TRIBUTE TO DAD...5 YEARS...LIFE GOES ON...!!!!

It was 27th May 2009, morning on which he breathed last. It was an end of an era, which had began its time 73 years ago. Five years... have passed since he last breathed. Personally not a single day has passed without I remembering him for one or the other reason. Paying tribute to such a great man, is the day today. He was one of the most emotionally charged person, I have ever known for my life. His love for me was little different than others in the family and he had been to my help and rescue whenever I reqauired and needed him most.

His love and training which made me what I am today and what I have achieved in my life. His continuous motivation brought changes in myself, which changed my life. There were times when I used to find his acts harsh and rash, but today, while dealing with my son, it gives me sense of realization and understanding, why and what he did to me. Purpose behind his harsh acts, I understand it now when my Son wants to go for night outs..!!

His love for family is something which will be remembered for life. Today, the friends, relatives called up in the morning join me in tribute to my lovely father.

Thank You...for being with us...

NEW DELHI CARNAGE....!!!

    Sunday 16th December 2012, on this day perhaps the history of this country will be witness to the slow and silent revolution which would take place and its undercurrent could finish everything that comes in its ways.

                The 23 years old medical student's brutal rape may perhaps put the atrocities of German Nazi in labour camps they erected for Jews. Their anger could perhaps had a reason, though unjustifiable, but the rape of this Delhi victim is something which has shook the whole nation and has angered everybody who has been monitoring this situation. Such brutalization can hardly be imagined by the most brutally creative criminal minds. This has angered country and they are rightly asking for action.The people of the streets are demanding justice. They are asking for convincing response from the Congress government led by Mr. Manmohan Singh.

The rape is really something which needs to be dealt with little differently, if we really need to fight the rape. A parson committing rape, perhaps, is aware that the victim, will end her life out of trauma. The victim faces psychological rape everyday. every now and then she feels, is being raped by the society, police, judicial system. Family of the victim suddenly feels that they are someone ho do not belong to this society. The friends, relatives turn their eyes away as if that the victim or the her family were primarily responsible for this crime.

SO the effect of raping a woman or a girl is not only physically hurting her but it goes beyond that. it is intended to give a shame to the victim and her family.

Rape has been used as weapon against the impugned woman as well as her family. It has been used indirectly to defame the entire family, especially her parents or her husband. In case of Delhi victim's case since she was out in late night and the perpetrators of crime had found that it was their inherent right to punish the woman for being out so late in the night, with some man. That's male chivanism and their self made pride of being male and their right to become guardian of the society of their utopian world. They think thay have inherent right which is self proclaimed, to punish the woman they think needs to be punished. Such an attitude is absolutely unacceptable and must be punished in the severest manner. Besides society as a whole must improve their attitude towards the victims. Victims are victims of the situations and they are in no manner the perpetrator of crime. Society feels that the women, being physically capable of attracting men, does not mean they are attracting attention of men. It is also men who must control their thoughts and will power and must control the feelings to conquer a woman, by sexually assaulting her. Those who are assaulted must be soothed by supporting her to regain confidence and composure. They must be supported in every manner where they do not feel ravished. Such teachings can begin at home only. Society must adopt and accept the sexual assault on woman as other crime against women and must not treat it as end of road for woman. This must coinside side by side with most severe punishment for perpetrators of crime.

Those 10 Years...!!! Part 2

We were just wearing those night-dresses. The tremors were experienced in entire Kutch district while places near Bhachau was the epic centre of the massive 7.9 Earthquake measuring on Richter scale, it shook the places even hundreds of miles away from the epic centre, Ahmadabad & even Mumbai.

The disaster did one good thing; all people of the HINGLAJ WADI got united. Residents got together well. Everybody decided to have one kitchen for the whole area and it worked. By afternoon, people had come to know that what they are passing through is the calamity, of a magnitude no one had ever imagined. I was gaining composure and the news that ANTARIKSH COMPLEX, a seven story apartment, had collapsed and it had literally converted to rubble. Nothing was left of that building. It was the end of the road for me. As the basement of approximate 1500 Sq feet place was booked for coaching classes, which I was running in the small town Bhuj. It was a dream, which everybody in the world has right to see, but very few of them are lucky, whose dreams really come true.

I was not amongst those lucky people. Lighting & Furniture work was under way as it was to be made ready by the end of March 2001, so as to start new batches. Few business deals were also being finalized with some other faculty members. Had that building not collapsed, I would have never returned to Mumbai to take up the same job, I had been doing for 10 years before leaving for Bhuj, just 3 & half years ago. But then it’s all the matter of ifs & buts.

