Indra's Drishtikona (Viewpoint) http://drishtikona.com My online journal with thoughts, opinions, comments and more.. Thu, 28 Aug 2008 13:36:35 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.1.2 Indra's Drishtikona (Viewpoint) http://drishtikona.com/images/favicon.gif http://drishtikona.com en Faces of Celebrities and Kashmir http://drishtikona.com/archives/religioussocial_issues/002186.php http://drishtikona.com/archives/religioussocial_issues/002186.php#comments Fri, 22 Aug 2008 00:28:49 +0000 Indra http://drishtikona.com/archives/religioussocial_issues/002186.php Shabana Azmi, whom I adore as actress, 'Indian politics has been unfair to Muslims and despite Indian secularism Muslims are discriminated against. As claimed, she couldn't buy a house in Mumbai because she was a Muslim. "I wanted to buy a flat in Bombay and it wasn't given to me because I was a Muslim and I read the same about Saif (Ali Khan). Now, I mean, if Javed Akhtar and Shabana Azmi cannot get a flat in Bombay because they are Muslims, then what are we talking about?" I know a friend of mine who doesn't give his flat in Salt Lake City, Kolkata to any local because of the fear of their cooking of smelling fish. Is it something illegal or should he be punished? Shabana's statement is in poor taste when the whole of Kashmir is burning and SIMI's activists appear to be behind all terror incidents. Activist and author Arundhati Roy, famous for Booker Prize on her very first book was present at the massive Monday rally in Kashmir. And there must be many along with secessionists and Gillani. She has been quoted as saying, "India needs azadi from Kashmir as much as Kashmir needs azadi from India." The situation in the valley as well as Jammu is really bad. Just month back, we had a dream to go to Kashmir that we had never been to. However, as it seems it will not be possible with the present situation over there. Who is at fault? It is certainly the government that is not proactive and prompt. But let the media not publish the statements of these celebrities that can add fuel to the burning fire. I only wish that the religious identity must not divide the communities against the nation. And it would have better if celebrities and so called leaders restrain themselves in making remarks that can harm the nation. ]]> Shabana Azmi, whom I adore as actress, 'Indian politics has been unfair to Muslims and despite Indian secularism Muslims are discriminated against. As claimed, she couldn't buy a house in Mumbai because she was a Muslim. "I wanted to buy a flat in Bombay and it wasn't given to me because I was a Muslim and I read the same about Saif (Ali Khan). Now, I mean, if Javed Akhtar and Shabana Azmi cannot get a flat in Bombay because they are Muslims, then what are we talking about?" I know a friend of mine who doesn't give his flat in Salt Lake City, Kolkata to any local because of the fear of their cooking of smelling fish. Is it something illegal or should he be punished? Shabana's statement is in poor taste when the whole of Kashmir is burning and SIMI's activists appear to be behind all terror incidents. Activist and author Arundhati Roy, famous for Booker Prize on her very first book was present at the massive Monday rally in Kashmir. And there must be many along with secessionists and Gillani. She has been quoted as saying, "India needs azadi from Kashmir as much as Kashmir needs azadi from India." The situation in the valley as well as Jammu is really bad. Just month back, we had a dream to go to Kashmir that we had never been to. However, as it seems it will not be possible with the present situation over there. Who is at fault? It is certainly the government that is not proactive and prompt. But let the media not publish the statements of these celebrities that can add fuel to the burning fire. I only wish that the religious identity must not divide the communities against the nation. And it would have better if celebrities and so called leaders restrain themselves in making remarks that can harm the nation. ]]> http://drishtikona.com/archives/religioussocial_issues/002186.php/feed/ Politics of Sethusamudram http://drishtikona.com/archives/religioussocial_issues/002159.php http://drishtikona.com/archives/religioussocial_issues/002159.php#comments Sun, 27 Jul 2008 00:19:46 +0000 Indra http://drishtikona.com/archives/religioussocial_issues/002159.php Related News Stories 'Setu doesn't exist': Govt relied on scholars Tamil experts doubt Centre's Setu destruction theory Centre's stand testing Hindu tolerance: Jaya 'Ram himself broke Setu' Scholars slam government claim on Ram Setu ·The Setu story ]]> Related News Stories 'Setu doesn't exist': Govt relied on scholars Tamil experts doubt Centre's Setu destruction theory Centre's stand testing Hindu tolerance: Jaya 'Ram himself broke Setu' Scholars slam government