LANKAN DIARY - 2

DROUGHT AND ELEPHANTS

Holding sketchy itinerary in hand, I was just trying to figure out the alternative sightseeing for the day. Though Sigiriya was on the list, I could not expect the three senior citizens, who have crossed 70, to climb 600 plus meter rock with me.
Though the itinerary mentioned about Habarana, no detail was available. All it said was that we had to pay for entry of Sigirya rock and wildlife safari. I just asked driver Lalu about Habarana and he just said you can see elephants. I mistook it for Pinnawala elephant orphanage and all four of us are against such centers.
Chinnappa had already told me that they would like to see Sigirya rock from outside, but would not climb it. Nor Radha aunty and Prasad were interested in it. That left us with Rangiri cave temple, known as Dambulla cave temple for the day.
At Sigiriya, Lalu was of little help to take us near the rock. I realized that the entry fee was from the main road itself and we could not have proper view of the rock from main gate. It would have been waste of Rs 3000 per head (Sri Lanka currency), if we went closer. We just took a look at the rock from a distance.
I again asked Lalu about Habarana. He told me that it was not elephant orphanage, but a wildlife sanctuary with a lot of elephants. This enthused other three also and we decided to take a shot in daytime itself.
Though Lalu offered to look for a safari jeep, I walked into a nearby resort and fixed it by myself. The driver was young and looked dynamic. I learned that we were visiting Minneriya National Park, which had large congregation of elephants. It was almost an hour drive from Sigiriya and later I realized that we could have gone to Habarana and rented a safari jeep from there. Lalu saved that much of fuel for himself.
On the way, we were discussing about variety of issues. A keen observer, Chinnappa had noticed insulated power lines being drawn near Sigiriya and inquired technical details with Prasad, an engineer and once owned electrical components manufacturing units. The discussion also turned towards solar fencing to prevent elephants, which was done in a much better manner in Sri Lanka, compared to India by forest department.
I was noticing large tracts of lush green open lands and wondered if they were part of any marsh land. Chinnappa had already noticed that and made inquires about it in my absence. ``Like Karnataka, even Sri Lanka is reeling under drought. These are all paddy lands and the people have not cultivated paddy for last two years,’’ he said.
Sri Lanka witness dry season between June and September. We could see mango trees either flowering or bearing fruits. There seems to be some early rain in recent past, which had turned land green. After some distance, I realized that the large land by the side of the road could be a dry lake. A potential conflict zone with such large number of elephants, I thought.
Minneriya is similar to Kabini and Periyar is India. It is adjacent to backwaters of Minneriya reservoir build by local king Mahasena in 3rd century. There is a lot of backwater and fresh grass grows in the backwater area, where elephants graze. Due to rain failure, the extent of backwater had receded, creating a large tract of grassland. During British era, two railway lanes were drawn in heavily wooded area, fragmenting the habitat.
As we entered the park, first 20 minutes had thick vegetation, with undergrowth. Slowly we emerged to large grassland and there stood an elephant, just 100 meters from us. It was a male and to our right, at far end, another single elephant was grazing. We passed by the first one and drove more than two kilometers to reach the second one. That was also male.
``This is also macana (male without tusks),’’ I said.
``In Sri Lanka, there are no tuskers. Most of the males are macanas,’’ he said. First I thought that it was either genetical disorder. But, it was during Tamil Ealam movement that the elephants suffered a lot. Elephant tusks were one of the resource mobilization ways of LTTE. Most of the tuskers were poached and the tusks were sold in international market to raise funds. This left the country with tusk less elephants.
The day was hot and the sun was really bright. We were happy about seeing two wild elephants in Sri Lanka. We thought that we were early in the day to see elephants and they would not come out of shade in such humid conditions. However, Chinnappa asked the driver to take near backwater, which we could not see from the place where we were driving.
After ten minutes of drive, the jeep took a slight left turn, which opened to back water sight. ``Wow,’’ exclaimed I and Prasad simultaneously. There were at least 50 elephants, in five or six groups. I could see little ones in almost every group. Prasad has been visiting Kabini since 70’s and said that it was reminding him of those days. At the end, we had counted around 80 elephants.
Now, there were elephants all around us. I was not in hurry and I could turn any direction and take photos. Contrary to our belief, there were two small elephants, sporting tusks. However, their body growth was not proportionate to the tusk growth, which was disappointing. But, the experience of having elephants all around was great.
Though Minneriya had largest elephant congregation in one place, the problem in the fringes of the forest is similar to Indian one. There are two railway lanes passing inside the forest. In fringes, due to drought, farmers have given up water intensive cultivation. However, the elephants raid whatever vegetables and fruits they grow. This has increased man-elephant conflict. They also break solar fencing in some places to raid crops.
Despite of problems, I felt Sri Lanka forest department was doing much better work than our own forest department. They have not meddled with forests much and appear to be practicing good fire control methods. Consequently, the local species of plants are naturally fighting lantana menace all by themselves and not allowed them to take over as undergrowth. More importantly, the Sri Lankan forest officials have restrained themselves from taking up construction of culverts, storm water drains and other civil works inside wildlife area.

