Reclaim a nation, rescue a dream

Anna is fashionable, but what I write today is not about new found "Annanomics". I am writing here about a quiet evening with my daughter and the contemplation that followed. I spent time with my school going daughter last evening, helping her prepare for her Social Sciences exam. Her Civics course has a chapter on the Preamble of the Indian Constitution. Under the guise of teaching my daughter, I re-learnt a whole new beautiful ideology upon which our Nation is founded. When I read the text, I could not but marvel at the simplicity of the message, the simplicity of the ideals upon which a nation was being built. The basic principle of equality and how everything else tied into this simple yet lofty ideal.

Our democracy is founded on the principle of equality. Some folks may call this impractical. Some folks may dismiss it as lost ideals of a different generation.. We then start blaming our corrupt politicians, greedy businessmen and slothful bureaucrats for the state of our nation. We start wearing our indifference on our sleeves. But then, you read the Preamble one day and you unknowingly contemplate what it means to you. You look deeper and you realize that you are part of the problem too. Do you really see others as equal? Are you not part of the new social divide that replace the older caste systems? Are you truly socialist? Are you as selfless as the past generations that you can share the collective growth of the society? Are you too individualistic that you think of just yourself and your nuclear family? Are you prone to the same greed, corruption and sloth of the machinery you blame, albeit in different ways?  A lesser sin does not make you a saint. Look within to be sure you are fighting greed with selflessness. Look within to ensure you are secular in your mind and actions. Look within to ensure your mind is self governed and free of prejudices. Look within and check your tolerance meter. Look around and ensure you treat everyone with dignity, be it at the traffic light , in the long queues or in the daily drill and humdrum of life.

Start with yourself to reclaim a nation and in the process, reclaim your own self. Reclaim a nation , rescue a dream today. Here is the lovely Preamble to our Constitution. Hope it inspires you as much as it inspired me.

WE, THE PEOPLE OF INDIA, having solemnly resolved to constitute India into a SOVEREIGN SOCIALIST SECULAR DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC and to secure to all its citizens:

JUSTICE, social, economic and political;

LIBERTY of thought, expression, belief, faith and worship;

EQUALITY of status and of opportunity;

and to promote among them all

FRATERNITY assuring the dignity of the individual and the unity and integrity of the Nation;

IN OUR CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY this twenty-sixth day of November, 1949, do HEREBY ADOPT, ENACT AND GIVE TO OURSELVES THIS CONSTITUTION.

Oh, damn fools like me !

Guess what is in common between the Indian Cricket team, Arsenal FC, Roger Federer and Fernando Alonso. What apart from the fact that they are modern day sport teams or icons? Well, you guessed right, they are my favorites. But you look closely at how they have been faring recently, and you notice one more thing in common. They have had some really bad results lately. The Indian cricket team has been whitewashed by a resurgent English team. 4-0, humbled, humiliated. Arsenal FC suffered their worst defeat in a hundred years a couple of weekends back to Manchester United. 8-2, humbled, humiliated. Roger Federer has not had a grand slam win since the 2010 Australian Open and Fernando Alonso has switched two teams since his last world championship in 2006, but has been buttoned out of his Formula One world champion form. All my sporting icons going through a "lean patch"!! Humbled and humiliated, here is another thing in common for you. And I cry out, "Who in their right senses would support these folks? Who? Oh, damn fools like me !" But then, from these shambles of defeat and stories of disappointment, I learn some important lessons of life.

Lesson number one! This world can take you over the moon when you are winning and drop you like a hot potato when you don't. One year back, the Indian cricket team were feted as heroes winning the World Cup, today, some folks call them "donkeys" ? This is a fickle world with short term memory and you can't let the noise of this world drown your belief in your abilities. Victory and defeat play an equal part in life. You hear Kipling " If you can meet with triumph and disaster, And treat those two imposters just the same "You recognize the ephemeral nature of this material world. You recognize the delusions of victory and defeat. You recognize Maya. You learn to take victory with a pinch of salt and defeat with a scoop of humor. And you cry out "Oh, damn fools like me !"

Lesson number two! You can't just believe this is happening to your favorite team. "In Arsene, we trust" is the chant of every Gooner, but doubts were creeping in. And then you realize that what is happening is because of some past actions. Arsenal went to Manchester United before the fateful 8-2 match having just lost two of their best players through transfers to other clubs. A couple of other players were serving suspension. A few others were injured. The team had not yet signed on enough new players of the caliber. You were effectively playing a second string side. What else other than humiliation could you expect. It is a cause and effect world. I have been told long back, "You reap what you sow". Your reality of today is a function of your past actions. A friend introduced me to the Lotus Sutra recently.  "Nam Myoko Renge Kyo" that signifies that life is a cycle governed by a process of cause and effect. You recognize the cause and effect. You learn to introspect your actions and you cry out "Oh, damn fools like me!"

Lesson number three! And finally, I remember thinking there is no better time to blog this thought. Because tomorrow will be different. Because India would be bouncing back against England winning the one day international series. Because Arsenal will be making its way back to the top of the Premier League next weekend with a well earned victory. Because Federer will be lifting the US Open this Sunday. Because Alonso's Red Ferrari will be back on the podium. Because Man lives in eternal hope. Oh, damn fools like me!!

Believe in one more GOD

Jai Ganesh!! Today is the the festival of  Lord Ganesh, the remover of obstacles. And I wonder about the fascination that other cultures have with the many Gods in this land. India is not just a land of a billion people, it is a land of plenty in many more respects. It is a land of many festivals, it is a land of many faiths, it is a land of many Gods. Growing up in such an environment, you are exposed to many influences, debates and views on faith. I have been intrigued by the allegorical myths of Hinduism. I have been fascinated by the simple message of love from the Sufi saints. I have heard about the divine miracles of the Good Shepherd. I have been enthralled by the peace of the Buddhist monasteries. Experiencing the multitude of faiths tickles the curious mind. The merit of being born in this blessed multicultural land of many faiths and many Gods is immense. So, when someone says to me, " India is a land of many Gods. Do you believe in a billion Gods?". I answer, "Yes and one more". 

I contemplate about the big stream of cosmic consciousness, and about the consciousness that pervades our being. I begin to perceive the battlefield of our daily existence, much like the Kurukshetra of the Mahabharata. I notice the blind mind led by the hundred temptations of the senses, much like the blind King Dhritarashtra and his hundred Kaurava sons. I am grateful for the discriminating intelligence and self control that fight the worldly temptations much like the Pandavas did, to reclaim peace of mind. The fight to reclaim peace of mind, to find the divine. I now realize the Mahabharata is more than a myth, it is a story at many levels. I have much to unravel about the story, but I begin to believe this story is also about finding the divine within you. I begin to believe in one more GOD.

I read about Prince Siddhartha relinquishing the material world, about his search for meaning. I begin to understand his journey to enlightenment from Bodhisattva to Buddha. I realize the Sakyamuni found Buddha within him. I look at the calm and peaceful figurine of Buddha and it tells this story about finding the divine within you. It reinforces my belief in one more GOD. When I discover that Luke 17:21 says " the Kingdom of God is within you", I wonder again. And then I hear Kabir "मोको कहां ढूढे रे बन्दे मैं तो तेरे पास में". Where do you seek me, I am beside you. At that point, yes!! I believe in one more GOD!! The GOD within us...and the billion around us.

May you find peace within. दुआ है !! God Bless!! Jai Ganesh!!