Kush Srivastava's Blog, page 40
June 7, 2012
Say No to Domestic Violence
The one thing that God certainly wanted for the entire humanity was to give rise to the concept of reproductivity and self-sustenance and growth. That’s why he made sure that a boy was accompanied by a girl when he decided that it’s time to start a new game.
And here we were all set to dance to His tunes. But little would He have wondered that a thing which He had started to ensure propagation of a never ending cycle would be corrupted by the illegitimate and inhuman whims of some amongst us.
No one had ever thought that the institution of marriage, evolved by our society, which was nothing but an advanced conception of the very basic thought, would turn into disrepute because of the vices and greed demonstrated by certain sections of our society.
And one such demonstration was manifested in the form of domestic violence resulting in illtreatment being meted out to women and girls by the people who would still want to be called masculine.
A plethora of reports and cases have been registered in our courts and in fact all around the World for the same cruelty and disrespect shown by the males of our society towards the women folk.
And you will be surprised to know that it’s just the tip of an iceberg with innumerous such cases not being reported and go unnoticed because of the fear of the social consequences and because the women don’t want to be singled out in this male dominated society.
Also, those women who are entirely dependent on their male counterparts for their sustenance and finances find it much more easy to bear the brunt of all the atrocities committed by their so called pati parmeshwar.
But with women becoming financially independent, things are certainly changing for the good and indeed women are raising their voices against this practice.
Women are beginning to play their part, but the question that needs to be asked is:
“Are the males of our society ready to play their part and help women in leading a life with respect and dignity, which is a fundamental right guaranteed to every citizen in our country?“
Source for Image: http://www.sierraexpressmedia.com/archives/36281
June 5, 2012
It’s Caste Time
When I was in college (undergrad), I happened to be an observer of an amusing incident which occured during an academic project in which we as a group of 3 were supposed to inquire about the perceptions of girls about their status in Indian society.
While talking to a group of girls in a University in Kanpur, one of my project mates (whom I will call Mr. X from here on) seemed to become deeply interested in a particular girl. Seeing this actually happening, one of my other project mate and myself couldn’t let our special curiosity fade away, and we ended up standing next to a tree which was pretty close to where the real action was taking place.
After going through the normal conversation Mr. X did something which was beyond our comprehension. He asked the girl about her gotra.
“What the heck he is talking about 
?” My other group mate was bemused at what he had just heard.
Being the gentlemen that we were, we thought of not interferring with the gotra talk that the couple was having and decided to decipher the mystery of the gotra after their conversation would come to an end. 
It was not before half an hour that we could get an opportunity to talk to Mr. X, who went on to explain the hooplah surrounding the mystery term gotra. By the way Mr. X hails from a zamindar family residing in a small town in Harayana where he can do nearly everything but to marry a girl from the same gotra, which if he did, could literally have deadly consequences for both him and the girl.
The raison d’etre was pretty clear now to both of us. Mr. X wanted to leave no stone unturned to eliminate all kinds of risks and doubts before getting into any kind of relationship with a girl whom he had just met and had for sure fallen in love with.
It was not that Mr. X believed in the same tradition and norm that have been existant in his part of the World for quite sometime now. In spite of being the most eligible and educated bachelor in his town, he dared not to cross the line for the fear of the barbaric consequences.
Initially, we couldn’t believe what Mr. X had just told us and we thought that he was making a mockery out of us. But, soon we realized that he was dead serious about a fact that has become such an integral part of lives of the so many in our country.
On top of this, there are corporate houses and businesses trying to make money by encouraging such divisions in our society. And there are innumerable examples of such companieswhich make sure that the parent’s wishes of a girl marrying a guy of the same caste are fulfilled to the core.
The question that needs to be asked though is:
“Who is to be blamed for such a thought process? Is it the companies that are cashing on this kind of divisional thinking that needs to be blamed? or Should the administration in our country which has not been able to do anything whatsoever in order to get rid of this menace should be held accountable?
