Paryushan Not - so- Meaty ?

           The no meat sale issue during paryushan issue has finally subsided. And media, particularly political analysts are busy gauging who gained or lost what and how much in the resultant fiasco. But as a commoner it raises too many questions in my mind. As a secular socialist state that ensures recognizing every strata of society and to ensure their all around development while taking special efforts to safeguard their identities, especially the minorities, is it not unfair that we should be preoccupied with safeguarding the interests of just one community that not only happens to be a minority but also the second largest majority especially when there are other minorities too – Buddhists, Jains, Jews, Sikhs, Anglo-Indians and Parsis. On one hand we have done everything from subsidizing Haj Pilgrimage to declaring the Prophets Birthday a national holiday to appease the Muslim minority and at times have gone to bizarre ends by distorting history and eating words solely for minority appeasement. But what have the other minorities got? Forget about privileges not a single political party has ensured that they get proper representation atleast within the party if not in national politics. So why should there be so much of hullabaloo over eight days ban on meat during the Jain month of Paryushan in areas where there is Jain majority? Surprisingly, those defying the ban are themselves observing the Holy month of Shravan and many will continue to abstain from non vegetarianism and even garlic and onion consumption for three more months (Chaturmas or four months period Shravan, Bhadrapad, Katik and Magh). So how does one explain their defiance? Time and again issues as these remind me of a Satyajit Rays only Hindi classic – ‘Shatranj Ke Khiladi’ a bitter criticism of Indian psyche of indulging in petty politics even in the hour of national disasters and crisis. On one hand Indian defense personnel are facing a problem of increasing unprovoked firing from across the borders and infiltrations with a result that day in and day out there’s a news of martyrdom tucked in some remote corners of dailies but what occupies the centre stage is religious and regional discrimination and related violence issues. And that’s sad! Really sad! In days wherein on one hand we face a looming danger of terrorism from across the borders that’s gunning down our men in uniforms on one hand and the drought that’s coaxing farmers to taking extreme steps like suicides and abandoning children it’s not only pathetic but actually ridiculous that political leaders across the country should show immaturity and actually set up stalls and sell chicken on roads when they should be burying their differences and coming on common platform in the wake of national crisis and work towards an effective solution.

                                                               - Bhushan Kumarsen Sarmalkar, Mumbai, 19.09.2015.

No Moral Policing Please !!

Last week a daily published a picture of a group of young students surrounding a couple getting cozy at bandstand, holding placards that read ‘Atleast have a bit of shame, please get cozy at your homes!‘  Firstly what are these protesting students doing at bandstand? Moral policing?? when their duty is to be in classroom in company of books? Secondly do we really need these moral police and are they legally or in any ways empowered to take preventive actions? Do they know the parameters within which they must or should ideally work fully observing the safety norms for themselves or others? And then how about the youngsters talk at lengths  about theses social issues and smoke in public places, get into crowded trains with wet wind cheaters or go about their smart phones without a sign of remorse or even the faintest idea of the inconvenience that their indisciplinary behavior in public places causes to others. How many moral police ridicule them? Then how about the youngsters who danced their hearts out when Salman Khan was acquitted in hit and run case which claimed life of a families sole bread winner. Where were these moral police then? Did they ridicule the revelers as they did now? And then how about the youth who came out in support of Shahrukh Khan for getting into a verbal spat with a poor security worker who was doing his job honestly? Did these moral police ridicule them? Or even the recent All India Bhagchod (AIB) how many moral police ridiculed them? And worse these moral fools were not to be seen or heard protesting when some so called elitists were criticizing and opposing the Government blocking porn sites! True that a person watching porn does it in privacy but that does not make watching porn moral or ethical. So should we excuse some one because he rapes, molests or sodomizes in private? True that some or even many find such acts disgusting  but then they cannot ask some one to leave a place until they own it. Its quite likely that they may ask you to leave ! And they have an equal right. And yes if you or me find something disgusting, offensive or unwelcome I guess we know there 's police to help you out. Seek police assistance rather than take law in your own hands. And then if that's disgusting is urinating or defecating in open fine? We don't see a moral police holding placard towards a squatter! And if population density is an excuse to explain that then the same holds true for the cozy lovers.

