D-Brief Edition 8 - Water

D-Brief

March 2011

Wa t e r

D-Brief Bangkok, 31 March 2011

Dear Partner, With Songkran, the annual Water Festival, just around the corner, the March 2011 D-Brief will introduce you to the significance of water in the Region. This edition highlights what water really means to local people and how it affects the destinations you and your customers travel to.

In Myanmar, Thailand, Laos and Cambodia the New Year celebrations include much more than just splashing water. The Ganges in India, the holiest river on the subcontinent, plays an integral role in the life of millions of Hindus, acting as a spiritual place of worship. With no streams or freshwater lakes, the Maldives, on the other hand, is challenged to secure freshwater in an economically sensible and environmentally sustainable way.

Explore more about these fascinating topics with us over the coming pages.

Happy Songkran and best wishes to all of you.

Sincerely yours, Victoria Sertic Chief Sales Officer Diethelm Travel Group

Water

March is the month everyone in Myanmar, Thailand, Laos and Cambodia, young and old, prepare for the Water Festival and New Year celebrations in April. Whilst for the older generation, this is a time to reflect and give merit, for children, it‟s a time for fun! They prepare their weapons of choice for the water fights, which go hand-in-hand with the festivities. In this DBrief, we look at additional rituals and traditions which might not be known to you yet.

New Year & Water Festivals Whilst water is considered the source of life all over the world, it has a special significance in India as an aid used to attain physical cleanliness and spiritual well-being. One of the holiest and most well known bodies of water in India is,

without doubt, the river Ganges. Discover how this sacred river touches the life of every Indian.

Water – India‟s Rhythm of Life The Maldives, faced with water shortages and rising sea levels, is dealing with water in a completely different way. The island nation, which has been dependant, for centuries on groundwater resources and rain water, is faced with the challenge of supplying an increasing amount of freshwater to its residents and visitors.

Find out more on how they do this in the Maldives section.

Freshwater – A Scarce Commodity

Lao New Year

The most interesting place to experience the Lao New Year, called “Phi Mai” in Laotian, is Luang Prabang.

Here, the celebrations can stretch out over seven days and include next to the traditional rituals, the colourful New Year Parade and the Phi Mai Beauty Queen Pageant. Even though Miss Phi Mai Lao (Miss Lao New Year) contests take place in many cities around Laos, the pageant held in Luang Prabang is the most prestigious. Of the seven contestants taking part, each single one symbolizes one of King Kabinlaphom‟s seven daughters.

Over the years the legend of King Kabinlaphom (see opposite page) has developed into the ritual of pouring water on elders and monks to pay their respect. Watch out when visiting Laos around New Year, as nowadays, it is common to not only soak strangers and passer-bys with water, but also cover them with white powder and shaving cream. A very messy affair!

If you happen to be in Luang Prabang during Lao New Year and are more interested in the timing of Luang Prabang‟s festivities visit this link.

The Legend of King Kabinlaphom

Once there was a very wise and most intelligent teacher who was well-know all over the land. It‟s said that King Kabinlaphom went to look for the teacher, Thao Thammapaala, to ask him a riddle. If Thammapaala could solve the riddle, the King would behead himself, but if he failed his head would be cut off. The teacher was able to solve the riddle and the King kept his promise. However, before he beheaded himself, he called his seven daughters and gave them instructions: “I will cut off my head to pay homage to Thammalaapa‟s wisdom, but if my head falls on the earth, it will cause hellish fire. If it is thrown in the air, there will be no rain. If it is thrown in the sea, the sea will go dry. So, you must place my head on a tray and bring the tray to a cave in Kailash Mountain”. All was done according to his instructions and each year, upon the anniversary of his death, the seven daughters would go to recover the father‟s head and wash and clean it. Then, they would go in a procession around the mountain to pray for happiness and good weather.

Khmer New Year

In Cambodia the New Year is called “Chaul Chnam Thmey”, and over the three-day duration, the Khmer like to have some fun. A variety of games, which have been passed down from generation to generation and involve much singing and dancing, are played all over the country during the New Year period. For teenagers and young adults the games are a welcome occasion to flirt and get to know each other in a traditional way: •

Bos Angkunh is played by a group of girls and boys. Three or five angkunhs, large inedible vine nuts, are placed on the ground. Each team then tries to hit the nuts on the ground with their own ankunhs. The winners of the game are then allowed to knock the losers‟ knees with a nut. Two options of doing this are available: “Bai trachheak” means that a nut is placed on the opponent‟s knee and hit with another one. “Bai gadao” means that two nuts are hit together in the same manner as before, however this time, a cracking sound need to be produced. If the winner fails to make this sound, the hit person can hit the winner back.

