THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC POTENTIAL OF BENGAL official source: Prout in a Nutshell Part 20 cross-references: none this version: is the printed Prout in a Nutshell Part 20, 1st edition, version (spelling mistakes only may have been corrected). I.e., this is the most up-to-date version as of the present Electronic Edition. The poorest districts of Bengal are Bankura and Purulia -- the economic condition of these districts is the worst in the state. Here the people are so poor that they live on grass seeds for three or four months of the year. Other districts like Nadia, Murshidabad, Jalpaguri, Coochbihar, Karcinganja, etc. are better off economically. To make the entire Bangalistan economically self-reliant, two things are important -- self-sufficiency in the production of the minimum requirements of life, and the large scale production of cash crops and non-agricultural products. Both are of paramount importance if the people of Bangalistan are to prosper. Minimum requirements include the provision of adequate food, clothing, housing, education and medical care. To guarantee these minimum requirements, there must be self-sufficiency in the production of staple food items, cloth, housing materials, educational equipment and medicines. In addition, cash crops and non-agricultural products must be produced profitably. Let us discuss each item to examine how the people of Bangalistan can become economically self-reliant. FOOD PRODUCTION The main obstacles to self-sufficiency in food production in Bangalistan are the scarcity of rain in the winter season and the problem of drainage in the rainy season. Bengal often receives a lot of rainfall during the monsoon season, but that is only for six to eight weeks of the year. Due to large scale deforestation, the amount of rainfall has substantially decreased in comparison to the needs of Bengal, and the shortage of rainfall hampers the production of crops. The rivers also do not have plenty of water and the irrigation system does not function well. For want of rain in the winter season, the winter and summer crops suffer terribly. Due to the defective drainage system, the river water is not utilised for the production of food crops. To combat these kinds of adversities, the irrigation system must be thoroughly overhauled. Where there is a continuous scarcity of rainfall in Bengal, particularly in the Ra'r'h area, there should be maximum emphasis on shift and lift irrigation, tank irrigation, small scale river-valley projects, etc. Simultaneously, the rivulets and canals should be properly utilised and the drainage problem should be completely controlled. If the irrigation problem is solved properly, abundant crops can be harvested four times a year. For example, the aman, boro and a'us varieties of paddy can be grown in rotation throughout the year. In 90 days one rice crop can be grown. In Japan here is enormous pressure of population. In British India, the Tripura, Noakhali, Comilla, Chandpur and Brahmanberia areas of East Bengal were over-populated. The density of population in Japan today is much more than in those areas at that time, nevertheless Japan has been able to attain self-sufficiency in food production. The sticky soil of Ra'r'h can hold water for a long time, and such soil is ideal for constructing tanks, pools, reservoirs, dams, etc. Naturally, pisciculture can be developed because water can be conserved in the soil. Moreover, sticky soil is ideal for aman paddy. In some places in North Bengal there is sticky soil, while in other places there is doa'nsh or sticky sandy soil, which is approximately one third sticky and two thirds sandy, as in Dinajpur district. Of all the districts in North Bengal, Dinajpur is the most ideal place for the production of aman paddy. The soil of Bangladesh is generally sandy and is ideal for a'us production. Sticky sandy soil is suitable for a'us and jute. The climate in Tripura is very similar to that of Ra'r'h, but in Tripura the amount of rainfall is greater than in Ra'r'h. Tripura is a rainshadow area. The soil of Tripura is ideal for a'us paddy, summer crops and potato. Jute may be grown, but there will not be an abundant harvest. Chili can be grown in abundance and will have a large market in Bangladesh. Ra'r'h can grow an abundance of mustard seeds, whereas the other regions of Bengal can grow sesame seeds, from which many oil products can be easily made. Sesame is an ideal cash crop. There should be greater emphasis on the production of sugar beet than sugar cane, because the cultivation of sugar cane occupies farm land for a full year. Sugar beet can be grown profitably in the Ayodhya Hills in Purulia district and the Shushunia Hills in Bankura District. Sugar can be easily processed from sugar beet and sweet potato (sha'ka'lu). North Bengal is ideal for the cultivation of tobacco which needs black soil. Ra'r'h has ideal soil for the cultivation of pulses and potato. Usually a damp climate is not congenial for potato cultivation, which is why North Bengal and Assam get their supplies of potato from Birbhum district. Hooghly district supplies potato to Calcutta, Burdwan district does the same for Bihar, and Midnapore does the same for Madhya Pradesh. In the eastern portion of Ra'r'h, potatoes grow quite well. Although Tripura is a rainshadow area, its hills receive substantial rainfall because there is less movement of water vapour in Tripura than in the rest of Bengal. The Cherapunji area of Assam receives the most rainfall in the world, but the adjacent rainshadow area of Shillong receives much less rain. Water vapour condenses into rain on the Cherapunji Hills, consequently little moisture is left for Shillong, which is why the amount of average rainfall in the Cherapunji Hills is 900 inches a year, but the amount of average rainfall in Shillong is only 80 inches a year. One of the main differences between Tripura and Ra'r'h is that Tripura receives much more rain. The weight of one potato is nearly half a kilogram in Ra'r'h, but in Tripura it is much less, however Tripura can grow many more potatoes than Ra'r'h. In fact, Tripura can grow so many potatoes that it can supply Bangladesh and earn a lot of foreign exchange. Tripura can also grow a lot of mustard seeds which can be exported to Bangladesh. The sticky sandy soil of Bangladesh is not suitable for growing mustard seeds. In Tripura the soil is heavier than in Ra'r'h, so Tripura can grow pineapples and bananas. Jackfruit does not require any special soil and it can be grown throughout Bengal. Tea can be grown in Tripura but not very well because it requires sloping hilly land where water does not accumulate and heavy rainfall. The amount of the tea harvest generally depends on the amount of rainfall. Silchar, Karimgarj and Tripura can grow rubber, but the harvest will not be abundant. Jute requires heavy rainfall plus fertile soil, so it will grow better in Maymansingh district than in Tripura. Maymansingh district is called the "Dead Valley of Bramhaputra". A lot of wild arum can also be grown in Tripura. For the cultivation of vegetables, there must be a constant supply of water, but not necessarily rain water. Nadia and Kusthia districts can easily grow abundant vegetables. In these areas cabbages, cotton (cha's ka'pa's and ga'ch ka'pa's) can also be grown abundantly. Nadia and Murshidabad can grow abundant wheat. Cotton can also be grown profitably in Tripura. Rubber cultivation can be done in that part of Tripura which has much rainfall. Coconuts require saline water, hence in the coastal areas of South Bengal many coconuts can be grown. In the entire coastal area of South Bengal -- 24 Paraganas, Noakhali, Chittagong, Coxbazaar and Teknaaf -- coconuts can be grown in abundance. This coastal area is called "Marine Bengal" and is the coconut belt. It can also be utilised for the shipbuilding industry. The Sam'skrta equivalent of coconut is "kalpataru brks'a". In Siliguri, Coochbihar, Cachar and Karimganj the soil is ideal for the cultivation of betel nut. In the same soil black pepper can also be profitably grown. The cultivation of betel leaves requires saline soil, and as such, the soil of the Tamluk sub-division of Midnapore is ideal for betel leaf and it supplies the entire Indian market. All of South Bengal can grow betel leaf. Except jute, all these crops come within the scope of food items. From jute many other subsidiary industries can be developed such as paper, rayon, silk, etc. Paper can be produced from bamboo also, but it will be a little more expensive. The economic planning of the entire Bengal must be done block-wise. The soil and climate of the Rajganj area of South Bengal are not the same as those of Malda and Raiganj in North Bengal, hence the planning in both areas must be different. Although the economic planning of the entire Bengal must be on a large scale, even then there must be block-level planning. Paddy Of all the varieties of grass in the world, bamboo is the tallest. The shortest is durva' grass. "Durva'" is a Sam'skrta word. Durva' grass is quite short and grows in abundance in the Chotanagpur area. Grass of all varieties has medicinal value. There are over 250 varieties of bamboo. Besides this, sugar cane, paddy, vicali and wheat come within the category of grass. People sometimes eat the seeds of certain varieties of grass, but not of all varieties. Although sugar cane produces flowers, we rarely see its seeds. Sugar cane sprouts out of the joints of the plant. Bamboo flowers are not suitable for human consumption. Vicali grass produces tiny seeds, and during times of famine sometimes people survive on vicali grass seeds. Madur grass also produces seeds, but they cannot be eaten by human beings. Paddy, commonly called rice, is the staple food for many people in the world. There are different varieties of paddy. The plants of some varieties are seven to eight feet tall, whereas other varieties are two and a half to three feet tall. Barley is also a kind of grass. Wheat is smaller than barley. Besides this, maize or corn and millet (ba'jra') are also other varieties of grass, but their leaves are more flat. The speciality of corn is not in the tip of the stem like paddy, but in the joints of the stem where the ears grow. Rice, wheat and barley are staple foods. Human beings do not usually eat grass seeds, except during famine. Some local varieties of grass found in Bengal such as shya'ma', na'rka'tia', kaun, kodo, etc. are regarded as food. During periods of extreme food shortages, the seeds of these grasses are eaten. The very poor people of Purulia and Bankura districts live on these grass seeds for up to four months in a year. The Sam'skrta word "dha'nya" means green vegetation. When the Aryans came to India they saw green vegetation for the first time. But there is a difference between the paddy of Bengal and the green vegetation in Sam'skrta vocabulary. Paddy was first seen by the Aryans when they reached Persia, although very little paddy was grown there. The Aryans called paddy "briihi", that is, the crop which has vast potential as a food. Paddy is easily digestible and it also has medicinal value. The English word "rice" came from the Sam'skrta word "briihi" -- after 1000 years "briihi" became "rihi" in Persian, which became "rici" in Old Latin after another 1000 years, and then "rice" in modern