This blog is an outcome of long informal conversation I was having with my colleague Priyanka in the early office hours on the values and principles which the present generation is lacking and compromise on them. It is especially sad to see girls compromise on them, not that boys are allowed to do so. But the image of men has for long been debilitated and now the pointer is turning towards girls. It is my belief that a girl can do wonders to change the world, atleast her family, to a better place to live in.
The idea of values, morals and principles is confusing to my generation. And they better like to stay out of it. I am not generalizing the statements and no offences to anyone, but this is what comes from my experiences with a number of people I have seen and known around. And this blog comes from my heart!!
Being religious is easy, you have to pray and the whole onus is on God to keep you emotionally and financially strong. If something wrong happens, it is easy to blame God. And for wishing something good, it is easy to ask God for help. But as the saying goes – “God helps those who help themselves” is hardly cared for by the present gen. Girls depend emotionally, financially and physically so much on boys that this saying is just proved right. Not that it is wrong or I am against it, but the right judgment and use of rational brain lacks in the process. That is just one harsh example.
I want to give an example of my Mom here. I am inspired totally with my Mom who has been a strong headed woman and has done excellently well not just at work but also at home. If I recall her daily schedule when I was a child, she used to get up at 4 o’clock in the morning, do her regular exercise, cook for the family – breakfast as well as lunch, have breakfast with us and read news paper, get fresh, go to office, work there, come back home. By the time my Dad used to prepare evening tea and we used to have it together in evening. I and my sister used to cuddle our mom since the whole day we were just looking at the clock to tick 6, when my mom would come. That was not the end of the day since she would get ready to cook dinner and then watched TV together and family talks. And doing in all that, I have never ever missed the smile on my Mom’s face. Her lifestyle may though seem a burden for the present generation girls and feminists but I feel my Mom is my role model now who has taught me to adapt to all the conditions and survive well out of them. And she hasn’t taught me this in words but in practice. By seeing her do all that, I feel when she can do why can’t i? More than that, I have respect for her dedication and giving nature and whenever I go home now, I make sure that she relaxes and doesn’t just work alone all day. She has earned that respect and love from me and my Dad and from the whole family.
Her dedication and motivation to work all day around taught me a number of things ranging from self discipline to punctuality, ownership of things to sense of responsibility, devotion to life with principles and being happy all the time.
I see my generation girls lacking on these basic things – like values, contentment, sense of responsibility, and ownership of things, which are very vital for a happy and content survival. The seeds of these values and principles need to be sown from the very beginning or one should learn from one’s experiences of life and behave more mature, responsible and a cultured citizen. But my generation believes in living in present without caring for future. Without caring that our present determines what we will be in future. Enjoying life is great but not to the extent of compromising on one’s principles.
My words may sound too moral and idealistic but a life without morals/ values is worthless. No offences to anyone, these are totally my views and opinions.
Well, I am sure to have confused the readers of my blog, but that is what the whole intention was so as to provoke your thoughts on this. What do you feel about this? What about a life with principles?
The principle could be as simple as I don’t have to form stereotypes about people; I don’t need to lie to the one’s I love because if they love me they will never leave me; I don’t need to party late just because I will otherwise be out of my group; I have to deal with challenges and not run away from them; I shouldn’t forget the love and care of my parents as I grow up and develop relations with others; I will respect all come what may, not for their opinions but as a person; I will give some time to myself in a day and read, write or do whatever I like; My any action should not be disturbing to the other person and I will be cautious about it and take care of it; I will not be rude even if situation demands me too I will keep my calm. Once set one must not compromise on them and make them the guiding principles to lead one’s life happily and we will have a better reason to live a worthy life with dignity.
These things are learnt with experiences and I myself am learning about these and trying to develop my own principles.
We commit mistakes, learn from them but let us not commit the mistakes again and again as if we never learned from them. Let us just give it a thought.
P.S: This is not a gender specific topic, so male readers can put their views and comments too.
Friday, June 24, 2011
Friday, March 18, 2011
Mumbai... Local trains and that all!!
