I kept staring at my computer screen. What should I write? How should I put my frenzy thoughts in a coherent sentence? I like to write. It is my passion, my answer to the world that keeps me bogged down with its never ending questions. It is a kind of therapy to me. But this time it is not the passion speaking. It is the anger, the fear, the restlessness and mostly the contempt.

From being labeled as the fairer, weaker sex to a fragile body, women have had many nomenclatures. I recently read Khaled Hosseini’s ‘A Thousand Splendid Suns’. The turmoil of Afghanistani women described in the book wet my eyes. I thanked God that I was better off. I thought I am in a land where I can study, I can work and I can dream. But now I realize that no matter where you are, a woman will never find a bed of roses. Damm! Every where she has to fight, fight a lone battle.

The recent Munirka gang rape incident has reinstated how barbaric people can be. Newspaper headlines, Facebook statuses, protest marches are screaming about it. Media has got its fodder. For days now they will talk, debate, state, explain etc etc about what is right, what is wrong. People will call for stricter laws. But where would we reach with all this? Like many other women of the city, I don’t have answers, only unanswered questions remain.

What should the women do? Should we stay inside their homes? OK WE WILL…Should we not go for work? OK WE WILL…Should we dress decently? OK WE WILL….Should we stop getting educated? OK WE WILL….BUT JUST GIVE US ONE ASSURANCE. THAT ALL THIS WILL STOP. CAN WE HAVE AN ANSWER???

I don’t know whom am I posing these questions to. Is it the men who commit such heinous crimes? Is it the women who somewhere contribute in their own degradation? Is it the society that treats women and men differently? Is it the law makers who care a damm about what is happening to a vulnerable girl on the streets?

What will we do with our economic growth? Where are the idealists who claim that the modern world is the pedestal of women empowerment? Is this what you call empowerment? In a metropolitan city, the national capital of the country where supposedly there should be more protection and a safer environment such brutal acts take place? Then what is the difference between a remote village and Delhi? The women in both places are unsafe.

Stepping outside or staying inside, both are scary.

The poor girl told her parents that she wants to live. I pray you do sister because there can be broken bodies but nothing like an amputated spirit.

I feel ashamed to be a woman in this land of barbarians….

INDIAN SECULARISM

We all love our country but in India, somewhere down our heats or probably in our minds, our affinity towards our religion/region, gets predominant. Sometimes this affinity shadows our responsibility towards the nation. So we love being a Gujarati, Bengali, Malayalee,  Punjabi more!!!

As per our Constitution, India is a secular state. The term “Secularism” normally refers to the separation of STATE and CHURCH. But the Indian context differs. Our STATE and CHURCH/ TEMPLE/ MOSQUE just can not go separate ways.

There is “Politicization of Caste”. Vote-bank politics has become an entrenched element of Indian Politics. Politics ; a self-less service has become a caste-based service. Caste dictates Politics. Unfortunately, the communalist face of India is poking its ugly face again and at frequent intervals. The unfortunate incidents in Karnataka, Gujarat etc. and the unfortunate actions of dogmatic organizations like RSS, MNS etc., have shattered our tolerant sentiments. 

The problem probably lies with our perception and action. We look at things from our own angle. We are not adaptive of other’s vintage points. We stick to ours, just ours. We are forgetting the values of brotherhood, solidarity, love, sacrifice, tolerance. What is left in us is enmity, hatred and competition in its ugliest form.

Thus, the solution lies in being adaptive and receptive to positive change. We need to bring in a new social order that is representative of diverse sentiments. Restricting a section of the society from voicing its concerns, can lead to disastrous results. Being a democracy, where people rule and not their region/ religion , should learn this lesson very well.

Our country has stood the test of time.  We have been colonized, tortured, humiliated by the imperialistic powers; but we emerged, still bruised but not without hope.

We need to introspect; why are we killing and stopped loving people? Why are we killing the children who want the warmth of their parents? Why are we killing the mothers and taking them away from their children? Why are we killing the men and throwing their families into hopeless poverty?

We all need to answer these questions. It is not about blaming other’s actions. Now it is the tine of claiming it to be our fault.  We all need to pitch in to eradicate the communalist  sentiments and fill nationalistic fervor in every mind

CLASHES OF CULTURE

Culture is hard to define.  For some, it’s a way of life and for some, it is rigid set of rules and regulations.  But nevertheless, culture has become a paramount factor of our life. We simply can’t do away with it.  With the coming of the Modern era of globalization and computers, the cultural fanatics feared that we would lose our culture. But even in this era, we go to our respective temples, churches, mosques, gurudwaras, monastries etc.  We celebrate our regional as well as national festivals with equal ease and pomp.

“Western  Culture” is like a migratory bird. It comes and goes. It is true that we all adopt many things from “Western Culture”. Our freedom fighters learnt the principles of Freedom, Liberty, Equality. Democracy etc. from the Western Revolutions.  We adopted the concept of “English Education” from Western Culture.  Along with the good things, unfortunately, we have also intentionally or unintentionally grasped the bad things.  But them for this, we can’t blame the culture.  We are responsible for our actions. “Clashes of Culture.” Is an illusionary state of mind.  We should respect all the cultures and try to inculcate in us the good aspects of every culture.  When we get influenced or try to imbibe certain aspects of other culture; we are showing that we are rational global citizens.  When we do it, it does not mean our culture is weaker or stronger than the  other’s.

RHYTHMIC SOUL OF LIFE

Some say"Music is the irony of life". Some describe it as the "Soul of Life". For me, it encompasses all the emotions. Yes! there are many musical heads around us who listen to different genres of music when they are sad, happy etc. Here is where Music scores. It has a huge and an equally variant audience to cater to. It has many takers from cfasual listeners to professionals.


