Survival....no strings attached

Naina peered out of the line. It would take definitely another hour before her turn would come up. Tired she sat down awaiting her turn.

As soon as she sat down her thoughts started to wander to the household. She wondered if Sanu, her eldest had fed her sister and her grandmother. Only 11 years old but already grown up, Sanu was her only help with the household work. Well past her eight month of pregnancy, there was very little that she could get done nowadays.

By the time she had finished with at the health center and on her way home, it was already noon. Under the scorching sun she trudged along the path leading to her village. Arriving home by dusk, she immediately lay down at the corner by the kitchen floor. Nothing eventful happened that night. Her mother-in-law’s usual sarcasm and her husband’s drunken ramblings continued. Her husband had stopped beating her months ago with an expectation that the present child she was carrying might be a son.

Her only comforting came from Sanu, more of a mother than a sister to her sibling; caring came naturally to her. Naina watched as her daughter dutifully finished the household chores. She reminisced how she had behaved the same with her mother before she was married off at the age of 17. Marriage did not change her status or her workload. The only change was that she had to share her bed with her husband, everything else the cooking, cleaning, mothering remained the same. Marriage in fact added additional burdens and torments like domestic violence at the home front.

She recalled how she grew up overnight with the birth of Sanu. She had to bear the scorn of her in-laws for bearing a daughter. But she paid no heed to it, she had loved her daughter since the first moment she was wrapped and handed over to her by the Dai. The hours of pain followed by exhaustion all bundled up before her; Naina adored Sanu, the only glimmer of in her dark life. The joy was however short-lived; no one, her husband nor anyone else had time to rejoice or look into the miracle of birth. Nobody understood that she felt special because of the bond of motherhood. By the time of the birth of her second daughter even she had ceased to believe in that special bond. The only thing she felt relieved about was that during the course of the pregnancy, her husband would stay away from her. She had come to understand that pregnancy was just an additional burden forced on women.

As she lay down to sleep that night, she prayed silently that her third child would be a boy so that she would not be cast aside for a younger girl by her husband. Her mother-in-law had refused all help towards her delivery and already in search of a new bride for her son. It seems she had foreseen that Naina’s third child would only be another girl, an additional burden for her son. In fact it was the situation that prompted Naina to go to the health centre and avail some assistance. Actually she was allowed by her husband to go to the center because of a new scheme called “Janani Suraksha Yojana.” She did not quite understand this scheme but knew that her family could receive money after her delivery. The local health worker had explained to her husband, but she did not get to talk to her.

Naina delivered a girl child; a week earlier before the due date. Though she was eventually taken to the Community Health Center, she delivered the baby on the way in a deserted location outside the village, assisted by an old woman (the only person who could be spared for her by the family). Naina did not survive to know if she her last child was a son or a daughter.

It was not much of a difference to her husband; he knew she would undergo family planning. He was thinking about the young girl that he was going to take as his wife.
Sanu felt lost but did not have the luxury of time to mourn; she had another child to look after…..

Her family received the Rs.900 (The actual amount being Rs.1500)from the ASHA (who earned the Rs.100/month) the next day…

"I'm an agent of chaos."- Philosophy of a madman!!!

Introduce a little anarchy. Upset the established order, and everything becomes chaos. I'm an agent of chaos. Oh, and you know the thing about chaos? It's fair!

