A modern Kalidasa

Are you the one anointed of gold?
who radiate the bluish moonlight
Even the smile on your pictures
makes my life content
 
If I was a painter,
May draw you even in winds and clouds
When I was traveling,
through the silence of space
A shiny pebble of that blue earth
Called me for the view
I got transformed, to a drop of water
Descended through rain rope
Millions of years, that drop was searching
By transforming to ice and vapor
Then at last when I found,
The pebble was so near

But the vapor form could just gaze and gaze and gaze
Flickering eyes like a ball point pen
Rolled like the apple of eye
Kept at corner sharply
Written directly to lotus leaf
Read by lips came out through flute
in seven colors at horizon
and made your image
which looked by me
just to drink like a tender coconut

പ്രണയം തകർത്ത ചക്രവർത്തി

ഒരു ശോക പരിഹാസ്യ നിലയിലാണെങ്കിലും
കരളിൻതുടർച്ചയിലുമഭികാമ്യമാകവേ
അതിഘോരമായുധം നെഞ്ചിലേക്കാളവേ
സുഖമരണമേല്ക്കുവാൻ കാത്തിരിക്കുന്നപോൽ
നഷ്ടപ്പെടുന്നോരധീനദേശങ്ങളോ
വീണു തകരും അധീശത്വ ബിംബമോ
ഇന്നലട്ടുന്നില്ല ഒരു തവണ യെങ്കിലും
അതിനായി വീണ്ടും പ്രയത്നിക്കയുമില്ല
ഇന്നലെകൾ ചാർത്തിയൊരു ചക്രവർത്തീ പദം
എന്റെ സഞ്ചാരത്തിനായം വരുത്തവേ
താണ്ടി ഞാൻ കാടും, മലയും, ഗുഹകളും
അശ്വമേധം ജയിച്ചെത്തിയ മന്നനായ്
കണ്ടു വഴിയിൽ ഞാൻ ശങ്കരനെ പിന്നെ,
ബുദ്ധന്റെ കാൽപ്പാടുണങ്ങാത്ത ഭൂമിയും
പിന്നെ മടിച്ചില്ലധീനത്തിലായോരാ
ഭൂമിക്കു കാവലായ് ആളെ നിർത്തീടുവാൻ
ക്ഷിപ്രമായെപ്പോഴോ കാഞ്ചന രൂപത്തിൻ
ദർശനം മനതാരിലടയാള മാകവേ
ആ കാലയളവിലായ് ശത്രുക്കളൊന്നിച്ചു
പല സീമകൾ താണ്ടിരാജ്യം ക്ഷയിച്ചുവോ?
അതികാംക്ഷയെന്നൊരു സംഘവും കൂടെയായ്
അഭിനിവേശാക്തമാം മാരകക്കൂട്ടവും
അത്യാഗ്രഹമെന്ന ചതികൾതൻ മെയ്ഗുണം
അറിയാതെ പോയതോ തോറ്റു കൊടുത്തതോ?
ഇനിയാകതില്ലിനി ശത്രു സംഹാരവും
പൊരുതേണ്ടതില്ലൊരു ഭ്രമതാണ്ഡവത്തെയും
സാമ്രാജ്യമില്ലാതെ സമ്രാട്ടുമല്ലാതെ
പ്രണയാസ്ത്രമേൽക്കുവാൻ ക്ഷണികനേരം മതി.

എന്തുകൊണ്ട് രാജ്യദ്രോഹം ഗുരുതരം?

ആദ്യത്തെ ചോദ്യം..വധശിക്ഷ വേണമോ? ഒരു സാധാരണ വ്യക്തി നല്ലൊരു പട്ടാളത്തിന്റെ സംരക്ഷണയിൽ കഴിയുമ്പോൾ നിസ്സംശയം അഹിംസാലു ആവണം. ആ രാജ്യത്തിനുള്ളിൽ സമാധാനത്തോടെ ജീവിക്കണം. പട്ടാളത്തോട് അഹിംസാലു ആവാൻ പറയുന്നവർ പുറത്ത്നിന്നുള്ള അക്രമങ്ങളെ ക്ഷണിച്ച് വരുത്തുന്നു. ലോകം മുഴുവൻ സമാധാനം ഉണ്ടെങ്കിൽ പട്ടാളമെന്തിന്? കോടതി എന്തിന്? ജയിലെന്തിനു? ഇനി കോടതി വധശിക്ഷ നിർത്തിയാൽ, പട്ടാളവും പോലീസും ഇനി ഒരുത്തനെയും ജീവനോടെ പിടിക്കില്ല. അതുകൊണ്ട് അവസാന വാക്ക് കോടതിയുടെതാവണം. ആ കോടതിക്ക് ഏറ്റവും ശരിയായ നിയമപരമായ തീരുമാനം ഏതളവുവരെയും എടുക്കാനുള്ള അർഹതയും വേണം. അതൊരു സാംസ്കാരിക രാജ്യത്തിന്റെ നിലനിൽപ്പിന് ആവശ്യവുമാണ്.

