A royal salute

With spring comes the usual enthusiasm and fervor of celebration and joy as a line up of customary festivals and fairs await the lively vacationers and keyed up local folk of Jaipur. Join me on a journey of a lifetime as he decides to get up, close and personal with the royal pink city…

The brawny folk men dressed in crisp white sherwanis masterfully play the dholak (a solid drum) and the colorfully embroidered ghagra clad women play perfect accomplices, harmonizing their steps cautiously to beat, balancing seven brightly colored terracotta pots on their veiled heads, each with a lamp within. In the corner the overpowering aroma of the Daal Bati (Spicy lentils with baked balls of wheat and lots of ghee.) fills the end of the bazaar street and the tourists haggle over the outrageously priced trinkets. The skinny mongrels relentlessly trouble the holy cows and the street urchin tries to sway the foreigners into buying him a new pair of shoes. This in not scattered mystical dream that unceremoniously bubbles down to a depressing gray as you wake up to your Monday morning blues. It is a usual afternoon in the enthralling city of Jaipur.

Strategically located in close vicinity of India’s two most inspirational cities – Delhi and Agra, Jaipur appropriately forms with them what is known as the golden triangle of India’s culture, heritage, and traditions. Once home to India’s most flamboyant royalty, Jaipur truly epitomizes the regality of the valiant Rajput (Royal) traditions that still manifest themselves through the dazzling architectural beauty of its massive forts, palaces, gardens and chambers. While the new division of the city is a busy business quarter with modern buildings, banks and offices, it is the old district that exudes some splendid old world charm.

The old town part which once clad itself into autumn pink to welcome Prince Albert and Queen Elizabeth II in 1876 is now the heart of the city. Amidst the rugged forts, wide tree lined avenues, parched barren hills and elaborate palaces lies the bustling street bazaar with its traditional Rajputana jewelry, elaborate Rajasthani handicrafts, handlooms and artifacts, gorgeously crafted textiles, silk durries, batik and tie and dyes, silver trinkets, precious stones and much more. Food vendors abound the street side corners selling chilled Matka Kulfi (Creamy homemade ice-cream). 15 different flavors – 15p each! Almond, pistachio, saffron, malai, rose and mango seem to be the most popular ones.

In the next ally, the sole old restaurant offers a truly traditional Rajasthani fare. The elaborate ‘Bank of India’ calendar with a bejeweled Lord Rama portrait makes for a wonderful contrast to the aging soot covered walls. The old wooden benches make a loud creaking sound when you move. But the smell of the food arriving in the old aluminum platters fills the air and brings a twinkle in the eyes of the hungry guests (In Rajasthan they are never referred to as customers). Today is a feast! Dal Batti Churma, Ghewar (A gram flour sweet dish), Rajasthani Subji (Spicy curried vegetables), Mawa Kachori (deep fried croquettes with tamarind chutney) and Roti - £1 for unlimited refills.

If food fuels an appetite for some much anticipated sightseeing the City Palace which is within walking distance is an imposing blend of Rajasthani and Moghul architecture. Spacious courtyards, engrossingly painted ceilings, marble columns, ornate motifs in gold and beautifully carved monumental arches. Half of the city palace is still occupied by the royal family, while the other half houses a museum with a wonderful collection of Rajasthani swords, jewels and weaponry. The Diwan – e – Aam is an art gallery showcasing ancient manuscripts and rare miniature paintings. If luck confers, you might just see the palace peacock showing off its beauty.

The Hawa Mahal (Literally meaning the Castle of the winds) which adjoins the City Palace is beautiful example of detailed Rajputana architecture. The 5 storied pyramid shaped building is intricately carved in a rich red limestone with a number of tiny windows and screened balconies that were once used by the women of the royal families to observe festivities and processions on the streets.

About 11 kilometers and a lakeside drive away from the city, stands manifestly the gigantic Amer fort that completely overwhelms you with its sheer size. Built in traditional pink sandstone and intricately carved marble, Amer is home to the renowned Sheesh Mahal – an atrium done up entirely with mirrors and precious stones and patterned with beautiful stained glass designs. At a steep elevation, this citadel can be reached by riding on an elephant or climbing the long meandering stairways. Once on top, it offers spectacular views of the city and the Maota Lake with the pristine Jal Mahal (The Lake Palace) floating in the center. At sunset the town gets intensely stained in mellow amber, with the distant pink houses looking like small drops of fire.

Jaipur is also home to the impressive Sisodia Rani Ka Baug (The Royal Gardens), aesthetically laid in a Mughal style with massive fountains, and long patterned flowerbeds, elegant pavilions and exotic murals of gods and goddesses. These gardens were once a summer retreat for the palace ladies.

Among the other attractions of Jaipur include the Jantar Mantar – a royal observatory built by built by Sawai Jai Singh, the leading astronomer of his times and the founder of Jaipur and many more forts and palaces like the Jaigarh and Nahargarh forts. Rambaug palace is one of the many palaces that have been converted into hotels after the collapse of the monarchs in India. Set amidst 47 acres of exotic flora, mosaic swimming pools and ornate mughal gardens, this resplendent palace is an epitome of luxury and opulence, a place where you can slumber in the king’s suite, with its oriental hangings, ancient trophies and swinging chandeliers.

But if you want to experience how the affluent Jaipuris once lived, Alsisar Haweli, tucked away in the heart of the pink district is a fine illustration of traditional opulence and grandeur that the Thakurs (Landlords) of Jaipur were once used to. Beautifully refurbished with antique furniture, medieval Rajasthani fabrics and silks, this is one of the many Hawelis that has recently been renovated for guests and offers a truly unique experience.

