Sunday, October 17, 2010

Questions to ponder over this dushhera.

WHAT IS TRUTH one that is spoken loudest or one that is spoken by the majority.

Does there is always a VICTOR'S TRUTH.

KNOWLEDGE CAN ALSO BRING ARROGANCE.
Does a women always has to be bear the responsibility of being cause of a war whether its Ramayana or Mahabharata?
Do we always need a hero to save us from evil .Can't we be a hero ourselves?
Doesn't we have a Raavana,Megnad,Ram,Laxman,Hanuman infact every character of Ramayana inside ourselves?
Why inside our heart Raavana wins the war every time?
Why we put our heroes on high pedestal, we rever him but never try to follow his ideals?
Who lost more sita or mandodari?
Who was better son Ram,Meghnad ,Lav -Kush?
Who was better brother Laxman,Vibhishan, Bharat,Sugriv,Kumbhkaran?

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Not another soldier died....


I seldom confess my inner desires.But here i confess one "to make it to headlines of newspaper".

I always try looking for opportunities that will throw my name to the newspaper headlines,i try to make people attend me,listen to me, praise me,but alas destiny always cheats me.While starting this blog also this inner desire drove me.I often think ways to increase visitors to my blog,persuade people to follow this blog and what not.

A recent news gave me a lesson ,but i really didn't appreciate this way of teaching by the destiny.A friend of me at my engineering college Amit Thenge gave supreme sacrifice of his life for the nation.(read the story at http://www.groundreport.com/World/Supreme-sacrifice-of-Major-Amit-Kumar-Thenge-durin_1/2925898)

I learnt that "its not you who chooses the opportunity in life but its the life that chooses you for an opportunity".Maj. Amit was indeed the chosen one.When my batch mates were looking for greener pasture in the time of recession and swiftly vanishing bulging packages.When it was a sign of prestige to flaunt you pay package and foreign assignment.Amit chose to serve Indian Army, may be it a matter of job security,but still i think his destiny was already written in golden letters.Life has chosen him as a hero.

At college Amit was not a regular guy,its not a rhetoric but i actually mean it another way.He was not one of those cool studs of engineering college who used to flaunt their expensive accessories,girlfriends,bikes or even political and influential contacts.He was less than that.He knew his background and his middle class status.He was one of those guys who are often remain unnoticed.But he had a pleasing nature ,a real bro.Electronics was his passion and he did engineering honestly.Always found either at library or among his equally brained colleagues.That's why i was often uninvited guest among his circle.If Simplicity has got a name it was Amit Thenge.In fact among persons from Chhindwara he was the most extrovert and liked one.

I still don't believe that his career took him to Army as he was most peaceful,conflict free and friendly college mate i ever remember.And the thing most surprises me is that he met death fighting.I always thought he must be somewhere in this world making computer programme or electronic gadgets(if i remember correctly he showed me his project in final years which was a computer controlled car or device.) Fighting was never his game.But destiny takes man to places he never ever thought off.Amit was destined to earn a place among Martyrs and Heroes. While he never desired but his name has made to the headlines,hall of fame,a recognition for Chhindwara ,a proud name to be associated with and most importantly a inspiration for everyone.I feel failed that my inner desire could not aimed for such thing. I feel sad about a friend whose warmth we still feel while lost his life lying cold in Kashmir.I feel unhappy that life didn't gave him a chance.I feel helpless that we as friend did nothing to spread his act of sacrifice.I feel proud that i knew him,i talked to him,i laughed with him....I feel immensely great when i tell that he rose from the anonymity and became brightest star .

