THE RAM LEELA MAIDAN





















“The fire that warms us can also consume us;
it is not the fault of the fire.”

-  Swami Vivekananda


I admire the steely faith that drives Anna Hazare’s life. He was, is and will be a simple village soul… Not afraid of any kind of brute force around him. His ideals are lofty and he believes in them like an innocent child does. The politicians, businessmen, religious hardcores and even masses find his ideals not practical…

So, every time Anna Hazare fasts unto death, I feel bad and sad for him. He is such an honest man… such a courageous and steadfast man! But, deep in my soul, I know, his fast will only go in vain.

Look, what’s happening, right now, on the Ram Leela maidan, where his fast has entered the 6th day! Where are those so-called conscious-keeping activists of 2011 – a Kejriwal, a Kiran Bedi, a retired Army Chief and the like? Where are the Super Stars who hogged the limelight sitting with Anna? Where are our political parties and their leaders?







I am an incorrigible optimist… But, at the same time, I am a lot more realistic. Corruption can’t be wiped out through legislations and Lokpals alone. While they do play a significant role, I believe, the seeds of corruption lay deep and wide in our bosoms… We all – including me – are corrupt. Only the scale of our corruption varies. Look at the way we all go about paying our taxes!

Only two days are left to file our Income-tax returns! So much for our honesty and crusade against corruption!

How old is this world? And, how old is corruption?


I believe, if the seeds of corruption are within each one of us, then we all should look within us to eradicate it. The interesting part of this process is this: even if we succeed in cleansing our own souls, we will have to live surrounded by ‘impure and corrupt’ souls!

So, what’s the way out? Look to the other side? Be pessimistic and cynical?

Not at all. We need the spirit of Anna Hazare, however innocent and impractical it seems to be. What you and I cannot do, Anna does. He has the grit and the gumption to take on the establishment…

Where I differ from Anna is: First, I need to take on myself… Challenge myself… Fast until my soul becomes free from the ills of corruption. Anna has done that long ago. He is an honest man… incorruptible. But, you and I, who ‘use’ his goodness, are not only corrupt, but also sly. Dishonest!

Yes, I am an incorrigible optimist when it comes to the impurity within!






GERALD D’CUNHA

Pic.: Internet/sify.com

Video: YouTube/Times Now


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

MUTHU KODI KAWARI HADA

Image
Pic.; Ashwin Mohta M y Hindi was always bad. It still is. One reason for this was, that they introduced Hindi for us only in 6 th standard. Or, was it in 8 th ? I don’t remember… I only remember struggling to write and read… leave alone speak! But, I loved Hindi movies, and, strangely, I could understand the dialogues and the lyrics of the songs… I used to sing those songs (of course when no one was around me!) as if I was the lyricist… One of the songs was a very funny one. ‘Muthu Kodi Kawari Hada’. It was from Mehmood’s super-hit comedy – ‘Do Phool’. I was a 15-year-old high-school boy when I had heard that song (not watched the movie). I could grasp the meaning of two words – ‘Muthu Kodi’… which meant ‘Give kiss’… But, what ‘Kawari Hada’ meant, I have no clue till date! It was just like ‘Why this kolaveri di’... Yes, why ask? Simply enjoy the beats… And, the beats are great… The rest... Who cares? Really! So, whatever bit of Hi
Read more

"HAPPILY EVER AFTER IS NOT A FAIRY-TALE... IT IS A CHOICE"

Image
“Love doesn’t just sit there, like a stone… It has to be made, like bread; remade all the time, made new.” – Ursula K. Le Guin,  The Lathe of Heaven T welve years ago, when Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie got married, the world began to hail the couple as ‘Brangelina’. It became a fashion for couples around us to call themselves so… Norbert and Teresa renamed them as ‘Noresa’…  Amol and Vishaka baptized their relationship as ‘Amoshka’… and, Salman and Nargis became ‘Salgis’! I and my wife, too, got tempted to re-christian our matrimonial relationship as ‘Germa’... That is, Gerald and Anima, to be precise! B efore I proceed any further, let me make it very clear, here… that, I have no business to judge on the break-up of Brad Pitt and Angelina’ Jolie’s marriage. I have no inclination to go into why, how, what when etc behind it… The couple ‘chose’ to split. And, it’s their choice… Only they know how good or bad… how joyful or painful that
Read more

SELLING MIRRORS IN THE CITY OF THE BLIND

Image
“I laugh when I hear that the fish in the water is thirsty. I laugh when I hear that people go on pilgrimage to find God.” - Kabir T here is a universal human weakness – and it dates back to the days of fallen civilizations – and it is: to place people on pedestal and trying to be smothered by them, feel loved and protected in their company… worship them as mentors, heroes,  gurus, Mahagurus and Satgurus… Make these mortals larger-than-life cut-outs, worship them as flawless, pure and give one’s all… And, then, ‘take’ everything from them blindly as divine… Give everything to them blindly… Eventually, what happens is:  one more dangerous bondage… What was supposed to free you now becomes a new prison… It’s sad to see this happen! T his room, where I am writing this Post, has no image of any deity. I have no image of any Guru or Master around me… My question is: “Am I not able to feel close to Almighty God?  How does it matter
Read more
THE WILD, WAYSIDE FLOWERS
There is, always, something extra-ordinary in the wild, wayside flowers...