Peepli live in Uttarakhand

There is a talk on how incompetent and irresponsible politicians are, there is definitely much truth to it. Instead of being sensitive to the problems, the Chief Minister was found stressing on GDP, and making amazingly irresponsible statements. One cannot really blame him we have a GDP Prime Minister. How long this nonsense?.

Everybody surely loves a tragedy, except ofcourse the victim. Victims are part of karma, so let’s not bother much about them. Market media, politicians, NGO’s with high ambitions -environmentalists with a keen eye on perks, role playing saviors, social climbers of all varieties relish these opportunities. If politicians were doing aerial surveys or making statements/counter statements to capitalize on the tragedy, the media was not far behind. They paratrooped in horde, many were giving reports from the helicopters carrying victims, incidentally in cramped conditions. O we love to see media hovering on victims inside hovering helicopter, such TRP busting sight, it even rhymes. How much did media handicap the rescue operations will never be clear. I am not denying that some in media did tremendous and genuine job, but that is just some and essentially those who are from the region, who understands and empathize. Why is that channels doesn’t have correspondents in these places, people who understand the place and people. The reporter must be from the region or has spent years understanding the place or else recruit from local channels on an immediate ad hoc basis during moments of crisis. What you have is attention seekers masquerading as journalist crash landing, it’s amazing that people living all their life in north India cannot even speak proper hindi, and they are journalists!! Any english speaking good looking victims here, please raise your goddamn hand? We want some byte. The audacity to impose oneself on people, who are undergoing serious tribulations and unimaginable personal loss, the insensitivity of it. It speaks of lack of competence and concern, it smacks of arrogance.  One journalist even found the time to answer how she was able to undertake these arduous activities. She was humbleness personified and said coyly “it is that extra hour spent in the gym”.  As Crude Woman says “every opportunity has to be sucked”, ZK Bazz nods and add “Brandz buildingz  nahi tho life meh kuch bhi nahi hai he mere bhai”.

This report in BBC that you are unlikely to read  or see in free Indian media, its called self regulation!!Its a metaphor turned into reality...

 India floods: Scandal video reporter sacked

An Indian television journalist who reported on deadly floods while sitting on the shoulders of a survivor has been sacked, says the channel he worked for.

The reporter had been widely criticised after the video appeared online.

A News Express statement called his behaviour "inhuman". The channel says it did not broadcast the footage and does not know who uploaded it.

More than 800 people have died in floods and landslides which swept parts of northern India 10 days ago.

Video of Narayan Pargaien reporting fromUttarakhand state, which has borne the brunt of the disaster, has been viewed thousands of times online. In it he perches on the shoulders of a man who is standing in flood waters, while the reporter delivers a piece to camera.

News Express said Mr Pargaien was guilty of "grave misconduct". What he had done was "not just inhuman but was also against the culture" of the channel, it said in a statement.

"You cannot ride on someone's back for a story. We terminated him on Tuesday," Nishant Chaturvedi, the head of the channel, told AFP news agency.

'We were helping' Mr Pargaien had earlier sought to explain his actions, telling Indian media website newslaundry.com that the villager had asked him to report on the damage the floods had caused to his home.

"We helped him with some food and some money and he was grateful to us and wanted to show me some respect, as it was the first time someone of my level had visited his house," the reporter said.

"People are talking about us being inhuman and wrong - but we were actually helping some of the victims there."

Mr Pargaien accepted what he had done had been wrong - but seemed keener to pin the blame on his cameraman.

"The report was supposed to be telecast only with footage of me chest-up. This was entirely the cameraman's fault."

That prompted some to suggest he still had more to learn about journalistic ethics and where to draw the line.

If only you had listened to this man

This is Chandi Prasad Bhatt speaking at Nehru Museum Library earlier this year. He said exactly the things that you see unfolding in Uttarakhand, not only that he has written these to policy makers. But then: policy makers peh tho development ka bhoot sawar ho chuka hai. Development here means the American model of wanton destruction. Mr.Bhatt was one of the pioneers of Chipko Andolan that saved thousands of trees in Chamoli region, indeed they are desultorily referred to as tree huggers by some. 

