#7:Not Ok with PK....

It was spring of 2008....tomorrow was my maths board exam, I was preparing hard for it. I had completed almost all chapters. All there was left to do was revision. In evening I thought to arrange my box and started to collect all the necessary mathematical tools like divider,compass etc..Suddenly I realised that I don't have my admit card, and at the same moment I paled at the thought that what would happen if i couldn't trace my admit card back.I informed my family immediately and the very moment emergency was declared . Everybody explored the every corner of house but couldn't find that and in this process we were at dawn....I had an board exam after 3 hours.I started crying and praying to god and father asked me to dress up so that we can reach the exam centre early and find out alternate option. Somehow the center incharge was convinced to allow me to appear and in the mean time they would find my admit card. I gave the exam under the threat of being expelled from that room any moment. But somehow they found my admitcard in the exam center itself as I have left that in the previous exam. In the end all went good but in that moment of crisis who was there with me?? I was never a boy who worshiped a lot and went to temple before exam but when I was in exam hall sitting alone, there was only one thing that was convincing me that everything would be fine..and yes no prize for guessing that thing was so called hypothetical god..which are reported to be missing or you can say Laapata in our very own Aamir Khan blockbuster movie "PK".

I know he didn't wanted to hurt any sentiments, He wasn't even doubting existence of god. He was just unhappy with the rituals, and simply high lightning the malpractices going in name of religion. But I would like to know one thing, why we are showing the bad aspects of every religion?? why we are spreading negativity in our society?? Don't we already know how bad the other religion is....other than our own.

This is not the first movie to do so.we have another one "OMG" which shows the same thing. and we can digest one on the account of covering every issue in our versatile Bollywood. but we shouldn't make it a trend because you know people here are not so mature. they are only intelligent enough to laugh at the jokes but they seldom get the message conveyed actually. 

Another important aspect is that in every religion there are some debatable practices that doesn't mean we should abandon that religion and become atheist. This will be just like a person not happy with the government way of working is leaving the country because in this world nothing is perfect if you are not happy with it change it instead of telling others that look I found a fault in the system and creating havoc among people. I know the directors and the actor of movie are not the caretaker of country.they are just for entertainment but with crores of followers you people have certain responsibility, you have to carry that in a responsible manner.

Our world is full of problem's and negativity what I urge you people is not to highlight the problems instead highlight the solution and going by the history many religion have originated from time to time to make a better society, yet today all fall into the same category. So the solution is to repair the existing system, so that gap between poor and rich can be minimised and I would request the youth of the country to do a close study on their respective religion and to understand the basic teaching of that and I have deep trust that they will find a logic behind each and every ritual which were supposed to be performed by any person with all terms and condition. and if you don't want to use your mind so much I request you to don't make a conclusion out of movie likes "PK" and better start watching "Pogo"..:-)

                                                                                                  Gangeshwar Tripathi

#3: India Beyond Bangladesh

I still remember that day,I was watching Baba Ramdev's protest at Ramleela Maidan when a friend of mine called in the eve to inform me that AIEEE results have been declared. Since a lot was at stake on that result, I quickly took my motorcycle to nearest internet cafe. Results were not good, I got gloomy AIR 22696. Now I had to decide, whether I should join a state engineering college or opt for NIT brand. The latter option means I should be ready to go the so called remote area of our country i.e either J&K or Northeast India. At that time I reluctantly opted NIT Agartala.

Since then I never feel that I am staying away from home unless I go to my hometown Bhopal, where I am treated like I am living outside this country.Everybody keeps asking that how you manage there, how frequently violence occur there and no matter how much I tell them that it is quite a nice and peaceful place, they console me with the sympathy that don't worry just survive four years and you will do well for the rest of your life. And this is not just the case of neighbours. This witless thinking prevails from Vodafone customer executive to training officer of NHDC, where I completed my summer training.

Today after spending about 4 years in this place, I realised why people think that northeast is not a good place to visit, it's unsafe there.It is because that these people don't have proper knowledge about this part of country.

Just to crosscheck my blunt views,just go to the main part of India and ask any educated person if he wants to go to Tripura(or any north eastern state) for his studies or business purpose and I am quite sure that most of them will say that it is too far and too risky to go there. Then you just hand him the map of India and ask him to locate any place of northeast,again I can assure you that sadly they will not be able to locate the position of seven states.