claim on Ram Setu ·The Setu story ]]> http://drishtikona.com/archives/religioussocial_issues/002159.php/feed/ War Against Global Warming: How can we participate? http://drishtikona.com/archives/religioussocial_issues/002144.php http://drishtikona.com/archives/religioussocial_issues/002144.php#comments Thu, 10 Jul 2008 21:21:11 +0000 Indra http://drishtikona.com/archives/religioussocial_issues/002144.php reported, the Chinese practise this. "Despite China's leap into modernity, the bicycle is far from dead - its numbers are growing. For many Chinese, pedal power remains a mainstay for commuting, making a living and getting around traffic jams. According to the Earth Policy Institute, a Washington-based environmental think tank, of the 130 million bikes manufactured worldwide last year, China made 90 million, and exported two-thirds of them." Walking and cycling as practice keeps one physically fit too. Those with Internet facilities available must try to use e-mails for communication avoiding the use of paper. Even the fraternity must switch over to e-newspapers instead of subscribing to traditional multiple pages newspapers. Some writers are even putting their books on Google that can be freely assessed. We may very soon stop buying hard copy of the books at higher prices and storing them for posterity? After all, most of them will be obsolete by then or be available on line. Let us start giving old time slates instead of papers for rough work to our school going children. We can certainly use some home made clothe bags and avoid plastic bags offered by the shopkeepers and help in minimizing the menace created by these plastic bags, particularly for cattle, appearing in media quite often. We can also conserve electricity through disciplining ourselves to put off the switches of TV, PC, or other items when not in use, and different means including using of CFL bulbs, using proper glasses on windowpanes or better window and door sealing for better heat retention for using heating and cooling equipment, buying energy efficient home appliances and accessories such as refrigerator, air conditioner, heater, or ovens whenever we replace them and, if necessary, by taking help of expert energy auditor for related saving potentials in our houses. Similarly, we must conserve every drop of water that we can, using sensor controlled taps or vacuum type toilets, optimum use of washing machines or dishwashers, or by asking some expert to incorporate water-harvesting system. How many of us consider our rivers as holy and go on dumping the waste in it? I know my wife wishes to dispose off all the remnants of flowers and other materials used in her morning worship in river, and so do we try to immerse the statues of the Gods and Goddesses after the big festivals such Ganesh or Durga Puja. Beside, we as Hindus like to immerse all the remnants after cremation of near and dear ones for mukti in Ganga. Why can't our religious leaders declare burying of the ashes from the eco-friendly furnaces in a hole dug in mother earth as equally good for mukti? How many of us can get some trees planted? Why don't we do that to make the mother earth a better place to live and green? Can we look into the eco-friendly aspect or energy-efficient construction of the dwellings we construct, buy, or hire on rent? Can we start wearing Indian dresses or shorts to reduce the need of air conditioning? Let me assert that Japanese have dropped wearing formal suits to save energy? We all can help in saving mother earth from global warming and its dangerous consequences for the humanity at large. Let us change our mindset to participate for this real big cause. Nuclear plants will bring some relief in global warming on long term. But we as responsible Indians must do our bit to keep the country green and reduce the forthcoming climate disaster for the posterity that the environmentalists are predicting. ------------- PS: Greening India will demand personal virtue and industry accountability. ]]> reported, the Chinese practise this. "Despite China's leap into modernity, the bicycle is far from dead - its numbers are growing. For many Chinese, pedal power remains a mainstay for commuting, making a living and getting around traffic jams. According to the Earth Policy Institute, a Washington-based environmental think tank, of the 130 million bikes manufactured worldwide last year, China made 90 million, and exported two-thirds of them." Walking and cycling as practice keeps one physically fit too. Those with Internet facilities available must try to use e-mails for communication avoiding the use of paper. Even the fraternity must switch over to e-newspapers instead of subscribing to traditional multiple pages newspapers. Some writers are even putting their books on Google that can be freely assessed. We may very soon stop buying hard copy of