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The truth about setbacks

So you had a setback? Congratulations. I am not crazy, I really mean it. Though they tend to have depressing effects, setbacks are a necess...

Friday 30 January 2015

Friday Quote # 16


Gandhi


Once in many centuries, such a man is born; when he walks the path of his life, even Gods raise their fingers to salute. He is born is to show the humans, that love does conquer all. All the people who told you that power, and strength makes a winner were wrong. The only qualification for victory is the firm belief in yourself, and truth. Mahatma Gandhi was one such man, he was never a national leader. He was the leader of the whole humanity, his actions changed the future of the world, not just India. The birth of Gandhi was the stimulus which made the world a better place.

My only regret is that I was born many decades later, and missed to see the great man in action. Worse, I was brought up in a nation which wasn’t overwhelmed by his birth, but overshadowed by his death. In our country, I’ve heard so many times, how Gandhi’s action were against India. In fact, this is what got me interested in Gandhi. You see, I love to study contradictions. I wondered why Gandhi led a long-drawn struggle for India’s independence, if he was so much against India. It didn’t make sense.

After a research on Gandhi, I was glad he was born. I’m among the few who think pre-independence India wasn’t worth living. I’m thankful to him for the part, he played in our independence. Now, I wasn’t sure why would any Indian hate him? It was then I heard about the term do-gooder derogation. It means that overtly moral behavior can elicit annoyance and ridicule rather than admiration and respect. I can totally understand this attitude. There is no way any of us can measure up to his high standards of morality. The best, we can do to feel equal, is derogate him. If you acutely observe, most of the people who hate Gandhi are those who claim to be champions of morality in our society.

This is not a post, to make you respect or like Gandhi, what you do is your choice. I’m not even going to write and justify his views. All I ask is read everything he wrote, before you decide what you feel about him. It is never good to form an opinion based on hearsay.


Whenever, I’m depressed about the way world works, I think of this:

Remember that all through history, there have been tyrants and murderers, and for a time, they seem invincible. But in the end, they always fall. Always.”


― Mahatma Gandhi, in The Story of My Experiments With Truth

It helps me to maintain my optimism. Mahatma Gandhi has proved beyond doubt, “you don't need to terrorise others to gain respect and obedience, love is enough".

Read more about do-gooder derogation here.
Read about Jawaharlal Nehru's views on state of India on the eve of Gandhi's entry in the country in emergence of Gandhi.

Friday 23 January 2015

Friday Quote # 15



Friday 16 January 2015

Friday Quote #14


Friday 9 January 2015

Friday quote #13



Thursday 8 January 2015

Swachh Bharat, littered streets and the missing trash cans

Once upon a time in the golden past, though not so golden when you think of it. Still, if you observed minutely you might have found some streaks of gold, if you were lucky. At that time, Mumbai could boast of little penguins along the streets. No, no, it’s the truth. That was when we weren’t worried about global warming. If you were lucky enough to have seen Mumbai during 1990’s you might have seen them. No kid could resist the lure of feeding those pretty black and white creatures with yellow beaks. We couldn’t just throw the rubbish on the road, and miss the chance of getting close to the penguin. Yes, I’m talking of the striking trash cans of Mumbai which resembled a penguin. It wasn’t like any trash can, but a cute penguin.


As children, we were in awe of the penguins. They were as much an attraction as any picnic site. But, as I grew up the penguins vanished without a trace. Last year, when I went to Gateway with my nephew, I couldn’t show him any penguins or any other trash cans in Mumbai. I was worried. Was there a possibility, the penguins had migrated to the poles, and the poor authorities couldn’t find any substitute?

Friday 2 January 2015

Friday quote #12


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