'After'thoughts

 The voting process is finally over. The results, packed in the EVM, would soon be out. The guessing game has anyway begun. Some entertainment we have to have, given the difficult life, right?

As citizens though, is it enough to have voted, that, too, if at all your name was in the voters' list? Absolutely not! In a democracy, the citizenship duty does not begin and end with voting. It is necessary to participate in the democratic processes.

Yes, unlike the unorganised sector, we, the voters from the organised sector, religiously pay the income tax, not to mention the indirect versions thereof such as the GST as we insist on the receipt on every purchase. As we use the online payment mode often, we do help in the transparency of the financial processes as well.

What is far more important is to keep a check on the execution of the vision the political parties promised. Easy it is in a way because the proceedings of the Lower and Upper Houses are aired on various channels these days. 

In a way though, extremely difficult is political participation. Almost till the nineties, in the public sphere, demonstrations, sit-in's were the norm. Now a days, very rare is such social awareness. Unfortunately, moreover, if used at all, such proceedings are extremely biased and party-politics-motivated. To pull down someone is the goal. Never is it to empower the common man, the ordinary citizen.

Do not believe me? Okay, find out how often the common man demonstrated for better roads, for instance? The corollary is equally true. There is road rage just because someone overtook someone. How often do citizens insist on the lane discipline while driving a car or riding a bicycle? Signals are meant for jumping, right? Roadside curbs are public spittoons, right? How does it matter that the COVID virus silently keeps mutating?

In other words, it is not enough to vote once for all and forget for the next five years. We, the citizens, must participate in the civic proceedings in a creative and transformative way, right?

Pratima@Like citizens, like rulers!

Voting

 Voting is a great event. It is highly exciting. In fact, it gives an adrenaline rush to us, the otherwise non-descript citizens. As upper middle class people, we are hardly the demogaugic candidates to fall prey to the non-veg-n-liqueur apparently freely flowing in the ghettos, the zopadpatti's, the night before. 

As intellectuals, nor are we prone to the sarees or any other freebies. In other words, we choose to cast our votes not for any personal profit. Neither do we care for the empty caste castigations. We want to elect a government that cares for our genuine demands for a wonderful nation, for our self-respect as free, independent citizens. 

An election gives us the right to elect a government dedicated to development. We vote for a party, for a candidate who understands the contemporary contexts. We can through our votes empower thus a better state, the best country committed to sustainable goals that promise the win-win growth and togetherness of all.

Voting, the basis of democracy, is as old as Greece. In modern times, it is late seventeenth century when democracies were thus enabled. The fight for the voting rights for women, for the black community, in brief, the empowerment through voting has a long history. Hence the need to exercise this right which was exercised by almost half the world this year.

Every vote counts. When we vote, we define definit(iv)ely the contours of the future of the entire polity. Thus the need to cast the vote most sensibly, and at any cost, a duty as a citizen. Hence, in May 2024, i felt very bad when my name was struck off the voters' list most surprisingly.

 In our lane, the only name missing was mine. Even people who had died a decade ago had their names present as eligible voters! I immediately wrote to the Election Commission. This time, when I tried to complete the form, repeatedly I got the message that I am already a registered voter. Looking forward, in brief, to tomorrow!

Pratima@ I love the colour blue. Hope my thumb would tomorrow thus get impressively inked!

Kindness

 Recently was celebrated a day dedicated to kindness. That made me think more and more. What exactly is kindness? Does that appear to be a very easy question? Well, I do not think so at all. In my opinion, it is a truly tough question.

Most people associate kindness with exhibition of gooey sympathy. There would be a tender tale trembling on their tip of their tongues about saving a small kitten shivering in the cold. Sure it is a good deed. Is it kindness though?

Is kindness empathy? Sure this is a better definition. It involves trying to be right, in the shoes of the afflicted. In a way, thus it includes looking at the reality from the perspective of the 'other', the victim, the down and the out.  Yet is that a complete definition of kindness?

Kindness in my opinion is tougher than mere sentimentality. Kindness involves a principled taking of responsibility till the receiver of one's kindness can stand firmly on his/her feet. Kindness is my opinion is not sentimental because such sensitivity is subtly stroking one's own ego.

As true kindness is ethical and principled, often it involves, no, not cruelty, but surely strictness. I suppose such a path is inevitable because there is always a destination, a goal to true kindness. Unnecessary detours are hence just not allowed even if such a stance may not appear very senti. Yet it is truly sensitive and sensible, i think.

Want examples? Look at the way good parents bring up a child. There are not any excessive concessions to the silly tantrums. There is a strict set of standards,  right? Yet another example could be a guru training a disciple, whichever may be the field. 