LANKAN DIARY-1

THE WHITE SKIN OBSESSION

``So… you are set to visit land of Ravana?’’ asked my friend ``He is my hero in Ramayana,’’ I just replied
``Why so?’’
``He kidnapped Seetha to avenge his sister’s humiliation. Though Seetha was beautiful and he had opportunities to do anything, he treated her with respect. He was such an ardent lover of Lord Shiva, that he dared to take Athma Linga from Shiva for his mother. How can I take a person as a hero, who distrusted his wife time and again, subjecting her to Agnipravesha and banishing her to forest just after hearing gossips?’’ I replied.
``I will tell you one more story. Rama was looking for a learned scholar to give `Diksha’ for war. Learning that, Ravan himself offered him `Diksha’ and blessed Rama with victory,’’ he said.
``That makes him nobler,’’ I just laughed.
``Remember, you may not meet many Ravana’s in present Lanka,’’ he laughed.
In my second visit to Sri Lanka, I was accompanying my wildlife Guru K M Chinnappa, his wife Radha aunty and friend HNA Prasad. I am youngest in the group and took responsibility of organizing the trip. As we landed in Colombo at 4.30 am, I was mostly dependent on the cab driver Lalu, who picked us up. Since we added Wilpattu wildlife sanctuary in the last minute, we started driving directly, without even freshening up.
Though Lalu said it was five hours drive, even with a breakfast stop, we had reached Wilpattu at 10.30 am. Lalu got into action and booked a vehicle for taking us inside the forests. I just told Lalu and the vehicle driver that it was wrong time to go for wildlife safari, as animals would be resting. When both tried convincing that there was no such thing as time for safari, I realized I had a tough task during rest of the tour. Just booking through tourist operators does not lessen your burden of managing things, if your tour has to go according to your plan.
I told Lalu that we would start for safari only by 2.30 pm, so that we could try and sight some animals. Both Lalu and another driver tried to give some lecture on animal behavior to me. With a smile I told him that I would be taking a room at Leopard Den resort, just opposite to the place where we were talking and rest till lunch. The safari would start after the lunch.
As I walked into the resort office, I noticed it was basic, but very nicely done. Owner cum manger was a lady, who agreed to give us a room for couple of hours. I told her that we would also have lunch at around 1.30 pm and went to room.
As we four walked into dining area at 1.30 pm, couple of tourist vehicles also arrived. Almost all the guests were white people. We placed our orders before them and began discussing about Wilpattu wildlife sanctuary. It is one of the largest protected areas for leopards in Sri Lanka. Leopards are persecuted so much in Sri Lanka that it is endangered.
I just asked Chinnappa as to why there were no tigers in Sri Lanka and laughed that how Sri Lanka has Lion on its National flag, though there were no Lions in that country.
Chinnappa explained me how tigers migrated from Siberia to other regions in the Asia and by the time it could reach Sri Lanka, the sea had separated two countries. That was much before history and during process of evolution and migration of species period.
Half an hour passed and the hotel people had supplied food to everyone in the dining area, except us. No one even took notice of our presence and we could not even draw attention of anyone in the hotel. First, we thought our dishes were getting late and after another 15 minutes, the hotel people started collecting bills from the customers. I called the waiter who took our order and asked about our food. He went inside and was followed by another person. He plainly said that fish was over and if we wanted, he could prepare some chicken.
By then, Prasad had lost his cool and went to the office. He confronted the owner woman and wanted to know what was happening and demanded explanation for not supplying food for over an hour. She just said that there was some delay and would try and do something about it. The laxity made me lose my cool also and just shot at her: ``Look madam, I thought only Indians had this obsession for white skin people. I was wrong and it is universal in Asia and Africa. You should remember that I have given you bigger business than them. This is not done.’’
The lady was taken aback and hurried into the kitchen. Next 15 minutes, our food was on our table. Even Chinnappa and Radha aunty had lost their cool. We ate without a word, paid the bill and left the place.
In the safari, we realized that our guide had scant knowledge about forest. However, he was confidently explaining us about the forest, which beat the logics of even Chinnappa’s five decades of experience with forest and wildlife. Every time he opened his mouth, we smiled at each other. Chinnappa pointed at some animal foot mark and wanted to know to which animal it belonged to. The driver, without hesitation said it belonged to spotted deer, when we burst into laughter. Chinnappa pointed out that it was round and large…. Almost looked like camel hooves mark. The driver thought for a while and said it might be of wild buffalos.
Though we were surprised at that moment, later we sighted a herd of wild buffalos near a water hole. It is same as our domestic buffalos, but live in wild throughout in herds life Indian Gaur and African Buffalos.
Our discussion was mainly around how preventing forest fire has helped the local species of plants to fight Lantana destroying them. It was more technical and comparison with our forests in Karnataka. Though we could not sight leopard, we had good sightings of red mongoose, monitor lizard and star tortoise.
When we returned to the resort to pick our vehicle, the owner was enthusiastically showing her bird collection to the tourists and answering their queries about the place. She avoided eye contact with us, but we did not feel bad about it. In the late evening, we had a long journey to reach Dambulla…. Our next destination.

