HISTORY OF INDIA

HISTORY OF INDIA 1

Indian history and culture is full of richness and affluence, which undoubtedly has had a significant impact on the evolution of the current society. Home to the Indus Valley civilization and a region of historic trade routes and vast empires, the Indian history is identified with its commercial and cultural wealth over the past thousands of years. Four major world religions, Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism originated here, while Zoroastrianism, Judaism, Islam and Christianity arrived in the first millennium AD and mingled into the region's diverse culture. India became a modern nation-state in 1947 after a struggle for independence that was marked by widespread nonviolent resistance. 

When I went to Google and typed History of India, the above are the first few lines from one of the several articles I found on the web. I was an ardent reader of History in my elementary and secondary school days. While many of my friends and classmates differed with me on the importance of studying history, I found reading history very interesting and purposeful

I was only wondering what our great grand children of our great grand children would read, say 200 years from now, God bless if life on earth does not come to an end in December, 2012 as predictions go around the world. 

Could it sound something like below:

200 years ago India was known to be ruled by many plunderers and looters of a different nature, different from somewhat similar clones that invaded India prior to the Britishers. Britishers occupied the lands for several years with the help several brokers across the country, who were prepared to 

sell their own country for few pennies.

There was an angry young man called Mohanlal Karamchand Gandhi. 

He studied law and moved out to South Africa to represent some Indian Muslim traders in Pretoria in a law suit. When he was traveling first class, which was meant only for the whites, and found so by a Britisher,

was told to get down at the next station. 

After all he was given a chance to correct himself. 

He could have just got down, moved out to a common man bogie and carried on with his journey and life. 

It is very difficult to guess what really went on in his mind. He refused to get down and naturally was thrown out of the compartment. 

Then also he had an option. To catch the next train and go home. 

He just didn't do that. He said 'I will protest, I will fight'. Against whom? 

Against a country which was ruling most part of the world with it's might. 

Many well wishers, told him to take it cool. He did not. 

He literally went crazy. 

He burnt the legal documents in public. He collected few tens of Indians and staged a protest. He was warned and thrashed nicely. 

Yet he did not succumb. 

He went on from one level to another and finally declared that  

'We want an Independent India'

To achieve this end, he created a new concept known at that time as  

"Non violent Non Cooperation Movement".   

He could afford to do that and yet live and see an Independent India. 

Because the rulers were Britishers. All those nukras he could do with the Britishers. No Indian could ever imagine to do later in an Independent India. 

You might be keen to know 'Why not?'.

It is because the Britishers though occupied and ruled several nations in Asia and the rest of the world, as a lot had their own level of decency. Few hundred years later India's own Indian rulers were not as cultured and civilized as their earlier rulers.Particularly when someone questions them for their wrong doings, they used to turn violent. Declare them as anti national. Charge them on criminal cases including that of sedition. This was in fact the worst period for the poor, illiterates and the farmers. The large middle class community was struggling between 'survival now' and the 'aspirations of their wards'. 

They were constantly looted of their land and other means of survival and no one ever dare take their sides. 

'Taxes' were paid in huge amount, including by the middle class men earning their livelihood with immense hard work. But the tax money became the biggest source for a big loot. 

Loot I say because, while a part of the 

taxes thus collected went into the development of the country. 

Most part was pocketed by the corrupt politicians, bureaucrats and the businessmen providing support to both the others. This was done in very clever ways many of which we will study during the course of our curriculum.

                                                                                 Contd...........

Aseem Trivedi and his Cartoons

Whenever some one starts speaking on this subject, the first question asked is "Have you seen those cartoons?". My reply is "Yes I have seen them, if not all of Aseem's Cartoons, at least those for which he was accused".  

Having said that I need to answer the most probable 2nd question "Do you think he has done it right?". The answer to this question is not as easy to be given as for the first question. There are two reasons for the same. One is that "Who am I to say whether it was right or wrong?". The second is "Is it important to know whether it is right or wrong or is it more important to know what feelings and thoughts of this young, creative artists must have lead him to do what he did?"

