Author Topic: Articles By Shri D.N. Barola - श्री डी एन बड़ोला जी के लेख  (Read 150934 times)

D.N.Barola / डी एन बड़ोला

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Why we get irritated by similar actions of others?


            Why should we throw the garbage of our house on the road towards the neighbour’s house? If neighbuor does the same we get irritated why? Why should we have an eye on the Property and Land of others? Why this zealously and greed? If the neighbour does the same, we get irritated. We sometimes beg for a car or a scooter for a little, while then why do we think it our right to finish off the petrol in his vehicle and in case vehicle requires any repairs because of our mishandling, why do we park the vehicle without his knowledge at the owner’s house secretly. If he complains why do we get irritated? Why we take loan from others and do not want to repay the money. If he wants his money back; why do we consider him as our enemy No.1? Why we continue occupying the house of others even after the construction of our own house. If he wants his house back, why do we demand Pagri (money) to vacate his house? If there is any misunderstanding or quarrel in the neighbour’s house, why do we relish it and pleasantly discuss within our family members. If the same happens in our own house why do we get irritated? Why do we pluck flowers from the neighbour’s kitchen garden, when there are flowers in our kitchen garden? Why do we peep into the neighbours newspaper and want to read it before he reads it and if he is not ready to oblige, why do we scold him? Why should we park our vehicle in the neighbours’ shop? If he does the same, why do we get irritated? Why do we think our own self as the most intelligent man of the world, which we know we are not? If somebody points out this fact to you why do we get irritated? Why do we relish wicked talks about others and feel satisfaction in opening our mouth against any or everybody whom we know. Why should we be jealous in others’ promotion and happy in their demotion? While riding a car why do we speak against pedestrians? While we walk on foot, why should be speak against the car owners. Why should we blame the Government for the acts of indiscipline by our own self? Why do we not behave like an ideal citizen and do our duty. If someone points why do we get irritated with him? This is one side of the story. But when in trouble people cooperate with each other and want to help one another in every way, here again it is another thing that we start the same after the trouble is over. (D.N.Barola)
 
 

D.N.Barola / डी एन बड़ोला

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Uttarakhand-Recharge your pocket by Water recharging.             
   
       Water Harvesting is the current topic with Uttarakhand Government. But the Water recharging programme is more important in view of the fact that water recharging may be able to enhance the underground water table. Hence both the programmes need to be interlinked. The technique to recharge water is as old as the Indian civilization. I remember that there used to be ponds on the village tops or in the plain land during my childhood. The ponds, known as Khal, Pokhar, and Chuptyaul used to be maintained by the villagers. These ponds used to be found on soft and slippery red soil terrain.  Potters used to make resin pots and other utensils from this red soil. These ponds used to be the favourite dipping (plummeting plunging sinking) place for the buffaloes. In the meanwhile the Govt. under its Malaria Eradication Programme motivated the people to close down the ponds so that Malaria is eradicated completely. The reasoning was that Mosquitoes breed in still water. The Malaria Department publicized a Gandhian slogan – Machhar rehenga per Malaria nahin rahega. Mosquitoes will live, but malaria will not. Thus the ponds or pokhars were covered with soil thus became almost extinct.
 
            To recharge water contour trenches on hillside slopes below 45 degree may be useful. Above 45 degree trenches might cause soil erosion.  The length of the trenches may be 4-5 feet and 2,3 feet wide with a depth of 1-2 feet. The westerners have long back adopted ‘earning through water recharging’ concept. For the purpose Ponds or small lakes measuring 10 Meter or above with a width of 5 M and above and depth of l M to 1.5 M as per site conditions may be constructed. Fisheries production in these ponds may fetch at least 4 to 5,000 rupees per month. The Government may encourage the youth to cultivate fisheries by providing cheap loans or subsidy. Thus water conservation can recharge the purse or the pocket of the youth and side-by-side may provide sumptuous food to the family members.(D.N.Barola)
 

D.N.Barola / डी एन बड़ोला

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Leopard trapped in barbed wires at Majhjkhali.




A 9 year old male Leopard was trapped in barbed wires last Wednesday night at Village Riuni, Majhkhali 10 Kms. from Ranikhet. The Leopard was rescued, but succumbed to the injuries on way to Almora Zoo. (By D.N.Barola)

D.N.Barola / डी एन बड़ोला

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Environment-THOUGHTS ON ENVIRONMENT-154 YEARS AGO


This statement, made in 1854 by the Indian Chief of Seattle in reply to the offer made by the White Chief in Washington to buy their land, is the most beautiful and profound statement ever made on the environment and is more valid today than it was 154 years ago.

