India has lost by a handful 18 runs. The fabled dream of lifting the World Cup gets a rude awakening. This is how a cookie crumbles. But then it was destined to end in this very manner. What is to be expected when one kills the very spirit of the game – Fairness & Sportsmanship. In this present case, Justice was not only delivered swiftly but it was also seen by the entire world.

In all probability, owing to a lingering animosity, the team forfeited their wining streak to the host team. The reason was obvious, to oust the Pakistan team. For the first time a losing team was all smiles. We must not forget for a moment that Brothers were separated and the seeds of hatred were sowed due to colonisation. However, at the most opportune moment we hastily forgot this bitter truth and connived something which is against our basic nature. The Writing on the Wall was loud and clear. Else, how does one explain the slow march towards target or lethargy of an accomplished bowler like Shami, bowling full tosses to the opponents. We had a wonderful opportunity of conquering hatred and a chance to display to the world that in a game we hold no animosity against anyone. We could have played the big brother, held out our hand to an errant half-brother and led him along. If not for anything else but for the world to see that two Asian teams had qualified in the semifinals of the most popular sport. I believe, it is for this Spirit and inherent Qualities of the game that Cricket has always been recognised as a Gentleman’s Game.

We, humans may rejoice over petty battles won but in the eyes of the Almighty nothing goes unnoticed. The disastrous play against New Zealand team was not bad cricket but was an outcome of a bad intentions. What you sow is what you reap. In the end, the sport which had brought fame and wealth was left betrayed at the altar of meaningless hatred.

I recently watched a movie – Article 15. My first reaction on the opening scene in fact surprised me – Is this my country of today! And then suddenly it dawned upon me that my Constitution is finding herself stifled between those leather hard bound covers. A freedom that she was supposed to deliver has only transported her not so fortunate children into an oppressive class divide. Similar stories echoes across in each part of the world. People living in abject poverty amidst tons of food that ends up in garbage waste, world class cities defined by neon lights while her outskirts has scores of human residing among toxic waste. The most intriguing part is that there are innumerable NGOs with an unlimited access to funds and constantly engaged in bridging this divide and yet the miseries finds no succour. What is then restricting us from stopping this degradation! We see, we observe, we debate about it for a while and we forget it getting absorbed in our mundane work. We are sometimes afraid even to acknowledge this harsh reality.

Human mankind over a period of time have been witness to a spectacular transformation with the advancement of technology. The world in your palms. And yet the pain is burgeoning with each threshold that we conquer. It is said that sun does not set on human accomplishments. Or maybe the Almighty does not trust us in darkness.

I do not know what would the best approach to this misery but we all can start with treating each fellow being as equal, teach our children to be respectful and show compassion to the less fortunate, lead by example in protecting the environment and avoiding food waste.

Please do comment as it may help us to find an amicable solution for the larger good.

When Adam and Eve the first inhabitants descended upon this beautiful universe, God Himself would have rejoiced with ecstasy upon the symbolic unfolding of procreations. What was meant to be His greatest creation, a life filled with eternal hope, has suddenly been engulfed by an ominous feeling – Depression. This horrible word has pushed both young and old to take their own life and made Suicide as a global phenomenon. If one would go by the statistics alone, suicidal deaths across the globe would be nothing short of an EPIDEMIC. The most worrying trend is that even our school going children have succumbed to this phenomenon.

Depressive trends are suddenly gaining alarming popularity. However, the subject is shunned with distaste. Misplaced love, emotions, workplace/peer pressures, loneliness have been identified as perpetual culprits behind these deaths. Whatever the reasons that one may attribute to, the question is why are these children so fickle minded and weak. Have we as parents failed them! To an extent YES. The moment a child is born, we are already in the process of charting his future course. Look how his finger inches towards the stethoscope, signs of a future surgeon. Oh the way he tugs at the cradle bell, a fine engineer he will evolve into. And so on and so forth. More often than not, While trying to forge a competitive attitude at a tender age, we as parents in all probability have overlooked the building of Mental Strength. To be better than the rest, be it school or workplace is the Mantra.

While the depression trends point towards discrimination, bullying, fierce competition, parents cannot be held solely responsible. Reservations are a welcome step towards equal opportunities but there is a huge gap in the cutoff percentages for admission procedures. The academic pressures are bound to happen in majority of cases due to difficulty quotient with regards to grasp of the subject. There is lack of fundamental knowledge even in case of toppers who unfortunately have crammed the subjects. When faced with practical application, these book worms are shattered and they feel the brunt of the competition. And then comes the downfall. The draconian study routine in coaching classes had never allowed them to develop mental strength to cope up with failures.

