By Sunil Sarpal

We are spritual beings under-going human experience

This is a very sensitive subject, but mostly people do not understand the importance attached to it.

Human form is at top of the ladder among 84 lacs yonies. Satsang suggests that it is rarely achieved after under-going birth experience in lower yonies. This opportunity of ‘human birth’ should not be wasted in mundane affairs, such as, running after money day-in and day-out,. Desiring riches such as big house, latest modelled car and craving for ‘smart image’.

In fact, emphasis should be laid on the race from ‘nar to narayan’.

Firstly, it is self-realisation which involves swapping your weaknesses into goodness.

‘satwik ahar’. Is the need of the hour. One should eat according to his appetite and not desire one tasty dish over other.

One should always keep in mind that the facilities
provided by God should be used rationally and justifiably. Money should be used not to squander it but to help others.

A human being should always vie for good habits, positive outlook and live within the four walls of a gentleman.

The ultimate aim of a man should be ‘god realisation’.

The path you choose should have the capacity to lead you to God realisation. Remembrance of God should be the top-most priority.

One should show utmost gratitude to his guru or deity. One should devote himself to bhakti on daily basis. One should have full faith in his guru or deity.

His guru or deity will come to his rescue when needed the most. He should have unflinching faith, love and devotion to his guru or deity.

If one goes about with above guidelines in mind, one day his bonding with his guru or deity will bring desired results.

Pls remember -. Guru bhakti jam ke Karo, pachche aur upai,. Balihare guru aapne jo Gobind diyo milai

Love God so that you realise him in human form.

By Sunil Sarpal

Àre we talking about etiquettes like what to wear, when and how to set the table? Eg. with cutlery, forks always go on the left. Knives on the right. Glassware is set above the knives. In dressing, put on high-end pieces such as blazers, jumpsuits, and quality shoes to look more elegant, mature, and refined. Adopt a smart, casual look to dress fashionably and stylishly? Answer is a big NO.

Actually, the following 21 etiquettes are based on ethics and human values. You are welcome to expand the list

1. Don’t call someone more than twice continuously. If they don’t pick up your call, presume they have something important to attend to;

2. Return money that you have borrowed even before the person that borrowed from you remembers or asks for it. It shows your integrity and character. Same goes with umbrellas, pens and lunch boxes.

3. Never order the expensive dish on the menu when someone is treating you to a lunch/dinner.

4. Don’t ask awkward questions like ‘Oh so you aren’t married yet?’ Or ‘Don’t you have kids?’ or ‘Why didn’t you buy a house?’ Or ‘why don’t you buy a car?’ For God’s sake it isn’t your problem;

5. Always open the door for the person coming behind you. It doesn’t matter if it is a guy or a girl, senior or junior. You don’t grow small by treating someone well in public;

6. If you take a taxi with a friend and he/she pays now, try paying next time;

7. Respect different shades of opinions. Remember what’s 6 to you will appear 9 to someone facing you. Besides, second opinion is good for an alternative;

8. Never interrupt people talking. Allow them to pour it out. As they say, hear them all and filter them all;

9. If you tease someone, and they don’t seem to enjoy it, stop it and never do it again. It encourages one to do more and it shows how appreciative you’re;

10. Say “thank you” when someone is helping you.

11. Praise publicly. Criticize privately;

12. There’s almost never a reason to comment on someone’s weight. Just say, “You look fantastic.” If they want to talk about losing weight, they will;

13. When someone shows you a photo on their phone, don’t swipe left or right. You never know what’s next;

14. If a colleague tells you they have a doctors’ appointment, don’t ask what it’s for, just say “I hope you’re okay”. Don’t put them in the uncomfortable position of having to tell you their personal illness. If they want you to know, they’ll do so without your inquisitiveness;

15. Treat the cleaner with the same respect as the CEO. Nobody is impressed at how rude you can treat someone below you but people will notice if you treat them with respect;

16. If a person is speaking directly to you, staring at your phone is rude;

17. Never give advice until you’re asked;

18. When meeting someone after a long time, unless they want to talk about it, don’t ask them their age and salary;

19. Mind your business unless anything involves you directly – just stay out of it;

20. Remove your sunglasses if you are talking to anyone in the street. It is a sign of respect. Moreso, eye contact is as important as your speech; and

21. Never talk about your riches in the midst of the poor. Similarly, don’t talk about your children in the midst of the barren.

22. After reading you are welcome to suggest more points to ponder over in the comments box below the article on the website.

By Sunil Sarpal

Paramatma defines as Param Atma (first soul).