Yet another example could be an artist, be it author or a musician or a painter. The artist is kind to himself/herself and to the art. In the process, whether it be the practice session or the actual performance, there are no indulgences, no easy escapades of the temptations variety,  no dalliances away from the set path, however unique, challenging, unexplored, leading to the defined goal. 

Ask an author how much she weeds out from the page before it satisfies her a little. There is always a lot of self-critique which may not exactly be kind to one's own self. In brief, true kindness is not easy simplistic sentimentality. Tough is true kindness!

Pratima@True kindness blooms out of genuine concern!

 

Deadly Disease

 Oh, no, the title need not delude you. No, the blog is not going to be about the dis-ease called poisonous people. They sure are not worth so much thought. Period.

The blog today is about a silent killer which is hence a deadly disease. Unfortunately, India is soon going to be the epicenter of its volcanic spread. The statistics is already quite frightening. Apparently, one in every threesome is a victim of diabetes.

Diabetes has no surface manifestations. It destroys from within, and all the centrally important organs. It consists of insulin resistance. In a way, it is a life style induced dis-ease as well. Loads of psychological stress, fast food, irregular work hours, lack of exercise, addictions of all sorts result in this dis-ease.

Once detected, it requires life time medication and regulated food habits. It is not life threatening though. With proper care, normal and long life is possible for a diabetic patient. Type II is more rampant, though Type I attacks very early in life.

Its hypoglycemic version, less sugar in the blood stream, is more dangerous than the hyper- type which can easily be controlled with proper medication and regular tests. Well, facetiously it can be said that diabetes proves how dangerous it is to be sweet inside, from within!

Pratima@The disease is deadly for two reasons; namely, the prolonged medication has side effects for one thing. It may be inherited, moreover.

Well, I have a terrific, rather terrible, sweet tooth. I cannot live without sweets which I can gobble up by quintals. On Aai's side, everybody is a diabetic patient. Well, when the monthly test shows my sugar at 98 tops, for me, it is a sign that 'God is his heaven/ and all is well with the world,' to quote Browning.

Poisonous People

 In this life complex and difficult as it is,  you should never have the misfortune of meeting people who consider it their prime duty to harass you, to belittle you, to spread canards against you, and worst of all, consciously take away your chances constantly. 

Poisonous such people are. As a woman, it IS tougher to suffer them. You just have to smile at somebody, and they would go in to an overdrive to spread the worst canards against you. It does not occur to the foolish crooks that a woman should be seen at least once with some man to 'connect' her in any way! 

Interestingly, they themselves would have countless liaisons so much so they would almost have been beaten up, shamed professionally for such caddish behaviour which may even include multiple marriages.

 Women in their own immediate lives would enjoy unholy alliances of all types, would even beget children outside the so-called holy wedlock which is nothing but an empty sham, a marriage of convenience. May be, that is why such people imagine that others, too, carry on!

Actually such canards, however horribly bothersome, do not matter much because  not everybody is brainless. It can actually  and easily be observed that the only company you always keep is your own self! Sure those horrors may hence try to spread 'other' countless canards that can even reach the proportions of using political contacts, of paying roadside cheapies of all sorts to constantly call you "chudail", for instance.

Such creeps are horrendous horrors, however, when they try to constantly sabotage your career, and indirectly in the most vicious way. They do have the necessary contacts, they socialise with the right people to easily attain such effects in the subtlest way. 

Before an important interview, over a drink, they would hint to the Selection Committee  not to think of you. As they are well-connected, nobody wants to antagonise them. How does it matter that a worthy candidate loses? Your Ph.D. topic would be alloted to their favourite while you are out of town, not on campus, and that dahling feeds off your hard work, while you are told how people's Ph.D's can be 'completed' in a fortnight if 'everything' is provided!

Let me narrate a quite curious episode to prove how subtle such evil machinations are. I was freelancing with the 'Indian Express' while completing my thesis. A well-known author was in town, and I was to interview him.

It was rather a scoop. No other major newspaper was on. I literally ran to reach the venue on time. One such "poisonous persons" type ferried that great author from somewhere in his car, and I saw him clearly indicate to that worthy author not to talk to me.

It did not occur to the meanie that I was not merely someone he chose to hate. I represented a newspaper! May be, that also would have added fuel to the fire of his villainy. Well, the interview was against an  appointment. The great etc author had to spare at least a few minutes. 

I came back to campus, and I had friends of the meanie accost me, and tell me that my article would be eagerly awaited even when I had never mentioned anything to anybody. I used my reading of the author's oeuvre, my literature student sensitivities to weave a proper article around the sparse answers dished out. 

The article was received well. I made it a point to send it to the worthy soul, the great author, who wrote back in praise. He ended  that letter with 'you are very kind'! Obviously, despite being more than double my age, he was not!