LAKE OF 3-IDIOTS

I DON’T CARE IF IT IS DALAI LAMA OR CHINA – JUST SAVE PONGONG

When I first read about Pongong lake, shot to fame after last scene of 3-idiots movie, I just told myself: Hell with it! One scene in the movie is going to kill the entire lake. I read that many restaurants had come up near that point, with 3-idiot theme.

However, we entered Pongong lake from entirely opposite direction – passing through Tibet border, now under China control. Five of us – Ramamurthy, Sachin, Chethan and Manoj were thrilled to see the lake from long distance.

Our driver Mothub said that around 20 per cent of the lake was with India and rest was in Tibet, under China control. The pristine lake sight was mesmerizing and we just drove along for over 30 minutes to actually reach the lake bed.

The first question after hitting the lake bed was where 3-idiots was shot? Motub was calm and said that we still had to cross at least two villages to reach the place where shooting took place. ``They shot in many places along two villages and I don’t know how much of it they have used it in the movie,’’ he said. We realized that he had not watched the movie.

As we passed Merek and Man villages, there was no visible activity. They were isolated small hamlets, looked untouched. The terrain was tough, but lake and either side view was unimaginable. As we approached Spangik village, I just said: ``What the f**k?’

The entire lake bed was on the verge of taking over and many tents had been already erected. Some were being still constructed and some concrete structure were also being built. In the far end, there were some small tents and it was doubtful that any tourists would stay there. As I picked up my camera, I saw a line of toilet comoddes being set up, which actually running right into the lake. I got so disgusted that I put my camera down.

As F&B words flowed fluently from our mouth, Mothub calmly explained the situation. ``Now the season is starting and most of the people are reserving their places to put up accommodation for tourists. Those small tents belong to labors, who come from other places. As the ice start melting, the water level in the lake swells. But these people are building shelters right on the lake.’’

``Earlier, very few people used to visit this lake as approach is very difficult. Only those adventurous used to come here. However, after 3-idiots, the number of tourists coming here has gone up. Every year, more and more people are setting up camps here,’’ he said.

Our enthusiasm with the lake had died down. We were expecting only a few 3-idot themed petty shops and restaurants. However, a mini-township was coming up on the lake bed, without any regulation. The sewage would sure be discharged to the lake itself. Silently, our eyes were searching for the place where last scene of 3-idiots was shot. One or two locations looked like that, but Mothub could not confirm it.

