CC ticket

A tweet by a prominent Member of Parliament from Kerala prompted me to write this article. The MP tweeted a picture of flagging off a school bus and lamented the sorry state of transport for School children in India. It is not unusual for political leaders to express concern on issues touching common people. The point is not the concern itself but the way it was expressed by a leader of a political party which ruled post independent India for more than 80% of the time. 

I grew up in A village in Kerala, the southernmost state in India. I went to a Government school in the village which was a little over one kilometers from my home. The concept of private school was only prevalent in big cities and therefore children of rich and poor all went to the same school. The only other educational institution in those days in the village was a Madrasa, which imparted religious education. The Madrasa timings were early so that the students can join the regular school. There were no roads so we all walked to school. Children came bare foot from all sides of the village. Around the school timing, you will see formation of small tributaries of little children merging and becoming a huge human chain of girls and boys. The line included children from all religion and caste. Religious and caste conflicts were unheard to us in those days. However, I heard that there were upper class households which mandated a mandatory bath in the pond every afternoon upon return from school. While it is a good practice to take bath after walking the dusty and muddy village walking trails, the reason attributed to the compulsory bath was linked to the caste system and untouchability prevalent in those days.

The village school was only upto seventh grade and thus was called upper primary school. The next level of schooling was in the High school which was six kilometer away. Luckily for me, two years before I was ready for High School, an old Sanskrit college was revived and resumed as an oriental high school which was four kilometers away from my home. Some children continues to go to the High School in The town as the one closer mandated Sanskrit as the main language.  Ours was the third batch after this new high school came into existence. We mostly walked through the mountainous trails to the school. There was an option to take bus but the walk to and from the bus stop was almost half of the total distance to the School. 

Those students in the town high school took the bus. There was only one bus around the school time in our route during my time. Students were allowed a fifty percent concession in bus fares. The bus fare to the town was twenty paise and the students are required to pay ten paise only. This concession used to be called CC ticket. I think the name CC came from college concession as when it started only college students were using the bus service. The funny part of the CC ticket was that, even today, it is mandated by the government and applicable only in private buses. The government run KSRTC buses did not entertain student concession CC ticket.  You only need a note book in your hand to claim eligibility for this concessions. The bus owners tried every possible ways to introduce a pass system but could never implement. The other funny thing was the full fare kept on increasing year after year but the CC ticket rate remained fifty percent of the original base full year. This continued for several years.  Thanks to the student wings of the political parties who kept the pressure on the government. I heard that recently the CC ticket rates were marginally increased. 

The bus used to be utterly overcrowded. If the seating capacity is for 52 passengers, one can see equal amount of students standing inside and another 52 hanging all over the bus from footboards, the driver side door, the luggage ladder in the rear and at times heroically seated on roof tops. Hanging from footboards is considered to be heroic and many boys regularly did this to impress girls. Road safety norms were not on the statute books during those days. 

In conclusion, transportation facilities to students were never an item in the government agenda for any parties. If it was the government would have introduced school buses long ago, at least not disallowed CC ticket in KSRTC buses.  One noteworthy thing was that at least Kerala had the CC ticket, the condition of students in other states were worse. As an example, the only way was Rickshaw or the shikshaw(punishment) of walk if you don't have your own vehicle.

My first train journey Episode 1

It was in the year 1975, I had just finished my pre-degree course in college. I was at a crossroad in my life on what next. Two options were in front of me, buy a part time teacher's job and become an earning member of the family or continue my education.  Knowing that my father did not have the financial capacity to purchase a teacher job for me, the only way to get employed in Kerala, I chose not to pursue the teacher route and decided to leave Kerala. I was able to convince my sister to procure a visa for me to UP where she used to live with her husband. I used the term visa which is more commonly understood by migrant job seekers and their families in Kerala. Keralites were well recognized for their work culture when they are out of Kerala so with that reputation built by my predecessors, not of my contributions at that time, my brother-in-law was able to obtain a promise of employment with a company in Allahabad. I felt recognized at least outside my home state and my Preparation for the long journey out of Kerala began.

Kerala was not well connected with Indian cities by rail in those days. The only Metro city to which we had direct train was Madras, now Chennai. One has to change train in Madras to go to other places, Allahabad did not have a direct train from Madras either. There were two compartments for Varanasi attached to the link express to Delhi. These compartments were detached in Itarsi, a city in the Madhya Pradesh State and then linked to the Kashi express run between Bombay and Varanasi. The total duration of the journey was 3 nights and four days including lay over time. I guess the total distance was 2600 KM.

