This week was important because of two great people who visited the campus - Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and Shri Anna Hazare. It is difficult to explain why these are great people. There are so many dimensions to their greatness that it is not easy to capture that in a brief narrative. But if you stand in their presence there is some magnetism about both of them that makes you feel that there is something about them that is extra-ordinary. At least it makes me feel so. And let me assure you that I am an unapologetic cynic.
Personally I am grateful to Sri Sri for a reason that many may consider trivial - his schools that my sons attend. These schools are a sharp contrast to the average Indian school which seems to remind me of miserable hellholes. Unlike in the average school the teachers in Sri Sri's schools live a motto that I saw on the front wall of the school on the first day that we went there looking for admission. It goes somewhat like this: Teaching is a vocation of love. If you are incapable of loving you should not be a teacher.
That motto touched me. I wish I could live by that motto as much as the teachers at Sri Sri do.
Interestingly, in his session at IIMB, Sri Sri touched upon an important secular issue too: Corruption. His closing line was a call to the youth of the country: Spiritualise politics, socialise business and secularise religion. I do not know if anyone else has said that before. No matter whether it is Sri Sri's impromptu line or not, it is worth the while of every young Indian to tattoo that on his forehead, to borrow an expression from a popular finance text book.
That brings me to that other great man to visit the campus this week: Anna Hazare. I am intrigued by Annaji's ability to pull in such a massive support to his most recent struggle. And here is an interesting problem for hair splitting academics: What explains that crowd at Jantar and the spontaneous chorus of support? Is it the appeal of the cause? Or Annaji's charisma? Quite possibly it is a bit of both.
At the end of the day it does not matter. What I hope and pray for is that Annaji and his crusaders win at the end of the day. Sitting in that hall and reflecting on the events of the weeks and months leading to Annaji's fast one was reminded of all that one reads about the freedom struggle. The curse of corruption is perhaps no less disgusting and debilitating than foreign rule. It is perhaps even more so because it so reminiscent of the battle of Kurukshetra - an internecine fight that symbolises the struggle between Dharma and Adharma. A struggle for justice from an aggrandising horde made up of one's own. A struggle that has been necessitated by a compulsion where the aggrandisers refuse to share the equivalent of even five villages with the rest of the country due to their limitless greed. If left unchecked it would appear that the masses would not even get the equivalent of te proverbial land to stick a needle into that the Kauravas refused the Pandavas! Instead the loot will continue to put all of Hosni Mubarak, Muammar Gadhafi and every other plundering dictator known to history, taken together, look like a band of angels!
Presentations made, questions raised, solidarity with the struggle expressed, the aloo bonda and tea savoured, as I walked back to my home the cynical side of me reared its irrepressible head. All movements take place within the context of history. Gandhi's victory against the Brits was a product of history. Those forces of history that powered the Mahatma's fragile sloop to the shores of independence are missing today.
To my mind, the most critical difference between the context of the freedom and that of Annaji's fight against corruption is the social aspirations of the nation at large today. Central to those aspirations are the craving to achieve a great amount of wealth quickly. That craving pervades all walks of life - industry, all the professions, public service and even the portals of the Divine. Physical proximity to the Lord and the speed with which you can get there depend upon the value of the currency wad you can brandish in front of His doorkeepers. So much so I am quite sure that very soon darsan spots of the various popular temples will soon be auctioned on eBay - the modern Mecca of pricing efficiency. (If that is a novel idea is there some way I can claim a small fee in return for the efficiency gains?)
So here is the new tag line for the Indian society: The business of India is getting rich ASAP.
Money enjoys an important place in our social life. It does not matter how you got it - as long as you have enough of it to launder away the dirt that you accumulate with the money.
Do not get me wrong. I am not against wealth in our society. I feel happy when I see the confidence of our youth, in sharp contrast to the cringing deference of my generation and that of my forefathers. That comes from economic security of a level that I could not even dream of at their age. I feel happy when I see international brands compete for a share of the ever growing wallet of the Indian consumer. I am glad to see the the swelling crowds at the new epicentres of Indian consumerism - the numerous malls - and young Indians splurging with no care about the rainy day that seemed to weigh down people of my generation.
But in all of this I wish money was not so important that it did not come in the way of rule of law, if not in the way of human values. I wish policemne would not let off sedans violating every driving and parking rule while harassing the helpless autodriver or two wheeler commuter. I wish small time vendors on the street who earn less than minimum wages are not routinely harassed by the police while big businesses flout many a rule with impunity, secure with the protection that their wealth provides.
So at the end of that peroration here is my worry: In a world where money plays such a large part in our daily lives will Annaji win this crusade? Will we all rush to fill jails as he exhorts us, leaving aside our chase of quick and ever-growing wealth? Is history on his side as it was on the Mahatma's? Or, will he be left with a Pyrrhic victory, if he has one, trudging up the hills all alone like Yudhishthira in the Shanti parva, deserted even by his canine escort?