When nothing existed, no creation, Param Atma appeared.  With his discretion, every thing was created vis

1)     Earth

2)     Ocean

3)     Sky

4)     Forests etc. etc.

The evolution of these and so many things was possible because Param Atma was all-encompassing and pervading.  It had the ‘creative power’.  Whether it be called as ‘creative power’ or shabd, it is one and the same thing. 

Shabd holds and manifests in each and every atom of this creation – that is why it’s existence is possible.  Satsang teaches when nothing existed, shabd was still there, and the shabd was with God or Shabd was God. 

When Satguru was questioned which path will lead to salvation from 84 lac yonies, he replied, any spiritual path which connects you to shabd dhun will lead to salvation. 

Human being in general is slave to sense pleasures viz Kaam, Krodh, Lobh, Moh and Ahankar.  Attachment to sense pleasure binds a person to this creation which means birth – death – birth. 

On the contrary, detachment from sense pleasures leads to salvation.   Detachment to sense pleasures is possible thru the practice of ‘shabd dhun’- Celestial Sound

Shabd Dhun appears from right ear or third eye when we do daily meditation of Naam Bhakti, bestowed by time’s satguru. 

In a nut-shell, attachment to ‘shabd dhun’ detaches a person from sense pleasures.  A person, by virtue of his attachment to sense pleasures, is so much engrossed to them that he needs the company of Shabd Guru, who, thru his satsang keeps enlightening him of the benefits of meditation and resultantly ‘shabd dhun’.  In this process, the person develops some kind of love and devotion towards his Satguru. 

‘Shabd Dhun’ is so melodious that it takes a person to an altogether different wave-length.  By listening to ‘shabd dhun’ his attachment to sense pleasures starts fading on a gradual basis and moulds him into a Gurmukh. 

In fact, association with ‘shabd dhun’ entails a person to come into contact with Param Atma or God. 

A Yuga Cycle (a.k.a. chatur yuga, maha yuga, etc.) is a cyclic age (epoch) in Hindu cosmology. Each cycle lasts for 4,320,000 years (12,000 divine years[a]) and repeats four yugas (world ages): Krita (Satya) Yuga, Treta Yuga, Dvapara Yuga, and Kali Yuga.

(The above reference from Wikipedia is about Hindu ages. It is not to be confused with Buddhist, Greek or Jain ages.)

The Kali Yuga, in Hinduism, is the fourth and worst of the four yugas (world ages) in a Yuga Cycle, preceded by Dvapara Yuga and followed by the next cycle’s Krita (Satya) Yuga. It is believed to be the present age, which is full of conflict and sin.

Ref:(https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yuga_Cycle)

KALYUG by Sunil Sarpal

Kali Yuga or Kalyug has taught innumerable lessons to human kind.

1) How to keep your elders and respect them

There are old homes for elders where they can live rest of their lives, away from the hum-drum of youth. Who is bothered whether they need anything, e.g. emotional stability, medicine, food, rest, peace etc. etc. At homes with their kids, they are treated like unwanted and waste furniture.

2) Mobile Phones and Laptops

Both use of mobile phones and laptops has distanced people from each other, friends, discussion, get-together etc. People have become slave to both mobile and laptop.

3) Widening gap between rich and poor and class distinction

The distance which already existed between rich and poor has widened further because of kalyug. The sight of poor is not tolerable to rich. In the eyes of rich people, poor people have become a liability.

Since rich and poor do not inter-mingle with each other, groups have developed which inter-act and inter-mingle among themselves. One more noticeable fact is people do not like each other. It was not the case before. Unless or until, the relationship revolves around ‘money’, it has no meaning

4) Behaviour of People

There is a drastic shift in the behaviour of people. They behave as if they have no emotions. Their only purpose of life is how to make money, whether hook or crook.

5) Corona Virus

With the arrival of Corona Virus, people have lost their near and dear ones. Corona Virus has taught how much value should be attached to human existence.

6) Three things rule the roost – Liquor, Non-veg., Money

It is a well-known fact that for the sake of liquor, one can go to any length in order to grab it. Non-veg food’s demand is on the increase. Kalyug’s human being does not shy-away from inflicting harm to animals.

Money makes the ma go. Money plays the central and pivotal role in one’s life.

7) Compassion-less Society

People have forgotten the meaning of ‘compassion’ in kalyug. People always look upwards and never towards downward. Extending a helping hand is the thing of past.