Somehow the day passed. As the evening and subsequent night descended on Bhuj, I was scared. We were approximately 25 to 30 people holed up at MANGALAM. The evening supper was arranged by HINGLAJ MATAJI TEMPLE Trust. We had to finish it early during the day light, as there was no light to make it happen late in the evening. The small insects were flying in the air. Slowly the roads were getting deserted. Unseen forces of gloom were experienced. There was clear unknown fear. So many people had died in the morning. So many were in the hospital and many who were critical were leaving this world as and when their role in this drams created by almighty was over!

In the evening I tried to go to my flat in the middle of the old BHUJ, but could not gather courage, and came back from the Petrol Pump, which was by now deserted. Police and other forces were trying to maintain vigil and they were not allowing people to go into the old Bhuj. Almost all buildings in the old Bhuj were either badly damaged or collapsed in the morning. I came back to MANGALAM. It was decided that few youngsters from our group in turns would keep a vigil in the night, they will not sleep.

I was little more scared that night and with the grace of the God, the group decided that my turn would came in the early morning next day (Saturday, 27^th January 2001).

As the night was tightening its grip, the January cold was also at work and so efficient nature was that the aftershocks were still coming. We had camped in the backyard of MANGLAM, used as garage. Cold wind was blowing in the night. There were literally no lights, as electricity cables were snapped. I along with other members of the family tried to cover that camping area with bed-sheets and whatever cloth was available. The cold wind took the temperature down to 8 degrees Celsius that night. I remember I had a very difficult time to cover 4 of us in one blanket. As Akshay & Urja were to be protected. Besides this unfriendly weather, aftershocks were killing. A building, on the next plot to that of MANGALAM, not occupied by its original residents, had a water tank precariously hanging over the open space where we had camped. At every aftershock, we looked at the water tank, sometimes waiting it to fall. You never know when that will end your journey in this world, for eternity. Temperature had dipped to around 6 degrees Celsius and it was a nightmare for four of us, and also for all those family members who had taken a refuge there. As we had one blanket, and all four of us needed to be protected.

Two big aftershocks had furthered the fear about nature. Two big aftershocks were felt. It was as if you were sleeping on the bed and somebody was shaking your bed violently. But instead of the bed it was the floor, on which I and all other people were sleeping. The irony was that the land, the floor, we always trusted so profoundly, was shaking. It was an experience of nature turning its face from its children!

Somehow the night of 26^th January 2001 passed. In morning I gathered courage to go to my home at around 11.00 o’clock in the morning. Because we had no proper clothing, forget the warm cloths. Nilma joined me and we reached our flat. Somehow we gathered courage to go to 5^th floor of our 7 story building. (Actually the residence started from 3^rd floor. So the 7^th floor became 5^th floor.)

Somehow we managed to reach to our flat. It was a mixed feeling. My feet had started to tremble as I had not forgotten what had happened yesterday. Nilma quickly went inside the spare bed-room, she started collecting required clothing. The routine as well as warm cloths. We were sure that it would not be sooner to come back in our flat. That day was better and we managed it much better. We were all prepared very well in the night. But during the day, I came to know that the my aunty Vasantben, who was trapped in the rubble, after being hit in the head, was no more. One of my cousine’s wife and daughter had also died in the accident. Six to seven students were killed and many of them had lost someone who was near and dear one.

The external help had started arriving in the Sunday Morning. By afternoon Bhuj was flooded with rescue operations. Several foreign voluntary teams arrived in the city and they were helping army operatives in rescue operation. By the Sunday afternoon, even we received some aid. Wheat flour, salt, milk and most important was the drinking water pouches. I will never forget that we drank water which was stored for using in the toilet.

On Monday, the 3rd day after the D day, I made contact with my family members in Mumbai. Brother, mother and even father were sobbing uncontrollably. They had little or almost no hope for us, as we were living on the 7^th floor and almost all high rise buildings were badly damaged beyond repairs or completely collapsed. We were scared of going into the house. Despite having your own home, I experienced what is homeless is. The 25^th January 2001 was the last night we had slept in that house.

The most important was the scar on the mind of Akshay, who was so scared that till today sometimes he finds himself standing in those ruins.

At around 9.00 P.M. on Tuesday, 30th January 2001, we left Bhuj in small luxury bus for Mumbai.

(To Be Finished….!!)

THOSE 10 YEARS....!!! part 1

8:46:00 A.M.,

Friday,

26^th January 2001.

The day the world for the people in Bhuj, went upside down. The earthquake which took place there devastated the city and its many people in almost all terms that included me. The horrifying experience was perhaps the one, which nobody could forget for their entire life span. Many people lost their near-ones and dear-ones. The loss suffered by this calamity could not and can’t be made good ever. The death of thousands of people within a span of 1 & half minute, and the tragedy of humanitarian loss of this magnitude was never witnessed by me, before in my life. I was shocked and avowed for few days. With the passage of time, people say, you come to terms with the terrible events of one’s life; but one may never ever forget it.

