Meeting The Giants In World Of Writing: My Precious Moments With Ruskin Bond And Gulzar
Ruskin Bond: From His Writings I Learnt The Art Of Writing Simply!
The world of writing is marred by strange twists and turns. It’s never easy for a writer, whether established or novice, to keep pace with time in an easy-going manner in world dominated by materialistic principles, which treats nurturing aesthetic pleasures as some sort of waste of time. When selling rose becomes more worthwhile task than to appreciate its scent, it’s quite certain that one would not gain much by falling in love with creative pursuits. I faced extremely tough conditions with humiliating episodes taking place quite frequently, but I always tried not to take them to heart, remembering that great writers of previous eras also received similar treatment. Pain and humiliation do not break a writer ( unless destiny has predestined such a fate) but make him gain more insights, not available to ordinary mortals. The other thing that really kept me going ahead with ease despite huge setbacks was constant support of extremely talented souls, who appeared at various stages of my life as friends and colleagues. Apart from them, I feel really privileged that I also got an opportunity to spent some precious moments with towering figures in world of literature. These very special moments still keep me spirited and cheerful in depressing times even as memories related with those meetings have been clouded by the affairs of time.
I met Ruskin Bond and Gulzar at a time when my bonhomie with the writing world was gaining depth. However, after meeting them, I became certain that being a writer was no crime! I always met people who stupidly asked me( and thereby revealing the actual worth of their grey cells) about my work sphere even as I told them that I write! ” It’s okay that you write but what work you do?” That’s the sort of queries which always chased me. Thank God such queries today neither appear nor they have any relevance left in my life. The sight of Gulzar and Ruskin had left me spellbound, although I had met them separately, but exhibition of feelings remained the same.
I became the fan of Ruskin Bond at the very moment when in one of the boring literature classes of my school, I first came to read his story “The Eyes Have It”. The intensity of emotions expressed in this story fascinated my young heart to great extent. Though my class teacher, the other school mates and the old-fashioned academic standards, compelled me to anticipate the story in a given way, I came to visualize many other things as I read this story. And that’s why I met Ruskin Bond not only as reader but also as a writer! It’s the writings of Ruskin which taught me that how you say is equally important as what you come to say! However, the greatest lesson Ruskin taught me was that great writing is simple writing! Never use bundle of complicated expressions, which make a reader be involved more in picking up a dictionary than being lost in the content of the post! It’s one of the reasons why I avoid reading Arundhati Roy unless I have to sleep early!
The impressions left by Ruskin can also be traced in my being!
Ruskin Bond, the Sahitya Akademi and Padma Shri awards winner, visited Allahabad, circa 2003. He had come here to attend promotional event organised by a leading publisher Rupa & Co. I wasn’t prepared for this meeting, but the moment I heard news of his arrival, I got prepared my manuscript related with my first unpublished anthology- The Petals Of Life. When I met him, I saw him surrounded by his well-wishers. I waited for my turn, and fortunately when my turn came he had some spare moments. He gave a fabulous smile when I introduced myself as a writer and informed him about my literary pursuits. When I handed him my poems, he seemed to be very pleased by this gesture. He patted my back and asked me to keep writing. Though he was tired but he still obliged me by giving me his autograph at number of places. Our conversations lasted for few minutes but the undercurrents still remain alive. And so I refuse to leave the company of pen!
Gulzar- the Oscar Award winner lyricist-also visited Allahabad, at the invitation of same publisher, during the same period. My meeting with him was once again a hurried affair than a pre-planned affair. When I reached the place where he was about to arrive after couple of hours, I was apprehensive about the meeting. However, call it my luck, despite presence of huge crowd, I created space for my meeting with this amazing man. It was hard for my eyes to acknowledge the fact that maker of landmark movies like Aandhi, Ijaazat, Kitaab, Parichay and Achanak, to name a few, was sitting right before my eyes. Like always, this time, too, he was clad in white kurta-pajama. And like always donned his lips a typical smile, which any Gulzar fan would easily recognize had he/she been noticing photographs of him quite sincerely. To be honest, I had not read enough literature penned by him but I had watched his movies and heard his songs with exceptional zeal and abnormal seriousness. And that’s why his “surrealism” permeated in my writings as well. Anyway, he remained seated in relaxed way. When I informed him about my credentials, his faced remained expressionless yet I noticed that he was pretty conscious! And as I finished saying what I had to say, he gave a very deep look at me. A stare that refused to leave me and became part of my being. I left the space after spending couple of minutes with him but as I came out of that place and headed towards my home these particular lines from this immortal song “Aknhon Mein Humne Aapke” kept appearing and disappearing within mind’s chamber-
“नज़रे उठाई आपने तो वक्त रुक गया
ठहरे हुए पलो में जमाने बिताये है “
- When you looked at me, the time stopped
And in those moments I came to live many lives.
Many thanks to these gentlemen who appeared at a very important juncture in my life. I needed some genuine encouragement and their generosity in display of emotions proved to be a tonic for my spirit chased by uncertainties. The uncertainties remain the same but my spirit attained the required evolution and so my writings. And so I am still writing! Pervert critics remain the same and situation remains hopeless like always and yet I am above all these negative concerns. A proof that meeting such enlightened gentlemen did not go in vain.
Gulzar: I still remember that I met you!
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Excerpts from the story ” The Eyes Have It” :
“I wondered if I would be able to prevent her from discovering that I was blind. Provided I keep to my seat, I thought, it shouldn’t be too difficult.”