Some body passed a copy of this statement to me and I feel I should bring to the notice of everyone whosoever wants to read it.

            ***  ***  ***
 
How can you buy or sell the sky, the warmth of the land? The idea is strange to us.

If we do not own the freshness of air and the sparkle of the water, how can you buy them? 

Every part of the earth is sacred to my people. Every shining pine needle, every sandy shore, every mist in the dark woods, every clearing and humming insect is holy in the memory and experience of my people.  The sap, which courses through the trees, carries the memories of the red man. 

The white man’s dead forget the country of their birth they go to walk among the stars. Our dead never forget this beautiful earth, for it is the mother of the red man. We are part of the earth and it is part of us. The perfumed flowers are our sisters; the deer, the horse, the great eagle, these are our brothers. The rocky crests, the juices in the meadows, the body heat of the pony, and man-all belong to the same family.

So when the Great Chief in Washington sends word that he wishes to buy our land, he asks much of us.  The Great Chief sends word he will reserve us a place so that we can live comfortably to ourselves. He will be our father and we will be his children. So we will consider your offer to buy our land. But it will not be easy. For this land is sacred to us.   

The shining water moves in the streams and rivers are not just water but the blood of our ancestors. If we sell you land, you must remember that it is sacred, and you must teach your children that it is sacred and that each ghostly reflection in the clear water of the lake tell us of events and memories in life of my people. The water’s murmur is the voice of my father’s father.

The rivers are our brothers. They quench our thirst. The rivers carry our canoes, and feed our children. If we sell you our land, you must remember, and teach your children, that the rivers are our brothers, and your, and you must henceforth give the kindness you would give any brother.
 
We know that the white man does not understand our ways. One portion of land is the same to him as the next, for he is a stranger who comes in the night and takes from the land whatever he needs. The earth is not his brother but his enemy, and when he has conquered it, he moves on. He leaves his father’s graves behind, and he does not care.

 He kidnaps the earth from his children. His father’s grave and his children’s birthright are forgotten. He treats his mother, the earth and his brother, the sky, as things to be bought, plundered, sold like sheep or bright beads. His appetite will devour the earth and leave behind only a desert.

I do not know. Our ways are different from your ways. The sight of your cities pains the eyes of the red man. But perhaps it is because the red man is a savage and does not understand. 

There is no quiet place in the white man’s cities. No place to hear the unfurling of leaves in spring, or the rustle of an insect’s wings. But perhaps it is because I am a savage and do not understand. The clatter only seems to insult the ears. And what is there to life if a man cannot hear the lonely cry of the whippoorwill or the arguments of the frogs around a pond at night? I am a red man and do not understand. The Indians prefers the soft sound of the wind darting over the face of a pond, and the smell of the wind itself, cleansed by a mid-day rain, or scented with the pennon pine.

The air is precious to the red man, for all things share the same breath-the beast, the trees, the man; they all share the same breath. The white man does not seem to notice the air he breathes. Like a man dying for many days, he is numb to the stench. But if we sell you our land, you must remember that the air is precious to us that the air shares its spirit with all the life it supports. The wind that gave our grandfather his first breath also receives his last sign. And if we sell you our land, you must keep it apart and sacred as a place where even the white man can go to the taste the wind that is sweetened by the meadow’s flowers.

So we will consider your offer to buy our land if we decide to accept, I will make one condition. The white man must treat the beasts of this land as his brothers.

I am a savage and I do not understand any other way. I have seen a thousand rotting buffaloes on the prairie, left by the white man who shot them from passing train. I am a savage and I do not understand how the smoking iron horse can be more important than the buffalo that we kill only to stay alive.

What is man without the beasts? If all the beasts were gone, man should die from a great loneliness of spirit. For whatever happens to the beast soon happens to man. All things are connected.

You must teach your children that the ground beneath their feet is the ash of our grandfathers, so that they will respect the land. Tell your children that the earth is rich with the lives of our kin. Teach your children what we have taught our children that the earth is our mother. Whatever befalls the earth befalls the sons of the earth. If men spit upon the ground, they spit upon themselves.

This we know. The earth does not belong to man; man belongs to the earth. This we know. All things are connected like the blood, which unites one family. All things are connected. Whatever befalls the earth befalls the sons of the earth. Man did not weave the web of life’ he is merely a strand in it.

