Of Christmas... and us.

Being a fan of Dicken’s literature since childhood, Christmas always reminds me of the famous character of Ebenezer Scrooge. The man, as miser as a miser could be and as cold in emotions as his suppers would be, when visited by ghosts of past, present and future and looks at his situation undergoes a change of heart and unleashes the spirit of Christmas . This being the plot of the story not only is fascinating for the children but is motivating for the grown ups alike.

In our everyday life we do come across many people who seem to be of similar nature, not that they are cold, but they seem to have lost the track of time. They think they have plenty of life ahead of them to enjoy, but what they do not realise is that the time they think they have is actually the time that is spent on thinking so. It is often so that when we really think of enjoying our time, we realise we haven”t really got much.

All those things we worry about, our career, our finance, our position, if reflected upon introspection, we shall find that it is all a hollow thing we are all chasing. It seems meaningful from the outside, but within it, it contains nothing but void. Life is not meant to be a void.

So in this Christmas, let us not just worship Christ,let us take time to rejoice what the almighty has left us with. LIFE. Let us try to bring some smile on our fellow being faces, let us restore hope to the people in despair. Let us live in this Christmas. Merry  Christmas. Spread love. 

Why do we do when we don't want to?

Often in life people do certain things which we never really like doing, but somehow we are compelled to do so owing to the circumstances and our inability to escape. Given one chance to do the same in their field of choice they not only bring good results but also work more diligently and with a greater passion because there is no greater incentive than the burning desire of our hearts.

The where do we go wrong in choosing our paths? Why don’t we all follow our dreams? The answer may seem difficult and many people may seem to avoid it. In fact the answer is something which is not unknown to all. Following one’s dream requires dedication and hard work, not everyone is rich enough to afford it. In a dream following art or creativity, the path is not easy. Neither is it for those seeking quick money. Those pursuing it may find their peers succeed in life much before they had even began. More than that, we have our conservative family system’s hypocrisy which loves to adore their homes with art, listen to music all the time and discuss literature with pleasure but when it comes to allowing their kids to pursue such profession is a big no-no.

Thus we find bored up government clerks, uninterested people in information technology, irritated commuters in public vehicles. I really cannot say how this problem needs tackling because I myself am trapped in this rooster coop. The only thing I can assure is that till I set myself free, I shall keep fighting. I won’t let anything as moral degradation come in my way. I shall strive to survive and strive to be someone from no one, even if it is someone who tried to be something, I’ll be that. No matter whatever it takes.

Intolerance, Tolerance or Acceptance, What we must be our way?

Recently, there had been a ruckus in the media giving rise to endless debates and discussions in the homes of the common man and the Parliament alike. It has reached such a level of pseudo-priority that we have almost turned our blind eye towards other serious incidents occurring around us.

The debate for “Intolerance” seems to be replacing all the other issues of our country. Now, what is “Intolerance” and how did it emerge?

Intolerance is belief that in the present times, the Hindus (the majority religion of India) have become intolerant about other religions and are taking violent means to suppress them. The veracity of this notion is so far buried by the opinions of the individuals and religious radicals of both the groups.

The ones who believe in the existence of this are coming forward and raising their voice condemning it. While others simply believe that the concept of Intolerance is vague as they are tolerant towards other groups or other people are tolerant about them. But by simply stating that they are tolerant would not mean you are opposing Intolerance, rather you are giving rise to the inferiority of the other groups because being tolerant would mean you have a power over them. This is not equality. The opposite of intolerance had never been tolerance. It is “Acceptance”. Yes, we need to be accepting towards each other, like we had always been.

Of course there had been many cases of disturbances which speak against acceptance towards others like the Gujarat riots of 2002, the riots after the assassination of the then Prime Minister Smt. Indira Gandhi in 1984, the rise in the toll of deaths due to honour killings and the like.  While we point a finger at each other for these incidents, we must remember that only a few people were responsible for the genocides and murders and not an entire religion. There are many people who were against these gruesome acts. The people who initiated these were the very ones who do not want us to be united with each other. These are the same people who are giving rise to these notions of intolerance, to create another disturbance. We, as Indians must not give in to this.