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“The man who had entered the compartment broke into my reverie.
‘You must be dissapointed,’ he said. ‘I’m not nearly as attractive a traveling companion as the one who just left.’
‘She was an interesting girl,’ I said. ‘Can you tell me – did she keep her hair long or short?’
‘I don’t remember,’ he said, sounding puzzled. ‘It was her eyes I noticed, not her hair. She had beautiful eyes – but they were of no use to her. She was completely blind. Didn’t you notice?’”
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Song: Ankhon Mein Humne Aapke..
Movie: Thodi Si Bewafai
Singers: Lata and Kishore
Lyricist: Gulzar
Music: Khayyam
Gulzar: That’s The Way He Smiles!
Reference:
Penguin’s List Of Books Written By Ruskin Bond
Pics Credit:
Globalization Is A Great Leveller: Patterns Of Exploitation And Corruption Now Become Same In India And Peru!
Bambamarca: A Beautiful Place In Peru Haunted By Illegal Mining! Such Places Would Become History!
Globalization has reduced differences in geographical terms. But, at the same time, it has also changed the geography in a crude way by mindless destruction of flora and fauna. The sad thing about whole affair is that the stories depicting better aspects of globalization do reach us regularly but the negative sides either get censored or, for that matter, fail to get extensive coverage. Just to take an example, the commercials promote McDonald’s pizzas and burgers but are there enough advertisements which highlight the negative effect of consuming them? Globalization believes in the fact that “all that glitters is gold”. It has nothing to do with pains of exploited workers who work in MNCs like a caged parrot, having no power to execute their discretion other than one serving the interests of global masters.
Sometimes back S Ambika, a 22 year old woman factory-worker, permanently employed at Nokia Telecom Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Sriperumbadur in Kancheepuram district of Tamil Nadu, got killed in a tragic way when she tried to repair the jam inside the loader machine. It proved to be fatal exercise for her since she was not a technician, but she still came to do that to meet the production targets. A wait for the technicians meant slowing the pace of production! That’s one of the stories, which reveal in sad way the plight of people working in MNCs.
Vaibhav Mani Tripathi, a by-product of Jawahar Lal University (JNU), in his research paper titled, “Democracy and globalization: Are they really compatible”, highlights the ways and means employed by the MNCs to ensure growth in democracies across the globe. ” In democracies of third world, which are new and have lesser degree of accountable governments; methods of bribery, and loot system were adopted by MNCs, in order to get established. By dealing in such ways MNCs get some illegal relaxations and manage to cut cost by getting cheapest labour and denying rules of pollution control etc. In democracies, which are most established and transparent, MNCs change their techniques. By promising high taxes and employment to countrymen, they demand for special industrial estates or special economic zones. This is the biggest irony of Globalization. They demand tax relaxations in order to get established and they promise government to pay huge aid for fighting poverty, pollution and social evils like AIDS!”
One having a close look at the progress stories of various countries, especially the nations trying to emerge as economic giants, one would find that exploitation of workers along with rapid destruction of ecological balance are the integral part of every such story! Before I contrast the happenings in two different countries, India and Peru, to highlight the woes of globalization, I wish to highlight grave tale of negligence which suggests that so-called progress is not only destroying cherished values but also destroying cultural artifacts. One of Belize’s largest Mayan pyramids, which remained in existence for more than 2,300 years, got destroyed by a construction crew involved in a road project.The company used the structure’s limestone walls as road fill! In fact, Time Magazine reports that “much of the monumental architecture at Belize’s San Estevan site, which dates back to 800 B.C., was bulldozed during the late 1990s to provide material for roads.”
From Belize in Central America, now, let’s move to Peru in South America to notice the impact of gold rush in amazon! The lust for gold in other nations keeps increasing but the heavy price other nations pays to satiate the lust never becomes subject of discussion in mainstream media. True, there is lack of jobs and illegal gold mining ensures survival of large number of families but then how can one ignore the dangerous consequences of deforestation in Amazon? A report issued by NASA says that ‘with the price of gold skyrocketing (360 percent in 10 years from 2001 to 2011), unlicensed miners began pouring into Peru’s Madre de Dios. They cleared 12,500 acres from the forest between 2003–2009. Landsat images showed local deforestation increasing at a rate of 26 percent per year.”
The report also highlights the fatal consequences of mercury used in the mining process. The extracts of mercury which after vaporization turn airborne contaminate the water resources, which later enter into the bodies of residents. A very recent study suggests “unsafe levels of the toxic metal in almost 80% of adults and 60% of fish sold at local markets” in Peru. The Peru’s mining department taking stern steps against illegal mining began raiding Madre de Dios. That has led to tense formation between miners, environmental activists and the authorities. However, it appears that such strict steps are now a necessity to reduce the loss of forest area in amazon, which has already lost 18,000 hectares. Needless to state, that Peruvian amazon is remarkable for its large degree of biodiversity.
Farmers Protesting In Peru!
