Will Indian media start covering real heroes like Kailash Satyarthi?

As I write this article, I am deeply embarrassed. My head hangs in shame to learn about the news that should in fact make me feel proud. I know absolutely nothing about Mr.Kailash Satyavarti, an Indian unsung hero who won the Nobel Prize for peace recently. The pity is, I checked with many people but none of them have any clue about Mr. Kailash Satyavarti and his Bachpan Bachao Andolan! 

As an Indian, it hurts to accept the fact that I need a Nobel committee to introduce me to someone doing commendable work in my own country! There is huge dent on my ego to admit that I had not heard of him till the news broke about him being conferred upon the Nobel peace prize for 2014. This means I am not perhaps as well read and aware citizen as I take myself to be. It is also a reflection of us as society and the mainstream media, that fails to cover meaningful news that matter, its due coverage. 

A Bollywood celebrity getting a boob job done, a page three "socialite" or a scamster politician involved with corruption of billions catch more eyeballs ensuring readership/viewership and offers staple diet of insatiable titillation of sensation. Nobody is interested to read/write about crusaders against the real evils,the age old, never ending issues like child labour. Children as young as three work everywhere and have become so much part of our everyday existence that we no more find anything wrong with it or are moved by this evil. Try observing keenly on that long commute from home to office everyday and you would be shocked to notice how our traffic signals, road side shops, so many industries that we regularly depend on for our requirements thrive because of young children who work in inhuman condition for sake of their survival.

Amidst incessant buzz of Bollywood gossip, the ubiquity of sting operations, scams and ravenous paparazzi coverage of real stories of heroes like Kailash Satyarthi if at all coverd, stands awkwardly on some strange corner of inside page of the newspaper.   Indian media is enslaved to its obsession with Bollywood and self created heroes and incessantly keep embroiling the nation with trivia while someone who has been in public life for more than four decades, sustaining the relentless struggle for the cause close to his heart even at the risk to his own life, his unique work and commendable feat of saving 80,000 children from child labour goes almost unnoticed! 

It is time media woke up to the fact that there are many unsung heroes, whose work goes unnoticed because it completely lacks the sheen of sensation! 

Congratulations Mr. Kailash Satvarthi ! My salute to you and your noble work! 

                                      

Why I am kicked about the "swachh Bharat campaign"

I listened to the speech of the Indian Prime Minister, Mr. Narendra Modi on Gandhi jayanti, talking about his latest initiative "Swachh Bharat abhiyan". Being an obsessive, compulsive cleanliness junkie, I am absolutely thrilled to see someone of his stature finally talking up this serious matter and making an attempt to do something about it. 

I am not affiliated with any political party whatsoever nor am I impressed by Bollywood jamboree joining the bandwagon and cashing in photo opportunities and suddenly becoming concerned about this issue. Complete disregard for cleanliness in India has always been a matter of grave concern.  


Let's admit the blatant fact that we Indians lack basic civic /hygiene sense!  Whether it is on roads, bus stops, ticket queues or any public place for that matter, people have absolutely no respect for public property. There is no point in getting infuriated or defensive about this. The general lack of cleanliness and hygiene hits the eye wherever one goes in India — hotels, hospitals, malls, households, work places, railway trains, air planes and yes, even religious places! 

Spitting and littering appears to be so deeply ingrained in the behaviour of Indians that when one draws attention to it, it is often frowned upon. Filth no more affects us as we have accepted it as part of our everyday life! 

I remember an incident that is reflective of typical Indian mindset when it comes to cleanliness. Two years back, I had a guest from U.S.A, an Indian visiting me for few days. While taking him out for shopping he opened a mint case, popped a few in his mouth, offered me some and casually threw wrapper along with the Coke can out of the car window! Much to my shock and horror, there was no iota of guilt or shame on his face when I protested his action as he callously replied "when you go to India, do as Indians do. India is BIG garbage anyway! How does it matter?" The person came from extremely educated and affluent class. When I asked him if he would behave the same way back in U.S.A, he ignored my question completely!  

I am known for being an absolute compulsive cleanliness freak. And whenever I come across such uncivilized behaviour, my blood starts brewing! (Unfortunately, that happens quite frequently during the day.)  

There have been many instances when I have seen rich, educated folks in their expensive, luxury cars spitting and littering the roads. Try stopping them and I bet you would be greeted with their middle finger salutations or shameless verbal abuse! 

There is a lack of enforcement which in turn is fed by a lack of social pressure which in turn is fed by a lack of attitude to do things on one's own.  In my observation and experience, in India, children are rarely taught to clean up after themselves: not the messed up floors, not the dirty dishes, not the outside streets. Since we don't clean it up ourselves, and tend to expect someone else to do it (whether the municipality for the streets and garbage, the domestic help for the dishes, floors etc), our mindset is, cleaning is someone else's job. That is definitely a huge contributor.

Lack of law enforcement is another contributor.  If the police or the respective civic bodies decide to strictly enforce the laws/ initiatives against littering, people will have to comply. We are stuck in a chicken and egg type of spiral. There is no civic sense because there is no enforcement and there is no enforcement because people in charge of it don't see value in civic sense! Lets face it. Indians are the most indisciplined and arrogant on roads, public places and don't even flinch while  spitting, dumping or vandalizing public/common property, including historical monuments.

If there is a ranking of countries in respect of observance of standards of sanitation and hygiene, one can be sure that India would figure close to the bottom. Whenever there are problems with garbage, or spread of disease, we quickly blame some politician or civic body albeit, they are to be blamed but, why don't we as a society take some steps to make these civic bodies or politicians work? 

It is time to own up to our civic responsibilities. It is time to own up to our country. Let us not see "Swachh Bharat abhiyaan" only in political light.  We owe it to our Nation, methinks. 