Whatever he does to the web he does to himself. Even the white man, whose God walks and talks with him as friend to friend, cannot be exempt from the common destiny. We may be brothers after all. We shall see. One thing we know, which the white man may one day discover-our God is the same God. You may think now that you own Him as you wish to own our land; but you cannot. He is the God of man, and His compassion is equal for the red man and the white. This is precious to Him. And to harm the earth is to heap contempt on its Creator. The white too shall pass, perhaps sooner than all other tribes. Contaminate your bed and you will one night suffocate in your own waste.

But in your perishing you will shine brightly, fired by the strength of the God who brought you to this land and for some special purpose gave you dominion over this land and over the red man. That destiny is a mystery to us, for we do not understand when the wild buffalo are all slaughtered, the wild horses are tamed, the secret corners of the forest heavy with scent of many men and the view of the ripe hills blotted by the talking wires. Where is the thicket? Gone. Where is the eagle? Gone.
Is it end of living or the beginning of survival?    

D.N.Barola / डी एन बड़ोला

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 Temples of Lord Shiv in UK
         

Kanra (Lamgara) - My ancestral Home is famous for Unteshwar Mahadev Temple. and Kalyanika Ashram where world's largest SRI YANTR has been established in the presence of Dr KK Paul, Governor, Uttarakhand who said that he will try to declare it a DHAM. 


Unteshwar Mahadev Temple, Kanra

Whensoever extraction of natural resources of Mother Earth reaches its peak, the difficulties of the people living in the earth have increased. This is the cycle since times immemorial. Unteshwar Mahadev Shiv Temple came into being when the mother Earth was excessively exploited.  As per the ancient stories, the Gods and the demons had been trying to extract maximum Riddhi (Prosperity) and Siddhi (Perfection) from the Earth and a time reached when they extracted the Riddhi and Siddhi to the unbearable extent.

The Earth was exploited to such an extent that Mother Earth went to Lord Brahma for help, who asked her to accompany him to Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva. The Earth told them about her problems. The three Gods tried to look to the problems of mother Earth. At that place a voice from the sky (akashvani) said that when the head of Brahmdev would fall on the Brahma Kapali, exactly at that time, Lord Mahadv would give His Darshan.  Simultaneously Shivlings would also appear at different places and then only there would be solace to the mother Earth. As per popular belief when Lord Shiv appeared in Jhankar Hill, many Shivlings appeared at different places on the Earth. Unteshwar Mahadev is one of those Shivlings.  This Shivling has appeared as the Tongue of Lord Shiva or as Shiv Jiwha.

 There is a story about Kanra’s Shivling. During the period of Chand Kings, there were Ringal bushes spread over the outskirts of the entire village. The villagers used to prepare things of daily use from the Ringal plant.  Once a villagers tried to sharpen his sickle on a stone. Suddenly there was a spate of blood which came out from the Stone. The villager ran away crying from their, but on the way he was killed by a Lion.  Latter on people decided to establish the Shivling ceremoniously and they started worshipping the Shivling shaped stone. The Ling is seven feet above the surface, and the rest of the length is inside the land. Once the villagers tried to dig the place by the side of the Ling to find out its length, but they could not succeed. Near the Shiv Temple the idol of Panch Muykhi (Five faced) Ganesh is also there. Snakes are normally visible in the vicinity of the temple. Chand Kings constructed the Shiv Mandir and some temples of Sun and Durga.Thus Unteshwar Mahadev Temple is the oldest Temple of the area.

As per villagers, in 1990, there was a great famine and there was no rain fall for a long time. The villagers offered hundreds of Pitcher (earthern pot) water on the Shivling, the water submerged inside the Shiv Jiwha. In fact when so ever the water is offered on the Shiv ling, the water sinks inside the Shiv Jiwha, as it goes inside the tongue of Shivling and from there where actually the water goes is a mystery as on date. Due to the offering of water on the Shiv Ling, the Gods were pleased and there were incessant rains which fulfilled the needs of the people.

A popular fare is held every year on the Shiv Ratri, which has large participation of the people form the adjoining villages and far off places. Special Roat is offered to Lord Shiv and is distributed as Prasad to the devotees.