The nearest train station where we could reserve a berth in train was Shornur Jn. I booked my ticket to Madras(now Chennai) with an onward reservation request till Allahabad. Onward reservation took a week or more to get confirmed. I made several rounds to Shornur to check the status but every time, I got the message that there was no message.

 During one such trip to Shornur to confirm my onward reservation, I met a guy who introduced himself to me as Peter. Peter asked me where I am heading to. I narrated my story and itinerary to Peter. I had no coaching or the sort not to talk to a stranger. Peter assessed me and targeted me as his next prey. Realizing that I am desperate to find a job, Peter offered me help. He convinced me about his connections in the Indian Railways and promised a job of electrician with a salary of 600 rupees, a quarter to live and even a time bound promotion and higher pay. Peter fixed our travel to the next day. He asked to come with cash for the ticket but not buy it. He suggested that he would use his relationship with the TTE to get a good seat in the night train and will pay the TTE. The innocent Mohanan within me believed the Good Samaritan Peter and returned home to prepare for the big journey. Reaching home, I presented the conversation with Peter verbatim to my parents. To them Peter was God descended on earth to help their son. Alterations to my travel plan was approved and I set out seeking blessings of my elders, a customary practice, before the big journey began the next day. I went to the Railway Station as planned. My third brother-in-law came with me to see off me at the train station. We waited for Peter but he was nowhere to be seen. Those were not the days of cell phones, not even land phones in many household. Our train was at midnight. We continued to wait for Peter and suddenly we saw commotion on the railway platform, police chasing a person and ultimately caught the culprit. A few minutes later the Railway police summoned me to their office and asked whether Peter took money from me. Peter confessed to the police that I was one of his five or six targets and his intention was to rob the money from us and vanish. I explained my encounter with Peter. Knowing that I had a travel plan to Allahabad(I had not cancelled my ticket), police recorded my brother in law as a witness in the case and let us free. Later my brother-in-law told me that he had to go to the Court as a witness a few time. 

Thus my first long distance train journey to Allahabad began as per original schedule with all my personal belongings packed in a newly painted light blue metal suite case.

To be continued in Episode 2.

Why I chose Sanskrit in School

 In High School and in the first two years of College, I studied Sanskrit. Those were not the days where the students chose what they study, you just pursue what was chosen for you by your parents or some knowledgeable persons in the village, mostly your teachers in High School. You don't have the fancy student counselors that you see in U.S.  Obviously with the rural farmers background, it was not the decision of my father but someone advised us that Sanskrit is the best option for me. There were two reasons for this choice.  The first reason was the students of Sanskrit get 50 percent concession in fees. The fee for a pre-degree student in the Govt. college I studied was fifteen rupees which is less than twenty five cents in U.S. Currency in 2015.  So by choosing Sanskrit as my main, my father saved Seven rupees and fifty paise per month, a big relief for a farmer whose income depended on the rain God. The second reason was more lucrative, I was eligible for a merit scholarship applicable only for Sanskrit students. My father very well knew the scholarship factor as I used to get one hundred fifty rupees in my high school every year and that too because I was studying in an Oriental School where Sanskrit is the main language instead of Malayalam. In college, the scholarship amount jumped to four hundred fifty rupees and I can't blame my father choosing my elective subject. The other allurement was the possibility of getting a job. Someone convinced my father that after pre-degree, his son can find a part time teacher's job in a School. The Government of the day sold the idea of promoting Sanskrit to the voters and a good amount of central fund was earmarked. Little did my father realize that mere eligibility will not guarantee his son a teacher's job in Kerala. Coming from one of the cursed upper castes, a government job was out of question. The next option is Private Schools,which is called management schools. The management school are not like the well managed missionary run convent schools. They are named management because of their ability to manage huge sums of money in selling jobs to the hapless aspirants. Teacher's jobs in management school used to be sold to the highest bidder in secret auctions. The price used to be thousands in those days and over 20 lakhs Rupees at present.

