What-n-where is the truth?

 Would you agree with me that the first casualty of the twenty-first century, post the- Twin-Towers, post the Revolution-5.0- lifestyle is truth? Yes, we indeed are in a post-truth time frame! Such are the times that total falsehood's, absolute lies can be packaged as THE truth, and vice versa, in a way that would make Orwell's Big Brother blush with self mockery and shame!

In all the detective fiction kind of writing, be it Sherlock Holmes or Hercule Poirot or Miss Marple, we are repeatedly taught that one should never believe the obvious. Often it is a cover up to hide the deeper machinations. Most all humanity has taken this advice to heart, it seems. Conspiracy theories hence are THE narrative these days.

Let me give you an example or two. Look at the Los Angeles fires. They spread truly wildly. They literally ran amok. Given the high speed winds, lack of humidity, the dry grass, et al, the fires refused to be doused, despite water hydrants as well as helicopters spraying anti fire liquids.

Hugely tragic is the loss, right now obviously to property. But loss of human lives, too, would be big. Now that the devastating fire is rather under control, though the flames flaring up again is not completely 'washed' out, controversies have started raging wilder than the devouring flames.

Why the fire now? Is it a conscious attempt to create an ill-omen for the newly elected President? People notice it with interest that none knows the exact spark that ignited the burning hell. So wild guesses are spreading thicker than the smoke. Is it careless trekkers who began the inferno? Or is it an act of sabotage? By militants? By unhappy opponents? Theories fly thick and fast clouding the atmosphere. Truth is nowhere. Climate is surely vitiated every which way!

The new media love sensationalising. The constant barrage of images has shortened the human attention span to forty-five seconds tops. So there is an eternal demand for newer bits to chew, each 'tastier' than all the earlier ones! In the process flutter falsehood's, and truth is nowhere!

Pratima@ I would like to add an extremely important point here. Often, EVERYONE concerned knows the exact truth to the smallest detail. But so many personal (as well as group/community) interests are at stake that it is always "teri bhi chup, meri bhi chup", all scratching each other's back, given all sorts of power-monger(ing)s! Who cares if truth and innocence are the casualties. "Me, my profit" matters the most, however small the "I"!

India is young!

 No, I am not referring to the same ole story of India's demographic dividend. Especially because very recently was celebrated the National Youth Day, it may seem as if the title of our blog talks about that extremely discussed fact, while ignoring its co-relative; namely, India has a huge population of the elderly, often without a pension, and with minimal welfare benefits.

No, that is not the issue we analyse today. Instead, I would like to define youth. Youth indeed is a state of mind. It has little to do with the biological age. A listless fellow with no clear goals, with no clear vision either on self or life is aged in my opinion even when he is physically fit, and in his late teens or mid-twenties.

Youth is actually readiness to explore, to experiment, to even fail but learn from it, and resiliently begin anew. In other words, youth is that adrenaline rush, that happy hormone which makes every day a fe(a)st despite all possible troubles.

Oh, yes, such enthusiasm does not mean false bravado. Instead, it is both self-awareness as well as a practical fact-check of realities. Let me give you an example. Given the invasion of the AI, youth would mean re-skilling, upskilling, creatively coming to terms with, negotiating with the complexities and difficulties posed by inevitable, not-under-our control facts of the Revolution 5.0! This readiness obviously involves sincere efforts.

In my opinion, a very good example of such a definition of youth is the recent achievement of/by the ISRO scientists who all must be at least in their early fifties. The Spadex  triumph is a great achievement in the space undoubtedly.

 What truly warmed my heart in the Spadex mission is the fact that the seed put in that space capsule sprouted with two leaves, and, oh, yes, the gut bacteria multiplied in that strange 'climate'. Thus is proved the fact that life eternally begins anew, which, in my opinion, is the real meaning of, is the true definition of youth. YES, india is thus proven to be young, be it any context!

Pratima@Youth means dreaming with open eyes.

Soldiering on!

 The year was 1949. The day was January 15. It was indeed a day worth many rifle salutes, and all such state honours, because on that day, General Cariappa took over the reins of the Indian Army from the British General, Francis Bucher. In a way, on this day was born the "Indian" military. Even after seventy-six years, this unique event, a major stage in sculpting India's identity as a sovereign republic state, deserves a marked mention.

True, any war is bad. Wars should sure be avoided. Yet in real time geo-political wrangles, wars can be heaped on us whether we like/want them, or not. In such a scenario, military readiness is inevitable even when peace is our middle name.

Neighbours, for example, can be rouges as states, as in our case. At times, we can be a pawn in others' machinations, as in the U.S-China power struggle. Sure, S. Jayashankar, as our Foreign Minister, does show their deserved place to even the mighty Western countries. Yet modern warfare, even when we do not desire it, is a reality to be catered to, given the proliferation of militancies and insurgencies of all sorts of ideological hues, and armed, moreover, with the latest war machines.

