriculture was more developed than even that of today.  They had developed crop rotation techniques, efficient systems of harvesting crops, irrigation systems, manufacturing tendency, etc were all well designed. 

They had developed the knowledge to store rain water for future use.  In every village they had rain water collecting centers, like reservoirs or wells in accordance with their local needs.  They were known as Ahars, Pokhars, Talabs (Tanks), Sotas (Pools), etc.  They had the capacity to store every drop of rainwater.

They had the technology to support or add to the fertility to their soils and crop lands with the help of natural materials found abundantly around them like cow dung as well as other types of dungs, vegetation parts, garbage and several others.  They were well developed scientific farmers even better than modern ones in the sense that they had knowledge to grow crops to the maximum capacity of the land but not beyond a level to harm the ecology.  In this way they were eco-farmers.

They were good animal keepers.  Their technologies of animal husbandry were even better or more efficient again in comparison to the modern western ones.  Every animal rearer was a good doctor.  They had ideas to keep their animals healthy.  They even had knowledge cure many types of animal diseases with the help of herbs and plants found in their surroundings.  They had an emotional relationship with their domestic animals they had traditions to worship animals.  Cows were regarded as their mothers, because they provided various things which they needed.  They treated elephants as the Lord Ganesh, the god of wisdom.  They had habits to worship monkeys, who were supposed to be the off spring Hanuman, god of strength and bravery.  They loved and worshiped every creature of the universe, living organisms, and even non-living things such as air, fire, mountains, rivers, and so on.  This way they were great environmentalists, having not only knowledge of the environment and ecology but they were also concerned

They were experts of medical sciences.  Their Auruaurubeda and naturuability were in well advanced stages.  They had ways to cure any type of disease with things available in nature and in their surroundings.  They had ideas of medical operations also, they had tonics which had the capacity to elderly into young, Chayaran prash is one of them. 

In ancient Indian villages, industries were well developed and numerous, every type of product they needed.  Industries included leather, wood, iron, gold, fertilizer, rice milling, flour milling, oil crushers (oil used for burning), sugar mills, textiles, cement making, and whatnot.  Their products were of superb level, they exported it to several other countries as well.  Their goods were durable, and could be preserved for hundreds of years.

Their transportation network was also very well planned, systematic, scientific, and was also shaped by nature.  Rivers were the main route of transportation, which is why they worship rivers and river valleys.  That is why the rivers were important centers of their activities.  They also utilized natural levees for lines of transportation.  Other roads were constructed as well.  Every village was connected by roads to important trade and administrative centers.  Elephants, horses, camels, cow carts and others, were used were used as modes of land transportation as the environment permitted.  They were good weather forecasters, dam builders, canal builders, and well diggers as well.

After the fall of the Hindu Regime (after Prithuri Raj Chauhan) everything was destroyed and hundreds of years of civilization plummeted into decay, but not completely, the villages still have many things prevailing, which need protection, conservation innovations, modernization, and research.  They need collaboration with modern technologies.

Jaipur: The Gateway to the Indian Thar Desert

July 23, 2003

Jaipur is not only the capital of the state of Rajasthan or region of the kings or the largest city of the state (having a population of 23-24 million according to the 2001 census.  In this way it is the eleventh largest city of India) but also a gateway to the Indian or Thar Desert from the mainland of India.  The Gangetic Plain or the Peninsular or south Indian plateau region.

Though it is not situated in the in the Indian Desert, or Thar Desert, rather in the semi-arid upland guarded by the Aravalli mountain chains all around.  It can be said that it is situated just in a transit or on the Gangetic zone/plain of the north and northeast.  The region in which Jaipur is situated is known as the Udaipur and Gwalier region.  It is hilly, and the hills are the representative of the oldest folded mountains on earth.  They are highly eroded and this way most of their height has been reduced and they are now found in the form of relict mountains or hills, but once upon a time, they were one of the highest mountains in the world.  Jaipur region has a greater areal extent among other geographical sub-regions of Rajasthan hence, Jaipur’s Kingdom had a larger span in comparison to the other princely states of the Rajasthan, barring a few others.

