Front Cover

Picture of Mahatama Gandhi, is one of the greatest leaders of 20th century. Samar is celebrating Mahatma Gandhi’s 137th birth anniversary.

Letter from the Editor

“Recall the face of the poorest man whom you may have seen and ask yourself if the step you contemplate is going to be any use of him. Will he gain anything of it? Will it restore him to a control over his own life and destiny? In other words, will it lead to Swaraj for the hungry and spiritually starring millions?

Then you will find yourself, your doubts melting away.”

M.K.Gandhi

We are celebrating Mahatma Gandhi’s 137th birth anniversary. On this occasion, we salute all those who have done their duty and peacefully left this world to their final abode. What was their duty? Their duty was to love humanity. And to love humanity you must possess a very gritty and high level charactery in you.

Gandhiji always talked about self-reformation because self-reformation is more important than social reformation. His art of living was such that you can easily learn how to live simply by seeing him for once or twice. He ever earned for waste paper material. He would never throw, when a pencil would become very small. He knew that this country is starved of resources. We must care about each & every small step taken by us. Our small steps can create big impact on others especially on those who do not come in affluent or privileged class. This is must for the Swaraj.

Samar salutes this brilliant idea. It urges people to regularly have some introspection. Try to find where your steps are going. Try to rethink about yourself about your next work or next deed. We are with those who are winning their self and then reaching out to conquer the world.

Thank you.

Yours truly,

Editor

Your Voice

One thing, I would like to say to the editor that please keep on the discussions, especially based on “RTI” that also include some materials, related to our Ganga Jamuna tehzeeb.

I would like to request to the editor that also give some place for regular columns

Thank you,


Chinmayanand singh
Patna

History Revisited

Kashmir has fascinated civilised humans for thousand of years. She has attracted many warriors, kings, poets, sages and scholars but she has been always out of reach of all these men. She is young damsel who is blandishing her eyes and flowing her hairs to encourage the people to rush towards her in their off senses. They take their horses and swords, carriages and wheels, imagination & zeal to have some exchange of glances with her but all of them have fallen on her feet. She is like an arrogant princess laughing on their defeat with one hand on her bosoms another on her beaming cheeks.

Now, fate and destiny have changed for Kashmir. Its body is stained with blood. Its beautiful valleys have been notched off beautiful sceneries and horrifying patches have been put instead. One can’t count its wounds. One can’t think how to heal its uncountable and immensely paining wounds. Even if you can, some scar marks will be left behind.

The history is a mute spectator. It watches each and every minute detail with patience and tolerance. When it speaks out, it utters the slightest details of times and events. It is so bold in telling truth that sometimes it sounds very harsh but it always talks crystal clear. It can never leave any culprit unscathed, it can never forgive anybody. What has been dotted in pages of history will come out. Her praises and applauses are worthy and unbiased, her warnings are firm & unbreakable and her truths are voluminous like volcanoes.

History of humanism

There is a folk story, very famous in Kashmir. It is about a woman whose name was Padmavati in her young age. She was married to a man who was not only ignorant, but cruel too. Her marriage brought the same old story of oppression live and real seen all the nook and corner of her life. She subjected her to cruelty in laws. She left her husband’s home and went to unknown place to search truth. When she came back from her mysterious journey, she had become a mystic and Sufi. She started preaching local villagers through her lyrical verses. She, like Kabir, opposed all the religious bigotries. She taught the lesson of love, kindness, service to humanity. In passage of time, she became Lalleswari for Hindus and Lalla Arifa for Muslims. Till then she had become a venerable character for all the Kashmiris. She is sill living in hymns songs and proverbs of Kashmiri language.

This Sufi woman adopted a son who was born in 1356 A.D. The boy was nurtured and nourished by Lalleswari’s motherly care. He was destined to become Sheikh Nuruddin - another sage to teach lessons of humanity. He too lived in the hearts of Hindus and Muslims. Nuruddin was called Nand Rishi by Hindus and Sheikh by Muslims. His grave is in midst of valley of Kashmir. The place is called Charar-e-Sharief. This dargah attracts large number of Hindus and Muslims who come there to get solace and peace.

