In Bhopal to attend the National Conference on Human Trafficking

 I am  in Bhopal to attend the National Conference on Human Trafficking, problems, vulnerability and solutions, being organised by the Centre for Women's Studies at Barkatullah University under the leadership of Prof. Asha Shukla,the Head of CWS. This has come at the right time when I am reading the autobiography of Abida Sultaan, The memoirs of a  rebel princess, who was the successor to the Bhopal ruling family. She speaks of Bhopal during the 1920's when it is covered with forests, greenery and is very beautiful. Bhopal had huge forests surrounding it and many times royalty from other states and British Viceroy came for Shikar here. She describes in detail the life of a princess and how the Royalty perceived of the independence struggle, the loosing of the privy purses and why she decided to migrate to Pakistan leaving every thing behind.It is a very interesting autobiography and I would recommend it to every one as a must read. Today also Bhopal looks very neat and clean with a lot of green cover and the huge lake right in the centre of the town. I did not get any sense of great traffic  as we went to visit the temple  at Bojpur in the outskirt. This is a beautiful structure with a huge Shiva linga constructed around 1010  to 1055. The temple a stone structure stands tall amidst its surroundings and is a beautiful sight.