OR
Should we rise above the blame game to pause for a moment and take a look at the irrational and illogical tendency and mode of thinking that has gripped our society and has made us all corrupt to the extent of even indulging in actions that the whole humanity would be ashamed of?“
Source for Image: http://ratheesh.livejournal.com/322652.html
June 3, 2012
DWDD
How many times have you got up remembering a dream? Well, scientifically speaking, if you happen to get up during the REM (Rapid Eye Movement) stage, which by the way constitutes one of the four stages that occur during our sleep, then there is a high probability that you might remember the incidents occuring during your dream.
If you are thinking why suddenly I am talking about a thing that seems to be in no sync with the title of the post, then I am sure you will soon realize the mystery behind the same as soon as you finish reading this article.
I too had a dream this very morning. Strange, as it might sound, I have enough evidence and logic going behind me calling it a destined dream. So far so good.
But whenever I try defining the term destiny, I get perplexed by the very nature of the philosophical interpretation of the word. As I was about to get caught up in my unrelenting curious nature’s desire to search for a meaning of the word, I was thankfully saved by a simple assertion that was thrown at me by, I am sure, someone sitting up there.
In all senses of the meaning that the following lines are trying to depict, I have never read such a simple and practical description of the ever baffling concept of destiny. Read it, understand it, believe in it and then salute the great man, who took great pains in simplifying the concept for all of us:
“You are what your deep driving desire is; As your desire is, so is your will; As your will is, so is your deed; As your deed is, so is your destiny.”
And if you are still wondering as to why I named it DWDD,
D=Desire–>W=Will–> D=Deed–>D=Destiny
Source for Image: http://www.brushesroom.com/Brushes/201110/Destiny-Brushes-by-Axeraider70-104.html
The Saviour
Today while watching the show Satyamev Jayate, I was really impressed by the enthusiasm and lively nature of a gentleman who in true sense can be called a saviour for the couples who intend on getting married or are already married against the sweet will of their respective families and thus have been discarded and ridiculed for the same act by their very own family and relatives.
If you are wondering what he has done, then I must tell you that he has given birth to a concept with the name of love commandos, volunteers who are well trained and adept at accomplishing various feats ranging from protecting couples facing any sort of danger to their lives, to providing them with all the basic amenities needed for their survival.
He has tried exposing the basic flaw in the thinking that is being followed and practiced by various socio-cultural groups who call themselves protectors of the Indian tradition, by citing examples and drawing comparisons with the likes of Krishna-Radha tales.
But before delving into the religious justification of love between a couple, which he calls pure love, the question that should be asked to the so called protectors is: what is Indian tradition?
We call India a country depicting unity in diversity. With a plethora of regional differences, can we really talk about a common tradition for the entire country. If not, then what about the laws that are nothing but a reflection of the norms and traditions in our society, is there any justification in uniform codification of the same?
Does that mean that there cannot and should not be any law governing our society? Of course, not! What we need though is a logical and a rational basis for making and implementing a law, which should be isolated and saved from the influence of the irrational and at times, inhuman approach demonstrated by the protectors.
With the kind of rigidity and group cohesion shown by theseprotectors,one cannot help but wonder as to how their acts and whims can be justified in the name of tradition.
What might work though in such cases and with such people is a religious interpretation of the whole scheme of things that they take great pride in delving into. The question that needs to be asked by the saints of the religions which these protectors practice is:
“Where do you think you will end up if you continue to committ such heinous crimes-Hell or Heaven?“
Source of Image: http://lovecommandos.org/
June 2, 2012
The Welfare Concept
When I was a kid, I used to wonder why is it that some parents tell their kids: “it’s a scary world out there” and used to deliberate over the thought process that would have gone behind parents telling their children about the same.
As I grew older and stepped out of the safe and protective ambience of my house to come in contact with the real World, I realized the fallacy of the concept of a welfare state that our country takes great pride in projecting herself as such on all international forums.
Some pessimists and non-reformists in the intelligentsia of our country would compare our country to malfunctioning states like Somalia and Afghanistan and would come to the conclusion that India is indeed a welfare state.
But as a common man, when I step out of my house, say, at 11 p.m at night, to take a casual stroll, why do I have to worry about being robbed or caught by the very same people who have been enthrusted with the responsibility of safeguarding our lives? Why do I have to worry about the nexus that has evolved between the politicians, bureaucrats and criminals in our country?