Dear all,
Today i am very enthusiastic to share my experiences with Mumbai. My first trip to the place was as amazing and adventurous, as i could have ever thought of. This was more of an orientation to Mumbai, with travel in local train, bus, auto and almost all the public modes of transport. But let me tell you, if you are going to Mumbai and not travelling in local train, then you are missing half the fun. With people of all classes travelling in this train, you will definitely be overwhelmed by the trust that hawkers have with people. These hawkers selling things ranging from ear-rings to bangles, just hand over the box full of ornaments to people and move around the whole train. People enjoy looking and admiring these ornaments and take some when he is back. I don't know why this striked me but i believe it is the faith that hawkers have in strange people.. People were very friendly to me and since i was unaware of the place, they took quite care of me and showed me the exact way where to get down and how to go.. It was amazing. For the first time, i did not feel i am away from my home- place and i felt secure... But one thought kept pondering my mind, that why is then Mumbai infamous for just propogating Marathi culture and being animist to people from outside especially U.P and Bihar... There could be two reasons: Either the trip was too short to get the other feeling of insecurity or it is all just politically made up.. I was seated and was looking and suddenly my attention was caught by big bunch of women flocking in the train..each one of them was managing to get in the train somehow.. And suddenly i felt the whole of India has migrated to Mumbai today..and is in the local train.. Local women were helping each other by adjusting as many people as they possibly could have in the seat.. It was somehow a nice feeling for me but i truely understand how annoying it will be so annoying for the local people who have to travel daily like that..
Especially the day when people would mostly use the local train - Sunday, there comes this MEGA BLOCK, where in tracks are cleaned and so the number of local trains running on the tracks is reduced.. I was also stuck in the process and the initial barrier to getting the local train was the LONG QUEUE.. And as i stood in the queue, there was a lunch break and then i was told that the train is going to leave and the next would come after an hour due to the same MEGA BLOCK... I started cursing MEGA BLOCK like anything but suddenly i was again made felt that how homely Mumbai can make you.. A woman came to my rescue and she got this bunch of coupons from other counter and told me to come along with her... I resisted a little but since i had no choice and i did not want to wait in the long queue and then for an hour for the train, i just moved along with her.. She validated these coupons and we finally catched the local train, which was just about to leave.. Aaahh!!
Finally, i guess my Mumbai trip will just remind me of these local trains!! And since it was just a two day trip, couldn't see the other side of it..
But one very beautiful thing about this trip was that i met my sweet dear darling sister after almost 2 and a half year... I love you my sweet sis..
Today i am very enthusiastic to share my experiences with Mumbai. My first trip to the place was as amazing and adventurous, as i could have ever thought of. This was more of an orientation to Mumbai, with travel in local train, bus, auto and almost all the public modes of transport. But let me tell you, if you are going to Mumbai and not travelling in local train, then you are missing half the fun. With people of all classes travelling in this train, you will definitely be overwhelmed by the trust that hawkers have with people. These hawkers selling things ranging from ear-rings to bangles, just hand over the box full of ornaments to people and move around the whole train. People enjoy looking and admiring these ornaments and take some when he is back. I don't know why this striked me but i believe it is the faith that hawkers have in strange people.. People were very friendly to me and since i was unaware of the place, they took quite care of me and showed me the exact way where to get down and how to go.. It was amazing. For the first time, i did not feel i am away from my home- place and i felt secure... But one thought kept pondering my mind, that why is then Mumbai infamous for just propogating Marathi culture and being animist to people from outside especially U.P and Bihar... There could be two reasons: Either the trip was too short to get the other feeling of insecurity or it is all just politically made up.. I was seated and was looking and suddenly my attention was caught by big bunch of women flocking in the train..each one of them was managing to get in the train somehow.. And suddenly i felt the whole of India has migrated to Mumbai today..and is in the local train.. Local women were helping each other by adjusting as many people as they possibly could have in the seat.. It was somehow a nice feeling for me but i truely understand how annoying it will be so annoying for the local people who have to travel daily like that..
Especially the day when people would mostly use the local train - Sunday, there comes this MEGA BLOCK, where in tracks are cleaned and so the number of local trains running on the tracks is reduced.. I was also stuck in the process and the initial barrier to getting the local train was the LONG QUEUE.. And as i stood in the queue, there was a lunch break and then i was told that the train is going to leave and the next would come after an hour due to the same MEGA BLOCK... I started cursing MEGA BLOCK like anything but suddenly i was again made felt that how homely Mumbai can make you.. A woman came to my rescue and she got this bunch of coupons from other counter and told me to come along with her... I resisted a little but since i had no choice and i did not want to wait in the long queue and then for an hour for the train, i just moved along with her.. She validated these coupons and we finally catched the local train, which was just about to leave.. Aaahh!!
