Army Day…Reforms Required….. 15 January 2008

Today is Army Day. It is celebrated every year on 15 January in recognition of an Indian becoming the Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army.The person was Lieutenant General K. M. Cariappa and the year was 1948.

Should the Indian Army really celebrate? Far from it. It is time for them to introspect and improve. They have fallen from grace. Every day we hear about scandals in the Army: wide spread and large scale corruption among the top generals in the purchase of equipment, faking of battles to win awards, fudging of results of equipment trials, diverting of food and other items meant for troops for monetary gains, harassing and commiting violence on civilains (including women), nepotism and non-military considerations during promotions and transfers, trying to cover up their misdeeds etc.

Knowledgeable common citizens are disillusioned. So far they have been proud of our Army (as also the other arms of defence namely Air force and the Navy) for their integrity, honesty, foresight and valour. Not any more.

S. Gopal
…Keying in is better than idling

Bhaarat Ratnaa for me…… 16 January 2008

(more than 350 words)

Maananeeya Pradhan Mantri Mahodhay Man Mohan Singh Ji,

(Pratilipi: Shrimathi Sonia Gandhi, Congress Party aur Desh ka katha-dhartha) (Please put in a word)

(Pratilipi: Honourable Rahul Gandhiji, Bharat ka bhavishya) (Please recommend my name)

Namashkaar! Saadar Pranaam!

I hope you had a nice and successful trip to China. How was the weather in Beijing?

I understand that you are in the process of selecting candidates for awarding Bhaarat Ratna. The country has already honoured 40 persons with this Ratna; the dishonourable exception being that of Mohan Das Karamchand Gandhi (the person whom we remember on 2 October and whose samadhi we visit that day).

Please consider my name as well; I have impressive credentials.

· Many times since the year 1960, I have travelled in long distance Indian trains, especially in the unreserved third class (even after it was renamed as second class). That was long before Lalu Prasad Yadav became the railway minister.

· I was a suburban train commuter with a second class pass for three years in Mumbai when it was known as Bombay.

· I have successfully crossed many roads at all hours in Bangalore, Hyderabad, New Delhi, Chennai, and Mumbai.

· I have undertaken many journies by Deccan Airlines (before it shook hands with Kingfischer Airlines); I have walked several kilometers to get into the aircraft; I have lived without sipping a drop of water in the plane.

· I have lived in Lucknow, the capital of Uttar Pradesh for about 14 years under various political regimes.

· For about eight years, I used the services of Delhi Transport Undertaker (sorry, Undertaking), well before it became DTC , to go to school and college..

· Hundreds of times I have used the services of a meterless three-wheeled wonder known as `autos’ in Chennai, driven by the most decent, well-mannered individuals on Mother Earth!

If these expolits are not sufficient to grant me the coveted medal, please let me know; I will send you a list of my other accomplishments.

Thanks for reading me patiently (that is, if you at all read this!)

Appa Charan Sparsh Karta Huva,

Subrahmanyam Gopal

Fear or What?…….. 10 January 2008

(nearly 400 words)

The other evening I travelled in a government bus from Yeshwanthpur to the Majestic Bus Stand (Bangalore), a half-an-hour drive. The bus passed through Malleswaram and Seshadripuram, two old habitats with a rich tradition of scholarship and religious fervour. I encountered several places of worship on the way on either sides of the road.

A young man, in his early thirties, sporting a small round vermillion mark on his forehead and a talisman on his neck sat by my side in the window seat. He had an overstuffed travel bag on his lap. He wore a sweater. Probably he was going to Majestic area to catch a night train or bus to go out of town.

In another seat was one more young man in his early twenties. He was well built. He had his top two shirt buttons open, probably to exhibit his manliness – a la Salman Khan style (now further popularised by Sharukh Khan as well). He wore three rings on his right hand and a rather long talisman on his neck. He had a macho look on his face.

You will agree that both these men had contrasting personalities.

But I observed one common trait in them. Whenever the bus passed by a temple their right hand would rise; its fingers would touch one cheek, then the other, then the forehead, then the chin in quick succession. Simultaneously their both eyes would close for fleeting seconds, and their lips would utter an almost silent prayer. This process repeated itself at least half-a-dozen times (as many temples on the way).

I wondered why they performed the act which I have described above.

· out of sheer habit; something imbibed from their parents or grandparents since their childhood?

· out of fear of God? (why should one fear God, the merciful and compassionate, I thought further)

· were they asking for a boon from the God so that their immediate missions become successful?

The thought of asking them these questions did cross my mind, but then I decided against that; it was politically incorrect to do so; it was also fraught with dangers. Reaching home quickly and in one piece were more important than these issue, I quickly and wisely decided.

S .Gopal
..keying in is better than idling

Can Man know what God thinks?…. 15 December 2007

A couple of months ago, the authorities in the Sri Krishna Temple in Guruvayoor, Kerala decided to allow women dressed in churidhar-pyjama inside the temple. Since people from all parts of India visit that temple and since such attire has now become an all-India one, the news was widely welcomed. Till then only sari-clad women were allowed to enter the temple.

As for me, I hold the opinion that a proper churidhar-pyjama (unlike the filmy ones) is more `modest’ than a sari.

Then some pundits in the temple got together to do a `devaprasnam’ (an astrological exercise) and `found out’ that presiding deity was `angry’ with the decision to relax the dress-code.

My comments:

· Hindus believe that God is present everywhere and knows everything. However, some Hindus seem to know what God knows; a case of a mere mortal able to perceive what an immortal thinks!

