Why people shouldn't follow a single ideology

Why does everyone believe you need to subscribe to some ideology to become relevant? The truth is when you choose an ideology, you lose a part of yourself. How? Let me explain.

Every ideology comes with some good points, and some evil. Just as the person forming the ideology, the ideas are also fallible. When we, the common people read the ideology, we're impressed with the great ideas it suggests. Then, we see the evil, and aren't sure what to do with it. Sometimes, we ignore that part. At times, we go in denial about it.  Or we decide to accept is as the lesser evil. After all, evil is part of everything. 

Then, there are parts of the ideology which are not good, or evil, but which we don't really agree. We treat them the same way we did evil. We compromise.

Almost no one completely accepts any ideology, they compromise, and choose the best fit. So, in reality you're changing yourself to fit in someone else's ideas.

Instead, why not choose nothing? Don't choose a side. Choose everything you like from different ideologies. Leave out what you don't agree. Then, add what is missing—the secret ingredient. Some idea, a thought close to your heart.

Stand for yourself, your ideas. Don't adjust for the ideology. Make ideologies accommodate your views. 

Remember, people are not for ideologies; ideologies are for people.

The question of labourers

Lockdown has brought into attention the problem of migrant workers. Why didn't we ever think of them? Will we stop reporting/supporting their problems as soon as we are over this lockdown? I hope not. Maybe it's time we fight for their dignity, their right to live in comfort, and for them in general.

These are the people, whom we owe our city, and we never even consider them. These are the people who have been suffering in silence since ages.
I think, it might be the free time we have on our hands, that we finally see them as humans. If that's the case, then I consider this a positive effect of lockdown.
 Starvation, and undernourishment has been a major problem for most of them since many years. They leave their homes in search of work, and are the most underpaid people when compared with the amount of work they do. They have no safety provisions, no insurance (if there is any govt. option, they're definitely not aware of it).
In a country where physical labour has always been treated as inferior to mental work, what hope do these people have? Their ability to do tremendous physical work is never appreciated. In fact, it's treated with derision. They have no education, so they have no idea about their rights.
Even now, I see people talking about charity. Let's clear that first. No, you're not doing them a favour by feeding them. All you're doing is repaying them what you owe them.  If their work would have been treated on a par with other works, they wouldn't need us to feed them. But, we as a society have taken advantage of their naivete, and desperate circumstances.
And don't tell me how your pay is related to the years you invested in studying. These people invested their years in labour. Probably from childhood. Don't their life years count?
The beautiful flat you live, that amazing office you work, the road you drive on, and many of these constructions—they built it. They sell us vegetables, fruits, they help our hotels and factories thrive. They're the backbone of our economy. They have given their blood, and sweat in the making of our city. Yes, blood too.
Just two months back, a worker died in a construction project (many of them do die even now). Do you know when his family will get the news? When another worker from the same village will go home for summer. Imagine the plight of the family. Not knowing anything, maybe worrying about why the money order stopped. Yes, there are many who have mobiles, but not all. And this is how they live (and die).
These people are never going to fight their battles, simply because they have no idea of their worth. And politicians will only use them for votes. The only people who can fight for them are we—the middle class— who understand how hard it's to care for our family. And also know that we are faring far better than these people only because we are educated. The question is: are we going to fight for them? Do we really care?

The Agony of The Ugly Duckling

I loved The Ugly Duckling story as a child. Today, I admire it on so many levels. Many people criticise it as the ugly duckling has no part to play in its transformation. After all, nature did everything; what did the poor bird do? Wait for the usual course of nature. But that’s the whole point of the story, isn’t it?

The ugly duckling never existed, not in the real sense of the word. It was never a duckling; it was always a swan. The only way a tiny swan would seem odd, clumsy, and ill-favoured was trying to fit it into attributes of a duck. All its variations made it unacceptable as a model duck. If the little bird had been brought up as a swan, no one would’ve termed it ugly. The little swans are supposed to look like that, act like that. The ugly duckling had a horrible time, because everyone perceived it a duck.

The irony is that though the ugly duckling doesn’t actually exist, it exists everywhere in the world around us. It exists in our mind, and outlook. In fact, it is so much imbibed in our DNA, that our society is full of ugly ducklings. But, instead of blossoming into magnificent swans, they mature into beautiful ducks.

The essence of India

When I hear people talking about Indian culture, I get depressed, because with every sentence most of them drift away from culture or India. In the name of Indian culture, people want to preserve superstitious dogmas, half of which were never associated with India or even originated in the country. Some of them are middle eastern or western beliefs so much integrated in the system that now, they are attributed to the Indians. For e.g. the concept of ghunghat.

Firstly, British thought that earlier India was not a nation. They were wrong. India was a nation, and will always be. The political and geographical boundaries don't make a nation just as staying in the same house doesn't define a family. Family members may be dispersed throughout the world, but they remain family. Love binds the family, not the walls of a house. A nation is a group of people who are bound together by a deeper thread of underlying spirit of belonging, and culture.