 Kanra is connected by road. It is 40 Km. from Almora. To reach Kanra, my ancestral Home from Almora one has to go to Lamgara then to Chaykhan, from where there is a pucca road, named Chaykhan –Thuwasimal road. From Chaykhan you can go by Car or Bus.  The distance of Kanra is about 2 and a half Kms. from Chaykhan, after which one has to go half a Km. on foot(Now a road has been constructed upto the village). and you reach the Unteshwar Mahadev Temple. Kanra is famous for its Basmati Rice and Jhunghra. Please do not forget to bring some Basmati from there. (By:D.N.Barola) Now a road has been constructed up to the village. So one can reach village Kanra by Car.  There is one more great religious development. In village Kanra, Dol Ashram, Kalayanika ASHRAM, Kanra Dol has the world's largest SRI YANTR. Sri Yantra was established in the presence of Uttarakhand  Govt Dr. KK Paul, who declared that with the establishment of the world's largest Sri Yantra in Village Kanra, Dol, Kalyanika ashram will be declared as a DHAM, for which he will try his best. 















D.N.Barola / डी एन बड़ोला

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Bipin Tripathi, Uttarakhand-The fighter from Dwarahat




Bipin Tripathi, as I know him, was a prominent Socialist, Activist, Environmentalist and a Journalist. For the first time I met him when he was on a hunger strike with a demand for the establishment of Degree College at Dwarahat. When I met him he had lost sizeable weight but was still determined to continue his hunger strike till death or till the accomplishment of his demand.  At that time he was working as an Owner Editor of Dronanchal Prahari, a fortnightly paper which he used to publish from Dwarahat.  He had in fact devoted his life to the cause of the development of Dwarahat. Whether one accepts or not he has great contribution in the establishment of Engineering College, Polytechnic, Degree College, Nagar Panchayat etc. etc. Tripathi no doubt was a prominent Socialist, Activist, Environmentalist and a Journalist from Uttarakhand

Bipin Tripathi was born in village Dairi of Dwarahat Block on 23 February, 1945. His father was Mathura Datt Tripathi and mother’s name was Smt Kalawati Tripathi. He had his Primary and secondary education at Mukteshwar. He passed his Intermediate from Dwarahat and went to Haldwani for pursuing the course of Electrical Diploma. He graduated from Kumaon University and in 1967 he threw his lot to the cause of the Samajwadi Andolan. He was highly influenced by the thoughts of Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia.  He fought for the landless villagers of Terai of Nainital District from 1965 to 1969.  In 1968-69 he started publication of a fortnightly newspaper ‘Yuvjan Mashal’ and worked for the achievement of the people’s demands. He led many public agitations highlighting various demands. In 1970 he could hold a State Level Conference of the Yuvjan Sabha. During this period he was arrested by the Government for the first time. After his release, he came back to Dwarahat.  In 1971 he started his fortnightly paper Dronanchal Prahari. He also fought against the vindictive attitude of the Star Paper Mill, Lalkuan through this paper, with the result that a case was filed against him in the Press Council. In 1975 during Emergency he went to Jail for more than 22 months.  On return from Jail my association with him strengthened as I persuaded him to take up the Life Insurance agency in 1979. At that time I was working as a Development Officer of the Life Insurance Corporation of India. He accepted to work as an Agent with the specific condition that whatsoever commission would be earned from the Agency, the same would be used for the development of Dwarahat.  I welcomed his gesture.

Tripathi was a founder member of Uttarakhand Kranti Dal. Tripathi was essentially a democrat, committed to the struggles of the hill people of Uttarakhand. He was one of the staunch stalwarts who stood for the establishment of Uttarakhand and he successfully worked for the achievement of this goal. He became a MLA in the year 2002 in the new Uttaranchal State. After becoming an MLA he devoted himself for the cause of the development of Uttarakhand.  He used to remain busy day in and day out. Once he told me that he spends sleepless nights and always thinks about the development of Uttarakhand even in his dreams. He continued his fight with redoubled vigour and enthusiasm. In the meanwhile, he attracted various diseases. He became diabetic and had hypertension. He was quite careless about his health as he had no time to take care of his health. For him development of Uttarakhand was paramount, with the result he expired on 30 August, 2004 at the age 59. At the time of his he was also the President of the State Unit of the Uttarakhand Kranti Dal. After his death his son Pushpesh Tripathi was elected as MLA, who is trying to tread the path which his father had shown.(By D.N.Barola)

D.N.Barola / डी एन बड़ोला

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Termite Menace in village Lambari (Bhikiyasen) Dt. Almora