However, we were dumbstruck when reached Lukung village, last of the four villages on banks of Pongong Tso on Indian side. There were at least six restaurants under 3-idiots theme. There was also green adventure camp built behind the restaurants and we had decided to have lunch in this place. 

This was more than I could take. After ordering food, I took out my camera and started taking photographs of the establishments around the place. A local shop keeper said that after the movie was shot, there was a lot of `development'. Tourists were visiting and the local people were getting `business'.

I was not in a mood to buy that theory. Just then, argument broke out in a large group. Around 20 people had surrounded a jeep and were asking something in their local language. All I could understand was that they were labors and their wages had not been paid. The people in the jeep assured something and drove away, while the group stood their murmuring among themselves.

Ramamurthy went near the lake and said that this was the place shown in the last scene of 3-idiots. He also said that the scooter had been parked there. I went down and saw and board next to the scooter. It had Kareena Kapoor’s photograph and informed that anyone can take a photograph sitting on the scooter by paying Rs 50. Just shook my head and returned to the car.

As we moved out of the lake area toward Leh, a board mocked at me --- THINK CLEAN. A sarcastic smile moved on my lips, as I was predicting doom of the lake.

Brutal truth in India is talking about conservation and maintaining clean environment construed to be anti-development. At time, our attitude looks anarchic and all the governments support such activities in the name of development and upliftment of poor people.

Saving this lake appears to be impossible from Indian perspective. Since more than 70% of the lake is in Tibet, only two people can help. First, His Holiness Dalai Lama, fighting for free Tibet can take up the cause and prevail upon Indian government to bring in some regulation. Otherwise, China is in control of Tibet and rake up the issue of Indians polluting the lake in international forum.

I don’t care if it is Dalai Lama or China, as long as someone saves Pongong lake from 3-idiots onslaught.

Vinay Madhav

NEO-NOMADS IN ANDAMAN

I AM FROM NOWHERE, BUT I BELONG TO EVERYWHERE

Are you a native of Andaman?

Shruthi was not amused by my direct question... she was rather disturbed...  just stared at me once and at Ambika, before slipping into silence.

She was squatting on bonnet (?)  of the motor boat, exposing herself to the scorching sun. Even during the journey to the scuba point, I noticed that she was constantly sitting in the sun. She looked like deity Kali.... sans breathing fire. She was very calm, talkative and humorous. Tan was a very soft word for what scorching sun done to her skin over two years.  It was partial burn, but had not affected beauty.

After a pause, she broke the silence and said: ``my father hailed from Kolkatta... he was in defence. I was brought up all over the country. You see.... I am from nowhere, but I belong to everywhere.’’

I just smiled and asked: `you mind me taking your photo?’  She did not reply. I continued: `I usually don’t photograph human beings.... somehow I felt this time.’

Ambika joined me and said: `let him.... he is always after wild animals. This is the first time I saw him, wanting to photograph a human beings.’ Shruthi gave a broad smile.

I thought Shruthi would not be interested in sharing anything about herself. But, she softly broke her silence: `even I used to be a journalist.’

`Is it? where?’ I asked.

`I started my career at Delhi with Wall Street Journal. I moved on to Mumbai and my last job was with Q3 publication. I was with launching team, but I worked there only for 10 months before moving here. Before joining Q3, I had done advanced course in scuba diving. During my tenure in Q3, ocean used to haunt me. One fine day, I packed up everything and came here. It has been two years since I am guiding scuba divers,’ she said.

`Your parents did not object?’

`I did not ask anyone. I did not even ask money from them. I had my savings and I took my decision. Initially, my mom was worried and said that it was unsafe. I told her that it was safer than living in Mumbai. There, you can be bumped off by any vehicle at any point of time. A girl has to think twice before stepping out late in the nights. Here nothing like that. I can walk alone even in late nights and nothing happens,’’ she said.

Shruthi was part of the team that had taken my family for scuba diving at Havelock Island, Andaman. She worked for Barefoot Scuba, which conducts scuba activities. Previous night, I had met Sameer and Shruthi in the resort, while booking for scuba diving along with Ambika and Srishti. On the day, we were joined by Mark and two others, including a boy from Bangalore. After first round of scuba, another couple went down under the water. Shruthi was left behind with us. While Ambika and Srishti opted for Snorkelling, I decided to go under the water again.