· God is known as `karuna sagara’ – all compassionate. How can somebody attribute a negative emotion of anger to Him?

Think it over….

S .Gopal
….Keying in is better than idling

Obscurantist practices… 11 December 2007

Yesterday I heard that some well-educated, upper middle class, and not-so-old ladies known to me walked for five hours from their homes in suburban Mumbai to the Siddhi Vinayak Temple in Prabhadevi. I was also told that `even’ Amitabh Bacchan did the walking!

I can see only two reasons why they undertook this exercise.

· to thank the God for fulfilling their wishes

· to ask for more favours

Several related questions:

· Is modernity and civilisation limited to owning swanky cars, marbled house, overflowing wardrobe and other material acquisitions? Is it not time to effect a change in the mindset?

· Is God so naïve as to grant favours to someone who undertakes such an exercise?

· Is punishing the body like this is good for health for such individuals who are not used to such rigour in daily life?

· What happens to the theory that God is everywhere (including within oneself) and knows everything?

I know what the answer will be: You don’t ask questions when matters of faith are involved. Period.

S. Gopal

… keying in is better than idling

Babri Masjid demolition..Has it helped? 6 December 2007

This day, in 1992, the Babri Masjid (Mosque of Babur), the largest mosque in the state of Uttar Pradesh, located in Ayodhya was demolished by a crowd of about 150 000 people.

Reason: The leaders of the majority community in the country believed that the mosque was standing on a place known as `Ramkot’ (Rama’s fort) Hill, where a temple to commemorate the birthplace (Ram Janmasthan) existed earlier. Their understanding was that the temple was destroyed under the orders of Babur – the first Mughal emperor of India – and a mosque built in that place in the 16 th. Century A.D.

Has the demolition helped?

Social scientists believe that

• tensions between the two communities have heightened since then
• some bloody events in the country can be traced as a backlash to the destruction of the Babri Masjid

Fifteen years down the line, the proposed Ram Temple has not come up.

Whatever it may be, this event will not be brushed away by the historians who will write on post-independence India.

S. Gopal

….Keying in is better than idling

Therapies Galore…. 1 November 2007

Apart from the various medical systems – allopathic, ayurvedic, homeopathic, and unani – practised in India, there are many types of therapies advertised or announced in the Press. I have listed some of them below.

Dance therapy

Music therapy

Vipassana Medidation

Yoga therapy

Breathing Exercises (Art of Living)

Water therapy

Laughter therapy

Naturopathy

Aroma therapy

Massage therapy

Lifestyle change

Reiki

Pranic healing

Accupuncture therapy

Quite a few of these therapies work on the basic premise that the root cause of many medical problems is stress and tension associated with modern living. Each therapy claims to attack the root cause and ensure a happy living.

While all these therapies may result in some benefits, I wonder whether

• these therapies will stand the test of scientific scrutiny of replicability in identical conditions.
• commercial motivations of the practioners of these therapies have overtaken the noble ideals of those who discovered these therapies.

S. .Gopal
…keying in is better than idling

Swamijis and other mortals… 29 October 2007

Swamijis, as per my understanding, are those who have renounced worldly matters and materialism. They are the ones who have taken a vow to lead an austere living. To symbolise their beliefs, they shave off their heads and wear saffron clothes. The common mortals look up to them for advice as they believe in their impartiality. After all, swamijis would not say or do anything for their personal gains.

What happens in practice, however? Read on.

Sri Shivapuri Swamiji of Omkarashrama in Bangalore died on 25 July 2007 leaving behind property worth crores of rupees. Immediately after that two swamijis – Madhusudhanandapuri Swamiji and Purushottamanandapuri Swamiji – made counter-statements; each said that he was the true successor to the deceased Swamiji; each of them claimed to hold a will executed in their favour by the departed Swamiji. There was also a caste clash – one is from the brahmin community and the other from the Uppar community.

Swamjis and property? Swamijis and caste?

Now the politicians have entered the fray and the government has now taken over the property.

S. .Gopal
…keying in is better than idling

Falling at elders’ feet… 27 October 2007

From childhood we have been instructed to respect the elders. And make a show of it by prostrating in front of them and touching their feet in reverence.

Prostration is the placement of the body in a submissively prone position. Also known as Sashtanga Namaskkara, males have to lie down so that eight portions of the body – forehead, chest, left toe, right toe, left knee, right knee, left palm, and right palm – touch the floor.

The person in front of whom you prostrate is supposed to bless you for some benefits depending on the situation: get first rank, get married, beget an army of children, long life etc.

My first question: `Respect, okay. But why make a show of it?’

Another still basic question: `Do all elders deserve respect?’ We have many elders amongst us who are unethical and immoral double-crossers. Do we still have to respect them just because they are our elders?

Coming to the blessings the elders shower on the younger, how sincere and effective are they?

S. .Gopal …keying in is better than idling

Who Owns God ?……. 23 October 2007

Those who strike a deal with Him; `If I pass my exam, I will offer you bananas equal to my weight?

Those who pay any amount of money to get near His idol quickly through a fast track route (some even use helicopters to reach the temple town) and stay there for a longer time?

Those who decorate and offer food and other items to His idol, and conduct the poojas?

Those administrators of the temple who lay down the rules and regulations – one set for themselves and their friends, and another set for the other class?

Those who systematically smuggle the temple funds and property for their private purposes?

Those poor multitudes who have immense unconditional faith in the kindness of God and who surrender themselves before God?

These `real’ devotees know that God is watching; I hope others also realise this sooner rather than later.

Nobody owns the God; God owns everything !

S. .Gopal …keying in is better than idling