We were divided earlier and these divisions were the catalysts for East India Company’s taking over our territory. Should we give in to this, we may give way for rise of a similar scenario. History is for us to learn, not to repeat itself. We have shown our solidarity towards each other during times of turmoil in Chennai and in Uttarakhand, we had come together and demanded justice for a rape victim, we were united while during Civil Disobedience Movement. Let us not forget the very essence of our country and let us not allow any person to misguide us with their notion of intolerance or tolerance. We must come forward to raise our voice against intolerance and instill the notion of Acceptance. We must strive to keep India’s Unity in Diversity.     

An auto driver's lesson

One evening coming home from university, I boarded an auto-rickshaw, and as usual reported my lack of change before hitching the ride. There was nothing unusual about my co-passengers, (yes in Kolkata we have a system of shared auto unlike other metro cities) apart from the lady in my right who seemed to be in a little hurry. She was frantically searching for something in her purse, switching between chains and repeatedly zipping and unzipping them. My attention was soon diverted towards the rainfall outside the vehicle, the moment the sound of the motor’s engine reached my ears.

The auto was halfway, when the lady suddenly demanded the auto to be halted for she’d dropped her purse. The driver complied and she got out searching for her wallet in the middle of the road. No doubt she is anxious. I thought.

We were waiting inside the vehicle with the rain gaining momentum outside. The lady on my right, who went unnoticed hitherto owing to the presence of the other lady and the weather, was growing impatient. She kept checking her watch every now and then. Why don’t we leave her and proceed? She  asked. Both of us stared at her in amazement. How could a person be so insensitive? The driver replied. What if the same thing had happened to you? The lady went silent. Turning her head aside whether it was anger towards the driver or realisation of her insensitiveness, one could not say. I looked at the driver and smiled, in gratitude and in the humane way in which he took his stand. Moments later the she returned to our auto and we rode to our destination. She thanked us for our patience and support.

This was a little incident, but it certainly made a big difference that day. The driver could have followed her and in doing so, he would not lose a thing rather he would save time and pick a different passenger. We would have reached a little earlier. The lady whose purse dropped would have eventually found it and hitched another auto and rode home. No one would have really lost anything. But instead, he decided to wait, and thus was a lady able to learn a lesson, a lady’s faith in a stranger was sustained.

Often in our busy life, we tend to overlook our vicinity, and the little things which we refrain from doing, because we are in a hurry (for if you are not in hurry, you are not doing anything to make you successful), can cause a great difference to others if given a little time. Helping an aged man with his bag while climbing the stairs, replying to the good morning wish the gate keeper of your building greets you with, or even saying thank you to the milkman every morning etc. are the very little things that we can painlessly afford creating a big difference to others. The aged man will get another son, the gate keeper will feel valued and will take pride in his job, the milkman will have a reason to relish amidst his early morning toil.

So do small things and bring a big difference. And about the Return on Investment, well you can see it for yourself…..

An encounter at a certain tea stall

A dim lantern was glowing inadequately at the counter beside a burning stove. Seated upon the stove was a saucepan slightly bigger than the one we see at our houses. A new lot of empty cups were being laid, ready to be filled. “Two small cups,” said a voice from the other side of the counter. “Without sugar.” She nodded in acceptance and immediately dispatched two cups with steaming hot tea towards her customers.

After paying, the two customers left, when a little girl, of age might be five or six years, appeared with a notebook in her hand and said “Mamma, homework done.” So she was her daughter and probably she was doing her homework while her mother got occupied catering to her customers. Her mother took the notebook in her hands and began inspecting whatever her daughter had written. The light made it too difficult for her eyes to read.

Her tea shop opened late in the evening. She may have other jobs during the evening which did not permit her to meet her daughter to help her with studies. She was thus forced to bring her to her stall during the night amidst the dim light.

She might be the only earning member of her family, and her evening job was not enough to maintain her family and her daughter’s education. Thus forcing her to tire herself even more to ensure they went on progressing. It was clear that she valued education and knew its importance. Or I may be completely wrong. It’s possible that her tea stall was the outcome of her passion not out of compulsion. And she was aware of her duties towards her daughter and did not shirk either passion or duty. In that case she becomes more respectful in my eyes to be able to find a job that keeps her happy.

Whatever the reason might be, she deserves a different salute for her dedication and hard work. She might not come in any news, neither shall any biopic will be made about her, but she is undoubtedly a real life hero to her family and her daughter. And she is makes wonderful tea.

While returning home after having tea at her, I saw a half ready life sized idol of the Hindu Goddess Durga, who symbolises ultimate feminine power and a woman who is adept in simultaneous jobs owing to her ten hands (metaphorical). Even she was with her kids.

