Development or Destruction?

At the cost of being branded "biased", I have no hesitation in proclaiming Udaipur-The City of Lakes, my hometown, a paradise on earth. The reason is simple. From being a quaint sleepy tourist town, the city is fast becoming a buzzing tourist destination, a city that was proclaimed as one of the best cities to live in by the prestigious travel magazine Travel & Leisure. So, now I have big malls along with the local stores, wider roads and express highways. Multi-storied buildings that were once just the prerogative of the bigger cities have now started dotting the landscape of the lake city.

All around the talk is about "Growth" and people and policymakers alike seem to be only concerned about development and growth. To cater to the housing needs of the ever expanding population, the hills adjoining the city are being flattened. To provide people with better roads, the Aravali ranges are being blasted off and tunnels are being bored through them. Trees and the greenery are the primary victims of the "Development " of the city and the lush greenery within the city is eroding fast.

 What is more alarming is that the local authorities in cahoots with the big real estate developers, have over the years, allowed constructions in areas which are fragile in nature. Innumerous, hotels and guest houses have come up near the lakes and many residential projects have been sanctioned, which has in turn resulted in the lakes getting polluted in the absence of proper sewerage disposal.

Udaipur's USP (Unique Selling Proposition) has always been its natural beauty and its lakes, if in the name of development, we create havoc with these two very distinct things, then the question whether we are actually on course for development or destruction, begs an answer, using the business lingo, ASAP!!   

Adversity shows true character- A top 5 of great characters

I once saw a presentation by eminent motivational speaker, Sharu Rangnekar in which he beautifully described a situation when a person is under pressure. He said that from time immemorial, it has been in the human psyche that when faced with an adverse conditions, one has only two options : Fight or Flight! 
Thus, an adverse condition honestly speaking is a necessity that shows the true character of a person.

There have been examples galore that showcase the greatness of people from all spheres of society because of their resilience and strength of character that helped them in withstanding the brutal onslaught of adversity.
Presenting a top 5 of great characters from a bouquet of spheres:

1) Mythological- The Hindu mythology is very vivid and colorful and is dotted with many characters who faced adverse situations admirably. Lord Ram, the prince of Ayodhya for one, did not bat an eyelid and went about doing what was required of him, even if it meant that he had to leave aside his royal luxurious lifestyle and lead a life of a forest wanderer. Another great example is the eldest living son of the Kuru King Shantanu, Devabrat, popularly known as Bhishma or 'the one who has taken a terrible oath". The most righteous, able and rightful heir of the throne of Kuru, Bhishma abdicated in the favor of this half brothers and vowed never to ascend the throne of the kingdom of Hastinapur. He even put his duty before preferences during the battle of Kurukshtera as per Mahabharata, the Hindu epic and sided with the Kauravas though he personally felt that the Pandavas represented the righteous path. He fought heroically and killed many of the Pandava soldiers but never killed any of the Pandavas themselves. He could have broken his promises made or he could have even retired but he put his duty before anything else.

2) Historical- The princely kingdom of Mewar has had many rulers but none as famous and revered as the might Maharana Pratap. Pratap become the king when most of the Rajputana was ravaged by the Mughal forces of Emperor Akbar and most of the other Rajput kings had become vassals of the Mughal emperor. Maharana Pratap could have chosen the easier way out and accept the suzerainty of the Mughals and retained his kingdom but he chose a far difficult path. He fought tooth and nail against the vastly superior Mughal army despite suffering numerous debacles. His fierce desire to free his beloved motherland from the marauding Mughals, saw him gradually inflict crushing defeats on them and virtually freeing his whole kingdom by the time of his untimely death.

3) Contemporary- Kisan Baburao Hazare is diminutive old man who galvanized the entire country on a single plank, that of better governance and anti-corruption. The social activist from rural Maharashtra in India popularly known as Anna Hazare nearly brought the policymakers and the political power of the country, to virtually its knees after his call and subsequent fast to enact a stringent anti-corruption law, the Jan Lokpal bill. The resultant fast tracked enactment of an anti corruption law (though a much diluted from the one envisaged in the Jan Lokpal bill) was a semblance of victory for Anna Hazare, who like most in the country could have accepted corruption as a way of life but decided otherwise.          

