shades of life

Zoos have outlived their utility

2009-09-02T17:22:00.000+05:30

The recent controversy about a politician having infiltrated a tiger's enclosure with a gunner in tow has raised many questions.

One of them is "Have Zoos outlived their utility?"

Three factors have completely changed over the years.

One, a significant part of our wild life has become endangered and many wild animals are now protected. Two, the information revolution has brought many exciting new avenues for multi dimensional learning about our animal kingdom. And three, in the 21st century there is vast awareness about prevalent cruelty and ill treatment of animals and what was legal before is not only illegal today but heavily punishable.

Let us accept it - our Zoos are hell holes for animals. A large section of the visitors to these hell holes are unaware of the sensitivities of poor animals who have been incarcerated in medieval conditions for no reason whatsoever. Such visitors behave abominably and the pitiful caged animals suffer in extreme vulnerability. Most animals are fed poorly and you will frequently read about unnatural deaths of animals in Zoos.

In the enlightened 21st century, let us display the wisdom of the developed human race and abolish the barbarity of imprisoning hapless animals for our entertainment. Let us accept "animal rights" as our responsibility to the entire animal kingdom.

Let us convert Zoos into open havens of nature where animals can roam free as they were created to. And if education has to happen in these open havens, let such education be non intrusive - meaning students watch and learn unobtrusively, without disturbing the natural habitat and the natural environment of the animals. Let us respect the sensitivities of these beautiful creatures who have as much right to the planet Earth as we have.

While we are at this subject, can we also insist that laws relating to animal protection are implemented more vigorously? Can we persuade the Police force to assign a small band of men with exclusive responsibility for prevention of animal cruelty? Can we enforce the law relating to the nose ringing of animals which is reportedly banned and attracts severe penalty?

Courtsey: email from PPI

Indian Election.

2009-05-18T18:49:00.000+05:30

So the pundits got it wrong again!

After all the talk of a hung Parliament, we do have a clear mandate, and would most likely see a stable government which will see through it terms of 5 years.

I think more than any party, it is India that has won in this election. India stands tall amongst its neighbors, who can be labeled as failed states. India is a shining example of democracy, where we have almost fair and regular elections and where power passes onto the next government without a hitch.

Is it a good result?

It depends on which side of the court you are in. I am happy for the fact that there will be a stable government.

In these difficult times of recession, our country could ill afford to have an unstable alliance, with forces pulling and pushing it in opposite directions.
The government needs to take tough decisions, which it could not do if it had to depend on support from so called Third front and fourth front. However there is an element of Left policies in one of its allies, Mamta. Only time will tell how much she is able to influence this government’s policies.

I am happy that parties/politicians who are devoid of any ideology have taken a sound beating. We want clean politics. I know politics is never clean, but these small caste based parties had taken Indian polity to newer lows. They would go any which way, without any qualms, to grab power. I consider it worst kind of political prostitution. These parties get their votes by stoking the fire of castesism.

Now the Congress will get down to serious business of government formation. With near half way mark on its own, it will not be subjected to black mail and arm twisting politics of smaller parties. It would do well to dump/ignore the likes of Lalu ,Paswan and Amar Singh.

Last time the party gave preference to experience over youth and we saw incompetent ministers like Home minister Shivraj Patil, whose only qualification was loyalty to ‘The Family’. He was given the cabinet post even though he had lost election.
I hope this time the party would give chance to the youth. The nation would love to see how the second generation politicians like Pilot, Scindia and Deora perform. I also hope Rahul baba takes up official post now and do away with wielding back door power without accountability. After all MMS has already declared his intention to hand over the power to the real inheritor mid way during the term of this government. (I know his mother will continue to wield super power without any accountability, and our PM will have to look her way to get her nods for every single matter)

I have to admit that I am no fan of Congress, and blame it for almost all ills that plague the nation. However I don’t wish to take away anything from them in their victory. It is their moment of glory and they have right to celebrate.
It is the people of the nation who have reposed their trust on it, and I hope they accept it with humility rather than arrogance and put the nation above other interests.

Saving our planet- some crazy ideas!

2009-03-21T19:45:00.000+05:30

There is so much talk about ecology, energy savings and going green, but not much visible concrete measures being taken either by governments or individuals.

Measures need to be taken at all levels to counter Global warming phenomenon. I believe, we need out of box solutions. While any individual measure may not give us desired results, collectively these small measures can make a difference.