It was a great similarity that I found between the mythical character and to the person I met in real. She, like the Goddess had her demons which she fought regularly. Though in her case it was not any person, but her own draining strength, the dim light, her condition at home and the like. Like her even most of us have our demons, which tend to succumb us in its girth and we tend to lose ourselves. Everyone has problems in their lives, coming out of it is what separates the Durga from the rest.    

DIGITAL INDIA- What has it in store for us?

Since the time it was announced, there had been rows of debates and opinions regarding the ‘Digital India’ initiative spreading all across the social media. ‘Digital India’, as the name suggests, is an initiative by the Government of India to make every government services and information digitally available and accessible. It ensures all government works to go online promising a greater transparency.

What the DI aims at?

The major aim of the DI is to set up broadband in 2.5 lakh villages, universal phone connectivity, net zero imports by 2020. It also aims at providing 4 lakhs Public Internet access points along with enabling schools and all universities with free Wi-Fi. Every citizen shall be provided with a digital locker for storage of digitised documents. It seeks to restructure of the National Informatics Centre (NIC).

Benefits for the citizens

Firstly the Wi-Fi hotspots and the Public Internet Access Points (PIAP) in public places (including 500 railway stations), hitherto which were restricted to restaurants or at hospitals, enables net services for the people on the go, thus reducing the dependence on the mobile data by other private telecom companies.

The ‘Digital Lockers’ provide an online storage system for important documents like passports, mark -sheets, degree certificates etc. for easy accessibility during submissions for application of any services, thus making the whole system hassle free by sparing us the toil of carrying he physical documents along with reducing the paper costs. The lockers also provide access to govt. issued documents. These lockers can be availed by signing up with the Aadhar Card number and the phone number that is linked with the Aadhar number. The documents would be safely locked with an e-sign authentication.

Benefits for the students

It was prevalent in some universities but hardly in any schools. The DI’s initiative seeks to establish free Wi-Fi in 2.5 lakh schools and all universities. This step is going to benefit both teachers and students alike, for almost every required information are available in the internet and availing them would no longer be a problem especially for those children with no net connection at their homes.

Benefits to the villages

The high efficiency Gigabit Passive Optical Network (GPON) will be used to connect the 2.5 lakh villages announced, with Fiber To The Home (FTTH) based broadband. Their connectivity to the network would introduce them to an arsenal of information for them like Early harvest Programmes, proper weather forecast, which would serve as a guideline to the farmers who remain at dilemma and are succumbed to the debt traps, to plan their crops. The DI also includes the Government services like providing a reliable agri information and alternate marketing schemes through the services like mAgriculture and mGramBazar.

Benefits in jobs

The DI initiative being a massive project for a large mass would invariably require a huge manpower for its working. DI would ensure a rise in jobs in the IT sector in both public and private domains. An estimate of 1.7 crore trained for IT, Telecom and Electronics jobs and indirect at least 8.5 crore jobs will be created.

Major drawbacks

So far the DI seems to be dormant regarding its privacy policies for protection of the digitally stored documents and informations. Without strict privacy laws, there lies a risk of identity theft and cyber abuse of the information.

The DI is undoubtedly a giant leap towards development of India in the digital era unifying the cities to the villages through virtual string. With the tremendous support it is getting now from India and abroad, it can be clearly stated that it has many expectations to fulfil by almost every group of citizens.

From 'Gurukuls' to Schools...and a student's life.

Gone are the days when parents used to send their children to the ‘gurukuls’ or teacher’s home where there used to be a ‘guru’, a teacher, under whose tutelage the students used to obtain all their life lessons. At the end completion of their education, their teachers used to ask for his fees (gurudakshina) from his protégé depending on their learning and capability. This system though made great warriors and priests, it had many flaws within its folds. They never sought to teach remove the barriers of social inequality like the Brahmins were not allowed to enter in the gurukuls meant for other castes and vice versa. Back then the women were not allowed to be educated beyond kitchen management and child bearing. The gurukuls had a blind eye towards it.

With the passing of the eras, the system of gurukuls has evolved. Now the modern schools have become more accepting and encouraging. Now a student is free to attend any school, not caring about his background, girls are being educated and are breaking the boundaries of kitchen to fight for their own identity.

