Back to School: Wo kagaj ki kasti Wo barish ka pani

Jagjit Singh’s gazal – Wo kagaj ki kasti wo barish ka pani – is a true reminder of childhood. And when we talk of childhood, school is the foremost in our memories. I use to wait for summer vacation and when it use to come, I use to crib when will it get over.

First day on school re-opening use to be like an event, a day filled with energy at the top level and a lot to talk and share with friends. I would say it was the most eagerly awaited day. The feelings were mixed, while my holidays were getting over for which I waited for the whole year and here I was desperate to run back to school.

One of the key reason for such high level energetic wait for school re-opening was my schooling was in the era wherein we were not yet hit by the ultra modernization bug of internet, mall and mobile culture. And because of this, the connection and communication with all the school friends were limited and virtually cut off during vacation, expect for those who were staying nearby.

Just to go back, just before the school start’s, covering all the books with brown paper was an event by itself. I remember the labels of books those days use to come with one where you need to apply gum and one ready to stick. Ready to stick were still expensive and we were to content with non ready to stick ones. Besides, buying of new school bags, pens and so on was a kind of a family picnic.

So much to say, share on that first day. The most important things that I use to look forward was the bench and seat that will become mine for rest of year. No doubt we were aware about our division but we use to still plan the initial days. For sure, I use to look forward for;

• Boast about my holiday experiences, movies, new happening, etc
• And all prepared to show off the new school dress (even though it was same for all)
• Who will be our class teacher
• Who will be appointed as a monitor
• Who will take our math’s classes and so on
• Look forward for our weekly calendar and look out for the days and number of games period

And since the school re-opening use to coincide with monsoon, till higher secondary, umbrella were a distant dream. Rain coats and Gum Boots were the opening entry to school. Just a taught unravels so many threads and unlimited recall of life around it. I am sure no money can get back to those days of paper boat and rain water entering through rain coats and gum boot.

I love the sweet memories of my school re-opening and I am sure same will be the case with many of us in our age group. Now when I see the kids going back to school, I wonder that the meaning and definition of “high” and “feeling” would have changed or probably may not even exist.

Will somebody fast for pot holes of Mumbai?

Rains have kept its promise with the island city and arrived on time. Our care taker – Municipal Corporation too had published that it has completed all the required formalities to take care of us in case of water logging and hassle free infrastructure. They have also spent crores of our money to clean drainages (as an additional preparation) and fill in the pot holes on roads (repair roads), for which we had already paid twice. Once at the time of original project being implemented and by way of toll charges and road taxes which is rampant.

We were told of enjoying trouble free monsoon. Mumbai’s Mayor, Municipal Commissioner, Political Leaders did inspection and also got media coverage. Authorities declared the pre-monsoon work as satisfactory and completed, Politicians (largely from opposition or not from ruling part) declared it as foul play.

It’s just about 10 days of monsoon and two / three heavy down pours and we are already stand still. Majority of places across Mumbai witnessed water logging and our Disaster Management System failed which promised to clear water logging, which itself need a savior.

Both rail and roads witnessed collapse. While railways are expected to get back on tracks, but what about our roads. Large section of office goers travel through roads and we are already seeing depleted road with pot holes coming up. The roads are pathetic and hours of traffic jams have already become regular. How are we going to survive the rest of the season.

We have witnessed series of national level agitation against corruptions. I am wondering that equal magnitude of corruption is also upfront visible to all of us in providing us even basic infrastructure like road on which we can ride. I am sure by the end of the season many of us traveling on Mumbai roads will face health problems like back pains, slip disk and stress. I heard one of the rickshaw guy saying – pregnant lady who wants to have a normal delivery can have it free by just travelling on Mumbai roads!!Recent photos in a leading dailies posted the new Lalbaug flyover just inaugurated few days back already having BIG HOLES.

I was wondering will any hero’s of the recent agitation stand up for this cause – though my wish is for Mumbai city, but I am sure that this would be the case across all metros and B towns in some or the other form. A agitation against our municipal corporations and state government who has to come out on roads and make our basic amenities work no matter if they have to WORK DAY AND NIGHT TO PUT BASIC INFRA UP AND RUNNING.