8) War Scenario

The news of one country invading the other is a common sight. Some countries fight for grabbing more and more land, whereas, some countries vie for show-casing their strength, so that they become a super- duper power. How much lives are lost and destruction takes place, nations are not bothered about it.

Whether you believe in the cycle theory of Yugas or not, one presumes that you will agree that as human beings we have to overcome negativity in our attitude and usher in the golden age of what is called The Satya Yuga Ed

These are the post pandemic times when wellness has become the most spoken, admired, coveted and desired word. Never has the quest for people to feel well, comforted, at ease within themselves, healthy, stress free and especially mentally calm been more flagrant. Years of living in so much unnecessary fear aggravated by an onslaught in the press and media of Covid related over-information have wreaked havoc. Erratic unstable work closures and lack of work, as well as changed work situations, have left millions financial depleted.

Spiritually this translates into accepting and realising that a new beginning, a new reality is taking shape. Our ways of life were no longer sustainable. This itself is a vast subject, but suffice to say that insane working hours and demands as well as many levels of unrealistic living, have suddenly become redundant. Many are questioning their lifestyles.

Recently statistics have shown waves of resignations in Europe and elsewhere and also scores wanting to go back to smaller cities or towns in nature seaside mountains, or living off the grid, or trading their cushy corporate jobs for countryside ones.

Irrespective people want to feel well as they did few years or decades back. They’re willing to make drastic changes in their professional and personal domains just to get there. What matters and what does not are shifting dramatically and many want a balanced harmonious and peaceful living – even if a little divorced from too much technology .

Yoga, meditation, a zillion forms of healing are super fashionable and definitely the trends now. Massages, organic and natural beauty and healing products, Reiki, past life regression and also I know of people practicing Quigong, Taichi and Martial Arts to balance out . There will definitely be an enormous resurgence of all forms of healing in the coming years. It is the need of the hour and many more shall succumb to their magical mystical healing.

When we pass thru a market place and come across a beggar, a weak sounds resonates the ears “Allah Ke Naam Pe De De” . Listening to this, we murmur ourselves “Mainu Ki!”. How pathetic we are and our mind-set. Cannot we share the alms the God has bestowed on us by providing with income. It is quite simple to make evasive action. What pleases God if we share something with the beggar.
We always consider ourselves “privileged” and the beggar a pathetic soul. In general, we do not like beggars and their state-of-affairs.

We are always in search of somebody of our level.
Are we here for partying or entertainment purposes?
Life of a human being is not to please the ‘mind’ or ‘mood’ but to do service to ‘soul’. Because soul is the particle of God and God realization should be the ‘aim and objective’ of life.

Same soul exists in each and every human being. Whether a beggar or a rich man. Why don’t we share the alms received from God with those who ‘have not’. The creator is one and we all are his creation. Whether rich or poor. Money cannot provide peace. If we are in search of real peace, then we should always help others who ‘have not’ , and not always please our ‘mun’.

In doing so, then one day God will be pleased with our deeds and will, perhaps merge our soul in him, if that is the aim of our life.

As I sit with the cool morning breezes wafting across from my organic, a little over grown and lush, full garden; I cannot help wonder why most people cannot and have not allowed greenery to fill their lives and spaces.

There is zero pollution in my home although I am situated next to and in a polluted area. My back lane has tall trees and a multitude of beautiful floral creepers whose aroma fills me when I open my windows. Everyone yes everyone can grow greens in gardens, terraces, pots, tubs and containers, recycled Pots, hanging baskets and now even hydroponics.

There are homes laden with green walls where owners have banished any negative air with plants as well as magically transformed their interiors, also terraces overflowing with vegetation and blocking off unseemly adjacent buildings and kitchen gardens, in soil or in pots or even wooden crates where families can joyfully harvest their vegetable and herb requirements.

Those with space do multi-cropping, fruiting trees, crops and afore mentioned herbs and vegetables. Many terraces are filled with cascading creepers as well as so many stunning indoor plants. These are not at all complicated to grow.

Just love and a little effort and the intent to transform your space health and life. Layering and also placing plants at various levels and creating green walls are really a very contemporary fashionable interior trends.

Either way its a win win. Just a beautiful tree surrounded by ground cover or trailing plants and florals can be a master centre-piece, or surrounded by pots or a raised bed to sit.

As a designer I view all from the aesthetic or beauty point of view. Yes practicalities go hand in hand. But its so easy to beautify and energize your environment. Its also important not to have only the passé notion of over cut manicured gardens.