`Most of the people who work here are like that. They were in some or other profession, later realised their passion for ocean and came here. Sameer was working with O&M advertising agency in Delhi, before he moved in here. Like that, there are some software professionals, who have quit their job and joined as instructors here. It is just recent trend that boys out of college coming and joining here,’ Shruthi said.

Scuba itself is around a decade old in India. Till recently, it was not recognised properly. However, after Professional Association for Diving Instructors (PADI) stepped in and started certifying scuba activities, it received international recognition. `Barefoot is big and has recently opened two more scuba activity centres. One in Diglipur and another in Chennai,’’ she said.

Later, Ambika and Shruthi started their own conversation. Shruthi was telling how, when they take a two month break during monsoon and go home, they return becoming fairer, with darker hairs. However, once they are back in the sea, skin gets tanned and hair gets bleached. Back home, her aunts and cousins tell her how much they spend on getting their hair bleached, while she was getting it naturally here.

I was accompanied by Sameer during my first dive, while Shruthi took me on my second dive.  I was impressed by the professionalism of both. The coral reef and marine life under water is mesmerizing. One can never understand it by watching NGC or Discovery.

While returning to scuba centre, I was just thinking about what Shruthi said. While Mark was a white foreigner (?), the rest were from all over India. All of them had quit so called lucrative careers to guide scuba divers. In reality, everyone was obsessed with sea and was living with it.

It looked as though a new tribe of nomads was forming in Andamans. Something on lines of Hippy, Osho, Gypsy culture in late 70s and 80s. They had disdained the social code to live free life, while these people also appeared to had did the same.

However, there was a fundamental difference between the two cultures. While the cults in 70s and 80s had spurned the old social orders, while the society had banished them. However, these people had spurned only the new lifestyle, which was result of globalization, liberalisation, leading to corporate influence on day to day life. These people are very much part of the new social order. They are still in touch with their family and friends. Every year, they take break for a month or two during monsoon to meet them. Rest of the time, they pursue their passion, which is also their profession.

The main accusation for earlier cults was drug abuse. However, looking at the professionalism exhibited by these people, I doubt it with these neo-nomads. They looked as if they had just rejected the new order of corporate life, working in front of computers for long hours, hopping parties, run behind work and career pressure, credit card, EMI pressures and feeling insecure all the time.

In reality, they are still under corporate shadow. Barefoot itself is a big organisation, which has recently opened operations in Diglipur and Chennai also. It is also affiliated to PADI, which monitors and certifies professional diving activity throughout the world. Barefoot has allowed Serai group of resorts to take over its resort groups and has allowed investment to expand its activities. This makes it another corporate sector in sea adventure activities.   

I just smiled at my own thought process. Noted Kannada writer Mr K P Poornachandra Tejaswi used to say that globalisation was an inevitable process. ``I don’t see any point in opposing globalisation and liberalisation. With or without our consent, the process will go on and it is there to stay. All we have to do is to learn to protect our identity within the new system.’’

When we reached scuba centre, I was shocked for a moment. In the morning, I and my family were busy taking instructions from Mark and Sameer over scuba, completing the paper works. I had not noticed activities around me. Now, I realised how big the activities were. There were many white boys and girls like mark and other Indians like Sameer and Shruthi. All were scuba instructors and contrary to my thinking that a new tribe was emerging, I saw the new tribe had already emerged. I was late in recognizing that.

After changing, I remembered borrowing a cap from Sameer before leaving for scuba. By now, Sameer and Shruthi had melted in the crowd. Everyone at reception of the scuba was working like machines. I bumped on to Mark and handed over the cap to him.

A question passed on in my mind to ask Mark: ``Where are you from?’’

I realised that Shruthi had already answered it. `I am from nowhere and I belong to everywhere.’

Swallowing the question, I just smiled and thanked Mark.

Vinay Madhav

CHINESE

IMPRESSIVE CHINESE MAKE IT BIG HERE

First time I heard of China Town was in Los Angeles. My brother-in-law Chethan Babu had booked a room for me in a Motel at China Town. When I went to San Francisco, I realized that the China Town here was famous for shopping. Every big city in US has a China town, along with other towns.

Even Alan Lee, my tourist guide to Los Vegas and Grand Canyon was a Chinese immigrant. Wherever I went for shopping, Made in China tag was glaring. The cheap labor in China has forced most of the companies and shops in US to outsource their basic needs from China. Most of the American production industry seems to have shifted to China.