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

The Roadside Tree




The saddest part of the growth story of India is that in wake of urbanisation trees and greenery is getting lost.Small towns are growing into big cities and roads are broaden to give way to Highways.Raipur is also one of the cities which is quickly metamorphosing in to a big capital city.But those who have lived here know what the price is being paid.The city ,which once had plenty of trees,greenery ,lakes and water bodies ,is losing them day after day.Many big and flourishing trees alongside major roads of the city are cut so that the roads can be widen and traffic can run smooth.One day the tree in front of my house was also cut and i despised that i could not do anything.I had heard from my father that when he bought the house the place was little far from the actual Raipur city.The tree was a signpost through which the residents of the housing colony remembered their address.The tree was also a bus stop for those going to Durg ,Bhilai,Rajnandgaon and Nagpur regardless of the fact that a bus stop was made nearby for the commuters.But many said it is very comfortable beneath the tree.The tree also provided shed to a grocery seller.The grocery seller profited so much that he bought a home and took to shops on rent.After him a shoe repairer started sitting beneath the tree. The same tree was used in every elections and religious events to hang the loudspeakers.



In few strokes of axe people had ended so many stories and events attached to the tree. I knew it was inevitable as the growing city demanded more broader roads.To placate my conscience I field a Right to Information application in which i requested total number of trees being cut and how is this compensated.I got my application answered and i feel it a moral duty t share this information.



What i asked



1.Number of trees being cut to broaden the G.E.Road Raipur .



2.Replanting efforts being done to compensate the loss of trees.



The Executive Engineer,Department of Public Works,Chhattisgarh Government, Sambhag Krmank-1,Raipur , replied that



1.Total 256 trees are planned to be cut and Rs.375350 has been provided to Forest Department for cutting and transporting the logs.



2.For each tree cut 10 saplings will be planted by the forest department at Smriti Van , Sondongari,Raipur,for this additional Rs 642560 has been provided to the forest department at the rate of Rs 251 per sapling .



It feels consolatory to know that at least i know that the government has taken measures to compensate the loss of the old grownup trees,but still a feeling of incompleteness resides.It comes from heart a need to see by my own eyes that saplings are actually been planted and cared.Secondly personal redemption will only be full filed by planting, myself ,at least five trees nearby the place where once the tree used to stand.I hope my redemption will be complete.



Wish me luck.

Monday, May 31, 2010

Marrige summers and bachelorhood shed


It has been a usual phenomenon now.Every year ,in the summers , I learned that one of my friend or batch mate is going to get married.It needs no rocket science to calculate that among my friends the number of bachelors is decreasing every summer.While many have already got married a few have got engaged and soon they will leave our bachelors club.I don't understand why there's so hurry.I am afraid that i know why mmmmm..
Anyways it feels quite amazing when i attend a marriage.Apart from loss of one more friend ,the thing that amazes most is believing that what's happening is real not a dream.Of course one cant believe that these irresponsible lads who a few days ago were roaming aimlessly, chasing girls,emptying the bear bottles ,fighting over the last remaining cigarette and what not mischief,were finally adopting such a great responsibility.Sometimes i have my sincere sympathy for those innocent girls who have married these idots.As we friend know almost every idiosyncrasies of each other it makes very difficult to imagine how the serious affair like marriage is going to managed by them.I often wonder how the couple is gonna live that "HAPPY MARRIED LIFE".It may sound childish but its true.
Anyways i always pray that my friends should be happy wherever on this world(also those few who are in the another world) but now i think i have to widen the sphere of my prayers to include the include their spouses too.

Thursday, May 27, 2010

Dangerous games people are playing (contd.)