It’s nearness to the Delhi, the capital of the Indian union, has less difficult terrain in comparison to the remaining parts of the state, good rail and road connectivity with the remaining parts of India and also with the remaining parts of the state.  It is well connected with important centers of the state by both rail and road service.  It also has an airport.  It this way it is the gateway to the Indian Desert, which is known as the Thar Desert, which lies towards the west of Jaipur.  That is why it was made the capital of the state of Rajasthan after the independence of India.  It also happened so because of its favorable geographical location.  And actually it is culturally representative of Rajasthan, which has colorful fragrances, a rich heritage, and a long line of traditions.

Jaipur is also known as the “Pink City”, because of it’s singular color in the old part of the time.  Everything is to be painted pink except for the city palace, which was the king’s magnificent house (which is yellow in color).  Jaipur is a well planned city as well.

Rajasthan: A Typical Region of India

July 23, 2003

The Rajasthan is a combination of two words, Raja, which means King, and asthan which means place or region.  It means that it is a region of kings and kingdoms, and actually since a pretty long time here hundreds of kings and kingdoms existed.  No other part of India had a comparable number of kings and kingdoms.  Geographical factors were responsible for that. 

The King Region or Rajasthan is located in the western part of India.  Numerous attacks have occurred to India crossing the western frontier of Rajasthan.  Since time immemorial.  So warriors and brave races have been settled there by someone else or by choice? To obstruct such invasions in Rajasthan.  Ultimately chieftains of these marshal communities have been founded their own kingdoms and declared themselves as kings of the land they control.

Another important geographical cause responsible for it can be observed as its tough terrain including ridges, and valleys of the region.  Ridges are in the form of Aravalli mountain chains.  Aravalli’s are one of the oldest folded mountain ranges when compared to the Appalachian mountains of the USA.  It has been eroded into peneplains several times in the geographical past and also had been whittled to form the rehict mountains.  The plains of the region are actually mountain girt basins having inland drainage systems.  The arid and semi-arid types of conditions all over the state have transformed it into a sand covered plains desert and semi-desert lands. 

These physical conditions (mountains gist basins and sandy deserts full of numerous saline lakes) were responsible for the development of poor or no transportation in the area.  So it was difficult to control this area for the outsiders.  Top of the hill ranges are such in the region, which were providing favorable locations for building forts, which were not only safe from outside raids but also were utilized as watchtowers and had strategic locations for the area.  Even during the Muslim and British periods it was difficult to control the entire region from a single capital of India which was at that time located far away from this area.  Even the British attempts to control the area did not succeed.  So the British government thought it would be better to accept the kingships but barred the local leaders from having their own militaries, currencies, and foreign policies.  All of these three were under British control otherwise they enjoyed all types of freedoms under the British rule.

It can be said that the many kingdoms of Rajasthan were all due to it geographical factors.  Rugged mountain chains of the Aravallis provided natural boundaries to these kingdoms.  These systems were actually divisive of these kingdoms.  It was not only difficult to cross these chains for the invaders but due to its steep slopes and high relief, but also there were numerous forts and fortresses all over on the tops of these mountains to guard the boundaries as high military posts. 

Again, various areal extent of the kingdoms were also decided by the size and shape of the mountain girt basins and dimension of their natural frontiers in the form of the surrounding hills, hillocks, and mountains.  That is why some of them were smaller and some of them were larger.

In Rajasthan a typical type of culture has been developed, though by and large it is a Hindu dominated area so in general it is a region of Hindu culture, but of the typical type.  Again, the different type of physical environment is responsible for it.  Typical terrain (eroded ancient mountain in the form of hills, hillocks, spurs, bare ridges like hog back, mountain girt, which are sandy basins surrounded by mountains, sandy basins, full of sand dunes and others) arid conditions in the west (having below 10" of rainfall) and semi-arid situations in the east (having 10 inches of rainfall in the west and 17 inches in the east).  Significant arid and semi-arid vegetation (accain cactus and several others) mostly pastoral economy (goats, sheep, camel, and cattle rearing) dry crops (millet, coconut, and various types of pulses) and several other features varied from the remaining part of the country make it a separate geographical unit.  Every aspect of culture bears a different feature so far as the rest of