the books at higher prices and storing them for posterity? After all, most of them will be obsolete by then or be available on line. Let us start giving old time slates instead of papers for rough work to our school going children. We can certainly use some home made clothe bags and avoid plastic bags offered by the shopkeepers and help in minimizing the menace created by these plastic bags, particularly for cattle, appearing in media quite often. We can also conserve electricity through disciplining ourselves to put off the switches of TV, PC, or other items when not in use, and different means including using of CFL bulbs, using proper glasses on windowpanes or better window and door sealing for better heat retention for using heating and cooling equipment, buying energy efficient home appliances and accessories such as refrigerator, air conditioner, heater, or ovens whenever we replace them and, if necessary, by taking help of expert energy auditor for related saving potentials in our houses. Similarly, we must conserve every drop of water that we can, using sensor controlled taps or vacuum type toilets, optimum use of washing machines or dishwashers, or by asking some expert to incorporate water-harvesting system. How many of us consider our rivers as holy and go on dumping the waste in it? I know my wife wishes to dispose off all the remnants of flowers and other materials used in her morning worship in river, and so do we try to immerse the statues of the Gods and Goddesses after the big festivals such Ganesh or Durga Puja. Beside, we as Hindus like to immerse all the remnants after cremation of near and dear ones for mukti in Ganga. Why can't our religious leaders declare burying of the ashes from the eco-friendly furnaces in a hole dug in mother earth as equally good for mukti? How many of us can get some trees planted? Why don't we do that to make the mother earth a better place to live and green? Can we look into the eco-friendly aspect or energy-efficient construction of the dwellings we construct, buy, or hire on rent? Can we start wearing Indian dresses or shorts to reduce the need of air conditioning? Let me assert that Japanese have dropped wearing formal suits to save energy? We all can help in saving mother earth from global warming and its dangerous consequences for the humanity at large. Let us change our mindset to participate for this real big cause. Nuclear plants will bring some relief in global warming on long term. But we as responsible Indians must do our bit to keep the country green and reduce the forthcoming climate disaster for the posterity that the environmentalists are predicting. ------------- PS: Greening India will demand personal virtue and industry accountability. ]]> http://drishtikona.com/archives/religioussocial_issues/002144.php/feed/ Static Bihar and Dynamic Biharis http://drishtikona.com/archives/religioussocial_issues/002138.php http://drishtikona.com/archives/religioussocial_issues/002138.php#comments Thu, 03 Jul 2008 05:13:50 +0000 Indra http://drishtikona.com/archives/religioussocial_issues/002138.php Outlook Business. The NREGs is failing to provide much-needed livelihoods and community assets as desired by those who perceived the scheme. Unfortunately, now it is the people right in the villages who are involved in rampant corruption. The beneficiaries require education about their rights. NGOs, media, and dedicated officers must monitor it by building foolproof, transparent system. Another recent decision of the Bihar government to develop self-contained maha-Dalit colonies in every panchayat across the state, which would have a house, built on four decimal land for every such family, a school, a hospital, a park and drinking water facilities on "gairmazrua (government)" land, was really heartening. The maha-Dalits includes Mehtar, Halkhor, Dom, among others, constitute about 40 per cent of the total Dalit population in the state. And their condition still remains pitiable. I wish this is not an announcement with election in mind but a genuine endeavour to help the deprived through empowering them. However, the most worrying part for me was the report that Bihar is among the states where the level of corruption is still "alarming". The "India Corruption Study 2007", brought out by NGOs Transparency International India (TII) and Centre for Media Studies (CMS), found that about one-third of Below Poverty Line (BPL) households in the country bribed officials to avail a total of 11 services - from police to PDS. Is it not shameful? But many individuals from Bihar working on as missionary make one happy and proud of them. In the wonderful special issue of 'India Today' on 50 pioneers of change, Amitabh Srivastava has four such stories. Here are those four persons: 1.Deepak Kumar is a murder convict and has served a 14-year jail sentence for