Article 19 (1) (a) Applied in a Class Room

It was just another chilly Saturday morning in August. Alarm started ringing. Oh! Time is 7.30… I felt like kicking that idiot for making me awake. Sorry, it’s not my dear cell. I’m speaking about that guy. Who knew, whether that’s a guy or an uncle!!! Cursing the man who invented attendance, I hurried up to take bath.

How can she be so stunning! Yes, mother earth is the prettiest lady I’d ever met. Especially here in Ettimadai, she looks awesome. There are a few days in the calendar where you’ll feel all the beauty of this lady is confined to this place only.

The green hills covered with fog and sometimes snowy white or else hard black clouds playing hide and seek! Trees, green lawns and flowers covered with dew drops! Cool breeze making you feel so light like a feather! All these appeal us to go back to sleep. A hot water bath helped me to escape from all these pressures.

Next task was to have breakfast. The long walk from hostel to mess, with all the accessories of dress code, was like hell. Entering the large gate of mess, as usual, it’s the foul smell from the kitchen that welcomed me. I had never experienced such a smell from any kitchen in my whole life. “You’ll need two more people with you to cut those idlis”, Nimisha’s comment while we climbed the stairs. Hmm... It’s hard to break.

After breakfast, I moved to department. Some fellow was going to teach us Indian Polity and Constitution. He is free only on these off days. So we were forced to sacrifice our week ends. On Sunday, he would deal with Media Laws.

It was really a crowded class. BA students were also attending the lecture with us. Actually, in that institution, the syllabus of graduates is more advanced than post graduates. In short, BAs learn more than MAs there. Our administrator entered the class and left with a smile. Oh! He came to take attendance. Then came the History Madam. She gave a small lecture about the lawyer who is going to ‘entertain’ us all the weekends of our first semester. It seems he is a leading advocate in Madras High Court. She also asked us to listen and behave politely in his class.

A man who resembles chittappa characters in Tamil movies entered the class. Wearing a black frame glass, white shirt, black pants and well polished black shoes, I felt he directly came out from the court. He also carried a few thick books with him, may be to refer our doubts. When listening to his class, I cursed Ambedkar for writing such a book. Else we wouldn’t have suffered a lecture like this.

However, one thing we all liked in common was he never cared what’s going on inside the class. He would go on like a non-stop train until our doubt-master Pappu comes up with some crazy questions. Chits moved from one corner to another like high speed courier services. Mobile networks crashed as SMS flowed heavily from everyone’s cell. Earphones appeared in the afternoon sessions. Many were busy enjoying FM and their music collections. A few laid down on the desk and flew in their dream world. Others were busy checking why the needles of their watch are moving so slow!

Finally, the session was over. BAs were happy. Their class was over for that week. But we have to go through the same routine next day. Met history ma’m on the way. She is not attending Media Laws class. I saw in her eyes how tired is she listening one day.

The lawyer gave us an assignment after a few classes. To avoid plagiarism, he asked us to give written copies. We lavishly copied from internet. He gave us almost full marks.

And to tell the truth, I haven’t opened the Constitution book even before exam. I studied from my ninth standard Civics text book. It doesn’t contain the numbers of the articles and laws of Constitution. But it explains in simple words, what the constitution is all about.

One thing I respect him. He allowed his students to copy the assignments and sleep and enjoy the class in our own way. After all, that’s what Article 19 (1) a, of Indian Constitution offers to its citizen, Right to Freedom of Speech and Expression!!!

Do not Worship, Just Accept

Hinduism, similar to other counterparts, is against female independence and gender equality. Starting with Manu’s quote, “na sthree swathanthramarhathi” or a lady doesn’t deserve freedom; it further explains woman should be protected by father, husband and son in three different stages of life. In all stories, women who obey man’s order without any deviation, is proclaimed as ideal ones.

Seetha is always shown as the best woman with all the essential traits. Is there any other quality she had, other than always being succumbed to Rama’s order even if she actually hates to follow! To add on, her patience was also praised. A female needs the best care during her delivery time. Think about this lady who was left in a dense forest and had to bring up her two kids with the help of a Valmiki! She went through agnipariksha where she walked through the fire to prove she is still ‘pure’ and faithful to her husband.

Krishna left Radha when he went to Mathura. She never hated him for deceiving her. No woman will actually adore such a person when she knows she is no more in his picture. Having too many wives is permitted for kshatriyas, under the law. For that matter, Rama should be admired for not marrying more than one. And it’s just the opposite for Krishna who had 1608 wives.

Taking the case of Draupathi, she was the common wife of Panchapandavas, the five so called great heroes of Mahabharata. She loved Arjuna, but was forced to marry other four ones too.

In Hindu mythologies, Goddess is secondary to God; Deva is every time given the first position and Devi comes only next. The duty of Lakshmi is to serve Lord Vishnu, Paravathi is scared of her husband and even the most powerful Kali won’t go against Shiva.

The texts of Hinduism also say woman should be respected and worshipped. And only those kingdoms and households where ladies are treated as Goddess will be blessed by Lord with all prosperities. From a woman’s side, she never wishes to be treated as a Goddess. She needs the society to accept her as an individual with all rights and freedom. An atmosphere in which her opinions are not rejected in the name of religion, tradition or culture is what makes her the happiest.