Mumbai: The Gateway to India

July 24, 2003

Mumbai, formerly known as Bombay, is the most populous urban center of India having 16.36 million people.  It is the capital of Maharashtra State in India.  In 1661, it was ceded to the British crown by Portuguese in a dowry, who had captured it from the occupation of the Sultans of Gujarat.  Prior to the British occupation it was noting more than a group of fisherman’s villages which were small in size.  Actually, the present Mumbai is a combination of numerous lava islands, seven of them are big and the rest are small in size.  All of them are now well connected by road and rail bridges among themselves and is well connected with the rest of India through Thal Ghat (Gap) and Bhor Ghat (pass) across the wall like mountain chain of the western ghats which extends along the western coast of India right from the Gujarat coast in the south and down to Cape Comarain in the extreme south of the country.  The geographical location was not suitable for development of this region, lying in a narrow, strip of litora

Actually, most of about 3000 kilometers of the long Indian coastline was already controlled by the Dutch, Portuguese, French, and other European posers except the British.  Only the Gagetic coast of the Bay of Bengal was spared by Europeans.  Hence, the British were very much in search of a place on the western coast of India to establish their base.  In 1661, they got this opportunity and started the establishment over here in the older Bombay areas.

Bombay has the largest of all weather natural harbor.  The British had established a port there.  This became the nearest Indian port having a natural harbor for English use.  Actually, most of the goods and passenger traffic bound to Europe especially to Britain soon were handled by this port.  Bombay emerged as the Gateway to India and the rest of Europe.  This post acted as the collected center from British good, basically manufactured and raw materials from its hinterland.  In this way it started playing a role as an important center of British finished goods and an export center for Indian raw materials for British industries, particularly cotton, which was grown on a large scale in the hinterlands.  Various types of manufactured goods were brought here from Britain to be sold in the hinterland of this port. 

This large scale foreign trade attracted capitalists from several parts of India to handle this trade.  Hence, Bombay arose as the economic hub or capital of India.  Ultimately, these capitalists were turned into industrialists and started their own industrial complexes in collaboration with or with the help of their British friends.  Since the latter half of the nineteenth century and towards the turn of that century, hundred of industries were established in the Bombay area.  Textiles made of cotton were the most important.  Their number rose even to over a hundred.  Chemical engineering and several other industries were also established in good number.  Hence, it again became the industrial center of India.

Transportation line in the form of rails and roads were also developed to facilitate these activities.  In this way, a large number of avenues of employment were developed in Bombay.  It attracted a large number of job seekers from all around the area.  Thus, the population of Bombay started rising sharply and it became a city of a million people as early as 1901.

The island situation was barring the city’s horizontal growth.  That is way the vertical expansion was the only way out, hence sky-scrapers are not the recent phenomenon in the city, rather it dates back even to the pre-independence phenomenon.

Due to the limited space for horizontal expansion, the cost of the land started rising very rapidly and also for workers in the industries living costs became higher.  Hence, many industries started shifting elsewhere, because of the rising production costs.  Outside of Bombay the costs were lower because of cheap land prices, cheap labor costs (as the living was cheaper and easier than Bombay) low or not maintenance cost (as the machines were newer) and transportation costs was also lower because raw material producing area and markets were also comparatively nearer.

Cotton textile can be cited for example.  Bombay region was once known as the Manchester and Liverpool of India as far as the concentration of cotton mills in Bombay was concerned.  But it started to be shifted in the first towards the cotton producing areas.  Anmedarabad Badodra, Sural, Nagpur, Akola, Sholapur, Kolhapur, and Bharamch, in Maharastra and Gujarat.  Then it started shifting towards the market region, like Kolkata, Kampur, Delhi, etc.  Production of cotton in Punjab, Haryana, Western Uttar Pradesh, with the help of irrigation are also responsible for the start of new cotton mills in the Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan.  So much before Indian independence now new cotton mills were started in the Bombay region.  Rather after the eighth decade of cotton mills have been closed due to the higher production costs and also because of other labor problems.  Similar is the case with other traditional industries of Bombay.

The dominance of this post in India has also been sliced down because of the fact that several major ports have been developed on the western coast of India, like Kandla, Marmugaon, Mangalore, and Cochin. 

Even Mumbai, formerly known as Bombay, succeeds to be the most populous city in India, became the home to several new industries.  These have been established on the nearby islands.  From the bay where two oil refineries have been established and one atomic reactor plant has also been established.  The island of Nova-Scotia has been developed as the new outer port of Bombay, off shore from the current city.  In Bombay High, a huge pool of natural oil has been found and exploited.  Overall the momentum of the early start of the city is still working.  Hence it is surviving as the largest urban center in India, so far as the population is concerned. 