The financial situation and my own conviction not to bribe for job did not make me a Sanskrit teacher. I however, enjoyed studying Sanskrit. Though, I did not pursue a career in Sanskrit, Sanskrit helped me to understand the deep rooted culture of Indian Society. It gave me the opportunity to study the great works of Kalidasa. Sanskrit exposed me to the richness and beauty of Indian languages and appreciate the unity in diversity of our culture. 

जिह्वाग्रे वरतते लक्ष्मी

जिह्वाग्रे मित्र बान्धवाः l 

बन्धनम् चैव जिह्वाग्रे

जिह्वाग्रे मरणं ध्रुवम ll 

Onam and Pookalam - ഓണം & പൂക്കളം

ഇന്ന് ഓണം തിരുവോണം. പണ്ടെല്ലാം പൂവിളിയായിരുന്നു ഓണം വരുന്നു എന്നതിന് സൂജന. ഇപ്പോൾ ഫേസ് ബുക്ക്‌ , whatsapp ആ സ്ഥാനം പിടിച്ചടകി എന്ന് ഓണത്തിന്റെ ഒരു മാറ്റം. പൂവിളി ഇപ്പോൾ ഒരു പഴമൊഴി മാത്രമായി. 

ഒനാഘൊഷതിന്റെയ് മാറ്റങ്ങൾ ഇനിയുമുണ്ട് പലതും. അത്തം പത്തു തിരുവോണം എന്നാണല്ലോ പറയാറ്. അത്തം ദിവസം വീട്ടു മുറ്റങ്ങളിൽ പൂക്കളം ഇടാൻ തുടങ്ങും. ഓണം അടുക്കും തോറും വീട്ടിലെ കുട്ടികൾ തമ്മിൽ വാശിയേറിയ പൂക്കള മത്സരമായിരിക്കും. കൂടുകുടുംബമായി കഴിഞ്ഞിരുന്ന കാലത്ത് മത്സരത്തിനു ഇഷ്ടം പോലെ കുട്ടികളും  കാണും. പണ്ടെല്ലാം ഓണം മൂലം വരെ 7 ദിവസമാണ് പൂകളമിടുക. ഓണം പൂരാടതിനു, പൂക്കളമിടുന്ന സ്ഥാനത് പൂരാടക്കുട്ടിയുടെയ് പ്രതിഷ്ടക്ക് ശേഷം പൂക്കളം ഇടാറില്ല. തിരുവോണം നാളിൽ, പുലർച്ചെ കുളിച്ചു മഹാദേവരേ പ്രതിഷ്ടിക്കും. വലുതും ചെറുതുമായ 5 മൂർതികളാണ് തിരുവോണത്തിന് പ്രതിഷിടിക്കുക. തിരുവോണത്തിന് ശേഷം 4 ദിവസം കഴിഞ്ഞാണ് മൂർത്തികൾ എടുത്തു മാറ്റുന്നത്. പ്രതിഷ്ടക്ക് ശേഷം, മൂർത്തികൾ എടുത്തു മാറ്റുന്നത് വരെ 3 നേരം പൂജ ചെയ്യാറുണ്ട്. നേന്ത്രപ്പഴം, ശര്ക്കര, അവിൽ, മലര്, അപ്പം എന്നീ പദാർത്ഥങ്ങളാണ് നിവേദ്യമായി പൂജയിൽ എടുക്കുക പതിവ്. പ്രതിഷ്ഠ എന്റെ വീട്ടില് അച്ഛനാണ് ചെയ്യാറ്‌. അത് കഴിഞ്ഞുള്ള പൂജകൾ കുട്ടികല്ലെയ് ഏല്പിക്കും. ഈയിടെയായി പല വീടുകളിലും മഹാദേവരേ പതിഷ്ടിക്കുന്നതിനു പകരം പൂക്കളം തുടര്ന്നിടുന്നത് കാണാറുണ്ട്. ഇത് ഓണം ആഘോഷതിന്റെയ് മറ്റൊരു മാറ്റമായി കാണുന്നു.

