"India is the cradle of the human race, the birthplace of human speech, the mother of history, the grandmother of legend, and the great grand mother of tradition. Our most valuable and most artistic materials in the history of man are treasured up in India only!"
- Mark Twain (Writer, America)
Today we completed 60 years as a republic. We remained as a secular and democratic nation even the nations who got freedom at the same time fall in to anarchy and military rule. We remained as a single nation even if India remained as diverse as the earth is.
We faced problems in the forms of wars with neighboring nations, insurgency in various part of India, poverty, financial crisis, international sanctions for years, earth quakes, terrorism etc but still 1.2 billion people more than 1/6th of world's populations remained united. From Kashmir to Kanyakumari and from Arunachal Pradesh to Gujarat along with islands celebrate 60th anniversary of the republic in the same way.
Even the decade’s long terrorism, insurgency and various riots failed to split the people, infact threats united people more strongly. As there are 1.2 billion people there are 1.2 billion voices- thanks to democratic frame work - but still there is only one voice for all these people when India faces a problem.
Its not that we don’t have any problem, there are still people who are struggling to win their bread; people who are still beyond the coverage of primary healthcare, people without homes an electricity. Insurgents and terrorists still remains a threat to national security. Widespread corruption still posses a great challenge to nation. Localist policies of various groups are still trying to break the unity of nation. Even if reforms of 1991 and later policies changed the face of the nation; government's distraction in going ahead for a complete restructuring still hurt the economics of nation.
We have many concerns to address and find solutions for that. I am here by put forward 11 core areas where we have to focus on to move further ahead.
1. Eliminating poverty and providing basic infrastructure to the people.
It is government’s duty to provide basic infrastructure and provide a way to earn their bread for common people. By basic infrastructure I mean proper roads, ports and rail facilities, not building numerous over bridges - Leave the building of over bridges to private companies and focus on core areas.
2. Tackling terrorism, insurgency and naxalism.
Killing the innocents people on roads and streets cant be justified under any situations. Its the duty of the government to maintain the republic as a secure one. Try to adopt a strategy and for God's sake please not jump to and fro every now and then.
3. Eliminating widespread corruption.
This is one of the main enemy of republic. Its totally unacceptable to give money to government officers for the facilities which republic provides to the people. Enforce stricter measures and sudden actions.
4. Going ahead with economic reforms and eliminating red tapes.
After the reforms of 1991 our country saw a major change. The biggest example of it may be our telecom sector. But governments now become slow on further reforms. Government have to remember that its not their function to run aero plane companies, equipment manufactures, various banks which compete each other in market, oil companies which also compete each other in market etc. Divest from non core areas or at least bring down the percentage of shares to 51 and focus on core areas and regulation.
5. Enhancing efficiency and eliminating delays in the beaurocratic structure and in projects.
Bring down the functions of government and focus on core areas. Avoid red tapes, and pull out of unnecessary businesses. Government don’t have any need to run companies, instead create authorities like TRAI, SEBI, IRDA for overlooking and regulating various sectors and of course give them enough power.
6. Tackling the narrow and localist policies of local groups.
The localist policies of various groups in various states may give them a political base in that region and may fetch a dozen seats for them. For creating the majority these couple of seats may be necessary, but remember that these policies are acting like a axe in the root of Indian republic. Remember India as a nation is more important everything else is secondary.
7. Restructuring foreign policy and trying to play a major role in international level.
Restructure the foreign policy and carve out a special place in international level. Engage in more nations as far as possible instead of focus on narrow regions. Expand the base to all over the world, when something happens like earth quake etc, in addition to giving monetary and food aid engage there as many as Indians as possible. Government to Government relations may change quickly but people to people relations are rock solid. So engage in the people level. Let our flag to fly everywhere.
8. Reforms in the police force.
Complete restructuring. Enhance the intelligence division of police force and give them more modern equipments. Remove political interferences in the force at the same time make them people friendly. People should feel police stations as an approachable shelter rather than creating fear in them.
9. Allocate funds and promote basic sciences, restructure teaching.
Whatever government do we can’t achieve progress unless we focus on core areas. Do you remember how many Indians conducted research in India and got Nobel Price? The funds going to the science section will come back with many folds. Instead of making every college in India a production factory focus on research oriented curriculum. Here government can took many lessons from our great ancestors.