The lalleswaris and nand rishis the hazratbals and chrar-e-shariefs are immortal remains of humanism. People do not come here to see whether the curtains are green or saffron, the symbols are made up of moon and stars or sun and trishul. Instead, they come here to weep out their woes. They have some unspeakable demands; they have something to say which they cannot say anywhere else; they have something to show, which they cannot show anywhere else. This is their natural faith, it does not know about doctrines of clergies and diplomacies of monarchs.

When the valley weeps these pilgrimages, soak the tears of this wailing widow.


History of kings, kingdoms and their tiaras

The oldest and most authentic book which describes about Kashmir is Rajtarangini (king of rivers) written by a Pandit scholar, Kalhana. This book was completed in AD 1148. The book has eight parts, capturing the whole history of Kashmir till period of the compilation of the book. This book takes the story back in to the Mahabharata age, as it describes that 27 generations of Pandavas ruled over this state. However, the book relies more on the mythological and religious sources than history. This is why it is difficult for the readers to alienate the history from mythological stories, e.g. there was, it says, huge river called Sat Sari flowing there where at present Kashmir’s sprawling valley is situated. The war between Demons and devtas (trinity of Hindu gods, Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh) resulted in evolution of valley from beneath the river. The Gods seeing the beauty of the valley decided to reside in the Himalayas. This valley was a property of Rishi Kashyap. On his name, Kashmir was christened as the name of this vale.

The time passed with its own pace and lot of water flowed into Satluj; clans of Indo Aryan families inhabited The Kashmir. We know very poorly about that period of history of Kashmir, but it is evident that Hinduism was the primary religion and philosophy of the land.

Some more timepieces elapsed and there arose a great regent called Ashoka in India. This great Maurayan emperor brought Kashmir into ambit of his empire but he found resistance in Hinduism because Ashoka also tried to superimpose Buddhism. He failed. Two hundred years after the decline of Mauryan Empire, Kanishka, and a Kushan king ruled over from Kshmir to Bengal, brought Buddhism again in the valley. Not only that, Buddhism spread all over central Asia, Afghanistan ,Tibet by A.D. 352, and to China,
Japan and Korea by AD 552 from Kanishka’s Kashmir.

After Kanishka, a Hun ruler, Mihurkula set his empire in Kashmir. This was followed by Karkota dynasty. After that, there was rule of Utpala dynasty that ruled Kashmir from AD 855 to AD 1003. All these years were unhappy for Kashmir. For almost 400 years, Kashmir saw only marauders, killers, debauchery and lust in her own men and women. In short, there was nothing good to be written in history.

The time when Kalhana was writing last pages of his grand book, Rajtarangini, Kashmir was plagued by the incidents of intrigues, double-crossing and conspiracies. Regents were immoral and corrupt; public was thrashed on all quarters; junta was feeble and foolish; this beautiful woman called Kashmir was longing for someone to her fate.

This was the correct time for the rulers from the other sides to look towards Kashmir. First, Sultan of Delhi (at that time Quatabuddin Aibak was at throne in Delhi) tried his luck but his interest was half hearted. One of the most tyrannous and most cruel warriors ever born in history Changez Khan (or Genghiz Khan) made another attempt. He sent his marauders to Kashmir but they never reached Kashmir. Another Mongol conquered Kashmir sixty years after Changez. He was called Kublai Khan the great. His rule was extended from Tibet to modern Laddakh. This north - eastern part of Kashmir still today tastes the same old Mongol wine in its cultural delicacies.

On the same footing, this was also the right time for Sufis and sages to conquer the hearts of Kashmiris. It was the time when Sufi movement had swept all over Indian peninsula. It swept Kashmir too. At last, the sword of love wins the battle. What big staunch Muslim invaders could not do with their daggers and sabres these lean, wandering pantaloons had done. Thus, the advent of Islam happens in Kashmir.