Finally, i guess my Mumbai trip will just remind me of these local trains!! And since it was just a two day trip, couldn't see the other side of it..
But one very beautiful thing about this trip was that i met my sweet dear darling sister after almost 2 and a half year... I love you my sweet sis..
Monday, January 10, 2011
Sanchore!!
I should have written about this long before but work kept me busy or rather say, i didn't take out time for this.
Though it is better to be late than never!!
Sanchore is the place where i was working for 3 months. A semi-arid region, Sanchore falls in Western Rajasthan and touches the Gujarat border. The place has Gujarati touch- in terms of culture. My 3 months stay in this place not just made me dark but i never imagined that 3 months in this place will make me miss it so much.. I never liked the place earlier but when i shifted back to Delhi, i realised that i miss the place as much as people, there..
Living in Sanchore made me change a lot. This is here i learnt to be totally self dependent.. This self dependency was learnt by, as small thing as traveling to remote villages and larger cities alone..I learnt here that people in rural areas don't have material pleasures to give you but they have a big heart and will love an outsider and will even not let that outsider know when s/he became an insider. My short stay in the place made me soo close to people that it is hard to not be in touch with them.. Living alone was another learning for me and i used to talk to my silence. Though this loneliness drived me away from the place yet that loneliness, i miss now.
Travelling to villages on bike - sharing the small seat with Mahendra and Bharat and sometimes even Prateek, trusting these strangers, who no more are strangers, heated discussions with Bharat at Amar Parantha house over our working strategies and meanwhile silence of Mahendra, struggling for food, eating eggs and eating non veg in a Jain family, counting coins of bharat which amounted to almost 500 Rs- Chilladbaaz, Mahendra calling me Paula, irritating my team when i fell asleep and didn't wake for complete 3 hours and they kept banging on my door for dinner, eating Bajre ki roti, ghee and Chanch at Viya Ram's house, giggles and laughter with women SHG members of Devasiyon ki Dhaani,helping them write their names and they helping in turn each other, struggling with MPOWER.. All these memories make me nostalgic of the place...
Though i am away now, yet i want say to my team members that memories can never fade away. They are much a part of me and have changed my personality and outlook a lot- for good..
Missing people and the place..
Though it is better to be late than never!!
Sanchore is the place where i was working for 3 months. A semi-arid region, Sanchore falls in Western Rajasthan and touches the Gujarat border. The place has Gujarati touch- in terms of culture. My 3 months stay in this place not just made me dark but i never imagined that 3 months in this place will make me miss it so much.. I never liked the place earlier but when i shifted back to Delhi, i realised that i miss the place as much as people, there..
Living in Sanchore made me change a lot. This is here i learnt to be totally self dependent.. This self dependency was learnt by, as small thing as traveling to remote villages and larger cities alone..I learnt here that people in rural areas don't have material pleasures to give you but they have a big heart and will love an outsider and will even not let that outsider know when s/he became an insider. My short stay in the place made me soo close to people that it is hard to not be in touch with them.. Living alone was another learning for me and i used to talk to my silence. Though this loneliness drived me away from the place yet that loneliness, i miss now.
Travelling to villages on bike - sharing the small seat with Mahendra and Bharat and sometimes even Prateek, trusting these strangers, who no more are strangers, heated discussions with Bharat at Amar Parantha house over our working strategies and meanwhile silence of Mahendra, struggling for food, eating eggs and eating non veg in a Jain family, counting coins of bharat which amounted to almost 500 Rs- Chilladbaaz, Mahendra calling me Paula, irritating my team when i fell asleep and didn't wake for complete 3 hours and they kept banging on my door for dinner, eating Bajre ki roti, ghee and Chanch at Viya Ram's house, giggles and laughter with women SHG members of Devasiyon ki Dhaani,helping them write their names and they helping in turn each other, struggling with MPOWER.. All these memories make me nostalgic of the place...