 I remember a group of such college juveniles in Bandra who would hold placards reading ‘Go Back’ and send back every person who crossed tracks! Is there any sense of responsibility in their actions? Had there been some sense of responsible behavior probably they would have given a hand to the offender and counseled him. What if the person being returned meets with an accident? Do these juveniles have an idea that the person crossing the tracks has committed one offence and these so called educated youth forces him to commit another by asking him to return? Having motivated and selfless youth who find some time for social service can be a great asset but having an overenthusiastic unguided youth can aggravate the problem. It is very important if these youth can be educated and importantly guided in their missions and be told what not to do than what to do, be made aware of the legal implications of their acts. Tree plantation drives along roads and railway tracks can be fine but it comes along with safety issues not evident on the surface, cleanliness drives can be a great idea but then there are health and hazard issues that must be addressed, working for population control is a great national service but then it can invite ire of a few. Therefore while we encourage and appreciate the youth who are motivated and embark on a mission or a cause that’s noble they must be cautioned to do a brief homework before they actually do so. People who are willing to work in areas where there is lot of legalities involved or where there is enough man power already deployed should essentially be discouraged to go ahead and their energies be diverted towards some other field where their services are badly required. Why have moral police when we have police? Why do tree plantations in national parks, reserves and sanctuaries when it is actually needed in urban and industrialized areas rapidly losing green covers and choking with pollution? But then otherwise the youth should better concentrate towards being better students rather than to be criticized for being a bad moral police.

                                                                   - Bhushan Kumarsen Sarmalkar, Mumbai, 01.09.2015.

PORN- not OK PLEASE



It’s not that I am a rightist. It’s not that I am a diehard fan of Narendra Modi. It’s not that I am indulging in flattery. It’s just one question that troubles me – “Is porn educating, entertaining or for that matter even titillating?” If the answer is no then why so much hullabaloo about the Government blocking some 800 odd porn sites? Some liberals have argued that a Government which attempts to regulate the media are not too far from restricting it. But then does that mean that a Government which shows no signs of regulating will essentially not restrict and will not bend towards anarchy? If we are suggesting so then it implies that we haven’t learnt our lessons well and have forgotten a dark chapter in the history of our democracy called ‘Emergency’. Someone defined fear as False Expectations Appearing Real. In this context it is very true. There’s an old saying supply creates demand. And then porn is a general term that is used to describe literature or films that that have adult content and a closer look will reveal that the subject incorporates disgusting things like animal-porn, granny-porn, child porn, albino porn, amputee porn and what not that can serve to titillate or entertain only a sick or vicious mind. Does it make any sense at all when intellectual fight it out on news channels or social networking sites for some the right to watch porn as an individual right when there are scores of issues from right to education to farmer suicides? Does it not pave way for exploitation of the weaker sections of society like women, children, and disabled, old and more importantly the poor? Are these sections not solely dependent on the Government for their protection from such exploitations? I agree that there’s a limit to which the step will serve the purpose with which it is initiated if not a total wastage but then an intellectual fighting it out as if it was a matter of life and death to shield the porn sites from being blocked is simply disgusting.