Eventually even this system began to be flawed slowly. With the huge amount of commercialisation, even education has become an investment for the parents. Education has obtained the same impression of any other commodity. The more it costs, the better it is. Thereby this system has brought an economic division, and the school one goes in has become a ‘status symbol’.

The changing in the system has also made a great deal of change in the student’s life. Along with creating an economic sieve, a few schools have also made it just too unreasonably difficult to crack their admission tests. To get you admitted in one of those, there are a lot of coaching classes. Even for those seeking admission in kindergarten. They are supposed to know to do stuffs like sharpening your own pencil and know your ambition in life even before you join school. Adding to the fun, there are coaching classes or pre-schools to get you there. Hear money raining?

After losing his innocent days, in pursuit of a good school, he finally gets there, into one of those colleges. Right from then he is given a number of tutors for making him learn what he was supposed to learn back at obtained-with-difficulty school. The number of tutors increases with the number of subjects. One can easily find any secondary or high school student to return from school, drop their bags, grab a few bites and rush for their tuitions.

Even when the books and multiple teachers do not suffice, there are a lot of further books that teach you to ‘pass’ or score good in the examinations, and the fact that they are all potent bestsellers, clearly indicates that marks are everything rendering knowledge almost no importance. A child building a wind powered toy car is seen as nothing compared to the student who was able to write about utilization of wind energy, in a better way, in the exam.

After struggling through almost his entire childhood, one has to appear again for entrance exams of various colleges. For that again, yes there are, the coaching classes come into play. Shell out some more and be there. He gets into a college. Now the student-soon-to-be-a-man has been duly inculcated with the lust for marks and job.

Doing all the chores of education and passing through all the stages, he is finally settled. Being a product of a huge commercial investment, he now has the burden of proving his worth and sets the target of earning money and life in his mind and thus rejects a job in the school in the outskirts of the city.

Dalai Lama’s words on the most surprising thing about humanity..

“Man. Because he sacrifices his life in order to money. Then he sacrifices money to recuperate his health. And then he is so anxious about future that he does not enjoy the present; the result being he does not live in the present or the future; he lives as if he is never going to die, and then dies having never really lived.

Christie-The Queen of Crime

15th september 2015 marks 125th the birthday of one of the pioneers of English detective stories, the queen of crime, Agatha Christie. She was the brain behind some unforgettable characters like Hercule Poirot, miss Marple etc.

No matter whether it is a typist serial killer, an organized international crime, a simple murder of a man who knew too much, you just name it and there is Christie present with her unputdownable page turners. ‘The Mysterious Affairs at Styles’, her debut novel, marks the beginning of an era of thrilling mystery stories and has given birth to Hercule Poirot, the beloved detective of English literature. The first Marple novel appeared in the year 1930 in the book ‘Murder at the Vicarage’.

Browsing through the pages of Poirot or Marple, one must not forget the other independent stories like ‘The Secret of the Chimneys’, ‘Unexpected Guest’ etc. Apart from giving us wonderful characters, she has also redefined the narration of detective storytelling. She engages her readers throughout the investigations and one feels like he is solving the case himself, unlike her counterparts where the reader’s patience was tested till the climax where the sleuth explained everything. She engages her readers like no other writer in a journey of crime and investigation, making her the third best seller outsold only by The Bible and Shakespeare.

Under the pseudonym of Mary Westmacott, she had penned down few novels like ‘The Burden’ , ‘Giant’s Bread’ etc. Along with mystery novels, this queen of crime had also written few plays which were later novelised by Charles Osborne.

Her stories were adopted into the silver screen and the role of Hercule Poirot, was played by David Suchet, thus immortalising the Belgian detective. Christie served as an inspiration for many movies and detective stories in the future. No matter how technology evolves or how the techniques of detection change, Christie’s ways will always be a novel and the most exciting methods and irreplaceable.

Our Decorated Roads

Certain sights become so common to our eyes that whenever we see them we tend to overlook, but to an onlooker and any newcomer it might be remarkable and disgusting.

 There are many sights that are generally witnessed in most of the Indian roads. Littered garbage, for example, lay strewn around the public dustbins as if someone’s effort to perfect his aim has failed him repeatedly in throwing his waste into the bin, or maybe those garbage were too beautiful to be confined into the bin. In places of no dustbins the roads are decorated with variety of pattern of dumped waste sometimes even releasing their fragrance imploring the pedestrians’ attention towards itself. Even the busiest man takes his time to appreciate the elegance of the strewn garbage. Some people remark saying why is nothing done about them. Little do they realise that the aesthetic value added to the roads by the virtue of well planned dumping of the garbage is irreplaceable. The garbage which would have been recycled losing its identity, have found a new incentive to live without losing their identity. This is not something any ENVIRONMENTALIST would ever understand.