Though i am away now, yet i want say to my team members that memories can never fade away. They are much a part of me and have changed my personality and outlook a lot- for good..
Missing people and the place..
Participatory attitude!!
Here comes my blog after a very long gap!!
My work life had kept me too busy to update my blogs and now this professional life has given me food for thought and has helped me write on this particular theme of participation..
I am working in an organization where participatory approaches and participation is the key buzz word..Thanks to PRIA (Society for Participatory research in Asia), my outlook of life has changed. Yesterday i went to train social work students of Jamia Millia University on PRA techniques in their rural camp.. And i realized the change within me. From speaking to listening, from lecturing to discussing, from judging to suggesting, from criticizing to understanding- my whole personality seemed to have undergone a conscious change, which i am enjoying.. Earlier i read of all this in class room lectures but now that i see the change in me and see how this change is helping me develop not just professionally but personally, i feel how important participation can be.. I am on way to develop the participative attitude in me..It helps a person change his entire perspective and one's attitude and behaviour.. And i feel, these skills are not just significant for professionals working on human behaviour but also in other sectors.
Participation here i refer not just one participating in any activity but also giving space to others to help them participate. My attitude helped students to come up with their frank opinions and innovative ideas during the camp. It was thus a two way learning process. Mostly teachers don't listen to their students and they feel they have given in-depth knowledge to students but ask any student what s/he has learnt and the answer would be: Silence.. What is the purpose of such teaching?
Head of a company feels that s/he knows it all and may not give enough scope to his/her subordinates or listen to them. And s/he is losing out on many innovative suggestions and ideas. It might not be true for all but this is seen very often, though system is changing. Same goes for other professions..
How can participation be ensured in our democratic set-up? How can we stop criticizing and start understanding one's situation from their perspective?
It is not an easy job, for it needs change in attitude, reversal of power-letting dominating attitude go off, offsetting biases and so on..
Think over it!!
My work life had kept me too busy to update my blogs and now this professional life has given me food for thought and has helped me write on this particular theme of participation..
I am working in an organization where participatory approaches and participation is the key buzz word..Thanks to PRIA (Society for Participatory research in Asia), my outlook of life has changed. Yesterday i went to train social work students of Jamia Millia University on PRA techniques in their rural camp.. And i realized the change within me. From speaking to listening, from lecturing to discussing, from judging to suggesting, from criticizing to understanding- my whole personality seemed to have undergone a conscious change, which i am enjoying.. Earlier i read of all this in class room lectures but now that i see the change in me and see how this change is helping me develop not just professionally but personally, i feel how important participation can be.. I am on way to develop the participative attitude in me..It helps a person change his entire perspective and one's attitude and behaviour.. And i feel, these skills are not just significant for professionals working on human behaviour but also in other sectors.
Participation here i refer not just one participating in any activity but also giving space to others to help them participate. My attitude helped students to come up with their frank opinions and innovative ideas during the camp. It was thus a two way learning process. Mostly teachers don't listen to their students and they feel they have given in-depth knowledge to students but ask any student what s/he has learnt and the answer would be: Silence.. What is the purpose of such teaching?
Head of a company feels that s/he knows it all and may not give enough scope to his/her subordinates or listen to them. And s/he is losing out on many innovative suggestions and ideas. It might not be true for all but this is seen very often, though system is changing. Same goes for other professions..
How can participation be ensured in our democratic set-up? How can we stop criticizing and start understanding one's situation from their perspective?
It is not an easy job, for it needs change in attitude, reversal of power-letting dominating attitude go off, offsetting biases and so on..
Think over it!!
Saturday, March 27, 2010
A question!!!!
On Ram Navmi day, i was curious about the significance of this festival... So as my helper was cleaning the room, i asked her about the relevance of Ram Navmi..
Well, she told me everything about Ramayana, probably, but left me more curious about this day as i couldn't relate the day to what she said.
My room mate and i did laugh about the fact that she was responding as if i had asked a question to a kid, who doesn't know the answer but still tries to reply with much confidence on his face and feels that yes, i have fooled the person... But i had not been fooled.. Rather it probed me to question myself that we observe festivals and follow the traditions without actually knowing the significance...