India is also facing severe consequences caused by deforestation. One of the major causes of deforestation has been depletion of forests to extract minerals of various types. Expansion of agriculture, timber harvesting and shifting cultivation are some of the prime reasons for loss of forest area in India. However, another grim consequence has been displacement of tribal people, leading to militant movement like Naxalism. It establishes something quite well that pattern of exploitation in India and Peru is one and the same and in both the places original inhabitants are in direct conflict with the authorities. If Peru is tormented by illegal gold mining, India is haunted by illegal coal mining and diamond mining! The “Coalgate scam” has clearly revealed that how sensitive rulers of this nation have been while dealing with mineral resources of this nation. In other words, globalization has ensured huge profits for government and private bodies but the same profit never got distributed to tribal people-ones who were responsible for protecting these resources. On the contrary, they got displaced and faced bullets instead of receiving rewards for their indigenous efforts. Now if we see such developments in light of environmental issues, like erratic weather pattern in Indian subcontinent, the situation is pretty grim.
Even Children Protested In Nandigram!
It’s good that people, the ones affected by government’s poorly planned projects, have learnt to come in conflict with the authorities. Nandigram bears testimony to the fact that the Special Economic Zones, not taking care of interests of people in judicious way, shall always meet fierce opposition from people. The farmers in Uttar Pradesh also entered in violent protests in year 2011 over land acquisition policy framed by the state government. The trend pattern involved is that big corporate houses either forcibly acquire the land or they come to acquire it in fraudulent means by keeping in dark the actual content of the deal. The Allahabad High Court staying Ganga Expressway project, expressed deep anguish the way it got initiated without having environmental clearance! This project involving JP Group required acquisition of huge lands situated in the alluvial belt and still no homework was done on part of state government.
Even Indian Farmers Are Protesting!
One can notice that how rules get manipulated to benefit big corporations, caring a damn for the interests of people. In fact, the concerns related with environment also get neglected. It’s not hard to decipher that two nations even if they are situated in different continents could still exhibit similar pattern of exploitation and corruption. Globalization has not only roped in similar lifestyle patterns across the globe but also introduced identical methods of corruption. And who is the victim? The underprivileged, who never gets a chance to visit McDonald, who never gets a chance to buy gold ornaments, and who also never gets a chance to drive SUV on Expressways! Noam Chomsky sounds quite right when he says that ‘ Market discipline is perfect for poor people in El Salvador, or working mothers in the slums. They have to learn responsibility, but not the rich and the powerful. They have to be protected.”
References:
Madhumita Dutta And Venkatachandrika Radhakrishnan: Ambika’s Death; An Article Published In Kafila.
Ollie John: Road Workers Destroy Ancient Mayan Pyramid; Time Magazine
Cecilia Jamasmie: Mercury pollution linked to illegal gold mining in Peru reaches lethal levels
NASA: Gold Mining In The Peruvian Amazon
The Hindu: Protest against power plant in U.P. hits 1000th day
The Economic Times: UP agitation: Farmers protest continue on Day 2; four dead
Noam Chomsky: Can Civilization Survive Capitalism?
Noam Chomsky: Globalization: The New Face of Capitalism
“Democracy and globalization: Are they really compatible”- An article by Vaibhav Mani Tripathi in Aavartan.
See The Impact Of Illegal Mining In Goa!
Pics Credit:
In Conversation With A Well-Known Author: Revealing The Flaws Of Sourav Ganguly In Company Of Ramachandra Guha!
Sourav Ganguly: He also introduced divisive tendencies in the Indian Team!
Sourav Ganguly’s contributions for the Indian Cricket Team cannot be ignored. He introduced the concept of aggressive captaincy.However, having said that, the fact that he systematically destroyed the harmonious unity which held the players together in previous eras is too bitter to be digested easily.The Indian Team, during his regime, also gave way to factionalism, wherein team spirit gave way to individualism of most worst type. That’s why it’s hard to acknowledge him as a good captain. He might have been a successful captain but, in the same breath, it cannot be argued in his favour that he was a good captain.
That became clear as I discussed the same controversial aspect in conversation with Ramachandra Guha- the eminent historian whose passion for cricket makes us smile. He and Prabhash Joshi make it clear that even intellectuals dealing with grim issues can fall in love with charm of cricket! Anyway, this conversation took place some eight years back but that in no way undermines its relevance. After all, the game of cricket has shifted to lesser values in recent days.
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My Viewpoint:
This has reference to Ramachandra Guha’s article “Two cheers for Ganguly” published in The Telegraph on January 08, 2005. The naked truth about Ganguly is that he has failed to maintain a safe distance from narcissistic tendencies. Something that has always caused the downfall of the Emperors ( read Maharajas), who, however, were endowed with refined qualities. This fatal flaw in his personality has been behind the numerous judgmental blunders made by him in recent times- apparently a period that blemishes his stupendous achievements. The observation might sound cynical but the fact confirm this suspicion.
What could be the reason behind his strange absence from the crucial encounter with the Australians in the recent Border-Gavaskar Trophy? Well, cover-ups such as ‘mysterious injury’ aren’t enough to hide the glaring shortcomings in his mannerism, or, for that matter, satiate the curiosity, of his admirers, who unfortunately expect too much from him. Again he does not believe in the rule that match is open till the last bowl. His usual and the first line of defense at tense moments is either thrust himself or rope in one of his favourites. Instead of appearing composed, he looks more like wrecked ship in deciding hours.
Steve Waugh, Naseer Hussain and even Hansie Cronje depicted a much better attitude than him to safely rise above the critical situations. Without overshadowing his contributions, it would not be wrong to state that he does not qualify to share the platform with above mentioned gentlemen. They played solely for their teams and individual considerations never prevented them from framing innovative methods to take their team to glorious heights. Hasn’t Ganguly missed the bus?
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Ramachandra Guha: A Historian In Love With Cricket!
