Off beaten track

Guarding the sea approach A cannon and the turret typical to this fort on the upper ramparts Forts...... Evoke visions of battles, gun smoke, chivalry, heroism and even a touch of romance. India is replete with forts from time immemorial, everyone made them, ancient civilisations, the later invader turned rulers, and finally the European colonising powers. The industrial revolution really put an end to forts and fortifications as a pivot from which to wage war. A classic case being during the Second World War when the Germans outflanked the French fortified Maginot Line, arguably the last �fort� constructed. Silent Sentinel A cannon with Portuguese coat-of-arms guards the approach to the Mandovi A fort was the symbol of power and writ and they were made for many reasons. These were primarily defensive (most Mughal, Rajput and Maratha forts), but often as the bastion of a city state (Vasai fort in the Mumbai suburbs), revenue collection (the many tiny forts around Gwalior and Central In...

This is the text of an article I wrote for India Today Online on 19 May 2009, shortly after the death of Prabhakaran and the bitter culmination of the battle between the Sri Lankan Army and the LTTE. The end has arrived. The LTTE appears to have been annihilated. At least temporarily. But could a phoenix arise from the ashes? This is a distinct possibility should the Sri Lankan Government not address the aspirations of the Sri Lankan Tamil people, a fundamental cause of the struggle. Having been the Brigade Major of an infantry brigade of the IPKF in Sri Lanka from 1988 to 1990 I had a ring side seat to some of the most severe fighting seen at that time.  I operated in and around Mullaitivu, which, as events have shown, has always been the hotbed of the LTTE and their reaction to military operations here have always been very severe.   Due to my personal involvement then, I have since closely followed events in this civil war and what follows are my personal observations on wh...