English. People produce boiled rice, fried rice, puffed rice, etc. from rice. Wheat increases physical strength, but as it is a bit acidic, it reduces vital energy after the age of 55. According to some people, wheat bread brings strength to the body but dulls the brain, but rice is free from this defect. Rice takes up much room in the stomach, which is why people feel lethargic and sleepy after a meal of rice. When the Aryans entered India, they noticed that the land grew lush green vegetation, so they called it "Harit Dha'nya". This word became "Hariyaha'nna" after 1000 years, then "Hariha'na" after another 1000 years, and now it is "Harayana" -- the land of abundant green vegetation. Paddy had already been used for a long time by the Dravidians and Austrics before the Aryans first saw it. Paddy was the main crop of Ra'r'h. By sowing the paddy seeds in a small plot of land, farmers first prepare the seedlings. In Sam'skrta seedlings are called "a'sphota", and a pit for the seedlings is called "biijatala'". If Sam'skrta had not been the indigenous language of India, how could the illiterate villagers of Ra'r'h know Sam'skrta words before the Aryans entered India? Hence, it is only natural that Sam'skrta was the original language of Ra'r'h, Greater Bengal and India. In Dhanbad, Deoghar, Dumka, Pakurh, Godda, Birbhum and other places in Ra'r'h, words which originated from Sam'skrta are used extensively. When human beings first started to eat a vegetarian diet, they collected fruits, roots and vegetables from trees and plants. Sometimes, they also ate grass seeds. Amongst the grasses, they discovered that the rice seeds do not taste bad, and gradually they became habituated to eating rice regularly. In the stone and bronze ages, people used to collect paddy seeds and remove the husks with stone implements. This process ultimately led to the invention of udukhal and dhenki or improvised husking machines. With the discovery of fire, human beings began to boil rice. They also discovered that rice can be dried in the sun and eaten instead of boiling it. However, rice prepared in this way tends to cause constipation, so people preferred boiled rice. The people of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh are accustomed to sun ried rice. If sun dried rice is eaten after midday, then there is less possibility of getting constipation. People began to fry boiled rice on primitive earth pans, and learnt that fried rice prepared in this way was a bit hard. Consequently, they boiled rice twice, and from this muri or puffed rice was prepared. Moreover, rice was fried on earth pans to prepare khai or whole grain puffed rice. However, the nutritional value of puffed rice is negligible, but it can be used as a breakfast cereal. Thus, people began to prepare different kinds of food from paddy, and this is the reason why intelligent Aryans called rice "briihi". In the primitive stage of agriculture, people used to merely scratch the surface of the soil with a stick or stone implement and scatter the seeds onto the land. When the rain came, the seeds would sprout and in due course, grains and tuber crops would be produced. The people would harvest these crops then burn the stalks which would serve as manure. Gradually the fertility of the soil diminished, so they began to wonder how to nurture the fertility of the soil. Some intelligent people conceived of making deep holes in the soil and extending the area of arable land. In the process, people invented the method of farming the land with ploughs and bullocks. They also discovered that cow dung was an ideal manure. With the help of ploughs, the soil could be tilled deeper and made more fertile. In olden days, people would sometimes let the land lie fallow for one to two years to increase its fertility. This system is practiced even today in some places. Subsequently, people also discovered that if two seeds are sown in the same place, the plants will not grow properly, so they developed the system of planting seedlings so that each seed had its specific place, thus they developed the system of transplantation. This is called "ropana" in Sam'skrta, while sowing seeds is called "vapana". As a result of transplantation, paddy grows healthy and produces large amounts of flowers, the overall growth of the plants reaches the maximum size, and many offshoots grow out of the roots. Through these kinds of discoveries, farmers were able to increase the productivity of the land and get a better harvest from each plant. In Bangladesh it is difficult to transplant seedlings because if the seedlings are prepared in seed beds, they may be drowned due to the extensive rainfall. Consequently, paddy seeds are sown long before the rainy season so that by the time the rain starts, the seedlings will have grown to a suitable height. The rule for growing paddy is this: if the tips are submerged in water due to sudden rainfall, the paddy will decompose and the plants will die, but if the water level is increased gradually, the seedling will keep growing to stay just above the water. Varieties of paddy can be grown in all seasons. A'us is harvested in Bha'dra, but in the rainy season, early autumn and late autumn, aman grows. From the last part of winter to the summer season, boro can be grown. Hence, different varieties of rice can be grown throughout the year. A'us is grown in comparatively dry soil which receives little rain. It prefers sticky sandy soil. If water accumulates in the soil around the roots of the a'us crop, the plants will wither. In Murshidabad, Jessore, Khulna, Nadia and North 24 Paraganas there is plenty of sticky sandy soil. A'us can grow abundantly in these districts. The districts of North Bengal are also fit for a'us cultivation. Sun dried a'us does not cause constipation, but as it is coarse, people do not normally like it, which is why the rich people of Ra'r'h used to donate the a'us crop to the poor people. Out of a'us paddy, good quality bread can be made, and accordingly the bakery industry can be developed in every block and locality. People of average means can eat bread made from a'us flour for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Such bread can be eaten frequently because it is not made of wheat, so regular consumption will not cause acidity. Amongst the rice eaters, the number of intelligent people is high. Rice eaters can also eat a'us bread. The production of a'us will be abundant if it is grown in Vaesha'kha and harvested in Bha'dra. A'us can also be grown in Jye'stha and As'a'dha. In North India a'us is called "bha'doi". In olden days people would cultivate a'us because the early autumn was the lean season and the aman crop was still in the field, so if the a'us could be harvested in the early autumn, they would get some money to pay revenue taxes. In the past, during the festival to worship the snake god, villagers used to cook a'us and prepare vegetables made from arum. There is little risk involved in the cultivation of a'us because the seeds will almost always grow if they are sown in moist soil. Only one or two showers are enough for the plants to grow and flower. During those areas of Ra'r'h where there is chronic drought, a'us can be grown profitably. From a'us husks, brain oil can be made. Like other varieties of rice, a'us has little fat. The cement industry can be developed by using a'us bran and a'us husks mixed with limestone and marine soil. In western Ra'r'h and the coastal region, the cement industry can flourish. Cement made from aman husks is better in quality than that prepared from a'us husks. In olden times people regarded rice husks as god. The name of the daughter of Raja Mansingh of Manbhum district was Tusu. Together with a'us, a pigeon crop of pa'yara' or barley is not very productive, nor should pisciculture be developed, because in the a'us paddy field there is no accumulation of water. In some parts of Bengal the seeds of a'us are sown in the field and not transplanted, because muddy soil is necessary for transplanted a'us. In Bangladesh there is so much water that it is difficult to make mud, so a'us seeds are sown directly in the field before the rainy season. As I said earlier, Murshidabad and Nadia districts have rich sticky sandy soil which is ideal for abundant a'us. These areas can attain self- sufficiency in food production if a'us is cultivated properly. With a little care, the production can be increased from 150% to 200%. A'us straw cannot be used for thatching houses, but it can be used as a cattle fodder. When straw decomposes, it produces a special kind of mushroom called "kavaka" in Sam'skrta. Though it contains some food value, it is a static food and as such is forbidden for A'nanda Ma'rgiis. Good quality paper and nylon may be prepared from a'us straw. Aman can be grown both by sowing the seeds and transplanting the seedlings. As the people of Bangladesh are less industrious than the people of West Bengal, they cultivate aman by sowing the seeds in the field, but if they transplant the seedlings, production will increase. It should be noted that the inhabitants of Bangladesh have less physical endurance than the people of West Bengal due to climatic factors. For the cultivation of aman, the soil should be ploughed four times. The land should be first ploughed in the summer season when the soil is dry, again before the rainy season, then after the rainy season, and finally when transplanting is being done. In Bangladesh, people usually plough the land just once then sow the seeds. The process of cultivating transplanted aman is as follows. First the seeds are sown in the seed beds and allowed to grow for four to six weeks before the seedlings are transplanted. The seedlings should be planted in a triangular formation in two parallel lines, and there should be some water in the field. An aman field should be inundated with water before the time of flowering, and preferably there should be rainfall to nourish the flowers. Without rain, the plants will not flower properly. If the plants flower in A'shvina, after two months the paddy can be harvested. The ka'la' kantik variety of paddy is harvested in Ka'rttika and then the summer crops can be planted. A pigeon crop of the rai variety of mustard, small black peas (t'hikre mat'ar), small black Bengal gram (t'hikre cha'na) or black lentils (t'hikre masoor) can be grown as an associate crop. Where ka'la'ka'rtik paddy has been harvested, green gram (big variety), peas (big variety) and potato can be grown. These days, people prefer the hybrid variety of paddy. After paddy is harvested in October, the summer crop can be grown in the same land. The best time to grow wheat is in Ka'rttika, and if it is grown at this time the harvest will be plentiful, but if wheat is grown in Agraha'yan'a it will be the late variety and the harvest will be less. If hybrid aman is cultivated in Nadia and Murshidabad, it can be harvested before the early variety of wheat is grown, but as the soil is sticky and sandy, the water does not accumulate, hence it is not ideal for the aman crop. The soil of Ra'r'h is sticky, so it retains water, hence there are more ponds and tanks in Ra'r'h than in other parts of Bengal. In Burdwan district there are over 25,000 ponds and in Purulia district over 10,000 ponds, so the soil of Ra'r'h is very congenial for the cultivation of aman paddy. When it is