We are different

The struggle seems to be a constant phenomenon, not only because it is natural in progression but also humans take pride in struggling. However, apart from all the frictions, one that fails to subside is that of women. Sometimes it appears that women belong to a different planet for the reason their struggle for respect and choice is unending. The awareness, education and resources in contemporaneous times are unprecedented yet the struggle continues like never before.

I continue to believe that equality is unreal, but empowerment is inevitable. The issue is much complicated than it seems as it needs more of introspection both by men and women than agitation. At present, the whole criteria of women empowerment has consolidated as anti-men, we want equal status as men, we want choices as men, we want to stay out as men do. I fail to recognise this as a fight for equality or rights because 'to be like men' is not my reward as I am not a man. I am a woman who has a different perspective, different body and different sensitivity. I don’t want to be a man.

I choose to watch movies at a single screen theatre because it is cheaper and I relish the whistling and clapping that is deemed as inappropriate in a costly multiplex. It is my choice to save money but possibly had I been instructed to do so I would have resisted. Therefore, people should be entrusted with the freedom of choice as it comes with a sense of responsibility whereas suppression translates into belligerence that can be irresponsible. My mother is worried both about my brother and me when we are late in the night. However, she is more worried about me because my brother can drag his scooter if it fails but she does not want me to do the same. Can I complain for not allowing me to stay late in night?

There has always been a hue and cry about the way women should carry themselves. The whole debate precipitates on the western wears. But, what pains me are the uncomfortable stylish clothes or shoes worn irrespective of the weather conditions by both men and women. We should realise that clothes are worn for a purpose, let them do that. Defining people by their stylish costumes is foolhardy as it reduces them being a mannequin to the level that people look replicas. So, activate your grey cells and let you grace the brands and not the brands grace you (sadly these days people look like a walking ad campaign of the brands and they believe it adds to their value).

As a woman, I feel no shame in admitting my fragility and I would not like to compete on that aspect but I am multi-tasking with sharper senses and I would exploit my these abilities. I don’t want to entice myself in the debate about how women should dress as in any outfit I will perform the same. There are issues where I surrender to the men maybe not gladly but then there are issues where I don’t listen them. So, it’s not about equality but understanding and respecting each other’s concern. Nature fashioned men and women as complements not equals. We must reach out to capitalise on our differences than spend our energies to be equals. Whenever the question of equality arises then somewhere down the line there exists an equation of domination and subjugation. We should overcome this situation and learn to accommodate to each other’s peculiarities. Women and men together create the world so they need to nurture it together.

I am blessed with the men in my life who when seem to impose restrictions do so because they care for me and I can read that very well. I decrease my degrees of freedom for them as I also know how secure place this world is for both men and women.

Image courtsey: Google search

Disagreement encourages evolution

Like any other daughter my father has besotted me. He continues to be my SUPERMAN. I have always aspired to be like him. In my quest to be like him I always imitated him and never bothered to be reduced to being his shadow. I am contented to be his replica with no uniqueness of my own. I copied him in every way I could, but harboured the belief that I could never write. However, my loved ones believed that I should write and it is their motivation that I am writing.

Image courtesy Google Search

So, I am again imitating my father, but the response that I receive is not an imitation. People many times don’t agree with my thoughts, and I am grateful to them for not agreeing. I never wrote with the intention of ‘I know all’ or ‘I am correct.’ For me, the expression is more relevant than to be correct. Disagreement enriches me with the finer complexities that sharpen my sensitivities. Procuring knowledge is more overwhelming than being agreeable.

I feel blessed to bear witness to an age that is immersed in the ocean of knowledge. All kinds of literature, art, science is accessible. Amid such opulence, my prerogative to distinguish right from wrong, love from hatred and opportunism from selflessness becomes blurred. The impetus is to enhance my susceptibility and understanding of every living soul without emboldening it to choose sides. The rawness and naivety of bare emotions and desires help me to realise the face of a world that it innocent and honest unloaded with the burden of civilization.  

I am a wanderer…relishing life in an absolute way.

Dream Locally

‘Alchemist’ is a world-renowned story of a boy Santiago, who follows his dream. The dream transports him from Andalusia (Spain) to Egypt (Africa) and infuses him with the secret of natural forces. In the pursuit of his dream, along with the knowledge of ‘Personal Legend’ he actually achieves monetary wealth. It is his journey of life where he is not embarrassed to be a shepherd to realize his quest for traveling. It’s a bewitching story that makes you believe ‘when you desire something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.’

