* * Nemesis

Nemesis –  this  seven  lettered  word  has  a  very  strong  reach  and  hold  on  every human being,  so  much  so  that   there  is   no   escape   from  it,  whenever,   wherever  and  howsoever, it  may  come.  But  it   will  arrive   for  sure,  at  the  anointed   time.   Providence   being    the   dispenser   of    final   judgement,     there  is   no   escape   route  or  detour  possible,  as  when   it   strikes,   we  will   be  placed  in  a  cul-de-sac,  for  sure,  and   have  to   accept  it   with   submission. 

Mythology  and  religious  texts  advise  and  urge  humans  to  follow  the  path  of righteousness,  adhere  to  the  rules  of  virtue,  espouse   the   cause   of   truth,  desist  from   committing  sins, in  life.  All   major   religions   carry,   preach   the  same  message,  with  slight  variations.  The   crux   of   every   religion   is   to  seek  God  in  its  own  way,  by   performing  good   deeds,   and    make   an   earnest attempt   to  reach   salvation   and   get   liberated    from   the   cycle   of   births. 

There   is  a  common  belief  among  people  of  all   religions,  that   they   will   have   to   stand  before  the  Highest  Court  of  Justice,  officiated   by   Almighty   Himself,  once  they   bid  adieu  to  earthly  life  and  leave  for  their  heavenly  abode.  It  is  also  firmly   believed  that  an  extensive  audit   will   be   taken   up   on   their  worldly   transactions, where  there  can  neither  be  an  accounting  error,  nor    deviation  from  His  set   accounting   standards.

A   pleasant  phase  in   life  should  be  interpreted  as  a  gift   for   our   good   deeds  and   a   turbulent  one  should  be  taken  as  a  punishment  for  some  sins  committed  by  us,  either  knowingly   or   otherwise,  either  in   this   birth   or  in   the  yester  one.  Believers   of   Karma   subscribe   to   this    theory.   Whatever   we   go   through   in   this  life,  should   be   interpreted   as   the   result   and   reward   for   the   deeds  committed   in   previous  birth.  One   has  to  maintain  a  reasonably clean  slate and  play  a  smooth  earthly   innings,  before   being   declared   out   on  the  D-day.

It  is  established   that   those  who  transgress  law  have   got   to   serve   the   quantum  of  punishment  stipulated   by  the   penal  codes.  This  is  an  universal  fact  and  does  not  discriminate  between  the  poor  and   the rich.   Influence, authority   and   power   cannot   obliterate  or   save  anyone,   howsoever   powerful   he / she  may  be,  from  facing   justice.  Even  if  by   some  quirk   of   fate  or   by    a  whiff  of  good   luck  if   they   are   not    cornered   by   human  Magnacarta,   they  have to  face  the  music  of   the  Supreme  Power,  which  will  definitely  not  be  sweet  and  melodious.   Scam  riddled   political  bigwigs,  highly   corrupt  officials,  and   dashing   film  stars   who  act  rashly  in   real   life,  are   seen    cooling   their  heels  at  various  jails.  It   goes   to   instill   confidence   among   the   commoners,  and  make  them  believe  in  Nemesis.

While  dispensation  of   justice   in   individual  cases  is  easily  understood  and accepted,  I  am  still  finding  it   difficult  to  comprehend  the  same  on  hundreds and  thousands  of  people, who  perish  in  natural   calamities  like  earthquake,  floods,  tsunami,  airplane  accidents  etcetera.   What   connotation  can  be  drawn  on  the  happening   of   such   unfortunate   events,   other  than   broadly   terming   it  as  an “ act  of   God “.  Even   though  it  is   an  accepted   term,  the   act  seems  unjustified   to   me   on   a   personal   note.  Innocent  lives (  children,  infants,  pregnant  women,   old  and  sickly,  cattle )  get   killed  in  droves.   Why  should   Nemesis   land   all   of   a   sudden   on   so   many,   snatch   their   lives,  at   the   wink   of    an  eye ?     Many   questions   in    life    remain  unanswered.     During   perilous times  “ Vox  Dei “  does  not  listen  to “ Vox  Populi “.  It   is   not   a   symphony,  but   an   elegy.

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**  Written after the Nepal Earthquake.

Piquant Indian Formulas

India is a country with diverse traditions, cultures, religions, languages etcetera.,  and  this  strange  conglomeration  surprises  the  world.  We take pride in espousing our oneness through  “ Unity in Diversity “.  Though  put  to  test  time  and  again  due to political  overtures,  the strength and survival of our integration  has  always  matured   and   graduated  with  high  grades.

Bharat, as  a  nation  has contributed  so much  to  the  world,  encompassing arts, science, technology, astrology, medicine and so on. It  is  all   history  and  very  well   acknowledged  by   the  universe . It  does  not  require  any  further  elaboration.