It is imperative that we as parents consciously analyse our children’s ability and in which direction their talent lies. There are ample avenues and varied field of studies wherein a child’s interest can be developed and progressed upon. Rather than being a helicopter parent, we need to give our children some space, a break from monotonous routine. At least let him understand the world and the likely challenges that he might encounter. We must encourage them to develop a hobby which can help him to tide over difficult situations. Communication is the key and must be encouraged at all levels. In today’s technology charged environment, we as parents need to be alert in recognising any signs of altered behaviour and affectionately bring back the child’s focus.

अगले साल चली जाऊँगी

ना जाने कितने महीने के बाद मुलाक़ात होगी

रोज़ रोज़ के डाँट से बच तो जाऊँगी

पर तेरी याद बहुत सताएगी

फल नहीं खाती

कमरा ठीक से नहीं रखती

कोई नहीं होगा वहाँ बताने को

मस्त मगन तो रहूँगी

पर तेरी याद बहुत सताएगी

जितना डाँटीं है उससे कहीं ज़्यादा प्यार भी करती है

जल्दी आना मिलने मुझसे

तेरी ख़ुशबू की आदत सी हो चुकी है

जानती हु की हर रोज़ फ़ोन पे बात तो होगी

पर तेरे सामने ना होने पे

तेरी याद ख़ूब सताएगी

About the Poet:

Nupur, in this heartfelt poem echoes the emotions and bond of love cherished by each and every teenage girls like her as they leave their home to begin a new life. Here she narrates a bonding of a daughter with her mother and pays tribute to her best friend by saying that distance cannot wither away her memories that both have shared and that it shall become stronger with each passing moment.

The world is on a short fuse or so it seems. It would be nothing short of a miracle in today’s time not to find a mention of some barbaric act in a news feed. Rape, gruesome murders, kidnappings, street brawl over petty issues, the list is endless. The victims in most of the cases are women. The world is progressing and is abuzz with technological advancement while there is a certain segment among us whose action and behaviour are nothing short of an animal. What is it that drives him to divert all his failures, his frustrations towards the vulnerable especially small children and women. Is this the new normal that we have to accept and move on?

It can be argued that such inhuman deeds were prevalent in the past. But then were they of such severity which is prevalent today! There were serial killers, rapists, kidnappers in earlier times, but our women folk had never felt so insecure as they find themselves today. Which human would rape a toddler and then mutilate its body and leave it for the dogs to feed on! Which set of humans would confine a eight year old girl, rape her over days and then later murder her! Which human would lynch another to death! These are general crimes but if one observes closely, they are the outcome of growing intolerance in the society.

One can attribute innumerable reasons for this degeneration in the society. Social media, financial disparity, exploitation, to name a few. I personally feel that the major contributor is illiteracy, unemployment, lack of opportunity. An idle mind is a devils workshop. Keep the mind engaged in meaningful activities and the world becomes a safe place to live. The need of the hour is to draw attention of the youth towards skill development while at the same time avoid creating a hype about engineering, medicine degrees. Moreover we need to focus on our villages which need to be made self reliant, stronger and sustainable to prevent the exodus of rural youth towards urban cities. Not only would employment ratio improve but the city periphery would also become more spacious and scenic with reduction in immigrants.

The need to Respect women both at workplace and at home and display love for children must be inculcated at early stages. The role of elders and parents towards propagating Acceptance of NO as an answer would certainly fetch rich dividends. Unless intolerance in any form is seen as menace to society, it’s spiteful journey would continue unabated. Woman gave birth to Man, in return he brought upon her endless sufferings.

I went to a famous temple

There was a crowd ample

The hustle bustle of the devout’s

Reminding one of an epic war

A perfect example of superstition galore.

I could not go inside

Instead the Lord greeted me outside

He said, Why did you come!

This is not my home.

These simpletons in line

Wait unaware in sunshine

I am haggled here

More pay, early way,

I suffocate in utter disbelief

While fools wait in hope eternally

The opportunist guard my gate

And sell me at different rate,

Here the God is sold

In the Temple of gold

To collect more gold.

I am imprisoned here

The people easily swayed

On superstition legend

By rogues and the seasoned.

Please go home

Yours is my home

You need not roam

I am in your wife

I am in your children

I reside in you.

The truth dawned on me

Together we started on an endless journey

Like brothers full hearted

A new life was charted

The life of love, is

The life of truth,

The life of contentment.

About the Poet

Professor PM Bhuptani firmly believes that the Almighty is an integral part of your being. He has never abandoned you since your birth. Every good deed brings you closer to him. Professor Bhuptani has authored many books and poems both in English, Hindi and Gujarati. ‘Ocean of love‘, a tribute to Seafarers was inaugurated by the Indian President Ghani Zail Singh. His Gujarati novel on community living was inaugurated by then Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi. Professor Bhuptani has retired and presently resides in Bhavnagar, Gujarat.