Spring brings about festivity and celebration as many local fairs and festivals liven up this vibrant town annually. During Gangur, a fortnight after the colorful festival of Holi, women dress up in elaborate traditional costumes and exotic village jewelry to offer prayers to Lord Shiva and goddess Gauri for marital bliss. In the evening, processions with decked out horses, ornamented elephants and silver palanquins move through the city. Brightly clad women and men dance to folk music while children help themselves to infinite amounts of Ghewer. The deity is taken to the palace gates and the newly wed brides observe fasts and rituals for 18 days consecutively after the festivities come to an end.

Among the other important festivals which follow Gangur are the elephant festival, the kite festival and Teej, which commemorates the arrival of monsoons. During Teej, the dramatic countryside, with miles and miles of lime green fields comes alive and lovers from neighboring villages assemble singing and dancing on bullock carts and camels. Women dress in their Teej finery, a special variety of cloth called ‘Sanander’ which is a mellow shade of pastel blue. Like the Gangur tradition during Teej as well, the ceremonial Teej Mata (Goddess) is led through a traditional procession mounted on the customary palanquin 'Takht-e-rawan' and thousands of villagers from far and away gather in Jaipur to participate in the festivities.

The magic of Jaipur never fails to surprise. Within the chaos of the bazaars is an absolute sense of order. Within the grandeur of the palaces is a supreme sense of dignity and through the echoing sounds of the folk tunes appears the endearing kindness of the local folk. Jaipur truly epitomizes the matchless dignity of Indian culture and traditions. ‘Atithi Devo Bhava’ a teaching in ancient scriptures which means ‘your guest is your god’ is justly put in practice in this warm city, where the simple desert folk are so affable to the tourists with their welcoming hospitality and genuine warmth.

As the train thrusts the city behind and the dull pink houses fade into the horizon, the memories of the rich colors, the timeless grace of the ancient dance forms, the exquisiteness of the rich architecture and the graciousness of the locals linger on in one’s memory long after!

Must truth be the first casualty in war reporting?

The era of manufacturing consent has given way to the era of manufacturing news. Soon media news rooms will drop the pretence and start hiring theatre directors instead of journalists. – ARUNDHATI ROY


Introduction

The society in general would like to believe that it is the responsibility of media organizations to report the truth, especially in times of conflict. But the past shows that the rapport between the media and the military and that between the media and the government has been rather edgy when it comes to war reporting.

War coverage comprises of certain distinctive features that distinguishes it from the other routine forms of reporting. It is undoubtedly the toughest and also the most exciting time for the media. Toughest because of the obstacles & dangers journalists face reporting the conflict and exciting because, apart from the sense of worth it gives journalists, war coverage attracts large audiences. According to a report by usatoday.com (http://www.usatoday.com/life/world/iraq/2003-04-08-cable-news-main_x.html - 04.09.03) “In the first 19 days of the war, Fox averaged 3.3 million viewers, a 236% increase from the weeks preceding the war.” This clearly substantiates the fact that war is a very profitable time for media organizations.

However, coverage of war gives rise to several significant questions about truth. The key questions that come to mind are
· Whether it at all possible for journalists, media heads and governments to be completely objective and truthful at a vulnerable period such as war.
· Is absolute truth desirable at a time when a country is going through a major upheaval?
· Whether the media’s news agenda more representative of the patriot in them, when it comes to war reportage.
· Are ethnic minorities, third world inhabitants and economically backward nations ‘media’s unpeople’ during war?
· Do commercial demands, government pressure, technological advancement and military constraints change the real picture of war?

This essay hopes to uncover the moral fiber of journalists & media organizations during wartimes, understand the characteristic features of war reportage and its impact on the lives of civilians and finally seeks to find out whether truth is being mollified at the cost of political, economic and personal vested interests and if so, is it justified?

Journalists at war

According to Philip Seib (2002 p.94) “Journalists must wade through a flood of propaganda from various parties, some of it crafted and disseminated with considerable skill.” He further adds that reporters also have to face many ‘logistical obstacles’ like safety, access to certain areas, military pressure and government and organization demands, which limit the reporters’ chances of developing the story completely and accurately. This is why it is often speculated that the role of the reporter as the gatherer of truth undergoes a major transformation during wartimes, and that truth is in danger of becoming the first casualty of war reporting.

History shows that war reporting has frequently been exaggerative and misleading. During the civil war in America war correspondents were given legendary status but “the legend conveniently overlooks the fact that the majority of the northern correspondents were ignorant, dishonest and unethical; that the dispatches they wrote were frequently inaccurate, often invented, partisan and inflammatory.”(Knightly, 2000 p.21) Robert C. Miller a correspondent covering the Korean War states that certain facts and figures from Korea were purely fabricated by editors, and despite knowing this they had to be written by correspondents like him as they were official releases from military headquarters. (Knightly, 2000 p.1)

In Iraq these days, the U.S. military is reportedly spending millions of dollars planting stories and paying local journalists to write friendly coverage in Arabic newspapers. (http://www.commondreams.org/views05/1204-21.html : 4th December 2005)

It can be seen from the above examples that truth is constantly being blemished. One more stereotype of bogus reporting can be observed when it comes to casualty figures. Seib (2002 p.96) mentions in his book that in 1999 for example NATO reported 10,000 Albanians killed in the Kosovo war while a report from the International criminal tribunal a year later confirmed that it was only 3000. These outright fabrications have far reaching implications.