10. Protect forest, wild life and rivers.
You can live with out a car, but with out water, air etc its impossible. Once all these gone it is impossible to get it back. Already we converted rivers to drainage channels and polluted air as much as possible. How many tigers are there in Sariska tiger reserve? These are our non negotiable assets so don’t compromise with it.
11. More open view in foreign technologies.
Instead of buying a foreign aircraft as it is, or saying indigenization every time, hire the best brains in the world no matter who it is, pay them well and give them all the facilities them want. Use them to teach in the universities across India. Hire the people who invent technologies, Nobel price laureates, and renowned scientists and create a research pool.
12. Clean energy
Focus on power sector. Enhance the production capabilities and transportation efficiency, eliminate power thefts. Give more focus on renewable energy and clean energy technologies.
As in the words of Swami Vivekananda,
"Civilizations have arisen in other parts of the world. In ancient and modern times, wonderful ideas have been carried forward from one race to another...But mark you, my friends; it has been always with the blast of war trumpets and the march of embattled cohorts. Each idea had to be soaked in a deluge of blood..... Each word of power had to be followed by the groans of millions, by the wails of orphans, by the tears of widows. This, many other nations have taught; but India for thousands of years peacefully existed. Here activity prevailed when even Greece did not exist... Even earlier, when history has no record, and tradition dares not peer into the gloom of that intense past, even from until now, ideas after ideas have marched out from her, but every word has been spoken with a blessing behind it and peace before it. We, of all nations of the world, have never been a conquering race, and that blessing is on our head, and therefore we live....!"
Jai Hind,
Sajeev.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Monday, January 25, 2010
Afganistan The grave yard of empires - II
Afganistan The grave yard of empires - I
Operations in Afganistan is creating more impossibilities before US strategists. Bringing peace to this region which is constantly on war is an Herculian effort. One the economic front the Afgan war is becoming more and more costly, but the US administration cant afford a bigger hole in the budget. At the same time War is becoming more and more unpopular in US which is another heaadache for the administration and Obama is forced to announce some pullout date for the US army. But it is not as simple as it seems, it will result in chaos not only in Afganistan but in the border provinces of Pakistan too.
So US finally come up with the idea of surge - the strategy which worked well in Iraq. The surge of more than 30,000 troops, but the idea which is copy pasted from Iraq experiences may seemed well but the copy paste of Iraq results- which is the anticipation of US generals is next to impossible. First of all Afganistan is witnessing war for a number past decades. And these wars are organised and conducted by well trained, dedicated and motivated people of various terrorist groups. And this one is not a conventional warfare, its a gurrilla one combined with occassional suicidal bombings. As US is already announced the pullout dates they can go for a sleep for some time (ofcourse occassionally waking up and creating havoc in Afgan cities) and coming back after the US pull out. The rough Afgan terrain and the absence of basic infrastructure will be another big problem for US.
But its not an impossible task. There are well known examples before them - India. After losing so many persoanals and much bloodshed, Punjab become one of the calm place in India to live. Later Panjab attained high progress in agricultural as well as industrial sector. Kashmir may be one of the most beautiful as well as unsecure place at one point of time, but at the cost of two decades of war and thousands of security personals Kashmir valley is enjoying a relative peace now. same is the case in many north - eastern states of India.
Unfortunately we Indians do not have much options left after the US pull out. We are only engaged in development activities in Afgan, creating roads, schools dams, irrigation projects etc or in other words - we are winning the hearts of common people. Ofcourse we won a lot of good will for the activities there, but we will be forced to pull out from Afganistan after the US gone, if the later stick to their dates. Also our presence in Afganistan become big irritant for Pakistan.
It may be ironic or coincidence but its a fact that Afganistan become a grave yard of Empires. Soviet Union collapsed after the disastrous Afgan invasion even if it was not the main reson. In the same way America is losing its unquestionale power and economic superiority after the Afgan invasion.(Even if it is not the main reson).
Sajeev.
Operations in Afganistan is creating more impossibilities before US strategists. Bringing peace to this region which is constantly on war is an Herculian effort. One the economic front the Afgan war is becoming more and more costly, but the US administration cant afford a bigger hole in the budget. At the same time War is becoming more and more unpopular in US which is another heaadache for the administration and Obama is forced to announce some pullout date for the US army. But it is not as simple as it seems, it will result in chaos not only in Afganistan but in the border provinces of Pakistan too.