In the morning at around 8:46 a.m. the floor below me started to shake. I was just reading newspaper, was the first to alert all family members. Nilma was talking to Akshay, my son, barely 6 years old, and my daughter, Urja, 1 & half years old was sitting nearby. It was sheer luck that I noticed it first. I picked up Urja, asked wife to get hold of Akshay. The floor was shaking very lightly but as we all four collected together the shaking intensity increased and went on increasing like anything which was never ever experienced, heard or explored or experienced. That made me scared as one usually looses the courage and temper. With grace of God, I was quick in dragging all of them in the passage our rented flat on 5^th floor.

As slowly the intensity of vibration below the surface was increasing, we stood near the staircase as somehow I felt that this could be a strongest area as it housed an elevator, so that part of the building would be stronger here though I had no logic or knowledge to back that of my idea.

No sooner we reached there, we experienced one of the most critical time of our life. The building of 7 stories, started to shake like a small boat in a stormy sea, with a sound of 100 Boeing Jumbo Jet Planes hovering over the sky. It took around 7 big shakes from East to West, before settling. At every shake, either to East or to West, we prayed that the building would not go down from either East or West side. Our eyes were waiting for the imminent collapse of my building and beginning of my journey to eternity. The death was never ever so close and so certain. As Nilma started shouting and chanting NAVKAR MANTRA loudly, Akshay was crying and worried because his parents were scared. Little angel started crying because her brother and mother were crying and shouting. As the Building was doing a balancing act on the roars of the earthquake, I saw the cables of the elevator snapped and it went down crashing from 3^rd floor.

As I looked out of the staircase window, which was going to the building terrace, overhead water tank of Hotel Janta Ghar came crashing down. (Later on I learned that around 7 to 9 people were killed there.) Within few moments of the beginning of tremors, it got dusty. The dust was getting into the air due to collapsing structures, buildings etc, but mainly because the tremors were so powerful that people saw the wave of dust getting up in the air along with the speeding tremors coming from the East direction, which passed through several Kilometers below land surface at a magnitude of 7.9 on richer scale.

The nightmare lasted for around 90 seconds, then the earth shaking stopped, I was happy because I had made it in the finals of death race challenge with the mother-nature. Just a few seconds ago I was so certain about my death, took sighed of relief of getting through the worst experience of my life.

The first thing I did was to get back to our flat. Shut the valve of the cocking gas cylinder and switch off light main-switch. (In fact the lights were cut automatically, because of snapped electrical cables.) My legs were trembling as I had lost all that courage and all that made it impossible for me to look around from my window once the earth shaking stopped. All the occupants of the building had been shouting and the scenario was very-very scaring and absolute chaotic.

After around 90 seconds, it stopped; we slowly went inside our flat. Everything was in mess. Fan’s fins were bent, T.V. trolley was broken, save the T.V., everything was on the floor, and kitchen was in total mess. All glass jars with all the stored spices & other stored food material was on the floor. They were so mixed up that we had later on only one option, pick it up and throw. My P.C. monitor was on the floor and was broken completely.

We reached our bedroom, Nilma got one piece of cloth and collected all the valuables from the cupboard locker, bundled it in that cloth and made our way out of our flat. We came down of our building flat by taking staircase steps. As we stayed on the last floor of the building, BHAVIKA PALACE, we perhaps experienced the shakes with more intensity due to our height from the ground. There was complete mess. The street leading to Meher Ali Chowk was completely blocked. As we took other small lane, I lifted few big stone lying in the way and made way for four of us. Somehow we came out on the road leading to Meher Ali Chowk, but then again we felt that we were struck. We were unable to find the way leading to Bhuj Bus Depot. So we tried it from the Panch Mukha Hanuman Street, but the debris of the damaged or fallen buildings scared us as Akshay & Urja were still sobbing. It was good that Urja understood little, but the fear on our faces made her scared too, while Akshay was just sobbing. (For many more months to come, my both children along with their cousins played game of Earthquake. That was the psychological damage it even had on their minds).

On the way to Bhuj Bus Deport, which was at walk able distance from my home, I saw people who were completely covered with debris of their building as if somebody had thrown wheat flour on them. I came across few known faces; we just exchanged each other's well being and asked about each other’s family. We then heard that one marriage party which had come to the community centre of WAGHAD BECHOVISI got stuck in the building which collapsed and many were killed and injured. (See the destiny, the bridegroom, Bhavesh, became my good friend as we travel together to reach to our offices almost every morning.) As I reached VANIAYWAD Chowk, we saw my estranged brother-in-law, Jayant Thacker; we just exchanged inquiries as to be it okay in his family?