Let plants proliferate. They sing their song . Make your compost, use cut grass and fallen dry and green leaves to fill your beds to act as mulch. Not only would it look like a natural forest bed but would work wonders for all plants as well as reduce tremendously the water needs.The future will require us all to rethink about what we grow and how we cultivate. I would love to see more perennial lush and natural gardens or terraces filled with plants flowers that fill all our lives.

Give your feedback or share your experiences in the comment box below

HETAL SHAH [Teacher]
ARVINDBHAI PATEL INSTITUTE OF
ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN (APIED),
V.V.NAGER GUJARAT, INDIA

“When a building is being built there is an impatience to bring it into being. Not a blade of the grass can grow near this activity. Look at the building after it is built. each part that was built with so much anxiety, joy and willingness to proceed, tries to say when you are using the building, ”let me tell you about how I was made” nobody is listening because the building is now satisfying need. The desire in its making is not evident. as, time passes when it is ruin, the spirit of its making comes back, it welcomes the foliage that intervenes and conceals. Everyone who passes can hear the story it wants to tell about its making. It is no longer in servitude; the spirit is back.” – Louis kahn

I have witnessed the pre-birth stage of the building, taking shape in the earth’s womb. digging the earth for foundation, JCB machine moving inside the depth of the earth, carving moment by moment the void for giving immense strength to the structure; tying of the string and drawing of the guideline for foundation in the void seems to me a womb is thickening its lining to embed embryo. Those commotional preparations, assembling of huge machines and stacking of material are as if mother earth is strengthening her to hold baby inside. Slowly but steadily erecting foundation column look like anatomical blueprint. If a human skin and buildings design are stripped down, there would be the same overlapping layer of muscles and materials almost at the same place. Those rose up foundation columns’, taking firm grip in the soil seems like supporting spinal cords. then pits are filled up by mechanical arms, scattering soil over foundation columns are slowly-slowly depth vanishes, only steel bars are left on the re-leveled ground which looks like ”umbilical cord” connecting to the mother’s womb, ensuring fetus for support.

day by day going on construction, scaffolding with a central spines of columns, skeleton of beams, layer upon layer of material, like muscles hiding bony structure in human body, which forming solid flesh beneath the skin. Various structural joints allow this remarkable construction to move with great versatility. The building blocks and brickwork between columns and beams are likes a cartilage giving shape and support. The running grooves on the walls for concealed electrification are the nervous system and, wide and narrow plumbing pipelines are like digestive system of the building.

The complete silence hidden in the darkness that spreads through the height of the stair shaft connects the navel of the building to the depth of the foundation. That height can measure the scale of the depth within no time. It strengthens the experience of vertical dimension of the building, at the same time make us aware about immense depth of the earth. It levitates our dream and provides them flight.

The weary laborer who works in the bare footed in the scorching heat of the sun, their skilled\scaled hands rhythmically taking stones from the mutually piled rows and carrying loads on their heads seems a mother struggling hard to bring up her beloved child. At the end of hectic day when laborers sprinkle water to construction, thirsty walls are swigging, the patterns formed by it are like a joyful games of reflection on the surface. What a divine feeling to observe void taking shape! Architecture presents the drama of construction silenced into the matter, shape and light. When the clutter of construction work ceases and shouting of workers dies away, a building becomes a museum of waiting patience and silence!!

The absent minded gage doors and windows penetrates the surface of the physical image like wall and focus in infinity. Building starts breathing through the opening. What interests mean about its transparency is the idea of evaporation. Transparency is also TRANS-APPEARANCE. The building is now sensing the world. It makes the world aware about its being. The geometry of thoughts echoes the geometry of the room. Architecture is deeply engaged in the metaphysical question of the self and the world, inwardness and outwardness, time and duration, life and death. Why do abandoned houses always have the same hollow smell??? Is it because the particular smell is stimulated by emptiness observed by the eyes???

The body’s first line of defense against the possible damage is the skin, which provides a protective barrier between our environment and us. Now it is a time to surface out the building. The tactile sense connects us with the time and tradition; through impression of touch, we shake the hands of countless generation. A stone polished by its usage is pleasurable to touch, it expresses the slow process of the formation, it is time turned into shape. We trace the density and texture of the ground through our soles. One senses the slow breathing of the floor. Stokes writes, ” I should like to eat up this verona marble touch by touch”.

In our houses, we have nooks and corners in which we like to curl up comfortably. To curl up belongs to the phenomenology of the verb to inhabit and only those who have learnt to do so can inhabit with intensity and always in a daydream, the house is the mother womb or a large cradle. I remember even today nostalgic moments of my sweet childhood, when I licked the age of parapet on the terrace and felt a human touch by running finger on door handle of my room. I never have such sound sleep, which I got in childhood while listening music of torrential rain on the roof. I used to be lost in that music for limitless hours.