Ramachandra Guha’s Viewpoint:
Thanks for your mail, which very nicely elaborates which I had merely hinted at but not explicitly expressed.
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About Ramachandra Guha:
Ramachandra Guha (born 29 April 1958) is an Indian historian and writer whose research interests include environmental, social, political and cricket history. He is a professor at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) where he currently holds the position of Philippe Roman Chair in History and International Affairs. He is also a columnistfor the newspapers The Telegraph (syndicated in several Indian languages) and Hindustan Times. A regular contributor to various academic journals, Guha has written extensively for the magazines The Caravan and Outlook.
His recent book “India after Gandhi” has managed to stir hornet’s nest.
Source: Wikipedia
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Even Serious Thinkers Cannot Remain Above Charm Of Cricket!
Suggested Reading:
Ramachandra Guha: Two Cheers For Ganguly, The Telegraph, January 08, 2005.
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Pics Credit:
सरबजीत: आपको मरना ही था!
“तुमने जिस ख़ून को मक़्तल में दबाना चाहा आज वह कूचा-ओ-बाज़ार में आ निकला है कहीं शोला, कहीं नारा, कहीं पत्थर बनकर”
सरबजीत की मौत बेहद दुखद खबर है। ये अलग बात है कि मुझे आश्चर्य नहीं हुआ। ये मौत सम्भावित थी। ये एक तयशुदा मौत थी। पकिस्तान जैसे कानून विहीन और अराजकता के शिखर पर स्थित देश के लिए किसी की मौत क्या मायने रख सकती है! वो तो केवल ओसामा बिन लादेन को शरण दे सकती है फूलप्रूफ। दाऊद इब्राहिम और अजहर महमूद को ही बेहतर पनाह दे सकती है। सरबजीत की हिफाज़त करके उसे क्या मिलता? लिहाजा सरबजीत का मरना तय था। कसाब और अफज़ल गुरु के फांसी लग जाने के बाद अन्दर ही अन्दर सुलगते पाकिस्तान के लिए सरबजीत से बेहतर बलि का बकरा तो कोई हो ही नहीं सकता था। सरबजीत की मौत तो उसी वक्त तय हो गयी थी जब पाकिस्तान समर्थित दो आतंकवादी कसाब और अफज़ल गुरु फांसी पे लटका दिए गए।
ये शान्ति वार्ता की नौटंकी, सरबजीत को माफ़ी देने की नौटंकी, उसका बेहतर इलाज़ कराने की नौटंकी ये सब आवरण उस कुटिलता को छुपाने के लिए था जिसकी झलक हर नज़र रखने वाले को साफ़ साफ़ दिख रही थी। सिर्फ ना देख पाने का भ्रम भारत की सरकार कर रही थी। खैर सरबजीत की मौत से एक बात तो साफ़ हुई। दो राष्ट्रों की राजनीति में मोहरे बनते है आम आदमी। जब मै राष्ट्र शब्द का इस्तेमाल कर रहा हो तो इसका मतलब ये नहीं है कि पाकिस्तान को मै एक राष्ट्र के रूप में देख रहा हूँ। ये एक राष्ट्र नहीं है। शैतानी लोगो का हुजूम है। शैतानी लोगो का भीड़ तंत्र है जहा पे राष्ट्रपति कोर्ट से भागकर नज़रबंद हो जाता है। खैर मै बता रहा था कि दो राष्ट्रों की दुश्मनी का शिकार सबसे कमज़ोर और मासूम लोग होते है।
कोई बताये सरबजीत का गुनाह क्या था कि पहले तो सोलह साल जेल में काटे बिना किसी गुनाह के और फिर इस तरह बर्बर मौत? उसकी मौत का जिम्मेदार कौन सा राष्ट्र ज्यादा है? रीढविहीन नेताओ के जरिए शान्ति की बात करता भारत या गुनाहों को साए में पलता पाकिस्तान? खैर एक बात तो समझ में आई की जेल में कैदियों को न्याय पाने की आशा से नहीं रखा जाता है बल्कि अक्सर सरकार की आँख की किरकरी बन चुके लोगो को चुपके से खत्म कर देने के लिए रखा जाता है। चूकि मौत पाकिस्तान में एक भारतीय की हुई है लिहाज़ा मानवाधिकार की वकालत करने वालो का ना भौकना लाजमी हो जाता है। ये तब भौकते है अगर भूले से कोई जम्मू कश्मीर में कोई भारतीय सैनिक के हाथो मारा जाता है। इनकी मुखरता तब देखते बनती है।
सरबजीत की आत्मा को शान्ति मिले। मेरी तरफ से यही विनम्र श्रद्धांजलि है सरकारी नौटंकी के इस दौर में। सबसे दुखद यही है कि मरते सिर्फ मासूम आदमी ही है। बिलखते है शोक संतप्त परिजन ही है। मुल्क के नेता तो हर अवसर को कैश कर लेते है। दुःख हो या सुख हर रास्ता सत्ता की तरफ ही मुड़ जाता है।
” तुमने जिस ख़ून को मक़्तल में दबाना चाहा
आज वह कूचा-ओ-बाज़ार में आ निकला है
कहीं शोला, कहीं नारा, कहीं पत्थर बनकर
ख़ून चलता है तो रूकता नहीं संगीनों से
सर उठाता है तो दबता नहीं आईनों से
जिस्म की मौत कोई मौत नहीं होती है
जिस्म मिट जाने से इन्सान नहीं मर जाते
धड़कनें रूकने से अरमान नहीं मर जाते
साँस थम जाने से ऐलान नहीं मर जाते
होंठ जम जाने से फ़रमान नहीं मर जाते
जिस्म की मौत कोई मौत नहीं होती “
*साहिर लुधियानवी*
In Conversation With Well- Known British Author Jeremy Seabrook On Education System
JeremySeabrook: Never Missed To Say Right Words Always!
