THE REAL TRIBUTE

This I write on the 60^th death anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.

Are the principles of Mahatma Gandhi still followed? This may seem to be the most silly and unusual question to be asked to any Indian. I will not be surprised if the present day leaders of the country, in the name of self proclamation as the protectors of Mahatma’s legacy (both political and social) file a court suit against me for such an unkind statement.

He was shot not during the English rule but during our own governance. Liberation from the earth was what we could reward him with for liberating us from the shackles of slavery. Independence which was the result of toiling by many souls spearheaded and guided by the Bapu put an abrupt end to his own life and ideals. The pyres engulfed not only his body but also his ideologies of love, brotherhood, honesty, equality and non-violence. Instead,

1. Acts of hate, inequality, discrimination and violence have surfaced.

2. Attitude towards women and children has become offensive and derogatory.

3. Truth and unselfish service have become words only to be found in the dictionary.

When people from the other corners of the world like Sir Martin Luther King and Sir Nelson Mandela have inculcated his thoughts actions into their genes, it’s shameful to note that we (politicians included), the true inheritors are applauding creations with Gandhian values only on screen and in the print instead of us practicing it in our own lives. We the billion plus people are the conspirators of murdering Gandhism.

Can we still claim that we follow the Gandhian path?

The buried ashes of Gandhian thoughts are dug up only on the eve of his birth or death anniversary. October 2^nd (date of birth) is considered just another holiday and January 30^th (date of assassination) for not being declared a public holiday is regretted.

Building India he dreamt into a reality would be the most fitting tribute we could pay rather than Charka spinning, singing of bhajans and taking vows.

THE PRIME NATIONAL DUTY

The Transparency International (T.I) which is a non-governmental organization involved in fighting corruption has reported that India has improved its position in the comity of nations in terms of integrity as it is ranked 72 among 180 countries in the corruption index in 2008. It was at the 70th position among 163 countries in 2007.

Accordingly, India's integrity index has marginally improved to 3.5 in 2007 from 3.3 a year ago on a scale of 10 points. India's rank at 72 in corruption index is also shared by China, Mexico, Morocco and Peru. Pakistan is way down at 138th position. Denmark, Finland and New Zealand are the least corrupt countries, which jointly top the list with integrity index of 9.4 points each.

The good news from the above stats is that India’s position in the list has improved but its time to realize the reason, for us being part of the list? It’s definitely “We the people” who are to be blamed. The “weed” (corruption) was watered and protected well from the vigilant eyes and now it has spread its branches in every possible direction supported by strong and deep roots. Extending hands under the table has become an inherent practice for any work to be forwarded or done. This is diplomatically termed as “other formalities”. We are ready to bribe until it is within our pre- planned estimates and when it goes beyond, voices are raised and credibility of country is debated. It’s an act for which every person who has bribed in his lifetime should feel ashamed and repent.

The country is personified not only by its history or natural resources but also by its people, their conduct and their societal commitment.

The prime national duty of all of us at this moment is to extend our hands to wipe away the dust covering our exuberant legacy and undiminished glory.

COME; TOGETHER LET US BE THE CHANGE.

DIVERSED OR DIVORCED??

I am one of the billion plus Indian citizens who are unhappy with the way the country is. It was always a moment of pride for me at a young age to read in history and geography books that my country had “diverse” characteristics. It is pot-potpourri only in sense of geographic and cultural assets. Only the physical boundaries are giving a sense that we are brothers born of the same mother.

There are proofs supporting the fact that ‘angels’ of peaceful co-existence had charmed this “magic” land. The real split in terms of self defined terms like faith, caste, and race had its roots only during the reign of the Britishers. Thanks to the policy of “divide and rule”, that present day politicians find it any easy tool to earn the warmth of many (and wrath of some). Questions may arise regarding the division during the Vedic times in terms of classes. It was division based on the duty the people should perform. India that fragmented into pieces in the English rule is yet to find the missing pieces of the jig-saw. The confluences of rivers are celebrated but it’s a bitter fact that there is no confluence of the minds and the hearts. The books of harmony would now describe India, as a land of “divorce” characteristics.

For the minds to unite:

Resist divide,

Conduct brotherhood,

Cultivate tolerance,

Amplify love,

Lose hate, and

Gain hearts.

BE THE CHANGE..

Friends, I am now into my final year, final semester of the engineering course and let me tell you frankly I am enjoying it like anything. Only three papers this semester plus a project work. Thank God, gone are the days when I used to struggle with my core subjects only a few days before the examinations. The big engineering bibles would seem to me as the worst punishment that a man on this earth could ever get. The case is same with most of the students belonging to any stream today. The teacher taught saying “unity in diversity” applies well here, universally. “Why such an attitude?” is the question I would like to pose myself. And on thinking (which I unusually did this time!!) I came up with a few answers rather a few points to defend my stand.

First, I would point my finger at our education system. The present day Indian education system is praised world over but I find it too mechanical and rigid. We have been trained right from our kindergarten that exams are the knowledge measuring scale and high marks as the deciding parameters. The system has failed to transform the minds from ordinary to ultimate completeness. Does the purpose of education is only to train our minds to get a well paid, decent job? It is what nowadays the educational institutions try to accomplish. Education should bring about integration of thoughts and therefore intelligence. The purpose of life is defeated without such integration. As Jiddu Krishnamurthy says “Education should awaken the capacity to be self-aware and not merely indulge in gratifying self expression.”

The National knowledge Commission has recommended setting up of many more IITs, IIMs, NITs and central universities. World class institutions are not strengthened only by the kind of infrastructure or buildings they offer. Their strong foundations are laid by the quality of the faculty and support staff and it is what we lack today, which I found as my second reason. They are in a way a bridge between knowledge acquisition and its further development.

Finally students are too resistive (me included) to accept the fact that, for changes to occur in the future, it must me them who need to take the plough for sowing the seeds of change. In spite of breaking down due to what the external “incubating” environment offers, there must be a revolution within, to cast away the shell of ignorance and flap our “broken” wings to fly in the skies of acquired freedom and success.

Let’s be the change, we wish to be.

HAIL KHALIL GIBRAN!!

I would not have known a great poet called "Khalil Gibran" existed if i had not started reading books by Vairamuthu,Kaviko Abdul Rahman on world poetry.It opened me to the world of new thoughts, and creativity.All the present day poets I strongly believe would have taken ,rather borrowed creativity from this man of simple yet powerful words.And after some of the translated verses I developed such an interest for his works that I even went for a dog-hunt for his books.

Thanks to my close friend I was presented with an omni-bus edition titled "THE GREATEST WORKS OF KHALIL GIBRAN" containing twelve of his greatest works like The Prophet,Wanderer etc.