time for the aman paddy to flower, seedlings of a'us should be grown in comparatively high land. As soon as aman is harvested, the vacant field should be ploughed and the a'us seedlings transplanted. This crop will be winter a'us. By the time winter a'us is harvested, boro seedlings should be separately planted in the same land. As aman occupies the land for four months, upto six weeks can be taken to prepare the seedlings, so then the paddy will grow in the field for only two and a half months. Boro requires three times more water than wheat, hence it is more profitable to grow wheat in Nadia and Murishidbad districts than boro. Where deep tube wells are available, boro can also be grown. In the boro fields, pisciculture may also be developed. As there is plenty of water in aman and boro paddy land, people can profitably grow nayata, khyara, kunti, kharshota (different varieties of fry), which lay their eggs in ponds. The people of Ra'r'h do not relish dry fish, but dried fish can be prepared in Ra'r'h and exported to other regions. They should cultivate fry but not big fish like bata, pabda, carp, etc. The soil of Ra'r'h can produce bumper harvests if it is properly irrigated. Burdwan, Hooghly and Howrah districts produce abundant boro. The straw of the aman paddy can be used for thatching houses, as a cattle fodder, and in the paper industry. The straw of boro paddy is not very healthy, and even cows refuse to eat it, nor can it be used for thatching, but it can be used for producing good quality paper and nylon fibres. It can also be used to grow mushrooms. When boro straw decomposes it produces high quality mushrooms. In northern India a'us is called autumn paddy; aman is winter paddy and boro is summer paddy. The outer skin of the aman paddy can be used to produce best quality cement. In the district of Nadia, three to four cement industries can profitably run from the winter paddy crop. In the adjacent district of 24 Paraganas, lime made from the shells of small snails and shell fish can be manufactured and supplied to Nadia district. So in 24 Paraganas the lime industry can be developed to supply Nadia district, thus two districts can develop their industrial potentiality. Before the partition of Bengal, boro was widely cultivated in Bangladesh, particularly in the Kishanganj sub-division of Maymansingh district and the Habiganj sub-division of Sylhet district. These days even Ra'r'h is growing a lot of boro. Pulses do not require much water, but wheat needs to be irrigated three times during its growing cycle. Boro needs three times more water than wheat. Hence in sandy and sticky sandy soil, one should not cultivate boro because water does not accumulate at the root of the plant. But boro is profitable, which is why if farmers get the scope to cultivate it they do not grow wheat. Wheat requires cold weather as it matures, but it is adversely affected by extreme cold. In foggy weather potato is also infected with diseases. Let the farmers grow boro on most of their land, wheat in smaller areas, and a'us in the barren, dry land. Aman husks can be utilised to manufacture bran oil, while the straw can be used in the paper industry. As a general rule it is always more profitable to establish an industry in the local area where there is a ready supply of raw materials than to transport the raw materials to some distant place. While cultivating a'us in Ra'r'h, the farmers should pay special attention to transplanted a'us than to sown a'us, because transplanted a'us is more productive. Flour can be made from the outer skins of aman and used to manufacture good quality bread which will have a large market. Madras has already established factories to produce biscuits from aman flour. Bengal can do the same. China produces more rice than any other country in the world, followed by Burma, India and then Thailand. Since China and India have to feed huge populations, they cannot export rice to other countries, whereas Burma and Thailand can export rice because their populations are much less. The Philippines, Taiwan and Japan are self-sufficient in rice production. In Bengal most rice is produced in Burdwan, Birbhum and West Dinajpur, followed by Midnapore, Bankura and Coochbihar. Jalpaguri, Darjeeling, Murshidabad and Nadia are the deficit districts. The soil of North Bengal, Bangladesh and Assam is very good for growing sesame. Sesame is of three varieties -- the red variety, which grows in winter; the white variety, which grows in summer; and the black variety, which grows in the rainy season. Sesame does not grow well in a damp climate. The skin of sesame can be used as good quality manure. It can also be used to make oil cake, which is both a good cattle fodder and also a manure. Sesame can also be used as flour to produce bread, pudding and porridge. It is easy to remove the skin of sesame. Simply soak the seeds in water overnight, put them in hessian cloth and rub them. The skin will automatically drop off. Skinless sesame are used for preparing some delicacies like til sandesh, the famous sweet of Burdwan, and tilkut, the most delicious sweet of Gaya district of Bihar. Sesame is a three month crop. The land should be ploughed three times and irrigated twice. Black sesame is the best variety. Its oil is a good medicine for those who get angry easily. White and red sesame can be used to make edible oil. Sesame oil can be utilised as a scented oil, because it has a tremendous capacity to absorb different fragrances. Coconut oil has the least capacity to absorb fragrances, but it is the best hair oil. White sesame looks good. Some of the delicacies produced in Lucknow are prepared with white sesame. Because much of the land in North Bengal and Bangladesh remains under water or contains much flowing water in certain periods of the year, it is difficult to develop pisciculture, and so the dried fish industry cannot be developed. In West Bengal there are many canals which is why there much fish is produced which can be easily exported to Burma, Thailand and Japan. Land which cannot be ploughed and is not suitable for paddy can be utilised for pigeon crops. On the boundaries of the aman paddy land, Bengal gram can be grown in abundance. From the same land paddy, fry and gram can be cultivated, hence people can produce rice, fish and pulse simultaneously. Liquid manure should be added to the paddy field after the weeds have been pulled out, otherwise the weeds will absorb the manure from the soil. Similarly, before sowing pigeon crops manure should be added to the soil, otherwise the pigeon crops will absorb the nutrients that are intended to fertilize the paddy. The pigeon crops should be sown after the paddy flowers. If they are sown earlier, the small fish in the paddy fields will not be able to move freely, restricting both their growth and the growth of the paddy. Cashew nut processing plants may be established in Midnapore, particularly in the Ramnagar, Sutahata and Nandigram blocks. Cashew nut flowers should not be separated from the fruit. Floral nectar can be gathered from the flowers, which can also be utilised for the preparation of alcohol through fermentation for the pharmaceutical industry. Seaweed can be gathered from the coastal areas of Bengal to manufacture iodine. The tobacco processing industry can be developed in Coochbihar and Bankura. Silk spinning mills can be established at Malda, Sujagang, the Jangiaur and Lalbag sub-divisions of Murshidabad, Vasoa Vishipur in Birbhum district and the Visnupur sub-division of Bankura district. Wheat Wheat is the second most popular staple food in the world after rice. When the Aryans were living in Central Asia, they were only acquainted with barley. They first came in contact with wheat after coming to Persia. Barley has food value but it does not taste as good as wheat. Barley is prepared by removing the skin of the grain. If the skin is not removed and the whole grain is fried and ground, fried whole grain flour will be made. In olden times wheat was ground by using hand grinding machines because there were no mills. When the Aryans came to Persia they discovered wheat and liked its good taste, so they began to search for a suitable name for this new grain. The delicious taste of a food is experienced by the tongue. The Sam'skrta synonym for tongue is "go", and that which brings good taste to the tongue is called "godhu'ma" in Sam'skrta. "Dhu'ma" means merriment, festivity or delight. The Sam'skrta word "godhu'ma" was later transformed into "gohuma", then into "gaham". In Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, it is called "gehuma". In Ra'r'h and Orissa, it is called "gaham". In Bengal "gam". In Punjab, it is called "kanaka". Mature wheat is golden in colour, hence it is called "komaka", which means golden colour. In Tamil it is called "godhuma'i". In English, "wheat". The abstract nouns of the adjective `white' are "whiteness" and "wheat". In certain places "godhu'ma" looks white, so it was called "wheat" in Old English. After the Aryans came to India, they noticed an abundant growth of wheat in the western regions. In southern India wheat was totally unknown. Usually wheat requires fertile soil, plain land, less water and a cool breeze. Of course these days there is some cultivation of wheat in South India. Wheat is a summer crop. It requires less water -- it is enough if the soil is moist -- but it needs a cool breeze. The best time for cultivating summer crops is when the sun begins to move towards the north for people in the southern hemisphere, and when the sun begins to move towards the south for people in the northern hemisphere. In India, by the time the sun moves south of the equator, the harvesting of wheat should have been completed. Wheat is a three month crop. During the cultivation of wheat the land should be irrigated three times for the best harvest -- once before planting, once while the crop is growing, and once while the crop is flowering. Wheat needs fertile land, but the soil must be sticky and sandy. If water accumulates at the root of the plant, it will wither and die. In those areas of Ra'r'h where sticky sandy soil is available, wheat grows well. The best places for cultivating wheat in Bengal are Malda district, the Lalgola and Baharampur sub-divisions of Murshidabad district, Nadia district, North 24 Paraganas, and the northern part of Jessore and Khulna districts in Bangladesh. The soil and climate of Bangladesh is not suitable for growing wheat. Even if the plants grow, the seeds will be susceptible to fungus because of the damp climate. But in Kusthia district, wheat may be grown. This district was formerly part of Nadia district. In Faridpur and Dacca districts, wheat will not grow because the climate is damp. For the same reason wheat cannot be grown properly in Assam and certain parts of North Bengal. If wheat is grown in these places seeds will not be produced, and even if the seeds are formed, they will be susceptible to fungus. In Bihar, ideal wheat production is not possible in Magadh, but Mithila can produce bumper crops. Uttar Pradesh and Harayana will have good harvests, but the best state to grow wheat in India is the Punjab. Of all the districts of the Punjab, Ludhiana always has the most outstanding harvests. In Bengal, Memari-1 block of Burdwan can produce the most wheat. Galsi-2 block is ideal for yellow