killing an influential co-villager over a property dispute. But he is changed man now. Deepak Kumar has set up a residential, 15-roomed English-medium Deendayal Kushepremi Central School up to Class VII with eight teachers and more than 365 students-most of whom are poor. 2.Abhyanand, the Additional Director-General of Police, Bihar Military Police is a legendary personality by now. His Super 30- a free IIT-JEE coaching institute for 30 select youngsters from underprivileged families in rural Bihar has created a model for emulation. This year, everyone from the Super 30 group made the grade in what is widely believed to be one of the toughest and most competitive entrance examinations in the world. Abhyanand for reason unknown will not be teaching any more in Super 30. But as reported, Abhayanand has another mission now. He " will now expand the concept of Super 30 and pick underprivileged Muslim students and train them for competitive exams". Is it not a wonderful mission? 3.Veena Devi, 35, a widow, is serving her second-term as mukhiya (panchayat chief) of the Loharpur Panchayat of Nawada district. She was one of the four women village heads who shared the dais with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi at a national convention of Panchayati Raj last year. There hasn't been a single case filed against anyone since Veena was elected for her second term. In fact, she has persuaded everyone in her Panchayat not to take their differences to a police station. 4.Prabhat Shandilya and his Magadh Jal Jamaat have so far revived more than a dozen abandoned water sources including Saryu talab in Gaya, created a few new ones, and most importantly infused in the residents of several parched villages of Gaya the need to conserve water and to sustain the water table. Prabhat remains unwilling to step into the spotlight. Late in 2006, the 8-km-long water channel from Maanpur to Nanouk village was desilted bringing water to 32 tanks of the area. In 2007, it was the turn for unclogging the 11-km-long Vanshi Nallah. Shandilya and his men are presently busy clearing up the 28-km-long water channel that runs from Chapardah to Thaneta village. 5.Kaushilendra, the 2007 batch topper of the IIM, Ahmedabad, and the son of a college demonstrator in block town of Ekangarsarai in Nalanda district that is the vegetable bowl of Bihar has become a vegetable vendor "to earn money and ensure quality prices to farmers and quality product to citizens". Kaushilendra owns today 50 carts that are selling vegetables in "right measurement and right rate". Will Kaushilendra be able to sustain his spirit? Will he become the vegetable king of India? Perhaps, the answers are not known, but Kaushilendra has started in a revolutionary manner. I wish Kaushilendra expanded his business model with rural malls serving as hubs on the pattern of ITC's Choupal Sagar on the GQ and East-West corridor expressway. He can promote organic food business too saving chemical and earning more price. While all these pioneers are trying to set examples for the others in the state to participate in the development of the state, unfortunately, Lalu's clan is happy with the gift from the sycophants of his party. Can't there be some fast track courts as one for the dons-turned-politicians for politicians-turned-billionaires? ]]> Outlook Business. The NREGs is failing to provide much-needed livelihoods and community assets as desired by those who perceived the scheme. Unfortunately, now it is the people right in the villages who are involved in rampant corruption. The beneficiaries require education about their rights. NGOs, media, and dedicated officers must monitor it by building foolproof, transparent system. Another recent decision of the Bihar government to develop self-contained maha-Dalit colonies in every panchayat across the state, which would have a house, built on four decimal land for every such family, a school, a hospital, a park and drinking water facilities on "gairmazrua (government)" land, was really heartening. The maha-Dalits includes Mehtar, Halkhor, Dom, among others, constitute about 40 per cent of the total Dalit population in the state. And their condition still remains pitiable. I wish this is not an announcement with election in mind but a genuine endeavour to help the deprived through empowering them. However, the most worrying part for me was the report that Bihar is among the states where the level of corruption is still "alarming". The "India Corruption Study 2007", brought out by NGOs Transparency International India (TII) and Centre for Media Studies (CMS), found that about one-third of Below Poverty Line (BPL) households in the country bribed officials to avail a total of 11 services - from police to PDS. Is it not shameful? But many individuals from Bihar working on as missionary make one happy and proud of