We have yet not designed the building to end all building; we haven’t yet created the city to end all cities or a thought to end all thoughts. So, as long as this utopia remains non-materialized there is hoping to go on. Architecture is always hiding behind drawstrings, behind words, behind percepts, behind habits, behind technical constraints. There is no way to perform Architecture in a book. Words and drawings can only produce paper space and not the experience of real space, where meaning is derived from the order of experience rather than the order of composition. Architecture cannot be taught, are learnt, it is a passion to be persuaded and achieve. It is the creativity which has brought man closer to the God, the ultimate creator (which is just an Imagination – Hoax)…!!

References

1. The eyes of the skin _ Book by Juhani Pallasmaa

2. The Thinking Hand: Existential and Embodied Wisdom_Book by Juhani Pallasmaa

3. Complexity and contradiction in architecture_ book by Robert Venturi

4. Thinking architecture_ book by Peter Zumthor

5. Space as a Membrane _ Book by Siegfried ebeling

6. Atmospheres _ Book by Peter Zumthor

IMAGES COURTESY:
1. Ar. Umang Goswami, UA Design, Ahmedabad

2. Ar. Umang Goswami, UA Design, Ahmedabad

3. Dipen Gada, Dipen Gada & Associates, Baroda

4. Dipen Gada, Dipen Gada & Associates, Baroda

5. Pintrest

War helps no one on this planet – specially not the people, plants and all living beings who inhabit it. One Vorld One Universe One Mankind is the guiding principle, which will help resolve all issues. One would like to promote world peace, but with dignity for all and without compromise to extremism. There are hardly any who talk about peace in the present scenario in Europe. However two leaders who stand out and are proactive about peace are undoubtedly Modi and Macron. PM Modi’s role came into limelight during SCO summit, but ever since war began he has been talking about peace privately to Putin and also Zelensky. On the other hand President Macron met President Putin in Moscow, way back in February 2022 aiming for a de-escalation.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s advice to Russian President Vladimir Putin over the Ukraine war during a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit at Samarkand in Uzbekistan has created hopes that perhaps it might be a catalyst to the end of Russia-Ukraine war. While his intervention has received approval from the world leaders, it has also grabbed the attention of leading international press and media

Japanese publication, NHK headlined “Indian PM Modi tells Putin to pursue peace”, Even Chinese media approved of it as the Hong Kong-based l South China Morning Post reported: Now is ‘not a time for war’, India’s Modi tells Russia’s Putin who agrees to ‘end this as soon as possible.’

Politico from US reported; “India’s Modi tells Putin: This is ‘not the era for war” and US News headlines was “Indian PM Modi Tells Russia’s Putin Now ‘Is Not an Era of War”.

On Internationally telecast media, while expressing his concerns about the impact of the war on food and energy security, PM Modi told Putin, “Today’s era is not of war and I have spoken to you about it on the call. Today we will get the opportunity to talk about how we can progress on the path of peace. India and Russia have stayed together with each other for several decades,”

“We spoke several times on the phone about India-Russia bilateral relations and various issues. We should find ways to address the problems of food, fuel security and fertilizers. I want to thank Russia and Ukraine for helping us to evacuate our students from Ukraine,” the Prime Minister added.

International media appreciated PM Modi’s diplomatic tact, who in a friendly manner pushed the concerns of the world at large to its long-standing friend Russia.

CNN appreciated PM Modi’s understanding of the situation and reported ” Indian leader Narendra Modi tells Putin: Now is not the time for war”

Washington Post, headlined “Modi rebukes Putin over war in Ukraine”.

“India’s Leader Tells Putin That Now Is Not an Era for War,” The New York Times said in its headline

Following the SCO summit, India’s role as a peace maker was applauded at the 77th UN General Assembly by world leaders. French President Emmanuel Macron proclaimed that Indian PM Modi was right when he said that time is not for war, not for revenge against the west or for opposing the west against east. It is time for our sovereign equal states to cope together with challenges we face: . German envoy quipped “very well put” to PM Modis remark on the Russia Ukraine conflict. US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan cited Modi’s remark urging Putin to end the war.  Other world leaders like Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky , Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov,also cited Modi’s advice in their speeches. Indian External Affairs Minister summarized; “I am concluding this week with the sense that India really matters more in this polarised world and much of that is also due to the Prime Minister’s leadership, his image, what he has done on the global stage,”

PM Modi also had a telephonic conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky wherein as per official sources, he conveyed India’s readiness to contribute to any peace efforts in the Russia-Ukraine crisis. he stated that there can be no military solution to the conflict and reiterated his call for early cessation of hostilities and the need to pursue the path of dialogue and diplomacy..