==================================================================
Batman: Then why do you want to kill me?
The Joker: [laughs] I don't want to kill you! What would I do without you? Go back to ripping off mob dealers? No, no, NO! No. You... you... complete me.
Batman: You're garbage who kills for money.
The Joker: Don't talk like one of them. You're not! Even if you'd like to be. To them, you're just a freak, like me! They need you right now, but when they don't, they'll cast you out, like a leper! You see, their morals, their code, it's a bad joke. Dropped at the first sign of trouble. They're only as good as the world allows them to be. I'll show you. When the chips are down, these... these civilized people, they'll eat each other. See, I'm not a monster. I'm just ahead of the curve.
Batman: Where's Dent?
The Joker: You have all these rules, and you think they'll save you
==================================================================
Two-Face: It was your men, your plan!
The Joker: Do I really look like a guy with a plan? You know what I am? I'm a dog chasing cars. I wouldn't know what to do with one if I caught it. You know, I just... do things. The mob has plans, the cops have plans, Gordon's got plans. You know, they're schemers. Schemers trying to control their little worlds. I'm not a schemer. I try to show the schemers how pathetic their attempts to control things really are. So, when I say... Ah, come here.
[takes Dent's hand into his own]
The Joker: When I say that you and your girlfriend was nothing personal, you know that I'm telling the truth. It's the schemers that put you where you are. You were a schemer, you had plans, and look where that got you.
[Dent tries to grab the Joker]
The Joker: I just did what I do best. I took your little plan and I turned it on itself. Look what I did to this city with a few drums of gas and a couple of bullets. Hmmm? You know... You know what I've noticed? Nobody panics when things go "according to plan." Even if the plan is horrifying! If, tomorrow, I tell the press that, like, a gang banger will get shot, or a truckload of soldiers will be blown up, nobody panics, because it's all "part of the plan." But when I say that one little old mayor will die, well then everyone loses their minds!
[Joker hands Two-Face a gun and points it at himself]
The Joker: Introduce a little anarchy. Upset the established order, and everything becomes chaos. I'm an agent of chaos. Oh, and you know the thing about chaos? It's fair!
[still holding the gun, Two-Face pauses and takes out his coin]
Two-Face: [showing the unscarred side] You live.
The Joker: Mm-hmm.
Two-Face: [flips, showing the scarred side] You die.
The Joker: Mmm, now we're talking
==================================================================

The Joker: Oh, you. You just couldn't let me go, could you? This is what happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object. You are truly incorruptible, aren't you? Huh? You won't kill me out of some misplaced sense of self-righteousness. And I won't kill you because you're just too much fun. I think you and I are destined to do this forever.
Batman: You'll be in a padded cell forever.
The Joker: Maybe we can share one. You know, they'll be doubling up, the rate this city's inhabitants are losing their minds.
Batman: This city just showed you that it's full of people ready to believe in good.
The Joker: Until their spirit breaks completely. Until they get a good look at the real Harvey Dent and all the heroic things he's done. You didn't think I'd risk losing the battle for Gotham's soul in a fistfight with you? No. You need an ace in the hole. Mine's Harvey.
Batman: What did you do?
The Joker: I took Gotham's white knight and I brought him down to our level. It wasn't hard. You see, madness, as you know, is like gravity. All it takes is a little push!
[the Joker laughs hysterically as Batman races off and the cops come to take the Joker into custody]

Slumdog Millionaire-The Indian Reality

What does it feel to grow up as an orphan in India? What does it feel like to become a millionaire? What does it feel like to betray? What does it feel like to starve? What does it feel like to see a murder? What does it feel like to be lucky?

What Does It Feel Like To Know That "IT IS WRITTEN" ??????????????

Danny Boyle's Slumdog Millionaire appeals to all these elements making you realize that its a HARD life but people go on living. The social order of the life in the slums , the ambitions/lusts for power and the usual play of destiny makes the movie an honest and bold statement of India.
Though the movie underlines the lives of the ordinary, it is not a tragic or a gripping tale of sorrow; instead it showcases the extraordinary lives of the ordinary whom the world passes by without a second glance. The movie probes through all the issues from riots to prostitution,high society mumbai underworld to young fanatics of Big B.....
The movie is a truthful documentation of Life Of Slumdogs....... A story of (as quoted in the film) "From Rags to Raja's"..........

India, Contradictory by Choice?

As a country that supposedly gained its Independence from non-violent means the hypocrisies that continues in the nation are countless. In fact, the suppression that happens in the country remains vigilantly demarcated and prevails under layers of countless constitutional acts, amendments, laws institutions and finally powerful individuals. The fight for democracy in our country has not received the rightful attention it deserves. The non-ceasing crusade for justice and equality by the numerous human rights activist’s remains muted and cleverly concealed by authority. Fuelled with consumerist culture, the privileged in the country find it hard to imagine the “iron curtain” that is in existence in the country.

As well informed and media savvy individuals of country there are many among us who do not know about Irom Sharmila or the AFSPA. Not a controversial issue as the North –East region of our country has remained for long distant and remote to us. In fact, we “mainland Indians” have no understanding nor do we take interest on the issues of gross human rights violations that happen in the region. The only paradox is that the violations that happen here are due to the abuse of power by the army.