Geographical Environs of Varanasi

June 8, 2003

Varanasi or Kashi is actually the religious and cultural center o India in general and of Hindus in particular.  This reputation has been from time immemorial.  The geographical and environmental situation of Varanasi is responsible for it, which have their combined affect in making the cultural hub of the Indian Subcontinent.       

It is situated on the left bank or on the northern bank of the holy river Ganges.  The Ganges is treated as the lifeline of India in general and the Gangetic plain in particular.  It is because of the fact that this plane is a depositional plain of the Ganges and its numerous tributaries.  The soil is deep and very fertile.  The Ganges and its tributaries supply water for irrigation and other purposes including drinking and domestic uses and etc.  The Ganges and its tributaries also had been playing and important role as a means of transportation, as there were no rail or road transportation and river navigation was the only way.   The Ganges provided the navigational route for the entire Gangetic plain and it was also connecting this plain to that of the Bay of Bengal and to the rest of the known world.  That is why this plain has been a region of high human concentration. 

Since time immemorial Varanasi acted as one of the major river ports along the Ganges.

The vicinity of the forested plateau of the peninsula India has provided Varanasi a typical advantage which none of the ancient Gangetic (or towns situated on the bank of the Ganges) towns enjoyed.  While none of the Ganges river towns had the nearness of the forest plateau of the Indian peninsula, Varanasi alone enjoys this situation.  The Vindlyan mountains divide the Indian subcontinent into two parts, north India and South India.  Varanasi is a connecting zone between north and south India.  On the opposite side of Varanasi (the southern bank of the river) the mountains run very close and sometimes parallel to the river for a couple of miles.  This part of India is quite different from that of the north Indians of the Gangetic plain so far as the physical and cultural environment is concerned.  The economic and social conditions are also different here from that of the Gangetic plain.  This plateau region is highly eroded having rock cut peneplanes, steep slopes or scarps, which are highly eroded by rivers.

This way here the Ganges divides the two different geographical regions, which have differences, physical, social, economic and cultural backgrounds.  This plateau region comes very close to Varanasi.  In this way Varanasi is situated just on the contact zone between that of the Gangetic plain in the north and the plateau of the Indian peninsula on the south.  The Ganges are the great route of transportation connecting the Bay of Bengal in the east and the foothills of the Himalayas of the west.  The Himalayan region is also not far away from Varanasi.  It is only about two hundred miles north of Varanasi.  Varanasi is well connected from the Nepali Himalayas by surface transports even since ancient times. 

So location on the bank the River Ganges is on a contact zone of the great Indian plain and plateau and nearness of the Himalayas provide Varanasi such and ideal situation which none of the Ganges side Indian towns enjoy.  That is why it is then developed as the cultural and religious capital of India even during ancient times and it is still continuing.  “Saints” and philosophers residing in the caves of the Himalayas and the peninsular plateau often used to come to Varanasi for a holy dip (bath) in the holy Ganges.  The holy men came to teach and preach at Varanasi.  For them, ashrams or the cottages, Ashrams are a resting place for holy men like a hotel except they are not commercial. All needs are provided free of cost.  Ashrams were built by the local people and even by the kings of the various parts of India.  These “saint” were not ordinary men, rather they were great scholars, philosophers, and scientists.  During their stay in Varanasi people in various parts of the country used to come here for l

It is also the city known for Lord Shiva or the destroyer of evil.  Lord Shiva is also supposed to be the god of the forest and forest people.  The proximity of the forested are and the plateau of peninsular India attracted dwellers north of the Varanasi region to worship Shiva who was worshiped by the forest living people.  Once when the temple of Lord Shiva was built in Varanasi on the banks fo the river Ganges (Kashi Vishvanath) the worship of the Shiva was started by the people who were living in the Gangetic plain and Varanasi was accepted as the holy abode of Lord Shiva.  The forest people brought the worship of Shiva north to the people of the plain.

Varanasi also earned the world fame as the silk manufacturing center particularly Banaresi, Sari.  An ample silk supply from the nearby forested area and contact of Varanasi through the Ganges to the rest of India and outside also provided the silk industry with a good market facility.  In this way, Varanasi became a good market area and so several other industries like brass bronze and copper were developed in and around Varanasi.  The cities location is important because it is located on a river between the north Indian plain and the southern Indian plateau.  The Deccan plateau is only part of the southern Indian plateau.

