warvet

  THREE ICONIC ANCIENT TEMPLES OF KASHMIR BY WARVET   Although almost all of the twenty thousand ancient temples existing in Kashmir were destroyed by radical rulers over centuries, three of them stand unmolested today belying time. These ancient treasures are pristine timeless beauties. Reasons for their escape from destruction are interesting.   SHANKARACHARYA TEMPLE ‘Have you been to Shankaracharya Temple? The 256 stairs that lead to the temple were constructed by me!’ Said the Maharaja. He prefers to be addressed as ‘Dr Karan Singh’. The nonagenarian in a way Citizen No 1 of J&K told me, not for the first time. Of all the great things he has done for preservation and furtherance of Hindu places of worship in Kashmir through his ‘Dharmarth Trust’, Shankaracharya Temple, that is situated atop the hill on which his palace – ‘Karan Mahal’ is situated, is closest to his heart.   The palace is more of a big British bungalow overlooking acres and acres...

  HOODA'S  WEIGHTLOSS MANTRA BY WARVET WEIGHTLOSS I “I can reduce my weight to acceptable level within a month” Declared Hooda. He was addressing a bunch of over 55 yrs re-employed officers. The group was worried about forthcoming Annual Medical Exam. The medical specialist, Dr Das was known to be a saddist, notorious for his focus on body weight. Many a senior officer had found to his dismay that Das was not amenable to any pressure. He would cast aside all medical reports and point to the commercial weighing machine in the corner of his chamber. Once on the machine, the digital red display gave the weight. Das occupied himself with whatever he was doing. Then you would see the notice on the machine – “Press the red button for print out”. This he wanted. He would copy the figure on the slip on to the medical report in front of you, initial the slip and staple it to the bunch. And you were done. Not even a General from the medical branch could save you. “Look! At our age t...

    MEGAWALK -2 BY WARVET “ Be ready to start on Sunday Megawalk at 5 in the morning” I reminded Hooda over phone. “ Its no longer Megawalk. Its Megarun. We are going to run all the way 25 km to Ranga Pahar and back in the morning” announced Hooda non chalantly. “Says who?” Protested I, my mind racing, how to escape from this impending catastrophy. “I say so” – Hooda. “Look, its not a joke. You should have told earlier. You can not just announce this one night prior to the event. If you want to go on Megarun tell me 4 days in advance” I retorted. Hooda must have sensed the finality in my voice and quietly gave in. So we started as usual by car, reached our start point and walked into the Tea plantations. A nala coming through the garden with rain water was having two guys trying to catch fish with an innovative miniature Chinese fishing net like those you see in Kochi. Young boys from the bagaan were emerging in groups with cane fishing rods to try getting some fish. Its t...

  MEGAWALK IN ASSAM BY WARVET   Jul 2019 The Civil Hired Transport (CHT) or in simple terms – Taxi cruised past hamlets and towns of Central Assam. I was on way to Tezpur, the cultural capital of Assam to take new assignment (Bhupen Hazarika and a host of cultural icons of Assam are from Tezpur). I marvelled at the beauty of Army that showed you the length and breadth of this vast country. I smiled to myself as it was with this in mind that I had joined the Army (besides other reasons). All along the raised road, there was nothing but a sea of unending water. It seemed that the complete state was flooded. Only the locals knew it was an annual phenomenon in the Brahmaputra flood plains. People were well adapted to it. Houses were on bamboo stilts earlier, now they were on raised ground. Road was as such raised. So it was a matter of time that water would recede and sowing begin. Till then, locals enjoyed fishing in the flooded fields. As we approached Tezpur, rice fields ...

  THREE ICONIC MUSLIM RISHIS OF KASHMIR BY WARVET   ‘Welcome To Sheikh Ul Uloom International Airport’ greeted the huge hoarding as I entered the Arrival area of Srinagar Airport. It was after 20 years that I had returned. And I remembered it was simply ‘Srinagar Airport’ those days. Over the next few months, as I delved deeper into the place’s society, culture and history   as has become my wont over the years, I discovered it was named after the patron saint of ‘Chrar e Sharif’ – that most revered shrine of Saint Noor u Din Wali AKA Nand Rishi! A muslim Rishi!! I was flummoxed.   I had often heard about ‘Kashmiriyat’ -  that syncretic elusive idea of tolerance that is considered all encompassing and  unique to Kashmir and has been given as panacea for the macabre dance of violence that has engulfed the ‘Heaven on Earth’ for past few decades. Vajpayee was a great proponent of Kashmiriyat and clubbing it with Insaniyat (Humanity) and Zamhuriyat (Democ...