In the long writing career, spanning over nearly two decades, I got many chances to interact with enlightened minds and share with them a piece of my mind in matters pertaining to critical issues. A long back ago when I was regular contributor for The Statesman’s Viewpoint Column ( Calcutta Edition), I came in touch with Jeremy Seabrook who was then writing for one of its popular columns.
This conversation related with falling standards of education system took place after I came to read his article” Learning Revisited” published in The Statesman on March 14, 2005.
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My Viewpoint:
Your write-up is an eye-opener, allowing one to reckon with the hidden facets of education. I am appalled at the manner in which institutions offering so-called gems of knowledge, which in reality are antithetical to creative tendencies lying latent within the recipients, have solidified their base. One reason for it could be that parents are now no longer interested in “value-oriented” teaching methods, simply because it stands in the way of attaining ‘name and fame’. No wonder this could be the reason behind the mind-boggling network of coaching factories, which are making huge profit in the name of offering conductive atmosphere for cracking the entrance tests.
This attitude of parents has brought a sea change in the attitude of present day students, who weigh everything in materialistic yardsticks or, in other words, in rupee:dollar ratio. After all, who has time for values in the fast-paced life of ours! The real quest for supreme knowledge would always remain a distant dream in absence of change of mindset, especially the parents. Well, it’s never too easy to change mindset without giving way to measures mired in transparent means. What has guaranteed failure of projects in this regard has been wide gap between theory and practice besides infrastructural bottlenecks. Let’s realize that mere propaganda is not going to solve this issue.
Unfortunately, this is what both Left and Right wings are used to. Their stances, diametrically opposite to each other, have wiped out the vigour of those wishing to make worthwhile contributions, so much so that if one does not yield to their outdated notions one is bound to invite troubles of all sorts. The message is clear: Rise above ideological fanaticism to stop the degradation of education system, something so imperative to prevent the innocent minds turning into robot.
Vivekananda rightly remarked that ” education is not the amount of information that is put into your brain and run riot there, undigested, all life. We must have life-building, man-making, character-making assimilation of ideas”. Will anyone please translate this into reality?
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Jeremy Seabrook: One Of The Great Writers Who Inspired Me To Keep Writing!
Jeremy Seabrook’s Viewpoint:
Many thanks for your helpful and kind e-mail. Indeed, education has become not an end in itself, noble and worthwhile, but an instrument for material gain and industrial conformism. In this sense, of course, the educational system is only an emanation of the society that produces it, and an expression of the social values and mores of which it is a symptom. Intervention for change involves a complete change in the social and moral structures of globalism-no small thing, but a project we should not abandon simply because of its apparent attainability.
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About Jeremy Seabrook:
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My first book was The Unprivileged, 1967, the story of my own family, a path breaking oral history from the late 18th century to the 1960s. This was followed by City Close-Up, a portrait, through the words of the people, of Blackburn in Lancashire.
In the 1970s, I wrote What Went Wrong? Working People and the Ideals of the Labour Movement; a book which, when published in the USA, was sub-titled Why hasn’t Having More Made People Happier?
Mother and Son, a memoir, appeared in 1980, and an indictment of Thatcher’s Britain,Unemployment, in 1982.
Work on India and Bangladesh followed, notably, Notes from another India and Children of Other Worlds, a comparison of child labour in nineteenth century London and present-day Dhaka in Bangladesh. My book, Love in a Different Climate, described how male same-sex relationships in India differ from those in the West.
I have contributed to most major newspapers in Britain over the years, and have written for Granta. I am a regular contributor to New Internationalist – which has published three of my books in the last decade, most recently Consuming Cultures: Globalization and Local Lives. I write for Race and Class and Third World Resurgence, based in Penang, Malaysia.
Courtesy: http://jeremyseabrook.net/biography.html
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More About Jeremy Seabrook:
“He became an associate honorary fellow at the University of Bradford’s Department of Peace Studies 1995 to 1998 and an associate at the Institute of Race Relations, UK, from 2004 onwards.
He has made several documentaries for BBC radio and TV on social, environmental and developmental issues.
Since 1963, Seabrook has written for publications including: New Society, the Guardian, the Times, the Independent, New Statesman, New Internationalist, Race and Class, Third World Resurgence, Third World Network and others.
He has also written over 40 books, including;
Travels in the Skin Trade – looking at the psychology of western men who travel to southeast Asia for sexual adventures (Pluto Press).
A World Growing Old – the implications of an ageing population, north and south (Pluto Press).”
Courtesy: The Guardian
What will be her future?