In the west there’s an established porn industry whose contents are certified by a regulating body. There’s hall of fame and an Oscar equivalent life time achievement award for porn artiste’s nay porn stars. Kay Parker, Steven Martins, Peter North are few of the porn stars who starred in porn films in the Golden Era of porn and walked away with life achievement statuettes. But then here in India the porn industry isn’t at all organized. Most of the porn is sub standard. Most of the porn clips are sneaks and peeks. Most clips are either a result of direct or indirect exploitation and may even involve blackmail, kidnap and rape. And even if it’s a porn film do we have a regulatory body and regulations to regulate the industry? And then what about the STD risk that the porn artiste is being subjected to. Let us remember that Steven Martin succumbed to AIDS at an age of 45 and it was his demise that goaded the porn industry to review its ways of functioning and introduce ways that would put the porn stars at minimum risk of contracting STD’s. But one would argue why block porn sites when the need was to regulate the production process of the product that was being displayed?  But my argument is why display a product when the regulatory norms and bodies are not in place? Are we sure that no one is being exploited to provide for our urges to view porn in secrecy? But then most of the porn is a western product where all these issues are taken care of. Fine but then are we comfortable with things like animal porn, amputee porn, granny porn, albino porn, child porn or for that matter even teacher porn? Let’s not forget that seventies and eighties are known as the golden age of porn and it soon faded away! Why? For two just one reason – Incest! When incest crept in porn and it seemed to be virtually unstoppable to the extent it went and eventually it spelled dooms day for porn which never returned in that big way ever. So if the western society could be so uncomfortable with porn would it be discreet to be liberal with porn sites here in India where even Kamasutra lays guidelines regarding do’s and don’t’s in sex. Would it be discreet to give a porn sites like teacher porn an easy access to our minds whom we train to respect teachers and hold them in highest regard? Let’s not forget porn stars of yester years like Francois Papillion and Sasha Papillion have chosen to live a life of recluse with a changed identity. In short porn industry may mint money but seldom gets you earns you respect or for that matter even acceptability. Porn sites may have freedom to make rounds of the Indian markets but certainly do not have the right to corrode our values. And if care is being taken about that I don’t see anything dictatorial or anarchical about it. If tomorrow all Indians vote to set free a notorious terrorist without trial would it be fair? Then how is it fair to give porn sites a free hand because it’s a popular opinion? And what about adolescents who would unknowingly indulge in anal /unnatural sex ignorant of the fact that unnatural sex is crime in India? With whom does the onus for misguidance lie with? ‘Cigarette smoking/Tobacco chewing causes cancer’ notice appears every time an artiste smokes on screen to warn or the viewers about the ill effects of the habit but the same precautions are not taken in case of porn. Have we seen an ‘anal sex is a crime in India as per section 377 of IPC?’ True that porn is predominantly watched by adults, true that there are provisions for child locks but then for a society that is struggling with imparting sex education, tackling pornography is a bit too much to swallow!...at least as for now!!

- Bhushan Kumarsen Sarmalkar, Mumbai, 07 August 2015.

TWO FUNERALS AND A SECOND THOUGHT

Recently India witnessed two funerals. One, that of a constructive, inspiring mind – Bharat Ratna Dr. A.P.J.Abdul Kalaam and the other that of a destructive, vicious mind – Yakub Memon. Remarkably both were highly qualified – one rose from scratch to the highest office of the country to inspire millions around the globe and the other, a qualified Chartered Accountant who crept into the dark alleys of crime via white collared economic offences and eventually couldn’t really keep the account of his doings err misdoings. The passing away of one was mourned across all sections of society and age groups not only in India but across the world – evidently he had struck a chord with each one of them while the others execution was eagerly awaited by many and eventually when all the legal provisions failed to save him from gallows there was none standing by him. In Maharashtra every care was taken that there would be no funeral procession for Yakub Memon and participation in funeral would be restricted. In Rameshwaram, every care was taken so that the arrangements to bid the final adieu to the ‘Missile Man’ were minutely looked into so that the grandeur of the final adieu could match the stature and the popularity of the departed soul! Memon had to seek shelter of religious identity to evade the law of the land while for Dr. Kalam his religious identity or for that matter even his nationality didn’t really matter! Both associated with the same element – fire, one used it for destruction and the other for construction. One used it to propel the country into a new era of technology and self sufficiency and the other for devastation and distortion of lives. The outcome – one had family but couldn’t really be happy and all he could give them was pain and suffering while other who chose to be a sphincter had millions of households across the country holding back tears, holding the books he authored, remembering the inspirational speeches he delivered, resolving to tread his path and take his work nay mission ahead. One has left behind a rich legacy and other a dark blot on humanity!!