We somehow came out of that street as we had in mind the home of my father in law. Somehow we got an auto rickshaw from the bust stand and reached our destination. On the way to HINGLAJWADI, where Natwarbhai, my Father-In-Law & family stayed, the unimaginable devastation I was just witnessing on my way to MANGALAM, were he stayed.

People were just running here and there. I met my cousin Paragbhai, near the DADA-WADI. He was on his scooter and informed me that my Aunty, Vasantben, was trapped in the house in Mehta Street. (She could not be saved as it was not possible to reach to her and due to no medical help; she left for eternity in the afternoon that day.)

The scene was of that absolute chaotic. People were clueless. Few images captured in the mind will go with me to my grave. What I saw was, precariously held portions of damaged buildings, men, women and children running here and there without any clue, children crying, trapped people shouting for help, loved ones pleading everyone who passed from them, who were not in position to save them. I saw a father caught between dilemma as whether to save his daughter whose leg was badly crushed or his wife who could be saved if she was given immediate medical help. But he needed help to pull his wife out of the rubble first, while the daughter was just lying in front of him. (I saw him crying next day, when he said he lost his wife and his daughter’s leg had to be amputed in the military hospital.)

On way we learnt that few buildings had completely collapsed and inhabitants, present at the time of Earthquake had all been buried alive. (Many of them were rescued later on, though.) People were just running here and there. I was so scared that my legs trembled for most of that day. People were bringing in news and I had no courage to take pictures of that devastation.

It took approximately 30 minutes to us to reach to Natwarbhai’ s house, from the time of tremors. Their house was damaged very badly too, but the structure was intact because of the material used in the construction. The news was coming in that once the crowded places and dream houses of many people had come down crashing. A milkman, coming from KALYANESHWAR WADI, was so scared that he was hardly able to speak it properly, said that GOKUL building had completely collapsed and those inside must have had been killed, we just shooed him away, saying not to say it to other people and stop spreading rumors. He swore on his children, that he himself had seen the completely collapsed building which was converted into the huge stack of debris. This building housed approximately 70 families.

People in HINGLAJ WADI were just on the road. Our close relatives like us, had started pouring in at Mangalam, where Natwarbhai stayed. Natwarbhai has had been an icon in our family and commands tremendous respect. Though he is my Father-in-law, but I have learned some of most important lessons of my life by staying with him. Slowly I was regaining my composure. I was so shocked & scared that my legs were still trembling. It was an experience where the floor of the house, which you are so sure of support throughout your life, was shivering. Slowly approximately half an hour later, people did start a minuscule rescue operation of their own. But then came the big after shock. It was so huge that I thought those who were saved in the first tremor, would suddenly again the land shook. It was the second shock of the morning. But it did not last long, nor was the intensity anywhere near to the first-mother of all tremors.

(Cont....Next Blog

GLOBAL WARMING...AH..AH... GLOBAL COOLING !!

After much hullabaloo about the global warming, suddenly certain cult in scientists are working day and night on a new situation, which is really uncalled for in the recent times. These scientists are now fearing an absolute opposite, for what they have holding the entire world for ransom, to global warming. There are few mummers which has started recently about the global cooling and approaching ice age.

The two paradoxical views have really put earthlings like me on tenterhooks. People are unable to understand what to go for. Global warming or global cooling. Actually the people in the scientific fraternity around the world are seems to be confused. They are not able to make up their own mind about the whole thing. First they started yelling at the change in the climatic conditions, consequent to global warming and green house gases, but recently they have changed their tracks. They have started to tell the people of this world, stunned by the degree of winter in Europe, America and even Asia, that we are about to face global cooling !!!!

The unprecedented cold wave has griped the entire globe and the people all around the world are really worried about what could be for humans in store by the nature. So where we are heading from here ?

We were made to believe that global warming will destroy the Earth. The atmosphere will heat up due to depleting ozone layer, which does not allow the green house gases, produced on the Earth, to escape the earth's atmosphere as well as while the ultra-violet rays that come from the outer space, are absorbed by the ozone layer, has had a big hole in it. So all the ultra-violet rays, especially from Sun, could directly hit the Earth and could cause great danger to living objects on the Earth.

But such theories are not easy to forget, even if, we start to think about the global cooling or the approaching ice-age. Scientists believe that the Earth temperature rotates in opposite direction approximately after every 25 years. So for 25 years Earth keeps on heating up and next 25 years it will be cooling off its surfaces and the atmosphere. Such claims and counter-claims keep on hitting the news every now & then, and confuses people, like me and all other who are trying to be little conscious about our environment!

One research report advised that we should at least drink 3 cups of tea everyday, so that we can avoid stroke and live longer but the other day one which followed the first one after few months, claimed the drinking tea could be disastrous for the health as the content in the tea once boiled, could damage liver and one should avoid it for the keeping good in health !!! You should drink coffee instead !!!!

