Surrounded by Quote, Nothing in Values!

Photo courtesy - http://quotesgram.com/ 

This is another post while my stay abroad, away from motherland India. As I already mentioned in my earlier posts, it need deep insight to get out of oneself to understand the basic problems within. Take an example of net neutrality, intolerance, Dadri lynching or recent trending topic - demonetisation; the level of thinking reflect on social media in form of trends. Mostly, any foreigner need visa to enter country to experience culture but how about people judging based upon border-less virtual media like Facebook or twitter.

At any given moment, every alternate person in India connected to social media either direct or indirect mean. Hence, by some mean, individual's every activity (stone pelting in public rally) contribute towards trend hence reflecting country's thought leadership. However, there are few paid trends for marketing or even for political benefits but moreover, again those driven by common citizen like us in form of followers.

Before this blog loose it's core context in this age of short lived messages, let me jump to the topic. So, let us consider any communication tool exist at Social media, we receive at least one quote on any given day. And, if you are subscriber to groups on direct messaging apps, then there is no limit. A quote can be any 'good thought' or 'sayings' by global leaders. Now, the question is, how many of us influence by such quotes? How many of us really read intent of quote and follow the same? Few or none?

I will say none. Because, if quote make change in society then films must do revolution. Ultimately, a film has more visual representation of values than any other media. Anyway, we need more value penetration in society than ever we did. The impact of social media is so huge that age has come where lack of values will mislead communication. And this is already reflected when we send certain message to certain number of users to get some fake unique feutures or discounts. Apart from that we must restrict our-self to indulge in any such on-line or off-line activity which will hurt overall image of Mother India.

We already surrounded by good quotes only need is to absorb the values out of it!!!

War: Need of an hour

A file photo from Indo-Pak War - 1965

If someone ask you, what you will prefer sudden death or daily pain which will last long with multiplying injuries until your death. Off course, we will prefer sudden death, at least me. Now a days, who like to get pain equivalent to death everyday in so fast pace life?

The proxy-war between India & Pak has lot to learn. It has been 60 odd years and we are still killing or get killed on the name of terrorism. Bilateral dialogues spoiled, a great valley of Kashmir which is equivalent to heaven has only wake up with scream of bullets everyday. Starting from China, Pakistan to country like Myanmar, everyone chasing land, taking each others life, blocking each others roads and very recent threat to water resources.

I have been in Europe for a while now. I visited Edinburgh, London and few great war memorials. What I learn is that before forming European Union they fought two great wars, have number of civil wars. Before wiping boundaries between countries, they cut each other's throats, they trashed each other's women, children. They revenge each other by every possible way.  They shed every drop of blood.

Another best example is of Japan. Until they get attacked with Nuke which killed lakh of civilians, Japan keep empowering their military will. Now their world is changed. They are only speaking about technology, development and economical growth. They understand, an eye for an eye only ends up making the whole world blind.

On similar ground, what major civil war witnessed by South Asia. For more than 150 years, they looted by British. Post freedom, we had 2-3 wars between military establishment where we had hardly seen throats cutting of civilians (Indo-Pak partition is exception where train of death bodies of civilians exchanged). South Asia is so much lucky that they never get directly involved in world war. People of South Asia never seen women, children abused or blood of their own flowed next to them. But the recent past history of fight between each other really suggest a want for a war. A war that teaches an importance of losing nearer, an importance of peace, an importance of having good neighbours, importance of shared capabilities, ultimately it will teach power of being united.

There is famous quote by Einstein states, Peace cannot be kept by force; it can only be achieved by understanding. If Indo-Pak-China never read essence of this quote then they must fought and learn the lesson by hard way!

Note: For historical reference, this article has been written when Indo-Pak relation tensed in light of terrorist attack on Indian Soil at Uri, a military base at LOC.

Reference - Great wars represents World War I & II

अपनी मिट्टी दि खुषबु

Courtesy - IndianExpress

Some pictures need to see from certain distance to understand exact meaning out of it. Something similar happened to South Asian who visited Europe in recent past. 

Jet Airways flight 9W122 landed me at Heathrow, London airport. A cool breeze made me to head towards taxi before I freeze. After few miles of drive out of London, a taxi driver asked me about my whereabouts. I shared a quick journey from India I did so far. As I mentioned that I belongs to India, I found a taxi driver so happily said he belongs to Pakistan. As he was about to say something more about himself, I interrupted and said, but you were Indian and now turned Pakistani, resulting both busted in the laughter. He nodded and said yes, his grandfather belongs to Utter Pradesh and had only chance to visit India in his childhood. He seemed around age of 45. He shared his schooling in Pakistan and his journey to London at his early 20's. After spending more than 20 years in UK, he confessed that 'अपनी मिट्टी दि खुषबु ही अलग है' meaning 'No country equals feeling of being at motherland'.

The sudden comment on feeling of motherland shivered me more than freezing weather outside. While our conversation during hour long journey, I lived his 45 years through his share of experience. Till then, we reached at famous conversation on bitter relation of Indo-Pak. Meanwhile we reached at hotel when he said, 'How many wars we (Indo-Pak) had as we are still fighting with each other which has no end. Visit European countries, they had two world wars and still they are together as Europe Union!!!'

Clean India: Make in Failure

In 2011, I remember, when I worked in Mumbai, one of my colleague used to throw waste like paper wrap, cigarette throat on road instead of keeping it in bag's side-pocket to dump it when we found dust-bin. In Mumbai, you can spot the dust bin at local station at least. When I asked why he throw garbage everywhere then he said then why we are paying tax? what will BMC sweeper worker do? That time, I never indulge into explaining him how saved money on sweeping can be invested to any other development cause in country.