ഇനി കസബ്, അഫസൽ ഗുരു, യാക്കൂബ് മേമോണ്‍ എന്നിവരെ തൂക്കിലേറ്റിയത് ശരിയോ അതും മറ്റു അതി ഭയങ്കര കുറ്റവാളികൾ ജയിലിൽ ഉള്ളപ്പോൾ. ഒരു രാജ്യത്തെ സംബന്ധിച്ചിടത്തോളം ഏറ്റവും വലിയ കുറ്റം ശത്രുരാജ്യത്തെ ശക്തികളുമായി ചേർന്ന് യുദ്ധം പ്രഖ്യാപിക്കുകയോ, പൊതുജനത്തെ ആക്രമിക്കുകയോ ചെയ്യുന്നതാണ്. നക്സൽ, സ്വന്തം അളവിലും, വർഗ്ഗീയ അക്രമങ്ങൾ രാജ്യത്തിനുള്ളിലും ഉള്ളതാകയാൽ അതൊക്കെ ഒരു രാജ്യത്തെ സംബന്ധിച്ചിടത്തോളം രണ്ടാമതും, മൂന്നാമതും, നിർഭയകേസിലെ ബാലൽക്കാരികളും, ഗോവിന്ദച്ചാമിയെ പോലുള്ളവരും നാലാമത്തെ പ്രാധാന്യത്തിൽ വരുന്നവരും ആണ്. അത് കൊണ്ട് ഒരു രാജ്യം മറ്റുള്ള രാജ്യങ്ങൾക്ക് കൊടുക്കേണ്ട മറുപടി കൂടിയാണ് ഈ വധശിക്ഷ. ഇപ്പോഴത്തെ അവസ്ഥയിൽ അതങ്ങിനെ വേണ്ടിവരും. ആഗ്രഹം ഇത്തരം ശത്രുക്കളില്ലാത്ത, കുറ്റവാളികളില്ലാത്ത, വധശിക്ഷയില്ലാത്ത, ജയിലുകളില്ലാത്ത ഒരു ലോകം തന്നെ. ആദ്യത്തേത് രണ്ടും നിലനിൽക്കുമ്പോൾ രണ്ടാമത്തെ രണ്ടും എടുത്തുകളയാൻ പറയുന്നത് അരാജകത്വത്തിലെക്ക് ആത്മഹത്യാപരമായി നടന്നടുക്കലാവും.

School education of India in 2015

The pedagogy scenario in India has seen or looked like going through revolutionary thoughts and implementation especially with the introduction of Right to Education. CCE etc. But, was that change good enough to make a generation of extra ordinary or it is helping to cut the size of some extra ordinary to below ordinary? This requires a lot of thoughts and analysis with reference to what is going on in various schools. The problems in elite international schools are different from affluent middle class management schools and the problems of those schools are different from Govt. schools or aided schools. Even in Govt. schools, the problems are different from Central Govt. schools and State govt. schools. Even the advantages also differ in that order. So, basically, I may have to do a classification in that order to know the good, bad and ugly scenario in these schools. This article may not be academic jargon filled confusion, but, written for the understanding of any layman from a layman who understood the way I could perceive.