I don't know whether that is right to do or wrong... We do celebrate, are happy and enjoy the festivals but in a way, we are we creating myths, superstitions for our future generation like our ancestors left for us...How?? Because we ourselves don't know the reasons, significance and facts for them..
We keep fast for days and months, that is fine considering that we are saving food for those who don't get to eat anything at all... But i think we should also be clear why are we keeping that fast, significance of the same and we should also have a choice whether we want to keep it or not rather than just blindly following the socially accepted trend...
And yeah, i asked later in the evening about the significance of Ram Navmi to my mom and she gave a relatively convincing answer that on this day Ram ji was born..
But another question arose in my mind that whether Ram ji is a figment of imagination of people or is it a reality??
Well, you can oppose my views and question them but let us have a healthy discussion on this theme because i feel it is important to question!!!
p.s---> I don't have a bias against Hindu religion but since it is politically correct to talk about one's own religion and be critical about it rather than talking about others and ending up being labelled as COMMUNAL... I am not so...
But that also doesn't leave people of other religions to think about it and comment..
:)
Thanks for reading!!
Well, she told me everything about Ramayana, probably, but left me more curious about this day as i couldn't relate the day to what she said.
My room mate and i did laugh about the fact that she was responding as if i had asked a question to a kid, who doesn't know the answer but still tries to reply with much confidence on his face and feels that yes, i have fooled the person... But i had not been fooled.. Rather it probed me to question myself that we observe festivals and follow the traditions without actually knowing the significance...
I don't know whether that is right to do or wrong... We do celebrate, are happy and enjoy the festivals but in a way, we are we creating myths, superstitions for our future generation like our ancestors left for us...How?? Because we ourselves don't know the reasons, significance and facts for them..
We keep fast for days and months, that is fine considering that we are saving food for those who don't get to eat anything at all... But i think we should also be clear why are we keeping that fast, significance of the same and we should also have a choice whether we want to keep it or not rather than just blindly following the socially accepted trend...
And yeah, i asked later in the evening about the significance of Ram Navmi to my mom and she gave a relatively convincing answer that on this day Ram ji was born..
But another question arose in my mind that whether Ram ji is a figment of imagination of people or is it a reality??
Well, you can oppose my views and question them but let us have a healthy discussion on this theme because i feel it is important to question!!!
p.s---> I don't have a bias against Hindu religion but since it is politically correct to talk about one's own religion and be critical about it rather than talking about others and ending up being labelled as COMMUNAL... I am not so...
But that also doesn't leave people of other religions to think about it and comment..
:)
Thanks for reading!!
Friday, March 12, 2010
Exposure visit to Khediadurjan, Rajasthan
I have been wanting to write this blog the very next day i came from exposure visit but didn't get time.
Anyway here it comes..
This exposure visit to a very remote village in Rajasthan- Khediadurjan, is somehow very close to me and will remain to be so for two reasons:
1. I stayed in village with one poor family for 3 days, and
2. since this exposure visit was a part of selection process for job in SRIJAN, and i managed to get through this job. And lastly because i happened to learn more about the culture and ways of living of people in just 3 days...
I would like to thank my four dear friends, who made this journey a real memorable one.. Thanks to Rudra, Tanvi,Victo and Nabeel.
As we all started in Kota janshatabdi, i still remember how much we guys ate endlessly and the curious looks by people. They might be thinking that when are we going to stop eating. It was real fun though..
I remember the tea, which i got addicted to and the jeep drive and non-stop talks..
First day it was simply fun for us but the real shock came when we were told at night in Lakheri office that we are going to stay in village alone for 3 days and the villages would be about 40kms away from the other. Thanks to Manish that he informed us before and we prepared ourselves mentally, informing almost everyone close about it.. I remember my parents couldn't stop laughing and they were happy about it when i was real nervous...
Anyway, next day we were off to the villages assigned and i was to live in Khediadurjan village... We were given a list of around 12 tasks to do ranging from credit analysis of farmers to understanding the socio- economic stratification of village and the village dynamics...
Well, every thing has a beginning and so had this village stay. I was nervous, pointless, apprehensive after i was left alone in a house where i didn't even understand the language and i felt stupid that i want to talk and people want to talk to me but how to start... I started with using sign languages and listening to their conversations. After a few hours, i came across a person, Modu lal ji, who could speak hindi. With his help, i managed to talk to people.. Thanks to him that i could complete all my tasks, though that was not my only aim. I wanted explore more about this village - its culture and people...