I read recently a simple but a powerful comment on the facebook. While some oldies are looting and the other oldies are watching the loot, the young ones are busy on facebook and twitter. How true these words are. While there is one young Aseem to express his anguish through powerful cartoons, what is the the rest of the young population in India doing?

Recently I saw the photograph of a poster put up by a local MLA in Madurai welcoming P.Chidambram and other Congress leaders. In that the National Emblem is morphed with the photographs of P.Chidambaram, His son Karthi and Rahul Sonia Maino. Now who must go to Jail, the Congressman who has put up this poster for large public view or Aseem Trivedi who is a young, creative artist exploring various opportunities to express his anguish as a Patriotic Indian. 

If Aseem is punished in any way, I declare that we are the criminals. Through shameless tolerance, and spineless silence we are declaring ourselves as the ultimate criminals on this holy land Bharat. I have stopped uttering and writing all nationalistic slogans. We do not deserve to utter them any more!

WHERE ARE WE GOING?

I read this comment from a friend of mine from FB

The gap between the rich and poor has grown disproportionately in the last decade. In developed nations for every one person employed , there are five to six unemployed. A recent report on Bloomberg stated that India has 900million people that are poor and go to bed hungry at night. 

There are many of us reading this , who are in positions of responsibility in the private sector, in the government . Can we utilize our positions to inspire change?

(For e.g. Can we better food storage facilities in India, so surplus crops do not go waste but can be stored for the future. Fuel costs are rising- can we work at promoting solar in a big way? What is the solution?

 My response to this message:

The way things are going, it is bound to touch the bottom of the pyramid, in say about 10 - 12 years and then living for the rich in India will become very difficult. As I see the trend, the crime rates will reach a break even point and then it will not increase, it will multiply. Burglary, road side robbery and murders will become dime a dozen.

Today the true up keepers of morality in India are not the rich and the intellectuals. They are actually the poor and the less literate. However they are loosing their patience. You can witness it all around you.

The expressions are bouncing at random haphazardly, and soon they will become more frequent, better organized, and finally uncontrollable. The children who are born today and in the last 5-10 years in those poor families are undergoing the suffering right from birth. And the environment in which they are born are different from the environment in which their parents were born. Therefore there is a paradigm shift in their outlooks and values. When they grow and to be of 20 + years old, the moneyed lot had it.

This is one side of the story. The other side I want to discuss as they are closely related are 

• The Political leaders and their governance, 

• The intellectuals and the so called 

• The Media

After Lal Bahadur Shastri's tenure the down trend started and has reached a peak under the able leadership of our Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and the Congress President Sonia Gandhi. None of us at our young age could ever imagine such low levels of values in political arena, and  absolutely an erring system of Governance, within our life time. I predict that not more than in 10 years time National Congress Party will become a symbol of the past. As Winston Churchill predicted, we are today ruled by our own leaders who do not worth the respect, we might pay to a beggar on the roadside. 

Let us come to the so called intellectuals. They are either lost on their own imaginations and hypotheses or have become the boot lickers of the politicians. There are few more who suffer seeing the happenings in the country and have become dumb out of shock and sickening occurrences around them. Very few are still active trying to change the country. But the number is too less to even be noted and remembered. 

While the Media has played a very crucial role, the question is in my mind is that 'How much have the contributed to the end result? and does their approach cover  the entire spectrum of events and the entire population of the country? However many a times, their focus on business outcomes mars their consistency and thus the quality. 

Wish to continue writing on this.........

SACHIN TENDULKAR

Is he moving away from his projected image?

For almost a year now, people around the globe are making serious comments about his retirement plans. And is he planning or not? One may say that as a proven player for over 2 decades, no one can comment. It is only for him to decide. However I opine that when an individual is in a  field of public interest and requires public support to sustain, he cannot decline to respond to the public.