  Parasites in the temple

So now the dead bodies of hapless pilgrims will have to be disposed. The sensitive State government has asked the opinion of parasites of the temple (also referred to as priests) who in their collective parasitism want the holy place to be purified!! Here is a situation wherein thousands of people are dead and they are thinking in terms of purification (“shudikaran”). As if dead are impure…

Did the parasites that thrive in temples ever express any opinion on degradation of surrounding and environment as the fragile hills were exploited? Did they protest against illegal (immoral is the right word in this context) constructions around the temples? Are the parasites ever concerned about the well being of the pilgrims, who must add face exploitation at each step right upto the sanctum sanctorum? Temple towns like Puri, Madurai, Haridwar…the list long, are the worst places with the parasites spread across generation, adept in the skill of exploitation. They have armor of cleverness, wiliness, argumentation skills, even shlokas adept for occasion, made proficient during centuries of hereditary exchange. That many have moved to other greener pastures like politics and media, or anything that is manipulatable with high returns, is well documented, requiring similar skills.  Another temple that emerged in the last few decades is BCCI, the cash rich answerable to no one. They make their own rules and the priests have ready shlokas for each occasion, they have mastery of manipulating any situation. The art of stepping aside is one of them. They also made god out of cricketers. Thus rivaling Thirupathi in its earning and power. Who controls the money, where is the money used, is not outsiders concern. As in the case of parasites of temples the pilgrims, that is, the audience/fans of cricket, is not their concern, these are people meant to be squeezed. Praying for the faithful to the god, as they hold the control keys to heaven, is how parasites find their credibility and is not dissimilar to playing for the country or opportunistic media -like for instance first visual claims of tragic scenes or GDP by economists. These are parasites emerging from the same exploitative mindset, only differing in profession otherwise everything is intact.  This is where the concept of greater good for the nation and who will have to relinquish their every possession for development and wait for trickle down finds credence. Shift from brahminism to neo brahminism is the easiest, as they are the same breed, others too are catching up the intricate steps of quid pro quo world with effortless ease as this is part of our collective psyche, second nature.      

The parasites of temple will never show any signs of wisdom that defines “brahmin” because this is an ordained position. Crap ideas of karma and previous birth are added as embellishments for qualification, without any thoughts on compassion or concern. All in days work by unemployable ‘brahmins’ centuries back. Precisely what happens when dimwits have time and leisure of free food, they come out with amazing nonsense not only devoid existential angst of common people indeed make fun of their predicaments.  No they will never protest against exploitation of temple towns since they themselves are part of exploitation, this business includes them. They are traditional parcel of exploitation. Indeed after the tragedy a parasite was explaining how the temple was saved, this is reflection of greatness of the presiding deity, he asserted. In market language it is called brand building, the miracle spin. Who is responsible for deaths of pilgrims is cleverly not part of miracle.    

A person doesn’t become priest because of any competence or wisdom, these are parasites who are sucking in the name of faith for centuries.  These are dark spaces inside the temple, these are blots on faith. Over the centuries they have seeped into Indian psyche with detrimental effect. These parasites have nibbled away the soul of the civilization, and left caste driven zombies (ably exploited by politician as part of thriving democracy). Whatever left is humanness of individuals, a space where humanity still survives. 

Kedarnath also happens to be the final resting place of Adi Shankaracharya, an amazing man. I am in wonderment of this person. He truly was one of the greatest travelers. There is a shloka by him, very remarkable rendition by MS Subbalaxmi. I am sure many of us must have heard it atleast few hundred times…. Bhaja Govindam “Bhaja Govindam bhaja govindam mudamadhe, samprapte sannihite kale nahi nahi rakuate dukokarai”… “when the appointed time comes repetition of names and rules will not save you O fool”… it was statement on repetitive name calling of god and rituals, without any intelligence or reverence or context. Must add it is matter of grave concern that Shankara’s efforts were used to spread ritual driven faith by parasitic forces, that indeed was beginning of the end.  

 

 This is what S. Radhakrishnan had to say on this shloka “When intelligence (jnana) matures and lodges securely in the heart, it becomes wisdom. When wisdom is integrated with life and issues out in action, it becomes devotion (bhakti). Knowledge (jnana) which has become mature is spoken of as devotion. If it does not get transformed into devotion such knowledge is useless”.         