I held meetings with SHG members in village, talked to farmers, individuals and i remember i used to move around the village and go to any family and begin talking, and i was accepted and welcomed so nicely by almost whole of village.. This made me realise that my earlier apprehensions and fears were baseless.. Everybody took care of me so well, as if i have known them for years...
Well, things are not always ver easy as i had to do some things in village which i had never ever done before like shitting in open, bathing under a hand pump with no privacy at all, driving a bael-gaadi, milking the cow and cutting the fodder for livestock... To many this would appear a waste of time and unrelated to my work, but i learnt the way people live, the difficult their tasks are and the meager they get paid for it.. And this made me actually feel the extent of discrimination that happens with people in rural areas.. I can bet that an urban and educated person may not be able to do half the work that a rural and illiterate person does.. This made me feel that on what basis are salaries distributed among masses. Yes, educated have brains and they have been developed by the education they get but how many rural people get that facility to get a quality education... But they are working hard..
Life in my village, Khediadurjan, started at 4 and women didn't stop to rest. From milking cows to cleaning to going to farms, everything involved hard work... And i observed that women do more work than men..
Despite more work that she does, she has to respect men and honour them like they are Gods.. How?? She can not sit on the charpayi if her husband or any one of her in-laws is sitting there.. She has to cover her face. Besides doing more work than her husband, she also has to take care of meals and make him eat first and then eat herself...
I also felt the simplicity in villages and how people trust each other blindly. For them, there is no need of a bank to save money because anyone who has extra money, gives it off to needy as a loan at a monthly interest of 2%. Ineffective implementation of MGNREGA was seen since people having job cards didn't get any work this year....
All in all this visit as a good learning experience. And as i was coming back from village to Lakheri office, i was thinking that India has two worlds- one which has all the facilities and is relatively developed to other world which will make an urban feel that he/she has gone in past as the condition is almost same that existed a decade back- no proper education, health and water facilities, which are the basic necessities. Forget about esteem needs... So there is a need to integrate the two worlds... Sooner people of both the worlds realise it and work towards it, better would be for India to reduce its dual character...because i believe the onus is also on each one of us as is on the Government and NGO's....
In the end, i would like to thanks SRIJAN, all the employees in Lakheri office and my dear friends, who supported throughout...
Anyway here it comes..
This exposure visit to a very remote village in Rajasthan- Khediadurjan, is somehow very close to me and will remain to be so for two reasons:
1. I stayed in village with one poor family for 3 days, and
2. since this exposure visit was a part of selection process for job in SRIJAN, and i managed to get through this job. And lastly because i happened to learn more about the culture and ways of living of people in just 3 days...
I would like to thank my four dear friends, who made this journey a real memorable one.. Thanks to Rudra, Tanvi,Victo and Nabeel.
As we all started in Kota janshatabdi, i still remember how much we guys ate endlessly and the curious looks by people. They might be thinking that when are we going to stop eating. It was real fun though..
I remember the tea, which i got addicted to and the jeep drive and non-stop talks..
First day it was simply fun for us but the real shock came when we were told at night in Lakheri office that we are going to stay in village alone for 3 days and the villages would be about 40kms away from the other. Thanks to Manish that he informed us before and we prepared ourselves mentally, informing almost everyone close about it.. I remember my parents couldn't stop laughing and they were happy about it when i was real nervous...
Anyway, next day we were off to the villages assigned and i was to live in Khediadurjan village... We were given a list of around 12 tasks to do ranging from credit analysis of farmers to understanding the socio- economic stratification of village and the village dynamics...
Well, every thing has a beginning and so had this village stay. I was nervous, pointless, apprehensive after i was left alone in a house where i didn't even understand the language and i felt stupid that i want to talk and people want to talk to me but how to start... I started with using sign languages and listening to their conversations. After a few hours, i came across a person, Modu lal ji, who could speak hindi. With his help, i managed to talk to people.. Thanks to him that i could complete all my tasks, though that was not my only aim. I wanted explore more about this village - its culture and people...
