From this morning, I have been watching and wondering, and praying that all the protests everywhere on the expression of exercising our Constitutional Rights, would go peacefully, and successfully.
And successful this was, the Delhi meet, which was the result of the courage, and conviction born out the indefatigable heart of Namrata, supported admirably by others, as you will find at these blogs:
Congratulations and Kudos to all, for a job well done 🙂
****
Also, in the Indian Express, on the edit page, the link of which is given below is a very uplifting article, though its overtones sometimes make it rather flippant :), about a Gandhian ideal being sustained, in the loin cloth, being metamorphosized into a pink panty 🙂 It made for good reading as I waited for the day to unfold, this morning 🙂
Can’t seem to get the exact page clearly, so here is the link at which you will find it; the title will make it easy for you to get it 🙂
It’s on Page 11, of the Saturday’s edition, on the Edit page 🙂
Thanks to the PCC, the Protest Marches, and all the peaceful displays of affection for All 🙂
And, as Indyeah has mentioned, there have been instances of sheer violence by some SS workers, and in Ujjain, a couple beaten up, forcible marriages. But just think, a lot more that could have happened, especially in Mangalore today, was actually prevented. I think that counts for a lot.. a lot.
And this is just the beginning. That is what is most uplifting.
Kudos and Congratulations to all who wished so hard for this upliftment, the thoughts count as much as the actions 🙂
For Love, because Love Never Fails. And also inspired by Solilo, and Indyeah 🙂
This day, I just want to share something a friend, whom I have never met, [but know to be a friend for the person I have come to know:)], had shared on this particular thought:
Love Never Fails.
He quoted from the Bible, that in itself, is self explanatory, and finds resonance in the true scriptures of all the different kinds of faith we follow. The simplest, sometimes the most complex and always the ONE thing that is the ONLY thing that keeps us HUMAN: Love.
From The Holy Bible, 1 Corinthians, Chapter 13, Verses 1 – 13
1Co 13:1 What if I could speak all languages of humans and of angels? If I did not love others, I would be nothing more than a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.
1Co 13:2 What if I could prophesy and understand all secrets and all knowledge? And what if I had faith that moved mountains? I would be nothing, unless I loved others.
1Co 13:3 What if I gave away all that I owned and let myself be burned alive? I would gain nothing, unless I loved others.
1Co 13:4 Love is kind and patient, never jealous, boastful, proud, or rude.
1Co 13:5 Love isn’t selfish or quick tempered. It doesn’t keep a record of wrongs that others do.
1Co 13:6 Love rejoices in the truth, but not in evil.
1Co 13:7 Love is always supportive, loyal, hopeful, and trusting.
1Co 13:8 Love never fails! Everyone who prophesies will stop, and unknown languages will no longer be spoken. All that we know will be forgotten.
1Co 13:9 We don’t know everything, and our prophecies are not complete.
1Co 13:10 But what is perfect will someday appear, and what isn’t perfect will then disappear.
1Co 13:11 When we were children, we thought and reasoned as children do. But when we grew up, we quit our childish ways.
1Co 13:12 Now all we can see of God is like a cloudy picture in a mirror. Later we will see him face to face. We don’t know everything, but then we will, just as God completely understands us.
1Co 13:13 For now there are faith, hope, and love. But of these three, the greatest is love.
***
The King’s Bible, refers to Charity in place of Love, but as told to me, it is the reference to Love, in its entirety that Charity assays.
To paraphrase what is written above:
***
I may be able to speak the languages of human beings and even of angels, but if I have no love, my speech is no more than a noisy gong or a clanging bell.
I may have the gift of inspired preaching; I may have all knowledge and understand all secrets; I may have all the faith needed to move mountains—but if I have no love, I am nothing.
I may give away everything I have, and even give up my body to be burned —but if I have no love, this does me no good.
Love is patient and kind; it is not jealous or conceited or proud;
Love is not ill-mannered or selfish or irritable; Love does not keep a record of wrongs;
Love is not happy with evil, but is happy with the truth.
Love never gives up; and its faith, hope, and patience never fail.
Love is eternal. There are inspired messages, but they are temporary; there are gifts of speaking in strange tongues, but they will cease; there is knowledge, but it will pass.
For our gifts of knowledge and of inspired messages are only partial;
but when what is perfect comes, then what is partial will disappear.
When I was a child, my speech, feelings, and thinking were all those of a child; now that I am an adult, I have no more use for childish ways.
What we see now is like a dim image in a mirror; then we shall see face-to-face. What I know now is only partial; then it will be complete—as complete as God’s knowledge of me.
Meanwhile these three remain: faith, hope, and love; and the greatest of these is love.
Just read this morning’s paper, where Mr Muthalik , of the Ravan Sena, of the Mangalore Incident fame, has decided to play Cupid himself!
Apparently, their agenda is as follows. Five teams have already been made, and they will roam the city on 14 February, with a hidden camera, a priest and of course, their goondas [ooops, party workers!].
Anyone seen dating, cosying up, cuddling, will be, immediately, ON THE SPOT, married off, with the help of a priest, a piece of turmeric tied to a string [to act as mangalsutra, “thali”]I suppose].
On being asked about minors who are found, he said they would be counselled and sent home [after beating them up no doubt!]