So US finally come up with the idea of surge - the strategy which worked well in Iraq. The surge of more than 30,000 troops, but the idea which is copy pasted from Iraq experiences may seemed well but the copy paste of Iraq results- which is the anticipation of US generals is next to impossible. First of all Afganistan is witnessing war for a number past decades. And these wars are organised and conducted by well trained, dedicated and motivated people of various terrorist groups. And this one is not a conventional warfare, its a gurrilla one combined with occassional suicidal bombings. As US is already announced the pullout dates they can go for a sleep for some time (ofcourse occassionally waking up and creating havoc in Afgan cities) and coming back after the US pull out. The rough Afgan terrain and the absence of basic infrastructure will be another big problem for US.
But its not an impossible task. There are well known examples before them - India. After losing so many persoanals and much bloodshed, Punjab become one of the calm place in India to live. Later Panjab attained high progress in agricultural as well as industrial sector. Kashmir may be one of the most beautiful as well as unsecure place at one point of time, but at the cost of two decades of war and thousands of security personals Kashmir valley is enjoying a relative peace now. same is the case in many north - eastern states of India.
Unfortunately we Indians do not have much options left after the US pull out. We are only engaged in development activities in Afgan, creating roads, schools dams, irrigation projects etc or in other words - we are winning the hearts of common people. Ofcourse we won a lot of good will for the activities there, but we will be forced to pull out from Afganistan after the US gone, if the later stick to their dates. Also our presence in Afganistan become big irritant for Pakistan.
It may be ironic or coincidence but its a fact that Afganistan become a grave yard of Empires. Soviet Union collapsed after the disastrous Afgan invasion even if it was not the main reson. In the same way America is losing its unquestionale power and economic superiority after the Afgan invasion.(Even if it is not the main reson).
Sajeev.
Friday, January 22, 2010
Afganistan The grave yard of empires - I
Some strategic analysts described Afghanistan as the graveyard of empires. In history there are only a few generals who led a successful invasion to Afghanistan. In the modern times; even the all powerful British Raj too faced the great Afghan mountains, later it become the indirect battlefield of two cold war empires. The socialist expansion of Soviet Union to further south faced the stiff resistance of US Capitalism and their newly found friends.
As the history recorded the invasion of Afghanistan was disastrous for USSR. The Mujahedeens fought well against the Red Army in the jungles and desert of Afghanistan. Of course US helped them in all the way they can; and finally USSR pulled out from Afghanistan. But USSR was not the only super power who paid the price for Afghan operations. US too paid their price and even now continually paying it in the form of a never ending war in Afghanistan.
After 9/11 US started an all out war in Afghanistan and as expected Taliban was defeated soon and US created new regime in Kabul. But this was only a part of the story. Controlling nation is zillion times difficult than defeating it. First of all US is a foreign power and it is a well known fact that no nationalities will allow a foreign power to rule them. The presence of an invasion army is considered as a national humiliation for them. Along with this religional sentiments are running to a time high.
It’s a simple rule. For example consider the case of Iran. There are various protests went on in the streets of Tehran after the second term election of Ahmadi Nejad. And the friction between US and Iran was creating a lot of heat. But the US will have to face both the protesters and government if they launched a military operation against Iran at that time (infact at any time). That is the e ffect of nationalism; no country is above this rule.
In the case of Afghanistan before consolidating their new position in Kabul and building a powerful Afghan army US opened a new theater of war in Iraq. This gave more than enough time for the scattered Taliban to reassemble and fight back. Some way US installed a democratic government in Afghanistan, the new government even got a second them to run the country. But it didn’t help to reduce the criticism of corruption in the system, many accused that even Taliban gets a cut in most of the development projects in the country. It is easier to blow up a bridge then to construct it, and who want to see their recently constructed bridge to be blowed up before their eyes. Any one remembers how many railway stations are blowed up by the naxals in central India? or we lost the count?
After all the years of US military operations, Afghanistan still remains as one of the most vulnerable place on earth. Its not mean that nothing is improved. After all new technologies, more and more schools, music and a lot other things are coming in to Afghanistan. Evan if the prospectus of returning Taliban to power in the next day of US pulls out is still in the horizon. The so called process of nation building and raising the Afghan army is still to be completed, infact it still not sure how much progress US can make in these fronts.