Implications of misinformation

“If people really new the truth, the war would be stopped tomorrow” – David Lloyd George during the First World War. .”(Knightly, 1975 p.87)
The above given statement as I interpret it, is that common man doesn’t really want to wage war but it is the government policy which does and tags him along, in some cases brainwashing and feeding fears of attack and danger and thus arousing panic and fear.
Governments are known to use massive PR operations in convincing people about the inevitability of war. According to a report the US government paid $397,000 to the PR firm Rendon group ‘to help Pentagon look good while bombing Afghanistan.’ (http://www.fair.org/media-beat/011025.html: 25th October 2001) During war each side wants to believe about the hostility of the other side, but the fact remains that neither knows what the truth is. Public brainwashing and propaganda are the powerful tools used by government and media in order to garner support for an impending victory from which no one really benefits.
What are the implications of this? If we were to take the recent example of September 11 and the Iraq war - Almost 200,000 Iraqis and thousands of Afghans are dead for crimes not committed by them, half a million Iraqi children have lost their lives, 2/3rds of Americans still believe that Saddam Hussein was responsible for the September 11 attacks, President George Bush was voted back to power by a thumping majority, 53% British suffer from Islamophobia according to a yougov poll conducted in 2006 and clearly in the past 5 years we’ve seen a massive flourish in terrorism. All these examples depict public minds mired in false indoctrination.

This particular anecdote exemplifies the tremendous power the government guards over the media and the effect it can have on twisting the minds of the community.

“Iraqi soldiers were reviled for dumping Kuwaiti babies out of incubators, cruelly leaving them to die on cold hospital floors. This was the height of savagery, demanding a response. Nayirah, a Kuwaiti teenager, testifying before the US Congressional Human Rights Caucus Committee in October, 1990, told of how as a volunteer at the Al-Idar Hospital, she witnessed the horrific scene of Iraqi soldiers brutally tossing newborns from their incubators. Such was Iraqi disrespect for life. This was how Iraq treated the defenseless. But long after the story inflamed the world's indignation, reporters discovered it was pure fiction, carefully crafted with the help of the PR firm Hill and Knowlton. And far from being an impartial witness, Nayirah was the daughter of the Kuwaiti Ambassador to the US.” (http://www.mediamonitors.net/gowans13.html: 19th June 2001) What was the result of this? Well, public support had been effectively congregated on totally false grounds and “Americans were firmly onside their government’s decision to bomb Baghdad back to middle ages.”
There are however counter opinions which pronounce that truth about war is better kept under wraps. Katherine Graham (owner of Washington Post) in her speech at CIA’s Langley Virginia headquarters in 1988 says “We live in a dirty and dangerous world. There are some things the general public does not need to know about and shouldn't. I believe democracy flourishes when the government can take legitimate steps to keep its secrets and when the press can decide whether to print what it knows.” (http://www.wanttoknow.info/secrecygraham: 2nd May 2004)

The captors of truth

“In [many cases], the U.S. and other western news media depend on the military for information.... And when the information that military officers provide to the public is part of a process that generates propaganda and places a high value on deceit, deception and denial, then truth is indeed likely to be high on the casualty list.” – (William M. Arkin, Media principles: Killed by friendly fire in US info war, Index on Censorship, 13 November 2002)
Journalists, editors, governments and military – all are evenly responsible captors of truth. Each although has different reasons for keeping it under the veil. “War reporting is generally one sided. The media typically cover war from the point of view of the country in which they are their major owners and readers are based, reflecting the point of view of that country’s government and its foreign policy elites.” (Allan and Zelizer, 2004 p. 29) Is it then possible, for the truth to come out?

For the government and the military, the media is ideally its mouthpiece to persistently defend itself for going to war and present a favorable picture to their citizens. From their perspective maintaining positive public opinion is of utmost importance. “Governments often expect unquestioning compliance from the media during periods of tension, behaving during pre war hostilities in much the same way as during war itself” (Carruthers, 2000 p.52) Absolute loyalty and patriotism is demanded from the media but as Carruthers further adds, during war the gap between loyalty towards ones country and support for government policy is gradually blurred. There are however examples of the media not having succumbed to government pressures – the BBC for example during the Iraq war maintained an evenhanded approach despite persistent pressures from the British government.

Military control of information during war is a major factor leading to deceptive facts and propaganda. “The military often manipulates the mainstream media, by restricting or managing what information is presented and hence what the public are told. For them it is paramount to control the media. This can involve all manner of activities, from organizing media sessions and daily press briefings, or through providing managed access to war zones, to even planting stories. This happened throughout the twentieth century” (Anup Shah - http://www.globalissues.org/HumanRights/Media/M ilitary.asp – 31.03.05) A Fine example of this would be the media censorship during the Falklands war when “media pools were at the mercy of military minders.” (McLaughlin, 2002 p.79)

It is not only the government & military pressures although that stops journalists from reporting the truth. Demanding editors and work pressures, the hunger for the big story, the prerequisite of military support and the issue of patriotism brings about a dilemma in journalists which has seriously affected objective war coverage and has often made them forgo their ethics and resort to taking sides.

Tom Cook of the New York Herald wrote in a letter to his editor during the American civil war in which he said “I think the navy department could be induced to procure of us an outside vessel which we might call our own were (we) to promise that the navy department would be exempt from attacks in the columns of the Herald” (Knightly, 2000 p.24). Knightly also shares an anecdote of a journalist in the American civil war being bought off for cigars and whiskey. When such is the situation, reporting the truth becomes extremely difficult and it becomes almost mandatory to act as propaganda machines on behalf of ‘our boys’.

It is interesting to study in this context, what is labeled by BBC correspondent turned MP Martin Bell as the journalism of attachment.

Journalism redefined during war

War reporting has gone through a series of changes due to a number of historical and technological reasons. New concepts of ‘journalism’ such as the journalism of attachment and more famously embedded journalism have sprung up, giving war reporting a whole new makeup. But whether these offshoots are conducive to the practice of truth or not is an important question.

