Bee,
Woke up to your hum today.
Your magical presence was felt
When I got up to the shining rays...
You had left silent; as usual.
Through my hazy windows
I looked through
And found you
While I was still unravelling your last hum
To me. To my being.
The clarity you were.
The silence you kept
Through my muddled waters.
You have become more colourful.
And made me too.
September 26, 2010
September 12, 2010
A Hole in the Psyche
During last week of August, a young woman died giving birth to a baby. In Delhi. Close to the Parliament. In Connaught Place. While Delhi moved with its business as usual attitude, she died after battling to cut the umbilical cord by herself. No one saw her. No one bothered to stop by and reach out.
Kairali TV flashed the shocking news and the ghastly sight first time. Just like a bag of rags, the mother’s corpse lay covered in a red shawl, flies swarming her lifeless body. Who ever watched the news, stopped to think for a minute.
The mother died. But the battle of the new born baby was yet to begin. A single woman, who owns a garment shop close by, came forward to take care of the seemingly healthy baby. But the legalities took the lead where human beings stopped to care. The baby was handed over to an orphanage and the care taker lady became nobody. She stated in an interview ‘she will fight for custody of the child.’
On 29 August, Hindustan Times carried a catchy heading – “She gave birth, died, Delhi walked by” (http://www.hindustantimes.com/She-gave-birth-died-Delhi-walked-by/H1-Article1-593243.aspx), On 4th September, The Hindu carried a column – “The other half: Dying of indifference” (http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/columns/Kalpana_Sharma/article611470.ece).
The local newspapers in Kerala too flashed the news about callous India.
Following the news in the media, the case was discussed in Parliament and the Delhi High Court, shocked by the incident questioned the event and had asked for a report on facilities that could be availed by a poor person in a government hospital in such a circumstance. The story stands there as of now.
In the mean time, the surviving baby contracted a life-threatening disease but was rescued by the timely action by authorities and continues to be in the orphanage.
As the incident points to many poignant developmental and sociological issues of modern India – such as penury, destitution, status of pregnant mothers, changing psyche, growing callousness, etc., it also directs to a fundamental flaw in the system that tends to take corrective measures when the media intervenes or the legislation questions. Should not systems work by themselves?
Now, a different aspect. Let us think. Have we stopped to care or do we fear to care? In many cases, it is the latter. The act of helping an accident victim or any form of victim will have with it a series of attestations, witness statements, court hearings and the works. A genuine intention to help the needy, thus gets penalized. It becomes a hassle. And who wants to regularly appear in court for having helped someone who broke a leg in a hit-and-run case? Obviously no one. It is better to feel sorry and be damned in own conscience and move ahead than be a prey to a grotesque legislation and its potent unreasonableness. So what / whom do we blame? Is it time to flex laws on such singular incidents? Can we set the precedence?
On a different plane, it was to be noted that no social activist group, women’s group or any other rights group came forward to support the woman who rescued the child and wished to foster the baby. This was one case, where such groups could have, should have, shown country-wide support and helped make precedence to show that we still, as a nation, has not lost it altogether… that voice of the people do make a difference and is not totally lost in the wilderness…
Destitution is no new phenomenon for India. Streets, railway stations, and bus stations becoming the abode of the destitute is also nothing new for India. But people dying on the street just like flies, that too, in the capital city of the world’s largest democracy is not common and indeed points to a severe flaw in the system and a blow to our collective conscience. Will this incident make the rule or the exception?
Finally, this begs the question - if the media cease to maintain social vigil, will our conscience fail? Won't systems work by themselves?
Kairali TV flashed the shocking news and the ghastly sight first time. Just like a bag of rags, the mother’s corpse lay covered in a red shawl, flies swarming her lifeless body. Who ever watched the news, stopped to think for a minute.
The mother died. But the battle of the new born baby was yet to begin. A single woman, who owns a garment shop close by, came forward to take care of the seemingly healthy baby. But the legalities took the lead where human beings stopped to care. The baby was handed over to an orphanage and the care taker lady became nobody. She stated in an interview ‘she will fight for custody of the child.’