Such claims and counter claims make a commoner, like me utterly confused about the whole scenario. In the year 1996-97, I was virtually made to panic about continuous bombardment about Y2K hype, where I even feared entering an elevator, fearing it might go haywire. It was said that computer chip had only two spaces for the year. In the year 2000, the chip will read it as 1900, or even 1800 or anything. Which will lead to malfunctioning of all the equipments which used the microchip, and read the dates, like normal personal computer. It all lasted till the year 2000.

The hype created & generated millions of jobs and earned profits in billions to big corporates, who claimed to have solutions. Nothing happened. Life was normal. Nothing failed for the lack of 4 digits in the chip. All those benefited were Microsoft, IBM and other giant software manufacturers, who chipped in to help the frightened masses.

Now look at swine flu. God only knows, how it caught the attention of the world. It became such an event in India, that a single death due to swine flu could topple a government! The awareness it created was so mammoth that the swine flu bacteria must have thought of choosing a wrong time in entering India.

The hype was such that the Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Prime Minister of India and all other officials in their capacity made noises. It was made out to be a big, very big crisis befallen on India. Everybody in the country was worried about swine flu. I started to fear for my self while my daily run to my office in Mumbai's crowded local train. Though I did not purchase any mask, but had watched many people wearing the same for fear of getting caught by swine flu.

So it is the era of media and media created hype. It is so fast and works at lightening speed that the people like me find it really hard to adjust to what is happening around us. Before I could adjust to what is happening, the hype knocks me down and there are people around who feels like the same! before our poorly fed mind can adjust and try and work out the right or wrong out of the facts made available to us, something new comes up and grabs our attention.

Before I could calculate the loss which we might have had incurred on the Common Wealth Games, due to heaviest doses of corruptions, a pedestrian bridge collapsed. Before we come to the terms with it, a new one got built by the army and it was much stronger and much quicker to build. What baffled me was why in the world army was not involved in making CWG 2010 a success. Because they do have some sort of discipline left in India. It remains still a largest disciplined group of people in India.

Just as I was coming to terms with the army making pedestrian bridge in record time, the CW Games began with sun fare ! The same news reporters who were just a few days back were hammering Suresh Kalmadi for his poor organizational capacity, were all praise for him and ability, his dynamic decision making and India's capability to hold the Olympic Games and started a debate making few so-called experts sit in as a experts panel to discuss how India can claim hosting of Olympic Games ! and few offered to become advisers to the Olympic Committee in India to guide them how to become a host nation !!!!!

I wonder sometimes as following these news items is just fooling around myself. There is complete business outlook to anything that happens in the world. The Global warming had benefited many industries all over the globe. A new phenomena of Carbon Credit also introduced and now a Carbon Credit Exchange has also taken place. Several good things did happen as a by-product, but the main beneficiaries were large corporate houses and their bosses. A point of saturation has been achieved in Global Warming phenomena and so the Global Cooling and consequently subsequent ICE AGE ! Again the same old story will start. The Y2K, Global Warming and so and so forth, will go on for years and decades and then for centuries. It will make people to earn their living. I really wish that if all this stupid looking things were not happening around us, we might have been facing starvation. These activities, are making money to change hands , and thus creating wealth all around.

SO LETS START FROM GLOBAL WARMING TOWARDS GLOBAL COOLING AND APPROACHING ICE AGE !!!!

GIVE ME SOME SUN SHINE..GIVE ME SOME RAIN..!!!!

GIVE ME ANOTHER CHANCE TO GROW UP ONCE AGAIN......!!!!!

These are the few lines of a hit song from the film 3 Idiots. The film was one of the most entertaining and must enjoyed by all. It was a good film depicting the story of the three friends and their rendezvous at the Engineering College, touted to be one of the best engineering college in India, as shown in the film. The movie shows a character called JOY, wherein he fails to finish his project, while he was working on something else. The Dean refuses to give him extra time to finish his allotted project. Dean himself calls up the Joy's father saying that his father should not come to city, to attend the convocation his son ,as he will not pass his exams this year. The pressure of failure forces that guy to commit suicide.

The depiction of the feeling of failure and depression of the students was so powerful that few students throughout the country started committing suicide for the fear of failure. It was the craftsmanship of the director of the film, Rajkumar Hirani, who was successful in creating an atmosphere of sympathy towards the that character called JOY and hate towards the system, teachers, principals and parents, who always insisted that children must get the best.

The message here, is something which has gone wrong completely. Children or rather the students have taken it in their own way. All kudos to R. Hirani, who created a master piece and he created a situation where students started to think that the parents or which I will define as COMMUNITY OF ELDERS, which includes their fathers, teachers, principals, tuition teachers or coaching class faculty, or all those who have been insisting that their child or student, whatever may the name or the role as defined.

