Little Tribal Girls who made India Proud.

After a long hiatus I am here again  Blogging. This time I am keying this as a very proud Indian. Though I am sharing a mail -a forward I received from a friend of mine- I feel very proud and happy in sharing it with you.This is one of those very proud moments we seldom get.Our media some how find little time for such "trivia"even in their sports section. While handling the avalanche of so-called sensational "Sarita news" and "Shah Rukh hugging Salman" they are very reluctant to spend precious newsprint or prime time for such 'trivial' items. 
Now here is the item . Please read on.

 Some really big sports news

 

  Kusum Kumari (left) and Rinky Kumari (Captain)
How the hell is this not big news to be proud of, how did it go under the radar? Instead of this we have news of Salman n Shah Rukh huggin..grrr
Few days back, as a billion plus India slept, a handful of tribal girls proudly held aloft a trophy they won in their maiden entry in a football tournament in far-flung Spain.

It was the night of July 13. Hundreds of fire crackers lit the skies as the girls screamed Vande Mataram – their battle cry – for being placed third in the Gasteiz Cup, the world’s best testing ground for teenager football in Victoria Gastiez, also popular as Europe’s Green Capital.

They were the same girls who were slapped, kicked and made to sweep floors by arrogant bureaucrats in Jharkhand when the girls asked for birth certificates, a necessity to apply for passports.

But they eventually managed their passports, thanks to a strapping American, Franz Gastler, who pushed the cases of the girls with mandarins of the Ministry of External Affairs in the Indian Capital.

He was a lone ranger in his efforts.

The girls were lovingly titled the Supergoats by the organizers in Spain the moment they saw the girls playing barefoot in practice matches on arrival.
Why?

The girls had limited football gear and could not take the risk of tampering it before the tournament. They were overawed by international teams in the first tournament, the Donosti Cup, but came to their own in the second tournament.

Offering a consolation prize for the third team – winner of a match between losing semi-finalists – was a mere formality for the organizers.

But for the girls, it was a giant leap into global soccer from their impoverished Rukka village near Ranchi, considered one of the world’s epicenters of child marriage and human trafficking.

As soon as the announcement was made for the prize distribution ceremony, the girls rushed into their dressing room and returned, some barefoot, wearing red-bordered white saris, their traditional festive dress. Many had their plastic flowers in their hairs.

And when they huddled together after the mandatory photo session, some wept inconsolably because they had almost given up their hopes to participate in this tournament.

“They were over the moon. It was their night,” said Gastler of the girls, who subsist on less than a dollar a day.

For a country low on soccer, this was - arguably - good news for the mandarins of the game. But no one cared. All India Football Federation (AIFF) president Praful Patel was not aware of the girls’ superlative achievement, nor was the country’s new sports minister Jitendra Singh.

“We could not sleep that night (July 13),” says Rinky Kumari, 13, captain, Supergoats. Once she bunked her school helped her mother do household chores. Today, thanks to football, everyone knows her name in the village.

She says she remembered the days she was slapped and sweep floors when she went to the Panchayat Office get birth certificates for her passport.

“That is the pain of being a tribal girl in India. I do not remember the slap, I remember the Cup,” says Rinky.

For her, and her teammates, it means a lot.

Catch-22

Joseph Heller (1923-1999) American satirical novelist, short story writer and playwright when wrote a satirical novel based on this subject he never might have realized that the Queen’s English would adopt the title of his famous novel Catch-22 as a word to refer to logical paradoxes. But that was what precisely happened. Catch-22 became a more popular synonym for a situation in which either way you lose.

Now some background material for the un-initiated. This word in the modern dictionaries is defined as “an attempt to escape a predicament makes the escape impossible.” How can you explain this? Let me try.

Let us assume that you are put in to a situation in which the authorities forced you to undertake something which is very dangerous by your own assessments. The mission might be as suicidal as of now-a-day’s human-bomb situation in which you are the bomb. You want to wriggle out of this assignment and the only way out is to “declare yourself insane” because as per law governing you an insane man does not have to take up the mission. Now it is obvious -even to your authorities- that no sane person will undertake such a mission. So if you declare yourself insane in order to avoid that mission you are proving yourself to be sane enough to undertake the mission!!!

Let me explain the story line to drive home the aspect more vividly. Captain Yossarian is an American bombardier stationed off the Italian coast during the final months of World War II. Paranoid and odd, Yossarian believes that everyone around him is trying to kill him. All Yossarian wants is to complete his tour of duty and be sent home. However, glory-seeking Colonel Cathcart has other plans.