Unlike India, France did not take a neutral stand at UN and voted against Russia in the security council. Yet even before PM Modi’s advice to President Putin Macron has been advocating a reconciliatory approach. As reported by world media, including EuroNews

As far back as May 2022, French President Emmanuel Macron has warned against humiliating Russia for its invasion of Ukraine, if and when any peace settlement is agreed.

He told reporters in Strasbourg that once the war ends, Moscow and Kyiv will eventually have to sit down and negotiate with each other, so any further tensions will only serve to the detriment of the situation.

“We will have a peace to build tomorrow, let us never forget that,” Macron said on Monday. “I mentioned this earlier. We will have to do this with Ukraine and Russia around the table. The end of the discussion and the negotiation will be set by Ukraine and Russia. But it will not be done in denial, nor in exclusion of each other, nor even in humiliation.”

Macron also laid out his vision of a broader community of European democracies that would allow for deeper cooperation between non-EU countries. (EuroNews 9th May)

Even earlier on February 7, 2022 NY Times headline news was “Macron meets Putin in Moscow, aiming for a de-escalation”. It went on to add “President Emmanuel Macron of France, who has positioned himself at the center of Europe’s furious diplomatic maneuvering over Ukraine, said on Monday that the continent was at a “critical crossroads” as he met in Moscow with President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia”..However there were murmurs of disapproval by some other countries watch the vido below to get both sided of the story.

Our Columnist Sunil Sarpal recalls the recent background to this war.

The war between USSR and Ukrain broke out approx. 6 months ago.  The cause of disenchantment was that USSR did not want Ukrain joining NATO.  USSR feared that if Ukrain, whose border separates the two nations, join NATO, other NATO affiliated nations’ forces could line up Ukrain border and intimidate USSR.   As of now, the situation has unfolded that 20% Ukrain territory is under USSR control and the war goes on unabated.  The devastation took place because of the war is unprecedented. 

Is Zelenskey responsible for the war or Putin ?

Putin’s invasion of Ukrain proved a total miscalculation.  As days progressed, it seems that the war will go on and on.   Because Ukrain forces retaliated in such a manner that USSR  forces ran away from the warring zone, leaving behind tanks, arma and others weapons in order to save their lives. 

On both sides, the loss of lives and infrastructure took place as never before. 

When war broke out an assurance came from none other than USA to Ukrain that they are whole-heartedly behind them, but USA never sent his forces to Ukrain.  Of course, sanctions and war-related weapons etc have been supplied by them as well as by Germany.  The fear factor on the part of USA could be that if their forces join hands with Ukrain, it would turn out to be a world war.  

If Ukrain President Zelenskey is so very stubborn to prolong the war and asking for help from USA and other nations, then Ukrain inviting more trouble.  The complete devastation of Ukrain could be averted if Zelenskey relents to Putin’s stand.  On the face  of USSR might, Ukrain’s defeat is on the cards whatever or how much coming their way. 

In this war, both Putin and Zelenskey are held responsible because of their respective stands.  Attempts have been made to kill both Putin and Zelenskey separately thru bombs but both escaped unscathed.

But will the momentum for peace, proposed by pacifists like Modi and Macron, gather pace or will temporary victories or setbacks of either side stall the move towards détente, remains to be seen – Manohar Khushalani.

According to a Pakistani newspaper, though the most recent flooding is different in nature compared to the one in 2010 — the latter was a flash flood while the current is a riverine flood — in both cases, it can be argued that the damage caused by both disasters is the outcome of lessons not learnt in demography as well as unwillingness to carry out flood protection measures across Pakistan. A research carried out by this author in 2017, about 2010 floods in Pakistan, history has repeated itself because no corrective measures were taken. It was almost déjà vu in 2022 — and yet, no lessons had been learnt. After all, disaster management is more about preparedness than response.

In a case of The pot calling the kettle black, the planning minister Ahsan Iqbal is reported to have said Pakistan was feeling the effects of climate change caused by richer nations and their “irresponsible development”. While all natural disasters can be ascribed to climate change a study of the earlier research will reveal that the Pakistan government did precious little to prevent recurrence of events that could have reduced the impact of the calamity. For example almost all barrages in the country are silted up to the brim, where is the scope to cushion the floods. The government should be questioned and asked to give an account of desilting measures taken since 2010.