So what I have been trying to convey for so long is that the condition in these remote area is not so bad as we think. Actually the situation and people living here are satisfied than many of the people in metro city.This ignorance about northeast is not the problem of common people only but it is also the thinking of media and politicians.Few people know that Tripura has the highest literacy rate among all states in India, still they go on saying that people living in northeast don't know how to live as their food habits are a bit different.

People argue that the geographical features of North East are a big obstacle in developing this area. But for your information the current meter gauge railway track was built by Britishers in 1899. After that it took us 115 years to make a decision to upgrade it. Here arises the million dollar question why the whole mass including government,media person doesn't bother to even think about the people living here.Why a chain snatching case in Delhi is more highlighted then the rape case of Guwahati ??, Assam faces flood every year due to mighty Brahmaputra how many people know that?? Lets ask the capital of seven sister states,do you think the people who are living in mainland will be able to tell even two?
People also say that it is hard to reach in those places since there are no means of transport then I would give a big round of applause to the telecom and beverages companies because you can find their product in every place of northeast even where population density is lower then 100 person per sq km.

What I would request my reader that we live in an era where gaining information is quite easy, Before really making an opinion about a place make sure that you know it well. The beauty of northeast is not from any angle less alluring than that of places like Kashmir and Shimla.

I know there are some burning issues in Assam and other part of north east but it keep happening in every part of country,but just by saying incredible India and doing nothing for these people, we can't achieve the integrity.We need to make sure that these beautiful people living here never feel that they are being ignored.

Ending this note with a wish that someday Indians will change their perception towards northeast and will accept these lovely people instead of calling them chinese & nepalese. As in northeast alone about 220 languages are spoken with about half of the floura and fauna variation found in our country comes from this place. It is even said that the fashion sense in Shillong is 10 years ahead of our bollywood,and who can forget the contribution of "Gorkha regiment" in all the wars India have been ever engaged in.Considering all these facts I think we need North East part of our country to be on same level as rest of the country so that we can move forward as "INCREDIBLE INDIA".

                                                                                                            

                                                                                          Gangeshwar Tripathi

#1 Changing generations, changing rituals

Sometimes there comes a times when you feel that the old philosophy for which you have been arguing with others for so long doesn't hold true now.

Today was like one of that time of mine, Every thing started good as like on every year Duga Puja, I went to Agartala city to explore the streets full of positive vibes with dozens of people looking happy, from owner of Sherowali to a road side vendor everyone was looking at ease. After seeing those highly decorated pandals,I thought that how they got those money...or isn't it better to do charity with this amount of money rather then spending it lavishly on Navaratri celebration.

But there is a whole new way of looking at this particular issue on which most of the modern people go along with my latter view. If you will closely observe the population of Agartala you will feel how much Durga Puja mean to these people and to be frank half of this anticipation comes because of that decoration thing.

It doesn't only appeal to the rich ones...but the poor ones also cherish these moments as this is the only time they can roam in the streets full of lights,sounds,decoration and most importantly prasad. This is the only time of year when they can entertain themselves since this is the only free of cost live show available to them.It is also the time when these small vendors earns the max profit.

The whole conversation reminded me of the post on facebook on which someone wrote that nowadays these rituals and festival are modernized noisy and they don't serve the old purpose of giving peace and at that time i also agreed to certain extent that yes nowadays the people coming in these festival are not interested in the worship and even many are atheist. But now i realise that these are the people who have found a different way of handling their lives. Gone are the days when people find solace and peace in the picturesque temples with pin drop silence. We are in 21st century and mentality of people has been drastically changed. So what everyone should ensure that everyone has their own way of living may be right,may be wrong. So never make a pillar strong opinion and be a bit flexible about your views, it is always good to know the pros and cons of every thing.And it is very simple thing to do that as in our mind there is a little part which try to oppose our every move, most of the people just put that part in sleep mode but according to my views let that part speak..argue with your selves because in this way you may take time in taking decision but the decision that comes out finally will be a distilled and effective one.

Shubho Nabaratri...