ഓണ സദ്യയിലും ചില മാറ്റങ്ങൾ കാണുന്നു. ഓണത്തിന് പായസം പതിവില്ല. അടയാണ് തിരുവോണത്തിന് മദുര പലഹാരമായി ഉണ്ടാക്കരു. അരിമാവ് വാഴ ഇലയിൽ പരത്തി, സര്കര പാവ്, പൂവം പഴം, കല്കണ്ടം, തുമ്പ പൂവ് എന്നിവ ചേര്ത്, ഇല മടക്കി ആവിയിൽ വേവിചെടുക്കുന്നതാണ് അട. ഈ അടയാണ് മഹദെവർക്കു പ്രതിഷ്ടിക്കുമ്പോൾ നിവേദിക്കാര്. അട, പഴം നുറുക്ക്, നേന്ത്രൻ ഉപ്പേരി, പപ്പടം എന്നിവയാണ് തിരുവോണം നാളിൽ പ്രാതലിനു പലഹാരങ്ങൾ. ഉച്ച ഊണിനു പുത്തരി ചോറും, സാമ്പാർ, കാളൻ, ഓലൻ, എരിശ്ശേരി,ആവിയൽ, വടോപ്പുളി നാരങ്ങ ഉപ്പിലിട്ടത്‌,പുളിഎഞ്ചി,സര്കര ഉപ്പേരി,നേന്ത്രൻ ഉപ്പേരി, തോരൻ, പഴം, പപ്പടം, രസം,മോര് എന്നിവ വിഭവങ്ങൾ ഉണ്ടാകാറുണ്ട്. തിരുവോണം ദിവസം മാംസാഹാരം പതിവില്ല. അവിട്ടതിനു അമ്മായിമാര് വിരുന്നു വരും, അപ്പോൾ ഇര്രച്ച്ഹിക്കറി, ഉണക്ക സ്രാവ് എന്നിവ വിഭവത്തിൽ കാണാറുണ്ട്. വീട്ടിലെ എല്ലാവരും കൂടിയാണ് പാചകം. ഒരിക്കലും അടുക്കളയില കയറാത്ത  അച്ഛൻ വകയാണ് കാളനും, അവിയലും.

ഉച്ച ഊണിനു ശേഷം പുരുഷന്മാര പന്ത് കളി, ആട്ടക്കളം എന്നെ കളികൾ പങ്കു ചേരും. സ്ത്രീകള് കൈകൊട്ടിക്കളി കൂട്ടം കൂടി കളിക്കും. വട്ടു കളി, കൊതിക്കല്ല് ആടുക, ഒളിച്ചു കളിക്കുക എന്നീ കളികളാണ് പെണ്‍കുട്ടികളുടെ പ്രധാന വിനോദം. രാത്രി സമയങ്ങളിൽ ചൂത് കളി, അക്ഷര ശ്ലോകം എന്നീ കളികൾ കണ്ടിട്ടുണ്ട്. ഇക്കാലത്ത് കളികളക് പകരം സിനിമ കാണാൻ പോകും. അതല്ലെങ്കിൽ tv യിൽ നല്ല സിനിമയോ, താരങ്ങളുമായുള്ള സംവാദമോ കണ്ടിരിക്കുന്നത് ഓണത്തിന്റെ വേറൊരു മാറ്റം. 

ഓണം നാളുകളിൽ പണ്ടൊന്നും വീട് വിട്ടു പോകാറില്ല. മാവേലി നമ്മളെ കാണാൻ വരുമ്പോൾ, വീട്ടിലുണ്ടാകുന്നത് ആധിധേയ മര്യാദ എന്നാണ് സങ്കൽപം. ഇവിടെയാണ് ഓണത്തിന്റെ മറ്റൊരു മാറ്റം. ഇക്കാലത്ത് ഓണം vacation സ്പെഷ്യൽ ടൂർ packages വങ്ങ്ഹി ഉല്ലാസ യാത്ര പോകുന്നത് കാണാറുണ്ട്. കാണം വിറ്റും ഓണം ഉണ്ണണം എന്നത് വീട് വിട്ടും ഓണം ഉണ്ണാം എന്നായോ എന്ന് വേണമെങ്കില മനസിലാക്കാം. 
                          പൂവേ പൊലി, പൂവേ പൊലി

Onam and Puthari

Onam, the biggest festival of Kerala is around the corner. People start worrying about the important items that makes Onam special. These are Puthar(rice), plantains, vegetables and of course new clothes. This worry is not new, it used to be there every year, at least ever since I have started realizing the importance of Onam.

Recently, I was browsing through my facebook news feed and one post caught my attention. The post written in Malayalam laments the likely shortage of rice in Kerala during Onam season. Rice is the main staple food of Keralites and an Onasadhya (feast) without rice is unimaginable for Keralites hence the hidden sarcasm by raising the chapathi ( a wheat product based staple) bandwagon.