By just pointing out errors of others one cant escape his own responsibility .Its a saying that when you pin point one finger on others your own three fingers are pointed towards you.So while different dangerous games people are playing in the Naxal vs. State issue,it is no doubt that the people of India will be one who are sure to loose.It would be a noble gesture if that parties involved instead of talking in form of propaganda and playing moves come honestly;y and put things transparently.First the government,it must accept that it has been failing to take care of the issues of the tribals and poor.Also the government should make clear that whether the recent attention given to naxal affected tribal areas is result of its genuine concern for the tribals or dictated by the corporates . Has government studied the implications and impact of industrialisation of these areas.Also whether government will be protecting the rights and entitlements of the displaced or it will be ruthlessly implementing the corporate agenda.Their are other various questions that the government must clarify.
The political system too must come forward and take proactive role in this matter rather than acting as fence sitters.Absence of political debate and neglecting this important issue by other trivial matters is not going to be good for the future polity of this nation.
Naxals must clear their position.What are their objectives and their issue in common terms without ideological strings attached.They must understand that ownership of the resources is governed by the constitution and neither tribals nor non tribals claim their ownership.If they have some alternate idea or model of development they must exhibit it.Also instead of forcibly taking peoples' consent they must let them make their choice.
A few suggestion in this regard are:
Government must make the process of industrialisation transparent whether MOUs,land acquisition,Environment Impact Analysis,"Jan sunvais" and others.
2.Government officials should see where the public interest lies.They must ensure that the displaced re given the best possible deal. SOCIAL IMPACT ANALYSIS ALONG WITH ENVIRONMENT IMPACT ANALYSIS SHOULD BE COMPULSORY.
3.Government should study the prospects of legalizing the Janatana sarkars as local bodies under panchayati raj Act.This will be a confidence building step.Also Janatana sarkars should shed its military dalams .
4.Local language and traditions must be recognised.Activities of hindu bodies as well as christian mission must be regulated through moral persuasions.
5.Long tern compensations to the displaced must be ensured in form of jobs,shares ,equity etc.
6."Alternate model of development " ,as often Naxal propose, is an important issue to be debated widely and experimented in various places.Community ownership and management of resources where ever possible must be given a chance.

Thanks

Monday, May 24, 2010

Dangerous games people are playing..........

Manmoham Singh

PM Manamohan Singh by saying "naxals are greatest internal security threat to India" has metamorphosed a grave socio-economic problem into a question of war.It reminds me of George bush who by coining the phrase "war against terror" easily camouflaged Americas skewed economic diplomatic policies and belligerent military ope rations.The problem with these phrase is that they are provoking and close the doors of conciliation's and mutual understanding.Issue which may be some shades of grey turn into matters of black and white.So either you are with us or against.PM's famous statement often quoted by many has took Naxal problem to a stage where opinions are getting polarised.Hon'ble PM who has never cared about the economic conditions of the rural and tribal hinterlands of our country and who along with Planning commission vice chairman Montek Singh Alhuwalia is obsessed with the figures and numerals of GDP growth rate,has only visited to Chhattisgarh one or twice in his tenure of 6 years.He didn't even came in the high days of state assembly elections atleast to campaign for his party.Problem with leaders like him ,who are not elected and are situated by some powerful people behind the curtain, is that responsibility is ambiguous and the are far removed from ground realities.He looks thorough theoretical mindset and relies on reports and data provided by bureaucratic system.Naxals haven't came from outside or they want session .The support they are enjoying has been built up in a long period of time when the government was sleeping.Pigeonholing a grave problem of livelihood ,exploitation ,malnutrition and fraud in to a single phrase "greatest internal security threat" PM has played a dangerous move in already complex game.The bloodshed occuring every few days is the result ofhis lack of understanding of the issue.

Sonia Gandhi

She is the person who should have understood and intervened appropriately but she didn't cared.Political face must be saved at the cost of lives of tribals and policemen.While she has got power she is without any responsibility.As a Presdent of a 125 year old party ,which Mahatma Gandhi lead in strugge for independence,Jawahar lal Nehru was whose Prime Minister and other achievements are in its history,she has to come forward.Naxal issue is also a prblem of political marginalisation and disempowernmnet of tribals living in faroff place so a political process in utmost necessary to tackle it.As a leader of Congress party which is also in government Smt.Sonia Gandhi must have mobilised party workers ,frontal organisations MLAs M.P.s and others to intervene in the development of the naxal hit areas.But alas! the problem with congress party and its leaders is that when in power they do not see anything,do not hear anything and do not do anything(stritly follow Gandhian Maxim).