It was also developed as a market center because the people from all over the country who came to Varanasi for learning and pilgrimage were carrying materials available in their region.  In their journey back home they used to bring good available in Varanasi to their home towns.

In this way, the geographical conditions favored Varanasi to become an important cultural, religious, educational, and commercial center.

From the Indian Gateway to Marathra’s Heartland:
From Mumbai to Arangabad or
from the KonKan coast to the Plateau’s Interior.

July 26, 2003

From Gujrat about 2/3 North the western coast of India is known as the KonKan.  Southwestern coast is known as Malabow.

A journey from Mumbai to Aurangabad is really a journey from the KonKan littoral to the Decan Plateau’s interior or from the Indian gateway to the heartland of the Maratha people (Marathi) race of the Deccan Plateau region or from the sea coast to the plateau province.  Though we flew by air (Jet Airways), yet it provided from a bird’s eye view of the sky scrapers of the metropolitan area of Mumbai, the Arabian sea coast and the scarps of the Western Ghats were bidding us a good bye when the plane was taking off fom the Chhatrabats Shivays airport in Mumbai.  From there we moved to a highly eroded tabular plateau of Deccan lava with their scarp, rich black cotton soil or “regur” with rich millet, cotton, sugar cane, and banana crops.  The typical Maratha culture were welcoming us while our plane was going down to touch the runway.

Aurangabad is just in the center of the region dominated by one of the most brave or warrior races of India, i.e., Maratha.  They are brave warriors, strong, having self -respect, revolutionary ideas, having strong national feelings.  That is why they had been making trouble for every ruler fro the outside even from ancient times.  During the sultanate Mughal periods they had always been oppressing the rulers.  To keep them under control, one ruler during the sultanate period (a period before the Mughal period) named Mohammad Bin Tugalak, had shifted the capital of his empire from Delhi to Daultabad, near Aurangabad, on the Aurangabad-Jalgaon road, but the due to the disadvantaged environmental conditions compared the Delhi areas, he once again shifted the capital to Delhi.  Due to such shifts he could not be a successful emperor.  Likewise, Aurangzeb, one of the most powerful emporers of the Mughal dynasty, also shifted the capital from Delhi to Aurangabad, where his queen died and he tried to build a tom

The area around Arangabad is known as Marathabara, i.e., the land of Marathas.  It is also a regional administrative, educational, cultural and hub of the Marathabara, which spreads over several districts of central and north-western districts of Maharastra.  It si the commsionary headquarters of Marahabara (the Indian Union was divided into states, states into divisions, divisions into districts, districts into subdivisions, subdivisions into community development blocks, into community develoment blocks into village pancharyat and municipality for curban centers.  The village panchayat consists of several villages.  It has also one University named the University of Marathabara, in the city of Aurangabad there are several medical, engineering, and other colleges, so it is also the educational center of the region.

There are several sugar and cotton mills in and around the city as there are raw materials are produced in abundance in the surrounding areas.  The city is also surrounded by a tabular basalt plateau, which are highly eroded and are now in the form of an eroded plateau, with numerous spurs, valleys, rills, and rivlets, which are still cutting the face of the plateau scarps and carving the parallel retreat of the scarps.  Once the area was covered with dense deciduous forest, which has been cut mercilessly during the past.  Now their remnants can be seen only on the steep scarps.  Hindus do not see there religions as distinct faiths.  For example, Buddah is the 10th incarnation of Vishnu.  Jainism is a reform of Jainism is a reform of Jainism is a reform of Hinduism, like Lutherans to Catholics.

Surrounding plateaus were also used as rock at cave temple paintings and sculptures.  The world famous Ajanta and Alora rock cut temples, its best examples.  On Elora hill there are at least thirteen cave temples, which are devoted to Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain temples.  The Kailash temple, which is devoted to Lord Shiva, is the central and biggest cave temples.

In Ajandta, there are also thirty rock cut temples.  All of them are devoted to the Lord Buddha.  Thier paintings and sculptures are related to the various stories and myths related to the Lord Buddha.

In this way, Aurangabad has a rich heritage and prosperous present.

