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Esther
Williams continues her exploration of India's Karnataka state "Ever
since Bangalore Airport became international, with flights coming
in from Dubai, Sri Lanka and Malaysia, tourism has improved,"
the Commissioner commented. The archaeological survey has been doing
its bit to update the information base while the Tourist Department
has taken effective measures for the upkeep of these priceless monuments,
he said. Other plans
of the department are the launch of the Karnataka Traveller, a compendium
of information and logistics and an updated website (Karnatakatourism.org).
"Eventually what we would like to do is to make Bangalore a
hub for South Asian tourism that can offer packages for the region
to include Sri Lanka, Thailand and Maldives," the Commissioner
said. Mysore, the
City of Palaces, known for its royal splendour and pageantry is
140 kms away from Bangalore, easily accessible by road or rail from
Bangalore or Chennai. Having been the capital of the Wodeyar kings,
the Maharaja's Palace reflects the glory of that 16th Century dynasty. Today Mysore
is a pleasant city with an old world charm - broad shady avenues,
well laid out gardens, gracious buildings and fine climate - that
makes it a popular tourist destination. Visitors from all over India
flock to this region. Designed by
the English architect, Henry Irwin, the Mysore Palace dominates
the skyline. The three-storied structure built in the Indo-Saracenic
style between 1879 and 1912 has beautifully designed square towers
and domes. Its ornate ceiling, sculpted pillars, carved doors, stained
glass, paintings and famed jewel encrusted golden throne are amongst
the palace treasures. Many Indian movies requiring a palace setting
are shot here. Other places
of interest in Mysore are the Jaganmohan Palace with an art gallery
attached, Lalitha Mahal Palace and Chamundi Hill. The Dasara festival
held in October each year is celebrated with pomp, its pageants
echoing the grandeur of the royal past. Dasara celebrates
the victory of good over evil. During the 10-day event, the city
is lit up and wears a festive look. Traditional wrestling matches,
a crafts fair and film festivals are held culminating in a procession
on the final day. This procession is led by elephants carrying an
idol of goddess Chamundeshwari, seated in a golden elephant seat,
followed by decorated horses, folk dancers and colourful floats.
This is quite similar to the Kandy Esala Perahera. It is exciting
to take home the carved Sandalwood objects, inlay work, incense
and silk scarves, shirts and sarees that Mysore is famous for. The
Mysore silk is lighter than the Kanchipuram silk, with the designs
varying between solid with gold/silver zari or intricate prints. While leaving
the city, one must be sure to take in the Ranganathitu bird sanctuary
and the Brindavan gardens, just outside Mysore. These ornamental
gardens with synchronised water fountains are illuminated at night,
transforming the entire area into a magical fairyland. Most visitors
do Mysore in a day. But should you wish to linger, there are a number
of good star hotels with modern facilities. After visiting
the heritage and pilgrimage circuits in Hassan and Mysore, there
are a number of other destinations to choose from. Should you have
a preference for nature and wildlife, the Bandipur wildlife sanctuary
and Nagerhole National Park are optional. These dense forest areas
where you are bound to see elephants, gaur, barking deer and the
common langur were at one time the hunting grounds of the kings
of that period. Facilities are available here for a unique camping
experience. The hill stations
all along the western region are picturesque with sandalwood forests,
coffee and spice plantations. One district that needs special mention
is Coorg, the source of the river Cauvery, known for its coffee
and cardamom. A popular weekend
getaway, just 60 kms from Bangalore are the Nandi Hills. At 1,455
feet above sea level, the spot was at one time the idyllic summer
retreat for the Tippu Sultan and later the British. Two ancient
temples dedicated to Lord Shiva grace the hills - one at the foot
and the other at the peak. This spot shot into prominence during
the visits of Queen Elizabeth II in the 60s and the heads of SAARC
countries in the 80s. Westward flowing
rivers meander through the thick forests in coastal Karnataka and
break into a number of streams and waterfalls. The ideal time to
visit Sivasamudram and the Jog Falls is during or soon after the
monsoon. All along the
320-km coastline are unspoilt beaches, most of them having shore
temples dedicated to various gods and goddesses which are an indication
of the importance of religion. Culture The fairs and
festivals of Karnataka, unique to the region, reverberate with colour
and gaiety. Unique among them is the Buffalo Race, a rural sport
that originated as a royal pastime and was later continued by feudal
lords. The Karaga
festival is celebrated each year in March/April at the Dharmaraja
Swamy Temple in Bangalore. On the auspicious day, just after dusk,
a priest dressed in female attire leads a spectacular procession
to the accompaniment of a dazzling display of swords by dhoti clad,
bare-chested members of the Thilagar community. On his head he carries
a flower decked pyramid. It has been a tradition during the festival
to visit the tomb of an 18th century Muslim saint. Today it is a
symbol of Hindu-Muslim unity. Bangalore It is considered
by many to be India's science and technology capital with world
class facilities. It is also home to the International Technology
Park Ltd. (ITPL) that houses over 100 IT companies from all over
the world. Indian software giants like Infosys and Wipro are also
headquartered here. It is rightly
called the city of contrasts because in addition to being a major
industrial and commercial centre, it has a number of historical
monuments like the Tippu Sultan's Fort and Summer Palace and also
modern shopping malls (offering both traditional clothing like sarees
and shalwars and also western wear), a race course, several golf
courses, bowling alleys, internet browsing centres and traditional
arts and crafts stores. Bangalore has a large number of restaurants,
and the pubs with their pub lunches are especially popular. Shopping A must buy
are the traditional Mysore paintings made with bright vegetable
dyes and the exquisitely crafted metal objects interwoven with creepers
and flowing floral patterns. The garments and ornaments made with
block prints and tie-&-dye with mirrors and beads are popular. Cuisine A
cure for every ill
The Logos Volume
40 publication, "Pharmaceutical Drugs and Health" is an
insight into the pharmaceutical industry and its consequent effects
on the consumer. The study was
inspired by the South African lawsuit instituted by the drug Transnational
Combines (TNCs) challenging the Medicines And Related Substances
Control (Amendment) Act which allowed compulsory licensing and parallel
importing of AIDS drugs and other drugs. They were compelled to
unconditionally drop their case against South African Government
because of an intense international campaign for affordable medicines.