David Jin, an American Chinese businessman, builds the skywalk at Grand Canyon. He has spent couple of million dollars to build the infrastructure and the construction of other facility is still going on. It should be a hard bargain, as Canyon falls in India nation territory. The West Canyon ridges belong to four tribes – Halaupai, Zoopai, Havezoopai and Yallapai. (Barring Halaupai, the spellings of other tribes may be wrong, as I picked it based on pronunciation. Halaupai is pronounced as Valapai.).

Jin has taken the land on 20-year-lease from native Indians and part of the income goes to them also. It is a big risk as he is not sure of lease continuation after 20 years. If not, he is sure to incur loss.

But most impressive Chinese I met was Alan, who confessed to me that he was an illegal Chinese immigrant. Alan grew up in Northern part of China – bordering erstwhile Soviet Union. To make a living, he started working with fishing boats and reached Japan. Using his friend’s passport – changing photo on it, Alan reached USA coast.

This happened 14 years ago and next year, he also got his brother to USA in the same manner. During his initial days, Alan sold fish in the market. ``I did not know the language. Some of my Spanish friends put up a board, indicating type of fishes and price of it. I used to communicate in sign language and my Chinese friends started wondering when I picked up Spanish,’’ Alan laughs.

14-years later, Alan has come a long way. He worked hard and established his own tropical fish import-export business. His brother went to university and now looking after that business.

Alan speaks good English and guides tourists to earn extra money for the family. He is married and has a child. Every tourist pay him 6$ a day as service charges and some pay more.

When asked about his parents, Alan lowered his head and voice: ``they don’t like you Vinay…. They wanted us to be there. That is a difficult situation.’’ I did not ask about his other siblings, as he was emotionally charged. He bounced back in a minute with smile.

At the end of the journey, I was not left with any doubt that the Chinese are going to make it big in US and it is not surprising if they start ruling the economy there.

  

OF INDIANS AND COWBOYS; LOSING NATIVITY IN WILD WILD WEST

``Hey look out that Indian there… Columbus was crazy. He found us and called us Indians. But real Indian is standing in the crowd.’’ Choo Kie was the first native Indian I interacted with, was pointing at me. He drove the horse driver carriages at Halaupai resort.

``My name means an idiot or the man who get into trouble often,’’ he laughed. He lived 45 miles away from resort. However, he is proud to work in India nation and be here.

Since I landed in US, I was hearing about native Indians, India reserves or India Nations. In San Francisco, my cousin Prashanth told me about native Indians and India reserves. I knew some part of the history, but could not relate so much to it. Once in US, the issue started becoming more and more clear.

Destruction of Red Indians in America starts from `Gold Rush’ era in 1830’s. Large number of people started coming to West of Mississippi river after huge gold reserves were unearthed in the West. The American Indian (Red Indians) people were massacred and their women were raped. The Indians tried defending with bows and arrows and fell prey to bullets of the invaders. Many tribal groups simply vanished due to onslaught.

In the modern world, the remaining Indians started losing their identity. After a prolonged struggle for self-governance, the government agreed to create India Reserves, a Nation within the Nation. While Canyon is one of the India Nations, there are many smaller India nations all across US. Though US laws applicable to these areas, tribal leader takes a call on local administration. No one can own land in India nation.

It is not that only Indians lived in West coast of US before gold rush era. There lived Cowboys, who moved here way back in 1700s. When we entered Halaupai resort, cowboys, riding on horseback, greeted us. The trademark cap, full arm shirts were no different from what we used to watch in movies. When we entered the resort, it was done up to resemble a Cowboy village, which we saw in movies.

``Well! This is our lifestyle. The dress, the houses here make a lot of sense in this weather. We adopted these over centuries. We have left beef raising and got into tourism business. In some parts, cowboys still live in our traditional way,’’ said Robert Hauck, one of the cowboy in the resort.

The settlers in East Coast wanted to raise beef in the desert, which they thought was useless for occupation. This was beginning of cowboy culture and those who came to raise beef settled here.

``Indians were here and we were also here. Everything was fine for 130 years till the gold rush started. The white men came here and had bad relationship with Indians. They never respected sanctity of the land and did not abide by the rules of land. That ruined everything here,’’ Hauck said. Straight forward, forgetting that even cowboys were whites.

