Can we do something to reverse the trend?

“ਕਾਲੇ ਧਨ ਅਤੇ ਕਿਰਤ ਵਿਚਕਾਰ ਹੋਈ ਜੱਦੋ ਜਹਿਦ ਵਿਚ ਕਿਰਤ ਹਾਰ ਗਈ ਹੈ” ( ਪੰਨਾ 30 “ਜੀਵੇ ਜਵਾਨੀ ” :ਲੇਖਕ :ਗੁਰਪ੍ਰੀਤ ਸਿੰਘ ਤੂਰ).

And that has been the real tragedy for Punjab. The defeat of hard work at the hands of corruption and black money is the basic reason for drug addiction in Punjab. An important contributing factor has been political sort-sightedness , total lack of vision and abdication of responsibility at all levels of government machinery. Add to this the “what to me?” attitude of the general public and slumbering intellectuals ….The picture of Punjab’s misfortune is complete!It will take Herculean efforts the reverse the clock! Any body listening!

Henry David Thoreau

Can he make a difference in India today?

As a social reformer his words echo the principles on which the United States was founded — that it is a person’s duty to resist injustice where it is found — Thoreau’s writings influenced Gandhi’s work in India, Tolstoy’s philosophy in Russia, and King’s civil rights stand in the United States. Wherever in the world individuals and groups embrace human rights over political rights, they invoke the name of Henry David Thoreau and the words of his essay. “Civil Disobedience“: “Can there not be a government in which the majorities do not virtually decide right and wrong, but conscience? . . . Must the citizen ever for a moment, or in the least degree, resign his conscience to the legislator? Why has every man a conscience, then?”

In India today, there is injustice all around but how many people have risen to oppose the injustice as a duty as Thoreau wanted us: ” that it is a person’s duty to resist injustice where it is found “. We have practically disowned our own conscience and put devious people on the pedestal. We have lost our conscience….so we are not answerable to anyone! Who is Henry David Thoreau? We have disowned our own stalwarts on human rights and conscience, Guru Nanak Dev, Guru Gobind Singh, Gandhi, Vivekananda, Bhagat Singh and many more.

Made in heaven

Marriages, they  say,  are made in heaven. If yes , where are they broken? This question has perturbed me for some time now. With so many separations, so many quarrels and so many divorces around, how can we say that marriages are made in heaven!

What goes wrong? Heavenly calculations ? Probably not! Then? I find no answers. Surely all marriages  dont end up in separation. All those could be  said to made in heaven. But others? What do you think?

Social Media no more Social

Internet is said to have converted the world into a small village. In a way it has, but as with all innovations, it has started to behave like a monster. The so called social media, for example, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram etc  provided an excellent platform for sharing information and interacting with one another, even with unknown people. I myself have made some good friends through Facebook. It provided an excellent platform for sharing our views on different issues quickly and without any fear. But gradually, the wicked souls took over and now it is no more safe to share your real thoughts on these fora. Trolling is the least dangerous of the latest trends. More often fake, untrue and false news is being posted to incite the gullible people which has led to killing of innocent people every where, and , this is in not only in India.

The people at the whelm of affairs who hogged all the initial credit find themselves helpless to control the menace. While governments are rightly worried and want a censorship, the enlightened citizens are worried about their fundamental right of free expression. Obviously no such right can absolute. If we fail to control our behaviour restrictions are bound to be there. As always, majority is likely to suffer for the follies of some unruly elements. Can the inventors do something? I am doubtful!

The Sikh Religion (2)

Guru Nanak Dev was the founder of Sikh religion and is popularly known as the first Guru of the Sikhs. Guru is derived from Sanskrit and means “one who removes darkness (of ignorance).” Before passing away , Guru Nanak passed on the Divine Light to one of his disciples, Bhai Lehna. He embraced Bhai Lehna and rechristened him as “Angad”. Sikhs called him Guru Angad Dev ji, the second Guru (or master).

