Odds in odd even policy

Indian TV channels are completely occupied by the cloud burst announcement of Kejriwal led Delhi government on combating pollution. A dictat is issued, the citizen can take their cars only on the government approved dates. The dictat is baptized as the "Odd-Even" Delhi driving policy by the media. The publicity hungry Chief Minister is delighted with the kind of media coverage he is getting. Arvind Kejriwal himself and his party men are hopping TV studios claiming the thought leadership that they have offered in solving the health concerns of Delhites because of pollution. For the media, it is a gift by  Kejriwal  as they were struggling to glue the sensation seeking viewers after the dismal failure of the Intollerance news bite.  The permanent panel members, most of them pretend to be experts in everything under the sky are also busy peeling the beans.

The question which in the public mind and not debated is the root cause for Pollution in Delhi and who is perpetuating it. Is cars, which will be the subject of the odd-even dictat the problem? Is trucks coming to Delhi the problem? Is auto rickshaws that run with petrol adulterated with kerosene the problem? Is burning of waste the problem? Is the thermal power plants emitting smoke the problem? No, none of these are the root cause for Delhi's pollution. Most middle class car owners do not drive their vehicles to office everyday. They either take public or chartered buses or train. Then what is the real root cause for Delhi's pollution?

The first real problem for Delhi's pollution is population. Delhi population is growing uncontrollably. Delhi's environment balance is abused by the growing population beyond repair. Why is the population in Delhi growing beyond the normal limit? Here comes the second real problem, faulty government policy. The over centralization of power with the central government post independence and the need to lobby with government machinery to get anything done forced people and business to locate in and around Delhi. Most businesses established their offices in Delhi. Politicians once elected to parliament never returned to their constituency after their term. Income of people in Delhi increased which generated job for skilled and unskilled labor. This labor came from far off places and established temporary settlements. Construction activity increased and more concrete structures replaced the green belt. Real estate boomed. Black money thrived. Purchasing power increased which added more automobiles on the roads. Sale of automobile was promoted without even considering parking places, not to speak of good roads. All these happened under the watch of the same politicians.

In the given circumstances, will restricting vehicles on the road any solution? No, the policy announced by Kejriwal government is fundamentally flawed. People are going to feel this as an infringement on their movement and will find ways to circumvent it. New agencies will mushroom who will facilitate violation of the restrictions with immunity like any other license raj. So what can help any city, Delhi in particular, from challenges like growing populations and resulting issues like pollution? The politicians and policy planners must be visionary and think ahead. Here are some suggestions:

1. Decentralize the government. Keep only skeletal staff of  critical ministries in Delhi. Move others to smaller cities across the country. This will generate employment across the country and less incentive for job seekers coming to Delhi and big cities. This will also automatically reduce incentive for businesses to locate in Delhi. Moving to smaller cities will be less expensive and save lot of money.
2. Ensure politicians who are not current members of parliament return to their constituencies and encourage them to be with the people they represent.
3. Make owing personal vehicles more expensive by mandating private parking space for every vehicle owned.
4. Make vehicle owners to pay for parking. Introduce metered parking spots on road side.
5. Remove subsidy on kerosine to avoid adulteration of petrol
6. Remove subsidy on diesel.
7. Improve public transportation

Mohan

Hot White Sand

Born in a farmers family in a remote village, land and nature was our sole means of livelihood. The farmers in the village relied mostly on paddy farming. The main source of irrigation was wells and the beautiful river Nila, also known as 'Bharatha puza'. To me Nila is much more memorable because as a teen I crossed this river by walk at least once every month on my routine visit to my mother's home. The distance between my father's home village and mother's home village is approximately six kilometers. It is a good walk from under the foothills of the small mountains in Kodumunda(my father's village) through the relatively less mountaneous Mezhathur(my mother's village). In between the two village flows the beautiful river Nila. Nila is beautiful because of the lush green little mountains all through its course. Nila is beautiful because of the crystal clean water that flow all the way to the Arabian Sea.  Nila was beautiful because of the fertile paddy fields on its both banks. The paddy fields in Akkara had the benefit of canal water and some farmers grew three crops in a year. The golden colored paddy, almost ready to harvest, is a scenery that never fades from my memory. Nila was beautiful because of its white sand. Nila attains unique beauty by the time it reaches our village. It gets wider than any of its course in east or west of us. I would think it is almost a mile wider. During monsoon, it's like an ocean, one can hardly see the other bank(called akkara in local dialect). During summer, the flow will be reduced to a thin stream, mostly in the middle. However, there were years, the river shifts side. The rest on both sides will be full of white sand. I have never seen such a wide and clean sandy river beach anywhere else. 