Even after losing so much money and personals in Afghanistan, still NATO forces was unable to find the key heads of former Taliban regime and Al-Qaida organization. Still the FATA of Pakistan, many parts of wasiristan, Af-Pak border areas, parts of Baluchistan are beyond the reach of Pakistan and NATO forces. Thanks to the penetration of agencies in terrorist networks, Drones are now more successfully hitting the targets after the tragedies in the earlier stages. In fact US cant afford further miss hits in civilian areas- it will create a Himalayan gap between the common people and NATO forces.
Afganistan The grave yard of empires - II
Sajeev.
As the history recorded the invasion of Afghanistan was disastrous for USSR. The Mujahedeens fought well against the Red Army in the jungles and desert of Afghanistan. Of course US helped them in all the way they can; and finally USSR pulled out from Afghanistan. But USSR was not the only super power who paid the price for Afghan operations. US too paid their price and even now continually paying it in the form of a never ending war in Afghanistan.
After 9/11 US started an all out war in Afghanistan and as expected Taliban was defeated soon and US created new regime in Kabul. But this was only a part of the story. Controlling nation is zillion times difficult than defeating it. First of all US is a foreign power and it is a well known fact that no nationalities will allow a foreign power to rule them. The presence of an invasion army is considered as a national humiliation for them. Along with this religional sentiments are running to a time high.
It’s a simple rule. For example consider the case of Iran. There are various protests went on in the streets of Tehran after the second term election of Ahmadi Nejad. And the friction between US and Iran was creating a lot of heat. But the US will have to face both the protesters and government if they launched a military operation against Iran at that time (infact at any time). That is the e ffect of nationalism; no country is above this rule.
In the case of Afghanistan before consolidating their new position in Kabul and building a powerful Afghan army US opened a new theater of war in Iraq. This gave more than enough time for the scattered Taliban to reassemble and fight back. Some way US installed a democratic government in Afghanistan, the new government even got a second them to run the country. But it didn’t help to reduce the criticism of corruption in the system, many accused that even Taliban gets a cut in most of the development projects in the country. It is easier to blow up a bridge then to construct it, and who want to see their recently constructed bridge to be blowed up before their eyes. Any one remembers how many railway stations are blowed up by the naxals in central India? or we lost the count?
After all the years of US military operations, Afghanistan still remains as one of the most vulnerable place on earth. Its not mean that nothing is improved. After all new technologies, more and more schools, music and a lot other things are coming in to Afghanistan. Evan if the prospectus of returning Taliban to power in the next day of US pulls out is still in the horizon. The so called process of nation building and raising the Afghan army is still to be completed, infact it still not sure how much progress US can make in these fronts.
Even after losing so much money and personals in Afghanistan, still NATO forces was unable to find the key heads of former Taliban regime and Al-Qaida organization. Still the FATA of Pakistan, many parts of wasiristan, Af-Pak border areas, parts of Baluchistan are beyond the reach of Pakistan and NATO forces. Thanks to the penetration of agencies in terrorist networks, Drones are now more successfully hitting the targets after the tragedies in the earlier stages. In fact US cant afford further miss hits in civilian areas- it will create a Himalayan gap between the common people and NATO forces.
Afganistan The grave yard of empires - II
Sajeev.
India and Bangladesh new dimensions in partnership
India and Bangladesh's relation may have been one of the most friendly relation in the world. After all India helped Bangladeshis to create their own nation. But things were not the same in the recent years, but now thanks to the recent election of Sheikh Haseina, daughter of Sheikn Mujibur Rehman - Father and the main founder Bangladesh- things were returning in track.
Aftert the election of the current Premier Sheikh Hasina, NewDelhi and Dhakka are enjoying one of the best times in their relation. In fact India and Bangladesh are now engaged more in constructive talks which is based on the mutual benefit. In the recent months New Delhi and Dhakka signed many agreements like the mutual usage and deelpments of Bangladeshi ports - Chittagong and Mongla ports, and other infrastructure projects. The development of ports by India will help Nepal and Bhutan too. At the same time the joint power plant projects and 250MW electricity transmission from India to Bangladesh will help Dhakka to minimise the effect of cronic power cuts.
In the security front too the relation shows a lot of improvement, authorities is cracking down the terrorist networks and ULFA militiants. Unlike the other borders here we are on the path to permenent solutions.
But the Bangladeshi opposition is accusing this initiatives as challenge to national soverignty and surrender of national interest to India. Instead of going to the streets agaist the governemt they can give valuable inputs and cooperation to the government. They have to understand that the coming of India capital to Bangladesh will no way effect Bagladesh's freedom. Infact its all pure economic/infrastructure projects and will result in mutual benefit. The joint power projects and highway development projects along with port operations will help to generate more income, power and economic progrees for both nations.
