The romance of the quest is ironically evident in the prophesy by an old Cree woman named Eyes of Fire quoted in the publicity pamphlet distributed by the organisation born just 28 years ago:

``When the Earth is sick and the animals and plants begin to die, then the Indians will regain their spirit and gather together people of all nations, colour and creed to join together in the fight to save the planet and they will be known as the Warriors of the Rainbow.''

For the Rainbow Warrior, on its Asian leg of the global ``toxic-free-future'' tour, it is virtually a resurrection after having been bombed and sunk by the French Navy for protesting against nuclear testing in 1985. The resurrected Warrior is led by the same captain who led the sunk ship, Peter Willcox andthe target of the Warrior in India is to focus public attention on Bhopal, where 15 years ago the leak of the deadly methyl isocynate claimed more than 2,500 lives and left at least another generation physically and psychologically maimed. The purpose is to raise awareness with regard to pollution problems in the country.

There is more to this than meets the eye. Greenpeace proposes to show that the tragedy of Bhopal persists and the findings are due to be made public on Monday. Apart from the fact that it is the fifteenth anniversary of the Bhopal Tragedy, attention is sought to be directed towards the projected merger of Dow Chemicals and Union Carbide on December 2. Greenpeace is arguing that since Dow is taking over Union Carbide, it must undertake to shoulder the continuing liability of the Bhopal tragedy.

For the Warrior knights, saving the environment is serious business and the profits counted in the tangible actions taken by governments to that end. The Warrior is in itself an expression of thatstruggle. The press releases are printed on chlorine-free paper, the three-masted ship is powered by wind and not oil, it has solar water systems and a ``comprehensive'' garbage segregation system.

Greenpeace coordinator Twilly Cannon looked at Asia with visible concern, particularly in the light of the ``increased nuclearisation of Asia'' both in civilian and military terms. In contrast, is the peaceful methodology employed by Greenpeace to combat the growing dangers. ``We have learnt a lot from Gandhi,'' Cannon said, essentially perseverance and staying power, with some of their campaigns running into more than a decade, as for example, their campaign against nuclear testing.

The Antarctic experience, according to Cannon, exposes the complexity of the nature of the struggle. When it was first mooted to exploit the Antarctic commercially, the yardstick was to distribute the spoils among the countries who had permanent presence on the icy continent. This, says Cannon, was a ploy to keep the lessdeveloped nations away from the resulting business.

Greenpeace succeeded in shooting down the criterion by establishing a ``permanent presence'' on Antarctica. The struggle ultimately led to a 50-year moratorium on the exploitation of the region commercially. Cannon hopes that the moratorium will have a permanent status.

Cannon realises that the struggle essentially is against the collaboration of governments with business houses hankering after profit. He is of the opinion that in the crucial area of the nuclear sector there are heavy hidden government subsidies. ``Nuclear power cannot without government subsidy,'' said Cannon.

Greenpeace methodology revolves round influencing public opinion and policy-makers by making available scientifically unimpeachable evidence with regard to the hazards of environmental pollution. It supplements that with the philosophy of non-violent action, like blockades. Its movement is inspirational. Knights in the quest of the Holy Grail.