The children have started to think that this COE is actually their enemy and they are all devils. The situation has worsened so much after the film that any student or child who is not capable of anything, pulls up his sleeve against the COE, who actually speaks for their betterment and wishes that they stay out of the world of depression, they could face, if they are not warned in advance. The young man of today's thinks he can manage the whole show, the way he had been managing his/her mother, manipulating or even blackmailing his father and fooling around with the those who want to get better things out of them.

This community of COE-bashing little think about what they want them to do ! When the parents shout at their child, he wishes that the difficulties in which he survived, does not get repeated with his child. Father is the community, which is highly and very badly affected in entire of this drama. He is always blackmailed by his son/daughter, always forced on knees by his wife for entertaining wishes of his wife to follow the dictates of their child, loosen the pocket for paying all the expenses, related with the studies and all other fantasies of the life.

3 Idiots character of FARHAN, whose father saves money for his son to become engineer, buys an Air Conditioner for him, buys Laptop for his studies, does all that he could do, but the guy in the film has never told his father that he wanted to become a wild life photographer, ever !
The audiences' sympathy was with Farhan, why, I do not understand ! Does the audience and even that Character Farhan, thinks that his father was GOD and knew everything about his aspiration to become wild life photographer ?

What was his father's fault ? He must have known his son from his childhood days, that thsi chap never knows what he actually wanted and for that reason only he had thought that to groom him as an engineer, would be perfectly alright so that he can live his life peacefully and enjoy all the luxuries of the life ! It is logical to think that his father must have thought that way. Was he wrong in his place ?

Mr. Hirani, perhaps, ended up depicting only one side of the story ! he perfectly created sympathy wave for the 3 chaps, who were shown as the guys who always wanted to live their own life ! They were shown as their parents were forcing them to study harder and leave other things in the life.

Imagine, if Rancho was not supposed to have come to the life of the other two guys, who despite the company of Rancho, always were last in the raw for annual photo session ! And Rancho never ever inspired them to learn and study harder. They along with Chatur, were shocked to learn that Rancho stood first in their annual exams !

The children across the country watched this film with fun, and few took it seriously, starting a spate of suicides amongst the students fraternity. That was absolute injustice to those who were in grief due to the suicides. But have any father or mother or teacher committed suicides, when the film showing children go bad in a film and becomes a goon or smuggler or something like that ? Nobody showed the any amount sympathy towards parents when their children failed or did very badly in their exams and they were convinced that their child would be a complete failure !

I agree that few parents make life of their child hell, they need psychological treatment. It is their excessive depression and fear of failure for their child. They indirectly take the child into remand and use different methods of third degree treatment. But how many of them in the entire country ? If they are wrong they must be punished also. Each every parent needs to be cautious about their own child.

Having aspiration for a child and then working on the same aspiration is not abnormal for father or mother or teacher ! It is not a crime to dream about the future of his child. What is wrong if parents are telling their ward to study harder, it will benefit them in their future life.

All during the film, why was not a single child was shown as watching TV serials of Ekta Kapoor, where even a 9 year one says who is going to have an affair with whom ! Why does nobody considers throwing out computers when they are used for chatting, wasting time on Face Book status updates and writing on wall of Orkut ?


Actually the problem is much bigger than it is made to be by the film. The problem has its roots in our subservient attitude. We have been slaves throughout our known History, which is recorded. We have been cultural slaves to the Mughal robbers, which came to India from Turkey and then we were economical slaves to Britishers for more than 150 years. Somewhere down deep in the mind of every Indian this slavery is living and has not died so far. He is so obsessed with the slavery syndrome, that he reviews himself at each and every point to make sure he has not turned into slave! Once assured that he has been saved through his life and has escaped from slavery he starts worrying for his child and what follows with his child is the fear that though he was saved during his life span, but he is not sure about his child so for the whole life he ran for himself first and then started running for his child.

Along with that the generation gap fact has also its role in here. The time has changed and has changed very rapidly. Within a span of 5 years the change is so fast that it becomes depressing sometimes. Parents are not that quick to catch up with their kids. It is high time that the both, parents and kids need to change and understand each other. But it will never happen. Parents will be readied somehow to change but the kids will remain adamant, depressing their parents further and then the tiff follows.

The more stunning and shocking news is coming up, is, the Govt. under pressure (whose ? we are not aware!), are bringing in the law which will prohibit the present centuries old practice of parents/teachers thrashing not-obeying children, in their interest, will now face even imprisonment for doing their duty of preventing an idiot from becoming a goon or a rowdy citizen of this country. These very same policies of USA & EUROPE broke family bond with parents, the same path is chosen by the Govt of India. Govt is wanting to limit the role of parents in career building of a child. It wants more slaves who are clueless and have no motive in their lives as we find Americans and Europeans wandering and finding for peace of their undeveloped and unsupported mind. They do not have the warmth of the family and respectful fear of their parents.