India too get a good opertunity here. Investing in bangladesh will help us to improve our relation ship with B'Desh. The infrastructure project will help us creating a better connectivity between Noth East India and the rest of main land. Infact The distance between Tripura and Kolkata may be reduced by more than half. Another important point is the destruction of illigal activities against India by insurgents from border areas. The current cooperation between the intellegence agencies of both countries are a good sigh. I think that BSF and BDR can increase their cooperation in dealing with insurgents.
This relation is a win win situation for both countries. It will not only improve the relation between India and B'Desh but also help Nepal and Bhutan to come together and thus enhance the conectivity, coopeartion and development. This may give a new life to the suffocating and dying SAARC.
Sajeev.
Aftert the election of the current Premier Sheikh Hasina, NewDelhi and Dhakka are enjoying one of the best times in their relation. In fact India and Bangladesh are now engaged more in constructive talks which is based on the mutual benefit. In the recent months New Delhi and Dhakka signed many agreements like the mutual usage and deelpments of Bangladeshi ports - Chittagong and Mongla ports, and other infrastructure projects. The development of ports by India will help Nepal and Bhutan too. At the same time the joint power plant projects and 250MW electricity transmission from India to Bangladesh will help Dhakka to minimise the effect of cronic power cuts.
In the security front too the relation shows a lot of improvement, authorities is cracking down the terrorist networks and ULFA militiants. Unlike the other borders here we are on the path to permenent solutions.
But the Bangladeshi opposition is accusing this initiatives as challenge to national soverignty and surrender of national interest to India. Instead of going to the streets agaist the governemt they can give valuable inputs and cooperation to the government. They have to understand that the coming of India capital to Bangladesh will no way effect Bagladesh's freedom. Infact its all pure economic/infrastructure projects and will result in mutual benefit. The joint power projects and highway development projects along with port operations will help to generate more income, power and economic progrees for both nations.
India too get a good opertunity here. Investing in bangladesh will help us to improve our relation ship with B'Desh. The infrastructure project will help us creating a better connectivity between Noth East India and the rest of main land. Infact The distance between Tripura and Kolkata may be reduced by more than half. Another important point is the destruction of illigal activities against India by insurgents from border areas. The current cooperation between the intellegence agencies of both countries are a good sigh. I think that BSF and BDR can increase their cooperation in dealing with insurgents.
This relation is a win win situation for both countries. It will not only improve the relation between India and B'Desh but also help Nepal and Bhutan to come together and thus enhance the conectivity, coopeartion and development. This may give a new life to the suffocating and dying SAARC.
Sajeev.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Northern Kerala - Unlimited
I started from Bangalore city Railway station at 9.00 in a cool friday night and reached Mangalore at 8.30 am in the morning. After spending around five hours in the city I got Chennai mail and started my journey back to home. After leaving Mangalore and crossing the borders of Karnataka, I entered to the ‘Kasarkode' district of Kerala.
Kerala is famous as a tourism hub, in the world tourism map. Often people prefer the most sought after destinations in the southern side of Kerala like ‘Kovalam‘,'Shankumukham‘, ‘Varkala‘, ‘Allappey' beaches; ‘Thekkady‘, ‘Agasthyavanam‘,‘ Kumali‘ etc hill stations; lakes and Canal Networks etc. But Northern Kerala satisfies the thirsts of tourists. Places like ‘Wynad‘,‘Palakkad‘ have numerous hill stations and beautiful rivers.
Along with this Northern Kerala have a lot of rare art forms like ‘Krishnanattam‘,‘Theyyam‘,‘Chakyaar Koothu‘, ‘Kadhakali‘ etc.At the time of school times its learned that Kuthira puzha (Horse River – Don’t ask me how the name came), the north most river in Kerala, now after a decade I saw it for the first time. From that onwards there are many rivers, for many of them I don’t know the name, I asked to my fellow travelers too. A girl sitting next to me gave me the name for some of them, but other I even they don’t know.
What is there in a name? It’s all are the art by nature. Her magnanimous works lay as a necklace in mother earth’s neck. These rivers are the rare treasures of Kerala – 44 major rivers flows through this small state. Except three all of them find salvation in Arabian sea.