Traditional New Year’s Games

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Laek Kanseng is another favourite among the traditional New Year‟s games. To start the game, a kroma, a traditional Khmer scarf, is tied into a cloth ball. All participants then sit in a circle, facing inwards and are not allowed to turn around or look behind them. One player walks around the circle, and while singing a song, secretly tries to drop the kroma behind someone sitting in the circle. If the tricked person does not realize what has happened and misses to pick up the ball behind his or her back, they will become the runner and have to try and trick somebody else.

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Chol Chhoung, translated means “throwing the kroma”, is played by two groups of 10 or 20 people each. The two teams, one girl‟s and one boy‟s team, stand in two rows opposite each other. A member of the first team then throws the cloth ball at the other team. Whoever manages to catch it must then chase the initial thrower and try to hit him or her with the cloth ball. If the chased person gets hit, the thrower can then ask him or her to sing a song or dance. Traditionally, Chol Chhoung is played on the first evening of the Khmer New Year.

Burmese New Year

The New Year festival period in Myanmar, also called “Thingyan�, is the favourite time for parents to send their sons to join a Buddhist monastery as a novice.

Regarded as the coming of age ceremony, a novitation ceremony is one of the most important events in the life of every Burmese man and a unique tradition to Myanmar. A family usually sponsors the novitation for their own son, but if a boyâ€&#x;s parents cannot afford the ceremony or if he is an orphan, rich families will take over the obligation.

The first novitation in history was performed by the Buddha himself, before passing the legacy on to his son Rahula. It is said that Buddha asked his son to derobe from his royal dress, change into a simple gown and, after having shaved his head, follow him to his monastery. This is why traditionally Burmese people believe that their lives are incomplete, if they themselves or their sons have not gone through the same ritual. Celebrating this rite of passage around the time of New Year is a suitable for a boy who is about to live through an event that will have a lasting effect on his life.

Shinpyu – Novitation Ceremony

Shinpyu, the novitation ceremony, begins early in the morning. Boys aged between 9 and 12 years old, who are about to become novices, join a procession to the villageâ€&#x;s spirit house. Dressed in prince-like attire, the boys are accompanied by parents and family members carrying colourful gilded umbrellas and offerings. The boys are carried by horses in more rural areas and by cars in Yangon, ending the procession at the Shwedagon Pagoda.

In the late afternoon, the families proceed to the monastery where the boysâ€&#x; heads are shaved, by monks and a close family member catches the hair that falls with a white cloth. The boys then, wrapped in white robes, recite verses in order to ask for the saffron robe. At the end of the ceremony, the boys are given an alms bowl and a palm-leaf fan for their upcoming stay with the monks. They say goodbye to their parents, probably for the first time ever, and stay at the monastery for at least seven days. During this time, the fresh novices have to follow the set rules of Theravada Buddhism, studying holy scriptures and making the most out of their stay.

Water – India’s Rhythm of Life

"The Ganga, especially, is the river of India, beloved of her people, round which are intertwined her memories, her hopes and fears, her songs of triumph, her victories and her defeats. She has been a symbol of India's age-long culture and civilization, ever changing, ever flowing, and yet ever the same Ganga.“ 'Discovery of India„ by Jawaharlal Nehru, First Prime Minister of India

Every March, as snow melts in the Himalayas, India‟s rivers bring fresh spring water to the vast deltas. With water comes life, trees and flowers bloom and corn grows. Hinduism sees itself as metaphor for this cycle of life and it is thus not surprising that the word „Hindu‟ originates from the Persian name for the Indus River.

While Hinduism different beliefs, significance for all attaining physical

covers a variety of water has a special Hindus in that it allows cleanliness and spiritual

well-being. Water connects the living and the dead, as is used to purify, but also to aid the dead on their path to heaven. One of the holiest and most well known bodies of water is, without doubt, the river Ganges.

Over the next pages you will explore how this sacred river touches the life of every Indian.

The Ganges River

The river Ganges, also called Ganga, plays an integral role in the life of millions of Hindus in India.

Here are some interesting facts about the holy river: •

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The Ganges covers a distance of around 2‟506 km and is the second largest river on the Indian subcontinent. The river originates at Gangotri glacier on the southern slopes of the Himalayas.

Major pilgrimage cities along the river are: Rishikesh, Haridwar, Varanasi and Prayag (Allahabad) The plains on the banks of the river are very fertile and, hence, are one of the most densely populated areas in the world, with half of India's population living near and depending on the Ganges.

An important ecosystem is flourishing in the River, with the Ganges river dolphin being on the top of the food chain. Loss of habitat due to the creation of dams and irrigation projects, the current population is said to be less than 2‟000. These dolphins are on the list of endangered species.

Myths & Legends

Many legends describe “Mother Ganga” as having heavenly origins and illustrate the river‟s descent to earth in various ways, all involving a connection to the important Hindu gods Brahma (god of creation), Vishnu (god of protection) and Shiva (god of destruction).