THE FACTS AS THEY STOOD IN 2010

The floods in Pakistan now show signs of abating but the havoc caused by them will continue to mount.  It is too early to measure even the immediate losses of lives or property, both private and public, although over 2000 persons are estimated to have died and 21 million become refugees in their own country.  Secondary damages to agricultural land and animal husbandry will take years to recoup.  At one point about one-fifth of Pakistan’s total land area had goneunder water.  Floodwaters have destroyed crops :  an estimated 700,000 acres of cotton, 200,000 acres each of rice and sugar cane and 300,000 acres of wheat.  This will impact the agricultural economy which contributed 20.4% of Pakistan’s GDP last year.  The cascading effect into industry and trade is bound to add to economic woes.

Pak Flood affected districts as on 6th September 2010 – (Source OCHA)

Scientists have described this catastrophe as a once-in-a-century flood. Out of a Population of 168 million nearly 21 milion people have been affected by floods out of a total area of Pakistan of 796 095 square kilometers, the Flood-affected area is 160 000 square kilometers. In a country where already a large percentage of the population is living as refugees, an additional 1.85 million homes have been destroyed or damaged due to floods. Look at the fact sheet of the present disaster:

The degree of severity to which people have been affected by the floods varies depending on their particular losses and damages. UN assessments have been launched in at least three provinces to identify severely affected families who require life-saving humanitarian assistance. The UN experts have identified 2.7 million people in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 5.3 million in Punjab and 4.4 million in Sindh that are in need of immediate humanitarian assistance.

Approximately 4 out of 5 people in the flood-affected areas depend on agriculture for their livelihood. Across the country, millions of people have lost their entire means to sustain themselves in the immediate and longer term, owing to the destruction/damage of standing crops and means of agricultural production.  One of the greatest challenges on the ground is helping farmers to recover their land in time for wheat planting beginning in September/October and to prevent further livestock losses. According to the FAO figures released on 3^rd September 2010, the scale of losses to the agriculture sector caused by the Pakistan floods is unprecedented and further unfolding:

•  The Agriculture Cluster rapid damage assessments, completed in half of all flood-affected districts, found that 1.3 million hectares of standing crops have been damaged
•  Countrywide damage to millions of hectares of cultivatable land, including standing crops (e.g. rice,maize, cotton, sugar cane, orchards and vegetables) appears likely
•  Loss of 0.5-0.6 million tonnes of wheat stock needed for the wheat planting season
•  Death of 1.2 million large and small animals, and 6 million poultry (Department of Livestock)

While the full extent of the damage still cannot be quantified and assessments are ongoing, the direct and future losses are likely to affect millions of people at household level, as well as impact national productive capacity for staple crops, such as wheat and rice. The FAO feels that response to needs in the agriculture sector cannot be underestimated nor delayed.

The political spillover is equally if not more worrisome.  Relief efforts have highlighted the inefficiencies and corruption endemic in the Pakistani administrative set-up, magnified as it is becoming in the eyes of the already disenchanted masses, especially the internally displaced. The fear is that    fundamentalist organizations will extend their grip over affected populations by filling in wide gaps in disaster relief left by Pakistan Government and international relief agencies.  All this adds fuel to the already political fire in a volatile and unpredictable Pakistan.

Even if Pakistan wades through the floods, what is there to prevent another water disaster in the future?  To answer this question, one must examine these floods in a broader framework.  Pakistani meteorological data points to unusually heavy rains in July – August in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab provinces as the main cause of the floods.  Satellite pictures corroborate this.

Satellite Map shows the swelling Indus River at Sukkur Barrge Source NASA

Satellite Map shows the swelling Indus River at Sukkur Barrge Source NASA

According to a  WAPDA (Water and Power Development Authority) ] press release on Water Situation on 03 – 09 – 2010 the 24 hour Inflows / Outflows (in Cusecs) of the major Dams on the rivers in Pakistan were as follows:

Indus at Tarbela 203300 / 203300 Cusecs

Kabul at Nowshera 42000 / 42000 Cusecs

Indus at Chashma 249100 / 244100 Cusecs

Jhelum at Mangla 42800 / 42800 Cusecs

Chenab at Marala 87000 / 67400 Cusecs.

The above figures indicate that the Pakistani dams/barrages are virtually unable to retain any water, as can be seen above, almost all of the inflows are equal to the outflows. This is normally the case in monsoons for some dams but the figures are shocking because not a single dam except for Marala on the Chenab has been able to absorb some 20,000 cusecs of water.