The hue and cry of the custodians of the culture is dress. It seems that Indian culture is irrecoverably attached to Indian dressing style. Are you talking about the same culture of which Swami Vivekananda was also a part? Then, listen what he has to say:

In 1893, when Swami Vivekananda visited U.S., he walked along the street, clad in his traditional saffron clothes. On seeing this unfamiliar attire, a woman whispered to her husband, “I don't think that man is a gentleman.”

Overhearing this remark, Swami Vivekananda said to her politely,“excuse me, Madam, in your country it is the tailor who makes a man a gentleman, but in the country from which I come, it is character which makes a man a gentleman.”

I don't think anyone has better right to comment on Indian culture than Swami Vivekananda. If he feels that dress don't define Indian culture, then the self appointed custodians of culture need to study Indian culture rather than worrying about trends in female clothes. Culture has nothing to do with clothes, religion or any of the outer trappings of human invention.

So, what is the culture which represents the essence of India? There are many qualities which define a country, but there is always one quality which supersedes every other quality, and decides the path of the nation's destiny. For India, that quality is its explicit trust in the goodness of human beings.

India was and will always be trustful of people. One of the causes for the high superstition rate in India, faith, isn't related to the amount of education. A highly educated Indian trusts people as much as an illiterate person next to him. India is ready to forgive, and give second chances to people who aren't worth it. Psychopaths, criminals, and politicians take advantage of this nature to influence the people with fake ideals, and false promises.

That is the reason in medieval times, a country like India has fallen in most of the wars. People of India in general, are never wary of foreigners. Even if one of them has given a cause of doubt, we are ready to give them a second chance. We still trust the Brits, don't we?

Is this attitude wrong or right? Frankly, attitude is always neutral so is trust. It depends on how the other person reacts. As far as I'm considered, it's always better to be a believer than a sceptic. Even a sceptic trusts people though he doesn't accept it. But, the problem with sceptics is, once they trust the wrong man they forever doubt the genuine ones, and miss the joy of unbiased interaction with people.

India is not a land of injustice like everyone believes, but a land where people fight against injustice. Indian people (not just leaders) fought for independence, they fought to get justice for Jessica Lal, and they continue to fight against rapes. 

Gandhi once said, “You must not lose faith in humanity. Humanity is like an ocean; if a few drops of the ocean are dirty, the ocean does not become dirty.” This is exactly what Indian culture is about. Having faith that few bad people don't represent any country. That's why we don't believe General Dyer, or his supporters, represent the British or that Hitler represents German mentality.

This post is inspired by Indispire Edition 57

Which quality do you think is the essence of India? Do share your views.

New campaigns; the same old habits

Image Courtesy: Charuhas Acharya @ A glimpse of Paradise

It is easy to talk about change, but habits aren’t easy to kill. This picture was taken on 27/2/2015; five months after the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan. People still litter; the civic authorities continue to ignore the garbage. 

Maybe this pile will attract someone’s attention, and then a wave of cleanliness will begin. A local celebrity will sweep it, and expect people to follow. People will definitely follow- on Facebook, on Twitter, on every other social media- not in real life. Sadly, these waves are limited to virtual life.

The civic authorities do include the local elected politicians. However, these people are a class in itself. They preach cleanliness, even take up brooms, but don’t do any follow up. Still, there is no penalty strictly imposed on those who litter the streets. The cleanliness truck passes the same littered street every morning, but fails to classify the trash as garbage to be disposed. We are still a long way from Swachh Bharat.

India continues as it always did. Everyone is either in a race or living their life; no time for a sense of duty or a change. The only change most people carry is spare coins for the auto wallah or the bus conductor.

Related article: Swachh Bharat, littered streets, and the missing trash cans.

The mechanism of change

People expected change, they dreamed it. Then, the Mahatma said, "Be the change, you want to see in the world." Everyone tried to be that change; nothing changed. Hopes were shattered; the world remained like it always was. A shadow of gloom descended on the faces beaming with anticipation. People resumed their routine, the same one they couldn't change.

What they failed to understand was change doesn't occur in a day, not even after all our efforts are combined. A seed doesn't grow into an enormous tree overnight. We need to nurture the plants all through the other seasons before the flowers bloom in the spring. In due course, even a primate ape develops into a human. Don't blame the society for not changing; blame it for not trying to change.

Whenever we talk about change, we talk about rebellion. A revolution is revered, and celebrated. Revolution occurs with a big pomp, and fanfare. Most often, it is unstable. It brings a moment of triumph followed by regret. The next revolution is brought to change the effects of the previous revolution. Then, everyone says, change is the course of nature. This is how the world works.

In contrast evolution takes millions of years to occur. Its gradual progress is boring; no one keeps tabs on it. It considers all sorts of trials and errors before a final change occurs. Evolution lasts forever. The changes do occur, but they tend to go in the forward direction. Though, you may find it hard to believe, humans aren't changing back to monkeys.

Remember, though sometimes it's frightening the way society behaves, it will change. The change will be for the better. Have patience. Keep on contributing your part in the change; every effort matters. Let's bring in the evolution. One small change at a time.

Compassion is easy

Compassion is the most primitive instinct of man, and also of animals. You might have observed, how your pet understands your need for comfort. It is the language of the soul. Compassion is natural. It is the first feeling evoked in our heart, when we hear of any tragedy.