Leaving alone the above said  formal achievements and innovations which deserve due credit,  the  present  day  Indian  polity  and  society  has  invented  some  other  intriguing  formulas that  may  be  one of  its  kind  in  the world. They  may be prevailing and practiced in some other impoverished, poverty  ridden  nations, but  will  be a  total  misnomer  in  the  industrialized,  developed  western counterparts.  These  formulas   are   not   ornamented   by   fame    but   clothed   and  covered  by  shame.   A couple  of  them  ( one each from South and North India )  are  elaborated  below :

1. Tirumangalam Formula :  This formula got evolved during the by-election to the Tirumangalam constituency,  in Tamil Nadu. Even though the theory propounded by this formula was in existence and  practiced  before this by-election, the underlying concept got popularized only after this battle of ballot. Buying votes for money / selling one’s vote for money  is  the  crux, the underlying principle governing this  formula.  It was carried out with systematic precision and astounding perfection that the detestable practice of distributing money to lure the voters gained strong foothold  in  our elections after that. Of course, it cannot be said that all votes were purchased by the political parties, ( both the ruling and the opposition ), as their focus was directed towards the poorer and vulnerable sections of society, whose votes are decisive  in  determining  the  outcome  in   any  poll.  So  electoral  polity in  Tamil Nadu,  got  a  new invention which  was christened as  the “ Tirumangalam Formula “.  Now this formula has  become a  regular  feature  in  every  election,  be  it  to  the  state  or  the  centre, and  during  the post  run-up,  the television  news  items will  regularly  air  video clippings  of  cash distribution by rival parties, and  wads of  currencies being  seized  by  the election  commission  and  police officials,  to  the  chagrin  of  the  viewers  spread across the globe.  The  fallout  to  this  hideous  practice  has  seen  the  voters  demanding money  explicitly  from  the  political  big-wigs  and  their  election  managers, and  in  some clusters,  complaining  that  they  have  not . got  their  “ rightful  due “.  What to say of this?  This is the  present  picture  of  reality  in  Indian  elections, whichever  state they  are  held.  The quantum of distribution  may  be  high  or  less,  depending  upon  the  state  that  goes  to   the polls,  but   it   has   come   to  stay   and  enact  its  play.  Despite the best efforts of the election and law enforcement officials,  it still  holds sway, and  could  not  be  done  away  with.  The electorate should show political maturity and  display  mental  determination  that  they  will  not  cast / sell  their votes  for  money. Until  then,  this  detestable practice  will  not  die  down  but   continue  to  live.

2) Bihar  Examination  Formula  :  Indians  know  that  Bihar  is  a  different  and  difficult state to run, given  its  high  crime  rate  and  poor  law  and  order situation. Both  problems  arise due  to  the  grueling  poverty  that  plagues  that  state on  a perennial  basis.  Nearly  a  month  back,  television viewers  had  the  unfortunate  opportunity  to  see  a  video, focused  on   a   school  examination  centre  in  a  backward  district  of  Bihar.  It  was  a  different  visual “ treat “. The  school  by  itself  had  a  decrepit, worn down  look  with  the  outer  walls  not  even  having  a decent  coat  of  cement  plastering.  And  presto, many  spider men  were  seen  scaling, crawling on  the  walls, moving  from  one  end  of  the  school  to  another, without  the  fear  of  falling  down. They seemed  to  be  on  very  sound  footing, and   clung  to  their position  without  any  application  of  glue  to  their  anatomy.  What  were  they  up  to  and  who  were  they?  The  men  were  parents and  relatives of the students taking the examination inside the classrooms.  They were lending a totally different “ helping hand “ to their wards,  to ensure  that  they come  out  with  flying colours  by  scoring  high  marks  in  the  examination,  only  that  their inimical support  to  their  loved  ones  turned  out  to  be  a  loathsome  sight.  Thanks  to  the advent  and  the  reach  of  the   media, the  nation  saw  with  shock  and  chagrin,  text books,  notes,  guides  being  passed  on  by  the “ good Samaritans “ to  their  children  inside  the  classrooms, and they on their part, dutifully copying the same unabashedly, without a trace of ignominy or guilt.  All  this  got  enacted  in  full  public  view ( with even uniformed policemen turning a different eye to what was happening around ) and went viral with almost all Indian television channels playing  it  again and again. The disgusting event was also aired by some foreign news channels, taking India’s fame to greater heights, for a totally condemnable, wrongful reason.  If  this  is  the  way  examinations  are  conducted  in  some schools of  Bihar, then  what  would  be  the  ability  and capability  of  these  erring students when they pass out and join the mainstream?. How  would  they  face  the  challenges of  the  modern  world ?. Further what  would  be  the state  of  affairs  and  standard  of  probity  when  they  occupy  government  positions ?   One  only  dreads  to  think

Another very disquieting feature was that the very next day after the mass copying was aired, a former Chief Minister of Bihar gave a hilarious interview to the press that if his party  is   voted  to   power   again,   then  he  will  freely  allow  the  students  to  take  the text books and other  study  materials  inside  the  examination  hall, so  as  to  ease   their burden  to  a  great  extent.  What  an exhibit  of  “ matured  statesmanship “!!    Bravo – for all   the  wrong  reasons. “ Yatha Raja,  Thatha Praja , “ – “  Like  King,  Like  Subjects “. 

Will  this  not  go  to  cast  a  doubt  on  all   Bihari   students,  irrespective  of  whatever background  they  come  from,  and  bring  disrepute  not  only  to  them,  but  to the  already  damaged  image  of  their  state. Will  they  not  be looked  down   with suspicion,  or  will  not  their   academic   prowess   be  suspected ? 

   

The impact of the video was so huge, that  the Government  of  Bihar  went  on  a  damage control mode, stating that henceforth all efforts would be made towards preventing  exam  malpractices  and  that  stringent  punishment  would  be  meted  out  to  both  the “ Donor “ and “ Donee “ of  copying material.  Trust  this  is enforced  verbatim.    Jai   Hind                                                     ============