  

When life jolts your plan

I am emotionally bit wobbly as I write this article today. Before me, are two travel bags packed a week in advance with great enthusiasm and anticipation for the five days vacation that was going to start from tomorrow. This is the third time our holidays got cancelled due to some reason or other and I find it so frustrating!

Since last week, I have been busy whizzing around like a dervish, trying to accomplish more work than my usual set goals in everyday routine. The reason being, I was to go to Pondycherry for few days with hubby, for whom getting even a day off from work is extremely difficult. People, who know me closely, know how badly I have always wished to visit that place since long but somehow it just never materialized! There is some strange pull, something undefinable that is calling me to that place!

I was brimming with joy, planning our trip, doing the research on places to visit, happy with hubby for finally giving me some time alone, looking forward to catching up with friends at Chennai, making my list of things to shop for, trying to accommodate as many cultural events as we could possibly fit in the short span. And just when everything was set, we heard news of political unrest and incidents of violence in Tamilnadu.  

Our tickets and hotel bookings have been cancelled. I need great courage to unpack those bags without letting tears roll down my cheeks. I know, many things in life don't go as planned. Not everything works out as we hope. There are many reasons for this and usually what seems like an awful turn of events might make perfect sense in the future. But there are some plans that are much dear to your heart. Long cherished plans for which you work hard, prepare everything that needs to be done and beyond and still you don't get to see them fulfilled as unfortunately things just don't work out for some strange reasons beyond your control.

I feel dejected and guess no pep talk or even divine intervention is going to work for me. This is one of those rare moments for me when it is difficult to love life.   

I hereby tender my resignation ...

It was during my photography session at Hanging garden, I came across the realization that was brewing inside me since quite some time. I feel like quitting everything! And travel around the world all alone without having to worry about anything or anyone. Yeah, that's true, I am possessed with this  irresistible desire.    

I don't know why suddenly, looking at the very old, beautiful iron chain surrounding a monument near my bench, I felt rusted. I felt stuck deeper into a hole that I would perhaps never be able to escape. Amidst the beautiful energy all around came this poignant moment when my heart revolted and convinced my mind to give it a serious thought, causing endless cerebral chaos which is still difficult to silence. 

I shared this experience with my friends who laughed it off as predicted:

"Are you nuts?" 

"You can't!!!" "Period!" 

"But, why????!!! 

You have such a BEAUTIFUL life!" "What a loving family!!" 

(I admit, I do have a very blessed and privileged life. And many would kill to live my life.) My friends were polite enough not to call me insane on my face  but were infuriated and upset with me for having such "crazy" thoughts. Not surprised by their reactions though, here I am, ranting my views.

I sometimes wonder why it is wrong to listen to your heart! After fulfilling all my duties in various roles in my personal and professional life successfully, completing twenty four years in my marriage, having brought up a wonderful son who I am very proud of, why is it looked down upon if I am honest in saying I am tired of it all? Does it make me a bad person? I am seriously sick of putting everyone else before me and in the process ignore myself completely. Don't get me wrong, I am not trying to play victim here, in serious need to attention or sympathy. My life is result of choices I made and not once I have regretted having made those choices! 
                                                                   
I am really tired of never ending series of being frazzled by all the duties at home and work and running around endlessly to ensure they are performed well! What is the point in earning an enviably great life if you don't have time to live it? 

The voice inside me is asking me to break all the self imposed shackles and be honest and true to myself. For a change, I wish to put myself first in my priority list, explore life on my own without feeling the weight of the world on my shoulders. My inner voice is telling me to make this change and go for it ASAP. Does that make me selfish?      

No offense, but...

This morning, I had a long conversation with a friend of mine who was very upset over an incident. One of her acquaintances met her recently and asked her, "no offense but have you got tummy tuck/ body contouring done? You have always been fat but now your body looks far too perfect! And as far as I know, you neither have healthy food habits nor do any exercise!" 

Unfortunately, when this insensitive remark was passed, there were half a dozen people present, as my friend was at her daughter's school with other parents. Obviously, she was fuming with rage. Luckily, at the end of our conversation and a long bitching session, we laughed our hearts out and her anger and resentment seemed to have diffused to some extent. 

Have you ever noticed, people using terms like, "no offense, but...","don't mind", "don't take it seriously" "just kidding" etc. always invariably end up saying something offensive as if trying to conceal their true motives, thoughts?

Most of the times, one ignores these phrases as they seem like good-natured gibe, fairly harmless, little jabs that are not supposed to leave a mark or hurt anyone if the intent behind the use is evident. But many times these terms are used to say something mean and still appear innocent and honest. People certainly seem to think they can excuse almost any thoughtless or cutting remark by using such mindless phrases and yet bail themselves out. 

When it is so obvious that whatever the person is going to say after "no offense, but ...", is going to be offensive, why even bother with this disclaimer? Is it really going to make things better? Is that really going to soften the blow of a sentiment like, “hey Simi! No offense, but I feel you are extreme case of cleanliness freak. It is not a good sign." And the person walks away nonchalantly as if it was all perfectly fine to say those things to me! (How I am sometimes tempted to take revenge by saying things like, you know what? How about you stopping to be a lazy bum and cleaning a big mess that is in your house all around? Cut back your TV time and do something constructive and stop poking nose in other people's matters? :) ) 

I find habit of using terms like "no offense, but.." premeditated rudeness. If someone is using this term, before the actual sentence starts, it means the person very well knows his/her comment is offensive but doesn't bother to frame it in sensitive manner or keep the mouth shut and avoid the hurt all together.

I am not suggesting to be politically correct all the time but being mindful of the language, topics, our attitudes and actions always helps strengthening our relationships in all spheres. But like they say, it takes all kinds of people to make this world and jerks and bitches are as much part of it! :)