The journalism of attachment in Bell’s own words ‘cares as well as knows’. According to Mick Hume (1997 P.4) “The journalism of attachment says that reporters cannot remain detached from modern evils like genocide in Bosnia or Rwanda, but must side with victims and demand that something must be done.” This he says gives rise to a tendency among journalists to be moral judges and take sides. He says that having investigated and researched, they are entitled to their own opinion but more often than not they tend to get “evidence mixed up with their emotions, so that they risk what they want to see rather than reporting all that is there.” What Hume is trying to stress here is that the concept of ‘bystander journalism’ where the reporter is merely a spectator is dying out and journalists are getting more and more involved in a fight against the evil and to prove their point they often tend to go overboard. However according to Bell “objective, dispassionate journalism has its place but not in the midst of some brutal war or human calamity.”(McLaughlin, 2002 p.154)

A more blatant step further would be the concept of embedded journalism. As a means to granting a higher level of access, the military offered the media to join them in the combat zone as embeds. This is basically how embedded journalism came up – where in the journalist is not merely a spectator but a participant in the war. This obviously meant fuller coverage and more comprehensive detailing in reporting but according to critics it would give rise to sympathetic and one sided reports that were soft on the military.

According to Oliver Boyd Barrett (Allan & Zelizer 2004, p.30) the objective of embedded journalism during the 2nd gulf war in 2003 was “to stifle dissent, garner unquestioning support and rally around a common symbol.” He shares instances of how the US administration would give an agenda for the messages of the day to the reporters and how they were made to sign 50 contractual conditions wherein they were given a list of things they were not supposed to report on.

A few examples…

This tendency of the media to give biased or partial information can be evidently seen in the manner in which they represent the views of war parties in a conflict. According to Philo and Berry (2004, p.259) in the Israel – Palestine conflict the media has often misrepresented the Palestinians either by simply giving excess coverage the Israelis or by failing to provide the Palestinian rationale. According to their study “words such as ‘mass murder’, ‘savage cold-blooded killing’ and ‘lynching’ were used by journalists to describe Israeli deaths but not those of Palestinians/Arabs.’ This according to them is directly liked to pressure, lobbying and international relations between countries.

America’s ‘war on terror’ in Afghanistan garnered implausible television coverage not only by the American home media but also from the media around the world, and most interestingly from Al Jazeera, the Arab channel. The coverage by both, the American media (Fox, CNN, and CBS) and Al Jazeera has been widely criticized for being partisan, biased and misleading to certain beliefs and organizations. Al Jazeera was criticized for developing into a mouthpiece for Bin Laden by airing his tapes which urged people to join the “holy war” thus flaring the Arab society’s anger towards the US. On November 12th 2001 the Al Jazeera bureau in Kabul was bombed America, which they claimed was by mistake. According to Naomi Sakr this was because “Al Jazeera’s exclusivity negated the American and British efforts to control the flow of information and to restrain the footage transmitted from Afghanistan” (Zayani 2005, p. 161-62)

Fox, CNN and other American channels and press on the other hand were criticized for being predisposed to the government and being unabashedly pro-American in its war stance. “Patriotic journalism was particularly pronounced in the weeks after the attacks. Fox News channel anchors and local television reporters wore red, white and blue ribbons on their lapels. Led by CNN, the networks displayed logos covered in the US flag. Local and regional newspapers featured star and stripes colors and ribbons in their covers. In David Letterman’s show, CBS news anchor Dan Rather declared himself to be ready to receive orders from President Bush. Journalism made gestures that show cultural membership of the national community.” - Silovio Waisbord (Zelizer and Allan, 2002 p.206) Thus it can be seen here that it has been extremely difficult to get an unmarred picture of any of these modern conflicts and truth is inexorably lost somewhere in the middle as different propaganda is thrown from different sides.

Conclusion

“The dust-storms of propaganda which are created by those seeking to defend their ‘own side’, will in the end do nothing more than to prolong the conflict” (Philo and Berry 2004, p.259)

I feel war itself is a consequence of different interpretations of the truth. And unfortunately war makes news where as peace doesn't and this is exactly the quirk of fate that pins down journalists. It is easier said than done, to draw a distinction between the integrity of one’s profession and a sense of partisanship towards one’s nation, beliefs, people, military, government and organization and this is precisely the constraint that reporters face during war. In such a situation it is very difficult to accomplish the complete truth. But if a logical balance is to be struck then it is very important for journalists and media organizations to objectively look at the other side. It is important to probe deep into the causes of conflict, accurately follow up its development, understand restrained contexts, dig up historical circumstances and then probably determine the nature of their judgment. By not doing so, not only are they doing a disservice to their profession, but also changing the course of history on the basis of which much of today’s public opinion and many future decisions, reactions, prejudices and verdicts rest.

It is also immensely crucial for the media to alter their ‘principle of selectivity’ when it comes to war reportage. Unseeing certain conflict because it doesn’t stimulate publicity or signify geo-political interests is as much an offense as not reporting truth is. Kiley (2003) notes about the media’s un-coverage of third world conflicts “Military and civilian casualties experienced by the US and Afghanistan and Iraq between 2001 and 2004 were grave, but tiny in comparison with those in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) (formerly Zaire), where four million lives were lost between 1997 and 2003, more than any since world war II” (Cited in Allan and Zelizer, 2004 p.27)

The media must remember that they bear a particular responsibility to their readers and watchers and that they influence their psyche to a large extent. And this is rightly why truth must espouse over all other considerations.

Through Buddha’s footsteps…

Nearly 25 centuries ago, in the ancient Himalayan kingdom of Kapilavastu, queen Mahamaya gave birth to her illustrious son Siddhartha Gautama. The prince, after years of intense meditation attained the divine state of Nirvana. From then on he was known as the ‘Buddha’ or ‘Enlightened one’. Today the allure of Buddhism has spread throughout the world, with an estimated 360 million Buddhists around the globe. Sadly until now the Buddhist sites in India had been in a heartbreaking state of decay, depriving tourists of the most important milestones of Buddhist heritage. But with the Indian government recently giving these sites a much needed face lift a journey through the four landmark Buddhist pilgrimage destinations in India and Nepal would be a great idea!