Undoubtedly, our Prime Minister, too, has attained huge success in developing bilateral ties with many countries, while developing personal equations with many international leaders. The world today is, moreover, not bipolar as in the Cold War era. Yet army as a major wing of our national identity cannot be  ignored.

Any army is good as its soldiers.  Any general is as brave as his soldiers. Unbelievable is the spirit of our soldiers in all the three wings whom neither the bitter winters in the Himalayas nor the deepest waters nor the typhoons of the Indian Ocean nor the hounded aerospace, given the very many unholy alliances around, can terrorise, defeat or vanquish. 

Why, our platoons not only guard our frontiers, but they also are a major civic force in the peace period. In case any natural calamity takes place, it is the army bravehearts who are rushed in as the safest and most reliable source of protection and getting things under control.

 No wonder, the P.M., like some of his predecessors, gives the army its due respect. Why, he spends each of his Diwali's, not to forget other major occasions, with the army jawans, despite the bitterest cold or the mighty waves.  Soldiers sure do deserve this sensitivity as well as the very many monetary benefits! Long live soldiers so that long lives, and happily, our country, our nation.

Pratima @ Well, I am dead against any war! 'Peace, prevail' is my mantra. Yet I do not require "eh, mere watan ke logon'' for tears to well up in my eyes.

Once, for a seminar, I travelled literally with a bogey full of rookey army recruiters who were very young boys from poor families. These foot soldiers, unlike the NDA trainee-officers, have it truly tough. As I got off at my station, I saluted them before the train moved on because they were literally going to soldier on!

'One rank, one pension', the 'Agnipath scheme' are big debates which we shall take up some other time, may be. For the time being, "Happy Soldiers' Day" to one and all!

A People's Festival

 All the festivals are always nice. But some festivals are better because they appear nicer to the common man. Let me give you an example.  Most all people prefer the 'Holi' festival, given its abandon. They would anyday anytime prefer it to any puja, right? 

Sankranti, in my opinion, performs really well that function of pleasing all. For every man across the social strata, for every generation, the festival is special, indeed unique. For children, it indulges their sweet tooth. For the young beauty, it provides a chance to dazzle in a black outfit.

For the lady of the house, it is an occasion to show off her cooking excellence. From tilgul, halwa to the extremely difficult to make "gulachi poli, she can  whip up a great, and tasty show. Similarly, special it is for the historianas January 14 is a reminder of the great Marathas' warrior spirit at the Panipat fight.  

For the farmer, this "uttarayan" based festival brings a sense of fulfilment and contentment. Till late May at least, he is comparatively free. Is it any wonder hence that uniquely this festival consists of flying the kites, a game full of fun, competition and skill. Yet that skill is not terribly unique either. Truly a ' people's fest' is Sankrant!

Pratima@This year, given the 'Maha Kumbh' and the first 'amrit snan', the Sankrant is unique; special for the devotees, the government, and the spectators!

A lucky day

 Every religion of each people has some superstition or the other. Thirteen is an unlucky number for the Christians, while for the Hindu way of life, it is a very charged entity.  Whichever way you look at it, January 13 is special, especially this year. Let me explain why. 

For one thing, January 13 precedes Makar Sankrant which is celebrated in a big way across the length and breadth of our continental country. Called 'bhogi' in Maharashtra, this predecessor consists of a simple but hyper tasty feast of khichdi with a huge dollop of ghee and a veggie made of all sorts of peas, brinjal, berries, and special home-made masala's. The side dish is the bajra roti, served hot, and it tastes heavenly with til/sesame chutney, amla pickle and butter. Absolutely healthy and tasty food!

This year, the date marks the beginning of the Maha Kumbh, a mega event organised in a giant way as it recurs after every hundred and forty-four years. Prayag Raj is already bursting with devotees from all over as on January 13 began the first "Amrit Snan". That brings us to the stories about the Kumbh which we shall discuss some other day.

This year, January 13 also marks the day after the first anniversary of the Ram Mandir at Ayodhya. After a long wait of some five hundred years during which ordinary but heroic people protected the Ram Lalla, emerged this temple. It hence moved many devotees deeply when the idol finally got its own  space. It indeed looks lovely in all the pic's. 

Tomorrow is Makar Sankrant which we shall discuss and elaborate in the blog tomorrow. In the meanwhile, let us enjoy the lingering lovely smells of tasty food permeating the very home itself. 

Pratima@None can stop an event whose time has come! 

A Unique Day

 January 12 is indeed unique. On this day falls the birth anniversary of a great mother and a great son. Yes, January 12 is the birth anniversary of Jijabai, the mother of King Shivaji, and it is the birth anniversary of Swami  Vivekanand as well.