However, I have my reservations if Santiago will get a chance to realize his dream in contemporaneous times. I doubt if his choice to be a shepherd will yield. Today, first he will have to design ways to reach Egypt from Spain. It will be arduous to convince the authorities to grant Visa based on the figment of his dream. In the book, he belongs to an era where globetrotting was habitual and required no authorization. But, today all the Santiago must realise that their dreams should be local; as for a shepherd to realize his global dream is impossible, owing to the hardships in managing finances and crossing the international borders .

We uphold that we are the most advanced civilisation that ever graced the Earth. A civilisation where the world has shrunk with no hidden secrets. Humans ascertained their paramountcy, yet the world is plagued by its own complications. There are restrictions imposed on the free movement of the people. The earth is assorted into countries and thus to its people. The resources been licenced gave birth to rights and their legitimacy. This is unscrupulous as the empowerment has lead to assortment and not unanimity. The lack of unanimity has delivered animosity that is engulfing people into its bloody claws.

We need to circumspect that ‘it is one earth one human species and evolution should inculcate the value of freedom and respect for life.’

Professional casteism

Human evolution is enticing, specially the development of societies. The tale of evolution manifests the convolutions of human psychology. The psychology that prods the hunters and gatherers to align themselves in a social hierarchy. The psychology that enchants the human desire to emerge as ruler and subjugate others. Most intriguing characteristic of evolution is the sternness to change that necessitates revolution as a prerequisite. Society gets adapted to this change, matures and succumbs to its inadequacies, yet never fails to show obstinacy for the change. This process accounts for progression and regression of several social norms.

The Indian caste system has survived progressions and regressions. The nature of this hierarchy has been challenged since its inception. However, in initial days it was perceived to be versatile. Owing to the flexibility, the caste determination was assessed by the person’s profession. This flexibility promulgated equitability in the society. The existence of several castes within the family would have earned equal respect for all the people and their professions. 

It is difficult to comprehend the obligation to renounce the flexibility, and the desire to replace it with the stringent birth-defined caste system. This must be a premeditated effort as it nipped the natural merits and confined people to pursue profession irrespective of their choices. It must be complicated for the people to give up their freedom, yet the society accepted the transformation. This trend has perpetuated over a millennium. At present, the society has regained its freedom of profession. However, it is yet trussed with the deep-rooted birth-defined caste system.

I believe if we desire to cling to ancient birth-defined caste system then we should revert to the caste-determined professions. But as we have evolved to professional liberalism, we must cast behind the existing moulds of caste definition. This will help to broadcast equitability, liberty and fraternity amongst the people. Thus, it will reduce the friction imparted by the redundant caste heirarchy, which is immoral and unethical as we don’t follow caste prescribed professions. 

Bharat Ratna, not for commoners

Government of India announced the Bharat Ratna to be conferred on the former Prime Minister Mr. AB Vajpayee and late educationist Pt. MM Malviya. Up till now India has conferred this prestigious award to 45 people of which 26 have been active politicians rest were renowned people who contributed to arts, science and social reforms. Six of our Prime Ministers and four of our Presidents have been honored with Bharat Ratna.

I have no reservations regarding the choice of recipients but for the criteria and process. First, why is it so easy for the politicians to qualify for the awards where they never seem to qualify for awards sponsored by any non-government or International committee? Whereas the Bharat Ratna awardees besides the politicians have many such acclaims to their names. Second, if this is the way to express our gratitude to our politicians who have toiled hard to make us a nation then the awards should be rechristened to Raajneetigya Ratna for them. Third, we are a nation of 1.2 billion and does no common man has the ability and contribution that can make him a Bharat Ratna.

Strategically the selection committee should also consider the people from amongst the common man who dedicate their lives to the social cause. Rather it prefers to select from amongst the recognised faces, with its reservation for politicians. People who work without garnering media attention have no or rather lean possibility to be a Bharat Ratna. If I may say, a person living in Patna who chooses 30 unprivileged students and coaches them to be a part of the prestigious IIT’s, is he, not a Bharat Ratna? International media appreciates his efforts, but here in his own country government makes no effort to recognize him. Or Bharat Ratna is not for the common man?