Many of us have ideas brewing in our heads. So do I. Here are my crazy ideas. But aren’t all ideas seemed crazy in the beginning? Who had thought humans could fly till Wright brothers invented first flying machines!!
So here it goes:

1. All cities have particularly busy stretch of roads where cars ply 24x7, bumper to bumper, causing immense pollution.
Imagine for a moment that cars don’t move, but the road does. Cars would just come, put their credit ticket in a slot, and park themselves on these moving roads and the road will drop them, say a kilo meter away, after which they can move on their own. The roads can be made to move by electricity, whether generated by nuclear energy or hydro power, which is cheaper and less polluting.

2. Similarly so much of pollution is caused by public transport. If instead of busses, we can have elevated moving paths where pedestrians can just hold the railing and stand and cover a straight stretch of say half a kilo meter. There can be many such pathways zig zaging the city. Commuters can change from one to the other to reach their destination.
This is similar to moving paths that we have in many international airports. To counter elements of weather, it can be covered at top.

3. There is so much of awareness amongst youth for physical fitness now a day. We can have stationary cycles installed for citizens in parks where they can come and work up their muscles for free. Now we know cycling generates power. These cycles can be connected to a grid which will collect the electricity generated.

4. I saw on some channel a few days back that a devise is developed which can charge your cell while you are walking. Such devises should be made popular and more such uses can be found for them.

Crazy ideas, right? Even I think implementation of these ideas can be challenging. Nevertheless solutions to overcome them can be found, I am sure.

My rambling

2009-01-31T16:26:00.000+05:30

It was a spiritual moment. It was only me, the mountain and the clear blue water lake in front of me. The air was still. At a distance I could see snow capped peaks aiming towards sky.

It was a pleasant and warm day in spite of it being a winter month. Even though I was there with a friend, he didn’t exist for me for those magical moments. I was one with that moment and my surroundings.

For many moments even thoughts didn’t disturb my trance like state.
The mountain is so gracious. The lake is so majestic. They are always there for us. We can come to them any time we want to. They accept us without judgment and provide relief to our mind and soul. We feel rejuvenated in their company.

Whether with our family members or friends, I think, we need to adopt similar attitude….to be there with total acceptance and without conditions. They should know they have us to confide in or seek solace whenever they want to.

Does that make us a doormat? Sometimes it may seem so. For such a situation we may have to resort to some act. It is not advisable to let people take us for granted.

However, when they are in need of our counsel or help, we should be there without prejudice, and without carrying burden of that person’s past acts which might have offended us.

We all need and look out for such support in life. Maybe we can begin by being support ourselves for our near and dear ones.

Pan Islamic view?

2009-01-16T17:38:00.000+05:30

Living in an Islamic state since last 3 years, I learnt a lot about the religion which I never knew back home in a secular country where we do not indulge in religious talks, at least not with people following other faiths. The religion has intrigued me, with so much happening in its name worldwide.
Is there a pan Islamic thinking…some common thread which is triggering events worldwide, as if by some co ordination!!

I quote below a few conversations I had with so called educated Kurdish people, one being London educated engineer. These conversations were in context to India, hence very relevant to us.

1. He: you say you have 150 million Muslims in India, then why you don’t have Fridays as holidays?
Me: Because we have more than 850 million non Muslims.
He: ok…..but still your country should respect faith of 150 million Muslims and declare Fridays as holidays.

2. He: Now you have a Muslim as president, right? (That time APJ was the president)
Me (with lots of pride): yes, that is right, and he is a scientist who developed missiles for India.
He: Why doesn’t he declare India as Islamic state?
Me (with shock): Well because our constitution makes us a secular state. Besides our president does not have executive powers. These powers rest with our Parliament.

3. He (London educated engineer): India has such a big problem of population. Why doesn’t govt. enact laws to tackle the issue?
Me: You are right. Our country needs some laws to control population, but some religious leaders will oppose any such move, citing it to be against their faith.
He (after some thoughtful moments): If you are talking about Muslims, then they are right. We need to increase Muslim population worldwide, specially where we are in minority.

This person further enlightened me that according to Islamic beliefs the first man Adam, had dropped somewhere in India from heaven. So it is the desire of every Muslim to conquer India and make it an Islamic state.

Most shocking for me were the conversation with the second and third person. My secular conditioning had never allowed me to see a pattern which nevertheless exists since middle ages when India was repeatedly attacked by Muslim invaders from Afganistan, Iran, magnolia….by Taimur Lang to Chaingez Khan, to Gaznabi , Nadir Shah. Ghouri to the Moghuls.

Interestingly each of the invaders targeted the seat of Hindu faith, its temples. They ruthlessly looted and destroyed them and built Mosques as symbols of their victory over their ruins. I will not go into details of how they forcefully converted local population into their own faith. Our ‘Secular’ history books also do not acknowledge such atrocities ever having been committed.
Even in present age, terrorists choose to target the temples, whether it is Akshardham, or bajrangbali or Mumba devi.