From his childhood, Jijabai instilled in her son the feel of self-respect. As a result, he could confront the then mighty Mughals, and on an equal footing. He did not choose to be happy with being a mere extension of that empire. Instead, he established the Maratha kingdom which cared for our religion, our region. Till the war of Panipat, and beyond, too, the Maratha warriors were the formidable alternatives to any foreign rule. 

All the positive qualities in her son were consciously  instilled and ingrained by Jijabai. As a result emerged a ruler who cared truly for the welfare of his people, who was an intelligent, sensitive and conscientious King with a great and creative foresight.

If India can be imag(in)edas a mother, one of her most illustrious sons would be Swami Vivekanand. He spread the true spiritual  Indianness literally across the world. In his famous Chicago speech, as in his other speeches and writings, he showed how inclusive and truly perceptive Hinduism is.

To Hindus, he gave a focussed, strong, assertive identity that would be decisive, definitive and progressive in a futuristic way. It is hence indeed necessary to remember and imbibe in our life styles the messages of such great people.

Pratima@Anniversaries are new beginnings in a way because the fond remembrances revive in our mind the great messages.

The Work Ethic

 Yet again rages the debate about the work hours. All sorts of memes are afloat. Callow, actually shallow, anti-capitalist comments are making the rounds. Thank our stars, none has as yet started the Southern mindset debate! We ARE an 'argumentative' enough society for such 'smart' talk.

No, I am not taking the side of the 'filthy rich'. My point of view is rather different. In my opinion, the quantity of  work, the hours put in, become an issue because the quality of work is hardly worth writing home about. Okay, let me give you a few examples to prove my point.

At every 'nukkad', what do you see? A huge row of autos, drivers yaking away in groups, never ready to help even the senior citizens (who are, otherwise, constantly mocked at for being 'old') if the distance or the direction of the 'sawari' does not suit them. The meters continue to be as faulty as the drivers' attitude, which is extremely arrogant. Signals, lanes are meant for not following, anyways.

Another group at the roadside would be people in their twenties/thirties lounging around, harassing women, passing nasty, nay, sick comments, talking about politics or cricket stars, boasting about their own 'jugads' as 'smartness'. They are hardly good at anything. Why, they cannot speak or write their own mother tongue properly.

That should bring you to schools and colleges. Given the slew of early teen age love stories as themes of films, 'smart' students have lovers in the seventh, or is it younger age-wise, standard. With the mobile at the fingertips, they 'know' a lot. At least, now, there are exams. Earlier, as well as during the COVID years, marks were freely distributed as no teacher wanted to fail anyone. The sleigh down the slope of quality continues.

Most college students never attend lectures. The campus is for hanging out. As the fees are very low, or are paid through various government schemes, the typical college education has no value for them. They would without fail attend a CA or CS or CAT or some such private tuition as it is very costly, and the 'coaches' hardly care about learning. Students are made exam-ready. Success somehow is the motto. 

Students study, if at all, the night before the respective paper during the college exam period. As a result, their hold over the basics themselves  is extremely weak. Give them an assignment which would have them actually work, whose answers are not available either in 'Nirali' or on the ChatGpt, but would make them read up, think, analyse, well, they would hate you like hell!

Teachers are no good either. If at all lectures are conducted, it does not hurt anybody's conscience that their core subject classrooms would have just one, or two tops, students! With the autonomous status of academic institutions, teachers set the papers. Their friends are external examiners, if at all.

 Well, this practice continues till the Ph.D. Experts who cannot produce a single correct sentence in English produce Ph.D. 'theses'. Why, they are research guides! Prospective, or in-service, lecturers cannot pass the MCQ type of NET/SET qualifying exam's, whose success rate would be tops five per cent! 

In  autonomous classrooms especially, most often,  just a chapter or two is taught, and questions and assignments are set on these very areas. Indirectly, the entire paper is leaked, too. Students love such teachers because "dimag ka dahi nahi banata". Such teachers wander off the campus for all their private affairs, visits to hospitals, shopping, a quick drop-in at home, and what have you. So long as the "click" at the entry and exit time is okay, nothing else matters!

Well, professionalism, work ethics hardly seem important. Be it government offices or the corporate ones, everybody is very conscious of benefits, which is not at all wrong if responsibilities are catered to as well. Less work, more money/benefits is the theme, however. People are never at their place/in their seats. Gossiping about others behind their back, ganging up, groupism, dirty politicking, many such 'hobbies' are indulged in at the workplace.

Well, the blog would be very big-and-long if we rattle off all such ills that haunt our workplaces. Significantly, after every burst of/by the corporate honchos, many such basic issues are never analysed. Instead, irrelevant discussions crop up. Well, self-reflexion IS a virtue!

Pratima@ The very, very, very few honourable exceptions to these rules, which are universally accepted in India, never worry about the big bosses grunting about work hours because they do not while away time at the workplace, they actually do their duties, they WORK! 

Oh,yes, I  have not even mentioned the AI, and what it would do to our work, forget hours!