M.J. Akbar in his book “Kashmir behind the Vale” writes-

“a strange and wondrous combinations of events – the arrival of a Musami Syed disciple of Sufi divine Shah Niamatullah Farsi of the Suharwardy order; the presence of an adventurer driven by a dream from his native Swat( now in Pakistan ); the death of great king Kublai Khan in distant Beijing, to name but three – created the conditions of the establishment of first Islam and then Muslim rule in the valley of Kashmir by the fourteenth century.”

Name of the Sufi was Syed Bilal Shah, lovingly called Bulbul Shah by the people of Kashmir. By the time, he died in 1327, the king, his brother and the commander in chief of army were Muslims, and the first mosque of Kashmir had been built in Shrinagar. Today this place where grave of Bulbul Shah and mosque are situated is called Bulbul langar.

M.J.Akbar in his book gives a description of the first Muslim King Shah Mir. It is not only interesting but unbelievable too. He was living in Swat and saw a dream that he will become a monarch one day, so he travelled all along to Kashmir to search his destiny. The trail of events was such that he actually seated on the throne of Shrinagar and remained there till his death. This dynasty ruled Kashmir for 222 years. This was a peaceful and prosperous time for Kashmir as well as its economy and polity. The greatest king of this period was Zainul abedin. People of the valley lovingly called him Bud shah because of his industrious works like popularising Kashmiri shawl.

Mughals ended this rule and Kashmir went to the hands of rulers who were not Kashmiri. On 28th March, 1586, Mughals captured the Kashmir. That day marked the end of Kashmir’s independence.

However, Akbar proved to be a great ruler for Kashmir. After Akbar, Jehangir too cared a lot for Kashmir. Jehangir’s love for Kashmir is evident from the scenic beauty of Shalimar Bagh and Nishat Bagh. He wanted to die there but he could not. After Jehangir, Shahjahan and Aurangzeb kept their mettle in Kashmir.

Yet again, the turbulent situation arose after the death of Aurangzb. In forty-six years after the death of the Mughal king Kashmir saw fifty-seven governors and all of the were pathetic. The religious bigotry, in now Muslim majority Kashmir was a common practise by governors and kings. This was the time when Afghan governors of Ahmad Shah Abdali snatched Kashmir and plundered it. M.J. Akbar in his book cites a couplet –

Puisdan az kharabiye gulshan zi baghban
Afghan kashid guft kiAfghan kharab kard.

(I asked, says the poet, who laid waste this garden. With a deep sigh he replied: “it was the Afghan “)
This couplet tells how much cruel that period was that still lies in the memories of poets and commons.

Afghan ruled Kashmir until, 1819. In 1819, Maharaja Ranjit Singh of Punjab captured Kashmir. But the rule was not very much justified, now the misruling was against the Muslims quite contrary as it was during the rule of the Afghans. The collapse of Kashmir was inevitable; it seemed, after the death of Ranjit Singh in 1839. The crimes and beggary again flourished in Kashmir. Eventually Kashmir never recovered from its catastrophe since 1753.
After Sikh rule, another fierce battle was fought; British defeated Sikhs and captured the big state of Punjab. They sold Kashmir to Gulab Singh Dogra for 75 lakhs rupees. He was a commander in Ranjit Singh’s army but he betrayed his king.

History of political satire

The satire made against the people of Kashmir had begun in 1846. Dogras helped British in Anglo- Sikh war in 1848 and more bravely supported them in 1857 to crush the first mutiny against British. Gulab Singh’s son Ranbir Singh was also loyal to the white masters and cruel for Kashmiris. But British slowly crept into Dogra’s Kashmir. First, an officer on duty (OSC) was sent then a civil court was created in 1872. In 1888, the OSC reciprocated his special position provided by the British by splitting the royal family. The raja was accused in a false case and disposed. Everybody was stunned. Now British have clasped Kashmir that they wanted to protect themselves from Tsarist Russia.

In 1925, Hari Singh became the king of Kashmir. Till then unemployment, illiteracy, poverty, discrimination against Muslims had become common practices. The public was against the British Raj and Hari Singh both. The total power of administration and law was under the authority of the King, there was no democracy. The British exercised the real power. The Dogras had become real feudal class.