4) Political- One of the great characters from the political sphere from round the world has to be Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president of the United States of America. Though born in a poor family in Kentucky, the self educated Lincoln guided his country through great turmoils, though none more than the American Civil War. His life was a constant struggle but he never backed down from his beliefs and was instrumental in preserving the continuance of the United States as an union and also led to the abolishing slavery in the USA.

5) Sports- Though there are many from the sporting arena who have inspired millions around the world including Indian boxing sensation Mary Kom popularly known as Magnificent Mary and cancer surviving cricket star Yuvraj Singh, the story of Arunima Sinha is truly awe inspiring. A national level Indian volleyball player, Arunima was mugged on a running train in 2011 (when she was just 23 years old) and thrown from it. It resulted in one of her legs being amputated below the knee. This devastating incident would have sucked the "life" from any person but not Arunima. She started her life anew and with tremendous will power and nerves of steel she embarked upon a new journey. While recuperating in the hospital, Arunima wished to conquer Mount Everest, the highest mountain peak in the world. This gave a new definition to her life and she diverted all her energies in achieving this seemingly impossible goal that too for an amputee. She fought on and on 21st May 2013, just 2 years after her life shattering accident, Arunima became the first woman amputee in the world to have scaled the highest peak in the world.

There are many stories of resilience that pop up everyday in each one of our lives, stories that motivate us to fight on with a vengeance at the unfavorable surroundings and situations, but more often than none we tend to find the easier way out and "flight" rather than "fight" but we need to always remember that
"Life isn't meant to be easy but meant to be lived. Somtimes happy, other times rough.With every up & down we learn lessons that make us strong".

The Social Media!

Even a decade and a half back for most, Social and Media use to imply 2 different entities. Social was something that related to society and media was a medium through which information was dispersed. But with the advent and proliferation of the internet and mobile technologies, Social Media has a new definition now. WTF. Watsapp, Twitter and Facebook has encompassed us from all sides and as is the case with virtually everything in life, they have had an effect which is "Great Good" as well as "Great Evil".

Social networking sites like Facebook have helped people get closer and stay in touch, destroying physical and geographical boundaries. Long lost friends have been united as have been families all across the world because of Facebook. For many, sites like Orkut and Facebook have been platforms through which they have been able to connect with people they love and "To Share is To Care" has gained completely new dimensions in the social media lingo.

Social Media is also instrumental in "Changes" beyond imagination. The genesis of the Arab Spring Revolution was in the Social Media. Millions of anonymous users of social networking sites united, initially virtually and then physically, to oust despotic regimes across countries like Tunisia, Libya and Egypt. The social media gave a vent to the suppressed aspirations of billions of youth, depressed by large scale corruption of the ruling elite. Even in India, the Anna movement and the tragic Braveheart rape case of New Delhi showed us glimpses of the constructive power of this new media.

But social media has also brought forward some very disturbing developments. The same media which is hailed as a connector has become a catalyst in the breaking of actual old world emotional bonds. People living under the same roof, now brag about how much they love each other on the social network in a false display of public display of affection. Private life has become much too public and everything is gradually becoming artificial, with a view to garner more likes on the Social Media. Real people are spending more time on the virtual sphere neglecting more pressing things in hand like job, duty and most importantly family. The children are aping their parents and what we are increasingly finding today, are picture perfect families with little emotional bonds within them. A real irony. The urge to check periodically (could be within hours, minutes and sometimes even seconds) whether one has been liked online has become so immense that the likes and dislikes of the loved ones at home, has become secondary.

The ease with which a lie can be propagated as a truth on the social media is also a very upsetting trend. It has become a potent tool for the destruction of harmony amongst communities world wide. The Muzzafarnagar riots and the mass panic movement of the people of the North East India are the recent examples of the destructive power of the social media. Character assassinations are done with aplomb, day in and day out on social networking sites and the tragedy is that the gullible youth is easily targeted by religious zealots and corrupt politicians, who in their quest for ultimate nefarious objectives, find the social network a very handy ally.          

Reading through Amish's Shiva trilogy, a fact of life kept on staring back at me, everything in this world is based on balance and if the balance is tilted in anyway, destruction awaits. So, too much good will always give rise to too much evil as Good and Evil always co-exist. It is for us to take a pick so that our evils are balanced out by our good.........

