It has been almost a year when I took a decision to get over her. Why I had fallen for her in the first place is a mystery to begin with. Even why I fall for any woman is and remains a mystery for me. Do I fall for a girl because of her looks or because I have gotten used to her over a period of time. Of because of her intellectual capacity. For me all my past affections have one or more elements attached.
The one thing that remains constant is that every one of them was the leader of her social circle.
A fact which has led my sister to conclude that it is not the woman I am attracted to. It is the idea of her which attracts me.
Even today where I am in a new setup. I find my self attracted towards 2 different women. Both of them married. Which is the most intriguing situation.
Interestingly both of them are married.
Monday, May 31, 2010
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Struggle for the future
The struggle for the salvation of the suffering masses of India is some thing which bothers me a great deal.
I have used the word salvation in the opening sentence. What is meant by that? Who are the suffering masses of India?
To me salvation has the following meaning. Create self reliance for the individual so that he is not dependent on others for the fulfillment of his day to day sustenance needs. Empower him to an extent that he is able to resist exploitation from others and also educate him so that he in turn does not become an exploiter of those who are weak. That to me will best describe the salvation of the suffering masses of India.
Now to answer the second question, who are the suffering masses of India?
The answer to me is simple. It is those people who are economically not free. Who are not educated about their rights as enshrined in the Indian constitution. Who as a result of their economic un-freedom and lack of education about their rights are being exploited by their fellow citizens. Ie an absence of swaraj for the Individual. That is the Gandhian way to describe things. Having said that How to go about doing that??
I feel that there are better qualified persons then me to answer that question. However, I can still try to answer it.
The best way to go about doing that will be to create institutions that are pro India and are filled with a passion of doing things for the country. And have schools staffed by competent teaching staff who are attending schools on a regular basis. I don't care if the school doesn't have fans or desks or even a building . What I do care about is that it must have a good teacher. Who is present every day to teach the pupils. So that the schools are functioning
The second major point of empowering the Indian nation will be to create functioning Panchyat Institutions. Which will transfer power to the village level. Allowing them to have functioning local administration and remove the dependence on the block level towns and making the village level panchyat autonomous. Thus weakling the hold of the bureaucrats that is so stifling to the Indian peoples.
The third major point will be to make the judiciary & police responsive to the needs of the Indian population as justice delayed is justice denied. Justice in India is denied to people by a great extent. The police is seen a predators and not as protectors by a great majority of the Indian population. Unless the individual can approach the police without fear of them and the police functions without interference from the politicians the society cannot be truly be free.
The electoral system may need reform as per some people. But I think, that, it is the Indian society that needs reform in the way it thinks. The mindset of Zero sum games, I.e, the win for some one else is a loss for me. That has to end. What needs to happen is that we create a positive result game where every one wins. This can only be accomplished by having a new social contract in the Indian society. Where the citizens are thinking about the entire society rather then their own small social groups. Even if they are thinking about their own social groups then they should do so in a way which is not in conflict with another social group. Unless this happens we cannot have have social and politically empowered systems. Ultimately the social coalitions have to emerge for the nation to prosper. It has been happening in small measures over some time but the process has to be accelerated by a great extent. For it to be effective and the change to be visible.
Of the above mentioned points the last is the most difficult to accomplish as the political livelihoods of the politicians is at stake and it will face the most resistance from them.
Once you have resolved the above mentioned problems then the next step is to move to full economic liberalization of the nation. Where an individual can start any enterprise where ever he wants it. And can do so without fear of extortion form different interest groups.
All the above has to be accomplished keeping the Indian Pluralism unchanged. As a country as diverse as India we have no space for an absolutist ideology whether it is religious or political or social.
Not an easy task by any measure but it is a task which was entrusted to the Indian nation by the freedom fighters and the social reformers of the last century. It was their firm belief that it could be accomplished by seeking coalitions and having discussions with and amongst different social groups. That faith and goal must be kept in sight of at all times by the Indian nation if we are to progress.
I have used the word salvation in the opening sentence. What is meant by that? Who are the suffering masses of India?
To me salvation has the following meaning. Create self reliance for the individual so that he is not dependent on others for the fulfillment of his day to day sustenance needs. Empower him to an extent that he is able to resist exploitation from others and also educate him so that he in turn does not become an exploiter of those who are weak. That to me will best describe the salvation of the suffering masses of India.
Now to answer the second question, who are the suffering masses of India?
The answer to me is simple. It is those people who are economically not free. Who are not educated about their rights as enshrined in the Indian constitution. Who as a result of their economic un-freedom and lack of education about their rights are being exploited by their fellow citizens. Ie an absence of swaraj for the Individual. That is the Gandhian way to describe things. Having said that How to go about doing that??