Why is it that girls in our country have started fearing venturing out at night, especially in cities like Gurgaon and Delhi? Are all the above examples indication of the welfare of our citizens which our nation wants to achieve?
If not, then what are we as a society and our administration as caretaker of the citizens of this country, doing in order to reverse this tide of an ever increasing crime rate?
Our government on its part is always lauding the steps taken by it in order to improve the governance in our country. But the question that needs to be asked is:
“How effective and efficient are these measures turning out to be?”
Source for Image: http://peterjmunson.blogspot.in/2012/01/welfare-state-thesis.html
June 1, 2012
The Girl Factor
Today’s lunch was a real treat. I had the pleasure of spending some quality time with two of my cousins and my bhabi. If you are wondering what was the motivation behind me writing this article, then I must tell you that it is all because of my cousin who is unmarried and in all senses of the word is a pure heera in our family that I have been forced into penning my thoughts down.
A very handsome guy that he is, my cousin is a perfect example of a guy posessing all the qualities which a girl would desire in her husband or boyfriend. His want-to-die-for looks are well adorned with the kind of degrees that he posesses in his name. Having achieved so much in life on the professional and academic front, the only thing that’s missing in his life is the presence of a girl who would fill his life with joy and happiness. 
With his kind of profile, I am sure that sooner or later he would be able to find a suitable partner for himself. But have you ever wondered about the prospect of guys who have not accomplished much in life? With the ever increasing male to female ratio in our country and with the kind of foeticide practices prevalent in our country, don’t you think the day is not so far when we would see more and more men left wanting to start a family.
The scenario was very well analysed and presented in the show Satyamev Jayate. The path that we as a society are treading needs to be reversed. A general awareness about the whole issue needs to be created and the practice of female foeticide needs to be stopped for our own good and for the good of our society as a whole.
Source for Image: http://nazariya.in/female-foeticide/922/
May 31, 2012
The Ultimate Dance
How does it feel when you have been living in a place for quite sometime and then suddenly one fine morning you are asked to get up and get going to another city? Well, that’s how life can be at times, it indeed can make you dance to her tunes.
And this reminds me of one of the lines in this song from Hum Tum: “sach hai ye bas ek baar milti hai zindagi, karwate badalti hai pal pal ye zindagi”. How very true!
Even if you don’t know how to dance and even if you have an innate hatred for the moves, you are left with no other choice but to obey the directions given to us by your very own what we all prefer to refer as destiny.
The games that are played are beyond our comprehension till the point we actually come to know of the consequences and results of the games. Isn’t it bad that we don’t even know the probabilities of the consequences?
On second thoughts, it isn’t so bad. After all, if we were to know why we are here, it wouldn’t be so exciting. The failures won’t be so depressing (as if we all want them to be 
) but the successes also won’t make us feel on cloud 9 .
As if we were all here to enjoy this ultimate dance. Are you ready to rock on?
Source for Image: http://theinspiredclassroom.com/2012/05/4-positive-effects-of-dance-and-movement-for-k-12-students/
May 30, 2012
The Other Gender
Today, in the morning, I was told by one of my friends about my recent inclination to write about issues concerning women and to have forgotten about the men folk as a whole. This article in every sense of the word is solely dedicated to the stronger sex .
It is true that the men in our society don’t really have to go through the same kind of hardships that women in our country do. Having said that, they are not left immune, they indeed have their own share of problems.
And one recent problem that I was introduced to by the same friend is regarding the expectations that a guy needs to fulfill when it comes to family, wife or society to the extent that sometimes he feels quite suffocated with the whole scheme of things which seems to him like an unresolvable situation.
His parents expect him to earn more and more, or at least better than their neighbour’s or the distant relative’s son. After all, how can they afford to be left behind in the rat race. No matter how hard he tries, what comes his way is the mere recognition of the fact that he needs to do more in life.
Wifes, in some cases, can add up to his woes. With the ever increasing materialistic nature of our lives, she tends to demand more and more and her list of wishes tend to lie on an ever increasing curve.