The award is presented in “recognition of exceptional service/performance of the highest order" or in "any field of human endeavour."  How many of our politicians fulfill this criterion? Owing to several reasons the dignity of the awards is challenged in the past. However, the award still holds an honor and an effort to encompass the common man into its fold will encourage the spirits of people who invest their lives for human upliftment. Let's not make it a feather that glorifies the cap that is already adorned with the Padma awards and several others.

Learning to unlearn

He rubbed his eyes yet could remember nothing or recognize the place. It seemed to be a huge hall with no walls, or rather he could not see them. The hall was illuminated naturally and a inexplicable soothing sensation was grappling him. He could not correlate his arrival or the place? His body was responding to the innate rhythm of the surroundings, he never felt so invigorated. His mind assessed the same way, he appeared to be drifted from the routine complexities. He assumed to be acquainted with the routine complexities but retrieved none. Now, he murmured, the alienness was getting on him.

He saw another man walking up to him. His excitement waned as the figure draw closer; how would he communicate, he did not know his language? The stranger gestured at him and asked him who was he? He got perplexed as he could not decipher a word of what the stranger said, yet, he responded. The stranger too looked bewildered but appeared contented with the answer. It was unfathomable for him to converse with this complete stranger at an absolute unknown place in an incomprehensible language, yet they were understanding each other.

Their conversation got interrupted by the two beings who looked well acquainted with the milieu. They smiled and asked him and the stranger to accompany them. He asked them,"who am I, where are we, who are you?" The escorts giggled and replied,“this happens every time you come here. You forget everything, who are you, where are you, what is this place? But, no sooner than you go back to the earth you remember everything. You remember all the differences with your fellow human beings. You vent your lives in retaining and exploiting these differences. How you do it when no other creature coming from the earth does this?“

One of the escorts bored his eyes on to him and said, “both of you are being killed on earth in your own homes called ‘countries’ by the people of each other’s ‘nationality’. Tell me, can both of you distinguish yourself from the other? Before we arrived, you were conversing in an ancient incomprehensible language that binds all the souls. But, on the earth you learn the new languages and get separated on the lingual basis. Here you are elated to see a stranger and there you get suspicious.” Then he turned to his mate and said,"they rob us off our wits. The way they are differentiating it seems something is round the corner. You remember the holocaust time? Earth is such a beautiful place, their activities have made it difficult for us to visit it.”

Mortals protecting the Immortals

‘I sense it’s time for us to leave this world’ said Krishna with his ever enigmatic smile.

‘Why?’ retorted Amirani.

‘Because this is not the world we desired, our children are pitching each other in mortal peril,’ said Krishna.

‘Good lord! that’s only because they love us, and fighting is a signature of struggle for existence since ages. Since when has war become a sin? I do not expect this of you,’ asserted Amirani.

‘Yes, you are right fighting manifests the spirit of life, but consider what are they fighting for?’ said a forlorn Krishna. ‘They are belittling life, abrading the elixir out of it. Fighting for subsistence is commendable, but fighting for us is not vindicated, whom they interpret as per their perception. They are superfluously drowning us in this blood and gore. I inspired them to cherish life, live it and leave it. The morons are wasting their lives in protecting us. They are trying to protect us from humans, the mortals. They can’t bear nature’s wrath but claim to protect God, the immortal.’

‘They are ignorant, but amid all they love us,’ squeaked Amirani.

‘No, they don’t. If they loved they would have loved all my creations. They are scared of the doomsday inferno and these imbeciles believe by eulogizing me they will dodge it,’ squirmed Krishna.

‘Oh! but where is the hell and what inferno?’ said Amirani.

‘That’s the disparity between human and God, they punish we do not. They allied us with sacraments and ethnicities. Sometimes I ponder if they learn that Gods do not wage war with each other, they will make us resign. Will fashion another God who acclimatizes to their convictions,’ said Krishna with his notorious gleam back in his lotus eyes.

‘You have decided something ain’t you? What is it?’ questioned Amirani.

‘Nothing, only that we are leaving. Yes, we are no more entailed. Humans have vested all their energies, compassion and love in protecting the effigies. Let them live with them. If their beliefs are true they will endure, prosper and raise themselves to be the new Gods. However, if their path is iniquitous they will pay for their deeds, we still can’t save them, it’s the law of karma,’ said the rising Krishna.