Eternal Star

On a clear starry night,
There once was a magical sight,
A single star grew so bright,
Glowing wisely in her own light.

With soothing words and tender thoughts,
Soon she captured all our hearts,
Every lonely creature felt her warmth.
Venus held her luminous arms,
Mercury succumbed to her charms.

All the planets jilted the sun,
And fled to this glorious one.

The angry sun summoned a cloud,
In sharp cruel words thundered aloud:
“Go and ambush that new star,
I will watch you from afar!”

Edged on by his overlord
Descended upon her this dark cloud,
Shrouding her from all and sundry.
Venus hid her face in shame,
Moon cried and felt so lame.

But judicious Jupiter could not be fooled
And spoke thus, “This is just a passing cloud.
When this dark night is gone,
Another day is to dawn,
Grieve not over this eternal star.”

India-A phoenix in slumber

Gandhi said on the eve of independence, “Independence must begin at the bottom. … every village has to be self-sustained and capable of managing its affairs even to the extent of defending itself against the whole world.”

Standing amidst the devastation wrecked on Mumbai after the recent terrorist attacks, an ordinary citizen exclaimed in exasperation that she would rather every Mumbaiker stopped giving their taxes to the government and instead used it themselves for the progress and defence of their city. She was thus lamenting the helplessness of the common man and the complete lack of accountability and transparency in the functioning of the central and state governments.

In vain, we expect cosmetic fixes like resignation of the Home Minister or even the installation of a new party at the helm to instill fresh life into the anachronistic system. Even an ostrich burying its head in the sand will laugh at our naiveté.

We must strike at the root of the problem. The solution is to usher in peacefully a decentralized democracy that will bring real power to the people. Imagine a system of governance where every citizen has the power to make decisions that affect him directly like water, food, electricity, roads, security, healthcare, etc. Imagine every street in India clean, secure, and well lit with no signs of desperation or dehumanising poverty. No corruption, no slums, no ostentatious display of wealth while people die of hunger, no obesity or sloth or depression or anxiety but a sharing conscientious society that is content and has no communal or parochial inclinations. There will still be inequality in that there will be some who are richer than others but there will not be anyone without dignity. There will not be any beggars nor will the rich indulge in mindless philanthropy that is self-serving. The more privileged (in terms of wealth, education or any asset) will be humble custodians ever ready to serve the less privileged but the right to private property will be preserved. There will be healthy debates, diversity will be encouraged, differences upheld and unity preserved.

Would you decry this as an utopia, unattainable and unrealistic? Would you rather preserve the status quo until we sink into more depravity, violence, and finally the crumbling of the very society whose fabric we wish to protect and enrich? Would you for fear of the unknown hold on to the present stalemate and refuse to move your cheese?

Let us start our political reforms. Let us begin to understand the dreams that Gandhi envisaged for India. Let us bring the government to the people. From the ashes of Mumbai, let us rise.

Sacrifice

Bakrid falls on Monday and it reminds me of sacrifice as Bakrid is celebrated in memory of Abraham’s (peace be upon him) sacrifice to Almighty God. Last week in the Mumbai terror attack so many brave people--policemen, men from national security guard and navy and antiterrorism squad, hotel staff--sacrificed their lives to save that of others. Gandhiji sacrificed his life for our nation. Mother Teresa sacrificed her life in the service of the poor. Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King, Abraham Lincoln---the list goes on---so many men and women of our times who have loved beyond the call of their daily life and found truth and victory in their sacrifice.

I feel so small when I compare myself to these noble souls but compare I must in order to escape from the trappings of daily life and rise beyond the petty thoughts of anger, envy and pride that I sometimes fall prey to. It helps to remember that human beings just like us have overcome their fears and desires to make the world a better place.

When we face insurmountable inequalities (economic, political, social), we shrug it off saying, “What can one person do?” Well, history teaches us that it is precisely the ‘one man’ who has always changed the world.

Apart from these bright stars that inspire, I take courage from the so many faceless heroes that are all around me-I see a young boy of 14 sacrificing his education and his dreams to support his elderly parents; a young woman divorced by her husband because their daughter has cancer, struggling to keep her alive, refusing countless marriage proposals and sacrificing her desires; a young girl of 13 who kept her honor without succumbing to the advances of men who frequented her prostitute mother and growing up to be a fine woman having a respectable marriage and educating her sons, a middle-aged lady who bore the emotional abuse of her alcoholic husband countering it with love and faith reforming him with endless patience, mothers who eat less so that their children would have more to eat, husbands who work hard braving poor health and old age to support the extravagances of wives they cannot help but love---the myriad tales of sacrifice.

As I look at their lives, my heart fills up with warmth, my soul lifts up in prayer, and I become nothing.

Religion and Terrorism

No religion should be maligned for the errors of its followers. The term follower itself is misleading. Ordinarily religion is inherited and not chosen after careful deliberation. In the hustle and bustle of daily life, few people strive to unearth the truth in their scriptures. They only view religion as an identity. Knowing only the outer shell of religion, they are drawn to charismatic extremist leaders and willingly become pawns in their hands. Any ideology is capable of producing fanatics under these conditions. Have not we heard of environmental terrorists?