Travelling in the Buddha’s footsteps, through the fertile Ganges valley of Northern India and Nepal can be an extraordinary journey of revelation and surprise. As modern India tends towards brazen materialism and establishment, a few hours into the heart of the country, and things have largely remained unchanged through the centuries. Lumbini in Nepal, and Bihar and Uttar Pradesh in Northern India are home to the world’s most significant Buddhist sites, illustrating Buddha’s birth, enlightenment, his first teachings and his death. A journey through these mystical seats is a must for culturists and ardent followers of Buddhism as Siddhartha himself urged his followers to visit them.

Lumbini – The Birth
Lumbini is unmistakably a Mecca for Buddhists. Located in the footsteps of the mesmerizing Himalayas in southern Nepal, this is where queen Mahamaya gave birth to the young Siddhartha. Just a short distance from the ancient Shakya capital of Kapilavastu, Lumbini, the beauty of which is described in ancient Sanskrit and Pali literature evokes a profound sentiment of sanctity and peace. Amongst the many places of interest is The Asoka pillar, the first epigraphic evidence of Buddha’s existence. The inscriptions on the pillar in the Brahmi script roughly reads: Kin Piyadesi beloved of the Gods, having been anointed 20 yeas, came himself and worshipped saying Here Buddha Shakyamuni was born: And he caused to make a stone (capital) representing a horse; and he caused (this) stone pillar to be erected. Because the worshipful one was born in the village of Lumbini has been made free of taxes and recipient of wealth".

South of the Asoka pillar is the sacred pool of Puskarni, where the queen took a dip before giving birth to the baby. It is also believed to be the holy pond where the Buddha was given his first purification bath. Another prominent landmark just around the bend is The Maya Devi temple, a burnt brick pagoda like structure where the famous Nativity sculpture was installed in 4th century AD. This is believed to be the exact birth spot of the Buddha. The temple was developed into a shrine as early as 3rd century BC. Just 27 kilometres west of Lumbini and you are in the ruins of the ancient kingdom of Kapilavastu where the Buddha spent his first 29 years. The puzzling relics and mounds of the stupas and monasteries at Kapilavastu add a unique sense of inquest to your Lumbini experience.

Bodhgaya – Enlightenment
Further south from Lumbini and about 200 kilometres from Patna in India lies the small village of Bodhgaya, where the Buddha attained supreme enlightenment. This probably is one of the most sacred Buddhist places, as it is in Bodhgaya where Buddhism really began. Bodhgaya, despite being thronged by global tourists is still essentially a quiet little village on the banks of the river Phalgu, a village where the under the shade of the Bodhi tree, you feel the serenity of the leaves wash you clear of your sins. A village where the rhythmic chanting of the Saffron clad monks lingers in your ears long after you’ve left the place. According to scriptures, it is in Bodhgaya that Buddha took a seat under the Peepal (Bodhi) tree and resolved not to get up, until he attained enlightenment. The Buddha continued to meditate under the tree for seven days after enlightenment. The descendent of the tree is now located in the sprawling complex of the Mahabodhi Temple, founded by the emperor Ashoka. This historical temple is 170 feet tall and it beautifully rises to form a slender stone pyramid that is elaborately carved and engraved. The inside of the temple houses a massive 1700 year old image of the Buddha in ‘the touching of the ground’ pose. Even today Bodhgaya is known to be a place vibrant enough to awaken the potential of enlightenment, enriched by years of intense devotion and prayers by devotees.

Sarnath – The first sermon
After having attained enlightenment in Bodhgaya, the Buddha gave his first sermon about attaining nirvana in Sarnath, just a 10 kilometre rickshaw ride from the holy city of Varanasi – a pilgrimage centre to millions of Hindus around the world. Sarnath was where the Buddha found his first five disciples, where he gave his first discourse to set in motion the wheel of Dharma, where the monastic tradition of life flourished. Sarnath is deeply significant to the origins of the Buddhist philosophy. Ruled by emperor Ashoka in 4th century BC, Sarnath became an important centre for Buddhism and the emperor erected a massive column with four lions signifying his majestic rule and Buddha’s affiliation to the place. The column, which is also the emblem of the modern Indian republic, is now preserved in the Museum of Archaeology.

Amongst the most conspicuous of stupas (the earliest Buddhist monument) in Sarnath is the Dhameka Stupa, which is covered with stunningly carved stones in varied geometrical patterns of Swastikas, and lotus garlands running over and below the Swastikas. The Dhameka is the sacred site where the voice of the Buddha was first heard – the place he delivered his first sermon. Chaukhandi is the other historic Stupa in Sarnath. The remains of this ancient structure can be seen as you approach Sarnath from Varanasi. The other Buddhist attractions in Sarnath include a Chinese temple housing a beautiful marble statue of a Buddha, and a Tibetan monetary where you can hear the monks tenderly chanting 'Om mani padme hum' in the early hours of the morning.

A trip to Sarnath however is not complete without a journey to the revered spiritual capital of Varanasi. Also known as Baneras, this unique town is a blend of ancient Hindu culture, remarkable architecture and exquisite traditions that have remained untouched by the tunnels of time. Thousands of pilgrims – rich and poor, from faraway lands flock Varanasi to offer their prayers and take holy dips in the Ganges. The timeless Ghats overlooking the legendary river offer splendid views of the sunrise. Time stands still, only to be broken by the silhouettes of the fishermen creating gentle ripples as they pull their canoes into the water. But as the locals gather for their early morning baths it’s time to stride toward Vishwanath Gully for a piping cup of Masala Chai and freshly fried Samosas and then northward through the steep valley of the Ganges to Kusinara.