Yossarin finds during a discussion with the unit Doctor Dr. Daneeka that his colleague Orr can escape from undertaking the mission because according to the Doctor Orr is insane. But still he is undertaking the mission because again he is insane. Confused? Let us see the conversation (an excerpt) from the famous novel itself to clear the confusion. This conversation is between the Doctor and the main protagonist Yossarin.

“Yossarian looked at him soberly and tried another approach. "Is Orr crazy?"
"He sure is," Doc Daneeka said.
"Can you ground him?"
"I sure can. But first he has to ask me to. That's part of the rule."
"Then why doesn't he ask you to?"
"Because he's crazy," Doc Daneeka said. "He has to be crazy to keep flying combat missions after all the close calls he's had. Sure, I can ground Orr. But first he has to ask me to."
"That's all he has to do to be grounded?"
"That's all. Let him ask me."
"And then you can ground him?" Yossarian asked.
"No. Then I can't ground him."
"You mean there's a catch?"
"Sure there's a catch," Doc Daneeka replied. "Catch-22. Anyone who wants to get out of combat duty isn't really crazy."

There was only one catch and that was Catch-22, which specified that a concern for one's safety in the face of dangers that were real and immediate was the process of a rational mind. Orr was crazy and could be grounded. All he had to do was ask; and as soon as he did, he would no longer be considered crazy and would have to fly more missions. Orr would be crazy to fly more missions and sane if he didn't, but if he was sane he had to fly them. If he flew them he was crazy and didn't have to; but if he didn't want to he was sane and had to. Yossarian was moved very deeply by the absolute simplicity of this clause of Catch-22 and let out a respectful whistle.

"That's some catch, that Catch-22," he observed.
"It's the best there is," Doc Daneeka agreed.”

Communist Party of India (Marxist) leadership in Kerala was in such a Catch-22 situation when they were facing the last assembly election. The CPI (M) leadership in Kerala wanted to deny Chief Minister Achuthanandan a party ticket for the election as they felt that evidently he was growing larger to his shoes. The party leadership wanted to clip his wings as they apprehended that it will be harmful for them if they allow a person like VS to lead the election and take away all the lime-light. But they also knew that denying a party ticket to VS will provide a cakewalk to the opposition at the election and that was the catch; the catch-22.

Writing about Joseph Heller and his masterpiece; the article will not be complete if I don’t give you a poem written by Kurt Vonnegut. It was his obituary in memory of his dear friend. It gives us the true picture of the kind of person Joseph Heller was.

1923-1999

“Joseph Heller, an important and funny writer
now dead,
and I were at a party given by a billionaire
on Shelter island.
I said, "Joe, how does it make you feel
to know that our host only yesterday
may have made more money
than your novel 'Catch-22'
has earned in its entire history?"
And Joe said, "I've got something he can never have."
And I said, "What on earth could that be, Joe?"
And Joe said, "The knowledge that I've got enough."
Not bad! Rest in peace!”

The greatest having is to have ENOUGH; How profound; hats-off to you Joseph.

The day after Shivarathri.

Today, the day after the great Shivarathri, I was on my way back from my usual constitutional and was passing by the famous Shiva temple of Thrissur.

It was quite early in the morning and many of the regular crowd visiting the temple was somehow missing.  May be the devotees were taking it laid-back  after being hectically in a festive mood yesterday.

The temple premises were bearing all the signs of the aftermath of yesterday’s festivities. You look around and find discarded paper tea cups and different kinds of pamphlets of different trading organisations etc. used paper bags and also elephant droppings strewn all around. Looking at them, I was wondering how much time and energy will it be needed to bring back a semblance of tidiness back to the usual serine atmosphere of the temple.

But as I reached the main entrance of the temple a heart-warming sight welcomed me. There was a lone figure, the sweeper woman (of course the paid employee of the temple) who was hectically sweeping the front courtyard of the temple trying her best to get rid of the whole mess. She was at it in the morning and I know that it is her assigned duty. She was just attending to her work as it is expected of, by her employer, who so ever it may be.

The point is not whether this lady is doing her duty or not. It is also not being argued whether that she should be complimented for doing something of what is expected of her. The point is that how many of us recognise her? Many of us visit this temple most of the day. But how many of us know her, or can recall her name. Will any one of us care to share a cup of coffee with that woman? 

Mother Teresa once said that you can love a person; you can also hate a person; but when you ignore a person; you are doing the greatest injustice to that person.

I know that just a word of appreciation or just an acknowledgement of her task and its difficulties by us will make her day. You may ask, how do I know that?