References:
The Statesman ( Kolkata Edition)
दीप्ति नवल को हम हमेशा, रैकेट चलाने वाली के रूप में नही, वरन एक बेहद प्रतिभाशाली अभिनेत्री के रूप में याद रखेंगे।
हम आपको हमेशा एक बेहद प्रतिभाशाली अभिनेत्री के रूप में याद रखेंगे।
दीप्ति नवल प्रकरण से मुझे काफी झुंझलाहट हुई। ये समझ में आने लगा है कि मीडिया का स्तर ना सिर्फ रसातल में चला गया है बल्कि ये अब किसी के साफ़ सुथरे दामन में कीचड पोतने का सबसे कारगर तरीका बन गया है। नहीं तो मीडिया को क्या जरुरत थी कि इस बात को प्रचारित करने कि दीप्ति को आख़िरकार “प्रोष्टिट्यूशन डेन” से मुक्ति मिली। जबकि मामला सिर्फ ये था कि उसने अपना पुराना घर कालोनी की सोसिएटी के कर्ता-धर्ता लोगो की बदसलूकी की वजह से छोड़ा जो उसकी निजता का सम्मान नहीं कर रहे थें।
दीप्ति नवल ने शायद बातो ही बातो में अपना दुखड़ा किसी पत्रकार सें क्या शेयर किया कि उसकी बाते तोड़ मरोड़कर मीडिया की सुर्खियाँ बन गयी। आप कह सकते है कि ऐसी बात चश्मे-बद्दूर के दौरान होने का सीधा सा मतलब ये है कि फ़िल्म को प्रमोट करने का ये स्टंट भर था। इस सरलीकरण के पीछे तर्क सिर्फ ये हो सकता है कि पब्लिसिटी कैसी भी हो फलदायी होती है। तो क्या एक समर्थ अदाकारा के इतने बुरे दिन आ गए कि चाहे सही में या झूठ में उसे अपने अस्तित्व के लिए ऐसे खबरों के दम पर निर्भर रहना पड़े?
माना कि ये भी एक कडवी सच्चाई है कि फ़िल्म एक्ट्रेस या एक्टर्स को बुरे दिनों में हर तरह के समझौते करने पड़ते है लेकिन ये स्वीकारने में बेहद तकलीफ है कि नियति ने दीप्ति को भी गलत राहो पर धकेल दिया। दीप्ति की कठोर प्रतिक्रिया मिलने के बाद ये समझ में आ रहा है कि ऐसा कुछ भी नहीं जैसा मीडिया दर्शा रहा है। ये मीडिया का सुर्खिया बटोरने की कला का नमूना भर था। दीप्ति नवल हमेशा साफ़ सुथरी फिल्मो में बहुत शशक्त अभिनय के लिए ही याद रखी जायेंगी। ये वाकई कलियुग है कि कोई किसी के उजले चरित्र से कुछ सीखता तो नहीं लेकिन उसके उजले दामन में कालिख पॊतने के सौ बहाने ढूंढ लेता है। ऐसे पत्रकार जो दूसरों की बदनामी पर पलते है ऐसे लोगो को पत्रकारिता जगत से बाहर कर देना चाहिए। इनसे पत्रकार नाम से उपजने वाले समस्त सरोकारों से कोई सम्बन्ध ना रखने दिया जाए। अगर मार्कंडेय काटजू कि बात माने तो ऐसे लोगो से उनके पत्रकार सम्बन्धी लाइसेंस को खारिज कर देना चहिये। बहरहाल पत्रकारिता के नाम पर जो तमाशे हो रहे है वो दुखद है।
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Why Do People Avoid A Clear Stance In Critical Issues?
Why are we always hesitant in taking a clear stance ?
“Life is a system of half-truths and lies, Opportunistic, convenient evasion.”
(Langston Hughes)
It’s amusing to note that in any controversial issue the general lot never takes a proper stance. The so-called peacemakers try to convey the impression that various parties involved in any contentious issue do have valid reasons to pursue their respective rights. That’s not called resolving the issue or defending the right of weaker lot-the harassed lot. It’s not hard to sense that when you start playing safe, taking a neutral stance, you are prima facie defending the accused.
Worse, when the the wrong forces emerge as peacemakers, the situation goes out of control since they never let right arguments to prevail. They see suppression of viewpoints, ideas, beliefs, arguments as a mean to ensure peace! After all, arguments in their eyes, escalate the tension! However, the truth is that shrewd manipulators avoid arguments to prevent themselves from getting exposed. The point is that if people learn to argue well in any issue by deciding well whom they actually represent, the bothering issues would soon get resolved. The issue remains unsolved because the cowards, the gutless souls, acting as peacemakers play politics in name of offering amicable solutions.
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Ensuring Separation Is Always Easy But Formation Of New Relationship Remains A Daunting Task!
Separation Hurts!
Separation sometimes becomes the fate of a cherished relationship. On most occasions, the inherent contradictions, operating in a relationship, lead to untimely demise of the relationship. If that’s not the case, the societal pressure, resting on the vilification campaign of the petty minds, paves the way for parting of ways. The thing that really hurts is that factors ensuring the break-up dominate the life’s cruel drama. However, the positive elements involved into the making of new relationship, after the break-up, never operate with the same pace, the way negative elements led to dissolution of previous relationship. Building a home is difficult affair than bulldozing a well-built home!
Ravana, used shrewd means, to abduct Shree Sitaji, which was an easy affair. The abduction part was an easy task. However, Lord Rama had to enter in dangerous war with Ravana to ensure the freedom of Shree Sitaji. It’s really stunning that shrewdness-an aasuri pravitti (demoniacal attribute)- has now become synonymous with intelligence in modern times. On the contrary, the person exhibiting simplicity, representative of Lord Rama’s persona, is seen as representative of dumbness. The dominance of this sort of understanding is really baffling. People justify their shrewdness in name of battle of survival!