On 29 August, Hindustan Times carried a catchy heading – “She gave birth, died, Delhi walked by” (http://www.hindustantimes.com/She-gave-birth-died-Delhi-walked-by/H1-Article1-593243.aspx), On 4th September, The Hindu carried a column – “The other half: Dying of indifference” (http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/columns/Kalpana_Sharma/article611470.ece).
The local newspapers in Kerala too flashed the news about callous India.
Following the news in the media, the case was discussed in Parliament and the Delhi High Court, shocked by the incident questioned the event and had asked for a report on facilities that could be availed by a poor person in a government hospital in such a circumstance. The story stands there as of now.
In the mean time, the surviving baby contracted a life-threatening disease but was rescued by the timely action by authorities and continues to be in the orphanage.
As the incident points to many poignant developmental and sociological issues of modern India – such as penury, destitution, status of pregnant mothers, changing psyche, growing callousness, etc., it also directs to a fundamental flaw in the system that tends to take corrective measures when the media intervenes or the legislation questions. Should not systems work by themselves?
Now, a different aspect. Let us think. Have we stopped to care or do we fear to care? In many cases, it is the latter. The act of helping an accident victim or any form of victim will have with it a series of attestations, witness statements, court hearings and the works. A genuine intention to help the needy, thus gets penalized. It becomes a hassle. And who wants to regularly appear in court for having helped someone who broke a leg in a hit-and-run case? Obviously no one. It is better to feel sorry and be damned in own conscience and move ahead than be a prey to a grotesque legislation and its potent unreasonableness. So what / whom do we blame? Is it time to flex laws on such singular incidents? Can we set the precedence?
On a different plane, it was to be noted that no social activist group, women’s group or any other rights group came forward to support the woman who rescued the child and wished to foster the baby. This was one case, where such groups could have, should have, shown country-wide support and helped make precedence to show that we still, as a nation, has not lost it altogether… that voice of the people do make a difference and is not totally lost in the wilderness…
Destitution is no new phenomenon for India. Streets, railway stations, and bus stations becoming the abode of the destitute is also nothing new for India. But people dying on the street just like flies, that too, in the capital city of the world’s largest democracy is not common and indeed points to a severe flaw in the system and a blow to our collective conscience. Will this incident make the rule or the exception?
Finally, this begs the question - if the media cease to maintain social vigil, will our conscience fail? Won't systems work by themselves?
Tying the Nose
Bee,
Looks like any season is a rainy season in God's own country ! Rain rain everyday - but come March-April, the Government goes on its power cut schedule. On the dot. With the unscheduled rains come varieties of cold, fever and the works. When home concoctions and grand mother's recipies don't work, one goes to a doctor. The doctor, these days have a long list at his / her disposal- Dengue, Chikungunya, tomato fever, HINI, stomach flu, viral... etc. Even a primary school child nowadays can cite these symptoms and rattle off these names just like he is ordering 'ala carte.' Kerala, so infested with fevers of all kinds for all seasons, still remains God's favourite, we are told.
Cold and cough had been my last week's highlights. Antibiotics dried up the system. Tablets to help one sleep (on my request)presented dreams such as leg-less elephants, fire flies turning into dragons, never-ending, winding roads, plum cakes as big as 200 square feet and lots of gigantic ants ! Man ! truly. Feel as if I had just been out of a torture camp.
Head is slighlty feeling lighter. And efforts to tie the nose that was running are near successful. Beginning to smell the air for a change from the Indo-Sri Lankan balms!
With this let me end the flu bulletin.
Jayawewa! ( by the way, that is Sinhalese)
Looks like any season is a rainy season in God's own country ! Rain rain everyday - but come March-April, the Government goes on its power cut schedule. On the dot. With the unscheduled rains come varieties of cold, fever and the works. When home concoctions and grand mother's recipies don't work, one goes to a doctor. The doctor, these days have a long list at his / her disposal- Dengue, Chikungunya, tomato fever, HINI, stomach flu, viral... etc. Even a primary school child nowadays can cite these symptoms and rattle off these names just like he is ordering 'ala carte.' Kerala, so infested with fevers of all kinds for all seasons, still remains God's favourite, we are told.
Cold and cough had been my last week's highlights. Antibiotics dried up the system. Tablets to help one sleep (on my request)presented dreams such as leg-less elephants, fire flies turning into dragons, never-ending, winding roads, plum cakes as big as 200 square feet and lots of gigantic ants ! Man ! truly. Feel as if I had just been out of a torture camp.