Unlike elsewhere in the country the people of these regions regard the army personnel only with terror and fear. The Army controls the regions with the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA). This act confers special powers and legal immunity to army personnel in the North East region. The AFSPA is active in the states of Manipur, Nagaland and other North East States (Disturbed areas) to curb insurgency. The misuse of power by the army in these regions, leads to rapes, assaults, damage to property and most of all provides them an absolute power/control over people. The majority cases go unreported and the horrific crimes keep repeating. An appalling number of innocents have had to lay down their lives due to the human rights violations by the army.

Amidst this violent atmosphere, Irom Chanu Sharmila started her fast to death in November 2002, to repeal the AFSPA in Manipur. Seven years on and her non-violent crusade for justice continues with the same vigor. The grit and determination of this human rights activist that deserves special recognition and support remains anonymous to the majority. Following a path least travelled in a country notorious for violence Irom has proven the dedication to her cause, to her people and her home. She represents the need to imbibe the strength of non-violence to fight injustice. While adjectives do fall short, the grim reality remains that Irom is fighting a lonely battle.

In a nation, that regards “Gandhi” as “Father of the nation” who can explain the absence of honor to a WOMAN who has braved the odds to seek justice. In reality is India democratic. If so why has not the issues of human rights violations been resolved but prolonged with various committees and governments. The lack of accountability on the part of the government as well as the army to the violations and violence has remained a huge blotch with no answers. Unheeded and unnoticed Irom continues fasting for the cause of democracy. Perhaps she is the only individual who still believes in the “spirit of democracy” on which this nation was formed.

Religion, Politics and Power....

All of us in this world are followers of a certain belief system or faith. There are also those among us who do not follow any of the belief systems or faith but adhere strictly to an ideology based on objective thinking, behaviour and so on. All through the ages, there have been numerous contributions, trials, tribulations, debates, arguments, criticisms etc between the various sects. Inherently all human beings exhibit the trait of “individual self-expression”, all of us trained to express our feelings, thoughts as well as absorb and understand life through the same ways. All human beings depending upon the situation carry out this process of understanding and assimilation with the world around consciously or unconsciously. What poses here as a question is do human beings necessarily at all times follow only the prescribed model or the pattern of the majority or the path of individual self-expression.

It is here that I begin my debate….
A statement goes that
“Every man
Is like every other man
Is like some other man
Is like no other man”
(I am using the word “man” consciously.)

The growing religious fervor in the country has led to many dissent and disaster among the people in our country. Religious groups each trying to outdo each other and display their followers, power, control and prosperity. I am going to refrain from adding the adjective “greatness” as no religion equates shameless display to greatness or expects followers to explicitly define, highlight the greatness of the religion. Religious processions have been for long the trigger point for violence and many groups manipulate this situation to serve their own means. Mob violence has been on a rise with organised violence sanctioned by the so-called leaders of the religious groups.

India has been the melting point for different cultures, activities, faiths, beliefs as well as ideologies. The land enriched by the various invasions is subsequently the home to many religious groups. The major religious groups Hindus, Muslims, Christians followed by other groups like Buddhists, Parsis, Sikhs, and Jains. In addition to them, we have numerous tribal groups who have their own specific forms of faiths, beliefs as well as sects of people belonging to rationalists, communist’s school of thought and strong atheists. The mere presence of these diverse schools of thought has been the cause of tensions long enough. However, the Indian democracy announced the country to be secular and proclaimed the ever-popular slogan “India –Unity in Diversity.”

It is not easy to imbibe this slogan, as by nature: as (fragmented) Indians we remain divided not merely by religion, in fact religion is only the starting point followed by caste, class, culture etc. Ages of history has kept molding and remolding the people of this land in order to adapt and survive the situation. This history does not let us set aside the “excess baggage” of mistrust and fear aside. Even when we proceed towards radical and new beginnings at the heart incidents keep repeating, tormenting and planting seeds of suspicion and tensions within us. The nameless fear has successfully integrated itself within us making “change” a very complex process.

Beginning with the partition, our country has witnessed bloody violence and indiscriminate loss of lives just because of the hatred and intolerance. The display of ruthlessness and equating the same to assert a faith has suspended objective thinking. Rape, torture, looting and murder of anyone different from us have become sadly, the accepted norm of the day. The saying “survival of the fittest” reinterpreted to suit the selfish motives and designs of the “supposed” leaders. The burning vengeance from the blood split during partition remains fresh in our consciousness as a beast awaiting prey. It was following the partition, the preparations for the intolerance war began.