The Social Network is no doubt a wonderful tool and it is very difficult opting out of it, but we need to be aware of the evils that are lurking by; because today,  The Social Media has indeed become a necessary evil!

The Silence of the Lambs!

Yesterday I again watched the Oscar winning movie "The Silence of the Lambs", starring Sir Anthony Hopkins and Jodie Foster in the lead roles. The spine chilling movie was as always, a treat to watch. Ironically, yesterday was also a day when the much maligned Prime Minister of India, Mr Manmohan Singh, popular in the social media as MMS, spoke strongly in the parliament on the depressing economic scenario in the country as well as launched a scathing attack on the opposition, which for long has been baying for his blood.

Sir Anthony Hopkins

Now how is my watching a movie and the prime minister's speech, ironic?? It is because of the fact that our prime minister is famous (or should I say notorious) for his silence. He has become a butt of jokes because of his silence on all major issues facing the country, be it scams of gigantic proportions, lethargic foreign policies or economic doldrums. His silence was as silent as the silence of the lambs and that he decided to break prolonged silence on the day I watched "Silence of the Lambs", was the irony.

MMS with his impeccable credentials as a top notch economist and a person with the highest integrity has probably led a government that has been embroiled in scams and controversies of scales, which have been unprecedented in the Indian political history. Again an irony, as MMS himself has never been even suggestively targeted as being dishonest by anybody.

But as a leader of his pack, he has the moral responsibility for the doings and undoings of his team. He should have led by his own example and should have set examples of those who were corrupt. But alas, he has failed by not acting boldly and affirmatively. In the words of Abraham Lincoln, "To sin by silence when they should protest (and act) makes cowards of men", and it is again an irony that history might evaluate MMS on the basis of these very lines, inspite of the many qualities that he has, that makes him very different from the majority of the greedy and corrupt politicians that are eating into the resources of the country like termites.

Janmashtami Special- Shri Krishna and his continued relevance and popularity!

Lord Krishna, one of the most loved Hindu deities, is said to be the 8th incarnation of Lord Vishnu, the preserver of the world as per Hindu beliefs. Shri Krishna was born on Janmashtami (28th of August this year) which is celebrated with religious fervor by Hindus all over the world.

It is said that Lord Vishnu comes to the mortal world in the form of incarnations when Mother Earth is ravaged by evil. In case of Shri Krishna as well, the reason was the same. During his life time, Lord Krishna delivered the world from many evil men like Kamsa, the King of Mathura, and was instrumental as the chief strategist for the Pandayas winning the battle of Kurukshetra of the Mahabharata fame.

Over centuries, times have changed but the relevance and importance of Shri Krishna in the Indian society has not diminished, in fact his charismatic influence has actually increased over time. So, what might be the reasons for this, I wondered, and in search for an answer, I had a very interesting chat with my father and the following points cropped up during our discussions.

Glimpses of the life and times of Shri Krishna

1) Shri Krishna was a "Doer"- Shri Krishna throughout his life has been depicted as somebody who is a doer, a man of action. In his childhood he was known as a "butter thief" as he used to steal home made butter and eat it. In his adolescence, he was notorious for his lover boy image and the fact that he used to tease girls in his village. In his youth he became famous for standing up to what he felt was right and was revered for it. India today has a very young population and the youth can easily identify with the different stages of Lord Krishna which embodies naughtiness of childhood and adolescence and level headed maturity and determination of youth.

2) Shri Krishna was "Practical"- Though he always followed the righteous path, Lord Krishna was also very practical in nature. In my opinion, he felt that the End always justifies the means.
A little deception in life is not wrong, especially if the deception could lead to more welfare for the general masses at large.As the chief adviser to the Pandavas, Sri Krishna was instrumental in advising the use of deceit during the course of the battle of Kurukshetra which resulted in the annihilation of many of the stronger Kaurava generals like Dronacharya and also Karna.

3) Shri Krishna was a "Motivator", par excellence- In today's fast paced materialistic life, when constant pressures both professional as well as personal take a heavy toll on individuals, the teachings of Lord Krishna, especially the discourse that he gave to the Pandava prince Arjuna prior to the start of the battle of Kurukshetra, all documented in the sacred book of the Hindus, the "Bhagwat Gita", are a great motivator and stress buster and enhance the popularity of Krishna amongst the youth.  