The Y behind the X

Internet makes the lure of anonymity utterly irresistible. It provides a new avenue for a second life on a scale never before imagined. Why do people clamour for this escape from reality? By withholding certain aspects of their lives, are they not indulging in dishonest behaviour? Or by keeping back those outer aspects of life, which are mere embellishments to the soul, does this anonymity serve to bring out the real person in them? Let us explore briefly the Ys behind the ‘X factor.’

Traditionally, nondisclosure amounts to untruthful behaviour. It implies the need to hide and indicates a dichotomy of identity and personality leading to hypocrisy. When outer life fails to accurately represent the inner life, there is a splitting of the mind. It often arises from the lack of courage or vision to bring one’s ideals into practice. It also portends a repressive physical and emotional environment that inhibits true yearnings and hence the need for an alter ego. However, anonymity becomes acceptable or even desirable in real life when dangerous truths have to be revealed in order to avoid threatening consequences.

On the other hand, Internet poses challenges that are unique. Identities are often stolen, misused or hijacked by undesirable elements. There is a constant need to fend off predatory behaviour. The degree of exposure to the unknown is considerably higher on the Internet than in the real world where monetary, physical or social considerations limit sense of adventure. Under such difficult conditions, a pseudonym becomes an attractive choice.

Apart from its protective aspect, anonymity also serves to be therapeutic. Painful secrets can be revealed and understanding sought in the form of comments and opinions that gives a sense of solidarity and relief. Many poignant stories are told in these secret exchanges in broad daylight. When the burdens of the heart are made lighter, solutions to long-held problems can be adequately framed. Relationships acquired through these exchanges also prove invaluable in tiding over times of great emotional upheaval. Unlike the real world, a person can open up to others without fear of any stigma or any repercussions that are binding.

In addition to the above sober considerations, there is a fun side to anonymity. Often people embark on such journeys just for a new experience. The freedom it offers is exhilarating. It also becomes an arena to explore new facets of personality. It could also be a litmus test to a person’s true worth in the absence of societal pressures or accountability.

Some people resort to a nom de plume to escape from an illustrious name and the preconceptions that accompany it. It then becomes an opportunity to get an unbiased readership and shun sycophancy. Anonymity lends a mystic aura to the writing. It provides a fresh slate, the hope of a new beginning.

As with anything that life has to offer, anonymity too has its pitfalls if it is not handled with equanimity. There is the danger of excessive attachment to the pseudo identity at the cost of reality. Self control, as always, is the decisive factor.

Thus as science opens up new frontiers of existence, the doors to novel experiences are thrown open. Old rules do not apply here. New ones are yet to arrive. In this twilight zone of unlimited freedom how man behaves will prove his true mettle.

Attrition of India

Within a couple of decades, there has been a drastic change in lifestyle in India. We have seen globalisation spawning new wealth, which has unfortunately remained in the hands of a few privileged. Economic growth has not been inclusive. That means the poor have remained poor. The lower middle class, a unique educated class trapped in low-paying jobs that had somehow managed to hold its head high over the years has eroded into poverty. There has however been a rise of a new upper middle class through IT and other high-growth sectors. This young and elite crowd has displayed an opulent lifestyle rivalling even that of the traditionally rich.

No, I am not going to vent self-righteous anger against the IT crowd and blame them for all evils. That is just plain stupid. When you are young, naïve, and suddenly exposed to a heady mix of wealth and easy accessibility to luxury, it is natural to stumble into the rabbit hole of materialism.

That brings us to the second point. Earlier, there was no way a moderately rich person could buy a Merc and live outside his means. That prevented unnecessary spending and acted as a check against overt consumption. Today, you just get a bank loan and voila! Move over ambassador, here comes the Skoda Bravia or a Jaguar or even a Ferrari?

Third point, it has led to wealth being concentrated in a few cities and occupations and overwhelming misery to other parts of the country and other means of livelihood. As people from villages flock to the city in search of a better life, abandoning their fields and livestock, cities have become more polluted, congested, and frankly unsustainable. Agriculture has collapsed, farmlands have been sold, artisans are in despair, and farmers are committing suicide.

Thus having smothered our talents and pawned our resources leading to a gradual decline in self-sufficiency, there is greater dependence on other countries for food (physical, intellectual, political, cultural, spiritual, moral). We keep looking outwards for solutions forgetting that an inward gaze at any level is the best remedy.

As people flee from their natural environment, time-honoured practices are shelved. Many languages, art forms, and beliefs die. An indigenous culture that held together a vibrant pluralistic society is lost. Intolerance raises its ugly head. The rest is history.

Standing at the threshold of total bankruptcy, let us begin afresh.

Common sense of the Common Man

All ideologies are vulnerable to extreme interpretations. It is man’s innate tendency to always believe that his values are the best. From this pride arises all conflicts and violence towards others. All major religions including Hinduism and Islam advocate moderation and respect for divergent views. However, human nature as weak as it is sometimes succumbs to chauvinism. When we cease to merely tolerate others but start to love them, we will see differences as bright colours to be admired in the great palette of life. Paradoxically, religion practised in its purity serves to inculcate this love for others. Parents must instill in children a sense of respect for variety. The common man in India has always understood this rationale and hence the majority of the people have lived harmoniously over the years. It is up to the government and our political leaders to take up this common sense of the masses and show unity in protecting us against terrorism without maligning the reputation of any ideology.