During my childhood, wheat was only sold through the government run ration shops in Kerala. Wheat used to be a substitute for rice when rice is in short supply. Keralites were not equipped or trained on how to make good food out of wheat which may be the reason why keralites disliked wheat during those days. The general perception was those who buy food grains from ration shops are considered to be poor.  I could not make out why it is so but after a few visits to the ration shops in my village gave me the impression that it could be because of thHhe poor quality of grains sold through the ration shops.

My family was not included among those who could get rice or wheat from ration shops. In the eyes of the government, we were farmers who cultivated enough paddy for us thus no food grain entitlement. Ration cards were merely for 1 kilogram of sugar which rarely reached the card holders. Sugar and kerosene were always diverted to the black market.  One has
to make several rounds to the ration shop to be lucky to get their quota of sugar and kerosene. "Out of stock" used to be the standard message on the black stock board written with chalk. Kerosene was critical for light as there were no electricity in our village during those days. 

 The government also rated my father in the category of farmers on whom a levy was imposed on our paddy produce. A levy is a rule wherein the farmers are mandated to give a fixed amount of paddy produced per acre of land cultivated to the government. I do not recollect whether the government paid any price for it, I believe they did not as this was a kind of tax on the farmers. Virtually, the farmers had to pay levy to the Government and rent to the landlord which already is huge. The rent to landlord was set based on the notional yield and the farmer is bound to give the same quantity irrespective of how much was produced. All our land used to be rain fed and therefore in seasons of low rains or other crop damages, the farmers were left with very little after paying the levy and rent.

Coming back to the subject of how rice is important during Onam, I thought of reflecting my childhood memories.  Onam falls during the Malayalam Calendar month 'Chingham' which typically falls between August and September. Onam, is the biggest festival of Keralites. It is a ten day long festival. On thiruvonam day,  Keralites welcomes their Asura Chakravarthy (emperor) Maveli who was unseated by Vamana and send to Pathala(underground) to please the Devas. The belief is that Maveli requested Vamana permission to return to his ousted kingdom and meet his erstwhile subjects. Under the regime of Maveli, Kerala was prosperous, there were no crime or corruption and his subjects were prosperous and happy. Keralites wants to give the same feel of prosperity and happiness when their beloved chakravorty returns on his annual visit,hence the festivities.

Onam is also celebrated as the harvest festival in Kerala. Farmers in Kerala strive hard to ensure at least a portion of their paddy is harvested well before Onam. Puthari (rice from the new harvest) is auspicious in the Onam feast. Those whose paddy is not ripe for harvesting before Onam, they barter something else for Puthari. Not ready for harvest is not regarded as a good omen by farmers. However, this situation was not uncommon as agriculture used to be completely weather dependent and harvest can be delayed due to late sowing of paddy. The farmers employ multiple strategy to avoid a delayed harvest. We used to sow paddy of different varieties, a combination of seeds based on length of time to harvest, dry and wet farming etc. Modan, a black colored skin, is a variety of paddy usually targeted for harvest before Onam. This variety of paddy is good for dry lands and was usually cultivated in hilly areas. The land used for this is not cultivated every year. As far as I recollect, there were five locations we used to cultivate this variety of Paddy and each site get its turn once in five years. The other four years this land is left uncultivated to get fertile for next turn. All farmers will have their earmarked portion in each location. Preparation for sowing Modan starts in December time frame. Land is ploughed(tilled) thoroughly in December. Another round of ploughing takes place if summer rain is received. My father used to tell us that ploughing the land in summer reduces weeds. Weed grass roots are picked and burned. Dry leaves is spread and burnt as well. The ashes of leaves is good fertilizer for paddy. Actual sowing starts in April -May and is ready for harvesting in August, well before Onam.

