Hello
Wow! the heat has finally subsided to a moderate level in Chennai. We have had occasional rains that help to cool things down although rain brings with it a host of infrastructure issues like storm drains not in place, standing water and traffic snarls.
Schools have been open now for over a month and roads are crowded in the morning with children of all ages in uniforms going to school carrying heavy backpacks. They are so neatly dressed, young girls with hair in neat plaits, shoes and socks or sandals and little colourful ties and belts. Boys in crisp trousers and hair combed and glistening with a touch of hair oil! Reminds me of my days in boarding school many moons ago! What amazes me is the sight of so many children being transported by adults on motorbikes, scooters and bicycles! The first time I saw a motorbike with 3 children and 2 adults I almost freaked out thinking - that is most dangerous and surely against the rules! All my years of living in the US complying with rules of safety for oneself and those around you is all I could think of in the moment. Rules do exist here about the number of people allowed on two-wheelers- seems to me the police don't enforce the rules?
My girlfriend then gave me a different perspective on life in India- the fact that parents of all economic strata are so focused on meeting the educational needs of their children and will do whatever it takes to ensure that they attend school. It often is a risk riding on a crowded motorcycle or scooter- however these parents are often strapped for cash and must make many sacrifices for their children's education. Some schools do have school buses available- although the majority of children walk to school which is just as dangerous on the crowded streets of Chennai! I guess parents are trying to use their good judgment with the sole mission of ensuring their children have a better future! Despite all the publicity on societal upheavals and a growing intolerance for differences based on caste, religion and gender, it is heartening to see that education continues to be high on the agenda of most parents- after all these children can make or break this nation.
Of course we do have folks who believe they have sound judgment and interpret the law to their benefit- Often I’m sitting at a red light late at night when there is no traffic and watching others just whiz by using their sound judgment! Others are upset that we won’t move and start honking their horns and I’m often tempted to do the unthinkable- finger language, although I wonder if it would be understood! So the dilemma continues for me- when can we use sound judgment as opposed to just 'adhering to rules' because they are the rules? Is there room for pragmatic wisdom or does that entail a more mature constituency? One that truly embraces a democratic state that is inclusive, respectful of 'other' and supportive of the community interests and rights?
I'm sure you have been following the atrocious acts of molestation of this 19 year old woman in the Northeastern state of Assam. The price she had to pay for rejecting the advances of a TV reporter who then decides to get a mob of bastardly men to start molesting her as she leaves the bar and calls his TV crew to tape this horrific scene. What could be going through this 19 year old's mind and the emotional trauma caused by gutless men who respond to mob incitement! Then I read about a young woman who was being harassed by a group of men on the train that she commuted in and not a single person in that crowded train came to her rescue. She was pushed out of the moving train by these thugs and is recovering in the hospital- her only response to this tragic situation was that 'no one came to my aid'! Reminded me of the story of Kitty Genovese in New York in the sixties who was screaming for help from a rapist and murderer and no one responded at first. Imagine 10 years later Sandra Zahler faced a similar fate in New York with apathetic neighbours who did nothing hearing her cries for help.
Yet the last episode of the TV show hosted by the actor Amir Khan showcased individuals who make a difference in the community. He had a vegetable vendor whose husband died since they could not afford doctor's fees in 1971 and she vowed that one day she would fulfill her dream of providing free medical care to anyone who was in need. She had to send 2 of her boys to an orphanage since she could not feed them and worked as a manual labourer, saving enough money over 20 years to buy some land and built a hospital some 5 years later and it is run by her doctor son and other committed docs with free medical care for the underprivileged! What perseverance and determination to fulfill her vision of the impossible! Another story that touched my heart was of a 9 year old boy who attended school knowing that many children in his neighborhood were deprived of an education- so would rush home daily and teach his neighbors what he learnt that day and now at 19 is running a school for disadvantaged children in his community. He has teachers volunteering their services to the school. These stories are so inspirational especially since my dream of a Women’s Skills Training Centre is yet to be fulfilled.
India is truly a land of contrasts and an enigma to so many- You really have to be open to seeing both the genuine love, generosity and hospitality of her people as well as the dark, dreary and violent side. Considering the 1.2 billion population, luckily we have more of the positive although the negative gets more attention. However being vigilant and mindful of the atrocities committed and taking action in one’s own way is critical to this nation’s prosperity.
Here is my poem contemplating 65 years of independence and our responsibilities toward this great nation. Enjoy...
Celebrating Indian Independence Day
August 15, 1947
India on the brink of a freedom revolution
Unfettered from the chains of colonial powers
Still burdened by caste, class and religion
Determined to refute naysayers’ prediction
Of India’s doom and dire destruction
Sixty five years of glory and achievement
In education, medicine, arts and entertainment
Expanding the range of human potential
Contrasting both the good and the evil
Bollywood, Kollywood and Tollywood
Offering the masses false hopes and glamour
Even mastering the art & glitz of Hollywood
Making us more vulnerable to acts of terror
Looking back on the years of freedom
Have we truly created a nation?
Inspiring and motivating its people
To free themselves from burdensome tradition
Treating all humans as God’s great creation?
Let’s reflect on the privileges that we’ve been given
Knowing that not everyone has the same option
We have a responsibility to our nation
To eliminate greed, violence and corruption
Restore love, order and compassion
If we hope to be a global leader of nations
©Cecy Kuruvilla 2012
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