Shantineketan

“Shanti” means peace and “niketan” means the home of peace, as it is named by its founder, Dr. Rabindra Nath Taore, the great poet and the second Indian Nobel laureate in literature.  Actually, it is stil a very peaceful place.  About a hundred or more years ago when it was established by the late Devendra Nath Tagore, one very rich man and the father of the poet ravindra nath Tagore, it was very peaceful–located far from the metropolis of Calcutta (Kolkata),which is a very congested, polluted, dirty and overpopulated city.

Shantiniketan is situated in a rural area, about two miles from Bolpur, in the district of Burdawan, about 180 kilometers (miles) from Calcutta.  It is situated in the midst of the Bengal plain.  It is the best example of urbanization, due to the establishment of the university.  It has developed as a small urban center, having about 20,000 people. There is no industry, although it is connected with rail and road links with Kolkata and other parts of the country.

Dr. Ravindra Nath Tagore established a university there, which is known as Visva Bharati.  “Visva” means the universe, and “Bharati” means the center of learning or the place of worship of the goddess of learning, Saraswati.

Dr. Ravindra Nath Tagore was very critical of existing formal education, so he started a center of learning where informal education was imparted–often beneath a tree–under the able guidance of its founder.  Students have the liberty to choose their own way of learning, and soon it became a great center of literature, the arts, and crafts.  Soon the fame of the school crossed regional and national boundaries and students from all over the world came to study there.  It has produced world famous artists, philosophers, scholars, administrators, and politicians.  The late Indira Gandhi, the former Prime Minister of Indian, and Dr. Amartya Sen, theNobel laureate for economic theory, are some of the school’s examples.

The typical perception of Bengali cultural traits can be seen in the people of Shantineketan: gentleness, sophistication, humbleness, and tolerance of the people are some of them. 

Dumka: The Land of Santhals

Dumka is the sub-capital of the newly formed state of Jharkand (“the land of forest”, or “the region of forest”).  In the last decade it was made the commissionary or divisional headquarters of Santhal Parganas–the region of the Santhals, one of the aboriginal peoples of India. 

Jharkand has four districts (Deoghar, Dumka, Godda, and Sahibganj) in its jurisdiction. Before 1980 it was a district headquarters of Santhal Parganas district, having six subdivisions (Dumka, Jamtara, Deoghar, Godda, Rajmahal, and Pakur).  Now, all of these subdivisions have been upgraded into districts and th former district of Santhal Parganas has been upgraded into commissionary and Dumka remains its headquarters.

Geologicaly and physiographically this area is known as the Rajmahal Highlands.  It is the northeastern tip of the highland of peninsular India.  This plateau region has been highly eroded by numerous rills and rivulets.  The Mor or Mayuraksi,the Ajoy, the Barakar, are some of the main rivers of the region.  They have been cutting this area for a pretty long time.  That is why the plateau of Rajmahal has been converted into a dissected plateau varying width and dimensions, with numerous spurs and valleys, rock cut basins and hills and hillocks of varying heights and sizes.

This highly dissected plateau country was once covered with thick deciduous forests including trees like teak, shal, mahua, kahua, nim, jackfruit, and mango.  These were the main species of natural vegetation.  This densely forested area was once occupied by forest dwellers who were primitive men or aboriginals, locally referred to as tribals.

There are several tribes living in this area, but two of them are important.  They are the Paharias (the hill tribe) and the Santhals.  The Paharias occupy the hill tops and the Santals the lowland and valleys of the plateau.  Pahariyas are manly forest gatherers, and the Santhals are settled agriculturalists.

Forests have been cut badly now.  Only remnants of forests are remaining.  Slopes have been terraced and are being used for cultivation of rice, corn, beans, potatoes, and vegetables.  Irrigation facilities are rare, so cultivation is mainly monsoon-based.  So during the monsoon, (late June, July, and August, and early September) the whole region becomes green.  But, during the summer months (April, May and part of June) the entire region is dry.

Santhals are the most numerous ethnic group of the area, hence the region is known as Santhal Parganas. Their culture is dominated by the plateau and forest environment and their way of living is today primitive.  It is very colorful, with colorful paintings on the walls.  They use colorful flowers in their headwear and as decoration.  The colorful clothing includes blues, greens and reds. These people live close to nature.