The sight of the rivers itself is a refresher for mind. The wind coming from these rivers makes beautiful and sweet tones in our ears. But alas the never ending thirst of humans!!! Not even leave these beautiful rivers. They are filling these rivers with all the waste they can, so that after some time they can construct new houses in the riverbed.
I saw many famed places of 108 ‘Shiva’ and ‘Durga’ Temples of Kerala. After ‘Kasarkode’, we reached ‘Kannur’, ‘Mahe’ (Part of Pondicherry Union Territory). In this journey I saw ‘Eezhimala’ – famous for its newly coming Naval Academy and numerous rivers like ‘Valapatanam River’. As far as I remember in the past there was a proposal to build a great harbor in this river as it naturally have enough depth, and water flow is very good, but just like many other proposals by various state and central governments this too remain as a proposal and in most cases will remain as a proposal for ever. Anyway we can satisfied by the fact that at least there was a proposal.
After four hours and thirty minutes I reached the famous Calicut city. Calicut is the biggest city in northern Kerala, This city have trading relations with Arabs and even with the ancient Roman empire, The world famous exploration of a sea route to India by Portuguese ended in the beaches of Calicut, from there onwards the city maintained trading relations with Portuguese , Dutch and in the end with English.
But now in the modern India, Its nowhere near to the ancient glamour. Calicut – whose airport is one of the most crowded airports in India – doesn’t have enough number of flights operating to Gulf countries – which is the most sought after destination for Northern Keralites. Result – People have to go to other airports like Cochin, Bangalore, Mumbai etc.
I reached Calicut at 5.30 in the evening, and then went to home in bus.
Sajeev.
Kerala is famous as a tourism hub, in the world tourism map. Often people prefer the most sought after destinations in the southern side of Kerala like ‘Kovalam‘,'Shankumukham‘, ‘Varkala‘, ‘Allappey' beaches; ‘Thekkady‘, ‘Agasthyavanam‘,‘ Kumali‘ etc hill stations; lakes and Canal Networks etc. But Northern Kerala satisfies the thirsts of tourists. Places like ‘Wynad‘,‘Palakkad‘ have numerous hill stations and beautiful rivers.
Along with this Northern Kerala have a lot of rare art forms like ‘Krishnanattam‘,‘Theyyam‘,‘Chakyaar Koothu‘, ‘Kadhakali‘ etc.At the time of school times its learned that Kuthira puzha (Horse River – Don’t ask me how the name came), the north most river in Kerala, now after a decade I saw it for the first time. From that onwards there are many rivers, for many of them I don’t know the name, I asked to my fellow travelers too. A girl sitting next to me gave me the name for some of them, but other I even they don’t know.
What is there in a name? It’s all are the art by nature. Her magnanimous works lay as a necklace in mother earth’s neck. These rivers are the rare treasures of Kerala – 44 major rivers flows through this small state. Except three all of them find salvation in Arabian sea.
The sight of the rivers itself is a refresher for mind. The wind coming from these rivers makes beautiful and sweet tones in our ears. But alas the never ending thirst of humans!!! Not even leave these beautiful rivers. They are filling these rivers with all the waste they can, so that after some time they can construct new houses in the riverbed.
I saw many famed places of 108 ‘Shiva’ and ‘Durga’ Temples of Kerala. After ‘Kasarkode’, we reached ‘Kannur’, ‘Mahe’ (Part of Pondicherry Union Territory). In this journey I saw ‘Eezhimala’ – famous for its newly coming Naval Academy and numerous rivers like ‘Valapatanam River’. As far as I remember in the past there was a proposal to build a great harbor in this river as it naturally have enough depth, and water flow is very good, but just like many other proposals by various state and central governments this too remain as a proposal and in most cases will remain as a proposal for ever. Anyway we can satisfied by the fact that at least there was a proposal.
After four hours and thirty minutes I reached the famous Calicut city. Calicut is the biggest city in northern Kerala, This city have trading relations with Arabs and even with the ancient Roman empire, The world famous exploration of a sea route to India by Portuguese ended in the beaches of Calicut, from there onwards the city maintained trading relations with Portuguese , Dutch and in the end with English.
But now in the modern India, Its nowhere near to the ancient glamour. Calicut – whose airport is one of the most crowded airports in India – doesn’t have enough number of flights operating to Gulf countries – which is the most sought after destination for Northern Keralites. Result – People have to go to other airports like Cochin, Bangalore, Mumbai etc.
I reached Calicut at 5.30 in the evening, and then went to home in bus.
Sajeev.
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