A unique day indeed!

 Today is special, absolutely unique indeed. To begin with, the day welcomes the month of Shrawan. This morning, there was that typical Shravan like hide-n-seek of the fresh rays of the early sunshine and a light drizzle. 

Well, there was not exactly the rainbow Bal Kawi describes in his famous poem describing the unique month of Shrawan.  A unique coincidence it is that today happens to be his, Balkawi's, birth anniversary. 

Bal Kawi, the pen name of Tryambak Bapuji Thombre, was a nature poet who wrote exquisite Nature poems in the vein of the namesake Romantic poets, especially Coleridge and Wordsworth. 

Like them, he, too, imbued Nature with a mystical, divine, transcendental force, a staple with the American transcendental poets such as Emerson and Whitman as well. 

In visible!

 It is the total solar eclipse today. Apparently, it is not visible in India.  Its global path is such that only parts of Greenland, Iceland, Spain, Portugal, and northern Russia can see it. 

Yet a glimpse outside convinces me that the solar eclipse may not be visible, yet its impact is everywhere! The birds in the trees in the front yard, always busy cooing, creating their own natural symphonies, are unusually quiet. 

The sunlight is not its usual bright self it typically is at this hour. It is dim. There is an unmistakable gloom in the very air. A kind of dead, drear silence as if predicting some doom. Why, there is a chill in the air, almost prompting to reach for my sweater.

How the climate affects our moods! The climate conservationist in me confirms yet again the commitment to sustainability  needs. 

The distance does not matter, I agree, when the source of energy is dimmed. The absent moon on this no-moon day is standing between the sun, the source of light, nay, of life itself, and us, the earthlings. All sorts of mythical tales and science fiction keep on scrolling before the mind's eye. 

A perfect metaphor the feel is for the evil in our lives. They are in visible, yet visible is their vicious effect on innocent lives. Eclipse incarnate they are! What might be the cure against such who drain the very vitality? 

Create your own electrifying luminosity, I suppose. It would bloom out of a conjunction of all that is the best, the brightest and the blithe in your own soul, heart, and mind. No eclipse, partial or total, can then render 'in visible' your clean, clear, calm path!

Pratima@ Saw a few clicks of the eclipse, the ring of fire, especially. Beautiful is this depressing natural phenomenon!

Quote of the day:                                                              "Nations, like stars, are entitled to eclipse. All is well, provided the light returns and the eclipse does not become an endless night." So says Victor Hugo. The 'nations' in this quote can comfortably and effectively be replaced by 'selves'/'selfhoods'/'i-dentities', right?

Word of the day: solar eclipse                                    In India, solar eclipses (Surya Grahan) are traditionally viewed as inauspicious bad omens caused by the mythical demon Rahu swallowing the sun. Cultural superstitions dictate strict avoidance of routine activities like eating, cooking, and stepping outside to ward off perceived evil energies, radiation, or spiritual impurity. Rituals do have their owh customary significations, right? 

Soupçon, In Memoriam Series, IV.vii

                           Soupçon III                                                          In Memoriam Series                                                         IV.vii                               International Year of the Woman Farmer

The ultimate authority when it comes to farm distress in India is P. Sainath. Let us hence look at his invaluable inputs. To avoid repetition, as we have been exploring this issue since August 3, let us concentrate on the unique points we have not so far mentioned 

Let us look at the data he provides. 96 per cent of rice transplantation, 76 per cent of seed sowing and 86 per cent of crop transportation, he maintains, is women's agrarian contribution. Such work requires squatting, bending and carrying a heavy load. 

Given the inevitable household work, it is a huge burden. In other words, P. Sainath brings to everybody's notice the health issues of women farmers/farm hands.

Yet another major point he makes is regarding the total exclusion of women farmers from the farm crisis data as they are referred to as "widows of make farmers." The very nomenclature denies them any legal status, and hence any financial exclusion.

 They do try to till the land and carry on with both farm related and household duties. As they are beyond the bounds of legally accrued financial help, they, too, commit suicide when the debt gets mountain high. Their deaths, however, are not thus mentioned in the National Crime Research Bureau, according to P. Sainath. Injustice continues to haunt them even after death!

Pratima Agnihotri

Soupçon, In Memoriam Series,IV.vii

                         Soupçon III                                                          In Memoriam Series                                                         IV.vi                                 International Year of the Woman Farmer

When it comes to literary representation of women and farming directly and/or en passim, Indian literatures seem to be better off. Could it be because, even today, we continue to be an agrarian economy primarily? 

Beyond such financial considerations, the absolute systemic invisibility of women farmers (especially as the widow of the suicide victims, given the fact that she is absolutely ignorant, especially in legal and/or farm matters, and is totally abandoned, given the societal strictures dominant even today) is blinding.

Given the limitations of our Soupçon inputs,I would herein mention a few names though. Marathi Bhakti tradition has soulful echoes of such distress. Bahinabai Chaudhari, whose very imagery is often agrarian, could be another example. Dalit literature addresses such destitution, too.

Premchand, Mahashweta Devi are two exemplary names, right? Volga, K.Neelima, Namita Waikar ... Sure, I need to read up, and truckloads!

Pratima Agnihotri 

Being a Care-giver

 Being a care-giver is tough territory.  It is a terrain of the Himalayan altitude. Yes, often your own blood pressure spikes up to dangerous zones, while you are holding your own breath so tight that, in comparison, Sir Edmund Hillary, or his numerous followers, atop Everest with the oxygen cylinder would be breathing much, much more comfortably! 