Village Lambari of Bhikiyasen Block is facing a peculiar problem for over two and a half decades. Termite menace is haunting the people of the remote village Lambari of Bhikiyasen Tehsil of Almora District. The village is inhabited by 40 families, out of which 35 belong to Below Poverty Line (BPL). Total population of the village is 217, with 118 female and 99 males. These families are living under constant silent and secret attack of the army of white-ants. To see the agony of the villagers one has to travel to Deghat, which is some 70 Kms. from Ranikhet. From Deghat, village Lambari is situated at a distance of about 10 Kms. The villagers say that the termite menace started from 1984, when the villagers purchased wood for construction of houses. Since then the termite attack began and by 1988 it had affected buildings, food-grain, plants, trees and standing crops. Even the potatoes grown inside the fields were eaten away by the white-ants. Today things have worsened to an unimaginable extent. It eats away Paper, clothes, quilts, bed-sheets. Even the Roti (bread) kept for morning break-fast is eaten away by the white-ants overnight.  Doors, Door-frames, Windows, wooden frames, wooden furniture or wooden structures of the houses constructed by the villagers are eaten away by the termites within a year of construction. Every year they are required to change the doors, windows and sometimes even the mud walls. At least 8 families have already migrated from the village and more are likely to follow. The people are so scared that they had to eat the food no sooner it is prepared by the house-wife, lest it may be eaten away by the termites.
 
    In order to control the termite menace, in 1999 a Professor from Pant Nagar University and in the year 2000 the Agriculture Protection Officer visited the village at least twice and had sprayed the village with termite resistant medicines. It gave some relief, but soon things came to the same place. On the advice of Scientists Banana plants were grown around the village, but to no result. The Agriculture Science Centre, Matela (Almora) Scientists say that in order to fight the termite menace Chlorpyrifos spray should be done.
     It is a known fact that the result of an infestation of termite is severe wood damage. Because of their wood-eating habits, termites sometimes do great damage to buildings and other wooden structures. Their habit of remaining concealed often results in their presence being undetected until the timbers are severely damaged and exhibit surface changes. Once termites have entered a building they do not limit themselves just to wood, also damaging paper, cloth, carpets and other cellulosic materials. What is the remedy? Scientists suggest spray of Chlorpyrifos, since it is an insecticide which has been widely used in homes and on farms. In homes it has been widely used to control cockroaches, fleas, and termites.   
    The question is how to fight the menace of termites in Village Lambari. Most of the inhabitants of this village are poor and come from the BPL category. The permanent solution is to provide them houses of cement concrete. The Government provides aid for the construction of houses under its various schemes.  Since most of the houses in this village are made of mud and stone with wooden doors and roof, they Government may consider granting them adequate aid for construction of houses under its BPL card holder housing scheme as well. This matter requires urgent care and attention of the Government. For the purpose Government is expected to send a team of experts to find out ways and means to save the village from this grave calamity.

In a new development by the end of 2009, Scientists from Pantnagar University have submitted a report about the Termite menace in Lambari Village.  The Scientists of Pantnagar University led by its Vice-Chancellor BK Bisht toured the village.  In their report they have pointed that Kaliyaliduda, Chandrakhani, Chhipa, Rodiyabakhali, Khalyu and Chinthodi have been haunted by this menace.  80 to 90% area under cultivation has severally been affected.  The termite menace has spread to the roots of fruit bearing trees.  The Scientists have advised the villagers not to put the cow dung near their houses. In view of the cellulose content being in larger quantity, the Termite eats away such things.  They also advised the villager to use Cloripyriphas 20 EC and the cow dung to keep the area clean.  Vice-Chancellor Prof Bisht has said that in view of the Termite menace in the village, due care has to be taken; otherwise the existence of the village is in grave danger.  He also said that the report of the Scientists has already been sent to the concerned Officers.(D.N.Barola)



                   
Termites
 
 

D.N.Barola / डी एन बड़ोला

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Jauljibi Fair of Pithoragarh District

