Mar 2008

I have started reading Bob Woodward's book Bush at War. I have read the first 71 pages and it is clear to me that neither George W Bush, nor his close advisers, the CIA Chief, or his assistants nor Donald Rumsfel, the arrogant warmonger defense Secretary, had any clue about Afghanistan, the country they had decided to go to war with. Taliban were the creation of U.S.A and Great Britain to offset the growing influence of Mujahedin whom U.S.A helped militarily in the first place to defeat the Russian forces. The U.S.A has, throughout its history, created its own monsters and when these monsters grow out of control, they become Evil in the eyes of American politicians, and every thing is done to destroy them.

History shows us that no nation has ever conquered Afghanistan. England tried three times to conquer it and was defeated. So were the Russians and now American and Nato forces are struggling to control some areas and failing drastically. U.S.A is a warmonger country, since its inception as a nation, it has been involved directly or indirectly in more than 70 conflicts around the world. But what is disturbing is that Europe is waging a war ten thousand kilometers away in a country which has not raised its finger against them. The excuse is that they want to bring democracy to the country and defeat Taliban, but people who know anything about Afghans, know that it is wishful thinking and not only Europe but even U.S.A and Britain will be defeated in the end.

My intention is not to divulge in the present crisis, the war and its aftermath, but for some time I have been thinking about the Kochi nomads who have been wandering from the plains of India to the north of Afghanistan and Central asia since centuries, carrying their trade goods and their families with them, and no country has been able to sustain them.

I think the word Kochi is the English corruption of the word Kutchi, the people who live in the north west province of Kutch in the state of Gujarat (India). Kutchi people have been traders for centuries, from the shores of Arabian Sea they established trade with East Africa in the 1600s and had trade links even with somalia.

From the desert of Thar they traveled in caravans through the north-west frontier, crossing the province of Sind (now in Pakistan) up the Khyber Pass and crossed the whole length of Afghanistan, reaching Central Asia, returning to India in summer. These people have always been wanderers, always outside the laws and recognize no borders or governments. They can be friendly if they choose but seldom are, they are fiercely protective of their women and children. Their women are totally independent and wear gypsy dresses, no head scarves and no burkas, and when they camped, they camped outside the limits of the town or city they will be passing and discouraged any stranger who was foolish enough to approach them. Even Afghani people know that any physical contact with them could be dangerous.

The U.S.A's war against Iraq destroyed the ancient civilization of a millennium and its past history and they have achieved the same in Afghanistan. The great cities of Balkh, Ghazni, Qala Bist and Bamian are destroyed by daily bombardment of American and Nato troops. The footprints on the pages of these ancient places left by Alexander the Great, conquerer of India, Darius, Genghis Khan and Tamerlane, are destroyed for ever. And the great travelers like Ibn Batuta, Hsuan Tsang and Marco Polo who wrote fascinating accounts of their travels through Central Asia, Samarkand, China and India, are destroyed by military invasion of so called civilized countries of Europe and America.

Many of you travelers might have heard about these nomads and I would like to hear from those who have been to Afghanistan recently or read about it. What has happened to these romantic wanderers of Central Asia and Afghanistan?

On the third day of our stay in London, in the morning we took a bus and went to see Trafalgar Square.We got down at Piccadilly Circus and after strolling round Leicester Square, we went down Hay market and Pall Mall, and walked all the way to Trafalgar Square. The day was clear and a shy Sun had come out, many young people were sitting in the Square and on the steps of National Gallery. I think the Square has become a symbol of people's freedom, from here mass protests are organized or they end here, political and social leaders lecture here to the audience of thousands. The Parliament and No. 10 Downing Street are nearby and although nowadays this street is many times closed to general public, in the old days you could enter the street and reach No.10 and have your photograph taken.

Trafalgar square is surrounded by many famous monuments. On its left hand side is the famous st. Martin's Church and the National Gallery. This is also one of my favorite places to visit when I am in London. When I lived there, I used to go often and look at the paintings of Botticelli, Da Vinci, Rembrandt and Von Gogh. Gainsborough and so many others. When we went there, there was an exhibition of works of Velázquez. You could easily spend one whole day there. If you like to visit art Galleries of course. Then you have the famous Charing Cross station, and further down you will come to St.Paul's Cathedral. On the other side you have Soho, the strand and can go back to Shafts bury Avenue. If you go up the Charing cross Road you will see Foyles, the famous Book store.

It was getting late and we were tired, but we wanted to go to st. Paul's Cathedral. Our son instead wanted to see Buckingham Palace. So we retreated back to Piccadilly Circus and had some food and then walked down all the way to the Buck House. A long and tiring walk and by the time we reached there, it was totally dark and raining and few tourists outside the gates. We lingered there, took some obligatory photos and went walking (again) to Victoria Station. Now it was raining hard and we were cold, so we decided to go back to the hotel.

If it is your first time in London, you have arrived at Heathrow, Gatwick or Stansted (City) airport, travel to central London is easy. From Heathrow you can either travel by underground or by Airport bus Al & A2 which will bring you to Victoria Station or Paddington station. Both are in the heart of London. Around Victoria there are many budget hostels and hotels and you can also inquire and acquire a place at Hotel Reservation desk inside the station. At Paddington you have a whole row of hotels at Sussex Gardens, the street is lined with hotels on both sides. You can travel by underground and by bus to Marble Arch, Piccadilly, oxford street and Oxford Circus and even can go to Petticoat Lane Market near Liverpool street station. Number 15 bus will take you there from Paddington Station.

On our second day in rainy London, we bought a one day travel ticket (useful for both train & bus) and went to Covent Garden. Covent Garden is one of London's most popular tourist attractions. It has a very fascinating history. Much of its existence (it was created by Queen Henrietta, the troublesome wife of Charles I, who was beheaded by Cromwell. I mean the king and not the queen. She went in exile in France until her son Charles II was restored to the throne of England), first as pasture land in 1600 was subsequently converted as fruit & vegetable market in 1700. However, the gentle folk who resided there, with the expanding of the area as a market, moved out and London's seedy society of gamblers, prostitutes, public bathhouses, gin places and pubs, moved in. But even from these early times, the whole area has been associated with Theaters. Its narrow intertwining streets are full of history. It is worth strolling in some of these places. In mid 1960s the GLC (Greater London Council) took over the whole area and in order to avoid mass development by individual promoters, build about two hundred buildings.

The main garden area is now full of pubs and restaurants, small shops selling ethnic products. It has a wonderful laid- back atmosphere, street musicians playing instruments, people thronging the whole area. The first street to develop with small businesses was Neal Street in 1973, and I used to go there quiet often to absorb the atmosphere of Herbal products, copper ware, leather goods and handicrafts and hand made chocolates. When we went there this time, there were new shops selling clothes and shoes and take away food. Nothing remains the same in today's world. There are 15-20 street markets around central London, notable are Church street Market near Piccadilly, Camden market (which has largely been destroyed by fire recently). This was my favorite market, I would go and spend a whole day looking at art & crafts, antique jewelry, paintings and even out of print second hand books. Then there is the famous Portobello Market and Shepherd's Bush Market which has, since many years now, gained popularity for selling clothing and ethnic food. Worth a visit. Last but not least is Petticoat Lane market. In 1960s and 70s, it was only a weekend market, I used to go with a friend to sell second hand articles, clocks and wrist watches. We had to pay One Pound sterling to get a table and in order to get one in the centre of the market, it was necessary to be there by five O'clock in the morning. Most mornings in winter or summer it rained and it was miserable. But so were the wages and one had to work on weekends to make the ends meet.