Then time changed over the period. New government come into power with dedicated campaign on 'Clean India' where celebrity sweeping streets and places around their residence. As per my knowledge, it was the campaign to get into sweeping activity and appeal another friend to join in. In such a way it was designated to form chain effect in whole country. But I don't know where this chain reaction stumbled. And now, everyday I read bunch of tweets from Punekar's on garbage issues at Shaniwar wada, a national heritage in Pune city.

So far, citizen under impression that government taking effective steps to educate countrymen on importance of cleanliness. However dream of 'Clean India' seems like remain dream when government imposed 0.5% 'Swachh Bharat Cess' as addition to service tax. In wake up of this decision, my colleague from Mumbai posted on his social media account which indicates he has birth right to throw garbage anywhere as he is paying dedicated tax to clean it.

Government should invest on educating people instead of mere display of policies. Otherwise learn from this anonymous who quoted it right:

"He who opens a school, closes a prison"

Jai Hind!!!

Visit Kerala - Virtually with no cost

Visit Kerala - Bid Wars

Hurry up!!! The Kerala Tourism department bring opportunity to visit Kerala at virtually no cost. A offerings aimed at domestic travelers. If you are fan of Kerala Tourism at Facebook then you can turn this opportunity to win trip to Kerala with almost no cost.

To enable this opportunity, you have to participate at an online bidding game via dedicated Facebook app. 

The details of the game are as follows:

• Tour packages provided by accredited service providers of Kerala Tourism will be uploaded on a dedicated Facebook app. 
• Facebook fans of Kerala Tourism can bid for the package.
• The bid is open only for a certain amount of time
• The person with the lowest unique bid will be awarded the package

 For example:

A person 'X' bids for a package worth Rs. 20,000 with Rs. 10. The package will be awarded to him if no other bid is made which is less than or equal to Rs. 10.

• The person who won the package will be directly paying the bid amount to the service provider who gave that package.

An Android based application has also being developed which will allow the Kerala Tourism Facebook fans to bid for packages right from their mobile devices. 

Kerala Bid Wars: Android App

Also visit: Short vacation to Kerala vai Kanyakumari

Free Internet: Need of Bharat vs India

Free Internet

Before jump on the difference between Bharat and India, let me explain why this post. This post was written after I drove on highway late night to my home which typically represent village on the wake of Mark Zuckerberg's visit to India to host Town Hall which definitely campaign for Free Internet.

So, after finishing office-work in Pune late evening, I drove to my home for the weekend, which is around 320km away from Pune. I felt hungry and started searching for a hotel on the road side I was driving. As hunger grows, my eyes started searching at both the side of highway now. Meanwhile, I unlock my mobile screen, just to see all the food chain apps who are at finger tip away to serve are no longer at reach. Whole journey I did with empty stomach, which was shouting load inside saying, I need food.

Here, one can realize that if basic needs of human being i.e. food, clothing and shelter never fulfilled then there is no use of internet. 

As history witnessed, earlier Microsoft dominated the world and now Facebook doing the same, so question raises when India get benefited which has huge pool of service industry which is failing to turn into giants like Microsoft or Facebook. Apart from that, newly formed government playing role of agent to sell product of these foreign brands instead of asking them to contribute towards accessibility of the basic needs of Bharat instead of India. Here these two worlds used specifically to differentiate between the larger portion of population which daily struggle for basic needs and another smaller portion only seeing internet is only opportunity to sustain basic needs.

I will say there is no need of free internet as I scared, we will again remain hungry even it's free. So let us keep it in this way, even if someone trying to provide free internet, government should turn that opportunity to bring equal access to Food, Clothing and Shelter using so called "Free Internet". Because, famous idiom states that there is no free food in this world. A citizen of Bharat definitely appraise government if they negotiate on it's own term to benefit from Free-Internet instead of getting trapped in the net of foreign brands.

Also visit: One Year of Modi Government: Did you know?

Reason to be part of Ganesh Festival in Pune

Via Google+ Photos of MaddyJoshilkar

• Origin of Ganesh Utsav

When it comes to celebrating Ganesh Festival, first names comes forward is 'Pune'. Lokmanya Tilak, an originator of festival started celebrating Ganesh Festival at Pune during freedom fight against British which ultimately become weapon to gather people and educate on importance of having freedom. It become landmark to city like Pune to get identity on global map while celebrating Ganesh festival at any corner of this world now.

• Traditional Celebration of Ganesh Festival

Unlike any other city, average size of Ganesh idol is small in Pune. Even Ganesh idols at pandal are comparatively small in size. Most of the pandals are part of Ganesh temple at nearby. Hence they prefer to use idol at temple during this festival season and host that same statue in the temple instead of immersion in the water. Collectively this unique tradition followed in Pune only.

• Dhol Taashe Pathak*

There is no comparison with Pune when it comes to  'Dhol Taahe Pathak'. Most of the pandal prefer 'Dhol Taashe Pathak' over Dolby, these 'Pathak' practice over months prior to Ganesh festival. It is shivering moment to watch hundreds of 'Dhol Taashe Pathak' bang the drum in one rhythm.

• Well organised immersion procession

Pune's Ganesh immersion procession is recognized for well organized despite of help of Police force, NGO and volunteers. Watching systematic procession of Ganesh immersion at Laxmi Road at full day light is truly magnificent experience. 

Photos and videos of Ganesh immersion procession at Laxmi Road, Pune

Hope, these reasons enable you to be part of Ganesh Festival this year at Pune

Thanks for reading!

* Dhol-Tashe Pathak - It is a group of people playing Dhol with equal rhythm