Dr. Kalam never married but left behind a legacy big enough to provide undying inspiration to millions and their children for years and years to come! And then there’s an Engineering College named after him and I am told there’s a plan to set up a city in his name in Bihar! Yakub Memon has a family but only God knows whether or not they will ever be willing to inherit the fruits of his misdoings or for that matter even associate with his name and the resultant shame? -I guess we all know the answers!

                                                -Bhushan Kumarsen Sarmalkar,

                                                         Mumbai, 01.08.2015.

A Thought For Marathi Divas

Aavadto maj aphaat saagar, athaang Paani Nile, Nilya Jambhalya Jalaat Keshar Mavaltila Mile. (The vast stretch of unfathomably deep ocean mesmerizes me with the dash of saffron that its purple –blue waters have at dusk), wrote late V.V.Shirwadkar, popularly known as ’Kusumagraj’, one of the finest poet-laureates that Maharashtra has ever produced. The lines have stayed with me since I read the poem in my Marathi text book. I was in seventh standard then.  Kusumagraj was deeply concerned about the state of neglect that Marathi lies in which was evident from his speech he made as the President of ‘Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya Sammelan’. I can vividly recall how he reiterated that far from being hostile to English he felt all Indians were indebted to the language for opening the doors of new thoughts to them and while Marathi was his mother, English was his maternal aunt (maternal aunts have special place in Maharashtrian culture) but it was high time now that the aunt handed over the household keys to the mother amidst thundering applause.  It is thus a fitting tribute to this great laureate that 27^th February, the laureates birth anniversary, is celebrated as ‘Marathi Divas’.

            A few years back Maharashtra Navanirman Sena Chief Raj Thackeray bitterly criticized the Bachan’s for their alleged reluctance to learn Marathi. The media, properly speaking non- Marathi media came down heavily on Raj Thackeray for the criticism but the fact remains that Marathi is the state language of Maharashtra and there are clear constitutional provisions for safeguarding the cultural interests of the natives (that includes linguistic interests) even in preference to the other interests in that particular state. But the question is whether the position of Marathi as a state language can be strengthened by forcing the Bachan’s to learn Marathi or by thrusting it down the throats of the ‘outsiders’? Certainly not.

            Amruta Khanvilkar is a model turned actress who won the final round of marathi reality dance show ‘Ekapeksha Ek’ hosted and judged by none other than Sachin Pilgaonkar. From the very beginning of the show Amruta declared that she could not speak in Marathi and both the spectators and judges did not seem to have any qualms about it! If the Marathi speaking lot has no qualms about a Marathi girl vividly declaring her inability to converse in Marathi then they have no right whatsoever to pull up outsiders for their ignorance!

            Marathi is a highly evolved language yet todays marathi hosts can be seen opting for general English words like ‘friends’ in preference to more specific words which provide them with a wide range of options like ‘rasikaho’ (dear appreciators), rasik-prekshakaho’,( dear appreciating spectators) rasik-shroteho’,(dear appreciating audiences) rasik- mitraho’,( dear appreciative friends)‘ prekshakaho’( dear spectators), ‘shroteho’ (dear audiences)  mitraho’ (dear friends) while hosting Marathi programmes! The reality is Marathi as a language suffers not due to the reluctance of non Maharashtrian’s to speak in Marathi as much as due to the reluctance of Maharashtrian’s to speak in Marathi!

            Language is just a medium of communication and therefore the standard of the speaker is not determined by what language he speaks but by what he speaks in that language. And therefore the content or the messages that the language carries or is used to carry determines the status of the speaker. And it is the culture of the person which determines what messages he or she will relay. Therefore, it is far more important to conserve ones cultural identity than to conserve ones linguistic identity. Infact, people who have safeguarded their cultural identity are found to be far more progressive in comparison to those who have made compromises. The overwhelming successes of Dawoodi Bohra’s, Parsee’s and South Indians can be attributed to their ability to fiercely safeguard their cultural identities. The success of Peoples Republic of China is not due to their acceptance of English or their ability to ape the West but due to their ability safeguard their cultural identity!

