Ms Ramya, I say Pakistan is a bloody hell !

Every one is entitled to have his or her own opinion however disgusting, hilarious or funny ,. Everyone, including the Defense  Minister. Sadly in this country with a population of 1.2 billion, everyone except the common man enjoys the privilege to have an opinion.  Manohar Parrikar, the current Defense Minister of India looks and behaves like a common man but unlike the later who fears to have his opinion and fears to come out with one even if he has one came out with one only to be slammed by one Ms. Ramya the experienced Kannada actress who knows better and easier ways to crawl into goods books of corridors of power unknown to hardworking Mr Parrikar. Mr Parrikar feels Pakistan is a hell. Ms. Ramya feels it isn’t. Pakistan is very much like India and people there very much like us insists Ms. Ramya. 

Islamic Republic of Pakistan came into being on 14^th August 1947 and comprised of areas of Muslim majority. It was born out of ambitions of Mohammed Ali Jinnah and Muslim league to create an Islamic state. India on the other hand chose to be a Sovereign Socialist Democratic Republic and a secular state in preference to being ‘ Hindustan’ where equality, freedom and justice would be guaranteed to one and all irrespective of his religious identity to ensure all around progress of one and all. During the partition several elitist  Indian Muslims chose to migrate to Pakistan. The list included actresses like Noorjehan and Suraiyya , Music directors like Ghulam Muhammed only to be termed as ‘ Mohajirs’ whose careers lost its sheen and were doomed in the much fancied Islamic state. On the other hand, Muslims who chose to be a part of Secular India progressed irrespective of their religious identities or their roots whether it was Dilip Kumar, Manoj Kumar, Dev Anand or Raj Kapoor from the past era or an Adnan Sami, Ali Fazal, Ali Zafar, Nusrat Fateh Ali, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, Ghulam Ali or Atif Aslam of the present era who are accepted and  successful in India despite being  Pakistani. And yet if Ms. Ramya thinks people are same here and there all we can say is she is entitled to her own opinion. However, how can people who chose to be a part of an Islamic Republic be equated with people who chose secular credentials over  religious identities can best be explained by Ms. Ramya. 

Certainly Pakistan is not a hell. Its actually a haven  - a shelter, a refuge for fundamentalists – after all Osama Bin Laden the dreaded Al- Qaeda chief and the world’s most wanted terrorist was found here in Abbotabad. It’s a home to Taliban, Hafiz Saeed, Dawood Ibrahim . In those terms India can seldom equate Pakistan – aleast I cannot recall any notorious criminal having sought refufuge in India for past sixty nine years. Maybe Ms. Ramya can help us with our poor and may be biased memory. India and Pakistan have engaged in wars on three occasion 1965,1971 and 1999. All three wars were a result of Pakistani agressions and it lost all three of them. Violating treaty Pakistan still holds a part of Kashmir – Pakistan occupied Kashmir unlike India. Where’s the equality Ms. Ramya. Are you suggesting that we are equally notorious and have indulged in violations as our ‘havenly’ neighbours. Having said this I would sincerely criticise the call for Ms. Ramya to be charged with sedition. After all we are a Sovereign Socialist Democratic Republic and we guarantee our citizens absolute freedom of expression and we are not Pakistan. But then the other side of the coin is Mr Manohar Parrikar is entitled to his opinion as much as Ms Ramya or for that matter any other Indian. If he feels Pakistan is hell it’s his point of view, however, blasphemous, ridiculous or hilarious, and the same should be respected as much as Ms. Ramya’s point of view is expected to be heard and repected.

 Ms. Ramya is quite young and expectedly ignorant of Congress culture of standing by the ruling Government in the matters that concern national pride and integrity as seen during the Kargil war. Openly criticising the Defense Ministers statement over a sensitive and important issue concerning our notorious neighbour may not necessarily go down well with 10 Jamnpath bosses as expected by Ms Ramya and if it does the whole mutation in the Congress Culture may not go down well with the people only to further the woes of Congress in forthcoming elections.

                                                               - Bhushan  Sarmalkar, 

             27 August 2016.

WHAT MAKES 'SAIRAT' A MILESTONE IN THE HISTORY OF FILM MAKING?

AKASH THOSAR AND RINKU RAJGURU IN SAIRAT

 Sairat’ crossed one hundred and fifteen crore mark in its twelve week run – a feat of sorts not only for Marathi cinema but Indian cinema in general being made at cost of a paltry four crores which means profit of a whopping 2000% !.  But the success of ‘Sairat’ isn’t just the money it raked in or the number of weeks it ran in theaters but the appeal it had. What makes ‘Sairat’ a milestone movie? Late Yash Chopra remarked in one of his interviews that the difference between a block buster and a super hit is that while block buster appeals to all or most of the  sections of the society, a superhit may run for twenty-five weeks and do good business but appeals only to a specific section of the society. Movie Moghul Nasir Hussain who produced ‘Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikander’ while commenting on the success of the film said that although the film was greatly successful in cities, in the rural areas it was altogether a different story! Sairat’s appeal spans from rural pockets of Sangli and Solapur to Denver and Dubai, leave alone Mumbai. No wonder then that Sairat was declared a blockbuster. Sairat reminds you that amidst rugged life of rural India there are innocent love stories and yes they are equally velvety and dreamy as their urban counterparts and caste-ism is a bitter reality that we conveniently choose to turn our backs to, believing all is well and that the innocence gets crushed beneath the juggernaut of caste based politics under the name of ‘ honour killing’!