Once again my heart is wriggling

To unfurl the flag of desire

Full of colour and life

With lots of dream and fire

Life is a horizon

Life is a mirage

Life is full of unlimited desire

With much of pain and satire

I yearn for something that is mine no more

But then also I yearn for more

Coz I have more to achieve

I have the whole world to win

About the Poet:

Mithu during her brief stint in the Army as a Nursing Officer was awed by the courage and perennial love for life demonstrated by the wounded soldiers who were placed in her palliative care. Her poems reflect immortal will power and undying human spirit. She resides in Chennai with her husband and their two children who regards her as the binding factor, a pillar of strength.

How can something so harmless whose only crime has been to precipitate one’s lustful gastronomical cravings, be seen as destroying the essence of a nation. Or is the country been so fickle minded to be swept away by such a harmless invasion. How did then such an inoffensive thing become synonymous with our young generation. But then largely it is the food that defines the people and their culture.

The Westernisation of our culture has arguably been characterised as the biggest culprit for the erosion of our core traditions. The biggest attack on India was the introduction of English language, peddled across length and breadth of the country as the only means of acceptability in the outside world. In its wake, came the Western dream – The salsas, the hip hop, extravagant Casanova lifestyle, the fast foods, slowly polluting our young and drifting them away from our culture. Our traditionally vibrant villages, our folklore, our dance forms, music are in eternal conflict for survival against this new infusion. To be honest, many of our timeless cultural festivity and authentic flavours are now found in resurrected ambience on the outskirts of a city.

We are a nation wherein four countries dwell within us, culturally diverse at each level, finding the Indian sangam as we move towards the centre. It is observed that a single language binds a nation together and Hindi – Nation’s mother tongue, which defines us as Indian, is hopelessly trying her luck to secure her place which was rightfully hers. English language has emerged the winner. Conversation in English language has now become a matter of pride, a tool to flaunt superior lineage to our fellow citizens. The increasing dependence on English and both National and State languages being played as a second fiddle by the education system has accentuated the situation. Whether it has helped us to bond better with the outside world or not, it has now officially taken mantle of bridging the divide within our own country. The pizzas, the burgers, the unmindful cacophony and ever increasing profanity have found a connect among the young who, in their eagerness to adopt western culture, have allowed these fast foods to establish their supremacy over the Indian cuisine.

It would have been the mandate of certain invaders and Britishers, to propagate their culture, to garner a wider support across the world. One can succumb to such unholy propaganda in times of oppression, but at the time of nation building one needs to be judicious in cherry picking. Embracing a new culture does not necessarily mean that one has to discard the old in totality. I, personally feel that there are ample positives in this new embrace, one in particular that it tends to broaden our vision. In fact, a synergy between the two would have been like two bodies with one soul. However we made way for an alien culture to dominate us in every walk of life wherein the biggest casualty is our children. Maybe, we as parents ourselves were over awed by this new freedom of thoughts and in the process to appear as Modern Day Parents allowed this degenerative trend to blossom.

Ramayana and Mahabharata are the only two epics in this world which have stood the test of time and are relevant even today. The West have begun to realise its true essence and the progressive strength of our culture. Back home, we need to tie up the loose ends and try to propagate the essence of our valuable teachings in our children. Unless we do so, our traditions would be limited to some weekend outings.

India and her Indianness since time immemorial has enthralled the entire world by her spiritual approach towards life. Today her Aura stands bruised by avaricious actions. In the pursuit of more, her values and time tested traditions are undergoing an irreversible change for the worse. Every individual has positioned oneself on the starting block, with a singular aim to rise above the other. The means adopted is inconsequential.

This aspiration of many has been astutely captured by the few. Private institutions have mushroomed unfettered across the length and breadth of the country, promising myriad of possibilities to the gullible students and parents alike. With hardly any check and balance on primary requisites of basic infrastructure and experienced faculty, the employability of these students is left to one’s imagination. To add fat to fire, reservation in seats has created an Enormous Knowledge Divide. While desired skill sets coupled with communication skills define the employability in corporate jobs, vacancies in the Government sector arises mainly on retirement. With automation obliterating physical human presence, the importance of Skill Set cannot be refuted. The present situation is unique. We have youths with fascinating degree, but their employability is questionable. With tens of thousand graduates being churned out by these factory like institutions each year, serpentine queues knocking on each available opportunity have increased by the day.

It has become increasingly imperative to define Intelligent Quotient criteria for each profession. Today more than ever before, the country needs to project as a Five Year Plan, her requirement in all the areas ranging from Janitors to Engineers, Doctors to Lawyers, Accountants to Managers. We can emulate the armed forces wherein specific intake is projected each year. Unless we arrest the flow of graduates each year and have limited institutions addressing the specific talent, the situation remains grim. The mad rush for the coveted degree has to stop, so as to save our future slipping into oblivion.

Thanks for joining me!

Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter. — Izaak Walton