Shimla: The Queen of the Himachal Himalayas

Shimla is located in the Himachal Himalayas in the state of  Himachal Pradesh.(region)  The British transferred the capital of India to Delhi in 1916 from Calcutta (now Kolkata) and soon after they made Shimla the summer capital of British India.  This was done because of the fact that it was too hot and unbearable in Delhi during the summer, prior to the use of air conditioning. 

The situation of Shimla, at an altitude of about 7000 feet, in the arms of the outer Himalyas, also known as the Siwalik Himalayas, was climatically similar to that of the temperate British homeland.  So, they developed Shimla as a “hill station” and it became the summer capital of India.

This brought urbanization in the remote Himalayan region.  Shimla has developed into an important urban center, with a population of------ in the center of this part of the Himalyan region. 

The term Himanchal is the combination of two terms: “Him” means snow or ice, and “Anchal” means region.  Hence, the meaning of Himanchal is the region of ice.  During winter, a heavy snowfall occurs in this region of the Himalayas.  There are several high peaks of the Himachal Himalayas which have perpetual ice cover. Even the Shimla region receives snowfall during the winter.

During the British occupation of India (1916-1947) this newly grown urban center flourished. After 1947, the British occupied territory was divided into the countries of India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh.  Myanmar became separated from British India in 1936. After independence, Shimla was no longer used as an summer capital, but today, it is the capital of the newly constituted state of Himachal Pradesh, which was carved out from the greater Punjab. (Today it includes West Punjab-now it is in Pakistan, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, as well as Himachal Pradesh.)

As administrative capital, Shimla has been privileged to provide the facilities for several government and non-government offices.  It attracted a large number of people for employment.  It also created a town with a growing market facility, which again attracted a large number of people for employment in commercial activities. Schools, colleges, hospitals, transportation and other types of activities sprang up to add to the size of the town.  This expanded the town in size and population.

The temperate type of climate during summer and monsoon seasons (April to September) continues to make Shimla an ideal hill station for dwellers of the Ganges Plain, where this season is very hot.  Large numbers of people come to forsake the scorching sun.  October and November are also mild and pleasant. The healthy climate of the Shimla region has also converted it into a health resort. In winter when sow falls and when the ground is snow-covered, a large number of people also come to enjoy Shimla.

Shimla’s  scenic natural beauty is formed by the high mountain peaks, steep slopes, deep valleys, waterfalls, rapids, and dense forest, combined with colorful natural flowers also attracts a number of tourists, not only from India, but from outside.

This has created a significant tourist center, with hotel industries which has led to enhanced transportation systems.  All of these factors: history, climate, beauty, health and tourism have a combined effect: they have increased employment opportunities and the urbanization of Shimla by leaps and bounds.

Horticulture, gardening, and several other type of agricultural activities have developed here, allied with the temperate mountain type of region. Nearby Shimla, Kutri is home to the National Potato Research Center.  The Kutri potato is famous throughout India.  This region has also been developed as the leading apple producing state of India and th apple lobby has become very powerful here.  It decides the political fate of the state, too. Business syndication has grown and India exports apples and potatoes are to various parts of the country.  The commercial sphere of Shimla has added to the size of the town, also providing employment to a large number of job seekers.       

Geological and physiographical characteristics are different from the rest of India: The area is dominated respectively by Shimla, Dogra, and Chail slates.     

In cultural geography and history, the region has been dominated by a brave Rajput clan, known as the Dogra.  They are warriors and martial races.  The Dogra regiment of the Indian army has a very long tradition of galantry.  Their officers prefer to stay in the Shimla region after their retirement from active service.          

In this way, the multi-functional features of Shimla are responsible for the accelerated growth of this city, which has quickly emerged as a great urban center of India, spreading over a very long crescent-shaped area.  In the evening, it shines with electrical lights like a vertical fairyland in the arms of the Himalayas.  In the sun, it also shines.  Most of the tin roofs are steeply pitched to shed snow.  Shimla seems to be the Queen of the Himachal Himalayas because of its natural and human created beauty.

Dr. Devendra Prasad Singh
H/O SRI   RAMESHWAR Prasad (retired  jailor)
In the eastern front of the office of Housing Board
Hanuman Nagar, Kankarbag
Patna, Bihar
India ,  Pincode - 800020
telephone:  Patna Code: (0612) Number- 2346538