Frequent brawls, fights, clashes, violence kept erupting and effectively building up the dogma of hate and antagonism. With the years the agenda of the many religious and political figures worked to their expectations and people have successfully divided located themselves in places favorable to them. This pogrom of planned divisions happens all around the country and the visible examples of this is the “New Delhi”, “Old Delhi”; “New Bhopal”, “Old Bhopal”; “Hyderabad”, “Secundrebad” and so on…. Even within the city that we reside we can demarcate the lines of Hindu habitat and Muslim habitat (although there are exceptions to this). These carefully alienated localities help nobody but the rioters and extremists during their killing, bombing and looting sprees. This strategically planned religious persecution is evident from the Babri-Masjid as well as the recent Godhra massacres.

The extent of inhumanity is beyond the capacity of our imagination. Survivors of these riots place their experiences as that being worse than hell (however, horrifying HELL been portrayed)… When human beings can create HELL on earth why has not the gods protected the innocents? Why has not god punished the guilty? Why has not the lord saved the defenseless? Why has god instead let loose the inhuman creatures capable of wicked and sadistic crimes? These are the questions of the millions of the survivors and victims’ alive to speak out of these religious regimes vicious cruelty. Sadly, no GOD answered these questions. These questions remain as ramblings floating around us and echoing of the shameful acts of brutality that we “Human Beings” are capable.

Many organizations have branded themselves for the cause of “religious/cultural glorification and revival.” They find faithful and active supporters among the disillusioned, disappointed and unemployed youth groups. Once taken in the youth extensively trained to practice, preach hate and anger towards all others whom they regard as different. Grilled into their psyche that “certain”, “particular” groups are to blame for the disparities that are in existence, the leaders effectively control, create havoc and destructions to fulfill their personal goals and ambitions. (‘Political’ by nature.)

Where do women fit into this whole agenda? Easy… they are the countless victims, they remain the most vulnerable targets and most affected by all forms of these religious, caste based, ethnicity based violence. The numerous assaults, abuses, sadism that women had to endure during these forms of bloodshed go mostly unreported or censored to avoid further provocation. While this is quite genuine, this does not lead to arrests, detainment or punishment for the accused. In most cases, the perpetrators of these heinous crimes go scot-free.

Why is rape of a woman justified by these rioters? Why do the religious leaders not end this form of violence but use “rape” of woman as an excuse to continue with the same behaviour? Why are women who have till then been excluded, kept away from self-expression and disregarded in political fronts used as a “COMMODITY” to upkeep the hypocritical, insincere religious/caste based/ethnicity based values or morals of the groups and their so-called leaders?

The systems of the country have failed to protect the innocent and punish the accused; the country has sadly become an example where dictators function with democracy and use “religion” as their weapon for POWER.

Kandhamal ....an example of increasing communalism and religious fundamentalism

It is within the framework of Communalism can we categorize the non-ceasing violence , the attacks on women, the damages on property and the evident threat to individual self-expression. When religious groups view, a mere arch as a symbolic threat and justify the subsequent violence the situation demands the urgent need for us to revisit our religious doctrines. No religion preaches violence or justifies violence against those different. All religions preach respect towards other faiths and not condemnation. Many of the radical religious groups tend to misinterpret doctrines and spread hatred between communities and religions.

As a country infamous for communal strife, the recent Hindu-Christian clashes in the Kandhamal district of Orissa do not come as a shock. In order to understand the present situation, the events leading to the clashes need to be re-examined in chronological order. The Kandhamal district of Orissa is rich in natural resources with its inhabitants belonging to various tribal communities. The district headquarters is located at Phulbani and Christian population form the majority inhabitants of the Kandhamal region. The ruling government of the state the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and its political ally is the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) (The pro stand of the ruling government towards radical Hindu groups is no surprise). In the recent times, there has been an increased influence and presence of radical Hindu groups in the area.

Background to the issue:

Religious tensions in the region have been quite high and the communal clashes that happened during December 2007 proved as a strong trigger point for further violence. Initial reports claim that the problems flared up when the Christians belonging to Brahmanigoan decided to erect an arch leading to their church as a part of the Christmas celebrations. With many factors at play the sole incident cannot be simply, taken up as the focal point. Several reasons like the strife between the Kondh-Pana communities, the anti-conversion campaigns by Sangh Parivar, VHP influence, the economic prosperity of the members from the Christian communities etc all acted as catalysts towards the communal tension.