            Sant Dnyaneshwar is considered to be the father of Marathi literature. However, the proofs of existence and usage of Marathi date back to the era of Swami Chakradhar, a Saint from Gujarat and founder of Mahanubhav Sect, who hailed Marathi as ‘ Deva- Vaani’ or ‘ The Sacred Language’ and ‘ Maharashtra’ as ‘ Mahant Rashtra’ or ‘ The Nation of the Greats’ ( Mahant means Great). But frankly speaking can we call todays Maharashtra as ‘The Nation of the Greats’ as Swami Chakradhar did? Maharashtra has indeed been the birth place of many a great men and women. However, the exhaustive list of the great personalities that Maharashtra has gifted not only to the country, world but to humanity abruptly ends with the name of Dr Prakash Amte. Why has there not been a single great personality, barring Sachin Tendulkar, born in Maharashtra whose achievements could match those of his predecessors? The answer is ‘unprecedented erosion of cultural values’! The overwhelming popularity of Nationalist Congress Party Chief Sharad Pawar can be attributed to his profound knowledge about the cultural fabric of Maharashtra and the same can be said about the proficiency of late Smita Patil as a successful news reader, a photographer, a writer besides being one of the finest actress to grace the Indian Cinema. Smita Patil’s sister Manya too is an acclaimed painter and the entire credit for their successes in their respective fields goes to the cultural environment of Shivajirao Patil’s household. The successes of Nana Patekar, Sonali Kulkarni, Sandeep Kulkarni, Atul Kulkarni and Milind Gunaji also goes to their cultural backgrounds, properly speaking Marathi literary backgrounds. The overwhelming musical successes of Mangeshkar’s is also attributed to their cultural identities whereas more than successes it is the on and  off field disciplines of Sunil Gavaskar and Sachin Tendulkar that are a direct outcome of their being groomed in a culturally rich environment ! It is the ability of late Prabodhankar Thackeray to safeguard the cultural environment in his family that produced a powerful orator cum cartoonist cum politician like late Bal Thackeray who took it further to produce a worthy Photographer like Uddhav Thackeray.

            Sadly while today’s parents aspire to give their child the very best, more than often they forget to give him the much needed cultural identity. Let’s not forget that language will just decide how you communicate while culture will decide what you communicate! So while we give wings of modernism to our forthcoming generations so that they may scale new unscaled heights, hopefully we remember to give them a lasting reserve of the inexhaustible fuel of our cultural values as well!

Sincere wishes for Marathi Divas!

                                             

                                               -Bhushan Kumarsen Sarmalkar (JAI), Mumbai 27th February 2015. 

.....You Said It Sir!

When R. K. Laxman passed away politicians tweeted to mourn the loss, laid wreaths and even promised a memorial, all this, I am sure, fearing that he may someday change his mind and return and worse take up pen and paper and take a dig at them! There isn’t much information about how he traveled – by rocket? By train? or by bus? I am sure he should have traveled by train or bus – after all he belonged to the common man! Couldn’t  have traveled by rocket though since he is quite sure he has left behind a breed of motivated cartoonists (I know atleast one – Manjul (DNA) who does a prolific job) who wouldn’t think twice before they take on their icon for taking rocket – after all gasoline is so expensive and Laxman had pulled up the Finance Ministers who raised petrol and diesel prices. And yeah some one told me on social media that they are jubilant up there in heaven to welcome their new guest but am not quite sure about how much happy they really are up there to welcome some one who is a keen observer and habitual in taking a dig at things and deciphering them to be presented as they are and not as they seem. I should not be least surprised then if a deluxe suite is being readied to accommodate him all spruced up with silk and satin but sans paper and pen! And with that kind of a place to live in I shouldn’t be the least surprised if the heavens fail to hold him back for a long!

