Thank you Ram for finding this posting the
link. I immensly enjoyed it.
Barua
----- Original Message -----
From: "Ram Sarangapani" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: "Assam" <assam@pikespeak.uccs.edu>
Sent: Tuesday, May 17, 2005 1:17 AM
Subject: [Assam] Adventures of Dr. Wood in NE
India
> Its basically about a Vet. Dr. (who helped in projects at Assam
> Veterinary College and Assam Agriculture College) wrote letters, kept
> notes while he was in the NE in the early 60s.
>
> He has given a description about Nehru's visit to Assam (after the
> language riots in the 60s), his experiences in opening vet. clinics,
> impressions about tamul/paan. There is also on one Kaziranga, N.
> Lakhimpur, Tezpur, Gauhati,
>
> On the whole, its basically his impressions, some of them are
> condescending (maybe), while in others he is intrigued, but it does
> take us back into those days in the 60s.
>
> Interestingly enough, Nehru was in Assam because "Assam was the most
> geographically isolated and most politically neglected state of all
> India. Yet Assam was a critical area for India's survival"
>
> Anyway, I found it to be an interesting read. Seems like this Doctor's
> son has setup the web page where a special section has been devoted to
> the NE.
>
> Hope you all enjoy it.
>
> http://homepage.mac.com/muirpower/docsstory/
>
>
> http://homepage.mac.com/muirpower/docsstory/indias_jaws_of_deathhtml
>
> Gauhati, Assam, India
> October 28, 1962
>
> Dear Son:
>
> So you would like to hear more details of my adventures along the
> Northeast Frontier Agency?
>
> In this letter I will attempt to bring you up to date on my recent
> vigil under rough circumstances at my wilderness clinic near North
> Lankinpur.
>
> In this remote area there are no distinct boundary lines. There have
> been many disputes among the tribal communities. Today we have been
> exposed to six different tribes. Assam has a total of 365 tribes.
>
> After leaving Tezpur, the winding roads following the twisting small
> stream edges were full of chuckholes and rocks. No bridges. We were
> able to cross the streams at designated places. Fording was possible,
> but dangerous. Many vehicles received broken axles when their wheels
> slipped from the soap-slick boulders.
>
> My driver threw me a big smile each time we had a successful crossing.
> My driver on this trip was a slender, sickly man approaching his
> retirement years. His name was Sandra Das. I called him Sandy even
> though he had black hair. He had learned, through experience, the ways
> of hardship. His small waistline and weak muscles were proof of
> malnutrition. I could see tears forming in his eyes when he was faced
> with a flat tire or a serious car problem. We realized his waning
> strength would present an ordeal which in his youthful years would
> have been a pleasant challenge.
>
> In India, instead of chewing tobacco, many men and women chew a
> concoction called tamil, pan shun. This consists of a small section of
> raw areca nut sprinkled with slaked lime, then folded in a green tamil
> leaf. This is chewed by many India natives. This concoction results in
> bright red spitum which colors the teeth and mouth lining. It is an
> unsightly mess, but intestinal parasites such as tapeworms cannot
> survive in this toxic mixture. On my first sighting of these
> red-mouthed people my first impression was they had bleeding teeth.
>
> It seemed that most of the drivers assigned to me indulged in this
> dirty habit and Sandy was no exception.
>
> During the last few weeks of my tour of duty in Assam, the daily news
> told of the restlessness along the Northeast Frontier Agency border in
> which area we were travelling. China and India were in conflict
> regarding the boundary line. China had already gobbled up Tibet and
> seemed to be intent of acquiring this part of India.
>
> Do you remember our farewell dinner for you and your mother last year
> just before you two returned to the U.S.A.?
>
> The cook for that banquet had served as guide for three groups of
> refugees fleeing Tibet to India. Now new flare-ups of Chinese
> aggression are frequent news items.
>
> We met a large convoy of Indian Military men this afternoon. We had to
> wait for their passage since the narrow roadway was not wide enough to
> allow two-way traffic. I noted the military vehicles were all U.S.A.
> manufactured. Several vehicles were loaded with big guns.
>
> About three o'clock this afternoon we reached a small village. Our
> spare tire was slowly leaking air. We had already punctured another
> tire. We could anticipate more trouble. There was not a garage or
> service station in this remote village. Nearly everyone rode bicycles.
> The narrow unpaved streets were dusty. People shared them with big
> Brahma Bulls. Red underfed cows swarmed the street freely and a herd
> of goats scurried along the narrow roadway. No passage for cars.
>
> We parked three blocks away from a bicycle repair shop and rolled two
> tires to it for repair. The repair men only had flat-iron hand tools
> made from broken springs of automobiles. The source of air was a hand
> powered bicycle pump. Can you imagine the ordeal required to inflate
> two big jeep truck tires? It was apparent that we would be delayed
> several hours. Most of the repair shops in this frontier country want
> to keep a jeep tire all day long for repair.
>
> My driver stayed at the tire repair shop during the flat-fixing
> procedure. I walked around the village going from one dingy shop to
> another in search of local items of trade or novelties. The bazaar had
> small open-air bins. The meat was covered with banana leaves in a
> home-woven basket for refrigeration. Two hours had passed when a local
> tribal Indian tapped me on the shoulder and motioned for me to follow
> him. "Now what?" I pondered. Where did he want me to go? I'm not eager
> to follow strangers in a strange country, however, he made me
> understand the druggist wanted to see me.
>
> The pharmacist was from Pakistan. He spoke good English. He began with
> an apology. "I'm sorry you have been delayed in this little village. I
> know Americans cannot eat our native food. Also, I know you must have
> a clean, safe place to sleep and rest. I have prepared a bedroom for
> you in my home nearby. You are welcome to stay overnight. I want you
> to be comfortable."
>
> "Oh what a wonderful gesture and invitation. I shall never forget your
> concern and kindness. We have only thirty-five miles to go today.
> Hopefully the two tires will be finished in time for us to continue on
> to North Lankinpur."
>
> Thirty minutes later, my driver found me. He was elated. Two young men
> rolled the two repaired tires to the jeep. One tire was mounted on the
> jeep wheel and the other bolted on for a spare.
>
> We reached the missionary headquarters near North Lankinpur, our
> destination, shortly after dark.
>
> Our plan to open the wilderness clinic early the next morning were
> agreed upon, then we had a peaceful night of rest.
>
> With love,
> Dad
>
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