Sachin may think that it is his own business and he does not have to reason out or justify to any one. He has his right to his opinion. At the same time as I mentioned earlier, the public including his hard core fans are waiting to know his thoughts on this matter. Not because they want him to retire or not to retire, but are concerned about his popularity and the respect he commands. 

Recently Imran Khan also commented on this subject and quoted Sunil Gavaskar's decision at some point in time to retire. But my question revolves around Sachin's response to the question of retirement. His response was this as published in March, 2012: The day he feels "a little less passion" when walking out to bat for India, "I will give up the Game", the master batsman said, adding, "critics didn't need to tell me to do so.". 

The response clearly means that it is not my performance, but my feelings that matter. Am I wrong in thinking that the humble Sachin, is turning somewhat less humble. To put it mildly and with utmost respect for a great achiever. 

That aside, something interesting in his personal life too. He occupied his new close to 40 crore bungalow in Bandra last year. He was found occupying the house without obtaining the required OC from the Mumbai Corporation. Later on he had to pay a fine for the same. An RTI activist Anil Galgali filed an application to know whether the full fine amount was paid or was there any special favors given. Sachin used one of the legal clauses to prevent the Mumbai Corporation from revealing the information. 

Please read the following on this subject:

RTI Act's Section 11(1) requires the public information officer to give notice to a person whose confidential records are requested to be made public. Section 8 says that such information can be denied "if it relates to personal information, the disclosure of which has no relationship with any public activity or interest, or which would cause unwarranted invasion of privacy of the individual".

However, a senior official attached to the chief information commissioner (CIC)'s office was surprised with the BMC's reason for denying the information. "A fine collected from a citizen is public money and an individual can seek information on this under the RTI Act," he said.

My only contention is that now Sachin Tendulkar being a Rajya Sabha member too, has to really grow and live up to the extraordinary expectations of We Indians from an extraordinary achiever. 

l

சச்சின் டெண்டுல்கர் 

தன்னடக்கமா? ஆணவமா?

'சச்சின் டெண்டுல்கர் கிரிக்கெட் ஆட்டத்திலிருந்து ஒய்வு எப்பொழுது பெறுவார்?' என்னும் கேள்வி நம்மிடையே பலநாட்களாக ஒலித்துக்கொண்டே இருக்கிறது. நேற்று இவ்விஷயத்தில்  பாகிஸ்தானின் முன்னாள் கிரிக்கெட் ஆட்டக்காரர் இம்ரான் கானும்  தன எண்ணங்களைப் பிரதிபலித்தார். 

ஆனால் இதுவரை, சச்சின்  தன எண்ணங்களை முழுமையாக வெளியிடவில்லை. அவர் நினைத்திருக்கலாம், நான் ஆட்டத்தில் தொடர்வதற்கு எந்த விதமான சமாதானமும், நியாயமும் யாருக்கும் தர வேண்டியதில்லையென்று. 

அவர் நிலையிலிருந்து அவர் சரிதான் என்பது அவர் எண்ணமாக இருக்கலாம். எனினும் பொதுமக்கள் சார்ந்திருக்கும் எந்த ஒரு துறையிலும், அவர்களின் எண்ணங்களைக் கேட்பதும், அவற்றிற்கு நியாயமான முறையில் பதிலளிப்பதும் அவர்களின் பொறுப்பு. இப்பொறுப்பிலிருந்து விலகினால் அது அம்மக்களை அலட்சியப்படுத்துவதாகிறது. தனி மனித ஆணவச் செயலாகிறது. பொதுவாக தன்னடக்கத்துடன் செயல்படும் சச்சின் இவ்விஷயத்தில் ஆணவமாகத்தான் செயல்படுகிறார் என்பது என் எண்ணம். இது ஒரு புறமிருக்கட்டும். 