Ironically, compassion has become scarce in the world. Civilisation has managed to bury compassion into the depths of our heart, where it struggles to resurface. People feel, it isn't worth to waste time on compassion, which they fear conflicts with competition, the trend of the modern world.

However, compassion is easy. You don't need loads of time, and money to offer compassion. A kind word, a sympathetic touch, an understanding smile, and an unselfish act are the weapons of compassion. Far from making your life tedious, compassion leads to happiness of both the persons involved.

It is different from pity. Pity emanates from your ego, when you feel sorry for someone's plight. It is easy to satisfy pity with a small donation. Compassion, on the other hand, arises from love, where the adversity affects you as much as the sufferer. Compassion does not let you rest, till you've tried your best to resolve the problem.

I've often heard people saying, “It's sad. There's nothing anyone can do to help.”

They are wrong. There's always something, you can do. Lend your sympathetic ears, comfort them with your continuous support, be there for them. Often, compassion is all that people need. Time takes care of everything else.

I read a story once.

After a nerve-racking journey, the author's friend smiled, and thanked the reckless taxi driver.

The astounded author asked his friend, “How can you praise him instead of criticising?”

The friend replied, “My smile, and kindness made him happy. Now, he will pass it on to the next customer, who in turn, will pass it to someone else.”

A single act of kindness can lead to a chain of compassion. Start a chain of kindness, every morning.

You can join by using the hashtag #1000Speak. Check other posts at 1000 speak for compassion.

Post by Shankhnaad-The sound of change.

For a healthy child

Whenever we talk about kids, what do you picture? A lovely kid with chubby cheeks, sweet smile and shiny hair. Unfortunately, more than fifty percent of India’s kids do not have the features. These kids have hollow cheeks, dry, undernourished hair, cracked lips and vacant eyes. These are the victims of a demon called malnutrition. It is not some ordinary demon, but the dementor from ‘Harry Potter’ which sucks the hope and happiness from this kids, and makes them cranky, and listless. Those of you who think that malnutrition is over-rated, let me tell you, India has the highest prevalence of underweight children in the world, almost double than Sub-Saharan Africa. Malnutrition in India can not be ignored, and is also prevalent among affluent family though less than the poverty stricken.

How we effectively kill curiosity

When a child is born, he/she has only one attribute: curiosity. He is curious about the various sounds, different objects and the people around him. He wants to know all about them. That’s when he starts his education. He tries to focus on every little thing that catches his attention. There are so many new things to learn, and the little one has no sense of priority. He tries to take in every new thing and gets easily distracted. 

As he grows, he starts receiving guidance from others and his education progresses. Then, finally starts his formal education. Now, all his queries would be answered. He should be exuberant, right? It seldom works that way. 

There are two classes (aren’t there always?) of kids: the kids who can’t afford education, and the ones who are victims of education.

Happy children equals to a happy world

Every child comes with the message that God is not yet discouraged of man. ~Rabindranath Tagore

A child is born happy; his/her happiness radiates around the area infecting people in the vicinity. You might have had a depressing day, but when a child laughs, your first reaction is to smile back. The reason God sends kids to this world is because he wants to counteract the forces of sadness and evil in the world.

Some situations and people suck the joy out of the children. Malnutrition, child labour and child abuse are some of the culprits. Instead of happy children, we have kids who are scared, half-starved and abused. As a human being and a citizen of this world, it is our duty to prevent anything/anyone from wiping a child’s smile.

In India, November 14^th is celebrated as children’s day. We decided to extend it a little bit and dedicate the whole month for children. This is a campaign to spread awareness about child’s rights and related issues, and how we can as individuals contribute in protecting a child’s smile.

All the Shankhnaad posts for this topic can be found on this page. You can contribute too, if you wish. All you have to do is write a post in November, about children. It could be a prose/poetry or fiction/non-fiction. It doesn’t have to be about children’s issues. It could be a happy post about children. Link your post to this page with a text “Shankhnaad for happy children” and add your link to this page. If you want, you can grab a ‘Shankhnaad for happy children’ badge and proudly display it on your post(optional).

The only condition to take part in this campaign is before you write, you have to take the pledge below:

“I may not be able to help all the children around the world, but if I see any child in distress, I’ll do my best to help him/her. I’ll never be a participant or an indifferent observer to any sort of injustice met to kids.”

Copy(using ctrl+c)the HTML code to grab the badge and post it in your blog post:

<a href=http://theconchblower.blogspot.com/2014/10/happy-children-equals-happy-world.html> <img src=https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE_lsHY0teQ6DsckQL_GQ48gpEsY8uFuk-d_iUbdGyZJ98pEwltFzIEOvfx6tkmJ7JfShqythI5UUkJ1c1-SYOJNEBhs1KErotf1O1Dpx5ncS4FNF7qlGw_yZK5P_ryf0MWpyT7jXoZ2I/s1600/SFC2.jpg” width="180" height="180" alt="Shankhnaad for happy children"> </a>

“We aren’t professionals in the field, but we are here to make every amateurish effort count.” - Shankhnaad-the sound of change Team.