In one legend King Sagara‟s sons deeply offend the great sage Kapila, who, in anger, burnt them to ash.

A descendent of Sagara later meditates for the salvation of the souls of his ancestors. After centuries of meditation Ganga decided to grant this wish and to descend to earth and washed away the ashes, of the sixty thousand sons of Kind Sagara. In doing so, she purifies and frees their souls. Lord Shiva agrees to assist Ganga and let‟s her fall into his matted hair so that she can follow it down to earth.

All accounts show the importance of Ganga‟s heavenly, divine nature and due to her descent from heaven to earth, she became a continuous link between the earthly and heavenly realms. It is because of this link that the river Ganges became the holiest of all rivers and place of pilgrimage.

Religious Rituals

Hindus believe that life is incomplete without taking a bath in the Ganges at least once in their life. For this reason, one of the most sacred and basic rituals in Hinduism is taking a bath in the holy water of the Ganges. Many pilgrims travel to the holy cities along the Ganges to wash their sins away. The best time to perform this ritual is in the early morning when, as the sun is rising, the bathing pilgrim offers prayers to the sun. Then right after the bathing, gifts consisting of flowers, fruits and sweets along with more prayers are offered to the different deities.

Another important ritual, which can be observed in the evenings along the river, is the Aarti. For this Hindu ritual, priests carry large lamps filled with ghee (clarified butter). After lighting the lamps, the priests swing them in unison with one another, simultaneously saying prayers and singing. The fire represents the spiritual light and is a symbol of knowledge. Aarti allows believers to return the love and light which God gives to them every day. After the ritual, hundreds of candles and flowers are released on the water of the Ganges.

Varanasi – The Holy City

Although there are a number of important pilgrimage cities along the Ganges, Varanasi is the only one called „The Holy City‟. It is said to be one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities of the world and is a significant place of worship for Hindus. With more than 1‟000‟000 pilgrims visiting each year, the city has hundreds of temples and ghats, wide staircases that lead down to the river.

In Varanasi, these ghats are used for both daily activities such as laundry and for religious rites such as bathing and the Aarti ceremony. It is here, where for thousands of years people have been descending to the river at dawn to offer their morning prayers to the sun.

Varanasi, also assumes a special significance as the cremation ground of devout Hindus. At devoted ghats, called “Shamshan” ghats, bodies are burnt water side in order for the holy water to wash away the ashes. It is believed that if people die in Varanasi, they will be cleansed of all their sins and go straight to heaven.

Freshwater – A Scarce Commodity in the Maldives

The Maldives, a tropical paradise of approximately 1‟190 islands, is home to the most luxurious resorts on the planet.

While gazing out onto the crystal clear turquoise water and sipping your champagne, have you ever wondered where the freshwater you use to shower, brush your teeth or for your laundry to be washed comes from?

There are no rivers on any of the islands and only a very small number of freshwater lakes and wetlands for a population of 390‟000 and a total of 88 tourist resorts. Even though 99 percent of the country is made up of water, only a small percentage is actually drinkable.

While in the past the residents of the islands depended on ground water or rain water to cover their needs, these sources no longer provide enough fresh water to

keep both, the tourist and locals in supply.

It is almost ironic that this tiny nation, which experts say might soon be washed away by the rising sea level, lacks fresh water resources. Join us to learn more about the Maldives‟ water struggle, how they tackle it and what you can contribute to do your bit.

Did you know?

Apart from rainwater, groundwater and desalinated water, the only other source of water on the Maldives is bottled water.

While some of the bottled water is imported, a significant part of it is produced and bottled by Coca-Cola Company on the island of Thulusdhoo. It is the only factory in the world making CocaCola from seawater!

The Facts

The Maldives‟ natural fresh water resources consist of groundwater and rainwater. Traditionally, Maldivians use collected rainwater as drinking water and ground water for other needs.

Groundwater Resources Maldivians access groundwater from narrow bands below the surface only a few metres wide. However, because these „reservoirs‟ are not very big, the natural balance between fresh and the surrounding saltwater is easily damaged by over extracting drinking water. Another threat for the Maldives‟ groundwater resources comes from the global rise in sea level.

Rainwater Harvesting Rainwater is collected from roofs and stored in private household or community tanks. Rainwater has been gathered in the Maldives for centuries; however, nowadays its purity is questionable. Due to congestion and over population, it is not possible anymore to harvest rainwater safely in densely population areas such as the capital city Male.

The Solution

With an increasing population and less and less natural water resources available, the only alternative is to produce fresh water through desalination.

How does it work?

Most desalination plants on the islands use reverse osmosis to turn seawater into freshwater. In the process, saltwater is pressed through a membrane which filters the salt, while the pure water passes to the other side. Desalination is energy-intensive and thus becomes, using fossil fuel to power the plants, an expensive alternative to using natural freshwater sources.

