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The hunger to serve the hunger

Two school children didn’t think twice to dip into their pocket money and donated their entire savings to fight the Corona virus. From tiny tots to individuals, associations, entrepreneurs to organizations, corporate houses to celebrities from sports and arts, the enthusiasm to do their bit in tackling this pandemic is something to cheer about. Reports of such spontaneous charity and generosity are proof of humanity and compassion amidst distress, offering a ray of hope to people who are otherwise resigned to a reign of hatred, violence, corruption and degeneration of values in the system. The spirit of humanity shown by NGOs, the societies, the groups of individuals, the salaried, software engineers and countless such people who are better placed having the resources, in coming to the aid of the migrant workers, the jobless and the poor and the needy by setting up make-shift tents, food and offering a caring net represent a picture of wrapping their arm around these unorganized s...
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Thus far and no further

 The nature continues to send signals and we continue to not read them. The nature continues to warn us and we continue to ignore it. Every such occasion was a life lesson we ought to have learnt. We are paying a heavy price for our irrational defiance and abuse of nature by not heeding to the universally acknowledged philosophical message, ‘thus far and no further’. In Mahabharatha, Krishna warned Shishupala that he would be forgiven for one hundred sins. Shishupala arrogantly did not heed it and continued to commit outlandish acts. When he was about to commit his 101st sin, Krishna was forced to use his Sudarshan Chakra to slit Shishupala’s throat.  The craving for golden deer by Seetha in Ramayan caused untold miseries and Duryodhana’s hunger for power in Mahabharath resulted in conflict, confrontation and destruction. These are prime examples of greed. As a corollary, shouldn’t we follow a path of social harmony, peaceful co-existence to avoid the wrath of nature’s fu...
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Classless Society V\s Ram Rajya!

On one extreme is the current ruling party at the centre aiming for a cashless society straining every sinew at its command in that direction. Digit by digit, it is prompting us to go digital which they claim is the way to ‘ache din’ – a metaphorical ‘Ramarajya’. On the other extreme is another ideology hoping to see the dawn of a classless society. It has ‘left’ no stone unturned with its committed workforce in its attempt to achieve it. Ours is a democracy. The ‘left’ party is trying to achieve ‘classless’ society in a democratic way. The ‘right’ wingers are alleged – not without reason – to be treading a ‘dictatorial’ path to attain ‘Ramarajya’. Recognize the irony? Each party is charging the other of ‘mass massacre’ – of principles, that is. The ‘left’ claims that the ‘right’ has no right to be in the government with their faulty policies. The ‘right’, with a wry smile, retorts that the people have ‘left’ the ‘left’ high and dry, citing their fall not just here but elsew...
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Clear Vision Sans Tele'vision'!

Clear Vision Sans Tele’vision’! Funny: ‘We the people’ can’t take it anymore Punny: Yes, there’s an urgent need for a ‘reality check’ F: Get going, look everywhere, ‘left, right and centre’ P: We need to ascertain the ‘epicentre’ of the ‘big fight’ F: We may have a ‘face-off’ with the authorities P: Every public is worried about the ‘republic’ of India F: Of course, ‘nation wants to know’ P: It’s ‘time now’ to be ‘upfront’ about it F: It’s also time to reflect and look in the ‘mirror now’ P: Don’t beat around the bush, come ‘to the point’ F: Get back to the ‘brass tacks’ for a thorough  scrutiny P: Public is surrounded by the sound and fury of the 'republic' F: With all this, we don't know where 'India today' is heading We looked for vision. Sadly there’s none despite its presence in tele’vision’. If anything, television is a bundle of bias, selective reporting, helping more to divide than unite people. With each one claiming ‘exclusive’ narrative, ...
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Crossword Puzzle

  My wife loves to solve crossword. So does my father. It rubbed on me. The three of us sit together and solve it. In solving it, we find limitless joy. There’s a lot of similarity between ‘life’ and ‘crossword’. Crossword is a puzzle. So is life. Both offer clues. Some are simple. Some are cryptic. All that we need to do is to observe them closely, understand and analyse, dissect and decipher to find the solution. In trying to find solution to the crossword, let’s not ‘cross sword’ at one another. For a meaningful life, we need to sit ‘across’ and not be at ‘cross’ with one another. Neither should we look ‘down’ upon another in life. While the lexicon is full of words, the life is full of challenges. Lexicon makes us ‘word-wise’, while life makes us ‘world-wise’. Let’s avoid an attitude of confrontation which only creates a void. Instead, it makes sense to create a consultative atmosphere that encourages healthy exchange of ideas. Fiscal deficit is a central problem, ...
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Bond With The Best

  Funny and Punny were strolling along on a chilly evening when they spotted a ‘casino’ . Both felt that they should enjoy the ‘royal’ atmosphere. Sipping their choice martini – shaken but not stirred – the prospect of facing the spectacle of a ‘spectre’ sent a chill up their spine. Looking at the ‘sky’ , they saw the snow ‘fall’ . With blazing flashes of the lights around, everyone dancing to the blaring music, F&P soaked up the evening on the assumption that they had the ‘licence’ to thrill and not ‘to kill’ . With all ‘the thunder’ , they had a ‘ball’ ! They were well aware of ‘the spy who loved wo ’me’ n! Funny noted that the spy had a ‘golden-eye’ . Yes, they are ‘for your eyes only’ , replied Punny. F&P couldn’t resist trying their luck with the Russian roulette. With perfect positioning, they thought they had a perfect ‘view to a kill’ . They were in for a shock losing the first few rounds. Undaunted, they went ahead. Their gamble paid off as they wo...
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CONTRADICTIONS-3

  “A 50 lakh rupee loan application gets sanctioned in a jiffy while a 50000 rupee Mudra loan takes eternity, biting contradictions!”   Thus began a speech, dismissive of the sycophantic culture of pre-fixing one’s address with calling out a never-ending list of dignitaries on the dais, from one of the many executives from different banks who were invited for a MSME conclave to share and air their thoughts on the plight of entrepreneurs and the possible banking solutions on their financial problems. He continued: “we thought we understood their world. We never did” “we thought we were banker to every Indian. We are miles away from it” “we thought we were ‘faithful-friendly’. We are nowhere near it” “we thought we were ‘customer-centric’. If any, we are eccentric” We say one thing on this platform and do exactly the opposite once we are back in our air-conditioned room with plush interiors! We are a bundle of contradictions. A young man, fresh from col...
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