The BJP and Raman Singh






BJP has a habit uplifting every emotion provoking issue to a war mongering stage whether its babri masjid,Kashmir or 26/11,afjal guru,kasab and so on .War,killing ,extermination are patent words f this party and its leaders.They ride on high tides f people's emotion and make the complex issue even more complex.They try to profit from problems in ever possible manner.Raman Singh used Tadmetla incident as pretext to ask for more central funds .After all whom the military is going.Indian killing indians.Fascist BJP thinks that every issue can be solved with iron hands.They are taking the country to a point of no return and uncontrollable emotional state.

Digvijay Singh,Ajit Jogi





These people who are thrown out of the political canvas are trying to enter with a bang and naxal issue has provided a golden oppurtunity to them.They are also the persons who could have taken care of the problem at its nacent stage when it was not even a problem.Digvijay Singh was 2 times CM of Madhya Pradesh and Ajit Jogi was long time M.P. and C.M. of Chhattisgarh for 3 years.Instead of taking care of the socio ecnomic problems of tribal these gentlemen were busy in making profits out of their posts.

Naxals


From naxals i mean those bloodthirsty people who on the pretext of giving voice to the exploited tribals and villagers ,made it a business of extortion and earning.By depriving poor people from the Governments welfare and developmental policies and most importantly "peace" they are playing a dangerous game whose result is brutal and grotesque.Rejecting offers f negotiations and talks naxals are driving the simple problem of falied mutual understanding,rights and entitlements to a war cry.Their every ambush operation is taking them towards a dead end.

The Tribals


All though they are part of the game but their role is as much as a football in a match.First government officials like forest guards ,revenue collectors and others exploited them with connivance of contractors.Then naxals ,who promised them a golden future, made use of them.The only game they are playing is being the game.



Inellectuals



I have full sympathy with these people .They are the one who know what is wrong and why,alo they are the one who want to help and they are not getting anything profitable from this ,but still are helpless and sometimes have to face the irk of media and public.The government provides them scholarship for studying and researching about different issues but when the time comes to listen to their views and opinion government turn its ears off.Government relies more on its trained IAS and IPS officers who only care for their chair.Naxals although listen to the intellectuals but only till the music is sweet for them.They pay attenion only to have them on their side but they do not follow the intellecuals' ideas. Intellectuals too only see what the naxals want them to see.

The Media


Caught in the competition of Breaking news and TRPs the electronic and print media is basically feeding the fire through its irresponsible behaviour.Media is often called the fourth pillar of democracy but it cant be a pillar of democracy because unlike the other pillars it has no responsibility and accountability.Playing as a propaganda machine media chase the sides which is gaining in the conflict.Supporting Government ensures advertisements to them and supporting Naxals gives them public gaze(TRPs).Media should know that Governments have never liked the independence and autonomy of media today and its duty of media to not only question the moves of government but also provide the ground realities to those in the establishment.Also those in media who are acting as mouthpieces of naxals and supporting their propoganda should know that communist ideology has no place for corporate media preset in india .Maoists are offening hospitality to reporters till they are writing in their favour the days naxals have achieved in their heinous objectives the same media will have to face the music.


(contd..)

Sunday, April 11, 2010

The colors of red:rebel,romance and revolution



Some one said "At age of 25 if you are not a communist,then there is a problem and if you remain a communist after 25 then there is also a problem".Youth is a time when one is full of energy ,hope,confidence and ideas,that's why some one has aptly said " Bliss was it in that dawn to be alive,But to be young was very heaven".Communist ideas more than the ideology and principles but essence of bringing change,making difference to life of others and importantly rebellion against the establishment fascinates the imagination of any youth.A few strikes,some protests ,rallies, elections are enough to satisfy the thirst of adventures for many a youths.But why some go so far that they devote their life career and comforts.Is this is a way to prolong their youthfulness.Political Mainstream Communist leaders and the Outlaw Naxals comprise of some of the persons who started with good background without any serious deprivations and who could ,if they had pursued their careers,have made to wonderful positions,are found struggling on streets and jungles.They took their youthful adventure quite serious and made it their life mission.

