Inconvenient questions

By N V Vijayakumar
Pained by man's greed to grab nature's bounty, the heart seeks solace in the lord.
I usually reach Niramkaithakotta temple, listening to the boatman’s rhyming couplets along the Chaliyar river. Throughout the journey I would enjoy the western wind sweeping through the coconut grove.More than a spiritual journey, my trip to the temple would take me close to nature. It would also throw open inconvenient questions about man and nature. Along with my brother and sister, I used to board a local train for a journey meant to be spiritual. Chugging along the coastal region, the train would traverse through picturesque villages drawing my attention to the miseries of fisher folks, travails of migratory birds, deprivations in coir industry etc.While climbing the hill through the winding way to the sanctum sanctorum, I would enjoy the sight of simians hugging, playing, cuddling, fighting and even venturing into adventurism. As for the locals, the simians represented a society that never allowed greed to cut lose and reap dividend at the expense of nature. Simians old and young would seem like a replica of human society itself.

Even though the simians were sumptuously fed by the temple authorities and visiting devotees, they enjoyed coconut more than anything else. When the market prices of coconut started soaring, nearby residents started covering the coconuts in their yards with a net, much to the inconvenience of these hapless simians. Man’s greed to have all nature's bounties for himself often prevented other beings from getting their share. When I recently visited the temple to give obeisance to the presiding deity, I noticed to my shock that the simian population has dwindled to a handful. By contrast, the pilgrim centre had flourished to the point of big business, with many a hotel, shop, hospital and houses mushrooming near by. In addition, tourism projects have sprung up in and around the area, with support from the government, tapping nature’s bounty in its entirety. Seeing all this, questions about human activity started to loom large in my mind: who are the true owners of this bounty? Do the simians have an equal stake in nature? Deprived of their due by greedy and wreckless humans, how long will this victimisation continue? To come to terms with the painful heart, I prayed to the good lord to give my fellow beings a fair mind so that they would show some concern for nature that nurtures them.

Voting in Democracy

Vote not a blind endorsement
By N V Vijayakumar
If force is used to stymie dissent it vitiates the democratic fabric of a nation
Standing by the door with his clean shaven face and impeccable dress, Yuvrajkumar put up an exterior of a loyal sentinel in an alien country. Kept away from the revolutionary rumblings of his homeland (Nepal), he is fighting another war to meet both ends -- weaving dreams of a bright future.When the Maoists started tearing apart the societal fabric using high-octave revolutionary slogans and life-threatening weapons, Yuvrajkumar thought that they might succeed in bringing down the monarchy for the greater good of his countrymen. The very moment the revolutionary Maoists strode to the pinnacle of power, Yuvrajkumar hoped a new beginning for the Nepalese rooted in radical, social and political justice. But this high regard for the Maoists vanished the very moment they started savouring power.“They spilled the blood of commoners to liberate our land from the clutches of royalty. When they succeeded, they forgot the great promises they had made,” said an emaciated Yuvrajkumar. When the zeal and zest with which they fought against the rule of authoritarian royalty was found withered at the altar of power, it was heartbreaking for him. “They could have roped in all and sundry to help build the pillars of democracy. Instead they took cudgels against all those who stood against them,” he adds.Accusing the Maoists and the current ruling dispensation of riding roughshod over people’s democratic rights, he says Nepal’s cataclysmic journey from monarchy to democracy could not keep the pulverising issue of belly away. If discord creeps into democracy it can be seen as the leaders’ failure to fufill people’s aspiration. And if force is used to stymie dissent it vitiates the democratic fabric of a nation. Are the rulers, whether from the Left, Right or Centre, belong to the same class in all civilisations? Or do they have any other agenda for butchering their own citizens? What the political establishment in any country would do well to understand is that the vote is not a blind endorsement, but the expression of a fragile hope of a rational participatory relationship with the government.

Natural resources

I am vary much curious while thinking over natural resources on earth. Who are its real owners? Whether the self proclamed guardians of democracy, governments or citizens who believes in might is right?

Here we can see the marginalised segment of society who are its real owners and degenerated to the stature of mere slaves. Left in lurch, these segment are finding it hard to have a belly full meal. Then politician who are the angels of democracy make long list of promises for them during their electoral figtht.

Then there is a group of men who are the real gainers in this area. They sell everything for an exhorbitant rate and thus use it for their gains finding that all these wealth are being given to them by their fore fathers.

Banking on new technological advnacement and other lucerative business options, we can rechanellse the optimum use of these things for the societal advantage. Her we should also bring the attention toward the historical mistakes committed by our rulers while silencing the genuine needs of the indigenous people of forest. They have no stake in the areas really owned by them.

Taking into account the mistakes committed, we can cordinate our activities in other area. For example, fiserfolk in the coastal zone of India are really deprived lot since the transformation of their job into a seasonal activity and the dwindling volume of their catche because of various natural and evolutionary happenings. Here we can bring out of the box solution by leasing sea beds and other tourism promotional activties along the coastal areas. It can bring in rich economic divident.

But still our policy makers and politicians are not ready take any practical steps. Why? a gnawing guestion. Here the citizen pressure should be put in.

We do hope a time will come when such things will happen on this earth which will usher in an egalitarian society.
Hoping the best
N.V.Vijayakumar

Violence against deprived

History is replete with incident where many are being victimised by those who are having money and mussle power. It is continuing unabatedly for centuries and all are mute spectators of what is happenig. The latest incident in India is a pointer to what is happening in our remote villages.

What we youngsters can do agianst such blatant violation of norms and codes in life?

It can be countered through shouldering their burden by participating in their efforts to empower their fellow beings. We can also inculcate in them new values and thus improve their very social stature. If we never venture into such a reform process, then we are doing aginst the very will of god almighty.

Since yogsters are having enough time to channelise their creative energy for the societal needs, it is high time that we should devote precious little in this regards. If such an effort is put in by youngsters, then a brighter horizone will be ther on the anvil for all our bretherns.

Blessings from almighty

It is necessary for human beings to persue their spiritual needs in a world tattered and bruised by the onslaught of worldy pleasures. Yes it is high time that we should chalk out the priorities. We must have a vision of our own and a firm belief in almighty. It is very clear that we shall be provided with extreem pleasure. I have been experiencing this extreme pleasure in life for long. I am a lonly traveler in this world and that nobody to guide me and give advices.
Let it be the guiding for you.
With best wishes for you