Music has a magical capacity to transcend us to a different world. A world that is away from our real world which is full of worries, tensions, enemity, selfishness. It is a mood elevator. It refreshes me and I feel less complicated!!! Science has proved that music has immense healing power. It is a universal language and an integral part of every culture existing on the planet.

Youngsters breath it and old people live with it.  Yes, music is enjoyed by all sections of people, belonging to different age-groups. Anybody can define it, everybody can enjoy it!!

VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN

WOMEN or the ‘fair sex’ is often viewed as a weak, fragile and dependent body by the biased eyes of the society. People do not want to accept the fact that today there is no height that a woman can’t scale. She is outshining men in many fields, be it, academics, space, science etc. But women community has still not got its due. Women are subdued, humiliated and harassed in all walks of life.

The rate of violence against women is increasing at an alarming rate in India. What an irony it is that a country like India that boasts of so many Godessess Sita, Saraswati, Sati, Savitri, Maitreyi etc., tops the chart of brutality against women. Is this what our age-old culture teach us? No! we bend the rules for our benefits. It is so pathetic to watch and hear about the incidents of female foeticide, child marriage, honor killing, child abuse, molestation, rape etc.

The scenario of remote rural areas of India is unbearable. In few villages of Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan etc., girl babies are burnt alive. Proper education and health care is not provided to them. They are christened with abusive names. From time immemoria , in Indian society, girls have always been considered a burden. She is not allowed to express her mind.

The situation in urban India is no better. Modern women have many insecurities and apprehensions. She has to be “Jill of all Trades”. She has to build a strong carrer and manage the household chores as well. Many “so-called good people” of the society claim that women are marching ahead. But how many and to what extent?

A woman can break all these shackles by developing the guts to speak for herself. Today the so-called feminist groups  can hardly become the voice of the exploited women. They take up women issues to come into the limelight. When the issues lose te interest of the media, they also vanish.

Lets pray for an INDIA where women are not only worshipped in folklores and epics but in reality as well. LONG LIVE DAUGHTERS!!

RELIGION AND SCIENCE

Religion and Science are often seen as contradictory terms. The general notion is that a religious person hardly approves of scientific norms and a scientific person tries to find logical reasons in all religious practices. So we all live in a world, where science and religion are in clichéd horizons.

Religion can be defined as a phenomenon, in which the members follow a set of rules and regulations. Whether we understand the meaning of our rituals or not, takes a backseat. We go by the flow. We imitate others. We are unable to muster the courage to question the inhumane practices because we fear to mgo against our community. Now the question arises “Why do we need a Religion”?

As a matter of fact, our religion gives us a comfort zone. We feel “wanted”. We feel a sense of security in our respective cultural backgrounds. This is the primary reason why we get deeply hurt when someone hurls stones or abuses our religion. Religious outbursts can be very violent , especially in a religiously active country like India. We have witnessed it before in the anti-Sikh riots of Delhi in 1984, the Godhra riots in Gujarat in 2002, India-Pakistan partition etc.

Being a religious tolerant person is an art in itself, because somewhere in our lives intentionally or unintentionally, we do get religion biased.

Science, on the other hand, is a more liberal and democratic concept. It plays an important role in the development of a person as well as a nation. Without the scientific know-how, our country and our countrymen would not have been able to achieve success and progress. Only scientifically sound nations have made it to the list of world’s most developed and rich nations.

In today’s era, knowledge of science and technology is an asset. Without it, a person is labeled “dumb”. It is a social as well a personal disgrace.

If we talk about the interplay of “Religion and Science”, it is confusing and interesting at the same time. We, the modern world citizens, believe in both religion and science. Science helps us to develop a rational mindset, whereas religion helps us to find solace in our lives. We remember GOD in times of happiness and sorrow. We feel connected to HIM by means of our religion. Science  is the indication of  a sophisticated state of mind.

CIVILIZATION ON THE BANKS OF GANGA

Regarded as the National River of the country, Ganga is a highly venerated river in India. Meghna, Padma, Mandakini, Alaknanda, Bhagirathi—Ganga has many names. It is considered the most sacred watercourse by the Hindus.

River Ganga is core to our Civilization. Every year millions of Hindus turn to the ghats of Ganga to wash off their sins and instill  in them a pious life. From a saffron-clad sage to a small child—Ganga has been phenomenal to all. Its might and grandeur has inspired us to sit back and notice its beauty.

The significance of River Ganga is growing manifold. Religiously and culturally, its position remains undisputed. It is also increasingly becoming an economical destination as it attracts scores of tourists from all over the world to witness its charm.

Ganga has become a “way of life” for many. Numerous people have adopted the Ganga basin as their home---they breathe Ganga, they talk Ganga, they live Ganga. For them it is not just a river. It is their identity, their reason for living.

Ganga symbolizes our culture and embarks upon our tradition. Its opulence represents the sanctity of our cultural principles. For us, it is synonymous with GOD. We worship Ganga. We have personified Her as our Mother; our saviour from all the sins. Just like a mother, it gives us Motherly warmth and affection.

Ganga and civilization are two sides of the same coin. Both teach us endurance of life. Civilization teaches us stability while Ganga inspires us to respect and sustain that stability. Both bring us close to organization and discipline in life. But unfortunately, Ganga is ailing due to the recent commercial developments. In the race of modernization, we are forgetting our civilization. Thus, Ganga’s appalling condition should be of our paramount concern and we should slow down the pace of commercialization of Ganga.

Ganga is our life line. Let us not leave it adulterated.