them. In the wonderful special issue of 'India Today' on 50 pioneers of change, Amitabh Srivastava has four such stories. Here are those four persons: 1.Deepak Kumar is a murder convict and has served a 14-year jail sentence for killing an influential co-villager over a property dispute. But he is changed man now. Deepak Kumar has set up a residential, 15-roomed English-medium Deendayal Kushepremi Central School up to Class VII with eight teachers and more than 365 students-most of whom are poor. 2.Abhyanand, the Additional Director-General of Police, Bihar Military Police is a legendary personality by now. His Super 30- a free IIT-JEE coaching institute for 30 select youngsters from underprivileged families in rural Bihar has created a model for emulation. This year, everyone from the Super 30 group made the grade in what is widely believed to be one of the toughest and most competitive entrance examinations in the world. Abhyanand for reason unknown will not be teaching any more in Super 30. But as reported, Abhayanand has another mission now. He " will now expand the concept of Super 30 and pick underprivileged Muslim students and train them for competitive exams". Is it not a wonderful mission? 3.Veena Devi, 35, a widow, is serving her second-term as mukhiya (panchayat chief) of the Loharpur Panchayat of Nawada district. She was one of the four women village heads who shared the dais with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi at a national convention of Panchayati Raj last year. There hasn't been a single case filed against anyone since Veena was elected for her second term. In fact, she has persuaded everyone in her Panchayat not to take their differences to a police station. 4.Prabhat Shandilya and his Magadh Jal Jamaat have so far revived more than a dozen abandoned water sources including Saryu talab in Gaya, created a few new ones, and most importantly infused in the residents of several parched villages of Gaya the need to conserve water and to sustain the water table. Prabhat remains unwilling to step into the spotlight. Late in 2006, the 8-km-long water channel from Maanpur to Nanouk village was desilted bringing water to 32 tanks of the area. In 2007, it was the turn for unclogging the 11-km-long Vanshi Nallah. Shandilya and his men are presently busy clearing up the 28-km-long water channel that runs from Chapardah to Thaneta village. 5.Kaushilendra, the 2007 batch topper of the IIM, Ahmedabad, and the son of a college demonstrator in block town of Ekangarsarai in Nalanda district that is the vegetable bowl of Bihar has become a vegetable vendor "to earn money and ensure quality prices to farmers and quality product to citizens". Kaushilendra owns today 50 carts that are selling vegetables in "right measurement and right rate". Will Kaushilendra be able to sustain his spirit? Will he become the vegetable king of India? Perhaps, the answers are not known, but Kaushilendra has started in a revolutionary manner. I wish Kaushilendra expanded his business model with rural malls serving as hubs on the pattern of ITC's Choupal Sagar on the GQ and East-West corridor expressway. He can promote organic food business too saving chemical and earning more price. While all these pioneers are trying to set examples for the others in the state to participate in the development of the state, unfortunately, Lalu's clan is happy with the gift from the sycophants of his party. Can't there be some fast track courts as one for the dons-turned-politicians for politicians-turned-billionaires? ]]> http://drishtikona.com/archives/religioussocial_issues/002138.php/feed/ A Father Answers Frustrated Son http://drishtikona.com/archives/religioussocial_issues/002134.php http://drishtikona.com/archives/religioussocial_issues/002134.php#comments Mon, 30 Jun 2008 06:44:15 +0000 Indra http://drishtikona.com/archives/religioussocial_issues/002134.php Nish Nimantran': 'Din jaldi jaldi dhalta hai'. It touched me so much that I became a crazy fan of Senior Bachchan, Late Haribans Rai Bachchan, a popular Hindi poet. In Sunday Times of India June 29, 2008, I read the following excerpts from www.bigb.bigadda.com. I really liked it. Perhaps as a father at the age nearing 70, it suits me. I don't know when it happened with Amitabh, but with years passing the problems with sons or may be, with parents are getting accentuated. I shall like the younger generation to appreciate the older one that had to travel much more difficult paths. The avenues and opportunities open to the youth today in an economically liberated India were absent in the late 50s and early 60s. After graduation what? Where to find a job? What job? How? When? And the idealism and debate and the coffee house banter soon converts itself to anger. The anger was because of not knowing what to do with ourselves. Amitabh writes:
Angered, frustrated, strengthened and armed with unreasonable thought, I walked into my father's study one evening and for the first time in my life, with choked emotion, raised my voice at him and screamed: "Aapne hamme paida kyun kiya?"("Why did you give birth to me?") My father, immersed as he always was in his writing, looked up at me with some initial surprise and then settled down to a more understanding posture and remained so for almost eternity. No one spoke. Not him. Not me. Not a sound. Just the measured clicking of the timepiece on his desk - and my unmeasured breathing! When nothing came across from the parent quarter, I turned and left. It was an uncomfortable night for me. The next morning my father walked into my room, woke me up and handed me a sheet of paper and left. I opened it. It was a poem he had written overnight - titled Nayi Leek or The New Generation. Zindagi aur zamane ki kashmakash se / Ghabrakar mere ladke mujhse poochte hain, / "Hamme paida kyun kiya tha?" / Aur mere paas iske siwa /Koi jawab nahin hai /Ki mere baap ne bhi mujhse bina pooche / Mujhe paida kiya tha, /Aur mere baap se bina pooche unke baap ne, unhe, / Aur mere baba se bina pooche unke baap ne, unhe…/ Zindagi aur zamane ki kashmakash / Pahle bhi thi Ab bhi hai, shayad zyada, / Aage bhi hogi, shayad aur zyada. / Tumhi nayi leek dharana, / Apne baytoen se poochkar unhe paida karma! (Pulled and torn by the strains of life and living / My sons ask me / "Why did you give birth to us?"/ And I do not possess an answer to this / That even my father did not ask me before giving birth to me, / Nor my father was asked by his father / Nor my grandfather did ask his father before bringing him. / The trials and tribulations of life and living / Were there before / And are there now too, perhaps more / And shall be there tomorrow, even greater. / Why don't you make a new beginning, a new thinking, / Ask your sons before giving birth to them!)
How did yoou like it? ]]> Nish Nimantran': 'Din jaldi jaldi dhalta hai'. It touched me so much that I became a crazy fan of Senior Bachchan, Late Haribans Rai Bachchan, a popular Hindi poet. In Sunday Times of India June 29, 2008, I read the following excerpts from www.bigb.bigadda.com. I really liked it. Perhaps as a father at the age nearing 70, it suits me. I don't know when it happened with Amitabh, but with years passing the problems with sons or may be, with parents are getting accentuated. I shall like the younger generation to appreciate the older one that had to travel much more difficult paths. The avenues and opportunities open to the youth today in an economically liberated India were absent in the late 50s and early 60s. After graduation what? Where to find a job? What job? How? When? And the idealism and debate and the coffee house banter soon converts itself to anger. The anger was because of not knowing what to do with ourselves. Amitabh writes:
Angered, frustrated, strengthened and armed with unreasonable thought, I walked into my father's study one evening and for the first time in my life, with choked emotion, raised my voice at him and screamed: "Aapne hamme paida kyun kiya?"("Why did you give birth to me?") My father, immersed as he always was in his writing, looked up at me with some initial surprise and then settled down to a more understanding posture and remained so for almost eternity. No one spoke. Not him. Not me. Not a sound. Just the measured clicking of the timepiece on his desk - and my unmeasured breathing! When nothing came across from the parent quarter, I turned and left. It was an uncomfortable night for me. The next morning my father walked into my room, woke me up and handed me a sheet of paper and left. I opened it. It was a poem he had written overnight - titled Nayi Leek or The New Generation. Zindagi aur zamane ki kashmakash se / Ghabrakar mere ladke mujhse poochte hain, / "Hamme paida kyun kiya tha?" / Aur mere paas iske siwa /Koi jawab nahin hai /Ki mere baap ne bhi mujhse bina pooche / Mujhe paida kiya tha, /Aur mere baap se bina pooche unke baap ne, unhe, / Aur mere baba se bina pooche unke baap ne, unhe…/ Zindagi aur zamane ki kashmakash / Pahle bhi thi Ab bhi hai, shayad zyada, / Aage bhi hogi, shayad aur zyada. / Tumhi nayi leek dharana, / Apne baytoen se poochkar unhe paida karma! (Pulled and torn by the strains of life and living / My sons ask me / "Why did you give birth to us?"/ And I do not possess an answer to this / That even my father did not ask me before giving birth to me, / Nor my father was asked by his father / Nor my grandfather did ask his father before bringing him. / The trials and tribulations of life and living / Were there before / And are there now too, perhaps more / And shall be there tomorrow, even greater. / Why don't you make a new beginning, a new thinking, / Ask your sons before giving birth to them!)