Head is slighlty feeling lighter. And efforts to tie the nose that was running are near successful. Beginning to smell the air for a change from the Indo-Sri Lankan balms!
With this let me end the flu bulletin.
Jayawewa! ( by the way, that is Sinhalese)
September 4, 2010
Jam!
Traffic. It is one of the biggest nightmares of an Indian on the road – be it urban or semi-urban, any time of the day (or night). India’s burgeoning vehicles – two, three and four wheelers - and the poor infrastructure facilities to support this exodus makes travelling on Indian roads a true hell on earth.
The Indian roads are a mixed grill of vehicles and people. Both mingle and make room for each other. Some often get knocked – in most cases they shout at each other and go on with life. Some cases bring forth a crowd which will decide who is right and who is wrong (that happens a lot here!). Least of cases end up in the Police stations. A point to ponder – don’t pedestrians have rights too?
There are many ingredients that spice up the issue. Indians love to take their celebrations on to roads and mind you, there are as many of them as the sands of ocean. They often translate into processions – cultural, religious, educational etc. Needless to speak of the innumerable protest marches that send fits of anger followed by a lavish supply of tear gas and brandishing of the lathi. Plus, roads are closed for VIPs or when a VIP’s family member gets married with no notice what so ever.
Do we have plausible solutions to this growing problem as its related issues such as pollution, flouting of rules and in many a case encroachment, keep piling up?
A few unrealistic options:
1. the population should decrease ( unthinkable)
2. The number of vehicles should reduce ( no, vehicles unlike those days are no more a sign of luxury but more of utility among the Indian middle class)
Now the question points to those at the helm. For them a few options:
1. Improve public transport so that people will use them more? (Do-able?)
2. Invest in infrastructure? Fix fly over(s) where roads cannot be widened and widen roads where they can be? (development assistance from biggies will work here?)
3. Can we switch to eco-friendly vehicles?
4. Toll roads to avoid congestion?
5. Strict law enforcement?
The main challenge is in maintaining quality and accessibility, both. Metros offer a sigh of relief to daily commuters to and from work, but in many cases, reaching the metros from home town still remains a nagging issue.
According to a recent UN study, India has more cellular phones than toilets! Interesting to note our priorities eh? People can defecate anywhere; the homeless on the roads and near- homeless anywhere that is close by! Do we call this skewed priorities or something else?
India has a billion living heads and the roads are just a miniature representation of this mammoth problem. Unless there is a coordinated plan for each city, the Indian roads will continue to suffocate commuters and eat into their time, which they can spend in many happy and productive ways.
It is true that massive infrastructure development will put a country like India in deep peril as it might spark off many a sociological issue such as rehabilitation of businesses, livelihoods, homeless etc due to displacement and the resultant chaos. But it does not stop one from hoping that infrastructure development and investment;and better, accessible transport facilities get due attention in the next round of five year plans which is due in 2012.
Come on, this is a country spending millions on the (corruption-driven) Common Wealth Games – Can the tax payer have the basic facilities as well please?
The Indian roads are a mixed grill of vehicles and people. Both mingle and make room for each other. Some often get knocked – in most cases they shout at each other and go on with life. Some cases bring forth a crowd which will decide who is right and who is wrong (that happens a lot here!). Least of cases end up in the Police stations. A point to ponder – don’t pedestrians have rights too?
There are many ingredients that spice up the issue. Indians love to take their celebrations on to roads and mind you, there are as many of them as the sands of ocean. They often translate into processions – cultural, religious, educational etc. Needless to speak of the innumerable protest marches that send fits of anger followed by a lavish supply of tear gas and brandishing of the lathi. Plus, roads are closed for VIPs or when a VIP’s family member gets married with no notice what so ever.
Do we have plausible solutions to this growing problem as its related issues such as pollution, flouting of rules and in many a case encroachment, keep piling up?
A few unrealistic options:
1. the population should decrease ( unthinkable)
2. The number of vehicles should reduce ( no, vehicles unlike those days are no more a sign of luxury but more of utility among the Indian middle class)
Now the question points to those at the helm. For them a few options:
1. Improve public transport so that people will use them more? (Do-able?)
2. Invest in infrastructure? Fix fly over(s) where roads cannot be widened and widen roads where they can be? (development assistance from biggies will work here?)