 I know because I just did that and saw her reaction.

Her face lit up and her eyes sparkled with that shine you can find rarely in people when they are extremely happy.

The feeling is infectious and it left me also a very very Happy Man.

 

Feeling of Gratitude

It was really great, to feel the pleasure of being grateful. I consider myself very lucky that I am associated with an organisation called MINDS.  As its latest venture, to develop an “Attitude of Gratitude” this Organisation had decided, in consultation with various dignitaries, to celebrate 17^th November as Gratitude Day. This was last year.  It also gives me immense pleasure to note that, it was during our batch’s training (95^th Batch of Man Catchers) that this idea of celebrating the day of gratitude (17^th Nov) was first germinated and introduced. It gives me immense pleasure and I feel all the more grateful to all concerned that I was given the opportunity to plant the first tree of Gratitude at the institute’s premises in commemoration of the day. What a feeling; to be a part of a great idea which all of us are sure will be an international event in the near future. I hope that the tree planted on that day will grow, as it surely would, along with the other subsequently planted trees into a great one providing enough shade and fruits for a long time to come.

While I am in the mood of telling you something on gratitude let me share with all of you a small incident that occurred recently. It was like this.

I was in a rather pensive mood the whole day due to some family happenings and wanted to get out of it.  I have decided to take stroll to remedy that. There is a very vast area of open space at the centre of my city of dwelling and I have decided to go there. There is a very busy road encircling this space and even though the traffic was very thick and unruly I managed to cross it over through the Zebra crossing.

When I reached the other side I saw a tiny old lady probably returning from the temple situated at the centre of this open space and wanting to cross over to the other side. She was reluctant to take the plunge and fear was written large in her eyes.  I felt that she was waiting there for a long time, helpless and undecided. I thought that I should try to help her and approached her. I looked into her eyes and asked, “Can I help you”?

“Won’t it be a bother for you”?; she said in a very low voice. I told her that it will be only a pleasure to me to help her cross over. Her face brightened up even though she was still undecided to take the plunge even with my help. Realising her hesitation I put my hand on her shoulder and immediately she cosy under my arm like a frightened sparrow seeking shelter.  I could sense her confidence improving and slowly I guided her to the other side of the road.

She profusely thanked me for this small gesture and suddenly I felt my melancholy melting away like butter on a hot stove and a great feeling of happiness engulfing me. I told her that I should thank her for giving me such an opportunity to be of some use to her.

I crossed back and walked to my destination a very very happy man.       

Aam Aadmi

This article appeared in New Indian Express. I wish all of you read this . 

An aam aadmi from a different era

By Radha Padmanabhan

He was sitting there all alone in a third class waiting room of the Calicut railway station. We had expected the room to be crowded with dignitaries belonging to the government, with news reporters and others. So we almost missed him. He was reading a newspaper and his back was turned towards us. We thought he was someone else not the man we had come to meet, until he put down the newspaper. The room was dirty, dusty and not spruced up as it is now. He did not ask for help nor were there any toadies round to curry favours because favours he would give none. He was waiting at the station for a connecting train that was expected in a few hours. 

This was way back in the early '60s.

We got a trunk call from Sadasivam, M S Subbalakshmi's husband. They often used to stay with us whenever MS gave a kutcheri. We had gladly agreed to go to the railway station and deliver a simple lunch to the man as he could not digest hotel food. The meal I had prepared was simple, with rice, sambar, tomato rasam, vegetable and curd. 'You should not have taken all this trouble' he said to us as we started to serve him his lunch.'I could have lunched at the railway canteen'.

The simplicity of the man hit us with force. This man who a few years ago occupied the highest position in the land, from 1948 to 1950, the second governor general of India — C Rajagopalachari or CR as he was popularly known, a man of the highest integrity and the strictest of principles.

He was entitled to command the best government accommodation and his needs to be looked after, but he preferred not to. He was a freedom fighter and was awarded the Bharat Ratna. Gandhiji once said that he was the 'keeper of my conscience'. He was a close associate of Nehru and Patel and was respected by them although he had many differences with them. He was a staunch protector of his political principles and never hesitated to disagree with his closest associates. He therefore started a political party — The Swatantra Party.

He lived in a small old house in Kilpauk, in Chennai (then Madras). He could have easily got an allotment of a house with a garden—he did not. His family never earned the name of the first family. He did not believe in political dynasty, neither did the Mahatma and nor did his family benefit monetarily. As for Swiss bank accounts, property deals & get rich quickly—these were alien to his ways. Scam is a word that was not in his dictionary.