International Schools: Ever since there was a feeling among the richest lot in India felt for having a separate school for their children not to be in touch with the untouchable middle and lower class children put their idea into practice by introducing “international syllabus” in some schools, also to keep them in clear class division. Even, these so called international schools have gone to court not to accept RTE in their schools. Definitely, the elite ministerial decision would have left some clause in RTE to keep these international schools out of it so that, they will have a different educational scenario for their children who can directly put in to foreign universities after the schooling here. The ones I saw are very posh, their canteen provides the menu prescribed by parents, teachers are just slaves who can be employed or expelled at the whims and fancies of any student or the management .  Basically their fee here is exorbitant which may be required to be at par with the technology changes. I came to know that in many of these schools, there is no printed books but kids use tablets and notes also circulated through school wi-fi to individual tablets. A teacher should be readily available to help the kid even at night while they do their homework.  What are all the advantages and disadvantages of these schools? How these kids are going to be citizens of India? Are these schools molding good individuals for this nation? If you yourself try to answer these questions, you will know what kind of kids they will become. Will they be even good leaders? I have my doubts. But, yes, we have such schools here. 

Elite Middle Class schools: The well established ones will have huge school compounds, cater to affluent middle class children, follows some central syllabus like CBSE/ICSE. These kinds of schools are mushrooming in and around almost all cities in India. Due to our corruption, even the schools with temporary approval from these boards for certain classes, there are many schools which functions without even basic amenities in small apartments or houses. These school managements are running their educational institutions for clear profit motive. Teachers are over burdened and less paid, children growing up without any discipline. Management just wanted to increase the number of admission through advertisements and yearly colorful carnivals.

These school managements are not at all interested to make citizens of India but, showing the picture of western world as a place to shift once the children are grown up. But, most of the parents in this category are in double mind of imparting the right culture. They themselves are caught in between the Indian way of politeness and humbleness or the American arrogance. Schools do not have any interest in all those. They wanted to safeguard themselves from any police case if any teacher gives capital punishment and also at the same time, they are not interested to suspend or dismiss a rogue child since they do not want to lose the fee of that child. But, the management will not have a second thought to dismiss a teacher even if she/he is working there for decades for any small reason. With this, the management think, they can distance themselves from any wrong thing happens in their school. So, there is no teaching of right behavior which eventually helps the kid for their character formation by trying to know what is civil and uncivil, what is just and what is not.   

These schools accept RTE with a lot of reluctance. Some, for getting extra advertisement, started a concept called “inclusive education” without even having proper trained teachers for attending mentally deviated children. They want the already over burdened teachers to manage everything somehow. The selections of teachers in these schools are also not by following any guideline. You can see just subject graduates without even a Bachelors in Education teaching in higher classes. Many of the teachers are put in contract basis for long time and their yearly increments are negligible. Even the suppliers in KFC, Mcdonalds kind of outlets will be paying better salary than the schools.

Now, do you want me to ask questions or you will be able to make out the ailments of these schools? Better I leave them without asking any questions. 

State Govt./ Aided Schools: Very pathetic infrastructure, teachers are qualified but no quality and accountability. Most of them do not have toilet facility and do not have enough classrooms. If at all computer lab is there, no one knows how to operate. Children mostly come here to spend time and get the afternoon meal. Most of these state boards are giving liberal marks to children just to show the pass percentage during each government.  Now, the credibility of owning a state government school certificate itself become as good as a piece of paper. There is no enough funds allotted for our education systems in budget. Since most of these children are from economically lower class, there is no much pressing need on government to raise the standard of these schools. One or two meals a day is the only thing they look forward. Education happens or not, nobody is bothered. In some states, extracurricular activities are excellent. 

Central Govt. Schools: Most of the central schools like Kendriya Vidyalaya/ Navodaya got good infrastructure, well educated teachers in most of the places. Functions well, well disciplined, teachers are respected and well paid. Not so good in extracurricular activities.

There are some exceptions in all of the above categories. But, this is an overall evaluation done by knowing the situation of some states in North India and South India. The Continuous Comprehensive evaluation brought in by Central Government board of CBSE may be to ensure less of a pressure on children and may be to improve the overall holistic development of a child. But, the way management schools taken them is by giving liberal marks on internal assignments to show the performance of their schools. Some of the schools got it completely wrong and over burdened the children and parents on a daily basis. At least some parents now wanted to have only an annual exam to evaluate a child to get out of that daily grind.

I know, I have written about the problematic things above. You may be expecting solutions. Definitely will come up with some recommendations later.