But does the Govt thinks about the imprisoning those idiots who fail to support their parents in their old age, those who humiliate their parents for their so-called share in properties? The Govt's knee-jerk reactions to the problem of suicidal tactics of students needs to be tackled in different manner. Besides the Govt needs to have social securities for the old aged people strengthened before indulging in such issues, where the old people will be left at the mercy of their children !

The entire issue needs much more sincere approach and understanding. The parents are perhaps needs to be blamed for over-doing what they are doing to nurture their child at the same time the children must understand the slavery approach. Their parents want them to retain the freedom to what they wish to do in their life! Such freedom is realized only when they actually experience the freedom. Being on top and deciding decisively about their future, is the freedom that the parents envisage for their children !

The discussion is long and perhaps the solution lies with the everybody and they can contribute by expressing on this particular issue and educate others, solution lies somewhere in between.

ARIHANT...THE NUCLEAR SUBMARINE....Naming Controversy

The Indian scientists and people at DRDO and related institutes, have finally come up with the Indian version of a nuclear submarine. As an Indian I am really proud of the achievement made by the country's hardworking scientists, who have from time to time proved that they are not less than anyone in this world. If they are given time, money and support, they can be the best lot in the world.

The nuclear submarine has its strategic importance as these ATVs, as they are called, can carry nuclear war-heads for the enemy, who is not satisfied with our stand of no first use of nuclear weapons. In that case we need to develop a capacity in which we can launch a retaliatory attack. Assuming that the first attack would completely cripple us, we need something which will deter the enemy to even launch first strike, fearing that they would get their due, in case they attacked India.

These submarines can stay beneath the sea level for months, without requiring to come to surface for recharging, as required by the other ordinary submarines. Hence they can remain under water for months and can launch a decisive attack, including nuclear attack, on the enemy territory. Most of these weapons never get actually used up in the war as enemy knows what will happen if the actual war breaks out, but then still having such a weapon system is necessary.

The day on which it was launched, there was a murmuring going on about the name of this nuclear powered submarine. It was named after one of the Tirthankar of Jain, Arihant. Whose name the Jains take when they recite the most auspicious NAVKAR MANTRA. Jain leaders have started to raise objection, as Arihant means killing the inner darkness of a person, (while the Sanskrit meaning is killing the enemy,) they claim that the submarine will have weapons which could kill hundreds of thousands of people if not millions, must not be named after their Tirthankar, who always preached non-violence.

One must answer to a simple question. Has Jainism purchased copy rights to use the Sanskrit word, Arihant, for their exclusive use? You can oppose if the said submarine was named after the Jain Tirthankar, but the name Arihant is a Sanskrit word and the culture, literature and language Sanskrit, is much bigger than the Jainism. We as Jains, must respect the sentiments as expressed by the Indian Defense establishments, for naming the first nuclear powered submarine as Arihant. The naming authority nowhere mentioned that is is named after Jain Tirthankar, Arihant.

This is a perfect example of mixing religion with politics. The Jainism, as a way of life and its Tirthankar, Arihant, is much bigger than the leaders who are making noises about the naming a nuclear submarine after Arihant, are making to be one.

We in India, do not understand what for and where we are opposing. We keep on opposing on each and every issues and politics enters each and every such issues. The simple occasion of being proud Indian for having an indigenous nuclear submarine, could get into murky politics of naming the submarine.

I personally feel that such issues must be dealt with some simple logic. The word Arihant, does not only belong to Jainism. Nor do the Jains has purchased the rights to use the name exclusively for their own purpose. Besides, will the people who are opposing the use of name would justify that the name was actually originated from Jainism and is not a Sanskrit word.? I strongly feel that the Jain religious leaders should concentrate on well being of the Jain community, by asking the Rich Jains to donate for Hospitals, schools and hostels and help those thousands of Jain brothers who need help. Instead of arousing sentiments in the name of the religion.

Being a Jain myself, I have come across many practices which need to be looked upon on humanitarian grounds. We need some strong leadership to put our own house in order. Instead making more and more Ashrams, Mathas and temples, we need good hospitals which serve poor, we need schools so that the community people can learn and lead good prosperous life.

And the most important observations I have been through, is that the Jainism, boasts non-violence and preaching of forgiveness. But does not allow killing to protect oneself or even to protect Jainism. This is complete cowardice. Just following centuries old traditions, while we live in the life where people get killed for no fault of theirs, such preaching needs reform.

You can not convince the Taliban with this peaceful message. They will first laugh at you, then they will rob you and finally will shoot you dead. Your non-violence will not work against the animals. They need to be killed to protect you and your philosophy of unnecessary non-violence.

