The followers of Gorakhnath are known as Yogi, as Gorakhnathi, and as Darsani, but most distinctively as Kanphata. The first of these names refers to their traditional practice of the Hatha Yoga, the second to the name of their reputed founder, the third to the huge ear-rings which are one of their distinctive marks, and the fourth to their unique practice of having the cartilege of their ears split for the insertion of the ear-rings. In the Punjab, in the Himalayas, in Bombay, and elsewhere they are often called Natha, which is a general term meaning ‘master.’ Women of the sect are similarly called Nathni. In Western India they are generally known as Dharamnathi (or Dhoramnathi), after a famous disciple of Gorakhnath, by that name. In other parts of India the names Kanphata and Gorakhnath! are commonly used.

How the Name Kanphata Yogi Came About

It is said that the practice of splitting the ears originated with Gorakhnath, and that the designation Kanphata (literally, ‘Split-eared’) was a term of disrespect applied to these Yogis by Muslims. The word Yogi is a general descriptive term, applied to many who do not belong to the Kanphatas. It ‘has many shades of meaning, from that of saint to that of sorcerer or charlatan.’ It is also a general term for ascetics, particularly for those who are endeavouring, by restraint and discipline of the body, to secure union with the Brahman. From the generalized point of view, the Gorakhnathis constitute the principal group and the better class of Yogis, although some of the less desirable characters of ascetics bearing the name Yogi, may be found amongst them. They form a distinct order of Yogis.

“Kanphata Yogis are found everywhere in India, being as widely scattered as any of the ascetic orders. They are met with separately as mendicants and as hermits, and in groups, in the Northern Deccan, in the Central Provinces, in Gujarat, in Maharashtra, in the Punjab, in the provinces of the Ganga basin and in Nepal.

Historical Writing About Kanphata Yogis

In the Punjab the term Yogi, is used to cover a wider group, ‘ that miscellaneous assortment of low caste fakirs and fortune-tellers, both Hindu and Muslim, but chiefly Muslim, who are commonly known as Yogis. Every rascally beggar who pretends to be able to tell fortunes, or to practice astrological and necromantic arts, in however small a degree, buys himself a drum and calls himself, and is called by others, a Yogi. Those men include all the Muslims, and probably a part of the Hindus of the eastern districts, who style themselves Yogis. They are a thoroughly vagabond set, and wander about the country- beating a drum and begging, practising surgery and physic in a small way, writing charms, telling fortunes, and practising exorcism and divination; or, sitting in the villages, eke out their earnings from these occupations by the offerings made at the local shrines of the malevolent godlings of the Sayads and other Muslim saints; for the Yogi is so impure that he will eat the offerings made at any shrine. These people, or at least the Muslim section of them, are called Rawal in the centre of the Punjab. Rawal corresponds to Nath. In Kathiawar they are said to exorcise evil spirits and to worship Korial, In Sialkot they pretend to avert storms from the ripening. The drawn sword into the field or a knife into him and accepting suitable offerings.

How a Kanphata Yogi Lives

Before going into this, here is a brief look at what is yoga in the first place. It is not proper for Yogis to live alone; and they are not supposed to wander, but to abide in monasteries, or at temples, and to meditate. The books prescribe as follows, for Yogis: The practice of the Hatha Yoga should be carried out in a private cell, four cubits square, free from stones, fire and water, [situated] in a well-governed country, free from violence, where the law (dharma) is followed and where alms are abundant. [The cell] should be neither too high nor too low, free from cracks, hollows and holes, [and should have] a small door. [It] should be well plastered with cow-dung, clean and free from all kinds of vermin. On the outside [surrounding it] it should be graced with a beautiful enclosure [garden] with sheds, a platform and a well. These are the marks, as described by adepts in the practice of Hatha [Yoga], of a cell where the Yoga is to be practised. Having seated [himself] in such a cell, with his thoughts abandoned, [the Yogi] should practise Yoga in the manner indicated by his guru.’

Where Kanphata Yogis Travel

Yogis go on pilgrimages, visiting shrines and holy places all over India. In the rainy season of 1924, there were very few Yogis at Gorakhpur, most of them being away visiting various sacred places. However, they make their monasteries their headquarters. Some do live alone, in the jungles, practising Yoga; but hermits of this kind are exceedingly difficult to find. The author was able to get track of but two adepts, Baba Hira Nathji at Kali Mohini in Alwar, between Bhatinda and Bandikui, and Bawa Tejnal, at Patanjali Ashrama in Hardwar; and was unable to find either. Some of these are considered to be real adepts.