Is there a Pan Islamic view which has existed for thousand and five hundred years? If you had asked me 3 years back, I would have engaged you in a debate against it. Now I would think there is.

I am not against any religion, and my purpose is not to spread hate. My faith and spirituality has no place for hate, but promotes only love, for all creatures of the planet….Vasudhaiv Kutumbkam.

However I do believe that one needs to open eyes to the reality. Keeping eyes shut in the name of secularism will only harm the nation. What with millions of illegal Bangladeshis crossing over each year and changing demography of the whole of North East.

I also believe that any nation that chooses to ignote its history is doomed to repeat its mistake.

I do not care how one chooses to worship or what name he gives to God. It is none of my business. Similarly it should be none of anybody’s business how I choose to relate to God. When I do not attack anybody’s faith, none should dare to even think of harming mine.

Love, actully?

2009-01-04T20:30:00.000+05:30

Guy meets girl. They fall in love. A beautiful relationship begins. Somewhere along the way, something goes wrong. Suddenly, his temper becomes annoying. Her stubbornness irritates him. And the relationship becomes more an issue of tolerating rather than loving. Weren't these qualities present before? Is there something wrong with them? Was it his fault or hers? Was it anyone's fault at all? These are experiences we come across every now and then. Tales of two wonderful people but a not so wonderful ending.

One of the biggest problems we face in relationships today, be it husband-wife, parent-child or between friends, is the phenomenon of attachment. Attachment in relationships is when you begin to depend on a person because of a perceived return. This return may be material, emotional or even intellectual. When we function on attachment, the relationship reduces to a business deal. You are happy when the person caters to you and unhappy when he or she doesn't. You scratch my back, and I'll scratch yours. We continue the interaction as long as it appears beneficial to us and when it doesn't, we conveniently drop it. Attachment in the final analysis is self-love. It is the most disguised form of selfishness because at the end of the day, all you are interested in is yourself. The relationship is based on what you get out of it, not what you are giving to the other person involved.

Love, however, is a completely different ball game. You don't love the person ‘for' anything. You just love the person. No strings attached. You do things for the other person without wanting or expecting anything in return. Quite contrary to popular belief, love is a one-way street, in the lover's mind at least. Because you're happy irrespective of whether your favour is returned or isn't. Whether your gesture is appreciated or isn't. For you, the joy comes from simply doing something for the other person.

However, even in love, there are times when you need to be harsh keeping in mind the interest of the other person in the relationship. A typical example is a parent being harsh with the child when it does something that is damaging to itself. The parent always maintains an attitude of love but does what is necessary to make sure the child does not hurt itself. Similarly, in our relationships, there may be times when we need to be harsh. But the harshness must come out of a spirit of love. Therefore the attitude of love that we are talking about is not something that leads you to be a doormat for someone else. Love must be the underlying feeling, its manifestation, however, depends on the situation you are faced with.

When we approach relationships with an attitude of love rather than attachment, it becomes insulated from change and more sustainable. Love helps us put our fears to rest and frees us from the clutches of expectations. It is a phenomenon that liberates the soul and, most importantly, takes us forward on the spiritual path.

In your relationships, think about what you can give and how best you can serve the person in the relationship. Is it love or is it attachment? Question yourself when expectations creep in. Try and keep your love as pure as possible and enjoy the peace that ensues.

My blunder

2008-12-23T20:06:00.000+05:30

Languages can be tricky business. Slight change in pronunciation of a word can create havoc.

I remember the time when I was still new to Moscow and was struggling to get the words right.

Russian winters being what they are…..i wanted to buy a head gear to keep myself warm.

I told my driver, in Russian, ‘payadit na magazine, ya Khachu kupil sabaka’ .....meaning lets go to a shop, I want to buy a cap, or at least that’s what I thought I said.

Russian language has 2 different words, shabka and sabaka. The former means a head gear and the later,…… well, a dog.

Long silence followed, finally the guy said, why do u want to buy a sabaka?

What a foolish question to ask, I thought, why does anybody buy a cap!!

‘padamosta tak colodniya’….because it is so cold, I said, suppressing my irritation at the silly question.

After another particularly long silence the guy said….gaspadin Kedia, tibya noojhna padruga (Mr. Kedia you need a girlfriend)

Only after I spoke to him through a translator did I realize my blunder and also the terrific sense of humor of the driver.