mustard, and the Jamalpur area of Burdwan and Farukhabad of Uttar Pradesh can produce the most potato. Wheat can be used to make flour and porridge. Whole grain wheat flour or coarse flour is good for the stomach, but flour produced by removing the skin of wheat is not. Of all the districts in Bengal, wheat grows well in the inland slopey land and the land adjacent to rivers in Malda district, the Lalbag and Berhampore sub-divisions of Murshidabad district, the entire Nadia district, the entire 24 Paraganas district, and eastern and western Ra'r'h. Bankura district supplies the best wheat seeds in Bengal. After harvesting high-breed aman, that is, aman paddy which comes from a bumper crop, the empty land should be ploughed twice at right angles, then the land will not require leveling. At the time of the second ploughing, the seeds should be sown. When they sprout, the first irrigation should be done. The best time for sowing wheat is when Libra remains at 90 degrees with Scorpio and Sagittarius, which is in the Bengali months of Ka'rttika, Agraha'yan'a and Paus'a. The early variety of wheat must be sown between the first of Ka'rttika and the middle of Agraha'yan'a, and the late variety can be sown up to the 7th of Paus'a. If adequate irrigation can be arranged in Rar'h, wheat can be easily grow there. Small scale irrigation projects should be undertaken for rivers like the Mayu'raks'ii Kopa'i, Ajay, Bakreswar, Dwaraka, Barakar, Kansai, Kumarii, Dulung, Keleghai, Chhotkiguayai, Bar'hkiguayai, Survarnarekha, etc. in Ra'r'h. In these small irrigation projects, the authorities should not construct large dams, rather they should confine their expenditure to 2.5 million rupees to 50 million rupees. As far as the standard of soil for wheat production is concerned, Samatat or Bhagr'i is the best, then East Rar'h, then North Bengal. Due to the damp climate of North Bengal, wheat seeds are easily susceptible to fungus. Wheat production per acre in Jalpaguri is half the quantity produced in Nadia district. Nitrogen which increases the fertility of soil is produced at the root of all the pulse crops. In wheat fields, pulses should be grown as associate crops, as this will automatically increase the production of wheat. According to the seasonal schedule of wheat planting, the relevant pulse should be planted as a blended crop. That is, early wheat should be grown with early pulses and late wheat with late pulses. The ra'i variety of mustard is also nitrogenous. If 90% of a field is cultivated with wheat and 10% with pulses, farmers will get the equivalent of 100% wheat production as well as the 10% production of pulse, thus increasing the overall productivity. This is due to the effect of the nitrogen. Hence the pulse crops will provide extra profit for the farmers. The disadvantage with wheat is that when the wheat grain is growing but not yet fully matured and the easterly wind blows, the wheat will not ripen properly and fungus will affect the seeds. However, if the westerly wind blows, it will be extremely beneficial for the crop. As wheat depends on a cool breeze, with the increase in the coolness of the climate, the productivity of the crop increases, but with the decrease in the coolness it decreases. However, if there is snow or heavy frosts, then the wheat crop will be destroyed. In wheat cultivation manure is also important. The nutritional value of wheat is slightly more than that of sun dried rice. In Bengal, Samatat has the maximum potential to produce wheat, but it does not have an adequate river irrigation system. But by God's blessing, the water level in this area is not very low, so the farmers can cultivate wheat with the help of shallow tube wells. There is an extensive market for wheat throughout the world. Those areas of Ra'r'h where the soil is yellow are not suitable for the cultivation of mustard seeds. Wheat requires fertile soil, but soil which contains lots of pebbles and stones. Where the climate is very cold, barley rather than wheat can be produced. In the soil of Bangladesh sesame grows quite well. The areas where the climate is a bit warm is good for barley, but wheat cannot grow in such conditions. Countries which have much cold cannot grow wheat, but oats can grow well. The nutritional value of oats is less than that of wheat but nearly as much. Oats have large coarse grains, so it is difficult to make bread from oats. Oat bread will usually crumble into pieces and the slices will not remain intact. In spite of excellent crops of wheat and rice, the farmers of Uttar Pradesh eat coarse grain. The large variety of oats is called "jaori" and the small variety is called "rye" in Sam'skrta. Some people consider these as completely separate varieties. In rich countries oats are used as fodder. In Great Britain, England is fertile but Scotland is infertile, hence wheat grows well in England but oats are grown in Scotland. Oats are also grown in the northern parts of Russia. Oat porridge is a staple food of the Scottish people. Sometime ago India was dependent upon other countries for the supply of wheat but now it is self-sufficient in wheat production. Bengal grows a lot of wheat. When Bengal started producing wheat in Nadia district about 30 years ago, the wheat seeds were mixed with oat seeds. As a result the oats began to grow better but they did not produce seeds, while the wheat did not grow properly and produced only small harvests. Consequently, the government decided to supply better quality wheat seeds to the farmers. Wheat is also grown in Burdwan, Hooghly and Howrah districts. The cultivation of boro is quite profitable. In western Ra'r'h wheat grows better than boro, but in the low lying areas boro may be cultivated. In Nadia district wheat is more profitable than boro. Nowadays boro is being cultivated with the help of deep tube wells but this system of irrigation is not scientific. The same amount of water which is brought to the surface does not seep back down into the water table because much of the water dries up due to the hot sunshine or is absorbed by the trees and plants. Hence the water table is rapidly declining. If the practice of deep tube well irrigation continues in Malda, Nadia and other districts, the water table will decline so much that one day there will be no water for irrigation, and the grain crops and fruit orchards will wither and die. The farmers must be very vigilant about this problem. The wisest approach is to depend upon river water for irrigation. To save the Calcutta Port, the navigability of the Bha'gikathii river must be maintained at any cost. The Government of India constructed the Farakka bridge to divert water to the Calcutta Port. Today Bangladesh should get as much water as India through the Bha'gikathii, otherwise the rivers in Bangladesh will dry up and the economy of the country will be ruined. So the waters of the Bramhaputra should be diverted toward Rampur, Dinajpur, Malda (Manikchok) and finally merge in the Ganges. The natural course of the Bramhaputra flows through Dugri, South Shalmara, Mankachar and on to Maymansingh. From there the river flows towards Bahadurabad, takes a left turn and proceeds towards Bhaeraubazar and eventually arrives at Mezra. From here the Bramhaputra commences a new course via Pabna and Sirajgunge. Even 150 years ago, this course of the river was non-existent. Once the Tista river was heavily flooded and the Bramhaputra could not absorb the extra flow of water, so a new course was created because the river turned right and went all the way to Goalanda in Bangladesh and then merged into the river Padma. The old course of the river became a stagnant lake. As a result there was a devastating outbreak of malaria in Maymansingh. The water in the newly created section of the Bramhaputra has been well utilised by the people of Bangladesh. The water of the Bramhaputra can be easily diverted at Dhubri and this will not cause any difficulty for Bangladesh. Hence, in my opinion the people of Nadia should not unnecessarily bother about installing many new shallow and deep tube wells for irrigation. Although the nutrition value of wheat is higher than that of sun dried rice, wheat causes acidity. After about 50 to 55 years of age people who eat wheat excessively may get affected by gastric trouble, colic pain, etc. Sometimes one may even be affected by tuberculosis and a malnourished brain. So wheat only should not be eaten twice a day. The people of Bihar undertake a lot of physical labour, but they eat wheat during the day and rice at night. It is not profitable to prepare paper from wheat stalks, but they can be used for fodder. Wheat husks are not good for pigeons and parrots because they will cause the birds stomach trouble. Poppy seeds can be cultivated with wheat as an associate crop. It is difficult to distinguish between the seeds of wheat and oats. The Government of West Bengal should open a farm in Bankura to grow wheat seeds for cultivation throughout the state. Poppy seed is a favourite item of the people of Ra'r'h. West Bengal buys at least 15 million rupees worth of poppy seed a year, but the Central Government does not allow the people of North Bengal to grow poppy seeds. There is a popular myth which says that if a wage labourer in Ra'r'h earns eight paisa a day he will save three paisa and shop with five paisa, buying three paisa of rice, one paisa of oil, salt and spices, and one paisa of poppy seeds. The people of Ra'r'h can forego fish, meat, etc. but they cannot do without poppy seeds. The seeds of poppy are sentient, the plant is mutative and the sap is static. Poppy sap is intoxicating, hence it is called "ahiphena" in Sam'skrta. "Ahi" means snake and "phena" means foam. The English word opium comes from the Sam'skrta word "ahiphena". The seeds of almost all grasses are sentient. Sun dried rice which is usually prepared by soaking paddy and drying it in the sunshine is also sentient. The women of the carpenter families in rural Bengal usually prepare beaten rice. If cooked rice is soaked in water overnight together with tamarind it ferments, and the next morning if the water is poured off and used with salt and chili, it is called "a'ma'ni" which is static. A'ma'ni is a medicine which prevents sunstroke. Coca-cola, campa-cola, etc. are mutative. Monks, nuns, missionaries, widows and probationary monks and nuns should avoid static and mutative food. Fresh wheat is sentient but when it is fermented for the purpose of preparing alcohol it becomes static. All liquor or alcohol prepared by distilling wheat is static. The distilling machine was invented by the Buddhist monk Nagarjuna. Wheat porridge is sentient, but beer is static. Wheat has two main varieties -- dudhiya and lalka (early and late) varieties. Lalka is the more tasty variety. Today people are trying to increase the production of wheat, but the wheat which is grown today is not as tasty as it used to be. Personally, I am in favour of encouraging science, hence I would like to appeal to the agricultural scientists to pay as much attention to the taste of wheat as to the amount of production. Oats Oats and rye make good fodder, particularly in rich countries, where they are often used as fodder for horses. In India the poor people also eat these grains. Rotten wheat flour which even animals refuse to eat is sometimes used for food in the poor countries of