Just for once more I pray that the Lord lives up to His promise: Yada yada hi...abhyutthaanam adharmasya, tadaamanam srujaamyaham - whenever non righteousness rises I will manifest Myself.
What form, if any, will that Lord take I wonder!
Personally I am grateful to Sri Sri for a reason that many may consider trivial - his schools that my sons attend. These schools are a sharp contrast to the average Indian school which seems to remind me of miserable hellholes. Unlike in the average school the teachers in Sri Sri's schools live a motto that I saw on the front wall of the school on the first day that we went there looking for admission. It goes somewhat like this: Teaching is a vocation of love. If you are incapable of loving you should not be a teacher.
That motto touched me. I wish I could live by that motto as much as the teachers at Sri Sri do.
Interestingly, in his session at IIMB, Sri Sri touched upon an important secular issue too: Corruption. His closing line was a call to the youth of the country: Spiritualise politics, socialise business and secularise religion. I do not know if anyone else has said that before. No matter whether it is Sri Sri's impromptu line or not, it is worth the while of every young Indian to tattoo that on his forehead, to borrow an expression from a popular finance text book.
That brings me to that other great man to visit the campus this week: Anna Hazare. I am intrigued by Annaji's ability to pull in such a massive support to his most recent struggle. And here is an interesting problem for hair splitting academics: What explains that crowd at Jantar and the spontaneous chorus of support? Is it the appeal of the cause? Or Annaji's charisma? Quite possibly it is a bit of both.
At the end of the day it does not matter. What I hope and pray for is that Annaji and his crusaders win at the end of the day. Sitting in that hall and reflecting on the events of the weeks and months leading to Annaji's fast one was reminded of all that one reads about the freedom struggle. The curse of corruption is perhaps no less disgusting and debilitating than foreign rule. It is perhaps even more so because it so reminiscent of the battle of Kurukshetra - an internecine fight that symbolises the struggle between Dharma and Adharma. A struggle for justice from an aggrandising horde made up of one's own. A struggle that has been necessitated by a compulsion where the aggrandisers refuse to share the equivalent of even five villages with the rest of the country due to their limitless greed. If left unchecked it would appear that the masses would not even get the equivalent of te proverbial land to stick a needle into that the Kauravas refused the Pandavas! Instead the loot will continue to put all of Hosni Mubarak, Muammar Gadhafi and every other plundering dictator known to history, taken together, look like a band of angels!
Presentations made, questions raised, solidarity with the struggle expressed, the aloo bonda and tea savoured, as I walked back to my home the cynical side of me reared its irrepressible head. All movements take place within the context of history. Gandhi's victory against the Brits was a product of history. Those forces of history that powered the Mahatma's fragile sloop to the shores of independence are missing today.
To my mind, the most critical difference between the context of the freedom and that of Annaji's fight against corruption is the social aspirations of the nation at large today. Central to those aspirations are the craving to achieve a great amount of wealth quickly. That craving pervades all walks of life - industry, all the professions, public service and even the portals of the Divine. Physical proximity to the Lord and the speed with which you can get there depend upon the value of the currency wad you can brandish in front of His doorkeepers. So much so I am quite sure that very soon darsan spots of the various popular temples will soon be auctioned on eBay - the modern Mecca of pricing efficiency. (If that is a novel idea is there some way I can claim a small fee in return for the efficiency gains?)
So here is the new tag line for the Indian society: The business of India is getting rich ASAP.
Money enjoys an important place in our social life. It does not matter how you got it - as long as you have enough of it to launder away the dirt that you accumulate with the money.
Do not get me wrong. I am not against wealth in our society. I feel happy when I see the confidence of our youth, in sharp contrast to the cringing deference of my generation and that of my forefathers. That comes from economic security of a level that I could not even dream of at their age. I feel happy when I see international brands compete for a share of the ever growing wallet of the Indian consumer. I am glad to see the the swelling crowds at the new epicentres of Indian consumerism - the numerous malls - and young Indians splurging with no care about the rainy day that seemed to weigh down people of my generation.
But in all of this I wish money was not so important that it did not come in the way of rule of law, if not in the way of human values. I wish policemne would not let off sedans violating every driving and parking rule while harassing the helpless autodriver or two wheeler commuter. I wish small time vendors on the street who earn less than minimum wages are not routinely harassed by the police while big businesses flout many a rule with impunity, secure with the protection that their wealth provides.
So at the end of that peroration here is my worry: In a world where money plays such a large part in our daily lives will Annaji win this crusade? Will we all rush to fill jails as he exhorts us, leaving aside our chase of quick and ever-growing wealth? Is history on his side as it was on the Mahatma's? Or, will he be left with a Pyrrhic victory, if he has one, trudging up the hills all alone like Yudhishthira in the Shanti parva, deserted even by his canine escort?
Just for once more I pray that the Lord lives up to His promise: Yada yada hi...abhyutthaanam adharmasya, tadaamanam srujaamyaham - whenever non righteousness rises I will manifest Myself.
What form, if any, will that Lord take I wonder!
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