It is necessary for resorts to have a desalination plant as they cannot rely purely on a natural water supply. In 2009, the Maldivian government announced that the entire nation aims to be carbon neutral within the next decade. This means that all desalination plants will have to be powered by wind generated energy or solar power. Hotel companies are facing big investments to achieve this goal.

Hotel Best Practices

Maldivian hoteliers recognized that powering a desalination plant uses a lot of energy. In an effort to reduce their energy consumption and the associated negative impact on the environment, leading resorts follow strict water conservation policies.

Desalination needs to be practiced with the combination of rain harvesting and sustainable use of groundwater resources.

Alila Villas Hadahaa for example makes sure that no direct sewage is released into the sea and soil. A waste management plan ensures that sewage is treated and only clean water goes into the ground.

They also use rainwater harvesting and practise water saving by only installing water efficient appliances to restrict the use of desalinated water.

In addition to doing all of the above, Soneva Fushiâ€&#x;s also assures that all of the resortâ€&#x;s swimming pools are filled with filtered seawater and they only grow native plant species in the jungle areas, as these do not require additional irrigation.

Do Your Bit To Save Water

Do not just leave your good eco-habits at home when travelling to the Maldives. You now know that every drop of water used for drinking and domestic purpose has to be produced by a desalination plant.

These simple steps will enable you to do your bit to save water and help to protect the environment.

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Stay at a resort that makes a real effort towards safeguarding the environment and uses best practices when it comes to fresh water production, recycling and waste management.

Instead of ordering imported branded water which has to be shipped over miles, drink locally produced and bottled water.

Each towel you send to wash uses precious fresh water too. Additionally, the dirty laundry water is often still flushed into the sea, which poses a big threat to the coral reefs and marine life. Use your towel more than once.

Try to reduce the amount of water you spend per day. For instance, turn the tap off whilst brushing your teeth and do not shower longer than necessary.

Recipe of the Month

Ingredients: 250g packet rice stick noodles 2 lemons, juiced 2 tablespoons fish sauce 2 tablespoons brown sugar 2 tablespoons peanut oil 2 chicken breast fillets, thinly sliced 500g green prawns, peeled, deveined 3 green onions, thinly sliced diagonally

2 small red chillies, deseeded, finely chopped 2 eggs, lightly beaten 1 cup bean sprouts, tails removed 1/4 cup roasted peanuts, finely chopped, optional 1/2 cup coriander leaves lime wedges, to serve

How to Make Pad Thai: 1. Place noodles into a heat-proof bowl. Cover with hot water. Stand until tender. Drain and rinse under cold water.

2. Combine lemon juice, fish sauce and sugar in a jug. Whisk with a fork to combine.

3. Heat a wok over high heat. Add oil. Swirl to coat. Add chicken. Stir-fry for 2 minutes until golden.

Add prawns, onions and chillies. Stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes or until prawns turn pink. Add noodles.

Stir-fry for 2 minutes.

4. Add lemon juice mixture to wok. Toss to combine. Slowly pour eggs over noodles. Stir-fry for 1 minute. Add sprouts. Toss well.

5. Spoon the Pad Thai onto plates. Sprinkle with peanuts and coriander leaves. Serve with lime or lemon wedges.

Source: Taste, www.taste.com.au

Pad Thai

Visa & Borders

Sri Lanka Entry into Sri Lanka is quite easily obtained. A tourist visa, valid for 30 days is issued at the port of entry without a visa fee. Nationals from South America, Cambodia and Vietnam need to obtain their visa, by prior approval.

point of time is in the process of implementing a new visa regulation, which will require all nationals to obtain visas prior to entering Sri Lanka. When this is implemented visas can be obtainable in 5 different ways:

Visitors need proof of sufficient funds for their stay in Sri Lanka (bank statements or credit cards). Passengers must also hold return or onward flight tickets and have 2 passport sized photographs. It is highly recommended, passports have as least a six month validity remaining after your date of departure.

• Online, by filling in a simple application form.

The estimated time for granting a visa will be 3 days and if urgent visas (within 24 hours) were required, it could be obtained at a slightly higher fee.

• Through the tour operator • Through the local agent • As a group on line • On arrival at a higher fee

All nationals who intend to visit Sri Lanka for more than 30 days need to obtain, prior visas/landing endorsements from the Sri Lankan Mission abroad or from the Controller General of Immigration and Emigration by requesting a local sponsor to apply on their behalf.

However, the Sri Lankan government at this

The unconfirmed fee expected to be charged is US$ 10 per visa. No official announcement has been made yet as to when the new visa regulations will become effective.

Watch this space for more information on Sri Lanka‟s new visa regulations.

Keep in Touch, Be Informed!

Summer 2011

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