Asia. Maize Maize or corn is a typical American grain and was brought to India from the U.S. It grows all the year round and takes 60 to 80 days to mature. In some parts of India a particular variety called "Rajendra Bhutta" takes about 50 days to grow, but the quantity of production is low. This variety of maize was named after the first president of India, Dr. Rajendra Prasad. Maize prefers fertile soil and a dry climate. Water must not accumulate at the root of the plant. Conversely, jute requires a damp climate and plenty of rain. By grinding maize we get coarse flour, but it is difficult to prepare small pieces of bread from this. Big pieces of bread can be made with some effort. Maize bread is called "manda" or "man'ra" in Angika. If the skin of maize is removed, ordinary quality flour can be produced. Some dishonest business men mix maize flour with the flour of other grains. Maize flour is not very good at holding water. Corn is often fried in a pan to make popped corn which does not have much taste but is nutritious. Pop corn can also be turned into beaten corn, just like beaten rice, but the corn should be soaked in water and boiled before preparing beaten corn. Japan is a rich country, yet the breakfast commonly eaten by the people is corn flakes. Bihar and Assam in India import rice from other states of the country, but Uttar Pradesh does not import rice because the people there eat less rice. The Burdwan district produces two and a half times more rice than what is required by the local people. If there are good rains in Bankura, Purulia and Coochbihar during the paddy season, these districts will not suffer from deficit production. But Howrah, 24 Paraganas, Nadia, Murshidabad, Malda, Jalpaguri and Darjeeling districts are always deficit areas. Of these districts, Darjeeling is a hilly region and enough maize grows here to supply food for only five months of the year. The food supply for the other months of the year comes from the plains of Bengal. As Burdwan district gets water from the Damodar Valley Corporation, it can produce three paddy crops -- aman, a'us and boro. Howrah district can easily produce three paddy crops in a year also and be self-sufficient in food production. Maize is an all-season crop which can also grow in barren soil. In Darjeeling, as the land is hilly, maize should be grown by terracing the land. Winter paddy is grown almost everywhere in Bangalistan in early or late autumn, so there is not much scope for the cultivation of maize. During the other seasons like spring and summer maize can be cultivated, or it can be grown as a buffer or boundary crop between two other crops. Some people think that in the Bhutan plateau no crop other than maize can be grown, hence they say that it is wise to cultivate as much maize as possible. Maize is called "makai'" in Hindi but in Bengali it is called "bhutta'". In those parts of India where the climate is dry and the rainwater does not accumulate, maize can grow in abundance. Pulses The consumption of static types of animal protein by human beings is slowly but surely coming to an end because there is a shortage of pasture land to graze animals. Even a few decades ago in India there used to be large open fields to graze cattle. People would collect the cow dung and use it as manure. Due to the increase in population and other natural factors, these vast pasture lands are fast disappearing, so cows and buffaloes are also disappearing. Fish, meat, eggs, milk, cream, butter and cheese are all animal proteins. Milk, cream, butter, etc. contain much fat. If the present trends continue, in the not too distant future animal proteins may not be available at all. Different countries have different types of staple foods. For instance, rice is the staple food of Bengal; potato is the staple food of Ireland; and bread and butter are the staple foods of some other countries. A time will come when the population of the meat eating countries will be in great trouble due to the absence of animal proteins. Cows can be tied to a fixed place but sheep require vast tracts of land. Similarly, in the absence of suitable pasture land, it will be impossible to rear goats, hens and ducks. Naturally, we will have to depend more on pulses as the only viable alternative to animal protein and fats. Of all the states in India, Gujarat has the most vegetarians. The people there depend upon vegetarian protein like pulses and prepare various food items with pulse powder. Pulse cakes are a very good food for post-convalescent tuberculosis patients. In Bangalistan, the most readily available pulses are first Bengal gram (cha'na'), then cow pea (ar'ahar), then green gram (moog), then lentil (masoor), then peas (mat'ar), then kurti. Of all the pulses, black gram (biri kala'i), Bengal gram, cow pea and green gram have the most food value. Cow pea provides reserve energy and physical strength, while green gram supplies instant energy but no reserve energy. Black gram provides both. Cow pea is more difficult to digest than green gram, but Bengal gram is even more difficult to digest. Black gram is comparatively easy to digest. The quantity of pulses grown in Bangalistan at present can only meet the demands of the people for five months of the year. The rest of the demand is met by importing pulses from other states of India. In Bengal only Nadia district is self-sufficient in pulse production. Malda and Murshidabad somehow manage to meet their own needs if all the varieties are taken together. As far as black gram is concerned, Birbhum, Burdwan, West Dinajpur and Coochbihar are self-sufficient. A certain amount of black gram is exported to the Punjab and Tamil Nadu from West Bengal. If the people of Ra'r'h do not eat poppy seeds, pulses or plum chutney, they will not feel like their diet is balanced, but if they overeat these items from the early spring to the end of summer, the dry and rough climate of Ra'r'h will affect their health and blood will flow from their noses. The nutrition in lentils is less than in the other pulses, while overeating peas leads to skin allergies. All lentils are mutative during the day and static at night. Pulses get sour at night and then become reddish. Those who want to develop their intellect should refrain from eating lentils. Widows should also avoid lentils. As lentils tend to be static, A'nanda Ma'rgiis should avoid them too. After harvesting a'us or aman paddy, the field should be carefully ploughed and the big variety of pink Bengal gram, the big variety of peas and the big variety of green gram should be sown. For three to four months after harvesting aman, there is no water in the fields, but during the early part of A'shvina, the soil remains somewhat muddy and sticky. At that time the small variety of Bengal gram, peas, lentils and horse gram should be soaked in water overnight, and after they have sprouted, they should be sown as pigeon crops. Just as food grains are scattered before pigeons, the seeds of some pulse crops are scattered in a field as pigeon crops or secondary crops. The big variety of gram cannot be sown as a secondary crop because in the month of A'shvina the paddy grows quite tall, so the sunrays cannot penetrate through the paddy to the field, hence the seeds of the pigeon crop will not sprout. Black Bengal gram, black pea and lentil can be used as pigeon crops. The leaves of the small variety of peas are a little bitter and are harmful for the stomach. When paddy is harvested the tops of the pulses are cut off, so new offshoots grow from the pulse stalks. This process produces a large number of new offshoots to grow from the stalks, increasing the overall production of the crop. The offcuts can be used for fodder. It is not necessary to apply fresh manure at this time because the pulses will extract what they need from the unconsumed nutrients still in the soil from the previous manuring. After the secondary crop is harvested in the month of Pha'lguna, mustard and summer soybean can be grown in the same field. Usually, at this time, most of the land in Bengal does not lie fallow. After the a'us paddy is harvested, the land should be ploughed twice, and then the large varieties of pea and Bengal gram are grown, provided there is adequate provision for irrigation. The big variety of pea, Bengal gram and lentils are white, pink and red respectively. When pulses are ground by hand they split in two, but if they are ground in an improvised grinding machine with sand, they will not split apart. If khesa'ri is over eaten, it is harmful for the stomach. Khesa'ri does not smell or taste good, and it sometimes causes paralysis because it contains poison. Just below the skin and just above the surface of the pulse poison develops, and this is what causes paralysis. I heard that the government had developed a variety of khesa'ri which is not bad for the stomach. If one wants to avoid the adverse effects of khesa'ri, it should be soaked overnight and thoroughly washed the next morning. By this procedure the poisonous substance on the pulse will be washed off. In Rajanagar, Dubrajpur, Mamudbazar, Murarai and Rampurhat blocks, pulses can be grown after the paddy is harvested. The chaff of khesa'ri is a good fodder for cattle. Pulses are very nutritious for human beings. The water and air of Ra'r'h are good for health, and the people of Ra'r'h have a strong physical structure. But as they do not get nutritious food, they do not get the scope to develop properly. The people of Purulia, Bankura and other adjoining districts easily contract leprosy because they lack nutritious food. Although there is poverty in Birbhum district, the people there do not suffer from leprosy. The reason is that the subterranean soil of Birbhum district contains a lot of sulphur. The Sam'skrta word for pea is "kal'aya", and the Sam'skrta words for Bengal gram are "canaka" and "bun't'ika". From canaka comes the North Indian word "cha'na'", and from bun't'ika comes "but". Cha'na' is the big variety of Bengal gram. The Sam'skrta word for khesa'ri is "triputi" and the English is horse gram. The Sam'skrta for biri kala'i is "mas'a kala'ya" and the English term is black gram. On elevated land in moderately fertile soil black gram grows well. Associate crops like soybean, ground nut and sunflower can also be grown. Black gram takes four to five months to grow. If the land is manured excessively, pulses will grow very large but they will not produce seeds, so the branches should be cut. The offcuts can be used for fodder. Similarly, if paddy land is manured excessively, the plants will grow very large but the harvest will be less. Moog or green gram has several varieties. Sona' moog or golden gram grows all the year round, but it should not be grown in the rainy season. It is better not to grow green gram in land which can grow black gram, because green gram can be grown throughout the year while black gram grows only once a year. Green gram can be grown as an associate or secondary crop with any other crop, and the plants are good fodder for cattle. When the seeds mature, then the plant should be harvested. The different between green gram and other varieties of pulses is that the seeds of green gram can be readily separated by tapping the plant lightly. In the early part of the rainy season the seeds of ar'ahar or cow pea are spread on the soil. Cow pea has two main