சென்ற வருடம் சச்சின் தன குடும்பத்துடன் சுமார் நாற்பது  கோடி ரூபாய்கள் பெறுமான பாந்த்ரா வீட்டில் குடி புகுந்தார். சிக்கல் என்னவென்றால், அவர் மும்பை பெருநகராட்சியிடமிருந்து அவ்வீட்டில் புகுந்து தங்குவதற்கான அத்தாட்சிப் பெற்றிருக்கவில்லை. அதற்காக அவரிடம் கேள்வி கேட்கப்பட்டது, மற்றும் தண்டத்தொகை செலுத்தகூறி எச்சரிக்கை கொடுக்கப்பட்டது. 

அனில் கால்கலி என்பவர் ஒரு RTI Activist. அவர் அறிய விரும்பினார்: முழு தண்டத்தொகையும் பெருநகராட்சியால் பெறப்பட்டு விட்டதா இல்லையா என்று.. ஆனால் சச்சின் RTI சட்டத்தில் உள்ள ஒரு சின்னஞ்சிறிய ஓட்டையின் வழியே வெளி வந்து,  அவ்விஷயம் வெளியடப் படுவதை தடுத்து விட்டார். மேலே படியுங்கள் உண்மையை.

RTI Act's Section 11(1) requires the public information officer to give notice to a person whose confidential records are requested to be made public. Section 8 says that such information can be denied "if it relates to personal information, the disclosure of which has no relationship with any public activity or interest, or which would cause unwarranted invasion of privacy of the individual".

However, a senior official attached to the chief information commissioner (CIC)'s office was surprised with the BMC's reason for denying the information. "A fine collected from a citizen is public money and an individual can seek information on this under the RTI Act," he said.

RTI activists from Mumbai echoed the view. "Citizens have every right to know the amount of fine imposed and recovered by the BMC from Tendulkar for violating civic norms. The BMC cannot deny the information to the applicant just because it involves a celebrity like Tendulkar," said Bhaskar Prabhu, convenor of the Mahiti Adhikar Manch. This manch is a group of RTI activists and applicants who create awareness about the RTI Act and take up issues that are in the public interest.

 

இதற்கிடையே சச்சின் இப்பொழுது ராஜ்ய சபா உறுப்பினரும் ஆகிவிட்டார் எனவே இவ்விஷயத்தில் அவர் பொறுப்பு பன்மடங்கு அதிகரிக்கிறது. ஆனால் அவர் பொறுப்பாகச் செயல் படவில்லை என்பது என் எண்ணம். சொல்லுங்கள் நண்பர்களே! சச்சினின் செயல் தன்னடக்கச் செயலா? ஆணவச்செயலா?

காவிரி தென்பெண்ணை பாலாறு - தமிழ்
                       கண்டதோர் வையை பொருனைநதி - என
மேவிய யாறு பலவோடத் - திரு
                        மேனி செழித்த தமிழ்நாடு

இது பாரதியார் பாடிய பாடல்.

இன்றைய நிலை:

காவிரி ஆற்றைநாம் கூர்ந்து பார்த்தால் -  தலை
குனிந்து  நாளும்   அழுதிடுவோம்.

மரம் கொடிகள்இரு கரையிலும் ஆடும் - நிலை
மாறிநாம் காண்பது  மண்ணேற்றும்  ஊர்திகள்.

தண்ணிதிருட நாமமைதி காத்தோம் - கொலை
வெறியுடன் கள்வற்பலர்   கூடி சேர்ந்தனர்.

தாயின்  வயிறுபிளந்து அள்ளினர் மணல் - சாலை
வழியெங்கும்  வாகனங்களின் நச்சுப்புகை.

நெஞ்சம் பொறுக்குதில்லையே இந்த நிலை கேட்ட மாந்தரை நினைந்துவிட்டால் - என எண்ணி

எதையும் நினைக்காமலே கள்வரோடு கள்வராக கலந்துவிட்டோம் நாம்.
நம்ம்க்கென்ன அருகதை கள்வர்களைக் குறை சொல்ல.




