Road Accidents:A few more foot over bridges

From a car insurance claim form:
“Q.Could either driver have done anything to avoid the accident?

 A:Travelled by bus?”

The no. of road accidents and the eurozone have one thing in common ,both seem to be in perennial crises, and one  difference between the two , the latter seems to be  able to find a bail out each time. No such luck with the pedestrians on the streets. They still have to cross the same roads and hope the best.

The no. of the deaths caused by road accidents in India are more than terrorist attacks and any bomb blasts put together.

One is brought to the attention that while crossing roads ,especially at the highways, one has a tough time ,with vehicles zipping past ,one after  another, one is left muttering  ...... will it hit ,will it not  ....will it hit ,will it not..like from  the famous  DARR sequence. Usually it is tough walk, where every driver thinks he is in the Budd circuit and a Micheal Schumacher  behinds the wheels.

The problem becomes more acute in the absence of a traffic signal and the huge array of vehicles which seems to be growing like the current account deficit .The inconvenience is not only for the senior citizens but also the students like me as it takes more than a few minutes to cross them.

There needs to be a more secure road travel,with access to hospitals,a helpline no. ,broader and separate lanes for vehicles for the people in general ,so that trips of recreation does not change into a death trap.

A few foot overbridges at certain  places  would be a welcome relieve to a lot of people and  would go a long way in reducing  a lot of stress while crossing roads thereby also reducing the no. of deaths,and preventing injuries. 

Righteousness in Leadership

यदा यदा हि धर्मस्य गलानिर भवति भारत ।

अभ्युक्तानां अधर्मस्य तदात्मानं स्रिजंयाहं ।। श्लोक ७

परित्राणाय साधूनां विनाशाय च दुष्कृतं ।

धर्म संस्थापनार्थाय संभवामि युगे युगे ।। श्लोक ८ 

Leadership is about righteousness  also  called as Dharma.

So what is Dharma?

Is it about the leader being honest ? No it is not only about the person being honest it is also about punishing the unrighteous.

I am brought to notice that good people do not enter politics ,the prosperity of good people in the society is reflective of the righteousness of the leader. It is about taking decisions punishing the wrong doers  which alone helps in the prosperity of the good doers.

If righteousness in the heart, there is beauty in the character

Where there is beauty in the character,there is harmony in the home

If there is harmony in the home, there is order in the nation,

If there is order in the nation there is peace in the world

Righteousness of the leader reflects of courage in gloomy days, being just to the weak and compassionate towards the poor alike. Righteousness of a leader  is tested when the so called called internal compulsions arise.Is the leader able to be righteous enough, belying the internal compulsions, Is his test?

Attention is drawn to two dark aspects in modern day living:-

Riots:

Any leader has the responsibility

·         To prevent

·         To stop

·         To take action

against the culprits.

A.B.Vajpayee as a leader did show righteousness when Bal Thackeray was debarred from fighting elections in 1999.

Bomb Blasts:

Again a leader has the responsibility  to take measures

·         As preventive measures: how has intelligence services been made more effective?

·         To stop :What are the emergency services?

·         Action being taken to find culprits

Its been a frequent occurrence in India, whereas in America after the 9/11 there has not been strikes. So what is different in America and India? If America has been able to achieve this why has India not been. Definitely the same measures may not be the best for India as America as a cultural and topographical positions ,but what about China, or even UK? Is  India a paradise for such attacks?

The story of a stolen mobile

With eyes set on the interview he set out for the new horizon

Alas did he know the horizon would be far to his reach

With the venue address stored on his mobile as an sms he set out to get his elusive job

But alas this would be his last time he would see his mobile

He checked the time least he should be late ,It was 10:47,well ahead of his scheduled time

But alas did he know that would be his last time he checks the time on his mobile

And when he reached mahim, he found something amiss

Ohhh shit!....his mobile had been stolen!!

Forget the interview ,I have to get my mobile back, he rushed to the police woman at mahim ,"Nahi apko ‘dadar' mein complain karna padega,chori  vahaan huaa hai” ,dadar the place where I boarded the train.

At dadar railway police station,

He said: Sir my mobile has been stolen , a few important contacts are there.

Police:” jakar  mobile bill lekar aao”,(it sounded  like 'uske baap ka sign lekar aao jisnee mobile banaya hai'...)

I said Err “bill “,I mean teen saal pehle liya hai sir mobile,bill toh nahi hoga."

Police :IMEI no? ( sounded like a moorse code expression)

"Sir, doondtha huaan".,he replies.

I reach my service provider

Sir IMEI chahiye ?police complain karna hai?

Service Provider: "Yahaan nahin.....jaoo jahaan se mobile khareda hai,  ussse poocho"..(It sounded as 'uska sign leke aao jisne mere mathe par likha hai .mera mobile chori ho gaya')

At the mobile store: "jaoo  gallery main dail karo ,we keep records for only for last  three years.gallery has all the records"

Gallery: tells “Mail karo" 

Finally  I mail to mobile store for my IMEI no. to make a complain. and wait to hear from them.

Alas if only had he made that one last call.

My humble request  to the person who stole my mobile."Please return me my mobile...do not worry at all. I will ask the governor to pardon you."

Vibrancy of a Democracy

“All that is gold does not glitter,

Not all those who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost.

From the ashes a fire shall be woken,
A light from the shadows shall spring;
Renewed shall be blade that was broken,
The crownless again shall be king.” 

                                                     -JRR Tolkein

When Obama has come to India he mentioned India has one of the world’s largest democracies because of its three reasons

•          Elections conducted in a fair manner
•          Judiciary and justice delivery mechanism
•          And Free Press

I am sure the time is apt to say the foundations of all need to be strengthened.

To conduct elections  without any illegitimate mechanisms, money and muscle power.