The poisonous people use some creep, disgruntled for no rhyme nor reason, to make your students gang up against you, not to much success though. Repeatedly such trials go on continuously. The paid minions stand in front of your home at night, and scream at the top of their drunken voices all such achievements! 

The poisonous creeps are excellent at locating all the other worthies who choose to dislike you for some reason or the other. Such gangs jell rather well. You dare not utter a word as there is no concrete proof!

Well, I choose to think of such an 'on razor's edge' life a blessing in disguise because one is thus not  allowed a single chance to make even a minor most mistake as the consequences would be gruesome. One would never have dallied down the primrose path. Yet it is good to have a free of cost constant watch on you!

What about the chances unjustly snatched? Well, others are sure to emerge! Technology is crafting interesting avenues that can design outlets for one's creativity. At least, one knows one never paid up, one never compromised in any way, unlike the harassing horrors, to attain so-called success!

Pratima@Judas was not really very close to Jesus. Yet he pretended to be a disciple to betray the prophet for thirty silver ducats. Well, he knew very well what he was up to!

The Moon Mystique

 The moon! Just a minor planet orbiting our earth! It is nothing but bare rocks and barren valleys, a surface not much better than most roads in India. 'The giant step for mankind' has already often treaded there. Why, Mr. Musk is already planning touristy visits there!

Despite all this materialistic realism, the moon has an allure of  its own. Never can it fail to charm. Its crescent appeal is that of a bud about to bloom, while its unique glory on a full moon night can attract the mighty oceans as the waves impatiently rush to meet the shores.

Poets have loved it. Be it the Madeline's casement as described by Keats or be it the beloved walking in beauty as presented by Byron, the moon light and its gentle magic, poets can never have enough of it. Why, the evil, too, can camouflage itself in the hide-n-seek that the pale moonlight plays with the shadows as in Coleridge's gothic "Christabel"or the witchery of an unusual moon as in his great poem, "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner".

Indian mythology as well as literature, too, shimmer with the glimmer of the moonlight. Countless examples can be quoted. Incidentally, in the Indian writings, the moon can evoke not merely the passion of love but also the gentle affection of a fond mother for the innocent demand of her little one.

Each pournima, the full moon day, is unique. Yet the Tripuri Pournima is special because of its association with Kartikeya Poojan and because of the interesting legend of how Lord Shiva came to be known as Tripurasurharta.

Most interestingly, truly reflecting the innate secular "sarva dharma samanata" of Indianness, this Kartik Pournima is centrally important both to the majority Hindus and the minority Sikhs as it celebrates the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak who founded Sikhism. He enunciated the triune principles central to Sikhism that are the very lifeline of Sikhism. 

Be it such a glory of religion or be it the beauty of literature, the Kartik Tripuri Pournima, the night diya's on the land compete with the stars in the sky, is indeed a wonder.

Pratima@ The moon in all its magical majesty makes mystical the material realities. 

 

Childhood is tough these days!

 The title of our blog today may appear self- contradictory. In fact, it may anger a few self-declared champions of childhood. Ever since the Romantics like Blake, Wordsworth, Coleridge glorified its heavenly proximity to godliness, it is quite fashionable to idolise childhood.

Well, my submission today is that it is not exactly easy to be a child these days. In fact, currently childhood is tough. Indeed! Let us explore a few facets of this curious but factual statement.

Let us begin with family. Mostly, it is the nuclear family these days. A child is hardly allowed the warmth of relationships. Grandparents do not enjoy the unique status of yesteryears. If at all they are in the 'one bhk' flat, they are more a convenience, an unpaid cook cum nanny. Most often than not, the relationship is so fraught between the two generations that the baby of the family is more a punching bag.

The doting aunt, the caring uncle, the bunch of cousins are rarely parts of the child's experience these days, given the busy, fast pace of life and the huge distances between places, and people obsessed with the 'i, me, my' spaces. A WhatsApp group is an easier, better proposition for the shadow shallow presences.

Often, an only child, kids today do not know the sibling bond. Parents often supplement quality time which they rarely can spare with costly gifts that actually lose their sheen-n-glamour quotient within a fortnight. Pets are soon a burden!

The silly serials on the television, the violent games on the game console or on very many apps, the unwanted adult world encroaching childhood via the internet, childhood is a lonely and tough space these days. Let us not even mention the ubiquitous depravities that threaten via the 'bad touch'!

As the only child whom they smother with all the heavy expectations, all their unfulfilled dreams, all the currently wonky idea(l)s of child rearing,  parents these days can hardly spare their precious time. Schools do follow rituals, but that unique individual touch would be missing, given the sheer number of students in a division, the  notorious 'class strength'. In brief, childhood today is hardly 'songs of innocence' to quote Blake's famous title!

Pratima@ November 14 is Children's Day in India as it commemorates the birth anniversary of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the first prime minister of India, who nurtured the nascent nation in a unique way.