 

பகுத்தறிவு வியாபாரம்

பகுத்தறிவு வியாபாரம் 

நாற்பது - ஐம்பது வருடங்களுக்கு முன்னாள் இம்மக்களின், பகுத்தறிவு வியாபாரமும், சாதி வித்தியாச வியாபாரமும், மொழி வெறுப்பு வியாபாரமும் சூடு பிடித்தது. வியாபாரம் தமிழ் மக்களின் அறியாமையின் ஆதாரத்தில் வெகுவாக வளர்ந்தது.

இடை இடையே பார்ப்பன வெறுப்பும், ஹிந்தி வெறுப்பும் முன் நிறுத்தப்பட்டன. ஒரு சரியான வியாபார தந்திரம். பார்ப்பன நண்பனுடன் தோள் மேல் கை போட்டு நடந்தவன், திடீரென்று திராவிட உணர்வு கொண்டு, பூணூல் அறுப்பிலும், ராமர் உருவச்சிலைக்கு செருப்பு மாலை போடுவதிலும் பெருமிதம் கொண்டான்.

பதவி, பணம், புகழ் பெற்றவன் அண்ணன் தம்பி, மச்சான், மச்சினிச்சி எல்லார் பெயரிலும் சொத்து சேர்த்தான். தொண்டனாகவே இருந்து வீணாப்போனாவன் குடும்பக் கடமைகளை மறந்து, கடமை மறந்த கணவானாகவும், பொறுப்பற்ற பிள்ளையாகவும், அப்பனாகவும் செத்து மடிந்தான். சாகும் வரை, தலைவன் வாழ்க, கூறி குடும்பம் ஒழியக்காரணமானான்.

தொண்டர்கள் மடிந்தார்கள். தலைவர்கள் இன்று மாறி விட்டார்கள். பகுத்தறிவு வியாபாரம் இன்று செல்லு படியாகவில்லை. காரணம். விஞ்ஞான வளர்ச்சி. கம்ப்யுட்டர் டெக்னாலஜி சாதாரண தமிழன் வாழ்க்கையை வளப்படுத்தி விட்டது. கூடவே விலை வாசி உயர்ந்து விட்டது. வாழ்க்கையில் கவலைகள் அதிகரித்து விட்டன. கோவில்களின் எண்ணிக்கை பெருகி விட்டது. சாதிகளை ஒட்டிய கட்சிகள் போலவே சாதிகளை ஒட்டிய கோவில்களும் பெருகி விட்டன.

விளைவு! இன்று அதிக அளவில் பார்க்கப்படும் தமிழ் டி.வி. சானல்கள், முக்கியமாக பகுத்தறிவுத் தலைவர்கள் நடத்தும் சன், மற்றும் கலைஞர், மூட நம்பிககையும், பக்தி என்ற பெயரில் அறிவை மழுங்க அடிக்கும் நிகழ்ச்சிகளை  சீரியல்கள் மூலம் பரப்புவதை அப்பப்பா - தாங்க முடியவில்லை.

சன் டி.வி. யும், கலைஞர் டி.வி. யும் கடுமையான போட்டியில் ஈடுபட்டுள்ளார்கள், மூட நம்பிக்கை உருவாக்கி, பரப்பி, வளர்ப்பதில். ஒரு சீரியலில் நாயகி வெளியே போகிறாள், பூனை குறுக்கே வருகிறது. மனதில் சஞ்சலம். மற்றோன்டில் நாயகி கடவுளிடம் வேண்டிக்கொள்கிறாள் மனமுருக, அம்மனின் தலையிலிருந்து பூ விழுகிறது. நாயகி. தவறாமல் வாரம் ஒரு முறை யாராவது ஒருவர் அல்லது ஒருத்தி சோதிடம் கேட்கப்போவதும், துன்பம் தன்னை அண்டாமல் இருப்பதற்கு பரிகாரம் செய்வதும்  வெகுவாகப் பார்க்கலாம்.

வாழ்க தமிழ்! வளர்க அவர்தம் அறியாமை! இதில் தான் இருக்கிறது   திராவிடத் தலைவர்களின்   அன்றாட வருமானம்.