(Dogra monarch, Maharaja Hari Singh with Maharani Tara Devi. )

In this scenario, a political movement started which remained after the independence of Kashmir and India. A party was founded called Muslim conference and its leader was Shaikh Abdullah. He was born in 1905 and was educated in Aligarh. He came and conquered all the hearts of Kashmiris. He made the Party in 1933. This was the incident which changed the fate of this land and continued to be in memories of people constantly at the time of independence and thereafter.



~MILIND





References

M.J. Akbar, Kashmir behind the Vale, VIKING 1991
Encyclopaedia of Britannica, 2000

Poets of the World

William Blake




A poison tree

I was angry with my friend
I told my wrath, my wrath did end
I was angry with my foe
I told it not, my wrath did grow

And I watered it in fears,
Night and morning with my tears,
And I sunned with smiles,
And soft deceitful wiles

And it grow both day and night,
Till it bore an apple bright
And my foe behind it shine,
And he knew that it was mine.

And into my garden stole
When the night had veiled the pole
In the morning glad I see
My foe outstretched beneath the tree.


In this simple but powerful poem, William Blake describes how a feeling of anger, which soon disappears if there is good will and friendship, can become deadly poison, if instead,
there is distrust and enmity. Using the metaphor of a poison tree, the poet creates a vivid picture of how such anger, hidden in the mind, grows daily by feeding on other harmful feelings ; such as fear , until it becomes capable of causing great destruction and wicked sense of pleasure in it.

William Blake was born on November 28, 1757 in London, Great Britain. Today Blake is regarded as one of the earliest and greatest figures of romanticism but in his own age, he was regarded as a mad and the fault of him was that he was a single-minded and unworldly human. He lived in poverty and died in neglect.

Since childhood, Blake developed a sense of mysticism in him. He would describe about his experiences or visions he saw in countryside. In these visions, he would see angels in a tree and sometime he would see prophet Ezekiel in a field. Interesting thing is that Prophet Ezekiel was born in sixth century BC. He was follower of Judaism and was one of them who wrote Old Testament. The prophet is also related to concept of Israel, a Jewish country. It's a distant but not an abnormal intimacy Blake would show towards. All along his life he wrote about ancient mystical world.

Another example from his life, which shows, his mental state, is related to death of his younger brother, Robert. When his father died in 1784 Blake started a printing shop in London, he took his brother Robert too. Robert died in 1787. Blake who has given his care and nursing to his brother was so touched and moved that he would see his brother's vision rising from ground to ceiling more often than once. One day Robert appeared to him and told him about the new methodology of engraving the texts and illustrations. Blake used this method for engravings in his books and called it "illuminated painting".

Most of the Blake’s works were decorated with the above kind of engraving. The first books in which he used the new kind of engravings were, There is no natural religion and All Religions are One published in 1788.

The various kinds of incidents in his life and mystical development of his mind made an unusual impact on his character. His poetry is clear reflection of this fact. Look into this piece of verse, which is one of the most famous poems composed by him; The Tiger. It was part of his book - Songs of experience (1794)

Tiger! Tiger! Burning bright
In the forests of the night,

In these lines, tiger is an imaginary character. It is a mixture of humanity’s lust and cruelty. The poet asks the god, which are you the same creator who has created the lamb and this tiger both. His poem is full of such metaphors that indicate towards divinity and supernatural powers.

In 1793, Blake and his wife went to southern part of London called Lambeth where they lived for seven years. He spent these years in writing some prophetic books. Again, the same spiritual and philosophic ideas were developed and transformed into poetry by him. Blake loved to be there among these divine whisperings. These seven years were best part of his literary life because he wrote a series of majestic books. These are America, A prophecy (1793); Europe, A prophecy (1794); The book of Urizen (1794); The book of Ahania; The book of Los, The song of Los (1795).

These prophetic books are description of an imaginary cosmic fight between conflicting forces - reason (Urizen) and imagination (Los). The Christian and Jewish mythological concepts have been readily used in these books to present picturesque depiction of cosmic forces.