There were eight more Gurus (masters) to whom the Divine Light was passed on successively. The ten masters in sequence are:
1. Guru Nanak Dev
2.Guru Angad Dev
3. Guru Amar Daas
4.Guru Ram Daas
5. Guru Arjun Dev
6. Guru Hargobind
7. Guru Har Rai
8. Guru Harikrishan
9. Guru Tegh Bahadur
10. Guru Gobind Singh
The last master Guru Gobind Singh, discontinued the practice of embodied master-ship and passed on the Light to the Holy scripture Of the Sikhs, then known as the “Adi granth”. This book is now called the living guru by the Sikhs.
(to be continued)

The Sikh Religion

Sikh religion, also known as Sikhi in Punjabi and Sikhism in English, is one of the most recent organised religions in human history. The word Sikh is derived from the Sanskrit word ‘Shishya’ and is loosely translated as learner/student! Sikhs believe that it was founded by Guru Nanak Dev who was born in a village of undivided Punjab, Rai Bhoe di Talwandi in Shekhupura, now in Pakistan in the year 1469. This place is now known as Nankana Sahib after the great prophet.Mehta Kalyan Daas was a revenue officer (Patwar) in the employment of Rai Bular, incharge of the area. His father was Mehta Kalyan Daas, popularly known as Mehta Kalu in Sikh folklore, and his mother was Mata Tripta. He was born a Khatri, a caste that is placed at number two in the Hindu caste hierarchy. However beginning at an early age, he opposed the caste or any hierarchy based on birth. He believed and propagated that the status of a person should be determined by his deeds and not by birth.
Sikhs belive that Nanak was a born Guru, who had been bestowed with guru ship by God Almighty Himself. AS such it is considered to be 550years old! And Sikhs are going to celebrate the occasion with gusto next year. By definition, a Sikh is supposed to be a learner lifelong! (to be continued)

Nice day

Today was a nice day. Why? It is difficult to explain. Just feeling it was nice. May be because I was able to meet two friends after a long time. Particularly one whose wife is undergoing chemotherapy treatment for sometime. Just happened to pass that way when I rang him if he was home! The smile on his face on seeing me made my day. I realize it is very difficult for such people to call or visit anybody. Let us make a habit of taking the initiative and meet such suffering acquaintances because they will not be able to take the initiative!.

Stephen Hawking- The miracle that lived in 21st century!

Probably the legendary scientist did not believe in God but to those who believed, he was the living evidence of the existence of God. Although miracles occur every day for the believers, Hawking was a miracle even for non-believers, Diagnosed with ALS at the age of 21 years, and  given only two years, he lived a meaningfully productive life till the age of 76! No, he did not live in a vegetative state. He was undoubtedly the most outstanding scientist on black holes and quantum theory. His efforts to synthesize both the theories required a brilliant brain which he had and used to the fullest capacity. He died a satisfied man. If this is not a miracle, what else can be?

Words fail me to describe the legendary scientist who was so positive despite his non-curable and progressive disability! Modern day man has to learn a lot from him!

Alone.

Agreeably the status of a modern day person!

Of life she writes.

The dark is overwhelming.

The sense of loneliness is strong.

Being surrounded but feeling alone is the worst feeling in the world.

It’s like the world is there but invisible.

I walk alone

And cry alone

And sing alone

And I’m alone.

The world is near but far.

And It’s the worst feeling in the world.

And I don’t know what to do.

Panic.

I guess.

Panic alone.

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Lest I am blamed!

It is a story of little sparrow which most of you might have heard. The little sparrow was standing on beach of a giant ocean, hardly visible against the blue expanse. It was time and again dipping its tail into the water of the ocean and taking it out striking in the already wet sand. The process went on and on! Someone observing the action asked her as to what she was doing!

“I am trying to empty the ocean”

Surprised, the observer said “what you can never do it”!

“I know that,” pat came the reply.

“Then why you are wasting your time”?

“Lest I am blamed that I did not try”.

Most of us fail to take an action prejudging our failure to succeed. But we must learn that an effort for change has to  be made without thinking of the results. A single action may motivate others to join in, and who knows, the ocean may be emptied!

The action of the four Supreme Court judges has to be seen in that perspective. They have done a great service to the nation and made their little contribution for the sake of saving democracy in India. Are there people who can join in in to save the important pilaar of democracy?

Conception

Poesy plus Polemics

Embryological Study by Leonardo da Vinci

courage is fathered

in a rank wretched bed

where masculine fear

lies down with his gorgon

in a choking embrace

expelling her peril

till foul becomes fair

and soiled linen creases

unfold in bright riots

of fortified flowers

that girdle the breast

with petals of armor

and freshen the beard

with fragrance of dignity

cleansing the air

for the first natal breath

of the manchild valor

now growing proud wings

in the belly where fear

hid his auspicious seed

(originally posted April 2013)

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