As early as 22nd December the Church authorities informed the Sub-Collector that they apprehended trouble on Christmas and asked the district administration to take the necessary measures to prevent anti-social elements from exploiting the situation to create the trouble. Church authorities informed the Sub-Collector that the Kui Samaj had given a call for a bandh on 25-26 December to press their demands regarding various issues. They requested the district authorities to remain alert and preempt any trouble. On 24th December a group of 150-200 people started demanding that an arch put across the road by Christians should be removed in Brahmanigaon even though the Christian community had received official permission for putting up the pandal and for the use of loud speakers. The district administration confirmed the grant of permission. Two reasons were advanced to halt work on the arches and pandal. (i) It would affect business. (ii) The pandal was sought to be erected on the very site used by the Hindus to celebrate the Durga Puja festival in October. Protestors then sought to close the weekly market on 24 December.(NATIONAL COMMISSION FOR MINORITIES - Report of the NCM visit to Orissa, 6-8 January 2008)

The weekly market is the time of good business for all shopkeepers and the Christian shopkeepers all prepared for the festival season refused to comply with the mobs, which resulted in clashes in the area. The Christian owned shops looted, destroyed and the situation aggravated with a report of attack to the vehicle carrying Swami Lakshamanda. The inflamed mobs attacked and destroyed property, inflicted violence and in retaliation, the Christian groups felled trees and blockaded the entry to the villages of the district. While this situation prevailed many of the people fled to the forests to seek asylum from the violence. The attack of the Hindu owned shops by a few Christian groups followed promptly thereby worsening the situation altogether.
The local people retreated to the forests and had to carry on without proper water, food, or sanitation, bear the chillness (A bonfire not alighted, for fear of being spotted) for almost two to three days. They had to endure mental and emotional trauma in addition to the physical hardships of the situation. (There are cases of women who underwent delivery without the essential medical support; Children with no food and water.) Added to this their property was damaged, assets destroyed and looted during the clashes. The amount of Hindus owned property destroyed and damaged is minimal in comparison.

Ever since the violence in December Kandhamal has been the boiling point for communal tensions. The after effects of the December 2007 violence were that the local markets, which were thriving, suffered financial losses. Businesses affected with people still fearing to brave out because of the insecure and violent atmosphere.

The state government officials have also taken sides by rejecting to file FIR’s lodged by the Christians but accepting those from the Hindus. In addition to this the compensation packages provided by the state government was unfair towards the Christians who had suffered a greater part with regard to property losses. In contrast, the Hindu shop owners recompensed for the damages suffered by them. Disregarded in the government compensation package many of the former Christian shop owners reduced to paupers have resorted to loans for rebuilding their businesses.
The lasting damages of communalism like mistrust between religious groups, the continuously prevailing atmosphere of tension, violence and mutual hatred, anger between communities have started to worsen and the number of causalities increasing with the incidents. Similar to numerous other situations women have been the worst hit targets of this conflict. The latest victims of this tragedy are a nun who was gang-raped and a 20-year-old woman from an orphanage immolated. There are also numerous other cases of trauma and assault which have gone unreported.

It has been almost a year since this incident and yet the discontent continues and assaults have aggravated between the religious groups. The communal fervor that has risen because of the presence of the radical Hindu groups needs to be acknowledgment and not sidelining as one among the reasons. The biased attitude and the subjective stand of the State also need to be scrutinized. The trend of justifying violence and employing violence as a means to a fair end by these religious groups has to terminate if justice has to prevail.

Millions of innocents have already fallen victims to the Communal riots and the tensions that are prevailing in the country. Most of the victims are nameless innocents who have had to give up their lives because of the self-indulgence of a few. The powerful political organisations in our country have also adopted the British philosophy of divide and rule targeting as well as threatening the minority groups in the country. By actively supporting extremists’ religious groups, the political groups have gained popularity and used misguided individuals to serve the purpose of vote-banks. In the name of religious revivalisms’ and regaining ethnic ownerships, politicians have effectively manipulated situations to serve their own interests. Numerous lessons from the past are also indicative of the growing shift towards communalism that needs an immediate check and counter.