The nearest bridge used to be six kilometers away and distance to my maternal village by bus is 13 kilometers.  Also there wasn't enough bus service in this route in those days. Therefore, most often villagers crossed the river by foot or boat.  During summer the water level will be low and one can cross the river by walk. All other times, we crossed the river by boat. The place where we board the boat is called Kadavu, a local name for the boat jetty. There was only one country snake boat at service and one boatman in all the seasons. The boatman used to be very friendly to the passengers and very honest. I don't remember his name, I only know that he was a Muslim from a nearby village. Getting seated on the edges of the boat is a boon as one can play with the river water. Looking back, I wonder how unsafe were those boat rides when the river used to be full and strong in current. However, I have never heard of a boat mishap in our village. The boat only operates between sunrise and sunset. The fare used to be ten paise and return on the same day was free. I vaguely remember the fare going up double during monsoon, genuinely because of the effort for the boatman is much more. I remember so many trips we rushed back on same day to get the free return boat ride.

Journey during summer used to be more thrilling for children. The bare foot walk in the mile long stretch of sand and the opportunity to play with sand was a lot of fun. Swimming in the clean water with light current and watching the small fishes used to be a bonus attraction. Summer walk, however, posed another challenge. One has to plan the trip either early in the morning or late evenings otherwise the sand gets very hot in the sun. You can't use slippers, sandle or shoes on dry sand. If for any reason you get late, it will be a nightmare reaching the other side. 

I left my home village 39 years ago but returned at least once almost every year. A visit to Nila, Bharatha puzha is how it is known mostly, and a bath in it used to be one item in our itinerary even in the shortest of trips. It reminded me of the daily bath before sunrise and at sunset during the Mandalam (Sabarimala pilgrimage) season, the trip to my Dad's Guru's Ashram, the bathe to clean the mud on us and our Bulls after ploughing the wet paddy fields in the sowing season, the summer trips to bathe our cattle when the nearby village ponds dry down, watching the elephant taking the bathe and the memorable trips to my maternal home. 

The Nila I discussed is not there anymore. There are no more sand in the river bed. White sand is replaced by slit and wild grass. The grass and bushes are infested by snakes and makes it unsafe to walk.  The golden paddy fields are replaced by big concrete mansions.  No one crosses the river any more.  The boat and the boatman is gone.  There are more roads and public transport which made the commute easy and faster. There is development and urbanization. The overflowing beauty of Nila is shrunk and now lives in the memories of a few.

My dad, the Guruswamy

Mandalam season (November/December) is a period of 41 to 61 days of fasting observed by devotees of Lord Ayyappan who undertake the pilgrimage to the Sabarimala temple.  In our village, this pilgrimage was started by my father a few years before I was born. Those who intend to take this pilgrimage is required to take a minimum of 41 days fast called vratham in Malayalam. The longest vratham is 61 days. The vratham is initiated on the last day of the Malayalam month of Tulam. The actual vratham starts the next day, which is the first day of the Malayalam month Vrischikam (around 15th November). On this day, the intending pilgrims go to the local temple and change their attire to a black or a blue colored mundu (dothi). The Guruswamy puts a maala (a chain of tulsi or rudraksha beads) around the neck of the pilgrim. From this moment and until the pilgrim returns from the Sabarimala pilgrimage, the pilgrims cannot remove the maala and should continue to wear the black or blue attire. During this period, the pilgrims are addressed with the Swamy title added to his name. The female pilgrims are addressed as Malikappuram. The Guruswamy is the senior most pilgrim from that village.  Since my dad was the first person to start the pilgrimage in our village, he was also the Guruswamy since the beginning. My dad's Guruswamy lived in another village across the Bharathapuzha (Nila River). It was customary for all of my dad's shishyas (disciples) to pay a visit to the senior Guruswamy once every season.

The pilgrimage to Sabarimala is pious and the pilgrims must observe stringent rules during the vratham. The important ones are:

1.     Bramacharya, which means no physical contact with women.

2.     Bath before sunrise and at sunset.

3.     Congregate in the local temple daily after sunset and do bhajans (prayers).

4.     No consumption of alcohol, spirit or toddy. Smoking is permitted.

5.     Strictly vegetarian food. Only one full meal a day during lunch, no dinner but light refreshments and fruits allowed. Food for the Swamies must be cooked by persons who is observing the vratham.

6.     Observe deeksha, which is no cutting of hair or shaving.

7.     No participation in celebrations.

8.     The Swamies are exempt from joining funerals and last rites for the dead.

9.     Respect the seniority of the Swamy without caste, sex or age considerations and offer dakshina and seek their blessings.