Speaking Sin of Utopia

I was shocked when I got an SMS from my friend, “Hei, check our website. They had put your name in the list of those who are placed”. I immediately typed the website id. Yup! My name is there: JOINED CJ, A GROUP OF ACV. (Sorry. I’m not interested in expanding those abbreviations.)

The fact is I’d attended the interview in a journal. I told this to some faculties there. Under some circumstances, I couldn’t go for that job. They concluded it as I joined and even now they haven’t corrected. Along with my name, I saw a few other names of my friends who tried hard from their own side and got one themselves.

According to the site, everything my classmates achieved is just because of the effort from the placement section. But the real fact is the placement cell started functioning for us only in the midst of our last semester. They made us go through some placement tests. These companies either bear the same brand name of our institution or had some sort of tie-ups with the university. Only a very small number of my classmates opted to work in these companies.

I would say my deemed university is simply ‘great’. It will take all credits as its own even if it hasn’t contributed any. But mind it, only credits! Whatever it is, they say all belong to one family. Once you get a seat there, you are a member; though as soon as you finish your last exam, you are a stranger in that campus. So whatever they attain will naturally be the achievement of that institution which is known for its value based education.

Now when other people encourage me saying I’ll soon get a job as I belong to ‘that’ family, I simply leave that place answering nothing. To describe what is going on in that family is simply a waste of time and energy. Even if I try, they say I know nothing and to blabber all these lies itself is a sin. Ok! Let them believe it’s a Utopia full of angels and life was heaven there…

Tusker and Heritage

The majestic Asian elephant is no more a private property. Since the elephant has been declared a National Heritage Animal, there can no more be private ownership of elephants for the simple reason that a National property cannot be owned by individuals alone. These huge creatures have always been an icon of India. It has attracted huge mass of tourists from around the globe.

Elephants have suffered a reduction of over 50% in last 50 years. According to present records, there are only about 25,000 tuskers in India. Their decline is largely due to habitat loss, degradation, and fragmentation, as well as resulting conflict with humans and poaching.

The declaration of the elephant as the National Heritage Animal of India is welcomed whole heartedly by animal lovers. This decision has special significance in Kerala as it has the highest number of ‘domestic’ elephants in the country.

Keralites cannot imagine a temple festival without these giants. As the public exhibitions of elephants are banned under the new rule, all major fests including the famous Thrissur Pooram are now questioned. Government plans to consult the officials of Guruvayur temple which owns 65 tuskers. After these discussions only, the chance of remissions in the rules can be expected.

Man is sharing a part of the earth along with other creatures. So every animal has equal right in this world. We are no one to restrict other’s movements. Its cruel to chain or so called domesticate any creature.

When elephants are taken in processions carrying the idols of God, do you think He is happy? Almighty won’t be so cruel to enjoy one of his creation torturing another. If He finds pleasure in that, He can no longer be addressed as God…

Hunger Hunt

Most of the characters in my stories will be my cousins. This time too I’m going to tell a crazy thing that I and my cousin did. After all, I love to go in a different way which others might name as madness. Luckily I got a dozen cousins who are ready to accompany me.

Well! To talk about my cousin Alaka, we both are of same age. From the day, I came to this world, we are always together. In fact, almost like a synonym, the name Alaka is never spelt without Roopa in my dad’s family. When we were kids, we used to wear same kind of dresses and ornaments. In short, our family almost treated us like twins.

As time moved on, we couldn’t meet each other. But while we get together, we always have fun in our own way. The best one among it is how we went for a food hunt on the eve of my house warming.

Seven years back, in the mid-night before my house warming, I and Alaka were busy with our own talks. Also we scared our little cousins with ghost stories and tress-passers by howling and screaming. As time passed, hunger started to bother us.

Hunger is something you can’t control. The place was so silent. We could see all other guests and cousins sleeping around. I gave the plan of searching for some eatables in the kitchen. I was sure that there will be a few varieties of chips for next day’s sadya or feast. We moved to kitchen. We were so careful not to wake any one as our food hunt was in an odd time.

Unfortunately, we couldn’t find any chips or snacks. There was nothing except a few raw food stuffs. But hunger was at its peak. Alaka managed to pick a packet of milk powder. And I saw some raw mangos. Whatever it is, our only aim was to fill our stomach. As my cousin opened the packet, someone screamed at us, “What the hell is going on there!”

Oh my God! It’s one of our servants. Alaka somehow managed to convince him that we came to drink water. He went back to sleep. We lavishly had Amulya and mangos. Then we actually felt thirsty. There was no drinking water. Even tap water is sweet when you won’t find another drop to drink. So we happily drank direct tap water.

When we went to our room, dad’s sister was sitting there. As she is a cool aunt, we managed to narrate our food hunt without fear. We made her to promise not to tell any one else.

Next day, we couldn’t wake up early. When we opened our eyes, we saw every one getting ready for the function. Another aunt came near us and asked with a smile, “Oh! You are so early today. We never thought you’d get up so early after yesterday’s hunt.”

For the first time, I saw my talkative cousin searching for words…