However, the pangs of separation, is never easy to bear. It does manifest, no matter, how hard you try to keep it confined within chambers of heart. When used constructively such depressive mood leads to origin of great literature, but the ordinary mortals- the greater lot- succumb to lesser means or, for that matter, give way to annihilation of life-force. Well, let’s learn to drink poison like Lord Shiva, or if that’s not possible then let the molten lava of emotions flow. There is no point in holding back the strong emotions.
On Two Different Routes After Long Togetherness!
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When Murder Becomes Suicide
We Also Demand Real Justice!
The Chief accused in the Delhi gang-rape case, Ram Singh, committed suicide.
“The main accused in the Delhi gang-rape case, Ram Singh was found dead in Tihar Jail on Monday morning in mysterious circumstances….A police guard found Singh hanging from the grill of his prison cell at 5:45 am, while there were three other inmates in the cell. They claimed they were asleep and had heard nothing…..Home minister Sushil Kumar Shinde said the death was a major security lapse on the part of prison authorities, saying the preliminary probe indicated it was suicide. “There were three other inmates in the cell in which Singh was found hanging,” Shinde said.” ( The Economic Times)
Agreed that Indian prisons have become operational centers for organized crime and death inside prison is a commonplace affair, which is often sponsored by police with the help of inmates. The fact that Indian prisons are breeding ground for henious crimes was the point I had highlighted when Supreme Court granted bail to Binayak Sen on the ground that ”Visitors are screened and searched by the jail staff. Jailors are there to oversee all these things. So, the question of passing letters or documents doesn’t arise.” I had strongly objected to such a misplaced stand of Supreme Court in my article devoted to granting of bail, wherein I stated: “Anybody who knows the Indian jails know quite well that all big criminals are operating from inside the jails. The contract to kill (Supari) is being ordered from inside the jails via the mobile. A surprise raid in any Indian jail would always lead to discovery of drugs, weapons, mobile phones and other prohibited things.” However, for Supreme Court and other paid media publications the prison at that time was no less than temple wherein visitors came with noble intentions.
After the murder of prime accused in Delhi gang-rape, once again the whole episode would be projected in one particular way with talks related to security within jails gaining prominence. Some conspiracy theories by paid media shall also be highlighted that would project police as the chief villain. However, for a conscious mind, that’s merely tip of the iceberg. In fact, when the Delhi gang-rape incident took place, and the paid media side-by-side huge number of protesters demanded justice for the unfortunate girl with candles and placards having slogans “Hang the rapists”, the author had suspected that there is more than meets the eye. However, being a lone voice, the feeling got suppressed even as this writer along with other thinking souls tried to point out the murkier game played behind the curtains with dubious role of police.
The piece that I wrote immediately after the Delhi gang-rape incident stated:
”I wish to clearly state that it would be fatal to confine the urge for changes to “safety of women alone” or, for that matter, demand for stricter provisions to prevent rape. This line of action is being deliberately highlighted under pressure from feminist wings, tactically supported by Congress government, which hopes to regain power with female voters and minority card in next Parliamentary actions. The mainstream media is also singing the same tune, because in wake of fear to lose government’s aid, it has no other option but to toe the stance taken by government. This whole drama which captured the nation’s attention from December 16, 2012, until death of gang-rape victim was a well-orchestrated show managed perfectly well by the paid media and Congress government. There are enough circumstantial evidences which give proof of it that the real story is something else and it’s more horrible than what we all came to witness in these past turbulent fifteen days. I will deal with this aspect later in this article but first let’s not ignore these pertinent points.”
The readers can have a look at that article to ascertain what could be the reasons, which indicate at involvement of hidden players in the orchestrated drama, which took place in the wake of gang rape. Now after the suicide of the main accused, which is apparently cold blooded murder, it would be quite obvious to thinking minds that real picture is indeed a “dirty picture”. And like always the real mastermind-the real villains-shall have the last laugh. I do not wish to shoot arrow in darkness since in absence of concrete facts there is always risk of arriving at flawed conclusions. However, there are enough circumstantial evidences to prove that police is merely a puppet in the hand of chief villain. The police was no more than a puppet when the gang rape occurred, and even now in the aftermath of the suicide of Ram Singh-the prime accused- is nothing but a puppet.
It has now become certain that we would not come to know what exactly happened in the name of gang-rape. All we know that a beautiful girl came to lose her life in a painful way. This case would remain an unresolved dilemma like the Ayushi murder case. It’s a painful scenario that conscious citizens can do nothing much other than being mute spectators. However, the citizens can remain alert by beginning to see beyond the obvious. That way they would begin to become aware of the great politics played in their name. That would be the beginning of making better changes in the system from the top to the bottom.
Light Of Real Information Is Needed For Justice..
References:
Delhi Gang Rape: Important Aspects Ignored By Paid Media
Supreme Court Grants Bail To Binayak Sen
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Facebook: Has It Turned Into Playground Of Devils?
When will human beings learn to use any forum for constructive designs?
“How I wish that somewhere there existed an island for those who are wise and of good will.” ( Albert Einstein) That’s presumably an ideal state of affairs- an utopia whose actual manifestation on earthly existence is simply not possible. Let’s understand why it’s pretty difficult to create a world, which lies above human flaws. That I would explain via the mess which prevails on Facebook. It’s a pretty awesome networking site, but marred by fake profiles and anti-social activities. The point I wish to convey is that any good forum/institution either in real world or virtual world, sooner or later, gets corrupted by wrong elements. Instead of improving the face of such institutions/ forums, the negative elements infect it with their misimpressions, and thereby considerably reduce the credibility of the forum.