Kusinara – The final hour
The Buddha’s last days passed without self possession or thought of death in the tiny village of Kusinara, on the Nepal – India border. He was believed to have entered the meditational state of Mahaparinirvana (the great passing away) on a full moon night in Vaisakha (April – May). Today thousands flank the Mahaparinirvana Stupa – the exact place where the Buddha left his body. The building, which is made in a half dome design, has a reclining Buddha image demonstrating his passing. The tranquil surroundings of the Stupa abound with ruins and ancient monasteries that are being excavated. The red earth creates a surprising contrast to the prominent whitewash of the Stupa, lending the place a unique ambience.

About a mile ahead is the massive old brick Ramabhar Tila (or Angara Chaitya), a mountainous structure that is said to mark the spot where the Buddha’s body was cremated. The bottom of this Tila can be reached even today and you can still see the parched earth. Kusinara also has ample Burmese and Japanese monasteries and a strikingly ornate Thai temple awarding a greatly devout feeling to the place.

Kusinara marks the end of the Buddha’s days on earth, and also of a sacred pilgrimage that stays in one’s memory and thought long after. It certainly instils in you a conviction, a resilience for change, a thirst for introspection! Maybe your personal enlightenment in not quite on the way, but as the Buddha said to his disciples – ‘strive on with diligence’.

A day out of London…

A day trip from London is probably the perfect way to spend a relaxed Sunday, the perfect chance to get away from the hustle and bustle of London and into the picturesque little towns of England. Here’s a round up of 4 interesting places you can visit? And yes, they are not more than 2 – 3 hours away!

Canterbury: Novelist Virginia Woolf said of it 'There is no lovelier place in the world than Canterbury - that I say with my hand on my heart as I sit in Florence - and I have seen Venice too.' City of Geoffrey Chaucer’s ‘Canterbury Tales’ and home to the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Primate of All England, head of the Church of England, this little town is steeped in history and culture. Just one and a half hours away from London and you are transported back to Middle Ages. Canterbury has a compact city centre with beautiful cobbled streets and tiny narrow lanes which are closed to traffic during the daytime. The many ancient buildings and the gigantic Norman cathedral (Where Thomas Becket was murdered) which dominates the skyline add a distinct old world charm to the place. The top attractions not to be missed are the Norman cathedral, the ruins of St Augustine’s abbey, and the ‘Canterbury Tales show’. The Old Weaver’s pub (which is 500 years old) next to the river is a perfect place to end your day in Canterbury.

Brighton: This fashionable seaside resort town of the UK lies amidst the rolling hills of East Sussex. Probably the most un-British city in the whole of the country, Brighton is strikingly dissimilar to other British towns. Brighton offers a perfect mélange of relaxed seaside charm, sensational nightlife, sumptuous food and great shopping. But the one thing that probably makes it click is its glorious beachfront with the festive pier that almost gets you in the carnival mood. Bustling with bars, restaurants, cafes, arcades and fun fair games, the pier offers variety entertainment to all ages and tastes. Among the other attractions of Brighton is the opulent Royal Pavilion, the former royal residence for the then Prince Regent. While the striking minarets give it’s a distinctively Moghul appearance from outside, the interiors are heavily influenced by Indian and Chinese elements of design. You can also visit the Brighton Lanes, a jumble of intricate alleyway that offer an extraordinary shopping experience.

Cambridge: Situated in the quiet, picturesque countryside of Cambridgeshire, this is one of the most beautiful cities in the UK and also home to one of the topmost universities in the world. The magnificent architecture of the university buildings which surround the entire city gives it a distinctly medieval image. Positioned on the banks of the river Cam, Cambridge makes an ideal choice for punting on a sunny day. Among the other places of interest are the Fitzwilliam Museum which houses a collection of world renowned paintings and antiques and the Round church, one of the only four remaining in the UK. Just strolling along the bustling markets, enjoying views of the stunning university buildings and enjoying a drink at the numerous roadside cafés however, is the ideal way of spending a relaxed day in Cambridge.

Bath: Bath is a lovely Georgian town that lies at the heart of the Avon valley in southern Cotswolds - designated as an area of outstanding natural beauty. The stunning Roman architecture that abounds Bath makes it a special place for tourists. Once a fashionable summer residence for the English aristocracy, this meandering town has attracted visitors for centuries. Set amidst the beautiful countryside of rural England, Bath has predominantly remained unchanged over the years and still retains its antique charm. Bath is home to the Roman Baths; sometimes claimed to be the country’s only hot springs. The Abby, the Royal crescent and the Jane Austen museum are some of the popular tourist attractions, but a stroll along the River Avon or a glimpse of the city skyline from the Pultney Bridge is enough to take your breath away. If your appetite is fuelled after all this sightseeing, old fashioned muffins at Sally Lunn’s, a 300 year old tea house in Bath might just be the thing for you!


The best, fastest and the cheapest way to get to these places is probably by coach. Tickets can be booked online on the company websites (http://www.nationalexpress.com/, http://www.megabus.com/ ) and if you are lucky enough, you can get a £1 single fare inclusive of taxes!

Tabloidization of the media

Introduction

Clinton and Lewinsky, Lady Diana and Paris Hilton, these are the people that strike a cord when you think of the term ‘tabloidization’. The factual meaning of the word tabloid however refers to a particular size used by newspapers (23.5 by 14.75 inches) – a layout that is largely used in the United Kingdom. The predominant use of this size has thus led literally, to the ‘tabloidization’ of the British media. However to define tabloidization essentially would mean to define the radical change that the mass media - print, broadcast or web, have gone through in the last couple of years.