             Laxman served the nation goading its machinery to the right paths whenever it consciously or subconsciously wandered into the forbidden alleys and secured the interests of the people properly speaking ‘the common man’. The issues he poked at were predominantly price hikes , properly speaking petrol price hikes, malnutrition, pathetic health facilities in short he always stressed the pathos of the common man. Unlike popular perception he was more into social satire than political one but when it came to one he didn’t mince his words, sorry, strokes and took on his close associate Bal Thackeray or Maratha Strongman Sharad Pawar or for that matter Mrs Gandhi or Rajiv Gandhi when the two were at the helm of their power! Rabindranath Tagore had once remarked that a nation is known by the creative works that it produces not by the facilities it provides. In a liberal nation founded on equality and justice such works are important to maintain, nourish and take it to the next level. We have seen it in case of United States of America and The United Kingdoms and so every artist is an asset of a liberal set up and artists fiercely devoted to their causes like Laxman are true jewels in their crowns.

            I would prefer to live as an ordinary citizen in free India remarked Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak. Not that he was trying to be diplomatic or to sound modest but probably because he wanted the younger generation to take up the task of taking the nation to the helms of successes with fierce patriotism and pure sincerity. R. K. Laxman was one of those few who did precisely that!

                                             -  Bhushan Sarmalkar(JAI), Mumbai, 29^th January 2015.

I beg to differ, Sir!

Recently a bizarre incidence was reported – A teenager was arrested for killing and eating his neighbour’s pet Labrador in Suburban Mumbai! Worse still it wasn’t the first dog he had eaten nor was it that he had eaten only dogs, cats had been on his menu as well and worse the dog meat was actually meant to be consumed raw but thanks to his unimpressed taste buds that the meat eventually landed in a cauldron! And if that was not all he wasn’t the only one who relished eating dogs and cats but actually shared his taste for dog and cat meat with others all driven by one common passion – to do something different ! While the discovery made the pet owner sick, it enraged many who branded then juveniles as ‘Cannibals in the making’ and ‘a potential threat to human lives’!

Of late there have been several disturbing trends amongst the youth, properly speaking adolescents that are triggered by one passion – to be different! There have been instances of juveniles taking to eating bread with iodex for spread, sniffing whiteners, keeping   venomous snakes as pets and God knows what all  and all this for one thing – to be different! The incidences are shocking but actually they should be alarming. Are the juveniles today going through a severe identity crisis that they are desperately trying to chalk out one for themselves in such a bizarre way? Are they a victim of negligence and abuse at home? In any case we have to understand that these are results or consequences and are indicative of the bitter truth that something terribly wrong in our methods of discharging our duties towards our children! And therefore, punishing the youth isn’t the solution. Isolating them and treating them as criminals would be worse and may have disastrous results. People in Vietnam relish dog meat and people who go on safari try out scores of unusual meats from snakes and crocodiles to  elephants, tiger and civets but haven’t yet graduated to cannibalism, so why are we inferring so here in Mumbai and pushing the young minds to believe they are abnormal and potential criminals worse cannibals? The issue is undoubtedly bizarre and alarming but needs to be tackled with great deal of sensitivity. What’s more important is to retrieve and rehabilitate and reform a misguided person or to punish him and push him to a point of no return? The real issues that we need to address is that one - our youth are a misguided lot going through a low self-esteem and a severe identity crisis and suffering badly at the hands of parental negligence. Two, there’s a strong natural will /energy to do things and that needs to be channelized. Three, we have to stop ostracizing those whose energies have gushed into wrong corridors and revive, retrieve and reform them. Four, we need great teachers and great counselor’s and for that we need one to respect the teaching profession stop treating them as house maids, pay them well for they too have families to feed. Five we need to draw lines between need and greed and stop running about like mad dogs and be sure to spend some quality time each day with family. Who knows one of these juveniles who has taken to dog eating may just have had the potential to be an inventor it’s just that his dad failed to take a note for he had no time ! The essence of both the things is same – a burning desire to do something that’s different except for the fact that in the former case it is misguided and destructive and in later case it is guided and constructive! All we need to do is divert the energies!!

- Bhushan Sarmalkar (JAI), Mumbai, 22 January 2015.