Before dissecting the activities taking place on Facebook, it would not be a bad idea to analyze what’s happening in our real world. The moment a good soul appears on the stage of world, the lesser souls become hyperactive to malign his/her image, and that too for no other reason other than that this person depicts some uncommon traits. They shout at him, just the way other doggies bark at some stranger dogie, who somehow happens to stray into their domain. And so we never find these stereotyped minds promoting such a different soul unless he/she happens to serve their vested interests. They try their level best to tame the instincts of such person and make them on par with their own so that they can be used to fulfill their narrow concerns. And when they are not able to dictate terms, the rumour mill, like always, starts churning out all sorts of absurd details make the life hellish for such a person.
It’s not that these people running the vilification campaign are devoid of brains. They have enough intelligence, owning big degrees and enjoying good position in life, but they happen to be devil’s advocate. High profile degrees also make them owner of big ego and complex mind. That’s why they not only make a simple issue attain a pretty complicated shape, by coining vain theories and complex terms for a simple phenomenon. The very same situation could have been easily handled by framing the perspective in simple terms but presence of worldly wise practical souls, usually from corridors of known institutions, just complicate it that proper solution becomes an impossible affair. The negative minds destroy all good relationships, forums and institutions, the way a computer virus comes to hang the system. They never offer perfect solutions, but only ways and means to corrupt the face of all simple phenomenon. Now let’s see how wrong souls have corrupted a beautiful site like Facebook. Many people harbour the wrong impression that online world is different than real world. I am afraid it’s not true. The virtual world is simply the reflection of your real attributes which you come to unleash in real world.
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*The Glory Of Facebook Status!*
One of my friends fell ill. He is a sensible person but then even sensible person commit silly mistakes. He informed everyone about his illness, breaking this news as Facebook status. And that’s okay but its aftermath is amazing, saddening and disappointing. Besides flow of get well messages, there appeared a large section of friends who came to “like” the status! Is that a sensible application of mind? If that’s the way they are behaving on Facebook, imagine how would they be responding in real lives. I am sure had the same status been of a lady “likes” and get well messages would have flooded the thread of that status in huge number. The impression that I wish to convey is that by unleashing such false sentiments, vain application of mind, aren’t the Facebook users lowering the status of Facebook?
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*Is there any merit on debating over certain issue on Facebook?*
Being someone hailing from the world of legal professional, the importance of offering rational and logical rebuttals as arguments is crystal clear to me. However, I see no reason as to why any sensible person should waste time in offering appropriate arguments on Facebook amid disinterested users. Majority of the Facebook users are pretty casual as they get engaged in important conversations. As far as I am concerned, I do take all conversations on Facebook, related with minor or major issues, quite seriously as long as its required to make the issue attain perfect clarity and then give way to other important concerns. Having said that, the waywardness and chaos which prevails on Facebook during conversation on sensitive issues usually keeps sensible minds tight-lipped.
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*The Existence Of Strange Groups On Facebook*
Many good for nothing souls have formed groups having dubious aims. The moderator appointed in these groups operates in strange way. It adds and removes person, without apprising the concerned person of the reason for such gestures. The moderator promotes himself as an open-minded person but it generally has hidden designs and so it edit any views which is contrary to his designs. There is also some hidden hand, operating in the group, whose only task is to give wrong colouring to all your well meaning impressions. Most of the groups remain active for some time but soon you would find them defunct, a barren land.
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*Dangerous Love On Facebook Via Photoshop*
True love is above the differences caused by caste, creed and colour. It also defies differences caused by age and nationality. That’s how real love operates in real world by rising above such vain concerns. Using the same passion and virtues, even the wrong souls also claim to be in real love in real world. However, it’s faking at its best, wherein superficial sentiments, false vows get exchanged. If that’s how true and lesser lover exists in real world, the situation is not much different in virtual world. Love in its real and wrong shades/forms also exists in online world too. On Facebook an aged person, using a fake profile, having the picture of a celebrity as profile picture, can easily dupe a teenager girl and strike an unholy alliance. In the same fashion, a worn out over-aged women can play the same trick. One of the recent surveys showed that number of fake profiles on Facebook is quite large. So it’s pretty difficult to ascertain the genuineness of an individual on Facebook against such a scenario, wherein Photoshop allows a fat lady to have hourglass shape of Julia Roberts quite easily!
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Well, these various aspects prevailing on Facebook ascertain that just like the real world, the virtual world is also comprised of good and evil. The precautions we take in real world to separate good from bad are also to be taken in virtual world. However, that’s not something what I wish to communicate. The real motive as I talk about making distinction between good and bad is to highlight the pain suffered by the real soul as we come to ensure that difference. The agony and humiliation faced by good souls in the process to ensure that bad gets truly marginalized always takes it toll on sensitive souls. The struggle between good and wrong people shall never stop in this world but it is not high time that good souls be prevented from being sacrificial lambs in this deadly drama? Have good souls appeared in this world merely to act as sacrificial lambs for attainment of insignificant causes powered by distorted minds? It’s time to think about it quite seriously so that good souls come to serve better cause rather than turning into sacrificial lambs.
For Mine Eyes Real Julia Roberts Is More Genuine Than Beauties Impersonating As Julia Roberts Via Photoshop 
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