Sairat is a great movie that will redefine the art and craft of film making because it conveys you the intensity of love of two souls in their prime without a touching, kissing or any intimate scene with even the marriage registration being followed by pregnancy scene, skipping the conventional ‘first night’ and yet the audience love it, and seem to have no qualms whatsoever about it, on contrary to popular the opinion or rather what is touted to be the popular opinion, proving that you need not use nudity, vulgarity, obscenity or for that matter even intimacy to make a great movie. Infact, only those who don’t have a great story or a great skill of storytelling seem to use it to add a titillating factor to make things work at box office!

AJAY AND ATUL GOGAVALE WITH AT SONY RECORDING STUDIOS, NEW YORK.U.S.A

Sairat has a great musical score. Although ‘Zingat’ is a rage, both ‘Yaad lagla’ and ‘Sairat theme song’ are great numbers picturized equally beautifully – did you ever think that sugarcane fields or banana plantations were romantic places or for that matter the rail wagons that carry crude oil? But Nagraj Manjule shows you the beauty and the romance in them. Recorded in Hollywood’s Sony Studios, first Indian film to do so and to use the symphony, it is a virtual audio treat. It becomes difficult or a pleasant surprise to believe that the emotions of a rural youth tucked in some corner of Maharashtra are conveyed so efficiently by the worlds best instrumentalists who come from diverse backgrounds from all over the world, predominantly the west  and have no inkling of the culture that they are depicting through their renditions! I think that’s the power of music and hats off to the musical duo Ajay- Atul who don’t seem to take any project they work on leaning back and are evidently unassuming. Their range is simply astonishing from Marathi folk to something like ‘ Meri Adhuri Kahani’ or ‘Abhi Mujh mein kahi’ in Agneepath. And yes they are coupled with great lyrics – if you understand the rural Marathi dialect. Last but not the least Sairat’s music unfailingly reminds you of Illaiya Raja’s score.

Far from encouraging the college going youth to fall in love and running away from homes, ‘Sairat’ discourages them by showing them the harsh realities unlike Hindi films that show all unrealistic goody things (as in ‘Love Story’) depicting minute details from difficulties to find place to nap, to having to put up with ogling eyes, to having to go to filthy public toilets which is sufficient to wake them up from their love-dream to the harsh realities of life. And yes the only thing that helps them survive the challenge is infact their education. Rinku seems to tell the audience all the moral things in tits and bits – like chewing tobacco is injurious, so there isn’t a separate need for notification or the handicapped have an identity that’s separate form their disability and they should be known by that and not by their disability. And probably that’s what it means to be educated and college going! It also breaks the conventional norms when it comes to sexes like for example that men need to be tough, fighters and bread earners with Rinku being quite bold and commanding thanks to her background while Akash being timid and submissive getting bashed up - again thanks to his background and upbringing. After eloping Akash has no qualms about managing household chores form cooking to washing while Rinku does what is often touted as a man’s job – earning! Then it defies the zero figure norm for heroines and even the conventional dark men - fair women norm and that too convincingly.

SAIRAT'S BRILLIANT CINEMATOGRAPHY

A huge share Sairat’s success goes to the brilliant cinematography of Sudhakar Reddy Yakkanti whether it’s the river dive of Akash Thosar or his diving in the well or the exchange of energies while he passes Rinku while climbing out of the well or the lovers perched on a solitary parched tree in the theme song or the backwaters of Ujani or the temple domes set against the dusky orange sky and not to forget the climax. But above all, the best part of the cinematography is the way it captures the moods of the lovers through the various figures that the birds make as they flock the sky – simply astounding!

AKASH THOSAR

RINKU RAJGURU 

Akash Thosar does a great delivery looking vulnerable all through-out the movie while hats off to Rinku Rajguru who delivers brilliant expressions although she is still in school, little wonder then that she walked away with a special national award. Tanaji Galgunde who plays Pradeep aka ‘Langdya’ or Arbaaz Shaikh who plays Salim or ‘ Salya’ deliver excellent performances despite being first timers. Chhaya Kadam is old member of the Manjule camp and delivers brilliantly in a small role. Overall Sairat is a great and realistic story that you fall in love with whether you stay in Solapur, Mumbai, Denver or Dubai and effectively delivers the message that Caste-ism is blot on the Indian society and its the duty of each citizen to do away with it at a personal level lest we should lose some more innocent lives and innocence to it and if we want a our forth coming generations to live in a truly free society!

AKASH THOSAR AND RINKU RAJGURU IN SAIRAT PERSONIFYING INNOCENCE

- Bhushan Kumarsen Sarmalkar, Mumbai, 22 july 2016.

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.