From 1800 to 1803, Blake lived happily in a seaside cottage in Sussex provided by his patron. Soon he felt his patron intolerable, moreover his wife's health deteriorated. Therefore, he came back to London in 1803. Back in London, he wrote three epics, Jerusalem, Milton and Vale. But Blake's life from 1803 to 1820 was too difficult to bear. He had no work. He was not publishing poetry, as there were only few takes of his poetry and engravings.

In 1819, he met a new patron. His name was John Linnell. John introduced to group of young artist where Blake was revered as master. Blake too enjoyed this company. In 1821, John commissioned him to make watercolour paintings. Blake completed this work before his death. Critically these works were acclaimed as Blake’s best art. In 1825, another assignment of 102 paintings on Dante’s Divine Comedy was given to him but he could not complete this work.

The life he got in his last couple of years was one the he longed for whole of his life. He was working even in his 70th year. He died, as he wanted. He had brush in his hand while lying in bed. He died on August 12, 1827. Blake was buried in London where he spent biggest part of his life.





~Sharique

Health Status in Urban Bihar 1

Bihar is the third largest state in terms of total population size, occupies the 11th position, its share in national urban population being 3.04 percent. 2001 census shows that Bihar has an urban population of 8.67 millions comprising 10.47 percent of the state. There has been a decline in urbanisation of Bihar during 1990s. In 1991, undivided Bihar had 13.1percent urban population, which came down to 10.47 percent in 2001. Partly it is attributed to going of big urban centres like Dhanbad, Jamshedpur and Ranchi to Jharkhand after the division of state. However, it is also attributed to the process of liberalization. The migration to urban centres in developed states has been more due to higher flow of financial, industrial and infrastructural investments. However, the backward states have not attracted private capital due to lack of infrastructure. Even the government has not been able to achieve much in terms of industrialization of backward states.

Patna, the capital of Bihar with 41.80 percent urban population is the most urbanised district and has almost one fourth(22.69 percent) of total urban population of the state Patna district with a percentage decadal growth of 43.02 during 1991-2001 has an urban population of 1.96 millions (census 2001)

There are 19 cities in Bihar (having population of 100,000 and above). Of this patna falls into sub-class M5 (population between 1,000,000-1,999,999), Gaya Bhagalpur and Muzaffarpur in sub-class M3(300,000500,000),Darbhanga, Biharsharif and Arrah in sub-class M3(200,000-299,999) and rest 12 cities in sub-class M1(100.000-199,999).

It is observed that the highest incidence of urban poverty is mostly in small cities. NSS survey shows that with the increase in size of town the incidence of poverty declined steadily. The head count ratio of the urban poor in M1 towns in 1987-88 was 47.4 percent and M5 towns were 26.73 percent. Bihar with only one M5 city is dotted heavily with small cities and towns and thus has a large burden of urban poor population. As per the estimates given by the planning commission for 1993-94, thirty-five percent of the urban population in Bihar was below the poverty line. As per TCPO, estimates Bihar had a slum population of about 3.5 millions in 2001. The census of India puts slum population to be little over 0.5 millions only.

Health Issues of Urban Poor

The state urban health infrastructure is in extremely bad shape. Bihar has 6 medical college hospitals, 23 district hospitals out of 38 districts and only 23 sub-divisional hospitals out of 101 subdivisions (RCH II). Bihar does not have a single urban PHC or health post. Only Patna andBhaghalpur have 2 municipal dispensaries in each district according to an estimate. There are less than one dozen family welfare centres in the state. 19 cities of Bihar have 33 urban dispensaries.
More than one-fifth of the females in urban Bihar still have to marry before 19 years of age. Only 23 percent of married women in urban Bihar make decision for obtaining health care of her. The median age at first cohabitation is 16.4 for women living in households with a low standard of living. It reflects that the women are the disadvantaged[1] lot even in urban households as regards to making decision in terms of either seeking health care for herself or having teenage pregnancy.