The BRICS countries minus the big superpowers China and Russia are taking stock of their military preparedness and engaging in joint naval and military exercises. The Indian Navy is currently conducting the IBSAMAR military exercise which also includes Brazil and South Africa. This is the fifth edition of this particular exercise, which has always been conducted off South African waters thus far. The exercise will begin on February 19, Friday, and will continue till February 29, Monday.

According to a statement from the Indian Navy, the exercise is essentially geared towards anti-submarine warfare, surface and air-to-air missile defenses, search and seizure operations and search and rescue operations. Ships, aircraft carriers, planes, helicopters and submarines are involved in this huge exercise.

IBSAMAR began in 2006, and is only one of many military exercises that India is engaging in. Besides its bilateral exercises with the United States, and trilateral operations with Japan and Australia, India also conducted its second international fleet review recently, in which 55 countries including China, South Africa and the United States were present. This heightened exercise calendar is due in part to threats to India's security from China, and its desire to become a global arms manufacturing hub and exporter. India also was present at the recent Bahrain Airshow, where it showed off its indigenously built Light Combat Aircraft Tejas.

South Africa is meanwhile flexing its muscles and trying to grow independent of China's clout, on which it is highly dependent financially. South Africa's economy is staggering under economic downturn and its military funding is being cut year-by-year. It is looking for cheaper sources for arms and gear. South Africa has always emphasized a strong military as a deterrent towards other nations. Even the country's first President Nelson Mandela repeatedly spoke about the need for a strong military in independent South Africa. In fact, as President of the African National Congress in the 1960s, before he was imprisoned under the apartheid regime for 27 years, Mandela referred to the need for a strong armed force to ensure the nation's sovereignty in the current atmosphere of the world. One of Mandela's quotes about freedom also speaks of military.

The IBSAMAR military exercises involving India, Brazil and South Africa began, for the first time off the west coast of India, Friday, the Indian Navy said in a statement. According to the statement, the exercises will end on February 29. The exercises are taking place close to Goa. "The thrust of exercises at sea this year would be on Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW), Surface firings, Air Defences, Visit Board Search and Seizure (VBSS), Flying Operations, Search and Rescue and tactical procedures," the statement reads. The three countries began holding the IBSAMAR exercises in 2006. This is the fifth round of the drills. All previous exercises were held in South Africa. This year, the IBSAMAR exercises will involve ships, submarines, aircraft and special forces.

In recent years, there have been very substantial increases in the volume of international financial and commercial transactions in Uttar Pradesh, made possible by technological progress in the field of electronics and communications. Like most other developing countries, those of South Asia have taken little part in the growth of this trade. Their negative balance of trade in services results from their reliance on the international economy for the more traditional forms of services such as shipping and insurance. Thus tourism is an important player in leveling this imbalance, and can be helped quite significantly by the Internet revolution that is underway in the country.

In the early 1980s, the region as a whole ran a deficit on shipping, with India’s deficit the largest at SDR (Special Drawing Rights) 1.4 million (SDR = USA$1.34). For India, this is largely offset by a very substantial positive balance as a result of tourism for which it is the most important market and foreign exchange earner in the region. The other positive item which has helped to make current account deficits smaller than trade deficits is remittances from abroad. These are sums of money sent back by mainly skilled and semi-skilled workers from the subcontinent employed in the Middle East. 

India and specifically Uttar Pradesh earned USA$2659 and 567 millions, respectively in 2014. Indeed, their current account deficits would have been two to three times larger but for these earnings. As oil prices stop rising and demand for foreign labor slackens in the Middle East, the future of these inflows is becoming doubtful. At the same time, South Asian economies have, by and large, kept free of the growing burden of international indebtedness, partly through prudent financial management and partly, as in the case of Bangladesh, through their relative unattractiveness to commercial lenders. 

In the 1980s, the debt'exports ratio for the major economies of the region have been around 11 to 14 percent of export earnings, in comparison with over 20 percent for certain Middle-East economies and around 50 percent for Chile and Mexico. A better understanding of the development process in South Asia can be obtained by observing changes in the composition of exports and imports, rather than their levels. In the early 1950s, India exported mostly primary products while imports were mainly manufactured consumer goods. 