How did yoou like it? ]]> http://drishtikona.com/archives/religioussocial_issues/002134.php/feed/ Gandhi and Ram http://drishtikona.com/archives/religioussocial_issues/002133.php http://drishtikona.com/archives/religioussocial_issues/002133.php#comments Sun, 29 Jun 2008 05:15:38 +0000 Indra http://drishtikona.com/archives/religioussocial_issues/002133.php reported, 'the Union Government will spend a total of Rs1, 346 crore on the construction of the 385-km-long Dandi Heritage Route between Ahmedabad and Dandi in Surat district where Mahatma Gandhi had defied the British Salt Law after a long march in 1930. If it is not an election stunt, it's a wonderful project. The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) will construct a four-lane highway at a cost of Rs 1,200 crore.' Will NHAI or some other Gandhian institution be trying to retain or reconstruct the places attached to the memories of that journey of the father of the nation so that a tour on the route becomes part of Incredible India for the posterity to come, see, and feel proud? Grand Heritage Route: For a long time, I have been thinking on a similar journey, rather two journeys undertaken by Lord Rama: the first was with Lakshman and Vishwamitra from Ayodhya to Janakpur and back. The second was a long one from Ayodhya to Lanka, covering almost he whole of India from north to south. Can one not think of creating an Epic Heritage route covering all the important places Pryag, Chitrakoot, Pachwati, Pampapur, Kiskindha, and then Rameshwaram ending on the Ramsethu? It can get into Sri Lanka if it permits. Will it not be a better memorial than the temple BJP has committed to build at Ayodhya?
I can't say if Rama is a historical figure. But millions of people visit these places. For thousands of years the places have got mentions in the writings of great saints and poets. However, all these places have one thing in common. The places remain unplanned and filthy with no facilities worth name for the people visiting it. Will it not be a great heritage road, something better than the temple at the birthplace, if created, for millions who go to all these places following different routes and means of transportation? I appeal to all the religious-minded ones to participate and do their bits in improving the cleanliness of all the religious places, be it Badrinath or Banaras, Gaya or Gangotri. It will also inspire and motivate millions of the people to improve the conditions around their households. It would have been the Gandhi's wish too. ]]> reported, 'the Union Government will spend a total of Rs1, 346 crore on the construction of the 385-km-long Dandi Heritage Route between Ahmedabad and Dandi in Surat district where Mahatma Gandhi had defied the British Salt Law after a long march in 1930. If it is not an election stunt, it's a wonderful project. The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) will construct a four-lane highway at a cost of Rs 1,200 crore.' Will NHAI or some other Gandhian institution be trying to retain or reconstruct the places attached to the memories of that journey of the father of the nation so that a tour on the route becomes part of Incredible India for the posterity to come, see, and feel proud? Grand Heritage Route: For a long time, I have been thinking on a similar journey, rather two journeys undertaken by Lord Rama: the first was with Lakshman and Vishwamitra from Ayodhya to Janakpur and back. The second was a long one from Ayodhya to Lanka, covering almost he whole of India from north to south. Can one not think of creating an Epic Heritage route covering all the important places Pryag, Chitrakoot, Pachwati, Pampapur, Kiskindha, and then Rameshwaram ending on the Ramsethu? It can get into Sri Lanka if it permits. Will it not be a better memorial than the temple BJP has committed to build at Ayodhya?
I can't say if Rama is a historical figure. But millions of people visit these places. For thousands of years the places have got mentions in the writings of great saints and poets. However, all these places have one thing in common. The places remain unplanned and filthy with no facilities worth name for the people visiting it. Will it not be a great heritage road, something better than the temple at the birthplace, if created, for millions who go to all these places following different routes and means of transportation? I appeal to all the religious-minded ones to participate and do their bits in improving the cleanliness of all the religious places, be it Badrinath or Banaras, Gaya or Gangotri. It will also inspire and motivate millions of the people to improve the conditions around their households. It would have been the Gandhi's wish too. ]]> http://drishtikona.com/archives/religioussocial_issues/002133.php/feed/ Sharvan Kumars Wanted http://drishtikona.com/archives/religioussocial_issues/002114.php