varieties -- maghii or late winter and chaetii or late spring. In the Balagarh sub-division of Hooghly district and in Nadia and Murshidabad districts, these pulses grow easily. Castor can be grown with cow pea as an associate crop, ensuring that every piece of land is properly utilised. A'us can also be grown simultaneously. In the month of Ka'rttika the land can also be used for tuber crops like sweet potato and red potato. Both crops can be grown together. In Nadia district cow pea and a'us are usually grown together. In all the high arid land of West Ra'r'h, a'us and cow pea can be grown together. The land should be occupied all the year round. Silk worms which live on castor leaves can also provide a lot of silk, and much cheap silk can be gathered in this way and used for clothing. Castor is both a cash crop and a food crop. Tobacco Dumka, Dunbad, Purulia, Singbhum, Bankura, Jharagram and West Burdwan were all full of kendu trees. These trees also grow in Birbhum district. The great poet Jayadeva was born in a village called Kenduvilla. In Calcutta, the kendu fruit is called "ga'b" and in Ra'r'hi Bengali "kend". Bidis or country cigarettes can be made from kendu leaves. As long as the bidi industry remains intact, kendu leaves will be used commercially in Ra'r'h and other parts of India. After people stop smoking bidis, the kendu leaves will lose their commercial importance. Bidis are cheap stimulants for the poor people. When the people will realise that smoking bidis is detrimental to their health, they will act according to the principles of psycho-economy and reject kendu leaves on the one hand and tobacco on the other. At that time the tens of thousands of labourers who work in the bidi industry will have to be provided with alternative employment. They will not be able to depend upon the supply of foreign tobacco to manufacture cigarettes. The tobacco produced in Burma and some other countries is of better quality than Indian tobacco. The custom of chewing dokta or tobacco leaves by young women is gradually dying out. The people of North India are also discarding the habit of chewing tobacco. As long as people in India continue to smoke bidis, tobacco will be grown in India and the forestry departments of different states will earn some revenue by selling kendu leaves. At present, Purulia, Dhanbad, Baharampur, Manbazar, Bar'abazar, Jhargram, Visnupur, Malda, Dhuliar and Pakur are prominent centres for the bidi industry. Most of the people involved in this industry are tribals and Bengali Muslims. Recently, some people of the Mahato community have also become engaged in this industry. Most of the labourers working in this industry suffer from lung diseases. CLOTHING The clothing that people wear in a particular region depends upon two factors -- the local climate and the availability of raw materials to make fibre. Let us discuss these factors in the context of Bangalistan. The raw materials available in Bangalistan are mainly of four types -- cotton, mulberry silk, non-mulberry silk, synthetic silk and other materials. Cotton Cotton is of two types -- ga'ch ka'pa's and cha's ka'pa's -- tree cotton and bush cotton respectively. Cotton trees bear fruit after three to four years and then die. They require a dry climate to grow properly, so Ra'r'h and Tripura may grow cotton trees, but Burdwan and Purulia in Ra'r'h are the ideal places. This variety of cotton is also called "dev ka'pa's". In Murshidabad, Nadia and Dacca cotton trees will not grow well, but from these areas high quality silk cloth was once exported to overseas countries. Even today expert silk weavers can still be found in this area. Silk fibres usually come from Malda, Bankura, etc. Those districts are not famous for tree cotton but are ideal for bush cotton. Punjab, Harayana and Maharastra grow bush cotton. Cotton trees may grow, but not very well. During the Pathan rule in India, North Bengal and Tripura were famous for manufacturing fine silk clothing. Bush cotton can grow very well in Ra'r'h and Tripura. After the hybrid paddy is harvested, bush cotton can be grown from November to February in vacant paddy land, and simultaneously sweet potato can be grown. From sweet potato we can get four types of by- products -- raw sugar, molasses, yeast and alcohol. Ra'r'h and Tripura can grow both tree cotton and bush cotton, whereas North Bengal and Bangladesh can only grow bush cotton. Mulberry Silk Mulberry silk can grow well in Ra'r'h and to some extent in Central Bengal, Tripura and North Bengal. If mulberry silk is grown in Tripura, a lot of money can be earned. The climate of most parts of Bangladesh is not suitable for mulberry silk, but the climate of Rajahsahi, Rongpur, Dinajpur, Jessore and Kustia is somewhat dry, so these areas can easily grow mulberry silk. Mulberry silk can be used to produce two types of high quality silk wrappers -- fine quality silk and rough quality silk. Fine silk can be produced in two colours -- milk white and cream. Fine silk is called "garad" while rough silk is called "matka". Rough silk is used to produce pants and jackets and is usually a dark colour. Non-Mulberry Silk In North Bengal, Tripura and Bangladesh, non-mulberry silk will grow very well. Non-mulberry silk includes tasar, endy and muga. Endy can be grown from castor trees, muga from morunga or drumstick trees and tasar from sal, plum, acasia, etc. Tasar is of two types -- one is fine and subtle, and the other fine and coarse. The fine tasar can be used to make shawls and the coarse to make coats, etc. Synthetic Silk and Other Materials Nylon, rayon and jute's-wool come within this category. Nylon fibres can be made out of coconut fibres, paddy husks and jute. Rayon can be made from jute skin, pineapple leaves and banana stalks. Tripura enjoys special providential favour in this regard. The nylon and rayon industries can make enormous profits. Ra'r'h and Tripura can also produce good quantities of wool because they have sufficient pastures to graze cattle and sheep. It is not difficult to rear sheep in Ra'r'h. By mixing the wool of Ra'r'h and Tripura and nylon made from the jute of Central Bengal, jute's-wool can be produced and used to make high quality warm clothing. Jute's-wool cloth will be very useful for the people of Bengal in winter. We can get four by-products from jute -- course fibre which can be used for making hessian cloth, carpets, suiting and shirting. Spinning mills for manufacturing suiting and shirting should be well-established. Clothes can be made in every house as a cottage industry, and women and children can also participate. In every sub-division of Bengal there should be at least one spinning mill. These days fine fibres are being produced from linseed, lady's fingers and sesame, and are sent to Ahmedabad to produce fine cloth. Throughout West Bengal, linen cloth can be prepared in abundance. Linseed and sesame skins can also be used as an alternative food to coarse wheat flour. From linseed we can get four by-products -- fertilizer, food, oil and fibres. From lady's finger we can also get four similar by-products. For making shoes, we can also produce plastic from mesta' pa't or coarse jute. Plastic can also be made from hyacinth. Mesta' pa't is not really jute, but is called jute. The Sam'skrta term for real jute is called "patta" or "kas't'a'". 3000 to 4000 years ago the women of Bengal used to wear fine jute clothing. BUILDING MATERIALS Building materials include vehicle building materials, house building materials and other building materials. Vehicle Building Materials Vehicle building materials include shipbuilding materials. Bengal has an old tradition of shipbuilding. Since the Vedic Age, more than 5000 years ago, the engineers of Bengal knew how to build ships. Most of the shipbuilding yards were located in South Bengal -- Midnapore, Howrah and 24 Paraganas. Midnapore was in Dandabhukti, Howrah was within Burdwan Bhukti and 24 Paraganas was within Nadia or Samatat Bukti. In Kulna, Bakharganja (the old name was Chandradipa), Noakhali (the old name was Bhalluka; later it became Bhulua) and Chittagong in Bangladesh there were shipbuilding centres. The engineers of these regions were expert in shipbuilding. As a huge stock of gara'n or sundari wood was available in South Bengal which was ideal for shipbuilding, the industry thrived. Boats and small ships were made with gara'n wood. Carpenters and fishermen would make small fishing boats with this wood. Even today, plenty of wood necessary for building boats and ships is readily available in the Sundabans in South Bengal. The metals necessary for shipbuilding are available in Ra'r'h where there are large deposits of iron ore, manganese, copper, silver, etc. Various types of metals necessary for building ships are also easily available in Bengal, so Bangalistan can easily be self-reliant. The total area of the Sundabans in 4000 square miles. Out of this, 1600 square miles fall in West Bengal and the remaining 2,400 square miles are within Bangladesh. Bangladesh has cleared a major part of the Sundabans and converted it into arable land. Even today in South Bengal the shipbuilding industry can easily be established at Khulna, Bakharganja and Noakhali in Bangladesh, and in Basirhat, Diamond Harbour and Alipore in West Bengal. The most important material for building vehicles is rubber. A vast area of North Bengal comprising the Duars, the Tarai, Goalpara, Kokrajhar and Jhan'pa now in Nepal can produce much rubber. Similarly, rubber can also be grown in Tripura. Rubber cultivation requires a moderate rainfall, laterite soil and slopey land, so Bangalistan can easily produce sufficient amounts of rubber. The remaining materials necessary to construct vehicles can be easily produced in Ra'r'h, including manganese, mica, silver, mercury, quartz, copper, etc. Jhalda, Arsha, Puncha and Jaipura in Purulia district and Khatara in Bankura district have large deposits of these raw materials. House Building Materials The entire North Bengal, Tripura, and Hill Chittagong can develop a flourishing house building materials industry. The most important materials for house building are cement and bricks. Bricks and tiles can be easily made throughout Bangalistan. The necessary amount of lime can be produced from limestone and ghuting (a kind of clay which is about 90% lime). Besides this, there is a huge stock of calcium carbonate and calcium hydroxide in Ra'r'h. Lime can also be produced from these materials. In the northern parts of Jalpaguri, in the Jayantia Hills, there is a good supply of dolomite, limestone, etc. Dewangari was previously in Bengal, but at the time of independence it was given to Bhutan. It has a large stock of dolomite and limestone which can be used to produce lime. Sufficient quantities of lime necessary for the house building materials industry can also be produced in the coastal areas of South Bengal from shells and oysters. Large deposits of limestone available in the southern part of Ra'r'h are now in the hands of Marawari merchants. They export huge quantities of lime to other parts of India which is used in the cement industry. At Jhalda, Purulia and Bankura cement can be easily produced from limestone, ghuting, dolomite, oysters and conch shells. In the northern part of Sylhet there are also limestone deposits. In Khosia, Jayantia Hills, Maulavi Bazaar and the