B.E.S.T. Undertaking Introducing P2P Bus Service

It is happening all around the world, that most of the politicians and office bearers work because they don't want to work at all. We are all over the world, have become do used to these particular breed, called politicians, that their inaction on any of the issues touching the general public. When they actually work or do some thing, we are shocked.

At this particular blog, few days back I had suggested some ways to fight the inflation and subsequently the oil-mafias, by cutting our own consumption of oil and related items.

The BEST Undertaking, which runs the public transport systems in Mumbai city, introduced one scheme, where by they would provide direct non-stop bus services to offices & schools. The BEST Undertaking wants a commitment of minimum of 40 people from a particular area. It will run from nearest BEST Bus Stop to known nearest bus stop at the destination.

This P2P service has been received well by the Mumbaikars, in particular school going children who can not afford heavy school bus charges and who are facing problems due to absolute ignorance shown by the arrogant auto-rickshaw drivers. It has also helped those office goers who stay in far flung areas, the service quarter provided by their employers and are in good number, and have similar place of their source and destination journeys.


The novel idea mooted by the Chairman of BEST Undertaking Mr. Pravin Chheda, has stumped sundry & all. All credit must go to this Gentleman for introducing aP2P (Point To Point) bus services for particular group of committed passengers. Large numbers of people have taken up this service and many more are planning at the point of time when I am writing in here.

The effect is very huge at personal, local, national & International level, to a limited extent.

Take for example my children used to take up auto rickshaws in the morning to reach the school, used to almost fight to catch an auto-rickshaw, who in turn were very rude in their even refusal to ply on particular routes. There were around 20 to 22 students for the same school from my area. All students who were catching an auto-rickshaw around and near my place of residence on LBS Road, Ghatkopar (W), have come together and have reached 62 in numbers. BEST has allocated a 60 seated and all are enjoying their ride to school and coming back from school in time. Previously it depended on frivolous attitude of auto-rickshawallahs, but now these students don’t get late in reaching home.

The another community of office-goers from the far flung areas, have also greatly benefitted. Those office goers, required first the auto from their far flung service quarters like Thane, to reach to the nearest suburban railways station and from there to get into already crowded suburban trains. It required them to stand in queues to get into an auto, most of the times they shared the auto with other passengers.

They have now opted for P2P bus service as introduced by the BEST Undertaking. This includes several Govt departments, who live together and work together, at the same place. Their travelling woes have come down considerably. They can now reach their place of work with peace of mind and come back home without being completely exhausted. This is a good life deal they really deserve.

With this novel idea, the traffic problems could ease out as so many auto-rickshaws were plying on so much narrow roads, blocking the traffic completely. (If you remember, the autos were on strike few months back, the roads looking so nice and free of traffic congestion.) These autos though run on CNG, pollute the air in the city & its suburbs. Take example here there were around 15 to 17 autos were required to ply these students to their school, while only one bus is needed to make the same number of students to reach the same place.

Few experts are making comments on banning the private vehicles from entering the city, but no one has ever dared to raise an issue to control the number of auto-rickshaws plying on the roads in Mumbai. This statement should not be construed as against the auto-rickshaws itself, but no where the planners seem to aware of the root cause of the traffic problems, faced by the people in Mumbai for transportation. The point here is, when a single bus can replace almost 20 auto-rickshaws; why not use the single bus? This will save money, fuel and less pollute the environment. If this concept is used at all the levels in cities, States and Countries, the demand for the oil will go down a bit. This will make the oil-speculators and oil-mafias run for their money and inflated prices will come down. This is a hypothetical situation and there are many ifs & buts, but this could play a vital role in bringing down the oil prices. We are not living without the transportation itself, but we are using these transportation means in different manner. Though we have the capability to hire a taxi or an auto-rickshaw, but use of bus and suburban trains, will bring down the consumption a bit. Only making the oil speculators panic is enough to bring them on to the ground.

Meanwhile, congratulations to all those parents, who have understood the importance of using the public transport, despite their capacity to send their children in separate auto-rickshaws, have helped the community by showing awareness and understanding. There is news that several other buses have already started and few more are in the pipeline for being started very soon.

Such unity and commitment is highly appreciated and not to forget Mr. Pravin Chheda for introducing such a brilliant idea. Let this word spread across the world and people understand the importance of collective fight against the oil speculators and oil mafias.

Following are teh pictures showing how P2P bus is working



Students are waiting for the bus with their parents for bus to arrive.

These kids are getting into the bus into most orderly fashion.

Elder students have been made the volinteers, to look after smaller
childrens.

Volunteers are making arrangements in side the bus.

Its all students bus. There are no elders in side the bus. They are managing their own affairs. The new thing about this is, that this is a PUBLIC TRANSPORT BUS..........