10.   Walk barefoot during the whole period of vratham and while trekking to Sabarimala.

11.   No visual contact of women during menstruation. If a Swamy accidentally sees a menstruating woman, he must purify by taking bath in water mixed with cow dung (don't ask me why).

All the other members of the household of a Swamy are expected to observe some of the above practices, if not all. Such households observe strict vegetarianism during the entire Mandalam season. Since my dad was the Guruswamy, we were used to these fasting rules. My father took me to Sabarimala first time when I was five. I enjoyed being the only kuttyswamy (child pilgrim) in my father's group. Those days my father had thirty plus disciples. One has to do a minimum of three trips to be qualified to be a Guruswamy. I qualified for that role at the age of eight but never became one. When a person undertakes eighteen trips, that person plants a coconut tree in the Sabarimala temple compound. This is a rare milestone in the life of a Swamy.  This is repeated after every eighteen years of completed trip. My dad had the unique opportunity to plant two coconut trees. He fell a few years short for the third one as we, the children, persuaded him to discontinue the trip due to his old age. However, he continued the vratham and being the Guruswamy. As the pilgrimage became popular, there were several junior Guruswamies under the senior Swamy (also known as Periyaswamy). All junior gurus and their team join at least once during the Mandalam season to make the routine trip to my dad's guru’s Ashram to offer dakshina and seek blessings.  They also congregate in places where Ayyappan vilakku is held and join the bhajans. Ayyappan Vilakku is a religious event conducted in households of Hindus in Kerala during the Mandalam season.

It was December 1995 when we decided to conduct an Ayyappan Vilakku at our house. My daughter was then eight years old and son was a little less than two years old. This Ayyappan Vilakku was a thanksgiving to Lord Ayyappa for giving me a perfect family. It was also a gift to my dad as it would have pleased him to conduct an Ayyappan Vilaku at our house. We also decided to go on this pilgrimage that year right after the Vilakku. We had a team of about eight family members signed up for the pilgrimage including my daughter. My father wanted to join us but due to his poor heath and age, we advised against it. He was 82.

The celebration of Ayyappan Vilakku continued. My dad switched between taking rest and sitting through and enjoying the celebration. Towards the end of the celebration, there is a ritual in which the Velichappadu (Oracle of Lord Ayyappa) dances on the coals of fire bare feet. This ritual is called Kanalchattam. Suddenly my dad, who just came back from taking rest, joined in and started jumping onto the coals of fire with the Velichappadu and his team. An unusual energy was visible in my dad. He was more energetic than all of us. He was completely divine and unstoppable. Seeing his energy, we the children felt that it will not be fair to not allow him to undertake the pilgrimage. I went to my dad and asked him whether he wants to come with us. He grabbed me in his arms, blessed me and said if we allow him to join us in the pilgrimage, it will be the greatest service I will be doing as his son. Since my dad was already on Vratham, he was all set for the journey.  He changed his attire to that of a Swamy and joined us in the pilgrimage. Throughout the trekking, he was more energetic than the youngsters. We were lucky to undertake the pilgrimage once again as our dad leading us as the Guruswamy.

P.S. This is a tribute to my dad that I decided to write after reminiscing about this event with my daughter a few weeks back.

Dussera and Vijaydasami same festival different messages

It is festival season in India. There are celebrations everywhere. Streets are illuminated with colorful and flashing lights. Pandals(tents) Comes up in every nook and corner of the cities, towns and villages. The size and decor of the pandals and the idols installed is usually an indication of the financial health of the neighborhood.  It is time for artists, local and nationally reputed to market their talents. Evenings are packed with cultural programs, dance, drama and concerts. Local and budding talents see this as a window of opportunity to showcase their talent. Famed artists are overbooked, one can say it is a harvest season for all varieties. 

The celebrations as I mentioned is across the nation from Kashmir to Kanyakumari and Bengal to the Kutch of Gujarat. The historians of the independent India may claim India as a nation was born in 1947. However, there are tons of traces that reveals the common thread binding the ancient India with one culture and many diversities. The diversity is that the celebrations are known differently. For example, the same festival is Dussera in some part and Vijaydasami in other parts of the country. The common thread is that these names are celebration of virtue winning over evil. The underlying message is the same. The significance is in the way it is celebrated. As an example in Dussera, it is all about war and the overpowering of the evil person and killing him. The celebration ends with killing the evil minded. The effigies of the evil person is burnt as a symbolism of the end of the individual who was personified as the evil. In this form of celebrations the evil person is in prominence and not the evil in itself. That is why we find it necessary to burn the effigy of the person. This is a form of celebration where the might is glorified. 