http://drishtikona.com/archives/religioussocial_issues/002114.php#comments Sun, 08 Jun 2008 08:20:52 +0000 Indra http://drishtikona.com/archives/religioussocial_issues/002114.php For the benefits of those who might not have read the story in Ramayan that influenced Mahatma very much in his childhood, it runs as follows: While hunting in the forests of his kingdom once, King Dashratha heard a noise near a lake and unleashed an arrow, hoping to hit an animal. When King Dashratha reached near the lake to collect his kill, he found that his arrow had struck a boy instead of any wild animal. He was profusely bleeding. His end was near. The boy was Shravan Kumar. He told Dashratha that he had come to the lake to collect water for his sick and aged parents, who were both blind and whom he had been carrying on a sling to make them visit various religious places. Shravan Kumar requested the king to take water to his parents and quench their thirst. Shravan succumbed to his wounds. When Dashratha took water to his parents and told them of his tragic mistake, they were unable to bear the shock. Before dying, the old man cursed Dashratha to die because of the separation of his son. Shravan still remains a benchmark of a dutiful son in India. When I went to Kaushiks to meet Singhs who were going to US. Their son Rajat and his wife made them visit US. I happened to remember this story of Sharavan Kumar. In present era, Sharavan Kumara need not use slings. They arrange air tickets and make their stay pleasant. With about a million Indians immigrated to US and other developed countries and working there, most of the children call their parents at least once and show them around. Aroras have gone for the second time to live with their younger son in Seattle. Rihanis have just returned from US after 6 months with their daughter in San Diego. However, when I look around in India, I find most of the elderly parents grumbling about theirs children, particularly sons. Many live separately as long as they can to avoid worsening of relationship. Perhaps, the parents must learn to compromise with their expectations based on their perceived values. Sons, particularly daughter-in-law must learn to accommodate and tolerate. Sharavan Kumars need not give up their careers, but try to find the way that can make the parents happy for as many years they live. However, these Sharavan Kumars must not have any expectations for themselves when they reach their parent's age. ]]> For the benefits of those who might not have read the story in Ramayan that influenced Mahatma very much in his childhood, it runs as follows: While hunting in the forests of his kingdom once, King Dashratha heard a noise near a lake and unleashed an arrow, hoping to hit an animal. When King Dashratha reached near the lake to collect his kill, he found that his arrow had struck a boy instead of any wild animal. He was profusely bleeding. His end was near. The boy was Shravan Kumar. He told Dashratha that he had come to the lake to collect water for his sick and aged parents, who were both blind and whom he had been carrying on a sling to make them visit various religious places. Shravan Kumar requested the king to take water to his parents and quench their thirst. Shravan succumbed to his wounds. When Dashratha took water to his parents and told them of his tragic mistake, they were unable to bear the shock. Before dying, the old man cursed Dashratha to die because of the separation of his son. Shravan still remains a benchmark of a dutiful son in India. When I went to Kaushiks to meet Singhs who were going to US. Their son Rajat and his wife made them visit US. I happened to remember this story of Sharavan Kumar. In present era, Sharavan Kumara need not use slings. They arrange air tickets and make their stay pleasant. With about a million Indians immigrated to US and other developed countries and working there, most of the children call their parents at least once and show them around. Aroras have gone for the second time to live with their younger son in Seattle. Rihanis have just returned from US after 6 months with their daughter in San Diego. However, when I look around in India, I find most of the elderly parents grumbling about theirs children, particularly sons. Many live separately as long as they can to avoid worsening of relationship. Perhaps, the parents must learn to compromise with their expectations based on their perceived values. Sons, particularly daughter-in-law must learn to accommodate and tolerate. Sharavan Kumars need not give up their careers, but try to find the way that can make the parents happy for as many years they live. However, these Sharavan Kumars must not have any expectations for themselves when they reach their parent's age. ]]> http://drishtikona.com/archives/religioussocial_issues/002114.php/feed/