In some ways he is lucky that he did not live to see the present political scenario with all the scams that are being exposed. Rip-offs, fraud, trickery, swindles, amassing money by means of deception, fake-photos, non-existent addresses, non-existent directors of companies, companies without addresses...the list is endless. Election promises are made claiming to represent the aam aadmi. CR represented the aam aadmi — he was the real aam aadmi.

Winter of our life

My Rotarian friend Mr.Sunil Zachariah had posted this in his page. I have already shared it with my FB fiends. Since I feel many of my friends who are not active in FB may miss it. I am reposting it for those who are not active in FB. those who had already seen it kindly bear with me. 



The winter of our life 

This is one of the nicest e-mails I've seen in a very long time. Its very inspiring. Save it and read from time to time. I wonder who composed this. So philosophical.


And then it is Winter.

You know. . . time has a way of moving quickly and catching you unaware of the passing years. It seems just yesterday that I was young, just married and embarking on my new life with my mate. And yet in a way, it seems like eons ago, and I wonder where all the years went.


I know that I lived them all... And I have glimpses of how it was back then and of all my hopes and dreams... But, here it is... the winter of my life and it catches me by surprise... How did I get here so fast? Where did the years go and where did my youth go?
 

I remember well... seeing older people through the years and thinking that those older people were years away from me and that winter was so far off that I could not fathom it or imagine fully what it would be like...


But, here it is... my friends are retired and getting grey... they move slower and I see an older person now. Some are in better and some worse shape than me... but, I see the great change...

Not like the ones that I remember who were young and vibrant... but, like me, their age is beginning to show and we are now those older folks that we used to see and never thought we'd be. 


Each day now, I find that just getting a shower is a real target for the day! And taking a nap is not a treat anymore.. it's mandatory! Cause if I don't on my own free will... I just fall asleep where I sit!


And so... now I enter into this new season of my life unprepared for all the aches and pains and the loss of strength and ability to go and do things that I wish I had done but never did!! But, at least I know, that though the winter has come, and I'm not sure how long it will last... this I know, that when it's over... its over... 

Yes, I have regrets. There are things I wish I hadn't done... things I
should have done, but indeed, there are many things I'm happy to have done. It's all in a lifetime...

So, if you're not in your winter yet... let me remind you, that it will be here faster than you think.

So, whatever you would like to accomplish in your life please do it quickly! 
Don't put things off too long!! Life goes by quickly. So, do what you can today, as you can never be sure whether this is your winter or not! 

You have no promise that you will see all the seasons of your life... so, live for today and say all the things that you want your loved ones to remember... and hope that they appreciate and love you for all the things that you have done for them in all the years past!!


"Life is a gift to you. The way you live your life is your gift to those who come after. Make it a fantastic one."


LIVE IT WELL! ENJOY TODAY! DO SOMETHING FUN! BE HAPPY! BE THANKFUL!


 HAVE A GREAT DAY! Remember "It is health that is real wealth and not pieces of gold or silver."


Patience with family = Love, Patience with others = Respect, Patience with self = Confidence Patience w/ God = Faith

MAHABHARATAM: The story of the internal conflict (second and final part)

Lessons of Dharma.

Many a gripping situations have been fashioned in Mahabharata to initiate a discussion on Dharma and Adharma. These situations are arranged like beads on a string. Look at the situation where human psyche is considered to be at a battle ground of Dharma-Adharma. Here the human psyche or the mind is the Charioteer, the body is the chariot, and the horses are the desires of the senses. Unless properly guided by the charioteer the chariot is sure to go astray as the horses are bound to run amuck. Look how beautifully the principle is presented symbolically: Arjuna is sitting on a chariot and the reigns of horses are held by the Lord Himself.

The same symbolism found in Kadho Upanishad is used here as well. A great truth is missed if one opts to believe that this is just a chariot. Do not miss out those beautiful metaphors which are unique in literature.

Vyasa has placed this chariot at the centre of a war field where Dharma and Adharma are about to clash. What a profound screenplay! A true student of Geeta has to contemplate the following.  What is the war over here? Whom does the Lord want Arjuna to kill?

In fact the Lord talks to Arjuna about the inner search for the Self.

Pranavodhanu: saro hyathma Brahma tallakshymuchyate

Aprathenavedhavyam saravathathmayo bhavetu. (Mundaka 2.4)

The ‘Oamkara’ is the bow; the sharp point of the arrow is provided by the soul. It is kept on this bow and aimed and shot at the Brahmam. As the arrow, released from the bow, reaches the target without any impediment. The soul conditioned by the meditation of the Great Ambiance also reached the Brahman without any difficulty.