Now let us examine the Vijayadasami celebrations. It also celebrates the win of virtue over evil. However, the theme in this celebration is different. We can see it from the format followed in the Vijayadasami celebrations. Vijayadasami celebrations focuses attention on transforming the evil minded to a virtuous person. It emphasis on removing ignorance by imparting knowledge. Vijayadasami emphasizes on winning over the intellect of the evil minded as opposed to overpowering physically. Vijayadasami celebrations symbolizes removing darkness from the misguided and imparting knowledge and virtue. Vijayadasami is thus celebrated as the Vidhyarambham, initiation of learning.

There is nothing wrong in either way of the celebrations, nor we can say one is right and other is wrong. Both are right in their own way. However, the focus on the evil and transformational approach will result into sustainable and rewarding outcome. This approach comes from the acknowledgement of the virtue by the transformed and adopted rather than forced acceptance. In today's context what we need is adoption not imposition. The society is ladden with a number of evils perpetuated by the earlier generations. The new generations should be willing to recognize it and move on with the transformational approach. Those who are descendants of the fortunates in the old system should be willing to acknowlede the oppression and work shoulder to shoulder to create a modern society with equal opportunity and respect. Those whose older generations were subjects of oppression will be better off if they adopt a forward looking approach towards life. If our society is able to adopt the Vijayadasami format of celebrations, it is certain that we will have a much more tolerant and peaceful living condition amongst us.

Gift of Toy Car

A post by one of my Facebook friends inspired me to write this. In her post, she narrated the sentimental value of a watch which was gifted to her by her Dad on her High School graduation. She went on to say how precious the gift was and how even the mechanically dysfunctional watch refreshes her memories. Her post took me to a journey through my memory lane.

Almost around the same time period my friend received the gift from her father, a conversation took place with me and my eldest nephew. He then used to live with us as we both were working in the same city. Every month my nephew bring home some or the other gifts and give to my children. Most often, the gift used to be good quality toy cars.  My elder child was then under 8 and the younger one under 3. Over a period my children had a good collection of these toy cars. Once I asked my nephew, why are you bringing these toys every month? The children now got enough of them. Here is how he replied.  “Mama (is how my nephew used to affectionately call me), don’t stop me from what I am doing. You probably don’t know the value of toys, especially when you receive it as a gift. I have often watched my friends proudly display and tell stories about the gifts that they received in my childhood. I often wished if I had someone who would gift me one. I can afford it now, so I am buying and giving to those whom I love. When I see the happiness in the children when they receive these little things, I recall my childhood, feel as if my desire is getting fulfilled. I will continue to do this as long as I can afford. It is a wealth I accumulate much more than what I do by investing my money somewhere else”.

I did not discourage my nephew from continuing his indulgence, probably because the beneficiaries were my own children. Knowing me what I am when comes to utilizing your resources, I think I would have reacted differently and given some stupid lecture on financial responsibility etc. I was too naïve to understand the joy of toys and gifts. I continued to be so several years after that, may be even now. I continued to treat gifts as objects and assessed it based on its utility in fulfilling the necessities of life. It took several insensitive and deplorable actions on my part before I realized that gifts has more value than the dollar or rupee that could buy that item. I want to narrate two of several such insensitive actions of mine without realizing that those were hurtful.

One day I had some additional documents to carry to my work. I was searching for a bag and my daughter came and gave me a nice shoulder bag. It was a handicraft product one of her cousins sent a gift. In the office a colleague of mine said she liked the bag. I told my colleague that if she like it so much she can have it. My colleague told no but I insisted that the bag is from India and if she so much liked it, she can take it and I will buy another one for my daughter during my next trip to India. I gave the bag to that colleague. I came back home and narrated the story to my daughter and wife. My daughter who is by nature a benevolent giver, did not express any emotions in my magnanimity at that time, nor did she complain much. However, several years after that incident she still remembered that I parted away her precious gift to someone else without even consulting her. It took years for me to realize that it is not the material and the design of the bag but the sentiments associated with giver and the gift which is irreplaceable.

The second incident was more unpalatable than the first. I met the wife of one of my nephews several year after their marriage. Our trip home hardly happened around the same time as we lived in two different continents. She brought two gifts for us. One for me and another one for my wife. I accepted my gift and thanked her for it. I on the same spot gave away the same gift to one of my siblings. Little did I realize that I could hurt her sentiments by not keeping the gift which she took all the pain to shop and wrap with love and sentiments.  I learnt it later but it was too late before I realized that no amount of apology would heal the wounds of hurt I inflicted on her.

Unknowingly, we part away things to others without realizing the sentimental value associated with it. As a child, I was raised in a big family and somehow developed a habit of sharing what you have with others. I valued and enjoyed it all along.  But incidents like the above and several other things in life taught me that possessiveness is not a sin when it comes to love and sentiments.  

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.