I wonder if anyone asked him about the lovers being of different faith? Would he have priests of different faith accompanying him? I wonder about that!
All those who wish to be married, therefore, here is your chance! Mr M will foot the bill, and no hassles, he will even register the marriage there!
Talk of culture; talk of freedom; talk of…..
Heck! What more does one want???
6 February, 2009
Edited to add:
Do read this, and lend your voices and hearts, if you can 🙂
January 30. Martyr’s Day. The day to observe in sombre, peaceful and committed manner our homage to the martyrs to our Nation, who gave their lives for, and protected, its Freedom.
A day that, 61 years ago, shook not just our country, but the world in shudders of grief, at the senseless killing of a great advocate of Non-Violence.
Sixty-one years on, how much further are we?
India blossomed in the newness of her liberty; she floundered, lifted herself, braced herself with her peoples’ bountiful courage and devotion. The common man’s and the respected leaders’.
A green revolution. A white revolution. Glasnost, Indian ishtyle. Economic growth. Privatization in several spheres. Loosing the stranglehold in some areas.
But tightening them where there should have been none at all. For now comes revolutions of other kinds. The Saffron revolution. The Neo-talibanization – Indian ishtyle. Gagging voices, even in blogosphere. Goonda Raj. Revering culture, ala Manusmriti brand.
Progress?
Progress. Back to where we came from, when our Freedom was at stake! Only back then we knew who the enemy was, and where. Almost always, on the other side of the border.
Now, it is the face next door, the man/woman, sitting beside you on the bus, the person who passes you by, on the road, a group of inconspicuous youth, engaged in seemingly normal tasks… it could be anyone, around…
And suddenly the wondrous colours of life become just one. The shade of mistrust, of envy, of narrow minded intolerance, of villainy, of fear and anxiety.
Whither to, India?
Each Martyr’s Day, we honour those who have laid their lives down for the motherland.
This Martyr’s Day, shall we have to pledge to walk down that same road, to preserve the Freedom of Equality, of Opportunity, for the Girl Child? For the young Indian woman? For women? For, to re-hash a quote from the memorable George Orwell’s Animal Farm; All men are Equal, but some men are more equal than others! The first paragraph on this site should give you an inkling that Orwell was certainly prophetic!!!
We simply cannot bow down to this oppression. For that is what it is slowly but sure turning out to be. On the one hand, the promotion of benefits and growth of the Girl Child is touted with much fanfare, and on the other there is this dominion over girls who want to be just another normal girl in the twenty-first century!
Let us lower our threshold of tolerance to injustice, and raise our hands and voices against those who are intolerant.
I remembered this old song by Bonnie Tyler, and here is the video. Do modify the lyrics from “He” to “She” 🙂 What the song captures is certainly what we need…A knight in shining armour, :), which finally, has to be us. Each of us!! To slay the Dragons of the Hopeless Kind, retrograde, pervert, and regressive!!!
(Cannot embed the video:( An error message keeps popping up! So here is the link)
Holding out for a hero She’s got to be strong And she’s gotta be larger than life!
Can we, this day, become that hero, for our own sakes? For the sake of a progressive nation? For the sake of humanity?
Today is also observed as Peace Day is many places, I do believe. Let us hope that good sense and good will to humanity will once more visit human hearts and the world will live as one!
An interview was in progress as I caught the programme, almost at its end.
It was nothing short of a slanging match, a shouting spree between a BJP representative, a Congress Representative and (Trumpets please, followed by drum roll) Ram Sena National General Secretary, Vinay Something!
Speaking on the Mangalore “incident”
Vinay: We condemn [I gasped, coughed on my food, a bit of it dropping back on to my plate, my son thumping my back.. all of it happened together] the act that took place in Mangalore. It was a criminal act, *blah blah blah*
Arnab [smirking, no, smiling genially] So you are saying it should not have happened?
Vinay: What you people are not seeing is why it happened. They were teenagers. They were taking alcohol. The pub owner is also to blame. Why he gave them alcohol?
Arnab: So you are saying it was right to hit them, tear their clothes.
Vinay: No no no… that was wrong. Why you are talking only about that? You are not seeing everything!
Arnab: They were your party members?
Vinay: Why you are looking at that only. What happened you do not know
Arnab: They were your party members????? [He had to ask again for this reply from Vinay]
Vinay: Yes.
Arnab [pointedly]: So those 40 men who attacked these girls, would you call them hooligans?
Vinay: Silence.
Arnab [pointedly]: So those 40 men who attacked these girls, would you call them hooligans?
Vinay: Silence
Arnab [pointedly]: So those 40 men who attacked these girls, would you call them hooligans? Vinay, were they or weren’t they?
Face off. A stubborn Vinay refuses to make a noise. It now becomes a battle of wills. Arnab repeats, repeats, and pins him down. Vinay is looking hunted , haunted and cornered.
Vinay: [Blank faced] NO.
Arnab [disbelievingly smiling, smirking, nodding] So you say they were not hooligans! That says it all!!
Thank you gentlemen, for your time.
***
I have one quarrel with Arnab. That he called all of them”gentlemen”.
And, yes, i love to limerick || Have tried to master the trick || Of the a a b b a rhyme || 'Tis a joy truly sublime || When a verse comes out slick and quick!
A Quest on Overdrive ... :) 