I wrote this story how farmers ensured rice in their in their Onasadhya(feast). They were not lamenting in social media and waiting for rice from Andhra and Vegetable from Tamil Nadu to arrive. Tireless efforts ensured Puthari for the farmers and others during Onam. Today the situation is alarming in Kerala. Cultivable land is significantly reduced by converting it into commercial, residential and plantation use. The remaining farms are either converted into cash crops or left uncultivated. Land which were used to cultivate 3 seasons in a year is hardly cultivated once year. This is a national wastage and shame. The un-farmer friendly rules of the government and rising cost of cultivation is forcing farmers to leave their land uncultivated. So, there is no wonder if Keralites are forced to substitute chapati in place of rice in their Onasadhya. 
                                                         ---******---

Friends of Kerala Stray Dogs

Kerala is in the news this time not for its routine hartals, not even for the group politics and not even for the beautiful tourist locations, lakes and boat houses. This time it is defending the rights of stray dogs. Social media is full of discussions and debates. Some enthusiasts have even started a boycott Kerala movement. The group is calling tourists to skip Kerala from their destination. The movement attempts to make the tourists believe that the main attraction of Kerala is its stray dogs and not the greenery, coconut palms, back waters, tea gardens, elephants, festivals, boat races, Kathakali, martial arts,  temples and of course the great people who live in harmony.

Majority of Keralites use public transport and walk quite a distance daily. Stray dogs is a menace to pedestrians. My aunt, who is in her late eighties was bitten by a stray dog last May. She was going to her neighbors home.  She narrated the hassle of undergoing the rabies protection injections. My aunt is one such person. There are numerous others who are victims of this stray dog menace.

The stray dog issue is not limited to Kerala only, it is serious in other part of India as well. I recollect an incident that happened with me. It was in 1987, I was then living in sector 17B, Gurgaon,  now known as IFFCO chowk. Gurgaon was not developed then like what it is today. The Jaipur highway was still under construction. Public transport was limited to a few Haryana Roadways and DTC buses via the Delhi - Jaipur road. Late night transport was at the mercy of some DTC buses to Jaipur or truck drivers. I think it was a cold December night, I went to see off my sister in New Delhi Railway station. My sister was traveling to Allahabad in Prayagraj express which leaves New Delhi at around 10PM. On my way back,  I went to the Ajmeri gate side of New Delhi Railway station. After a long wait, one DTC bus going to Jaipur agreed to make an unscheduled stop near the HUDA garden and drop me.  I don't recollect how much I paid, I think it was four or five rupees. No ticket was issued as the bus was not supposed to stop in Gurgaon.  I heard the conductors and drivers pocket the money collected from passengers to whom such favor is granted. It was a huge relief otherwise taxis from Gurgaon would cost over one hundred rupees.

Getting down from the bus, I walked towards my home in 17 sector. Between HUDA garden and 17 sector, on the Gurgaon - Mehrauli Road, there is a village called Sukhrali. One has to pass through Sukrali village to get to sector 17B. The distance is about two kilometers. It was past midnight and no cycle Rickshwas were available. I was alone, mustered some courage and started walking towards my home. When I reached close to the village about thirty plus dogs started barking. It appeared as if there is a dog procession going on.  I knew that I cannot cross the village without being attacked by the dogs. There was no one on the streets other than me. The village was dead asleep. I also had no other choice. Not knowing what to do, I stopped where I was. The dogs were advancing towards me.  I got scared and started walking back hoping the dogs will disperse and I will be able to resume my journey. Almost an hour passed, the dogs continue to bark and occupy the streets. I thought I will have to spend the night standing on the roads. It was not the era of cellphones, there was no way I could communicate to my wife or anybody.

 At this time I saw a torch light advancing in the direction where I was. It was a night watchman of a factory near the Delhi border. He was on his bicycle. Seeing me at an odd place at odd time, he stopped and asked what am I doing there? I narrated my story. The man offered me a ride on his bicycle. I was still afraid of the dogs and I asked him whether he is afraid too? He told me he is and quickly added that he travels that stretch every day and has discovered the technique to divert the attention of the dogs. He asked me to watch his trick. The dogs were fierce and still barking. When he reached close to the dogs, this man took a few Chapatis (bread) from the clothe bag that was hung on his bicycle. He threw a few chapati pieces in both directions. Seeing the chapati, the dogs split and ran to both directions. The road became sanitized and the man started pedaling the bicycle fast. The gentleman dropped me in front of my house and proceeded to his factory for his night duty.