There are some warriors fighting an endless battle to clean our city with the intension of keeping their vicinity disease free, but what good is health without beauty?

Some people involve themselves to cleaning to show our visitors from foreign countries a clean India. Why do we bar them from having the sight of decorated roads? Or is the scenario so blatant that it is solely for our countrymen?

Whatever it is, or however one takes this fact, the fact remains a fact and the fact is that THE CONDITION IS ALARMING and needs immediate change.

The Words of a Dead Tiger

I still remember the time before my death, when I was being beaten up black and blue by the new residence at the end of the jungle that had hitherto been my periphery. All I wanted to ask was why was not I given any prior notice before I was made homeless, just like it happens in their world?

Last week, a few cubs had gone missing. One of our streak had gone in search of them, only to be attacked and chased down by the humans.

We are non - violent peace-loving tigers who growl only to protect our family, much like the humans. I was asking them the name of the person who had allowed them to cut down our habitat and call it their own, when I was mistaken as a threat and thrown pebbles at. I urged them to keep peace because I had come for a peaceful venture, but they got angry (or rather scared) and gathered groups of men who began hitting me with sticks. Unable to solve the issue I was about to retreat when someone hit hard on my head and I was alive no more.

Innocent humans had been so naïve with their intelligence. They had been depleted our species eventually, finding no other job, since the very beginning of their kind and now they have began a campaign for saving us. Yes, it is true that in the recent times we are increasing in numbers and our depletion rates have gone down, but on the other hand looking at the way our habitat is being gradually succumbed and the hostility we face upon our visiting their locality is a clear indication that they do not care about our survival.

The Postman

Recently I was reading ‘The missing Mail’ by R.K. Narayan, when a sudden realisation occurred to me. Whether the present generation will understand the essence of this piece, how much will they feel connected to the core of the story and are they even aware of the importance of people like Thanappa, a postman? Or the community culture shown in the story?

The pursuit for this answer opened my eyes to the changing, or rather changed, times. Walking through the streets of Borivali, Mumbai, on my way home in the evening, I witnessed a school bus making its halt at my building’s gate. The happy faced children jump off the bus to embrace their mother, holding their hand they were being brought towards the elevator, when Rahul, a five year old toddler, spoke up. “Today I’ll make a record of 50 goals”. Of course it was some game he was talking about. Had it been my case back in my time the only thing ran all over my head while returning was to somehow finish eating and rush to the fields, where I would be spending hours till the sun had almost retired from the zenith.

I still remember the time when my father was posted in a different city of a distant state when I was seven and how I had spent my entire evening in an effort to compose a proper letter addressed to him. It was a delight to me t have written about my marks obtained in tests, runs scored by me in the evening match and about how we missed him while celebrating  mother’s birthday in his absence. It was a worthwhile experience. Had it been in the recent time, a simple text would have done the whole thing, sparing me the effort and happiness of it.

I heard my youngest cousin complaining when his uncle had forgotten to call him on his birthday, and there was a time when I had received birthday greetings two days post my birthday and still how much it delighted me to have a physical proof of their present to me. I never complained for its late arrival, for I was aware about the postal services and its demerits.

Letter writing used to be an art taught in school  when I was in my junior classes and as I grew up while appearing for boards the topic had changed to writing an e-mail. While writing this blogg, my SMART PHONE beeped, ‘yaar notes bhej,’ says the text from my friend. ‘send me the notes buddy’. I immediately took the pictures of my notes and sent him. Life has really become easy with the advent of these technologies and the world can be seen as a single connected unit. I no longer have to wait for the next morning’s newspaper to know about the fire mishap occurring in another part of my country. Thanks to the mobile news apps which are available for free. People have many friends in their virtual world, but what good is a hundreds of them compared to one true friend who is ready to be there at one call.

There are advantages of the advent of modern techniques of communications, they are fast easy and hassle free. But at the end of the day the text alert beep of the phone could never replace the essence and feel of that came upon hearing the bicycle bells of Thanappa.