The writer
effectively sets out the related topics of drug users, drug manufacturers,
drug regulators, a Third World perspective, and some current trends
in the field, fulfilling a long standing need in layman's language. The real strength
of this study rests in the spirit of veracity based on extensive
references made to international and local documents, country experiences,
cross country and industry comparisons, statistics, fact finding
reports, medical and economic journals. Part I of the
book is devoted to users of pharmaceuticals with a view to empowering
them on the proper use of drugs, their benefits and safety, their
limited therapeutic efficacy, overuse and misuse of antibiotics,
some popular myths and misinformation on vitamins. The writer stresses
the WHO disapproval of unwarranted medications for transient ailments
which pass off with time, nature itself providing the cures and
which may itself impair the body's resistance and natural healing
system or even worsen the situation. He discusses
concepts like "Rational Use of Drugs" (RUD), extending
in some countries even to options of non drug therapy and reasons
for problems like self medication. The writer
advocates the use of lower-cost quality generic alternatives. In
Sri Lanka he lists the available generics and their high-cost equivalent
brand-name drugs, the commonest being paracetamol, a generic sold
at 30 cents which under the brand name Panadol sells at Rs. 1.50.
Lately generics
are becoming the only affordable relief to growing infectious diseases
like HIV/AIDS. Reference is
made to the preferences and biases of dispensing doctors in the
selection of drugs in an environment of aggressive drug promotional
campaigns by large brand-name drug companies, where information
supplied by drug companies may be biased, misleading or incomplete.
Part II of
the book traces the historic development of the drug industry from
small manufacturing firms to huge TNCs owning 90% of the patents
gaining a huge control over pharmaceuticals and dominating global
markets. The writer quotes some appalling facts on their policies
and strategies of production and marketing. The analysis is enhanced
by some interesting Annexures on bribes, corruption, scandals, misrepresentation,
fraud and over registration of drugs. The writer
attributes the uncontrollable spiralling of drug prices to the inelastic
demand that enables the producers to violate prices without a decrease
in demand supported by the TRIPS Agreement and a patent system which
protects and fosters their monopolistic control. Supportive statistics
dispel the common claims of research and development for increasing
costs. He refers to studies indicating that research is often directed
at high priced drugs and on diseases that afflict the affluent classes
whereas research in Third World countries such as India has supported
and prompted the production of less expensive generic drugs. Inclusion of
Tables revealing the astronomical profits of leading TNCs in comparison
to costs of research and marketing shows that in 2000 the pharmaceutical
industry lived up to its reputation of being the most profitable
industry. Sadly a case of corporate profits over health. The writer
suggests price reduction strategies like compulsory licensing, parallel
imports, checking on the practices of transfer pricing, strict price
control measures, restrictions on the use of patent drugs and greater
use of lower cost good quality generics, increased support to local
manufacturers, limitation of promotional activities of drug firms
etc. Part III emphasizes
the duty of the state in formulating and implementing a "National
Drug Policy" based on entitling every person to basic health
care. The writer sets out a basic framework and suggests some important
components which should be included like the "essential drug
list" to treat major diseases and ailments. The writer advocates
"the most effective and least cost principle", emphasizing
on generic drugs of good quality. Cost however should not be the
guiding factor but essentially be available to those who cannot
afford it. In Part IV of the book the writer analyses the Third World situation in health and disease concluding that health has become a luxury for the poor in countries like Sri Lanka. He points out that globalization which prompts a free market coupled with privatization ultimately affects state services that serve the poor. He also refers to some critical issues like patent rights, parallel imports, compulsory licensing and differential prices entailing tremendous international ramifications. Part V briefs the reader on some emerging trends like direct-to-consumer advertising and bio technology. And the final conclusive chapter challenges the societal obligation to ensure the right to health care against the right to monopolies and profits which is morally outrageous and reprehensible. Maligawa
attack and aftermath About one week
before the arrival of the Prince of Wales, the Liberation Tigers
of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) completed their reconnaissance of Kandy. Their
intelligence was made at how slack our security was on Kings Street.