ശിഥില ചിന്തകള്‍: യുക്തിവാദം നിര്‍വ്വചിക്കുമ്പോള്‍

ശിഥില ചിന്തകള്‍: യുക്തിവാദം നിര്‍വ്വചിക്കുമ്പോള്‍
 ഞാൻ എങ്ങനെയോ വഴിതെറ്റി ഈ ലിങ്കിൽ വന്നു പെട്ടതാണ്. വായിച്ചപ്പോൾ എന്തെങ്കിലും പറഞ്ഞിട്ടു പോകാമെന്ന് തോന്നി. ആദ്യം എല്ലാ മതങ്ങളും ദൈവത്തിൽ വിശ്വസിക്കുന്നു എന്നാ ധാരണ തെറ്റ്. ബുദ്ധമതവും, ജൈനമതവും ദൈവ വിശ്വാസത്തിൽ അധിഷ്ടിതമല്ല.
          

Musings of bold young females and males.

2012 continued from 2011 is a reflection of what is there in store in 2013. There is enough to be happy and worried. The great happiness is on the young people’s readiness to protest in a matured way on issues touching or had been touching us for decades. They understood the need to be in touch with issues and to become a catalyst of change from “Chalta Hai” to “Aise Chalna Nahin Doonga”. We have seen the decades of struggle of many suppressed coming to main stream politics and occupying their position. But it was a big “vote” bank. Here the most oppressed through generations was the 50% population which never appeared as a vote bank. Even now, it is not. But, one thing we could see is that, there is anger, there is frustration, there is willingness to leave arm chair and come forward. The young has shown, even in corruption issues and in some criminal cases the way it has been handled in Delhi and somewhere else, cannot be tolerated any more. The lethargy and corruption in system do not give justice. The delayed justice obviously like convicting Narasimha Rao after his death do not make any sense.

Secondly, the happiness has overflown when we saw people united without the help of any political party. Infact, they have given clear message, you will not get us to think a rape by Congress is bad but a rape by BJP,  SP, BSP, DMK or Marxist is fine. People woke up to say, a rape is a rape and corruption is a corruption whether it is by blue, saffron, red or green. If this is going to get momentum, people will solve issues on street and parliament has to just abide.  I am hopeful of seeing a radical change the way our democracy worked or not worked in the past.

All happiness comes with its own worries. We are scared of the tricks being recalled from the annals of political parties to sway such public anger in their way to win elections. It is time, for us to show, we the common people are indifferent to your communal manipulative politics. We have seen enough of “I am bad you are worse” kind of verbal wars. We understood all are two sides of same coin with motive of Power, money and with blind nepotism. Dynastic politics, dynastic celebrities etc have taken its worst roots not only in politics, but also in business, art and culture. There is a real urgency to address this mafia. 

We are sitting on a ticking bomb of grave issues starting from population explosion to not reaching the benefits to poor. We have lost faith in administration, investigation agencies and delayed or unaffordable cost of justice. There are news of vice chancellors with fake certificates, doctors with no proper medical qualification, politicians with rape and extortion charges. We are unhappy the way our resources are getting sold. This anger is slowly taking shape in many ways in many part of India. The possibility is that the multiple views on same issue and there is no single common identification of any kind to such movements may turn to anarchy and may turn out to be uncontrollable and may end up aimless. Governments are hell bound on cracking down even the agitations of public for corporate. We have seen that in Singoor and now seeing at Koodamkulam. If the government is not able to convince the people, better they drop their initiative is my view. Why people do not believe politicians is obvious. When they are in opposition the issues they raise and fights against changes their stand when they become part of ruling class. 

The number of agitations by urban middle class going to increase in 2013. It will remain as issue based so the unity will be there for sometime. But, once it spells to rural, it will take the shape of just one aim and may even overthrow our well protected democratic symbols. Which is dangerous and India needs to set things right now. We don’t want the bomb to explode. We would like to see the woman’s reservation bill to be passed. We would like to see our daughters, sisters, wives and mothers walk in India fearlessly and achieve their dream. The accusing game by ruling party saying, others playing spoil sport is not going to work anymore. We have seen the way Govt passed Nuclear Bill and FDI bill. If there is will, they can do this on amending the laws on sexual harassment, police and judicial accountability bill, woman’s reservation bill which are all in cold storage for long time. Address these issues or else, together we will sink. Let us congratulate these young Indian for not following the two generations before them who after independence, just looked at survival without any virtue. Forgive us for our apathy, and march forward to correct us.The generation gone by ruined your confidence on institutions. Which was the worst to happen. I wish you bring back that confidence.