Doctors, Engineers,Academicians and who know others ,have found the ideology worth sacrificing their comforts and luxuries.NarayanSanyal,Kobad Ghandy,Anuradg Shanbug and others who are registered as naxals in Police records are not the people who have toiled in villages or lived in Jungles in their Childhood but come from prosperous families and received quality education but still they find a reason to work for the cause of tribals and villagers.Prakash Karat ,Brinda Karat and similar other communist leader have also thrown their brilliant careers to work as a part of a Party which was least glamorous and known.(The Congress and The BJP have always dominated the political scenario of India )
The mere thought of rebellion against the existing establishment in every sphere political,cultural and social can make one unpopular in fact make him an object of severe criticism in our society but these people have dared to challenge the establishment on their own and made others believe that the ideology is not words but it is possible While their dreams ( hope,mission,goal,whatever euphemism they may use) to establish the peoples power still remains a distant preposition ,one cannot easily deny the courage,perseverance and confidence these people have and are putting into their respective fields.So while naxals are challenging the elite of the governments paramilitary forces ,the communist parties also made a niche indian mainstream political space.The rebellion has extracted much from these people and they have paid in every form.But the question remains what powers the hope and imaginations of these people.(One preposition i often think(especially about Naxals) that they might have found themselves in a closed trap where they have no option but to live the revolution.)

Kobad Ghandy-LEFT



Anuradha Shanbug (Ghandy)-BELOW

One can always imagine poverty,village ,death ,misery,scarcity and unknownness associated with communist ideology and the ideology itself stresses importance of ideology over the personality.So how can romance flowers amongst such situation where one does not even has an identity or in fact multiple identity(as in case of naxals).Where rebellion is the life goal and failures pave the life ahead how can romance find its way in such environment of hopelessness and struggle.Love has blossomed in the communist movement among many comrades.The men and women who struggle for hard showing the superhuman zeal and courage are also attacted towards each other and stung by the love fever, a quite human nature.


The revolution these comrades want to bring in society and political system would had been a possible preposition if India had been a authoritatian or monarchical State but the democracy and India being a republic bleak the prospect of any revolution.With all its intrinsic faults democracy still holds a hope that things will be better in future .This little hope is holding the fort against the wave of revolution.People however illiterate they are they know that the faults and failure of democracy not lies in the system and structure but in the strength of character and inherent morality and ethics of the people themselves.And no revolution can guarantee that the people who will sit on the Seats of power will be high in morality and ethics and have strong character.Still the comrades have full faith on their principle and ideals and they strongly hope that the revolution in India is possible and one day happen."Never deny some one of hope it may be that only thing they may be having" through this line i offer my regards to the comrades.
Rebellion ,romance and revolution are colored red and thus whenever they are thought red colors comes to not only mind but heart also.