According to Colin Sparks “The tabloid is a form marked by two major features: it devotes relatively little attention to politics, economics and society and relatively much to diversions like sports, scandal and popular entertainment.” This penchant of the media is of great consequence to the practice of journalism and it is extremely crucial to identify the story behind it. This essay hopes to detect the fashion in which the tabloids function, the historical background to the phenomenon, the reasons behind its existence, the effect it has on the serious media and society in general and lastly its significance to the intent of journalism.

The historical aspect

“It seems regrettably to be the case that it is both true to say that there have long been tabloid media and true to say that the world has never seen anything like what we observe today” (Sparks, 2000 p.18).

The origin of the first tabloids in Britain can be traced back to the 1st decade of the 20th century. In the United States and other parts of Europe, it was only from the late 30s and the post world war II era that the tabloids emerged. Hammersmith and Rothermere (The Daily Mail, Daily Mirror) are considered to be pioneers of the tabloid in Britain, in the early days. Bartholomew (30s), Hugh Cudlipp (50s-60s) and Murdoch (The Sun – Tabloid with the highest circulation in Britain today) carried the trend forward. In developing countries like India, China and Taiwan, the tabloid movement is seen to be growing rapidly in the past 20 years.

Thus although tabloidization is not a topical phenomenon, “Since the 1980s the frontier between qualities and popular papers has virtually disappeared”. (Sampson, 1996 p.44). The drift of the quality outlets categorically seems to be toward the tabloid. Thus although tabloids existed in the past along side qualities, it is only in recent times that we are able to notice the blurring gaps between serious media and tabloids.

‘Tabloidization’ – Characteristic features of tabloids

Tabloids have an exceptionally strong quality about them. They are loud and brash, use sensationalism as a tool, and give prominence to anything that arouses public interest. “Their journalism covers the realm of fantastic and sometimes the crazily invented and their consumers know and accommodate this in their reading strategies” (Garbner, 1992, p. 111-112). Sex, scandal, crime, celebrity, sport, nightlife, fantasy and space attacks, horror, gore and a probe into the personal lives of people are the frequent areas under discourse in the tabloids.

Photographs and posters are extensively used through out the papers and in a very down market tabloid like The Sun, a few lines of reporting text are just fillers. “Many tabloid papers carry a poster picture of a semi nude girl on page 3 or 5 and crime and sex stories occupy most of the general news pages.” (Garbner, 1992, p.112) This although does not mean that tabloids do not carry political news and current affairs. According to Garbner, politics and business news is reported, although the tone used is ‘highly personalized’ and the commentators are greatly opinionated. Thus there is no scope for objectivity and analytical coverage of news, and most often than not, it is about taking sides.

The tabloids also have a propensity to juxtapose fantasy and reality to arouse the interest and trust of their audience. There have been instances in the past where off the wall reports about alien mass attacks having jolted the proceedings of the parliament, have hit the headlines. In fact The Sun carried a front-page picture of an extraterrestrial shaking hand with former president of the United States, Bill Clinton.

The tabloid rationale: Reasons, Effects and Consequences

On the surface, tabloidization is not a complex phenomenon. It is merely a transition of the media from being driven by a public welfare agenda to being driven by market forces. But if one is to probe deeper into the study of this phenomenon then it is important to understand the reasons – socio-economic and political, behind the growth of this trend.

Tabloidization has been given many synonyms – Yellow press, gutter news, red top, rag sheet, junk food news etc. All have derogatory connotations. This is primarily because of the fact that important issues of citizen concern have taken a backseat, with entertainment, scandal, crime and lifestyle holding the glare of publicity. This has undeniably affected the quality of the mass media and its relationship with politics and current affairs. So what are the reasons of the tabloidization of media? Is it a recent phenomenon? And what are its consequences – How does it affect the structure and the role of the media as a public service organisation?

Reasons – It has been very difficult for writers and experts to concretely point out what motivates media organizations into turning tabloid, but following are some apparent roots that we can assume –

· Catherine Lumby says – ‘tabloid news shows and afternoon chat shows such as Oprah and Ricki Lane are markers of an expansion in the range of issues and voices becoming audible through the media.’ She further goes on to say that ‘by juxtaposing the usual serious news with the tabloid’ private and public spheres are spontaneously connected. This clearly notes the shift in people’s outlook towards the media – they want it to be more personalized, more interactive. There is a declining audience for the traditional news agenda.

· The rise of tabloidization is most commonly attributed to the ‘corporatization’ of media and to the rise of capitalism. This has lead to the marketing and ‘shaping of news’ to cater to the tastes of audiences and advertisers. Revenue maximization is the ultimate aim of any corporate business, thus leading to a populist agenda.

· Increasing competition and proliferation of media outlets. What one follows, another follows suit, to stay in the competition. Tabloidization is a trend that is bound to crop up in a competitive industry, especially in a free market.

· As far as newspapers are concerned, declining circulation, especially in the western world, has given way to the press adopting the tabloid agenda. “In rough terms, people in 1964 were prepared to pay four times as much money for newspapers that had only a quarter of the content. In terms of value for money today, papers are sixteen times more valuable, but only have the same number of customers” (Horrie, 2003 p.232). He further adds that the tabloid industry has begun giving away free copies to stay put (The London Lite), and suspects that it won’t be long when young people will start turning their backs even on the tabloids.

· And lastly but most importantly, technology. The internet bump up poses a serious threat to print and broadcasting industries, which use the ‘tabloid strategy’ to keep up in the rat race.
These apart, many researchers feel that reading is getting tougher and tougher for young people, as many of them have lost the habit of reading daily due to other mediums of communication. And to read the quality papers there needs to be significant basic as well as analytical knowledge of news.