I narrated the story of my aunt and mine to highlight how big is the problem with stray dogs. I know another friend of mine chased by stray dogs met with a major scooter accident in Allahabad. It is easy for people to speak big about animal rights and run social media campaigns. Some of them may not be aware of how big the menace is. Not everyone enjoy killing another living being for fun, not the least dogs. Think about the ordinary people who has to walk to their bus stops, school, work etc. My humble submission to all the dog right activist is that we all value the right to life for dogs but the danger posed by the stray dog menace is huge. If you love dogs, feel free to adopt them. Give them a home. Don't run fake campaigns in the comfort of your home or luxury automobiles. 

Fear and favor factor in media reports

Fear and favor had always been part of the driving force of media reporting. Now the media is also challenged with the readership or viewership which is commonly called as TRP. Readers and viewers also are draw into this trap. As an example, look at us. How many of us are commenting on positive posts, for example, Dr. Abdul Kalam? Isn't the number very few? Instead we are spending time watching talk shows, clipping newspapers , posting it and videos in social media on the recent execution of a terrorist convict. The more you view and comment, the more publicity the subject will get. In social media the more the viewership, the more legitimacy an issue get, no matter you are in favor or against. The positive strategy could have been not to comment on the things that we don't value or want to be seen. Flood the social media with what we think is positive news and what we want the people to see. Change the channel of your TV when you think that their focus is just TRP, not yours or national importance.  It is important to understand that media today is run as a business and the business sustains on customers. Businesses constantly analyze what keeps the loyalty of the customers and what keeps them engaged with their business. We are the customers of Media. If we promote what the media houses throw at us, they will continue to offer the products which keeps them in the business and shows good in their account books.

Loud speakers in Places of worship

Politically incorrect:ഇന്ന് പതിവിലും നേരത്തേ എനീടു. പുലരനിരിക്കെയ് ലൌദ്‌ സ്പീകെരിലുദെയ് പ്രഭാധ ഗാനങ്ങൾ കേട്ടു. നന്നായിരുന്നു. വാതില തുറന്നു പുറത്തു നോക്കി, എല്ലാ വീടുകളും ഉറക്കത്തിൽ തന്നെ. ചിന്തിച്ചു നോക്കി, മൈക്ക് വച്ചുള്ള വിളിച്ചുനർത്താൽ ആവശ്യമുണ്ടോ? കേരളത്തില പല സമുദായങ്ങളും തര്കിച്ചു ശബ്ദ മലിനീകരണം നടത്തണോ. വേണ്ട എന്ന് തന്നേയ് ഉത്തരം. ഇതിനിടെ മുഖ്യ മന്ത്രി ഇതേ വിഷയത്തിൽ നിയമം കൊണ്ട് വരുന്നതായി facebook മെസ്സേജ് കണ്ടു. പക്ഷേ, അതൊരു ഹാഫ് hearted അപ്പ്രോച് ആയിട്ടേ എനിക്ക് കാണാൻ കഴിഞ്ഞുള്ളൂ. എല്ലാവരും മനസ്സുകൊണ്ട് ആഗ്രഹിക്കുന്ന ഒരു മാറ്റമാണ് ഇത്, പക്ഷേ നടപ്പിലാക്കാൻ സർകരിനൊ, പിന്തുണക്കാൻ രാഷ്ട്രീയ പര്ടികല്കോ നാട്റെള്ളില്ലെന്നു വേണം മനസ്സിലാക്കാൻ. പ്രതേക വിശേഷങ്ങൾ ഒഴിച്ച്, ദിവസേനയുള്ള മൈക്ക് ഉപയോഗം അമ്പലങ്ങളിൽ, പള്ളികളിൽ, രാഷ്ട്രീയ പാർട്ടി roadside മീറ്റിംഗ് എന്നിടത് നിന്ന് നിര്തലക്കണം, അതിനു യുവ തലമുറ മുങ്കൈ എടുക്കണം.

Capital Punishment or State Sponsored Murder?

A terrorist convict was executed in India earlier this week after a two decade long trial. Some politicians and human rights activists found the opportunity to appease their hunger for publicity and flocked TV Studios. Some tried to project the convict as a victim and some others questioned the validity of Capital Punishments. Statistics were presented against Capital Punishment arguing that it did not help in reducing the crime. Most of them advanced the argument that the state cannot take the life of a person which it cannot give back in case at a later date it is found that the person was wrongfully convicted. A former minister, two times MP, celebrated author and internationally reputed orator termed Capital Punishment as “State sponsored murder”.