remaining parts of Sylhet district except Habiganj there are deposits of limestone. The soil of Ra'r'h contains a good percentage of calcium which is why it is ideal for growing oranges. Calcium carbonate and calcium phosphate are also available in Ra'r'h. I am certain that the amount of cement necessary for house building will be easily available in certain parts of Bangalistan. High quality cheap cement can be easily produced from the husks and stalks of aman paddy mixed with ghuting lime. Cement factories based on the husks of paddy can be established in Ra'r'h, North Bengal, Maymansingh, Sylhet and the southwestern parts of Tripura. Cement can be readily manufactured in these areas. Cement can also be made from mixing ghuting and limestone. Another house building material is sand. Mogra is situated by a stagnant tributary of the Damodar river which contains large quantities of high quality sand. Previously the people of North Bengal and the eastern districts of Bangladesh would collect house building materials from Tripura. For example, they would bring chan grass to thatch houses. Bushes, bamboo, etc. can also be used as house building materials. Beside every road in Ra'r'h there is plenty of ghuting. In the coastal areas of the Bay of Bengal there are plenty of sea shells and oysters which can be utilised to produce lime. At Jhalda, we must establish cement factories immediately. Except Habiganj, all the rest of Sylhet has limestone deposits. As I see it, in almost every village of Bangalistan there can be cement factories. Within a period of six to seven days a house can be built. Other Materials Brahminberia in Mayamsingh has deposits of underground natural gas. Naranganj and Bhaeraubazar in Dacca district also have underground natural gas. Natural gas can be used as fuel. Doors, windows and accessories for house building and other building materials can all be manufactured in factories throughout Bangalistan. EDUCATION MATERIALS The natural vehicle for the expression of internal ideas is one's mother tongue. Bengali is the mother tongue of the Bengali race whose original boundary was the Arakans in the east, Ramgarh or the Pareshanath Hills in the west, the Lower Himalayas in the north, and the Ganges Delta of the Bay of Bengal in the south. The southern deltaic region was built up by the branch rivers and tributaries of the Bramhaputra and Ganges rivers and the rivers of Ra'r'h. In the Vedic age Bengal was called "Bangabhumi" and "Samatat". The Ra'r'h area was called "Ratla". In Persian the word for Bengal was "Bangal"; in Turkish, "Bangala"; in Latin, "Banjala"; in Chinese, "Banjal"; in Sam'skrta, "Vanga" or "Ra'r'h"; in Bengali, "Bangladesh"; in Urdu, "Bangal"; and in English, "Bengal". Bengali is one of the Pra'krta languages of the Ma'gadhii group. Ma'gadhii Pra'krta originated about 3,500 years ago. Modern Bengali originated about 750 years ago, and the Bengali script about 1200 years ago. (The Bengali race is about 5000 years old). Bengali is now the mother tongue 160 million people. The natural medium of expression in Bangalistan should be Bengali. The second language for the medium of expression is English, because English is the link language with people who speak other languages. Besides this, the Sam'skrta language should be taught as a compulsory language in the lower classes. Bangalistan has been a principal education centre in the world since earliest times. Even about 5000 years ago, Chinese scholars used to come to Bangalistan for higher study. There were three great seats of learning in Bengal -- Vikramanipore, that is, present Vikrampore in Bangladesh, Burdwan and Contai. The most important material for education is paper. The raw materials to make paper include: bamboo, which can also be used to make nylon, jute, mesta' pa't', aurocaria, stalks of boro paddy, corn cobs and vicali grass. The other essential materials for education like fountain pens, nibs, ink pots, etc. are easily available in Ra'r'h. Plenty of raw materials to make writing ink are also available in Ra'r'h and include: hematite, blue vitriol, ferrum sulphate and indigo. Through synthetic processes all kinds of colour inks can be made. So there is no reason why Bangalistan cannot be self-sufficient in the production of education materials. MEDICINES Ra'r'h has huge deposits of minerals. If all these materials could be properly utilised, a large number of industries could easily be established. To tell the truth, Ra'r'h has greater industrial potential than even the Ruhr region in Germany. In Ra'r'h there are extensive deposits of coal, coal gas and natural gas. To build industrial complexes, these mineral resources are extremely useful. All raw materials for making glass, laboratory instruments, etc. are also easily available in the southwestern part of Bangalistan, particularly in Hooghly district. There are abundant resources of lead, manganese, iron ore, copper, mercury, etc. in Bengal. These materials and metals can be widely used to manufacture medical equipment. Medicinal Plants Bengal is a land with a hot and humid climate. Most of the people who live in Bengal are poor. Naturally, a large percentage of the people suffer from fever, diarrhoea, dysentery, dyspepsia, etc. A large number of medicinal plants which are essential for the treatment of such diseases are available in various parts of Bangalistan. 1) The Duars region, Goalpara, the plains of Darjeeling district in North Bengal and Jhan'pa district abound in medicinal plants. Jhan'pa district is now part of Nepal, but previously it was included in Coochbihar. The Gorkha leader Prithwii Naryan Saha forcibly occupied this district from the king of Coochbihar. The language of this district is Rangpuri, a dialect of Bengali. The Duars and other areas in North Bengal are very rich in medicinal herbs. To cure common diseases like fever, stomach problems, dysentery, etc., people can easily use these medicinal herbs. 2) Of all the other regions which are rich in medicinal herbs, Assam, Meghalaya and the Sundarbans occupy the second position. 3) The third important area from the viewpoint of medicinal plants is Ra'r'h and Tripura. The rest of the plains of Bangalistan are used extensively for paddy cultivation, so obviously in those areas medicinal herbs will not be available. Ra'r'h is the richest area in Bengal for the availability of mineral medicines and includes Jhargram, Birbhum, Dhanbad, Purulia, Singbhum and the Bengali speaking areas of Ranchi district. The resources in these areas can be easily utilised for preparing medicines. For instance, in this region plenty of antimony, urea, etc. can be found. Quinine is available from the Kurseung Hills, Ayodhya, Tilabhani and the Dalmar Hills. Plenty of materials for making medicinal instruments are available in the Kurseung Hills of Darjeeling district. Medicinal herbs are also plentifully available. The Kalimgpong Hills, which has a humid climate, is not an ideal place for medicinal plants. The previous name for Kurseung was "Kharsan". Once it was a part of Sikhim. The name Kharsan is wrong. The previous name of Siliguri was "Dalimpir", and once it was a part of Bhutan. Now Dalimpir is called "Siliguri". The king of Bhutan once forcibly occupied this region. The previous name of Darjeeling was "Dorjiling". Of the various medicinal plants, jatamangsii and ipikak can grow in high altitudes. A large area from Jhalda to Angara -- that is, Jhalda, Muri, Silli, Gautamdhra and Angara -- is an ideal place for cultivating herbs. This particular region of Ra'r'h experiences greater rainfall than the other regions of Ra'r'h. Besides this, plenty of medicinal herbs can be acquired from Sabrum, Panisagar and Dharmanagar in Tripura. In the forests of the Sundabans, plenty of medicinal plants can be found. Saline soil itself has medicinal value. Starch which is used to stiffen shirts can be made from gile fruits. Plenty of gile trees grow in the Sundabans. Similarly, the Garo Hills of Meghalaya and in the Hojai and Lanka sub-division of Nagaon district in Assam can supply plenty of medicinal herbs. Mineral Medicines Plenty of mercury is available in Ra'r'h, along with other mineral resources. Mercury in the crude form of mercury sulphate can be found. There is also plenty of copper. If mercury and copper are mixed, many types of medicines can be made. The Tamakhun area of Manbhum district is full of copper. Copper was profitably exported to overseas countries in the past from the port of Tamadipta. In olden days boats and ships plied on the Kamgsavati River, but now the same river has almost dried up. PROFITABLE INDUSTRIES The profitable industries in Bengal are mainly of two types -- cash crops and non-agricultural industries. Cash Crops Sufficient black pepper can be grown in Tripura because the climate is congenial there. Of course, Tripura already grows black pepper and hot chili, but the production should be increased. There is a very good market for hot chili in Bangladesh. Bengal is deficient in the production of pulses. It only produces enough pulses to meet the demand of the people for five months of the year, so for the remaining seven months pulses are imported from outside. After a'us paddy is harvested, three crops of green gram can be grown. Sona' moog can be grown on the field after the paddy has been harvested. After one month, when the hybrid variety of a'us is harvested, the tops of the green gram will be lopped off. Many shoots will grow from the stalks which can be harvested after 60 days. Through this process sona' moog can be harvested three times a year. The offcuts can be used for cattle fodder. Cow pea is of two main varieties -- ma'ghii a'rahar or the late winter variety, also known as the small variety of cow pea, and chaetii a'rahar or the late spring variety, also known as the big variety of cow pea. Besides these two there is another variety of a'rahar which is called "a'ghanii" or late autumn variety. In the high and barren land of Ra'r'h this variety of pulse can be grown with a'us paddy. Black gram can grow in abundance in Bengal. It is a five month crop. It is grown abundantly in Coochbihar, Dinajpur, Burdwan, Malda and Purulia. Bengal gram is a five month crop. It is spread in the wet aman field in those areas where there is a shortage of water. If you want to grow the big variety of green gram, the seeds should be sown in October after harvesting the hybid paddy. This crop is harvested in Caetra, the last month of the Bengali year. Horse gram is grown in abundance throughout Bengal, but it is not good for health as it can cause paralysis. These days there is a new variety of pea in the market which is a bit soft. It is a four month crop, but its cultivation is not very profitable. Nadia, Murshidabad, Malda, Raiganj, the Islampur sub-division of Dinajpur district, the Mekhlinganja sub-division of Coochbihar district, and parts of Jalpaguri district minus Dinhata sub- division are ideal for the cultivation of wheat. As an associate crop lentils can be grown in the wheat field. In the comparatively dry regions of Tripura, green gram can be grown early. If the products of pulses is increased, the total amount of pulses grown in Bengal will be more than the requirement of the people and the surplus can be exported. All varieties except lentils are presently imported. The surplus pulses grown in Tripura can