I am waiting for someone to fast for pot holes and also wondering why political parties from opposition are silent now. If they can gather in thousands at Azad maidan to protest corruption why not for this purpose?

Anna, Ramdev’s Political Fasting

I have learnt, observed and experienced that religion and politics are closely associated. Now I am learning that politics and fasting has got into some kind of relationship.

The recent agitation campaign led by Anna against corruption and now Baba Ramdev are turning out to be a national talk. While I appreciate and fully endorse the momentum that Anna Hazare and Yoga guru Ramdev has initiated against corruption – but this according to me is a disturbing trend. I see it differently.

As a country we have faced with the illness of corruption for ages. No doubt that we have been exposed to too many of them openly in recent times. But I have set of following questions when we are trying to fight corruption

a) Who is the originator / supporter of the corruption –

WE - the very same people who are fighting against corruption. Are we not responsible for promoting and give life to corruption. So should not the fight for this first begin with us.

On one end people like Anna and Ramdev have torched the fight, but just by changing certain laws will we be able to stop corruption. Using this very law we (I say WE because on one end we are the one who give bribe and on the other we are the one who takes it) the receivers of corruption benefits will makes our way to once again live with it.

I am not against bringing about changes in laws or getting it enforced – but it’s said – “Prevention is Better Than Cure”. And in this case it starts with us and ends with us.

Can we simply not promote - Just don’t vote such candidate who has been locked in such controversies – this is the biggest punishment – but we are good at forgetting and we don’t even know the right medium to fight.

I have a question -- I am sure the day laws are drafted according to Anna and Ramdev, who among us who has participated in their rally or support this agitation is going to monitor and keep a check. Our demand is to have better laws – OK Done – but are we ourselves willing to stop our self from giving bribe. If the answer is NO – then it’s of no use investing so much on all this. Neither Anna or Ramdev has ever in their agitation made a point or a statement to take an oath from people who participated that “We promise not to give bribe”.

b) Do we need Anna and Ramdev to fight corruption –

Not really. I firmly thinks so, not at least for Corruption. While in case of Anna the colour of a social activist was the theme, what is it in case of Ramdev. Is it something that all of a sudden people having large followers got nothing but “Corruption” to fight for. An article by a leading writer in the English Daily argues Ramdev is good at promoting health so let him concentrate and strengthen his fight with system – political or any other to promote and bring about changes in mass health system, free hospital, free medicine, etc. Why corruption?

I am sure we will soon have few other faces carrying regional followings standing up against corruption. When you attain a mass image like Anna and Ramdev you need to open communication dialogue with the system, create awareness among “WE” on how it can be stopped or what can be done to change it – this is not just for corruption but any agitation or change in system that we need. Changing the political system or laws will not change the Politicians

c) Don’t we have any other issues to fight on –

The cases of corruption has indeed come up in open like never before – National Games, 2 G Telecom and many others. But no single large personality has come upon and fought for cases of scams at Orphanage – we have already seen many of them. Delhi is plagued with sexual abuse on females, thousands of legal cases lying pending with no idea when they will see the day light and people like Kasab enjoying extended life. These are issues that need our participation, attention and change.

Moral of the story --

My feeling is that it is “Fasting” that has caught the popularity bug. All our religion has been promoting fasting as a religious ritual though benefiting health. Fasting is now turning out to be good weapon for leading agitations.

And sometimes I feel the way politics made religion a tool to achieve their means, now they have turned their heads to fasting. It is possible that political parties are promoting fasting so that they can come and agree to terms and conditions, get publicity (our media any which way don’t have any standing of their own but to keep splashing “TOP HEADLINES”) and the math is even if they are able to win a fraction of masses – it is still a cheap vote acquisition cost – What Say!!

I come from a software background and the calculation is in man hours so I say if 100 people are participating for 1 day for any agitation = 800 hours of man hours lost – could we have used this in a better way. Could this very same people helped in making / cleaning our system in a way that is measurable and output deliverable?