The tabloid effect – Tabloidsm as we may call it is alleged to change the whole structure of the media environment. One of the biggest threats that tabloidization poses to the media industry is that it is blurring the gap between quality journalism and tabloid news. Secondly the tabloid press is a ‘crisis of democracy’ as it does not perform the primary function of journalism, i.e. – ‘to inform the people concerning the major issues of public interest’ (Raboy and Degenais, 1992 p. 44). The obvious consequences of tabloidization can be seen in the fact that there is a shift in the priorities with regards to time-slots. In terms of TV, prime time is no more dominated by current affairs and politics, but is rather a spectacle of an assortment of news features, with the above mentioned being just ones among others.

Another change that is very apparent is the lack of coverage of foreign news, of investigation and information that may not be of ‘interest to people, but of public interest’. The tabloids have as a consequence led to the trivialization of the media by catering to just the choices or likes of people and not their welfare.

Tabloid justifications

Although much hoopla is made about the whole tabloid issue, there is a point of view among experts that defends the tabloids.

- According to Joshua Gamson (Freaks talk back) tabloids and talk shows are good as they present different lifestyles and cultures which in the long run contribute to human integration and tolerance of other cultures.

- John Fiske about the supermarket tabloids – “such superstitious knowledge offers an alternative reality to the official one and carries utopian-ized fantasies of emancipation from the constraints of poverty and conceived social failure.”

- Helen Hughes exudes tremendous optimism and stresses the fact that newspapers which are an omnibus of variety introduce the masses to social happenings and perform a democratic function in the society, however indirect it may be.

Thus the tabloids have got its share of defenders who mainly stress on the fact that it is news that is of interest to the people and thus popular and hence it is inevitable. I personally feel that hard news is a product that is very difficult to digest and also very impersonal and thus does not interest many people, as they cannot relate to it. This is one of the main reasons why people choose tabloids. They are more reader friendly and do impart information, although it may be a bit over the top.

Is tabloidization an important issue for journalism?

The Miriam-Webster online dictionary offers two definitions of journalism -

‘Writing characterized by a direct presentation of facts or description of events without an attempt at interpretation’

‘Writing designed to appeal to current popular taste or public interest.’

According to the Wikipedia encyclopaedia –

‘Journalism is a discipline of collecting, analyzing, verifying, and presenting news regarding current events, trends, issues and people.’

The oxford dictionary defines news as –

‘Newly received or noteworthy information about recent events.’

None of these definitions stress on the fact that news or journalism is only about politics, economy, business or issues of public interest. In fact the 2nd definition given by Webster online makes it loud and clear that journalistic writing is that which appeals to current popular taste OR public interest. So essentially media organizations have a right to choose the audience they want to cater to. If most of them choose to cater to popular taste they could do so, without having violated the boundaries of journalism.

It is however important to note that the factors that have been markedly stressed in the above given definitions are - presentation of FACTS, analysis, verification of news and NON interpretation of events. These are exactly the issues that tabloids don’t seem to follow closely or obey, which makes it an important issue for the practice of journalism.

Tabloids are often accused of sensationalizing news and blowing things out of proportion. Many a time facts are not verified before being published or broadcast and objective analysis and unbiased interpretation of news is seldom offered. This is totally contrary to the primary function of journalism whereby the journalist seeks to report the truth and not some story modified to suit the taste of consumers and advertisers.

I believe that the phenomenon of tabloidization has more to it than the news agenda (scandal, crime, celebrity and entertainment, sport etc) it adopts. It simply doesn’t stop at that. It is important to reconstruct the definition and make it inclusive, so as to understand the menace that it has become in today’s context. Tabloidization today is more than just celebrity and scandal. Modern media have created a profound mess by putting it together with politics and public affairs in order to sell themselves harder. The agenda today is more than monitory vested interests. It is about brainwashing, propaganda, about taking sides, ‘about a new pattern of serial obsessions that periodically take over the airwaves for weeks at a time’ as rightly put by Al Gore in his speech at the We Media Conference in New York, 2005. Tabloids today are dangerously moving towards a political orb, representing certain people, unseeing others, which threatens to make modern media a completely dysfunctional tool of public discourse.
Media organizations today haven’t simply crossed the boundaries of journalism, but are miles ahead of their confines. If this is how things are going to take shape it wouldn’t be exaggerative to assume that tabloidization is indeed ‘a threat to democracy’.

Conclusion

‘Tickle the public, make `em grin,
The more you tickle the more you'll win’

Nothing else could be more appropriate than this, to explain the state of the tabloid media. The MotherPie blog carried an article (august 06) in which the writer says of the media’s tabloid agenda - ‘we are subliminally being engaged at the level of our deepest needs - the need for safety and security. Stories that make us feel vulnerable (could this happen here, are we at risk?) get your attention at our most base level of instinct.’ This observation I believe is strikingly real. How else do we explain the fact that even 4 years later, almost a third of the Americans still believe that Saddam Husain was responsible for attacking them on September 11? How can Bush’s re-election be put in plain words?

It is very difficult to reach an authoritative conclusion – in favour of or in opposition to the tabloid media. On one hand I feel it is an impossible dream to expect private media organizations or even the commercial government media to be public service units in a consumerist world. But on the other hand the least a viewer can expect is truth and the right to information. A change in the news agenda to being more entertainment driven is comprehendible, but it is unacceptable when hard news is incorporated into an entertainment package. It is also totally detrimental to have a media that is propagandist and predisposed to governments. The media is the government’s watch dog not its pet dog!

The tabloid media unfortunately seems to be all of this and more. The point in time when the tabloids existed independently, but along side the qualities was better off than what we see today, where the gap between them is blurring. And with other unfavourable circumstances such as the advent of the internet and the plummeting demand for traditional media, the situation seems to be getting only worse.