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Royal reservation

After 14 years of vanvas,the women reservation bill(108th constitution Amendment bill) was finally passed in Rajya Sabha.A historic event indeed in the Indian Parliamentary history.It was a great event to watch on the television when the bill was been voted.
Exclaiming with joy i told our maid that today a great thing is achieved.She,illiterate though,quickly understood that something important is being shown in the TV but could not understood what it was.She asked me what it means.Expressions of joy soon on my face turned into serious lines.I told her ,of couse in laywomen terms,that if the bill becomes a kanoon then women can get tickets and become MPs and MLAs.She showed no signs of interest but still kept her smile as though to keep my good mood intact.She asked-"Whether Didi (my mother) will become Mantri?".Making me embarrassed again.I said yeh it may be possible but elections are after 4 years,who knows what happens then.She said disapprovingly "Arre.." .I said "now many women can stood in election it is a great thing that happened today.even you can fight election".She blushed and said "Bhaiya Haman kaha chunav ladbo.Khaye kamaye ke mushkil he hamar (Brother how can we fight election.For us making livelihood itself is a struggle)".Then finding that my mood is good she threw her googly -"Bhaiya please talk to didi about increasing my pay".I found my self on sticky wicket as i usually do not handle these matters and said I will surely talk but it will be good if you yourself talk to mummy.She said "didi will not hear she will complain about her coming late and not doing the chores efficiently".I said "yes, may be but it is true you have been coming late and not doing things properly". She said that she has to go to many homes as income from one house is not enough.So she is often late and in hurry.I assured her that i will take the matter with mummy.
After she was gone, i fell into deep thought ,thinking what real difference will the bill make in life of the maid and many like her?
will Reservation of seats in Parliament and legislative assembly provide her enough to feed her family.Will it lessen her workload and stress and give her time to lie in leisure.
What difference will it make to her growing tension about increasing prices and growing children.
The women reservation bill in parliament sent the hue and cry for rising prices and inflation to background.But many women will have now to struggle even harder to keep both ends meet.
I concluded that the reservation bill is for the royalty indeed..........
While one women depressed me another brought my hopes back again Smt. Sonia Gandhi.Watching an interview of her with Barkha Dutt I was really amazed by the confidence and tacitness she showed.Her answers showed the confidence she commands necessary for a leader to lead.Disapproving all her adversaries she once again showed that what politics actually means,in her words "viewing the larger picture".

Thursday, March 4, 2010

Monday, February 22, 2010

Rendezvous with history at Sirpur

History has always been a boring subject for many students especially those who do not want to get lost in remembering dates ,wars and genealogical trees.In fact i found that the subject in itself is not boring but the way it is taught in our schools has made it uninteresting.Stories are always liked by the children right from the pari katha to chanda mama ki kahanis.Children have always got a reason to sleep: they are told stories.These stories ,the paris,rakshas,prince and princesses,jadugars have always enriched their dreams.History if taught like stories will not only facilitate learning among the students but also the others .Afterall who doesnt wants to know about the past.If people knew the past and learned from it they would have not repeated the same errors.Anyways on my visit to Sirpur ,as there was annual mela there on mahashivratri,i got surprised by the findings of the archeological excavations there.History of Sirpur which was actually sripur, is the story of one Mahashivgupta Balarjuna a somvanshi king .He was so proficient in using arms (bow and arrow) in his childhood that he earned the titile of Bala-arjuna.His father was Harshagupta and mother Vasata.He was a great king and secular in his religious beliefs.His mother Vasata after becoming widow constructed a temple for god Hari the LaxmanaTemple.Thus his parents were vaishnavites he himself being shaivite Mahashivgupta didnt hesitate to donate for building many buddhist monasteries.HeinTsang describes that there were 100 monasteries,70 temples and 1000 monks living in them at Sirpur.In fact Sirpur was one of the greaty buddhist learning centres of ancient time.The monks of mahayana sect used to come from far flung areas to learn.monasteries wre buit from bricks and inscription refer to a monk named Anand Prabhu,on whose name a monastery was named.On watching the architecture of the excavated sites one cant remain unamazed by the architectural knowledge and mastery of those who had built these buildings.Well structured designs,intricate carvings of pillars well designed drainage,lavish pools etc.


















Sripur was very prosperous kingdom at the time of Mahashivgupta ,the sripur dynasty used to call themselves Kesari(lion) but after him or his old age.Sharabhpuria rules captured Sripur and Mahashivgupta's son Mahabhavagupta.Unfortunate Mahabhavagupta had to run with his family and walk along the mahanadi and conquer Kalinga from trikalinga dynasty and settle at katak(cuttak).