Water sources and sanitary facilities have an important influence on the health of household members, especially children. Only 35 percent of the urban population has access to piped drinking water. One third of the urban population has no sanitary facility of latrines/toilets. Crowded conditions also affect health as well as the quality of life. 37 % of the urban households live in houses with three or more persons per room. One-forth households in urban Bihar have low standard of living index (SLI), defined in terms of ownership of household goods like durable goods and type of kitchenware used.

In reference with the scenario of health status in Bihar, briefly described above, a survey was undertaken in various cities of Bihar. Major conclusions are given here –


Preference for facilities for seeking Health Services

• Urban poor do not have confidence in Govt. hospitals when it comes to curative services.
  Only 1/10th of respondents visited the OPD( outpatient departments) for treatment of children in case of diarrhoea and of women in case of RTIs
• (Reproductive Tract Infections).
• Neighbourhood chemist shops are major provider of curative services to urban poor ( 28% in case of Diarrhoea an 29% in case of RTI ). Every 3 out of 10 urban poor are opting a chemist shop for seeking treatment.
• Urban Poor’s confidence in promotional health services offered by Government health services providers in marginally more as compared to their faith in curative services provided by them.
• Routine Immunization of children for the urban poor is the most preferred service of Government Health delivery setting.
• Almost 4/5th of children (79%) were immunized at a Government health centre.
• In between the Government hospital and Angan Wari Centres (AWC), the hospitals, which are, preferred most by the respondents. Only 9 % of children were immunized at AWC.
  
  For the other promotional health services the urban poor mostly go to private heath providers
• Less than 1/3rd pregnant women go to Govt. Health providers for T.T.(Tetanus Toxoid) injections and Ante Natal checkups (ANC). Private health providers did 71% of TT administration and 68 % of ANC of pregnant women.
• 1/5th of pregnant women received T.T. shots at small chemist shops. The quality of cold chain maintenance at small chemist shops in a matter of concern.
• Amongst the pregnant women, only 2 % went to AWC for T.T. administration and meagre 1% for ANC.
• Less than 1/5th of pregnant women went to Govt. hospital for a delivery of a child.Child Care Indicators
• Only 23% children between 12-23 months were fully immunized.
• Tow-third children age 12-23 months did not have the immunisation card.
• 39% was the drop out for RI (Routine Immunization) among children.
• 13% of children did not complete the RI due to post injection side effects.
• 12% of respondents did not take their children for RI in absence of facility of RI in their vicinity.

Maternal Care Indicators

Place of delivery and assistance during delivery

• More than half of the pregnant women did not seek ANC during last pregnancy. Only 46% of pregnant women went for ANC during the last pregnancy and most of them had only gone once for ANC
• More than 1/5th of the pregnant women didn’t receive any TT shots.
• 61% of deliveries were conducted at home and rest 39% were institutionalized deliveries at either Govt. hospital or private hospital.
• Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs) are conducting 86% of the deliveries in case of domiciliary delivery.

Safe Delivery Practices

• All the 5 cleans ( i.e. hands with soap before conducting delivery, use f new blade for cutting the umbilical cord, use of sterilised cord for tying umbilical cord, not applying any thing on the stumps after cutting the cord) for safe delivery was not observed in any household in case of home deliveries.
• Using new blade for cutting the umbilical cord was universally (99%).
  Washing hands before conducting delivery by TBAs was mostly practiced (91%)
  In less than half of the deliveries, sterilized cord was being used for tying the stumps (38%).
• In almost all cases medicine/oil/ash/ was applied on the stump of the umbilical cord. In only 4% cases, nothing was applied on the stumps after cutting it.

The Disease Burden

• 28% of children t 5 years had at least one episode of diarrhoea during last six months.
• 38% of children under the same category had cough and 27% had Acute Respiratory Infection (ARI) during the last six months.
• 13% of children have suffered from Measles during the last one year.
• 36% of mothers had suffered from RTI (Reproductive Tract Infection).
• Majority of the women suffering from RTI did not seek any treatment.