Weather forecasting is a serious occupation…

 While you travel it is very important to know and do a study on weather pattern of the region you are visiting. This is critical input in your travel plan and preparedness for any changes, as it turns out the change could be worst.   

 Unfortunately weather forecasting is not given much importance, while I travel I keep a keen eye on weather forecasting and cloud buildup that can be seen through satellite pictures –the reason why billions of rupees were spend to launch these satellites. Not a single TV channel in India –all languages included, that is hundreds of ‘news’ channels, don’t have anything close to making people aware of changing weather and what can be expected. These are critical information, that helps millions of people. I have written this before, one need to look at CNN -such comprehensive coverage, indeed I was trying to know about the aftermath of the tragedy in Uttrakhand and how weather is changing by watching CNN weather report. Even BBC also has a comprehensive detailing on weather (that is when they get time out of royal engagements…it is a shame, it makes me cringe. Viva democracy!!). Then there are websites, I cannot point out one Indian website and I must add Indian Meteorology Department website is least user friendly and is typical of the way government functions. As far as Indian media is concerned few newspapers carry satellite pictures, but that is stale in the age of instant information.  As far as News channels are concerned, it is such a waste…the great Indian mediocrity is back in the show. One channel has a truck moving (ofcourse with sponsors name) across Indian plain and giving us temperature, other has some ‘chic’(its derogatory term…but there are rarely males!! This is one channel that has high pretention on gender equity. Talk of gender specific occupations!! Must be for matrimonial purposes I guess. Beti TV meh athi hai tho demand tho badega hee!!). Overall Indian TV channels are such irresponsibly waste when it comes to giving the people information that is getting so critical.  

Travelling irresponsibly in environmentally fragile region…

It is the crowd that travels so irresponsibly, and pass on to children (of course producing children is another traditional occupation!!). They now come in personal vehicles, and throw out waste as they pass… to wash their sins, I am told!! I was at Rishikesh, at the evening aarthi of Ganges in Parmarth. Swami Chidanand Saraswati is an evolved man, during the brief talk, that was attended by hundreds, he stressed on the importance of respecting nature. Hari se Hariyali was an interesting connection. But what he mentioned about travelling Indians had everybody in shame. Even in Sweden, he mentioned, there are notices in Hindi asking not to dirty the place!! He asked people to pledge not to throw plastic and respect environment by planting trees, everybody raised their hands in unison. He even distributed saplings. This piece will not be complete if I don’t mention another of great Indian psyche, that is brahminical in its origin. At Parmarth aarthi young men in saffron led the prayer, after the prayers there was stampede for slippers that was deposited at a counter and was managed by an old man, quite obviously he was facing extreme difficulty as deluge of people created unruly scene. There was no discipline, no order. In the melee slippers were misplaced, the place was strewn with slippers. Around these stood the very same young men in saffron, serenely observing (right word be ignoring) the predicaments of people. I asked one of the fellow why don’t they have proper management of these, as you can see there is only one old man at the counter, and he surely is not able to handle it. This must be happening every day? The young man and his colleague who very recently were immersed in Bhakti sangeet, turned vicious, his serene demeanor slipped with characteristic alacrity, the same you see in streets of Delhi when luxury car scratch against rickshaw, and mask of sophistication slip. He declared with much anger that taking care of slippers was not his concern. Of course, I forget, the reason for this exaggerated reaction -dealing with slippers falls in lowest of order, as unemployed ‘brahmins’ verdicts few centuries back and so part of ‘old scriptures’ and therefore ‘respected’. These people should be made to work at the slipper counters for few weeks, and then they can have Sri square kind of fake dimwit serenity. It is in this context one has to understand the karseva at Gurudwara (picture herein of top lawyer in Pakistan Muhammed Kurshid Khan, doing karseva in a Gurudwara). You extend this and you will also understand why India was partitioned, and who were responsible for alienation of a section that they demanded another country.

Uttarkashi before the tragedy…one can say with much certainty: waiting to happen