4) Shri Krishna was "Unorthodox"- The life of Shri Krishna is full of paradoxes. On one hand he used to tease the womenfolk of his village in his adolescence and on the other he was the person who saved the honor of Draupadi, the wife of the Pandavas from the Kauravas. He is believed to have wedded 16000 women in his life time but is the same person who is known for his devoted love towards "Radha", his consort. He was righteous but at the same time not averse to occasional aberrations for the general good. All in all, he was not what one would call "perfect" and this very reason makes him endearing in the eyes and hearts of the Hindus.

These are just a few reasons I could fathom out, which in my opinion are the reasons for the continued relevance and popularity of Shri Krishna, even today among Hindus not only in India but the world over.

Wishing all a very Happy Janmashtami! Jai Shree Krishna!!!

Apple and Newton's Theory!

It is famously asserted that when the great English Physicist and Mathematician, Sir Isaac Newton was once sitting under an apple tree, an apple fell on him. Falling of apples is not an uncommon thing and many people might have encountered this "accident" over centuries. But this particular incident spurred Sir Isaac into action and he discovered the forces of Gravity.

He quoted : "Anything that goes up, must come down"and this quotation of his has become a Universal Truth, quite literarily. In all the spheres of life, be it Social, Technological, Economic or Political, this quotation is correct to the "T".

1) Social- Social upheavals have been a common phenomenon from time immemorial. The Incas, the Mayans and the other American Indian tribes, the undisputed overlords of the Americas, are now limited to certain reservations and pockets in their own homeland. Closer home, the once unconceivable obsolescence of the caste system is in progress. In many Indian states, the supposedly upper castes are now being governed and lead by leaders from the lower castes. In the mad melee for job reservations and quotas, the upper castes have also upped the ante demanding reservations for their own.

2) Technological- Kodak was once the undisputed "king" of the photography landscape. It was synonymous with a camera. Come 2013, it has been a year since it filed for bankruptcy. In the age of digital cameras, the photo pioneer got spectacularly left behind.

3) Economic- Economies have risen and fallen like pins in a bowling alley throughout history. First the greatest economies in the world like India and China crumbled under the onslaught of the colonial powers and the British empire emerged as the beacon of economic light for the entire world. Then the British empire gave way to the Superpowers like USA and USSR and now the world is again looking towards India and China, a perfect complete circle this.. 

4) Political- Corrupt regimes have been overthrown in places like Tunisia, Libya and Egypt. The autocrats who ruled these countries with an iron fist, saw their autocracies come crashing down like a pack of cards in the wake of massive public outcry and mass movements.

All fellow members of Blue Caramel should bear a fact in mind that "There is nothing stronger than Time" and if you go up in life the only things that can keep you up there from the various spheres of life are Tolerance for others (Social), Innovativeness (Technology), Managerial skills (Economic) and Honesty and truthfulness in dealings (Political). 

A poem on Indian Independence Day!

With the 67th Indian Independence Day in just about a week's time, my wife who is a teacher was frantically searching for a poem which she would make her students recite on 15th of August. She searched the net but could not come across any which would be ideal for her students who are in kindergarten. As a last resort she asked her father-in-law, if he knew of any poems that were ideal for the students. And lo, in less than 10 minutes she had a poem that was to her liking. From where did father get the poem, he made his own creation. A tribute to the genius that my father Udayan Mitter is, presenting the poem (though it is in Hindi).

आज़ादी  के  इस  पावन  दिन  पर, शीश  सभी  झुकाए  | 
On this auspicious day of independence, lets all bow our heads.

वीरों  के  बलिदान  को  आज , याद  करें  और  गुण  गाएँ   ||      
Lets recall the supreme sacrifices made by the freedom fighters and sing praises in their honor.

लहराते' इस  झंडे  को', सब  करें  सम्मान  |||                
The tri-colored flag that is fluttering let us all always honor it.

आओ  मिल  कर  गाएँ  , जन  गन  मन  का  गान  ||||             
 Lets all together sing, the Indian National anthem.

Salute!!!