Balochistan Times (August 21, 2009) reported that since the Chashma Barrage had been filled with water along with Tarbela Dam and Mangla Dam as a result of filling of these water reservoirs, IRSA had directed the provinces to use the released water as much as they needed without any restrictions. According to IRSA (Indus River System Authority)  officials, besides Mangla and Tarbela Dams the approximate inflow of water in the other rivers was 319500 cusecs and 4000 cusecs from river Kabul, all of which was being released as Tarbela and Mangla had filled completely. The CJ canal had been closed so that the Chashma Barrage could be destilled. The plus side for power starved Pakistan was that with the filling of dams with water, the power production had been increased, from which about 4000MW power was being generated from hydel power, which  reduced load shedding in the country..

The flood affected areas were mostly along the main Indus River and its western tributaries – Swat and Kabul; and less so from the eastern tributaries – Jhelum, Chenab and Sutlej.  This should not however obscure the overall picture.  More than 80% of the total water flows in the Indus river- system is accounted for by snowmelt and rainfall in the mountainous regions which are largely beyond its political control and belong to Afghanistan, India and China.  According to one estimate, the Kabul river accounts for 20 to 30 MAF of total annual flows, the main Indus 100 MAF and the Jhelum and Chenab 60, while the Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej add another 40 MAF or so. Floods are a cumulative effect of all these flows.

Initially, storage dams like Mangla and Tarbela   were built to modulate irrigation and control floods. But some 7 MAF of their storage capacity has already been silted up. And Pakistan has been singularly unsuccessful in building additional storage capacity to compensate, let alone provide for enhanced irrigation and flood control needs.  A major project – the Kalabagh dam – has failed to get off the drawing boards for two decades because of internal bickering between its provinces.  The international segmentation of the Indus basin rivers complicates the problem still further, particularly in relation to the two principal upper riparians – India andAfghanistan – with which Pakistan has troubled relationships.

The 3,200 km long Indus, one of the mighty rivers of the Indian subcontinent,   flows down from the Himalayas of Tibet, towards north-west through India before turning sharply southwards through  Pakistan,  draining into the Arabian Sea. Some of its water comes from melting Himalayan glaciers, but the vast majority is contributed by the monsoon. The monsoon floods are triggered almost annually. Historical records indicate that during a warm period ending about 6,000 years ago, the Indus was a monster river, more powerful and more prone to flooding than today.  Then, 4,000 years ago, as the climate cooled, a large part of it simply dried up. Deserts appeared whether mighty torrents once flowed. The matter of public debate is whether, with global warming, will the river again turn monstrous. A matter which further compounds the problem is the fact that siltation reduces the rivers capacity to hold water. Even with the total quantum of precipitation being the same, the intensity of rainfall gets aggravated by global warming resulting in unmanageable discharges.  Pakistan, which spends more of its scarce financial resources in building defences against India, has been unable to enhance its Hydraulic infrastructure comprising  of dams and barrages. In fact, due to siltation its overall storage capacity has further reduced.

Pakistan is, thus at a fork in the road.  It can either continue confrontationist policies which underlie present arrangements (or lack thereof) and face similar or perhaps bigger flood disasters in future, if anticipated climate change effects do materialise. Or it can chose to cooperate with countries in the Indus basin with a view to building an integrated system of storage dams, flood control installations and power generation stations which will help to modulate flows and avert floods, thereby benefitting Pakistan’s agriculture particularly its struggling farmers. The attendant hydropower potential is also huge and can be tapped for the energy-hungry Pakistani economy, as well as cross-border sales to India.  The big question is whether the Pakistan’s rulers can change their confrontationist mindset to make this possible.  If there was no deficit of trust India could have stored water even in the eastern rivers of the Indus basin to be used as a kind of buffer during floods. But, for that an integrated basin management is required, because the mighty rivers, follow their own course, they do not recognize man made political boundaries.

A  preliminary report was published in Hindu Business Line on 19th October 2010. Business Line version was available on the net at the following URL:

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2010/10/19/stories/2010101950330900.htm

Since it is a very old link it is probably no longer available but can be read on the link below

Pakistan floods reveal deep-rooted problems

Acronyms

NDMA National Disaster Management Authority

WAPDA Water and Power Development Authority

IRSA Indus River System Authority

OCHA United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

FAO Food and Agriculture Organisation

IDP Internally Displaced Person

MAF Million Acre Feet

Cusec Cubic Feet per Second