Jauljibi fair was started by the Pal Kings of Askot for the entertainment of the local people. The King of Askot himself used to participate and supervise the Fair. The fair could not be held for some years, but the local people decided to revive the Fair once again.  The Fair is held on the confluence of Kali and Gori River on the border of India and Nepal and of three cultures i.e. Shak (Shauka), Rang and Nepal. Jauljibi fair is held on the occasion of Makar Sankranti from 14 November to 22 November every year. It is primarily a trade fair. The place is some 68 Km. from Pithoragarh. People from far-off places, even from Nepal, come to this fair for selling horses, food grains and foreign goods. It turns into a lively fairground annually. In the fair Bhotiya tribes use to sell their woolen articles. A hanging rope bridge across Kali links this place to Nepal. From Jauljibi. The tribal country of the district begins. In the past the Fair was famous for Jumilee horses. The trading of horses used to be the main purpose of this Fair.  The horses used to be tested by horse racing. The load bearing capacity of a horse also used to be tested and the price of a horse used to be quoted on the basis of racing capability and load bearing capacity.
After Independence and latter with the establishment of Pithoragarh District the fair again started with active cooperation of the local administration. Now the people want to bring back the cultural heritage through this fair. The people also want to restore the commercial importance of this fair. The fair is full of cultural programmes. Even people from Nepal visit this fair. The main function is held on 17 November every year. On this auspicious day people take bath in the confluence of Kali and Gori River and then perform Puja in the Jwaleshwar Mahadev Temple.
Thal Fair, a similar fair as that of Jauljibi, is held at Thal (Pithoragarh), on the occasion of Vaishakh Sankranti (14th April). Thousands of Shaukas gather from far and near for this fair. (D.N.Barola)

D.N.Barola / डी एन बड़ोला

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Elephant on OakTree


At Ranikhet Haldwani road, there used to be an old Oak Tree. The tree was completely covered with a wild creeper. The Oak tree portrays the figure of an elephant sitting on the top of the tree. If you look it from a distance, it resembles Bhagwan Bahubali. Hemu Bhagat an amateur photograph who was with me at that time took out a snap of the Oak tree which is before you.(D.N.Barola)

D.N.Barola / डी एन बड़ोला

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 Munshi Hari Prasad Tamta’s 121st birth anniversary



   In the pantheon of eminent personalities of modern Kumaon, one name which has not received due adulation, recognition and acclaim is that of Munshi Hari Prasad Tamta, a man of many parts and, without an iota of doubt, a pioneer of Dalit reform movement in the hill region.

   The 121st Birth anniversary of Munshi Hari Prasad Tamta, a pioneer of Dalit reform movement in hill region is celebrated on the 26th August. Munshi Hari Prasad was born on 26th August, 1887. He began his crusade against caste prejudices at a tender age of 15. In 1911 a grand celebration was held on the occasion of King George V’s Coronation, where Hari Prasad was denied entry into the Pandal on account of his humble origin. This enraged him and he took a pledge to devote his whole life in the service of the down trodden.
 
    In 1905, Tamta Sudharak Sabha was established, but since this name betrayed a bias towards his own Coppersmith community, Hari Prasad renamed it as Shilpkar Sabha and this organization remained the ‘Karma Bhumi’ of this great Dalit leader who worked for the emancipation of the down trodden throughout his life. Being a graduate and a lawyer, and being financially well off, Munshi Hari Prasad not only commanded respect in the society but succeeded in holding his own amongst his peers hailing from higher echelons of the society. Even the stiff upper-lipped British bureaucrats were wont to keep him in good humour as is evident from the voluminous and continual correspondence between them.

    He had the dual distinction of serving as the Chairman of Almora Municipal Board as well as District Board, Almora. In 1933 he was awarded the honorary title of Rai Saheb. He was elected to the State Legislative Assembly Uttar Pradesh from Gonda Constituency. In 1934 he started a Newspaper aptly called SAMTA with a view to highlight the plight of his brethren. This was considered to be a big leap forward in the field of regional Journalism. Even Mahatma Gandhi was unequivocal and effusive in praising this latest entrant in the field of regional journalism, and was particularly enamoured of the name-SAMTA. For Munshi HP Tamta, SAMTA was an integral and unalienable part of his larger mission, his alter ego, and as long as he lived he was associated with it in one way or the other. It was his profound vision, his unalloyed self-confidence and resilience coupled with his missionary zeal that enabled SAMTA to evolve into a veritable mouthpiece of Dalit empowerment.

This was the time when a new agenda in Dalit Politics of Uttara Pradesh was under discussion stage in 1946-48. The awakened untouchable repeatedly asked the Congress if they could not remove the ‘social evil’ of their own creation without political power, how they expect us [the untouchables] to liberate ourselves without political power’. He remained associated with the discussions one way or the other till be breathed his last.  Ultimately the Dalits got reservation, which was provided in the Constitution of India. He left for his heavenly abode on 23 February 1960 leaving behind a void that is yet to fill. (By D.N.Barola)

 

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