If this was not enough, everywhere he goes, the first question that he needs to encounter, whether he likes it or not is: “beta, kya kar rahe ho aaj kal?” As if the whole world was only interested in the work and more importantly the benefits that he is deriving from that work.
At that point of time, the guy’s situation is comparable to a donkey who is unable to get his due share even after giving up all his life in the service of people whom he loves and cares for.
Somehow the guy cannot help but ask a question that seems to be quite relevant to the whole scenario:
“Why is it that I am guaged by my achievements in life and that too the materialistic ones, which is bound to fade away like a phoenix one fine day?”
Source for Image: http://livingcivil.com/expecting-is-understanding-thoughts-of-the-subconscious/expectations/
May 28, 2012
Support System
Everyday, our newspapers are flooded with reports of crimes against women folk. Everyday, someone gets burnt due to non payment of dowry, everyday some women are so brutally beaten up by their husbands that they end up being hospitalized, everyday some women are humiliated and threatened.
This makes me wonder as to what’s the reason behind such a behaviour on part of men. Are we as men trying to prove that we are physically more strong and can go to any extent of imposing our decisions on women? Are we as men become so grossly infected by our desires and whims that we tend to lose all forms of morality and dignity?
It makes me immensely sad about the increasing expression of aggression in our society. Why all the frustation and angst is taken out on the women? Why the hell have we forgotten to give due respect to women? Why are we bent upon treating women like animals?
Why have we forgotten the fact that if there was no woman then there wouldn’t be any one in this society? And the most surprising and unfortunate thing in some incidents is that women too collude with their sons or husbands and become a part of making either their daughter-in-laws or their daughters go through all the atrocities.
Whatever might be the reason for such a behaviour, the behaviour itself needs to be ridiculed and suitably punished. Indeed punishment is surely going to act as a deterrent for those who might have such motives, but we must try to dig deeper and try to focus on the root cause of such incidents.
Why are such incidents taking place? Is it in the nature of a human to be brutal? And if it is then why is is that the norms and value system in our society which is supposed to be the guiding force behind all the legal laws and codes in place and is supposed to condition a human being into a fully functional societal being, are unable to fulfill its purpose?
There must be something very wrong in our teachings that we end up doing things such as those described above. Things certainly need to change. Again the question is where should this reform process start from? Should we focus on our schools, along with homes, and try to instil teachings from Bhagvad Geeta and other religious texts in the curriculum so that our children grow up into decent and virtuous individuals?
At the end of the day, it is extremely important that individuals, in this case especially men, are taught the virtues of respecting the fairer sex. But this alone wouldn’t solve the problem. Inspite of all teachings there will surely be some deviants who would try to bring malaise to the whole system.
What is needed along with the teachings, is an establishment of a society where in women feel free and empowered to voice out their opinions. And we as virtuous men need to function as a support system for the women folk.
Source for Image: http://www.reallifecoaching.net/create-a-stress-support-system/
http://wsiezeal.com/Cultivate-Support-System
May 27, 2012
Speak Up
Yesterday, I had written about the kind of incidents that are taking place in our society and the insecurity of our parents which is but natural to arise. What is surprising though is that hundreds of such incidents such as eve teasing, go unnoticed and unreported.
Is it because our parents are scared about the social consequences that might follow the very act of reporting? Is it because our parents are well aware of the treatment that their child might have to face in our society? Is it because of the inefficiency of the justice delivery mechanisms in place in our country?
Whatever might be the reason, it is extremely important to understand that if such incidents are not reported and the perpetuaters are not booked, then it is bound to lead to an increase in the occurence of such incidents. Those involved in such acts are bound to gain in confidence and in turn their evil motives are bound to prevail over our justice system.
Such reporting needs to be supported by the investigating agencies and the judiciary in our country by providing an effective environment where in justice can be delivered in an efficient and effective manner.
But the most important question that is haunting and will continue to haunt all of us is:
“Do we have the courage to come out of our houses and take a stand against such incidents happening in our society and how many of us are really prepared to support such people who are taking an initiative in this regard?“
Source of Image: http://borderbuster.blogspot.in/2009/07/speak-up-on-global-trade.html