``Basically, they were gold looters and did not understand what was happening here. They just called it Wild Wild West, which was not true,’’ he lamented.

Hauck was honest and admitted that there were outlaws among cowboys also, as shown in some movies. ``Some lazy people did not work. They robbed money from banks, other people and also trains. Those days, no telephone and no communication. You loot in one place and go to another village. No one knows who you are. At the end of it, you would get caught,’’ he said.

Back in my cottage in the resort, they had displayed a brief history of Billy the Kid, who had killed 21 people at the age of 21. A Sherief later gunned him down. A poster in toilet read; ``this place is frequented by pickpockets and loose women’, while other places also had some funny signboards. Hauck confessed that the Cowboy movement was fast dying out.

Formation of India Nations has not helped native Indians to great extent. It reminds of reservation system in India. My cousin Prashanth in San Francisco told me that wealthy businessmen exploited Indians.

``Barring in Los Vegas, only native Indians got license to open casino in US. The wealthy businessmen scout for proper native Indians and get license in their name. The show will be run by the businessmen,’’ he said.

When I visited Smith Sonian’s National Museum of the American Indian History at Washington, I thought this was the only place where native Indians got some justice. The sprawling museum has made all efforts to collect maximum details about different tribes, their lifestyle, traditions, dress and culture of native Indians. A young native Indian girl was explaining their tradition, which dates back to Before Christ era. Entire history of struggle by Indians to determine their future is featured in the Museum.

But, most of the Indians have joined the mainstream and maintaining their cultural identity is becoming increasingly difficult. As one of the statement by Jeela Allurut, a native Indian liberation movement leader read: ``Right now, we have a different lifestyle. We can’t go back to how it was. It is impossible to be like that now. We have to find a way to help our children and ourselves.’’

COLORADO… A RIVER EARTH IS LOSING

As we set sailing in the Colorado, the boatman Mike (as I remember) began talking about him and the river. Earlier, he was in Los Vegas and lost a lot of money in casinos. He is now happy working as boatman in Colorado and spoke a lot about his wife and daughter.

Like many conservationists, even Mike is worried about future of Colorado. ``We are losing water fast. The ice is not melting in up mountains and a lot of water is being supplied to Los Vegas. The government wants money and is pumping water to ensure Vegas get more and more water,’’ he said.

Pointing out at side of the river that has watermark on the edge of the soil, Mike said that Colorado had lost over 30 feet of water during the last six years or so. He recalled a belief among native Indians that touching Colorado water would heal all disease and bring luck to people.

He had a lot of sense of humor. While drawing water from Colorado in a plastic container, he had put green color toy frog in it. The other tourists in the boat, who initially went to put their hands in the container were scared for a moment and burst into laughter.

On our way to Canyon from Vegas, we passed on Hoover Dam Bridge, built across Colorado. I could sense that everything was not all right, as Alan explained how the government is making all efforts to ensure that Vegas got water.

A week later, when I reached Washington, I watched a documentary on Colorado River by MacGillivray Freeman – Grand Canyon Adventure, River at Risk. At the end of the documentary, I was fully convinced that Colorado was indeed in danger.

Hoover dam was not the only reservoir built across Colorado. Before that, the government had built a dam at Glen Canyon to get cheap electricity. The entire projects were taken up based on rain projection for the next 50 years. However, there were factual error in the projections and rain actually decreased in the region.

Consequently, the reservoir lost half of the water during the last eight years and demand for water at Vegas is growing in an alarming rate. Besides, availability of water has triggered agricultural activity in the desert. The building of two dams has destroyed the natural course of water in many places, creating new ones.

There have been many campaigns to save Colorado for future, of which people like Robert Kennedy Junior are part of it. Noted Hollywood actor Robert Redford narrates the documentary, but the movement is yet to get a practical solution to save the river.

Over 30 million people are dependent on Colorado, which flows across USA and Mexico. The effect is already evident in Mexico, where only 8.6 per cent of water reaches that country. Once flowing in full fledge, Colorado flows like a small stream, leaving huge tracts of river basin for human habitation.

The new projection by conservationists is `Colorado will be dry in next 100 years’.