Flora and fauna

Agra Feb. 17. 1984

Today, Baba went to the Bharatpur bird-sanctuary after visiting Fatehpur Sikri.

The sanctuary originally to belonged to the King of Bharatpur who handed it over to the government on the advice of Salim Ali who was an authority on birds.

It was declared a national park in 1984.

Baba had already explained that birds come here in winter and leave before summer starts.

Several varieties of geese and slopes are found here, and acasia babula also grows in abun-

A temple known as Kevala Deva temple stands nearby. shiva is the deity of the temple and its architecture is a blending of Rajawara and Semitic styles.

Baba also visited the Dargah of Sheikh Salim Cisti, where the palace of Todar Mal who was the land revenue minister of Akbar, is situated. However, Baba only viewed the place from

Agra, Feb. 19, 1984

Today Baba visited the Etmaduddaulla Park, built in memory af Etmadudaulla, the father of Meharunnissa*.

*Meharunnisa was later married to the Mughal emperor Jahangir, after assassination of Sher Afgan.

Etmaduddaulla was a nobleman and a Shia muslim by faith.

• His real name was Mirza Gayas Beg.

Gayas Beg moved to Agra because his relatives lived there.

Agra was previously known as Agrapur.

During the time of Akbar, it was known as Akbarabad.

Gayas Beg was awarded the title “Etmadaddullah” by Jahangir because of his reliability.

Meharunnissa married Sher Afghan, the Subedar or governor of Bengal.

Burdwan was then the capital of Bengal.

Later, when Jahangir became the Mughal emperor, Sher Afghan was killed in battle near the Burdwan railway station by the Moghul army, and his grave is located at Piir Baharam.

The capital of Bengal was shifted several times, from Burdwan to Rajmahal, to Dhaka, to Murshidadad, and at present it is situated in Calcutta.

Agra, Feb. 21, 1984

Today Baba visited a garden near the Tajmahal.

While walking, He said that Meharunnissa’s mother was Begum Sarfunnissa.

Some controversy has arisen over the identity of her father.

But Gayas Beg has been accepted as her legitimate father by most historians.

Baba also said that alluvial soil is commonly found in most places in India.

At some places like north Bihar, northwest U.P., Himalayan Tarai, Etah and Manipur the presence of sodium nitrate has made the soil useless for agriculture.

This problem can be solved and the land can be reclaimed if acid is used to neutralise the excess of sodium nitrate in the soil.

In the north and east Bengal, alkaline soil has been neutralised by planting pineapple plantations, which need 16 inches of rainfall per year.

This much rainfall is not available in regions of U.P., so Baba suggested that research sould be undertaken to find a proper neutralising agent for the alkaline soil so that it can be fully utilised.

While walking in the garden, Baba pointed to a plant and said that it was vacjayanti.

In Bengali, it is known as Marvajaya but it has no Sanskrit name. Pointing towards another plant, Baba said that it is called Vishalyakaranil or Mrta Sanjiivanii.

Vishalya karanii has been derived from Nishalya Karanil, which helps in joining or healing wounds.

In the epic Ramayana, Hanuman brought this very plant to cure Lakshmana.

Here only the red variety is available, while in Madhu Malanca- Baba’s residence in Calcutta-both varieties can be found.lila India has its own varieties of flora and fauna.

Generally, flora and fauna may be classified into 3 categories:

1. Indian

This is found from Afghanisthan or Gandhar to Teknaff, the border of Chittagong and Burma

2. Malaysian

This is found from Burma to the Phillipines, including Andamans and Nicobar

3. Australian

This is found from the Phillipines to Tasmania.

Pashcatya Prakrit was once spoken in Afghanisthan or Kandahar.

Pashcatya means western or occidental.

Kashmiri, Uzbeki, Tazaki, and all the languages of southern Russia are offshoots of Pashcatya Prakrit.

To the east of Afghanisthan, Paesachi Prakrit was spoken.

• Punjabi, Pahari Punjabi and Dogri are its offshoots.

Bhadrawai is a dialect of Dogri.

• It is a blending of a southern dialect of Kashmiri and a northern dialect of Dogri.

Further east Shaoraseni Prakrit was spoken.

These 3 forms of Prakrit and their offshoots are Vedic languages.

Their vocabulary is full of Sanskrit or Tadbhava words.

‘Khuditaya’ is a popular word in Pahari Punjabi from which ‘Kui’ was derived.

In Punjabi, ‘kui’ is a tadbhava Sanskrit word.

Krishna spoke Shaoraseni Prakrta to the Pandavas but He conversed in Sanskrit with the Kaoravas.

Sarada script was in use until 1,200 years ago and is the oldest script in India.

Shaoraseni was written in Sarada script.

When Baba was told that there was once a sun-temple,beside the pond but that it was destroyed, He said that such desecration destroys valuable historical records.

Idols, as well as ancient temples and manuscripts should be preserved. Those who do not believe in idol-worship should preserve ancient idols in museums.

In Vikramshila and Nalanda, valuable books on Buddhism were destroyed. They were used to cook the food of marauding soldiers. Tibetan translations of these books were discovered in Tibet, but the original Sanskrit books are no longer available.

The language of this area is Haryanvii, which has three dialects: at Ambala, at Alwar which has been influenced by Marwari and Dhundhari, the dialect spoken around Jaipur and A blending of at Baraeli which has been influenced by Avadhi. Haryanvii and Garhwaliis is spoken around Haridwar (UP).

Braja language has its influence over the dialect around Bharatpur. Dhundhari dialect is sweet, though many of the words are not so sweet.

The size of the sacred thread worn around the upper part of the body determines the section of Brahmanas.

Rgvediya Brahmans wear the thread above the waist, Yajurvediya Brahmans. wear the thread just below the neck, and Atharvavediya Brahmans wear it to the waist.

Rgvediya Brahmans and Yajurvediya Brah- mans are mostly vegetarians, while Atharvavediya Brahmans are Hon vegetarians.

If excavations of this place are done, relics and remnants of a period of 200 to 250 years earlier than the Pathan period can be found.