The judiciary and its abilty to give justice in a speedy ,and to all sections of the society in a easy manner.

The media to be able to ask any question fearlessly and not for TRP monerging  as its moral duty.

My attention to the democracratic aspect has been also drawn more to the history of non violent protests in India be it an anna haraze ,a narmada bachav andolan,many ganga bachav protests ,a mamta banergee fast at singur ,and also a protest by Iron Sharmila in Manipur .

History has been very indicative that the no. of non-violent protest have had far lesser  impact to the people in power in terms of any change in policy making or to the cause of protest.So what are the means of making oneself heard and changes brought about?  Are violent protests (Naxalism)an answer?

The depth and reach of the questions that can be  asked , and are asked by the media  to the representatives of the democracy (politicians) and are responded to by them in a honest and convincing manner is an indicator of the vibrancy of a democracy.

The fearlessness of the questionnaire and the magnanimity of the person who responds to it , makes the vibrancy of a democracy.

It is not about,  the media bashes ,  its about how much honest the discussion is on both sides.

Spirituality and its Essence

"Knock, and he will open the door

Vanish, and he will make you shine like the sun

Fall, and he will raise you to the heavens

Become nothing, and he will turn you into everything"

                                                                          -Rumi

What is spirituality? Why is it essential?

Spirituality means to show acceptance to all circumstances’ of life.

It can be explained  like a driver ,wanting to drive his vehicle through a narrow lane. The judgement the driver makes of whether the vehicle can pass though the lane or not may be defined as spirituality. It makes our judgement and decisions that much more accurate.

Just like , driving there is need of a license similarly for  living a life to its fullest, one needs to be spiritually elevated.

Now how is a person be spiritually elevated?

• It can be by understanding and studying the religious books like the Bhagavat gita  etc.
• It can also be awakened by listening to perfect spiritual masters.
• Also the most simplest is to recite the mantra received from a spiritual master.(Called Japa)
• Or by devotional  service.

How does spirituality help?

Spirituality also helps conserve our energy by directing us to tasks where need be and preventing loss of energies.

The loss of energies occurs in  three ways .

• Regrets about the past
• Unintelligent anxieties  about the future
• Feverish excitement about the present.

Eg A clerk is working honestly from 8am to 8pm.Already there are stakes of files on both sides ,he is worried about the heap of work. At that time an errand boy comes and ask where it should be kept. By the time the officer takes up that and tries to work ,he sees a red label coming out from the file marked ‘immediate’. He is worried about it ,so he closes the file which he has half read ,and pulls out the ‘immediate’  file and starts reading it.By the time he finishes reading it ,his mind goes back to the old file ,while the errand boy has brought another bundle. He is worried ,he is dejected, he knows not where to begin. In this way the energies are lost and person is rendered inefficient.

When the hand is working ,if the head and heart are also present ,there is a new dynamism of artistic perfection in that undertaking.

Once we have got a goal ,something higher than yourself,if there is a social vision ,or a national destiny that moves us forward ,we discover within ourselves a new source of energy and if this energy is not wasted by above mentionable ways then this energy can be completely utilized for accomplishing the various activities that we undertake in the world.

The Spirituality is a way of happy and prosperous living utilizing the utmost of our resources.

Stree Shakti-Happy Women's Day

                                               Lust cannot live near devotion

                                               Nor devotion near lust’s sight

                                              These two never coexist

                                                             The sun and gloom of night 
                                                                                                       -Kabirdas

Women form the lifeline of any society. They breathe  emotions of love ,affection and compassion into life.They are tolerant and  form the more sacrificial counterparts.

Any society's state is reflected by the condition of its women, the better the condition of women the better is the society.

Half of the population of women in India would be seen  singing bhajans and worshipping god and goddess,-they are devotional. The other half would be seen preparing business plans meeting deadlines,-they are professional. This represents a division between an devotional Indian women and an aspirational Indian women. The former an ideal 19^th century women worshipping parent ,Pati is parmeshwar and 'I have to look after my children'-a householder.The latter ,a 21^st century women ,where husband is hot and children are cool.-and 'I have to get the contract and deal signed before anyone else does' -An aspirational independent women.

The diference can be reflected in the  huge no of women attending in the pandals of a Devi Chitraleka or a Morari bapu and the other we see  in the boardrooms of a ICICI bank  or a PEPSI CO. group making professional commitments and deadlines.

Whoever be the women be it the 19^th century or the 21^st century ,a women has to be protected the  mother,the wife and the daughter.

The government on its part seems to be on the right track,launching welfare measures for its women safety and women empowerment by providing easy loans.The scriptures say ,that the strength of the King lies in the criminal code and the attention of the weak and of women

On the ocassion of international women’s day ,celebrating womenhood in the society ,be it an Irom sharmila or a Mamta banerjee or a simple householder.

An Essay:What would you do if you have Rs 50000?

Work,apart from devotion or love of god is helpless and cannot stand alone.

A boy in STD 1V was given a topic ‘What you aspire to become and what would you do with Rs 50,000' to write an essay.

The boy wrote, he was born to do something great.

The boy surely did not know what 'great' meant at that time.

-Maybe he thought it could be construction of a temple or a masjid or a church,would be considered great.(though some people may think otherwise, bringing it down would be considered great)

-Or Maybe helping an old women cross the road.

-Or Maybe lending a disintegrating friend a timely advice

-Or Maybe just looking after his mother.

In fact he did none,he just kept helping himself.

He was selfish and very self-centred.

He kept helping himself with devotion and other things happened as a natural response.

And “ What did he write of the Rs 50000 part?” I am asked,

Well  did not have a choice ,he wrote ,

he would spent it constructing roads, beautifying villages and cleaning up rivers,all for himself.