Infant and Child Mortality

• There was death of a child less than 5 years in every 10th house of the urban poor during last one year.
• 139 children under 5 years under 5 years has died during last 1 year of which more than two-third children died before celebrating their 1st birthday.
• Among the children dying before their first birthday, 59% were neonates.
• 1/4th children died of diarrhoea which was leading cause of death.
• ARI (Acute Respiratory Infection) was the next most frequent reason for death of children under 5 years. 16% children died of ARI.
• Diarrhoea and ARI along with Tetanus (12%) was responsible for death of more than half of children under 5 years.
• High fever and Measles were two other important causes of death among the same age group.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ~Dr. Shakeel
  (Writer runs an NGO in Patna called CHARM that focuses on health issues of urban poor)
  

Know your Neighbour

NAME:

Conventional long form: Kingdom of Bhutan conventional short form: Bhutan

BACKGROUND:

In 1865, Britain and Bhutan signed the Treaty of Sinchulu, under which Bhutan would receive an annual subsidy in exchange for ceding some borderland. Under British influence, a monarchy was set up in 1907; three years later, a treaty was signed whereby the British agreed not to interfere in Bhutanese internal affairs and Bhutan allowed Britain to direct its foreign affairs. This role was assumed by independent India after 1947. Two years later, a formal Indo-Bhutanese accord returned the areas of Bhutan annexed by the British, formalized the annual subsidies the country received, and defined India's responsibilities in defence and foreign relations.

LOCATION:

Southern Asia, between China and India

CLIMATE:

Varies; tropical in southern plains; cool winters and hot summers in central valleys; severe winters and cool summers in Himalayas


POPULATION:

2,185,569 note: other estimates range as low as 810,000 (July 2004 est.)

LABOUR FORCE - BY OCCUPATION:

Agriculture 93%, industry and commerce 2%, services 5%

POPULATION BELOW POVERTY LINE:

NA

NATIONALITY:

Noun: Bhutanese (singular and plural) adjective: Bhutanese

LANGUAGES:

Dzongkha (official), Bhotes speak various Tibetan dialects, Nepalese speak various Nepalese dialects

LITERACY:

Definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 42.2% male: 56.2% female: 28.1% (1995 est

GOVERNMENT TYPE:

Monarchy; special treaty relationship with India

CAPITAL:

Thimphu


CURRENCY:

Ngultrum (BTN); Indian rupee (INR)


INDEPENDENCE:

8 August 1949 (from India)

EXECUTIVE BRANCH:

Chief of state: King Jigme Singye WANGCHUCK (since 24 July 1972).Head of government: Chairman of the Council of Ministers Lyonpo Yeshey ZIMBA (since 20 August 2004).

FLAG DISCRIPTION:

Divided diagonally from the lower hoist side corner; the upper triangle is yellow and the lower triangle is orange; centred along the dividing line is a large black and white dragon facing away from the hoist side

ECONOMY:

The economy, one of the world's smallest and least developed, is based on agriculture and forestry, which provide the main livelihood for more than 90% of the population. Agriculture consists largely of subsistence farming and animal husbandry. Rugged mountains dominate the terrain and make the building of roads and other infrastructure difficult and expensive. The economy is closely aligned with India's through strong trade and monetary links and dependence on India's financial assistance. The industrial sector is technologically backward, with most production of the cottage industry type.

INDUSTRIES:

Cement, wood products, processed fruits, alcoholic beverages, calcium carbide


UNEMPLOYMENT RATE:

NA

COMMUNICATION:

Telephone, Radio, Television, Internet


TRANSPORTATION:

Railways, Roadways, Airports, Waterways

~Farooque Ali

Vote Of Thanks

We are proud to present the ninth edition of ‘SAMAR’. We hope you must have enjoyed the magazine. You can also read the magazine online at www.mysamar.blogspot.com. You can also give your feedback through e-mail or post.

Last but not the least; again, we would like to thank the readers, writers and sponsor of ‘SAMAR’.

EDITOR

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Back Cover

Collage from pictures of valleys, lakes, monuments of Jammu & Kashmir.