In order to explain the above principle found in the Upanishad, Vyasa has set a scene in Mahabharata. Let us recall the situation where Dhrona conducts an archery competition. While aiming, Arjuna was persuaded to “see only the eye of the bird” before shooting the arrow.

Like this, if you analyse each situation in Mahabharata, you may be astonished to realise that many such deep philosophies are packaged and presented through simple stories and incidents.

How one can believe a situation in which the commander allows his whole army to be on the side of the enemy? The commander, unarmed, places himself on the other side.  What kind of a war is it and how is it possible to take place physically?

Even the figures used are pointers towards spirituality. Eighteen puranas, 18 sub-puranas, 18 chapters of Geeta and 18 days war; all these are not accidental. They are spiritual numbers and symbols, obviously alluding to spirituality.

Now let us see what Gandhiji has to say in this. “In 1888-89 when Geeta was introduced to me I felt that it cannot be a historical work. In fact, in the pretext of a physical war, it was depicting or describing a war, which takes place continuously in the minds of man. I also felt that, the physical war was brought in, in order to delineate the internal war and make it more attractive.  My in-depth studies of Geeta and the religion have confirmed this first impression.

“Personally, I do not consider that Mahabharata is a historical work in its real sense.  Geeta explains about self realisation and paves the way for achieving it. The war between two armies is just a situation to present this theme”.

Geeta and Mahabharata are created to explain the futility of war and to provide an insight to Dharma and Adharma and guide the humankind in his search for self realisation and ultimately achieve it. It is neither a historical work nor the war of Mahabharata a physical or external war. 

Dr. Sukumar Azhikode has categorically stated in Azhikodinte Lokathil (In the World of Azhikode) the following: “Vedas and Upanishads are the fountain-head of all knowledge. Understanding these is quite difficult. Nevertheless in the form of fables, stories and also in Geeta as a dialogue between a disciple and a guru, certain great saints have tried to bring this knowledge to the midst of the common man. These great saints did not just confine to the caves -their abodes where they did penance- but also indulged in their field of work (Karmabhumi) and they call it the Kurukshetra (the battle field where the so-called war had supposedly taken place). Subsequently, as the time passed, their findings were misinterpreted; as if they preached war and not the philosophy of Monad or oneness”.  This statement of Mr. Azhikode reiterates further the fundamental nature of the matter. Anyone who has studied the Bhagavat Geeta in the light of Upanishads cannot have any other opinion.

There are people in Kerala who profess that Bhagavat Geeta is a battle story. We have to ban these people, instead of blaming the Siberian courts. There is no point in finding fault with any of those religious leaders who seek to ban Bhagavat Geeta.

Adweshta sarvabhutanam mytra: karuna eva cha

Nirmamo nirahangara: samadukha;sukha; kshmi (Geeta 12.13)

Those propagating, due to ignorance or otherwise, that Geeta encourages war is not getting the true meaning of this sloka and they will only help to make the situation murkier.

The Lord in Geeta provides Arjuna with two swords. 

( refer the fourth chapter )

Njanasina athmana: chitwainam samsayam

Using the sword of wisdom you have to decapitate scepticism;

Aathishtothishta bharata

And for that Arjuna you have to rise.   (Aathishtothishta bharata)

Another Sword (war) (refer 15^th Chapter)

Asamgasasthrena dridhena chithwa

“Let non-attachment be your sword; and assault, without any doubt, assault”.

A war is fought sans any doubt or ignorance; and with awareness and knowledge alone.

 This is the essence of Bhagavat Geeta. For a Kshtriya (warrior) it is fortuitous. An external war with bows and arrows are normal for him. A warrior (Kshtriya) entering the porch of meditation is a situation which is rather uncommon and exceptional.

“The Bhagavat Geeta should be explained in such a way that all the living creatures in this world are benefitted by it for their salvation”, so says the Great Saint Shankara while introducing his commentary on Geeta.  Geeta should be elucidated only for the betterment of the whole world. There exists a lot of misconception about Geeta. Effort should be taken to eradicate these.

Again quoting Gandhiji; he once said: “I can understand those who cannot approve of my renderings of Geeta. My duty is to fight and prove my rendition as the correct one”. Poojya Swamy Santheepanandgiri (the author of this essay in Malayalam) also is doing the same thing; firmily standing by it; whoever may feel obliged to object to it.

(concluded)