India and Slave Trade in Women

> Officially the slavetradeis banned in India for that matter all over the world. But the laws thatexiston paper are flouted as the guiding principle is poverty. As withall tradeacommoditysells when buyers areavailable. It is a classic case of need coupled withsupply and demand. Slave markets haven’t really gone away and they exist in varying degrees from Africa to Asia. In India there is a flourishing slave market for girls from Nepal and Bangladesh. Both these nations are impoverished and thus easy prey to this nefarious trade. As I have pointed out one of the commodities in great demand is young girls from Bangladesh and Nepal. Great poverty in these 2 nations has spawned atradein girls. Nepalese girls fetch a higher price as they are fair and considered better than Bangladesh girls, who are darkish. Given the fetish in the sub continent for fairness, it is obvious that Nepali girls fetch a higher price.

The price of a girl also depends on age and other factors. Virgins are the highest priced. What I write is a fact.The marketfor Nepal girls is at Siliguri in North Bengal. I was able to visit this bazaar where the girls aretraded. Men folk from Nepal actively sell the girls. A BEAUTIFUL Nepali virgin can fetch a very high price. It could touch 50 thousand rupees. Once a girl issold, the buyer can keep her as maid, bed mate, maid or anything. He can also sell her later. Many are forced into prostitution. Girls from Bangladesh are more in number and cheaper. Generally they are however considered more loyal. Small illegal bazaarsexistclose to Kolkata. Once girl is bought she is fed and clothed by the owner. I remember meeting a man at Kancharapara who was about 50 and had 3 Bangladesh girls working as maids and sleeping with him as well. He boasted all 3 were virgins. The man was a well heeled trader and I met him through a common friend. A question that must arise is as to what the police do? They try their best, but plenty of black sheep are there. The trade thus goes on merrily.

Desire, Love and marriage in Ancient India

One aspect that stands out is that men covet women. One can call it lust or give softer word like love, but at the end of the day it is physical desire that rules. This was the reason that the Mughul emperor Jahangir got one of the courtiers killed and married his wife who was later known as Noor Jahan. Women in history were not only to be wooed but won as a prize. Thus in Hindu custom the Swayamwara was introduced. It involved a massive ceremony where the suiters gathered to show case their prowess in arms and weaponry. The winner got the woman or princess as wife. Thus the god Rama won Sita in a swayamwara. I dont think love played a part in any swayamwara as the girl had perforce to select the man who had bested all other suiters. Thus a man who coveted a particular princess, could win her by his strength and skill though the princess may have loved another man.

In Hindu thought one other aspect of marriage accepted is marriage by abduction. This is not peculair to India, but in Europe also it was prevelant. Thus when Bishma appeared at the swayamwara of Ambika, spirited her and her sister from the palace by beating all the warriors present it was abduction. Raja Salya the man who loved Ambika was defeated and shamed by Bishma. Bishma had abducted the princesses for his brother and he himself did not want to marry, but that is another tale. Both forms of marriage were recognized in India till the 12 century. But they petered away with the advent of Muslim raj. Modern India does not recognize these forms of marriages, but we can read about them and savor that glorious age. The bottom line is that the driving force in both forms of marriage was the desire to covet and own the woman.

Power Failure: Military Repercussions and China

The recent power trip up which brought about the greatest power crises in the world that plunged 700 million people back to the dark ages is bad enough, but how many know the disastrous consequences of this.

The power failure that plunged the entire north and east India in darkness was an event that cannot be glossed over. All communication lines snapped, trains stopped in their tracks, metros stopped everywhere some in the deep tunnels, Miners were struck underground , Traffic lights failed and airports were plunged in darkness. The above is serious enough but I am told the power back ups at some of the forward air bases also failed and communication lines between the military headquarters and the forward formations were cut. In the forward areas there was total black out and the troops were waiting what to do next.

The radar stations also were below performance and the back up was not enough for prolonged usage and soon the screens blacked out. These points have not been examined or discussed and this aspect has been conveniently over looked. What if the Chinese had decided to strike India at this time? The chances are that with a break down in communication the Chinese would have had an easy run into India. This is not an alarmist scenario but a real possibility. Troops also could not have been moved in the absence of rail communication. Thus the Indian army would be battling with one arm tied behind its back.

The GOI and the Military HQs will have to think about a recurrence of this disaster. Next time it may be a different story

Hitler's Last Relic: The Olympic Torch * 65

Not many people know about the orgin of the Olympic torch from Greece to the Venue of the Olympics. Credit for this Olympic torch must go to Adolf Hitler who along with his propaganda Minister Dr. Goebbles concieved and executed the idea of the Olympic torch. It must be mentioned that before the 1936 Olympics there was no tradiation of a Olympic torch being carried from Greece to the venue of the Olympics. There was a flame in the 1932 and 28 Olympics but it was not carried from Greece.

In 1936 the Olympics were held in Berlin. Hitler wished to make this a memorable event for Germany and more so of the Nazi party. He and Dr Goebbles concieved the idea of a Olympic flame that would be lit in Greece and carried by relay runners through German dominated areas like Austria and Czheckoslovokia to Berlin. The idea was to create a favorable impression about Germany and distract the world from the anti- sementism and other negative policies of Hitler.

The runners were chosen with great care and special German race men with blonde and Aryan features were chosen to carry the Olympic torch. This was a revolutionary step and Hitler was able to rivet the attention of the world to this new innovation. Dr Goebbles was able to create a aura with the torch as an example of Nazi socialism.

This was the first occassion that a torch from Greece was taken by relay runners. Hitler recieved favorable comments for this act and his popularity all over the world went up. After the defeat of Germany this was one relic of Hitler that was not discarded. In the 1948 olympics at London the torch was duly lit at Greece and carried by runners to London. Hitler after all did leave something durable behind.