Why so? Well, the answer is obvious. The 'patient' for the medical team is your own flesh n blood, a much loved person, a human being, not a file, not a number! You yourself, moreover, are an absolute novice in the field! 

Not so very politely, the doctor on duty lets you know that your 'patient' is occupying a much needed bed. With the take-your-patient-home release order, which incidentally takes an agonising day at least, you are given a list of to-do's. The prescription with its bm and am (means nothing but before/after meal) is as confusing as Mandarin! 

The first hour after all have left, and you are "alone, alone, all alone" with the 'patient', you feel lonelier than Coleridge's famous ''ancient mariner." You hold your nerve(s) though, and, voilà, within a span of  two to three days, you are an expert at basic patient care so much so that you could be the next Florence Nightingale! Why, as far as 'patient care' goes, I could expertly manage hypodermic injections! 

Yet nerve-wrecking is the whole feel. What could be the solution? No, the much-paid-for "mavashi" and " mama" types are more a bother. They need to be taken-care-of, at times, more than the 'patient' because such, such are the mood swings of the pampered dahlings! 

I suppose, there is an urgent need of reviving the moribund "family doctor" tradition. Yes, we must have many more "family doctors." A visit a day by "Doctor Uncle", much better, by "Doctor Madam", can do wonders, and not merely for the 'patient', but also for the morale of the care-giver! What say, experts and/or interns-on-strike warring over '-pathies'?!? 

Pratima@ Should there be summer courses in basic patient care? May be, that could help. Well, of course, a visit to a non-private, a general hospital can cure you of all pretensions, and instantaneously. Such are the sufferings of the much neglected down n out there that you vow to yourself to never ever fall ill! 

Quote of the day:                                                           "Patients don't care how much you know until they know how much you care." Touché, Theodore Roosevelt

Word of the day: care-giver                                      A care-giver is a person, most often family, who provides direct physical, emotional, or daily support to those who cannot fully care for themselves due to age, illness, injury, or inborn disability. 

Soupçon, In Memoriam series, IV.vi

                             Soupçon III                                                          In Memoriam Series                                                         IV.vi                                 International Year of the Woman Farmer

As we continue our analysis of the theme, let us begin the discussion this week with three references in English literature to women farmers. 

The first is a poem, much loved even by school kids as it is much anthologised. Yes, I am referring to "The Solitary Reaper", while Wordsworth's "Lucy" poems, too, have farming images. 

As for a tale, we have Willa Cather's "O, Pioneers." In these pages, we meet Alexandra whose vision and grit change the hereditary land in to a successful farm. 

As for an autobiography, we have Rigoberta Menchu's 1983 'testimonio' which presents the harsh seasonal labour on the 'finchas' where punishing nature, backbreaking work, and toxic pesticides make life utmost miserable for women farmhands. 

In other words, be it the pages of a literary work or be it the terra firna, tough is the life of a woman as the farmer. Tomorrow we shall look at some Indian writings, and then get back yet again to the brief theoretical analyses. 

Pratima Agnihotri

Tit(ter) for tat(tle)!

 Currently, the ideological and political battle'ground' in our country is indeed unceasingly but increasingly interesting. Sure I like it because it is such a sincere battle wherein ideological differences are getting weaponised, and trendy politicking is getting uniquely exposed by genuine conceptualisation!

Yes, I am referring to the student protest in Jharkhand. What a perfect contrast to the Delhi dhamaka! Truly organic it is. Nobody is funding it hugely. None is feeding the students here heavily. 

Most importantly, for exactly similar demands, these mostly middle class students are waging a protest that has been peaceful, disciplined, and without any ugly sloganeering. In a way, that could be the difference between propaganda n politicking bred on entitlement and a grassroots movement born out of genuine anguish. 

The differences do not stop there. No celebrated student leader nor their pater(nalistic) politicians, sugar daddies or 'honey' sweet mommies bothered to visit the Jharkhand protesters despite earnest appeals. As for the so-called radical etc etc intellectuals, they seem to have donned the avatars of Gandhiji's three monkeys!

 They cannot see the proper protest, nor do they hear the genuine grievances! How can they talk, and what? Here the protesting students suffered not only water cannons but firing as well. But the cat seems to have gotten n eaten their wagging, wriggling, wrathful tongues! 

It is hence that the majority does not seem to have any truck with the 'urban naxal' types who lorded it at Jantar Mantar. Rather, they seem to bond with the Prime Minister who not only forgave the atrocious, vulgar and crooked comments, but also attended the Convocation Ceremony at the prestigious Delhi IIT, had a fun, heart to heart chat with the truly creamy layer intellectually! 

In brief, the tattle at Delhi and the titter it generated, when contrasted with the Jharkhand protests, show up the pretences of the petty of every variety! 

Pratima@ The hypocrisies of Dipke, Das and their supporters from all strata bring a very bad name to poor Bhagat Singh as well as to the theoretical analysis by Marx! That is the real tragedy! 

Quote of the day:                                                          "History repeats itself,"  wrote Marx in his 1852 treatise, 'The Eighteenth Brumaire of Louis Bonaparte' "the first time as tragedy, the second time as farce". The process is reversed in the case of  the Delhi-Jharkhand protests! 

Word of the day: organic protest                             An organic protest is a grassroots movement that arises spontaneously from regular citizens, students, or workers responding to local grievances without centralized political planning, external funding, or formal organisational control.