The street had the Remand Jail, the President's House and the Court
House, however there was just one check point. That was outside
the President House. There were no mobile patrols and the solitary
check point was manned by just two Policemen. At 0600 hours
on the morning of Sunday, January 25, 1998 there was a routine shift
in security. At the Queen's Hotel, Kandy, they were preparing breakfast
to a full house of foreign tourists. Kandy itself was a hive of
activity, preparing for the celebrations on Independence Day. A
common sight were lorries and half-trucks carrying building materials
for the temporary constructions. At 0605 hours
a Isuzu Elf half-truck bearing number 43-1396 turned into Kings
Street en route to the Temple of the Tooth some four hundred metres
away. It had a cargo of three hundred kilograms of explosives and
at the wheel was a Tiger Commando named "Master". On board
were three Tiger Commandos armed with AK-47 repeater rifles. They
were dressed in civilian clothes. When this vehicle approached the
security check point in front of the President's House, Commando
"Master" accelerated the vehicle while the other terrorists
opened fire. Under a hail of bullets, the half-truck rammed through
the check point. The vehicle drove past the Court House and turned
into Dalada Vidiya on which stood the Temple of the Tooth, in all
its majesty. When the vehicle was abreast of the main entrance of
this world famous Buddhist shrine, there was a massive explosion. The four Tiger
terrorists perished in the explosion. So did eleven innocent pilgrims.
Hundreds of pilgrims and foreign tourists were injured. Every building
in the vicinity was damaged. Consequently the Queen's Hotel had
to be closed down for one year. Above all,
the sacred Temple of the Tooth was damaged extensively. The explosion
had ripped off the roof and in many areas broken rafters were hanging
precariously. The Temple walls were cracked, the decorative wall
on the perimeter smashed, and the entrance in smithereens. The sacrilege
was akin to the Irish terrorists causing explosions in Westminster
Abbey in London or Islamic fundamentalists causing explosions in
St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. The reaction amongst our citizens
was predictable. The Buddhists were livid. The Christians, Muslims
and Hindus were angry. They all condemned this cowardly attack by
the Tigers. So did the international community, who some years ago
naively thought the Tigers were freedom fighters and not terrorists. In Parliament,
for once the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) in Government and the
United National Party (UNP) in Opposition, joined hands to proscribe
the Tigers. In the President's House, President Chandrika Bandaranaike
Kumaratunga took the decision to transfer the Independence Day celebrations
from Kandy to Sri Jayawardenepura, the capital of Sri Lanka situated
on the outskirts of Colombo, and to have such celebrations on a
limited scale. Thus the civil
war raged on without an end in sight. The Chief of Staff of the
Army, Major-General Srilal Weerasoriya RWP, RSP, VSV, USP, was the
Overall Operations Commander in the North. The battle scarred General
was having the same experience with the Tigers as the Generals of
the Indian Peace Keeping Force had ten years earlier. The Tigers
could be driven out of the Jaffna peninsula but they could not be
evicted from the Wanni. In 1998 the
successes of the Army were minimal and therefore early in1999 some
influential members of the clergy took upon themselves the task
of negotiation for peace. A delegation of ten influential Buddhist
monks accompanied by Bishop Kenneth Fernando, Bishop of Colombo
of the Church of Ceylon, and Bishop Rayappu Joseph of the Roman
Catholic Church went behind the forward defence lines in the quest
for peace. At Mallavi they met the hierarchy of the LTTE led by
S.P. Thamilchelvam, the Chief of the Political Wing and the trusted
lieutenant of Prabhakaran. At the outset
the Tigers asked for forgiveness for having desecrated The Temple
of the Tooth. The delegation of Buddhist priests was visibly shaken
by this gesture. They were further shaken by 1130 hours when alms
were offered to the Buddhist clergy with Buddhist protocol being
observed to perfection. Some monks even candidly admitted that they
had been offered alms with even greater finesse than devout Buddhists
observe. Thereafter
the negotiations began on a relaxed note. Thamilchelvam wound up
the session pleading with the Venerable monks to take their submissions
direct to President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga. She gave
an appointment to the delegation to meet her in May 1999, three
months away. When Prabhakaran heard of this he was livid and the
negotiations collapsed. Then Prabhakaran
took some far-reaching decisions. Those decisions were: a) The President
to be assassinated using suicide bombers. b) To celebrate
the Millennium with the liberation of Jaffna. As a first step to
liberate Elephant Pass in 1999. Thus the die
was cast. The consequences would necessarily be drastic and Sri
Lanka would bleed in 1999 either as much or more than what she had
bled in 1983, when the civil war had begun. That became abundantly
clear in the last quarter of 1999 when Prabhakaran launched his
Operation Unceasing Waves. Contd. next week |
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Copyright © 2001 Wijeya Newspapers
Ltd. All rights reserved. |