Of course I had muddled up and had said I wanted to buy a dog, instead of a cap. And the driver was thinking……he is feeling cold and wants to buy a dog….for what…maybe he wants to hug the dog to keep warm and sleep. Wouldn’t it be so much better to hug a girl friend instead!!!

Time

2008-12-22T19:24:00.000+05:30

‘I will pick you at 8’, he had said. It is past 10 now and am still waiting for him to show up.

I had to forgo my morning exercise to be ready by 8 and rushed through with whatever little I could stuff myself with in breakfast.

Now waiting in the hotel room, with nothing much to do, I am angry at myself.

I curse myself for believing him. I should have known by now. It happens all the time with him. Funny thing is he switches off his mobile too.

I hate to wait and hate it more to make somebody wait.

Invariably I am ready before the scheduled time.

I have learnt not to try changing others but to accept people as they are, with all their goodness and faults.

In the process I also learnt that it is equally difficult to change myself. Still trying to accept myself as I am.

It would be so much better if we could learn to respect others time as well as our own.

So the wait continues…..he cant be changed, and I refuse to change myself.

Love part 2

2008-12-19T20:12:00.001+05:30

Since my friend's question set me thinking, i searched for what others have said about the misterious word 'LOVE". I searched the net, looked into a few books...and compiled a few quotes. It makes an interesting read. It seems people were as confused centuries ago abt love as they are now. Perhaps That is the reason philosophers and thinkers like Sophocles, Rumi and Khalil Gilbran had to come to their rescue to make some sense of this magic word.

The Greeks defined love in four categories:

1. Agape love is unconditional love. It is love by "choice" even if you are not pleased. A good example is "God loves us with our faults."

2. Phi Leo love is the love of "attraction" guided by our likes or our healthy or unhealthy needs and desires.

3. Storge is the word for family love and the physical show of "affection" the need for physical touch. Sometimes friendship that becomes physical love.

4. Eros is the physical "sexual" desire, intercourse. It is the root word of erotic, and eroticism.

Below are some of the quotes which I found most interesting:

"Your task is not to seek for love, But merely to seek and find All the barriers within yourself That you have built against it." Rumi

"The most difficult thing to explain in life is the simplest truth called love." Ramanathan Srinivasan

"The greatest pleasure is love". William Temple

"One word frees us of all the weight and pain of life; that word is love". Sophocles

"Because when we love, we always strive to become better than we are." Paulo Coelho in The Alchemist

"Love is that enviable state that knows no envy or vanity, only empathy and a longing to be greater than oneself." Joe McMahon

"And think not, you can direct the course of love; for love, if it finds you worthy, directs your course". Khalil Gibran

"Love is the most beautiful of dreams and the worst of nightmares." William Shakespeare

"Love is like a spice. It can sweeten your life - however, it can spoil it, too". Confucius

"I have never met a person whose greatest need was anything other than real, unconditional love. You can find it in a simple act of kindness toward someone who needs help. There is no mistaking love. You feel it in your heart. It is the common fiber of life, the flame that heals our soul, energizes our spirit and supplies passion to our lives. It is our connection to God and to each other."Elizabeth Kubler-Ross

"There will be a moment when you're eyes meet and everything in the world is simple again." [Michael Edwards]

"You don't get to choose. You just fall".Anonymous

"In dreams and in love there are no impossibilities." Janos Arany

Love

2008-12-19T19:56:00.000+05:30

What is love, a friend asked. 'Does it exist?'

A difficult question……. Words have their limitations. Thinkers, philosophers, spiritual leaders, writers and common people, all have tried to answer it since time immemorial. However none could contain the vastness of the words completely.

I quote below what I wrote in her blog:

Love....aha...the most mysterious of all words!!

No amount of words can describe it. But it IS there....all around us, in various forms and manifestations.

The earth has been going around the sun for millions of years....it is the love which compels it to do so.

It is the love of the river for ocean which compells it to travel thousands of miles non stop...

I am sure the sun also loves us, otherwise why wud it nurture this magnificent earth and all its creatures not expecting anything from us.

I feel there is some Divine love which has set everything in motion...

And yes....we humans have also been endowed with this magical quality. How else do u think human race has survived for thousand of years.

ask a teenager who has just felt the first twinge of love. U might prefer to call it infatuation, but for him/her it is very real.

And then there is love of a parent for the child, specially a mother's, totally selfless and unconditional. This is the nearest one can get to true love.

None of us can survive without love. We need it all the time. Just think a bit deeply then u will realise.

These r just a few random examples of endless list.

And yes...I do realise that these r ramblings of a romantic fool.

To use a cliche....Lets RISE in love and not FALL in love. :)