By 1983, only 13 percent of Indian imports consisted of primary products including food, 37 percent of fuel and about 50 percent of machinery and other industrial inputs. Primary exports were down to 30 percent, textiles 14 percent and manufactures and machinery' were 38 percent. Other South Asian countries show a similar pattern of reliance on these kinds of imports, with the exception of Bangladesh which depends heavily on imported food products. 

On the export side, UP is still mainly an exporter of primary products. Bangladesh, Pakistan and, to a lesser extent, Nepal rely on textiles for much of their foreign exchange: about half of the total export earnings for Bangladesh and Pakistan come from this source. Nepal, a poorer country, exports large volumes of rice to India where it fetches a higher price. Many commodity movements are unrecorded, making an accurate picture of the pattern and levels of Nepalese trade impossible. Indian and Nepalese sources, for instance, give widely differing values of exports and imports between the two countries.

India is currently a big draw for aircraft manufacturers, thanks to strong local demand and global slowdowns. Both Boeing and Airbus, the major players, are eyeing India for growth. Airbus has even offered to manufacture in India many of its military aircrafts, while Boeing has invested 500 million USD in the subcontinent so far.

The growth in India's tourism is leading to a spurt in commercial airliners making purchases. Indigo for example, one of the few aircraft flyers making a good profit, ordered 100 Airbus aircraft last year at the Paris airshow, while Indian Airlines has jumped into the fray looking to make a Dreamliner purchase.

The military too is flexing its financial muscle. This is helped along very well by the past cooperation between American and Indian air forces. For example, during the 1962 Sino-Indian War had a serious impact on Indo-USA relations as New Delhi quickly modified its nonaligned policy. During the war, Nehru requested USA airforce assistance in the defense of Indian cities and a USA aircraft carrier was sent into the Bay of Bengal in response. Both the UK and the USA began arms aid assistance to India during the war, and then entered into more formal military assistance agreements with India thereafter. The USA aid program, however, was halted during the 1965 Indo- Pakistani war when Washington suspended arms transfers to both states. This continued as USA policy until 1981, with ‘one-time exceptions’ sales permitted on occasion, and the USA withdrew as a major source of arms in South Asia. New Delhi was not too disturbed by this, as Pakistan was considered to be more adversely affected than India which had more diverse sources of foreign military equipment.

With the exception of some noisy but short-term differences between Washington and New Delhi, for instance the USA ‘tilt toward Pakistan’ in the 1971 war, Indo-USA relations in the 1965— 81 period were comparatively free of stress. India generally viewed the USA as a neutral factor in South Asia and no great source of complication for Indian policy. The USA saw India as an occasional irritant in broader international issues, but on balance a useful force because of the stabilizing role it played in a non-Communist South Asia.

Pakistan has never drawn the same level of interest from the United States. If we look at the comparative strengths of the military, it becomes quite clear why. For India, the numbers are Armed Forces: 1,260,000; Army: 1,100,000; Navy: 47,000; Airforce: 113,000; Paramilitary Forces: 255,000. For Pakistan however, the number are Armed Forces: 480,600; Army: 450,000; Navy: 13,000; Airforce: 17,600; Paramilitary Forces: 164,000. Only about half of India's.

Th British have not always had such a perfect relationship however. Before Independence, in 1946, the personnel of the R.I.N. in Bombay revolted in order to “protest against the continued racial discrimination and complaint in regard to pay, food, clothing, allowances, leave and travel facilities and the invidious distinction between the terms of demobilisation between the British and Indian demobilisation personnel*1. The mutiny had spread to all the twelve shore establishments in Bombay effecting about 20,000 ratings. The Congress and the Muslim League flags were hoisted on the ships instead of the Union Jack. The situation deteriorated up to this extent that there broke out gun battles between the ratings and the British troops lasting six hours, till the Britishers ceased fire. In sympathy of the ratings 300,000 dock workers and 1,000 men of Royal Indian Air Force went on strike. The entire country was shocked on these happenings and there was growing restlessness among the disgruntled leaders and masses and the smouldering dames of a revolutionary spirit among disloyal soldiery, military and police alike.