The movement against capital punishment is not new. The activists took their case to the highest level and the Supreme Court of India maintained that Capital Punishment provision will remain in the statute book. The Supreme Court ruled that though capital punishment will remain constitutionally valid, it will be awarded in the “rarest of rare” cases. It is therefore incumbent on every court in India to ensure the capital punishment awarded by it passes the “rarest of rare test”. The very few execution that has taken place in India under capital punishment is testimony to the fact that the Courts are applying the “rarest of rare test”.  People still continue to enjoy the right to campaign for the abolition of capital punishment. However, until capital punishment is not erased from the statute book, it is a valid law and the Courts ruling in accordance with the law should be respected.

A former minister,  two times Member of Parliament, a celebrated author and renowned international speaker took the discussion the a new dimension by terming capital punishment as ‘state sponsored murder”. Campaign against Capital punishment is one thing but terming it as a “state sponsored murder” has more ramifications. Murder is defined as “the killing of another person without justification or excuse, especially the crime of killing a person with malice aforethought or with recklessness manifesting extreme indifference to the value of human life”. This terminology if allowed legitimacy, can be used against the army at the border and the law enforcing agencies maintaining internal law and order at the state and central level. Both these forces follow the instructions of the State and in their line of duty possibly take the life of another person suspected to be an enemy or criminal. If this happens, they cannot return or reinstate the lives taken. This is much more serious than the capital punishment as the victim did not get the benefit of the due process of law. So-

• ·         Can capital Punishment be termed as state sponsored murder?
• ·        Does it fall under the definition of murder when it is legal and the case was tried after following the due process of law?
• ·         Can a criminal justice system work on the basis of a likely error in judgment?
• ·         Isn’t the due process of law to insure error in judgment does not take place?
• ·        If a case was trialed for two decades, what new evidence could probably surface which could alter the case?  

How many children should one have?

A lot of TV time was spent recently on an issue, in reality a non-issue, discussing “how many children should a woman give birth to?"  The discussion was triggered by so called 'pundits' or 'thekkedars' of a particular religion. The discussion was spiced up by the secular, pseudo secular and to a vast extent by those who could not yet reconcile with the political gains of BJP in the 2014 Parliamentary elections under Narendra Modi’s leadership. Political pundits have even gone to the extent of attributing this as the major reason for the BJP rout in recent Assembly elections in Delhi. 

While political parties and pundits are busy analyzing the impact of the controversy, something very historical and important is not discussed with respect to the number of children a couple should consider having and in other words, the number of siblings one should have. I am one of the ten children of my parents, raised in a household where children were considered to be the gift of God. My mother and father struggled to bring us up. They tried their best and we did ours to be successful and we are where we are today, not doing too badly. Growing up, I saw it as a big struggle meeting the necessities of life. Education of all ten and marriage of my five sisters (one died very early) was a big challenge for an ordinary farmer with no regular cash income. However, it was fun all those days. Elder siblings helped our parents and took care of the younger ones. I still remember the competition among my three elder sisters when they were trying to teach me how to swim. We fought at times but soon forgot everything. Now with an average of 2 children and grandchildren, our extended family is close to fifty. It is a fact; no one in our family could so far break the record of my mother and father. The highest this generation reached is four.

Coming to the question of the number of children, I feel, whoever raised it, whatever be their political and religious allegiance, there is substance in what they talk. Let us see how. I take the example of my children (I have two, a girl and boy). I have sisters and brothers, so does my wife. Because of this, my children have Thau, Bhua, Chacha, Chachi, Mausi, Mausa, Mami and Mama. My children can enjoy the relationship of all kind and cousins from all these relationship. I believe it is the great gift of my parents. What did I and my wife do?  Did we provide all the relationship to our children and their children in future? We did not as with the two children, their next generation cannot have all these relationship. What will happen if we follow the limited number like ‘Hum do, hamarey do’ or ‘hum ekh and hamara ekh’ concept? The future generation will not know what the different relationships I mentioned earlier. 

Therefore, though politically it may not sound  correct,  it is important to have more siblings to maintain the basic relationship that we all have known and cherished in the past. In the absence of enough siblings, some of the relationship will become extinct. Relationship is important for social harmony and compassionate society. I got this advice from my parents and elders when we were considering the number of children we should have and I think they were right. So, my take on this is that it is good to have a large family if one can afford but it should be at free will and not under any threat or compulsion.

Mohan Nair