3. Can we switch to eco-friendly vehicles?
4. Toll roads to avoid congestion?
5. Strict law enforcement?
The main challenge is in maintaining quality and accessibility, both. Metros offer a sigh of relief to daily commuters to and from work, but in many cases, reaching the metros from home town still remains a nagging issue.
According to a recent UN study, India has more cellular phones than toilets! Interesting to note our priorities eh? People can defecate anywhere; the homeless on the roads and near- homeless anywhere that is close by! Do we call this skewed priorities or something else?
India has a billion living heads and the roads are just a miniature representation of this mammoth problem. Unless there is a coordinated plan for each city, the Indian roads will continue to suffocate commuters and eat into their time, which they can spend in many happy and productive ways.
It is true that massive infrastructure development will put a country like India in deep peril as it might spark off many a sociological issue such as rehabilitation of businesses, livelihoods, homeless etc due to displacement and the resultant chaos. But it does not stop one from hoping that infrastructure development and investment;and better, accessible transport facilities get due attention in the next round of five year plans which is due in 2012.
Come on, this is a country spending millions on the (corruption-driven) Common Wealth Games – Can the tax payer have the basic facilities as well please?
September 1, 2010
Liberation
Bee,
Scribbled in 2009
Do I feel liberated; a large way.
Freedom from fear
Freedom from insecurity
Freedom from isolation
Freedom from self deceit
Liberation from my own perceptions of the bad and the evil
Liberation from self barriers on loving and distancing
Liberation from hatred
Liberation from boundaries
Liberation from shame; from guilt
Liberation from perceived notions of inabilities, inconsistencies, inadequacies
Liberation from tears
Liberation from the fearful thought of tomorrow
Liberation from perfection - I am in agreement with disorder now
Liberation from stifle
Liberation from heaviness
Freedom to feel light
Freedom to do nothing and still feel great
Freedom to dare to love; just for the sake of it; yes. dare
Freedom to explore one plane above love and find it.
Be in it atleast for a while...and live the riches it holds..
Freedom to let go of love and still be happy
Freedom to accept that I can be abnormal
Freedom to enjoy freedom and be more responsible than ever before
Freedom to realise freedom used well is an honour
Freedom to be open to mix of good and bad and make my choice
Freedom to keep integrity
Freedom to be truthful; and still be heard
Freedom to be a voice; and not a noise
Freedom to gaze at the sky; alone
Freedom to dance alone; in perfect abandon
Freedom to cry alone; in anguish
Freedom to sob to sleep...
Freedom to question God
Freedom to be myself and have no facade...
Maturity to understand - liberation comes from within first; no matter what.
And every word of this is true.
Scribbled in 2009
Do I feel liberated; a large way.
Freedom from fear
Freedom from insecurity
Freedom from isolation
Freedom from self deceit
Liberation from my own perceptions of the bad and the evil
Liberation from self barriers on loving and distancing
Liberation from hatred
Liberation from boundaries
Liberation from shame; from guilt
Liberation from perceived notions of inabilities, inconsistencies, inadequacies
Liberation from tears
Liberation from the fearful thought of tomorrow
Liberation from perfection - I am in agreement with disorder now
Liberation from stifle
Liberation from heaviness
Freedom to feel light
Freedom to do nothing and still feel great
Freedom to dare to love; just for the sake of it; yes. dare
Freedom to explore one plane above love and find it.
Be in it atleast for a while...and live the riches it holds..
Freedom to let go of love and still be happy
Freedom to accept that I can be abnormal
Freedom to enjoy freedom and be more responsible than ever before
Freedom to realise freedom used well is an honour
Freedom to be open to mix of good and bad and make my choice
Freedom to keep integrity
Freedom to be truthful; and still be heard
Freedom to be a voice; and not a noise
Freedom to gaze at the sky; alone
Freedom to dance alone; in perfect abandon
Freedom to cry alone; in anguish
Freedom to sob to sleep...
Freedom to question God
Freedom to be myself and have no facade...
Maturity to understand - liberation comes from within first; no matter what.
And every word of this is true.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)