I held meetings with SHG members in village, talked to farmers, individuals and i remember i used to move around the village and go to any family and begin talking, and i was accepted and welcomed so nicely by almost whole of village.. This made me realise that my earlier apprehensions and fears were baseless.. Everybody took care of me so well, as if i have known them for years...
Well, things are not always ver easy as i had to do some things in village which i had never ever done before like shitting in open, bathing under a hand pump with no privacy at all, driving a bael-gaadi, milking the cow and cutting the fodder for livestock... To many this would appear a waste of time and unrelated to my work, but i learnt the way people live, the difficult their tasks are and the meager they get paid for it.. And this made me actually feel the extent of discrimination that happens with people in rural areas.. I can bet that an urban and educated person may not be able to do half the work that a rural and illiterate person does.. This made me feel that on what basis are salaries distributed among masses. Yes, educated have brains and they have been developed by the education they get but how many rural people get that facility to get a quality education... But they are working hard..
Life in my village, Khediadurjan, started at 4 and women didn't stop to rest. From milking cows to cleaning to going to farms, everything involved hard work... And i observed that women do more work than men..
Despite more work that she does, she has to respect men and honour them like they are Gods.. How?? She can not sit on the charpayi if her husband or any one of her in-laws is sitting there.. She has to cover her face. Besides doing more work than her husband, she also has to take care of meals and make him eat first and then eat herself...
I also felt the simplicity in villages and how people trust each other blindly. For them, there is no need of a bank to save money because anyone who has extra money, gives it off to needy as a loan at a monthly interest of 2%. Ineffective implementation of MGNREGA was seen since people having job cards didn't get any work this year....
All in all this visit as a good learning experience. And as i was coming back from village to Lakheri office, i was thinking that India has two worlds- one which has all the facilities and is relatively developed to other world which will make an urban feel that he/she has gone in past as the condition is almost same that existed a decade back- no proper education, health and water facilities, which are the basic necessities. Forget about esteem needs... So there is a need to integrate the two worlds... Sooner people of both the worlds realise it and work towards it, better would be for India to reduce its dual character...because i believe the onus is also on each one of us as is on the Government and NGO's....
In the end, i would like to thanks SRIJAN, all the employees in Lakheri office and my dear friends, who supported throughout...
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Competing with SELF...
Difficult the title may seem to implement but the happier a person is (personal experience) when competition is with oneself rather than others.
We all compete with others as students, in jobs for promotions, with friends but what is the impact of all this? Is it somewhere straining our relationships with others? We want to do the best and achieve the best but what is the standard definition of the word "BEST"? It is always in relation to something. Why don't we give our best to the optimal level of our capacity rather than continuously measuring ourselves to others? I feel with this competitiveness comes jealousy, dissatisfaction and unhappiness.
As children in our contemporary society, we are socialized in a way,to compete with others and to acquire highest marks in class. But are hardly told to give your best and learn from your studies the best, implement your learnings the best way. Have we heard of it ever in our childhood from our parents? Probably yes but most would agree that no, we don't get to hear such statements from our parents. And the result is that we always are in race with our good friends and try to be better than them, even if it may lead to losing out on some good relationships.
Over the period of time, i have realized that competition with oneself is a better way to achieve success and also to be happy and competent.
Just give a thought to it and if you agree to it too, let us just implement this thought and turn it into our behaviour!! Let us compete with ourselves...
We all compete with others as students, in jobs for promotions, with friends but what is the impact of all this? Is it somewhere straining our relationships with others? We want to do the best and achieve the best but what is the standard definition of the word "BEST"? It is always in relation to something. Why don't we give our best to the optimal level of our capacity rather than continuously measuring ourselves to others? I feel with this competitiveness comes jealousy, dissatisfaction and unhappiness.
As children in our contemporary society, we are socialized in a way,to compete with others and to acquire highest marks in class. But are hardly told to give your best and learn from your studies the best, implement your learnings the best way. Have we heard of it ever in our childhood from our parents? Probably yes but most would agree that no, we don't get to hear such statements from our parents. And the result is that we always are in race with our good friends and try to be better than them, even if it may lead to losing out on some good relationships.
Over the period of time, i have realized that competition with oneself is a better way to achieve success and also to be happy and competent.
Just give a thought to it and if you agree to it too, let us just implement this thought and turn it into our behaviour!! Let us compete with ourselves...
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