be exported to Bangladesh. The skins of the pulses are very healthy fodder for cows. As there is a shortage of pasture lands, the chaff of pulses can be used as a good cattle fodder. Rubber is a very good cash crop. Rubber can be grown in abundance in those areas of Bengal which have plenty of rainfall, the land is slopey but rainwater does not accumulate. In Jalpaguri, Darjeeling, Dhubri and the northeastern part of Cachar district and Tripura rubber can grow particularly well. For cocao cultivation extensive and heavy rainfall is required. For coffee, a moderate amount of rainfall is required. Coffee can be grown in the Birbhum, Purulia and Bankura districts of Ra'r'h. Even in the dry infertile land of Ra'r'h coffee can be cultivated, but tea cultivation may not be so profitable. There is much similarity between Tripura and Ra'r'h, so in both places coffee can be grown. Similarly, cocoa can be grown in Tripura. Cocoa trees are called "cacao" and the fruit is called "cocoa". Jute is also a cash crop, but instead of using jute for sacks, it should be better utilised for making coarse clothing. In Cachar, Sylhet and the Sabrum area of Tripura oranges can be grown, but not abundantly. In Tripura and southern Bengal cashew nut can be a good cash crop. It was first cultivated in Midnapore, and was known as "hijli ba'dam'". Cashew nut has tremendous food value. It is also a very lucrative cash crop. In the Contai sub-division of Midnapore, cashew nut is being produced on a large scale. Bangladesh has only two cash crops -- raw jute and hide. If hide is tanned and exported to different countries, it may bring a lot of foreign exchange. But as there is no developed tanning technology in the country, Bangladesh sustains heavy losses by exporting untanned hides to foreign countries. If people continue to use plastic goods instead of leather products, then both the jute and leather markets will suffer severely. I am sorry to say Bangladesh does not follow the rules of nature. Of all the sericultural items, silk and lac are important cash crops. Non-mulberry silk can be grown on plum trees, but high quality silk can be grown from kusum trees. Lac is of three varieties -- Jhalda, Murshidabad and Baharampur. These three places are famous for lac production. There is a good market for lac throughout the world. In Bengal the demand is decreasing day by day because once Bengali women would use lac ornaments, but now this practice has gone out of fashion. In Bangalistan bees wax does not have a good market. Paraffin wax has substituted bees wax. Bees wax has great medicinal value. For beekeeping, the best places are the Sundabans, Meghalaya, Tripura and Ra'r'h. Bees wax cannot compete successfully with paraffin wax. In olden times paddy was regarded as the goddess of fortune, and the husk was worshipped as a god. About 1200 years ago, there was a king named "Mansingh" who lived in Ra'r'h and Manbazar was his capital. He had two daughters called Bha'dumani and Tusumani. After the king died, Tusumani ascended the throne and became a very popular queen. In Ra'r'h there is a festival called "Tusu" in her honour. Unfortunately these days paddy husks are indiscriminately burnt. There are four types of land from the viewpoint of the retention of water: 1) High and dry land (ta'nrh land). This land is barren and little or no water is retained in the soil. 2) Barren plain land (bad land). Barren plain land will hold water in the soil with some effort. A'us and aman can grow to some extent. 3) Average land (k'an'ali land). This type of land will hold water for a longer period than barren plain land, but it is inferior to moist fertile land. 4) Moist fertile land (baha'l land). This land retains water well and is suitable for most types of farming. Although high and dry land is not ideal for the production of cash crops, some crops can be grown profitably in this type of land. For example, some crops that can be grown permanently in high and dry land include palymra, dates, acasia bakul, cateshu, acasia, plum, kusum and palosh, while some temporary crops include lemon grass for the cosmetics and medicine industries. If high and dry land can be ploughed, then in the month of As'a'dha, the first month of the rainy season, cow pea and either the Rajendra Bhutta variety of maize (a crop for 45-50 days) or early a'us can be grown together. After 60 days when cow pea is harvested, a'us will remain in the field and be harvested in A'shvina. The seeds of maize or corn are human food, the cobs can be used in the paper industry and the stalks are a useful cattle fodder. If corn is fried in an earthen pan, popped corn can be produced. If corn is fried and ground before the corn pops, fried corn flour can be made. If the corn is ground without removing the skin and without frying, course corn flour is prepared. The stalk of the early variety of a'us is good cattle food and can be used for bran oil. After maize is harvested, sweet potato can be planted in the holes in the ground. The potatoes should be watered by sprinkling water on the field until new leaves grow. After that, water will not be required. Sweet potato has more nutrition than red potato. Sunflower can be grown with maize as an associate crop. Sunflower and maize cannot be grown as associate crops with a'us. The sunflower and maize draw moisture from deep below the soil, and that moisture also helps in the growth of the red potato and the sweet potato. Sarguja' or niger can be grown on high and dry level land which cannot be plough or dug with a spade but can be broken with some difficulty. Niger can be grown in the high and dry land of Ra'r'h. The oil has a pungent odour, which is why many people do not like to use it, but if it is deodorized it can be widely used. Cow pea, a'us and sunflower cannot be grown in high and dry land, but sa'bui grass can be grown and is very useful for the paper industry. Lemon grass too can be grown and can be used for preparing medicines and cosmetics. Where even lemon grass and sa'bui grass cannot be grown on high and dry land then palm, sal, piyal, plum, kusum, polash, cateshu, acasia babul, acasia, wild blackberry, etc. can be grown. If necessary, this sort of land can be used as pasture for cattle. If the area of the high and dry land is quite large, along the borders we can grow banyan, banul, sishu, oak, wild blackberry for both wood and medicine, African sweet berry for sugar and alcohol, and mahul or Indian olive which is very useful for making honey, bread, alcohol, molasses, oil and tasty foods. If these trees are grown, on the one hard we can prevent soil erosion and retain the fertility of the soil, and on the other hand the land will develop the capacity for retaining water. The extracted juice from sweet potato can be used to produce sugar and molasses and the remaining pulp can be used in the paper industry. Sweet potatoes can also be grown on high and dry land but the tubers will be small. Sweet potato is a three month crop and is harvested in Paus'a, the first month of winter. People can make pancakes out of sweet potato, although they will not be very nutritious. Tapioca is nutritious. On all high and dry land cow pea can be grown. Lavender (keya') can also be grown, and with some effort we can get good fibre crops. In Vaesha'kha and Jye'stha the land is usually left fallow. Cow pea stalks can be used for fencing, fuel and thatching. The empty pods can be used for fodder, and pulses can be prepared from the seeds. If high and dry land is used for cultivation, then it may be difficult to raise cattle for want of pasture land. High and dry land which can be ploughed should not be used for pasture land. In high and dry land all types of cattle can be reared. In Ra'r'h the people mostly rear sheep, and in the month of A'shvina the sheep farmers of Ra'r'h usually leave their homes with a flock of sheep and move to Madhya Pradesh in search of healthy grass. From acasia we get tasar silk and medicine, from plums we get tasar and lac, and from plum wood sports goods can be made. Wild berry (kathjam) can be used to prepare various types of medicines and non-mulberry silk. The berries can also give honey, but this honey is a bit hot. In olden times the kings of western Ra'r'h used to plant shal, palm and pujashal. Non-Agricultural Industries Ra'r'h has plenty of mica. Mica was formed about 1000 million years ago. The Sam'skrta name is "abhra". It is readily available at A'nanda Nagar. In Jalpaguri, Darjeeling, Coochbihar and Brahmanberia of Sylhet district which is at present in Bangladesh, natural gas and oil are available. In other parts of Sylhet and the Khoyai sub-division of Tripura, natural gas can also be found. There are large sulphur deposits stretching for 80 miles from Bakreswar to Nannur in Birbhum. The people of Birbhum, Purulia and Bankura are almost equally poor. Recently, after the Mayuraksii Dam was constructed, there has been a slight improvement in the standard of living of the people of Birbhum. Leprosy is a disease of malnourishment and poverty. Although the people of Birbhum, Purulia and Bankura are equally poor, there are many cases of leprosy in Bankura and Purulia and few cases in Birbhum because of the presence of sulphur deposits. Sulphur is a useful antidote for skin diseases. Sulphur can also be utilised as an ingredient for various medicines. Iodine is also a useful ingredient for various medicines. A large amount of iodine can be easily processed from seaweed in the Digha coastal area. It can also be extracted from sea water. Seaweeds include many types of sea vegetation. Similarly, in the coastal areas of Chittagong, many types of seaweeds are available. In fact, in all the coastal areas of Bangalistan, seaweeds with a high percentage of iodine are available. The best place to process iodine is Digha. Iodine, chlorine, etc. are marine products. Iodine can only be manufactured in South Bengal, not in North Bengal. Many people in North Bengal suffer from goitre, but in South Bengal the disease is almost eradicated. Borine can be extracted from borax to make medicine. Borax can be found in the Bengali speaking area of Ranchi district. In Ra'r'h there can be prosperous aluminum factories in the belt from Jhalda to Angara. In the Bengali speaking areas of Ranchi district, there is a long bauxite belt. Ra'r'h can easily develop profitable aluminum factors. It has more aluminum deposits than it needs to meet its own requirements. In the areas close to the sea, canals can be constructed and filled with water. After a few days the water will evaporate and a layer of salt will remain on the canal bed. In a number of places the salt industry can be established commercially in Bangalistan. The salt industry can thrive in Digha, Ramnagar, Mohanpur, Contai and Junput and, to some extent, on the Kutubdiya Island in Bangladesh. Midnapore, 24 Paraganas, Khulna, Bakharganja, Naokhali and Chittagong are all coastal districts. The climate of Midnapore is like that of western Ra'r'h. In the summer season the hot winds start blowing over the land and the climate is dry, so water evaporates very fast. Obviously, salt can be easily and profitably produced. The three main blocks of Midnapore district that have the greatest possibility of developing the salt industry because they are closest to the sea are Digha, Contai and Ramnagar. 6 June 1986, Calcutta