I feel that there are better qualified persons then me to answer that question. However, I can still try to answer it.
The best way to go about doing that will be to create institutions that are pro India and are filled with a passion of doing things for the country. And have schools staffed by competent teaching staff who are attending schools on a regular basis. I don't care if the school doesn't have fans or desks or even a building . What I do care about is that it must have a good teacher. Who is present every day to teach the pupils. So that the schools are functioning
The second major point of empowering the Indian nation will be to create functioning Panchyat Institutions. Which will transfer power to the village level. Allowing them to have functioning local administration and remove the dependence on the block level towns and making the village level panchyat autonomous. Thus weakling the hold of the bureaucrats that is so stifling to the Indian peoples.
The third major point will be to make the judiciary & police responsive to the needs of the Indian population as justice delayed is justice denied. Justice in India is denied to people by a great extent. The police is seen a predators and not as protectors by a great majority of the Indian population. Unless the individual can approach the police without fear of them and the police functions without interference from the politicians the society cannot be truly be free.
The electoral system may need reform as per some people. But I think, that, it is the Indian society that needs reform in the way it thinks. The mindset of Zero sum games, I.e, the win for some one else is a loss for me. That has to end. What needs to happen is that we create a positive result game where every one wins. This can only be accomplished by having a new social contract in the Indian society. Where the citizens are thinking about the entire society rather then their own small social groups. Even if they are thinking about their own social groups then they should do so in a way which is not in conflict with another social group. Unless this happens we cannot have have social and politically empowered systems. Ultimately the social coalitions have to emerge for the nation to prosper. It has been happening in small measures over some time but the process has to be accelerated by a great extent. For it to be effective and the change to be visible.
Of the above mentioned points the last is the most difficult to accomplish as the political livelihoods of the politicians is at stake and it will face the most resistance from them.
Once you have resolved the above mentioned problems then the next step is to move to full economic liberalization of the nation. Where an individual can start any enterprise where ever he wants it. And can do so without fear of extortion form different interest groups.
All the above has to be accomplished keeping the Indian Pluralism unchanged. As a country as diverse as India we have no space for an absolutist ideology whether it is religious or political or social.
Not an easy task by any measure but it is a task which was entrusted to the Indian nation by the freedom fighters and the social reformers of the last century. It was their firm belief that it could be accomplished by seeking coalitions and having discussions with and amongst different social groups. That faith and goal must be kept in sight of at all times by the Indian nation if we are to progress.
Random thoughts
The founder of the Art of living was attacked by some un identified person yesterday. I cannot say that I am surprised by what has happed. As the level of violence in the society has increased manifold in the recent times. Along with the level of conflict. I have ambivalent feelings towards people who claim to to have answers for everyone else.
In-spite of that I respect and admire men who by their work have made a difference in the lives of others and society. To me Shiri Ravi Shankar is one such individual.
The work done by him in terms of helping people and by extension society solutions for the problems faced by them. This they do, not by having the individual withdraw completely from the society. But by having the individual confront the problems facing him.
The things that are being told to the individual are nothing new. Only they are being re-enforced for the person. So that he remembers the things that he learns in his childhood and had forgotten them in his life due to whatever reason. Helping him become a better person.
I personally feel that this is the best way to help a troubled individual.
In-spite of that I respect and admire men who by their work have made a difference in the lives of others and society. To me Shiri Ravi Shankar is one such individual.
The work done by him in terms of helping people and by extension society solutions for the problems faced by them. This they do, not by having the individual withdraw completely from the society. But by having the individual confront the problems facing him.
The things that are being told to the individual are nothing new. Only they are being re-enforced for the person. So that he remembers the things that he learns in his childhood and had forgotten them in his life due to whatever reason. Helping him become a better person.
I personally feel that this is the best way to help a troubled individual.
Friday, May 28, 2010
Reacting to death
Earlier this month my father lost his oldest brother. I was informed of his death by my mother in the morning of his death. My first reaction was you are jocking. Later on in the day, on the cremation ground where I was photographing the proceedings for his cremation. Every time I looked at my father I was also searching for him standing next to my father.
traffice rules
Today I jumped a traffice light on my way to the office. I who is so particular did break the rule. When i realise what I had done my pulse rate shot up with anger.
Why did I jump the traffic light?
Looking back I realise that it was more an act of non attention to my sourroundings then a deliberate act. Yet I could have caused an accident and that is inexcusable.
Why did I jump the traffic light?
Looking back I realise that it was more an act of non attention to my sourroundings then a deliberate act. Yet I could have caused an accident and that is inexcusable.
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